In retrospect, she should have been more vigilant.
Perhaps it was the audacity with which he had challenged the strict directives they were forced to uphold. The way he nearly had them convinced they were on the same side, and not another island devil. A man who led a herd of sheep through the depths of hell, one who shed blood and snatched broken souls from the icy grip of death. How could someone like that betray his own?
She couldn't see it.
Or maybe, it was her yearning for an easy way out. It did seem too convenient, too generous of him, but she didn't press it further. So now that she was forced to watch the repercussions of their carelessness unfold before her very eyes, she regretted not thrusting that steel deep into his gullet when she had the chance.
She snarled as she attempted to follow after the man who had slammed his knee in Reiner's face with a sickening crunch, and dragged him several feet in the air before pinning him to ground with his foot. Her ears perked up, detecting faint footsteps from inside the cabin, flinching as a chair came hurling through the window on the other side of the porch. Her reflexes kicked in, causing her to duck just as sharp steel narrowly missed her head and lodged itself into the cabin's wooden frame.
With a vicious glare, she whirled around and struck out at the red-haired boy who had crept up behind her, trying to pull his blade out. He detached it from the hilt and barely managed to dodge her swing before she followed up with a roundhouse kick to his chest that sent him tumbling backwards. Annie pivoted back to the unconcsious Reiner, gasping in shock as she beheld Levi, the man who was about to sever his head from his body.
She immediately activated her ODM hooks, and sprang into action. Typical, she prayed she wasn't the next in line to pay for saving his ass.
With a flick of her wrist, she sent her blade flying towards the scout, only to be taken aback as he effortlessly evaded it under such poor lighting conditions. Her feet skid across the earth as she used the remainder of her forward momentum to deliver a swift horizontal slash to his chest, only to watch as he deftly leaned back, allowing the sharp edge to merely graze a few strands of his hair. Then, with lightning-fast reflexes, he planted both palms onto the ground, using the tip of his boot to expertly disarm her as he executed a flawless backflip.
Annie's frown deepened as she moved in for the kill with her other blade before he could recover, but the scout was one step ahead, effortlessly dodging all of her blows. The frustration began to build within her. With a couple of steps back, she took a moment to assess the situation, keeping a keen eye on any movement behind her. And then, like a foreboding whisper, she heard it. The unmistakable sound of hissing gas and grappling hooks thudding against trees, dozens of them, all surrounding her.
"A word to the wise, give it up before I start carving you into a pathetic meat statue. I don't want your filthy blood getting splattered all over me, so could you be a real pal and throw in the towel already?" He jeered with scrutiny, as he slowly began to draw out his blades. "Or don't, I have a freakish friend who would love to learn what makes what's left of you scream the loudest."
She needed to end this. Now.
In a flash of insight, she sheathed her sword, freeing up the hand that sported a distinctive ring. The scout's eyes lit up with a glint of recognition, almost as if he knew what was coming. She narrowed her gaze, blood spilled, lightning struck.
"Tsk. Meat statue it is."
He blinked, rubbed his eyes and looked again.
Nothing changed.
A part of him, perhaps his naive side, rejected what he had just witnessed, After all, stranger things have happened in this world than thunderous lightning strikes under a clear spring night, he thought, grasping at any semblance of hope. The suddenness of it all left him reeling, with no warning or indication that such a revelation was imminent. That lightning wasn't Reiner, Annie, and Bertholdt being proven as traitors, that lightning wasn't Floch being proven right.
The earth trembled in the distance, the vibrations reaching his bones even at the top of wall Rose, soldiers rushed down towards the looming forest and he was left alone with his thoughts. How could he bring himself to believe they were traitors? How could he accept the harsh reality that they had been deceiving everybody all along? Deceiving him.
The more he thought about it the more he realized how little he knew about them, he didn't even know the name of this village the trio had called home. He begrudgingly admitted that what Floch said was the truth, the evidence was damning. But all he could think about now were the memories he had made with them, How Annie mentored him when he needed her the most, how Reiner believed in him like only few others had. Those memories now shattered by the cold, harsh truth of their betrayal.
"Reiner, How do you do it? How can I be more like you, Floch and Mikasa? At this rate, Everything will be over before I even accomplish anything."
"You do what you have to do, Just keep moving forward. That's how it works right?"
Eren's lips parted in awe, he closed his eyes as he slowly came to grips with reality. Moments later, his eyes opened, revealing a mix of hatred and rage. And even though they also held acceptance in them, there was also a lingering sense of denial that couldn't be satisfied until he saw for himself. Silent tears streamed down his face as his features twisted into an ugly expression. He willed himself to stand back up, fighting against his wobbling knees as he took a couple of steps forward, bringing his hand up to his teeth, Floch's voice echoing in the back of his mind from that day in Trost.
"You need to draw blood, and think about why you want to transform, what makes you need to transform. Once you have that clear objective in mind, the rest is child's play, we're counting on you Eren."
"REEEEEEEIIINNNNNER!" Eren's voice thundered, the anger and frustration in his tone palpable as he moved toward the edge.
