The Marley Hotel

"Ladies, Gentlemen, Governors, Mayors, and Esteemed guests. I welcome you on behalf of the amazing Hector Gonzalez!"

Clapping was heard all around as people continued to move around, finding their seats and looking towards the man in question with a hint of respect. 

"This man here is responsible for the lives of many men, women, and children. He helped fend off against terrorist organization, he is the man that we look to in moments of need. Our leader, please thank him and his ever generous staff here at the Marley. Now, please help me welcome another guest of tonight."

The announcer looked at the man in question as he nodded back, motioning that he was all ready. He was not going to choke, he knew what this entailed. 

"Welcome honorary member of the Gonzalez Foundation, William Tybur!"

A short beat of silence was all that was heard for a moment before a single clap had gone and then everyone followed, believing that it would be disrespectful if not too. They did not like the choice of Willy Tybur, they all knew who he worked for formerly and believed that he still had ties with the very people he worked with. 

Striding towards the main platform, Willy could not help but notice the many warriors that decorated each corner of the room. Almost as if they were expecting something from someone.

Shaking hands with the announcer, Willy raised an eyebrow towards Zeke Vilmar. Yes, he knew who the man's father really was and he could not help but wonder, where did his true allegiance lay?

Stepping towards the podium with a quick exhale of breath, he looked out and noticed how everyone seemed to be watching him extra carefully. This was it, the moment that would define a war. The very moment he could turn this around, in his own way. 

"Thank you for allowing me to speak here today. I have been pretty nervous in regards to what I might say, this moment has not been something I imagined for myself. Only it seems that things are working in mysterious ways, today of all days, we are here to come together and celebrate the two years of prosperity we've had! A festival worthy of the name, am I right?"

Bowing his head, he looked out towards the eldians, many of whom looked back at him with their own judgment, wonder what he was going to do with this little speech. 

"Many of you know me, many of you know my past. If not, my name is William Tybur. I am an Eldian, commonly referred to as the Warhammer of Justice."

This was not a single surprise to anyone as they knew exactly what Willy was but to the warriors, knowing that he had used to be one of those devils. It was a surprise, it was something that they would not be forgetting. Were they truly the bad guys they had been painted as? 

"Over the last two years, during our peace and prosperity, in secret, to protect you all. Hector Gonzalez waged a war against the man known as Jacob Peralta, otherwise known as Brooklyn's most immature detective. In past years, Jacob would have been disregarded as nothing more than a stain, a nuisance to our way of doing things. He was not Eldian, nor did he have the power base to make any worthwhile movements."

Willy was stating the truth, something that was hard to hear for many of the people. A war had been going on, right under their noses and the only ones fighting were the Eldians, as well as Hector and his noble people. 

"Jacob launched multiple attacks in the last couple of years, he also launched an attack on multiple bases of our warriors just in the past couple months. He is a threat to our way of life, he is no longer a nuisance. It is part of the reason why this Festival was called for today of all days."

Everyone knew that what was about to come next would spell the beginning of the end for their peace and prosperity, Willy's speech was going to mark the beginning of a long and bloody war. 

"From this day, on the orders of Hector Gonzalez, Jacob Peralta is marked as a terrorist and is to be shot on sight! He will not threaten our way of life again! He is not a powerful man, he is but one man, he is but-"

As Willy was about to continue, the lights had cut out in the building, causing much hysteria to flow through the crowd as all too soon. The lights had turned on, only there were more people with Willy on the stage. Guns in hand, aimed towards Hector Gonzalez and his family. 

"As Willy was saying, I am but one man...is that not right!? I am but one person to the mighty powerful, Gonzalez Foundation."

Jake Peralta revealed himself to be standing on a higher platform than Willy, drawing many eyes to him, as they all watched him in shock as he held a hostage, Porco Galliard. 

"So tell me, now that you have the terrorist in your sights, just what will you people of the foundation do, sacrifice your leader or leave him to die!? It's time to make a choice!"

Only then a shot had rung out and the soldiers of Hector had started to fire as explosives had gone off in such fashion that had Jake smiling in almost sadistic passion... 

"I see you've joined the fight...Zeke."

