Victoria released the breath she had been holding, her face pressed against Armin's head as he clung to her tightly. The scorching steam that enveloped them felt almost like a gentle burn against her exposed skin. The air was thick with the scent of iron and decay, filling her nostrils with its overwhelming odor.
"What...?" Victoria's eyes widened in disbelief as she looked up. "W-what is happening? I don't understand... D-did Eren do this..?"
The grotesque Titan loomed ominously, its colossal ribs partially embedded in the earth, creating an eerie barrier around Armin, Mikasa, and herself. Strangely, there were no visible organs within its massive frame, just an unsettling emptiness that seemed to mock their predicament. It groaned and shifted, swaying with a slight breeze. Despite its strength, having caught the cannonball that threatened them, it was surprisingly light.
Mikasa, ever composed, began to trace her fingers along one of the enormous ribs, her touch both curious and cautious. The bone was warm and slick. She glanced back at Victoria and Armin, her expression difficult to read.
Armin, still trembling, finally lifted his head from Victoria's shoulder, his blue eyes wide with fear and confusion. "I-I know I heard them fire their cannon at us," Armin replied, stuttering slightly, "And then there was a tremendous crash and a blast of heat...Apparently, we're now in the innards of a giant skeleton.."
"But... how did we even get here?" Her voice trailed off as she took in the sight of the Titan, its massive form casting a shadow that seemed to swallow the light around them.
Victoria shook her head, trying to piece together the fragments of their last moments. Eren had managed to grab them all and then...boom.
"Erendiddo this," Mikasa replied sharply. "For us. That's all we need to understand for now."
Armin took a deep breath, regaining his composure as he exchanged a reassuring nod with Mikasa. After a brief pause, Victoria followed suit, yet an unsettling dread crept through her, a cold shiver that ran deep into her bones. The sheer force of Eren's abilities felt perilous, even if he intended to shield them from harm.
"Hey," Armin suddenly wondered aloud. "Where did these flowers come from?" He was looking down at the purple flowers that had bloomed around their feet. The area outside the Titan was blasted backward as if it had been hit with an explosion, but the area inside the rib cage was unmarred, and as Armin had said, started growing greener with new flowers.
One had even grown directly between Victoria's feet.
"Hey! Are you guys alright?" Eren's frantic voice pierced through the haze of smoke, reverberating in the tense air. He dashed around the rear of the Titan, his eyes filled with alarm. Distinctive marks marred his cheeks, resembling wounds where the flesh had been ripped away during his desperate attempt to free himself in time from the towering beast that loomed above them.
"Eren..." Victoria stared at him in shock, "How did you...?"
"I don't know!" Erens voice shook slightly when he replied, glancing up. "But look! It's already starting to vaporize, just like the corpse of a regular Titan."
The truth of his words became evident as the bones began to emit wisps of smoke, crackling and popping like timber igniting in a fierce blaze. With caution, the trio started to climb out from their precarious position, Eren extending his hand through the skeletal ribs to assist his companions in their escape.
"Let's get out of here," Eren spoke softly, unsure if the soldiers that surrounded them could hear as he stepped around to the front of the decaying Titan. He tried to peer through the smoke at the garrison of soldiers. "It's hard to tell if they're watching and waiting, or just totally dazed. I suppose it doesn't really matter much either way. I'm sure once the smoke clears they'll resume the attack."
Mikasa frowned, watching Eren carefully with eyes that were nearly black. Her stress was evident on her face. Armin still clung to Victoria, as all four looked upward.
The Titan's visage was a nightmarish spectacle, a macabre fusion of bone, flesh, and sinew that spiraled upward into the arm clutching the cannonball. Its eyes, devoid of life and expression, stared blankly ahead as its cheeks began to smoke.
Of course.Eren was no longer in control, this thing was just a husk now.
"I suppose..." Eren hesitated, his hand reaching up to fiddle with his collar. "After seeing this, I think we've blown any hope of reasoning with them." He pulled out the golden key from his shift. He stared at it for a moment.
