A month had passed with the new cadets meticulously training in combat for the upcoming mission outside the walls.
Amelia fit in well with her new squad, and she was happy to feel like she had somewhere to belong again. Although nobody could replace her mother, Isabel, or Farlan, she enjoyed the groups company nonetheless.
Except his.
Levi still treated her as a nuisance, not that Amelia expected any different. It's how he'd been the last six years, after all.
She just missed the way things used to be, or rather, how he used to be.
She leaned forward in anticipation, readying for the Commander to give the signal.
The gate opened as he shouted, "forward!"
"IT IS THE 57TH RECON EXPEDITION, SCOUTS, MOVE OUT!" Erwin yelled, the members of the Survey Crop obeying the request.
They moved at his words, the subordinates going to their assigned locations.
Amelia faintly heard Oluo attempting to give words of wisdom to Eren, biting his tongue again.
She rolled her bored eyes at the clumsy man, focusing back to the land in front of her.
She noticed red flares flying in the air as they followed Erwin, suddenly feeling uneasy.
"Keep going Isabel." Amelia encouraged, lightly patting the side of her mighty stead.
"Did you just talk to your horse?" Levi asked with an unenthused tone.
"Yeah, what about it?" She snapped.
"Captain Levi, we are heading into a forest." Eren pointed out.
"Thank you for stating the obvious." He responded plainly.
"But if there's a titan we won't be able to see it unless it's right on top of us." Eren astutely noted.
"I suppose you're right." Levi said with slight annoyance.
"Black smoke!" Eren observed.
"Shit." Oluo muttered.
"Damn things been on our ass since we came in here." Eld groaned.
"Blades drawn. Now." Amelia ordered, the squad following her command.
"Tch, that's my line brat." Levi grunted.
She smirked, "oops."
They listened as the horses hooves trudged straight, continuing forward.
The Female Titan was gaining on them, swatting their comrades like mere flies.
"What the fuck?!" Gunther exclaimed.
"Captain! Engage the ODM gear?!" Petra asked frantically.
Neither Levi or Amelia answered.
"The rear reinforcements!" Petra shouted, "Lieutenant! Your orders!"
"Corporal, it's dangerous! Let us take it out! Tell us to engage!" Oluo begged.
"I'll cut the bitch." Eld threatened.
"Captain!" Eren and Petra barked.
"We need your orders!" Oluo's usually narrow eyes grew wide, pleading with his superiors.
"She's gaining on us! We need to take her out!" Gunther screamed.
"That's the whole reason we're here, right?! Corporal!" Eld added.
"Your orders, please!" Eren urged.
"Everyone, cover your ears, now." Was all Levi demanded of them.
They faced the two Lieutenants in confusion, but obliged.
Levi fired the screeching flare into the air, Amelia wincing momentarily from its high pitch.
"Remind me what is our mission? Is it to simply act on impulse in the heat of the moment?" Levi started, Amelia already knowing what he was going to say.
Here we go, she internally moaned.
"Let me answer that question for you, it's not. This squads mission is to keep this brat alive, whatever the cost. Don't you forget it." He finished.
"Keep pushing forward on horseback. Is that clear?" Amelia stated dryly.
They grunted in agreement, with the exception of Eren who questioned the instruction, "but for how long? We can't run forever. She's right on top of us."
He continued to act out, yelling about each of the rear support soldiers that died in the hands of the Female Titan.
Amelia and Levi didn't even flinch at their deaths anymore.
The rest of the Special Operations Squad attempted to calm down the erratic teen, Petra reminding him of the oath he agreed to when released into their custody as Eren raised his hand to his mouth.
"I wouldn't blame you." Levi began a second time, "do as your conscience dictates. Listen Eren, you are not inherently evil. Your ability doesn't make you a monster. That said, it could be the other way around. How're you supposed to know where to where to draw the line? Whether you lose control or freely give it up. Maybe it's the same.
"Look, we don't agree because our experience brings us to opposing views; that's how life works. But at the end of the day, there's no reason to go against how you see fit. Ultimately, it is your choice between the two options that present themselves to you: you can trust yourself or you can trust the people willing to die for your sake. I don't know which way is better, I never have." Levi's grip tightened on the reigns as he remembered his decision to leave Isabel, Amelia, and Farlan.
"Should I act on my own instincts, or put myself in the hands of my comrades and trust them? Either way, there's no guarantee. You choose what you choose, that's the end of it. If afterwords your regrets are at a minimum, good for you." His lecture came to an end, forcing Eren to second guess himself.
What was the best choice?
"Eren, I'm asking you to trust us." Petra requested solemnly.
He glanced at her fist, noticing the dull bit mark.
"Make up your damn mind!" Gunther commanded, "there's no time for this!"
"I'm with you!" Eren convicted dramatically.
That kid is really theatrical, Amelia recognized with a quiet chuckle.
The pounding of footsteps behind them grew quicker, causing the teams panic to instantly increase.
"Just keep moving, we'll outrun the bitch." Levi spat.
The noise of cannon fire erupted from the trees, Erwin's voice echoing throughout the environment.
The squad members were all shocked as Levi and Amelia silently moved forward.
"Everyone, stop your horses a little further on and switch to ODM gear. I have to step away for a moment, Captain Amelia is in charge. Watch the brat and see to my horse." Levi flew onto one of the branches as he barked their jobs.
What the hell do I look like? Amelia complained, squeezing the leather reigns around Isabel.
