Author's Note-First Chapter everyone! Please enjoy and comment at the end. You support motivates me!

BluePhoenix34 does not own Shingeki no Kyojin, the property and creation goes to Hajime Isayama. However, BluePhoenix34 does own Gianne Starken and all the characters unfamiliar to the SNK series. Now please, sit back and enjoy!

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Prologue:

They were both powerless with little defense. Their only gas tank was close to running out, they were only four blades left, and the horses have galloped off. Wandering around the wild area they were in, the fear of a roaming Titan popping out was making Hared anxious.

"Kota-sempai, do you know where we are?" Hared asked his superior hesitantly.

The tall man with bronze hair and hard brown eyes looked back with no hint of life. Hared feared that this elite soldier was beginning to lose hope. They were separated from the elite Survey Corps a while ago, but the forest they were traveling through felt like it had no ending. The sky was beginning to turn dark as well, adding to the suspense. Hared hoped his superior would find a way out of this forest soon. He had faith in one of humanity's best soldiers.

"No, I honestly don't," Kota replied. "But I'm positive the Survey Corps went back to the walls. How long has it been?"

"Since we were separated from that ambush? Two hours." Hared said. The memory of the Titans replayed in his mind. Some of his friends were eaten, and they were excited about their first mission. Hared felt ashamed to still be alive, he should have helped.

"There were many deaths, I remember..." he muttered.

"We shouldn't focus on that." Kota interrupted.

"But there were!"

Kota stopped in his tracks and looked sternly back at the new recruit. Hared was only sixteen, still learning the ways of killing Titans. He feared nothing and was willing to do anything, one of the many reasons why he joined the Survey Corps. Except that glare the soldier shot made his legs quiver. He never meant to make his superior angry.

"Do you fear death Hared?" Kota asked.

"N-No sir, but-"

"Well you should. Fear makes you stronger and more aware. If you're just welcoming it, then maybe the Survey Corps isn't for someone like you." He spat with a hard look. "Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir." Hared cried while forcing a salute, his voice cracked like a young boy. His right fist over his heart while the left was position tightly around is back. "I don't want to die. I have family back home. My younger sister is waiting for me."

"As well as mine." Kota muttered sullenly. He looked away and walked forward down the road. His green clock sweep to the side, the Wings of Freedom symbol was standing out of the solid color. The young soldier admired that sight greatly.

Hared took this opportunity to have a conversation with this superior. He wanted to distract himself from any negative thoughts.

"You have a sister too Kota-sir?"

"Aye."

"She must look up to you!"

"She does."

"Does she look like you as well? I'm sure she's very beautiful."

"Hared." said Kota.

"Yes sir?"

He didn't look back at the new soldier, but from his low voice, Hared learned he angered his superior. "Enough."

"Okay..."

Hared didn't understand what he did wrong. Was asking questions about Kota Starken's sister a crime? He heard humors from the other soldiers that his sister was really adopted, which explained why they didn't look the same. Others predicted that she was his cousin who lived with him. However, Kota never seemed to finish those rumors with a straight answer. Maybe it's because he didn't care for pesky lies as people suspected him to be. Or maybe those humors were true. Though, Hared shouldn't be focusing on Kota Starken's personal life. His own life was at risk right now.

The two walked through the forest in silence, their muscles tensing whenever a sound around them was heard. Hared followed Kota rather closely. As a young child, he felt much safer alongside the experienced soldier.

Kota huffed with annoyance. Hared feared it was his fault for his noticeable closeness, but no. It was the weather that bothered him greatly. "Why is it so goddamn cold?"

It was, Hared noticed. However, they were heading towards the end of the summer season; weather like this shouldn't be happening. The air was thin with a raw feeling, but his cloak protected his upper body from the icy chill. Kota than went to an abrupt halt, causing an unaware young boy to bump into his back. Kota didn't seem to care, making Hared look up at him apprehensively.

"What is it?" he questioned, expecting Titans to come forth from the trees.

Kota slightly turned his head to the right and hissed at him, "Quiet, something is watching us."

Hared was puzzled, he did not expect a stalker in the forest. If there was an enemy among them, fighting it off would be impossible. Kota wasn't able to use his 3D maneuver gears without the good amount of gas needed. But the soldier seemed to have another idea.

"Give me your blades." He ordered.

Hared felt overly anxious with the sudden order, something was wrong. "But why–?"

"Now!"

Without another question, Hared willingly handed over his sharp blades, making his superior have four in total. The two blades were sheathed into the metallic rectangular scabbard while the other two were clipped on and drawn out by the swords grips. Kota stood tall and scanned the area suspiciously. In Hared's eyes, he envied this awesome soldier. The thought of himself acting like this in a few years gave him high hopes.

"Hared, go climb that tree over there." Kota gestured to the large pine tree that stood behind him. "That's an order."

Hared turned away, wordless. The thought of danger made the young boy choke on his own breath. A sharp wind cut through him. As he climbed the dark trunk, the chilly air popped goose-bumps from his flesh and numbed his fingers. Soon, he was lost among the branches and leaves. The moonlight helped him spot Kota, who was also up in the tree in front of his. He was much higher and cautiously viewing the area with his swords tightly beside his body. Then, Hared held his breath when a Titan stomped out of the trees.

