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"MY VILLAGE AIN'T that far away from here, you know. Just a little to the South," Connie says lazily, bored hazel eyes glancing at the window, resting his head on his palm.
Sasha, who sat across of him, was replicating his same stance, disinterested in her surroundings, "Huh. Who would've thought? Mine's just to the North."
Next to them, Reiner and Bertholdt were in a serious match of chess, frowning at the board game as they both plan their next move. Iris sat between Sasha and Reiner, watching her friends play chess, tapping her fingers on the wooden table to keep herself entertained.
Ymir and Christa were chatting with other rookies on the table across them.
As told the night before, they would be in another building owned by the Scout Regiment, located South of Wall Sina. However, they were all requested to leave their equipment behind and come in plain clothes.
All the rookies were kept in one single room, and Iris felt like she was going to die out of boredom.
"Damnit. Why can't I go visit?" Connie groans, "Think I'll sneak out at night."
Sasha hums in agreement, "Can you believe it? They told me not to come back until I'm normal. Like, what is that supposed to mean?"
Iris and Connie snort at her.
"They told me I was too much of a weakling to become a soldier," he rolls his eyes.
"Just tell them how you were in our class' top ten. Trust me, it'll make them eat their words," Iris suggests.
Connie nods, as a thug smile grows on his lips, "Yeah, you're right, Iris. Watch them go insane."
Reiner places one of his figures on the board, marking his move, "Connie, if you want, I'll help you sneak out."
"Huh? Why?"
He crosses his arms, "Isn't it strange? We're all on standby with our plain clothes. We are not allowed to train or wear uniforms, so what are we doing?"
Iris follows his figure with her eyes as he makes his way to the window, "What's more suspicious is that everyone out there is fully armed. I mean, we're inside the wall, not the front lines, for heaven's sake. What the hell are we fighting?"
Connie shrugs, "They're probably looking out for bears, man. Relax."
"Yeah. Bears, " Sasha mumbles.
Then, she lets her head fall to the table, thudding against it. Iris glances at her, wondering if she's immune to the pain. It wasn't long before she jolted up, gasping.
"I hear thuds! Footsteps!"
Everyone in the room stares at her, some mumbling at her act.
Reiner rolls his eyes, "Get serious, Sasha. Don't start suggesting Titans randomly broke through Wall Rose again."
However, Iris catches sight of small droplets of sweat coming down from his forehead. He's nervous.
"But I know what I heard, Reiner!" Sasha protests, "They sounded like footsteps! I swear!"
The sound of the window rattling takes their eyes off Sasha, now facing Nanaba, their superior officer and member of Miche's squad, who just landed outside. Nanaba opens the window and scans the room, asking, "Everyone all right?"
Christa stands up, "Nanaba? What happened?"
"Titans. 500 meters to the South, and they're coming this way" she answers, "Quick. There's no time for you to gear up. Find your horses and evacuate all nearby homes and settlements. Understood?
"Yes, ma'am!"
In a haste, they all rushed out the room, running down the stairs to find their own horse and saddles. Soon, they were riding out in the field, observing the nine Titans in the far distance. Iris feels her heart speed up.
"All right, listen carefully!" Section-commander Miche Zacharius announces, leading his soldiers up front, "As soon as those Titans reach the woods, we'll split into four teams of recruits and soldiers alike, and then simultaneously scatter around in each direction! Do not engage and focus on spreading the word out! Is there anyone familiar with this region?!"
"Yes, sir!" Sasha raises her arm instantly, "My town's north of here! I know the lay of the land very well! And... Connie, too, sir! Right, Connie?"
The boy glazed at the road with dull eyes, lost in a trance. At last, he says, "My village is to the south... where the Titans are coming from. I can take you to nearby villages, but after that, please... allow me to go home."
Miche looks over his shoulder, "Of course. You'll guide the southern team, then."
Reiner speeds up to match Connie's pace, "Connie, I'll go with you."
"You serious? Titans will be swarming the place. It'll be dangerous," Connie warns, bewildered by his offer.
