Chapter 3: Coordination
Hey everybody! Lord Primeval here to write another chapter. (Z-King won't let me sleep! He forces me to type endlessly with nothing to eat but croutons! HELP!) Here's chapter three, where things get really messed up…
Eren gloomily looked into the distance as they came closer to the exterior Wall. Alongside him on horseback were Armin, Mikasa, and Moll. The Kaiju corps decided amongst themselves that they would be the most likely candidates to help train a new batch of Kaiju slayers.
"What's wrong Eren?" Armin asked.
"What?" Eren remarked.
"You've had that same face since we left," he answered. "I'm getting a bad feeling off of you."
Eren bowed his head and sighed.
"For my entire life, I've wanted to see the rest of the world. With the Titans gone, I thought I wouldn't have to go back behind those walls. But no matter what happens, I just end up right back inside them. No matter what, I'm trapped."
They remained in silence for a minute. Armin, desperate to change the mood, opened his mouth to ask something different.
"Hey, how is training with Segusa?"
"Not up to my speed," Eren said. "She says I'm making progress, but I don't believe her."
"You haven't broken anyone else's jaw yet. That's progress to me." Armin said in joking fashion.
Eren laughed.
"If you say so."
"I think all that time you've been spending with her is working." Armin said. "I wouldn't blame you for it."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, she's not too bad looking." Armin said with a small blush.
"You have a point…" Eren said.
Mikasa tightened her grip on the reigns, scowling behind her calm demeanor.
"But it's entirely for therapy." Eren continued. "I'm not looking for that kind of thing right now."
Mikasa loosened her grip as they came by the gates. Moll raised her hand and gave the guards the signal. The watchmen nodded and opened the gates. It took a few hours to get to their destination, since all the ferry ports were closed. The only clue they got was a sign that read:
Ferry closed temporarily due to Rodan.
"Rodan?" Armin said quietly.
In all honesty, a lot of sights were confusing and hard to look at. This place hadn't seen this level of destruction since the Titans. Piles of rubble, giant holes in the streets, and very few people strong enough to leave their homes. The Titans were unpredictable, but the Kaiju were common enough to warrant true terror among the citizens. A few more hours later, they arrived at the Garrison headquarters.
The four were greeted by Dot Pixis. He stood there in a calm manner outside the door.
"Good of you to come," He said. "How was the trip?"
"Long and unpleasant," Eren said.
"Not much has changed with you then," Pixis said back. "If it will lighten your mood, we've prepared a few rooms for you while you stay. You don't have to worry about training until tomorrow."
"Before we get to the training," Moll said. "We need to know what creatures come to this area."
"Of course. Our men have a complete list prepared inside," he answered. "Why not rest while I debrief you."
Meanwhile…
Behind Wall Rose, a crowd of people swarmed the marketplace. They were trying to stock up before the next attack by a gigantic spider or pterosaur. As the impatient humans squalled and hollered at one another, a group of four, shrouded in cloaks, made their way towards an alleyway.
The tallest figure removed his hood, revealing Reiner's face.
"Alright," he said. "Sanda, give me the map."
The Brown-haired boy handed over a rolled up piece of paper. Reiner unrolled it, showing a map of The Walls and the districts inside them. He had three X's marked.
"Gabara, repeat back to me what the plan is," he asked the Redhead.
"We go to these areas and cause some damage," Gabara answered. "Enough to give you time to sneak into the Military Police HQ and break out Anne unnoticed."
"Good," Reiner said. "Looks like you can pay attention, unlike Garia."
"I don't need to pay attention," the green-haired boy remarked. "All I need to know is how many humans I can eat at once."
"Y-y-you know," Sanda stammered. "You d-d-don't actually need t-t-to eat at all. W-w-we s-survive on s-s-sunlight."
"I know," Garia responded. "But I like the taste too much."
That thought made Sanda cringe.
"Don't overdue it." Reiner commanded. "We're here for a reason, and it isn't to stuff your face."
"Stick-in-the mud," Garia grumbled.
"Remember," Reiner said. "Today is when the Garrison send out test flares. That is your signal. So keep your eyes open and your minds focused."
"So what limit are you putting on me this time?" Gabara asked. "Am I only allowed to wreck 5 buildings or some crap rule like that?"
"Just keep away from my position," he said seriously. "If you bring the place down on top of me then the whole plan is ruined. Other than that, you're off my leash."
Gabara smiled.
"I like this plan," he said with a grin.
"Now go!" Reiner yelled, "Get into position before those flares go off!"
The three boys saluted him and Reiner took off. Once he was gone, the three removed their cloaks, revealing Garrison uniforms and gear.