Eren paused, his fingers nervously tugging at his collar as uncertainty washed over him. "I suppose..." he began, trailing off as the weight of the situation settled in. "After seeing this, I think we've blown any hope of reasoning with them." With a deliberate motion, he retrieved the golden key from beneath his shirt, his gaze fixated on it, lost in thought for a fleeting moment.
Victoria's expression darkened the moment she saw it, and a relentless ache started to form behind her eyes.
"I think I'm starting to remember..." Eren muttered, his grip on the key tightening as his pupils began to dilate with realization. "The cellar... This key! Our home in Shiganshina..."
As memories surged, Victoria felt a throbbing in her head, fleeting images of Dr. Jaeger in the forest flickering through her mind. She could almost feel the syringe piercing her arm but just as quickly as they came, the visions vanished, taking the pain with them.
Victoria pressed her finger to the bridge of her nose with a groan. Armin seemed to notice, taking a hesitant step towards her. He rested a hand on her arm reassuringly but couldn't find out what was wrong, as Eren kept talking.
"My father said I'd have to go back there,everything hinged on it." Eren's brow furrowed deeply. "I think that's why he gave me this.. power to transform. If I can make it back to our cellar, I might learn the Titan's secrets!"
Eren let out a sudden yell, startling all three of them, as his fist connected with a crumbling rib bone. "Why did he keep this a secret?" He snarled, "How many thousands of Scouts have already died because my father didn't share this information! It could be the last chance humanity has! And the answers have been hidden away under our house this entire time? Is he insane? Damn him!"
He turned away from them, trying to hide the tears forming in his eyes, "Where have you been these last five years, dad...? I need you..."
Mikasa's gaze sharpened as she approached Eren, seizing his shoulder and interrupting his spiraling thoughts. "Eren, we have more pressing matters to attend to."
Eren stiffened, turning to meet her eyes just as the sounds of soldiers outside their steamy prison echoed with urgent orders. The air was thick with tension, the kind that clung to the skin and made it hard to breathe.
"Focus," she urged, her voice low but firm, cutting through the haze. "We can't afford to lose sight of what's at stake."
Fortunately, the command to "Hold your fire" rang out distinctly.
For a brief moment, a heavy silence enveloped the group, as if the world outside had paused to take a breath. Victoria could feel the tension in the air, thick and heavy, as the soldiers around them were peculiarly silent.
Mikasa's eyes never left Eren, a fierce determination burning within them.
He nodded slowly, the fog of his thoughts beginning to clear. Mikasa released his shoulder, her expression softening just a fraction.
"Listen," Eren's voice cut through the tension like a knife. "I'm getting out of here," he declared with fierce determination.
"Where?" Victoria's eyes widened in shock, her amber gaze reflecting her disbelief. "And, more importantly, how?"
"Anywhere but here," Eren shot back, urgency lacing his words. "Then head over the Wall and straight for Shiganshina. But... I'll have to become a Titan again."
"Can you transform at will?"
"To be honest," Eren replied, his eyes darkening. "I don't know how I'm doing it, V. I just know that I can. It's hard to put into words. But it was like, reflexive... At that moment, my mind subconsciously focused on stopping the cannonball."
"That's why it's decaying..." Armin spoke slowly, realization spreading across his face.
Eren nodded in response. "It only had the endurance to meet that task!" Eren raised his hand, his gaze fixed on the intricate lines and shapes that defined it, a sense of panic beginning to course through him as tremors began to ripple through his fingers. With a sudden determination, his hand transformed into a clenched fist, a symbol of his resolve.
"Next time, I'll be stronger!" Eren was sweating, eyes wide. His voice had dropped, turning into a gravelly snarl that seemed...familiar, to Victoria. "Next time I'll be a 15-meter high Titan slayer, just like I was before!"
"Eren!" Mikasa's voice rose with concern, pulling Victoria from her thoughts. "Your nose..."
Eren instinctively raised a hand to his face, feeling the warm trickle of blood escaping from his nostril. The vivid red glistened like rubies against his fingertips.
"Your breathing is erratic," Armin gasped, his eyes wide with alarm. "And you're pale. Something is wrong, Eren, you're not well!"
