"Here's far enough." I said as I began to slow down my horse. I rode up to a tree and got off. I gently pet her nose as a 'thank you' for working so hard. Everyone else got off their horses and we tied them to the trunk of the tree. We used our Manoeuvre Gear and began to find a tree a little farther away from our horses.
"I bet you they've been waiting for that Titan to come." Eldo said when we all stopped in the middle of a tree on its branch.
"You mean…that's why we came into this forest?" Gunther asked.
"And that Titan didn't look like any of the normal Titans…it looks like the Armored Titan…" Eldo began.
"So do you think that it's someone who can also turn into a Titan, like Eren?" Petra asked.
"Most likely." Eldo said.
"So this was his plan from the very start! Right? I can see why he didn't want to tell any of the other troops. But why wouldn't he tell you guys? You've been with the Survey Corps for so long." Eren said. I leaned up against the trunk and sighed.
"Did you know about it Ryder?" Petra asked me. I looked away from her.
"No." Was the only answer I was allowed to give.
"Shut up!" Oluo yelled at Eren.
"Are you saying the Captain and Commander don't trust us?" Petra asked Eren.
"But that's what it means…"Eren tried to explain to them what he was thinking, but Oluo was too frustrated to listen.
"Petra, rip out his teeth! Swap the front and back teeth when you put them back in!"
"Shut up! The three of you! Stop talking." I yelled at them. They looked at me with a surprised face before Oluo became annoyed.
"Why should we? Why are you even telling us to be quiet if they didn't even tell you about it?" He asked me.
"Because they must've had their reasons." I said.
"You knew…you knew all along what the plan was, didn't you?"
"No."
"Yes you did! Why wouldn't they tell you? You're the only other one who's been around for the past five years! They would trust you."
"Enough, Oluo."
"And it doesn't help the fact that you're Captain Levi's girlfriend, huh? Of course you would know! They can't keep out poor Captain Levi's girlfriend, can they?"
"Silence!" Eldo yelled at Oluo. Oluo turned around to look at his teammate. "There is probably a reason why the Commander couldn't trust us."
"Like what?" Gunther asked.
"There's only one reason he wouldn't trust his fellow soldiers. There's someone who can become a Titan, or a spy helping them, in the Survey Corps."
"A spy? Is that possible?" Gunther asked.
"At any rate, the Commander is certain. I'd imagine the only soldiers who were told of the plan were those who stayed alive for the past five years."
"I see…so that's it." Gunther said.
"And since you've been around for the past five years, you must've known of the plan from the start too then, right Ryder?" Petra asked me.
"Yes." I nodded my head.
"Must be. Understand now, Eren? That's why." Oluo gave Eren a smug look.
"Yeah, if that's the reason, I understand. He's assuming that five years ago, when the first wall fell, a spy infiltrated our ranks and that's how he narrowed down the possibilities."
"Then the spy killed Sawney and Bean." Eldo said.
"Back then, the Commander asked me about that." Petra said.
"So that's what the question meant." Eren mumbled.
"If we could've answered his question, we could've participated in his plan. I doubt that anyone could've back then though." Eldo said.
"I knew." Oluo stated.
"Then why didn't you answer the question, smart ass?" I asked him.
"What? You can't figure it out yourself? Well, I shouldn't expect that from the likes of you. You have yet to reach my level."
"I've been around for the past five years, so I'm pretty sure it's you who hasn't reached my level." I shot back at him.
"Eren, you don't know it yet, but you will soon. The reason why Erwin Smith is entrusted with humanity's hope, the Survey Corps." Eldo said.
"Just look at how much Captain Levi trusts him." Petra pointed out.
"And he doesn't trust a lot of people." I said under my breath. All of a sudden we heard the sound of the smoke gun go off. I looked up and saw a stream of blue smoke going up into the sky.
"Looks like they're done." Oluo said.
"Let's get back to our horses. It's time to retreat." Gunther said to us. I nodded my head as I pushed myself off the wall.
"You heard the man, let's go see what the bastard inside looks like." I said. Eren checked his gas tank to make sure he had enough to get back to the horses as Petra fixed hers.
"Will we really find out who it is?" Eren asked.
"It's thanks to you, Eren." Petra said.
"I didn't really do anything."
"You had faith in us."
"And that's already a big step for you." I said.
"That's right and this is the result of your trust in us back then. Making the right choice isn't easy." Petra added.
"Don't spoil him Petra. What did he do anyways? He was pathetic. He was just whining the whole time. Well coming back alive from your first excursion is pretty good. But it doesn't count until it's over. Listen, kiddo, the expedition lasts until you're home in your bed." Oluo said.
"God, I knew that." Eren said.
"You know, Oluo…you talk a lot and you should really stop. Your stupidity might rub off on people." I said as I walked past him on the branch. I then used my Manoeuvre Gear to follow Eldo and Gunther.
