Chapter 27

Nikolo felt stupid, really. It's not like he had expected it to be easy to get included in to this new project with Paradis, but he hadn't thought it'd go like this, either. He had been flat out told that it'd be too risky to send a former POW to deal with them, so naturally, he wasn't allowed to go. He'd considered asking for a transfer to Liberio, but had held his tongue at the last second. The answer would most likely be no for the same reasons, the risk of him running in to the specific kinds of Eldians would be considered too high, and it might cast some suspicions on him. He couldn't insist too hard. As much as it frustrated him, he needed to lay low. For now.

"Someone looks down today" Helmut commented as they ran "What's wrong?"

"I just have a lot on my mind" he said. It was a standard answer "Work stuff."

"Ah" Helmut didn't ask further. He never did when it came to work. While the brothers, mostly Helmut, spoke about theirs for the sake of small talk sometimes, Nikolo was tight lipped about his own job. It's not that he didn't trust the brothers, but it was the rule. A rule that he better not be caught breaking. Fortunately, his friends had no trouble understanding that.

"It's going to start raining soon" Herbert called from ahead of them "We should pick up the pace, otherwise we'll get soaked."

Nikolo looked up, frowning. Sure, the sky had gotten a little cloudy, but not to an alarming point. He'd guess they still had plenty of time.

"Better listen to him" Helmut quipped, like he was reading the soldier's mind "I have no idea how he does it, but Herbert's good at predicting the weather."

Nikolo raised an eyebrow, but didn't question it.

"Well then" he said instead "Try to keep up."

He bolted, and the Eldian was right behind him. He saw Herbert picking up speed too, leaving them both to eat dust. Damn him and his unnatural speed!

As Nikolo ran, he started to wonder who Eldia would send on the first ship. Perhaps there'd be no MPs at all; after all, it was the Survey Corps' job to venture outside the walls, not theirs, so that might now apply to outside of the island as well. Plus, coming to Marley was riskier for them than just staying on Paradis. Weren't most MPs cowards, or at the very least, inexperienced? Yeah, they'd definitely send scouts. Perhaps some experienced soldiers from the Garrison as well, but mostly scouts. That meant that the chances of there being some of his friends were actually rather high.

"Damn, now I'd really like to be there" he thought, wondering who was the likeliest to be there. Armin was out of question; they wouldn't risk sending the Colossal Titan to enemy territory, and even if they did, he doubted Marley would allow him to come.

"Would Hanji be in charge?" it'd make sense if she would, but then again, they might consider it too much of a risk. If something happened to Hanji, Paradis would be in trouble, he was sure. He highly doubted she would've trained a proper successor yet "Maybe Jean, then?"

He'd certainly have the authority to do it; from what Nikolo had seen, the veteran was highly respected despite his young age. Captain Levi was also an option; despite his crippled state, he was not one to be taken lightly.

"But then again, could he be considered too hotheaded?" the soldier wondered "Perhaps Mikasa?"

Nikolo couldn't find any reasons why not; they really might put Mikasa in charge of the group. Sasha and Connie were no good; while they had matured a lot during the years, they just didn't have what it took to lead people. But that didn't mean that they wouldn't tag along.

"Argh, I'd really like to go and see!" he cursed in his mind as he finally caught up with Herbert, who had already stopped. Panting slightly, Nikolo looked over his shoulder, seeing Helmut still a little way away. He was the slowest, no surprise there.

"Hm?" the soldier looked up as he felt the first drop of water hit his face. The sky had darkened at an alarming speed; Herbert had been right.

"Told ya" Helmut said as he caught up, slapping Nikolo on the back "Herbert's never wrong."

"Looks like it" Nikolo admitted "Did you happen to bring an umbrella?"

"No" he said "Couldn't tell that early on."

"We'll all get equally soaked, then" Nikolo laughed "I've gotta go; I'll see you two later!"

As they went their separate ways, Nikolo wondered if it also rained wherever Sasha was at.

"Probably not; Paradis is so far."

XXXXX

"I fucking hate rain!" Jonas complained as the rain poured down like there was no tomorrow "The only time storms like these are good are when I'm safely inside and some idiots I don't like are stuck outside!"

Sasha snickered, not that the man would hear it over the wind and rain.

"We can go and push Jean in to a puddle after the storm settles down!" she half-joked, knowing that the two men didn't get along. Both tended to try to embarrass the other without getting in any trouble themselves. Jean had tried to be the mature one at first, ignoring Jonas' taunts, but there was only so much the horse-face could take. Fortunately, things never got violent between them.

