【 Trust is a strong word. Will you own it? 】
- - -
"Kanpai!!!"
"Finally, we did it! We graduated the class!!"
"Yes.. We can finally leave this place. I can't wait to move to my new squad."
The dining barrack was noisy with the cadets talking and celebrating. It wasn't much of a party, but the surrounding was good enough to lift up their moods after three years enduring pain and hardship.
"Well, since we didn't get to be the top 10, I guess we have to settle with Garrison Corps," the group continue chattering.
"It's fine, though. No one would be sane enough to join Survey Corps. They are suicidal," another one said.
"Only an idiot will choose it."
"Can't be helping. Those joining Survey Corps are said to have metal heart."
"Insensate person....to be frank..." Another one snorted.
"But I heard that there are just so many among us with such good potential this time round. Narrowing down to only 10 is quite a hard choice this year. They wished to pick more so Military Police Brigade can have more talented ones but then.... That would make the other two Corps to be lack in manpower," one of them shrugged. He blew off satisfying sigh as the bitterness of the alcohol slide down his throat.
Their talks were occasionally occurred between a sip or two of their drinks. Some preferred to indulge the night with beer and alcohol, while some just wanted tea.
One of them had their eyes diverted around before settled back to his friends. He put his chin on the back of his palm as the other hand twirled around his mug. "If we follow according to the rank, the top classman is Mikasa, second to her is Ireen, followed by Reiner, Bertoldt, Annie, Eren, Jean, Marco, Connie and lastly, Sasha. To be honest, the top five are already monsters, as if they are gifted or something. They are just simply way ahead of us, and the rest after are the hardworking ones which bear fruits at the end. I can see why the gap between us so wide."
"Lucky for them... They can be rest assured when joining the MPs. They don't have to worry about food and such. Nice beds, no risk of getting eaten by titans. That's swee--"
"But you can't possibly win!" Thomas high pitched voice interrupted their conversation out of sudden. Some of them choked on their drinks while some of them stared in wonder over the commotion. Most eyes currently trailed on Eren and his friends.
It made Thomas realized he had caught their attention in his little outbreak. Nevertheless, he still continued pouring out his thoughts.
"You know just how many have been eaten by them. We have lost more than 20 percent of the entire population already. Mankind... doesn't stand a chance against titans." Thomas spoke with a solemn face.
Those who had been listening reminiscing over the fact and saddened over the truth.
But Eren was not gonna keep shut up.
"So? You guys just gonna give up just because you can't win? It's true we have suffered defeats so far. Because we hardly know a thing about them! But the knowledge we gained about them worth every lives that have been sacrificed! Yet you will discard the tactical progress bought by them, just to serve yourself up on a silver platter??!"
He took a pause.
"You're kidding me! I'll kill every last one of them and break free of these walls!"
Armin glanced over at Ireen's face when he heard a small snicker coming from her way. He noted on her small curve lips that was slightly pulled to the side, and her cheeks that was slightly in red hue.
"That's my dream! Mankind... Hasn't been defeated yet!" Eren finished his glorious speech with tears hanging barely at the brim of his eyes. Everyone was left speechless.
Realizing he might have went overboard, he rushed out of the dining barrack, with Armin and Mikasa followed suit. Noticing her friends were leaving, she decided to follow suit. However, she was totally smashed from the third round of her alcohol. She could barely standing straight as soon as her feet touched the cold stone floor, and walking in bee line was the only thing her feet could manage.
She gained worry words from the others, seeing how determined she was to leave despite running the possibility of kissing the floor any moment now. But the strong willed female simply brushed them off... With a hiccup.
- - -
Eren was wiping away his tears when Armin and Mikasa approached.
The blonde and the black-haired each took a seat on the stairways, eyes trailing on the town below them as they enjoyed the cool breeze, blowing and messing their hair. It recalled back their memories, 3 years ago before they joined the military training, where they spent countless night stargazing and talking.
The past was filled with laughter and joyous, and love and touches, and despite there were some nightmares haunting them occasionally, they managed to face it with each other standing side by side.
If only they could keep it forever like that....