"Hey! What do you mean stupid?" Oluo asked as he followed us.
"Oluo, Petra, you guys pissed in your pants and cried on your first mission. You're all grown up now." I began to laugh at what Eldo said.
"You guys were crying like babies too!" I laughed even harder.
"Don't say that! What if he stops respecting me?" Petra yelled.
"It's true?" Eren asked.
"Sure is!" I said.
"And I didn't, by the way, Eren." Eldo said.
"Idiot! I've killed more of them than you! More of them than you, idiot!" Oluo yelled.
"Kill count isn't all that makes a soldier." Eldo said.
"Shut up, idiot!" Oluo yelled.
"Petra, does that mean you sprayed it everywhere in mid-air?" Eren asked. I laughed even harder at his question that I thought I was getting an ab workout.
"Shut up!" Gunther yelled to the rest of us. "Do you think you're on a picnic? We're outside the walls!"
"And I thought Levi left me in charge…" I said.
"I didn't piss my pants either, Eren." Gunther added. We then heard the sound of a smoke gun again. A line of green smoke was coming from the right. "I'm sure that's from Captain Levi."
"Then let's get going." I said. Gunther stopped on a tree and signalled his smoke for Levi to know where we were. We continued for a few more minutes until I heard Gunther. "Is that Captain Levi?" I looked to my left and saw a figure wearing the exact same uniform as us, but their hood was up. Levi never puts his hood up.
"Gunther! That isn't Levi!" I yelled, but it wasn't soon enough because the person moved and used their blades to slash into Gunther. Gunther's lifeless body hung by his wires.
"Gunther!" Eren stopped in front of his body. I went down and grabbed onto him and pushed him forward.
"Eren, keep moving!" I yelled at him.
"But, Gunther!"
"We don't have time! What do we do?" Oluo asked me.
"We don't have time to get to our horses, so get to HQ as fast as you can!" I yelled to them. This was the race against time for us. Hanji had an idea about the person who can transform into a Titan.
"They could have the possibility of movement even after they remove themselves from the Titan body, especially if they're experienced, so if they escaped they could easily go after Eren."
"Damn it, why did you have to be right?" I said under my breath.
"Come at me! I'll kill you myself!" I heard Petra yell behind me. I looked over and saw that the person stopped and retreated, but the gold lightening from the sky hit a spot from behind us and I knew that whoever it was transformed back into a Titan.
"Damn it…the Female Titan!" I yelled to the team. She began to pick up speed as she ran after us.
"Damn you…how dare you! I'll defeat you myself!" Eren yelled as he turned around to face the Titan.
"No! The four of us will defeat the Titan. You will continue to head for the HQ at top speed." I ordered.
"I'll fight too!"
"No! This is the best move! Your power is too risky!"
"What? Do you doubt us?" Oluo asked Eren.
"Do you, Eren? Do you find it that hard to trust us?" Petra asked. He then turned around and flew forward.
"I believe my squad will be victorious! Good luck!" He yelled as he left. The four of us looked at each other and nodded before we all turned around and headed straight for the Titan.
Eldo went towards the Titan, but when it tried to reach for him he backed up and sprayed extra gas in her face. Oluo and Petra came from behind the gas and slashed the Titan's eyes. I went towards the ground and cut its heels, so it began to stumble backwards and fell to the ground, but not before it placed both hands on the back of its neck. I looked at the others and tapped my underarms. They nodded their heads as they attacked.
Oluo, Petra, Eldo, and I attacked its underarms, so its arms would fall to its sides and we could take out the person inside. Once her arms were down we all went straight for her neck.
"Take off all the muscle around her neck." I said.
"So we can see who's really inside." Petra said. However, as soon as Eldo got close enough the Titan opened its right eye and caught him in her mouth. She bit him in half and spat out his lower body.
"Eldo!" I yelled. I automatically began to go backwards since I knew that we would not be able to defeat this Titan on our own.
"How? It hasn't even been 30 seconds and already, one of its eyes are healed?" Petra asked.
"It prioritized one eye, so it could speed up the healing process." I said. She began to run towards Petra.
"Petra! We need to regroup!" Oluo yelled.
"Petra! Move! Now!" I yelled at her, but the Titan lifted up her foot and slammed it onto her. "Petra!" I screamed.
"You bitch!" Oluo yelled as he attached his gear onto the back of the Titans neck.
"Oluo! No!" I tried to stop him, but it was already too late. He tried to attack, but the Titan hardened the back of its neck for protection before kicking Oluo into a nearby tree. "Oluo!" I yelled. She then looked at me and I saw her raise her fist before I heard Eren yell.
"I will kill it!" And another gold lightening bolt hit the ground and Eren's Titan form came running towards us. The Female Titan swatted me away and sent me flying into a nearby tree.
