Humanity's Savior (Attack on Titan)

57th Expedition Outside the Walls

Narrator

   The gate slides open, a great, booming rumble vibrating through the air.  The Scouting Legion has prepared for their departure on their latest Expedition– namely, the 57th Expedition.  'Wow, 57 Expeditions outside the Walls and they're still doing it?  ...Why are they still doing it?'  Yeah, I thought that too.  People line both sides of the street, their chatter filling the quiet space the Recon Corps fill with woe presence.  Some look on with trepidation– others, with hope.  The Expeditions lead by this regiment have most always ended in failure, but maybe this time will be different, some hope.  Once the gates are nearly all the way open, a loud, deep voice echoes around the square.

   "Forward, Scouting Legion!"  This order is given by none other than Commander Erwin, who leads the Recon Corps on all their missions during his time as leader.  The sound of hundreds of horse hooves striking the ground cuts through the chatter and claps like thunder through the small city, reaching far beyond the single street the legion occupied.  The Survey Corps surge forward and begin to separate into their groups, out of the gates, and to freedom!  Or so is Eren Jeager's opinion.

Eren's P.O.V

   Being outside the walls always makes me feel free.  Every day, humanity is trapped inside the walls we call home– but it's just a cage, and it is only temporary protection against the Titans now that the Colossal Titan has appeared and has been trying– in one case, succeeding– to break the walls of the cage we live in.  That's why I joined the Survey Corps.  To get a taste of the freedom that the protection of the walls doesn't provide.  I mean, do the government officials seriously expect us to just be content to live as sheep?  Under their command?  Yeah right, get real.  I hardly notice when we split into our different squads, but am pulled out of my thoughts when I hear Heichou's voice.

   "Oi, brat, get your head out of the clouds and pay attention!"  Embarrassed about being caught off-guard, I instantly pay attention, shouting a, "Y-yes, sir, sorry!" We fall into silence, the only sounds the dull thunder of our horses' hooves in the earth.  The gait of my steed is a little rougher than what I'd like, as I glance over and see Captain Levi practically gliding on the smooth gallop of his own horse, but I choose not to complain.

I am surprised when a black flare shoots into the air, followed quickly by a red one. My gaze tracks the trail of smoke, leading down and to the east– my eyes widen in realization as I think about where the flare had come from. Far off to the right of my group, out of sight by distance and a few groups of trees.  I feel my heart leap into my throat, and panic settles in my stomach as I stare in the direction of the right flank.

"Isn't that where Armin is?"

Armin's P.O.V

My arm falls limp at my side, flare gun in hand as my eyes stay glued to the enormous figure that had just killed two squad leaders.  The monster is now running full speed towards me, its footsteps shaking the ground. I catch of glimpse of one of its eyes; the color isn't immediately clear, but if there is one thing I recognize it's the intent to kill.  Snapping back to my senses, I roughly yank the reigns of my horse in the opposite direction and spur the creature on faster, as the monster's features flash through my mind.

It's obviously a Titan, but the way it killed those two squad leaders... could it have... intelligence? No, that's highly unlikely, but then again, Eren can control a Titan form.... But then why does the monster have female features, and why does it look familiar....?

Boom, boom, boom, boom–

Flicking my head back to look over my shoulder, I am met with the sight of the Titan's ankle as it increases its speed so it can catch up to me. My eyes widen in horror as the shock from Female Titan's (It seems to be a female) feet connecting to the earth becomes too powerful for me to stay seated on my horse.  I feel the vibrations of the earth rattling my skull, my horse's stride faltering as the Titan looms over me.  After a final blast of wind I am thrown off my animal, landing several meters away, my hood flying up over my face.

Boom–

Silence reigns. When I feel a gust of hot air on the back of my hood, my breath catches in my throat.  I feel like my heart skips several beats as I remain completely still, my weight resting entirely on my elbows and knees.  This is it, I'm going to die– A soft pressure on the back of my hood distracts me, and cool air assaults my face as the Titan lifts it up. Deciding to take a risk, I slowly rise my head, and come face-to-face with the 'Female Titan.' Her head is merely meters away, and she seems to be studying me, as I observe her in turn.

Her eyes are an icy blue, so piercing it is as though she's looking straight into my soul, and she has straight, blonde hair that's cropped a little above her shoulders.  Her body is covered entirely in muscle, not a spot of skin anywhere that I can see.  I manage to take all of this in even as I clench my jaw so tightly it's painful, and as my hands slowly curl into shaky fists against the ruined soil beneath me.  I'm appalled when she actually drops my hood that she had been holding between her thumb and pointer finger, before straightening up and running off.

I know immediately that we're in big trouble.

Narrator

   While Armin is having the most terrifying experience of his life (most likely), Eren looks up in awe at the Forest of Giant Trees that looms ahead.  But he doesn't understand why they are going into it– it will break the formation.  It takes a moment for him to realize this, but he remembers studying the diagrams back at headquarters.  The Forest of Giant Trees was mentioned only very briefly, and seemed to be a last resort.  He voices his question out loud.

   "Captain Levi? Why are we going into the forest?" He can practically feel the Captain's eye roll from five yards away.  The nonchalant attitude of his superior arises a fierce blush on Eren's cheeks.

"Think about it, brat. Look around at all these big-ass trees.  What can we use them for that we can't use on a plain?"  Eren thinks about it.  Wait... 3D Maneuvering gear!  He hasn't realized he voiced his answer until he hears Levi say,

   "Good job, brat.  You actually used your head for once."

   Shoo~

   Their conversation is cut off by a black flare that rises in the air, just behind their current location.

A/N
Wow the first chapter was basically a horrible recap of events leading up to what I have planned, so please bear with me!

             ~Rainy