Wings Of Freedom
Chapter 7
Darkness...
Darkness and pain...
That's all Mikasa felt as she returned to consciousness "ugh" she groaned as she opened her eyes to the darkness that surrounded her, down at the bottom of the ravine. The young girl pushed herself up and some rubble fell off her and she gripped her side in pain. Everything hurt and she could barely see "w-where..." she trailed off in confusion as she sat up on her knees. Then her eyes shot wide as she remembered what happened "EREN!?" she called out as she looked around frantically and tried to stand, only to fall back to her knees as pain gripped her.
A small, panicked roar, echoed through the ravine and Mikasa looked over to see Eren's Dragon, frantically clawing at the walls and searching everywhere for her rider.
Mikasa scowled at the hatchling as she forced herself up "you..." she said darkly and the hatchling looked at her with terror "if it weren't for you..." Mikasa strained out as she staggered towards the Dragon who frantically looked for an escape. Mikasa tripped and had to support herself against a wall as she looked upon the Dragon with murderous eyes and the hatchling hunkered down as far away from her as it could, which wasn't far.
Mikasa looked upon the Dragon with furry "if it weren't for you! Then we wouldn't be in this mess! I wouldn't have..." Mikasa's furry trailed off into something else as pain began to overtake her anger "I wouldn't have...We wouldn't have...oh Eren, I'm sorry" Mikasa broke down and began to cry as the reality of the situation dawned on her and she collapsed on the floor.
The hatchling watched Mikasa with confusion, but still remained hunkered down as Mikasa sobbed "I'm sorry Eren. If I had just kept my mouth shut, we would be safely across by now. But now I don't even know if you're alive" she cried as she sat there, bruised and bleeding. Mikasa's face then hardened though as she forced herself to sit up "but I made it, which means you might have too" she said with hope and looked back to the hatchling. She still felt like ripping it's head off, but she had enough sense not to hurt her like the first time and she was too injured to take her anger out on anything but herself at the moment.
Mikasa spared one last glance at the terrified hatchling before turning her attention to her surroundings. They were boxed in by two shear walls on ether side and rubble on the remaining two, leaving them very little room and very little moonlight made it this far down.
Mikasa looked up to the star filled sky, far above "Eren!" she called out "Eren, can you hear me! Eren!" she called some more, but was greeted with only her echo as a reply. Mikasa grimaced in response "Eren, please be alright" she prayed as she looked up to the sky.
"Mikasa! Mikasa can you hear me!" Eren called out from the other side of the ravine, he would have called for his Dragon too, if she had a name to call.
Armin grunted with pain from where he sat "we must have been knocked pretty far from each other" he said before hissing in pain and gripping his broken right arm. Eren turned back to him with a look of guilt and went over to him, despite his anxiety from being cut off from his Dragon "I'm sorry Armin. If I hadn't started arguing, then this never would have happened" Eren apologized as he knelt next to Armin and checked the belt tied around his arm to stop the bleeding.
Armin winced but then gave a weak smile "hay, we've all been getting real stressed lately. Even I lost my temper a little up there" he said and Eren just stared at him in amazement. It truly amazed Eren that his friend could be so positive and considerate, even in this kind of situation.
Armin grunted as he tried to stand up but only yelped in pain as he fell back down. Eren caught him before he could hit the ground "whoa, you ok Armin?" he asked and Armin grimaced as he looked down to his right leg "no, I think my lag might be broken too" he strained out and Eren looked at him with worry "maybe you should rest for a while" Eren suggested but Armin shook his head "no, we don't have time. If my leg really is broken, then I won't recover enough before the sun comes up" he explained as he tried to pull himself up a little "look, there's a path up that way. We can make our way up and search for Mikasa, but we need to hurry" Armin explained before hissing in pain.
Eren grimaced as he observed Armin's injured state "alright Armin, just lean on me for support" Eren relented and Armin yelped in pain again as he shifted his weight to lean on Eren. Armin then took a shaky breath as he road out the waves of pain, washing over him "ok, I think I'm ready" he said and they started climbing the path, Armin making pained grunts with each step.
Eren glanced at Armin with sympathy with each agonizing step just hold on Armin he thought as they walked. Eren then glanced back the other way, where he thought he could faintly feel his dragon I hope her and Mikasa are doing better then us.
