Day 28, Ehrmich.
Floch split off from his squad for a brief time, heading over to the wall facing the capital Mitras to survey the horizon for any movement with a telescope in hand. He dangled his feet as he sat on the edge, his Survey Corps jacket folded by his side, eyes trained on the hill far off in the distance. Setting the telescope aside, he sighed, leaning back on his hands to stare at the morning sky. His thoughts drifted to the situation in the capital and then to Jean and the others in Stohess.
If everything went according to plan, Rico Brzenska would currently be issuing orders to Jean and his group to begin infiltrating Stohess's government facilities and take it over from the inside like they had done yesterday. Floch could only hope that they managed to pass the test he had set up. Call him paranoid, but betrayal often came from those he trusted the most in the past.
Rico Brzenska was different; she shared his pragmatism and critical thinking. Eren had pointed him to her early on, and for good reason. She never nodded along to all the nonsense the Junta was doing in those four years leading up to the rumbling, she saw it all for what it was, desperate fools making the wrong decisions to the detriment of many. Without her help and connections, it would have been much harder for him to have gained the massive support he had from the disgruntled Garrison.
In any case, he'd find out if it all worked out either tonight or the day after and work his way from there.
"Hey dumbass, what do you think you're doing up here?!"
Floch's eyes widened in bewilderment as his head snapped in the direction of the voice behind him. Startled, the female Garrison soldier noticed the big scout patch on the jacket beside him before backing down. "Uhm, nevermind, carry on." Floch watched her retreat with a frozen expression, his mouth slightly agape as she walked away. Moments later, he released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, his shoulders sagging.
Why did he just think that...
"Hey, we've got people inbound from the north!"
Floch turned around at the sound of the spotters nearby, seeing small dots way off in the distance. He raised his telescope and found several carriages headed their way, his jaw tightening before he lowered the thing and stood up to race back to headquarters.
The MPs were here.
Six carriages entered the city, troopers on horseback guarding the convoy. Gradually, they slowed and came to a halt inside the courtyard of the HQ. Soldiers stepped out, while others stood guard. Floch, Mylius, Mina, and several other scouts and anti-government Garrison troops awaited them inconspicuously in stolen MP uniforms. A high-ranking officer from the convoy approached the man in charge of the HQ, who had been coerced into cooperation by the scouts. "Good morning, Captain. We're here on official orders from the capital to retrieve Erwin Smith and any other high-ranking Survey Corps officer in your custody."
"I-I see... There might be issues in that regard, I'm afraid," the man replied tensely, unbeknownst to them, a pistol was pressed against the small of his back from behind.
The officer raised a brow. "Issues? Like what?"
"Like this, for example."
Suddenly, Floch stepped forward, pointing a gun at the man's head. Two other scouts joined him by pointing their rifles at the men accompanying the MP closely behind.
"W-what are you-?!"
The MPs were shocked. Some froze, some reached for their rifles. Before things could escalate, they found themselves surrounded, guns aimed from every direction. The roofs, the windows, the entrance behind them, everywhere. Encircled in the courtyard, they began to surrender as the scouts called for them to drop their weapons.
Erwin emerged from the entrance to the HQ, descending the stairs until he faced the officer in charge. "Morning. As of this moment, we'll be taking all of you as prisoners of war. Please try not to make a fuss. You're not in a position to resist any orders we give you."
The MP swallowed hard, then turned to his men who had yet to comply. "D-drop your weapons... fools..."
"You made the right choice," Erwin said, a brief smile touching his lips. "Take them to the cells and strip them of their uniforms," he ordered his men, who swiftly moved in to apprehend the captives, confiscating their jackets and any important items in the process.
Floch holstered his pistol before turning to the commander. "Are you sure about this, sir? Heading over there yourself?"
The commander spared the redhead a glance from the corner of his eyes before nodding. "Yes, they will be expecting me. Best not to keep them waiting. Head over to your squad leader. I've assigned you new orders. You'll be making your way to Stohess to secure the city tonight."
