You know that feeling when you're sleeping and your hearing becomes more sensitive that it already is? Well, it's really annoying. A whisper seems like someone turned up the radio full blast, especially with my hearing aid that I didn't bother to turn down.
"Psst, I heard this popular joke around the Scout Legions, but I don't quite understand it," A girl's voice echoed throughout the room.
"Lemme hear," A guy's voice.
"What's the difference between a yellow flare and a black flare?"
"What?"
"The color,"
"Pfft.....I'm mean- that's cheesy,"
"You understand?"
"No,"
"Me neither,"
"Would you shut up?" I groaned, twisting and turning. I couldn't get in a comfortable position, like seriously, it's probably like 2 in the morning!
"You woke her,"
"I did not!"
That's it. I grabbed a pillow and chucked it at whoever stood there. I didn't hear it hit anything, so I pried one eye open then another to meet a cheeky grin.
"Ohayo, Bella," blonde hair and dark green cat-eyes. That's all I needed to know.
"Hitch," I greeted, my voice seeming raspy. Well, I just woke up! What do you expect? "I won't ask any questions. I'm just happy that you're with us again!"
Us?
I peered over at the boy next to her, Marlo Freudenberg. I've heard about him, and he's one of the nobles in the Police Department.
I was quick to think. Two of them may not be as skilled as the survey corpse, but they're enough for me to work with.
I had a small chat with them about how their lives were and I ushered them out of my room to change into casual wear. "Good morning," I hear people say as I walk the down the hallway (it rhymes!) "Morning," I mutter, bowing my head a little and strolling past. There were chefs, maids and planners. All those stuff, then of course, guards.
Nobody knew how I got in, but I'm guessing Nile managed to convince them that he's the one who took me back. I was missing in action, and he brought me back. Whatever long story it was, I didn't want to hear it.
All a big fat lie.
Plus, nobody dared to ask about my past experiences.
I made my way down for breakfast, realizing it was already 7:30. The sun was shining brightly down on my table as I plopped the dairy food into my mouth. That's when Hitch and Marlo decided to join me. This was a good chance to ask them.
I wouldn't be surprised if Marlo said no immediately, both of them wanted to join the survey corpse, especially that they aren't risking their lives here.
I cleared my throat and wiped my mouth with my napkin, then, they both turned their heads.
"So, um. I'm required to go out of the walls," I start, and just like that, they're jaws drop.
"What? Isn't that the job of the Survey Corpse division?" Marlo asks, I nod but hid my clenched fists under the table.
"It's for certain purposes, and, I'm going alone-," Just as I was about to propose, Hitch stood up.
"I'm coming with you!"
The air was filled with silence. Although there was barely anyone in the room but the workers, I could feel the tension in the air.
"Hitch?" Marlo questioned, staring at her as if she was crazy.
"I may be weak and a coward," she started off, her voice rising by the second, "but I'd do anything to serve princess Bella," then she looked from Marlo to me, "I learned from out patrols together that we should never live for ourselves, we should live for others,"
Give a round of applause for the girl; she's finally learnt the meaning of life.
"But Hitch-," Marlo tried to protest but Hitch just pierced him with her cat eyes,
"Marlo, you can choose whatever path you want. You may be living in this shelter, but you'll never actually live your life. Join us!"
Marlo stared at her bewildered. Can I please remind you that we we're still in the cafeteria / dining room.
"Hitch," he said, "I'll join," and then he looked back down at her hand and slapped it away. I inched back in my chair a little, "But don't say something so embarrassing!"
Hitch squealed and hugged Marlo, "I knew you'd man up a little,"
Marlo rolled his eyes.
"Way to invite someone to die outside the walls with me," I whisper to myself.
After eating and all, we heard that Pixis was going to be here in an hour so we decided to get ready. I change back into my first trainee outfit and take the 3DMG from the locked storage room. I take three, knowing that the two of them are going to need it.
"Miss Thorn, good to see you again," Pixis says. I try to put a smile on my face, "You too,"
He looks at me with a sorrowful expression for a second, then started to discuss with the two others I just recruited.
It was either he thought I was gonna die or he just pities me. Either way, Pixis was a great guy.
We started with some exercise, especially the ones that I learnt with the Survey Corpse with corporal.
What is wrong with me, do I want to see Corporal Levi so bad?
No, I didn't.
"Thorn! You're lagging behind! How do you expect to survive when a titan's on your tail?"
Oh, tell me about it.
We were jogging around the training court in a line. Somehow I went from the front to the back. I sighed and started to increase my pace.
"Next are the pushups, go!"
"One, two, three, four, five," we all counted. Marlo dropped by the twentieth one and I rolled my eyes. "Get it together Marlo!" Pixis yelled.
