AN/ Hi, today I'm updating on Friday because I won't have time in the weekends. Thanks for all the reviews, favs, and follows.
They saw many people as they ran towards the boats as everyone ran in the same direction. There were children who lost their mother, people who collapsed in despair. Some people were spewing gibberish about some kind of false religion called 'the Order of the Walls'. Eren kept on struggling, striking Hannes's head.
"We could've saved her! Just a little more and we could've…!" Hannes threw him on the ground.
"Enough!" he shouted out. He looked as wrecked as Eren. The expression of guilt and pain filled his face. Hannes said in a strained voice, "The reason you couldn't save your mother was because you were weak." Eren's eyes widened. "The reason I couldn't save your mother was because I was a coward. I'm sorry." Hannes then helplessly sank on his knees.
"No. I'm the one who should be sorry," Lyla said in a whisper. "I was the one who let her die." Carla wouldn't have wanted them to go. She would've wanted to live and run away with them. And yet Lyla had left her there under the collapsed house, justifying that it was Carla who asked her to go and that she had to protect Mikasa and Eren. Lyla fell to the floor as she sobbed. Who in the hell made these hideous creatures? Mikasa pulled Lyla up and they continued to go to the boats.
Lyla looked around her. People were still running crazy. The idiots were still ranting about the walls, a wife was trying to save his dead husband from the rock that was crushing him and so on. Lyla tried not to vomit from seeing people being eaten by the titans. If there was hell, this would be it.
Lyla, Eren, and Mikasa safely boarded the boat. Lyla was relieved to see Armin and his grandfather. But even after getting on the boat, only one thought filled Lyla's head. Only one emotion pooled in her heart.
'I'm sorry.'
Lyla hollowly stared at the Shiganshina district which now turned into ruins. She spotted a titan tear through the walls. The titan was covered in protective armor. A mask of steel covered its face as it relentlessly tore through the walls. Lyla watched dismally as her district crumbled down.
It was her hometown, her house, her family. Armin said in an abject tone, "At least we're all alive." Eren stood up and slowly made his way to the fence. He said through clenched teeth.
"I'll kill all of them. I shall not even leave one!"
'As shall I.' Lyla thought as she gazed at Eren. His eyes were filled with bloodthirst, hatred, sadness all kinds of negative feelings. Lyla stood next to him and wrapped her arms around them.
"Yeah, let's kill all of them." She would pay back what they've done. She would make the titan's or whoever is responsible for all of this pay back. Then Lyla remembered Carla's last wish.
'Go. Protect them.'
Lyla's arms around Eren tightened. She clenched her teeth as tears started to stream anew.
'Rest in peace Carla. No matter what, I'll protect all of them.'
They arrived at the refugee camp late at night and were provided with filthy blankets. Lyla thought if it really was a good idea to sleep in such a blanket but she wasn't in the position to complain. The nights were still chilly and blankets were needed.
After a few hours after falling asleep, Lyla was awoken by the rustling of fabric. She peeped open and saw Grisha leaving with Eren.
'What's he up too?' She was surprised to find him even alive and something about Grisha's demeanor was highly suspicious.
Lyla silently followed not sure if she was welcomed. But she lost track of them when she got to the edge of the forest. Now she wouldn't risk going in there in the middle of the night when she can barely see through the dark. Lyla was about to leave when there was a crash and a streak of green lightening.
'What the…?' Feeling a little unsafe, she quietly retreated back to the building and lay down once again.
After a few minutes Eren returned alone.
The next morning when Eren and Mikasa got up, Lyla was not to be found next to them.
"Lyla….?" Eren went outside with Mikasa and was greeted by Armin and Lyla with bread.
"These are the rations. They say this place used to be a storehouse," Lyla said.
"Grandpa and Lyla got ours," Armin added. Lyla spotted a key hung around Eren's neck.
"Eren, that key is…?"
"Oh, this? I don't know… I think it was a dream. I saw my dad, he said that everything lies within the basement," Eren mumbled. Lyla knew well that it wasn't a dream but she kept quiet. Something gave her the feeling that this had to do with the green lightning.
Just then a soldier clicked his tongue in disapproval. Eren glared at him.
"There isn't enough to go around," Armin said, "This is for a day."
"So we haven't survived yet," Mikasa said quietly.
"Ha… They just eat up our food. If the titans were going to breach the walls they should've eaten a lot so that we would've fewer mouths to feed. At this rate, the food shortage would only get worse," a soldier complained.
Eren's eyes glistened with rage. He stomped toward the soldier and kicked his shin solid hard. Lyla predicted this but let him be. That bastard deserved that kick.
"YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING! You haven't seen the titans! You haven't seen how the titans eat the humans…" Eren's voice trembled from anger. What Lyla didn't predict was what happened next.
The soldier punched Eren in the face. As Eren collapse to the ground, another soldier kicked him in the side. Lyla, Mikasa, and Armin all three of them ran to his aid. The soldier tried to kick Eren again.
"Enough," Lyla stepped in. She bowed her head as she continued, "My little brother hasn't been able to eat for a long time. He got nervous and did such a rude deed. I deeply apologize." The soldier stared at Lyla but clicked his tongue as he started to attract attention from the crowd, "Hmph, the reason you're still alive is because we feed you. Learn to thank that even if you're a kid!"
"Of course sir, but," Lyla spoke in a surprisingly cold and intimidating tone for a 17-year-old. "The place where people live doesn't change the value of life. We are all equally human. Please consider that if you're a soldier who is supposed to protect humanity." The soldier pricked at Lyla's words. "Then, thank you for the bread." Lyla gave a smile as she went back to the kids. "Let's go guys."
