Commander Erwin asked him for secrecy; Captain Levi's humorless gaze swore him to it.
As night approached, the squad loaded up their gear: 4 sets of ODM gear, 6 spare blades each, and a cargo-cart full of compressed air canisters, food provisions, and water rations. The generous supplies didn't make Captain Neille feel any more confident about going beyond the walls.
Neille looked at his newly assembled squad, now saddling up and strapping into their ODM gear. They could've been the most qualified soldiers he'd ever have the honor of knowing— it still didn't change the fact that he didn't belong there, and he didn't want to be there, either.
Neille was a top-tier cadet— third in his class, giving him the option to pick his placement. The thought of Mom's warm, homemade muffins, in addition to the benefit of never seeing an enemy over two meters high made the choice easy. He thought that an easy and safe existence had been laid out for him.
That was, until Commander Erwin and his goons invaded his life.
It all happened too quickly to comprehend. It was a typical weekend, and the weather had turned dreary, forcing the interior squad into their quarters and out of the bars. Commander Erwin's ominous, shocking knock on Neille's door couldn't be discerned from the claps of thunder outside.
"Captain Neille," Erwin had said. "Please pardon my abruptness, but you are being transferred to the Survey Corps, effective immediately."
Neille was too stunned to respond. Also, there was something unnerving about the small Asian man who lingered close to Erwin's right hand. His demeanor was as forgiving as a sharpened guillotine. After a few moments of watching green-cloaked soldiers packing up his belongings and shuffling them out of the apartment, Neille found his voice.
"No— you can't do this to me. I worked for this, I made the choi—"
Neille was caught off-guard by the speed of Erwin. Erwin seemingly teleported across the room, appearing directly in front of Neille's face. His breath was warm, and his breathing seemed frantic.
"You made the wrong choice, Neille. Humanity's fate is going to be decided by it's soldiers. You're one of our best, and I have a mission for you, far more important than your current one of wasting your talents inside of these walls."
Neille meant to retort, but before he had even realized it, he was packed into Erwin's carriage and was being briefed on the information regarding his mission.
Why couldn't I say no to him? Neille thought. Did I know he was right, or was I too startled to say anything?
Some men have an energy, a passion, that sweeps all others into its unyielding current. Is Erwin one of them?
"Oy, Captain— you gonna get your gear on or not? Or, did you forget how to strap in while lazing about in the interior?" Peter Kard interjected, ending Neille's unpleasant daydreaming.
Peter was second in command, a single-handed slice specialist, and also a proverbial pain in the ass. His cocky attitude only went as deep as his voice, Neille thought, as he noticed the strong, upright position he saddled with.
Rowina, the squad's most veteran soldier spoke up, "Cut the attitude, small-fry. You might've been top of your cadet class, but you're still green as the cloak on your back, and that man is still our Captain, despite his lack of experience and motivation."
Neille had noticed the cold glances Rowina had been consistently giving him all that day,and couldn't ignore the razor-sharp edge on the word motivation as she said it. She obviously was jealous, and probably even more confused regarding the matter of her not being the position of Captain for this mission, and not even second in command. Neille didn't blame her; hell, he wished she were in charge of this assignment, too.
As Neille buckled into his gear and saddled up, the fourth and final member of his illustrious squad chimed in as well.
"Boss," Ivan said, "Can you give us any more info about what we're doing? We're going on nothing here."
Ivan seemed apt enough, but had developed an annoying habit of calling Neille boss. What had caused him to do this? Was it something he said?
"I've told you all that I know, soldier," Neille said as his mind drifted yet again to the fateful encounter with Erwin Smith.
He was back in Erwin's carriage again.
"The Scout Regiment isn't going to make it to Shiganshina, but you will."
Erwin pointed to a street and house on the map of the town, and then pulled a small, golden key from a pocket in his overcoat.
"This key will give you access to a basement in the house I've labeled on this map. You will search this basement until you find the information we need to understand the titans."
Neille hastily asked, "But what am I looking for?"
"You will know when you find it," Erwin said.
"But how?"
Erwin drew a deep breath. After what seemed like minutes, he spoke.
"The knowledge in that basement will seem like a fairy tale. If you can't believe it, then it's the truth."
Neille had rolled his eyes and was ready to retort again when Erwin pressed forward again, thrusting the key into Neille's hands.
"Humanity is counting on you."
Yeah, and, so is this old, hell-bound fool, who has the gall to ask this favor of me, Neille had thought.
The sudden rain brought Neille back to the present.
So be it, he thought. Even if this Erwin character had intimidated me into subordination, I'll still do this mission, and I'll do it well, so well that I'll never have to see his terrible face again.
"Squad Neille," Neille called out. "The conditions for our departure tonight are not ideal; however, it seems like nothing about our mission will be ideal, so get used to this feeling."
The moon shone on the four members of Squad Neille and glistened the rain-soaked metal of their ODM blades. Their horses shifted uneasily in the immense darkness of that cool and wet autumn night.
"I don't have a way with words like your dear Commander, so I'll keep it brief, and hopefully rouse you all into cooperation with his favorite line."
For the first time all day, the squad appeared to be actively listening to his words. They stared at him as he adjusted in his saddle, suddenly aware of the gravity of the position he had been entrusted with.
He couldn't help but imagine the families that each of his new comrades came from, the love and memories contained in their minds and souls, and the sweet, warm smell of freshly-made muffins.
"Humanity is counting on you."