AN: So, I went to Animazement not too long ago, and I got to meet Elizabeth Maxwell (Ymir), Jason Liebrecht (Beast Titan), and, incredibly, Lauren Landa (FREAKING ANNIE LEONHART!). All three signed the cover page you see on my story. Trust me, it was a wonderful experience, one I hope to do again next year if I can. But enough about that. Time for the end of the Female Titan Arc.
Chapter 23: One Final Chance
(Five minutes ago)
The view from on top of any of the Walls was one to truly behold. One could see so much of the Districts that surrounded him and come to the realization that the world was vast and he was a speck compared to it. Such insightful thoughts were not on Dillon's mind as he stared down into Stohess District. What was once a glorious city was now a city of fire, smoke, and death. Even from up here, he could hear the people scream in terror as they ran or died trying.
It grieved the young blacksmith to no end to see this. This was what the plan resulted in: hundreds of lives killed, and the survivors' lives destroyed. He let the Scouts go forward with this plan, and this was the price that was paid… because he wasn't strong enough to get off the floor until now.
In the distance, he could see Eren and Annie in their respective Titan forms battling it out. Judging from the roars and how the city shook with every blow, it was a brutal one, meaning that it would get dicey once he was close enough. He wondered briefly if he could stop them fighting long enough to plead his case. Could he actually pull it off?
Only one way to find out. He thought as he checked his gas supply. Not much left, but it'll have to be enough.
Before he took the plunge, a wave of fear passed over him. This was it. The moment he entered the city, he would be heading towards the battle, towards… her. So much of him wanted to just stay and wait it out, wait until Annie was not a Titan. Then again, at this point, that wasn't going to happen. No matter what he wanted, he was getting the Female Titan.
Closing his eyes, he jumped off the Wall before the Garrison could question his presence. As he fell, he took a few seconds to enjoy the rush before impaling his hooks into the Wall. So much easier than taking the stairs, and more fun. However, there was no more fun to be had, for he had a mission to complete, a more-than-likely suicidal one. He grappled into the city as he began to smell blood, death, and fire. It reminded him of Trost, and for some reason, this felt worse.
Maybe it's because the woman you love caused this. Dillon thought sardonically. Just a thought.
As he traveled deeper, he began to see people hiding in their homes, terrified for their lives. He sighed, knowing that the only thing he could do help them was stop the person causing this no matter the cost. Quickly, the living humans started turning into dead ones as he drew closer to the fight. So many corpses, and so many horrible ways they died. Buried alive or stomped on without a second thought. He felt bile rise into his throat, but he shoved it back down. He could not stop for anything. Annie was the objective, and she was so close.
He managed to make it a block away from the fight as the ground shook with every blow. He couldn't see them, but he could damn well hear them. Unfortunately, it was at that moment his gas ran out, causing him to crash onto the ground. It hurt, but he could still move. Quickly, he ran down the block and peeked around the corner, his eyes widening at what he saw. The Female Titan had Eren pinned against the side of a building, continuously punching him with a crystalized hand while, for some reason, screaming at the top of her lungs.
Dillon's pupils shrank when he saw her for real this time. There she was, the being of his recent nightmares, the one that never ceased to haunt him. For a moment, he wasn't in Stohess, but he was back in that village, hearing the spinning… spinning… spinning…
Breathing heavily, he retreated back into his cover, sinking into a sitting position. He couldn't do it. He couldn't muster up the will to stop her. Once Annie realized that he deceived her, she was going to kill him. Petra was right. This was a foolish move, and he should never have come here.
Stop it. He demanded inwardly, trying to seize control of himself. You are stronger than this. You know what you have to do. You will not falter. You will not fail. Get off your ass and make this right!
Determined, Dillon stood up and unhooked the ODM Gear from his body, letting it fall to the ground. At this point, it was unnecessary weight. He sighed as he prepared to step out there. He had to move fast as he felt rumbling footsteps coming down the street in front of him. Now or never. Dillon took several breaths and yelled at the top of his lungs just as she was running by. "ANNIE!"
The Female Titan's eyes widened as she stopped mid step, hardening her hand as she grabbed the building to slow down. It couldn't be him. He was dead! She was tempted to shake it off and keep running for the wall.
Dillon's eyes flashed and reestablished the mind link he severed days ago before she could brush it off as hearing voices in her head. "It's really me, Annie."
