Happy Father's Day!
AN: So, here's a question that I'd like to get an answer on whether you're a newcomer or someone that has stuck with me since the old version. Should I bring over the old Author's Notes so you can get my first impressions and reasons for the chapters or just stick with explaining the Remastered Edits? Please let me know in either review format or sending me a message.
Anyways, since this is a special chapter, I'm bringing back the music. Here's a reminder on how the song cues work: when you see a number like this (1*), you play the song listed in the AN next to the number. When you see that same number again, stop the music. If you see a time on it, stop the music at that very second. You can find all of this on YouTube. I'll list the channel names they are under. Also, you may have to either repeat the song, or slow down your reading depending on where I placed the end marks.
1. Mikasa vs. Female Titan on Mr. Clean's channel.
2. Female Titan Theme by Yurilica
3. Addicted to a Certain Lifestyle from Sherlock: Original Television Soundtrack Music from Series Three.
Chapter 18: The 57th Expedition
At long last, the day had finally come. It was time to start the Expedition that, if successful, would change everything. The Scouts had mixed feelings about this one. On one hand, they had a Titan fighting for them and his basement contained a valuable secret they needed. On the other hand, they had to get through hordes of Titans to reach Shiganshina first, and that came with all kinds of risks. The biggest one was the flat ground they would be traveling through. It was the least optimal situation the Scouts wanted to be in considering their ODM gear would only be good for grappling on trees or the Titans themselves. Still, at this point, it was a risk worth taking.
In the early morning, the Scouts had gathered everything they needed for the Expedition and rode off towards Karanes District's gate. Dillon was stuck in the middle along with squad, and he couldn't tell who was who with all the green cloaks in the vicinity. All he knew was that Eren was in front and he probably won't run into him until they reached his hometown.
As he thought of the Shifter, his mind drifted to a conversation Jean had with Eren not too long ago, something that had be gnawing on him.
"Hey, Eren, I heard that while you were in Titan form, you intentionally tried to crush Mikasa," Jean said, making his disdain very clear. "Mind telling us what that's all about?"
Eren stiffened, remembering how the courts accused him of doing just that.
"You're wrong," Mikasa lied quickly. "He thought he was just swatting a fly, nothing-"
"Mikasa, don't lie," Dillon interrupted quietly. "Jean has the right to know the truth. They all do."
"Like how you got that scar on your cheek," Jean added. "Looks pretty deep."
Dillon's eyes widened, noticing the wound on her face for the first time. Either Mikasa purposefully hid it from him to prevent any questions arising, or he was so caught up in his issues, he didn't even notice. Probably the latter.
"Apparently, it's true," Eren confessed. "When I was a Titan, I—I tried to kill Mikasa."
The confirmation intensified Jean's ire. "Apparently!? As in you don't remember whether you did or not? So, basically, you can transform into a 15-meter Titan at will, but when you do, you don't actually have full control over it?"
"Not yet, but that's right."
Jean let out a sigh, looking at his fellow cadets. "Do you hear that everyone? What a fine situation this is. Our lives and the fate of all mankind rest on his shoulders. I'm guessing we'll all end up like Marco, dead before-"
"That's enough, Jean," Dillon interjected, walking to him. "This isn't ideal, but it's the only chance we have and you know it."
"Am I wrong, Dillon?" Jean asked, looking right at him. "Can you say beyond the shadow of a doubt that you can trust Eren with our lives, with humanity's future?"
The blacksmith froze, finding himself at a loss for words. With everything he heard about Trost, the good and the bad, after knowing Eren as long as he did, could he actually do it? He could feel the gazes of Eren and Mikasa on him as he was unwilling to face them.
"That's what I thought," he said when Dillon took too long to respond.
"Stop it!" Mikasa demanded. "Why are you chastising Eren about it now? Just give it a rest."
Jean turned to face her. "Listen, Mikasa, unlike you, most of the rest of us aren't willing to just throw our lives away for him on a whim. We need a reason. The truth. We want to know what we're laying our lives down for. Otherwise, we might hesitate when the time is at hand. What we want is a guarantee from Eren. Show us what you're worth. Prove it to us. We're asking you to make us believe you're worth dying for!"
Whatever kept Jean's composure at bay snapped as the brown-haired teen stalked towards Eren and grabbed him by the shoulders.
"Jean!" Dillon moved to pull him away, but Armin held him back.
"You think you can do that?" Jean demanded. "If you can, then we're with you. All the way!"
Despite that declaration, Dillon still didn't have an answer to the question Jean asked him. Could he trust Eren because he believed in him, or because there was no other option left?
"You seem nervous," Marcus pointed out, bringing him back to the present.
"It's my first Expedition," the teen explained, shaking it off. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"Take a breath and calm your nerves," Jensen advised. "Last thing we need is for you to have an anxiety attack in the middle of the Expedition."
You look nervous for one second and then they immediately jump to the extreme. He thought, but he didn't voice his displeasure. He didn't want to start an argument.
