Shiganshina District, Wall Maria, Year 845
And there was a colossal Titan standing behind it, one scarlet hand cracking the stone beneath its grip.
No one moved. No one even dared to breathe. There was a heavy silence, then the sound of cracking stone and hissing steam rent the silence asunder. A massive, fleshless head rose above the wall.
Oh my god... Oh my fucking God... Lilly couldn't move, could barely think. Her eyes were glued to the monstrosity, and no one could have predicted what happened next.
There was a terrible crash, and a great rush of wind as rubble flew into the air. The colossal Titan had kicked the unbreachable, unconquerable, indestructible Wall Maria in. The flying rubble crashed around them, some pieces smashing tiny humans into the ground, a splatter of blood the only thing left of them.
Panic, sheer, uncontrollable panic broke out. Screams split the air, and people began running as the Titans began trickling into the city. Armin grabbed Lilly's arm and began to tug her away to safer areas, but she had more pressing matters.
"I'll be back!" Lilly gave the blond an unsure smile as she took off, the gears of the 3DMG whirring.
She went straight for the closest Titan, drawing the blade out of the sheath and making a perfect cut to the nape, causing it to fall. She released a pent up breath and did a backflip in the air to avoid a small archway in the street. Her mother taught her that in battle, she needed to use as little gas as possible, to use her momentum to her advantage. So she did, her light weight just enough for her to latch onto a Titan and slay it without any gas.
She saw the hand a moment before it grabbed her, so she braced herself as a Titan snatched her from the air. Lilly cried out as she felt a pain in her left side, hip, and arm, but a moment later she cut herself free. She had a second to check for injuries, luckily finding none. Her next dodge of the Titan confirmed that no harm came to her 3DMG either. She thanked the Walls for that fact. The Titan was soon taken care of.
Dammit, why didn't the Scouts come back later than they had? At least then Mama and Papa wouldn't be all the way in Trost! Lilly thought bitterly as she flipped over another grabbing hand and cut the nape from a Titan, a plume of blood spouting up. She hated the heat and the filthiness of the blood, but it only lasted a few moments, so she easily forgot about it.
Lilly landed on a rooftop and surveyed the city, making sure to hide from the Titans' lines of sight. She was tired and needed a break. This was her first time slaying Titans by herself. She had always been surrounded by trained Scouts before, but she was slightly surprised at her skill. Her parents had given her her capability and talent for slaying Titans, it seemed.
"This is hopeless..." Lilly sighed, then her eyes jerked open as she heard a familiar voice screaming something. She couldn't make out the words, but that voice...
Lilly took off toward the Jaeger's house, only to meet a sight she would have nightmares about for years to come.
A Titan brought the teeth of its creepy grin down on someone in a pale yellow dress, blood flying into the air like cherry blossoms in the wind. And as Lilly watched through teary eyes, she noticed a bloodied flower crown lying on the blood soaked cobblestone and wreckage of the Jaeger house.
Lilly snapped. Later she would claim she couldn't remember what had happened, save Eren saw everything.
The boy was facing backwards, forced to watch as his mother was eaten, then at the onslaught Lilly made. He winced at the agonizing, sorrow and rage-filled scream that tore itself from Lilly's lips. Then she attached to its arm, slashing it deeply, blood spraying into the air, soon followed by steam. Lilly wanted to repay the Titan in all the pain she herself felt to the mother-like figure for her.
She next slashed at the thigh, then forearm, then shoulder. On its shoulder, she flipped a blade back in one hand like she had seen her father do. Then the rush began.
Eren would later describe it as a blur of steel and blood. Lilly was lightning fast, her small build letting her travel quickly, and her grip on the gear let her spin easily, dealing more damage with less effort and faster. In mere moments, the Titan's calves, arms, ankles, torso, and eyes were shredded. All the while Lilly was giving a painful wail with each attack. Finally, with blood spewing from each cut profusely, she gave a deep spinning slash right to the nape, nearly decapitating it.
Lilly collapsed to her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks, beside the flower crown. She didn't even notice the blood seeping into her pants. She had failed. She hadn't come fast enough. She could have saved her! She had gear! She could have-
The thudding footsteps of another Titan brought her back, and this one she killed by slashing at its feet before going for the nape, disabling it first. She didn't really feel anything anymore... All she knew was that Carla Jaeger, mother to Lilly when her's was gone, was dead, and Lilly had had the means to save her. Everything else was hollow.