The monster was a six meter class with short hair and bugged out eyes. The head was gigantic, unfitting with its slender body. The mouth was wide and large, scaring Hared away. He wrapped his arms around the trunk tightly, scraping his cheek against the itchy bark. The sweet scent of wood and leaves filled his nostrils. The smell was comforting and reminded him of home. If he died, at least he'll inhale the earth for the last time.

The Titan stopped right next to his tree. Even if he wasn't looking, Hared could feel those monstrous eyes searching for his quivering body. This was it. He was going to die. He was going to get swallowed. Hared said his last prayers. This was the end.

He heard Kota scream out and the screeching sound of the cable from the maneuver gear. The air was filled with two swords cutting into hard meat and a loud thump in just seconds.

Hared opened his eyes, but instantly caught movement from the corner. A black shape glided through the trees. He turned his head to see a shadow from afar, and then, it was gone. There was no other figure found.

The wind picked up, freezing Hared even more. Looking down, he spotted his superior on top of the Titan carcass as its skin vaporized. He tried to call out a warning, but a sudden gust choked him. The raw air dried his throat and mouth, making him unable to pronounce words. He heard Kota call out to him.

"Are you okay Hared? You can come down now. My god it's so fucking cold!"

It really was; the night was freezing. Hared tighten his grip on the trunk and pulled his green cloak over his body more. Memories of his fireplace popped in his mind. He imagined a large, woolly blanket protecting him from the cold while he drank hot tea beside his sister. How he wished he was home again. The thought almost brought him to tears. In horror, he watched as a black figure emerged from the shadows.

It was tall, and muscular, with dark skin that seemed to change color. Here it was lavender, then a baby blue, and lastly white like snow. Its limbs were thick with meat and covered with petal shaped scales that shimmered beautifully. Hared was puzzled, was this an aberrant class? He's never seen a Titan like that before.

Hared heard Kota growl at the monster. "I knew I sensed another one. Prepare to die," he said.

Kota took both his swords and lifted them up. Hared knew that it was useless to kill it with the 3D maneuver gear, it wasn't tall enough. His superior was able to slay on land. He watched carefully at the scene.

The Titan slid forward on silent feet. Its massive hands were brought up in defense, like how a human would prepare for a spare. Hared saw its eyes, they were violet, bright and glowing in the dark. The eyes landed on the two bladed swords that threatened it. This wasn't normal Titan behavior. What was going on?

Kota sprung forward to attack the arms and sliced the air until it met contact with the callous skin. The connection gave off a pierce hissing sound. The swords shattered in shards. The soldier fell back a couple steps, shivering from the unforeseen event.

"What! My blades won't cut?" he unclipped the now broken blades and drew two new ones. His last ones. "I don't care!" he cried and lunged forward again, both blades up in attempted to feed on the Titan's skin. Hared heard him loud a clear, "For humanity!"

Both blades met the Titan again, this time, with more force pushed in. Hared prayed he would win. He prayed to God himself that the swords would make the Titan fall. But the blades just sung out a loud echo, like the screeching sound of an animal suffering. Hared covered his ears to block the scratching noise out and watched the blades break apart into small pieces again.

The shards flew into Kota's revealing skin, causing blood to well out and stain his clothing. The superior cried out in agony and held down his wounds, kneeling down before the abnormal Titan. The dark monster stood over the fallen soldier and watched him patiently, silently, and expressionless. Hared hugged his tree tighter and felt the icy winds pick up each minute. He was going to die from hypothermia. Kota was going to die from... from... this beast!

Kota was still on the ground cradling his bloody arm and sobbing from his failure. The shards poked out of his skin, making him unable to move his arms around as much. He also had two sharp points stuck in his face, coating his entire cheeks and nose with blood and tears. Hared would've call out to him, would've aided him, would've saved him, but he was silent with shock. The dark Titan reached out its claw-like hand and wrapped its fingers around his throat. As if he was only a feather, the monster lifted him from where he knelt and brought him closer to its squashed face. Kota gagged and choked, squirming around to try and escape, but nothing work. He was trapped.

Hared wanted to look away from the scene, he expect the Titan to devour Kota. Before he did, something extraordinary happened. Its razor sharp nails dug into the soft skin hard, causing red to well out between its fingers. Kota's screams were mute while his face faded to a purple color, and his eyes were puffy with tears.

The Titan wasn't going to eat him! It was going to kill him another way!

Hared felt a great weight of guilt drop down on him when his superior stopped fighting and went completely still. Kota was dead. Hared closed his eyes. From beneath, the deviant Titan hissed to himself; amused. The sound was sharp and venomous, reminding Hared of a snake.

When he found enough courage to look back, a long time had gone by, and the area below was empty.

Hared stayed put for a while, fearing that the Titan will come again. The raw winds stopped, turning the air back to its normal summer breeze. When Hared was finally warm and felt his legs begin to fall numb, he finally climbed down.

He ran over to his fallen superior and stared at his red face. His brown ashen eyes were open, his neck mutilated, and his clothes washed with blood. From his view, Hared thought Kota looked much younger. Fear and confusion were written over his eyes, like a new recruit when he goes outside the walls.

