𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐒 | 𝐋.𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐍

𝟏𝟎𝟏 | 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧

~*~

WITHIN WALL MARIA ~ (Hanji's Pov:)

Things took a turn for the worst.............

Finding out that Zeke's spinal fluid was in the wine bottles was a big plot twist, especially when we only found out when an anti-marleyan swung a wine bottle at one of the child warriors head. Even to add onto our misfortune, Floch and the Yeagerists took over the restaurant. Lena and I are bound in rope being pulled around like dogs behind Floch, who seems to think he has an idea how everything works.

Even so, after Floch discovered Akira's disappearance he inflicted punishment upon Lena who took a brutal beating and then protected me again taking the brunt of every force of attack upon me. 

Now the rest of the young children from the scouts were now behind bars, thanks to the Yeagerists abruptly taking charge of everything. 

Walking up the dark stairs towards the rooftop of the new cadets that were currently being trained, my footsteps felt heavy. Following orders behind a child was pathetic, but knowing we might have a way to divert this attack back towards them gave me little confidence. It was above my control at this point not knowing what to do, but I had to stall Floch from meeting Zeke.

"You're damn lucky Akira's pet keeps saving your ass," Floch bitterly comments, as our footsteps echo further up we went to the open balcony of the cadet corps. "Just be lucky I'm keeping her alive.......she knows exactly where Akira exactly is. So........hurry up!"

My jaw clenches with frustration as my eyes flicker to see Lena's eyes still filled with strong tenacity, despite her heavy wounds. I'm so sorry Lena......

The doors slowly open with a heavy creak following with the bright light shining upon us, as my eyes fall upon Shadis who stood amongst many young cadets. 

Shadis' eyes widen in confusion, "Hanji? Lena?!"

Floch and a few of his men approach further"Long time no see, Commandant," he greets, sarcastically. "Sorry to interrupt, but we'll be occupying this facility for a while. As you may have heard, we're a group known as the Yeagerists......" before they all directed their rifles before all the young cadets and even Shadis. "......and if you don't wanna die, you'll follow our instructions to the letter."

"Tch....congratulations, you finally figured out where you stand Floch!" Shadis comments, with clarification. "No one gives damn about your gang, there's only one way you can get our attention. That's to grab a bunch of guns and start waving them around. How long did--"

Gunfire echoes not far from where I stood, as Floch's bullet bounces from the ground with force.

"What's with you?!" I snap angrily, under my restraints.

Floch rolls his eyes subtly, "Barely missed......I figured I could speed things up by shooting the Commandant in the foot," he lowers his rifle, nonchalantly. 

Shadis' eyes darken, "What do you want from me?"

"Nothing, this isn't about you," Floch answers abruptly, as he walks past the Commandant and stood before the young cadets. "Our movement doesn't have any use for old men with hard heads and little else.............."

I stood there helpless in that moment, not knowing Floch's next move. How could he just almost shoot a peer of his, or mostly his own commandant that trained him back in their cadet days.

"Listen, cadets!!!!" Floch announces loudly, with a firm stance. "Starting right now, this is your time! Eldia's in grave danger, but we Yeagerists are doing everything we can to protect her. We've pledged our hearts and souls! We are fighting! Not for the fossils in command of our military, but for the people of the island we call home! if you keep complying with the archaic mindset of our leaders, then the day will soon come when your forced to watch helplessly as our enemies crush us!!!! So I ask each of you this: who would you rather be? Someone who lives to see the future alongside Eren Yeager, the leader of Eldia? Or someone who dies, alongside Commandant Keith Shadis and the antiquated ways of the past?"