Dun dun duuuun, the test mission!
ROBYN POV
It had dawned as the perfect day for a mission.
So from there… It all went downhill.
Shit, bad angle. Bad angle! I adjusted, and skimmed over the hand. That was close. One of the grasping fingers fell to my blade, and I relaunched. Better angle but still not ideal. I sped up. All I had to do was get the nape then wait on the nearby roof for my horse. Simple. No need to panic. I jus–
Fuck!
My wire was grabbed.
Trajectory ruined. Air ripped from my lungs. Body reeling after being thrown like a broken doll. Dammit. Yells sounded far off. Someone had noticed at least. Then came the other impact. Ow. I crashed through glass and wood and landed in a heap. At least it was a window, not a wall. Small mercies. My body ached, but instinct screamed at me. Move! Dust erupted all around and as I coughed and tried to think straight, I realised I had landed in a bedroom. A small bed was next to me with blankets covered in yellow flowers. Think. React. Get out of there. The Titan would have simply lost its grip, it hadn't meant to throw me. This was an opportunity to get out. And yet, with glass splintering as it toppled from my hair, my spine aching from the throw, the world still spinning, it took everything not to just vomit.
I tried to get up.
My hands pushed against the dusty floorboards, and my fingers brushed against a small toy. I paused. My eyes raked over the faded fur, the beaded eyes, the broken stitching along one shoulder. A bear. I shuddered. Had the kid gotten to safety? Or had they been devoured? Why did it matter? I swallowed. Focus.
I got up. The shouts of my comrades outside got closer as they rallied.
A hand reached through the window.
Move.
I lunged aside, grabbed the curtain pole and slammed it down through the middle of the palm, skewering the meaty fist in place. It yelled. It roared. I ran for another room, kicked the window open and whistled for my horse.
"Sanshi! Roof!"
"Got it!" I yelled back to Gunter, jumping from the window, spinning and firing my wires, launching myself onto the roof and running to the far side of where the Titan continued to struggle. It's large eyes followed me. It glared. How dare I escape?
My horse approached.
The Titan was taken down by Petra as I descended and got back onto my horse. What a mess, but one we managed to make the best of. I got back into the formation with my squad and took a second to take note of the fact I still had all my limbs. They hurt like hell, I was covered in tiny cuts from head to toe and bruised like an old apple, but everything was technically intact.
"Report." Captain Levi barked.
Gunter, Eld and Petra called back 'uninjured'.
"Just scrapes, sir!" I yelled.
"Certain, Sanshi? Seems to be a fair amount of blood coming from your head."
I took a second to do another check, but it seemed to just be an over-eager cut by my temple. My vision was fine and there was no nausea. All good. "Certain, sir! I feel fine."
"All right. Sente, explain your shitty self."
Jack's head bent lower. "Bad angle, sir!"
"No, that's what Sanshi had to deal with after your crappy manoeuvres. But she managed to adapt and make the best of it, even trapped the damn thing for Ral to take it down. Your issue was not paying fucking attention. Do that again and I'll feed you to a damn Titan myself."
"Sir!"
We rode onwards. I kept my eyes forward, but I couldn't deny how much of a thrill it was to hear the Captain praise my response. My instincts were good, I knew that. It wasn't that the confirmation was needed, but it still felt fucking great. Petra grinned at me, and so did Gunter and Oluo. Yeah guys, don't make me blush.
For another hour the mission pressed on, and it wouldn't be long till we turned back. This was a test, not only for our squad but also some tweaks the Commander was making to the formation. We had no ultimate destination in mind. It was normal to me of course, and many of the others on the squad, but I wondered how odd it felt for the likes of Captain Levi and the Commander still to be doing missions within Wall Maria. They had been on mission in the real Titan country. Beyond Maria, beyond all manner of restriction. How must that have felt? Knowing the horizon was limitless. I imagined it would be equal parts exhilarating and terrifying. To be so free, and so small.
The formation turned.
We checked our gear, our tanks, our flares. All ready for the return journey. And still, Jack kept his head low but presumably his ears alert. The mere whisper of a flare being fired, he was looking around. Perhaps a lesson had been learned. Or perhaps he was still just being on best behaviour for the Captain. Time would tell. Assuming he didn't fuck up badly enough to die in the process.
Red smoke rose to our right.
Ahead of us, in the distance, I could see the walls, I could see Trost. We were maybe two hours out at that point, so close to home, so naturally, this would be when the shit hit the fan.
