The Price of Freedom
In the end, we are only left with our choices in life
The smell of fire surrounded his titan nostrils as Alan prowled the buildings, listening out for any sound of movement, not too keen that they can easily see him in his titan form, expecting an ambush at any moment.
Reiner is up, good, he could assist Bertholdt, quite difficult to hear the most quiet of noises with Bertholdt's steps towards the wall, he could have sworn he heard battle cries in the distance, maybe Zeke took care of them, good he could help out for a change, but he might be having too much fun.
Alan huffed in amusement, of course he would, yet Zeke could be arrogant for his won good, but hey what can he do, Alan halted his movements, a distinct feeling settled in his gut, she's here.
Alan breathed inside his titan, he can feel her nearby, it's like they are connected still, but is she alone? The sound of gears to his right, forced Alan to break down the building, hoping to crush her, or surprise her.
Dust have lifted, the sounds whirled again, as Alan broke the building where he heard it from, keeping aware of his own space, she is starting to grind on his nerves, only he could be so sneaky, but then again he did teach how to use the ODM to full efficiency, in hindsight, he should not have done that.
At the corner of his eye, she saw him coming underneath, Alan roared as he slammed his fist towards her, seeing her swerve around her arm, planting a spear into his elbow, the explosion erupted, blowing his titan arm off, they still got more of those blasted things, growling Alan leapt back seeing Mikasa, rolling away.
Wait?! There could be more, risking to look away from her, Alan looked around, no one? Is this some trick, some trap he didn't foresee? No, he would know about it, seeing Mikasa spinning around, she swerved around him, as Alan focused on healing, and moving around her attacks, no attempt to go for his nape, what is she planning? Alan pondered, irritated how she gets away from his titan attack, Ackerman's he have to fucking love one of them.
Coming up form below Mikasa shot a spear towards his stomach, Alan leapt away, not realising the spear penetrated his titan thigh, blowing a huge chunk, rendering it immobile, Alan growled, she is forcing him out, feeling her coming high, preparing to shoot what apparently to be her last spear, Alan opened up his nape ripping his body out of the flesh quickly before her attack, only for the explosion not to come. Rolling away as he can hear her land nearby, Alan crouched over, feeling her gaze upon him.
"Clever, very clever" Alan chuckled "Could have asked if you want me out that badly" teasing her, seeing her eye's narrowed, her anger flared, how he can feel it.
The titan evaporating beside as they look at each other, Alan risked yet again to look around waiting for others.
"No back up?" Alan questioned "very brave, yet very foolish"
Mikasa remained silent, as they look towards each other, the distance not closing, they began to circle, both ready to fight.
"You used me" Mikasa spoke, Alan halted his steps, hiding the regret well "You made me trust you, I honestly believed you to be trusted that what we had meant something"
Alan bit back his tongue, unable to respond, waiting for to her to continue.
"You killed Armin… Why?"
Alan kept his eyes, glancing down to the spear still clutched in her hand "to protect those I care about"
Mikasa glanced down "I see" as if thinking about it "Yet you didn't protect me"
"The innocent people you killed when you rescued Annie, was it to protect those you care about as well?" Alan composure broke for a moment, Marie flashing before his eyes,
That felt like a punch in the gut, but it was the truth "You promise, you would never hurt me, you always be there for me, you broken you promise"
"I know" Alan spoke, his voice lowered "I will not say sorry, I will not say how I wish things were different, in the end… here we stand" widening his arms, portraying the chaos around him, the steam, the fire, the rubble.
"Here we stand" Mikasa agreed.
"I do not wish to fight you Mikasa" Alan spoke her name, seeing the wince of her expression, she doesn't either, yet here they stand "But I will have no choice to do so, I spared you on the wall, I would not do so again"
"At least we can agree on something right now" Mikasa spoke again, as they began to circle, pulling out the knife from her rear scabbard, noticing Alan's narrowed eyes, glancing down towards it, the very knife used by him, killing many, the blood stained upon it, Armin's in particular.
Alan's eyes flicker, as he breathed, in an instant, rushing forward, Mikasa feeling his fist rushing forward to her jaw, feeling the kick to her arm as the last thunder spear leaving her grasp, not yet set to explode, backing away as Mikasa slashed forward with his knife as Alan narrowly missing his throat being sliced.
Circling around Mikasa lunged as Alan back handed her, attempting to retrieve what is his, both wanting to use it on the other, Mikasa bit down on his arm, forcing him to pull away.
Alan growled, as he block the knife coming from above, forcing her back with ease.
