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It has begun raining. Little droplets of clear water fell from the sky onto cold hard stone as everyone got back onto the wall after the whole castle debacle. Ymir was pulled up by a special device, making sure her wounds didn't get any worse than they already were, while everyone else climbed the walls like they usually would.
You stood next to Hanji, who had offered you their cloak but you declined. "Hanji?" You asked softly, gripping the glove on your [Right/Left] hand.
"Hm? What is it, [Y/N]?" They turned to you, their glasses hiding their eyes. You looked away, staring at the landscape. "Can I tell you something?"
"How about you tell me after the mission, we have some urgent things to do right now..." They answered you carefully, they didn't know of anything that had happened at the castle. They didn't see anything of what you did, of what you were capable of. You clenched your fists but dismissed it. "Yeah.. After this mission."
Christa, erm Historia now, came running to the two of you. "Please believe me!" She panted. "I'm telling the truth! Ymir transformed into a Titan to fight off the other Titans and save us! She did so with no regard for her own life, which proves her loyalty to us, her comrades! It's true her judgement until now is unforgiveable. After all, she may know things useful to humanity and yet she kept quiet about it! I imagine she didn't say anything in order to protect herself. But... now she's a changed person! Ymir is an ally of humanity! I know Ymir better than anybody. She's a much simpler person than she looks!" She explained to the higher up, determination filling her eyes as she continued her words.
"I see" Was Hanji's reply. "Obviously, I hope we can build a trusting relationship with her. Her judgement aside, the information she holds is a treasure for humanity. I hope we can get along." You scoffed, you've seen it with Eren before. Everyone is scared of the two, how would they get along with her?
"But you know.. " Hanji started walking, you and Historia following them. ".. even if she's a simple person, this world becomes more of a confusing mess with every passing day. Historia stayed quiet. "You said.. your real name was Historia Reiss?"
Reiss.. That name.. it felt familiar to you. Where was it from? Where did you hear it before?
"Yes, that's right." Historia answered honestly. "Reiss, as in that noble family? " Hanji asked her again. "Yes" she answered again. "I see." They stopped and turned around, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Nice to meet you, Historia." Historia blinked, a little bit confused. "Yeah.."
You left the two and wandered on your own. Once your eyes layed down on the figures of Berthold, Reiner and Eren, you made your way over to them. You patted Reiner's shoulder as he was sitting down, holding his injured arm. "Shit, it hurts.."
"Damn, big guy, that Titan did a number on you huh?" The blonde looked up at you, staring right into your empty eyes.
"Are you right, Reiner?" Eren asked, who was crouched down at the edge of the wall, staring down at the ground. The blonde groaned into his hand. "Not by a long shot."
You decided to stand next to Berthold as you stared at the two teens. The massively tall brunet was intimidated by your aura and sweatdropped.
"A Titan nearly gnawed off my arm. That was.. pathetic. I thought I was done for." Reiner admitted carefully. Eren turned his head around to look at his friend but stayed silent. He didn't know what to say to that.
Zipping was heard and Armin appeared on the side of the large wall. Eren offered his hand to the male who was trying to climb the wall and pulled him up. "Even someone as strong as you gets this way sometimes." He replied to Reiner, helping his best friend get up.
"What are you talking about?! This is the second time for me! Tell him Armin.." Reiner complained. Armin was confused as his name was brought up. "Huh?"
"Remember the time I almost got crushed in that Titan's hand?" Reiner tried to elaborate a bit. Ah you remember so well, that time with Annie.
Armin seemed to also remember what the blond was talking about. "Oh.. back then.."
"That makes twice I've nearly died. At this rate, I'll be dead before I know it. I picked this path on my own, but being a soldier is rough. It's like a soldier's spirit breaks down before their body. Though, until we plug up this wall, there's no time to waste whining about it." Reiner stated, his mind messing with him already. Eren agreed. "Yeah.. you two have been driven far enough from your hometown. I'm thinking.. this is where we gotta draw the line."
