The next morning began with the three bodies of your lovers cuddled into you. The soft and sensual feel of their skin is one that you could never forget. The gentle warmth radiated between you all. A small amount of light was starting to peer through the small window. During sleep, their bodies had stirred gently, shoulders, hands and chins found new positions on your chest. Their legs sought to intertwine with yours, while their blonde hair splayed over your torso like threads of gold.
The three blondes slept soundly. The warmth from their bodies provided a good enough shield against the afterstorm cold. Annie's hand lay on your stomach, her fingers curled. Her mouth slightly parted. Next, you felt Historia's small arm wrapped around your waist, and her face nuzzled into the crook of your neck. Lastly, Adelaide's leg was thrown over your own, her breathing soft and steady on your chest.
But then, with a drowsy shift, Historia stirred into the realm of the awake. "Conrad..." She murmured with the softness of an angel.
"Morning, Historia," You replied, her real name had come from you with little effort now. Your deep, gravelly morning voice made the girl hum.
Her arms then pulled you tighter. A few soft, wet kisses on your neck followed before she rubbed her eyes. Her small body stretched out against yours, a cat waking in a sunbeam. "Did you sleep well?" She asked, her blue eyes looking at the other two girls who still slept soundly. "They look so peaceful," she noted, "So...cute." She placed a soft kiss on your cheek.
"I slept fine," You answered, though the constraints of the three girls all of your extremities did not offer much room for turning and twisting.
"We made quite the mess, didn't we?" Historia giggled. Her eyes took in the scattered clothes on the floor, the rumpled bedsheets, and the faint, sweet musk that still hung in the air. The room itself smelled like a strange mixture of their three perfumes mixed with the smell of your own sweat and their release.
"Aren't you a lucky man?" she teased, her head now on your chest.
'I didn't expect to have three women in my bed,' you thought. But before you could answer, you heard a small moan from your left.
"Mmm..." Adelaide was awake. Her green eyes slowly opened. They soon focused on you, on your naked chest, on your arms that were holding her. A blush spread across her face, a silent memory of last night. "Conrad..." she whispered. She tried to hide her face in your chest. She then recalled Historia's words from the previous night. Her head soon popped up, and her arms wrapped around your neck. "Morning...My love."
The sudden boldness was a surprise. Historia, who had seen this, simply raised an eyebrow and whispered into your ear, "She learned from the best."
"Stop it..." Adelaide murmured, her cheeks now a deep red. The shyness had returned. It was a strange mix. The shy girl and the bold woman, all in one. The two sides of her that you were only now discovering. You simply responded with a soft kiss on her forehead.
"Ahem." A soft, yet commanding cough came from your right. It was Annie. She was awake, and her blue eyes were looking at the three of you. She had a look of disapproval on her face. Yet, her hands remained on your chest and arm, sharing space with Historia and Adelaide. She was not going to let go. "It's morning," she said, her voice a little hoarse. "Are you hungry, Conrad?" Her question was not a question. It was an order to get up. A subtle way to get you away from the other two. But before you could respond, a knock on the door was heard.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
The soft, yet firm sound broke the morning spell. The three girls tensed. The warm bubble of their private world had just been pierced by the outside. Your bodies still intertwined and tangled, froze. Your eyes met Annie's, a silent question passing between you.
"Conrad? Are you awake?" It was Emelina's voice. It was calm. Too calm. "Breakfast is ready," She stopped for just a second, as if thinking his next words or enjoying the anxiety that the pause caused. "I made enough for all...four of you." She stressed the word "four". The door handle jiggled. A test. A tease.
The three bodies on top of you tried to reach for anything that could cover them. They found nothing. However, Emelina desisted from her teasing.
"Father and Mother must be finishing breakfast by now, so try and be quick," Her words carried the teasing dominance she held over all of them. You could almost see her small smirk through the wooden door. The girls looked at you, Historia blushing, Adelaide anxious, and Annie just plainly annoyed. Yet the possessive hold each of them had on your body was not gone; they just shifted their gaze.
"Get dressed and come down," were her final words. Her footsteps were heard fading down the large room. The click of her shoes was a countdown.
"I don't know whether to be thankful or to just die of embarrassment," Adelaide whispered, her hands now covering her bright red face. She reached for one of your arms, holding it against her chest. A good enough shield. For now.
Annie was the first to move. She sat up, not bothering to hide the full extent of her naked form. "We should get up," she said, her tone practical. She scanned the floor for her uniform. She bent down, giving you a clear view of her toned, supple backside and the small pink space between her legs. A small blush crept up her neck. She knew you were watching. But she didn't falter. She took her undergarments, binding her chest with practiced movements.
"Annie! Conrad is still watching!" Historia teased her. She then turned to you, a playful glint in her blue eyes. "And he's enjoying it, aren't you?" Her small foot traveled up your leg until it rested on your thigh, a little too high for comfort.
"Stop it, Krista," Annie said, her back still to the three of you. Her hands finished wrapping her chest. The bandages were tight.
"Historia," You corrected her, earning a light giggle from the blonde.
"Historia, then," Annie corrected herself. She slipped into her trousers with swift, practical motions.
Adelaide still hid behind your arm, her eyes peeking at Annie. "You're so confident, Annie."
"It's either that or his parents walking in on us," she said, her voice flat. Her statement brought a new wave of panic to Adelaide; after all, she couldn't bear her future parents-in-law to see her like this. She immediately let out a soft squeak and let go of your arm, searching for her own clothes. Her movements were clumsy, a flurry of desperate grabs for her discarded garments. She tripped over her own skirt and fell onto the bed with a soft thud, the sheets cushioning her fall. Historia, who had been watching the whole spectacle with amusement, let out a small laugh.
"Hurry up, Addie," she teased, still not getting off your chest.
Adelaide finally managed to get her clothes on. Her face was still a deep shade of red. She looked at you, her green eyes filled with a mixture of embarrassment and lingering desire. "Conrad... I..." She started, but she didn't finish her sentence.
"I know," You replied.
Then, Historia finally decided to move. She gave you a final, playful kiss on the lips before getting off the bed. She stretched, her small body a graceful arc in the morning light. She then started to get dressed, her movements slow and deliberate. As if she wanted you to watch. And you did.
You followed their lead, your own movements a little slower. The ache in your muscles was a pleasant reminder of last night's activities. You found your trousers, your shirt. The familiar fabric was a stark contrast to the soft warmth of their skin. The last one to get ready was Annie. She had been fully dressed for a while now, her arms crossed over her chest, her blue eyes watching you all with a look of impatience. Yet, that same look was as soft as her body had been last night.
"Let's go," Annie said, her voice demanding. Before she could even begin to open the door, you held her by the arm and pulled her close to you. The shock on her face was priceless. You then took a kiss from her lips. A small, possessive kiss that left her breathless. "Hah…What was that for?" She stammered, her cheeks a light shade of pink.
"For good morning," You said, a small smile playing on your lips.
"Then what about us?" Historia and Adelaide said in unison, their hands on their hips. Their playful pouts were a stark contrast to Annie's usual stoic demeanor. Historia already had one, but that would not stop her from getting another. So you complied.
"Alright, one for each." You gave a deep but quick kiss to both of them, hands on both of their waists.
After you finished, a soft cough coming from your sister got you all alert, as she leaned against the now-opened door with a smug smile. She had seen the whole thing.
"Are you done?" She asked. Her deep silver eyes scanned them with a predatory curiosity.
"E-Emelina...We were just..." Adelaide stammered.
"Just about to get some breakfast," Emelina finished her sentence. Her smile widened. "I am glad to see you all so...friendly...sharing and all." All her words were filled with the teasing that was so common for her. Yet, in her teasing was acceptance.
Historia smiled back at her future sister-in-law. "Yes, we are. And we would like to keep it that way." She then placed a hand on your arm, a clear sign of her claim on you.
Annie simply stared, her blue eyes locked with your sister's before finally drifting away as she brushed her fringe to the side. "She is right, breakfast is ready," she said.
Emelina just kept her eyes on you for a while longer, her smile never faltering. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, her smile reached her eyes, and she let out a small, airy laugh. "Good. I am glad you are all getting along." She then turned and walked away, her silver bun bouncing with each step.
"I claim the right to feed him," Historia declared as soon as your sister was out of earshot, her small finger pointed at the two other girls.
"No, that's my right," Adelaide responded, the sudden surge of confidence surprising even herself. She stood between you and Historia, her hands on her hips. "I have been feeding him since we were kids."
"It is only fair that I get a turn," Annie said, stepping forward and standing between them both.
"Turns then?" Historia suggested, her hands now on her hips. "Just like last night..." She teased with a flirtatious glance at your face. Her confidence was fully restored. A good rest and the taste of victory had done her good.
"Agreed," Annie and Adelaide said in unison. They then looked at you. All three of their eyes were now on you, waiting for your approval.
"Alright, one bite each," You said, raising your hands in mock surrender. The three of them then smiled. Historia then took your right arm, Adelaide your left, and Annie your back, hooking her arm into yours. You were officially their prisoner now. But that wasn't exactly something you would complain about.
-x-X-x-
The next days passed rather quickly, and the leave turned out to be shorter than expected. Once unlocked, their lust was a relentless beast, demanding constant satisfaction. Historia stayed with you, while Adelaide's visits were constant. Whenever your father was out for work, and your mother was out at the market, they'd make themselves at home with you. Kissing was no longer the main dish but more of an appetizer. Hands got bolder, bodies got closer.