"Eren, can we talk about your dream?" The blue-eyed boy turned to his longest childhood friend.
"Yeah.. After all, I get it from you. Going out of the walls and such." Eren replied with a curt nod.
Armin gave a small smile, before he declared a shocking news. "I'm going to join Survey Corps too."
Eren protested after a small pause. "You are our top theoretician! Put that to better use!"
"I don't care if I die as long as I can be useful."
"I will join Survey Corps too." Mikasa butted in.
"Mikasa, you are the top in our class! Go to Military Police!" He snapped his neck to her.
"I will go to Military Police if you go too. If you go to Garrison, then I will too. You'll die an early death if I am not with you." She spoke nonchalantly.
Eren sighed at that as he brought his palm over his head. "I never ask for that." He grumbled.
"I just don't want to lose anymore family members...." Mikasa uttered softly. She pulled the red scarf closer to her face, hiding beneath the fabric. Eren had to admit, that he too, didn't want such things to happen to them.
In silence, they spent their time gazing at the night clouds, watching the over 50 meters wall that within their eyes sighting, before the peace was crashed with Ireen's total smashed form leaning against Mikasa.
"You guys... How dare you guys *hic* leave me alone. I thought *hic* we are family~~~~~" She dragged over the word of family as long as she could.
Mikasa bent forward as she tried to avoid Ireen's face that was too close to hers. "Ireen, you smell alcohol." She tried to put in a nice way so to not hurt her feelings.
"Just how many mug you had just now, Ireen?" Armin questioned in worry. The green-eyed female pushed her body upwards from continuing leaning on Mikasa, and sat right next to her instead, but her head rolled to her shoulder as she grumbled.
"I was half at my third.. Till you guys left." She shook her mug lightly and grinned.
"You are a lightweight. Why are you drinking so much?" Eren scolded, and snatched the mug she was holding seeing how she intended to finish the one in it.
Ireen pouted in displeasure.
"Why not? From tomorrow onwards, we all won't be gathering here together for our dinner anymore. Each of us will walk following our chosen paths... And there's no guarantee we will be meeting each other again..." She rolled her head off Mikasa's shoulder, extending her hands to her back with the palms planted on the cobbled floor and leaned backwards.
Her bangs covered her right eye while the left slightly shut.
"Death of our classmates, are inevitable... Soon enough, when they are tasked with their duties, their strength and capabilities will determine whether they return or not... No one can be sure, of their safety... At least let me...forget this night, so I wont be regretting any, when that day comes."
She spoke between pauses, trying her best not to hiccup and stutter any incoherent words.
Her words caught them off guard.
Who had thought that the most strongwill, matured and straight-in-the mind person was trying to drown all her sorrows with alcohol? They thought she would go around laughing together with the rest to enjoy her last time gathering in large scale, but then she proved it otherwise.
Her words were so clear and realistic.
They have the night for themselves at the moment. But for the upcoming nights, will the 218 graduates once again sit at the same table and laughing and exchanging drinks? How many of them will make it?? Does all their memories that they built together will become... a forgotten memory once they died???
It will be a painful night when it truly comes.
....
Eren shook his head to wash away the thoughts. He didn't want to think about it. Not tonight. "Ireen, had you decided which regiment to join?" So he changed the course of their conversation.
"Obviously... It's Survey Corps. We promised back then, didn't we?" She yawned.
"But didn't you said your dream is to protect the King?"
"I said, the 'kings', Eren. You got it wrong the whole time."
"But we only have one King." Armin in confused.
"Well my kings are not the same as the king you guys are talking about." She bragged with large grin. Her body swaying back and forth pretty much.
"Then who are your kings?"
She took longer to answer. "My kings, are....." Then she fell backwards.
It shocked the two as Eren shouted for her name, but Ireen had passed out immediately, snoring lightly. It left the three dumbfounded, as they sighed and gave up from waking her up. She was hard enough to be awaken when asleep. And now she was drunkenly-sleeping, it will be even worse.
The last thing they ever want was for the female to throw random punches for disturbing her dream.
