Two days ago, The underground.
Dimo Reeves stood at the edge of a cliff overlooking the underground, Levi Ackerman silently observing him a few feet behind. Dimo didn't feel particularly threatened; he'd heard things about the Corps. Rough around the edges, sure, but not as ruthless as their counterparts, especially those unmarked MP. He pulled out a cigarette and lit it, then shortly after blew out a puff of smoke, what a bother.
"This isn't what I'd call a sight for sore eyes. Why did you bring me all the way out here?" Dimo looked down beneath the edge, you couldn't even see the ground below due to how little light there was.
"I wouldn't consider it so either, do you know what this place is?" Levi walked up next to him and gazed at the cluster of densely packed buildings. "This city is as ugly on the inside as it is on the outside. It brings out the worst in people, corrupts men and women to their core. You can see it in their eyes; it's not hard to tell apart those who live here from the ones who just arrived."
"I take it this is your home then soldier. You have that look about you," Dimo replied.
Levi nodded. "Was. For thirty years, it's all I've known. Seen people come and go, learned not to get too attached. Still learning."
"This underground is a sickness, worming its way into the hearts of everyone unlucky enough to be in it." Levi's lips thinned before his gaze swept up to the rocky ceiling. "It's the closest thing to hell imaginable. Not quite like what's beyond the walls, but close. Every decision you make here either takes a piece out of you or out of someone else. You just have to figure out which one you'll regret the least."
Dimo listened quietly, a small inkling of where this was heading. He took a deep drag from his cigarette, then nodded at Levi. "And I take it this is where I get to make my decision?"
Levi took a seat on the edge of the cliff. If it hadn't been for his ODM gear, Dimo would have thought him reckless to put that much trust in him. But it didn't matter anyway, he looked over his shoulders to glance at the people standing behind them out of earshot, including that girl with the strange new gun in her hands. He sighed and took a seat beside him.
"Yeah," Levi said, his tone low but firm. "You have a choice. Help us, or stay out of our way. Either way, there are consequences."
Dimo looked out over the grim landscape, weighing his options as he flicked the cigarette to get rid of the ashes. "What exactly are you asking of me?"
Levi's eyes were cold, unwavering. "Information. you've got connections, some influence. Use them, work with us."
Dimo took another drag from his cigarette, exhaling to break out into a laugh. "Hahaha, you're quite the jokester aren't you? I've already screwed up enough as it is, no point in digging myself a bigger grave to fit the rest of my men in it."
"Trost was your city right? They made you come all the way down here and do this, that much we can already tell, because they sent amateurs to ambush people like us. Still, they're not all exactly idiots are they? You were just bait." Levi said, as Dimo listened quietly. "And you failed, that can't be good for everybody involved, your options are limited."
Dimo considered this, the weight of the decision pressing on him. Finally, he nodded. "Indeed, my men, my family, and I... We're all as good as dead. We'll be buried six feet under and covered up, my assets will be seized by the royal government and you'll still be wanted by the authorities. They're angry, desperate even, A string of failed missions and growing public support for that job you did on the outskirts of Trost as well as that titan you captured? It was only a matter of time."
Dimo tossed his cigarette it into the void below.
"I'll commend you, all of you really stood your ground. The people that rule over us may be stupid, but their muscle sure isn't, titan killers like you ought to know a thing or two about how terrible the odds are though."
"We're quite familiar, but I see it's not enough to inspire you. Besides, who says we played all our cards?"
Dimo lit another cigarette, might as well, it wasn't like he was long for this world anyway. "True, and no, you soldiers die and another batch comes to take your place. My men are more valuable to me and I'd like to save as many of them as possibble."
"I see." Levi looked on with his usual nonchalant gaze. "Do you know why we're down here, and not upstairs back in Trost?"
"Because those that sent you want us out of the picture, the people who thanks to the help of a titan, managed to secure their first ever victory against the titans. It's ironic really, all it took to get the ball rolling was for a titan to fight on our side. Thanks to Eren's strength, we sealed off Trost's breach, then handled the titans responsible for the said breach, they called it a miracle."
"It took that, as well as many sacrifices made by our soldiers to keep that town from ruin but in the end, it was undone by greed and a lust for power."
"Now hold on a second boss-" He tried to question him, but Levi didn't allow him.
"True enough though, I'd give up too, Trost fell, and so did every other city in Wall Rose. Your people are in a place that'll never welcome them and it'll chew them up and shit them out trying to fit in. Had Trost remained, your company would have been instrumental in rebuilding what was destroyed, but now, it's impossible. Everyone you've worked this hard for is out on those streets in the distance, without a home, or job, or any plan for the future."
"How many do you think will make it through the winter? How many willl starve? How many will kill each other for scraps? Maybe even worse. Eventually, the same events that happened five years ago will repeat themselves only this time, our world's even smaller than it was before. At that point, it's better to just jump off this cliff than to go through that."
If Dimo was bothered by the truth, he didn't allow Levi to see it. "Well, in any case, that will be the outcome regardless, whether I bring Eren and Krista or not. It's all about minimizing the losses. But it doesn't look like I'll be able to do that, you refuse to hand them over after all."
Levi glanced at Dimo from the corner of his eyes. "Is that so? Then I guess it'll be better to oblige you. Fine, you'll have them both."
Dimo frowned, cigarette falling out of his mouth in his confusion. Sasha, Mikasa, Connie, Petra and Oluo who managed to hear that part were also surprised. "What?"
Levi narrowed his eyes. "You heard me, you'll get them but if you want us to protect everything you care about, then call over your employers to come pick up Eren and Krista."
