This chapter has been edited by kazama18jin! All the credits for the better grammar and spelling should be given to him!
Re-posted date : 08/08/2018
Arc I : Restarting the Journey
Part II
"Riddle me this, who has scary eyes, a snarky mouth, and seems to love violence?" He asked to his companion who sat by his side "More clues, that person is a girl." He added with a small grin
Christa blinked at him, she seemed confused at the sudden question as she tilted her head "It's... Ymir?"
"Is that a question or an answer?"
In response the blonde frowned a bit "That wasn't nice, Reinhard."
He let out a small snort "Eh, I doubt it that Ymir would be angry if she heard me." He knew she wouldn't, Ymir is not against those kinds of jokes after all "She'd probably say "Then answer me this, riddle me this, who is a wimp, can't stand properly, and fell to the ground when the instructor yelled at him?"." He asked while making an impression of the female Titan-shifter
Christa opened her mouth to argue, but then slowly closed it, then she let out a small giggle "I can see her responding like that somehow." She replied
It has been ten minutes since they started to wait for Sasha, the area started to become empty and many cadets already returned to each of their own dormitories, leaving both of them in silence
They are being careful so they would not be seen by someone, not just because they don't want to get caught by the instructor, but also because it would start unwanted rumors if they saw them together. A boy with a girl alone, and said boy being close to the girl's dormitory? Yeah, Reinhard can clearly see that it wouldn't end well for them
"Do you think she will be okay?" Christa asked "That girl, Sasha, I mean." She added while looking at a particular area that was open, waiting for her to come "She has been running for hours without a break, food, or water."
"She'll be fine, she's a tough girl." Reinhard assured her "She come from Dauper village, that was a village of hunters." He explained when he caught her curious look "Surely she has been trained by her family before coming here, she will be okay, although she probably will be in pain and won't be able to stand properly tomorrow."
He can't say the same thing about him though, he sure as Hell will be dropping unconscious in the middle of his run. Thankfully it was rare for him to made mistakes during his time as a Cadet
There's one though that leaves him exhausted to the bone
"You think I did it out of the goodness of my heart? What's it like to be as naïve as you? Let's make it clear Reinhard, you owe me. Make sure you work hard to repay the debt."
Yeah... That was a new type of hardship alright...
Make no mistake, Ymir isn't a bad person, she's capable of acting good and won't hesitate to help if things come down, however that doesn't change the fact that she's a top-tier jerk
"Do you have a hobby, Christa?" He asked, changing the topic
"Hobby?" Christa put on a thoughtful expression at the question "I... I don't think I have one." She answered with uncertainty
"Really?" He blinked "You don't have a hobby? Any hobby at all? Something you at least like?"
She shot him a look that was filled with confusion for a moment before answer his question "I.. I used to like reading books sometimes." She whispered "How about you, Reinhard?"
It was an attempt to change the topic, and internally Reinhard grimaced. She doesn't have a hobby, not anymore, she has no value of her own existence to the point she's always spending time to think about others
"I like to make tea." He said
"Tea?" Christa showed an incredulous face "You like to make tea?" She repeated
"In my defense, I didn't use to like making tea." He told her with a sheepish smile "It was more like a job but I took a liking to it in the end."
No thanks to captain Levi for that. After finding out he was good at making tea, Levi made him always brew and serve tea for him personally, and since it made him have to do less cleaning when he made tea, he came to enjoy it
It was almost like taking a short break, and the tea's smell was also relaxing
"I will make you some later." He offered the petite blond with a grin "Wait until we get a chance to visit the plaza, I will buy some tea leaves that are good."
"Eh? No, no, no." Christa waved her hands in a negative manner "You don't have to."
"Hey, it's my hobby, let me enjoy it. Beside you look like someone who's going to need to relax a lot in the future." He insisted while crossing his arms "You will like it, trust me."
She looked hesitant and seemed to want to refuse, however he made sure to keep his eyes and expression firm, even if he was internally grimacing
Gods... How could he be so blind? How did he did not see this... As her friend... How could he be so ignorant to her suffering?
"If it makes you happy." Christa said with a small smile "Sure."
'That is not how you should interpret it.' He thought with a groan on the inside. He held back a sigh and gave her a nod, let's play it slow, no need to force her to change so quickly, she just knew him for one day after all
Damn him for never noticing this...
At that time and at that place he made a vow, he made an oath, he will make sure that Historia regained her humanity, he will make sure Historia can smile from the bottom of her heart
Not just for his and Christa's sake, but for someone who entrusted her to him
He stared at the big jawed Titan that was crouching while patting Christa's head with her finger, carefully to make sure her long and sharp nail didn't injure her. Internally he couldn't help but frown, they didn't have any more time! Why the hell was she stopping midway?!
Then the Titan turned to him, her large eyes peering over him "You. Protect. Her." She exclaimed, voice guttural and barely recognizable "None. Shall. Harm. Her."
