V.I.R.A.L

Outside the lone Titan protecting the village, Bargaining stopped the three looking at them. "Wait out here, let me go in first. I'll call you all in once it's ready."

As Bargaining walked in, Lucas stepped back, ruffing up his hair whispering. "Alton's partner…. What do you think she's like?"

"She's probably some barbaric monster who wishes death upon us all," Richard exclaims, trembling. "Just one look at her will melt your brains."

"Don't be absurd. Clearly, she turns your eyes into maggots which eat away at your body."

"I heard she can cut down a whole army with just her words."

Lucas stared at the two kept trying to one-up each other lost. "Where did you hear all of this?"

"The paper."

"Right…."

"Are you four meant to be here?" A guard questioned, wearing full armour covering most of her face showing only her yellow eyes. "This isn't somewhere children should be playing."

Eren held his hand up, nodding. "It's fine they are with me, follow up with Bargaining. These three have a connection to the prisoner. We are just getting the last pieces of information out of her."

The guard stared at them unconvinced before standing still stabbing her spear into the ground. "Understood…. It's pretty crazy all of this, isn't it?"

Eren nodded, arms crossed. "You can say that again. A human who stole the powers of Anger now in the Garden. Nothing makes sense these days."

"Wait, Zinnia stole the Stage of Anger?!" Lucas yelled, surprised.

Grunting, Eren rubbed his face in disappointment. "Me and my big mouth. Oh well, you would have learned soon enough…. When is the prisoner being moved?"

"We have orders from the Gardener himself to move the prisoner tomorrow. So bargaining and Eve will be transferring the prisoner to the village where she will await her execution."

"Very good. Once this Zinnia Trost is dealt with, we can take back Anger. You might want to keep on your toes, you two. There's a possibility they choose one of you to take power."

Richard and Lucas look at each other, ecstatic. "Us? No way, for real?! So we could become Stages of Grief?"

"Keep your voice down. There's no guarantee for now. But we are going to have a few replacements very soon. Adam is only keeping Denial temporary. Once Alton is taken down, and in a better position to strike, a new Denial, Anger, and Acceptance will be chosen. Not to mention we still have a Sub-Stage left."

Lucas was nodding to himself over the moon. Finally, finally, he could be given such an opportunity to save his people from certain doom. He paused for a moment looking at Chloe. "You said us two? What about Chloe?"

"Don't worry about me, Lucas." She snapped, arms crossed. "Focus on your mission, and I'll focus on mine."

"Say Eren, what Sub-Stage is there left? You have pain, so it's either Anxiety or Hope."

"That's classified, Richard. We're at war; something is meant to be kept a secret. So we have no idea who's listening." He spoke, looking to the guard. "Sorry."

"No, no. That's totally understandable. After all, it's you Stages who decides who's worthy."

Bargaining stepped out, nodding. "It's clear for you…. But only Lucas can go."

"Huh? We came all this way for nothing?" Chloe whispered, disappointed.

"Sorry. But this is all the strings I can pull. You have ten minutes Lucas. I'll bring you out when it's over. But remember, she still is dangerous, so don't let your guard down. I'm sure Eren here has already spilt the beans about her being the Stage of Anger."

"Damn it…."

****

Lucas didn't waste any time heading in. He had so many questions that each one was getting muddled up in his head. He wanted to know everything. What happened to Alton? How he ended up on earth. What he's been doing and, most importantly, why he betrayed the Garden. Making it inside the Titan, Zinnia sat curled up chained to the trunk, her head lowered. She slowly raised it, looking at Lucas. Startled, he stepped back before getting a better look finding himself confused. The innocent pink-haired girl wasn't what he had in mind with all the rumours. "Zinnia Trost, my name is Lucas. Lucas Marsh…. I'm here. I'm here because I want to ask you about Alton."

Zinnia licked her lips, shaking her head. "No."

"Huh? No? Please, I need to know about him. It's important. We were friends a long time ago…. I've known him for as long as I could remember and well. He's my best friend."

"You're wrong."

"What?"

"Alton isn't your best friend. He's mine." Zinnia whispered, making direct eye contact with Lucas. "He was my best friend…. My first friend, he was the one who took pity on me and hanged out with me. Even if I was a useless person who was a complete annoyance to be around, Alton was always there by my side."

Lucas sat down cross-legged, nodding. "Please tell me about it."

