Chapter 19
Not Good
Eren and Kara relaxed as they saw that there was no way the Female Titan could escape.
"Everyone hitch your horses a bit further on. Switch to ODM gear. I have to break away for a little while. Eld's in charge until I get back. Kara. Take my horse." Levi said. Kara took the reins as Levi stood up. He looked at the others. "Tuck Eren somewhere out of sight, away from the Female Titan." Levi shot some hooks and disappears towards the Female Titan.
"Wait what?" Eren sadi. He looked back towards the Female Titan. They're going to take her alive? Seriously?" Eren asked. Eren looked at Kara and the others. Kara gave a small smile.
"So waht do you think of us now, Eren? We managed to outsmart the damn thing!" Gunther said.
"Let this be a lesson to you, greenhorn! Don't ever underestimate the Scouts. Never again! Agreed?" Oluo said. Kara and Petra had smiles on their faces.
"Agreed!" Eren said. They rode for awhile.
'I don't think she's an abnormal. She has to be like the Colossal and Eren.' Kara thought. More weapon firing came from behind.
Jean heard the explosions in the forest.
'What the hell is going on.' Jean thought as he watched as one of the Titans had climbed up into the tree not far from them. 'I hope everything is alright.'
"What do you say we get out of the way." Jean said, looking at Armin. Armin nodded. They jumped off the branch and move to another tree away from the Titan. They looked back at the Titan. "Ugly bastard is really getting the hang of it. At this rate, he's gonna try his hand at building a damn tree house."
"The alarming thing is that this shows that they can learn. Not a pleasant thought. Of course, they probably all develop at different rates." Armin said.
"Hey, Armin. They want us keeping these Titans outta the fores right? I think I just figured out why." Jean said. Armin looked at Jean. Jean turned to look at Armin. "We're here to lure that Female Titan into a trap. C'mon. What else could it be?" Armin gasped. "It's like you said. There's a person inside it steering the thing. Commander Erwin wants to find out who."
'But if Marco was trying to warn me about Reiner, Bertholdt, and Annie. Why? Are they Titan shifters like Eren? If so, then who are they? Damn it.' Jean thought.
Kara stood on one of the branches in the forest above the horeses as Eren turned on the others.
"So that was the plan from the start? We weren't flying by the seat of our pants? Look, I'm not complaining. I get keeping it from me. But, come on! Keeping you guys in the dark? You'd think you'd eard a little more trust than that, right?" Eren asked.
"Damn, you're annoying." Oluo said.
"I hope you're not suggesting the captain kept the plan from us because he thinks we're a liability!" Petra said, slashing her sword in the air. Kara closed her eyes as she leaned against the trunk of the tree.
"I'm sorry but I am. There's just no other way it makes sense!" Eren said. Oluo turns on Eren.
"Enough of this. Petra! Knock the teeth out of his skull!" Oluo said.
"Look, I hate to say it, but he's got a point." Kara said.
"She's right." Eld said.
"Huh." Oluo said.
"For being as supposedly instrumental to the plan as we were, the Captain didn't give us much to go on." Eld said.
"So, what?" Gunther asked.
"That means he doesn't trust us. Kind of a big deal." Eld said
"C'mon, you guys. Think about it. Maybe Eren isn't the only one who can change. Maybe someone in the regiment's a Titan spy." Kara said. Everyone gasped. They stood in silence.
"A spy? Are you sure about that?" Gunther asked, looking at Kara. Kara walked down the branch.
"Not really." Kara said.
"But I'm sure the Commander believes it. He'd have to And I'll wage you anything the only people in the know on this were the survivors from five years ago." Eld said
"Of course. That's got to be it." Gunther said.
"I concur whole heartedly." Oluo said. Kara rolled her eyes. Oluo looks at Eren. "Hear that, Snivel-drop? There was a good reason."
"Right. Yes. A perfectly good reason." Petra said. Eren gasped. "It adds up. After all, in their position, it's the best way of narrowing down the list of suspects to a manageable number. Shiganshina's probably when the spy got in."
"So, you think this person's responsible for killing Sawney and Beane?" Eld asked.
"Possibly. In fact, after it happened, the Commander asked me this odd question." Petra said. Eren and Kara share looks.
"So that's what he meant. Of course." Kar said.
"If we'd known the answer to that question, he probably wouldn've let us in on what was happening today. Though, there again, I really don't think any of us could've." Eld said, putting a hand to his chin.
"Speak for yourself, my friend. I knew. I just decided to keep my own counsel. Doubtless you appreciate teh reason for my silence." Oluo said.