"Yes, sir," Floch replied with a salute before turning around to head inside with Mina and Mylius, meanwhile, the scouts behind him began rounding up and moving the prisoners to the cells.
"Busy day today, huh?" he remarked, making small talk with the two as they walked.
"You can say that again," Mylius replied. "I'm not sure you could even call what we had sleep. Barely had a wink after we rounded up all the remnants left scattered around the town yesterday."
"Some of them tried putting up a fight, didn't end well..." Mina added weakly, her tone betraying her exhaustion. "There's going to be more of this, isn't there?" she asked somberly.
"Like I said, this isn't going to be a clean separation, not after what happened to the premier," Floch said. "They're willing to kill for their own ideals, no matter how twisted, and that makes them dangerous. But they'll never win, because unlike us, they're not willing to put down their lives for that cause."
He came to an immediate halt, causing the two behind him to startle. Mylius looked at Mina as if she had grown a second head. Floch kept staring ahead without meeting their gaze at first, increasing their nervousness. Then, he turned around and looked her dead in the eyes coldly, causing their hearts to skip a beat, the temperature dropping around them. He walked up to her, towering over the black-haired girl as she began to panic at the proximity.
"That makes them weak, vulnerable, they're holding onto a dream that's slipping from their fingers and we're ripping it away. If you ever feel doubt about what we're doing, remember that Thomas, Samuel and Franz died because of them and what's coming for those that oppose us is nothing short of retribution. Count on that."
That deranged glint in his eyes went away, replaced by a disarming smile, warm and reassuring. "So that eases your concerns, right?" Floch said as he patted her on the head. "Well, I trust that the two of you can take this to heart. If that's all, we should get going!"
With that, he turned around and kept walking, leaving the two to wonder what had just happened. Mina for her part looked on the verge of tears, but hastily composed herself.
"What in the hell was that about?" Mylius asked, puzzled. "He was like a completely different person."
When they regrouped with Nanaba and the rest inside, The blonde woman gave a curious look at the way the two kept their distance from Floch but brushed it off. She turned her attention back to Hange who sat at the head of the office previously belonging to an MP officer.
"Good, you're here," Hange said, turning to them. "I trust our guests outside were taken care of without any complications, judging by how quiet it is."
"They were," Floch confirmed. "Commander Erwin will be shortly taking his leave to the capital."
"Then we should prepare to leave soon. Stohess isn't going to capture itself at this rate," Nanaba remarked, turning back to Hange. "We'll rejoin your squad to secure the transfer by the time we're finished over there."
Floch raised a brow at that, were they talking about Bertholdt?
"Understood, we'll take our leave quickly as well," Hange nodded. "I haven't heard back from the men stationed at the hideout for the last twenty four hours, but things should be okay. We'll be bringing Bertholdt to Utgard as soon as you send confirmation about Stohess's status," she added as she began to leave with Moblit in tow. "In the meantime, we'll guard the area until further notice!"
"Good luck," Nanaba replied.
"Likewise, break some legs out there for me!" Hange grinned before dragging the startled Moblit out of there. "Come on! Stop burning daylight Moblit! How often do you get to see someone being eaten by a titan for science?! This has been a long time coming, I can't wait!"
"S-section commander!" Moblit cried out before the door was slammed shut behind them. Floch frowned at that before turning to Nanaba. She gazed in his direction and gave a small shrug.
Off to Stohess it is then.
Stohess
She couldn't take it anymore. Another day confined to this stuffy room inside this trashy neighborhood, and she might just go insane. Ymir growled in frustration, hastily throwing on her cloak. Pausing at the door, she found Reiner standing in her way. Annoyance flashed in her eyes as she stared at him, willing him to move.
"Where are you heading off to, Ymir?" Reiner's voice held a hint of concern.
"I'm not going to run away, if that's what you're thinking," she retorted. "This place is getting too cramped. I need some fresh air, away from these shitty fucking slums."
Reiner didn't seem to doubt her intentions. He glanced sideways at Annie. "Well, at least that makes two of us."