"What?" He asked, eyes widening "Ymir, you-"
"Ymir! What do you mean?" Christa asked, sounding shocked and pained "You-"
"I'm. Sorry."
"Ymir, don't be stupid." He said as he felt his stomach become cold "You can't possibly-"
He did not get chance to finish his words as the female Titan-shifter rushed back to Reiner and Bertholdt, snarling while lunging at the Titans that surrounded them
"YMIR!" Christa screamed in despair as she extended her hand as if trying to reach her that already far away
"YOU IDIOT!" Reinhard shouted as well, voice filled with anger and disbelief at what just occurred "YMIR! COME BACK HERE YOU IDIOT!"
He didn't know why Ymir decide to leave in the end, none of the others knew as well, even Christa didn't know. It wasn't a secret that Ymir was perhaps truly in love with Christa, even if she wasn't, it doesn't change the fact that Ymir is like mama bear for her, and Christa was going back with them, so did everyone, it was clear that if they have left, at least Bertholdt would be dead, less problems for them in the future
But she decided to go with them, decided to help them
He was angry at her at first, why? Why the hell did she help them? He was briefly contemplating that perhaps Ymir was never on their side -just like Annie- but she was not. Reiner and Bertholdt themselves were also shocked at her state as a Titan-shifter
It wasn't until Eren told them that Ymir felt responsible for them, that for some unknown reason they're the reason she able to regain her human form, something that they found out later, that Titans used to be Humans, and thus she was deeply in debt with them for saving her from her mindless state
One thing was for sure... Say what you want about Ymir, but when she was in your debt, you can be damn well sure she will repay it back someday. Just like how she usually made people owe her a favor and not wasting a chance to milk it dry
In the end, it didn't matter, Ymir never did any harm to him, and he doesn't have any vendetta against her at all. Her last will to save Christa was also noble and based on good intentions, that was more than enough for him to respect her
Except, he failed... He was not able to fulfill Ymir's last request...
He died and left Historia behind
Alone
"Is that her?"
He was broken out of his stupor when Christa asked him a question, he tilted his head and saw a shadowy figure walking like a mindless titan
'Not this time.' He thought firmly as he squinted his eyes to get a better look 'This time, I will not fail.' And Ymir was here as well, he will make sure that both of them would be happy in the end "Yeah, that's her." He chuckled as he slowly stood up, Christa following him "Come on."
"Yes." Christa said with a smile while walking beside him
"Pssh! Oi! Sasha!" He called out in a hushed manner "Sasha! It's-"
The time traveler did not get chance to speak as suddenly Sasha lunged at Christa with speed that rivaled 3D gear. It was fortunate that he still had his old reflexes and was able to see her coming and shot his hand forward, his palm meeting her face directly, stopping her midway
Behind him Christa let out a small squeak of surprise and took a few steps back
"Sasha, what the hell are you doing?" He hissed as he pushed the girls face with one hand while the other was holding onto his bottle and bread
Instead of answering, the exhausted girl merely groaned in way that reminded him of a hungry Titan that was roaming around, her hands flailing and attempting to reach something
Having known Sasha for quite a long time, Reinhard immediately knew what the girl wanted, he quickly threw his bottle down while unwrapping his bread with his teeth
"Calm down woman!" He said in a low voice, not wanting to make too much noise as he restrained the girl "By the power of Walls, I banish thee, begone from this body you evil spirit!" He declared dramatically -which prompt small look from Christa- before shoving the bread into her drooling mouth
The moment food entered her mouth, the girls eyes that looked dazed regained their light and she blinked. She bit the bread and started chewing it before looking at the food
"Bread!" She exclaimed "With soup inside!" She added when she noticed the wet and soft texture inside it
"I made that one special for you." Reinhard stated with a sigh, it's not hard to make honestly, just slice a part of the bread and pour the soup inside, not much to it, and it stays hard and crunchy "Christa here also brought extra food for you." He pointed to the petite blonde that smiled
"I'm sorry it's only bread." She said "That was the only thing I could get, here." She extended her bottle of water to her "Have some water first."
Sasha stared at them, at Christa who was carrying water and Reinhard who was smiling. For a moment she looked at them as if they have just offered her salvation, but she snapped out of it quickly and grabbed both their hands
"Angels!" She declared with a grateful voice "You two must be Angels!" She said while shaking their hands vigorously
While Christa looked a bit freaked out and confused, Reinhard merely snorted with an amused expression
"I don't think I'm handsome enough to be called an Angel." He said, which is true, he didn't think he had good looks "But Christa could be one with her pretty face."
"Reinhard!" She chided him "Now is not the time to be making jokes."
"Right, right." He chuckled "Lower your voice a bit and here, drink some water." He said as he shoved the bottle to Sasha's mouth "You will die of dehydration if you don't drink any water after sweating so much."
"Reinhard, I don't think shoving it so roughly like that is..."
