The Adventures of Annieocchio: Part 8

Erwin was tired.

No scratch that, he was exhausted.

He now had three traitors to humanity on his hands. He new it couldn’t have been good when Reiner Braun had stepped in his office.

Shadis had told me that those 3 had come in together to the military.

It made sense. If he were Marley, where or whoever they were, he would send more than one person on a secret mission.

He looked down at his notes. Even with three confessions now, he still didn’t have all of his questions answered.

Reiner had basically confirmed everything that the other two had told him. The only new piece of information was that he was the armored titan.

The only thing that has struck him as odd was the moments Reiner seemed to forget…who he was.

It was like talking two different people.

There were times were Reiner seemed to think that he was actually born and raised here. That he wasn’t the armored titan.

A small part of Erwin felt a bit of sympathy for him. Reiner was in the midst of an identity crisis.

Were these three just unwilling participants?

********************************************

“Pieck are you sure you are ok?” Porco asked quietly. Noticing the few bandages on her nose.

Pieck nodded as she tried to take a bite out of an apple. Her nose, now about a foot long, was making it difficult. Her nose was still quite sore from the different cuts Dr. Hadfield had made.

“Hand it to me” Porco said holding out his hand.

Pieck handed him the apple as he pulled out his pocket knife and started cutting slices for her.

“I feel so useless.” She mumbled.

“You aren’t useless Pieck.” He said handing her a piece of apple.

“True, I make a great lab rat.”

“Pieck, that’s not what I meant. I mean you are an official warrior now. You and your family are now honorary citizens.”

“People still stare. Give me dirty looks, and now they laugh. Now I know how Annie feels.”

Pieck ed the kids who would follow them home from training calling Annie big nose, asking if birds called her nose home.

“You could always beat the up like Annie used to.” Porco said, handing her another apple slice.

Pieck shook her head. “Do you know how much trouble I would get in now. It’s not like I have the excuse of being a kid.”

“Then I’ll kick their ass.” Porco said.

“Porco talking about fighting again?” Colt said as he sat down beside them.

“More like helping people learn to mind their business.”

“Porco it’s fine. I mean I’m not going to be here much longer…” she trailed off.

Porco and Colt knew what she meant. That red armband on her sleeve meant that her life had been cut short.

“I didn’t mean to bring the mood down…” Pieck said.

Colt shrugged, “it’s not like it’s the fate that awaits us as well.”

Pieck was about to say something when a blue bird landed on her nose.

Pieck looked down her nose at the small creature.

I wonder what it would be like if I could fly?

“Oh wow…Pieck that’s so cool.” Porco whispered.

“This nose has some benefits.” She whispered back. “Slowly hand me another piece of apple, but make it really small.”

Porco obliged.

Pieck’s eyes stayed locked on the bird as she felt for the apple.

She slowly extended the piece out.

“Here…you must be hungry.”

The bird eyed the small piece of fruit for a moment, and took it out of her hand.

“I haven’t seen that in a while.” Porco whispered.

“Seen what?”

“Your smile.”

Pieck desperately tried not to blush.

She was about to ask for another piece of apple when heavy footsteps scared the bird off.

“Grice, Finger, and Galliard! Captain Zeke wants to see you in his office, now!” A solider barked.

The three stood up giving their superior a salute and head towards the gray building that housed the Warrior Unit.

*******************************************

“Reiner would you stop thumping your head against the wall. You are going to kill off what few brain cells you have left.” Annie said.

The three of them sat around a small table in the common area of the cell block, eating a small dinner Sasha and Connie had brought them.

Reiner sat up in his chair.

“So what do you think is going on between those two?” He motioned towards the locked door, where Jean and Marco were on the other side stuck on guard duty.

“What?” Annie raised an eyebrow.

“Well back in our cadet days, Samuel told me that he saw them kissing in the stables one night.” Bertholdt said as he tore off a hunk of bread.

“Really??? You know I think they would make a cute pair and—“

“Are you two serious right now?” Annie huffed.

Bertholdt shrugged.

“We are in the custody of the survey corps and all you two can do is gossip?!?”

“What else is there to do?” Bertholdt asked. “It’s not like we are in the best position to fight back right now.”

“Well you two ding dongs didn’t have to turn yourselves in for one thing!”

“Annie we’ve been over this..”

She waved her hand dismissively. “I know dignity and such…”

Annie let out a sigh of defeat. “I just think our conversation could be more productive.”

“Oh come on Annie don’t act like you don’t wanna know what’s going on between them…” Reiner teased.

“I…I don’t care” she said.

Her nose grew an inch.

“Based on that” he said pointing at her elongated nose, “you are at least curious.”

Annie crossed her arms and she cursed Hange under her breath.

“Stupid Titan freak”

Reiner leaned forward. “Alright Annie I’ll be nice. What pressing matters would you like to discuss?”

Annie was tempted to poke Reiner in the eye but decided it wasn’t worth it.

“Do either one of you think that Zeke will send a new group here?”

Bertholdt laughed. “If I know Zeke, it won’t be a rescue party he is sending.”

********************************************

Colt, Pieck, and Porco stood in front of Zeke.

“The upper brass of the military have decided. We are going ahead with the second infiltration of Paradis.”