I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin
A/N: Sorry for a late update, but here, a gift, I made this chapter twice as long.
Go check out "A Change of Gait", it now has its own storyline!
Petra dabbed the last of Jean's blood off of his lip, then handed him a fresh cloth while tossing the dirtied one into the bowl of water.
"Keep doing that until the bleeding stops," she instructed, she glanced over to Sasha as she stood at the door, quiet. "Don't go outside-"
"What are we going to do about the Marquis?" Sasha said, finally turning; it was quick. Her bow and quiver were clenched at her hand in anger. "If he's responsible for all of this, he needs to be dealt with. The land could use one less nobleman, especially one under his jurisdiction!"
The older Scout sat at a chair across from Christa. She rubbed her eyes in consternation. "Dauper Village is part of the Hermiha territory, isn't it?"
"Yes," she snapped,"and it's been dying since the government began to tear down the forests for farmland. What made it worse was when Wall Maria fell, they've been choking at my home even more. I want a personal word with him now that he's the one who sent orders to kill us off, that just makes him worse to me."
"The least you could do is..."
Petra's words trailed away when she saw Hanji emerging from the shadows of the hallway. The woman halted at the threshold, eyes scanning the inn's dining room. The look on her face disturbed her greatly, as if she had just walked out of the battlefield and seen one too many people die. They all seen it before, they all wore that face, but she was vacant.
She stood up as the rest of them turned their heads to see her.
"Hanji, I think it's best you go back to Rivaille," Petra nervously advised as she got to her feet.
"Get her away," Jean warned, cloth down at his lap. He was glaring at the woman.
"Hanji?" Armin asked softly, he stood the nearest to her. When she didn't respond, he approached her though his steps were wary of anything that would come from her. "Did you need something?"
"I need to speak to Christa," she dryly told them.
It was then that Weiss began to violently bark from his spot. Petra jumped at the noise, unsuspecting of the sheepdog to be the first to respond. His fangs bore themselves savagely, his hair bristled as his tail grew tense, as though he were fighting another dog. He stood up from the floor though Sasha sharply told him,"Shut up," yet he only lowered himself to a growl.
Jean exclaimed in the thickening atmosphere. "Even the dog doesn't like her!"
"It'll only be a few minutes," Hanji pressed on. She decided to take a step, it prompted Petra to rush to her and take her by the shoulder. The woman tried to brush her away but she managed to take her the far end of the room. "What?"
Their eyes were fixed on them.
"Look, everyone is...starting to doubt you," Petra relayed to her. Hanji's vacant face grew to looking guilty, her eyes darkened at her words. "Even I am, just a bit. They found you beating the hell out of Jean, you're losing it, Hanji. Can't you see yourself? Even without your glasses?" She brought her hands to hold her by the shoulders, though she had to stretch as the woman was taller. "Mike and I...we've been discussing our course of action, for everyone, not just ourselves."
She let out a thoughtful sound, then gave a nod for her to proceed.
"Rivaille...he's not even with us to give orders, his own judgement is doubtful by this point, and you...claim to be following his orders, but you're just operating on impulse. First Erwin, then Ymir and Christa, now Jean...the first was understandable, the second was barely unethical, but the third, Hanji, they've most likely lost their trust-"
"Ymir's a Titan-shifter, Rivaille had a deal with her to kill her should anything go sideways," she explained, ignoring the last part of Petra's plea. "Ymir neglected to tell us vital information about Bertolt and Reiner. They were Titans, most possibly the ones to smash through Wall Maria. We gave the girl a chance to be of use but she blew it in that sense. Now three Titan-shifters are out on the loose and we're not only going to be running from the military but also from Titans. It can happen again, Shiganshina, Trost, the Karanese might be next; we're in danger because of Eren."
"Why Eren?"
"They were plotting to kidnap him with Annie, it seems she was working with them."