- - -
"They are here! The main force of Survey Corps is finally here!"
"Commander Erwin! Please kick the titans' asses for us!"
The civilians shouted as they gathered at the side, making ways for the squad to leave.
Eren and his friends were there too. All smiled brightly...
Except for Mikasa. She rarely smiled anyways. She always had a 'I'm not interested' look on her face all the time so it was hardly to guess if she was happy or not at the moment.
And also Ireen. She had a tight-constipated look as she brought her palm over her head. She whined moodily and cursed lowly over the loud noises.
"Can't they be anymore quieter? I'm having a headache here..."
"It's your fault to begin with. Drinking so much.." Eren poked her forehead, and Ireen slapped it away.
"Look! It's captain Levi!" A person's voice stole their attention as they looked up.
"They said he himself alone could count for a full unit."
Levi was like giving a scowling look, like he was annoyed with all the ruckus. And Ireen found it to be funny when his horse trotted closely behind the commander. The difference in their built... Was too obvious.
"I heard he is.... kinda short." She whispered.
Eren sweat dropped over it. "You don't comment someone's height when you are barely any taller."
"Tch." And she scoffed.
After that, they bumped into Hannes and greeted each other with respect. Hannes was apologizing for his inability to save Eren's mom, but the teal-eyed boy dismissed it saying it was not his fault at all. Eren then left to go to his station where his first duty will begin soon, and Mikasa and Armin waved off since their shift won't be in another hour. Meanwhile Ireen was bothering Hannes on how to reduce the killing headache from overdrinking, since the older male used to drink all the time.
She received a pull by her ear instead, coupled with nags and lectures for being drinking at such early age, before the older male prescribed her with ibuprofen later on. It took only 10 minutes for the medicine to kick in and Ireen praised the drug like it was some sort of magic.
- - -
It'd barely been five hours ever since the Survey Corps left the wall when the giant emergency bell rang loudly.
The incident from five years ago was repeating.
The colossal titan was back, and he had kicked the defense gate of Trost District, leaving an 8 meter tall of hole. His disappearance was immediate, that Eren missed his chance to attack his nape, just like his sudden appearance.
With the strategy for handling the colossal titan's appearance in motion, the 104th Training Corps found themselves getting ready to engage in the battle against titans, and to pour all their sweats and blood in ensuring the evacuation of the citizens of Trost District to be a success.
As that said, Eren and Armin were refilling their gas tank when Mikasa approached the two males from behind. Armin was rapidly talking about how the casualty will caused the death of many lives, how the city will be abandoned in the next hour and how Wall Rose could be the next in target to be breached. All in all in his shaky voice and chaotic mind. Even breathing calmly was found harder for the said male and Eren had to snap him back by holding his wrist forcefully.
"Oii Armin. Calm down!" The blue-eyed boy turned in fright staring at the brunette. "This time.... Mankind will win..." His eyes glazed with determination as he made promise.
Mikasa watched the scene unfolded, unsure on how to react until their forth closed friend appeared and greeted.
"Are you guys ready? We won't have much time talking and crying here." Ireen said, as she fixed the straps around her waist. "Don't drop your guard, guys. I don't want to be visiting any of your grave afterwards... At least not yet." She pointedly look at the two males' eyes.
A single glance over Mikasa's and she knew the female would survive. She had her own ways. Ireen knew it.
But the other two....
There's no way the two females could be at any of their sides. So..... It was all up to them to survive.
- - -
"Just like in the training, split up into your individual squads. You will be under Garrison command. Your duties are to assist in providing supplies, communications and sweeping up the titans!"
If Ireen could be any honest, she swore whoever the leader up in front was just a second away from panic. His eye bags deepened blackly and his greyish orbs fleeting around randomly, giving off insecure feelings.
Shouldn't the leader supposed to be calm and not easily flickered by emotion?
"The first line of defense will be the front line unit of the Garrison! The second line will be the cadet squads under our command! The rearguard will be the Garrison's elite units!" He continued shouting.