"Which would be?" Petra said.
"Oh, come now. Surely you all know? Dear oh dear. Perhaps I've said to much already. Well, one day, when you've reached my level of expertise..." Oluo started.
"Look, we all get that you like to pretend you're Captain Levi. But that's not how he sounds." Petra said. Eren looks down as Kara looks out into the forest. Eld looked at Eren.
"You think the Commander was wrong to leave us out of the loop?" Eld asked.
The Titan slipped off the branch and landed on the ground. Jean had told Armin about Marco and even Armin was starting to wonder.
"Well he certainly wasn't in the right. Why put so many of our lives at risk just because one of us can't be trusted? Hell, we could've smoked out the spy. Maybe saved some good people." Jean said.
"No. He did what was necessary." Armin said.
"Are you seriously trying to defend him? Do you know how many of us died so the Commander could play intrigue?" Jean asked. The Titan was trying to sit up.
"Of course I do. All I'm saying is it's easy to judge in hindsight. At the time, though, there was no way to know how things would turn out. He's a Commander, not a soothsayer. He had to act on what he had. Period." Armin said. Jean looked down at the Titan. "He had to choose: A handful of us, or all of us? What would you have done? He made a decision. He sacrificed a hundred lives for the good of mankind." Jean knew he was right.
Eld looked at Eren.
"Eren, I understand why you still have your doubts, but in time you'll come to realize, just like we all did, why Erwin Smith was entrusted to lead the Scouts and carry humanity's hope." Eld said.
"Or why even someone as cagey as Captain Levi can trust him." Petra said.
"Indeed. Live long enough and you'll understand the weight of it." Oluo said. Kara was knealing on the branch with swords across her legs.
Jean was looking at Armin.
"I may be naive, but there's one thing I know beyond all doubt. Genuine harbingers of change must be able to do what others won't dare. Sacrifice their heart. Accept the burden of doing the unspeakable. Whether we like to admit it or not, the fact is this: To rise above monsters, we have to abandon our humanity. That's the irony, really. If you can't let it go, it's not worth holding on to." Armin siad. Jean sighed. He knew Armin was right. More weapon fire comes, but it was a short one.
Kara closed her eyes as she leaned against the trunk. A sudden roar rings through the forest. Kara's eyes opened as the trees shook. She stood up.
'Is that the Female Titan? Why is she roaring?' Kara thought.
Jean and Armin gasp as Titans started running into the forsest.
"What the hell is this? They're all going in!" Jean said. Almost all the Titans were going in and ignoring them. "Why're they ignoring us all a sudden?"
'Damnit. They are heading for the centerrink. Kara.' Jean gritted his teeth. Him and Armin jump off the branch and go after the Titans.
Kara watched as Titans ran past heading for where the Female Titan was.
"Don't go after them." Eld said as Kara and Eren went to attack. Kara gritted her teeth. Just what they needed. They stood holding their breaths. Gunshots rang out and blue smoke was seen.
"That's our cue." Gunther said. Kara still felt like something wasn't going to go right. "Alright, let's saddle up! We're going home!"
"Chop Chop, runt. One would think you'd be beside yourself to get an eyeful of who's driving that gargantuan harpy." Oluo said.
"You really think they found out who it is?" Eren asked as they fueled up and stocked their weapons.
"Of course, all thanks to you!" Petra said. Eren looked at Petra.
"I didn't do anything." Eren said. Kara stood at the end and blocked out the talks.
'It's over, but I got a sick feeling we aren't out of the woods yet. Did they capture her? Or did she by chance escape.' Kara thought.
They used their hooks and started getting through the woods. Eld turned towards Oluo and Petra.
"Oluo! Petra! I gotta hand it to you both. For someone who wet tehmselves first time out, you've come a long way." Eld said. Kara snorted as Petra screamed in anger.
"I thought we agreed never to speak of it again!" Petra yelled from behind Kara, who was next to Eren.
"Whoa. Seriously?" Eren asked.
"Relax. Incidentally, I've never once pissed myself in battle." Eld said.
"How dare you! I have the highest kill count of anyone on the damn squad! Argh! imbecile!" Oluo said.
"You wanna hide that stain behind your kill counts, be my guest." Eld said.
"Is this normal?" Eren asked, looking at Kara.
"Sadly, yes." Kara said with a smirk.
"So did it, like rain down on everyone midair, or what?" Eren asked, earning a laugh from Kara.
