A female looked up on a grassy hill as her blonde hair fluttered around her in the breeze. The breeze picked up until it suddenly died down into a strange calmness.
A calmness that did not offer the peace one would hope. Instead it was a silent and eerie silence that often indicated a brewing storm of calamity was close to approaching.
Her eyes lowered feeling something roll and hit her foot. She glanced down at the ball deeply in thought.
She could almost hear the sounds of civilians carrying out their errands and children playing carefree that used to rang out amongst the surroundings before they were forced to evacuate previously by the military. They were clearly unaware of this looming threat of danger and were probably left in utter confusion at the time.
The woman listened closely as the sound of humming got closer to the unsuspecting district.
The woman frowned staring at the ball, She felt a pang of jealously towards the children that were able to experience what she never got to.
But times were different and yet they were still the same. There was still danger and a threat just like back then. And while she may not have gotten the childhood these children have, she did have one filled with her own description of fun and she wouldn't replace those memories for the world.
She shook her head breaking herself from her thoughts with a low chuckle.
"This must be what it's like to lose your damn mind." She spoke before glancing up at the sky to see the beginning outlines of airships approaching Shiganshina. It was clear that the destination of the fleet would be Shiganshina.
She sighed as she grabbed the gun strapped to her back. "Here we go again." She huffed out as lightning could be seen towards the center of the quant town, that had seen it's fair share of hardships and finally prospered is once again under attack.
The sound of crashing could be heard in that direction before another flash of lightning and a loud roar was heard.
She looked up to see people falling from the five airships only to be caught by fabric that ballooned out from above their heads. "How fascinating. They even used the same contraption for their weaponry." The woman spoke as she noted the heavy weapon under a tarp being let down from the airship.
Another flash was seen causing the woman to turn her head to see two Titans fighting as a more agile one simply jumped around avoiding the strikes. She then turned glancing at the quadruped Titan that quickly fled from the area.
Her eyes narrowed at the two fighting Titans before another flash appeared revealing the Armored Titan.
"Well it certainly seems that they out did themselves." The woman spoke before quickly slipping into the town through all the chaos.
"Let's just hope I don't end up getting myself shot." The woman said with a chuckle as she shot down a Marley soldier that held his gun aimed at her.
She moved behind a building as she glanced up spotting armed men on roofs. The sound of gears and wires could be heard before gunfire rang out to the oblivious men that took cover on the roofs.
She watched as the men who no longer claimed affliation with Paradis military were shot down in an ambush by the men that laid on the roofs surrounding them. They screamed as bodies fell from the building and men fled only to be shot down in mid-attempt.
It was evident in their lack of preparation that this surprise attack was effective in Marley's favor. She could see it with how overwhelmed and panicked the men were while Marley seemed to adapt to their surroundings efficiently despite never stepping foot on this land prior. It was an impressive feat to have during times of war.
She ducked around a corner before shooting a Jaegerists down as he ran into the alley. The woman quickly moved around the alley as more forces gathered and the three Titans squared off. She turned her head hearing a loud roar from a Titan. It was one that sounded angered and mixed with pain like a cornered animal.
Her eyes glanced down at the ground feeling a rumble and quake. Her eyes narrowed as she jumped back. She quickly dodged around the silver spikes that appeared from the ground and littered the place haphazardly.
She took a second to breath to collect herself. As expected things were quickly getting out of control but that was a given as two rivals once again squared off against each other. She sighed putting a hand to her chest before her head turned. There she could see the two Titans pierced by the silver spikes like skewers to meat.
She watched as the two Titans remained limp. She took this time to leave the area before they decided to make another move.
"What the hell did I sign myself up for?! This isn't what I had in mind when I agreed to this." The female whined out only for her eyes to widen as she quickly moved to the side missing a bullet. She looked towards the man that wore ODM gear seeing him point the barrel at her.
"Stop right--!" The man screamed out only for his words to come to a halt as a bullet landed in the center of his forehead.
The woman lowered her gun as the sound of a shell casing dropped to the ground. The sound echoing against the stone bleeding into the sound of chaotic screams and rapid gun fire.
