I don't own Attack on Titan: just my OC's and the plot.
The Awakening
Chapter 10: Last Wolf Standing
844, April, Shiganshina:
"Oh Lisa, She's gorgeous" Carla couldn't help but smile, as the baby in the cot stared up at her.
"Indeed" Rosemary beamed as she tickled the baby under her chin, "She has your face: and her father's eyes. You've done a superb job"
"Thank you" The young woman smiled meekly, "And you don't think the name is too ostentatious?"
"What? Oh heavens no, Marigold is such a fitting name for the little darling: why she's even got these lovely golden locks to compliment it" Lucile assured her as she stroked the baby's head. "Don't worry darling, for a first-time mother you've done well"
"Sorry ladies" an older gentleman interjected as he approached the cot, and picked up the baby with a broad delighted grin across his face: "Grandpa wants to show off his new granddaughter to the Wallace's"
"Come on, why don't we take a quick break?" Lucile thumbed over to the front door, grabbing her glass of wine on the way out; "Oh, I really shouldn't, I've still got all the other guests to see to, and Peter's parents aren't even here yet" Lisa fretted. "Ah don't worry about them, they'll be along soon enough" Miriam waved off as she grabbed her glass of brandy-wine; "Besides, your husband seems to have things well in order" she gestured to a young man over in the corner of the room, who was busy chatting happily with several other people, "You've been working hard all morning, take the weight off your feet for ten minutes"
"Well? I suppose ten minutes won't hurt..." Lisa shrugged as she reached for her drink, and followed Carla, Miriam, Lucile and Rosemary out the front door, and sat down on the long bench beneath the window. Sitting next to the large pot of marigolds at the end of the bench, Lisa breathed deep the fresh spring air, and gazed over at the Inn on the other side of the street, "Oh, before I forget: Carla, could you please let your husband know how grateful we are to him for delivering the baby? I'm afraid with all the chaos of the past few weeks it completely slipped my mind" Lisa admitted sheepishly. "Oh don't worry about it" Carla waved off, "Grisha also asked me to send his apologizes for not being able to come along today: but he's booked Marigold for a follow-up examination next week, if that's okay?"
"No no it's fine..." Lisa assured her, before taking a sip of her drink: "Actually, if it's not a problem, my sister would like to see him when it's next convenient: only, she and her husband are seriously considering having children too; they'd like to start sometime this year if possible?" "I'll tell Grisha, I'm sure he can book a consultation in somewhere" Carla smiled
"When does your sister move here again?" Rosemary thought aloud; "Uh, next month I believe? It was a real stroke of luck being able to get the house right next door to ours" Lisa glanced up at the house along from her's; "And thank you for that job recommendation for Andre Miriam: I'm surprised you were able to convince Mr Cooper to take him on"
"Eh, Cooper owns me a few: I've done enough business with him over the years to be able to twist his arm and then some" Miriam shrugged, "Mind you, work's been surprisingly good, considering how badly those floods hit us three years ago"
"That's certainly true..." Carla sighed, as she thought back to that day...
It had been three years since the storm and the flood, and in those three years life had managed to get back on track for the citizens of Shiganshina: although the city's flood defense's had held in place and staved off the worst of the deluge; quite a substantial amount of water had managed to overflow the dam, and flooded the neighborhoods that were situated along the riverbanks, causing a fair amount of property damage, along with stranding several cargo barges on the dock-sides and roads; but other than that, no one had lost their lives and no buildings were washed away.
The same however, could not be said for those living out in the countryside: but surprisingly, the death toll wasn't as high as everyone had expected, in all, fifteen people were drowned, six were confirmed missing, and hundreds more were rendered homeless by having their houses washed away: and penniless by losing their crops and livestock. Many were able to reach the high ground in time and were successfully evacuated when the worst of the storm had past. But despite the minimal loss of life, the financial damages all but crippled the local economy; many landowners faced bankruptcy for losing their laborers accommodations, as well as their produce. Since many of the farms in the Shiganshina district specialized in producing luxury goods, it wasn't surprising then that in the wake of the disaster, a massive donation of financial aid from the capitol helped everyone to get back on their feet again, and although it was hard work, many were able to set up temporary accommodations, and grow and harvest what they could.
"Mind you" Carla smiled, "It was quite amazing how the land was able to recover from all that devastation; the harvest was pretty good that year"
Indeed, it had been an exceptional harvest that year, given the fact that the ground had been underwater for over half a day, and was completely saturated. But unusually, the same ground had also dried out within a month, and come May, the first crops were sown again and harvested the following month. Carla couldn't help but smile to herself as she recalled Shadow's efforts to help heal the land from the disaster: she knew his mastery over all plant life was incredible, but being able to restore the valleys to their former glory? That was a miracle in of itself, and in a way she found it rather sad that everyone owed their success to the titan, and no one even knew he was there: watching over them, encouraging their crops to grow, as well as restore the damage done to the forest.
