Attack on Titan: Bloodline – Chapter 10 (May 2, 2019)
Lorraine, Armin, and Connie rounded a corner and spotted Mikasa standing down in the streets below, holding a tiny portion of her ODM blade in her hands, ready to attack, two 15-meter Titans on either side of her. As she let out a screeching battle cry, the three landed on the rooftop. Lorraine's heart skipped a beat when the Titan behind her charged forward. Her eyes widened and she screamed frantically, "Mikasa! Look out!"
Lorraine gasped. Armin's jaw dropped. Connie stood on the rooftop, stunned. Mikasa was thrown backwards by the impact of the giant's foot on the ground near her. Lorraine was left breathless.
"Wh-what...the hell...?"
The Titan, which had long, black hair, was ramming its foot into the head and neck of the other, rather rotund Titan. Blood was thrown onto the ground and nearby walls with every impact. Mikasa lay on the ground, her grey eyes fixed on the scene unfolding before her. Lorraine's legs felt like they might give out as she watched the clearly Abnormal Titan deliver the final blow.
"No way...! This can't be happening...! A Titan fighting another Titan?! Please tell me I'm dreaming!"
Armin pulled his triggers and zipped down to grab Mikasa, bringing her up to the rooftop as another 15-meter joined the mix. The first Titan looked up at its adversary with an expression of pure rage. It let out a breath with a puff of steam escaping its lipless jaws. Mikasa and Armin landed up with Lorraine and Connie. Lorraine asked, "Oh, God, Mikasa, are you okay?! Are you hurt?!" Mikasa shook her head.
"No. I'm okay."
She looked up at the Titan. Lorraine followed suit. This Titan appeared to be much more muscular than most and he had striking blue-green eyes. He inhaled and opened his mouth, letting out a deafening roar.
ROOOOOAAAAAAAAAAGH!
The other retorted.
AUUUUUGH!
Their roars seemed to shake the entire city of Trost. The four watched in complete disbelief as the first Titan skillfully knocked the other to the ground and, before it could stand, stomped directly on the nape of its neck, crushing its weak point. Armin stammered, "I-it finished the other one off...?" Lorraine finally collapsed and muttered, "I-it knew of the Titans' weak point...? I-it...it has intelligence...!" Connie roughly grabbed Lorraine's arm and yanked her off her knees.
"Great. It's intelligent! Duly noted! Now, what do you say we get the hell out of here before it notices us and decides it's hungry!?"
Mikasa grabbed Connie's shoulder, not taking her eyes off the Abnormal. She said, "No. That one has no reaction to us. Any other Titan would have surely turned on us by now. Not to mention...this one seems to grasp the concept of hand-to-hand combat." Lorraine shuddered and said, still looking at the Abnormal as she warily turned her back, "Alright. Let's get back to HQ as soon as possible-" Armin grabbed her arm.
"Wait! Mikasa's completely out of gas! I don't have much, but if we hurry and switch yours with mine, then you guys can make it for sure."
The three protested as Armin knelt down, switching without giving her much of a choice. He said as he swiftly exchanged the gas tanks, "Just...use it carefully this time. Everyone's counting on you to pull us through this mess." Lorraine reached and grabbed the hem of Mikasa's jacket sleeve delicately. Mikasa sighed.
"I-I'm so sorry...I...I took off with no sense of responsibility for everyone's lives...for a moment there, I had even...I had even given up. I almost threw my own life away. I didn't even think about Lorraine in that moment. I-I was just..."
Lorraine said, looking up into her sister's eyes, "It's alright, Mikasa. I know you're upset about Eren...w-we all are." Mikasa said strongly, "I'm so sorry, Lo. I-I didn't even think how it would affect you." Lorraine smiled sweetly.
"Mika. Just promise me you'll be more careful from now on."
Mikasa smiled softly and nodded. Finally, Armin said, "Alright. Your Mobility Gear still works and I've given you all of my blades. I-I do have one request, though." He held one of Mikasa's tiny blades and said, "I-I just want you to leave me this one. I-it's just...I'd rather this be my end than being eaten alive..." Lorraine started, "A-Armin-" Mikasa simply grabbed the blade out of his hand and tossed it off the rooftop into the street below. Armin muttered, "Wh-what're you...?" Mikasa knelt down and said, "We are not leaving you." Armin looked up at her, surprised.
