The Heart of Humanity

Chapter 18: Blindsided

The skies were clear, the autumn weather was cool and crisp. It was the ideal conditions for an expedition and an ideal day for Eva's first ride as a Captain. After some back and forth about Fenrir - since he had disrespected a superior officer - Shadis's hands were tied. Eva got a small write-up in her file, but it was nothing more than a slap on the wrist. So, as reluctant as he was, the Commander put her in charge under Levi's supervision.

"Captain Eva, on our left!" Eva glanced back. Samuel was assigned to their section, with a request put in by Eva after the bar incident. He was a few years older than Levi, but had been with the regiment longer and didn't seem to have a problem with following Eva's lead. Samuel was a little too enthusiastic for Levi's taste, but Eva liked him because she had a "good feeling" about him.

"Keep steady!" She shouted. They were called to retreat. The Titans had been especially rowdy today, and after only a few hours the signal for return went up. The open plain was a problem, and it made the ODM gear basically useless. Eva was petitioning Shadis to allow her to teach other people the techniques she developed, but he was resisting. So, for now, the only option was to outrun them.

"Everyone down!" Eva shouted, an abnormal coming from the corner of her eye as it leapt over them. A scream erupted behind her, gaining her attention.

"They have Fenrir!" Samuel called out. Fenrir was still less than enthusiastic to follow Eva and he wasn't afraid to make it known. She was younger than him and he was insistent that she was sleeping her way to the top. So, the Commander saw fit to add him to Eva's first outing to see how she dealt with a difficult teammate, and as much as she disliked him, she wasn't going to let him die.

"Levi, take the centre lead. Keep it circling!"

"Eva!" He shouted but she had already turned. She stood on her horse, waiting till she got close enough to use her gear. The wires anchored into the Titan's shoulder. Eva flew forward flipping over its swing and sliced through the nape of its neck with ease. She lunged forward, catching Fenrir's limp body before he hit the ground. She quickly checked that he was still breathing, relieved that he was. Eva released a breath, and took his arm managing to pull him over her shoulder. She whistled for her horse, but his weight slowed her down as she started running to meet him.

"Just leave him!" Samuel shouted as Levi raced past him. Eva's horse was too far and so was Levi as the second titan drew closer. Eva stumbled, the Titan catching her leg and Levi pushed his horse faster.

"Let him go!" Eva refused to listen. She held Fenrir tightly as they hung upside down, the grip on her leg shot pain through her thigh. She counted in her head waiting for the drop and as soon she did, she twisted in midair managing to hook the heels of her boots on its teeth as she hovered over its open mouth in a split. She drew her blade, using the momentum of its bite to push forward and slam her blade through one of the Titan's eyes. The titan threw its head back, pulling them from its mouth in the process and she turned to slice through the other eye. Eva whistled again, leaping off its head as her horse passed. She hit the saddle a little hard, wincing as she shifted Fenrir to hang over her lap, and she took hold of the reigns. Levi made quick work of the blinded titan before catching up.

"Is he alive?" He asked. She nodded, a grin on her face.

"Unconscious but alive."

"That was stupid and risky," Levi scolded.

"It was my call, and I wasn't going to let him die just because he picks a fight when he's drunk," She countered. Levi was annoyed but also didn't want to undermine his sisters still new authority. It was something Hange took every chance to remind him of, that he had to let Eva make her stance as Captain without his interference. A task he had surprising difficulty with.