"No thank you. Not today." The woman said before quickly running to take cover and look for an advantage point.
Her eyes glanced at the Armored Titan as he moved against the spike before successfully breaking it off. He then proceeded at charging at the Attack Titan piercing its body as the Attack Titan gave a guttural roar that deafened the entire district. Those present stopped having no choice but to cover their ears at the piercing noise that reverberated harshly against their eardrums.
The Armored Titan pushed the spike deeper causing another roar to leave the pinned Titan, who was by no means out of this fight.
The Attack Titan gave one final roar before the ground under the two started to cave and crack. There flashes of yellow were seen before more spikes appeared skewering the Armored Titan once again.
While the two Titans were facing off the more agile Titan came back into the picture as it leapt from rooftop to rooftop before launching at the Attack Titan. He let out a roar only to be grabbed by the face and then tossed aside. The large body colliding ontop of houses causing a barrage of debris to fall down onto the city.
The city had quickly become a setting for war as two opposing sides stood their ground. Buildings crumbled, debris cluttered the ground, smoke lingered heavily with the smell of gunpowder, chorus of screams from the dying and orders, sleuth of bullets ricocheting against objects and people alike, and the blood that slowly coated the once quiet and redeemed city now flooded each section in a hellish sight.
The Armored Titan had rose again tackling the Attack Titan before pinning him. The Armored Titan roared out holding the head of the Titan down before opening his jaw wide, preparing to bite the nape. A hand suddenly reached out clutching onto the upper jaw of the Armored Titan.
The sounds of cracking could be heard as more pressure was put on his jaw causing it to break. A large boulder then collided with the Armored Titan causing him to be thrown away from his enemy.
The blonde woman's eyes widened with a gasp as she slowly turned her head to see just where...well who sent the boulder.
There on the wall she could see the Beast Titan standing in all his glory as he kept his sights on Eren. The sight of him caused a pause in the battle as heads turned to him in shock as this became a clear sign of a turning point for this fight.
"I'm a little late, but I made it to where we promised to meet. Good job hanging in there, Eren. Leave the rest to your big brother." The Beast Titan said.
"Well shit, if I squint I can really see the resemblance." The woman said before watching intently as the Beast Titan launched crumbled pieces of boulders at the air ship causing it to veer off course before crashing into the adjacent airship.
The two aircrafts quickly lighting up in flames before crashing into the city with an explosion. The city becoming ominously outlined in red and orange as the inferno of flames blasted around the city.
The Beast Titan took this opportunity to attack the Cart Titan only to miss as rocks landed off in the distance with a crash.
The woman let out a slight screech as a large boulder missed her. She took a shaky breath gathering her bearings before moving to the inside of a building. There she was able to see a bird's eye view of all that was happening.
"Keep your eyes on the prize. It'll be worth it in the end." The woman said with determination as her eyes narrowed as she took aim.
Her eye squinted before shooting down a Jaegerist that had his aim on a Marley soldier that was leading a girl.
"What the hell is a kid doing here?" She questioned before shifting her eyes on the Beast Titan as he threw boulders at the Armored Titan that tried to reach the Attack Titan that was slowly approaching the wall.
In the midst of this chaos the Attack Titan still limped his way toward the Beast Titan, unwavering.
It didn't take long before all fives ships were ablaze and crashing down from the sky and into the battlefield. Explosions littered the city as the one advantage Marley had crumbled like their hope when the Beast Titan had appeared.
You were right. It never ends. It was foolish to think that this would be the end...when it clearly has just begun. Nobody is willing to back down without a fight...and fight they are...a gruesome and bloody fight.
We can't expect peace so easily unless we are prepared to dirty our hands and take a stand. So here's my stand.
She reloaded before shooting a Marley man dead before he could shoot down a buzzed haired man that currently adorned the old ODM gear from years ago.
Her eyes widened seeing the Beast Titan shot down as a portion of his nape was left with a hole. She watched in shock seeing the Beast Titan waver before falling off the wall and landing with a huge crash onto the ground.
She glanced over as the sound of footsteps approached before entering the same house she was occupying.