"I've never heard of a Titan fighting, much less killing, another Titan before...but I felt something. I felt a faint glimmer of hope. Because what I saw looked like the manifestation of humanity's rage."
Lorraine looked back over her shoulder at the Abnormal, who looked up at the now brilliantly sunlit sky and let out another bloodcurdling roar. Mikasa said, grabbing Armin's wrist, "Let's go." She took off, followed by Connie and Lorraine, but Armin glanced back and shouted, yanking his hand from Mikasa's grip, "Wait! Hold on! I have an idea. Only you three can do it, so I want to leave the decision up to you." The group skidded to a halt and turned to listen. Armin explained, "I...I know it sounds completely insane, but...wh-what if we could use that Titan to our advantage?" Connie snapped, "No way! Use him!?" Lorraine punched Connie in the arm and said, "Shut up and listen!" Mikasa said calmly, "Like fighting fire with fire?" Armin nodded and said, "Exactly. I mean, it attacks other Titans, but shows no interest in us. I'm wondering if we might be able to lead it to the supply building. If he can take out the Titans swarming HQ, we just might have a chance!" Connie said, still flabbergasted, "L-lead it!? How the hell do you think you're gonna control that thing!?" Lorraine looked back at the Titan. It had moved onto another group of Titans nearby.
"I'm not sure, but I wonder if it's fighting on instinct."
Armin nodded. He said, "That's a good thought, Lorraine. If that is the case, if we were to take out the Titans around it, it should go and look for other Titans. That would lead it directly to HQ." Connie said, "N-no way! You're all nuts! We can't risk our necks for some hopeful guess!" Mikasa said, "It's the best guess we've got." Armin added, "And if this works, we could get rid of all the Titans that are attacking HQ in one fell swoop!" Mikasa nodded and said, "It seems worth trying. It's better to take the risk than to wait for our inevitable deaths. I'm willing to go with Armin's idea." Lorraine said, her brows furrowed in a look of determination, "Me, too. Let's give it a shot." Connie was still in disbelief.
"All three of you are insane! So, basically, we're going to recruit aTitan!?"
Mikasa stated blankly, "Yes." Connie sighed. He said under his breath, "Man if we fail, we'll be laughingstocks." Lorraine cut in, "But if we succeed, everyone survives." There was a long pause. The Titan's roars echoed far. Connie finally groaned and said reluctantly, "Alright, fine. Let's just go for it!" Lorraine said, drawing her blades, "Alright. Mikasa and I will worry about the Titans. Connie, take Armin." Armin began to argue, but before he could say anything, Connie picked him up and they all began flying towards HQ. Lorraine flipped one of her blades to hold it in the reverse direction it was meant to be held and together, she and Mikasa picked off Titans one-by-one. Lorraine couldn't help but keep her eyes on the Titan the entire flight back to HQ.
"Armin, you insane son of a bitch...I certainly hope this works..."
Meanwhile, back at HQ, Jean and the rest of the Cadets crashed through the windows. They tumbled in one after the other until what remained of Squad 29 had managed to reach the safety of the supply building. Jean stood up and muttered, running his hands through his hair in frustration, "Damn...! How many of us made it? How many good soldiers died because of my leadership?" He turned with a start, hearing a small noise beside him. He growled. Some of the soldiers whom he knew were stationed there had hidden under a small barricade of desks. He grabbed the male soldier's jacket, yanking him roughly out of hiding, and punched him squarely in the jaw. Marco ran and grabbed his shoulders, holding him back.
"Jean! Stop it! That's enough!"
Jean roared, "You bastards! You abandoned us! People are dead because you guys abandoned your posts!" The girl came out of hiding to help out her comrade, whose lip had been cut and was now dripping blood down his chin. She cried, "Please! You have to understand! The Titans overran the supply room! Th-there wasn't anything we could do!" Jean struggled against Marco's firm grip and snapped at her, "It's your job to deal with it!" Reiner turned around to look out of the window. He heard something. It was kind of a whooshing sound. His eyes focused on an incoming Titan that had managed to climb up the supply building and had raised its arm, ready to attack.