With a grimace, Eren wiped the blood away, his expression hardening. "As things stand, my health is irrelevant." He crouched down, signaling for them to follow suit. Victoria hesitated, a frown creasing her brow, but ultimately complied with his command.
"I have two ideas," Eren continued, lowering his voice. "You three could make it outta here alive if you stop trying to protect me. I've brought you nothing but trouble as it is. I'm doing this on my own from this point forward."
Armin's jaw dropped, his voice soft, "You're kidding...
"The hell are you, Jaeger!" Victoria hissed, the sharpness of her words sent a jolt of pain through her ribs. All she wanted was a straightforward resolution to this mess, a way to put an end to the chaos so she could finally receive the medical attention she desperately needed.
No matter how much it hurt, she was not leaving her friends.
"Eren," Mikasa interjected, her tone slicing through the conversation like a blade. "I'm coming, too."
"No way," Eren retorted, his voice sharp, yet Mikasa's response was even more cutting.
"I plan to follow you whether you give me permission to or not," she shot back fiercely. Victoria recognized that stare. It was the same one she herself gave Reiner on occasion. "I swear. I'll never leave your side. I made a promise."
Eren growled at her resistance and attempted to reason with Mikasa, but even Victoria recognized that it was a futile effort. Mikasa was not leaving him and that was final. Eren just didn't realize it yet.
Victoria glanced over at Armin. His expression had fallen as he observed Eren and Mikasa closely, eyes flickering back and forth between them. Victoria could almost see the weight of their shared past reflected in his face. She frowned, realizing she still didn't actually know how they all came together. She would need to ask Armin about it once they escaped this situation.
Well,if they managed to escape this, that is.
"Mikasa, stop it!" Eren cried, eyes wide with desperation and anger. "I'm being serious here! I'm not your little brother and I'm not some snot-nosed toddler!
"You're definitely acting like one, though," Victoria muttered under her breath. Eren shot her a glare but ultimately ignored her as Mikasa demanded his attention.
She stole another look at Armin, who appeared to be lost in a whirlwind of thoughts. A cascade of emotions swept across his features—first concentration, then a deep sadness as his eyes widened, brimming with tears. Finally, he seemed to surrender, collapsing onto his knees.
As Eren and Mikasa continued their heated debate, Victoria moved closer to Armin. "Are you alright?"
Armin looked up at her, blue eyes hollow and hopeless, as he watched them. "I'm... afraid...," he stuttered softly, "This might be the last time... the four of us will ever be together..."
"Just...Wait a second, would ya?" Eren paused for a moment, attempting to convey a sense of calm. He had decided to stop debating with Mikasa. "If you recall, I said I had two ideas," he smirked, hoping to ease her concerns, but if this was anything like his first, Victoria had doubts.
"Armin."
Eren's voice cut through Armin's despair like a beacon, drawing everyone's attention to him with renewed intensity. Though his composure seemed fragile, his green eyes sparkled with an undeniable fierceness.
"I trust you to make the right decision," Eren started, "And yes, I'm aware of how unrealistic this plan is. The best-case scenario? I try to use my Titan ability strategically. Under Military direction." Eren paused for a moment to stare down at his hand again.
"This might sound crazy," he continued, "but if you think you can convince the Garrison Regiment, right here and now, that I present no threat to them, I'll trust you and we'll go with that option. That's my second idea. If you don't think you can get it done, then my last resort is my first idea."
The sounds of cannons cranking as they were pointed toward the four of them sent a chill down Victoria's spine. She opened her mouth to protest, there had to be a better option, but Eren cut her off.
"You have 15 seconds to decide," Eren's voice was surprisingly calm but V could see his hands starting to tremble. "Do you think you can get it done?"
Armin stared at him in shock.
"Listen," Eren spoke a little faster. "I'll respect your opinion either way."
"Eren," Armin finally answered. "Why would you leave such a major decision up to me? Why not Victoria, or Mikasa?"
