However Long The Night

NINETEEN: Who do you fight for?

They'd been traveling through the dark and in silence. Not many had much to say. After the grand farewell that the people gave to the Scouts, hope seemed to flourish once again. Even the commander screamed at the top of his lungs, inciting his soldiers to believe in humanity and themselves. It was a truly beautiful moment that Rosario watched from beside the commander. She felt none of their joy or hope, just the constant throbbing of her wrist in the band.

After they left, the joy remained for miles as they rode out into the open land toward Wall Maria. As the sun and their imminent mortality began to set, those smiles flattened, and the chatter ceased. Commander Erwin only ever spoke to give orders. He hadn't directed a word at Rosario since he told her to be right beside him at all times. Even as they got off their horses to walk through the night, he instructed her to walk on the side closest to him. It was a silent walk for Rosario the entire way. She only responded to orders through execution, and the Commander didn't seem eager to engage in small talk.

Hours passed as they made their way to what could be the future of the island or the death of everyone. They'd been briefed on the possible dangers: the Beast titan, the Armored titan, and, most of all, the Collosal titan. When the exhaustion ran too deep, shifts of three hours were taken for sleep. Rosario couldn't shut her eyes long enough to get any actual rest; her mind wouldn't stop thinking. By the time both shifts were over, she was too alert to focus on her underlying exhaustion.

By the time Shiganshina came into view as they raced through the land on their horses, Rosario felt a cold slither go up her spine. Her wrist ached slightly, and her lungs wouldn't open up enough to get sufficient air. She felt herself a prisoner to her memories. She felt the box that Oliver left for her pressing against her skin, and her wrist ached more for it.

In the days after Captain Levi revealed she would be attending the expedition to take back Wall Maria, Rosario would spend hours staring at that syringe. It would help. She understood that. Memories of eased pain trickled in the more she stared at it. It would help. It would help. It would help.

Still, she never did, and the vial remained full. Yet, for some reason she didn't want to dig into, Rosario found herself unable to leave it behind. She strapped it to her torso, covered by her uniform, and went on her way, wrist still throbbing.

"All units switch to ODM gear at once!"

The whirring of wires and slicing of air drowned the thoughts from Rosario's mind. She followed after the commander, as she was instructed, and watched from the air as Orion and the other horses galloped ahead without distraction.

The moment the scouts touched the hard rock of Wall Maria, Captain Levi's voice eradicated all hesitations. "Don't stop now! Head to the outer gate!"

The scouts followed their Captain's orders as Rosario stayed close beside Commander Smith. He, too, moved toward the outer gate but at a much calmer pace. There was no urgency in his stride. He was analyzing the terrain, preparing for the worst. Rosario stayed in tune to his movements, ready to aid him if he needed. He'd visited a few times when she was injured-once even brought to her her meal. There was no authority in his voice during those visits. They'd been all about him following up on her wellbeing. She hadn't thought much of it until she'd overheard guards saying the commander wasn't one to visit injured soldiers. It's part of what made them call him a devil, his coldness.

The commander stopped moving once Eren had plugged the gate. They all tried to be alert at the same time they watched with wonder as his titan form hardened, and the hole was no more. Rosario could sense the elation and newfound hope that permeated the air around the scouts. Perhaps this was truly possible. Perhaps they'd take back their land and gain the upper hand. Perhaps they were all hopeful fools.