Flying on Her Wings (Attack on Titan)

Winning Me Over

Rachel's P.O.V

   We continue to stare at each other for a few moments, until Commander Erwin (but he will always be Captain Eyebrows in my eyes) speaks.

   "Excuse me for asking, but did you say your forest?"  Breaking eye contact with short-stack, I look over at the tall blond.

   "Yes, indeed.  I've lived here all my life, and have killed any Titans that have come here.  So you can understand why I call this place my own."  I say, inclining my head to him.  He doesn't need to know the whole truth...

   "How come we've never seen you before?" Erwin sounds genuinely curious, so I decided to humor him.  Revealing the entire truth is a definite no, but I suppose I can tell him of what I have seen and done.

"Oh yes, let myself become known to the humans early on so they can experiment on me. Besides, the last thing most of your dying soldiers see is my face and hear my voice as I comfort them in their last moments– something the real Scouting Legion often doesn't have time to do." Realization dawns in Captain Eyebrow's eyes as I explain my story.

   I feel a sudden pressure on my limp left wing.  Letting out a hiss of pain, I turn and see the incompetent Squad Leader Hanji poking at the numb appendage.  Quickly extending my right wing out, I send a strong gust of wind her way, knocking her far away from my injured appendage.  New bolts of pain are racing up and down my wing, and I have to take a moment to steady myself and push back the rising nausea.  Glaring at her, I say,

   "Excuse me, Squad Leader Hanji, but I will have to ask you to refrain from touching me in any area."  Hanji sits up and stares at me in my defensive position, with my good wing curling around me.

   "Wow!  That was a strong gust of wind you just produced there!  And you did that with only one wing!"  She shots excitedly.  Okay, she looks way too excited for my taste. I'm going to have to find a way out of this mess before it gets anymore out of hand...  I think, looking at my surroundings and assessing the threats of the soldiers.  It is apparent that they are all on their guard, which means they have no intention of letting me go freely.  Are they acting this way under Captain Eyebrows' orders?

   Before I can make an escape route, the earth begins to shake.

Thud
Thud
Thud
Thud
Thud
Thud
THUD THUD THUD THUD–

   Taking this opportunity as an escape, I kneel down.  The human soldiers are looking in every direction, trying to locate the Titans that are approaching quickly.  The glint of their swords sway this way and that, and a few disappear into the trees with the use of their gear, but I ignore them.  Using my heightened senses, I quickly locate the source.

   "Two Titans heading toward my location from the Southeast.  A class 3m and... 10m."  I mutter.  Captain Eyebrows apparently hears and turns towards me, raising one of his gigantic eyebrows.  Facing toward the sources of the footsteps, I quickly run forward, ignoring the cries of,  "It's getting away!" and, "Stop it!"  But then, I hear Eyebrows yell,

   "Wait!  Stand down!"  Hearing confused murmurs, I smirk to myself, as the two Titans finally come into sight.  Using my right wing as leverage, I quickly jump up onto a high branch, and slice the nape of the class 10m Titan using the sharper edges of the feathers on my good wing.  Surprised gasps from my 'audience' reach my ears.

   Before I can take out the second Titan, I notice a blur of familiar-looking blond hair. But who does it belong to...?

Armin!

I see the boy going for the nape of the smaller Titan, but the monster notices him and turns around, opening its mouth in wait for its prey. Letting out a loud battle cry, I push the young soldier out of the way, and swing him up onto a branch far out of reach for the Titan. Looking at him in fury, I glance down in preparation to kill the other threat– but before I can, the sound of someone's wires cut through the air, accompanied by the dying screams of the Titan reaching my ears. The pain in my wing is excruciating, but I shake my head as I trie to focus on remembering the name of the device the humans used to fly.  Hmm...  I believe they called it 3D Maneuvering Gear...  Turning to Armin, I looked at the younger with both concern and anger in my eyes.

"What on earth were you thinking soldier?! You could have been killed just now! And what do you have to say for yourself?" It seems as though he is withering before me, if the sudden roundness of his shoulders is anything to go by.  I am shocked when the boy suddenly stands up to his full height, and looks straight into my menacing gaze.

   "I didn't know the Titan would spot me, Miss Rachel!  I wanted to help you since you looked injured!"  I stare at him a little longer before chuckling lowly and smiling lightly at him.

   "At ease, young Armin.  I understand what you wanted to do, but next time be more careful, okay?"  At this he nods, and smiles at me with excitement; obviously proud with himself by my praise.  I have to admit, I have grown a soft spot for the boy, and think of him as a younger brother (almost). Someone clears their throat from down below us.  Quickly jumping down, I face the person, only to find out that it is Commander Eyebrows (yes... he got promoted) who wants to speak with me.

   "You've saved more than one of my soldiers, for which I am very grateful. Will you accept the Recon Corps' invitation to come into Wall Rose with us, as well as to treat your injury?"

   I have to think about this one.  Do I really want to go back?  Back into the safety of the barriers that were once my home?  Back to the humans who made me this way?  It is interaction with them that caused this injury in the first place, because if I had just stuck to my normal duties, I would have been safe...  Taking one look up at the face filled with hope that belongs to the young blond made up my mind.

   "Just realize that I won't stay within that wall forever.  Commander Eyebr-Erwin, I accept your offer."