Attack on Ranma
Chapter Four
"THOUGHTS"
XXX
Ryoga, Ranma, and Ranko sat at an oblong, mahogany table facing the leaders of the survey corps which included the survey corps commander, Colonel Erwin Smith, Major Zoe Hange, and Captains Levi Ackerman, Dita Ness, Mike Zacharius, Diego Conde from the Spanish contingent, and the newly promoted Captain Roy Fokker whose captain and lieutenant had met death at the hands the titans before Ryoga and the Saotome sisters were able to rescue him and his men. All of these officers wore the survey corps capes and uniforms along with their insignias of rank.
The pristinely cleaned room was inside a wooden building made of logs on the outside. Even the seats were made of finely finished wood.
The high ranking members of the Reconnaissance Corps regarded the strangely garbed travelers, sizing each of them up.
Ryoga Yeager was a stunningly handsome, young man with a lightly tanned complexion, a nice, rounded face and baby blue eyes. His hair was jet black, with his bangs falling naturally into a middle-parted curtain-type style with a bandana over his forehead. He had a brawny build, being six feet two inches tall weighing 225 pounds of well-defined muscle.
Ranko Saotome was a beautifully sexy, strong limbed young girl with a curvaceously busty physique that stood at attention as she leaned backwards in her seat and clasped her hands behind her head. When she stood, her height was a statuesque five feet four inches while her weight was a moderately muscular 120 pounds with long, bright red hair that went a few inches below her shoulders.
The enchantingly gorgeous Ranma Saotome stood at five feet eight inches tall with a muscular yet well-endowed physique, ice blue eyes, powerful limbs, and dark red hair done up in a thick pigtail that went half way down her back, weighing 140 pounds.
After Ryoga and the girls had explained everything to the higher ranking members of the survey scouts who they were and what had happened to them since leaving China until they had rescued the survey scouts from the titans that had almost devoured them, the commander spoke up.
Colonel Erwin Smith had a commanding presence, being a well built, handsome man standing at six feet two inches tall with his blond hair kept neatly parted on the left side. He had a calm, collected expression on his face as his eyebrows were noticeably thick and bushy. Thus his icy-blue eyes regarded the newcomers shrewdly before making his decision.
"I knew there were some people here who came all the way from Asia, but I'm surprised that anyone was still alive outside of the walls all this time. At any rate, warriors with your skills would be very useful. Despite the fact that the government doesn't like newcomers, I'm going to furbish you with backstories that will allow you to join the military and go through boot camp for more training," the commander said stoically.
"All right," Ryoga complied.
Neither Ryoga nor Ranma had said anything about him being a rabbit. Nor did Ryoga say anything about him being transported into another universe. He simply allowed Erwin to think he had lived in Asia for the whole time even though he looked no different from the people observing them, resembling a European as opposed to being Japanese.
"Why do we need to go through more training? We've been fighting titans for months now!" Ranma stated hotly.
Then Ryoga turned towards the fiery redhead. "We need to learn how the people around here do things, so we can work better with them, Ranma."
"That's right," Erwin answered, giving Ranma a sharp look.
"Anyway, I was wondering about something."
"What is it, Colonel Erwin?" Ryoga asked.
"Captain Fokker's report stated that when one of the larger titans struck you and knocked you into a tree that you were hardly hurt. Is that true?"
"It did hurt, but I'm not injured," Ryoga answered.
"How is that?"
"That's due to years of rigorous martial arts training," Ryoga answered respectfully.
"Is that so? I think all of your abilities are over rated," Captain Levi Ackerman interjected with his arms folded on his chest.
Ryoga had a disappointed look on his face as he regarded the harsh words of the man who had once been his childhood hero.
Levi Ackerman stood at five feet four inches tall with short, straight black hair styled in an undercut and sharp, intimidating grey eyes. He had a physique that was well-developed and heavy with muscle, belying his rather short stature while the slight furrow beneath his eyes was at odds with his otherwise youthful appearance. Aside from his constant frown, his expression was calm along with an unflappable demeanor that often made it difficult to guess what he was thinking.
"What are you talking about? Hasn't Captain Fokker told you what we did to those titans who were about to make a meal out of your comrades? What more do we have to do to earn respect around here?" Ranko said as she sharply turned towards the diminutive captain.
