Mutiny (Attack On Titan)

Chapter 2

Armin stayed awake within the barracks, he gave the bird to a kind elderly woman who didn't mind taking care of the bird until he comes back. It was clearly midnight and he had no idea where Annie is.

He was worried for her own well-being, most of all; he was worried for how she was coping with her father's apparent death. It was difficult for Armin to accept initially, but if Annie's face expression was anything to go by; it only further confirmed this cruel fact.

Annie Leonhart's father passed away.

But something bothered Armin, it didn't bother him greatly, but it still did. He was not familiar with any records of civilians going outside the walls, and even then; guards always surrounded the gates of the Wall.

Armin thought of one possibility, but he dismissed it. There was no way that they weren't the only humans alive, it was ridiculous!

But how come did that bird deliver a message from a man who was outside the walls?

Armin brushed aside these thoughts, he figured that it was best not to worry about them for now. He figured that he had more things to worry about rather than a bird with a message.

"Annie....Where are you?". He thought to himself, his worry about Annie forever growing.

These previous days, he felt that he and Annie were beginning to be good friends. And as time passed by, he felt that they began to start getting closer to each other.

Of course, that is what HE felt, but what did Annie feel? 

(....) 

The trio sat around the campfire in stunned silence.

Bertholdt's face was dark and he kept staring at the fire continuously, Reiner had a hard time believing what he just heard, and Annie was already exhausted, both mentally and physically.

"My family....". Bertholdt muttered. "Mom......". His eyes were wide and he still kept staring at the fire. "That's what they are doing now". Annie said with sadness in her voice. "My father....he's...". Annie couldn't continue what she wanted to say, it still hurt to think about her father's demise now.

Time seemed to move slowly for Bertholdt, at first he doubted what Annie said, but he never believed she would lie. He knew her for a good amount of time that she wouldn't lie, atleast to them anyway.

If what Annie said was correct, then his family is truly in danger.

He proceeded to look at Annie. "Why...?". Bertholdt asked. But Annie had no answer to give him.

Reiner scoffed. "That's gotta be a joke!". He exclaimed. "Are you sure that what you received wasn't any of the lies these devils are trying to feed you?". Reiner asked.

Anger flared in Annie's heart towards what Reiner said. "I've known how my father writes ever since I was adopted to him, and I know the bird he's been raising since I was a child". Her voice cracked. "What the hell makes you think that this is all a lie?!". Annie asked.

Reiner was stubborn. "To hell that I'm buying what you've been saying to us". Reiner asked. "These devils can might as well emulate the exact handwriting and get the exact same breed of that bird". Reiner said. "Are you honestly stupid enough to believe that Marley would do this to us?". He said.

Annie gritted her teeth in frustration and anger. "What the hell did Marley ever do to us to make our lives better?!". She said. "They threw us in ghettos, discriminated against us and treated us like we were some kind of slaves!". She said. "They threatened our lives and our families if we failed this damn mission, and you know what happened when your father knew that your mother was an Eldian?! He left her! He abandoned you and now he hates you!". She exclaimed.

"Stop.....". Bertholdt begged both Annie and Reiner to stop escalating the situation, but his words fell on deaf ears.

Reiner narrowed his eyes at Annie, and Annie sent him a death glare.

Truth to be told, her and Reiner never really had a good relationship to begin with. That is because Annie was able to see right through the brainwashing Marley did, but Reiner was too embedded in this propaganda.

In a way, you could say that Reiner was also a victim, radicalized by the Marleyan propaganda.

Reiner widened his eyes, and then he looked at Annie again. His eyes became filled with furiousity. 

"You were always the one reluctant to continue the mission". He said. "And you only did what you were supposed to do only when we pressured you to do so".

"What are you trying to say?". Annie was beginning to grow tired of Reiner.

"You made this all up".

Shocked silence followed as Reiner kept sending death glares towards Annie, Annie's eyes widened in sudden shock, Bertholdt looked at Reiner as if he was crazy. "Reiner...you're taking it too far". He said.

"No, he's right". Bertholdt turned only to see that Annie's face was filled with tears, she was holding her tears back and she was gritting her teeth in anger. "I am that sick and depraved to look through all of the lies that they always force fed us". Her voice cracked. "I'm that depraved to make up a lie about how my father is going to be turned to a titan". She said.

Bertholdt couldn't say anything, he just remained silent.

"If you are fine with your family being killed or turned to Titans then be my guest". She spat. "It's my fault for trying anyway".

She walked away from the duo with hot tears running across her cheeks, Bertholdt wanted to call her name, but he figured it was best to leave her alone.

He looked at Reiner with a look of disappointment, but then he saw the confusion written all over Reiner's face. "Bertholdt....What did she mean by all of that?". He asked. "Why was she crying?".

Bertholdt sighed, he forgot that Reiner developed a split personality disorder.

On one hand, he was a Marleyan warrior. On the other, he was a caring soldier who served in the Survey Corps.

Perhaps it was a way for Reiner to cope with the guilt he felt for the sins he committed.