Chapter Eight – The 23rd Scouting Expedition

Two days before the expedition

Quinn has replayed the events of that night multiple times in her head, but she still can't figure out why Levi is avoiding her.

This wasn't his usual steer-clear routine of avoiding conversation simply by being quiet — this was deliberate. Whenever Quinn was so much as in the same room with Levi, he would always find a way to leave. Even if they were in the middle of something, Commander Flagon didn't seem to care enough to try and keep Levi's attention anymore. His absence probably felt relieving to the commander, but it left Quinn sitting on pins and needles.

It had been like this ever since the night of the festival, and Quinn couldn't shake that she did something wrong. Had she behaved like an idiot? Did she say something that came across as offensive without realizing it? She's never been one to drink to the point of blacking out, so she was fairly certain that she remembered everything.

Levi told her straight up that he didn't hate her, but this new attitude suggests otherwise.

Quinn wasn't the only one who noticed his change in demeanor, either. Furlan and Isabel were obviously tense, attempting – and failing – to conceal their furtive glances toward Quinn whenever Levi would disappear. Sairam had picked up on it too, and was gradually trying to pull Quinn back into his good graces. She hadn't bothered to apologize, but that didn't seem to matter to him. She was too hung up on whether she should apologize to Levi, and if so, for what?

Part of her wants to ask Isabel if she knows anything, but she hasn't found a good opportunity to talk to her. Isabel had been sticking by Levi's side a lot, and when he wasn't around, she was glued to Furlan instead. It had reached a point where Quinn began to think Levi might've banned Isabel from speaking to her, which only crushed her spirits even further.

Color her surprised when the girl finally approached her.

It was the first time in a while that Quinn had found some downtime during the day, sitting under a shaded tree with her sketchbook resting against her thighs, trying to coax her brain to produce something worthwhile. All the stress that was building up in her head could easily be spilled across the pages if only she knew what to fucking draw. She hadn't noticed Isabel approaching until the younger girl was already seated next to her.

"Oh-!" Quinn stammers in surprise. "Hey, Isabel. Sorry, I must not have been paying attention."

Isabel seems to shift her eyes from side to side, almost like she's keeping an eye out for something — or someone. Maybe she really was forbidden from speaking to Quinn. "Hey, I'm sorry I haven't been around for a couple of days, but I uh, I wanted to ask you something."

"What's up?"

"Did something… happen between you and Levi?"

Her question stuns Quinn into a momentary silence, her fingers fidgeting with the corner of a page. "I don't know. I was actually thinking about asking you the same thing."

"Hmm," Her response only deepens Isabel's confusion. "He's been acting weird since the festival. He's been a bit more on edge than usual. I've never seen him act this… bothered. Levi doesn't usually stay upset at people without a good reason."

'Good reason.'

Quinn has no idea what that reason would be.

"But he hasn't said anything?"

"Nope. At least, not to me. Furlan might know something, though."

Approaching Furlan was out of the question. If he won't even share anything with Isabel, there's no way in hell he would give Quinn any information.

"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, anyway."

Isabel moves to stand up, but pauses. "By the way, I just wanted to say thank you. Y'know, for being so nice to me and all that. I thought coming here would be a living hell but… you made it a lot easier."

Her sentiment catches Quinn off guard, but it brings a smile to her face. "I'm glad. I know getting used to things here can be rough."

It's true that Isabel's comment made Quinn feel a lot happier, but a part of her can't help but feel like this sounds like a… goodbye of some sorts?

As the younger girl rises to her feet and brushes off her uniform, Quinn finds a question slipping past her lips before she can stop it. "Did Levi tell you to stay away from me?"

Isabel pauses for a moment before she answers, her voice softer and more hesitant. "We've just been busy getting ready for the expedition, that's all."

Right. The expedition – the single most important thing that's been staring them in the face for the past three weeks.

"I see. Well, I'm glad you guys are getting yourselves prepared."

Isabel finally says her goodbyes and walks away, leaving Quinn with a mind full of questions and no means to find any answers. She doesn't think she has the confidence to approach Levi directly — at least, not until there isn't an upcoming expedition to worry about. There are more pressing issues than the 'do you hate me?' spiel all over again.