"And get in trouble for violence?!" the man yelled back "Nice try, bitch!"

Sasha just stuck her tongue out at him as a reply. The guy was an ass, but by now Sasha knew he was not dangerous. He was actually kind of fun to be around… for someone that enjoyed banter, that is.

Finally reaching their destination, they rushed in to the tent. Some of the supplies kept at the harbor were stored in simple tents, which was fine most of the time, but with a big storm like this, there was the risk of the tent leaking or even getting blown away. They had to make sure that everything was tightly secured and, in the flimsiest tents, cover everything with extra tarps. Fortunately, every important supply tent was meant to have those in case of an emergency, so they didn't have to carry those around.

"It's cold" Jonas complained "Why can't you guys build proper storage houses!?"

"We are!" Sasha protested as she pulled out the tarp "We just aren't finished with the construction since more deals with the outside- eh, foreign countries keep being made!"

She'd almost slipped and said "outside world." The Marleyans got a kick out of hermit jokes, and she didn't feel like being a target of one of those right now.

"Then you should've thought ahead" Jonas said as Sasha threw him the other end of the tarp. It was large, and putting it in place with just the two of them turned out to be a struggle.

"Where the hell are- "

"Don't run off like that!" Samuel cut Jonas off just as he entered the tent with Eric right at his heels "You left us to finish the last place on our own!"

"To save time; you two managed well on your own, didn't you?" Jonas said back "Or was it too much to handle for you? Would you have needed your little girlfriend's help?"

"I'm not his girlfriend!" Sasha snapped from the other side, still struggling with tarp. By the looks of it, Samuel was about to give a heated reply, but had no chance as Eric put in: "Like that did us any good; you two aren't getting that up on your own."

Even Jonas remained quiet now, and Sasha knew the Marleyan was right. Sure, she and Jonas would get it up with just the two of them eventually, but it'd be faster with the four of them. And right now, time was important.

"Rushing off on our own: not a good idea."

XXXXX

"I'm home" Nikolo called out lazily as he got back home. It was still raining by the time he did, but luckily it was just slight rain and there was no wind, either. He just had to change his clothes and he'd be all good.

"Welcome back!" Nikolo paused as he heard the cheerful, young voice. That was rare.

"Uncle, look at this!" he raised an eyebrow as his nephew Dominik ran over, holding a piece of paper with both hands.

"What do you have there?" he asked as he reached out for it. Eyes roaming over the paper, he saw it to be a test, one with 100 % mark written in the top right corner.

Looking down from the paper, he saw the child smiling proudly up at him, clearly waiting for praise. There was no way he could disappoint the boy.

"Excellent work" he said as he ruffled the child's hair. He beamed "Did you show it to your grandfather yet?"

"Uhhuh" the boy says, pouting a little "…But he never looks happy about it."

"That just means he expects a lot from you because he knows you're awesome" Nikolo told him without missing a beat. He didn't know if it was true; it was possible that his father just didn't care, but the kid didn't need to know that. Fortunately, he seemed to take his uncle's word for it.

"Is your mom here?"

"In the lounge with grandma and Nikolo" Dominik told.

"I see" Nikolo hadn't seen his sister in a while, so he supposed he should show himself. But not before changing in to dry clothes; his mother would scold him if he got water on the lounge furniture "Tell them that I'll join you guys in a bit, okay?"

"Okay!"

Nikolo smiled as the boy scurried off.

Reaching his room, he changed his clothes quickly. His hair was still a little damp, but he just left it like that. It was short; it'd dry soon enough.

"Hello sister" he said as he walked in to the lounge "Mother."

He noted that the boys were nowhere in sight. The women had probably ushered them off after hearing he'd be there soon. That was no good; it meant they wanted to say something that they didn't want the kids to hear. And stuff like that was usually something that meant trouble.

"Whenever you're so formal with me, it's either because you want something or because you know you're in trouble" Bianka laughed "Which is it?"

"You tell me" Nikolo answered, annoyed. He hadn't realized that the old habit had kicked in "Since you've sent the kids out of the room, you clearly want to talk about something they shouldn't hear."

"Honey, why don't you sit down" his mother suggested. Well, it was usually an order when she said it like that. And since she had added "honey", it was likely something he didn't want to hear. Figures.

Still, he chose not to make any decisions without hearing them out, and so he sat on the armchair across from the women, waiting for them to speak.

