We meet again, fellow brothers and sisters of fanfiction! I bring you more Pokemon/SNK shenanigans for your amusement and entertainment. Now sooner or later, I will replace the first chapter with an updated version, explaining the setting better. Now, I know the Pokemon franchise is made kid friendly for the sake of profit and all that jazz. But realistically, the Pokemon universe would be much darker and harsh than depicted in the anime and games, and this story will show that.
I mean, think about it: Pokemon are very powerful creatures, able to be quickly bred and trained to become ruthless monsters in battle. They have elemental attacks, super strength and speed, are able to take hits that would kill or cripple a normal human, incredible mental powers, etc. I'd be damned if the humans in that universe didn't use and abuse Pokemon for war and world domination. So in essence, this Pokemon universe will have changes to reflect a harsher reality. And besides, Ash forever remaining 10 in the anime is pure nonsense anyways. We believe in proper aging and character growth in this household, none of that forever young, never winning a tournament, and leaving behind and forgetting your trained Pokemon every single damn region to extend the series bullshit!
Thank you MM995, for being an awesome proofreader and editor for most of this. Your dedication to writing is encouraging to all us mortals.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I had fun writing this, now on with the show!
Daniel and Latias soared the cloud-choked skies above Trost, frantically looking for the young soldier named Mikasa. Along the way, the dragon took careful aim at the invading Titans, blasting them to death to thin out the advancing horde. Worry at Mikasa's fate gripped Daniel, the man clutching the feathered neck of his steed for reassurance. He could only pray that the foolish girl had not been eaten alive by the monsters in her suicidal charge. He had seen enough senseless death in his short life, and vainly hoped there would be no more.
"There she is!" Latias announced with relief.
Looking down below, Daniel caught a glimpse of the girl, a bit battered but alive; a great relief to his burdened soul. Latias altered her flight downward in an impressive display of aerodynamics. With her clawed hands outstretched, the Eon Dragon grabbed Mikasa off the brick pathway and flew her to safety upon a nearby rooftop. The trainer was quick to dismount from the feathered dragon, glaring at the black-haired girl in clear frustration.
"What the hell were you thinking!? You risked your life for nothing!" Daniel scolded. Mikasa said nothing in reply, her grey eyes dead and lifeless to the world. He knew that haunted look; only people whose heart had been crushed with unbearable pain could adopt such an emotionally desolate expression. It was a feeling knew all too well.
With a tired sigh, Daniel snuffed out his anger and offered his hand down in sympathy. "Get up, girl. We're not out of this hell yet."
"Why? My life has no meaning anymore." Tears glistened in the girl's eyes, the dull orbs filled with untold misery. She remained limp upon the rooftop, unwilling to accept his hand and save herself. "Please... just leave me here to die."
"You poor thing. D'you lose someone that you care about?" Latias asked. Her large amber orbs stared at the girl in concern, easily able to sense her emotions and great pain.
"Yes." The girl failed to stifle her sobs. "Eren is dead... I'm alone again. The world is a cruel place."
"... You loved him, didn't you? More than just a friend?" Her eyes widened slightly at Daniel's statement, confirming his suspicions. He could easily sympathize with her pain, but now was not the time for self-pity. "Listen, Mikasa, I know it hurts. I know how unbearable the agony of losing someone you love is. But you're a soldier, and the battle won't pause and wait for you to pull yourself together."
He gripped the girl's cold hand and pulled her upright. "You have a duty to fulfill and people's lives are on the line. Stand up." She didn't bother to resist, so Daniel kept pressing his point. "If we fail to stop these Titans, then your friend will have died for nothing. We have people counting on us, and a battle to win. Do you understand, soldier?"
"Yes, I do," she quietly whispered.
"Then come with Latias and I. We'll rejoin the others and get out of this hell hole," he firmly stated. Her grey eyes seemed less dull after his words, which he hoped would be enough for the time being. After all, Daniel knew just how badly losing someone you love felt. That soul-crushing pain and remorse that reminded you of what was lost, and the tormented 'what ifs' that haunted your mind.
Even now, Daniel could still see her in his mind, his lost childhood friend; her blue eyes lifeless in death, her body mutilated and brown hair mangled and soaked in blood. All the while he could only scream her name, shaking her broken form in a fruitless attempt to wake her up. He kept himself together, though. Now, of all times, was not the place to revisit that pit of despair and self-loathing that had consumed far too much of his life already.
"Mikasa!" A male voice cried out in relief. Turning around, Daniel saw a small, blond cadet land on the rooftop. The male teen shot a glance of gratitude towards the man and beast before joining his friend. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, Armin. I'm fine now," Mikasa tiredly said. The lack of conviction in her words was easy enough to notice. "But, I'm out of gas."
"Here then," Armin's fingers immediately began reaching for his own canisters. "You can have mine, it's wasted on me. It's not much, but it should get you to HQ."
"Armin!" the girl protested, realizing what the boy was implying. He was going to leave himself behind so that she could escape. A swift hand from Daniel grabbed Armin's wrist.
"Don't be stupid, boy. We're not going to leave you behind." Daniel growled.
"How else is Mikasa going to get back? She's more valuable than me!" Armin struggled and failed to get out of the older man's grasp.
"Not an issue, silly. I can just carry you all back," Latias spoke up, amber eyes staring at Armin in bemusement. "I can fly, remember?"
"Oh, right." Armin looked visibly embarrassed that important detail slipped his mind. However, they were soon interrupted by booming footsteps that promised death. "Oh no! Titans!" He cried out in warning. The group turned and saw two massive Titans wandering nearby. One of them looked to be 14 meters tall, with a hideously ugly and mutated body form. Its horrid face was covered in dried blood, no doubt from its many human victims.
On the other hand, even Daniel could see how shockingly different the second one was in comparison to all the other ones. Its body was properly proportioned and covered in hulking muscles, the giant standing at an imposing 15 meters. A mane of wild and untamed hair covered its colossal head, the dark locks flowing down its nape. The Titan's cheekless maw had several sets of teeth, the bone protrusions appearing capable of rending flesh even with their flat, somewhat jagged structure.
The most distinguishing feature, however, was its eyes. Thus far, whatever expressions the Titans might have had, Daniel had noticed that all of them always had dead, unintelligent eyes. But this one... this one's were a brilliant, emerald green that glowed with ominous intent and life. Focus.
Anger.
Surprisingly, the muscled Titan walked past them and charged towards the other Titan instead. With a vicious roar, a colossal fist bashed in the smaller Titan's head, sending it crashing down upon the cold brick road.
"W-what?" Armin voiced the group's collective astonishment at this scenario. "A Titan... is killing another Titan?"
As if to confirm his statement, the strange Titan raised its foot up over the wounded creature, smashing the neck into a bloody mush. The Titan ignored them entirely, wandering away.
"That's not all." Latias hummed aloud in thought. "Its mind... it's different from the other Titans. I can hear its thoughts."
"Are you saying that it's intelligent?" Daniel asked, curiosity evident.
"Yes. And... oh my. I think you all need to hear this," Latias commented, and her body took a bright blue glow. Not a moment later, the inner voice of the strange Titan echoed in their heads.
"Kill... the Titans! Every last one! I'll kill you all!" It was a voice consumed with an inferno of rage. A hatred so strong, it could only be sated by ruthless killing, until all its enemies were wiped out. Mikasa and Armin's eyes widened in shock at the familiar voice echoing in their heads. They knew that voice.
"Eren?" Mikasa's gasped in disbelief. She stared at the now distant form of the giant, a mixture of hope and confusion kindled in her grey eyes. "How... is he a Titan? I don't understand."
