"Alright, Optimus," Hanji began as Optimus was in his alt mode in front of the gates of Wall Sina, "We'll be sending you out to find the hole within Wall Rose and guard it to prevent other titans from coming into the wall."
"Understood Ms. Zoe," Optimus said.
"And once we gather our troops, we'll send them into Wall Rose to find you and the others," Hanji finished.
"Squad Leader," a soldier began as he landed on the ground next to Hanji, "There are no titans near the gate."
"Good, open the gate," Hanji ordered.
She watched as the gate slowly opened as Optimus revved up his engines. When the opening was large enough, Optimus speed through and drove through the land of Wall Rose.
Hanji coughed as she tried to get rid of the smoke Optimus caused. She opened her eyes to see the gate slowly closing and Optimus' form leaving her sight.
"Good luck!" Hanji called out as the gates shut completely.
"He's been getting pissed off lately," a voice said.
Hanji turned and looked down to see Levi next to her. "You've noticed too."
"It's not like him though," Levi admitted, "It kind of nerves me."
"Yeah, it's hard to deal with Optimus when he's mad," Hanji smiled as she rubbed the back of her head, "Usually he just gives the silent treatment, but now he's just piss- Wait a minute, it nerves you?!"
"Usually Prime is always calm and quiet," Levi began, "But I guess he's not used to the rules of this world like we are. I don't know what happens on his world, but it's probably not like here."
"I just hope things will go back to normal again and Optimus can go back to his usual self," Hanji hoped.
Levi gave her a smug look. "I doubt that anything will go back to normal. Whatever that is,"
"Sasha," Mr. Blause began as he looked at his daughter, "How long before we reach Wall Sina?"
"I don't know," Sasha admitted, "But we should be almost there,"
Sasha gasped as she pulled her horse to a stop. She sensed something pure that was coming their way before seeing a set of lights.
"Prime," Sasha whispered.
She whipped the reins on her horse before it sped faster towards the lights.
"Sasha, what the hell?!" Mr. Blause yelled as he sped after her.
Sasha saw the lights get closer until she could make out the weird caravan. She pulled the reins on the horse as it skidded to a stop. Sasha then covered her ears as the caravan screeched to a stop.
"Sasha?! What the-whoa!" Mr. Blause exclaimed as he pulled his horse to a stop.
"Sasha, are you alright?" Optimus asked through the radio.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Sasha answered, "I just went to find any survivors from my village."
"I see," Optimus mused, "Do you know where any of your other comrades are?"
Sasha shook her head. "I thought they would've made it to the wall."
"Then they are still out there," Optimus whispered to himself, "Sasha, the wall is not too far from here. Take your village to the wall immediately and stay there. Your safety is top priority."
"Wait, Optimus!" Sasha yelled, but Optimus revved up his engines and drove off.
"I have to tell you something!" She yelled.
"Sasha, that don't matter," her father declared, "We gotta go!"
"But..." Sasha trailed off before sighing, "Fine."
But she wasn't fine. Something really bad was coming! Really, really bad!
Renier, Bertholdt, Ymir, Connie, and Krista, along with their superiors, sat within the ruins of castle Utgard. After they were unable to find a breach within Wall Rose, they found this stronghold and decided to wait there for the night.
"You rookies make sure you rest well," a male soldier named Gerger said, "Daytime ended, so I doubt the titan can still walk. But to be safe we'll be staying here for the rest of the night. We'll take turns to be on the lookout."
"Excuse me," Krista began, "If the wall really isn't breached, then how did the titans get in?"
"We'll look in that tomorrow," Gerger answered, "Right now your orders are to rest."
Gerger walked up the stairs before Ymir realized something and turned to Connie.
"Connie, what happened to your village?" she asked.
"The village was destroyed by titans when I got there," Connie answered solemnly.
Ymir and Krista widened their eyes before Ymir looked in pity. "I'm sorry for-"
"But no one was eaten," Connie added, causing Reiner to look at him, "It seemed like they managed to escape from that whole ordeal. At least it allows me some relief,"
Ymir thought the information over before realizing something. "But you said that the village was destroyed. That doesn't make any sense if the people in your village managed to make it out safely."
"Well, the buildings were destroyed," Connie explained, "But there were no bodies or blood trails. There's no evidence that they were eaten, so the only assumption that I can make was that they made it out alive. But...something's been bothering me after I left. The titan that was lying on my house wasn't able to move because it's arms and legs were too small. And...it looked like my mom. It was even able to speak."
"Connie," Reiner warned, but was cut off when Ymir began laughing loudly.
"Your mom was a titan?! Then how come your such a midget?!" Ymir cackled, "So what'cha say to that Connie?! The facts don't really add up like that! I knew you were an idiot! But maybe I'm wrong! Maybe you're a genius!"
