Memories ~ Attack on Titan

Chapter sixteen

Mikasa and I stood on a roof top, then her and I noticed all of the soldiers and cadets standing on roof tops below up, she looked over at me and said, "why isn't anyone going over the wall? Didn't they hear the withdraw signals?" She put her attention back on the soldiers and so did it, "I'm not sure, they couldn't have run out of gas..right?" I asked, afraid of the answer to my own question. Then suddenly I heard a bell, I assume Mikasa heard to too because we both turned our attention towards the tower. I couldn't believe it, the tower was crawling with titans. And that's where our supplies is being held.
Mikasa hit my arm to get my attention, "common" she said and zipped off the roof, I followed without a word, then I saw our destination, another rooftop with many of the other cadets. We landed in the roof and started running towards the others.
"Rin! Mikasa! Weren't you two in the rear guard?" I stoped when I reached the others but Mikasa didn't, she ran towards Annie, asking about Eren. Mikasa ran for him. I walked slowly and Reiner met me half way. I didn't say anything, I couldn't, I couldn't even look up at him. Then he patted my head and pulled me closer, "you did good Rin." I held my breath, but I didn't do good. Then I heard something that broke my heart.
"They were, the cadets of squad 34. Thomas Wagner, Nack Tierce, Milieus Zeremski, Mina Carolina, Eren Jeager! These brave people upheld their duties and died on the field of battle." Armin continued to cry.
I felt my heart drop, I got light headed and felt like passing out. Luckily Reiner had a grip on my shoulder letting me know he Wouldn't let me fall.
"His whole squad was wiped?"
"The same will happen to us if we try to take them on"

"Marco. If we bypass the titans at HQ we can refuel our gear, allowing us to get back over the wall, correct?" Mikasa was slow and steady as we talked, walking to the front of the group. Marco stuttered, "yea I guess so, but, but their are to many! Even with you and Rin on point!"
Mikasa stood in front of all of us, and spoke, strong and steady.
"I can do it. I'm strong. Real strong. None of you come close to me. You understand? I am a worrier. I have the power to slay any Titan in my path. Even by myself. As far as I'm concerned I'm surrounded but untalented nobodies. You disappointed me. You just sit her and twiddle your thumbs and watch how it's done."
"Mikasa are you crazy!"
"No way you can do this on your own!"
Mikasa turned around, "if I can't beat them then I die, but If I do then I live. And the only way to live is to fight!"
And with that, she was gone.
Everyone was silent for a moment. Mikasa was right, I refuse to sit here and wait to be eaten. I pulled Wayne from Reiner and pulled to the front of the group, "damnit, I wish you were watching dad."was all I managed to say before zipping off after Mikasa. Then Jean and the other soon followed after me.
Then, Mikasa fell, Connie yelled, "Jean, you lead the rest of HQ, follow Rin, I'm going after Armin"

We all stood on the roof tops, completely powerless, and the screams, oh god the screams. I saw a Titan eating one of our comrade held by a Titan, I rushed it and sliced the nape, but it was to late, he was already dead. I stood ok a roof top alone, everyone looking at me with both horror and amazement. But then the screams again, my blades were to dull and my has to low, I was completely worthless now.
Suddenly, the last person I expected to, spoke up. "Let's go! Make a run for HQ while their distracted!" And with that Jean jumped from the roof, taking me completely by surprise. I was the first to follow, "come on what are you cowards? It's do or die!" I yelled as I ran after Jean and passed the others. Then the rest followed.
I Titan grabbed into Jean and my heart almost stoped, but he's strong, he made it out. So we kept going. Then we made it to the windows, I crashed through the glass landed on my feet inside the room, I saw the others follow suit.
"Hold on a second, you guys are the supply team right?" Jean started going off and a bunch of soldiers for refusing to bring up gas when we needed it most. I was to tired to fight however, so i slouched down on the floor. Putting my knees to my chest and watching the argument. Then suddenly, more screaming, and then Mikasa, Armin and Connie came flying into the room.
"That's right! That big SOB is our ticket out!" Connie yelled pointing at an abnormal Titan out the window.
"A Titan can't help up you're out if your mind this won't work"
"But it is working. For whatever reason he's killing his own kind. Just let him do it, you'll see. Either way, what other choice do we have?"