Snap
I screamed in pain as I heard some of my ribs snap. I fell onto the ground and landed on my face. All I heard was Eren yelling in his Titan form and the sound of bodies hitting each other. I tried to roll over onto my back. I let out a yell as I moved. I could still hear the roars of Eren, but I couldn't see him in sight. I grabbed onto the bark of the tree next to me and pulled myself up into a sitting position. I sat up against it and felt more pain in my ribs. I screamed in agony from the pain.
"Ryder!" I heard someone yell. I looked up and saw Levi land a few feet away from me before running towards me.
"Levi." I said. He kneeled down in front of me.
"Who did this?" He asked.
"The Female Titan." I answered.
"We need to get you back to HQ now!" I shook my head as he placed a hand on my shoulder.
"You have to go get Eren. We can't leave him by himself."
"I can't leave you by yourself!" He yelled at me.
"Don't argue with me on this Levi!" I yelled at him.
"I'm not leaving you here to die!" He yelled in my face.
"I'll get back there myself, but you need to go save Eren!" I yelled. Levi looked at me for a second before he lowered his head slightly, so I couldn't see his eyes. He punched the bark of the tree next to my head.
"Damn it Ryder! I can't believe you're making me do this!" I placed a hand on his cheek and lifted up his face.
"I'll be fine. I'm not dead yet, okay? Just go and get Eren. They were heading east, from what I could tell by his yelling." I said.
"Okay, but you get back to HQ right away, okay?"
"I will, now go." He placed his hand on my cheek for a second and let his thumb rub my cheek before retracting his hand and leaving me. I felt a tear escape my eye. I reached up and wiped it away. It was silent in the forest. It was so silent that you could hear a pin drop, but then came Eren's yell. I sighed and shut my eyes. I took a few deeps breaths and prepared myself for the pain I was about to feel. I leaned forward and screamed in pain. I bit down on my lip – silencing myself. I needed to be quiet.
With my hands on the ground and my hair covering the sides of my face I breathed in and out. My body killed all over. I was running through all the possibilities in my head. I wouldn't be able to use my Manoeuvre gear because of the impact it would have on my, already, broken bones. The horses were too far away for me to sprint to and jump on. I had two options left; I could walk back to everyone outside of the Forest or I could stay here.
You have to get out of here! You promised Levi! You promised him that you wouldn't die, damn it! I tried to stand up, but I ended up holding the tree and placing my head on it. Breathing alone sent pain through my body, but to actually physically stand up was like plunging knives into my stomach.
"Are you kidding me?" I growled. I had to take quick and shallow breaths before I began to walk forward. It felt like I had been walking for hours meanwhile I had only walked for a few minutes. My breathing was staggered as I continued to trudge my way through the forest, but it didn't feel like I was getting anywhere, until I heard the sound of horse hooves slamming onto the ground. I looked up and saw Levi ride up to me with his horse. "Why are you ba-"
"Just shut-up and get on." He interrupted me as he jumped off and helped me onto the horse. He got behind me and gently wrapped his arms around me as he grabbed onto the reins.
"Levi, this is going to-"
"I know, but you have to trust me on this." He whispered into my ear.
"I trust you." I said back and Levi hit the horse with the side of his boot and we were off. I was biting onto my lower lip so hard that I was sure that I was going to puncture it. I could feel my forehead break out into a cold sweat as my head hung low. "God damn it!" I yelled accidentally.
"We're almost there." Levi said to me. A few hooves later I felt the sun hit my face as we escaped the forest. I heard some people yell my name, but I lost so much energy that I couldn't lift up my head.
"Place her down in the cart." I heard Levi instruct as I felt someone pick me up. I made a gasp of pain and Levi's voice rang in the air, "Be careful you idiot!" I could tell the person stiffened and gently walked over to a cart. I felt him place me down and my head was placed on a soft material. I turned my head slightly and the soft material rubbed itself up against my nose. It smelt like Levi. "Ryder." I slowly opened up my eyes to see Levi leaning over me.
"Levi…"
"I told you to get out of there."
"It's a little hard when you can't walk." I whispered.
"We're going to get you back inside the wall and get you fixed up." He said.
"Seems like you have to keep saving me, huh?"
"I have to save you because you're useless. But it's okay…you've saved me enough times."
"You sure you want to sound sappy in public?"
"Juts stop talking, will you? Sleep for a bit." He ordered. I gave him a weak smile before I let my eyes close again as I began to fall into a deep sleep.
Oh no! Ryder!
Also, thank you to all of you who have left me reviews because I really do appreciate every single one of them!
How are we liking everything so far? Good? Well...some of my favourite bits that I've written is coming up soon! It's some stuff to do with Levi and Ryder's past! Who's excited to know more about what they've been through?!