"Nngh—!"
"Haah!"
"Mm—ah—!"
These were the sounds that your ears had been blessed with for the past few days. The bed, the floor, the table, the wall, or even the chair—they were all witnesses to the sacred and primal acts you had performed with the girls. It seemed that your lovemaking sessions were not enough. The girls began to get more and more competitive about you and your desires.
Only Annie partook at night, after your parents were asleep. She often stayed out during the day, training by herself somewhere she refused to share. But when she came back, she would demand equal or more attention than the other two, and her possessive and sometimes aggressive nature became a new, thrilling kind of foreplay for all of you. Her small, lean body now possessed a new kind of confidence, and her fitness showed, allowing her to squeeze you in ways you didn't think were possible.
However, each passing night, she grew more intense and more demanding, almost as if she did not want to let go of you. As if she needed to prove herself to you over and over again. Her need for validation was a stark contrast to her usual stoic demeanor. It made you want to hold her more tightly.
But soon, leave was over, the good few days of debauchery were over, and it was back to the barracks. Just a few more days before the final verdict. Just a few more days before the rest of your lives would be decided.
The air around you had clearly changed, and you all knew it. The closeness with Historia and Adelaide was a clear fact now; you still tried to keep it a secret, but not as much as before. A lingering glance, a soft touch, a whispered word, and soft giggles. A few of the cadets, including Mina and Hannah, grew worried thinking that you were two-timing; however, when they saw both of them smiling and not as jealous as they thought, they grew more confused.
Mikasa's gaze grew even softer and curious at the whole thing. She saw it all, from the way you looked at Historia and Adelaide. Then, the way they looked at you. But what she noticed more was your lack of shame. Your open displays of affection. She did not understand it. Perhaps she didn't want to understand it, or perhaps she merely enjoyed the act of viewing such a curious relationship.
As for Annie, she only interacted with you when she wanted to. When the other two were not present or, most importantly, when no one else was present to see. She was careful, even more careful than before, if that was even possible. Still, there was something in her attitude that changed; she kept asking if you loved her as much as you loved the other two. And every single night, you made sure to prove to her just how much you did, but a growing doubt began to grow within you. Something had changed within Annie. Though the reason remained obscure. It was a puzzle you couldn't solve.
"Eren...Don't you find it strange?" Sasha whispered to her friend after one of the last urban training sessions in Trost.
"What?" Eren asked, wiping sweat from his brow.
"It's...Conrad...He looks so happy now. I wonder why. I am happy for him! But he is with Krista now, right?"
Eren's eyes then drifted to you; you were laughing at something Krista had whispered in your ear. A smile that you hadn't shown for a long while. A smile that Eren hadn't seen since the fall of Shiganshina. "He does...He has been smiling a lot more. It is good to see." His reply was earnest. He didn't notice the details, just the outcome. That was Eren.
"BUT IF CONRAD IS TWO-TWIMING!!! I SWEAR I WILL!—" Eren's righteous anger was cut off by a swift kick from Mikasa.
"Ow! What was that for, Mikasa?!" He cried out.
"You are being loud," she said, her tone as neutral as ever, though perhaps she was more worried about Eren interrupting than the loudness of his usual battlecries.
Eren's attention then turned to Jean, who was glaring at him. A glare that you answered with a nod. He wasn't the only one. Jean saw the way Historia and Adelaide were with you, too.
"I don't get it...How does he do it? I mean...What do they see in him?" Jean muttered to himself while Marco listened.
"Best not dwell too much on that," Marco said with a calm tone. "There are more important things to worry about right now."
"Like what? The fact that he's living every guy's dream while training? And to top it all off, he's getting better grades than me? The guy has luck in spades!" Jean's tone was a mixture of envy and admiration.
"I still don't think there is anything wrong if everyone is having fun," Marco said with a blissful smile, his mind wandering over to Victoria, the girl from the ball, her ginger hair and fragant smell still dug deep into his mind.
"You are one to talk," Jean scoffed, then decided to focus on his training again, ignoring the strange love dynamics that came during their stay at Trost. Though he couldn't deny that after attempting to court and please someone as eccentric as Emelina, he was a bit done with the complexity of women. He just wanted to get this over and done with.
Connie, who had been listening in, had a different idea in mind. "Maybe they've all formed a secret club to get in the top ten! That's why they are all so friendly to each other! To get ahead! I will not fall for it!" He then flexed his muscles, attempting to show off his new strength.
"Makes sense!" Sasha mumbled as she chewed a piece of bread.
"Wait...Where did I leave that?" Adelaide's eyes spotted the culprit behind the disappearance of her bread. "Sasha, you ate my bread!"
"I can get you more if you share your secret group's techniques!" Sasha suggested while holding the last bite of the bread hostage.
"No! That's my bread!" Adelaide's blushed intensely, attempting to ignore the obvious embarrassing hint at her relationship.
Everyone just relaxed after Sasha started to run, with a hungry but angry baker's daughter after her.
-x-X-x-
The day of graduation had finally arrived, after a long and painful three years of training. The cadets now stood at attention in formation, the hot sun bearing down on their necks.
For many, the final price was the military police brigade. A spot that only the top ten cadets could enter. A privilege earned through sweat, blood, and tears. Living within Wall Sina as far away from the Titans as possible. Away from the trauma and the danger. To live a comfortable and quiet life. For many, that was the dream. The easy way...The safe way.
You knew that.
And the results were finally announced. One of the commanding officers finally announced the first spot. The only real competitors for that spot were Mikasa, Emelina, Reiner, Berthold, Annie and you. However, in this last stretch at Trost, you had focused on one particular aspect of your training.
-x-X-x-
You spent enough time training with Mikasa, both at the barracks and during training, that most thought that it would come down to her and you for the top spot. And as the commander's deep voice announced the top spot, most of the 104th held their breath.
"Mikasa Ackerman!"
"Conrad Almonacid!"
Everyone's eyes then went towards you, and then to the black-haired girl next to you. Both of you had gotten the top spot. A tie. Such a thing had rarely, if ever, happened in the history of the Training Corps. This wasn't due to a simple mistake or the instructor's whim; you both had achieved an identical, almost impossibly high overall score.
There was indeed a bias towards your performance in ODM gear, after all, many seniors and officers knew that leadership skills really only showed with experience, while at the same time, tactical acumen was undervalued since the theory of fighting titans against the practice of doing so were two different things. Still, the fact that you were able to tie with a prodigy like her was a huge statement.
The next rank went to Reiner, then Emelina, Berthold, Annie, Eren, Jean, Marco, and Adelaide. The results were more or less as expected, with some small exceptions. Eren had managed to beat Jean by a hair's breadth, a fact that the horse-faced cadet was still trying to process. And Adelaide, who was a surprise to everyone, including herself, had just barely made it into the top ten.
The disappointment came from Sasha, Connie, and Krista, the three of them had been very close to making it, but not quite. They still did well, but their hopes were crushed by a thin margin. They still smiled. Happy for their friends, especially Krista, who did not seem to mind the small gap. The only important thing for her was that both you, Adelaide, and Annie were in the top 10, and that she had found a place for herself here; she didn't care which branch she ended up in.
In the aftermath of the ranking declaration, many celebrated the end of their training, with cries of relief and embraces. But everyone wanted to know where the top ten would go. After all, that was the real prize.
"So, Marco...Are you joining the military police, right?" One of the cadets asked him, all excited for him. The question made him think for a moment as he then took a look at a determined-looking Jean. Marco then simply smiled. "The answer is obvious...I want to join them. It's an honor...It is about protecting the King of Humanity, after all,"
"You sure you will have time to visit your little girlfriend?" Jean asked, with a smug look on his face, "You will be polishing so many nobles' boots that your own will be forgotten."
Marco gave him a small pat on the back. "But I will have you helping me out, won't I?" His optimistic reply left Jean without a comeback for a brief second, as he realized that he and Marco would be joining the same branch after all.
"Yeah, yeah...The Military Police it is," He simply replied, with a small grin. He would take the easy life. He'd earned it. There was no reason to throw it all away.
"I will fight the Titans! Humanity hasn't gotten this far just to give up!" The all too familiar declaration from Eren made the crowd of cadets around him gasp. The same fiery speech he had given since he joined. Yet, there was a new fire behind it, a new conviction.
This came as a response to someone asking him about the Military Police, an idea that he scoffed at. The idea that he would just hide behind the walls, away from the true fight, after all he had been through. A small but noticeable vein popped on his forehead as he talked, the muscles in his jaw tight as he said that the true way of honoring the dead was to fight.
The cadets began to whisper, and a small but audible groan left Jean's lips as he watched Eren. There was no point in convincing him, and there was no point in convincing you either. Both of you were the same breed of idiots at this point.
Still, Eren's fiery speech slowly made its way to the rest of the cadets. Holding their ears to hear about one of the truths that they had been avoiding so far.
As for you? You sat with Adelaide, Historia, and Annie on the third floor, where Annie had once asked you to go. It was a safe and discreet place, but for how long? You four sat on the floor, hidden away from the rest, with your backs against the cold stone.
"So...What will it be?" Adelaide was the first to ask. Her fingers tightened on the fabric of her skirt. She looked at you, her green eyes searching. This was more than a question about a military branch. This was about a promise.
"I thought that was obvious," Historia said, her small chin held high. The light from the small lamp inside caught the golden strands of her hair. Her blue eyes scanned Adelaide and Annie. "The Survey Corps. Isn't that what we all want?" She said, confidently.