Those following Amelia started to celebrate as relief washed through them.
It's not over until we're back through the gate, she thought about reminding them, but ultimately decided to let them enjoy the fraction of peace.
"So that was the plan from the start? I'm not complaining, I understand not telling me, but what about you guys?" Eren fumed.
"Damn you're annoying." Oluo groaned.
"I know you're not suggesting that our Captains kept the mission from us because they think we're a liability." Petra sneered.
"Wait- Corporal- did you know?" Eren directed his attention to Amelia who had been keeping reticent.
"I did." She admitted, leaning against the bark with her arms crossed.
"Then why didn't you say anything?" Eren retorted.
"We deserve to know." Eld joined.
"I will not say anything without Commander Smith's permission, speculate as much as you want." Amelia testified, her squad i satisfied with her answer.
They scolded her, but went back to their conversation.
On the other side, Levi was struggling to strike the beasts nape since the traitor had the ability to harden its skin.
"We know you're in there, stop wasting our time. Come on out. If you're thinking you'll escape, you won't. The only thing you should be reflecting on are all of the lives you took today. But remorse wouldn't suit you, would it?" Levi persisted in his antagonizing speech, "killing is something you enjoy. I guess we have that in common. Course, I only kill titans. While we're on the subject, you're okay with me cutting off your limps at the joints right? I mean, they'll grow back. Though, I'm talking about your actual body, we don't want you to go die on us as soon as we get you."
The Female Titan's blue eyes quivered as it shrieked obnoxiously, forcing all soldiers to cover their ears at the sudden outburst.
"Nicely done, I almost lost my composure." Levi muttered, the thunderous sound of multiple footsteps making its way towards them.
Erwin began assigning task as one of the comrades identified incoming titans from the East.
"Oi, what did you do?" Levi stomped viciously on the golden hair of the Female Titan, "did you call in some friends?"
Levi was forced to engage, instantly killing three titans.
The rest of the beasts started attacking the Female Titan, soldiers fighting endlessly to defend their captive.
"All hands withdraw! Resume the formation and return to Calaneth District!" Erwin hollered.
"We've been bested." Erwin confessed with a disappointed sigh.
"Don't give me that crap. Not now, not yet." Levi hissed.
The Commander and Captain exchanged a few more words before Levi announced he was returning to his squad.
"Replenish your blades and your fuel first, solider."
"I can manage with what I've got."
"That was an order."
"Whatever you say sir," he paused, "I trust you implicitly."
Amelia took note of the flare in the sky, "sattle up, we're retreating."
They started bickering when they saw a green flare that had been sent into the air.
"Must be from the Captain himself." Gunther figured, firing the signal in return.
"Wait!" Amelia tried to stop him, but it was too late.
"What?" Gunther asked.
"Nothing." She concentrated on trudging forward.
Levi wouldn't send a signal into the sky. Before he took of, I gave him the hint of where our horses would be. In theory, he'd already know our location.
So who sent the goddamn flare?
Amelia felt anxious, deliberating on if they should change course.
They continued to fly toward their desired spot when Gunther caught sight of an unknown Scout on the groups left, "Captain Levi?" He mumbled.
Amelia glanced in the direction, hazel irises widening.
"Gunther!" She screeched, the hooded figure slicing effortlessly in Gunther's chest.
She watched in horror as his body fell lifeless, dangling from the tree. She made herself shake it off, focusing on the rest of her squad, "there's no time to get the horses, keep moving!"
A familiar glow illuminated the forest, the Female Titan reappearing.
"Damn it, not again! I swear I'll kill you!" Eren threatened, his hand nearing his mouth.
"Eren don't you dare bite your hand. The mission is to protect you, get your ass back to base. The four of us can handle her." Amelia demanded.
He hesitated, "let me do it!"
"Listen to the Lieutenant! The best option is for you to go to base!" Eld exclaimed.
"Have you learned nothing? After all of this, you still doubt our skills?" Oluo criticized.
"Is that true Eren? I thought you had faith in us, that you trusted us!" Petra cried.
He lowered his arm, letting it drop to his side, "I do."
He flew ahead as his four comrades smirked, heading toward the titan.
Petra and Oluo pulled off a coordinated attack, blinding the monster. Eld and Amelia started slicing the shoulders, trailed closely by Petra and Oluo. While Eld started to move to her nape, one of the Female Titan's eyes grew back as she caught him easily by her teeth, crushing him immediately.
"She has her sight back?!" Petra yelped.
It's warm out, I'm sweating slightly.
"That's impossible! It hasn't even been thirty seconds!" Oluo protested.
My ears are loudly ringing.
"She channeled all of her energy into one eye to make it grow back quicker?!" Petra realized frantically, "how can she do that?"
The sunlight makes the environment bright.
"Petra, pull yourself together!" Amelia blurted.
My mouth is achingly dry.
Oluo and Amelia watched in horror as the titan lifted its right foot, Petra's blood smearing onto the rough bark.
Shit!
Oluo attached himself to her nape, "Oluo, don't!" The Captain begged.
It smells like iron.
Terrible, sickening iron.
Oluo ignored the command, growling as he swung down. She crystalized her weak spot, swinging her left leg around, Oluo dying instantly.
FUCK!
Amelia felt tears stream down her cheeks as she noticed Eren coming closer.
"Get out of here!" She screamed soaring down to the titans neck.
"That's a direct order!" She shouted, the large fingers grabbing the lines of her ODM gear, thrashing her effortlessly to the ground.