Suddenly Bethold lightened up. "He's right, Reiner! Our hometown, let's return!" He crouched down in front of his best friend, staring him dead in the eyes. "Isn't it about time to go back? Compared to all the trouble we've been through, what's left to do is nothing!" He gave him an small grin. Reiner seemed to have an epiphany. "That's right. We're so close, it's just another few steps till the end."
Eren seemed confused, as well as Armin. "Huh? What are you guys talking about it?" You sighed, tapping your foot on the stone wall. This was getting boring.
●●●
The Garrison Advance Squad had arrived at the same wall the rest of you were at. Most people stayed at the bottom of the wall as one soldier climbed up. It was weird seeing the blond soldier again after he had saved you the day when you came back.
"There's no hole anywhere!" He announced, his arms trying to pull his body up. Eren made a small noise in confusion. "We spent all night looking for it.." the brunet bowed down to help the soldier up. ".. but at least between Trost and Krolva District, there's nothing wrong with the wall." So there had been no breach, you were right.
Hanji spoke up. "What did you say?" The man, Hannes, stood up on his own two feet. "We bumped into soldiers from Krolva and retraced our steps. We haven't seen any Titans the whole way here." The blond explained your group of Survey Corps soldiers.
"But.. we know for sure there's Titans on this side of the wall." Armin thought out loud. "Did you actually look? Are you sure you're not drunk?" Eren added.
"I didn't drink!" The man denied. "Wait, why are all of you here anyways?" He asked the three teens he had known for a while. The wind started blowing eerily, the flag fluttering in the breeze.
Hanji took a step forward. "If there's no hole in the wall, so be it. For now, we're falling back to Trost District!" They ordered, not wanting to lose any more time.
Hannes looked at you, Armin, Eren and Mikasa. "Whatever you do, don't let your guard down. We're going back ahead of you."
"There's nothing wrong with the wall?" Eren asked out loud, not able to grasp the situation at hand. "What could this mean?" Armin put his hand under his chin, walking to Sasha together with Mikasa.
You turned to Eren, a question burning on your tongue. "Was that soldier.. the guy who pulled you and Mikasa away from your mom that day?" He looked at you with wide eyes before nodding. "Yeah.. wait.. how do you know that?" You didn't say anything.
"Eren, [Y/N]. Have a minute? We need to talk." Reiner called out to the both of you, Berthold standing right behind him.
You and Eren stopped in your tracks. "What is it now?" You sneered at the tall male whose eyebrows were knitted together in seriousness.
"Five years ago, we demolished the wall and began our attack on humanity." Reiner stated, seemingly not making it up. You took a step back, his words clicking in your head. "I'm the armored Titan and he's the Colossal Titan."
There it was again, the [E/C] glow in your eyes. It felt like a knife was put through your head, screams of pain erupting in your brain. Flashes of lightening, three young children. It all made sense now.
Eren stared at you before focusing on the two best friends again. "Huh? What are you talking about?" He deadpanned.
Berthold grabbed Reiner's arm. "Why are you telling them, Reiner?" He panicked. His words snapped you out of your little state.
Your hand made its way into your boot, grabbing onto the handle of your knife. It maybe wasn't sharp enough to cut through a Titan's nap, it sure was sharp enough to cut through human flesh.
Reiner continued explaining. "Our primary goal was to ensure all of humanity was wiped out, but now there's no need for that. Eren, [Y/N]. If you agree to come with us, we won't have to destroy any more of the walls. Understand?"
You stayed quiet. Eren, however, showed his frustration. "Huh? No, wait! I don't understand at all!"
"I'm saying.. why don't you just come with us?" It stayed quiet. You bit your lip as you saw Berthold panick. It was almost ironic, but you couldn't help but feel bad. "I know this is sudden, but we need to go now."
"Right now? Where will you take me? Where will you take us?" Eren didn't seem to connect the dots.
