Homesick

One Hour Earlier

The forest stood still under the ominous orange hue, its thick canopy whispering with the wind as shadows stretched and shifted across the ground. Hange's master plan was finally bearing fruit.

She had been right—Bertholdt and Reiner, nursing their injuries from the last battle, had taken refuge in the nearest forest. Their location served a dual purpose: healing and safety.

Titan territory was dangerous during daylight when the monsters roamed freely under the sun's power, so moving at night offered them the best chance of survival.

Eren lay slumped unconscious against the rough bark of a massive tree, his chest barely rising with each shallow breath.

Beside him, Ymir sat cross-legged, her sharp eyes fixed on the two warriors who stood on the corresponding branch. She had been questioning them, her tone laced with suspicion and curiosity, trying to dig out the real reason behind their abduction of both herself and Eren.

Reiner's responses were clipped, almost dismissive. "We're taking you both to our hometown. That's all you need to know."

But his next words sent a chill through Ymir's spine. "Everyone within the Walls is meant to die by our hands. Their fate is decided."

Ymir faltered, her usual confidence dimmed. Her fists clenched, but her breath hitched when Reiner continued, his voice softening unexpectedly.

"But... If you intend on cooperating we might spare Christa for you..."

Her heart twisted at the mention of Historia, the woman she loved more than anything in the world. She tried to remain composed, but the crack in her façade was evident.

Her loyalty to Historia warred with her buried sense of guilt—Ymir cared for others, but Historia was her world. If Historia could be spared, wasn't that enough?

The tense moment broke when the trio's gazes snapped towards the orange horizon. Bright, flaring streaks tore through the evening sky, illuminating the dense forest with flashes of red and green.

The Scout Regiment was closing in, and their infamous semi-circular formation was tightening like a noose.

The scouts were led by none other than Erwin and Levi.

Levi's presence was a storm unto itself. At the center of the formation, his blades tore through Titans with ruthless efficiency. Blood sprayed in crimson arcs as his movements blurred into an unrelenting rhythm of carnage.

There was no hesitation, no mercy. His icy blue eyes burned with a fury so intense that it left his comrades uneasy. For once, Levi's anger seemed personal.

"Move it!" he snapped, his voice cutting through the chaos like a blade. Every strike he delivered seemed fueled by his frustration, Titans falling in grotesque heaps around him. He cared nothing for their size or class. They were mere obstacles to his goal.

Reiner and Bertholdt exchanged glances. The noose was tightening fast. Without hesitation, they grabbed Eren and Ymir, retreating deeper into the forest. Their goal was clear: escape to open ground where ODM gear would be useless.

The moment they emerged from the dense foliage, their plan took shape. Reiner transformed into the Armored Titan, his hulking, plated form casting an intimidating shadow over the plain field.

Ymir, her loyalty strained but unbroken, shifted into her Jaw Titan form, sleek and agile but before emerging out in the fields, an idea struck her. In the chaos of the Scouts' approach, she lunged forward from the shadows and captured Historia in her jaws, her fragile body barely visible between the Titan's deadly teeth.

Soon the battlefield shifted. Open fields, a death sentence for the Scouts' ODM gear, limiting their mobility to near zero—except for rare occasions, like the time Levi and Eren had defied all odds by using each other as anchors. But with Eren as a hostage, that was no longer an option.

Reiner, now in his Armored Titan form, broke into a full sprint across the field. His massive strides sent tremors through the earth, the sheer force of his escape kicking up clouds of dust and debris. Ymir followed closely, her sharp claws slicing through anything that dared approach.

Mikasa froze, her expression a mixture of shock and despair. Her usually stoic face betrayed her torment as she watched Reiner disappear with Eren.

"Don't stop now!"

Hannes's commanding voice broke the silence, his dual blades glinting under the fading light as he rode in on horseback. His presence was a spark in the dwindling hope of the squad. "Quick! Get on your horses and give chase!"

The urgency in his tone snapped the scouts into action. The sound of hooves pounding against the ground soon filled the air as they regrouped, their determination rekindled. Hannes's gaze, sharp and unwavering, locked onto the distant figure of the Armored Titan retreating into the open field.

"Tch.... I'll get him no matter what... Even if it costs me my own life..." (Well it kinda would.)

"At this rate... we'll definitely outrun the Scouts," Bertholdt thought, his gaze darting to Levi. The man was an unstoppable force—each Titan falling to his blades seemed to send another wave of sweat trickling down Bertholdt's back.

Thank God Eren's still unconscious... If Eren woke up now, it would be hell.

Meanwhile, Ymir slowly opened her Titan's maw, revealing the small, trembling figure of Historia. Steam billowed around her, mingling with the hot, sticky saliva that clung to her skin. Historia's wide eyes locked onto Ymir's as she coughed and struggled to speak.

"Ymir... what are you doing?" she asked, her voice trembling with confusion. "Let's go... we came to save you and vice comm—"

But before Historia could finish, Ymir's voice cracked through the chaos, her tone firm yet heavy with conflict. She revealed her true intentions: to escape the Walls, to leave this hell behind with Reiner and Bertholdt, and to take Historia with her.

"Ymir, don't worry," Historia protested, her voice rising above the roar of distant Titans. "If Reiner and Bertholdt are threatening you, I'll fight them with you. Don't be afraid—"

Ymir shook her head, her Titan's massive jaws groaning as they quivered with tension. She explained, her voice raw with desperation, that she wasn't afraid of them but her own decision to betray her people.

Historia stared, her expression torn between bewilderment and fear. She didn't fully understand Ymir's cryptic words. But her words tore her apart... "I... I can't let you die... I'll always keep you by my side... And keep you safe... Away from this hell... From everything... And it'll be just the two of us..."

But before the conversation could unravel further—

"Well.... Guess I've got no other choice..."