"...All right...today we'll be sparring with one another..." I trailed off, looking at my squad, who looked at me with pure respect and admiration in their eyes. "...We've been too busy on ODM gear...so we're likely lacking in hand-to-hand combat..."
I looked up, my gaze landing on the fluffy clouds that soared above my head as my long coat danced with the breeze that carried the clouds while birds flew high in the sky, delicately and gracefully, like a ballet dancer. Their melody was heard in my ears as my tired (e/c) eyes bored into the sky, distracted by my racing thoughts, and contemplating whether I should sleep.
I felt the wind weave through my scalp, and through my locks of hair as the scent of feces, as well as the scent of hay, mixed and bonded through my nose while the calls of soldiers tuned through my ears. The blue sky above was like an ocean of abyss, taking everything it could while staying completely idle. It looked down on us and shaped as the moon and sun rose and fell and as stars became visible to the human eye and shimmered with grace as they sang down on us while being a millennium away.
"psst...captain...!" Noah called out from among the group, a hand cupped around his mouth as he called out to me.
I blinked before I looked down to my squad, who watched me patiently, obviously used to my behavior at this point. "oh...right..." I hummed before I cleared my throat lightly. "...you will be put in pairs...whoever wins one fight....will go against another winner...until the winner of the final battle will go against me...if you win..." I looked down at the ground, placing a curved finger to my chin. "if you win...." I tapped my finger against my chin, and the whole squad deadpanned at me until I nodded to myself and looked back up at them. "if you win...you get to be freed of Levi's chores...for...for...for...for two days..." I eventually got there.
The squad immediately perked up at the reward. Some of the members held determined grins, while I could already see how others were plotting their victory even now. "alright...the pairings are...Rome and Harper..." They turned to each other, Harper smiling kindly, and Rome nodding in respect. "...Alessia and Joy.." Joy tensed and a bead of sweat ran down the side of her face as she smiled, her lips quivering. Alessia just patted the girl's back in reassurance. "...finally...Noah and Shane..." The boys turned to one another and nodded their heads, showing equal respect and I finished. "Now get started...I'll be over here...probably asleep..."
I yawned and walked away, balancing half my weight on my cane as I waved my other hand over my shoulder dismissively. I heard the sighs of my squad behind me, but I paid no mind as I walked towards the steps of HQ, where Eld and Gunter sat, Eren tending to the stables not too far away.
