"Gabi! What are you doing here?!", Reiner asked her despaired. He had specifically asked for Annie to make sure Gabi stayed out of this, and yet here they were.
"What did you expect when you left us like that?! You know that we can fight too!", she retorted.
"Annie?!", Reiner now aimed his slightly accusing tone at her, wanting an explanation.
"The Azumabito ship sunk", she simply said.
"What?!"
"It couldn't withstand Falco's transformation... We weren't even sure that he could fly, but Kiyomi was okay with it all and let us go"
"That's why we need to stop the rumbling! We need to repay her kindness!", Gabi shot in the second Annie stopped speaking. You all looked at them intently.
'These kids are really something else...'
Reiner bent down until his face rested against Falco's neck, mumbling something you couldn't quite catch. Your arms had started slowly regaining their power as they got a chance to rest uninterruptedly, but you were grateful Marco still held on for the both of you; you'd need all the strength you could get for whatever course of action you planned on taking next.
"So how's Armi—, no... How's Pieck?", Annie corrected herself. "What's her status?"
"Armin's been captured by the titans; his life is in danger", you answered her, even though she initially shied away from that question. He eyes widened worriedly.
"The titan that took him should be by the tailbone", Marco further informed her.
"Annie, help us", Mikasa then shamelessly asked. Annie looked at all of you as you looked at her with hopeful expressions; analysing your appearances and observing the many gashes and streams of blood trickling down from any injuries you've obtained from your fight. The whole bunch looked horrendously exhausted. It was evident you'd need all the help you could get, so it was a good thing she had already decided to join you before she even got here.
"Your childhood friends just love getting kidnapped, don't they?", she sighed sarcastic. "But, of course... I'll get him back". You smiled weakly but sincerely upon hearing this change of heart. Just her alone gave you much better odds.
"What about Pieck?!", Gabi asked worried.
"She's by the skull! We tried to blow the nape up, but the Warhammer Titan is stopping us", Reiner answered her.
"Blow it up?!"
"We've wrapped explosives around the nape, but couldn't hit the trigger—"
"Both.", Levi interrupted him stern. "We're doing both. One group will rescue Armin... We can use the Colossal Titan's explosion. The other will go after Eren and attack the nape at the same time. We'll split into two teams and do it simultaneously"
"Captain?", Mikasa asked confused.
"We're not...", he paused with a sigh, finding whatever he was about to say extremely difficult. "We're not in a place where we can be concerned about Eren any longer... No... we never were to begin with". Your stomach dropped as you listened. Subconsciously you already knew this could become a possibility, but the mere thought of it still sent a pang of sadness straight through your heart.
"But—"
"But?! But What?!", Connie asked her, worked up. "We would've died back there if not for this flying miracle we're on. Jean, Reiner, Y/N and Marco were literally hanging on by a tread, and Captain and I was this close to being eaten!", he demonstrated by pinching his thumb and index finger together until just the tiniest little space kept them from touching.
"Yeah... We would've died without having done a thing", Jean agreed pained.
"Jean...", Mikasa said in a whisper, like she couldn't believe it. After Armin, it was Jean's opinion and decisions she respected the most; and after everything you've been through, he had without a doubt earned that right. She knows he'd never say or agree to something if he didn't truly mean it. She didn't like the direction his mind seemed to be heading at the moment...
"There was a whole lot I wanted to tell that idiot, but... dammit!", Levi cursed strained; even the bandage wrapped tightly around parts of his face couldn't hide the conflicted expression he was wearing.
"I'm the same! I don't want to give up on Eren! But it's my fault that the captain can't even fight now!", Connie chimed in distressed. "What's more is that we're up against the Founding Titan here! Do you really think we'd be able to go easy on it?!". You cowered the more he spoke, the creeping realisation of what you'd have to do becoming clearer for each word. But it wasn't until Jean verbally said the words, that you felt your heart crack.
"Mikasa... We need to kill Eren", he struggled to keep himself composed, and he didn't dare look her way. She didn't answer, tears forming in her eyes as she stared straight ahead, the wheels in her head turning. Then she whipped her gaze over at you, seeking some sort of support, knowing you had been just as adamant on bringing Eren back alive from the get-go, as she had been. She was hoping you knew another way, hoping you silently sat on a piece of knowledge that could turn this hopeless situation around, but you looked at her pained. You didn't know any other solution. Your mind was completely blank as you've already tried every other option that made sense. She gasped lightly upon meeting your teary eyes, and you shied away from her burning gaze as you cowered in your huddled position even more. And with that her tiny speck of hope was gone.
