Death is the solution to all. No man-no problem.

-Joseph Stalin

Part 2- Pepper Ral

The bells rang in a distance, signalling the return of the Recon Corps. Pepper Ral, a hyperactive woman ran through the crowd of people, dodging any obstacle in her way. Her Garrison blazer flapped in the wind. Her smile grew wide as she neared the gates.

"Pepper!" Someone called. She stopped abruptly, nearly slamming into a civilian. Scanning the masses she spotted an old man near the front waving at her.

"Dad!" She exclaimed and ran towards him.

"Easy there Pepper. I didn't know you'd be coming here. I thought you still had work." He smiled at his daughter.

"I know but can you believe this? Captain Vika let me off early!" She squealed. "Now I can get to greet big sister. Even before she arrives home."

Mr. Ral laughed at Pepper's enthusiasm and patted her on the head. "Well then, you can go greet Petra first. I'm going to go talk to Corporal Levi for a while."

"Eh? That munchkin guy?"

"P-Pepper! Don't call him that!"

The redhead grinned. "I know, I know. I was just joking. See ya dad." She then focused her attention on the incoming officers. Up front, she spotted Erwin, the commander of the Recon Corps.

"Erwin!" She called and waved frantically at him. He looked up and spotted her. His face darkened. He ignored Pepper and kept going forward, eyes trained on the road in front of him.

Eh? She thought, bewildered. What's wrong?

She let her hand fall to her side. Scanning the group, she tried finding anyone with caramel colored hair and a small frame. She spotted her father talking with a short man, probably Corporal Levi. But...her sister was nowhere near them.

Her heart pounded in her chest. Panic had started creeping up to her and she willed it to go down. Pepper frantically searched again but to no avail.

C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon Petra! Where the hell are you?

Pepper ran, towards the gates. Her sister had to be there. She had to be. Stopping in front of the arched structure, she spotted the cart that was supposed to carry dead bodies. It was empty.
Did that mean nobody died? She dared to hope so. The last of the Recon corps came in and the Garrison hurriedly closed the gates.

Wait! No not yet! She pleaded in her head. I haven't found Petra yet.

Scanning the crowd again, she spotted a familiar looking man near a cart carrying the injured.

"ERICH!" She screamed!

The man looked up, obviously surprised. "P-Pepper?"

Erich stopped, just as Pepper reached him. She was panting, beads of sweat dripped down the sides of her face. Strangely though, she felt cold.

"E-Eri-ich" she gasped for breath. "Where...where's Petra? Where's my sister.

Erich's face darkened. His usually bright orange eyes stared her down, their hues dimming. Pepper's breath hitched. Somehow deep within, she knew. It couldn't be...

She grabbed him by the shoulders. " Erich please...please answer me honestly. Where's Petra?" Her nails dug into his skin and the man visibly winced. Despair and remorse were written all over his features.

"I'm...I'm so sorry pepper. Petra is -she's g-"

Pepper didn't hear him. The world spun around her in a mixture of noise and people. She felt sick. Her knees buckled and she dropped down, hands grasping the dirt road.

"P-pepper! Are you-"

"You're lying."

"W-what..."

"YOU'RE LYING!"

Pain. Unbearable aching pain ripped through her. She couldn't breathe. Everything...everything was going too fast. It couldn't-it was impossible! Her sister was strong...so strong. There was absolutely no way for her to just...just leave her like that.

"Pepper..." Erich reached out. In that instant, reality settled in and...

She screamed.