Chapter Summary: SnK AU. Their 100 years of peace was over. In the first calamity, death bred a Soldier.
Warnings: Gore, Language, Titans.
Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or Shingeki no Kyojin.
A/N: This is what happens when I finish 14 episodes of Shingeki no Kyojin in one night. Some prior knowledge of the Manga/Anime will be helpful as you read!
In loving memory of "Sie sind das Essen, weir sind die Jaeger!"
Breaking Walls:
Prey
Chapter 1: Rhys
845 - Wall Sina
The noble Kirkland manor felt tremors before they heard frantic footsteps.
Two men sharing a drink in the drawing room paused their conversation. The watch ripples form in their cups.
A Garrison worker forcefully shoved through the police personnel stationed outside the hall.
The master of the house and distinguished aristocrat of Wall Sina, Robert Kirkland saw the commotion and ordered his men to stand down, his commanding voice proof of his rank as former Military Police Captain. "Soldier," he turned to the newcomer, "report."
The young man shakily assumed position, right fist over his heart and left fist behind his back. "L-Lord Kirkland, we have lost the Zhiganshina district! Not only that - the southern part of Wall Maria has been breached! Civilian evacuations are currently in process! The Monarchy requests your presence in the capital, Sir!"
The effect was instantaneous.
Robert stiffened his frail spine. "Has Supreme Commander Romulus been informed of the situation?"
"Yes, sir, he is on his way to the capital and so are the current Commanders except the Scouting Legion!"
Robert turned to his oldest son. "Alistair, where are your brothers?"
Alistair supplied the answer without thinking. "Patrick's at guard duty in Wall Rose, Rhys, the bastard, is coming back from recon, and the brat's with his recruit training squad... inside Wall Maria."
Alistair felt his breath catch.
"Son, tell me, do you know exactly where?"
Alistair tried to remember. "...No, I, Arthur..."
His father briskly grabbed his walking cane and entered the carriage sent for him outside. Lord Kirkland looked apologetic, but stern. "Son, your allegiance is to your Monarchy. Remember that. That's your duty as Military Police. Carry it out."
The carriage door closed and his son could only make a fist over his heart and nod.
Regardless of his words, Alistair knew this wasn't his Father anymore.
No, this was the King's loyal subject.
Because in Wall Sina, the King is prioritized above all.
Above commoners.
Above soldiers.
Above nobles.
And if the King wished it so, above blood.
Alistair watched the carriage disappear before gathering his squad.
To the protection of the Monarchy, he tells them.
"Keep your calm."
"No need to alert the citizens."
"Check your Three Dimensional Maneuver Gear - see that you have enough swords and gas in your tanks. Make sure your grapple hooks aren't defective, but don't activate them here - we don't have permission yet."
"Let's move out."
Their 100 years of peace was over.
He could only hope his brat of a brother wasn't stationed at Zhiganshina.
Where are you? Shit. Arthur, you better be okay.
845 - Between Wall Maria and Zhiganshina
"Canon duty is what we're learning. Cleaning canons," an irritated, snobby, foppish voice said. "Bloody hell... Do they know just how much my cravat costs? Probably more than this dirty crap."
The undergraduates of the 99th Trainee Squad were currently on top of Wall Maria, the outermost wall of humankind.
Today's lesson: the role of the Stationary Troops.
Also known as "the-shitty-things-that-my-brother-Patrick-calls-a -job."
"Ah! You can't talk like that, Arthur. What if Instructor Zwingli hears you?"
Arthur rolled his eyes. "Howard, my dear," he said patronizingly. "Instructor Zwingli is preoccupied with his rifle. Why he even has one when he's not part of the Military Police, I don't care to know as long as he's not pointing it at me."
The youngest Kirkland tsked. This was below someone of his caliber and social status. Arthur gave up scrubbing the canon and instead dangled his legs over the ledge, overlooking the town of Zhiganshina and the vast unknown beyond its walls. What a relief it was to be out of Wall Sina! "There," he pointed. "That's where I want to be. See the world with my own eyes."
