I absolutely loved chapter 66. So much that I just had to write something based on it. It turned out to be harder than I expected, though, since Isayama has left us with millions of possibilities. It's impossible to tell what will happen in chapter 67, how the serum will affect Eren, whether he will really fight Rod Reiss, what role will Kenny play… I tried to make this story plausible, but again, it's not so easy when you are just dying for a proper reunion of your otp. Though the fact that Eren is still alive is already like a blessing.
I'm planning to publish the whole story within a week, but time will tell how things will turn out.
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin.
"What's with this woman!?"
The loud terrified shriek pierced the cacophony of incessant gunshots, sharp metallic swish of the 3D maneuver gear cables and desperate shouts of Kenny Ackerman's team. With the speed of an arrow a black-haired girl whizzed past the man who was pointing his gun at her and silenced him for good with one confident slash of her blade. Her dark eyes were ablaze with rage and determination, adrenalin-filled blood pounded intensely in her ears, as if the deafening noise around her wasn't enough.
"You monster!" another scream could be heard amongst the chaos, but not before the girl had noticed the person who was aiming the weapon at her, calling her in such way, enraged by the death of his comrade. Another shot ensued, but the gear enabled her to take a sharp turn and evade the bullet on time. In a split second the attacker was pinned by her foot to the massive crystal column, the sound of his neck breaking lost in the noise of the ongoing battle.
'Monster?' Perhaps he is right. She didn't let the short reflection occupy her mind any longer. She had to focus on her current task – to kill and not let herself or her friends be killed. Her wide-open eyes scanned the smoke surrounding her in search for the enemy.
Mikasa Ackerman would never hold back if someone she cared for was in danger. However, that did not mean that she would find pleasure in slicing up flesh, which she claimed to be her specialty. Especially when it wasn't titans' flesh. The human blood which was now spattered on her blades, her clothes, even her skin, was not something she was proud of. Did she despise herself for that? Occasionally in the past such moments would occur when she questioned the existence of a soul within her, but now she knew there was no point in reflecting on such thoughts. This merciless world had forcefully reshaped her personality and attitude and she had accepted it, for she was well aware that it was the only way to survive. She had no heart to spare for people who posed a threat to the wellbeing of her friends and mankind. She was ready to put her own life on the line if need be, in order to protect them. Such was her goal and the source of her strength.
Her soul had already been shattered into pieces the moment she witnessed her mother collapsing to the ground right before her eyes. And in that one moment together with her the entire world of the nine-year-old innocent girl had also collapsed. At that time she couldn't even fathom how people could be so cruel. Killing humans was what the titans would do, so why would humans turn against each other? Humans who had never even met before, who weren't even enemies. Back then she didn't understand any of it.
Then… was it revenge that fueled her determination now? The will to clear the world of criminals who didn't deserve to live? No, it was something completely different. It was a strong sense of a soldier's duty to uphold the survival of mankind and prevent any harm from reaching the innocent people around her who could not fight for themselves. And most importantly it was the will to protect her family – the new family who were now fighting alongside her, and the old family waiting for her somewhere in this gigantic chamber. Somewhere in here was the person who was the reason for all she was doing. He was the one who had brought her back to life, the one who collected the pieces of her shattered soul and showed her that there was still beauty in this cruel world. And now he was in need of her help once again.
They could call her a monster, for all she cared, but they would not stand between her and Eren.
Concentrating on the battle, Mikasa swerved in the air and launched herself at another unaware member of Kenny's team. Trying to ignore the smoke stinging her eyes, she readied her blades to strike the blond-haired woman, yet before she could deliver the blow she was spotted. The woman turned around and managed to dodge the attack just in time, leaving Mikasa far behind with no chance to strike again.
Mikasa heard two shots, probably fired at one of her friends. She made another turn as quickly as her gear allowed, but soon afterwards a sharp cry of pain reached the ears of everyone in Levi's squad. They watched in horror as Hanji was shoved roughly into one of the columns and fell to the ground. Her shoulder was bleeding after being struck by a grapple-hook fired by the blond-haired woman, who had already managed to escape, ordering her squad to retreat.
No…
Mikasa had been prepared for such situations, knowing that success didn't depend only on their fighting skills and experience, but naturally it still came as a shock to see one of her comrades being hurt. Yet this time there was more to it. I could have prevented that, she thought bitterly, feeling another upsurge of anger. If only I'd killed her when I had the chance to. For a short moment the faces of Reiner and Berthold flashed across her mind. They quickly disappeared though, once she heard the Corporal's new orders. It was no use accusing herself. Armin would take care of Hanji. What she had to do now was clear her mind and follow her squad to prevent any other undesirable events.
