Aila opened her eyes, feeling a headache ring about her head. She sat up, rubbing her head as she tried to remember what happened, then, it hit her. She gasped as she looked around and saw the person she wanted to hurt the most, Reiner Braun. She turned her head to her left to see Eren still out cold on the branch next to her. As she looked down from her branch, she recognized the area she was in, and the memories began to flood her mind. She growled a bit, remembering the corpses of innocent soldiers who were splattered across the trees and grass, "You...", she growled, staring up at him with fury in her eyes. Reiner and Bertholdt both shivered at the sight, seeing the murderous intent in them, "So, you're awake, good, now all we have to do is wait for Eren to wake up and we can get going", Reiner said as he swallowed his fear for Aila. He knew what she was capable of, he and Bertholdt experienced it first hand back in their cadet training, "Take us where huh? You're just going to leave your comrade behind to be-" "We know she's a traitor, there's no need to keep the charade up", Reiner cut her off. Bertholdt looked away in what seemed to be sadness, but Aila didn't care, in fact she was relieved that it was only her and Eren taken. God knows what Marley would do to Annie if they captured her, or Ymir who unintentionally stole the jaw titan, the only thing on her mind was how to save her loved ones, and how to get Eren to escape. She stealthily looked around and saw that the fields normally filled with titans were empty, but she also noticed the sun was setting, then, it hit her. "I see, so they're waiting until it gets dark so they can slip away with us", she thought to herself, just as she was about to check on Eren, he shrieked. She turned her head to see Eren waking up and unnerved at the sight of his arms being nothing but steaming nubs, "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU GUYS DO TO MY ARMS?!", he asked in anger and terror. Reiner sighed, "Yeah, that was my fault, my bad. Guess I bit your nape a little to small and ended up taking your arms, sorry about that", Reiner apologized as he looked away and scratched his head. Aila stood puzzled at the sudden change of persona, why would he, a honorary Marleyan, apologize to an Eldian from Paradis?
The two went on with their conversation, talking about how they were going to take them back to Marley and do who knows what with them. Aila switched to her telepathy, "Eren, you need to calm down or things might get uglier than it already is", Eren flinched a bit at the sudden voice in his head, he turned his head to see Aila staring at him sideways with a frown, saying 'don't say a word'. Eren gulped, "H-How are you in my head?", Aila tried her best to seem as calm and normal as possible to avoid suspicion, "It's one of my titan's abilities", she responded coldly. Eren began to sweat at the sudden news, "H-How.. can you transform too?". Aila smirked at the naive comment, "It's a long story that we don't have time to go over right now", Eren calmed a bit knowing he wasn't going crazy. Aila knew that she didn't really have time to do anything really, all she could do was wait for an opportunity to transform and escape with Eren before Reiner tries anything. She knew that Bertholdt won't transform due to the mass destruction it would cause and how much attention it would draw, she tried coming up with a plan, but was interrupted. "So, Aila. What titan do you hold exactly?", Reiner asked as he stared down from a branch, Aila scoffed, "Like I'd tell you pieces of shit" "You will, because Eren holds the attack titan, you can only hold one of two. The founding titan, or the jaw titan", Reiner stated ever so surely. Aila chuckled at his stupid assumptions, "Oh please, yes Eren may hold the attack, but what makes you so sure that you're assumptions are absolute?", she said staring up at him with a smirk, Reiner growled in frustration and turned away. "Whatever, if you choose not to tell us that's fine. But you will be fed to a Marleyan warrior regardless of whether you choose to tell us now, then they can tell us everything they saw in your memories", Aila laughed at the comment, as if she'd ever let them take her back to Marley without a fight. Aila turned her attention to Eren, who was boiling with anger and hatred inside his eyes. She leaned back and closed her eyes, letting Reiner and him bicker all they want. Bertholdt sat silently, watching them fight, this wasn't unusual for him though. Just as she began to think of a way out, POP POOF! She opened her eyes and shot up to see the ever so familiar smoke signals of the scouts right in front of her.
