Village of Smoke (Connie x Fem Reader)

Chapter 16; The Walk of Unknown Feelings

A slight chill crept up your back as you observed the water below you. Though it was a summers night the breeze and anticipation was enough to cool you all down as you hid behind a rock by the coastline. A second ship of the day had tried to make contact with your island, and you were all tensely watching as they closed in in the darkness of the night. In your heart of hearts you'd always trust Hange's judgement, no matter how insane. However this might just be too risky even for her standards.

The men on the ship were talking quietly amongst themselves, scanning what they could see of the island through a pair of binoculars. The silence of the night was abruptly broken by the sound of a rumbling from underneath the ship and the terrified screams of the unsuspecting soldiers as the attack titan emerged from the water with the boat in between its clutches.

"It's a devil!", you heard someone yell. Eren walked a couple of large steps forward, harshly dropping the boat on the mainland with a ground shaking crash.

None of your friends seated beside you dared even breathe too loud; Sasha firmly grasping the rifle in her hands as you watched Hange quickly approach the edge of the mainland, making herself known to your visitors.

"Greetings everyone! Welcome to Paradis Island!", she yelled out enthusiastically with broad hand motions. "My name is Hange, I'm here to greet you after your long travel across the ocean. Come here with me and we'll go have some tea", she continued smiling, motioning behind her. The soldiers on the ship looked beyond dumbfounded at this unexpected hospitality. They didn't trust it.

By that time Levi had already made his way to her, leading the blonde guy from the previous ship in front of him with a blade to his back. "By the way, we've already made good friends with your companions who made it ahead of you!", she continued and walked over to the pair. The blonde flinched as Hange put an arm around his neck in a friendly yet harsh way "Isn't that right Niccolo, my good pal".

Niccolo seemed to hesitate, and from where you sat you could see Levi give the blade a slight push which jolted life back into him.

"Captain! Don't worry about me!", he yelled out in such desperation his voice turned hoarse. "Shoot these devils dead!". You and Connie exchanged concerned looks before focusing back on the scene unfolding.

"Hey! Hey, how can you say that huh, Nicolo?", Hange continued on with her bit, the desperation breaking through her pervious relaxed façade. Niccolo wasn't listening however, still calling out for the captain.

"Listen you devils!", the man who you assumed to be the captain finally got up to his feet. All traces of fear in him was replaced with disgust and rage. He pointed his rifle at Hange, and you felt your heart quicken. Sasha grabbed a tighter hold on her rifle, ready. "Marley has no ears to lend to filth-blooded scum like you!", he continued yelling. "We won't stoop to drinking the hog-piss you call tea!"

"Oh yeah?! You sure you don't wanna take that back? Don't you notice the titan behind you?", Hange yelled back cleverly, motioning towards Eren's form towering over them. They all turned to look up at him, his green eyes were glowing in the darkness of the night. The captain was the first one to shake out of the trance-like state the rest of them found themselves in looking up at the terrifying sight. His rifle once again pointed at Hange.

"We'll never give in to devils! Here's what Marley has to say to you!-"

You didn't even manage to take a breath before the sound of a gunshot broke through the night, and you all watched wide eyed trying to understand what just happened.

The captain was dead.

You broke out of your stare to look over at Sasha wondering if her quick reflexes once again came through, but she looked just as dumbfounded as the rest of you. It wasn't until you looked back you saw her. A marleyan soldier, her gun pointed at the captains head while she stood there demonstratively.