Hey there, My name's Chantelle (call me Chany~ :3) and I thought of this last night while I was going to sleep and was like "YESS!" I mean I ship Mikasa and Levi with EVERYONE, including each other. So I was like "let's do something different" AND BAM! I really hope you enjoy it as much as I loved writing it! I was so excited to put this up that there may be some errors but hey, hope you like it!
Surviving the Cruel Night
Chapter One: The fall
"Sir, I was told to report to you of the recent activity of titans in the area." Mikasa, standing to attention, relayed the message that her superior told her to deliver, not once objecting or showing any sign of concern. In recent days, the castle that they were hiding Eren at, and Corporal Rivaille's base, was beginning to catch the attention of more and more titans, worrying Commander Irwin who was not currently at the base.
"Go on." Rivaille answered, sitting as his desk with papers neatly stacked in front of him; by the looks of it, the man was reviewing tactical points near their location. Looking up once with a stern intent gaze, Rivaille took note of the woman before him and continued looking at his papers.
"uh- Sir, Commander Irwin believes that in the next few days there will be a significant increase of titan activity in the area, stating that he recommends we leave before we are surrounded; ultimately the decision is up to you. Sir." Mikasa stood unnerved by his lack of attention that he was giving her, stressed more that she would forget a word or phrase that had been told to her. She didn't want the deaths of her companions weighing down on her shoulders.
"Is that all soldier?" Rivaille's voice dominated the room, although he lacked in height his mere presence allowed even the toughest of soldiers to bow down to him; he needn't listen to anyone but his superiors.
"No Sir, Commander Irwin would also like you to put forth any new recruits that you are interested in putting under your command; the names are here. Sir." Mikasa strode forward holding out files of all the nineteen new recruits that joined the scouting legion; it was rare for Captain Rivaille to choose new people to join his division, so Commander Irwin must have known that there was someone in there that would be of use to him, or else the man wouldn't have suggested it.
Raising his eyebrows, Corporal Rivaille took the files from Mikasa's hand, placing them on the top of a pile of papers. Bringing one hand up to rest his chin on, Rivaille took a glance at Mikasa, she, unlike many others, didn't stray from his gaze but rather challenged them. Eyes that had a pure set of determination in them, cool with expressionless emotions. It was different from those that he had seen many times before, many clouded over with either fear or hate, it was interesting that someone like that still existed; other than himself of course.
"That would be all, Ackerman. Your duties are done for now." Rivaille remembered quite well whom this soldier was, a new recruit who was a genius like no other, he had heard rumours of this girl but never had he seen her in action. Thinking that they were all over-exaggerated thoughts.
Slightly taken back that he knew who she was, Mikasa shifted the scarf around her neck, before clamping her feet together. "Yes, sir." and walking out of the room, closing the door quietly behind her.
"Tch." Rivaille's eyes lingered on the door for a second before looking over the files, seeing the exceptional soldiers that had been recruited. Turning the pages he saw Mikasa Ackerman, with her picture on the side. Reading Excellency in intelligenece, battle skill, prodigious skill in 3D Maneuver Gear and unbelievable efficiency and speed. Rivaille was surprised at the marking she got, coming first in the 104th trainee squad. Already having killed numerous titans with no hesitation at all and being able to listen to command, she can put faith in her comrades. She was interesting indeed.
Feeling somewhat relieved, Mikasa walked down the corridor towards her sleeping quarters, the other girls most likely present in there. She had seen the Corporal from a distance before, but never face to face. He was as harsh as the rumours had said, but there was something different than just a 'heartless cold-blooded titan killer' he still had the capacity to care, which Mikasa had doubted after his appearance at the court while bashing Eren.
Opening the door to her quarters she was instantly confronted by the scene of Sasha gulfing down food, looking at the woman almost manically she launched herself at Mikasa.
"MIKASAA-! Where have you been?" Gripping tightly at her leg pants Sasha clawed at Mikasa, pretty much scaling her like a mountain.
Grabbing hold of her cheeks, Mikasa started pulling on them hard. "Out delivering messages. Where'd you get the food from?"
As expected of Mikasa she was able a straight forward answer with no idle chit chat, she didn't have the knack for social interactions.
"-We-Took-mhhmp-fro-the-mpp-kitchen-" Hardly being able to talk with both food and Mikasa's pulling at her mouth, Sasha struggled to breathe, yet feeling eccentric that she was able to steal the food.
"Haa, don't lie. that was just you Sasha." "-~Connie, shudup! We all know you wanted some." Surprisingly Connie was sitting on the ground of the woman's quarters, stuffing his face with food. Everyone else was out doing their duties, while these two slackers were secretly eating food. Even Mikasa was astonished how the two of them were able to keep up their uplifted spirits.
