Consequence
Jean sneered at the other cadets as the pulled the ill-fitting wig over his head. “I look nothing like Eren!” He spat.
“So keep your head down, Kirstein. And wipe that grimace off your long face, it doesn’t suit you,” Captain Levi practically shoved the cadet into the carriage, slamming the door shut after him. He turned to the other cadets, who fidgeted nervously. Meeting Winnigan’s hazel eyes, he cocked his head, motioning to her to have a private word.
“Are you sure you’ll be able to lure her with Armin?” He asked quietly, doubt laced into his voice. “You two were awfully close the other night.”
Winnigan winced at the thought of Captain Levi walking in on them both during the heated, intimate moment. Her stomach churned and her cheeks were red hot at the reminder. “I think the other night is the reason why I have to do this,” she grimaced, pulling her hair into a ponytail to release the heat radiating from her face and neck. “I’d argue I’m closer to her than the others in our ranks.”
Captain Levi nodded in agreement, studying her slowly. “And you don’t want the military thinking you’re on her side,” Levi questioned, though it was more of a statement than anything. “Or you’ll be under their microscope until they can find a way to get rid of you.”
The plan was to send Winnigan and Armin ahead, and seek Annie out in Stohess. The plan was to ask for her help under the guise of a false mission to free Eren from custody. Hopefully, then, they’d be able to lure her into the Underground, where she would be unable to transform and they would be able to make their arrest.
Winnigan nodded solemnly, knowing the captain was right. Her relationship with Annie had complicated things, but it also made her the perfect person to help execute this plan. She just hoped she had the strength to face whatever came next.
"I'll do whatever it takes," she assured Levi, squaring her shoulders. "We can't let more people die because of the Female Titan."
Levi studied her face for a moment longer before giving a curt nod. "Good. Remember, once you and Armin make contact with her, stick to the plan. No deviations, no matter what she says or does."
The weight of his words settled heavily in Winnigan's chest. Just days ago, she'd been sharing drinks with Annie, laughing together, their faces close in the darkness. Now she was preparing to trap her. The cognitive dissonance made her head spin.
"What if she suspects something?" Winnigan asked, voicing the fear that had been gnawing at her since the meeting.
"Then we move to plan B," Levi replied grimly. "And pray we can contain a titan transformation in the middle of Stohess." He adjusted his cravat, a habit Winnigan had noticed he displayed when tense. "But let's hope it doesn't come to that. Your... connection with her might actually work in our favor. She trusts you."
The words felt like a knife twisting in her gut. Annie's trust - that's exactly what they were counting on betraying. She also couldn’t help but notice Levi’s disdain for their relationship, though he had acted the same before they had identified her as the Female Titan. He clearly had no qualms with same-sex relationships— he’d advanced on her brother, after all— so what was the problem?
“I’m sorry for making things difficult… the stuff from the other night, I mean,” Winnigan apologized sheepishly, a deep blush creeping up her face.
Levi sighed, rolling his head back, eyes squeezed shut. “We can forget about that once she’s in custody,” he groaned. “I’ve made dumb decisions before, too.”
…
The streets of Stohess were eerily quiet as Winnigan and Armin made their way through the Military Police district. The morning sun cast long shadows between the buildings, making every alley seem deeper and darker than usual. Armin was fidgety, his expression grim. He made no effort to hide his fear.
"Are you ready for this?" Armin whispered, his blue eyes darting nervously around the empty streets.
Winnigan's hand instinctively touched the ODM gear strapped to her thighs, concealed under the forest green scout cloak. "No," she admitted quietly. "But we don't have a choice."
They rounded the corner toward the Military Police headquarters, where Annie would be starting her morning shift. Winnigan's heart hammered in her chest as she thought about their last encounter - the warmth of Annie's breath, the softness of her touch. Now here she was, leading her into a trap.
"Remember," Armin murmured, "we just need to convince her to help us get Eren to safety. Nothing more."
