Under the Tree [Attack on Titan self insert]

Response

"What... what?!" Armin took a few steps back, running into Armyn. He was shaking still and now had tears in his eyes.
"Oh my god..." Armyn stepped forward to touch the ribcage. "This is insane..." he pulled his hand back. "I mean—obviously I already knew he could do this, but..." he looked around.
"The... the cannon. I heard it, and then... there was a bright light, and I thought we were goners! But—that crash, and oh god, the heat... and now—" Armin rambled, tears flowing down his cheeks.
"Armin." Armyn grabbed his hands and he looked at him. "Eren did this for us. He risked it all to save us."
"They're reloading the cannon now." Mikasa looked at them. "Where's Eren?"
"Guys!" Eren turned the corner around the skeleton. "Are you okay?! Anyone hurt?!" He ran to them, checking Armyn for injuries first.
"We're fine, we're fine!" Armyn shoved him away. Immediately after, he pulled him closer again and hugged him tightly. He patted his back before he gently pried him off.
"How did you do that?" Armin asked, looking up as the skeleton began to vaporize.
"Honestly, I really have no idea, but now that I have I don't think I'm gonna be able to prove myself." He looked up. "It's vaporizing now like a normal titan. They'll be ready to attack again as soon as the steam has cleared."
"What are you gonna do?" Armyn looked at him.
"I dunno. Leave, I guess. Go anywhere but here, flee to Zhiganshina—"
"What?!" All three of them yelled.
"Why would you do that?" Armin outstretched his arms. "There's nothing there for you anymore!"
Eren reached into his shirt to pull out the key he wore on a string around his neck. "My father told me that no matter what I have to get back to the cellar under our house. He said... that the key to defeating the titans is there."
"What? When did he tell you that? I don't remember that at all!" Armyn scrunched his nose.
"Yeah, it was back when he gave me the key." He nodded.
"Okay, okay, hold on—how do you expect to even make it to Zhiganshina?" Armin asked.
"I'll have to turn into a titan, obviously."
"You can do it at will?!"
"Um..." Eren scratched his neck nervously. "Kinda. I think. I'm pretty sure it has something to do with me getting injured, but I'm acting on complete instincts alone. This time, I was only focused on stopping the cannonball, so that's what I got. Something strong enough to stop the cannon." He looked down at his hands. "So... this time, I'll focus harder on being strong."
Mikasa gasped. "Eren, your nose..." He reached up, wiping blood away and looking at his hand.
"Eren, you're not well." Armin reached forward to feel his forehead. "You're pale, your breathing is uneven and you're burning up."
"My health is irrelevant." He pushed his hand away. "My plan right now is like I said. I'll leave to Zhiganshina still.
"Wait, what about us?" Mikasa looked at him. "How are you bringing us with you?"
"I'm not."
Armyn laughed a little. "Except... me, right? You're bringing me?"
Eren shook his head. "What? But, we—"
"I can't put that burden on you! They already think you're some monster just because of me."
"And they'll still think that after you're gone!"
"Stop!" Armin stepped between them. "Stop fighting, this isn't the time at all!" Armyn pushed him away, ignoring him.
"You're an idiot if you think you're going anywhere without me!"
"Or me." Mikasa spoke up. "I'm not letting you leave without me."
"Seriously, Mikasa?" Eren hissed. "Why do you both insist on treating me like a toddler? I'm tired of getting you guys in trouble!" He sighed, pinching his nose. "Okay, hold on. Calm down. I have... one other idea."
"We're doing that one." Armyn decided.
"What? I didn't even—... whatever." He shook his head. He looked at Armin, dead in the eyes. "This plan all relies on you."
"What...?" Armin gasped. "Me? But—"
"Just hear me out for a second, alright?" He stopped him. "If you're confident in your ability to convince the Garrison that I pose no threat to them, and that they could actually use me and my ability to their advantage, we can do that instead."
Armyn and Mikasa looked at Armin as he stuttered, unsure of how to respond. "What makes you think I can do that?"
"You're smart, calm—you're convincing, too. Do you remember that time, right after the fall, when Armyn was harassed by those Garrison?" Eren smiled at him. "You had the whole crowd convinced. I trust you to be able to do this, you just have to trust yourself." He laughed a little at the memory. "And even the day of the fall."
"What? What did I do then?"
"You asked Mr. Hannes for help. You saved me, Mikasa and Armyn—if you hadn't gone to him, we would've been eaten." Armyn looked at Eren in surprise. He had no idea about that—how did Eren know that?
Armin glanced between Eren and Mikasa and Armyn's desperate faces. He grit his teeth, squeezing his eyes shut while he thought. "Time's up, Armin, they're gonna fire the cannon again!" Armyn's hands were shaking.
Armin suddenly stood up, his brows furrowed together. "I will persuade them. Just don't do anything they can take as aggressive, got it?" The three nodded and he turned around, making his way out of the steam. They heard his gear and weapons falling to the floor—a risk, but a necessary one. Armyn couldn't see him anymore, all he saw was a blurry silhouette. The silhouette raised its arms. "Eren Jaeger and Armyn Jaeger are not foes! We can use their ability once we understand it better, and we can fight back! We are willing to cooperate with the military and share what we already know!"
"If you continue to insist they are no enemy, I want proof!" Kitz yelled back.
"There's no need!" Armin didn't even hesitate. "It doesn't matter what you believe, because multiple people saw Eren fighting for us! He saved us! Hundreds of soldiers! And on top of that, the titans were fighting him. The titans perceived Eren as human! And this is an irrefutable fact!" There was a heavy silence before Armyn heard whispering and swords clinking, being lowered hopefully? The steam was beginning to clear little by little.
"PREPARE FOR ATTACK, HE'S LYING!" Kitz shouted. "DON'T BE CONVINCED BY THE MONSTER'S DECEPTION!"
"No way..." Armyn mumbled. "It sounds like he's on a total power trip! This is bullshit, he won't listen!"
The steam by now had cleared enough for them to see Armin. He looked back at them , desperation in his face. Armyn glanced at Eren just in time to see him nod at Armin in encouragement. This spurred Armin on. Armyn thought he'd continue to try and convince them, but instead—
"I AM A SOLDIER." Armin yelled, standing straight and saluting proudly. "I have dedicated my heart and soul to humanity, and I will stand my ground even as I die for this cause!"
"WHA–?!" Armyn started, but Eren elbowed him to shut him up. He started to stand up slowly, following Armin by saluting as well. Mikasa stood up now too, so hesitantly, Armyn stood up and placed his shaky fist over his heart.
"I will continue to dedicate myself in what little time I have left, here and now, to advocate for Eren's strategic value!" Armin cried.
Armyn squeezed his eyes shut as Kitz yelled, and he was sure he'd hear the cannon fire—but everything went quiet. That's it, he was dead. For sure this time, he'd died. "Armyn..." he heard a voice saying his name. The sweet angels above welcoming him to heaven, no doubt. "Min, you can open your eyes now."
Slowly, he opened one eye, preparing to see the beautiful shining gold gates, but he was met with Armin instead. Honestly, Armin was better than an angel. He was smiling at him, tears in his eyes. He'd done it. He saved them.

