We approached the wall shortly and looked around to find the others. 'Now where are they.' My eyes darted in every direction looking for where the scouts were on the wall. 'They have to still be here, all the horses should be on this side of the wall and I doubt they'd all go back.'
Alas I spotted them resting atop the wall injured seemingly injured from the battle. I turned my head back to Armin before pulling myself partially out of my Titan to talk with him.
"Armin, when we rejoin your comrades. You'll tell them about what happened in Stohess and that I'm here to help them. I'm not taking the risk of leaving my Titan."
"I'll do my best to convince them. Although I can't guarantee I'll be able to." He looked up at the others anxiously.
"If they decide for whatever reason to attack, I'll be going to try and find Eren on my own. I'll keep my end of the deal."
"Thank you." He gave me a small smile before I re-entered my Titan and ran towards the wall to rejoin the others. While approaching something in the distance happened to catch my eye, I glanced over and spotted a convoy of Scouts heading towards the wall, amongst them, commander Erwin. 'This might be a problem.' I stopped slightly before continuing again. 'Not that it changes anything. I still need to get up on top first.' I looked back towards the wall which was now much closer and in rang for me to climb on top.
I used a burst of speed and leapt off the ground grabbing and pulling myself on top of the wall easily. 'I forgot how amazing this view was.' I stood up straight and could see for miles in every direction. looking down to my left I saw Armin scale down from me and approach the injured scouts. I saw Mikasa break from the crowd running to him and hugging him fiercely, meanwhile giving me a glare.
"Armin!" Historia and Mikasa said simultaneously. "We thought you were dead. . ." Mikasa lowered her voice somberly.
"Mikasa what happened to Eren!" Armin broke the hug and put his hands by his side.
"He. . . he lost to Reiner and Bertholdt." she looked down. "But what are you doing with, that." Her voice poured with disgust and anger her eyes narrowing into slits like a snake.
"I know what it seems like, but Y/N is not the person you think he is!" Armin rose his hands emphatically. "He didn't harm me in any way and has no allegiance with Reiner or Bertholdt. In fact he only asked me for the location of Annie."
"Did you give it to him!?" She looked shocked.
"Yes. . . But in return he promised to help get Eren and Wall Maria back for us."
"You believe him?" Mikasa retorted surprised.
"If he didn't plan on it then he wouldn't have come back here in the first place." Armin said confidently.
"What if he's with Reiner and Bertholdt! And going to go rejoin them, just playing along with your deal!" Mikasa brought up like he was a idiot.
"I thought of that, but I took the risk." Armins tone changed more serious and his aura along with it. "I believe Y/N is trustworthy. After all, we have no reason not to trust him right now, he never helped or assisted Reiner and Bertholdt in any way."
"Well, if you trust him then I won't complain. But, you'll have to deal with commander Erwin also." She kept her gaze at me the entire time making sure I didn't end up doing anything. 'She's right, Commander Erwin will be the real judge here.'
Speaking of which the Scouts had just finished scaling the wall and were rejoining Armin and the others. Approaching with the rest of the scouts, Commander Erwin talked with the others presumably about what happened when Eren was taken. After a long discussion he approached me along with a few other scouts beside him. I kneeled down onto my knee and looked down at the Commander.
"So Armin says you could be a powerful ally, Titan." He announces. "I have no reason to believe him, and no reason to trust you either. Why should I trust you?" He awaits my response despite Armin telling him I can't leave my Titan. 'So he's testing the limit I'm willing to go to gain their trust, if I don't exit my Titan then he has no reason to trust me. You're a tricky one Commander.' I smirked. 'I'll play your game.'
The nape of my Titan burst open and I ripped myself out as my Titan body collapsed tumbling off the wall. I stand up on my feet scratching the back of and cracking my stiff neck.
"I suppose you don't really have any reason to trust me." I sighed as my neck gave a loud and satisfying pop. "But believe me I want to put Reiner and Bertholdt into a grave as much as you do." I locked eyes with the Commander and after a long pause.
"Do you still fight for humanity soldier?" He questioned.
"I never stopped."
"Then I'll grant you my trust, I'll appoint two scouts to watch over you for the time being. Now go rejoin the others. We'll leave an hour before sundown." As he explained two scouts walked over and kept their distance but followed me. I on the other hand walked over to Armin and the others.
"So it's really true. . . You're really a Titan Y/N?" Conny looked at me saddened and betrayed.
"Yes. I am."
"Did you know about Reiner and Bertholdt?" His voice was quiet and it seemed like he'd boil over with rage any second.
"No, I knew I wasn't the only shifter here. But I didn't know about who they were, nor am I with them."
"So you're like Ymir, you weren't with them."
"I guess you could say that."
"That's good at least, I thought you might've been with them for a moment when you took Armin." He took a sigh of relieve. "Although, why did you ask for Annies location and nothing else? What did you do with that Information?" He looked at me puzzled. 'So Armin didn't tell them I broke her out.'
"I assumed you'd ask that, I went to the prison where she was being held to talk to her."
"What?" He tilted his head confused. "Why did you want to talk to her?"
"I was deciding whether to break her out or not." I answered truthfully.
"What!?" He snapped his head over confused and angered. "I thought you said you weren't with them!" He grabbed me by the collar pulling me down to towards him, garnering the attention of the others. "Why would you even consider breaking her out knowing what she's done if you're our ally!?"
