Chapter 19: A Really Bad Day
The anxiety continued to rise in Eren as he and Squad Levi entered the Forest of Giant Trees. The right flank had been decimated by that Abnormal everyone was talking about, and now they were isolated in the forest. The entire mission seemed to be spiraling with no end in sight. He wondered if his friends made it out, but he couldn't dwell on that. Not when there were more pressing matters to discuss.
"Captain. Captain Levi!"
"What?" he asked, his annoyance made clear.
"Come on, sir. We're in a forest," Eren pointed out nervously. "We won't see a Titan until its right on top of us. The center rank's totally cut off. Something's coming up on the right, isn't it? So, what are we supposed to do? Avoid Titans or defend the wagons?"
"Quit whining and move from the obvious already," Levi ordered. "Neither of those is an option anymore."
Eren was beyond confused at this point. "What… what are you talking about?"
Levi resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Haven't you noticed what's around you? Take a look at these big-ass trees. Perfect environment for ODM gear, wouldn't you say?" When he didn't respond, the captain went on. "Take my advice, Eren: calm down and use your head. The best survival tool is your brain."
There were more questions Eren had, but he wisely didn't voice them at this time. "Yes, sir."
"This doesn't make any sense," Oluo Bozado, the brown-haired man with the weird face, muttered. "What are we doing here? There's gotta be a reason. I mean, they know, right? They've gotta."
And just like that, Eren's nervous increased greatly at that. To think that Squad Levi, and perhaps even Captain Levi himself, were in the dark as to what was going on. Gunther Schultz, the black-haired guy in the squad, brought up the idea of a hidden objective within the Expedition days prior, so hidden that Squad Levi was kept out of the loop, but what could it be at this point?
As he puzzled his mind for any possible answer, a gunshot was sounded behind him. He looked back and saw a stream of black heading towards the sky. He had seen many of them today, but this one was much closer than he cared for. "Black smoke!"
"It's right behind us," Gunther growled.
"Damn thing's been on our ass since we came here," Eld Jinn, the blonde-haired man, noted.
"Blades drawn now," Levi ordered. "It'll happen in the blink of an eye. Be ready."
Instantly, each Scout pulled out a single sword, ready for the inevitable confrontation. There was a rumbling sound that was steadily getting louder. Sweat poured from their faces, both from being tired and from being nervous, but they were ready for this. This was what they were trained for.
The sound of ODM gear caught Eren's attention as he turned his head to see a Scout, facing whatever was attacking him. That something made itself known as the Female Titan charged out of the trees, snatching the Scout of the air. With her thumb, she punctured the gas tanks and she dropped him into some nearby bushes. With the Scout disabled, she ran parallel to the squad, preparing to intercept them.
"Go! Move it," Levi commanded.
Eren's mouth dropped as her hand nearly snatched him off his horse, missing him by inches. Skidding to a stop for a brief moment, the Female Titan charged at them, her prey finally in sight. He made the mistake by continuing to stare as an unsettling grin appeared on her face. That was going to be in his nightmares for a while.
"Oh, shit," Gunther swore. "How the hell are we supposed to use evasive maneuvers in here!?"
"It's catching up," Eld warned.
"Captain, engage the ODM gear?" Petra Ral, the ginger-haired woman of the Squad, questioned.
Levi didn't answer as he seemingly contemplated the situation.
"Captain!" she shouted, desperate for an answer, but she still didn't get one.
As the Female Titan pursued her quarry, three Scouts zoomed out of the trees, going after her.
"Reinforcements!" Petra pointed out.
Two of the three Scouts moved in to attack her directly. She moved her head to the side and caught a hook that was aimed for her neck. Slowing down a little bit, she tossed the soldier right into the trunk of a tree, knocking him out. She grabbed another hook, pulling the second Scout towards her. Once again, she punctured the gas tanks and dropped him onto the road, bruised, but alive.
"She's… she's sparing them?" Eren couldn't help but ask, his fear of the Titan lessening a little bit.
"That doesn't make sense," Gunther replied, equally surprised. "Why would she spare Scouts now of all times? It takes less effort to kill us then it is to keep us alive!"
Oluo shook his head. "She's still dangerous! We need to take her down now! On your word, Captain!"