She gritted her teeth and followed Levi and the rest, praying for Armin and Hanji's safety.
The smoke was gradually clearing up as they pursued the survivors from Kenny's squad, swinging at incredible speed past the monumental columns. There seemed to be no end to them, so enormous was the underground chamber. The air whistled wildly in their ears and they squinted their eyes so as not to lose sight of the enemy. If only they could make it in time. No… they had to make it in time before anything could happen to Eren. Mikasa didn't even allow herself to wonder what consequences would ensue otherwise. She remembered almost too well the terror she had experienced upon seeing him being nearly swallowed by the Female Titan.
At that time she was lucky that Levi had found her amongst the giant trees and they could continue the chase together. Had it not been for him, undoubtedly she would have ended up dead or severely injured, not to mention the fact that Annie would have succeeded in capturing Eren. Back then she was still furious with the Corporal, unable to forgive him for what happened during the trial, blaming him for not protecting Eren properly and who knows for what else. She had consciously chosen to disobey his orders, convinced that she alone would defeat the Female Titan. Her pride was wounded when he had proved her to be wrong, additionally getting injured in the process and evoking the feeling of guilt within her. Regardless of how painful and embarrassing it was, she had learned a valuable lesson from that event. She promised herself that she would never again let her emotions interfere and take control of her. It wasn't only the matter of personal feelings, but feelings in general. What good are impeccable physical skills in battle when the mind is in turmoil and one is prone to making careless decisions, driven by grief and rage? Moreover, it didn't matter if she was worth ten or a hundred regular soldiers, for sooner or later a situation would come when she wouldn't be able to count on herself only. Placing trust in others may sometimes be harder than it seems, but it's the key to working as a part of a team.
As the members of Kenny's squad begun to disappear from view, taking shelter behind the crystal columns, Mikasa knew they were approaching the place where Eren might be.
"Everyone!" Levi called out. "Whatever is going on down there, don't forget the pla—" But before he could finish the sentence, a deafening roar ripped through the air, as if half a hundred cannons had been fired simultaneously. There was a flash of blinding light followed by a blast of enormous heat which managed to blow off the columns those of Kenny's men who were perched closest to its source. Nobody had to think twice to know what they were about to face.
"Eren…" Mikasa's anxiety was growing larger and larger, just like the gigantic titan which was now emerging from the scalding smoke at the end of the dungeon. Its long massive spinal cord had already caused several columns to collapse. Glowing crystals the size of boulders were falling off the ceiling and shattering on the shaking ground. Kenny's squad scattered all over the place, trying to flee from the titan and avoid being crushed, whereas members of the Survey Corps headed directly into the centre of the inferno. Maneuvering their way across the chamber they approached something that looked like a long narrow ledge protruding from the wall into the dungeon.
That was when she finally saw him.
Eren was kneeling at the end of the ledge, half-naked and chained up, like an offering on a sacrificial altar. Long chains stretching from his wrists to the opposite walls supported his upper body. His face was covered in blood which had gushed from a long deep cut stretching across his forehead. The sight filled Mikasa both with wrath and relief. He was humiliated and hurt, yet still alive. Behind him knelt Historia, clad in a long white ceremonial gown. She was desperately trying to open the heavy cuffs which held his feet pinned securely to the ledge. Both of them were dangerously close to the still transforming titan. There was no time to lose.
"Hurry!" Levi yelled over his shoulder. Mikasa didn't have to be told twice. Keeping as far away from the titan's heat as possible she rushed towards the two, followed by her friends. But things didn't go exactly as expected. Suddenly the force of the steam radiating off the giant body loosened Historia's grip on Eren and send her flying straight into the wall behind her.
One moment of hesitation and it would have been all over for her, but Mikasa's decision was prompt and right. Right now there was someone who needed her help even more than Eren. It took one sharp swerve and in the blink of an eye she was at the wall, catching Historia mere inches away from the sharp crystals and cushioning the impact. She made sure that the petite girl was all-right and without further ado she snatched the bunch of keys, which luckily hadn't fallen off the ledge, and hurried to pass them on to Levi, who was already behind her. She was relieved to see that Jean and Connie were also rushing to Eren's side, ready to free him from the chains as soon as possible. Every second counted.
