A Noble Cause: LevixOC

Chapter 3

Emiline stares up in horror as a hot breeze blows across her face and that familiar grey steam rises in the air, obstructing the view of the sun is the bright red face of the Colossal Titan gazing down at her and the town below. No! This can't be happening again, this has to be another nightmare! Down below Emiline can hear the faint shrieks of the townspeople. Her tongue sticks to the roof of her mouth and her breath hitches, it's back, five years later it's decided to come back. Emiline looks around to her fellow comrades and they have the same horrified gaze as they all make eye contact with the Colossal Titan. She begins to feel her heart race and her head pound.

Squeezing her eyes shut, her head begins to pound harder and a ringing in her ears develops and continues to rise to an excruciating pitch. Stop! Stop! Just Move! Emiline's chest tightens and she finds herself desperately gasping for air as her hands begin to shake. Pathetic, the enemy is right in front of you! Fight! Emiline forces her eyes open and activates her gear, as she looks up she finds Eren ahead of her and almost to the Colossal Titan. Ignoring the pain and fear, Emiline grips tighter on her gear to steady her hands and forces herself to propel faster. Just as she reaches the top of the wall, a blast of scorching heat beats into her forcing her into a complete aerial standstill and just like that the titan disappears. Finally able to move again, Emiline reels herself onto the wall to find Eren, she looks over to find him grappling to the side with two ginormous footprints left in front of the gaping hole. "Eren, where did it go?"

Eren looks up at Emiline in shock, "I don't know, just before I got to it's nape it disappeared into thin air!"
Emiline holds out her hand to help pull Eren up while the others in their group land on top of the wall. Emiline looks out to the distance and sees a small group of titans in the distance already heading in the direction towards the hole in the wall,

"Shit," Emiline swears under her breath.

"What are all of you cadets doing standing around? Report to the higher ups," a Garrison soldier orders.

Emiline and the rest of the small group all line up and salute as they shout in unison, "Yes sir!"

All of the cadets rush back to HQ to report where they learn that they are being ordered to fight and hold off the titans until evacuations for the citizens of Trost are complete. There are several gasps, screams, whimpers, and sobbing as the soldiers receive the news, Emiline feels her face pale and go cold as the orders are barked out. As the fear from earlier begins to creep in, the pounding in her head returns. She massages the back of her head as she begins to rush with the others to get ready, these headaches are really inconvenient. Every time Emiline experiences intense fear she would get this headache and ringing in her ears since she was a little girl.

"Hey Amelia, you're in our group," Emiline looks over to see Marco waving her over.

Emiline flashes Marco a tight smile and meets him over with Jean, Connie, Ymir, and Christa.

"If everyone is ready, we have orders to head out," Marco announces.

The small squad all look at each other and nod, they head over to the gate where they wait for the go ahead to head out. Within a matter of minutes they are ordered to attend to the southeast side of the city. As the squad maneuvers through the air it isn't long till a fifteen meter class titan with a sickening tooth filled grin starts bumbling it's way into the group's path. The place is crawling with titans, but none of them appear to be abnormal at least. 

Again the deafening, high pitched ringing fills Emiline's ears as she feels her fear grow at approaching the titan. Make it stop, make it stop! Just don't think... As the pitch reaches its crescendo, everything suddenly goes eerily quiet before whispers fill the air and a feeling of euphoria sweeps across Emiline. The euphoria rises and the whispers get louder and more coherent. She can hear the whispers say,

"Awaken,"

"Wake up!"

Just as she slices into the nape of the titan's neck, she hears a familiar voice call,

"Emiline, awaken!"

Everything suddenly feels put together, like the satisfaction of placing the last piece of a large puzzle in its spot or finally mastering a difficult skill. Everything becomes so bright and clear, she's only ever experienced something similar to this for a brief few seconds, but now it's lasting and there's a sense of finality. Looking over her shoulder she sees a titan suddenly spring at her, in almost gleeful excitement Emiline careens around the giant and slices its nape.

"Amelia!" Emiline pulls her gaze away from the titans at Connie's shouting.

When she looks at the others, she begins to see hazy colors surrounding each of her comrades. Emiline blinks and rubs her eyes, but the colors won't go away, she finds herself not only hyper aware of her surroundings, but the people as well.

