“Bertholdt, would you stop pacing, you’re going to create a hole in the floor.” Reiner said irritably.
“I can’t help it! Annie is now in the hands of the Survey Corps, her cover has been blown and soon-“
A knock on the door of the barracks sent Reiner out of his chair.
“Geez you guys look like you have just seen a ghost or something.” Connie said as he came in the room, followed by Marco. “Though I can understand Bertholdt being jumpy. Imagine your girlfriend being outed as a traitor to humanity, I mean that’s-OW”
Marco had elbowed him in the ribs. “Connie has some tact”
“What do Military Tactics have to do with this?” Connie asked with a confused look on his face.
“Beside your one to talk”, Marco added. “Wanna tell them why Sasha and you had to clean the stables instead of dinner?”
Connie’s face turned red.
“Annie’s not my girlfriend” Bertholdt said quietly.
“But he wants her to be” Reiner muttered.
Bertholdt shot Reiner an annoyed look. “We are just…in shock. We thought we knew Annie, and finding out that she just like Eren…”
“I mean better the Scouts have her than the MPs” Marco said. “From the short time I was in the MPs I learned they would be ready to kill her and dissect her.”
“Kinda like that suicidal b*stard.” Jean said coming into the barracks. “I thought you three were from the same place?”
“We’re not” Reiner said while Bertholdt answered that they were.
Jean raised an eyebrow.
“What we mean is same district different village.” Reiner said trying to cover for Bertholdt’s blunder.
Connie and Marco seemed satisfied with Reiner’s explanation, yet Jean remained a bit suspicious.
“To be honest, I don’t know if she is going to fair as well being in the Scouts custody either, I know Captain Hange experiments on Eren day and night. Also, I hear that Captain Levi can be ruthless in getting information out of people.” Reiner continued.
“Why are you so worried?” Jean asked. “I know we all were in the cadet corps together, but she didn’t really seem to like you.”
“You’re right about that” Bertholdt said quietly.
“I dunno guys” Connie said sitting down on his bunk, “do we even know she was actually a traitor?”
“Connie, she was actively trying to kick a hole in the wall as a titan.” Marco said. “Please tell me how that helps humanity.”
Connie thought for a moment, opened his mouth the speak, then closed it again.
As they continued to debate Annie’s motives. Bertholdt nibbled on his thumbnail, pondering what the Survey Corps had instore for Annie.
Meanwhile the captains of the Survey Corps sat around a table in the basement of the Survey Corps headquarters.
“She’s still not talking?” Miche asked.
Hange shook her head. “Not a word. Though I can’t blame her. I wouldn’t talk either.”
“I just can’t imagine who she could be working for. There is no one else left outside the walls, right?” Captain Ness asked.
“As far as we know” Erwin said.
Hange leaned back in her chair, “Well, we have tried everything in the book.”
“No, we haven’t,” said a stoic voice.
Everyone turned to look at Captain Levi.
“Levi we are talking about a kid here.” Ness said.
“Your point?” Levi asked taking a sip of his tea.
“We aren’t going to torture a kid.” Miche said. “That just seems wrong.”
“You are just scared as to what Nanaba might think.” Erwin muttered.
“That’s not…well…it’s the principle of the matter.” Miche stuttered.
“I must agree with Miche, I don’t think it’s wise to torture a teenager. But we must know why she was trying to break another hole in the walls. We must know how she can become a titan, what her motives are, what foods she eats…”
Levi placed a hand on her shoulder. “Easy Four-Eyes or else steam will start coming out of your ears.”
“Hange is right though, if we are going to make any progress for humanity we need to get answers.” Erwin said.
****************************
“Hey look it Annienocchio!”
“You could hang the laundry on that nose.”
“Look how big her nose is!”
The kids surrounding her were getting bigger and bigger. Point their fingers and laughing. Annie wanted to run, she wanted to hide and cry. But that’s not how she was raised.
“Shut up, all of you! I’m a warrior!”
She began swinging wildly, but the taunting children were too fast for her punches.
“JUST STOP IT!”
She woke up, finding that she had sure taught her pillow a lesson. It’s feathers coming out different ends. The guard staring at her a bit bewildered.
“Just a bad dream” Annie said flatly.
She let out a deep breath. Reminding herself that it was just a dream. That the bullies of her childhood weren’t there with her.
*****************************
It was a rare sight to see. Levi asleep in Hange’s bed ad she continued to work. Normally it was Levi tucking Hange into bed. He had been helping her with research, and about two hours later he was curled up like a grumpy cat in the over chair.
Hange was pouring over old journals and books. Trying to find a way to get Annie to talk. She took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. Hange knew she should get some sleep, but she hated sleeping when she had a million unanswered questions in her head.
Hange stood up and stretched, not even bothering to look at the clock. She walked over to her personal bookshelf, not really sure what she was looking for. Her tired eyes looked over the wide variety of books until one caught her eye. The gears in her head began turning.
“I’VE GOT IT!” she shouted, causing Levi to spring out bed only to trip on one of Hange’s shirts.
“F*ck Hange, do you have any idea what time it is!?!”
Hange rushed over to Levi, helping him off the floor. “I’ve got the perfect way to get Annie to talk!”
****************************
Annie wasn’t sure how much time had ed since she had been imprisoned by the Survey Corps. She was exhausted, and worried about Bertholdt…and a bit worried about Reiner.
She wasn’t completely heartless.
Annie tensed up as she heard a group of footsteps coming down the stone stairs of the dungeon.
Two scouts appeared in front of her cell. “Time to go”.
As they led Annie up the stairs, she wondered if they were planning to kill her. If they were, she at least felt she was entitled to a last meal.
Even Annie thought it was inhumane to kill someone on an empty stomach.
However, Annie was surprised when they led her down another hallway instead of the gallows. They stopped in front of a door and one of the guards knocked.
“We have her Captain.”
A deranged laugh came from inside. “Delightful! Bring her in.”
Annie was led into a lab of some type.
“Maybe they are going to experiment on me.” Annie thought with a slight shudder.
The guards led Annie to a wooden stool where she sat down.
“That will be all, we will take it from here.” Hange said.
As the door closed, Hange turned to Annie. “Now the fun begins, Moblit if you please!”
Moblit handed Hange a glass bottle of a blue liquid. His face a bit apprehensive.
“Are you sure about this Captain?”
“Since when have I ever been wrong Moblit?”
Several previous scenarios began running through his head.
Hange thrusted the bottle at Annie. “Drink this.”
Annie glared at Hange. “And if I refuse.”
“Guess we will have to dissect you then.” Hange said gleefully.
Annie weighed her options and decided to take the gamble with the chemical. She was a bit surprised to notice that it tasted like blueberries.
Nothing happened.
“So now what?” Annie asked, a bit annoyed.
“Annie…are you familiar with the classic story of Pinocchio?”
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