Another red flare.
Then another.
And then two blacks.
Shit. My voice rose with Petras to ensure everyone was aware and as we confirmed, we passed along the message to other squads, our flares staining the sky. I supposed from that distance the Garrison would get a decent view. Hopefully they took note.
The formation sped up. So close to the walls, the horses could be pushed a little harder, and if it kept us ahead of the enemy it could save a few direct confrontations. As much as we Scouts enjoyed a brawl, if we could avoid them, we did. After all, that was a big part of the Commander's formation.
"Sir, twelve metre incoming!" Jack yelled, already shifting over to the outside, as if he was ordered to.
"Ral and Sanshi prepare to engage." The Captain barked, and Jack cursed under his breath, but didn't alter his course. "Adjust your trajectory Sente!"
"Sir, allow me to make up fo–"
"Not my focus, adjust!" The Captain bellowed, looking back with a look filled with fury.
Me and Petra readied ourselves. We would need to launch onto the thing itself as we were only near a small thicket of low trees and some low houses. Not much help. But we'd make do. I crouched and she stood; she would go for the nape, I'd take it's ankles out. Perfect. The inane grin got closer. Any second now we would launch. Any moment.
Movement appeared from the left, from amongst the buildings.
"Shit!" Gunter yelled, launching and just avoiding being devoured as his horse was crushed under the lunging mass of a ten metre.
Our horses scattered.
Me and Petra focused on the Twelve Metre as ordered, the Captain and Eld going after the smaller one.
"Fire a flare Jack!" I yelled, readying myself again, the beast almost in range, its big eyes swivelling back to us from its smaller comrade.
"You fuckin' fire it!" He snarled, launching too early, right into my path. Asshole. Moron. Whatever, we could adapt and the Captain could kick his ass later.
"Petra, swap!" I yelled.
"Got it." She called, knowing that I'd be delayed in my launch thanks to the flying moron in my way, and her path to the nape would potentially tangle with his. So if she went for the ankles, I could be a back-up for if Jack screwed things up. He was good on gear, but his attitude was where he fell short. Though admittedly, I'd never actually seen that affect his work on the field until this moment.
Jack missed. And because of that, the beast changed trajectory and Petra's strike was thrown off as well. Damn it. I launched and latched onto the shoulder. Take it out. Get back in the formation. Simple.
Jack started screaming.
I winced. Not only had he got it wrong, he got caught. I'd have hoped to just kill the thing and peel him free of the steaming fist afterwards, but no such luck. With all its wriggling, the beast's hand was far more open than the nape. Fine. I'll save this asshole first.
Slice.
Relaunch.
Jack toppled to the ground, wailing, whilst the Titan bellowed and clawed at me with it's remaining hand. Near miss. The heat from its skin wafted far too close to my head. I'd already been grabbed once, I wasn't going to let it happen again so easily. I ran along the arm, latched onto the shoulder and made for the nape. My legs burned, aching after my tumble earlier. But I kept going. Nearly there.
"Abnormal!"
Then, nothing.
Darkness closed around me. My wires whined as they retracted, cut free from their hooks by the clamped teeth. A sickening stench smothered me. Yelling erupted outside. I slid along a scalding tongue. Oh god. Fuck this. I instinctively thrust a blade up. It sliced into the top of the beast's mouth I think, at least that was my assumption. I couldn't see anything. And hearing was pretty much useless over the screeching bellows of my would-be murderer. I held on and thrust the other blade up at a different angle, kicking at the tongue with everything I had.
Keep breathing.
Keep fighting.
I trusted my team to take it down, I had to. That or this thing was barrelling away from the group and I'd eventually be swallowed, miles from the walls. Another name written on a long list. No outward mail to worry about though Commander Erwin, no one to mourn me. Well, no family anyway.
Sorry Keza.
The heat made me dizzy. My grip began to fail on the blades and I gulped as my breathing wavered. No oxygen I guess. Maybe. Hanji would be fascinated. The Captain was going to be so pissed once they got back to base; not only had Jack disobeyed orders, he rather inadvertently led to my death. Sorry Jack, but this was rather a lot your fault. Fucking moron. It was one way to decide who to have on the team though, Captain Levi couldn't exactly recruit me if I was dead.
A blade began to come loose.
Shit.