Eld let out a snarl. "I don't care if she's grown a conscience in the last few minutes. I'll cut that bitch!"
Petra shook it off and tried getting Levi's attention again. "Captain, say something!"
In an instant, the entire squad minus Eren started clamoring, demanding to know what needed to happen. The green-eyed boy knew that this Titan still wiped out the right wing, and he was still enraged about all the people she killed, but her recent actions caught him completely off guard. It was clear that she was like him, a human in a Titan's body, hence why she was performing such intelligent actions. Why did she start caring about the blood on her hands?
"Cover your ears," Levi finally ordered, pulling out his flare gun.
Quickly, the Squad did as he said as he pointed it into the air. He pulled the trigger, releasing a shot that let out a high-pitched noise. Despite their efforts, the sound was still deafening to them. Fortunately, it wasn't permanent as it slowly went away.
"Was that an acoustic round?" Eren asked.
Levi ignored him and addressed his squad. "Remind me, what is our mission again? Is it to simply act on impulse in the heat of the moment? Let me answer that question for you: it's not. This squad's mission is to keep this brat alive whatever the cost. Don't forget it." He sighed. "I don't know what that Titan's game is, but the situation hasn't changed. We keep pushing forward on horseback. Is that clear?"
"As a bell, sir," Petra answered.
"But for how long?" Eren wondered. "We can't keep running forever. She's right on top of us as it is. If we don't do something soon-." His eyes widened as a couple more Scouts joined the fray. Yet again, she snatched them out of the air, destroyed their tanks, dropped them in some bushes, and continued forward. "Why is she doing this!?"
"Eyes front," Gunther demanded angrily. "Stop looking behind us!"
"Eren, we want answers as much as you do," Eld said, getting his attention, "but, unless Levi's planning to sit down and discuss the matter with her over tea, we stay the course!"
He's making jokes because he feels that risk of dying is lessened. Eren thought. She may be sparing the Scouts, but maybe that's just to lull in me into a false sense of security. Whatever her reasons are, she won't stop at nothing to get me, unless... He sheathed his sword and slowly raised his hand. I can take her down myself. I don't need to depend on anyone. As a Titan, I'm practically an entire squad. He put his teeth on it, preparing to draw blood.
"No, Eren!" Petra yelled before it was too late. "You're only to assume Titan form when your life's in extreme peril! That was the agreement! You swore an oath!"
There's a Female Titan trying after me, Eren stated mentally. I'm damn sure this constitutes as 'extreme peril.'"
"Eren," she pleaded.
"I wouldn't blame you," Levi surprisingly said. "Do as your conscience dictates…but Eren, listen. You are not inherently evil. Your ability to change doesn't make you a monster."
Eren was reminded of a moment when, a couple weeks prior, he accidentally transformed. It was a partial transformation, but still. Levi Squad was prepared to cut his head off, believing him to be a threat to humanity. Only the intervention of Levi and Hanji was he able to survive the encounter. Granted, Hanji was more interested in studying the Titan corpse he left behind. Despite his squad apologizing for their actions, it was still hard to forget that incident and how quickly they turned on him. It was one of the reasons why he was hesitant to trust them now.
"That said, it could be the other way around," Levi added. "How are you supposed to know when to draw the line? Whether you lose control or freely give it up. Maybe it's the same." He sighed. "Look, Eren, we don't agree because our experiences brings us to opposing views. That's life. At the end of the day, there's no reason to go against how you see it. The choice is yours. You can trust yourself, or you can trust the people who are willing to put their lives on the line for you. I don't know which way is better. I never have. Should I act on my own instincts, or put myself in the hands of my comrades and trust them? Either way, there's no guarantee. In the end, you choose what you choose. If afterwards, your regrets are at a minimum, good for you."
Now, Eren was truly conflicted. He didn't want to needlessly endanger his squad, no matter what the Female Titan was doing. On the other hand, if he did transform, that would show that he didn't trust them and could fracture whatever bond he had with Squad Levi. Not to mention the fact that these Scouts were the best of the best, and if they were confident enough to stay the course, then he figured that maybe he should to.
"Eren… please, trust us," Petra pleaded.
"Come on, make up your damn mind," Levi urged.
