Post by Ventia on May 10, 2021 22:13:36 GMT -5
((De: Tagging myself in this so I dunt miss anything. Decoii))
A month had already passed since that day, Armin was currently paving his way into Marley. The organization had taken a big hit after Magath's death that even after two weeks of Armin being gone with Annie at the island they were still reaping the aftermath of the man's death. Which was just brilliant for Armin, a organization without a leader was practically nothing. The only reason why Marley was still afloat was due to the many connections the group had.
Connections that Armin would destroy one by one. Large or small it didn't matter to Armin, the man wouldn't stop until everything was dead and done with. Until the evidence was destroyed. The main players taken out of the game. Everything and anything that belonged to Marley. Until nothing remained and no one could ever try to start it up again. No one but Armin himself. And Armin would never do such a thing.
He lived in Marley now, after a month having taken out all the guards and workers where only the innocents remained. Armin had to keep most locked still, trying to save them from themselves and postponing their deaths. All while bringing in people from Marley's connections to the base and to their deaths.
He was making his rounds now, bringing the caged up people food and water, and paused at one cell. At the woman who was screaming and laughing at him. She had black long hair, bright angry grey eyes, and a mouth on her that would rival even Annie's. Armin gritted his teeth at the thought of her, and glared through the bars at Ymir.
"For the hundredth time Ymir," Armin began tiredly, "I am not your enemy. Give me some good faith that you're done with being Marley's puppet and I'll let you go." It was like trying to break a horse, Armin thought, most of these innocent souls still feeling a need to stay true to the cause. Still fearing Marley even though Armin had taken control over the base and kept telling them that soon once he was done with every last connection Marley had, there would be nothing to fear. Hopefully by then, Ymir and all the others still devoted would have changed their tune. Otherwise Armin would have no other choice but to kill them as well. Either that or keep them locked up and Armin was growing tired of such things.
"Thank you." The soft voice of one of Ymir's cell mates said as Armin handed her the food and bottle. Armin shifted his gaze to Historia who by all counts should have been out of the cells already. She was so thankful of Armin's saving her, of Marley being destroyed little by little, and her hellish days coming to an end. She could have been free, living her life away from here but the little woman had shook her head and followed Ymir to the cells. Stating that she wouldn't leave her friend behind.
Armin admired Historia, for staying even though she didn't need to. For choosing a life as a prisoner when she could be free. Armin glanced away, staring too long at Historia always hurt his heart, both for the woman herself and the woman she reminded Armin of.
"You're welcome Historia." Armin said softly and heard Ymir's scoffs.
"Why are you thanking him Historia? He's holding us prisoner! He's just as bad as Marley-"
"Ymir!" Historia raised her voice, turning around to glare at her friend, gripping the plate and bottle hard in her hands. "Stop just stop. You know he's not. He saved us. He's still saving us. He could kill all of us and be done with it. It would be so much easier than having to sit and wait until everyone comes around. Than having to listen to you and everyone else bitch at him when all he's trying to do is save us." Historia marched herself up to the taller woman, getting into her face.
"Now sit and eat." She shoved the plate of food into Ymir's hands and placed her hands on her hips, giving Ymir a look until the woman reluctantly sat down and glared down at the food. Knowing what Historia would do if she threw it again and not wanting to see her tears, bit down on her stubbornness and started to chew.
Historia sighed with relief, turning around to beam at Armin who was still looking away. His face neutral but his eyes...every time Historia caught their stare she could see the pain within.
"Here." He said and Historia watched as he handed more plates and bottles to the rest of the people, leaving a plate for her as well. Historia took it, thanked him again, and waited to see if he would answer. If he'd look at her. But he didn't, went on his way to finish feeding everyone and then leaving them for the night. Leaving their gates open so that they could use the showers and bathrooms. There were rows of beds that Historia had watched him drag in, so that they'd have something more comfortable than cold cement floors to sleep in.
If this was a prison? Historia would be more than glad to stay a prisoner for the rest of her life. She wondered what he did after leaving them in this wing. They couldn't get out, he still locked the outer doors, but Historia could hear him sometimes moving about. Could hear the screams coming from the few remaining guards he kept alive. Could hear the new arrivals meeting the same fate. Her hope had died out years ago but now at the sight of the blonde man with sea blue eyes, Historia could feel it growing anew and wished that Ymir and everyone else could just see it too. Could see that Armin Arlert was their only hope to freedom.
Freedom that Armin gave willingly with just one condition; that they forget everything Marley had taught them-forget Marley's existence-and start a new life, a better life. Historia wanted it so badly, knew she could just tell Armin she was ready to go and he'd let her. But then Ymir would be left alone and Historia couldn't part from her, from the one person who kept Historia going all these years. Now it would be her turn to convince Ymir to put Marley behind them, to live only for themselves and the freedom that their savior wished for them.
