//------------------------------// // Opening // Story: Attack on Titan 2: Clash of the Titans // by Gojizilla54 //------------------------------// The allied soldiers of the military started to gallop away from Wall Rose and into the outskirts, filled with determination to rescue Eren. "LET"S MOVE!!!" shouted Erwin. On top of Wall Rose, Hange and Moblit watch as the Scouts galloped away. As the allied soldiers disappeared over the hill, Hange started to crawl to the other side of the wall. "Hange?" called Moblit. "Get me a horse, " manged Hange, struggling. "Section Commander! Where are you thinking to go?" asked Moblit. "To that village where we captured the Titan who couldn't walk," replied Hange, struggling to stand up. "You mean Ragako?" asked Moblit. "I need to see it... with my own eyes," said Hange. "Don't say something so ridiculous!" scolded Moblit. "You're too injured to ride a horse right now!" "I have a hunch... that we need to investigate..." said Hange, struggling. "All right," said Moblit. "I'll go on my own, so you just stay here and faint or something. Back at the outskirts of Wall Rose, the allied soldiers were now galloping in the open field. Erwin then gave out a hand signal, which meant change direction. "Spread out!" ordered Erwin. "Take formation to locate any enemies!" The allied soldiers started to split into separate groups. One group consisted of Conny, Histroia, Sasha, Starlight Glimmer, Twilight Sparkle, Sour Sweet, Pinkie Pie, Lemon Zest, Rarity, Sweetie Belle, Sugarcoat, and Fluttershy. Mikasa was in another group with Hannes, Armin, Jean, Rainbow Dash, Indigo Zap, Applejack, Sunset Shimmer, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sunny Flare. Mikasa was filled with anger and determination to rescue Eren. "Eren..." Mikasa thought. Over in the forest, Reiner and Bertholdt had noticed Eren finally waking up in front of them. "Oh, Eren?" called Reiner. "You're awake?" Eren looked at Ymir, who was still recovering her missing leg and arm. Eren tried to wiggle his arms out of his Scouting Legion cape. Then, steam started to rise up from Eren, now missing both his arms. "What the hell?" wondered Eren. "My arms!" "Eren, look at me," said Ymir, showing her missing leg and arm. "I'm in the same shape as you. Guess the both of us are having a bad day." "Ymir, why don't I have my arms?" asked Eren, looking at the stubs. "That's my bad," said Reiner. "I'm the one who did that. I was kinda in a hurry. When I rushed to bite your nape, I neglected to take your arms into account." Eren looked down with a saddened look on his face. "I see..." he muttered. "I... must've lost. Everything went silent as Eren gave Reiner an angry look. Ymir and Bertholdt can only watch Eren as he bit down on his arm. "Eren, stop!" shouted Bertholdt. "Hold your horse," said Ymir. "Take a good look around us. We're in the giant forest within Wall Maria. It's not even close to any of the walls. In other words, we're deep in Titan territory. Take a look." On the ground, a Titan was lying down on his back, while three small Titans tried to reach for them. "I think that one drawn down there's an Abnormal," observed Ymir. "It looks like her's just lounging around, but he's not taking his eyes off us. There's a lot of small ones down there, too. That alone is dangerous. Over there is another big one. He's staring at us, but won't come any closer. I bet you that one's a scaredy-cat. And then you've got these chumps. Those dirty bastards. They're the only ones with any ODM gear on. Reiner's wearing gear he took from you. So I don't think changing into a Titan at this point is going to solve anything. Not only can they do that, but they can escape high into the trees as well. those two aside, there's Titans all around us. Escaping out this Titan territory would be tough, even with Titan powers. Understand? There's nothing to gain by acting up." "You two can't even turn into Titans right now," stated Reiner. "So don't count on that to help you. Your body is at limit. It's taking everything you've got to repair the damage." "Are you stupid?" asked Eren angrily. "Why the hell would I trust anything coming from your mouth?" Eren gave Bertholdt and Reiner an angry glare, as the two warriors only looked at Eren, with no emotion. "Well... It's not like I know the specifics behind how Titan powers work," said Ymir. "unlike you guys, I'm clueless about it. Hey, Reiner. You said you would talk once Eren woke up. It's about time one of you says what you plan to do with us." "We'll take you to our hometown," stated Reiner. "I realize that you're not going to listen and do as I say. But like Ymir was saying this place is swarming with Titans. We could beat the shit out of each other right now, but when we're weak, the other Titans would just come and eat us. So until nightfall, when