[chapter 18 - part 3 of 5 ]
- Year 854 - October 30, Shiganshina
[ After Wall Maria Fell ]
Mikasa could hear the waves, she felt at peace. She sat on the sand, looking up to the bright blue skies and its white puffy clouds. She took the sunlight in and turned back down to admire the vast ocean in front of her. Mikasa held her hat in place as the strong breeze reached her, it was a lovely summer day.
She was at the beach, in the comfort shores of her Lighthouse. Enjoying the day. Mikasa looked to the side to see Armin concentrated, taking notes on his book. She noticed Azzy running, the mother's eyes followed the small boy as he sat down and played around in the sand. Mikasa smiled, it was just another perfect day.
'Wake up,' Mikasa vaguely heard inside her subconscious. And that almost broke her concentration a little. 'Wake up,' she heard again.
When a small girl rushed towards her. Coming from the waves. The toddler was small, she wore a lovely summer dress and a hat, similar to her mother's. With her bright and almost hypnotic yellow eyes, she stood in front of Mikasa, with some alarm. 'Wake up, mummy, wake up!' Sunny warned. The dream was over.
Mikasa slowly opened up her eyes, they shone bright yellow for a moment, but it slowly faded away. She opened her eyes to see herself again, and again, in complete confusion. She saw her image mirrored thousands of times in an infinity of reflections. Mikasa closed her eyes again and held her head. 'What is that noise?' She thought, even more confused.
She could also hear a very low noise and vibration repeating over and over again. She felt lost, she couldn't understand where she was, she couldn't remember what had happened. Mikasa searched inside her memories.
Mikasa was trying to identify what this place was, it looked like a strange world. It was a small space made of very cold crystals, like ice. She was lying but almost vertically, somehow attached to the crystal wall behind her. There was room in front of her, enough for her to move, but not much. And it didn't feel as claustrophobic as it should in that small crystal space, to the contrary, the infinity of her reflections all around her made the place feel very large.
It was difficult for her to tell directions, she wasn't sure if she was laying down or standing up, it almost felt like she was in an angle, but Mikasa couldn't tell where gravity really was. She also noticed she was attached to those mirrors somehow. Mikasa used some of her inhuman strength to break her right wrist free, to then see some Titan fibres steaming out around her wrist.
Those crystal mirrors were very cold, icy. But those fibres were hot, steaming hot. She broke herself free completely and turned herself to face the crystal wall that had been supporting her. She noticed how there was flesh behind that cold layer of Titan Crystal. He was protecting her from the heat. Mikasa started to pay more attention to the low, repetitive noise. It made the crystals and her own heart vibrate together with it. 'That's his heartbeat,' she finally realised. Mikasa's mind was more clear now, she could finally remember what had happened.
Mikasa slowly and softly moved her head closer to the cold crystals, pressing herself against it. "Armin, can you hear me?" she asked, shouting slightly. "I'm awake," Mikasa informed.
The walls of Shiganshina had fallen down a few hours earlier; deeply affected by the first earthquake, they couldn't remain standing. The Colossal Titan had also exploded in transformation, after its Shifter had been severely injured by marlean forces.
- Right after the First Earthquake and the Colossal Titan explosion
[A few hours earlier]
Back in the Army Compound, at the heart of Shiganshina, Commandant Shadis was organising the troops. He had chosen the more experienced soldiers to stay behind with him to rescue the one family that was said to still be in the town. And had ordered another group to go warn Commander Hange and Captain Levi, and to fill them in about the current situation.
The second group was made of less experienced soldiers, mostly cadets, who quickly left the wrecked city mounted on their fast horses and guided by two older civilians. The ones who stayed with the Commandant were much more experienced but also extremely disloyal to the Commandant and to the Army Authorities. They also left the compound fully armed, riding fast on their horses, ready to kill the Pure Titans.
Shadis expertly killed multiple Pure Titans. The Commandant was in his element, he not only was a former Survey Corps Commander, he'd been a soldier for decades: a proper veteran, with one of the highest Titan kills' count. This was still difficult however, although a natural in Titan killing, most of these Titans he knew. Shadis could recognise his friends, his comrades. He tried not to think about it, and concentrated on the mission.
The Commandant swiftly landed on the hard concrete of a roof ridge. He looked around the town, beyond the steam of the Pure Titans he had just killed. Shadis was looking for the civilians who were apparently left in that already evacuated town. He found it odd how he couldn't find anyone. It had already been a couple of hours and he had gone to most spots where the Pure Titans were crowding - expecting to find humans, but he and the troop didn't. Shadis had spent a good few minutes annihilating this large group of Pure Titans, that now were steaming away - and he only now was realising how he was completely alone.
The group of more experienced soldiers who were with him were all Yeagerists, and they had more pressing concerns in mind. Led by Floch, they took the opportunity and while the Commandant was distracted with this large group of Titans, they all bailed on him. And rode fast, outside of the town. The Commandant looked around with his optical instrument, he decided to climb to a higher spot.
From the shoulder of a Pure Colossal Titan, Shadis looked around Shiganshina, using his small optical instrument. He still couldn't find signs of those civilians but he could see those traitors running away from duty. They rode fast on the trail to shore.
"Huh," he took the optical instrument down, considering it. "Luckily I know a shortcut," he told the giant Pure Titan whose shoulder he was on, with a small smirk. Shadis swiftly climbed down with his ODM gear and whistled for his horse.
He expertly landed on his horse's back. "Come on, Tempest," the Commandant said. "Let's bust some criminals."
There were two different routes from Shiganshina to shore, the longest and more well known was the one Floch and the Yeagerists were taking. That was what the Commandant had noted from up the Pure Colossal Titan's shoulder. He also had calculated how Onyankopon and the second troop were much further ahead in that same trail, but would eventually make a turn and meet with Commander Hange at the secret checkpoint he had quietly told Onyan about, while taking him aside. But Shadis knew the other route, it would be a much faster way to meet this second group and join them on the checkpoint with Hange and Levi. That's what the experienced Commandant meant as 'shortcut'.
-.-
"You have such a strange smile on your face right now, and I'm a little scared to ask," Onyankopon let out, looking towards Yelena as they rode fast through that trail. The cadets followed behind them.
Yelena turned to him. "Well, I'm just curious to know where the War Chief was being hidden this whole time," she explained, smiling. "I was dying to find out."
"The checkpoint is not exactly there. And even if it was, he is not there anymore," Onyan rebuked, confused.
There was a brief silence as Yelena considered a few things. "Do you think he's dead?" she asked, suddenly and callously.