Winnigan nodded, swallowing hard as the Military Police headquarters came into view. Through the morning bustle of civilians, she could make out a familiar figure in uniform standing guard at the entrance - a small, blonde woman with her hair tied up in its signature bun.
Annie.
“I’ll see if I can bring her into the alley,” Winnigan murmured, taking a deep breath and rolling her shoulders back. “Stay out of sight until then.”
Winnigan approached Annie with measured steps, her heart thundering against her ribs. The blonde's ice-blue eyes locked onto her immediately, a flicker of something unreadable passing across her features. Was it guilt? Fear? Or something else entirely?
"Annie," Winnigan called softly, close enough now that only Annie could hear. "I need to talk to you. It's important." She gestured toward the shadowy alley beside the headquarters.
Annie hesitated, her gaze darting between Winnigan and her post. Finally, she nodded, following Winnigan into the narrow space between buildings. The morning sun barely reached here, casting Annie's face in shadow. Winnigan couldn't help but remember their last encounter - the warmth of Annie's lips so close to hers. Now, the space between them felt charged with a different kind of tension.
"What's this about?" Annie asked, her voice carrying that familiar detached tone, though Winnigan noticed her hands were twitching at her sides. Uneasily, she reached and took Winnigan’s hands in her own. “Is this about the other night? Forgive me, Winnie, if I overstepped—”
Winnigan shook her head suddenly, not even knowing what to make of their last interaction in the first place. However, she didn’t pull away from Annie’s grasp. Her thumb absentmindedly caressed Annie’s knuckles, sliding over her village’s heirloom ring. “Not about the other night, Annie. We’re fine.” Before Winnigan could continue, Annie sighed in relief and pressed her forehead against Winnigan’s.
“I am still so sorry,” Annie whispered, her expression torn. It was clear she harbored guilt of some kind, despite Winnigan’s reassurance. Though they had been this close physically only days prior, it felt different. Winnigan felt… disconnected. Whatever spark they had, whatever admiration Winnigan had held for Annie since training began years prior, was gone. Knowing she was without a doubt the one who had killed their comrades made Winnigan’s blood boil. She silently prayed that the red flush of anger in her cheeks could be mistaken for a lover’s blush. Annie gave her a once-over, smirking. “What’s with the outfit?”
Winnigan broke contact, shaking her head slowly, neck bent, eyes glued to the cobblestone street. She lowered her hood, unbuttoning her cloak, revealing the ODM gear beneath. “It’s a disguise… we need help, it’s Eren.”
Annie's eyes narrowed slightly, her posture tensing at the mention of Eren's name. "What about him?" she asked, her voice carefully neutral, though Winnigan could detect an undercurrent of wariness.
"The Military Police are planning to take him into custody," Winnigan explained, watching Annie's face carefully for any reaction. "We need your help to get him somewhere safe… Armin?”
Armin appeared from where he had hidden in the shadows and Annie stiffened, eyes flicking between the two of them like a cornered, feral cat. “What is this?” She asked quietly, her fists clenching at her sides.
“You’re our closest friend in the Military Police,” Armin explained, hands raised in surrender. “If he gets all the way into the Interior, they’ll kill him. He’s our best chance to beat the titans. This isn’t a mutiny, we have every intention of returning him… once he’s safe. View this as a few loyal scouts, staging a small peaceful protest.” Armin’s voice squeaked slightly, as it had been over the past several months as he matured. Between his voice, innocent blue eyes the size of dinner plates, and his soft features, he looked like a desperate child.
“We just need to stall long enough to gather evidence to change the council’s ruling about Eren,” Winnigan added.
Annie scoffed, crossing her arms across her chest. “I’m not going to commit treason,” she hissed. “I’m here for a comfortable life in the interior. I’m no rebel… and what evidence? How can you be so sure such evidence exists?”
“We… we can’t say,” Armin murmured apprehensively.
Annie sighed. “Sorry, Armin, Winnie, I’m going to have to decline.” She cocked her head to the side, as though weighing her options. “Though, I can pretend this conversation never happened. Good luck,” she turned to make her leave, but Winnigan quickly took hold of her wrist.
