Gunshot

All was quiet. There was no movement or sound. Luz and the others were patiently waiting. Their disguises hadn't been seen through yet, although Luz thought it would be only a matter of time before their true identities would be revealed. She had overheard along with the others that the Survey Corps were now considered enemies of the Military Police with Erwin Smith for the murder of one of their allies, Dimo Reeves. "It's just a ploy to eradicate the opposition," Armin had stated quietly before deciding what to do.

"They actually don't care about advancing humanity or protecting the Walls, or even the Titans. All they care about is themselves. That's why we're doing this. So people don't have to be stumbling in the dark anymore." Some had openly asked why Luz was even following the Survey Corps, or for anyone for that matter. It had been nothing for hell for her, they said. She supposed that was the closest to an apology for their actions that she would get. The questions stopped when she told them of her resolve. "I don't know if this is the right decision. You don't have to agree with me. I'm just a stupid believer. I believe in Levi, and I believe in his choices. I believe that he cares for us. All I know that we have to trust him, and hope that our choice will be the one we regret the least."

Now Luz thought of the man behind it all. "Erwin feels the weight of those deaths as much I do." Erwin Smith had been arrested, and could be executed at any time. She remembered what Levi had said about him. Levi… She wondered where Levi was now. He was late, and the acknowledgement of the fact made her stomach churn inside. He had been assigned with the task of rescuing Eren and Historia. Something must have happened. Levi was openly acknowledged as Humanity's Strongest Soldier, and despite despising the title, Luz with her limited experience knew that was true. He had trained her, after all. She remembered those harrowing two days, always worked to the point of exhaustion, and Levi as inanimate as the trees before him as he told her to "get up damn it, and do it again." She remembered the conversation they had, and of what he had said when her training was complete. "You did good," he stated briefly. Luz hadn't been certain what she had felt at first when he told her those words. She had felt…something. The emotion made her almost shed tears again as it continued to spread through her heart, and it was only now that she realized what it was.

It was joy. Levi had been the first person to acknowledge her as a human being. He had thought of her as someone of his own race, and not a monster…even when he knew the truth. I ate a thousand faces. I saw them die. He had told her what a monster was. He made her feel human. Luz was aware that after forcing Historia to comply with his demands, no one in his squad acknowledged him as human.

"You're wrong," Luz had whispered. No one had given a backward glance to Levi when he had left. Not even she had done that. Now, she realized that the words he had stated to her could only be the last thing she had left of him. Her heart clenched at the thought. "Even the strongest fall, brother." The words echoed in her head, burrowing in her brain. She had no recollection of saying those words, and yet she recognized the person saying them as her own voice. It seemed softer and lighter, and also sweeter in a way. That time… Luz thought as she remembered the flashes she had previously. The face that looked eerily like hers echoed in her mind. Could they…be from…my past? As she thought about the fact that Levi could be dead, Luz was aware of how her heart grew cold. Her fists clenched, and she swallowed thickly, attempting to halt the fear growing inside her. Levi…

Luz's blue eyes opened in shock when she heard a sound blasting in her ears. For a moment, Luz felt she was apart of a different world. I've heard this before, she thought. As the sound echoed closer and closer, Luz realized what it was. Gunfire. Her eyes widened at the memory. The horse she was riding didn't make a sound as the gunfire neared ever closer. As Luz followed the disbelief of the squad, her eyes wandered over to a two-carriage wagon carrying the precious cargo as it went passed. Luz held her breath as she and the others waited to ambush, knowing now that Levi was unable to. Luz's heart started to frantically thump against her chest.

She turned her head from the sight, and her mouth opened, soundless, as she saw Levi fighting against another human being. She saw that he had a wound that was still oozing blood covering half his face, as his opponent meant to kill him. Luz felt her blood run cold when she saw the weapon wielded. A gun, she thought numbly. An image of dark rain against a night sky assaulted her senses as she witnessed as Levi killed the man in front of him, almost slicing his torso from his legs. Luz was aware of the shocked and stunned faces in front of her, but she was too far gone to make any meaning of them.

