As the wind gently blew it's kiss across the landscape it made the trees above Seera's head dance around without a care in the world. The sounds of the leaves rustling made it sound almost like they were sighing.
With a soft smile spreading across her face, Seera herself, let out a sigh.
The sky that stretched to the beyond was clear blue that day, a blue that seemed to reach into the eternal, fictional corners of the earth.
Only a couple of clouds were leisurely floating across the upside-down sea.
"Hey Seera, look what I found."
A voice peirced her tranquil bliss.
Turning her head slightly she saw her adopted sister, Hayley, lopsided as she ran towards her clutching something in her hand.
"What is it?" Seera frowned, annoyed that her bliss had been disturbed.
Hayley's shoulder length Ginger hair swayed as she ran, an excited smile spread across her face.
Sitting up Seera let out a sigh, knowing her day off would be wasted.
"Isn't this neat? I found this little guy up near that rock pile over there..." Hayley explained, skidding to a halt as she approached her.
"It's not another four leaf clover is it?" Seera frowned. "Because that one you found didn't bring you much luck did it?"
"No, I found something much better." Hayley grinned opening her hand and revealing a grotesque centipede scuttling frantically in her hand.
"Ew, Hayely!" Seera yelled springing to her feet and moving a few steps away. "You know that stuff grosses me out. Quit it."
"I don't know how. This little guy is awesome." Hayley then looked around her and took in her surroundings. They were sitting ontop of a grassy hill in a small meadow near the wall of the town of Shiganshina. "Imagine how many of them are in this meadow alone..."
Seera smiled through her teeth a familiar passion burning behind her eyes. "You think that's impressive? Imagine how many of them are out there." She then pointed to the fifty-foot Wall that surrounded their perimeter. "Beyond the Walls in the outside world...I bet there's so many, you'd get sick of finding them."
Hayley frowned. "Not this again, Seera."
"What?"
"This whole 'Beyond the Wall' thing. You know it's going to get you in trouble someday."
"Bah. Who cares? What's wrong with a little day dreaming?"
"It's against the law." Hayley frowned again before bending down and placing the Centepede back in the grass. "You know that." She then stood up straight again looking worried.
"Yeah well...it's wrong." Seera tutted, walking to a near-by boulder and sitting on it, crossing her legs under herself. "You know I was talking to that Armin kid the other day...you know the one who hangs around with 's son?"
"Yeah?" Hayley listened, interested.
"Well I got talking to those two yesterday, turns out they like talking about the outside world too! Can you believe it? Finally I have someone to dream with instead of just being scolded." She then tutted and kicked a rock across the grass.
"Oh so you've made new friends?" Hayley asked, trying to change the subject.
"Yeah I guess." She shrugged. "Anyway 's son's name is Eren. He's like me...he wants to join the Scouts!"
Hayley winced at the mention of the Scouts. "You're still set on the Survey Corps?"
"Yeah...One day, when I'm old enough, I'm gunna join the cadets and train up to be a Solider."
"Does Grandma Azura know?"
"Yeah."
"And what did she say?" Hayley asked slyly, thinking Seera would reply that she got a scolding.
"Hm, not much really. She told me about some stuff."
"What stuff?"
"It's a secret."
"Aw come on that's no fair. You know I always keep your secrets."
Seera looked down and drew patterns in the soil with the toe of her shoe.
"Okay..." Seera lowered her voice even though there wasn't anyone around. "She agrees with me that the walls wont hold forever."
"Really?" Hayley looked shocked.
"Yeah. And she told me there are Titans out there called "Abnormals" who think differently to the usual ones. What if one of them figures out how to get over the walls? Hell, what if one turns up who is bigger than the wall? This false sense of security wont last forever. And when it fails...I won't say 'I told you so'."
Hayley frowned. "How does Grandma know about all this?"
"No idea." Seera grinned. "But it's pretty cool."
"Well don't come crying to me when you return from the outside world with an arm missing or even worse. Dead. Like all the Scouts do sooner or later."
"Hey that's a bit harsh." Seera tutted.
"Well it's a waste of time." Hayley shrugged casually. "I mean... they make a big deal about going out and making discoveries for 'the good of humanity' then return with their faces like they're chewing on wasps, half of them dead and the rest gravely injured. It's a waste of time, you can't tell me any different."
Seera turned her nose up. "Oh like sitting on our asses and doing nothing helps? At least they're trying to do something, making great sacrifices while the rest of us just happily sit in our holding pen."
"I'm not having this argument with you, yet again." Hayley sighed.
"Yeah let's just agree to disagree." Seera sighed.
Their heads turned when they could hear the sound of panting getting louder and louder. They glanced at each other confused and Seera stood up on the rock she was sitting on to see their adopted brother, Pico, running up the hill towards them.
His jet black hair flew in the wind as he did so, his face looking serious and flushed from running.