"I-I have no idea," Onyankopon replied with nervous laughter. "Ever since this doomsday started I lost track of everything." He told her sincerely.
The two spies could see the Commander and the Captain in the distance. The troop rode fast and met them at the checkpoint.
"What happened to you?" Yelena let out with a small laugh as soon as they saw Captain Levi, and he glanced back at her murderously with his one working eye.
"What is happening out there?" Hange asked Onyankopon, ignoring the crazy woman's comment.
The spy relayed all the information they had so far. Mostly focusing on the chaos that had ensued and on the monster up in the sky.
"What is that thing?" Levi questioned and Onyan only shrugged.
"Where did it come from?" Hange asked.
"We don't know that either. It just appeared in the sky," Onyan maintained.
"From inside the earth, not from the sky," Yelena corrected him.
"How do you know that?" Hange turned to ask her, mistrustfully.
"It's a logical conclusion." Yelena proceeded to expertly explain. "Has this island ever had a history of earthquakes before? Isn't it very probable that they were caused by this thing hatching from inside the earth? From under the island?" she questioned.
The group was very focused and engaged in deep conversation, but they all turned to see as they heard another rider galloping their way. Commandant Shadis was arriving, alone. The other cadets all looked at each other concerned. The young soldiers could instantly tell their Yeagerist comrades were up to no good.
"Hange!" Shadis let out with a nice smile as he approached with his horse.
"I am glad you found us, Commandant," Hange greeted her fellow veteran. Giving him the heart salute, and Shadis also made his heart salute in return.
"I'm glad you're alive," Levi added from under his bandages. Making the heart salute as well.
"I was lucky," Shadis replied, coming down from his horse. "So," he continued more lively. "How are we stopping all this mess?"
Hange sighed. "Geranium," she replied.
And all the others just stared at her blankly. They had no idea what that meant.
Hange turned to Levi. "I had plenty of time to consider all this while you were recovering," she quietly disclosed.
"It sounds menacing," Shadis joked. "What is it?" he asked curiously.
The Commander turned her attention to the young cadets. "The information I'm about to share is critical and so far had been top secret. But this is an urgent and unforeseen situation and Geranium is our best bet. So you should feel honoured to be at this private meeting." Hange told the young soldiers very firmly, and made the heart salute, and they made the heart salute back at her, all very solemnly.
"Well, I for one am excited," Yelena let out sincerely, she smiled.
"You will be arrested as soon as this is over," Hange shut her down.
"For what?" Yelena asked indignantly.
Hange turned to the cadets once again. "We have dozens of witnesses that can place you in cahoots with the Yeagerists," the Commander argued, and proceeded: "who will be tried as well."
"What about him?" Yelena asked, leaning her shoulder to Onyankopon beside her.
"Me?!" Onyankopon asked indignantly. "I haven't pledged any allegiance to Eren, much less Zeke," he firmly argued, very purely.
"You both will be put on trial regardless," Captain Levi explained. "It's the standard procedure," he added to Onyankopon.
"Now that this is all settled. Proceed," Shadis asked of the Commander. The old veteran had more pressing concerns in mind than this small bickering.
"Project Geranium is a deep and meticulous study of the Iceburst Stone, that has been conducted in secret for the past two years." Commander Hange explained solemnly. "The study has focused on many things, but in particular the level of energy and destruction of a stone and how to activate it."
"So it's a bomb?" Onyankopon asked, perplexed.
"Multiple bombs," Hange explained. "Out of our successful five petals, we have tested two in the deserts of the north, to great results."
"What do you mean by great results?" Captain Levi asked with arms crossed.
"The explosion of one of our Geranium petals is extremely destructive," Hange replied. "Our remaining three, if detonated together, they could level a whole city."
"How secret is this project? How many people have been aware of it?" Commandant Shadis questioned, concerned.
"Only Arlert, the Queen and I are aware of it," Hange replied. "And the six Hizurian scientists involved in the project."
"If the Queen knows, that means Eren Yeager knows about these bombs as well," Onyankopon pointed out.
"He never mentioned it before," Yelena noted, shrugging. "Not in any of the meetings we had. I feel it's impossible he wouldn't have mentioned something as destructive as this if he knew," she argued.
"You need to give our little Queen some credit, she is clever that one," Hange argued. "I didn't ever think she would share this with Eren, not if she could have this card up her sleeve; as I said, she's smart. Smarter than you think."
"What about the Hizurian scientists? Wouldn't they just inform Kiyomi? She's been so involved with the air machine project as well," Levi argued.
Hange let out a small smile. "We made sure to choose the best, but also favouring only republican scientists. They are not fans of the Emperor, and therefore not loyal to Kiyomi," she explained. "It was Arlert's idea," she added.
"Now, these three petals are at the heart of the island. Deep down, even further than the underground city; in Mitras." Hange explained. "They are obviously very sensitive and need to be handled with extreme care."
"And you want to use it to blow that thing in the sky?" Levi asked.
"Exactly," Hange replied. "We assume that once that creature is gone, the Wall Titans will cease their destruction."
"Let's hope you're right about that," Onyan let out.
"So, how are we supposed to throw a bomb at a gigantic flying Titan?" Levi questioned.
"The key word being 'gigantic' there," Onyankopon theorised. "Its immense size makes it an easier target, even if the creature is moving. I'm not saying it's very easy, it certainly is very difficult, but not impossible. If we can get close enough. I'm assuming you want to use the air machine?" He turned and asked Hange.
"If you get close enough you die in the explosion," Shadis pointed out.
"For now, we need to get to the petals. And we need to secure the airship at the harbour first, for it's the fastest way to reach Mitras before this creature wreaks more havoc," the Commander explained. "Then, once we have the bombs, we can lure the creature into the ocean, and kill her there. No casualties." Hange proposed.
[Still] Year 854 - October 30, somewhere in the Southern Maria Region
[ Early afternoon ]
The small village hospital was full by the time Springer arrived with the Braus family. They rushed in looking for care as Mr. Braus was completely unconscious and losing a lot of blood. The Jaw Titan stood outside and was immediately surrounded by scared MP soldiers, all with weapons drawn.
"It's ok, it's ok," Connie came out of the small hospital hut with arms raised. "He is one of us," the Survey Corps soldier declared. "He's not gonna hurt anybody, please move on, move on," Connie proceeded, ushering the curious and scared soldiers away and back to their duties.
The small boy came out of the Jaw Titan, but still remaining attached to it. "Hey, I was wondering if you could do that," Connie let out. "How are you feeling?" he asked.
