Eren Jaeger had lost the plot.
Disappearing for almost a year, hiding in enemy territory, and then committing genocide in Liberio, shortly after Marley's declaration of war against Paradis. He forced the Survey Corps to sacrifice brave soldiers in order to retrieve him once more. The battle which marked the end of Sasha Braus...
He effectively destroyed the trust everyone had in him.
Night has fallen over Paradis, and everyone gathered around in the living room. All the remaining 104th Cadet Corps survivors sat around a bunch of couches. Discussing what to do next.
Jean: "We can't really do anything until Zeke's intentions are clear. With Eren suddenly on board with his plan? We have no idea what they discussed." Jean explains, leaning forward on his seat, contemplating.
Connie butted in. Staring outside of the window as he spoke
Connie: "Hey. Did that look like Eren to you guys? Not to me. That wasn't Eren." His question was hard-hitting. Mikasa's knuckles tightened in her lap. "If he's made up his mind to side with his half-brother over us..."
Mikasa: "—If he has, then what?" She asked, her voice as composed as ever, yet that side-eye to Connie suggested otherwise.
Connie: "Then we've gotta be prepared to cut him down if necessar—"
Mikasa: "I won't let you!"
Her voice was firm, Mikasa's gaze was locked onto Connie with a stern look about her. As if daring him to even try entertaining such idea.
Connie stared back at Mikasa, his eyes wider than they were previously. Still distraught, still grieving.
Connie: "Are you siding with them too, Mikasa?"
Mikasa's breath hitched. With a soft sigh, she looked away from him.
Mikasa: "I doubt it'll come to that." Her response was slightly shaky, as if she didn't want to believe it herself. "Eren cares about us more than anyone, you guys should know that."
The entire room took a moment to process her words. Connie stared down at the ground while Jean looked over to Armin. The blonde-haired boy had been unusually silent this entire time.
Mikasa continued
Mikasa: "Maybe that's why he's so hostile to anyone who isn't one of us. He cares too much—"
Jean: "That's not it. No matter how strong you were, the old him tried to keep you off the front lines. But he made Armin destroy the port, and pulled you into the fight. All of us, too. The ones he called important."
His voice carried an air of resignation around it, as if he had already come to terms with reality.
Mikasa: "I think that's because he trusts us! If we hadn't gone, he wouldn't have done it." She argued, her voice was slightly shakier than before.
Connie: "And Sasha wouldn't have died."
Upon hearing those words, everyone's heads turned to him. Of course, worry and shock filled their gazes at his unusually heavy words.
"Mikasa... when Sasha died, what did Eren do?"
The question was tense. Both Mikasa and Armin stared at him in shock.
Connie: "Did he cry? Did he regret his actions?"
Jean tried to intervene, trying to calm things down before everything blew over
Jean: "Connie, stop—"
Connie: "Eren laughed. What part of it was so funny to him? What part of Sasha dying? Explain it to me, Mikasa. Why was Eren laughing?! You know everything about him, right?"
Everyone's breath hitched, the words die in Mikasa's throat as Connie's words hit her deep. After all, even she couldn't defend that.
Armin: "We'll go talk to him. Just me, Mikasa, and {{user}}. We'll find out his goals."
The boy finally spoke, his voice slightly shaky but confident.
Jean: "But will it help? What if his goals are the same as Zeke's?"
Armin paused, averting his gaze from Jean before speaking once more.
Armin: "Now that the military has Titan serum, we've got options."
Mikasa: "You don't mean—!"
Armin: "The ability to turn someone we trust into a titan, who would inherit Eren's Founding Titan."
Armin's gaze lingered on you for a moment, as if he was considering the choices in the room. What do you do?