Hared knew the fault was his, and that guilt will be chained to his ankle for the rest of his life. How will he get home now? What if he didn't?

The steel shards rested a few feet away. The longest one out of them all was shattered on both ends, like pointed claws. Hared knelt down to pick it up. It was smooth and cold under his skin, like ice.

Hared stood up.

Kota looked down on him.

The body was alive!

Kota's eyes, however, were not the same. Once a warm brown has now faded into an inhuman violet. Hared stumbled a few steps away from his superior, his body shaking with utter fear. The pale fingers that were caked with maroon colored blood, had wrapped its way around the young recruit's throat. The grip tightened, causing the nails and fingers to drive into the skin, piecing into Hared's throat with ease. Something warm welled out and eyes began to droop lazily.

All Hared could remember was his superiors blood turning darker each second and his skin turning white. His skin icy cold.

-:-:-:-:-

Chapter One: A Hundred Years Undisturbed

The bushes thrashed back and forth.

A small figure ran through the forest trying to escape the gigantic dark silhouette following her trail. The girl was panting heavily and her body ached with exhaustion but at the same time, she was determined to lose her predator as best as she could. All she had to do was run. That was the only thing she was able to focus on.

Run. Run as fast as you can. Her mind ordered her.

Hurdling over fallen trees and ducking under branches, she continued to get away from the blood-thirsty hunter. The monstrous creature was playing with her though. He knew he could just reach out and grab her body with his enormous hand, but he didn't. He wanted to see how far she went before she gave up. So far, he was impressed.

But something was wrong when the girl accelerated. The presence of another individual seemed to vanish out of thin air. The sound of feet pounding the ground aggressively just went silent. The creature was gone?

"But how…?"

The girl was dumbfounded about the disappearance, but relieved it was finally over. Except, she couldn't stop running, something urged her to keep moving onward. Being aware is the only way you'll survive.

Run. Run as fast as you can.

Those same words echoed in her brain. The world seemed to be going faster in her eyes, as if the forest was nothing but a blur. Her eyes squinted from the rushing air stinging them dry. Her adrenaline rose, making her run faster than before. The feeling of trepidation was the only thing that drove her on.

Run. Run as fast as you can.

Her eyes perked when banging sounds faintly reached her. From what she heard, the creature was not that far behind.

It was still here. The girl could sense it's presence from afar. It hid itself by blending in with the trees, stalking her every movement and patiently waiting to attack. Her nose twitched at the smell of its powerful odor that traveled to her nostrils. The scent was disgusting, like sweat and burning skin combined together. She needed to run faster. Stretching her legs out in long strides she spotted a light up ahead.

Freedom.

The girl chased after it like a predator after its prey. Her face turned red from little breathing, almost forgetting how to even do it. Her bare feet were covered with blisters and cuts, but they kept enduring the pain. She was almost there. The light was a few more yards ahead. The giant reached out to take its first grasp, but missed when the girl ducked under the thumb. The attempt made her sprint faster. She could hear each of her heart beats, like the sound of thundering drums. It hurt her chest greatly.

At last, she broke out of the forest to be greeted by a cliff up ahead. She kept running.

Run. Run as fast as you can.

She shook her head.

The run is over now, she thought, now it's time to jump. It's time to escape.

Before the giant could touch her again, the girl felt the edge under her exposed feet and leaped over, diving into a great abyss of darkness.

-:-:-:-

Breaking her eyes open, Gianne was blinded by a beam of sunlight. She squinted at the glare that peaked through the leaves of the tree she was on. Rubbing the sand out of her view, she turned to the dark haired girl sitting next to her, Sereak.

"How long was I asleep?"

"Just an hour…" She trailed, without looking up from the book she was reading. "Couldn't sleep last night?"

Gianne placed her hands behind her head to make her position more comfortable. "I guess not if I'm this tired. What book are you reading?"

"Something you wouldn't be interested in."

"That's not true!"

"It's the history of animals."

"Never mind…" Gianne said with defeat. The two stayed silent for a while, both paying attention to their own interests. Sereak read while Gianne listened to the sound of the winds flowing by. This was their normal relationship together; simple.

Whenever Gianne's brother, Kota, would go on his scouting trips with the Survey Corps, she would be kept under the care of the Poljor family until he returned. This started a year ago when Sereak and her parents moved to the Shiganshina District. They lived in the mountains their whole life, secluded from everyone else and minding their own business. They were practically neighbors to the wild. Except, Sereak's father had to move to the city after his superiors promoted him to wall duty. He took his family with him, but Sereak was entirely depressed about the whole move. Then she met Gianne Starken and that misery was soon sucked right out of her.

After they became friends, people would often mistake them for sisters. Gianne thought that was completely absurd, the two were complete opposites. Personality and appearance wise. Even there way of dressing was different from one another. Sereak would dress in shirts and long skirts while Gianne would wear oversize shirts and leggings. Some women thought she was a homeless beggar who couldn't afford clothes. Gianne took that as an insult and explained defensively how it was better to wear. Sereak had to forcefully drag her away before she made a scene. Yes, they were very different.