"You know, for someone who wants to stay quiet, you two really like making a lot of noise."
The three of them jumped a bit from where they stood when a new voice entered their conversation. They all turned around and saw Ymir stepping out from the shadows with unamused look on her face
"Ymir!" Christa gasped lightly
Meanwhile Sasha immediately started chewing her food as if it would disappear at any moment
"Oi, oi, slow down, you will choke at this rate." Reinhard suggested as he rubbed the hungry girl's back to make her eat slower
"What are you doing?" Ymir asked in a bored manner, her eyes were however set on Christa for some reason while Reinhard was busy with Sasha
"Huh? I... I just wanted to give her some food." Christa answered "I mean, she has been doing nothing but-"
"That's not what I mean..." Ymir cut her off swiftly, her eyes darted to Reinhard who was now holding Sasha who passed out, but she ignored them and set her focus back on Christa
"Whelp... She won't be getting up anytime soon." Reinhard muttered as he gently laid Sasha's head on his lap. His eyes jumping between Christa and Ymir, as he held back the urge to speak
For some reason he feels like he should see where this was going first before jumping in
"I saw how you hid that bread during dinner, and it pissed me off." Ymir stated plainly "Just like those kids who raise a pet behind their parents back, you know." She narrowed her eyes and shot an analyzing gaze to the small blond "Now tell me... You think you're doing the right thing?" She briefly glanced to Sasha once more before shifting her gaze back to Christa "Did you do it for poor potato girl? Is the sense of accomplishment and exhilaration you get out of this worth the effort?"
And just like that, Reinhard realize, that Ymir knew
The moment she set her eyes on Christa, she knew something was wrong with her, there was something strange, that she was simply not just a girl with a big and kind heart. Just like how Eren knew there something off about her
"I... I..." Christa's eyes moved to him, and he met her gaze. He could see the hesitation and uncertainty in her eyes, however something seemed to rise from inside her as she turned back to Ymir with a firm look "Because you don't need a reason to help someone."
This time, it was Ymir's turn to be taken aback, even Reinhard didn't see that one coming as he stared at the girl in surprise
"Ha? What kind of answer is that?" Ymir asked in a ridiculous tone, her eyes turned to him in an instant and Reinhard held back a flinch -Ymir's eyes were scary you know- at the sharp gaze he received. She seemed to want to say something but decide not to, and turned back to Christa "Are those your words? Or his?" She gestured to Reinhard with an annoyed voice
"They're his." Christa answered without hesitation "But I don't think it's a bad thing to say. It's good and right."
'Et tu? Christa? What are you trying say here?' He thought confusedly as he stared at the petite blond
This time Ymir's attention shifted to him fully, her calculating eyes were sharp like that of a hawk that was observing their prey "And you? Why are you helping her? You barely know her."
Not true, he knew her for years but obviously he didn't say that
"I just wanted to help her." He stated "It's not a wrong thing to do like Christa said, and it didn't trouble me very much."
"You..." Ymir stared at him, her expression was undecipherable. She shifted her gaze to Christa for a moment before she snorted "Well, I guess I shouldn't be surprise there's someone like you."
What did that even mean? He felt insulted for some reason
"No point talking about it." Ymir walked towards him and poked Sasha "Let's get her back to the dorm."
"You're going to help?" Christa asked, seemingly surprised
"Ehhh, I'm not doing this because of the goodness of my heart." Ymir smirked "If I do this, she will owe me a favor."
... Yeah, that was so like her, he expected nothing less from Ymir
'May your time as a cadet be bright Sasha.' Reinhard thought as he sent a silent praying for her. The potato girl –he had to hold back a snicker at that nickname- is going to need all the stamina and mental strength she had to deal with Ymir in the future "Well, be that as it may, you're still helping." He chuckled as he slowly pushed Sasha, his hand slipped under her thighs and he raised her in a bridal manner 'Heavy! She's heavy!' He grunted internally as he felt his muscles complain under the pressure
The Hell is wrong with her?! She doesn't look like much but she is so heavy... Or was it because he was so weak? Ugh, he really needed to retrain his body!
"I can't get her to your dorm so..."
"Just give her to me." Ymir told him "I can drag her by myself. Here, put her on my shoulder." She said as she lent him her shoulder
He bent his body down, making Sasha get into a standing position. Ymir wasted no time in slipping her arm under the unconscious girl's armpit and pulling her other arm over her shoulders
"Do you need help?" Christa offered
"With that small frame of yours?" Ymir asked in a bewildered voice "Just let me do it."
"Okay." Christa nodded slowly. She then turned to Reinhard who was stretching his arm and popped the joint in his elbow, she gave the boy a smile of gratitude "Thank you Reinhard."
"Don't mention it." He chuckled "I'm go back to my dorm to rest, you two better go to sleep after you get back. Out training tomorrow will only get harder."