"Mikasa! You just focus on saving Armin", Annie grabbed a hold of her collar to make sure she listened. She knew that Mikasa would zone out completely if all hope inside her is lost. She needs a purpose to go on, and luckily, Armin should be enough to keep her going for just a little longer. "You don't need to think about anything else, okay?", she then added reassuringly. Mikasa didn't say anything to this either, but her eyes weren't blank anymore at least. Now she just looked hurt.
"When Eren's head went flying...", Gabi started saying, claiming the attention of a confused Annie and Mikasa.
"What?"
"I shot Eren's head off with an anti-titan rifle right before he managed to touch mister Zeke. When I did, something jumped out of Eren's spine. It looked like a shining centipede or something, and it connected to Eren's head". The rest was now intently listening to what she was saying as well, and you realized you and Marco were really the only ones that had been close enough to see it happen with your own eyes.
"What? Gross", Annie said with a grimace.
"That's the Founding Titan.... No... If that's the true nature of the power of the titans, we might see it again if we decapitate him...", Gabi pondered, and sadly what she said made sense. This whole disaster started the second that thing shot out of Eren's body and connected itself to his head. Whatever that glowing spine was, it has to have something to do with the source of the Founding's powers.
Falco soared above Fort Salta before taking a massive U-turn, facing the direction of the rumbling once again. Just as he flapped his wings, moving forwards, you heard commotion coming from the fort, that had up until this point been completely silent. It sounded like various gunshots and faint cries.
"Huh? What was that?"
"They're still at each other's throats?!", Jean exclaimed baffled; To think they couldn't at least set aside their differences for one day- the day the world as they knew it was ending of all days- was beyond your comprehension.
"Falco! Watch out for the projectiles!", Reiner exclaimed, and as you squinted your eyes, you could spot a dozen Warhammer Titans; all aiming at you with various crystalised spears and arrows. "Here they come! SPEED UP, NOW!!", Reiner gave the order, and you felt a harsh yank and the wind whip against your face as Falco zoomed dead ahead. You all struggled to hang on, the g-force so intense,- you've never felt anything like it as Falco dove down all while dodging the projectiles.
You all heaved for your breaths as he calmed the intensity of his dive to a manageable speed, calming your racing hearts. Falco had successfully passed the archers, now flying above the head of the Founder.
"You guys go help Armin. Jean, Marco, you come with me", Reiner said, to which the guys gave him a determined nod.
"Let's go!", Jean confirmed, preparing to jump.
You turned to face Marco, your expression saying it all. "I'll be careful", he assured you sweetly, before a determined and brave look took a hold of his face. He then immediately followed Jean and Reiner as they jumped off of Falco's back; golden light erupting as Reiner transformed once more, mid-air.
Splitting up now of all times wasn't ideal, but it was definitely necessary. You'd just have to trust that you both could succeed in completing your mission objectives and make a swift reunion.
"Jean!! Marco!! Reiner!!", Mikasa called out once they landed atop the spine.
"Please!! Don't die on us!!", Connie yelled as they looked up at you. As Falco flew further and further away, until they were just a tiny speck in your peripheral, you forced your gaze forwards,- away from them, as you whimpered beneath your breath.
Sure splitting up was necessary, but that didn't make it any easier to endure...
Connie noticed, and placed a firm hand atop your back, inching closer to you as to comfort you until it was time for your to jump back into the fight. The gesture was enough to ease the anxious hold of your heart; at least enough to the point where breathing didn't hurt.
As you flew around the ginormous body of the Founding, you finally got a good look at the terrifying scene that was the hundreds of titans spread throughout it all, propped and ready to fight between the many bones. Bertholdt's Colossal Titan was the most prominent one, dangling in the centre of the body.
"Even Bertholdt's being used as a puppet... Unforgivable", Annie muttered hurt.
"There!", Mikasa exclaimed as soon as Annie had spoken the last word. "That one! The pig or whatever that is!"
"Which one?!", Annie asked frustrated. There was a lot of titans to spot after all. You examined the titans until you spotted the correct one as well.