Adelaide didn't answer. Her gaze drifted from Historia to you, and then to the ground. A small sigh escaped her lips. The baker's daughter, who once followed you without question, was now lost in a battle of her own. She wanted the Survey Corps. She wanted to fight beside you. But the fear was a cold knot in her stomach. The fear of failing, the fear of not being strong enough. The fear of losing you.
"Are you scared, Addie?" Historia's question was soft but needling. She placed her small hand on top of Adelaide's. A gesture that was both comforting and assertive. "It's okay to be scared. I am scared, too."
"You are?" Adelaide's eyes widened, her head lifting to look at Historia.
"Of course," Historia replied with a small shrug. "But I don't plan to let Conrad fight alone," she said as she rested her head on your shoulder, "Will you join us?"
Only Annie kept silent, but it was a silence that was more telling than any word. She was a statue, carved from pale stone. Her hands were balled into fists. She looked at you, her blue eyes holding a thousand unspoken words. "Why?" she finally whispered. "Why would you want to die out there?"
"It's not about dying," I say, my own voice quiet but firm. "It's about making sure we have a future." You then looked out of the window. You could see Trost's city. The streets where you trained and prepared for what many attempted to forget.
"It's the only way," You continued, turning your gaze to meet theirs. "I have to see this through... For them. For us."
This answer did not seem to convince her, not completely. She was staring at the ground. The silence between you all was heavy. The only sounds were the distant chatter of other cadets and the rustle of your uniforms as you shifted.
"For us..." Annie said, her head finally rising. Her eyes were on you, a storm of emotions swirling within their blue depths. Then she looked at Histoaria and Adelaide. A spark of inspiration flared in her mind. Maybe...Just maybe...they wouldn't have to die, maybe she didn't have to be a monster. Maybe she could get her happy ending after all. But she needed to get it done.
"I will join the Military Police," Annie finally stated, her tone showing a bit of guilt. The declaration meant separation from all of you.
"What?" Adelaide squeaked out, her surprise genuine, then a sliver of relief bloomed in her chest, quickly extinguished by guilt.
"Why, Annie?" Historia asked, pulling away from you to study Annie's face. She tilted her head. Her blonde hair fell to the side.
"I've never really thought about joining the Survey Corps, to be honest," Annie answered, eyes staring forward rather than at you.
"Really?" You ask, placing a hand on her back that seemed to calm down the tensing muscles of her back.
"No, I have..." Annie said, steeling herself before letting out a bit of the truth, "But, why not join the Military Police or the Garrison Conrad?" She turned her head, her blue eyes nailed against you, "Why?" She repeated, wanting to see if there was any doubt in you.
Silence filled the small space. You couldn't say it was just to fight the titans; she wouldn't believe that, not when it mattered to you now. Not when they all had this complicated relationship. This silence was all that it took for Annie to push back against your mindless decision.
"Do you really want to die, Conrad?!" Her voice breaking slightly, as if trying to find an excuse to make you follow her path. "What about Historia? Addie?" Her breath shivered as she named them. "Can you really protect them all?" She spoke as if the weight of the things she had kept from you were finally coming out.
"Annie..." Historia tried to interject, but the look on her face stopped her short. The other two girls were looking at you. Waiting.
"I know how good you are...But even with all that training...all the promises you make, it may not be enough...you know?" She then turned her gaze to the ground. The thoughts of a painful memory crossed through her mind. She flinched. Just for a second.
"Annie," You said in your own tone, calm and decisive. Your fingers went up to her chin, making her look at you. Her blue eyes were glassy. Struggling with the pain.
"WHY DON'T YOU EVER MAKE THINGS EASIER FOR ME?!" She shouted, the tear finally streaming down her cheek. She immediately pulled away from you and stood up.
"Annie..." You stood up as well, and she instinctively took a step back. She then looked at your concerned face, her hands now covering her own. She turned around from you and the two other girls.
"This is why...This is why I can't..." Her body twitched for a second as if she were about to run. Adelaide and Historia watched in silence, their own breath caught in their throats. This was a new side of Annie. A desperate, fractured side.
"What happened?" Adelaide found herself saying, "Annie, we are here for you."
"It's because we are all together that this is happening!" Her back was still turned. Her shoulders shook. "We are all together, and it feels...I love this...But," She took a deep breath, finally, allowing herself to calm down. "It's because of that that I must join, Conrad..." She said, her eyes staring at yours with a weak smile. "Will you trust me again...I don't know if I can do it without you." This last part was directed only at you.
The unspoken truth was a heavy cloak draped over the four of you. You had seen it in her eyes before. A darkness. A secret that she kept locked away. And now, the lock was breaking.
"Annie...If you don't want to..." You started, but you were cut off.
"I do want to," she said, her voice a little stronger. "I'm just scared. I'm scared for you...For all of us." Her gaze drifted from you to Historia and Adelaide, and a small, fragile smile appeared on her lips. "I want to make sure you all live...I can't stop you from joining the Survey Corps, so please....let me do this, I promise that it will make sense eventually." She then held her breath, waiting for you to say something. "Then...we can all be happy together."
You had a choice. To push her for the truth. Or to trust her.
"Okay," You said, the word a quiet promise. You reached out, your fingers wiping the tear from her cheek. "I trust you, Annie." You looked at Adelaide and Historia. Their faces were a mixture of confusion and concern. But they didn't question it, or if they did, they didn't show it now. They trusted your judgment.
A small sigh of relief left Annie's lips, a sound barely audible. She then gave you a small, almost imperceptible nod. A thank you. The tension in the small space finally eased, and the weight of her unspoken secret temporarily lifted. "Hold me." She whispered, closing the space between you. Your arms wrapped around her, pulling her small frame into a hug. Her head rested against your chest, her arms snaking around your waist. Her body was still tense, but she was no longer shaking. You could feel the steady beat of her heart against your own.
The other two girls just watched. Adelaide's hands were fidgeting with the hem of her skirt, her gaze on the floor. The baker's daughter was a simple girl, and these complexities, these secret pains and whispered pacts, were something she did not know how to navigate. Her love was straightforward, a clear path. Now, the road had forks and shadows she didn't recognize.
Historia, however, saw more. She saw the desperation in Annie's eyes, but also the confidence that she could find the end of this maze. Historia had her own secrets that she was keeping from all of them. She could see a kindred spirit in the girl who was now crying silently in your arms. So she simply looked on in silence, her arms crossed over her chest, as a small smile played on her lips. One of understanding. After all, perhaps her reasons were too hurtful to her to share for now.
"Then it's settled," Historia announced after a while, her hands now on her hips. She had moved behind you, her small arms now wrapping around your stomach. Her chin resting on your shoulder. "We will join the Survey Corps...And...We will still see you, Annie, even if you are a stuck-up Military Police girl." Her joke, a small attempt to lighten the mood, earned a small, watery laugh from Annie. Adelaide's face finally broke into a smile. She knew Historia was trying.
"Right, you two," Annie said, a weak but genuine smile on her face. She tried her best to pull away from your embrace, but her hands still held the sides of your shirt.
"You won't get rid of us so easily," Adelaide added. Her smile brightened as she joined the hug. She leaned against your other arm, her head resting on your shoulder. A small but determined gesture.
You simply stood there, a prisoner of their affection. The scent of their hair, the warmth of their bodies, and the softness of their skin. You closed your eyes. A small smile on your face.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, though," Annie's practical tone broke the bubble, but it was softened. She looked up at you, her blue eyes a little clearer. A little less stormy. "But please don't die, okay?"
The words were a simple wish from a girl who wanted nothing more than for things to be simple once more. She then leaned into your embrace, but it was not a sign of weakness, but a rare moment of peace for someone so used to fighting her own demons. The other two girls soon joined, and they stayed like that for a long moment, a small circle of comfort in the chaotic world they were about to enter.
-x-X-x-
The night passed rather quickly, but even then, your mind couldn't help but wonder and second-guess your own decision once more. The Survey Corps. The path to your own destruction. 'Griffin...Am I doing the right thing?' You whispered into your own pillow as the room you shared with Jean and Marco was pitch black.
"Just go to sleep, lucky guy." The response came not from Griffin, but from Jean, who turned over in bed. "Tomorrow, we have maintenance duty..."
You nodded implicitly, but still, what was Annie holding back? Why did it pain her so much? And why would a girl like her join the Military Police? You had a feeling you knew why, but you also felt that you didn't want to know. Still, the thought of her being far away, of being in the Interior, of being in a place where you couldn't protect her, and yet, she would be safe.
Perhaps that was the best option: tell Adelaide to go to the Military Police, while you and Historia stayed within the Garrison. It would be safe, your love for the three girls would be safe, and perhaps, that was enough. You would all be alive, you would have children, you would get old and die...Yet, the voice in the back of your head, the one that remembered the gruesome death of Griffin Ilzos, the one that remembered Carla Jaeger's legs, the headless body on the ground, the blood, the pain, the hunger, the shouting, and the fights between refugees for scraps of food. All those memories were as real as the morning sun.
Perhaps you had made a mistake falling in love, but the same love was the only thing that kept you sane from the nightmares of the past. So you made up your mind. The Survey Corps. But you would try to convince Adelaide and Historia to join the Garrison and Military Police, respectively, to keep them safe. That was the only way you could keep your promise.