Petra released her though Hanji stayed in place. If what she said was true, the Titan-shifters may soon be in pursuit of Eren. How soon they could seek him out was something she could hardly predict. The fray to leave the Karanese could have ended in a multitude of ways, though every one that played through her mind made her feel that Wall Rose would fall at any given moment.
Growls resonated from Weiss once more.
"And you want to kill Christa on that basis alone? What happens of Ymir returns and learns she's dead?" Petra tried to argue with her. "Do you want a fourth Titan-shifter as your enemy? We're on edge-"
"-I know-"
"-and doing it right now won't help. They, no, we may as well turn on you."
Hanji bit her bottom him, then cast her eyes away from Petra. "True...but Rivaille told me to..." She spaced away from her, then tore away from the conversation, her focus now brought to Christa as the young girl sat across from Jean; she watched as Hanji's hand went to the belt holster that held one of Rivaille's pistol. "...Christa, come over here-"
"Why can't you listen to yourself!?" Petra hissed, she raised her voice, shouting,"Christa! Get out of here!"
"What did I say!?" Jean yelled as he jumped to his feet, cloth falling out of his lap. He reached over to Christa, pulling her up and shoving her to the door where Sasha stood. The girl dropped her bow and quiver to catch Christa as Hanji picked up speed, her hand completely drawing the flintlock.
Petra could only stand there, stunned, she couldn't move. Years of fighting Titans made her think quick, but for the first time she found herself unable to participate. She could only be a witness. She saw Eren take action, trying to lunge at Hanji though the woman quickly evaded him, letting him slam his face into a table. Jean, despite being injured, tried to put up resistance when she neared him, but a simple aim of her gun forced him to back away to the food table.
Ahead of them, Sasha ushered Christa to the door, yelling,"Saddle the horses, for you and me! Weiss!"
It was like the room exploded.
Weiss's frantic barking didn't make it anymore better as he rushed up at Sasha's calling. Petra expected him to leap up to Hanji, to maul her, but he dashed to the door, following Christa closely at her heels.
"You know the deal!" Hanji's delusional voice rang. "You had an agreement! Both of you!"
When the girl was out the door, Sasha faced Hanji, blocking her from leaving. With her bow and quiver scattered to the floor, she was defenseless though she put up a brave face. Jean had taken the liberty to fetch a cleaver from nearby (which was used for chopping at the pork that the tavern owner had smoked), he approached Hanji from behind as she raised the flintlock to Sasha.
The gleam of the cleaver being raised up high made everything pause, at least for Petra.
Her mind froze at this.
Why can't Mike be here? He could have...maybe he could have calmed her down, he's worked with her longer, even saved her. Jean was right, she needs restraint. If only Rivaille-
A sickening dull thud resounded through the room as though dead weight were tossed to the ground.
One moment the cleaver was in the air, the next, it was embedding into flesh.
Hanji still stood there, arm outstretched, though it fell to her side.
Jean had cleaved into her, just at the juncture of her neck and right shoulder. Half the blade sank into her flesh, then, as if he touched fire, Jean let go of the handle. He stepped away, hands raised in the air, leaving the cleaver in her body; they were expecting Hanji to fall, how she still stood was beyond their comprehension but they were thankful that she lowered the barrel.
Sasha didn't take a chance to pause and see the result, she stooped low to fetch her equipment from the ground and left without even saying so much as a good-bye.
It fell silent save for groaning coming from Eren, but even as he let out soft grunts of being hit in the head, a distinct hissing came rattling from Hanji. Her free hand went up to take the handle of the cleaver, then she pulled, taking her blood and flesh with the steel and splattering it to the floor. Within a matter of seconds, like opening a pressured pot, steam violently rose from her body.
The woman let out an agonizing scream, falling to her knees with her hands trying to cover herself. Her body trashed about, writing in pain and a newly released rage.
But Petra was drawn to what she saw with her own eyes, the vapor.
The characteristic of a Titan.
Petra had placed her faith in her for as long as she could, but now, she felt it shatter.
Who can we trust?
