~~~ Zakai's POV; after the ceremonies n' shit~~~

  I walked by, past Jean and Eren. My fuel already filled, my blades replaced. My eyes' dull and lifeless, I was already prepared for the hell of today. What Bertholdt was going to do, how many were going to die, how many titans were gonna remind me of the past. I hadn't noticed the tall brunette that had approached me. When I snapped out of my thoughts, the first thing I noticed was how nervous and worried he was.

"Z-zai..." Bertholdt choked out, "D-don't die..."

  Reiner and Annie walked forwards. 

"Serious Zai, if you do I might as well kill you!" Reiner added. 

"I'd miss you if you died... I guess..." Annie muttered. 

"Guys, we can't die in this battle. We have too much to do." I stated. 

  Reiner nodded, the three going off their own way. I ran towards my own team. A team of complete strangers. Four others. A girl with shoulder length blonde hair and ever green eyes. A boy with ginger hair and sapphire blue eyes. Another boy with black hair that reached a little past his shoulders and chestnut brown eyes. The last teammate was a girl with light brown, almost blonde, hair that didn't even reach her shoulders and aqua marine eyes. 

  I scanned each one cautiously. 

"Asha! Asha!" the ginger boy spoke excitedly, "Look! It's the girl who won against Mikasa yet still only got 12th place!" 

"I'm aware Aniam." the blonde responded, glaring at me coldly, "Listen Eriko, I'm the leader. You follow my orders. Do you understand?" 

"Aniam and Asha Kurosaka." I stated, "23 and 32, coincidence?" 

"Are you saying we wanted those ranks!?" Aniam yelled. 

"G-guys..." the brunette meekly murmured. 

"Liliana Adler, ranked at number 15. Why are you hanging around with those weaker than you? You'd be much better suited with those like myself." I stated. 

The brunette seemed in awe of my praise, until the blonde butted in.

"She's nothing!" Asha yelled, hatred in those ever green eyes. 

I scoffed, "Whatever. Lets get on with the titan slaying." 

  We went to their area, a 7 meter titan with black hair that went down to it's shoulders lumbered forward, large green eyes focused on us. Another drew near, 15 meters tall with honey brown, narrow eyes and silky gray hair that didn't reach much farther than the middle of it's abnormally long neck. It had sharp canines and a lack of lips. I zipped forward, attaching my hook to the 15 meter and slicing out it's nape, landing on the building beside it. Watching the 7 meter grab Aniam and pullhim close to it's mouth as Liliana and Asha watched in pure horror, frozen in place. I shot my hook again, it went into the building across from the one I stood on. I flew forward, slicing off the nape and grabbing Aniam before landing with a roll on the closest building. 

"Z-zakai... Thank you so much!" he cried out, pulling me into a hug. Asha stumbled forward, slipping off the roof of the building. She shrieked in pain as she landed to the ground with a sickening crack.  

"Not everyone is good enough to survive." I coldly stated. 

  Aniam flew down to the shrieking girl, crying into Asha's hair. I looked to Liliana.She smply watched in shock and horror. "Lilianna, we have to go towards Headquarters." I stated. She merely nodded, following me as walked in the middle of the building, towards the titan infested building. 

"We'll preserve as much gas as possible, it's apparent that no one is going to survive. Besides, don't you have family? I do." I commented, Lilianna shrugged.

"N-not really..." she muttered.

  I stopped in my tracks, looking over to see various cadets on the buildings. The bell finally rang, I flew over to the building. Ignoring everyone else and running straight for the trio I'd grown to love.

"You three didn't die!" I cried out, hugging Bertholdt's torso. For once I allowed my tears to flow. Lilianna stood a few feet away. 

  Bertholdt rubbed my back comfortingly, Reiner chuckled. "Of course we aren't! It's you we have to worry about Ms I-Beat-Mikasa-And-Still-Didn't-Make-It-To-Top-Ten." he teased. Annie simply patted my head. I eventually pulled away, looking down, face flushing bright red. 

"B-bertholdt..." I muttered. 

His gaze remained on me, "Yes Zai...?" he questioned. 

"Let's get this over with." I stated with a fake smile as Mikasa approached Armin.