"I couldn't have said that better myself, Ranko," Ranma agreed.
"Don't be offended with Captain Levi. He's not as harsh as he seems. He's humanity's strongest soldier so he has a lot to live up to," Captain Dita Ness said with a welcoming aura around him.
Dita Ness was a man of average height and build with a scant mustache and beard. He also sported a white bandana that he wore around his balding head which showed light brown hair along the sides and back.
Erwin regarded Ryoga shrewdly for a moment. Then he confronted him.
"You were born within the walls, weren't you?"
"Um…" Ryoga stammered.
"I can tell these things. How did you manage to live outside these walls all this time? Have you even given me your real names?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Ryoga responded.
"Try me."
"My previous name was Eren Yeager. When my mother died at the hands of a titan, a family friend took hold of me and ran to safety. But I broke free of his hold and ran back to my home that was wrecked. I eventually ran into my father's lab where I smashed into something that exploded, sending me far away. The people I met there decided to call me Ryoga thus the name stuck. Then I lived out in wastelands and deserts until I met up with Ranma. You know the rest."
"I see. I still think you're holding something back, but for the most part you're telling the truth," the commander said, deciding to be satisfied with what he had heard.
"How many titans have you seen during your travels?!" Major Zoe Hange broke in excitedly.
Zoe was a tall woman with long brown hair with much of it done up in a bun on the top of her head while she wore a pair of small eyeglasses.
"We've killed several, but I've lost count as to how many," Ryoga answered.
"Did it ever occur to you to capture one of them alive?"
"No, but during our fights with titans, I've knocked a couple of them out with my ki hammer," Ryoga replied.
"Really?!" Hange asked excitedly.
"Yes."
"Oh, that's great. That means you can…"
"That's another thing I want to talk about. When you're training in boot camp, keep your ki abilities as you call them a secret. The government here hates new technology of any kind," Erwin said.
"And the last thing you want is for the government to think you have some new technological device that's beyond what they want anyone to have. Simply learn how to use the three dimensional maneuvering equipment while you're there."
"What's that?" Ranma asked.
"You'll find out during boot camp," Erwin explained.
"All right, we understand," Ryoga answered.
Erwin regarded Ryoga shrewdly again, noticing he had that look within his eyes that showed he had been through unknown hardships. Even Ranma and Ranko had gone through terror of some kind as well, but they seemed to lack the maturity Ryoga had.
"You're obviously more aware of what's going on around here than your two friends, Ryoga. And it's obvious your strength is the greatest of the three. I would like for you to stay here with the Reconnaissance Corp. We can train you ourselves more quickly while you share with us some of your skills and help us against the titans we face."
"All right. If that's what's best," Ryoga answered.
Ryoga was rather surprised he was being let in the Survey Corps so quickly. He had thought he'd never get to join the scouts, and here he was.
"How long will Ranma and I be training at this boot camp?" Ranko asked impatiently.
"Boot camp takes three years."
"Three years?!" Ranma spat out. "Are the titans out there gonna just sit around waiting for three years while Ranko and I are cooped up at this boot camp?"
At that point, Levi broke in. "We've been fighting titans for years before you got here, you brat. We'll survive another three years."
"We'll both be as old as sixteen and seventeen by the time we're finished," Ranko said calmly.
"Hopefully, you'll have grown up by then," Levi replied sharply.
"In addition to that, you two need the discipline you'll get from being in a boot camp setting. You need to bathe more often too," the sniffing Captain Mike Zacharius interjected.
"What?! We did our best to bathe whenever we could! Isn't that right, Ranko?!" Ranma yelled out.
"That's right, Ranma. We…"
"Despite being as over rated as he is, Ryoga at least knows when to keep his mouth shut while you two little girls keep prattling on like a couple of hens. I wouldn't mind putting you in your place myself, but I'll leave that to Commandant Shadis," Captain Levi interjected, giving them an intimidating glare that had no effect on the girls who simply glared back.
"Little girls?! Why we're taller than you are!" Ranma snapped back, pounding the table in front of her.
"When you two girls finish boot camp, join up with the Reconnaissance Corp of which I'm the commander. Then you'll have more freedom to engage in your unusual abilities out here in the open. Before you do go, I'd like you to write down how you do some of the things you do on paper."
"I don't think that would help too much, Commander Erwin" Ranko answered softly.
