Tags: Titan Shifter Marco (slightly Darco), implied dubious consent and pinning, alternate canon
Summary: Marco and the other shifters claim their prizes after finally capturing the coordinate in a universe where Marco is another titan shifter.
“Where are you going, Marco?” Reiner asked, grunting as he finished tying rope around Connie’s wrist. Slinging him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, Reiner walked over to the cart they hijacked and piled Connie in the back with another bound Mikasa and Armin.
Marco stepped over splintered wood, eyeing his destination a little further into the ruined city. He kicked a pebble down the battered road and listened to the echo of each bounce.
“Getting my reward,” Marco replied, his voice low. He did his best to ignore the smoldering buildings and the bodies of soldier strewn about Shinganshina.
“We don’t have any more time, let’s go before the Survey Corps reinforcements arrive,” Reiner spoke. His eyes darted to the gates of the city he crushed so many years earlier, now wider after their recent battle with their former friends.
“They’re still hours away, probably waiting on a reply from the brave men and women we killed,” Marco stopped to observe the carnage. Another battle, another memory to suppress. “Besides, you got your souvenirs so I’m getting mine.”
On cue, a low gurgle drew Marco’s attention to a recently demolished building. Laying against the doorway to the house with broken blade in his gut sat Jean, eyes glassing over and blood bubbling on his lips. His hand clutched the cold steel, slipping as he tried to push it. A trail of blood from his fingers colored the metal with each failed attempt to budge it.
Marco strolled over to his former best friend, frowning at the pitiful sight.
“Hang on, Jean. It’ll be alright,” Marco mumbled, kneeling down next to him. Clutching Jean’s bloodied hand, Marco squeezed it.
Jean coughed, flecks of blood spraying onto Marco’s Survey Corps jacket.
“You seriously aren’t considering-” Reiner started but a shush from Marco silenced him.
“Don’t you even start. I explicitly told you to not hurt him and look at what you did,” Marco gestured to Jean. He wrapped one hand behind Jean’s slumping head and the other around his back. Carefully, he shifted Jean from the building and laid him on his back.
Jean hacked up more blood.
“Shhh, hold on just a bit longer. I’m going to make it all better,” Marco muttered. He grabbed the broken blade and swiftly pulled it out.
Jean’s eyes went wide as blood flowed swiftly from his gut.
Taking a deep breath, Marco drew the weapon fragment across his palm and watched his blood flow forth. He held his hand over Jean’s abdomen and watched their blood mix together. Contrary to the beliefs of the Marleyans, the blood of the so-called demons was the same as their own.
Electricity crackled around the deep wound, steam hissing from it moments later.
Marco watched with a collected calm as Reiner arrived next to him, glancing over his shoulder. Together they saw the gaping wound start to seal itself.
“A waste of your power, if you ask me,” Reiner scoffed. He didn’t even have the time to register Marco’s uninjured hand shoot up and wrap around his neck.
“Don’t you dare judge what’s a waste of anything around me,” Marco narrowed his eyes. He gestured to to the smoldering city around them as he tightened his grip. “Because of you we had to destroy this city, again. We had to kill more Eldians because of your brilliant idea to kidnap Eren without consulting Bertl, Annie, or myself! We’re lucky the MP was assisting with Zeke’s attack otherwise they might’ve caught us!”
Reiner grasped Marco’s wrist and wrenched his neck free. He coughed up a storm as Marco’s attention returned to Jean laying at his feet.
“Point taken- just bind him before the others get here.”
“Too late,” a cool voice replied.
Marco and Reiner looked back to see Annie and Bertl walking down the street.
“How’d the fight go?” Reiner quickly asked.
Annie pointed with her thumb over her shoulder, not uttering a word.
Just a few strides behind them was their last companion, Zeke Jaeger, who held their real prize in his arms. Eren laid knocked out in his half-brother’s grasp.
“What are you two doing?” Bertl wondered, squinting over to his comrades.
“Claiming what’s mine,” Marco answered.
“...Marco?” Jean’s quiet voice drew his attention immediately.
A pang of guilt shot through Marco’s chest at how meek and broken his name sounded, so uncharacteristically Jean. It stirred his ire for Reiner but he set that aside momentarily. Instead, he rubbed his knuckled against Jean’s blood-stained cheeks and gave a tiny smile.
