A/N
Dropped two chapters today, so I hope you enjoy this one and the next!
-three days later-
[Name]'s POV
I step out of my office with a small frown on my face before I spot Kaito and Shiro leaning against the corridor wall across from me. They immediately push off the wall and take a few steps forward until they stand right in front of me. We exchange a glance before turning and walking down the hall.
"Do you have any idea why Historia wants to see the three of us?" Shiro asks me and I shake my head.
"Not a fucking clue," I mutter before noticing Levi's office door open.
The Captain steps out and looks at us, his eyes narrowing slightly before he asks, "Where are you heading?"
"We got a letter from Historia, requesting our presence in Mitras. Where are you going?" I quirk an eyebrow.
"Huh... I got the same thing."
Kaito, Shiro, and I exchange a glance before Levi clicks his tongue and walks over to us. So Levi got the same note as Kaito, Shiro, and me? Interesting... I frown slightly as the four of us walk down the hall and head towards the stairs.
"What could Historia want with the four of us?" Shiro mutters as we make it to the staircase and head down.
"There's one thing the four of us have in common that the others don't," I respond and Levi frowns.
"We all come from the Underground," he states in a low tone, making me nod.
I exchange a glance with my best friends before looking at Levi, who meets my gaze. Shit, what could Historia want from us that involves the Underground? I frown before looking ahead as we walk towards HQ's main entrance. Kaito opens the door for everyone, and we walk outside and head over to the stables where our horses are.
A faint smile comes to my face when I see Elsie and Thayne nearby, and their eyes widen once they spot me. Both of them jog over as I retrieve my horse, and I raise an eyebrow at them as they look at me with excitement.
"What's up?" I ask Elsie and Thayne.
"The sky," Thayne snorts, making me deadpan while Kaito and Shiro chuckle. Levi stays stoic as he watches the interaction and Thayne smiles at me. "We just wanted to know if you could help us with training."
"Yeah, can you?!" Elsie looks at me, almost starry-eyed.
"I would, but I have to head to Mitras for something. You both can find Ian and have him and Rico train with you both, or you can track down Squad Leader Mike. Just tell him I sent you," I tell both of them. "We can gather the team after I get back and do some training. How about that?"
Elsie happily smiles and claps her hands together once. "Sounds good, Squad Leader! Safe travels!"
"We'll see you soon," Thayne says while shooting me a grin before running off.
I watch them with an amused look in my eyes as they both head off to find Rico and Ian or Mike. Ian's the second-in-command on my team because he's the best after me, but Rico also helps me out a lot. Whenever I'm busy and can't oversee Thayne and Elsie's training, I have Rico, Ian, or both of them do it since they know what to do. Usually, though, we don't do training in small groups. All the superiors and I typically gather the rest of the Scouts and conduct training that way.
It feels weird that I'm a legitimate Squad Leader now, instead of one with only the title. I hate the paperwork that comes with it, but it's actually kind of fun to have my own team, and I like everyone on it. Rico and Ian were already friends of mine beforehand, but it was still very easy to form a friendship with Elsie and Thayne. Even better, the team gets along with each other, and that's all I could ask for.
"Squad Leader," Shiro teases me, making me jab him in the side before I mount my horse.
"Watch it, Shiro, or I'll make you do laps," I say, making his eyes widen a fraction.
Kaito chuckles while a ghost of a smirk comes to Levi's face, and Shiro falls silent, knowing that I actually would make him do some laps. Ah, the power of being a Squad Leader! Gotta love it sometimes! I chuckle to myself before lightly squeezing the sides of my horse, making him take off across the ground with Levi, Kaito, and Shiro following behind me.
-
"My Queen," one of Historia's guards says with a bow to her before gesturing to my friends and me. "Captain Levi, Squad Leader [Name], Kaito, and Shiro are here."
"Thank you for bringing them to me," Historia says before standing up and approaching us while her guard walks off. "I'm glad you four could make it. I was wondering if you would be willing to help me with something."
"What is it?" Levi asks her.
"There are a lot of people in need of help - children and adults - and I want to do what I can for them. The Garrison and Military Police are already assisting me by getting orphans in Wall Rose and Sheena to orphanages while helping struggling adults find jobs. However, there's one place I haven't reached yet and still want to- the Underground City."
"Historia... while that's a generous thing to want to do, you would have to help everyone down there. There's not one person in the Underground who isn't in need," Kaito gently explains to her.
"I know that, and I still want to do it. Everyone deserves a chance to live happily."
