Awakened

Chapter 12

I feel so attacked from last chapter lmao

Disclaimer: I already mentioned this but y'all don't need to feel bad or apologize for spamming me with comments. In fact, spams are good. I love reading them.

Anyways, enjoy 💙
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"Hey," Jude said softly to catch Arlise's attention, though he didn't look her in the eyes. "A-are you okay?"

Arlise snapped out of it, her attention now on Jude. They were riding on horses towards Wall Rose. They were a total of twenty-six of them, and they left just that morning.

Arlise barely slept, and even though she was tired she was still wired enough to not be able to sleep.

She couldn't, not after what she found out last night.

"Yeah, why?" Arlise asked Jude.

Jude didn't meet her eyes. "Because, you've seem a little out of it. E-even this morning a-at breakfast, you barely talked."

"I usually don't."

"Yeah, but..." Jude trailed off, unsure of how to comment on his friends behavior. Arlise shook her head and gave Jude a reassuring smile.

"I just have a lot on my mind. We're going back to the walls, and honestly I'm not looking forward to it. I hate it inside there. I've been trying to calm myself down since last night."

It wasn't a complete lie, because the gods knows she couldn't lie to save her life. She always stuttered when she tried, or when she was nervous. She did have a lot on her mind, and she has been trying to calm herself down; but it just wasn't all because they were going to Wall Rose. She just left that part out.

Jude seemed satisfied with that answer, and he nodded. He rubbed the leather reigns of the horse between his fingers. "Oh, well I d-don't like it in there either. Bad stuff is there."

"Don't worry too much about that. You'll be with your team, and we'll all protect each other. You know that." Arlise said, trying to comfort him, but he looked down.

"Y-yeah, but Tau-Tauriel isn't here. I miss her. Th-the whole team isn't here."

Arlise looked away, unable to look at him anymore at the mention of Tauriel.

Gods, he missed her and he didn't know. Arlise gripped her reigns tighter. "We'll still protect you, don't worry."

Jude gave a small smile, which was almost hidden by his messy hair that was never combed. "M-me too. I'll pr-protect you too."

"Sounds like a plan," Arlise responded, and for the rest of the ride they were silent, busy within their own thoughts.

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Annie was riding on Mikasa's left, a little bit behind her. So far, they haven't exchanged any words, even at breakfast.

Erwin's words rang in the back of her mind, and she looked at Annie. The blonde was looking to her left, gazing at the scenery of plains. The sun reflected off her creamy skin, and the wind blew lightly at her blonde hair. Annie had it in a half-up half-down style, and with the girl looking at her environment in a way that wasn't like she was observing and calculating places to hide or fight, like she was actually enjoying seeing nature for the first time in a year, Mikasa thought she looked absolutely beautiful.

Then Mikasa looked behind her and saw Arlise and Jude, then she glanced to her right and saw Mavick and Hannah. Her expression hardened and she looked forward, her eyes locked on her horses's mane.

Mikasa didn't know when it happened, or how, but somehow the small room in her heart expanded to include five more people. She didn't want to see any of them die, but at the same time she couldn't be a spy for Erwin and trick Annie into giving information.

Yet, after this mission at Wall Rose, they would go on to find Reiner and Bertholdt, and her team would be in the front lines if she didn't come up with something for Erwin.

Damn it.

Mikasa grit her teeth, and pulled on her reigns. Her horse slowed down a bit so Annie could catch up to her.

Annie was still looking to her left, her eyes drifting from every lone house to every lone tree. To Mikasa, the plain seemed rather boring to her, but to Annie, it seemed like a wonder.

"Hey," Mikasa said, catching Annie's attention.

Annie didn't smile, but she wasn't glaring at Mikasa either. No, instead her expression was that of genuine calm.

Mikasa debated on whether to weed out information from Annie, but looking into her ice-blue eyes, which were wide and looking unconcerned to Mikasa, the Captain lost all motivation to scam Annie.

"When we get in there, you might want to put on your cloak with the hood on, and maybe pretend to be asleep on your horse so you won't draw attention."

Annie frowned and she tilted her head to the side slightly, her eyebrows furrowing together. "Why?"

"I don't know if Erwin sent a Scout to tell the government of your awakening, but either way, when we get in there, if people see you, they... they probably won't act very friendly to you."

"Oh," Annie said, her voice suddenly getting low. "Why are you telling me this?"

"What do you mean?"

"You could've stayed silent and let those people, I don't know, throw rocks at me or something, but you didn't. You warned me. How come?"

Mikasa knew what answer Annie was going for, because it was the truth. Mikasa cared for Annie, and Annie somehow knew it.

On the corner of Mikasa's vision she saw Hange glance back at them, then look away. Mikasa's grip on her reigns tightened and she turned her attention in front of her.

"You would be no use to us if you get pummeled to death or injured in the middle of the street," Mikasa replied.

Annie huffed a small and bitter laugh. She shook her head. "Sure, whatever you say Captain."

The last word was a jab at Mikasa and she knew it. It stung a bit, but the Captain knew she deserved it for treating Annie like a soldier. Hange met Mikasa's gaze in another glance, a hard look on her expression.

Mikasa was failing her mission and the day barely started.

"Just..." Mikasa's voice went low. "Just wear the cloak inside. Please." Her last word was barely a whisper, and Mikasa didn't give herself the chance to read Annie's expression. She snapped her reigns lightly and the horse trotted forward, leaving Annie a few paces behind.

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I'm sorry for the shortness of this. Please don't kill me.

Next chapter will be longer I promise. And yes, I already know what to write so need to worry about me having writers block 😊

-Xahlia