As Hanji keened, Petra rushed to Eren's side, helping him up. "You ok?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Eren uttered, stepping away from Hanji as she continued to bawl. He shook his head as though he were trying to rid himself of a thought, then grunted by the time he got to his feet. "What about you?"
"Good, just..." She glanced down at Hanji. "...just not well myself. Armin?"
The blond boy was frozen in place. "Peachy," he breathlessly answered,"we need to get out of here before she regenerates. Jean's right, she's not right in the head, I can't...I don't-"
"I'll ready the horses!" Jean declared, he made a beeline for the door. "Get Mikasa and meet me up front!"
"I'll come with!" Petra said as the boys parted ways. As Hanji trashed about, screaming louder and louder, Petra made sure to follow Jean, she couldn't stand being anywhere near Hanji, not anymore. The time for explanations were over, Petra saw no use in staying there. As she headed for the door, she paused to glance over her shoulder.
She would be parting from Rivaille for good. Part of her wanted to stay, just for him, but her new found affection for Mike made her think twice. She would have told Eren and Armin to take a hold of Mikasa and Rivaille, but she feared that Hanji would pursue her.
Her eyes drifted to the floor where Hanji rolled about, steam emanating from her wound as blood had pooled around her. The woman threw her head up to see her, and with her good hand, she reached out as though she were asking for help.
Petra simply shook her head and turned away.
-...-
The horses cried as Jean threw a saddle to the third one. Petra quickly came by to take her own horse and Mike's, leaving to fetch the man.
Tobias's voice cried,"Why must you leave?!"
He heard Sasha respond from the other end of the stable,"I'm not losing another friend!"
As he tried to listen to them, Christa's own voice rose from his left. He looked at her as she had her palomino already saddled and bridled, ready for their run. "You're see fit to leave as well."
"...I only want to save my hide," he answered, tightening the cinch with a brisk tug. He tied off the horse and moved on to the next. She stood as he went to bridle his own horse. His hands wrapped the leather straps around the beast's head, they were shaking, he paused for a moment to think. "And you? You're going to let Ymir return to find you gone?"
"We'll find each other," she said confidently though her eyes looked uncertain by the torchlight. "She'll find me."
"You better pray she that she could," he murmured, leading the other three horses with him and leaving her. When he got to the front of the inn, no one was there to greet him so he waited, four pairs of reins in his hands. He could still hear Hanji from inside the building, though she had grown quieter; his anxiety picked up, she could come running out at any moment to shoot the girls in the stables.
He saw Sasha and Weiss run out with a horse, she mounted it and trotted towards Jean. Shortly after came Christa.
"What about Tobias?" He asked.
"I convinced him to come with us," she answered, nodding to the stables.
The three horses snorted and whined, unwilling to be leave so soon. He padded down his steed as it snorted, his hoofed pounded the ground impatiently. Jean glanced at the inn's door, then down the street to where he saw Petra canter away.
"Where will you go?" He said as she fixed her bow in place on her back.
"My village, of course, where else to go?"
"And Christa...?"
Sasha looked away. "I promised Ymir I'd watch over her until she comes back. A favor, really, but one I'm willing to do."
Jean nearly laughed, though it was in a mocking manner. "How is she going to find you?"
Her mouth opened but she didn't say anything.
Weiss poked his nose against Jean's calf, sniffing at his slacks. Their Gears were left in the stables, their use no longer needed. A good riddance to them but the three years of hell they endured to master them had gone to waste. Jean pushed away Weiss as the door flew open with Eren carrying Mikasa in his arms, a blanket was wrapped around her body for protection.
She was awake, her arms were wrapped around Eren's neck.
Armin held a pouch of gold in his hand.
"Stole it off the cashier," he announced when their eyes were wide at his thievery, he shot back at them defensively,"we'll need it for Mikasa!"
He even handed it to her.
"Jean, I need you to hold her," Eren broke in, Jean's mind paused at the request.
"What?" He uttered though Eren had already given Mikasa to him.
