"Hurry up! Follow Mikasa! Avoid fighting if you can and get to HQ before you run out of gas!"
Another Titan fell to the powerhouse that was Mikasa Ackerman as Jean's powerful legs propelled him swiftly from one rooftop to another, focusing on conserving every drop of fuel. He shouted orders to the other cadets while Victoria clung to him as best she could, trying to keep herself tucked away to help with the aerodynamics of his flight.
However, the added weight, despite her petite stature, was proving to be a hindrance to his speed.
Close behind, Connie, Sasha, and Armin remained vigilant, keeping an eye on their surroundings as they advanced toward headquarters. Armin's stare was wide with concern as he watched the red scarf fly ahead of them.
Annie, Reiner, and Bertholdt were about a block back, the trio's eyes narrow, focused, and cold.
Mikasa surged forward with remarkable speed, effortlessly dispatching Titans that dared to obstruct their path. Each strike was executed with precision and ferocity, a raw intense brutality evident in her every movement.
"Wow, she's a badass," Connie exclaimed, a glimmer of hope igniting in his eyes as he contemplated their chances of survival. "How is she moving so quickly?"
She never stops, Victoria realized as she watched her friend dispatch another Titan that dared show its face. Every jump, every slice, all flowed into one another. Mikasa never lost momentum unless she willed it so.
This time was different, though. Mikasa was more... reactionary. And Connie was right. She was goingwaytoo fast. She was letting adrenaline push her forward and using up all her gas in the meantime; any second now, she could run out.
It didn't matter how skilled she was. Once they lost mobility, that was it.
They were dead.
Victoria caught Armin's gaze, and it was clear they were both on the same wavelength. His anxious blue eyes met hers, reflecting the shared concern that lingered between them. She opened her mouth to shout at them over the wind.
But suddenly Mikasa was plummeting, her ODM gear failing as the last remnants of her fuel ran dry. She crashed onto the rooftop below, her blades slipping from her grasp and scattering around her wildly as her body fell down into the road.
"Mikasa!" Armin and V cried in unison, tones rising in panic. Armin immediately swung back around, for once in his life beating Victoria to action.
"Damnit," Jean snarled, trying to see where Mikasa had landed as they blitzed past. "Hang on, Victori-Aah! Hey!What are you doing?!"
Try as he might to stop her, Victoria was already gone. Having flung herself from his back, she landed with a heavy thud on the roof below.
Dazed, but alive, she lifted her head to find Jean and Connie redirecting around as quickly as they could. Jean's narrow, hazel eyes were wide with panic. Even Reiner glanced back at her for a moment before gritting his teeth and continuing past with Annie and Bertholdt.
With no time to think, Victoria took off in a sprint, boots echoing on the stone roof beneath her. Each step felt like a fire in her chest, being brought to life with each breath, but she did not care. She was not about to lose more friends.
Not again.
The edge of the roof was quickly approaching.
The single functional grappling hook shot out from her hip, digging deep into the two-story building across the street. With one deep breath, she jumped, hand smashing down on the trigger.
It hurt like hell to have all that energy pulling at one point on her body. It was awkward and hard to control, and her heart skipped a beat as she watched the road rapidly approaching, but her gear kicked in at the last second and she made it across. Victoria's body slammed into the wall, breath momentarily knocked from her lungs, but her feet were on a solid surface.
She didn't care about her health.
She only cared about Armin and Mikasa.
She had to save them.
She would save Mikasa,even if it killed her.
...Mikasa...
Mikasa!
The name reverberated in her head was in a voice that was no longer hers. Only for a moment did it scream in violent protest but was gone as quickly as it came, pierced by Jean's "Victoria!What the hell!?" as he finally caught up to her.
"We have to follow Armin!" She snapped back, peeling herself off the stone wall with a snarl. "I can't see where Mikasa fell but with the two of you we can cover more ground!"
Connie gritted his teeth, glancing between the two of them. "Jean, you go to HQ! We'll go after Armin!"
"I'll go with you-," Jean started to protest, but Victoria cut him off, her mind refocusing as her tone came out sharp.
Connie was right,again. Wild day for him.
"No, he's right. Don't be stupid! There are still Titans everywhere! You have to lead the cadets to safety!" She raised a hand as Jean began to open his mouth again, startling him slightly. "With Mikasa down, they'll need some to lead them and the others will actually listen to you, Jean. You can save them! Go!"
A faint blush grew on his cheeks. But surely that was just from the exertion of carrying her.
"But, Vic, your gear!" Jean tried to protest again, but it was no use.
"Connie's got me!" she exclaimed, her voice rising in pitch as adrenaline surged through her veins. With surprising ease, Connie lifted Victoria onto his shoulders, her heart racing as she felt the jolt of movement.
"GO!" She screamed again as Connie took off in a sprint.
The world around her blurred into a chaotic whirlwind of colors and sounds, but, for a moment, all she could focus on was the sadness in Jean's eyes as he faded away behind them.
"Hold on tight!" Connie shouted over his shoulder, his voice a mix of determination and reassurance. The roof beneath them felt uneven, each step pounding like a drum in her ears, but she clung tightly to the fabric of his shirt, her fingers digging in as if it were a lifeline.
Behind them, Jean's frustrated shouts and curses rang out, echoing through the air like a warning bell.
As they raced through the debris-strewn streets, memories flashed through her mind—Muller and Oliver, while those had hurt, this was different; this was personal.
Armin and Mikasa were more than just comrades; they were her friends. Mikasa, an inspiration, and Armin, a confidant, and the thought of losing either of them sent a chill down her spine and adrenaline through her veins.
Even the news of Eren's death didn't provoke this sort of reaction out of her. She thought she was just numb to death now, but no.
Not them.
"Hurry Connie!" She cried, and he snarled in response, ODM gear flaring to life for a moment as they leaped across more buildings.
"Going as fast as I can!" He shouted back. Connie was trying to be brave. Victoria nodded, her heart pounding in rhythm with his hurried steps. She could hear the distant sounds of chaos—the roars of fires, the shouts of their comrades, and the ever-present threat of the Titans that loomed over them.
But in that moment, all that mattered was the bond they shared, the unyielding determination to protect one another, and the hope that they would find them before it was too late.
Armin, Mikasa. Don't die.
Please.
~o~
"You morons...," Jean let out a frustrated sigh, muttering under his breath. He could hear his heartbeat racing in his ears as he watched Victoria get carried away by Connie. Her hair, once neatly styled in a bun, had unraveled and now flowed behind her, shimmering in the sunlight with beautiful shades of gold and brown.
"Just don't fucking get yourself killed," he shouted, his voice tinged with a mix of anger and concern, turning abruptly on his heel. The gravity of the circumstances bore down on him, igniting a powerful sense of urgency that surged within him.
