"Yell at him Eren! Don't let Bertholdt get any closer to the wall!"
Eren did as Jean ordered, and let out an ear-ringing roar. Bertholdt stopped dead in his tracks, slowly turning his head around to look in their direction.
"He noticed!"
But just as soon as he had turned towards them, he shifted his gaze away from them, continuing on his way towards the wall.
"What?! That bastard's ignoring us!"
"Hey! What now, Jean?! At this rate..."
"I know!", Jean interrupted Connie frustrated. "Eren! Go stop his lanky legs!". They all grabbed onto Eren tightly as he started to run dead ahead in Bertholdt's direction.
"But still! How the hell are we gonna defeat him?!"
"His gusts of hot steam make our ODM gear useless! Right?!", Sasha chimed in, just as mind boggled as Connie as to how someone as small as them could ever take down someone his size.
"You don't think I know that?! But now, we've got no choice but to try! We've got to figure out his weakness!"
"I'll do it. You guys distract him. Connie, your thunder spear", Mikasa held out her hand towards Connie while eyeing the Colossal Titan.
"R-right!", Connie started fumbling with the spear connected to his gear.
"Armin, we need you to observe him from afar. So quit your moping; we gotta believe there's a way to beat him!". Jean was harsh, but only because he knew it was the only way to get Armin out of this destructive state of mind he was currently in. "Now, scatter!".
They all jumped off Eren's shoulders as he continued running towards Bertholdt's leg. With another roar, he grasped around Bertholdt's ankle, doing everything in his power to push him back.
"He's pushing him back!"
"Go, Eren! Knock him over!", Connie screamed out, but stopped once they all noticed it wasn't Eren who were pushing Bertholdt's foot back; it was Bertholdt preparing to lift his foot to kick Eren away...
They watched in horror as Eren got sent rapidly flying towards the top of the wall, hitting it with a thundering bang as crumbled debris from the wall fell down the vast 50 meter distance before hitting the ground.
"Eren!", Mikasa screamed. Eren seemed to be unable to move, his titan form laying limp across the wall.
"Eren's not moving..." Mikasa said with a low and trembling voice.
"He's not dead! Focus on the monster at hand!", Jean encouraged her, turning to look at Bertholdt closing in. "That might have been pushing it too far... If we run without a plan, that's what happens...", he spoke lowly to himself, looking over at his friends one after the other. "Unless we can somehow turn the tables on him, this recovery operation, all our lives, and the future of humanity will be doomed! Having that said, I'm not about to sit around while we all get slaughtered! Let's go on with the attack!", Jean ended up shouting out to the rest; all five of them manoeuvring towards Bertholdt.
"He doesn't know about the thunder spears yet! Marco, Connie, Sasha and I will distract him! Mikasa, you'll strike in the opening!"
"Roger!", The rest of them confirmed, taking to their places.
"Hey moron! I'll poke your stupid eyes out!", Jean teased loudly.
"You huge idiot!"
"You massive piece of Colossal shit!", Marco and Sasha roared in unison.
Bertholdt didn't react much, only continued to stare right at them. They all waited for Mikasa to strike, hoping, though their attempt at a distraction may have been too obvious, that he still wouldn't expect an attack such as a thunder spear to the neck.
As on cue, Mikasa showed up from behind him, sending her spears striking right at his neck, but before they could hit, thick, hot steam gushed out of him. The spears were sent flying right back towards her, luckily not detonating before they were a safe distance behind her.
Just like Sasha had mentioned, once he let's out his steam, the hooks of the ODM gear becomes ineffective against his flesh, the group not able to hang onto him anymore. The steam pushed them away from him a considerable distance, and they had no choice but to retreat back to the safety of the rooftops below.
Slight, tiny burn marks covered their faces as they coughed violently as a result of the hot steam burning their lungs.
"Mikasa, you're bleeding!", Armin said with wide eyes.
"I'm fine.. A splinter from one of the thunder spears got me.. Have you thought of anything yet?", She asked him while putting pressure on the wound on her arm.
"H-huh?"
"Have any clues for a counterattack?". They all looked at him intently, waiting for any sort of direction. Anything.