“Please,” Winnigan breathed, desperation in her hazel eyes. Something in Annie softened, her icy expression melting ever so slightly. She glanced down at their connected hands, before meeting Winnigan’s gaze again. “I can’t do this without you, Annie. They’re going to kill him. They’re going to kill him simply because they don’t understand.”
“Maybe it’s too late to change their minds,” Armin added, fists clenched. “But what if we can?”
Something in Winnigan hoped and prayed that not only would Annie help, but that she would prove they were mistaken about her. Despite the surmounting evidence against her, it was hard to see that the beautiful blonde who cared about Winnigan so deeply as a murderer. Someone who had worked so hard teaching her to fight, attempting to protect Winnigan from joining the scouts, someone who had loved her so tenderly just nights before, couldn’t possibly be so cold-blooded.
“Alright,” Annie relented with a sigh. “I’ll do what I can, but the moment I feel it’s gone too far, or if shit hits the fan, I’m out.”
Armin grinned at Annie, and Winnigan planted a grateful kiss on her cheek. Annie blushed, squeezing Winnigan’s hand once more before burying her fists in her pockets. “So?” Annie asked, as they departed from the alley. “Let’s go.”
The three met at the designated meeting point with Eren and Mikasa. The latter offered Annie a nod of thanks, while Eren remained silent until they began their journey through the military checkpoints. With Annie’s aid, they would be able to pass through without documentation.
“Shocker the MP’s showed up to work today,” Eren grumbled, his voice the only sound in the street save for their boots clicking against the cobblestone. Mikasa shot him a warning glance. “We actually made it, I can’t believe it was so easy,” he added.
“Hush,” Mikasa hissed. “Let’s just keep moving.”
As per usual, Eren never quite knew when to shut his mouth. “Hopefully they haven’t noticed my stand-in yet, either. Jean won’t hold up under close scrutiny. After all, we look nothing alike.”
The quirk of Annie’s brow and the quick glimmer of interest in her eyes went unnoticed to all, all except for Winnigan. Winnigan had kept tabs on Annie’s expressions through her peripherals, desperately reading her for clues as to what was to come.
“It’s close enough!” Armin hissed. “You both have that same angry scowl, and the same boulder-sized chip on your shoulder.”
“Well, yeah,” Eren relented, poorly masked offense in his voice. “But I don’t have his horse face!”
“Hey,” Annie interjected in a surprising attempt to defuse the conversation. “If I had said no to helping you guys out, what was your plan B?”
Winnigan sighed. “We were just going to blaze through on our gear. That’s why we have it.”
Annie scoffed, turning to face Winnigan. “That’s stupid, Winnie… why wait until now to escape? You could have easily done so before reaching Stohess and saved yourself all of this trouble.”
The scrutiny in Annie’s eyes and voice may have just seemed like innocent concern to anyone who may have overheard, but the suspicion didn’t go unnoticed by the four scouts. Winnigan gulped. Of course she would see right through us, she thought. She’s not stupid.
“I figured we could use the city’s complex layout to get more time out of our body double ploy,” Armin attempted a quick save. “Of course, a head-on assault is ill-advised, so as long as the convoy acts like it’s following orders, then everyone keeps their defenses down.”
“I see,” Annie responded after a long pause. “That’s a good plan.”
Armin was smart, too. Annie may be clever, but between the wit of Armin, Erwin, and Winnie, Annie didn’t hold a candle. Despite her apprehension to join the scouts on this mission, she still did. Her mannerisms and comments gave away her guilt on it’s own, no confrontation needed. Winnie could feel the pit of guilt, fear, and impending doom in her stomach. It was only so long before all of this rose to the boiling point… boiling over, and taking walls knew how many people in it’s wake.
The five walked in a tense silence as they reached their next checkpoint: a stairway to the Underground.
“Here?” Annie asked, hesitance and fear poorly masked.
“Yes, here,” Armin confirmed. “It’s the remains of an underground city they were making way back in the day.”