"That one over there! That... thing!", you said, pointing. You weren't too sure what it was supposed to resemble.
"Where?! Which one of the nine titans would it be?!", Annie asked again, as she couldn't for the life of her understand which one you were talking about.
"Uhh, maybe the Cart?", you said.
"Or the Beast!", Connie suggested.
"May as well be the Jaw...?, Mikasa added unsure.
"That doesn't help!", Annie groaned annoyed. "You guys need to take this seriously!"
"WE ARE!", Mikasa retorted.
"Oh! Only one is running away!", Connie observed, pointing at the culprit.
"That?! That is an Okapi!!", Annie stated as if it was common knowledge.
"Well, we don't know what that is!", you exclaimed, to which she rolled her eyes; forgetting that you all came from a sheltered island. Whatever that was, you most certainly didn't have that back in the Walls. How were you supposed to know?
"GO, FALCO!", she ordered, and Falco immediately closed in on the area in question. "We'll corner that pig or whatever it is while it's on the tailbone, then we'll stop it!! LET'S GET ARMIN BACK!!", she yelled upon jumping down, and the three of you followed suit. Just like Reiner, she transformed mid-air, and you were surrounded by the bright, golden light...
*Marco POV*
"JEAN, WATCH OUT!", I yelled as a Jaw Titan popped up out of nowhere on our way towards the explosives. The place was crawling with different types of Jaw Titans, as they're more agile in tight, cramped spaces and the bones were the smallest here at the front.
I quickly cut the nape off the one currently mere inches away from attacking Jean, pulling him up from the ground hastily. Unaware that another one had snuck up right behind me, the both of us were now caught in the crossfire with little to no way of regaining the upper hand.
"Damn it, we can't get closer like this!", I exclaimed as we tried to outrun it with our gear, but the Jaw especially is just too damned fast!
"Shit!". A heavy thump made the bones rattle beneath our feet- Pieck had transformed once more; already defeated the Warhammer and now biting down at the neck of our attacker. "Woah!". But we didn't have time to spare to properly express our gratitude.
"We need to keep moving Jean! That was too close!", I yelled, but right as I was about to turn around, two Jaws charged right at her, and Jean and I called out for her desperate.
"NO, PIECK!"
With a fizz, something shot right out of her neck, but that was hardly something we noticed in our time of despair. We stared dumbfoundedly as the two Jaws clawed at the Cart, cutting her up to hundreds of pieces.
'Did we really fail her that easily?'
"JEAN! MARCO!", Pieck's voice caught our attention, and we seeked out the source confused. "If you think I'm a titan that's only good for odd jobs and not fighting... you're dead wrong!", she yelled, golden light erupting as she transformed for a third time.
"What?!", Jean exclaimed, watching as her titan chomped down on one of the napes. The other one attacked straight away, and right as we thought it got her again, golden light flashed once more.
"With the Cart's endurance... so long as they don't take me out... I can fight until we win!", she screamed, unveiling the Cart's form. She grabbed a hold of the Jaw, biting down into its roaring figure. "Even if I have to try hundreds of times, I can do it! So Jean! Marco! You don't need to worry about me! Just ignore me and go blow up—"
Jean didn't need to be told twice, already zooming towards the neck. I gave her a sheepish shrug and turned to follow him.
"Oh"
*Clamp!*
"JEAN CAREFUL!", I yelled as I watched him being inches away from getting his legs bit right off by a Jaw that had been hiding beneath the bones we ran atop. I caught up to him, grabbing his upper arm and yanking him down with me as I jumped down beneath the bones. When I say the place was crawling with Jaws, I really do mean it. Our best chance of reaching our desired destination was by manoeuvring between the bones underneath the smaller ribcage-like portion of the Founder's ginourmous body at the front.
"At least this way we can put some space between ourselves and the titans. They can't fly after all!", I elaborated as we moved forwards.
"Genius Marco! Manoeuvring is what we do best after all", he exclaimed determined, but we both halted slightly as the amount of titans seemingly doubled, following our every movement intently...
"Yeah, you might be right about that... But I'm not so sure how that'll help against thousands of enemies", I said dumbstruck, and Jean gulped slightly nervous.