Historia took her food and sat close to Ymir, leaning her head against the woman's shoulder and watching Armin disappear out of sight. The automatic locks disengaging so that they could travel throughout the wing unsupervised. He had fooled around with the cells and wing so that he could remotely control it, could control the whole building now. The man was so smart, so good, that it hurt Historia for how they treated him. For what he had to endure on a daily basis just to keep them alive. Keep their futures alive.
"You really shouldn't be so mean to him Ymir." Historia sighed, bumping her head against Ymir's shoulder and hearing the low gruff the woman made. Historia pulled back and gave her friend a smile. Patting her knee. "It's okay, I forgive you. Let's eat, then we can take a shower and sleep yeah?"
Ymir stared at Historia, her own gaze softening whenever she stared at the girl, and nodded. Grabbing Historia's head and bumping her forehead against hers. Ymir knew Historia was right...but it was hard to throw away years of Marley's teachings, of the fear that clawed at her heart of what Marley would do. That man was just that. One man. She was amazed at how he managed to take control of Marley's biggest base in just a month, could feel herself wanting to believe in Historia's hope and Armin's words, but still. He was just one man. There was no way one man could obliterate Marley completely. And yet? Despite Ymir's nagging at him, she couldn't help but feel that stupid hope rising.
Armin sighed, pressing his back against the west wing door, seeing nothing before him but dark hallways and empty rooms. Down a few levels he knew there was someone he wanted to interrogate and was going to do just that. As soon as Armin got himself under control. He had stared too much into Historia's eyes, listened to her defending him and her soft voice too long, seeing Annie in her place and wishing that she was there with him now.
He hadn't seen her since that day, it being too early to go and sneak a peek, not yet, Armin didn't want to lose his footing, his control of this base, and everyone who depended on him whether they accepted it or not. But soon, the urge to see Annie even from afar was beating down on him. And Armin knew he would have to, to keep himself sane.
To stop seeing her in Historia's eyes. It didn't help how much alike they both were, the color of their eyes... It killed Armin each time he found himself staring and yet his eyes sometimes were drawn to Historia because she was the closest thing Armin had to Annie. Armin groaned, gripping his pounding skull and pushed himself off the reinforced door, making his way underground where he could let out all his frustrations on Marley's henchmen. Feeling no guilt since these people were nowhere close to innocents, matter of fact Armin enjoyed hearing their screams, enjoyed the blood that would stain his hands and took every crumb of information they provided him with, bringing him closer to Marley's ruin.
A month had already passed since that day, Armin was currently paving his way into Marley. The organization had taken a big hit after Magath's death that even after two weeks of Armin being gone with Annie at the island they were still reaping the aftermath of the man's death. Which was just brilliant for Armin, a organization without a leader was practically nothing. The only reason why Marley was still afloat was due to the many connections the group had.
Connections that Armin would destroy one by one. Large or small it didn't matter to Armin, the man wouldn't stop until everything was dead and done with. Until the evidence was destroyed. The main players taken out of the game. Everything and anything that belonged to Marley. Until nothing remained and no one could ever try to start it up again. No one but Armin himself. And Armin would never do such a thing.
He lived in Marley now, after a month having taken out all the guards and workers where only the innocents remained. Armin had to keep most locked still, trying to save them from themselves and postponing their deaths. All while bringing in people from Marley's connections to the base and to their deaths.
He was making his rounds now, bringing the caged up people food and water, and paused at one cell. At the woman who was screaming and laughing at him. She had black long hair, bright angry grey eyes, and a mouth on her that would rival even Annie's. Armin gritted his teeth at the thought of her, and glared through the bars at Ymir.
"For the hundredth time Ymir," Armin began tiredly, "I am not your enemy. Give me some good faith that you're done with being Marley's puppet and I'll let you go." It was like trying to break a horse, Armin thought, most of these innocent souls still feeling a need to stay true to the cause. Still fearing Marley even though Armin had taken control over the base and kept telling them that soon once he was done with every last connection Marley had, there would be nothing to fear. Hopefully by then, Ymir and all the others still devoted would have changed their tune. Otherwise Armin would have no other choice but to kill them as well. Either that or keep them locked up and Armin was growing tired of such things.
"Thank you." The soft voice of one of Ymir's cell mates said as Armin handed her the food and bottle. Armin shifted his gaze to Historia who by all counts should have been out of the cells already. She was so thankful of Armin's saving her, of Marley being destroyed little by little, and her hellish days coming to an end. She could have been free, living her life away from here but the little woman had shook her head and followed Ymir to the cells. Stating that she wouldn't leave her friend behind.
Armin admired Historia, for staying even though she didn't need to. For choosing a life as a prisoner when she could be free. Armin glanced away, staring too long at Historia always hurt his heart, both for the woman herself and the woman she reminded Armin of.