Reiner knocked Eren out and tied him up while gagging him, strapping him to his back. Bertholdt picked Aila up, struggling to hold her on his back as she was bigger than him in height and mass. As they zipped through the trees, Aila switched to her connection and found Annie, Mikasa, and Sasha. She smiled with relief knowing they're ok, "Guys! Reiner and Bertholdt are holding us captive and are trying to escape with me and Eren through the trees!", Annie gasped and sighed in relief of hearing her love's voice, "Aila! Thank god! I thought you were gone after Bertholdt threw you into his mouth I..", Annie's voice began to break. "I know, I was knocked out I didn't know what happened. But listen, I'm going to transform and run out of the trees, I'll try and get Eren but I'm not sure if Reiner will give me an opening", she told her friends, Mikasa frowned in anger yet determination, "If you can't get him, I understand, but we'll be with you soon and get BOTH of you back" "Yeah! You can count on it Ails!", Sasha said in a uplifting tone. Aila took a deep breath, and flipped around, using her legs to spin Bertholdt out of control. She jumped off of him, and bit into her arm, signaling the ever so familiar yellow lightning to rain down upon her. She opened her eyes, seeing the steam from the transformation, but what was unexpected, was another shot of lightning was triggered. But it wasn't Reiner, or even Bertholdt, it was Annie herself. RRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH! Annie roared in the distance, sending shivers down Reiner and Bertholdt's spine, knowing that neither of them were a match for her or Aila. BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM! The running footsteps of Annie grew closer and closer, Reiner handing Eren off to Bertholdt, Aila gasped, knowing he was going to transform. He bit his hand and transformed, landing onto the ground with a huge crash, Bertholdt rested in the crook of his neck with Eren still unconscious on his back. Aila felt a hand on her shoulder, she turned around to see Annie in titan form with Mikasa, Sasha, Christa, Connie, Marco, Jean and Armin on her person. They all jumped off and onto the nearby trees, unsheathing their blades and standing ready to charge at Reiner with all their might.
Aila connected to everyone present, "Thank you all for coming, do not be alarmed, this is one of my titans abilities. Eren is on Bertholdt's back unconscious, Reiner knocked him out before you all arrived" "Then we kill the bastards and take Eren back!", Mikasa shouted in anger. Annie cut in, "No, we can't kill them or their titans will be passed down to a random Eldian child who will die in thirteen years, we cannot let innocents die because of our urges", Mikasa clenched her handles, she knew good and well that Annie was right. Sasha rested her hand onto her lovers shoulder, calming her down at the touch, "Alright then, what should we do? We can't just stand her staring at each other all day now", Sasha stated in a more serious tone than usual, which surprised everyone who heard her. Aila frowned and glared at Reiner, "Me and Annie can take Reiner on and distract him. You all have to get Eren back, cut Bertholdt into shreds if needed but don't kill him!" "Right!", everyone thought simultaneously. She and Annie got into fighting formation, Aila hardened her legs, elbow, knuckle, and nail claws, preparing to attack. Annie hardened her arms and legs as usual to protect herself from damage from the impact, and she was going to need it against Reiner. Aila connected one last time, "NOW!", she shouted, signaling the beginning of the attack, everyone dispersed on their ODM gear, however it was too late for Reiner to realize what was happening. Aila roared and charged at him, punching him with her wolverine like claws, breaking his armor on his left side of his face. She jumped back, before he could regain his stance, Annie charged at him with full speed. He raised his arms to protect his head, but it was no good, Annie kicked his arms right off of his body, making him roar in pain. Bertholdt was thrown off of him, "REINER!", he shouted as he flew back onto a tree branch, but he was only met by his former comrades whom he betrayed and deceived. Mikasa, stopped right above him, "Bertholdt... hand Eren over.. NOW!", she glared at him with murderous intent in her eyes, he gulped and sweat with fear, knowing he was no match for her or the rest of his "friends".