I listened in horror at the Titan slaughtering the other titans outside. I sat next to Reiner, "that's all good but what's to keep him from turning on us next?" He said. I looked down. "I trust Mikasa, is she says it will work then it will."
Then Jean appeared again, holding firm crates, " courtesy of the military police, and covered with a think layer of dust.
We all gathered around to hear Armins plan, Jean put a gun in my hand. "Can you use it?" He asked. I looked at the weapon, "no, but how hard can it be." I said, I felt so defeated, and judging by Jean's reaction I must have looked it too. He hit me on the back and spoke to the group again, "are we sure this is the way to go? Do guns even work on these things?"
Armin sighed, "I'm not sure, we're looking at 7 titans in the supply room that are 4 meters tall, if we time it just right this should do the trick. First, we lower a group into the area with a lift to get the titans attention. Second, when the titans come within range we shoot in all 4 directions blinding them. Then the hard part, before they can recover 7 of us must swoop down and strike their napes. That's all.7 people have to kill 7 titans in 1 blow. So we'll need the best, the ones most physically gifted with their gear. You'll be the difference between life and death. I'm sorry, that's just how it is.

"Okay the lift is ready to go and the guns are loaded. Let's kill some titans."

"Can we do this without ODM gear?"

"No problem, their only 4 meters. So the weak spot is about at eye level."

"He's right. Size won't be an issue."
"Back of the head to the nape of the neck!"

"Worst comes to worst you can always shove one down these up their ass. That's the other weak spot."

"Are you for real? That's news to me?"
"Did I miss a day of training?"

"Shit Reiner, do you really want your last words to be an ass joke?"
I usually would have laughed at this Exchange, but I couldn't, I needed to stay focused, besides, I didn't feel like I could even smile let alone laugh.
The titans neared and we swooped down. I cut the nape of my Titan in an instant.
"Their all dead! Start loading up supplies!" Jean yelled up to the group in the lift.
I went to the farthest tank and began to refill my gas,

—-normal pov—-
Jean-"listen, what you said about me being a leader, don't talk to me like that again, alright?"

Marco- "promise you won't take this the wrong way or anything. But I don't think you're a good leader because you're strong. I think you're a good leader because you know how it is to be weak. You're one of us. You're scared out of your mind just like the rest of us. It makes you alert and sympathetic. You made a damn good call out there. You had me running for my life, you're why I can say all this."

——-Rin pov——-
I squatted on the ground, putting new gas tanks where my old ones once were. I felt so empty, everyone around me looks so relieved and happy to be alive. So why wasn't I happy? Why did I feel so worthless? If it were my dad or Miche out there so many would still be alive. I trained just like them yet I'm not like them, so so far behind.
"Hey Rin."
I stoped and looked over my shoulder, then I turned back around and out in my last gas tank before standing up and facing the person behind me. "Yes? Jean." I asked looking down, I couldn't look at him, I felt so ashamed. Jean reached out and put his hand on my shoulder, "you did good out there, I'm glad you made it out." I stiffened at his words, but loosened after a moment, "right. You too." Was all I could manage to say before I pushed passed him and began walking to an unknown destination. I wanted to turn around, run and tackle hug Jean, but my body wouldn't let me.

That Titan was our last hope, and I just watched him get completely eating right before my eyes.
"Let's go, we're lucky the bastard didn't get bored and eat us." Jean complained and turned to leave. But I couldn't take my eyes off if the think, the titans were, eating their own kind? And then, it happened, someone burst from the body of the fallen Titan. I squinted trying to make out who it was, wait, was that, Eren?