When I woke, I was no longer in the Underground, and I was no longer resting on Eren's shoulder.
I was lying on the seventh step on the stairwell back to the surface. I could smell the bitter scent of blood covering the brick walls, fore it was still fresh.
War.
I rub my head and stand up.
Where is my Samuel? Eren, Mikasa, Armin? Where are they?
Walking up the stairwell, I throw off my cape, deeming it not necessary anymore. It falls gracefully onto the ground. I notice bodies thrown around, layered in blood. The bitter sweet smell gets stronger.
Cringing at the smell, I pinch my nose.
Stepping outside into the sunny atmosphere, I want to go for a walk. Go to the market and shop for fruits. Maybe even go to the local bookstore. Today is such a beautiful day,
Alas,
I cannot. Today is a day of death and sacrifice.
I sigh and shoot an anchor into a nearby building, shooting myself into the air. I dash quickly over to where Moblit claimed the higher ups would be. Hopefully, they're still there. I want to see Levi. I need to make sure he's okay before anyone else.
I observe my surroundings, looking at all the soldiers fly threw the air, occasionally stopping to restock their gas and change their blades. I never see Samuel and the rest, however.
"(Y/N)!" A feminine figure waves at me. I squint my eyes to see farther into the distance. Hanji. As I hoped, the trio sat right on top of an abandoned building, observing the ruckus.
Levi looks directly at me and a look of relief paints his face, I smile at him.
"Cadet (L/N), why aren't you fighting? This is a state of emergency!" Erwin frowns at me and crosses his arms.
I shrug, "I came for Levi....and uh...Hanji! I came for those two. Also, could you point me in the direction of the battle, and in the direction of Temporarily Squad Samuel"
Levi stands up, limping his way over to me, along with Hanji.
Erwin doesn't respond for a moment, but eventually says, "Towards the North. Your friends are fighting against the Female Titan. They can't seem to subjugate her due to her hardening ability. Perhaps you three can handle the situation..." and with that, he looks specially at Levi.
Nice to know he has faith in us.
I nod and blast myself away, Levi and Hanji following right behind. Of course, Levi would take the lead and I would have to put him back in his place. Looking down, I realize just how many soldiers we've lost over the course of me passing out and waking up on the stairwell. Bodies were everywhere. How could one, small, teenage girl do a mass genocide like this? I had to hold back the vomit creeping up my throat. I couldn't handle this.
"Stop looking down. Face forward, the enemy is straight ahead." Levi snaps at me, breaking my unsightly gaze on the corpses.
I hear a roar far off in the distance, and recognize it as Eren's roar. He went Titan.
Please don't lose control....
Hanji looks at the battle and sighs, "Welcome to the Survey Corps." In all honestly, I've never heard her so discouraged. Especially when it came to a Titan, nevermind an intelligent Titan like Annie.
We spot the Female Titan kicking, swinging her fists, all while maintaining the hardened state of her nape.
Annie, the same girl who killed my squad.
Annie, the same girl who visited me in the infirmary as if she had done nothing in the world wrong.
Annie, the same girl who cost so many lives of people who had families and dreams and values! So many things to live for!
I'll kill you Annie.
I swear it.
Levi and Hanji rush off into battle while I search for Samuel. He was my second priority, right after Levi. I need to make sure he's safe. I look all over the battlefield, but no Samuel. He's supposed to be leading our temporary squad, but he's nowhere to be found.
For a moment, I worry. I grow anxious at the thought that he probably had been injured, or worse, killed.
Nah, Samuel won't die. He's too stubborn to die.
I hear the roars of Eren and Annie clashing against each other in an all out battle for dominance. I shoot an anchor into a home and blast myself over to the fight. I notice Armin, Mikasa and the rest of the gang is all there, but still—no Samuel.
Huh.
(Y/N).
GET AWAY!
"Agh!" I shriek and collapse to the ground. The voices returned again, pounding against the inside of my skull. My gas tank breaks my fall, and saves me from serious damage against the hard concrete, but I still land with my legs scraping the ground, and they end up bleeding.
"Ngh...!" I hold my hands against my head and sob.
Why is my head throbbing? Why does it keep doing this!? It seems it only does whenever I get close to.....
That's it!
Annie!
It happened whenever I had gotten to close to Eren, as well!
To the Titan that grabbed me in the Forest of Giant Trees! The one that spoke!
My voices happened whenever I got too close to a titan!
But why are the voices telling me to get away? Why are they even in my head? They're torturing me. I can barely stand, it hurts so bad.
I groan from the pain and beat my head, urging the pain to go away.
I set my right hand on my right leg, and push the force on my leg to help the rest of my body weight up off the ground. Now I walked with a limp to my step, due to falling on the ground.
"Agh...."
Despite the pain, I'm determined to figure this out. I will figure this out. Not tomorrow or the day after.
Today.
I blast myself onto the air, gathering closer and closer to the battle that waged on. I was surprised at how difficult it seemed for the soldiers to take down Annie, after all, she's just one Titan.
Each time I got closer, the voices got louder. Almost to the point of shouting at me. Telling me I was too close or that I would die if I didn't get away. I ignored them. The pain was so unbearable, but I had to do this.
I have to.