Suddenly, the bell started to ring, prompting the Scouts to clench their reins in anticipation.
"Titans have been lured away from the gate," a Garrison soldier announced. "Gate opens in thirty seconds.
Dillon began taking deep, calm breaths. You're an Amsdale. You can do this.
"This is it," a Section Commander announced. "This is the day humanity takes a giant step forward! Now let's show those Titans exactly what we're made of!"
All the Scouts raised their swords, letting out a war cry.
"Open the gate," Erwin ordered.
The massive, stone gate slowly started to rise.
The Titans are not going to win this time. Dillon swore inwardly, a look of determination appearing on his face. Their days are numbered, and our freedom draws near. We will win!
Once the gate was open completely, Erwin gave his first command. "Forward!"
With a crack of the reins, the Scouts took off, their horses giving out a widespread neigh.
"It's officially begun," Erwin continued. "The 57th Recon Mission! Scouts, move out!"
Dillon stayed as close as he could to the Scouts, but he could finally see glimpses of his friends. He hoped that they were in good hands and that he would see them again.
Quit worrying. He rebuked himself. They've trained for this day same as the rest of us.
A rumble caught his attention. To the left was a fat 10-meter, approaching them slowly. Two Scouts had already diverged from the formation to take care of it, so there was no need for Dillon to be concerned. However, his eyes flashed, giving the Titan a migraine on the spot to make their lives a little easier.
Erwin let out his next command. "Long range formation: go!"
One by one the Scouts split off into their respective squads. As the blacksmith rode with his, he spotted Ymir and Krista nearby.
"Good luck, guys!" Dillon shouted.
Krista looked and grinned at Dillon. "See you later."
"Leave some Titans for the rest of us, Amsdale," Ymir added with a smirk.
Nodding, Dillon continued onward, ready for whatever would come his way.
With the red flares being fired, the Survey Corps were able to track the Titans, and with Erwin firing the green flares, they were able to stay a course that didn't involve running into Titans save for a small few. However, there were unfortunate exceptions that they had to account for: Abnormals, which was what Ness and his partner, Luke Cis, were chasing after. It was trying to head for the center of the formation, but it wasn't going to make it if they could help it. Especially since Armin, whose job was to hold onto a spare horse for the duration, was going to be in its way any minute.
"The nape's all yours, okay?" Ness shouted. "I'll go for the legs!"
"You've got it," he yelled back.
Quickly, Ness drew his swords and fired a hook into the Titan's heel. He skidded on the ground towards him, performing a slash once he got close enough. With the Achilles tendon severed, the Titan crashed to the ground.
"All yours, Cis," Ness said once he landed back on his feet.
Cis let out a yell as he leaped into the air. Two slashes later, the nape was split open and the Abnormal was dead.
"Way to go," Armin complemented with a grin. "Nicely done, Ness!" Compared to how things were in Trost, seeing experts who had been fighting Titans for a long time take down the monsters was a relieving sight.
"Not so bad," Ness muttered as his horse galloped towards him obediently. "Hey, nothing scares you, huh?" He climbed on, petting its mane. "That's my little darling Charrette."
As the two rode towards Armin's position, they felt the ground rumble. Looking behind him, Ness caught a glimpse of a 14-meter running towards them in the distance, gaining up on them quickly.
"Aw, hell," Ness said in a dejected tone. "Not again. What are those right-wing spotters doing?"
"Looks like we've got another Abnormal on our hands," Cis stated. "It's not their fault."
The Titan was getting closer, its skinless form becoming clearer.
"Ugh, I hate these things," Ness complained, drawing his sword. "Fine, one more for the road, then."
Cis nodded in agreement. "Right."
However, Ness was far from being done with his venting. "Damn it. Someone gonna tell me why we deserved two in a row? Bad enough it's an Abnormal. It's gotta be fourteen meters. This is gonna be a pain in the ass."
When he looked back again, he gasped. The Titan was nearly on top of them. Quickly, the two soldiers split off just as a foot came crashing down where they were. Closer inspection revealed that this Titan was completely different from the other Titans. This one had a feminine build, its chest a dead giveaway. Her blond hair was nearly long enough to cover her eyes, and the speed she was going was almost faster than the horses. Shocked beyond all reason, Armin fired a black flare into sky, gazing at this Female Titan with wide eyes.
"It's moving so fast," he commented, trying so hard not to panic. "Too fast!"
"We have to keep it clear of Arlert," Ness exclaimed. "Cis!"
"On it," he replied, firing a hook into her back.
Cis grappled up with a yell, ready to slice open her nape. However, this Titan had other plans. She grabbed Cis just before he reached her nape, and with a single squeeze, crushed his body. Ness fired a cable into her back as well, but she pulled it out. All he could do was scream as the Female Titan slammed him into the ground, killing him instantly as she tossed Cis's body away.
Shock gave way to horror as Armin stared at the Female Titan, who came to a sliding halt. She just killed two soldiers, who spent half their lives fighting Titans, effortlessly and brutally. If there was more indication that this wasn't a simple Abnormal, that was it. He flinched when her head turned in his direction, and his blood ran cold when she started running at him.
