Rogue

Part 2: Chapter 24: Grim Game

Author's Note:

Hi guys! It's been a while but here is chapter 24! The longest chapter yet! It does take a lot from the Uprising arc in the manga but I've warped it quite a bit to suit this au. A LOT of stuff is going to be revealed this chapter! So pay close attention!

As far as an excuse for the time it took to upload this... I have two very valid reasons. One is that the entire month of October was taken from me due to JURY Duty! I got put on a medical malpractice case that took all of my time away. And if you've ever done jury duty... you'll know you can't get out of it. My other excuse was put into detail on tumblr but I'll shorten it here. I went to the doctor about a problem I've been having and the CT scan revealed something on my liver that they thought could be a tumor. But after many tests and blood draws they found it to be absolutely nothing and just what was essentially a birthmark. (Thank goodness) But yes, those are my reasons for the delays!

This chapter took a while to edit so if I missed anything please PM ME THE ERROR.

Summary: As the Scouts try to put the pieces back together, Rogue begins to struggle with his role in the world. However, another enemy makes their move and Rogue's life is thrown for a loop.

Please note, there is some content that could be sensitive in this chapter. Particularly with a few torture scenes.

Enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 24

Grim Game

The air had a slight chill, feeling good to his toasty skin. The leaves around him were beginning to tint a shade of yellow and there were few that were already an orange hue. Fall was on the horizon – a time of the year that he found both relaxing and fascinating. It was a time of transition that would soon transform to the white of winter. Of course, his mind was far too lost in thought about the previous day's happenings to even admire his changing surroundings.

Rogue sighed, steam wavering from his jaws as his vibrant greens scrutinized a flowering plant that his Armin said was something called a 'tulip' that he held between his forefinger and thumb. Inwardly, he hoped that no one had seen him pull the plant from the castle's landscaping, but he knew he was right in mind for the purpose of the tulip that he had planned. Rogue's ears twitched in the slightest as his head tilted, his fingers turning the tulip in hand. The last two days had been nothing short of jarring to everyone around him including himself. Even though their overall mission to seal the breach and retrieve him was successful, the losses were great. During the time, there was no moment that he could take to morn – but since things had calmed for the time being, Rogue finally had the chance to wander the different directions of his mind. The current direction he was going in was the fact that he wanted to pay his respects before returning to personal matters. Nanaba was the first person he was choosing to honor. She had been a very kind person to him and who he could find comfort in talking to when he had no one else around to listen to him. Rogue winced, his mind darkening for the moment. Nanaba was another victim that had fallen to protect him. His chest still felt heavy with the amount of guilt knowing that he was the reason that everything was happening and why so much blood was being spilt.

Just as his mind threatened to cloud over with anguish, Rogue shook his head to shove away the damning thought. That was one thing that he truly didn't want to think about. Again, he exhaled, eyes following the path he was to take to the memorial garden, trailing the stream. The morning was certainly an odd one to say the least – to the point where he could almost say it was uncomfortable. As soon as the sun made its appearance upon the horizon, he had awoken to find that his little ones were absent from his palm. Looking around both Hange and Levi were missing as well and their scent didn't seem to be in the direction of the Scouts' memorial garden either. Perhaps they had retreated to their beds sometime during the evening or they were eating an early breakfast of sausage and pancakes which he knew that no Scout wanted to miss when they were served – after all, the very scents had wavered through his nostrils when he had risen. Rogue groaned softly, the sound barely heard by any living creature around. He honestly wished his little ones were with him. After he had almost lost them on numerous occasions the previous days, he wanted to do nothing more than to have them by his side.