Annie shook her head. It had to be a trick! It had to be, but… she felt it. That connection in her mind that she missed so much. Slowly, she turned around, unable to believe her eyes as he stepped into her view. He looked exhausted, but he was alive. "Dillon?" she whispered.
Slowly, he nodded his head while approaching her. "Yes." He gave a sideways glance to a rooftop where Jean, Hanji, and Armin were watching this unfold. They were clearly astounded to see him now of all times, making him worry they were going to try to save him from her. He didn't want that to happen, especially considering the state he was about to put her in. Remembering the mind link he established over a month ago, he spoke mentally to Armin. "Don't intervene unless she kills me or makes a run for it. No arguments." Hoping they got the message, he focused on the Female Titan.
Annie didn't know which emotion felt more real right now: the relief, or the sorrow at seeing him again. She had lost nearly everything when he died, but he was back. She wanted to hold him and never let him go as to never lose him again. "You're alive," she managed out.
Another nod of his head. "I am."
He was wary of her, still afraid like he was during the Expedition. Her actions in Stohess did her no favors. One thing, however, gnawed at her. "How? They told me you died."
Dillon hesitated for the longest time, finding himself at a loss for words. Taking a deep breath, he admitted the truth. "I… we had to make sure you would have no reason to leave. If I was dead, if the loose end was taken care of… you would still be here."
In an instant, all those feelings she had towards him were replaced by a steadily growing rage. Dillon Amsdale, the man she loved the most, had not only sold her out, but faked his death to trap her. Annie clenched her fists, letting out a low growl. "You lied to me? Manipulated me?"
Dillon was unable to face her as he said the one word that sealed his fate: "Yes."
The Female Titan let out an enraged roar and charged him. He couldn't help but let out a frightened yelp as he was scooped up in her hand as she passed by him. With another roar, she punched said hand into a building, dislodging pieces of it in the process. It wasn't hard enough to kill him, but enough for him to feel the impact.
After all that talk, all those idealistic convictions he stood for, he ended up being like the rest. A conniving soldier who would do anything to achieve his victories. She wanted to kill him, turn him into a pile of crushed flesh and blood. A hard-enough squeeze and it would be all over. She decided against it, looking down at the pathetic human with a glare. She would get answers, see just how he would try to worm his way out of this, and then she would make him regret not staying in the hole he crawled out of.
Jean's eyes widened in horror and prepared to launch at her to save his best friend. "I knew this was gonna happen. Come on!"
"Jean, don't," Armin interrupted, pulling him back. "We can't do anything."
"Why the hell not?" he demanded, glaring at him as he yanked himself out of his loose grip. "She's going to kill him."
"Because this is his choice," the blonde answered. "He's going to try and reason with her. Do what we failed to do earlier today."
"She's too far gone," Jean shot back, unable to believe they were considering this.
"If she was, Dillon would be dead right now," Armin pointed out quickly. "But if we intervene, she will kill him for sure. I don't like this anymore than you do, but we have to give him this chance."
"I can't believe he would be so foolish as to put himself in harm's way like this," Hanji said, shaking her head in disbelief. "He really thinks he can pull this off, doesn't he?"
Jean let out a frustrated grunt, staring down at the unfolding scene. "Damn idiot. He really believes it." Whatever luck was on the blacksmith's side, Jean prayed he would still have it. He wasn't ready to say goodbye to another friend.
The sheer helplessness Dillon felt was astounding. His arms were pinned inside her fist, trapping him, but that paled in comparison to the murderous glare that was fixed on him.
"This is all your fault, Dillon!" the Female Titan roared.
Dillon avoided her gaze, fear all too evident in his eyes. How could he respond to that? The images were starting to come back. He was in the one place he never wanted to be: at her complete mercy.
Seeing him avoid looking at her only fueled her ire. "If you want to live to see another day, look at me and tell me why, you son of a bitch."
It was becoming too much. He was losing himself, on the verge of a panic attack. He was going to die. It was all over.
"Dillon!"
He gasped, looking to his right. What should've been a welcome sight for anyone made his heart sink.
Mikasa had arrived on the scene with the others, her shock all too apparent, even from a distance. At that moment, Dillon knew what would happen. Mikasa would charge down there in an effort to save him, Annie would kill him and her, and the carnage continue. So much death and destruction that could happen in seconds.
