Chapter 12: Just This Once
The ship rocked ceaselessly in the late fall storm that made The Occiden restless. Reiner kept himself low to the ground to help his equilibrium along with the other cadets. Even if the ocean had allowed it, no one was allowed to leave their cabins or even talk loudly after the captain put them on a whisper order.
No one knew the circumstances around the whisper order, but they could take a good enough guess. After all, weather doesn't matter when you lurk under the waves out of sight.
"Or." Zeke raised the counterpoint, "The captain just is hungover."
Reiner settled himself on his bottom bunk, laying on his stomach with his chin propped up on his elbows. "That, or we're all gonna die." Reiner pointed out.
Porco sighed from his spot curled on the floor, "That's gonna happen anyway…As long as we get to serve Marley as warriors before that, I'm fine." He quickly amended
Reiner lifted his head to glare at Porco, he was pretty sure that was supposed to be his line, "Well, yeah." Reiner answered as if it was obvious, "Even if we don't become warriors, I'm just glad I got to serve Marley in any way I can!"
"Ok!" Marcel cut in in a sharp whisper, "No one is gonna die, so we shouldn't be talking about it."
The boys stopped arguing, but continued to glare at each other. It had been a long two weeks, having to stay silent in their cramped room since they left the relative shelter the coast of Marley provided from storms. Their meals were brought to them by the same Marleyan soldier that guarded their room and accompanied them on bathroom breaks.
Finally the waters had calmed down enough for them to walk around safely, but they still couldn't leave because of the whisper order.
Pieck clapped her hands lighty to get their attention, "I know! How about we play house! Porco, you can be the pig."
"Families don't have pigs!" he protested immediately, "And that's stupid anyway."
"Rich families do," Pieck insisted, "They do all sorts of weird stuff."
"That's true." Zeke agred, "I'll be the big brother." He always wanted a sibling.
"I'll be the mom." Pieck declared for herself, "Annie can be the child, and Bertolt will be-"
Pieck continued to name people's roles, but Reiner quickly tuned her out. As much as he cared about her, everything in him was itching to leave the small room. It was hot, and cramped, and it was getting harder to breath-
He had to get out of here.
"I'll be the dad." Reiner declared suddenly to Pieck's delight. He got out of bed and headed to the door.
"Perfect- wait, where are you going?"
Reiner paused at the door and jammed a thumb behind him, "I'm being the Dad, I'm leaving."
Zeke's resounding laughter alerted the guard he was trying to leave, and he was made to get back in bed at the threat of a gun- which wasn't nearly as scary as Pieck's displeasure at him ruining her game. Reiner crossed his arms and pouted.
"Huuh? I think Bird-nose has finally lost it. Spies? Bullet proof armored vehicles with 13 cm guns? Sounds like something from those shit-ass Helios comics." Fae scoffed before letting the file marked "classified" in big bold letters fall carelessly on the table. She jammed another lipstick stained cigarette butt in an overflowing ashtray and lit up another one.
Tom carefully picked the file up and straightened it, "Unfortunately, it looks true. And with guns of that caliber they are definitely anti-titan shells. That's why a counter strike is imperative."
"Tch, sounds more like that chicken-shit son of a bitch wants all the warriors to assemble for some money shot. Honestly this seems like something Jamie and Annabelle can handle themselves. I don't know why I have to go all the way to Mantega to deal with this, especially not with you stooges." She gestured towards her brother and Tom with the cigarette.
Fynn sighed "Even you have to admit that it's ominous how the Camunni Submersibles are taking advantage of the early November storms- even if it has been nice in Marley." He shot a quick look at Tom for the last part, realizing the unintentional veiled insult. Since the war had started Tom had stayed home for most of it, only coming out to survey or to observe the warrior's using their titans. Or maybe it was intentional, Fynn thought as he remembered whose idea Colmar was.
Fae kicked her chair back and propped her feet up on the table. They were essentially prisoners in this room until this blasted ship made it to Mantega. They were allowed in the officer's quarters, so it was at least a gilded cage. "Yeah, they've been using it to snipe out our blockade ships. If I didn't know any better, I'd think there was an intelligent thought rolling around in those clow-"
"We get it!" Fynn cut in quickly, Fae glared at him.
"Whatever, either way we're in deep shit if this war doesn't end soon."
"I fear by spring," Tom looked down at his clenched fists resting on the table, "We won't have a navy."