Gianne looked at the leather beaded bracelet around her left wrist. Another thing that made her so different from Sereak was that bracelet. It was old and worn, but never broke. The leather was dark brown while the beads were all diverse colors. Gold, silver, black, and red, the colors added to their great mystery. She could never recall how she obtained it, but Gianne would feel very naked if it was ever off. So far, it stayed around her wrist practically her whole life.

After a few minutes, Gianne decided to crack the silence.

"I had a dream."

"About?" Sereak questioned. Her nose was still in the pages. "Was it the same one from two nights ago, when you turned into a bird or something to that effect?"

"No," Gianne explained. "This time, I was running through a forest and a Titan was chasing me. I thought I was a goner when it reached its hand out to grab my body, but I always seemed to dodge it somehow. Then, there was a cliff and I jumped off. All I remember was falling into a huge abyss."

Sereak finally turned her attention to the red haired girl, eyeing her suspiciously. "Do you even know what an abyss is?"

"Of course I do! I'm not an idiot!" she said in her defensive tone.

"I never said you were an idiot, but sometimes you'll say things you don't even know… idiot." Sereak muttered loudly, quickly turning back to her book.

Gianne's face lite a scarlet color over her cheeks as she restrained her anger. That was something she was well known for; her temper. Gianne was one of those people who would take things too personally and become extremely reckless. It took Sereak a while to eventually get used to her hardheaded friend, but there were other reasons why she stuck by her side.

Wanting to get away from her dark haired companion, Gianne hoisted herself up from the position she was in and climbed on the branches. She pulled her body forward until she was thirty feet above ground level and ten feet above Sereak. Grinning wildly, she poked her head through the clutter of leaves that were blocking her view and caught sight of Wall Maria.

The fifty meter wall reached sky high, shielding the residents of Shiganshina from the outside world. Gianne despised that sight. The enormous divider stretched into a circular shape until it connected to the main wall. This stone barrier would protect the humans who were inside, but isolate them from the great unknown.

Gianne had the desire to go over them one day, just like her brother and the Survey Corps. Maybe even go further than they normally do. Maybe become the first person to discover a new landscape or an unnatural finding. From some of the fiction stories Sereak as read to her, she would love to travel through the land of eternal winter or swim across the vast salt lake. They would find a new and safer haven, far better than the one they lived in now. Without the walls separation, and a crummy government that created social classes. But most importantly, free from giant human slayers that won't leave their civilization alone.

Everyone would live a peaceful life. Everyone wouldn't have to fight for survival. Though, a dream like that will have to be put aside.

Apart from her desperation, Gianne also loved the feel of being high above the ground. She enjoyed the gusts of cool air whipping against her skin and the sight of her city looking exceedingly small. Ever since she was brought to the earth, Gianne would climb up tall structures in order to stay off of it. She refused to come down one time, saying that the air wasn't fresh to breathe in at the bottom. Her brother grounded her once when she stole his 3D Maneuver Gear to fly through the city. She was also punched in the face by Sereak after abruptly jumping on her back and yelling at her to carry her home, explaining that the pollution was making her hallucinate. Getting her distracted was the only way to prevent her from climbing.

Yes, Gianne loved being above ground level; it was quiet disturbing to some of the town folks. Some say Sereak and their other companion, Gage Butler, became friends with her out of pity. That was not true, however. There was another reason that they stayed with her. Something a little deeper than friendship or sibling bonds, but neither of them could actually explain it. Just then, Gianne spotted a figure running up to their tree. The edge of her lips curled up when she heard his voice.

"Hey you two!" a young brunette boy cried out to them. When he was close enough, Gianne leaped from the branch she was standing on to a much thick and sturdier one. She gripped on to a small branch right above her head to keep her body steady. The boys beautiful aquamarine eyes caught sight of her.

"Hey Gage!" she greeted.

"Hi…" Sereak said without looking up. Gage didn't seem offended by that. Instead, he eyed the tree the two girls were on.

"Have you guys been up there all day?"

"Basically…" Sereak answered.

"Well come down already!"

"No!" Gianne exclaimed. "I'm having a fun time watching the sunset up here. And you know how much I hate being on the ground."

"Please don't remind me…" Gage sighed annoyingly. "But my mom just made some berry cinnamon bread and she wanted you both to try it."

Gage's family owns a bakery down town, which would explain most of his burnt scarring coving his arms. He was very strong and built for a boy his age making people mistaken him for being older. His mother would make the most delectable bread ever, and she would always manage to sneak a loaf for Gage and his friends. Gianne was a huge fan of her baking. Just hearing his words made her eyes widen to the size of dish plates, and her stomach whine from emptiness.

"B-Bread…" she muttered, her voice exposing starvation. "Of course we'll try some, right Sereak?"

"You can go. I'm in the middle of– Hey!" she yelled out in astonishment. Gianne swiftly hopped off her branch in order to get close to Sereak. Then without warning, the red-head heaved the girl up from where she was sitting in order to lift up her petite body. Her middle waist made contact with Gianne's shoulder, torso upside down. Before Sereak could react, her friend jumped from the spot they were on and flew down twenty feet in the air. No scream escape Sereak's throat, her lungs tighten with fear. Her green eyes snapped shut as she waited for a dangerous impact. After Gianne landed on her feet, her knees bent in order to keep a well-balanced posture, and then she straightened them out. She looked up to witness Gage's staggered expression.

