From Across the Sea (Attack on Titan/OC) [ON HOLD]

Chapter 28

It would only be a few hours later when Ang's gut feeling would be proven right.

~

"Huh? You're joining the Survey Corps?" Eren paused in his cleaning of the mounted canons. "Connie, you were so eager to join the Military Police."

"I was, but..." Connie began, but another voice joined in.

"Your speech yesterday affected him." Mina held her hands behind her back as she came upon the group of teenagers.

"Shut up!" Connie turned to protest over his shoulder. "It was my own decision!"

"Don't be embarrassed." Thomas scratched his head sheepishly. "It isn't just you."

"Thomas, you can't-"

"Hey, everyone." Sasha snuck up on the rest of them, and Connie noticed the was blushing while she hid something inside her uniform jacket. "I brought meat from the officer's storehouse." She revealed the cured cylinder of meat, and the group of friends' eyes became wide with panic.

"Sasha! Do you want to end up in jail?" The brunette woman didn't hear her friends and she continued salivating.

"Let's all split it. We can slice it and make sandwiches."

"Go put it back!"

"After all the land we lost, meat is really valuable." Mina spoke up from beside Eren.

"It's fine." Sasha reassured her friends. "Once we retake the land we can raise cows and sheep again."

"I'll have some of the meat, please!"

"M-Me too!"

"Why are you standing there Eren? We need to get back to work or they'll find out."

"It isn't lunchtime just yet." Mina jested as she walked away to tend to her own canon. Eren took a brief moment to gaze out over the city of Trost, feeling like things were going to get better for humanity. They had experienced 5 years of continued peace. We can win! Our counterattack has only just begun!

Suddenly there was a large burst of hot wind, a flash of yellow-orange light, and Eren turned to look over his shoulder. That face had haunted his dreams since he first appeared over Wall Maria. Bright red muscles stretched across a skinless face.

The Colossal titan had appeared yet again.

~

"I swear, if you don't stop bickering, I will have you assigned to be Hanji's personal assistants for the next month!" Ang's voice snapped at Oluo and Gunther as she dismounted Winston at their temporary camp in a village between Wall Rose and Maria. The pseudo-mother figure glared at her team, the warning extending to all her soldiers as she held out a finger in warning. Oluo snapped his mouth shut, while Gunther ducked his head to avoid her gaze, feeling very much like a scolded child. Upon their silence, Angharad turned and made her way with Levi to Commander Erwin for their report.

"Make sure the area is clear." The Commander looked around. This was the closest village to their chosen spot for the base, so Angharad suggested clearing this one first. The larger town unfortunately had a lot of blind spots, so the Scouts would have to be careful.

Suddenly Ang gasped, the same feeling on the back of her neck, and her head shot towards the left, braids whipping over her green cloak. "On your left!" And then there was screaming from another soldier a few blocks over. There were no orders as Levi shot off into the air, zooming through the streets and over towards the commotion.

"How do you do that?" Ang turned to look up at Erwin, seeing the taller male looking down at her in slight amazement and intrigue.

"I really wish I knew." She shrugged. "It comes in handy though, so I guess I won't question it too much." Erwin shook his head at her. Angharad looked around then, her brows pulled together in confusion.

It was quiet. Too quiet.

She could sort of see movement in the distance, and she walked to the edge of the village where she could see Hanji, her squad and some of her own soldiers on perimeter watch. Hanji, having spotted her best friend and the Scout's Navigator, waved excitedly and ran up to her, holding out her hand.

"Look at this weird flower I found growing over there." Hanji smiled wide, and if Angharad didn't feel so uneasy, she would have laughed at what was in her hand. "I've never seen a plant like this. The bud grows sideways, yet the flower grows out of the top."

"They're called 'Birds of Paradise'." Angharad informed the scientist, her eyes still cast on the horizon. She could see large bodies in the distance, and the footsteps from the cluster of titans were enough to shake the ground beneath her feet. "Do you find it odd that the titans are all moving in the same direction?" Hanji finally followed her eyeline, seeing the oddity the blonde was talking about. They shared a look of worry between them, and Hanji's face turned serious.

"I'll go get the Commander." Ang nodded, and walked further forward to the edge of the village. Layla noticed the nervous look on her Lieutenant's face.

"Lieutenant?"

Was that a flash of lightning in the sky? There were no storm clouds in sight, in fact the sky was as clear as it had been all month. Did no one else see that?

At that moment, Ang felt sharp stab of pain through her skull. She screamed at the sudden feeling, gripping the sides of her head as she dropped to her knees. She felt Layla's hands on her wrists, trying to ease the grip the blonde had on her own temples. The redhead could see the Commander and his own squad coming around the corner, having been informed of Angharad's odd discovery of the titans' behavior.

"Lieutenant? Are you okay? What's wrong?" Ang looked up, her eyes wide and she was shaking slightly.

"Something's happening back home."

"What are you talking about?" Layla asked worriedly. The younger soldier watched as Angharad stood, making her way to her horse, rushing to make sure all her supplies were there before pulling herself up and onto the saddle. "Where are you going?" Layla was really worried now. She had never seen her Squad Leader so freaked out and all over the place. The rest of their squad and Hanji's squad was looking at the pair now.

"Lieutenant, take a second and think this through." Moblit stepped forward, his eyes worried for his long time friend. Ang ignored Moblit and others who yelled after her as she rushed away atop Winston at full speed.

Erwin rushed to Layla's side in slight anger, but mostly worry and concern for his trusted friend's sudden change in behavior. "Where is she going?"

"She's headed back to the Walls, sir. She said something was really wrong back home."

So she's noticed it too. Erwin turned suddenly to the rest of his soldiers. "Everyone pack your things. Don't leave anything behind. We're making a full retreat to Trost!" Scouts all around them rushed to obey their Commander's orders. Pretty soon, they too were rushing full speed back home, Angharad's blonde braids in the far distance. At least I can still see her.

Angharad leaned into Winston's marbled neck, shielding herself from the wind as she rushed towards Wall Rose. Something was really really wrong. She thought of Eren, Armin, and Mikasa. She'd always loved them unconditionally as if they were her own. As she neared the district, she could see the gaping hole where the gate used to be. Her thighs squeezed at Winston's ribs again and rushed through the opening, avoiding grabbing hands and large feet that chased after her. She tried to assess the situation as quickly as possible, and she could see the blur of tan jackets from above her, when there were several large vibrations that almost threw her from her horse.

Is that 15-meter titan carrying a boulder?