"We've already received words that the vanguard has been eliminated! The outer gate was destroyed, and titans have encroached upon the city! This means that the armored titan might show up any moment to breach the inner gate!" He spoon fed all the information he had heard so far.
Murmurs and gasps among the cadets erupted.
The casualties that the colossal titan had caused brought wary to each of them. It had only been an hour since the defense gate got breached, but the entire vanguard had disappeared within a short amount of time. Titans were hoarding in through the hole to seek for more victims and barely, any of the cadets could hide their pessimism.
"Silence! The front line units are currently engaging in the battle. You will be on your moves next. Your duty is one! Defend the Wall Rose until every civilian has evacuated! Also, let me remind you, that desertion is a capital offense! Devote your lives on your duty! Dismissed!"
"Ha'!!!" The cadets saluted and immediately rushed out of the center square to their positions.
As most of them headed out to fulfill their duties - even with uncertainties -, some of the cadets were actually crouching down at the side, crying or vomiting out, regretting for such event to occur just right a day after they had graduated.
As if the fate was mocking them. As if their destiny had been stated that they will be dead, today.
They whimpered in fear.
Mikasa was having a small talk with Eren. She was trying to convince the boy to look for her when things went fray, but obviously, Eren didn't give a shit. She had more things to say before one of the Garrison soldiers approached and called her.
"Cadet Mikasa. You will be in the rearguard. The evacuation process is slowing down, so we need more elites in our side."
Her face showed disagreement. "But sir, I will only be in the way."
"I didn't ask for your opinion. And if you had to know, your friend, cadet Ireen was assigned to assist the first line unit and has departed immediately. I expected the same from you."
"Get ready to go, cadet!" He ordered and left.
Mikasa was about to stop him but Eren immediately headbutted her, scolding her for being irresponsible. He told her to focus on her mission, and not to treat him like a little brother or something. Mikasa hardly accepting the truth, before the female made the boy promised to not die.
Eren just couldn't believe how little trust the female had over him.
Nevertheless, he still promised to himself that he will not die today.
He will win, against those damn titans.
- - -
Ireen was already way ahead of the rest.
She was dispatched out as part of the first three units to act as the second line in defense that will be backing up the first line units immediately. Her units main task was to hold as much as titans as possible before the arrival of the rest of the second line units, and also to prevent the total wipe out of the first line units. At such reason, her units had no time to wail and crouch and vomit out their breakfast like those that still back at the center square.
Any flickers in their emotions, they had to handle it while on air, while they were heading to the lion's den.
"We are getting nearer to our target! Ready to get engage! Draw your blades!" The leader, Rayan shouted in command. The sound of blades slicing the air was the response he received.
As they drawing nearer, all faces went dark witnessing the first line soldiers in front them got killed, eaten or stomped and slapped to death, one by one. The remaining soldiers were either too enraged or too lost in their thoughts, or too stunned that they couldn't pay much attention to the enemies.
These were the problems when the soldiers mainly have zero experience facing the real titans.
Years of relaxing with no major threat ever since the breach of the colossal and armor titans five years ago had dulled out their skills, since it was not like they had been practicing slashing dummy titans everyday. And Ireen knew that if they blindly join the fight, it will lead to the same result. So she...
"Sir! We can't face the enemies immediately! We have to distract them and let them scatter away! It will be much easier and it will reduce the likelihood of us getting killed instead!"
Rayan stole a glance to the female's face before abruptly stopped and landed on one of the rooftop. The rest of the units copied.
"Why?" He asked.
Ireen blinked in confusion. "What do you mean... With why?"
"Why do we need to scatter them? They are clearly circling those soldiers and busy with them. We could take the chance to attack from behind."
Seriously? Are you kidding me??? Ireen had to question herself.
"Sir.. Look around them closely. These titans are by minimum at the height of 10 meter. Only two are at 5 metre. There is no tall building other than 4.5 meter of houses around them. If we have to retreat, we wont have any place taller than these houses to avoid them. We have to bring them around, avoid them from gathering at one place so at least, even without much building, we could manage to run around."
"If you latch your grapple hooks to their head you could be at 10 meter high from the ground. There's no need tall building for that."
