𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐑 𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐓 | ᵃʳᵐⁱⁿ ᵃʳˡᵉʳᵗ

𝟑𝟏 | 𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬.

You were surrounded.

All you saw were the barrels of shotguns aimed at you, a new soldier holding up each one with determination etched into their focused faces. And then there was Floch casually strolling past them, twirling his rifle on the end of his finger with a chilling smile.

"You were just the person I was looking for, Hange." Floch sang, "If anyone knows where Zeke's being held, it's you. You'll have to drop whatever it is you're doing and take us to him."

Hange stepped in front of your group with wide arms, trying to get Floch to listen. "Floch, we have no intention of fighting you. Didn't you get the proposal we sent?"

"We did. And we promptly declined it." Floch shrugged, "We don't negotiate with the military."

You could hear the irritation laced in Hange's voice, "And why is that, Floch?"

"That decision came from Eren. He knew that Commander Pyxis would never willingly leave the fate of Paradis in our hands." Floch explained before adding, "And I agree with him. I'm sure Pyxis is somewhere right now thinking up a plan to steal the Founding from Eren."

"You're delusional." Hange quipped, "Did you get that info from one of your sources in the Garrison Regiment? You have people undercover there, don't you?"

Floch rolled his eyes, "Do I look like I'm gonna stand here and answer every question you ask?" He cocked his gun once more, "Get moving. I'd rather not have to use this thing."

Every soldier in the room was closing in on your group now. You watched some even go in the back room and grab Falco. Nobody made a move to fight back, not with dozens of guns pointed right at your heads. The soldiers slipped pairs of handcuffs around everyone's wrists. Everyone but yours, at least. They pushed you out of the group and towards the guards who stood by Floch's side.

"Floch, listen! We can't afford to waste time fighting with each other right now!" Hange exclaimed hastily, realizing that the window to negotiate was slowly closing, "Wine that's been drugged with Zeke's spinal fluid is going around the military! Zeke has us all dancing in the palm of his hand! We have to stop him!"

But Floch didn't look at all surprised by this news. If anything, he almost looked amused by Hange's outburst. "Actually, we don't have to do anything." He chuckled, "Just sounds like those idiot MP's are gonna become even bigger idiots. Now let's get going."

Hange gasped, "I never said the MP's drank it. You're kidding! You knew the whole time? You let them drink that poison?"

Floch spun around to show the taunting smile curled up on his face as he raised a finger up to his lips. "Shhh. Keep it down, will ya? This is a family restaurant." Floch smirked as he strolled past the Braus family, being held at gunpoint.

You watched the others get forced out the door as you stumbled behind Floch, a pair of shotguns already aimed directly for your head by the guards that followed you. You trailed down the hallway opposite of where Hange and the others were led. They could only spare you one last glance before they turned the corner and left your sight.

"Hey, shit face. You gonna tell me where we're going?" You glared at the back of Floch's head.

"We're not going anywhere. As for you though.." Floch reached back to harshly grab you by the arm and pull you up beside him, before he knocked on the door of the random room you stopped at. You slapped his hand away, but still stood beside him.

"We're gonna go on ahead. But I have (Y/n)." Floch didn't say to you, but to the door.

"Good." You heard a deep voice answer, "Let her in."

Eren.

Why am I nervous?

Floch opened the door before shoving you into the room, surprisingly quiet enough to hear a pin drop. You didn't know what you were walking into. You stood there awkwardly as Floch shut the door.

Around a table sat Mikasa, Armin, Gabi, and the one and only Eren Jaeger. The others were frozen in place, too terrified to make even the slightest movement as they rested their trembling hands on the tabletop. And then there was Eren, leaning back in his chair with a somber expression. The only way to describe him, would be that he was a blank canvas. There was no way you could read him.

"Well? Aren't you going to sit?" He spoke calmly.

You wore a frown as you cautiously approached the table, "What is this all about? Where's Ze—"

"I said sit." Eren didn't even look your way as he pulled out the chair between him and Gabi. She didn't look your way either, trembling as she kept her eyes on the wall across the room.

You surprised yourself when you actually listened to him and sat down. Only then did you see the deep gash slicing across Eren's palm. The white tablecloth under his hand was stained in a deep red, and the spot was only growing bigger the longer he held it there.

"I just wanted to talk with you guys. Fighting isn't going to solve Eldia's problems." Eren began before adding, "And Hange and the others are fine. They're just being relocated."

"Well Mikasa and I wanted to talk with you too, Eren." Armin replied eagerly, "We just want to know what you're thinking. Why did you decide to attack Marley on your own? Why're you doing all of this? Did Zeke and Yelena really win you over to their side?"

All you could hear was the rhythmic ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner as you waited for Eren's answer. He stared down at that puddle of blood beneath his hand with low eyes, watching it grow bigger with every tick.