Everyone turned around, noticing the very man who led the Warriors with bombs in hand as he started to lob them into the seats and they all went up, launching bodies, blood, and parts into the air...

"Well...brother, I could not let you have all the fun now, could I?"

Jake looked around and noticed the soldiers of the foundation were coming in droves now, this was not going to plan but if Erwin played his part, they would win in the end. 

"Just where do you think you're going?"

Standing opposite him was the very person he did not wish to meet...Claire Tybur as she held a gun to his head!

Can the so-called terrorist Wardens survive!?

Just where is Erwin Smith and his Eldians!?

"Peralta, why don't you step away from Galliard? This is something that need not happen, you've fought well."

While he knew that his brother was something of a loose cannon, he could see the worry in his eyes and the warriors stopped lobbing bombs. At least, those loyal only to Zeke and his regime. This was not expected as the Tyburs were not meant to survive, it seems like they had counteracted and expected some form of attack. 

"Claire Tybur, you're not fooling anyone you know. We both know that the Tybur's took a vow of pacifism two years ago, harming me, it just ruins your reputation in the face of all these remaining guests. I would advise caution..."

Claire took his words into consideration as to what he said had been true once upon a time, the vows that the Tybur's had sworn was one of pacifism towards the Eldian people. It was here that Claire saw the undeniable cruel smarts of the young commander of the war, Jake Peralta.

"I understand Peralta, you've made it impossible for me to shoot you unless I wish to be branded an oathbreaker..."

He nodded and all too soon, a second bomb had gone off and the balcony of where the Gonzalez was sitting had collapsed. It had crushed Hector, his wife, and children. All of them no doubt dead as everyone looked at the once powerful family.

It was here that the Tybur forces opened fire on the remaining famillies allied to the Gonzalez Foundation, it happened so fast that before they knew it was happening, it had already happened. The Tybur's had betrayed their people in favor of siding with terrorists and people of war. 

"People of the Gonzalez Foundation, what you see here before you is nothing but a fraction of what we can do! Now, hand over Annie Yeager and Giovanni Iliano. Do this and I spare you of mourning more lost ones, if not, then I shall not be held accountable for what happens next! This is a matter of war!"

Peralta looked at Claire with a smile, nodding to her and she jumped off the balcony and joined her brother in defending against the remaining Gonzalez Foundation forces. The war had begun and it was just heating up!

Soldiers were storming the Marley, each wielding some heavy-duty weaponry, prepared to deal some damage to the traitors. They were all called by the commander of their forces, Reiner Braun. Now Chief of movement with the betrayal of Zeke still fresh

Bullets flew and bombs went off, the soldiers of the Warden resistance was clear, they wore black armbands to signify their allegiance. Now it was them vs the soldiers of the foundation. It was somewhat different from the operations that took place overseas, it was in the middle of a hotel that was surely going to get a bad reputation. 

"Reiner! Shoot him! Shoot Zeke!"

Reiner looked down the scope, his eye narrowing on the man that they had all trusted. All too soon, he fired his gun and hit Zeke exactly, causing him to fall to the ground in pain as the forces moved in, surrounding the Wardens. 

"Secure William Tybur and shoot Jake Peralta on sight! Move out!"

Reiner lobbed dynamite into the middle of the hall and a massive BOOM! shook the entire foundation of the hotel. As if Reiner himself had some extra know with how with the bombs and such. 

He looked over and noticed how Bertolt continued to look at the area in shock, all the bodies, the carnage of the very war that they started. It was all too much and somehow, Reiner could see that his friend was much more affected than he or anyone else would truly see.

"Bertolt! Focus! I need you manning the explosives, chuck them when you can! Understood!?"

A whimper escaped Bertolt before he chucked some explosives into the crowd of Warden resistance and another massive BOOM! shook the very room and destroyed lives once again...

"Reiner! Zeke is being removed by some special forces, we have him secured and in chains! What's the next stage commander!?"

While Reiner and the true warriors were still in shock at the betrayal, they followed the code that they had given to Gonzalez and his people. They were fighting to bring honor to their respective famillies and wanted to make their own names known throughout history. They were the warriors that brought the wardens to their knees!

"We storm the inner hall and take down as many bastards as we can! We've lost many of our sisters and brethren but today is not the day for mourning, we fight back and we give our damndest for the foundation! SCREAM MY WARRIORS!"

