𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰, 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐘𝐨𝐮 || 𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐈𝐍 𝐀.

*.~ Chapter Nineteen(1): Sensible ~.*

a/n: this week was NOT kind to me, so I'm splitting this chapter into two parts until I can get my shit together.

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Footstep interrupted your thinking, making you look over to see the three boys returning. Jean, Mikasa and Armin came back with some newspapers to report to Captain, along with the supplies needed.

"Captain, we brought the supplies," Jean informed the stoic Captain.

Armin made his way towards the Captain with a paper that had something to do with Levi, in which he took from the blond's hand. Levi skimmed it through, just to see what is supposed to be himself, but horribly drawn. It was smack-dab in the middle of the article.

"If this is true, the Scouts will be disbanded," Armin assumed, setting down his cover-up from going back into town. "They say they'll be hunting for us in the mountains tonight. They're also posting guards on all the vital roads. Nobody can get through without a pass. So, Captain? What now?"

Mikasa had a serious expression on, "We need to hurry and find Eren."

"He'll be fine," Levi set the paper down to reveal his face, "They're taking him on a wagon. That gives us one day before they reach Reiss' estate. We need every second we can get to come up with a plan."

Sasha's body jolted as she looked in the other direction; an obvious warning. "Captain. I hear footsteps." She leaned towards the direction, "Sounds like they're approaching."

"Armin, go by the river and get some buckets of water."

...

You could see two figures walking down the path from a distance. Armin had his head covered by a hood, taking his time getting buckets of water as an act. But as the two figures got closer, you realized that they were none-other than Hitch and Marlow, Cadets who joined the Military police. Annie had told you about them in a letter once, and the descriptions fit them to a tee.

"Don't move!" Marlow held the shotgun up, aiming towards your hooded friend, Hitch doing the same. "Turn around slowly."

Armin slowly stood up before putting his hands up. Marlow held a determined expression, holding the shotgun near his cheek. "You must be a Scout."

An awkward silence rose as the two watched Armin turn around. "Not a sound. Don't say a word. Now listen, and do exactly as I instruct you to--"

His words were cut off in an instant, being held against a blade. "Now hand your guns to the one in front." Levi demanded of the two lowly Military Police.

After taking the guns away, Armin held one in each hand, saying--

"Don't say a word, right?"

...

"Now then," Levi held a blade upon his shoulder, "You're Stohess District Police. Private Marlow Freudenberg. Same assignment, Private Hitch Dreyse. We'll need to dispose of you."

The two MPs gasped before looking down at the floor. "Because of what you did," Hitch started with a shaking voice, "Stohess was a graveyard. Over a hundred people were killed!"

"Huh?" The captain raised a brow in confusion.

"You bastards. I bet you all think you're some kind of heroes of justice, but you're not!" She continued with rigid eyes filled with anger. "You dropped dozens of innocent families straight into hell on the missions of yours!"

"Yeah. We did."

Hitch looked over at Levi with her eyes only before looking at you and your friends. "Hey you. You're from the Southern Cadet Corps, right? So you trained with Annie Leonhart."

Your eyes looked into hers with concern as you had flashbacks of the betrayal you felt.

"Were you a friend of hers? I know one of you guys are. She told me, but if she was lying--"

"Are you talking about me, Hitch?"

She looked up at you as you stood in front of her. "I... I'll never get the chance to know anything about her. I thought that she was just some scared and gloomy kid, but I never knew. You know, don't you? You know she's officially listed as missing, right? You know why?"

Hitch batted her head up at the Captain with wide eyes. "It's because one of your TItans turned her into an ugly red stain on the street!"

"Hitch."

"What?!"

You looked at Captain, asking for permission to tell the two MPs the truth so they could shut it. It was when he nodded when you instantly said--

"No. That Titan we captured was actually Annie Leonhardt herself."

Hitch could sense that you weren't lying though the way you looked at her. Marlow and Hitch looked at you with surprised and strucken expressions as Levi looked away. "Goddammit. It makes me sick. Nobody knows a thing about this world. Not us or anyone else. Except for the bastards at the center of it all."