"Meh, I can take it." Ymir stated with a small shrug before smirking "I'm not a wimp like you."
That was blunt and unnecessary! But she's not entirely wrong, he is a wimp right now "Yeah, good night to you too, Ymir." He said with a sigh "I will see you two tomorrow."
"Good night Reinhard." Christa nodded while smiling and he nodded back
"Yeah, good night to you too, Christa."
And yet, even after saying that he found himself still awake for an hour, rolling in his bed and staring at the dark ceiling. The boys were already fast asleep, it seems they were tired or at least knew they would need all the energy they could get for tomorrow
A few were still awake, Reinhard was sure of it but he didn't know which one and didn't care much to be honest
He, himself was also sleepy and tired, he wanted nothing more but to go to sleep, but he simply couldn't. It can be said that there were a lot of things on his mind that prevented him from sleeping
'Okay, somehow I managed to get back to the past. I need to make a plan. Two things were very obvious for me to do.'
Get stronger, with his current body, he will only be a burden. Heck, Armin that graduated from the Training Corps was better than him!
It was ironic... Stamina was his weakest point during his time as a Cadet, but it become his strongest in the end, enough for him to be considered abnormal in that aspect
He did not mean to be brag, but he was a monster in terms of stamina. He surpassed even his seniors during the Utgard Castle's assault, where many fell at that time because of exhaustion from running and scouting all day, he did not
And even after Ymir transformed to hold off the Titans, he still kept going, he followed after her without hesitation to kill as many Titans as possible, albeit they still got overwhelmed in the end
He clenched his fist and gritted his teeth, refraining from growling at the memory
That Beast Titan... That damn bastard... So many died by his hands during the final battle
The memory of the ape-like Titan was enough for him to wish that he could back to the time of his final battle and make sure to finish off that bastard when he retreated
'No, no, don't think that. That was no longer important.'
He shook his head, he was going off track again. He took a deep breath trying to calm himself, it would have been better if he had tea right now, but he didn't so he was forced to control his temper by himself
Right, the first thing is obvious, he must retrain his body, getting back to his prime. No, not back to his prime, he must surpass his previous self. Unlike before, this time he didn't need to learn much about teamwork or things like that, he earned enough before, and is very good at it
He didn't need to focus on theory or anything like that, what he needed to do was to make himself physically stronger. Hone and improve his reflexes and skills to another level
He doubted he could get much stronger though since he was still a cadet, but at least he could improve his ODM gear skills further. He was good before, but he could be better, albeit not by much
No Titan or something like that could be used for a challenge, the dummy's that they use don't count
So, the first thing is to retrain his body, and if his calculations were correct, it would take him at least a year. That already included getting close to his friends once more and to help them. He had no delusions that he will spend 365 days straight only for training after all, there will be time for training, and there will be time for socializing with others
Especially with Mina and Thomas... He missed them, Gods... He will talk with them tomorrow
And the second thing was to make contact with the Survey Corps, Commander Erwin to be precise, plus Captain Levi and Squad Leader Hange of course, they were both very loyal to the man after all
He had a lot of things to tell them, a lot
"You must be confused, Reinhard." Levi said while sipping his tea "Why I did not send you with Eren and the others."
"Because you want to drink your tea, sir?" He guessed
"That was one of the reasons, yes." Levi admitted shamelessly with a nod "You're good at serving it after all, better than swinging a sword."
'Your confidence in my skills are welcomed.' He thought dryly "Thank you, sir."
"Hmph." Levi grunted positively "The other is, I needed you to be somewhere else."
"Somewhere else?"
"You have friends inside the Military Police, correct?"
His mind instantly went to Hitch and Marlo, and he nodded slowly "Yes."
"Figured you would." Levi grunted "You always run here and there like a chicken with its head cut off."
He gave the short captain a look, indicating that he wasn't amused and wondered where this was going
"Reinhard, I want you to make contact with them, get all the shady information you can. I don't care if it's obvious or not, get everything, down to even the individuals." Levi ordered
That was a heavy order, one that he did not expect, at all. He thought what the reason could be for a moment and he furrowed his eyebrows, he found it "It's about the death of Minister Nick, isn't it?"
"You catch on fast, yes." Levi said with a nod off approval" I'm sure you have an idea of what's actually going on."
"The people in the Walls are hiding something." Reinhard stated "Sir, I understand that its important, however I think we should focus on the main problem first." The Beast Titan that somehow is able to transform people into Titans
"Idiot, do you think those people aren't the truth?" Levi reprimanded him sharply "Do you think they don't know the origin of the Titans?"
He opened his mouth to reply but stopped, slowly he closed it with a click, his face became darker as he realized what his captain was implying
"They hid this..." He stated, eyes narrowed "They hid the origin of Titans, they didn't want people to know." While this kind of information wasn't good to reveal-they were practically killing people- but it was the one who hid them that troubling
It's no secret that the Military Police is corrupt after all, and they work for the King directly, who sure as hell would know about it. And yet, he didn't do anything to correct that corrupting
They're not good people...