"Enough! No one cares who pissed who's pants! Focus the job at hand! For the record, my shorts have always been dry." Gunther said. A gunshot rang out and green smoke was spotted. "Stow the chatter til we're home. We'll rendezvous with Levi shortly." Gunther landed on a branch and shot off a green smoke signal. They continued on. Someone came alongside them. Kara saw swords drawn and hood up.
"Captain Levi?" Gunther asked. Kara looked at the person and eyes widen. That wasn't Levi. The person spun in the air and slashed at Gunther. Everyone gasped as Gunther hit the tree and hung in the air. He wasn't moving.
"Gunther! You okay? What happened? Talk to me!" Eren called as they got closer. Kara and Eren gasped. His eyes were unstaring.
"Kara. Whatever happens. Don't leave Eren's side!" Eld said.
"Sir." Kara said.
"Keep moving!" Oluo said. Eren and Kara quickly move out of the way.
"We're just leaving him?" Eren said as he and Kara looked back at Gunther. A person came out with a hood over their face. Kara gasped.
"Who is that?" Petra asked.
"Keep them away from Eren!" Eld said.
"Damn it. Hey, Eld. What're we doing, huh?" Oluo asked.
"There isn't time to get the horses. Make for HQ at full speed!" Eld said. Kara pulled the trigger to make herself go faster. Kara watched as the person disappeared into the trees.
'Is that the Female Titan? What the hell?' Kara thought as the person disappeared. 'Damn it. I thought we captured her.' Everyone was watching, holding their breath. Kara gasped as a yellow light comes from behind them.
"Shit." Kara said.
"No time to lose! Move it!" Eld shouted. The Female Titan bursts out of steam. "She's coming for us!" The Female Titan charges towards the Levi Squad.
"Damn you. Not again!" Eren said. He turns in the air. "I'll kill you! I swear I will!" Eren goes to bite.
"No. Don't." Eld said. Eren looks at Eld. "We got this! The three of us can handle her! Kara. Get Eren out of here and back to base! Go! Now!"
"I can fight her to." Eren said.
"So can I!" Kara said.
"Just go. This is our best course of action! We can not afford to put you at risk!" Eld said.
"Have you learned nothing. After all this, you still doubt our skills?" Oluo said.
"Is that true, Eren? I thought you had faith in us. That you trusted us!" Petra said. Eren gritted his teeth. The Female Titan was gaining on them. Eren lowered his land.
"I have faith in the Levi squad. Good luck!" Eren called.
"Let's go." Kara said. Kara and Eren sped ahead. The Levi squad turns towards the Female Titan. Eren and Kara look back. Eld attacks and dodges her attacking him. Petra and Oluo came in, attaching to her face. They slash her face. Eren gasps. The Female Titan falls back, defending her nape, landing next to a tree. Eren and Kara land on a branch to watch as the Levi Squad goes in and starts slashing at the Female Titan till both arms fell.
"They did it." Eren said. Kara studied the Titan.
'No. I don't think so.' Kara thought.
"Say goodbye to your nape." Eld said. Kara gasped as the Female's eye opens and she opens her mouth and bites into Eld.
"No!" Kara yelled.
"Eld!" Petra yelled. Kara jumps off the branch and shoots towards them. Eren stood in shock. Petra moves to get out of the way.
"How? She can see again? That's impossible! It hasn't even been thirty seconds." Petra said. The Female Titan looks towards Petra and Kara's eyes widen.
'One eye? She channeled her energy into one eye!' Kara said as the Femal Titan charged at Petra.
"Petra!" Oluo said as Petra screams. The Female Titan uses her foot to slam Petra into the wall. Kara felt tears forming as she got closer. Oluo goes for the nape but when she slashes he hits crystal on the Female Titans neck. Kara screams as the Female Titan kicks Oluo out of the air.
"Bitch. Your going to pay." Kara yelled. The Female Titan turns and reaches for her. Kara slashes the hand. She hooks on the tree and pushes off. She aims for face, but is grabbed out of the air. She cries out as she is squeezed and feels her ribs crack. She looks up and gasps. The Female Titans eyes seemed to widen at the sight of Kara. Kara felt her heart almost sink when she saw blonde and blue eyes. She knew right away who it was and who was in control of the Titan.
"Annie." Kara whispered. The Female Titan tosses her hard. Kara hit the ground and rolled till her head hits a tree.
"Kara!" Eren yelled. Kara saw black spots as a gold light fills the forest and Eren's Titan roar splits the air as darkness took Kara.
An: And I end it there. No killing the writer. LOL. Till next time.