Blood and Blades | Bertholdt x OC

#10. guilt

Year 850

—Continuation of Day 9—

-flashback-

Hoshino led her horse away from the titan she thought to be an aberrant as she watched the veterans play tag with the aberrant, as they were about to hit its nape, the titan crushed the attacker and then grabbed Captain Ness's Vertical Maneuver. Hoshino watched how he got slammed on the floor in front of her eyes in terror "Captain... Ness..." She stuttered under her breath She whispered over and over again while watching the titan run towards her "What is that?... It's too intelligent to be a titan... It knows how the gear works... Am I going to die here?"

"Hoshino! Get out of there!" Armin who was nearby then shouted which Hoshino heard that made her feel a snap in her mind that led her to act quick and dodge the titan that was coming with her horse.

She rode her horse beside Armin as they got chased by the titan, it was just a matter of seconds when it got to them, attacking their horses that led them to fall off to the ground. The intelligent titan looked at them for a good few seconds before it continued running, leaving Hoshino and Armin in a confused state "What was that... It confirmed our faces..?" Armin asked on the verge of panicking.

Hoshino just watched the titan as it ran away from them before Reiner came and consulted both of them, she rode with Armin in one horse as they followed the titan a good few meters away from it. Jean also appeared behind them and delivered a message that the right flank had been wiped out, he was relieved to see Hoshino and Armin who was near the right flank. As they were following the titan, they talked about the possibilities of a person inside it and controlling it just like Eren, and so they formed a plan to distract it for a while to buy time for the formation to withdraw, also adding the possibility that they could capture the person inside with the use of Hoshino's skill.

Hoshino had snapped out of it and now she's prepared to fight, she agreed almost immediately at Jean's idea, shocking the three "We could slice its eyes and cut a few joints to slow it down..." She said sternly as she drew out her blades.

Jean chuckled, visibly scared at his own plan but despite the fear he's feeling, he was able to fight it and commence his plan "That's what I like to hear."

They put on their hoods and surrounded the titan using their Vertical Maneuver, Hoshino on the other hand was hidden in a tree, carefully watching the scene play out while waiting for a chance to target the titan's nape. Seconds have passed and she couldn't seem to have a chance to enter the fight, not until Armin fell to the ground and hit his head which alerted Hoshino making her immediately charge in between the fight with her hood on while playing tag with the titan. As she was about to shoot her Vertical Maneuver, the titan immediately caught it which led Hoshino to hang on the titan's hand by the hook. As the titan confirmed her face, it gently placed her down on the ground making her confused on why it was so gentle towards her.

She stared at the titan in shock while reiner suddenly came in and charged at it, she immediately acted fast and grabbed Armin by the waist and carried him towards where Jean is. They watched in terror as the titan grabbed Reiner in its hand and seemingly crushed him. As Hoshino saw the scene unfold, she immediately snapped, shouting vengeful words at the titan as she charged in at full speed while aiming for its nape "You bitch! What the fuck did you just do?!" She shouted before delivering a blow on its nape, she thought she had it until she felt like she hit a solid thing making her blades shatter in front of her with some of the shattered pieces cutting through her hands and cheek.

Then a second later, Reiner suddenly emerged from the titan's hand, quickly carrying Hoshino and fleeing away from it. Oddly enough, the titan started running the other way giving the four a sigh of relief. They all sat under the tree while Reiner tended Armin's and Hoshino's injuries, Jean on the other hand tried to call on his horse that ran away. Minutes have passed and they decided to shoot a smoke round for emergencies and thankfully, Christa who saw the signal came in with two other horses. They all rode the horses, joining in with Christa's formation, Hoshino riding at the back of Jean's horse.