"Mikasa just threatened to kill them!" Victoria scoffed, smirking at Mikasa, "And I've got a bit of a bad record from boot camp. You're squeaky clean, Armin. If they listen to any of us, it'll be you. If they listen at all this is..." The smoke was finally starting to clear and V could almost see Captain Woerman's terrified visage again.
"And you always keep a level head," Eren spoke. "You always choose well, no matter how ugly things get. I figure that's worth relying on."
"And you do it all the time, even for small stuff," Victoria smiled at Armin, trying to be as reassuring as she could but she could still feel the cannons pointed at her back. "Basically kept us all fed during boot camp, in Muller's office when you decided to tutor me, and-" Victoria's voice cracked for a moment. "A-and you were the first one to run after Mikasa when she fell."
"Five years ago," Eren nodded fiercely, voice speeding up as panic began to build. "If you hadn't gone to Mr. Hannes for help, Mikasa and I would have been eaten by the Titans."
"W-what?" Armin's eyes widened, "That's how you see me...? Not.. as a burden...?" Tears welled up in his eyes for a moment as he took in his friends, for what he genuinely feared might be the last time. "You never thought of me that way..?"
"Armin..." Victoria glanced up when the cannon noises and commands suddenly stopped, and the crumbling Titan skeleton finally dissipated into ash completely.
They were exposed.
"Our time is up."
~o~
"What are they doing?!" Jean cried, pacing back and forth along the rooftop. Annie, Reiner, and Bertholdt stood in a line, watching the chaos below. From their spot on the roof, they could just barely make out the four heads of their fellow cadets in the smoke. Below, it seemed like the Garrison couldn't see them at all.
"Did they seriously fire on them!" Jean continued, frustrated. He snarled. "I bet Eren did something stupid to make them jumpy."
"I think they were already jumpy," Annie replied calmly. Her steady gaze hadn't left the faint hint of blond hair in the smoke. "I've spent some time around Captain Woerman. He's a very anxious man, especially under stress."
"So, we're just going to stand here!?" Jean protested, every muscle on fire with tension as he watched orders fly between soldiers. Guns were prepared, grips on swords tightened, and cannons were repositioned for a better shot.
"What else do you expect us to do?" Reiner snapped, eyes cold as they pierced Jean. "Jump down there and stop them? We're fresh, low-ranked rookies. They'd demote us back to cadet, or worse. Shoot us on the spot for defending a Titan."
"Victoria is not a Titan!" Jean growled, his voice dangerously low.
Reiner flinched, his golden eyes darkening, and some deep inner part of Jean felt the smug satisfaction at the confirmation that Reiner was just as full of shit as he suspected. The big ass hadn't shown any concern for Victoria a single time since returning beyond the Wall.
Jean continued with a smirk, "Neither is Mikasa or Armin. The only freak around here is Eren, so why aren't we doing anything to help the rest of them?"
Reiner's frown deepened. He started to take towards Jean, fist clenching.
"Point still stands, we can't," Annie interjected quickly, taking a step between the impending fistfight. "Reiner is right. The Garrison unit would stop us before we even took a step off this roof. Take a breath, and focus, Kirschtein."
Damnit, Jean cursed mentally.
Annie was right.
As he glanced over her shoulder, the situation was painfully clear. The soldiers were positioned in a tight semi-circle around the Titan and the cadets it had ensnared. A few of them cast cautious looks upward toward Jean and his companions, heightening the tension in the air.
Any sudden movements could startle these soldiers.
Which would lead to disaster.
For Jean, for Reiner, Annie and Bertholdt, Mikasa and Armin... Victoria. They were all teetering on a knife's edge here. Tension was building like a bubble.
And it was about to pop.
The jarring sound of bones cracking and the Titan's skeletal remains collapsing silenced every conversation in an instant. The air was thick with anticipation, the kind that prickled at the back of the neck and sent shivers down spines. A wave of panic swept over the men, their eyes wide as the monster suddenly shifted, falling to the side as it crumbled to ash.