"You suspect they know more." He said to his captain "They knew that the Titans were humans, and also their real origin. Like why there are Titans inside the Wall."
"And?" Levi inquired further
"There's a chance they know about Titan-shifters, the people from outside like the Beast Titan."
The short captain gave him a look of approval, his lips curled into a small smile and he nodded "Good, you caught that one fast as well." He commented "And we need to know more about Titan-shifters in general if we are going to face him." His eyes then turned dark for a moment "And if they know how to make a Titan turn back into a normal Human..."
No need for him to finish it, Reinhard caught it fast enough. If the people inside knew how to cure the Titans, then why the hell did they hold that kind of information a secret? It was probably for a good reason, like lack of lands or food
But the thing is, those people are bastards that proved to be jackasses so far
It was very clear that they will stab them in the back at some point, and Reinhard didn't want that to happen. No, thanks, twice with Annie, then Reiner and Bertholdt, that was already enough
"I will get in contact immediately, sir." Reinhard declared firmly
"Good, you do that." Levi grunted "Refill my cup."
"Yes, sir." He nodded as he picked up the captain's cup and refilled it "Captain, this mission, it will make me very busy."
"Obviously." Levi deadpanned as he retook his cup
"Can I get some break time then, sir? I... I want to talk with Historia."
The "Humanities" Strongest narrowed his eyes at the request "I heard you're close with her. Are you in love with her or something?"
"Wha? No!" He denied instantly, briefly sputtering at the question. Historia is cute, he won't deny that, she is very attractive but... Love? "No, sir, I'm not in love with her." He said "It's just... Like you said, I'm her friend, close even, I'm just worried about her."
"Is that so..." Levi drank his tea, his expression stoic as usual "Well, I don't see the problem. It is your mission, you set the schedule. However, you must be extra careful, don't make any stupid moves."
"Thank you for your concern, sir." Reinhard said with a smile of appreciation "But I can take care of myself, I faced a Titan, I don't think a few people will be able to get me."
"Don't be overconfident!" Levi barked immediately, making him flinch slightly "Don't ever think that Humans aren't dangerous." His eyes became very sharp and he stared at him with a serious expression "We are a dangerous species, there's almost no limit to how cruel we can be. Treat this carefully Reinhard, more than when you are facing a Titan.
Reinhard looked at his captain, his face was very serious. Slowly the former Cadet of the 104th Training Squad gave a nod and returned his captains look with his own "I will, sir."
"Good, if you die because of this, I will personally drag you back to the living World and kick your ass before ordering you to clean the entire base by yourself."
'I think I would rather stay dead than going back to life if I have to face that.' Reinhard thought with a grimace. Seriously, being dead sounded merciful in comparison
He closed his eyes and took another deep breath
They did not only have opponents outside, but inside as well. The corrupt and greedy people inside the Walls that cared for nothing but themselves
'We have time now...' Reinhard thought grimly 'Reiner and Bertholdt won't breach any Walls, not when they need to spend their times in here.' Unless they get triggered somehow, but he doubted that will happen, they must know that destroying the Walls won't do any good and would be a waste of time, that's why they choose infiltration, and here they are
He has three years before he graduates, before Trost gets breached -which will absolutely not happen this time- and that was enough time. He has plenty of time, plenty of time to find out the truth about their enemy on the outside, and take care of the one's that are inside
Speaking about the enemy...
Reiner's face briefly flashed in his mind, so did the Armored Titan and he clenched his fist, digging his nails into his palm and using the pain to make himself snap out of his anger
'Temper, temper, calm yourself Reinhard.'
Now is not the time to lose his emotions. No, the situation was already delicate enough. He has a lot of chances, yes, but there's also a big chance he could make things even worse if he acts recklessly
As much he hated it, right now he wasn't ready to face Reiner, he didn't stand a chance if they fought, not at all. Heck, the Armored Titan could take Captain Levi's whole squad including the man. True in the end he might lose, but not without giving severe damage to the squad
It's not because Reiner is so powerful, no, it's because fighting against him is the hardest due to the armor that covers him. Even a cannon didn't make Reiner flinch and it took Eren to bring him down
They can't fight the Armored Titan with their current weapons, only Eren has a chance against him
And unfortunately, Eren was not ready, heck, even after help and experiments with Hange, the boy was barely able to control his transformation. What chance could he possibly have, even with his experienced?
No... he couldn't attack Reiner, Bertholdt and... Annie..., at least, not yet.
"Hmmm, I thought you were a slow learner, but you got it pretty quickly. You've got the makings of a good fighter, Reinhard."
'God damn it Annie... Why? Why? You're different from Reiner, I can see that very clearly. You hesitated when you faced against us! And yet...'
