Y/n's POV
Y/n: 'Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck! She's speeding!'
Tybur: 'You are way too excitable.'
Y/n: Annie, listen to me! Why do this? You saw that run-in we had with Jean, Reiner, and Armin! If you keep this up-!
Someone had spotted us and shot off black flares.
Y/n: 'Fuck...!'
We had hit a settlement-though abandoned-and I hopped off of Annie's shoulder.
Y/n: 'If we run into people, my best bet is to at least pretend I'm fighting her and not trying to talk her out of this.'
One of the Scouts shot smoke at her face and she promptly dodged. Despite this, they still pressed on. As two Scouts attached themselves to her heels, she jumped while covering her nape.
Y/n: NO!!
As she came down, she stepped on one and kicked the second into a building. She held the third in her hand. He begged for her to put him down but she just stared at him.
Y/n: Please! Just put him down! He's innocent!!
She approached me and the last soldier standing as she used the third soldier as a rope to freely swing. The sight made me sick to my stomach.
Y/n: 'This is what she has to do. Murder people in cold blood just to be free...'
I heard hoofbeats and saw that Darius was running away.
Y/n: 'Let's just hope he's running to warn the others.'
Annie threw her toy to the side in boredom. I attached to her shoulder and tried to land but this time, she swatted at me.
Y/n: Please, stop this. These people have families!
She turned to me, and I landed on a rooftop. We stared each other down.
Y/n: There's a simpler, less bloody way we can get you outta here. You don't have to kill all of these people!
She swung at me again, and I had to reposition.
Y/n: 'We keep this up, and Darius has a shot at reaching the center.'
She stopped and watched me, and I felt chills go down my spine.
Y/n: You're beautiful in and out of Titan form, you know.
She lifted her head just a bit higher as her eyes widened. I sat down on the roof.
Y/n: Look, I know you can hear me, so why do this? Why do we have to fight? Can't we just talk this out?
She stirred.
Y/n: I mean-! I just mean...more. Can't we talk about this more? I don't want to fight you, Annie. Please.
She looked like she was about to consider it, and then her pupils dilated.
Tybur: 'You don't think she knows, by any chance...'
Annie turned and ran after Darius, not even sparing me a glance. I scrambled to my feet and after her in pursuit.
Y/n: 'She knows!'
As she ran, she easily caught up to Darius. She looked back at me in a flash.
Tybur: 'I know that look. You wear it often. She's about to do something.'
What the fuck was she about to do that she needed me to watch?
Y/n: Sir! I need you to tell me where Eren is! Levi and I work closely together.
He was about to answer as Annie pulled back her foot and kicked Darius straight off of his horse.
Y/n: Aw, come on, Annie! That was a sports kick, you did that on purpose!
She stood still as she watched Darius soar to his death.
Tybur: 'I knew she wouldn't make it easy, but this is just unnecessary.'
Y/n: 'Tell me about it.'
She ran for quite some time until we hit a forest.
Y/n: 'Hm. Something seems off here. If Annie's after the center rank and Eren, then why in the hell are we headed for a heavily covered area?'
Tybur: 'Should we warn Annie?'
Y/n: 'No. We're not here to have her back, we're here to stop her from taking Eren. Warning her when she's aware of the risks seems like wasting my breath, anyway.'
The telltale zips caught my attention, and I disappeared into the trees for a moment.
Y/n: 'These poor men and women are gonna die fighting for a lie they believed in.'
Tybur: 'This is their trust in Erwin embodied.'
Y/n: Unfortunately, I can't let you kill these people. We may be deep in the woods and that might fuck with my sight, but I have to try to save lives. Standing by just seems-
I swooped in just as Annie was about to swat him to nothing.
Y/n: Redundant.
The Scout looked at me with wide, fearful eyes.
Y/n: You're okay. Just breath. Good thing I was here, yeah? Take a breather, man.
I glanced between him and Annie as she never stopped moving.
Y/n: I'm gonna go, but head up into the trees close to the opening. You'll find the others, and you can get looked at.
I took off shortly after. Only to hit slow up when I saw Annie was in hot pursuit of the Levi squad.
Y/n: 'Damn it! This isn't good...!'
Y/n: Eren!
Eren: Y/n!? What the hell is going on? Why are you on the Female Titan's tail?
