Cornered (1)

Mina's POV

Red.

The scene that Ymir showed mostly contained red liquid, and in the middle, Eren kept on wailing as blood flowed out of his eyes. 

"This is what your father had seen upon encountering his first near-death experience." She mumbled beside me while I continued to stare in terror at my father's current location. There were dead bodies everywhere, floating, sinking, and most with missing body parts. I tried my best not to puke after seeing such a gory scenario, forcing myself to become even more brave than usual. "Are you not disgusted?"

I looked at Ymir and failed to realize what kind of expression she was showing. "Disgusted? Are you mad? These are dead people, Ymir! And my father-" I pointed at the scene and continued. "Is in the middle of it! More than terror, I feel extremely useless!"

"Useless?" She scoffed. "You weren't even born at that time."

"And yet I'm about to experience it." As rage begins to boil within me, my voice continues to rise. "I'm about to see a different scenario while my father is on the other side, screaming inside a titan's belly!"

Ymir laughed, earning her a smack. But before I could even reach her, the room began to shift, a sign that I was about to be forced to go back into my physical body. 

"It'll be years before I'll get the chance to contact you like this again." Her image began to blur, but all I could think about were his missing arm, bloody face, and desperate expression. "Until we meet again, young Yeager."

All of that happened when I was stationed in the second world. There were some instances wherein Ymir would just suddenly pull my soul out and force me to watch scenarios that I would have missed since I had chosen to become a supporting character. It's useful, for the most part, but incredibly alarming. 

"Mina." Armin's trembling voice brought me back, making me turn around to face his terrified figure. "Y-You don't have to stay here. It'll-" He choked as I patiently waited for him to continue. "It'll get m-messy here. The other side is safe, s-so you can-"

"Run away?" I shook my head and once again, positioned my body to block any form of threat that is given to Eren. "It's all right, Armin. With both me and Mikasa here, it should probably mean something, right?"

I gave Mikasa a sideway glance, only to notice her nodding in agreement. 

Honestly, being forced into a corner with many cannons pointed at us isn't exactly my ideal way of dying. These people do have the right to become hostile toward my father, especially after learning about his ability to transform into the creature that we all see as an enemy. But… they really waste no time in cornering us, huh? However, when I learned about this scenario, Eren and Mikasa were already safe.

So, someone must have intervened to stop this execution. 

"I'll kill them all."

Eren's voice certainly brought chills to my spine as I forced myself to observe the Garrisons' reaction instead.

Well, there's not much to observe anyway because almost all of them are terrified. It's a normal and human-like reaction, which, as a daughter, makes me despise them even more. 

Mikasa was holding both of her blades while I, on the other hand, just stood there with my arms crossed. However, if I can find even one soldier moving toward us, I'll gladly pop their heads out.

Humans are very fragile. We don't need blades to kill one.

"Hear that?"

"He said: I'll kill them all!"

Yeah.

My eyebrows twitched in irritation.

And I'll do it if you won't stop dissing my father. 

"Trainee Yeager! As well as Trainee Ackerman, Arlert, and Carolina!" My attention eventually landed on the man who called out to us, hissing after realizing who he was. "What you're doing right now is an act of treason! We may decide to kill you on the spot!"

Yeah… no.

After what he did to the vanguard and the trainees, leaving them to die? He should be hanged for that. Disgusting. 

"If you attempt to lie to us or make a single move, we will immediately fire a HE projectile at you! We will not hesitate!"

I rolled my eyes and was tempted to shout back at him, telling him to blow himself up.

Cruel?

He deserves it.

He once again yelled. "Answer me at once! What are you?!"

"Are you a man? Or a Titan?!"

His voice continued to echo, but no answer was immediately given. I couldn't exactly turn around just to peek at what expression Eren had, but as an instinct, I knew that he must be confused. I mean… who wouldn't be?

He can't exactly recall what his father did to him, now can he? Just remembering that certain scenario makes my blood boil even more. 

"I d-don't understand the question!" Eren finally answers, making him even more suspicious in the Garrison's eyes. 

"He's pretending not to know?" Even as he mumbled those words, all of us located in this corner of the wall heard it. "Monster! Try that again, and I'll blow you to pieces!" 

The next words that came out of his mouth were instantly drowned by the noise inside my head. It's not that Ymir is contacting me at this specific time, but once rage has devoured my sanity, all I can think about is how to eradicate the source of my madness. 