"So? I did offer to help you sneak out, didn't I?" Reiner grimaces. He turns to Berthold and Iris, who rode behind him, "You guys coming?"
Bertholdt hesitates, but he nods, nonetheless, "Of course I'll come."
Reiner looks at her. Iris at him.
"I'll go wherever you go."
A smile. So small and brief, but Iris could see it. Then, it fades away.
"Titans have reached the woods!" Gelgar, another soldier, yells.
"Scatter! Ride as fast as you can!"
Miche's strong voice pounded in their ears. Everyone did as he ordered, and soon, the four teams were dividing, each heading in their assigned direction, but what they didn't expect was the crowd of Titans to suddenly break into a sprint, causing harsh rumbles in the field.
What the hell?! Iris exclaims in her mind, horrified at their godly speed.
"SHIT! They're gonna catch up!" Connie shouts.
"Gelgar! Take over!" Miche yells,
slapping his reins over to the Titans' direction. His subordinates called his name, but he was already too far to listen.
Gelgar shuts them off by saying, "Have faith in him! His skill is only second to Captain Levi! He'll make it out alive! I know it!"
Like Miche had ordered them to do, they continued on their horses until they reached the villages, evacuating and alerting everyone of the danger. At last, they made it to Connie's village.
It didn't take long for them to realize something didn't feel right.
"Connie! Slow down! There could be Titans anywhere!"
He didn't listen, speeding through the now ruins of the village. There was destruction everywhere. Crumbled houses, broken roofs, shattered windows, yet not a single drop of blood has been spotted.
"Is anyone there?! It's me, Connie! I came back! I'm home!"
He was met with utter silence.
Iris slaps her reins in a hurry, trying to catch up to him, and when she does, Connie is looking up to a house, petrified by something. Reiner was the one to reach him first, pulling his arm back harshly, "Connie, you can't run away like that!"
"That's... that's my house..." he whispers.
Iris gasps, feeling her breath getting shorter and shaky. A Titan stares at them, its eyes so golden yet so terrifying, round, and piercing through hers like a blade.
She couldn't help but think how familiar its eyes were, as if she had already seen them somewhere else.
It seemed to have fallen on top of Connie's house, turning the house into a pile of broken roof tiles and rocks. Its head was too big for it to stand up, and its body too fragile and skinny, with ribs that were already popping out of its body.
Its neck was stretched backwards, facing the soldiers with hunger and desire, and its blond hair covering all the front of the house.
"Everyone! Stay back!" Gelgar warns loudly, "I'll scout the area!"
Iris stayed close to Bertholdt, and away from the house, "How do
you think it got up there, Bertholdt? Look at it, the thing can't even move a single muscle. What happened to this place?"
He only sighs, worried, "I'm as clueless as you are. That Titan is pretty scary, you know."
She lets out a dry chuckle, no emotion in it whatsoever, "Yeah, it is."
Shortly after the encounter, Gelgar made them scout the whole village, searching for any potential survivors, but so far, no human being has shown its presence. It all looked, and felt, too deserted for it to still have someone around. Iris couldn't come close to imagining what Connie must be feeling.
"Did you find anything?" Iris asks Connie as they all come back to the meeting point, his house. Her eyes soften when she notices the tears running down his cheeks.
"T-They're g-gone... My family... my hometown... it's all gone," he chokes up between his cries, but he conceals his emotions when their superiors approach.
Reiner puts a reassuring hand on Connie's shoulder. But, it wasn't his gesture that troubled Iris, it was the way Reiner looked as if he was actually mourning with Connie.
"Has anyone found any bodies?" Gelgar questions.
"I haven't," admits Bertholdt.
"How in the walls' name is that possible? Titans just go on a walk and somehow crash this place, even though there's nobody? And the stables, too," Gelgar says. "If the people evacuated, why are the horses still here?"
Silence.
He sighs, "Well, grab your torches. Let's move out. Our mission now is to locate and access the breach in the wall!"