"I'm going back to Wall Maria. I'm going to kill every titan there. I'm different from those jerks who 'pretend' to be strong! I don't need this kind of pity!"
Eren threw away the bread and Armin hurriedly caught it. "Eren! You'll starve to death!"
"Aren't you even angry? We can't win against the titans because we rely on this kind of pity!"
And so a quarrel broke out, or rather Eren's one-sided ranting. Lyla held her head from a headache.
"If you want to live like stalk, go ahead you coward!" As soon as Eren spit out these words Mikasa's fist found its way to Eren's face. Lyla was quite surprised by this. After all, Mikasa was never the one to hurt Eren. Eren fell to the ground with a harsh thump. Mikasa spoke in an even tone,
"If Armin's a coward then we are too." She snatched the bread from Armin's hand and started shoving it into Eren's mouth.
"Eat. I won't let you starve to death."
Lyla and Armin both stared at Mikasa with wide eyes. But they snapped out as Eren choked on the bread. Again Lyla interfered.
"Stop, stop. Eren, Mikasa does have a point. You need to survive first. But Mikasa, these rough ministrations just won't do."
"Besides Eren, how are you supposed to kill titans if you can't even defeat Mikasa?" Armin pointed out and everyone laughed except Eren.
"Survive, and fight." Lyla said. "Now shall I tell you a story to lighten things up? Today's story is about a girl who fought through many hardships and achieved her dream."
Lyla soon started animating the story for the kids. At first, it was only Eren, Mikasa and Armin. But as Lyla continued the story more kids gathered around her. She was happy to share her story with more kids than usual. After all, it was good to see their happy faces and know that it was her, Lyla, who brought that happiness.
So the days trying to drive through with a loaf of bread continued. Lyla's storytelling was now quite popular among the kids. They asked for a story on a daily basis and Lyla happily complied. It was hard times and Lyla thought that the children needed a source for entertainment or anything that would put their minds off from this dark situation.
Food shortage was a big problem and soon the refugees were sent out to pioneer the wilderness for food.
"Grandpa, are you all right?" Armin supported his grandpa with concern. A soldier who saw this shouted out clearly displeased, "Hey you there! Start working!"
Soldiers who were supposed to 'monitor' the work sauntered around with whips in their hands.
"Really, like we're some kind of criminal or stalk. Believe it or not, we're human!" Lyla mumbled to herself, uncomfortable with this situation. Just because they were refugees didn't mean they could be treated like this. But she didn't know that a day would come that she would thank for even this.
As time passed by food shortage became a severe problem and soon the higher-ups of Wall Rose started moving. They asked for 25 thousand refugees to retake Wall Maria. The ostensible meaning was to redeem Wall Maria but everyone knew it was to reduce the mouths to feed.
"They don't care if 20% of humanity dies…?" Armin uttered in shock.
"Those bastards!" Eren burst out. Lyla also was totally displeased with the idea. It was clear as day what they were saying. 'We can't feed you all so go out and die.' She felt to urge to throw up. Just then a thought shot through her mind.
'What about Armin's grandpa…?' Since this operation's real purpose was to dispose of mouths to feed the elderly who can't work efficiently would definitely be on the list of refugees to go out. Lyla had to stop Armin's grandpa from dying.
That night, Lyla went to the Garrisons.
"What."
"I have something to say about this Wall Maria retake mission. I want to meet the soldier in charge."
"That I can…"
"I have to meet him in person."
The soldier eyed Lyla' hooded figure suspiciously but went to call the person in charge. After a moment a soldier came out. It was the son of a bitch who punched Eren on their first day here.
"To your despair, the person in charge just left and is currently absent, so I'm the one in charge for now."
Who the hell thought it was a good idea to put human trash in charge?
"I have a person I want you to exclude from this mission." The soldier snorted at Lyla's words. "Do you know how many requested the same thing?" He eyed Lyla up and down and then shoved her hood back. Soon a sly smile graced his lips.
"The person you want to save would be that blondie's grandpa, right?"
Lyla silently nodded. The soldier's smile widened as he spoke, "You know… there is a way I can pull him out from this mission." He outstretched a hand as he played with Lyla's hair. "To be honest, I don't hate women like you, actually I quite like you." His other hand started caressing Lyla's thigh. She slapped his hand away and took a step back. That bastard…!
"Hm…? Perhaps you don't want to save him?"
Lyla's eyes widened. What should she do? Try to blackmail him instead? She knew how to fight. Really she could take him down easily. Or could she? Thieves, drunken men, immature kids she could defeat easily, but a trained soldier? All kind of thoughts swarmed around when she heard someone scold.
"You scoundrel!"
'Armin's grandpa…?' Lyla dropped her jaw in surprise.
"You call yourself a soldier? Shame on you!" He took hold of Lyla's wrist, "Let's go Lyla dear." As they cleared from earshot Lyla said, "Grandpa, if you go, you'll die."
"I can figure that much out myself dear."
"Then why…! What about Armin? Of course I thank you for your actions but…." At Lyla's cry, Grandpa answered patiently, "You're going to be there. Of course death is a fearsome thing to behold. But if I don't go, somebody else will have to take my place for the higher-ups would certainly want to fill in that 25 thousand."
"I'm… I'm sorry," Lyla's lips trembled. She felt so useless. Armin's grandpa smiled at her
"Nothing to be sorry dear, just promise me you'll take care of Armin,"
Lyla nodded her head.
