The Walls We've Built - ◈ ARMIN ARLERT X OC ◈

Chapter 24 - Weightless

Once I have composed myself, Gen helps me up and we begin jogging along the titles. "How are you feeling?" Gen asks me as we approach the end of the rooftop. I scoff under my breath looking over to her, "I've been better." I huff, stopping at the edge, looking down at the abandoned street below. "Do you think you can use your ODM by yourself?" Gen questions worried, holding on to my good arm. I shrug my shoulder, "Well there is only one way to find out and I think we have wasted enough time on me, we really need to get moving." I respond, Gen looks at me still concerned but I nod my head in reassurance. "Ok but the second you feel a bit faint tell me so you don't fall to your death." she warns, I laugh in response before engaging my ODM gear.

During the few seconds of weightlessness before the wires catch my body in the air everything feels normal. I'm not in pain and I am just focused on the adrenaline running through my body. As a kid I adored birds, always watching them, aching to be flying up in the sky with them. So when I tried ODM gear for the first time it felt pretty close to flying. Ever since that first day, every spare minute I had gone to practising and perfecting my skills in the air, not only because I wanted to be one of the best but because it brought me so much joy. I loved the sensation of flying through the air and using my gear to throw myself across open spaces, being able to free fall and know I was safe. It was like a taste of freedom, freedom from being restricted to the ground.

That's the one thing Nick and I never agreed on, where I wanted to explore and try everything and anything, all he wanted to do was stay grounded on the floor, he was happy just living his life within the walls, going about his day merely being my older brother.

We continue our way through the deserted streets until the familiar sound of ODM welcomes us. Entering a town square I see the frantic movement of Scouts flying though the sky making their way around the open space on the neighbouring roof tops. We stop on the rooftop in awe as we see the Female Titan and Eren. It's strange seeing him in this form now that I have talked to him. He is just a kid, like me, like Armin, like everyone else in our cadet corps yet he holds this power that puts him above us all. I wonder if it scares him, having the ability to become something we have been hiding from for over 100 years, does it terrify him or make him excited?

I continue to watch in awe as they reach the other side of the town square disappearing into the narrow streets. A soft nudge from Gen next to me brings me back to the moment, the pain. I thought my arm would have settled down but who am I kidding, it will take months to get full use of my arm back. "Hello? Daydreamer?" Gen calls to me waving her hand in front of my face, "Hm?" I snap out of my focus gaze looking at her. With one hand on her hip and the other pointing behind her, she gestures to the group of scouts going after them. "We should, you know, maybe not fall behind again." She states in a sarcastic tone. "So sorry that my arm getting completely punctured has put you behind schedule!" I say in response. "Thank you," She replies genuinely "Now let's get moving." She finishes grabbing my good arm and pulling me in their direction.

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We catch up to the others and follow them as we manoeuvre through the tight alley ways of outer Stohess. The familiar rumbling in the building around us alerts me that we are approaching Eren and the Female Titan. They finally come into view and all my anger comes back. Thinking about what she has put us through, killing innocent scouts, heartlessly. If it wasn't for Reiner, Armin would be dead, I would be dead. "Zariya!" I hear Gen call from beside me, I snap my head in her direction . "Don't be stupid, please! I can't let you hurt yourself again!" She cries in distress. "But!" I cry in response, landing on a roof. "You have to leave it! It's not up to you, for once in your life stop thinking you need to save everyone because you can't! Ok, you can't just stop, right now you can't do anything!" She screams back at me. I freeze in my spot as an aching sensation settles into my stomach, "Zariya, I am SO sorry, I just snapped! It's just that I care about you so much and couldn't bear seeing you hurt yourself again!" Gen apologises desperately. I just look at her holding back tears from pricking my eyes.

"Zaryia, please-" Gen continues, "It's fine." I respond bluntly, turning to walk away. Gen quickly grabs my wounded arm making me wince, I snap my head to look at her before pulling away, I go to walk away but the overwhelming feeling of pain forces me to buckle at my knees. Before I hit the ground Gen catches me from behind holding me up. Before I have time to thank her I hear ODM gear zip towards us followed by the familiar voice of Mikasa, "You too alright up here?" she questions quietly. Gen looks at me before turning back to Mikasa, "Take a wild guess." She responds sarcastically.

Soon after I see Rosette and Monique reach the top of the roof, Rosette topples onto the rooftop extremely inelegantly, why isn't she using her ODM gear like a normal person? "Are you guys okay?!" she yells as she gets up. I scoff under my breath, "Totally!" I choke out sarcastically, giving her a weak thumbs up with my injured arm. Gen moves from behind me making me lose my balance, "This dumbass moved too quickly after she was seriously injured." she states. I stare at her before looking back at Rosette and replying "I said, I'm fine. I just need a minute and I'll be good again." I look at Gen whispering under my breath, "You've said enough don't you think? I can explain how I got this failing to save everyone." I scolded her.

I feel the gentle touch of someone's hand on my arm making me jolt, I look over to Rosette analysing my wound. The soft sensation of her holding my arm provides me with some relief, I relax my shoulders making the most of this small gesture. She looks up at me with a small smile, however it quickly drops, "Oh my- your head! You shouldn't be out here, you-you-" She panics, speaking rapidly. I analyse the wounds coating her body before replying, "It looks like you shouldn't be here either," I gesture my shoulder in her direction, taking my arm out of her hands, "but here we are." I feel Gen's hand on my shoulder behind me, I look over to her before pulling away.

I look over to Mikasa as she stares at Eren both concerned and mesmerised. I too turn to stare at the unnatural sight of two titan fighting in one of the most inner parts of human civilization. My mind runs wild studying their every move, reflecting on the events of the day. The memories play back in my mind over and over, betrayal, distruction pain. Betrayal. destruction, pain. I turn on my heels to face Rosette.

"Wait, you were on some roof near the tunnel at the start of the mission weren't you?" I question her. Her face drops and starts slowly nodding her head "Yes?" I click my tongue, piecing the information together, "You were the person that didn't latch their ODM gear to the roof!" I reply. She doesn't look at me responding, "Um, yes." "Oh my god, you could've died! How'd you even forget?" I scold her filled with worry. "Not the time," Gen interrupts. "Look! Let's go to those people over there." Monique instructs us pointing to a small group of Scouts standing on a roof." Gen pushes past her squinting her eyes in the direction Monique pointed, "Where?" She asks. I roll my eyes looking back at Mikasa, however when I look to where she was previously standing all I find is empty space, "Ah, guys. Mikasa's gone." I call the others.

Gen, Rosette and Monique all turn around in unison to face me. "There!" Rosette points behind me, I swiftly turn around to see a person wrapped in a red scarf flying towards the two titans. My attention shifts to the Female titan's piercing scream followed by repetitive hits at Eren. This is not going well, if Annie keeps this up our whole mission will have been one big waste of time. "Come on, let's go!" Monique cries and runs to the edge of the roof, engaging her ODM gear before flying off to follow Mikasa. Gen and I share concerned glances, she looks at my arm before looking back up at me, I nod my head before running after Monique.