*Normal POV*
Willingly jumping into a sea of titans like this is something you never thought you'd do in your lifetime. The 'rule' had always been to avoid the crowds as there's little to no way of anticipating where they'd strike from if you were occupied with one. But you just had to push the common sense out of your mind for now; Armin's life was riding on you succeeding.
"Aagh!", you exclaimed as you put your entire body into the swipe of your blades by the nape of an Attack Titan. The booming noises of titan footsteps and the heavy punches of Annie's hands hitting titan flesh rung across the area.
The entire time you tried to keep an eye on the okapi, making sure it didn't run aw—Oh no...
"The okapi!!", you yelled out, and Annie froze as she looked its way, watching it flee the scene. It was heading towards the head now, and you simply couldn't let it.
"Annie!", Mikasa yelled, shooting her a look. Annie raised her hand, allowing for Mikasa to connect the hook of her gear to it. You and Connie looked at her dumbfounded as she used her arm as a slingshot to send Mikasa flying forwards at an incredible speed.
"Fucking god-sent, that girl", you stated amazed.
"Yeah, you can say that again", Connie said with the same kind of tone, mouth agape.
Your short moment of adoration ended abruptly. Mikasa was just about to cut the nape of the okapi, when two titans flung themselves on top of it- shielding it.
"Out of my way!! AAAGH!", Mikasa shrieked frustrated, cutting both their napes with one swipe, but was once again prevented access to the okapi as an Armoured Titan reached her; she couldn't cut its nape even in the slightest.
"Mikasa!", you and Connie yelled simultaneously, trying to get to her in time before the Armour could mush her between its scaley hands.
Where you and Connie lacked the physical abilities of reaching the destination quick enough, Annie excelled, decapitating the Armour with one of her infamous hardened kicks.
"Annie!", Mikasa exclaimed relieved.
"You can't go off on your own!! They'll kill you in no time flat!", Connie scolded once you reached them. The okapi seemed to head for the single most dangerous titan in your vicinity... Bertholdt...
The three of you went to stand atop Annie's shoulders, intently scouting out in each your direction, watching as more and more titans appeared out of the bones, cornering you from all angles.
"Shit", you muttered, grabbing a harder hold of your blades. What were you even supposed to do in this situation? Even with a fully intelligent titan such as Annie on your team, it was sadly nothing against this great number of titans...
*Marco POV*
Fort Salta was inching closer and closer,- we just had to succeed in stopping the rumbling, and that quick! But it seemed that just reaching the head would prove difficult as long as the Jaws kept crawling.
"Pieck!"
She had been fighting bravely, but failed to anticipate a Jaw's surprise attack and got her hand bitten clean off. Jean quickly grabbed her, and together we made our way towards Reiner.
"I can keep fighting once my arm's fixed", Pieck said pained through gritted teeth.
"Pieck, you're at you limit! We should retreat back to Reiner and—", but I didn't finish that sentence once actually processing the situation at Reiner's end. He'd been fighting the many Warhammer Tians, preventing them from interfering like they did with Pieck last time. But it seems he was at his limit too; pieces of his armour broken, and crystallised spears piercing various parts of his body. "REINER!", I called out, a Warhammer was about to decapitate him as he was pinned down.
The three of us was so preoccupied with rushing over to him, we didn't even sense the two Jaws right at our tails. One was about to reach for the two of them, and I let my instincts take over. We needed them alive, the survival of what's left of humanity rides on her powers and Jean's skills.
'I'm sorry Y/N'
"MARCO!!!", Jean screamed pained after he realised I had pushed him away, now seconds away from being caught between the Jaw's claws... I could hear Reiner's titan roar out, the kind that indicates that he's in pain. If it was for me or because he's physically hurting I did not know.
I closed my eyes, waiting for it; but the excruciating feeling of razor sharp claws never came.
"PORCO!! MARCEL!!", Pieck exclaimed with a mixture of confusion and wonder. I opened my eyes, meeting the sight of two Jaw's skilfully taking out the rest, one by one; including the one that almost got me.
'Are they really helping us?!'
*Normal POV*
It was like they all moved at once, charging full speed ahead, and you felt the chilling feeling of pure and undisturbed fright to your very core.
"MOVE!", Mikasa yelled, and the three of you jumped off of Annie, turning to look at her with wide eyes once you obtained a safe altitude.
"ANNIE!", you screamed out upon watching her titan form wriggle beneath the bodies of other titans, desperately trying to free herself.