Mikasa grunted in pain as she tried to climb up to a ledge but couldn't find a place to grip onto next. Mikasa then grunted as some rocks shifted beneath one of her feet, causing her to fall a little "come on!" she strained out, then the rocks under her feet, fell away and she dropped like a sack of potatoes. Mikasa yelped as she hit the ground and curled into a ball to protect herself from the falling rocks.
A long moment passed and Mikasa just remained curled up in pain before finally pulling her head out and looking up at the ledge, far out of reach "damn it" she coursed and sat up. She then heard more rocks falling and looked over at the other side of the ravine to see the hatchling falling in much the same manner Mikasa had. The hatchling curled up to protect it's self from the falling rocks, then looked up and roared with rage at the wall she had attempted to climb and jumping back up, only to fall right back down and roll into the middle of their little prison and whimper in pain.
In spite of her dislike of the little reptile, Mikasa couldn't help but feel a little sympathy for it. They were both stuck in the same situation, both in pain and both trying to get back to Eren.
Mikasa grimaced at her conflicted emotions as she watched the hatchling lay there in pain and defeat. She then huffed as she pulled herself back to her feet and reluctantly walked over to check on the hatchling. The hatchling panicked though when it saw her and tried to scramble away, only to squeak in pain and limp away instead.
Mikasa frowned and felt her rage building as the reptile limped away and hunkered down. The girl growled in frustration "what is with you!? Even when I'm trying to help, you run away!" she fumed and fell back to the floor. Mikasa then scowled at the floor as she did the one thing she had been avoiding since Wall Maria fell.
Think.
Even when they were relatively safe and had time to rest, Mikasa always focused on the next task, the next goal needed to survive. Otherwise she would think about everything that was happening around her and everything she had lost. So as she sat there, physically and emotionally exhausted, all she could do was think and reflect on everything that had happened.
First came the pain and the tears as she clenched her fists so hard that her nails nearly drew blood.
Then came the anger as her eyes became murderous and she shed hot tears as she cursed the cruelty of the world she lived in.
Then came the sorrow, and Mikasa pulled her legs up to her chest and berried her head in her knees and felt the pain from all the cuts and bruises, throb and stab at her from every angle "why...why is the world so cruel?" she whispered as all her pain came out.
Mikasa didn't know how long she had been down there or how long she just sat there curled up. But as she sat there and thought and replayed everything that had happened to them, she started to feel an unusual calm and clarity, come over her. One she hadn't felt in a long time, since the day Eren saved her.
Mikasa slowly looked up to the sky as her body suddenly stopped shaking and her pain dulled to a imperceptible ache. Mikasa gazed up at the stars and an unnatural sense of clarity dawned on her we've beaten the odds so far and survived out here in Titan territory. Something even the Military can't claim to have achieved. So why am I giving up now? she asked herself.
Mikasa then looked to the hatchling, curled up in a ball and shaking as she whimpered. Then Mikasa's eyes widened slightly as she suddenly realized that, as bad as it was for her to be separated from Eren like this, it must be a thousand times worse for the poor little Dragon, given how she reacted when separated from him and the one time she had been cut off from him. Mikasa then pondered their time with the little hatchling and her hatred of it now seamed pointless and even bordering on idiotic to the girl. She still believed her initial reaction to it was justified but the rest was just stubbornness and stupidity.
Mikasa was pulled from her thoughts by her stomach rumbling, it had been some time since she had eaten anything and so she reached over to where her pack was laying, thankful that it had survived the fall. As she dug around in her pack, she found the rabbit that the hatchling had caught and Mikasa's mind wandered back to her. Most of their meat had been caught by the hatchling, they probably wound have starved long ago if not for her. Mikasa then glanced over at the hatchling she's probably hungry too she thought and looked back down at the rabbit and felt more then a little guilt over how she had treated the hatchling and the part she played in them falling down her.
Mikasa then heaved a sigh this may not get us out of her, but at least I can try to make things right she thought as she stood up and walked over to the hatchling, who's head was tucked under it's wing, meaning it didn't see her coming and she appeared to ether be asleep or too focused on her pain to hear Mikasa walking over.