Maybe she should just drop it altogether. They're soldiers — they're there to do a job, not worry about making friends. Why should she care whether Levi disliked her or not? As long as the efficiency of their squad wasn't compromised, it wasn't worth worrying about right now.

Quinn gazes down to the book resting in her lap. The blank parchment stares back at her. Mocking her.

Perhaps she could arrange some last-minute training with the cadets, or head down to supplies and see if they need assistance, or even go bother Ness and see if he needs any help with the horses.

She needed to find something else to focus on.

Anything else but this.

︎***

The 23rd Scouting Expedition - Day 1, Morning

The small group of people in the supporting crowd presented quite a pitiful sight as the Scout Regiment made their way through Shiganshina.

Levi knew that the regiment was never particularly favored, but the public's opinion of the Scouts seemed to be at an all-time low. The few people that did line the streets did so with sour expressions on their faces.

That wasn't the case for everyone, however. Many family members had traveled from all over Wall Maria to see their loved ones off. Levi had already spotted three seperate groups, each with a different Scout who would branch off to say their goodbyes. He's surprised that they had nearly reached the outer gate without seeing a particular family pop up, when he hears a child's voice call out from the sidelines.

"Quinn!"

The little boy is the first one to come into view, propped up on an older man's shoulders and waving his arms in excitement. He was a young child — no more than 6 years old, if Levi had to guess. Quinn, who's positioned a couple rows ahead of him, instantly perks up and starts to approach what Levi assumes to be her family.

The man carrying the boy has a wider build, with round glasses and a mustache so thick it's almost comical. What little hair he has on the top of his head is a deep brown, and his olive skin tone is mirrored in that of the child he's carrying on his shoulders. Standing next to the two is a taller woman with ashy brown hair neatly pinned on top of her head. She wears a loosely knitted shawl wrapped around her shoulders, draping down the sides of a modest cotton dress.

"Quinn! Is that your family?" Isabel calls out as they approach from further down the line, and Levi wishes now more than ever that she would learn to mind her damn business. He had already warned her to start distancing herself from that woman, and there's no reason for her to interrupt Quinn's conversation with her family, especially when they'll be leaving the walls in a matter of minutes.

Not to Levi's surprise, Quinn looks over with a smile and waves Isabel over. Furlan and Levi exchange a glance of consideration before deciding to quietly trail behind her.

"Mom, Dad, this is Isabel. She's one of the new members of my squad. Isabel, these are my parents, Johanne and Albert, and my little brother, Jericho." Quinn says as she gestures between the group. The man, now known to be her father, lifts the small boy from his shoulders and sets him down on the front of Quinn's saddle as if it were an established routine.

The boy in Quinn's shrinks down slightly, evidently shy in the presence of a group of strangers. Now that Levi is a bit closer, he notices that the child has a pair of deep brown eyes, much like his father's. Quinn's mother's eyes were a misty pale blue, with defined facial features that completely contrast those of her daughter.

Quinn doesn't look a thing like the rest of her family.

Levi tries not to read into it too much.

Isabel greets the family with a big smile. "It's nice to meet you guys. I've heard a lot about you. Is it true that you have a big shop here in town?"

"Isabel," Levi says in a cautious tone, attempting to remind the girl not to pry. His warning catches the attention of Quinn's mother, who glances over at the two men looming a few feet back.

"And who are these young men?" the woman asks. Quinn glances past Isabel and looks over at the pair.

"That's Furlan and Levi. They're new, too."

Quinn's parents seem to look over at the two simultaneously, offering smiles as a brief greeting. Furlan waves and gives a small smile back. Levi averts his eyes.

"Quinn let me use some of your homemade soap the other day. It was sooo nice. It made my skin smooth like a baby's butt." Isabel continues to talk despite Levi's protests, her phrasing making him cringe inward.

The compliment brings a broad smile to Quinn's mother's face. "Oh, thank you, sweetie. Y'know, I was planning to send Quinn back with a few things. Maybe I can include a couple new bars for ya' when you get back."

Isabel's smile widens with excitement. "That would be awesome!"