A loud chatter of metal followed and out of the smoke, a figure emerged, silhouetted against the swirling steam. It was Armin, his usually anxious demeanor replaced by an urgency that shone steadily in his focused eyes. He quickly strutted forward with confidence, hands raised in a gesture of peace, but the fear that twinkled ever so slightly in his eyes betrayed the gravity of the situation. His ODM gear lay abandoned on the ground behind him, a clear attempt to show no threat.
"Halt, HALT!" Captain Woerman shouted frantically, scattering to regain control. Armin obeyed, sliding to a stop before them. His eyes shone with such determination that Jean barely recognized the little blond nerd. Behind him, through the smoke that was beginning to dissipate, Jean could see Eren, Victoria, and Mikasa on their knees in a line, trying to be as docile as possible.
His heart skipped a beat as Victoria glanced up in his general direction, amber eyes catching the setting sun in a way that made his breath catch in his throat.
"Is this supposed to be your true form, Monster!" Woerman screamed, cutting through Jean's thoughts, "I don't buy it! I'll give the signal to fire, I mean it!"
"Eren is not a foe of humanity!" Armin shouted, his voice ringing out like a clear bell. "We're willing to cooperate with MIlitary Command and share everything we've learned about his powers!"
"Your pleas fall on deaf ears!" Woerman yelled back, looking like a feral animal he was so panicked. "He revealed his true form and because of that, he cannot leave here alive! If you insist he's not an enemy of ours, show me proof! Otherwise, we'll blast him back to whatever nightmare he crawled out of!"
"You don't need any proof!" Armin replied earnestly, taking a defiant step forward. "The fact of the matter is, it doesn't matter what we perceive him to be!"
Woerman stuttered in confusion, "W-what?"
"The reports say hundreds of soldiers saw him! And those who were there said they saw him fighting other Titans! And that means they saw him get swarmed by the Titans as well! To put it plainly, sir, the Titans saw Eren the same way they see each and every other human being; as their prey! And it doesn't matter how else you may look at it! That is an irrefutable fact!"
Silence hung in the air for only a moment, before whispers broke out among the officers. Shoulders relaxed slightly as swords were lowered and they hesitated.
"Kid has a point," one of the men murmured beside Woerman. Woerman seemed to struggle with this as well for a moment, his face scrunching up in a conflicted snarl.
He got over it quickly, though, before suddenly screaming, "PREPARE TO ATTACK!"
"Don't let yourself be swayed by his cunning lies!" Woerman screeched at his men. "The Titans' behavior hasalwaysbeen beyond our comprehension. I wouldn't put it past them to assume human form! H-he's speaking our language in an attempt to deceive us! I refuse to let them continue this behavior unchecked!"
Captain Woerman's troops reacted without hesitation, driven by their hysterical leader, swiftly aiming their weapons at Armin. Soldiers of every rank, from the highest officers to the lowest privates, brandished their swords, guns, and cannons, all directed menacingly toward him.
Armin's heart pounded in his chest, and he struggled to catch his breath as a wave of disbelief enveloped him, leaving him trembling and feeling utterly exposed. He gasped and turned to face his friends, fearing that these might be the last moments they shared together.
To his surprise, he met their gazes, each pair of eyes—amber, green, and gray—radiating a fierce sense of determination and hope. Eren's lip curled up in a faint smile, and he nodded at Armin. The message was simple.
We trust you.
For a brief moment, Armin found himself frozen in astonishment. The sheer confidence that Eren, Victoria, and Mikasa had in him was overwhelming, leaving him puzzled yet determined. He didn't need to fully grasp their faith; what mattered now was that he had to validate their belief in him.
With a fierce shout, Armin clenched his teeth and pivoted, snapping into a firm salute, trying to embody the resolve he felt inside.
"I am a soldier!" Armin shouted, eyes wide and focused. "And I have dedicated myself to the restoration of humanity, sir! Nothing could make me prouder than dying for such a noble cause! If we were to use his Titan ability and combine it with the manpower we have left, I believe we can do it! We can retake this city! For humanity's glory, in what little time I have left to live, I will advocate his strategic value!"
Armin's words echoed through the air.
"Captain Woerman?" a soldier hesitantly spoke up, "His words are worth considering sir... Maybe we should-!"