A firm hand squeezed his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. Eren turned around to face the Survey Corps commander, his expression one of defiance. "Not yet, Eren. Patience," the man admonished him, shaking his head. "There are many unknowns we are dealing with, we cannot make our move until certain pieces fall into the right place, for now we observe."
Eren frowned as he met the man's gaze, his lips quivering and his breathing intensified. He dug his teeth halfway into the flesh of his hand, tasting the bitterness of copper on his tongue as he struggled to hold back his emotions. Despite his inner turmoil, he understood he was on thin ice. He wasn't off the hook just yet, he needed to show this man he could adhere to a chain of command and follow orders, like any other soldier.
Like any other human soldier.
Erwin felt a sense of satisfaction as he pulled his hand away from Eren's shoulder, redirecting his attention to the troops gathered around him. "Only one flash of lightning, that either means the other titans have been taken care of already... or only one has been able to transform thus far." Erwin noted as Eren's stomach sank at the implications. "Ivan, Dieter! I want more troops covering the north! Make sure the perimiter is secure, and prepare for Levi to begin the next phase of our assault. Move it!" he barked, his voice commanding and urgent as most of the soldiers hurried away to carry out his orders.
"Rashad, Head down and make sure Forster is escorted out of the area." The man in question nodded before he left, minutes pass as he watched the distant forest, barely able to pick up on details thanks to the dark.
"Commander Erwin!"
The man whirled around at the sound of Mike Zacharias' voice far off in the distance, his brows furrowing inquisitively as he watched the man and his entourage hauling along ten cadets, several of whom he recognized from the rescue mission a week prior. He turned to Mike with a silent inquiry, waiting for an explanation.
"These were the ones who were about to intercept our package, this one nearly decapitated Forster." Mike reported, gesturing towards the restrained Ackermann girl in front of him. Sandra's eyes bulged as she shot Mikasa a contemptuous glare.
"I see. That could have spelled disaster." Erwin responded coolly, examining the cadets with a penetrating stare. "Would anyone care to clarify what's going on here? And if I'm not mistaken, you two were supposed to be in custody in the capital." He questioned, giving Mikasa and Armin a pointed look.
Forster's warnings about the girl almost seemed prophetic, the Ackermann lass could have truly jeopardized their entire operation. Erwin was displeased with this development, but he had more pressing matters to attend to at the moment- namely, the trio of Titans his soldiers were battling below. But now that Mikasa Ackermann was here, she could provide much-needed support for their mission. He signaled for Mike to release the girl from her binds, who in turn looked unsure for a moment before complying.
Armin's forehead glistened with sweat as he sensed the tension rising. "S-sir, I believe there has been a misunderstanding on our part. We thought that Eren was being abducted to be taken to our enemies-" He stuttered, but Erwin interjected.
Erwin spoke with a measured tone, his eyes piercing the cadets behind Arlert and Mikasa, who looked mortified. "Yes, Arlert, you are correct. This entire situation has been a massive miscommunication. I concede that both your perspectives, given your close friendship with Eren, are valid. However, what confuses me is the involvement of your comrades behind you."
Mikasa, who had been silent until now, cut in with urgency in her voice, disregarding the pain in her wrists. "Sir, please tell me, is Eren safe?"
The man scanned all their faces for a few moments, before he acknowledged her with a nod. "Rest assured, Eren was never in any real danger."
Yet.
Armin's mind raced as he pieced things together from the bits of information he collected off the cadets. Looking towards the area where the lightning had struck earlier, his eyes widened in realization. "So, Eren was never really with Floch, was he?" he asked, turning towards Erwin.
"Correct."
The ten pairs of eyes focused in the direction the commander had indicated, finally noticing the crouched figure in the darkness. Mikasa's eyes widened, and she ran towards Eren, falling to her knees and leaning in close. "Eren!"
Eren made the smallest effort to acknowledge her presence, nodding his head slightly. Armin and the rest of the group joined in, bombarding him with questions, but Marco put an end to it as he realized that Eren was not feeling well. Sasha, who had been observing the situation, frowned as she mentally pushed herself to ask the question that had been nagging at her for the past two days.
"Excuse me, Commander," she began, catching Erwin's attention.
Erwin replied without taking his eyes off the battlefield. "Yes?"
Sasha fidgeted nervously before continuing. "You wondered earlier why we were involved... Well... I.. I eavesdropped on Floch and Ymir a few days ago, overheard things I wasn't supposed to, and got caught." Erwin's eyes widened momentarily. "I was tied up until my friends came to rescue me. That's why we're all here." She paused for a bit, only able to continue due to Connie poking her with his elbow. "I-I was wondering if you knew about the identities of the Armored and Colossal Titans if this was the plan all along."
The cadets around her looked at her in shock at the blunt question, the color drained from Ruth's face as she leaned in on Sandra for support. Gordon shook Connie by his shoulder tightly as punishment for encouraging the girl to ask her asinine question. As the rest watched on nervously.