"Are you crazy! You flew off and took those titans on by yourself, you need to stay with us."

"Sorry," Emiline apologizes gently as the others join her and Connie on the roof.

As they gaze out onto the scene, Emiline suddenly has a sense dejavu. Why does this look familiar? Searching her memory, the images from her dream come to the surface. This scene looks exactly like her dream from last night. Was my dream a vision?

"Come on, we better keep going, there are more titans coming," Jean sighs.

"Jean's right," Marco concludes. Looking back he shouts, "Hey Amelia, I think you've been holding out on us, because you are fighting better than you did during the past three years," Marco encourages.

As everyone begins to continue on, Emiline takes one last look at the apocalyptic landscape before she goes. If my dream was a vision, then what time has come? Is it time to reveal what I know? Would Eric even allow me to, would he believe me? These questions fill Emiline's mind as she continues on with her small squad to take down titans. As they get further into the city, Emiline glances around to see a mop of blond  hair.

"Everyone, look over there," Emiline calls, "doesn't that look like Armin?"

She leads the way to the roof where Armin comes into view as another group lands beside them. Emiline places her hand under Armin's nose to find him still breathing, sighing in relief she places her hands on Armin's shoulders but suddenly pulls them away when she feels an odd moisture on his clothes.

"Armin...Armin wake up," Connie shouts.

Armin suddenly gasps as his eyes open and shoots up to a sitting position.

"Armin, are you okay? Where is your squad," Emiline asks as she wipes her hands off on her pants.

Armin stares into Emiline's eyes in a daze, almost unsure of who is talking to him.

"It's almost time to meet up with the supply team, let's move to the meetup point," Connie calls.

Emiline nods to the others and looks back at Armin who is still sitting in a daze as tears stream down his cheeks. "Armin come on, we need to get to the meetup, can you stand?"

"Your eyes, they're different," is all Armin can mutter.

"Just leave him if he's going to choose not to survive," Ymir growls.

Emiline shoots Ymir an angry glare as she notices Ymir's aura, what the hell do all of these colors surrounding people mean? Shaking her head, Emiline ignores it for the moment and throws Armin over her shoulder and flys away with the others. When everyone makes it to the meetup point, Emiline lowers Armin down and rests him against a wall that encases a set of stairs leading up to a tower. "Armin, I need you to come back to me. Come on." Armin just continues to whimper and hold his knees to his chest as his body trembles and shudders from crying. Emiline feels her heart tighten at Armin's behavior. Don't tell me that his whole squad is wiped out? Is Eren really...dead? No it can't be, there's no way Eren would give up the ghost that easily. Emiline cups Armin's face in her hands and forces him to look at her, "Armin, are you the only one left from your squad," Emiline asks quietly as she feels tears begin to gather in her own eyes. Armin meets her gaze but whimpers seem to only escape from his lips. Emiline takes his reaction for an answer and presses her forehead against Armin's. "I see, I'll figure out what we need to do from here."

Emiline gazes in the direction of the HQ to see several Titans have surrounded it, considering how there is no one from the supply team coming their way, it is logical to assume that they are either trapped or all dead. With the retreat bells tolling, everyone waiting looks around in despair from the inability to no longer get back over the walls due to a lack of gas. Well this is just great, Emiline thinks to herself. Several ideas flash before her eyes, but the only successful one she can see is involving Mikasa.
Speak of the devil, Emiline hears a set of boots land on the ceramic roof and finds Mikasa has joined the rest. Emiline feels her pulse race, once Mikasa finds out of Eren's death, there's no telling how she'll react. Tuning out the news, Emiline stares towards the HQ trying to come up with any other option.

"Hey, what the hell are you doing just standing around," Mikasa accuses angrily.

"Waiting for you, I won't be able to rile everyone to storm HQ without you backing it up."

"Bull shit, you're just being passive like you've always been!" Mikasa shouts, gathering the attention of everyone, "Eren was right, you care jack shit."