Falco let out a deep sigh. "It's good to finally breathe from my own lungs," he relayed.
"Falco!" Gabi exclaimed and rushed towards them, limping out of the hospital.
"What happened to your leg?" Falco asked with concern.
"Oh, I just twisted my ankle," Gabi explained as she climbed the Jaw's back with difficulty. "Look at you! I'm glad you came back for us!" she told him cheerfully as she finally reached his side.
"Your arms have burns," the boy added to his concern.
"That's nothing, they're very shallow and far apart, I'm sure they'll heal just fine," Gabi tried to ease his mind.
"They'll still leave a scar," Falco maintained, sounding quite upset.
"We need to go back to Shiganshina," Connie interjected, warning the small Warrior. "There's a lot to be done."
"More like small skin marks, not scars," Gabi argued with a smile. "He's right we need to go back." she added as Mrs. Braus approached, coming out of the hospital as well.
"The important thing is that we are alive because of you," the woman told him solemnly. "Thank you, my boy," the old mother added and Falco gave her a timid smile.
"How is Mr. Braus?" Connie asked.
"He's still struggling but the doctor said he will live," the woman relayed. "I will take care of him myself, the nurses here have their hands full and they already told me they are running out of supplies. Many people were injured with the earthquakes and the crumbling of the Wall. It's chaos."
"You should treat these burns too, Mrs. Braus," Connie noted.
The woman sighed. "All the children have burns as well, luckily just small ones like this," she let him know. "The important thing is that we are safe now, thank you."
Connie smiled. "Well, I'm glad to know you are all safe. Now we can return to the city with our minds at ease," he said.
"I hope you all can kill that thing as soon as possible," Mrs. Braus hoped. "Gods should take care of us, not destroy us and kill our children," the old woman let out. "Whatever that thing is," she added.
Falco sighed. "You should stay here," he told Gabi.
"Stay?" She asked back. "You don't want me to go with you?"
"You're injured, Gabrielle," he maintained. "We shouldn't risk your safety."
The small girl sighed. She looked towards the small hospital hut and then back at her friend.
"Come on, Gabi," Mrs. Braus interjected, walking back to the hospital and calling the small girl to go back inside with her.
"Be safe out there," Gabi told Falco and gave him a small kiss on his cheek. "Your cheek is very hot," she let out in small complaint, jokingly and they both laughed.
The girl climbed back down from the Jaw Titan's back.
"Ok, we should really leave now," Connie advised and Falco nodded.
The boy returned to the Jaw Titan's insides and took control of it once again as the soldier climbed onto it again.
The small girl watched as they left the small village, galloping quite fast. She then slowly limped back into the small hospital hut.
Shiganshina
The Phoenix Titan was making her descent, after she had risen up to take a look at the goddess up close. Pieck was considering many things, deep in thought as her Titan flew leisurely down with spread out wings. She was thinking of a way to bring that goddess down.
Reiner had eventually left his Titan. The Warrior was exhausted and he had noticed how he was a much easier target for those giant Pure Titans while in his Titan form. He laid down next to a partially destroyed column, out of many partially destroyed columns of a large school building that had lost its roof entirely.
"Look who I found," the Phoenix Titan joked from behind those columns and Reiner startled with the Titan voice, but slightly recognised it. He turned to see those giant red eyes staring at him from between two columns.
She had seen his Titan steaming somewhere near, and had quickly located her fellow Warrior. Pieck smoothly came out of the Phoenix Titan's back, still maintaining her connection to it, and she smiled at Reiner.
He became confused for a moment as he analysed the creature. Reiner walked in closer to her. "So you're the Beast Titan now?" he questioned.
"I'm still the Cart too if you want to get technical," Pieck replied.
Reiner scratched his hair with the thought. "One of the Fritzs is down, I guess our mission is half-complete," he noted.
"Indeed. One to go," Pieck confirmed.
"Where is Falco? We know he became the Jaw," Reiner asked, looking around the destroyed city.
"He did?" Pieck asked, a little confused. "I was wondering where Porco was," she added quietly.
"Oh, so you didn't see it? When he sacrificed himself to Falco?" Reiner asked.
"No," Pieck quietly replied, a little upset.
Reiner walked further into the destroyed city, putting his hands on his hips. "Well, the important thing is that we need to find Falco," he maintained. "And Gabi," Reiner added.
Pieck looked up to the skies. "I've been up there," she said.
"Careful, that thing is much bigger than you," Reiner warned.
"I know, but she barely noticed me," Pieck relayed. "It seems she had bigger concerns."
"The second wave is here?" Reiner asked. "It was about time. I hope we can end this soon," he added.
"Reiner, I think we gravely miscalculated this," Pieck started to argue. "The second wave won't be enough. I thought you had already realised that, since you were hiding," she pointed out.
"I wasn't hiding, I was resting," Reiner defended himself, "recovering my strength."
"Do you know a John?" Pieck asked.
"John?" Reiner asked back, confused.
"Here in the Survey Corps," Pieck explained. "Quite tall, nice hair, slightly obnoxious and self-serving…" she trailed off.
"Jean?" Reiner asked.
"Yeah! That's it!" Pieck confirmed with a smile. "Come on, he can help us get reinforcements here on the island."
"Reinforcements from the island?" Reiner questioned.
"Do you have a better idea?" She asked and Reiner seemed trepidatious and lost in thought. "Reeeiner?" Pieck slowly called his name in slight mockery, to get his attention.
He sighed. "I don't think we can be allies with people after killing their friends," Reiner argued.
"Well, then don't bring that part up," Pieck argued back. "We haven't completed our mission and we can't fight that thing just the two of us."
Reiner reluctantly climbed onto the Titan and Pieck went back inside. The Phoenix Titan rose up again and flew back to the Army Compound.
-.-
"I must say, choosing wings was clever of you," Reiner told Pieck while climbing down the Titan, after they had landed on the roof of the compound.
"I'm always clever," the Phoenix Titan replied.
Jean walked out of the roof door. They locked eyes for a moment. And the soldier removed his rifle from his shoulder and put it to the side. "I'm not going to shoot you," Jean told Reiner very diplomatically.
"Good because I have no weapons," Reiner joked with hands raised.
Jean looked around the destroyed city. "You are a weapon," he corrected the Warrior. "That's quite a party you and Eren had, look at the state of this place," Jean noted.
"Whoa," Reiner started to defend himself, still with arms raised. "I didn't do this. The big girl up there did," he pointed upwards, to the sky. "So don't go on blaming me."