Ymir craned her neck, shooting a skeptical glance at the blonde. Annie narrowed her eyes at Reiner before feigning disinterest, burying herself in a book at the table. "Whatever. You two can head out, just keep an eye on her, and don't attract any attention. That shouldn't be too hard, right?"
"I can hear you clearly," Ymir muttered.
"Let's just go." Reiner shifted his attention away from Annie, urging Ymir outside and closing the door behind them. Annie turned to gaze out the window at the city, her eyes tracing the walls in the distance and then drifting to the sky. She sighed and returned her focus to the book she had read three times already, muttering to herself.
"I don't want to be here either, you know?"
The duo strolled through town aimlessly, evading any MP patrols they encountered along the way. Eventually, they found themselves walking uphill to a secluded area overlooking the richer districts of Stohess. In the heart of it all stood the Military District HQ. Ymir leaned against the balustrade, her eyes scanning the scenery before her, her mind slowly drifting to thoughts of the coming days.
She felt like she knew what she wanted to do. There was nothing that could justify him deceiving her to this extent, was there? It felt like it should be pretty cut and dry. All she had to do was listen to his excuses, find where they were keeping Krista, and get out of there. Shouldn't be too hard, right?
"Ymir."
She was subtly startled, pulled away from her thoughts by Reiner leaning against the balustrade next to her. She looked up at him, searching his curious gaze. "I've been meaning to ask for a while now."
She tilted her head in question. "Hmm?"
"What is it you know about Floch exactly?"
Her eyes widened slightly as she turned away from him to ponder. She sucked in a breath, gathering her thoughts. "Well... I know he's not who he says he is... Back then, my initial impression of him was that he was... motivated. There was this fire in his eyes behind all that sulking he did in the barracks and the mess hall. At first, I figured he was just someone with a stick up their ass who's too busy trying to impress those around him to realize he's out of his depth, but that wasn't it."
Her gaze softened. "Everything he said and did had purpose. You just couldn't help but go along with it. That fucker's a dangerous smooth talker. You don't really realize it until it's too late." She suddenly snickered. "Dumbass also has quite the vindictive streak. He took Bertholdt's words to heart the day he fought with Annie and sabotaged him during our exams at the first chance he got."
"Heh... So that was his doing? Bertholdt was furious that night, he couldn't understand why his equipment fell apart randomly." Reiner chuckled.
"We sure learned that the hard way, didn't we?" Reiner continued to chuckle to himself. Ymir looked at him curiously, only to realize he was clutching his face, barely holding back the rage and agony. "I mean, who the hell walks up to his sworn enemies and casually admits he knows who they are? He took us off guard so much that we handed him our asses on a silver platter without much thought, it made sense at the time."
"Sucks to suck." Ymir shrugged, taking a heavy breath. "I'm starting to feel the same, however."
Reiner calmed down a little, sighing. "Then that brings me to the next question." He turned to gaze at the side of her face. "What do you intend to do after you speak to him?"
She frowned, tensing a little. "I... have no clue."
"You can't seriously expect he'll welcome you back with open arms, right? I know it's not ideal, but we're one of the few allies you have left here. Besides... I know I previously told you that you're likely to be killed when we leave the island, but I believe there's a way to avoid that."
Ymir's brows shot up a little as she looked at him curiously. "How so?"
His eyes hardened. "Eren. He's the one we've been sent here to this island to bring back. If we can capture him, we can negotiate for your life and integrate you into the army. There won't be any guarantees, but I believe if I put in a word for you with the war chief, then it can be done."
"How lovely. I'll go fetch him right now," Ymir said, rolling her eyes and averting her gaze.
"I'm serious, Ymir," Reiner insisted. "Floch might have been someone you trusted for the last couple of years, but you haven't seen his true nature. What makes you so sure he won't set up an ambush the day you two meet?"
Ymir narrowed her eyes dangerously at the thought. He was right about that. Nothing guaranteed she wouldn't be walking into a trap. She considered Reiner's words and searched her memories, hoping to remember any important detail about him.
