"He's close to his limit." Vince whispers into my ear. I nod, eyes still on Eren's titan kicking a smaller one. "You know what to do then?" I could hear the smirk on his lips. Stupid old man. I wave him off. I remember when I came to my limit. It was not a fun experience. It was very painful, I really did not want to do it again. I was young.
"Well I'll be going." I feel Vince stand up behind me.
"Don't die." I grumble. Vince laughs. The pressure on the branch shifts and he jumps off. The ground shakes when Vince lands. I turn around to see his titan jogging out of the forest.
I sigh and turn to watching Eren. I was really tired. I had a nightmare about a bad shifting. It doesn't sound that bad now I say it but it was terrifying to experience. That was one thing I really did hate about being a shifter. There was always a chance of a bad transformation. It felt like you were pinched between two tons of fleshly matter.
It did happen on purpose every hundred or so transformations. A limit. It was worse then a bad shift and you know it's going to happen. I've hit my limit about four or five times. I normally bring Ren or Levi. I have to go outside of the Wall. Vince told me to let the titans brain to take control.
I was called the Merciless Titan for a reason.
When I was younger Vince came with me. He figured out that you can make the limit go by faster if someone is there to fight. When Eren came to his limit I would have to beat the crap out of him to make it less painful. I thought that was odd when Vince told me this after. I felt everything inside of the titan. Vince was brutal.
Now I think about it, Vince is an idiot. Why the hell would you beat someone up when they could feel everything. But if you knock the shifter inside of their titan out you could get them out faster.
Shit. Now it made sense.
Why does my brain work like this.
"Captain?" Jane taps on my shoulder. I mumble a what, not looking at her. "I don't think Eren is, um." I turn around to look at her. She points down at the ground. My eyes follow her arm to see Eren passed out on the ground. Bagil and Philip leaning over him. I curse.
"Jane, start packing up. We need to leave." I order. I call the same thing to the others down below. Jane doesn't move. I stare at her. Her brows furrow. "Eren will be fine." I rest a hand on her shoulder, trying to be assuring. She sighs and shoots her hooks into the tree next to us. I smile. She was worried about Eren. It was sweet.
Vince was right. This was a sign of coming to you limit. I had to prevent Eren from shifting for another twenty four hours and then we would come back to get it over with. I couldn't let my squad experience it. Vince told me that some people can't handle a titan more dangerous than a deviant loosing control.
I shoot my hooks into the tree where my tent was. I shove my papers into a bag and my cot follows. We would leave the tents here stashed in a tree hollow for anyone else who needed shelter. Its worked quite well, though it was slightly terrifying knowing that half the people who took shelter in that tent are dead.
Once the tent was put away I meet my squad towards the front of the forest. Eren was awake now, Jane told me that his head was shaken up a bit. A bandage hung loosely on his forehead. It will heal quickly, shifters could regenerate. But everyone knew that.
I look over everyone. Most of them had bags under their eyes. I arch a brow but continue on.
"Where's Mikasa?" I ask after a headcount. I haven't seen her much since we came here actually. I wasn't as worried as I should be though. Armin steps forward.
"She said she was scouting." he answers. I grumble a curse.
"Start heading back to base. Don't turn back." I order. I would be finding Mikasa myself. We could both handle ourselves. I shoo my squad away. They all turn slowly on their horses. I give Armin the reins to my horse. "Take care of her." I give him a stern look. He nods and follows the others. Bagil had taken Mikasa's horse with him, I was planing on just running back to the wall. I didn't see why we shouldn't. It would be safer also. No titan could get to us when I was in my form.
I step back by the forest. My eyes still on my squad, silently wishing them a fair trip. I bring my hand up to my mouth and bite down. My skin was salty. Boy did I need a bath. I ignore it and sink my teeth in deeper.
I haven't shifted in a couple days and boy it felt good. I let out a shrill. The trees shake around me, tiny birds fly away. My muscles twitched as I adjust my feet on the mossy ground. I plan to run around the forest, unless Mikasa was lying she should be on the edge of the tree line.
I see a small figure at the edge of the forest. They seemed to be running at me. I stay still, waiting to see what they plan on doing. I could see a faint tint of red around the neck of the runner. I had guessed it was Mikasa, no one else besides maybe Vince should be here. Why didn't she tell me about leaving? I might have let her.
Probably not though.
I must have spaced out because Mikasa was at my feet. She wasn't exactly doing anything down there. I lean down and pick her up. It was like lifting a feather. I don't think I've picked a human up before in my titan form. I bring her up to my face. Her eyes were wide. I guess this would be slightly terrifying.
I lift her up higher and set her on top of my head. My hair nearly swallows her up. She shifts around for a moment. The hooks of the 3D maneuver gear plant themselves into my head. It didn't hurt but have hooks in your head doesn't sound to appealing. I start to walk away from the forest, might as well try and catch up with my squad.
**
My group seemed to have traveled fast because by the time we got there no one was around. It was almost pitch black. There was just a sliver of a moon left. A toenail. I reach up for Mikasa and she steps onto my hand, I bring her down and set her by the small crack the guards left open for us. I take one last glance at the distant forest and shift back into a human.
I lean under the gate. I spot our horses tied to a wooden post near by. I purse my lips.
"Mikasa, you drink?" I cross my arms. The question seems to have caught her off guard. She shakes her head. The answer didn't surprise me. Of course she doesn't drink, she's like eighteen. "Come on, it'll be my treat." I wave my hand over at her and walk of to the direction of the bar. I go here every now and then. The owner knows me pretty well. I don't think he'll mind if I bring a minor in. Well I think she would be considered a minor. I forgot the age limit.
"Are you sure Captain?"
"Of course I'm sure. I know that the past few months have been hectic for you. A little alcohol would take the bite outa everything." I place a hand on her shoulder. She was tense. I pull her along with me. I wanted a drink for myself. Even if she didn't want one I still did.
A couple people's heads lift from their drink as we walk in. Some of them nod at me. I ignore them and push Mikasa into a seat at the counter and plop into the stool next to her. She looked really out of place here. The bar was filled with rugged looking men and a couple women. But I think we all know what they were here for.
Mikasa kinda stuck out like a sore thumb. She sat up straight and she kept her military jacket on. The scarf was a little weird too.
"Mikasa, relax. No one's gonna touch you." I mumble, shoving a couple peanuts in my mouth. She shoots me a glare. "Two whiskeys." I tell the bar owner. His name was Bruce. He seems like a really 'hardcore' guy but he kinda was like the exact opposite.
Bruce slides two glasses of a rust colored drink over to us. I raise it and smile. I take a swig. The whiskey was cold but it burned my mouth. It felt good to have that feeling on my tongue again. Mikasa stares at her drink. Eyeing it like it was the devil himself. "Its not gonna bite you." I smirk. She picks up that glass and take a small sip, her face scrunches up in distaste. I stifle a laugh. That was everyone's reaction to whiskey.
"This stuff is awful." she sets her glass on the counter.
"That's why people drink it." I wink and finish my glass.
**
Hm, odd ending. I just wanted to update this story. I already have the next chapter written. Idk when I'll publish that. Next week, tomorrow..
If you're also a reader of Muted Emotions I'm so sorry I haven't updated that story. It's been like months. I'm having some writers block. If you could help me with it message me or something. I'd love some help.
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