"How are we going to stop that thing?" Pieck questioned after coming out of her Titan to talk.
"Where's Eren? What happened to him?" Jean asked Reiner.
"I don't know but he and Zeke are probably responsible for setting that thing free," Reiner responded while pointing up towards the open skies again.
"What do you mean you don't know?" Jean questioned. "We know Zeke is dead," he argued while pointing at the new Phoenix Titan with both arms. "You were the one fighting Eren, how did you lose sight of him?"
"He just disappeared." Reiner explained while shrugging.
"Disappeared? What do you even mean by that?" Pieck questioned.
"I actually mean disappeared." Reiner insisted. "As in: out of thin air. He was just gone."
"Huh…" Pieck trailed off, she turned her attention towards the Army building. "Why do I have a feeling this building is empty?" she then questioned Jean.
"Because it is," the soldier replied.
"So that's our reinforcement?" Reiner turned to ask Pieck. "Jean?" And the Survey Corps soldier looked a little indignant.
"Where is everyone?" Pieck asked Jean.
"They probably left, either to the harbour or to the inner cities," Jean replied with a small shrug. "But that doesn't matter, the important thing is that we have plenty of supplies left here," the soldier argued. "And the other reason why that doesn't matter is-" Jean moved both Reiner's shoulders and pointed him in the direction of the fallen city gates. "Because that's your reinforcement."
The soldier, the Warrior and the Titan turned to look towards the swarm of gigantic Pure Colossal Titans all piling up on top of the actual Colossal Titan. The Shifter was clearly struggling.
Jean took out his optical instrument and gave it to Reiner, so he could see it better from afar. The soldier looked around the destroyed city, with his hands on his hips. "It's so odd to see this city without walls." Jean let out.
"He's really not having a good time there," Reiner noted as he looked through that optical instrument. "There's something odd with his transformation. I thought it only had been ripped off before - and would eventually regenerate - but now that I see it, he only has one arm. Where's his right one? So strange, and it certainly adds to this struggle. He's clearly having difficulty fighting with just his left."
"I suppose all of our comrades are dead," Pieck considered, thinking of her troop up in the Wall and of General Magath.
Reiner put the small instrument down. "They were certainly killed in the Colossal Titan transformation, no one can survive that," he told Pieck.
"What about Mikasa?" Jean asked, taking the optical instrument from Reiner's hands and trying to look through it himself.
"There isn't any human there, just the Titans," Reiner argued. "Was she with him?"
"Always," Jean replied. "Those two are a double act. Did you forget about that?" He questioned his 104th Regiment friend. "And she isn't exactly human, if you forgot about that too."
"Who is he talking about?" Pieck asked.
"The Ackermann," Reiner replied. "Well, one of the Ackermanns."
He then turned to Jean with raised eyebrows. "Do you think she's dead too?" Reiner questioned, thinking how that would be a big tactical loss.
-.-
"Armin, can you hear me?"
She asked, shouting slightly.
Mikasa had her head turned closer to the wall of cold crystals supporting her, she pressed herself against it.
"I'm awake," she continued more softly.
Although Mikasa had shouted, she was too far and the Titan heartbeat was too loud for her voice to be heard. But Armin could hear her inside his mind, through that cursed dimension.
The Colossal Titan was struggling, for most of the Wall Titans had immediately taken some interest in him, the moment they were released from the Wall. The Shifter was doing his best to keep them away but there were just too many. The majority of those gigantic Pure Titans were only simple minded, they were quite slow and with little to no reflexes; those Armin could divert and eventually kill at ease. But the rare Abnormal Titans were more complicated, those were much more difficult to fight and Armin knew he had to go for the nape quickly with those, otherwise he could end up killed himself.
The gates and its surrounding areas in Shiganshina were absolutely trampled because of their fight, to Armin's absolute frustration. It pained him to see his city in flames and completely destroyed. He looked around to see all those immense Titans stomping all over that region. Armin was dispirited. Wall Maria had completely fallen.
He stood near the now destroyed gates of his hometown, surrounded by fallen grey Titan Crystal and red disintegrating Titan flesh. The Colossal Titan started to pull out his right arm away from his chest - in his hasty transformation he had completely crystallised his right arm into the centre of his chest - and for good reason.
The crystal went up from his right shoulder, down his right arm and into his chest, completely immobilising that side and rendering his right arm unusable; what had made his fighting all the more difficult. But he managed, Armin was good with working with what was available.
The Colossal Titan broke down all the crystal as he raised its arm, and finally opened its hand. All very slowly and extremely carefully. ϟ Are you ok? ϟ he asked.
Mikasa was a bit bothered by the sudden rays of sunlight and a little dizzy. But she quickly found her bearings and reassessed the situation. She was glad to finally find where gravity truly was. Mikasa was sitting at the very centre of the Colossal Titan's palm. A palm that extended to over seven meters, so she looked extremely small in comparison, but also extremely well safeguarded.
"I'm ok," she confirmed with her forearm over her eyes, to avoid the strong sunlight. Mikasa quickly noticed that those crystals hadn't left her after Armin had opened his Titan's hand. She looked around her arms and legs and felt around her head. Mikasa was covered in Titan Crystal, she now had her own armour.
She looked up at the Colossal Titan in pure confusion.
ϟ I didn't mean to do that, ϟ he justified, trying to whisper.
That small moment of tranquillity was quickly over as an Abnormal Wall Titan came charging towards them and Armin barely had time to defend himself. Another wave of Wall Titans was coming his way, and there were much more all around that region.
Mikasa swiftly used her ODM gear to fly off his hand. It was her natural response and only midway into the flight she realised and became very glad that her ODM equipment could work despite all the crystal coating it.
She landed on the Colossal Titan's left shoulder.
ϟ Is it heavy? ϟ Armin asked in pure curiosity.
And Mikasa climbed up to his left ear. She leaned closer to it as the Colossal swung a few punches at the Abnormal - now that he could use both arms.
"When you talk, even if you don't want to, it sounds very loud," she whispered into his ear in light admonishment. "And no, it's not heavy. It's actually quite comfortable, thank you," she responded.
Mikasa stood on the top of the Colossal Titan's head and took out her two long and beautiful crystal swords. The Ackermann was quite proud of her new armour and she was thirsty to attack. Mikasa knew she had a good amount of gas left so she set out quite fashionably. She swiftly killed that pesky Abnormal Titan with one deep laceration and set off to kill another three Wall Titans. They fell, one after the other.
