The Guardian's Tale (AOT fanfiction)

-Close Combat-

// Flashback //

I sat between Reiner's legs, my back pressed against his stomach, looking up at the stars. He gently stroked my hair while humming a song I'd never heard before.

"Reiner look !" I pointed at a star and smiled at him. "It's the brightest one. It's pretty isn't it ?" I shifted my head to look at him.

"Yeah..." He turned me around and gently cupped my cheek. "Just like you." He smiled as I blushed. "Listen..." He placed his forehead on mine. "Whatever happens we'll always be together. I'll make sure of that princess. I'll always protect you." He kissed my forehead. "I swear it because...I love you."

I stood there, face to face with the Colossal Titan. He was the bastards who had killed my brother and now...he was going to pay dearly for it. I grabbed 2 blades that were left on the floor and tightened my grip on them. For the sake of humanity's survival I had to end him. Slowly, he lifted up his hand into the perfect swinging position.

"EVERYONE MOVE !" I yelled as I placed myself under his hand to try and stop it.

Instead of trying to kill me, he grabbed me and tossed Ymir into his mouth. The burning heat from his body didn't bother me but his grip did. I tried to get out of it as best I could but his hand was too big and he held me in place with little to no effort. I helplessly watched as soldiers tried to take him down. Luckily for them, he was slow due to his size. As they went for his nape, he let out a deep scream and a wall of steam. I used this opportunity to slide between his fingers as one of the Scouts that were still on the ground caught me.

"Are you guys okay ?!" I exclaimed as I ran towards the Scouts who were now back on solid ground. "H-Here let me help." I went to grab water and ripped off several flags I had found laying around. "This might hurt a bit just hold tight alright ?" I tied my hair up so that it wouldn't fall into my face as I worked.

I soaked the cloths in the water and tied them into their burns. Hange then gave her orders and they headed for the Armored Titan as another squad waited for Bertholdt to come out. Historia grabbed my hand as I was about to go down with them.

"You don't have any gear, you'll die." She said. "You have to give me your power...yo save Ymir...I know she isn't dead." She started crying.

"That would certainly be a tragedy for you and your family's power wouldn't it ? You know. If I died. Yeah I'm not giving you shit." I grinned and smacked her hand away. "Now shut the fuck up, stop whining and make yourself useful by taking care of Connie and Sasha. I know you're useless but just this once go against your nature."

I took my boots off and crystallized my hands and feet, then, I headed down the wall. I stayed in the middle, watching as Reiner punched Eren, sending him flying through the trees. He then turned to me, his huge glowing yellow eyes staring right into mine as he lightly placed a finger under my chin.

"I...I don't know if I should kill you...thank you or trust you..." I whispered. 

As he turned around and started walking slowly towards Eren, Mikasa came down and attempted to cut through his armor. As expected, she failed and her blades broke. Somehow, Eren got up, his eyes filled with rage and hatred. Reiner punched him straight in the jaw, sending him flying again. Mikasa retreated beside me and gave me a questioning look after seeing the blades in my hands. I shrugged and looked back at the 2 Titans, for the first time, I was unsure of the outcome. Eren got back up again as Reiner crept closer to him. Mikasa placed her hand over mine and I gave her a small smile, reassuring her that he'd be okay.

"EREN BACK DOWN ! YOU CAN'T WIN IN A FIST FIGHT !" Armin yelled from the top of the wall. "MAKE A BREAK FOR THE WALL !"

Suddenly, as Reiner threw another punch, he swiftly dodged it, earning him a gasp from Mikasa and I. He wrapped his arm under Reiner's and around his neck, then, slammed him down. I widened my eyes as I remembered that it was Annie's technique. Reiner managed to flip him over but Eren wrapped his legs around his neck and got a hold of his right arm. As he tightened his legs, Reiner's armor started to break and I gasped. How was this possible ?

As I kept watching, I realized Eren had picked up fighting techniques from Annie. I slid down the wall and joined Mikasa on the ground. Armin threw me my boots, I quickly put them on and ran after Mikasa. All of a sudden, Eren ripped Reiner's arm off and I froze. As Armin quickly talked to Eren, I ran and placed myself in between Reiner's eyes with only his hair as a hold. 

"Reiner...you can hear me right ?" I asked before he nodded. "Please stop this...you don't have to keep trying to end humanity...please."

He gently grabbed the collar of my shirt and placed me down as he got back up again. I climbed up a tree, ignoring the Scout telling Armin, Mikasa and I to fall back. Eren grabbed me and ran to the wall, placing me on it. I crystallized my hands to hang on and planted my fingers in the wall. Right, I forgot they were trying to abduct us. Hange ordered Eren to break off Reiner's leg to delay him as he walked towards Eren again. I handed Mikasa my blades and nodded. She didn't have any more and it's not like I could use them without ODM gear. 

Suddenly, Reiner broke the armor on his shins and calves and started running towards Eren. He slammed him against the wall but Eren went for his leg again. He threw Reiner off of him and I quickly scanned both of them. 

"HANGE ! There's no guarantee that Reiner's body is as hard as stone from head to toe. He wouldn't be able to move as fast if that were the case !" I called out. "Remember how warrior in the old days had to leave certain areas free from armor for movement ?! Like the spot behind their knees ! GO FOR THAT !"

"You know it's rude to steal someone's thunder right ?" She grinned. "Either way you're right."

The corner of my mouths lifted up into a small smile as Eren had Reiner completely stuck. I quickly grabbed blades from the top of the wall and ran down the wall to help Mikasa. If I was gonna just stand there and watch there would be no point in my being here. I could manage without gear. We both dove down and slashed the spots behind Reiner's knees. Hange pulled me back up and I buried my face in her shoulder, not wanting to see what happened next as I had noticed Eren was about to break Reiner's head off. 

As I looked back, I was Reiner somehow pushing Eren backwards when suddenly he stopped.

"T-That's...EREN LET GO NOW !!" I yelled as I realized that Reiner had brought him right under Bertholdt.

Then, Reiner screamed and I knew it was over. He was calling Bertholdt for backup, not other Titans. Surely enough, the Colossal Titan's ribs broke and he fell, mouth wide opened, towards Eren.

"GET OUT EREN !" I broke free of Hange's hold and jumped onto Reiner's back. "NO-" 

TO BE CONTINUED !