Mike's eyes narrowed, his pupils dilating as he assessed the situation before him. Along with the rest of his squad, he silently readied himself to jump into action, their movements covert and unnoticed by some of the cadets. Erwin, ever the astute observer, took note of their readiness and raised a hand, signalling for them to stand down. Though all of them reluctantly complied, Mike could feel the adrenaline still coursing through his veins.
Amidst the tension, Mikasa and Armin couldn't help but notice the way Eren suddenly tensed, his muscles coiling like a tightly-wound spring. His eyes widened with an emotion that was difficult to read, causing both of them to exchange worried glances. But instead of addressing their concerns, they turned their attention to the commander, watching him closely.
Erwin's lips quirked into a subtle smile, an unnerving expression that sent shivers down the spine of the seasoned huntress. "I see," he said slowly, drawing out each syllable. "Interesting."
"H-hey Armin.."
Armin pivoted to gaze upon Eren, his eyes scanning the horizon of the younger boy's face, parsing each syllable that spilled forth from his lips with increasing astonishment.
None of them saw it coming, really.
Annie liked to think that she wasn't out of her depth when dealing with someone like Levi, but the longer he evaded her blows, the more she understood why Bertholdt didn't want her to engage that day at HQ. Her gaze fell to the cabin below, where her primary objective, after safely depositing an unconscious Reiner into her titan's maw, was to retrieve Bertholdt, and, if time allowed, pulverize that loathsome Forster into a pulpy paste.
With a forceful kick, Annie sent a cascade of earth and rubble hurtling towards the elusive captain, before setting off in the direction of the cabin. She made quick work of the roof, rending it from its supports with ease, only to be greeted by a macabre tableau of dismembered limbs and a fetid pool of blood. Her anxiety reached a fever pitch until, by the grace of the moonlight, she caught sight of a glinting metallic object. Spinning on her heel, she glimpsed two shadowy forms disappearing into the depths of the forest, one of whom had Bertholdt lashed to their back, unmistakably.
Annie sprang to her feet and propelled herself into a frenzied pursuit, causing the earth to quake beneath her swift strides as she pursued them. Despite her steely determination, a primal dread arose from the fact that these were not hapless infantrymen, armed with crude and feeble weapons, but rather highly-trained, battle-hardened titan killers, a farcry from the mainland. Undaunted, Annie weaved through the inky shadows of the forest, tracking their movements, as the scouts closed in on her, each attempting to take her down with their razor-sharp blades, her nape already reinforced.
In a reckless move, a foolhardy woman attacked her from behind, and Annie snatched her like a child's plaything. The woman thrashed and flailed, futilely attempting to break free, but Annie remained resolute, crushing her prey into a twisted, lifeless heap until blood gushed freely like freshly squeezed orange juice. Without so much as a backward glance, Annie cast aside the woman's shattered remains, disregarding the anguished cries of her comrades. One by one, they came at her, each inflicting surface level damage before being swiftly and mercilessly dispatched, their lifeless forms littering the path she blazed in her relentless pursuit of Forster and his accomplice.
'T-That was our escort, that squad wasn't supposed to engage! What the fuck are they doing?!' Floch panicked inwardly.
Ymir's voice pierced the air, sharp and impatient, jarring Floch back to reality. "Hey, dumbass! Don't mean to startle you, but I hope you've noticed they're not exactly putting up a good fight against her!" Floch grimaced as he stole a quick glance over his shoulder, his eyes widening at the destruction that had ensued.
"Just shut up and move your ass! Captain Levi will handle it!" He hollered, his tone laced with a grave determination. The duo were now within spitting distance of a vast, open clearing in the forest.
Even for someone like Floch, who had already faced death, the fear that gripped him in that moment was numbing. Fear was the one emotion that separated the brave heroes from those who had to bury them. It was the one thing that made him acutely aware of his own existence, of the fragility of his life. Even with all his experience, watching a titan shifter sprint towards him in the middle of a dark forest while he was too encumbered to move freely was never easy to bear. For a moment, time seemed to stand still as Floch held his breath and watched the female titan closing in on him. He struggled to move left or right, for his sluggish movements were not enough to escape her grasp.
In that moment, Ymir's shouting became nothing but a faint echo as he saw glimpses of his own life flash before his eyes. Memories flooded his mind, some of which he wasn't even sure he lived. But then, in the blink of an eye, his sure death was averted as Rashad and his squad arrived, taking the female titan by surprise. Floch watched in awe as Rashad managed to take off a few of her fingers, giving them the opening they needed to make their escape. "Get a move on, we'll cover you!" Rashad shouted, as Floch and the two cadets made a break for the open clearing ahead.
Annie observed the unfolding events keenly, the arrival of new troops distracted her from pursuing Forster, but the sound of wire being rapidly spun behind her jolted her back to reality. With lightning reflexes, she made a grab for the wire, but before she could even clasp it in her hand, a searing pain shot through her arm, and she watched in horror as it separated into three pieces. Her heart pounding in her chest, Annie frantically searched for the source of the attack, but her vision was obscured by a sudden loss of sight in one eye. Refusing to let panic take over, she forced herself to remain calm as she made a break for the nearby clearing, her mind racing with potential strategies.