The next morning arrived far too soon, and the graduated cadets of the 104th were sent on one final mission before becoming full on soldiers: maintaining the cannons along Wall Rose. It was a grunt detail, the kind of thankless work that the fresh meat always drew, and one last reminder that glory was a distant fantasy.
The cadets of the 104th were thus scattered among the many necessary duties for the maintenance of the huge cannons atop the walls. While some worked on the cannons themselves, making sure the barrels were clean, others made sure to carry the gunpowder and munitions, and others, like you, were in charge of operating the elevators that allowed the supplies to move up and down the wall at a faster rate.
You, as usual, were put to work operating the pulleys alongside Mikasa. Your combined unusual strength had long been noticed by the commanders, and a job like this was suited for someone with both strength and endurance. A heavy crank required both muscle and stamina, the kind of repetitive strain that would wear down lesser soldiers in an hour. The two of you had been at it for what felt like half the morning, lifting and lowering heavy platforms of supplies, people, and equipment.
"I heard the news." Her sudden words cut through the rhythmic squeak of the pulleys and the grunts of distant cadets.
"What news?"
"That you're all going to the Survey Corps. All three of you," she said, continuing to turn the heavy crank.
"Krista...right?" You replied, trying not to use her real name.
"Yes..." Mikasa turned the crank. A smooth, almost thoughtless motion that flexed the muscles on her arms and back. "Eren is joining as well."
"I know," you replied. The two of you kept turning. No other cadets were near, and the supplies were just getting lifted off the ground.
She gave you a nod before giving you a brief look of disapproval. "I heard you are two-timing on Adelaide and Krista." Her tone was the same. The same monotone as if she were stating a simple fact, like the weather or the position of the sun.
"Hah...I mean..." You were surprised. Even though a few had noticed, you did not think Mikasa would say anything about it.
"I don't understand," she stated, letting the silence drag for a few moments. "I've seen you...with Krista...don't you love her?" She said, her gaze fixated on the view of Trost in front of her. Not once did she look at you, but you knew that the question was directed at you. "Why would you..." She hesitated for a second. A crack in her facade.
"Why would I what?"
Her black scarf was a stark line against her neck, shielding it from the sun, but she did not look at you. "Cheat...on her," She said, her hands stopping the crank for a moment. A brief pause.
"It's not like that," You answered, the weight of her simple, direct questions pressing on you. "I would never..."
Her hands resumed their steady work, the crank groaning in protest. The wooden handle was smooth from countless hands before theirs. "Then...you are with Adelaide, too," she stated, a new but related piece of the puzzle.
A small sigh left your lips. "Yes..." You finally admitted.
She did not respond to your confirmation immediately. She just kept turning the crank, her movements as steady as usual. You felt her gaze of judgment landing on you. Yet there was no anger, just a simple, analytical curiosity that seemed to pull at a thread inside your mind.
"So...you kissed both of them," She continued her questioning as if reading from a report. "At the same time? Or at different times?"
You looked at the side of her head, her black hair shimmering in the sun. "Mikasa...why are you asking this?"
The question finally made her look at you. Her charcoal grey eyes, usually unreadable, held a new and clear expression. "Because...I don't understand."
"Both," You finally answered, your cheeks flushing for a second as you turned your face away to hide your embarrassment,
Her eyes widened for a split second. So small that if you were not paying attention, you would have missed it. Her hands stopped the crank completely, and she stared at you, her head tilted.
"It sounds like something a scummy person would do." Her bluntness was like the crack of a whip, stinging the humid air. "To take advantage of them."
"I am not." Your own words were a bit too quick, a bit too defensive.
"I know." Her reply was as swift as your denial. Her gaze fell back to the town below. "I've seen Krista, Adelaide, and you together once...When I passed near your house, you were kissing both of them." Her own cheeks flushed for a moment, an almost invisible blush that made her look away from you and towards Trost. "They were both smiling. That's why I don't understand."
The crank hung still. The noise from below was now more noticeable: shouts and the clanging of metal.
"I love them both, Mikasa," You said, feeling like you were confessing to a priest rather than a fellow cadet.
"And...they seemed to love it too," Mikasa shyly murmured, the blush returning but this time a little more noticeable, almost matching the reddening of her own neck under the sun. Her usual stoic self was now a small girl curious about the intricacies of love. Then her eyes softened, and the tension in her shoulders eased. "If they are smiling, then...I guess it's fine."
She didn't fully understand it. That was clear. But for Mikasa, whose entire world revolved around the simple, unwavering axis of Eren's safety, happiness was a clear sign. If they were happy, if they were smiling, then your actions, however confusing, could not be wholly wrong. It was a logic stripped of social rules and romantic ideals, reduced to the most basic premise: no pain, no problem.
"Are you going to...tell Eren?" You asked, feeling a small knot of anxiety in your stomach.
"Only if make them angry," she said, her head tilting to the side as she analyzed your face as if searching for any sign of deceit. "Besides...he has other things on his mind."
Mikasa looked away, her attention drawn downwards to the cannons above the gate. Eren was there, talking to the rest of the cadets who were about to finish their shift. A group was gathering around him, listening to one of his speeches. They included Sasha, Mina, Hannah, and Thomas, among others. Adelaide was there as well, on another section of the wall, polishing a gun. She must have felt your gaze from all the way up here because her head snapped up, a small smile on her face as she waved at you.
You were in the process of waving back when something cut through the day's routine. A blast of air compounded with thunderous noise from outside the wall. Your hands stopped turning the crank as you looked up. The cadets on the top of the wall were looking over the side, their faces frozen. Out of nowhere, a massive face of a Titan appeared right next to the wall. It was a face you recognized: a skinless face, a large nose, and teeth. The Colossal Titan. It appeared again after four long years.
Nobody moved a muscle as a loud thunderous boom echoed, and a massive plume of steam erupted from the Titan, sending the cadets, including Eren, flying off their feet from the sheer quantity of steam. The wall itself seemed to shake; your own body tensed in response.
"Eren!" Mikasa shouted, her hands already flying to her ODM gear as if an instinct had taken over. The shy expression was replaced with cold, hard, and deadly focus as if someone had thrown a switch.
A loud explosion followed. A flash of light, a deafening roar that shook the very foundations of Wall Rose. The gate at the southern end of Trost had been obliterated. The blast sent debris flying into the air, a shower of stone and dust that rained down upon the city.
The reason for the loss of Wall Maria, for the loss of your home at Shiganshina, was now at the gates of Trost. And for a moment, all the memories came flooding back. The blood, the smell of death, and the screams of the people as they were torn apart by the Titans. You had a few scarce moments to think about what to do next, the opportunity of a lifetime to try and take out the Colossal Titan, even then, your eyes were already glancing over to the section of the wall where Adelaide and Krista were supposed to be. The sheer thought of them being in danger made your blood boil, and your hands moved without a second thought, flying to your ODM gear.
-x-X-x-
The Colossal then swiped the top of the wall clean of the artillery, destroying one of the vital defensive weapons against any future attacks, as if he had planned to do so since the start.
But then you saw Eren already rushing forward to try and face the Colossal Titan. The steam and the smoke blinded everyone, but Eren's anger was a fire that no amount of steam could extinguish. You ran to assist him, but the Titan had already started to disappear, dissolving into the steam, just as it had done at Shiganshina.
"Don't you dare run away!" Eren screamed as, finally, the rest of the cadet squadron recovered from the shock and began to get their bearings.
"The Colossal Titan's gone! Did it run away?" Sasha's panicked voice came from behind as she readied her blades. Her voice wasn't entirely confident. She was still processing. As so were the others.
You rushed past them to get to Adelaide and Historia, who were now back on the Wall after briefly falling from the explosion. The two girls were shaken but unharmed. Historia's small frame trembled, and her face was covered in dust. But her blue eyes were sharp and alert. She scanned the chaos, her mind already working. Adelaide, on the other hand, was pale, her green eyes wide with fear. Her hands clutched her ODM's controllers.
"Are you two alright?" You asked, your hands reaching out to steady them.
"We're fine," Historia replied, her voice a little shaky but firm. She looked at you, a small, reassuring smile on her lips. "Its time, isn't it?" The small girl was already preparing for the next phase, ready to do her part.
"I...I'm scared, Conrad," Adelaide whispered, her hand still trembling as she held on to her gear.
"I know," You replied, your own voice a little shaky, too. You gave her a small smile. "But we can do this. We have to."
Her eyes met yours, and she saw the resolve in your expression. Her fear did not vanish, but it was pushed down, replaced by a flicker of determination. She nodded back.
On the horizon, Titans were already starting to make their way towards the now destroyed gate. Soon, though, one of the soldiers of the garrison started to issue orders. "Cadets! Get back to headquarters and wait for orders!" A short, brown-haired soldier with a mustache shouted. The Garrison's own soldiers were already beginning to assemble to defend Trost District.
"We need to go," You said, helping the two girls up. "Eren! Over here!" You shouted over the din.
Eren turned, his face a mask of anger and frustration. He rushed over to you, ready to head back. But immediately, his teeth gritted. The trauma of seeing his mother get her legs crushed was still fresh in his mind.
"Mom!" He cried out, "I have to make sure she is alright! I won't just wait around for orders!" He said, preparing to head to the lower levels where the houses were. He jumped off the wall without any further hesitation. He was so blinded by the rage and grief that he was not even considering the risk of disobeying orders. The fear of losing his mother was too strong.
