~*~

Firearms blocking every point of my escape........

The cart titan was definitely getting on my nerves, the more she continues to follow our every move. The machine guns showering bullets in every direction, seeing my men falling one by one. Trying my best to stall the soldiers around and make sure there is less casualties, but no one can stop the bloodshed.

My face contorts with disdain towards the Marleyan soldiers, as I try to create some distance to recollect my thoughts.

Mikasa from a distance tries to break the crystallised war hammer wielder, that lays in the hand of Eren's titan hand. It was just exactly like Annies, and yet we still couldn't figure out how to either melt to destroy it. Allowing Mikasa to do her part, I focus on my surroundings as I grab a thunder spear from my hip, and plunged it towards the buildings where soldiers fled into.

Flying down sharply just missing a bullet, I dove down towards the cart titan and slashed deeply into the back of his legs. 

However while doing so I hear, "INCOMING!!!!!"

A heavy wave of rocks came barrelling down towards us, but subtly directly away on purpose only see a few of my men about to be hit in the crossfire. Without wasting a damn second, I slam my body into both the soldiers before reattaching my grappling hooks to another wall and flew with them, "Be More mindful of your surroundings! Especially the cart titan!"

"Yes ma'am!!!!!"

Rolling my aching my shoulder that I was shot earlier, I make my way back towards the cart titan again. "That bastards gonna pay!!!!!!" I overhear one of my men yell, coming from up above me and Jean as I can see.

"Wait! Get back!!!!" Jean warns them, with wide eyes.

They completely ignore him, "Wait!!!!"

"I'll kill him here and now!!!!!!" The soldier yells, as two of the raise themselves high above the nape of Zeke Yeager. Shit! This wasn't the damn plan! I know they're kept in the dark by our plan, but they should've listened to Levi and I's warning.

Suddenly a heavy fire from the machine, turned the two into a bloody massacre in midair.

"Fuck," I breath out shakily, as my eyes narrow towards the cart titan. My throat rumbles with frustration, "You little bitch."

"Good work, continue to cover the war chief's six," I hear The Cart Titan talking to someone, assuming its the men within the machine gun shells on her back. What were they called again? 

Right! The Panzer unit, from when Zeke informed us about the Cart Titan's speciality. 

Creating some distance with Jean, we both take a moment to regroup further from the cart Titan. While doing so I noticed the Beast, Jaw and cart standing towards when a bright light fills my vision once again. Eren transforms yet again, surprised that he still has energy left. Landing down within a floor on the battlefield, I jump inside a room filled our supplies to refill my gas tanks.

"Section Commander, what shall we do?" Jean questions. "Though we may have a limit supplied of ammunition and fuel......they'll already pick up on the idea, that we will take to advantage once they figure us out--"

Discarding my empty tanks, I lift up fresh new ones and assembled them back onto my gear securely, "It's fine, trusting that Eren has a plan.......all we can do is rely on is Captain Levi's half of his mission whilst we do our part....." I reply firmly, when suddenly a heavy gust of wind shatters the glass and the whole entirety of the battlefield. Surprised I raise my arms to block any further injuries, I grimace from the surprise attack. 

"I'm not here to fight you, Eren!" Zeke spoke, through his beast form. His voice was intimidating and deep, as if it's thunder itself. "I have another opponent......let's have our rematch Levi. Come on, show yourself. Your running out of time, right?"

Chills ran down my spine, though I knew this was all part of the plan.

Taking a moment to prepare for the battle between man and beast, a huge bright explosion lights up the skies from afar. The sound directly blares down straight from the docks, causing the earth to tremble finding the explosion all too familiar since that day. The radius would take a huge amount, as I shield my young soldiers in response. Armin has the docks covered, knowing he's done his part.

Within seconds I jump out of the shattered window, before sneakily making my way towards the Cart with Jean following close behind.

Finally in one easy and clear shot from the distraction of the explosion, Levi took his opening and sliced the nape of Beast titan. His body drops with a thundering fall, causing the Cart titan to panic for a moment. The machine gun began firing all around, as I reach myself over the ledge of the building about to take my shot and assess the situation.

However, before everything dies down after an echoing shot, the Cart titan slowly turns to the sound of a gunshot.