the Titans can't move, we have no choice but to wait here. Whether you try to run and escape from us... or don't and we take you away... either way, we wait for night." "Why didn't you stay the Armored Titan and run home?" asked Ymir. "What's the point of stopping here? Too tired and had to take a break?" "Why don't you use your imagination?" asked Reiner back. As Ymir and Reiner were having their conversation, Eren looked at the ground, trying to think of an escape plan and all the outcomes of my plan. "Let's think..." he thought "If I wait for an opening and become a Titan, running away from here doesn't seem like it would pose a challenge. But will I be able to transform into a Titan in the first place?" Eren looked up at Reiner and remembers his words. "Reiner said that I can't... And I have to consider that even Reiner had to stop here to take a break." he thought. "If my Titan isn't strong enough, does that mean I'll just get eaten by the others?" Eren tried to think of another escape plan, but he would always have the same outcome of the Titans on the ground eating him. "Are you simply waiting here for it to become right?" asked Ymir. "Maybe I am," replied Reiner. As Reiner said those words, Eren knew that it was obvious they were waiting, and was thinking of another escape plan. "No... There's no way they'd wait until nightfall," he thought. "They're not going to give our bodies the chance to fully recover. They'll make their moves while we're still powerless. At this rate, I can't do anything. At this rate..." Eren then suddenly remembers the fight he had with Reiner five hours earlier. "What happened to everybody?" he wondered. "Where are the Scouts? Don't tell me they're coming this way... If they try to help, no one's gonna make it back safely." "What's it matter?" asked Ymir. "Those Titans at the castle move just fine at night. Won't these Titans, too?" "The Titans here can't move at night," stated Reiner. "You should know all about it, Ymir." Eren then looked at Ymir with concern. "Speaking of which, why can Ymir turn into a Titan?" he wondered. "I don't think she's like me, who knew nothing about it. Is she on our side? I don't even know what her goal is yet. She's hard enough to understand as it is." Eren gave Reiner and Bertholdt an angry stare at them. "Right now, what I need is information," he continued. I need to figure out everything I can from these guys. And then I'll make my escape. To do that, I need... to suppress all my emotions... and for my body to heal." Back at Erwin's scouting formation, one of the Scouts come across a Titan, who fired a red smoke signal. "Titan spotted at three 'o clock!" spotted the Scout. "Fire the smoke!" The Scout next to him fired a red smoke signal in the air. At Erwin's position, Peer spotted the red smoke signal in the distance. "Smoke shell confirmed on the right wing!" shouted Peer. "Don't change direction!" ordered Erwin. "Have the right wing merge with the center and hold course! We only have until sunset! We must take the shortest possible path!" Further back at the formation, Mikasa's group was galloping through the open field. Mikasa was ahead of everyone in her group. "Mikasa! Hey Mikasa!" called Hannes. "Mikasa!" Mikasa turned her head around and looked at Hannes, behind her. "Stop pushing so hard," said Hannes. "You're drifting near the vanguard. It'll ruin the whole formation. I know how you feel, but... didn't I tell you? Eren won't get taken away without putting up a fight. Don't you agree?" Mikasa only nodded in response. "You know he'll never give up," said Hannes. "So it's up to us to stay clam and be there when he needs us." Hannes then remembers the fight between Eren, Mikasa, Rainbow Dash, and the three bullies. "Just like we did back then." "Hey Hannes!" called Apple Bloom. "What is it, Apple Bloom?" asked hannes. "Once Mikasa has a goal she is dead-set on completing it," stated Apple Bloom. "I can see that," chuckled Hannes. "Also there's no stopping her," stated Scootaloo. "That's why she my idol." "I thought I was your idol, Scoots?" asked Rainbow Dash. "Well... um... you see," stammered Scootaloo. "I'm just teasing," chuckled Rainbow Dash. All of them burst into laughter, while Mikasa smiled and quickly looked in front of her, having the determination on rescuing Eren. Back at the forest, Reiner, Bertholdt, and Eren were still sitting on branches, while Ymir is fanning her herself. "Hey, Reiner," called Ymir. "You got any water? If I don't get some soon, I'm going to dry up and die." "Even if it's a matter of life and death, there's nothing we can do given our situation," stated Reiner. "He's completely right," stated Ymir. "The situation couldn't be any shitter." "Speaking of which," said Reiner. "Ever since the Titans showed up yesterday morning, we've been working our asses