5:11 PM
"Bertholdt, Bring me that crate next to you."
Finished with refueling his canisters, Bertholdt looked over his shoulders and then handed over the crate to Reiner. The blond nodded in appreciation before he climbed it to reach the valve of the main fuel tank of the armory. Annie kept her distance from them and leaned by the door to look out for any intruders as the others prepped the room, in a matter of minutes this place will be rendered to ashes and fire.
"Are you sure this won't kill him?" Annie asked.
Reiner replied with his back turned. "The dungeons are reinforced, and he's on the opposite side of the castle."
"It withstood all of those titans slamming against it hasn't it?" Bertholdt added.
Annie clicked her tongue. "This is different."
"The fuel tanks are less than half full, It should only affect this section of the castle and above. What we're counting on are the swarms of titans, that's when we'll grab Eren and book it behind the walls. We can't risk staying here any longer playing soldier with the rest of them, at best they all die and we keep Eren safe until we push our way to the capital." Reiner spoke.
Annie sighed and turned her head towards the wooden door, her eyes lingering on the dried pool of blood in front of the doorway, an unsettling feeling crept over her as she tore her eyes away from it. Her face lit up in alertness as her ears picked up on an incoming sound.
"Someone's coming, hide!" She hissed quietly before the three hid behind a few massive crates of spare canisters.
The warriors huddled together behind cover as the broken rhythm of footsteps came to a halt, the door creaked open and Bertholdt peeked through the gaps to find no other than Hannah Diamant. His eyes softened as he remembered her anguished cries over the boy who sacrificed himself for Forster, she didn't look any better now. His confusion grew as he tracked her through the gap, she moved the crate Reiner used to the center of the room below a wooden beam.
Annie's curiosity got the best of her as she tapped his elbow, the boy answered without removing his gaze.
"Hannah, she's up to something, No idea what tho-.." His whispers died in his throat as he watched her grab a thick rope.
Bertholdt swallowed as he watched her with growing intensity, sweat dripping from his forehead. Annie and Reiner were confused by his shift in demeanor as both snuck their heads out of cover, both mirroring Bertholdt's reaction. Annie quickly tore her eyes away from the girl though Reiner was glued to her in morbid curiosity, Bertholdt looked troubled as she continued to prepare the noose without an ounce of fear or hesitation, her face devoid of any emotion besides the dried streaks on both cheeks.
"Should we..." Bertholdt trails.
"No." Came Reiner's simple answer.
Annie frowned as she continued to listen to the echoes of a dying girl, disturbed by her grunts as she flings the rope around the beam and the crate scraping the stone. She closed her eyes and hugged her knees as she covered her ears, no longer content in listening in on a broken girl's final moments. Bertholdt backed away too, out of respect for the redhead though for one reason or another, Reiner couldn't bring himself to avert his gaze, perhaps as punishment for himself.
Hannah's choked sobs suddenly reach them as she takes a step on the crate and wraps the rope around her neck firmly, she sniffles and wipes the tears using her sleeve before steeling her emotions. Without wasting another second the girl kicks the crate beneath her feet and falls, her eyes flash with worry after finding that there wasn't enough force to snap her neck immediately, she began to panic as her cries of suffering were silenced by the pressure of the rope against her windpipe.
Merely seconds later the trio heard another set of footsteps rushing down the stairs, Reiner quickly went down to conceal the top of his head as Forster walked in and momentarily froze in shock. He quickly made his way across the armory and placed his head between her legs before lifting her.
Now that she was no longer being strangled, he pulled out his sword and swiped the rope around her neck, cutting off some of her hair in the process.
He gently set her down as she began violently coughing, soon enough she couldn't help but cry hysterically as her eyes stuck to the ground in shame. Floch stared at her dumbfounded as he sheathed his blade with heavy pants, never expecting her to go to such extreme lengths. Soon enough his awe was replaced by anger and disgust,
Hannah looked up at him defeatedly as she bawled her eyes out, but before she could scream at him for saving her, the boy knocked her down with a slap on the cheek.
"What did you think this was going to fix? Hannah, look at me." Floch commanded.
Silently sobbing and pressing a hand to her stinging cheek, the girl reluctantly complied as she hiccuped.