And so, Reiner delivered his plan and a pump up speech for his men and women to storm the hall. They did so in a collective effort as some of them were killed in the process. Only for each of theirs that was killed, it seemed two of the Warden resistance fell to the guns of the foundation.

Reiner took a peek over his cover and noticed Peralta above everyone, holding Galliard hostage with a gun to his head. Reiner bit down on his lip frustrated. He looked over to Bertolt, the very one who had the bomb to end all of this. His friend was waiting for his go ahead, to truly ruin these foolish people. 

"Reiner! Are we doing it!? Here now!?"

Bertolt was nervous, he did not wish to kill his friends, nor did he wish to be some kind of murderer but their hands were already stained with blood. There was no saving it, there was no being better people. 

"We settle this, right here and right now!!!"

Reiner took aim at Claire Tybur who stood next to her brother, protecting him fearlessly as she continued to fire her own guns. She truly earned the nickname that her family had been blessed with. As he lined up his shot, Reiner could notice that she turned and noticed him aiming...daring him to shoot...

Just as he was about to pull the trigger, he was shot at and fell back into his cover as he saw who shot him...Eren Yeager...

With the Eldians supposed alliance intact, just where have they been exactly!?

With Zeke captured how does Jake intend to handle the foundation led by Reiner!?

Just how many more people will die before this war over!?

"ELDIANS! Erwin Smith is here, bring him in! Bring in Arlert now!"

Reiner heard those words and he had never been so happy, these people, they were the special forces. They were the true forces of the warriors under the command of the War-Chief, Armin Arlert. 

He and Armin never saw eye to eye but understood what this meant and just what Peralta was, a terrorist. He was nothing but a foolish terrorist that no one else truly believed was doing harm. He was a detective and never rose into positions of power, it was easy to see why he had slipped from beneath them. 

"Bring Braun in, have him checked over by Pieck! Bring in Gabi and Ilano, let's show these devils we mean business!"

Orders were given and the battlefield of the hall was becoming a red mist, the bloody walls and bodies were going to take a lot of convincing. These were children, mothers, husbands, and true members of their cause. 

The soldiers knew what this was, they had been in wars overseas, the nightmares, the people they had bonded with, it was all happening again.  They were fighting the devils and this time, they would be the ones to make them fear their names! They would scream as their chief had said. 

Looking down at the battlefield, Eren oddly admired it for a second, the bombs had done their work. It was becoming difficult to see what was the truth anymore, he had wanted to believe that this was the right thing to do but they were women, children...they were innocent his mind tried to reason. Fighting with him that they were the ones siding with terrorists...

Still, Eren did not know what to do, he knew not what he was fighting for anymore. He had lost his honor and determination a long time ago, he shot to follow the orders of his commander.

"I do not follow you Jake Peralta but I follow the orders of my commander!"

Opening fire once more, Eren failed to notice the new soldiers of the Warden resistance filtering in, taking out some of the enemy soldiers, forcing them to retreat for a single moment...

Eren had a feeling, this was not the end, not for a long shot...the enemy had something up their sleeve and he knew that it was nothing pleasant!

"War-Chief, like you speculated, they've struck! They took out Hector and his family, they have caused Zeke and a few of his loyal warriors to jump to their side. We have Zeke in custody, just what are your orders?"

A man with his hair slicked back, a reddish-blonde with a tint of midnight black. His eyes were a crystal blue as he stroked his stubble. Leaning forward, his eyes roamed the room for a second before he stood up and put on some of his combative gear. 

"Gather the special forces and bring the Plastic Explosives, from what I hear. It's time Peralta and his people got a taste of just what our true strength is...move out!"

Armin Arlert, once a former Eldian from Pasadena and now a member of the very foundation that his father was a part of. He had not been the same person he was now, he had grown up with Eren Yeager and Mikasa Ackerman, two of his best friends. He had others but they were gone now and he did not wish to dwell on times that had long since passed. 

As he grew up, Armin realized that he could no longer be friends with Eren and Mikasa, both wanting to join the resistance known as Eldians. He was once an Eldian by association and was offered a full membership but he had denied it, he was not going to become a terror to society. 

