Saph's PoV
Never had the thought of Titans breaking through the wall had crossed my mind. Not just one wall but two. Not just Shiganshina was lost, but every town inside Wall Maria was now gone to the Titan's hunger. The Survey Corps could only stare in horror as monster pillaged our home as we gazed downwards. What had seemed so secure hours ago, now seemed as if it would collapse any second. The weight of our horror seemed large enough to crumble the wall we were standing on top of.
"What the hell happened," Ruby whispered, her words carried by the wind to all surrounding ears.
Even Erwin seemed shaken at the sight in front of us. Over and over the beasts seemed to find more people to gorge on. Ones that had stayed in their homes out of fear, or ones who had been too injured to escape where now all easy prey. The man who always seemed unfazed was now looking on with despair, which was nothing compared to our proud commander. In front of his small army, the man fell to his knees, letting out a wail. This just made the troops more frightened.
"What should we do?"
"Should we try to fight?"
"Is humanity lost?"
"What were we fighting for all this time?"
Bending down, I rummaged through my bag. I had enough supplies to spend the night here, and then make a run for Wall Rose in the morning. It would take a good hard day of riding for me to get to the other side. Some might give up, but I had things to do. At least is seemed that most were holding onto the hope that they could reach Wall Rose safely, that is if it too hasn't been breached and destroyed from within. Taking out a piece of bread, I began to munch on it as I sat down. Eating with death in the air wasn't appealing in the slightest, but I would need food to get strength.
"You seem calm, all things considered," Hanji said as she approached me. All usual sanguine expression from her face was gone as she scratched the back of her head, wearily.
Shrugging my shoulders, I sighed, "I learned to live with the idea that my last moments could come at any time. Not accept, but deal with that fear." My eyes flicked to Levi at the thought of my past in the Underground. His gaze was hard as he stared at the massacre happening before him. "Are you going to jump in there and try to be a hero?"
His short stature suddenly turned intimidating as he towered over me. "It's not like they can rely on you to do any saving. You're too worried about your own skin."
"Maybe that's because I'm having bowel movement troubles?" I snorted at my own joke causing a lodge of bread to go down the wrong pipe. Hacking and coughing, my back was thumped on until I could breathe better. "Thanks," I grudgingly said to Levi.
After giving me a smack on the forehead, Levi left to get his own things. My fingers clenched into my pants as I watched his head disappear. A few members were going back to the ground where the horses were at, but that didn't mean they wouldn't get attacked on the way. The elevator wasn't the safest place to be since Titans were beginning to see the group of people to crowd around.
"You should probably leave the poop jokes to Levi," Hanji commented, a hind of laughter in her tone. Guess my inquiry about what she did to the Titans once they were captured now meant we were friends. That was just what I needed in this dire time. Friends.
I didn't respond as I strained my ears to listen to what was happening on the ground. At least the sound of battle hadn't happened yet. No Titans must have popped out of nowhere. "Had to try at least one. I hear them enough."
"You must really care about him."
The words didn't quite register in my brain as I was occupied with my surroundings instead of an individual. I was still concerned about what was happening on the ground, so it took a minute for me to realize what exactly she had said, the words casually tossed my way. When I did, however, my whole body jolted with the shock. Me? Care about Levi? Mangled excuses caught in my throat as I struggled with the truth and the persona I created. Admittedly, the answer for either source wasn't a clear as it had been once. Being indifferent to Levi's company was different than wanting to be around him.
Hanji just seemed to take that as confirmation to her odd question since she nodded her head. "I need to go back to my own squad. See you later, Saph."
I could only wave one hand as my mind raced. Struggling with my thought process, I jumped a bit when Levi dropped his belongings unceremoniously next to me. Using his foot, Levi rolled out his bedspread in a near proximity to me. Without a sentence directed towards me, Levi had chosen this spot. I had never thought over it before, but wasn't it unnatural? When did this become the usual? Us being together? Finding my own sleeping stuff, I considered getting up to move. To leave. What would be his reaction?
Before I could execute my experiment, a head of blonde hair made my movement stop. What did Erwin Smith want?
"Tomorrow, you're going to go with your squad and try to make it to Wall Rose. We can't do the new formation because of the cities and buildings in the way. Get with your squad leader in the morning." His demeanor left no room for objections. Each timbre of his low voice was to reinforce the idea that with enough strength, we could pull through this. What a liar.
My closed fist relaxed as he walked away, the salute dying with every step he took away from me. Anticipation and fear died out within the ranks as the plane made its way to everyone. A makeshift plan, but one none the less that seemed to soothe away enough worries for everyone to settle down for the night. With the tension gone, all that remained was exhaustion.
