𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 | 𝐞. 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫

{ two } new opportunities

She pulled her chin over the branch she was on before slowly straightening her arms, and pulling herself up once more.

"Training is always mandatory, no matter the location or the weather. If you don't train, you can never become good enough to move forward."

Her routine was the same as if she was at school. Wake up, train, eat, train, eat, train, quiet time, eat, showers, rest - well, minus the consistent showers. Since she had no one to watch her back, she used the pond she had found with her classmates to bathe once a week. Not as on schedule as she preferred, but it would do for as long as she was outside.

How long would she be outside?

"I am putting my faith in all of you."

Going back to the walls would be a death sentence. No student had ever disobeyed Headmaster. Or, if they had, it's not a student that had ever come out alive. Kira knew that even she didn't have the ability to hide herself while reentering Wall Maria, and looking for a crack in the wall would be impossible.

If she did manage to somehow get back inside with the rest of humanity, a number of classmates at The Academy had to be searching every corner of land the three walls could offer. She could probably avoid most wandering eyes but, with the entire student body, as well as some helping hands from the Military Police, it would be an implausible gamble.

Exploring outside the walls with no back up, no reliable base, and no way to replenish the maneuver gear's compressed air would be equally unfeasible, if not more so, as retreating back to the walls alone. With such little known evidence about the land beyond the walls, trying to sustain a life outside would be an immediate death sentence. For all she knows, it's just trees, grass, and hills that go on forever. Maybe there'd be more farmable land, but it's not like anyone can get to it without running face first into a Titan's mouth.

What should I do? Kira thought while completing another set of pull-ups, letting go of the branch she held and allowing herself a few minutes rest.

Giving up could never be the answer she turned to, never again. Though, when Clare did it, it almost seemed elegant. It looked so freeing that Kira almost yearned to copy it. But giving up now would mean that Clare's freeing release would be pointless. To die only to have the cycle restart. That would mean that defying Headmaster would turn out to be futile, proving him right. As he had said countless times before, all students were replaceable, just like the many cigars he casually smoked while telling them. No. Giving up was not the solution.

The Scouts.

Having learned all about their gear, of course they had learned about the regiment's schedule. Once a month, The Scouts will set out on a failing expedition that usually resulted in nothing but blood and shame. That's the reason most people looked down on them. They always fail. Nevertheless, they had gone on a mission to the outside just a month prior, it was truly perfect timing.

Kira thought the same. Headmaster would always make a point in criticizing the regiment whenever they discussed the advancements made on their mobility gear, almost like it was a trend within Sina to trash said explorers. It made sense as to why they were looked down on. Why choose to leave the walls just to die? In hindsight, especially with her current situation, that question was ludicrously hypocritical.

Just like Clare, they want to know if other humans really are out there. If there really is some sort of massive body of water that she had talked about. Either way, Kira now knew how to get back to humanity without having to worry about being under the watchful eye of Headmaster.