Fight for Love (Attack on Titan/SnK fan fiction)

Fight for Love: Chapter 13

-The next morning-
-Location: Gate of Trost-

I would be lying if I said I wasn't the tiniest bit frightened. I would be lying if I said I wasn't excited. Yet then again, I would be lying if I said I wasn't on the verge of being a hyperventilating mess. With a shaky breath I wipe the sweat that began to accumulate on my palms onto my pants. My eyes dance over the excited citizens of the town of Trost.
The town of Trost is roaring with excitement, everybody is smiling, throwing their fists in the air and shouting at the Survey Corps to kill the titans for them. I gaze around thoughtfully having never heard anybody being this excited to see the Survey Corps going out on an expedition before. Now, everybody seems to be supporting us whole-heartedly, they seem so excited to know that we are going beyond the walls to kill the titans and set up these supply points.
"Look there is Captain Levi!" I hear somebody yell, pointing in the direction of Levi who is riding his horse in front of his tiny squad,"I heard he is as strong as an entire brigade!"
"You seem rather popular, Captain Levi." I gaze at the Wings of Freedom emblem on his back with a small smile.
"Shut up." He growls over his shoulder at me. I chuckle and turn my attention to the still growing crowd.
"Hey, Sakura!" I turn around in my saddle to see Alex riding closer to us. A small bundle of cloth is clenched tightly in his hand and a strained expression is on his face.
"Hey Alex, what's up?" I ask as he rides up next to me.
He offers the bundle of cloth to me,"Commander Erwin told me to give this to you before we left the gate."
I furrow my brow in confusion, but take the cloth from his outstretched hand anyway,"Um.." I go to tell him thanks, but when I look up he is already riding back to his position. I stare at the bundle of cloth for a couple seconds wondering what it could be. Slowly I begin to unravel the object until it falls into my lap. I discard the cloth and pick up the object that is wrapped in a piece of paper. I tug the paper off the newly discovered flare and examine the piece of parchment only to find Erwin's name scrawled in his handwriting on the corner of it. I curse underneath my breath once my eyes land on the purple flare, glaring at it like it is a snake that needs killed. With a huff of outrage, I shove it to the bottom of my saddle bag. Where it shall stay underneath all the other flares for I will not use it.
I look up and glare at the back of Erwin's head knowing very well that he is up there smirking.
"The gate will open in 15 seconds!" Someone yells and the formation takes up the call determined to get this over with, even though the atmosphere surrounding us is the exact opposite of the one that was surrounding the HQ the day before.
"10 seconds!"
I can hear the ratting of the chains as the gate begins to slowly be lifted off the ground. Anticipation and adrenaline blooms in my chest, my hands tighten on the reins to the point my knuckles are white.
"Advance!" I hear Erwin yell from the front and as one the entire formation surges forth. The sounds of the horses hooves against the stones are obnoxiously loud in my ringing ears. I watch the gate get closer with every passing second, with every passing second I am getting closer to those blood thirsty beasts that live beyond these walls.
We charge out of the gate and start into the open plains of Wall Maria.
"Switch to Long-Range formation type!" Erwin yells from in front of us. Almost instantly soldiers break away into small groups, heading in different directions for the needed recon. Levi speeds up so we can get closer to the carriages that hold the supplies.
We have been riding in complete silence for the past hour when the sound of a flare reaches my ears.
"Red flare sighted for the right flank!" Eldo yells from behind me.
"Petra fire it." Levi quickly gives out the order, his voice calm and collected with its usual touch of hatred.
"Yes sir!" Petra yells out, determination bright in her golden eyes. She quickly fires the red flare, it's not much longer after she fires it that a green flare pointed to the East is fired in front of us.
"Gunther." Levi demands over his shoulder. Gunther fires it and together we slowly lean our horses to the East before straightening them back out. I can hear the blood roaring in my ears like a dam that just released gallons of water into a vacant valley. My body feels tight, almost to tense to move, my eyes dance around the plains; rarely I will see a lone tree standing amongst the green grass, even rarer I will see a single house, the roof caved in and the windows dark. I flinch and look away refusing to think about the happy family that must have lived in that house before, refusing to think about the smiles that were given and the laughs that were shared in that single house before the Titans decided to ruin it all. That's right, the titans always ruin the happy families, they ruin lives and traumatize thousands of people. Do they care? Of course not!