"You won't back down from this. You're determined," I realize and Historia looks at me before nodding. A faint smile comes to my face as I say, "I'd be happy to help you. What you're doing is amazing, Historia. It's something I wish the government would've done when I lived down there. I'm just glad something will finally happen. While crime does run rampant down there, a lot of people deserve a chance at a better life, and I know you'll do anything you can to give them that."
"It'll be a lot of work," Levi says from beside me.
"I'm prepared for that," Historia states.
My eyes soften as I look at the woman in front of me. Historia really is an amazing Queen with such an innocent soul. All she wants to do is help, and it makes me think of what Juno said about Acreria. While the way the government operates there is a bit different than Paradis Island, they aim to help their civilians as well, and it's been that way for centuries. Hopefully, Historia brings in a new era of ruling to this country and shows how far compassion can take a society. I have a feeling she'll be remembered; she's creating a legacy that people will look at in the future and praise.
"I'm down to help," Shiro says with a smirk and Kaito nods in agreement.
"Count me in," I tell Historia and Levi sends her a nod, making her happily smile.
-
I look around as Historia and some soldiers talk to some of the people in the Underground. Other soldiers guide excited orphans up the steps that lead into Mitras, and I can't help but softly smile. Kaito, Shiro, Levi, and I joined Historia for her meeting with some of her councilmen for how they should go about helping everyone down here, and Kaito, Shiro, Levi, and I made some suggestions based on our experiences while living here.
Even though the goal is to help everyone that needs it, one thing that I suggested immediately made it high up on Historia's priority list. The Underground currently provides homes for people; the issue is the crime and the condition of the city. Even though I have bad memories from living down here, I can see the potential it has, so I suggested cleaning up the city, rebuilding the houses, apartments, and other buildings to provide people with a safe place to live while also creating chances for people to start and open up businesses. In addition, I suggested that the newly reformed Military Police actually tackle the crime issue to make it safer and also to remove the fee people have to pay to leave the Underground.
Levi, Kaito, and Shiro supported my suggestions, and Historia was over the moon with what I came up with, so we worked a plan for how to go about it. It'll take some time to get the Underground City to the condition it needs to be in, but what matters is that it will happen. Soon, no one down here will have to suffer anymore, and the criminals who terrorized the city will face justice.
Levi joins my side and I offer him a small smile before saying, "I wondered where you had gone."
"Historia wanted some directions around the place, but I needed to remind her to stay with her guards. This shitty place is still filthy and filled with criminals."
"When has it not been?" I quip before looking ahead of me. "I wonder if the Blades are still around. I killed Nolan, but that doesn't mean they disbanded. Someone else could've taken the leadership role."
"You said they showed up in 845?" Levi quirks an eyebrow at me and I nod. "Tch, I was out of here for a year and this place became worse."
"It's weird to think we could've crossed paths at some point before the Survey Corps got you and your friends out of here," I whisper before looking at Levi. "Even though you and I aren't close in age, it would've been cool to know Kaito, Shiro, and I weren't the only ones causing trouble with stolen ODM gear when we were younger."
Levi scoffs, "You make me sound old, brat."
"Old man Levi," I tease and he glares at me before I chuckle. "Ah, you're not actually old, though, shorty. You're in your early-thirties- that's not old, and I'll fight anyone who says otherwise."
Levi quietly chuckles, making me smile before I hear Kaito and Shiro frantically calling out my name. I look over at the direction they come from, my eyebrows furrowing in concern when I notice their wide-eyed expression. What the hell is going on?
"Kaito? Shiro? Are you two okay? You look like you've seen a ghost," I point out once they reach me.
"Nolan wasn't the real leader of the Blades," Shiro tells me, making my face scrunch up.
"Pardon?"
"Take a look at this," Kaito states while handing me a small slip of paper.
I take it from him before opening it and looking over the note. The frayed edges brush against my fingers as I notice the date in the top right corner. Someone wrote this in 847. I frown before reading through the contents of the note addressed to Nolan. The person who wrote it detailed the plan of attack he wanted the Blades to use against Kaito, Shiro, and me in 847, and I recognize it as what they did. What catches my attention, though, and makes me gasp is the signature at the bottom of the note.
M.S.
Holy shit... My hand reaches up to my necklaces, making Levi's eyes narrow before he takes the slip of paper out of my other hand and reads through it. His calm composure doesn't change as his eyes scan the page before he notices the M.S. at the bottom and looks at me, then at Kaito and Shiro.
"Where did you two find this?" Levi asks them.