Limbs seemed to collapse on themselves as I tucked myself into my bed. Turning onto my side, I found Levi's resting form not even an arm stretch away. His arms were neatly crossed underneath his head while not a single exhale shifted the strands of black hair on his forehead. Not a hint of fear weighed on his smooth brow. He seemed impervious to death, and I suddenly seemed so breakable.
"Why do you have such a stupid look on your face?" Levi's deep voice rumbled.
I realized that I had been staring for too long, and my fingers had been aching to wrap themselves in the fabric of his sleeve the whole time. How childish of me. That had been something I had done with my brother when I got scared. Touching him had reassured me, but that had been long ago. Stupid to think that Levi could replace my brother to give me comfort. "Are you not afraid of what is going to happen tomorrow?"
His eyelids fluttered as he peered at me, the sleepiness of the night crawling upon us making the world seem so much softer than usual. "I'm going to fight to not die, but if it happens…" Levi shrugged his shoulders. "You seem to be quaking in your bed. Are you going to shit yourself?"
Vulgar language didn't phase me in the slightest. "I can't die, so I won't."
"What confidence."
A laugh slipped from my parted lips at the usual sarcasm. "Besides, if our squad gets into a sticky situation, I'll just shove you in front of the Titan."
"You're an idiot if you think that would work."
"That's true," I confirmed, "the Titan would still be hungry since you wouldn't nearly be a big enough portion."
My muffled laughter turned into a whine when he punched me in the shoulder. "You're such a brat."
Tucking the covers under my chin, I felt relaxed after the usual banter. Something so familiar during this time of uncertainty. "Good night Levi."
Light snores were the reply. Closing my eyes, I focused on the rhythm of him breathing instead of the footsteps of monsters right below us.
This was the first time I was thankful that I had gotten this idiotic horse. Not a single other beast would have been able to escape the looming hand towering above us. By some miracle, the Titan had grasped only empty air where we had been moments ago. Mike steered his horse closer to me to check if I was doing alright. While silent for the most part, he had a good heart. After confirming that I hadn't peed myself yet, Mike threw up his fist in a gesture of encouragement for his squad.
"Good to see that you're not dead, Saph," Ruby yelled.
I wondered if I looked as frightened as I felt. "I still got some living to do before I'm some Titan's lunch."
All that was left of our squad was Ruby, Mike, Levi, a girl named Milly, and me. Everyone else had either gotten killed. While some might have just gotten separated from the rest of us, I doubted they would last long by themselves. At least this was the last town we had to go through before we reached the wall. Our horses looked as if they were going to kneel over and become corpses any second. My stallion didn't even have the strength to try and bite me anymore.
"I can see the walls, guys!" Milly joyfully shouted.
Levi cut her off before she could continue, "don't draw attention to us, idiot."
The order came a little too late as a pack of Titans closed in on us. Emerging from behind the buildings, their body seemed to be painted in blood. Pools of it had been a constant, wretched thing to come across this day, but the number of dead people found were low. The carnage they had created, the Titans had also eaten.
"We're almost there boy," I murmured as I leaned farther forward on the horse, urging him on.
Thudding footsteps seemed to surround my senses everywhere. As if houses had no structure to them at all, Titans used them almost as stepping stones to reach their evasive prey. Falling pieces of wood and stone were just another worry.
My focus was so entirely on the sound of approaching demise, that it too me by surprise to realize that Wall Rose was now within distance of using my gear for. Hesitating, I couldn't help but wonder if the atrocities would restart if I escaped. Would the Titans behind us be capable of breaking down the smooth expanse? That was my hope to survive, but what if it condemned everyone else? We still had no idea what had decimated Wall Maria back there, and all the Survey Corps might be doing was leading the charge for humanity to be destroyed.
"Screw humanity. I'm still getting out of here," I muttered as I sent a hook into the side. It felt nice to leave the saddle that I had been sweating in all day to find the wind cooling off my face. Might have been enjoyable if not for the scrutiny of my downfall nipping at my heels.
Clambering to the top of the wall, I turned around to see where the other members were. Oh. It looks as if Milly had gotten thrown off her horse. There was nothing I could do as I watched her flee the Titans. Gas must have been all out because her gear wasn't working properly. Our horses were scattered in various spots of the town, staying close to the gate that led to the district. None of them would be able to help Milly out of danger.
Ruby, Mike, and Levi had all made it on top of the wall safely and intact, however, it seemed as if Levi was considering going back down to save Milly.
"There are too many!" I shouted, breaking him out of his concentration. "You would just be sacrificing your life for nothing."
Levi grimaced, the displeasure emanating from him. "Too many comrades have died today," and with that, the dumbass shot off to be a hero.