"Not one...", he answered with his head low, but a vast crash had them turning their gazes away from him in an instant.
Behind a newly demolished house, the Armoured Titan came rising up from the dust, walking towards the wall with heavy steps... They couldn't believe what they were seeing. His head was blown up! How could he have healed from an injury like that?!
"That bastard! Why can't he just stay dead!?", Jean spit out frustrated. "What the hell do we do... against something like that?!". They all stood like frozen, watching the Armoured and Colossal Titan pass.
"Hey Armin... I think having Eren escape is the best we can do-"
"He's thinner", Armin interrupted them, his voice low. Marco, who had walked up to examine the Colossal titan together with Armin, gasped slightly.
"Like Hange said...", he said as the two looked at each other while exchanging looks of realisation.
"Guys, we don't follow...", Jean said with furrowed brows.
"The Colossal Titan is weak in battle of attrition!", Marco reminded them of Hange's words.
"Remember Eren's experiments? He could only transform up to three times. If that's the case for a 15-meter titan, a 60-meter might be less efficient! And there's his steam attack too! I bet it's consuming everything except his skeleton to produce that steam..."
"In that case, his teeth might be a good spot to anchor our hooks if we need to get close to him", Marco pondered to himself, Armin the only one able to hear him.
"So what are you saying?", Jean asked him.
"I have a plan", Armin stated confidently. "You all need to draw Reiner away. Eren and I will defeat Bertholdt ourselves. The two of us can win and I'm going to prove it". The others couldn't even imagine what Armin had planned that would only require him and Eren alone, but what other choice did they have but to trust him?
"All right. Leave Reiner to the rest of us", Mikasa said and gave him a supportive, proud smile, which Armin returned.
"Took you long enough, dummy. I really thought we were goners", Jean teased relieved with a smug smile.
"I know you can do it Armin. Make him pay for everything he's ever taken from us!", Marco said while grabbing a firm hold of Armin's shoulder. Armin looked down at the pin he had noticed the two of you wear lately and gave Marco a sad smile.
"You can bet I will". As he looked over at Bertholdt, you were the first thing that came to mind.
And with that, they split up; Armin heading for Eren's location while the others regrouped and manoeuvred towards Reiner.
~
"Got it?! We've gotta trust that Eren and Armin can handle Bertholdt! We just need to keep Reiner away from them if we can! Let's keep him occupied from a safe distance!"
"Roger!"
As the five of them charged straight at Reiner, he suddenly started sprinting right past them with an unbelievable speed.
"He ignored us?!"
"That jerk! Is he changing his focus to Eren?", Jean pondered, but Mikasa abruptly flying after Reiner pulled him out of his thoughts.
"We'll just have to kill him!"
"Mikasa!"
Mikasa sent a spear into his left leg, hitting him right on his weak spot behind his knee. The hit had Reiner on the ground in a clumsily manner.
"If we can't get Reiner's attention, we have to finish him off right here! It's on us to protect Eren and Armin!", Mikasa argued with a fiery passion.
"We've only got three thunder spears left!", Connie noticed, leaving them with even slimmer of a chance to take him out, seeing they used more than a dozen earlier to no avail.
"But we've gotta try anyways! Cuz unless we fight, we can't win!", Sasha said determined as they closed in on Reiner.
They split up, following Reiner's movements intently from atop the roofs, when golden light erupted from Bertholdt's direction. It seemed as though Bertholdt had started ejecting pure, fiery hot air as opposed to the classic steam-variation. The intensity of it was evident, even from such a distance as they were from him.
"Eren! Armin!". Mikasa debated whether or not she should leave her post to help, but stopped herself. She had to trust Armin like she promised she would.
"Reiner!", Jean screamed as he attached a hook to his neck. At the same time, Sasha and Connie came in from the sides, aiming each of their thunder spears at the hinges of his jaw.
Reiner quickly stretched out his arm and started to crush the rooftiles so he could use the debris to projectile at his attackers. Jean got the worst of it, however, as Sasha were about fire, a sharp tile hit her straight in her side as well as her head, giving her a nasty cut. Connie managed to hit though, the explosion leaving the left side of Reiner's jaw hanging open.