Ymir hadn't felt this rigid since turning back from being a mindless titan, frozen by the intense gaze of those amber eyes. His features considerably darkened, and Ymir felt her breath caught in her throat. He clenched his fists and looked visibly enraged at the memories that flooded his mind.
That was probably the first time she felt something from him, something akin to fear.
"If you ever wondered why I'm adamant on doing what I do, It's because of what happened that day. After having to crawl my way into these walls. I swore that I'll get my revenge on them. Someway, somehow."
Floch paused for a second, eyes cast downward with a thousand yard stare.
Those eyes... they weren't the eyes of a liar, he wasn't making any of that up, she could tell... so why did none of it make any damn sense? Everything pointed to him having lived a sheltered life, why the hell did it look like death and misery reflected off of those damned eyes?
"Say, you inherited those powers a little over four years ago correct? Wouldn't that mean you have less than nine years left?" Ymir went quiet at that, as Floch placed his hand on her shoulder. "Being burnt at the stake or slowly rotting from the inside out, It's all the same right?" He smiled disarmingly, making her skin crawl with apprehension.
"Firstly, I'll remind you that our agreement was merely to guard each other's secrets, if you can show me that our interests align beyond Krista then I would be more inclined for us to work together." Floch said, removing the grip she had on his collar. "I can work around not having your assistance yet here we are, what does that tell you?"
It told her that he was toying with her, those moments... made her feel so small in comparison to him, like she was nothing beyond a mere tool for him to further his goals. It made her feel... insignificant. Was there ever a moment where he had been honest with her, as she had been with him all this time? The only time she could think of a such instance was when he exhibited his seething hatred for Marley and the warriors.
Floch's tone and demeanour shifted into that of disappointment. "You're still that same little kid, stubborn and naive, unable to handle the truth. I don't blame you though, I made the mistake of setting my expectations too high."
Her eyes hardened as she pushed herself off of the balustrade. Her mind seemingly made up, she turned to Reiner. "I know enough to not make the same mistakes again... I'll go along with whatever he says, but the second I find out where Krista's being kept, I'll stop at nothing to tear him apart and get the hell off this damned island."
Reiner returned her gaze, nodding with something akin to approval. "Then we'll have your back, and in return, we rescue Bertholdt and retrieve Eren as well."
The two were suddenly alerted to the presence of soldiers behind them and quickly slipped away. As they descended the steps of a shady alley, Ymir hastily rounded a corner, only to nearly bump into someone. She took a step back, coming face to face with a woman in glasses and platinum blonde hair. The two paused, before the woman squinted her eyes at her.
"Watch where you're going," a disgruntled man spoke up behind the woman, while the woman kept shooting her strange looks.
"Right, we'll be on our way," Ymir replied tensely, unnerved by the looks she was receiving. "Come on, let's go." She turned to Reiner, and the two hastily walked away from there.
Rico Brzenska stared at Ymir and Reiner's retreating backs curiously. Something felt awfully familiar about that freckled girl; she just couldn't put her finger on it. Before long, one of her squadmates called out to her, and she put aside that train of thought, focusing back on the path towards the staging area for tonight's operation.
She could only hope those kids within the MP pulled through for them.
The underground
Eren looked out the window, observing the street below crowded with refugees, starkly distinct from the city dwellers. This place was a cesspool of crime, corruption, and degeneracy, and it was only a matter of time until things turned sour for all involved. He tore his gaze away, meeting Historia's eyes as he walked over to sit opposite to her at the table.
"The others have been gone for an entire day now. I figured they'd be back, but... guess we just have to wait some more," he told her. She nodded in response.
"They'll be fine, I'm sure of it," she muttered, her arms resting on the table as she avoided his gaze with a jaded expression.
Eren's lips thinned as he studied her features. "Still haven't made up your mind?" he asked, noticing her clenched fists.
"Easier said than done. Nothing feels like it's the right choice, I can't stop overthinking myself to death." she replied, frowning.