"Do the best you can with that. I'd also like you to show a friend of mine what you can do, so he can possibly recreate the effects. That will be all," Erwin said, ending the meeting.
After Ryoga and the girls had left, another man walked into the room from another door. He was tall, imposing, and bald with a small goatee on his chin.
"Did you get all of that, Keith?" Commander Erwin asked as he looked over his shoulder.
"Yes. Ryoga doesn't need to go through boot camp much like Levi didn't need to, but as for those two immature girls, it will take a lot of work getting their attitudes in line," Commandant Keith Shadis answered stoically as he stared after the girls walking away.
XXX
"I can't believe this is going to take three whole years, three whole years!" Ranma complained as she faced Ryoga before she was about to enter the boot camp area dressed in a white shirt, a beige jacket, and grey pants along with Ranko who was dressed the same way.
"I'm afraid that's the case, Ranma," Ryoga answered as he embraced her.
"None of the armies of Japan ever took that long to train. They were through with new recruits in a matter of months, sometimes faster than that!"
"I don't like it any more than you do, Ranma, but that's what we'll have to do. We can look at it as training," Ryoga answered.
"I can endure the training, but the worst part about it is being away from you so long, Ryoga," Ranma said with a sense of sadness as she held on to him.
"I believe they'll let me visit you during that time, Ranma, but until then…"
Out of nowhere, Ranma leaped up and gave him a sensuous kiss, caressing his back as she rubbed up against him.
"Now, you'll have something to remember me by. Feel free to dream about me as much as you want," Ranma breathed hotly as her buoyant bosom heaved in the boy's direction.
"Sigh. I won't forget you, Ranma, but pay attention to what your trainers try to teach you. The sooner we all learn how to do the things we need to do around here, the sooner we can take the fight to the titans and free this world from their tyranny."
"I agree with that, Ryoga," Ranma said as she held on to him while Ranko looked on. Then she noticed Ranko regarding them.
"What?"
"I hope I can find someone to love the way you have, Ranma."
"You'll find someone, Ranko. There are plenty of boys around here," Ranma answered.
"I'm sure the both of you will do well, Ranko," Ryoga stated.
"All right, it's time for you two little girls to get moving," Levi demanded to the consternation of the teenagers. Then he turned towards Ryoga.
"And don't think things will be easy for you either, big fella. You may wish you were in boot camp with these girls by the time I'm through with you."
Ryoga calmly looked down and regarded the smaller, intimidating man without flinching. "There's nothing you can put me through that is more brutal than all the horrors I've suffered along with the martial arts training and fights I've endured."
"Way to go, Ryoga!" Ranma cheered as Ranko joined in.
"You two little girls get out of here and get inside that training camp!" Levi ordered in a cold rage. The girls regarded the survey scout for a moment, did an about face, and made their way into the camp with a confident switch of their hips that the guard at the gate happily noticed.
As soon as the girls had passed through the gate of the camp, the guard there shut said gate. After that, he saluted Levi who returned the salute. Then the soldier walked a few feet away from the gate to his post inside the camp.
"Come on. We're going back to our base," Levi ordered, taking Ryoga by the collar of his uniform which was similar to what Ranko and Ranma were wearing.
XXX
The next day, Ranko and Ranma stood at attention with their hands folded behind their backs along with dozens of other cadets in the morning sun, being composed of fifteen rows with the commandant standing in front of them. The dirt ground on which they stood was a fortified valley that was surrounded by several houses, towers, and military equipment.
"Straighten those spines, pissants! The 104th cadet boot camp starts now! Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Commandant Keith Shadis and you will grow to hate me! Your training will be harsh and brutal! After I'm through with you you'll be waking up in a cold sweat with the memory of this place for the rest of your lives! Right now you're nothing! But over the next three, soul crushing years you'll learn to take on your own fears! Remember this day when you come face to face with death! That's when you'll ask yourself am I a fighter or am I food for the titans?! Am I going to be ground into meat by teeth or am I going to be the one to bite?!"
The commandant looked around at the sea of people. Then he made his way through the ranks.
"Hey, mop top!"
"Sir!" the recruit snapped with a salute that had his right hand in a fist over his heart while his left hand was behind him in a juxtaposed position.
"What do they call you, maggot?!"
