Artistic Science

jadesharleys:

i-myka-deactivated20160205:

紅蓮の弓矢

(music box ver.)

It’s quite silent now.

It’s peaceful now, and you prefer it this way. You see in front of you some good few yards the mangled bodies of your former comrades. This actually wasn’t too far from where Squad Levi was defeated by the Female Titan, you realize. That seems appropriate. Valiant leaders see their fellow soldiers die their valiant deaths at the resting place of the loyal and determined.

You’re one of the few left moving. Even then, it’s only a few twitches of the limbs and your eyes looking around. Armin is the one closest to you, his head of soft, blond hair sticking to his forehead, slick with blood to soon dry. A deep slash from his blade runs across his chest. This you saw happen: he was darting through the forest, seeming just fine until one of the abnormal titans brought a fat, meaty hand down on him, forcing his drawn blade into his chest when his body slammed into the nearest tree. He deserved so much better, you thought. It reminded you of when he spoke to you of the outside world, the world you and him and Mikasa had hoped to see outside these walls. Instead you were all greeted with death.

Nature itself seems to pity him, you thought. Small wildflowers popped through the ground at his feet and what used to be his legs; moss cushioned what were only minutes ago his regular back, arms, head, and neck. This made you smile just a little. If he was going to die like this, then he deserved a beautiful funeral, and that was what he was getting. Mankind would never forget dear Armin; you would make sure of it.

Slightly further away was Jean. His 3D Maneuver gear was still hissing and steaming, broken into shards and being the reason for his death. It malfunctioned in the air when his gas was running low. Connie had made sure that no titan had gotten to him. Nice of him, you think, to do that. Maybe you really never gave Jean a fair chance. Then again, neither did he. Of course you would bicker over this with yourself with your last dying breaths.

Speaking of Connie, there he was across from Sasha. You wondered how all of your training comrades happened up here. Connie had given up his life for Sasha, only to have her beaten from behind. That really got to you, you realize. No one deserved that. But their efforts most definitely aided humanity. Without any of these soldiers, success could not have been remotely possible. You like to think this often. It comforts you.

Mikasa was somewhat closer to you. She didn’t die of blades or titans or blood or anything of the sort. What was it called? You remember this term being used once, just over your shoulder. Something to do with your heart beating too fast, stopping. And how could you blame her? She was doing so much for you, for everyone. You could have sworn that it had to do with this. After all, there were no stab wounds peppering her body, no missing limbs, no organ or bone shattered under the crunch of a titan’s jaws. Maybe she had just had enough. So had you. You could see the colorful, carefree wildflowers snaking around to the sky, providing as a reasonable, beautiful burial ground.

You didn’t know where Captain Levi was, nor Commander Erwin, nor Squad Leader Hanji. You trust that they died more peacefully. They deserve some peace and quiet, after all.

You had to look up to see Reiner slung over a branch, his legs twitching and his eyes closing. You never did see how he died. Berholdt wasn’t too far off, you see. The look on his face was so much more peaceful, and for that you’re grateful. Ymir, God knows what happened to her, had attempted taking Krista somewhere that was supposed to be safety, but as far as you were concerned, there are no survivors today. But there was still something comforting about that.

There are no survivors on either side.

Mankind has finally defeated the titans.

(via lordmouse-deactivated20140615)