The shadow loomed above, casting darkness over the plaza. It's presence seemed to freeze couldn't move. She could only hear

the screams of the people around her. She was oblivious to Gen-X pulling on her wrist. Her mind went blank. She couldn't move her legs.

'W-WE'RE GOING TO DIE!'

The day began with a bright sun, casting its rays down to the earth, splashing everything with color. The birds flew in the light breeze, chirping at one another.

Everything seemed normal as Marie, a short blond haired girl, and two of her friends, Generation-X, who is to be known as Gen-X, and Jade. Marie wasn't quite

sure how the two put up with her outgoing short tempered personality, but somehow, they both did, and she was grateful for that, even if she never said so.

Marie sighed happily, making her way through the crowd of people the mobbed the town plaza. She put her arms around her friend's shoulders and grinned.

"Thanks for helping me finish my chores!" She ruffled Gen-X's hair, pulling her arms off their shoulders. Jade grinned.

"You're welcome!"

Gen-X smiled softly.

"Yeah, it's not like we have much to do anyway."

Marie stuck out her tongue, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot, you two always get your chores done in the morning when you're supposed to…"

Gen-X and Jade exchanged glances and giggled. Marie grinned, and looked up at the sky.

"Hey, maybe when we get this stuff back to my dad, maybe he'll lend us some money and we can buy stuff at the market…"

Gen-X blinked, and smiled.

"That'd be awesome!"

Jade nodded in agreement and Marie grinned.

"It's a plan then?"

Gen-X and Jade nodded, and Marie grinned. She stuffed her hands in her pockets and turned to Jade.

"What about your brother? I thought you said he was coming…"

Jade blinked and rolled her eyes.

"Oh, yeah. He was, but he got caught up in something…" she shrugged, "not a big deal."

Marie nodded slowly.

"That reminds me, I haven't met him yet, have I?"

Jade shook her head and Marie giggled, leading the trio around a corner and down the street towards her house.

It didn't take long to reach her house, if you'd even call it that. It's pretty much a lab, filled to the brim with inventions of all sorts. Inventing ran through the

Stark family. Marie found it quite useful when it comes to repairing her left robotic arm.

She pushed the large oak wood front door open and glanced around, seeing if she could find her dad anywhere. He often busied himself with inventions, or

creating something new, Marie often didn't care. She was more into inventing weapons than new toasters.

"Dad, I'm home!"

Her dad popped his head out from behind a table, his dark brown hair a mess, like always, and his chocolate brown eyes dreary. He's looked this way since his

wife, Marie's mother, had died of a mysterious illness that Dr. Yeager had not been able to cure.

He greeted her with a weary grin, as he straightened up, running a hand through his hair.

"Did you get the scraps of metal I asked for?"

Marie nodded and set her backpack on a nearby table. Jade and Gen-X did the same, dipping their heads respectfully to Mr. Stark. The three girls exchanged

glances and Marie cleared her throat.

"Uhm, Dad, could you please lend us some money…?"

Her dad walked towards them, taking the backpacks and examining Marie's face.

"What do you need it for?"

Marie glanced at the floor, then back up at him, greeting his brown gaze with icy blue eyes.

"We were going to go to the market after we brought those back…"

Mr. Stark nodded, seeming a little distance, before reaching a pocket and pulling out his wallet, handing each girl twenty dollars.

"Behave, and make sure you get back here before dinner." He mumbled, taking the backpacks to his workbench, dumping the metal scraps over the table.

Marie turned to Gen-X and Jade and fist pumped, grinning, heading back out the front door and sprinting down the street, heading towards the city plaza. She

glanced over her shoulder to make sure her friends were following. She smiled, facing forward.

She stopped at the plaza and bent over, placing her hands on her knees and panting for breath. She straightened up and turned around, waiting for Gen-X and

Jade to catch up, when they did, Marie turned back around to face the bustling market. She grinned, and took a deep breath, plunging into the crowd.

Suddenly, a loud boom echoed through the town. The market place fell dead silent. Marie blinked and looked around, watching someone slowly lifted their

finger, pointing to the top of the wall. The shadowloomed above, casting darkness over the plaza. It's presence seemed to freeze couldn't move. She could only

hear the screams of the people around her. She was oblivious to Gen-X pulling on her wrist. Her mind went blank. She couldn't move her legs.

'W-WE'RE GOING TO DIE!' She thought as her heart pounded against her rib cage. She shook vigorously and she forced her legs to move, facing the terrified

Gen-X bit her trembling bottom lip. Marie looked over her shoulder again as an explosion sounded from the gate. She shook her wrist from Gen-X's grasp and

staggered a few steps.

"I-It's huge!" She whimpered, watching as titans filed through the hole in the wall and winding through the buildings, setting their sights on the defenseless

humans. Using all her willpower, Marie snatched Gen-X and Jade's wrists and hauled the two away from the plaza, moving as fast as she could. She looked

over her shoulder again, then turned, facing forward. She tightened her grip and sped forward, trying to get the two to snap out of whatever trance they were

in.

People swarmed around them, frantically trying to get away from the titans and towards wall Rose. Marie bit her lip, That was their destination too! Did people

have to make it so hard to get there!?

She froze. Dad… What about my dad!? Her eyes watered and she let go of her friend's wrists. Jade blinked, tapping her shoulder.

"Where are you going…?"

Marie whirled around to face her.

"I need to find my dad!"

Gen-X grabbed her shoulder and shook her head.

"Your dad's part of the military, he'll be fine!"

Marie shook, shaking her head wildly.

"But-!"

"No buts! We need to get to wall Rose!" Jade snapped. Marie jumped, startled by her friend's sudden outburst, but she was right. She clenched her fists and

nodded.

"A-alright…" She murmured. Gen-X glanced at Jade, and quickly hugged Marie, grabbing her wrist and dragging her towards wall Rose. Marie examined Jade's

face. Fear and worry. Marie cringed. She wasn't the only one who didn't know how their family was. Jade had her brother and father, and they were out there

somewhere. Marie sighed and looked towards wall Rose. It seemed so far away, yet the reached it in minutes, exiting into safety. Marie glanced over her

shoulder and felt her eyes tear up.

What do we do now…?