"But if the titans lunge their hands to grab you, at what you should latch your grapples to pull you away and evade? With the titans moving around, it won't be easy to latch our grapples on their head. As stupid as they be, they won't stand still do nothing. Do you think they won't open their mouth the moment we latched our grapples while heading to them?" Ireen glared deeply.
This is not an open space with ground field on the floor. You don't even have horses to help you around if you fall on the ground. One smash to one of the houses, and you might end up being crushed by the boulders and debris.
'Scatter them around! Don't let the titans teamed up!' Isn't that one of the tricks they learned during training??
Rayan broke their eye contest when the last soldier, screamed with hand flailing around, threatening the titan with his half-broken blade. His destiny didn't end well as his body got crushed from the titan's bite, decapitated his body by the neck.
Ireen winced while some of them trembled in fear.
Rayan gulped down a mouthful of saliva, before he turned to his units again, readied to give command.
"Brad, take one unit and distract the titans at the most behind to the right! My unit will be distracting those at the left and lead them away! Mina, you take another unit and charged straight to the remaining titans! Back up each other, and kill any titans that you capable off! Scatter, now!"
Each unit dispersed and moved according to the order. Mina took over the lead and the three members - Ireen, Isa and Don - copied her action.
Ireen 'tsked' in annoyance. So I got the most suicidal part eh? So much for my first time....
No heavy clattering sounds were heard from Ireen's quick footsteps on the rooftop. Maybe because she was quite small, and her weight didn't count much so she could move as light as a feather. And with her speed that she had gained over years training and running laps, she became the first to reach the killing-titans, very quietly and silently.
She shot out wires and let the momentum pulled her body away when one hand descended to crush her.
"Two 15 meter titans and one 10 meter titan up ahead! Isa! You distract the two 15 meter titans! Ireen and I will aim for the neck! Don! Distract the other one! Don't try to act like a hero! If you can't kill it alone then wait for us! Just make sure it didn't get in our way!" Mina ordered.
Ireen and Don responded positively while the other female squeaked nervously. "M-me??!" Her panic rose.
"Get your mind straight, Isa! We depend on you!" Mina redirected her steps to the left before shooting her grapple to hook at one of the titans, as Don and Ireen to the right.
Don went much further away to the right with the 10 meter titan hot in his tail as Ireen bypassed it to fulfill her duty.
Isa, as if throwing her life away, she continued running straight, immediately stealing the attention of the other two titans. The creepy smile that they gave shaken her legs tremendously and tears gathered at the brim of her eyes.
Isa barely managed to evade the coming hand from grabbing her, and Mina took the chance to maneuver around the titan's back before cutting out a chunk of meat from its nape. The titan roared in pain while dropping forward, along with Mina who still got her grapple hooked to its shoulder.
The other titan saw Mina so its hand tried to grab her, and Ireen took the chance to slash its nape off. She landed on his body after it fell with a cry.
That was pretty easy.... Ireen muttered.
But then she shook her head vigorously. No.. This is just one of the easiest to kill. If many had dies by their hands, there must be a solid reason to that. I can't let my guard down.
She watched the blood steamed off from her hand.
Don who had just landed on a roof nearby smiled proudly as he watched the titan that he just killed fell with a satisfying thump. He welcomed the view of the steam coming out from its body as a sign of his victory. The 10 meter titan was quite slow and couldn't catch his speed so he was able to finish it in one go.
And then he noticed one of the titans that should be drifted away by Brad's unit had returned to them. Thinking he could handle it again, he leave to settle a score.
Isa noticed it.
And she shouted to prevent him from going alone.
But Don miscalculated his plan when the titan suddenly jumped, crushing his body against the houses. The titan sled forward with rubbles flying around and stopped just right next to the two shocking females that still stood on their respective titans that they just killed. Don's body was totally crushed and smashed, and his blood splattered and dirtied their clothes but that wasn't the most important thing as the titan tilted his head immediately to them two.
Abnormal!!! Their minds screamed in unison.