"You should have seen her Mikasa. Here I was, calmly napping on my bed when this red-eyed monster came from somewhere and dragged me all the way here." Connie pointed at Sasha accusingly. Sasha only laughed, guilt written all over her face.
"Oh. Sasha you're going to get in strife one day." Mikasa said seriously to Sasha's face, before letting her cheeks drop, her mind was too preoccupied by the news that had reached her ears of titans nearing the castle, to worry about Sasha's food problems.
The two monkey's continued bickering as Mikasa sat on her bed, stretching her limbs and puling her boots up. Even though she would have liked to either sleep or see Armin and Eren, she couldn't do either. They had only a few days left here which meant an extensive amount of training and learning of tactics, she couldn't waste her time when she could be practicing her 3D manoeuvring gear tactics and she had already asked one of her superiors for guidance.
Suddenly getting up she exited the room, leaving the two behind.
"-Let's see if you are able to cut behind the 'titans' before they notice you coming. I'll increase it to five this time, if that's alright?" Petra, one of the scouting legionnaires under Captain Rivaille's division was holding training for Mikasa, a petite woman who shared no hatred in her heart. She was skilled and not un-experienced, the only one willing to give Mikasa the time of day to hone her abilities and perfect herself.
"Yes, Ma'am." Mikasa nodded, breathing heavy and beading with sweat. She had discarded her jacket and long white shirt in exchange for a tank top, the heat overcoming Mikasa as she had been out there for hours, training with no rest.
"I thought we had gone over this Mikasa, call me Petra." The woman smiled, having respect for the new recruit who after the first ten minutes of training with her, could see that Mikasa's skill well surpassed her own.
"Oh-er Yes, ma-, Petra." Mikasa blushed, turning her face away from Petra, embarrassed that she forgot such an easy command. "I'm sorry for taking up your time, Petra. I know my ability isn't at what it should be but it will." Mikasa told Petra, doubting that she was up to the experience level of the superiors around her. She has no idea. Petra thought to herself, completely dumbfounded that Mikasa was this thick-headed.
"We'll begin the exercise in 3, 2 , 1. Go!" Not even answering Mikasa, Petra suddenly initiated the task. Recording the woman's times against the others that had done the same exercise. It was not unusual for new recruits to do it; it's just when they do it well.
Instantly shifting her manoeuvring gear Mikasa flew off to the nearest tree, seeing five wooden 10 metre class 'titans' turning quite rapidly, looking for their target. They had mechanics in them that allowed for them to move when they heard or saw movement which made Mikasa's task all the more harder. She let her senses do all the work, noticing that she was being timed. Seeing on of the 'titans' facing the other way, she used speed to her advantage and swung straight to it, not grappling onto its neck piece until the very last moment where she could cut it to ribbons. Immediately afterwards she hid back in the forest, seeing two more close together. About to fly towards the two, she heard a ringing sound, sounding not too loudly that titans could hear but so that the residents in the castle could well hear it.
Distantly hearing the sound, Mikasa knew what was happening; it was only sounded when the location had been compromised, and due to it still being morning not everyone had their manoeuvring gear on. Her eyes widened at the sight of people rushing around, finding horses and not even stopping to ask what the situation was, they were getting into position to leave.
Looking back around her, she tried to sight the titans and no more than one hundred metres away, obscured by an amount of towering trees, was an abnormal. She wondered why they would leave because of one mere titan, but that's when she saw the other six or seven trail behind it. People were constantly scouting around the edges of the forest, they had probably already been eaten due to the sheer numbers of them. She grabbed hold of the tree with a monstrous strength before looking back down at Petra.
"Has Eren been taken away yet?" Mikasa asked almost desperately, shouting out over the rushing of people around them. She wasn't leaving without knowing that he was already gone, and Petra could see it in her eyes. "YES! Yes, Mikasa. He has already gone, come down now! Quick! He left before the sun came up this morning with Commander Irwin" Petra shouted, her eyes filled with urgency. As a superior she had many duties that she had to attend too.
With haste Mikasa came down, running back to the castle. She grabbed a horse that was being given out and hopped on, seeing many do the same. It wouldn't be long now.
She heard her superiors shout out orders, some coming up the rear and others at the front, she couldn't see Eren but had to trust Petra that he was alright. She, unlike others, was ready which was why when the abnormal titan smashed into the castle and screams sounded out, Mikasa was the first to react. It was in slow motion as the abnormal titan came sprinting from out of the trees she was just in, outrunning those that were trying to get the nape of its neck and breaking down the castle walls all too quickly. They had misjudged how fast It was, thinking they still had a couple of minutes to escape, but that was a false hope.
With no hesitation Mikasa jumped off her horse, grappling her manoeuvring gear onto a nearby tree and swinging up behind the abnormal, she still had time before the other titans made an appearance and she didn't want the deaths of her comrades on her hands. Spinning around she withdrew her swords and came down upon the titan, slicing a large chunk out of its neck and letting it fall to the ground. In the rubble she could see arms and legs sticking out, searching around desperately for sign of life.