"Eren, what are you doing?" Mikasa protested as she tried to fight him away, Jean instantly let her down to her feet; her fussing about would cause those stitches to reopen. "You said we'll be leaving together."
He nodded as he was given a horse in turn. His voice sounded distracted, unfocused,"Yeah, we are."
As he mounted, Armin took his steed for himself as Tobias's draft came walking out of the stable with the cart dragging behind it, creaking and making an awful amount of noise. At the sight of him, Sasha rounded her horse with Christa following close.
"I'm not staying any longer with the woman!" She exclaimed, her reasoning making Jean nod in agreement.
He had always seen Hanji as a woman with more than a few screws loose. Her actions as of late just proved how much her mind had been degraded, he couldn't see her as a leader or even fit to be Rivaille's proxy. Mankind's strongest soldier? He could hardly do anything with a missing limb, he doubted there would be much power left in him; they were on their own from the beginning of it all.
Tobias brought the wagon by them, his eyes wearily sweeping each of them; he didn't want to leave. His voice spoke out,"...family, friend, foe...family is what matters to me now." He glanced over at Sasha. "I have my concerns for Zoe, but for my interests, Dauper Village was my original reason for leaving the Karanese; I'll only help so far."
Jean let out a relieved sigh,"At least you have a place to leave for."
"I guess this is where we part ways," Christa declared softly. She turned her horse's head to the side, her lean legs squeezed at her horse's side, her heels dug into the barrel, spurring it. As a cue, Tobias snapped his reins, Sasha had already taken flight, her horse already anxious.
Then Eren's voice cut through the darkness. "Wait!"
He took Mikasa's hand and tugged her to the wagon that groaned to a halt. As he pulled her, he then picked her up once more and hauled her into the wagon, much to her protests; the girl tried to fight but her face contorted in pain, Jean even took a step until he was held back by Armin taking his sleeve.
"You need to take her," he told Sasha when her horse walked by, she stopped so that he may take a hold of her leg,"she's not healed, not at all. And...I won't let her come with me to the Karanese-"
"You're going back there!? Eren, you'll be captured, maybe even killed!" Sasha said, shaking in her seat. Weiss barked at him, already reflecting his master's displeasure. "How can you-"
"Just go!" He urged, a hand going to her horse's flank. Her horse, spooked by the sudden slap, nervously pranced about; her hands held the reins tighter, pulling them back hard.
It was then that Christa also voiced in,"I'll go with him."
Sasha's eyes grew wide, as she spoke, she panicked. "You'll die faster than him-!"
"Ymir went to the Karanese," she shot at her,"I'm going to go after her and you can't stop me from that!"
"Christa!" She only stayed by Eren's side, her horse unmoving. Sasha could only stare at her her, stunned, until her face contorted in a mixture of anguish and fear. "Fine." Her legs kicked at her horse's sides. "Fine! Go then! Leave for death! All of you! I...I only want to go home, there's only so much I could do but...but I don't to lose...my friends-no."
She cut herself off, her words choking her.
Within seconds, both she and Tobias had the horses break away into fast trots, the torches standing in the holders of the wagon illuminated the dark street. They had chosen their paths, though Jean kept his sights trained on Mikasa as she sat against the crates, a hand feebly reaching out, her protests unheard. Soon enough, the beats of hooves faded into the night and they were left at the inn.
Eren stood the furthest away, hands clenched but then he turned, only telling them,"I'm getting a Gear. Armin, you should go with them-"
"Then who will keep you in check?" Armin argued, Eren was taken aback but he shook his head, he just went off to the stables; he looked over at Jean. "You're still heading to the North?"
Jean gave a nod. "Yeah...most likely with Petra and Mike."
"...alright then. They will take the shorter route and head towards the Karanese, then go further than that." He walked away, his horse was led to the stables; Christa dismounted and quietly went with him. "Keep an eye out for Hanji, will you?"
"Sure."
-...-
Mike could hardly stand brothels.