All they are are blood thirsty monsters that strive to ruin humanity's options of surviving. I grit my teeth anger flaring up in my chest and setting every one of my nerves on fire with the burning rage that roars deep in my gut. I have to kill them all it's my only option to continue living, I have to avenge my father and Eren's mother. No matter which way you spin it that's the only thing I can do. I made a blood oath and I have to live up to it.
My thoughts are interrupted by a cry of fear that sends shivers down my spine. Almost simultaneously my squad jerks around in our saddles and lock out eyes on a single soldier that is riding in our direction with a nine meter class Titan hot on his heels. A feeble cry of help escapes the mans trembling lips as tears roll down his face. My heart clenches for the fear stricken soldier and for the fact that he is heading in our direction.
"Captain Levi! What are we to do?!" Petra yells with a slightly shaking voice from beside me. I slowly turn around in my saddle and lock eyes with the stony faced Corporal.
His eyes glare into mine and it takes what little amount of Will power I have left to not loo away. He turns back around facing forward and ignoring the mans cries.
"Sakura, you will go and help out the sorry excuse for a soldier."
My heart stops, my breathing turns shallow and my body freezes, I stare at the small man's back silently gaping at it in surprise.
"What?!" Oluo roars from behind me,"Captain Levi, she is a new recruit, fresh from the new bee's league, you honestly can't be thinking about sending such a weakling out to help."
Anger flares up stronger than before, the fear dissipates burning to ashes in my gut and swept away to the back of my mind. Levi slowly turns back around, glaring at the still babbling Oluo.
"Are you questioning my orders, Oluo?" His voice takes on a low and dangerous tone.
Oluo's face falls, yet only slightly before he quickly hardens his face and he looks away with a huff of annoyance. Levi turns toward me and we lock eyes for the second time.
"Sakura are you going to disobey a direct order?"
That's when I see it laying in the depths of his cold black eyes. He is offering my an opportunity, a choice really, to proof to my squad that I can be a reliable soldier, that I won't back down under the gaze of a Titan. I set my jaw determination flaring up just as strongly as the anger and together the two emotions burn side by side in my gut.
"No sir! I can do it!"
My hands tighten on the reins and just as I am about to pull Kurodayu out of his position to gallop in the direction of the still crying soldier; Petra lashes out and wraps her hand around my wrist.
"Sakura, please," she pleads with me her eyes searching mine,"Let me go instead! I-"
I cut her off,"Petra!" I yell angrily earning a flinch from the small girl,"I did not go through three years of training to get where I am and to be doubted by my fellow comrades!!" I snap angrily and jerk my wrist out of her grip.
Before she even has a chance to reply, I pull Kurodayu out of my position in the squad and dig my heels into his haunches. Kurodayu launches himself forward, only slowing down enough to match the petrified, and relieved, looking soldiers pace.
"A-are you from Levi's squad?" The man questions in a quivering voice.
I nod my head,"Yes I am, Captain Levi sent me here to help you."
His eyes examines my face and his face falls a scared screech escaping his lips,"You're the new recruit!" He yells, pointing an accusing finger in my face.
I grit my teeth,"Fine!" I yell,"Levi sent me here to help you since, obviously, you can't do anything on your own! If you aren't going to accept my help then I will just leave you to it." I go to lead Kurodayu back toward my squad.
The desperate looking soldier admits defeat with a groan and shake of his head. I smirk eyeing the strained soldier with a look of amusement.
"Alright, I guess I should tell you the plan that I formulated while riding over here."
"Didn't that take about ten seconds?" He questions.
I roll my eyes,"Well, if we are going to get technical about it..."
He groans in displease,"The odds of a halfassed plan working are so slim! I guarantee this 'plan' of yours is to risky to try!" He cries out.
I narrow my eyes at him,"We wouldn't get anywhere in life if we didn't take risks. Now, shut your fucking trap and listen to it!"
He grunts, but doesn't voice his disagreements anymore. I tell him that we only have a small window of opportunity for this plan to actually work so he needs to do exactly as I say within questions asked. He seems hesitant at first, his eyes dancing around uncertainty before he nods his head. I finally begin to tell him the plan which will only take about five seconds to complete, IF we do it correctly. After I am done he eyes me curiously with different emotions flashing across his face.
"What are you going to do about the Titan once you send me away?"