He had to trust them to be okay.
"Fuck!" He shouted in anger; activating his ODM gear, Jean propelled himself into the air, the familiar rush of wind against his face momentarily distracting him from the turmoil behind him.
Had she really meant that...?
As he soared through the sky, he caught sight of Marco, who stood at the ready on a nearby rooftop, his expression a blend of worry and determination. Marco greeted him with a wave, his eyes scanning the horizon for any signs of danger.
"What's happening?" Marco inquired loudly, concern evident in his voice. "Did Mikasa go down?"
"Yeah," Jean confirmed, his heart racing as he landed beside the other soldiers. Reiner, Annie, and Bertholdt had stopped as well as several others. The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on him, and he could see the unease etched on the faces of his comrades too.
He gestured for everyone else to land and gather up, his voice steady despite the chaos around them. "Let's regroup, everyone!"
The soldiers quickly followed his command, their movements synchronized as they descended to the rooftop. Jean took a moment to assess the situation, his mind racing with strategies and contingencies.
Jean could see HQ from where they were, it was only a few blocks away now but a new issue had reared its ugly head. Literally. The entire castle was swarmed with Titans, climbing over the walls and trying to desperately reach the men who were assuredly trapped inside.
He could feel the tension in the air, a palpable sense of dread that hung over them like a storm cloud. Getting through that was going to suck.
"Listen up!" he called out, gathering the attention of his team. Reiner stared him down with cold, golden eyes. "We need to stick together. If Mikasa is down, we can't afford to lose anyone else. We'll cover each other's backs and push forward. No one fights alone!"
Nods of agreement rippled through the group, and Jean felt a flicker of hope amidst the uncertainty. They were a team, forged in the fires of battle, and together they could face whatever lay ahead. As they prepared to move out, he cast one last glance in the direction where Victoria had been taken, a silent promise forming in his heart.
He would do everything in his power to get these soldiers back safely. For her.
"It's no use though," Jean turned back to HQ, eyes narrowing as he tried to formulate a plan. "We need to come up with a plan, or we're not getting anywhere near Headquarters. Unless, of course, we don't mind dying..."
He muttered that last part to himself.
"Stay back!" The scream pierced the air of confidence Jean had built for himself. Several of them ran to the edge of the roof. A soldier was trapped on the road below, desperately trying to get his gear to work.
Shit, Jean realized with a start, He's out of gas.
"No, no, no," The teenager with shiny brown hair begged as several smaller Titans began to approach him, hands reaching out like claws to grasp him. The teen, Tom, was becoming more and more agitated, "STAY BACK!"
"Tom!" Another cadet, Mobbs, with olive skin and brown hair, and a girl with light hair whose name Jean did not know, leaped forward. "I'll save you!" He dove at the Titans surrounding his friend blades first but it was too late.
Unable to move, Jean didn't realize how easily the human body was squished. How neatly the Titans sliced a body in half with their teeth. How effortlessly the Titan ripped that poor girl apart.
It was like it was tearing paper.
Jean's stomach began to churn.
W-why couldn't I stop them..., he wondered to himself, watching the crimson blood of his fallen comrades stain to cobblestones below. Why didn't I stop them? If I had kept us all together, this never would have happened!
I wasn't meant to lead, Jean's grip tightened around his blades as he squeezed his eyes closed. I'm the last person that should have been given the reins. Victoria...
I'm sorry...
No.
Jean's eyes snapped open. "No. This is our chance..."
The Titans were too focused on eating the three cadets that had been captured to notice the rest of them on the roof above just yet. Their necks were fully exposed. How long they stayed like this was a mystery, though; they could escape while the monsters ate their fill.
Now!
"Let's go!" Jean cried, pulling the other soldiers out of the haze of despair they were in. "Make a break for HQ while they're distracted!"
Without another word, Jean jumped, leaping across the alley to the next roof and taking off in a fast sprint. Marco was the first to take off after him, with Sasha quickly on his tail. Reiner took off as well, and after a moment of hesitation, and an uncertainty in his hazel eyes, Annie and Bertholdt were on the move.
We can do this, Jean thought to himself with a smirk. Hey, if we run out of gas, we're dead anyway.
"Give it everything you've got!"
Instinct took over as Jean ran, darting from building to building with ease. One block from Headquarters, the road was swarming with Titans, but he dodged them with ease.
Until one managed to grab his leg. Panic washed over him momentarily until instinct took over again. Jean flipped forward, blades slicing through the monster's fingers as he freed himself. He released the breath he had been holding when he landed and kept going.
The beast roared but stopped pursuing him.
"Jean!" Marco caught up to him. He was smiling, freckles on display with his cheeks spread wide. "You really came through for us there, man; we owe you big time!"
"Huh?" Jean stared at him in confusion.
"Don't shrug it off," Marco's face was lit up bright with insistence. "I'm serious! We're alive because of you! You make a great leader!"
Amber eyes flashed in his mind.
"Easy with that crap," Jean scoffed, brushing the blush that was growing on his cheeks again aside. "We're not outta this yet!"
~o~
As Victoria frantically searched the streets for Mikasa and her red scarf, it felt as if time had come to a standstill.
The panic rising within her matched the intensity of her heartbeat, each passing second feeling like an eternity. Connie, on the other hand, maintained a sense of focus amidst the chaos, his mind clear and determined as he navigated the city from above.
Connie soared above the city, grappling with the strain of holding onto Victoria, his breaths coming in heavy gasps. Despite the added weight of Victoria on his back, he remained resolute, his determination unwavering as they pressed on with their mission.
Don't die, Mikasa...
Save Mikasa!
Suddenly, in a moment of sharp clarity, Victoria's gaze fell upon a Titan, its enormous figure looming ominously over the road, seemingly fixated on something far off. Without a moment's hesitation, she directed Connie's attention to the creature. The adrenaline coursing through her veins fueled her determination; her mind focused solely on the task at hand.
"Look! " she cried, her clear voice rising above the wind. "There! "
Connie's response was immediate; a growl escaping his lips as he adjusted their course towards the Titan. With each passing second, the danger grew closer, the impending confrontation drawing near. But speed was Connie's strength, and as they descended toward the Titan, they were acutely aware that every second counted.
Fueled by adrenaline, Victoria and Connie braced themselves to confront the peril that awaited their determination, steadfast and unyielding. The fate of their friends hung in the balance driving them forward with a sense of purpose that could not be shaken.
No sign of Armin yet though, Victoria kept her eyes peeled on the ground and the sky. He had taken off so fast, that she had lost sight of him before she had even leaped off Jean's back.
