Chapter Text
Bertholdt and Pieck were asked to stand by in the academy's training ground. Sunshine glistened in the freshly watered grass that covered the wide area. Besides the facility's buildings, only vegetation and stern fences could be seen. They were the only ones in there, meaning the other children were probably receiving their training inside.
"Come now, Bertholdt, this is no time to be trepidatious." Pieck spoke soothingly.
The trembling boy didn't know what that fancy word she used meant, but he assumed it was something like «nervous», given the context. He would ask, but he was too nervous.
"He went to call someone, this can't be good! And how come you're so calm? Are you even human?" Bertholdt asked bewildered by her never-wavering calmness.
"Everything seems to indicate so." she said as she inspected her hands and body.
"Hehe... You're funny, Pieck."
"Want to hear something funnier?" she whispered mischievously.
"Um... Sure."
"They water the plants. And yet they claim they do not have water for us. Laughable how they expect us not to notice."
"P-Pieck... k-keep it down! D-Didn't you learn anything?!" he urged startled.
She really liked playing with fire... But for some reason, he admired that in her...
"But I am speaking quietly. If you feel paranoid about someone eavesdropping, that only proves you are scared of the truth. Which in and of itself is evidence that you are aware of it." she spoke confidently, with her hands on her hips.
"O-Okay, but, we got into trouble, because of that before... let's just avoid that from now on, okay? It's only sage this way..."
"Of course. This will be our little secret." she winked.
"Seriously, does she like seeing me jumpy?! For someone so smart, she's pretty reckless..." Bertholdt thought as he scanned for anyone who might be listening in on them.
"Excellent. Now I know that he will not double cross me." she pondered pleased to know that she can cross one name from her threat list.
Their conversation came to an abrupt halt when they heard a distant whimper. They became alert, because their instincts were sharply honed through their vigorous training. But more importantly, because until then, all they heard were each other's voices.
When they scanned the source of the sound, they saw a human figure approaching in the horizon ,walking on all fours, and behind it, another one moving normally.
"I-Is that... the person he said we'd be meeting?" Bertholdt asked with reignited nervousness.
The person they stared at was moving remarkably fast for someone who walked on all fours. As the distance between them closed, they were able to see long, brown hair and a high-ranking uniform.
"The absence of any other human presence and the uniform seem to suggest so." Pieck deduced.
"Wh-why do you think she's... walking like that?" Bertholdt wondered as he empathized with the loud moans of pain the adult was emitting.
"Hmmm... Could she be... the Cart Titan?"
The two drew near. The one who stood was clearly Professor Dorwee, like he wanted to be called, the other was an entirely different person they never saw.
She looked like she was in her late teens. Her eyes were extremely swollen. Red and watery like she spent a whole week crying without sleep. Her hair was shaggy and dirty, and she didn't seem very fond of taking showers... Oddly enough, she looked rather thin, despite her rank.
"C'mon, Lockhart. Introduce yourself." Dorwee instructed due to her lack of initiative.
"M-My... my n-name, is... C-Carrie Lockhart... I-I am... your, new, uh, mentor..." she muttered as though someone was aiming a gun at her head.
They didn't know whether they felt sorry for her or absolutely afraid of her.
"Hmm... Where is he?" Dorwee asked as he looked around.
But they didn't hear him. They were too focused on her. There was something... hypnotising, almost eerie about her shaky, watery gaze. She looked at them like a dog looks at an owner who was about to put them down, which was fitting because she stood with four member like a dog.
"A-Are you... B-Bertholdt Hoover and... P-Pieck Stern?" she finally spoke.
"Yes, ma'am." Pieck quickly answered.
"Um... Y-Yes, ma'am." he said slowly.
"I-I heard you, were... quite good."
"Hehe... No where near as good as you were when you enlisted." Dorwee joked.
That sounded like a compliment, but Lockhart seemed like she tried her hardest not to burst into tears when he said that.
"Hey, Lockhart, come on, pull yourself together. You need to set a good example... Wadlow should be here anytime soon. I'll go check on the others, okay?" Dorwee warmly patted Lockhart in the back.
The woman nodded with a whimper, and with a concerned sigh, the man departed.
Bertholdt and Pieck didn't know what to expect. They were hoping they somehow forgot they were standing there, but that wish died when her sad eyes directed at them once more.
"D-Do... do you know... wh-why I was, assigned to you?" she asked with a trembling voice.
