Creedence: An Attack on Titan FanFic

Chapter 47: Beast

Morgen shot her hooks out preparing to ascend the Walls to go and search for her comrades and friends when Levi sped past her and halted her ascent.

''We have to help them!'' She cried out to him, her sky blue eyes blown wide as she felt her chest tightening with fear. She was supposed to be with them! They were her teammates, her family, she had to go to them. The thought was all consuming as she stared at her father, her gaze questioning how and why he was stopping her.

''Think, Morgen.'' Levi said coldly as he glared back at her, not as her father, but as her captain. ''Either they were caught in the blast and there's nothing we can do, or they escaped and are working on a plan. Either way, our job is here. Our orders are to stay on this side of the Wall. Focus on that and the comrades here that we can still help. You said it yourself, we help them.''

He hoped by reminding her of her own words and appealing to that logical side of her that he knew normally won over her emotions, that somehow he could bring her back from that unstable edge she was teetering on. He understood her worries, even felt the same, but still, what he said was true. All they could do was follow their orders and remain on this side. They couldn't abandon the comrades they knew were still alive for those that may or may not be. As harsh and cruel a reality as it was to face, that was indeed the cold, hard truth.

''You're right.'' She sighed as she came to terms with what he'd said. There was nothing they could do to help the others by abandoning those they were currently with. ''We cannot abandon our comrades here. I understand, sir. I apologize for my lapse in judgment and my momentary outburst.''

Again he watched as she seemed to pull on that part of himself she held onto deep within. That part where she could subdue her emotions, her eyes that had been ablaze like shimmering blue flames seemed suddenly cooled, almost as if mirroring his own cold steel. She was shutting down. He'd seen her do so before. It was almost like a coping mechanism. He just hoped that being forced to shut down so many times didn't eventually take away her ability to return back to herself.

He wanted her to be strong, needed her to be especially now. But if they survived, he hoped the real Morgen, the one who laughed and smiled like her mother, who's sky blue eyes shone with vigor and life, he hoped that person wasn't forever lost to the one she morphed into on the battlefield.

She took off after another titan and he followed suit, resuming the fight and focusing on what they could accomplish here with the comrades around them, pushing thoughts of the others from both their minds.

Mikasa and Armin joined up with Eren and the others. Fortunately, none of them were injured in the blast, however they came to the cold realization that they were all that remained on their side of the Wall.

Hange's team had all been directly beneath the blast zone, there was no way any of them could have survived.

The six teenagers were the only ones left to challenge the colossal titan.

They watched as the colossal seemed to be scattering burning debris, slinging houses around like a child plays with toys, pieces flying in all directions like daisies on the breeze as fire spread out around him.

''Armin!'' Jean called out from where he stood on Eren's left shoulder. ''What do we do now? We can't just wait to get flattened by burning houses!''

''Hey.'' Mikasa now spoke up from behind Armin as she placed a tender hand on his shoulder. He turned to face her, his soft blue eyes blown wide as he felt his heart sinking further and further with the realization of just how dire their situation truly was as Mikasa told him he was in command now and that they would follow him to the end.

''We....we retreat. Fall back to the commander and request new orders.'' Armin said as he struggled to control his voice. He felt panic threatening to consume him. He failed to negotiate with Bertholdt and now Hange and her team were dead. He wasn't meant to lead, he wasn't cut out for this and yet they were all looking to him for guidance. ''To beat the colossal titan in a battle of attrition as planned, we have to keep our distance.'' He told them as he recalled Hange's theories and the strategies she had discussed with them regarding when they next fought the colossal. It was the only base strategy he could come up with, his mind going completely blank as he struggled with what to do next.