Fae lit another cigarette and eagerly puffed on it. Soon, they would dock in the capital of their colonies, Rimini. It couldn't come soon enough.
"A win on the continent is a win at sea. If we can crush the Camonican forces they won't be able to continue the war. This is the time to strike, while storms prevent Camonican supply ships." It was Calvi speaking now, allowed a bit of the spotlight by Gideon.
General Moretti sat at the front of the conference table, listening intently to what the War chief and his deputy had to say. He was an obscenely overweight man, who's quadruple chins spilled over his too-tight collar. Every Time they met like this, Fae would comment how impressive it was that he still fit in those chairs. The other's were inclined to agree, even if most didn't voice it.
"First, we must stop the threat of the new armored vehicles outfitted with anti-titan guns. My spies discovered this new threat just recently, and I'm sure they are about to be deployed." Gideon continued for Calvi, after deciding the man got enough of the attention for a while. How very generous.
Fynn blocked out most of the meeting, only zoning back in when they mentioned the Warriors. These meetings were never for him, and he probably wouldn't have become a warrior if he realized how much of his job was spent being an ornament for Gideon. Being back in Marley was better, in a way, he was largely left to his own devices and his only pressing job was keeping up public appearances. His specialty.
If he was lucky, he could test pilot some of the new plane prototypes. Before all this, he had been a star flier for the Navy Air Division- it seemed contradictory but they never got enough funding or taken seriously enough to bother having their own branch. His head was always up in the clouds, it made the colossal titan fitting for him.
These Armored Vehicles that could supposedly hold up to rounds of machine gun fire would have to be dealt with using titans. Despite the estimated loss of life if they didn't anticipate where they would depute, Gideon was clearly pleased. He was probably just happy to see the titans having a use again.
The most likely place was Leon, a stronghold on the southern front. It was backed against the Native Mantegan's territory, the thick jungle covering most of their land would have provided amazing cover from reconnaissance planes as they were transported across the continent. Leon was at the foot of the plateau that made up most of the Marleyan's home territory, stretching from the east to the center of the continent, providing the caterpillar track they were said to have dry and flat terrain. It was also the largest Marleyan stronghold in the southeast.
He straightened when the Cadet's were mentioned. A part of him was dying to see them again, to see if the ones he had met survived this long. Reiner and Bertolt. Fynn hadn't heard of any of the Cadets dying, but it wasn't uncommon enough to warrant an official mention.
"As for the Cadet's, I believe it would be important for them to be with the Warriors for this, to see how they fight as a unit." Gideon interjected. Fynn's stomach sank. The amount of collateral damage titans tended to create was why they couldn't be used much in modern warfare.
Jamie raised her hand to speak immediately, "Yes, Kalae-kay" Fynn winced at the terrible mispronunciation for her.
Without missing a beat, Jamie continued, "With all due respect to War Chief Warner and the body assembled, I disagree with the matter of the Warrior Cadets. They have seen their fair share of action and served Marley dutifully. It would be wiser to prioritize their life and safety to experience the power of the titans in a safe environment." Fynn breathed a minute sigh of relief, that's their Jamie. Always the protector, their Mama Bear.
(Fynn would call her the Mother Hen, but Fae had insisted all bird metaphors to be for Gideon and Gideon only)
"I understand your concern, Kalae-kay, but trained Cadets are more important than safe and incomitant ones. Quality over quantity, you see." General Moretti said with an annoyed edge.
"Clearly you have not observed the Cadet Corps recently. Currently, only 7 remain. At this point, quantity is quality" Jamie said plainly, either unable or uncaring to sugar coat her words.
Moretti narrowed his eyes, although even he couldn't dispute her words. He looked at Gideon, "Is that true?"
Unable to lie, he nodded, but not before shooting Jamie a hateful glare. She remained unmoved.
"I see, then I suppose we have no choice." Moretti sighed, "We'll have them sent to an outpost far from the most active parts of the line."
Gideon raised his hand, and spoke passionately when given permission, "That is a very wise decision, Sir. However, I request the eldest Cadet Yeager and the most competent of the younger Cadet Marcel Galliard. You see, Cadet Yeager needs the experience, and Cadet Marcel Galliard will most likely be leading the Mission to Paradis."
Moretti nodded, "Very well."
After some discussion, it was decided the Cadet's would be sent off the north-eastern front, in the swamps formed by the Cambrai Sound less than a kilometer away. Roughly a few kilometers past the Cater of Colmar. Fynn had stopped going to church as soon as his grandma died and wasn't there to force him, but it seemed like a sign of some kind.