After the Titan had been taken care of, she started following Mr. Hannes, who was carrying Mikasa and Eren to safer territory. She landed lightly when they stopped. Her numb brain barely registered their fight, save it registered when Hannes said he had been to weak to do anything.
You poor fucking excuse for a man... Lilly's mind thought bitterly, angry yet empty. You couldn't swallow your fear to fight a Titan, to slay one fucking Titan. You let her die... I let her die... I wasn't fast enough. If I hadn't taken that break, I would have made it...
Her thoughts must have shown on her face, because she felt arms wrap around her in a hug that she hasn't had in years. She hugged Eren tightly, unable to keep the tears from flowing. She held onto him and sobbed into his chest. And much to Lilly's subconscious surprise, Mikasa didn't do anything, mourning the death of Carla Jaeger herself. A temoprary truce under the shadow of tragedy.
Eren knew how much his mother had done for Lilly. Her parents were rarely in Shiganshina and when they were it was only for a couple days at most. The Scouts didn't get vacations, and he had seen the toll that took on Lilly. He had seen her smile falter slightly whenever the Scouts or her parents were mentioned. He had held her while she cried out of fear and loneliness. And he knew how much Lilly had relied on his mother for someone she could look up to, to talk to whenever she had some more private questions. Eren had no doubt that his mother, Carla Jaeger, had been more of a mother for Lilly in the past three years than Hanji Zoe had been in ten. Not that he blamed them. They were busy people, but he held a bitterness in his heart for the pair.
"I... I'm okay now..." Lilly's small voice, shaking and a little hoarse from the sobs, pulled Eren from his thoughts.
He looked down, amber eyes meeting brown, and nodded. "Okay..." He gave one more gentle squeeze, before letting the petite girl go.
Lilly wiped her eyes and her nose, cleaning herself up the best she could. "I... I'm sorry, Eren, that I wasn't fast enough..." Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"I forgive you." Eren gave that tender smile, then frowned as Hannes grabbed his arm.
"We have to head to the docks, otherwise we'll be stuck here." The blond led them towards the river. He wasn't very gentle.
Lilly followed at a clipped pace, then looked at the gear on her hips. "Mr. Hannes..." She looked at the Garrison member, her voice soft an hollow. Needless to say, she wasn't heard.
As they drew nearer to the docks, Hannes slowed down and ushered the three kids to the boat. But before Lilly lost the chance, she undid the 3DMG and gave it to Hannes. "You need it more than I do at this point," She reasoned, and then she, Eren, and Mikasa were lost to the crowd.
Lilly's brown eyes soon met bright blue and Armin came over to them hesitantly. Eren sat down, and Lilly saw the grief and despair take over the fierce rage in his amber eyes. He had time to think now, time where what just happened could finally sink in as the adrenaline drained from them. Lilly softly filled Armin in on what had happened, and she nearly started crying again as she told of her failure. There was only one reason she didn't cry, and it started with thundering footsteps.
The steps, Lilly heard, were on the other side of the shut gate. They were much faster than any other Titan's. Then with a mighty crash, the Titan charged through the gate, shattering it. It looked to be covered in armor. A cloud of steam hissed from its mouth after it stopped.
Lilly was in shock. No... By the Walls no! Not again! Her hands gripped the railing on the side of the boat to keep from shaking.
She doesn't know how long she stood there, gazing at the broken wall, at the Titans flooding into Wall Maria. She flinched when Eren came up beside her, hate and pure, unbridled rage making his amber eyes blaze like fire. His hands slammed down onto the wood, and he looked out at the Titans, tears staining his cheeks.
"I'll kill every last one. Every. Single. Fucking. Titan. I'll kill them all." The ten-year-old's voice was full of that rage, hate, and sadness. Lilly just looked at him, her heart breaking at the sound, and she moved to sit next to Armin. There she remained for the rest of the boat ride into Wall Rose.
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"If we move them here-"
"No that's no good, then they'll be opened up over here, Shitty Glasses."
"What about here then, Shorty?"