They were brought up to the wall. Pyxis was apparently the guy that had saved them, he said he could feel the sincerity in Armin's words and our salut. Armin said he was known for being... a little eccentric. The twins explained that Armyn in fact didn't (as far as they knew) have any kind of powers. Armyn even pricked his thumb on the tip of his blade to try it out. He wouldn't say it out loud but he was kind of disappointed. Eren explained what their father had told him about the cellar.
             "So you believe the key to all our problems lies in that cellar?"
             Eren scrunched his nose. "I mean... regarding the titans, anyway."
             "I don't think the location of your lost pen is in our dad's cellar."
             Pyxis laughed at Armyn's comment. "I guess we'll have to see if what you're saying is true. Normally, I have an exceptional sense for deceit, and I feel as though you four are sincere. Therefore, I can personally guarantee your safety." Armyn's shoulders relaxed. Pyxis looked at Armin. "You're Armin Arlert, correct?" Armin nodded and placed his fist over his heart. "Were you saying you believed we could use your friend's power because you truly saw the potential, or because you were trying to fight for your lives?"
             Armin thought for a second. "Both, Commander. I mean, I was saying whatever I could to save us, but I truly think that Eren's ability can be extremely useful to us. I actually already had a plan in mind." He pointed towards the gate of Trost that the titans had destroyed. "There's a boulder not far from the breach. My thought was Eren could lift the boulder and use it to plug up that hole. But—I was pretty desperate, it's not extremely thought out."
             Pyxis looked out over Trost. "'Desperate to survive?' Isn't that why any of us do anything?" He smiled and turned back at them, looking at Eren now. "Well, Jaeger, do you think you can do it?"
             Eren tensed a little. "Well... sir, if i'm being honest, I really don't know. I don't know anything about this power, and—"
             "You misunderstand me, Cadet." Pyxis interrupted, leaning closer to Eren's face. "I meant, will you, or will you not?"
             Eren gasped, staring up at him. He turned his head to look at his brother and his friends. Armyn saw the determination in his eyes before he looked back at Pyxis. "I'll do it. I'll do it, sir—for humanity. I may not know if I can, but I won't just sit here and refuse."
             Pyxis grinned and stood up straight again. "Good."

1798 words in chapter
25959 total words

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k this is the last chapter i have written currently
nothing too special a few silly lines i think