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Chapter 9

"Eren..."

Hearing my name, I look up to see Mikasa calling me.

"Mikasa, what's the matter?"

"Where are you going?" she asks.

"I'm just going... erm, you know... somewhere I need to be."

I aimlessly point in a random direction, reluctant to answer Mikasas question.

"You're going to see HER again aren't you?" she asks, looking unhappy.

"If by HER, you mean Annie... then yes, I am."

Mikasas eyes narrow.

I feel a cold chill run up my spine.

She's scary.

"Look Mikasa, I know you hate Annie but I'm trying to help her."

Hate is an understatement. As the two toughest female cadets, they often clashed.

"Why?" she asks, expressionless.

"Why? Because she can help us."

"I know she can and... I think she wants to but something is holding her back and I want to know what that is, I want to understand her reasons."

"But..." she starts but I cut her off.

"Don't you trust me?"

Her expression softens slightly at the question.

"Of course I do, that's not the problem. It's HER that I don't trust," she responds, her expression hardening once again.

"Don't worry, I can take care of myself."

She doesn't look convinced but nods anyway.

"Just be careful..." she says.

"Aren't I always?"

She gives me a look that says otherwise and walks away.

Come to think of it, I suppose she has a point.

With Mikasa put at ease for now, I carry on to Annies cell.

Asleep? At this time of day? Well, she is in a dark cell. She probably doesn't know what time it is.

"Wake up, Annie... hey, wake up."

I try to give her a gentle awakening but it doesn't appear to be working... let's try another approach.

Unlocking her cell door, I walk in and approach her. Maybe a bit of light prodding...

"Hey, wake up..." I say, jabbing her with my finger.

At my touch, Annie jolts awake and her fist connects with my face and I fall backwards, sprawled out on the cell floor.

"What the hell are you doing!?" she shouts angrily, standing up.

Looking up at her, I notice her hair looks exactly the way the female titans did. She'd always had it tied up so I never noticed before.

I guess Mikasa was right back then, when she said Annie resembled the female titan.

How could I have not seen it?

"Ahh, sorry! I was trying to wake you up and... wait, why am I apologizing!? You just punched me!"

I touch my nose and look at my finger to see blood.

"And you drew blood!"

"That's your own fault. What kind of idiot rudely wakes somebody up like that?" she responds indignantly.