Save Mikasa! Shut up!
A flash of red in the street below.
Blood?
No, not blood, it was Mikasa's scarf!
She had an empty look in her eye, but she was alive and dodging a medium-sized Titan. It just kept coming, trying to smack her like a fly, and with every successful jump away from it, Victoria could see Mikasa's expression growing more and more hollow.
Mikasa was losing.
Not the fight with the Titan, but a battle within herself.
"Mikasa!" Victoria screamed, "Go, Cueball, get down there!"
"Uhh, V..?" Fear had begun to creep into Connie's voice, as he faltered briefly, "What is that?"
Another Titan was beginning to crawl over the debris of a fallen house. Its muscled body was different from the other flabby, abnormal ones. It stood at fifteen meters tall easily; its sharp, angular face was split into a wide, toothy snarl, with dark black hair falling over its eyes as its footsteps made the ground rumble.
Something about the ferocity that shined in its dark eyes sent a shiver down her spine.
But that didn't matter. Victoria wasn't going to lose another friend because of her fear. As she released her grip on Connie, the world around her seemed to slow for a moment.
She tumbled off his back, the rush of air whipping past her as she fell. The broken gear's anchor point, a jagged piece of metal that had certainly seen better days, embedded itself into the roof beneath them with a sharp, metallic thud. The impact sent a shudder through her body, but she quickly pushed the pain aside, focusing instead on Mikasa's black hair.
"Victoria!" Armin's voice rang out clearly. She could see him pass overhead, but there was no time to waste. "Mikasa!"
Although the anchor didn't secure itself completely, it held firm enough to be salvageable as a rope, a lifeline in a moment of chaos. She could feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins, heightening her senses as she assessed her surroundings. Without wasting a second, she swiftly descended the wall, her heart pounding in rhythm with her hurried movements.
As she reached the ground, her eyes locked onto Mikasa, who stood a few paces away in the center of the road. Mikasa's expression was distant, her gaze vacant and lost in thought, as if she were grappling with the weight of the world on her shoulders.
It was a look Victoria had seen before, one she had worn on her own face not a few hours ago.
"Hey!" she called out, her voice cutting through the silence like a knife. Mikasa blinked, momentarily pulled from her reverie, but the shadows of doubt still lingered in her eyes.
Even the Titans who stalked Mikasa paused to look at Victoria with a tilt of its massive head.
With a decisive click, V retracted the wire from her gear, the familiar sound of metal scratching metal grounding her in the present, but it stopped halfway through.
It would be useless in get back up the building, unfortunately.
"We need to move," Victoria urged her tone firm yet encouraging as she ran over to Mikasa, ignoring the metal wire as it scrapped along the concrete and trying to ignore the monsters not but a few feet away.
"Eren...?" Mikasa's voice was fragile. "I'm... sorry..."
The Titans were seemingly staring each other down on either side of the girls like they were going to fight for eating rights. With each passing second, they closed in on them.
"Mikasa!" Victoria pleaded more desperately now, tugging at her friend's jacket.
Mikasa began to turn her head, the fire in her eyes slowly reigniting as she shifted her focus to the girl beside her. The moment of hesitation began to pass, replaced by a shared understanding of the emergency that lay before them.
"Mikasa, please!" Victoria begged again when Mikasa showed no sign of moving.
Connie and Armin were watching helplessly from the nearby rooftop, unable to intervene.
Mikasa's gaze finally met V's, her eyes brimming with tears. "V-Victoria..?" The moment of recognition washed over her as she took in V's shattered ODM gear, a clear sign of defeat, yet here she stood, unwavering and ready to support her in this dire time.
The air around them was thick with tension, the remnants of battle echoing in the distance, the ground shaking beneath their boots as the Titans advanced ever closer.
V's heart raced, a mix of relief and dread flooding her senses. She had feared the worst, imagining countless scenarios where she would never see her friend again. But now, standing before her, Mikasa was alive, albeit battered and bruised.
She couldn't help but smile at Mikasa, and that seemed to free her from the prison of her grief. Mikasa jumped into action, bracing her body in front of Victoria. With a scream of indignation, she prepared to face the Titans that were now on top of them.
"Mikasa! Victoria!" V could hear Connie and Armin screaming their names. This was it, she thought. There was no way Mikasa could fight now. Both her swords were shattered, and the quivers at her side with replacements were empty. Victoria's gear was fully broken too, struggling now to respond to any command from her triggers.
This is the end.
The ground shook beneath the two girls as the Titan with long black hair and long pointed ears suddenly darted forward, slamming his enormous fist into the other Titan's face. It wailed, long and loud, as part of the monster's head popped like a piece of fruit before its awful strength.
Blood and viscera rained down on them, and if Victoria had not grabbed Mikasa and thrown them to the side, they would have been stepped on by this Titan. The impact of its foot sent reverberations through the ground, though, sending the girls sprawling.
After that, it oddly seemed to take care in not stepping on them, but its punch threw the other Titan several blocks away. It straightened for a moment, coming to its full 15-meter height. Its head tilted curiously as it stared at the other Titan's corpse, already fading away into ash, its chest rising and falling in heavy breaths.
Hot steam escaped its lips as it released another ear-piercing roar.
"W-what.. What is that!?" Mikasa asked, squinting through the pain as she grabbed her head.
The Titan stepped over them, completely ignoring the two girls as it followed the other Titan, and began smashing in what remained of its face with its foot. The muscles in its face tensed as its mouth scrunched up into a vicious snarl, clearly savoring the kill.
Mikasa and Victoria could only sit there in shock, watching this abnormal Titan save their lives.
Armin took this opportunity to swing down and grab Mikasa from the road, lifting her into his arms with surprising strength. Connie did the same for Victoria, groaning in exertion as he lifted her up.
Back on the safety of the rooftops, he glanced around and asked "You guys ok?
"Yeah," Mikasa replied, running her hand through her hair.
"No!" Victoria cried, anger bubbling in her expression, her gaze fixated on Armin and Mikasa. "What the hell, you guys! You can't just run off like that. I-I... I can't lose you guys too..."
Tears welled up in Armin's eyes for a moment, and Mikasa's brows furrowed, only to be cut off by Connie before they could respond.
"Then we better get out of here," Connie stood, clearly not listening, frozen in fear by the Titan before them. The one with the dark black hair was facing off against another one that had been drawn by the noise. "Crap..."
"Wait," V grabbed his sleeve as she stood, "That's one different, look! It only seems to be targeting other Titans!"
Glancing back into the alleyway below, the disintegrating corpse of the first Titan was steaming on the cobblestone. Another one was coming around the corner though, as tall as this abnormal. With two challengers, the black-haired Titan screamed again, a deep guttural sound, arms thrown wide in rage.