Y/n: Good to see you, too! She's been on us since before you guys hit the forest, had a deep run-in with her.
I got closer to Levi.
Y/n: She's been chasing you guys specifically. It's a good thing Commander Erwin scrambled the positions, otherwise, she'd have been here a lot sooner.
I drew back and tried to block Annie's view and slow her down.
Y/n: Say the word and I'll act! Your call, Cap!
Levi: Go! Move it!
She made another attempt to grab at Eren, but I cut in and sliced a few of her fingers off.
Y/n: Sorry, Annie. I really am.
Two more Scouts came in as the squad was screaming for Levi's call. I moved from in front of Annie to her backside.
Y/n: Lay off! She's got powers like Eren and will kill you without effort or thought! Let us handle this.
Soldier: It's gonna take more than some freak to take me out!
Both of them moved in tandem to intercept. She dodged the first soldier's grappler and used his wire to shoulder smash him into a tree. The second soldier was yanked backward and she caught him in her hand and squashed him.
Y/n: 'I warned you.'
Petra: Captain! Your orders!
Ouro: It's dangerous! Let's take it out!
Y/n: I advise against that!
Ouro: Tell us to engage, sir!
Eld: I'll cut the bitch!
Y/n: Seriously, pressing her head-on is a bad idea!
Eren: Captain?
Petra: Captain!
Ouro: We need your orders, sir!
Y/n: 'Erwin's got his plan here. I don't know where, but it's here. The best way we can get Annie out of this is to spring and sabotage the trap.'
I moved from behind Annie and made myself level with Levi.
Y/n: The commander's got something planned, right? We should just have faith in him and push on. Any of us fight her head-on, and we're dead.
Levi: My thoughts exactly. Any leads on who it could be?
Y/n: Armin might know. He said something that caused her to react. I think she's part of Eren and I's class.
Levi: Is that why you're still alive?
Y/n: No doubt about it. She knows me and won't kill me for whatever reason. She's had multiple opportunities.
Levi: Copy that, we'll push on. I want you on her six, you hear? Don't let up until Erwin makes his appearance.
Y/n: Roger that, Captain!
I released my triggers and let the wind push me behind Annie.
Y/n: You've really got an ass on you, Annie. When I found out you were female in appearance, I didn't think you'd be hot! Why did you hide this from me?
She ignored me as I expected, but I bet that if I see her again she'll slap me for talking like that.
Gunther: She's gaining on us! Let's just take her out!
Eld: It's the whole reason we're here, isn't it? Right, sir? Captain!
Eren: Your orders, sir! Please!
Levi finally turned around. He nodded at me, and I returned it.
Levi: Everyone, cover your ears. Now.
They hesitated, so he proceeded to pull out his flare gun and fire it. No smoke, just straight noise.
Levi: We keep pushing forward on horseback. Is that clear?
Petra: As a bell, sir!
Eren: But for how long? We can't keep running forever! She's right on top of us as it is. If we don't do something soon-
Y/n: Two more Scouts on her flank! Stand down!
Eren: They keep coming! They're all gonna die unless we turn around and do something!
Gunther: Eyes front! Stop looking behind us!
Eren: Seriously?
Eld: Keep pace with the group! Maintain top speed, or we're all dead!
Eren: Eld, please! Help them! If the Levi squad can't stop this thing, then who can? Those men need us!
One of the men tried to slice her face, but she was about to smash them into a tree. Just as she was about to kill him, I pushed him out of the way and replaced him. Instead of crushing me, Annie stopped her hand and kept running.
Y/n: 'I'm probably really pissing her off, but if I can save them, this is worth it.'
Eren: Another one! See, they don't have to die! Thank you, Y/n!
Y/n: Just focus on staying alive, bud! I got this!
Eren: One more! Save him, too. Y/n, please!
Y/n: I can't try...!
Petra: Do as you're told, Eren! Eyes forward! Let Y/n do her duty!
Eren: How can you so casually leave this up to Y/n and just ignore what's happening back there?! Are you telling me to abandon my comrades? Is that it?
Petra: Damn it, yes! Stop whining and do as your captain tell you! Y/n can handle this!
Eren: What if she wasn't here? We'd just let them die? Why? If this is all just a part of some bigger picture, why can't someone explain it to me?!