"Seera!" He yelled when he saw the top of her head pop up from the top of the rock. "Pico, what's wrong?" She frowned.
"It's Keiron! Those bullies have got him again. You gotta come help!" He waved desperately.
"Where is he?" Seera asked standing on her tip-toes.
Pico spun around and pointed down the hill near the wall where the meadow ended and the gate to Shigonshina began.
Seera could see Keiron in the distance with two boys older than him seemed to be cornering him.
"Alright, I'm coming!" She shouted, leaping from the rock and bursting into a sprint down the hill.
"Hey, Seera wait!" Hayley yelled after her.
"After all the beatings we gave you for carrying around girls toys, you have the balls to come out with a doll." The boy closest to Keiron sneered. "I can't believe your backwards Orphanage lets you play with that crap."
"It's not crap!" Kerion snapped but was still cowering against the wall, clutching his doll close to his chest. His big, puppy dog brown eyes filled with tears.
"Come on Damien..." The other boy sighed looking bored. "Just teach him a lesson and let's go already."
Damien took a step closer to Keiron making him clutch his doll even tighter.
"Ha, look at this Andy. He's holding it so close to him. Is this your girlfriend?"
The other bully, Andy let out a laugh. "Hey you don't wanna hurt his girl."
"It's not my girlfriend..." Keiron whimpered.
With a harsh thrust, Damien snatched the doll from Keirons grasp.
"No! Please!" Kerion yelled, tears streaming down his face.
He attempted to snatch it back but Damien held the small boy back with one hand easily.
"Got your dolly, what you gunna do about it huh? Shouldn't be playing with this stuff if you don't wanna get beat up." Damien teased.
"Please, give it back..." Kerion sobbed.
"What would happen if...woops." Damien laughed, tearing the cloth doll's arm off with ease.
Kieron burst into harder sobs and fell to his knees.
Andy and Damien laughed at him, Damien throwing the Doll's arm on the floor.
"Now it's time for the beating you little freak." Andy snapped, picking up Kieron with ease by his shirt.
"Put him down." A voice growled.
They turned their heads to see Seera skidding to a halt from sprinting down the hill, her waist long hair gently floating with the breeze, almost heroicly.
"Seera!" Keiron cried out, relieved to see her.
"It's another one of those Orphanage freaks." Damien tutted.
"What you gonna do about it huh?" Andy asked, taking a step forward towards her.
"Put him down and find out. Or you just like picking on kids younger than you? Damn cowards." Seera spat.
Hayley and Pico coward behind her.
"Seera..." Hayley mumbled. "There's two of them..."
Seera ignored her and took a step foward.
"Ha...alright then." Damien said before harshly throwing Keiron back on the floor aswell as the Doll.
Seera's eyes bolted at the Doll and saw it's arm was torn off.
She felt her temper quickly escaping her. "You're going to apologise for that." She growled.
"Oh please." Andy rolled his eyes. "You gonna take us on or what?"
"Sure." She smiled coyly before taking the elastic band she kept around her wrist and tying her long hair up into a messy bun on the top of her head.
"Seera please..." Hayley pleaded.
She ignored her again and took a step forward.
Damien hesitated a little when he realised Hayley seemed so fearful of Seera's actions. He then took note of her and Pico cowering behind Seera. "Ha! They're nothing. Andy you take out that rat, I'll take care of this one."
He then picked up Keiron by the scruff of his collar. "Then we get one each. Seems fair."
"No, please!" Kerion begged, bursting into even harder sobs.
Seera's eyes blazed with anger as Damien raised his hand and punched Keiron in the stomach.
She bolted full speed at Damien but before she could get there, Andy stepped in front of her, swinging at her face with his fist.
She quickly ducked and brought her self back up while forming a fist of her own. She brought it up powerfully into his jaw, making him stagger backwards. She then punched him square in the nose, sending out a sickening crack as blood spurted out of his nostrils.
He let out a cry of pain and staggered back further, clutching his face.
"H-hey wait!" Damien stammered, dropping Keiron and backing away.
Anger boiled in Seera's chest like a bubbling kettle of hot water.
She ran full speed and lowered her body before shoulder barging Damien to the floor hard, knocking the wind out of him.
But she wasn't done.
She then sat on his stomach and began punching him over and over in the face, making him yell out desperately.
She then felt a powerful tug on her clothes, pulling her off Damien onto the ground. Andy had composed himself and then punched her in the face.
Without even reacting to it, she grabbed his arm and pulled him to the floor with her before grabbing his face and powerfully head butting him.
He fell to the floor, letting out a groan and she saw Damien trying to scramble up to his feet.
Leaping onto his back she pushed him back down and began harshly rubbing his face in the dirt, making small bloody cuts appear.
"Apologise." She growled.
"Mhhmmmhmmm" He cried from the dirt.
She grabbed his hair and tugged his head up. "What was that?"
"I'm sorry..."