"What now? Pushups are going to stop the titan from eating us?"' I heard Marlo growl through his teeth.
"Yeah, it'll be counting your abs so the others have time to escape." I panted, loosing track of how many I already did.
"Ha? What are you talking about Bella? This weakling has no abs," Hitch complained.
"My mistake,"
"Whatever."
After all that, we finally had hand-to-hand combat. They kept pestering Pixis that it would be unfair if I go one-on-one. So it ended up 2-to-1. Yeah. Hitch and Marlo versus my own, puny self.
We were a few good feet away from each other, before Pixis signaled and we started. Marlo came at me with his fist and I easily dodged it, he then tried to kick at me but I caught his foot on my waist and held it there.
I sensed Hitch coming up from behind, so in a few seconds, I grabbed both Marlo's fists, twisted them behind his back and faced him towards Hitch. Hitch punched him in the stomach.
Poor guy.
Luckily the punch wasn't hard. "Punching your own team-mates? I didn't think you were in for that stuff, Hitch," I say as I back up.
She smirked, "Who knows?"
Then, she came at me again. Just as I thought she was going to throw another punch, a hand grabbed my leg from behind and dragged me down to the floor.
That was bad.
Marlo raised his leg and I rolled over so all he did was kick the dirt. "Darn, you're fast,"
"Heh, thank you," I say sarcastically as Marlo regains his stance.
"I suggest you should start defending, Thorn here was defending the whole time," Pixis says to Hitch and Marlo. They both smirked.
"How come they get help?"
"Because you already knew, Thorn," I just stared at him.
Well, he got me there.
The two were pretty close to each other, which gave me an advantage. I lunged forward with my fist in the air, grabbed hold of Marlo's arm, twisted around and elbowed him in the neck. He fell to the floor; I knew it was because of shock, not the impact.
Then, I ducked as Hitch kicked overhead, and kicked her at the opposite side of her knee. It was a weak part of a human that makes their legs give out (true fact) she dropped on her bottom and I used that to tackle her whole body to the floor.
If this was a real thing, I would have kicked the guy so far so I'd have time to deal with the guy that I previously elbowed in the neck. For now, I just let Marlo take his turn in attempting to knock me out.
His hand was raised to a certain part of my head, but I just blocked it and shoved him away with my right foot.
"Okay, that's it for today," I heard Pixis mutter.
"Ha? But we were just warming up!" Hitch complained.
Pixis shook his head, "I have to talk with Thorn, and you are dismissed."
Marlo sighed and stood up, then started walking back into the palace. I stood up and gave Hitch a hand to haul her up. "See you tomorrow!" She exclaimed, waving as she walked away.
"Uh-huh," I mutter then look at Pixis. "What do you need me for?"
He gestured to a tree, and I looked up. On its branch was a unique looking bird, and as I recalled, it was a Lyre-bird.
"Go and decrypt it," he said. I looked stared at the bird for a minute before I nodded.
Slowly, I made my way towards it, and right when I thought I was close enough, I closed my eyes.
"We'll find her at all costs, understood?"
"Captain-,"
"Check all the districts; I'll take my squad to the underground,"
"Underground? Isn't that where all the thugs are-,"
"Brat, do you want your friend back or not?"
"I suggest we check the police departments, including Balto's Palace. The guards may have spotted her,"
"I agree,"
Then it was cut off. The lyre-bird squawked and flew away immediately. It was the voices of Corporal, Eren, Armin and Mikasa.
Tch, Armin just had to have the brains. Soon, they'll be here to question about my appearance. Of course everyone would know, I'll have to ask Nile to ask everyone in the palace to hide whatever they knew about me. But with the look on Pixis' face, I could tell he already knew what to do.
"Pixis-,"
"You will be gone by tonight. If you're lucky, the titans will stay idle, others will wander. Either way, try to stay out of sight." He said, getting to the point already.
"Y-yeah, sure," I mumbled, turning around and heading towards.
"And Thorn," he added.
"Hmm?"
"Do you have feelings for anyone in the Survey Corpse?"
Corporal.
"Well, yeah. Mikasa and Armin are okay, Eren was somehow closest to me too,"
Pixis eyed me suspiciously with a small smile that was evident.
"Okay, Thorn," he shrugged and took out a drink.
I looked back, "You can call me Bella," then I decided to go back and pack my things, it was getting late anyway. I raised a hand and waved him off.
Pixis was like an uncle to me, he knew everything I felt, he understood everything I felt. I was grateful for that, and if I survive, I'll find a way to thank him.
If he survived too, that is.
Q: What's the difference between a yellow flare and a black flare?
A: The color.
The real answer is yellow means that the mission was successful or failed, then yellow means abnormal titan spotted. It's just for jokes :D
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