General Notes: This going to to be a collection of loosely connected one-shots set in the universe of my story An Unbearable Sight. Basically, whenever I feel like exploring some characters or scenarios that don't fit into the main plot, I'm going to put it up here. So there will be switching between POVs and points in the timeline of the story and it doesn't necessarily involve romance or any specific pairing. I guess you could enjoy these without reading the parent story (if you really don't want to read something that features Annie and Eren as a couple), but I'm not going to explain everything from scratch if I already covered it in An Unbearable Sight.

Spoiler Warning: Definitely spoilers for the revelation in chapter 42 of the manga, probably also for chapter 40 at some point. Should anything else pop up I'll announce it before the respective chapter.

Chapter Notes: I've had the idea for this chapter a while ago and I'm really excited that it's finally finished and I can publish it here. I loved writing this, so I really hope you enjoy. This is also probably the first written piece that involves a lot of (physical) action, so if you have any tips for me how to improve writing these kind of things, I'd be really thankful.
Having read at least up to chapter 10 of An Unbearable Sight is suggested, otherwise you'll either spoiler yourself for the story or be a little confused over what I'm talking about at some points.
I hope it shortens the waiting time for chapter 12 of An Unbearable Sight - I'm working on that, too, but it's kind of hard to finish right now, so please be patient.

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Attack on Wall Maria

.: :.

Their mission had been assigned, they were on their way.

Berthold watched as the landscape passed beneath him, he didn't really pay attention though. Annie's heavy footsteps were rocking his body, but he was used to travelling on the huge shoulder of her titan form by now. Beside him Reiner and Berik were sitting on the broad muscle that ran along the bone structure going from the spine to the arm.

The four of them had been chosen, declared their people's last hope. Each of them had their role in the plan they were about to execute according to their titan form's abilities. Berthold wished someone else would've been picked in his stead, but he knew that wasn't possible. His titan form was unique and no one else could do the job he was assigned. He had inherited it from his father and had mastered its perfect control in several years of training.

It was similar with his three comrades. And just like him they were still very young und thus less likely to be affected by the disease that had started to befall their tribe. So far the people that had irreversibly transformed into titans and lost control had been at least in their thirties or older. Thus the tribe council had picked children and prepared them for a mission that was supposed to save their people.

Berik was thirteen and the oldest of their group. That's why he had been put in charge of them to make the important calls – because there was only a limited amount of planning beforehand possible and they would have to make some things up as they went along. Reiner and Berthold were twelve, while Annie was eleven. She was the best long-distance runner of them that's why she was carrying them to their destination: the walls of the humans.

They had crossed most of the distance from their village to mankind's stronghold. With Annie's speed they would be there in the early afternoon, just as planned. That would leave them with just about enough time to breach Wall Maria and Wall Rose in one go. They had no time to spare…

When they saw it coming, it was far too late. A titan threw itself with full force at Annie's legs, making her huge body lose balance from the unexpected impact. The three boys on her shoulder were thrown forward into the air and landed unpleasantly in the grass a few metres away.

"Reiner, Berthold – are you alright?" Berik called.

"Yeah, I think so," Berthold managed and pulled himself up by the hand that reached out to him.

He looked around and spotted Reiner getting to his feet only a few steps away. Berik who had helped the younger boy up, patted his shoulder with his free hand.

"Where's Annie?" Berthold asked, because he couldn't make out her titan form.

But none of the others got the chance to reply, because just then the titan that had thrown Annie over and landed them in this misery appeared hungrily before Reiner. The boy stumbled backwards a step and froze up just like Berthold behind him.

The wild seven-metre-class crouched on its knees, baring its pointy teeth at them. It came crawling towards them, stretching out its long arm. It was aiming for Reiner. Berthold stood there, watching in horror. He felt so scared, too scared to move. And the same seemed to go for Reiner, because he didn't even attempt to avoid the grasping hand, despite Berthold internally wishing for him to do so.

Berik, however, reacted in time, stepping forward and shoving Reiner backwards. As the younger boy fell to the ground once more, the hungry titan grasped the one that was in its reach, enclosing Berik in its huge fingers. Neither Berthold nor Reiner were able to think or do anything, they just watched in horror as the titan brought a struggling Berik to his mouth and sunk its spiky teeth into his torso without mercy.

"No!" Reiner exclaimed, coming back to his senses and launching forward.

Berthold, too, moved – whether to support Reiner or to hold him back he wasn't sure. But they didn't come very far. They hadn't even noticed her approaching in their horror, they only noticed when her fingers engulfed them and picked them up from the ground in one grasp.