off. With nothing to eat or drink and not even a wink of sleep. Fortunately, the wall wasn't broken or anything. So I think we deserve to take a break for once. We'll see about getting promoted later." "Reiner..." called Bertholdt. "What?" asked Reiner. "We've done plenty enough to deserve it. I think we've performed outstandingly, considering all we've been put through. I know soldiers like us are expected to fulfill their duties, but I think we've all earned it." Eren and Ymir looked at Reiner with confusion with his personality, while Bertholdt started to grow worried. "Reiner, what the hell are you talking about?" asked Ymir. "What do you mean?" asked Reiner. "I'm not saying we go demand to be promoted to captains or anything." "That's not what I meant," groaned Ymir. "Oh, yeah. Where did you all get the cannon from?" asked Reiner. "That really saved my ass. It's a good thing Christa helped me after that. To be honest, I think she has a thing for me, after me rescuing her from the snow." "Hey," muttered Eren. "Now that I think about it, Christa has always treated me especially after she kissed me," said Reiner, touching the cheek Christa had kissed three years ago. "HEY!!!" shouted Eren. Reiner stopped talking and looked at Eren. "You bastard... You've gotta be fucking kidding me," said Eren. Reiner, looking genuinely confused, stood up and put his hands up innocently. "What are you so angry about, Eren?" Reiner asked. "Did I... say something wrong?" "If you want to die, just keep talking!" scolded Eren. "Hold up, Eren," Ymir warned, keeping her gaze at the forlorn Bertholdt. "This isn't normale, no matter how you look at it. Isn't that right Bertholdt? If you know something, quit with the silence and come out and say it." "Huh?" questioned Reiner as he turned to face him. "Reiner..." Bertholdt spoke. "You're not a soldier, remember? You and I... we're warriors." Eren and Ymir could only watch Reiner, who started to shake violently and started to hyperventilate. Reiner then remembers a dark memory during the Trost mission. He remembers pinning down a cadet as he was begging for his life. "Reiner, what are you doing?!" asked the cadet. Reiner continued to hyperventilate as he remembered him, and his fellow warriors, Annie and Bertholdt watch in horror as the cadet screamed as his head as bitten. "Hey... Why...?" asked Reiner. "Why... is Marco... being devoured?" As Reiner had completely memorized the time where he and his fellow warriors caused Marco's death. But, Reiner had to continue with his plan and not think of Marco. "Right..." he muttered. "That's... how it is." Reiner had became overrun with stress and collapsed and grabbed his head, still having the dark memory haunting him. Reiner continued to shake from stress. "What is he doing?" wondered Eren. "More or less, I think I've figured it out," said Ymir. "I thought it was strange. Why would the guy who broke the wall risk his life to save Conny? Everything he does is contradictory but he doesn't realize it himself. I don't know why he ended up like this, but probably... He was originally a warrior whose goal was to break down the wall, but... after pretending to be a soldiers for so long, he lost sight of who he was and couldn't tell which one was real. No... Unable to bear the weight of his sins, he convinced himself he was a soldier protecting the wall to maintain emotional balance within his heart. And at the end, he believed it. As a result, his heart was split and his memories broken. this must not be the first time Reiner's talked and made no sense... judging by Bertholdt's grim expression. It's amazing, really. For someone excessively honest like you to--" "ENOUGH!!!" shouted Reiner, shaking. "Shut the fuck up." "Sorry about that," apologized Ymir. "I might've pried too much." "You've gotta be fucking kidding me," muttered Eren. "Why are you pretending to be the victim here? What's your deal? That day, what the hell were you thinking when you talked to us? Tell me, Bertholdt. I'm talking to you, you damn lackey. I told you everything... while you looked at me right in the eyes. About the day my mother was eaten alive..." “STOP IT, NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!” "Isn't that right?" asked Eren. "Thanks to the piece of wall you kicked that went flying into my house, my mother couldn't escape or run away. You remember, right? I told you my story. What the hell were you think? What the hell were you thinking when I told you?" "Back then... I thought... I felt sorry for you," replied Bertholdt. "Oh... I see..." muttered Eren with his eyes wide open. "You guys... are neither soldiers nor warriors. You're just murderers. You're psychotic mass-murderers who've killed innocent people who never did anything wrong!" Reiner couldn’t let any more dread hold him down. With a clenching