What a fucking mess…
LEVI POV
She would already be dead. He knew that. And yet he still gave chase, he still fired, he still went in despite the fact they now dealt with a damn swarm. But the big bastard had swallowed her whole. No blood. No parts left to topple to the ground. With any luck, he could get her out before the heat took her, or she drowned. Luck? Who was he trying to kid? He didn't know. All he knew was he had to get her out. Why? He had no idea.
Slice. Launch. Slice.
The team followed, supported, gave their warnings and kept the horses in range. Brilliant. He knew he had picked right with those four. His uncertainties had been Sente and Sanshi, and for very different reasons.
He sliced open the jaw on the off chance she had managed to wedge herself there before being swallowed. Most forgot such instincts in the moment, but considering how much she seemed to rely on instinct in the day-to-day, he was willing to trust. The jaw fell open. For a moment she stood struggling on the tongue, clinging to the handles of her blades, determined as ever. Then she realised there was a way out. A smile split her lips. She couldn't fire her wires, the hooks had been bitten off, so she just let herself fall. Like a boned fish she fell.
The beast howled in outrage. It grabbed her slimy figure in it's remaining fist. It caught her. It raised her to it's useless mouth. No. It wasn't happening again. He launched. He grabbed the back of her cloak and sliced the fingers free.
"C-Captain…" she choked, trying to move, to help, even now. He turned, readying to launch again and get the hell away from the beast.
But he didn't get the chance.
His own body was grabbed from behind. "Shit."
"Captain!" Ral screamed from below, giving him somewhere to aim as he dropped Sanshi's limp body. For a moment her hazel eyes opened, brow furrowing as she saw him before falling to where Ral and the others would get her out. He tried to cut himself free, only four of the bastard's fingers remaining. But the beast was sick of its prey getting away apparently. It squeezed.
"Shit…" He snarled, hacking at any part of the hand he could reach.
Snap.
Pain engulfed his side, like his ribs had been set on fire. He yelled out. He kept cutting. Finally the hand's strength gave way, but not before blood coated the back of his throat. A clumsy readjustment later he landed on the grass and shock jolted up both his legs.
Someone took the beast out. It steamed to bones beside them.
He gasped and freed himself of the grip, the meaty hand finally going fully slack. Disgusting. He looked around dazed. Sanshi was to the side, being helped by Ral to drink some water. But between the dizziness and the pain he couldn't quite tell if she was awake. But she was there at least. Not swallowed. Not lost.
Damn. He was such an idiot.
He hauled himself upright and staggered towards his horse.
"No more, sir!" Ral yelled, the world going quiet after the chaos of a swarm. All gone. All dead. "Are you all right to ride, si–?"
A purple flare struck the sky.
They looked round.
Sanshi lowered her flare gun, smiled drunkenly and then lurched to the side to vomit. Burns covered her from head to toe, her uniform in tatters, her wires snapped and gear barely hanging on. But she still smiled.
"Waggon. We need a... fucking w-wagon." She coughed and got to her feet momentarily, before flopping back down to her knees, clutching her gut and vomiting again. Heat-stroke, combined with nausea from the travel inside the damn things mouth no doubt. Perhaps even concussion. He wasn't sure. But she was awake enough to deduce the need for a waggon. And she was alive.
"Fine." He sighed, not having the energy to argue as his body throbbed and heart continued to thunder. Though gradually it calmed, the danger seeming past for now. "Ral, get my h-horse back to the walls for me. Anyone s-see Sanshi's?" He groaned, right leg and ribs definitely fractured or broken. Riding back would not have been good. Was Sanshi's condition that bad, or had she figured out his was?
"I have it, sir!" Gunter barked and a waggon came within range. "Wounded! We need transport!"
"Got space for three."
"Perfect, we only need two!"
The Captain trudged over to Sanshi and offered her a hand. She blinked up at him, still smiling in that dreamy manner that made him partly want to slap her awake, and partly want to join her in the pleased look. She had survived. Why the hell did that make his heart feel so much lighter?
Farlan would have laughed.
Hauled into the waggon, Levi lay back and watched the blue sky rush past with a few clouds skittering along. Robyn lay alongside, wrapped in Ral's cloak. The heat had abandoned her to shock. She looked pale. He occasionally peeked, unable to avoid it whenever they caught a bump, or she made a small gasp. No doubt her throat would be damaged from breathing in that steam so close.
"Sir?"
