The Destination

It was the day after Bertholdt's betrayal and it was Eren and Annie's turn to do recon and see if any titans were in the area. They jumped from tree to tree like ninjas surveying the area. There were no titans for miles so Eren knew he would be virtually safe. When Eren saw Annie he jumped over to her and used one of the moves she taught him on her.

"What the hell did you do?" Eren asked as he put his forearm on her neck. He didn't know it but she was trying to find a pressure point she could take advantage of.

"Whatever do you mean?" Annie replied with her emotionless face. She had found the pressure point but didn't want to use it just yet.

"I mean you made me love you" Eren screamed sending all the birds flying away. "I have betrayed everyone I care about and for what!? So I can live a fake life with you"

Annie surprised by the words used the pressure point sending Eren into a spasm, she used this to her advantage and threw him over her shoulder and onto the ground. Once he was on the ground she twisted his arm and replied, "Because your father told me to"

As the word left her mouth she let go and ran back into the forest, she was heading back to camp. Eren was trailing behind still flustered by the words. The words echoed in his head drilling away at him.

"Would my father really do this" Eren muttered silently while he was dashing through the forest. In his mind he debated on what he should do.

When they got back to the camp Reiner had made a small fire, Steven was leaning next to a nearby tree, and Bertholdt tied up laying on the ground, his eyes seemed to house no soul; just an empty shell of a man. Their were bruises all throughout his body, most like from Steven who took it into his own hands to exact a bit of 'justice' for his betrayal.

"Survey Complete" stated Annie bluntly, her toneless voice becoming accustomed to Eren, who said nothing. The two walked over to Reiner and Steven "There is one titan to the east, two to the west, and none to the north" Annie continued.

"On our current path we need to go north-west from our current location, then when we hit the Evercrest Lake and stop there" Reiner said as he pulled out a map he swiped from the marketplace. "Now that we got that out of the way we have one more issue we need to discuss, Steven, what will you do now?"

Steven leaned up from his tree and said, "Knowing that if any of the village heard about what happened here yesterday it would be my head, I'll join you on one condition. You tell the village that you found me on your way here and not tell them that I attacked you". As he said this he looked at Bertholdt, "And we'll need to do something about him".

Reiner stood there silent thinking about his next move, before he could say anything Steven with a smug tone stated, "If you won't do something about him I will" while cracking his knuckles.

Bertholdt sat there unaffected by the conversation, it was less that he had come to peace with his situation and more that he was unaware of what was happening around him. He was zoned out, he had realized that his life had always been a mistake. "Why did I have to get this ability?" he thought to himself, "All I've gone through, all my suffering, all my pain, just to end up like this".

Bertholdt started to laugh to himself, he started to laugh so much that he deprived himself of oxygen to the point of passing out, only to wake up seconds later reverting to his past state of emptiness.

Eren stood there silent, "What have I gotten myself into, all of this just to meet my father, a man I can barely remember". He knew that the second he joined his captors his life would change forever, but at the sight of Bertholdt he started to wish it hadn't changed this much.

Reiner, somewhat unfazed by the event that just transpired stated, "We have to bring him with us to stand trial, the village elders with decide his fate". The words clearly not what he wanted, but had to say.

"Screw this" Steven said as he picked up Bertholdt and started to choke him. "I'll do what's needed to be done" but as soon as the words left his mouth a wide grin came over Bertholdt's mouth. He bit Steven's hand who in retaliation threw him onto the ground. Annie and Eren unsheathed their swords instinctively.

"Fate? You know nothing of my fate" said Bertholdt, he began to smash his own head onto a nearby rock while endlessly screaming "fate". The others just stood there watching the actions of this broken man.

On his final attempt he drove the rock straight into his skull and through his brain killing him. Everyone was stunned at what just happened. Regeneration only happens when the person wants to live, so everyone just realized that Bertholdt wanted to die so badly that he would reject his own semi-immortality.

After everyone got their bearings they decided to head off, now that Stevens condition had been fulfilled he was free to join them on their journey.

For the day onwards the group was carried by each other. Steven's titan control was nothing to scoff at.

"So can you explain to me your ability Steven" said Eren genuinely curious.

"OK, I shall share with you the amazing and true power that I own. My ability allows me to split my normal two titan arms into 4, allowing me to overpower my opponents. My arms split in half by the bone and my healing ability regenerates the other halves into new arms." exclaimed Steven, in awe of his own power.

"Didn't take too long for Annie to take you out" said Eren smugly.

"What did you say?" replied Steven in an intimidating tone.

"Nothing" Eren stuttered, He looked over at Annie, who upon viewing appeared to be looking somewhere else but in actuality was staring at Eren.

As they reach the Lake they find a cave of sorts, the group starts to set up camp when Annie calls Eren outside for a second.

To Be Continued…

I know I know it's been a long time, but… I had just lost my will to write, but now I'm back hopefully. Stay Tuned