The palm was familiar. Berthold turned his head to look up at Annie's face, steam evaporating from scratches the attacking titan had left on her with its claws when getting her out of the way. She moved her hand to her chest, holding Reiner and Berthold close, as she turned and ran the other way.

"No, what are you doing?!" Reiner shouted at her. "We have to get back, take down that titan and save Berik! He can still make it! Annie, we need him! Annie!"

But she ignored his protest and struggling between her fingers as she headed in their destined direction. In fact she even picked up her speed.

Berthold said nothing while Reiner just screamed beside him and hammered on Annie's fingers, half of him still in denial about their loss, half of him mourning Berik who had given his life for him.

.: :.

From the edge of the forest where they rested they could see it: the complex where humanity had sought refuge, the walls they needed to enter – and they would do it by force. Berthold looked at them stretching out in the distance. So that was it, the stronghold of the humans. Though he had been told that they looked just like his people, they seemed so alien to him.

Annie sat on a branch nearby, leaning against the trunk of the tree while recovering from her long run. Reiner stood in front of her, arguing.

"Why did you leave Berik behind?! He was our leader, we need him!"

But Annie just stared at him out of cold blue eyes.

"In your opinion, what was I supposed to do?" she hissed.

"Take down that stupid titan and get him out of there!"

Berthold saw her eyebrows narrow in anger.

"What if I had been unable to beat it? What if we'd attracted other titans? What if either of you had been eaten, too, while I was busy saving Berik? Basically, what if things had gotten worse than they already were?"

Her sharp tone left Reiner quiet.

"Why don't you – instead of telling me what I should've done back then – tell us how we're going to proceed now with one man down."

Berthold wasn't sure if he fully understood what was happening. Reiner looked equally stunned. He had just given her crap and pissed her off – was she really proposing he should take the lead now? Admittedly she'd been the only one who had acted after Berik got caught, shouldn't she be claiming that position for herself?

Annie got to her feet, almost reaching eye-level with Reiner.

"Don't look at me like that," she continued. "Berik gave his life for yours, because you are essential for our mission. So it's your responsibility to make sure that his sacrifice wasn't in vain and we succeed."

At first Reiner stared at her, then his gaze wandered, as he considered her words. Finally, he locked eyes with Berthold, as if he was asking him whether he was okay with this. Berthold gave him a nod. He knew he couldn't take the lead himself and they needed someone in charge. If Annie was willing to accept Reiner as their leader, then so was Berthold.

Reiner took a deep breath to collect himself.

"Alright," he said, frowning in thought. "Annie, do you think you could transform once more and take over Berik's part in the mission?"

She shrugged.

"Could be a bit too much," she admitted.

Reiner nodded, his gaze gracing the distant walls.

"We need to reschedule," he began. "First thing: we have to forget about taking down Wall Rose today. We'll just do Wall Maria for now. And then see how things go."

.: :.

They had waited until the sun started to set. Annie had needed to rest up a bit more before she could effectively transform again. But most of all they needed to enter Wall Rose pretending they were human refugees from Wall Maria, so they couldn't risk the titans crossing too much territory before they were safe inside the walls. The upcoming night should provide them with the time they needed to get away from the advancing titans that would become inactive in the darkness.

Berthold stood on the broad shoulder of Reiner's titan form. He knew Annie was on the other side of the fleshy neck that wasn't covered with hardened skin for the sake of flexibility. Like this they had advanced until the very stone of Wall Maria's most southern district Shiganshina. They had studied it well on the map that had been passed down in the tribe – the same map that also held the location of the secret passageway straight to the capital inside of Wall Sina.

That passageway would've been their preferred way to enter the walls, but the entry to it was nearly impossible to breach. The Founder Families were keeping a close eye on it and a meeting with them there required the compliance of strict formalities. Berthold remembered his father mentioning as much when preparing to ask the Founder Families for their help to save his race.

No titan shifter had ever entered there, the humans didn't want them inside the walls – and obviously the humans didn't care what happened to the titan shifters. That's why to save their tribe Reiner, Annie and Berthold were now preparing to breach the walls of mankind and hopefully find inside the coordinate, the formula that could preserve the existence of the titan shifter race.

Reiner stretched out his massive arm parallel to the wall. That was Berthold's sign. He started down the hardened skin until he reached the huge palm. He braced himself and indeed Reiner lost no time to enclose him in his fingers and letting his hand down, gaining momentum. Then – much faster – Berthold was raised upwards, way above Reiner's head, and released into the air.

The lanky boy felt the air ruffling his hair as he propelled skywards. He counted silently, his lips forming the numbers without actually making a sound as he rose in the cold air. He felt the momentum of the throw weaken and gravity pull him downwards again. The feeling was so familiar. He had practiced countless times for pinpointing this exact moment. He lost no time, raised his hand to his mouth and bit into his own flesh.