"But... Eren was killed. I saw him eaten in front of me." Armin grabbed his head in denial. "That can't be him. It just isn't possible."
"It is your friend Eren. I can feel it," Latias confirmed. "Don't these memories look familiar to you?"
Not a moment later, images filled the minds of the two cadets. They couldn't properly explain the mental experience, but it was like they were seeing events from a bystander's perspective. Brief flashes of memories were forced into their heads, only to be gone a moment later. One stood out above the others, though. The moment that changed everything.
"I'll kill the Titans! I'll wipe them off the face of the earth! Not a single one will be left!" A young Eren screamed in a mixture of pure hatred and agony. His fingers bled as they squeezed the wooden ship railing in a white-knuckled grip, tears streaming down his face as he stared at the ruined remains of his hometown. A younger Mikasa and Armin stared at their friend in tense silence, not knowing what to say to comfort him after the hell they had seen. They sailed away along the river with the other survivors, watching in horrified quietude as the Titans began to come through the smashed inner gate of Wall Maria.
As impossible as it all was, that last memory confirmed Latias's claim to Armin and Mikasa. This strange Rogue Titan was Eren. He was alive. That realization brought a stunning sense of relief and worry to their souls. They could only stare silently at Titan Eren, who roared in fury as he killed other nearby Titans brutally, sauntering farther away from them with each kill.
"So, it looks like some humans can retain some control after they become Titans. That's very interesting," Daniel commented. The implications of this revelation were both intriguing and terrifying to the young champion. After all, if this Eren was capable of retaining a degree of control as a Titan, it was not unreasonable to assume that there were others like him. Were these anthropical monsters perhaps a result of human experimentation gone wrong? Or had another group of people created these Titans to kill off the wall people?
And if so, then could they be cured or saved from their tragic fate?
The plot thickens, but I feel I'm merely scratching the surface, Daniel thought. I need to find out more.
"The Titans are humans?" Armin paled at that reveal, unwilling to believe it. Mikasa also looked stunned, her mouth opening in silent understanding.
"Well, yeah. Isn't it obvious? The Titans are mutated humans, kinda like zombies," Daniel casually stated, matter-of-fact in his delivery.
Mikasa and Armin stared at him in confusion, unsure of what he was trying to explain.
Oh, right. Different world. They won't understand my references, Daniel thought. Giving an exaggerated cough into his fist, he stared at the two cadets in utter seriousness. "My point is, all these Titans were once humans, and your friend looks like he's a rather special one."
"Then how do we get Eren back? There must be a way, right? Can we turn him back into a human?" Mikasa frantically pleaded with the older man. In her eyes, Daniel could easily see the love and worry she had for this Eren fella. It was honestly quite touching, and it warmed his heart just a tad bit.
"No, wait! His human body is still intact." Latias excitedly announced.
"What do you mean by that? What happened to Eren?" Armin desperately asked. Latias glowed with power again, the red and white Eon Dragon staring intently at Eren's Titan form.
"He's inside the Titan, I think he's controlling it like a puppet." Latias hummed. "From inside the nape. The stream of thoughts and memories is emanating from there."
"Then we'll get him back," Mikasa stated firmly, her eyes ignited with fire again. She swiftly reached down and swiped two replaceable blades from Armin, attaching them to her gear handles with purpose.
"Mikasa, what are you planning to do?" Daniel cautiously asked, not that he couldn't already guess what she was thinking.
"Eren's in the nape of that Titan's neck, right? I'll cut him out," Mikasa replied with barely controlled fierceness.
"That's suicide! We don't know if Eren can recognize you in this state; he might kill you!" Armin protested.
"I don't care! I won't leave Eren! Never again, he needs me!" the female teen fired back. She stormed up even closer to her friend, who shrunk back under the intimidating aura she gave off. "Now, give me your gas, Armin! I'll get him back!"
"W-wait! Listen, I have an idea!" Armin held his hands up in a placating manner, while Mikasa impatiently waited for him to talk. "Why don't we use Eren to kill the other Titans? If we can lure him to HQ, he can clear them out for us!"
"No! Absolutely not!" Mikasa angrily spat at his suggestion. "I'm not leaving Eren trapped in that nightmare any longer. I want him back now!"
"But Mikasa, look at how strong he is! He's annihilating the other Titans as easily as Daniel's Pokemon! With proper direction, he might even be able to take back Trost for us!" the blond pleaded, hoping she would see his reasoning.
"I don't care! His safety is more important to me!" The glare she gave Armin promised pain, causing him to wince and recoil at her hostility. "Daniel's pets can deal with the Titans, I'm getting Eren back now!"
Seeing that the situation was escalating, Daniel decided to intervene. "I agree with Armin." Both teens looked at him in surprise. "Eren's Titan form is too valuable not to use in this battle. We'll go with Armin's plan." The blond boy looked relieved at his support, but Mikasa clearly felt differently.
"Why? How could you be so cruel?" Mikasa whispered to Daniel, her gaze consumed by a mix of sorrow and frustration. "Eren is still alive in there. Why are you keeping him from me?"
"We need his strength, Mikasa. Every Titan he kills is one less enemy for us. If we let him run amok, let him go on with his killing spree, it'll make our job that much easier," Daniel replied authoritatively.
"No! I can't lose him to that monster! Why won't you let me help him?" the cadet demanded, tears welling up in her eyes. "I'll cut him out of that Titan. Just move aside!" She shakily held up her weapons at the young man. Armin looked horrified at how she was behaving, silently begging her not to do the unthinkable. Latias glared at Mikasa, no doubt sending a silent warning not to try it.
Daniel, however, remained calm in the face of Mikasa's threat.
"The Titans' weakness is at their napes, right? What if you kill Eren by accident? Is that a risk you want to take?" he tested. Mikasa looked conflicted at his words, so he pressed his point. "We are not abandoning him. We'll find a way to help him, but please be patient. Right now, we need him to kill the Titans at HQ. I imagine most of my Pokemon are at their limits by now, so he's the best shot we have at winning this. There are no two ways to go about it. Understand?"
Her hostility evaporated at his words, and she slowly lowered her blades.
"I just want to be at his side; why is that so hard?" Mikasa lamented. She looked like a girl who was hopelessly lost in life, without any comfort in the world. Daniel sighed and walked a few steps closer to her, placing his hands on her shoulders. It was clear that Mikasa was not emotionally stable, not a good trait for a soldier to have.
He had to soothe things over; there just wasn't any time to deal with the issue at the moment.
"You will get Eren back, I swear that to you. But first, we must win. Eren's still alive and kicking, figuratively and quite literally. He's more than holding his own, but the other cadets are way out of their league. The longer we stay here, the more of them will die." Topaz eyes stared into grey, conveying a silent test of dominance.
"When all is said and done, and you got Eren back in your loving embrace, you won't want that on your conscience," he added for good measure.
After a brief eternity, Mikasa looked away in defeat. "Alright, we'll do it your way," she conceded. Daniel nodded in gratitude, backing off and walking over to Latias.
He nodded, satisfied. "Alright, then. Hop on Latias. Our troubles are far from over." Remounting his partner, he motioned for Armin and Mikasa to come forward, which they did after some hesitation. It was a tight fit, but the trio of soldiers were able to fit onto Latias for the flight to come, Daniel and Mikasa on her neck, while Armin, being the smallest of the group, was picked up in her arms.
He could feel the silent treatment from Mikasa, no doubt she was still upset at his decision. He sighed in resignation, not having expected the girl who'd first seemed so composed to be so hard to please.