"Armin Bateman from the Shiganshina District, sir!"
"How did you get such a stupid name?!"
"I got it from my grandfather, sir!"
"Why is a little guy like you even here?!"
"I'm here to help humanity against the titans, sir!" Armin yelled out nervously with his eyes closed.
"That's nice to hear. You'll make a nice snack for them."
Armin Bateman was a gorgeously attractive, petite, young boy with medium length, blond hair, a round face, and prominent, ice blue eyes, standing at five feet six inches tall weighing 135 pounds. He had a soft hearted mien to himself that Ranko raptly noticed.
"He's so cuuute!" Ranko thought to herself as Shadis grabbed the boy by the head and turned him around for everyone to see.
As Ranko kept her eyes on Armin who was a couple of rows ahead of her, the drill instructor denigrated some of the other recruits. Then she began indulging in fantasies of them being married with children in a nice home outside the walls after the titans had been defeated. "Sigh!"
Keith Shadis had passed over many of the recruits because he perceived correctly that they had endured more terror than he was capable of instilling in them, having seen the titans up close when they had smashed through Wall Maria, the outer most wall. Then he noticed Ranma and Ranko. Both of these girls had endured horrors of their own, but they were different from the others who had endured the titans. These two seemed to have actually gotten over what had happened to them. Shadis had already recognized that they were much better trained with more confidence than anybody else there. However, the problem with them was that each of them thought she really didn't need to be there. Well, he would fix that!
"Hey, you, redhead!"
"Sir!" Ranma and Ranko answered at the same time with a crisp salute.
"I'm talking to you tall, dark, and red!" Shadis said to Ranma staring into her eyes seemingly in a rage.
"Sir!" Ranma snapped.
"Who are you?!"
"I'm Ranma Sautorme!"
"Where are you from?!"
"The Karanese District, sir!" Ranma answered in accordance with the backstory Commander Erwin had provided for her.
"That place was out in the boondocks. Did you see any titans?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Did you fight any of them?!"
"Yes, sir!" Ranma answered, surprising everyone there except for Ranko and the drill instructor.
"I don't believe you. A hot piece of ass like you would have hid behind your boyfriend while he did all of the fighting!"
"No, sir!"
"Where is your boyfriend? I bet you ran away screaming like a little girl while your boyfriend tried to fight the titans and got himself eaten. Ain't that right?"
"No, sir! My boyfriend is alive and well in the Survey Corps! And I've both fought and killed titans myself, sir!" Ranma answered proudly.
"So you think, you're hot stuff, don't you?"
"Yes, sir, I do!" Upon giving that quick response, Ranma realized she had given the wrong answer as everyone's eyes turned towards her as if she had grown another head.
"Is that so?! About face!" Shadis turned Ranma around so more of the people there could see her.
"This little girl thinks she can take on the titans all by herself while standing behind her boyfriend!" Shadis announced to everybody there.
"I…"
"Shut up! If you think you're so tough as to be able to defeat the titans just because you have a strong boyfriend who likes your hot little derriere and great rack, you have another thing coming. You're gonna have to stand on your own two feet if you want to make it around here, sweet cheeks!"
"I…"
"You got that, redhead?!"
"Yes, sir!" Ranma stiffened up, trying her hardest to hide her anger and failing miserably.
Then Shadis made his way to Ranko who saluted as soon as he appeared in front of her. "So what do we have here? Are you also from the Karanese District?"
"Yes, sir!"
"And what's your name?"
"Ranko Tendeau, sir!" Ranko answered in accordance with the new name, Colonel Erwin had given her.
The commandant shot a look at Ranma. Then he turned back towards Ranko. "So you two girls are related?"
"That's right, sir! We…"
"I didn't ask for details!"
The commandant regarded the sexy, curvaceous buxom physique and the obvious confidence Ranko exuded for a moment with a cold hard stare. "Frankly, I don't recall the girls from that area being such whores. Are you going to be able to go without a man long enough to finish this training?"
"Huh?!" Ranko answered angrily.
"You heard me, bitch! And what's this?!" Shadis held up a small, hand-sized package in front of both Ranma and Ranko who both immediately recognized it for what it was.
"Hey, you went into our private stuff!" Ranko shouted.
"Shut up, bitch. You don't have any privacy in my training camp! Now why don't you explain in detail what this is for?"