"...But why are you letting these fools kill you off boss?" - Dimo Reeves 850, to one Captain Levi Ackermann on top of wall Rose overlooking Trost.
Don't stop, don't look back, don't even think about looking back, don't even think. Thinking brings doubt, and doubt brings hesitation, which means looking back, and looking back only brings death. Just run and hope that whatever deity beyond can hear your desperate prayers.
Frantic thoughts raced through Sandra's mind as she flew across the narrow gorge, gunfire from the safehouse and neighboring cliffside snapping at her from above, peppering the terrain and water behind her. The gorge gradually widened until she found herself out in the open. She tried to follow her squad as they scattered into a nearby forest, but the chaos had shattered their cohesion, their chain of command in disarray following Hange's untimely demise.
Why was this happening? Why did she have to witness her captain and comrades get murdered right in front of her eyes? Why all this senseless bloodshed? For what end? She felt numb all over, her heart racing a mile a minute. She was utterly terrified. She didn't want to die in this forest, so she had to do whatever it took to survive.
She was going too fast. Abruptly, she smacked into a tree branch, sending her tumbling to the ground below. Without a second to spare, she adjusted and shot her hooks out to recover, but it wasn't enough. Air was forced out of her lungs with a sharp cry as she rolled on the grass and came to a halt. She squirmed and groaned, holding back tears as sharp, aching pain spread across her body. Shakily, she rose to her knees, but trying to stand proved futile. She resorted to crawling to safety, each movement a struggle against the overwhelming pain and fear.
Her heart skipped a beat as she registered the sound of ODM gear behind her. Fighting against the pain with a strained expression, she desperately crawled for cover in the middle of the clearing, but it was too late. A loud bang shattered the calm as projectiles flew at her, and though most missed, one struck her shoulder. She crumbled to the ground, writhing in agony from the flesh wound.
"Damn, missed!" one of the men shouted as two attackers landed beside her. She looked up at them, paralyzed with terror.
"Hold still," one commanded, leveling his gun at her face. A panicked whimper escaped her lips as her eyes widened. "Sorry, sometimes that's just how it is. Orders come down, and we end up putting kids like you down like dogs."
Sandra closed her eyes, curling into a ball, bracing for the end.
At death's door, she heard another set of ODM gear closing in, followed by the distinct sound of flesh being sliced and guttural cries. Two thuds hit the ground next to her. Hesitantly, she opened her eyes to find the two men dead. She tensed, crawling backward, only to see Moblit standing over her, blood-soaked but unfazed, as he pulled his sword from one of the men's backs.
"Can you walk?" he asked, crouching beside her.
"N-no, I'm hurt... I think my ankle's sprained," she replied, voice quavering as she clutched her aching ankle.
Moblit nodded, then immediately lifted her into a bridal carry. She gasped as she instinctively reached around his neck with a wince before he leaped away, leaving the corpses behind. She glanced at his face, blood splattering his cheek and forehead, dripping into his eyes. His gaze was cold, lifeless, filled with unrestrained bloodlust. Moments later, he landed near a massive rock protruding from the earth, offering concealment from their pursuers.
She squirmed as he removed her jacket, cutting a section of her shirt to bandage her shoulder wound. She didn't protest, and once he finished, she leaned back against the rock, putting her jacket back on. He left her spare bandages for her swollen ankle before standing up to scout the area.
"Stay here, and use this to take out anyone not wearing our sigil," he instructed, handing her a blood-caked gun from their attackers. He quickly demonstrated how to reload and fire it, then deposited a few canisters of ammunition at her side. "Don't hesitate. Fire without thinking, or you'll die."
"I'll be back. I'm going to find the others. Sit tight," Moblit said, not waiting for her response as his hooks shot forward and he leaped away.
"It's not like I can go anywhere..." Sandra muttered, wincing as she removed her boot and sock to wrap her ankle.
Hannah panted as she leaned against a tree, eyes darting around and ears straining for any sound. She couldn't afford to die here—she wasn't allowed to. Movement in the distance caught her eye. She squinted, suspicious, then gasped and ducked for cover. The tree bark exploded into splinters as gunfire peppered her location. Hannah leaped from her hiding spot, deploying her ODM hooks as three pursuers closed in.
Shot after shot flew her way, but through either dumb luck or last-minute adjustments, she avoided being shredded by the gunfire. Her eyes widened as she registered someone above her. One of the men had caught up and aimed his gun. Her heart skipped a beat, and time seemed to freeze. Suddenly, Franz flew in from nowhere, tackling her attacker toward a tree.
"F-Franz?" Hannah stuttered. She couldn't believe her eyes.
Hannah watched in shock as the two tumbled down the branches, landing in a heap on the ground below. She realized it was Gordon struggling with the man. "Hannah! Behind you!"
Shaking her head to clear her daze, Hannah dashed away, narrowly avoiding another barrage of bullets. Another gunshot rang out, and to her surprise, it was one of their own. Nifa had joined the fight, taking out another soldier. The last enemy momentarily ignored Hannah, focusing on the senior scout instead.
Seizing the opportunity, Hannah rushed to Gordon, who was wrestling with the bigger man. She breathed heavily, drawing a knife and dashing at their foe. "HAAA!" Hannah screamed, driving the knife deep into his side. He groaned in pain as she pierced him, then turned to her with a deadly gaze, causing her heart to sink into her stomach. With a grunt, he kicked Gordon in the stomach sending him tumbling down and away, then backhanded Hannah, knocking her to the ground with dizzying force.