Then.
It took a fighting stance.
"Yo, what!?" Connie exclaimed.
Victoria's jaw dropped. She recognized the move immediately.
It was protecting its face.
The smaller Titan ran forward, hands grasping for the other, but the abnormal remained in place, only to cut its head off with one clean slice of its hand.
The Titan's head flew halfway across Trost and crashed into a bell tower. Its body fell at the feet of the black-haired abnormal, already beginning to crumble to ash and blood.
"It.. just finished it off.." Armin stuttered. "It knew exactly where its weak spot was!"
Connie was sweating anxiously, grabbing onto Victoria's sleeve as he spoke, "Come guy, it's time to split. The last thing we need is it coming our way."
"No," Armin shook his head, wide eyes trying to take in every detail of the Titan. "It's not reacting to us... Any other one would have attacked us by now for sure..."
"It seemed to understand hand-to-hand combat too," Mikasa chimed in and Victoria nodded in agreement.
"What is that thing?" Victoria murmured, curiosity overshadowing any trace of fear she had about the creature. Her amber eyes were wide with wonder.
"Just chalk it up as another Abnormal," Connie's brow furrowed. "Hell, they're always an unpleasant surprise, right? Forget about it, we need to get to HQ."
"Hang on a second," Armin glanced at Mikasa, "Her tanks are empty."
Connie's eyes widened, running his hands over his head and face. "And V's is partially broken, aughhh fuck what are we gonna do?! We can't get to HQ without you guys and I don't think we can carry both of you that far!"
"Fully, actually," Victoria corrected with an awkward laugh.
Connie threw his hands up in frustration.
"The answer is obvious," Armin dropped to his knees and began fiddling with Victoria's gear. "Shoot, your left canisters were crushed, but..." He was unhooking it from her waist, sliding the right canister out of it's holster. The buckles clanked together as he unwove the balance straps from her thighs.
He sighed. "I know it's not much gas, but hopefully it's enough."
Mikasa frowned, as did Connie. "I... don't know if I can keep carrying Victoria."
Armin nodded, "I know," with a snap of his thumb on her waist, the entire ODM gear belt slid off, crashing at Victoria's feet with a loud metal clang. "But hopefully, this should lighten her total weight. We're only about a kilometer away from HQ, you can totally make it!"
Mikasa glanced down, adjusting her gear slightly, but her eyes were shadowed. Armin paused after a moment, then began taking his belt off too, as he began unloading his, and what remained of Victoria's, gas into Mikasa's fuel container.
"Whoa, what are you doing?" she protested, lifting her arms and trying to pull back but Armin wasn't letting her. Armin shook his head and continued working, while Connie glanced around anxiously. The abnormal seemed to be keeping the others off of them.
For the time being.
"There, I refilled your gas with as much as I could from ours I-I... had to use the rest of my gas. I restocked your blades too. J-just... leave me with this one... okay?" He slumped backward, falling onto his knees as he wearily smiled up at them.
A shiny silver blade, broken halfway down, was in his hand, reflecting his scared but determined face. "If I'm stuck out here... I want this," he lifted it to show them,"To be my end, not the Titans."
"N-no," Victoria stammered, "No way, Armin."
"Armin," Mikasa reached down and grabbed the blade. Taking a few steps to the edge of the rooftop, she tossed it off, down into the street where it fell with a clatter.
Armin stared at her in disbelief as she walked back to him, pulling him to his feet. "I'm not leaving you behind," Mikasa's tone was decisive. "I can carry Victoria, you can carry Armin, right? He's right, headquarters is just one kilometer away. We'll just have to avoid any Titans on the way there."
She looked at Connie, her steel eyes shining with renewed determination.
Connie whined after a moment, "Ugh... okay, let's do this."
Armin tried to protest for a moment, but as another screech of the abnormal black-haired Titan echoed through the town again, he abruptly pulled out of their grasp. He squinted, blue eyes taking in as many details as he could before his face suddenly split into a smile.
"Wait!" Armin looked at Victoria, who had walked over to Mikasa to get ready to climb onto her back.
"I have an idea!"
~o~
Crash!
Jean tumbled through the window, glass shattering around him as he landed in Headquarters. He had lifted his arms to protect his face, rolling to a stop. The ground rushed up to meet him, a hardwood floor of..what was this place? A library or an office? The walls were lined with books of all kinds and desks had been scattered around as makeshift barricades.
Jean was panting hard, having used a significant amount of energy to reach this place alive. His thoughts begin to overwhelm him, the realization he was alive flooding his senses as he reached up to cover his face with his hands as more cadets crashed through the windows behind him. Marco and Reiner landed on their feet, with Annie, Bertholdt, and Sasha right behind them.
How many of us made it?
How many bodies did I crawl over? How many of our comrades died on my orders? Oh, god, did Victoria find Mikasa? Are they alive?
Movement in the corner of his eye suddenly caught Jean's attention. Slowly, he glanced over. Hidden in the shadows under a desk were some soldiers. Cadets, it seemed. They were about his age and had the crossed sword emblem on their arms.
One was a girl, who could do nothing but sob. She was half covered in blood and some, slimy pink substance that almost looked like jelly. A crimson trail extended out from her, and as Jean's eyes followed it, he came up to a pair of boots sticking out from a puddle of blood.
A rifle sat discharged nearby.
Anger started to boil within Jean, his face turned red as his glare snapped back to the teenagers hiding under the desk. They were staring at him with wide eyes.
"Y-you're with the supply team...?" he asked hesitantly, trying to control his tone.
Before the word "Yes" could even escape the lips of one of the kids, Jean was already crossing the room, his long legs carrying in two strides. He began to drag this boy out by his collar, despite the protests of everyone in the room.
And before anyone could stop him, Jean had lifted the cadet into the air, his fist flying across his cheek. The cadet managed to squirm and free himself, but Jean was unfazed, swinging again at empty air.
"Jean, stop!" Marco rushed over to grab him as Jean managed to grab the cadet again, looping his arms through Jean's in an attempt to pull him back.
"These are the ones who abandoned us! You cowards! People are dead because you didn't have the guts to do your jobs!" Jean screamed, his voice cracking.
Some girl collapsed next to her friend who was nursing a bruised cheek, sobbing out, "The Titans were coming at us from every angle, they overran the supply room, okay?!"
Jean snapped back, trying to push through Marco towards her with clenched fists, "It's your job to deal with that and back us up anyway!"
Reiner observed the tense standoff with an icy gaze, his heart pounding in his chest as the atmosphere crackled with tension. The air was thick with anticipation, each second stretching into an eternity as the two sides faced off, fists at the ready and expressions hardened.
