Orders | Levi Ackerman

82• A Final Request

"How-" Mia said, at a complete loss of words. "-When-"

She kept muttering questions, trying to make sense of the scene before her, but she couldn't grasp a clue of it.

"Never thought I'd see the day Mia expressed anything other than arrogance." Annie said, rolling her eyes.

Silence fell over the group that watched the two staring heavily at one another. Mia had settled with the fact Annie would never escape the crystal. Now, in the face of her, Mia was unsure what to feel; Anger, confusion, or relief.

"She's changed. We all have." Armin whispered, stepping in between the two.

His few words wrecked the hearts of all that surrounded him. He was right, but one thing that had remained was the look they all held. Loss.

"Well, I haven't."  Annie walked back to where she had been sitting, right next to Reiner.

"No shit, Leonhart. You were in a crystal for four years!" Mia yelled, stomping towards Levi and took a seat too.

Annie shook her off, waving her hand at her, while the others all took place around a fire. Hange was to discuss with the others the mission ahead of them.

And Mia had been blocking the idea out of her mind since news came of it.

"This won't be easy..." Hange muttered, overwhelmed by the mass of the people that surrounded her.

She cleared her throat, pulling at her collar. "Well, everyone! Let's get started, shall we?" Hange cheered, but gained not even the slightest of smiles in response.

Her own grin fell, but she continued. It wasn't like she had a choice in doing so.

"Eren is planning a genocide. And we have reason to believe that it may have already started-" Gasps sounded from around the fire, but not many. Most weren't surprised by her statement. They had already been expecting the worst.

"-His goal is to destroy every land that isn't Paradis. To eliminate all other 'potential threats'. He plans to do this by unleashing the titans that lay within the walls. To release the rumbling."

Not only did gasps coat the warm air, but murmurs began throughout the group. Not many knew of the titans in the walls.

Annie appeared dazed. Her eyes wide, and lips set apart. She couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe that Eren would stoop so low.

"We need to do our best to ensure those titans don't make it too far and make Eren's plan succeed-" Hange looked around the group, "If they get past the ocean...we're doomed. The whole world is."

The word 'doomed' ricocheted in Mia's mind as she recalled what Historia had told her.

"but if he takes you...then we are all doomed." Historia had said. Mia's eyes fell to the ground, as she watched the shadow of fire dance along the cold and earthy floor.

She wondered if she had made a mistake. A grave one. If she hadn't been so naive to believe that Eren wasn't what everyone said he was - could she have ended this?

Ended this war before it began?

Anxiety and regret wrecked her chest, unknowing of the force she put into digging her nails into the log she rested on. Mikasa noticed, and felt her gaze fall to the ground too.

The fire dimmed just like everyone's expression did. It was as if the world rested on their shoulders. And it did, in the most literal sense of the word.

They all shared a glance. Once mutual enemies exchanging faint smiles. Now, they'd fight together and neither truly had a choice in it.

"According to - well, most of you, the titans have already been released. I want every single able body to head for them. Do whatever it takes to halt their tracks."

The atmosphere grew heavier, "We cannot let them get far."

Everyone nodded, deep sighs and quiet mutters following around the fire. Hange turned her head, searching for Mia through the group.

"But Mia, you will stay behind."

Mia raised her head. She narrowed her eyes, as equally confused as the others, who, too, raised an eyebrow.

"Wait - what?" Jean interrupted, following the muddled expression of Mikasa back to Hange.

Connie was more irritated by Hange's request. He stood up, "You can't make her stay! She's one of the best warriors we have! It would be idiotic to not let her go."

Armin and even Reiner nodded their heads. No one in that entire group was blinded to Mia's combat skill. She held abilities due to her royal blood, and had years of experience with the use of a sword.

But throughout the entire group's disaccord, Hange remained silent, waiting for them to finish.

When the group settled, Hange retook the floor. She straightened her back, and looked at Mia once more.

"There is a reason I need you to stay."

More angry mumbles ran through the group, but Mia left her eyes settled on Hange. Her body numb as she awaited her final request.

"I need you to find Eren. And I need you to kill him."

Mia couldn't hear the yells and cries from the others. She couldn't even feel the warmth of Levi's bandaged hand resting on her shoulder.

All she could do was stare back at Hange. Her eyes watering as she refused to even spare a blink.

Mia feared to even try process what Hange had told her and her heart fell at every attempt.

The idea of her hearing his voice one final time broke her. She couldn't bear the thought of losing her best friend. The person she believed she loved, in every sense of the word.

Tears stung in her eyes, but they wouldn't fall. Not with everyone watching her - Not with Levi just behind her.

"I'm trusting you to do this, Mia. You're the only one I think who can. He needs to die for what he's done - and I know. It's hard and trust me, I wish there was another way-" she sighed.

"-but if you can stop him, then Mia, the titans will stop too. His plan will fail and everyone will be okay."

A soft whimper escaped her lips, "There...there has to be another way..."

Hange shook her head softly. "You know there isn't. This has gone too far. You tried talking to him...most of us have-" She gestured to Mikasa and Armin.

"-It's the only way. So, I'll ask you, can you do it?"

Mia remained frozen. Her mind at war with her heart. She knew her attempts to get Eren to even tell her what was going on were futile. Getting him to stop with his plan was on a completely different scale.

But even so, her heart held his too. Despite being in love with Levi, Mia equally loved Eren. He was her family. He meant more to her than anyone.

And oh, how she cursed himself for not being able to help him when that's all he had done for her.

Mia sighed, and looked up to Hange.

"I'll do it."