Outside the Walls (Attack on Titan fanfiction)

Chapter 18- To You, In 20 Years

"Did I say you could stop?" A deep and terrifying voice boomed. Eight year old Ayano wiped the sweat off her face that the scorching June heat caused.

"Father... please let me rest for a while." Narrowing eyes made Ayano cringe.

"Don't stop because your tired. Only stop when your done. That's what I learned while I worked with the Military." He scoffed at the last word and handed Ayano the next wooden log. "At least, back when they were worth their money. They've become a bunch of lazy pigs, with that new King in rule."

Ayano decided to say nothing and launched the axe onto the log in silence, in fear of a calloused hand making contact with her head. Her arms were sore from the heavy tool and her hands were pricked with splinters, tiny circles of blood appearing on her usually pale fingers.

Her mother had to go into town to work, so she couldn't whisk Ayano away to the fascinating world of library books nor outside the wall where Ayano could play with Mavis's titans. Instead, it had to be one of those days where Mavis couldn't even take Ayano into town and her father didn't have work. It was one of those days where Ayano had to grit her teeth and wish and hope that her father didn't assign a task too difficult.

When the axe split the last log Ayano took a long gulp from her flask. A big shape blocked the sun and the small girl looked up to see judging eyes stare her down.

"Follow me." He said. Ayano quickly ran after his long strides. They approached their horses and saddled them up. Ayano had to quickly climb the tree that her horse was bound to and jump from the trunk to the saddle. Her father didn't wait for her, so Ayano had to gallop with her horse to catch up. She soon realised that they were following a path very familiar to Ayano. After a while of suspenseful silence, Ayano's father galloped the rest of the way to Wall Maria, quickly followed by his daughter.

"Isn't this interesting?" He asked, arriving at the elevator that Mavis built. "One of my friends from the Garrison Regiment reported some strange contraption in his designated patrol area. The bastard was too lazy to come down and check it out himself, so I thought that I'd have a look at it."

The intimidating man walked around the platform, inspecting it from different angles. He stepped up on it, and gestured for Ayano to join him. The man tugged at the rope that hung down, then proceeded to pull them up. He inspected the elevator that hung on the other side of the wall, then lowered himself and Ayano to the ground.

Ayano's father stood on the swaying grass and looked around the vast landscape that stretched out. Ayano couldn't help but let her curious eyes bounce around the horizon to search for titans. It was a habit that her mother had started.

A long blade fell near Ayano's feet. She recognized it to be the blades that the Scouts would use. This one was already attached to its handle. Ayano picked it up tantalisingly, her unknowing fingers not quite positioning right. She looked up once her small fingers found their mark and cried out as she dodged her father's oncoming blade.

"Don't stand around and wonder what to do next- it'll kill you." He came at her again and Ayano's self defence classes kicked in. She held her blade flat against her palms and blocked her father. He grunted when he noticed the resistance that Ayano displayed.

"Good, you've grown stronger. Never neglect your exercises." He rose his arm and swung at Ayano's blade in an arch from below, sending her protection flying away. "Don't stand around!"

He sliced his weapon forward, making Ayano jump back. "Immediately advance your next move." The girl ran to her fallen blade. She quickly turned around and swung the heavy weapon in a semi-circle motion. The athletic man dodged it and jumped behind Ayano. Again, his muscular arms pushed the blade forward, sharp side facing the now trampled grass.

Ayano missed the oncoming metal by a hair's width, but the blade caught her pale shoulder and sliced the sensitive surface. She screamed at the jolt of pain that ran through her fragile body. She clutched the wound with her unoccupied hand, bending forward slightly.

A boot made harsh contact with her stomach and sent her sprawling on her back. She struggled to escape the pressure that was exercised onto her skinny abdomen. Her father positioned the edge of the blade across her throat.

"Always keep facing your opponent, even if it costs you your arms and legs." The blade then swiftly moved to Ayano's thigh, and it slowly cut the skin, sending an iron smell and a scream into the air.

The ground shook, and the expressionless man looked up to see a titan approaching them with immense speed. He stood up and threw his bloody blade next to his writhing daughter.

"Do me a favour- try and survive." He said before running to the elevator with inhuman speed that only a former Squad Leader-to-be could issue. Ayano bit her lip to keep another cry of pain escaping her lips in a futile attempt to stay unnoticed. The titan drew near and lowered its head to stare directly at Ayano.

This is where it all ends... Ayano thought, not knowing if the titan before her was tame or not. It could be another rouge for all she knew. It can't be... not yet... I haven't completed my goal yet... The titan with greasy golden hair nudged Ayano with his giant finger.

"Where it hurt, Aya-no?" It asked. The girl gasped at this, then smiled.

"I'm saved..." She whispered. "Please... take me to the cottage." The titan did so, careful with the injured girl as if she were a porcelain lamb. Once they arrived, Ayano painfully dragged herself inside and wrapped her wounds with bandage that Mavis had stored on one of their trips. Once done, she went outside to see the blond titan patiently wait outside.

"Thank you. You saved my life." She paused after a thought struck her. "May I... call you Rory?"

//

Ayano opened her eyes as the titan placed her in its humid mouth. The wetness of the titan's tongue didn't bother the girl. Nor did the roughness of its teeth as it scraped against her legs like sandpaper.

It started to slowly close its mouth, seemingly to only tease a rapidly struggling blond titan. The slight rays of the half moon lit up the scene. Ayano laughed at herself.

Why do I always find myself dying? I guess I was destined to meet up with Death anyway...

As a last gesture, Ayano sat up and looked at her titan through the slight opening of the ever closing mouth. She saluted her titan the same way she would salute her higher ups.

In truth, she saluted them all in her mind.

Her superior Erwin, her Squad Leader Hanji, the slightly annoying Levi, an expressionless Mikasa.

Her newly made friends- the greedy Sasha, a smiling Connie, scowling Jean, teasing Ymir and shy Kirsten.

The determined Erin with shining green eyes and knowledgeable Armin, his blond mess of hair that felt so soft.

To herself, 20 years ago.

She saluted them all as the last of the light disappeared with the closing of the titan's mouth. Ayano felt the muscles of its mouth contract as she was pushed down its gullet.

A piercing sound resonated through the titan's throat as the sickening smells made Ayano's vision darken. Stomach acid started to rise up from the titan's digestive organ- and Ayano almost threw up when she realised that titans cannot digest. It was just rotting blood. The liquid threatened to slurp the weakened girl up, but a sudden tremor running through the giant's body prevented it from doing so.

A new source of light surfaced, and Ayano looked up with the last bit of her strength.

Green.

***

Author's note : the only reason why I'm publishing now is because I have 10 chapters waiting to be published for this fanfiction.