"QUUUUIEEEET!" Woerman took a quick step towards the man, screaming in his face. The poor soldier jumped about two feet into the air, stunned to silence. Returning to position in the center, Woerman stared down Armin. Sweat trickled down his face. His nostrils flared widely, eyes ever the more frantic.
Victoria's heart dropped.
He was too scared too listen. Too hysterical. She watched his hand raise, the soldiers raising their guns and blades. Captain Woerman's hand pointed towards the sky. Time seemed to slow as it came back down, like an executioner's ax, decisive and sharp.
Victoria braced, shoulders tensing as she prepared for the worst. She stole a glance at Eren. He was slowly lifting his hand to his mouth. In the other direction, Mikasa's fingers twitched as they began to reach for her blades.
This was it.
Victoria took a deep breath, nails digging into her palms.
1...
2...
But, just before it could finally come down, it was firmly intercepted.
It was grasped by the steady grip of an older, jolly-looking individual. This hand belonged to a bald man, whose tranquil presence was complemented by his rosy cheeks and a fluffy mustache. Draped across his chest was a vibrant red sash, and the medal bolo he wore gleamed with a sense of honor.
"That's enough," the man's voice was calm, a sweet gentle smile gracing the his face. "You should really do something about your nervous disposition, Captain Woerman."
"C-Commander Pyxis!" Woerman stuttered, pulling free and snapping into a desperate salute. Every soldier that surrounded Captain Woerman followed suit, the salutes of hundreds of men and women echoing in this little corner of the Wall.
"Can you not see this soldier's heartfelt salute?" Pyxis willingly released Woerman's wrist, walking over to stand before him. His presence alone, even for being such a cheery-looking man, commanded respect among his men.
Everyone fell in line.
Victoria could see an almost mischievous twink in the man's eyes as he took in the four cadets.
"I've only just arrived but I'm quite aware of our situation. Gather our reinforcements. I think we could at least do these young soldiers the favor of hearing them out." Commander Pyxis declared, smiling at them.
Together, the four of them exhaled the breaths they had been holding in unison.
Armin felt a wave of relief wash over him, nearly causing him to buckle at the knees. The tension that had coiled tightly in his chest began to unravel, and he took a moment to steady himself, feeling the ground beneath his feet as if it were a lifeline. The weight of uncertainty that had hung over them like a storm cloud dissipated, replaced by a fragile sense of hope.
Eren turned his gaze toward Victoria, a smile breaking across his face, illuminating his features with a warmth that had been absent for far too long.
Mikasa remained focused, her attention unwavering on the Captain. Her brow furrowed slightly. Her instincts were sharp, and she knew that while they had achieved a small victory, the battle was far from over. She scanned the surroundings, her eyes darting to every shadow, every movement, ready to spring into action at a moment's notice.
Meanwhile, Woerman looked at Pyxis, his expression one of sheer astonishment.
~o~
Dot Pyxis.
The commanding officer responsible for the southern territory. The man in charge of the defense of Trost. The man who had been given full authority over preserving humanity's most vital remaining territory, and all the challenges it came with.
Victoria, Eren, Armin, and Mikasa had been escorted to a "private location for a private chat." The top of the Wall didn't seem particularly private to Victoria, to be honest. Regardless, here they were, sitting in a semicircle. Well mostly, Mikasa had refused to sit.
They were waiting for the Commander to speak.
Pyxis strolled along the top of Wall Rose, pausing to take a sip from his flask while observing the Titans below. They desperately were attempting to scale the Wall in their relentless pursuit of human flesh. Their grotesque smiles and eerie expressions as they practically clambered over each other should have sent chills down any soldier's spine.
Instead, Dot Pyxis just smirked.
"Nope, not any of you," he declared loudly with a chuckle. Pyxis glanced back at the four of them with a playful grin. That mischievous sparkle had returned to his eyes. "Being eaten by a Titan would be so bad. If it was a sexy lady one."
Victoria had to contain a giggle. The Commander was also notorious for being genuinely eccentric. She was glad to see the stories were true.
They might have a chance.