He opened his mouth as if he were to say something, but was stopped, "Don't Bertholdt, Mikasa WILL cut you into shreds", Sasha stated with a tone she's never used before, Bertholdt turned to see Sasha glaring at him with hurt and anger in her eyes. "WHY! WHY DID YOU BETRAY US?! YOU KILLED INNOCENT PEOPLE IN THE WALLS!", Christa shouted with anger, her voice cracking from holding back tears, Berhtoldt clenched his teeth and handles. Jean opened his mouth, "Yeah! You... you sons of bitches! We all slept under the same roof! Shared meals! Shared stories and laughs! Was that.. was it all a lie?", Bertholdt still stood silent, staring at the tree branch he stood upon. "W-Why'd you do it? What about all the talk about sharing old war stories over a drink together some day?", Bertholdt snapped, "YOU THINK I WANTED TO DO THIS?! WHO WANTS TO DO THIS?! Yes we deceived you.. yes we were pretending but...", he stopped and began to shake. He looked up at his former comrades, "Please... save me from this guilt!", he cried out. Everyone but the titans fighting had stood still, taking in his plea for salvation. Mikasa swallowed her remorse, "Bertholdt... give Eren back..", despite knowing the consequences of hurting or attempting to hurt Mikasa's loved ones, he denied. Mikasa growled, just as she was about to cut Bertholdt down, BOOM! Everyone stopped and looked back towards the rest of the scouts that were on their way to see a flash of the all too familiar lightning striking the ground, and an all too familiar roar rung about their ears, Ymir had transformed. CRCK! CRCK! BOOM! The sounds of Ymir's titan jumping off of trees got closer and closer, Christa smiled knowing her love was on her way to help. "BERT-HOLDT!!", Ymir shouted through her titan, startling the others as they didn't know it was possible for a shifter to speak through their titan. RAAAAAAGH! Ymir jumped off a nearby tree and slashed Bertholdt with her claws, barely missing Eren but freeing him none the less. Mikasa caught him and untied him, he was still unconscious but alive and breathing. Ymir laid by him, "P-UT HIM I-N MOUTH", she muttered out, opening her jaws wide, Mikasa was hesitant at first, but realized that Ymir risked her capture to save Eren, so she did as was told. Armin, Connie, Jean, Marco, and Christa all climbed onto Ymir, but just as she was about to hop away, she realized, Mikasa and Sasha were staying behind. Christa noticed this as well, "Mikasa! Sasha! C'mon we have to get Eren and Ymir to safety!" "And just leave Aila and Annie behind to fight Reiner and Bertholdt alone?", Mikasa stated ever so coldly, "You go on ahead, we're staying to make sure they make it back too", Sasha sided with Mikasa. Ymir, although cold at first, cared for all of them, but knew that it was best to get everyone to safety first. So she nodded and took off towards the rest of the scouts.
RRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!! Reiner roared fiercely, he regenerated his arms and swung at Annie who was caught off guard, knocking her into a tree. Aila stopped for a second, "Annie.. HOW DARE YOU! I'LL KILL YOU!", Aila shouted inside of her titan, RAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH! UGGGGHHHHHRAAAAAAAAAAH! Aila flew into a rage, she charged Reiner, hardening her body once more. She elbowed Reiner's face, crushing his armor and piercing his skin a bit, she gave him no time to recover. She kicked his arms, using her hardening and feet to crush them, he stumbled at each hit, not being given the chance to land anything on her. Mikasa and Sasha stood on a branch, their mouths agape from shock as they watched Aila beat Reiner to a pulp. His arms were twisted and broken, his legs were nubs from being kicked and sliced off. Annie fluttered her eyes open, she looked forwards to see Aila practically killing Reiner, "AILA NO!", she jumped up and pulled her off of him. Aila growled, still staring at the titan she had torn to pieces, she turned her head to see her lover holding her form behind, comforting her. Aila relaxed, she snapped out of the blind rage she had been in, her hands shaking from the anger in her heart. Just as she backed off, PSHEW! A flash of lightning struck, they all turned to see Reiner but he was still out, then they remembered, Bertholdt. He was on the ground, slashed up from Ymir's claws. He transformed half his body like he had done of the wall, he used his open arm and swung it at Annie, Aila ran and shoved her out of the way, getting hit in the process. "AILA!", Mikasa screamed. She and Sasha flew off to where she landed, her stomach pouring blood out from the hit. Annie screamed, "YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT BERTHOLDT!", she charged him and hardened all of her legs, kicking him as much as she could before being burnt by the steam. But soon, ZIIIIIIIP! Levi came swinging in, and cut under Bertholdt's arms, making them useless. He landed onto Annie's shoulder, giving her his nod of approval and respect. But one thing that they had missed, was that Reiner was gone.
BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM! Reiner came charging towards Aila and the others, rammed into her, making Sasha and Mikasa go flying. He tore her arms and legs off out of spite and anger, roaring all the while, she couldn't defend herself at the moment, she was out cold and badly wounded. Mikasa and Sasha propelled off of the tree they landed on and flew back to Aila, "SHIT REINER'S GONNA KILL HER!", Sasha shouted as they flew as fast as their gear would let them. But they were too late, as they arrived, Reiner tore her nape off and ripped her out. "REINER STOP IT NOO!", he took her unconscious body and CRCK! Used his hands to rip everything below her waist off of her. Aila awoke and screamed, "AAAGHHHHHHHHHH- BLEGHCK!", blood spewed from her mouth like a waterfall, her half of her body was dripping blood everywhere, yet steam also started to emit, meaning she may heal in time. Mikasa and Sasha fueled with rage never seen before, Reiner tossed her halves of her body to the sides of him, as if she was worthless. Mikasa and Sasha immediately charged him, slicing his open areas of his body, making him limp, all but his head. Annie had just arrived with Levi on her shoulder, she stopped as soon as she saw Reiner limp and almost dead. She wondered what had caused Mikasa and even Sasha to go this far, then she turned to see Mikasa and Sasha kneeling down by something. She walked over and set Levi down, but this was not a happy reunion. Her eyes grew wide and she gasped when she saw who her two friends were kneeling by, Aila. She stood in shock, not believing what she was seeing was real, she emerged from her titan and ran to her lovers side, "A..Aila..?", she asked lowly as she pulled her into her lap. Aila's breathing was shallow, her bleeding barely stopping, her heart beat fading, Annie felt her heart drop. Sasha sobbed into Mikasa's shoulder, fearing for her friend's life, Mikasa hid her face with her hair as she held her girlfriend, clearly crying. Levi took his cloak off and used it to tie off her wound to stop the bleeding. Annie caressed her girlfriend's face, moving the strands of hair from it, tears dropped from her eyes onto Aila's face. She bent down, and kissed her forehead, she then stood up and turned towards Reiner's steaming titan. "Captain... Mikasa.. Sasha... tell me what happened", Annie asked, they explained what Reiner had done and what they had done to him. She stayed monotone, "I see.. please take Aila back to the others, I'll meet you there shortly", worried at first, Mikasa stood and opened her mouth to try and stop Annie, but knew nothing she said would. Levi picked her body up and the four left to save Aila's life.
Annie flicked her ring out, revealing the hidden shrapnel in it. She took in a deep breath, and turned to make sure the others had left. She then turned back to Reiner, "Reiner.. you will PAY FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE!", she jumped off the branch and cut her finger, transforming once more. She roared, pain and anger in it, she pulled Reiner out of his nape after crushing it with her hardened fist. Reiner was fully conscious and aware of the fear he should feel, "A-Annie, come on! You really fell in love with one of these demons from Paradis?!", Annie felt her anger rise, she growled, both in titan and human form. She squeezed his body in her hand, making him spit out blood, he squirmed and shrieked from the pain, trying to get away. Annie lifted him by his shirt, she then reached her other hand up and ripped his arms off with her fingers, leaving him scream in agony. She dropped him afterwards, next to Bertholdt who was also wounded, and turned away to return to the scouts, but before she did, she wanted to do one last thing before heading back. She opened her mouth and let out a unique scream, different from the others, Reiner and Bertholdt's eyes widened, knowing exactly what she had done. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Pure titans from every corner came running towards her, and straight to Reiner and Bertholdt. She gave them one last glance as they desperately used their ODM gear to get atop a tree branch, then ran off, leaving her former comrades to die in the forest. As she ran back to the scouts, she said this to herself, "You are the true devils". Once she arrived to the edge of the forest where the scouts and some military police were waiting for her. She collapsed and emerged from her titan, Connie and Jean helped her down and yet her first words were, "Where is she?". They knew exactly who was referring to, they led her to a wagon that was being driven by Armin, Mikasa and Sasha sat in the back with Aila, doing everything they could to keep her alive. The bleeding had finally stopped and she was breathing normally now, although her fever remained. Annie climbed into the wagon with them and grasped her lovers hand, she began to cry, and to her surprise, Mikasa pulled her into her chest and comforted her as they rode back to the walls, with zero casualties.