But the disaster hadn't been a total loss: with all the dead trees having been washed down from out of the forests, there was no shortage of wood to use for building homes and other essentials. In particular, the huge pile of giant trees that had been mysteriously staked up on the riverbank, just beyond the inner gate's flood dam; of all the stories to emerge in the wake of the storm: that one was still talked about the most.
Even to this day people still remember it with such clarity, and recall seeing the oddity in vivid detail: it had been so strange, ten giant trees each about a minimum of twelve tons in weight, all staked up in a neat pile; and no one knew who did it or how. It was a mystery that continued to be persistently perplexing, and many rumours were still being debated as to who the culprit was; but, it was a phenomenon was welcomed by many, as the wood was put to good use building new homes for the homeless farmers and their families. Shadow later confirmed it was him that staked the trees, and although he didn't elaborate on how he moved them into position like that, he'd sworn up and down he had taken precautions to avoid being seen: the matter wasn't pressed any further, and everyone was just relived he hadn't been spotted. The Black stallion had been lucky to escape the flood as well, being situated up on a hill about a half mile from the river meant the flood waters didn't come anywhere near them, however, the heavy rain had taken its toll on the roof, and when they returned, the Willums and Fitzsimmons were surprised to find several small holes that were leaking rain water into Bren and Mabel's room.
"Aye: but that whole thing with the Sanctuary and its worshipers was a bit, well? Disturbing" Lisa pointed out. "Eh, something definitely happened up there; though what exactly? Who can say? Guess it's just one of those things we'll never know?" Miriam shrugged as she sipped her drink.
Miriam of course was lying: although she didn't know exactly what happened, (and figured it'd be best not to know at all) but she had good idea of what might have transpired. Almost immediately after the floods, alongside the rumours of the 'mystery tree stacker': another set of odd rumours began circulating among the Black Stallions regulars, rumours that got people talking and speculating; and theorizing if something supernatural was at work.
In the weeks following the flood, many of the farmers whose property bordered the Wall cult's, spoke of how the land seemed to turn against the cultists; for while their own land had dried out and was able to be worked successfully, the land the Sanctuary was situated on hadn't dried at all: the whole property was bogged down in mud, and nothing was able to grow. And then towards June and July, something more unusual began to happen. Reports of people seeing strange dark shadow-like figures standing at the base of the hill became a regular occurrence after dark; the ghostly apparition of a woman with long black hair tied up in a side ponytail was sighted on the road leading up the hill, mostly around sunset. And at night the disembodied voices of children crying and wailing for help could be heard echoing down the hill into the neighboring valley. For anyone who was witness to this phenomenon it was both terrifying and alarming: but for the wall cult? No one could say, all anyone knew of what they were experiencing was what they heard and saw up on the hill. Screams of horror and panic could be heard coming from the building site in the middle of the night: on several occasions the pastors from the church in Shiganshina were called out to the property, raised voices were heard every now and then, and heated arguments between the cultists were seen on the building site; and on a few occasions, some cultists were seen leaving the site with their bags packed, never to return. And then, it all seemed to culminate on a dark stormy night in late August, when all the lights in the cultist's lodgings went out, and the sounds of bloodcurdling screams were heard over the sound of the thunder and the rain; sending a chill through the blood of anyone who heard it.
The following day, the MP's were called to the property to check on the state of things: but what they found only raised more questions than answers; the entire site was completely abandoned. The cultist's belongings were still present and in place where they left them, plates of half-eaten food were found on the tables along with their drinks, the horses were still in the stables, and there was no sign of anyone having snuck in or forced their way in through any of the doors. It was as if the cultists had been made to vanish, spirited away by some unknown malicious entity: and while the building site and the lodgings were undisturbed, what the MP's found in the cultist's chapel (a small cabin that had been made into their make-shift church), posed only more questions. The alter had been found broken in half, the stone idols of the goddesses smashed to pieces all over the floor, claw marks and deep scratches all over the wooden floor, walls and roof, and scratched into the back wall above where the alter had been, were the words: NEVER COME BACK.