"I am assuming... because you are the Cart Titan? And because one of us will learn the Cart Titan's abilities directly from you. Since Bertholdt surpasses me in terms of skill, I am guessing I was the chosen successor." Pieck responded, not with her usual confidence in her deductions, but with detectable pity.
"R-Right... H-Have my... co-workers... hurt you? Are you despising the Program?" she asked, completely dismissing the girl's conclusion.
Both children gasped mentally, and quickly exchanged one fleeting glance.
Was that a trick question? Expressing discontent towards their training could be taken as expressing discontent towards the great honor of receiving a Titan. Marley wouldn't take that kindly...
"N-N... N-No... O-Of course, not, ma'am!" Bertholdt giggled nervously, as sweat started pouring down.
"No, ma'am. The Marleyan Government Program is nothing short of a dream come true. We shall gladly fulfil any request in order to better ourselves as human beings, and humble Eldians." Pieck answered with an angelical tilted face.
"I-It's o-okay... Th-they... hurt me, too... Y-You can cry, if you, uh, w-want..." she moaned as she collapsed on the grass and burst into tears.
"Huh?"
"G-Go on... cry... Cry! Let sorrow stream down your eyes!" she shrieked.
"Ma'am, are you feeling well? Do you need assistance?!" Pieck asked instinctively, while Bertholdt hid behind her tinier form.
"N-No... no! Help me! The dogs are eating my flesh... and my soul! Please, please make them stop! I don't need more sadness! I've had enough! " Lockhart shouted as she flailed around on the ground as if she was trying to fend off attacks from all directions.
Then, she gave up, curled into a fetal position and proceeded to bawl uncontrollably.
"Wh-what's wrong with her? What do we do?!" he asked with his nerves shot.
"Hold on. Don't approach her, she might get violent. Clearly, she is having some sort of hallucination episode." Pieck said firmly.
"B-But... why? Was it something I did?!"
"Preposterous. She is a notorious warrior, I think it is safe to assume that the battlefield scarred her mind... I can only hope that I will not have to face half of what she endured, if I am to succeed her."
It was weird seeing someone of her rank in such a pitiful, submissive state. By that point, it was instilled in their unconsciousness that the sight of a uniform like hers automatically commanded fear and respect.
But Lockhart... she looked like an abandoned puppy who was repeatedly kicked in the stomach and curled up on snow, waiting for the internal injuries to take her life.
"Is... is this what awaits me, Bertholdt? Am I destined to live for others and die in a fit of crying?" Pieck asked morbidly.
Silence. He didn't know what to say. He didn't want to lie, but he didn't want to make her sad either.
"Sh-she's just... lost, and alone." he muttered over the woman's loud bawling.
"Well... no point second guessing. It is far too late to turn back now... Let us go call someone to help her."
"O-Okay... and Pieck." he called for her.
"Yes?"
"You won't, become like her... because, you won't be lost and alone. Not with me around." he spoke with a weak but genuine smile.
"How considerate... Even if I become a mass-murdering Titan? " she challenged feebly.
"Oh... um..." he stumbled in his own words.
It was truly a moral conflict for him. He did want to be there for his friends, but murder...? He had already forgave that far too much...
"It is quite alright. I would forgive you. I hope you can forgive yourself if the time comes..."
He was about to improvise something to say, but something interrupted him.
It wasn't any particular sound, and he didn't see anything either... It was a weird feeling... It was like he felt a tiny gust of wind creeping up his nape's hair, like when someone runs past us from behind. He felt the presence of someone watching from behind... Judging by Pieck's body language, she felt the same.
And just like a snake stealthily ambushes an unsuspecting prey...
"Sorry I'm late!" a thunderous deep, male voice boomed from behind them, causing them to jump.
The sudden man that appeared had a uniform filled with badges, the only place in his large, towering body left to decorate was his eerie ear to ear grin that displayed perfect teeth. He was a lot fatter than anyone they have seen in the academy. If he looked less creepy, they'd say the pimples on his chubby cheeks were cute.
"Hahahaha!" the furtive intruder cackled to the Heavens. "I'm uh… I'm Nilote Wadlow, leader of Marley's Covert Forces and God of Destruction!" he finished as he wiped tears of amusement and forced his laughter to stop.
"God of Destruction? A-Are you… by any chance… the Colossal Titan?" Pieck asked like an ant in the presence of a mad elephant.
