Love in a Time of War

Chapter Twenty-Two

The next morning Emiko heads down to the Mess Hall and hugs Jean from behind "Be careful today." she tells him. "I will. You be careful too." Jean responds. Emiko smiles and nods, sitting next to him. Across the Hall, Levi, Hange and Erwin watches the two of them "She really cares about him." Hange comments. "Their just friends." Levi tells them. "Which is why you look like you want to kill the poor boy?" Erwin asks, raising a brow. Levi rolls his eyes, watching his sister as he drinks his tea. Hange and Erwin look at each other "It's alright to admit you don't want her to grow up." Hange tells Levi. "I don't know what you mean." Levi responds. "Yes you do. We both feel the same way but she's fifteen now." Erwin tells him. Levi rolls his eyes again "She's always going to be my baby sister, whether she likes it or not." he says. "We know and so does she." Hange tells him. Levi finishes his tea and stands "See you later." he says, going to clean his cup out. "He doesn't want to admit he's scared of Emiko growing up and not needing him anymore, even though she's going to always need him." Hange tells Erwin. "Just like we both don't want her growing up." Erwin adds, Hange nodding in agreement. Erwin and Hange look over at Emiko, smiling slightly when they see how relaxed she is round Jean.

Emiko sits on her horse next to Levi as the Survey Corps prepare to leave "Thirty seconds until the gate is open!" someone calls. "Emiko, stay close." Levi tells her. "I will." Emiko nods, Levi nodding back. "It's time! In mere moments, mankind will advance once again. Show us what you're made of!" Darius tells everyone. "Yeah!" someone exclaims. "Open the gate!" another person adds. "Forward! We now begin the 57th expedition! Advance!" Erwin orders, everyone riding out the city. Emiko stays on Levi's right as instructed, Eren behind Levi and diagonally to the left of Emiko. Eren soon looks across to Oluo "Oluo, can they... Can my classmates beat the Titans?" he asks. "Huh? What have you been doing the past month?" Oluo asks. "Huh?" Eren asks in confusion. "Listen, brat... The most crucial part of an expedition is in how you avoid fighting Titans-" Oluo starts, being cut of as he ends up biting his own tongue. "Go into long-range scouting formation!" Erwin orders, the squads beginning to split off from each other.

After a while, Emiko looks across to see a green smoke signal "A smoke round. Green. Oluo, you fire it." Levi orders. "Roger!" Oluo responds, firing a green smoke round. A soldier rides over to them "Reporting! Message to pass along! Right flank recon has been destroyed! Our recon system is partially inoperative! Pass this on, to the left!" they tell them. "Did you hear that, Petra? Go." Levi tells her. "Yes, Captain!" Petra responds, riding off to the left and the soldier goes back to the right. Emiko looks to the right in concern, knowing the Jean is over there "Emiko?" Levi asks quietly. "I'm alright." she tells him. Suddenly, several black smoke rounds are fired from the right "Black rounds? Abnormals..." Emiko trails off. "Eren, you fire it." Levi tells the teen. "R-Right!" Eren nods. "What a mess. We let it penetrate deep into our formation." Levi mutters. Eren fires the black smoke round, Emiko looking at the black smoke in concern "Don't look too concerned, your friends should be fine." Levi tells her quietly. "I know." she responds just as quiet.

They soon come to the forest, making their way into the trees "Captain... Captain Levi!" Eren asks. "What?" Levi asks. "Well... We're in the middle of the woods! If the center enters alone, we won't know if Titans are approaching! It seems something is approaching us from the right... How are we supposed to dodge the Titans or protect the carts?" Eren asks him. "Don't go on and on about the obvious. We can't do that anymore, of course." Levi tells him. "Ah...! Th-Then why?" Eren frowns. "Look around, Eren. At all these big-ass trees. It's the perfect environment for ODM Gear." Emiko tells him. "And try to use that tiny brain of yours... If you don't want to die, think." Levi adds. "Yes, sir!" Eren nods. "What the hell? Seriously? Damn it all... What the hell is going on here?" Oluo mumbles. Just then a black smoke round fires from behind them "A black smoke round?!" Eren exclaims. "It's from directly behind us!" Gunther exclaims. "It's whatever was coming toward us on the right." Eld says. "Draw your blades." Levi orders, drawing his own blades. Emiko immediately copies him "If we see it, it'll only be for a second." Levi tells them.

Behind them a Titan that looks female sprints towards them, swatting a soldier out of the way "Go!" Levi orders. The Female Titan goes to grab Eren but smashes through a tree. "Ngh... It's fast! In these trees, there's no way to foresee and evade its attacks!" Gunther exclaims as the Female Titan chases them. "It'll catch us!" Eld exclaims. "Captain, let's switch to Maneuver Gear! Captain!" Petra tells Levi. Soldiers appear behind the Female Titan "You won't escape!" a soldier exclaims. "Reinforcements from the rear!" Petra exclaims. Emiko keeps looking forward, ignoring the noises of the soldiers behind them being killed "Captain, your orders?!" Petra asks. "Let's go for it! It's dangerous! We should kill it!" Oluo exclaims. Eld draws his blade "I'll rip you apart!" he tells the Female Titan. "Captain Levi?!" Eren asks. "Captain!" Petra exclaims. "Give us your orders!" Oluo tells Levi. "At this rate, it will catch up with us!" Gunther tells them. "We kill it here... That's why we came to this forest! Right, Captain?!" Eld asks. "Captain, your orders!" Eren exclaims. "Everyone, cover your ears. Now, Emiko." Levi orders. Emiko nods and loads a sound round, firing it and causing a loud bang.