He stood over her, the knife still embedded in his side, and began reloading his weapon as she crawled backward in fear, her head spinning and her cheek burning as her lip bled.
The man growled, aiming at her head as she froze. "I'm gonna rearrange what's left of your skull into a cup, you little whore." Hannah's eyes widened in terror, her breath coming in quick, shallow gasps.
He squeezed the trigger and fired. Hannah flinched in return. However, within a split second, a human-sized missile had thrown off his aim, sending the pellets scattering behind her before she heard a heavy thud in the background. The redhead looked up to find Ruth panting and injured but slowly getting back up. The man growled darkly, as he got back up on his feet, but then he noticed something wrong. His hand reached for the small of his back, only to find the knife missing. He spotted it in Ruth's bloodied hand.
"You stupid fucking slut!" he screamed, eyes blazing with fury. "I'm gonna kill you!" He charged at her, intent on using his brute strength to beat her to a bloody pulp.
Ruth hesitated, intimidated by his size, but then she hurriedly reached for her pistol and shot him square in the chest as he nearly reached her. He staggered, clutching the oozing wound, slowing down until he fell to his knees. Ruth stared into his eyes, worry and panic etched on her face. He glared back at her before his eyes rolled to the back of his head, succumbing to his wounds and collapsing.
Hannah scrambled to her feet and hurried to Ruth's side. "Ruth!"
Ruth nodded, though her eyes were wide with shock. "I... I didn't think I'd be able to..."
She grabbed the girl by the shoulders, bringing her out of her stupor. "You saved me. That is what matters. Thank you." Hannah said before she remembered Gordon.
Her heart skipped a beat as she felt a large hand wrap around her ankle. She looked down to see the man still alive, blood pooling in his mouth as he weakly tried to hold her in place and aim his gun at her. Hannah hesitated briefly, a tinge of apprehension flickering across her face before it twisted into an ugly snarl. She jerked her leg out of his grasp and then kicked the gun as his arm fell limply. She grabbed a nearby rock and straddled his chest. With a savage intensity, she pummeled his cheek before bludgeoning him to death.
A deranged glint shone in her eyes as she groaned with each hit, blood splattering onto her face. "Why. Don't. You. Stay. Dead! Do you hear me?! You big dumb bastard! It's not up to you to decide! So die!" she shrieked into the squelching disfigured flesh, spittle flying out of her mouth as she showed no sign of stopping.
Ruth rushed to her side, gripping Hannah's cocked arm against her chest. "Hannah, it's over! H-He's dead! Stop it!" she pleaded. Hannah snapped back to her senses, panting heavily. She looked at the blood dripping from the stone onto her wrist, then dropped it, pushing herself away from the corpse with a vacant gaze.
Her eyes widened as she remembered Gordon. She startled Ruth by suddenly standing up and rushing towards him. "Gordon—!" She froze in shock, gasping as she found him lying on the grass, motionless.
He shakily raised a hand before it dropped back to his side, his gaze blurry as he struggled to breathe. "Here..."
In a heartbeat, the two girls were at his side. Hannah frantically checked his body, finding new wounds in his torso and thigh that leaked blood. Her eyes widened, remembering the thud she heard earlier. She looked up at Ruth, who had pulled out bandages from her pouch, inwardly coming to the same conclusions as Hannah.
"D-don't you dare die, you hear me?! We'll get you out of here, so hold on!" Hannah cried as they began packing his wounds to control the bleeding.
"I'll... try not to..."
"Stop talking!" she chided him tearfully, applying pressure against the bandages.
Ruth quietly maintained pressure on Gordon's stomach wound, though she appeared on the verge of breaking from the stress. Her lip bled from where she bit down too hard, and her hands shook uncontrollably. Hannah looked around for Nifa, her anxiety mounting when another gunshot echoed in the clearing. Both redheads snapped their heads towards the sound. There stood Moblit, his arm extended with a smoking pistol in hand. Nifa, visibly injured, clung to his back. The body of a man, who had been sneaking up on them, lay sprawled at Moblit's feet.
"Oh..." Gordon muttered in apparent relief, raising his head to see Moblit carrying Nifa before falling unconscious.
"Gordon!"
The last thing he registered were their worried faces and Moblit rushing towards him as their voices faded and everything went dark.
"Section commander where are you trying to go? Your body can't handle riding a horse right now." - Moblit Berner 850 AD, On top of wall Rose, a couple of hours following the kindapping of Ymir and Eren Yeager by the Armored and Colossal titans.
Stohess, MP district headquarters.
With the sun finally down, it was officially time to kick things into motion. The majority of the brigade sat in the mess hall dining, in the corner of the room, Marlowe sat with a hint of nervousness as he scanned the crowds of privates and officers alike. Outside, Hitch and Boris walked through the many hallways of the headquarters, both pretending to be on routine patrole as they neared one of the underground entrances that led into one of the many unfinished tunnels branching out beneath Stohess. Hitch stood guard as Boris fiddled with some keys on his belt then promptly opened the locked metal gate, as several men and women dressed in MP uniforms began to ascend up the stairs and into the hall.
Rico Brzenska came up to them donning the uniform as well, her gaze focused and vigilant. "Good work, are the others ready?"
"U-uhm, J-jean and Marco should be getting their attention by now! And Marlowe's in position at the mess hall!" Hitch replied hastily, still feeling nervous about the whole thing.
"Good, let's get ready to act. Take me there." Rico nodded before they all dispersed into their respective areas.
