A/N: I hope you enjoy, reviews are much appreciated, and thank you all for checking this story out
(Armin P.O.V)
With Hannes on his way to retrieve Eren and Mikasa, it was my turn to start running for safety. I knew I had to get to the ships before they became too full and departed, but with my track record not being all that good…
…well… I just hoped I tasted good to those monsters.
They were coming into the town in waves and no more was there peace in the little town of Shiganshina. The monsters broke their way through and were now feasting on any humans in sight. I prayed to every god that my parents, brother, and grandfather had all gotten out of here and to the ships, but I had to be prepared for the worst. I didn't want to think about it, but on the chance that I ended up on my own, I had to remember how to survive alone.
My father had taught both of his sons to be prepared in the face of survival. He gave us books to read on the subject and taught us everything they'd taught him while he was still a trainee. From this we learned what was proper to eat, to drink, where to set up camps, how to hide, and most importantly how to stay out of titan's line of sight. Our father prepared us accordingly…
…
…but would I know what to do when the time came?
I ran up the street, dodging the many screaming people as best as I could, before tripping over a crack in the street and falling face first into the ground. I'd scrambled to get up, but the thundering steps of titans were making me more and more clumsy out of fear. I'd never seen a titan outside of my father's books, and I didn't feel like meeting one first hand. If I did, I was most certainly dead. I wasn't fast, I wasn't clever, and I certainly wasn't strong enough to face it. No, if I met a titan… then that was it for me.
Thankfully, that day wouldn't be today.
Right as I rounded the corner towards the ships I smacked right into a taller person who was running in the opposite direction. It'd knocked the wind out of me, but seeing their face made me ecstatic to have bumped into them.
"Mihael!" I screamed in delight before jumping into his arms.
He was shaken a bit from us hitting into each other, but as soon as he knew it was me he immediately pulled me into a warm and loving hug, thanking the heavens that I hadn't been eaten. Despite my brother being less than emotional some days, I knew he loved me without question. And it shouldn't have surprised me to see him come running after me even with all these titans around us.
I heard the whipping sound of a soldier's gear come close and I saw Matt land beside us with his blades drawn and ready for combat.
"Mello, you found him!" He exclaimed happily before hugging us. He then grabbed Mello's arm and began to drag him towards the ships. "We have to go, RIGHT NOW! Titans are flooding the city and people are dying left right and center!"
"I need to make sure my parents are okay!" Mello pulled back from him, pushing me to his side. "Take Armin and make sure he's safe on the ship! I need you to look after him if…" he paused in his words before shaking the thoughts out of his head. "Just go! Please!"
He ran off in the other direction, towards our house, leaving Matt to take me to safety.
Of course the red head wanted to run after him, but he knew more than anything that my brother would never forgive him if he left me now. So he did what any good soldier would do and followed orders, bringing me up into his arms to carry me the rest of the way before we could be spotted by any titans that were currently in the area. Luck be with me, Matt was fast on his feet and even faster on his gear. The moment we went skyward we'd made it practically half way to the ships. I'd learned long beforehand that Matt had tampered with his gear to make it more accessible to him in times of need. He hadn't had a chance to fully use his gear until now, and I'd been along for the first ride.
I'd have been excited had it not been for the impending doom around us.
We made it to the ships, people screaming and rushing onto the first boat they saw. Matt, because of his soldier status, got me onto the ship in no time flat and placed me near the middle where he knew I'd be safe.
He kneeled down to look me in the eyes, hands on my shoulders. "I'm going back for Mello and I'm bringing him back whether he found your parents or not! I'm sorry, but you two are my biggest concerns for the moment and I won't leave you without a family member!"
I nodded at this, tears streaming down my face. "Just… just promise me something."
He gripped a bit harder onto me. "What's that?"
I hugged him close and bit down my sorrow. "Promise you won't leave me too if you can't find him."
He was taken aback by the hug but slowly returned it with a sorrowful huff in his breath.
"I promise… I won't leave you."
With that the man was off, heading towards the direction of what was once my home. I prayed that he found Mello, and I prayed that they both made it back safely. I couldn't bear the thought of losing someone I loved so dearly.
But then… no one wanted to lose a loved one. Yet we all had to eventually.
"Armin?" Came the familiar, rugged voice.
I turned to see my grandfather and parents all rushing towards me through the crowd and I immediately felt my heart swell up in relief and joy. I ran towards them, not even caring about who I was pushing out of my way and immediately jumped into my grandfather's open arms. My mother and father both hugging me as well before a pang of realization hit me.
I pulled away from them in sheer terror.
"Mihael…"
(Mello P.O.V)
The thumps of titan footsteps were filling my ears and I felt my heart race in a panic. I needed to find my parents and get the hell out of here before I became the titan's next meal. Lord only knows that enough people were eaten today, and I didn't want to be another statistic. Not now… not ever!
I ran past the few crushed buildings that used to be my neighbours homes and ran through the blood soaked roads until I came across the one building that hadn't been completely destroyed; my home.
…
…or what was left of it.
