Attack on Titan: A Blacksmith's Tale

Chapter 63: In the End

The unsettling unknown of the future kept all the Scouts awake at night. With two of the commanding officers imprisoned and the rest of the Scouts cut off, the mission was brought to a complete standstill. It didn't help matters that the cadets were being watched by the hunters of Dauper just in case they tried a bone-headed move like a prison break. For now, they resigned themselves to remain outside until Eld or Moblit came to them with a plan of action.

"It's funny how one idiotic move can screw up everything," Connie mumbled with a shake of his head.

"Do we have ta talk about this now?" Sasha asked, annoyed at her head hurting more than anything else. "Ah really don't wanna think about Dillon fer a while."

Jean let out a snort. "What else are we gonna talk about? The weather? It's like Connie said: he screwed us over."

"He was trying to help," Mikasa said quietly as she kept her back to the group. "You saw what was happening. They were going too far."

"None of that would've happened if he just kept his mouth shut," Connie shot back. "How can you even defend him? He may have prevented you from seeing Eren again."

The Asian's fingers curled into a fist. "Don't go there. Not now."

Jean watched her for a moment, perplexed by her reaction. Anybody who knew Mikasa for even ten seconds knew she was always overprotective of Eren. For once, she was hesitating. Why would she act differently? Unless... "Oh, no." Jean was more exasperated than shocked. "You've gotta be kidding me. You have a thing for Dillon!"

That caused Mikasa to turn around sharply. Even in the dark, they could see a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks from the embarrassment. "What? Are you crazy?"

"I could ask you the same question," the brown-haired teen shot back. "When the hell did this happen?"

"It doesn't matter," Mikasa spat, her anger rising and falling quickly. "It... not anymore, it doesn't." Instinctively, she tightened the scarf around herself.

"Ya know, the one time you should be goin' for Eren with everythin' you've got, here you are mopin' around with the rest of us," Sasha commented with a snort. "Guess love really does make people stupid."

Mikasa threw the hunter a withering glare. "I'd punch you in the face, but I don't waste my energy on the mentally handicapped."

Sasha shot up to her feet, ignoring the adrenaline rush trying to cave her skull in. "The fuck you say ta me, Incest Lover!?"

The Asian joined her at standing up while preparing to beat her to a bloody pulp. "Get closer, bitch! Breaking your jaw might be able to cure your dialect!"

"STOP FIGHTING!"

The two girls halted at the high-pitched shriek, turning their heads to face Armin. The blond was panting heavily, fear coursing through his veins.

"We can't do this to each other!" he pleaded. "The situation is already bad enough without us trying to kill each other over pointless drama. I know we're all angry for one reason or another, but we have to figure out our next move."

Sasha groaned suddenly and and nearly lost her balance. Connie rushed to her side in an instant, catching her before she collapsed.

"I'm going to get you to your dad," Connie assured.

"No," Sasha protested, her eyes only half-open. "Armin's right. We gotta... figure this shit out."

"And how the hell are we supposed to do that?" Jean demanded as he listed everything wrong with their situation using his fingers. "We don't know where Eren and Historia are, we're cut off from the Scouts, our superiors are imprisoned, and this village is on lockdown. What kind of plan is going to get us out of this mess?"