He knelt to eye level, gazing at her fiercely. "This isn't the answer, do you think Franz would have wanted this? We all miss him but what you're doing doesn't help anyone, It certainly won't bring him back! Please, snap out of it, you have people who care about you, people who will stand with you through this."
The redheaded girl continued to bawl her eyes out. "I-I miss him so much... I just can't! I hate it so much! It hurts..."
"Of course, you can! The last thing he'd want is for you to be weak like this!"
She grew irritated at him as the girl suddenly snapped. "What the hell would you know!?-" Her voice cut off before she broke into another coughing fit.
Floch calmed his nerves, before settling into a mask of indifference. "You're right, Of course."
Her eyes rolled upwards toward him in confusion as Floch stood up, his now apathetic demeanor unsettled her to no end.
"I need to lose someone dear to me first, is that how it works? There's a little girl upstairs who lost her mother and watched countless others die today, how embarrassing is it that an eleven-year-old has more control over their emotions than a soldier? It's pathetic." Floch begins to berate her much to her dismay.
"W-What are you saying?... Stop it..." She frowned.
His gaze is now cold and unforgiving, Hannah wished nothing more than for the ground to swallow her whole.
"Scared? Should I just leave you alone so you could go back to killing yourself? Do you honestly think you're the only one? I spent this entire day calming down one child after the other so that they don't get themselves killed over their emotions. It makes me sick to my stomach seeing you like this, I don't blame you though, this is all my fault. I thought things could be different, I thought that I wouldn't have to resort to being this way again, but all of you proved me wrong for once." Floch spoke in disdain as the girl grew increasingly fearful.
Floch towered over her, Amber eyes drilling a hole into her skull causing her to shrink under his gaze. Hannah's lower lip quivered in fear, her chest overwhelmed by a wave of anxiety. Silent tears streamed down her face as she met his gaze, his harsh words weighing down heavily on her soul.
He sighed. "You're only human after all, emotions are volatile so we can't help but fall victim to them sometimes. Maybe this is the right thing to do, who am I to interfere in the decision you're making? Who cares how it affects the rest of us if It's the only thing you have left? Perhaps you're right, carry on then." Floch continued, though at this point it seemed like he was speaking to himself.
He pulled out a flintlock pistol from his jacket, before kneeling to place it between her hands. Hannah looked back at him in disbelief at what he had just offered her. Her heartbeats are frantic as she inspects the weapon, managing to choke out a few words in the process.
"P-Please, Floch! Y-You're scaring me..." She trailed as her panic mounted. Her gaze lowers as she begins to hyperventilate, Floch inches closer to her ear.
"Am I? Were you not scared with a rope tied around your neck? Believe me, this is far quicker and easier, certainly less painful than hanging. Go ahead, you wanted this, didn't you? What are you waiting for?" He replied in an eerily soothing voice.
His hot breath causes her skin to crawl as she chokes out a few words again, her heart nearly ripping out of her chest.
"I-I'm begging you..." She whispered desperately.
"Hannah, I insist you do this."
"Please..."
She trembled furiously as he helped her get a firm grip, he placed her thumb on the trigger and then guided her hands until the cold steel barrel pressed against her lips. She couldn't fathom what possessed her at that moment, maybe it was true? Maybe she did want this? She couldn't help but comply with his demands as she inserted the barrel inside and jammed it against the roof of her mouth. The shaking of her body caused her teeth to scrape the metal, saliva built up inside as her tongue sat at an awkward angle, the position of the barrel nearly triggering her gag reflex. Her thumb grew heavier on the trigger as it pushed more and more towards sweet oblivion, it was nothing short of a miracle that her heart hasn't exploded by now.
"Close your eyes and pull the trigger, you're doing good so far." He whispered gently.
She couldn't.
"Hannah now's the time."
She didn't listen to him, she didn't have to do this.
"Pull the trigger." He began to growl.
Why would she?!
"Hannah, what are you waiting for?!"
Franz wouldn't her to do this!
"PULL THE DAMN TRIGGER HANNAH!" His voice boomed across the armory as he painfully squeezed her shoulder.
The gun muffled the girl's final cry as she gathered all of her strength into that trigger, thus ending her life.