But a soft whistling noise began to swell in the air, a sound that seemed out of place amidst the charged silence.
He turned his head toward the window, his eyes widening in alarm as the sound intensified, morphing into a menacing roar that echoed ominously in his ears. The realization hit him like a cold wave crashing over his body—something was coming, and it was not going to be good.
"Hit the deck!" he shouted, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife. Without waiting for a response, he leaped aside, grabbing Annie and taking him with her, just in time as the office's outer wall erupted in a violent explosion.
The force of the blast sent a shockwave rippling through the room, shattering glass and sending shards flying like deadly confetti.
The chaos unfolded in a blur of sound and motion. The deafening roar of the explosion drowned out the screams of the cadets, their faces contorted in shock and fear. Reiner's heart sank as he glanced back, horror gripping him as he saw several cadets caught in the chaos, their bodies torn apart by the flying debris. The sight was gruesome, a nightmarish tableau that would haunt him for the rest of his days.
Dust and smoke filled the air, choking the room in a thick haze. Reiner struggled to regain his bearings, his instincts kicking in as he scanned the wreckage for survivors. The office was now a scene of devastation, the walls crumbling and the floor littered with the remnants of what had been.
"Get to cover further in!" he yelled, his voice hoarse as he fought against the panic rising in his chest. He could see a few cadets scrambling to their feet, dazed and disoriented, but others lay motionless, their fates sealed in that instant of chaos.
Jean had managed to dive for cover just in time, squinting through the smoke, "Son of a..."
With adrenaline coursing through his veins, Reiner moved swiftly, helping those who were still conscious to find safety farther in the castle amidst the debris. He could feel the weight of responsibility pressing down on him, the lives of his comrades hanging in the balance as he pulled Bertholdt from the wreckage.
Each second felt like an eternity as Jean watched Reiner work, his mind racing with thoughts of what had just happened and what might come next.
What was that explosion...? As Jean turned to assess the damage, his blood ran cold.
A Titan had collided violently with the wall, smashing its face through the castle stone, sending tremors through the ground that rattled Jean to his core. Just as he had steadied himself, a wave of dread washed over him; he spotted another Titan looming ominously just behind the first.
Its massive hand clawed at the structure, fingers like gnarled tree roots, desperately attempting to force its grotesque visage into the room. The Titan's skin was a sickly shade of pale, stretched taut over its bulging muscles, veins pulsating with a grotesque life of their own. Jean's heart raced as he took in the sight, the creature's eyes wide and unblinking, filled with a mindless hunger that sent chills down his spine.
The second Titan mirrored the first, its movements jerky and unnatural, as if it were a marionette controlled by a sadistic puppeteer. Both of their disturbingly unnatural faces twisted into eerily cheerful grins, a chilling contrast to the chaos they were unleashing. The grins stretched impossibly wide, revealing rows of jagged teeth that gleamed with a malevolent hunger. It was as if they found joy in the terror they inspired, a grotesque mockery of human emotion that made Jean's stomach churn.
"There's too many people... they can smell us..." Jean muttered as chaos broke out around him, soldiers falling over one another to get further into the castle.
As the Titans continued their assault, the walls of the room began to crack under the relentless pressure of their assault. Jean could hear the creaking of the structure, a warning that it might not hold much longer. Panic surged through him, urging him to flee, but his feet felt rooted to the ground, paralyzed by the horror unfolding before him.
At that moment, Jean understood the true nature of the threat they faced. These were not mere beasts; they were harbingers of despair, embodiments of humanity's darkest fears.
This is it... he thought. This... is reality. Was I trying to delude myself up until now?
"Where's Mikasa?" a voice cried out from the crowd. "She ran out of gas, she's long dead!" another answered. Time seemed to slow down.
No, Jean thought. No, on some level. I knew it all along. I mean, when you stop and think for a second, it's obvious. There's no winning... Not against them...
As Jean stood there, collapsing on his knees, ready to face his death with what little honor he had...
Suddenly, there was a fist.
Almost in slow motion, pressing against the Titan on the right. Its flesh rippled and its cheek crumbled before the fist's power. The two titans were slammed away from the opening in the wall with tremendous force.
"What!?" Jean couldn't believe what he was seeing, as the angular visage of the black-haired Titan emerged, roaring in furious anger at the monsters assaulting Headquarters.
"W-what," Jean stuttered, hazel eyes wide. "What the hell..?"
The sound of shattering glass jolted Jean from his stupor, just as Mikasa, Connie, Armin, and Victoria burst into headquarters. Mikasa cradled Armin with one hand, while Vic fought to keep a grip on the flailing Connie. They were battered and weary, yet they had survived the ordeal. Mikasa appeared unscathed, her determination shining through the chaos.
"Victoria! You're-!" Jean was still in shock.
"Man, that was close!" Connie was too busy checking his gas levels to notice Jean right away. "I was running on fumes."
Mikasa was going over her right side, as well, setting Victoria on her feet. "Yeah, mine's out too, But we did it. Crazy, but we made it."
Jean was staring at V, eyes wide as he reached out to brush his fingertips down the sleeve of the oversized jacket she wore. "Am I dreaming this?"
"You're a genius, Armin!" Victoria was ignoring him.
"Yeah, from now on, your word is law!" Connie patted the small blond on the back and finally looked at Jean.
"Check it out! We found an abnormal that hates other Titans! And the best part, it doesn't give afuck about us!" He began to shake Jean's sleeve in excitement. "That's right! This big, beautiful SOB is our ticket outta here!"
Connie was right, the black-haired Titan had started moving towards another of the monsters clinging to the walls of the castle, its glare like fierce green daggers.
"Like.. fighting fire with fire?" one of the scared cadets asked, emerging from the inner hallway.
"You're out of your mind!" Jean shouted, pulling his arm away from Connie. "Listen to yourselves! A Titan isn't going to help us! You're out of your mind! What kind of nonsensical dream-"
"It's not a dream," V glared at him with sharp amber eyes. Jean's mouth snapped shut.
"Itisworking," Mikasa confirmed, "For whatever reason, he's rampaging against them. Stand back and let him do it."
"Trust me," Victoria's voice was softer as she looked up at Jean. "What choice do we have? It's our best chance at survival." Her eyes sparkled like jewels at him.
With a snarl, Jean threw his hands up in exasperation.
And submission.
~o~
While the embodiment of humanity's rage fought to dispatch the Titans outside, the soldiers moved further into the castle keep. Victoria had found several of her companions had made it. Connie was talking to Reiner, Bertholdt, and Annie, explaining what happened. Reiner was still trying to ignore Victoria, with the occasional cold dagger shot in her direction.