Levi, however, was hot on her heels, and his expert swordsmanship proved too much for the titan shifter to handle. With a swift and precise stroke, he sliced off her leg below the knee, sending Annie tumbling to the ground before she swiftly recovered and front rolled into the open. Despite the excruciating pain, Annie summoned every ounce of willpower she possessed to initiate the healing process. Focusing on repairing her damaged arm first, her sharp gaze scanned the surrounding forest, acutely aware of the danger lurking in every shadow.
With the scouts too afraid to approach her at this distance, Annie knew it'd suicide for them to step out into the open field. She looked down at her arms, only hardening her right hand and the finger tips of her left hand.
Floch and Ymir crouched behind the trees, their hearts pounding in their chests as they peered through the branches at the menacing titan shifter. "She's not gonna be able to move around like that, what's our move?" Ymir asked.
"She'll have to deal with the scouts behind her before she even thinks of pursuing us." Floch pointed out, as she nodded in understanding. The two shared a quick look, "This is our shot to get out of here and get this bastard far away. Let's move fast!" Floch spoke with urgency.
As if on cue, Rashad and his team of soldiers arrived, providing much-needed backup and support. "Are you both alright?" Rashad inquired, his gaze flitting back and forth between the two.
"Never been better," Floch responded with a hint of bravado, exchanging a brief fist bump with Rashad. Despite his confidence, Floch couldn't help but feel a tinge of apprehension as he stole a glance over his shoulder, keeping a wary eye on the female titan.
"Alright kid, let's move out, Lauda, Harold, take point," Rashad commanded, his tone firm and authoritative as the group bounded forward, leaving Floch to look over his should and wonder what the female titan had planned now. "Once we meet up with the section commander we'll get this asshole somewhere far, the two of you will rejoin commander Erwin at the top of wall Rose." Rashad added.
In a split second, his ears perked up to the sound of projectiles hitting the ground and trees behind him, followed by dozens more, and dozens more. Eyes widened with shock as they were flung towards them, shattering their retreating formation. They all fell like flies around him, no time to react let alone take cover. Harold was the first to go, a massive shard pierced his skull and exited the other side killing him instantly, Lauda was less fortunate as she cried out in pain before she was silenced by her own neck breaking against the ground bellow with a thud. Ymir and Rashad's anguished cries rang out as they too fell victim to the barrage.
He took cover behind a particularly thick tree, only alive and unharmed thanks to Bertholdt's body covering his back. He turned to the side, staring eye to eye with Harold's corpse, watching the man's brain leak through the hole in his forehead. Floch gritted his teeth, now annoyed by the shifter who had been awoken by the pain and left howling in confusion as his anguished cries ripped his throat apart. Floch set him down on the ground and knocked him unconcious again; The silence was deafening now, broken only by the sound of his own ragged breaths
Floch waited for the second wave of the attack, counting every second with precision. His quick thinking saved him from peril as another wave of shards ripped through the forest, and yet he didn't make a move, he waited again. Surely enough, twenty more second passed and she attacked again. Twenty seconds. With that knowledge in mind, Floch quickly ran out of cover and dragged Ymir and Rashad to safety.
Rashad clutched the boy's arm as blood dripped down from the wounds, laying motionless, his eyes staring up at the canopy of trees above in shock, denial. His body began trembling with pain, the metallic tang of blood filling the nostrils. Rashad's face contorted with agony as he gasped for air, his lungs struggling to function with numerous shards riddling his body. His eyes now dulled with the onset of death, he looked at Floch, as if he pleaded for something, anything. The redhead released a shuddering breath as his chest rose up and done frantically, the dying man's lips trembled as he tried to speak, but his throat was so badly damaged that only a rasping, guttural sound escaped his lips. He gurgled incoherently, the blood in his throat making speech nearly impossible as his body convulsed with spasms of agony.
He flinched again, as another wave of shards landed all around them, before he focused back on the man.
Floch's eyes went wide with horror, picturing himself lying there instead, this had been him at a point in time, his lips quivered as he held the man's hand. "It'll be okay." He whispered soothingly, Rashad suddenly froze as he watched him intently. "Your sacrifice had meaning, I promise that you I won't let your death be in vain." He continued as the man's eyes softened. "Humanity won't forget what you've done tonight, I will avenge you if It's the last thing I do, I swear it." He spoke with conviction, solemnly gazing at his eyes.
Tears streamed down Rashad's face as he looked up at him, suddenly much more at peace with his demise. He went limp at Floch's side, life slipping away as his breathing slowed to a ragged wheeze. Floch couldn't do anything more for him now, closing the man's glazed eyes out of respect. Seconds later he flinched and ducked down as another wave of shards was hurled in their direction.
His attention turned to Ymir, who wasn't faring much better but would survive thanks to her healing factor, he crawled next to her and inspected her injuries. His eyes widened with alarm, noticing how her wounds haven't closed yet. "Ymir!" He shook her body, elicting a sharp cry of pain from the girl, his shoulders dropping in relief.