"How are things at work?" his sister started. It sounded like small talk, a conversation starter, but Nikolo knew better. The subject of the talk was just named, and anything he said from now on could and would be used against him if his family saw it necessary. Great.

"Well, at least I can always pull out the "this is a military secret" -card if need be" he thought, glad that he was the only one in the army. But of course, his mother and sister knew that there were things he couldn't share, so they definitely had planned ways to get him to let something slip. A silver tongue was a must in making it among people of their social standing.

"Good" he replied simply "We're managing to keep up the order well."

"Will you still be stationed at your current post for long?" his mother asks.

"So far there has been no talk about a transfer" he answers, waiting for them to stop beating around the bush. Seems like soon they would, for they exchanged what Nikolo would consider meaningful glances.

"…Honey, have you still not considered resigning?"

"And there it is" Nikolo noted "I should've known."

"I have no intention or even reason to quit the military, mother" he said "It is my pride and duty to serve our country."

"Of course, it is" his sister agreed "But you've already done so for years. You sacrificed literally nine years of your life for nothing but that! Isn't that enough?"

He wouldn't call cooking in enemy territory doing nothing but serving his country. The time he'd spent with his new friends, who were supposed to be his enemies at the time, even less so. But of course, his family didn't need to know that. They couldn't know that.

"I'm too young to retire, Bianka" he said "You should know; we're the same age."

"No one's telling you to retire" his mother cut in "Just to change careers. With all you've been through, no one would blame you if you stopped being a soldier."

She was right, Nikolo knew. But he didn't want to quit.

"You could start working for the family company; we've already made sure that your father would agree" the older woman said, and Nikolo cast her an unimpressed look. He may be getting along with his father better now than he used to before enlisting in the military, but one thing hadn't changed: he would not work for the man. Ever. It just wouldn't happen.

"My husband wouldn't mind hiring you, either" Bianka tells "He owns some restaurants, too. If you're as good of a cook as you seem to think you are, we could easily negotiate you a good position in one of those."

Had this option been presented before he joined the military, or even before he was sent for Paradis, Nikolo would've jumped at the chance. A cook was something he'd wanted to be, yet he'd chosen the path of a soldier to try and make his father proud… hadn't exactly worked, at least not when he started, but it's not like he cared anymore, not in the way he used to. Now he was a soldier because helping to keep the peace was important to him, both for personal reasons and in a larger scale. He wouldn't stop being a soldier, not even for the sake of his dreams from his younger days.

He had different dreams now.

"No thank you" he said flatly "That used to be something I wanted, but things have changed. I have changed. I'm a soldier now, and I am so completely out of my own free will."

"Of course, honey, but- "

"No, mother, this is the end of the discussion" Nikolo says, trying to make it sound like it really was final. He had never quite managed it the way his older brother did "I appreciate the thought, but I have made up my mind."

Bianka sighed.

"Well, that is the same thing you said to us when you started as a soldier"

Nikolo blushed slightly, having not realized that.

"And you're still at it. Maybe we should've listened to you already back then" Bianka said. Nikolo felt like that would be the closest thing she'd ever come to admitting defeat to him in any way. Well, he'll gladly take it.

Unfortunately, his mother didn't look as convinced.

"We're just worried about you" she said "Even if you don't want to work for our family, there are plenty of other career paths you could choose from. Wouldn't some safer career do? I'm sure there are other ways you could serve this country if that's what you want to do."

"So now it's fine for me to choose for myself?" Nikolo thought, barely holding back a frown. Before enlisting in the military, he would've been so glad to hear those words, even if his mother wouldn't have meant them "This should shut her up."

"Well, maybe there is another way I could serve this country" he says, trying to look like he's actually considering it. It's getting through to his mother, he can tell, but his sister isn't as easily fooled. Figures "Do you think I could make it as a diplomat?"

"That's a great idea; a former soldier would be convincing!" his mother beamed. She wasn't wrong about that, but it's not what Nikolo was going for.

"I'm sure it would" Nikolo says, tapping his chin "I wonder when they'll decide on an official diplomat for negotiations with Eldia instead of just soldiers."

His mother froze, face going pale. His sister just sighed, like she'd been expecting something along these lines. Well, this should get his point across better than anything.

"Honey, I don't think that- "

"No?" Nikolo interrupted "Well, if diplomacy's no good, then I guess I'll stick with being a soldier."

With that, he stood up and walked away.