Mikasa and Armin were right behind him, their own concern evident. Armin, despite his fear, seemed to be the only one thinking about the consequences. "Eren, wait! We have orders!"
Adelaide also felt the same fear as Eren. "My mom and dad...Conrad, they are...also near the gate," She said, her voice trembling with fear. Her green eyes looked at you, asking for a sign, for reassurance.
Emelina, for her part nowhere to be seen until her silver hair was seen dashing past you all. A fierce look of determination in her eyes, as she headed towards your home, only throwing you a passing glance and a nod as she passed you.
Everyone was surprised by Eren's rash decision, including Mikasa. But it was a decision driven by fear and love. Meanwhile, the earth was shaking with the footsteps of the approaching Titans. You had to make a decision and soon.
-x-X-x-
This moment.
This day.
This choice.
It was the final confrontation of your internal turmoil. The Titans had returned, and they were once more threatening humanity with extinction. Krista, Annie, Adelaide, Eren, Mikasa...Armin, your family, and everyone else who had already survived one struggle for survival were about to be thrown into hell once more. Griffin's sacrifice, your training, your feelings, and your promises all weighed on your mind. But in that specific moment, only one thought mattered. Protecting them. No matter the cost, no matter how many Titans you would have to face.
Emelina would make sure that your parents were safe. She would never let them die; she would never allow a repeat of Shiganshina's tragedy; you knew her. She was capable. The look in her eyes as she rushed past you told you everything. That meant that without such a worry, you could focus on the one thing that mattered.
"Adelaide, Krista, follow Emelina and make sure they go back to headquarters. I will stay here," You commanded. The expression on both their faces was immediate. Worry, concern, but your intense gaze and set look from your jaw were enough to shut down any objections before they could form.
"I understand," Historia said, already in motion. She did not falter, did not protest. Yet her blue eyes clung to him for a fraction too long, holding back words she refused to speak.
'Come back.'
Adelaide's lips parted, a protest forming, but died before it could be spoken. Her eyes drifted from you to the commotion, then back to you. "I love you," she said, the words tumbling out in a rush, followed by an uneasy smile, before she turned and dashed after the rest. Her breath steadied as her fingers curled hard around the controls. Enough to calm her down for now.
"Cadets! Where are you going! Head back to headquarters—" The soldier shouted orders before you got between him and your friends. Your presence, coupled with your size, stopped him for a moment.
"I am Cadet Conrad Almonacid!" You shouted back with an air of authority you rarely used. "I will stay here with the garrison to hold the line, sir."
His mustache twitched. He gave you a single, sharp look up and down. Then he scanned you and the retreating cadets before turning to the massive breach. "Are you stupid! You are just a cadet, get your friends back to HQ, or they will be executed!" He said, pointing to the cadets, hoping that it would be enough to make them obey.
The thunder of cannon fire shook the air, shells screaming toward the Titans pressing through the broken gate. The soldier beside you clicked his tongue in frustration.
"What is going on?" Another soldier, one of the instructors at the training grounds, asked as he arrived on the scene, also getting a read on the state of the battle. His eyes landed on you, recognizing that silver hair immediately. "Almonacid? I remember you. You and Ackerman broke every physical record."
"Sir, I am..." You tried to speak.
He didn't let you finish. He looked at the destroyed wall, at the chaos unfolding below, and at the approaching Titans. "If you want to fight, then do it," He turned his gaze towards the soldier with the moustache, "Alfonze, let him fight."
"But, Kit—" The soldier started to protest.
"We need every available body," The instructor said, cutting him off. Then he turned back to you and placed a hand on your shoulder. "Watch first, then act. The Garrison doesn't need some hot-headed cadet charging in and getting himself killed. Do you understand?"
"I understand, sir."
"Good," He said, then turned to face the incoming titans. "Welcome to Kittel Squadron."
He was Captain Volker Kittel, a good enough instructor who was one of the few to see combat before retiring to the training grounds. Now he was back in the fight, along with the other Garrison soldiers. You stood there, your blades ready, your eyes scanning the horizon. Titans were approaching the point where they could be engaged by the first squadrons at the few buildings near the breach.
"Conrad, come, we will scale down the wall and get into position," Captain Kittel said, already jumping off the wall and firing hooks into the wall.
You followed him down, your hooks biting into the stone. The ODM gear whirred as you descended. Kittel raised his sword and signalled you all to stop. You held the brakes, the gas releasing from the cylinders, your boots pressing hard into the stone.
At that moment, you saw two other soldiers in that squadron, a girl and a boy, who were likely just a few years older than you. The girl, with her short black hair, looked at you. "Who is this?" she said,
"He is a cadet, Malia," Kittel replied.
"You brought a kid?" The boy with short dark hair and green eyes in the back replied with a smirk, "I guess we are short on men..." He then looked at you, but you didn't bother to look back.
The girl, Malia Jarnach, looked at you. "You only just realized that, Karl? Most of the garrison isn't even here," she said, then looked at you with a small, almost reassuring smile, "Don't listen to him, kid. Just do your job."
"The name's Conrad," You replied.
"Keep your focus, Conrad," Captain Kittel added, then turned to look at Karl. "He's good, I've seen him. He just needs real experience."
'Good, but inexperienced.' A familiar thought, one that Griffin had also shared about new cadets, one that you hoped to prove wrong today. You saw how they held their ground, how they looked at the Titans. They had a different kind of look in their eyes. A look that you didn't have yet. They were scared. You were, too. But their fear was controlled, honed by what little experience they had into something useful.
"No worries, he will get plenty soon enough," Karl said, giving a nod to Kittel.
You watched as the artillery fire continued, shells screaming towards the titans pressing towards the broken gate. You felt a bit of hope as you saw them hit the titans, but quickly realized that unless they got lucky, the artillery only temporarily slowed them down. The Titans came back up, some not even fazed by the blasts.
"Titans approaching!" One of the officers at the gate shouted from above, with his aide signalling two squadrons on the buildings to prepare to engage.
"Not our turn yet," Malia said, taking a deep breath. Her fingers were tight around her sword hilts.
"Good luck, you bastards!" Karl shouted to the other squad as he watched them go, his shouts of encouragement compounded by similar yells from the other garrison soldiers.
"You can do it!"
"Go get them!"
They tried to give some level of comfort and hope, but the words were both for the soldiers about to engage and themselves. However, your eyes were already noticing the sluggish and inefficient movements of the soldiers. The way they moved it was almost as if they were not yet ready to face the Titans. The Garrison were supposed to be the best at urban warfare, the ones who specialized in dealing with these monsters.
The groundshaking stomps of one of the large titans got closer to the building where the two squads were. A 12-meter class titan with a sad grin, its tongue lolling out. It was one of the bigger ones. You were about to see how the Garrison dealt with the enemy of humanity.
-x-X-x-
[1 Garrison Unit Killed]
[1st Titan Wave Defeated]
You saw the soldiers steel themselves before the first combat in five years. Some of them were 'veterans' who had survived the breach of Wall Maria. Others were new recruits. All of them were terrified.
"Attack!"
At the signal, the two squads shot their hooks and flew towards the Titans. The squadron leaders were in front, with the rest of the soldiers behind them. They moved with a certain grace, but it was a grace born of fear. Their movements were hesitant, their aim uncertain.
They fired upon their napes; they managed one kill. The rest of the Garrison squadrons cheered, but that was cut short by a large, lanky Titan, who moved with surprising speed. Its long arms snatched two of the soldiers out of the air, the soldiers screaming as they were helplessly squeezed by the Titan's hand.
"Help! Ugh—!"
It was a gruesome sight. The Titan's thumb pushed into the first soldier's back, cracking the spine and causing the soldier's eyes to widen in pain as blood gushed from his mouth. Though his pain did not last much longer as the Titan brought both soldiers into its mouth and crunched down on them, the sound of crushing bones echoed even to the wall.
Malia flinched, and Karl just sighed. The Captain didn't even bat an eye. He had seen this before. You had seen it before. But it didn't make it any easier to watch. It made your blood boil. You wanted to jump in and help them, but Kittel's words held you back. 'Watch first, then act.'
Another soldier, a girl this time, attempted to swing from the building and get a better angle. She was aiming for the nape of the Titan who had just devoured her comrades. But this time, a smaller titan, no more than 5 meters in height, but surprisingly fast, dashed from the side and intercepted her. The girl let out a scream as the smaller titan's jaws snapped around her waist. She was alive, as her screams were muffled by the titan's mouth, and then the titan's head tilted back. She slid into its gullet.
Another one down. You clutched your ODM's controllers, the hard metal digging into your palms. 'Watch, then act'. The phrase repeated itself in your mind.
Other squadrons were already getting into position, moving and trying to help their comrades. The Titans that seemed so far away were finally in combat range. The screams of the dying, the roars of the Titans, the explosions, the hiss from the gas from the gear, and the cutting of flesh as the soldiers attempted to kill the Titans. The noise seemed to narrow down as you held your breath, for a moment, your mind trying to process what you were seeing.
Another soldier tried to kill the smaller titan that had eaten the girl, but missed. What was the point of so many sacrifices? You looked at Captain Kittel. You were unwilling to let another moment pass when you weren't helping. The anger in your eyes was noticed immediately by the Captain, 'Don't think about it, kid.' He said with his gaze, but you weren't about to let this continue. Not when you had the strength to do something.
'For Griffin' you thought, and with that single thought, you jumped off the wall.