She then slammed his face down again and began rubbing it harder into the dirt. "You should feel right at home. In the dirt where you belong." She spat before lifting his head up again. "Apologise, properly."
"H-Hey man, I'm sorry I ripped your doll. I won't do it again, I swear." He cried, tears falling down his face.
"Damn right." She growled getting off his back.
But Andy wasn't done.
"Stupid bitch!" He yelled, swinging for her one more time.
He hit her in the face again in the same place.
She flinched before slamming her fist into his stomach making him double over. She then grabbed the bottom of his shirt, pulling it over his head and kicking him to the floor.
"Forget it man!" Damien yelled. "She's nuts!" He began running away.
Andy stood up and comically ran towards Seera blind, still having his shirt over his head. Damien cautiously ran back for him and grabbed him, dragging him away.
"If I see you around my brothers again, I'll kill you!" She shouted after them. She rubbed her red cheek from the punches with the back of her sleeve.
"Seera!" Keiron cried running towards her and hugging her waist. "Thank you!" He sobbed.
"Seera...are you okay?" Hayley asked running towards her and looking at her cheek.
"Yeah." She grinned. "He got me twice in the same spot and it's just a little sore. Lucy could throw punches harder than him." She let out a laugh.
"Seera that was awesome!" Pico yelled, a huge grin on his face. "You sure showed them huh?"
Seera got down on one knee to Keirons level. "Hey, don't worry about Dolly. Grandma Azura can patch her up no problem." She winked, then picking up it's arm.
"Thank you..." Keiron whispered, picking up his doll.
"Grandma will be wanting us home for dinner soon." Hayely frowned. "She's gunna scold you for fighting again."
Seera's heart dropped. "Ah crap..."
"Don't worry!" Keiron piped up, cheering up. "We'll figure something out."
"Yeah." Pico nodded. "We won't say anything."
Seera waited anxiously around the corner as planned as Hayley, Pico and Keiron went and distracted Grandma Azura.
Peeking around the corner she saw them enter their small, wooden Orphanage and sure enough, as they had predicted, seconds later Grandma Azura popped her head out of the door and looked around, confused as to where Seera was.
She didn't look too pleased, knowing she told them to be home for dinner.
Her long grey hair was wrapped up in a tight bun on her head and she was wearing her cooking apron.
Seera quickly tucked herself away out of sight and waited a few seconds.
Grandma Azura let out a sigh and retreated back inside, closing the door.
Seera then peeked around the corner again and saw the coast was clear so she started lightly sprinting to the side of the Orphanage.
Her head was wrecked with guilt as she stealthily ran, she hated lying to Grandma Azura but she would only get scolded for fighting.
The redness of her cheek was gone but she did notice splatters of blood on her clothes from breaking the bully's nose.
Once she reached home, she flattened her back against the wall of the side of the house and began climbing up the wooden beam she knew led to the bedroom window, as they had used it many times before to sneak back home.
Looking up as she climbed she saw the window was open ajar.
Good. I might just get away with this... she thought.
Reaching the window she pulled herself up and snaked inside, being careful not to make any noises.
Once she was inside her stomach was flat on the floor and she stood up to see Lucy sitting on the floor and playing with a Doll.
Lucy was younger than Seera and the others. Her innocent bright Blue eyes that only held the wisdom of a six year old gazed at her in fright, her mouth open.
"Shh...Lucy don't say anything." Seera whispered as she tip-toed to her bed on the far side of the room near the door.
"B-but you've been fighting again..." Lucy whimpered.
"I had too." Seera explained as she changed out of the blood splattered clothes and into clean ones. "They were picking on Keiron. They ripped his Doll."
Her cute little face then scrunched up in a strong understanding, knowing how much that Doll means to him.
"Don't worry, it's not my blood." She smiled warmly, hiding her dirty clothes under her bed.
Lucy nodded, making her long, bright Blonde hair bob up and down. "I won't say anything." She promised.
She then continued playing with her Doll, knowing the drill and acting like she hadn't seen anything.
Once changed, Seera then tip-toed back to the window, knowing the slightest loud noise on the wooden floor would alert Grandma to her presence due to the building being so small and rickety.
She then shimmied out of the window and down the wooden beam before landing on the floor like a cat and trying to compose herself as she walked round to the front of the house and opened the door casually.
The front door led right into the small kitchen/dining area and she saw Hayley, Keiron and Pico at the dining table.
Grandma Azura was plating up dinner to the right of Seera, as she closed the door.
Seera's heart dropped when she saw her three siblings look at her with horrified expressions and began shaking their heads.
Oh shit...have I still got blood on me? She thought, frantically fumbling her face and rubbing it.
Grandma Azura turned around and looked at her, her face calm.
"You didn't come in with the others?" She asked. "That's not like you."
"Oh I took a detour." She lied taking a step towards the table.
"Hold it right there young lady." Grandma Azura said crossly.
Shit...she knows. But how?