'What can we do, what can we do, what can we do?!'
You looked over at the others, hoping they would miraculously come up with a solution, but they just continued to stare at the scene unfolding with terror stricken expressions.
*BOOM*
You abruptly turned upon hearing the booming noise, eyes widening to their absolute limit as you eyed Bertholdt's form swipe the enemy titans away, leaving Annie unharmed.
"What?!", you exclaimed, thrown off guard.
"Did he just save us?! Bertholdt?!", Connie asked astonished.
"I don't know, but I'm not wasting this opportunity!". Mikasa was already zooming her way up towards the okapi as she spoke. It was still trying to run away from you.
Something piercing right through its eye stopped it from moving, for just long enough, giving Mikasa a chance at cutting it. She did, and its mouth opened wide as she tore her blades through the sides of its jaw. You looked up to see Falco soar past; Gabi and Levi aiming one of the anti-Titan weapons at the okapi.
Armin flew out of it, coughing up spit as he desperately heaved for his breath.
"Armin!", you exclaimed relieved and worried. The okapi seemed to regain some of its function, that damned tongue piercing right through Armin's thigh like a spear. You gasped, increasing your speed as you ran up along the spiking bones where the okapi was settled.
With a pain-filled groan, Armin turned mid-air, sending one of the few thunder spears he had left right at its mouth. It died that very second, sending its body plummeting down,- with Armin still attached to its tongue!
"Armin!", you took a leap of faith, kicking yourself off of the bone as they passed you, cutting right through its tongue. Armin was free, but still falling uncontrollably.
"Annie!", Connie yelled as he spectated, and Annie swiftly reached for Armin's falling figure, holding him as gently as she could. She didn't look at anyone else, which would have been an adorable sight if it weren't for the fact that dozens of titans made their way towards the pair.
"ANNIE! BEHIND YOU!", you shrieked, Mikasa and Connie both following you as you rushed down. Annie turned around alert, but the sight she saw was different than your initial one.
"Wait!", you exclaimed, and the three of you came to a halt about halfway down. "Are... are they really helping us?!", you asked like you couldn't believe it. What was once dozens of titans all fighting you, were now a dozen of titans joining you to fight the rest. They were all incredibly powerful, killing the titans with ease.
You continued down until you stood atop Annie once again. There you engulfed Armin in a tight, but careful hug, before going back to spectate the titans still fighting for you.
"What the hell is going on?!", Connie still struggled to understand. You did to, but honestly gave up on hatching out an explanation. This was really way out of your ability to fathom. Armin, however, seemed to have the answer; as per usual;
"It's all thanks to mister Zeke", he started explaining, and you turned to face him, shocked.
"Zeke?!"
"Yes. He woke up everyone who was asleep in the world of the path, where neither life nor death exists. Every Eldian is connected to one another by the path... I think it's because The Founder, Ymir, wants to be connected. Because she wants something from us..."
*Marco POV*
It was like they rest happened all at once; Pieck turned once again to help the others out, Ymir's Jaw also helping us at this point. The Warhammers seemed to be in a rush, feverishly sending spear after spear our way all while charging. I was still slightly shocked considering I had accepted my certain defeat,- a certain defeat that never came... I was still here, alive.
"MARCO, WHAT THE HELL!", Jean exclaimed, grabbing my shoulders harshly. "YOU DON'T DO THAT, YOU HEAR ME?! DON'T YOU EVER DO THAT TO ME!", he yelled, shaking my shoulders.
"Jean I—"
"NO MARCO, YOU DON'T—", he stopped himself, trying to calm it down a few notches. I looked at him sympathetically, seeking out his gaze that had shied away from me.
"Hey-", he looked up as I spoke. "You've saved me, more times then just once. I've witnessed you mature and grow into this skilful and amazing leader that you are, and we've seen and been through too much for me to just ignore the fact that you can save the world today. You're the only one who can finish this!", I argued, grabbing a hold of his arms as his was still resting atop my shoulders. He looked me in my eyes intently, not speaking a word. The way he looked at me revealed enough; he probably thought I didn't give myself nearly as much credit as I should... It seemed like he was internally debating whether or not he should spend time convincing me otherwise, I know it pains him whenever I sell myself short, just as much as it hurts me whenever he does the same.