After the meeting was adjourned, Jamie came up to him when everyone went their separate ways. Fynn smiled, but thought it was strange for her to wait till they were alone. He had realized long ago she only talked if it was important.
"Fynn." She greeted.
"James! Long like no see." Fynn only grinned wider when her eye twitched at the annoying nickname.
"Enough small talk. Can you join the Cadets to Cambrai? Your titan would be worthless in Leon, and you wouldn't be good for advice either. I have a bad feeling about this."
Fynn laughed genuinely, "You were always such a charmer. Good to see you haven't changed." He knew she wasn't being malicious, she was just being… Jamie. After 10 years he wouldn't have it any other way.
"Yes, well, there's another reason I ask."
Fynn frowned in confusion as she leaned in to whisper something in his ear. His eyes widened.
"Are you sure?" He asked, a bit of hope bleeding into his tone.
"No, but reasonably certain." Jamie was never one to get people's hopes up too much. Still, Fynn knew that meant alot coming from her.
"I suppose I have no choice, then."
Reiner scratched at his arms absentmindedly as he sat in the still train car, knees drawn tightly to his chest. His thoughts were plagued by whatever horrors waited in front of them, as it always seemed to do when he returned.
It had finally happened. They had been separated.
They were told when Magath left the meeting in Rimini, that Zeke and Marcel would be leaving them while they went to some place called Cambrai. To make things worse, Magath would be staying in Rimini while someone else led them. Reiner didn't know what it ment, all he knew was that without Marcel, they were lost. They were nothing.
A million theories flew through Reiner's mind: maybe they were separating the cream from the whey, and they would die when they got there. Maybe Command just didn't care anymore. Maybe-
The door to the traincar opened, causing Reiner to jump, and someone boarded. "Well, it's been a while since I've roughed it out like this!" The man laughed boisterously.
Reiner squinted at him against the harsh light on the Mantegan sun. Red hair that was slicked back, sparkling green eyes, so tall he had to bend over to get through the doorway while most of his figure was obscured by the thick tan bombers jacket. He didn't recognize him, but he recognized the red armband.
The man looked right at him, "Ah! My number one fans, Bertolt and Reiner."
Porco's head snapped towards him, "How does someone like you know a warrior!? When did that happen!?"
Reiner was too stunned to bite back a remark, especially since he didn't know himself. Suddenly, he conjured an image of the same man in the hospital waiting room. "Oh yeah!" He smiled, "I remember you! You were the warrior we met after Colmar! Sorry I didn't remember you, but I was on a lot of drugs at the time."
His smile strained and he put up a placating hand, "I-I see. Don't…worry about it." His gaze moved to the rest of the cadets. "What about you guys? I haven't met you yet."
Fynn had pointed to Annie to speak first when Porco cut in quickly, "My name is Porco Galliard! I'm good at long range shooting and fighting, but I have high scores in everything. I'm a bit of a jack of all trades, kinda like my brother, but that doesn't count since he's older." Porco thought for a moment, "And I'm really dedicated to serving Marley." Once he felt he made a good enough impression, he sat back with a nod to himself.
Fynn stayed quiet for a moment, most likely stunned with his introduction, before moving onto the others.
It was an unpleasant train ride, occupied only by Fynn's constant talking. He explained to them what was happening, so they shouldn't be worried.
"So," Annie surmised, "Marcel and Zeke get to get cozy with the brass while we're sent to a swamp. Sounds about right."
"It's not that simple, Annie." Pieck smiled "They are being taken to a more dangerous area because they have more experience while we go to a more peaceful area because we have more value living. It's pretty simple economics."
Fynn blanched and rubbed the back on his neck absentmindedly, 'kids these days' he thought.
Leon was different from what Marcel had expected. He had never been to a fortress before; it looked like a castle from the fairytale books made of dingy tan stone. It stood out like a sore thumb against the flat desert landscape. Behind it, steep, jagged cliffs of red sandstone rose to form the Great Plateau. The military part of him marveled at the strategic genius.
The human part of him, or the kid part, thought it was pretty boring here.
Zeke got a mug of lukewarm coffee from the officers rec room and watched the skyline with Marcel. They sat atop the fortress wall, Zeke with his legs thrown over the edge while Marcel sat a way's back. The sun had just disappeared behind them and they enjoyed the shadow of the plateau, it was nice compared to the usual beating sun.
