A New World, year 2022

9 Trust me

  Hey Annie! - Greeted the boy with big blue eyes, helmet-shaped golden hair as he approached Annie.

  Hey Armin... - She answered softly looking at him.

  What you up to in this spot? - Asked the taller being next to her.

  Mikasa asked me to go somewhere... - She replied with a surly tone of voice, surprising Armin for what she said.

  Why? She buzzed you or something?

  Something about Eren's case... - She stammered coldly.

  Don't tell me she's still on that tip...

  Yeah... - She answered with an icy voice again, checking the clock on her phone. - I gotta go...

  Me too, see you. - Armin gave her a beautiful smile (For her), which subtly reddened Annie.

  Bye, homie... - Answered she with a dry tone but giving him a smile, visible enough for Armin to notice it.

Annie turned and went her way, Armin went his.

  The girl didn't pay much attention to her surroundings, she just knew that it was a bit of a curious case, according to Mikasa, Hange had an armory, and if they're supposed to fight against a mafia, there's no doubt that they might have war material.

  After walking for half an hour, Annie arrived at the armory, she didn't waste a second and entered directly, once inside, she took a look at the place, it looked like the reception of a three-star hotel, a guy dressed just with establishment's uniform asked her what she was looking for, she replied that she wanted to talk to Zöe.

  He, suspicious, took the landline of the place and dialed what seemed to be Hange's phone, he stayed there for a few seconds talking on the phone.

  What's your name? - Said the receptionist out of nowhere.

  Annie Leonhart.

  Then the man returned to the phone once more for a few seconds.

  Annie, go to the left of the hall towards the direction, Hange'll be there. - The man pointed out, looking at her with the same indifference and coldness as her.

  Annie, neither short nor lazy, went to the marked area, walked down the hall to the end to the left where you could see the door that said "Direction"

  She knocked on the door twice with her clenched fist and after that she opened it, curious not to see anyone, she stayed there looking for a few seconds, until a door inside the room opened and Hange and Mikasa came out of it, surprised seeing Annie.

  Annie! - Hange shouted joyfully opening her arms.

  What's up Annie... - Mikasa said followed by Hange grumbling, making Annie raise an eyebrow curiously.

  Hello. - Annie greeted with a neutral tone.

  Wanna come and check-out our toys, Annie? - The redhead asked enthusiastically lowering her voice.

  Sure... - Annie replied, closing the door of the room before joining them. - Why we need weapons for?

  Wait and see. - Replied the teacher putting her hand on Annie's back to push her towards the entrance of the armory.

...

In another place far away:

How you managed to cop Bertholdt's body? - Asked the blonde girl looking at Armin, some shocked because his death, although not so much, since she did not consider him a very dear and close being.

Me and Eren in titan mode tricked him, I got in front of him and made him believe my plan would be to take away his burning steam power while Eren recovered. After I couldn't take it anymore, I fell and Eren took advantage the fact Bertholdt was distracted to get him out of the titan. - Armin counted very involved in his narrative, all while Annie listened to him.

I was dying and Captain Levi decided to give me spinal fluid and I became a titan; you can imagine how that shit finished like... - He finished the sentence with some melancholy.

Don't worry Armin, are occupational hazards, we cannot control them... - Annie answered looking at nothing while she lay on the strange invisible floor that felt hard and smooth, as if it were glass, Armin smiled towards the answer.

Thanks for not judging me... - Added the blond boy looking at her with a smile, Annie smiled back.

And you too, thank you for not hating me after what I did to you all... - She replied, taking her gaze away from him and abruptly changing it to a look of desolation and sadness. - To many of you... I really loved you all.

Why are you still in the glass, locked up? - He asked looking at her, which made her look at him ironically.

I ain't tryna picture what your people would do to me if I bounce from here...

Have you thought that you might be here for all eternity? - Armin asks.

Sooner or later, Marley's gonna roll up for me and I will get out safe and sound...

What have you done for Marley? - He asked her, and she felt cornered.

Well... - Armin interrupted her.

You killed three unimportant easily replaceable soldiers and caused a morale drop of less than 20% in Stohess battle... Then you locked yourself in a glass waiting to be rescued. - What Armin said deeply angered Annie.

Is it even appropriate to call Levi's squad "Three unimportant Soldiers"? Did you forget that they were all people Armin? - She asked irritated, giving him one of her worst murderous looks, not only because of what he said about his own comrades, because Armin literally called her "useless" in her face too.

We're talking in terms of Marleyan generalship Annie, of course my comrades death wasn't a fucking cracking joke, But you gotta vibe like a Marleyan general or bureaucrat for a sec to grasp the situation you're in... - He answered calmly. quiet while looking into her eyes, showing her he wasn't afraid of her.

Annie, back to our topic, you've been no cash flow for Marley, you have done nothing more than just ducking behind a flop that barely scratched to Paradise, do you have any idea what they'll pull when they catch wind your military profile right now? - The question was clear; Annie knew what he meant.

Out of the island people wouldn't treat her any better for being a unsuccessful, they wouldn't be kind to her beyond her only father, to whom she promised to return home after finishing.

Annie relaxed her anger at him, moved it to the desperate situation she was in, sat right where she was sitting.

I understand where you're at, I ain't want to push you to stay with us, I know you wanna return to Marley, with your father... - After that, Annie turned her head to see the opposite side of where Armin was.

I...

She only said that, nothing more.

Gotta go Annie... - She turned around to see him, her face was pale, Annie was filled with despair.

What are you doing now when you got out...? - She asked quickly as she watched him get up.

Don't worry, I'll be right back... - Armin answered with a sweet voice, placing his hand on Annie's head, fluttering her hair a little.

Annie got up and rushed at him, gave him a big hug placing her chin on the boy's shoulder.

Thank you for rolling up here... - She addressed him affectionately for a few seconds before letting go of him.

See you Annie... - He greeted with a smile.

See you Armin... - Answered the girl trying to smile at him too.

Armin began to walk towards nothing as he gradually faded from the place until he disappeared, Annie dropped to the ground and sighed.

Once his consciousness left the glass, Armin looked with a subtle smile at Annie, who was trapped and asleep in the crystal.