Outside the Walls (Attack on Titan fanfiction)

Chapter 6- Go!

Why? Why didn't they eat me? How do I know them? WHY CAN'T I REMEMBER ANYTHING?!

"Good work soldier. We sealed up the hole again," a Squad Leader said. Captain Levi dropped down next to Ayano.

"Good work, brat. There were minor casualties." Ayano snapped when Levi placed his hand on her shoulder and tried to get her to stand up. She viciously jerked away.

"Minor casualties? Do you even see what we've done?!" she yelled at her Corporal. "They're all dead! My friends are dead!" Hot tears ran down her cheeks, tinted with steaming blood.

"Cadet, I'm sure that your friends survived," the Squad Leader, Mike was his name if Ayano wanted to remember,  reassured her with a calm tone. "We'll have a rollcall and body count when we get back to HQ..."

"No! I'm not going anywhere with you monsters!" She shook her head violently. Ayano jabbed her finger at the group of cadets waiting not far from where she stood. "Those idiots are not my friends!" She then pointed to the slowly decaying titan behind her. "They were!"

Ayano went stiff as another memory resurfaced.

***
Years ago:

The titan with the unusually dark eyes gently lifted Ayano up, her short stature finally able to reach the especially juicy apples.

"Thank you!" she told the dark-eyed titan. It lowered her. "Have an apple, I'm sure it tastes much better than human flesh." Ayano threw the biggest apple into the titan's mouth and it ate it happily. "See? You don't need human flesh to not starve." Ayano looked into the black eyes of the titan.

"I think I'll call you Cole."

***
Ayano's POV

"Calm down, Cadet. You're starting to sound like Hanji," Levi said, giving Ayano a cold stare as he stepped closer. "Let's just go back. This was your first mission, so I can understand why-"

"Shut up!" Ayano yelled, drawing new blades, making Levi jump back before he got skewered. The girl had tears overflowing her face, obscuring her vision, and she used her gear to wizz off. Away from the scouts calling out to her. When one came after her, she cut the wires to make the cadet fall. She wizzed on and on, across hundreds of rooftops, until she came upon an abandoned village just outside the walls. She dropped her gear - most of the gas had been used - and sprinted, finally settling inside a moldy house.

She pulled her knees closer. Why can't I remember anything from my past... it's all just coming in random flashes. A sudden and harsh realization hit her.

Do I... even know my parents?  Ayano thought and thought so hard that her head started to hurt, but no memories whatsoever resurfaced. Frustration bubbled within her like an overflowing kettle.

She stood up and threw the chairs, tables and everything she could get her hands on, watching the wood splinter. Ayano listened to the cracking when her hands three the furniture one by one. She broke everything, venting out her anger.

After observing her carnage, her head throbbed with pain.

***
Years ago:

She was cowering in fear, her little form quivering as the giant titan in front of her brought its face closer.

I won't be here forever, so you have to learn how to control and befriend titans on your own, the motherly voice echoed in her head.

The child saw the freckles that covered the titan's face as it gently nudged her. The girl was surprised as well as awestruck. After another gentle nudge from the beast, Ayano reached out and stroked the titan's giant nose. It seemed to purr at the attention.

"Will you please be my friend?" she squeaked. "I think I'll call you... Spots!" The titan reacted to its new name and smiled wider.

***
Ayano's POV

Ayano held her head as she cried out. "No! I don't want to remember! Go away!" She wept loudly. "I don't know them! I don't! I'm supposed to be human!" She wailed, mourning her unknown friends. Crying as sorrow had gripped her heart and squeezed until she bled. She found a bed untouched by her rage, but damaged by moss. Ayano crawled onto the dirty sheets and let her thoughts take over as she drifted off.

The sound of horses woke the white-haired girl up. She bolted upright. A pair of boots approached her, and she saw that they belonged to Levi.

"Finally, we found you. You've caused quite a commotion, you brat. Now let's go before you cause any more trouble." The Corporal marched closer, ready to grab the girl. Ayano bolted away and missed him by inches. She bursted through the door, her heart hammering against her chest, only to find the entire regiment waiting for her. Ayano's breath got caught in her throat, her lungs working overtime.

No, no, nonono! She panicked.

"I'm getting tired of your antics, brat." Levi came after her again, which she dodged. Ayano darted around his maneuvers like a weasel, landing behind him. She kicked his back, sending Levi toppling forward. Some scouts drew their blades. Ayano looked at them all with large eyes.

She then locked her wide eyes with Hanji, who tried to reach out to Ayano. She jumped away and arms locked under her shoulders. Out of fear and instinct, Ayano threw herself forward, sending her opponent with her. She scrambled away as Levi groaned in pain and his grip loosened.

"Please, Ayano!" a blonde boy shouted. The girl turned to see Armin moving to the front of the crowd. "Just come back! We'll get through this together! We don't know what's wrong with you yet, but I promise, we'll all help you the best we can."

"Something... wrong with me?" Ayano looked at Armin. They thought there was something wrong with her? 'I have to get away,' she thought as she lifted her hand.

Away.

Her mouth hovered over palm.

"Ayano, don't!" Levi commanded, saying her name for the first time.

AWAY.

Ayano bit down.