No more.
"Don't you dare try and save me," Dillon warned mentally.
Mikasa couldn't believe what she just heard. "Dillon?"
"This between me and her. Back off!"
The Female Titan's patience was running thin as she slammed her fist again, jostling him. "Answer me!"
Dillon fought past the trauma that sought to unravel him as his brown eyes slowly met her giant, angry, blue ones. His own anger started to return as his quiet voice began to raise in volume. "I did it for Jensen. For Marcus. For Maria. For Darius. For Oluo. For Marco. For every single soldier youkilled!"
"So, your brilliant idea was to put me in a position where I had to kill even more?" Annie growled.
"You did all that on your own," Dillon shot back, not caring that he was arguing with someone who could pop his head off at a moment's notice anymore. "I may have forced you into a position where you had to make a choice, but, in the end, it was still your choice. You could have given yourself up earlier, but you chose to transform instead."
"Because I have to get home, Dillon," she told him. "I don't care if I have Eren or not anymore. I have to get out of here!"
He paused and gave her a confused look, his anger put aside for now. "What are you talking about?"
She stopped when she realized what she had said, what she revealed. She let out another growl, though it was more towards her own carelessness. "Forget it. You don't need to know."
"And there you go again," he responded, frustrated with her. "'I wouldn't understand.' 'You can't tell me.' 'I don't need to know.' Enough already! Did you ever think if you tried to explain yourself earlier, maybe, just maybe, we wouldn't be in this situation?"
"And if I told you?" Annie retorted. "If I said, 'Hey, Dillon. I have a secret to tell you. I'm a Titan Shifter sent here to capture someone,' how would you have reacted?"
"That's not explaining yourself, and you know it."
"What is there to explain?" she yelled, doing everything in her power to not snap his body in half. "What do you want from me!?"
"The truth!" Dillon shouted back, catching her off-guard. He would not break this time. "I want to know what was so worth it to you to kill so many people as if they meant nothing to you. Forty percent of the Scouts are dead, and an entire district is stained with the blood of innocent people and for what?" Breathing heavily, his voice lowered, yet it had the same impact. "Why are you doing this?"
Annie didn't expect him to take her head-on like this, her brief expression of shock indicating that. She thought he would cave like he did back in that village, but here he was, hashing it out with her. She could feel his pain, his rage, and the fear he attempted to hide, yet he was putting her on the defensive. The shock vanished and the anger returned, though it was slightly diminished. "I want to go home. I want to go back to the home that I was forced to abandon five years ago, when I was sent here to get Eren."
One word stood out from the explanation. "Forced? You… you were forced to…?"
Now, her anger faded, replaced by a look of hurt. "You think I wanted to do this?" Annie asked quietly. "To come here, kill all these people, take Eren… you think I wanted this?"
Dillon's eyes widened as the implications sunk in. Sure, he knew she felt regret for her actions, but he didn't consider that to be a possibility. "I… couldn't see it. I could only see that smile." And everything else that went with it.
Annie snorted derisively at him. "Don't tell me you've never felt that way when you fought someone or when you killed a Titan."
For a moment, the image of a man in green attire came to mind. A scumbag that threatened to kill someone he cared about. Someone who thought himself above repercussions. Someone who didn't know what kind of hell Dillon would rain down on him for hurting Krista.
"I told you I'd make you pay, didn't I?"
Dillon shook himself out of that memory and glared at her. She had no idea what her brutality did to him, but right now, that didn't matter. He was not going to play a game to see who hurt who the most, though that statement pissed him off. "In case you've forgotten, Titans are trying to eat every single one of us. When I kill Titans or anyone else, for that matter, I'm trying to save lives. You're trying to end them."
"No, I'm trying to get one person," Annie corrected. "Only when I have Eren can I leave."
Dillon looked at her incredulously. How was she not getting it? "And then what!? You take away the one person that has given us any semblance of a chance to live, guess what happens? Without Eren, the Titans will kill us all. You'd be condemning every single person in these Walls to death. But you don't give a damn about any of that, do you? As long as you get what you want, we can all be devoured by Titans for all you care!"
"No!" With an ear-shattering roar, she slammed her fist against the building behind Dillon, narrowly missing him. The top floor was wrecked as a result, yet the structure was still standing. Panting heavily, she lowered her hand as she looked at him with pain in her eyes. "That's. Not. True, damn it. I care about you all. I may act cold, but that's all it is. An act! I care, but…" She put her head down. "I just want this all to be over. I want to go home."
With the Female Titan's grip on him lessening, Dillon managed to free both his arms. He needed to calm down. Riling her up like that would make things worse. "The cost is too high, Annie. You could go home, but every man, woman and child would pay for it with their lives... including mine. I would not abandon my duty. I would kill as my Titans as I could if it meant giving humanity a chance to survive. Of course, I wouldn't last long, and I would eventually die. It's the only way it would end. You know that."
Annie didn't meet his gaze as those words echoed in her mind.
Dillon could feel her trembling just a little bit. He knew he was getting through to her. "Annie?" he asked when she didn't respond.
Letting out a sigh, she made eye contact with him, worn out from everything. "Dillon, what do you want?"
"I want the fighting to stop," he answered, "but I don't want to lose you."
"Why? In the end, I've done things that can't be forgiven,"she pointed out. "I can't stay here. If I do, they'll kill me."
"And what about the people who sent you here?" Dillon pressed. "What do you think they're gonna do to you when you return as a failure, Annie?"
"I'd…" She struggled to find something to cling on to. "You're asking me to risk my life for these people. I'm drenched in their blood."
"Our best chance is to surrender into their custody," Dillon said. "If we can prove that we're more valuable alive, they won't kill us."
"Who is we?" she muttered. "They love you. They hate me."
"I just interfered with a military operation and outed myself as a mind reader, Annie. No matter what happens, they're coming after me too." He snorted as he thought about Eren's trial. "Knowing the MPs, they'll want to carve out my brain for 'Humanity's Cause.'"
"Then we can both leave," Annie pleaded. "I can get us both over the Wall. We can escape this place!"
Dillon let out a sad sigh, shaking his head. "Annie, as relieving it would be to leave all of this behind, to leave the war for good, I have family and friends that need me, too. I can't abandon them to their deaths. I know what I'm asking you is beyond risky. It's practically suicidal, and after what I did you, I have no right to ask you this, but…" He took another deep breath. He honestly thought he wouldn't get this far, but now that he did, there was no turning back. "If I told you that I will not let them torture you or kill you, will you be able to trust me? Just one. Last. Time?"
She shook her head, more lost than she ever was. "I don't know what to do, Dillon."
"I know," Dillon said softly.
Taking a risk, he stretched his hand out towards her face. That surprised her, given how just a few minutes ago, she was ready to kill him, but here he was, trying to reach her.
Annie closed the distance, bringing him closer to her face. Once he was close enough, Dillon placed his hand on her cheek. She flinched, not used to this kind of contact as a Titan. Worried that he somehow hurt her, he retracted his hand only for the Female Titan to lean her head in just a little bit, indicating she wanted this. She needed to feel his touch. Cautiously, he placed his hand right back on her. He knew her body currently emanated heat, but her skin wasn't scalding as he feared it would be; in fact, it felt like she had fever all over her body. It was… surprisingly nice.
"Annie, please give me the chance to make this right," Dillon pleaded quietly.
"Do you really think you can protect me from them?" she asked him.
There was no certain way of knowing, that much was true. "I guess we'll find out together, won't we?"
"I'm scared, Dillon," she admitted, holding him close.
"So am I, but I made you a promise… and I'm going to keep it." Not caring that they were being watched, and not caring that that their fates from here on out would be intertwined because of his actions, Dillon leaned in and kissed the woman he loved on her giant lips.
Annie's eyes widened at that. She felt it, that was for damn sure. But she honestly didn't know what to make of it. So, she did what came naturally: closing her eyes, she relaxed into it and kissed back.
Was it awkward that he was kissing a woman whose lips enveloped his entire face? Admittingly, a little. Did he care? No, he did not. Even after everything she had done, Dillon still loved her, and would continue to do so for the rest of his life. It wasn't just an action confessing their love to each other once again. It was laying down everything the two had gone through right at that very moment when words failed. It wasn't an intense kiss, but it was the best one they ever shared together.
Jean's jaw dropped, completely at a loss for words. There were so many questions he had. How was Dillon able to keep a steady conversation with someone who couldn't talk? Why was he able to call out Annie without getting splattered? And, most importantly, was Dillon Amsdale seriously making out with the Female Titan?