"You've been fighting again, haven't you?"
"Uh...no?" She risked sticking to her story.
Looking over to the table she saw Hayley slap her hand over her face.
"Don't lie to me." Grandma Azura sighed. "Your hair. You only tie it up like that when you've been fighting."
Shit my hair! I forgot to let it down!
Seera frowned at the floor, guilt ridden. "I'm sorry, Grandma..."
"It's not her fault, Grandma!" Pico piped up. "I ran to get her! I swear! These two boys were picking on Keiron and they...they ripped his Doll! The Doll his Mom gave him before she died!"
There was a pause.
Grandma Azura then sighed sadly.
"They were punching him too, Grandma..." Hayley added.
"Alright..." Grandma Azura replied, turning around to get some plates and placing them on the table in front of Hayley, Pico and Keiron. "Then I understand. Hayley could you get Lucy and Harry from upstairs please?"
Hayley nodded and went up the old wooden stairs to fetch her adopted siblings.
"Someone came calling for you earlier, Seera." Grandma Azura informed her as she placed the rest of the plates on the table. "But I told them you wern't home."
"Who was it?" Seera asked as she sat in an empty chair, relieved she wasn't getting a scolding.
"Dr. Yeagers son I believe it was. He was with a Blonde haired boy and a young lady."
"Oh...Armin and Mikasa." Seera explained as she waited patiently for everyone to arrive at the table before eating.
Grandma Azura sat down at her place at the table. "Oh is that their names? I'm glad you're making new friends."
Hayley came down stairs followed by Lucy and Harry who were the same age.
They sat at the table and everyone began tucking in.
"What is Dr. Yeagers son's name? I can't seem to place it." Grandma Azura asked taking a bite of her dinner.
"Eren." Seera replied simply.
"I didn't know you were making new friends." Pico said taking a bite. "When did you start being so sociable?"
Seera shot him a playful dark look.
"Well they looked awfully deflated when I told them you weren't home." Grandma Azura explained. "They looked about your and Hayley's age. Hayley why don't you play with them too?"
"They're Seera's friends." Hayley shrugged.
"And?" Grandma Azura asked looking taken aback.
"They talk about you know..." she lowered her voice. "The outside."
"Well remember I told you to be careful with that." Grandma Azura replied "But it seems a lot of young people now are questioning the walls. I wonder what will come of that?"
"And I think Seera has a crush on Eren." Hayley sneered.
Seera nearly choked on her food. "Excuse me?" she coughed.
Her siblings all smiled sheepishly.
"Oh Seera has a boyfriend!" Lucy laughed. "And he is a Doctors son!"
"Guys-"
"I didn't think you were the type to be interested into people, romantically." Pico smiled, giving her a gentle kick under the table. "Ey? Ey?"
Grandma Azura let out a laugh.
"I'm not. I like him sure but I like all three of them. You gunna accuse me of being Armin and Mikasa's girlfriend too?" Seera frowned.
"Alright, we get it." Pico laughed. "We'll drop it."
"Seera!" Lucy exclaimed suddenly. "You forgot...your hair..."
"It's okay Lucy I've been busted." Seera let out a little laugh.
"Oh no..." Lucy sighed.
"It's Okay Lucy." Keiron smiled.
"This is why I don't like going outside." Harry sighed. "Bad things happen outside."
"Oh Harry, I do wish you'd get yourself out more." Grandma Azura said taking another bite. "You have your older brothers and sisters to look out for you."
Keiron beamed up at Seera. "That's for sure."
Harry shook his head, making his sandy blonde hair shake from side to side. "I just don't like it. I'd much rather play with my wooden horses inside."
"I'll sew up your Doll after dinner, Kerion." Grandma Azura smiled. "And how about a nice story before bed?"
"Yeah!" Lucy grinned.
"Sounds great!" Keiron beamed.
Their dinner time family chatter was interrupted by a knocking sound.
"Who could that be?" Grandma Azura sighed, standing up and heading to the door.
"So did you get 'em good?" Harry whispered to Seera as Grandma Azura was mumbling to someone outside, the door only open a jar.
"She sure did." Pico grinned. "They won't be picking on us again, that's for sure."
Their heads shot up as the door burst wide open.
"That's her there!" A voice yelled, pointing directly at Seera.
The accuser was Andy standing there with cotton buds shoved up his nose.
"She's the one who did this to us!" Damien added.
Seera blinked, confused, as two older woman stood behind them looking less than pleased. She guessed they were their Mom's.
"Seera...a word outside please." Grandma Azura sighed.
Without a word, Seera stood up and walked towards the door while Grandma Azura ushered everyone out onto the porch and she closed the door behind them.
"I certainly hope this girl will be punished." Damien's Mom announced, her black hair matching his. "Going around beating up people like this, what a brute."
Seera bit her tongue. For Grandma Azura's sake.
"I think action must be taken." Andy's Mom added, placing her hands on her son's shoulders protectively.
