Love in a Time of War

Chapter Nine

The Titan being eaten pushes forwards, its arms being ripped off as it lunges at the other Titan. It bites into it's nape, lifting it off the ground and throwing it at the other Titans "What was that about helping it?" Jean asks, resting his elbow on Emiko's shoulder. Emiko smiles lightly at Jean, the Titan suddenly screaming and falling to the floor "Looks like it's burnt itself out. Whatever, let's get going! There's no way that monster is on our side. Titans are Titans." Jean says, beginning to leave. Emiko goes to follow but stops, looking down at the Titan in shock and confusion. Jean stops when he realises that no one else is moving "What is it?" he asks, walking back over. They all stare in shock when they see Eren coming out the nape of the Titan "But that's..." Emiko trails off. Mikasa swings down to Eren "Mikasa!" Armin exclaims. Everyone follows Mikasa down as she hugs Eren, the group getting him out the Titan body and taking him too the roof. Emiko stands next to Jean as Mikasa hugs Eren while crying, Armin holding his hand "What just happened here?" Armin asks. "Then Eren... did all this?" Jean asks, looking round at the dead Titans that Eren killed. "We need a plan." Emiko pipes up. "What do you mean?" Reiner asks. "We need to make sure we don't tell anyone about Eren. If they find out they will think he's a Titan and try to kill him." Emiko responds. "All of us swear to secrecy then." Armin decides.

Later on, Emiko sits on a wall as they all regroup. Jean stands in front of her as they talk "You think they know?" he asks quietly. "I don't know." she responds, looking in the direction of the wall. Just then there is an explosion in the distance "Cannon fire?" Reiner asks. "But why just one shot?" Jean asks. "Look smoke! It's inside the wall!" someone exclaims. "What's that?" someone else asks. "What's going on? Was the gate broken?" someone asks. "That's the most fortified place, it can't be!" another person tells them. "Someone probably dropped a cannonball." someone says. "But then what's all the smoke for?!" someone asks. Emiko stands up, looking in the direction of the smoke "Could it be steam from a Titan?" Jean asks. "Let's go find out." Emiko tells him, using her ODM gear to swing onto the roof. Reiner, Annie and Bertholdt follow her with Jean close behind, the five of them coming to a stop on a roof near where the explosion happened "What the...?" Emiko trails off. "What's going on down there?" Reiner asks, the five of them looking at Eren's half formed Titan. Frowning, Emiko zones out as she tries to work out what's happening "They think Eren is a threat, they're trying to kill him." she realises after a minute. "What?!" Jean exclaims, Emiko shrugging slightly.

The five of them watch on as Kitz gets ready to launch another attack, stopping with Commander Pixis arrives. Emiko smiles and swings down "Commander!" she salutes. "Emiko Ackerman. What are you doing here?" Pixis asks. "I wanted to offer what I know about Eren and the Titan." Emiko responds. "Good." Pixis tells her. "He may be a Titan or whatever he is, but Eren is one of the best soldiers I know. He was one of the top ten with me and as a Titan he was attacking and killing the other Titans. Without his powers we wouldn't have been able to get to the HQ and refill our tanks, we would have been picked off by Titans one by one. If anything he's an asset to us, not a danger or hindrance." Emiko tells him. Pixis nods "Come with me." he tells her, motioning for her to follow him over to Kitz. "Cut it out already. You haven't changed. As big as you are you still have the guts of a scared dawn." Pixis tells him. "Commander Pixis?" Kitz asks in surprise. "Can't you see how magnificent his salute is? I just arrived but the situation has be relayed to me. You go organise the reinforcements. I think it'll be worthwhile to hear what they say." Pixis tells them. "What about the girl?" Kitz asks. "This is Emiko Ackerman, she was top of her class. She is also Captain Levi Ackerman's younger sister. She has filled me in with who Jaeger is as she trained with him in the 104th." Pixis explains.

Emiko smiles slightly "Emiko, you go back to your fellow Cadets while I deal with the situation here. I will send someone to find you if and when we need you." Pixis tells her. "Sir!" Emiko salutes. Pixis smiles "Oh, and congratulations on being the top in your class." he adds. "Thank you, Sir!" Emiko responds before taking off back to the roof. "You know Commander Pixis?" Reiner asks. "Yeah, I know most higher up officers in the Scouts and Garrison. Comes with the territory." Emiko shrugs. Jean smiles and rest he elbow on her shoulder "The territory of having an older brother as a Scout Captain?" he asks her. "That and having the Commander of the Scouts and Section Commander of the Scouts as older sibling figures." Emiko smiles. "Come on, we better head back to the others." Reiner says. Emiko nods "Commander Pixis is going to make an announcement in a bit so we better do that." she agrees. "About what?" Bertholdt asks. "Whatever he decides about Eren. He said he'd send someone to find me." Emiko responds, swinging down to everyone else. Connie walks over "What happened?" he asks. "Commander Pixis is going to make an announcement in a bit, I don't know what I'm allowed to say." Emiko explains. "Commander Pixis? The Commander of the Garrison?" Connie asks. Emiko nods "He's sorting some stuff out then he's going to make an announcement about it." she tells him.