"Y-Ymir.. Why aren't you?.." He trailed alarmingly, she glanced up at him from the corner of her eyes weakly.
"..I don't.. want... these stuck in my body when I heal." She breathed out unevenly, dazed from the bloodloss. "T-Take them... Take them out..." She stuttered in a daze, slowly reaching for a dagger she had hidden in her jacket and handed it to him. His bloodied hands held it in a tight fist, slightly shaking as he regarded her with awe. Seeing the hesitation on his face, she had no choice but to plead with him. "Please... I can take it, Just.. Get it over with."
Floch grimaced as he listened to her, his expression betraying a deep-seated sense of unease. Gingerly, he began to remove her jacket and ODM gear, wincing each time he elicited a sharp cry out of her for accidentally touching one of her open wounds. As he handed her the hilt of her sword to bite down on, she accepted it without hesitation and lay down on her stomach, bracing herself for the agony to come. With trembling hands, Floch withdrew a lighter from his pocket and used its flickering flame to illuminate her body. Rolling up her shirt, he counted three entry wounds on her upper body, then inspected her legs, which appeared mostly unscathed aside from a few scratches. He hissed through gritted teeth as he probed her open wounds, feeling a sharp sting piercing his fingertips.
"Do it already!" She cried out impatiently.
"Her goes," He said, warning her as she squeezed her eyes shut and braced herself but nothing came. His hand quivered as he hovered it inches away from Ymir's wounded flesh, the blade of the knife glinting in the dim light. With a sudden jerk he plunged it into deep into her back just below her liver. A sickening squelch could be heard as Ymir's body tensed, high-pitched bloodcurdling screams piercing the air before she reminded herself that she needed to bite down harder. The sound of the blade slicing through her skin and scraping against the crystalized shard made Floch's skin crawl, his stomach churning.
The tears streamed down her face, eyes squeezed shut in agony, as he worked to remove the pieces out of her. He finally pulled out the first piece, Ymir's ragged breaths filled the forest, already nearing her breaking point. "Two more, Ymir." Floch's voice was grim. Her cries grew more guttural and sickening, each new wave of agony seemingly worse than the last, and yet he had to keep going.
"One more."
"Scream And I Slice Your Neck Open." - Annie Leonhart 854 AD, to Hitch Dreyse on the day of the rumbling.
Levi remained stoic and immobile, concealed behind a towering tree. His fellow scouts scattered around him behind cover, all of them sharing the same sense of trepidation and unease. Littered across the blood-soaked ground below were the unfortunate souls that had been caught in the crossfire of the female titan's devastating attack. Some were barely clinging to life, groaning in agony as their blood seeped into the dirt below.
"Is it over?" one of the scouts called out tentatively, his voice quivering with apprehension. Several others emerged from their hiding places, scanning the area warily for any sign of movement. "She's done, move! move! move!" A sense of urgency took hold as they scrambled to collect the wounded and drag them to safety.
Levi's piercing gaze remained fixed on the motionless form of the female titan. His expression was inscrutable, a single question on his mind. "What now you giant piece of shit?" he muttered under his breath, a hint of annoyance tingeing his words. He had noticed the creature had already regenerated the leg he had severed, a feat that only served to fuel his irritation. "You have your precious limb back, are you gonna run?" he muttered to himself, his words tinged with disdain.
She sprang into motion and darted towards the last known location of the two cadets as if she had heard him, driven by an unrelenting force. Levi barked orders at his team and those within earshot, compelling them to pursue the target. He launched himself through the gap between the opposing tree lines, propelling himself forward with the use of his hooks. His eyes narrowed as he had done so, a bad feeling festering in his chest as he noted the lack of... signals, from the men on the other side.
At least she was heading in the right direction.
Annie raced through the dense forest as fast as possible, her well-toned muscles pulsing with each stride. Nearly reaching where the towering wall of Rose stood. Her exposed muscles rippled as she charged forward, eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of the thieves who had taken Bertholdt. Her eyes widened suddenly, she saw a figure in the distance, walking out of the woods, her comrade on his back and an unconcious woman cradled in his arms like a delicate bride, he walked slowly, as if he forgot about the danger lurking behind him.
Her heart pounded with fury, she increased her speed, she could not allow Bertholdt to be taken to the other side of the wall. She closed in on her prey with an unrelenting determination. However, just as was about to reach for him and retrieve the Marleyan shifter, she heard someone utter a word that made her blood freeze.
"FIRE!"
A sudden and ferocious onslaught of explosive force rent the air, the deafening sound of metal rending through flesh reverberating across the battlefield. The deafening assault continued for a solid ten seconds as Annie found herself immobilized, arms instinctively covering her nape. Despite her fierce struggles against the restraints, she remained firmly in place, the ground beneath her feet trembling. Steam hissed from her wounds as the blood quickly coagulated, healing the injuries with remarkable speed. Annie looked around nervously, taken aback by the unexpected and overwhelming assault.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed something suddenly ignite. With a piercing whistle, it soared into the air, illuminating everything below it in a dazzling golden glow. Her figure now perfectly highlighted as brief flashes of light appeared on the top of the wall.
