???: Sir?

A man sat quietly, looking out his window at the life below him, glancing at the various people and couples strolling about. To his side was a chessboard, various pieces moved and taken to the side, though he had no partner to play with.

???: Yes?

???: The last report has come out of Trost District. Another hole has been formed in the outer wall and the district is under siege.

The male let out a grunt, standing out of his seat to move closer to the window. As he brushed past the board, he picked up a white pawn and admired it in the light of the day.

???: Well this certainly is troubling. We must proceed along with the plan a lot earlier than expected if Wall Rose is compromised. Otto, please bring my children here.

The older man gulped softly.

Otto: I'm afraid that is impossible sir. Young master August is available but Young Master (Y/n)...

???: Do not pause, out with it Otto.

Otto: Your son is in Trost District at this moment, fighting with the Garrison against the titan threat.

The other male dropped the piece, looking down at it. A cough escaped his lips as he lifted his arm to wipe his mouth of saliva.

???: And the agent who told you this?

Otto: Deceased sir. The messenger reportedly found his corpse while on the way here.

???: I see... and did you pay this messenger?

Otto: Of course not, sir. You are the one that pays.

???: Good. No simple fool could get here so fast from Trost in the span of a few hours. I would like to speak with this... "messenger"

Otto nodded his head and walked off, exciting the room as the other male bent over to pick up the dropped pawn.

???: You have the most damnable luck... You have to stay alive child, for both of our sakes...

The rain had stopped pouring so hard in Trost, though the melancholy mood had not lifted from the recruits. Many languished at the lack of support coming from the supply squads while others flashed back on their lives. Some dwelled in their own minds, thinking over the trauma of the past few hours. You didn't get to make such a choice yourself. Your energy scared the life out of the cadets and so you were moved to a nearby roof to allow you to sit up, to cadets you had not seen before working on your wound.

???: S-So much blood...

???: Snap out of it! D-Don't touch anything.

So far the only thing they had succeeded at doing was managing to get your jacket and shirt off, folding the jacket, and placing it to your side while the squeamish cadet tossed it aside in a pile of olive-colored cotton and soaked crimson. Meanwhile, you weren't out yet. You had forced yourself to stay awake, the scare from earlier keeping your blood running as you repeated patterns in your head to try and keep focused. You weren't going to die here, not with so many lives on the line. Your dulling gaze managed to drag your head to the side, your breaths faint as you realized you were seated next to the blonde Armin... Arlet, yeah that's the name. He seemed to be one of the cadets trapped in his mind too.

???: (Y/n)? Come on stay focused on me alright?

forcing your gaze back to the cadet, he nodded and managed to pull out some bandages, not much but considering the HQ had not only all the gas and blades but also medical supplies, this was the best you had. It was at this moment of allowing your head to tilt downward that the others could see how bad you looked. You still had some life in your eyes but you were pale and cold and until the cadets were done, you were completely without a top in the drizzling rain. 

???: U-um (Y/n)? How about you talk to stay with us? 

(Y/n): Please stop... panicking... I'm gonna be fine.

You tried to be hopeful but the look the two cadets gave each other was a heck of a morale shocker.

???: Still... why don't you tell us about your squad? What was it again...

(Y/n): Twenty-three...

???: Y-Yeah how are they holding up? did they make it over the wall? Why didn't you g-go with them?

You took a breath before managing to find the strength to speak, not realizing others were listening in as well.

(Y/n): How's this go... I didn't know them well b-but... the members of squad twenty-three did their duty and... died... bravely in the face of utter defeat. Squad twenty-three... is gone with the final survivor being me...

The news quickly spread through the cadets of what you said from those that did here and didn't. Sasha and conny had been trying to rally people to retake headquarters when they heard of... twenty-three. The morale was on the verge of shattering, with no one in command and no way to resupply, the situation was utterly hopeless. Everyone threw looks of either surprise, pity, or anger at you for all manner of things from letting them die to it seemed like you would join them soon. Your friends shared looks of... pity. You hadn't received that one in a while. you could see the looks in the eyes of Sasha and even Conny, though he seemed more agitated at the world than sad. You even managed to catch a glance from Leonhart, who seemed to wish you luck in her own silent way. It wasn't long before someone else arrived though you couldn't quite tell who it was. 

???: Alright we've established the shard, so it shouldn't stab anymore into your muscles. But if you act recklessly it can snap the shard and dig in further.

???: And we c-can't close up the wound at the moment, but these bandages should stem a-any blood.