"Mikasa, I'm not gonna lie to you; whether you like me or not doesn't really matter to me. What's relevant is that our goals align. Or at least, the methods necessary to achieve our respective goals do," he said. "I want Eren alive, too, you know."
She was quiet for a moment before answering him. "You haven't even met him. The only reason you want him alive is to take Trost back."
"I disagree, but let's assume it's true, would that really be so wrong? Besides, I don't want to hear that from someone who admitted she'd see Trost and its citizens laid low for the sake of a single guy." The lack of a response and the slight shifting he felt were answer enough for him. "Either way, don't worry. We'll get him back soon enough, and once this is all over, you can shower him with hugs and liplocks as much as you want."
"We're family," she mumbled out in reply. He swore that he could feel the girl behind him blush, but paid it no mind. Daniel then tapped Latias twice on the neck, wordlessly signaling for her to take flight.
"Hold on tight," was the only warning Latias gave before she zoomed upward at astonishing speed. Daniel couldn't help but chuckle at the yelps Armin gave out as they soared across Trost. Even Mikasa clenched the trainer in fear, tightly squeezing his ribs with her considerable strength. It was clear they both had never flown before, much less on something as fast as Latias.
"D-don't do that again, Latias. Please!" Armin shook from the adrenaline, his mind terrified and body unused to the sensation of flight.
"Aww, but it's so fun! Oh oh, did you know a human's facial skin could peel off after reaching a certain speed? I've never tried it before, but we are in a hurry," Latias said with childish excitement and seriousness that still caught Daniel off guard on occasion.
"N-No, no, no! I'm good, thanks!" Armin replied frantically, clinging to her arms for dear life.
After barely a few seconds of flight, they were right above the rampaging human in Titan form. "There he is. Do you have a plan?" Mikasa impatiently asked.
Daniel frowned as he stared at the Titan, who was oblivious to their presence. They needed to somehow guide him over the HQ in a swift manner. He was far too heavy to move, and it was clear he didn't feel like talking. So how could they get Eren to willingly follow them? A surge of inspiration hit Daniel, as he realized a simple solution to this problem.
"Latias, can you reach into his mind and guide him?" he asked his steed.
"Of course I can, silly. Easy as pie. He's pretty much acting on instinct, so his natural mental defenses should be low," Latias body took a blue glow, which soon enveloped Eren, as well. The Titan grew angry and tried to resist psychic force at first, but soon stopped in his attempts. He looked up at Latias with a confused expression, though much tamer then it was moments before. Titan Eren showed a brief hint of recognition toward Armin and Mikasa, but otherwise seemed to be in a dreamlike trance.
"Latias... what did you do?" Armin asked with a mix of awe and fear. Even Mikasa looked a bit unnerved at Latias, knowing that she couldn't hope to defeat the Eon Dragon if push came to shove.
"I linked his mind to mine, so he's partially under my control. Now, I can make him follow us to the HQ," Latias said proudly.
"Nice work," Daniel complemented. "Just implanting the suggestion alone would've been enough, but this is even better."
"Yay! I got a slave! Bet I can make him roll over. No! Even better, I should have him karate chop a Titan in half! What do you guys think?" the Pokemon asked in such a way that made it unclear to the two cadets whether she was joking or being serious, raising their anxiety to new levels.
"Whatever gets the job done faster, Latias. You have free reign," Daniel supplied, amused. I see you still haven't let go of your delusions of adopting minions.
Oh, hush you. Don't ruin my fun just when I got my wish, Latias shot back, sending a command Eren's way. He walked forward with heavy footsteps, his sight set on the Titans milling around the supply building on the hill. "Come on, big guy! Let's go kill Titans!"
Daniel Thatch's Pokémon were powerful indeed, with countless battles under their belt. They fought fiercely against the Titans, leading the 104th deeper into Trost. They were the only line of defense the green cadets had, acting as both their sword and shield. They ignored their tired bodies, running on adrenaline as they continued to slay the Titans with envious efficiency.
But alas, the Pokémon could not save everyone. There were just far too many Titans infested in the district, and they were being overwhelmed by the increasing number of opponents they had to face. They had the power and experience to fight back and avoid being killed, but the graduates did not have that luxury.
One of the smaller Titans leaped up and snatched a cadet girl from a rooftop, inciting screams of terror from her as her ribs were squeezed by massive fingers. Her pleas for her life were silenced by the monster crushing her body in half with its teeth, spilling her insides upon the ground in a nightmarish display of gore.
Another cadet ran out of gas, causing him to fall and break bones upon the brick pathway below. Several Titans quickly ganged up on the unfortunate soul and ripped him apart.
"Damn it!" Jean yelled in anguish, hearing yet another person's dying screams. Sceptile moved in to avenge the fallen soldiers, slaying the monsters with his leaf blades. The Forest Pokemon was fast enough to save a few cadets grabbed by the Titans, carrying them back to the rooftops to relative safety.
Gardevoir and Froslass helped push back the Titans where they could, sending fairy and ice-based attacks respectively. Charizard and Aggron took out the majority of the hostile giants, ripping their napes out and shielding the cadets when possible. Yet, despite their combined efforts, there were still countless man-eaters lurking around Trost, searching for more morsels to devour.
Why? Why am I seeing everyone die? Why can't I do anything but run? Jean thought with gritted teeth. Damn you, Daniel! Why did you force this responsibility on me? I'm not cut out to be a leader! He could only run ahead in example, unable to do anything for those unlucky enough to be caught.
"Keep going forward! If you look back, it'll defeat the whole purpose of this charge!" Gardevoir sang aloud. The Embrace Pokemon stayed with the group in their run through hell, guiding them through the chaos. She made full use of her psychokinetic and fairy abilities, attacking the Titan's minds to slow the abominations down. She directed her Pokemon teammates in the battle in a desperate race against time to get the cadets to safety.
Not much further now, Jean thought in relief, daring to hope that things would be okay. He shot a grapple line upwards, pulling himself up on one of the taller buildings in the area. Though upon getting a good look at the HQ below, the ashen-haired teen came to a halt and gazed in horror.
"Oh my God." He paled, bearing witness to the entire area around the supply building being surrounded by Titans, like ants on a piece of cake. Several of the walls were smashed in, and the monsters could be seen reaching inward. Some of the smaller Titans were even climbing on the building, trying to break through the ceiling and windows to get inside.
There were no gaps in the horde, no spaces that they could slip by without getting caught and devoured. But without the gas from inside, they couldn't refuel and scale up Wall Rose to safety. They were trapped, like cornered rats.
There was no way out.
Some of his comrades soon joined him, staring helplessly at the monsters in the distance.
"They're so many of them," Sasha whimpered, about to break down and cry. "I want to go home..."
"It really is hopeless. We're dead!" Connie lamented.
"Damn it all. What can we do?" Reiner growled in frustration.
"At least we tried." Marco sighed, his optimism forsaken. "It was a good life while it lasted."
A flash of light appeared next to them, a familiar fairy now standing near them again. The cadets took comfort in her presence, looking toward her in hopes she would come through yet again.
"I see. You can't get by the Titans without getting killed." Gardevoir's blood red eyes stared down in though, analyzing the situation. "You need to get inside that building there, correct?"
"Yeah, but we'll be torn apart if we try," Jean said in resignation. "Without that gas, we can't escape this nightmare." His mood then shifted towards anger. "Damn that Daniel, where the hell is he? We need that bastard here, and that Latias! Did they abandon us?"
That horrifying thought gripped the group. Did the person they saw as a savior leave them to die?
