Left Behind (Erwin Smith X Reader)

Chapter 5: Illusions

      And that's where it began. The struggle for Trost. I was assigned a squad of Garrison soldiers so a Garrison captain could lead a squad of cadets. It was only the day after their graduation and this already happens. Welcome to the real world kids.

My squad had made their way to the top of the wall as I observed Trost. The everyday titan that I saw in their natural habitat. Slaughtering people again. Crumbled buildings already were apparent at the hole as well as smoke from fire started due to crushed lamps inside of these crumbled homes. Finally I hear one last pair of footsteps land near me signaling the last of my squad has arrived. I turned my head towards the four frightened faces next to me.  I put my hands behind my back as I wall in front of them

"I need your names soldiers and quickly, titans aren't as big and scary as they seem unless you let them be. Got it?" I say turning the rest of my body in front of them. All saluted and said their names.

"My names is Ingrid ma'am" The woman on the far right in front of me spoke. She was tall and built. Her hair was short and brown meanwhile she had small charcoal eyes that were filled with a false confidence. 

"Leon, Captain" Another voice rang and it came from the shorter male next to Ingrid. He sported a blonde mullet that seemed to compliment his slightly elevated cheekbones. He possessed heavy brown eyes that looked like he could fall asleep any moment.

"Hi Im Natalie nice to meet you!" I squinted at the small woman who spoke on the end at the far left. "Oh uh I mean nice to meet you captain my name is Natalie! Ma'am!" She was about the same height as Levi. Her hair was curly and styled with little curls on her forehead that laid as bangs and tied back the rest of her curls. She had slightly downturned eyes that contained a mix of blue green. She also radiated a snarky but nice aura around her.

I directed my attention to the final soldier who was the tallest most likely standing at 6'7". "What about you big guy?"

"Albert." He responded short and fast. He looked alot like Miche but with black hair and blue eyes.  I try to read him but he was a blank slate.

"Alright soldiers, I heard you each graduated in the top ten of your class. So lets put those skills to use shall we?"

3rd Person POV

 The (h/c) haired girl stepped off the wall before her squad. Letting her green cape fly in the wind before shooting her left anchor into a building and allowing the momentum to bring her forwards and up heading towards a 5 meter class titan. 4 soldiers lagged behind her. It was obvious who was the best out of the squad. Natalie was at the front of this small group flying through the air like a hawk, graceful yet fierce meanwhile the others followed behind like crows. 

"ALBERT TAKE THE ANKLE,  LEON THE ARM, INGRID THE KNEES, NATALIE GET THE NAPE, I WILL BE BACK!" (Y/N) screamed back towards her squad as she moved towards a group of 3 titans.

Her squad moved quickly in their actions all except Ingrid. She stood on a roof in front of the titan as shock consumed her. She surprisingly got to the titan first as the rest of the squad had followed (Y/N) before receiving instructions. As Ingrid stood still the titan reached out to her and picked her up. Not a single peep came from the girl as the titan was lowering her into its mouth.

"Oh no you don't, Albert, Leon now!" Natalie had ordered immediately letting the males to spring into action. Albert efficiently sliced off the beast's ankle causing it to fall forward dropping Ingrid on the ground in the process. Leon swooped down and scooped up the girl while Natalie finished off the monster with a slice to the neck. The four garrison soldiers landed on a roof nearby to calm down their shaken comrade when something else caught their eye.

It was (Y/N) of the scout regiment. She had made her way high above her group of three titans. All of a sudden she hooked an anchor onto the farthest titan from her and went into the opposite direction.After getting in position she fired some gas pulling her across the line of titans and effectively cutting off all three napes. With her momentum she lands on a roof bringing up multiple tiles until she finally slowed down and stood straight up. Staring directly at the soldiers she was supposed to be ordering as blood started to steam off her skin. All of them were in shock of what they saw from their Captain except Ingrid. She sat on the ground staring at her feet hugging her knees. She had been so close to death without a fight and yet it felt so peaceful to her.

(Y/N) made her way to the group and ordered all off except the balled up soldier. The three who left went off towards more titans.

"Hey Ingrid look at me." The (h/c) haired woman's face softened as the last of the titan blood steamed off and disappeared.Making her look like a concerned mother.  (Y/N) reached her hand out to the young woman in front of her and pushed her brown hair out of her face. Slowly moving her hand under the woman's chin. Forcing Ingrid to face (Y/N)'s (e/c) eyes. "Everything will be ok, just calm down. Meet up with us when you are ready ok?" With that the woman donning the green survey corps cape went off leaving the garrison soldiers by herself.

Ingrid sat there for a few minutes listening to the screams of the citizens and soldiers being murdered around her. Hearing the rumbles of titans walking and crunches of human bones which caused her to sit still longer.  She stared at the streets littered with blood and limbs. Only to know the bracelet that was attached to the wrist of a severed arm. It was her younger sister's. The small limb and delicate hand stood out like a sore thumb to her. Noticing this Ingrid stood up and dropped down below to the small arm. It was laying out in the street. No rocks around or anything. Just an arm that had tattered clothes that were stained red and on one end bone stuck out. The bone wasn't broken clean and the clothing frayed where the bone stuck out. Ingrid picked up the arm. It was cold, no longer was there any warmth that an alive human has. Tears started to form and lightly drop on the limb as Ingrid traced it down with her hand. Stopping at the bracelet as she remembers giving it to her younger sibling. It was a birthday gift and Ingrid always used to tell her sister it would "protect her". Ingrid finally arrived at her sister's hand and held it. Like she used too when they would go to shops or when the younger one would get nightmares and crawl into bed with her. Now she was gone. Ingrid held the arm closed to her chest and cried. Not the screaming or wailing cry. The cry that happens when you start to process what happened. It starts silent with no animation to it. As it slowly builds into shaking shoulders and loud sniffles. Eventually completing itself in a stone cold face with irritated eyes. There ingrid was. Falling to her knees as she stared straight forward. Hopeless, tired, and sad. 

So when a titan came along into her view and stood in front of her she didn't run or fight. She sat still awaiting to be with her little sister again. Her face showed no emotion and the lights of her eyes had disappeared. No longer was this a little girl with a false sense of security. She was now a broken woman who never thought of her future continuing. 

The titan in front of her reached down and picked her up. Ingrid only held her sisters limb tighter to her chest as her eyes made contact with the beast and soon it was over without a single noise. Just the sound of food being swallowed by another titan.