Pretty Little Liar (Aruani Element Shifter AU) ✔️

Part Two: Thirty Nine

(Annie's POV)

I stood in front of the burning council building, examining my work, and I couldn't help myself but grin. 

Bertholdt stood next to me. "Jesus, that was quick."

I didn't reply. We stood watching from the forest as bright red flames flew everywhere and people were evacuating in a hurry. 

"I'm just surprised it took you this long to burn the place down. I thought you'd do it like three years ago," said Reiner behind me.

I smirked. "True. But they've spilt all of their secrets to me now. And now they know I exist, I thought it only fitting to give them a little present."

Bertholdt shook his head, chuckling. 

"Oh, look at that," Reiner pointed at the leader of the military, a tall blond man named Erwin, standing outside with Levi and other high-ranked council members, watching the building crumble to the ground. "Lucky bastards. They got out," he said.

I noticed a group of scientists walking from a bunker at the bottom of the grounds, wildly panicked and talking quickly to the surviving council members. Levi looked around, furious.

"Whoops, I made him mad," I grinned.

"Well, that'll definitely make them come tomorrow."

"Oh, wait," I said, then disappeared, emerging behind the sleeping quarters of the military, and formed a line around the building then flicked my fingers, and the building blew up. I reappeared behind Reiner and Bertholdt and they turned around and smirked. 

"Well, well, that'll do it."

"Don't worry," I said. "The First Legion are still out surveying. I saw them an hour ago. And half of the soldiers are in the hospital anyway. And I'm not gonna blow that up. And theres a bunker down there, but it looks like that's where this weapon is being kept. I'm not gonna make it that easy."

"Jesus Christ," Reiner muttered. "I knew you were powerful, but..."

"Yeah, yeah," I said. "Let's go, before they find us." We teleported to the mountainside in within the safe space away from the trackers.

"Well, that'll do it. There's no more council," Reiner grinned. 

I frowned. "Well, not everyone's been killed, there's still a council. But their plans, technology and all of their surveying research has been destroyed, and loads of their people too, so that's good."

I lit a cigarette as the two looked at eachother in astonishment at my unenthusiastic expression. 

"So, when will this thing be ready?" Bertholdt asked.

"They said in the next couple of days," I said.  

"So, let's go back to this morning. Our plan. Do you really think us three can take the corps?" Bertholdt turned to me. 

"Yes."

"I mean, only the First Legion is left, so the group will be small when they try and attack again."

Reiner chuckled loudly. I smirked. 

"And you think defeating this weapon is what will defeat the council?" Bertholdt asked.

I nodded. "Sure. Yeah. I won't deny that. They claim it's the most powerful thing out there, supposed to kill us all. So defeating that would probably weaken the council to the point of collapse."

"Any idea what it is?"

"Not a clue. It probably has something to do with that girl, she was warning us about something. I've never met a Shifter who's been experimented on so much."

Reiner huffed loudly. "So how do we defeat this... thing?"

"Depends what it is. But I can't imagine it being that bad. If it's a weapon we can beat it together. None of their weapons have ever been that affective on us."

Bertholdt smiled. "It's true. Plus, we have a great opportunity today. Over half the corps are down and some of them are starting to notice something is wrong. We have some new people on our side."

"Oh, yeah, Ymir's girlfriend," I started.

"Yeah, and two others now, too. Old friends of Armin and Eren or something."

I stared at the cigarette smoke as the two of them told me about the newest supporters of our cause. 

"Cute," is all I said. "It was bound to happen sometime. The council is full of flaws."

The two started a conversation about the council while I just listened. 

"I mean, they had a fucking funeral for Armin to cover up that he was actually a shifter."

"Yeah, that's what happens when they find out who they are. They must have seen his face or recognised him as a missing person while we we fighting them a while ago."

"Still, he was supposed to be on a gap year, right? We tried to cover up his absence."

"Yeah, well his parents aren't shifters are they? Shifter parents are much better at making up lies," Bertholdt muttered. His parents lived in a city a few miles away; they were shifters like Mike  who preferred to hide their powers rather than to fight. Bertholdt ran away when he was younger to join Mike and his wife and Reiner in the fight. When Mike gave up after Mary died, Bertholdt basically took over as the powerhouse water shifter instead of Mike. 

My parents gave me up when I was younger. As for Reiner's parents, I had no idea. We never spoke about that. The only reason Bertholdt knows is because he knew my aunt and uncle, who told him everything when I turned, before they left. 

 Reiner turned to me, braking my thought process. 

"So, us three against the council's strongest?"

"How hard can it be?"

"I don't think Eren will be very happy with that. He'll want to fight, and to be honest the more the merrier, especially somebody with that skill," Reiner said. I smirked. 

"Yeah, alright. He can come."

"And, what about Armin?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I don't want him fighting."

Bertholdt frowned. "We'll need an air shifter."

"Armin isn't strong enough. He won't be any help. You saw how beaten he got," is all I said. They knew they weren't going to win the argument. 

"Come on, we better get back," said Bertholdt, then he turned to me. "Will you come, please? Mike hasn't spoken to you in years."

I frowned. "Alright, but if Armin starts crying at me again I'm out of there."