"Yes, sir!" they all replied in unison.
Everyone was now riding behind Gelgar, except for Connie, who was getting on his horse. Iris pulls back her horse, heading towards him, "Connie, let's go. We shouldn't fall behind."
"Oh... right."
"Connie."
He was trying to fight the lump in his throat, "Yeah?"
Iris sighs, "I may not know what you're feeling right now, but I promise you that we will find out what happened to your family. Just be strong, okay? For yourself, for your family, and for us."
Connie gives her a small smile, touched by her warm and considerate heart, "Thanks, Iris. Really."
"Of course," she smiles back, "We're on your side, remember?"
She finishes it off with a gentle pat on his head and then gestures him to move along, but as they do, they hear a hoarse voice say,
"Wel... Welcome... home."
A shiver crawls down her spine.
Connie and Iris look over their shoulders, so slow it seemed like their necks were stuck. Iris furrows her eyebrows, debating on whether or not she just heard the Titan talk.
As if on cue, the Titan makes noises, trying to form words, but it was obvious how it was struggling.
She hears Connie mumble to himself.
Then, Reiner's voice shakes them off their trance, making both of them flinch, "Oi! Come back to your senses, you two! We're falling behind!"
Connie blinks repeatedly, "Reiner, did you hear that? The Titan, it just-"
"I didn't hear anything! Focus, Springer!" he yells.
"No, no, but it... I think... I don't know how, but... My mom..."
Reiner clenches his teeth, ruffling his hair frustratedly, "Connie! Do you understand the situation we're in?! Right now, many lives are at stake, if we don't complete the mission! Who knows? Maybe your family escaped, but that doesn't mean it's over! If you're a soldier, put the mission first!"
He rides off, leaving Iris to wonder where all of that came from. She couldn't deny how she was also moved by his words. Reiner was getting more confusing every day.
Connie scoffs, a new confidence overpowering his fear, "He's right. I am a soldier. Let's go, Iris!"
Wasting no more time, the two chase after Reiner and the team.
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Surely there was going to be a hole, right?
The heavens know how many hours they have spent searching for it as they covered Wall Rose's terrain, and they still haven't found a single crack. It was pitch black now. Not even the torches they carried could help them make out a shadow of their surroundings.
And as she expected, Iris was freezing. The others didn't seem to bothered by the cold night, being too alert in case of any Titans, but she was having shivers every five seconds, cursing herself for wearing such a slim blouse that made no effort to keep her warm, even with long sleeves.
Her hand shakes as she tries to hold the burning torch. At least she had the fire, but it wasn't enough. Though, Iris wasn't sure why she was shaking.
Fear? The cold?
She hopes it's the cold.
Then, Iris sees faint circles of light. She squints her eyes to clarify her vision, and she realizes they were torches. It was the other teams Miche Zacharius had assigned. Christa and Ymir among them.
Iris' heart sinks when she realizes Sasha wasn't there, worry taking over her emotions.
Nanaba was the one leading up front, breathing out in relief when she recognizes them.
"I take it you and your team went along the wall?" Gelgar asks her.
Nodding, she says, "Yes, but we didn't find anything to the west. Did you find the breach?
"There's no hole this way either. We covered all the land, and nothing."
Iris watches all of them exchange glances, cold beads of sweat on their faces. Then, Lynne, speaks up, "Is it possible we missed it?"
A soldier in Nanaba's team shakes his head, "Absolutely not. A hole that big wouldn't go past the eye. The Titans couldn't have sneaked in with a small gap between the walls."
"Do we go back, then?" Gelgar asks.
"There's no other choice," Nanaba says, "but the horses have reached their limit, and so have we. We'll need to find shelter. If only we had some moonlight."
The skies were in her favor, aiding the soldiers as it parts way for the moon gleaming brightly from above. The silver light clears their vision, revealing the ruins of what seemed to be a castle in the far distance, taking away a tremendous weight off their shoulders.
Soon enough, they arrived.
