Chapter 23: Annie
" Yo, Annie, are you lost?" asked Asriel from behind Annie who was trying to get to the checkpoint. Asriel went back out and did his best to save some cadets but some of them had already succumbed to the cold. He found Annie going the opposite way when he checked his map for any more cadets that were out in the blizzard, so he decided to go towards her.
The blizzard was getting stronger and stronger, the winds were freezing cold and felt like swords slicing the skin when exposed. If it were not for her titan powers she might be already dead or dying. As she was warming her body with her power, steam was coming out from her body and the snow that had accumulated on her, vaporized, along with the new ones. She felt guilty and sad that she have to use this power to destroy and kill the people living here, in these walls. She didn't want to continue the operation but because of Reiner and Bertholdt, she had no choice but to continue. She was starting to like living here since she could do whatever she wants and not be told off by anyone. Back in her hometown, she would be asked to train every day without rest, not even allowed to go into the city or play. She enjoyed strolling in the city, seeing other people interact with each other and she enjoyed bantering with Mikasa and spending time with Asriel. She had improved her hand-to-hand combat because of him and now she could go toe to toe with Mikasa.
Thinking about Asriel, she had mixed feelings about him and she didn't know what those feelings were. He was a very mysterious person to her, he could do almost everything perfectly. Initially, she felt fear towards him but curiosity overcame that and after interacting with him and see him interact with the others, she wanted to know more about him. As days gone by, she felt that she got along very well with him. Through him, she also made friends with Mikasa, sort of, and others, like Connie, Sasha, Jean, Eren, Armin, and Christa. It would be a lie if she said she wasn't happy that she had some friends now. She had gone out with the girls to have a girls' night out after Sasha and Christa begged her to come and spared with the guys during the day. She, of course, wiped the floor with them except Asriel.
Asriel would sometime bring her along in the city to window shop along with Mikasa. He even bought her a beautiful hair clip which he helped put it on her head. Mikasa was obviously gloomy about it so she asked him to redo her ponytail since she felt 'something wrong'. She felt annoyed at how Mikasa was literally all over him and seeing him pamper her and spoil her, makes her more annoyed and felt a slight tug in her heart. In the end, she sighed and decided to just ignore this feeling and forget about him, slowly avoiding him in the future. She felt that since one day they were going to be enemies, she didn't want to be too close to him although she was somewhat reluctant. Little did she know, she was already quite close to him that she considers him as a person she trusts unconsciously.
" Asriel....how long have you been here!?" asked Annie with surprise and got into a defensive stance. She stopped warming her body with her powers and the steam stopped coming out from her.
" Wow, you are a literal definition of a 'hot girl', haha." replied Asriel with a laugh.
" So you saw....you shouldn't have seen it....now I'll have to kill you...no...why....why must it be you....." replied Annie with a mutter with her head dropped low and a few tears coming out from her eyes.
" Hmm? Oi, Annie are you alright?" asked Asriel with a worried tone.
" Why! Why must it be you!" shouted Annie while tears start to flow down her face. She wished it was someone else desperately in her mind. She didn't want to kill him, she didn't know why but she felt extremely sad thinking about harming him. She remembered all the time she spent with him, making it harder and harder for her to do what needs to be done. She didn't know what to do anymore, on one hand, was someone she felt 'special' to her, on the other was her duty as a warrior. She knew that he would figure out that she is a titan shifter, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Her body was shaking and her power was getting unstable. Once again she was steaming and the snow around her was evaporated.
Asriel seeing this just smiled and hugged her, softly and gently rubbing her back. Her head was buried in his chest and the winter clothes.
" It's ok, everything is alright, you don't have to worry about anything." whispered Asriel warmly. Hearing this and feeling his warmth, her powers immediately became stable and died down. Annie was surprised at first but she felt safe in his embrace and that everything will be alright as long as he was beside her, but she struggled and looked up and said " No! You don't understand!..." and confessed who she really was to him and told him where she came from and why. She didn't care anymore, courtesy of Asriel's titan powers. His powers passively influenced her actions just like Christa. In this case, Annie was emotionally weak and her guard was down, it made her want someone she could trust and rely on.
" I see...so you and the other two were the cause of the breach in Shingashina....and you are not from this...island huh." replied Asriel still holding her in his embrace, feigning ignorance.
" Yes....now that you know, you must be wanting to kill me....I don't blame you...we destroyed your peaceful lives after all...." said Annie while holding on to his clothes tightly, her face was now buried in his chest.
" Not really, others might but I don't really care at all. All I see is a brainwashed girl ridden in guilt and was just doing what she was told by her superiors." (Asriel)
" What...do you mean?" replied Annie while looking up to him to find any lies on his face.
" What I mean is that it's not really your fault, a little bit, but not entirely. From your words, since young, you were trained to do a mission and was told that we the Eldians are evil from the government and your father. Which father would want their daughter to go through what you have. You were trained as a puppet since the beginning for their own use. They would've disposed of you if you weren't up to par, and I bet your father said something to you to not doubt him and be loyal to him. You have lived here and you can see for yourself that the Eldians are not evil." (Asriel)
"...." Annie didn't reply since she was lost in thought hearing what he said, she started to doubt everything, ignoring the fact that he seems to know a lot more than he looks. Asriel released her and she looked at him confused. She was a bit disappointed when she lost his warmth.
" And besides....you guys are not the only one who can shift into a titan." said Asriel with a smile and turned his hand into a crystal sword. Surprised would be an understatement to what Annie was feeling.
" Asriel.....you....are you the founding titan?" asked Annie with shock. She could feel her powers being weakened.
" Not really, I'm a lot stronger than a founding titan. Anyway, that's not really the point. The reason why I showed you this is because I trust you, Annie. You said so yourself that you didn't want to continue that operation of yours. You still have time to stop, think about the lives that you are going to destroy. Innocent lives, all for what? A person? Because your superiors said so? If so why didn't they do it themselves? Why would they send you while they sit back and relax? Why not send their children? Why would they ask you to give your lives up for them?" (Asriel)
"....." (Annie)
" Also did you know....after gaining the titan shifter ability, the inheritor will die 13 years later due to the Curse of Ymir. So how long do you have Annie." (Asriel)
Hearing that, Annie eyes widened, she didn't know about the curse.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Aldunhokoron
Aldunhokoron Well....tell me how it goes.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone