I'm only Human

by NeonZangetsu

Humanity; Weak. Strong. Loving. Loathing. Kind. Cruel. Loyal. Disloyal. They can be all these things and more and yet, in the face of great adversity, when faced with insurmountable odds, they have managed to overcome and triumph time and time again. But even with a newfound ally on their side, do they stand any chance against the titans? After all...he's only human. NarutoxHarem!

3. Attack and Counter

A/N: Argh! I blame Rikudo-75 for this! Here I was, content to update all my old stories, then HE has to go and suggest a new idea! I was happy! I was content! And then I was introduced to what I know regard as possibly one of THE best animes of all time. Shingeki no Kyojin. Otherwise known as Attack on Titan. A powerful script, beautiful music and damn good acting. I've already become acquainted with all of the anime, and am up to the most recent chapter of the manga. Naturally, an idea occurred to me. AND I KNOW NOW THAT IT ISN'T THE FIRST CROSSOVER! STOP TELLING ME THAT! I'D MEANT TO SAY IT WAS MY First crossover into this realm!

In that regard, I'm fairly certain no one has dared to try this before. And with that, I proudly present to you the continuation of...

...my first ever Naruto & Attack on Titan crossover! Its a long chapter! Even longer than the last one! A lot happens in this chapter! Expect some pleasant surprises!

"We're in for one wild night...

~?

Attack and Counter

"Neh, Naruto-kun?"

...hai, Hanj-san?"

"Would you transform for me?"

"For the last time! No!" he snapped at the brunette that was by all rights, technically his superior. "I've had enough poke and prodding for one day, thank-you-very-much! Now lemme be!"

"Just once!" she continued, all but begging. "Its not fair that Levi and Erwin got to see it before me!"

"Yadda!"

"Can we please go on ahead now?" Kurama begged, his deep voice lanced with a rare touch of fear. "I'm not enjoying this! Seriously!"

'Don't you dare leave me alone with her!'

"Sorry boy, you're on your own!"

Uzumaki Naruto groaned and tried to bury his head further into the folds of his scouting cloak, tried to igonore that familiar voice ringing in his ears. There was only so much fabric however-and with his height and build he couldn't manage anywhere near as well as he would've liked. Instead he merely urged his horse on ahead, spurring the animal away from the group. That was the problem with the Scouting Legion, he reflected; the problem of being a part of something again.

This wasn't like teaching and training his disciples-though he'd rather enjoyed spending those three years on Mikasa and the others-where he could dictate the pace. Here, surrounded by these men and women of equal skill and titan killing prowess, the jinchuuriki had to curtail his frustrations-many though they were-and work with them as a team. That, was how humanity had survived for the last century and it was how they intened to continue surviving now.

By working together, functioning as one, these seemingly ordinary folks had slain more than a dozen titans. It was one of the reasons Naruto had first thought to join them in the first place; his skills were better served outside the walls where he didn't risk hurting or killing his comrades by using his full strength.

Besides, it was more far more exciting out here! Or so he'd thought.

That was before they forced him to learn how to use this blasted maneuver gear. Before they forced him to ride a horse instead of letting him run on his own two feet as a true shinobi should! Erwin had assured him the indignation would fade in time, and to the rest of the men, it would make it seem that he was willing to make compromises. Unfortunately, Naruto had never much been one for those. His pride burned for every instant that he was forced to ride this horse, a stubborn mare that simply refused to move at the speed its master wished.

It irked him to no end that he couldn't just run on ahead of them on foot and slaughter the enemy. That he was forced to ride an animal-a beast of burden no less-regulated to move at their pace when every fiber of his being screamed for action and activity irked him, to say the least. As did the fact that he could no longer wander outside the walls at his own discretion. But time and time again he had to remind himself that he needed to conserve his stamina-mighty and everlasting though it might be-and at least keep up the appearances that he was human. His transformation three years ago had given the denizens of Wall Rose quite the shock! He had heard that there'd even been some deaths; quite a few heart attacks had been reported that day.

"C'mon, don't be like that...

'Not again!'

Naruto nearly slammed his head into the back of his horse as Hanji rose up beside him, her steed easily matching his stride for stride. Hanji Zoe. A veteran of the Survey Coprs and admittedly quite the looker-when you got past her fascination for all things titan and othwerise. No one knew had laid eyes upon his titan transformation save Erwin and Levi but unfortunately for them Hanji had been quite dogged in her persisstence. When confronted with the knowledge that humanity's sole titan shifter-ha! shows how much they knew!-was riding right beside her, the woman simply hadn't been able to help herself. Why, Kami? Why oh why, was it his fate to be surrounded by weirdos?!

"I'm beginng you here!" she pleaded. "Pretty please!"

"Hanji, I will EAT you!"

"Oooh, scary!" a sly grin crept across her visage. "Is that a promise?"

"I'm not kidding, baka yarou!"

"Its no use trying to dissuade her." Levi chided beside him. "She's has every right to be excited about this. Just as I do."

"You're excited?!" Naruto's deadpan was barely concealed. Well, he certainly didn't look it! In fact, if one were to glance at Levi, they wouldn't have thought much of him at all. Short, with straight black hair, sharp eyes and an almost perpetually disinterested expression caused him to look as though he wasn't interested in anything or downright apathetic, despite the contrary. He almost reminded Naruto of a mini-Sasuke, though he'd never have said that aloud. Still, just the thought of it made him smile...

The shorter man met Naruto's smile with a deadpan of his own.

"Oi oi...what're you smirking for?"

"Nothing! No reason!"

There was a prolonged silence as the three of them rode alongside one another, the countryside blurring by.

"So...

"HA-N-JI!"

"Eeep!"

Laughter arose from the rest of the riders and for a moment the blonde couldn't help but wonder; was all this an act on her part? Was Hanji deliberately messing with him just so he'd show some emotion? To get them to lower their defenses and welcome him as one of their own?

"Hanji's enthusiasm is commendable." Erwin reminded, his voice carrying on from the head of their formations. "Levi and myself aside, we've yet to see what your capable of firsthand. This is, after all, your first ofificial outing with the legion." Whereas Levi's appearance constrased his demeanor, their commander was the exact opposite. Stoic and stern with short cropped blonde air and grey eyes, he radiated a no-nonsense aura, one of command and cold logic. "Your skills and battle prowess might be the tipping point we need in regaining Wall Maria. If Levi vouches for your skills, then I trust you implicitly."

"Damn/Damn." Naruto and Kurama shared the same thought; the shinobi's grin was positively beatific. He'd known the commander was blunt...but damn! Way to flatter him!

"Well when you put it that way...don't be too surprised! If I wipe out all the titans by myself!" he grinned. For all his earlier woes, it felt good to be a part of something again. Then Hanji started pestering him about the transformation again and his glee faded. He was so busy smacking her over the head he didn't even notice it when Levi rode ahead of him to join Erwin. Indeed, he never gave the matter a second thought.

"Are you sure its alright to pump him up like that?"

"It helps if he's motivated." Erwin replied, never once glancing back at the whiskered warrior. "Today's exercise will cement everyone's faith in him; if all goes well, we should be able to successfully retake Wall Maria in a month from now. What's important now at this moment, is camraderie. The others won't be willing to throw their lives away for someone they don't trust. Besides, its better to have him out here in the field than back in the Walls surrounded by those cultists."

Levi bit back a grimace at that remark; because as always, Erwin had spoken nothing but the truth. The Wall Cult hated Naruto with a passion. To them he was an affront to their three holy Walls; a devilish demon who would bring only disaster and despair. They didn't care if he claimed to be on their side or not; they just wanted him dead. His unexpected kitsune transformation hadn't made him any friends three years ago, and were his titan form to ever come to light in the public eye, he'd probably be even worse off than before. And then there was the matter of the military police...sheesh. The more he though about it, the more Levi realized just how many enemies Naruto had made for himself.

What was to stop him from becoming fed up with everything and leaving it all behind? Those so-called he kept on about? His shinobi? The ones he'd spent the last three years training? No-Erwin was right. They couldn't afford to lose him. Humanity couldn't afford to lose him.

"You're a manipulative bastard, you know that?" He shook his head at last, risking a glance back at Naruto. "Although I can't say I disagree with you-

"Titans!"

When the cry went up from Petra a split second before the forest erupted to the south, spilling out a swarm of the beasts, pounding in their direction. For a moment, just a moment, the entire Survey Corps froze. There were so many! Too many! Dozens! Maybe even more! Erwin knew at once what the men and women of his legion were thinking; where the devil had they been hiding all this time?! But now was not the time to hesitate in the face of this newfound adversity.

Now was the time for action!

"Make for the trees!" Erwin commanded, knowing at once that even with their 3-D maneuver gear the group stood little to no chance on flat terrain. Naruto didn't listen. Even as he thought to issue the same command to the blond he was already standing atop his horse, a savage grin ripping across his whiskiered face. He made no move to make use of his Maneuver Gear even, not even when more than half the horde broke off from their pursuit of Levi's group and raced towards him.

Something was swirling there in the palm of his hand, something that looked remarkably like a large throwing star of sorts. With that same smile still fixed firmly in place, the blonde cocked his arm back as though he'd been preparing to throw it all along. Erwin, Levi, and the rest of the Recon Corps had just enough time to realize what the blonde intended before he flung it forward. It split the air in twine as it rocketed forward, taking the heads of several titans before imploding and incapacitating dozens more.

Naruto leapt after it on foot, surging forward with a speed Erwin was hard-pressed to believe. So this was why he'd wanted to run. He was far faster than their horses! But why was he charging directly at the titants? He must've had some plan, else he wouldn't have-

!

"All units, halt!" Erwin ordered, realizing exactly what the blonde intended; what he was about to unleash. Even from here, he could see Naruto thrusting a thumb within his mouth. Within seconds, he'd doubtlessly bite on that digit and when he did-

"HERE IT COMES!" Hanji's squeal overrode his thoughts; an erranct glance confirmed the woman was wide-eyed and grinning, practically drooling at the thought of what was to come. "The transformation!"

Seconds later, the clearing erupted in a thunderbolt. Bolts of golden and crimson light lanced through the clearing in a blinding brilliance that left everyone reeling, flinging their arms before their faces to ward against it this sudden explosion of othwerwordly power. All ther remained of Naruto was a smoking crater, obscurred by a burning haze of steam.

"There he goes again." Levi murmurred, spurring his steed to a halt beside Erwin's. "Did he have to transform already?"

"Would you rather he turn into that giant fox and risk crushing us all underfoot?" Erwin arched an eyebrow.

"Tch." his second-in-command scoffed, but said no more. It was true that his kitsune form was far more efficient, but if they went anywhere near the conflict then they risked being trod to pieces.

For a moment, nothing happened. Nothing stirred in that pit of sizzling steam. Nothing moved. Hanji leaned forward eagerly against her saddle, her gaze greedily devouring the distance between her and the crater and the monstrosity that was bound to emerge from within. She could barely contain her anticipation! the moment Naruto would emerged. Would it be a seven meter titan? Maybe a fifteen meter? Would it resemble Naruto at all? Or would it deform even his most masculine features? Ohhhh, she couldn't wait! When was he going to-

"ROOOOOOOAAAAARGH!"

As if to defy her every expectations a massive Titan towering twenty meters tall-easily the size of a large building-came bounding out of the smoke, roaring its head off. It's legs lopped forward in long, earth-consuming strides, carrying it towards its downed fellows at an almost ruthless pace. Hanji's jaw nearly fell clear off her face.

"S...Su...

"Here she goes again." Gunther groaned, bracing himself for the outburst that was slowly building inside their buntaichou.

"SUGOI!" Her scream threatened to overpower their ears, nearly deafening the entire squad on the spot. "Look at him! He's huge! Massive! BIG!"

Indeed.

Although he'd seen this behemoth once before Erwin's eyes still bucked at the sight of it. It's body was entirely unlike any titan he'd ever seen; and he had seen many in his time. Vaguely humanoid it t'was; in that it stood up on two legs. That was where the resemblance ended. Instead of the standard type this monstrosity bore not two, not four, but, six arms three to each side. Shaggy blonde hair obscured blazing red orbs and a whiskered face, dropping past his ears and shoulders... framing a mouth full of knife-like teeth that would make even the most hardened soldier shiver.

"Its...gigantic!" Petra whispered, awed by the sheer size of the creature bounding away from them, its armoured arms swinging a mile a minute.

Naruto's titan form put on a sudden burst of speed; cannoning foward into its fellow titans with a roar, fists swinging. Caught unawares, they never stood a chance. Six arms lashed onto arm and limb and all manner of bodily parts, tearing them free in great gouts of gore. All those hands did was destroy, grabbing and tearing and pulling and wrenching with terrible speed and precision; it was as if they had become blades-six separate swords that sliced and slashed and severed whatever they touched.

Naruto felt them crunch beneath those mighty fists like beetles popping under a boot. Their bodies broke like shells and the softness within was ground to gory smears on the ground below. And, throughout it all, not a single drop of blood spattered upon him. Any moisture that dared near this gleaming demon of death simply evaporated on the spot. He was death incarnate; come to wreak havoc and destruction; come to destroy the fools that dared stand against him; come to deliver his own brutal brand of justice. Even the largest of titans didn't stand a chance against him; he simply overpowered them.

The steam poured from his every orifice; it sang power and hatred and strength. This is death, this is retribution, and I love it.

"Don't lose yourself." Kurama cautioned.

'Relax.' Naruto replied as he effortlessly crushed a titan's skull with one hand and bit the head of another, 'I've had all of three years to master this form. It's like a second skin to me now. Although I still prefer our biju form...'

Still, there was a certain exhileration to be found, fighting in this body. Three years ago, he'd loathed it. He couldn't use any of his ninjutsu or senjutsu in this form and was limited to use his armored arms and strength to eradicating the enemy. His anger had come from his inexperience in this form. But with experience had come strength, and with strength, confidence. Now, when he fought in this great form, he simply felt...free. He wondered if Annie felt the same. He'd never seen her in her titan form before, so he had no way of knowing what she looked like when she did change-

"On your right!"

Naruto dropped down to his haunches just before a sixteen-meter type sailed over his head, its spindly arms still outstretched in a failed attempt to grab him. An errant thought caused the extra arms mounted atop his shoulders to twist around backwards, rising to greet this new threat. They grabbed hold of either end of the titan and pulled tearing it asunder like so much tissue paper. The severed halves dropped to the earth amidst the swarming titans-upper half twitching, still struggling to rise as the blonde's foot descended upon their neck-

One stomp later and the titan's corpse joined the others in a swiftly growing pile at his feet. He lost himself in battle after that, his body moving purely on instinct, crushing anything that came near, his mind no longers proccessing the time or techniques it took to end the titans in artful fashion. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't enjoying this. It was the closest thing he felt to a physical high; every fiber of his being rejioiced in the ugly slaughter taking place around him, glorying in the carnage that he'd created.

Alas, all good things have to end.

It took him less than three minutes to kill twenty-five titans. Funny. It seemed like so much longer. As he crushed the nape of his final opponent he glanced around and realized the clearing was finally devoid of those disgusting aberrants that had come from out of nowhere. Such a shame. Nothing save a swarm of titan numbering in the hundreds had any chance of stopping him in this form. He had just enough time to catch back his breath, then he loped towards them in slow strides, eerily aware that just about everyone save Erwin and Levi had their hand on a sword. Well, that was to be expected.

"Calm down," Levi cautioned everyone. "He's not going to attack."

"But sir-

"Just calm down." Their squad leader repeated.

Naruto's titan form gazed at them for what felt like a small eternity. Then he sat down, sending the earth shuddering beneath him. The motion was so sudden and unexpected that all but most experienced members of the Scouting Legion drew backwards. Even Hanji flinched aside at the sudden motion, her eyes slightly wide as the Titan simply sat there ,contemplating them. Its jaws and mouth appeared to be moving-creaking open and shut as it struggled to form words the words...and spoke.

"Yo." Naruto's voice, an octave lower than normal, issued forth from the titan's mouth. "Pretty sure that makes my kill-count twenty five now."

Silence reigned supreme, across the plains. Of the entire Scouting Leigon, none save Erwin and Levi could believe their eyes. This was a trick, right? Surely their eyes had to be playing tricks on them! They had to be! It didn't make sense otherwise! There was just no way that this Titan, this demon of death and destruction, once so fiercely and furious-could possibly be so calm! And yet he was. Naruto sat there like the Buddha himself, smiling back at them, his crimson eyes placid and cool, with not so much as a hint of rage.

"He can really control it." Petra murmurred, awed by the display.

"Oi oi," Auruo said in disbelief, "You gotta be shitting me...

Erd simply shook his head.

'This is the power he posseses...

Erwin felt a supreme sense of satisfaction as he folded both arms before his chest; Naruto had single-handedly done in his titan form what would've taken even Squad Levi at least a few minutes to do. Decimated more than two dozen titans on his own, without any assistance. And now he was speaking to them through his titan form, displaying almost flawless control. This, was it. Right here. This was the key to taking back their lives and land, sitting there on the grass before them. With the powers this man possessed, and those that he'd been training, they might just stand a chance.

Those members of the recon corps who remained gathered were likewise experiencing different states of disbelief.

Hanji shared none of that disbelief.

"Naruto!"

Everyone jumped!

"Can I see touch one of those arms?!" she begged! "Its okay, right? Right? Just let me touch it!"

"Ehhhhh?" Naruto looked to Erwin for confirmation; the latter merely shrugged. "Ah, what the hell? Go ahead."

"Yatta~!" No sooner had the words left her lips than the squad captain bounded forward, wrapping both hands around a single finger. "They're big!" she observed, noting the callouses upon that lone digit. "Reeaally big! Unbelievably big! Neh, how does it feel to be inside that titan's body?! Does it feel hot? Are you burning up right now? I really want to know!"

"This bitch is crazy!" Kurama hissed inside Naruto's mind. "Remind me never to come out when she's around!"

'Is the mighty Kurama afraid of a single human?'

"Yes! Very much so!"

Naruto laughed at that and his titan form laughed with him.

"Nah," he chortled softly, flexing his fingers. "It doesn't burn. Feels kinda cold, actually."

"Can you pick me up?!"

Naruto's facepalm sent the earth shaking!

"Are you fucking crazy?!"

"You'd better do it," Levi sighed. "She'll never stop pestering you othwerwise."

"The things I do for women...

Slowly, gingerly, Naruto opened one of his many hands and waited for the squad leader to crawl into it. Then, when he was certain that she was secure, he slowly began to raise his palm. Even to his large ears, Hanji's squeal was practically deafening.

"Aha!" her goggled gaze darted this way and that, hazel eyes eagerly observing every inch of his whiskered visage. "You're even more impressive up close! I could just kiss you!"

"Squad leader, that's dangerous!" One of their men cried! "He might eat you!"

"Don't tempt me." Naruto growled softly, but his words lacked rancour.

"Oh, I would never!" Hanji practically purred, reaching up to rub at his giant cheek. "You might act gruff all the time, but you're really a big softied!" Geh! She didn't know it, but she'd hit the nail on the head there! He really wasn't trying to distance himself from others...Naruto really didn't! He simply didn't want to risk harming anyone with these incredible powers of his. There was a reason for all these weights and limiters he made himself wear now; without them, he ran the risk of truly hurting someone with something so casual as a slap on the back.

"You've seriously got a thing for titans, dontcha?" He drawled back.

"Yup!" Hanji's smile practically outshone the sun. Deep within the Titan, Naruto actually flushed.

"Alright, playtime's over. Somebody wanna get me outta here before miss mad scientist tries to dissect me or something?" He grunted in baritone-one of his six arms rising to indicate the plated fold in his neck, the remaining five twitching slightly from the odd motion. "I'd try it on my own but its a bitch and takes five minutes to do by myself."

"I-I'll help!" Petra volunteered before Hanji could, snaring his shoulder with a wire and whisking herself up to meet him-she felt she owed him that much for doubting the boy's skill.

"Be careful, Petra!" Auruo warned as she neared the blonde's hulking form. "We don't know if he's serious or not!"

"Puh-lease!" came Naruto's booming reply. "As if I'd hurt a lady!"

Petra sincerely hoped that was true; that this wasn't all just some act to get them to lower their guard so he could slaughter them. It would be child's play for him to reach up and crush her right now; out here, in open air, with nothing to hook her maneuver gear into, she was easy prey. Gingerly she clamored onto the rock hard muscle of his shoulder, steadying herself with both arms. His titan form really was absolutely massive this close; she felt like speck of dust compared to him.

"I'm in the neck." he grunted as she ascended. "Careful not to break your blades, there's some armor up here."

Some armor was an understatement. The back of his neck was protected by thick plating; nothing short of a titan's tooth could hope to shatter it directly. No wonder Naruto couldn't emerge on his own! But if one were to place their blade into the grooves betweeen it, between the flesh and bone...

Unthinking, Petra sank her blade into the flesh of his neck and began to pry at it...

...only to be stopped seconds later by a furious hiss.

"Fuuuck!" A pained growl came from beneath the wall of thick flesh. "That was my arm!"

"S-Sorry!"

"Just be glad I can regenerate!"

"I've...almost...got it," Petra replied, splitting the groove with her blade, forcing it upwards with all of her strength. "And-

-I'm out!" Naruto burst out of the back of the neck in a burst of gore, his body still steaming from the motion. "Finally! I was starting to suffocate, in there!" Unfortunately, he'd made one miscalculation. So had Petra. She hadn't expected him to emerge that swiftly once she'd cut him free, and he hadn't expected her to still be standing there. The result? Collision. They fell from the titans shoulder in a tangle of arms and legs, much to the amusement and disbelief of the Survey Corps, crashing to the ground in pained heap.

"Well, this isn't awkward at all." Naruto observed as she lay atop him. "We barely know each other, Petra...

Petra jerked back as if she'd been burned; nay, her face was flushing six different shades of scarlet.

"W-W-W-What are you saying Naruto-dono?!"

"Ah, you're the impressionable sort, it seems."

"Kyah!"

Everyone laughed at her reaction; not to slap the blonde silly, but to leap off him and bolt in the opposite direction. Even from

"Oi! That was way too fast!" Hanji complained, squiriming about as the titan's body began to dissolve, its owner picking himself up off the floor and walking away. "I wanted to do some more tests!"

"Use the bones or something!" Naruto snapped back. "I don't care what you-

That was when he felt it; a light tingle, as though a thought somewhere in the back of his mind were pulling at him, tugging for his attention. Naruto slowed, taking his thumb out of his mouth. He turned, facing back in the direction from whence they'd first come, features pinched in concentration as he tried to sense what it was that had called to him. It was a hiraishin kunai. He'd managed to craft nearly two dozen of them during his short-lived time here, seven of which he'd given away, one for each of his disciples. Those seven were his finest made; he could use them to traverse miles in an instant. All he had to do was open the link in his mind in an eyeblink and he'd be transported to that kunai's rough location. But why was he being called now?

He'd given them explicit instructions not to call upon him unless they were in dire straits or...

...if the walls were ever breached.

"Oh sunuvabitch!"

Naruto must've cursed aloud because in the next instant everyone was looking at him.

"What's wrong, Naruto?" Erwin ready the anxiety on his face like a book.

"The walls!" he had just enough time to warn...

...and in a crackle of golden light he was gone.

---

(Meanwhile, in Wall Rose)

Death had finally come for Mina Carolina.

This was it, then; she was going to die. She could smell the warm, fetid breath of the titan, feel it on her face, swarming around her as she fell. Her hand scrabbled for purchase against the slick walls of its throat but to no avail; she was falling, plummeting down its gullet to her doom. Helpless to do anything but slide down its throat, it was then that Mina Carolina knew her end was nigh. How was this happening? A foolish question. A stupid inquiry; the answer to which she already knew.

She had been there with Eren and the others atop the wall; she had seen the Colossal Titan, witnessed its destruction firsthand. Been forced to watch helpless, as it laid waste to the cannons-kicked in the wall and let the titans in. She hadn't been able to to do anything. All of those techniques Naruto had taught her, useless. She'd been far too afraid, too frightened to do anything. It had been three years since she'd trained, nearly five in total since the great catastrophe of Wall Maria. And now it was happening all over again.

After that abnormal had eaten Thomas...everyone had just panicked. The Titan had snapped her wire, sending her body hurtling into the side of a building. Dazed, she had tried to draw the kunai Naruto had given her, but she'd lost it somewhere during the chaos, her fingers only just brushing its hilt.

At this moment Mina wished for more than anything to see her sensei again. But Naruto wasn't here. His duties with the Scouting Legion had practically removed him from her life in the last month; more and more he was becoming feared by the populace for his strange techniques, and even stranger transformations. If he didn't have the support of someone in the Monarchy, he'd probably be dead already by now. Or worse; thrust back outside, left to fend for himself.

That was why I wanted to join the Legion...

Not that it mattered anymore. They were all going to die; and so was she. Naruto's training had been for naught. No one could save her now. There was just no possible way...

Mina!

Her eyes drifted open.

Mina Carolina!

Abruptly, they widened.

'Why am I thinking about that now...?

---

(Flashback)

They stood there before the torches, faced by the man responsible for their own private hell for the last three years. It was to be the night of their graduation, not just as soldiers, but as shinobi. Mina had never been so happy in all of her life. And yet at the same time, she was said. This would be their last evening with Naruto; tomorrow he would officially resume his duties as a member of the Scouting Legion. There would be no more training-

Clearing his throat, the whiskered blonde began to speak.

"Mina Carolina! Mikasa Ackerman! Sasha Braus! Jean Kirchstein! Christa Reiss! Annie Leonhardt! Armin Arlet!"

"I am proud of each of you!" Naruto's eyes glimmered with pride as he read off the list of names into the moonlight. Seven names. Armin Arlet was one of them. Mina had felt bad for him; he had a brilliant mind, but at the same time lacked a strong body to properly use it. Her father had always reproached her for this weakness; she was simply too kind of a person. As a child, she couldn't stand seeing people suffer. Her empathy had only grown with age, yet another

That same empathy had stirred when she saw Armin, how despondent he'd looked as Naruto passed him by.

The very next day she'd all but begged her new sensei to activate the boy's chakra coils as he'd done her own. And Naruto had. To great success! Like Mina, Armin had nearly lost his life countless times over the course of the last three years; there had been times when she was almost certain he'd drop out. But the boy had perserved and as he stood here beside her now tall and proud, Mina Carolina knew at once that she had made a friend for life.

"You have far exceeded my expectations!" Naruto continued, jerking her back to the present with a loud hiss. "Not just as soldiers, but as indviduals! And as such, I will present to each of you a gift for exceeding." Mina blinked, baffled as their instructor revealed a line of tri-pronged kunai from his coat and began proferring it to each of them in turn. "It can only be used once, so, take care when holding it." A slight smile broke through his fierce facade, rendering his next words soft and kind.

"I know it sounds corny, but think of me when you need me most, and so long as you've touched that kunai, I'll be there. Consider it a one-time freebie. Because, from this day on, I am no longer your teacher! We are equals! Brothers and sisters in arms! From this day forth...

Just like that, he raised his voice again, his shout carrying over the seven cadets.

...the seven of you are shinobi!"

(End Flashback)

---

'That's right.' Mina thought to herself as she slid still further down the titan's throat. 'I'm not just a soldier. I'm not just a shinobi, either. I'm Naruto's disciple! And...And...

"I'M NOT GOING TO DIE HERE!"

Her hands and feet stabbed into the lining of the titan's throat, no longer seeking a handhold. Mina simply thrust out her arms and legs and released all of her chakra in one monumental burst. Raw power bled from her broken fingertips and booted, grinding her rapid fall to a sudden halt, buying her precious time. Her mind raced for an answer-a million different thoughts racing through her head. Naruto had taught her a handful of his jutsu, her affinity being that of water, but she needed both hands for those, and was hardly adept in either of them.

This far back the beast couldn't grab her, but it was taking all of her chakra just to remain rooted in place. And already she could feel her strength sapping, slipping...

"No!" she hissed as she began to slide, slipping one inch, then another down its throat.

Mina had just begun to scream, to damn herself for her powerlessness, when she heard it; a familiar roar piquing in her ears. Gradually it dissolved from a meaningless animal bleat to sound; someone screaming out at her, swearing a blue streak, spitting curse after curse after endless curse. And over those curses, she heard a single familiar phrase being repeated over and over and over...

"Noyoufuckingdont-

Her would-be-killer must've heard it too; because the titan blinked once-its massive head turning a fraction of an inch, prolonging her life for just a sliver of a second. That, was all it took. A gold and white blur streaked across Mina's vision, interposing itself firmly between her and the titan's gaping maw, lunging into that black abyss to pull her back from the brink of oblivion.A hand locked around her wrist squeezing with enough force to fracture the bone. Mina found herself staring up at a familiar whiskered face and blazing blue eyes, the words drying up in her throat as she recognized that shock of blonde hair and the unmistakieable scent of warm bread. This was...?!

"Ora!"

His hand shot forth like a pulley even as titan's teeth snapped shut around them. Blood spurted into the air. But it wasn't Mina's blood. It was his. Her saviour stood firm and strong, one hand propping open the kyojin's mouth even as a booted foot arrested its lower jaw from moving any further. Try as it might the giant couldn't get its mouth to shut; its tongue wriggled wrestlessly as the man held its mouth open. A strong arm folded itself around Mina's waist and drew her up out of the dark, hauling her to safety. She could only gasp as they flung her out of the beast's mouth and into open air; her back greeted the outer wall with a dull thud.

"See," he began slowly, "This is why I hate you titans. You're ugly. Stupid. Cruel. Brutish. I could tolerate that. But this time...this time...

"YOU ASSHOLES TOUCHED MY PRECIOUS DISCIPLES!"

His remaining palm raised itself up in silent offering, fingers clenched into a claw, clutched around spiraling sphere. Mina recognized it at once; because, Naruto had taught her the very same technique. Rasengan. The titan began to react to him-to this sudden and more immediate threat, reaching a giant paw up at its mouth. Too little too late, Mina realized. Naruto struck foward with all his might obliterating the Titan's hand with a single swing of the arm before bringing his arm back up towards its head. That was when its mouth snapped shut on him. Mina's last sight was that of her sensei's startled expression before the beast swallowed with a great gulp, sending the blonde plummeting down its gullet.

No.

Mina sat there on her knees, unable to believe her eyes. Naruto...was gone. He'd leapt straight into the monster's maw to save her, and now he was gone. Damned to death.

No!

And she had been the one responsible for it.

NO!

Something snapped, deep inside of her. In that instant, Mina Carolina forgot all about what she'd been taught by Naruto; all those jutsu tactics and training were thrown to the wayside. There was only a burning red haze and a desire for vengeance. Vengeance! She'd idolized Naruto, seen him as a true soldier...and now he was gone. I never told him how I felt. She had never told him that her feelings ran deeper than those of a master-student bond; she'd secretly fallen in love with him somtime during the last three years. She'd kept quiet about it, had planned on telling him tomorrow when he returned from his expedition beyond the walls...

But that would never happen now. He was gone. And...

It was all her fault!

A raw scream ripped from her lips, a mournful cry of love lost, garnering the titan's attention. It reached for her with its remaining hand and her sword lashed out like lightning; its narrow edge carving a canyon in the beast's palm, severing its index fingers and thumb. She darted past it, hurtling between its legs and out the other side. It bent down to look at her between those legs, and that was when Mina saw it. An opening! Her body was in the air almost before she realized it-her Maneuver Gear carying her unfalteringly toward its neck, her blades swinging down upon its lone vulnerable area in a vicious and violent arc. Mina screamed at the titan as she struck, expelling all her pent up feelings in one monumentl burst of energy.

"Die you bastard!"

Her sword cut deep and true, almost slicing the neck off in its entirety. Blood spattered across her face, but she couldn't have cared less. This was it! Her first kill! She'd avenged Naruto-sensei! The Titan stood there for a long moment, eyes wide and disbelieving, as though it couldn't believe that it'd actually been slain by a rookie like her. And then it began to fall, pitching backwards to land on its back. Mina dropped down after it, her dark eyes leering angrily at the titan's still form, fighting back furious tears. Now that she'd avenged Naruto, the anger was gone...all that remained was sorrowed resolve.

She would not let his sacrifice go to waste.

"Thank you for saving me, sensei." she whispered. "I promise I won't let you down." And she wouldn't. She would slaughter every single titan!

As if in answerment, a deep rumble arose from the Tiran's gut, prompting Mina to risk a second glance back at the belly of the beast. Was it still alive? No. That was impossible. She'd given it a clean cut across the nape of its neck...so what was happening with its stomach? Another rumble reverberated from the creatures belly, causing its corpse to convulse. It sounded almost like something was shrieking inside of it, growing louder-in each passing second...

"Rasenshuriken!"

A body erupted out of the titan's stomach in an explosion of gore, blade in hand. Mina froze. She could see the current of wind swirling in his palm, spitting - sparking as the jutsu extinguished itself. His feet had barely touched the ground before she recognized him; although his hair was slicked with slime and his body greased with gore, there was no way she could've mistaken him for someone else. Those blazing blue eyes, roaring high with the flame of defiance, the Wings of Freedom emblazoned proudly upon his great green cloak...

"Naruto-sensei!"

She cannoned into him without a second thought, her arms locking around his waist and holding tight. He was alive! He was covered in gore and stank something fierce, but he was alive! And...wait. Something was not quite right. She felt as though she should be holding more of him than she was; her arms wrapped around both of his. And yet she felt only one. The

"I owe you one, Mina." He touched a hand to the lone kunai still dangling around her neck. "If it weren't for you, I'd never have made it back here in time."

Mina felt the tears well up in her eyes; this time she was powerless to stop them. Naruto noticed.

"Hey, don't cry now. You did well."

"Naruto...but...

"But?" the blonde blinked.

...your arm!"

Indeed, Uzumaki Naruto had lost his left limb. All that remained below the shoulder was a ragged stump, dripping droplets of blood. It was gone. Forever. He gave the stump a percursory glance-as though only noticing it now for the first time. Mina tensed, expecting an outburst for her concern. Instead, her sensei smiled.

"It isn't worth much." Naruto soothed, stroking her hair with his hand. "Besides, it's just one arm. I'm glad you're safe, though. I could hear everything from inside the Titan's stomach. That was your first kill, wasn't it? Great job!" A pained grin pulled at his whiskered cheeks, draw up in a smile that sent her heart fluttering. "I'm proud of you, Mina."

"S-Sensei...

Mina started to cry then; all her pent up feelings leaking through her eyes and down her cheeks. Naruto said nothing to this-he simply tucked her head into his chest with his remaining arm and held her. Allowing her to bury her head in his cloak for what felt like an eternity.

"Neh, sensei...

"Hmm?"

"I want to tell you something."

Naruto didn't reply; he merely looked at her, as though awaiting the question. In the end, she couldn't say it after all.

"N-No, nevermind...it can wait."

---

Armin Arlert heard the sound of footsteps drawing nearer; but he daren't move. He heard voices calling for him-saying name and even then, he did nothing. Said nothing. Eren would've done something. Said something to reassure them. But Eren wasn't here. Not anymore. He was gone. Dead. Devoured by the Titan. It should've been me. He should've been the one to die. Not Eren! A useless burden like him could do anything, and he had just gotten all of his friends killed.

...min!"

'I'm worthless...I wan't to die...

"Armin!"

Eventually he became aware of movement on his right, in his peripheals. That someone was shaking him now, their hands wrapping around his shoulders.

"Armin! Snap out of it!"

!

Gradually his vision resolved into blurs, then shadows, then finally a figure. He caught sight of a familiar button nose set in a pale face and dark, empathetic eyes, her visage framed by dark ebony tresses. At first Armin thought it was Mikasa. But no, Mikasa didn't have long hair anymore. This one did. She was shaking him roughly now, pleading for an answer. Mina? He almost didn't recognize her with her hair down. Wait. Mina, never ever wore her hair down. He must be dreaming then. This was all a dream Ah that must be it-

"Armin!"

SLAP!

A painful open-hand smack across his face rocked him back to painful reality. He blinked back the stinging tears, his vision finally resolving into a meaningful image. He found himself staring back at a bedraggled face-a body that looked as though it'd just taken a bath in gore and blood. But even so, despite her disparaged state, he didn't fail to recognize her. Mina Carolina.

"Mina...you're alive?" But he'd seen her get eaten!

His friend opened her mouth to reply, but someone else beat her to it.

"Of course she is." Armin stiffened at the sound of a familiarly gruff voice. "And so are you, lad. Did you really think I would let any harm come to my precious disciples?" The boy started at the reminder, surprised to find Naruto standing tall there behind him, his whiskered visage set in the sligthest of scowls. He was covered in blood and slime and his right arm was missing, but he was still very much alive. He'd never been more happy to see him in all his life! If there as anyone who could drive the Titans out of the walls then it was definitely...wait.

"Sensei, your arm...

"Oh, this?" Naruto glanced at the severed stump of his shoulder, still trickling blood. "Like I told Mina, its just one arm. Nothing serious. Besides-

With a grunt the inexplicable occurred; a fresh limb sprouted from the detrius of his ruined arm. Naruto stared at his sleeveless limb for a long moment, flexing his fingers. Armin didn't even bother to question it-neither did Mina. They'd seen their fair share of oddities and ends from their teacher in these last three years; the growth of a new limb didn't shock them anywhere near as much as it should have. Naruto...was this man really only human as he'd claimed to be?

Armin didn't think so.

More and more he was beginning to think of his master as some kind of monster. That was not to say he feared him, however. Oh, no! This was one monster he would gladly welcome at any time! Just having Naruto in the immediate vicinity was enough to bolster his confidence, to make him want to stand up and fight again.

"Where's the rest of your squad?" Naruto turned his head, searchingly. "There should've been four more of you." Armin saw Mina pale out of the corner of his eye; doubtless she was experiencing the horror of watching of everyone get slaughtered again...drat, he'd started thinking about it again! Just like that, it all came rushing back. The deaths. Thomas. Eren. All the others...

"E-Eren...

"What about Eren?" Naruto frowned. "Has that crazy bastard killed any titans yet?"

"No...

"Then where the hell is he?" His sensei demanded. "Out with it boy!"

"He was eaten, sir!"

"Eaten?"

For a heartbeat Naruto's face blanked, his eyes draining of all emotion. Then they drifted shut, his lids dusting with orange seconds later. Armin's excellent mind recalled it as Sage Mode. Supposedly it gave Naruto fine-tuned sensory abilities, including the sensing of life. He'd yet to teach it to any of them, citing its many risks, but even so, Armin wondered what his fellow blonde was attempting. Was he trying to track down that titan so he could slaughter it? He'd taught him how to fight after all so it would make sense if he-

"Well I'll be damned!" Naruto's sudden announcement caught both Armin and Mina off guard. "He's still alive." Then more softly, "I didn't think he was like me...

"Th-That's not possible, sensei!" Armin argued, refusing to cling to false hope. "I was there! I...

"Just trust me on this, kid." came the curt reply. "Eren will be fine. Right now, we need to worry about ourselves."

"Trust you?"

But Naruto would say no more.

"Anyway, its about time we did something about this." he decided suddenly, his head snapping toward the south. "I can sense a lot of people over there." Without another word he leapt off the roof, his maneuver gears launching him across the sky in a cloud of wind. That's right! Armin remembered. Naruto doesn't use gas to propel himself! He uses the wind! Thanks to his immense reserve of chakra and natural affinity for air itself, a gas-propelled tank wasn't needed. So long as he had wires, he could traverse the city without fear of running out of fuel. If anything, it made him even deadly than he three years before when he was without the Three Dee Maneuver Gear. Then when one recalled his abilities as a master shinobi with almost limitless jutsu and no need to worry about a limited blade supply...

He really is built for killing titans!

"Let's go, Armin!" Mina was suddenly ahead of him, rappelling after the rapidly retreating blonde. "We don't want to be left behind!"

"H-Hai!"

Together they took off after Naruto, it was only when the latter slowed his pace that they were able to catch him.

"What are you planning, sensei?" Armin was hesitant to ask; he knew Naruto well enough by now to know that the blonde's plans were often well-conceived and disastrous for those he plotted against.

Alas, his only response was to laugh.

Once more, Mina Carolina was reminded just how much admired-and why she secretly loved-this soldier standing before her. It wasn't just his good looks-although those were certainly a factor. It was his charisma. He was as much a man of words as he was action; his very prescence could inspire dozens to do the acts of thousands. And then there was that foxy grin on his face. Yes, this was why she loved Uzumaki Naruto. And why she could never tell him; what could someone so extrodinary possibly want with someone so ordinary as her?

"Sensei?" she asked once more, echoing Armin's question. "You said it was time for something? What exactly might that be?

Naruto's grin looked like it belonged on lucifer himself.

"To mount our counterattack."

---

"Oi, Jean! What do we do now?"

"What can we do?" Jean Kirchstein hung his head low, refusing to encourage Connie any further. "We finally received the order to retreat, but we can't get over the wall because we're out of gas. And my chakra's so low right now that I'd probably only make it up halfway. We're all going to die thanks to those fucking cowards in the support squad..."

He gazed up at the dark skies overhead; it looked as though it was going to rain any moment now.

Damn! He felt so pathetic right now. Absolutely recchid. Most of the survivors had gathered here on the rooftops; there were only a few dozen remaining out of the hundreds that had been sent out to exterminate the Titans. Granted he'd helped to save a few, but in doing so, he'd all but exhausted his reserves. Chakra-enhanced speed could only save so many after all. A nagging sense of guilt silently condemned him for the many he hadn't been able to save.

Completely pathetic! He hadn't changed at all!

Back then, he'd volunteered for the training solely to impress Mikasa. It hadn't worked. He should've known she only had eyes for the instructor. He'd gotten a few skills out of it, true, but his outlook on life had yet to change. If only they had waited one more day! Then he would've been safe in the interior with the Military Police!

"That's why we have to go all in on those titans!" Connie would not be denied; their only way out was to race into the headquarters, deal with them, and retrieve the gas. The only other option was to avoid them until they eventually ran out of gas. And that meant death. No matter what option they took, they were still screwed!

"Damnitall!" he swore. "This is hopeless!"

---

Sasha Braus was of the exact opposite opinion.

She knew from firsthand experience that

"Let's do it!" she urged her fellow recruits. "Stand up! If we all work together, we can do it! I'll be in front!"

"Its your business if you want to get yourself killed, potato girl...don't drag us into it." One of them murmured.

Her enthusiasm was met with despondend looks and sorrowed faces. All those gathered here had lost someone to the titans. They'd survived through pure luck or outright cowardice. Sasha herself was one of the lucky few that had managed to escape the worst of it all; a testament to Naruto's harsh training. He'd praised her for two things; her endless appetite and her unbelievable physical endurance. Compared to Jean, he'd called her a living example of a Jonin once, her affinity for earth gave her nearly limitless reserves of stamina.

"Come on now," yet again, she tried to rouse them to action. "If we all work together, I'm sure we can-

"Shut up, you elitist!" Accused another. "You had that special training! We didn't! Are you planning to leave us behind so you can scale the wall yourself?!"

Sasha opened her mouth to deny that fact...and just as quickly snapped it shut. They were right. She hadn't used any of her chakra yet, if she really wanted to, she could easily run up the wall to safety. So why hadn't she? Only a handful of these people were known to her; she had no real obligations to any of them now that the order to retreat had been sounded. With her speed she could easily outrun any Titan on her own, so that definitely wasn't fear holding her back, so...

...why was she still standing around?

Oh, I wish sensei were here...

Wish granted!

"Well now, I see a bunch of idle hands standing around!"

Heads snapped up like puppets severed from their strings, spooked by the sound of that authoritative voice. Sasha and Jean simultaneously stiffened; because they knew that voice. Its owner had made these last three years of their lives absolute hell! They stood straight and erect as Uzumaki Naruto dropped down from the skies with a snarl his boots biting into the rooftop tiles with a harsh crunch. Armin and Mina landed behind him seconds later-their faces carefully blank. Sasha had to forcibly restrain herself from running to him; Naruto radiatated confidence on an almost primal level. Now that he was here to take command, the burden of having their lives wouldn't fall on her...

"What the hell are you doing, Jean?" he growled, advancing on his student. "I taught you better than this!"

"But nothing!" Was what he'd expected to hear. Instead his mentor simply glowered at him for a long moment. Then he sighed.

"You did well to survive." Naruto said at last, knocking his disciple once upon the noggin. "Rest easy. I'll take things from here." Without another word he moved on past him to speak with Annie, then the others. Sasha almost couldn't believe it! He'd...completely ignored her!

"Sasha!"

"Hai!" She stiffened in expectation, but it was not Naruto who had called out her name; it was Mikasa. She'd just enough time to see the raven-haired girl descend from a rooftop-nearly crashing into her in her haste to land safely-before she found herself accosted by her fell trainee.

"Have you seen Eren's unit?" she asked.

"No," Sasha shook her head, "But Naruto-sensei's over there with Armin an-

Mikasa shot past her like an arrow loosed from a bow.

"Mina." she finished in disbelief. Geez, she's quick!

"Naruto!"

The blonde turned, not at all alarmed to find his most-talented student approaching him at a run. It seemed most of the survivors had gathered here after all and now Mikasa was amongst them. Good. He expected no less from his star pupil. What he wasn't expecting was for her to grab his hand. Beside him, Mina bristled.

"I thought you were outside the walls-

"Surprise, surprise." the blonde held up Mina's spent Hiraishi kunai from the necklace around her neck. "You can thank her that I'm here at all. I managed to warn the legion, so they should be here before nightfall. She really saved your skins!"

Mina flushed, her indignation momentarily forgotten in the wake of this unexpected praise.

"I-It was nothing, sensei...

"Don't dismiss yourself so easily!" Naruto laughed, drawing her close. "If you hadn't used that kunai, most of them probably wouldn't be alive right now!"

"Armin, have you seen Eren?" Mikasa chose that moment to ask the one quesiton no one wanted to hear. Mina's smile shattered like so much glass.

Crap! Armin thought to himself. How can I look her in the face and tell her what happened...?

"We-

"We were separated from him." Naruto cut in smoothly. He knew Mikasa; she cared for her brother more than anything. Ordinarily, that wouldn't have been a problem. But with her newfound skillset-not to mention the unhealthy amount of chakra she'd taken from Kurama three years ago-her emotional state was a cause for concern. The last thing he needed was a destabilized killer on his hands. He didn't have the time or the energy to suppress her if she went on a rampage now and with Kurama's chakra trapped in her coils, that was a very distinct possibility.

"He's alive." Naruto reassured her. "I know it. That suicidal bastard's probably out there killing titans as we speak." Mikasa looked as though she wanted to say more, but she chose to accept his words. After all, Naruto would never lie to her, right? No, of course not. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she almost missed the blonde's relieved sigh. Why had he done that? When he placed his hand upon her shoulder, however all her worries and concerns simply ceased to be, it was like flicking a switch.

"Trust me on this, alright?" he said softly. "As soon as we wipe out the titans at the supply depot, I'll help you look for him. Understood?"

"H-Hai, sensei."

Crisis averted!

"Damn, I woulda liked to see her go crazy." the kitsune sulked, sullenly. "She's keeping an awful lot of emotion tamped down in there...

'Now's not the time for that and you know it! I don't feel like fending off a mini-you at the moment!'

"So?" his partner challenged. "Just how do you intend to get these fools up and running, then?"

Like this.

"Oi, Mikasa."

His star prodigy turned.

"Is this everyone who hasn't made it over the wall?"

"I think so...

"Good." Naruto was already striding forward, reaching for his sword. "Then if that's the case, we don't need to wait any longer."

"Listen up, maggots!" Naruto thrust his blade high commanding the attention of all assembled there. "I know...you're afraid! Some of you may even be terrified! That is understandable! You're weak! But I am strong! I will protect each of you with my life, I swear this on my nindo! Stand behind me and I will lead you to victory! Our counterattack begins now! But in order for it to succeed, I'll need your help!" Silence reigned supreme; it seemed not even Naruto's prescence could galvanize them, Jean thought to himself. He was after all, only human.

Right?

Lowering his blade, the blonde sighed and crossed his hands together in an all-too-familiar shape.

"Taju Kage Bunshin no jutsu." A plume of smoke echoed his words; one that dissipated just as quickly, revealing a startling sigh.

There was a silence as the cadets beheld these sudden and unexpected reinforcements. They'd each witnessed this jutsu firshand on their very first day of training but not like this. Instead of summoning six clones he'd created dozens, each armed with maneuver gear and weapons, same as the original. They lined the streets around them, perched upon towers, stood upon rooftops, swarming the area for miles around. Gasps arose up from the cadets-no one had been expecting so many to appear upon his command.

"Are you with me?!" They demanded as one. "Speak now, or stay here and die!" As one they set out, each of them diverging in separte directions until only the original remained. He wasn't about to babysit them; some would diie no matter what he did. He and his clones would protect these cadets...as best they could. That was all he could do. They were only human after all. But-being human as he'd come to discover, wasn't quite so bad after all. He turned his head-catching Mikasa's eye, holding her gaze in silent obscurity, knowing at once that she would follow him if he stepped off this rooftop, perhaps even to her death. Most of these recruits did not know what they were getting into, yet he'd still chosen to shoulder the responsibility of their lives anyway.

"Those with the will to live and fight for tomorrow, follow me now!" Without another word he eruped into motion, hurtling into the air, refusing to look back. He'd done all he could. The rest was up to them. If only Erwin and the others weren't so far away...they likely wouldn't make it back to the wall until evening. Until then, the task fell to him to keep these kids alive.

"No pressure, right?"

'Did I mention I love your sense of humor?'

"Ha!"

It wasn't long before they caught movement in their peripheals; evidently his words had an effect after all. It was only when that same movement resolved itself into the sape of a titan that Naruto realized he might've underestimated the fear his students had felt. They were probably still back there, knees knocking together...

Or not!

Laughter leapt from his lips as the titan died behind him, all without so much as raising a finger in his direction. He didn't have to look back, to know who had slain it. A puff of gass resounded in his ears, followed by a shock of familiar blond hair, and then she was there, gliding next to him as though she'd always been there.

"Idiot." Annie mumbled as she came to drift beside him, her cold crystal eyes boring into his. "Was that honestly supposed to inspire us back there?"

"You're here now, aren't you?"

"Tch!" she turned aside, trying to escape his gaze. "It's just because I want to be the one to kill you."

"Hai, hai, whatever helps you sleep at night." Naruto replied as their gear carried them around a corner. "So, what got you moving?"

"You can thank that ace student of yours." his fellow blonde grumbled. "She got everyone moving. I'm just the first to catch up to you."

"Oh?"

---

(Flashback)

It was like flicking a switch, Annie realized.

Murmures of confusion warped into whispers of approval from those remaining. Everyone was suddenly glancing this way and that, all too aware that their best chance of survival had just flown on ahead of them. WIth Naruto and his clones gone, what chance did they stand against the titans?

"You're either incompetent or spineless cowards!" Mikasa snapped, diving after him almost immediately. Within seconds she was little more than a speck on the horizon, a trail of gas the only sign that she'd evern been there at all. Armin sniffed and scrubbed at his face with the back of a hand; seconds later, he too was sailing through the air after her. Not one to be outdone by her fellow students, Mina was swift to join them. Annie'd just begun to move herself when Jean sighed somewhere beside her. She could read his face like an open book. Anger, frustration at his own powerlessness. Any minute now and he'd say something...

"Oi! Were we trained to let our comrades fight alone?! At this rate, we're going to turn out to be spineless cowards!" With a roar he lunged after Mina, his cry carrying on into the distance.

"Didn't expect to hear that from him." Reiner murmurred. "Guess we might as well lend a hand...

That did it.

"Hey! Cowards! Weaklings! Retards!" Sasha was the next to leap into oblivion, racing after their mentor...

(End Flashback)

---

"So?" she asked. "I take it you have a plan to keep us alive?"

"Don't I always?"

"I'm not even going to dignify that with a response...

"Here they come."

Both blondes turned to regard the one who had spoken; the latter was lightly amused to find that it was Sasha who had spoken, taking Naruto's flank. Annie didn't envy her that position. Although the skies were swiftly growing black with the bodies of the recruits, so too were the streets filling with titans; the behemoths now attracted by the prescence of so many humans in one area. If Naruto didn't do something soon, this might be a massace after all-ah. There he went...

"Scatter and advance at all costs!" Naruto shouted! "Don't slow down, not even for an instant...or they'll catch you!" His words carried on ahead of her as the vanguard finally reached the first wave of titans; then there was only blood and battle. Some weren't quick enough to heed his command-six recruits were caught or dead before they knew what'd happened. Everything...seemed to move very slowly after that. It was almost as if the gods themselves had stopped to take personal notice of the carnage unfolding in the streets.

Mikasa was quick to distinguish herself amongst the combatants, effortlessly slaying three titans without even pausing to adjust her course. Mina-to Annie's surprise-proved exact opposite; the once shy an reserved girl now struck out at titans with borderline reckless behavior. Armin actually gained his first kill in that battle, despite being scared half-to-death by the carnage raging around him. Marco and Bertholdt nearly got eaten for their reckless stunts; Jean and Reiner were forced to double back just to save their comrades.

Others weren't quite so fortunate.

Annie cringed a girl beside was snared out of the air by a titan, its massive fist crushing her body to a pulp. Ahead of her a boy lost control of his maneuver gear and flew right into a titan's maw, his screams echoed in her ears as she rushed past, knowing it would mean death to attempt a rescue. She could see the fury etched into their faces, their powerless at knowing their fate. Naruto's clones proved an admirable distraction, but there simply too many titans for him to save everyone. Where we all these titans coming from?!

With each loss, Naruto became more and more aggressive.

He simply tore through whomever and whatever barred his way. There was no subtlety or grace in his movements, Annie realized-he'd taken advantage of his nearly immortal body and used it to devastating effect. His chakra allowed him to make savage turns that would've torn most men in half-his hands and blades ripping into any giant foolish enough to accost him. And there were many who dared do just that; aberrants drawn to him by his unique chakra, eager to devour him, swallow him whole. They all died. Whether by blade or fist or Rasenshuriken he cut them down-uncaring for what happened to his body. Annie soon lost track of his count count altogether; it had to be somewhere in the fifties by now.

He truly is a beast, she thought to herself.

Sheathed in that that strange golden shroud of his, he simply weathered their attacks and eviscerated their bodies into unrecognizeable shapes. He became little more than a blur, working harder and harder to preserve the every-dwindling number of cadets under his command.

"ADVANCE!" he commanded those remaining! "Do not waste the sacrifices of your fallen comrades! Advance!"

"Yessir!"

Annie had to hand it to him; Naruto really did know how to take command of a situation. He allowed them no time for grief, ushsering them ever onward before their feelings of regrets and sorrow could overcome them and leave their bodies crippled with fear. Three more died before they reached the halfway point; before Naruto finally skidded to a halt on a rooftop and flung out a hand.

"All units! Halt!"

Boots skidded and tiles crunched as the twenty-remaining recruits of the original thirty slid to a halt beside and behind him, wondering why he'd called them to stop. They soon saw why. Two titans were headed in their direction, each easily larger than fourteen meters each. One wasn't even worthy of mention with its spindly frame; the other however proved another matter entirely. What...what the hell was that?!

"No sudden movements." Naruto warned; leaving Annie to question his judgement once more. Ignoring the adrenaline pounding in her ears, she risked a glance at the second Titan.

Muscled from head to toe, it cut an imposing figure amidst the carnage, striding forward with thick footfals-utterly uncaring of everything in its path. Wait. If it continued its path would eventually take it right past their vantage point.!Annie got a better look at it as it stormed forward, its shaggy brown hair obscuring pointed ears and furious angry eyes, it was truly a fearsome thing to behold up close. Its square jaw drfited open as it neared them, its mouth creaking apart with a ponderous creaking. Sasha whimpered softly to herself at the sight, unnerving several recruits.

"We should kill it!" Mina hissed. "Quickly, before it gets any closer!"

"Steady," Naruto said, raising his hand for calm, "Steady...

Still closer it came, bounding forward with its inexorable stride.

"Sensei!" Sasha squealed!

"Steady!"

And then, just when Annie was absolutely certain they were going to die a fools death because of this blonde baka of a captain-

"ROOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!"

To their disbelief-and his satisfaction-the fifteen meter titan broke into a run and bounded right past them, never once sparing them so much as a second glance. Annie felt her mouth drift open, her lips forming a silent O as the fifteen-meter type cannoned into its fellow titan with all the force of a hurricane. They grappled with one another for a brief instant; it son became apparent that the abnormal-looking one held the advantage in terms of strength alone, if not skill.

"RAAAH!"

Breaking free, its lashed out like an axe, clenched knuckles slamming into the smaller titan's head, all but launching its skull from its shoulders in a grisly gout of gore. The recruits watched, disbelieving, as the severed skull crashed into a building miles away its grotesque visage twisted in the agony of its last moments. Its body seemed to have other plans, however, the headless figure made a singular attempt to rise before the Titan stomped down on the nape of its neck, ending its life.

"What the hell?" Jean hissed angrily. "Did that fucker just...

...finish it off?" Armin finished with a gasp, disbelieving. "But how did it know about the titan's weakness...

Connie frowned. "It must be an abnormal...

Naruto's lips curved up in a slight, secret smile.

'Thatta boy, Eren.'

"So I'm guessing its time for the second phase?"

'Pretty much.'

"Jean!" he shouted! "You're in charge! Get them to the supply tower quickly! I'll meet up with you once I've finished up here!" His words had a rippling effect on the others. Why was he suddenly leaving? It didn't make any sense! None at all! Was he abandoning them? Leaving them to their fate so he could scale the wall on his own?!

"Why me?!" Jean gaped. "We were doing just fine with you in charge!"

"Huh?!" Naruto growled. "Is the student questioning the teacher again?!"

"No...erm...I mean, no sir!"

"Then hop to it!" he snapped. "I'm counting on you! Annie! You're with me! We'll help that abnormal suppress the titans around the tower!"

"I can help, too!"

"I'll be fine!" the blonde waved Mikasa's concerns aside, ignoring her as she edged forward. "You're needed elsewhere! Annie and I don't need gas to maneuver!"

"But-

"Mikasa! Go!"

The blackette hesistated a moment longer, torn between duty and decision. Then she darted forward, placing a swift kiss upon his lips. Her mouth seemed stuck there, as though she would never pull away. There was a silence, one swiftly broken. Choking gasps arose out of the recruits; they couldn't believe their eyes! Mikasa had just kissed the instructor! Such a thing was unheard of; even here in this time of crisis!

"She-!" Mina gaped.

"Kissed him?!" Sasha was of the same mind! So was Annie!

What the hell, Mikasa?!

"Please don't die, sensei." Mikasa whispered as she pulled away, her cheeks burnished the faintest shade of pink. And then she was gone...whisking off into the distance before anyone could question what she had done at all. Naruto was left standing there, eyes and mouth working wordlessly. For the first time in the last three years, he truly was without words. What. The. Hell? He hadn't been expecting that. No one could've expected that! How was he supposed to cope with the sudden knowledge that he'd been kissed by the same girl he'd spent the last three years training?! Granted, the age gap between them had shrunk to only a year now, but a kiss?! What the hell was he supposed to say to that?!

"How about...BOOYAH?!"

'Urusai!'

"I feel the same!" Before he knew what was happening, Mina was there-flowing like the water that was her element-flinging her arms round his neck. Thankfully, her lips found his cheek, not his face. "Please, don't take any uneccessary risks, teacher!" she pleaded softly before disengaging and rappelling away.

"Good luck, sensei!" Armin saluted against his chest and took off after Mina.

Sasha was the next to approach him.

"Braus, you, too?!" Naruto groaned. "What the hell is this, worship Naruto day?"

"I'm not complaining!"

'Of course you're not, ya lecherous fox!'

But Sasha didn't kiss him. She simply wrapped her arms around his chest and squeezed as tightly as she could, burying her face in his jacket. It was only then that he realized she was crying; sobbing into the fabrics of his cloak and shirt. She held tight to him, as though to release him meant the end of her.

"I'm...very grateful for everything you taught me!" she gasped out, diving towards the tower before he could utter so much as a word. Jean was the next and very last to confront him; leaving the blond to hope Christa and Ymir had somehow been able to make it over the wall. If they hadn't...

"Are you sure about this?" he glanced at the dozens of titans swarming the square, growing closer with each passing instant. Soon they'd be overun.

"Oi oi, you guys are acting like I'm gonna die or something!" Naruto forced a rough laugh. "Get out of here, you slacker! Do your job!"

"Just be careful, teach."

"I don't want to hear that from someone like you!

Naruto watched, quietly and patiently waiting as the cadets flung themselves off the rooftop, hurtling towards, then through the windows of the supply depot. Only when he was certain that they'd made their escape did he finally turn to face Annie. She was giving him an icey glare that could've put Haku to shame. Was she jealous?

"Why did you want me to stay with you?" she demanded to know as they leapt to another rooftop, away from the encroaching horde. "You would've been of better use in there."

Naruto shook his head, clearing himself of confusion, and offered a lopsided smile.

"I wanted to discuss The Coordinate, also know as that titan over there." He indicated the rogue titan with a finger, still rampaging against the other titans in the face of all overwhelming odds. "I'm willing to wager you know who it is, don't you?" Within a heartbeat he felt the killer intent; she was angry. No, she was beyong angry! She was pissed!

"Ho, that's some fine killing intent you have there." Naruto tittered softly. "You only have yourself to blame; you talk in your sleep, after all."

For the first time since he'd met her, Annie Leonhart actually flushed; the slow coloring of her face left her literally unable to speak.

"You...snuck into my room...?!"

"Just once last month." Naruto shrugged. "Boy was I surprised; I had no idea you liked to sleep in-

"I SWEAR I'LL KILL YOU!"

"Relax, I was bluffing!" he grinned. "That was just a guess! But by all means, thanks for the information!"

Annie grimaced; refusing to speak. She'd been had! Once again she'd underestimated Naruto's intelligence. She really didn't like where this was going...not at all!

"Why, I already know." Naruto continued. "Its Eren of course. I knew it the moment I realized he was still alive. Only a titan can survive in another titan's stomach. He must've transformed and tore his way out of there in order to escape. I understand that. What I don't understand is how or where he got that from. He's had the ability for quite some time now-its merely been dormant inside him. Don't you find it strange? How would a boy like him suddenly gain the ability to shift like you and me?"

Annie refused to answer.

"RYAAAAARGH!"

Both blonde's turned at the sound of the scream, alarmed to find the Rogue Titan-Eren-howling in pain. The reason for his agony became quite obvious as they beheld the other titans continuing to chew upon it. Having lost both of its limbs since they last looked, it seemed almost certain he would die for real this time. And the Coordinate with him. Her mind made up, Annie drew her blade

Maddened with fury Eren bounded forward; despite all the titans weighing him down. He had eyes for one last target-an abnormal that-unbeknownst to Annie-was responsible for devouring Thomas hours before. With a scream that put the gods to shame, Eren shook himself free of his captors and with one final leap locked tight his jaw round the creature's neck. Still screaming he hoisted its spindly body high then higher still, until the only thing holding it aloft was his jaw strength alone, his broad teeth biting deep into the nape.

His gaze snapped towards those he had shaken off, eyes green and narrow. With a single swing of the dead body he flattened them, grinding their bodies to bloody smears in the streets. Then straightening, he dropped from his crouch and swung again, tossing its body into an approaching titan, sending both beasts crashing through a nearby building. Steam spurting from his jaws, Eren dropped what little remained of the neck-leering in the direction in which he'd thrown Thomas's killer.

"Oi...

Naruto whistled.

"Did he just beat that motherfucker with another motherfucker?"

"ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAARGH!

Eren threw back his head and roared for a final time, howling his fury to the heavens, sending the earth itself shaking. Then his eyes rolled back. His body sank forward, crashing to his knees, plowing facefirst into the dirt. It did not rise again. He must've finally burned himself out, Annie realized. Even as a Titan, one only had so much staina. And still...other titans were coming. There had to be hundreds of them now, drawn by the close concentration of humans and Naruto's irresistible lifeforce. This was bad! If they reached Eren's body and devoured him before he could be extracted, then-

Annie started towards him; just a little, but it was more than enough to confirm her mentor's suspicions.

"I knew it." Naruto's smile grew another inch. "For whatever reason, your objective is, and always has been Eren."

That got an answer out of her.

"What are you going to do?"

Naruto laughed. "What do you think I'm gonna do?"

Annie didn't have a chance to answer; because at that very instant, a giant hand closed around her mentor. It came from out of nowhere, lunging across the rooftops to grab him, its massive fingers squeezing down in the blink of an eye, binding both arms to his sides. Everything happened so swiftly, even as Annie reached for her blade her mentor was hoisted high off the ground and brought towards the creature's mouth. Blue eyes widened hoplessly, powerlessly as its jaws creaked open wide.

"Sunuva-

Naruto didn't hesitate either; he bit down on his lower lip, drawing blood even as the titan began to stuff him into is maw.

Ba-kram!

At this distance Annie was nearly blow back off her feet by the transformation; the wind threatened to pick her up and launch her into the air. Naruto's titan form burst out of the smoke in all its towering glory six hands locking around the titan's face and neck. Cruel crimson eyes leered down at the beast that had tried and failed to devour him-his fanged maw curved back in a warped facade of a smile as he gazed upon his prey. A soft sigh plugged itself between his teeth, building in volume until finally, finally...

"ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAARGH!"

---

Jean glanced up as the building shook around them, trembling at its very foundations. What was that noise just now? It had sounded familiar. Almost like...nah. That wasn't possible. Naruto wasn't a titan, right? What a stupid thought! Shaking his head of such thoughts They were in the midst of planning to take their gas back, thanks to Armin's plan. But without Naruto and Annie this involved an awful lot of risk. Now that they had all but run out of gas, they had to gamble everything on this plan, armed with only shotguns and blades.

"Why the hell did he put me in charge?" he wondered aloud as he loaded the rifle. "It's not like I'm cut out for this sort of thing...

Just the thought of it made him wonder why he'd put up with this crap to begin with. Naruto had always been there from the start, always pushing him for more, always forcing him to strive -then excel- until finally the day came when he reached the top ten graduates. Naruto had pushed himself out of himself, and Jean hated him for that. He was making him think. Try. Strive to be more than he could ever be, when he really wanted only to live safely in the interior. Damn him for being so persistent! For pushing him into this leadership role!

Another tremor shook the building, closer this time.

"Oi oi...just what's going on out there?" he wondered aloud. "Naruto...Annie...you'd better not get yourselves killed and leave me in charge here, damnit!"

---

Annie Leonhart had never felt so conflicted in all her life. It had only been five minutes since Naruto had transformed; since the Rogue Titan had fallen, and already, she knew the outcome.

Even for all his speed and power and might, even with Eren's rampage having slaughtered so many, Naruto simply couldn't hope to handle the titans on his own. Slowly, but surely, he was being overwhelmed. An arm here. A leg there. It didn't matter how swiftly he regenerated, or that he was easily the largest Titan for miles around. There were dozens of them and only one of him. It was a testament to his incredible fighting skills that he'd lasted this long without support, that he was even alive at all. But Annie could see the end in sight now. He was finished; he just didn't know it yet.

Naruto couldn't do both. He couldn't defend the building, himself, and Eren's prone titan form. Not at the same time, even with all those arms. If he only had to worry about himself, then maybe he'd be alright. But with so many lives at stake, and so much to protect, he was hard-pressed to meet the task. Too pressed.

She watched him thrash around with gusto, crushing two titan's against one another with his bare palms, his remaining arms working tirelessly to fend off the horde even as it worked to stream around him. He wouldn't be able to keep this up for much longer...regeneration only counted for so much after all.

Why doesn't he just use his other form?

If he transformed into that monstruous kitsune, then those things wouldn't stand a chance. He'd crush them in an instant...along with the rest of the town and any survivors who might be hiding nearby. It was then an only then that Annie truly understood. Naruto could easily shift into his bijuu form. He'd simply chosen not to; knowing that he might trample innocents and buildings underfoot. It made sense that he would his smaller, but by no means less deadly titan form. The same form that was slowly getting ripped to pieces by those titans.

You...idiot!

Annie knew she should hate him for what he'd done to her. This boy had nearly made Titan feed out of her three years before. Since then he'd kept a close eye on her at all times, despite bringing her up, despite all but entrusting her with his most powerful techiniques. And yet...there had been times when he was kind. Caring, even. He was a ruthless teacher but also a goofball-a hopeless clutz when it came to using the 3D-Maneuver gear, his skills so poor that she'd actually had to teach him how to use it while he was teaching her! It was almost laughable! No, it was laughable!

Yes, she hated him. Loathed him! Abhored his very existence! But she hated even more to see him die; to watch a good man die when he didn't have to. It no longer mattered if he possessed The Coordinate or not now anymore; she'd already made up her mind. She didn't want him to die.

And she knew what she had to do.

Annie tugged at her collar and wrapped her lower face in cloth, hoping it might better serve to hide her identity. Without looking back she loped into an alleyway, ducking into the first door available. Silently praying for his safety, she set about wrapping her face with strips of cloth, completely obscuring her visage. Even then she could still hear his struggle raging outside-the battle he was bound to lose if someone didn't do something to help him. She could be that someone. She could do something. But what about her mission? At the last instant she hesitated. She couldn't risk being discovered...and if she were...who knew what Bertholdt or Reiner might do to her? But if she didn't do something, and soon...

Damnit!

Annie placed both fingers in her mouth and, visualizing her goal, bit down. Hard. Save him. She had to save him! Consequences be damned! Foul ichor spurted into her mouth, causing her to gag back on her own blood for a terrifying instant as she awaited the transformation. But nothing happened. Nothing at all. Oh no. No no no! Not now! Her feelings-her duty to her people-were getting in the way! Again! Shrieking in frustration bit down again, nearly severing her thumbs in the proccess.

"Come on!" she nearly screamed. "Come on!"

Unbidden, her mind flashed back to those very words...

---

(Flashback)

"Come on!"

Naruto stood over her, laughing. Another round. Another victory. Another loss. Annie lay there, looking up at him, struggling not to shout. How many times did that make it now? She didn't want to remember. Time and time again he'd knocked her down, and time and time again, he demanded that she stand back up.

"You have an amazing technique." he complimented her. "Who taught you?"

"My father." she supplied sullenly.

"So, your old man could-

"Who cares?" Annie snapped at him, glowering as she found her footing. "Doing this is pointless. I can't beat you as I am now. And besides, anti-personnel techniques don't factor into our scores anyway." She indicated the other cadets with a glance, many of whom weren't even trying at all. "So, everyone just take sit easy until its over. I'm sure a big, suicidal bastard like you wouldn't know this, but the right to join the Military Police, and live in the secure Inner District is only granted to the top scoring ten graduates. The only people who bother participating in this are either stupidly serious like your disciples, or seriously stupid."

"You're one of my students too, Annie."

"So?!"

She lunged at him then, trying to sweep his legs out from under him. Naruto laughed and jumped over her sweep, his boots touching the small of her back as he sprang off and over her. For someone who claimed to be only human time and time again, he was certainly agile.

"Why in this world are the people most capable of opposing the Titans the only ones given the privilege of avoiding them entirely?" she countered, grabbing his fist when he struck out at her stomach. "How do you think it got to be such a farce?"

"Who knows?" Naruto grabbed her elbow in turn, twisting it behind her back. "I'm only human. I can't possibly hope to understand such things."

"Then maybe it's just human nature?!"

"Maybe."

He did something with his right leg then, she couldn't tell what. Whatever he'd done their spar ended the same as it always did, with her on the ground and him standing over her. Annie closed her eyes and sighed, her gaze drifting up into the cloudy afternoon sky. Another loss. She'd spared with Naruto a grand total of fifty times now, and never once had she come close to victory. It was humiliating. How could someone be so skilled in combat as to just brush her aside like that?

"Point is, I can't-no, I won't-even pretend to be stupid enough to play soldier in this insane world. Never."

"Because of your mission?" Naruto knew better than to mention the truth of what she was-not with so many witnesses present. She wasn't quite as paranoid about it as she'd been three years before, but it still rankled her for him to discuss it so openly.

"Yeah." she retaliated. "Like I said. Never. So stop trying to be nice to me."

A hand thrust itself before her vision.

"Never say never, Annie!"

Tsking softly to herself, she accepted his hand.

(End Flashback)

---

"Naruto!"

Ba-kram!

The building erupted around her as her titan form grew around her, sheathing her body in layers of superheated bone and muscle. Annie didn't wait for her new body to finish forming; nor did she stop to ponder on this sudden cause for her clarity. She was already bounding foward, into the rubble, smashing through buildings in a haste to get to her fellow blonde. She clenched her knuckles and willed them to harden; a flesh and bone fist becoming hard and stiff as she raced to greet the enemy.

The first titan to meet her fist didn't know what had hit it. One moment, it had been gnawing upon Naruto's shoulder the next; her diamond-hard knuckles launched it halfway across the town. In the face of this new an unexpected threat the other tiatns began to turn but too late; she was already amongst them, lashing out with overwhelming speed and precision. Her body was a raging hurricane and the titans mere bricks and stones before her wrath; blown away into bloodied pieces before her wrath.

"RAAAAAARGH!" A furious scream left her lips and deafened her enemies, giving life to the malestrom of emotion raging inside her chest. Kill! She'd kill them all for what they'd done! Each and every one of them! Her mind slipped into a black haze, there were only the enemies before her, only the urge-the need-to kill. So kill she did. She tore and ripped and ravaged everything in her path-tearing them away from the battered blond in a series of swift submission holds and back-breaking blows.

Between the two of them, the remaining titans didn't stand a chance. Caught between the elegant Female Titan and the overwhelming speed and power of the Six-Armed Titan, they found themselves swiftly eradicated, reduced to little more than gory smears upon the walls and buildings. Their slaughter seemed to last forever, when in reality, it probably lasted only a couple of minutes. They killed nearly one hundred titans together in that square, moving with a teamwork established over the last three years.

It felt...wonderful.

Wonderful to resume her Titan form, to throw herself into battle without pause or preamble, to decimate the enemy without thought or cause. And when it was finally over, when the blood of her foes stained the streets and sizzled in her hair, Annie finally allowed herself to think.

Naruto turned to regard her, his red eyes wide with disbelief, or so she thought. Then they narrowed, and she could see the pride shimmering within those deep crimson depths. When he extended a clenched fist, Annie felt her heart skip a beat. After all this, was he actually...

"Good...job." he ground out, still holding up his clenched knuckles. Despite herself, Annie laughed; and her titan body laughed with her.

...baka."

Tenderly, Annie returned the motion; bumping fists with him for the first time since they'd met. It was quite a comical sight; two titans bumping fists together, grinning like a pair of complete idiots. That wasn't far from the mark; she felt like a complete idiot just then. But it was the first time she'd smiled in what felt like forever and it felt...damned good.

"Look out, titans!"

Annie caught motion out of the corner of her eye just then; Mikasa and the others had finally emerged from within the supply depots at long last, their tanks filled to the maximum. It was time for her to disappear while she still had the chance. She didn't need to rely on gas thanks in part to her wind affinity, she could climb the wall later at her leisure. She didn't have to worry about Eren's fate, either. Knowing Naruto, he would make certain that he none his utmost to res Right now all that remained was to run. And so she did.

Annie raised one giant finger to her lips for silence; then she bolted.

Naruto didn't wast any time either, she saw him already sprinting towards Eren's prone titan form and stabbing his hand into the neck, extracting him from the now shriveled up corpse. Cries of shock and surprise rose up from his students, echoing in her ears as she ra. Annie didn't pay them any heed; she was far too focused on getting the hell out of here-somewhere safe where she could shet her titan form without anyone noticing that glaring sight of her female form. Shame flooded her as reality set in; her moment of emotion might've cost her most dear, ruining her mission altogether.

Forever.

Idiot! She was cursing herself even as she ran for the safety of the wall, her transformation coming undone around her. She had to run. She had to get away and hide before someone other than Naruto finally made the connection between herself and the appearance of the Female Titan. It was stupid! Absurd! She'd risked exposure all to help him! What was she going to do when Reiner and Berholdt found out? And they would find out she knew this in her heart; because she'd seen them. And if she had seen them, then they'd seen her. By the gods, what had she done?!

What have I done?

---

A/N: OH. MY. GOD. I had sooooo much fun writing this chapter! I especially enjoyed the beginning with Hanji-did anyone else anticipate her going full spaz on Naruto like that? Speaking of which, now we finally get to see Naruto's titan form! I promised you it'd be badass, didn't I? Oh and one more thing. ANNIE! Betcha weren't expecting that, were ya! Three years of being around Naruto's good influence appear to have rubbed off on her just a little...if she's willing to risk exposure just to save his neck, who knows what she might do in later chapters. Will she still go after Eren? In a likelihood, yes. She doesn't owe him anything. Naruto on the other hand...

Is she a good girl now? Not at all. Is she starting to have perhaps just a little change of heart? MAYBE. Now that I've finally gotten to the latest chapter in the manga, I have a fair idea of where I wanted to take this story; expect a load of twists and turns! We'll be wrapping up the defense of Trost as of next chapter! Look forward to it!

Who will live, and who will die?!

Hmm, decisions, decisions! Regardless, this world is going to be quite a touch different with Naruto around...just think of all the good he could do with his abilities, garned from the Fourth Shinobi War, not to mention the unfortunate agelessness he's acquired from it! And with that little tidbit, I bid you adieu, dear readers! We get to see their training and one more three year timeskip, next chapter, and the events of Trost take place with a startling alteration! Look forward to it, ya know!

So...in the immortal words of Atlas...

...Review...Would Ya Kindly? And of course, Enjoy the preview!

(Preview)

"I believe Eren could be a valuable asset to humanity, sir!"

"Silence! I will not tolerate this insubourdination!"

"It's no use, Armin." Naruto sighed. "The poor fool has lost his mind. It'd be better if I showed him-

"S-Sensei?"

"Oi, fool!" Naruto called up at the commander. "You wanted proof that Eren's on your side, right? Well then...

"Watch this."

Sighing, Naruto bit down on his thumb...

...hard.

R&R! =D