Chapter Ten: Adjustments and Perceptions
(Year 846)
"Damn it, Abel! You're not supposed to hit below the belt," Dirk groaned, doubled over in agony.
"Sorry, it was a reflex," she fibbed, chuckling softly, but that ended abruptly as she was struck on the back by a well-aimed roundhouse kick. The blow threw off her balance, and a steel-toed boot to the backside sent her tumbling into a heap.
"Was that a reflex too, Abel?" Kenny sneered, adjusting his hat as he straightened, watching the angry teenager scramble to her feet.
"Abel, we all know that was a lie. Just tell the truth next time and say that you wanted to fight dirty," Florian chided from her seat on the grass.
"Shut up, Florian. You're supposed to be training too." Abel spat back as she pulled out a wooden dagger, adjusting her grip until it was comfortable.
Being a year older did little to temper Abel's attitude. The girl had recently passed her thirteenth birthday, and was every bit of the emotional cannon. She'd grown several inches taller, but was still learning to balance with the constant changes that puberty was bringing. Her figure was clearly in the awkward transitional stage between child and young woman, though her face still had the childish fullness for now.
"Go sit down, shrimp boy," Kenny ordered. "It'll pass."
Shrimp boy. While his siblings experienced growth, Dirk was still five foot one, and he was fifteen for gods' sake. Kenny and Abel didn't hesitate to give him that wonderful moniker, though his parents assured him he would have a growth spurt… maybe.
Dirk grimaced and slowly stumbled to sit gingerly on the grass beside Florian. "I'll be regaining my dignity and my honor as soon as I'm able to stand again," he vowed.
"We'll see about that. I intend to keep my spot as 'Uncle Kenny's favorite pupil' when it comes to fighting. And someday, I will be the one to win in a fight against him. Just you wait." Abel circled around the Reiss' family bodyguard, waiting for him to make the first move.
Kenny chuckled darkly. "In your dreams, kiddo. I'll have to be dead for you to get the upper hand on me. Your fighting has gotten better, though. Good to know your lessons didn't stop just because I was on an extended vacation." His foot shot out quickly, tripping the girl while his hand simultaneously gripped her wrist, causing the wooden implement to fall harmlessly to the ground.
Abel glared at him, her free hand swinging up to strike him firmly on the jaw. She twisted hard against his grip and managed to keep herself from falling by the skin of her teeth, following the uppercut with a solid blow to the groin. "I might fight dirty, but I hate to lose," she seethed.
Kenny didn't give her the same satisfaction as Dirk did, but he still staggered back a step, spitting blood out of his mouth from where he'd bitten through his lip. "Not bad, brat. But you still got a long way to go until you're in the same league as your dear Uncle Kenny."
She huffed, her wrist stinging from the force he had used to disarm her. "Perhaps, but I still managed to draw blood. I call that a victory."
Kenny ignored her to look over at Florian. "You're up, Flo. We'll see if you can win by going two-on-one with the spitfire here against me."
The baby of the Reiss family sighed, shaking the grass off her only pair of trousers. "I'm ready," she said, sounding anything but. At eleven, she too had grown slightly over the space of the year, but had yet to reach the cusp of young adulthood. And from watching her elder siblings going through it simultaneously, she was hardly looking forward to her turn arriving at that stage. She counted her blessings that she was able to maintain her current skills without needing to compensate for anything.
Abel rolled her eyes. "Why don't you try that again, with feeling this time?"
Dirk snickered from his spot on the grass. "Maybe she's just 'flowing' with so much emotion that she can't bear to part with any of it," he wise-cracked.
Kenny responded by throwing a rock at him.
"I'm ready," Florian repeated with more emotion, putting up her hands in a defensive position as she stepped up beside Abel. She hated these lessons, and didn't see much point in having to go through the motions of having to fight, but since it meant a break from the mostly humorless tutor she'd been given, she could put on the appearance of a studious pupil.
"Same strategy as we used on Father?" Florian softly asked Abel. The elder girl gave a short nod, and the pair of girls began a slow, menacing circle around the man, who started to chuckle.
"And how well did whatever strategy you used work on Rod? Did you land any blows on him, sit him on his fat ass?" Kenny mocked. "Must've been quite the scene."
"Oh, it really was! For a minute, I thought they'd really managed to take him down. Too bad that Father always a back-up plan and wouldn't let them win," Dirk piped up from where he was lounging on his stomach, chewing a piece of wheat as he watched the others preparing for their fight.
Florian lowered her guard just enough to shoot her brother a dark look, and immediately regretted that decision. Abel launched her opening attack as Dirk was explaining, kicking at Kenny's head. He blocked the kick with his forearm and sent her leg spinning hard against her sister, the foot connecting with Florian's stomach. She gasped hard at the force of the blow, and fought to catch her breath and her footing.