That was fine for now, can't let emotions get in the way of survival. That sentiment didn't stop Sasha though, as she was hugging Victoria and Mikasa, happy as hell they survived.
"Good news!" Jean came out of the backroom, carrying long wooden boxes, with several soldiers following him with more. "Courtesy of the Military Police, and covered with a layer of dust." He went over and joined Armin, who sat on the concrete, blueprints of the castle strewn out around him.
Jean set the box down before him and opened it. Inside, there were rifles with small boxes of ammunition beside them.
"Are you sure buckshot is what we wanna use?" Jean asked Armin. "Will guns even work? It feels like shooting spitballs at them..."
Silence hung in the room for a moment.
"I don't know, but they're bound to be better than nothing," Armin replied, eyes calm as his brow furrowed. "We're looking at seven Titans in the supply room, a mix of three and four meters tall variety. If we time this perfectly, this much ammo will be enough to do the trick."
"Look," Armin was looking down at the map, blue eyes still wide as he began to tremble. "I am willing to be talked out of this, though, one half-baked strategy can't be our only option right?"
"Don't be so hard on yourself," Victoria said as she began to wrap some bandages she found around her ribs. "We've got no other choice, we're out of time and options, Armin. And with what we're looking at, for being our only option, it's pretty well thought out."
"It'll be fine," Mikasa perked up, staring into Armin's eyes "You just need to be confident. You're a better strategist than you give yourself credit for."
"Huh?" Armin is staring at her, dumbfounded.
"I'm serious," Mikasa continued. "That mind of yours has saved Eren and me more than once."
"When did I ever save you?" Victoria could see the gears in Armin's mind turning. "That's not..."
A metallic and wooden thud echoed through the room, as an elevator to the lower levels was hoisted into place. "The lift is ready! Guns are loaded to the stocks! Let's go kill some Titans!" one of the cadets cried out, followed by cheers from the others.
"You didn't realize it at the time," Mikasa stood, walking past Armin and V as she adjusted her scarf, "We can talk about it later." Armin nodded in response, his grip tightening around the rifle.
"Ok, I'm gonna ask the obvious question," Connie was sweating and anxious, missing the heavy weight at his hips, "Can we really take out all the Titans without our ODM gear?" They had decided it was better to abandon the useless machines since the fuel was empty.
"Of course, we can," Reiner spoke up, voice surprisingly cheerful as he clasped Connie's shoulder. "These guys are only four meters tall, their weak spots aren't too far above eye level." He winked at Victoria, sending confusion through her.
She was so sick of this hot and cold.
"He's right," Jean answered, glancing briefly at V. He seemed to notice the tension. "Size won't be an issue. The weak spot is still one meter high and 10 centimeters across."
"Back of head to the nape of the neck!" Sasha cried out, raising her fist with determination.
"Worse comes to worse, you can shove one of these up their asses," Reiner smirked as he lifted his sword into the air. "That's the other weak spot."
"Are you serious? That's news to me." Connie and Sasha took him seriously. "Wait, did I miss a day of class or something?" Connie muttered to Sasha, who shrugged.
"Seriously, Reiner, is this really how you want to be remembered?" Jean scowled, his expression a mix of disbelief and irritation, "You want your last words to be an ass joke?"
Reiner simply flashed them all a big grin. Meanwhile, Annie and Bertholdt exchanged glances, their eyes narrowing in concern.
~o~
The elevator shaft loomed with darkness, an abyss that seemed to stretch endlessly downward. The only sounds piercing the silence were Victoria's and her fellow cadets' uneven breaths and the unsettling creak of the chain as it descended, echoing ominously in the confined space.
Clutching her rifle tightly, she felt the awkwardness of the weapon pressed against her side, its cold metal a stark contrast to the warmth of her body. She was surrounded by her fellow cadets, their faces a mixture of determination and trepidation, all crammed together in the cramped confines of the elevator.
A solitary lantern hung above, its flickering flame casting a dim glow that barely illuminated their anxious faces, revealing the glint of fear in their eyes and the tension in their clenched jaws. Each cadet was lost in their thoughts, contemplating the mission ahead, the weight of their training heavy on their shoulders.
The supply room awaited them, shrouded in shadows and stillness, a cavernous space that felt foreboding and mysterious. Brick columns rose like sentinels, forming a maze of uncertainty that seemed to stretch into the darkness, each corner hiding secrets and potential threats.
Flickering torches along the walls danced with the shadows, their flames casting erratic shapes that played tricks on the mind, creating an eerie atmosphere that heightened their senses. As they descended further into the depths of the room, the air grew cooler, and the faint scent of damp earth and metal filled their nostrils.
Seven soldiers emerged from the gloom of the elevator, their silhouettes sharp against the flickering light. They took their positions atop the parapets, weapons drawn and poised, eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of movement. The tension in the air was palpable, a silent agreement among them that they were ready to face whatever threat might arise. The soldiers' expressions were a mix of focus and readiness, each one aware that the stillness could shatter at any moment, plunging them into chaos.
At that moment, the supply room transformed from a mere storage space into a battleground, a place where courage would be tested and lives could change in an instant.
"Good," she heard Marco whisper to Armin. "We're still at seven Titans."
She heard him load his rifle, and all others followed suit, including herself, loading a bullet into the chamber. The clicking of the guns echoed out in the quiet room.
"Okay now," Marco encouraged quietly. "Nice and easy."
A heavy stillness enveloped the scene, broken only by the muted thumps of the Titan's massive footsteps. One loomed ominously close, its short, disheveled hair obscuring its features. She recoiled instinctively as it turned to face them, the sharp intakes of breath from her comrades reverberating in the air. A twisted frown was stretched across its lips, a chilling sight as it advanced toward the elevator, each deliberate step amplifying the tension that hung thick around them.
"Stay calm! Don't lose your cool," Marco spoke up, but even Victoria could hear his voice tremble slightly. "Fire only when they are all within range. We need to lure them all the way in!"
Tension built as seconds felt like hours.
"Steady..." Victoria murmured, mostly to herself. The gun was level with the Titans eyes as it got ever closer. It was only a few feet away now, and more were joining it.
"Steady..." Marco echoed, "That's right... Wait for it..."
They were surrounded now, Titans on all sides as the elevator swung precariously on its chain.
Vic watched as a Titan stepped so close, that it had practically pressed its eyeball into the end of her rifle, its head twitching unnaturally as it looked at her. Victoria had almost lost her nerve when the call came.
"FIRE!" screamed Marco.
Gunshots rang out, echoing through the room, as buckshots of light and smoke flew out, blinding the Titans, their roars of pain shaking the room as they all reeled back in pain. As soon as her finger had found the trigger, the soldiers in the rafters were moving. Vic could feel the elevator shake as bodies began hitting the floor.