Quinn's parents genuinely seem like kind people — which makes a lot of sense given her own demeanor. However, while Quinn's father looked at her like she was his pride and joy, there was a hint of sadness in her mother's eyes – as if she were already mourning her daughter before she had even left.

Levi doesn't look up again for the rest of the conversation.

︎***

"Open the gate!"

It's a sight Quinn never gets tired of — watching the outer gate of her hometown slowly rising up the wall, unlocking their cage to a world of endless possibilities. She had stared at that gate ever since she was a child, believing that if she just concentrated hard enough, she could open it with her mind.

Adrenaline is tingling at her fingertips.

"The day has come for us to take another step forward!" Shadis' roaring voice echoes down the entire formation. Quinn can already see a glimpse of the wide open pastures waiting just outside of the confines of the walls. Her heart wants to leap out of her chest. It's pulling towards something, yearning for something.

"Show me the fruits of your training! And show the Titans we meet that humanity still has its pride!"

All of the Scouts around her cheer in unison, several of them holding their blades up high.

"The 23rd recon mission has begun! Now all troops — ADVANCE!"

A thunderous rumbling erupts as the Scout Regiment begins to gallop through the outer gate. Quinn watches with wonderous eyes as the dim light of the gate's entrance gives way to a blindingly blue sky.

It always feels like the sun shines brighter the moment they step beyond the walls. The warmth radiating from the sky, combining with the cool breeze, always gives Quinn an exhilarating rush. This is why the Scouts venture beyond the walls – no drug in existence can beat the sight of the open, uncharted world.

After savoring some of the moment for herself, Quinn looks back to catch a glimpse of Levi, Isabel, and Furlan. Each of them is staring up at the sky with that same sense of awe. Even Levi, who's practically a professional at looking uninterested, has a look of amazement on his face.

Sadly, despite how gorgeous the view is, she couldn't let them admire it for long. Not even a couple minutes later, Quinn had to redirect their focus back onto the mission.

And not even a couple minutes after that, they're given a perfect example as to why.

"Titan spotted! It's a 15 meter, advancing from our one o'clock!"

Sure enough, Quinn sees a large, bulbous Titan come into view, charging toward their formation at full speed.

"Shit. Already?" she mutters under her breath. "We haven't even split the formation yet."

Shadis, spearheading the battalion, is quick to give his orders. "Prepare to engage! Defense squads, switch to ODM gear!"

The Scouts are at least fortunate enough to have a number of small trees surrounding them. It may not be much, but it's enough to work with. Quinn pulls herself up onto her feet with finesse, balancing on the saddle of her horse before launching herself upwards and propelling herself forward among the trees.

There's a couple of other Scouts already making their way toward the front just ahead of her. Quinn lets out another burst of gas when she sees the Titan leap from below, mouth wide open and heading straight for one of the men up front.

Her arms move almost instinctively as she throws both of her blades from their hilts, sending them flying straight into the creature's eyes. A horrific scream erupts from the monster as it stumbles backward. Quinn harnesses her momentum to fly around the Titan's head, retrieving two new blades just in time to make contact with the nape and carve a chunk out of its tender flesh.

When the goliath falls, Quinn notices a pair of legs sticking out of its mouth.

Damn it.

She can't afford to stop moving, flying her way down the formation and back towards her squadmates. When she reaches them, Quinn realizes that she's the one being gawked at now. Isabel and Furlan staring at her in amazement. Levi almost looks unphased, but even from this distance, Quinn can tell that his eyes are wide with shock. She almost wants to laugh — until she sees what's rapidly closing in on her comrades from behind.

Commander Flagon seems to notice the same moment Quinn does. "Shit! We've got more on our rear. Ten meters, two of them!"

The three look behind themselves in alarm.

"Keep running!" Flagon shouts. "Let us deal with them!"

The two look like they're ready to comply, but their third counterpart is already turning around and running straight for the two monsters. Quinn's heart drops to her stomach as she watches Furlan and Isabel trail behind him. She reaches her horse in record time and starts to race toward the rest of her squad.

They're gonna get themselves killed.

Levi, of course, reaches the Titans first, launching himself off his horse and anchoring himself into a tree behind the ankles. He uses the surface of the tree to propel himself upward toward the monster's nape, his movements so fast it's almost inhuman. In the blink of an eye, the Titan collapses to the ground in a cloud of steam, Levi emerging from the top of the mist and observing the corpse below.

