Forgive & Don't Forget

[Eren]

"What-!"

"Oh no~" Hanji laughed. "I'm not gonna let her die on us. She's just too precious!"

Levi glares at Hanji then looks away. He sees the elevator cart pull up to the top of the wall and the four of us step on. As we slowly escalate down the wall, I manage to secretly look at Annie. I can only see the back of her.

We step off the elevator cart.

"Now to get to work. We don't have much time, so every second is precious!" Hanji rubber her hands together.

We all walked over to the deep well where my transformation tests occurred.

"So, this is the same thing as mine?" I look at Hanji with a risen brow.

"Precisely!" She grins.

She takes Annie's cuffs off but gives her a deep and menacing look. "If you even try-"

"The girl knows. We've told her too many times before. She'd have to be an idiot to try and turn on us." Levi assured.

"Annie. Please. Make this easier for everyone. We truly don't intend to hurt you but we just need answers after all this hell. Cope with us will you?" Hanji gestures.

Annie sighs and looks at the well. "...Sure."

Hanji helps Annie down with gear and meets us back. "Okay Annie!" She shouts. "Whenever we're ready we'll fire this green signal flare. When you see green that means proceed. This indicates a success." Hanji then tosses Annie a signal flare gun. "Inside is a red flare. Use this if you are having trouble transforming." She takes a deep breath. "Now, when you transform all I want you to do is simply wait for us to come to you. The well will ensure that you stay put in place in the event you cannot control yourself."

Annie nods.

Levi, Hanji, and I back away from the well. We cover our ears, Hanji fires the green signal.

We suddenly see the fiery yellow lightning explode out of the well. Our forms the Female Titan. Her arms reach out of the well. The well closes mid way on her chest.

Hanji squeals, "Perfect!"

She hops over and cuts a small string of the titans golden hair off.

"Why'd you do that?" I question.

"Well" She looks at me, "I'm trying to see if I can do some sort of DNA testing on Annie's human hair and Titan hair. Whether to see if it's her DNA or someone else's that had this Titan before her."

I nod. I then look back at Annie. A knot churns in my stomach. This all feels so fimiliar. I know I've done this exact test before but, Annie. It doesn't feel like she is really inside there. It still doesn't feel like Annie is really the Female Titan. What is keeping me from believing this? Still? What am I holding back?

I can see steam forming. Though, Hanji is cutting into Annie's bicep. She tries yelling, "Hey Annie? Do you feel any sort of pain? In your human body? If so raise your right arm!"

There is no response.

It doesn't feel like she is really inside there.

That's because she isn't. Its not really Annie.