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

[lyingheart]

... I regret the lives lost. I don't feel I can precisely say I regret being found out.

[gevurah]

[ It brings some relief to know she's remorseful about it.

Some.

She's still on edge. ]

Then you value life.

[lyingheart]

[ Without looking away: ]

Yes. And not just my own.

[gevurah]

Then you know what you need to do.

If you break your word, you will have to face the consequences here.

[lyingheart]

We know. I know.

We have anyone who stays here to hold us accountable, on top of a government that doesn't disappear, and those from home who were already breathing down our necks. Consequences will find us.

They already have for some of us back home.

[gevurah]

If you want to live an honest life, then you will answer if you do wrong.

[ It's redundant, but this time it carries out like an order.

She finally sighs. ]

Jesus.

[lyingheart]

Yes, ma'am.

[ Said very, very carefully; pointing toward Kate's tone, and something of an undercurrent of humor. Very subtle. Very true. ]

Biblical?

[gevurah]

Yes. Reactionary right now.

I wanted to trust someone.

[ Armin lied, is superiors okay'd it, Annie may have been lying... ]

[lyingheart]

... I think most of us do. At some point. What we can trust people on... well. I'm not one to talk, am I?

[gevurah]

I'm trying to figure that out.

[lyingheart]

I'd say good luck, but I'm never really sure if luck's something to wish on someone, good or ill.

[gevurah]

It doesn't bother you, does it?

[lyingheart]

I don't know.

[ How can she tell what does or doesn't bother her right now? ]

[gevurah]

[ She thinks it does. What kid can go through all this, isolate themselves, be forced to act as a weapon, and then have to come clean about all of it? ]

I guess you'll find out soon enough.

[lyingheart]

[ These kids. This young woman. She'll have a headache and a half in the morning, and more than she wants to sort through, and it'll be unsettling and unnerving and she'll hate it but keep going anyway.

It's what she knows how to do. Most this world will never know about Annie Leonhart, but the imPorts had to. She still believes that.

If it isolates her again, so? She's prepared for taht. It's the life she expects. Out of everything, what Annie can't handle is having things to lose. It's easier to have lost them all at once, and never gained anything back. Then she can't worry about it - can't be tripped up finding out she cares. (What a joke. She'll care anyway, and it won't matter, or it will. Or she'll find a way to salvage herself in talking with people who can't ever know her. One way or another, she'll survive.)

And it will bother her every day, just like the dead, and just like the things she wants to work on but doesn't know how. But the books will be there, and the knowledge, even if she loses the teachers she has; she can work harder, find civilian tutors, pay too much for them and take the slower roads, but get there at the end of the day.

The world doesn't end on one confession. It changes. Change can be good. ]

Probably first thing in the morning, and there on after.

[gevurah]

Probably.

[ A beat. ]

You weren't wrong about Armin, I guess.

[lyingheart]

... That's not something I wanted to be right about.

[gevurah]

Apparently he omitted the information to spare you three.

[lyingheart]

On his document?

[ Annie wasn't all that impressed... but she finds that difficult to hear, one way or the other. ]

He shouldn't have brought the possibility to mind, if he was really sparing us... or Eren.

[gevurah]

[ What. ]

... Eren.

[lyingheart]

... Ah.

[ ... shit. ]

You didn't know.

well i had to

[gevurah]

[ With some sarcasm now: ]

Are there any more titans I should know about?

/SLIDES OVER

[soldiarity]

[ He's going to interject here: ]

No.

It's just the four of us.

[ Because if Ymir shows up... well. Just in case, he feels the need to keep her secret. ]

/slides you back

[gevurah]

[ Hey, it's a... half-truth. ]

I see.

You described yourselves as Titan "shifters". [ She thinks about the hybrids. ] Are you human or titan?

action

[lyingheart]

[ Looks over to Reiner... but doesn't say otherwise. More listens to him talking now. He is defending Ymir, but she doesn't disagree. Ymir isn't part of this. ]