"Don't be foolish. If Daniel didn't care, he would not have asked us to protect you." Gardevoir made her displeasure known, her eyes narrowed at Jean. "I don't appreciate you insulting him, Jean. Especially when it is his decision that is bolstering your chances of survival". The teen recoiled at the Pokemon's rebuke, feeling a bit of fear toward the fairy. Her expression then softened into understanding. "Now, what are your orders?"
"W-what? Why are you asking me?" Jean asked in confusion.
"Because Daniel asked us to listen to you, and because, unwittingly or not, you've made yourself the leader when you goaded the other cadets into this. Now, give me an answer; we're running out of time," the impatient Gardevoir reminded him.
Dammit, she's right. But... can I, the hot-head who went out of his way to make sure he got a cushy job in the interior, really take responsibility for their lives in this situation? the young soldier wondered. He looked back at the faces of the 104th, his friends and comrades from those three grueling years of hardship and training. Marco, Sasha, Connie, Bertolt, Reiner, Annie, and so many others looked back at Jean, waiting for his response.
He gritted his teeth, knowing that their lives were now in his hands. He didn't like it, but if his decision could get them all out alive, then so be it. He knew what had to be done.
"Gardevoir, can you and your friends take out the Titans around HQ? And protect us from them, please?" Jean asked. He held his breath in fear, hoping her response would soothe his tormented mind. To his surprise, the fairy creature reached out and gently touched his head, and a sudden, inexplicable feeling of peace washed over him, like all his cares and worries just vanished in an instant.
"Do not despair, Jean. We'd didn't come this far just to give up now." Gardevoir turned around toward the group, clear purpose, and resolution in her red eyes. "We'll kill the Titans. Be ready to move when I give the signal." With a flash of light, the psychic was instantly transported far below them.
"I hope they can do it," Sasha said, nervously biting her lip at the sheer number of the creatures.
"They've carried us this far, I trust them to the end," Marco declared, trying his hardest to be optimistic.
"Please don't let us down. I don't want to die," Jean silently pleaded. The cadets watched the Pokemon gather below, suspense making the air they breathed in feel ten times heavier. At some unheard command from Gardevoir, the five supernatural beings started their coordinated attack.
Froslass and Sceptile were the first to strike, the duo taking down the few lesser Titans climbing the fortress walls. The mutant humanoids may have been fast, but their attacks were clumsy and predictable. It was all too easy for the two to avoid their grimy hands, and strike them down.
Gardevoir acted next, teleporting to the top of the HQ building. Her teal hands were outstretched, red eyes glaring in displeasure at the horrid giants below. Her body glowed blue with psychic power, and the Titans began to grab their heads, groaning in pain. Steaming blood splattered from their eyes, the monsters beginning to wail loudly as Gardevoir intensified her attack on their minds.
With a metallic roar, Aggron slammed his clawed forearms into the earth. Countless jagged rock spikes erupted from the streets, impaling the distracted Titans all over their forms. Now immobile, the humanoid giants could not escape their doom.
With a fierce roar that echoed throughout Trost, Charizard descended upon the trapped Titan group. His jagged maw opened wide, and the draconian beast let loose an intense blast of searing flames, making the Titans screech as their flesh was consumed by fire. Charizard did not lessen his attack, carefully focusing the inferno on their napes one by one, until they were incinerated into ash. Aggron joined him in the slaughter, ripping apart the smaller Titans with his metal claws.
In less than a minute, the area around the supply building was cleared. Aggron returned the rock spikes to the earth, causing the lifeless Titans to fall down as their broken bodies slowly evaporated into nothing.
"Such power," Annie whispered, blue eyes wide at the coordinated destruction the Pokemon caused. Terror gripped her insides like a vice at witnessing the power of these creatures. Reiner and Bertolt were in a similar state, though they hid it better.
"Do it now! The path is clear, we'll cover your sides!" Gardevoir announced to them all.
"Now! Everyone, move now! Go!" Jean called out, jumping off and activating his 3DMG gear. He heard the hissing of compressed gas from behind him, his fellow cadets following his lead. They landed on the houses below, sprinting across the rooftops at full speed. The Pokemon could be seen engaging the Titans in the surrounding area, killing them before they could reach the humans. Hope flared up inside them all, the recruits surging forward as they closed the distance.
With a shout of determination, Jean led the charge. Going full throttle in the air, he smashed through a side window feet first, sending countless shards of glass flying around the room. He rolled to a stop on the wooden floor, head dizzy as he stood up in pain.
Several other windows were shattered as well, the cadets pouring in as quickly as they could. There were plenty of fresh wounds from the broken glass, but they were far too happy to care about that. They were alive, and that was what mattered at this moment.
"We made it!" Connie cried out in relief.
"We're alive! Yahoo!" Sasha cheered with raised arms, her optimism restored.
"I don't know who that guy was, or where he found those monsters, but I could kiss his ass right now." Jean panted in relief. Similar cheers and shouts sounded off, but he didn't feel like joining them. His heart felt heavy at the few cadets that didn't make it, but it couldn't be helped. Doubtless, their casualties would have been much heavier without the Pokemon's aid. He turned his head sideways and his breathing stopped momentarily at the sight of two soldiers that were hiding and crying underneath a wooden desk.
"Hold on a sec... you two are part of supply squad, right?" he realized, barely contained rage in his voice. He didn't wait for them to answer, instead pulling one out by the shirt and punching him in the face. He would have lashed out more, had Marco not quickly restrained his arms from behind.
"Jean! Calm down!" Marco begged, but his words fell on deaf ears.
"You bastards abandoned us!" Jean roared in livid rage, all his emotion from today being unleashed. "People are dead because of you! Because you didn't have the guts to do your goddamn job!"
"The Titans got into the basement! We couldn't do anything!" The girl cadet sobbed. She clung to the bloodied cadet Jean had punched, cowering before his anger.
"It was your job to do something about it! You think it was any easier for us out there, with no backup in sight?" Jean spat venomously. He would have thrown plenty more insults, had a Titan's roar not sounded out from nearby.
"Everyone, get down!" Reiner called out, just before a wall was smashed inward. The impact sent two nearby people flying backward, the horrid face of two monsters looking at the terrified cadets within.
The ashen-haired teen gritted his teeth in frustration. "Dammit, there are too many people gathered here!" Panic overtook the majority of the recruits, the group screaming and retreating further in.
"Hurry! Get inside!"
"Run for your lives!"
"Where's Daniel and Latias?"
"They abandoned us! We're on our own!"
This is normal. This is reality, isn't it? Was I just chasing a delusional dream? Jean thought numbly. He was frozen in place, staring at the massive faces that tormented his soul. Some might be able to kill these monsters, but in the end, we can't beat them!
As if to prove Jean wrong, a massive fist suddenly flew in from the side and bashed the two Titans' heads inwards. The monsters were sent flying away from the building, skidding and tumbling down the brick road. Even through the thick steam and clouds of dust, the cadets could easily see the colossal being standing outside.
"What the hell is that?" Jean gaped at the strange Titan. The entire room watched the muscular Titan outside, their expressions varying from fear to numb shock. The humanoid beast roared in dominance, ignoring them and marching off to dispose of the Titans it had attacked. As it moved aside, a familiar Eon Dragon floated down to greet them all.
"Reinforcements have arrived!" The mental voice of Latias proclaimed cheerfully. Her presence brought visible relief to the cadets, who had witnessed just how powerful she was earlier. Latias set down her passengers, who happened to be Daniel, Mikasa, and Armin.
"Sorry we're late, you guys! You wouldn't believe the traffic!" the oldest of the bunch casually commented. He turned to the hole in the building. "Aggron! Charizard! Protect the big, green-eyed Titan, and keep the other ones away from us! Latias, give them a hand! Guide our big friend where you think he'd do the most damage! Everyone else, return!"