"You're gonna pay for that!" Abel swore, shifting her weight in a defensive move. "I was the one who was fighting you. You had no right to attack Flo."
Kenny laughed at that stupid statement. "What, you don't want your Uncle Kenny fighting dirty too? Aww, I might have to cry at how cruel and unfair you are." With a skillful one-two move that landed with a sickening crunch, he had Abel curled around herself on the ground, whimpering in pain. He stood over her like a giant ready to crush his prey into the ground. "All of you are fair game, Abel, no matter who's fighting or who's watching. If you aren't vigilant, you're dead."
Abel couldn't answer him, too focused on her own injuries.
Having enough, Kenny straightened his hat. "Overall, you kids have shown some good improvement, but it's a good thing I'm back to keep you whipped into shape." With that parting comment, he walked away, heading in the direction of the house.
Dirk pushed himself to his feet and went over to where Florian was coughing as she caught her breath. Abel was crying and cursing, clutching her ribcage. "Fuck, that asshole broke my ribs. Just when I thought we were getting better and might have a chance at kicking his ass down a notch or two. This shit hurts!" She sobbed, her breathing coming in pained heaves.
For once, Florian didn't try to stop her sister from cursing, but instead wrapped an arm around her shoulder, attempting to soothe her. Dirk, for his part, took on the responsibility of helping his injured sister to her feet, and supporting her weight as they hobbled back to the house. "I'm sorry, Abel. I'll kick his ass next time for you, okay?" He tried to reassure her, but was met with only a pained grunt in response.
Two hours later, following a check-up from a physician to confirm that her lungs were unharmed, Abel sat on her bed with Dirk and Florian seated on Florian's bed.
"Three cracked ribs. That was the final verdict, apparently." The bitterness of her tone told her siblings exactly how she felt about her present circumstance.
Dirk and Florian exchanged a look, Florian glancing away first to gaze towards the door before meeting her sister's eyes. "From what we heard, you'll get a break on the combat training for at least a month or two, depending on how quickly you heal," she whispered.
Abel swore under her breath, "Shit, and I was really enjoying that training too. Now I'll have to be 'a proper lady' and stay in the house so I don't exert myself." She scowled, fidgeting with the blankets in her fingers.
"Well, you've got us to keep you company," Dirk said helpfully. "Maybe Urklyn too, though…" He trailed off.
"I know. I've seen it too. Something's going on. And not just with him. With Frieda too." Florian chimed in, folding her hands in her lap.
Abel shifted uncomfortably with a grimace and clutched her ribcage. Dirk wordlessly stood and adjusted the pillows behind her back, earning a rare, grateful smile from the younger girl. Settling back and trying to mask her pain, she spoke up. "What's wrong with Urklyn? I haven't seen him much."
"That's the point. None of us have. If he's not shadowing Father and Frieda, he's nowhere to be found for much of the day," the ever-observant baby of the family explained.
Dirk nodded in agreement. "He's been brushing me off, too. I mean, more than usual."
Abel was silent, digesting what she'd just heard. "He's either got a girlfriend or a project he's working on. It would explain the change in behavior," she thought aloud. "And Frieda? I mean, she's not riding my ass. Not since the bathhouse incident."
Dirk blanched. "It's been four months. Why did you have to bring that up again, Abel?" He groaned, burying his blushing face in his hands. "I had finally forgotten about it. Thanks a lot!"
Abel waited until he lifted his head to give him a cheeky grin. "Oh, c'mon. You're just sore because you can't take as good as you give when it comes to ribbing."
Florian snorted. "'Ribbing'? Really, Abel? You're 'cracking' jokes like that already?"
Dirk lost it then, throwing his head back laughing hard.
Abel started to join but gasped sharply. "Augh! I can't laugh. It hurts too badly."
Sobering up quickly, Dirk spoke first. "I have been giving Frieda her space after that whole debacle. I don't want to make her angry." He admitted. "Actually, that reminds me. Can we talk about something?"
Two sets of eyes locked with his at the shift of tone from amusement to seriousness. "Of course. What is it, Dirk?" Florian prompted him.
Dirk clicked his tongue a few times, trying to find the words. "Things have been… different lately. It's not just Urklyn, but it's Frieda and our parents too."
"What do you mean?" Abel asked, slightly perplexed.
"Ever since Uncle Uri died, everyone's changed," he said. "Urklyn's doing his own thing, our parents are more tense, and Frieda… sometimes, I don't recognize her. She practically bit my head off when I knocked over her statue of Ymir."
Florian looked at her hands for a long moment before adding her two cents worth. "With Frieda, I think a good portion of the changes have to do with the 'holy inheritance' that she-"
"Don't talk about it," Dirk growled suddenly. "That damn inheritance is nothing but a curse."
Abel nodded. "I've thought the same thing, but gods only know what would happen if we voiced such an opinion."
"So, what do we do? There's nothing we can do to change the fact that she's got it now," Florian said dejectedly.