Mikasa stopped with two feet between them and kneeled down and then cleared her throat to get the hatchling's attention. The hatchling stiffened and slowly brought her head out from under her wing. As Mikasa expected, the hatchling shrieked and scurried back against the wall. Mikasa just stayed where she was with a blank expression on her face as the hatchling eyed her with fear and they stayed that way for a moment. Then Mikasa set down the rabbit and slid it across the stone floor to about halfway between her and the Dragon, then she backed up a little.
The hatchling looked between Mikasa and the Rabbit with utter bewilderment, but then, after a long pause, she slowly began to move closer to the rabbit and began dragging it back to her. The whole time, her eyes never once left Mikasa, who simply sat there with the same blank expression. The hatchling then began eating the rabbit while keeping an eye on Mikasa and the girl in turn, began eating some berries.
Once the rabbit was gone, the two just stared at each other, the Dragon looked absolutely perplexed by the whole situation. The Dragon then flinched as Mikasa took a deep breath through her nose and let out a heavy sigh "I'm sorry" she finally spoke, plainly and bluntly.
The Dragon seamed surprised by this but Mikasa didn't notice as her eyes were downcast "this is probably pointless telling you this, but I'm sorry. I'm sorry I tried to kill you after what happened between you and Eren. I though you were trying to hurt him and I just wanted to keep him safe, and then when you started being scared of me and Eren started feeling the same because of it, I hated you for it because..." Mikasa paused as she looked up to the sky "because Eren means everything to me...he was all I had for a long time after my family was murdered, and even now, he still means everything to me. He's the only reason why I'm still alive...and continue to go on living" she confessed, not just to the Dragon but to herself as well.
Mikasa didn't know why but it felt amazing to finally say those words aloud. It was like a missive weight had been lifted off her, and as she gazed up into the sky, pondering her own confession, the hatchling stared at her with wide eyes and far more comprehension and understanding then a mere animal. A long moment passed with nothing happening, but then the hatchling hesitantly began to move.
Mikasa sat there on her knees, just staring up at the sky, deep in thought. Then her eyes flew wide as she suddenly felt something on her lap. Mikasa then looked down to see the hatchling, with her paws up on her lap and staring up at her. Mikasa blinked with surprise as she looked deep into the hatchling's eyes and it into her's. Then, Mikasa slowly extended her legs and the hatchling climbed up into her lap and curled up.
Mikasa was speechless as she looked down at the hatchling and began stroking it's back, earning a purr. Mikasa then smiled as she finally looked at the Dragon in a way she hadn't since it first hatched, before bonding with Eren. Mikasa took in it's beauty and how it's scales sparkled with it's beautiful colors. It truly was an amazing creature.
Mikasa's musings were cut short by some rubble falling and they both looked up to see some rats, running along a small crevasse and around the rubble, blocking them in.
Mikasa's eyes suddenly flew wide as her moment of clarity, allowed her to formulate a plan "I know how to get out" she whispered and the hatchling suddenly looked up at her. Mikasa then looked down at the hatchling with hope in her eyes "I know how we can get out of here" she said, clearly this time and the hatchling suddenly jumped to it's feet.
Mikasa walked over to the wall and looked up a the crevasse, then back to the hatchling "it's just big enough" she muttered as she kneeled down "climb on" she instructed and the hatchling hesitated for only a moment before hopping up on Mikasa's back. The girl then began to climb as close to the crevasse as she could "ok, now climb up" she said and the hatching did so, squeezing into the small crevasse.
Mikasa then climbed down and looked up at the hatching, who was looking down at her expectantly "ok now go all the way over that way. Once there, pull out the third rock up and jump away as fast as you can" she explained. Mikasa knew it was a little crazy, giving such comprehensive instructions to what, as far as she knew, was a simply animal, but the hatchling had shown an incredible level of comprehension so far and Mikasa didn't really have a better option.
And yet the hatchling did as she was told, wiggling her was over and then searching for the proper rock. It took a few tries but eventually she found it and, after a few tugs, the rock came loos, and with it, several other and a large bolder began to fall.
The hatchling squeaked and jumped towards Mikasa, it's underdeveloped wings snapping open and catching just enough air to carry her into Mikasa waiting arms. The two then looked back to see all the rubble falling away and once the dust cleared, they had a clear path up and out.