Marlowe stood on the table, his heart pounding as he looked out over the sea of curious and skeptical faces. This was his moment, the culmination of everything he had worked for and believed in. He had to do this for Jean and Marco's sake, after all, they've shown him how true justice could be served with the way they handled the case against stratmann, they were the first to demonstrate to him that his dreams of fixing this rotten system could be realized.
He took a deep breath, summoning all the conviction he could muster, this was nothing in comparison to what those two had done.
"Everyone, may I have your attention, please!" His voice echoed through the mess hall, cutting through the chatter and clinking of utensils. Conversations halted, and dozens of eyes turned towards him curiously, annoyance evident on the faces of his superior officers in the background.
"What I will say in this room tonight concerns all of you! So please, for the sake of yourselves and everyone you care about, listen to what needs to be said!"
Marlowe's gaze swept the room, meeting the eyes of his fellow soldiers, their questioning looks, their confusion, yet their willingness to learn. He took another breath, steadying his nerves. "To those of who you only recently joined the ranks of this brigade, I'm sure you've seen by now how much different serving under the MP has been in contrast to what you've been led to believe all these years!"
"You've seen the corruption, the greed, the blatant diregard for duty and honor!" It was at this point that the officers in the back grew bewlidered by what was being said through all of this silence, so they sent men towards him to stop him. "You've seen that their idea of 'keeping the streets safe' differs from what many of you would consider appropriate! The truth is, they don't care, none of them do, they're relics of a diseased and malignent system and the greatest sin they're about to commit is to turn you into their copies!"
Murmurs began to ripple through the crowd, though he couldn't discern what was being whispered exactly. Marlowe pressed on, his voice growing stronger with each word. "Our families, our friends, everyone we care about—they are all in danger because of the decisions being made by those who sit in their ivory towers, far away from the real struggles we face every day. They won't protect us. It's up to us to step up and protect the kingdom and its future, those we call our superiors only care about their wealth, and their control!"
A few of the officers were about to reach him, their intentions clear as they pushed through the tables. He saw the panic in their eyes, the readiness to silence him. dread threatened to rise within him, but he forced it down. This was too important to back down now. Just as the officers were near, a few people donning MP uniforms that he hadn't seen before stepped in and blocked their path.
Marlowe felt surprised by the compliance being shown by the officers as they were led away to the side, but he quickly came to notice they were being shoved at gunpoint. In the distance, the senior officers who were seated in their corner were surrounded by more men, including Rico Brzenska, Hitch and Boris.
Marlowe felt a surge of gratitude and strength as he met Rico's gaze. She gave him a brief nod, her eyes full of determination and support. He nodded back, drawing confidence from her steadfast presence. Turning his attention back to the crowd, he raised his voice once more.
"Open up your hearts, let me show you how deep the lies you've been fed go!"
True to Hitch's words, there seemed to be another commotion happening in the courtyard, namely in the form of a tied-up Marco and a furious-looking Jean. Captain Dennis Aiblinger, as well as a few more senior officers of the brigade, poured into the courtyard, alarmed by the uproar. Their playtime in one of the nearby offices disrupted as they stumbled upon a bound private surrounded by another enraged private and two bewildered patrol guards.
"What in god's name is happening out here!" Dennis shouted as the group turned to him.
Jean pointed an accusing finger at Marco. "It's because of him, sir. I caught him trying to smuggle food out to the refugees outside the barracks!"
Dennis and the group of officers turned to Marco with clear disdain in their features. "Is this true, Private?"
"S-sir! It's not what it looks like, I was just try-"
"Answer the damn question, shithead!" an officer behind Dennis yelled with agitation.
"Yes, it is..." Marco conceded, his voice tinged with defeat yet laced with an undertone of defiance.
Dennis's eyes narrowed, veins bulging slightly at his temples. "You've got some nerve, boy. Do you realize the consequences of your actions?!"
Marco glanced at Jean, who gave a barely perceptible nod. "I couldn't just stand by, sir. Those people out there—they're suffering. Some of them are our families. We're abandonning them. Shouldn't we be doing something to help?"
Dennis clenched his jaw, clearly irritated by the defiance. "Those people are not our problem. Our orders are loud and clear. We have enough to deal with without worrying about a bunch of refugees! We just maintain the order and peace and that's it, let the Garrison deal with them!"
Jean's eyes gleamed with a mischievous light as he chipped in, "So it's true then. You're abandoning them like the spineless cowards you are, huh? Thought soldiers were supposed to protect the innocent, not craft excuses for being heartless."
A senior officer's face twisted with anger and frustration. "Watch your mouth, you insignificant little shitstain. Don't think for a second that you can question our decisions. We are doing what's necessary for the survival of our troops." He scoffed, glaring at them. "Our duty is to follow orders, not play savior to every miserable bastard out there."
Marco seized the moment, his tone steady and piercing. "Necessary? So abandoning your people—possibly your own soldiers' families—is necessary? What's next, Captain? Leaving our injured behind because they're a 'liability' too?" Marco stepped closer, his fury now laced with a calculated edge. "And you're admitting it. You'd rather let innocent people die than do the right thing."
Dennis's knuckles turned white, and the tremor in his voice betrayed his frustration. "It's called prioritizing! Our resources are limited, and we can't afford to waste them on hopeless causes. Like it or not those refugees are a burden we can't carry!"
A hush fell over the courtyard as the weight of his words settled in. Marco's heart pounded in his chest, but he could see the subtle shift. Marco looked up at their surroundings then bit down the rising bile in his throat, pushing further. "So it's 'burden' now, is it? Not people. Not families. Not the ones who believed in us. Just burdens to be cast aside." His voice grew louder, ensuring it reached the windows above.