"If you must know it's so that people can have sex without the girl getting pregnant!" Ranko answered in a huff.
"Oh, really? You seem to know a lot about things of such a nature," the commandant said sarcastically.
"Well I…"
"Never mind that! What's that on your mouth? Have you been drooling all over yourself?! Maybe you're recalling seeing one of those naked titans and getting turned on. Is that what you're thinking about?" the commandant demanded with a wry look on his face.
"Grrrr! No, that's not true!" Ranko's fists began to glow. Then Ranma noticed Ranko's ki blade appearing for a moment out of the fist of her left hand behind her back.
"It looks like it. What's wrong with you?!"
"I'm just hungry, sir!" Ranko answered, finally calming herself down and making her ki blade disappear.
"Is that so?! It seems as if you two can't keep your minds off of sex since you've obviously come prepared. What's the matter? You don't want to procreate with anyone? Maybe you should be unisexual. I wonder what gave you that idea."
"Maybe it was your wife, sir," Ranma answered with a smirk as Ranko broke out giggling. Eventually many of the other cadets began to laugh. At that point, the commandant's eyes bulged in a rage. He was about to say something else when his eyes moved towards his left and noticed another girl in the ranks two rows behind them eating a potato.
XXX
Later that day, several of the cadets were watching from the porch of the barracks as three girls jogged around the base.
"I thought Shadis was going to kill Potato Girl," a cadet commented.
"Yeah. Being told to run around the base until the sun went down didn't bother her near as much as missing meal privileges for the day. Those two girls from Karanese didn't seem bothered with their punishment at all," another commented.
"I was more certain that those two from the Karanese District were going to get boiled in oil," another cadet commented.
"I hope not. Those girls are smoking hot! I'm surprised each of them didn't go off and marry a rich guy and live in the interior," another cadet interjected
"Well, I'm surprised they'd even have the nerve to mouth off like that," Mikasa Ackerman said in reply.
Mikasa was physically fit with sinewy muscles and chin-length black hair as she stood at five feet eight inches tall weighing 150 pounds. In addition to that, she was of mixed Asian heritage with fair skin and calm, black eyes that helped to make her attractive.
"That's true, but those two are the strongest cadets here. Even stronger than you, Mikasa," Armin replied.
"I find that hard to believe," Mikasa replied.
"It's true. Look at how they're running. They move with grace and finesse, in total control of their movements. The commandant saw this too. Why else would he have verbally abused them in the manner he did? They weren't the least bit afraid of him or anyone else. I find it easy to believe either one of them could stand up to a titan without flinching," Armin commented.
At that point, Eren's cousin, Johnny Sako, made his way to either side of them. "Wow! You're so right, Armin!"
The lively boy had a cute, rounded face and a full, thick head of hair that was combed to the side. He stood at five feet six inches tall weighing 140 pounds. His large black eyes looked upon the three running girls, paying more attention to the redheads.
"Hmm." Mikasa regarded the girls who ran, noticing what Armin had stated.
Mikasa was heartbroken after Eren had broken the hold of the man who had carried them off to safety. With an increase of spirit induced strength Eren had made his way back to his home and vanished in the explosion of his father's lab after his mother had met death at the hands of a titan.
In addition to the outer wall of the Shiganshina District which jutted out from Wall Maria being breached, another titan made of armor had appeared and smashed through adjoining Wall Maria, allowing more titans to make their way through, prompting everyone who lived within Wall Maria to evacuate into the safety of Wall Rose, the next inner wall.
Since there wasn't enough food for all of the people living within Wall Rose and the flood of new refugees, the leaders of the country had decided to send the ones old enough to serve in the military back into the newly titan infested territory in order to supposedly take back land from the them.
The plan to retake Wall Maria culminated in the death of over 200,000 of the refugees despite the fact that many of them were trained and supplied with new weaponry. It was so bad that less than two hundred made it back. While their deaths did nothing to drive back the titans, their sacrifices did much to minimize the famine in the interior.
However, there was another silver lining in that dark cloud. The weaknesses of the titans had been figured out, giving mankind a smidgeon of hope.
During this time, Mikasa along with Armin and Johnny whose parents had also died in the bid to retake Wall Maria had stayed together through it all with Armin doing his best to console his friends. Eventually Armin decided to join the military so as not to feel weak and defenseless. He also wanted to change what was going on with the apparent corruption of the governing powers from the inside. What he said was so convincing that Mikasa and Johnny had decided to join up as well.