Ymir continued laughing while everyone looked at her in a disapproving manner.
Connie sighed. "Alright, alright, knock it off. You're making this sound ridiculous."
"Hey does that mean you dad's a titan too?" Ymir asked with a smirk, "Cause if not, how were they able to...you know-"
"Alright, shut up! You crazy bitch!" Connie yelled, "Go to sleep god damn it!"
Optimus slowed down as he came across a destroyed village. He really didn't want to transform into his bipedal mode because of the chaos that was happening right now. If he were to come across survivors that have never seen him before, they might think of him as an aberrant titan.
Well, desperate times called for desperate measures.
Optimus transformed into his bipedal mode and changed his right servo into a blaster before walking through the village. He scanned the ground and noticed giant footprints coming from various directions, mainly going through the houses.
'The titans were here,' Optimus concluded. He was told that the titans had good animal instincts, even though they are unable to have a sense of thought.
Optimus heard a quiet neighing sounds before looking across from his to see the horses still in their stables.
'The humans didn't have time to escape,' Optimus concluded. There was a high chance that they were dead, and he knew he couldn't do anything about it. He would have to continue searching for survivors throughout Wall Rose.
Optimus heard a growl and instinctively turned and aimed his blaster at the source. Optimus slightly grimaced as he say a titan lying on top of a destroyed house. Guess this one was an aberrant.
Optimus slightly narrowed his optics as he noticed something off about the titan. The titan had deformed arms and legs. It wasn't dead; he knew that, but then how did the titan get in the walls? It's arms and legs were unable to support itself. There was no way...
"Metal...titan...hope..." a voice spoke.
Optimus widened his optics in shock as he noticed the titan was looking at him with a disturbing smile. Did that titan...just speak?
"My son...my son...save him...save Connie...," the titan spoke.
"Ma'am, what happened to you?" Optimus asked as he kneeled down and lifted her head, "How did you end up this way?"
Optimus was now only met with growling and hissing noises from the titan.
'The titan just talked,' Optimus realized, 'Ordinary titans can display intelligence? No. Was this person a titan shifter? Was she forced to be this way?'
Then Optimus realized what the titan said; 'save Connie'. Connie? Why did that name sound familiar? Optimus widened his optics as he realized that 'Connie' is one of the members of the Survey Corps.
"I will save your son," Optimus swore as he gently put the titan head back down. Optimus then followed a set of footprints leading to more footprints that ended up going in the same direction. Optimus narrowed his optics before transforming and following the trail.
Ymir held a candle as she was rummaging through one of the crates, looking for something to eat. She heard someone walking towards the door and turned towards the person who turned out to be Reiner.
"Ymir, what are you doing?" Reiner asked.
"Oh, it's you Reiner," Ymir said as she continued looking through the crate, "What, sneaking up with dirty intentions on girls at night?"
"Oh what a shock, I didn't think I looked like the guy that was interested in girls," Reiner assumed, "And you don't look like the girl that's interested in guys."
"Oh really...," Ymir trailed off before changing the subject, "I've been searching for something to fill my stomach up with. It does look like this will be our last dinner."
"About Connie's village...You did that to make him drop the subject, didn't you?" Reiner asked, "Can you keep up the act, so Connie doesn't have to worry so much?"
"Oh, found something," Ymir said as she pulled out canned food, "Looks like this'll do, but I don't really like herring."
"Maybe there's more in there. Lemme take a look," Reiner suggested.
"Sure," Ymir said as she handed him the can.
"Canned food, eh?" Reiner observed, before widened his eyes in shock, "What are these characters? I can't read them at all."
Ymir stopped looking through the crate as she felt Reiner's eyes on her.
"You said this was herring, right?" Reiner asked, "Well...you can sure tell what this is without any problem."
Reiner gave her a confused and horrified look while Ymir glared at him, almost ready to attack.
"Everyone, get up!" The female superior, Rene, yelled, "And get to the roof! We have a serious problem!"
Optimus kept on following the footprints before transforming and activating his blasters. He looked up at the sky to see the cloud moving away, revealing a full moon.
"Scrap," Optimus cursed.
"Titans mainly need sunlight to move," he remembered Hanji explaining, "They're less active at night, but we did a test with Sawny and Bean revealing that they can still move depending on the amount of light provided."
'If only it was a new moon,' Optimus thought, 'This wouldn't be much of an issue.'
Optimus heard growling noises as he hid behind a tree and dimmed his optics. He noticed an army of titans wandering towards a castle next to Wall Rose.