Panic overtaking him, Armin grabbed the reins and urged his horse to get him out there while holding onto the reins of Ness's horse. The heavy stomping behind him was increasing his terror as he tried to urge his horse to go faster. His mind was racing, thinking about how this Titan showed intelligence like the Colossal Titan, like the Armored Titan, and like… Eren.
It's a human being wrapped in a Titan body! He realized. Why? Why?
Giving a quick look behind him, he saw that the Female Titan was so close to him. Thinking that he was going to die, he released Ness's horse, trying to at least save its life. It barely dodged her foot as it disappeared into the distance. Armin looked up and saw her foot raise directly above him. So, this would be how it all ended. A stain underneath the foot of a human in a Titan's body.
To his shock, her foot overshot him by just a little bit, crashing down in front of him. His reared back sharply and Armin couldn't hold on. He flew off his horse and crashed onto the ground. There were some scrapes on his hands as a result of the fall, but he was still alive…for now. As he tried to get up, the earth shook violently, making him freeze. The Female Titan was on her knees like he was, and her hand was reaching out for him. Every instinct was telling him to get up and run, but he was petrified, unable to move. Why didn't she kill him? She intentionally missed him, so what was the point?
Her fingers pulled his hood back carefully, exposing his head. Taking a risk, Armin raised his head and stared at the Female Titan. Her face was so close. He could see her eyes this time, blue with what appeared to be a silver tint. Unlike most Titans, she actually had lips, and her other teeth were mostly covered up. She seemed to be… smiling at him for some reason, and that just confused him more. What added to it was the fact she somehow looked familiar.
The seconds that ticked by seemed to go on forever until she released his hood. Carefully, the Female Titan stood up to her full height, making sure that Armin wasn't in her way, and started running again.
Armin was visibly shaking, putting a hand on his face. He couldn't rationalize this, couldn't figure it out. A human fighting against her own kind, killing them, yet she didn't kill him. All she wanted to do was see his face.
"Armin!" a familiar voice yelled.
Snapping out of his daze, Armin looked right to see Reiner galloping towards him with a spare horse, which was a good thing since Armin's took off out of fear. "Reiner!"
Reiner shook his head, untying the spare from his own. "What the hell are you doing? This is full-blown Titan country. You can't be without a horse. Climb on!"
Nodding, the small blonde got on, trying to shake off what happened. In a few seconds, the two were on the road again heading straight for the Female Titan.
"I came as fast as I could when I saw the black smoke," Reiner explained, his eyes drifting towards their quarry. "Nice ass for an Abnormal you gotta admit."
Reiner, this is not the time. "It's not an Abnormal," Armin corrected. "It's a person controlling a Titan body."
Reiner gave him a look of surprise. "Wait, what?"
"I'll explain in a second," he replied, pulling out his flare gun, which was damaged when he fell. He tried putting it back together, but it wouldn't take. "Come on. Work, you piece of garbage. It's an emergency!"
Fortunately, someone fired a yellow flare behind them.
"Well, look at that," Reiner assured, looking back at the familiar cadet. "Jean got you covered."
As Jean caught up with them silently, more shots were fired. Looking right, they saw several streaks of yellow piercing the sky.
"Shit," Reiner swore. "The right-wing spotters have taken too many casualties."
"Yeah, apparently most of them were wiped out by a Titan ambush," Jean explained. "I don't know how it happened, but it was bad. Sons of bitches were lightning fast. Whoever's left is trying to hold them off, but that means there's no one on lookout duty. Talk about a setback, right? If we don't watch our backs, we're all gonna get wiped out!" It sounded like he was about to cross the line into full blown panic.
Armin's inquisitive mind, however, was in motion. "Wait, she came from that direction. Does that mean…?" He looked forward at the Titan in question. "Could she have led the Titans here like a commander?"
"Who, her?" Jean asked, confused. "Why the hell is she running from us? Is she an Abnormal?"
"No, she isn't," Armin answered. "I still don't know how it's possible, but she's another human who's taken Titan form, someone who has the same power as Eren!"
Jean glared at him. "Please say you're not serious."
"Why would you think that?" Reiner questioned.
"Titans eat people, but they're not murderers," he explained. "They just feed on instinct like any other creature. This one was different. When the others went for her nape, she struck them down in cold blood. Swatted them like flies. She didn't eat them; she killed them and moved on! That's out of character, even for an Abnormal. The Titans that took out the right-wing? I think she brought them here, just like the Colossal and the Armored when they struck. I just know it." He was talking to himself at this point. "She's not just simply satisfying her bloodlust; she has it in for us, or perhaps, more specifically, I think she's going after someone in particular. At that point, the question becomes who, and why."
Gee, I wonder who a Titan like that would be interested in? Jean thought sardonically.
"Hey, wait a second. Could it be Eren?"
Called it.
"Eren?" Reiner repeated. "He's with Levi Squad. They're spearheading the right wing… or they were last I heard."