"FIRE!"
With no room for error, the canon crews zeroed in on the female titan and opened fire on Erwin's command. She stood frozen in place as they unleashed a barrage of destructive force upon her form. The female titan's body shook violently with each impact, the air around her was filled with a thick cloud of smoke and dust, obscuring the view of the battlefield and making it difficult for those on the ground to see what was happening. Erwin gave them order to fire again, and the cadets watched in awe as they bombared it mercilessly.
When he gave the order to cease fire, both the soldiers on the walls and down on the ground watched with bated breaths as the smoke cleared. When it did, they were surprised to see the once-mighty form of the female titan broken and battered wreck, now down on her knees and steaming from all the pulverized flesh. Seconds later, the ground team sent a signal to those on the wall, confirming their success.
Amidst the cheers and jubilation that erupted around the commander, his expression remained stoic and resolute. His eyes surveyed the battlefield with a cold and calculating gaze, scanning for any sign of weakness or vulnerability. For him, a small victory was not a cause for celebration just yet, not until every last one of their enemies was either captured or eliminated.
"Cease your celebration!" he barked at the inexperienced Garrison troops, who quickly straightened up at the sound of his authoritative voice. "Reload your cannons and stay sharp! This isn't over yet gentlemen." Turning to the seasoned veteran, Mike, the commander gave a terse command. "Get your team down there and retrieve Forster and the female titan. We cannot let our guard down until every last one of them has been dealt with."
Then, his attention turned to the Ackermann, the one who had nearly cost him this entire operation. "Take Ackermann with you and relay my orders to Hange squad. I need confirmation on the other two titans as soon as possible."
"Yes, sir!"
Mikasa tensed and gave a sidelong glance towards Eren before she received a pat on the shoulder from the nearby soldier of squad Mike, she gave the other cadets one last look before she followed after them. Eren watched her jump down the wall before he turned his attention back to the battlefield, gritting his teeth in a silent rage.
'Show yourself, Reiner.'
Levi stood on top of the head of the battered Female titan, discarding a blade he had broken while attempting to carve up the nape, only to discover that it had a protective and impenetrable layer of hardening coating it. Many Scouts gathered around her body, with it's missing arms and legs. "Now, Now, What did I tell you earlier? You've been a pain in the ass tonight you know that? If you don't step out now, well, It's not going to be a pleasant sight."
He sneered down at her. "You've killed alot of good men tonight, you'll be paying for every life you took, but It's not like you understand. Somebody like you kills without an ounce of remorse, but that's a good thing, because I can relate, but my specialty lies more in killing titans, so in a way you and I have ourselves a perfect arrangement."
"Hey, are you listening? I don't mind dealing with direspectful brats like you, I know my way around a rebelious teen or two. So what's it gonna be? Are you going to step outside, or should I slowly knock some sense into you? You look really pathetic right now, but I wonder how'd you look like missing all of your limbs like your buddy, Bertholdt, was it?-." Levi suddenly paused, a realization dawning on him. He looked down at the gathered soldiers, before he felt her shift slightly as he jaw opened. "GET TO COVER NOW!" Levi called out as the soldiers scattered, Two hooks launched out of the titan's mouth as Reiner shot out, Levi followed after him, Reiner's eyes widened as he saw the man speeding towards him.
And as the blades were mere inches away, lightning struck for the second time that night.
Floch's mind was in a state of disarray, but he didn't try to make sense of the chaos around him. If someone were to ask him what he had been doing for the last fifteen minutes, he would have struggled to provide a coherent response. One moment he was kneeling beside a dying man, whispering soothing words to ease his passage into death, and the next he found himself walking aimlessly towards the walls.
He couldn't even say for sure how he ended up luring Leonhart out to an ambush. It wasn't a conscious decision on his part; it was as if some unseen force had taken hold of him, guiding him down a path that he had no control over.
It had all worked out in the end, hadn't it?
He carried on with a blank gaze, completely detached from the battle raging on behind him. His gait resolute as he trudged ahead, callously stepping over the deceased scout whose lifeless body had been hurled in his direction from behind. Though his body made a subconscious effort not to defile the sanctity of the fallen soldier's remains.
An uprooted tree intended for a certain Ackermann crashed down in front of him after narrowly missing, but he didn't flinch, he walked away. What else could he do about it? What else could he do for the two scouts that had been caught by the armored, and the scorching steam that he breathed at them? Simply walk away and tune out their anguished cries as their flesh is melted off the now charred bones. Just walk away from the fire that licked at his heels as it began spreading throughout the forest, walk away.
He looked back at the battlefield with dull eyes, still carrying Bertholdt and Ymir without showing any signs of fatigue. When Hange and her team found him they quickly escorted him to the lifts and took Bertholdt off his shoulders without him even noticing, but Ymir stayed in his arms and he only knew that because he could still feel the steam from her injuries warming his face. When Reiner climbed after them depserately, he was too fixated on why the stars seemed to be getting closer, and when Eren pounced on him from the top of the wall with his own transformation, he wondered why lightning had struck on a clear spring night.