Emiline feels her anger boil, the inaccurate statements made about her make her body tremble. I took care of you, all of you! I've been in hiding for all of you! The only way I have been able to protect you from getting roped into my shit is by not causing problems! Emiline shakes her head at her sudden thoughts, no, she won't let herself get emotional right now. Looking up at the sound of Mikasa flying towards HQ, Emiline turns her gaze to all of her comrades. "Are you going to follow the best and have a chance to live, or are you all going to just stand there and wait for death to take you like helpless infants?" Emiline challenges.

She quickly follows after Mikasa and leads the others towards the HQ. "Mikasa slow down, you're running on fumes! If you keep going at that speed you'll..." Emiline doesn't get a chance to finish that statement as she stares in shock at Mikasa suddenly running out of gas and plummeting towards the street below.

"I'll get her, you keep going with everyone else," Armin calls to Emiline.

"And I'll follow him," Connie shouts.

"Everyone keep following me towards HQ, Mikasa will be fine," Jean instructs. 

Emiline stares off towards Armin and Connie chasing after Mikasa, she considers chasing after them but when she glances back at the HQ in the distance and sees the hoard of titans steadily growing around the building she grits her teeth. I can't protect the kids forever, they have the training to keep them alive till they get to HQ. I have to believe that. With that thought, Emiline pushes forward, following the rest of the group.

The journey into HQ, however, was dangerous and still filled with more deaths, but when Emiline crashes through the windows with the others, they find the supply squad barricaded inside.

"The hell you think you all are doing," Jean yells at one of the cadets.

Emiline tunes out Jean's outburst and takes a headcount of everyone who made it inside till she feels a shadow loom over her back, looking over her shoulder she sees two titans gape into the room with that same sickening smile that several titans seemed to have adorned across their faces. They both peer in the shattered windows and observe all of the humans inside the room like they're watching fish swim around helplessly in a fishbowl. "Jean, Marco, move!" Emiline quickly body slams the two cadets out of the reaching grasp of the titans and pulls out her blades while staring menacingly up at the titans. Shit, I don't have any more gas in my tanks and we don't know how many of the smaller titans have managed to break in downstairs where the gas is located. I can't stand to be a sitting duck, so I'll just have to fight and figure out what to do as I go along. "If you want to fight, then let's fight, you naked bastards," she howls. Just as she is about to lunge forward, a large fist suddenly knocks the two titans away from the window bringing an angry, green eyed titan into view. "What the hell is that," Emiline breaths.

Mikasa, Armin, and Connie burst through the windows and Emiline takes a sigh of relief upon seeing them. Brushing off the glass, Mikasa and Armin begin to inform everyone of the titan that fights other titans. Everyone is awestruck, Emiline looks out towards the street to see that the green eyed titan is in fact attacking other titans. Not only that, the titans seem to be trying to eat the titan that is fighting. Emiline looks over at Armin, "I'm guessing you have a plan?"

Armin nods and leads us all to the inner rooms where they find a couple boxes containing muskets and learns the attack strategy. Along with several others, Emiline loads into the elevator with a musket and holds her position as she waits for all of the titans to get closer.

"Fire!" Marco exclaims.

Emiline fires several rounds along with the others, hitting several titans in the eye and blinding them. As everyone else ducks, Emiline watches as the squad in the rafters jump down to take down the titans. With two left standing, Emiline throws down the musket and grabs her blades, leaping from the elevator Emiline manages to take down one of the titans while she catches Annie taking out the other titan from the corner of her eye.

"Amelia," Sasha cries, "Thank you! Thank you so much for saving me, I owe you my life!"

Emiline pets Sasha's head and pulls her to her feet, "There's no time for that, let's gas up and get out of here."

Upon retreat, Emiline found out with Mikasa and Armin that Eren is still alive, but not in the way they would have expected.

Emiline races through the streets talking to any Squad Leader and Lieutenant she can find. "I am looking for Commander Pixis, where is he?"

"Learn your place cadet, there's no need for you to see him," a higher up growls while pushing past Emiline.

"You don't understand this is a matter of life or death, please just at least tell me where he is and I'll go find him myself."

"Jacob, just let her go see Pixis. If she gets in trouble then we can have a little fun with her while she's in prison," one of the higher ups instructs as his eyes wander down Emiline's body, "Hey sweetheart, Pixis is in the large tent the next block over."