'Breach Wall Maria!'

Immediately he felt the tingly sensation of new heaps of muscles spreading from his body and bones building up – all in a matter of seconds. His titan body – though immensely huge with his sixty metres – formed in no time, his enormous feet pressing into the grassy ground, air vibrating from the charge of electricity that accompanied the transformation.

He could feel as everything came into place, all the nerves were connected and he could take full control of the unique form he possessed and see the images that presented themselves to its eyes. Bringing up his colossal hands to edge of the wall slowly, he raised himself to his full height. His skinless face rising above the heavy construction he looked down on the settlement it contained.

There they were: humans, seeming to him like petty ants in his gargantuan state. They were frozen in place between their tiny houses, probably terrified by his appearance. They meant nothing to him.

Berthold did not waste his time with their pitiful sight. He got into action, swinging back his leg to gain momentum. The immense size of his body slowed his movements, but it increased the power of his foot's impact as it barged forward and smashed into the gate. He could feel it break as his hot, skinless muscles connected with it. The surge of the collision catapulted the created rubble into the streets and houses nearby.

His part was done. Berthold moved the arms of his actual body, disconnecting the first strings of huge muscle that kept his titan form upright through his will. The construction dissolved just as quickly as it had formed – another speciality of his titan body – and again Berthold spiralled towards the ground.

Peaking down he saw Reiner's outstretched hand ready to catch him. This would've been Berik's part. The older boy had known how to break Berthold's fall after endless hours of training in preparation for this moment. Reiner didn't. As he sped down, Berthold could tell he was going to miss the save palm by several centimetres.

Reaching out his arm he tried to grip one of Reiner's outstretched fingers, but he couldn't get a hold. Helplessly he fell through the gaps and he closed his eyes, preparing to hit the dangerous ground soon.

Fingers wrapped around his wrist and abruptly Berthold came to a stop, dangling in mid- air. As he looked up he found Annie leaning dangerously far over the edge of Reiner's huge hand, holding on to his arm. She brought down her other hand, grabbing onto Berthold as well to ensure he didn't slip through her grip.

Meanwhile Reiner had reacted and brought up his other palm beneath his companion's feet. Thus Berthold managed to climb up next to Annie with the joint help of his comrades. He rested panting on the hardened skin beside the younger girl.

"Thanks," he managed between two heavy breathes.

Annie gave him a cold glance that nearly made him shiver. She sure was a tough case.

Now came the hard part and he knew he had to focus. Without Berik it would become way more difficult to pass all the titans. So far the hungry beasts had ignored them despite being so close to the gate, because the masses of humans behind the breached wall were far more appealing. But the three titan shifters needed to pass through the broken gate now as well and that meant they had to mingle with the mindless, grinning creatures making their way into human territory.

Annie got to her feet and started to balance her way up to Reiner's shoulder. Berthold, too, picked himself up and followed her. They reached the brawny neck and he rested his hand against the muscle stretching upwards, giving Reiner the reassurance that they were set to go.

"Ready when you are," Berthold offered.

At that Reiner started to shift on his feet, preparing himself for the next move. Obviously he didn't want to barge into the middle of a crowd of titans, so he waited a little longer until there were bigger gaps between the filing in creatures.

Berthold felt the rocking in his body as his comrade started to move, the heavy footfall of his shifter form blending in with the steps of the mindless monsters making their way into the wall. He mingled with the hungry predators and entered the Shiganshina District.

.: :.

"Come on," Annie gestured for Berthold to follow her along a row of houses.

Reiner had brought them as close to the inner gate as he dared without risking to be seen. They had stuck to running alongside the high walls enclosing the human settlement that was sinking in terror and chaos now.

Berthold did as he was told, catching up with Annie and nervously looking in all directions. The screams of the horrified humans as the titans descended on them without mercy put him on edge. It was one thing to look down onto them from his colossal titan form, but being there, right in the middle of things simply as the twelve-year-old he was, was something entirely different.

Maybe it was, because he suddenly could sympathise. He knew the horror in their voices, had felt the same anguish only a few years back. Cold blue eyes shrouded with unsatisfiable hunger fixing him; rows of merciless teeth parting to crunch him between them; a gigantic hand reaching for him like an inevitable fate; his father getting in the way, being crushed in his stead; a young girl crying and screaming as the humongous body that once belonged to her mother came crashing down as a lifeless lump of meat, evaporating into steam. The same girl that could take on a titan form so very similar to that of her mother. The same girl that now led the way along the disregarded edge of the district.