"Have a good evening mother, sister"

"Nailed it"

XXXXX

"That was exhausting!" Sasha complained as she dried her head with a towel, but she was grinning widely anyway, watching the three men that were her assigned team at the moment "But kinda fun, don't ya think?"

All three looked at her with completely unmasked irritation. Even Samuel wasn't on her side in this one, it seemed.

"…No?"

"No" the three chorused, with Jonas adding: "You're crazy."

"She's always been a bit of a special case" Samuel said. Sasha pouted, and Eric snickered.

"That's just another way of saying that she's crazy" Jonas said, and Sasha chucked her towel at him as a protest. He caught it easily, like he wasn't even trying. Damn.

"Good aim, but lacks power" he commented "This is how you do it."

Jonas raised the towel, and Sasha prepared to catch it, hoping that she wouldn't make a fool out of herself. The man pulled his hand back and, to Sasha's surprise, chucked it to unsuspecting Samuel's face instead.

"Hey!" he yelled "What the hell!?"

"She was expecting it; there was no point in throwing it at her" he reasoned "A soldier should keep his guard up, you know."

Sasha, unable to help it, laughed at the look on Samuel's face. Eric was snickering too, though he was trying to hide it. She wasn't sure if it was because he wanted to come across as professional or because he was afraid things would get out of hand if they mocked Samuel too much.

"Nah, surely he's not that much on guard around us anymore." she thought. At least, that's what she hoped.

Samuel grumbled, but otherwise didn't take the bait.

"Let's just hope none of us catch a cold" he said, changing the subject "Captain Levi will nag at us for being careless if we do."

"I still can't believe that that crippled shorty is a captain" Jonas said "How come he hasn't retired yet with those injuries?"

"He could still easily kick our asses, you know" Sasha pauses "One on one, I mean. Before getting injured, he could've easily taken us all out at once."

"Bullshit" Jonas stated flatly "Two at once I can still believe, but four? Four trained soldiers? No way."

"It's true; he used to be our strongest soldier!" Sasha protested "No one could move with the gear the way he did!"

Well, she supposed Mikasa came close and Jean was really good too, but they didn't match the captain. Perhaps, had things remained the same, Mikasa would've caught up with him eventually, but as different skills were needed, their training changed as well.

"I'm sure he's unbeatable in that kind of fight if that's what you say" Eric put in "We don't have that kind of equipment in Marley."

"Always the peace maker, Eric" Sasha thought. At first, she had really appreciated it; it balanced Jonas' bitchy attitude, but now it just reminded her of how delicate this whole alliance was. It was good that he kept them down to earth, but…

"Captain Levi was good at close combat as well, be it with blades of bare hands" Samuel pointed out "He truly was like a force of nature."

"Is like a force of nature" Sasha corrected "He's still ready for a fight any time."

Jonas laughed.

"Sure, whatever you say" he said. Sasha didn't bother arguing. Even if she had wanted to, the smell in the air would've caught her attention anyway "I think the coffee's ready."

"I'll get it" Eric said. As he got everyone their drinks, Sasha sunk in to her thoughts, looking at the three men around her. The sight was so ordinary and yet so bizarre at the same time. Just a few years back, she would've never imagined herself calmly warming up after a storm with a pair of Marleyan soldiers, ones that weren't war prisoners. And she knew without a doubt that the two would've expected it even less…

…

She could really get used to this. Peace, that is. To meet different people from the lands behind the ocean and exchange culture and resources peacefully.

"Please, last" she thought, her grip tightening around her mug "We don't need another war."

"What do you have there?" she heard Samuel ask, and followed his gaze to Jonas, who was holding a piece of paper. An envelope, a letter, she realized. Probably the one he kept in his jacket's inner pocket; she'd seen him take it out and eye it a couple of times. Once she had asked who it was from, but he had refused to answer. That was soon after they'd started working together though, so maybe he'd answer now if she asked. Or he'd get mad at her for being noisy.

"…Nothing that important" he replied, quickly putting it back, but before he did, his eyes caught Sasha's. It was odd; he often gave her this weird look, especially if he'd recently had the letter at hand "Maybe I remind him of the giver?"

"Really now?" Samuel smirked "Is it a love letter? Got a special someone waiting for you at home?"

She noticed Eric snickering, and she couldn't hide her grin either. Jonas cast them a glare.

"If you must know, it's just a letter from my usual partner in the field" he said "He's been here before, and gave some tips."

That got Sasha's attention.

"What's his name?" she asked eagerly. It was unlikely, but maybe, just maybe- "I might know him!"