"You need to quit torturing yourself over this, because nobody will choose for you but you. You can either do this or not. Either way, I'm not the one who will make that decision. You just have to live with the consequences yourself later on," he answered bluntly. His eyes narrowed softly. "I can promise you that whatever you choose, I'll stand by your choice and make things work out even if the others don't agree with it. It'll just help speed things up if you simply made a decision here and now so I can know for certain what needs to be done tomorrow."
She considered his words, her face slowly twisting into an expression of fear and uncertainty. "I'm just... scared. It's all happening so quickly. My father... I haven't seen him in so long. I have no idea why he did the things he did, and I'm afraid I'll never know for certain, same with Ymir. And now I'm expected to replace him? I'm scared nothing will change, that I'll just always end up doing what somebody else tells me to."
Eren really wanted to reach out and grab her hand to assure her, but he feared the consequences. However, seeing her so desperate and lost, he decided to bite the bullet and do it regardless. He took her hand in his and squeezed with reassurance. She looked at him with a surprised expression as her bottom lip quivered. Just as he thought nothing would happen, a rush of electricity and a blinding light took hold of him.
He found himself deep in the dark, within the depths of a forest, the light from the sun barely reaching where he stood as he hovered behind a tree, watching outside the treeline in the distance. There, in the light, beneath the blood orange sky, he saw two people, one being carried on the other's back, both covered in blood, one missing their leg.
Eren's eyes widened as he was brought right back into the moment. That was... Floch and Ymir. He was certain of it. When was that? Did that mean Floch wasn't going to... His eyes narrowed darkly. What the hell was the meaning of that vision? He felt rage bubbling within him, before remembering he was in the room with Historia, his patience wore thin, maybe if he hadn't became what he was now, he'd have been more understanding but-
"Eren?"
"You really never felt like having revenge on this world that wronged you and taking matters into your own hand? You, Floch and I... What did you think all three of us agreed to that night?"
She paused, grappling with her thoughts. Where was this coming from?
"Tell you what, I still won't pick for you but I can layout the options you do have. You can turn this one chance down and admit defeat, run away somewhere far from here, live out the rest of your days with your own notions of peace and certainty knowing those who wanted that life for you won in the end." He started, and she subconsciously leaned in, absorbing his words with a troubled expression.
"Or, you can stop pointlessly agonizing over this entire thing. You may think Floch is a shithead but at least he's right about something, your father doesn't give a fuck about you, and those in his circle would rather see you dead in a ditch than in hiding. Why grant them that wish? Why should you give up your name? Your life? Why even consider such a stupid option?" He accused, his eyes flashing with anger. "Fight, that's the only real option on the table. Fight for your freedom, for yourself, for your name. Take back power over your damn life, and don't listen to anyone else, who gives a shit if you're the worst girl in the entire world? You're you, and no matter what anyone else thinks or tells you, you'll still be you."
He rose to depart, shooting her a final glance over his shoulder. "So, who are you?" before leaving to vent his frustration.
Meanwhile, Historia stared at the now-empty space, her mind whirring with his words. She glanced down at her hands, understanding his message all too well. It wasn't the first time she heard it, and yet, only now did she consider it truthfully.
Her resolve solidified, and she made her choice.
"Our Actions Right Now Will Affect The Lives Of Hundreds Of Thousands Of People! What's More Important? That, Or Getting Lost In Some Sort Of Ridiculous Delusion?" - Reiner Braun 850 AD, To Connie Springer after reaching the ruins of Ragako.
SC Hideout within Wall Rose.
Squad Hange arrived at the outskirts of the hideout, dismounting their horses and securing them to nearby trees before heading towards the front entrance of the safehouse nestled on the cliffside overlooking the river. Moblit finished tying his horse and joined Hange as they approached the door. Hange hesitated, casting a skeptical glance towards the treeline before shaking off her concerns and knocking on the door.
After a few moments with no response, she turned to the group with a puzzled expression. "Did they leave?"
Nifa shook her head. "No, the horses are tied at the side of the building. They should be here."