*Click*
Hannah blinked in confusion, dread washing over her as she did. Her face contorted with a deep frown as she took heavy breaths, Floch snatched the empty gun from her and threw it away as her eyes remained wide open in shock. She heard him sigh next to her prompting her to look over in his direction, finding him visibly let down by what had transpired.
"So, how did it feel? Was it liberating knowing you no longer had to worry?" He asked in a voice dripping with disappointment.
She opted to stare at him silently in a daze.
"I gave you a choice, and you chose wrong. You willingly forfeited your life not once but twice, and because of that, you lost all rights to decide for yourself. Hannah, from this day forward you no longer have a choice, you will only die If I permit you to. Do you understand, or should I emphasize my point again?" He asked her.
Hannah dumbly nodded her up and down, too mentally exhausted to even cry anymore.
"Good, I'm glad we agree."
Floch reached down to his neck making Hannah flinch in fear, He pulled out a necklace with two wooden rings attached to it much to Hannah's confusion. He took hold of her trembling hand and placed it before making her close her fist, she looked lost at his actions as Floch adopted a more somber expression.
"He gave these to me, he loved you so much that he wanted to pop the question but he couldn't gather the courage to do it. They're rightfully yours now, I'm sure you two loved each other a lot but don't make that a reason to end your life. I'm tired of seeing my comrades die, and those dear to me even more." Floch said as his voice nearly gave out in the end.
"He's never coming back, the quicker you make peace with that fact the sooner your suffering will end. All you can do now is to honor his memory and move on, It hurts and it's unfair but that is simply the way life goes. This world is a bitter place that relishes in stripping us of all that is precious to us, it would rather see us off dead. Rebel against this crushing weight on your shoulders, be strong and prove the world wrong. Otherwise, you'll wither away wishing for the impossible, It'll chew you to bits and spit you out without remorse. Like it or not that is the cold hard truth, It's all up to you now."
Hannah frowned as she continued to listen intently, Floch stood up and turned his back to her.
"What happened today will stay between us, whenever you feel ready, come upstairs and rejoin the others, we're leaving soon," Floch said before leaving.
Hannah opened her palm to inspect the rings, who knows how long she sat there looking at them. Soon enough, she regained her senses as nothing but her anguished cries filled the cold and empty armory. Eventually, the redhead stood up with some difficulty and made her way up the stairs, looking pale and fatigued.
The warriors didn't move until they made sure the room was vacant, Reiner peeked his head once again to scan their surroundings before motioning for the other two to come out. Reiner quickly went back to tampering with the fuel tank as Bertholdt and Annie stayed behind to observe the cut noose and pistol, Annie frowned as she recalled Forster's words and actions.
"Come on you two! You heard him, they're calling in backup soon." Reiner called out from behind.
"What a sick fuck." She muttered under her breath loud enough for Bertholdt to hear.
"Are we any better?" Bertholdt asked.
"Some more than others." She replied as she looked back at Reiner, though she knew he was right.
"Come on, Annie, we need to wrap this up," Bertholdt spoke.
Annie's gaze lingered on the rope for a few more seconds before she followed after him, leaving Reiner to take care of the rest.
"I Dream Of The Old Man Who Hanged Himself In That Settlement. I Always Wonder Why He Told Us That Story Before He Put The Noose Around His Neck." - Bertholdt Hoover 845 AD, To Eren Yeager during training days.
5:35 PM
Floch shadowed Hannah until he made sure she was with Sandra and the others. His attention was suddenly directed towards a smoke signal that went up above them, taking it as a sign to head towards the offices upstairs where Jean, Marco, Armin, and Mikasa waited for him.
"Took you long enough, where were you? we just sent the signal." Jean grumbled at the creaking door as Floch stepped inside.
"I'm glad you miss me, I was taking care of personal matters. What's happening now?" He replied nonchalantly as he took a seat.
"As Jean said we sent the signal shortly after getting the carriage fixed. We should start loading the injured in advance, we now just have to figure out who's going out there to send the word." Marco explained.
"Then It must be someone capable, someone who's skilled enough to maneuver their way around a town chock full of titans," Floch spoke.