There were hundreds of others Wall Titans coming their way, walking slowly from the near Wall Maria regions. The extreme steam made up a foggy curtain of pure heat and flames, and the couple couldn't see past beyond a few tens of meters in front of them, but they kept fighting.
Mikasa flew back to near his ear again. "They don't wear out," she proudly told him, about the crystal blades. Mikasa was very glad, that meant she could kill many more Wall Titans without the worry of her blades becoming dull. She stood on top of the Colossal Titan's head and looked down, showing him the swords; and he quickly looked up at her, acknowledging what she had said, midway through all the fighting. Mikasa then flew out again, to kill even more Titans.
'But your gas will if you keep spending it like that,' Armin thought as he fought the Titans surrounding him. He was very concerned for her safety, and they were in a very dire situation.
Mikasa started to feel fatigued, she could feel the stomps in her head coming, the chimes were quickly increasing and becoming more like clangs. She hunched down while on top of one of the many Wall Titans, she firmed herself with one of her crystal blades as she waited for the worst of the pain to go away. Mikasa hadn't had headaches for a long while, she had almost forgotten how they felt like, but as she was going through the thick of it, she could tell these felt slightly different.
She looked up and all around her, feeling quite hazy and dizzy, and having trouble discerning things. She then decided to fly back near to Armin, just in case. And as she flew near him and secured herself over his shoulder he could tell she was not alright. Mikasa looked nervous and apprehensive.
Armin looked ahead to see those hundreds of Titans all around then, he kept fighting.
When eventually they could both see this strange, colourful and extremely hot fire coming their way. It quickly burned the Wall Titan's heads off, up to the point of the nape. And the giant creatures started to drop in flames, one by one.
That was a strange Titan Armin and Mikasa had never seen before, it almost didn't look like a Titan at all. They both became very confused.
The Colossal Titan reached out his arm and the strange Titan swiftly landed on it, just like a regular bird would. And Armin brought the bird close to his Titan's face, as he identified his friend Jean and also unexpectedly Reiner, of all people, sitting on the back of that strange Titan and looking up at him.
"This is a mess isn't it?" Jean said and slightly bumped Reiner, shoulder to shoulder. "Look who I found," the soldier added.
And the Colossal Titan looked down at the Warrior mistrustfully.
"Nice get up," the Phoenix Titan addressed the Ackermann and Mikasa looked at her confused. Pieck came out of the Titan, right in front of Reiner and Jean. "No, seriously, I love the helmet," the woman maintained, talking about the Ackermann's Crystal Armour.
Reiner looked around the area, assessing the dire situation. "It seems you need some help," he pointed out to Armin, presenting himself.
ϟ Help? ϟ the Colossal Titan questioned, mistrustfully.
Jean flew over with his ODM gear and landed on the Colossal Titan's right shoulder, as Mikasa stood on the left; which separated the Survey Corps Soldiers from the Warriors for a moment.
The Phoenix Titan looked up at the Colossal. "Let me help," she proposed.
Reiner noticed Jean's full equipment and looked around himself for a moment, "I'm not wearing any ODM gear," the soldier realised, warning Pieck.
"Then strap on," she advised. The Phoenix Titan flew away from the Colossal Titan's arm with quite an impulse and did a gracious lap high over their heads. Pieck was counting the amount of Wall Titans down below and planning her route of attack. The Titan then flew down beautifully and gaining speed, she started blasting.
"Do you have enough gas? Are your blades edged?" Mikasa questioned Jean, shouting from the Colossal Titan's other shoulder.
"Yeah," Jean shouted back, taking out his two swords. "I just replenished. Are those things operational?" he questioned back, pointing one of his swords at her full crystal get up.
"Of course," she replied and set out elegantly, flying around the Titan threat and killing as many as she could.
Jean went after the Ackermann and tried his hand on killing those immense Wall Titans. It was a strange experience, certainly different from slicing the napes of much smaller Titans.
Reiner cogitated his place in that fight. He took out his small knife, planning on transforming again. But he looked up to the bright skies, and retrieved the small weapon. 'No,' he thought. Reiner decided to save his energies, he wanted to be fully charged and as prepared as he could once he came face to face with that goddess. 'I'll be the one to kill her,' he thought. 'This is my shot.'
In between all the intense steam and heat Jean found Mikasa crouching down over one of the Wall Titans, she seemed to be in a lot of pain as she held her head intensely. She had even taken her helmet off and put it to the side. "Are you hurt?!" he shouted, coming down with his ODM gear. "Are-Are you ok?" he asked as he approached, full of concern.
"I'm fine," she replied coldly. Mikasa stood up and put her helmet back on, she took some impulse and flew again, slicing that Titan's nape as Jean was then forced to also fly away from it - as the Titan fell down dead - and secure himself in yet another Titan. He watched as she flew away slicing Titans on her way back to the centre of the battle.
Mikasa was feeling hazy again. Even as the pain went away, she decided to go back towards Armin again, just in case. She flew over and stood on the Colossal Titan's head once more. Armin became more wary of his movements once she landed, so she wouldn't fall. Mikasa quickly secured herself more firmly with her ODM gear.
Her adrenaline was high, and her heart was beating faster by the minute; Mikasa could not understand what all that was. She closed her eyes firmly, waiting for yet another strong headache to reach her but it didn't. Mikasa opened her eyes again to see herself in that cursed dimension.
She looked up to those bright stars in the sky and to the sand down below, just to see that tiny girl in front of her. Mikasa was stunned with the sight but she smiled with the comfort as Sunny quickly ran into her arms, hugging her very tight.
"Are you alright, my sunflower?" The mother asked very softly.
"Mummy, I'm scared," Sonnenblume replied.
And Mikasa held her even tighter. "Don't worry, I'm right here, baby girl," the mother affirmed, lovingly.
"Who are those people? They scare me," Sonnenblume asked her mother, very frightened.
"What people?" The mother asked back, confused. Mikasa looked up to see hundreds and hundreds of strangers all around them in that cursed dimension.
She couldn't tell who they were, they just looked like regular people: men, women and children of different ages, wearing odd old clothes; all looking very frightened themselves. They all cried very strangely, in deep mourning and agony. They were starting to frighten Mikasa as well.
"I want them gone," Sonnenblume affirmed, somberly.
"Sonnenblume?" Mikasa asked as the small girl's eyes shone a very bright yellow. The small girl was letting her instincts come out, she was going to frighten them too.
"Sonnenblume, wait-" Mikasa exclaimed as all she could see was that very bright yellow energy all around her as the small girl turned into stardust. She looked around to see all those people running away even more frightened and in pain than before. The mother felt deep sorrow for all those lost souls. They just ran off, terrified, in multiple directions.