'I'm at the border,' Optimus thought. Optimus widened his optics as he saw a 5 meter class titan push down another titan and tear it limb from limb.
"What is going on?" Optimus asked himself. The titans are acting stranger than usual. Why would a titan eat one of its own? It was never recorded that an aberrant would do that.
Optimus looked up at the tower and widened his optics as he saw humans at the top of it. This is really bad!
Optimus stopped as he saw a large shadow with pointed ears under him. He turned around and widened his optics as the figure behind him raised his fists into the air.
"How are they still moving?!" Nanaba demanded, "It's been a good few hours after sunset!"
"What's...going on?" Krista asked.
Everyone heard a loud clang as they saw Optimus skidding to a stop from outside a set of trees.
"Hey, isn't that Optimus?" Bertholdt asked.
"Fucking, yes! We're saved!" Connie smiled with excitement.
Optimus transformed his arms into blasters as he fired at the tree rapidly. Everyone looked in surprise while Ymir raised an eyebrow.
"Geez, it looks like he's gotten spooked," Ymir remarked.
"PRIME!" Connie yelled as he waved his hands in the air, "OVER HERE!"
Optimus stopped firing and looked over at them before looking down at the titans at the bottom of the castle. Optimus aimed his blasters at them, but jumped out of the way as a tree almost hit him.
"What the hell?!" Connie yelled.
"Um guys...what is that?" Krista asked as she pointed in the direction the tree came from.
Everyone looked in shock as they saw a titan, taller than both Eren and Optimus, step out. It had long arms and legs, with pointed ears and fur all over his body except for his muscular torso.
"Oh my fuck, that thing is huge," Connie breathed.
The soldiers yelled as the tower began shaking. The superiors looked down to see titans slamming the building and the door, allowing the smaller titans to get inside.
"Damn it! The titans got in!" Rene yelled.
"Looks like we're not out of the clear just yet," Reiner said.
"Cadets!" Nanaba yelled, "Go inside the castle and get rid of the titans! We'll take care of the larger ones outside!"
Krista was about to protest, but their superiors pulled out their swords and jumped off of the roof of the castle with a battle cry.
"You heard them; we need to move!" Reiner declared as he grabbed a torch and ran inside the castle with the other following, "I'll go see how many titans penetrated the tower. You guys go find anything that burnable and bring it here!"
"Wow," Connie said as Reiner continued running down the castle, "That guy never really changes, huh? Even when it's not training anymore, he's always doing the most dangerous assignments or tasks."
"Yeah," Bertholdt agreed as he gritted his teeth, "It's his stupid bad habit of his."
"What are we going to do?" a female soldier asked Nanaba and Gerger.
"We keep fighting," Nanaba answered.
"But how many of them can we hold off?" Gerger asked as he saw more titans heading towards the castle.
"Until Optimus can help us," Nanaba answered again.
"But he's occupied with that beast titan over there," Henning stated as they saw Optimus get into a fighting stance while the beast titan just looked at him.
"He took out a hundred titan and was able to capture Annie," Nanaba retorted, "He'll be fine. Let's just buy time."
Optimus stared down the beast titan as he changed from his blasters to his blades. He knew that the titan had similar attributes to that of a primate, probably a mix of a chimpanzee and other primate he couldn't identify. This may prove to be problematic since he didn't really know much about primates. The only knowledge he ever got was when Jack, Miko, and Rafael watched a movie about a gorilla running around in a densely populated area and climbing a tall tower.
Optimus put that thought to the side as he analyzed more of the ape titan's physical features. It was taller than him and Eren. It was probably the height of an Insecticon. And if it does have animalistic attributes, then that means that he will be stronger than Eren when in titan form. It may be strong, but it also may be slow as well. He could use that to his advantage.
But there was also the fact that this was a definitely different breed of titan. Optimus narrowed his optics as he came to a conclusion: that may be a titan shifter.
Optimus flipped back as the ape titan attacked by slamming him fists into the ground. Optimus stepped forward and slashed his blade at the titan, only for it to dodge it at the last second. The ape titan stepped back before grabbing a tree and throwing it at Optimus. Optimus sliced the tree in half before running towards the titan.
'The titan may appear to be stronger than Eren, but it does not have armor,' Optimus thought. If he could get close enough, then he could kill the ape titan, or possibly remove the titan shifter inside the nape of the neck.
Optimus ran towards the titan, prepared to strike, but the ape titan swung his arm at him. Optimus instinctively ducked and tried to know the titan off of its feet, but not before it jumped into the air. Optimus stepped back as the titan landed on the ground, causing it to crack underneath the pressure.