"I can assure you, it will be." Grandma Azura lied.
"I hope it's severe." Damien's Mom said looking down her nose at Seera. "I think this whole Orphanage is just asking for trouble. And you, Azura, I am shocked to see you're raising such animals."
"Excuse me?" Seera asked, blinking in shock.
"Don't act so surprised." Andy's Mom snapped. "You think you can do this to our boys and nothing come of it? I'll have you know that my husband is in the Military Police, I could have his men come and shut you down."
Seera's blood began to boil again.
"So, apologise to our boys." Andy's Mom finished.
Seera glanced at them, they were pulling proud and triumphant faces which just annoyed her even more.
"I'm not apologising." Seera said simply.
"I'm sorry?" Damien's Mom asked, gawping at Grandma Azura. "Is this how you're raising the children here?"
"Stop dragging her name through the dirt like that!" Seera yelled. "It was all me, nothing to do with Grandma Azura. And instead of barging over here like some pompus fool did you even ask your boys why they had to take a beating off a girl?" She sneered at them, their triumphant grins quickly vanishing.
"Why yes we did. And we see their actions as a just cause." Andy's Mom replied, sticking her nose even higher in the air. "That boy should not be playing with Dolls at all never mind at his age."
"What, an Eight year old can't play with Dolls?" Seera rolled her eyes.
"An Eight year old boy can't. People might get the wrong idea. Not a good look for you at all, Azura."
Seera's temper was so close to breaking. "The only kind of people who would think such things are total idiots like you, in which case, none of us give a crap what people like you think." Seera growled.
"Well how dare -"
"And even if they did think that and he was that way inclined, so what? What's it got to do with you?"
"Seera..." Grandma Azura sighed.
"No, Grandma I'm not having it." She shook her head, making her long ash-blonde bun shake. "And having the balls to come here and even try to threaten to have you shut down...a woman who is helping this stupid town by taking Orphans off the street and raising them on her own...you're disgusting. And I'm not surprised your son's are the way they are...having a parent in the MP. A pompous coward."
"Well I never!" Damien's Mom gasped.
"It's the truth!"
"How dare you!" Andy's Mom added. "What a little street urchin!"
"Well I would be a 'street Urchin' if it wasn't for Grandma Azura."
"Azura I am shocked with you. Wait until my husband hears about this!"
Seera snapped and stepped close to her face. "Tell him! See what happens. If anything happens to Grandma because of you, I'll hunt you down for the rest of my days!"
"Seera!" Grandma Azura shouted.
It wasn't very often she yelled and it was with such authority Seera instantly took a step back and frowned at the floor.
"She will be dealt with." She then added calmly. "It won't happen again. But I can't promise you it won't happen again if your son's act in such ways. Seera is rather protective over her siblings and will defend them, of which I see nothing wrong with. Now, if you don't mind we are having dinner."
"Alright then. Good day." Damien's Mom nodded before walking off, Andy's Mom following after giving Seera a dirty look.
They watched them in silence for a few seconds before they turned a corner and were out of sight.
Grandma Azura let out a sigh.
"I'm sorry Grandma..." Seera whispered, clenching her fist in anger.
"It's Okay, Seera." She replied softly. "But you must learn to control that temper of yours. It will serve you no good."
"But how?" Seera looked up at her with her emerald green eyes. "How can you stay so calm with people like that? The things she was threatening you with...the things she was saying about Keiron. It's not right."
"It's just how the world is." Grandma Azura sighed again. "You will see that one day."
"Well it's wrong. You should stand up and fight for what's right, not just let them walk all over you." Seera mumbled.
Grandma Azura placed a hand on Seera's shoulder and looked lovingly into her eyes. Her face was etched in deep wrinkles, each one telling a story of wisdom and age. "You will learn one day." She repeated.
Seera just nodded glumly.
"Alright kids." Grandma Azura said, opening the door to reveal the other five standing over each other pressing their ears against the door. "You can come out now."
"Oh, Hey Grandma." Pico laughed nervously. "We were just uh...checking for woodworm."
She let out a laugh and walked back into the house.
The sun was beginning to set, covering the town in an Orange glow.
Seera was still glaring at the floor as she walked inside.
"Since you have been so good today...how about an extra half hour outside, hm?" Grandma suggested with a warm smile.
"Yeah!" Kerion grinned.
"Sound's good to me!" Hayley beamed running back for the door.
"Come on Harry, come out with us. Please?" Pico asked.
Harry looked shyly outside as Hayley opened the door. "I guess I could for a little while..." he said softly.
"I want a quick word with Seera, but she will join you soon." Grandma Azura said softly. "Go have fun."
"We'll wait for you over the road Seera!" Hayely yelled back as the five of them scurried outside excitedly.
Grandma Azura waited until the door closed behind them, as they scurried outside, yelling playfully and laughing.
"You did the right thing, today."