"What do you think is happening with the other's?" Marcel asked.
"Hard to say, but I doubt anything bad will happen. Although," Zeke laughed, "Reiner is with them so it's hard to say."
Judging by Marcel's expression, he didn't share in the humor.
Zeke sighed, "Look, they'll be fine. Cambrai is such a stinkhole no one would want it. Nothing there but skunk weed and mud."
Marcel looked down at his calloused hands, "I hope you're right."
"More importantly though," Zeke quickly changed subjects. Marcel couldn't help but smile, Zeke was always so bad at cheering people up. "You have to figure out how to get closer to the Warriors. Even if you think it's a sure thing, one wrong move and you're out if you don't have somebody to stick up for you."
Marcel chuckled awkwardly, "I don't really care about all the politicking. I just want to make sure my brother is safe."
Zeke looked unimpressed, "Well, you say that now but it's impossible to escape debts. Mr. Ksaver has done more for me than I could ever repay, it's in your best interest the person you loan from is someone who cares about you. Or at least pretend they do."
Zeke stood suddenly, dumped the last of his lukewarm coffee over the edge of the wall with a sigh, and turned to leave. Marcel watched the brown stain on the pale sand below, his mind racing.
It was cold in the lookout tower the Cadets were huddled into- but at least it was dry. Trenches in Cambrai would immediately collapse into themselves, the ground was so wet- that much was evident when Reiner's boot got sucked into the mud on the way there and he and Bertolt had to dig it out.
The small wooden structures made up the line in this part of the warfront, defined between them with barbed wire and wooden stakes. Each tower was outfitted with a telescope and machine gun turret. Of course, each cadet had their rifle cleaned and loaded as well.
Pieck had pulled out a pack of cards an hour into their lookout with no action, "Come on," She had smiled deviously, "It looks like today will be quiet."
Reiner had looked around the wasteland hesitantly, "I don't know. I'm kinda nervous about this whole thing. Something is…off."
"The only thing that's off is your poker game. Don't worry, I won't rob you of everything." Pieck teased, already shuffling the cards deftly.
Reiner huffed but ultimately sat down to join in. Everyone except for Annie joined her on the. Bertolt tried to get Annie to join, but all she had said was, "Someone has to do our job and keep watch." Bertolt looked down, flushing in shame.
"R-right"
They spent the rest of the day like that until supper finally came around. They would rotate out shifts on watch with whoever lost the most recent game. Bertolt and Reiner spent the most time looking out, but from time to time Porco would have a turn. Annie and Pieck never lost.
"Whoever loses next will have to go get our rations!" Pieck declared once it was time to eat.
Bertolt lost again, folded like a house of cards when the time came. Reiner laughed and stood, "Don't worry Bert, I'll go grab them." He knew how much Bertolt disliked interacting with the usually very petty officers that controlled the rations. He found at the primarily Eldian forces like here in Cambrai, the lowest ranking Marleyan officers were often the nastiest.
Porco laughed and came over to Reiner's spot, "Have fun!" he smiled.
Reiner walked on the half rotten plywood planks that formed pathways through the small base. There was a modest mess hall, but it wasn't big enough to house all the men and most were expected to eat at their post or in their tents.
Reiner timidly approached the Mess officer to report he was here for the cadet's rationale, although he wasn't actually intimidated by the man. He was thin and young, with an angular face and without a hair out of place on his small head. It was simply easier to pretend to be intimidated than to cause a stir.
"It's against the rules for me to give you any rations for other people. How do I even know if you'll give the rations to the others? It wouldn't be fair, not that you devil's would know anything about that." The man's refined nose was tuned into the air as he spoke down to Reiner. His nostrils could use a trim, Reiner noticed.
"I suppose I wouldn't." Reiner said simply, "You can punish me how you like if I'm lying, sir."
"Of course I can!" The man squawked, "Don't forget who's in charge here!" He wrote a few things on his clipboard, "I'll take joy in punishing you when you lie! Go on now!"
Reiner knew by now the louder the threats were shouted the less legitimate they were, and decided to ignore it. He quickly grabbed the rations of a few protein bars and a refill of their canteens and left without making any eye contact.
"Ah, Reiner! Why do you look so sad?" Fynn smiled, standing a length away on the path.
"Oh, I was just in my head I guess."