"Got it!" cried Mikasa, her scarf flowing from her neck. "You guys good?"
Jean and Reiner leap back from their fallen Titans, giving a thumbs up.
"Uhh.. I'm sorry for trying to kill you...," Sasha stammered, realizing her slice had gone wide. "I didn't mean to sneak up on you..."
The Titan's eyes were already beginning to heal as it pivoted toward her, a fierce expression etched across its features. With each menacing step it took, Sasha and Connie found themselves retreating, their hearts racing.
"Oh crap...," Connie, too, had failed in his aim, leaving him cornered against a pillar.
Bertholdt shouted in frustration, "Damn it, Sasha and Connie missed!"
"Lead them the hell back!" Jean screamed back as he started to spring into action, his heart racing with adrenaline. The weight of the situation pressed heavily on him; every second counted, and he couldn't afford to lose anyone else.
"I-I.. Oh god," Sasha screamed as the Titan took a swipe at her. "I said I was SORRY!"
But he was slow, and Victoria was already on the move, her determination overshadowing the pain from her fractured rib. She gritted her teeth, pushing through the agony that shot through her side and burst out of the elevator with a fierce resolve. In one fluid motion, she snatched Reiner's sword from his hand as she darted past him.
Mikasa and Annie were also in motion, their instincts honed from countless mock, and real, battles. The trio of girls formed a whirlwind of strength and speed, each of them fueled by a fierce desire to protect their comrades. Mikasa's eyes were sharp and focused, scanning the area for any sign of movement, while Annie's calm demeanor belied the ferocity she was capable of unleashing.
Together, they moved with a synchronized grace, their bodies flowing like water as they navigated the mess before them.
Victoria, her grip tightening around the hilt of the sword, felt a surge of adrenaline as she charged forward, her eyes locked on the nearest Titan. She could feel the heat radiating from its massive body, the mere size of it, though small, was intimidating, but she refused to back down.
With a fierce battle cry, she leaped into the air, aiming for the nape of the Titan's neck, the weak point that could bring it down.
Mikasa and Annie flanked her, their movements perfectly timed. Mikasa's blades flashed as she flew through the air, while Annie prepared to deliver a powerful slice to the second. The three of them were a force to be reckoned with, their resolve unyielding as they fought against the odds.
The Titans could do nothing but crumble before their might.
"Victoriaaaa! Mikasaaaa!" Sasha screamed, smiling and sobbing, as the girls slid down the Titan's already disintegrating body. "You saved my life!" She clung to Victoria's jacket, who flinched as the extra weight added pressure to her rib.
"Are you okay?" she asked, patiently detaching herself from Sasha.
"Thanks to you guys I am!" Sasha's brown eyes grew wide, tears threatening to spill over. "Oh damn, I caved. In front of the whole gang... I'm never gonna be able to face any of them agaaaain!"
"Damnit, feel sorry for yourself later," Mikasa's harsh words wiped the smile from Sasha's face. "And get up."
"By the skin of your teeth," Reiner praised as he approached them to retrieve his sword. "Damn lucky you didn't end up worse off. Well done, V," he said with a warm smile, planting a gentle kiss on her cheek.
Victoria managed to mask her surprise and flinch from her friends, yet she couldn't miss the flicker of pain in Reiner's gaze as he withdrew. Hot and cold, again. Without a word, Victoria stepped away.
Sasha's eyes grew wide as she shifted her focus to Reiner, who instantly regretted his display of affection when she bombarded him with a flurry of questions about his relationship with Victoria. Meanwhile, Annie and Bertholdt shot them disapproving looks once more.
Connie tried to thank Annie, but she just brushed him off.
"Come on, enough already," Jean interjected, his cheeks tinged with a faint blush. Victoria couldn't tell if it was from fatigue or jealousy, but his hazel eyes darkened when she attempted to catch his gaze, only for him to quickly avert his eyes.
"We did it, all the Titans are dead! Start loading up supplies."
"We made it!" The cadets in the elevator burst into screams of joy. Marco almost fainted from the adrenaline crash, to everyone's amusement.
"We're gonna live!"
~o~
Victoria stood beside Jean and Marco while they filled up their tanks. V's new ODM gear shined on her hips, the familiar weight bringing comfort to her as she adjusted the straps on her now bandaged thighs. Jean kept shooting glances in her direction; his long fingers dancing over the fuel hose as he kept the trigger engaged, filling his tanks with pressurized fuel.
"Hey," Jean suddenly spoke up, crossing his long legs, "About what you guys said about me bein' a leader and all? Don't talk to me like that again, alright?
Marco smirked, switching out his now full canister for an empty one. "Promise me you're not gonna take this the wrong way. But I don't think you're a good leader because you're strong. I think you're a good leader 'cause you know what it is to be weak.
Victoria nodded in agreement, "You're one of us. You're scared out of your mind just like we all are. It makes you alert; sympathetic. I told you you were the only one they'd listen to, and look around. I was right."
"You made a damn good call out there," Marco continued, flashing Jean a genuine smile. "Got me runnin' for my life. You're why I can say all this."
Jean's eyes widened at them, disbelief shining bright in the depths of his hazel gaze. Before he could respond with some sort of snarky rebuttal, Sasha's voice cut through the shadowy room.
"Victoria!" she glanced over at Sasha, who was standing with Armin. Both were armed to the teeth with fresh blades and fuel. "Ready?!"
"Let's do this!" Victoria replied with a grin.
~o~
The sun blazed in the courtyard, illuminating the very spot where the disbanding ceremony had taken place just the night before. Victoria inhaled deeply, feeling the sting of her ribs despite the fresh bandages she had managed to wrap around herself. She knew she needed proper medical care soon; the pain was only going to escalate if she didn't act quickly.
"Hey," Reiner's deep voice resonated behind her, a warm rumble that sent a shiver down her spine as his fingers brushed against her arm. "Can we talk?"
"Now isn't really the time, Reiner," Victoria snapped, her tone sharper than intended. "I can't deal with your uncertainty right now."
"U-uncertainty?" Reiner stuttered, golden eyes widening in disbelief.
"I agree with Victoria," Bertholdt chimed in, suddenly looming beside them and casting a shadow over her. "We don't have time for this, Reiner. We need to get back over the Wall."
"You would," Victoria smirked at him.
"Hey!" Armin shouted from behind them, his gaze fixed on Mikasa, who stood silhouetted against the sun on the roof. With a swift motion, he activated his gear and soared upward to reach her. Victoria tried to focus on her own path, following Armin and determined to ignore Reiner, but he trailed closely behind her, joined by Annie, Bertholdt, and Jean.
