Chapter Text
Year 850: Liberio - May. 7th.
The horn of the MNV Valle blasted out, waking Rebecca up from her nap. Pieck looked just as stunned, because she nearly toppled from her bed, catching herself by grabbing ahold of the side-table. “Well, we’re here. Home sweet home.” The two of them dressed up, Pieck into formal military attire, and Rebecca into some casual, linen clothing that was a little small for her, but not uncomfortable.
As they left, Pieck stumbled, and Rebecca caught her arm. “Here, are you good?” Rebecca asked, letting her hold her arm as she walked with her.
“Normally I’d have my stick, but I’ve been trying to avoid using it.” Pieck replied, appreciating the arm to hold onto. As they came up onto the deck, Ymir was brought up as well, escorted by a bunch of Marleyan sailors who looked all too prepared to shoot her if she tried anything. Even so, they’d taken precautions - her hands had been severed and she’d been gagged, so she merely stood there, staring at the Marleyan mainland growing closer on the horizon.
Annie stood right up by the bow, letting the wind blow into her face. Reiner was deep in conversation with Bertholdt and Zeke. As he noticed Rebecca, Zeke clapped his hands. “Good, we’re all up.” He gestured for everyone to gather, and spoke up once everyone was accounted for. “Due to the nature of the Paradis Operation still being ongoing, you will not have the chance to see your families during this!”
The result had everyone causing a fuss. Annie most of all. “Zeke, I swear, you’re letting me see my father. I’ve waited five years, and-”
“You can wait a few more months, Annie.” Zeke replied, dismissively. “You will all have the chance to see your families after we secure the Founding Titan, but first, we have the matter of these two to deal with. General Magath has ordered a military tribunal for each. Miss Braun’s seems to be the one causing the most fuss, so hers shall be scheduled first.”
“The new warrior candidates will meet us at port, so make a good impression! Reiner, Bertholdt, Annie, you might not have met them yet, but I’m sure they’ll prove a welcome change from island life. Oh, and Reiner?”
Reiner turned his head to listen. “Yes, War Chief?”
“You’ll be happy to know that Porco is still in the candidate programme. He’s been informed already, of course.” Reiner froze up at the blondes answer. Bertholdt leant down to mutter in Rebecca’s ear. It turned out he was Marcel’s sibling. That was going to be an awkward reunion.
Once they arrived, Rebecca, Annie and Pieck came off together. Rebecca gestured down at the awaiting candidates. “What’s with the armbands?”
“They identify us as Eldian.” Pieck explained. “White for civilians, yellow for candidates, red for warriors like us, and other honorary Marleyans, though the easiest way remains to become a warrior, some receive it for military or civilian service.”
“REINER!” Came a little voice from up ahead, a small girl beamed up at him, with messy, tied up black hair. Before she could run to greet him, another hand went in front of her.
“Reiner.” The boy’s voice came, before he charged forward, tackling into Reiner and sending him to the ground. “I’LL KILL YOU, FOR MY BROTHER, I’LL FUCKING KILL YOU YOU USELESS SACK OF SHIT!” Rebecca nearly bolted then, but Annie grabbed her by the shoulders.
“Not now, eyes watching, remember?” She whispered. Rebecca watched as Zeke pulled the boy, who she presumed was Porco, off of Reiner. “Tsk tsk, Porco.” Zeke said, confirming it. “In front of our guests? You have every right to be mad, but not now.” Reiner’s face was bloodied, and his nose looked cracked out of shape, but he quickly fixed it, wincing and giving Porco a forlorn look.
Meanwhile, some of the other candidates had to hold the little girl back from leaping on Porco’s back. That must’ve been Gabi. Zeke looked at the group. “Socialise for a bit. Rebecca and Ymir will be placed in solitary confinement until their trial.”
Rebecca walked down with Annie towards Reiner, who’d sat down with Gabi. She looked up at the two. “Who’s that?”
“Annie Leonhart, my fellow warrior, and Rebecca Braun. Our... relative from the island.”
“But that means…” Gabi jumped back. “ISLAND DEVIL! REINER, HOW COULD YOU BRING ONE HERE OF ALL PLACES!?”
“Woah, woah, Gabi, relax. She’s one of us. We wouldn’t have completed the mission without her. She…our family was on a deep-cover mission for Marley for generations. She’s the last there. We’re having a military tribunal to decide how well her mission’s been, or if she’s been corrupted by islanders.” Reiner bullshitted, but the excuse seemed to work for Gabi, who nervously stepped forward.
“I don’t trust any island devil, but if you’ve been working for Marley…” She stuck her hand out, recoiling slightly as Rebecca shook it, like she’d just touched a very hot iron. “Ah, a devil’s hand.” She said, somewhere between mortified and curious. “Well Reiner, I’ll tell your ma all about-”
“No, Gabi. Mom mustn’t know I’m back. We’re sworn to secrecy right now, we’re not being allowed out of Warrior Headquarters until the operation is over. We don’t want to get her hopes up, now do we?”
Gabi relaxed her shoulders, sighing. “I suppose not. So, Rebecca, is it true they eat each other over there?”
Rebecca pondered it. “...Occasionally. Down in the underground, you’d see cannibals and the sort.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re a good Eldian like us, what was it like growing up amongst devils? How’d you survive?”
“Playing along and surviving as best I can.” Her face paled, recalling the anger in Mikasa and Eren’s eyes. “But they are devils, Gabi. Make no mistake.” Annie and Rebecca decided to give Reiner space with his little cousin, getting acquainted with the other candidates. Colt and Falco Grice, brothers, seemed friendly enough. Udo Bock was clumsy, he’d nearly toppled over thin air when he found out where Rebecca was from. Zofia Reitsch perplexed Rebecca. She seemed stoic like Annie, but there was a familiar sadness behind her eyes that reminded Rebecca of herself.
“No family.” Porco explained, walking over. “Yet still the homeless kid’s showing more prowess then Reiner ever did in training. As for you, ‘Rebecca’, I hope Marley’s justice is swift on you. No island devil can ever repent for what they’ve done, bullshit cover stories by Reiner aside.”
“Hey, Porco. Do you remember what falling on your ass is like?” Annie glared. Porco took a step back. “I thought so.”
Zeke came over, gesturing at Rebecca. “It’s time to go.” As Rebecca was funnelled away from the group, Zeke continued to speak. “It's real simple: don't talk to anyone, don't look at anyone, don't go anywhere. You’ll be sent for when the Military want you, and food and drink will be provided, after all. We’re not savages.”
Rebecca’s room ended up being little more than a bed and a book on Marleyan History. The door was locked from the outside, but food came by every so often. The window could be opened, but it was too small to fit through or see much out of, but Liberio was rather pretty. The streets bustled with activity and there weren't any walls to block the scenery, barred a walled off section that one of the guard’s had called the Eldian Internment Zone - where every Eldian lived.
Finally, almost a month after arriving, with deliberations and arguments about her position ongoing (from the limited news her guards provided) The door unlocked one morning, a man standing there.
“Rebecca Braun, I am General Theo Magath, your tribunal awaits.”