Chapter 55: Chapter 55 Moving Pieces
Important notice, please see author note
"Petra… what happened?"
It hadn't been the first time she'd asked it, but Mikasa continued to press the question as the wounded woman was near carried over to a bench to sit down. Her bandana wearing assistant hadn't said a word to them, their focus entirely on helping Petra move.
"In Mitras, they tried to kill us. I don't know if they succeeded or not. Oluo… they killed him, I saw it. Gunther… I think they got him as well, I don't know about the rest."
Eren and Mikasa's bond to the two elite Scouts may not have been as deep as Petra's, but the confirmation of their deaths hurt deeply. More so than the time that they had all spent training together, and the bond they had briefly shared, was what the two Scouts had represented. Gohan's training, their collective hope for the future, lives that were lost for a meaningless cause.
"Petra, I'm so sorry."
The woman had a far off look in her eyes. The grief she was feeling was clear, but she seemed determined to push it back. To process it later when she had the time to do so. She held up a hand and waved off the pity, pressing onwards with her story.
"I was hit hard, so I did the only thing I could. Gohan taught me a little about hiding my power level, so I did just that. With the fight going on and my power level too low to detect, they thought I was dead and moved on. Emelie found me, pulled me out of harm's way."
"I couldn't leave her there." The woman finally spoke. Her voice was soft, quiet in a way that seemed at odds with her bold actions. "I didn't know what was happening, but I knew that she must have been innocent. She's one of the Angels chosen, I had to help protect her."
The words 'thank you' were frozen on the tips of their tongues as Eren and Mikasa looked to each other in bemusement. Fortunately, Emilie had her attention focused squarely on Petra, checking that none of her bandages had come loose or were showing signs of blood. Petra threw them a look of the eyes that told her she was just as taken aback as they were, but a little more used to it.
There had been rumours of course, rumblings spreading around of Gohan's growing following of people who took his nickname of the Angel of Trost a little more… literally. Given what they now knew of him, it both seemed sillier and yet made so much more sense. Gohan was a being of extraordinary power and caring, who'd had a tail and could shoot energy beams. He'd been saving lives and passing on his gifts to some of the best and bravest in the military.
Without knowing his background, it all made a little more sense to think he was perhaps a real angel.
"Well uh… thank you Emilie, we really appreciate it."
"Think nothing of it. My father is a merchant down here in the underground, so I regularly make visits between my home and the surface. I brought her here to be safe and so I could tend to her injuries. During that time, Petra told me what had happened, how the government had betrayed her, and were trying to frame the Scouts. I had to spread the word, so I told my club members about it, about how they would try to kill the angel."
She looked over towards the crowd, where among them could be seen a large number of heads topped with white bandanas. Clearly Emilie was understating things when she called her group a 'club'.
"We all knew what had to be done. We continued spreading word to the uninitiated, warning them of what the police were trying to do. Convincing people wasn't hard, life down here is difficult, and resentments are high."
"And so a revolution begins…" muttered Petra as she watched the fight continue. "But I don't think it'll be enough. I heard the Scouts were arrested, regular people against the Military Police will be a slaughter, especially if their elite team comes out to fight."
"I wouldn't worry too much about that." Eren actually smirked at the glee of knowing just how quickly the tides were turning. "Armin is working to get the Scouts released, and Gohan is taking the fight straight to the MPs. They have a hide out further north, that's where he's going to hit them."
Relief was blossoming on Petra's face. "We have a chance then. But these people… they'll still need help."
"I'll do it." Mikasa was surprised by herself when she volunteered immediately.
"Mikasa?"
"I… I'll go with the people. Keep the safe, lead them out onto the surface." It would be a hard fight to do so, but she was up to the challenge. She would have to be. "You get mom and Hannes to safety. You don't need me, I trust you."
He hesitated.
"Are… are you sure?"
It was an odd sensation, to be granted something that Eren had long ago complained so hard that he wanted. He had wanted Mikasa to ease away, to relax and let him do things himself. To trust him as he did things his own way, faced danger himself. Now she was doing so and he… he worried.
He knew she was strong, he knew she was one of the most powerful people he had ever seen. But others had been killed already. Other strong people, their friends and comrades. Now she was going to head straight into the danger without any chance for him to watch her back. He was worried.
"Don't worry Eren, I'll be fine. Get mum and Hannes to safety, take Petra with you too."
