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

video;

[soldiarity]

[ He looks conflicted for a moment, jaw clenching, but inclines his head to answer as best he can. ]

Well, we can't accomplish anything here -- there's no Walls, no titans, no information. Our objectives are irrelevant outside our own world.

More importantly, we have nowhere to return to now.

[godly]

[He listens intently, then speaks evenly after the explanation.]

Of course, but these objectives -- you can't go into detail concerning that? Perhaps more people will understand your situation at home if you did.

[soldiarity]

Ah... no. There's not really any more we can explain than that. We had to bring down the Walls and find something -- or someone -- before we could be done, and we didn't even know what we were looking for.

[ Not at first, anyway. ]

We don't expect anyone else to understand. We just wanted to explain ourselves.

[godly]

And I have no doubt that takes a fair amount of courage on your part.

[Despite Light's uncertainty, he'd be foolish not to realize that much.]

Being honest will go a long way with some here. For others, the very content of what you're saying will spur distrust. [Where Light stands is up for debate; maybe he's trying to decide upon this right now.] It's difficult, after all, to rationalize a legitimate reason behind endangering the lives of others.

[soldiarity]

You can call it courage. We did it because we didn't know how much longer we would have a choice either way.

[ He goes quiet for a moment. ]

They have the choice whether to trust us or not. I think most people can rationalize endangering or even killing another person if it means they can save themselves or someone they care about. I couldn't say if that's right or wrong, but in those cases people usually imagine a more equal exchange. So then with numbers like ours, we don't seem trustworthy at all.

[godly]

[Light, he's not sure he could rationalize it. But his moral compass is something that barely moves, even when shaken or tested by extraneous circumstances. Ha.]

Most people, maybe. Even so, it's difficult for anyone from a different world to judge; your circumstances are not ours. But it works both ways -- judgment is better reserved until proven otherwise, as is sympathy.

[In other words, Light's not sure he can condone what he's just heard. But he doesn't know the details of such a conflict that doesn't belong to him, and they've not hurt anyone else to his knowledge -- so. Merely quiet assessment is garnered from this young teen. Disappointment, maybe. It's hard to tell, since he's making a point to keep his expression neutral.]

[soldiarity]

[ r u sure Light are you really sure. ]

I understand. If you can't trust me -- or any of us -- because of this, I don't blame you. And I definitely wouldn't expect you to pity our situation.

[ Reiner assumes that's what Light's getting at if only because what they did is even worse where they come from than it might seem hearing it now, in this world, but even in his brief time here Reiner can also see how someone who's been in a world like this all their lives might have trouble fathoming humanity being reduced to such numbers. ]

It's like you said before -- being honest is better than continuing to lie.

[godly]

[He's pretty darn sure! ...As much as he can remember!!!

He crosses his arms, visible through the video feed.]

Well, for what it's worth, you did the right thing concerning that. Now it's only up to everyone else to react accordingly.

[soldiarity]

Right. Or not at all -- it's their prerogative. And yours. While I'm sure most people will come away from this suspicious of us, it is surprising you're willing to hear us out.

[ Surprising like he isn't sure what to think about it. ]

At least enough to talk to us.

[godly]

I don't think it's surprising. We're all from different worlds, different circumstances. We have no frame of reference for your own world, and therefore it's only natural that we're willing to listen and make our own judgments accordingly.

So, as I said, I believe it was the right choice to make.

[He sighs, though.]

This place truly does test one's moral standing, even if only through listening to others' circumstances.

[soldiarity]

That may be, but--

[ He pauses, unsure if he can make sense of what he means outside of his own head. Reiner rubs at his temple briefly before he continues. ]

No, you're right. If nothing else, it does no good to write anyone off completely for things that didn't happen here. I think I would let someone have another chance at life, personally, but... [ Though he doesn't believe he himself deserves one quite that easily. ] Everyone will have different priorities.

[godly]

Then I can only wish you the best, concerning that.

[Despite his own doubts concerning all of this, he means that sincerely.]

You said you spoke with the military concerning this first, correct? Are you wary about them knowing now?

[soldiarity]

It might be dangerous knowledge for them to have... but they already knew about it -- it's in our files. I'd be surprised if they had a way of using our titan forms without our approval.

[godly]

But if they did, such a situation would harbor the potential for massive destruction and loss of life. [Spoken bluntly.] I've seen one of those... titan forms before; during the summer camp incident. They can be a bit-

[What's the word.]

-frightening.

[soldiarity]

It would... we realize that, but it's also a process that can only happen if we allow it to -- and I'm not convinced yet that they have weapons here that could intimidate us.

[ He pauses, expression softening slightly. ]

Which one was it?

[godly]

[He's not sure how reassuring that really is, but the answer will have to suffice for now.]

Annie.

[soldiarity]

[ Self-established traitors admitting to being the only ones who can control their enormous, dangerous monster-selves is unfortunately about as reassuring as it's gonna get. ]

You must have seen her after I'd left her behind. [ A pause. ] How was she?

[godly]

["Seen her" is an understatement. He quickly corrects, simultaneously answering his question:]

She was unconscious. I managed to carry her out of the facility [via some sort of divine intervention, no doubt] and she woke up a few hours later, at a makeshift camp we all managed to put together at the time.

[soldiarity]

Oh.

[ Reiner seems relieved; obviously she'd gotten out okay, but Reiner hadn't pressed Annie for the specifics of what had happened after they separated. ]

That's good. I wasn't able to go back for her once I'd broken through the walls.

[godly]

You didn't pass out too, did you?

[He wonders if the transformations always take such a toll.]

[soldiarity]

[ He hesitates. ]

I did, but not for very long. I found someplace out of the way.

[godly]

[A frown.]

Is it always so difficult for you to transform?

[soldiarity]

... Not normally. It always drains our energy, but usually I can go for longer.

[godly]

I see. I wonder then if it had anything to do with the nullifiers within the facility, or if that can be attributed to this world in general.

[soldiarity]

I'm not really sure, but I guess there's no way to test it unless I ever shift again.

[ Which isn't entirely true; he's tested it before, because here he can shift parts of himself without transforming entirely. But that's not information to volunteer. ]