Annie was so different from how she had been back then. The Annie five years ago had been bursting over with sorrow, fear, pain and agony. The Annie moving before him now seemed scarily devoid of emotion. Age probably had a part in that, her loss and five years of strict training most likely were the main reason.

Still, Berthold admired her levelheadedness, knowing that her quick decisions were one reason their mission hadn't gone to hell yet. He owed her his life – twice now in just one day – and he wouldn't forget her that. In terms of getting along with her he wasn't so sure, however he had other things on his mind right now.

According to plan Berik was supposed to get them through the Shiganshina District, so without him they had been forced to reorganise. Berthold's titan wasn't designed for the job and Annie's female form would draw too much attention. Reiner couldn't be seen with children on his shoulders either – they had been sworn to be as discreet about their titan shifter abilities as possible. It was elementary for their cover, for them to blend in with the humans who – for the biggest part at least – didn't know titan shifters existed and were not supposed to learn that detail. That's why Annie and Berthold had to get through the inner gate of Wall Maria on their own feet.

The deafening sounds of cannon shots got louder and ahead they saw the soldiers that fired repeatedly from the barrels in a desperate attempt to fend off the titans while civilians were still evacuating through the gate. The two young titan shifters approached carefully, wary of one of the gigantic creatures coming for them as well as the humans somehow uncovering their real identities. Berthold could feel his heartbeat in his throat, hear it pulse through the veins of his ears. He wondered if it was the same for Annie.

Shouting about closing the gate mingled with the cannon fire. Other things were being called out, but Berthold couldn't quite catch them.

He and Annie were almost at the gate when they could feel it: the resounding tremor of heavy footfall coming closer, approaching fast – so much faster than all the lazy steps of the ever-hungry, ever-grinning titans.

Berthold stopped next to Annie, peering down the wide street to their left that lead through Shiganshina and straight to the inner gate of Wall Maria to their right that still was open to groups of people passing through to save themselves. They could see him, his hardened skin gleaming golden in the evening sun: Reiner was launching his attack.

More shouting, voices resonating with panic as Reiner's body resisted the cannon balls with ease and his indestructible form targeted the closing gate. His two comrades just watched, eyes following the quick movements as he drove his gigantic body into the descending gate. The heavy construction stood no chance against the force of the impacted, breaking from Reiner's weight, and the boy in the over-dimensional suit of flesh passed through it, disappearing from the sight of Berthold and Annie.

Breach of Wall Maria complete.

"Oi, kids!" A soldier had spotted the two titan shifters and Berthold's eyes widened in fear at being discovered.

"Get the hell through the gate before the rest of them are coming and head for Wall Rose!" the unknown guard instructed. "We'll try and hold them back as long as we can. Now run!"

Berthold felt incapable to react. This man, these people were offering to put their lives on the line, to die so he and Annie could get away. And all the while it was his fault. He had breached the outer gate, he had let the titans into the territory of the humans, he had brought all this misery on them – and still they were doing their best to save him.

He wasn't deserving of this, Berthold thought. He wanted to decline, tell the man he wasn't worth saving, that he had started all this in the first place. He wanted to take it back, all the damage he had caused by crashing the outer gate. It had been so simple, so easy – and now he was faced with the severe result of his deed and he just wanted to make it stop and rewind time, but he knew he couldn't.

Beside him Annie reached for his hand and started to run towards the destroyed gate. Her tight grip forced him to move along. Once again while he had been frozen in place she had lost no time and taken action. And somewhere deep down inside of him – beneath all the overwhelming tumult of numbness suffocating the guilt – Berthold was thankful.

The clapping sounds of their small feet on the cobblestone were being drowned out by the loud cannon shots behind them. Annie steered to the left as soon as they had passed the gate, away from the canal where ships brimming over with refugees headed for safety. Berthold only caught a short glimpse of them as he dove with his comrade out of sight in the offset of the human settlement.

Reiner already awaited them in the shadow of Wall Maria. He was panting from the strain of the transformation and the marks beneath his eyes where the flesh of his titan body had connected were still faintly visible, but he looked unharmed.

He greeted his two comrades with a the hint of a smile. "Good to see you're alright."

Neither Annie nor Berthold responded. Their leader brushed over it – probably he hadn't expected a reply of them. He leaned his head back and glanced up to the sky, estimating the approach of the night.

"Let's get going then," he suggested. "With the incoming night we should be able to cross two thirds of the way to Wall Rose on Annie's shoulders. The rest of the distance we can cover by foot."

Annie nodded in silently confirmation as Reiner looked at her expectantly. Retrieving the ring with the spike from her pocket she prepared to transform a second time today and carry them once more closer to their destination: the coordinate that was supposed to safe their race.

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