He continued hesitating, swallowing down his fear before he finally spoke.
"Okay. You be careful."
"I will."
She didn't brush aside his fears or point them out either. She knew how vulnerable he was being, how he was truly unsure of this course of action. But she was also sure that she knew what she was doing. The potential risks, and how much she needed to do it.
She helped Emilie raise Petra to her feet, and watched the trio move on towards where her mother and Hannes had been left, their energy levels still being comfortably sensed. As she watched them leave, Mikasa reflected.
She hadn't truly cared about others much. She still didn't, not really. She was a closed off girl. Quiet, and utterly devoted only to her small family. She had what she supposed most could call friends, and she knew they called her as such, but to her they were just… comrades. She respected them, but she did not feel the same as they felt.
Now, she would go and fight for the safety of people she neither knew nor actively cared for. But she would do it anyway, there was a compulsion she felt towards it, the drive that she simply must go and protect the people.
It seemed that Gohan had affected her far more than she'd ever realised.
Gohan blocked a punch against his arm, wincing as he felt almost his entire body vibrate from the attack. Frieda was hitting hard, incredibly so, and unfortunately for him every blow he seemed to deal against her she could heal. Steam was billowing from her mouth where Gohan had broken her jaw. There was a loud crack as it clicked back into place, Frieda glaring with fresh hatred at him.
It was difficult to tell, but Frieda was potentially very possibly stronger than him given her seemingly limitless ability to alter her body and enhance her strength. With the fact that she was also pulling in skills and techniques from familiar faces, she was an exceedingly dangerous foe. But Gohan still held an advantage.
Frieda, had clearly never been through such a serious fight before.
She flinched under his attacks. Her body was fresh, unbloodied by training and combat, and she didn't have the experience of dealing with the pain of it all. It was his biggest advantage, and one he would need to continue to press as they fought.
A kick to her chest led into a backflip away from her counterattack. He shoulder barged her away and sent her bouncing off of a wall, giving him some true breathing space for a precious few seconds.
He sure hoped that things were going easier for the others.
"Drop your weapons! You are ordered to surrender, now!"
"Drop the fucking guns you traitors!"
"Stop moving! I'll shoot I swear it!"
"You're outnumbered! Lay your weapons down now!"
"You'll hang for these you treasonous dogs! We'll hang every damned one of you!"
MPs and Garrison soldiers stood in a standoff with muskets levelled against each other as soldiers continued to pour into Mitras.
Most of them were ignoring the small fight happening to the sides, instead they were focused on racing past and further into the heart of the city. A plan had been formulated quickly and was being put into action even faster.
As commander of the Garrison, Pixis had been keenly involved with many defensive plans surrounding the capital. Knowing the details for the size of forces which held key locations throughout the area, as well as which locations were most vulnerable to attack. Part of the reason for this involvement was so that the Garrison could act as an effective reinforcing unit, arriving to beef up Military Police defensive units at chokepoints like bridges or main roads. These forces would be under the command of the Military Police, who would keep the majority of their troops closer to the buildings themselves.
The irony that his supporting troops were now acting as invaders was not lost on him.
He thought more about those plans, and how pointless they had all seemed. They were designed for protecting against riots primarily, as Titans inside of Wall Sina would have spelled extinction for them all at that point. Now however, he realised with a tinge of bitterness that with the knowledge that there was indeed a world beyond their walls, complete with countries that held their own military, the defensive plans had served a double purpose.
However, the planning had still relied on the Garrison forces moving into support, as the Military Police units did not have the numbers to control so many key areas against large scale attacks. As such, the Garrison soldiers moved swiftly into their designated positions, striking at bridge control points, communication centres that held riders and messenger birds, and the canal barges meant for transporting goods or people.
They would move quickly to surround and overwhelm the outside positions from the MP forces, cut off communication and requests for reinforcements before storming inwards. There was a risk, a large one, in that it gave the Military Police time to prepare and form internal defensive position.
If the MPs decided to hold position and fight back, the Garrison would be forced into trying to wage war against an entrenched enemy, whilst being woefully untrained to do so. The potential benefit of trying to storm the centre of the capital posed too much risk however.
MP forces escaping and receiving assistance, units rallying together and flanking them from behind. There was also the difficulty in trying to organise a large-scale attack with such a large group. The Garrison were trained to help keep the peace or fight against Titans, this type of battle would be entirely beyond their training. With trusted officers leading designated units, their chances of success and avoiding confusion were better. An inevitability however, were the casualties.