"No worries, I was just about to come and check on you guys. I've been stuck in meetings all day, talk about boring!" Fynn laughed, but Reiner didn't. Fynn walked forward and motioned for Reiner to lead to the way.
"How's it been?" Fynn asked easily to make small talk on the short walk.
"Good, It's been really nice here. I just feel like something really bad is about to happen, do you ever feel like that?"
Fynn frowned and looked up at the gray sky, suddenly lost in his own thoughts, "Sometimes." He said, "But, it's sometimes difficult to tell if something bad is really going to happen or if it's just your mind trying to trick you. When so many bad things happen, it's hard to believe that good things will happen too. You should just try to enjoy a break."
Reiner thought of class back when he had just became a Cadet, and before he even knew what war was. Really knew. Back then, Magath would often yell at Reiner for making the same mistakes over and over again.
"Even a dog can remember not to shit on the rug!" Magath had yelled after Reiner had, once again, been caught not paying attention to the lesson. Then, his wrists would be beat with his switch until they bled. It was funny to think about that now, and he figured those old scars were probably obscured by new ones.
"I think that's just called learning." Reiner responded after a moment, speaking slowly like he thought Fynn was dim. Fynn just laughed.
"Well, I've never taken to school work very well!"
When they got to the tower, the others looked up at Fynn in either wonder of confusion. Mostly confusion.
After a beat of silence, Fynn spoke, "Man, looks like the weather is getting to all of you! Let's see what we can do about that." Reiner handed out their rations quickly and took his own seat on the ground on the other side of Bertolt. They watched confused as the warrior picked a tin bucket up from the corner, dumping out the sleeves of amo inside, and grabbed a few thin wooden stakes as well.
'Just once,' Fynn thought, pursing his lips as he looked at the sparse supplies around the tower, 'I'd like to see them smile again, like when they were kids.'
He found a length of chain, an old winter jacket, and slid a few of the 12cm rounds from their sleeves. He turned back to the children, smiling.
"Annie," He started as he sat down, "Could you keep a beat for us? Just a simple metronome will do." The girl looked unsure and almost insulted at the request, but slowly started to stamp her foot on the ground to a steady rhythm. All while refusing to look at any of them, but Fynn didn't mind.
Then, he handed Pieck the chain, "Pieck, could you shake these a bit in time with Annie?" She frowned as she inspected the chain, but folded it a few times and slapped it against her palm in time.
"And you three-" Reiner, Bertolt and Porco were handed two bullets each. "Will you hit these together to this beat?" Fynn tapped out on his pant leg: 'patpat, pat pat, patpat pat pat'
With his band assembled, Fynn sat down in front of the turned over tin bucket, with the winter jacket inside to deepen the sound. The chorus stopped when he raised a hand, "Ok, so when you start again I want you to sing "Black Betty Bam-Ba Lam" over and over when I play my drum and stop when I do alright?" They all nodded, "Start!"
Fynn spun the stakes in his hand like drumsticks before starting to play. The beat was fast, and the others found themselves naturally picking up the pace when the drummer did. It was fun and upbeat, like nothing the kids had ever heard before.
Black Betty had a child
The damn thing gone wild
She said, "I'm worryin' outta mind"
The damn thing gone blind
Fynn stopped his drum and the kids stopped singing but kept the beat up. He grinned wildly as he belted:
I said oh, Black Betty Bam-ba-lam
Whoa, Black Betty Bam-ba-lam
He started his fast drumming again, and although it was shaky, he couldn't help but be impressed with their attentiveness. It was probably why they had survived this long, when he thought about it.
She really gets me high
You know that's no lie
She's so rock steady
And she's always ready
Get it!
It seemed so short to Fynn, but he could have done this for hours on end and had. The Cadet's smiled as they got more into it, maybe that made Fynn get too carried away but he went faster and faster until they were tripping over themselves to keep up.
All until Pieck's grip slipped on her backswing and part of the chain slapped Reiner in the face. It was quiet, before Reiner burst out laughing and Pieck followed him while trying to apologize between bethless heaves. Porco was laughing too between small coughing fits, but it wasn't the malicious way he did when something bad happened to someone he disliked, it was just genuine laughter. Bertolt joined in too, hands pressed against his redding face. Fynn even laughed when, trying to cover his snorting, Bertolt made a loud farting noise.
Fea had always called him a big kid, although he doubted she ever ment it in a positive way. He stole a glance at the normally so serious Annie that looked like she was seconds away from cracking too.
