"Sacrifice, that's what we do for the people we love." Normally soft features seemed to harden.
"So what? You joined the scouts to get killed?"
Alexandra turned her glare to Mikasa who sat on her bed across the room. "Well, I'm not going to throw myself into a titans mouth at the first sign of trouble if that's what you're asking." Her eyes softened again. "Your life isn't the only thing to lose. We're all making sacrifices. When was the last time any of you have seen your families?"
The room the girls had gathered fell silent. The wind howled outside, rain pounding away at the windows. Alexandra pushed the stray strands of blonde hair behind her ear before deciding to redo her ponytail all together. She pulled it tight before letting her hands fall to her sides. A sigh escaped her lips.
"I joined the scouts to be with my sister." The other girls were broken out of their thoughts and looked back to Alexandra. "Charity started training to join the scouts as soon as Wall Maria fell. I wanted to go with her, but I was too young. As soon as I was able to join, I did." Alexandra swallowed hard. "My mother told me that if I joined, she would never talk to me again, but I didn't care as long as I got to see Charity again. When it was almost time for us to pick which branch we would join, I got a letter from my mother. Charity had died in a mission outside of the walls."
Alexandra brushed away the tears that were ready to fall and a hand fell on her shoulder. She looked up to see Sasha had moved to be beside her. A small, sad smile rested on her face. Alexandra forced one back as Krista moved to be on her other side. Krista took Alexandra's hand in hers and gave it a quick squeeze.
"So why did you join the scouts? You knew your sister was gone." Ymir asked from her spot beside Mikasa.
Alexandra shrugged. "I was almost done with my training and I had to see for myself, make sure my mom wasn't trying to bring me home." Alexandra pulled her hand away from Krista and Sasha dropped her hand back to her side. "I never thought about leaving when I realized my sister wasn't here. She wouldn't have wanted that. She would have wanted me to find something else worth sacrificing for so that's what I did."
"And what is that?" Krita asked, turning so she could face Alexandra completely.
Lightning flashed through the window and Alexandra stood up. "We should get going. It's just about dinner time."
Sasha didn't have to be told twice, happy to be off to dinner. Alexandra stood at the door and held it open for the others. Alexandra couldn't meet their eyes as they passed her. When Mikasa passed her, Alexandra finally let the door shut with a soft thump behind her and walked with the rest of the girls toward the hall where the rest of the scouts would be waiting for dinner.
Thoughts of her sister swam through her mind. Charity's laugh, her smile, the day she left to join the scouts, the day she got the letter… She pushed the thoughts out of her mind. She couldn't focus on that. She had to focus on what mattered now. Her sister was gone, Alexandra couldn't protect her. When the doors opened to the hall, she took a deep breath, there was still someone she could protect and she would make any sacrifice to keep them safe. Even if that sacrifice was her life.