"War-Chief, we have Historia here for you."

Turning around, he noticed his wife and the mother of his three children. The one who supported him throughout all this business, he strode towards her, bringing her into his warm embrace. 

"Each time you go to war, it reminds me that you are just one man but you are not just one man to me. I have children here with me Armin, so do you. I cannot allow you to go out there! Please, I beg you...just...let's go...please!"

Armin looked down into his wife's violet eyes, the very eyes that his children seemed to inherit. He did not know what to say, he simply brought her deeper into his embrace, knowing that this might be the last one. 

"And each time I go, I have a reason to return! I must bring our enemies to heel, this is not something I wish to do but it is my sworn duty dear. I will come back and I will give you more children, this I swear! I love you..."

And so the war-chief of the foundation headed out, ready to bring his former friends and family to bow at their feet..this was not the day they lost it all.

"Reiner, wake up, come on. We have some news."

Groaning awake, the chief of movement had woke up to a light shining in his eyes as he could only look up for a moment. Turning his head to the side, he saw Pieck sitting on a chair, looking down at him with sorrowful eyes. 

"This wasn't supposed to happen, we were meant to celebrate you know. Instead, we get a wake-up call that Peralta is not going down without a fight."

Reiner sat up, his wound causing him to suck in a sharp breath and contort her face. He could not help but bow his head, giving himself a meek look in the process. 

"Maybe this is the price for our sins Pieck. We've done a lot in the name of atoning for them but what about the ones we inflict on the enemy? We've done worse and here we sit, licking our wounds and hoping for the arrival of war-chief arlert."

Tilting her head, Pieck could see what Reiner meant. Still, she could see what he meant and this was more than just a single sin. They had amassed a lot over the last few years. Maybe Reiner was right, maybe this was the price for their sins. 

"Well, let me ask you a question, Reiner."

He looked to Pieck in worry, he could already see that she wished to ask him something deep or personal. He would not be ready for such a question, deciding to answer it to the best of his ability. 

"Do you want to live like a Hero or wish to die as a Villain?"

Armin Arlert felt many things at that moment, he could feel how people were ready for him to take the next big leap of his life.

He was never supposed to be the one that led these troops here today, they looked to him because most, if not all of their support had become trashed and killed in the first wave attack. 

He was a man dedicated to the true ascension in the world and today he had to prove that, he could not be the one to stand here and allow his own people to die under him.

He would not let their sacrifice to the cause be in vain, he believed as his friends once had. Was the world ready for its true emperor? So many people that you swear allegiance too...

Those very oaths broke him and he could only stand there, watching as he had become something more than a man. He had become a leader. 

People often say that the men lead the warriors but in his case, that was not true. He was chosen to the second, never the first. The second because he was never someone of importance. 

Armin knows that deep down he was never meant for this. Now here he stood, ready to deliver a fatal blow to his once former allies. He sighed, looking up at the Marley. His eyes glistened before nodding to his men, they moved in with a swiftness that seemed to be east with them and he could not help but smirk at the small moment. They had been trained well...

"And now it begins, its time to move in soldiers! I want you to capture and subdue Erwin Smith! I want you to shoot Levi and Mikasa on sight, they should not be allowed anywhere near Erwin Smith! Move out now and gove your hearts to the cause! For the Foundation!"

The hall had become quiet, it was all a bit too quiet. It was now filled with dead bodies, the mist of red encased the hall like a cocoon, This was the sheer destruction of the foundational war. It was pure carnage and it was the killer of multiple men, women, and children. 

Eren Yeager watched from the balcony as he saw the foundational troops pull out. They had never surrendered before and this made Eren quite nervous, there was only one reason why they would truly pull away. They had a bigger and worse threat waiting for the forces of the Eldians.

"Oh, Levi...its time to play."

Swooping with precise agility was someone that Eren did not want to see. Kenny Ackerman, the slayer of Eldians and the unstable dog of his once former friend, Armin. Now he looked at the man with wide eyes, lining up his shot and just as he was about to take it. He was picked up by his collar and thrown into a wall. It was here that he saw who picked him up like a doll...Ymir 

"Eren, did you really think that Armin would not bring me?"