Fynn made a split second decision.
Taking in a big gulp of air, he pressed both hands against his mouth and blew.
Annie fell against the railway laughing, not that anyone noticed over their own howling.
When it started to quiet down, Reiner asked if he could play something else and the other's quickly agreed.
"I'll give you guys a break for this one, you look about ready to fall over!"
Fynn straightened out and held his sticks at the ready as he thought of what to play. Well, this one was always a crowd favorite. Plus, it held some sentimental value of a simpler time.
Mamma married a big asshole! whiskey bottles on the floor!
He just keeps on watchin' TV, stepchild tired of being poor!-
The communications room was too silent for Gideon's liking. He stood, looming over the terrified men as they worked.
No one understood. No one knew how big of a threat these armored vehicles could pose to them. It was always like this, he was the only one that knew of a threat but nobody believed him. Until they couldn't deny it anymore, and then they were sorry. Just like the Eldian Natinalits they found- no one knew how big a threat they posed but they all paid dearly for it. Maybe not as dearly as the Nationalists themselves in the end, all thanks to Yeager, but that fact never erased the deep fear that settled into the Marleyans.
The hours ticked by and still silence. It made Gideon uneasy that he may be wrong about something. That would be ridiculous though, he was never wrong. He didn't allow it.
The press crew he had toted with them from Rimini complained like the ungrateful urchins they were. This was their opportunity to be lifted from mediocrity, yet all they seemed to be thinking about were their stomachs and wallets. Maybe one of them would die in the ensuing chaos. Yes, that would be very dramatic. He already picked out which one it would be.
The phone to his office rang, and Gideon had to still himself before answering it. It wouldn't do to appear too frantic. "This is Warchief Werner. This better be important."
"Yes, sir, the cafeteria is out of canned peaches."
Gideon grit his teeth, "Don't you know this line is only for emergencies!? Only call me if anything suspicious is sighted!" He slammed the phone back into the receiver with a resounding clang that echoed through the silent room.
He sat back in his chair fuming. They were closing in on the second day here, but the base still remained silent. Worse yet, the cafeteria was out of canned peaches.
Marcel and Zeke walked through the dimly lit stone hallways of the compound to the outside. Marcel wiped the sleep from his eyes, another day was gone away from his brother. He wondered what they were doing. Marcel supposed it didn't matter, as long as he was alive.
He suddenly felt bad for not caring about the others. It wasn't that he didn't care, he told himself, but Porco was his brother. Nothing could get in the way of blood. And Reiner…Marcel didn't like to think about him. Actually, Marcel was finding it harder to look the younger boy in the eye. Whenever he did, he saw that deranged smile on his face covered in the blood of the drunk Camunni man.
Marcel had seen a lot of awful things in his time as a Cadet, but he didn't think anything would be as disturbing as that. He often had nightmares of Porco being the one standing there, smiling and covered in blood. He knew that Reiner felt bad about it, but that didn't make the feelings go away. Sometimes, Marcel wondered if Reiner really felt bad about his actions, or he merely regretted that it didn't get him praise.
That was an unfair thought, Marcel knew, but it still made his skin crawl thinking of Porco with him. After all, they were all just trying to survive.
"Ugh" Zeke groaned, "I can hear you thinking from over here. You're killing the mood."
Marcel flinched, "Sorry, Zeke. I'm just worried about my brother."
"Why? He's safer than the rest of us. And…He's a smart boy. He'll be just fine, especially with the others looking out for him." Marcel wished he could believe Zeke, but doubted Porco could take care of himself. Just the other day he tripped on his untied shoelaces into horse manure.
When they got to the door, they opened it and allowed the sun to hit their faces. They squinted against it, and prepared to let another day pass in this place.
Jamie gazed over the sky from her perch on the fortress wall, painted beautiful hues of pink, purple and orange with the sunrise. The desert sand looked pale blue in the dim light of twilight. It was her favorite time of day. When, for just one moment, the world was still and serene.
Sometimes, it was nice to spend this time with Annabelle, but she was tired and wanted to sleep in. She was always tired nowadays, and was getting thinner all the time. A terrible reminder of their own ticking clock. This was their forth morning here, more of their precious time wasted.
She closed her eyes as a light breeze cooled her face and rustled her skirt and jacket. For once, her hair was free of her tight ponytail and left to be blown in the wind.