Mikasa had so many questions, but, like Jean, her jaw fell open the moment the two started to kiss. Did Dillon just to decide to forget the fact that his girlfriend was responsible for the deaths of many soldiers and civilians? And that was just today! She slaughtered soldiers in the Expedition and scarred him for life. She was responsible for all the lives lost in Shiganshina. How could he still love her after all of that? None of this made any sense to her.
Armin, while observing the situation carefully, was still surprised by Dillon's actions. Judging from the one-sided conversation he could hear, though, he was not trying to help her escape. He desperately wanted the woman he loved to stop on her own volition. He hoped that kiss wasn't a goodbye kiss. Unfortunately, he also knew that what Dillon did would have serious ramifications.
Hanji, however, had a grin stretched out to full capacity. Dillon's actions were making history, though she would be having a long talk with Levi Squad to find out what went wrong. When they started to kiss, however, her inner romantic started squealing with delight. True, out of all the people the young man could have fallen in love with, it had to be the Female Titan, but still. If Dillon came through, she promised herself not to torture the girl. There were far more possibilities to explore if both of them were willing. Right now, she had to wait and see.
After what felt like an eternity, they pulled away as Dillon rested his head against hers, both of them closing their eyes. The warmth of her body was so soothing and so calming, it was like the rest of the world didn't exist. The only thing that mattered right now was each other.
"I love you so much, Annie," he whispered.
"I love you, too, Dillon," she whispered back, tears of relief and sadness sliding down her face.
"Oh, come on. The kiss couldn't have been that painful," he teased.
Despite the circumstances, Annie couldn't help but chuckle a little at the joke, wiping them away with her other hand. He smiled back, happy that they could share possibly their last laugh together before…
"It's your move, Annie," he told her. "What's it gonna be?"
The crossroads laid before her and it was time to choose. She looked up at the group, now joined by several more Scouts and soldiers from the Garrison, all eying her with apprehension and hands drawn to their swords. As expected, they all feared and hated her. Well, the crazy woman with glasses was grinning as if she was given all the wealth in the world, but she was the only exception. And, of course, Little Miss Perfect-Soldier was glaring at her, waiting for her to make a wrong move. For a second, her eyes landed on Armin, who visibly flinched when she locked eyes with him. Considering she was trying to kill him earlier, that wasn't very surprising.
Next, her eyes landed on Eren, who was still lying slumped against the building, though there was less steam coming out of his body. The regeneration process was almost complete, and he would be getting up soon. Once he did, all hell would break loose.
Then, the Female Titan looked over her shoulder at the Wall, close yet so far. That was the only way of escaping Stohess. She could just abandon the mission completely, leave, and never come back. If she was fast enough, she could make it. She could go back to her hometown, back to her father, but this was only the center wall. She still had to make it all the way to Rose, but the trip would be worth it once she got out… until she got back. When the people who forced her into this learned of her failures, she'd be killed.
Finally, her eyes went back to Dillon, who stood hopeful and fearful of her decision. He was the only reason that she was so conflicted right now. She wanted to hate him for it, for making things complicated for her, but at the same time, she felt grateful that someone like him was in her life. He came all this way and risked certain death just to make things right. He even stood up to her despite being in such a vulnerable position. There was no question as to whether he had a set or not, and she admired him for it.
Annie closed her eyes for a moment, trying to come up with the right decision. She heard the voices of the two people she loved battling it out in her head. Only one of them would win.
"Annie, I've always believed in you."
"I made you a promise, and I'm going to keep it."
"Your dad is the one person who is on your side."
"Annie, please give me the chance to make this right."
"Promise me… that you will return."
"It's your move, Annie. What's it gonna be?"
A few more tears streamed down her face, finally making her choice. I'm sorry, Daddy. She looked down at Dillon and nodded. "I'm going to surrender."
Dillon allowed a small smile to enter on his face as he looked back and shouted, "Annie is giving herself up! It's finally over."
The soldiers widened their eyes in shock, some even dropping their swords. Did he just say what they thought they heard him say?
"He did it," Jean said in disbelief. "He actually did it."
Armin couldn't believe it either. He honestly thought that Annie would ignore his pleas and try to escape, but she didn't. He was never happier to be wrong in his entire life.
"I can't wait to see look on Erwin and Levi's faces when they see this," Hanji said, eager to get started with those two. "A human that can communicate with Titans? This is incredible!"
