C h a p t e r 6 : J u s t  L i k e  L a s t 
T i m e

"Why did she reveal her village name?" Armin whispered to Eren as they continued to move.

"No idea... She didn't reveal where, though so it was kinda pointless..."

"But that information was obviously not something she'd want to share. Especially with Hange here..." Armin glanced at Annie.

Annie was staring at the ground, ignoring the whispers around her. Evidently, she knew everyone was talking about her, but she said nothing.
Hange would not stop talking about it. Levi almost wished that Annie hadn't revealed that information, because of how much she was whispering.

"Enough." Levi rolled his eyes. "Cut it out, everyone. We have more important things to worry about right now."

"Like what?" Armin raised a brow. "I don't think it gets more important than that village."

"That's not our assignment. We'll find it another day."

"Another day!? But we could be so close to it..." Eren protested.

"If you want to do it, be my guest. It's your choice. Are you going to trust in me, and my squad, or yourself?" Levi repeated his words.

"Last time I trusted in your squad, it ended up with them all dead.." Eren avoided Levi's stare.

Levi shut his eyes as he thought of Petra. "They knew the risks.. If you had trusted yourself, it would've resulted in the same outcome."

"How!?" Eren glared, enraged.

"Most likely, my team would've engaged the enemy to try and help you. However, Annie would've taken them out. It has the same outcome." Levi sighed. "It's your choice, again."

"I.." Eren was speechless. He'd never thought about it like that before. "I... I'll trust you guys.."

"Good." Scarlet said. "Because we've got a few variants headed our way."

"A few? Why are they only targeting us!?" Owen bit his lip.

"No idea." Armin huffed. He was about to ask Annie, but then decided against it.

Annie, knew what it was. She knew why everyone was only targeting their group... But that was not information she was willing to share.

"Alright. Get into a tree, out of reach of the Titans." Levi instructed. The group followed his instructions. Soon enough, four Titans found them. They began to claw at the trees, and try to climb.

"Scarlet, and Owen, get the titan on the left. I'll take the middle one. Hange, you've got the one with the eyelids. The rest of you, get the other one." Levi said before taking off.

"On it!"

Scarlet zoomed in front of the titan, distracting it while successfully avoiding its attacks.

"️You missed." She taunted.

Owen then swung up to the Titan, before slicing the nape of its neck, killing it.

"Who said I couldn't work in a team?" Scarlet called.

"Your turn!" Hange exclaimed gleefully, letting the Titan move first. When it missed her, she smiled.

"this won't hurt. My turn!"

She neatly sliced the nape, successfully killing it.

"Yippee!"

Armin and Eren began to approach the Titan, and while Eren was about to go in for the kill, Annie stepped in and killed it before he could.

"That was my kill.." Eren protested angrily.

"Get over it." Levi said, as the Titan he killed fell to the ground. "Let's keep moving."

"Yes, Heichou!"

The group headed deeper into the forest, meeting the occasional titan and slaying it.

"We shouldn't have run into this many Titans." Armin stated.

"You're right, it's strange..." Scarlet frowned.

"There's another one." Owen pointed out.

"Should we slay it? It's coming at abnormal speeds."

"yes." Levi answered. "Hange, your turn."

"Okay!" Hange quickly finished off the Titan before joining the team again.

"Yes, it is rather strange..." Scarlet narrowed her eyes. "I see another one!"

"I don't understand... Why are there so many..?" Hange said, confused.

"Almost like they're drawn to something..." All eyes were on Annie again.

"Enough. It wasn't her." Levi dismissed.

"Yeah, maybe it was the other titan in this group." Everyone's eyes then shifted to Eren.

"enough." Levi warned.

"You're right." Owen sighed, and moved to kill the Titan.

Suddenly, the group screeched to a halt. There were four Titans in front of them, four on either side, and four behind them.

"Erm-" the group maneuvered themselves into the trees, where they couldn't reach. However, the Titan began to climb.

"This is bad." Scarlet announced. "H...Heichou, what do we do..?"

"... Annie and Eren. I'm gonna need you guys to transform into Titans." Levi stated. "The rest of you... Stay out of harms way-"

"Levi- that's the Colossal Titan.. The one that destroyed the walls... And it's headed towards us!!" Owen yelled.

"You've got to be kidding me..." Levi muttered. "Annie, Armin and Eren, take these Titans out. Owen, Scarlet, Hange, and myself will take out the collosal one.

"Got it." Eren and Annie simultaneously bit their fingers- and transformed into their respective forms.

"This is no time for gawking." Hange whispered to herself, before moving with the others to take out the Colossal titan.

Levi was quick. He was much faster, and stronger than the others.

The group zoomed in front of him, and as Levi was about to slice his nape, steam poured off the Titan.
"What the-!"
In their temporary moment of blindness, the colossal Titan swung his arm, and flung Scarlet against the tree.

"Ngh..." Blood streamed from her nose.

In their moments of weakness, the colossal Titan had the advantage.

Once the smoke cleared, everyone was able to see the results.

Hange's eyes widened.

Owen, who had been flying by the colossal Titan when the smoke appeared...
Was now dangling from the colossal Titan's mouth. His face was one of pure terror.

"Owen!" Scarlet screamed with her remaining amount of strength.
Crunch.
The colossal Titan opened its mouth, letting Owen's upper half fall out.

Scarlet had no choice but to succumb to the darkness that beckoned her as she passed out, tears falling down her face.

This is just like last time... All over again. Eren thought miserably. What does the colossal Titan even want...
Eren was knocked backwards when the Colossal Titan's fist smashed into his jaw.
The Colossal Titan was much, much bigger than Eren.
Strangely enough, the Titan ignored Eren and moved towards its real target- Annie.
Levi narrowed his eyes before he charged at him.

As the colossal Titan moved to pick up the distracted Annie, it's fingers were sliced off.

"Whoops." Hange smiled, gleeful as she returned to the tree.

Letting out a battle cry, Levi moved to gouge his swords into the Titan's eyes.

"It can't see anymore." Levi mumbled. "We've got to move."

"Eren! Annie! Change back, if you can!" Hange screamed.

"This Titan is another Titan shifter!" Armin exclaimed.

"No kidding." Eren climbed out of the nape quickly, and Armin moved to pick him up.

"you don't have your maneuvering gear anymore.." Armin said weakly.

"Oh.. You're right.." Eren looked down.

In the moment that no one was paying attention, the Colossal Titan swiped Annie. Annie let out a surprised roar, as she was carried away.

"The fingers and its eye shouldn't have regenerated so quickly!" Hange shouted.

"Who cares- after her!" Eren yelled.
Levi and Hange pursued the fleeing Titan, but Armin hesitated.

"What about you... And Scarlet? I don't know if she's... Dead or not."

"I'll turn into my titan again, and protect her as needed." Eren said.

"..okay." And Armin joined the rest.

The group continued to pursue the Colossal Titan, but they were not near quick enough. Levi, as a last minute attempt, tried to hook himself onto its neck, but Levi had to abandon the effort when he saw more Titan's appear.

"Hange. Armin. Let's get Eren.. This mission was yet another failure."