Gritting his teeth, Eren yelled, "I'm with you!"
The remaining Scout that was going after the Female Titan was trapped in her hand. She slowed down a little bit and slammed him into the tree hard enough to knock him out. With those Scouts out of the way, she continued her pursuit. In fact, she picked up the pace, sand and dirt kicking up behind her.
"She's accelerating," Gunther noticed, eyes wide.
"Keep going!" Levi responded.
At this rate, she'll catch us for sure. Eren thought before shaking his head. No, his squad trusts in him, and I have to as well. We're at death's door, and we've lost so many soldiers, but we push forward. He looked up and noticed the Female Titan's hand was reaching out for him. She was so damn close. It was so tempting to sink his teeth into his hand.
"Fire!" Erwin's voice commanded.
Suddenly, the trees erupted with hooks firing from every direction. Hundreds of them penetrated the Titan's skin, but she had enough time to cover her nape with her hands. She was completely trapped and immobilized, her chase finally coming to an end.
"Everyone, hitch your horses a bit further on," Levi ordered. "Switch to ODM gear. I have to break away for a little while. Eld's in charge until I get back." Preparing to depart, the captain turned around. "Tuck Eren away out of sight, away from the Female Titan, and see to my horse!" With that, he fired a hook into the nearest tree and took off towards the capture site.
Eren was still in shock. They managed to capture the most dangerous Titan he had ever seen. Normally, he would be livid that they were taking her alive, but after she started sparing the Scouts, he wanted answers.
"What do you think of us now, Eren?" Gunther questioned. "We managed to outsmart the damn thing!"
"Let this be a lesson to you, greenhorn," Oluo added. "Don't ever underestimate the Scouts! Never again! Agreed?"
"Agreed," Eren answered.
Their stoic faces quickly melted into grins. It was finally over.
Back at the site, Levi grappled up next to Erwin. "She's not putting up much of a fight," he noticed.
"That's no reason to let our guard down," Erwin told him. "Good work leading her here. I'm more than a little impressed."
"Erwin, she spared the rear contingent," Levi informed.
The commander of the Scouts gave him a surprised look. "What?"
"She took the effort to make sure they would survive, but destroyed their tanks or knocked them out so they wouldn't interfere," he elaborated. "I'll be sending some Scouts to pick them up."
"I see." Erwin stared at the Female Titan from behind. Who knew what she was thinking. "It doesn't change much, but it is something to consider."
"I think it got to her," Levi theorized. "Her conscious is probably plaguing her right now, but what I don't get is what could have caused this."
"Perhaps we can use her regret to our advantage."
The captain snorted. "Planning on cutting a deal, Commander?"
Instead of answering him, Erwin turned to the rest of the cannon men. "Second and third waves, fire!"
As if there weren't enough hooks in her already, about 200 more penetrated her skin, making movement completely impossible.
"We need a little insurance," he explained.
Levi glared daggers at her. "I can't believe we're actually considering something so stupid."
"Levi, she has answers we need," Erwin reminded him firmly. "If we can somehow get her to cooperate with us—"
"The right wing is dead because of her! Are you seriously going to act like that never happened?"
"No!" Now it was Erwin's turn to glare at him, drawing the attention of the Scouts. "Do not think of me so callous as to brush of their deaths like they were nothing. We did what was necessary, and we have to live with the deaths of our brave Scouts. Right now, we have to decide the best way to deal with her. I'm keeping every possibility open."
Levi sighed, the day getting to him. "Do what you have to do."
Down below, Hanji was having the time of her life. "Poor thing. Can't so much as bat an eyelash, can she? Must be terribly frustrating. Get used to it, my dear." As whenever she was dealing with Titans, the more excited Hanji got, the creepier she became. "Biology can sometimes be a curse. Case in point, the more your wounds heal, the stiffer your joints become!" She let out a laugh before looking up at the trees. "Now, what in the world is the holdup for the extraction of our esteemed guest? It won't get any easier. Strike while the iron is hot, I say."
Deciding it was best to hold all the cards, Erwin ordered Levi and Miche to cut her hands off in order to leave her nape exposed. Both men drew their swords and plummeted towards her. To their surprise, a layer of blue crystal appeared on her hands just before their swords made contact. Their weapons practically exploded on impact, shattering into hundreds of pieces.