Luckily, Armin pulled the hem of my jacket after noticing the movement I was about to take. 

I'll have to thank him later for this.

"My thinking is correct!" He rambles on, making me groan in annoyance. I'm sure the other soldiers are starting to get irritated by my actions, but hell! Listening to him talk while saliva is gushing out of his lips is not a pretty sight to watch!

So, to irritate them even more, I eventually positioned myself on my knees and started plucking the nearby grass.

Even if they have noticed my rude actions, I'm sure as heck that it's not their priority. Eren is. 

I continue to ignore his threats. It's not until Mikasa decides to step up, claiming my bored attention again. 

"My specialty is tearing through flesh." 

Comparing the death glares that Ymir had sometimes given me and how Mikasa looked right now poses a gap in how deadly their stares can be. I'm a hundred percent sure that some of the soldiers in front of us would have peed their pants already. 

She continued. "If necessary, I am willing to demonstrate at any time. If anyone would like to experience it firsthand, I invite them to be the first to approach."

I whistled. It's not the right timing to do so, but damn… That gave me goosebumps.

"Me too." I stood up once more and gazed at the man who continued to give out annoying speeches. With a crack of my wrist, I smiled. "In my case, I won't even need to tear your flesh. Does breaking your neck sound good enough?" 

He certainly looked shocked after being threatened by the top graduating students for this year. The Garrison officer who informed us of being stationed at the rearguard eventually made his way to their captain, informing him of who we were.

"Hey!" Eren called out to us, making me whip my head to gaze at his forlorn body. "Mikasa, Armin… What's going on here?" His eyes shifted to look at my own, making me see how confused he was. "And Mina… Why are you also here? It's dangerous!"

"I know." With a shrug, I once again showed him my back and smirked. "We're comrades, Eren. Helping Mikasa in thwarting off annoying sheep doesn't concern me at all."

"Mikasa! Mina!" Armin called out to both of us and continued. "You can't fight another human!" 

I hummed. Isn't that what we were trained to do?

She closed in on me and spoke. "It doesn't matter whom I must fight. I won't let anyone kill Eren." 

The image of her doing so didn't escape my mind as I forced myself to throw such a horrendous memory aside. 

Armin continues. "Let's talk this through! No one knows what's happening, so they're ruled by fear!"

"It's exactly why we can't negotiate our way out, Armin." I calmly spoke, wishing for him to understand. "Humans that are ruled by fear can't understand shit. Action is better than words at this point."

"I'll ask you once more!" And for the thousandth time, I once again groaned. "What are you?!"

Everyone at this point was looking at Eren. However, I refused to do so and remained my glare towards the disgusting, vulgar, and selfish captain. Eren must be devastated, no… I think he already is. But if anyone can adapt so quickly in whatever scenario he's thrown into, Father would have taken the throne already.

And here is a younger version of my father.

Eren, please, don't be sad. I vowed that for this world, I will protect both you and Mikasa, physically, mentally, and emotionally speaking.

You aren't alone in this fight. 

Because I'm here. 

"A human!" He screams. The silence that followed after was enough for everyone to hear my giggles. Armin looks horrified, while Mikasa slightly raises her eyebrows. 

After calming myself, I turned around and gave Eren a small yet noticeable smile. "Well said, Eren." 

His gaze that lingered on my face must have left him disoriented. However, not a minute has even passed when the captain's hand is slowly moving upwards, alarming both Mikasa and Armin. 

"Mina! Get Armin!" She took Eren in her arms and bolted, leaving me and Armin frozen in place. "We're going up!"

Eren tries to stop her, but if there's something that Eren lacks compared to Mikasa, it's strength. I blinked once, then twice, before eventually pulling myself together. 

"Let's go, Armin." I tried pulling his petrified body to the ground, only to notice that Eren was pulling Mikasa towards us instead.

I was about to ask them why we were not going up, but Eren was the first to speak.

"Armin!" He continues to pull Mikasa as fast as he can, claiming his friends' attention. "Grab Mina!"

Upon hearing such an order, Armin immediately stood and pulled me towards him. I felt my waist forcedly being enveloped by two trembling arms and wondered what Eren was up to. His other arm eventually reached us as he placed it around Armin's shoulders when the sound of a cannon claimed my attention. 

Something was bound to happen at this point because Eren and the others got out of this situation. 

I wasn't expecting, however, that the one that protected them against the cannon was the upper portion of his titan form.

And I have to admit, that was a smooth move. 

***