"We went back to the house the three of us used to live in that started being used by the Blades after we left. It looked abandoned, so we went in and found this note," Kaito explains before looking at me. "Do you remember when we first returned, and one of the members you captured said that only the higher-ups know who the real leader is?"
My eyebrows furrow for a second before I nod and respond, "Yeah, I do! I thought they were just referring to Nolan, though?"
"Those two people you threatened for information... they were never surprised by Nolan's appearance that day or looked confused as to who he was," Shiro points out and I frown.
"If that's the case, then I already killed one person who knows the identity of the real leader. I can't bring back Nolan," I say before remembering something that the guy I threatened told me. "There's still one more person we could try and track down, though. The one guy I threaten - Mason - he told me that the higher-ups like Mai knew who the real leader was. She was that red-head that went storming off, so unless she was killed by someone else or got arrested, she should still be around."
"Would you recognize her if you saw her?" Levi asks me and I nod. "Do you know where she could be?"
"The Blades had three hideouts other than our old home that they used since 845. Those places would be our best bet at finding her."
"Kaito and I will each take one if you want to check the other?" Shiro raises an eyebrow at me.
"Works for me. I'll take the hideout in the north of the city," I state before looking at Levi. "What are you going to do?"
"Tch, I'm coming with you, brat," he responds and I nod before running off with Levi following behind me.
God, I hope one of us can find Mai because she could help me figure out who MS is. It can't be a coincidence that the real leader of the Blades shares the same initials as the letters engraved on the pendant I received a few days after I thought I killed Nolan in 847. What does this person want, though, and why give me a necklace with their initials? Could this get any more confusing? I sigh while heading down a few streets until I find the hideout.
The building sits in a dark corner of the city, and I frown when I notice how abandoned it looks. It sure as hell doesn't look like the Blades still operate. Well, out of here, at least. I slow down and walk over to one of the broken windows, looking inside the room. While the Blades abandoned the place, it seems like they left in a hurry. They left a lot of stuff behind and much of it lies scattered around the area.
Movement from inside catches my attention and I look back at Levi, who sends me a nod. He quietly pushes open the front door of the building before looking into the room, turning after a second to me and nodding his head towards the inside, gesturing me to follow him. He enters the building and I follow behind him, silently laughing as he looks around the dusty and disorganized area in disgust.
I spot a few knives lying in the corner of the room, and I grab two before walking over to Levi and handing him one. He takes it from me before we both head down one of the hallways and approach a door close to the end. I rest my hand on the door handle before pushing down and opening it, startling the person inside.
"Mai," I state while looking at the red-haired woman ahead of me who sits on the ground.
She grabs a knife behind her and throws it at me, but I catch it between two fingers, making her eyes widen. I sigh and toss her knife to the side while Levi appears at my side, glaring at the woman in front of us. Mai's eyes flicker from Levi to me before she gasps when she notices our jackets.
"You're Scouts..." she whispers before looking at me. "How do you know my name?! Who are you?"
"Did Nolan ever mention a woman named [Name] [L/Name] to you?"
Mai's eyes narrow sharply as she growls, "You're the woman who killed him."
Levi moves to take a protective step in front of me, but I rest an arm on his shoulder, making him look at me. He clicks his tongue before stepping back, allowing me to handle the situation. Mai looks absolutely pissed at me, which isn't a good area to be at when I need something from her. I sigh before placing the knife in my hand on the ground while Levi watches the situation like a hawk.
"Mai, I need you to relax. I'm just here to talk," I tell her and she scoffs.
"Why the hell would I talk to you after what you did?! I should kill you," Mai snaps while getting to her feet.
"Don't make any shitty moves," Levi warns her and I frown.
"Is this really the life you want to live, Mai?" I ask, making her freeze before hesitantly looking at me. "The Blades that I saw this year are just a shell of what they once were. The members cave to pressure too easily. I used to have to torture people for information before 847, but all I had to do last time was threaten your members with death. You have no future with the group, but you still have a chance if you stop this here and now. The Queen is helping out the needy, and she can help you if you leave this all in the past and just answer my question."
"Like the government would ignore my crimes," Mai scoffs, making me sigh.
"They ignored mine," I say, making her fall silent. "I was a thug for the first eighteen years of my life, Mai. I stole and killed, but the government gave me a chance, albeit a different type of one. I'm not the only one whose crimes were ignored, either. My two best friends had their crimes ignored, and so did my friend standing here beside me. What I'm trying to say is that you still have a chance, Mai. You can start new, and all you have to do is leave the Blades behind."