"Aye aye, boss!" Latias responded in her usual child-like seriousness, soaring outside to engage the enemy. Daniel heard Aggron and Charizard also give roars of understanding, the two behemoths continuing the battle. Had Eren been conscious of it, Daniel imagined he would've been having a hell of a day with the way he was massacring the other Titans and all.
As long as he was rampaging outside, they didn't have to worry about the mindless Titans getting in. Sceptile leapt upwards through the shattered wall, limping slightly but calm and collected. Daniel patted Sceptile on the arm in thanks, the tired reptilian humanoid walking over to the captivated cadets.
"Finally, you're back!" Jean spoke up, taking notice of Armin and Mikasa as well. "Where the hell were you?"
"We found an abnormal Titan that's attacking its own kind," the blond hurriedly explained, taking the initiative. His face was determined and focused, Jean could almost imagine the gears turning in his head. "Latias brought him back here to take out the other Titans for us. With him, I firmly believe that we can win this. Maybe even take back Trost!"
"Are you insane, Armin? You want to rely on a Titan to save us? You must be out of your mind if you think..." the taller teen protested.
"It is working," Mikasa interrupted. The glare she gave Jean made him flinch. "He's fighting for us. Besides, realistically speaking, what choice do we have?"
"While we're on the subject of choices," Reiner interjected, walking forward with a rare glare of his own directed at the black-haired girl, "how would you like to explain that stunt of yours back there? You know, when we were in the middle of Titan-infested territory, and you hung us out to dry."
Mikasa's intimidating gaze faltered, and Armin stepped forward with his hands raised in a placating manner. "Reiner, this really isn't the time for-"
"Now is the most crucial time!" the large cadet snapped. "She took the initiative and made the decision to lead the charge! She knew that the chances of retaking the supply room in here would drop significantly without her! And yet, she went ahead and tried to kill herself anyway, abandoning us along the way. How can we trust her when she clearly showed that duty, responsibility, and her fellow soldiers mean jack-shit to her?"
Jean wanted to argue that it wasn't the case; that she'd just gotten emotional at the news of Eren's death. But he couldn't, not after seeing the other cadets smashed, devoured, and squeezed to death at the hands of the Titans, the horror that was this ridiculously one-sided war.
Not when the wound was still so unbearably fresh. If the muttering and glances from the other recruits were any indication, they felt the same way.
"Why, Mikasa?" he couldn't help but ask. Considering this was the girl he was crushing on, it was that much more painful. "I know that Eren meant a lot to you, but... are we really so worthless that you can brush us off to the side just like that? What about Armin? What about those that died on the way here?"
She bit her lip, in shame hopefully, her eyes shifted downward but refused to answer, and that made something in him snap. "What about those that would've lived if you'd just stayed with the group, huh?! If you'd stayed, Daniel and Latias would have been there too, and maybe we'd all have made it! But that didn't happen! Instead, you played the tragic heroine card and tried to die in a blaze of glory like your beloved suicidal maniac, leaving us to be put down like a bunch of dogs!"
"I get it."
Jean's glare relaxed a mite when she finally provided an answer. She lifted her gaze and stared at him directly, regret and guilt present in her eyes, but strength and resolve, too. "You have every right to mistrust me, be angry at me, even hate me for what I did. I'm a hypocrite, I pretended to be strong when I am weak, and I failed you all when you needed me the most," she said in her bland voice, as if stating mere facts.
The negative emotions in her heavy stare were then overshadowed by composed determination. "But, trustworthy or not, you need me for this stage of the operation. The supply room has been overrun by Titans, and I'm the best one here. Daniel's Pokemon are either exhausted or fighting outside. And if I can redeem myself by helping us finally leave this hell behind, then all the better, because..." she swallowed, "because I am sorry."
Even through the haze of lingering indignation, Jean could feel a mild flood of relief wash over him; the knowledge of her repentance erasing some of the built-up tension. Though the doubt was still there, he could see the other cadets mellow somewhat as well. Reiner remained stone-faced for a few long moments before nodding in acceptance.
Besides, practically speaking, she was correct on all points. For the next step of the plan, her assistance could very well be invaluable.
"Mikasa's right," Daniel exclaimed suddenly. "Infighting will only make a bad situation worse. Whatever issues you lot might have, they can wait until after we've made our way over the wall." He clapped his hands. "Now, where is this gas you need?"
The cadets were quickly preparing for the task at hand, knowing that their very lives depended on it. According to the one who had been trapped in HQ earlier, the armory in the basement was overrun with 3-4 meter Titans. In such a dark and constricted area, using their 3DMG gear would be impossible, so they were at a massive disadvantage. But, in order to get the gas they needed to retreat, the monsters would have to be taken out first.
True to his word, Daniel had assumed command again. He was confident filling this role, as he had done it many times in the past. It was clear that this was the first battle many of these cadets had been in, so his past experiences automatically made him more qualified. After all, he knew how important a chain of command was on the battlefield, especially when fighting bigger, stronger foes.
Looking at the remaining youths in the room, Daniel felt a stab of guilt at the few missing faces. Some of them didn't survive after all, despite his vocal insistence that they would.
Damn it all... I took command of this nightmare. I said we'd all get out alive, and they believed me. I should've known better by now. Why did I make a promise I knew I couldn't keep? he thought in grief. He shook that trail of thought off, knowing that it was pointless to drown in self-pity. He reached out through the mental link he shared with Gardevoir, asking her to return. No doubt the presence of his very first Pokemon would ease his soul.
Not a moment later, Gardevoir teleported into the building, collapsing on the ground in exhaustion. She had pushed herself beyond her own limits again, not surprising considering how stubborn she was.
"Gardevoir! Are you okay?" Sasha asked in concern. She knelt down next to the fairy creature, placing her hand on a teal arm.
"...Yes. I'm just tired. My energy is spent." Gardevoir sighed. The fatigue in her voice was clear. Daniel said nothing, paying Sasha no mind as he knelt down next to his Pokemon and pulled off his backpack. From it, he withdrew several Max Elixir bottles, knowing that his team would need them to get their strength back.
Carefully crafted to replenish a Pokemon's energy levels, even during the heat of battle, these wonders of science were very hard to produce, and thus, very expensive. Their physical counterpart, the Max Potion, which restored their physical energy and stamina was thankfully cheaper, and he took out a few of those as well. He wasn't in a risk-taking mood right now, not after all those who'd died.
He looked up and came face-to-face with his starter's stern but sympathetic gaze.
"It's not your fault," Gardevoir assured, already knowing what Daniel was thinking. "You can't save everyone, we already learned that long ago."
I know. But that doesn't mean I have to like it, Daniel bitterly thought, the face of her flashing in his mind again. He forced his sorrow down, though he wanted nothing more than to hug his fairy friend right now. But he was a commander and couldn't look weak when his subordinates were plenty terrified already. He would shed tears later; right now, he had a job to do and people to look after.
With a sudden shriek, Froslass floated through the floorboards, scaring the cadets happened to be near... and narrowly dodged a sword swipe from one of them.
"Stop! It's okay! It's just Froslass. She likes to scare people now and then," Daniel hurriedly explained. The ice-type giggled happily and floated around without a care, ignoring the annoyed and dirty looks the startled few shot her.
"Froslass, now's really not the time for that. We're all pretty high-strung as it is." The trainer offered a few potions over to the Snow Land Pokemon. "Take these to the others. They're going to need them."