Iris stares up to the two brick towers, admiring how they still stood tall despite the crumbled walls that protected it. To the luck, the stables were perfectly intact. They tie their horses and cautiously made their way inside.
"Someone must have been here, thought it is odd how close this place is to the wall," Gelgar says as they all sat around the bonfire Nanaba made with the help of Christa.
Iris sat on the floor, resting her elbow on the box Bertholdt sat on top on, next to her. Reiner sat just a little in front.
"Must have been a bandit's hideout," Ymir shrugs.
""Ruins of Utgard Castle", that's what it said on one of the signs," Nanaba says, "Who would've thought there'd be a castle around here?"
Iris rubs her arms up and down to lessen the cold, feeling her eyes get heavier the longer she stares at the flames.
A door squeaks, catching the attention of everyone. Gelgar walks out from a room, looking down at an old glass bottle in his hand, smirking, "Huh, well, would you look at that? It seems this liquor has been waiting for me."
Lynne sits up straight at the mention of alcohol, "Gelgar, is that... booze?"
"Yeah," he replies, narrowing his eyes on the label, "but I can't read for shit. What the hell does it say?"
"You're not planning on drinking it, right?"
"Shh, Lynne, we have company," he tilts his head towards the rookies, making Lynne scoff, "Now, you kids, go to sleep, will ya? I'm sure they're won't be any Titans roaming around, but just know that we will take turns keeping watch, so rest. Be ready to leave four hours before daybreak."
"Uh... sir," Christa turns to him, "what if the wall isn't actually breached? The Titans... where else could they come from?"
"We'll find out tomorrow, kid," Gelgar assures, making his way up the staircase, "For now, catch some sleep."
Iris didn't expect anyone else to talk, especially Ymir.
"Connie," she calls, "what happened to your village?"
"Destroyed. But nobody was eaten. I think they all escaped, so that's something to be grateful for. I think."
Ymir frowns, "You said it was destroyed?"
"Yeah, the houses and stuff were wrecked, but my people made it out safely," he says, "If they were eaten, there would've been blood or remains, but there wasn't. They're alive. I know it. Still, I can't stop thinking about the Titan we saw on top of my house... I don't know, but... it reminds me of my mother... What does that-"
"Connie," Reiner glares at him, "You're still onto that? I told you-"
"Oh, Connie!" Ymir snorts, breaking into a loud and mocking laughter, shaking her head while she slaps her knee, "You think your mom is a Titan?! Are you even aware of how short you are, huh? Now, everybody, and I mean everybody, knew how dull that big ole' head of yours is, but this is taking it to another level! Are y'all hearing this?!"
Her giggles only seem to increase when she hears Connie whisper, rubbing his head in frustration, "Would you shut up already? I get, damnit."
"Look, if your so-called theory was right, it means your daddy had to be a Titan, too," she snickers, "How else would you explain, you know, them getting down to business-"
"Shut up, you wench!"
It took awhile for Connie and Ymir to stop bickering, but when they did, it was peaceful. Iris was resting, holding her head with her hand, but was awaken as quick as she was to fall asleep.
Noise.
It came from a closet to her right, light coming out of it and two voices she recognized as Reiner and Ymir. Curiously, Iris stands up and halts at the door, leaning in to listen to their muffled whispers.
"Ymir? What are you doing?"
Reiner.
"Came to see me, Braun?" Ymir's laidback voice replies sarcastically, "I was starting to think you had no interest in women."
"It didn't seem like you were into guys, either," Reiner says in his deep voice.
"Actually, I take back what I said. I know you have eyes for Miss Elvira back there. Sorry to break it to you, but it seems someone else is working his charms on her."
Her eyebrows perch at the sound of her name.
Reiner groans, "Stop with the nonsense, Ymir. You don't know what you're talking about."
"Right, whatever you say," she chuckles, "And for your information, I'm on a serious scavenger hunt for food. Gotta fill up my stomach before dying, you know."
Iris rolls her eyes at her dramatization, trying not to dwell on her previous words.