Jean, Marco, and Armin looked between each other, while Floch turned towards Mikasa's direction to find that the girl was more than ready to volunteer herself, however he had other plans.
"Marco and I can't leave, and neither can Mikasa. Us three are vital to this castle's defense, as for you two... Well, we can do without you Jean." Floch said with a smirk at the end.
Jean felt annoyed at his comment. "The hell is that supposed to mean?"
Floch didn't bother to answer as he turned to Marco.
"What about Reiner and Bertholdt?" Marco suggested.
No.
"They're... also required here." He answered carefully.
Armin looked troubled initially, he clenched his fists and lowered his gaze to the ground as several thoughts flooded his mind. He furrowed his brows as he took the attention of everyone in the room by stepping forward.
"I'll go with Jean, everyone here has done their part except for me. I refuse to sit around doing nothing while everyone else has done their best to protect us!" He declared.
Floch blinked before shrugging. "Sure."
Good titan bait for Jean.
Armin was surprised by his simple answer, briefly believing that the redhead would oppose him going out there. Mikasa and the rest weren't as open about it as Floch though.
"Absolutely not!" Mikasa hissed.
"Why not?" Floch asked her.
"He's more brains than brawn and no offense, but he is not useful in a fight. However, what he lacks in combat he makes up for in mobility. He's fast and agile, he can do this." Floch added in encouragement as Armin's face lit up.
"Floch..." Armin muttered, touched by his bluntness and the confidence he had in him.
"Are you sure? Mikasa would be our safest option here..." Jean trailed in uncertainty.
"Only if you're willing to gamble the safety of everyone in this castle, our numbers are dwindling fast, and not that many can put up a good fight," Floch replied.
"I will not allow you to put Armin at risk, his strategies could help us defend better!" Mikasa argued furiously
"Mikasa," Armin spoke, she turned to him as her features softened at his determined expression.
"I have to do this, for everyone's sake! I can't sit back here and do nothing while everyone fights, I've already done that before and I nearly paid a heavy price for it. I am a soldier, I have sworn to serve this kingdom and everyone in it haven't I? If my actions will be a benefit to humanity then I will not hesitate to do what's necessary! I must help whether you agree or not!" He spoke out solemnly as he hardened his resolve.
"Armin..." Mikasa muttered with a frown, though her protests stopped.
"So that's it then, Armin and I?" Jean asked.
Floch nodded. "Yes, I'll give you five minutes to get ready. Marco, go downstairs and send word to the rest, we'll start moving the injured. Mikasa, escort them both outside and check if the canon teams need anything, we have to make sure everyone can return safely."
"Does 'everyone' include Eren?" Mikasa asked with narrowed eyes.
Jean frowns, yet to get over the fact that Eren was one of the Titans. He grits his teeth and looks outside through the windows grimly.
"I did say, everyone."
"Then why keep him locked down there, Eren isn't against us!" She continued fiercely.
"I agree with you. If push comes to shove he'll be allowed out of the cell to fight, for now, he'll stay there where he is safe from the fear and ignorance of the others around him. I assure you, Mikasa, I don't wish Eren any harm, far from it." Floch responded diplomatically.
Though not entirely convinced, the girl chose to back down for now. They all left the room one by one, leaving him all by himself to contemplate his thoughts. Trost, Eren, Franz, Hannah, Louise, the warriors, Erwin, and the Corps, it all weighed down on him immensely. He sighed as he picked himself up from the chair and walked out of the room, there was still much to be done and the day wasn't over just yet.
5:43 PM
Armin fastened his belts as he tried his best to calm his nerves, though the trembling of his hands was beyond his control. Jean looked back at him from the corner of his eye before giving him a light tap on the shoulder, the blond looked up to see him offer a reassuring grin.
"Don't worry ya little bookworm, we'll be fine," Jean said.
Armin gave a weak smile as he nodded in return. "Right!"
Mikasa walked over to him, still drowning in uncertainty over letting another childhood friend go into danger. She held his hand from behind with a glum expression as she buried the lower half of her face into her scarf, Armin squeezed her hand back upon seeing this.
"Mikasa..." He muttered.
"Be safe, Armin."
He hummed. "Remember what you said, we can't win if we don't fight. We'll make it out of here all of us! Keep Eren safe for me will you?"