That caught Jean's attention. "Wait, Levi's team? I'm pretty sure you're wrong there, big guy. My copy of the plan had them in the left wing."
"That's odd because my copy had them at the front of the right wing, too," Armin added, "which, now that I think about it, doesn't make sense. Putting them at the vanguard like that wouldn't be smart strategically."
Reiner tilted his head in confusion. "Then where exactly are they supposed to be?"
"Come on. Where else?" Armin asked. "The safest place in the whole formation, which I assume, at least, would be rear of the center rank."
"Armin," Jean exclaimed. "Now's not the time to be chasing our own tails about this. We gotta get word out on how dangerous this one is. Smoke signals aren't gonna cut it! At this rate, she'll cut down the command squad. We let that happen, and the formation goes to hell and we all die!"
"You have a plan?" Reiner asked.
"More like a wing and a prayer," he answered. "Look, we've got to try and distract her so that the platoon has a chance to retreat. If we're careful, from this distance, we should be able to manage it and make it out alive."
The two cadets gave him odd looks.
"Well, maybe," he added sheepishly. "She's smarter than the ones we usually deal with. You can take my word for it. From her perspective, we're little more than insects. One swipe of that arm and we're all flattened." What I'd give to have Dillon with us. With his powers, we could manage something more feasible.
Jean grinned awkwardly, his panic rising again. "Is that a fact? Heh, what a terrifying thought."
"Seriously, what have you done with the real Jean?" Reiner wondered. "No offense, man, but the one I knew could only be counted on to look out for himself."
He chuckled. "Your people skills need work. Believe me, friends, I'm still all about number 1. I just don't want to end up as a pile of bones that no one can identify." His mind drifted to the funeral where he tried to determine which bones were Marco's. "The thing is, I get it now. I get what needs to be done if we're going to survive this fight, and last I checked, nobody forced us to take on this position! Now, are you with me or not?"
Armin and Reiner stared at him for a moment, seeing that Jean was being absolutely serious.
Deciding to add on to the plan, Armin pulled his hood over his head. "Pull your hood up all the way over your head. She won't try to kill you if she can't see your face." In response to their confused looks, he quickly elaborated. "If she's looking for someone specific, she won't mow us down unless she knows for sure we're not them."
"Good idea," Reiner replied, pulling his hood up. "As far as she knows, any one of us could be Eren underneath this getup. That's actually kind of an encouraging thought. You never know. Maybe we'll get lucky, and she'll be nearsighted to boot."
Jean had no idea what was going on through that guy's head, and he didn't really want to know. He decided to address Armin instead "Not gonna lie. The way you clung onto Eren like a security blanket all the time used to creep me out, but I always knew you were brilliant." He topped it off by putting on the hood.
"Uh, okay, thank you, " Armin replied, looking at Jean strangely. "Not sure how I'm supposed to take that, but thanks."
Keeping quiet, the three urged their horses to pick up the pace. Within a few minutes, they managed to catch up to the Female Titan. They had a feeling she could sense them, but it was possible she was waiting for them to make the first move.
She's slower than we she first chased after us. Armin noted inwardly. Tired, maybe? Let's hope. We slip up, and we'll lose her. We have to do this now before she gets her wind back.
Reiner stayed directly behind her, Armin moved to the right, and Jean moved to the left. The trio knew that she was dangerous, but they needed her alive if what Armin said was true. Jean planned to go for the Achilles heel quickly without any fancy moves. One false move, and he would be dead.
Kissing the hilt of his sword for good luck, Jean made the first move, firing a hook into the heel. Unfortunately, his aim was off, and it bounced off of her. Instantly, the Female Titan turned around, swiping her arm with her. She created a gust of wind that blew off Jean's hood, blowing his cover instantly. Seeing that he wasn't Eren, she quickly moved to the next one, knocking the horse right out from under Armin. He let out a scream as he crashed harder on the ground, shattering his ODM gear and causing his forehead to bleed. He was going to be feeling that for a while if he survived this time.
Facedown in the grass, Armin barely opened his eyes to see her looming over him again. His eyes widened, expecting her to crush him into bloody pieces, but she still didn't strike the killing blow. Why was she sparing him again? Then, a horrible thought crossed his mind, and if he was right…
"Armin!" Jean shouted, firing another hook.
This time, it managed to pierce her muscle and stick. Naturally, she turned around to face him, rearing her arm back. As he moved up, he was forced to detach his hook, and fire it into her side as she took a swing at him. Barely, he managed to dodge her attack as he zoomed around towards her nape. To his horror, she quickly put a hand over it, covering it up.
What? Jean shouted inwardly. She's protecting her weak spot!?
Now, the panic came as the Female Titan's eyes landed on him. Jean was completely exposed, vulnerable to any attack she had planned. Her free hand curled into a fist and she brought it back, ready to smash him to pieces.
"Jean, don't let that suicidal maniac die in vain!"