Thinking about his former mentor brought a mixture of pain and anger. Pain because of her betrayal, did the time they spent together have any meaning? What was in her mind when he faced against her in that forest?
Anger because... Because...
"You're the cadet that Hange recruited personally right? It's nice to have more people in here, I heard you're a bit talented. My name is Petra Ral, feel free to call me if you need help, okay?"
"Hmm? Hange recruited you eh? Well, that woman does have a few screws loose in her head, hopefully you're not like her. If you want to see some geniuses in action, you should see more of me, the name's Oluo, remember that."
"You're a rookie aren't you? I've seen you during the fall of Trost. You've shown some moves back there, though they still need improvements, but good nonetheless. My name is Gunther Schultz, nice to meet you."
"New member huh? My name is Eld Gin, if you need something you can ask me, I will help if I can."
The Levi Squad... He and Eren were close to them, quite close because both of them were under Levi's supervision and he trained them one-on-one. Sometimes one of them -Petra was the most often- came to see their training, if Captain Levi was in the mood to let them see
And Annie killed them all...
He bit his inner cheek, drawing physical pain to sooth the sadness and anger inside him, he can even feel his eyes start to sting and he held it back
He will not let that happen, he will not let history repeat itself
However, if he attacked them now... That could happen... Without proper preparation against them, the Titan-shifters would slaughter his friends
Like Hell he will let that happen
'Retraining this body, making sure everyone was prepared and finding a way to contact the Survey Corps. The Titan-shifter could be dealt with later, after we found out the truth and have more information about them.' He thought grimly as he pulled up his blanket
Satisfied with those decisions, he took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, then he closed his eyes and began to relax
It's not much of a plan, however at least his goals and priorities were set straight. Tomorrow when he was alone, he will figure out more, like how to contact the Survey Corps or how to help his friends.
Now it's time to sleep, tomorrow will be a long day after all
He shifted in his bed and felt something poke him, he pulled up his blanket and blinked when he noticed something familiar laying beneath him
His journal...
The room was dark, only a few lanterns that worked as a source of light, and he was barely able to see, but he didn't think it was much of a problem truthfully
He opened his journal, and found it to be empty, no, not completely empty. There was some information, he recognized it as the information about the Military and their branches. Simple, common and basic information, he remembered how he wrote them when he was younger, before entering the Training Corps
He flipped through the journal, finding it mostly empty. Well, it can't be blamed though, he only started writing when he entered the military
He smiled in nostalgia before pull the pen that tied in his book, then he start to write
'Might be better to write the time travel stuff in vague manner.' He thought as he recall how Hannes read his journal. Yeah, he did not want people find out he is from the future. It will make him looks like someone that insane or get him send to asylum, obviously those are not something that he want to
Entry #7, Years 847, First Day as Cadet
I don't know how it happened, or why it was me but somehow I got back... And now I am Cadet of 104th Training Corps
Things was tense and very confusing for me when I just arrive. Even now I still have a bit problem to wrap my head about what happened, part of me still think that perhaps this is only a dream
However I'm not that stupid, the pain I felt when I run and exhausted is more than enough to tell me it was not a dream, and if this is truly what I think it is, I don't care how it happened but one thing for sure, I will not let gift in horse's mouth to slip, especially one that great like this
I have chance to settle what is wrong and fix them. I have no delusion that I will succeed to save everyone though, Commander and Captain has drill that lesson to my head, and after seeing how many people died, I'm not stupid enough to believe in such thing as well
I can't save everyone... People are fragile and weak, we can die easily anytime in unexpected manner
Like certain Ace told me, this World is merciless. If you weak, you will die
It was brutal and crude motto, but it was right, and I understand her point of view. The World we live in is cold, the weak dead and the strong live, people did not notice it because they decide to ignore that fact
I am weak right now... But I will be strong, soon, I will surpass my former self and become stronger. I have time and skills already, this body of mine... In a year with right training regiment that I get from Captain, I will become better
I can't save everyone, even if I become strong, in the end I still do not believe I will be able to save everyone
But I believe I will be more than capable to save as much as I could, especially those that I consider to be precious and I had fail in the past
Things will become better, I swear, I put my life on it, and I will not let our people fail
The Next Day
"Alright! First thing, let's see if you're good for something!" Keith shouted to the cadets that gathered "Just tie the ropes to both sides of your waist , and hang down from there! Use your fullbody for balance! Those who can't manage that will be used as Titan bait!" He instructed while pointing to the machine "Now form a line and get to it!"
Reinhard stifled a yawn as he cracked his neck and rolled his shoulder that was stiff. When he woke up this morning he thought he was dreaming, however he realized he was not and started to follow the others that were preparing for training
'I really, really need to get back to my prime, soon. Waking up with a stiff body like this is annoying.' He thought with irritation as he entered the line, waiting for his turn. He stared at the gear that made to be like the ODM gear, it cannot move obviously, its purpose is to make cadets get an idea of how to hover properly while in the gear
In the past he did not get it right immediately but at least he was able to keep his balance properly and not fail
Now though...