The girl moved her head up and nodded, giving the boy a brief hug before the duo set out to inform the soldiers stationed at the wall. Jean looked down at them with a twinge of jealousy as he scratched the back of his head and looked away awkwardly.
"Tsk. What about me? No words of encouragement? I'm risking my life out there too, you know?" He grumbled.
Mikasa turned over in his direction and gave him a small smile in return. "You too Jean, stay safe."
His cheeks tinged red as he looked back at her in surprise.
"R-right, Thanks!" He stammered before turning around and grabbing of an unsuspecting Armin.
"Come on now! We're burning daylight let's go, Armin!" He spoke quickly in a fit of embarrassment as the poor boy was dragged along with him.
"J-Jean!" Armin shouted in panic as two of them jumped off the side of the castle.
The two boys zoomed across town, inspecting the aftermath of the initial attack. The vacant streets were riddled with debris and blood, Armin frowned as they pushed further and further up north, quietly lamenting over the remnants of a failed evacuation. Today was a grim reminder for humanity, but soon enough they would be out of this hell. Without warning, Armin found himself tackled into a rooftop courtesy of Jean himself. He momentarily panicked as the taller boy covered his mouth with their hand, he shushed him as they hid behind the cover of a chimney. Jean peeked from the side to find a titan crossing the intersection where they were just about to go, as Armin now peeked with him, his eyes widening in shock at their proximity, he would have been a goner if he kept pushing that way.
"Thanks, Jean."
"Don't worry about it, come on we need to drop down to the other side, this way is no good. We're gonna have to cut east through the river, I can see a bunch of them huddled by the main entrance and Its surroundings." The boy advised before he stood up and jumped away.
Armin briefly looked back at the castle before he jumped after him, nobody said this was going to be easy.
A few minutes later...
"Their signal faded, do you still have eyes on the people there?"
Rico Brzenska hummed. "Yes, There's a lot of them on the rooftops, somewhere between ten to fifteen personnel."
"Wasn't there more?" The soldier was puzzled.
"Possibly inside." Came her short reply.
"Tough luck, there's no way they'll approve a rescue mission at this point. Maybe those Survey Corps nut jobs will be up for it though." He shrugged.
"Regardless, we'll do what we must-"
Rico paused, the distinct hissing of gas alerting her. The officer next to her looked puzzled as she took a step back, suddenly two cadets appeared in front of her, both looking ragged and out of breath. The soldiers around her quickly swarmed them as they tended to the two boys, the blond one muttered thanks as he was offered a canteen of water.
"Name and affiliation cadets!" He ordered them as they came to attention.
"Cadet Armin Arlert, One hundred and fourth southern division, underneath the jurisdiction of the vanguard!"
"Cadet Jean Kirstein, One hundred and fourth southern division, likewise!"
"I see, you two must have been through hell to get here. Let's get you both medical, ge-" The officer began before being cut off by Armin.
"There's no time for that sir! We are here to send word to the commanders in charge! We have many wounded that need to be evacuated, we need help to rescue our comrades!" Armin yelled much to their surprise.
The man furrowed his brows. "That's not happening, sorry. We need every man and woman we have to help defend against the armored titan's attack." The officer replied stubbornly.
"What kind of bullshit is that?! We fought to the death on your orders and this is what we get in return?!" Jean growled.
"Watch your tone, boy." The officer narrowed his eyes sharply.
"To hell with that!"
"Soldiers, arrest this cadet immediately! We cannot tolerate such blatant insubordination." The man ordered as the men moved in.
"Hold on!" Armin shouted as he stepped between the tense Jean and the two soldiers.
"We have more than just wounded with us back at the castle, we stumbled on a great weapon that's effective against the Titans! It's the reason why we survived this long in the first place! If you ignore us and throw us in jail you could be risking the fate of Trost, no! Humanity itself! Please! Allow us to have a word with commander Pixis, our future depends on it!" The blond boy continued passionately, though the officers were hesitant to believe his words.
The officer ordering their arrest scoffed. "You must think I am stupid enough to believe that, are-"
Rico cut him off before he could finish his orders. "Let's give them a chance, considering how quickly the vanguard and assault team fell It is questionable how they've made it this long. There's no harm in allowing them to have a word with the commander."