"Okay, Danny!" the ice ghost chimed. She wrapped her long, boneless arms around the containers and quickly floated through a broken window. He also offered some out to Sceptile and Gardevoir, who happily accepted.
"Thank you. This is just what I needed." Floating the container mid-air, Gardevoir opened it. In an careful use of physic powers, she floated the blue liquid into her mouth lazily. A blue glow appeared around her form briefly and the fairy gave a sigh of content, now looking much better. Sceptile removed the tops quickly with his claws, gulping down the Elixir and then Max Potion with practiced ease.
Daniel's thoughts were interrupted by a hand poking his arm for attention. He looked aside to see a young woman with red-brown hair, the girl staring at his bag with licked lips.
"Do you want something?" Daniel asked, eyeing her in curiosity. This cadet seemed like an odd one to him, but she looked rather friendly and easy on the eyes, so he had no complaints.
"So, ah, do you have any food in there? Some that you'll share?" she asked with clasped hands and a hopeful smile. She gave her best adorable doe eyes toward him, no doubt an attempt to charm him so she could raid his already limited supplies.
"Sasha, now is not the time to think about your stomach." A nearly bald boy groaned at her behavior.
"I can't help it, I didn't get to eat lunch!" she defensibly replied.
As if to prove her point, her stomach let out a grumble of discontent. A dramatic gasp escaped her lips, and Sasha fell down in front of Daniel, clutching her stomach and moaning in mock pain. The man snorted bemusedly at her antics, and his hand pulled something from his bag. He could afford to be generous with his favorite food just this once. He ripped off the plastic covering on one of his food bars and held it out to Sasha.
"Here, would you like some beef?" he offered. Not a second later, the girl swept it free from his hands, her eyes wide and crazed with desire.
"MEAT!" Sasha screamed out in pure joy. And to Daniel's shock, she viciously tore into the snack, like a starving animal would on caught prey. She paused for a few seconds to savor the flavor, a look of ecstasy appearing on her face.
"IT'S REAL!" she exclaimed. And to everyone's surprise, she lunged at the trainer and grabbed his jacket collar. "Are you God? Have my prayers been answered?" Sasha demanded as she shook him vigorously, her gold eyes intently looking at him in worship.
"What?! No!" Daniel grabbed her arms, but this did not discourage her.
"You have more meat, right? Please, share some with me! I'm begging you!"
"Calm down, woman!" With some effort, Daniel pried the hysterical soldier off his chest. All the while the other cadets watched the spectacle with amusement or groans at her behavior. It got a few laughs out if nothing else.
"Tell you what, once we get behind the wall, I'll give you some more meat, alright?" he offered. Hopefully, that would placate her.
"Yes, great one!" Sasha gave the most respectful military salute he had ever seen in his life. She then quickly scarfed down the meat bar, blushing and giggling as she walked away, throwing happy glances at him.
What a strange girl, Daniel thought in bewilderment, lightly shaking his head.
"You're talking as if she'd be your first admirer," Gardevoir commented, to which he inwardly gave a resigned sigh. No doubt she would tease him on this later.
"Take a look at what we found! Thanks to the Military Police. Damn things are covered in a layer of dust," Jean announced aloud. He and a few other cadets carried several large wooden boxes into the room. They set them down and opened them up, revealing military rifles and ammunition.
Jean pulled one out, inspecting it with a frown. "Will three shots be enough? I mean... are guns even going to work against Titans?" All around them, their comrades inspected and loaded the rifles.
"They're far better than nothing," Armin said. He knelt down with the plans in front of him, several others gathered around. "If there are still seven Titans below that are 3 to 4 meters tall, it should be possible to blind them with this much firepower."
"Interesting. I take it you have a plan, Armin?" Daniel commented.
"Yes. Here's my idea," Armin began to explain. "First, we'll use the lift to lower a large number of people into the center of the chamber. Next, they'll fire directly into the faces of all seven Titans at once. This should blind them. The next moment will decide everything. Seven people hiding on the ceiling rafters will jump down and attack their weak spots while they're blinded. In other words, this plan will put everyone's lives on the line for a single attack. Seven people have to slay seven Titans at the same time. The seven people should be the most physically capable ones we have here. I'm sorry, but you'll have to shoulder everyone's lives."
"No worries." Reiner gave an easy smile.
"If we fail, we all die. The risk is the same, regardless of who goes," Annie pointed out.
"But there is also Daniel and his Pokemon to consider." Armin looked over at the man in question. "You'll help us here, right?"
"I'd rather not all that trouble we went through be for nothing, so, yes," Gardevoir said, Sceptile also grunting in agreement.
"What she said. I'm not really in the habit of bitching out at the last second," Daniel commented and gave the okay sign to Armin. "The risks should be minimized with us on your side."
"In that case, do you have any advice? Is my shabby idea really the best way to go? What if something goes wrong?" the blond voiced his worry.
Daniel stared at the boy calculatingly. For all his brains, it was obvious he had self-confidence issues. The foreigner wanted to tell him that everything would be alright, that it was a foolproof plan he'd suggested.
However, he'd already made a false promise once to them. And besides, babying a soldier like him would do the cadet no good in the long run.
"Armin, I ain't gonna lie to you; things can always go wrong. A military operation is never without serious risk. But I assure you, this is a solid plan. It's probably better than anything anyone else here could come up with," the trainer complimented, much to his surprise.
"We've got no other choice, anyway. We're out of time and options. All we can do now is give it our all in this," Marco determinedly said.
"What about Sceptile and Gardevoir? Why can't they just take them all out like they did outside? Then there would be no need to risk our lives," Jean pointed out. Several of the other cadets voiced their agreement to that appealing prospect.
"If you're not willing to put your life on the line, then why did you join the military in the first place?" Daniel scolded. "Fact is, you need to be able to rely on your own strength, and not look for a third party to solve all your problems. That's not what a soldier does."
"Are you serious?! We've risked our asses out there just to make it a-"
"Calm down, man!" the older man interjected sternly. "We'll help you if things get rough. I will go with those in the lift, while Gardevoir and Sceptile will go with those below. If any of the Titans survive the initial attack, Sceptile or Gardevoir will take them out, so stop fretting so much."
Most of the cadets didn't look too happy at his decision but accepted it.
"The lift is ready, and the guns are all loaded!" Jean announced.
After a brief discussion, it was decided that Mikasa, Reiner, Bertolt, Annie, Jean, Sasha, and Connie would be assigned to kill the Titans. Sceptile and Gardevoir also went with them, in case they needed backup.
Daniel walked fearlessly to the lift, which promised a path to the monsters below. They all filed in, lining up against the walls so everyone could fit. He found himself next to Armin, and the freckled boy. Marco, if he remembered correctly.
"Don't you need a rifle?" Marco asked him in confusion.
"Nope. I have a better toy right here," Daniel grinned and pulled out his black pistol. He may have had a team of powerful Pokemon at his side, but even he could see the advantage of a ranged weapon. It had saved his life plenty of times before. Even a Pokemon could be brought down by a few well-placed shots - most of them anyways. "16 rounds; plenty to get the job done."
"16? In that little thing?" the teen stated in disbelief.
"I have better technology at home then you all do here, sue me." He shrugged. That comment got more then a few awed looks sent his way.
"Hey, Daniel. I've been meaning to ask you about that," Armin hurriedly talked, an excited look appearing in his blue eyes. "You're from outside the Walls, aren't you? You must be! I've never seen those creatures with you before. You called them Pokemon, right? How many of those do you have?"
"Focus on the task at hand," Daniel chided. "I'll explain myself later. Right now, we have a job to do." Armin frowned in disappointment but didn't argue. With a pull of a lever, the lift groaned and creaked as it descended downward.
