Hello everyone, in this chapter I am doing another time jump. This time I am skipping ahead about two years and finally getting around to including the 104th squad. Its only been like 8 chapters.
Two years had passed since Ivy Shiner had become a Squad Leader, and things where actually starting to look really good for the Survey Corps. The people where rarely very upset with them when they came back from expeditions, and their casualties where at an all time low. The elite Survey Corps members where just leaving for an expedition outside of the walls and the crowds where wishing him luck. Ivy could see that the crowed was peppered with the faces of freshly graduated Cadets. "They are probably choosing what division they are in tonight." She looked out at the bright and hopeful faces "I wonder how many of them will choose the Survey Corps?" She then looked over to Levi, he looked both bored and annoyed, the crowed was practically shouting his accomplishments.
All Levi could say to that was "Tch, shut up" Ivy rolled her eyes, laughing internally. She knew Levi found all the attention he got to be annoying. Truthfully Ivy felt the same way, she also had a number people in the crowd who where talking about her accomplishments. She was known throughout the walls for her large number of titan kills, as well as for being one of the youngest Squad Leaders on record. Ivy started to think through her squad's plan again. She was just thankful that all her squad members had been in the corps for a long time. Soon they where outside of the gates and riding along at a steady pace. Their intended destination was a village about a quarter of the way to Wall Maria. Currently they were all riding together, Commander Erwin Smith was in the lead, Ivy, Mike, Hanji, and Levi were flanking him, and their squads flanked each of them. Looking back Ivy watched as the Walls grew smaller and smaller. She also looked at her squad. She saw faces she could trust not to die, they had accompanied her on many missions before now and she trusted them to survive. First there was Cadet Ada Smith, no relation to Commander Erwin Smith. Cadet Ada Smith was a capable young woman with a number of titan kills under her belt before she joined Ivy's squad. Cadet Smith was particularly good at stealth attacks that required multiple people this seemed odd because the young woman was especially talkative most of the times, it was one of the qualities Ivy liked lest about her. Then there was Cadet Benat Wolfe a brilliant fighter, he was especially skilled at hand to hand combat and sword fighting. He was however a bit older than Ivy, she remembered when he first joined her squad he was very resentful of the fact that she was his commanding officer. However Ivy soon gained his respect by drinking him under the table and also saving his ass from a 10 meter titan on one of their first missions together. Next was Cadet Frederika Sauer, she was a quiet girl who had been in training when Wall Maria had fallen, her entire family had been killed and according to rumors she'd had long hair at the time and had cut it all off when she found out. Currently the girl kept her hair short so Ivy had reason to believe the rumors were true. Cadet Sauer was also very good at 3DM gear, she was willing and able to pull of many stunts that some of the most seasoned vets wouldn't dare try. Then Ivy's thoughts moved to Cadet Jakob Ziegler, he was the youngest of Ivy's squad at the tender age of 18, despite his young age however, he was extremely talented and the number of his titan kills showed that. Finally there was Cadet Otis Kraus he was very talented, that was true but he was also known for being a bit of a man whore, as well as talking a bit too much at times. Ivy was well aware of her squad's talent, they were some of the best in the Survey Corps, and yet she still was concerned for their safety whenever they left the walls on a mission but she assured herself that they could take care of themselves, they were more than capable of doing that.
Ivy focused back on the mission. It was just the elite members of the Survey Corps, the others had stayed behind. Their mission for today was to push forward as much as they could, trying to clear a path to Wall Maria. Also Hanji was insistent that they bring back two live titan specimen for her an her squad to study. Ivy looked over at Hanji, she could see just how excited Hanji was to be outside of the Walls, and how excited she was at the prospect of getting new titans to study. Ivy then looked over at Levi, he looked as bored as ever, but she could tell that he was also worried about his squad, they where all quite young in comparison to Levi, and this was also their first mission as a squad.
"Tch- you'd better focus on the mission" Levi scolded her as he caught her looking in his direction.
"Oh shut up shorty" was her quick response "I am focused"
Levi raised an eyebrow "Really?"
"Yes, in fact…" Ivy said, suddenly a rare but mischievous smile snaked its way onto her face "I'd like to enact a bet."
"Oh?" Levi was interested "and what is that bet?"
"Whoever downs the most titans today gets tonights drinks paid for by the loser."
Levi gave her one of those looks that says "You are on" and he turned to Hanji and Mike and asked "Are you two in as well?"
"Naturally" Mike said
"Well of course!" Hanji added energetically "I wouldn't miss free booze for anything"
"Tch- what makes you think you are going to win?" Levi asked
"Well-" Hanji began before she was cut off
"Titan coming from the left sir!" one of the cadets called out. Suddenly the mood went form jovial and joking to serious and deadly within seconds. Quickly two of the cadets nearest to the titan leapt into action and quickly downed the titan.
"Good job!" someone yelled
"Not bad!" cried another and they continued on their way encountering a few titans as they went, by their count Ivy had killed three titans on her own, as had Levi. Mike had only had two solo kills, but he also had 3 assisted kills. Hanji only had one solo kill os far, but that was mainly because she kept on getting distracted by looking for specimens to take back.