The officer contemplated with a frown, turning around to address the woman privately. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" He whispered.
She challenged his gaze as she spoke. "I've seen them fight firsthand, It isn't logical in the slightest but what can we exactly do other to sit around doing nothing?"
The officer's face scrunched in deep thought before ultimately caving in to their demands with a sigh. "Fine, you better not be spouting bullshit. Let them through."
"Tsk. That's right." Jean muttered quietly next to Armin.
Armin's face lit up with gratitude as he looked back at Rico, the white-haired woman nodded before guiding them herself. They entered an elevator as Rico pulled a leve, an awkward silence settling around them during their descent. Rico looked down at the crowd of soldiers below somberly, then spoke with her back turned to them.
"This weapon you spoke about, Is it real?"
Jean and Armin shared a look before Armin replied. "It is, we swear we wouldn't lie about something like this."
"Hell, we all saw it with our eyes," Jean added.
She hummed. "Alright, though it pains me I'll believe in you two, we can only hope command does too."
An immense pressure struck them as the absurdity of the situation finally struck, Armin gulped, how was he supposed to explain Eren? The elevator came to a halt as all three exited, they made their way through the small town as Armin's head raced with several thoughts. Unbeknownst to them, a couple of cadets noticed their arrival.
"Hey! That's Jean and Armin over there!"
Krista and Ymir turned around in surprise, with the blonde feeling glad to see more survivors. While Ymir looked indifferent, she did feel some worry over the wellbeing of that bastard Forster. Morbidly wondering how could a pathetic little mouse like Arlert make it out alive but not him. Ymir glanced to the side, noticing that Krista was about to bolt out of her seat.
"Where do you think you're going?" She called out as she grabbed Krista by the arm and dragged her back down.
"Ymir! Let go, I have to go check up on them!" Krista said.
Ymir chuckled as she forced the blonde into a headlock. "Settle down princess, they're being escorted by an officer for a reason. You'll only make yourself look stupid."
Her words seemed to do the trick as Krista stopped resisting, she deflated in her arms defeatedly before slipping out of her hold and sunk into her seat.
"I'm just really worried about all of them..." She muttered sadly.
"Aren't we all?"
"The people who have the ability to change something in this world, all, without exception, have the guts to abandon things important to them if they have to." - Armin Arlert 850 AD.
"Seriously? This is the new HQ? Couldn't they have picked somewhere that doesn't smell terrible?" Jean complained as they walked inside the building.
"It's a fishing dock Jean, there's a reason why few fish makes it downstream to Shiganshina. Besides, this is the safest place in the case of a breach." Armin explained as they entered the halls to the war room.
"Precisely for that reason, as per the request of our joint MP commanders," Rico commented as she led them inside.
They walked up the stairs only to be greeted by two guards in front of a double door, the two men sent Rico a questioning look upon laying eyes on the cadets. The white-haired woman advised them to sit by the side as she relayed information to the others.
"You think they'll let us through?" Jean whispered.
"Depends on their orders," Armin replied.
"And I told you I won't accept anything like that, you may enjoy sending your men out to senseless slaughter but we do things differently here."
"Do you believe sitting around here waiting for our enemy to strike first will yield different results?"
"It will surely be safer than laying siege on what is now a dead city."
"They're going at it in there aren't they?" Jean whistled, as one one of the guards entered to relay the message.
"It's not easy to make decisions in a situation like this, we're talking about the entire fate of humanity here. Any wrong move made could be the first step towards our extinction." Armin answered stoically, though his nerves were nearly at their limit.
"Shit, don't make it sound so terrifying." Jean sighed.
Armin looked up at him sheepishly. "Sorry, Jean."
"Alright you two, come in." One of the guards told them.
The two boys tensed upon entering the spacious room, Armin could make out at least thirty people gathered around, with the commanders and captains sitting at a long table in the middle. The blond boy looked from left to right noting the many individuals from all three branches, The two boys quickly saluted everyone in the room as they awaited their word.
"Greetings cadets, state your names and affiliation please." Pixis greeted them, his cheeks tinged in a slight red and a flask of alcohol in hand.