"Sasha!", Connie noticed the blood covering his falling friend, and quickly got a hold of her; cradling her as he got he back to safety. "Jean!". Jean had gotten his arm impaled by a sharp piece of wood, however, seemed well enough to manage on his own.
"Sasha missed...", Marco whispered with wide eyes as he stood beside a baffled Mikasa. "We will just have to try and hit him with your spear Mikasa, though his mouth isn't ope-"
"No need for that, I'll open it!", Hange's voice suddenly exclaimed, much to the confusion of the rest. Had they heard that right?
Apparently they had, as Hange came flying in from behind Connie, shooting her last spear at Reiner's right side, his mouth now wide open.
"Hange!", Mikasa shouted out to her in complete bewilderment.
"Mikasa, Marco get down!", Hange screamed back at them.
"But, my spear-"
"Just get down!". They stared at her baffled for a second but did as told, getting down on all fours, awaiting whatever ace she had up her sleeve. That's when they heard another set of wires being retracted, the familiar whizzing sound of a pair of ODM gear coming closer.
Above them, full speed, came a silhouette of a person, their green cape along with their (h/c) hair flowing in the wind.
She manoeuvred her way through Reiner's desperate attempts at grabbing her with ease, her elegant way of moving with the gear making it look like a dance almost. With a last backwards turn, she placed herself by his mouth, feet placed firmly atop Reiner's teeth as she held onto his top lip with her free hand.
"Reiner... For once; stop hiding and come out to face the consequences!", she shouted as she send her single thunder spear right at the back of his throat. It felt like the air had been punched right out of Marco's lungs when he heard that voice again. Your voice.
*Normal POV*
As Reiner's neck erupted into a million pieces, his human form got flung right out of the nape.
You quickly jumped away from his collapsing titan, clinging onto the edge of the roof for dear life as the energy you had left in your body rapidly decreased.
"Y/N!", Marco and Mikasa exclaimed, hurrying over to the edge to help you up. The second they managed to pull you back to safety, you felt yourself fall atop Marco, with Mikasa collapsing on top of you again.
You'd expect them to move or something, but Mikasa clung to you tighter as Marco buried his face in your neck.
"I'm glad you're safe Y/N", Mikasa said with a slight quiver in her voice. It took a few deep breaths for Marco to be able to even say anything.
"Oh, god, me too Y/N. You have no idea", he said softly, but with a strained voice. It was clear he was struggling to keep himself as composed as he was.
"I'm sorry guys, it was a close call. I didn't mean to scare you like that again...", you started apologising, your heart both fluttering with happiness after finally reuniting with the others and confirming their safety, as well as aching with sadness, knowing the sheer torment you must have put them through- put Marco through. But like last time in Trost, you didn't almost die on purpose. All you could do was to get up and move forward. You meant to say something else, but a powerful booming sound had the three of you straighten up, quickly looking over in Bertholdt's direction.
His titan was slowly collapsing.
"Who's over there?", you whispered in awe.
"Eren and Armin. Armin's plan must have succeeded!", Mikasa exclaimed amazed. You smiled at that.
"Armin... Of course, I should have known. He always finds a way", you said content, excited to meet up with him and Eren after you had dealt with Reiner.
~
The following ten minutes, things seemed to have calmed down all over Shiganshina. After hugging the rest of your friends and assuring them you were alive and well, Hange had tied up what was left of Reiner, while the rest of you patched each other up if anyone had suffered any injuries. The state of Sasha worried you beyond measure, but Hange assured you she would recover. Marco were currently tending to the various cuts and burns you had received from being in the crossfire of Bertholdt's transformation. You hoped these ones would heal without scarring like the others.
"Reiner... What's this metal case you had in your left chest pocket?", Hange started interrogating him. Before we chopped off all your limbs, you tried to grab it with the strength you had left. Suicide pills? Or perhaps a bomb?"
"A letter", Reiner answered with a hoarse voice, barely able to get a single word out.
"A letter? What kind of letter?"
"A letter... from Ymir". Your head shot up an over in his direction as you heard her name, and you winced as the movement resulted in Marco's hand rubbing against your cuts.