"I can't say that yet. But.. well, it's something like our hometown. So what will it be, Eren? [Y/N]?" Your empty eyes seemed to stare right through the two. "It's not a bad deal, right? You can easily avert this crisis." Reiner tried to convince you and the brunet.
"Uh.. I don't know about that.." Eren said awkwardly. You tugged on his sleeve, pointing to Armin and Mikasa. He pulled his arm away from you, placing his hand on Reiner's shoulder. "You're just tired, aren't you? Right, Berthold? You've been through so much, it'smaking you crazy." He asked, almost desperate to know that they were innocent and were talking crap. Berthold agreed with the brunet immediately. "Y-yeah.. Reiner's just really tired."
You stayed out of the conversation, waiting for the right time to pounce on your prey. "Besides, if you were really the Armored Titan that wants to destroy humanity.. why would you be asking me and [Y/N] this in the first place? What did you think would happen? That we'd nod and say 'Sure, let's go'?"
You saw Reiner gulp. "Oh, right. That's right. What the hell was I thinking? Have I gone really crazy?" He questioned himself.
Eren turned towards the two, pulling on your arm. "Come on. Let's go." He walked away. You pulled your arm out of his grasp, standing still as you stared at Berthold and Reiner.
A flag broke off and fell to the ground, at the bottom of the wall. It was like time stopped for a while.
"I see. That's it. I've been here too long for my own good. It's been three long years.. surrounded by nothing but idiots. We were just kids.. we didn't know anything. If only I knew there were people like this.. I.. wouldn't have become.. such a half-assed piece of shit!" Reiner was losing it. With tears in his darkened eyes, he spoke every word. He pulled the cloth off from around his arm. "It's too late now.. I don't know what's right anymore. But the only choice for me now... is to face the consequences of my actions.. and as a warrior..." he held his arm up as it healed, steam coming off the wound. ".. fulfill my duty to the bitter end!"
Eren gasped, his eyes widening at the realisation.
Bethold turned to his best friend. "Reiner? Are we doing it? Now?! Right here?!" Reiner took a few steps forward, rolling up his sleeves. "Yeah.. we settle this.. right here, right now!"
You pulled Eren back, running up to Reiner as you pulled out your knife. You grasped the handle as you sliced through his forearm, blood splattering on your face. You pulled the knife back before plunging it down his throat, trying to reach his nape from there. He gurgled on his own blood, trying to push you away. He headbutted you and you kicked him his side, him flying away to the edge.
Mikasa had the same idea as you, but ran up to Berthold instead, wanting to do as much damage as she could. "Eren! Run!" She put her blade to Berthold's throat but Reiner was able to get up and shove her away from him. Together they stood up, lightening surrounding them. Berthold had tears in his eyes, seemingly the most distressed out of the two.
You pulled Mikasa back as you saw lightening surrounded them. "Get Eren out of here!" You yelled at her, but it was too late. Lightening his the ground and the two started transforming.
Everyone else came running to where the five of you had been. Armin infront of the rest. "Eren! Get away from there!"
The hot wind blew everyone of the Survey Corps away from the , including you. You luckily could hold onto the edge, your finger tips scraping against the hard stone.
Reiner, who was now in his Titan from, grabbed Eren with his hand. You could only curse as you saw it happen, you failed to protect someone. Again.
Another hand reached out, this time grbing a brunette girl who was still in a coma. "Ymir!" Historia screamed as the girl was taken away from her right before her eyes.
The Armored Titan pushed itself of the edge, sliding down the wall with Eren in its hand. Armin screamed out desperately, seeing his childhood friend being taken away.
Suddenly, fingers wrapped around your small body, the heat of the fingers burning your exposed skin as it picked you up. You slammed your fists down on the Colossal Titan's hand, yelling out in frustration.
The pain seemed to infiltrate your body like a deadly virus. The only thing you could see and hear was Hanji screaming out your name as they reached a hand out to you before you passed out in the Colossal Titan's hand.
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