"H-How did you… why aren't you…?" he said, stammering nervously.

"Idiot!" Sereak swung a hard punch on Gianne's back before she was put down, though it didn't exactly hurt the odd girl that much. Sereak's dark brows came together and her green eyes glowed with rage. Expected, one of her sharp fangs bear out, but Gianne didn't care. "I've told you a million times to not do that with me. You know how much I hate it!"

Gianne shrugged, making her friend's face get darker. "I want you to come with us. You don't need to sit on that tree and be a loner. That's so boring."

"You don't make decisions for me!"

"Uh, yeah I do." Gianne gave her a wide grin. Before Sereak could attempt to punch her again, Gianne grabbed her wristed and forcefully dragged her towards Gage. "Come on, let's go!"

"But how did you do that? Why aren't your ankles broken?!" Gage cried.

"I'm indestructible." she said, giving him a quick wink.

-:-:-:-:-

After that abnormal scene, the kids ran down the hill they were on and made their way back to town. The town's people were scattered in all directions, dealing with their own needs and problems. The sun was still setting behind the wall, turning the sky into warm diverse colors. Gianne took notice of the beauty while the three walked through the town.

Gage would sometimes watch specific individuals with curiosity to see what they were doing. It was rather fun at points, but he also felt terrible for eavesdropping when it was none of his concern. Sereak was never quite friendly with others, which explains why she had minimal friends. Though, at first glance, one would not want to engage a conversation with her since her normal look pushed everyone away. Her crossed mask was permanently sowed to her face ever since she was born. Not once has it changed since. Even Gianne couldn't recall catching a gleeful look. She joked to her, saying that the day Sereak looked happy was the day the world would end.

"Oi! What time is dinner again?" Gianne asked.

"In a half an hour." Sereak said.

"Is it bad to eat the bread now before dinner?"

"Only if you take little bits and pieces of it. The bread won't be that filling." Gage suggested.

"Yeah, but I would feel real bad if I only ate half of Mrs. Poljor's dinner. You know I don't like to waste food."

"Sneak it out then and give it to Black Bear." Sereak's eyes began to light up. Gianne gave her a look.

"Black– who?"

"You know Black Bear, the large dog that's always coming to our home and begging for food. You helped me smuggle some of that meat in order to feed him."

"That dog is still coming to your house?!"

"Of course…"

"You and your animals…" Gianne trailed, and then turned back to Gage. "Are we almost at your bakery?"

"Yeah, it's just a couple more houses–" he was cut off by some loud cackling.

The three halted and turned towards the source. Gianne's golden eyes instantly flared when she saw two members of the Garrisons in an alley, lazing around while they filled their bodies with poisonous drinks and sucked in smoke from their cigarettes. The kids knew those two men, but couldn't exactly remember their names. Gianne decided to recognize the tall bushy eyebrows one as Wet and the shorter hefty one as Smoke.

Once, Wet and Smoke were immensely drunk and decided to interrupt Gianne and her friends when they were having lunch together. It wasn't anything vulgar but their actions ticked Gianne off greatly. They both violated their personal space and even snuck some food away without the children's knowing. Gianne complained how they were horrible inspirations and predicated that they would die from alcohol poisoning. Wet only laughed it off and offered an angry Gage a beer. When he slapped it away and spilled the liquid on the concrete, Wet tried to punch him for his behavior but missed. That set Gianne off.

Tripping him and Smoke by her foot, she began beating on the two with her feet, hands, and a stick she found suddenly. It took both Sereak and Gage to pull the red-head off Wet as she repeatedly kicked his fallen body everywhere. Both men tried to stand and defend themselves, but Gianne would just push them right down again. Gage had to lock his arms under her armpits to drag her away from them before things got any messier. However, Gianne managed to dig her right heel into Smokes left eye before they left. The next day, the three saw the two again and they were unable to recall the physical abuse, but Smoke's left eye was swollen and black. Gianne felt proud to leave that mark there.

"Why would you do that?" she remembered Gage yelling at her. She's never seen him so upset before, those boiling emotion only occurred on rare times. Gage was a friendly guy, but when he was angry, he could literally bring the storm.

She fought back. "You did nothing when he tried to punch you, so I had to teach them a lesson. I had to get them both to back off."

"But violence isn't the answer Gianne. You could get into seriously trouble because of that. You're just lucky they forgot about what happened and didn't call for reinforcements to come and arrest you." Gage explained.

"Oh please, why would they arrest kids? I'm positive that jail is only for adults." she said.

"They can put children in the dungeons if need be. My dad told me that." Sereak spoke up from the side.

"You're not helping!"

"All I'm saying," Gage continued. "Is that your reaction to defend us was completely immature. I'm sure your brother, Kota, taught you better than that."

