LITOST // ackerman

After All This Time [part one]

Almost to Wall Rose - Three days after the fall of Trost; ten days after the destruction of the BCO

   "We should rest." Rio spoke, her eyes staring into the back of the woman ahead of her.

   Amane didn't show any signs of stopping, not even any signs of slowly down. Instead she pushed on. The wound in her side had already gone numb. Her jaw had been numb for hours so she didn't try to make any response.

   Her companion let out a huff. "Can I sit on the back of your mare then, since you won't?"

   This time she moved. But only to drop the reigns she was holding. Her old mare whinnied and nudged her shoulder with her mouth. Rio smiled faintly as she grabbed the reigns and pulled herself onto the back of the animal.

   The past days had been hard. Her and Rio, for the first while, couldn't speak. They couldn't comprehend what had all happened to them in the span of hours.

   We were winning, Amane thought, forcing her jaw together even more. She felt her teeth pushing down into her gums which in turn pushed blood into her mouth. Almost, as an instinct, she spit out the red liquid.

   Rio frowned from behind her. She wanted to speak, saying something that might help, but nothing came to mind. They were feeling the same thing then, but Amane was letting it get to her more. She was always so tough on herself.

   When the sun was almost down, Amane finally spoke. Her words echoed out into the open around them. "I'll kill that Titan, for everything it's done."

   Rio only watched her as they continued on. She wasn't sure what to say nor was she sure if she should speak at all.

###

   "Eren!" Armin yelled as the rock came down, slamming against the opening. The wind rushing through the gate fell to an abrupt stop.

   He sank to his knees, tears of joy cascading down his cheeks as he watched his friend before him. Eren, in his Titan form, let out a scream before he collapsed.

   Mikasa spun at the sound of Eren falling. "Eren!" She called, just as her eyes watched the comrades around her being eaten alive. They needed to get out of there, her mind concluded, Eren, Armin and herself, now.

   "Armin, we need to go!" She ran toward the blonde, her swords shining in the dim light. Armin was up in an instant, drawing his own weapons out.

   "I can cut him out." He announced, sounding as if he were having to convince himself of this.

   "Hurry!"

   The sound of more Titan's coming their way made her heart quicken. So many were dying, so many had died.

   "Aberrant!" She yelled behind her. She couldn't see Armin, but she trusted him.

   As she readied her gear, the Aberrant dashing toward her with a mad look, the last bit of light above her was shadowed.

   With the thought of a Titan above her she shifted her gaze, catching only a glimpse of blonde hair before it vanished. The sound of a strangled scream ahead of her made her jump back.

   Mikasa looked forward again, giving herself enough time to jump back as the aberrant fell at her feet. Its mark already hit.

   Her eyes fell to the figure standing beside the body. The person had their back to her, their blonde hair hanging loosely in a ponytail. They wore the 3DMG, yet the jacket the person wore was a deep black, reflecting the bit of light that was left.