Fear suddenly gripped his heart, what was he supposed to do again?
"Floch!"
"Floch!"
"FLOCH!"
Floch's senses jolted back to life, eyes fluttering in confusion as his eyes darted frantically from side to side, finding himself on his knees at the top of wall Rose. A group of scouts encricled him, glancing back to find himself not far from the edge of the wall. Their eyes fierce and boring into him with an intensity that made him feel naked and exposed. Furrowing his brows, he quickly took stock of the situation. Sandra, Gordon, Historia, and the rest, stood in the background behind the other soldiers, their faces contorted in shock and fear. A sharp pang of concern lanced through Floch as he caught sight of the pain etched on Historia's delicate features. His quest for answers intensified as he searched for an explanation.
Hange's squad, and other unknown scouts, loomed before him, Erwin's imposing figure standing tall between them. A disconcerting thought crept into his mind as he took in the sight of Bertholdt's lifeless body steaming in the distance. But, above all, one question echoed through his mind. 'Where is Ymir?!' He turned to his right, and found his answer.
His heart skipped a beat, seeing the genuine look of terror on her face. Crouching behind him, looking like a cornerned animal. He felt at a loss as to what could have triggered this reaction, his eyes roamed her body, and then his, and it hit him.
All that blood on their clothes, the steam that struck his face in that lift.
He brought her to them, when she hadn't finished healing.
He exposed her secret to the world
They know she's a titan.
Floch's face drained of all color, his gaze fixed unwaveringly on the woman before him. She regarded him with disdain as their gazes met, before she focused back to the people surrounding them, he couldn't shake off the feeling of unease festering within him. Ymir drew his attention with a hiss, spewing her words with venom. "Good job, dumbass."
"Y-Ymir I..." The words died in his throat.
"Just save it for somebody who cares."
Floch's attention was suddenly directed at Nifa's urgent call. "Floch, step away from her, she's dangerous!"
"I- I- I don't know what happened to me... I'm... I'm sorry," He mumbled to the brunette next to him. His eyes darted towards Erwin, who seemed more intrigued than he was alarmed at the situation. As the battle raged on below them, Floch felt the need to take action. "Ymir, I'm sorry, I can fix this."
"I'm getting sick of hearing your voice."
"Floch, I said step away from her!" Nifa shouted at him again.
"Y-You don't understand." Floch muttered towards the redheaded scout, much to her confusion.
"Floch?" She frowned at him.
"Are they both titans? What is the meaning of this?!"
"Commander Erwin, what are your orders?!"
"Stand by!" He simply answered.
Determined to make things right, Floch mustered all his courage and faced Commander Erwin. "C-Commander! I can explain this. You have to tell them to stand down and focus on what's important! She is not the enemy!" His words rang out with a fierce urgency, and the rest of the group slowly came to the same realization.
You knew.
"Is this a trick? Are they both in on this?!"
"Does it matter? She's a titan! He's probably one as well!"
"So is Eren! Yet he is down there fighting against the people who killed your comrades!" Floch lashed out at the random scout angrily, "She's on our side!"
"Floch." Ymir said.
"Dammit, just how many of these cadets are titans in disguise?! Commander Erwin what do we do?!"
"You'll do nothing if you know what's best for you!" Floch snarled.
"Floch."
"W-what?!" Floch asked, his breath shuddering as he turned his head to face Ymir. His heart was racing, he knew Ymir to be blunt, but her sharp gaze made him uneasy.
"You really don't get it, do you?" Ymir's narrow eyes gazed into his, a hint of disappointment in her voice. He hesitated to answer, still uncertain of what she meant. Her reaction made him feel like a fool. "It was never about me. It's about her."
Floch followed her gaze, his confusion growing. "W-what are you saying?!" he stuttered.
"You're smart enough to lead and come up with all these crazy plans, but you're still too much of a dumbass to see what's standing right in front of you." Her voice was laced with disdain. "Can you ignore the fact that you're braindead for two seconds and recall earlier in the day at that tribunal? Haven't you noticed anything worrying back there?"
He frowned, trying his best to remember. Was it how they've treated Eren? Or how the entire room called for his death? Think, Floch, Think, what was she talking about? His mind raced, trying to recall the events of that day, what happened?
"There is no need for that nonsense! He is nothing but a vile pest that needs to be eradicated! His mere presence alone is an insult to god's wisdom! He must be exterminated at once for his mockery and deception of our sacred walls!"
No, that couldn't be it.
"How can we know for sure if she's not like him?!"
His eyes widened.
"She should be dissected, then we could tell!"
He looked towards Historia, mouth agape as realization struck him like a rabid aberrant.
"I'm asking you to help me protect Krista."
"W-we can still make this work, you don't have to do anything rash! These people mean well- They're not like the rest-" He tried to reason, and she simply snorted. "Y-Ymir, please..." The soldiers jolted, their bodies tensing with anticipation as the brunette rose to her feet. Reaching for the same deadly dagger that had pierced her skin earlier. Floch's eyes widened in horror as he saw her drag the blade up to her palm, the sharp edges glinting in the dim light.