However, before they joined the military, Johnny had a strange dream or did he?
FLASHBACK
"Uncle Grisha, where are we?"
"Johnny, give me your arm!" the bespectacled middle aged man demanded as he took hold of him.
"What are you doing?! You're acting crazy!"
"You'll understand later! Just do what I tell you to do right now!" Grisha said as he used a syringe and injected something into the boy.
"Oh, no! What are you doing?! Ooowwww! Aaaaaaagghh!"
FLASHBACK ENDED
"Maybe it was just me, but did you see a blade appear in one of those girl's hands?" a cadet asked no one in particular.
"Yeah, I thought I saw something too until it just vanished into thin air," another cadet commented."
"That can't be true. You guys are dreaming."
During this time, Ranma and Ranko continued to run along with Sasha Blouse, the girl who had eaten the potato during drill. Sasha was a moderately attractive, tall, slender girl whose hair was done in one long ponytail behind her back with a huge appetite. Her stomach growled audibly as she continued to run herself ragged, surprised that the other two girls who simply kept up with her weren't the least bit tired.
"Well, that was interesting. This day has been full of surprises," Ranko said in Japanese.
"Don't worry about it, Ranko. That guy knows we're the best people here, so he's going out of his way to put us down."
"But now everybody thinks we're a couple of loose girls! How will I be able to get a serious boyfriend now?" Ranko replied.
"We can't help what people think when we weren't allowed to explain to everyone that we got those contraceptives and much of the other things we got from those eastern cities. We sometimes had to cut and run, so we simply grabbed whatever looked useful and put them in our backpacks. It took us some time to figure out what those packages really were. And by the time we did we were practically here."
"It would be pointless trying to explain anything to our comrades now," Ranko commented in a matter of fact manner.
"What were you thinking about anyway?" Ranma asked.
"Huh, what do yah mean?"
"I'm talking about when you were drooling all over yourself."
"Oh, that. Well I…"
"Was it that cute blond from the Shiganshina district? What was his name again? Armin Bateman, right?"
"Yes, that's right. There's no need to put him down just because he's not as big and strong as Ryoga, Ranma. Besides, since he's fairly young with enough strength and martial arts training he can become bigger," Ranko replied as she looked over the horizon.
"Relax, Ranko. I'm just happy to see you've found someone."
"What are you two talking about?!" Sasha asked after having turned her head from one to the other.
"Sorry about that, Sasha," Ranma replied. "Ranko and I were just babbling about unimportant matters."
The nearly exhausted girl looked downward at her feet which pounded the ground. Then she noticed that Ranko and Ranma weren't leaving any foot prints. "How come you two aren't the least bit tired? It's like you're light on your feet."
"We're both in phenomenal shape." As Sasha began to stagger, both Ranma and Ranko took hold of either side of her and held her up.
Both Ranma and Ranko had learned how to lower their endurance usage and conserve energy, allowing them to train and fight for a longer time.
"You girls are upset over missing lunch and dinner, aren't you? Aren't you hungry?" Sasha asked as she caught her breath.
"Both of us have had to go without food for days at a time. However, I bet Ranma has figured out some way to make up for it," Ranko said as she gave Ranma a sideward glance and a wry smile
"I sure have."
"And exactly what would that be?"
Then Ranma switched over to Japanese. "Haven't you figured out how to extend the range of your umisen?"
"Yes, that's right. While Uchitel trained me in her martial arts, she extended her umisen to me so that the titans couldn't detect my presence. She did that for me until I could do it for myself. What about it?" Ranko replied, giving Ranma a quizzical look.
"Well, I've increased the umisen skills you've taught me as well. If I stay close enough to you while you extend your umisen range…"
"I get it. You'll be as good as being invisible as well. Why would we need to do something like that?" Ranko asked.
"I don't know about you, but I'm not so fond of bread and soup. And I know for a fact that there's much better food left outside of Wall Rose from when the Colossal Titan kicked down that huge hole in Wall Maria to allow the other titans inside. If we can sneak out of here, we can grab some better food. The livestock out there is plenteous as well."
"And when would we have the time to cook the food and livestock we find with all the training we have to do?" Ranko asked.