All Titan Shifters: all of Marley's heroes were famous, but the one who basked in the spotlight of the public the most was the great Colossal Titan, commonly named 'God of Destruction'. That was the one with the most tales and the most respected; and yet, Nilote was casually talking like that title meant nothing…
"That's me!... Or am I? Hold on, I'ma check." the Shifter said before bringing his hand close to his fangs.
"No, wait! Um… maybe, that isn't the best idea…" Bertholdt threw his arms forward and shook his palms with a nervous giggle.
"Hmm…?" Nilote examined the boy with an arched eyebrow. "Oh, haha! You're Bertholdt, right?!"
"Um… Y-Yes, sir…" he replied confused.
Carrie knew their names, but it seemed like it was because someone had informed her about the people she would meet, but with Nilote it was a different story. He had obviously recognized him from somewhere.
The Colossal Titan was the number one celebrity in Marley, but he never saw his face; human or otherwise. And he imagined most people didn't either, so the Shifter's reaction was a mystery to him.
"Hahahaha! Now I see why they want you to be next to me, haha!"
"I uh, I don't understand…" Bertholdt said.
"You know what's funny? I have all of my predecessors' memories. I can see their biggest traumas; their happiest moments; their first fucks, which is gross by the way… And I can see the scariest events of their lives… Hmm, yes, haha… Your face looks exactly like hers." Nilote continued a little more serious.
"Who is this 'her' you are referring to, may I ask?" Pieck questioned as she held her chin.
"It's hilarious how similar someone can be from their parents, or even their from grandparents. Haha, that's right, your granny scared the living shit out of my predecessor. Man, what an asshole. Are you an asshole too, Berty? I don't wanna give my Titan to an asshole, seeing as it has had enough of me already. Haha, I love self deprecating humor!" Nilote laughed.
"M-My grandma?! Wait, what? Perhaps, you are confusing me somebody else?" Bertholdt countered.
"Nope, it's you alright. Haha, you know, I can't help laughing looking back on it… Your granny was days close to inheriting the Colossal Titan, but then she… Hahaha! But then she… Hahahahaha!" the Shifter started cackling maniacally as he wiped tears from his eyes.
"I don't understand… Father's parents have… well, sadly passed away ages ago… And mother used to tell me how she never even met her dad to begin with, and that her mom passed away too after giving birth to her… None of them did anything particularly special… There's no way I have a grandmother that enlisted for the Program!" Bertholdt thought, while Pieck observed his puzzled expression.
"But then she killed a bunch of people, haha! And they call me crazy! She was the perfect candidate, normal in every regard, until she went on a murder rampage. Hehe, the funniest part? No one even knows why the fuck she did it in the first place, haha! My predecessor managed to survive her onslaught, but boy, did he see stuff he wish he didn't; and well, that I didn't either, haha!"
Bertholdt and Pieck gasped, their eyes widened in disbelief.
"No… Impossible! There's no way!" his thoughts raged.
"Hahahaha, why so uptight? I fucking hate that… Hahaha… Come on… Laugh… Laugh! This shit's hilarious, LAUGH! LAUGH WITH ME!" the man yelled menacingly as he snatched their wrists with an anaconda-like grip.
"Hahaha! How very amusing, ha!" Pieck chuckled like everything was okay, hadn't he known any better, Bertholdt would have thought it was genuine…
"Um… He… hehe…" Bertholdt forced out the most unconvincing laugh imaginable with a visibly scared face.
Their pulses were being clutched so forcefully, that they felt the blood pulsing in their wrists. It hurt like Hell and they knew they had to be bandaged later.
"Oh, Carrie, you fucking killjoy! Because of you, this one can't forget the pain!" the Shifter said before viciously smashing the weeping woman's head with his combat boot.
The impact was so violent that they winced. Hard. It sound like a piece of wood shattering when her skull effortlessly broke, leaving behind a crimson stream and finally putting an end to her sobbing and whimpering.
A minute later, her head had already completely healed, though. But it was still horrible and Bertholdt had to put another thing on his nightmare list.
"So, you want to become Titans, eh? Hahaha… Is it for cash? Fame? Pussy? Haha… Worked for me!" Nilote asked a little more stable.
It seemed like violence soothed him…
"Serving the great country of Marley is all I could wish for. My will is nothing less than uplifting my nation!" Pieck quickly responded.