"Commander?" Victoria asked quietly, hoping they would finally have a chance to explain themselves. Her ribs still hurt and,god,she wanted a bath. But the more she thought about it, the crazier their story sounded.
Eren can turn into a Titan and we're both having visions, she rehearsed in her head, "Definitely not crazy, sir, we swear."
"So?" Pyxis had turned to face them, eyes suddenly intense as he stared them down. "Tell me what you learned from all this."
"Sir?" Armin hesitated softly.
"Start from the beginning, and spare no detail," Pyxis continued, smiling reassuringly at them. "You never know what might be important."
The four cadets exchanged glances. Where to even start?
"Um, well, sir," Victoria straightened, taking a breath to calm her nerves. "Eren and I were there, right by the outer gate, when the Colossal Titan reappeared this afternoon. When it destroyed the gate, it attacked us at the same time. It almost felt like a distraction. I think it showed signs of intelligence, sir."
"Did it now?" Pyxis mused, absently twirling the corner of his mustache as he gestured for her to continue. "Did you inform Captain Woerman of this?"
Victoria shook her head. "No, sir," she replied. "He did not give us time. We returned to Headquarters after the initial attack and were immediately put into line up and given our orders. No time to think, just action. He was noticeably absent from the battlefield, if I recall as well."
Pyxis's eyes narrowed. "What happened next?"
"Well, sir," Armin continued, "We were split into our different squads. Eren, Victoria, and I were in Squad 34. There were several other cadets of the 104th with us as well. T-they-They did not make it."
"How did you all survive?" Pyxis asked, taking a sip of his flask. He seemed fixated like he was watching a play. Armin glanced at Victoria.
"I was brought down by a Titan who tried to grab me but missed and ended up throwing me several blocks away. A family by the surname of Krause found me and dragged me into their basement with their son," Victoria choked up for a moment. "As far as I am aware, none of the Krause family survived."
"Wait," Armin interjected softly, "How did you find us then? If you were on the other side of the city, how did you make it back?"
Victoria's heart ran cold.
"Instructor Muller...," Victoria replied, her voice barely a whisper. "S-she didn't make it either. After that... I just... got lucky, I guess."
"What of these visions you claim to be having? When did they start?"
"Recently, sir," she replied, sniffling slightly but still maintaining her composure. "In one there was a man. I didn't recognize him, but I think he's on our side? He kept urging me on to save Mikasa."
Mikasa frowned. "Save...me?"
"Yeah," Victoria nodded, smiling faintly up at her. "The voice went quiet when I found you after your fall, Mikasa. When Eren, I'm now realizing, almost stepped on us."
Eren's eyes widened, "I almost stepped on you guys?"
"It was fine," Victoria smirked with a chuckle. "You also saved us by beating the snot out of the other Titan. Um... I had another about the Armored Titan but that might have just been a nightmare... The most recent one is the one I seemed to have shared with Eren."
Eren frowned, "You saw-."
"Your dad, yeah," Victoria cut him off. She already knew the question. Eren frowned more, unsatisfied with her lack of detail. With a sigh, she continued "I saw the syringe, the forest. I think I saw everything you did, but the words were hard to make out. Like Dr. Jaeger was talking through a wall."
Pyxis turned to Eren now. It was his turn to share. He listened intently as Eren explained what happened. How he ended up in the stomach of a Titan, much to the disgust of Victoria. She could have lived a thousand lives without knowing you could survive there, in a Titan's belly, for that long.
Eren continued, with his faint memories of rage and loss of control as he piloted the Titan the best he could. He seemed to struggle to remember specifics. Just... blind anger and hatred. The last thing he remembered was waking up to Woerman's frightened face.
As Eren wrapped up the details of his father's message of finding the cellar, Pyxis had walked over to the edge of the Wall again, completely at ease as he peered over the city. Fires smoldered, creating smoke columns, but the city was mostly silent now.
"That's that?" Pyxis finally responded, eyes narrow, "So, visiting this cellar should clear everything up?"
Eren nodded, clearly exhausted, "Yes sir," he replied hesitantly, "Well, at least I think so..."