"Well,"I say with a small laugh,"Honestly I didn't think I would get this far so..."
His eyes widen and he jerks away from me,"Are you saying that you don't know what to do after I'm gone?!"
"Hey,"I hold up my hands defensively,"I don't hear you coming up with any better ideas."
He groans again and looks away from me, his eyes fastening on the road before him. I smirk and follow his lead, leaning forward I prepare to give out the order that will send him away and leave me with a nine meter problem. Out of the corner of my eye I can see my squad watching me intently, worry is etched on each of their faces; besides Levi who is looking at me with TRUST shining in his coal black eyes. At first I'm taken aback, having seen for the first time that he actually trusts me, it startles me and leaves my mind reeling for an actual reason only to come up with none. Besides the fact that he has practically seen me grow up into what I am now I honestly can't believe he trusts me. Humanity's strongest soldier believes I will make the right choice in this life or death moment, to not just save this poor man's life but to also make sure I can come back alive as well. I smile the tiniest bit feeling very comforted to know he has my back. I dislodge my mind from disconcerting matters and focus on the situation at hand.
"Now!" I cry out the order and the soldier jerks his horse to the left. Quickly digging his heels into its haunches and lurching himself back in the direction he came from.
"Good luck!" He hollers over his shoulder as he gallops away. I give him a simple nod of the head, knowing I probably won't see him again. I look back at the Titan just long enough to notice that it paid no heed to the departing soldier, it's excited eyes remain locked on me. My eyes dart around for a way to lose this nuisance, to find that I have no buildings whatsoever in my proximity. Not even a single tree is anywhere in sight, my heart falls when I realize the only option I have left is to attempt to kill the Titan on flat land. Even though it is extremely dangerous and the maneuvering gear is barely functional on flat land that is the only option I can come up with at the moment with the resources available. The only way for me to kill this Titan is to cut out its Achilles Tendon so it won't be able to stand up, then from there I will have to go in for the kill and hope the Titan doesn't somehow catch me.
With a deep and shaky breath I grab ahold of my hand grips and click a set of blades into them. Giving a final glance at my now frightened looking squad I hop up onto Kurodayu's saddle and leap into the air. Spinning around I hook onto the Titan's calf, my blades are dangerous flashes of silver as they cut into the skin around the shin like its butter. I drop to the ground and sprint around the unsuspecting Titan, hooking onto the now clearly seen Achilles Tendon I tear out the muscle and watch the Titan, helplessly, fall to its knees.
Without a moments hesitation I hook onto its lower back and sprint up the spine to the nape of the neck. I shove off the Titans back and into the air, with a small battle cry I bring my blades down across the Titans weak spot and end it's reign of terror.
Kurodayu is standing next to the Titans now steaming leg once I hop off it's back. He jogs up to me and I hastily hop onto his back and together we head back toward my surprised looking squad.
I ride up next to Petra and easily match her pace, out of the corner of my eye I see her eyes are wide and she is gaping at me.
"Hey! You damned brat." Oluo shouts at me.
I slowly turn toward him, a brow raised in question and a smirk present on my lips,"Yes?"
"Just because you were able to kill a damned Titan on flat land doesn't mean you should get cocky, you hear me?! I will have you know that I have 39 solo kills!"
"It isn't be you should be worried about being cocky," I chuckle,"All you ever do is rant about your solo kills, you're big headed, Oluo."
He gapes at me,"Shut-" his teeth sink into his tongue and with a gurgled shout he lurches forward and wraps his hand around his bleeding mouth in a panic.
"If you would stop talking so much Oluo, you wouldn't bite your tongue as often as you do." Petra scolds him, but hands him a rag she retrieved from her saddle bag anyway. Oluo glares at Petra and snatches the cloth from her to press to his tongue.
I laugh and point at him teasingly,"If you keep going like this Oluo you won't have to worry about dying at a Titans hand! You will just die from blood loss!"
Eldo chuckles lightly,"Oluo Bozado, died from severe blood loss during an expedition from severely biting tongue."
Oluo glares at all of us, muttering curses underneath his breath about us being damned fools which, in turn, just earns him even more laughs.
"I'm sorry, Sakura," Petra suddenly says after one of my laughing fits,"for doubting you I should have never done that."
My smile flatters and I quickly turn serious,"Don't worry about Petra,"I reach forward and touch her shoulder with my hand,"I, honestly would have doubted me too."