"Tch, this brat's right," Levi tells Mai while gesturing to me with his head. "You still have a chance, so don't make a shitty choice."
Levi... I deadpan but shoot him an amused look. A bit harsh, but he's right. Mai should think about her options here and what she wants. If she stays with the Blades - well, what's left of the Blades - she'll eventually get arrested by the Military Police, who will finally handle the crime situation here. She needs to think about if she wants that, though. She has a chance to start fresh with a new life either above ground or down here once the Underground City gets rebuilt. If I were still living down here, I'd be jumping at the opportunity for a new start without having to do much at all.
Mai relaxes a bit before frowning and saying, "And all I'd have to do is answer your questions?"
My eyes widen a fraction before I smile and say, "Yeah, that's it! I'll have one of the soldiers gathering people down here to help come over and get you out."
Mai stays silent for a second before nodding. "What do you want to know?"
"Last time I had a run-in with the Blades, two of the members told me that the higher-ups knew who the true leader of the Blades is. They named you as one of the people who knew this person."
"Those idiots..." Mai sighs and shakes her head. "They must've been listening in on a conversation I had with Nolan, but they didn't catch the whole thing. The truth is, I never met the guy. The only one who ever did meet him was Nolan, and the only reason I found out Nolan wasn't the real leader was because he told me that someone was pulling the strings in the shadows. His name was Malakai Segura, but that's all I know about him. From what Nolan told me, Malakai left after the group failed to kill you and your friends in 847, but I believe he stayed in contact with Nolan. As for Nolan... He tried to become the real leader after the group made its return, but he was horrible at it."
Malakai Segura... MS. That's not a name I'm familiar with, but I have it now, at least. I still have some questions for Mai, though. I frown as I remember the note I pulled off Ross when I returned to the Underground the first time. We later discovered it was written in the same language that's used outside and walls and in Marley. To me, that only suggests that the Blades have some connection to Marley, but how?
"Mai, the day I killed Nolan, I pulled a note off of Ross that was written in a different language. Do you know why that is?" I ask her.
"Ross was picking up a note from a dropbox that day for Nolan. I didn't know the language- none of us other than Nolan did. He never wrote in the language, but I knew he could read in it. Malakai wrote every note that he sent to Nolan in that language, so even if there was no signature, it was easy to identify who sent it. I never knew what those notes said, and I was the only person besides Nolan, who knew that he kept in contact with the true leader."
Levi and I exchange a glance before I look at Mai. "You seem like you were fairly close to Nolan. Did he ever tell you anything about his past?"
"Not much, no. He said he wasn't from around here, but when I asked what he meant by that, he would just change the subject."
"I see..." I trail off before nodding to Mai. "Thank you, Mai."
"Why did you want to know?"
I open my mouth and hesitate before sighing, "It's complicated."
Mai narrows her eyes before frowning. "So was what you said to get me to talk a lie? Nolan once told me how skilled you were at manipulating people for information."
My expression hardens as I swallow. I did use to manipulate members of the Blades and other criminals to get the information I wanted when I lived down here, and it seems people still know I did that. While a couple of months ago, I would've manipulated Mai for this information, I was being honest with her this time. I want her to turn her life around. Even though she is a member of the Blades, she wasn't a part of the original group. The new version didn't seem to cause too much trouble because Nolan couldn't properly lead, either, so I would place my odds on her mainly stealing to get by. In my opinion, she deserves a chance.
"I wasn't lying, Mai. I'll send a soldier over and he'll help you," I tell her with a small smile. "If I could turn my life around, you can, too. Just let the Blades go."
Mai nods and whispers an 'I will' before starting to gather her things. Levi and I leave the room and make our way down the hall, tossing our knives away from us before we leave the building. I spot a soldier not too far away from us and gesture to the building, letting him know to help the woman inside before Levi and I start heading back towards the entrance of the Underground.
"Malakai and Nolan have to be Marleyan," I murmur to the Captain while glancing over at him. "It feels like everything connects back to that country, and it reminds me that we never had Reiner or Bertolt translate that journal I found at the house I grew up in."
"We'll talk to Erwin about this once we get back," Levi murmurs before looking at me. "Do you know anything about this Malakai guy?"
"Not a fucking thing," I respond, making Levi click his tongue as we continue heading back, eventually catching up with Kaito and Shiro and filling them in on everything.
-
I stressfully run a hand through my hair from where I lean against Bertolt's side on the couch in my office. Reiner sits at our feet, a frown resting on his face as he flips through the journal that Erwin held onto since I grabbed it from the house I grew up in weeks ago. After Levi and I filled him in on what we learned while in the Underground, Erwin gave me the journal and sent me to grab Reiner and Bertolt while he called for Hange and Mike to fill them in on what happened.