of his fist and teeth, he turned to Eren in rage. "You think I know that?!" shouted Reiner. "I don't need you to point that out to me!" "Then don't pretend to have emotions like you're one of us!" screamed Eren. "You guys aren't even human anymore! It's you two who've turned this world into a living hell! DOES THAT MAKE YOU HAPPY, MURDERERS?!" "What are you after by calling us murderers?!" Reiner yelled back. "Do you want us to regret it?! DO you want us to apologize?! Would that give you the satisfaction?! The people you thought we were no longer exist! If screaming will make you feel better, THEN SCREAM YOUR FUCKING HEAD OFF!!!" Eren’s eyes shot open. It was true. His friends Reiner and Bertoholdt were dead. All that he saw in front of him now were the Armored Titan and the Colossal Titan incarnate. Eren suddenly smiled. "That's right..." Eren softly spoke. "I'm still... too naïve. I've... gotta do what I can. Do what I can... to make you guys... fucking suffer and die in the worst way possible. You've got it coming." Bertholdt didn't talk, while Reiner breathed heavily, while giving Eren an angry glare. "You can't be serious," muttered Ymir. "Huh?" "Quit it, Eren," demanded Ymir. "If you keep saying childish crap like that, I've got no hope for you." Eren, becoming angered by Ymir’s words, turned to her with a growing scowl at her. “Huh?” Ymir turned around and looked at Reiner. "Hey, Reiner," she called. "What's the deal with that monkey?" Reiner knew what "monkey" she was talking about, but choice to pretend he didn't see it. "Monkey? What do you mean?" asked Reiner. "You don't know?" asked Ymir back. "That's surprising, given how much you two stared at it with stars in your eyes like two little brats. that monkey..." "What's that?' asked Eren. "A monkey?" "Just listen. That monkey Beast Titan is what caused this recent fiasco," explained Ymir. "It made Titans rise up from within the wall. I wonder if he was trying to assess our strength. That's where these guys are trying to get. If you guys get to him, you'll be able to get back home, right?" Reiner and Bertholdt looked at Ymir with panic in their eyes, knowing she figured out their plan. "You... knew this?" asked Eren. "What do you know?! Tell me everything!" "Just wait," groaned Ymir. "I've got circumstances of my own." "What the fuck do you mean by that?!" asked Eren. "Eren... if you think killing these two will bring an end to everything... you're gravely mistaken," stated Ymir. "Then who's the enemy?!" asked Eren. "Enemy?" asked Ymir back. "If I said that, the--" "Ymir!" called Reiner. "Do you think there's any future for this world?" Eren and Ymir’s eyes widened, but for entirely different reasons. "If you understand so much, think about what you want to do," he continued. "It's not out of the question for you to join our side." "And trust you?" asked Ymir. "yeah, right. You two don't even trust me." "Wrong," objected Reiner. "We can trust you. Because your one goal... is to protect Christa. When it comes to her, we should be able to trust one another. You might think I'm joking, but is it that hard for you to believe that we might want the best for Christa as well? Or... would you rather put your hopes in Eren and rely on him over us?" Eren looked frightened, especially as Ymir began to show a more deceptive and mistrusting look towards Eren. "You're probably thinking your best chance is to use Eren to escape from here," he continued. "Because if you're taken by us, there's little chance for your rescue. To be honest, that's pretty much true. Even if you come with us we can't guarantee your safety. But if it's Christa we're talking about, we might be able to do something for her." Ymir's eyes widen and now had an angry glare. "Will it be your petty life... or Christa's life?" asked Reiner. "It's up to to decide." "There's no future for this world?" Eren wondered. "Why's that? What's this about a monkey? What the hell is going on?" "Hey!" called Eren. "Hey, say something! Who's the enemy?!" Reiner, Bertholdt, and Ymir remained silent. Then, Ymir looked at Eren. "Who knows," she replied. "It's settle then," said Reiner. "Too bad, Eren." Bertholdt jumped down to the branch that Reiner was standing. As they were getting ready to take Eren and Ymir, both of them heard a shot in the distance. Reiner and Bertholdt looked to their right and spotted three green signal flares on the horizon. As the smoke signals flew up in the air, the two warriors knew who was coming. "The Scouts... are already... here?!" Bertholdt through. "Dammit!" shouted Reiner. Behind them, Eren looked as Ymir’s hand and leg hand just finished growing back. Eren stared at her with a scowl, furious at her betrayal. "Shit! Damn you, Ymir!" he thought. Eren looked up at Reiner and Bertholdt. "There's just one hour left until sunset."