“Hush, you’ll be okay. For now rest. Soon we’ll be starting our new life together, the one that we dreamt of back in training. No more fighting, no more titans. A nice quiet comfortable life that we deserve,” Marco promised Jean, coaxing his friend into a peaceful slumber. When Jean’s breathing steadied, Marco picked him up and cradled him on the way back to the cart.
None of the others commented as Marco laid him next to their former comrades and silently bound him. Marco barely acknowledged Zeke when he dumped Eren by Jean.
“Afraid to let go?” Annie guessed, breaking the silence.
“Spoils of war,” Marco replied, rolling his eyes.
“Unnecessary.”
“Say that one more time and I’ll stab you in the gut like Reiner,” Marco glared at Annie. He strolled over to a fallen soldier and bent down to grab a discarded sword. “Mikasa isn’t necessary, or Armin, or Connie so don’t pretend like I’m the only one claiming what’s theirs.”
“Mikasa is an Ackerman, something we need to research more,” Annie argued, walking to the front of the cart.
“And Connie-” Reiner began to join the conversation until Marco spun on his heels and shoved the blade into his stomach. “Ack!”
Reiner crumpled to his knees in pain, blood dripping down his chin.
“Next time heed my warning,” Marco explained to Reiner before removing the blade. he tossed it aside with a loud clang. “And don’t pretend like you aren’t interested in her, or that Reiner doesn’t have a weak spot for Connie. Poor Bertl had to settle for a compromise and get Armin since you’re clearly not interested.”
Bertl’s eyes fell to the ground as he silently wrapped an arm around Reiner’s shoulder, helping their teammate to his feet. Together they climbed onto the back of the wagon.
A cough from Zeke drew their attention.
“Come on, we have to make it to the shore before the moon crests. You can argue about whatever childish wants on the way. Marco you’re driving the cart since Reiner is injured,” Zeke ordered.
Nodding, Marco climbed onto the front with Annie taking shotgun. Zeke and Bertl settled into the back while Reiner groaned as he gradually healed.
Marco whipped the reins and the cart took off.
“You know, they won’t like us for what we did,” Annie spoke, her cold eyes falling back to Mikasa’s unconscious body.
“Once Zeke enacts his plan it won’t matter. They’ll learn to love us in the new world once they realize just how small their world has really been,” Marco remarked. “Victory is ours, and to the winner the spoils.”
It’s an anime set in a future in which the Earth has been destroyed and everyone is spread out on various planets. Most of these planets have banned art and entertainment, especially idols. The girl group, AKB0048, perform guerrilla concerts on planets where there have been full or partial entertainment bans. AKB0048 contains 77 generations of trainees, with trainees who make it eventually replacing older members who graduate and taking on the name of the original AKB0048 member that they are most like.
Because of the danger on the planets with entertainment bans, the members of AKB0048 and the trainees have to fight anti-entertainment forces, even in the middle of a concert while they’re singing and if that isn’t super bad ass, I don’t know what is.
It is feminist as fuck. It surpasses Sailor Moon in girl power which is quite an achievement. The only thing it lacks is a distinct lesbian ship.
Themes include: parental approval, body image, friendship, ambition, hard work, following your dreams, friendship, anarchy against oppressive regimes, encouraging others, positivity, dealing with haters, friendship, sisterhood, rivalry, inspiring others, dealing with critique, friendship, trying new things outside of your comfort zone, sacrifice, protecting those who can’t protect themselves, FRIENDSHIP OH MY GOD ALL THE LADY FRIENDSHIP I COULD CRY.
It has a bit of something for everyone. Great music, a huge cast, mechas, girls fighting in cute outfits, mysterious magical creatures, light sabers, an android/cyborg, etc.
There are only four male characters who have been in more than one episode (from what I’ve seen thus far). Only one of them is a romantic interest. Another is a canonically dark-skinned gay man.
Such a cute art style. The idols are distinguished by heart shinies in their hair and eyes. There’s one super cute moment where little girls watching our protagonists sing actually get those heart shinies in their eyes because they are now dreaming of being an idol as well.
YOU WILL CRY OKAY. IT IS NOT A SAD SHOW BUT IT WILL MAKE YOU CRY.
Crunchyroll link, just make sure you watch the first season, not second (next stage).