"What are you two talking about?! Huff!" Sasha demanded to no avail as the two kept on with their conversation.
"I've talked with the head chef who has a hard time finding the ingredients she needs to give us a more varied diet." Ranma explained.
"And?"
"She told me if I could bring her the ingredients she wants, she would feed us better food. She's already given me a map as to where much of the abandoned food is located. There are even fruit trees and unpicked vegetables growing all over the place. Don't get me started on the chickens that have become free range chickens. Then there are all the abandoned storage houses of sugar, rice, wheat, and barley out there. The titans have no appetite for anything but people, so there's a lot of preserved food out there for the taking," Ranma explained.
"That's a huge risk to take, Ranma. After avoiding all the titans in the area, where exactly are we supposed to leave all of that stuff?"
"There's a barn and a pantry on this base. We can leave the livestock and other stuff in those places. We might even be able to find Espresso coffee."
"I don't know, Ranma."
"I heard you say Espresso! What I wouldn't do for some nice doughnuts and Espresso coffee," Sasha broke in salivating with her mouth wide open.
"We should wait until the day's events have blown over before we go out on any adventures. Sheesh we just got here," Ranko answered.
"Do you actually like eating nothing but bread and soup after the much better food we had on our trip here? If we volunteer for KP duty, the chef will give us enough time to go and get the ingredients she normally can't get her hands on," Ranma replied.
"Hmm. All right, Ranma. Let's go talk to the chef after we're through running," Ranko answered as she got a hungry reminder from her stomach.
"I can't take this anymore!" Sasha moaned. She would have collapsed to the ground in exhaustion except for the fact that Ranko and Ranma were holding her up.
"The sun's almost down, Sasha. You'll make it. Just a little bit longer," Ranma encouraged.
"I need food badly!"
As soon as the sun had went down the two girls took hold of Sasha and found a place to sit down on the porch.
A few minutes later, a young, beautiful girl with shoulder length blond hair and a wondrous aura around her walked towards them from the darkness with three, hand sized loaves of bread and a large cask of water in her hands.
Even though the Sasha's energy was maxed out, her nose began to twitch. Then she got up with roar, leaping towards the girl like a bobcat and bowling her over, grabbing the bread, and devouring it as if she was a lioness tearing apart its prey.
"Hmm. And here I thought she was exhausted," Ranma chuckled.
"Hey, I brought a loaf of bread for each of you!" the beautiful, kindhearted girl said, trying to keep the other two pieces of bread away from the ravenous girl in vain.
"And anyway, you really ought to drink some water first," the petite girl admonished.
After finishing off the bread, Sasha gulped down the water. Then she gratefully took hold of the girl. "You are such a wonderful person. Thank you so much!"
"What's going on here, Krista?" another girl called out from the darkness as she made her way into the moonlight.
"Ymir, these girls hadn't eaten anything since breakfast, so I decided bring them something," Krista answered, looking up with her light blue eyes.
Ymir was tall with a broad shouldered physique, strong limbs, and jet black hair done up in a long, thick ponytail behind her back. "I thought there were two others suffering punishment along with Potato Girl."
"Are you speaking about us? We're right here," Ranma answered with Ranko right behind her.
"I'm sorry Potato Girl ate all the bread I brought," Krista Lenz said gently.
"That's all right. What do you think about what we were talking about earlier, Ranko?"
"Let's go talk to that person and see about that job what she wants done." With that, the two girls did an about face and left, leaving Sasha to collapse and fall blissfully asleep on Krista's lap.
While this was going on two other cadets hid in the shadows, watching the events.
"Where are those girls are going, Jackie?" a moderately busty thirteen year old girl said to her fraternal twin brother.
"I don't know, Fannie. But I knew those two were martial artists when I saw them run with finesse and well-honed control over their bodies. Let's follow them and find out. It will be fun trailing them."
Jackie Leon was an attractive, moderately tanned boy with shoulder length, light brown hair and broad shoulders while his cute, fair skinned sister, Fannie, had long, thick dark brown hair tied up in two huge ponytails behind her back. Both of them walked with grace and finesse as they made their way back into the darkness. The five feet two inches tall kids from the Spanish contingent followed after them, blending in the shadows.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Hope you liked the story. Please send a review as to how you liked it.