"Then why-"
"It's just how our world works, my dear." Grandma Azura croaked sadly. "Her husband can't really get his men to shut us down. Technically this isn't an Orphanage I just adopted you all and took you all in my home. But they could still give us a hard time."
Seera kept glaring at the floor. "Well it shouldn't be like that. Who do they think they are? Making threats like that? To such a nice woman like you?"
"There's nothing to be done."
"You work so hard raising us, feeding us and clothing us and they think they can just waltz on over here like that?"
"I am so proud of you, Seera." Grandma Azura said unexpectedly.
"Huh?" Seera looked at her confused.
"The way you protect the ones you love with such feorcity. You're loyal. You're strong. You're caring. You're going to make a fine Soilder one day." She smiled at her warmly.
That meant the world to Seera hearing that.
Instead of being scolded for wanting to join the Scouts, such a dangerous and almost taboo career choice, she was supportive and encouraging.
"Grandma..."
"All I'm asking is that temper won't land you in hot water some day. Because in the military, especially the Scouts...you need to be focused. You need to trust your team mates. You need to keep yourself grounded or you'll get yourself killed. By Titan or by man."
Seera looked at her, shocked. "How do you know all of this?"
Grandma Azura smiled warmly. "I'll tell you my secret. The reason I know all of this, and about the Titans...my husband was in the Survey Corps."
Seera let out a gasp. Grandma Azura never spoke about her husband.
"He would come home with tales of the beauty of the outside world...and the terror's. The passion inside of him for the Scouts burned so brightly, and I see that same passion inside of you, Seera."
Seera hung on every word.
"His team mates were like his family. What the Scouts stood for was his reason for being. And I know you'll feel the same way about it all. But..." She let out a sigh. "We knew what a dangerous position he was in everyday. He was killed while out on a mission outside the walls by a Titan."
Seera's eyes filled with empathy.
"But if I could turn back the clock I wouldn't change a thing. Because if I asked him not to follow his heart, he would be a shell of the man I loved. Which is why I won't stop you. Nor should anyone else. In fact he made me this while out on a re-con one day..."
She fumbled down the front of her dress and pulled out the necklace she never took off.
It was carved out of gold in the shape of a little man with two tiny precious gems for eyes. And in the middle of it's chest was etched the Scout's symbol. The wings of freedom.
"I want you to have this one day." She explained, still smiling warmly.
The glow of love behind her eyes was so warm. "The day I'm no longer able to walk this earth, is the day I want you to treasure this for me."
Seera nodded as Grandma Azura tucked her necklace safely back down her dress.
"Now enough lectures for today." She smiled. "Get yourself outside and play. You're only young for so long, you know."
Seera smiled feeling a lot better. She stood up and threw her arms around her Grandma. "I love you, Grandma." She whispered.
Grandma Azura hugged her back. "And I love you too."
Seera pulled back before running out of the door to play with her brothers and sisters.
She closed the door behind her and saw them playing across the wide dirt road that separated their house and the row of buildings opposite.
They were in a large gap between two houses that had a small patch of grass and a tall brick wall at the end where they often played.
"Hey Seera! Come on!" Hayley waved.
Seera sighed happily and grinned. When you have love in your life...nothing can tear you down.
Running down the porch steps and across the road she took delight in feeling the breeze on her face. She felt happy and loved. She felt alive.
When she reached them she slowed to a stop. "What you playing then?"
Suddenly there was a huge explosive bang.
It was so loud it made them crouch down instinctively and cover their ears. It made the floor shake violently for a second and fear instantly grabbed their throats.
"What the hell was that?!" Hayley asked, her eyes wide.
Harry and Lucy ran over to Seera, holding her tightly. She put her arms around them in comfort.
"Was that a Cannon?" Pico asked, also moving closer to Seera and Hayley.
Kerion quickly followed.
"It sounded like a huge lightning strike." Seera frowned looking up at the Tangerine coloured sky and seeing little clouds.
Then the sounds of distant screaming could be heard, not too far away.
"Something's going on." Hayley frowned.
"I wanna see!" Pico demanded.
Lucy and Harry gripped Seera even tighter.
"We should go back inside. Come on guys." Seera tried to usher them back but as she turned around she was confused to see Grandma Azura standing in the door way across the road.
Her face was panicked and full of alarm.
The next set of events seemed to happen in slow motion.
Grandma Azura began running down the steps of the porch towards them, her hand stretched out as if trying to grab them from a distance.
Seera was confused. What was that huge crash, screaming and now Grandma Azura looking so petrified for? What the hell is going on?
Then there was another loud explosion. It was different from before...and much, much louder.
The force of the blast, whatever it was, caused the ground to shake violently and the six of them crouched down.
Grandma Azura vanished as a thick cloud of dust gushed down the whole street making them clasp their eyes shut and cough.