The Female Titan stopped, hearing Armin's words. Jean was flabbergasted, but he quickly landed on the ground behind a tree, getting to a safe distance… relatively, as Armin continued shouting.
"She did it," he accused with unbridled rage. "She's the one who killed him! I told him the right wing was suicide, but he went along anyway, and now he's dead thanks to her!"
Jean had no idea what Armin was talking about, but it was doing the trick, for the Female Titan remained frozen, almost as if she was contemplating her next move.
Having enough of all this, Reiner threw his hood off, charging straight for her.
"She crushed him with her foot! I saw it with my own eyes!" Armin continued. "His entrails were stuck to his foot!"
Reiner impaled his hook into her shoulder, heading straight for her nape, the most idiotic move he could make. She, unfortunately, was not an idiot. As he passed by her face, she gave Reiner a smirk before catching him with hand, trapping him. The blonde struggled to get free, but she was crushing his lungs and had his arms pinned, making it impossible for him to escape. She placed her thumb on his head, and there was a sickening pop, blood spraying everywhere.
Jean staggered back, mortified by his friend's death. "Reiner? Oh, God. No."
Armin stopped shouting, staring at the Female Titan in horror.
Suddenly, there was a loud yell, and her hand exploded, Reiner busting out of there with blood covering him. His swords were shattered, but he was free. Quickly moving behind the Female Titan, Reiner landed, picked Armin, and started running for their lives while she started at her regenerating hand for a moment.
Once the blood evaporated, Reiner spoke quickly. "That should buy the platoon enough time! I say we follow suit and get out of here! If, she doesn't have an appetite for people like you say, then I'm guessing she's not gonna follow us."
Sure enough, the Female Titan stood up, and started running southeast of their position.
"All right! Looks like she's in retreat!" Reiner noted, relieved. "Poor thing's running home with her tail between her legs.
Armin looked back, realizing that she was heading for the center rank, going for Eren. This was not over by a long shot. To make matters worse, there was someone she would run into before she reached Eren. If I'm right about who she is… then God help Dillon.
(An hour later)
It started off so well. Dillon simply followed his squad and watched them kill Titans easier than he could. While he wanted to aide them outside of subtly using his powers, they didn't let him. It was nice thought that his squad wanted to keep him alive, but he wanted to more. Unfortunately, his time was possibly coming when a messenger rode up to their squad to give them bad news.
"The right wing's wiped out?" Darius demanded when he got the message. "Impossible!"
"It's the truth," the messenger said, equally distraught. "There's an Abnormal that's been taking the Scouts down like they were nothing."
This is not good. Dillon thought, unable to comprehend how badly things have gone south in such little time.
To make matters worse, several black flares penetrated the skies behind them.
"It's right behind us!" Maria exclaimed.
"Keep it together," Darius demanded, looking ahead. "See that village? We'll lure the Titan in there." He looked at the messenger. "Get out of here."
Nodding, the Scout took off, leaving the Squad to fend for themselves.
"Lots of grappling points," Marcus realized with a grin. "We'll take the Abnormal down easily."
"Don't get cocky, Mark," Jensen warned. "If we're not careful, we're gonna end up like the right wing."
"Jensen, Maria head into the village and take vantage points to target her heel and nape respectively," Darius ordered. "Dillon, stay with me at all times. Marcus, stay behind and go for the spinal cord. When I give the signal, attack!"
"Yes, sir!" they all responded.
"And for the last time, don't call me 'sir!'"
"Darius, I can help," Dillon assured. "Maybe I can take another vantage point."
"Rookie, you're not as experienced as us," Jensen said. "Let us handle it."
"But I–" He stopped, letting his statement die in his throat. He wanted to reveal his abilities, but two things stopped him. They wouldn't believe him and they would ask too many questions. Neither of those things needed to happen right now. What also made him pause was the ground shaking violently.
"Go," Darius shouted. "Rookie, with me!"
Jensen and Maria went on ahead while Dillon stayed next to Darius. Marcus fell back, waiting for the right moment.
I need to trust that these guys know what they're doing. Dillon thought as he put on his hood. The temperature was getting colder. If things go south, I'll intervene with everything I've got.
After a few seconds, the Titan came into view, charging at them.
Dillon looked back and his jaw dropped in shock. Is that… a Female Titan? When did those start coming around?
"Eyes forward," Darius growled.
"Sorry."
As the Female Titan pursued them, Jensen quickly grappled onto a tall building, catching her attention for a moment. She covered her nape so he wouldn't get any ideas as Darius loaded his flare gun.
"Hey," he yelled, pointing it at her. "Look down here, you monster!"
She looked down just as he pulled the trigger. She tilted her head to the side, barely dodging it, but she started slowing down to a halt.
"Now," Darius commanded.
Jensen took the spine, Maria went for the nape, and Marcus went for the heel.
"Bring that bitch down," Darius added as he and Dillon circled her. "Attack!"
"For the soldiers you killed," Maria stated.
"We're gonna make this hurt," Jensen promised.
Come on, come on. Dillon urged, thinking that they finally got her.
