Hero

"WE DID IT!!!" the soldiers exclaimed, as they saw a piece of Reiner's body appearing from the nape of his Armored Titan. He was passed out, with part of his head completely destroyed.

"We blew his head off!" shouted one.

"The Armored Titan's gone forever!" shouted another. Some soldiers hugged each other and cried with emotion.

However, Hange, Lara, Armin, Mikasa, Connie, and Sasha looked serious. Even Eren on his Titan looked upset.

Jean began to laugh.

"We did it… You caused us a lot of trouble!" he said. "But, we finally got you!"

Then, a soft cry was heard. In fact, two cries. It was Sasha and Connie. They bent into a fetal position and began to cry. Jean got annoyed and grabbed them by the collar of their green cloaks.

"What the hell are you crying for?!" he exclaimed, shaking them. "Get up! This ain't over yet! We're the ones who kill--"

"Jean!"

He felt someone touch his arm. It was Lara.

"Leave them."

"B-But..." he stammered.

Lara just looked at him steadily and squeezed him a little.

"Please..." she asked, softly.

Jean stared at her for a few seconds. He took a deep breath and let go of his two friends. Lara winked at him in thankfulness and he replied by nodding. She then walked over to her mother, who was beside Moblit, Mikasa, and Armin.

"It's not over!" exclaimed Hange. "Ready your equipment for the next round!"

Mikasa and Lara looked at each other, for they realized that Armin was also shaken.

"Armin..." called Mikasa, softly, as she placed her hand on her friend's shoulder.

"We didn't even have the chance to negotiate…" he said, in a low tone. "All this because of our lack of information... We do not have the power to capture someone who can turn into a Titan... This is out of our control!"

Lara approached them two and also squeezed Armin's shoulder. She and Mikasa looked at each other once more, blinking slowly, taking a deep breath, crestfallen.

Then, something happened.

In a movement so sudden that it made everyone almost jump in fright, the Armored Titan's head lifted and he screamed so loudly, that they all had to cover their ears.

Just as he lifted his head, he lowered it, as if he had completely shut down, with it hanging in front of his body.

From the top of the Wall, Erwin was also startled. As well as Levi, who looked back in astonishment.

"It can't be…" thought Erwin.

The second after Reiner's scream, that quadrupedal Titan ran towards the Beast Titan, who grabbed a large barrel that was on the quadrupedal's back. In a perfect launch, he threw the barrel over the Wall. Levi's eyes widened as he witnessed that scene and felt his heart race.

Inside the barrel was none other than Bertholdt, the Colossal Titan.

"Attack Reiner with the Thunder Spears again!" ordered Hange. "We'll just have to blow his body to bits!"

At this moment, Lara and Armin looked at each other in a meaningful way and opened their mouths in bewilderment.

"That scream from Reiner..." began Lara.

"It could be a sign for Bertholdt!" concluded Armin.

Then, everyone heard a noise and looked up to the skies. A big barrel was flying by, to land right where they were, next to Reiner.

"Mom!" exclaimed Lara, pointing to the barrel. "We cannot continue the attack!"

"We need to stay away from Reiner!" added Armin. "Look! The Colossal Titan is coming!"

"If we stay here," Lara shouted to everyone, "the explosion of his transformation will kill us!"

Quick as lightning, all soldiers flew away using their ODM gears, with Eren's Titan running after them.

"Damn it!" exclaimed Hange. "Everyone, get away from the Armored Titan! The Colossal Titan is falling our way!"

"This is bad!" Armin shouted to Lara. "We're still very close to them!"

She stared at him in anguish.

"We'll be... All caught up in the explosion!" said Lara, her voice down. Armin also stared at her, startled.

Then, they all heard a voice.

"REINEEEEEEER!!!"

Bertholdt did not transform. Instead, he jumped off the barrel in midair, towards Reiner, screaming his name. Everyone looked back, not understanding. Bertholdt checked and saw that Reiner was still alive.

From afar, the soldiers of Hange's and Lara's Squad watched them.

"Target approaching from ahead!" exclaimed Moblit. "It's Bertholdt!"

Indeed, he was coming toward them using his ODM gear. Lara and Hange looked at each other for a few seconds. All they wanted most at this moment was to be able to stay together, but they knew that sooner or later, they would have to separate if they wanted to succeed in the mission.

They both ran to get closer and without saying a word, nodded their heads.

"This is our plan:" exclaimed Hange, and everyone turned to her, "Levi's Squad will protect Eren, under Lara's command, with Armin as second in command! All other Squads, including mine, will work together to take down the targets!"

As the soldiers looked at each other, Hange knelt down to look deeply into her daughter's eyes. There, Lara seemed so small... But not helpless at all. Hange could see the glint of determination in her expression, while she could also see the fear of being separated. Lara shed a tear.

"Baby..." said Hange, softly, while wiping away the tear that ran down Lara's face. "If anything happens--"

"No, mom!" exclaimed Lara, holding Hange's face.

"If anything happens," continued Hange, firmly, "I want you to know that you and your father were the best things that happened in my life."

Lara couldn't hold back a cry that was stuck in her throat and wrapped her arms around her mother's neck, squeezing her tight. Hange hugged back, stroking her daughter's hair.

"I love you, mommy..." said Lara, her voice muffled.

Hange then felt a sharp pang in her heart.

Those were the words Lara said when she called her "Mommy" for the first time, when she was feverish in a bathtub with Hange, a long time ago.

Hange felt the tears run down her cheeks and squeezed her daughter even tighter in her protective embrace, also repeating the same words she said to Lara in that bathtub:

"Me too, baby… I love you, very much…"

She kissed Lara's cheek, who also kissed her mother back, while shedding tears.

Hange stood up. Lara watched her mother in front of her, the sun's rays breaking her silhouette. Then, Hange flew away, while looking back, with a sad smile.

There was she, going away... Lara's greatest Hero was heading towards what could be her certain death.

And she didn't know if she would ever see her again.