"Back then," Reiner starts, "what you said about Connie's village. Was that on purpose? It'd be better for him not to worry about his family, so for once, your jokes can be useful."
"Aw, how lovely of you to take care of your friends. Want a golden star for your generosity?"
Reiner makes irritated noises, his heavy combat boots shuffling against the ground, "Shut it, Ymir."
Looks like he finally realized the hypocrisy, she thought.
Iris switches positions, now peaking through the gap between the door and the frame. Reiner was staring down at Ymir, who was scattering around a box with her hand. She pulls out a can of food.
"Ha! This'll do the trick," she exclaims, scanning it, "Not that I like Herring, but it is what it is."
Reiner steps closer to her kneeling figure, "Is there more?"
Ymir hands him the can with a disgusted face, "All yours."
"Canned food, huh?"
Iris scrunches her nose at the thought eating Herring. She was never one to eat fish and will never be. It reminds her of the insane amounts of fish Marleyans would consume back home.
Home.
She hasn't thought about it in a long time.
Reiner was scanning it as well, but he suddenly stopped, his broad shoulders tensing up. She couldn't see his face, but she knew something shocked him.
"This says Herring on it?... It's in another language, but how can you know that?"
He turns it sideways and Iris briefly caught sight of the can's label. At first, she thought he was dumbass for forgetting how to read, but then she realizes she can perfectly read it.
The label is written in Marleyan.
Reiner just blew off his cover.
Her eyes cross back to Ymir, analyzing her next reaction. Ymir looks back at Reiner with her narrowed brown orbs.
"Ymir... you're..."
The corner of her lips curls. Subtle and wicked.
She knows.
"Everybody, wake up! Get to the tower! Quickly!" Lynne shouts as she runs downs the stairs.
The rest were awaken in a second, rising up to their feet and following her up the stairs. Reiner bursts the door open, his eyes widen, "Iris, what are you-"
"There's no time, let's go," she tells him, heading for the staircase.
At the top, they saw Titans. Multiple surrounding the castle, crawling up the shackles in order to get to them.
"How could they be moving this late?!" Gelgar yells.
"Oi! What the hell is that?!" Connie points at something.
No... It can't be.
A Titan. Seventeen meters tall. A full body covered in thick, brown fur, except for its long torso, face, hands and feet, resembling a monkey. With rows of toned abs and a rounded pouch below them, and arms going as far as its body, the Titan was marching its way to the wall, its powerful steps thumping on the ground.
Never in her life would've Iris thought she would be relieved and terrified, all at the same time, to see him again.
The world knows him as the Beast Titan, Marley's golden boy.
To her, he was no other than Zeke Yeager.
"I've never seen a Titan with fur! It's... like a Beast! How is that even possible-" Connie blurts out, turning to his friends for answer, but instead, he met the panic-stricken faces of Iris, Reiner and Bertholdt, watching how they become statues painted with raw horror.
Suddenly, the tower trembles, catching everyone off balance for a second, then, they hear the familiar wires of the ODM gear. The four superior officials draw out their swords and run for the edge, "Stand back, rookies! We got this!"
Iris comes back to Zeke, trying her best to figure out the reason for his presence, observing how he was already climbing up Wall Rose.
She lets out a small gasp, as Commander Magath's voice lingers in her memories, "Every full moon, Marley will send its army to the island. When you accomplish your mission, go back to the port, and wait for your transport. Is that clear, Elvira?"
"Yes, sir!" she had replied in that moment.
Of course. How could she forget? But that still didn't explain Zeke's appearance. Could it be that Commander Magath send Zeke himself to supervise their progress, to see if they were alive? Or was it Zeke that convinced Marley to take him out for a ride?
That could explain how careless he was walking around, acting like he was on the 7-day-Paradis-travel-tour.
All Iris knew is that Zeke being on the island is no good sign.
Lynne lands on the rooftop unexpectedly, "The Titans came through the tower! Go back and form some sort of barricade! Be extremely careful! I'm not sure if we'll still be alive to protect you guys, but we'll give it all till we die! Now go!"
