Crystallized (Aruani)

Chapter 12: Fighting for You

C h a p t e r  1 2 : F i g h t i n g F o r
Y o u

"You've got to be kidding me!" Armin cried. "I can't get anywhere near you- im almost out of gas! I can't scale the wall!"

I'm... Losing consciousness...

"No. No." He abandoned the titan he was fighting and stood next to the wall. Could he make it up?

"I need to try!" He yelled. He dug the anchors of his ODM gear into the side of the wall, and successfully made his way up, and then landed near Annie.

"That was lucky." He breathed and ran to Annie.

Im......running.... Out... Of... Ti..me..

"Coming." Armin cursed as he tried to land on her neck- he was out of gas.

"Annie, are you still awake!? Try to stay conscious!"

ar...min... My strength... Is.. Al..most gone.. I.. I..

"no!" He yelled as he scrambled up to her nape- almost completely absorbed by the wall. He fumbled for his swords, breathing heavily. "You've done this before. Avoid the middle. Avoid the middle."

A..Ar...Min...!?

He pierced his swords into her skin- her body let out a weak scream. He began to pull her out, her eyes fluttering slowly. However, things weren't that easy. She was still technically connected to the titan.

"Now what!? If we take you out.. Will your titan body just..  Crumple?"

Ma..yb..e..

Armin hesitated. Was he willing to take that chance?

It was the possibility of humanity or her. If he took her out... Humanity could be doomed.
But if he didn't take her out... Armin didn't think he could handle the emotional loss.
What was his choice? Was he willing to sacrifice?

Of course he was. Without a second thought, he hoisted her out- falling backwards and onto the ground. She fell on top of him, unconscious. Her bangs fell into her face, shielding her eyes from him.

"Annie! Annie!" Armin shook her gently. "Wake up!"

Silence.

"Annie... I can't lose you. No.
Absolutely not... I can't lose you now. Humanity has won!"

Armin glanced at the wall- it showed no chance of crumbling.

"Humanity won... Because of you!"

"Armin!" Scarlet yelled, running towards him. "It was successful!?"

"Yes! The others will have to scale the wall- I hope they have enough gas to!"

"And what of her?" Scarlet nodded her head towards Annie.

"I...I don't... Know."

"...sorry, Armin..."

"....scarlet, could you go to the top of the wall, and make sure everyone gets up safely?" Armin asked.

"Yes. Of course."

Once everyone made it safely into Stohess District, they cheered. "It's.. It's over." Scarlet breathed. She looked down, sadly.

"..." Levi placed a hand on Scarlet's shoulder. "...I know how it feels to lose someone you love."

Scarlet gave him a weak smile. "...heichou.. I'm sorry... For both you, and me."

"We did it!" Eren pumped his fist. "Thankfully... If the wall had been destroyed.. We'd be screwed."

"No kidding." Reiner smiled gratefully at Eren. Eren had ran back to save Reiner- and thankfully, he was intact.
But not for humanity.

"How's annie?" Erwin questioned. The rest of the survey Corp made it over the wall as well. Unfortunately, Marlene had died in the attack- sacrificing her own gas to give to Christa.

"She's.. Good. I think.." Armin replied. Christa was crying in the corner, traumatized that someone sacrificed their life for her.

"C-Christa, it's okay!" Reiner stammered.

"Eyes. Off." Ymir practically growled, and threw her arms around Christa. "It's okay, Christa."

"Eren, are you safe?" Mikasa asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Eren replied. "Hey, is Annie waking up?"

"...does she want some potatoes when she wakes up?" Sasha smiled, pulling several potatoes out of her jacket.

"What- why do you have those!" Connie yelled. "And... And you pulled them out in front of the commander!"

Lucky for them, Erwin, Levi, and Hange were all too busy making sure the Titans couldn't pass through the wall.

"...Bertolt, you alright?" Reiner raised a brow at his friend.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine."

"Ay, guys! She's waking up." Armin announced.

"..." Annie opened her eyes to see the 104th looking at her.

"Annie?" Eren asked tentatively.

she said nothing in response.

"Silent as ever." Mikasa growled. "speak up, Female Titan."

"Mikasa...!" Armin warned.

"What? I'm just calling her by her own name." Mikasa sneered, her eyes flickering to Eren, who also eyed her with annoyance. She sighed. "...fine."

"Annie, how are you feeling?" Christa asked.

"....." Annie didn't even know what to say. Not that she would say anything if she could, as she didn't really want to talk. But Christa's pleading blue eyes combined with Armin's, and all of the 104th's caused her to finally break. "......I'm..fine."

Everyone looked surprised by her words.

"She talks?"

"What!?"

"Of course she talks, guys. We've all heard her before." Jean rolled his eyes. "Just because she never chose to doesn't mean-"

Armin smiled. None of the others knew that she'd talked before this.

"Everyone, move back into the city. We are to report the successful mission." Erwin announced.

"Yes, sir!" Everyone saluted the commander, except for Annie.

"....I saved humanity." Annie said quietly next to Armin. "...I can't go back with the Titans... I'll never see my father again."

"You're right about that." Armin smiled. "But you're also welcome here now. Fighting to save humanity, to save us."

"...." She looked at him, in almost surprise. "...am I really welcome here?"

"What do you mean?"

"...I see the looks I get. Especially from Mikasa. They're all afraid that I'll-"

"You won't... Because while you're fighting for humanity, I'd like to think you're also fighting... For me."

Annie nodded. "..yes."

"Then isn't that all the motivation you need? Ignore everyone else."

"I suppose you're right." She looked over to Reiner and Bertolt, who were laughing loudly. Or rather, Reiner was laughing while Bertolt sat there uncomfortably. I'll have to talk to them soon... Annie was nervous for that moment. Me, against the Colossal and Armored Titan? There's no chance of survival...

"What are you thinking about, Annie?" Armin questioned.

Annie knew she should probably tell Armin about their identities, but she couldn't bring herself to betray them.

"Nothing."