"You're wrong", he simply stated. "We finish this together!", he then said determined, grabbing my wrist as he started sprinting.
It was strange, well the part where Ymir and the other Jaw titan started fighting for us was strange enough in itself, but the continuous, tiring, trampling-sound of the rumbling seemed to stop without a seconds notice.
"You go do it, I'll stand guard just in case!", I decided once we finally reached the long spine connected to the head. He gave me a curt nod as he jumped down, grabbing the trigger in the process. I had my blades drawn, stance ready as I eyed the titans fighting to pass Reiner and them a distance away.
I had no clue if this would kill Eren, none of us did, and just going through with something that had the possibility of ending him felt wrong. But there was also no other way to end this...
"You.... STUPID LITTLE SUICIDAL BLOCKHEAAAAAD!", Jean cried out, the sound of his pained scream added to the booming noise of the explosion had me squeeze my eyes shut as I let a hurt whimper escape my lips.
The warm and powerful gust from the blazing explosion had my hair fluttering all over the place, and I turned around, shielding my eyes with my forearm, speciating the fiery scene. Jean had managed to put enough distance between himself and the fire, dangling from his wires below the bones.
Just as the head started plummeting down and I lowered my arm, a blinding, golden light appeared out of nowhere.
'What's that?! Didn't the fire from the explosion go out?!'
I forced my eyes to adjust to the sharp light, eyes widening as I once again set eyes on the glowing spine that shot out of Eren's body back in Shiganshina. But this time, it was more than a hundred times larger...
"IT'S JUST LIKE GABI SAID! IT'S THE POWER OF THE TITANS!", I yelled out to Jean, still hanging below me. "IT'S GOING FOR HIS HEAD AGAIN, WE HAVE TO STO—". I fell over as a heavy force running right past me had the bones rattling. Reiner jumped off of the edge, slamming his body on top of the glowing spine, stopping it in the nick of time. He looked to be struggling to keep it at bay.
I jumped over the edge to rendezvous with a despaired Jean. Pieck had also managed to slip away from the titans, now dangling upside down, halfway out of the nape.
"He won't last much longer!"
"JEAN! MARCO! PIECK!". My heart did a flip as I recognized Y/N's voice, and I turned around that very second. Falco was closing in, and it seemed like everyone was alive and well atop his back.
'Thank god'
"WE NEED TO GET AWAY QUICK! ARMIN'S GONNA BLOW THOSE BONES TO PIECES!!", Connie said urgent, reaching out his hand as they inched closer and closer. Y/N did the same.
"WAIT! BUT WHAT ABOUT REINER!!", Jean yelled back.
"The Armoured Titan should be able to withstand the Colossal Titan's explosion. And most of all, Reiner's prepared for the consequences. To let this opportunity get away would be to let that go to waste", Pieck said matter-of-factly. Jean looked as torn as I felt, but let it go with a harsh sigh. He rushed over to swoop Pieck out of the nape, and with the help of Connie and Y/N's reaching hands, we safely ascended the back of Falco's titan...
*Normal POV*
You all stared at it speechless. Armin transforming left nothing but mere bone residue and a gaping hole at the spot where the Founder stood oh so terrifyingly just a few seconds ago.
Was this really it? Was he really gone? Somehow you just couldn't believe it.
Falco carefully landed atop Fort Salta. The flapping of his wings made the dust covering this desert landscape fly, creating a thick layer around you.
"The bones are gone... The rumbling has stopped, too.. Is Eren... dead?", Jean asked in disbelief. Mikasa clutched at her head, in pain.
"Mikasa", you exclaimed lowly, halfway wrapping your arms around her upper back carefully.
"Was that... the last time we'll ever.... It can't be...", she managed to croak out. You didn't understand what she was talking about, but it didn't matter. You'd try to console her regardless.
As the dust settled and the people atop the fort finally saw you, they broke out in emotional cries of happiness. Gabi and Pieck ran to their families, and what must be Falco's parents quickly made their way atop his back and flung themselves at his body now peeping out of the nape.
Carefully, the rest of you got down from the back, spectating the huge crowd of people hugging each other. It honestly felt... rather lonely... There was nothing waiting for you here. No family, nothing. Only people with mixed feeling regarding you, and after what you've done to the Yeagerists back at the port, you were sure the people of Paradis who doesn't personally know you had mixed feelings too. At this moment in time, you didn't feel like you belonged anywhere.
