Eren was scared.
He urged the horse to run faster, faster than before, much faster than before.
This was bad.
This was really bad.
Eren jerked his head back, panting despite not doing anything physical.
Still no sign of titans.
If there were no titans then what was making that sound?!
And why was that sound coming even closer?!
Eren's heart could leap out of his chest if it beat any faster.
"Come on…" he said through clenched teeth.
He hit the reins as fast he could, but the horse couldn't go any faster. Even the horse was at its limit.
Eren clicked his tongue but the thundering footsteps were increasing with speed, with volume, and with strength.
This was bad.
This was really bad.
And then, the footsteps stopped.
Almost as if someone found the mute button.
Eren tugged on the reins and the horse came to a halt.
Both were panting, trying their best to calm their racing heart.
Eren blinked, squinting against the light of the sun as he peered through the settling fog.
Nothing.
Nothing?
That was strange.
He could've sworn that there was something chasing after him.
Something terrifying.
Something big.
Something…
A roar.
A thundering roar exploded throughout the land and Eren had no time to react when his horse reared up on its hind legs, hurling him off of its back.
Landing with a sharp thud, Eren muttered a few curse words but immediately gasped in shock as he watched his horse sprint away.
"W-Wait!" he exclaimed, extending his hand.
Another roar.
Eren's pupils dilated as he swung his head back.
Almost instantly, a titan flew through the air, throwing away ripped up trees like dolls when a spoiled child grew bored of them. It slammed itself down onto the earth, sending huge chunks of rock scattering around the boy, forming small craters. Dust swirled around Eren as he eyed the panting titan up and down, too scared to even move. The wind violently picked up his locks as Eren tried his best to think of a plan.
The titan was breathing rather heavily, hot steam blowing out of its nose, hitting Eren in the face like a tidal wave.
The titan leaned forward, its black beady eyes scanning him while its wiry strands of midnight colored hair swayed with the breeze.
Eren stayed perfectly still, refusing to even lift a pinky.
The titan wasn't eating him and for some reason it didn't look like it had any intention to.
Normally, Eren would've bit down on his hand hard and quickly shift into a titan to beat the shit out of this one, but…
But he had a feeling that if he gave off an aura of hostility, it would be the death of him.
The titan stared at him like a hungry predator just waiting, waiting to lunge itself onto its prey.
But for some reason, its expression softened. It slowly went on its knees and hands before very, very steadily leaning its face towards Eren until they were practically nose to nose with one another.
Eren blinked, shocked but puzzled as he watched the titan do such humanely actions.
"W-What are you-"
"EREN!" a shrill scream reached Eren's ears.
The titan whirled itself around only to find a young girl tear through its skin with her two strange swords.
Roaring and growling with pain, the titan ignored its missing arm as it tried to catch Mikasa with its mouth.
"Leave. Eren. ALONE!" she cried furiously, dodging its razor sharp teeth and skillfully ripping away three inches of skin from its neck.
The titan gave one last roar before falling onto its knees and onto its stomach, slowly dissolving away.
"M-Mikasa…?" Eren blinked.
"Eren!" Armin came riding on a horse moments later, obviously not too thrilled with the rotting titan beside him. "What happened?!"
"Eren," Mikasa helped him up, brushing the dust off of his cloak. "Are you okay?"
"Hey," he swallowed before glancing at the dying titan. "That…that thing didn't try to eat me."
"Huh?" Armin blinked, frowning. "What do you mean?"
"I…I don't know. It just went on its knees and…and just stared at me. I don't know-"
"Eren, you are just traumatized." Mikasa said with her usual cold expression.
"N-No! I'm serious! That titan was-!"
"Eren," she said again, her eyes throwing daggers. "Before that, I want to ask you a question."
Armin patted his horse awkwardly, not daring to look at Eren.
"Why did you break your promise?" she said quietly.
Eren flinched at her words.
"W-Well…"
"I was right." She said softly. "You really can't take care of yourself."
"HA?! What did you just say-?!" Eren started, renewed anger burning in his stomach.
"You're weak." She said blankly. "You couldn't even defend yourself in a moment like this. If I didn't come then who knows what would have happened."
Silence.
Eren glared at the ground, trying his best to suppress the bubbling fury.
"Hey, what are you shitty brats doing out here?"
A familiar voice gnawed itself into Eren's bones, making chills run down his spine.
"L-Levi heichou." He mumbled, plastering a nervous smile on his face.
The anger was quickly replaced with fear as Eren turned to face his superior.
Levi was not pleased.
He was not pleased at all.
He was not pleased to see Eren with a maneuver gear that was not his.
He was not pleased to see MIkasa giving him the cold shoulder.
He was also not pleased to see Armin with a horse that was obviously not his.
And he was definitely not pleased to see a decaying titan next to a stunned Eren.