By the time Levi's Titan falls, Isabel and Furlan have started to engage with the other one. As they both deploy their ODM gear, a massive hand reaches into the sky and grabs Isabel's leg. Quinn wants to call out to her, but before she can, Isabel severs the monster's finger and frees herself from its grasp. As she's distracting the creature, Furlan positions himself behind the head and takes out the nape with ease.

Quinn finally reaches the group and slows her horse to a halt just in time to witness the second monster go limp and crash into the dirt, alongside Flagon and Sairam.

"No fucking way…" Flagon mumbles in shock. "These guys are…"

Quinn finishes his sentence for him. "Amazing."

*︎**

The 23rd Scouting Expedition - Day 1, Night

The rest of their day trip was fairly uneventful — at least, for Flagon's squad it was. Since they deployed their long distance formation, Quinn had seen four red smoke circles. That was four different Titan encounters somewhere else in the formation. While she had no idea how those encounters played out, she was thankful that there wasn't a trace of black smoke the entire day. A single black smoke signal could mean a complete wipe of several different sections.

The Scout Regiment had reached their first main outpost just as the sun was starting to go down, settling in what little structure was left of an old, abandoned castle. It was in absolute shambles, with several walls and sections of the roof completely destroyed, but what remained acted as an excellent temporary base for their basic needs. The lower-ranked soldiers made camp in the open main floor, while the higher ups settled in what remained of the upstairs. Quinn was quick to claim her usual spot — a corner partially blocked off by a stack of empty crates. She's stopped at this outpost so many times throughout her four years of service, so of course she was quick to find the best sleeping spot.

Quinn had just finished putting down her blanket when she hears a pair of excited footsteps fast approaching from behind. She only has a few seconds to turn around before she's nearly knocked to her feet as somebody crashes into her.

"Quinnnn!" Hange yells eccentrically, wrapping their arms around their friend and squeezing so hard it makes her grunt. Quinn had seen very little of Hange this past month, with them being busy with the mass production of smoke signals in research and development.

Quinn almost lets out a laugh as she pries her friend from off of her. "Hello to you too, Hang."

"I saw your squad earlier today! Those newbies really packed a punch on those Titans!" Hange enthuses in a slightly too loud voice. "You gotta introduce me to 'em!"

Quinn cringes inward at Hange's request. "I don't know if that's such a good idea. They just finished up their first day, and you aren't exactly… low energy."

Hange almost looks offended, staring at Quinn with their jaw dropped. They take a moment to scan the room before spotting their targets — Levi, Isabel, and Furlan, setting up their own sleeping area a few feet away. "Well fine! I've never had a problem giving my own introductions." Hange scoffs before they begin walking swiftly towards the group.

For fucks sake. "Hange, wait!"

It's a useless objection, and Quinn knows that, but she goes after her friend anyways.

"Hey! You got a second?" Hange asks as they approach from behind. Their presence seems to startle the trio, and they look back at Hange and Quinn with a wary look.

"I was watching you." Hange continues. "At that crucial moment!"

Levi's eyes go unusually dark— even for him. "What do you mean by 'watching us'?"

"What do I mean? When you guys took down those Titans of course! It was incredible!"

He instantly look more relaxed. It sets off a sense of suspicion in Quinn's brain.

"You're Levi, right?" Hange continues to ramble. "And you're Isabel, and you're… er…"

"Furlan."

"Right! Furlan, nice to meet you!" Hange pats the blonde on the back a bit too hard as they sit down between him and Isabel. "I'm Hange Zoe, I'm good friends with Quinn here, you see."

The three glance over at Quinn in unison, causing her to pinch her brow in frustration and try to hide the embarrassment on her face.

Hange's attention shifts back to Levi. "So, Levi, you didn't go through the Cadet Corps, did you? How did you get so good with ODM gear?"

Levi doesn't respond, until Furlan nudges him firmly in the shoulder.

"… I practiced. A lot."

"You taught yourself?!" Hange gasps in amazement. "How? Is there some kind of trick to it?"

"Not really."

