The Cost for Freedom ➶ ｡˚ [ Attack on Titan ]

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"Come on in." Erwin called out, looking up from his stack of papers and towards the door that creaked ajar. He observed as Kira popped her head in cautiously, evidently nervous as to why she was called into his office. Mumbling out apologies for disturbing him, Erwin only scoffed and shook his head. Standing up, from his seat, he welcomed her full of warmth, "It's good to see you, Kira."

"You too, Erwin." She replied, unable to resist smiling at the teenage boy she looked up to when she was younger. "It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

"Mhm, I remember you when you were this small. You would always copy my moves, and..." He grinned, crouching slightly whilst using his hand to mark out where Kira's height was when she was five-years-old. As he continued to tease her, Kira crossed her arms with a pout, going red from the embarrassment her child self. As he walked around to the front of his desk, he leaned against the tabletop, crossing his legs and arms. "How's your grandmother?"

"She's doing great! She was super excited to find out that I joined the Survey Corps." Kira said, "It's just unfortunate that she resigned before I could do any expeditions with her. But she said she might pay a visit soon."

"It's good to hear Corporal is doing well!" Erwin chuckled, reminiscing about how caring and headstrong her grandmother was whenever Rosa led expeditions and training sessions. As he dug through his mind, a certain moment had stuck out: the first time he saw her in action, "You looked really cool during the evaluations."

"Oh my... Shut up...!" Kira bashfully covered her face with her hands, shaking her head at Erwin's sudden reminder of the exercise. "I was so unprepared to see you. You nearly threw me off my line!"

"Hahah! Sorry 'bout that. I do have to say, you led your team well and you're insanely talented with the ODM gear." Erwin complimented, which earned another shy reply from Kira, "All that's left is to actually defeat your first Titan."

"Ahhh! I actually can't wait for the first expedition." Kira excitedly said, bringing her hands away from her face, "I'm not ready for the Titans, but I'm so ready to get out and see what my grandma and great grandma saw over the Walls!"

"Trust me, you're more than ready." Erwin reassured, before placing a hand to his chin, thoughtfully, "Oh, by the way, have you found out whose squad you're in?"

"Um... Not yet. Commander said that he's gonna announce them when the rest of the divisions arrive at Headquarters." She explained.

"Ahh, right."

"Yeah, I really wanna know which squad I'm in!" She exclaimed, which caused Erwin to grin again.

"I think you'll like the squad you're in." Erwin suggested, which Kira raised a curious eyebrow to.

"You think so?"

• • • • •

"Squad Leader Erwin!" Kira yelled out, as they were galloping past the 5km mark. "Flares for an abnormal coming eastwards of the formation!"

"Heard!" Erwin answered back, as he continued to lead his squad in the direction Commander Shadis mapped out prior. Craning his head to his right, Erwin caught sight of flare as well, "De Reyes, send out a flare!"

"Yessir!" She exclaimed, digging into the pouch that resided to the right of her horse. She carefully checked the strip that outlined the metal barrel: a black ring.

Whipping it out of the bag, she tightly held the reins of her horse on her left hand. As she sharply raised her right arm into the air, her left hand was pressed against her ear, letting the deafening ring violate her head as she pulled the trigger. The screeching high pitch ripped through her right ear, slightly wincing as she had done so. 'They're just as bad as the acoustic ones...' She thought, as her eyes darted directly upwards to where she shot.