Dedicated Chapter Song: Cancer - My Chemical Romance
This just ain't livin'. And I just hope you know. I will not kiss you.
(Anna to Zeke)
Zeke cocked his head to the side and offered the woman before him a content smile. “Why don't we have a seat and talk?” he motioned to the crates. Anna slowly lowered her gun and sat, realizing she didn't have too much of a choice.
“I don't personally like resulting to violence unless absolutely necessary.” he chuckled, sitting down on the floor of the ship. “You seemed to be fine with it when you slaughtered my entire fucking brigade, monkey.” Anna glared viciously at that.
“About that...” he sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. “There's something your people should know. I don't want to kill your people. But I have to; to prove myself to Marley.” he sighed. “My parents were part of a secret organization dedicated to restoring and saving Paradise Island and the Eldians there.”
“But you sold them out.” Anna leaned forward on her knees. The report from Samuel Fritz stated that at a young age Zeke Jaeger gave up his parents Dina Fritz and Grisha Jaeger to the Marley government. From there, both Grisha and Dina were turned into Titans and left to wander mindlessly on Paradise Island. Since Grisha had the Attack Titan at that time, Dina was only one truly affected.
“I had to.” Zeke sighed. “My mother was a surviving member of the royal Fritz family, along with her brother Samuel—”
“Samuel Fritz?!” Anna practically screamed. “Son a bitch! That means you're related to Hysteria! Is that why you helped her out?! Tell me, now!”
Zeke slowly shook his head. “I didn't help her for her own sake. In fact, I was hoping someone would kill her—”
“Well, I did." Anna crossed her arms over her chest. “Faked my own death in the process.”
“Hysteria never knew about me because I hid the fact that I had royal blood, even from Marley as I acted as their captain.”
“Why would you,” Anna spoke with a sharp and harsh tone. “someone loyal to Marley, do that?” She narrowed her heterochromia eyes. Zeke dropped all smiling or content looks. He was serious now. Anna gulped at the intimidating look in his eyes.
“Because,” he spoke, calmly. “For as long as I can remember, I have been the one to inherit my father's feelings. I am the true Eldian restorationist. Yes...I sold my mother and father to Marley. As a seven-year-old, I was quick to realize that the search led by the Marleyan authorities was nearing the restorationists, who were headed by my father.” he explained.
“I was certain that if I did nothing, not only would my parents and their comrades be ‘sent to Utopia’, so would my grandparents and I.” Anna blinked at his words. He didn't seem to be lying. If he was, he had to have been much better than her; and no one was better than her at lying.
“That's when I took the actions you just spoke of. My parents were right. But they were naïve. That bunch had contented themselves with just playing around. The restoration of the glorious Eldian empire would never be realized by them.” Zeke sneered. “Not only did I leave my parents behind, I rose through the ranks of the Marleyan army. I trampled through the lands of Paradis that I should have been saving and killed Eldian after Eldian. Eldia could be restored by making the Marleyan army's plan to retake the Founder a success. Because Marley didn't know that I had royal blood within me. Marley didn't have a clue what would happen if a Titan with royal blood and the Founding Titan contacted one another.”
Anna stared blankly at him, still trying to process every word he said. “So...Reiner...is he...”
“He doesn't know about me. You and a few close friends of mine know.” Zeke said. “I do hope you don't go sharing this information with anyone.”
Anna slowly lowered her head. “You know... I'm pure Marleyan...but I feel nothing but hatred for this wretched island.” she growled. Zeke's eyes flashed behind his lenses. “You're Marleyan? Then...what were you doing on Paradis? I don't remember an Ackerman being one of the Titans we sent out there.”
“It's a long story.” Anna sighed. “I was born here on the far west side on the Kasahara farm.” she spoke quietly. “That's my family name. My father was the richest farmer here for a time being. Until my mom murdered him and...well...sold me to Paradis. She was insane. She believed in Hysteria's abilities to retake the world.”