"Calm down Conny, I just wanted to talk to her myself. How would you feel if the person you loved suddenly betrayed you? Would you not want to at least talk to them?" I tried to reason while Conny loosened his grip.
"But you said whether you would break her out or not. Those aren't the same thing." He said in a low tone. "Are you hiding something from us?" He looked up at my face in suspicion. 'He's right, although I messed up. I gave him too much information. Next time I'll be more careful with what I say.'
"Huh?" Mikasa stepped forwards having heard the conversation and turned to me. "What are you talking about Conny?" Mikasa asked without taking her eyes off me.
"He told me he was deciding on whether to break Annie out or not." He scoffed. 'This is starting to escalate too far.'
"I knew I shouldn't have trusted him." She unsheathed her blades and I took a few steps back.
"Mikasa, what are you going to do?" Armin asked whilst trying not to anger her.
"Did you know about this Armin?" She fired back while angling her blades at me.
"Yes. . . but it isn't important right now."
"How is this not important!? That just proves he's a traitor. I knew something was off about him from the moment I first saw him." She glared daggers into my eyes. I stepped back further before realizing there was no wall left behind me.
"Mikasa, he's already risked a lot coming here, he has no reason to betray us right now."
"That doesn't matter right now, he's still a traitor, and you might trust him but I won't let him leave here." She held the blade in front of my face. "Move a single muscle and I'll decapitate you right here."
"Mikasa stop, he's our ally!" Armin tried to stop her.
"Yeah Mikasa, I feel the same about him being suspicious but maybe we should just calm down." Conny added nervously.
"What are you guys doing?" Historia chirped in worried and confused.
"Be quiet all of you." Mikasa hissed back angrily ignoring Historia's comment. 'This might not end well.' I bit down on my tongue feeling a sharp pain and the taste of blood before speaking again.
"He's right Mikasa, I already took a huge risk just coming here to help. I made a promise with Armin to protect Eren. And I intend on fulfilling it."
"I don't care what you told Conny and Armin, I know you're a traitor and so I'll get rid of you right here." She brought her blades down with the intent to kill. My body acted reflexively lightning dancing around in the air as I prepared to transform.
"Enough." Commander Erwin grabbed her arm stopping it in its tracks. "I understand your sentiments, but I made the decision to let him accompany us. Obey the chain of command." He spoke sternly.
"Yes sir." Mikasa grumbled before heading off in the opposite direction. 'That was close. I almost transformed.' Although a sudden tiredness came over me feeling light headed and dizzy while trying to keep myself upright. 'This next transformation is going to be the last one. I'm almost out of gas from three.'
"We're leaving now. Y/N come with me. You'll accompany my squad." I followed Commander Erwin and just as we were about to go Hange woke up suggesting we travel to a forest of giant tree that was nearby too look for Eren.
I joined the commanders squad and sat in a small carriage that they had brought to haul extra gear as well as gas in the event that achieving Eren would require a drawn out battle. Alongside me was the two scouts from earlier. The horses took off and the chase started. After riding for some time I started to fall in and out of consciousness staring down at the bottom of the carriage beneath me. Every flare shot snapping me back awake.
'I was more tired than I initially thought. . . I don't know anymore if I'll be able to transform fully.'
I peered over the side of the carriage and saw a variety of faces, some fearful, some battle hardened. Even people from all three regiments were here. Fighting for what they think is their salvation. Eren. 'I'm glad Armin proposed me this deal. I missed the sense of fighting for something greater than me, however short it may last.' I smiled to myself.
Off in the distance, the giant trees started to come into view and Commander Erwin sent us full speed towards them. As we approached Titans flew out of the trees blocking our path. From inside the forest a shimmering bolt of lightning struck and shook the forest.
"We're just in time. Soldiers, disperse! We believe the enemy has already transformed! Locate Eren and recover him!" Erwin split off from the others with the carriage following behind him. "Battle is not our objective! Prioritize recovery and retreat!" He turned back to me. "You'll will stay with us. Do not transform without my order." He stared back waiting for an affirmation.
"Yes sir." I said turning my head in his direction. The carriage weaved and twisted through the forest path as a scream echoed through the forest. 'Ymir's Titan. So she was the one to transform. Although why now? She probably just recovered from her injuries and saw we were approaching so she could escape Reiner.'
The carriage steered towards the noise and suddenly, as soon as Ymir came into view. Her Titan flung off a tree and ate Historia. 'What!? Is she with them? ' Ymir quickly leapt away swinging from tree to tree away from the scouts. The rest acted quickly running after her with odm gear and the carriage swung after as well. As the end of the forest drew closer another bolt of thunder struck, and this time it was Reiner. He took off away from the forest, Ymir latching onto his back as the scouts came to a halt. 'They left most of the horses at the forest entrance, it'll take a minute or so before they get them back.' I looked over at the commander.
"I assume it's my turn." I stood up facing Erwin.
"You have good intuition, stall them for us. That's an order." He said without sparing me a glance.
"Sir yes sir." I smirked standing on the edge of the carriage. Leaping off the carriages back as it flew away in front of me towards Reiner. 'Don't think you can get away Reiner. Eren might've had his fun with you, but mine has yet to begin.' I took a deep breath before biting my hand and materializing my Titan. My feet slammed into the ground and I took off, rocketing to the forest exit accelerating to top speed in a matter of seconds. When I exited the forest the sun shone brightly in my eyes, a beautiful orange hue whilst it started to set in the distance. 'This'll be the last time you see the sun Reiner, you better savor it.'