Dennis's eyes flared with rage. "It's a calculated decision! You think you know better than our command? You think your bleeding heart will save us all?!" He shook his head, patience finally running out. "I've had enough of this! You two, make yourselves useful and carry these idiots off to the cells!" Dennis spoke to the confused patrolmen who had been caught in the middle of the argument.
But to his annoyance, the two men were hesitant on what to do, glancing between the two opposing parties worriedly.
"What the hell's the matter with you?! Didn't you just hear me, you imbeciles?!"
The flustered senior officers watched as they stepped back, disregarding the orders. Dennis was about to speak up again, when he suddenly heard voices, dozens of them, color drained from his face as he looked up at the surrounding windows, and behind him at the entrance to the barracks, realizing there had been dozens of bystanders listening to the entire shitshow.
Marco briefly took note of Marlowe waving at him from a window above before he captured his CO's attention. "Maybe it's not about knowing what's better. Maybe it's about having the guts to stand for what we signed up for. Protection. Service. Honor. Things you clearly forgot about."
Jean stepped up, smirking in satisfaction. "Yeah, and we've seen how comfortable you've gotten with how you boss all of us around to do your stupid fucking chores." That earned him a few shouts of agreement from the crowds surrounding them.
Dennis's face turned an alarming shade of red, his composure crumbling. "Enough of this! Apprehend these two immediately! This insubordination will not be tolerated!"
But the soldiers had heard enough. They all shared looks of disgust and disbelief, as they spoke out. One soldier, eyes wide with disbelief, turned to his comrade. "Did you hear what he said?!"
"Like hell I will! My family's from Karanes, they have nowhere else to go now if you refuse to help them!
"My parents and siblings are out there you sick fuck!"
"You're gonna sit on your fat asses all day playing poker and drinking while our familes struggle outside?!"
The murmurs grew, spreading like wildfire through the ranks. Marco exchanged a fleeting glance with Jean with a silent acknowledgment before the freckled boy was freed from his bindings. Jean raised his voice, with a shit eating grin. "So much for your 'calculated decisions', maybe it's a good time for you to reconsider, huh?"
Dennis's eyes darted around, realizing the growing unrest among the soldiers. He faltered, trying to regain control. "This is insubordination! All of you, back to your posts!"
Dennis glared with a mix of anger and uncertainty, but the stunned officers' voices were drowned out by the soldiers standing up against them. He reached a tipping point, and decided to do things himself. "Fine, I'll do it myself you useless bastards!" He pulled out a flintlock pistol and leveled it at the two privates, but that proved to be a mistake.
"Drop your weapon!" multiple voices commanded, as the officers realized rifles were pointed at them from every direction. Dennis' eyes widened, and he hesitated before throwing his gun away and raising his arms alongside the rest. Rico emerged from the entrance, stopping next to the captured senior officers. She glanced at them with cold disgust before ordering her men to handcuff them.
"You won't get away with this." One of the handcuffed men growled.
Rico looked at him impassively. "Perhaps, perhaps not. Take them away for interrogation, I'll be checking in with them shortly." She ordered her squadmates, as the men saluted at her orders and took care of the prisoners.
She then approached Jean and Marco, who awkwardly stepped aside. "Good work. Barely twenty-four hours, and you've already exceeded my expectations. Come morning, this city is as good as ours."
Jean and Marco looked sheepish, Marco rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "We barely did anything; it was all you guys taking this place over,"
Rico shook her head. "Any idiot can wave a gun and make people obey. You didn't rely on that; you won hearts and minds."
"Well... when you put it like that." Jean muttered, blushing at the praise.
"In any case, let's—" Rico started, but suddenly one of the officers being arrested headbutted a Garrison soldier and made a run for it.
Rico fell into Jean's arms as the man shoved her aside roughly, also knocking Marco down in the process. Soldiers ran after him hesitant to shoot, and a commotion erupted from the windows as several people rushed down to the courtyard. Jean, Rico, and Marco heard ODM gear hissing above their heads, their eyes widening as they spotted a blurry figure heading for the fleeing MP.
He was tackled to the ground, groaning as his assailant pinned him down with their knees, leaving the rest to halt as they watched in awe. "Where do you think you're going? You're leaving all the fun behind," taunted the voice above him, smirking. He heard the click of a gun against his ear. "Now, be nice, or I won't be."
"That voice..." Jean muttered, recognizing the familiar mop of red hair. He began to smirk. "Heh, you little bastard!"
Floch Forster turned to wave at the trio, half of his face lit up by the faint glow of the nearby torches. "Yo! Jean, Marco! I see you guys actually did it. Color me impressed!"
Jean immediately shouted back with mild annoyance. "Of course we did, you idiot! You left us no choice!"
"That's right!" Marco added.
Floch turned to the man beneath him, flipping him onto his back. "Let's get a good look at you—Ohohoho!" Floch chuckled, his face brightening up like a child receiving a piece of candy after spotting a familiar patch on the man's uniform. "I'll be damned, this must be my lucky night! You're First Interior. What's a man like you doing all the way out here? Lost, big guy?" The redhead got him up on his feet. "Alright, time to walk. Don't think for a second that I won't shoot you down like a dog in front of all these people, so behave yourself."
"You'll pay for this, they'll have you by the balls, boy." The man scowled but bitterly complied, Floch responded by kicking him in the nuts from behind and sending him tumbling to the ground.
"Sorry, my foot slipped." Floch sneered, as the MP writhed in agony.