Three eyes stared at her wearily as they gulped. Her eyes widened in shock staring at the three. The oldest of the three gulped before shakily aiming his gun.
The woman glanced at the two children and teenager before looking past the three.
"Get down!" She ordered with a shout causing the oldest of the three to push the children down as the woman acted quickly shooting a pair of Jaegerists before they could take aim.
The three looked back in shock with gasps seeing the two men dead. They exhaled a breath of relief before gulping in nervousness seeing the woman stand up.
She quickly moved closing the door before leaning back down near the window. She stopped observing the three. Her eyes lingered on the girl she previously saw taking note that this man was probably the same one she saw leading the girl away.
"There. They must've followed you." The woman spoke out.
"Uh-u-um thank you." The blonde boy said.
The older of the three took in her attire and gear before gasping.
"You're one of them!" He shouted causing the woman to sigh as he pointed a gun at her. The brunette girl was quick to jump to action grabbing the gun.
"Colt, don't!" The girl yelled.
"Wha-- Gabi...?" The man questioned as the boy's eyes widened in shock.
"Relax, I'm not going to hurt you. If I wanted to kill you I would've done it the minute you entered." The woman said with a huff.
"Why did you kill them? Aren't they on your side?" The boy questioned.
The woman shook her head, "No, they're not. Picking sides is pointless in such a fickle scenario." The woman stated causing the man's eyebrows to knit.
"Really? Because it seems like you're more fickle to be switching sides so freely." Colt stated.
"Maybe so...Call it a gut feeling, I suppose. I am currently not on Marley or those Jaegerists side. Nor am I a threat to you three. I'm simply doing what I need to, to get by." The woman spoke.
"W-Well either way, thank you." The boy spoke.
"Falco..." Colt said in a warning tone still apprehensive.
The woman knitted her eyebrows before hushing the three.
"Shh. There's people coming." She warned.
"This way. The fire hasn't spread here yet." A man's voice spoke.
"True, but it's blocking the way out."
"Let's hide here until the fighting stops."
"I sure hope Mia and Ben made it out."
"I reckon those two are fine. They're toughuns."
A small gasp left Gabi as her eyes watered with unshed tears. She stood up causing them all to look at her.
"--Hey!" Colt whispered out.
"--It's unforgivable. Why care about her when she killed Big Sis? I wish I could kill her!"
Gabi dropped back down to the floor.
"Looks. Like they're gone Let's go." Colt said, but the girl remained unmoving.
"Gabi." Colt said glancing at the girl.
"There weren't any devils. On this island...they were just people. I finally understand Reiner. We just decided that these people we never met were devils. Doing the same things...! The same things over and over!" Gabi cried out as she grabbed her head.
The woman glanced over before sitting in front of the tearful girl.
"It's the same no matter where you go. We are humans on this island just like you are humans on yours. But that doesn't mean everyone is incoherently good. There are bad people no matter where you go. And not agreeing based on simple opinions is just human nature. It's what slowly drives us apart until we are on opposing sides of the battlefield. It's that logic that has led me to take no sides because everyone is currently fighting for what they believe in or what they see fit. So tying myself down to either side is not going to benefit me in the end when I see both sides are valid to an extent." The woman said gently with a smile before patting the girl's head as the girl looked up in shock.
The woman stood up before grabbing her gun and moving towards the door.
"I don't find it fit for children to be on the battlefield. But seeing how determined you all are, I wish you all luck on what it is you are trying to accomplish. If you want to leave I suggest doing it soon. I'll be up on the roof so I'll give you cover if you chose to do so." The woman spoke heading towards the door only for a voice to stop her.
"Wait! Thank you very much miss." Colt said as the woman turned glancing at the three before nodding with a warm smile.
"Not a problem. Take care: Colt, Gabi, Falco." She said before leaving.
She sighed staring at the wreckage on the ongoing battle that has yet to end in the city as she sent a bullet to a Jaegerist and then a Marley soldier.
In war, who's to say which side is right and which side is wrong? I still don't know that answer and I probably never will. But what I do know is that each person fights for what they think is in their best interest. And my best interest is neither side.