Moblit narrowed his eyes, inspecting the interior through a nearby window. "Doesn't look like anyone's home..."
Hange tensed, fearing the worst. "Keiji, Abel, break the door down. We're going in."
"Yes, ma'am!" they replied in unison.
Just as Keiji was about to kick down the door, it swung open, revealing a startled Survey Corps officer carrying a bloodied sack on his shoulders. Sandra and the others breathed a collective sigh of relief upon recognizing him as the man who had issued their capes when they first joined the regiment. "Section commander?"
Hange looked surprised. "Luke? Why didn't you answer sooner?"
Luke appeared guilty for a moment. "Sorry, we were..." He gestured towards the sack. "Didn't hear you knocking."
Hange let out a relieved exhale before bustling inside. "Don't scare me like that! So inconsiderate. Anyway, I need to check on Bertholdt. It's been a while."
As the group waited outside, Moblit turned to Luke. "Anything strange happening around here lately?"
Luke placed the sack against the wall and wiped his brow, shrugging. "Not that I can tell. Some of the guys are paranoid about critters near the treeline, but I've been on clean-up duty twice and haven't seen or heard anything. Cutting off so many limbs just stresses you out I suppose. When are we going to be done with this?"
"Soon, our forces are almost going to capture the capital," Keiji replied.
Luke brightened up at that. "No kidding? About time!"
"Excuse me..."
The group turned to Ruth, who looked on nervously at being the center of attention. "Are you sure it's animals the others have been hearing? It was unusually quiet on the way here... I grew up in the wilderness in Wall Maria, and if it's this quiet, that usually means..."
"Aghhhhh!"
The group jumped at Hange's frustrated groan as she stormed back outside, pouting at them. "He's totally unresponsive. I spoiled him too much."
"Section commander, you make remarks that make me question your humanity!" Moblit stuttered, unsettled.
"Hmm? Why the odd looks anyway? Is something wrong?" She glanced around curiously.
"Well, Private Klein was just voicing a few concerns about our surroundings." Abel started.
"I see, I do have to ask, why haven't you sent an update for the last twenty-four hours?" Hange turned to Luke who looked puzzled.
"What do you mean? We sent out a pigeon just yesterday—" Luke replied but Hange briefly tuned him out, noticing something in the distance.
Her eyes widened as a shot rang out.
*BANG*
Everything froze as a bullet pierced Hange's skull. She crumpled to her knees, gravity pulling her down abruptly before falling face-first into the dirt. The scouts reacted immediately, scattering as Moblit's cries pierced the air. "HANGE!"
Suddenly, a volley of gunfire erupted from the treeline, showering the hideout with bullets. Luke and Abel were struck as they tried to take cover, falling dead next to Hange as the rest rushed inside. Gordon leaned against the wall, clutching his wounded shoulder, while Hannah hurried to stop the bleeding.
"Abel! Hange!" Nifa shouted from behind cover, but the two remained unresponsive.
"Fuck, we're surrounded!" Keiji called out, returning fire with his musket.
Sandra crawled to the doorway, where a rifle's tip protruded through the threshold. She grabbed it, then crawled to another window, spotting a figure attempting to rush their flank. Breaking part of the window with the barrel of the musket, she took aim and waited. Seconds later, as the man drew closer, she pulled the trigger, striking him in the center mass and ending his advance.
They all collectively heard the windows in the floor below shatter, eliciting horrified looks among them. Their enemies had ODM gear and had breached the lower floor where Bertholdt was kept. Moblit patted Keiji on the shoulder, and the two headed for the door leading downstairs as Nifa took his place to cover the entrance. Keiji kicked the door down, sending it sliding down the stairs, and immediately encountered an unmarked man in ODM gear wielding strange weapons.
Both men aimed simultaneously. Keiji's shot struck the man's throat, but the gunfire directed at him sent multiple projectiles in his direction. Some pierced his gas canisters, igniting him in a volatile reaction. Moblit hissed as the flames licked at his face, burning off some of his hair.