Optimus made at an attempt to kick him, but the ape titan was able to grab his ankle and hoist him into the air upside down. Optimus widened his optics in shock while the titan stared at him in confusion. Optimus regained his composure and sliced his blade through its stomach. The beast titan dropped him before Optimus flipped back and got into a fighting stance. Optimus noticed the wound he gave the beast quickly regenerate as the beast touched it there curiously.
'The beast is just observing me through action,' Optimus realized. He didn't think the beast would have enough strength to casually lift him though!
Optimus transformed his right servo into a blaster before firing at the ape titan. The Cybertronian widened his eyes in shock as the ape titan moved quicker than expected to avoid the attack.
'He's fast!' Optimus thought.
The beast titan stopped as he grabbed a chunk of the ground and threw it at Optimus. Optimus gritted his dentas before he fired.
"Connie!" Krista screamed as Connie turned to see a titan sneak up on him. Before he could have time to react, Reiner shoved Connie out of the way before the titan bit down on his arm.
"Reiner!" Connie yelled.
Reiner grunted as the titan kept on biting down on his arm. Reiner then used his strength to pick up the titan and walk towards the window.
"Hey, Reiner what are you doing?!" Connie yelled.
"Don't commit suicide over this!" Bertholdt reasoned.
"What choice do I have?!" Reiner asked rhetorically.
Connie then grabbed a blade before running over to Reiner and pulling him back.
"What are you doing?" Reiner demanded.
"If I can just cut open the cheek," Connie grunted as he pulled the knife, being careful not to cut Reiner.
"It's out!" Connie smiled as the titan released its grip on Reiner's arm.
Connie and Reiner backed away as the titan tried to get back inside the castle. But before it could stand up again, Ymir kicked the titan out the window, causing it to fall to its doom.
"Nice save," Reiner thanked.
"It was no problem," Connie said.
Later on, Bertholdt, Connie, and Ymir began to use whatever items they had in their possession to barricade the door.
"What'll we do when they break in again?" Connie asked, "We're not going to get lucky like this again."
"Agreed," Bertholdt spoke.
Bertholdt looked over to see Krista tending to Reiner's wound. She opened up the vine bottle on the floor and pour it over the bite.
"Ow," Reiner grunted, "Ow."
"Sorry," Krista apologized, "The bone is fractured, I think."
"Yeah it looks like it is," Reiner agreed.
"Okay, so we have a brace," Krista spoke to herself as she held a stick, "Now all we need is a bandage...I got it."
Krista bent down and ripped part of her skirt. She then kneeled down and wrapped the cloth over his wound.
"I'm sorry," Krista apologized again, "This dirty cloth is the only thing we have."
"Don't be. Thank you," Reiner said while thinking, 'Just marry me, god damn it.'
"You okay there, Reiner?" Connie asked.
"Yeah, more or less," Reiner answered.
"Hey, Krista, I cut my finger too." Ymir told her.
"Don't be a baby about it," Connie stated as he looked at her, "Just spit on it to make it better."
There was silence between the five before Connie spoke up. "Reiner, I'm sorry for earlier. I'm getting save by you all the time. You even saved me from Annie one time. I've gotta return the favor one day."
Reiner looked at Connie as remembered something painful. "It's nothing. Just forget it. I'm a soldier. I just do what I am told to do."
"I wonder about that," Connie admitted, "You never seem to hesitate to put your life on the line. I doubt my resolve can compare. Say, Bertholdt, was Reiner always like this?"
"No," Bertholdt answered as he looked at Reiner, "Reiner once was a warrior in the past. Different from what he is now."
"What's that suppose to mean?" Reiner asked, "Warrior, what are you talking about?"
Everyone heard grunting and blaster fire followed by the sound of rocks.
"Geez, what the hell is Prime doing out there?" Connie demanded, "He took out like a hundred titans, right? This shouldn't be an issue."
"Well, we can't always rely on him for help," Ymir retorted as she looked out the window, "And they seem to be doing a pretty good job."
"Damn it! More are coming!" Gerger cried as he killed a titan and landed on the castle wall.
"We still have the castle," Nanaba retorted, "If we didn't then we'd all be dead right now."
"Yeah, but what the hell are we suppose to do about them?" Gerger asked as he pointed to Optimus dodging the beast titan's attacks.
"Nothing," Nanaba answered, "They're too far."
"We'll go check on the rookies," Rene informed as she and Henning went to the roof.
Nanaba nodded her head before Gerger tapped her shoulder.
"We need to move!" Gerger warned.
Nanaba was about to ask why, until a boulder hit the horses den.
"Oh no," Nanaba gasped, "The horses!"
Optimus looked began him to see the boulder that almost hit the castle. He can't dodge them at all. If he does, then the humans may be killed.