"…" Jonas hesitated, and there was that look again "…John. John Smith."

Sasha didn't miss the weird look Eric gave his partner, but didn't understand the meaning. More disappointing than that though was the fact that the name didn't ring any bell.

"It doesn't sound familiar" she admitted "Not that I remember or even know the names of everyone who's come and gone."

Maybe she should start paying more attention.

"He kind of blends in to the back ground" Jonas said, clearing his throat "The storm's undoubtedly going to last a while. Anyone got a deck of cards?"

"Got them" Eric admits "Poker?"

"Hell yeah" Samuel and Jonas chorus. Sasha grinned. She wasn't all that good at it, but it'd be fun. She was in.

XXXXX

"Sounds like you really made it clear to mother where you stand" Natalie said after Nikolo told her of the conversation between him, their mother and their older sister from few days back "But you do realize that she must've brought it up to father, if not grandfather, by now?"

"She definitely did; that's what she's like" Nikolo said with a sigh "But grandfather doesn't seem to mind, assuming that he knows. In fact, if I'm able to read him at all, I'd say he approves."

"You are an honorable soldier serving this country, after all" his sister said "And father?"

"I haven't seen him in a few days, but I think he approves of my decision as well" Nikolo confessed "Though he's not gonna be happy that I made mother bother him with the matter. He hates it when she starts over reacting."

"Only because he loves her and doesn't want her to be worried all the time" Natalie said. Nikolo wasn't so sure about that, but kept his mouth shut "You know she says what she does out of love for you, don't you?"

Nikolo sighs.

"Of course," he admits "But sometimes that love of hers can be… suffocating. I know she tries to do what she thinks is for the best, but she isn't right all the time."

"I know" Natalie says, casting a glance at her daughter sleeping in her arms "I know all too well."

"I take it mother and father are still not talking to you" their grandfather wasn't even worth asking about, and he knew Ulrich visited her from time to time, though not as often as he did "What about Bianka and Viktor?"

Natalie shrugs.

"Haven't seen them since I was cast out" she said. She tried to make it sound like a casual, meaningless thing, but Nikolo saw through her easily. She and Bianka, as sisters, had always been close. He was sure that she'd been close with Viktor too, the two of them being the youngest ones and all. He could understand that Bianka might be busy with her sons and with focusing on her new family, but Viktor? What was his excuse? Maybe he should find out, for their sister's sake.

There had to be a reason, right?

XXXXX

Sasha was tired. That was nothing unusual after a hard day of work, but tonight, she was more tired than usual. As much as she felt like she needed a shower, she didn't want to take one. She just wanted to return to the barracks and collapse on her bed. What harm would it do? As long as she managed to sneak in there without the captain noticing, all was good. If he noticed her trying to go to bed while being so dirty, he might even toss her in the ocean.

"He's probably turned in for the night by now, anyway" she thought "I'm not gonna run in to hi- "

"I hope you're not planning to go to sleep while you're that filthy"

"Shit! Can't luck ever be on my side!?" Sasha thought as she froze.

"Hi, captain" she smiled sheepishly as she greeted the man who'd just come around a corner "Why are you up so late?"

"Had a meeting with shitty glasses" Levi says, pointing to the direction Sasha had just come from "The showers are that way."

She sweat drops.

"Right. I'll go wash up, then" she says. She could try to sneak past Levi later, but knew there'd be hell to pay if she got caught. She knew that from experience "I'll see you later, cap- "

Midsentence, Sasha freezes. Something was off; the air wasn't right.

"Sasha?"

This smell… smoke? Yes, smoke. That wasn't unusual, but the smell felt a bit off; it didn't come from a campfire. Or had someone dropped something they shouldn't in one? No, the smell was too strong…

"Sasha, what is it?"

"I smell smoke" she told him "And I don't think it's from a campfire…"

"Where?" Levi asked immediately, face growing serious. Sasha had a bad feeling of this, too.

"This way" she says before breaking in to a run. She knew Levi wouldn't be able to keep up with his handicap, but he'd find her eventually. As Sasha ran, she realized that the smell came from the direction of the Marleyan settlement. That wasn't good. She picked up the pace, and soon she could see the smoke. It did indeed come from the settlement. Different possibilities of what could have happened ran through her head, but before she really had time to sort out the options, an explosion sounded through the harbor.

The Marleyan settlement was ablaze.

A.N: Bit of action, maybe? Is this what they call a cliffhanger?