"Hit the deck!"
The Titan's fist's impact broke through the side of the building and it peered inside, seeing the small army of soldiers starting to panic. Another Titan had joined it. The soldiers started to panic. They ran frantically, attempting to get downstairs as fast as possible. Jean cursed under his breath, "Damn...! There are too many people all in one place...! They could sense us...! It's too late, now-" His eyes widened. In a split second, another Titan slammed its fist into the other's face. A light spritz of blood escaped the Titan's mouth as it was thrown back down into the streets below. As Jean watched, unsure of what to think, he heard the sound of cables retracting. He gasped.
"M-Mikasa...? You're alive!"
Jean ran to them, followed by Annie, Bertholdt, and Reiner. Jean asked, "How did you all...?" Lorraine said, "We'll explain later! For now, we have to worry about the supply room!" Reiner cut in, "Yeah. Supposedly the supply room was overrun by Titans, but I'm not sure of the details." Jean said, "Hold up, guys, we've got a little problem," he pointed at the Abnormal, "How do you think we're gonna take that one out!?" Armin said swiftly and surely, "It's alright! That Titan has no interest in us! We can use it to our advantage! Let's go!" As Armin, Lorraine, Connie, and Mikasa ran past them towards the supply room, Jean grabbed Mikasa's wrist and asked, "Wait! Use it!? Y-you mean to tell me that an Abnormal just shows up with a bloodlust for his own kind and no interest in humans and you are totally fine with that!?" Mikasa nodded and said, "We're going to let it continue its rampage here for as long as possible. It's the best strategy we've got right now, so we might as well use it." Reiner's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked down at the Abnormal. Annie turned and ran to follow Lorraine.
"Marco," Armin shouted as they ran down the stairs, "I've got a plan! I need any kind of guns that we have stored away down here! The Military Police has got to have some here just in case of an emergency, right?!" Marco nodded and announced, "You heard him!" Bertholdt nodded and went with some of the other soldiers to search for firearms. Lorraine said quietly, "I hope you've got a plan." Armin sighed and said quietly, "I do. I just...I hope it works..."
"Armin! Over here!"
Marco and the others managed to find and bring over two large wooden crates filled with rifles. He stated, uncertainty lacing his voice, "You were right. They belong to the MPs." Reiner picked one up, handed it to Bertholdt, and muttered, "Damn things are covered in dust." He blew on the one he was holding, sending a small, grey dust cloud into the air of the dimly lit room. Bertholdt asked in a low voice, "Armin. Are you sure buckshot is what you want us to use? I mean, will guns even work against Titans?" Armin said flatly, grabbing and smoothing out an old blueprint of the supply room, "They're better than nothing." He turned to the young woman who had been stationed in the supply building before.
"Michaela. How many Titans have invaded the supply room?"
The girl, Michaela, said shakily, "I-I counted seven. All around three or four meters tall." Armin nodded and said calmly, "Then this much firepower should do the trick." He took a deep breath and said, "Right. First, we'll use the lift to lower a group of people from the center ceiling." Lorraine leaned on the table next to Armin with one hand. Armin continued, "Then, they will fire their weapons at the faces of all seven Titans simultaneously, blinding them. That will give us an opening for seven of us to attack." Lorraine felt a warm, rough hand fall next to hers, brushing it gently. Looking up beside her, she saw that Reiner was there. She smiled a little, but turned her attention back to Armin, ignoring the warmth rising to her face. Mikasa said, "So, seven people will have to slay all seven Titans at once." Annie added, "In other words, this plan requires perfect timing." Armin nodded.
"That's right. It'll be up to seven of the most physically fit and capable soldiers we have here."
He looked around at the group and stated calmly, "I want Mikasa, Reiner, Annie, Lorraine, Bertholdt, Sasha, and Jean to take the rafters. When the rest of us have blinded them, you will jump down and slash their napes. The rest of us will be part of the Weapons Squad." Armin looked up at Marco and said, "Marco, I would like you to be the Weapons Squad leader." Marco nodded. Armin sighed, turning to the Attack Squad, "I'm sorry for placing everyone's lives on your shoulders..." Mikasa said softly, "It's okay, Armin. If we fail, we die. The risk is the same regardless of who goes." Armin looked up at her, then back to the blueprints.