"Careful Y/N", he whispered with furrowed brows.
"You have to... give it... to Crista..."
"Only after we've inspected it", Hange persisted, placing the metal case in her pocket. "Now then. I've got a mountain of questions for you, but...", she got up from the ground, motioning for you to join her. You did as told, and Hange passed you a blade. "...your lips seem as tight as your armour is hard. Are you going to cooperate and tell us everything we want to know?"
"No"
"Thanks. It helps that you're prepared for this", she nodded at you and you tightened your hold at handle of your blade, swiftly placing it against his throat.
"Hold on!", Jean's urgent tone stopped you from giving the blade the last fatal push. "Hange, are you sure? We might be able to steal his power. You both turned to look at him as he talked.
'That's true... Though it would be a shame missing out on the opportunity to let him suffer by my hands as he's let me suffer by his...'
"I don't think all the conditions for that have been met. We don't know the situation with Levi and the other side. Neither do we have the time to go confirm it ourselves", Hange argued, placing a hand on your shoulder, urging you to continue. You felt torn, not wanting to do anything wrong. You only had this one chance; once he was gone- he's gone. There's no reversing murder.
Slowly, you put more pressure against his throat, waiting for a clear sign from Hange on whether or not to cut it off.
"Even if Y/N cuts his head off, we can't be too sure!"
"This isn't like you, Hange... And though you've only ever wanted a revenge like this, this isn't like you either Y/N...", Jean said with his head low, and your body stiffened. "If we back down because of not knowing something, down the line, can we ever hope to beat the titans?".
Your breathing became heavier as his words got to your head and clouded you judgement. You started to doubt even killing this monster of a man.
"When are we ever going to know all there is about the enemy?"
"Mikasa", Hange said after being quiet for a short while. "How much gas do you have left?"
"It's almost entirely gone. But it should be enough to reach Eren and Armin at least"
"That's more than me... Mikasa, I need you to go check out their situation. Fill up your gas and bring back the injection from Levi. If for any reason you're unable to do so, fire a smoke signal. That'll be Y/N's signal to end Reiner", she explained, and you retracted your blade from his throat with a yank.
"Affirmative!", Mikasa said and quickly left the rest of you.
"Hange, I—"
"The decision was mine, Jean. You were just a factor".
You slumped back over to Marco, feeling completely worn out as you collapsed down on his lap.
"I hope everyone's okay on their end... Especially beyond the wall", you said lazily, leaning against Marco's chest with his hands around you. "I could hear their screams at one point... I hope Marlo's doing good, the Beast Titan is a scary one..."
"I'm sure Erwin thought of a solution. Plus, Levi was there, they probably eliminated the threat eventually. Just listen to how silent it is at the moment.", Marco tried to comfort you.
"Hmpf, Levi. I forgot to even worry about him since I know he always manages somehow", you huffed slightly with a small smile and tired eyes. "But I honestly don't know what I'd do with myself should he be gravely hurt or... gone. Same goes for the rest of you...". Marco lowered his head to let his chin rest against your shoulder, turning his head to gently kiss your cheek. He knew exactly how you felt. He had lived through that exact predicament after all; twice.
A small pop-sound and a red flare coming from Eren's direction interrupted your somber conversation.
"Y/-", Hange was about to call your name to let you deal with Reiner, but stomping sounds making the ground violently shake shut her up.
"Hange!", Jean screamed the second you all noticed it. The titan from earlier, carrying all the crates on its back, came charging in right behind her, opening its mouth to eat her. Jean got up from his seat and managed to push her out of the way in the nick of time.
As the dust from the ground dispersed, you could now see Reiner caught in the titan's mouth. Before you could even move a muscle, the titan leaped away from you.
"Reiner was taken! Hange!", Connie screamed from atop the roof of a house nearby.
"Connie! Don't chase!". Connie stopped, landing on another rooftop. "We hardly have any gas left. You'll just end up getting killed..."
"Shit!", Jean screamed annoyed and despaired, blaming himself for Reiner once again slipping through your fingers. "It's my fault... I've... done something terrible", he said with a strained voice.