"Got it!" the rookies reply, sprinting down the staircase.
"I'll go see how far they've come through!" Reiner yells, grabbing a torch off the wall, "Go find something to barricade the door! Everything and anything you can carry!"
"Reiner!" Iris shouts at him angrily, "You idiot! Wait for us!"
"Reiner! We're going! Just hold on!" Bertholdt joins her. They both sneak through the rest and fasten their steps. On the other hand, Reiner was already gone after opening the door.
Connie groans, "The hell does he think he's doing, being the first to jump straight to danger like that? Come on, man!"
"Yeah," Bertholdt says, "Bad habit of his, let me tell you."
They hear Reiner scream from downstairs, "They're here! Bring something to h-help me!"
"Bertholdt, go!" Iris hands him a pitchfork she finds laying around. He takes it a with a firm nod and sprints away.
Connie, Ymir, Christa and her part ways within the floor level, searching for potential weapons. There wasn't much besides the pitchfork she handed to Bertholdt, some wooden poles and broken metal things. Then, Ymir lets out a whistle, chuckling, "Looks like I hit the jackpot, ladies and gentlemen. The rest of you can go home now!"
Iris steps out the closet she was in, staring at Ymir. She was standing behind a canon with a proud smile.
"Oh! If only Jean was here to see it! He'd go crazy!" Connie says.
Christa, Connie and Iris join Ymir, pushing the cannon until they reached the door leading to the another staircase. Reiner and Bertholdt were busy enough, stabbing the pitchfork to the eye of the Titan wanting to come through the door.
"Reiner! Bertholdt! Watch out!" Ymir warns.
"Does it have powder? A cannonball?" Reiner asks worriedly.
"No! We'll have to toss the whole thing! Now, move your asses!" she places her foot on it, giving it one last push with Connie and Iris. The cannon jolts forward, sliding down in Reiner and Bertholdt's direction. The two quickly jump before the cannon crashed on the Titan.
"You guys all right?"
Iris moves down the stairs with the rest following, analyzing what happened to the Titan. It was buried with the ruins of the door and the cannon. Might not be dead, but it won't move.
Bertholdt gave her a nod. Reiner was quiet.
Connie pulls out a small knife out of his pants, "Now what? All we have is this knife I found. Do I cut its nape?"
"Don't you dare. You'll get hurt," Reiner says.
"Let's retreat back upstairs. We don't know if that's the only one that got inside," Christa suggests, walking up, "It's dangerous to stay here and- Connie!"
Iris didn't hear the snap of the wood, but she snaps her head back at Christa's scream. A small Titan was at the door, it's mouth wide open to eat Connie.
It was all too fast.
Connie shrieking. Reiner pushing him. The Titan biting down his arm. Iris yelling his name. Reiner's cries. Memories of Marcel.
Iris flinches, forced to listen to the sound of the Titan bitting down his flesh. For once, she felt like she was about to lose him.
"Reiner!"
The blond groans loudly, squatting down and throwing the Titan over his body in a quick motion. He stumbles, but remains strong, carrying it up the stairs. The others were behind him, unsure of what to do.
"Reiner... don't tell me," Connie exclaims, "You're jumping out the window?!"
"I've got no other choice!" Reiner grits through his teeth, throwing his leg over the open window.
Connie runs to him, stabbing the knife in the Titan's jaw, "No, wait! I'll slice it's jaw open!" he continues to twist the knife in many ways, blood splattering all over him, and at last, Reiner's arm was free.
They both step aside, and before the Titan launches at them again, Ymir sends a harsh kick to its face. It fall off the window and onto its death.
Iris approaches Reiner, grabbing his not injured arm, helping him walk properly, "Let's go. We need to barricade the door. I don't want anymore surprises."
The six return to the floor where they stayed in the first place, blocking the door with wooden logs they found thrown around. Christa sat down with Reiner, pouring the leftover alcohol over his wound, and apologizing quickly when Reiner winces.