Ouro: Ask not the reason why ask but to do and die! You'd understand what that meant if you weren't such a useless greenhorn! Now stifle it! Behave like a soldier!
Eren was silent for a moment as I was struggling to keep this man out of harm's way and alive. Annie didn't want to kill me, but I wasn't making it easy for her to kill him. It would be easier if the asshole would just back off. Eren stared at his hand.
Y/n: 'I can't let Eren shift. She'll exploit his lack of skill and snatch him faster than I can shift too.'
Y/n: Eren, no! Don't do it!
Petra: You're only permitted to assume Titan form when your life's in extreme peril! That was the agreement! You swore an oath!
When he didn't lower his hand she tried again.
Petra: Eren!
Levi: I wouldn't blame you. Do as your conscience dictates. But Eren, listen. You are not inherently evil. Your ability to change doesn't make you a monster. That said, it could be the other way around. How're you supposed to know where to draw the line? Whether you lose control or freely give it up. Maybe it's the same.
The soldier and I were now taking turns trying to avoid death-by-Annie.
Levi: Look, Eren. We don't agree because our experience brings us to opposing views. That's life. At the end of the day, there's no reason to go against how you see it. The choice is yours. You can trust yourself. Or you can trust the people willing to put their lives on the line for you. I don't know which way is better. I never have. Should I act on my own instincts, or put myself in the hands of my comrades and trust them? Either way, there's no guarantee. In the end, you choose what you choose. If afterward, your regrets are at a minimum, good for you.
Eren looked back at Annie and I.
Y/n: Just trust us, Eren! Trust me! Trust that I can do this!
Levi: Eren! C'mon! Make up your damn mind!
Eren: I'm with you!
I moved to slow and Annie grabbed him in her hand.
Y/n: No!
I swooped in and cut her fingers off again. After the soldier got free, I snapped his wires, causing him to fall to the ground.
Y/n: Just be glad you're alive! Get back to the tree line!
Tybur: 'She's speeding up!'
Y/n: 'Shit.'
I moved higher above her head as she kicked up dust.
Gunther: Target is accelerating!
Levi: Just keep moving! We'll outrun the bitch!
Y/n: 'Not sure how I feel about them calling her a bitch.'
Annie tried reaching for Eren as we reached a small clearing.
Y/n: No!
I dove in to slice at her fingers just as I suddenly heard what sounded like cannon fire. The noise confused me all too well as I lost my balance and headed for the ground. Annie's eyes widened as she was about to reach for me.
Y/n: 'This is the trap...!'
Y/n: Annie, no! Guard your nape, damn it!
I said it so that only she could hear me. As she registered my words, she retracted the hand that was reaching for me and let her hands fly to her nape instead. It had completely slipped my mind that I was about to eat shit, though. I tumbled as I hit the dirt and thought fast enough to latch onto a tree and perch on a branch.
Erwin: Fire!
As I landed in the branch, one harpoon after another flew out and embedded deep into Annie's Titan flesh. Luckily I had told her to cover her nape, otherwise, she'd be shit out of luck. Smoke filled the area as the last harpoon cannon went off.
Y/n: Thanks for the warning, commander.
Erwin: Apologies. I needed to ensure we got to this point. Though...I do have to say that I didn't expect you to arrive with her or Levi squad.
Y/n: She attacked the right-wing, but before the center even knew, she was right on us. She knocked me off of my horse but didn't kill me. I followed her the whole way here.
Levi came in.
Levi: I can vouch for that. She suggested that you might have a plan and keep going. She's got faith in you, Erwin.
Erwin eyed me, and then he nodded. I smiled in return. Our attention was brought back to Annie soon after.
Levi: She's not putting up much of a fight.
Erwin: That's no reason to let out guard down. Good work leading her here. I'm more than a little impressed.
Levi: If it weren't for the rear contingent giving their lives, we wouldn't be here. This is their victory. Don't think I'll forget that.
Erwin: That so?
Levi: Yes. Because of their sacrifices, we can expose whoever this really is. Ten to one they're in there pissing themselves right about now.
Annie looked absolutely terrified.
Y/n: 'Hang in there, sweetheart. We'll get some one-on-one time soon.'