Hi! Hope you like the chapter :)
I dunno if this will be the last chapter. At any rate, thanks to all who read this!
Chapter 10
Eren couldn't stop grinning. Even Mikasa looked pleased with their work.
Armin nodded, satisfied with the Wings destructive visit on the Survey Corps. "That should send a rather clear message."
Jean smirked before sarcastically commenting; "No, we're fools remember? Just little street rats who don't know tactics and don't deserve a place in the Corps."
Those were word the instructors had all too often said to the young vagrants, sneering as the teens trained. Apparently they thought that training the Wings was a foolish idea, and that the criminals should have been handed over to the military police. You'd think they would have learnt from how good Levi became.
…
Erwin was worried. It had been nearly two months since the Wings of Wrath disastrous departure, and the Survey Corps were in trouble. They had had most of the damage cleared up and either entirely or partially rebuilt. But the higher-ups were angry at the large amount of money suddenly needed by the Survey Corps, and were demanding new results, which meant another expedition had to be launched. But in its current state the Corps couldn't afford to leave more than about ten members behind. And if a titan attack occurred ten were far too few to guard the walls.
Hanji jolted him out of his thoughts. "Trust the Wings."
"They clearly want no part in this Hanji. Their message was clear enough."
The woman smiled. "No. They said they would help. And in our current predicament we don't have a lot of choice. Trust them."
Levi decided the matter. "They'll help." Erwin looked over at the short man, slightly startled. "They just didn't like being forced to."
…
Jean stood in the shadows of one of the buildings, watching. The Survey Corps were parading down the street, crowds cheering. Less than half will return. Of all the statistics he had learnt while in training that one had stuck in his mind. Glancing across at Marco, Jean could see his friend thinking the same thing. How can they go out there, knowing their chances of death?
And, more importantly, are we going to help? Armin still seemed undecided. Two days ago, in the hideout the Wings had been captured in, a paper from the Survey Corps had appeared, with instructions for guarding the city walls. After all we did they are still arrogant enough to think that we will just come at Erwin's call?
"We should help them." Marco said quietly, watching the horses parade by.
Since when did they earn your loyalty Marco? It was true that Marco was one of the kindest in the gang, but since the incident with his eye, when he started wearing the eye patch, the dark haired youth had become far less trusting. "You do remember all the threats they kept making throughout training don't you? Why should we answer to them after all that?" Jean asked.
"Because they are trying to help all of us Jean. Even if they go about some things the wrong way, they deserve some support from us. After all, even with all the threats they gave, the soldiers haven't followed up on a single one."
A sigh sounded behind the pair. Spinning, Jean noticed that Armin had walked up behind them. The strategist was holding his battered skateboard, with the hood on his sleeveless Jacket pulled up. Armin's blue eyes gazed past his friends, focused on the military walking through the gate. "Surprisingly, that seems to be the overall opinion."
"Mine or Marco's?"
"Marco's. We'll meet on the wall tomorrow I guess." Armin sighed again. "Eren is not going to like this."
…
Eren hated the idea. "After everything they said to us we are going to help them?"
"Yes." Mikasa glared at her foster sibling, her tone preventing any more outbursts. "We have been over the reasons already Eren. And I don't care what your opinion is on it, nearly all of the rest of the Wings have agreed. And we are not going to split up now. You are part of the gang and you will come with the rest of us."
And Mikasa wonders why Eren sometimes teases her for being a 'mother hen'. She sounds like mother scolding misbehaving child.
After a short pause Eren gave in, as was inevitable. Armin had watched the two grow up, and Eren had never once won an argument. "Fine."
Armin let out a small snort of amusement. When will you learn not to argue with your sister Eren? You never win.
…
It had been decided that the Wings wouldn't go up on the wall every day, but for the first day after the Corps left, the teens had to make an appearance to make it clear that they would be participating in the guard. Armin said he would figure out an alternating schedule for patrols for days after that, as well as a communication system between those on the wall and down below.
…
Eren's anger dissipated slightly when he arrived on the wall. The Wings had decided not to go up the normal way, and instead, drew their swords, put on the maneuver gear and flew up the wall.
People's reaction to a street gang suddenly whipping out military swords was entertaining. The reactions only became more amusing when said gang members began rapidly ascending the wall, with the mostly hidden 3D maneuver gear suddenly being revealed.
That was nothing compared to the guards on the wall. Eren and Mikasa landed on the wall at the same time, with Armin a fraction of a second behind them. The rest of the Wings followed within seconds. The guard that had been standing watch for titans whirled around. And though the man tried to hide it, his disbelief and shock was clear. Okay, maybe this wasn't such a bad idea.
…
Armin smirked. "Hello Instructor."
The man stared at him. "You're traitors. You half destroyed us."
"I don't recall asking to become part of the Survey Corps. And didn't you read the note? We said we'd help. Just don't expect obedience from a band of criminals. We don't answer to you. We answer to ourselves, not some high-ranking military official." Turning to the Wings Armin gestured to Mikasa. "You're in charge for now. I'm going to figure out how the rotations of watch and the communications will work."
Mikasa nodded, quickly organizing everybody. Smiling, the blond strategist turned and sat down at the edge of the wall, tuning out the others and trying to figure out how he would manage communications over such a large distance.
About ten minutes later the guard walked over to the crouched, thinking figure. "You won't be able to devise communications from the wall to the ground. Many people have tried – it can't be done."
Armin didn't even glance up. "You said people from the underground would never be worthy of the military gear or be smart enough to use it. I can tell you now that Jean, Eren and Mikasa are all better than you with the swords and the maneuver gear. So keep quiet and let me think."
The man looked shocked, then angry. But he kept his mouth shut and turned away.
…
The Survey Corps should be returning soon. The paper in the second hideout had said they would be gone for about four days, with the Corps returning on the fifth. It was now midmorning on the fifth day. As if his thoughts had summoned them into being Armin noticed a long line of horses and people, streaming out from one of the forests. Orr, what should have been a long line. Armin stared in shock, blue eyes widening as he took in the numbers. So many dead. The Corps had told them the data when in training but seeing it... this was terrible. How do the survivors have the will to fight after seeing so many die?
Forcing himself to act the blond teen grabbed up a green and white flag. Flags had been the method of communication he had settled upon. The watchers along the wall shouted news to one another, until the news reached Armin, who then signalled the Wings down in the city.
Soon the message was spreading like wildfire among the thieves. The Corps are back. And we need to leave.
Despite the help they had provided during the mission, none of the gang wanted to be caught by Levi or Erwin and answer for the destruction they had wreaked upon the training grounds. Before he left however, the strategist quickly turned to the military guard stationed at this part of the wall. "Don't tell them how we communicated along the walls, and make sure nobody else does either. And if you think you can ignore what we say then just look at what happened to the Survey Corps' base." The man's eyes widened and he nodded.
Good. I don't know how useful the military would find communications along the walls, but if they need them then at least we have a bargaining tool to use. Not that I actually plan on damaging the man's property. With no more time to lose – the gates were already opening - Armin grabbed his signal flags, then joined his friends as they fled into the underground.
…
Erwin stared. At the wall's lookout points were people he hadn't expected, hadn't dared hope would actually appear. Though they were disappearing back inside the city quickly, obviously having noticed the return of the soldiers, there was no mistaking the worn clothing that they wore, or the tattoos across many of their arms.
Looks like you were right Levi.