"Shit, shit, shit! Aghh! AGGGHHHH! AGHHHHGHGHGH!" Keiji cried out in horror as he caught fire, thrashing wildly in panic.
"Keiji! Stop and drop!" Moblit shouted as he rushed to put him out, but Keiji was beyond reason, Moblit was forced to the ground as bullets whizzed past his head.
In his frantic state, Keiji rushed outside toward the concentrated gunfire. Nifa and Moblit tried to stop him, but he slipped away before they could intervene. They watched in horror as he was gunned down, leaving nothing but a charred corpse on the front lawn. Gritting her teeth, Nifa fired wildly at the treeline.
"Hannah, help them! I'll hold this position," Gordon instructed, grabbing her arm.
She frowned, having finished wrapping the wound. "Don't die."
He nodded, then rose to his knees to peek outside from the right flank. Spotting two men hiding behind a low rock fence, he took out his pistol and aimed. A shot grazed one man's cheek, forcing them into cover. "Shit..." Gordon muttered, ducking down to reload.
Moblit surveyed the scene. With only seven of them left against an unknown number of enemies, their situation was extremely fucking dire. Their only option now was to retrieve Bertholdt and escape into the river with their ODM gear. Shit, he couldn't call for Nifa to come help as that would put her in the line of fire.
"Sandra, with me to the basement! The rest of you hold your positions!"
As Sandra swiftly crawled her way to Moblit, the last remaining guard took her place, and returned fire before ducking into cover. Ruth trembled slightly as she scanned for targets, while Nifa hugged the wall, feeling the vibrations from the barrage of bullets. The situation felt overwhelming, she glanced at her dwindling ammunition, realizing she only had a couple of shots left before she'd be completely empty. Her thoughts turned to Hange's new pistol, confiscated from the enemy in Dauper. However, retrieving it from Hange's lifeless body seemed like a death sentence.
With cautious determination, Moblit descended the stairs, pistol at the ready, while Sandra provided support from behind. His gaze fell upon the fallen man at the bottom of the stairs, scanning the contraption he wore. Slowly rounding the corner, he peered down the sights of his pistol, only to come face-to-face with two men crouched behind barrels. Ducking back into cover as bullets tore through the wall, decimating large chunks of it.
Moblit assessed the situation. Four simultaneous shots fired, he noted, then his attention shifted to the dead man's peculiar apparatus. In a moment of clarity, Moblit's mind kicked into gear. He observed the two gun barrels beneath the fallen man's wrists, unlike anything he had encountered before.
With swift decision-making, he seized the opportunity. Objects clattered to the floor as he prepared to act. Spotting a thigh sticking out of cover in the midst of reloading, Moblit took aim and fired, the shot connecting with a sickening squelch. A guttural scream pierced the air as the injured man leaned out of cover to clutch his wound, offering Moblit a clear shot to silence him permanently through the head.
As he slumped against the cobblestone, Moblit dragged the other lifeless body closer, his hands moving methodically to inspect the mysterious weapon. Noticing the dual triggers, Moblit hesitated briefly before testing their functions. With a click, one trigger remained inactive, while the other activated the ODM hook with surprising precision. A sense of revelation washed over him as he dropped the dead man's hand.
"They can only fire these things twice even at the same time, before they're forced to reload." He told her, before studying the contraption. "It's connected to the ODM chasis itself so I can't rip it out, also it means they can only fire in the direction they're hooking to."
"T-that doesn't seem like it was made with titans in mind..." Sandra noted, horrified.
"I'm gonna bait out his shot, as soon as he fires you take him down, got it?" Moblit said as the brunette nodded frantically.
"Three, two, now!" He signaled in a hushed tone.
Moblit rushed forward, dolphin-diving into the cover of a protruding wall as the man took the bait. Sandra immediately followed, using her musket to rip a hole through the man's chest, sending him dead to the ground. The two pressed on through the corridor, with one more room standing between them and Bertholdt. Moblit pushed the door open, only for it to be peppered with more gunfire from the other side.