"It's not like I don't have regrets. But... we did the right thing, didn't we?", Connie asked as he supported Levi. "We stopped the rumbling...". Annie went looking for her dad, and it was only the six of you left. The six of you Paradisians in the midst of the sea of Marleyan-Eldians.
"Aunt Karina! Reiner's still fighting!!", Gabi told her intensely.
"Yes... I saw", she answered, and they joined you as you looked down by the edge of the fort.
"Reiner... where are they?!", Jean asked perplexed. You furrowed your brows. Had they moved?
"Armin", Mikasa stated as she spotted something exiting the ginormous hole left in the ground from the explosion. Out came his Colossal Titan, his eyes dull and saddened.
"Reiner!!", Gabi exclaimed, and sure enough, Reiner could be spotted on the ground, the crystalised spears still sticking out all across his form.
"He's okay", Marco reassured her.
"Hey, look! Down there!", you pointed directly below the cliff. The shining centipede or whatever it was, was now clinging to the foot of the fort; it had escaped Reiner's hold. "It got hit by that explosion and survived?! What the hell even is that thing?!". It was starting to piss you off. Why wouldn't it die?!
"Who knows... All I know for sure is that we can't let it live", Jean said tired.
*BOOM*
Golden flashes struck again as an explosion equal to Armin's erupted a vast distance behind him.
"Well figures... I didn't think that'd be enough to kill you", Jean said, almost smug, and you felt your heartbeat quicken. Eren still living gave you a tiny speck of hope that you may be able to get him out of this with you, but it could also mean a lot of trouble for you. Your fluttering heart sunk as you remembered his words; 'If you want to stop me, try stopping me from ever taking another breath'. He wasn't going to allow you to take him with you alive...
'Why Eren... Just why?'
"Yeah, but... What do we do now?", Connie asked unsure as you could spot Eren's new form: a Colossal Titan...
"This is bad... We can't let that shining thing come in contact with Eren!! There's no telling what could happen! It could even start the rumbling again!", Gabi said urgent. You all looked down at it again.
"That thing... We've gotta kill that shining thing!", Connie agreed hastily.
"How are we going to kill something that survived the explosion just now? We need to go for Eren. You all understand by now, right...?", Levi said, his eyes lingering at yourself and Mikasa especially. "This nightmare won't end until we take him down...", he added low.
You bowed your head. In your heart you knew the truth... He's right, this won't end until Eren does. But in your head... In your head you were clinging onto every tiniest little solution that could prove the opposite... Not that there was much to cling onto anymore at this point though....
You reached out your hand, letting your fingers intertwine with Marco's. So much happened as you left the bony body, you hadn't even had time to process that he survived. That you both survived.
'At least we're all still here'
You scrunched your nose as a foul smell crept up on you. Looking up at the others it seems they noticed it too. You let your gaze wander, noticing a thin layer of smoke getting thicker and thicker by the second.
"What's all this?", you asked, trying to keep the stench out by covering your nose. The lot of you leaned over the edge, Jean holding onto Gabi as she leaned way too far over.
"The smoke's coming from that shining thing", she informed you.
"Did it die?", Mikasa wondered.
"No that's not the smell of a dead titan", you said. You'd recognize that disgusting smell without a second thought. This was another kind of foul scent, something you've never smelled before.
"Isn't this... the same thing they did in Ragako?", Connie asked carefully, like in shock. The rest of you whipped your gazes over at him, dumbfounded.
'It couldn't be...'
"Mikasa!! Pieck!! Get on Falco! Get away from here!", Levi ushered urgently.
"What are you saying?"; Pieck asked him confused. You couldn't do anything but spectate quietly, the fate you and three of the ones dearest to you were about to suffer being too surreal to even comprehend. Your mind was at a blank, and it seemed like that was the case for Jean, Connie and Marco too...
"Ackermans and anyone with the power of the titans are exceptions. You should know what we need to do better than anyone here", Levi said stern, limping his way over to Falco.
"No... This is too much for me to—"
"HURRY UP!!", Levi yelled at the top of his lungs. It's been ages since you've seen him this hurt- this desperate.