"Well, Shit-"
"No, same issue. And will you two please stop insulting each other during these meetings?"
"I doubt they every will, Commander."
Commander Erwin Smith, Lance Corporal Levi Ackerman, and Squad Leaders Hanji Zoe and Mike Zacharius were around a table, trying to make a new plan that hopefully wouldn't end as horribly as the last expedition had. These meetings usually lasted several hours, but the result never seemed to change. Far too many Scouts died on every expedition. Yet they continued trying.
"But if this group goes here, and this over here," Hanji moved her fingers across the diagram of the formations, "then this group will be guarded."
"Yes," Erwin tapped the diagram, "but then less experienced members will be in more danger."
"But if they go here," Mike interjected before Hanji could reply, "then the less experienced will be closer to the center."
"Hm... Not bad... But what about-" Erwin touched the diagram again.
"We could always form smaller groups, small squads, to go to where help is needed." Levi's suggestion took them all by surprise. "Think about it: a small band of elite soldiers going and taking care of Abnormals or assisting the younger ones. It could save lives."
"That's... Not a bad idea..." Erwin frowned thoughtfully. "Okay, so the squads coul-"
"Commander Erwin, sir!" A Scout member bursted into the room and saluted hastily.
"This was supposed to be a private meeting." Erwin walked up to the panting Scout. Obviously he ran here.
"I know sir, but... But Wall Maria has fallen!" The Scout's voice was full of urgent fear. "A colossal Titan broke the wall in Shiganshina!"
A stunned silence filled the room. No one knew what to say or how to respond. Words like "Are you sure?" were unnecessary. If the news wasn't true, this message would have waited until the end of the meeting.
"... Very well.." Erwin's face had gone stark white. None of his training had prepared him for this. Yes, he had sent many a man and woman to their deaths, but this... This wasn't the same. The expeditions always ended at Wall Maria, usually Shiganshina. That's why he had bought a house there for two of his three closest comrades. But all that had changed now.
The Scout saluted, then left. Erwin turned to the table. Levi was gripping the table with a white knuckled grip and Hanji looked like she was about to cry. Erwin mentally blanked for a moment in the light of the news, confused on their reactions for a split second before his goddaughter's face appeared in his mind. Her raven hair, so like her father's, yet with her mother's bright, curious eyes. Erwin's heart sank at the thought of Lilly's flame snuffed out forever.
The silence was heavy and got heavier, then finally Levi got up and left the room. His hands were in fists and he was shaking slightly as he walked. The deadly look in his normally emotionless grey eyes cleared a path for him on the way to the training room. There he changed out of his uniform into athletic clothes and started beating the shit out of the equipment. He knew that if he didn't, he'd explode on someone else.
Shit... She can't be dead! There's a chance she could have made it. Levi roundhouse kicked the punching bag. Unless... Three punches landed, then a kick. Unless she didn't have any gear... Unless she got cornered... Levi's thoughts steadily grew darker, and his punches faster, harder, and more reckless.
Hanji, on the other hand, couldn't move. She hadn't moved from the chair she had fallen into after she found out. Her only daughter, her pride and joy, was in a city now overrun by Titans. While she would love to believe she made it, she knew that that was unlikely. Very few would have survived, she assumed.
Please... please by the Walls let her have survived... Hanji clenches her hands together. She can't bear the thought of losing her only daughter.
"Hanji." Erwin knelt in front of the bespectacled Titan lover. "Hanji there's a chance she may be alive." He glanced up for a moment, giving Mike a look that sent him out of the room, a silent order to make sure Levi didn't hurt himself. "Look, she's had training. She's killed Titans before. She's a capable soldier."
"If anything happened to any of her friends though..." Hanji's voice was surprisingly quiet. "She is fiercely attached to them. If one of them died... I'm afraid she might shut down. Close everyone off... Become reckless... Turn into Levi after the loss of Farlan and Isabel..."
"If she's that protective, she won't let anything happen to her friends." Erwin offered her a hand to help her up. "Come on, a little coffee will cheer you up."
Hanji took the hand and stood. "Let's grab Levi along the way."