A boulder had smashed into the foundation of the house and I could barely make it up the steps to get in and see if anyone was still in there. To my relief, no one had been in the building during this time so I could only assume my parents had made it out along with my grandfather. So now there was one last thing I needed to do.
Although I'd been told time and time again that trinkets meant nothing in the face of survival, I just couldn't leave my home without taking my last shred of evidence that I ever existed. I raced up the stairs and grabbed my leather journal and side pack off the floor before bolting out the window and landing in a pile of hay. From here on, with everything that I treasured most safe and sound, I could make my escape…
…
…or so I believed.
The crunching and crumbling of wood and stone, followed by the rumbling of a stomp from behind that made me fly over five feet in the air, had be turning to the cause in complete horror. There, right behind me, stood a titan of massive proportions. I'd heard my father describe these ones as fifteen metre class titans – one of the more taller ones known – and they were usually the most hungry, were you to compare them to smaller ones. It's eyes were soulless and cold as they stared at me in hunger. It's skin taut and pulled back on it's face to reveal a set of sharp teeth ready to chomp down on the sturdy bones of humans. This thing was not human, and far scarier than the pictures I'd seen in my father's training books. The only thing I'd been happy about was that this was not the monstrous titan from before. The one that knocked down the wall and got these bastards through.
I stilled in complete and abject horror before hearing a scream rip through my ears. It only took a moment to realize it'd been me screaming as the monster had grabbed me and was readying to break me in half.
I kept screaming as loud as I could before the titan stilled in it's movements and the hand that had been holding me tightly suddenly went limp and it fell to the ground. As I'd fallen onto the stone streets I could see that the titan itself had been slain and was now disintegrating before my eyes. With this I could only assume one man had taken it down.
The red head himself popped in from beyond the steam and grabbed my arm. "Let's go! I'm running low on gas!"
Matt really was my angel sometimes.
I ran with him still holding my arm and I thanked him for all that he'd done.
He chuckled nervously. "Top student in the Cadets." He said, his voice somewhat cocky. "But don't thank me yet. We still have to get you to the ships. After this, I can't be forced to battle. Gas is low and soldiers are starting to retreat because the supply room's been overrun by five to seven metre titans. We can't win this one, but we can save as many people as we can. This includes you if we can hurry before the ships depart."
I nodded at this and picked up my pace. "Then let's get moving! My family's on one of those ships!"
He looked back at me. "They weren't in the house!?"
I shook my head. "They got out before the boulder hit. They must be on one of the ships."
"You're brother's safe as well, but I don't know about your grandfather."
I chuckled at this. "That old bastard's never going to die!"
He snickered back. "Can't argue with you there!"
We made it to the ships and saw that the planks were being removed. But that didn't stop Matt there.
He dragged me towards the waterside and we ran along the ship he claimed to have been the one that Armin was on.
And sure enough…
"Mihael!" I heard my brother scream for me as I ran alongside the moving ship. Behind him I could see my entire family all watching in pure relief and happiness.
I smiled in pure joy as I tossed my pack to them. Armin caught it easily and now he and my family all waited for me to join them.
Matt cupped his hands to form a support for me. "I'll see you on the other side!"
I kissed his cheek hastily before leaning onto his shoulder and readying to jump at the right moment.
Just as the ship had entered into the tunnels that would take them all to freedom, Matt pushed me off into the air and I grasped onto the stern of the ship and dangled there for a good few seconds as the ship entered into the tunnel. I was free from the titans, and soon I'd be together with my family…
…
…
…that's what I thought… at least.
The moment the sunlight hit my face again, and I was halfway up onto the ship, I came face to face with the barrel of a pistol. The holder of this equipment being a soldier in the Garrison…
…
…the same soldier I'd insulted earlier on that day.
My muscles weakened as he cocked the gun.
His shit eating grin widened to show a row of yellowing teeth.
"Ain't no more room with a pig like me on board. Eh, sweetheart?"
My heart stopped at this, sound of a gunshot filling my ears…
…
…
…
…and my world became dark.
(Matt P.O.V)
I'd heard the gunshot clear as day and I used up the rest of my gas to find out what had happened. I'd smacked right onto the deck of the ship and found Memphis completely and utterly murdering the pig soldier from earlier today. I'd recognized him from the greasy brown hair and smell of alcohol.
I got the man off of him and asked what was going on. To which I could see his answer being a face streaming with tears as his youngest son stood in abject horror over something that had just gone down.
I managed to put two and two together and saw that Mello wasn't on board.
I picked up the pig soldier and demanded to know what he'd done. His answer was a garbled moan of blood and teeth as he pointed to his pistol that lay at the very rear of the ship. On the side I could see blood pooled below it from a recent incursion.
I growled in pure anger and was about to hit the pig in pure rage when a booming thunder of destruction caught everyone's attention.
Far off in the distance, towards the exit from Shiganshina and Wall Maria, stood a titan of epic proportions. Muscles on every which way of him and a face that screamed death and destruction. This titan had destroyed part of the wall, and had now given the regular titans a way towards wall Rose. Meaning that this battle wasn't over.
…
…it was FAR from over.
A/N: Yes, I killed Mello. Hope you all have fun with the internal turmoil! :3