It's nerve-wracking just to sit and wait here, though. Bertolt has an arm wrapped around my shoulders, his hand gently rubbing circles on my bicep as he quietly reads the journal Reiner holds as well, which calms me down a bit. Neither of them says a thing, but the serious expressions on their faces concern me. They've been silent for the past hour as they've gone through this journal, but luckily, it doesn't look like there's much left to read.
I snuggle up closer to Bertolt's side, making him turn his head to look at me as a light blush taints his cheeks. He holds my gaze with a soft look in his eyes before shyly looking away, making my lips twitch up. I turn and wrap my arms around his chest from the side, making his breath hitch before he holds me closer to his side. I look down at Reiner, who still sits on the floor, before a faint smirk comes to my face and I shift my legs and drape them over his shoulders.
Reiner chuckles lowly and tilts his head to look at me with a smirk as he bends his arm that doesn't hold the journal and squeezes my calf. He closes the journal with his other hand after a second, making my heart rate pick up. He and Bertolt finished reading.
"So..." I trail off and Reiner frowns.
"Everything in this journal was about you or your family's abilities. The entries focused on how your training was coming along up until the moment you escaped Joel and the others," he tells me.
"There... there was also a name mentioned," Bertolt whispers, making me look at him. "It was Malakai. It said he called most of the shots on your training, although they had some help from Kenny as well."
Malakai?! My eyes widen as my breath hitches. He was involved with Joel, Kai, Dee, Alexios, and Leon?! This makes no sense. He created the Blades and tried to have me killed, but he also was the one who had Joel and the other guide my training. What was the purpose?! God, this is so confusing! I run a hand through my hair again.
"Did Joel write anything about what happened after I escaped?" I whisper and Reiner nods while I let Bertolt out of my arms but continue leaning against his side.
"Just about how pissed he was because you escaped and how they knew the Tybur family would not be happy about their failure."
"Anything about Malakai?" I ask and Reiner shakes his head, making me frown. "I found out today that Malakai was the real leader of the Blades, so I'm confused. Why would he direct Joel and the others in how they should train me, only to create the Blades and try to have me killed years later?"
"He may have worked for the Marleyan government and wanted to train you to bring you back, but since you escaped, his goal changed to having you killed because you were too much of a threat," Bertolt suggests with a worried look in his eyes.
That... makes sense. I frown before leaning my head against Bertolt's shoulder while running one of my hands through Reiner's blond hair. Both men look at me in concern as I think about the Blades, the men who raised me, and Malakai. Leon did tell me that the original plan was for Joel and the others to train me then return me to Marley, and he also said Marley's goal now was either to capture me or kill me, likely the latter. Bertolt's theory seems to hold come weight, but I still have no idea who Malakai is or what he wants with me. And my necklace... what's the point of it? What does it go to?!
"Hey, pretty girl, look at me," Reiner says while massaging my calf, making my eyes flicker to meet his gaze. His expression remains serious as he stares at me. "None of us will let anyone hurt you. Marley's government won't lay a finger on you with us around."
"Reiner's right. We'll protect you," Bertolt whispers to me.
"I love you guys... Thank you," I say and Reiner smirks.
"Love us, huh?" He quirks an eyebrow at you.
"Uh-huh," I reply breathily before leaning down and kissing Reiner's cheek before sitting up and doing the same to Bertolt.
Bertolt's eyes shoot wide open as heat fills his face, making him nervously sputter. Reiner stares at me, jaw slack and his pupils a bit dilated.
"Fuck, I want you," he murmurs before resting his head against one of my thighs with a small frown.
"I'm afraid that won't be happening... today, at least." I shoot Reiner a flirtatious wink before untangling my legs from his shoulders and getting off the couch. "We need to talk to Erwin about the contents of the journal, and then I need to find my team and train with them. Seriously, though, thank you for translating that journal for me."
"We'll always help you," Bertolt tells me with a soft smile, making my eyes soften.
I truly have the best friends a person could have.
-three weeks later-
My horse trots between Eld and Gunther's as we follow Mike and Levi along the dark trail in Wall Maria. I glance up at the crescent-shaped moon in the sky before looking ahead of me. A piece of glowing stone that we obtained from the Reiss Chapel cave sits in a metal lamp that I hold, providing light in the darkness of the night.