Mikasa smiled while the hatchling gave a victorious roar and Mikasa looked at her with a smile "good work" she said and the hatchling chirped happily in reply. The hatchling then jumped down and up to the new path but paused to look back at Mikasa expectantly and gestured with her head for Mikasa to fallow.
Mikasa blinked with surprise but just shook it off as she fallowed the hatchling out and they began their climb.
And they climbed and climbed, along treacherous and twisting paths. Along the way, Mikasa noticed that the hatchling would stop for a moment and look around, like she was searching for something she's probably searching for Eren Mikasa realized as she figured the hatchling could probably sense where he was, once they were close enough and there wasn't too much rock in the way.
As they went though, Mikasa noticed color coming back to the sky as the stars faded. The sun would be up soon and they need to get out before then, and to make matters worse, they hadn't seen any trace of Eren or Armin.
Fortunately, they were pretty close to the top and only one more climb remained. The hatchling jumped up on Mikasa's shoulders as she got ready to start climbing the wall, but then the hatchling suddenly looked up with excitement and roared. Mikasa was confused for a second but suddenly she felt the strangest sensation, as if another mind had touched her own "hay! Can you hear me!?" a voice called out from inside Mikasa's head. Mikasa was so stunned by it, not only was the voice inside her head but it sounded so familiar. Mikasa's eyes then shot wide, it was Eren's voice, just how he heard it, going though his skull before reaching his ears proper when he speaks "EREN!?" she called back as the hatchling roared.
There was a brief pause "Mikasa!?" Eren called back with surprise "how did you...nevermind, just get up here quick!" he called down and Mikasa began climbing vigorously.
Mikasa reached the top and pulled herself up to see Eren, supporting a beaten and bleeding Armin "Mikasa!" he called out with relief and joy "Eren!' Mikasa called back as the hatchling jumped off her shoulders and ran to Eren and latched herself to his leg. Mikasa quickly climbed up and ran to him and hugged him too "ow, ow, ow!" Armin yelped in pain at the sudden shift in weight "oh, sorry Armin" Mikasa said as she let go and took in Armin's injuries "it's ok, but we need to move fast, the sun's almost up" Armin said through gritted teeth.
Eren looked up at the sky that was now quickly gaining color "right, we need to move" he said and looked down at the hatchling getting ready to dislodge her, but the hatchling let go of him, sensing the need to run and started in the direction of the cave they were headed for. Mikasa moved to the other side of Armin and lifted his other side, causing the boy to make a strangled sound of barely contained pain "I'm sorry Armin but we need to move fast" Mikasa apologized as Eren lifted him up so they were practically carrying him and they ran.
They ran for all they were worth as light began to return to the world "hurry!" Eren yelled as they got to the cliff and began to climb up as best they could while helping Armin.
The first rays of light, began to peek over the wall and after a few moments, Eren gasped as he heard a thud and glanced back to see a Titan starting to wake up "oh shit!" he cursed and redoubled his efforts to climb as the Titan stood up and started making it's way towards them.
They were moving to slow with Armin in his current condition and the Titan was getting closer. They were nearly out of it's reach when another loud thud was heard, much closer and sending up dust, forcing them to pause in their efforts. Then Eren looked down with a gasp and a horrified look as he saw the Titan's grinning face as it tried to climb up after them.
The Titan slowly began reaching for them and Eren couldn't do anything but watch in horror as it go closer. But then a tiny roar, echoed out and the next thing Eren knew, a small red and silver reptile was colliding with the Titan's face, causing it to loose it's already questionable grip on the cliff and fall as the baby Dragon clawed it's eyes out.
Just before hitting the ground, the hatchling jumped off and glided back to the cliff where she grabbed on, and once the dust had cleared from the Titan hitting the ground and the Earth stopped shaking, the hatchling started scrambling back up.
The kids were stunned by what happened, but quickly started climbing again and reached the top and they pulled Armin up into the cave.
The kids all limped away from the opening and collapsed against a wall and panted "that...what too close" Armin got out between gasps for breath. The kids then looked over and saw the hatchling, trying to claw it's way up. Mikasa stood up and walked over to her and the hatchling eagerly excepted the aid, climbing up on her shoulders.