Two Garrison soldiers immediately took custody of the captured officer, allowing Floch to rejoin Marco, Jean, and Rico. He barely managed a greeting when Jean punched him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. "OOOof, agh...hah..." Floch writhed on his knees, gasping for breath.
Jean pointed at his bandaged face. "That's for getting them to beat the shit out of me. Consider us even."
"Got it... fair enough..." Floch wheezed, shakily rising to his feet with Jean's help. Once he recovered, he gave a nod to Marco before turning to Rico. They exchanged solemn looks.
"Brzenska."
"Forster."
"I see you've followed my instructions to the letter," Floch said, still wincing a little before glancing at the detainees being taken away. "Whew, you guys sure didn't waste any time, honestly thought this would take a bit longer to complete."
"What time did we have to waste? The enemy's too complacent for us not to strike, we merely took advantage of that. So yes, we followed through with everything down to every minute detail, even that punch just now," she replied in a monotone tone, before cracking a small smile.
Floch frowned in disbelief. "Oh great, you've enabled her sense of humor horseface, just what I needed."
"Hold that thought. How did you both even organize this anyway? I thought things weren't safe with the MPs running around," Marco wondered, curiosity lacing his words.
Floch gave him a sidelong glance, shrugging. "We've been in touch for a month, since the operation to take down Reiner and the others. Who do you think helped me sneak into the tribunal grounds to get Eren out of the MPs' custody after his trial?"
"That makes sense," Jean said, his brows raising slightly in awe as Marco nodded along.
"It was a risk, but one I was willing to take. Considering what you've all accomplished in Trost, it paid off," Rico said, locking gazes with Floch. "If anyone can avenge the sacrifices made to protect our land, it's you and your comrades, Forster."
Floch nodded. "I appreciate it. Let's head inside. My squad is handling a few stragglers by the front gate; they should join us soon."
The redhead walked in, meeting up with Marlowe, Hitch, and Boris. The trio regarded him curiously as he eyed them. Floch couldn't help the swell of emotion seeing Marlowe again; it had been ages. "So, you're the people Jean and Marco trusted to help, you have my thanks."
"That would be us, yes, and you're welcome" Marlowe spoke up first, eyeing him with intrigue. "But, you are? I don't believe they ever mentioned you."
"Floch Forster, Private of the Survey Corps under Vice-Captain Nanaba, former cadet of the 104th southern division," Floch introduced himself. Marlowe was about to respond, but Floch raised a hand, cutting him off. "Marlowe Freundenberg, Hitch Dreyse, and Boris Feulner. I know who you are."
The trio felt uneasy at his knowledge of them. Marlowe sent questioning looks to Jean and Marco, who shrugged. "Uh, okay. Nice to meet you, I suppose."
"Likewise. Let's go somewhere private," Floch said, leading the way through the corridors as if familiar with the interior, he halted, turning back towards them. "No pun intended,"
Hitch furrowed her brow as he resumed walking, whispering to Marlowe, "Something about him gives me the creeps. How is someone with that rank pulling the strings and how does he know our names?" Marlowe shrugged, and they eventually ended up in an office belonging to one of the arrested officers. The rest of Floch's squad joined them soon after.
"Is this everyone?" Nanaba asked. Rico gave a curt nod.
"Alright, good job. Our men have taken control of all the outposts along the wall and apprehended the remaining patrols. Stohess is officially under joint Garrison and Survey Corps control as of tonight."
A few people cheered. Nanaba waited for them to quiet down before continuing. "That's where the good news ends. Our commander is on his way to the royal capital to be put on trial. We have yet to receive updates about our operation in the underground, so we're in the dark about much of what's happening beyond the city."
"For now, we'll wait for Team Hange to arrive so we can take hold of the Colossal Titan's power and head to the capital. Her team should be back tonight or by morning," Nanaba said, giving Rico a look. "Brzenska, once we depart, this town will be under your supervision until further notice."
Rico nodded. "Understood."
"Forster, inform them about the current situation," Nanaba said, and Floch stepped up with a firm nod.
"This ought to be good," Hitch whispered to Marlowe, who frowned.
"First, Wall Rose is still intact," Floch began. The room fell silent in shock. "We faked a titan breach to smuggle men and equipment to the heart of the kingdom beneath the capital. There is no actual threat beyond the current enemy titan shifters."
"That's insane! Do you realize what you've done?" Marlowe exploded angrily. "Thousands of people are huddled up without shelter and dwindling food supplies! Do you not see the repercussions?"
Floch didn't flinch. "I get that, but sometimes sacrifices are needed for a larger goal. Besides, where will those people go when they're kicked out of Wall Sina? Back to their safe homes, untouched by titans."
"Still... That's a reckless plan," Marlowe muttered, stepping back as Hitch patted his back reassuringly.
"Regardless, we're using this to our advantage to throw our enemies into chaos. Now, we may have captured someone important," Floch announced. "I checked his uniform patch. He's part of the First Interior Squad."
"Hey, I recognize that name." Hitch spoke up, "They're the guys who run around doing whatever they want right? They don't answer to any of our commanders or officers, they just do whatever it is they're told to do by someone else." She said, as Floch nodded in confirmation.
Nanaba looked pleased. "Who is he?"
"Corporal Djel Sannes. He's currently in solitary confinement," Rico replied.
"Very well. We should make it our—"
The door to the office was suddenly slammed open as a scout rushed in urgently. "Captain! It's urgent, Squad Hange returned, they've been ambushed and have suffered heavy casualties!"