Muskets fired, men and women from the MPs and the Garrison fell down bleeding. Surviving MPs were rushed by the Garrison soldiers with swords drawn, blades cutting into the flesh of those who would not surrender. The wounded were pulled back for medical care, the dead were counted and set aside, the surrendering soldiers were tied up and put into the hands of a small detachment of soldiers.
This was the first of many key locations they would need, the central bridge that connected towards the southern districts. The majority of their forces would be located here, defending their rear and pressing the attack straight up the main road into the capital. Other units were already splitting off and riding to engage their areas, while others were heading towards the wall behind them.
Those units were smaller, acting more as messengers to liaise with other Garrison units and rally them together. The wall would need to be closed off and the wall artillery seized before they could be used against them. Local Garrison forces could assist with this and would be needed to do so. If other units refused to help, or even worse were to fight against those under his direct command, then Pixis would find his soldiers quickly isolated and surrounded by troops that outnumbered his own.
The battle ahead would be hard enough against the Military Police. Each second that went by gave them more time to entrench and barricade the numerous large buildings in the capital. Unlike so many other MPs, these troops were neither lazy nor corrupt. Or at least, not enough to make a notable difference in their defensive ability.
As such, he would need to rely on his other key asset.
"Units are ready commander, just give the word."
By his side, Mike rode with his Scout cloak worn proudly. The Scouts would be needed for taking the initiative, seizing ground through quick exploits rather than long and drawn-out fights. Such would be the responsibility of the Garrison.
"You have it, make your move."
Mike snapped off a quick salute before moving to create some distance between them. Pixis and his entourage raised their hands to their ears as Mike fired off the green signal flare high into the sky.
Distantly, Pixis could just make out the moving shapes of various Scout teams as they made their first attack. The first would be the easiest, most likely to catch the enemy off guard, but he also knew that casualties would be inevitable.
"Sir, I must ask, why do you not want my team assisting with the attack?"
Ian was already frowning as the attack began, knowing just like he that there would be more than one person who was about to die.
"Priority targets Ian, these probing attacks will be best able to find strong points of resistance. That's where we need your team, our enhanced people, to strike." Pixis reached into his jacket and probed the flask of alcohol with his fingers. He didn't drink, despite the strong temptation to do so, only touching it as a source of comfort. "You know, fighting humans is a lot like fighting Titans really. We must isolate our enemies and surround them to destroy them. Prioritise the most dangerous, and advance knowing that our first wave will likely fail. Only through sacrifice, can true victory be achieved. More than the rest of us, the Scouts know this the best. They are the ones who chose to go out into the lands beyond the walls, to reclaim our lost territory and seek a better future for us all. A purpose that was built… on a lie."
"With respect, they didn't sign on to kill people though, sir."
"No Ian, that's quite right." He mused that even after today's battle, were it a victory, the scars of the day might never fade for so many. "However, they did agree to a cause, a cause that they knew might kill them. Erwin was never shy about the division's casualties, he wanted them all to know what was waiting for them. Those that still chose to fight, did so because despite what it may cost them, it could lead to something great. I have complete faith that all those who fight today, know what may lay ahead of them should we succeed. A new future, an honest one. Attainable for us all. In time, we may even have true peace once more."
Soaring through the air, Jean came down on the terrified MP like a monster from the night. Sun to his back, only a shadow was what the man could see before he received a hard boot heel to the face. He dropped with a sharp cry of pain, others around him aiming their weapons in panic before they too were set upon by the others.
Swords were drawn, bones were broken, necks were threatened, but the entrance to the grain storage was seized without any loss of life on either side.
"Good job guys." Jean commended everyone as they all set about the task of tying up their new prisoners. "Everyone did well."
"What did we have to worry about?" Franz grinned as he gave one of them a patronising kick. "None of these guys remember their training anymore."
"Don't get cocky Franz!" Mina warned as she finished her knot and pushed a man against the wall. "Food storage was the easiest, that's why they gave it to us remember?"
"We're not that bad!" Connie held his swords out as he watched over some of the others that still needed to be detained.
Sasha came over and began tying them up, already done with her first as she was unsurprisingly a natural with knots. "It ain't that, it's 'cause we're young."
Connie looked confused for a moment, but Armin jumped in to explain.