Mikasa looked at the hatchling and gave a small smile "thank you" she said while scratching under the Dragon's chin. Mikasa then looked down at the blinded Titan as it stumbled around. She also saw a few others walk up to the cave and try vainly to climb but they all fell.
Mikasa breathed a sigh of relief "finally safe" she muttered then turned to walk back in but paused when she saw the wide eyed look Eren was giving her "I see you too have worked out your issues" Armin grunted out and Mikasa looked back to the Dragon "yah, I guess we have" she said simply but the Dragon chirped tiredly but happily.
Mikasa then walked back over to the others and sat down next to Eren. The hatchling then stretched out and collapsed, half on Eren's lap, half on Mikasa's, completely exhausted.
Eren looked down at his Dragon with such relief, then to Mikasa and was amazed and overjoyed to no longer be fighting the hatchling emotions around her. In fact he felt safer around Mikasa then ever.
Eren then leaned his head back with an exhausted sigh, then he started chuckling. The others gave him funny looks for a moment before they started chuckling too and eventually it became full blown laughter, minus Armin, who was in too much pain to do more then chuckle.
Eren then looked at Mikasa with a serious expression "hay Mikasa" he started hesitantly, to which Mikasa hummed in response. Eren then rubbed his aching shoulder "I'm...sorry about what happened over the ravine" he said and Mikasa was quiet for a moment "no, I'm sorry for how I've been acting lately" she replied and Eren looked at her with surprise "I still think I was justified the first time, but everything after...I'm sorry" Mikasa apologized.
Eren just stared at Mikasa for a moment, but then smiled and rested his head against the wall "it's alright. We've all had it rough these past few days" he said as they all sat there and rested for a moment.
Mikasa then remembered something though and looked at Eren "what was that you did before though?" she asked and Eren looked at her with a raised eyebrow "back before we climbed out of the ravine. I think I heard you calling out, inside my head" Mikasa explained and Eren grew a contemplative look as he remembered "I was-"
"Err!" Eren was interrupted by Armin's pained grunts "Armin!" Eren called as he got up to check on him "I'll explain later. Right now we have bigger problems" he said and Mikasa nodded in agreement as they tended to Armin.
[Elsewhere]
"Damn it! Why can't we catch a fucking brake!?" Roy yelled from the top of wall Maria as he punched the ground repeatedly, his Dragon growling in agreement behind him "we are surrounded by enemies. One we cannot fight for lack of strength and one we cannot fight because of conspiracy" she fumed with a huff of smoke through her nostrils.
The Rider looked up at the wall in the distance with rage "I take back what I said. This is far worse then anything with Vroengard and the Order! These cowards aren't just worried about preserving the status quo. They WANT their people to live in fear of these monsters! They're even willing to sabotage their own military to do it!" he vented as memories of they saw and what he witnessed inside the MP's mind, came back to him.
Thalia growled as she bored holes in the wall with her eyes "and we can't request or offer aid, lest the cowards turn on their own protectors" said with distain.
Roy looked to the walls with rage, but then it gradually shifted into cold determination "we will set this right. We'll find a way to put an end to this sick game the royalty here is plying with it's people" he declared as he clenched his fists and a fire burned in his eyes.
The Rider and his Dragon would return and when they did, there would be hell to pay.
A/N - BANG! (author slamming his head on the desk and passing out) I can't believe I actually got this out before Thanksgiving, but given my update schedule or rather the lack there of, it didn't seam right leaving everyone on a cliff hanger.
On a side note, I was reading back through some of this story and noticed quite a few spelling errors and a mistake with which Wall it was back in chapter one so I'm gonna focus on fixing those for the time being, and to any Grammar Nazis out there, please hit me with your best shot, I don't like leave those kinds of mistakes in my stories.
Also a fun fact. Peoples' voices sound different to themselves then what others hear. This is caused because the sound is going through your head and reaching your ears first, before you hear it from the outside. Just listen to any recording of yourself and you'll see. In this story, all telepathic speech will be done with this inner voice.
Please leave a review.
Thanks for reading and as always happy reading and happy Thanksgiving. :)