Ireen quickly shot her wires out onto the nearest roof and leaped up. She realized Mina wasn't doing the same and her eyes darted immediately to her stunned figure.
"Mina-senpai! Hurry up and get up here!"
She was still wide eyed looking at the titan.
"Mina-senpai! Hurry up or --"
SLAP!!!!
The titan swung his hand and Mina crashed to another house, instantly died.
Ireen choked on her breathe as she stared in disbelief. The sound of thud that she heard coming from her back made her snapped her head immediately.
She saw Isa fell on her knees, now crying with hands cupping her mouth, mourning over the death of her comrades. Ireen had no time to deal with a crybaby. She rather had her help to take down the abnormal, but with her broken condition right now, she wasn't going to function well.
And that was when Ireen noticed a 5 meter titan approached from her back.
How come I didn't see that one just now?
She didn't know.
Shouting over Isa's name and told her to move turned futile as the female completely mentally broken. Ireen had no choice but to propel forward, bursting out large amount of gas from her tank, with wires shot and grapplers hooked at its collarbone and landed right behind Isa's back to defense the wailing female. Just as the titan's hand swung and reaching them, she countered back by swinging her blade vertically and cut off its fingers.
But the force she put was too much and the blades broke before one of it sliced the side of her right eyebrow. She scooped Isa's by the back of her knees and ran on the rooftop before shooting her wires and flew away.
When she deemed their distance were far enough from the titans, she stopped and put down the still shaken female back on her knees. She glanced back at where she was at minutes ago, and found the two titans, the abnormal and the one she sliced its fingers off roaming around. The other two units that came along with hers had totally been taken down, as the remaining titans marched forward to the middle of the town.
Ireen wiped out the still trickling blood from her eye.
At least seven of them was taken out.... But with the new ones coming from the hole, it doesn't look like much different. She sighed.
Still the death of her comrades wasn't a waste.
A second later, a unit made of the 104th Training Corps that acted as the second line in defense arrived. Reiner happened to be one of them.
"Ireen, your eye...." He stuttered.
"Ahhh... Don't worry about this. It's not my eye that got injured.." She wiped the blood off again with her sleeve. It had trickled down to her right eye, forcing it to be closed in order to not get the blood inside.
"So the rest of the second line in defense already in position right? They have to play their roles next since the rest of the first line and our three units earlier had been wiped out."
"Only you survive?"
"With her..." Ireen nudged her feet to Isa. "I'm joining your squad, Reiner. We have to do something with those titans. Even cutting down a few only is fine."
"It's not like we have much choice. What you gonna do about her?" Reiner gaze fell on Isa immediately.
Ireen sighed before she pulled the crying female by her collar, forcing her to stand on her two feet. Senior or not, she didn't give a shit.
"Isa-senpai, we will move on with our duty. If you think you can still move, then run back to the wall. I'm not gonna look down on your incompatibility to fight. You only gonna die like a dog's death here. Move, before they reach you." And she let her go, slumped on her knees.
"Let's go..." Ireen said and she shot forward.
Reiner and his unit, despite being hesitate for leaving the female alone, copied her action nevertheless.
A life of a mere soldier is nothing compared to the civilian's. They have to know whom to prioritize first.
- - -
"Eren, hurry up and get out ---"
It was too late.
The titan closed its mouth and bite off his arm in the process. He swallowed him down his throat.
Armin's mind went blank immediately as he passed out. He couldn't believe it. His best friend of 10 years, was gone. Forever....
And far away from their place, a certain green eyed female with red strands stopped on her track. She turned, and looked behind from her standing position of stepping on one of the titan's head that she had just taken down when her heart suddenly skipped a beat out of nowhere. She then could feel her heart raced quickly as her eyes palpated.
"What was that about??" Her fingers gently clutched the cloth over her left chest, feeling her heart beats.
The blood splashed on her cheek was still fresh as it steamed off to dissipate. The smell of the strong iron didn't bother her, and the still pulsing pain on her eyebrow wasn't in her way.
But the uneasiness felt at the moment and the tightness feelings in her chest was what coursing through her entire mind.