"R-Right… I agree with her…" Bertholdt followed.
"He, hehe…" Nilote laughed as though he was starting to get an hilarious joke. "Haha… Hahahahahahahaha!"
"This one is far more delirious than the other… And far more dangerous as well…" Pieck thought, bracing herself for the worst.
"Hahaha! What a riot!" the girl laughed along.
"Hehe… Agreed…" Bertholdt said.
"Serving…? Wish…? Hehe… haha… bullshit! My will… is the will of the battlefield! Yours will be the same! People bleeding, haha… People screaming, haha… People pulverizing, hahaha! It's all so fucking uproarious! Forget your will! It'll be corrupted beyond redemption, and all you can do is laugh back on it…" Nilote said with audible anger.
"Hmm… Could it be?" Pieck pondered.
"N-Nilote… Please, d-don't get mad… I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry! Please forgive me for angering you so." Carrie pleaded in between sobs, as she crawled toward him, hugging his boots.
"Oh? Um, right! Haha, what was I thinking?! I'm not angry! I'm happy, see? I'm even laughing all sexily and shit! Yup, I'm totally okay! Hahaha!" the Shifter regained his jolly tone.
Bertholdt and Pieck didn't even know how to react anymore, let alone what to think about their ordeal.
The human brain is programmed to search for patterns and behave in the most optical way according to them, in order to adapt to new situations.
But there weren't any patterns in their situation; nothing they could remotely predict. All they observed were a series of illogical, nonsensical events unfolding left and right.
Dismissing their loud, unhinged ramblings as simply products of a couple of lunatics' minds were all they could bring themselves to do to not have an headache.
Besides, the fact that they would probably be the next Titan Shifters didn't even make sense. They were specifically told they would be punished. And that intrigued Pieck to no end.
"Ch-children… I-I uh… I have a question…" Carrie, who was still lying on the ground, meekly muttered as she wiped her nose with her sleeve.
"Oh? Please, do tell, ma'am." Pieck said.
"Wh-why is volcanic activity rising in the regions to the north of Marley?" she asked.
"Hmm...? I apologize, ma'am, but I believe I don't quite follow..." the girl responded with a tilted head.
Bertholdt didn't understand either, but he let Pieck do the talking while he thought about the odd question. Was it just another mad gibberish?
"Hahaha! You should see your faces!" Nilote guffawed as he pointed at them. "But fuck that! We ain't here to talk! Let's make this fun... That's why we're here. Yo, Carrie! Remember how our training was?"
"I cry myself to sleep thinking about it..." the woman answered lethargic.
"That's the spirit, hahaha! Well, let's get this started then, hehe!" he said with a darker giggle.
The children gulped. It was painfully obvious that that was not gonna be pretty...
"Come on, Reiner! You're almost there! Or at least I hope so... Well, I'm sure I'll be okay." Reiner thought as he took long gasps of air. He was at his limit.
The sun was setting and Reiner was still with the other normal competitors of the Program doing basic hiking exercises. All he had to do was reach a certain place while he carried gear in a backpack.
He was following the other children to their destination, but since he was much slower than the others, he fell behind and lost track of the way.
Hmm, there's a tall hill over there. I might see the something useful if I get to the top!
When he got to the top, he wanted to rip his blonde hair out of frustration: He saw the other children hiking far away along the bottom of a nearby small cliff. If that wasn't enough, they were walking towards the opposite direction.
Grahh! It's gonna take me ages to get there! Ohhh… This was so much easier with Marcel and Bertholdt and the others…One of them always knew what to do next or where to go… Oh, who am I kidding? I can't do this without them… It's only been a day and I already miss them to death… even Pieck despite all she did…
Due to his nonexistent sense of direction or any survival skills for that matter, with trial and error, but mostly error, he finally managed to get to his destination long after nightfall
"I'm heeeeeere! Sorry I'm late!" Reiner yelled as he approached the journey's end.
"Quiet!" Dorwee jabbed hoarsely, causing Reiner to flinch. "Had you kept your comrades waiting in the battlefield like you kept me, you'd die before knowing you were responsible for your squad's death!"
"I'm very sorry, sir! I just… got lost and…"
"Forget it." the man sighed annoyed. "How is your leg?"
"Not good, sir. It hurts a lot, especially when I run." he said happy to inspire concern.