Mikasa, on the other hand, felt like wringing someone's neck as she continued to watch the Female Titan and Dillon carefully with narrowed eyes. "The day's not over yet."
None of them were more relieved than the human she had in her hand, who felt like he just fought tooth-and-nail for a stay-of-execution verdict. Come to think of it, that was pretty accurate to what was going on. With Annie choosing to surrender, he knew that he wouldn't lose her again… hopefully. Unfortunately, there was a new problem that Dillon would have to face. He just outed himself as a mind reader, and his actions today were going to be brought to court for examination. If his mom's actions brought intense scrutiny on their family, his actions would have even bigger ramifications.
I saved Annie and prevented more people from dying needlessly. He reasoned to himself. It was all worth it. Still, it didn't stop him from being worried, and he wasn't the only one.
Like Dillon, Annie was concerned not just for his wellbeing but her own. She still believed that humanity would fight their hardest to get her executed no matter what her boyfriend could do. Worst-case scenario, the two would either die or have to run away (that would take some convincing) and live the rest of their lives as fugitives. And then, of course, there was the small matter of her abandoning the mission and betraying the other Titan Shifters in the process. Once they found out that she willfully surrendered, the clock would start ticking. Either they would run, or their plans would accelerate. She doubted the two of them could be convinced to stop. Mentally, they were too far gone than she was.
"We're going to get through this," Dillon said, interrupting her thoughts.
"I hope you're right," she responded.
Suddenly, a loud, rage-filled roar cut in. Shocked, Annie looked to see Eren standing up with his wounds regenerated and murder in his now-blue eyes. Not only that, his veins were glowing orange and parts of his body were on fire. He looked like something out of her worst nightmares. "What the hell?"
"Oh, shit!" Dillon swore, fear all too evident on his face.
"Get out of here, Dillon," Annie demanded as Eren prepared to charge.
"Can't. I don't have any gear," he said.
She groaned. "Of course you don't. Hang on!"
The street was too narrow for her to sidestep Eren's charge, so she had to take it. She held Dillon against her chest with one hand to protect him, which she hardened for good measure, and held out the other, ready for impact. The Rogue Titan crashed into her and tackled her to the ground, consumed with fury. With her free hand, she held his face back, but it was only going to be temporary.
Quickly, Annie placed Dillon on the ground and yelled, "Run!"
Once the teen was back on his feet, he ran as if the fires of Hell were about to consume him just as a fist from Eren smashed into her face, making it cave in. He wrapped his hands around her throat and began to choke her. The Female Titan tried to pry his hands off of her, but he was too strong. It was clear that Eren had no interest in taking her alive, and his fingers were trying to snake around to her nape. So much for giving herself up.
Hanji would not stand for it. "Cut him out! We need her alive."
Nodding, several Scouts, including Jean, charged towards the Titans, swords at the ready. Mikasa was more hesitant; she wanted Annie to die for what she did. That being said, she knew she had answers that they needed in order to win this war. With a frustrated yell, she followed her comrades towards the battle.
Seeing them on their way, Dillon chose not to stand idle. He needed to distract Eren long enough for the Scouts to do their job. Quickly, he reestablished a mental link with Eren and began to speak to him. "Eren, that's enough!"
The Rogue Titan's eyes landed on Dillon, growling at him like a rabid dog about to pounce. The good news was that he had his attention. The bad news was that he had his attention.
"Eren, it's over," he said. "There's no need to fight anymore. Let her go!"
The Titan's response was to roar loudly in his direction, forcing Dillon to cover his ears. It was clear that he didn't want to talk. He was worried that he would take a swipe at him for trying to save Annie, but, fortunately, he didn't have to find out. A precise slash from Jean cut open the nape, and Hanji pulled the exposed Eren out of the Titan's body, which was frozen in a state of fury. Once he was completely free and out of the way, Annie pushed the empty vessel off her and to the side before getting up in a sitting position. Too close.
"Don't move, you monster!" one of the Scouts demanded, his voice riddled with fear.
The Female Titan analyzed the situation. The remaining soldiers had her surrounded with swords and rifles pointing at her. They were waiting for her to make the first move. Instinctively, she covered her nape to keep them from getting any ideas. She would come out by herself.
Eren was taking this as well as he could. "Why the hell did you stop me?"