A young man – no, a boy, was trembling in front of her. She could see the terrified expression on his face, tears and rain mixing together as he pleaded with her. He kept on begging her to let her go, pleading with her that he wanted to see his family again. Luz couldn't see her own face, but she felt the emotion. She understood that she was desperately trying to hold her emotions together. The weapon felt heavy in her hands as the boy's labored breathing assaulted her ears. She could sense of how much she loved this boy. Of how her heart was shattering into tiny pieces as she firmed her resolve. Of how her name rose to his lips as she shot him, once, twice with her gun. As his blood streamed on the ground. Of how she desperately failed to forget his face.

Luz was aware of herself once more as Levi landed into the cart. "Stop following the casket wagon. Our movements have been seen through." Luz took a chance to look at him more closely as he spoke to them. Although his face was somewhat pale his eyes were clear and his expression calm as he explained that they would have to abandon Eren and Historia. The aura of rage from Mikasa almost overshadowed everything else as Levi gave them orders. Eren is always on her mind, Luz thought. Everyone could die…but she wouldn't care, as long as Eren is by her side. She had a memory of what Armin had told her of Mikasa. "I think...she would sacrifice everything and perhaps everyone if it meant Eren was safe." She remembered the sad smile on his face after he said those words. Luz grew steadily angry at the girl in front of her as she remembered hearing Armin crying in his sleep after he had been traumatized after almost not escaping capture. Of how it was Jean how comforted him, tenderly understanding. Not his two best friends. Eren…is not the only one that matters! Her thoughts were still clouded in anger when Levi's orders were directed to her. "Mikasa, Luz, and I will support the escape with our 3D Maneuver Gear." Levi's gray eyes bored into theirs, a serious glint in his eyes. "When you can kill the enemy, kill. Understood?"

"Yes, Levi." She thought about the body of the child she had killed over 107 years ago. Her eyes were wide open now. She saw his face before her now. The face that looked uncannily like her own. If I could kill then, I can do it now, but this time I…

"Understood," Mikasa intoned. Luz and Mikasa abandoned their horses as they joined Levi in the battle in the air. He was the one who did most of the killing, and another memory from her past surfaced in her mind. Bodies were everywhere. She walked across them, stepped on them, her shoes squishing against blood and internal organs. Flies were feasting on most bodies. Some were bloated and seeping the sweet smell of death. Others had limbs awkwardly bent or not at all. Eyes of gold, of blue, of green, and of brown echoed against her empty gaze. She was numb. She had seen this countless times before. So many times… Her heart leaped into her mouth when Luz saw one of the enemies escaped and aimed the gun on Armin.

"Armin!" Luz was fast, but Mikasa was faster. She kicked the enemy out of Armin's way, where the person landed into the cart and in front of Jean. Luz heard Jean scream at the person in front of him, shaking as he aimed the gun at the human being. She heard his conviction before, and she heard it again now. Jean… Luz watched, as if time had stopped, as Jean's gun was knocked out of his hands. Jean, you are not meant for this world. He lied there, helpless. His eyes widened as the gun was pointed towards him. Her fingers shook as she aimed the gun towards his heart. She heard the sound of gunshots. One. She heard the sound of her name on his lips as the bullet embedded into his chest. Two. The other went straight through his head, blood seeping from the single shot. The gunshots echoed darkly, haunting her as the lifeblood of that boy poured out of him as two bullets embedded in him.

"JEAN!"

A mountain of blood echoed against her eyes as a gunshot rang out. Blood. There was nothing but blood.

Now that this story has caught up to the manga, I have an announcement to make. Depending on how the chapters go, I will be updating a chapter once or twice a month. I hope you don't mind the shorter chapters. Now that Luz's memories are becoming more frequent, when would you like her to completely regain her memories? Tell me in the reviews please. Thank you for reading!