Winnigan scoffed, peering into the all-too-familiar staircase that she had descended only days before. “Not just the remains, there’s a whole civilization down there.” The others glanced at one another, none choosing to respond.
“It should lead us to the vicinity of the outer gate,” Armin finally spoke as they began to make their way down the steps. Only, Annie didn’t follow. She remained at the top of the staircase, glaring down at them with unveiled apprehension.
Eren turned over his shoulder, realizing what Winnie had already deduced. “What, you’re not scared of the dark, are you?”
Annie’s hands trembled at her sides. “So what? So what if I am? I wouldn’t expect a suicidal maniac like you to understand. You don’t understand what it’s like to be an ordinary girl, crippled with fear.” Annie’s lip quivered as she clutched her chest.
“Annie,” Winnigan said softly, taking two steps back up the stairs, reaching out for Annie’s hand. She didn’t oblige. “Annie,” Winnie repeated. “You’re one of the bravest women I know, please help us. I’ve been down here before, I was down here just a few days ago… before you and I reunited at the bar. I will protect you. We just need you and your MP clearance to get us through.”
Eren scoffed, turning back to the abyss below and beginning his descent. “Cut the crap, let’s go.” Armin and Mikasa followed suit, though Winnie hesitated, hand still outstretched.
“No, I refuse. I’m too afraid. Above ground, I’ll help. Otherwise, the deal is off.”
The scouts froze in their tracks, and even Winnigan faltered. She finally dropped her hand to her side, sighing a small huff of defeat. If she wouldn’t follow them into the Underground, where she wouldn’t be able to transform, there was no option but to battle it out on the surface. If she really was the Female Titan, now was the time to find out.
“Stop being stubborn, damn it!” Eren yelled, turning back to Annie so harshly that his hood fell, revealing his identity to any passers by.
“Be quiet, Eren, someone might hear you,” Mikasa hissed.
“I’m sure it’s fine, Mikasa,” Annie said coldly, her stone-like demeanor returning. “It seems that for whatever reason, the streets have been deserted.” Her eyes bored into them, particularly into Winnie, who trembled slightly. Her teeth gritted as she struggled to hold her composure. Annie knew. She knew that behind every building, atop every rooftop, scouts awaited to engage. Annie’s eyes narrowed in anguish, making direct eye contact with Winnigan. “That hurts me. It really does, Winnie. The way you all look at me, right now. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you don’t trust me.”
Her voice was laced with venom. The jig was up, the charade was over. There was no turning back now. Armin gripped their acoustic round in hand, his hands shaking. Winnigan didn’t break eye contact.
“Say, Annie,” Armin said softly, his voice changing the subject, though his eyes betrayed his feelings. “What were you doing with Marco’s ODM gear?”
Annie’s eyes shifted.
“It had all the same dents and scrapes. See, I helped him with maintenance, so, I know you used it.”
“Yes,” Annie admitted softly, refusing to meet their eyes. “I found it. I found it… and I took it.” Her eyes were glued to something in the distance, something the four scouts couldn’t see from their disadvantage in the stairwell.
“So the two titans we had in custody, it was you who killed them,” Armin stated decisively.
“No one knows,” Annie deflected, neither admitting guilt nor innocence. “But if you suspected all of this a month ago, why did you wait this long to say anything?”
Fear and heartache burned in Winnigan’s chest. The woman she had taken so lovingly in the alleyway had been this cold-blooded all along. Who did she think she was? How could she be so tender one moment, yet so cold the next?
“I didn’t want to believe that I was right, so I stayed quiet,” Armin admitted. Winnigan whipped around to meet his eyes, nodding in solidarity.
“Annie… you’re important to me,” Winnigan said slowly. “I didn’t want to— I don’t want to believe it. But it doesn’t look good. I need you to prove him wrong.” She pleaded, desperation in her voice… in her eyes. But, Annie still wouldn’t meet her gaze. “Out in the field, you spared me. You spared Armin. You let us live when no other titan would do the same, yet you killed our comrades without thought.”