Then it all went straight to hell.
The Female Titan grabbed the hook in her spine and pulled it out as she jumped into the air, taking the others with her. Everyone's jaws dropped in horror. This Titan was far smarter than they believed and there was nothing they could do about it. Marcus could only widen his eyes as she landed directly on him, turning him into a puddle of blood and crushed organs. Maria tried to get away, but quick foot stomp ended her life quickly.
"Fall back," Darius commanded to a mortified Dillon.
Briefly snapping out of his frozen state, Dillon followed his squad leader
All that was left of the three was Jensen, who was dangling from her hand, and he did the only thing he could do. "Put me down! Put me down!" he pleaded.
Dillon brought his horse to a halt, looking back. The Female Titan was smiling at this, like a cat who just caught a squirming mouse. He shook his head, realizing what was about to happen. "No. Don't."
Then, she started spinning him around in her hand like some toy, increasing his horror. She was… she was enjoying it. She was reveling in it. Tears fell down Dillon's face as he watched his friend suffer the worst death one could from her. "Jensen," he whispered.
"We have to go," Darius said, trying to keep it together. "We have to get out of here."
Burning anger filled Dillon's body as he glared at the monster. He was taking her down now. With a yell, the blacksmith charged towards her, intent on avenging his friends' death. He couldn't hear the Squad Leader calling for him as his attention was solely on this thing. By the time his swords were drawn and his mind prepared for an attack, she suddenly slammed Jensen's body directly in front of him. Maximus, unable to maneuver fast enough, tripped over the body. Dillon flew off at a high speed, hitting the ground hard as his ODM gear broke apart on impact. He was lucky that none of his bones were broken, but he was bleeding from several areas of his body, including his head.
1.* "No," was the last thing Darius said with wide eyes as the Female Titan's foot reared back. She kicked him into the air like kicking a ball, killing him and his horse instantly. As they flew into the air, she turned around and slowly started approaching the only survivor of this slaughter.
Dillon managed to get on his hands and knees as he stared at his dead comrades in horror. Jensen's body was the only one intact, and it was horribly mangled, mouth open in a permanent scream. He didn't know them long, but they were his friends, and now they were rotting in the ground. He was agonized, angry, and afraid, the three things he didn't want to be at this moment.
This Titan, she's… human like Eren. Dillon realized, a moment of clarity hitting him.
The ground shook with every footstep the Female Titan made, forcing him to face her again. She was taking her time getting to him, that sadistic smile still etched on her face. She was planning on killing him, there was no doubt about that, but it seemed like she was gonna toy with him first just like she did to poor Jensen.
That wasn't the worst part; the worst part was the fact Dillon could've prevented this from happening. If he attacked her mentally from the start, his new friends would be alive demanding answers to his abilities rather than rotting in the ground. He underestimated the monster, and his squad paid the price. What have I done?
With a clenched fist, Dillon started to shake, his rage building with every second. The Female Titan was not gonna get the last laugh. Not now or ever again. He was going to find out who she was, and then he would destroy her. Pieces of the ground started floating into the air as his eyes glowed, fueled by his rage. Slowly, he got to his feet, and dared to glare at her. "If you're expecting me to run, get ready to be disappointed, you heartless bitch!"
Concentrating as hard as he could, his eyes glowed their brightest as he began his attack. He was wrapped up in his fury, his desire for revenge, that he failed to notice the Female Titan's smile turn into a look of horror. *1.
2.* When Dillon opened his eyes, he came upon something he had never seen before. There stood the gigantic brain of his enemy, but it was encased in blue crystal that sparkled. It was actually beautiful to look at. Shame it had to be wasted on the Female Titan of all creatures.
The plan was simple: uncover the identity of this creature and make it hurt while doing so. If he accidentally killed her, oh well.
Unsheathing his swords, he ran to her brain and got the first sign that this wasn't going to be easy. For starters, the area started to shake violently as he heard the angry growls of the Female Titan. That didn't take long. What he didn't expect were five, crystallized, human-sized versions of the Female Titan sprouting from the brain. First time he came across legitimate defenses that were charging towards him. Impressive? Yes. Dangerous? Naturally. Did he care? No…for about two seconds.
The minute his sword struck one the Crystal Titans, his weapon shattered into several pieces. A fist slammed into his face, knocking him to what constituted as the floor. Instantly, the Crystal Titans were on him, punching and kicking him as hard as they could. Adding to this was the sound of a deep voice yelling, "Get out!" over and over. Finally, one of them grabbed his other sword and plunged it into his stomach, making him scream in agony. If they killed him here, the Female Titan would have the chance to kill him in the physical world. He was beginning to lose consciousness fast.