"Ireen, are you done down there?" Reiner's gruffed voice brought her back to reality. "Let's get going. We are almost done here." He called and jumped away.
Ireen nodded. She tried to ignore the feelings and shot her wires to the roof, lifting her body from the ground as they proceeded to take down the last two titans that within their sightings.
Ireen: 3 assists, 6 kills.
Reiner: 4 assists, 4 kills.
Pretty impressive to be honest. No wonder they were the top three highest score among their troop.
- - -
Ireen's foot lightly tapped on the rooftop, as she descended from the air for the nth time.
Droplets of water hung lowly at the end of her hair strands. Thanks to the rain earlier, the blood cause by the injury on her eyebrow was washed away. But still, the cut continuously bled, even by a little..
The pale-red liquid reached the corner of her lips and sipped to her mouth as tasteless-iron-taste invaded her taste bud.
She spat off.
Her gaze lowered, and wind blew strongly, ruffling her 3 inch after-shoulder-length red hair. The hair that was tucked behind her ears fell forward, stuck and framed her face due to the wetness.
So you didn't run, huh?? Was it because you felt wronged for leaving your duty? Or you was too scared to move??
.....
What an idiot....
She crouched down as her palm went over the widened eyes. She closed them, gave her last pray before retreated back to the wall. She had heard the bell that signaled for their retreat minutes ago, and had told Reiner to take his unit away first. She wanted to go and check on her senpai that she had left before on one of the rooftops.
And it seemed like Isa-senpai couldn't make it. Her body was split into two. The bottom part couldn't be found anywhere. Only the top part was left.
Whether she died fighting or died surrendering, no one knows...
- - -
In the midst of flying, Ireen noticed a group of soldiers gathered instead of retreating. She recognized them all to be part of the 104th Training Corps.
A single glance to the wall, and then to the HQ tower gave her a grasp on the current situation. Things didn't get any better despite the retreating call had been made. She wonder how can she - no - they, escape the inevitable doom at the moment.
Thinking alone here won't make any change..... I have to regroup with them first. My gas was running out...
- - -
"Reiner, what should we do?" Annie asked.
"We need to regroup first." And Reiner replied.
"This is it. There's nothing else we could do. I mean... I am prepared to die. But for what reason, we are going to die here?" Marco gazed upon the sky and sighed.
"I see we have some problem here." The calm voice that belonged to the second ranked of the 104th Training Corps greeted them, followed by a soft thud as she landed gracefully.
She had the ability to pull such gentleness.
Reiner, Annie, Bertholdt and Marco turned to their back, watching the female walked casually. "I can guess what's going on... Are these the only one survive and left right now?" Her finger motioned around them all after scanning the whole group.
No doubt, all of them were part of the 104th Training Corps. Such a bad luck. There were no senpais or senior soldiers to lead them at current state.
"It seems like that," Reiner simply shrugged.
What is the plan now?
"If only the wall wasn't that far, then we could have passed all of our gas tanks to one person, and let them reach the wall. Then they must get some gas tanks from the HQ in Wall Rose and come back here to give us and finally we can off to the wall. However...." Ireen's eyes darted back to the hole of the gate.
"By the time they reach here, we will either be carcasses or food on the titan's plate." She sighed.
"Either way, I don't mean to be personal, but --" Ireen's questioned was interrupted when Mikasa suddenly landed near them.
The black-haired didn't waste a time as she headed to Annie and asked about Eren's unit, a question that Ireen just was about to ask a second ago. They all denied to ever seen them, until Reiner redirected her to Armin who was slouching against the wall.
The two females turned their feet to the said blonde and the moment Mikasa called his name, his eyes darted away. He got very nervous and eyes shut tight when two sets of feet approached him.
Just from the sound of it Armin could tell to whom they belong to.
Mikasa's steps were more heavy and solid, and strike with rhythm, while Ireen were light and gentle, and barely heard. Either way, facing them both right now need greater courage and he lacked of it.
Then when Mikasa crouched down to his level, Armin's world spun around him.
When Mikasa asked about his injuries, Armin's heart raced from guilts.