Eren gasped before standing up and rushing Ymir, dodging her blows as quick as she gave them. Returning his own with unparalleled amounts of strength and kicking her just as he gained the upper hand, he watched her for a moment before deciding to cease and holding her down with a mere smirk. 

"You've lost your chance! Now, where is he!? Tell me, where is he Ymir!?"

As if answering his prayers, clapping was heard behind him and he then saw his friend. Armin narrowed his eyes on him with a cool gaze, this was what his friend had become, a puppet. 

"Eren. It's a pleasure to see you again if you would please allow Ymir to leave then we can talk. As the brother, I still consider you to be."

And so Eren let Ymir go, allowing her to move past him and stand behind Armin as if wanting to protect him at a moment's notice.

The Foundational War-Chief and The Disbeliever talk in what will be a heated conversation!

The air was thick, filled with tension and two friends stood on opposite sides of a high balcony. It was clear as day that they both had many things they wished to say to each other but it mattered what was going to happen after. Whose idea was going to win? Armin Arlert, War-Chief of the Foundation stared at his friend, the freedom fighter and keeper of knowledge, Eren Yeager. 

"I always wondered how this would have gone. Would I be bowing at your feet right now Armin?"

A bitter chuckle escaped the freedom fighter. His eyes narrowing on Armin for a split second before reverting back to usual. 

"You always seemed to be ahead of us in so many things you know. Your grandfather proved that much, you had the education, smarts and looks to be a poster for these people. You were a draw and they took advantage of that."

Tilting his head to the side and allowing the words to run over in his head for a moment before straightening up once more. He knew that he was a draw, him going to plenty of events and looking the part of the nobility was all that the life of a draw had brought him. He had become the next big thing, he was involved with the foundation and its movements from the second he showed an interest. 

"Indeed they did, I have no doubt that you knew that already. I was something of a big deal. I had the women clamoring after me and I had journalists that wanted an interview. I was a legacy there, you knew I was. I tried to get you to see the right way, the real way. You denied me so and what was I to do?"

A single sigh escaped Armin, his eyes turning cool once more. He would not allow his former friend to see the emotion in his eyes, he had worked too hard to let that happen now. 

"I could not exactly allow myself to wait for you to accept, even though that happening was like Jake Peralta growing a brain. You've aligned with terrorists and others took your spot. They saw the benefit of being allied with this regime, Ymir, Historia, Reiner, and others."

Eren gaped at his friend, he was really believing the lies that had been spewed to him since he could listen properly? This was not his friend, dressed like a doll by a teenage girl. He looked the part, the dashing hero that was going to save them all. Eren could see the appeal but that was where he drew the line. 

"Yes Armin, others have taken my place. They've switched guns and swords to pens and papers. They are nothing more than little dancers on the stage that the foundation controls, as are you. Do you truly believe that they wish for you lead them? Don't you know that you a devil, just like me?"

Eren smirked, his own gaze was hot and fired up, he was ready to deliver the blow that Armin needed to hear with his own two ears. 

"You are not a leader Armin, we are never going to be leaders. Do you not realize that this is something that you can't control? Erwin is going to win this, we are going to be free! Once and for all, even if I have to kill you to do so."

Eren allowed his words to hang in the air for a moment and he could see it, his friend was affected by his words. Only instead of sadness or a broken face, he saw amusement and understanding. 

"I see, I'm glad we're on the same page. You do not realize that I came here as a friend, in peace and in the hope that you would realize you will lose. Make no mistake about it, there is no returning from the hell I will be putting you through..."

*BOOM!*

And just like that, Eren's face had crumbled as he turned back around to look at the scene before him. The hall of the Marley had been blown to nothing but rubble...

"Y-You bastard! You did this! Why!? This is not...this is...damn you Armin! I'll kill you!"

He turned back around and came face to face with Ymir who held a gun to his face. His eyes narrowed on her and Armin, giving no thought to the gun as everyone he knew was possibly dead right there...they had made sure that the warrior unit got out first. 

"No, you won't Eren. This is just the start, Ymir, place him under arrest. He is now in the custody of the Arlert Foundation. Take him away."

Ymir did so as Armin continued to watch with a stoic mask as Eren was taken away, he looked back to the hall and bowed his head. 

"Pity, you had much potential Jake Peralta..."