Luckily, most Titans can't move unless it's daytime, so there isn't much to worry about, but I still have my blades on me in case I need them. I stay silent as we continue riding along the ground, plotting more of the path we can use when we head for Shiganshina in a few days. We should have half of the course plotted out by the end of the mission tonight, which is what Erwin wanted from us.
"You look tired," Eld says while riding a bit closer to me.
"I haven't gotten much sleep these past few weeks. Paperwork, helping out my team, plotting the path with you guys, training with my new powers, and just... worrying about things. I could use a small break, which I'm going to take these next few days since we have some time off due to our operation to retake Wall Maria soon. I have to finish some paperwork up first, though," I tell him and Gunther frowns.
"In the morning, I can come to your office and help you finish it. You need rest, [Name]. You can't keep burning the candle at both ends," he tells me and my eyes soften.
"That's nice of you, Gunther, but you don't have to do that for me. I'll be fine."
"I'm with Gunther. You need a break, so I'm helping you in the morning as well, and then I'm treating you to lunch in the town." Eld sends me a smirk
"Eld..." I send him a warning tone, but he shakes his head.
"Two-to-one. You're overruled."
"I'll split half the bill for lunch," Gunther tells Eld.
I look at Levi ahead of me and say, "Levi! Can you-"
"I'm not getting involved," he cuts me off, making Mike snort before looking back at me.
"Just let them treat you, [Name]. You deserve it." He shoots me an amused look and I sigh.
"You two are lucky I love you both," I grumble, making Eld and Gunther smirk.
They really are something. I look at the two men who ride beside me before shaking my head with a small smile. It is nice of them to want to help me out and want to treat me to lunch in the afternoon. Eld, Gunther, and just all of my friends, in general, are too great, and I love them all dearly. I never would've imagined that I would have so many great people to surround myself with in my life, and at times, I feel like it's better than I deserve. Nevertheless, I somehow managed to get the most incredible group of friends, and I will always treasure them.
I relax a little as our horses continue to trot along the ground until we make it to the forest. This is it... the halfway mark. We did it. A smile comes to my face as we find a good area to travel through. After making sure we can use it in a few days, the five of us exchange a nod and begin making our way back towards Wall Rose. A small yawn escapes me as I look around the area again before looking down at my horse and petting his mane while trying to ignore the heaviness of my eyes.
God, I can't wait to get back and go to sleep.
-
Gunther and Eld sit across from me in the little café they took me to for lunch just outside of the Karanes District, and I smile while listening to Gunther talk about his first expedition with the Survey Corps. He begrudgingly mentions how he embarrassed himself by almost crashing into a tree, making me chuckle before I pick up the last bite of my sandwich and eat it.
Once I swallow, I quirk an eyebrow at Eld and ask, "How about you, Eld? Any embarrassing stories that I don't know yet?"
Els's face dusts pink while Gunther sends him an amused smirk. Oh, there totally is! I grin while leaning forward in my seat as I pick up my drink, excited to hear Eld's story. He sighs before telling me about his second expedition and how he may have had a little too much to drink the night before and ended up getting sick on a Titan. My jaw drops slightly as I giggle, and Eld quickly explains that it's the reason why he no longer drinks much, especially on the night before an expedition.
"I never would've pictured either of you having done that," I admit.
"We were rookies who only thought we knew how dangerous being a Scout was. We mellowed out and became more serious and careful within our first couple of months," Gunther tells me.
"I've noticed that with my friends from the 104th and even myself," I say with a small frown. "While we still joke around with each, I can see the effects that the 57th Expedition and everything else that happened after that had on us. All of us take things more seriously now because of what we've seen and gone through. We've grown and matured rather quickly, and I bet that'll only continue to happen."
"It happens to every Scout. None of us fully understand what we signed up for when we first made our selection, but once you go beyond the safety of those walls and see your first Titan..." Eld trails off and shakes his head. "It makes things real. I felt bad for you and the rest in the 104th because you all were forced to participate in the Battle of Trost. Many of you witnessed friends die for the first time during it when the majority of your graduating class never wanted to have to face a Titan ever."
"That's what makes me worried about this operation in a few days when we head to Wall Maria. We have so many new recruits and transfers who decided to join, but the vast majority of them have never faced a Titan at all in their lives. We're going to try to avoid the Titans by leaving at sunset, but we expect to have to deal with those four Marleyan warriors who can transform into Titans. Luckily, we have Eren, Reiner, and Bertolt's Titans, along with my abilities, but if those Marleyans show up, it won't be an easy fight, and who knows how the rookies will respond."