When Mikasa asked about Eren, Armin's dignity felt like being shredded to pieces.
He couldn't look at the two females in front. He couldn't bring his voice to tell them the truth.
But at the same time, he couldn't bear to face his cowardice side, that always begged him to stay put, to ignore the reality....
He had to say it. He had to tell them. Of how brave their fallen best friend was, and how useless himself was.
So with tears strike down his cheeks, "our unit.... The 34th.... Thomas Wagner, Nic Tius, Mylius Zeramuski, Mina Carolina, Eren Jeager..."
Ireen's breath was caught in her throat as she could expect where this heading too.
"All five of them have fulfilled their duty, and died heroic deaths in battle!" Armin shouted loud enough for everyone around them to hear.
Suddenly everything went deaf. Ireen was pulled to the void and her surrounding was nothing then silent darkness. She couldn't hear anything. Not even her own heartbeat. She felt like she had fallen into a dark abyss, with nothing and no one could help her out. And in a minute she was pulled back to the harsh reality.
Her mouth opened to say something, but was closed back. Only to open again, but no words were let out.
Murmurs regarding their nearing death and the impossibility to win against titans discussed by the rest of the cadets danced in the air. Whatever last hope that they ever had just gone, disappeared into the thin air. No one dared to move, no one dared to speak more.
Only grimace displayed on each's face.
Ireen was the first to spoke, to break the negative aura. Or rather, laughing, in her monotone voice. "So you really hold onto my words, eh Eren??" She brought her fingers to her forehead, overshadowing her eyes as she looked up. Her other hand was on her hip as she continued. "No grave for me to visit eh? Damn it.... This is not what I meant when I don't want to be visiting any of your graves, you idiot." She gritted her teeth.
"I'm sorry Mikasa. I'm sorry Ireen. Eren died in my stead... I couldn't do anything! I'm so sorry!" More tears fell from the blue-eyed boy.
It was painful enough for Ireen to swallow everything. She didn't want to hear the apologize. At least.. Not at the moment.
Where did things go wrong???
Mikasa didn't react much unlike Ireen. She only scooted closer, putting her warm palm over Armin's hands.
"Calm down. This is not the time to be emotional."
Ireen mentally snorted at that.
"Can you stand up?" She helped the blonde back to her feet before her feet shuffled away.
"Marco, if we attack the titans at the HQ there, we can replenish our gas, and everyone can escape right?"
"Y-yeah... But it's impossible for us to fight them all."
Mikasa turned and faced them all. "I can. I am strong. Super strong. Way stronger than all of you. Even if I'm alone, I can kill all of the titans."
She pulled out her blade and raised it to the sky. "You are either incompetent or cowards. How pathetic. You can cry and bite your nails here. Yeah just do that." And she continued throwing insults.
Reiner looked at Ireen's face that was hidden behind her bangs, at the exact moment Armin questioned the reason behind Mikasa's harsh words.
"That's impossible! There's no way you can do it!"
"If I can't do it then I'll die." She turned her back to them all again. "If I win then I'll live. Unless I fight I can't win." And she jumped off on her own.
Everyone was leave speechless. Hesitation clouded their mind since they didn't know which path to choose.
Jean cursed over Mikasa's words. To think he had fallen over her harsh words and had it fueled his purpose to stay alive...
Unbelievable!
And a gush of wind passed him when Ireen too, departed and joined the lone-ranger ahead. She didn't have to say anything. Because she didn't want to say anything.
If they want to come, then they will come. If they don't want to, then they won't. At the end, what's important is her life.
"It's all your fault Eren!" Jean tried to blame the death before he turned to face the rest of the cadets. "Oii everyone! Were we trained to let our comrades die fighting alone?! At this moment we will be spineless cowards." And he too left chasing after the two females.
The rest, either readied or not, left with no choice but to follow suit. They raced off of the rooftops as more and more of swooshing sound was heard from the bursting of their gas tanks.
They were going to give another chance to fight the titans. And they will live the world to tell the tale.
[Clashing Blades.] © Devilish_red
• Please leave your vote, comment and follow. Thank you so much! •