"I am free, Armin."

Mikasa and Armin's brows went up in surprise.

"Every single thing that I've done so far, I decided to do on my own." Eren answered, "Nobody's dictating my actions. They're governed by nothing but my own free will."

Armin didn't look convinced, "So even though you've secretly met with Yelena, you're saying that this is still all you?"

"Yes."

"No way. You're being manipulated." Mikasa affirmed, "The Eren I know would never involve innocent children and civilians in a war. Even if they were enemies. And you wouldn't put the people closest to you at risk either! You care about us more than anyone. Don't you?"

Eren didn't say a word back.

Mikasa's hands absentmindedly went to touch the maroon fabric wrapped around her neck. "You rescued me from those kidnappers in the cabin and wrapped this scarf around me.. because you're a kind person!" She stood up in protest.

"I said to keep your hands on the table, Mikasa." Eren demanded assertively.

Mikasa hesitated, clearly caught off guard by Eren's harsh tone, before she sat down and did just that. Her hands rested on the tabletop once again.

You've never seen Mikasa express such emotion on her face, and in her voice. She was the strong one. The tough girl you rarely ever see put down her guard. And yet here she was, on the brink of tears. You almost wanted to tune out and focus on something else to give them their privacy. The conversation felt too vulnerable for you and Gabi to just be sitting off to the side.

Eren suddenly zeroed in on the blonde sitting across from him. "Armin, what do you think it is that drove you to start visiting Annie? Do you think it's your own free will?" Eren asked.

Armin seemed taken aback, "W-What? I don't—"

"If memories play a major role in shaping us into the people we are, that means part of you has become Bertholdt." Eren declared, "Within you is an enemy, who has feelings for another enemy. Understand?"

That.. doesn't make any sense. With his logic, Porco should have feelings for Krista, like Ymir did. But he doesn't. Although, Porco's never actually met Krista ... Would that matter?

You remembered how Zeke actually knew his predecessor well before inheriting the Beast Titan, and next thing you knew, he was walking around with a pair of glasses on all the time. Even though he had perfect vision. Parts of his personality did indeed change.

Does meeting the predecessor before you, make a difference to how you'll act?

"You weren't like this before. Don't you remember, Armin? You used to have a crush on (Y/n), but now you're all about Annie. Where do you think that came from?" Eren challenged Armin to prove him wrong, but Armin didn't say a word back. He sat there with wide eyes and a gaped mouth. 

For the first time since you've known him, Armin was speechless. He didn't have a rebuttal, a fact to throw back and stand out on top. And that only made you think harder. Eren wasn't just in Armin's head, but in yours too.

So it was true. Armin really does have feelings for Annie.

There was a weird feeling sagging down your shoulders as you looked down at your hands. Was that.. disappointment?

"Bertholdt's gotten into your head. You're the one being manipulated by the enemy. Not me." Eren asserted once more.

"Hey!" Mikasa blurted, "Why would you say that—!"

"You're being controlled too." Eren yelled over her, "The Ackerman clan was designed to protect Eldia's King. Your Ackerman instincts were dormant, until that life-or-death situation when you heard me order you to fight. You mistook me for the host you were made to protect. That's why you cling to me so much."

"But.. But that can't be." Mikasa stared down at her hands with fallen sad eyes.

"It can't? Why not?" Eren challenged.

"It's because it was you. It had to be you." Mikasa was growing desperate to make Eren understand. Though it sounded more like she was convincing herself rather than him. Her voice trembled with emotion as she debated against him. "You're why I became strong! How could that be a mistake?"

"You belong to a clan created at the cost of losing their true selves." Eren continued persistently, not even a hitch in his breath as he said, "In other words, you're slaves. The real Mikasa disappeared in that cabin, at nine years old."

You could see the tears swell up in Mikasa's stormy grey eyes now. She looked so hurt. Eren really knew how to get under her skin. You almost wanted to say something, but you knew it wasn't your place to speak.

"Stop! Leave her alone!" Armin defended.

"Do you wanna know what I hate more than anything else in this world? Anyone who isn't free." Eren declared, "They're no better than cattle."

"Eren!" Armin warned. You could see him rise out of his seat a little, but he was hesitant, like he was really trying to think it through.

"Believe me when I say this, Mikasa." Eren's piercing gaze never wavered as he looked right into Mikasa's teary eyes, "Ever since I was a kid, I've always hated you."

And finally the tears fell.

"Eren! How could you say that to her?!"

You watched Armin jump up from his chair and climb across the table before Mikasa swiftly caught his arm. In seconds, Armin was being slammed down onto the tabletop by Mikasa pinning him down. Eren didn't even bat an eye.