"No! Conrad, get back here!" Kittel shouted, trying to stop you. However, his voice was already fading as you flew into one of the nearby buildings, your connection at the right angle to bring you on a circular arc on top of it. The wind rushed as your speed and acceleration forced you to make quick adjustments to be able to hit the nape of the small titan's neck that had just killed the girl.
The soldiers watched from the sidelines, only able to see the training corps patch on your jacket as you met eyes with the ugly, small titan that had eaten the girl.
The titan reacted immediately, it began to lift its hand towards you, but it was too late. At this speed and this angle, all you had to do was prepare to swing both of your hands and body in a horizontal cut.
It was perfect. The blades cut through its neck with minimal resistance, and it was soon gushing out steam and blood as it fell to its knees. Your blades and face felt the hot stain of titan blood, your eyes focused. 'So this was the Titan's blood...' The thought crossed your mind as the titan collapsed. At that moment, you felt every muscle fiber within you tingle with a mixture of fear and excitement. The cadet you were just a few minutes ago was now gone.
The remaining soldiers, your new temporary squad members, watched in stunned silence. They didn't cheer. They didn't say anything. They just looked. A cadet had done something most of them couldn't do alone.
"You said you helped train him, right?" Karl asked Kittel with a surprised look on his face. "Do they teach the new cadets to pull things like that?" He added, as the shock started to become admiration in an instant.
"He learned that on his own," He said, adjusting his glasses. "Conrad Almonacid...and Mikasa Ackerman," He muttered to himself. "Just how did your parents manage to produce kids like you?"
In the time that Kittel asked this question, you had already cut into the hand of one of the Titans holding one of the soldiers. You roared as your blades cut through the titan's fingers, freeing the soldier from its grasp. The soldier fell towards the ground. As he was about to hit the ground, the Garrison soldiers from Kittel's squad made sure to fly and rescue their comrade.
"Conrad!" Malia shouted, "Bet you didn't think we would leave you alone now, would you?"
You completely ignored the taunts of encouragement as your feet pushed off a tree to launch yourself at the same Titan's neck. Its hand is almost grazing your face as you rushed to cut its neck. It was a close call. The Titan's fingers missed you by a few inches, the force of the air moving them brushing against your cheek.
Shhhhliick
It was not as clean as you hoped, but the sheer force from each muscle fiber pushed through sheer strength. Your blades hit the nape, cutting as deep as they could go. The Titan gushed steam from its neck and fell. A loud thud followed. You landed on one of the nearby buildings' roofs, panting. Your hands trembled.
You felt a pat on your shoulder from Malia, who had landed next to you. Her breaths came in short bursts. "Hey! Don't go ignoring your senior officers, kid." She then smiled. "But that was damn impressive." Her black hair was matted to her forehead with sweat.
Captain Kittel and Karl soon landed. The former's face was a stern mask, but you saw a flicker of pride. The latter just shook his head, a smirk on his lips.
Then one of the garrison soldiers ran towards you four. "Those moves you pulled. Thanks a lot!" He bowed, but Kittel stepped forward. "Don't make him overconfident; we need him in top shape. There are still Titans coming," the Captain said. "Good work, but you are too reckless."
"You were right," you replied, catching your breath. "I am." You looked at your hands, now covered in a mix of your own sweat and Titan's blood.
The soldier noticed the patch on your uniform. "Are you from the Training Corps?"
"Conrad Almonacid, sir. Graduated yesterday," you answered.
"How...?" The soldier said, then looked down. "Never mind. We owe you a heavy debt." He then turned to Kittel. "Orders are still to hold, but I think the Commander is planning something," He said, pointing at a figure standing atop one of the walls. You couldn't tell who it was, nor did you care; you rushed once more into combat, and another wave of Titans was already closing in.
The soldiers looked at you. "Conrad—"
"Don't just stand there! Let's go!" Captain Kittel shouted. The sight of the battle from atop the walls was a unique one; dozens of flying garrison soldiers moved, trying to lure titans closer to the walls, while the soldiers on the buildings outside the gate did their best to kill the approaching titans. The artillery at the gate and on the walls shot as quickly as they could to delay the incoming titans, and then there was you, moving fast enough from titan to titan that it was almost as if the air tore open wherever you passed.
But there was one more problematic sight on top of the walls. The dozens of Titans coming from all directions, converging on the gate as if they could smell the weakness from the hole. Deaths were already mounting and piling; a single mistake could cost the life of an entire squadron, and Captain Kitz Weilman began to ponder the possibilities of victory. A possibility that seemed to be getting smaller with each dead soldier and each Titan approaching on the horizon.
-x-X-x-
The slash and cut work continued. Your breaths were ragged now, your vision focused on the next Titan, a 7-meter class with a dopey grin, its hands reaching for a dangling soldier. You fired your hooks into its shoulder blades, letting the gas jets roar as you swung up.
The world narrowed to the arc of your swing, the titan's neck, and the gleam of your blades. You released the gas, your body propelled by momentum alone, rotating for a vertical cut. The titan's flesh gave way, its steam bathing your face as it crumpled. You landed on a nearby grassy patch, your knees bending to absorb the impact.
The smell of blood, titan blood, and steam was overpowering. But it didn't matter. What mattered was the next one. And the next. The Garrison squad that was on the verge of collapse regained morale and a will to fight thanks to you, and but it had only meant that they also threw themselves to their deaths. You couldn't kill every single titan out there; there were dozens, and many more coming. Some faster, some larger, some shorter and slower. Each one was a lethal risk to a soldier.
Captain Kittel landed next to you, his boots thudding softly on the grass. "Low on gas?" he asked, his breath controlled.
"Yes," That was the only reason you had not yet continued to fight.
The captain signaled to one of the young soldiers in charge of the supply, who was hanging by the walls holding a pair of gas canisters. She was a young woman with red hair. She rushed to your side. "Captain! Cadet! Here!" She handed you a spare canister, her hands shaking and fumbling, but you held onto it and began the process of swapping the empty canister with a new one. Your hands moved fast and steady. The clicking and clacking of the gear seemed loud in the brief lull between attacks.
"Thanks," you said, your voice hoarse.
"I-It's n-n-nothing," She stammered, though it was clear that there was a blush on her face; it was likely due to the anxiety and stress of watching the battle play out. But the girl couldn't deny the sight of someone her age fighting titans and then being the one to help him.
.
---------------------->
.
A cannonball screamed overhead, hitting a titan square in the chest. The titan stumbled, a bit stunned, but otherwise unharmed. A wasted shot.
"Get back, Altisia! Now!" Captain Kittel barked at the red-haired girl, and she rushed back to her position on the wall. "Do you need any blades?" he asked, his eyes scanning the city street for a place to restock.
"No," You answered. The blades were still sharp enough to cut, but for how long?
He nodded, then turned to Malia and Karl, who were guarding your position. "Then let's continue fighting, even with you, boy; we are still taking casualties, I can't believe we were this unprepared." The captain said, more to himself than to anyone else. But it was a sentiment you could understand, but it would be a cold comfort to the families of the dead.
"We can't hold them off forever, Captain. There are too many," Malia pointed out, her arms now crossed. Her usual smile was gone, replaced by a serious expression. "Though we are doing a good job so far." Her attempt at optimism was a thin veil over the grim reality.
"I know...But that's what we signed up for," Karl answered, his gaze on the approaching Titans. "Wait...That one looks different." He pointed to a crawling Titan. Its arms were twisted in an unnatural way, and it jumped using its arms and legs to get ahead, a bizarre, almost frantic movement.
"An Abnormal...Dammit!" Kittel cursed under his breath.
"Not just one, Captain...Four more," you said, your eyes now fixed on the group of Abnormals. One was running with a large smile on its face, its arms flailing. Another one moved on all fours like an animal, its long hair trailing behind it. Then a short, stocky one was running fast. Lastly, the one that Karl had spotted kept jumping. Unpredictable movements are the worst-case scenario for any soldier.
Yet, you were ready. A fire that had been suppressed for years was now a blazing inferno. You needed to kill them. All of them. You had the skill, and now you had the chance.
[2 Garrison Units Lost]
[Large Titan Wave Defeated]
-x-X-x-
You rushed to fight one of them, the one who jumped. You aimed your hooks towards one of the Titans. The hooks dug into the flesh, the cables taut, and you launched yourself into the air. You were ready to use it to angle your movement using the Titan cover...But then.
CHOMP
You had to swerve in mid-air to avoid the jaw of the jumping Abnormal; the gas from your ODM gear let out a high, razor-thin shriek as you tilted to the side. The Titan's teeth missed you by inches, the rush of air moving its foul breath past you. The creature's long arms reached out for you, but you were already too high.
You glanced back; you had not expected the abnormal to move so erratically. The other four were now approaching the rest of the garrison squadrons.
"There are five of them..." One of the garrison soldiers gulped down his saliva. "Not even the Survey Corps can handle..."
"They are so fast..." Another one added.
"Are you going to let that cadet do your job?" The soldier from earlier, the one who had shouted orders to go to headquarters before Captain Kittel had arrived, shouted.
"It's not...like I wanted...to...let him do my work..." Another soldier replied.
This was the first direct interaction with other squadrons, the ones who had been watching you for a while now. Their gazes were on you as you flew, their expressions filled with awe, jealousy, and a little bit of shame. They were trained soldiers, yet a cadet was showing them up. But the adrenaline was kicking in for them. The need to live. But the soldier was set on putting them out of it.