"Sanshi?" He looked to her again, finding her eyes latched onto him, her lips bright against her otherwise pallid complexion. "You should be r-resting, not talking." His own voice wavered as his ribs were jostled.
She smirked. "Indulge me?"
"Fine, Brat, what is it?"
"What's it like… beyond the walls?"
"What?" He blinked, her smile returned but the real one now. Broad, beaming, unapologetically her before she coughed and winced when another bump jostled the waggon.
She swallowed hard, and blinked slow. "B-Beyond Maria… In the real outside. Is it scary to be so small out there?"
From anyone else, he might have suspected that as a height joke, but from her, he knew better. She meant as a person in general. In the big wide possibility of a no-walled world.
She frowned and looked up, golden eyes catching the afternoon sun. "I wanna see it eventually… And not just from the top of Maria." She snorted. "Don't think that counts, does it?"
"You say it like you've seen that."
She chuckled. "Mm… tut tut tut, that would be wrong wouldn't it? Isn't that illegal or some shit?"
He couldn't help the small snort, which she seemed to miss anyway. "Are you admitting to having climbed on top of the walls, Sanshi?"
"Mm, no idea what you mean, sir." She grinned and winked in an over-the-top manner. Isabel would have adored her. "But seriously… What's it like?"
Two birds soared overhead. He sighed, trying to think back to that first moment he went beyond the walls, beyond everything that cast deep shadow and doubt. He'd never felt freer. Or smaller. A thrill and a scary as hell moment, but one that never really faded, no matter how many missions he took part in, the wonder always simmered underneath. It was how he kept going, kept fighting.
"Big, open, and yeah…" be smirked. "You feel pretty tiny out there. But… good."
"Good?" She coughed again, red seeping from the corner of her mouth. It would just be a burn on her throat. Or she had bitten her tongue. It would be fine. "Like you've accomplished something?"
"Yeah, kind of." He frowned, reaching and using his cloak to wipe her lips carefully, retracting his hand when she looked as surprised as he felt. Why had he done that? He laid back. "You realise that everyone should know the feeling. At least once."
"Wow…"
"What?"
"That's… That's such a sweet sentiment, sir." She hummed. "N-Never knew you were such a softy."
"Guess we all have our moments."
"Mm, g...guess so…" she frowned and closed her eyes. "I think I've b-burned my fucking tongue off…"
"You're talking very well for that to be the c-case." Another bump, another reminder of his ribs. He groaned and concentrated on his breathing. "Your throat will have been damaged, you should shut up, Cadet."
"You just wanna shut me up in general." She chuckled and then coughed again, curling onto her side, facing him. Her hair fell across her eyes that looked dulled by exhaustion. "Th-Thanks, sir."
"The hell for?"
"Well…" She smirked. "Saving my dumbass back there for one thing. Got chomped, freed, grabbed and nearly chomped again… Got you hurt too."
He glared. "Like I said before, Cadet, my well-being isn't your concern."
"Mn, agree to disagree."
"Stubborn brat."
She coughed. "But also thanks for telling me about the big world out there. I…" She swallowed hard and gritted her teeth, soon relaxing again as whatever pain it had been, passed. "I appreciate it, that's all."
"Mn, noted. Just fucking recover, Brat."
She nodded and her face became peaceful with sleep. Any minute they would pass under the wall, they would travel through Trost, they would soon be back to base and able to assess the damage. No doubt Shitty Glasses would be all over Sanshi, demanding to know what it had been like inside the Titan's mouth. All he hoped was that Sanshi was allowed some rest first. The cadet had fought hard. She had done well. He still had to confirm it with Ral, but it looked a lot like things got complicated out there due to Sente not following orders. If it was confirmed, that cadet had better run. Not only had he endangered the entire squad, he had been beyond stupid.
Yeah, that was why Levi had felt so much lighter. He had chosen right with Sanshi, at least.
Or had he?
He closed his eyes and concentrated on his breathing. When he saw that Titan grab at her, he felt his whole body shudder. When she avoided it, a thrill of pride ran through him. But then she was swallowed. A sickening sensation took over. It had only happened a few times before. Like seeing those Titans hone in on Isabel and Farlan all over again. Not as piercing, not as panic inducing, but just as wrong. No. She wasn't meant to go out yet, not so soon. Not before–
Before what?
They passed under the walls and he let himself drift...
Thanks for reading! A couple more update and I'll likely shift to weekly uploads. ^-^