Mia ran towards the crying, stopping immediately as she saw what laid before her.
Or more so, who.
"W...What the-"
And as all the eyes stared at her in pure, and utter horror. One did not. Instead, they were shut, and no light hit them any longer.
Mia's breath left her, her head aching as she tried to hold back the tears that so desperately wished to escape. She couldn't believe who laid before her, nor could she even bring herself to inhale as the nauseating smell of blood flooded her senses.
" Mia, turn around," Levi commanded, stepping towards her. But she couldn't bring herself to look to him.
" Sasha....Sasha-" She choked, her knees buckling as she attempts to near her old friends body. Mia's hands fall to Sasha's stomach, blood seeping through her fingers. She gawked at the sight, her lip quivering.
" Mia...maybe," Armin whispered, placing his hand on her shoulder. " Maybe rest a while longer, it's not good to be-"
She pushed his hand off her, turning back to him with tear stained cheeks. But, Mia held no sorrow, only rage. " Who did this?" She growled, her teeth gritted together.
The squad all looked to one another, concerned and confused on what to say. But Jean, he was just as furious. " Them." He pointed to a group of guards in the corner surrounding two kids.
Gabi and Falco.
Mia's eyes widened, her heart sinking at the sight of the perpetrators. Her friends, they had murdered Sasha. She stood up, curling her hands into fists.
She didn't know what to do, her mind swirled with memories of each. The days she spent stealing Sasha's food, and how she'd continuously chase her for it. The moments Gabi would come over, when Mia wasn't allowed to leave, and would braid her hair, and fill her in on the outside world.
Her heart swelled, an unbeknownst pain eating her out from the inside. She didn't know what to do, her chest ached and all she could feel was her own hatred for the people surrounding her.
With her hands clenched, she walked towards Gabi, a scowl painting her cheeks. Both she and Falco looked back up to her, sorrow resting in their eyes. " Hanna, we're sorry but I-" Gabi cried, she laid out her hand for Mia to take but, she slapped it away.
" My name is Mia, and i know you know that." Her voice calmed, but held a chill to it that even made Mikasa shudder.
She sounded too familiar, too old Mia. They looked closer at her, she truly hadn't changed a bit. And to make matters worse, Levi knew just how similar she was to her old self, as currently it was all she knew.
Mia hadn't gone through the change yet, her current demeanor would have still been in the realm of 'i dont care'. Though, she seemed far happier than how she normally would have responded.
It was confusing, and uncertain. She seemed to be an odd mix between who she was and who she is. And it was clear that Mia struggled with it too.
Her fists continuously opened and closed, each time leaving the marks from where her nails had indented her skin left visible.
" Han-" Falco stopped himself, "Mia, what are you doing with them? Come on, use your titan form! Get us out of here!"
She felt her stomach flip, as her eyes darted between her new and old friends. Mia didn't think she'd have to choose, but in the moment, she was clearly able to distinguish the difference between them.
Good and bad, wrong from right.
The questioned she had to ask herself was which they each fit in to. She wanted to rescue Falco and Gabi, they were merely kids. But they were kids who had murdered for the pure sake of bringing death.
I can't blame them, Eren, Mikasa and i had done it too.
More thoughts swirled around, meeting at the brim of her heart. " Come on, please, Mia! They're gonna take us!" Gabi cried, tears welling up in her eyes.
She stepped forward, hesitant to lay out her hand to them, " Mia! They just killed Sasha, what are you doing?!" Connie yelled, getting up to stop her, but Jean intervened.
" If she wants to side with the enemy, let her."
Mikasa couldn't believe what she was hearing, he had put in everything he had to get Mia back, and now he was choosing to disband her.
Jean was supposed to be Mia's best friend, the one who never gave up on her even in the darkest of days. But here he was, hurt and angry. The Mia he loved would have killed those two murderers the moment the bullet hit Sasha's chest, she would have known who she stood with, and she would have fought for them rather than stand by uncertain.
" They're not...They're not enemies...what about..." her head ached as she pulled at her hair, " What do I do, Eri?" She turned to her best friend, tears falling past her clouded eyes.
He looked back at her, his heart only beating for Mia in the moment. His best friend. And all he could do was stare mindlessly, this wasn't who he was anymore. It couldn't be.
" The people of Marley must fall, Mia. If you're smart, you'll know what to do."
She shook her head, looking back to the cowering Falco and Gabi. " They're just kids. They don't know any better, Eren, all they know is what they were told!"
He merely scoffed, as did the others. Mia knew they were all blinded by rage at the loss of their friend, but she couldn't — no, she wouldn't let them kill them.
" I stand with all of you. You're my family, not my friends." She whispered, meeting the eyes of the captain and the others, " but I won't let you hurt them. Take them as your prisoners, we can show them just how great the people on Paradis island truly are. We can merge with one another, and maybe one day, form a new world. One with peace..."
They all stared at her, nodding as their final response. But one man did not, instead a nauseating tone flushed through his chest.
Eren now knew who his biggest enemy would be, and his eyes met hers, he would have never believed it to be his best friend.
She turned to Levi, wanting to go back to him but she stayed still. A pain scorched her temple, and everyone who watched her knew not even she would fight this one off.
Her legs gave out, and in a second, Jean scooped her up — not without the glare of both Eren and Levi though.
" Hey! Mia! What the- what's happening to her?" Falco wailed, before a guard clasped a hand over his mouth.
Jean went to lay her back on the floor, but everyone in the room scoffed. " Are you seriously gonna leave her here? With Sasha?"
Levi sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Follow me, Kirschtein."
They lead her back into the room she was in prior, laying her back down on the bed. She continuously pulled at her hair, gasping for air.
Jean watched her in horror, pleading for it to end. He thanked himself for getting Levi to go back, because he feared he wouldn't even be able to bear it...Jean barely did.
Mia's eyes shot open, her breath picking up in pace as she slouches over. She scrunches up the bed sheet in her fist, gritting her teeth together.
She couldn't wrap her head around what had happened, but the feeling that consumed her brought an ache to her stomach. A piercing ache. Her hand fell to the pain, searching for a wound that had existed years prior.
It felt like a dream, and she had finally woken up. The memories rekindled in her mind, each distinct part flicking past her very eyes.
— flashback —
" I'll put it up." Levi's voice lurked for only seconds, as my mind began to darken. His touch seemed to grow colder, and farther away, even though his arms still rested around me.
" ...Hey Levi?" I whispered, but my voice sounds too far away. As If i laid in a tunnel, and he at the end. Another pain shoots through my chest, but I have to continue before he leaves me my vision.
" I- I love you."
He tightened his grip around me, but it no longer feels real. It's cold, and burns at the touch. My breathing softens, as my eyes close. A deep darkness encapsulates my mind, as I gasp out for one final breath.
And my light flickered out, like a withered candle in a burning storm.
" I love you too, Blondie."
— End of flashback —
Mia shoots up, turning to Jean. Her eyes widened, unsure of all the feelings that filled her chest.
" Mia? Are you okay?"
She scoured her entire body, meeting his glance again. Another gasp left her mouth, but it was far different than the last.
" I was dead."