Then, crashes began happening all around them closer than the first two making the ground shake with every one. The sound was almost deafening and Lucy and Harry began crying loudly.
"Everyone! Huddle together!" Seera yelled blindly, grabbing Pico, Keiron and Hayley and all of them crouching down and cowering as the loud crashing noises took place all around them.
Seera could almost hear her heart pounding in her ears over the sounds of the crashings.
After a few seconds, the noises stopped and the air was filled with distant, blood curdling screams.
Seera began to feel panic rise as she opened one eye and saw they were still surrounded by the thick cloud.
"Seera!" Lucy cried.
"It's alright guys just keep your eyes shut! I'll tell you when the dust is gone."
She heard Hayley begin coughing.
She then opened both eyes but narrowed them, the dust stinging her eyes. She looked around frantically for Grandma Azura but couldn't yet see anything but dust.
Lucy and Harry were still sobbing into her tightly.
"Can we open them yet?!" Pico yelled.
"Not yet!" She yelled back.
"What the hell is going on?!" Hayley coughed.
The screams grew louder and Seera knew that meant they were getting closer. They had to move, fast.
Then, the dust began to thin out.
The top of their home came into view first.
It was gone. The whole roof and top floor had been taken clean off and Seera's eyes followed the direction of the way the remaining wood had been pushed, taking her eyes to the house next door that had been totally destroyed by a large boulder.
That's what the crashing noises were. Then that means...
"No..." Seera whispered her heart feeling like it was going to beat out of her chest.
The Wall...
The dust then thinned out more and her eyes locked to where she last saw Grandma Azura standing, reaching out to them.
She was gone.
Blinking in confusion she saw a huge trail where she had been standing.
Hearing her own breath and heart beat in her ears, her eyes followed the trail as if everything fell back into slow motion.
There were a few patches of blood and right in front of the destroyed house and the boulder that crushed it was another huge chunk of debris.
And underneath it was a pool of blood and a pair of legs, mangled and sticking out of the bottom.
Grandma Azura's legs.
Seera fell to her knees and blinked in disbelief.
This has to be a dream...
The screams grew even louder and the first wave of people began sprinting up the road, screaming at the top of their lungs, and running as fast as their legs could carry them.
"They're in!" Someone cried. "The Titan's are inside the walls!"
"We're all done for!" Someone else screamed at the top of their lungs.
People were crying hysterically while running and screaming as loud as they could as if, by some miracle, screaming loudly would save them.
Hayely and the rest, alerted by these noises opened their eyes and looked around confused.
They saw the people first, then Seera on her knees gasping at the floor, then up to Grandma Azura...
"No!" Hayely screeched before Harry, Lucy, Pico and Keiron began crying hysterically.
Everything sounded muffled for Seera.
"Seera! We have to get out of here!" Hayley screamed at her through her tears. "The Titan's are in! Didn't you hear them?!"
Seera just nodded, a vacant expression on her face.
She then looked over at her brothers and Lucy crying and holding each other and she slowly shook her head.
Grieve later...you need to get them somewhere safe...
She got to her feet and grabbed Pico and Keiron's hands.
"Hayley, get Lucy and Harry. We need to move, now!"
Hayley nodded and trembling with fear she grabbed their hands and they began pulling them up the street where everyone else was running.
That's when the floor began rumbling with deep booms in a rhythmic pattern.
Seera's heart sank.
A Titan is close.
She dragged them and without looking down for her own sanity, she dragged them past the Boulder that had crushed and killed their Grandmother.
But Keiron and Pico didn't have the same idea and saw her mangled legs up closer.
"Grandma!" Pico screamed, tugging back against Seera.
"Come on we gotta get moving!" Seera yelled pulling them back.
"We can't leave her!" Keiron yelled, also started to tug back.
Hayley stopped and waited for them, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Can't you see what's going on around you? We need to get moving!" Seera yelled, beginning to drag them up the road.
"No, get off me!" Pico yelled. "We can get her!"
"We haven't got time for this!" Seera yelled.
She looked out down the hill where the road led to where everyone was running from and saw the Titan that was making the rythmic booming footsteps not far away.
An icy grip clutched her throat. Titan's are so much terrifying in real life than any story she'd heard about them.
It was heading right up the road following the crowds of people.
It was at least fourteen meters high and it's dumb, vacant expression made it look like it was actually enjoying the terror it was creating.
She saw the tops of Titan's heads behind buildings further away, wandering deeper into the town.
"Hayley! Just take Lucy and Harry to the boats and get out of here! I'll meet you there!" Seera yelled as she struggled with Pico who was trying to wrestle her.
Hayely nodded and dragged a screaming Lucy and Harry up the hill and disappearing into the crowd.
"Look around you! Stop acting like a damn kid and let's move!" Seera pleaded, trying to drag them away as they fought her.
"No! Why do you act so heartless sometimes, Seera?!" Pico cried.
That cut her deep. "Come on, I'm not leaving you!"