"Still. I-I can't help but wonder if this idea is really our best strategy...?"
Marco said confidently, "It's the best we've got. We're out of time and options. All we can do now is give it our all." Lorraine said enthusiastically, "It'll be fine, Armin. You've always had a knack for making the right decisions, after all." Armin looked up, about to say something, but was interrupted by Bertholdt, who announced, "The lift's ready! The guns, too! They're all loaded!" He picked them up and helped Reiner pass them out. Mikasa said, "Armin. Just trust yourself. You've got this." Lorraine grabbed his hand and gave him a reassuring nod. The blonde boy just stared into her amber eyes. She smiled and walked off.
"Are we almost ready?"
Marco stood at the front, holding two rifles in his hands. The group collectively nodded and started to make their way down the stairs. As they all walked together down to the supply room, where the plan was meant to take place, Sasha said, "Do you really think we can take out all the Titans without our ODM gear?" Reiner confidently answered, "Sure! These Titans are only around three or four meters tall. Targeting their vitals should be a cinch." Armin reminded the Squads, "Regardless of their size, a Titan's vitals still go from the back of the head to the nape of the neck. One meter high and ten centimetres across." Reiner added, holding his ODM blade skyward, "Hell, if all else fails, you can just shove one of these up their asses. That's the other weak spot." Connie exclaimed, "Wait, what!? I've never heard about that one!" Annie sighed, "This is the first I've heard of it, too." Lorraine chuckled. Jean, through stifled laughter, said, "Knock it off, Reiner. You really want your last words to be an ass joke?"
"Last words, huh? I have faith in Armin's plan. I know we'll all make it out of here and over the wall. I just know it."
Marco stood outside the door to the lift, ushering the Weapons Squad into the rather small space. Lorraine and the rest of the Attack Squad slipped onto the rafters and quietly took their positions, careful not to attract the attention of the seven lumbering Titans. Lorraine's breath was shaky as she crawled cautiously to her corner, blades drawn. She crouched not too far from Sasha, who looked intensely focused and ready to attack at any moment. She watched as the lift was slowly lowered down into the supply room. Armin was heard muttering under his breath, "Good. Their numbers haven't increased. Proceed." Lorraine took a deep breath to calm her nerves. The Titans all turned their attention to the group of soldiers. Lorraine's orange-coloured eyes were locked onto the Titans and all she could do was pray that they took the bait.
Hearts raced. Lorraine gasped lightly. They all took the bait.
Tensions were high throughout the room.
Marco said quietly, adjusting his grip on the trigger, "Steady..."
"Fire!"
Gunshots rang out. The supply room was filled with the smell of gunpowder. Flashes of light went off in rapid succession. All seven of the Titans reeled, blinded by the bullets. In the same instant, the seven Cadets leaped from the rafters and sliced through the back of each Titan's necks. Lorraine flipped her blade and spun herself around, spraying blood into the air as she successfully took out the Titan. One by one, the Titans fell until only one remained. Sasha whimpered and backed away from the approaching Titan. Reiner looked back and shouted, "Shit! Sasha missed!"
"I-I...I'm sorry...f-for sneaking up...a-and...!"
The Titan lunged at her and she rolled quickly out of the way, letting out a loud shriek. Connie leaped into action and shouted, "Don't even think about it, you monster!" He leaped, attacking the Titan that had landed face-first into the ground. Sasha screeched, throwing herself onto him, "Connie! You saved my life! I owe you big time!" Connie helped her up and said, "You alright?" Sasha nodded frantically. Mikasa said, "Come on. Let's all refuel and get going."
The Cadets' cheers echoed through the large, empty room as they rushed to refuel and resupply. Lorraine asked gently, a grin plastered onto her face as she sat with Armin and refilled her gas canisters, "Armin? Hey. How are you feeling?" Armin smiled.