Levi's curt replies seem to discourage Hange a bit. "Wow. You don't even have a little hint?" They pause and glance around the room, and it's just then that Levi and the others realize that everybody is looking at them. "Everyone saw you fight. You guys gave them hope that humans don't have to lose to the Titans if we just fight well enough."

Levi and Furlan look a bit stunned, but Isabel quickly breaks out in a smile. "We're amazing, right? I told you guys!"

"Yeah, it was amazing." Hange says as they turn back towards Levi. "That's why I'm hoping to hear a trick or two from Levi. How about it?"

Levi looks like he considers it, but only for a split second. "I'll pass."

"But-"

"It's not really something I can teach other people."

"I see…" Hange sighs as they pull themselves up to their feet. "Well, I'm sorry to disturb you guys. I'll let you rest!" As they walk away, they add in "I'll buy you guys a meal some time if ya' don't die, 'kay?"

Quinn isn't sure what to say now that her friend has finally departed. The trio in front of her definitely doesn't look too keen on being bothered any further, so she settles on a small "sorry" before dragging herself back to her own corner.

She can't shake the feeling that there was something off about the group when Hange had first approached them. Like they were caught red handed doing something they really shouldn't have been doing. Levi looked especially hostile — like Hange's answer to his question made a difference between life or death.

Her sense of unease doesn't waver, tossing and turning in her stomach as she tries to settle herself in the dirt.

*︎**

The 23rd Scouting Expedition - Day 2, Morning

Quinn didn't sleep a wink last night.

Occasional insomnia wasn't exactly new to her, but she can't remember the last time it was so bad that she stayed up for an entire night. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

Out on the field, it felt like the motion of Quinn's galloping horse was the only thing keeping her awake. The Scouts had been riding for about an hour now, and so far they haven't seen a single red smoke signal. This was good for Quinn — it gave her a chance to rest her brain for a bit. The trot of the horses and the sight of rolling hills makes for a far more relaxing environment than the silence of that abandoned castle.

At least, until she heard Flagon's voice shouting at them from up ahead.

"We're tightening the formation! Looks like we've got a storm on our asses!"

Quinn looks from her left to her right, and sure enough, there's a group of angry thunderheads closing in on them — fast. Her squad quickly does as instructed and groups up closer together.

But when the storm rolls in, it doesn't even matter

"I didn't know rain could come down this hard!" Quinn hears Isabel shout from behind, her voice barely cutting through the sharp hiss of wind that surrounds them.

Quinn struggles to turn her head and yell back in response. "Just stay close and stay alert! We aren't gonna be able to see any smoke signals through this, so you need to expect an ambushat any moment!"

When she faces forward again, her stomach drops.

She's lost sight of both Flagon and Sairam.

"Shit!" Quinn yells as she looks to her side, where thankfully Freya is still riding close by. "Can you see them?!"

Freya's eyes are nearly squinted shut as she holds a hand up to guard her face from the rain. "No! I looked away for one second and they were gone! Should we fire off an acoustic?!"

Quinn looks ahead and thinks for a moment. "Not yet, just stay close! I'm sure they're just up ahead!"

"Okay!" Freya shouts back in response, turning her head to glance behind the pair. "Uhh — Quinn!"

"Yeah?!"

"We lost the others!"

Quinn's eyes widen in shock as she looks back to where Isabel and the others just were — and sees nothing but a wall of raindrops.

"Dammit! Okay!" Quinn nods and gestures over to Freya's pack. "Fire one off!"

Quinn looks back to the front and squints even harder, looking for the slightest glimpse of her comrades up above. Each one of her senses feel dulled — completely overwhelmed by the haze of the fog and the unrelenting sound of rain and thunder–

Thunder.

That is not thunder.

"Freya-!"

Quinn barely has time to call out her comrade's name before a large, grinning face appears out of the mist, lunging forward and grasping Freya's upper body with its teeth. Her horse, partially thrown from the force, crashes into the body of Quinn's and sends them both tumbling to the ground. She scrambles up to her feet in a daze, grabbing for her handles of her gear desperately, but the Titan is already deep in the process of grinding Freya's innards. A pair of legs fall limp out of the monster's mouth.