You nodded your head, feeling your strength manage to build back slowly as it no longer drained out through your gash. Not wanting to put you back into a bloody shirt, the cadets simply slipped your jacket back on carefully, before wrapping a green cloak around your shoulders to provide you with at least a little resistance to the elements. While you struggled, it seemed that the person who had arrived was-

Mikasa: (Y/n)?

You didn't even get to finish your guess as you turned to the girl. You felt a strong chill go down your spine as you saw her with the most dead look in her eyes. A side glance at the crying Armin let you guess what had happened, though you didn't like to think of it...

Mikasa: Are you able to move? How much gas do you have left in your tanks?

(Y/n): I... I think so and... I'm running low in both... what's the plan then?

You spoke out, struggling to even get up an inch as Armin tried to get you to sit back down. Mikasa wasn't thinking clearly, but your willingness to seemingly join her plan pleased her a bit. She gripped your elbow and managed to pull you to your feet, though you couldn't help but tumble forward to rest your weight on her shoulder.

Sasha: (Y/n)! Sit back down! You shouldn't be going anywhere!

???: Y-Yeah! 

???: you look like a walking corpse!

(Y/n): Well... I'll be a real corpse if I just sit here to bleed out. I don't nee- hah... I don't need to kill titans to be... of use right now. 

Mikasa: We're going to head to the headquarters and take it back.

You had to admit even you were a bit surprised by the sudden plan of the raven-haired girl. Her plan was a wee bit suicidal by your accounts though you weren't exactly a wealth of health at the moment. Mikasa managed to stabilize you to walk off and start her own rallying speech though, you felt someone tug at your cloak. You turned back in time to see Armin, a sorrow-filled look in his eyes.

Armin: Y-You can't go. We've already lost too many and you're not w-well an-

(Y/n): I can't sit here though. It w-will make the sacrifice of my squad worthless... H-How can I be called a worthy survivor if I get bogged down in the guilt... of it all? Just keep moving forward and we'll both make it through this...

The sound of gas being released filled the air, the pressured industrial sound alerted you and the cadets that Mikasa was serious, her form soaring off toward the titan infest Headquarters. You gulped softly, feeling the soft burn of your wound at your side, the ever-present feeling of the glass shard driving you insane. Well... you could die here... or you could possibly die of blood loss here... or get eaten by a titan... Your hands tightly clasped the grips of your ODM and you took a breath, moving a few steps forward unstably.

???: O-Oi wait!

???: Hold on!

(Y/n): Come on... let's go... I don't have plans to let all of you die today... 

You spoke, taking two quick steps forward before firing off your hooks, letting the momentum yank you forward, your wound reminding you of its situation as you glided after Mikasa and the others.

As you soared off with the others, a certain blonde couldn't help but think of how foolish you were. you were injured, on the verge of death, and yet you still went with this suicidal plan. Not only that, but you made such a ridiculous statement too. She wanted to ignore you as another ignorant kid rushing off to his death, but she couldn't help but admire you in a way.

???: Let's go too.

The blonde nodded, moving forward to join the others as the operation to retake the headquarters began again...

CRASH

The windows of the top floor of the headquarters shattered, a brown-haired male rolling into the room. He was followed by more glass-shattering sounds as others managed to make it into the castle. 

Sasha: Come on (Y/n)...

Sasha pleaded softly. She didn't want to yell and attract more titans but with your injury and the chaos of the titans around the HQ, she was unsure if you were going to make it. Though she ridiculed herself softly. You would make it. You always did. You weren't the type to give up on a friend, let alone when there is a chance for them to get hurt, even if it means taking the pain yourself. 

???: Is this... all...

The sound of pressurized gas caused Sasha to move to one of the broken windows just to let out a gasp and fall back yelping. the gas fizzled out but the male in question managed to roll into the room with a thug, hitting a desk, thankfully on the side that wasn't wounded.

(Y/n): Hah... it's nice going through a window... properly this time...

You managed to sputter off a joke as Sasha crawled over to help you sit up. It felt unfair in a way though. You, a cadet with seemingly running out of time, had managed to make it here in the face of other cadets spurred on by Mikasa. Even after you promised to keep them alive... hmm... this must be why your father never promised things... heh, you're still thinking of that bastard even in a moment like this...

Now that the surviving cadets had managed to regroup at the HQ, you would all have to work together to get out of this hellscape alive and as your side throbbed, you knew that that plan would have to be soon, whether you were the one leading it or not, you were going to hold true to at least one of your statements... for Erika at least. you weren't going to die here and as long as the people you cared about surrounded you,  by the walls you were going to keep them alive.