"..Over- here." A voice called out, still partially stuck in the rubble was a young male, one of the new recruits whom Mikasa wasn't acquainted with. She could see soldiers fleeing while others stood to fight from commands. Even though it looked like chaos there was order, all due to the Corpral himself, spitting out orders to those that either couldn't fight or could. His eyes were set in determination and quickly looking away Mikasa focused her attention on the man, pulling on his outstretched arm she pulled with all her strength, hearing rubble shift as he inched further and further out of the debris. "Arghhhhh!" Mikasa shouted, straining her arms with pulling. Come on! With one final breathe she pulled the young man out, who feebly got to his feet before screaming and running away towards a horse; hers to be exact.
From the pull she landed on her behind, before quickly rebalancing herself and turning around. Her eyes widened at the sight of the hideous faces of five more titans, all with intent of eating the humans. Holding onto her weapons tightly she looked for a way out, she could hear Petra calling her name, telling her to retreat, but there was no way she would make it in time.
Breathing out, Mikasa set a resolved look on her face before jumping up, letting her body move freely as she dodged through the titans, getting behind them as she was going to do to the 'fake' titans. She landed her feet vertically on a tree before pushing off, grappling onto the back of a titan and slicing it down the back. Blood sprayed everywhere and it fell to the ground. Two down. She quickly bounded off the titan and saw the Corporal's division come to her aid, starting to take down the other five titans. They would have potentially won as well, if it wasn't for the sights of more titans incoming.
"MORE TITANS! MOVE!" One of them called, all dispersing like rats. Mikasa was completely cut off from the others and now fighting her way out was practically impossible. She heard someone call for them to get back to the city, and they left without a second glance at Mikasa. I was a burden to them, I knew it. Mikasa's eyes lowered for a second before hearing something else.
"Ackerman! What are you doing. We're moving!" Looking to her left she saw Captain Rivaille come out of from the confusion of the titans, flying up towards her and without even stopping, roughly put his arm around her waist and continued forward. The breathe was taken out of Mikasa as the two of them edged away from the castle, she could see everyone fleeing, with them two going in the opposite direction. Had he been stuck on this side too? Mikasa thought.
"Regain yourself Ackerman! Come on." Practically letting her fall Rivaille let her go, making sure that she was able to activate her manoeuvring gear, for a second she was unbalanced but then she was also swinging up and around the trees right behind her Superior. They were making distance between them and the titans, and she hoped everyone else was safe.
Rivaille veered to the right as did Mikasa and soon the two landed on a large branch, skidding to a stop with both breathing heavy. "Tch." Rivaille spoke, showing his disgust of the situation. Standing up tall he looked around, seeing that they were in the middle of the forest. We didn't even see them coming. Rivaille thought, the rookies hadn't enough time to prepare themselves and became like scarce rabbits; while this one had become a wolf. Turning his sight towards Ackerman, who was standing with her weapons poised, ready for the titans.
"You did well. One more man was saved because of you." Rivaille acknowledged Mikasa, openly he would never share it, but he was impressed that even after training for hours on end, in fact a training course that only Rivaille himself took, that she was still able to take down two titans and save a comrade. Of course, he was able to take down his fair amount of titans but he was more focused on saving everyone's lives than protecting the castle.
"Thankyou Sir. I would have done better Sir, If I had seen the Titans beforehand." Turning her attention Mikasa showed no signs of exhaustion, even though Rivaille could tell that she was beyond a human's usual limit. Now the real problem was that with no horses and only limited gas the two would have to either wait for someone to come back for them, highly unlikely. Or find a way back to the city, which would take some days.
"Sir, I believe that we should make some ground before it becomes dark. Our current location will not guarantee safety from the titans when it hits nightfall." Mikasa said her thoughts, slightly shamed that she had spoken out of term. Pulling her scarf up she looked away. She did not want to cross any boundries, only when it was needed was when she would do that.
"Hmmm, you're right. Let's move." Rivaille kicked off the tree branch, still having plenty gas in his gear. He noticed that Mikasa had discarded her cloak and shirt, which was an annoyance when it came to dark, but at least she wasn't injured or else all his work to get to her would have been for nothing. As soon as he took notice of her killing those two titans he knew that she was too valuable to lose; especially not under his command.
"Sir. Thankyou; for coming to get me." Mikasa yelled out from behind, barely just being able to hear over the wind rushing against their ears. Rivaille said nothing in reply, just nodded his head before the two of them continued forward, the night was nearing and that would become their first night in the forest.
To be continued.
So... What did you think~?
Next chapter will come very very soon! AHHH! Thankyou for reading! Please tell me if you like it and want me to continue? I love you all!
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