Jamie wished for a second she could stay like this forever. But that wouldn't work, she couldn't stand by as people died around her. Maybe such a short life was worth it, for all the ones she's saving.
That's what Annabelle believed, after all. If she could be happy with that, why not Jamie?
Suddenly, Jamie's eyes snapped open when the wind turned colder. The sound of flapping wings broke the silence as a flock of black birds took off from a spindly tree when the first morning light hit them. She watched them as they flew north.
Her eyes narrowed a fraction. A bad omen.
Reiner had shrugged off a few of his layers as he watched over the lookout tower. It was midday, the warmest part of the day when the ground dries out a bit and makes the humidity worse. It couldn't rival the usual Mantegan summer heat, but it was still uncomfortable.
It was his shift to do the lookout, and he silently looked through the binoculars over the steamy mud across the line muddled with spindly bare trees. It wasn't the most interesting thing to look at.
The other Cadets sat on the ground bored, already abandoning Pieck's playing cards. None seemed interested in talking either.
"What time do you think it is?" Reiner turned and asked, trying to break the silence.
"Maybe half past 2." Anine replied dully.
Reiner drummed his fingers on the worn rails and stayed looking at them for a few seconds. The silence was starting to put him on edge, "I wonder where Mr. Fynn is."
"I think he's in the officer's club." Bertolt offered.
"Ah." Reiner soon gave up and turned back to the line, raising his binos up again. He frowned as his stomach twisted into itself, "Um, the trees are moving…"
The other's shared a look before running up to the rails, pressing into each other to get a good look into the distance. Annie wrenched the binos from Reiner's slack-jawed grip before looking out. Small shapes were appearing in the distance like black ants.
Annie grabbed the forearm of the person closest to her, Porco, and started pulling him away. Her eyes were wide as she said, "Common! We gotta go alert the officers."
"Shouldn't someone stay to keep watch?" Reiner asked hesitantly.
"You can if you want to stay here and die!" Annie snapped at him before continuing to march forward. Reiner followed her with the others.
The telegraph office lit up with noise as messages were relayed and quickly recorded. Gideon was there, as always, and yanked a message relayed from Rimini from the poor telegraph men's hands.
His blue eyes widened as he skimmed across the words. "No…" The sheet crumpled in his hands as every muscle in his body tightened. "Dammit all- Get me a relay to Cambrai now! Tell them to hold until backup comes!"
"Sir! We've been trying but we can't get through to them!"
Gideon grit his teeth, "Then get in touch with the nearest base to send reinforcements!"
"Sir, yes sir!"
They had ten minutes until they predicted the Camunni forces would be upon them.
The first salvo came in 5, while the Cadet's watched the higher ups argue senselessly about the best course of action.
"You don't understand!" Fynn screamed, "These are different, we have intelligence about it! They're- They're like, um, some sort of man made titan with guns! Really big guns!"
"Shut up, Eldian! What would you know that we don't!" The Lieutenant Colonel screamed back, shaking with a cold sweat on his temple.
"It was confidential to command! Damn it, the only chance we have is to escape! They won't get far into the continent before we can stop them anyway!"
"They can recapture their ports!" The Lieutenant Colonel yelled.
"And why don't you do anything!" A Major cut in.
"And kill us all?!" Fynn shot back.
Suddenly, all arguing was cut short when a ground shaking "BOOM" shook the earth. The lightbulb hanging from the ceiling swung back and forth before going out completely.
The men started horrified at the light, as if it was the center of destruction.
"What did it hit?" Fynn asked quietly.
"I think that was in the direction of the Communications Office." The Major said, just above a whisper.
Then there was another one, and the spell was broken. Then another and another.
The Cadet's huddled on the ground in the corner as the earth shook betheith them, coving their heads with their hands and pressed their forearms against their ears to protect them from the booming rounds.
After five rounds decimated the line, they fell silent. Reiner looked up to the dark room, lit only by the light streaming into the window. Why hadn't they been hit?
Fynn didn't waste any more precious time arguing with people that would never listen. Instead, he grabbed as many cadets as he could and dragged them outside to the hellish world. Ignoring the protests from the men inside.
Reiner got a good look at them now, and realized Fynn's description was frighteningly accurate. There were five of the strange metal abominations, shaped like a huge horses' water tank with the cavernous muzzle of a large gun pointed out of them. Affixed to their sides were caterpillar treads that Reiner had never seen before, but it gave them an eerie quality, like they simply hovered over the ground. Unperturbed by earthly obstacles like the bodies, they rolled over or the swampy mud on the ground. Behind them a hundred or so infantrymen followed.