"You're welcome Historia." Armin said softly and heard Ymir's scoffs.
"Why are you thanking him Historia? He's holding us prisoner! He's just as bad as Marley-"
"Ymir!" Historia raised her voice, turning around to glare at her friend, gripping the plate and bottle hard in her hands. "Stop just stop. You know he's not. He saved us. He's still saving us. He could kill all of us and be done with it. It would be so much easier than having to sit and wait until everyone comes around. Than having to listen to you and everyone else bitch at him when all he's trying to do is save us." Historia marched herself up to the taller woman, getting into her face.
"Now sit and eat." She shoved the plate of food into Ymir's hands and placed her hands on her hips, giving Ymir a look until the woman reluctantly sat down and glared down at the food. Knowing what Historia would do if she threw it again and not wanting to see her tears, bit down on her stubbornness and started to chew.
Historia sighed with relief, turning around to beam at Armin who was still looking away. His face neutral but his eyes...every time Historia caught their stare she could see the pain within.
"Here." He said and Historia watched as he handed more plates and bottles to the rest of the people, leaving a plate for her as well. Historia took it, thanked him again, and waited to see if he would answer. If he'd look at her. But he didn't, went on his way to finish feeding everyone and then leaving them for the night. Leaving their gates open so that they could use the showers and bathrooms. There were rows of beds that Historia had watched him drag in, so that they'd have something more comfortable than cold cement floors to sleep in.
If this was a prison? Historia would be more than glad to stay a prisoner for the rest of her life. She wondered what he did after leaving them in this wing. They couldn't get out, he still locked the outer doors, but Historia could hear him sometimes moving about. Could hear the screams coming from the few remaining guards he kept alive. Could hear the new arrivals meeting the same fate. Her hope had died out years ago but now at the sight of the blonde man with sea blue eyes, Historia could feel it growing anew and wished that Ymir and everyone else could just see it too. Could see that Armin Arlert was their only hope to freedom.
Freedom that Armin gave willingly with just one condition; that they forget everything Marley had taught them-forget Marley's existence-and start a new life, a better life. Historia wanted it so badly, knew she could just tell Armin she was ready to go and he'd let her. But then Ymir would be left alone and Historia couldn't part from her, from the one person who kept Historia going all these years. Now it would be her turn to convince Ymir to put Marley behind them, to live only for themselves and the freedom that their savior wished for them.
Historia took her food and sat close to Ymir, leaning her head against the woman's shoulder and watching Armin disappear out of sight. The automatic locks disengaging so that they could travel throughout the wing unsupervised. He had fooled around with the cells and wing so that he could remotely control it, could control the whole building now. The man was so smart, so good, that it hurt Historia for how they treated him. For what he had to endure on a daily basis just to keep them alive. Keep their futures alive.
"You really shouldn't be so mean to him Ymir." Historia sighed, bumping her head against Ymir's shoulder and hearing the low gruff the woman made. Historia pulled back and gave her friend a smile. Patting her knee. "It's okay, I forgive you. Let's eat, then we can take a shower and sleep yeah?"
Ymir stared at Historia, her own gaze softening whenever she stared at the girl, and nodded. Grabbing Historia's head and bumping her forehead against hers. Ymir knew Historia was right...but it was hard to throw away years of Marley's teachings, of the fear that clawed at her heart of what Marley would do. That man was just that. One man. She was amazed at how he managed to take control of Marley's biggest base in just a month, could feel herself wanting to believe in Historia's hope and Armin's words, but still. He was just one man. There was no way one man could obliterate Marley completely. And yet? Despite Ymir's nagging at him, she couldn't help but feel that stupid hope rising.
Armin sighed, pressing his back against the west wing door, seeing nothing before him but dark hallways and empty rooms. Down a few levels he knew there was someone he wanted to interrogate and was going to do just that. As soon as Armin got himself under control. He had stared too much into Historia's eyes, listened to her defending him and her soft voice too long, seeing Annie in her place and wishing that she was there with him now.
He hadn't seen her since that day, it being too early to go and sneak a peek, not yet, Armin didn't want to lose his footing, his control of this base, and everyone who depended on him whether they accepted it or not. But soon, the urge to see Annie even from afar was beating down on him. And Armin knew he would have to, to keep himself sane.
To stop seeing her in Historia's eyes. It didn't help how much alike they both were, the color of their eyes... It killed Armin each time he found himself staring and yet his eyes sometimes were drawn to Historia because she was the closest thing Armin had to Annie. Armin groaned, gripping his pounding skull and pushed himself off the reinforced door, making his way underground where he could let out all his frustrations on Marley's henchmen. Feeling no guilt since these people were nowhere close to innocents, matter of fact Armin enjoyed hearing their screams, enjoyed the blood that would stain his hands and took every crumb of information they provided him with, bringing him closer to Marley's ruin.