video | Monday, August 4th | this is either a public confession or when these guys all join AA

[lyingheart]

[ The camera turns on, and for a moment attempts are made to find a point of focus: first the screen shows the top of Annie’s head and part of Reiner’s arm, then just Reiner, Bertholdt’s elbow -- each adjustment forces the others out of the frame. Finally the camera is pulled out further and, as they all stand assembled, Annie climbs on top of a chair that gives her enough height to be past even with Reiner’s shoulder, ending the camera’s focusing woes. Shortie. It’s Annie who starts speaking. ]

ImPorts. In light of recent circumstances, we’ve spoken with representatives of the United States military in regards to this announcement... and now we’re speaking to any interested as a courtesy.

My name is Annie Leonhart.       My name is Reiner Braun.       My name is Bertholdt Hoover.

And we are Titan shifters.

[ Annie continues on her own after that announcement, measured and steady, for all her pauses. ]

Annie: On our world, Titans are immense monsters, human-like creatures that are mindless in their singular goal of devouring of humans. There're a few who seem more aware than others... and then there’s us. We have an... ability to shift between our human form and that of a Titan. It’s not something we can explain. It just is.

The actions we’ve taken back home, those missions... without the Walls, or the world that lies behind outside of them, they’re pointless. There’s no explanation or reasoning for what we’ve done there that we can share. There’s no apology we can offer. All we can say is that we're all directly and indirectly responsible for the loss of human lives there. It’s a fact that both civilian and military blood stains our hands. It isn't a course of action we've continued while here. We don't intend to start now.

[ Reiner clears his throat at that, taking a moment to exchange a silent look with Bertholdt before he decides to speak. He looks stoic and determined, every bit the picture of the responsible soldier he is about to reject entirely. Standing a bit behind him, Bertholdt drops his gaze for a moment. His focus returns to him and he stares, concentrated but anxious, at the camera. ]

Reiner: For years humanity was protected from the Titans by the massive Walls that surrounded the remainder who had still survived -- that peace lasted for about a century until the outer Wall was breached by two deviant-class Titans... that was me, and Bertholdt. He got us through, and then I broke down the inner Wall. Before then no other Titans had the ability to do something like that, so it was the two of us that allowed for ⅓ of humanity to perish after that day five years ago.

[ Annie interjects, voice clipped and blunt: ]

Annie: The refugees were marched out a year later on the king’s order. He's accountable for those lives, too.

[ Annie frowns, almost surprised at herself, and glances to the side. She turns her face toward Reiner before looking back toward the communicator as she speaks. It’s progressively harder for her to look straight ahead. Reiner silently puts his hand on her shoulder. ]

Annie: I’ve been called the Female Titan. I was responsible for the many of the deaths of Survey Corps members during the excursion into Wall Maria lead by Commander Erwin. I was later cornered and apprehended in the Stohess District... though I wouldn’t be able to tell you what collateral damage I was responsible for there. I’m a neutralized threat back home.

[ She makes herself look straight into the lens of the camera again, this time unwavering. ]

Annie: None of us are a threat here. Not to this world, nor to these people. I don’t expect you to take my word on that, or even understand or care about what I'm saying. It doesn’t make it any less true. We’ve been instructed by the military in this country that as long as we adhere to a strict code of proper conduct, acting as model citizens and exemplary... [ Not Heroes; she can’t stand that term on a good day, and today is not a good day: ] ... imPorts, we’ll be guaranteed sanctuary.

[ Bertholdt cuts in, a steady voice despite how uneasy he looks: ]

Bertholdt: And we are grateful for that. This place has given us some peace and time to think and live without the actions of our past coming back to attack us constantly.

[ He trails off; it's only half true. A short silence follows. Sanctuary here is its own kind of joke. Annie opens her mouth again, hesitating, before she sets her shoulders. She speaks, tone carefully neutral. ]

Annie: I... those who wish to discontinue associations, such things will be respected.

[ Reiner nods in agreement, crossing his arms over his chest. ]

Reiner: We all understand that some things can’t be forgiven. But this is the reality of the situation, the truth about who we are -- we don’t intend on deceiving anyone. Just like if we were to do something similar here we wouldn’t expect anyone to hold back from taking action against us.

[ There’s another brief silence following Reiner’s words, where they all look toward the camera. It’s a chilling thought, but no one contradicts what Reiner’s said. The people here are much more frightening than they are. ]

Annie: For those things you may want to say or ask... We’re listening. We’ll respond to what we can for the next hour or so. After that... we have our communicators. You’ll know how to find us.