Connie secures the last log with a hit of his hammer, "Let's hope its friends decide to take a rain check at eating us. We don't have any other canon."
"Yeah, I'm with you there," Bertholdt says.
Iris walks to Reiner and Christa, regretting she laid her eyes on his bitten arm, "Oh, that looks nasty."
"I think it's broken," Christa tells him with worry.
Reiner grunts, shutting his eyes tightly in pain, "Yup, just my luck."
"You'll need a bandage and a splint, Hold on, I just need to-" she proceeds to stands up and tear a piece of her skirt, now revealing a little of her knees, "There you go, though, I'm sorry for the filthy cloth. It's all I got."
Sitting back down, Christa wraps the cloth around his chest, creating a spontaneous sling, completely oblivious to Reiner's panicked face. Iris stood behind him, and she could see his Adam's apple move, gulping down his nerves.
She slaps his nape, making him wince again, "Watch your eyes, Braun."
"I-I wasn't doing anything," he stammers, turning to Christa, "And don't worry, Christa, this will help."
The other three walk to them. Connie puts his hands on his hips, "So will you be alright?"
"Yeah, I think so."
If only they knew how fast he could've healed himself.
"Christa," Ymir calls, holding up her hand, mocking a hurt expression, "I think my hand got a bit scrapped up, too..."
"Spit on it, dumbass," Connie scoffs, "And I'm sorry, Reiner. It's like you're always there, risking your life to save my ass. Annie and Iris have, too. I've gotta pay you all back sometime."
His words warmed up her heart. She couldn't stop the smile growing in her lips.
"Don't dwell on it too much," Reiner replies, blankly staring at the ground, "We're soldiers. It's what we do."
Iris drops her smile instantly.
Now we're soldiers, huh?
"No, I doubt I could ever jump in front of a Titan, much less, let it bite me," he admits, "Hey, Bertholdt, has he always been like this?"
"No..." Bertholdt's gaze turns to Reiner, "In the past, Reiner was more of a warrior."
Reiner frowns, "Warrior? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Who knows? Maybe you'll find your answer deep inside of you."
Iris' eyes never left him as she spoke. He gasps to himself.
"Whatever, let's just find anything useful. If we die, might as well do it without regrets," Ymir says, going up to the windowsill and sitting on it, observing the dead Titans bodies, "Well, that's the Scouts for you. I'm starting to get why they're so different than other soldiers."
Then, a loud crash echoed from outside the tower. Ymir pushes her head out the windowsill, "The horses! A big rock just smashed them!"
Together, they went for the roof, shocked at how a big part of it was missing. Nanaba and Gelgar were laying down Lynne and Henning's dead bodies.
With lament, Gelgar says, "They both died instantly."
"It's him! That Beast Titan did it!" Connie runs to the opposite side, then he gasps, "A group of Titans approaching! Twice the number!"
Gelgar looks up, petrified, "What did you say?!"
Nanaba sighs, "The timing is too perfect, like it's part of some strategy. This didn't just happen. It was their intent from the start. Right now, we're nothing, but toys."
The Beast Titan roars all the way from the top of the wall. It's mighty voice sending dreadful shakes to the castle. Nanaba and Gelgar quickly jump back to the action, but it was clear how they were running out of gas.
The tower next to them crumbles down, falling on top of a Titan. Shortly after, Nanaba and Gelgar lost to the Titans. Iris steps back, hesitating on what to do.
Should I transform? No. I'll get eaten, either way.
Christa starts throwing down rocks at the Titans, but Ymir kept holding her back, yelling, "Stop it, will you?! The tower will fall any second now!"
"No! They're dying in our place!"
Iris looks down from the roof. Nanaba was struggling against the crowd of hungry monsters, crying out as she begs for salvation. She sighs when Nanaba's voice runs out.
Connie's knees go weak. He punches the wall angrily, "Shit! Is there nothing we can do?! This tower is gonna fall soon, damnit! We'll be wiped out!"