He let out a small grunt as he tied the gear to his waist and let the machine pulled him up, bored and in a lazy manner, he set his balance properly and hovered in the air without much of a problem
"Hmmm, more than meets the eye I see." Keith said as he observed him as he hanged in the air "Give me a proper salute, Trias!"
"Yes, Sir!" He yelled as he straightened his back while keeping his balance and giving a salute to the instructor
The instructor kept his eyes on him, slowly they dragged down to his waist before he grunted "Yesterday, you did not tell me." He said and moved his eyes upward "Where are you from, Trias?"
"Shiganshina District, sir." Reinhard answered
He heard gasps and murmurs from his fellow cadets after he answered the question, he ignored them and kept his gaze on the instructor. Although from the corner of his eyes, he caught the Shiganshina Trio -Armin, Eren, and Mikasa- giving him an intrigued look
"Hoo..." Keith let out a small voice that sounds like understanding "Well, at least you learned your lesson. It seems the next time you meet Titan you will not become bait." He stated "Now get down from there and let the others have their turn! Start running for five laps! I want you done before everyone's finished!"
'Oi, that was too much! This yard isn't small you know?!' He complained, outwardly he only gave a nod "Yes, sir!" He said as he hopped down and started running
He caught sight of Christa, Ymir and Sasha on his way and he waved at them. The first and the last waving back -Christa even with a smile- while the second merely gave him a nod in greeting
It took him a while, but in the end, he managed to finish the run, albeit it made him at a loss for breath and he had to slow down his pace many times to catch himself from falling
Damn, he is really bad, if it was his former self, he wouldn't be panting so hard and he might have even finished the run sooner
It was only after he finished his run did he notice Keith standing in front of two familiar people. Judging from his face, the instructor seemed in the middle of chewing them
"Okay, you maggots! If you're not in it to win, you can pack your bags and get shipped into the Interior right now!" Keith yelled at them. He turned to the boy and glared with his usual dark expression "Thomas Wagner! Even a waste of space like you could make it in the Interior! They're low on numbers, son!" He turned to Mina and the girl flinched under his stare "And you! Mina Carolina! Born in a pigsty, weren't you? Then go back and live with the swine, kiddo! Titans don't eat pork!" He then paused as if considering his words for a moment, only for him to throw another insult "Although I don't know if the pigs would even take a runt like you in!"
After saying that the instructor walked passed them without a second glance. Reinhard tensed when the former commanders eyes fell on him and started to approach him
"You're almost late, boy!" He shouted in his face "You run like an old grandma! No! Even an old grandma can run faster than you! What do you have to say about that?!"
"Yes, sir! Unfortunately, stamina is not my best aspect!" Reinhard replied with a straight voice "However, I believe in the future I will become better with all the training I will go through!"
"Let's hope so, son! Even if you know how to maneuver ODM gear, without stamina, you will only jump straight into a Titan's mouth! Take a short break with the others, I will tell you to run again after that!"
"Sir, yes, sir!"
The bald instructor gave a grunt and a nod before walking past him, leaving Reinhard with the two that got scolded moments ago
After making sure the instructor won't turn back, he approached Mina and Thomas, outwardly he looked calm and had a smile, but on the inside, he feels his heart beating rapidly
His friends... They're alive... They're here...
Gods, it really took a lot for him to not shed tears just by seeing them again
"That was tense, huh?" He questioned with a light tone
"You bet it was." Thomas grumbled "You're... Reinhard Trias, right?"
"Yes, and you are Thomas Wagner." Reinhard nodded with a small smile before turning to Mina "And you are Mina Carolina, nice to meet you two."
"Ah, yeah, nice to meet you too." Mina replied with the same expression "You're the one who managed to succeed in using that gear on his first try before, right?"
"Am I?" He blinked "Sorry, I didn't pay much attention, my mind was still connected to the dream World." He said sheepishly
"Just like yesterday when you fell?" Thomas asked with a smirk
His eyebrow twitched once and he let out a groan "That will never be forgotten, won't it?"
"Well, it's not as bad as Potato Girl." Mina giggled and he held back a snort at that "But it still has its own category."
"Of course." He sighed while shaking his head "So, what was with Instructor Keith before?"
Both of them grimaced when he mentioned the instructors name and they started fidgeting in their place. Reinhard can't help but sympathize with them, Keith is not known to be gentle after all
"Just a mistake..." He confessed before sighing "He didn't have to be so harsh. I'm doing my best." Thomas muttered while rubbing the back of his head
"Agreed, this is only the second day but things are already like this... Maybe the life of a pig is better." Mina said in a sulking manner
"Hey, hey, don't be so down you two." Reinhard cheered them "Work hard and make him eat his words."
"I AM working hard!" Thomas groaned "It's not like we don't try, it's just..."