The beast titan grabbed another chunk of the ground and threw it at Optimus. Optimus used his blade to slice through it before both pieces fell onto the ground. The two titans continued this pattern as Optimus made his way closer. The beast titan threw one more boulder before Optimus fired at it with his blaster.
Optimus then sliced at the beast titan twice, but it was able to dodge the attacks. Optimus then aimed his blaster at the beast's face, but the beast titan grabbed his arm and pointed it into the air. Optimus couldn't stop the blast in time before he fired into the night sky.
'Scrap,' Optimus cursed, 'He might have just rang the dinner bell.'
Optimus used his blade and cut off the arm the titan held him with. Optimus flipped back and aimed his blaster as the beast titan as the beast looked at his regenerating arm.
As Optimus was getting ready to fire, Optimus looked over to the castle to see more titans heading towards it, but no one was killing them. Optimus looked up at the top of the castle to see five of the cadets with no 3D Gear practically awaiting their doom.
"No!" Optimus cried. Optimus an attempt to run towards the castle, but stopped in his tracks as a boulder landed in front of him.
"You are impressive," a voice said.
Optimus widened his optics in shock before he turned towards the beast titan, whose arm fully regenerated.
"I was unaware that the humans had made a titan like you," the beast titan remarked.
"And I was unaware that your species had the ability to speak," Optimus proclaimed as he aimed his blaster at the beast.
Optimus thought it would be best not to say that he wasn't built. He didn't think it would be wise to reveal that he wasn't from here. That may prove problematic when giving possible intelligence to the enemy.
"We are of the same species," the beast titan spoke, "So why won't you follow my orders?"
"My mind is highly evolved and complex," Optimus answered, "Unlike the mindless titans that roam this world."
"Yet you would still choose to help them?" the beast titan asked.
Optimus didn't say anything as he turned around and fired three rounds of energon. The blasts hit three titans in the head, causing them to disintegrate.
"My allegiance to the humans is none of your concern," Optimus proclaimed as he aim his blaster back at the beast titan, "Your concern is losing your real arm, if you don't tell me what I need to know: Where is the breach?"
The beast titan raised an eyebrow. "Breach?"
"How else could the titans have gotten in?" Optimus questioned.
Optimus knew it would be an extreme issue if the breach was on the side of the wall instead of at a gate. If the titans inside the walls were exposed to daylight, then humanity will end up losing this fight.
The beast titan chuckled. "Who said anything about a breach?"
"You know it would be great if Prime shot another one of those blue things over here!" Connie yelled.
"And bring down the whole tower?!" Bertholdt and Ymir yelled.
"It doesn't even matter!" Connie yelled as he slumped to his knees on the roof, "We're going to end up dead. Our superiors ended up dying trying to protect us."
"If only...," Krista began, "If only we had something to fight with, then we could all die together."
Ymir looked at Krista before scowling. "How many times have I told you to stop that?"
Krista looked at Ymir in surprise while the three men looked in confusion.
"Stop using your superiors' death, or anyone's death at that matter, as a means to commit suicide," Ymir demanded before sighing, "I know that you don't want to die, but you're thinking...if you die nobly, then you'll get praised for it. Am I wrong?"
"What do you mean that there is no breach?" Optimus demanded.
"You said that you were highly evolved," the beast titan recalled, "Why don't you try figuring it out?"
Optimus narrowed his optics at the titan as he thought it over. If there was no breach, then how did the titans get in the first place?
There are titan shifters. Eren and this talking beast were proof of that. This titan must've come from the outside and found a way inside. But how did he let the titans inside?
Optimus remembered something that Eren told Hanji about: the serum.
Eren's father injected him with a serum. That was the reason why Eren had his titan powers in the first place. What if there was another...serum...
Optimus widened his optics in shock and realization as the sun began to rise. The houses from that village, the titan that spoke of her son, titan shifters, the fact that there are more titans than humans. The titans...
"The titans...are human?" Optimus asked in horror as his façade began cracking.
"Yes," the beast titan answered calmly.
"I've been...killing humans...this whole time...," Optimus face was filled with dread and panic as he felt like he was going to throw up.
"In your case, this would be twisted irony," the beast titan remarked, "The race you seemingly want to protect is the one you've been destroying this entire time."
Optimus' processors ran a thousand miles a minute. The one thing! The one thing that he swore to himself never to do! He's been doing it this whole time! How did he not notice?!
The beast titan turned his back on Optimus, but stopped as he heard a strange noise from the metal titan.
"Don't you dare... TURN YOUR BACK ON ME!" Optimus yelled.
The beast titan had no time to react as Optimus punched him in the face. The beast titan staggered back as Optimus charged forward, not taking notice of the lighting strike behind him.