"Cadet Jean Kirstein of the one hundred and fourth southern division, sir!"
"Cadet Armin Arlert of the one hundred and fourth southern division, sir!"
"I see, at ease now," Pixis said.
The two boys dropped their salute as they stood at the end of the table with everyone's eyes glued to them, Armin felt that it was a miracle he wasn't breaking down due to the sheer pressure from everyone involved.
"I've been told that the two of you are the latest arrivals from behind the wall, while I am glad to see more survivors something tells me you are not exactly bearers of good news," Pixis said.
"For the most part sir!" Jean replied.
"Survivors huh? Why the hell has it taken you this long to evacuate? You're from that situation at the old HQ, aren't you? Who's your commanding officer over there?" Nile Dok commented from the side.
"N-No one sir! All of our superiors have either been killed or fled! We are currently under the leadership of another cadet by the name of Floch Forster." Jean stuttered.
Erwin felt immense amounts of intrigue as those familiar with the boy behind him were in awe at the news, Oluo and Petra looked at each other in equal amounts of surprise. The room suddenly went deathly quiet as an explosion rang in the distance, some of the men ran to peek out of the windows to inspect while the others dismissed it.
"What was that?" Oluo asked those next to him.
"Canon fire, most likely." Came Eld's reply.
"Anyway, You were led by a cadet? That name does sound familiar..." Nile trailed.
"He's one of the top MP candidates for this year's class, sir." A lower-ranking officer informed the man after checking over his folders.
"Start from the top, tell us exactly what occurred before you came here." Erwin suddenly interjected with a piercing gaze.
Jean suddenly froze in panic as the pressure got to him, seeing this, Armin quickly took charge as he steeled himself. Recounting how the titans were quick to shatter their defenses, followed by the utter chaos of their retreat deeper into the town. And before it could be brought up, Armin quickly clarified their severe lack of fuel at the time of the evacuation signal.
He paused, as flashes of Eren's supposed death appeared in his mind.
"It was at that point where cadet Floch Forster came and rallied all of us to storm the castle to refuel, only suffering two losses in the process. We separated into two teams to retake the armory back from the titans and to guard the outside, our efforts were successful with zero fatalities on both fronts save for some wounded!"
The entirety of the room felt impressed at the near-impossible feats these cadets accomplished, earning them the respect of all of the officers. Though for Armin, the good part ended there.
"Why haven't you evacuated after securing the Headquarters? Assuming that the surrounding areas weren't completely taken over by titans yet." Pixis asked.
"Floch Forster led us to rescue a pocket of civilians stranded at Townsquare, sir! Unfortunately, we found out that fifteen of the seventeen survivors we went to rescue committed suicide. We took those remaining and retreated as several titans gave chase to us. We suffered twelve casualties by the end of the mission, including one of the civilians." Armin informed.
"I see, your actions are commendable, though It is a shame to hear about our losses." Pixis replied in a somber tone. He took a large gulp from his drink before redirecting his attention back to Armin. "So, what happened next?"
"Well... this was the point where something extremely unexpected occurred. Our defenses were struggling to hold them back, and just when things were about to get worse another titan showed up and began attacking Its own kind..." Armin trailed as everyone in the room was shocked into a thick silence as the whispers died out.
"I assume this is the rumored weapon you've told my men about, isn't it?" Pixis guessed.
Armin gave a curt nod. "Yes, at first, we all thought it was an enemy but It showed no interest in us, It continued to fight the other titans giving us time to fully retreat. We wondered why It fought on our side, until we found out It was being controlled by a human from the inside!"
"Woaaaaah..." Hange gaped under her breath with stars in her eyes as Levi clicked his tongue.
"You better contain yourself four-eyes." He whispered to her.
Pixis and Erwin were both intrigued by the information as everyone else sent him incredulous looks, Nile felt his patience reach Its limits as he glared at the two cadets, he contemplated on giving the word to have them escorted though he waited for Pixis to speak first.
"I know it sounds unbelievable, but that is the truth. This person is a dear friend of mine, his name is Eren Yeager. It is only thanks to his efforts that I'm even here and able to spread the word, we've suffered heavy casualties and It'll be a nightmare for us to evacuate on our own. All we request is your support, help us return our comrades safely! I believe that we can still save Trost and all of humanity using Eren's Yeager's powers!" Armin spoke as he gave it all to convince them though many brows in the room were raised.