An impressive ability. Erwin thought as the two men fell back. She can harden portions of her body. Question is…how many blade strikes will it take to cut our way through? Too many in any event. Time is short. With a single gesture, he summoned one of the cannon men.
"Yes, sir?" he asked.
"Prepare an artillery round," Erwin ordered. "Should she refuse to cooperate, I want her hands blown up."
The Scout staggered back. "With… with all due respect, Commander, there's a risk if we use the cannons. The hands will get blown off, but whatever's beneath them will too, sir."
"A fine point, soldier," he agreed, "which is why you'll aim carefully and sever them at the wrists." He put a hand on his shoulder. "On my signal, I want an all-out salvo."
"Yes, sir."
Replenishing his blades, Levi returned a landed directly on the Female Titan's head. "Knock, knock. We know you're in there," he said with a sinister tone. "Why don't you make this easy and come out and stop wasting our time?"
As expected from Titans, there was no response.
"Seriously, what can you hope to gain by stalling? If you're thinking we'll let you go, we won't. If you're thinking of trying to escape, don't. All you should be thinking about are the good men you killed today. That was on your mind when you spared the rear contingent, wasn't it?"
She let out a soft growl, confirming Levi's suspicions.
"Remorse stings, doesn't it?" Levi went on, sounding slightly sympathetic. "The minute you start letting it in, it snakes through your mind, refusing to let up. It's one hell of a curse. So, what the hell happened that gave you a change of heart?"
The Female Titan stayed silent.
He snorted. "Despite the blood on your hands, I'm trying to be nice here. So, here are your two options: you come out and we have nice, little chat, or we blow your hands off, drag you out, and force you to spill everything. What's it going to be? If you're smart as I think you are, this isn't a tough call."
For a moment, there was dead silence between them. It was almost like she was considering his words. Then, she opened her mouth and let out a loud, deafening roar. The forest seemed to shake in response and the Scouts had to cover their ears. Once the ran out of breath, the Female Titan went back to being silent.
"Nicely done," Levi complemented sarcastically. "I almost lost my composure."
Miche, however, smelled the air and zoomed up to Erwin's position. "They're coming."
"From where?" the commander questioned.
"From every direction," he answered. "Fast. Dozens!"
Erwin's eyes widened as he felt the ground rumble violently. They were coming. "Faster on the artillery, gentlemen!" he commanded, drawing his sword.
Miche growled. "There they are. First waves closing in on the east. They're coming in fast!"
Seeing them, Erwin tried to salvage the situation. "Wagon defense squad, intercept now!"
A trio of Scouts charged for the Titans, but to their surprise, they paid them no heed and continued to run. Their target seemed to be the Female Titan.
"What the hell!?" a Scout shouted. "They past right by us!"
"Three Titans have broken through," another Scout announced. "Captain Levi!"
"Hey, what did you do?" Levi demanded, slamming his foot on her head angrily. "You called in some friends, didn't you?"
With a growl, Levi launched himself at the Titans, cutting them down in a matter of seconds. He wasn't called Humanity's Strongest Soldier for nothing. However, a four-meter got past him and started biting the Female Titan's leg. To make matters worse, about a dozen more Titans showed up, intent on going after her.
"All hands, commence combat," Erwin shouted. "Defend the Female Titan at all costs!"
With a battle cry, the Scouts charged, slicing at the Titans with everything they had. Unfortunately, there were too many of them. Once the bigger ones reached her, they started dismembering her, biting off her arms. They were devouring her before them. No matter how many Titans died, more showed up to take their place. Once the Female Titan's head was removed, Erwin closed his eyes, realizing that the mission had failed. There was a time to fight, and a time to retreat. The time for fighting was over.
"All hands, fall back," he ordered. "Redeploy the formation! Fall back to Karanes District!"
Reluctantly, the Scouts withdrew, letting the Titans have the prize. They fled to the trees, watching the monsters cannibalize their own. All that remained were pieces of flesh and bones.
"We've been bested," Erwin said, sounding defeated.
"Don't give me that crap," Levi snarled. "Not now. Not yet!"