"H-honestly...pretty good. I-I can't believe that worked..."
She chuckled happily and said, "Tch. Of course it worked. It was a brilliant plan and what's more? You were the one who thought of it!" Armin smiled. Mikasa walked over, having finished refuelling, and sat next to Lorraine. Lorraine said, looking down at her gas canisters, listening for a moment to the hissing of the tank refilling, "Mikasa, I...I miss him. I know it's only been a few hours or so, but-" Mikasa wrapped her arms tightly and lovingly around Lorraine for the first time in what seemed like forever. Lorraine's eyes were wide with surprise. Mikasa said softly, "I miss him, too...but we have to keep going. We have to keep fighting." Lorraine nodded, choking back her tears.
Up on the rooftop, Cadets were preparing to scale the wall. Many had already left, but there were a few who had stayed behind to make sure everyone got out safely. Lorraine and Mikasa joined the group and were about to get going, when Lorraine noticed Mikasa. She was staring wide-eyed at the berzerk Abnormal.
The Titan growled and snarled, struggling against multiple others that were latched onto his limbs and torso. They bit off chunks of flesh, sending steam up into the air and blood splattering onto the ground. The berserk Titan let out a loud roar, straining its muscles in an attempt to escape.
"Wait," Armin said, "That Titan...th-they're eating it...?" Jean looked down and asked, "Hang on...why isn't it regenerating?" Lorraine said with a hint of sadness in her tone, "I wonder...is it unable to regenerate?" Armin sighed, "I kind of thought that...just maybe...if we could somehow figure out what's up with that one, it might have been able to help humanity's cause."
"I agree."
Mikasa drew her blades and said, "If it gets eaten, we'll learn nothing." Reiner followed suit and said, "Alright. Then, let's get rid of the ones clinging to it and help keep it alive!" Jean yelped, "A-are you nuts!? We finally have a chance to get our asses out of this hell-hole and you want to risk your lives for a Titan!?" Lorraine pleaded, "But, what if there's a chance that Titan could become a valuable ally?" Annie said in her soft, but stern voice, "Yes. If we could get that Titan to join our ranks, it would certainly be a more powerful weapon than any cannon we have." Armin pointed and exclaimed, "Look! It's the-"
ROOOOOAAAAAAAAAAGH!
Before Armin could finish his sentence, the berserk Titan let out another ear-piercing, anger-fueled roar that seemed to make the very ground tremble and sprinted towards the Abnormal. It was the one that had eaten Thomas. The Berzerk Titan threw all the other ones off, seeming to do so with the greatest of ease, and leaped onto the Abnormal's weak point, sinking his teeth into the nape of its neck, killing it instantly. As the first fell, he made quick work of the other Titans around, leaving a massacre of Titan corpses and steam. Lorraine held her hands to her ears, quivering. Jean asked as the Titan finally fell to the ground, "Damn...what did you say about saving it...?" Reiner sighed.
"Looks like it's finished for good this time. Guess it's time to get going."
Jean sneered and grumbled through gritted teeth, "As if that...that monster could ever be our ally. A Titan's a Titan-" Jean turned around to see everyone gaping, looking down at the disintegrating Abnormal. As the steam cleared, a gasp was heard from Mikasa, followed by the sound of her cables being shot out. Lorraine just stood there on the rooftop, watching in disbelief as Mikasa ran down to where Eren was slowly emerging from the Titan's weak point.
"No way. It...it's not possible... Eren...?"
Mikasa held Eren close to her, letting out a few sobs before wailing uncontrollably. Tears were streaming down her face. Lorraine collapsed to her knees, tears welling up in her eyes as Reiner and Armin shot down to help get Eren and Mikasa up to the rooftop.
"How...how is this even possible...? What the hell happened to you...?"
Mikasa was holding Eren and crying. Lorraine sat on the ground, tears streaming down her face and landing on her knees. She simply couldn't find the strength to speak. Eren was alive. How? Armin knelt down and grabbed Eren's hand. He started crying, the reality of the situation finally sinking in. Jean stared at the group, then looked back over the edge at the destruction down below.
"No way... D-does that mean...Eren...Eren did all of this...?"