Vengeance Of A Human

Rumbling: Sunset

Stohess District

"So that's what happened to me," Sasha says as she tries holding herself up on a piece of wood while Historia walks with her to the nearest stable. Despite calling escaping Stohess a "suicide", Historia determined time is of the essence. Sasha managed to argue her way into joining Historia, saying that she would eventually find a way to leave, with or without Historia.

"Yeah. You somehow recovered, be it the grace of the heavens or your stubbornness to continue eating. But I'm glad you are back… Hold." Historia leans her back against the stable door, looking underneath her green hood inside. Beside her, Sasha's excellent sense of hearing picks up voices from inside.

"You're smarter than I thought, Hitch."

"Shut up. If you're saying you want to leave town, why should I say no to that? Most of all, it means no more shifts having to stare at your face down in the basement."

"Glad to hear. Finally, I get t stop having to listen to all your stupid complaints about men."

"Huh? Why do you know about… No, were you...conscious the whole time for over four years?"

"Four years… It was like a dim dream… Just hearing your voice and Armin's from afar...other than that, though, it was all the same. In darkness. So… I had a decent idea of what was going on outside, thanks to you two. And then, I suddenly found myself thrown back out as I heard Eren's voice… Was he serious when he said...he's going to destroy the world?"

"Annie," Historia says as she walks into the stable. Dropping her hood, she reveals herself to the somehow uncrystallized Annie Leonhart and her companion, Hitch Dreyse. Surprised, Annie holds her hand out, a ring with a very sharp point shining in the sunset. Historia, however, holds a hand up calmly. "No need to feel alarmed. We cannot fight you if we tried."

"We?"

"Hey, Annie." Sasha brings herself inside, waving to their classmate and former ally. "Had a feeling that was your voice. You look the same."

Annie bites her lip and lowers her guard. "You two haven't changed much. A queen with a new name and a dead girl walking."

Historia turns away and goes to prepare a horse for her and Sasha. "Hitch, is everything as bad as it looks?"

The Military Police officer scoffs. "Worse than how you meant it. But Your Majesty, what are you doing here? With the traitors about, you are supposed to be-"

"I was visiting Sasha. As for this Jaegerist faction, if they wanted to harm me, they would've. Eren knew where I was." Bringing the horse out, Historia helps Sasha up. "But that's no longer our concern. There was a battle in Shiganshina, which is where I last heard the Jaegerists and the military were held up. You're more than welcome to join us, Annie."

x

xxxxxxx

Annie looks up to the walking Wall Titans that still surround the town in amazement. "It's true. The Wall Titans…"

"You should look down at their wake, too." At Hitch's behest, the other three girls glance down at the city of Stohess along the path. Sasha and Historia weren't here four years ago, when Annie, Eren, and the Scouts had their showdown, but to Hitch and Annie, it is a vaguely familiar scene, but with more destruction. "The only meaningful job I've had as a soldier has been cleaning up corpses and rubble. In your aftermath, and now Eren's. So, will you tell me now? Now that you can see all the bodies trampled for the sake of your big, important plan? How do you feel?"