Memories flashed through Dillon's mind as he thought of Jensen, the man who had a pregnant wife to return to, being spun around like a kid spinning a rock attached to a string. He thought of Maria, the girl persecuted by the Wall Worshippers for sharing the same name as the outer wall, becoming a stain on the Female Titan's foot. He thought of Marcus, a man who wanted to help make the world a better place, sharing the same fate as Maria. He thought of Darius, the grizzled leader that was ready to leave behind the life of a Survey Corps soldier to teach at the Military Academy with Shadis, now under pieces of debris that was thrown at him. And finally, he thought of Annie, the love of his life, the woman he wanted to live the rest of his life with, waiting for him.
"You'd better come home!" she had told him.
With a scream filled with determination, Dillon pushed himself up, throwing all the Crystal Titans off him. Pulling the sword out by the hilt, which hurt like hell, he spun in a very quick circle, decapitating all five of them at once. He stared at his hand, which was bleeding profusely like the stab wound in his body, but he couldn't allow himself to let them bring him down. They hurt like hell, but he had to keep going. If this was reality, he would be lying on the ground, dying, but this was his world. The pain was lessened greatly… for now.
He jumped to the top of her brain, still ignoring her voice, and brought his sword down. Like before, the sword shattered, but he wasn't giving up.
"Nice try," Dillon exclaimed, his sword regenerating its blade and turning bright orange as if it just came out of the forge, "but you're only hurting yourself!"
The burning sword was impaled directly into the Female Titan's brain. It felt like an earthquake was rampaging around him as a feral scream sounded. It was hurting her. Good! Twisting the sword, he started to see blurry images going through his mind without context. Now came part 2: latching onto the memory he needed, which was her identity. Unfortunately, she wasn't making it easy for him. More Crystal Titans were being summoned to stop him. This time, they were trying to pull him off the brain. Frustrated, Dillon blasted them off with his powers, but they just kept coming. They tried to drag him off, but he held on, more determined than ever to find the truth.
The images were beginning to slow down, showing signs that the monster was getting exhausted, though she wasn't the only one. That feeling of light-heatedness was coming back and the wounds he sustained were getting excruciatingly painful. Not to mention that the Crystal Titans' efforts were getting more frantic by the second. He needed something that could tell him instantly who the Female Titan was before he passed out.
"Who are you?" he demanded, shoving one of the Titans off him. "You can't hide from me forever!"
Finally, he found the memory that he was looking for: a moment where she was looking in the mirror. At last, he would finally see who this was. *2.
In two seconds, he figured out who the Female Titan was.
In two seconds, he faced a realization he never could have conceived.
It was if time itself came to a grinding halt.
Looking at him, or the mirror due to the memory he found, was a blonde-haired, silver and blue-eyed girl. A girl he thought fondly of. A girl who meant the world to him.
"No," Dillon whispered with a mortified look, his hands shaking.
He let go of the sword and the darkness consumed him.
In the physical world, Dillon collapsed to the ground, exhausted from that intense attack. Blood fell from his nose due to the immense strain. The Female Titan, on the other hand, stumbled backwards and fell right into a nearby house, destroying it. There was some blood coming from her ears and nose, but thanks to her regenerative abilities, her injuries would be healed soon. However, none of that mattered compared to the pain Dillon was going through. He was on his hands and knees with his head facing the ground.
"It's not true," he said on the verge of losing it. "It can't be true. You're back home waiting for me. It has to be a trick just to get me confused." He wasn't paying attention to the footsteps coming towards him as tears were starting to fall. "Please, don't. Don't do this to me."
The ground shook a little harder this time, forcing the blacksmith to look up. The Female Titan was now on her knees, staring down at him. Now, he noticed the resemblance. She had the same blond hair, the same nose shape, and the same silver-blue eyes as… as…
"Annie?" Dillon asked in a quiet, agonized voice.
Gone was the sadistic monster she presented herself as. Gone was the desire to complete her mission and kill all that got in her way. There was only sadness and regret in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Dillon," Annie finally responded through their link.
3.* His eyes widened when he heard her voice in his head. Only Annie and a few other people could use his mental link. It was slightly overlaid with the sound of the same deep voice he heard in her mind. Whatever doubts he had about her identity were instantly crushed the moment she spoke. The monster that killed so many people was the woman he loved. He clenched his teeth so hard, he thought they would shatter. Dillon never tried harder to not break down in all his life, and it was hurting him. The tears still fell, but they were restrained.
Out of the corner of his tear-filled eyes, he noticed the Female Titan's hand reaching out for him.
"Get away from me!" Dillon screamed, getting up quickly and slashing at her hand with his sword.
Instinctively, Annie retracted her hand with three less fingers attached to them.
Dillon backed up and pointed his bloodied sword at her while panting with rage. His emotions were boiling over beyond anything he had ever felt before, fury and agony leading the charge. He felt like he was going be consumed by them if the pain in his chest was anything to go by. He noticed that her expression had taken on hurt, but it wasn't because of the pain of losing three fingers, which were regenerating; it was because he did that to her.
Seeing that made Dillon's rage spike. "No! You don't get to…. You don't…." He was losing his ability to speak as the hand that held the sword was shaking violently. "You…."