"H-h-how did we g-g-get these again?" Sanda asked.
"I got them straight off a few stray patrolmen," Gabara answered. "They won't need them anymore. Not after all the bones I broke."
Sanda was left alone as Gabara and Garia darted off, using the 3-D gear to cover as much ground as possible. He shuddered at the fact that somebody died in the outfit that he was wearing. Eventually, he snapped back and took off.
2 hours passed and Gabara grew bored. He stood in the alleyway tapping his foot. He was itching to get into the action. He had things to wreck and civilians to kill off. Unlike his so-called 'Titan brother' Gaira, he wouldn't waste time eating the bodies.
He looked up, seeing the blue and red flare. According to Reiner, the Garrison would test their equipment bimonthly. Gabara didn't care about that though, he was just excited the wait was over. He grinned as he touched his ring. Inside it was a pin that would puncture the skin and activate the transformation.
Meanwhile…
Armin flipped through the papers on the desk in front of him. Each one had a drawing of a Kaiju type.
"Kumonga, Gorgonopsid…. Kamacuras?" he said. "That's unusual. Kamacuras usually like to stay deep in the forest; better to help them ambush."
Two drawings caught his attention. A flying creature and a quadruped reptile.
"Ever seen these before?" he said, passing the papers over to Moll.
She studied them closely.
"No," she answered. "I don't think we've ever seen the likes of these before."
"The first one there has been called a 'Baragon.'" Pixas said. "Nicknamed by one of my best soldiers. Said the name came from an old word for 'Rose.' I don't get it, but nobody else came up with anything better. They tear up the place by burrowing giant holes all over the place."
"And the other?" Moll replied.
"That one's a special case," he said. "Rodan is his name. Only one of his kind we've been able to identify thanks to that scar on his neck. He prefers to scoop and run. Can't say I blame him, with so many monster taking up residents it would be foolish to stay for too long."
"We'll need more field data on those two before we make countermeasures," Mikasa said. "For the rest, he know-"
Without warning, a bolt of lightning strike outside the window. Eren's eyes widened at the sound. This wasn't a storm, the sound and feel of the strike was completely different. Different, but familiar. In all his years waging war against the Titans, he came to recognize the sign…
Somewhere in the walls, a shifter just revealed itself.
He jolted towards the window, catching view of another bolt. In the distance, a third bolt came down to earth. This one, instead of white, was a bright green hue.
"Get your men out there commander," Eren said. "We've got a problem."
"Kaiju?" Pixis asked.
"Titans." Eren said.
Meanwhile…
Reiner entered the Military Police main entrance. Earlier, he had jumped one of their men and took his uniform. In this disguise he walked right into the place without suspicion. Now all he had to do was find a good place to stay out of sight and wait.
The second phase of the plan had been completed. Phase three relied on the others; if enough destruction occurred, the Military Police would be forced to play backup for the Garrison. Once enough people cleared out, phase four could begin.
Those three had better hold up, he thought. The time we put into little bastards wasn't worth all the migraines.
As soon as the Coordinate was theirs, the sooner all of this will be over.
Meanwhile…
Eren and Mikasa followed the Garrison group into the inner Wall, leaping from roof to roof with the gear they carried over from Tanakibo. Moll and Armin went off with other squads due to the separation of the attacks.
Eren's mind was clouded as they bolted off. The fact that Titans were spotted in three completely separate areas meant that it was a coordinated attack. It couldn't be an ordinary Titan incursion, it's much more intelligent a stratagem. It had to be the work of a shifter. But who? Berlot was dead, Ymir defected, Anne was imprisoned, and there was no way Reiner survived that throw Eren gave him last year.
Before he had any more time to think, the party came to a halt. Everyone took a good look at the destructor from the rooftop.
The massive green Titan smashed everything in its path, debris bouncing off its warty skin. The red-haired horned demon paused for a moment, turning slowly towards the humans. Gabara stared directly at them, almost grinning.
Finally, he thought, something to kill.
Gabara opened his maw, creating a roar that eerily resembled a distorted laugh. He was ready to fight.
A/N: Sorry this chapter didn't contain much action. It was supposed to be longer, but life tends to pull you by the suspenders and yank you away from your hobbies. Just wanted to get something out to you all.
While we have your attention, we would like to repeat what we said in chapter one; WE ARE NOT TAKING REQUESTS FOR THIS STORY. We don't want to be rude, but it took us months to map out the plot, pick the characters and do the research. Any changes to the story now would cause serious delays, and we don't want that, right?
Well, catch you next time!