"The less bloodshed for us, the better. Think about it, a lot of the older soldiers were the focus of assigning the dangerous teams. But it wasn't about skill, some of the better soldiers are in easier assignments. They don't want us killing, if they can help it."
Jean was silent as he thought over Armin's words. It was good to have him back, absolutely, but he didn't half have a terrible habit of making things seem quite bleak. It was true though, and frankly something Jean had already realised. The thought of killing someone, even someone who might have been trying to kill him was turning his stomach something terrible.
He could see it starting to do the same with the others. He mentally cursed Armin as he watched them all hesitate, suddenly distracted by the reminder that there was likely going to be people they would kill today. He didn't truly curse Armin of course, he hadn't meant anything by it. Armin had a brilliant mind but was rather terrible at a lot of social cues.
"It'll be okay." He told them all. "Whatever happens today, whatever we have to do, it'll be okay. If anyone feels like they can't do it, we'll talk about it, but don't feel ashamed if you think you can't. But…" He grimaced, knowing that what he said next was going to be hard for them all to hear. "But this is what we're going to have to do. I know that this will be hard to accept, but you can't hesitate here. If you do, they'll kill you."
Tough talk, and words he hoped he'd be able to live up to, but it was what they needed to hear. There was a few individuals in his team that he wasn't worried about, Armin for one. He could be soft in some ways, but Armin had a viciousness that belied his small and inconspicuous stature.
The other, as he watched her pull hard on the ropes of a surrendered MP, was Sasha. Perhaps it was her upbringing, but she had always been one who was far more used to death and the harsh realities of life. As well as that, she had been consistently furious ever since they were all arrested. She had a fury that would drive her past any lesser emotional hurdles she may have.
The others, he wasn't so sure about.
A dozen horses rode up to their location, Garrison reinforcements arriving to take the prisoners off their hands and put them with the rest. As they began to haul the MPs to their feet, Jean realised that it would be needed to test their resolve much sooner than later.
A red smoke flare was soaring high in the sky, the location being from one of their attack groups.
"Who's in charge?" One of the Garrison called, staying on his horse as his comrades dismounted and began grabbing the MPs from their hands. They had a small wagon with them that would serve as a makeshift transport.
"I am, Jean Kirstein."
"Take your team North, you need to support attack team four. We'll hold position here."
Yep, just as Jean had predicted. He eyed the trailing smoke with a slightly fearful gaze.
"Yes sir. Everyone, let's move!"
He swallowed back his fear as he always did, firing off his hooks to move first and lead the way towards the attack. He heard the others following on behind him, something he had been counting on for more than just the obvious.
Something he'd found out about himself since leading attacks in Trost was that while he knew what he had to do, and he could force himself into doing it, he relied a lot more on people following him to keep himself together. Knowing that there were people at his back and following his lead, he knew he couldn't falter or second guess himself. He needed the pressure.
Racing towards a known fight, he felt every drop of pressure that was possible.
As they leapt through the air, they utilised buildings and trees as contact points for mobility. It was clear that at least some of the design of the capital had been deliberately chosen to ensure soldiers could move around efficiently.
As they swung above the buildings, Jean could eye other teams moving in with him. Scouts who had completed their mission and were moving in to support the attack alongside him. There was no small number of them, and it was just what he needed to give himself the surge of confidence as they headed for the attack.
His confidence died a gurgling death as their target came in sight.
It was one of the entrances to the palace, a daring attempt to seize the entrance and a foothold inside before it could be lost. The attack had failed, and at large cost. Already Jean could see the dead and dying laid strewn across the ground. Corpses hung limply from their ODM gear, swinging from brick walls as they'd been killed mid-manoeuvre.
Another team took the lead in front of his, and one of them was immediately shot out of the sky as they advanced.
The woman gasped, a bubbling scream of pain as she dropped from the air and crashed down into the hard brick floor. Her team shouted out in anger, but none of them turned back, pressing onwards as more rifles opened fire towards them. No more of them were hit before they landed, Jean and his team following swiftly behind, and they had their chance at vengeance as they struck.
Blade met blade, but the fighting skill of the Scouts was quickly proving their advantage in the bloody melee. Jean saw them cut down soldiers in front of them as he and his team moved to do the same. It was an older man that Jean found himself facing, perhaps in his 30's and with a standard close-cropped haircut that made him seem like so many others he'd seen before. Just another face in the crowd.