They were about half way to their destination, and the day was still young when they decided to take a break in a little town. The horses needed watering and all of the members of the Survey Corps where hungry. They settled at the town square and first the horses where tended, Ivy as always gave her horse Ace a good rub down and some oats along with her water "Thanks girl" she whispered in the horses ear and the horse nickered in response. Ivy then sat down with the other squad leaders and Commander Erwin to eat lunch. The lunch was simple but filling. It was made up of borsch and bread, as well as an apple.
"This borsch is delicious." Hanji said, stuffing her face with the beet soup, its red juice dripping onto her chin, "Is there meat in here?"
"I believe so" Erwin said, savoring a bite of the soup that contained a small chunk of meat. "I don't remember writing this much meat into the budget though…" he added eyeing Ivy as she ate her portion of soup. He knew that it had been her turn to cook the meal for todays mission.
Looking up she said "There isn't all that much meat in here, just a pound or two of cheap cow chopped up very small"
Erwin took another bite of the stew, "Well I must say it is quite good, and I'm sure the cadets will appreciate the bit of meat"
"We've had this before haven't we?" Levi asked her quietly
"Yes" Ivy answered, unsure where this was going
"I mean when were in the Underground. Farlan would make it"
"Oh, yes, I learned how to make it from him. I change it up here and there depending on what vegetables are available, and what meat. But so did Farlan." Ivy said
"Its good" Levi said and gave her the smallest of smiles that went unnoticed by everyone else, "It tastes like the good memories"
"Titan!" someone cried out as a lumbering 4 meter beast came stumbling towards them. Ivy and Levi sprung into action without a word, their squads soon followed. Hang managed to stop Levi and Ivy from killing it,
"STOP!" she cried out, "I need him for science!" Levi looked at her in disbelief and then he looked to Ivy who just shrugged her shoulders and jumped off of the titan's back. Hanji promptly landed on the titan and slew it "Fooled ya" she called out as the remaining squad leaders flipped her off.
"Thats cheating" Mike said calmly and Hanji shook her head as of to say no.
"You never said I couldn't claim them and then kill them.". Soon however the squad leaders had more important things to worry about. More titans had begun to enter the town. Ivy lead her squad to the northern portion of the town where she could see a group of titans gathering.
"Sauer and Ziegler you two take that one there" she said pointing at a 7 meter titan near the bridge "Wolfe, Smith, and Kraus you take those two there" she said pointing to two 6 meter titans. "And I will take those two" Ivy said to herself, looking at a 5 meter and a 15 meter "Easy as can be" she said and took to the air. In two quick sweeps she managed to down both titans. She looked and saw that her squad had done well and killed their titans as well she gave them a small nod of approval and directed them to move on and kill more titans. Ivy moved on as well, taking out two more titans before she landed near Mike. He nodded his head, acknowledging her presence.
"How many kills?" he asked
"I just got my 7th. And you?"
"My 6th" suddenly they both heard Commander Erwin calling for a retreat.
"Why?" Ivy asked Mike, "We could still go so much further"
"I have no idea" he replied, soon they came across the remaining squad leaders "Why are we retreating?" Mike asked Hanji and Levi
"Erwin thinks that something is going on towards town because the titans are acting oddly." Hanji explained. Suddenly Mike's eyes lit up.
"Like 5 years ago?" he asked Levi and Hanji nodded seriously. Ivy thought back 5 years, she had still been in the Underground when Wall Maria had fallen and that had to have been what they were talking about.
"Well enough chit-chat" Ivy said, "We'd best head out now if something really is wrong" and they all rode out and back towards the Walls.
On the way back the Survey Corps encountered a serious number of titans, more than they had previously. "We cant kill them all" one person said, Ivy was unsure who it was though.
"We don't need to" someone else cried "They are all ignoring us" Ivy noticed that this was indeed true. Ivy wondered why they were being ignored for a minute or two before quickly realizing what must have happened.
"If the titans have in fact broken through the wall how are we supposed to get in?" she wondered as they rode on "If we go around to the next gate we would be to late to be of any use, and yet I doubt we could get in through the same gate as the titans." she continued to thing as they rode closer and closer to the walls, she could see that the number o titans had increased and she and her fellow solders began to feel a bit more anxious than before "We could always use 3DM gear to climb the wall but that would leave the horses exposed…" then she looked over at Levi, he wasn't called "Humanities Strongest Soldier" for nothing. "Levi!" she called over the pounding of horses hooves and titans feet "Levi" she called again as he looked over in her direction "When we get to the wall you have to go over first, they will probably need your help" Levi looked about to protest when Commander Erwin joined in.
"She's right, but Squad Leader Ivy Shiner I want you to go over the wall as well, the other squad leaders and I will take the cadets and your horses around to the next gate and meet you there." he said, his voice was so certain of itself.
"Please make sure that not all the titans are killed!" Hanji called out. "I need at lest two to study!" Levi and Ivy just looked at her with the same exasperated expression as if to say "what the actual fuck Hanji, why would you want that?" but they both nodded their heads in agreement as well….
OMG! I am so so sorry that I haven't updated in forever, I had this chapter completed and everything. I just forgot about it for a few months. Anyways I am on summer break now so I should be able to update more regularly, hopefully…..