Reiner couldn't imagine trying to fight something like that. But, then, Mr. Fynn did the strangest thing. He grabbed Reiner's hand, and pulled him away from the conflict.
"Don't lose track of each other! We have to go!"
"Where!?" Pieck desperately asked, holding onto Reiner's other hand as they got further from the fighting.
"We'll hide in the forest until reinforcements come! They can't get those things in thick foliage. Or We'll hide in the lakes, I don't know!" He screamed back. Like a cold chill down Reiner's back, he saw the panic in the Warrior's eyes.
He was tempted to ask him to do something, but then he remembered Colmar and the reckless destruction the colossal titan held and decided against it.
About another two minutes had passed since the last rounds when the things started again. The Cadet's were forced onto the ground as the building closest to them exploded. Pieck cried out in pain as a piece of wooden shrapnel embedded itself in the back of her thigh.
"Pieck!" Reiner screamed when he felt her hand fall from his.
"What's going on?" Marcel pleaded as people ran back and forth.
Zeke's face was hard and impassive as he answered, "It's Cambrai. Something big is happening, but I don't know what."
Marcel's eyes widened in panic, "But- That's where my brother is!" He ran off into the courtyard, looking for answers when he almost ran into Jamie, the Armored Titan. "Ms. Ka-kale, uhl'' Jamie raised a hand to quiet him.
"Just Mrs. Jamie is fine."
"Mrs. Jamie! What's happening in Cambrai! My brother is there, is he safe?"
Annabelle appeared behind the taller woman and knelt down to Marcel's level and cupped his cheek to wipe a tear away. He didn't even realize he's crying.
"Yes, something bad is happening in Cambrai. That's what we're going to fix now, and we'll try our best to make sure all the Cadets are okay."
She stood and held a length of rope out to Jamie, "I found this in the supply closet. Will it do?"
Jaime tested the rope, "Yes, this will be fine." More people had gathered in the courtyard at this point, standing dumbly in the beating sun.
Fae pushed herself through the crowd, "Don't think I'll let you go alone!" She declared, crossing her arms, "My idiot brother is there, someone has to look out for him!"
"Wait!" Ksaver called, "You can't, who will protect the base then? We can't be sure they're not trying to direct us somewhere else."
"Maybe you can get off your lazy ass then-!" Fae snapped, but stopped when Annabelle put a hand on her shoulder.
"It's fine Fae. Me and Jamie will be just fine, and he's right. We got in this mess in the first place because we focused all our power in one spot."
Fea's thin lips pressed together in concentration, before she stepped back to give them space. Annabelle pulled away and walked farther from other people, withdrawing a small knife.
"We'll get there quickly, if they can hold out for a bit longer." Jamie said as she secured the rope around her waist.
"I'll do my best!" Annabelle exclaimed, but before slashing the knife across her palm. There was a flash of blinding light, and everyone had to look away, followed by a loud boom.
When Marcel looked back, a monster stared down at him.
Marcel had never actually seen a titan before, except from the silhouette of the colossal titan so long ago. Mrs. Lee was like nothing he'd ever seen before.
She was small for a titan, only 5 meters tall and hunched over on all fours. Her hands and feet had large, monstrous claws so long they curled and dung into the ground, he imagined they could rip metal apart as if it was tissue. It was her face that was truly terrifying though, it was a skull-like mask made of pure white bone. Fangs jutted out of her mouth like a hell hound's, so big her mouth couldn't even close properly and her pink, fleshy tongue lolled out. Her beady black eyes that reflected red in the light were sunken so far into her skull they were hard to see. Silver hair like fine spider silk billowed out behind the mask and drug on the ground. When her hand moved the entangled strands snapped but she didn't seem to mind.
Jamie turned away from the crowd and fastened the other end of the rope to the longest fang, about as big as the woman herself. Maybe taller. Annabelle's mouth opened and Jamie climbed inside, resting on her tongue.
"We'll be fast, and…hopefully we can save your brother." With that, the maw of the titan closed around her, and Annabelle turned and darted up the cliffside before anyone could process what was happening.
Jamie folded in on herself, bracing her slippery hands against the roof of the titans mouth.
'Just once.' She thought and grit her teeth as they bounded through the terrain, faster than any plane or car, 'Just this once, let everybody live! Don't let me be too late!'