"I see… Braun, do you know the definition of 'self-awareness'?" Dorwee asked serious.
"Um… No, I can't say I do…" Reiner answered after pondering for a moment.
"It means being conscious of your own capabilities and character. Do you consider yourself self-aware?"
"Um… I guess…?" he honestly still didn't have a clue of what that word meant.
"Good! Then surely you are aware of your general piss-poor output throughout the Program, correct?" the man spat.
"Um… Yes, sir." he said with his head down.
No arguing there, I guess…
"Okay then… Can you give me one good reason why you should stay here? You disappointed me tremendously after your misbehavior with your little friends. You even lied to me." Dorwee sneered.
"Oh, that? It wasn't what it sounded! I mean it! As for a reason, well… There's no one more devoted to Marley than me! I would do anything. Anything for this great nation!" he proudly asserted.
"Not quite devoted enough! I expected far better from you!"
"I guarantee you'll see far better from me, sir! Just you wait!" he countered with his chest puffed out.
"Hehe, glad you said that. You see, I need you and your naughty little gang to solve something for me." Dorwee said.
"Oh! Yes, of course, anything! What is it?!" Reiner asked excited and eager to prove himself.
"You see," the man cleared his throat to make himself clear. "The evil Eldians in Paradis selfishly send their toxic waste and pollution to the air, through their industrialization and such."
Those savages! Haven't they caused enough destruction?... Okay, I'll commit this to my memory! Memory, don't screw up again! This is important, you hear?!
"Got it! And?" he asked.
"And... that's it." Dorwee finished with a mischievous smile.
"I apologize, sir, but didn't you ask me to solve something for you? I don't see how I can work with just that, could you clarify, please?" he furrowed his brow.
"I didn't ask just you, I asked you and your naughty little gang." the adult said as he folded his strong arms.
Yeah, um... I still don't get it...
"And speaking of which, I bet you miss them already seeing as you appear to like them so much. Wanna see them?" Dorwee said with a crinkled nose.
"Y-Yeah! I'd love too!"
"Come along, then."
Dorwee took Reiner inside the tallest building in the academy and escorted him to a door unique from all others he had seen up until that point. Is was painted with dazzling white, adorned with the words «Cadidates' Respite» in gold.
Wow! Fancy! No idea what Respite means, but I bet it's cool!
"You'll be sleeping there from here on out. Remember, if you solve what I asked, I'll be very, very pleased. You might even get the chance to become a... Er, forget it, don't wanna get your hopes up. Well, I have five reports to read tonight. Farewell then..." Dorwee waved goodbye and departed.
After exchanging pleasantries, he opened the door in front of him, eager to see what was inside.
The room was sparkling-clean and big. There was a projector on the ceiling aimed at a white screen in one of the walls, just like in Dorwee's office. The most inviting part, however, were the behemoth–like sofas in the middle, that just screamed for him to jump on them and take a nap.
There were was another door in the back, that he assumed was the restroom, opposite to the fireplace.
But that didn't matter, because there was something far more important in that room: Bertholdt, Marcel, Annie, Porco... and Pieck.
As they laid on the sofa, all of them casted surprised looks at him, to which he reciprocated; except for Pieck, he made sure to look at her with eyes like slits.
"Hey! Guys, you're all okay!" Reiner cheered.
"Reiner, where have you been?!" Bertholdt asked happy to see he was fine.
"Me? I should ask the same! I was with the rest of the competitors. You're the ones who disappeared all day!" Reiner argued.
"Tsk, lucky bastard, I wish was doing that... This was literally the worst day of my life! I know you've all heard me say this a few times now, but this time, I mean it." Porco said with clenched teeth as he rubbed his temples.
"Really? What happened to you guys?" Reiner asked concerned.
"We actually just got here. Like, a minute before you. But before that, we were training under Marley's Titan's Shifters…" Marcel explained with his head down.
"What?! Y-You were? B-But that's a huge honor! You should be celebrating, what's with the long faces?!" Reiner said.
"It was awful! Since you don't know, I can tell you the bar soared through the roof with these guys! My instructor is a psycho robot! She made me contort so much that I feel like I could do the splits with one leg in the air! And if that wasn't enough, I got hit by these mannequin thingies more times in one hour than in the rest of my life. Grr… I just wanna sleep." Annie said shooting fire out of her nostrils as she buried her face into the couch.