"I said the decision was mine. Let's regroup with the others", Hange decided, and you walked over to help Jean off the ground.
~
The first thing you heard was the screaming. It didn't make sense at first; why would they lash out at each other at a time like this. But then you finally got there, watching Hange stop Mikasa from piercing her blade straight through Floch's body. Slowly, your gaze wandered; from Levi beside an unconscious Bertholdt, to Eren, over to Floch standing by a limp Erwin, before finally resting at....
"Armin?", you croaked out, feeling your legs starting to shake. No it couldn't be... Could that coaled, burnt form even be a human?
"You've... got to be kidding me...", Jean said underneath his breath as he took in the sight before him.
It didn't take long before you understood... Two people at the brink of death and only one titan shifter in the area... The second it dawned on you, it was like someone punched the air right out of you, and you let it all out with a strong whimper, struggling to properly breathe after that. Shaking, you caved your way forwards, pushing your body forwards with your hands whenever your legs would occasionally give in beneath you. You didn't stop until you finally reached him.
"Armin", you whispered, and with trembling hands you gently touched his face, scared too much pressure would break him. From where you sat you could hear the faint sound of his struggling breath. Tears welled up in your eyes and you couldn't hold them back even if you tried.
The others watched you break down by Armin's side, your cries being the only sound heard as they were completely silent. Mikasa's heart-wrenching scream made you turn your head around. Levi had opened the box, holding the syringe in his hands. She continued to scream as Hange struggled to hold her still. You started breathing more rapidly, the more worked up you got the more you clung to Armin's body.
"Levi", was all you could say, and it didn't come out any louder than a little squeak. You could only imagine the immense pressure he was under, and in no way did you blame him for weighing his options, as long as he understood that Armin was the right choice.
Levi looked at you with a sad expression, almost like he was apologising for what he was about to do...
'Has he really made up his mind already?'
You squeezed your eyes shut, feeling the tears run down your face as the stifled gasping sound from your oppressed cries started acting up the more you lost control over your emotions.
'He cannot have come to the correct conclusion already!'
You turned towards Armin again, balling your hands to fists while pressing them onto his chest. You rested your head on top of them, trying to figure out what to tell him if this really was goodbye.
'God, please no. Why Armin of all people'
In the background you could hear Mikasa's screams still not fully over, Hange still trying to calm her down.
"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you Armin, though I know you're sick of people fighting for you... I'm so proud of you, more than anything. You've always put everyone else before yourself, even putting your core values on the line for us and for our cause. Armin, you saved people-", you paused to take a shaky breath, before continuing with your little speech only meant for Armin's ears. "I... I", you let out a few choked sobs. "I just don't want to say goodbye to you yet". Once that left your mouth you couldn't compose yourself anymore, and you let it all out.
"I know it's impossible, but you have to accept this... There will be times you can't keep your sanity. It's tough; Very tough. I know... Even so, we have to keep moving forward", you could hear Hange say, the motherly tone now taking over her voice calming down Mikasa's screams, ultimately, calming down yours as well, though the tears kept streaming down your cheeks.
You dared look up from Armin and your hands, looking over at Levi to see him about to get up to his feet; the syringe now filled with the spinal fluid.
"Captain", Eren said hoarsely as he gripped Levi's ankle. "Do you... know about... the sea?". Again, like someone had pierced a blade through your heart, your chest stung intensely as he mentioned the sea. You had promised Armin he'd see it for himself... "No matter how far you look, it stretches past the horizon. It's a gigantic lake. Armin said—"
"Hey! Cut it out!", Floch suddenly gripped a hold of Eren's arms, forcing him off Levi. You didn't even wait a second before you charged at Floch, trying to get him away from Eren.
"You don't know anything Floch! Get off him", you screamed, as Floch struggled to keep his hold on Eren. Marco were quick to get by your side, forcing you off him with all his might.
"There's a sea beyond the walls...", Eren continued to speak directly to Levi through the ruckus.
"No, Marco, let go! Floch doesn't know anything! He doesn't know him and what he is capable of!"