He couldn't hold it in any longer. The sword clattered to the ground as Dillon broke down completely, falling back to his knees. The tears cascaded down his face at an alarming rate as he wept loudly. The memories of his time with Annie flashed through his eyes, except now, her face was replaced by the Female Titan's. The memories were being tarnished by that thing! He was so caught up in them he didn't realize that her giant hand, now fully regenerated, had gently wrapped around his body. He gasped sharply when he felt her giant thumb brush against his face, taking away the tears that stained it. Her touch was full of tenderness, a stark contrast to the monster that murdered his friends.
Annie looked down at the human in her hand, an internal war raging within her mind. She knew that when the truth came out, Dillon was going to get hurt, but her imaginings of this moment paled to the real thing. Seeing him so betrayed, so vulnerable, so…broken made her want to put an end to her mission right then and there. The fact that she did this to him made it worse.
"Why?" Dillon asked, weak from the sobbing.
"You would never understand," she answered sadly.
"I can't understand if you don't tell me," he said, wanting answers. "Please, talk to me, Annie!"
"I can't,"the Female Titan shot back, her raised voice stunning him into silence. Feeling more than a little guilty, she lowered it back to normal tones. "I never wanted to hurt you, Dillon."
"Well, that fixes everything, doesn't it?" Dillon replied with biting sarcasm. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind when I walk over the corpses you've made."
"This is war, Dillon," she countered, the coldness she was known for coming back. "It was going to end up this way."
"War?" he repeated, glaring at her. "You call this slaughter 'war?' You call what you did to Jensen 'war!?'"
"Who's—"Annie stopped as she remembered the young man she held by his cable… and what she did to him.
"You smiled," Dillon stated with utter disgust. "You smiled as he begged for his life. You could've just ended his life quickly like the others, but instead, you spun him around like a fucking toy!"
There was no rebuttal to that statement. In that one moment of weakness, Annie chose to enjoy something so horrible and wretched. Like everyone else she had killed, she would have to live with his death for the rest of her life.
Dillon went on with the intention of twisting the knife. "You know what's so funny? This was his last Expedition. Jensen was going to be a father, and because of you, his wife is a widow, and the child will grow up fatherless. Then again, who's to say you give a damn about any of that? Nothing like a good killing frenzy to brighten up your day, huh, Annie?"
Annie's eyes narrowed at those accusations. "You think you know me so well, don't you?"
It was at this moment Dillon made the effort to stare at the Female Titan's eyes directly. He spoke softly, but his words had the impact of a punch to the gut. "I never knew you at all." He felt a wetness come into his eyes again as his voice quivered a little. "I don't know if the girl I fell in love with was real or not. What was the point of it all? A twisted joke? Was it!?"
Annie didn't blame him for thinking that. That was the image she was presenting herself as. She let out a sigh, steam coming out her mouth, and explained. "Falling in love with you was never supposed to happen. I was supposed to remain detached and friendless, so I could complete my mission without hesitation. I was going to end it on your birthday, Dillon. I wanted it to be so painful you would have no reason to try to seek me out. That failed miserably. Then, you provided the perfect opportunity with your reckless and suicidal actions in Trost. You gift-wrapped that breakup for me." Her free hand clenched into a fist. "It was right there… but you couldn't give me that either, could you? How am I supposed to kill you if I still love you?"
Dillon's eyes widened in response to the admission. If that was the case, then there was still hope. "Annie…please stop while you still have the chance. There's still time. M-Maybe there's a way we can salvage this somehow. Maybe we can—"
"We can't," she interrupted sadly. "It's too late for me. I started this and I intend to finish it." She started stroking his cheek gently with her finger, her lips forming into a sad smile. "Being with you was the best thing that ever happened to me, Dillon. I can never thank you enough for the time we had together." A couple of tears fell down her face. "I wish things could've been different, but I'm going down a path you can't follow."
"Annie, please!" Dillon begged, the tears streaming down his face again. "Don't do this."
"I have to," she replied, making his head sink. "I don't expect you to ever forgive me. Just know that I'm sorry this had to happen. Goodbye, Dillon."
Annie released her grip on him before backhanding him into the side of a house. As he crashed against it, the last thing he saw was the moment where he and Annie shared their first kiss. He blacked out on impact, crumbling to the ground. He was alive, but to be sure, she checked his pulse and was relieved to feel his heartbeat. Quickly, she stood up, realizing that she wasted a lot of time talking to him. She needed to get to Eren before he got away.
Hardening her expression and wiping away a couple of tears that she didn't realize fell, the Female Titan charged out of the village, leaving behind four corpses and a shattered soul. *3.
Remastered Edits: There were some dialogue changes throughout the story in an effort to make the dialogue flow a bit more smoothly. I also changed the "flick" to a backhand because a flick, realistically, probably would have broken Dillon's ribs. However, the biggest change was the flashback in the beginning. I was going to add it to the previous chapter, but I think that would've broken the tone I had there. And trust me, Dillon's statements and lack thereof regarding Eren aren't going to be forgotten.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I look forward to your reviews, and I shall see you in the next chapter.