Eld and Gunther nod before falling silent and I look down at the table. I just hope we can pull it off and that miraculously, Ewan, Adler, Zander, and whoever the fourth warrior is don't show up. It's unlikely that they won't make an appearance, but one can only hope! I do wonder what the last guy's name is, though, and all the Titan abilities that they have. I'm curious how all of them can even shift, though, because it doesn't seem like they have the powers of one of the Nine Titans, so where did they get the ability from? It also makes me wonder who has the remaining Titan powers. Undoubtedly, they're all on Marley, but who on Marley has them?
Someone taps on the window beside our table, and I look over, my eyebrows furrowing when I see Erwin with Mike, Levi, and Hange behind him. He gestures me to come outside, making my eyes flicker to Eld and Gunther, who also look confused. Well, shit, what's going on? Erwin doesn't look upset, so he must need me for something, but what is it, and why are the other superiors here as well?
"I gotta get going, it seems," I whisper before looking at Eld and Gunther. "Thank you for lunch and for helping me with my paperwork. I really owe you one, and I appreciate what you did- I appreciate you guys."
"You don't owe us anything," Gunther tells me and Eld nods with a smile.
"We wanted to treat you. You bust your ass every single day, so it's the least we could do," he says and my eyes soften before I stand up.
Eld and Gunther get up as well, and I move forward and exchange a hug with each of them, making a small blush appear on their cheeks before I look outside again. All right, time to get going. I sigh before waving to my two friends and leaving the café. Mike hands me a murky green trench coat with the Wings of Freedom symbol on the sleeve and breast pocket, making me frown. Where are we going that we need these ugly things? My face scrunches up slightly before I take the coat from Mike, sending him a thankful nod before slipping it on.
"So... do I get an explanation for what's going on?" I ask while walking beside Hange and Mike as Erwin and Levi lead us over to where their horses stand by mine.
"We have a small council meeting with Commander Pixis and General Zackly," Erwin explains while glancing back at me once we reach the horses. "We have to decide what to do with the contents of the container Kenny gave Levi. Reiner and Bertolt informed us it was a Titan serum."
My eyes widen a fraction before I look at the Captain. "So that's what was in the box?!"
Levi nods, making me hum before mounting my horse. How interesting! Kenny must've grabbed it from Rod during everything that went down. I wonder what the General will decide on. I frown before following after Erwin when he starts leading the way towards Wall Sheena. This'll be my first time seeing Pixis and the General since I explained everything I learned from my parents to all my friends and the military higher-ups. I wonder how this meet will go down. I sigh before looking ahead of me as I race towards the Interior with my friends.
-
Pixis greets Erwin and the others before turning to me with a friendly smile on his face as he says, "I heard you got promoted. Congratulations, Squad Leader. Well deserved, I'd say."
I smile with a small laugh before thanking Pixis for his kind words. He's a friendly guy, who gave me some alcohol recommendations last time I ran into him. I shake my head in amusement at the thought before sending Pixis a nod. He chuckles and pats the top of my head before turning to Erwin and talking to him.
I walk over to the window in the room and tug the purple curtains to the side to peer out the glass. People wander around Mitras, enjoying the sunny day outside, and a soft smile comes to my face before I let the curtain fall back into place and turn around to face the table in the middle of the room that Erwin, Hange, and Pixis stand around. Mike and Levi walk over and silently join my side, making me glance at both of them.
"Why was I invited to this meeting?" I ask the men beside me.
"You're a Squad Leader now- a Survey Corps superior. You get to take part in these conversations," Mike tells me.
"I feel like I was promoted too quickly. What did I do to even deserve a promotion so early? I was a Scout for less than two months when Erwin promoted me. It just... I don't know; it just seems fast."
"You have skill, intelligence, and leadership capabilities. Erwin wouldn't have promoted if he didn't feel you were ready for this," Levi murmurs while looking at me.
"You've been doing a good job as well," Mike points out.
I let out a soft sigh but nod. Mike and Levi are right. Erwin wouldn't have promoted me without a good reason to, and I have been doing a good job as Squad Leader. Erwin's let me know over the past few weeks that I've impressed him with how I'm doing and how I've managed my team. Even though I'm a lot busier nowadays, it's fun to have my own team, and I enjoy being Squad Leader.
The door to the room opens, catching our attention as Darius slips into the room, saying, "It appears I'm late. Sorry."