The stench of sex and tobacco, poorly fermented vine and perfume, it assaulted his nose when he set foot into the dreary place.
A sickly woman appeared from around the corner, making him wince at her sight. Any normal man not native to this village would have turned and run, and he would have until she croaked,"Room or woman? Both?"
"I'm looking for a...a friend," he said to her, waving away the stench with a hand,"looks rich, has a mute servant-"
"Lord Isidor?" She grimaced when he nodded, she then spat to the ground in disgust. A young woman's head peered from a corner that the crone had walked out of, Mike squinted at her, then brought his focus back to the old woman. "He's not available right now."
"This is highly important," he urged, pressing for her to let him in,"I'm not a foe."
"Yes, and if you were Death you'd probably be too late to fetch him anyway."
Mike's mouth hung open in disbelief, confusion even. "I don't have time for games, it's really an imperative for me to-"
"He's dead, you oaf!" She exclaimed, she took him by the hand and led him down the hallway where he saw the young woman. She hadn't moved nor did she make eye contact with him. Mike tried to wrench his hand away but the crone held him, dragging him. "One of the girls went ballistic when she saw him, took a stab at the Marquis repeatedly! I wouldn't approve of such a thing to our clients but this one had it coming!"
He spluttered over her words. "W-what!? Dead? What about the servant!? Where's Fiete?"
His answers were given when they rounded another corner.
Amongst the fallen curtains that draped the hallway was an arm that protruded from one of the many folds. It was bloodied and led to the unmistakable form of a human body that was left undisturbed, though some of the prostitutes were gathered around it, looking over it; other women lined the hallway, unmoving though they were trying to get a peek at the body.
"Move, move!" The crone cried, and they shuffled away.
Mike gently excused one of the girls when he was brought to a large chamber where a bed and several other women were loitering in shock. One of them, a young girl, was hysterically bawling into the arms of another. His eyes drifted to the bed where white sheets were lined in the red crimson color he'd seen only in the battlefields.
"He's dying, actually, not dead yet," the old woman corrected herself.
He rushed over to the bedside where he found Isidor lying on his back, his torso and chest exposed though several, deep wounds to the abdomen lined his pale skin. At first glance, he was still, though his chest began to heave when his weary eyes rapidly looked about, eventually falling on Mike. "Dog," he greeted him with a rasp, even in his last hour he had that cocky smile,"you, dog."
The Marquis was fading fast, Mike doubted he could get a single answer from him. Even if he tried, his words would probably be drowned away and become nothing but wasted breaths.
"Fifteen years...fifteen years of gathering women," he struggled to let out with a bitter voice,"ironic that she...that she...she recognizes me."
His eyes pointed over at the woman crying in the arms of another.
"You like seeing me die, whore!? I made you who you are! Show from gratitude!" He shouted, then he coughed dryly. "Dog...over there, my coat, get that for me."
Mike looked back to see the elaborate coat that Isidor wore, it was embezzled with ribbons and medals, anything that told him of his status in society; it felt heavy under his hand when he took it. He brought it over to the dying man, Isidor reached to it, hand shaking with the last bit of strength. When he took it to hand, he dragged Mike down with him, telling him,"My servant...has keys to my manor and everything. Take the coat, take the keys, give them to Rivaille if he ever comes to."
"Rivaille?"
His breaths were beginning to be labored, his words grew fragmented.
"Few...ever had the glory to see my face, the man...he'll understand this." He brought the coat back up to Mike's chest. "Give it, will you?"
Mike stared at the coat, then back at Isidor's sickly face. "For you, I will."
"...good...good dog," he breathed,"and, that woman, Zoe, tell her I...love her, can you?"
His lips curled into a slight snarl, though he tried to feign it with a frown. "For you, I won't."
"No, please I- ah! Dog, I beg of you..."
And when his lips moved, words didn't come out.