Fear pulsed through him as he lunged forward, desperate to stop her. His fingers clamped around her wrist, but she didn't resist. Instead, she paused and fixed him with a curious look that sent shivers down his spine. "Y-Ymir, what the hell are you going to do?!" he demanded, his voice trembling with a mixture of dread and disbelief. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, memories from another life flooding his mind.
She smirked at him, her expression suffused with an air of grim resignation. Kneeling down to his left, she cocked her head to the side. "What I've been forced to do this entire day," she replied, her words laced with biting sarcasm. And without warning, she struck, driving her forehead into his face, sending him staggering down to the ground.
Floch watched in horror as she slit her palm open, the crimson liquid spraying onto her face like a grotesque mask. He recoiled, his eyes wide with terror, as she issued her warning. "We'll see each other again, but for now, I'll watch from a distance," she spat, her voice dripping with venom. "You better keep her safe, or I'll kill you." She spoke, before sending one final look in Historia's direction.
With those ominous words, she leapt off the side, plummeting towards the ground below. He could have sworn he heard her muttering something else, but he couldn't truly make it out from amidst the chaos that ensued. Seconds later, lightning lit up the sky once more. Floch raced to the edge and watched in awe as Ymir descended upon Eren and Reiner like a vengeful deity.
The scouts behind him sprang into action, but it was too late. Before he knew it, someone hit the back of his head as everything went black.
Floch frantically opened his eyes as he rose up with a cold sweat, his vision gradually adjusting to the dimly lit dungeon that came into view. A jolt of panic shot through his body as he realized that he was chained to a bed. He momentarily struggled but to no avail. As his eyes adjusted further, he saw Mike Zacharias sitting across from him, his eyes fixed on Floch with an unnerving intensity. The man's voice was devoid of emotion as he spoke.
"Good morning, I hope you slept well."
Floch gritted his teeth, his heart pounding in his chest. "Where is the Commander?!"
The man leaned forward, his eyes never leaving Floch's. "Too busy to wait for you to wake up." The man leaned forward, "You and I, however, will talk."
Floch swallowed hard, trying to control his rising fear. "What happened the night of the ambush?"
The man ignored the question. "Where are you from, and when were you born?"
Floch raised an eyebrow at the strange line of questioning, but answered nonetheless. "Eighth of October, year eight-hundred and thirty-four, in the production city of Trost."
"Who are you parents?"
He frowned with a raised brow, but complied nonetheless. "Waldemar and Karoline Forster, why are you asking me this?"
Mike's eyes narrowed, and he leaned in even closer. "After the recent incident, we had to run background checks on those Titan kids. Four out of six of them have no records to speak of whatsoever, aside from you and Yeager. Now, I can smell something on you that gives me a little bit of faith, but you must make the effort to convince me yourself."
"I will speak on the condition that I am informed about the outcome of that ambush." Floch challenged his gaze, the man was tough to crack he'll give him that. For a moment there it seemed like he would never budge, and doubt began to grow inside him.
To his surprise, Mike relented. "One of them is in captivity, the other two got away." He gave a short and quick reply.
Floch frowned, a question lingering on his mind. "What about the other one?"
"He's currently being evaluated."
Floch glared at him, "... and the other?"
"Fled after the titans retreated, presumably in hiding." Mike answered, before he took hold again. "Now my turn, how long have you known about this Ymir being a titan?"
Floch took some time to collect his thoughts, so she didn't leave with the warriors again? That's good, she had him really worried that history would repeat itself. Things could still be salvaged if he played his cards right, all he had to do now was play twenty questions with Erwin's righthand man. "Two and a half years. I discovered her abilities when we were both seperated from our team during a training excercise, where I sustained an injury that had me transferred to Ehrmich military hospital." Floch answered truthfully, he had a feeling the man could smell his lies.
He nodded, remembering the day he caught a glimpse of the boy conversing with Erwin. "Hmm, that adds up." He said, before fixing him with a curious gaze. "What made someone like you keep her secret?"
'Someone Like me?' He averted his gaze down to his legs. "She.. saved my life that day."
'And It wasn't convenient to kill her.' He added inwardly, surprising himself with that involuntary thought.
"I see, very well." Mike stood up catching the boy's attention, and walked closer to his cell, never taking his gaze away. Floch felt a lump beginning to form in his throat, as the man eyed him with those intense eyes. "So then, Forster." He began.
"Let's see how this exchange will determine the rest of your life."
After being lazy for so long, I sat down and took 2 days to pull this out of my ass. So yeah, this is technically the end of season 1 of the anime in terms of the fic, next time I'm gonna go over all the things that have resulted from this chapter and the previous 9 chapters and you'll see how that canon divergence will really start kicking in.
For the meantime, I'm gonna go finish chapter 3 of my other Floch fic and while I'm at it I'd like to recommend this FlochxSasha fic I read a while ago called "Hunting for our freedom" By: 8MexicanJaeger (it's on FFN)