"It is pointless, I surpass you in strength, I surpass you in intelligence" Alan growled as he twisted her arm, their faces close to each other.
"What could you possibly gain, from fighting me, even the great Levi fucking Ackerman is no match for me" Alan growled as he dislocated her arm, her pain cry echoed as she pulled away.
Mikasa gritted in pain, her arm flailing, dropping the knife, snapping her arm over, popping the join back into place, the pain renewing as she gritted again, Alan kicking her stomach, knocking her back again.
He is not holding back, he went out to hurt, he means to finish this.
"If Armin were alive, I would admit, he would turn this around" Alan breathed as he moved forward "As I said, I protect those dear to me, I will do what is necessary to bring them home" Alan asked, sincere in his offer as he tower over her, holding up the knife she dropped.
Mikasa chuckled, causing confusion "You underestimate us, you underestimate our will to fight and keep fighting" she laughed out.
Alan paused for a moment, registering her words, an explosion erupted along with a cry, sounding like Reiner.
Alan eyes widened, explaining why there is a lack of an ambush, looking to where Reiner has fallen, another crumble happened again, as Alan shot to the other direction, the Colossal titan crumbling down.
Alan looked down to Mikasa, realising she distracted him, drawing him away from both Bertholdt and Reiner, Alan growled, clenching down on his knife, bellowing a roar as he raised his knife towards her, using the momentum and pain fuelling him.
Mikasa lifted her leg to push him away, the blade missing her face by an inch, rolling away, grabbing onto the spear, with a cry thrusting the spear, before it could reach her intended mark, his left arm caught the spear, Mikasa gasped as she felt something plunged into her shoulder, the pain soaring high as metal ripped flesh.
"You think you can Deceive me!" Alan roared, kicking her back, the knife ripped out, blood spouting out her her shoulder, the numbness, now setting in, Alan have cut deep.
Alan kicked the spear aside further, after hearing the pin detached, his eyes glowered to her as the explosion set aside, rubble scatter around them, as the dust no blurred their visions, until it settled.
"No matter how hard you fight, no matter how much you despise me, I will fight with everything I have to win" Alan seethed, as he saw her face growing pale, he features softened for a moment, as his blue's lowered to the blood on his knife, he drawn her blood, even though she intended to blow him apart.
"You may as well kill me" Mikasa spat, trying to gain control, as her hand pressed hard on the wound, her legs giving in as she knelt before him, his arm raised, knowing her end is near. "but I do not despise you"
Alan halted his another attack, he couldn't do it, this is his weakness, curse his heart and this woman, seeing her defeated expression, he have caused this, his mind wondered, before an idea come to thought, she will despise him for this, but maybe he could try and have both, time will tell, but for now his decision alone would decide the future of the world.
Breathing hard, he swung his fist hard, knocking Mikasa unconscious, the shock as his hand connected shook him, hearing a rumble next to him, seeing Pieck towering over him, Zeke looking down, mid healing.
"You survived your fight" Zeke murmured "We must leave, they have Bertholdt captive"
Alan glanced up to Zeke then back to Mikasa, heaving her up, and lifting her to the wooden platform he stood on.
"What is the meaning of this?" Zeke asked puzzled.
"Take her, keep her safe, go rescue Reiner" Alan ordered.
"What would you do?" Zeke as he weighed his options "Reiner would be heavily guarded"
"Well you better be fast then" Alan growled "I'm going to finish what we started"
Zeke narrowed his eyes before sighing "You best be careful that Levi is a monster"
Seeing Pieck running off Alan turned round, lifting up the ODM gear he stripped off Mikasa, fastening them on.
"Well we will see about that"
Eren breathed as the dying gasp of Bruno left his lips, scorched to the crisp, the faint sounds of his breath, shallow as he struggled to breath, not too far, Bertholdt, unconscious, from the shock and over exertion being in his colossal form.
Hearing Levi land next to him his eye's drifted to both Bertholdt and Bruno, how fantastic that this piece of shit will meet a fitting end, thinking back to Garrus, how he sacrificed himself only to blown to smithereens, it is a shame they couldn't get that bastard that was responsible.
"Captain, he's still alive!" Eren called out as Levi pulled out the wooden box from his jacket, the titan serum and needle inside, this fluid that could change humans into titan's, the thought disturb him, but they best have the colossal on their side.
Before administrating the serum, a yelp form the side drawn their attention, a red headed man crawled up, Floche, with a blond man strapped to his back, Erwin lay wounded but alive.
Levi and Eren stared at them, the thought process in limbo, Levi could save Erwin.