Isidor's eyes grew wide as though the aspect of death didn't faze him, his smile faded into a gasp. He tried to get up, to struggle, though it only quickened his fate to come to an end. His body began to tremble under such strains, and soon, he fell limp into the sheets, unmoving and dead, eyes open and holding that fearful expression.
This was one death that Mike barely had regrets for. As he held the cloth of the coat in his hands, he looked up to see the old crone gazing at him, expecting something. In the midst of the sullen silence, he uttered,"...what happened to him? And Fiete?"
"The girl here, Katherine, stabbed both of them! First the Marquis, then the servant when a ruckus came about. You see, that Marquis is the man who operates the Ring. No prostitute today fails to know who he is, and those who get out try to leave their past. My home here, this brothel, is a haven for those who manage to leave his maddening Underground Mall, a border on rehabilitation and boarding..." She looked sadly at the young lady who was sobbing away. "...poor thing had the cuffs still on her wrists when she escaped. Well, now that he's gone, I suppose every girl on the streets can sleep at ease."
"What are you to do with the body?" His hand clutched the coat.
"Burn it, naturally," she answered,"not that this hadn't happened before. Well, you saw your friend, now get out of here unless you want service!"
He didn't reply.
"Get out then!"
Her arms began to flail about as she shooed him away. He barely had time to fetch the keys off of Fiete's body as she jostled him.
-...-
He found himself on the front porch where Petra stood at the main road with an extra horse. Startled by her sudden appearance, he nearly dropped the jacket as she shakily told him,"Get on, we're leaving!"
"Now!?"
"Yes, now!" She urged.
She tossed him the reins to his horse. He immediately mounted and they spurred their horses around, getting into a canter. As they went through the sleepy village, he held the coat over his shoulder as he told her,"Isidor is dead."
Petra looked straight as though she ignored him, as if his news was miniscule compared as to why they were suddenly departing. It was quiet for a minute as they traveled to the other end of town where their inn was. Mike skidded his steed to a stop and immediately dismounted to address Jean as the boy held to the horses. Petra's voice came out of the darkness,"Where's Mikasa and Sasha? Christa?"
"The first two left," Jean told her as he gripped the horses tighter. "Christa's still here."
"What about Hanji?" Mike inquired.
"Inside but don't-"
He pressed on, moving passed the horses and into the inn, ignoring their protests as his hand reached the iron knob. He turned it and found the dining room to be a mess with the innkeeper nowhere in sight, much to the oddity as he entered an upturned scenery. Chairs were tossed to the side and some tables were pushed away from their original places.
An alarmingly large pool of blood coagulated before him, thoughts racing through his mind, asking himself why Jean and the others weren't inside and fretting about.
As he stepped in deeper, he called out,"Hanji?"
What the hell...
When no answer came, he decided to go in deeper, instincts telling him to look into the rooms.
He passed the counter where the innkeeper was sleeping behind the counter, a bottle of alcohol rolling nearby her hand. He imagined she would have a heart attack when she would find her beautiful inn a complete mess.
"Hanji?" He called yet again. His boots tapped against the floor, the floorboards creaked under his weight. His heart skipped a beat when he thought of finding her heavily injured or worse, something went wrong among the last of the Scouts; their frantic protests of him entering the inn at all could have been an indication to her fate. "Hanji?"
He passed every closed room, then found one door that was partially open. He gave a light knock.
"Hanji?" He asked for the fourth time, only this was softer than the others.
"I'm here," a dry voice came from within.
He gently pushed the door open.
Hanji was sitting on a bed parallel to Rivaille's sleeping form. Just like Isidor, her entire front was bathed in red, though her right shoulder and neck had a tear in the shirt she wore, as though it were sliced through; her bare skin was exposed to him. He went inside cautiously, then approached. "Are you alight?"
She gave a nod, then wiped her eyes, her hands covered in blood as well, leaving a splotch on her face. "I could be better," she told him, she looked at him as he took a seat beside her,"aren't you going to leave with the others?"
"Yeah but- wait, you're not going?"