Mikasa opened her eyes again, they shone bright yellow for a moment, but it slowly faded away. She quickly had to protect her ears, for the intense noise all over her was extremely deafening. It took a small moment for her to realise what was happening and what was all that noise. Mikasa stood up in the Colossal Titan's head to see all those Wall Titans running off from them in all directions.
The whole scenery was bizarre, the creatures just ran away. Stomping their way across the Maria Region. Hundreds and hundreds more of Wall Titans, they just ran off.
Jean flew from shoulder to shoulder of those things, trying to find somewhere firm to latch his grappling hooks onto. He was running out of Titan flesh and losing balance in his flight as he bounced around those gigantic creatures - as they ran in the opposite direction. He couldn't find a building or anything firmed into the ground as he flew around those Titans; Jean was getting a little desperate until he finally felt the claw of the Phoenix Titan grab his arm and he then climbed onto its back.
He looked at Reiner and Reiner looked back at him, neither of them understood what was going on. The soldier, the Warrior and the Titan looked down to that bizarre scenery, all very confused. All those Titans were just naturally fighting them a couple of minutes earlier, just trying to eat Shifters as usual. Jean, Reiner and Pieck could not understand what had caused that sudden shift in behaviour.
"Do you think the goddess called them?" Reiner asked, considering.
"Or maybe Eren did," Jean proposed his own theory.
"It certainly wasn't Zeke," Reiner argued back while affectionately tapping the Phoenix Titan's back a couple of times. Confirming how Zeke was in fact dead, and they all knew it.
'If they were being controlled, why would they run off in multiple directions instead of simply following towards where they were called?' Pieck thought, but kept it to herself.
Sonnenblume could not control Titans, she could not control Eldians in any way, but she could give them the most unpleasant memories and illusions. And it still was quite impressive the amount of damage she could generate in such an early stage of her life, just by being frightened herself.
Those poor souls had been alive and agonising for over a hundred years, they did not choose to become those gigantic monsters. They were once just regular humans, eldians that had moved to the Island of Paradise with the promise of a new start: a new life, away from the war.
Armin looked at those Titans running away, disturbed but also quite upset. He'd rather those monsters stayed there fighting him, than stomping all over the Maria Region; wreaking havoc in the cities and trying to eat the citizens.
Mikasa was still in a small haze, she held her stomach, considering. It seemed Sonnenblume could manifest her powers through her somehow. She noticed the Colossal Titan hunching down for a moment, Armin came out of the nape to talk with her.
"These things are going to destroy the island!" He shouted as Mikasa came flying down with her ODM gear.
"Then we need to stop them," she responded, landing on his side.
"Good point," Reiner noted as the Phoenix Titan flew down and landed on the Colossal Titan's shoulder. "So, what's our next move?" he asked Armin with some excitement.
"I thought you wanted the island to be destroyed," Armin threw back at him. "Wasn't why you were here in the first place?" he questioned.
"Not if it means the whole world is next," Reiner swiftly replied.
"So if that wasn't the case you would gladly watch Paradise burn?" Armin questioned again, callously.
"Armin-" Mikasa held his shoulder in light admonishment, for she knew very well they needed those allies.
"No," he said, turning towards her. "I need to know what we are dealing with here," he maintained, sternly.
Pieck came out of her Titan as well. "Have you seen that creature up in the sky?" she questioned her fellow Titan.
"What creature?" Armin asked, confused.
"Up in the sky?" Mikasa asked simultaneously, sharing in the same confusion.
Mikasa had been inside the Colossal Titan's hand for the past few hours and Armin had been too busy fighting the Wall Titans to even look up. He had seen the goddess Ymir flying high up in the sky moments after he had been shot, during that first earthquake. But Armin had convinced himself that wasn't real.
"The giant monster goddess flying all over the island. She caused the earthquakes and brought the Walls down," Reiner explained.
"Huh, I thought I was dreaming," Armin considered, thinking back to when he first saw the flying monster.
"It's more like a nightmare, mate," Jean pointed out.
"That's the thing we are truly fighting," Pieck completed her argument. "So you two can calculate all the damage to this city and to our harbour and split the account between Eldia and Marley- After we have dealt with the world ending threat."
Armin looked down, calculating.
He then turned to Jean. "I'm assuming the compound is empty," he asked.
"Of people," Jean replied, "everything else is still there."
"You are running low on gas," Armin noted to Mikasa, "you've got to be more careful with that," he advised.
He turned to Jean again. "Can you bring out as many supplies as the Phoenix can carry? Blades, gas and spears, dynamite, anything explosive. Then we can meet outside-"
"Huh," Pieck let out.
"What?" Armin asked.
"Nothing," Pieck was a little surprised that he had recognised her mythological bird of choice.
"We can all just meet there," Jean argued. "And discuss our plan there."
"No, I can't really," Armin reminded him, raising his shoulders as the Colossal Titan's shoulders moved as well.
He was deeply attached to it with all those fibres, and Armin wasn't planning on leaving that vessel just so he had to conjure another again. He had no plans on wasting his energy, for he knew it could be critical in the near future.
"Your Titan seems capable of walking," Reiner argued, looking down to the Titan's feet.
"I'm not walking all over Shiganshina," Armin patiently explained. The Army compound was in the middle of the town.
"The city is already destroyed," Jean argued while shrugging.
"Well I'm not making it worse. I'll meet you all outside," Armin maintained. "Then we can discuss our next step."
He went back into his Titan and the giant thing started to walk, passing the now destroyed city gates, the Colossal Titan eventually sat down some a hundred meters in front of the city. All while the Phoenix Titan flew back in the direction of the Army compound.
-.-
"Is that really a bird?" Connie asked as he appeared on the roof with the Jaw Titan, who had just climbed the side of that building all the way to the top.
The Phoenix Titan was on the other side of the ledge.
"Woah!" Falco exclaimed as he came out of his Titan. "It looks so cool!" The twelve-year-old added.
"Look at you," Pieck complimented the boy back from her Titan. "You're already getting the hang of it," she noted, smiling.
"I was hoping you would show up," Jean noted as he carried some boxes up to the roof with Reiner. "I'm glad you're not dead."
"Almost," Connie joked as he greeted his friend. "But this big man here wouldn't let me die. He saved all of us," he added, pointing at Falco. "And isn't this our designated regrouping spot anyways?"
Jean shrugged, putting the boxes down.
Connie looked around for a moment. "Are you alone here?" he asked.