The way the blonde girl twitched and rubbed her bruised arms really showed how beat and hurt she was. She had never been all that nice to Reiner, but he still couldn't help feel sorry for her.
"That's nothing! I almost died like 100 times today! I. Literally. Walked on a trap field. Let that sink in for a moment. What kind of lunatic does that? And that was the just the easy part! Plus, my instructor was a shut-in who wore a freaking tinfoil hat! She was always either cowering in fear or pinching my cheeks! Gross! It can't get worse than that!" Porco complained as he tried to get some sleep.
"I beg to differ. My mentor made me run laps and climb things on all fours as I carried weights on my back like a mule. When I argued that doing so would permanently damage my vertebral column, Bertholdt's mentor simply laughed at me and said that my back would heal as soon I became a Titan…" Pieck said as she inspected the room, preventing her from seeing Reiner's disdainful look.
"Well, mine wanted me to be an expert in covert operations like him. Long story short, it evolves water, environment and playing hide-and-seek." Bertholdt said with his arms wrapped around his shrugged form.
"That sounds fun!" Reiner said.
"It also involves barbed wire, holding my breath and avoiding getting shot." Bertholdt added.
"Oh… Um, yeah… That doesn't sound all that good…" Reiner reluctantly admitted.
"I saw someone die today…" Marcel said with his eyes closed.
"M-Me too…" Porco said with a droopy body.
Marcel placed a friendly hand on his brother's shoulder, which escalated into a hug.
"C'mon guys, I uh, I understand that this day was painful and tough for you, but you're gonna become Titans! Isn't that what you wanted?!" Reiner said. "I'd gladly go through all that if it meant serving this great nation." Reiner added spite and stared daggers at Pieck.
"Oh? Was that supposed to be a sneaky jab at me? You know, what separates boys from men, is the ability to be honest with one's convictions and stand up to others head on, instead of resorting to underhanded tactics." Pieck countered.
"Oh, so you're not gonna thank me for saving you? Or apologizing for what you did to me?" his temper flared as he pointed to the wound on his leg.
"By saving, you mean backpedaling after deciding to doom your supposed 'friends', and by what I did, you mean necessary actions to write your wrongs? Sure, Reiner, do go along and play the victim…" Pieck said with her chin up.
"Hey, knock it off, you two! Look, we all had a hard day, let's not say anything we'll regret and go to sleep. Don't forget that all we have is each other." Marcel intervened.
"Let me just say…" Reiner took a deep breath. "Pieck, the only reason I didn't report the awful things you've been saying about the great country of Marley, is because of them!" he gestured to Marcel and Bertholdt. "They showed me kindness, and helped me a lot when they didn't need to! So… I think they deserve forgiveness… Even though they have bad thoughts…"
The raven-haired girl rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.
"And I was hoping I could open their eyes about how wrong they are, for the sake of everyone… And while Porco and Annie are kinda feisty, I feel like they deserve that too. I know there's good in them, I've seen it… but you Pieck, you are a mean, ungrateful, selfish… um, uh-" Reiner thought of other words to characterize her.
"Are those the only pejorative adjectives in your ken?" Pieck mocked.
"Bully! That's right! And you're always using fancy words that I don't understand! You act all innocent and goody-goody, but you're not even a little sorry for stabbing my leg like I was a piece of meat!" Reiner held back tears.
Pieck sighed annoyed. "We have been over this. I hate repeating myself. I only acted according to our self-interests, including yours. You are the one who should be thanking me."
"Why you! I should… I should… I should report you and you alone! They might forgive me and the others if we're lucky." Reiner spun around to the door.
"Wait!" Pieck chased the blonde boy and caught his shoulder. "Alright, I have something to confess…" she said with her head down.
"What is it?" Reiner barked as he looked at her over his shoulder.
"The truth is… I… I am jealous of you…" she said with her head down.
Everyone froze and stared with wide eyes. Bertholdt, Annie, Porco and Marcel stopped caring a while back, all they wanted was to sleep that awful day away, but even that caught them off guard.
"Huh? Y-You are?"
"Yes, you see… You have this optimistic aura about you, that I could only dream to have... But what I envy the most is your devotion to the great nation of Marley! The higher ups love loyalty, but I just… I am so sorry! I am so sorry for everything I did to you! The lack of sleep and nutrition they make us undergo simply makes me so cranky that I become someone I am absolutely not! Please… Please, Reiner, teach me how to be more like you! Teach me how to be a good Eldian like you! Don't forget I have helped you plenty so far!" Pieck whimpered and sobbed on the boy's chest.