It didn't make it easier as Jean knocked his sword aside, slid one of his blades down the man's arm, and cut it deeply. One of the swords fell from his arms, a crimson river pouring down from the cut in his jacket. Jean brought his sword up to the man's neck, blade ready for the kill and… hesitated.
It was his worst nightmare come to life, the exact situation he'd warned about. But despite his own words, despite the fact that Jean was screaming in his head to do it, he was frozen. The other man had paused too, fully expecting a swift end only to find nothing had happened. He gripped his other sword tighter and thrust upwards towards Jean's chest.
He braced for his own death.
Blood splashed across Jeans face, and a voice screamed out in pain before it was sharply cut silent. Opening his eyes, Jean saw Mina's blood splattered face, the dripping on her blade from where she'd cut off the man's arm, or the red on her other where she'd cut off his head.
She was frozen too, at both what she'd done and at him. Finally, she swallowed hard.
"No hesitation."
He nodded, and the two were snapped back into the fight as they pressed onwards. Jean charged towards a set of stairs, an MP was cut down in front of him by a Scout only to have their head snap to the side, a musket ball tearing through their skull as they dropped. At the top of the stairs stood the shooter, reloading while his comrade took aim towards Jean.
He threw himself to the side on instinct, hitting the ground just as the man fired. The ball passed by so close he could feel it whip through the air beside him. As he scrambled to his feet, he continued charging up the stairs, spotting the first man taking aim towards him with another musket he'd grabbed from the ground.
Jean fired first. One of his hooks hit the man in the shoulder, and Jean pulled him closer as he ran, throwing him off his feet as he fell down the stairs. Another set of swords came in from out of view, slashing into the shooters back as he tried to get back up to his feet.
Jean continued his charge upwards, ignoring the fight as he raced at the man desperately reloading his rifle. He was too close, the man wouldn't have enough time and he knew it. The MP swung his rifle like a club, but Jean ducked beneath the blow and thrust his blade out, stabbing deep into his belly.
He didn't dare to look as he pulled it free, feeling the soft movement of flesh down the spine of his sword and hearing the squelch of blood and organs. Instead, he raced past, a whole new target in his sight. The open doors of the palace side entrance.
If they could get inside, they could hold the ground there. Take a foothold that would end the fight quicker.
There was one final set of stairs to climb, Jean was sprinting up them with haste. He could hear others do the same, footsteps beating down behind him as they crested the staircase and saw inside.
A dozen MPs, and an armed cannon faced towards them.
"SCATTER!"
Jean threw himself to the side as he screamed the order, the loud explosion of the cannon firing coming only a moment later.
Most cannons were loaded with round shot, the simple round ball that were kept in large stores on each wall. They were the most effective weapon against Titans beyond their ODM gear and were almost exclusively used when cannons were fired in combat. However against people, the more effective weapon was cannister shot.
Almost a hundred small musket balls were fired towards them, shredding apart the frame of the doors and ripping up the staircase by his feet. The effect against people was even more devastating. Jean felt one of the rounds clip him in the leg, a spiking surge of pain as a small piece of flesh was ripped away.
He could see others who were not so lucky, bodies that had been ripped apart. Bellies had exploded under the impact and sent organs scattering across the steps. At the sound of rumbling feet, Jean forced himself up and fired his ODM gear to fly away onto the rooftop of the palace.
Reinforcing MPs came out quickly, some shooting immediately, others acting as covering fire whilst the first reloaded. He was out of sight by the time their guns aimed up towards him.
He looked around for his team, eying where they had split off and were retreating back to. He made a mental list as he spied each one.
Sasha. Mina. Hanz. Armin. Connie… Connie.
Connie was lying still on the steps, a shredded hole through his chest where the cannister shot had caught him before he could get out of the way. His lifeless eyes stared upwards, directly into the horrified gaze of Jean.
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Trusty_McGoodGuy
Trusty_McGoodGuy AN: Hi all, hope you enjoyed the chapter, would love to hear your thoughts with a review. I would also love to hear your thoughts on what things you might like to see next. This story still has a fair way to go, so don't worry too much, but with my daughter due soon I have been thinking about what I will do after this story is complete. If you go over to my P at reon you will see a poll there to let me know what fandoms people are interested in. The poll is for anyone to do, you don't have to be a supporter, so please fill it in as this will decide what I do later.
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Next chapter due: 24/07/23
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