"Captain what are you doing?" Eren questioned glancing to Bruno, who lay dying "Without Bruno we couldn't take down the colossal titan"
Levi glanced back, then back to Erwin "Without Erwin we wouldn't get this far" hearing gear nearby, assuming it one of Frey's unit came to investigate.
Bickering over who would take Bertholdt's life, Alan listened as he got closer, they are too busy bickering that they never looked at who came, Alan peeked over, seeing a charred corpse, he will die soon, scanning over, ducking if he senses someone eyes glance over to where he hid, clinging on the edge of the roof, Alan scanned around before peeking again, best to ensure no one else came, hopefully they are preoccupied with Reiner and Zeke, they better get out safe or he be making sure Zeke would pay for it.
His target in sight, Bertholdt is currently healing, his arms and legs steaming, but still alive, good, but how long will that last he wonders, but then again, looking to Levi and Eren, both exhausted, the fucking pain wounded and appear to have less gas at his disposal and Eren, looking slightly weak, he wouldn't be able to transform again, he could either take Bertholdt and transform, escaping but Eren and the Founding titan would not be in their grasp, but if he can take the titan power, no Eren will fight to the death and if the others arrive it will cause more trouble and Bertholdt's life would be taken in the chaos.
The choice weighing heavy, with each passing second, he could end this now, free the world from the tyranny of the founding titan, but the friend he promised he would take home, no matter the cost, they will all die one day, the titan power made it so, except him.
Alan closed his eye's as he breathed, a promise he swore to uphold, Annie is safe, Reiner hopefully safe…. I am doing this for both of you, Marcel, Bertholdt, I will bring you home.
His strength renewed as Alan heaved himself up, sprinting towards the group, Levi whirled his head in shock before shoving Eren aside, as Levi swung his blade, Alan brought up his knife connecting the blow before shoving the blade backwards, Levi staggered as he swung again, Alan held onto his arm, grabbing hold of the other as Levi swung with his opposing hand.
Levi struggled to combat his strength only to see Alan grin, smug bastard, Levi growled.
"This is my gift to you, Levi" Alan spoke before headbutting the small captain, tossing him off the roof, the titan vial gone unnoticed.
Eren charged forward, as Alan sweep his leg, falling flat, Alan looked down at the pitiful boy, pity can be seen As Alan looked away, before darting to Bertholdt's body, heaving him towards the next building, a grunt and thud shows that he is still alive, Alan turned his knife in hand his eye's fixed on Eren, slicing his hand.
Flash of Yellow lightning appeared, as the immortal Titan rose from the ashes.
The Ship
Alan watched across the sea air, his thoughts in turmoil, his eyes drifted to his left, Zeke stood by him, as if sensing tension.
The smell of the sea air is quite soothing, but yet Alan stood in silence, his mind picking up the pieces, scattered memories.
"A difficult choice you have to make" Zeke broke the silence "The higher up will be pleased, this is truly a victory, the founding titan in our control, but at the cost of Bertholdt and Reiner"
The breeze flew through their hair as Alan eyes remained fixed, resisting the urge to create a scowl, keeping his anger in check, Bertholdt have been recaptured and Reiner, due to overwhelming numbers of the Survey corps, he had broken his promise, he chose the freedom of the world and not himself, what made it worse, Mikasa escaped during the attempted rescue of Reiner, no doubt she made sure to return the favour for taking Eren.
"How are you coping?" Zeke asked the silent man as they stood at the bow.
"Is that to the question of losing my brother and best friend?" Alan spoke, a dark tone unearthed, Zeke paused, deciding to remain quiet, news of his failure did not sit well, but to Zeke's shock that Eren is no longer alive, guilt, pain, he could have saved him from their fathers brainwashing.
"Still, we have achieved Freedom for all Eldian's, maybe this time we will have lasting peace" Zeke solemnly murmured, leaving Alan alone, tapping his shoulder as he left.
Something changed in an instant, as Alan eyes widened, his glare intensified, what seem to be a mess of jumbled memories, from a simple touch became a clear picture. Not just one set of memories come rushing in, but many, many more.
"Yes. Freedom" Alan murmured, as he look out, his eye's are different ever since he took the founding titan, he could see it all.
One Blue, One Emerald Green.
A/N: This is one ending that came to mind, since I have read Loyalty and Purpose it didn't really sit the Alternate universe I imagined, let me know how this gone about so I can make changes. Sadly what took the time was being very disappointed in few people that reviewed, I do not feel anger or sadness, just pity that someone would go to lengths to be an ass hole, other than that hit me up on your thoughts.