"...and he said we'd go there together! But.. that was our dream since we were little, and I forgot it long ago! Avenging my mom... Killing the titans... The only thoughts in my head are full of hate! But he's not like that!", Eren cried and forced Floch to turn towards Armin. You looked over as well with a defeated look on your face as Marco was the only thing keeping your body upright at this point. "Armin cares about more than just fighting! He has dreams!"
Levi looked at the syringe once again, before taking a deep breath. "Everybody get out of here!", he ordered sternly, every look of uncertainty had left his expression. You knew whatever decision he had made at this point, there was no changing it. "I'm going to have Erwin eat Bertholdt!".
That was it. You let your legs go limp, Marco tightening his grip around you as he felt you fall beneath his hold. Carefully, he lifted you up, knowing you wouldn't leave that roof unless someone carried you out of there.
"Come on love, we need to move", he gently whispered by your ear, and you felt him starting to walk, getting the both of you away from there. You opened your eyes, looking at Armin. Everything in you screamed for you to run up and take the syringe yourself, but you honestly couldn't move your legs anymore. It was like a last little spark of fighting spirit awoke in you and you desperately reached out for him, though Marco's steps only took you further away from him.
"Armin!", you cried out for him one last time, though not too loud. You wanted to sound comforting. There was nothing that hurt you more than seeing him laying there, having to pass on all alone, without his friends by his side. "Armin, don't worry, I'm right here, okay?! Right here with you", you assured him through your tears, hoping he was listening. He needed to know he weren't alone.
You could feel Marco's body shake slightly against yours as he carried you away, stifled sniffling noises and shaky breaths leaving his mouth. This was as difficult for him as it was for you, there was no doubt about it. This was difficult for everyone involved. He probably felt like he had to stay strong for the both of you, which made you feel guilty.
You felt him jump as he followed the others to another rooftop a safe distance away. You clung to him harder, needing to get some of the emotions out somehow, and you felt him lean into your tightening embrace by nuzzling into the nook of your neck for a second, before aiming his focus back on getting you to safety. Your neck felt cold as he retracted his face from it, Marco's warm tears clinging to your skin now cooling down in the frisky air.
It was a long and painful wait as you looked in the direction of Levi, not able to really see anything before one of them had transformed.... Eventually, golden light erupted....
Up from behind the house came a mindless titan, its hair looking a lot like Armin's... Your breath hitched, but still, you dared not hope. Not yet.
The titan reached for Bertholdt, who seemed to finally wake up from his unconscious state. As he was lifted up by the titan, he screamed and wriggled; his cut-off limbs not giving him much to work with. Then he noticed you guys... He almost seemed relieved, like he was expecting you to save him.
"Hey! Guys! Help me!". But as he watched your awestricken and tearful expressions, it was like it dawned on him. He was alone. None of you were going to save him from this certain death. He started screaming out of fear again, and the last thing he ever did before his head got crushed between the titan's teeth, were to call out for Annie and Reiner; none of whom were able to help him either...
You turned around, finally spotting where Levi, Hange and Floch were situated. That's when you noticed Erwin laying beside them. In your despair you hadn't even noticed Levi carrying Erwin's body out of there.
'That can only mean... Armin!-"
You whipped your head around in the titan's direction once again, watching it fall down on its stomach. You got up on your feet, your heart feeling like it was about to beat right through your chest the way it was pounding at that moment. Followed by the others, you manoeuvred down to stand by the titan, watching as a familiar face emerged from the neck. You and Eren caved you way over to help him, Mikasa right behind you, the others eventually joining as well. You supported his head as the others held onto his arms and legs. He looked to be unconscious, just like Eren in Trost.
You carefully ran your fingers through his golden locks. He looked just like himself again, not even a single scratch on his body as the titan power had healed everything. The six of you couldn't help but stare as tears continued to trickle down your faces. But this time it was tears of relief and gratitude. You were more than blissed to have one of your closest friends back with you.
'We're right here with you Armin'
You smiled down at him while lightly tracing the titan marks underneath his eyes.
_________________________________
A/N:
Phew, that was a long and emotional one, ngl hahah, but I love how it turned out<3
Thank you guys so much for reading! Next chapter you'll finally be able to visit the important places of your childhood and reminisce on the memories and what happened that day five years ago.
~Jen