The room fell silent, every pair of eyes locking onto the scout. The gravity of his words hung in the air, a cold dread settling over the assembled soldiers. Floch's face paled, Mylius and Mina exchanged horrified looks, and Hitch's hand flew to her mouth, stifling a gasp. Nanaba's eyes widened in shock, while Jean and the rest stood frozen, unable to comprehend the news.
"W-what?!" Floch stammered in shock.
Nanaba was the first to recover, her voice steady but filled with urgency. "Where are they?! Where's Hange?"
The scout's expression turned grim. "We spotted them at the gate and brought them over to the infirmary here, as for Hange it looks like she's... deceased."
A collective gasp swept through the room. Floch's breath caught in his throat, his heart pounding in his ears. The world seemed to tilt around him, and before anyone could stop him, he bolted from the room, a blur of motion driven by sheer panic and desperation. Floch's heart pounded as he raced through the corridors, ignoring the shouts of those behind him. His mind was a blur of fear and disbelief, the soldier's words echoing in his ears. Ambushed. Heavy casualties. Hange, deceased. He couldn't process it, wouldn't let himself believe it until he saw for himself.
He burst through the doors of the infirmary, his eyes scanning the room frantically. The air was thick with the scent of blood and medicine, people were hurrying to tend to the wounded, they were a group of medics off in a corner tending to someone. He finally spotted some of them— namely Moblit, Nifa and Hannah. Relief washed over him when he also saw Sandra, and Ruth among the wounded, alive but battered.
"Sandra!" he called out, rushing to their side.
Sandra looked up, her face pale and streaked with dirt and blood. "Floch..." she murmured, her voice weak but relief evident in her gaze. Ruth lay beside her on the neighboring bed, unconscious but breathing
Floch knelt between them, his hands shaking as he assessed their injuries. "What happened?!" he demanded, his voice trembling in anger and fear.
"It was an ambush, I think... it was them, those people that tried to capture you." Sandra whispered, wincing in pain. "They came out of nowhere... We didn't stand a chance."
Floch clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. "What about Hange?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.
Sandra's eyes filled with tears as she nodded. "Gone. They got her before we even realized what was happening."
Floch's world shrank, his vision narrowing as reality crashed over him. Hange, mother figure, friend, fearless commander, mad scientist, cyclops, incompetent leader, filthy traitor.
Dead.
His chest tightened with what he could only describe as grief, he didn't even think... he didn't think It was... possible. His features hardened, as a lump formed in his throat, taking heavy breaths to steady himself and focus. He gazed down at Sandra and caressed her cheek softly, she leaned into his touch. "We'll.. we'll figure it out, just get better for now."
His squadmates and the rest finally arrived, looking around in muted shock. Nanaba headed over to Moblit and Nifa, checking in on them, though Moblit was unresponsive, leaving Nifa to do all the talking. Mylius, Mina, Marco, and Jean stood behind them awkwardly, concern etched in their eyes, while the other MP trio watched somberly from a distance.
Moblit sat on the edge of a bed, his posture slumped, eyes vacant. Blood smeared his face and uniform, some of it his own, but much of it belonging to others. His trembling hands were caked with drying blood. Floch watched him, unable to tear his eyes away. Moblit's breaths were shallow and erratic, his chest heaving as if he couldn't get enough air. His eyes were glassy, staring at something only he could see. Floch recognized the signs of shock, the dissociation he had grown so familiar with.
When Nanaba called for him softly, there was no response, just a slight twitch of his bloodstained fingers. When she crouched down to meet his gaze, he blinked slowly, his eyes focusing on her for a moment before drifting away again. Moblit's face crumpled, and he squeezed his eyes shut, tears mixing with the blood on his cheeks. "I couldn't save her," he choked out, as Floch read his lips from afar. "I didn't even have the chance... it all happened so fast."
Moblit shakily got to his feet, walking away slowly, each step heavy and uncertain. He left the room, ignoring Nanaba's concerned calls.
Floch suddenly realized someone else was missing. He turned around, confused, before asking his next question. "Where's Gordon?" His throat dried, heart skipping a beat as dread mounted at Sandra's reaction.
Sandra didn't say anything, so Floch had to look around for himself. He turned to Hannah and found her staring in a certain direction, dazed and barely aware of her surroundings. He followed her gaze and found the medics again, frantically trying to save the life of a patient lying on the bed. That's when it clicked for him.
"No—Gordon!" Floch was about to stand up, but Sandra stopped him, clutching his arm tightly as she winced in pain.
"Don't! Just... don't. He'll make it... please, don't go there... for your sake..." She pleaded in agony.
Floch's lower lip quivered before he deflated and sat back down with an air of defeat. This wasn't supposed to happen. Hange wasn't supposed to die. How the hell could this happen? Something so... so... out of his control? He struggled to keep everything from slipping from his fingers like sand. He thought he could keep Ymir on a tight leash, he thought Trost could be prevented, that Bertholdt could be taken care of... that his friends and comrades wouldn't drop dead like flies again, but it was foolish of him to think so.
Part of him naively thought that things would work out fine, but that wasn't true, was it? Another part of him knew, since the start, that he couldn't exactly expect to waltz into these people's lives and enact change after change without something crashing against him. What were they going to do now? They still had the warriors to worry about, and to make matters worse, he didn't even need to ask about Bertholdt's whereabouts. This was a nightmare, the last thing he ever expected to happen. It was hell in the making.
No, calm down, don't panic. It wasn't the end, not yet.