Gage will always remember that dangerous look she gave him in reply. The way her golden eyes blazed with uncontrolled fury and her head titling to add a choleric glare. It was worse than Sereak's normal appearance. Her brows came together; expressing her grimness and making some of her dark freckles disappear. That innocent, youthful look was now fading away to reveal a cold, threatening creature before Gage and Sereak. Even the fearless dark haired girl looked shaken by that new behavior.

"I was taught to never lie, respect others the way they would respect me, and to defend my family with my life." she said, her voice deep.

"W-We're not family though." Gage said, coughing with discomfort.

"No we're not, but that doesn't mean I won't try to protect you and Sereak from danger or drunk men. You two are pretty much my only friends and I don't want to lose that. It kills me to see you both hurt and upset. It kills me even more to see you both not sticking up for yourselves. I thought you were more courageous than that." she said.

"I tried to defend myself!" Gage objected, only to make Gianne shake her head disapprovingly.

"No, you were cowardly trying to hide back your rage because you were scared. Instead of reacting, you were overthinking your decisions which got you distracted. And when you're distracted, you wouldn't have time defend yourself from the next punch Wet swung at you."

"He tried to swing at me again?"

"Of course, but you didn't know because your head was in your own little world. So I stepped in and took your place. I fought your fight and won. Doesn't that make feel useless?" she questioned him.

"That's harsh Gianne." Sereak warned.

Gage took that time to think through what the girl just spat to him. He was thinking before acting, but only because he was trying to figure out the outcome of that event. If he fought back, he would be in serious trouble for assaulting a soldier. If he stepped back, the two soldiers would still attempt to beat him up and he couldn't be able to protect himself or his friends. It was like a tug a war game with his arms. Even if one solution won, he was still going to lose a limb. Then Gianne jumped in to save him and she fought those two easily when she tripped them. They were already intoxicated and uncooperative, so getting them both on the ground defenseless and confused was brilliant. What bugged Gage, however, was how she didn't think about it before. It was just common sense.

Now that he comprehended what she was trying to say, he glared down at the dirt feeling ashamed and pissed.

"I don't need your protection…" he said.

Gianne crossed her arms over her chest and looked up at him. He was much taller than her and Sereak, but seeing him disappointed from their argument made her feel bigger and wiser than before.

"Prove that to me first, and then I'll stop doing it."

Sereak locked her eyes on Gianne sternly. "Don't"

"I wasn't going to do anything." she defended. Though, just the sight of Wet and Smoke taunted her to hit them repeatedly with a stick all over again. She wished they'd learn their lesson before.

The trio walked away, but Gage still caught his friend turning her head in that same direction. "Stop looking, you're only going to get angrier. That's what I do." he whispered.

"I'll stop if you carry me the rest of the way. The air and smoke mixed together is making me faint." she pleaded feeling suddenly light-headed. She tried to grip his strong shoulders to hoist her body up his back, but Gage pushed her away.

"For the last time, I'm not carrying you!"

Before Gianne could respond, the earth sudden shook. The impact caused everyone to rock around where they stood. Some fell to the ground while others were able to keep hold of their stance. A loud crack of lightning rang through the air, causing every soul to look up at the wall and a baffled red-head individual to holler in agony.

Gianne was suddenly hit with a terrible headache that pounded against her skull. Clenching the sides of her head, her whole vision began spinning in smeared spirals, causing her eyelids to snap shut before getting woozy. She fell to her knees and whimpered to the floor, silently begging her brain to stop.

Sereak knelt beside her with a worried look while Gage was distracted. "Gianne what's wrong? What happen?"

Gianne averted her face up and slowly opened her eyes. The spinning had finally stopped but the pain wouldn't swell down. "Head…ache…" she managed to mumbled out.

Sereak looked around for help, only to witness everyone, including Gage, looking towards something. She also spotted another trio of kids that looked familiar–possibly from around town. Looking in the same direction as everyone else, she felt her heart jump to her throat.

Gianne's brain finally managed to cool from the unforeseen head attack and sighed with relief. The torture just suddenly vanished which seemed very peculiar. Headaches don't do that. Now that it was over, Gianne too looked up towards the wall to see what the problem was. The girl immediately felt paralyzed.

An enormous red hand was placed at the top of the wall, gripping the stone tightly. Gianne held her breath, as did everyone else. Slowly emerging from the other side, a skinless human head–its appearance was fully muscle and tissue–peaked over. Its haunting eyes scanned the town with indifference, watching it's viewers like they were a herd of livestock. This is not real. This is not happening, Gianne thought. People began to mutter frantically, but Gianne couldn't hear them. The whole world went silent to her. She couldn't even hear her heart beating. No other creature in the world could reach up to wall height. That was a Titan…

Without warning, another earthquake shook the city and the lower wall exploded. Chunks of stone and concrete hurled down from the impact and began destroying homes, buildings, and people. Gianne lost her balance and hit her head on ground. For a few seconds, all she saw were black spots surrounding her view. She cried in pain again from head butting the floor and was unable to focus on what was happening to the town. When her vision cleared, huge humanoid giants were seen from afar. After a hundred years of peace, the Titans were finally in. Death has welcomed itself into Shiganshina.

Screams were heard from all over. Loud booming sounds of steps came closer.