"Think about it," he continued. "The enemy was prepared to make sacrifices. Enormous ones. So committed to keeping her secret, she would rather let herself be cannibalized than exposed."
"That whole song and dance in the courtroom, and this is what we've got to show for it," Levi said, clearly upset. "We scurry back home with our tails between our legs, and Eren's right back in chains or worse. I doubt Carolyn can do anything about it this time."
"Don't go jumping off that bridge until we get to it," Erwin warned. "Right now, our only concern is getting back without sustaining further casualties however we can." He stared at the steam for a moment, contemplating the situation.
"I'll go gather my squad," Levi said, preparing to move out.
"Not yet," Erwin stated. "Replenish you blades and your fuel."
"I can deal with what I've got," he shot back. "We're running against the clock as it is. Why?"
"Because I said," Erwin answered in a tone that held no room for argument. "That's an order."
There was a brief pause before the captain spoke again. "Whatever you say, sir. I trust you implicitly."
As Levi left, the gears turned in Erwin's head. He saw the Titans devour the Titan, but the not the person inside. If his instincts were right, and they usually were, this day wasn't over yet.
Deep in the forest and wearing a stolen cloak with ODM gear, Annie brushed the sweat off her forehead. That was far too close for comfort, but it had to be done. She had to complete her mission now before it was too late, before Eren got away. It was true what Levi had said, that she was feeling remorse, but she had to put it aside. Every second she spent thinking about it drove him further away. Every second she spent thinking about…
"Annie, please! Don't do this!"
She shook her head, trying to get him out of her head. Ever since that incident, his voice had been plaguing her mind, like he was manifesting into her conscious. The guilt was starting to eat away at her, creating doubt in her mind. Was this even worth it anymore?
Yes. She answered to herself as she pulled out a flare gun. I know what I'm fighting for.
Taking a deep breath, after all the blue flares signaling the retreat were fired, she fired a green flare into the air and waited. She hoped Squad Levi would believe her to be their captain and respond. Pretty soon, a streak of green filled the air. They weren't too far ahead.
Don't worry, Dad. Annie thought as she tossed the gun aside and prepared to go after them. I'll be home soon.
Up ahead, Eren flew with Squad Levi as they finished telling stories about their first encounters with the Titans. For once, he finally felt like part of the group, and was finally able to relax around them. It had been a hard mission for all of them, but the Expedition was over and the Female Titan's identity would be discovered. Despite the losses they suffered, in a way, capturing her was an incredible victory.
As he continued thinking about these things, Gunther noticed a cloaked figure zooming next to them. "Captain Levi?" he asked, confused. Then, his eyes widened. "Wait, that's not-oh, shit!"
The mysterious Scout quickly changed course, charging for him. Before Gunther could react, a precise sword slash severed one of his lines. He let out a scream as he fell, but the remaining line tightened, saving him from an untimely demise. However, due to his momentum, he crashed headfirst into a tree, out cold in an instant.
The rest of the squad turned around, flabbergasted at how quickly that happened.
"Gunther," Eren cried out, heading towards him. "Are you okay?" Once he saw that he wasn't dead, he announced, "He's still alive!"
"We'll have to go back for him later," Oluo stated, dragging Eren away quickly. "Keep moving!"
"We're just leaving him?" Eren shouted as he started grappling away.
Behind them, the traitorous Scout was following them quickly.
"Who is that?" Petra demanded, furious that they had been played.
"Keep her away from Eren," Eld ordered, realizing who was tracking them down.
"Damn it," Oluo swore. "Hey, Eld, what are we doing?"
"There isn't time to get the horses," he stated. "Make for HQ at full speed!"
To their surprise, the assailant headed away from them, disappearing into the trees.
"Is that the Female Titan, or did she have an accomplice?" Oluo wondered.
"Whoever it is, they're gonna pay if it's the last thing I do!" Petra promised, eyes blazing with rage. It didn't matter if Gunther was alive. Since her mission was take or kill Eren, the Female Titan was going to destroy humanity, so sparing them meant squat at this point.
Eren looked back along with the others, and a bolt of lightning crashed down, causing an explosion of energy that crackled around them.
"I hate being right," Oluo complained.
"No time to lose," Eld reminded them. "Move it! It's coming for us!"
