My Hero

Chapter 36

"Hey, Marlo, did you hear?"

"Hear what, Hitch?"

"About the titan shifters. It seems to be the hot topic amongst the Survey Corps. According to them, those guys, Reiner and Bert something are locked underground and are objects of torture and all kinds of different experiments."

"Are you serious??"

Halfway through their talk, Annie Leonhard stopped what she was doing and listened intently. 'This can't be true. Both Reiner and Bertolt were defeated? How is that possible? Even with Captain Levi's talent, he can't defeat both of them at once.'

Hitch noticed Annie. "Ah, if it isn't our dear Annie."

"Is any of what you just said true?"

"Oh, well, isn't this interesting? Do you actually care about someone other than yourself? You're full of surprises."

Annie looked at Hitch with her typical disinterested expression. "Not really. You and Marlo were too loud; there's no way I could ignore you." With that, Annie walked away from both of them.

"Tsk, she's damn annoying. Always thinks she's better than everyone else."

"That's just how she is. Come on, let's finish up here."

---

Mikasa and Eren were working together on one of the supply bases. Although, to be fair, it was mostly Mikasa carrying around the heavier stuff since she was much stronger than him. She wiped the sweat from her forehead. "I'm done here. How about you, Eren?"

"Almost done."

"Are you alright? You don't look very good."

"I'm fine. I'm just... thinking about stuff."

"Does that stuff have a name? Don't tell me you still have doubts about this mission."

"Of course I do! Damn! I'm just having a tough time believing it..."

"I wasn't there with you when you got kidnapped, but you didn't seem to be this shaken up when you discovered Reiner and Bertolt's true identities. Why is it different this time?"

"I...don't know, okay?! I don't know what to tell you..."

Both of them fell silent. Mikasa was afraid of what Eren wasn't telling her. She didn't want to believe he might actually feel something more towards Annie. No, nothing was going to happen. After Annie shows her true colors to Eren, that would be the end for him, and he would hate her just like he hated all the other Titans. Or at least that's what she hoped.

'I won't let anyone take Eren away from me!' Mikasa swore to herself.

---

"Ahh, this sure is tough work." I stretched a bit. My body felt tired after working non-stop for the last couple of hours.

"Are you done on your side, Shortie?"

"Yes, Jean. Do you want me to give you a hand?"

"No, I'm almost done myself. Take a short break."

"Thank you!" I looked up at the sky. It was already late afternoon. Most of the supply bases were set, but our main mission wasn't showing any results. Everyone did their best to spread the rumor around, and yet it didn't seem like Annie cared at all. Maybe I was wrong. The thought alone made me shiver nervously. The commander trusted my judgment completely, and if it was all for nothing... A familiar sound took me away from the self-torture. Our target was making her way to us. "Annie? Is everything alright?"

"Of course. You seem surprised. Do I need a special reason to talk to my former fellow cadets?"

"No, of course not! I just didn't expect you to show up."