"Hmph… I bet there's not a single tear in her eyes… Clever clover…" Annie thought.
"Wait… R-Really…?" Reiner said.
"Y-Yes…" she answered before sniffing.
"Well… I uh, I guess I can forgive you, if you truly are sorry… And, uh… I guess you have helped me too… Oh, alright… I had mercy for my friends before, so I can do the same for you… But Pieck, if you act mean again I'll-"
"I know, I know…" she let go and wiped her dry eyes.
"So, uh… Can we have a truce hug?" he said with a smile and open arms.
"Of course." she answered and returned the gesture.
"Well, now that I let you work out your issues, can we finally call it a day? There's a lot I want to discuss tomorrow." Marcel said.
"Did your mentor gave you a cryptic message too? Mine did, and that has been bothering me for a while now. Something about… the regions to the north of Marley being filled with snow…? I was wondering if they did the same to you." Annie said.
"Yeah, exactly. Mine barely spoke, but the only thing he said was that the higher the pressure the higher something's melting point, or something like that… It made no sense to me, so I thought I'd ask." Marcel said.
"I dunno, guys… As far as I can tell they're all completely bonkers. My mentor just kept saying odd, nonsensical gibberish. Just ignore that." Porco said.
"No, they are right. While the mentors I was with had some illogical ramblings, they did remotely make sense given the context. However, there was one thing in particular that came completely out of left field…" Pieck said as she held her chin.
"The thing about volcanic activity in the north, right?" Bertholdt said.
She nodded.
"Yeah, Drake Dorwee did mention the six of us having to solve something for him together earlier, and uh… pollution, I think?… But I honestly didn't understand anything, sorry…" Reiner said.
"It's alright, but do try and remember, okay?" Bertholdt said.
"Yup! I will!" Reiner said.
"Hmm… The things they said must be connected somehow, but I don't see how." Annie said with her nose pinched.
"Right. Nevertheless, I suppose we will have to sleep on it. I can't wait to forget this dreadful day…" Pieck said as she arched her back, which made a loud cracking noise.
"Hey, I found these sleeping bags. They look pretty comfy, do you think we're allowed to use them?" Bertholdt said with six sleeping bags in his arms.
"Duh! Gimme that!" Porco rudely snatched one of them.
They readily put themselves inside the insulated coverings and an abrupt, complete silence finally arrived.
They didn't even care where they did it, they all fell down, shut their eyes and damn everything else. No thought was put into it.
But then something happened.
The projector turned on out of the blue.
"Who did that?!" Marcel jerked up.
"N-Not me…" Bertholdt said agitated.
"I didn't see anyone move…" Annie said.
"Someone else must have done that from outside… Or perhaps, it was automatic?" Pieck said.
The light projected on the white screen revealed the following:
Marcel Galliard: 9
Annie Leonhart: 8
Porco Galliard: 7
Bertholdt Hoover: 7
Pieck Stern: 7
Reiner Braun: 1
"Huh? What does that mean?!" Reiner said.
"I-I don't know… I don't comprehend…" Pieck said as her brain stormed.
Then the image changed to a normal-looking city market with smiling people, in a beautiful day. Followed by a sparkling lake among verdant meadows, where white birds flew.
"It's that video we saw yesterday!" Porco said.
"About 1800 years ago, Marley was a powerful and majestic country, whose people rejoiced in the highest quality of life index of the ancient world. It was calm, peaceful, accepting and very generous toward less fortunate countries..." a female recorded voice, that came from the projector, spoke loudly.
"It is! The audio is the same too." Marcel said.
"Errr, why is it so loud?! I can't sleep with that!" Porco said.
"I can." Pieck said as her head fell down.
Ignoring the loud voice, the six children fell to their comfortable slumber at last.
Still, heavy questions lingered on their minds:
What did that first image with numbers and their names mean?
What did Dorwee wanted solved exactly?
Were those odd things their mentors said actually cryptic messages, or simply mad ramblings to be dismissed?
Speaking of them, why were they so extreme and unhinged to begin with?
What caused them to act like that?
But above all: Why weren't they being punished like they were told they would?
Despite this, they slept like rocks, just like they deserved.