Glancing over to my shoulder I saw Sasha raising her rifle, knowing full well she delivered a direct shot at one of their men in the Panzer unit. The cart titans behaviour suddenly changed, realising we must've struck a chord within the shifters heart. Soon the cart began bounding towards Sasha, but I quickly hoist myself up over the edge of the building with Jean.

"I think it's your turn to pay!"

"Jean," 

He nods before he charges towards the Cart, while I raise myself high up and drove a thunder spear near the nape whilst distracted by Jean's counterfeiting attack for only a second and then drove a thunder spear against the jaws. Soon once he was behind, he turns around, "Now!!!!!" he yells towards the others to order more thunder spears. 

Flames lit around the cart titan, seeing it scrambling to get away from us. Following it to make sure for it to not get away, I saw my opening seeing the titan lying there motionless. Jean went ahead of me for a moment, about to take a shot while readying his thunder spear, when I saw someone....

Wait is that the warrior....? No, it's not.....it's a....boy!

The boy has his arms wide spread with eyes filled with tears, "Leave Pieck alone!"

"Wait!!! Jean, that's a child!!!!!" I warn him, about to stop him only for him to fire. Yet, a gust of hot steam blows against the air current being able to redirect the thunder spear quickly. Exploding to the side, and avoiding the child just in time I felt a wave of relief over me.

Why though? This was the enemy, and this child could be one of them.....

Blocking my face briefly to keep away from the hot steam, hair blowing in every direction I soon notice a woman being drawn out from the nape. "The Cart Titan's still alive!!!!!!" Connie shouts, while I saw the boy cradling the mangled body of the brunette woman. "Don't let it get away!!!!!"

Hanging from the ledge for a moment, my men began to take the risk to finish off the woman. 

Suddenly a wave of single rifle attacks began firing up, seeing a small group of Marleyan's shooting at us at close range. Taking my shot towards the cart titan, I push off to take the shot. She was right there in the boys arms, and I shouldn't hesitate. Bullets whirring past me as I spiral down towards the woman, raising my blade in one hand as my eyes lit ablaze with purpose.   

When my ears began to ringing, following a trail of blood spraying in view before finding my body jerking back. Shit! Almost got me...........just..... barely though....I think........

My eyes snap in the direction of the child only to see a little girl with her rifle raised, her eyes wide and her breathing unstable; arms trembling. Growling beneath my breath redirecting myself, before she quickly goes to grab the woman and helped the boy lift her. She was right there! Was I hesitant as well? 

Taking this moment I draw back to the top of the roof, hearing Jean order the soldiers to retreat now before I hearing a familiar sound.

Trying to blink away my haziness of the dust, that accumulates from the machine's gunpowder and from the debris; I hoist my body back up landing upon the roof top. The moment my feet touch flat ground, the pain gradually throbs in my left shoulder causing discomfort. "Shit," cursing under my breath, even though it was a graze again. Just a few centimetres from my fresh wound before.

A deep rumble of a sound vibrates around us, feeling my chest beat with it.

"Section Commander, Jean......it's here," Connie informs us.

"Yeah," Jean replies. "Right on time."

Looking up from the roof top was the Zeppelin approaching our unit, following the lights we've create into a path way. Though some of my men were able to aboard now, it didn't really mean it was the end. Eren was still in the midst of getting the war hammer titan, but when i take a glance at the field my eyes widen. Eren was beginning to tear the jaw titan's arms and legs, before using his jaws to break through the crystallised woman.

Grimacing at the sight I look away, before hearing the crystal shatter along with the body. The sound was enough to know, that he's finally succeeded in obtaining the war hammer.

I feel even more nauseous......

"Section Commander?" Jean places a hand on my shoulder, while I found myself breathing heavily. "Is everything--"

"I'm okay," patting his hand with assurance; my face fading back to it's usual steady expression. "Just focus on returning back to the Zeppelin.......so let's go!"

Activating my ODM I attach it to a higher building and began following under it, with jean and the remainder of our men following suit. "Guard the ship from any hostiles below!" Jean orders to his unit. "If you've still got ammo, then now's the time to use it!"