The supply room was dark, the only lighting coming from torches scattered along the walls. As the lift slowly stopped, Daniel was able to make out the massive shapes of the Titans lurking around. It was a pain in the ass for his eyes to adjust to the dark, considering he was used to artificial lighting.
They don't have electricity? Man, this place blows big time, he thought in annoyance. The group laid out their loaded firearms over the edges of the lift, watching the nearby monsters intently.
"We're in position. Tell us when to go in," Gardevoir spoke to his mind. He mentally voiced his thanks back, taking notice of the trainees on the rafters.
"Follow the plan," Marco reminded with a whisper, beads of nervous sweat on his face.
"Take deep breaths. Just focus on the target," Daniel advised, holding his pistol over the edge. Admittedly, he was nervous too but was used to making himself hold firm.
One of the Titans suddenly stopped, moving its head sideways to give them an unsettling and toothy smile. One trainee freaked at the horrible sight.
"Not yet! Lure them in closer first!" Marco instructed with a shaky voice.
With thumps that echoed throughout the room, the Titans slowly lumbered closer to the lift.
"Steady."
The Titans were a few feet away now.
"Ready."
Another set of footsteps. The monsters were at point blank range.
"Fire!"
Dozens of booming gunshots unloaded into the Titans' faces, obliterating their eyes and sending blood everywhere. From the rafters, the seven chosen trainees ran and jumped off, blades held high as they fell and swung into the necks of the humanoids. The sounds of cutting flesh filled the room, 5 of the giants stumbling before falling down dead.
However, Sasha and Connie failed to cut deep enough, leaving two Titans still alive. The monsters turned towards the ones who had attacked them from behind, their eyes already regenerated.
Sasha whimpered and backed up, eyes wide with terror as the Titan walked towards her. "I'm sorry for suddenly sneaking up and attacking you..." she babbled shakily, the giant scowling and lumbering closer to her.
"Oh shit!" Connie swore, his assigned Titan staring at him like a piece of steak.
"Sasha and Connie missed!" Bertolt shouted out.
"Hurry, help them!" Jean yelled.
"Gardevoir! Sceptile! Do it now!" Daniel yelled out, knowing that they could hear him.
In an instant, Gardevoir appeared behind the panicked Connie to shield him from the Titan. With a burst of psychic power, Gardevoir lifted the Titan into the air and flung it sideways upon the stone floor. One Moonblast later, and the Titan was felled, never to rise again.
Sceptile's Titan, however, leaped at Sasha just as he went to slice its nape. The resulting cut wasn't deep enough to end its life, and he turned mid-air, ready to go for another charge. The girl had thankfully managed to dive to the side right before it fell on her. She lost her swords in the process, though, and could only stare and cry in fear as the monster crawled to her.
Just as the Forest Pokemon landed against a beam and bent his legs for another jump, he was stopped by the sight of a graceful figure touching down on the beast's neck and, with a good swipe of their swords, finishing the job for him. The Titan crumbled to the ground, steam emitting from the open wound.
"Mikasa!" Sasha yelled in relief, moving forward to hug the top-ranked graduate around the waist. "You saved me!"
"Are you hurt?"
"No, thanks to you!"
"Then stand up. We need to get out of here as fast as possible."
"Thanks. I owe you one," a relieved Connie said to Gardevoir. The fairy simply nodded in acknowledgment.
"Yeah, that was a sweet move, Mikasa," Jean piped up. Mikasa nodded in thanks, and then her gaze switched to Reiner. The muscular man stared at her for a few seconds before nodding, though his expression remained hard to read. No doubt she hadn't yet completely redeem herself in his eyes, but she wasn't expecting any different.
She knew she would have to earn everybody's trust back.
"We got them all! Everyone stock up on supplies!" A trainee called out.
"Hell yeah!" A small cheer went out among the group. Marco gave a deep sigh and nearly fainted.
"Everyone, grab what you need and be ready to move! We are leaving this shit hole in no more than 5 minutes!" Daniel declared. The lift was lowered all the way to the bottom, the trainees exiting quickly and heading for the gas storage tanks.
"We're safe now!"
"No more Titans are coming in!"
"That abnormal Titan and Latias are keeping them away!"
"I never got to thank you for earlier, Jean," Marco commented, causing his friend to raise his head. "You really came through for us, man. Thank you."
The ashen-haired trainee looked surprised at his statement before scowling in disagreement. "Remember all that crap about me being a good leader?" He continued to fill his own canisters. "Don't talk like that anymore."
"I mean no offense by this, but there's something I want to tell you," Marco began. "You're not strong, Jean. That's why you can understand how the weak feel. And you're good at judging the situation correctly. You know what needs to be done, don't you? I'd gladly follow someone like that."
Jean looked at his best friend in surprise, not believing the praise he was heaping on him.
"He's right, you know. Gardevoir told me how you handled things earlier." Daniel walked over to them. "All things considered, you did a good job."
"I didn't do anything, your pets kept us alive. All I could do was watch while people died," the teen lamented.
"Just leading by example and keeping a level head is sometimes enough. Besides, if you didn't want to see people die, Jean, you shouldn't have joined the hell that is military life. You will see more people die. Reality is cruel like that; it makes no exceptions for anyone. I advise you to come to terms with that." Oddly enough, Jean looked somewhat comforted by those blunt words.
"You talk like you've experienced this before," Marco carefully said.
"That... is another story," Daniel elusively said. "Either way, just so you know, these guys may count on you to lead them again, Jean. I don't wanna push you into anything, but consider what might happen if someone else was put in the shoes you had no choice but to wear today." He shrugged. "Who knows? This person might handle it well."
The trainer began walking away. "But, then again, he might not."
A short while later, the cadets were resupplied and in high spirits. They were gathered near the side door of HQ, with Daniel looking them over. Alongside him were Gardevoir and Sceptile, the two loyal Pokemon standing with him.
"Time to bail on this shit-hole," Daniel said, and without hesitating, he lifted his foot up and kicked the doors open. "Get your asses over the wall! We meet on the other side!"
The soldiers didn't need any more encouragement, running out of the building and taking off into the air in delight. Their 3DMG gear carried them up and over the buildings, and soon they scaled up the massive structure. Daniel allowed himself a brief smile, feeling much happier at seeing so many survive and escape.
"We did good," Gardevoir declared, which her master could wholeheartedly agree with. Turning around, he took notice of several cadets that were still here. Armin and Mikasa were no surprise, but Jean, Reiner, Bertolt, and Annie were there as well.
"Daniel, I'm calling in your word. Let's go get Eren back, now," the black-haired girl demanded. Daniel nodded in understanding, pulling out the Eon Flute out from his jacket pocket.
"Eren? Wasn't he killed earlier?" Annie asked with a hint of confusion in her usually bland expression.
"Oh, right. Yeah, Eren is that buff Titan outside," Daniel said casually. His statement caused those not in the know to go wide-eyed in astonishment.
"You're saying that... Eren was that Titan this whole time?" Jean gaped like a fish.
"Before you start yelling at me about how it's impossible and shit, Latias read his mind and proved it." He moved the Eon Flute up to his lips, playing a few notes to call Latias back. A few seconds later, she had flown down to them, a chipper smile on her mouth.
"Daniel! Hey, Daniel! Did you know if I concentrate on a Titan hard enough, I can make its head explode? Because I do, and it's fun, kinda like bubble wrap," Latias dramatically and cheerily declared. The cadets backed off and eyed the Eon Dragon nervously, not wanting to risk the same fate she described befalling them.