[ Annie starts to move forward, but as she does, the chair she’s on tips with her. With a startled look on her face, and a windmilling of her arms, she disappears off camera to crash to the ground with a muffled thump. It takes a second for Bertholdt to realize that Annie's falling and it's only after she did fall that he reacts, bending down and checking to see if Annie's okay. ]

Bertholdt: ... Annie? Annie... Are you okay?

[ Muffled sounds of frustration meet the question, and a hand covers the lens, ending the feed a moment after. ]

Comments

[soldiarity]

It does -- I was pretty good at that in the time I spent as a soldier. That was the only time I could forget for a while.

[hostage]

There you go. You got all the time to do that now, too.

[soldiarity]

Except without forgetting anything this time. I'm still working on how to do that part.

[hostage]

You forget things a lot? Like stuff you did?

[soldiarity]

... Sometimes. I know it's kind of shameful, but I didn't even realizing it was happening until recently.

[hostage]

That ain't shameful. Brains do that, you know, for defense sometimes. When something bad happens. It's okay.

[soldiarity]

Do you know if there's a way to stop it?

[hostage]

There's doctors that can help. Medicine, too.

[God, this is the most he's probably ever talked about this shit.]

I went to stay for a while - not here, I mean, but back home - at this one place... It wasn't a hospital, exactly, but the whole point was to get my head fixed. I stayed there for months 'til I felt better. There's places like that here, too.

[soldiarity]

[ Same -- usually, Reiner finds it easier not to think about. And though he's hesitant about it, there's something relieving about it at the same time.

Except he keeps in mind there are people who might use this information against him -- or them, even -- if they're listening. ]

Uh -- is there a way we could talk about this somewhere private? If it's not a problem.

[hostage]

[Jesse's sort of forgotten anyone else might be listening. Now he shrinks back a little, nodding.]

Yeah. Yeah, totally. Hell, I could come over there right now if you want.

[soldiarity]

I'm in Nonah -- it might be easier if I come to where you are, depending on where that is.

But it can wait, if you're busy.

[hostage]

Nah, nah. I ain't busy. I'm over at Heropa Youth Center but I'm all done with work for the day, so...

action or log, perhaps?

[soldiarity]

... All right. There's really no hurry, but if you're sure. I appreciate it.

action is cool with me

[hostage]

Not a problem, seriously.

\o/

[soldiarity]

Uh-- [ He hesitates for a moment. ] If you take the train up, it's pretty fast. Or I can take it down.

[ He just finds it neater than using the porters to get around. ]

[hostage]

[How is a train neater than teleporting?!]

Gimme an address and I'll head out right now.

[soldiarity]

[ It just is. ]

Residence #1 -- the housing is pretty close to the train station and the porter. I can meet you there, though. Or at least wait outside.

[hostage]

Don't worry about it. Just stick right where you are. I'll find you.

[He's already grabbing his jacket. (It's summer. Why does he need a jacket? He just does.)]

[soldiarity]

[ As long as it's a cool jacket. ]

Sure -- okay. I'll just sit out front or something.

[hostage]

[It's the coolest jacket. It's distressed leather and probably cost a thousand dollars because he doesn't know the meaning of subtlety with regard to masking multi-million-dollar criminal activity.

He switches off his communicator and about a half hour later he's shuffling up the drive to #001, finishing off a cigarette.]

Hey, 'sup.

[soldiarity]

[ As soon as he sees Jesse Reiner stands, waving with a briefly uplifted hand. ]

Hey -- it's Jesse, right? You know, that jacket looks pretty hot. [ ... Temperature-wise. ] Though I want one like that when the weather changes. Is it comfortable?

[ Wait, this is exactly the problem. ]

Uh, thanks for coming.

[hostage]

[He glances down and gives a shrug.]

I grew up in the desert. I'm used to hot.

[His cigarette's burned down to a stub, so he drops it onto the pavement and crushes it underfoot.]

You guys doing okay? Nobody giving you trouble?

[soldiarity]

[ He shakes his head, moving his hands casually into his pockets. ]

Nothing we weren't already expecting. People from back home have been letting us know that they're watching us from day one -- otherwise, we might have lost some people's trust, I don't know. They can't really threaten us.

[ One of the few upsides, or something. ]

But my problem -- you know -- I don't want anyone using that against my friends.

[hostage]

You wanna tell me more about it? Like how you think somebody might use it?

[soldiarity]

[ He exhales slowly. ]

After me and my friend Bertholdt broke down the Wall, we lived as humans with everyone else until we were old enough to enlist in the military. The people here we know were our fellow soldiers or superiors we lived and served with for three years... and since they know we're all traitors now, we can't communicate like friends like we might have before.

Some of them have already tried in order to confuse me. I... if I thought I was that soldier again, it would mean Annie and Bertholdt were my enemies.