His eyes met mine for a moment as I gave him a nod of acknowledgement, before latching onto the Zeppelin as I hoist myself onto the netting mesh that hangs beneath the sliding doors. Finding it even difficult to pull myself in as the wind pounds against my ears, when someone above me crouches down with his arm extended out. It was Armin. 

Taking his hand our arms locked before he tugs me inside the Zeppelin, pushing myself up to my feet for a moment. Armin stood there with a look of relief in his tired eyes, but he gives me a nod.

"Glad to see you're well, Section Commander," He says, before he turns behind me only to find Eren and Mikasa just arriving not long after myself.

  There was a silent pause only hearing the wind pounding against the bays walls, as I could sense the tension slowly building. A moment passes between the two, when Eren grabs onto Armin's hand hesitantly. Slowly Eren clambers inside as he was still on his knees, only to take in his appearance while stepping back to observe.

My hand latches around my grazed bullets wounds, the blood squelching between my fingers applying some pressure.

This boy wasn't the Eren I knew, just by looking at his eyes and the way his behaviour was is beyond my comprehension. I didn't know what to say, nor what to even do knowing I'll only do something I'll regret. "Well aren't you a filthy sight!" A familiar voice broke the silence, seeing my husband approach Eren with a look of disappointment in his eyes.

Eren glances up briefly meeting my gaze, but the silence was enough to know the amount of disappointment I have for him as well. He then tore his gaze from mine, shifting back to Levi's.

"It's like you fell in a pile of shit, Eren," Levi bitterly remarks. 

"Captain Levi," Eren addresses him quietly. Without warning, Levi strongly sends Eren across the bay into the wall harshly. The sound of flesh and boot didn't sound quite good, but Levi didn't even flinch when giving him that well deserved kick. However Mikasa gasps in shock about to charge in, but Armin only prevented her from doing something she'll regret. Though her feelings seem still strong, I knew she had little doubt in their relationship.

Two other soldiers steps either side of Eren, locking their firearms on him as Levi and I walk towards him.

"This takes me back, Eren," Levi says. "You have a real kickable face, you know that? Once you're tied up, I'd like to have a long chat."

"That's all right by me," Eren replies, with such a hollow look with his eyes that were covered by his greasy and tangled hair. "....but I explained everything in the letters I wrote..." he lifts his eyes, with an empty gaze with his voice dripping with venom. "....did you not understand them?"

Silence fills the air between them, before Levi grimaces with a mocking look before glancing to meet my disappointed glare. He knew I've practically raised this boy, and even I couldn't understand why Eren's changed suddenly. The trauma, we've all endured.....and this is how he turns out. I wonder what Carla would be thinking, seeing her own son like this. 

"Tch, I know that face," Levi scoffs bitterly, keeping himself composed and steady. "I used to see it on the rotten shits, I met in the underground. Never thought I'd see it on you....."

I fold my arms as my eyes harden, "Hey......you better cheer up," my voice deepens, glancing to the side seeing steam from the compartment room not far from us. Steam creeps through the cracks of the door, knowing exactly who's within that room. "Everything went just like you wanted........you've got Captain Levi to thank here."

I didn't like who was within that room, but I definitely held hatred towards that man for taking many lives of my men. Our men. Our Commander, and dared to underestimated my husband........

"We're gonna have a little talk....." I add, before making my way towards the trail of steam behind the door. I could feel Levi's gaze on me, but I didn't have time to tend to my injuries. Though they were painful, my anger was numbing that pain that was slowly surfacing.

~*~

"What a sorry sight," I murmur to myself.

There sat the blonde man hunched over against the wall, eyes sheltered behind those circular rimmed glasses and his shaggy blonde hair. His body was rather burly and broad compared to last we met, as my gaze settles on the four chopped limbs; from the upper biceps all the way down to the nub of his knees. Steam simmering and clouding around him, with red lines marred in his flesh.

This very man was of royal blood, only by one side of his family.

Zeke Yeager.........

The half brother to Eren Yeager, only by Grisha Yeager who was known as the regular doctor within Shiganshina. He was just like my parents, a refugee directly from Marley and against the law and order of all Eldian's within internment zone. Crazy how he managed to carry the blood of royalty, let alone the current holder of the Beast titan who is in need of royal blood. His face was always hard to break down, finding no crevice to weave in and break him from the inside. 

