Venus and Rose

Chapter One: Dauper

As the older sister of Sasha Braus, you were far too familiar with her typical antics. Nearly eleven months apart, the two of you could not be more different. As children, Sasha was sociable and easily able to befriend anyone she met, while you were far quieter and typically only responded when addressed. Yet she still followed you everywhere, often choosing to abandon a game with her friends to accompany you instead.

Your father taught you how to shoot arrows at age six. He had wanted to wait until Sasha was older, but you had relented after hours of her constant begging and taught her yourself. She picked it up fast, and after a few years of training, her ability passed your own. However, you did not mind since you preferred to work with knives.

It had been an extremely hot summer, and your father had taken you to the nearby town for a day's activities. A street performer had shown his skills with throwing knives, pinning each point to the center of a painted circle upon a wooden board. Asking for a volunteer, you had eagerly leapt at the chance, much to Sasha's surprise and your father's worried protests. Standing in front of the wooden board, the performer sent a knife hurtling towards you. You didn't have the chance to close your eyes or even flinch, you only remembered hearing a heavy bang, and you looked over your head to see the blade resting barely an inch away from your face. Your father was close to fighting the man, but you had excitedly bounced over to the man and showered him with compliments and questions. Taken aback by your reaction, so unlike your passive self, your father allowed the performer to gift you one of the throwing knives. Since then, you had practiced with that blade, and even acquired a full set after a few years.

Somehow, it felt peaceful to see the flashing metal in the air before it reached its target perfectly. Even spinning the blade between your fingers calmed your anxiety. However, Sasha had tried to throw the knife, and you had spent many hours trying to teach her, but she never quite got it and preferred her bow and arrows.

The fall of Wall Maria soon caused a rift between Sasha and your father; a constant disagreement about the state of their hunting livelihood. You noticed it but decided to keep out of it. Personally, you didn't find a problem trying to live alongside the refugees of Shiganshina. While Sasha's hunger often sent her into a crazed spiral, you allowed it to fuel your drive to live.

Sasha leaned with her back against a nearby tree quietly dozing, while you soaked your sore feet in the tiny stream. In order to find game, you two had to go further and further into the woods. Much to your chagrin, all you had caught was one quail. You wondered just how you would be able to keep going like this.

Sitting on a rock to put your shoes on, Sasha's quiet voice interrupted your musings. "I am leaving."

"Okay, just wait, I still have to tie my laces." You quickly tied the boots and turned to find Sasha still sitting under the tree. Her stoic expression made you instantly worried. She was such an expressive person; it was almost terrifying to see her hiding her emotions from you. Kneeling beside her, you cocked your head to the side. "What is it? What is wrong?"

Sasha hesitated before continuing. "I am joining the military, y/n."

You stared at her, mouth agape. "No," you said with a tone of finality.

"Yes, I am. They're recruiting in the next town," Sasha got to her feet angrily. "Father wants to change our whole livelihood just to stay with the clan. How dare he?! We have been hunters for generations, we can't simply change. I can't stay and watch our people lose who we are just because of these newcomers."

"That doesn't mean it is the end of our people Sasha; losing a part of our tradition will not lead to our end. So long as we are together, our people will go on." You saw the determined look on Sasha's face, and it made you even more desperate to talk her out of leaving. The entire hike back, you did your best to convince Sasha to stay home. You didn't want to admit it to her, but she was your world; losing her would mean losing a part of yourself, and the thought alone frightened you.