Optimus jumped onto the beast titan and began choking him from behind. The beast titan grabbed Optimus and pulled the metal titan off of him, only for Optimus to kick the beast titan in the face.
The beast titan dropped Optimus as his face began to regenerate. As it finished, the beast titan was met with a blade slicing open his stomach. Optimus aim his blaster at the beast, but it managed to swat the blaster away as it fired at the ground instead. Optimus used this opportunity and sliced at the beast's throat.
The beast titan stepped back and held onto his neck. He glared at Optimus who gave off a more powerful glare of seething anger.
He'd been underestimating this titan because he was too curious as to why it had its own free will. He nearly hit his human form. He had to be careful.
The beast titan was knocked out of his thoughts as Optimus kneed him in the stomach, causing him to cough up spit. The beast titan held his stomach and grunted as Optimus jumped into the air and kicked him in the face. The beast titan skidded across the ground as Optimus landed on his feet. Before the beast titan had time to get up, Optimus grabbed him by the neck and pinned him to the ground.
"YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE!" Optimus yelled as he began crushing the beast titan's neck. The beast titan tried to remove Optimus' grip, but Optimus wouldn't move at all.
"TELL ME HOW TO CHANGE THEM BACK!" Optimus demanded. The beast titan widened his eyes as he could feel his neck getting smaller. He had to get him off guard somehow.
Optimus stopped as he heard loud rumbling noises, followed by a large crash. He turned around to see the castle give way and collapse.
'No!' Optimus thought, 'The survivors!'
Optimus let go of the beast titan and ran towards the castle, allowing the beast titan to stand up and walk towards the wall.
"I...I can't believe it," Connie exclaimed with a nervous smile, "She buried the titans! WE'RE ALIVE!"
Krista looked at Ymir's small titan form. This really...was her secret?
"Ymir," Krista spoke, but widened her eyes as Optimus skidded to a stop in front of them. Before Krista could explain anything, Optimus transformed his blaster and aimed it at Ymir.
"WHOA! WHOA! WHOA! I DON'T WANT TO BE BLOWN TO BITS!" Connie screamed as he put his hands in the air.
"Wait!" Krista pleaded, "Ymir's not an enemy! She's an ally! She saved us from the titans!"
Optimus simply glared at Ymir as he quietly glanced back at Reiner and Bertholdt. If Ymir was a titan, then these two may be titans shifters as well.
"Please don't," Krista pleaded.
Before Optimus could provide an answer, a titan's hand shot up from the rubble and grabbed Ymir's titan form by the hair and threw her into the air. Everyone looked around and saw more titans emerging from the rubble.
"Damn it!" Reiner cursed as Bertholdt held him.
"The titan's are already coming out," Connie realized, "Prime, help us!"
Optimus was trying so hard to focus, but he couldn't. These titans, they were human. He can't kill them.
Optimus mentally snapped out of his trans. Focus! He had to put it aside!...He had to.
Optimus aimed his blasters at the titans that surrounded Ymir and ate away at the titan flesh. May he be forgiven for this.
Optimus fired straight at the heads of the beasts as they disintegrated one by one. Connie ran towards Optimus for cover while Bertholdt followed the suite, caring Reiner as gently as he could. Krista looked with worry as the titans surround her friend dropped one by one.
When the titans surrounding Ymir turned to ash, he fired at the ones near them. Optimus fired at the last one before lowering his blaster and transforming it back into his servo.
Connie ended up taking deep breaths as he collapsed onto the rubble. "Please tell me we'll live this time."
Optimus heard galloping noises and looked over to see the Survey Corps riding towards them.
"Optimus!" Hanji smiled as she waved her hands in the air.
Optimus should be relieved, but he wasn't. He knew... he just knew that this wasn't over.
"AH, OPTIMUS!" Hanji screamed as she looked at his form, "WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?!"
"Ms. Zoe, I will be fine," Optimus insisted.
"You have scratches everywhere!" Hanji retorted as she pointed at the scratches and his faded paint job, "You need as much fixing as we can provide when we get back to the walls! Got it?!"
"I understand, Ms. Zoe," Optimus answered, "Thank you for your concern."
The Survey Corps decided to go to the edge of Wall Rose and rest there for a bit as they would later bring the injured back to Wall Sina, and look for the breach in Wall Rose.
Hanji was about to say more, but sighed and gave a small smile. "Geez, you really need to be concerned with your health, ya' know."
"Ms. Zoe, I...need a moment. May I have some time alone?" Optimus asked.
Hanji raised an eyebrow in confusion and was about to ask why, but assumed that he was still mad at Pastor Nick.