Zinnia sat on her knees, taking a long breath. "It felt almost like yesterday when we first met. Alton, he was hiding. He'd been through some hard times and decided it was better than the world just didn't know who he was. However, something else thought differently. A calling brought me to him; I can't say what, but it called to me, bringing us together…. Come to think of it, what was that?"

"A calling, like a voice?" Lucas asked.

Zinnia looked troubled, nodding. "I can't quite recall what the voice sounds like but…. It felt familiar but also terrifying. I wasn't told to find Alton; I was ordered. I don't know why but it was like Destiny brought us together. We formed Team Rhapsody and started saving the day, taking down the corrupt and fighting evil. There were more of us. Gale, Percy, Emil, Scarlett and Alice. Together we were the heroes of Victoria. At least that's what others called us. There were others too who helped us along the way. Good people. Iris, Sam, Blossom, Diego, and so many more. But most of them are gone because of the Garden."

"We didn't have a choice. They were trying to stop us."

"Stop you? The Garden destroyed our homes. Killed our people. Innocent people who had nothing to do with any of this. You did that 400 years ago, and you're doing it again now. My parents gave their lives to fight the Garden and protect me, and soon all of that will be for nothing."

"We wouldn't do that. We just want to be free like you."

"Funny, I didn't know you could get freedom mixed up with genocide."

Lucas stood up, taken back, trying to think of an excuse. "Well…. Our people are dying just as much. This place is rotting away; no one has much time. We were forced into this situation by Fairy-Tale damned by fate, and humanity just sat back and watched…. I call it justice."

"I didn't watch. Neither did my parents. Neither did the thousands of children your kind killed for sport."

"What would you have done then?! If you were there, what would you have done?!" Lucas barked, losing self-control.

Zinnia stared on with a depressed look giving it a long thought. "If it were me there that day? To be honest, I would have fought Fairy-Tale to protect you. That's what heroes do."

"Heroes?"

"Yeah. Heroes, you do know what a hero is?" Zinnia asked, getting a mere shake of the head from Lucas. "Heroes are people who protect the innocent from evil. They fight for those who cannot and stop villains from getting away with their misdeeds. At least, that's what I try and do…."

"Heroes…. The idea goes completely against the logic of the One. Risking your life for others, what good does that get you?"

"Isn't that obvious? Of course, you're not meant to get anything out of it. But saving someone's life is just a naturally good thing to do. There's nothing more precious than life; it's a miracle someone is even alive in this day and age, so we should protect it as best we can."

"You're nothing like what the others make you out to be."

"And you're nothing like the Stages of Grief. Instead, I see a scared boy who's conflicted about what path to choose. The easy path your people have been following since the first Gardener or the right path. One where we all survive."

"Where's Alton?"

"I don't know. I gave myself up to protect him and my friends. He could be anyway. But one thing I do know, he's coming to save me. No matter how long it takes. Alton will rescue me…. At least, if Alton is still alive."

"What does that mean?"

"Alton isn't the boy you remembered. He isn't even the one I remember either. He is in a torn battle between two consciences. Alton Brantley, a boy who wants to save the world and protect his friends. And finally, Ten of the Ten Judgements, warrior and destined destroyer of the Garden…. I can't tell which one he is anymore."

"Alton is a part of the Ten Judgement? How is that possible?"

Zinnia looked up, concerned. "I…. I don't know. Lucas, if you really are a friend of Alton, be careful. He's different."

Lucas stood up, nodding. "I will…. For what it's worth, Zinnia. I'm sorry, I wish there was another way."

"There's always another way."

****

Lucas exited the Titan to a patiently waiting Richard and Chloe. The two rushed over to him, curious. "So, what did she say?!"

Lucas was lost for words, not sure if he should even be truthful. "I…. She didn't say much, but she seemed nice."

"Nice?! Oh my God, she brainwashed him. Lucas, can you hear me?! Say something if you can; give us a sign!"

"Good Grief…."

"Alright, kids, that's enough. Let's get out of here before Bargaining comes back."

Lucas began leaving feeling more conflicted than ever as he looked back to the Titan with more questions than answers. "Was she really friends with our Alton? And what did she mean by the right choice?"

"Are you sure she didn't brainwash you, Lucas?" Richard whispered.

This got a small chuckle as he nodded. "I'm sure Rich, nothing to worry about."

Eren kept ordering the kids to move. Then, as he was leaving, he turned back to the guard alone. "Sorry, I didn't quite catch your name."

"My name? It's Aoi, Aoi Nakamura."