It's huge — a quadruped Titan with a huge grinning mouth and blood red eyes. The sheer violence of its nature leaves no doubt in Quinn's mind — it's an abnormal.

She's about to launch forward toward the Titan's limbs when she hears another voice call out to her, shrill and full of panic. "Quinn!"

Her blood instantly goes cold.

"No, Isabel! Run away!"

Before Quinn can move, another large, fleshy hand appears out of the mist and grabs her from the ground. Despite the pain, she's still quick to hack off half of the Titan's hand, cutting herself free and allowing herself to propel up to the nape.

The beast falls. Isabel is getting closer.

Another Titan appears from the younger girl's side, lunging with an open hand, but Isabel manages to evade it at the last second. Her sloppy movements nearly knock both her and her horse off balance, but it buys Quinn just enough time to rush over and slice through the soft spot.

Another one down.

"Isabel!" Quinn screams as the girl's horse tries to find its footing. "You need to run! Get out of here!"

"Quinn!"

There's a different voice calling out to her now — Sairam's voice, full of fear and panic.

Another 15 meter Titan is slowly raising the man up to its mouth by his arm — an arm that's now barely attached to the rest of his body. Quinn uses the fast dissolving corpses of the other Titans to make her way over to her comrade, slicing both of the ankle tendons up to the neck in one smooth motion.

When she goes to pull Sairam out of the Titan's mouth, only half of him comes out.

There's no time to mourn, no time to spare a second thought, not with the large abnormal still standing. The Titan who ambushed Freya is quick to finish its meal, its attention shifting to the small girl racing toward it at full speed.

Of course she isn't backing down – of course she isn't fucking listening. They never do. If it was Levi talking, Isabel would listen to him. Wherever she goes, Levi is quick to follow.

Shit, Levi.

Where's Levi?

Quinn can't afford to wonder right now. The abnormal is preparing to charge.

"Isabel!" Quinn screams as she jumps from the Titan corpse below and starts running. She tries to shoot her anchor into the abnormal's eye — but the hook doesn't fire.

She clicks the trigger a few more times in desperation, but still, nothing. Her gear is completely unresponsive.

The surge in the abnormal's speed and strength catches Isabel off guard, and finally, she starts to run. Quinn tugs desperately at the cords of her rig, searching for a snag or a tangle or anything that could explain her mobility gear's malfunction. When she looks up again, the Titan is practically on top of Isabel.

She's kicking the side of her horse desperately as the monster closes in on her, letting out a shriek of terror as the creature's jaw unhinges from over her and exposes its gore-covered molars.

"Levi-!"

Before Quinn sees the monster's jaw close, a bone shattering pain rips through her shoulder as she's yanked up from the ground, the smell of Titan bile overwhelming her nose as a 12 meter Titan grasps her firmly in its mouth. Quinn can feel her muscles tearing and snapping with the force of the monster's teeth, tearing the flesh from her left shoulder down to her collarbone wide open.

She hears Furlan screaming Isabel's name somewhere in the distance, before everything starts to drown out. Then, out of nowhere, the pressure from her shoulder disappears, and Quinn finds herself falling to the ground.

Looking above her, she sees Commander Flagon anchoring himself against the Titan's face with his blades, one side of the Titan's jaw sliced wide open.

"Commander!"

"Go! Get out of here! Ru-"

A large hand crashes into Flagon's body as the Titan swings its arm, slamming the commander into its own face like he was nothing more than a bug on a window. Quinn's back collides hard with the ground, leaving her in a bed of fresh mud and damp grass.

The Titan above her suckles on Commander Flagon's body like a newborn.

The pain on her left side is slowly fading away, a deep chill settling in its wake.

The grass she's laying in smells amazing, covering her in the scent of springtime rain.

For a moment, she questions if this is really it – if her luck has finally run out. And then she hears the screaming. Not screams of fear — screams of rage, vengeance, loss. The cries are only amplified as they mix with the sound of Titans shrieking and flesh chopping.

With every ounce of strength that Quinn has left, she forces herself to turn her head to the side,

and comes face to face with Isabel's decapitated head.

Her consciousness fades away before any tears can be shed.

'I'm sorry.'