"I.. want to fight, too. If only I had some weapon. I'd go down there, fight and die with them," Christa says.
"Don't you dare use their deaths as an excuse, Christa," Ymir snarls, "They didn't die for you to kill yourself. Stop it."
Christa blinks several times, stammering, "N-No, that's not what I meant.."
"You're not like Connie and the Scouts! You're selfish. All you want to do is to have the word hero on your name."
"T-That's not..."
Ymir ignores her, extending her hand for Connie, "Oi, baldie, give me that knife."
"My knife?" he replies.
"Hand it over."
He gives it, "Fine. Damn."
"Thanks," she pats his head, but her arm was slapped away by him.
He sucks his teeth, annoyed, "Quit doing that. What do you need it for?"
"Ah, you know. I'm going to have a dancing battle with them," a sinister smile creeps on her lips.
Out of instinct, Iris moves closer to Bertholdt, steadily holding her eyes on Ymir. He looks down at her, confused by the daggers she shot from her eyes.
"Ymir," Reiner says, "What are you gonna do?"
"Who knows?" she chuckles, walking over to Christa, "Christa. You've probably forgotten-"
The ground shakes again.
Ymir's hands on her shoulder tighten, "Just bare with me. Think back... on that promise we made training on that snowy mountain. I realize I have no right to say this, but please live a life you're proud of, Christa."
Slowly, she steps back, leaving Christa dumbfounded. Ymir taps the tip of the knife, facing her one last time, "Remember it, alright?"
Iris steps closer, "Ymir, what are you-"
The girl doesn't give Iris a chance to finish and sprints forward, jumping off the roof. They all gasp, speechless as they watch her drag the knife across her palm, drawing out blood. Then, a powerful strike from the sky engulfs Ymir in a green-yellowish light, making Iris' stomach sink when she realizes what is happening.
When the light goes out, a Titan is revealed.
It was Ymir.
Her Titan was no bigger than five meters, its body small and muscular, with black, long claws and sharp teeth. Its head was bigger, having brown shaggy hair and dark beads for eyes. The Titan was unmistakably the long lost Jaw Titan.
Five years ago, it belonged to her dear friend Marcel, who died in the hands of who she came to realize is Ymir.
The new holder of the Jaw.
And as Iris watches her fight the Titans with her sharp claws and teeth, she dreads back on the memories she thought she had left behind. It was devastating to think how every single moment she spent with Marcel became insignificant to the one that holds them.
The tower rumbles, throwing away Christa's balance. With a squeal, she launches forward, on the verge of falling off, if it wasn't for Reiner's arm holding her leg.
"Reiner, thank you- Ah!" she cries in pain. He was gripping her leg hard, and it looked like he isn't aware of it. "Ow, Reiner! It hurts!"
Connie runs to them, trying to pull Christa back and stop Reiner, "Come on, man! Let her go! You're hurting her!"
Reiner blinks, quickly doing as he says with an apologetic look in his face, "I-I'm sorry... I didn't..."
Christa is brought to her feet by Connie and Iris. She faces him with a kind yet shaken smile, "It's fine. Don't worry."
Iris feels her lips start to tremble, "Christa... Did you know?... Did you know Ymir is a Titan?"
"No... I had no idea," she whispers, "That Titan... is Ymir?"
Ymir's screeches pound in their ears. So loud they were actually painful.
"So she knew things about our world, and I didn't notice. Huh," Reiner says in a rough voice, "I can't believe it. All this time that information could've been useful to our cause."
Iris and Bertholdt turn their eyes at him. Why did it feel like Reiner was a new person every five minutes? It was like he's been changing personalities, unsure of who he really is. Or is she just overthinking things?
"Do you think she's known about it? Was she clueless, like Eren?" Connie asks, "It sure feels like she already knew."
To that, Christa gulps, "Are you saying she's an enemy to humanity?"
"I'm just saying it's one hell of a power to hide. I wonder... what could have she been thinking this whole time?"
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