Mikasa stayed behind with Sasha to watch over Historia. Although she remained perfectly composed on the outside, she was as stressed as everyone else. Her heart was beating furiously in her chest, her thoughts were one big mess and every muscle of her body was tense, ready for immediate action. But aside from all that she felt something warm within her. From the moment she'd laid her eyes on Eren she had been filled with new energy. She had never lost hope of him being alive, not even for a second, but seeing him all chained and bloody and helpless with her own eyes doubled her strength and determination.
Her gaze kept shifting from Levi, Connie and Jean, who were struggling find the right key under the pressure of time, to the ceiling above them, which was threatening to collapse on them any minute now. Her whole body was urging her to help them before it was too late. Only several steps separated her from them. But the truth was that her intervention could bring only more harm than help. With three persons already surrounding Eren, she wouldn't even have the chance to get close to him. The only choice she had was to entrust his life in their hands.
And when a huge crystal broke off from the ceiling, for a moment she forgot how to breathe. At the same time the chains fell down with a clank. All four of them stumbled backwards and avoided being crushed by the crystal by the skin of their teeth. The ledge shook under the girls' feet as they saved the rest of the squad from colliding with the wall behind them.
Once again they wrenched him out of his kidnappers' grip. Mikasa had already lost count of all the times when they managed to rescue him. Both Eren and Historia were back in the Survey Corps' hands. Still, there was absolutely no time to rejoice. It was only one half of the success. The entire squad was now in mortal danger.
Trapped at the wall, frantically trying to figure out a way to escape, they watched as hell expanded right before their eyes. Unbearably hot gusts of steam kept whipping their faces and the entire chamber was starting to collapse. Even though the titan was already as big as the Colossal Titan, it never ceased to grow. Bones, muscle fibers, ligaments… everything was appearing out of nowhere, emerging from the mixture of smoke and steam. Kenny's squad were nowhere to be seen amidst the falling pieces of crystals.
Eren was unable to gather his thoughts. His whole body was aching, his muscles were stiff and sore. He had no idea how many days he had spent in captive, bound and gagged, with almost no opportunity to move, not to mention the chains which had been keeping him in an awfully straining position just a while ago. The skin on his face was now covered with a crust of his own dried blood, but he paid little heed to the terrible shape he was in. He was still under the influence of all the horrendous images he had seen in his head after Historia and her father placed their hands on his back. As much as he didn't want to believe it, all of it was true. Now he understood the unfamiliar flashbacks which used to haunt him and the sudden headaches which accompanied them. All pieces seemed to fit.
He had obtained the power of the coordinate by eating his own father, who had stolen it from the Reiss family. The realization was so shocking, so abrupt and unforeseen that it completely crushed him. Everything he had accomplished up until now, his goals and dreams… all of it lost its meaning. What remained was a deep void, quickly filled with utter despair and overwhelming guilt. Just how many deaths could have been prevented if it hadn't been for his father's sin? He had never chosen to be responsible for them. He couldn't take any more of it, it was too painful. For the past few years this feeling of guilt had been gnawing at him from the inside, weighing him down. He didn't want to feel it ever again. So why couldn't Historia respect his last wish and put an end to all this pain?
Speaking of Historia, Eren could barely keep up with her changing character. Krista, who had spent several years in the Training Corps with him, had been gullible and artificial, always trying to act like a kind and good girl. Historia, on the other hand, had been hollow and quiet, or at least seemed to be before both of them were kidnapped. In that case, who was the girl who claimed herself to be the enemy of humanity? And more importantly, why did she refuse to eat him?
Eren was sick of it all, sick of his life. It would have been better for everyone, for all the people in the world, if he just didn't exist. Since Historia didn't want to end his misery, he could count only on Rod Reiss, who had decided to take the initiative and transform into a titan. However, once he'd heard the blond-haired girl call out Mikasa's name, a tiny spark lit up his heart. His comrades had arrived just in time to save him again. Yet only after they freed him from the heavy chains did it dawn on him what danger they had put themselves in.
He could vaguely hear Levi and Mikasa excluding all possibilities of their successful escape. They were right. There was no hope left for them. Either they would be crushed by the collapsing ceiling or burned to death by the heat radiating off the titan. Again, everyone was going to die because of him. They must have already gone through hell just to reach him. How many had decided to risk their lives for his sake? Had all of them made it this far? Where was Armin? Eren was growing even weaker under all the pressure and responsibility for his comrades. He wasn't worth it. Their lives were a hundred times more valuable than his. And now all six of them were looking directly at him with oddly calm expressions on their faces, awaiting his decision.