Levi delivered another hard kick to the punching bag, finally breaking it off the chain. He was panting and covered in sweat. He hadn't been working long, but his thoughts had worn him out. He grabbed a towel and wiped the sweat off of his face and bare torso, his shirt having been discarded long ago. He headed to the showers, and on the way he heard some Scouts talking.
"Did you hear the news?"
"Yeah... I can't believe Wall Maria fell... Did the Garrison do nothing?"
"They tried to use cannons... But I heard that people saw a lone figure cutting through Titans like a hot knife through butter."
"They must have been a Scout."
"Funny thing is, they said the person didn't have any regiment markings. Just some 3DMG and the knowledge of using it." The soldier flinched and saluted as Levi came up to them.
"Did they say what this person looked like?" Levi demanded, voice much harsher than he intended, but it worked.
"T-They said the person was fairly small, agile, and had raven hair... not unlike your hair color, sir." The soldier was just short of being scared shitless.
Levi was gone a moment later, going up to Erwin's office, not bothering to change. He needed to find his wife, and tell her that their daughter was very much alive. He gave a small frustrated growl as he found it empty. He quickly donned a shirt before heading down to the mess hall. He passed Mike on the way down, but the look in Levi's eyes gave enough warning not to bother him, in case Mike couldn't smell moods. Mike just fell in step beside him and wrinkled his sensitive nose.
"You smell filthy... Which isn't like you. Something important must be-"
"She's alive. She's alive and fighting and I need to tell Hanji." Levi cut across Mike, his tone soft and urgent. Mike nodded and left Levi, before returning shortly, Hanji behind him. Mike left soon after that to give them privacy.
"What is it?" Hanji frowned, taking in her husband's appearance. She figured it must be urgent. He was filthy, which was very much unlike him. Not that she minded.
"Lilly. She's alive and fighting. I heard a couple soldiers talking of a rumor. Apparently a small, raven haired figure was flying through Shiganshina, slaying Titans left and right. And the odd thing is, they didn't have any markings for a regiment." Levi gave Hanji a rare smile.
"Oh, oh by the Walls..." Hanji broke into a grin and hugged Levi, a second later their lips crashed together. It wasn't like them to show affection anywhere save home or when they knew they had complete privacy. The middle of the hall didn't fit that description, but at that moment, neither of them cared. Their daughter was alive and making them proud. If only Lilly could know how they felt...
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Lilly uncurled herself from the ball she had been in for the past several hours. Her joints protested loudly as they cracked and popped. Her stomach was also hollow with hunger. She fidgeted with a strap across her thigh, wondering how her parents were doing. No doubt they heard the news... and she was terrified of her father's reaction.
She had heard tales of how he snapped soon after joining the Scouts from the Underground, when his two closest friends had died. That was twenty months before he married her mother. While it seemed quick, the Scouts couldn't afford to dawdle with trivial matters. If you loved someone and knew they were the one, there was no point in waiting for marriage when they could be dead by the next mission. Lilly inwardly shuddered at the thought of marrying someone, then losing them right away. Not that she would marry anyone... Not now. Not after hell had broken through the Wall.
"Come on, Lilly." She flinched and jerked her hand out if Armin's, nerves still tense. Her breathing was heavy, and her brown eyes filled with fear. A moment later she calmed down.
"O-okay, sorry..." Lilly closed her eyes for a moment, then followed her friends and Mikasa off the boat. She didn't know what to expect, but knew that she'd make it work. Besides... Now she was closer to her parents and Uncle Erwin and Uncle Mike.
"I need something to write with..." Lilly pulled away and went up to a Garrison member. All she got was a scoff and a 'fuck off, brat' when she asked for paper. She returned to her friends, biting her lip. She was just inside Wall Rose, by her parents knew she lived, maybe they could meet up. A full-out search wasn't needed when she was this close to the Scout Regiment headquarters.
"They Garrison is full of jerks," Armin put a hand on her shoulder, "but we'll find a nice one."
Lilly nodded. She just wanted to let her parents know she was okay.
After all, she had lived up to people's expectation as the child of Humanity's Strongest and Humanity's smartest.
Again, I don't own Attack on Titan. I only own Lilly. I want to thank the solo guest who reviewed my story and for the three people following it. Means a lot. Well, if you like it, please leave a review, follow, or favorite it. Thanks!