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Silence was the only thing in the place, Armin and Mikasa looked at their two friends while the Jaeger and the (L/n) just stared at the table. Gabi gasped for breath as she felt a sense of fear at the two people in front of her.
[Y/n]: We wanted to... to talk with you guys...
[Eren]: Conflict isn't necessary to solve Eldia's problems. Hanji and the others are fine. We're just moving them...
[Armin]: Eren, (Y/n), we're the ones who wanted to talk. What made them go attack Marley all on their own? Did Zeke and Yelena really talk them to join them?...
(Y/n) looked at him silently. Armin and (Y/n) looked at each other, Eren pursed his lips before he could speak.
[Eren]: We are free...-He says, Armin and Mikasa looked at them confused by his words- The things we do and the choices we make are all decided by our own free will...
Armin widened his eyes, Mikasa gritted her teeth at his words. Armin looked between the two, narrowing his eyes before speaking.
[Armin]: So the actions of the two after meeting Yelena were all of the two?
[Eren and Y/n]: Yes...
[Mikasa]: No, they were being manipulated!...-Mikasa speaks quickly, making Eren and (Y/n) look away to her- They wouldn't get kids and innocents involved, even if they were enemies! Also, I know they care about us more than anyone!...
Eren and (Y/n) look at her with a neutral expression, sweat trickling down Mikasa's face as her brows furrow. When (Y/n) looked at her with a frown on her face, she felt a chill.
[Mikasa]: Don't you? The reason you saved me in the cabin ...- The look changes to (Y / n), who was looking at her- The reason you gave me this scarf ...- She grabbed her scarf-It's because they're kind ..
(Y/n) gritted her teeth before pounding her fist on the table, making Mikasa shut up. Gabi jumped at the sudden loud noise, Eren and Armin looked at her in silence.
[Y/n]: Eren said, "Keep your hand on the table"...
Mikasa fell silent, standing with her hand on her scarf as she looked at the two. But as a submissive, she sat back down slowly without saying anything. Armin looked at her incredulously, he never believed that (Y/n) would yell at him like that.
[Armin]: She's not like that... She's kind, shy...
[Eren]: I spoke with Zeke in Liberio, brother to brother..-He explains- Zeke knows more about Titans than even Marley does...
[Y/n]: Armin, aren't you still visiting Annie?...-She began to speak, looking at the blond, who quickly perked up- Do you think that's your own free will?..
[Armin]: Wh-What?...
[Y/n]: If memories are what shape people, a part of you is Bertolt now...-As (Y/n) spoke, Armin's face was slowly fading, pupils slowly shrinking and sweat rolling down his face as he gulped nervously- Within you is an enemy with feelings for another enemy. Armin... Bertolt has got into your head. You're the one manipulated by the enemy...
Armin was speechless.
[Y/n]: Now you're weak, Armin...-Armin tries to speak but only inaudible noises came out- You're not the same as before. You are being manipulated by the enemy. You never noticed, Armin...
[Mikasa]: (Y/n)...
[Y/n]: I wonder, what would happen if instead of saving you... we had saved Commander Erwin?...-Mikasa looked at her in disbelief, Armin clenched his hands into fists while they tremble- If we had saved Commander Erwin... Captain Louis wouldn't be suffering, Commander Hanji wouldn't have so much weight on her shoulders... Commander Erwin wouldn't have been weak like you...
Armin felt tears in his eyes. Mikasa didn't resist (Y/n)'s words, she gave the two of them an angry look before yelling at them.
[Mikasa]: Eren, (Y/n).. what are you--?
[Eren]: You, too, Mikasa...-This time it was Eren who was speaking, causing Mikasa to fall silent- The Ackermanns were intentionally designed to protect Eldia's King...-Mikasa's face drops, her mouth hangs- Back then, faced with a life-or-death situation, you heard my order: Fight".. At that moment, instincts awoke from within you...
[Y/n]: Do you remember when I yelled at you to take that knife?...-She asks, but Mikasa doesn't answer-
[Eren]: By mistake, you thought that me and (Y/n) were the hosts you had to protect..
[Mikasa]: No...-Her voice was soft, making Eren furrow his brows slightly-
[Eren]: No? No, what?...
[Mikasa]: It wasn't... a mistake...-She started to remember when Eren took her home, when (Y/n) gave her the scarf with a smile. The moments of the four- It's because it was you two, Eren, (Y/n)! I became strong because of both of you!...
[Eren]: Ackermanns with awakened powers apparently get sudden headaches. It happens when their old self resists being forced to protect their host. Sound familiar?..
Mikasa gasps, her smile dropping and looks down. Her body begins to shake as her hands ball up.