Suddenly the situation had taken a 180-degree turn. A moment ago he had been ready to atone for his father's sin by letting himself be eaten, so that the power of the coordinate could return where it belonged and the Reiss family could use it to protect mankind. But he could never afford to let any more people die for him, especially people he cared for so much. He had already sworn it to himself countless times before. And when he read the inscription on a tiny glass which had fallen out from Rod's bag, he knew he had the power to save them.
"Eren," he heard the Corporal say. "Do what you want to do."
He clenched his teeth at the reminiscence of the most regrettable choice he had made in the Forest of Giant Trees. Never again, he thought, gripped with desperation. He didn't need any more reasons for taking matters into his own hands.
Mikasa watched him stumble forward directly towards the huge titan. Soon another explosion shook the barely-standing crystal columns as another skeleton started to form itself in the puffs of scalding steam. Her heart was now pounding even faster with anxiety. As a titan, Eren might have even managed to overpower Reiner, but in confrontation with that thing, which he was about to face, his chances were close to zero. She didn't have to be a pessimist to see that. Right now he was the last hope for the survival of Levi's squad, forced to risk his life for them, but that didn't mean that he should simply throw it away. But once the first defined shapes emerged from the dust and steam, all her previous concerns were momentarily replaced by shock.
Everyone's eyes widened at the unbelievable sight in front of them. Eren's body wasn't covered with skin, as it always used to be. On his neck, feet and elbows the muscles and tendons were exposed, but that wasn't the most extraordinary fact about his appearance. Apart from these few spots, each square centimeter of his flesh was protected by hard plates which formed an impenetrable armor… just like Reiner's. A loud roar, which they all knew so well, echoed off the walls of the chamber and the familiar mop of black hair assured everyone that under that thick armor was indeed none other than Eren, regardless of how inconceivable it was.
Before they could even try and puzzle out how in the world he had obtained such power, they saw him lay the back of his giant hand on what remained from the ledge. His hollow eyes were looking directly at them, betraying no emotion. At the same time one of the falling crystals smashed against his shoulder, but it didn't even cause him to stagger, nor leave a scratch on the hardened plates. Wasting no more time on hesitation, Levi hollered an order and jumped forward. Laying their last hope and trust in Eren and their Captain, the rest of the squad followed him. Once everyone was sitting in his palm, secured with the grapple-hooks of their gear, Eren crossed his arms before his chest so that they were all safe in the crook of his neck, protected by the large armored hand.
The heat emanating from his body was making it difficult to breathe in their 'shelter', but it was nowhere near as hot as near the other titan. They could hardly see what was going on outside through the narrow spaces between Eren's fingers. Only a thunderous roar informed them that the giant's transformation was nearly complete. Fragments of the ceiling were incessantly bombarding the armored body, sending vibrations through the plates of hardened skin.
Eren was doing his best to maintain his human consciousness. Part of him felt a burning desire to beat Rod Reiss into a pulp with his hardened fists and rip his nape out, whereas the other part had only one purpose – to protect the lives of his comrades at all costs and carry them to the surface all safe and sound. He saw everything through a haze, but it was enough to notice that the titan in front of him had taken a fully upright position, thus completely breaching the ceiling. It was no longer producing any gusts of steam. If only there had been a way to go around it and use the fallen crystals to climb out of the dungeon and to the surface. But even so it would be impossible to avoid confrontation…
Should I fight him? Eren wondered if his new power was enough to win against a beast bigger than the Colossal Titan itself. Even if it occurred to be true, what should he do next? Rod Reiss posed an incredibly valuable source of information. He held answers to most of the questions which the Survey Corps hadn't been able to resolve for years. Certainly, killing him wouldn't have been the best solution. Right now he was just a mindless titan and Eren couldn't even think of a way to bring him back to his human form. In that case, perhaps he should try to use the coordinate skills on him? And what about Kenny and the others? They could already be awaiting the members of Levi's squad outside the chapel, or rather its ruins.
Nonetheless, one thing was clear – he had to fight, no matter in what way. Since he had managed to protect Mikasa from the Smiling Titan bare-handed, he could do so again with the new power which was now at his disposal. The time for thinking had run out. Thanks to his saviors he had once again regained faith in himself.
He let out a fierce roar and lunged forward, heading for an opening in the middle of hell.
The followers of my other story are probably glaring at me right now for writing about characters from other shows, instead of Katara and Zuko. What can I say… I had to get this out of my system. And the whole SnK fandom is now on tenterhooks, waiting for chapter 67.
*cough* ...anyway... Thanks for reading!