It was up to him to fill the gaps that Hange's death would leave behind. He had no choice now. He'll pick up the fallen pieces, so that it wouldn't be in vain. He remembered who she could have been, what she had done for them, and he intended to follow through with restoring her efforts that wouldn't come to fruition in this new world. Regardless of who she once was, he felt only sorrow for her, and he silently vowed revenge for her sake, his eyes burning with seething rage.
Ymir, Reiner, Annie, Bertholdt, their puppet masters, that ape Yeager, the royal government, and their inner circle, including any misguided whore blindly following their orders.
All of them will pay.
Four armed men flew through the dense forest canopy, their ODM gear propelling them from tree to tree with practiced precision. The twilight sky above cast long shadows over the forest floor. As they zipped through the trees, the leader of the group signaled for them to slow down. He was a seasoned soldier, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of trouble. Their enemies could be somewhere out here, and every sense was on high alert.
"Stay sharp," he spoke, his voice low and steady. "Find where they ran off to!"
The forest was quiet, the only sound being the faint hum of their ODM gear. They had found the bodies of their deceased comrades, it was now only a matter of finding their killers. Suddenly, out of the shadows, a massive form emerged, swift and brutal.
It locked onto the first soldier before he could react, a powerful hand swiped through the air, catching him mid-flight. The man let out a strangled cry as he was torn apart, his body falling lifelessly to the forest floor.
"Ambush!" the leader shouted, but it was too late.
The cart titan moved with terrifying speed, its massive arms cutting through the air with deadly precision. It leaped from tree to tree, using the same branches the soldiers relied on, but with far more ferocity. The second soldier shot at it to no avail, and the titan was upon him in an instant. A massive hand grabbed him by the torso, squeezing until his bones shattered. His scream was cut short as the titan threw his broken body into the trees, disappearing into the darkness.
The third soldier attempted to flee, his heart pounding in his chest. He zigzagged through the trees, hoping to outmaneuver the beast. But the cart titan was relentless. It jumped from tree to tree, landing directly in his path. It punched ahead, decapitating him, his headless body falling to the ground in a spray of blood.
The leader, now the last remaining, gritted his teeth and tried to strategize his next move. He couldn't outrun or take this thing down, not when his ODM chasis came with no blades, he was only fit to fight other humans and so, he hid.
He suddenly felt something off, it was too quiet, eerily so. He took a peek to look for the titan, only to find nothing, his heart beat frantically in his chest, before he began to hear something crawling up towards him form underneath.
He gasped and tried to run but it grabbed him by the leg, slamming him into the tree with bone-crushing force. His vision blurred, pain radiating through his body as he was pinned against the trunk. He struggled to move, but the titan's grip was unyielding. From the shadows, a figure emerged from the top of it's head. A blonde man with glasses and a beard stepped forward, his expression cold and calculating. He walked up to the captive soldier, examining him with a detached curiosity.
"What was your mission here?" the man asked, his voice calm and composed.
The leader spat out blood, scared stiff as he gazed down at his captor. "W-we were ordered to capture a titan shifter alive... and to eliminate any other stragglers, those scouts were on the move so we chased after them."
The man looked intrigued by that. "Captive titan shifter? Which one?"
"T-the colossal titan, that's all the orders I have I swear, I know nothing else. Please don't kill me!"
The blonde man turned to the titan and nodded, pleased by the answer. The titan tightened its grip, and with a sickening crunch, crushed the soldier's head with its massive thumb. His cries of agony unheard as they were muffled by the finger, before the man's lifeless body was tossed aside.
Zeke Yeager and the cart titan's gazes shifted to the distance. In the background, flames licked at the sky as smoke rose into the late evening air from the direction the deceased men were heading towards.
And scene!
This chapter came out longer than expected, next chapter I'll be going into the underground shenanigans so expect more fight scenes to come. We'll also be getting a look into Erwin's POV, and maybe some Kenny and Rod Reiss, who knows? Also the confrontation between Ymir and Floch is either going to be in the next chapter or the one after that!
8MexicanJaeger: I just sort of had most of the main events of the story up to the ending written down, and just stitched them together as I worked my way up the chapters.
Miqila: It's there I promise, you just gotta look closer in the center left in the background!
Pyrogunslinger: Yeah, I've decided I will write that RWBY story, right now I'm just figuring out how the plot would go and what the ending's vaguely gonna be like. I want to pre-write atleast 15 or so chapters before I release the story first. And the story will technically involve time travel but with a twist.
Hope: Welcome again hope, good to see you again! I'm glad you felt that way about Hange, let's do it again with Rico! (I'm just kidding hihi)
Anyway, I thought to point out that any "OC" character you might read here are actually named characters from the show/manga with a few rare exceptions of course.
Lastly, I've been keeping this to myself for over two years now, but I once came close to abandoning this story four chapters in. There was this other Floch-centric story called "Gewöhnliche Männer" or "Ordinary men." which had the exact same premise as mine and it came out a week after I published seeking the devil, Floch dies and goes back to the past during the training days after being sent by Eren to save Eldia and fix the future etc...
It was so good that I thought about abandoning "Seeking The Devil" to read that story instead. I told myself, I'll wait until they release their next chapter and then I'll make my decision, so I waited, then 2 weeks later, nothing. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, the author decided to delete their story, I'm not sure if there ever was a chapter 2 because all traces of it are gone and my memory is not reliable but yeah, now I'm 34 chapters deep, and still going at it! That little comment about me saying "crazy how far I've come" in chapter 4 came after I acknowledged to myself that I nearly abandoned this story haha.
So yeah, that's a piece of useless lore I felt the need to share.
Cya next chapter!