The wind blew through the silent street. Annie stood unblinkingly, her hair whipping back and forth through the breeze. “Yes,” she whispered. “We’re here because I let you live.”
Winnigan’s heart dropped into her stomach. Annie truly regretted sparing her life?
“If I knew you would end up cornering me like this… why? Why didn’t I do anything then?” She antagonized herself, her gaze distant. There was a glint of grief in her expression, as though she was mourning their deaths before they even occurred.
Eren rushed forward. “Annie, please!” He pleaded. “Just tell us this is some sort of stupid prank, it’s not too late!” The unexpected motion for peace from Eren threw Winnie off guard. “Come on, we’ll understand! Let’s talk! Prove us wrong by coming down these stairs!”
Annie didn’t budge. “We both know I can’t do that. Like I already told you, I don’t have the constitution for it. I’m scared,” she insisted, though her calm and distant expression did nothing to back her claim.
“Annie, please!” Winnigan begged, falling to her knees in the staircase.
Armin pushed forward next, clutching his cloak. “Come on, it’s a matter of life and death!”
“Enough,” Mikasa growled, shedding her cloak. She unsheathed her blades, pushing past Eren, Winnie, and Armin alike. “I’m not listening to another word of this. No point. I’m going to carve you up again, understand, titan?” The hiss of Mikasa’s anger pushed her forward, though still, Annie didn’t move. Instead, she laughed.
She. Laughed.
In fact, it was more than a laugh. She lost her composure in a way she hadn’t even done in the alleyway that night. Her body convulsed and her face blushed as she laughed to the point of tears. The four scouts froze, unsure of what was to come. Then, after one last glance at Winnie, she raised her hand to bite her finger.
Then, the soldiers in hiding sprung into action. Her hands were immediately detained, a gag quickly tied between her teeth. As she was surrounded on all sides, the four scouts bounded up the stairs. Just as Winnie reached the top of the stairs, she caught a glimpse of that village ring Annie always wore, the spike exposed. Realization overtook her suddenly.
“Wait, she—” Winnigan’s warning went unheard as Annie’s transformation blasted all of the soldiers in close-range. She went tumbling down the stairs, Mikasa and Eren catching her just in time. Golden light flooded their view, disconnecting them from the other soldiers nearby. Just as Winnigan got her bearings from her tumble, a giant hand plunged into the stairwell and grabbed hold of her.
Annie. Her Annie, now a titan with Winnie in her grasp. Her arms were constricted at her sides, unable to reach her blades. She could barely see between Annie’s fingers, unable to see her surroundings… until Annie’s grip loosened slightly. Finally, Winnie could see… into the giant, cold, blue gaze of her former titan lover.
“Annie!” Winnie exclaimed, clawing for release. “Please! Think this through!”
Before Winnigan could reason with her, Annie’s giant thumb gently caressed the top of Winnigan’s head, before winding her arm back, and throwing Winnigan into the air at full speed.
She flailed through the air, desperately grasping the handles of her ODM gear, muscle memory taking over as she fired the hooks into a nearby building. The familiar hiss of gas propelled her through the air, her body twisting gracefully to avoid debris from Annie's rampage. For a moment, she felt in control.
Then came the sickening sound of metal grinding against metal. Her right wire mechanism seized, the gears within grinding to a halt. Winnigan's heart stopped as she lost all momentum, now plummeting through the air like a stone.
"No, no, no!" she screamed, frantically pulling at the jammed handles. The ground rushed up to meet her at terrifying speed. Just as she closed her eyes, bracing for impact, her body crashed onto something solid but yielding – the flimsy wooden roof of a carriage.
The impact knocked the wind from her lungs. As she gasped for air, she rolled to the side and found herself staring into the stern faces of Commander Erwin and Captain Levi.
"Nice of you to drop in," Levi deadpanned, his expression unchanged despite the chaos around them. Before Winnie could even consider a response, the world spun as her vision went dark.