"Glad someone is having the time of their life," her trainer murmured, which Latias heard and, having taken the answer seriously, nodded vigorously in response.
"What about Eren? He's okay, right?" Mikasa urgently asked. The Eon dragon nodded at the question, much to her visible relief.
"Eren is fine, but he's running on fumes, it won't be long until he passes out. Like a wild animal, he is," Latias replied. "Charizard and Aggron are still with him. And I swear, those boneheads are competing for the highest Titan kill count. It must be male pride driving them," she snorted.
"Lucky for us," Jean sighed tiredly. The ashen teen rubbed his head in confusion, still coming to terms with all the traumatic and insane things he had witnessed in the past hour. "I just want this day to be over."
"The sun always sets, so you'll get your wish soon enough," Daniel idly commented.
"Heh, I guess that's true," Jean agreed. "But, is that Titan really Eren? You're not fucking with us, right?"
"Yes, that Titan is Eren," the trainer confirmed. "I not cruel enough to joke about something like that."
"Yeah, but that's rather hard to believe," Bertolt quietly spoke up.
"I understand that it sounds crazy, but it's the truth," Armin insisted.
"Trust me, it is Eren. I looked into his mind, and I'm always right," Latias lazily twirled and floated above them without a care.
"You can... look into people's heads?" Annie carefully asked Latias, a hint of fear showing in her icy eyes.
"Why yes, short one! But don't worry, I respect people's privacy," Latias assured. "If I did look, you would feel it." Annie glared angrily at Latias for commenting on her short stature, but accepted the answer.
"That goes for me as well. Unless I have a good reason, I will not pry into your heads," Gardevoir promised.
"Well, that's a relief. I like my thoughts to be private," Jean commented.
"Cut the small talk, we can't stay here for long," Daniel reminded. "Latias, call up Eren and the team. Mission accomplished, time to bail out."
"You got it, boss," the Eon dragon playfully agreed. Raising her head dramatically, Latias began to glow blue again. "Come, my adorable minions! Your queen demands it!" She sang aloud. A few seconds passed, and they were joined by the rest of the Pokemon.
Charizard swooped overhead, casting a shadow below as he landed upon a nearby building. He snorted a small puff of flame at the Cadets below, looking away in indifference. It was clear the flame draconian had no interest in socializing with those he considered beneath him. He gave a simple nod to Daniel, dutifully watching their surroundings for danger.
Aggron crawled around the HQ corner next, his massive and heavy body crushing the brick pathway below. Evaporating Titan blood covered his iron hide, the metal and rock type looking no worse for wear. Armin and Bertolt nervously backed away from the metal behemoth, looking at Aggron with held breath. While Jean and Mikasa could only stare in worry, knowing that their blades would be useless should Aggron prove aggressive.
"Damn, he's bigger up close," Reiner let out a low whistle.
"Aggron is the muscle of my team; big and strong, tough and hard. His armor is nearly unbreakable," Daniel stated with conviction. The large Pokemon grunted approval at that statement. He looked over the cadets in curiosity, slowly inching closer too look them over. The Iron Skin Pokemon began sniffing curiously at the nearby Annie, who backed up and looked at the massive steel fangs near her face. After a few seconds, Aggron grunted something out at the blond girl.
"What the fuck is he doing?" Annie hissed at Daniel, defiantly staring at the metallic blue eyes of Aggron.
"He says that you smell like filth, take a bath," Daniel translated with a chuckle. Annie shot an offended glare at Aggron, who simple huffed in her face and walked over to Daniel and the others. Sceptile held out a fist bump for the Iron Skin Pokemon, who grunted and lightly tapped it with his massive paw. Gardevoir and Aggron shared a bitter glace for a moment, before indifferently looking away from each other. Daniel inwardly sighed at their cold behavior to each other, but at least they weren't tearing each other apart. He would have to find a way to reconcile them later.
Froslass flew over the group, coming down to greet Daniel. She cooed in delight as Daniel fondly touched her head crystals, the sheer cold from her body not bothering him. Looking over his battered team, he mentally made a decision as he reached into his side bag. It would be best to pull some of them out of action for now, to give them a chance to recover.
"Sceptile, Aggron, Gardevoir, and Froslass; thank you so much for what you've done today. Many were spared, thanks to your efforts. I know you're all tired, so take a rest for now," Daniel commanded. He activated the capsules on his monster allies, their bodies changing into a red light before returning into his hand. All the while the cadets watched the Pokeballs with fascination and confusion, having never experienced such advanced technology before.
"Your Pokemon can fit into those tiny things?" Armin asked in disbelief.
"That's what Pokemon stands for: Pocket Monster," Daniel explained with a smirk, to which the groups collective mouths widened at that realization. Daniel then turned toward his other heavy hitters. "Charizard and Latias, stay out for now. I need you both to fly us up the wall. And keep an eye out for those Titans." The two Pokemon voiced their agreement, keeping their vigil over the area.
"That won't be an issue, Danny. We took out most of those Titans, so we should be safe for a while. Oh look! Here comes the big guy," Latias announced. With a few heavy footsteps upon the brick walkways, Titan Eren slowly rounded the corner. His massive form was missing an arm, his body steaming as numerous wounds struggled to heal. His glowing green eyes looked over the cadet's and Pokemon in curiosity, a hint of recognition at their tiny forms. He let out a confused groan, still remaining in a dreamlike trance.
"Don't worry, Eren! We'll get you out of there, just hold on!" Mikasa swore.
"Now that you mention it, that Titan does kind of resemble Eren," Reiner rubbed his chin in thought. "Which is pretty ironic, considering how much he hates them."
"Heh, I bet the suicidal bastard won't be happy about that once he wakes up," Jean let out a low chuckle.
"Latias, you said that Eren's body is somewhere in that Titan's nape, right? How do we turn him back to normal?" Armin urged.
"Not to worry, I have an idea," Latias assured. "But it ain't gonna be pretty.
"What do you mean by that? You're not going to hurt him, are you?" Mikasa demanded, looking at the Eon Dragon with gritted teeth.
"It's like removing an old band aid; you gotta just grit your teeth and rip it off," Latias explained, her red body covered in a blue hue again. "By that metaphor, I mean I'm going to rip Eren's body out by force. Get back, kids." Not a moment later, the back of Eren's Titan blew open, splattering steam and searing blood outwards. The Titan stumbled for a moment and fell forward, Latias gently lowering him down with her Psychic power. The now lifeless Titan laid on the ground, a male figure barely visible through the thick steam it expelled.
"Eren!" Mikasa cried out, Not hesitating to run forward to reach him. She climbed up the fallen Titan's hair with stunning agility, moving towards the nape to grab the teen sticking out. She placed her head near his chest, carefully listening for reassurance that he was truly alive.
"He's alive," Mikasa choked out, tear's streaming down her face. Not able to hold her emotion in any longer, Mikasa began to sob in relief as she held Eren close. Her cries echoing across Trost. The others soon gathered up around the decaying Titan, helping her bring the unconscious teen down. The cadets gathered around their friend, varying expressions on their face as they looked him over.
"His arm and leg grew back, just like a Titan's," Armin whispered in astonishment. He grasped Eren's newly grown hand, staring at it in wonder. "Eren, what happened to you? How did you become this way?" Tears streamed down the blond's face, the relief at his friend's survival clear to see.
"This is so beautiful to witness, isn't it? This day might have a good ending after all," Latias spoke to Daniel.
I hope so, Latias. I don't know what the deal is with these Titans, but Eren must answers about them. We should keep an eye on him, just in case." Daniel replied, to which she agreed. "One thing is for sure, things are going to interesting in this world. This is only the beginning, I can feel it."