"Sure," Hanji answered, "I'll just go up to the wall and talk to our friend, Krista Lenz. Or as she called herself, Historia."
Optimus watched as Hanji flew up the wall before retracting his mask back. He let out a breath that he didn't know that he was holding as he clenched his servos. How...how could this happen?
Eren looked over at Ymir's unconscious form as they pulled her up the wall. Guess Ymir was a titan shifter as well.
Eren then widened his eyes as he heard a grunted noise and looked down next to him to see Reiner struggling to get up the wall.
"Oh, grab my hand," Eren said as he held out his hand.
"Thanks," Reiner said as he grabbed Eren's hand and was pulled up the wall.
"Ow, ow, ow," Reiner groaned as he sat down.
"Reiner, are you okay?" Eren asked as he pulled Armin up the wall.
"No," Reiner answered as he put his other hand on his face, "A titan nearly bit off my arm. I...thought I was going to die."
Eren slightly grimaced as Armin made it up to the walls. "Even someone as big and strong as you has troubles, huh."
'Just like Optimus,' Eren thought as he looked down at him. Optimus looked in more distress than ever. What happened when he was out here?
Eren looked over at Reiner and Bertholdt. "Hey, guys. Optimus looks stressed. What happened to him?"
Reiner shrugged. "I don't know. Optimus was yelling at some beast titan before the castle collapsed."
"Beast titan?" Armin asked in surprise.
"Yeah," Reiner answered, "No one knows where it came from."
Eren looked at Optimus again before sighing. He'll probably have to ask him later.
"Well, now we just got to find that breach," Eren said, "It's near your hometown. Right, Reiner?"
Reiner widened his eyes in realization while Bertholdt shot up with a smile on his face.
"Right, Reiner!" Bertholdt exclaimed, "Our home village! Let's go back there!"
Eren looked in confusion while Reiner had an unreadable expression on his face.
"Come one Reiner," Bertholdt insisted, "Compared to what we've been through, we just have a little bit more left to do."
Reiner gave Bertholdt a slow smile. "Right. Just a little bit longer, and we'll need a place to rest."
Eren and Armin looked at each other in confusion. What were they talking about?
"Eren," Mikasa called out, "Hannes-san is at the wall."
"Hannes-san?" Eren asked with a smile as he ran over to her.
'Guess we'll be able to find out the location of the breach,' Armin thought as he walked over to the group.
Optimus quietly waited to hear the results of the Garrison group. If there really was no breach, then what the beast titan said would be true.
"There's no breach," the squad leader explained.
Optimus felt his spark stop. There really was no breach?! No, no, NO! Then that meant...
Optimus closed his optics in pain and clenched his fists. He didn't know if he wanted to punch something or throw up! Primus, he was so confused!
'Keep it together,' Optimus told himself. He had to. This mission wasn't over yet.
"Optimus!" Hanji called out from the top of the wall, "We're going to go on standby in the Trost district!"
Optimus nodded his head in understanding as he was about to follow the rest of the Corps, when he heard:
"I'm the Armored Titan, and he's the Colossal Titan."
Optimus stopped dead in his tracks as his optics were wide as saucers. That was Reiner's voice. Reiner was the Armored Titan and his friend Bertholdt had to be the Colossal Titan. Optimus looked up at the wall to see Mikasa stop in her tracks as well. That means she must have heard what Reiner said as well.
Mikasa looked down at Optimus before the two nodded at each other in understanding. They needed to take them both out.
Mikasa quietly drew her blades while Optimus raised his right servo and slowly transformed it.
"Look Reiner, you're just tired," Eren insisted as he put a hand on his shoulder. "You're probably not in your right mind. You just almost died. Right, Bertholdt?"
"Y-yes!" Bertholdt stuttered, "You're simply tired!"
"And besides," Eren continued, "If you were the Armored and Colossal Titan, why would you even want to have this conversation with me? Do you really just expect me to follow you just like that through simple talk?"
Eren kept a straight expression as Reiner looked anxiously at him.
"Oh right," Reiner spoke with a nervous smile, "What was I thinking? Have I gone mad or something?"
"Let's just go to the town," Eren suggested.
"I've been here for too long," Reiner continued, ignoring Eren, "I've spent three years of my life here acting like a fool because I've been surrounded by so many of them. That's why I would say something so stupid like that. If only...if only I never knew about those fools existence when I was a brat, I wouldn't be the pathetic bastard I am now!"
Eren's heart began speeding up as Reiner began taking off his bandages.
"I don't know what's right and wrong anymore," Reiner admitted, "But I do know that no matter my actions and my consequences,"
Eren's eyes widened in horror as Reiner's would began to regenerate right before his eyes.
"As a warrior. I must take responsibility of my actions until the bitter end." Reiner declared.