[Mikasa]: No...
[Eren]: I'm saying...
[Mikasa]: No, I..
[Eren]: Your family was made to forget who they are and live only to protect. In other words, slaves...
[Armin]: Enough, Eren!..-He yells at him, his eyes went to (Y/n)- (Y/n)!...-The girl looks at him- Say something! We are your friends!...
[Y/n]: Do you want me to continue for Eren?...-She asks, Armin looks at her confused- Mikasa...-The Ackerman girl turns her head towards her- You know who we hate more than anyone? Those who aren't free. Just like livestock...
[Armin]: EREN! (Y/n)!!...
[Eren]: Just seeing you has always pissed me off so much, and now I finally know why. I can't stand the sight of a slave who obeys orders without question...
Mikasa flinches as her eyes are fixed on the table.
[Eren and Y/n]: Ever since we were both kids... Mikasa, we've always hated you..
Mikasa's heart breaks upon hearing those words from the two people she loved. Her lip trembles as tears begin to form in her eyes. Armin grits his teeth.
[Armin]: Eren.. (Y/n)!...-He gets up quickly, pushes his chair back while having an angry look on his face- How could they say that to...?
In a fit of rage, he climbs over to the table and starts crawling his way to Eren, all while the brunette remained calm. Gabi, who watched everything in silence, wanted to get up but (Y/n) looked at her as she was surrounded by yellow electricity, making Gabi not move from her seat. Armin raised his arm, about to hit Eren.
Just when he was about to punch him, he quickly gets apprehended and was slammed on the table harshly. Eren and (Y/n) were calm. Armin winced, slowly looking up and lightly gasps when he sees Mikasa staring down at him.
[Armin]: Mikasa?...
Mikasa snaps out of her trance while panting.
[Eren]: Your entire life has been dictated by your Ackermann blood...-Mikasa quickly lets go of her friend and backs away, shaking her head- It's all you really are...
When Armin saw the tears fall on Mikasa's cheeks, he made him clench his teeth before hitting Eren's face. (Y/n) walks away from the table as the table falls just like Eren and Armin.
Eren got up while wiping the blood that had come out of his nose, Armin stumbled with his footing and tried throwing another punch, but Eren was able to dodge with ease and he punched him in the face, causing blood to spew from Armin's mouth.
The blond groans as Eren grab him by the collar of his shirt and throw him against the wine shelf, causing multiple bottles to break and a few plates to fall and break.
The door then flies open when two Jaegerists come in to see what the commotion was about.
[...]: Jaeger! (L/n)!..
[Eren]: We're fine...-says Eren, his eyes were on Armin, who is leaning on the shelf- Hey, Armin. You and I have never fought before, have we?
Armin wipes the blood trailing down his mouth once he stands. Armin tried to hit him again, but Eren easily dodged it.
[Eren]: Do you know why?..
He then sends a punch across Armin's face, knocking him off. He tried to stop Eren's blows, but he couldn't do much. The beatings continued as the blood came out.
[Eren]: Because it's not even close to a fair fight!...
[Mikasa]: Stop...-Mikasa begged, the tears now streaming down her face all-
Eren grabs Armin by the neck and kicks him in the stomach. The blond let out a groan as he falls to his knees. Blood trailed down his nose from him as his face from him was just beaten up as he wheezed.
(Y/n) walked towards them, Mikasa looks at her with tears but (Y/n) completely ignored her. Eren looks at her out of the corner of his eye, he felt the girl's hands on her shoulders as (Y/n) approaches the Jaeger's ear.
[Y/n]: Stop... Save your strength...-She whispers to him, and then whispers something that neither Armin nor Mikasa heard-
Eren lets out a deep breath, taking a few steps back. (Y/n) looks at Armin, kneeling in front of him to grab his hair.
[Y/n]: They can't stop us...-She tells him, Armin's head hits the ground, she gets up as she stands next to Eren-
[Eren]: Like I said, if you guys tell us where Zeke is, there's no need for us to fight..-Mikasa goes to her knees and goes to help Armin up- Come along and behave. Take 'em..
[...]: Yes, sir...
[Y/n]: The kid who killed Sasha, too...
Gabi, who was silent, tenses up.
[Armin]: Is that it?..-The blond begins to speak, feeling how his blood entered his mouth. (Y/n) and Eren turned to see him- Is that all you came to say? That you wanted freedom just so you could hurt Mikasa?.. Tell me: Who's the slave that bows to a bastard again?..
[Eren]: Who are you calling a slave?..-Eren snarled, his face hardening as he turns around while eyeing Armin still- Let's go...
[Mikasa]: Where?..
[Y/n]: To where it all started--Shiganshina...
To be continue..