You and Armin blinked at each other in surprise, since his face had landed right in front of you, before he realized what just happened.

"Mikasa?" Armin grunted from under her weight.

"See? Everything in your life has already been dictated by your Ackerman blood." Eren watched Mikasa with a blank stare as she backed away from the table in surprise, like she didn't realize what she was doing, "That blood is all you really are."

You've never seen Armin look so angry in all your life. You didn't even know he could muster up enough hate to be seething in rage the way he was now. He turned to Eren with gritted teeth.

You knew it was coming before it even happened. You quickly sprung up from your chair, ripping Gabi out of hers before you stepped away.

And then you heard the sick crack of fist connecting with jaw.

The whole table flipped over on it's side, throwing Eren onto his back and Armin beside him. As soon as they got up to their feet, Armin took another big swing, but missed by a long shot. Eren quickly took reign of the tousle and launched his fist right into the underside of Armin's chin before snatching Armin up and throwing him into the wine cabinet like he weighed nothing.

You flinched as the wine glasses shattered on impact, showering Armin in shards of glass and fine chinaware.

You thought that would be the end of the exchange. They both got a fair hit. But it seemed they were just getting started.

"Jaeger!"

Soldiers from Floch's entourage burst into the room with long shotguns in their grips, instantly aiming them for you, Mikasa, and Armin.

"I don't need help." Eren assured them. He watched Armin struggle to recollect himself, wiping at his busted lip and bruised face as he raised up from the ground with a groan of pain.

"Hey, Armin. The two of us have never actually fought before, have we?" Eren mentioned.

Armin looked up at Eren with vengeance flashing in his darkened eyes. He took yet another swing, but Eren narrowly dodged his fist. You could still hear what little of Eren's nose Armin hit though.

"Wanna know why?" Eren grunted.

Eren stuck Armin in the jaw with a hit powerful enough to knock Armin back again.

"It would never be a fair fight!"

Armin moved to swing again, and this time Eren didn't hold back. Punch after punch landed on Armin's face, swelling on impact and coloring his face in bruises. And despite all this, Armin continued to hold his fists up, never backing down from Eren's merciless assaults.

You looked to Mikasa, expecting for her to jump into action and help her best friend out. But the girl only wore a look of sadness. More than that; she was heartbroken. She stood there with teary eyes, watching the two people closest to her beat each other nearly to death.

"Okay, Eren! I think he gets it!" You yelled out, tired of seeing Armin get abused the way he was. If he weren't a shifter, Armin would've surely been done.

And finally, after what felt like ages, Eren stopped.

With a groan of pain, Armin fell to his knees before completely collapsing on his face. You left Gabi behind for a moment to be by Armin's side, finally giving in to your pressing urges to help him. She was a bit taken aback, but didn't mention anything.

Armin's face was violently swollen and his busted nose was leaking fresh blood from both nostrils. He could barely hold himself as you sat him up, involuntarily putting all his weight onto you as he leaned into your side. He winced when you took the sleeve of the cardigan to gently dab at his nose.

"Like I said in the beginning, fighting isn't necessary." Eren reestablished, "At least not if you tell us where Zeke is. So just come along quietly." He turned to the guards still standing at the door, "Take them. And the brat who killed Sasha too."

Gabi quickly moved to be by your side, staying away from the guards who waited by the doors. You gave her hand a reassuring squeeze for her to calm down.

"So that's it, huh? That's all you came to say?" Armin's voice was hoarse, like he swallowed a cloud of dust before speaking. He struggled against you as he worked to lift his head up, "Is this the freedom you wanted? The freedom to hurt Mikasa? The freedom to hurt your best friend? You're a slave too, and your master is a worthless bastard."

"Who you callin a slave?" Eren growled with clenched teeth. This was the first time you've seen him look actually riled up this whole fight. "Let's go."

"Go where?" Mikasa asked.

"The place where it all started. Shiganshina."

You swallowed the lump in your throat.

══════════════════

"With the power of the Founding, Zeke wants to sterilize all Eldians and take away the ability to have children. He's calling it the Euthanization Plan." Eren explained, "In other words, he wants Eldians to die out naturally."

In a wobbly carriage riding throughout the newly restored city of Shiganshina, you and Eren talked alone. By some stroke of odd luck, Eren requested that you ride with him while Mikasa, Armin, and Gabi rode in another carriage with guards. You assumed that he knew you had questions concerning him and Zeke.

You sat on the seat across from him, watching him caress his sore jaw from Armin's first punch.

"Zeke believes that if Eldians were never born into this world, then we wouldn't have to suffer and birth a new generation to suffer with us. He thinks Eldians shouldn't have been born at all and that this world was never our birthright." Eren continued.

