The Last Ackerman

Sleep Well, Elysian

On the road to the town centre, Elysian and the others were briefed on what Levi and Hanji had discovered while out on their secret night mission.

"From what we understand, there is a secret plot building against the survey corps. Minster Nick refused to give up much information, despite all of us trying. Through Dimo Reeves and his son, we now know that the current king and monarchy are a fraud. Overnight, someone murdered Dimo Reeves and is placing the blame on Erwin. He's not with us because he's been summoned to court in Mitras." Hanji said.

"We also know he intends to capture Eren and Historia, so the two must remain under cover and under guard. We can use them as bait to weed out the killer of Dimo Reeves. We have an idea of where the killers currently are and who they are, so we're going to attempt to stake them out." Levi continued. Elysian was shocked to hear they had uncovered all of this in one night and that now their job was considerably more difficult.

"If there's a plot against the survey corps, public opinion is likely to decrease in our favor." Elysian said, and Hanji nodded.

"We need to squash it before it does. We can't afford to lose public favour right now." Hanji pulled their horse round and stopped all the current soldiers. "Levi, Elysian and Armin are going to head straight to the suspected base of the squad we suspect killed Dimo Reeves. Everyone else, we're going to scour the streets for clues and meet them there. With me!" Hanji clicked and everyone began galloping in the direction they went. Armin pulled up next to Levi, his hood over his head and waited for instruction.

"Come on. We go this way. Once we get close enough, we go on foot. Elysian, put your hood up." As they trotted on, Elysian pulled her hood up and watched the roads and people pass. They fell into an open space and left the horses there, continuing down narrow streets on foot. Armin fell behind Elysian and watched her as he walked, feeling small waves of sadness wash over him.

From above them, Kenny chuckled to himself. He watched the three hooded figures as they passed down the alleyway, flanked by several men.

"One piggy, two piggy, three piggy. This should be fun." He said, standing and cocking his gun out of its holster, pointing it towards the three and shooting.

The large bullet embedded itself in the wall above Levi's head, and he instantly told the other two to run. They exited the alleyway and headed down another, attempting to lose the men now trailing them. Elysian looked back and saw at least six men, all with ODM and guns.

"We aren't going to be able to lose them down here! We should split up!" Elysian shouted.

"Meet me back at the horses!" Levi yelled back and shot off in the left direction. Three men followed him. Elysian took her hood down, cracked her neck and shot off in the right direction, leaving Armin to go straight. Two men followed Elysian and that left one for Armin, who used his ODM gear to propel him forwards.

Elysian found herself barreling down narrow streets, twisting and turning at ridiculous speeds in order to lose the men trailing her. She failed to notice the third man who had joined them, a bigger man with long loose brown hair, a small beard and a hat. She landed on top of a roof and took out the two foot soldiers fairly easily, breaking their necks and pushing them off the roof. She was about to leave to find Levi when a familiar voice sent a chill down her spine.

"Elysian, didn't I teach you to never leave one behind?" Kennys rough voice stopped Elysian in her tracks and she turned with a grin on her face.

"Ah, Kenny, what a lovely surprise." she kept her swords gripped tight in her hands and stayed on edge; letting her guard down here would get her killed.

"It's been almost a year. I thought you were coming back soon?" He took a step towards her and she took one back.

"My bad, it must have slipped my mind. Had other business, yanno." she shrugged and he laughed.

"In the Survey Corps, eh? Seems ya found Levi after all."

"I did. But now isn't the time for talk, I have shit to do, so if you'll excuse me-" Kenny cocked the gun towards his daughter, finger lightly teasing the trigger.

"I ain't done speakin' with ya. Come on, don't I deserve to know what my kids been doing away from home? So tell me. Got a boyfriend yet? Or a girlfriend, I ain't judgin'." Elysian stared down the barrel of the gun and grit her teeth. She didn't know how to get out of this uninjured.

"No."

"What a shame." Kenny drew the other gun from its holster and pointed that at Elysian too. "I'm sorry kiddo, but yanno I can't let you go if you're in the Corps. We need that titan boy you have and I can't let you get in the way of that." In a split second, Elysian ran to jump off the roof and Kenny shot both his guns.

Levi and Armin were both already at the horses waiting for Elysian. They had taken out the men following them but it seemed Elysian was taking longer than expected. They heard two gunshots and the whoosh of ODM gear from a few buildings away, closely followed by a grotesque crack. Without thinking, they both jumped off their horses and ran to where the noise came from. Once they ran into an alleyway, Armin heard faint laughter from overhead and the whoosh of ODM again. Levi ran deep into the alley, only to see a crumpled body laying haphazardly on the concrete floor, blood pooling out from under it.

"No no no no no." He said. He knew it was her the second he saw the strands of brown hair, but it was confirmed when he saw her face. Her eyes were shut and blood was running down her temple, but this was far from the worst of it. Blood was pooling from her legs and upon further inspection, Levi saw that there were two huge bullet holes, one in each thigh. Even worse, there was a clear stab wound through her stomach that was rapidly spouting blood.

"Too much, she's losing too much blood. Armin, give me your cape! NOW!" Armin tore off his cape and Levi ripped it into strips, wrapping these tightly around her wounds to prevent any further blood loss. He lifted her as gently as possible and began running out of the alley, jumping onto his horse and speeding back towards the barracks. Armin followed suit, worry bubbling painfully in his throat, the argument this morning playing on repeat in his mind.

"No. I'll be happy when you're dead."

"You hear me, Elysian, I want you dead. Six feet under, in the pits of hell, forever. And I damn hope your death is as painful as the one you put my sister through."

Armin desperately shook his head, tears streaming down his face again. "She can't die," he thinks to himself, "Not yet. Please." The ride back to the barracks is quick and Armin is hot on Levi's heels as he pushes through soldiers and staff, Elysian still cradled in his arms. Both men were panicked. sElysian was out cold and Levi could feel the weak, staggered breaths against his chest as he sprinted towards the hospital wing.

As soon as he walked in the door, nurses took Elysian from him, getting to work inspecting the injuries and ensuring that she didn't stop breathing. Levi and Armin could do nothing but stand in the doorway and watch as blood was wiped away and breathing was checked. They were soon ushered away from the door and told to leave so the nurses could focus on their work.

Armin went to sit under the tree out by the training grounds, where he used to sit with Elysian when she would watch the sun go down. Too many times she had fallen asleep under it and had been woken by him bringing her breakfast or by one of the squad commanders giving a harsh kick to her shins. Her back fit perfectly in the curve of the tree and Armin sat in it now. The barracks were deathly silent - it seemed not even the birds dared to break this silence, as even they were silent in their trees. He had lost Mikasa less than two days ago and now he could be losing Elysian too. He'd never forgive himself if she died now, with their last words to each other having been arguing and betrayal.

That night, Armin fell asleep lying on the tree and Levi passed out slumped over his desk. He, Armin and Hanji were the only ones aware of Elysians condition. The happy hubbub of a successful mission lifted the spirits of all but the quartet who desperately waited for news on Elysians condition.