Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin/Attack on Titan.
Reader disclaimer: updates will be sporadic. I'll try to update as often as possible, maybe once a week, but that will be very difficult so don't count on it too much. Weeks may go by before my updates because I am rather busy but I enjoy writing as a stress-reliever. I'll try to make the main chapters longer than this one, but this is a bit of a prologue so bear with me. Enjoy...
Erika Cho lay perfectly still in the ruins of her trampled cottage, the shade casting a dark shadow across her petite frame. The rumbling vibrated throughout her bones and she shut her brown eyes, trying to keep her breathing steady. She let out a tiny squeak as some rubble slid from the now-crumbled roof to the pit of the tiny basement she resided in. Mere seconds had passed since the monstrous titan had kicked over the place she once called home. Erika was in the basement when it had happened, but her parents were not so lucky.
The screaming was never-ending. Chaos resumed above her as the darkness crept inside of her. Every now and then she would hear someone nearby and would open her mouth to cry out, but no sound would escape. At one point the girl opened her eyes but found she was unable to shut them again. Anxiety increased as the sun made its descent in the sky and the noise slowly drew to an end. The day had ended.
And Erika was still there.
The pain in her stomach was what awoke her. The gasp was audible and did not help the fire in her parched throat. Muscles groaning, sixteen-year-old Erika Cho rolled onto her side. Her collar-length black hair was stuck to her neck in a dried sweat. The memories slowly approached and then ran her over without warning. Blood had seeped through the patchwork of the thatched roof that now hung a foot away from her face and she could not break her gaze with it. Did it belong to her mother, a chubby but lovable woman who did laundry around the neighborhood? Perhaps it belonged to her father, a tall merchant who worked in the busy part of Zhiganshina. Either way she could not comprehend this massive blow…or the tears streaking down her face. How long had she been crying anyway?
How could her entire world be wiped away in the blink of an eye?
Captain Erwin's boots clicked on the scattered stones as he surveyed the wreckage. His horse trotted alongside him leaving prints in the dirt street. Little did he know a girl lay trembling underneath his very feet.
"Any more survivors, heichou?"
Erwin turned to glance down at his small trainee. For what he lacked in height, Levi made up for in skill, and anyone could go on and on about his proficiency with taking down titans.
"None that I can tell," Erwin replied. "We should leave, it's been nearly an hour and this land now belongs to those beasts that plague our earth. Who knows how long it will be before they notice us."
The older man hopped on his horse and the younger man followed suit.
She knew they were there. How could someone ignore those heavy footsteps anyway?
Then they began to depart.
She panicked.
Opening her mouth as wide as possible, she let a scream rip through her.
But nothing left her throat.
Levi's green cape rippled behind him as his horse started moving. After a couple of steps however, the animal unexpectedly stopped.
"What the hell?"
The horse turned to face the ruins of the house they had just passed and cocked its head.
"Heichou," Levi called. His horse would not budge.
Erwin, a few meters in front, steered back around, "What is it, Rivaille?"
The horse lowered its head and began sniffing. Levi hopped off and began walking towards the house. Suddenly, he heard it.
It was faint. Only the sensitive ears of an animal could have picked it up from their juxtaposition.
Erwin slid off his horse and followed the young man. Together they shoved what was left of the woven roof away in a cloud of dust and rubble.
Erika Cho almost blended into the dirt ground, her small figure dusted over and earth-colored clothing making a perfect camouflage. She tried to open her eyes, but found that she could not.
After all, it had been a full day since she had seen sunlight. She could not even speak, only signaling the horse, and eventually the men, over with clicks of her dry tongue.
Erwin dropped down into the pit and gently rolled her onto her back.
"Rivaille!" He said urgently, "Get me some water and a blanket."
Levi retrieved the canteen of water from his horse's pack, but found there did not seem to be a blanket. Nonetheless, he found himself handing Erwin the water and watched as he tipped some into her mouth.
"Where's that blanket?" He demanded, "She's in shock."
"Sir, there was no blanket."
"Then give me your cloak. She needs something and I only have my jacket."
Levi reluctantly removed his cloak and handed it over. As much as he wanted to be of help, the girl looked ridden with bacteria.
Erwin wrapped it around her tightly and scooped her up, carrying her out of the destroyed ruins.