She then felt a sharp pain in her hand making her cry out in pain and let go of their hands for only a second.
That second was all it took.
They were gone, sprinting back down the hill towards Grandma Azura.
She looked down and saw Keiron had bit down hard on her hand, drawing blood.
Turning around she sprinted back after them but the crowds of people was even thicker and she was struggling to push past the panicing masses.
"Keiron! Pico!" She screamed as she tried to push her way back down, with not much success.
"Let me through! Hey, move it! Please! My brothers are down there! Pico! Kerion!"
She had lost total sight of them and spotted a smaller chunk of debris near by.
Quickly sprinting towards it, she climbed it and could see over the tops of people's heads.
Looking down the hill she saw Keiron and Pico were desperately trying to move the rock from on top of Grandma Azura...with the Titan getting far too close.
"Pico! Keiron! Get out of there!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.
Keiron spotted the Titan first since he was facing it. She could see he yelled for Pico, but Pico either didn't hear him or ignored him.
So Keiron began sprinting back up the hill.
The crowd began to thin out and Seera leaped off the rock and ran as fast as her legs could carry her down the hill.
The crowd was totally gone now, gone running up the hill and Seera watched in horror as Pico spun around to see the Titan towering over him.
There's no way we'll out run it now...we're all dead.
No...I have to get them to safety!
"Seera!" Keiron screamed as he ran up towards her.
She sprinted down to meet him all while hearing a desperate scream.
Looking up she saw the Titan had scooped up Pico.
"Pico! No!" She cried, tears streaming down her face.
She saw the Titan place him in his mouth and swallow him whole. With the size difference, it would have been like swallowing a pill.
Get Kerion!
She ran towards him, her hand out stretched for him and his for her.
But he was still quite the distance away and the last thing she saw of him was his big puppy brown eyes filled with fear and tears, looking at her before he suddenly vanished and was replaced by a giant foot.
With a roar of grief and rage she spun around and began sprinting up the hill, the booming noises growing louder.
I can't out run it. There's no way. Wait. It didn't eat Kerion, it just stepped on him. If it were a normal Titan it would have ate him. Which means it's going for the crowd of people up the hill, which means it's...an abnormal.
The time Grandma Azura told her about Abnormals flashed before her eyes.
Praying her theory was true she quickly took a sharp right and ran down an ally way. She kept running until she reached the end where she took a sharp left.
She then put her back against the building she was behind tightly, panting.
She felt the booming getting closer.
Clasping her eyes shut in fear she felt the rumbles of it getting stronger and stronger before it then started to fade.
She pushed herself off the wall and began to continue sprinting down the ally where she looked up and saw the top of it's head behind the row of buildings ahead of her.
She had been right.
It took no interest in her.
Hayley, Lucy...Harry.
She burst into an even faster run and made her way to the evacuation point.
Whether it was from fear or grief the journey there was just a blur. She couldn't remember any of it but all she knew was that she was suddenly there.
Bursting into the crowds of people hurrying to get on the boats, she looked around Frantically.
"Hayley! Lucy! Harry!" She cried out desperately. She had to find them. She had to know they were alive.
Maybe they got on a boat already?
She pushed past the hysterical crowd all while looking around.
The Soldiers were far too occupied trying to keep everyone calm and ordered to ask if they had seen them.
Plus the chances that they had were low.
So she turned back around and went back into the crowd.
"Lucy! Harry! Hayley!" She screamed out over the crying masses.
"Seera!" She heard a voice cry out.
Her head snapped to the right and she saw Hayley standing there a vacant expression on her face and staring at her hands.
Relief burst through her chest.
"Hayley!" Seera pushed her way over to her.
"Hayley! Where's Lucy and Harry?"
She didn't answer, just kept looking at her hands in shock.
"Hayley...please! Where are they?!"
"T-they..." she stammered.
Seera gave her a shake. "Hayley! Get it together! We need to find them!"
"Seera..." Hayley whispered her eyes streaming with tears. "I had them...and they wanted to go back to you. They got away from me...they got trampled by everyone running...they're...dead."
Seera shook her head. "N-no..."
"W-Where's Pico and Keiron...?"
Seera just looked at her. "The Titan...it...they..."
She then sank to her knees and let out a long cry of grief. Pain ripped through her chest and her stomach felt like it had been punched.
Grandma Azura. Pico. Keiron. Lucy. Harry. All gone within an hour.
She fell into hysterical sobs on the floor, Hayley just silently crying still in shock.
Their faces flashed before her eyes.
They all relied on me to take care of them...and now they're gone. I couldn't even look after two six year olds and a seven and eight year old. I...my family...I couldn't...they needed me.
Hayley then came back down to earth and began crying uncontrollably.
Seera felt someone grab the back of her clothes but she was too upset to even look up.
Another hand grabbed Hayley and before they knew it, a Soldier had grabbed them and swung them forcefully onto the boats.