"What happened here?" he seethed, eye twitching with irritation.
"U-Um, sir…some…something incredible happened, you see, um…" Armin stammered.
"I'm asking that shitty brat over there not you." Levi growled as he glared at Eren.
"P-Please forgive me, sir!"
"That's enough. Eren had a rough day, he doesn't need your pestering today, sir." Mikasa said icily as Levi immediately returned her stare with one of his own.
"Your comment was not necessary, Ackerman." Levi hissed dangerously.
"Levi heichou…this was all my fault." Eren said quietly, his eyes wandering away from Levi. "I…I thought I could catch Annie myself but ran into some trouble instead. I dragged everyone into this so please forgive them! It was not their fault, it was mine."
"Eren." Mikasa said.
"NO! Stop defending me, Mikasa! Let me bear some responsibility too, okay?!"
The girl stopped herself at his words before covering her mouth with the red scarf.
"Oh…" she said softly.
"S-So, Levi heichou! I am truly sorry! I really am!"
Levi stayed awfully silent as he watched Eren bow his head lowly. He shifted his gaze to Mikasa who still had half her face hidden behind her favorite scarf. He then glanced at Armin who looked worried and a bit scared as he stared at the horizon.
With a small sigh, Levi pulled on his own horse and began to trot away.
"L-Levi heichou?" Eren squeaked.
"I'll give you two options since you won't listen to shit from me." He snapped making Eren flinch. "Option number one, you stay here with your crappy friends and be eaten."
MIkasa narrowed her eyes.
"Or option number two, you come with me and have a better chance of survival. Choose one."
"We'll go with you." Eren said almost too quickly.
"No, we are going home." Mikasa hissed, grabbing Eren by the arm.
Levi raised an eyebrow, amused by her desperate action.
"Mikasa! No! We're following him! He has a better chance of finding Annie-"
"He can find Annie but you don't have to." She snapped.
"Why not?!"
"She will capture you!"
"I'll be fine! Have some faith in me for once!"
"I can't anymore. You gave me every reason not to."
Eren wrenched his arm away from her grasp and took a step back, his expression filled with wrath.
"I don't care what you say anymore. I'm going with Levi heichou whether you like it or not."
Mikasa blinked, her heart sinking and sinking and sinking…
"T-Then we will go with you." Armin pushed himself into the conversation with a weak smile.
"Armin…" Mikasa whispered.
"Eren is very stubborn, you should know that, Mikasa. Once he wants to do something, he'll do it. So the least we can do is watch his back and make sure he doesn't fall. We're his friends, we shouldn't be restricting everything he wants to do. We should be supporting him, not dragging him down. If he doesn't defend himself then we'll defend him. If he fails then we'll force him back on his feet. If he cries then we'll glue a smile back on him. Because we're friends, we're family. We'll take care of each other through thick and thin, but at the same time we'll respect each other's decisions and opinions…" He smiled brightly. "Isn't that what you want, Eren?"
Eren gaped at his friend before breaking into a wide grin.
"Yeah." He nodded with a huge smile.
"See? So, Mikasa, let's go with him and fight alongside him. Let's make the best out of It, okay?"
Levi stared at the blonde with mild interest.
What a guy.
It was obvious that his physical abilities were below average but his abilities with words were definitely something else. He could be an amazing leader one day.
Mikasa thought otherwise.
"If we are family then we have to protect him. This is for his own safety, Armin."
"Mikasa, I know how you feel about him. He's the only family member you have left, but you're more protective than you need to be. As family, as a friend, give him some freedom." Armin said gently.
Mikasa bit her lip, her gaze finding interest on the ground.
"Well? Hurry up, my soldiers are waiting." Levi hissed.
"I'm going." Eren said, walking towards the impatient soldier.
"Eren-" Mikasa started.
"I'm going too." Armin smiled, leading his horse towards Eren and Levi.
"Armin…" Mikasa mumbled.
"Are you coming?" Levi frowned, glancing back at her. "I don't have all day."
Mikasa shot him an annoyed look before sighing.
"Ummm, Levi heichou, my horse sort of ditched me." Eren laughed, rubbing the back of his neck.
A single glance from Levi was enough to make Eren tremble in his boots.
"I'll kill you thoroughly when we get back." He said with a deadly tone. "Get on my horse."
"Y-Yes sir-"
"No, Eren, you get on with Armin. I'll go with the midget." Mikasa growled. "I don't want you to touch him. He's dirty."
"I'm not dirty." Levi said with a bored expression.
"Your mouth is." She smirked as she hopped onto his horse. "Don't you dare look at me or even touch me."
Levi said nothing, he was already too pissed to even care.
Eren awkwardly leaped onto Armin's horse.
"Let's go." Levi instructed. "That titan bitch is going to witness hell."