"You are not the only ones with families! Everyone else is counting on you!" The soldier shouted at them to get them into form. He himself did not want to be here; he had hoped that he could stay by the side of Captain Kitz Woermann until all this was over. He was now forced to step forward and join in the fighting. "How are you going to face your comrades if you don't fight!"
You weren't able to distinguish words from the shouts; you focused entirely on maneuvering and trying to find a clean way of killing the jumping abnormal. Your ODM gear whirred as you shot your hooks back into its back, its jumping sending you upward with it. But you held on, you had to hold on to kill it.
"Dammit!" The soldier shouted, "I am not letting that stupid cadet die alone!" He was now readying himself as well to join the battle, a glimmer of courage in his eyes, the courage that the other soldiers were lacking. But he wouldn't be able to join the fight.
In a sudden, unpredictable move, one of the abnormal Titans, running on all fours, a beast with wild hair, launched itself into the sky and crunched on the soldier's body mid-air, the soldier barely having any time to scream as the titan's teeth snapped shut. It landed on all fours, licking its bloodied lips.
The fear was now palpable, a wave of silence spreading through the other soldiers. The sight was enough to freeze them in place. The soldier who had shouted for them to fight was now dead, a reminder that bravery alone was not enough to survive. Yet, even though they felt fear, even though their minds told them not to, even though their hearts were beating like crazy, they had no other choice but to join the fight for their comrades.
"RARGGGHHH!" They shouted as they shot their hooks towards the four Abnormals. Yet, their bravery wasn't enough; the Abnormals compounded with the many pure titans still coming forward. They were quickly swarmed. Two of them were killed almost immediately; one soldier was crushed by a titan's foot after losing contact with a tree, and the other's head was snapped by another titan's hand. Yet, they continued to move, trying to distract and take out the Titans, even through all that fear, you had shown them that it wasn't impossible and that they had to try.
"ATTACK! ATTACK!" Captain Woermann shouted, his face grimacing as he saw the carnage from the wall. There were no other orders, other than to attack and kill. Whether this was to motivate the soldiers or a mere act of desperation was unknown.
The soldiers of the Walls descended, joining the fray and slaughter. Altisia, the red-haired girl, could only watch from the wall as her comrades and the older soldiers fell one by one. But she continued to pass gas canisters and blades to the soldiers who returned for them. Though a cold sweat ran down her face as she saw more and more of them return, with fewer numbers each time.
Meanwhile, you had managed to slice through one of the arms of the Jumping Abnormal. A loud shriek escaped the titan's lips. The titan fell onto the ground, writhing in pain as steam emitted from its now severed arm.
"NOW!" You shouted, signaling Malia and Karl to join the attack on the now vulnerable titan.
"Got it!" Karl said, shooting hooks of his own into the ground, then the Titan's chest, the gas pushing him forward into a spinning motion. His blades glinted, then slashed deep across the titan's neck. However, his cut wasn't deep enough. It wasn't enough to kill it.
The uncut arm of the Titan then flailed into the air, hitting Karl in the stomach, sending him flying into the ground, and making him cough out a spurt of blood.
"Karl!!!" Malia shouted in desperation, already in motion towards him to help him.
But the Titan was still alive, and it was getting up. Its teeth bared at you. Then you saw Captain Kittel in the corner of your eye, moving past you, you immediately rushed back into action. You aimed to cut the other arm of the Titan, your mind on one objective.
The Titan reacted quickly, its good arm swatting at you like a fly. The wind from its passage rushed past your face. You could feel the displaced air. A close call. But not close enough. You spun around with your swords drawn, a circular arc that cut off the Titan's other arm at the shoulder. The Titan roared in pain.
The Titan's roar was cut short. Captain Kittel shot up past your shoulder, like a hawk, his blades cutting a swift, perfect line across its nape. It collapsed. Steam poured from its neck in a great plume, hot and wet. The battle for that one was over. But there were others. Dozens of flying garrison soldiers are trying to take out the rest of the Titans. Captain Kittel just gave you a nod before heading off to try to keep the defense of the gate organized.
Malia was already by Karl's side, her hands checking for wounds, the ODM gear still attached to his body. She was diligent and fast.
"Shit! Shit! Karl, are you alright?" She asked, her hands already looking for a way to get him to a safe spot.
"I will...be..." Karl coughed again, more blood on his lips. The Titan's blow had cracked his ribs, maybe even punctured a lung. "It's a bit...painful," he said, a wry smile on his face.
Malia's face was a mask of concentration. She hooked her lines into the building behind her. "We're getting you out of here, hold on."
"No! Not yet! We have to help...the...boy...the cadet." Karl's gaze drifted from Malia's face to you, who was already scanning the area for another target.
"I have him," You said, your eyes fixed on the Abnormal that moved on all fours. It was chasing a group of Garrison soldiers, their movements panicked and clumsy. They were running, not fighting.
"I can do it..." Karl tried to get up, but a wave of pain shot through him, and he fell back.
"Don't be a fool," Malia snapped, her hands now working to detach the ODM gear from Karl's back to make it easier to carry him.
"I won't die here..." Karl said, his voice fading, the fight draining from him. The wry smile was gone, replaced by a grimace.
"We're not dying here, either. I am bringing you to the wall, and you will get to be praised for a battle you did not do much in. Just like you always say." Malia gave him a small, sad smile as her grip tightened.
Just then, the stomps of two more titans came towards the trio. The hit had thrown Karl too out of position, and Malia had blindly followed Karl's lead. Now, there were two Pure Titans, a 5-meter one with a wide jaw and a lanky 8-meter one with a strange haircut. They were closing in.
"Malia...go..." Karl whispered, his gaze locked on the approaching titans.
"Like hell I will! I got you!" she grunted, her hands finally getting the gear off him. "Hold on, this will be rough." She wrapped her arms around his chest and fired a hook onto the nearest building, but there was no nearby building, and the wall was too far away. "Dammit...Dammit..." She looked around, her eyes desperate.
You saw from afar the desperation in Malia's body language. Getting to kill those two Titans would not be easy; you would have to rely on your momentum and hope the gas would last. It was dangerous. But you had to help them.
"I'm sorry, Karl..." Malia said as the titans got closer, their mouths opening.
You began your flight; any mistake would cost the three of your lives. The ODM gas whirred as you angled your approach...
-x-X-x-
One of the Titans reached down to pick up the two of them, Malia trying her best to run away, but against the tall monstrosities, she was a slow-moving target. The Titan's shadow fell over them, and its long fingers began to curl.
Karl smiled, as if he had accepted his fate. "You know...I..."
One hundred meters.
Malia didn't stop, tears flowing as she ran while dragging Karl's entire weight on her small frame. "Save it for later!" She screamed in desperation, hoping they would make it.
Fifty meters.
The Titan's fingers were already close enough to make the air near Malia and Karl's shift with each subtle move of its digits. It was over.
But then.
Shrrkkt
Steam gushed from the nape of the 8-meter titan, your blades cutting through the flesh as you flew overhead, your momentum carrying you forward. You saw the titan's hand stop inches above Malia's head as it collapsed on its knees.
"Run! Or you will get caught when it falls!" You shouted with such force that Malia snapped out of her fear-induced state and did as she was told. She ran away, the titan's body falling right behind her, crushing the ground where they had just stood.
You didn't waste any time; you had a second one to take care of.
The 5-meter titan was now close. Your gas supply wasn't great, and you didn't have the best angle. But there was no other choice, you hooked into its leg and propelled yourself in a convex trajectory, one that brought you close enough to the ground that you felt the grass against your back. As soon as you passed it, you connected the hook to its back and landed the finishing blow. Another titan down.
You fell down with the Titan to the ground, standing where its nape had been. Dust and steam filled the air. You panted. The blades on your gear were now broken from the impact. You jumped off the Titan and towards Malia.
"Get back to the wall...go with him..." You said, taking a deep breath. Your throat burned. You looked at Malia's face, her expression a mixture of gratitude and shock.
"I...I..." She stammered, her hands still shaking as she held onto Karl.
"Get him out of here," You said, knowing full well that he needed to get back to the wall as soon as possible.
"Yes..." Malia replied as she looked at Karl's face, with a little bit of blood on his cheek. She wasted no more time.
Altisia, upon seeing them, rushed to help Malia, taking Karl's other arm and helping her bring him to the safety of the top of the wall. Altisia's red hair was now sticking to her face with sweat and grime. "Hang in there," she told Karl in a small voice.
You turned around. The chaos hadn't stopped. The Garrison soldiers still fought a losing battle. You had to go back, and so you ran. You were starting to get tired. Fighting Titans wasn't as easy as you would have hoped. The stress, the focus, and the concentration. It all felt heavier with each titan you fought.
The 5-meter class Abnormal that had killed the soldier earlier was now being cornered by a group of soldiers. They were working together. You saw the glimmer of hope in their eyes as they managed to get the titan onto its knees.
"This is it! Keep going!" One of the soldiers shouted as he flew towards the titan's nape, aiming for the kill.
The cut was successful, but the strewn bodies around the ground were a clear indication that they had paid a heavy price for their kill. Limbs, heads, and half-chewed bodies littered the area. The Garrison had managed to kill some titans, but the cost was high.
You held tight onto your blades, intent on making another kill. As soon as you were within range, you jumped and flew towards Captain Kittel. Intent on finishing this wave of Titans. Not wanting to allow a single one to make it past the gate.