A number of other cadets were already making their way toward the Wall, eager to escape the chaos.
"Mikasa, what are you doing? We have to leave, now!" Armin cried as they reached her.
"Look. Down there." She pointed. Mikasa was shaken, something Victoria hadn't seen before. Armin was confused as he followed her finger.
From the roof, they could see the black-haired abnormal. Its dark hair had fallen to cover its exhausted face. Pants came from its exposed mouth in hot puffs of steam. All over its body, like rats on rubbish, were other, smaller Titans.
And they were eating him.
"Cannablism?" Armin grimaced in disgust.
'Can it not regenerate like this others?" Victoria couldn't take her eyes off the scene. It was fascinating the way they tore into the black-haired Titan.
"This may sound stupid," Mikasa replied, "But I was hoping he'd be the key for us. If we could somehow figure out what's up with that Titan, it could've helped us break free from the hopeless situation. Help mankind break the cycle... Give us... just a little ray of hope."
"She's right," Reiner, who was suspiciously focused on this abnormal Titan, spoke up, flanking on either side by Annie and Bertholdt. "He's too valuable to just let die. We'll learn nothing at all if it ends up getting eaten. I think it's perfectly clear our priority should be to ward off the scavengers clinging to it. It's no good to us picked apart."
"Are you insane, Reiner?" Jean snapped, eyes wide. "We've got a path out of this nightmare and you want to stay?"
"And what if there's a chance that Titan could be our ally?" Annie replied with a cool, calm demeanor. "Think about it. It would be an incredible advantage, right? Cannon's got nothing on a Titan that likes to rip apart its own kind."
Victoria scoffed, eyes drawn to her sound. "I can't believe I'm saying this," she replied, stifling a laugh. "But I actually agree with Annie.
"You-Do you hear yourself?" Jean was staring at Victoria, fear in his hazel eyes. "He's not like a new friend."
Armin inhaled sharply, drawing the attention of his companions as a slender, elongated titan emerged onto the path. Its grotesque form loomed over them, casting a long shadow that seemed to swallow the light around it. "Oh no, it's the Titan that killed Thomas," he exclaimed, his voice trembling with a mix of fear and anger.
Victoria was engulfed by a wave of sorrow, haunted by the memories of their fallen team and the weight of Eren's absence.
Each recollection felt like a dagger, piercing through her resolve and leaving her breathless. She could still hear their laughter echoing in her mind, the camaraderie they had shared, and the dreams they had woven together. But now, those dreams lay shattered, replaced by an overwhelming sense of loss.
Eren, with his fierce determination and unwavering spirit, had been the glue that held them together, and without him, the world felt colder, darker. As she stood there, the wind whispering through the buildings, she could almost feel his presence beside her, urging her to keep fighting, to honor their memories.
Yet, the ache in her heart was a constant reminder of the void he had left behind, a void that seemed impossible to fill.
It was almost like the black-haired Titan echoed her sentiments, as its mouth suddenly opened and let loose an ear-piercing screech. It screamed long and loud, as it began to tear itself away from the scavenging Titans. They clung to him, desperately trying to keep their teeth sunk into it, but it did not matter.
It relentlessly surged ahead, despite the agony of its flesh being shredded and its arm violently torn away. The furious roars reverberated through the streets of Trost, sending chills racing down Victoria's spine.
With a fierce determination, it charged at the other abnormal, now devoid of both arms, yet managing to clamp its jaws around the nape of the Titan's neck. Its gleaming white teeth pierced deeply, crushing the spinal cord of its foe as it lifted its head, shaking it vigorously like a dog with a prized toy.
The other smaller Titans had begun to get up, crawling towards this black-haired Titan. Its ribs began to crack under the extra weight as they climbed up its legs, a pain Victoria felt echoed in her own chest.
With a fierce cry muffled by clenched jaws, the Titan with raven hair wielded the abnormality it had in its mouth as a makeshift weapon, smashing it down onto another foe. Just as a six-meter Titan attempted to sneak up from behind, the black-haired Titan hurled the lifeless body it had been holding, sending both the corpse and the unsuspecting Titan crashing into a nearby structure.
With one final wail, the black-haired Titan fell to its knees, steam rising from its missing limbs. With a flutter of its eyes, it collapsed on the ground.
"What were you saying?" Jean scowled at Annie and Victoria. "Cuz it seems like a moot point now. Alright, enough of this. Let's leave while we can," He had begun to walk away, muttering to himself, "We're lucky the ugly bastard didn't get bored. We'd have been next on the menu."
He glanced back to see who was following him but all eyes were on the collapsed Titan.
"Ugh," Jean scowled, "Look, a Titan is a Titan-."
What he saw stopped him in his tracks.
Even Victoria couldn't look away as the flesh on the back of Titan's neck began to separate, steam escaping as the form of a human body began to pull itself free from the muscles there. Black hair matching the Titan's was covered in sweat, clinging to the pale, unconscious face of Eren Jaeger.
Mikasa gasped, and without hesitation leaped down to him, despite protests from Armin and Victoria. As soon as she reached Eren, Mikasa enveloped him in her embrace. Mikasa's breaths came in quick, sharp inhales as Victoria and Armin reached her, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"I-I can hear his heartbeat," she managed through gasping sobs, pressing her cheek against his chest.
"I don't... understand...," Armin's eyes were wide as he reached out and grabbed Eren's hand and laced his fingers through Eren's. "I watched him.. get eaten... I saw him die... I saw his arm get bitten off... How is this possible?"
"So," Jean hesitated, looking out towards all the destruction the black-haired Titan had caused. "Eren did... all this..?
The earth began to shake as distant Titan feet began to approach.
"We need to get him out of here," Victoria's voice cut through the shock like a knife, urgency lacing her words as she positioned herself to support Eren. In an instant, Reiner was at her side, his expression a mask of cold determination as he hoisted the limp form of Eren from the blood-soaked neck.
The air was thick with tension, and the expressions of Annie and Bertholdt mirrored Reiner's; their gazes were sharp and unyielding, fixed on the soldiers looming ominously from the rooftop above.
Mikasa released her hold on Eren only briefly, demanding she take Reiner's place beside Victoria when they got him out of the viscera of the already fading Titan corpse.
"We'll work together to get him back over," Mikasa spoke quietly, "He's only a little heavy. You take that side and I'll take the other."
Victoria frowned. "The timing has to be perfect."
"Damn right it does," Mikasa shot Victoria a determined glare, sniffling briefly. "Follow my count, okay?"
V nodded in response, tightening her grip on Eren. Armin was still in shock but freed himself long enough to shake it off and follow as the two girls took off for Wall Rose. Reiner, Jean, and the others were close behind.