Emiline just nods with a scowl and rushes down the street and turns the corner. As she approaches Pixis tent several soldiers standing guard stare at her in shock. As they reach to grab Emiline, she quickly throws them over her body and onto their backs and bursts into the tent.

"Oh dear, what is a gorgeous cadet like you doing in my tent," Pixis coos teasingly.

"Commander Pixis, please forgive me for coming in unannounced but I really need your help. That underling of yours that looks like he's lacking sleep due to the stick up his ass is going to execute someone that doesn't deserve it."

Pixis stares down at Emiline in amusement, "And why are you so adamant about preventing this death, some sort of lover of yours?"

"No sir, it's because it's not right," Emiline begins before finally adding, "and also because I am this cadet's guardian."

The sound of a cannon rings through the air and Emiline rushes out of the tent to see familiar grey smoke rising in the distance. Pixis and his attendants file out of the tent. As Pixis takes a swig from his silver flask he stares at the sky. "I'm afraid we would be too late, Cadet..."

"Cadet Amelia Woods sir, and it's not too late. I know he's survived. Please sir, please just follow me. The cadet that is being executed has the ability to turn into a titan and control it. He had no prior knowledge of this, I've taken care of him for two years prior to enlisting. Please just see for yourself and determine if he deserves to be executed."

Pixis stares down at the pleading redhead, "I like you Cadet Woods, you've got some wild spunk to match that fiery red hair of yours. I will go and see."

Emiline frantically leads Pixis through the fray to where Eren, Mikasa, and Armin are being held. As Pixis stops his underling from ordering another cannon fire, Emiline rushes over to the three teenagers and throws her arms around them, "Thank goodness, you're all alive. Good job with that argument Armin."

"Did you come here with Commander Pixis, Amelia," Armin asks in surprise.

"I did, that raccoon over there didn't sit well with me, so I went to find Commander Pixis."

"Are you crazy Amelia? That could have gotten you in serious trouble, but thank you," Eren thanks.
Emiline anxiously looks over all of the teenagers and breathes a sigh of relief to see them perfectly unharmed.

"You four, follow me," Commander Pixis orders.

They all nod and follow the Commander out, as they file out Mikasa grabs Emiline's hand and looks at her with remorse.

"I'm sorry for what I said back in Trost, I realize now that you were right."

Emiline gives Mikasa a comforting smile, "It's alright, you were upset. But I think you'll soon see how much I'm willing to risk for what matters most."

Mikasa looks at Emiline in confusion but Emiline keeps walking. I will convince Eric to confess, considering how things are now it would be selfish to not tell Commander Erwin what we know.

Plans went underway for Eren to use his titan form to move the boulder to plug the hole in the wall. Meanwhile Emiline was recruited with Mikasa to be on the elite squad to help protect Eren. Everything seemed to go as planned until Eren started going ballistic before knocking himself unconscious.

"Oh no," Emiline breathes.

"Everyone, protect Eren while I get him to wake up," Armin's voice suddenly shouts.

"Armin, what are you doing here," Mikasa shouts.

"Don't worry about it, now protect Eren."

Mikasa nods while Emiline goes off to take out the titans rushing over to Eren, looking towards the gate Emiline wonders if the Scouts will return, surely someone has noticed the titans migration. Suddenly, there's a rumble as the ground begins to tremble. Emiline looks over to see Eren standing with the boulder on his shoulder and heading slowly towards the gate. Jumping from the roof, Emiline joins Mikasa and Armin to lead in front of Eren to keep back the titans that try to attack. Tears begin to sting the corner of her eyes as the screams of soldiers getting eaten by titans in an effort to distract them from Eren.

As Eren makes it to the hole, Emiline and Armin scream,"Go," as Eren finally plugs the wall with the boulder.

Just as it feels like they are finally in the clear and can breathe easily, a sigh of relief would be too soon. As Armin pulls Eren out of his titan, two titans start bumbling towards them.

Emiline shouts, "Mikasa, you take the one on the right and I'll take the one on the..." Emiline stops as a flash flies across the sky taking out the two titans, Emiline squints up to see that it's Captain Levi.

"Hey Ginger, what's going on here,"Levi calls to Emiline.

They're back, Emiline breathes in relief.