"Shit! Don't tell me!" Moblit cried out, realizing they already had Bertholdt and the titan serum.
Suddenly, more men entered through the windows, effectively sandwiching them in a tiny corridor of death. Moblit glanced at Sandra beside him as time seemed to grind to a halt. They needed to get out of there. In a split second, he kicked off the floor and grabbed a nearby chair, using it to shatter the window before tackling Sandra and leaping off the side of the cliff, the wall where she crouched moments ago being showered with gunfire.
"We're leaving! Get out of there!" Moblit cried out to the remaining people above.
Nifa and the others heard him loud and clear. She fired one last shot at the treeline before making her way to the window overlooking the river, directing the privates to jump. Gordon went first, followed by Hannah. The remaining guard was about to join them when suddenly, a man in ODM flew in through the window and kicked him to the floor. Keeping him pinned with his foot, the intruder shot him point-blank in the back of the head, splattering his brains across the wooden floor.
Ruth, who had been right next to him, stared up at the intruder in frozen horror, her hand trembling as she held the pistol up to his face, but she couldn't bring herself to shoot. The man noticed her hesitation and was briefly shocked before leveling his gun at her face. Before he could pull the trigger, Nifa struck him in the temple, dropping him dead on the floor. She grabbed the distressed girl and dragged her out of harm's way.
The remaining men and women rushed to the windows and the edge of the cliff. Those with muskets fired at the scouts' retreat, while those armed with short-range weapons followed in pursuit. Traute Caven slowly made her way inside, stepping over Hange's lifeless body and entering the room to survey the aftermath. A man rushed up from the basement, handing her a vial of liquid.
"Status?" she asked.
"We found the captured titan shifter, and that vial of liquid was in the room with him. The rest of the enemy squadron has fled east to the nearby forest, but our men are hot on their tail."
Caven nodded before pivoting on her heels. "Bring the shifter to the nest. Find and eliminate the rest."
"And the bodies, ma'am?"
She looked down at Hange Zoe's body, blood staining the dirt, mingling with that of the other fallen. Giving it a disdainful shove with her foot, she sneered and walked away.
"Not our problem, let them rot."
And end!
First major character death, wooo!
If you're wondering about that vision Eren had of Floch and Ymir, I just wanted to finally say, It's been a year and a half now, but if you look at the artwork I added last year to chapter 4 (on the ArchivesOfOurown version of the story) you can notice a fun little easter egg if you zoom in on the background behind Floch and Ymir. Nobody ever noticed that lol. Hint: It's on the left side. Make what you will of those implications.
So yeah, I guess nobody is surprised the interior police ambushed the scouts and took Bertholdt right? And more importantly, Hange's dead as hell, that should put some shock into the factor. Eren's pissed about Floch being a softy, Historia is one last shove away from gaming time and Erwin is finally crossing the rubicon. Rico, Jean and Marco are about to takeover Stohess where Floch is currently headed with his squad and the warriors are about to be mixed up in that shit soon. wow, so much stuff to keep up with, Uberkreisler how do you do it?!
Now that I'm finished tying up all the inner-thoughts and current motivations of the prominent characters, It's about time they finally started to clash. The MPs may have secured a victory but that doesn't mean the war's over, and in a way, capturing the capital also doesn't end the war. The underground will be the next to reach a boiling point, and it's there that Historia will have to make the first important decision of her life in a string of many other decisions.
Of course, this time around the scouts won't be delivering Eren and Historia to Rod Reiss with the help of the reeves company. They have enough evidence to suspect they might foil such a plan as was the case in the manga. (In the manga there wasn't a chase scene or sleeping darts)
Ymir finally made up her mind, and she seems to have reached the same conclusions as Floch. Of course, those who pick up on the subtle hints know that Annie and Reiner won't just sit idly on the side as they potentially allow Ymir to be convinced to rejoin the other side, so you'll definitely see the result of that soon.
Other than that, there's been quite a few deaths this chapter, that should be a regular occurence from now on, not even core characters are safe so you have been warned haha!
anyway thanks for reading, see ya later!