You thought back to that night in Liberio, when Zeke spoke so passionately about wanting to end the cycle of hatred against Eldians by using the Founding Titan. You thought that meant he'd want to fight against the hate and free the Eldian people. When you first heard the Scouts plan, you assumed Zeke wanted to partner up with Eren to activate the Rumbling with his royal blood and keep the oppressors at bay. Not do exactly what they want and wipe the Eldian race completely out.

Eren watched you intently, studying every little expression you made as you thought over the information he just told you. It seemed he was waiting for a reaction from you, or to hear your thoughts about Zeke's plan.

And only one thought was ringing clear.

"Zeke's Euthinization plan.. sounds incredibly stupid." You scowled, "Using the Founding Titan's power for something as foolish as wiping out an entire race, just because the world hates us, is so stupid. Why should we kill out our race to appease everyone else? They've already taken our freedom, why give them our lives? Zeke might as well get on his knees and finish licking the bottom of Marley's boots."

Eren watched you with an unreadable look, "And what about the Rumbling?"

You creased your brows, "What about it?"

"How do you feel about it? Let's say you were standing for Paradis.. would you rather the Rumbling or the Euthanization." Eren asked.

"Well.. if I were all for Paradis.." You sat in thought, pondering over your answer. You assumed he was speaking the half-rumbling plan the Scouts agreed to, "I'd choose the Rumbling plan. As much as I'd hate for it to happen, it's the island's only real shot at fighting back against the world. Paradis needs something to keep their enemies at bay, and to show the world what could happen if it's messed with. Paradis has to let the world know they aren't bluffing."

Eren's brows were arched in surprise. He was obviously expecting you to answer differently. That made you wonder what his answer would've been. You noticed the whole time he's just been saying Zeke's opinions but never anything about himself.

"So what about you? Are you really with Zeke and his plan?" You asked before adding, "Though I highly doubt that. The Euthanization plan doesn't seem like you."

Eren stared you down with dull eyes. "You don't think so?" He asked.

"No. You're something, but you're not dumb. Your brother, though? An idiot." You joked lightheartedly, but when you realized he wasn't agreeing with you, you stopped. "Wait. You're going through with the Euthanization plan?"

You really didn't know what to expect of him anymore. Eren was a completely changed person. Maybe he did agree with Zeke's views now. Maybe you said the wrong thing.

You watched Eren's eyes flicker up to the window behind you, showcasing the driver who sat outside the carriage. You hadn't even realized the carriage stopped moving.

"She's ready to go." Eren said plainly.

The door to the carriage suddenly opened to a squad of guards waiting with shotguns on hand. You creased your brows in confusion before snapping your head back to Eren who watched you with an emotionless face.

"What? I'm going too?" You asked in disbelief, "I thought you'd take me to Zeke."

"You're better in the cellars than roaming around with me. They've already made it inside the walls." Eren stated, forcing you to wonder who could they be. "And I still don't know your true intentions, if you're standing with Marley or Paradis. I still don't know if you're my enemy or an ally."

At your stunned face, he added, "But thanks for the talk."

"What makes you think I won't just go down there, transform, and blow that cell to rubble?" You asked as the guards locked a new pair of cuffs around your wrists. They helped you out of the carriage, allowing you to stand by the door to face Eren.

"Because you're just like Armin. You think about others before you think about yourself." Eren said bluntly, "You know that too many lives would end in your transformation. You'd never risk it."

Before you could even open your mouth to say something back, Eren reached forward to close the door in your face. You glared at him through the window as the carriage pulled off, leaving you in the hands of the Jagerists.

As they led you into Shiganshina's HQ, you couldn't help but feel like you had just been tested.

Wether you failed or passed was still up for debate.

Shiganshina's HQ seemed to play as the hideout for the Jaegerists. The building was crawling with them. As to be expected. It was predictable for them to be in the very same place Eren used to call home.

What really threw you off though, was the pieces of fabric wrapped around their left arms. The colors ranged from white, to black, to red. You could already guess that the colors symbolized something, what they stood for was beyond you though. You shook your head as you approached a group of white armbands bullying a soldier wearing a red armband. It was practically Marley 2.0.

Guess a little dose of power can make anybody act like the bad guy.

As you passed the group up, you noticed the person standing off to the side, leaning against the wall as they watched. They wore a white armband too, but weren't harassing the red armbands like the others. You could only see the side of their face, but something about them felt... familiar.

It was only when they suddenly turned to face you fully, hazel eyes locking onto yours, did you stumble a little in your step. Their face matched yours, full of surprise, but also full of panic. Your breath caught in your throat.

Porco? But how..?

He pressed a finger against his lips, wordlessly telling you to keep quiet, as he watched the guards lead you down another hallway.

to be continued!
word count: 3.9k

ily guys! thanks for all the support warrior unit's been getting so far <333