His landing was graceful, but something seemed to be wrong. Speed was always on Levi's side, but he couldn't seem to go fast enough as Milly was plucked off of the ground. With the sense of defeat growing, Levi's feet seemed to stutter. It was as if he wasn't watching Milly get eaten, but someone else entirely.
"No!" he cried out as her screams were swallowed up, along with her body, as the Titan bit down. Slowing down, Levi came to a complete stop in front of the horde of annihilation. The height of the wall did nothing to prevent us from seeing his shoulders cave inwards. My mind pictured him gritting his teeth just as he turned back to face us.
"If he doesn't start sprinting…" Ruby trailed off as the image of Levi being ripped apart flashed in all of our minds.
My heart thudded with each step he made back to the wall. Beasts with lolling tongues and quick fingers weren't too far behind. They seemed to gain ground with each beat in my chest. I didn't know why I was fretting since Humanity's Strongest Soldier wasn't likely to die before the rest of us. Soon, his small frame had reached where the ground ended and the wall began.
Ruby sighed as the Levi made his way upwards, her relief palpable. Mike seemed to be happy too, in his odd little way. That was until Levi stopped flying upwards and began to descend down towards the gaping mouths.
"He is out of gas!" Ruby shrieked just as I leapt off of the wall.
Driving towards the ground, I grabbed at his flailing arms desperately. My digits were wrapped around his thins wrist as I shifted to send a line up. It hadn't been calculated with any accuracy, but I somehow had gotten the hook in a spot reachable by Mike and Ruby. Arms screamed in agony as I practically ripped them from their sockets when I stopped us from falling any further. Swinging from side to side, we dangled in front of the Titans as if delicious treats that were just out of reach. We were safe from being devoured for the moment at least.
"You need to bathe. You smell like horseshit," Levi commented as we waited for Ruby and Mike to pull us up. Nobody wanted to run the risk of me running out of steam because of the strain on the equipment. It would be just our luck for a third person to run out of gasoline. The extra person also put a bigger strain on output.
My head jerked down to see him out of its own volition. A near death experience, getting saved by me, and all he could say was that? "I should just drop you," I snarled, low enough only Levi could hear me.
"Why did you catch me in the first place then?"
"So I could watch the fall of Humanity's Strongest Soldier up close?" I loosened my hold as I smirked down on him.
There was just a flash of hesitation on his face before it went away. Didn't mean I didn't catch it.
"Maybe if you say, thank you, I will pull you up?"
His eyes narrowed to tiny little slits as I stuck my tongue out at him. That was before he hoisted himself up and dug his nails into my leg. I almost bit my tongue as his tiny, little, claws sunk through my pants and into my skin.
Hissing in my pain, I resisted the urge to kick him in the face as Levi clambered up. Anything that seemed stable was used as a foothold, which was going to result in some pretty dark bruises for me tomorrow. My protest went unheard as he continued to use me as a ladder.
"Like Hell I'm going to thank you." Levi grouched as he finally seemed to find a spot he that was up to his satisfactory standards. "But now I have to deal with the stench up close."
Before I could retort, the cord began to pull us towards the top. Mike and Ruby were straining their muscles as they relentlessly tugged Levi and I towards safety. Time ticked by as I held my breath to see where my fate would land me. I hadn't meant to risk my life to save Levis, but my brain hadn't stopped to consider it. Instinct, for whatever reason, had taken over. This midget had almost gotten me killed.
"Thank you so much," I panted out as I crawled over the ledge. "You have my sincerest gratitude."
Trembling, my knees couldn't sustain the weight, so, I collapsed. Levi wasn't far behind as he sat down, hard.
"We need to find Erwin," Mike ordered, already searching around for the man who was probably our new commander after the breakdown we had witnessed the other day.
Limbs twitching, I laid down on my back. Using my hands to shield my face, I murmured, "Just let me take a small nap."
"Come on Mike," Ruby sighed, "lets at least give everyone a small break."
"Just for a few minutes."
That was all the confirmation I needed to drape my cape over my body and close my eyes.
My forehead was rudely flicked as I tried to slumber. "Don't take to long. You still need to get clean."
I swatted Levi away, tiredly. "You're no better." Peeking out, I saw that Levi had laid his cape on the ground for him to settle down on. He too seemed to think that sleeping was a good idea. Content to rest, I almost missed the exchange between Ruby and Mike, but my drifting mind faintly registered their words.
"At least they don't seem to freaked out for almost hurtling to their deaths," Ruby mused.
Mike grunted in what sounded like an agreement.
The red-haired woman was silent as she inspected the inside of Wall Maria that had once been safe. "Things are going to change now."
"Hmmmm yeah."
"I just hope this doesn't destroy any of us or humanity as a whole."
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