I'll Miss You the Most
It had always been survival of the fittest-something everyone understands, but not everyone can accept.
...
"Damn. My gear isn't working. No gas is coming out. Help me please." The slowest member of our squad yelled as he pounded on his gear.
Our leader stopped and the rookies followed. He opened his mouth to speak, but his eyes widened when he saw the two titans running hysterically through the forest. We thought we escaped them, but we didn't have such luck.
I turned to look at the leader who shot his 3DMG to the next tree. He couldn't be deserting a member. He just couldn't. But he did. The pack followed quietly.
"Please. Don't leave me here. Please! I don't want to die yet. I have a child to take care of. Come back. Anyone. Pleas..." the voice became distant as the squad continued to run through the forest.
His cries echoed in my head. I aimed my gear, hooked on to the farthest tree I could reach, and activated the gas mechanism to full power. When I passed the captain, I stopped and stretched out my arms to prevent my team from going any further. The leader stopped before he crashed into me. I looked him in the eyes. "There are five of us and only two of them. We can save Ron."
"Tch." The leader shoved me aside and darted full speed ahead. The others lowered their heads and followed. Meira, the only other girl in the group, turned around to look at me.
"Reina. It's too late. Hurry." She motioned for me to follow, but my body wouldn't listen. Meira paused and took a step towards me, but her boyfriend grabbed her hand and flung to the next tree.
"Reina." Meira turned to her boyfriend. "We have to help her. Reina can't fight them alone. It's too dangerous." Meira's calls faded as she was carried further away from the titans while I headed towards them.
When I once again saw the abandoned member, I flung towards him.
"Thank you. Thank you. Please help me." The man grabbed onto my arm. I grabbed him and swung to the next tree. Damn. We're too heavy. The speed we are going at, the titans will definitely catch u-"
The titans were in full view. There was no way we would both live if we ran. Ron realized that too. He let go of me and dropped on to the nearest tree.
"Thank you for coming back." He pushed me forward. "Go. Before they come." The sincerity in his eyes broke my heart. I can't leave this man alone. I'll lose my purpose in the Survey Corps if I do.
I smiled at him and much to his horror, headed towards the titans. If I die, so be it. But I'm definitely not leaving this man alone. I flung to the highest tree and looked down at the two titans. Before they get closer, I have to...
My body. It's not moving. No. Please don't fail me now. Please.
I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Take him and run. I'll follow in the back." I looked at the hand on my shoulder. "Go," he ordered.
"I understand." I aimed at the tree where Ron was waiting. I held out my hand in which he grabbed confidently. We both knew we were going to be alright. He was here. Just his presence brings about an aura of assurance. That's another thing I love about you, Captain Levi.
...
"Don't slow down just because you don't see them anymore," our beloved captain said in a low voice just loud enough for both me and Ron to hear.
"I can't believe it. Captain Levi came even when our own squad leader abandoned us. I feel so honored." Ron sniffed while suppressing tears of joy.
I glanced over my shoulders at the captain and our eyes met. Levi turned away and narrowed his eyes.
After passing a few hundred trees, Levi told us it was okay to stop. I dropped the man down next to me. What good timing. A sudden pain shot through my arm. Levi immediately glanced at me. My expression gave me away. He walked passed me to the man catching his breath.
"Give me your gear." Ron took off it off and obediently gave it to the captain. Both the man and I watched closely as Levi tinkered with it. Within a minute, he handed it back to its owner. "You need to do a better job maintaining it. If your usual handler can't do it properly, learn to do it yourself." Levi hooked on to a tree and went ahead.
I looked at Ron who was swinging next to me. He was restored with hope and was determined to return to home to his family. His eyes showed it. I smiled and turned back to face our savior's broad back. "Captain Levi," I whispered, "Thank you."
...
I could see the daylight after passing through what seemed like an endless world of trees. When I passed the last branch of green leaves, I lowered myself to the ground. Levi and my comrade joined me.
"We're finally out of the forest." I looked at the smiling Ron next to me.
"That's not a good thing." Levi killed the moment with the truth. "My horse is gone and there are no more trees or elevated objects that we can use to our advantage." Captain Levi took off his cape and dropped it to the floor. "We're running."
And so we ran. No questions asked. I was nervous at first. I was the shortest of the three and honestly, a little scared I'll fall behind. Not using my 3DMG is like telling me to get off my high horse and walk ten miles back home.
It was a little funny though after we started to run. Captain takes lead as usual. Nothing new there. But looks can really deceive. Though comrade Ron was taller than both me and Levi, he was panting and lagging behind me, making him last in the group-again.
We ran for around half an hour in silence until our captain spoke.
"I see my horse."
Hands down. He has good eyes. I made out four people as we closed in the distance. As soon as they saw us, one waved. Pretty sure that was Meira. I lifted my hand to return the gesture, but was stopped when the ground rumbled.
I looked up. Out of nowhere, a fat titan scooped the spineless leader up with one hand and began shoving the struggling human into his mouth.
"RUN!" someone yelled. Everyone panicked.
"AH! Help me!" the trapped coward begged. "I don't want to die. Please." It was his turn to be the victim. I was tempted to run away with the others, but my heart knew the right thing to do. I dashed toward the titan and angled by gear to the creature's back.