"The Titans are invading!"

"Run! Save yourself!"

"No! My baby!"

Gianne pushed herself up by her elbows and looked to around to discover the disappearance of both Sereak and Gage. She caught them running in opposite directions towards where they lived, yelling out to their families desperately. The people around her instantly ran away. The yells and cries made the Titans turn towards the sounds.

Gianne wasn't frightened or hopeless, she was utterly flummoxed.

She couldn't move. Both her friends abandoned her to save their loved ones, what was she supposed to do? Run to Sereak or Gage, who should she be with? Her brother was out on a scouting mission, miles away from the attack. He would not save her, she had to save herself. But how?

Looking towards her leather beaded bracelet, a memory from her dream sparked in her mind.

Run. Run as fast as you can.

The earth began to shake again, but not as extreme like before. Gianne watched the tiny pebbles beside her bounce slightly, cueing her to gaze up and meet the monstrous, naked mammoth that was a couple meters away from her.

She was the only one left in the area she was in, and yet she didn't attempt to run away. She just gaped at it with amazement, admiring its appearance and its incredible height. This was the first time she's ever seen one. So this is what my brother kills every day, she thought to herself.

The giant was getting much closer as it towered over her tiny body with each step. When it finally halted up ahead of her, Gianne didn't stir. It was as if her feet were cemented to the ground. The giant looked down on her but he didn't seem hungry. No, instead he looked rather jovial. The wide grin it had on took up most of its face, making its eyes squint. Suddenly, a hand slowly reached forward aiming for Gianne's body, and she still didn't react. Her mind felt like liquid, unable to progress things fast.

What's wrong with me, she thought. Why can't I move? Why am I so traumatized?

Run. Run as fast as you can. Her mind ordered. It began to repeat. Run. Run as fast as you can. Now! Go right now! Don't let them win!

Win… No!

Before the Titan managed to grab her, Gianne swiftly fell forward on the ground and ducked under its giant thumb. The rough skin brushed against her body until it swung right up, unsuccessful. She only had a second to escape, and she was going to use it wisely. Before the Titan could figure out her sudden dodge, Gianne pushed herself up and ran away towards an alley. In a sprinting contest, she could easily outrun the other kids impressively with her strong legs. She felt so grateful that her small body held some muscles.

The alley was wide and exposing; any large hand could easily reach out and grab her. Gianne told herself to pay attention to anything like that happening. She felt more awake than she had all day and more scared than she had been her whole life. That fear was the only key to keep her alert.

Kota told her once that if there was ever a serious emergency happening in town, she should go to the boats. That will be the only transportation to take her out of Shiganshina and into the cities of Wall Rose. The only way to get there was to take go north on the main road. When she got there, the road was flooded with people running away.

Their shrieks filled Gianne's ears, but she had to stay calm. Being sane was the only way to keep you focused. The herd was thick and vast, making it hard for Gianne to see where she was going. Just keep moving forward. Run as fast as you can! She had to trust herself. The boats were just up north. But what if she was going to the wrong way? What if the crowd was too filled with terror that their only instinct was to run in random directions?

No, this is the right direction. I know it is. Stop doubting yourself!

Gianne looked around as she ran to spot any sign of Sereak or Gage, but the crowd made that difficult. Everyone looked the same, appearance and expression wise. If they weren't here, where are they? Gianne hoped that they would be okay. She couldn't survive this attack alone.

Just then, a blonde kid next to her tripped forward and smashed his face on the rough ground. Gianne halted and watched as a limping old man knelt down next to him.

"Armin," the old man spoke sounding worried. "Armin, are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine." the boy Armin lifted his face to look at him. His nose was bleeding and a scrape was mark on his cheek. His blue eyes shined with tears. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" the man asked.

"For slowing you down." he sobbed. "For being afraid and hopeless and– Oh grandpa, it's really the end isn't it?!"

The old man was silent for a while. His straw hat covered his eyes making Gianne unable to read them. For a moment, Gianne felt completely hopeless too. Was this the end? Was she going to die or live?

No, I have to live. Who will take care of Sereak and Gage if they're still alive? Who will my brother, Kota, live for when I'm gone? I'm the only family he has left. I need to live.

But before she could run ahead, a half a dozen Titans revealed themselves to the giant crowd. All at once, the mob panic with screams and ran faster. Gianne witnesses one Titan picking up two people at the same time. They were two women squirming in its grips, begging it to let them go. But it quickly devoured them both before they screamed for help.

Gianne watched as dark red river ran down the edge of its mouth to its chin, grinning happily from the meal. One by one, the Titans picked out the individuals like treats and popped them in their mouths. Yells filled the atmosphere and blood rained down. The boy Armin and his grandpa were struggling to move forward, making Gianne worry about the outcome. Armin looked like he was ready to cry as he helped his lipping grandpa. It was an awful sight to see, making Gianne's stomach twist in tight knots. She couldn't let them die, the weak didn't deserve that.

Without a second though, she ran by their side a pushed them both forward. They were both abashed by this sudden girl.

"Move faster or they'll catch you!" she ordered.

"B-But my grandpa is too hurt to run! His leg is twisted!" Armin objected.

