Daisy II | Levi Ackerman

Chapter 5 - Hostility

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[Naomi]

"You mean the depth of the water has changed since we've last been here?" I asked, as Armin, Hanji, Levi, Cara and I gathered around a desk under an open tent just above the fortification by the shore.

"Affirmative." Armin replied from the other side of the table. "Some of our scouts have bored some markers by the lines of the waves a few hours ago. Those markers are deep underwater now. The shoreline has come closer."

The sea wind was gently blowing, the sun high up, and down below, the scouts were establishing some tent lodgings that we all would use for every expedition to the sea from now on. I put Timothy in charge for all of it, seconded by Reid- and by the looks of the progress, they were doing well.

"Hmm... So this just means that the depth of the water is volatile." Hanji said. "What about the strength of the waves, did they change?"

"That too, Commander." Armin replied, nodding. "We've been observing that the waves get stronger as we drift further into the afternoon."

"Then our mode of surveillance would have to be versatile enough to withstand the force." I answered, tapping a pencil on my sketchbook. "I've come up with a design, but it really deviates from the boats we have back inside the walls. We can't exactly set up zip lines and posts over this area like we do with rivers, right?"

"And we most certainly can't design it after the boats we use for the lakes." Hanji added. She retracted from her elbows posed on the edge of the table and reclined to her seat, squaring her shoulders. "This is one hell of a puzzle. I'll go check out the tides that Armin is talking about. Naomi, you may go see how our facilities are doing."

"Copy that, Ma'am." I answered, arising from my seat. I tapped Levi twice on the shoulder as I passed by him, beckoning Cara to come with me.

She immediately stood up, the two of us following Armin and Hanji out of the tent and coming back onto the warm light of the four 'o clock sky.

"So will the lack of certainty with the environmental facts make us stay here for longer, Corporal?" Cara asked, as we walked down onto the makeshift stairs we've built at the other side of the wall.

"Perhaps." I answered plainly, narrowing my eyes from the heat of the sun. "It all depends on whether or not I could brainstorm a design for a boat suitable for the ocean right here, right off the bat."

Cara jerked in surprise as the two of us came down onto the semi-sandy ground, some patches of it being dry grass. She regarded me with an air of awe. "That's quite the pressure, ma'am."

I shrugged. "All in a day's work. I've been trained my whole life to withstand external pressure. Nobility and all that."

Cara nodded pensively. I continued my sentence so as not to make me sound all self-crediting, in the name of being candid. "The faith that my comrades, especially my seniors, see me through. Armin is a very supportive best friend. Levi even more so as a husband. And Hanji, well... Let's just say she's given me the feeling of being an impostor for all her praises."

Cara giggled at my humorous remark, making me smile, too. She looked up at me with her crystal eyes and tucked her hands behind her back. "I think the praises are all due, I've never seen a more dynamic teacher-student relationship than the two of you."

"Ha. And I thought you've seen me and Kurt interact." I joked, making her laugh even more.

"Though... If I may ask, ma'am..." She said, toning down on her laughter, "Is it true? That you feel like an impostor at times?"