"My boy, while I do wish to believe you. You must understand the absurdity of your claim, are you certain that it was your friend in control of that titan?" Pixis questioned.
Jean suddenly stepped forward with newfound conviction. "We are sir! All of us saw him crawl out of it. For one reason or another, Eren can turn into one of them at will! If we can get everyone back from the castle he could help take back this town! As you all know there is a massive boulder near the entrance of Trost that's big enough to seal the breach! His titan form can lift it!" He argued.
Armin felt a sinking feeling in his stomach, they gave them every reason to make them believe in Eren's value to humanity. He knew the information about his ability would spread regardless, It was for the better that Eren is perceived as useful than to be executed on sight. Most of the officers were visibly annoyed with him though Pixis and Erwin remained neutral, in the background one could hear the faint squealing of a certain mad scientist followed by a muffled slap on the neck.
"Alright, this is getting too ridiculous would someone get these two out of here, I've had enough of this time waste! The last thing this room needs Is wild fantasy! " Nile barked as the guards moved toward them.
"Hold on now." Pixis' voice boomed across the room.
The men stopped dead in their tracks behind the cadets as per his commands, as Erwin assessed them with his icy gaze. The commander of the Survey corps looked towards Mike Zacharias, seeing the man in question give him an affirming nod.
Pixis turned towards him. "I'm curious about your thoughts, Erwin."
"Well, I do believe that we should take their word into account. As I've stressed earlier, considerable results cannot be expected without taking risks. The fate of humanity can only rest on the shoulders of men who take action, we cannot afford to wait any longer nor can we overlook the opportunity of acquiring a valuable asset for our cause. That said, the Survey corps will be taking charge of this rescue operation, with or without additional aid." Erwin spoke assertively.
Nile looked affronted as the old man sighed. "Humanity has suffered in silence for decades against this terror, never before in this century of horror could we have heard such promising news. Lives snuffed out like candles, families destroyed, territory taken, and yet onwards we carried on down this futile, destructive path. If we confirm the validity of this claim and bring back this supposed weapon. Regaining Trost could be a beginning of a new age for humanity, one of hope and glory! I do agree, Erwin. The Garrison will be providing support, I am curious about this titan boy myself hahaha!"
"Well said, All squad leaders send the word out to all of our troops along the wall. We are deploying as soon as possible." Erwin ordered.
The men and women in question nodded and were about to make their way out of the room before the door slammed open gaining everyone's attention.
"Commander Pixis! Part of the old HQ has exploded a few minutes ago! It's attracting some of the titans!" A Garrison soldier yelled.
Jean and Armin were both stiff in shock as they digested the news, their worry for their friends growing immensely. Erwin furrowed his brows as he stood up and made his way out of the room with the other scouts.
"Change of plans, we leave immediately! Our primary objective is to ensure the safety of Eren Yeager, the fate of humanity depends on it! Dedicate your hearts!" Erwin barked.
"Yes sir!" Each scout present called out before they raced out of the building.
"Ahhhh! This is so exciting! A titan cadet?!" Hange squealed as she followed after Erwin with her squad in tow.
"You two, with us," Levi called out to the cadets.
"Hey, Armin... You think they're okay over there?" Jean asked.
"They have to be." Armin replied as his face morphed into a frown.
'Everyone, please, be safe.'
Annnnnd done!
I do hope that Floch and Hannah's scene wasn't too edgy, I'm slowly bringing back the unhinged Floch people were more familiar with in season 4. As for the fake death thing, I can confirm to you now that Franz is dead and It's not a fake-out like Ruth and Hannah, but don't worry about certain characters being unkillable, everyone has their scheduled time. :D
Also for those that have been curious, I'm happy to announce that you will be getting an answer about that little letter next chapter. :)
Oh I also forgot to add that after I finish the next chapter, I'm gonna take some time off from this story to finish a chapter for that crack fic and work on a Floch/Hange story (It's not a shipping story, It's more of like "conversation between them in the afterlife" type of thing)
PS: If you're thinking something changed you'd be right.