Arthur frequently visited his Father's library, and considering how wealthy and powerful they are, they were in possession of some books that went under the radar. He'd look at those books for hours, staring and reading about it. Fanstasizing what could be out there. He's always been a very imaginative child, and he wondered how the pictures in his head compare to the real deal. He often exasperated his second-oldest brother with all the questions he has, the brother he looks up to the most, a proud member of the heroic Scouting Legion. "Yes, just like Rhys."
"Speaking of Rhys, Arthur, isn't he due to come back today? I hope nothing bad happened..."
Arthur smirked and clapped Howard, his family's long-time servant, on his back. "Lighten up, chap! That's my brother you're talking about! He was in the top 10 in his class. He could've entered the Police force - just like Dad intended - but he didn't want to." Arthur's eyes lit up. "Finally, after four years of training... Damn, I can't wait to show him my 3DMG!"
Howard fidgeted. "Are you sure I can't convince you otherwise, Arthur? Your family's very influential in the inner wall. I'm sure even if you're not in the elite 10, Master Kirkland can pull some strings to allow them to accept you into the Military Police."
"And then what? Alistair already dictates my moves at home just because he's superior in age - I don't want to have to answer to him because he's superior in rank too. Are you sure I can't convince you to join the Scouting Legion?"
A nasally voice interrupted. "What's this I hear? Kirkland, you're joining the Scouting Legion? Don't you know how death plagues its members?"
Arthur mood soured and he scowled at the newcomer. "Piss off, Bonnefoy. No one's talking to you. Besides, we all know you're aiming for the Stationary Guards." Arthur's scowl into a malicious grin. "You having fun cleaning out canons? 'Cuz that's what you'll be doing for the rest of your life."
Francis sighed and frowned. "Better in than outside the walls. Do you not understand that Wall Maria, Rose, and Sina are impenetrable? It has been for the last 100 years. Unlike the prestigious Police and Guards, the Scouting Legion does nothing of importance - they only become snacks for them."
The thought of Rhys being devoured didn't sit well with the younger brother.
Arthur bared his teeth. "You take that back."
Francis sneered. "How is it exactly that you, an aristocrat blessed with connections - who's supposed to aspire to be a Police! - worship the least liked branch of the government? You know how worthless your Father thinks of your dream, don't you?"
Family had always been a sensitive topic to Arthur.
It was precisely because of that that Francis hurt him where it mattered. He knew how much Arthur fakes he doesn't want his father's recognition, when he truly hungers for it in his acts of rebellion.
Arthur shaking was his only indication of fury, but having grown up with him, Howard knew what will happen.
"Arthur, stop!"
In a second Arthur was up and standing, fist heading to Francis in frightening speed and accuracy.
Francis's eyes widened, arms coming up to shield himself from the incoming blow.
He also knew how much Arthur can pack in his punches.
Suddenly, tremors wracked Zhiganshina, reverberating to Wall Maria, and Arthur's aim went wide. With nothing to transfer the energy he had in his swing, Arthur lost his balance and fell down the 50 meter wall towards the outer town.
Thanks to skills honed from his training, Arthur reached for the handgrips hidden in his jacket, fingers going straight for their triggers. Immediately, grapple hooks and industrial-strenght iron wire shot out of his gear situated on either side of his waist. The hooks embedded themselves in the wall and Arthur hang suspended in the air for a moment, weight focused on his right side due to the harness criss-crossing throughout his body. He looked towards Zhiganshina. "What the hell was that...?"
A voice shouted from above. "Arthur! Are you all right?" It was Howard. They had managed to balance by holding on to the canons.
"YEAH," he shouted back.
He retracted his wire back, dragging his body up, as pressurized gas hissed out of his gear and helped propel him towards the top of the wall with extreme speed. He idly heard a commotion down below, and once he landed back safely, he turned his head in curiosity.
