You're Not Alone

•50•

If the scouts are on their way... that means my friends are with them. Mikasa and Armin... Sasha and Connie... Jean. I hope they are all okay.

We're in Titan country and they're on horseback. It's like our last mission all over again. The one that killed team Levi...The one where Annie showed up.

So many people lost their lives that day. Now all I can think about is how more will die today, trying to save us from Reiner and Bertholdt.

"Sophie..." Eren looks at me. "Are you okay?"

"Hmm? I'm fine... you're the one missing both your arms," I point my chin up, gesturing at his absent limbs.

"Right..." he lowers his head with a sigh.

"We'll get through this," I force a smile on my lips to convince not only my brother, but also my self. "We just have to stick together, like we always do."

I look up and find Bertholdt holding Reiner by his shoulders, their faces close, but I can still overhear their conversation, just barely.

"Talk to me, Reiner." Bertholdt begs his friends. "What are you right now?"

"A warrior," Reiner brushes off Berts hold on him. "Calm down."

"Do you really think it's wise for us to trust Ymir? Even though she's the one who devoured Marcel?"

Who's Marcel? The two of them glance at the girl and I turn away so they don't think I can hear them. Maybe they'll let some more information slip that could be useful.

"Don't you see," Reiner gestures to Ymir. "We have a handle on her motives. When she turned human again, odds are she just wandered around aimlessly only giving a damn about herself. But then Christa came into the picture. That's the kind of girl that can change your whole world. We need her, and not just because she's cute. The people she comes from are an important family within the church."

What does Christa really have to do with all this? I know Nick mentioned before about how important the girl was, but why would Reiner and Bertholdt need her?

"Plus, suppose Eren or Sophie isn't the coordinate? Our job wouldn't be over," Reiner continues. "If it comes to that, having Christa around will make the search a lot easier."

"Coordinate...?" I whisper to myself.

Eren looks at me questioningly and I just shake my head. No use giving him anymore ammunition to shoot off with. I'll just keep it to myself until I fully understand it.

We hear a few more shots go off and I see the smoke signals are closer than before. Some red and a green one. It looks like they've encountered some Titans.

"Please let us just be done," Bertholdt sighs. "The next time we come, we'll take all three. Annie, Christa, and that. It'll be clean and simple. Then we won't have to come here anymore."

"Right. And we'll have completed our damn mission. Just do me a favor, huh?" Reiner walks past Bertholdt with his hand on the taller ones shoulder. "Once we're home, try telling Annie how you really feel."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Bertholdt jumps back and raises his voice.

So Bertholdt has a little crush on Annie... That could be useful in the future. I tune out their conversation about the she-devil and focus on the smoke signals.

Suddenly, Reiner uses his ODM gear and propels himself down to the tree we're on. I back away, struggling a little with my one leg, but I keep Eren behind me.

"What are you two doing now?" Eren questions. "I thought we were waiting until dark."

"There's been a slight change of plans," Reiner stands closer to me. "I'm gonna ask you two nicely not to put up a fight."