Like something from their worst nightmares, the Female Titan emerged in her fourteen-meter form in an instant, chasing after them. Her eyes seemed to glow as she ran, giving off a very creepy look.
"Damn you," Eren cursed, furious. "Not again! I'll kill you! I swear I will end you!" He raised his hand to his mouth again.
"Eren, don't," Eld intervened. "We've got this. The three of us can handle her. You get back to base! Go, now!"
"I can fight, too," Eren protested.
"For the love of God, Eren, just go," Eld shot back. "This is our only course of action! We cannot afford to put you at risk!"
"Have you learned nothing?" Oluo questioned, insulted. "After all this, you still doubt our skill!?"
"Is that true, Eren?" Petra added, looking hurt by the unsaid statement. "I thought you had faith in us, that you trusted us!"
Eren gritted his teeth, but conceded and took off, sheathing his swords. "I have faith in the Levi Squad! Good luck!"
With Eren out of harm's way, the trio turned around to take on the Female Titan.
"You get one chance to stand down," Eld warned as he approached her.
She let out a growl as if she was saying, "Bring it."
"Take her down hard and fast!"
Eld charged forward, prompting her to take a swipe at him, but he pulled back, releasing an excess of smoke that blinded her. With her concentration briefly stilted, Oluo and Petra moved in, slashing out her eyes before she could stop them. With her eyesight gone, she was forced to cover her nape with both hands and back up against a tree so they couldn't reach it.
"There, that should buy us a minute until she regenerates," Eld informed them.
"We'll reach her well before then," Petra assured.
"To hell with capturing her," Oluo added. "We're gonna kill you!"
"We're gonna carve you up," Petra promised.
"We'll make you pay, bitch," Oluo finished. "Sparing Gunther changed nothing!"
Oluo and Petra once again made their move. This time, they swung up into the air before plummeting down, slicing her body just above the chest in two different locations, and that was just the beginning. Eld joined in the fray, cutting up her arms and severing the tendons within them. Soon, her arms went limp and fell down, useless.
"Now go for the neck," Eld ordered, going in first with blades at the ready.
"Take out the muscles supporting her head," Oluo advised.
"Let's carve our way to the nape," Petra said, eyes blazing with fury.
It was clear the Squad Levi was out for blood at this point, and there would be no stopping them.
However, one of the Female Titan's eyes popped open far sooner than they anticipated. Eld was in no position to dodge as she bit down on him, trapping him in her mouth. It was so tempting to bite him in half. She could do it and they could do nothing to stop her, and yet, she lowered her head, and spat him out. Eld went tumbling across the ground before slamming into the trunk of tree. Groaning, he was out in seconds.
"Eld," Petra screamed. Her gear started to malfunction, and she was unable to get higher than the ground level. "She can see again? That's impossible!" Then, it hit her. The Female Titan channeled all her regeneration abilities into reforming one eye, which was currently staring at her. Petra was next.
With a growl, the Titan charged at the ginger-haired woman, causing her to panic. Her arms were useless, but her legs weren't.
"Petra, pull yourself together," Oluo shouted, trying to get to her before the Female Titan did. "Pull up!"
It was no use. She couldn't get away. Yet again, the extension of mercy went to her as well, for once she got close enough, she simply stepped on her line, stopping Petra completely as she fell to her stomach. She looked up in shock just in time to get kicked aside. It was a very light kick, for Titan standards, but it was enough to knock her out.
That left Oluo, who growled angrily. Once again, Squad Levi was humiliated and played. He was not going to let her get away with this. Firing a hook into her neck, he zoomed towards her, intent on slicing open her nape. Unfortunately, her nape crystalized just before he slashed. The swords broke apart, leaving him defenseless. Quickly, the Female Titan grabbed his line by her teeth and slung him aside, her intention to knock him out as well. When he hit the tree, though, there was a sickening sound as his neck broke on impact. Her single eye widened as he fell lifelessly to the ground.
Eren, who came back when he heard Squad Levi failing, was beside himself. They had tried so hard to bring her down, but they were unable to stop her. And now, Oluo was dead. He may not have liked him as much as the others, but he was a good soldier. He was one of the best, yet there he was, lying lifelessly on the ground.