"I'm keeping my distance," Dirk answered. "Best thing we can all do, actually."
"Well, that's easy enough for me, especially now." Abel gestured to her torso. "Not that she's ever been eager to spend time with me."
Florian remained quiet, not liking the idea of having to avoid her eldest sister. "What about our parents?"
"Try not to get in trouble with them," he suggested. "I, for one, would rather not be on the receiving end of their wrath."
"Dirk, you're blowing this thing out of proportion," Abel pointed out, shaking her head. "I can't stand Mom, but she and Dad aren't ghouls that are going to eat our brains in the middle of the night." Congratulations, Mother. You got me to defend you.
"I know that, but…" Dirk's voice trailed off for a moment. "Something isn't right and I can't figure out why."
"Maybe Urklyn knows something we don't," Abel said, fiddling with her blankets. "Or maybe I'm overthinking things."
They were so deep into their conversation that they didn't notice Florian sneak out.
A feral roar shook the crystal caverns as Frieda hurled yet another broken pillar at the wall. The Titan shifter was trying (and failing) to release some of the pent-up anger and guilt that plagued her constantly.
Screaming about it won't change the facts.
I sent 250,000 of my people to their deaths! And less than 200 came back alive! A scream in anguish is more than reasonable.
You did what had to be done. Would you rather have the entire population collectively starve to death while you do nothing but watch?
So genocide of a few for the sake of the multitude? Is that we've been relegated to?
Better than your ancestors' actions. They would have sooner burn countries down than make a personal sacrifice as you did.
This so-called 'personal sacrifice' better protect my family. Otherwise, what would-
A shuffling of debris caught her attention. She wasn't alone in the caves.
"Who's there? Show yourself!" Frieda demanded, whirling to face the stairs.
Slowly, her baby sister stepped out of hiding from one of the crystal pillars. She looked quite frightened of her.
"Florian? What are you doing down here? It's not safe for you!" Frieda exclaimed, quickly dropping the fragment of a shattered pillar she had been clutching. "You shouldn't be here."
"I know, Frieda," Florian responded, keeping her distance. "I know I'm not allowed down here while you train, but I really needed to talk to you."
"What's so urgent that it couldn't wait until I was back in the house this afternoon?" Frieda asked, her tone softening. She took several steps closer to her sister, then took a seat heavily on the floor facing her. "You've got my attention now."
Florian looked down, unable to look her sister in her massive eyes. "I'm scared, Frieda," she whispered.
Frieda cocked her giant head sideways. "Scared? What is there to be afraid of?"
The baby of the family let out a nervous breath that did little to calm herself. "I don't know what's going on. Our parents are more tense around us, Urklyn is never really around anymore, and if we upset you, you'll…" She caved, unable to finish her sentence.
"If I get upset, you're afraid I'm going to snap, like I did with Dirk. Is that what you mean?" the young queen asked, a look of resignation settling on her face.
Florian nodded. "Yes. I'm sorry, sister. I don't want to be afraid of you, but I am. I don't want to stay away from you."
"Yet you feel like you don't have much choice," Frieda realized. She was silent in her thoughts for a moment before replying. "Is there anything that might be able to change that, Flo? I mean, no matter what, the holy inheritance is my burden to carry from now on."
"I want things to go back!" she suddenly shouted. "I'm sick of watching the constant arguments. I'm sick of having to tread lightly with my own family. I'm sick of the holy inheritance that took Uncle Uri away. I'm sick of Ymir Fritz turning a blind eye to our suffering."
Impudent child. Does she not know who she rails against?
Frieda refused to speak harshly to her baby sister in response. How could she? There was truth within her frustrations. "I can't turn back time and remove this curse on her family. Believe me, I would if I could, but I'm still your older sister. I'm here for you." Her words were spoken softly in spite of the Titan form.
"Until you're taken away, too," Florian said with tears in her eyes.
Frieda fought the urge to cry as well, picking up her sister in her arms, and embracing her warmly against her face. "I will find a way, Flo. I won't let the curse take me away from you, from our siblings."
She buried her face into her cheek, shaking. "How? No one else has done it."
"I-I'm not sure yet," The elder girl admitted, a tear flowing down her cheek. "But even still, there has to be a way. And I'll find it."
Florian didn't respond as she clung onto her sister's face.
Frieda just held her there as she cherished the moment she had with her baby sister. It reminded her the reason why she took the power in the first place. Whatever it took, she would protect her family. The loss of twenty percent of the population became more bearable.
MickeyTaco: Well, that was a chilling end to the chapter. I gotta say, I was pretty proud of myself with this one. I rarely get to do a lot of action sequences but I got to lead off with the opening scene.
Crod42: I hope that makes up for the fact I did the entire Kenny fight from the last chapter.
MickeyTaco: …. Maybe slightly. Let us know what you thought in the reviews, and as always, we will see you in the next chapter.