“What about you?” Zeke asked. “What do you believe?” Anna tapped her fingers agaisnt her skin. “I just want this war to be over. I'm fighting for Paradis. For my people. No matter what blood I have, the people on that island are my family.”
“Then fight with me, Anna,” Zeke offered out a hand. “You don't have to do this alone. You can; but it will be much harder.”
Anna stared at his hand for a solid minute before reaching out and shaking it. “Fine. You're going to help me save Paradis.”
“Now... Someone like Reiner is bound to go poking about and find you here. You'll need to disguise yourself.”
“I can do better than just a disguise.” Anna smiled. “Have you got any hydrogen peroxide?”
Zeke pointed to a supply closet near them. “There might be some in there.” Anna stood up and opened the closet, ruffling through the sea of supplies until she found what she was looking for. “Aha!” she grabbed a bottle of peroxide and a box of black dye. “Perfect.” she grinned, stepping out of the closet.
“Your clothes... You're still wearing your uniform from Paradise Island.” Zeke observed. “Go ahead and use the bathroom upstairs to your right. I'll go and find you some fresh clothing.” he stood up from his place on the floor and left her alone.
Anna went up to the deck above and snuck into the bathroom, locking the metal door behind her. With a soft sigh, she ripped open the box of black dye. “No turning back now...” She whispered, pouring the dye into her hair and rubbing it into every strand.
She left two thick streaks on her hair undyed, instead adding bleach to both of those until they were snowy white. She waited half an hour, then rinsed her hair and dabbed it gently with a towel.
A knock at the door let her know Zeke was back with some proper clothing. She opened it. “I brought a few dresses and some contacts,” Zeke smiled. “I wasn't sure what size you were for either so I just brought a bunch of both—”
“I'll find something that fits.” Anna cut him off and snatched the items away, slamming the door shut.
Piece by piece, Anna stripped herself down, removing her ODM straps, her pants, everything until she was in her underwear. She picked a navy blue and white dress to put on and a pair of brown contacts that perfectly fit her eyes. Upon looking at herself in the mirror Anna found that the person staring back at her was virtually unrecognizable. Not only had she dyed her hair, but she'd cut it too, removing all her gorgeous bangs.
All of who she was once was fading. “So...what do I call you?” Zeke asked as the two left the ship far behind them. Anna groaned in pain, needing to lean against a building for support. “Agh... something's wrong... My stomach has been aching for days. I can't hold any food down.”
Zeke glanced down at her stomach. “I'm not a doctor— that was my father's job— but...from the looks of it... are you pregnant?”
Anna slowly glanced down to see the bump of her stomach just slightly jutting out. “The fuck? I could've sworn I...it was a phantom pregnancy...ah!” Her brown eyes went wide. “I just felt... something move inside me.”
“Should I take you to the hospital?”
“Just...get me off this street. I don't know the fuck is happening.”
“For a woman, you sure curse a lot—”
“Shut up, Jaeger!” Anna shouted, not wanting to recall how many times she'd actually said that. “Sorry...um... seriously, what do you want me to call you?”
Anna sighed heavily. “I don't... I don't fucking care. Um...Rika is fine. That's my mother's middle name.”
“Rika it is. Rika...Jaeger.” Zeke drawled.
“Fuck. No.” Anna warned him with her voice. “I'm not becoming a Jaeger. I'll die before I do.”
“Fine by me.”
“Wait...Zeke... don't leave me here. I'm in pain...” Anna groaned, her eyes wide as a wave of cramps went through her stomach. “I'm going to vomit...”
“If I take you to the hospital to get treated, they're going to ask who you are. We'll just tell them you're my fiancé that I never told anyone about—”
“Are you implying...” Anna heaved. “That...you're going to father my children?”
Zeke crossed his arms over his chest. “Would you prefer them be taken away by Marley?” Upon Anna's silence he smirked. “I thought not. Well,” he held out his arm for her. “Shall we, Miss Jaeger?”
Anna reached out and slipped her arm into his. “Don’t over use the name.”