"I..", you tried speaking as you watched them fly away from you. What was once a place of families laughing in pure bliss as they happily hugged each other, was now a sombre place; only faint cries could be heard as people said their goodbyes.
They were still close enough to see your expressions, and as you spotted Levi's guilty and saddened one looking down on you, you forced the corners of your stiffened and dry mouth upwards. You understood. You perfectly understood their reason for leaving you, and you wouldn't have them stay here. The least you could do was to try and express that through your demeanour while he could still see you. Your stiff smile turned more genuine, and you gave them an understanding nod as to tell them you were okay. Or rather, as okay as one can be in this predicament.
"Y/N", Marco's gentle voice was laced with fright. He had walked up to you, and you turned to face him. Looking into his ever so kind eyes, you felt a whirlwind of emotions build up inside your chest. There was still so much you wanted to experience with him, but if this was truly the end for you, you were at least grateful it would be by his side.
Simultaneously, you threw yourselves at each other, hugging the other tightly while pressing your faces into the nook of the necks.
"I love you so much. No matter what happens next", he whispered pained, trying to mask it up for your sake, but you saw right through it.
You quickly reached up to press your lips against his, dragging it out for as long as possible. His hold on you tightened even more, everything about the kiss telling you that this was goodbye, something the both of you struggled to accept. The feel of his lips still lingered on yours as your face returned to his neck.
"I love you too", you replied shakingly, feeling the tears trickle down your cheeks. You felt surprisingly calm, at least in the sense of not completely breaking down crying. If this was your last moments with the ones you loved, you'll make damn sure to get the most out of the time you had left. There was simply no time for crying.
"So this... is how it ends for us", Connie said, and you pulled your head away from Marco, turning around slightly in his grasp. He and Jean already had one arm wrapped around one another, reaching out for you and Marco to come join them with bittersweet smiles.
In the distance you could hear Falco scream through his titan, and it almost felt like something stung you inside your chest for a split second.
"Guess so... We'll entrust them with the rest. That's what it means to die as a member of the Survey Corps", Jean said as you reached them. Pulling you in closely against them, the four of you held each other tightly.
"I... I've probably said something similar before, but I just want to thank you guys", you started saying, your voice still slightly quivering, but you were in control. They looked at you expectantly. "-for being my family when I had none. For never failing at being there whenever I needed someone and for sticking around throughout everything all these years", you smiled, a tender smile to which they returned.
"Of course Y/N"
"We could say the same thing", Connie immediately answered you, moving his hand that was resting on your back to grab your hand. "I don't think you even realize how crucial you've been for keeping our group together, especially at the early stages. And you're the one that invited me to sit with you and Sasha our first morning at the Cadet Corps, and I don't think I can ever thank you enough for that", he smiled sad, remembering Sasha. You smiled back; it felt strange reminiscing on those simple times so far back in the past, and a weird feeling settled in your chest,- like you were content but yet devastated at the same time.
A silence ensued as you took the time to look at each other.
"Do you guys remember? The night of the entrance ceremony?", Connie asked.
"Yeah", Marco and Jean nodded, slightly confused as to what he was getting at.
"You know that this is all you guys' fault, right? That we ended up stuck with the job of saving humanity...", Connie slightly teased, which made the rest of you snicker softly. Internally, you all knew if you had the chance of going back and choose branches again, you would have picked this path all over again, even when knowing the outcome... But as thin stripes of golden light started dancing atop all of yours' very skin, you couldn't look anymore. You hid your face against Marco's chest, feeling his grip around your upper back tighten as he brought you closer. His hand was resting at the back of your head and his lips pressed one last kiss atop your head.
And like that you stayed; your left hand clutched in Connie's with the rest of you pressed against Marco, and the guys' arms wrapped firmly around one another,- until the blinding light darkened, and the sudden shooting pain spreading all across your body dulled into nothingness...
_____________________________
A/N:
Istg Armin's conversation with Zeke in paths has me on the verge of tears every time. It's all so pure, and his outlook on what life is all about is just the most wholesome thing.
And while on the topic of tears, MAN did chapter 138 have me BAWLING my eyes out the first time I read it. Isayama was CRUEL for than one, I'll tell you that much.
We're getting closer to the end of this fic, and I'm honestly dreading it. I think we have about two more chapters, but I'm not entirely sure... Well, we'll get there when we get there.
Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this chaotic chapter!
~Jen