"No. I...it's complicated, I ask of you to go as well if you know what's best," she advised distantly, eyes focusing back to Rivaille. "They must see me as a monster-"
His hand reached to hers, taking it to silence her. "Whatever it is, just know you can still have confidence in me."
"Petra is right though...I'm not fit to lead anyone."
He bit at his lip intensely, then sighed. "She told you then."
Uneasily, she nodded. "...she did. Mike, just leave us, we'll be fine on our own, I'll keep to the back roads and wait for Ymir at the Hermiha."
"Are you sure?" Mike slowly asked, hands reaching to his side. She looked over at him as he gave her a coin purse. "Take the last of my coin, you'll need it to treat him."
Hanji hesitantly took it. "Thank you, I'm in debt to you now."
He gave her a slight smile but it faded when his eyes drifted to the blood. What just happened to her? He wanted to ask and yet...he wanted to keep the image he had left of her, to remain the way he once knew. They were all changing, each of them, they have all been pushed to the edge. Out of all, he had seen her grow worse over the few days in the course of their run.
Mike stood up, easily towering over her. He also handed her the coat and keys that the Marquis had given him. "When Rivaille awakens, give him this."
"What is it?" She asked, taking the finery.
"The coat of the Marquis, he passed away just a few minutes ago. A prostitute stabbed him, I just arrived before he moved on." She had a tinge of happiness in her eye, though he swore it lasted for a second. "I have reason to believe that he wants Rivaille to take his place as the Marquis."
"...take his place?"
"It's only a hunch," he told her.
Her hands fiddled with the ribbons and medals, then she looked up at him. "I'll give it to him."
Mike reached out to her, his hand going to the top of her head to pat her affectionately. He wanted to embrace her so much, and he should have, yet he couldn't. A few more pats and he turned away, heading for the door. He paused a moment, stopping at the threshold so that he could say,"We'll be heading North, Petra and I...to her father. If you wish to see us again, come when you please."
He glanced over his shoulder to see Hanji staring at Rivaille, though she finally bid him farewell,"Live a good life with Petra."
"For you, I will." He didn't realize the words slipped out of him, even as he walked through the doorway and closed it behind him.
It was the last time he had seen her, bathed in blood of which he didn't know whose.
-...-
The rest had mounted their horses with Eren, Christa, and Armin armed with their Gears. He didn't ask them what their plans were, it was a silent oath between them all that their own priorities were their own, that protests would impede them. Jean was shocked to see Mike emerge from the inn unscathed, even asking questions as to what happened.
A raised hand was all he needed to be quiet. Instead, he mounted his horse and took the reins, easily taking a side with Petra.
Mike had taken note of how they were divided. The younger Scouts, save for Jean, had their own objectives. With his guess, they were probably planning to scale Wall Rose for whatever they needed to do.
Tobias and his cart were nowhere in sight, he may have left with Sasha.
Pushing the thoughts out, he spoke,"We're leaving now."
"Yes, we are," Armin declared.
He nodded. "We go North."
And so they ran off into the night, not taking a break for their horses. They covered more ground now that Tobias was gone, taking in three times distance as they wildly raced one another. They took to the main roads, passing every village and farmland on the way, making good time as a faceless moon rose above their heads. It was a silent ride, no words were passed.
They knew what Mike didn't, and he would rather learn of it later.
A few hours passed as they went on.
It was at a main crossroad that their horses had been given a chance to have a break.
"Down to the right, it'll take you to the Karanese," Petra instructed,"take care of where you go, the MP may still be around. Be wary."
"We will," Eren finally said reassuringly,"the same goes to you."
She gave a curt nod.
The boy took his horse's head and forced it to the right, his legs spurred him on. Christa and Armin followed suit; they watched the last of them vanish into the darkness.
It was the last time Jean would see of what was left of his close comrades.
"Let's go," Mike said, hand clapping on to the younger one's shoulder,"we have our own lives to attend to."
They were done with their lives as Scouts.