The General closes the door behind him before walking over to the table in the middle of the room. He takes a seat in one of the chairs while Pixis, Erwin, and Hange stay standing around the table, and Mike, Levi, and I don't move away from the windows. The small box Kenny gave Levi lies open on the wooden table, perfectly situated in the middle. A syringe, needle, and vial rest inside the box, and Darius glances at it before resting his elbows on the table and folding his hands in front of him.
"Have any luck? Were you able to establish what's in the container?" Darius asks all of us.
"Thanks to Reiner Braun and Bertolt Hoover, we were able to figure out what it is. It's an injection used to transform Eldians into Pure Titans. The composition of the serum is unknown, but they said that the Marleyans believe it's fluid from a Titan's spinal cord. I would love to run experiments on it, but it vaporizes when exposed to air, making it impossible to analyze without better technology," Hange explains, making Darius hum before looking at me.
"And we know that Rod Reiss had access to it because of his hidden ties to Marley's government, courtesy of Squad Leader [Name]'s parents' intel," he states before sending me a nod. "But that still leaves the issue of what we should do with it."
Damn, too bad Juno left for Acreria and hasn't returned yet, or I could've taken a visit to her and asked her if Acreria had the technology to test it. I would place my bets on them having it because they've been working on a serum to 'cure' the Titans and make sure the Eldians can never turn into Titans again. Everyone in this room knows that because I told them everything my parents let me know about Acreria and the Titan cure they're working on. They don't know about Juno, though, and even though she went back to Acreria for a bit, I don't want to ruin her cover here. Maybe I can talk to her about the Titan serum that turns Eldians into Titans once she returns?
"Since we don't have the technology to test it, rather than temper with it, we should put it to use for our current objective," Pixis suggests.
"Whom do we entrust it to?" Darius asks before looking at Erwin. "How about you, Erwin?"
"Though my arm has almost healed, I would prefer the syringe being in the hands of one of our elite- someone with the best odds of survival," Erwin says before looking at Mike, Levi, and me.
"Don't look at me; I died once already," I say, making Mike snort, Levi roll his eyes, and Hange stifle a laugh.
"That's true, but you have an ability now that puts you ahead of all the other elites," Darius tells me.
"I understand that, sir, but I'm also supposed to be heavily involved in any fight we end up in at Shiganshina. I don't want to break the vial accidentally," I say before placing a hand on Levi and Mike's backs, making them quickly look at me. "One of these two should be entrusted with the serum."
"Mike, Levi, will one of you accept it?" Erwin asks them.
"Is that an order or a question, Erwin?" Mike asks him and Levi stares the Commander down. "If it's an order, just say so."
Erwin averts his gaze to the box on the table before saying, "If we need to use this, we may not have time to plan. One of you will have to make a swift and informed decision with little deliberation. Judging when to use it, and on whom, will be your responsibility, so will one of you accept it?"
Levi and Mike exchange a glance before the latter frowns and nods. So, Mike will take it? I look at him before turning my attention to Levi, who continues eyeing Erwin.
"What do you plan to do if this dream of yours comes true?" Levi asks him and I look at Erwin.
"I keep pushing on. My dream doesn't die in Shiganshina. I have a new one," Erwin says before looking at me, making my lips tug up while everyone else looks at me.
The night he opened up to me a few weeks ago, he didn't only tell me about his past. He told me how he dreamed about learning what Grisha kept in his basement in Shiganshina. To my surprise, though, after he told me that, he explained how his dream had changed because of everything I learned from my parents. His new dream consists of helping me, and I made him promise me that he would do it.
"So that dream of yours finally expanded?" Pixis sends Erwin a smirk while Mike walks over to the table, closes the box, and picks it up.
Mike rejoins my side after a few seconds, slipping the box into his pocket before looking at me. I smile at him while Pixis and Darius start arguing over the General's secret, which, when I found out about it, highly disturbed me, so I tune the conversation out. Mike's lips twitch up slightly as he looks at me before sending me a nod. My eyes flicker to Levi after a few seconds, who seems lost in thought, and I place a hand on his shoulder, sending him a concerned look.
He sighs and shakes his head, making me frown before reassuringly squeezing his shoulder and letting it go. If Levi wants to tell me what's going on, he can when he's ready. He knows he can always come to me to talk, just like how I know I can go to him for the same. I'll bring him some tea and check up on him later just to make sure he's doing okay. Hell, Levi looks like he needs a small break, anyway.
I slip my hands in my coat pockets before leaning back against the window behind me. That's one of the things I'm grateful for when it comes to all of my friends. Every single one of them will help me, and I do the same for them. I'm lucky to have them in my life, extremely lucky.