"For the moment, there is no way to validate all of the claims you've made," Pyxis glanced back at them, tapping his temple with a smirk. "For now, I'll just catalogue them in here. With that said, I can usually tell the difference between the unctuous and the sincere, which is why I personally guarantee your safety from this point forward."
The four of them breathed sighs of relief. Victoria reached up to grab Armin's hand, smiling at him for his successful plan. Armin squeezed in response, his smile bright as the sun as he looked back at her.
Pyxis watched them for a moment, twirling the corner of his mustache in contemplation. "You're Cadet Armin Arlert," he finally spoke again. "Is that correct?"
Armin snapped to attention, into a salute, "Yes sir!"
"You mentioned you had a plan to harness this so-called "Titan Ability" and then utilize your friend's power to retake the city. Do you believe that could work? Or were you grasping at straws to try and save your hides?"
"Uh, well," Armin took a deep breath and answered truthfully. "Both, Commander."
Pyxis watched him with narrow eyes, waiting for the next words.
"I was going to suggest that Eren, using his strength as a Titan, could lift that giant boulder. We could use it to block off the wrecked southern gate." Armin stuttered for a moment. "T-that was the best idea I could come up with on the spot. I just wanted everyone to see that Eren's Titan ability might provide a solution to the problem we all face."
"Hm."
"Granted," Armin continued anxiously. "I was pretty desperate to survive."
"'Desperate to survive', huh?" Pyxis looked back down the edge of the Wall, taking out his flask again and taking another deep drink. "That's as credible a reason as any, son."
He turned to face them, that mischievous glint in his eye had returned.
"What do you say, Cadet Jaeger?"
Eren frowned, confused, "Say, sir?"
"That hole," Pyxis crouched down to Eren's level on the ground, "Do you think you can plug it up, son?"
Eren's eyes widened, a bead of sweat sliding down his temple. "Well, I- I don't know. It's possible, but, at the moment, I don't understand my power any more than you do. It's just... I sort of feel irresponsible giving you an answer, 'cause I really don't know."
Pyxis smiled, to Victoria's surprise. "Ah, yes," he replied cheerfully, "Of course, my apologies. I asked you the wrong question."
"Huh?" Pyxis's smile had disappeared when Eren looked back up at him, replaced with a serious, stern stare. His narrow hazel eyes seemed to burn right through Eren.
"Are you willing to try, Cadet Jaeger," Pyxis corrected coldly, "Or not?"
As Eren stared at him in disbelief, Pyxis's gaze suddenly shifted, over their shoulders. Eren and Victoria turned around to see what he was looking at. Armin and Mikasa followed suit.
Every soul on the inner side of Wall Rose and Wall Sina seemed to be staring back at them. Every home, every friendship, every family,every life.It was all on the line here. Reality began to set in, as understanding started to flood Eren's gaze for what was really at stake here.
Either Eren plugged the hole, or this Wall, this entire territory, was going to fall.
Humanity was on the line.
Eren clenched his jaw, wrestling with his choice for a brief moment. Pyxis maintained his steady gaze, carefully assessing Eren's reaction. There was a subtle shift in his expression as Eren finally spoke up, his determination evident in his voice.
"I'll do it!" Eren declared loudly, his eyes shining. "I don't know if I can, but...I will. I swear."
Pyxis smiled at him, his wrinkled cheeks accentuating his grin. With a curt nod, he replied, "Excellently said. You have the heart of a lion."
Standing, he walked back to the inner edge of the Wall, looking down at the soldiers gathered at the bottom near the inner gate. "Staff officers, hup! We have a plan to flesh out!"
Armin turned to Victoria, eyes wide with worry, "Wait, we-? We can't actually be moving forward with this as our linchpin strategy. It was just something I tossed out there!"
"I was thinking the same thing," Eren, still on his hands and knees. "'Cept, he seems like a guy who knows what he's doing. Has it all under control, like we can't see the forest from the trees but he's got a birds eye view."
"Look sharp, soldiers," Pyxis had returned, leading a small squadron of men and women behind him. "The fate of mankind rests on your shoulders."