"What's more important, your life or a crimpled leg?!" she demanded, trying to ignore the massacre that was happening around her. She noticed Armin looking around too and his face suddenly went pale. "Stop looking and go straight!"

"O-Okay!" he squeaked.

"Missy, look out!" the grandpa cried out hoarsely.

Gianne didn't take notice of the hand that reached towards her. Unable to react quickly, the gigantic fingers wrapped around her body tightly and lifted her from the earth.

"Noooooooo!" she yelled out. Armin tried to reach out, but his grandpa pulled him back. The two watched in horror as she flew up slowly. The blonde boy mouthed something to her as tears began streaming down his face. 'I'm sorry,' Gianne read.

The callous skin hand tighten its grip on her skinny torso, squeezing the air out of her lungs, but Gianne still managing to inhale feebly. The air she breathed in was clear and cool, but also smelled of metallic blood and burning wood. The Titan looked a little more closely at the girl, as if watching the her squirm was entertaining him. She managed to struggle upward and free her arms out, but that still wasn't enough.

Just like everyone else, she too began begging for her life.

"S-Stop…!" she coughed out. "Stop… Stop please…!"

The Titan pulled her up closer. It had large brown eyes, a long nose, thick curled eyelashes, short dark hair, and stony lips. It looked so human, and yet, so inhuman as well. Gianne forced herself not to cry. She would rather die fighting for her life than plead desperately. With her spirit rising, she aggressively began pounding her fist on the hard skin. Her hands soon turned red from soreness.

Just then, the lips began opening. The mouth was fully exposed, uncovering the human-like yellow teeth and the large meaty tongue. Gianne knew what was coming when she felt it pushing her straight in.

"Stop!" she screamed, putting more demand in it. "Don't eat me! I said stop!" her body was getting closer to the teeth. "Stop!" her free torso was now in between the choppers. In few seconds, she will be done for. She had to keep fighting. "Stop Dammit! Stop!" the inside of its mouth had a terrible odor, but after the feast, her bloody scent would be mixed with it. "Stop! Stop!" the teeth came down and dug into both her abdomen and back. She could already feel the warm liquid escaping her body as a tingling sensation raced around her. She couldn't give up. She had to live. For Sereak, Gage, and Kota! She had to survive!

"STOP!"

Abruptly, the teeth grinding against her body became still. Gianne closed her eyes and prepared her body to get split, but something unforeseen happen. For the first thing in the history of man against Titan the teeth drew away. The Titan pulled the girl away from his mouth and looked at her again with its blank expression. Her upper body was soaked in warm blood. Her favorite shirt was now torn. Snapping her eyes open, Gianne looked at the Titan more closely.

What was going on? What wasn't it eating her?

An odd spark dropped down her spine. That sudden sensation somehow slapped her back to reality. The Titan wasn't going to eat her. He was listening to her!

Something new began to take control. Gianne couldn't even recall doing it.

"Drop me at once!" she commanded confidently.

The fingers began to loosen, exhaling became normal again. Her body slipped between the skin thanks to the wet blood and gravity went to work. Gianne was pulled to the ground. Landing on her feet and forcing herself not to tumble forward, the great amount of blood lose started making her unsteady. Her head spun in rapid rotations and the sickening feeling in her chest sprang up. Bending down, she hacked out the blood and vomit trapped within her throat. The mixed substances landed on the feet of the Titan she somehow forgot was still with her.

Looking up at the monster, terror overcame her mind again. The memory of what happened moments ago faded away. Without hesitating, Gianne held in her bleeding stomach and ran away, unsure if the Titan was following her or not.

Her running sent shocks of pain in her abdomen. The gash was too deep to hold in. Even her back was flowing with red liquid. Losing blood made her head light and her skin turn pale. Her breathing was feeble, making her eyes droop from exhaustion and her hearing slowly turning off. The world tipped to one side, then the next.

I have to keep going. The boats are up north…, she tried pushing herself.

More blood fell on the ground, and soon, so did her moist body.

I can't…

She lifted her hand to see the red blood coating it. The feeling was warm and it smelled weird, like a coin. Coins were golden, like her eyes. Her blood was red, like her hair. The world began to blur again. The buildings, home, and sky smeared all together. The voices of people from afar were faint. Lifting her wrist to see her bracelet one last time, she whispered herself a farewell.

This was the end.

Before she could fall asleep, she was pulled up. Her face was moving away from the ground when her body was lifted.

"A-Am I…" she choked, "Am I finally… flying?"

Her bleeding midsection made contact with something. Her torso bent over the object and then, she began to bounce. The air was cool and clear as she exhaled in. If death was coming, she wanted to get another breath of beautiful air before she left this world. A voice woke her up from fantasy.

"No, you're not flying. But snap out of it!" the voice sounded familiar and quite aggressive. "Don't die on me, I'll get you to the boats soon enough. Smoke has your other two buddies by the way."

Wet.

Wet was saving her. She would have never expected to see him again, and Smoke has Sereak and Gage. The thought about seeing her friends again almost made her cry. She was going to the boats. She was going to live.

But before she could thank her savior, her body went immobile and the world shut off.

-Phoenix