"Because she surrendered," Hanji answered sternly. "We need her alive."
Panting, the Titan Shifter, who had red marks on his eyes, glared at Dillon, wanting nothing more than to beat the living crap out of him. Annie was the enemy and she deserved to die for all the things she did to them, and yet here Dillon was, keeping her alive. After everything they've been through, and the blacksmith threw it all away for a traitor. "You son of a bitch."
A look of shame appeared on Dillon's face for a moment. "I had to, Eren."
Unfortunately, things got worse when Dillon saw Mikasa's expression as she stood before him. He could see so much in her eyes. Betrayal, anger, confusion, and so much more. "How could you?" She didn't even raise her voice, yet it had the same impact
Dillon opened his mouth to speak, but she didn't give him the chance. She launched her fist right into his face, knocking him to the ground.
The Female Titan let out a growl of warning, glaring down at her. She was not above killing Mikasa if she had to.
Fortunately, Hanji intervened, walking towards them. "Stand down, Mikasa. It's over."
Mikasa looked at her superior with pained eyes. There was nothing she could do. Heaving a sigh, she backed off, checking up on Eren.
"You all right?" Hanji asked, approaching Dillon, who managed to get back on his feet.
He nodded, wiping the blood off his lips. "Yeah. Just tired."
"Aren't we all? You have a lot of explaining to do, but…" she gave him a brief smile, "you did good, Dillon."
"Thank you, Section Commander."
Patting him on the shoulder, Hanji approached Annie. "So, about the whole 'going to dissect you' thing..."
"What did you say?" Dillon asked, caught off-guard by that.
She ignored him. "Can we pretend that never happened and start over?"
The Female Titan rolled her eyes, but she gave her a nod.
"Excellent!" Hanji faced the soldiers, giving them all a stern look. "Anyone who assaults Dillon Amsdale or Annie Leonhart without provocation will be facing a court martial. Is that understood?"
"Yes, ma'am," some of them responded reluctantly.
"I said, 'Is that understood?"'
"Yes, ma'am!"
Satisfied, Hanji glanced at her newest asset. "Well, Annie, you can come out now."
"No turning back now," Annie said to herself.
"We'll get through this," Dillon assured.
She sighed and hardened her fingers, slicing her nape open. Once most of the flesh was gone, Annie pulled herself out, landing on the ground and panting. She was just as tired as the rest of them. There were red marks on her eyes like Eren had, indicating that it was a momentarily side effect for Shifters. As Dillon helped her up, Hanji approached them with a pair of handcuffs.
"Dillon Amsdale and Annie Leonhart, you are both under arrest," she announced as the two were immediately shackled. "Any attempt to escape or transform will be met with lethal force."
"It's gonna be okay, Annie," Dillon promised.
"I know," Annie said.
Once they were secure, the Scouts began the march towards the capital. Nearby, Dillon saw Captain Levi eying them with eyes narrowed. He wasn't sure what was going through his head, and he had no idea if he would be advocating for their survival or their execution, especially once he heard about what happened to his squad. Hell, he didn't really know who was going to be on their side after all this.
He let out a sigh. He did what he deemed was right and he succeeded. Annie had surrendered, and humanity was getting another Shifter plus a guy with mind powers. However, Dillon knew that fight was far from over. So many people would be calling for their heads, whether they be Scouts, Garrison Troops, or MPs. At least he wasn't alone. He and Annie would go through this together and come out stronger. He didn't come all this way just get executed.
One day at a time. Dillon thought. One day at a time.
Remastered Edits: Not much, actually. I added a bit more depth in pretty much everything, changed a few lines to make them more natural, but this is pretty much the same as it was when I first posted this chapter.
AN: This has still been my favorite chapter I have ever written. Thanks to my first co-writer, Steel, he helped make this scene come alive. The response I got when I posted this a long time ago was astounding. It really meant a lot that people wanted to see a scene like this. I just never realized how much at the time. And the fact that all of you are still with me after all this time… you guys are awesome, you know that?
So, next arc is the Project Psion Arc. Hoo boy. That got a mixed reception in the old version, and I take responsibility for that. Let me assure you all that you are not getting the same version that was in the original. The next two chapters will be roughly the same, but after that… it's going to be a VERY different story. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I look forward to your reviews, and I'll see you all in the next one.