Something inside the Titan Shifter snapped. This monster killed so many soldiers just to get to him, and another soldier paid the ultimate price. He wasn't going to take it anymore. Not now, or ever again. He trusted them, and they failed. Now, it was his turn.
"I'm going to… KILL YOU!"
Biting down on his hand at last, there was another explosion as Eren's Titan form manifested around him. As he landed on the ground, he let out an enraged roar. For once, the Female Titan had the sense to look nervous as he ran at her like an out-of-control predator. Good, because he was going to rip her apart. The power felt so intoxicating, filling him with energy unlike anything before. She was nothing compared to him.
Forming his hand into a fist, he launched a haymaker, expecting it to send her flying. However, he underestimated her speed as she dodged out of the way. His Titan body was more sluggish than hers, giving her the opportunity to kick him in the ribs. It didn't do a lot, only serving to piss him off. She couldn't really fight back until her wounds were recovered, so she just had to stall for time. Eren pushed back, making her slam against a tree. Groaning a bit, the Female Titan moved to the left as steam erupted from her wounds. Just a little longer.
With a snarl, Eren launched a three-punch combo, but none of them hit her. She was too fast for them, even for the uppercut her threw next. Finally, the punch after that connected, sending her toppling to the ground. She managed to land on her feet and started running away, causing Eren to chase after her. His roars continued to shake the forest as his anger increased tenfold. He continued to attack her, yet she moved like a dancer, nimbly dodging his attacks. However, she slipped and fell backwards. Before she could get up, Eren was on top of her, pinning her down.
I made the wrong choice when you came after us! He thought angrily. I made the choice to trust my teammates, and it got Oluo killed!
He threw a punch at her, but she moved just enough for his hand to hit the ground instead, creating a hole in it. Eren yelled in pain as he felt his hand and arm break.
I should never have left it to them, He continued, clearly in anguish. I should have fought her from the very start! He was losing control of his emotions. It's all my fault! I should have killed her!
With another roar, Eren slammed his fist into the ground, missing her again. Now, both hands were broken. The two Titans were locked into a staring contest, waiting to see who would regenerate first.
I should have changed into a Titan then. He lamented, thinking about when she went after them the second time. No, even before that. I should have fought back, and with Captain Levi there, we would've beaten her! We could've captured this monster! You think sparing a few Scouts changes what you are? Do you? You're nothing but a killer who wants to destroy humanity! I've made my choice and you've made yours! His voice was becoming more feral and his Titan form began shaking. Something was wrong, but he didn't care. Once my hands heal, I'm going to rip you out, and I will devour you!
Suddenly, her other eye opened, and she grabbed his arm, snapping out of whatever frenzy he was in briefly. Wrestling with Eren, she pulled back and kick him in the chest hard, sending him flying backwards and into a tree. Getting over his shock, he quickly got up, his attacks becoming sloppy and predictable. His punches missed, and he threw one so hard he actually tumbled to the ground. Eren tried so hard to hit her, but he kept missing her. Why the hell did she have to be so good at fighting?
Once he got close, the Female Titan hardened her hand, and delivered a nasty uppercut, destroying his jaw. However, he managed to bring it around and slam his fist into her gut so hard that she was sent flying into the air, hitting the ground hard. Considering the missing jaw he had, the bruised back she received was nothing. Getting up quickly, she moved out of the way of his knee, which slammed into the tree instead.
He was exhausted, and bleeding. The fight was starting to give out of him. Eren put up his fists for one final assault, and then she took a stance. A very familiar stance. His eyes widened in horror. No. That's impossible.
The Female Titan took advantage of his hesitation and hardened her leg. When she swung it, his world went black.
The kick Annie launched not only cut the tree he was standing next down, but it beheaded him, too, making the body sink to its knees. She was relieved that she had beat Eren, but she also felt guilty. Despite what other people thought, she did think of Eren as her friend, but she couldn't think about that right now. All she had to do was collect him and get the hell out of this place. It would be hard to keep Eren under constant supervision and restraint, but she was prepared for that. It didn't matter if he hated her anymore; all that mattered was finishing her mission.