"Clearly not," Jean replied, pointing at the Warriors in front of them.
"Yes I see them," Connie concurred. "I meant: where are all the other soldiers?"
"Ran off? Jean shrugged again. "Who knows?"
Connie finally looked towards his old 104th Regiment friend, acknowledging him. "How are you, Reiner?" he asked with his hands on his hips.
"Hoping I can get some nice ODM equipment," Reiner replied with his charming smile. "Not all of us can wear pure crystal," he joked.
And Connie just looked at him confused, he had no context for Reiner's silly joke.
"Well, now we have two Titans," Jean noted. "Means we can carry a lot more supplies."
Jean, Connie and Reiner then climbed down the stairs back inside the compound, to bring out more fighting equipment.
-.-
The Colossal Titan was sitting on the grounds outside of Shiganshina and his wife had landed next to his nape. Armin had swiftly removed himself from the Titan again, still remaining very attached to it. Mikasa secured herself tight with her ODM grappling hooks, sitting very close to him.
Armin looked up to the bright blue paradisian sky. Already deep in concentration, considering things and trying to put a plan together. Mikasa looked to his face with much tenderness, tilting her head. He seemed extremely concentrated, and she then delicately leaned over, surprising him with a gentle and passionate kiss on the lips. Armin almost lost control of his Titan for a moment with that surprise and the entire thing became out of balance.
"Don't drop me," Mikasa joked with a small laugh as she pulled away.
"What was that for?" Armin asked, with eyebrows raised high.
"Just while the others aren't here," she replied, and they looked back towards the destroyed gates of Shiganshina.
"Alright," he replied softly and charmingly and leaned in to kiss her again, another equally passionate kiss.
Mikasa looked deep into his eyes as they pulled away again. "Thank you for not killing me with your transformation," she softly told him, jokingly.
"That was tricky, but I couldn't just lose you. I couldn't even bear the thought," Armin explained with an embarrassed smile. "So I had to figure out a way to protect you quickly."
"Then it's a good thing you're a quick thinker," Mikasa noted. "I owe my life to you working well under pressure, again. I lost count of how many times you saved me that way," she told him softly.
"Why are you being so sweet? Armin asked, mistrustfully, and squinted a little.
"Why? You think you don't deserve it?" She questioned him softly, raising her eyebrows, and leaned over for a third very passionate kiss.
They pulled away slowly and locked into each other's eyes for a moment.
"There's something I need to tell you," Mikasa said quietly, looking down.
"And there it is," Armin noted with a small, clever smile. "What do you need to tell me?" he asked.
"I was going to wait until it was all over, so not to worry you. But now I think this could be useful," she explained.
"Well, now I'm intrigued," Armin replied, curious.
"I'm pregnant," Mikasa revealed.
"What?!" he asked, baffled. Armin lost balance again.
"You need to take control of your Titan," the mother complained while holding on closer to her equipment.
"You-you shouldn't even be here," Armin noted, stuttering, while finding and firming his bearings again.
"I'll be fine," Mikasa replied with certainty.
Armin thought about it and leaned closer. "Can you regenerate again? Just like with Azzy?" he asked.
Mikasa nodded. "Remember the explosion? At the office?" she asked and Armin nodded. "Well I got burned too, but my burns just quickly healed, they were gone as fast as they came," she explained while looking around herself, remembering.
"Huh," Armin let out and considered. "How far along are you? How long have you known?" the father questioned.
"About two months. I've known for a while," she replied.
"Why didn't you say anything?" Armin asked, a little upset.
"Because a lot was happening, and there was never a good moment. And I knew it would make you distracted," Mikasa argued.
"When…" Armin trailed off, thinking back, he started to squint again.
And Mikasa tilted her head, observing his own concentration. "Are you trying to figure it out? Don't- Stop trying to figure it out," she told him. "I know when it was, I'll tell you later."
Armin was curious. "You could just tell me now," he suggested cheekily while raising his eyebrows.
They looked over to see the others coming in the distance, coming through the rubble with all the supplies and tactical gear.
"I'll tell you later," Mikasa maintained. "The important thing is: this can be helpful."
"Right you said we could use it, what do you mean by that?" Armin asked.
"Remember how we were a little concerned about having another one? You know, after Azzy," she reminded him.
"Are you saying this one has odd powers too? How could you even tell so early on?" Armin questioned.
"This one is a little different," Mikasa explained. "And I could tell from the beginning, she's been messing with my head from day one."
"She? It's a girl?!" the father asked with a big smile. "What do you mean by messing with your head?"
Mikasa started to gently stroke her husband's chin. "Because," she explained, "I have a feeling, I can do it to others too."
She held the side of his face, Mikasa's eyes became bright yellow: Sonnenblume was about to give her father a vision.
Armin's eyes became bright yellow too. He looked up to see the sky abruptly go from bright blue to bloody red. The clouds turned purple and many black birds swirled around, hovering on top of him. Preying upon him. They suddenly flew down fast to attack him and Armin put his head down defensively as the black ravens all came flying down at his face. He closed his eyes, shutting them tight. He looked very scared and Mikasa noticed how he was troubled so she let go of him. Her eyes became black again, it all stopped.
"So?" she asked.
Armin opened his eyes to see the bright blue sky again. "How can you do that?" he asked, perplexed.
"I'm not the one doing it, I'm just a surrogate, literally," Mikasa relayed.
She could then see the wheels turning behind Armin's eyes. "You're already planning something aren't you?" Mikasa asked.
"We can definitely use this," Armin replied. "Can you do it at will?" he asked.
"I just did it, didn't I?" Mikasa pointed out.
"Alright," Armin replied.
-.-
The rest of the group eventually arrived. The Phoenix Titan landed on the Colossal Titan's right shoulder and the Jaw Titan climbed up to the left. Jean, Connie and Reiner were all fully equipped with the latest ODM tactical gear. Jean was on top of the Phoenix, with some of the supplies, in particular the dynamite; while Connie and Reiner were on top of the Jaw, carrying extra blades, gas and many thunderspears.
"What do you mean he just disappeared?" Armin questioned Reiner.
"I mean it looked like this bizarre Paths thing," Reiner tried to explain.
"Paths thing?" Armin asked.
"Now I get the crystal joke," Connie quietly commented to Reiner as they set eyes on Mikasa.
"Can't you just track him?" Mikasa quietly asked Armin.
"I can't track the Founder," Armin reminded her.
"You can track him?" Reiner loudly asked.
"No, I can track other Shifters, but not the Founder," Armin explained to him.
