Fight Until the Day the World Stops Spinning (Levi Fan-fiction)

Chapter 23: The 57th Expedition - Trust

A loud screech came after Captain Levi shot the flare gun. Everyone managed to cover their eyes, except for Oluo. That bastard didn't listen and now he was swaying around his horse. But in the end, he manage to cover his ears.

"A noise grenade?" Eren asked.

"Yeah, it's so you can calm down," Pandora said.

"What is your job?" Levi began. "To just let yourself be swayed by whatever you're feeling at the moment? No, it's not. Our squad's job and Squad Pandora's job is to keep the brat from getting a single scratch on him. Even if it costs our lives." Levi said.

They all had calmed down and were able to reason. Eren was a bit surprised by Levi's words himself. It wasn't to keep watch on me? Eren asked himself.

"We keep going on our horses, got it?" Levi stated.

"Roger!" Petra said.

Eren looked at Petra with a shocking look. "Keep going? For how long?" Eren asked. He turned to look at the Female Titan that was chasing them. "And it's right on top of us..." He gasped as he saw two more soldiers trying to take down the Female Titan. "Again. The reinforcements! If we don't help, they'll be wiped out again!" Eren cried.

"Eren, eyes on the road!" Gunther shouted.

"Gunther!?"

"Keep your pace up. Stay at top speed." Eld said.

"But, Eld, why!? If Squad Levi and Squad Pandora doesn't defeat it, who will?" Eren asked.

He isn't calming down, Pandora thought as she heard the boy talk. But she doesn't really blame him, he doesn't actually know what they're doing, and the only reason why the rest of Levi's squad is calm is because he ordered them to. But deep down inside, she knows that they want to kill the Female Titan and avenge the fallen soldiers.

The Female Titan crushed another soldier with her hand. Just like a bug. "Another one's dead... And maybe we couldn've saved him!" Eren cried. Eren saw that the Female Titan missed one soldier, who was still fighting. "One's still fighting," Eren called. "We could still make it!"

"Eren, eyes back on the road! Keep going!" Petra called.

"Are you telling me to look away?" Eren asked. "To abandoned my comrades and run?"

"Yes, that's right!" Petra replied. "Obey the Captains' orders!"

"I don't understand why we're leaving them to die!" Eren said. "Or why they won't explain! Why!?"

"That's because the Captains decided the reason should not be explained!" Oluo said. "You just don't understand because you're still green! If you get it, then shut up and obey!"

Eren grunted, but then he remembered what he could do. He put his swords away and brought his hand close to his mouth. I can fight on my own, he thought to himself. Why am I relying on others? I can just fight on my own. Eren opened his mouth, ready to bite his hand.

"What are you doing, Eren!?" Petra and Pandora called out as they saw him. "You're only allowed to do that if your life is in danger. You promised us!" Petra said. Eren still didn't take his hand out of his mouth. "Eren!"

"You aren't wrong." Levi said.

"If you feel like doing it, go ahead, Eren." Pandora said.

"I can tell. He's a real monster," Levi began. "And it has nothing to do with his Titan power. No matter what power you use to suppress him, no matter what cage you put him in, he will never submit to anyone. Eren, the difference between your decision and ours is experience. But you don't have to rely on that. Choose. Believe in yourself. Or believe in the Survey Corps, Pandora, and me. I don't know... I never have. I can believe in my own abilities or the choice of companions I trust. But no one knows how it will turn out. So choose for yourself whichever decision you'll regret least," Levi said.