With a grimace, she knelt down next to the headless corpse and began opening her mouth. The strands of flesh keeping her jaw connected stretched beyond normal capacity and even snapped in some places. Her jaw was completely unhinged. She bit down on the nape and tore it out, exposing Eren to the outside. Spitting out the piece of flesh, she bended over, ready to trap him inside her mouth.
When she blinked, she didn't see Eren anymore, but Dillon, who had tears streaming down his face.
"Annie, please," he begged.
Eyes widening, Annie recoiled away, slamming her jaw shut. She shook her head, trying to shake that image out of her mind, but it refused to leave her alone. It was like he was haunting her now, preying on her conscious again.
I spared those soldiers. She thought angrily. Isn't that enough for you?
"Eren!" a familiar voice cried out.
Of course, she had to be here. Quickly, Annie pulled Eren out of the nape just as Mikasa made her appearance. She gasped when she saw her best friend trapped in her grip and prepared to attack. The Female Titan roared, warning her to back off. Realizing what she was doing, Mikasa lowered her weapons, her glare fixated on this monster.
Satisfied that she wasn't about to be attacked, Annie stared at Eren, who was looking at her with fear on his face.
Stop looking at me like that. She pleaded inwardly. Stop making this so hard, Eren.
"Why are you doing this?" he asked weakly.
Annie growled, angry at herself for not just taking him and run. It was becoming harder and harder to do so. She had to do it. There was no other option. Why was she hesitating now of all times?
Then, the image of a brown-haired boy appeared in her mind. The stupid, smiling moron who challenged her to a fight and got his ass kicked. A persistent boy who began to sit next to her and strike up conversation. A naïve boy who thought he could make a difference in the shitty world they all lived in. A kind boy who, without anyone forcing him to, gave her a gift for her birthday. A reckless boy who fought to save his friends no matter how dangerous things got. A boy that gave her something that she never thought to get: her first kiss.
Her face contorted with rage, shaking. He did this to her. He made her feel this way towards these insects, these enemies, these… people. She hated him more than she ever had in this moment. She wanted to find him and crush him for this, feed him to the Titans, do everything humanly possible to rid him out of her life. She wanted nothing more than to make him pay for being the one she loved so much.
Damn you, Dillon. Damn you!
Annie's eyes drifted down to her target once more, pitying him. Eren never asked for any of this and hurting him was the last thing she wanted. Still, bringing him home would finally put an end to this… wouldn't it? Couldn't things just finally be over? Her eyes closed as she thought about this whole thing. There was only one decision she could make.
Mikasa's eyes nearly bulged out of her sockets. The Female Titan, the creature that had torn through their ranks like they were nothing, moved towards her. She prepared for a fight, but she didn't get one. Covering her nape with her hand in case she tried something, the Female Titan gently lowered Eren to the ground, and opened her hand, letting him go. She wasn't toying with him or planning on stepping on him. She just simply released him. Carefully, Mikasa glided down to the ground, slowly approaching Eren. As much as she wanted the Titan dead, he was top priority. Any sudden movements could endanger him.
Said Titan Shifter couldn't understand it. After all she did to reach him, she changed her mind? He remembered that she started sparing the Scouts, and that, in retrospect, Oluo's death was an accident, but this made no sense. "Why?" Eren asked again, on the verge of passing out.
She just stared down at him for a moment before standing to her full height. Mikasa, who had reached Eren, stood in front of him, sword raised. However, there would be no fight, for the Female Titan turned and ran deeper into the forest. Within a minute, she vanished from sight.
"Eren!" Mikasa exclaimed, embracing him tightly. "Are you all right!?"
"I… I don't know," he answered weakly. "I don't know what's going on."
"Come on!" Levi interrupted, landing next to them. "Titans will be swarming soon."
"Captain… your squad…"
"They're safe," he assured. "But Oluo didn't make it." The captain was clearly grieved, but he remained calm. "Let's go. It's over."
Hoisting Eren over her shoulder, Mikasa took off. She looked back, thinking that the Female Titan would try again, but she didn't see her. She was just gone. Whoever you are, you're dead.
Remastered Edits: Very little in this chapter, but I edited Annie's mindset when she couldn't bring herself to take Eren. I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter, I look forward to your reviews, and I will see you all in the next one.