Optimus turned around and fired at Reiner, only for Bertholdt to knock him to the ground.
"Optimus, what are you doing?!" Hanji yelled.
"Evacuate the area!" Optimus ordered, "NOW!"
Mikasa ran towards Reiner and Bertholdt with her blades unsheathed. She cut off Reiner's arm, trying to cut off his neck. However, Reiner used his other hand to slow the blade. Mikasa then stabbed Bertholdt in his hand and neck, causing him to go into shock.
"Eren! RUN!" Mikasa yelled as she stepped on Bertholdt, causing him to scream in pain.
Mikasa then grunted as Reiner shoved her off of the wall.
"Mikasa!" Eren yelled.
Optimus fired another round at the two titan shifters, but it was too late. Lighting came down and consumed the two spies. Optimus covered his optics before widening them in shock to see the full body of the Armored Titan and the partial body of the Colossal Titan. Optimus then saw Reiner grab Eren as he jumped over to the other side of the wall.
"No!" Optimus cried as he ran over to the wall and began to climb it. As he made it to the top, he covered his optics as more steam appeared. He heard a loud roar as he looked down to see Eren transform, breaking free from Reiner's grasp.
Optimus yelled as he jumped from the top of the wall and tackled Reiner away from Eren. They tumbled across the ground as Reiner managed to pin Optimus. As Reiner was about to punch him in the face, Optimus transformed his servo into a blaster and fired at Reiner's face. Reiner roared in pain as Optimus kicked Reiner off of him. Reiner stumbled back while Optimus flipped backwards.
'The energon,' Optimus thought as he saw Reiner recover from the attack, 'It doesn't have much of an effect because of his armor.'
Eren ran towards Optimus, but Optimus put a servo in front of him.
"I'm fine, Eren," Optimus insisted as he stood up.
Eren growled and roared as he was about to attack Reiner, but Optimus grabbed him and pulled him back.
"Stop! Control your emotions!" Optimus instructed, causing Eren to look at him, "If you let your emotions take control, then Reiner will win."
Eren looked at Optimus with concern before he took a deep breath. Optimus let go of Eren before he glared at Reiner.
He should've stopped them. He had the evidence right in front of him, but didn't use it and give to anyone to form a plan to capture these two. And deep down he probably chose to brush this off because he refused to believe that children were the enemy to mankind.
Now Reiner and Bertholdt had revealed themselves and were confirmed to be after Eren. They were also responsible for the near extinction of humanity. They had no choice but to kill them.
Optimus was going to attack, but stopped when he heard a ringing through his audio receptors. He widened his optics as the noise got closer.
Was that...a jet?
Eren growled as he walked closer to Reiner. He was going to tear this lying bastard apart. His home, his mother, humanity, he was going to make them suffer for what they had done.
"Eren, get down!" Optimus yelled.
Eren growled in surprise as Optimus grabbed him and pulled him to the ground.
Reiner jumped out of the way as a line of purple beams almost hit him. He looked up to see a flying object make its way towards the wall.
"What the hell is that?!" a soldier yelled.
Everyone turned to see the flying object make its way towards Bertholdt. The soldier ducked as the flying object fired at the Colossal Titan. Bertholdt screamed as the purple beams hit his hands.
Armin widened his eyes as the flying object flew upwards.
'What...no. That thing fired at Reiner and Bertholdt intentionally. It's sentient...so then who is that?' Armin thought.
Optimus and Eren stood up and watched the flying object make its way back towards Reiner.
'What is that?' Eren thought.
Optimus looked in horror. Of all the people here, of all the Cybertronians here, it had to be him.
Eren's mouth dropped as the flying object transformed into another metal titan. The metal titan let out a battle cry and punched Reiner in the face. The armor plating on Reiner's face completely shattered as the force of the punch caused him to tumble and slam into the wall.
"Holy shit!" Hanji yelled in amazement as smoke rose from the damage.
Eren watched in surprise as Reiner struggled to get to his feet. He then looked over to see the other metal titan stand up completely.
The metal titan appeared to be a male that was mostly gray. Many areas on his body had brown spiky ends while other parts of his body had purple markings. He had claws instead of fingers and a heavily battle scared face. He had the hilt of a sword on his waist and some weird object on his back. He had these focused, red eyes that made chills go down his real spine.
'Is that...one of Optimus' kind?' Eren thought.
"No," Optimus gasped, "By the Allspark, no!"
Eren looked up and widened his eyes as he saw Optimus' expression. His eyes, they looked like saucers. He looked at the metal titan in shock, surprise, and...fear? Optimus was scared? But why? Who was this guy?
"Mega...tron," Optimus breathed.