***
You had done it. The last Titan in the immediate vicinity had fallen. You stood panting amidst the rubble and steam, the metallic scent of blood and hot steam heavy in the air. Your sweat clung to your uniform, the fabric stiff with drying titan blood. You were out of blades. You looked around, and you saw wounded and hastily bandaged soldiers looking to the horizon. There were Titans, but only far away. A small win for now.
At the gate, one of the cannons had exploded not long ago, the overheating causing it to rupture, killing many in the process, with a few managing to hang on for dear life. Captain Kittel stood there, hands on his hips, looking at the carnage. His face was grim. He looked tired. His face had not been this tired in years. Not since the fall of Shiganshina.
Then he looked at you. A different kind of exhaustion in his eyes. "Conrad," He managed to say, "Good fucking job," his breath came out in ragged gasps, but a small, tired smile crept on his face. "Good job, son."
You gave a small nod in return, too exhausted to say anything.
Then, a soldier rushed towards the captain, his face pale and frantic. "Captain! We've just heard from HQ! We are retreating! We will hold the Inner Gate!" he shouted.
The news was a slap to the face. All those lives, all that effort.
"WHY!?" You screamed, not a question but more so a demand to know, to try and understand the reason behind all that bloodshed. "Why are we retreating!?" A rage you had not felt since Shiganshina started to bubble within you, hot and potent. The rage was a familiar coat.
Captain Kittel ran a hand through his hair, the sweat making it stick to his forehead. "The mission was to stall the titans, not to stop them here." He pointed at the bodies and remaining soldiers. "We don't have enough men to do this without dying pointlessly."
"Pointlessly? What about them!?" You pointed at the dead bodies, at the blood on the ground, at the empty uniforms and shattered ODM gear.
"It wasn't pointless, boy," Captain Kittel said, his voice flat. "We slowed them down. Now go to the inner gate. That is an order. If the Armored reappears, we have a better chance of stopping it inside the city than here."
He wasn't wrong. He wasn't being cruel. He was right. He was being logical. He was a soldier, not a cadet who had been fighting for the very first time. And the anger subsided, replaced by a cold, hard understanding.
"But—" You tried to speak, but the words were caught in your throat. Silence came over as you saw the faces of the other soldiers. They were exhausted, wounded, and broken. They wanted this to be over. You looked around at the faces; all of them looked relieved. Then you saw the faces of the dead soldiers, their eyes still open in a silent scream.
You let out a sigh, the air from your lungs pushing back the last bit of your anger. "Fine," you said, the word tasted bittersweet. You had hoped you could have saved more lives. But the images of countless soldiers getting eaten in front of you while you were focused only on killing the Titans finally came back to you. You had not managed to save them all. No matter how hard you tried, no matter how strong you were. You were only one person, after all.
"You've done enough for now, soldier." Captain Kittel's hands landed on your own. He held you in a tight grip, giving you a handshake that made your tired body flinch for a moment. "Go," He ordered one more time. The command had a weight to it, one that you had to respect.
"Thank you...Captain," you replied. The name felt heavy.
You fired your hooks onto the wall. The gas from your gear was low, but enough to get you to the top. As you ascended, you saw the Titans still converging on your position. No matter how many you killed, there were always more. The sheer endlessness of them. It was a war of attrition, and humanity was on the losing side.
When you landed on top of the wall, you saw Malia, Karl, and Altisia. Karl was on the ground on a stretcher, with Malia looking over him, cleaning the wound. Altisia kept working tirelessly to bring out the supplies and help the wounded. You looked at your hands. Your trembling hands.
You looked up. The screams of the Garrison soldiers, the roars of the Titans, the clanging of blades, the thundering cannons, the steam, the dust. You could have died. You almost died. How you managed to keep yourself calm while fighting, you did not know. But now that the immediate danger was over, your body felt the exhaustion and the aftermath of adrenaline.
You sat on the ground, your back against the cloudy skies. You closed your eyes, trying to process everything. You tried to think of the girls' smiling faces, of their gentle touch, of their warm embrace, of their sweet taste. But the only thing you saw was the face of the soldier who had been eaten. His terrified eyes. His silent scream. The image was burned into your eyelids.
"Conrad?" Whose voice was that? A female's. A girl's. A blonde. Adelaide? Historia? "Are you alright? Y-You?" The stammering brought you back to reality. You opened your eyes, and it was Altisia. A red-haired girl with green eyes, with an attempt at a smile. She tried to hand you a canteen full of water.
"Thanks," You said, your throat dry. The water was cool and refreshing.
"I...I saw you from up here." The girl's face was shy, and she looked away. "You...You managed to help so many."
You didn't say anything. You weren't amazing. You were a survivor. A lucky one at that.
"My...my name is Altisia." She extended a hand to you. "Altisia Lorch."
You didn't take her hand. You just gave her another nod. "Conrad Almonacid." You then took another sip of water from her canteen.
"You...You were really something else. The things you did...with the Abnormals...Karl will be fine, just so you know. The wound is deep, but he will live thanks to you." She started to ramble, her cheeks turning red. "I've thought that the strongest soldiers were in the Survey Corps—" You stopped listening at that moment. How could she talk so much? The screams still echoed in your ears. You decided to ignore it all.
'Where is Historia, Adelaide, Annie?' You thought for a second. The thought of your three lovers now made your stomach turn. You wanted to see them. You needed them...here with you. How selfish. No, they were safer in the inner walls, further from the danger. That was the right choice.
But for a brief moment, you saw the flash of Eren's face. The raw anger, the frustration. You hoped that they all had made it back to headquarters safely. Then you saw Mikasa's. Her usual calm expression. You thought of them, your friends, and you knew that they were all capable of handling themselves.
You also thought of your sister. That determined look in her eyes as she ran past you. You knew deep down that she was fine. She would always be.
"We are all really counting on you, Conrad," Altisia said, pulling you back from your thoughts. "I will always be watching if you need blades or gas. All you need to do is signal it." She gave you a shy smile, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. "I will always..."
The girl was interrupted by the Captain Kittel, who walked up to her. "Lorch, grab some food and bring it here. Now. " The Captain's tone was enough to send her scurrying off. "Get the others as well, they'll need the energy."
Altisia didn't protest. She just nodded and ran off.
Captain Kittel then turned to you. "Captain Weilman has just told me that he is leaving me in charge of the gate; he is going to get reinforcements from HQ and the military police." He shook his head. "I think he wants to be as far from the front as possible."
"Not the only one," You replied, thinking of the soldiers around you. They were all exhausted and scared. You looked at the horizon. The Titans were getting closer. But slower now. As if they were savoring their victory.
"You've done your part, Conrad." He placed a heavy hand on your shoulder. "And thanks. Karl and Malia told me what you did. That was... brave." He looked at you with a mixture of respect and pity. "Just wish the rest of the garrison were as good as you, and we wouldn't need to put kids like you into battle." He said, interrupted only by the sounds of cannons firing into the breach. "I guess I bear part of the blame for allowing you stay here. But you... You were the reason we managed to hold this long, but you need a break. The reinforcements from HQ will be here soon, and we can hold from inside the walls." He pointed to the distance, where the headquarters of the Garrison were.
"The other cadets?" You asked, your thoughts going back to Adelaide and Historia.
"At headquarters helping with supply and communications as they should, you can trust that," Kittel answered, with the assurance of a seasoned soldier. "Evacuation is going well, but it will take a few hours to get absolutely everyone out. We have to hold until then."
You were glad your three girls weren't in the middle of all of this, not having to see the bodies and the blood, not having to smell the Titan's steam. You looked at the setting sun. The battle had only lasted a few hours, and yet it felt like an entire day. This was the real struggle of a soldier. Not just fighting the Titans, but also fighting the fear and exhaustion.
How long would it take for reinforcements to arrive? Would you even be able to hold at the inner gate? Too many questions, and not enough answers. You drank the last bit of water from the canteen and gave it back to Altisia, who had just returned with several loaves of bread, dried meat, and cheese. It was a banquet, and it piqued the attention of Captain Kittel for the worse.
"Soldier Altisia! Where did you get all of this?" The Captain asked.
"A-ah...The soldiers," She said, pointing at them, "They said that Conrad should eat first, so I just..."
The garrison soldiers all just nodded and smiled. It was an unsaid gift to a soldier who had helped so much. A gesture of thanks. One you didn't know how to accept, as you looked away from Altisia's blushing face.
"Well...I guess a break is in order." Captain Kittel nodded, "We've done all we can here." He then took one of the loaves and started to eat.
The rest of the squad soon gathered around, their movements slow, deliberate. The food was a small comfort in the face of the approaching Titans, whose silhouettes loomed in the distance like grotesque statues. The silence was punctuated only by the sound of chewing and the distant, muffled roars of the Titans.
"Here," Altisia handed you a piece of bread and cheese. Her hands were shaking. She sat next to you, not too close, but close enough. You took the food without a word. The bread was a bit stale, the cheese a bit salty. It was the best meal you had ever had. You devoured it, your stomach growling in protest. You hadn't realized how hungry you were. Your body was a furnace, burning through calories at an alarming rate.
"That's the thing," Malia said as she sat across from you, her legs crossed. "You always get hungry after a good fight. A soldier always needs his energy, I guess." She smiled. The exhaustion was a thin veil over a deep-seated fear, but her words were a valiant attempt at normalcy.
One that wouldn't last very long.
-x-X-x-