I shoot an anchor into the Females Titan leg, and easily slice it, pulling back a slice of her muscle. I anchor myself up to her left arm next and do my famous dance up and down the length. I shouldn't call it "my famous dance" because it's Levi's, but if he doesn't want to name his fancy method of spinning, I'll claim it for myself.
Eren tackles her to the ground and lets out a high-pitched roar, spitting in the process. She easily kicks him off of her body, and I quickly have to shoot myself away from the fighting titans.
"Agh!" I shriek once more, pulling myself to a nearby home. It was times like this I'm grateful for buildings. They're an easy escape pod.
I collapse onto the ceiling and grab at my hair, pulling it tightly to ease the pain that went on inside my head.
"MAKE IT STOP! PLEASE! Agh!" I begin to sob and cry out.
Nobody can make it stop. Only I can. I have to get away from Annie—
But wait, what if Hanji is right? What if I am the Coordinate Titan? I can prove it now! I have to keep pushing!
I stand up weakly, and once more blast myself into the heart of battle.
This is going to be dumb, but, Annie seems to have an interest in both Eren and me. Let's give her what she wants.
"Mmph!" I groan, but fight my way through the pain.
Upon witnessing me, the Female Titan lets out a scream. It was so death defying, and sent piercings through my already damaged head. I cover my ears immediately, and have to try to balance myself on my anchors so that I wouldn't collapse to the ground.
Levi spun all around the Female Titan. She was nowhere near quick enough to harden her spots, for Levi was quicker, even with an injured foot.
Eren Lay on the ground in his regenerating process, his teeth biting on his long tongue.
Hanji repeatedly threw sound grenades she always kept in her waistband to distract the Titan while Levi slashed away. Mikasa stood on top of Eren's Titan body, awaiting for him to recover and I had no clue where Armin went. Seemed Levi was the only one that was actually fighting.
The Female Titan extends her long arm at me, attempting to smash me from the air, but I roll myself against her arm, spinning up and down in and ending the execution by sticking my two blades inside of her blue, reddened eyes.
"Agh! S-shit!" I can't go on. It hurts. I can't do it.
"(Y/N)! Hanji, get to (Y/N), now!" I hear Levi begin to shout orders as I fall to the ground once more.
I'm so useless.
I need to keep going.
Come on, (Y/N).
Get up!
I grunt and put my fist onto the ground, pushing my body up, only to fall limp. Hanji rushes to my aid and begins to talk to me, "(Y/N), we will get you as soon as possible. Just hang in there. Levi will handle it! Wake the hell up Eren! Mikasa, go fight with the Captain! Where the Hell is Samuel!" She shouts.
I lay flat on my belly, panting and sweating.
I can't give up now.
"H-Hanji...." I whisper weakly.
She looks down at me, "What is it?"
"Want to test your theory now?" I ask with a delicate smile.
She catches on to my inside joke and smiles widely. "Holy shit, yes! Let's do this! (Y/N) is back in action!" She jumps up excitedly and blasts herself into the battle, assisting Levi.
I stand up, falling twice more back down onto my stomach.
I'm not giving up.
Damn you...Annie....
"N-ngh...." I groan as the voices race through my mind.
I hover my fist on top of my gas tanks, and use every ounce of strength in my body to stand up.
Eren in the background finally regenerates to his full form and charges at the Female Titan.
Come on!
I let out a shriek of pain as I finally get my body off of the ground. I grab my bleeding leg and limp into the battle.
"Hey! You! Annie!" I crawl onto the heat of the war, standing right under her. How she didn't notice, I do not know.
"You stupid fuck! Get away from her!" Levi shouts, racing down to grab me.
"Get off of me Levi!" I push his body away, causing his anchor to snap and he collapses to the ground. "Oops."
He races towards me, hurt foot and all, and picks me up, shooting an anchor into a building to escape the the fight.
"Stay here." He says.
"No. I'm fighting." I respond, getting back up and dusting my uniform.
"Please. Stay here."
I think about it for a moment. I know he loves me and he wants to protect me, but, I want to protect him too, and to do that, I need to do this.
"No. I'm sorry. We will talk about this later." I say, jumping from the building and once more getting under the female titan.
I say that as if I'm going to survive....
"Annie! Down here! You want me right!?" I taunt, wagging my behind at her, "come get me!"
She screams and grabs me, but I quickly jump backwards and shoot myself away. "Gotta be quicker than that, slowpoke!"
She chases after me with Eren chasing after her, and Levi and Mikasa and a few others chasing after Eren.
I remember one day in the War Room where Hanji told us how Eren was able to transform into a Titan. Apparently by inflicting pain on himself. Now, I'm not sure if that's how it works for every Titan shifter, but I sure can try.
I take a deep breath, inhaling the air and look up into the sky.
It's so fresh.
I will continue to fight with all of my strength to protect the ones I love. To protect humanity. To protect our freedom.
I take my rose from my hair and throw it onto the ground. That rose no longer define me. I will not let it define me.
I sigh and bring my hand up to my mouth.
Annie is catching up.
Boom,
Boom,
Boom,
Boom,
Her footsteps goes, beaming like thunder against the ground.
Eren roars in the background.
I close my eyes—
And bite down, hard.
Boom.