"Maybe the goddess is keeping him ransom there," Connie supposed, he crossed his arms, remembering. "It's a weird place to be in."
"How would you know?" Reiner questioned.
"Oh, I'm just guessing," Connie lied.
"Do you think that creature is controlling the Titans?" Armin questioned the others.
"That's a theory," Pieck let out. She wasn't very confident on that.
"She's definitely the reason why the Walls fell and those things were set free," Jean affirmed.
"How could Eren and Zeke just release a creature like that?" Mikasa questioned.
"Unknowingly?" Reiner proposed. "It's possible. Ymir has been known throughout the centuries for being a tricky witch. But that could just be folklore."
"And Zeke is dead now, right?" Connie asked for confirmation.
"Do you think Eren is dead too?" Armin questioned. And Mikasa became fearful.
"I'm the reason Zeke is dead. Not the witch," Pieck revealed, dutifully.
"But from the weirdness of what I experienced she might as well have taken Eren," Reiner maintained.
Mikasa kneeled down, closer to Armin. "Can't you just try to track him?" She pleaded in a small whisper.
Armin started to calculate. "We will take her down," he told the others and then turned to Mikasa. "We'll deal with Eren later," Armin quietly said. His childhood friend wasn't a priority at that moment: the goddess was.
"I believe there are some people already working on that," Reiner pointed out, scratching his head.
"What people?" Armin turned to Reiner with his question.
"The entire World Alliance," Pieck explained.
"World?" Jean questioned.
"There was never anything like that before… was there?" Connie asked.
"No," Pieck replied. "But after the attack to our harbour new deals were made," she explained.
"To destroy the island?" Armin questioned. "I suppose I expected that," he noted.
"Then why did you do it?" Pieck questioned back, thinking of the terror she had to witness and of the bodies of those innocent children.
Armin tilted his head. "I thought we were only going to split that account after we have dealt with the world ending threat," he replied to her very coldly.
He turned to Reiner. "How many ships are headed our way?" Armin asked.
"You destroyed all the ships," Reiner swiftly replied. "We have about four hundred and forty-one airships coming this way," he proceeded to explain. "Since none of them have arrived to this point, I'm assuming they are all stuck somewhere near shore trying to blast that giant creature down from the sky."
.-.
Reiner, Armin, Pieck and Falco all had an odd sense of Déjà vu. It was this strange feeling of the beginning of yet another war that brought this eeriness upon the Shifters. Their Titans had lived through wars over and over again for hundreds and hundreds of years, all of it was deeply embedded in their memories - throughout the centuries.
There was a difference however: this time the Nine Titans were set to fight against the witch herself. This had never happened before. All those merciless wars, all throughout the centuries might have been instigated by Ymir in her vengeful spirit. But now she was the one coming to the battlefield: the witch was there in flesh and bone.
Ymir could count and know each of those vessels and their inheritance. She knew their strengths and also their crippling weaknesses. Armin had Torr's Colossal Titan powers and some of Osmond's crystal abilities he had inherited by blood, he was a tricky one. Reiner had Jari's Armoured Titan powers: strong, more brawn than brains but he liked to play the hero, this could be dangerously unpredictable unless she used to her advantage.
Annie had Elke's Female Titan powers, and she knew how to use them. Ymir hoped she would just remain as lost as she was. Pieck had Tate's Cart Titan powers and Ralph's Beast Titan powers, this was another one that could be tricky, she hoped both Titans would confuse their holder. The other twin: Raleigh had his Jaw Titan powers inherited by the small kid Falco, this one definitely wasn't a threat.
Now her father she had deeply in her hands. Eren had Osmond's War-Hammer Titan powers and Dorian's Attack Titan powers. And he was deeply troubled, the powers confused him. Regardless, Ymir knew he would never betray her, she was his 'little angel' after all. The Founding Titan was trickier, she needed those powers to fully release all the Wall Titans and to completely control them. And those powers resided, at this moment, within her unborn brother. Ezra had just inherited Torin's powers in the brief moment when Eren had died.
.-.
"They're not going to be enough," Armin argued, about all those airships. "We still need an impact. I don't think I'll be able to transform again in the foreseeable future. Reiner, you're the second strongest explosion, it will have to be you," he proposed.
"Okay," he concurred. "But my Titan doesn't have wings. What happens if I fall from the sky?" Reiner questioned back.
"You're wearing ODM gear," Mikasa pointed out.
"I have wings. I'll keep a look on you, and catch you from falling. I'm not gonna let you fall from the skies to your death, that's a horrible way to go." Pieck put herself forward.
"You'll catch me? I don't know about that," Reiner expressed his doubts.
Pieck was a little hurt. "So you don't trust me to catch you? After all these years?" she asked.
"In the middle of the chaos? And in the vast skies? I'm sorry, it's not that I don't trust you, I just needed to point out my doubts," Reiner explained.
"That creature spans hundreds of meters, just hold on to it with your ODM gear and signal for help if you have too, we'll all have flares," Armin argued, but still considered another flying option. "Still, you're right about depending on only one winged titan."
Armin then suggested to Jean and Connie: "Maybe you guys can reach the harbour and take the airship-"
He then turned to Mikasa, more quietly. "-and maybe you should go with them," he suggested.
"No, I'm staying with you," she swiftly replied and he gently nodded.
"I don't think that would be easy, that place will be crawling with Yeagerists," Jean pointed out.
"True," Connie confirmed.
"What's a Yeagerist?" Reiner asked with arms crossed.
Pieck let out a small laugh. "Oh, you weren't here before like I was," she remembered, still chuckling.
"Is it what I'm thinking?" Reiner turned and asked her.
"We'll have so many things to laugh about later, if we survive this," Pieck replied with a small laugh.
"I don't think we could laugh at any of this in the future," Jean countered.
Reiner turned to Jean. "She will find a joke or two, believe me," he explained.
"Regardless," Armin proceeded to hastily concoct his new plan. "Reiner's explosion will be a good way to smoke her out."
And he then turned to Falco, the now holder of the Jaw Titan. "And that's when you come along," Armin proceeded to explain. "The witch is definitely clever enough to be crystallised. So only you can bite the nape."
"What's going to be there?" Falco wondered for a moment.
"A two thousand year old mummy, probably," Connie theorised.
"Cool," Falco replied with some excitement.
"Gross," Jean interjected. "You'll be the one to have to bite on it."
"And she'll probably curse you, she's a witch," Reiner added.
"Aren't we all already cursed?" Falco argued back, rightly.
[ to be continued... ]