"The instructor is really harsh with his words." Mina mumbled with a grimace "I'm not sure we're going to make it through training like this."
"Yeah, if I'm being honest, I really don't see how I'm going to improve my training results." Thomas agreed while crossing his arms in a contemplating manner
"I know! I'm trying my hardest already, and look where it's gotten me. What do you think we should do, Reinhard?" Mina asked with a lost expression
"Well..." Reinhard rubbed his chin in contemplating manner. He's a bit lost too, the last time he got asked this, he suggested them to learn from the top cadets and get close to them
However, that was proven to be an ineffective method in the end. This because most in the top 10 were actually not very social or capable of helping them completely since they had their own matters. Mikasa is hard to approach due to her... Loner nature. Same thing with Annie -and she did not even try to be polite or gentle, not at all- and Christa herself is actually only one or two levels above average
The boys also have problems. Jean and Eren were too busy in their own "rivalry" and obviously not teacher material. Reiner and Bertholdt might be able to help though, especially the former who is great in socializing
But he didn't want them to learn from the Titan-shifters or even be close to them, not at all
Sasha and Connie are frankly the best and easiest people to get close with, however they are often not serious and playful, during their time as cadets they were known as the comedic duo despite them being more skilled than the others
"I will help you two then." He answered
"Huh?" Thomas blinked
"I will help you two." He repeated "I might not look like much, and my stamina is not the best, but I'm quite skilled in a few things."
"Eh? Is that really okay?" Mina asked, sounded concerned and hesitant "I mean, the instructor seemed pretty harsh on you too."
"Yeah." Thomas winced "He seemed to want nothing more but make your life hard."
'I think he is like that with everyone.' Reinhard thought dryly "It's fine, I will endure it." He reassured the while smiling a bit "We will be together for years, I don't mind helping if I can, it will also give me some experience in return."
"Experience?" Mina inquired curiously
"In leading some people." He answered with a grin "So how about it?" He asked while offering his hand
Mina and Thomas glanced at each other, sending silent messages to each other. Then the boy smiled and took his hand
"Deal." Thomas nodded while also grinning "Hopefully you can help us, Reinhard."
"Yeah." Mina nodded as well, lips curled into a smile
"I will try my best." He replied happily "Now..." He glanced at the gear in front of them "You two don't have a problem using this, don't you?"
"Well... Our balance is off." Thomas admitted sheepishly "But at least we're not falling like Eren."
"Eren?" He asked. Then he remembered what happened, how the boy was close to failing due to malfunctioning equipment
"Yeah, he flipped and couldn't keep himself straight." Mina informed and then she flinched "Instructor Keith really chewed him out."
"And last night he was talking about killing Titans too." Thomas added with a grimace "I hope the others won't talk badly about him."
"For some reason I have feeling this won't stop him." He chuckled in knowing manner
"Do you know him? You're from Shiganshina too right?" Mina asked curiously
"Not really, I had seen him but we never talked, so we don't know each other" Reinhard answered, then his lips twitched upward "But I did hear a rumor back then that there was a boy who kept screaming about killing titans
"He wanted to kill Titans even before the breach?" Thomas asked in a bewildered voice "Wow, he really does have big guts."
'More like reckless.' He thought dully, not like it was completely a bad thing. Eren's "reckless" actions have had moments that were beneficial "That he does." He stated "Now, why don't you two put on that gear? I will fix your posture."
"Okay, let me try first." Thomas volunteered and stepped forward to the machine
Reinhard simply smiled as he went and helped the blond boy putting on his gear. While internally he felt sad that his friends saw him as a stranger, but that paled in comparison to the fact that they were alive
Bonds can be broken, true, but they can be remade and strengthened, while you only have one life, once it's gone, it cannot be returned
And this time, he will make sure his friends survive
Welp, just one day, one day and he already changing things without knowing. Truly our MC work very fast in here huh? I wonder what kind of wave it will create in future
So, yep, in here we get more interaction, and caught further glimpse of our MC personality. He is... Well, I want to explain his character but I will save it for later, another person will get read of him in future and told what kind of person Reinhard is
For now you can make your own assumption to make things more interesting!
Anyway, in here I already start to imply what his role is after the second season coming to an end and before the final battle happen. He is handling another matter, focusing to get info about the people from MP and their operation
Unfortunately he only manage to get few before the final battle happen and everything went clusterfuck in the end
Back to the track, we can see in here that he also already start make plan, pretty good one for the beginning, hopefully it will succeed in the end and he not make things become worse than canon, it already dark enough to be honest!
Next chapter will be more interaction with others and Reinhard trying to improve situation for his friends. This Arc, I will be honest, going to be focused how his interaction with other, this so people can get the idea of his character and how canon characters interact with him. Well, I guess this is it for now, don't forget to give this story Favorite, Follow, and Review
Ja Ne! XD