What he saw made his heart drop to his stomach. His knees locked in place, and stopped breathing.
"Fucking Hell."
A giant with unprecedented height stood outside the outerwalls of Zhiganshina. Steam vapors puffed from his skinless body.
It's eyes were peering into the town.
It was one of them.
Monster.
Titan.
"My god..."
They weren't prepared for this.
The next thing anyone knew, the Titan's foot collided with the Zhiganshina gate. Boulders and pieces of concrete flew in every direction, landing on buildings and people. Powerful gusts of wind accompanied the strike and many civilians were swept in the chaos only to get their bodies smashed on various structures. Some had their ribs crushed under contact. Some were impaled on loose pipes from housings stripped by the gusts. Instantaneous deaths.
There was now a gaping hole in the wall.
They've been breached.
Women and children wailed as Stationary Guards direct the population to evacuate.
"Relay the situation to the Capital! Zhiganshina has fallen!"
In no time at all itans began pouring in, all shapes and classes.
The people broke out into a mass stampede, all hurrying to enter Wall Maria.
It was survival of the fittest.
People were trampled on, but no one bothered to notice.
Anyone who lagged behind was picked off by the pursuing titans.
They really weren't prepared for this.
Arthur turned to his friends. Howard was visibly shaking from fear.
The only one remotely functional was Francis.
"I-I'll go get help. Others must've seen this already, right? They should've. You and Howard, just..." Francis hesitated. He never thought he he'll have to say his following words, lured by their century long peace. "...Just don't die."
In a flash, Francis was down the wall.
He said he'd get help, but Arthur couldn't picture him anything but running away.
Arthur saw a woman get picked up by a grotesque titan, it's head too big for it's body. She pleaded but it fell on deaf ears. It bit off her screaming head. Blood gushed out and painted the monster's chin red before it swallowed the rest of her body with a grin.
He saw a man in the hands of another, holding him upside down by his feet. The titan held on his legs and spread them. Spreading and spreading until the man had been ripped in half, his guts spilling out like ribbons on the concrete. The titan then dropped his left side, like nothing but a mere rag doll, and chewed on the right side before moving on to the child immobilized in front of it. The man's left hand was still twitching from where it fell.
A foolish Garrison Guard tried helping, twin swords out. He was caught by a deviant type lying in wait. The titan proceeded to pull his body apart, limb by agonizing limb.
Everywhere there was screaming.
Everywhere there was blood.
It was calamity.
Arthur couldn't move.
All his training...
All of it, when the situation called for, amounted to nothing.
He's never felt so helpless.
He's never felt so useless.
Their only lines of defense against the Titans were Stationary Guards who have no fighting experience, dammit!
Any hope for help from the innerwall will not come. The Military Police, the elite they may be, will not be risked to save poor civilians. The King, nevermind the aristocracy, won't allow it as long as Wall Sina was standing.
The only ones who do have the experience and skill to defeat the titans were not even in the walls.
Arthur's never wished for his brother to come home as bad as he did then.
Rhys, where are you?
The news wouldn't reach the Capital in innermost Wall Sina for another two hours.
"Better in than out" huh, Francis? I don't think that makes a difference now.
A/N: Unedited version. Will edit later, if possible. Hello! Thank you for reading this! The idea just wouldn't leave my mind and it basically forced me to write this. I hope you enjoyed it!
Drop me a review to tell me what you think!
PM me my mistakes if you find any!
Information Available for Public Disclosure:
(56) Robert Kirkland: former Military Police (and my homage to Sir Robert Peel who created the British police force.)
(28) Alistair: Military Police captain of Squad 42
(25) Rhys: Scouting Legion officer
(23) Patrick: Stationary Troops officer of Squad 13
(18) Arthur: undergraduate of 99th Trainee Squad.
(18) Howard: undergraduate of 99th Trainee Squad and a Kirkland family servant (and the British spy in Hetalia canon.)
(19) Francis
Zwingli: Chief in Training of the 99th undergraduates.