Chapter 1 – Prologue to the Epilogue

"Hey mom, dad, Kristofer… I'm home…"

For some reason, those are the only words that come to mind as I stand over the rubble of my home. Well, then again, considering, I guess it could make sense. Who wouldn't want to say that they're home after something like that? After thinking that they wouldn't ever return to the place where they were born? When they finally return to where they were raised, and where the fondest of their childhood memories were crafted from nothing… Who wouldn't want to say that they were home?

Well, it's more so a joke than anything for me. I can't help but laugh at how far I've come since that day. I'm not helpless like I used to be. But, then again…

"Frelich! It's time to move!"

I strike my fist over my heart, and give my commander an acknowledgement

"Yes, Sir!"

Not the time to think, and I simply follow suit with the rest of the group and mount my horse. Commander gave me this opportunity because we happened to be here. He gave the opportunity to everyone who came from Shiganshina, specifically because we happened to be here. I think there's only one other person here, though. Remaining, that is. His name's Diether Bräuer. He was in my training group. Though he was the top of the class back then, while I was about less than average, I can say we're about even now. It doesn't really matter at this point, however.

"You too Bräuer!."

The obvious "Yes, Sir!" on Bräuer's part, and he walks away from his own home rubble. Funny. He lived on the same street as me and I never even knew it. He must've been a shut-in of some sort. Had he ever gone outside, I would've seen him. I always loved to play outside with my brother. 'Course, he always found a way to get himself hurt in a way that made mom mad at me, but it was fun nonetheless. Kris even apologized to me when it happened. Seriously, if only he wasn't so clumsy… I can't help but laugh at my memories of his slip-ups. They were always the best.

When he was younger, Kris used to call me "Ree" in lieu of "Suritsu" because he seemed to have trouble pronouncing the "Tsu". He could get every other part of the name right, but, because of that "Tsu", he decided to just shorten it to "Ree." Sometimes, it sounded as if he had nicknamed me "Lee", and people ended up getting confused about my gender. I didn't care all that much, though. Kris was just too cute for me to stop.

"What're you thinking about, Ritsu?"

As for Bräuer, however, he has this annoying habit of shortening my first name to "Ritsu".

"Full first, or use my last, Bräuer."

I can't even imagine how many times I've used that phrase with him. At this point, it's either grown old or become a catch phrase. It could be both for all I know, but Bräuer shows no sign of believing it to be either. He just has that nervous slash embarrassed smile on his face that he expresses in such a perfect way. Y'know, the one where your eyebrows' curves are concave as opposed to their normal curve. A somewhat embarrassed laugh thing. Dunno what it's called.

"Aw, c'mon. Give me a break just this once?"

I glance over at him, holding back my normal answer for just this once. Considering the situation we're in, it'd be cruel not to let him have his way. Just once, anyways. Not like he's likely to get another chance. I let out a sigh and relent.

"Gah, fine. But I can call you Diether."

He scoffs at this for an obvious reason, which he takes the time to voice out.

"I've already told you: you can call me that whenever you want."

I can't help but roll my eyes at his retort. I'm tempted to tell him to get his priorities straight, but whatever priorities he had, I had, or even the commander had got thrown to hell a little while back. Excuse my choice of words, but I can use anything I want when I'm thinking. Then again, I can use whatever I want when I'm talking as well, but I choose the path of politeness and civilized speech.

I've been hella rude to Bräuer, though. I kinda regret it sometimes. Y'know what, I'll make some conversation with him for a change. Not the first time I've ever done it, but it's nice to try and keep an even ratio of who starts the conversations.

"Hey, Bräuer, were you by-"

"Weren't you going to call me Diether?"

Oh, so you remembered I said that, eh? Smart-arse. Fine, be that way.

"Fine then, Diether, We're you by any chance a shut-in?"

This, my friends, is how to create conversation. Forget any and all social boundaries, and just ask about what you're curious about. And, if you don't have anything you're curious about, then figure one out. The look on Bräuer's face is priceless.

"Where would you get that idea!?"

I gesture back towards the rubble of a building that he was standing at. Well, I gesture backwards, at least, as the rubble's been out of sight for a while now.

"Your home's on the same street as mine. Never saw you, though, and I was outside all the time."

He throws me a condescending glance. A few years ago, I would have never thought that he was capable of such a thing. Then again, trial and hardship brings you closer than anything would…

"So what? Who's to say that was my home?"

That's a terrible argument, Bräuer. "That fact that you were standing over it."He turns his head completely to face me. That's a challenge if I ever saw one. Bring it, Bräuer.

"That doesn't mean that it's my home." A grin passes onto his face, and I allow one to pass onto mine. I'm not going to fall for that one. If I ask what it could be, he could say that it was a memorial site that he just commissioned and I would lose right there. "Commander said we were only to visit our homes." That's a tad more likely to get the truth out of him.

And then the grin drops from his face. So it is his home. But why make such a big deal out of it? Perhaps it's best not to ask. "You can ask if you want." Bräuer's words cross my ears almost immediately after I think that it might not be a good idea. An even better reason, then, to not ask him about it.

Best change the subject for good measure. "Nah…. Bräuer-" "Diether" Gotts darnt, he's not gonna let up, is he? "Diether, have you ever wanted, like-" . . . What was I just about to ask? That would've been embarrassing as- Oh gott, I know that look in his eye. "Have I ever wanted… what?" I wave my hand through the air in a desperate attempt to derail what I just started.

"Nothing, nothing! Tell me, do you have any hints on how to maintain and boost velocity with the Three-" He silences me with a quick and sharp "Sh" before his grin returns. "You're not getting away that easily." Fine. I'll hit you with a hard comment then.

A moment of silence as he waits for me to submit to his will and tell him what I was about to mention. However, this silence works in my favor. "Y'know… Commander hasn't said anything about the talking, has he?" Instant somberness. Maybe not the best escape, but… It's actually something that's been on my mind.

Normally, by this point, commander would've told us to focus and save our breath and voices for when we really needed it. However, he hasn't said anything. The same goes for the rest of our group. Asofar, we've been the only two who's been talking the entire time while everyone else has stayed dead silent. In all truthfulness, it's quite inappropriate to talk right now…

After all, we're cut off. And, considering how deep we are in their territory... Despite the plan we've come up with to make it back to Trost… Despite how skilled we might just be… And even despite the fact that we are an element of advanced experience of the Recon Corps…

We might as well be Titan food.

Author's note:

Welcome to my fanfiction/derivative work of Attack on Titan. Please enjoy your stay, and leave your thoughts if you have the time~ The theme for this story, wherever it's going to go, is this:

.

I fight with the knowledge that the Wings of Freedom are spread wide upon my back.

And I know that all who stand against me will fall in the name of that Freedom.

I am of the Recon Corps.

And this is where you fall.

.

Main characters asofar: ((Mainly for my reference because my memory sucks recently.))

Suritsu Frelich – Shiganshina District

Diether Bräuer – Shiganshina District