Before I fired, a shadow flew past me. Levi beat me to it. With a few swift maneuvers, he climbed the titan and inflicted a deep cut on the monster's neck. The titan fell like a rock and the useless prisoner escaped the grasp of the lifeless titan.
Everyone stared at the hero in awe, but I knew something was wrong. Levi didn't come down from the titan's head. I turned my head to look at what stole his attention, and I froze. There were three titans charging this way. We're in trouble.
"Reina, take my horse and go." I looked at Levi who had his back to me. "I can handle them."
Tears were building up as I stood there helplessly. All the other members didn't think twice to save their own lives first and here he was, staying behind to defend us. A thousand of us wouldn't even be enough to replace one of him. He is a professional at this. But no one can take on three titans at once. And we're in the worst scenario- we're playing defense in an open field.
"GO!" Levi successfully hooked on to one of the approaching titans and hurled himself at it, blades in hand.
I sprinted to the horse and jumped on its back. I pulled the reins and whipped the horse to go. I tailed the titan who was chasing the fleeing members and hooked on to it when I was within range. I pushed off from the galloping horse and let the gas mechanism propel me to the top of the titan. I withdrew my two sharpened blades in the air and marked my target. As soon as my feet touched the surface of the titan's bare skin, I stabbed both blades into its thick skin covering the neck and ran across wildly. As soon as I sensed the titan losing balance, I took a dangerous swing back down and tumbled on the floor.
I pulled myself up quickly and hopped onto Levi's horse when it bolted by. Within seconds, the air was covered in dust induced by the titan's fall. The horse cooperatively hastened its pace and carried me out safely.
"Ahhh!" Meira's piercing shriek jerked me away from my short moment of rest. "Josh!" Meira aimed her gear at the giant in attempt to save her imprisoned boyfriend.
"No, Meira!" I pulled the reins and the horse spun around, but it was too late. I looked up as the smiling titan yanked the thin steel wire connected to Meira's maneuver girl and flung the girl to the floor. Meira landed within three meters away from me. Ron rushed to the fallen girl's side. He nodded to me when he confirmed that she was still breathing.
I looked back up at the giant who was opening his mouth especially wide to emphasize the amusement he got from torturing the helpless human. I pulled out my blades, but to my surprise, the titan wobbled and fell backwards. I focused my eyes which were getting strained from the sunlight and saw Levi. He was preparing to jump onto the last titan-or so I thought.
When Levi hooked on and launched himself midway into the air, an unexpected pair of titans sped towards us. No one saw them coming. Not even our veteran captain. The taller of the two titans extended his arm and with one finger, pushed down on the steel wire and sent Levi flying down to the ground.
"Levi! Behind!" my voice called out. He heard me. Instantly, the experienced commander attached himself to the back of the closest titan and dodged the fist of the one that interfered with his flight.
I jumped off the horse and prepared to climb up the other titan that was preparing to join in and surround Levi. I hooked on and propelled myself up the shoulders of the monster. I stepped on, but the titan swung violently and I lost my balance.
Before I fell to my otherwise inevitable death, my comrade pulled me back up and with our combined efforts, mercilessly slit the back of the monstrosity's neck. Gravity worked its magic and welcomed the falling titan to the ground.
I turned around and searched for Levi. With a smooth slash, he cut down the giant he was dealing with. He was safe. Thank the heavens. I was worried sick about him. Guess there wasn't ever any need to. He is Levi after all.
Suddenly, he was running towards me yelling words I couldn't seem to make out. I stared at him blankly. I'd never seen that expression before.
"What's wron-" I felt a grip tighten around my waist and could no longer feel the floor beneath my feet. I looked down and the floor was farther and farther away.
"Reina!" a familiar voice called. "Get out!"
With my remaining strength, I stabbed my blade into the hand clasping my waist. Blood splattered onto me and I felt a wall slam into me before I plummeted to the hard floor. Seconds later, the titan followed.
...
"Take my horse and bring the medics. Now," an authoritative voice barked. "Reina. Stay with me."
I felt a hand stroke the long strand of hair off my face. I forced my eyes to open. Everything was blurry and then immediately turned gray. I was sure my eyes were open, but I couldn't see anything. Nothing at all. Not even the worried look of the person kneeling beside me. I felt around for his hand in which he gave to me willingly.
"Is it over?" I managed to ask.
"Done and over. Three injured, but zero casualties. And it's going to remain that way."
I smiled. "Thank you for coming." I said dryly before coughing up some blood.
"Reina. When we get back, you're officially part of my squad. It's an order."
"Levi? I'm very happy. I feel so happy, but I'm really cold." My voice was as soft as a whisper. Almost immediately, I felt something warm cover me. Even though I couldn't see it, I knew right away what it was. His jacket carried his familiar scent.
"If this is cold, how are we going to see the snow together in the winter?" I felt his strong arms lock around me. I took in a deep breath and gathered the last energy I had.
"Because there are many things I love in this world, I often wonder to myself, what I'll miss most when I die." I paused to cough.
"What would you miss most?" His voice was shaking.
"These arms." I laid my head on his chest.
[It doesn't matter where I am. His tight embrace gives me more security than any of the three walls ever did. And in these arms, I gladly take my last breath.]
The skies were clear and the wind was quiet. Maybe it's only me, but on that day, I could've sworn there was also light rain.
...
In this ugly world where people live to fear, I have seen many things. I've seen so much that I can no longer hurt. But for you, I will make an exception and cry one last time.