However all I wanted to know was that he dared to kill my Commander, whom I was starting to respect. The man who I've watched for many years, leading us and sacrificing himself for his risky gambles........

......and the man who killed big brother Miche.........

After sometime I did discover and put two and two together, on that horrific few days of endless torture on Utgard Castle. The memories were beginning to pile on, feeling my breath growing heavier the more I glared upon the man. This was the first, to ever look him in the eye and judge him in this pathetic state. Though he seemed rather proud, my chest was tightening every few seconds on dwelling on the past sins he's done. 

Levi even promised to kill this man, but here my husband is giving this chance for his life to spared for now........

Glancing over my shoulder to see him quiet, I couldn't imagine how much he's resisting to kill this man before him. Focusing back upon Zeke, his gaze soon met mine for a moment and arches a brow with a small interest the moment we lock eyes. A smile forms, "This is the first I've see you properly, Akira Yamasaki," he spoke up, breaking the unsettling silence between us. "Wow, you sure look like Ronin.......the hair, the eyes, the skin and that same dangerous glare......it's uncanny.....he was sure the devil of the Marleyan Warrior unit," with a smirk curling upon his lips.

"Don't speak of that man," I bitterly spoke, keeping my composure steady. Yelena eyes me, as if she was keeping guard of Zeke. She should be though, because I don't even know what I would do if I break. ".....and I'm Section Commander Akira Ackerman, don't you forget that....."

His brow raises subtly before a grin creeps onto his face, turning to Levi, "Well, I'm assuming there were wedding bells since we last spoke......" with a dry chuckle, before coughing harshly with crackles from the internal bleeding. Seems Levi did more than chop his limbs, but it's not my business. ".........surprised you're even alive, seen Ronin hadn't returned with us.....but he was a loose cannon after all....."

"What my husband and I've done is none of your damn business," I growl lowly, stepping closer to him. I tower over him glaring down upon him "But........you went too far today.....as we've lost six of my men! That wasn't part of the damn agreemen--"

"What are those wounds?" He gestures his head to me, shifting the topic. "Better get yourself tended too.......or you weren't planning to--"

Turning my head to her I glare dangerously, "My wounds are not important right now, but the lives of my men......and this agreement," my voice deepens steadily, while keeping my eyes dangerously focused on Yelena. "Don't change the subject.....or I will chop your limbs again once they've regenerated."

Zeke swallows thickly, as fear ran through him the moment his grey eyes met mine.

He then chuckles nervously, "I know when to shut up then......." clearing his throat, lacing with intimidation.

Drawing my blade back into the canisters that held my fresh blades, I straighten myself before feeling a hand rest upon my shoulder with a gentle squeeze.

The adrenaline was slowly dying down finally feeling the aftermath, as my wounds were bleeding heavily but not as fatal. However I felt more on edge the more I looked at the man, let alone even speaking with him. Taking a moment to calm myself, my face remains neutral but filled with such disdain. If it wasn't for this damn plan, I knew for a fact that that Commander Erwin's death would bring peace to Levi.

"Hey....how long are you gonna make me look at that thing?" Levi spoke up, eyes narrowed towards Yelena. Turning my attention towards her, as well as everyone did while seeing her stroking her fake beard.

"Hmm? What's your problem?" She questions; peeling the fake beard off and drops it to the floor. "Everyone else likes it."

Suddenly a heavy thud from outside the Compartment room brought our attention to our surroundings; glancing over my shoulder in response. Just before I did hear some yelling and cheering, celebrating the victory from tonight's first battle. "Guess they're cheering some more...." murmuring to myself.

"Are they still celebrating our victory?" Levi questions, while his hand rests against my lower back to ease the tension that was slowly building again. His touch felt relieving in this moment, after being shot at so many times. My wounds were slowly drying up, though the pain still continues to aggravate me.

"Don't know......." I murmur gently.

Suddenly the sound of a gunshot reaches my ears from outside, before screaming and yelling follows suit. Then another shot rang, hearing it bounce against the