The incident was both a relief and a vexation for Carla: on the one hand she hated the cultists for what they did to her and the children that night, she held no sympathy for them, and whatever Midnight did to make them 'disappear' that night, she held no qualms about; she felt like justice had been done. But on the other hand, that was just it: what had Midnight done? The sightings of the ghost woman with long black hair tied up in a side ponytail caught her attention the most: had Midnight used her strange powers to somehow duplicate her face? To create an ethereal doppelganger to torment the cultists, to have them believe they were being haunted by her and the children? (After all, as far as the cultists knew they were dead) If so, it was a pretty creative way to get back at them: and deep down, Carla couldn't help but be a little disappointed she hadn't been there in person to see the looks on their faces. But like Miriam, and ultimately everyone else who knew of the titans: it had become apparent over time that Midnight did certain things that were kept secret for a reason: a reason that if questioned, could lead to potential trouble; in the end, some things were best left unknown, and no one questioned the titan about her 'secret workings'.
Following the disappearance of the cultists: the wall cult gave up the land, and elected to stay in the confines of their church in the city; to them, the land was cursed, and many of the cultists and pastors from Shiganshina refused to go anywhere near it. The property was put up for sale and few weeks later a wealthy farmer from wall Rose came along and bought it up, and as if by magic, within a few weeks the ground dried out, the plants grew back again: and by mid September the farmer and his family celebrated the first successful harvest on their new land; bringing in enough money to have a new house built on the top of the hill. For Carla, the children and their families, and the titans, it was a major victory: with the sanctuary gone and their network of supply depots and half-way houses destroyed, the Disciples didn't return to the forests: and before the summer was even over, the wall cult abandoned several other properties in the surrounding districts, out of fear that whatever had befallen their fellow parishioners in Shiganshina, might also find its way to them.
"Still, at least those nut jobs in the cult haven't been bothering anyone since; they must still be thinking that 'curse' is hanging over their heads" Miriam added as she took a sip of her drink: "Eh, I don't understand how people can even listen to them? What with half the crazy things they come out with" Lisa agreed, "Like that rumour that was going around some years ago? Where they said they were going to be teaching 'religious studies' in all the schools?"
"Oh yes, nothing ever did come of that did it? ...Probably just as well," Rosemary recalled as she sipped her wine: remembering back to the months following the flood, and how life changed for everyone in the wake of being introduced to the titans...
After that day, life seemed to fall back into a steady pace of normality for everyone, though there were some changes here and there: come the autumn the four Celtic families allowed their children to attend school alongside their friends, and it actually worked out okay as the children did a good job of keeping their heritage hidden away; their fathers would use the weekday evenings to teach their children about their culture, as well as use the weekends to continue their bush-craft and hunting trips. Following the flood, Carla had quit her delivery job and opted to stay at home, so Eren wouldn't have to worry about her; Pascal and West moved into the Black Stallion as agreed, and were placed up in the two remaining rooms in the attic, alongside Bren, Mabel and Derek. The two former crooks wasted no time in seeing off the gangs that had been pestering Miriam and her family (though how they did it was never divulged, and Miriam never asked), by posing as a couple of criminals that had claimed the Black Stallion as their turf, and didn't take kindly to anyone squeezing in on their 'business'. Before long, hardly any of the regular pimps, whores and gang members were seen anywhere around the place; all, with one minor acceptation...
As the women watched the regular punters sipping their drinks, a small woman with long black hair came around the corner with two little boys in tow, and a smaller child held in her arms. She walked past the Inn's front door and went around the side to the service entrance near the livery and forge, where Bemadette had been waiting patiently for her; she seemed happy to see her as they talked, though the woman's smile seemed more forced rather than genuine: she handed the baby over to Bemadette, and they went inside the kitchen together.
"Was that Bemadette's mother?" Lisa thought aloud, "Yep, that was her" Miriam sighed, "Huh, I always hear about her but I seldom ever see her" "Eh, she keeps irregular hours: doesn't come up here unless she needs to; and even then, it's more obligatory than anything else since she's her mother. That and, she doesn't like to be seen up this way" Miriam shrugged. "How is she getting on with her little brothers? I heard the youngest turned two last week" Lisa asked offhand; "Eh, pretty good considering the circumstances...Though personally? I don't know why she decided to have the boys? Her financial situation's already tight enough, that's the whole reason she sent Bemadette to live with us in the first place: and that was only out of respect to her own mother who I was good friends with when she was alive, who's dying wish it was to see her granddaughter not grow up into that life" "Do you think she'll try to get you to take the boys on as well?" Lisa asked disconcertingly. Miriam paused a moment as she thought about it carefully, before replying in an unreadable tone: "...I've made it clear to her on where I stand: and if anything happens that forces her to question her motherhood, I'll make sure those boys don't come to any harm. She may have her own problems to deal with but she's got no excuses: those boys are her responsibility as long as she keeps them under her roof" she frowned.
"But? Surely it can't be all so bad? I mean, she comes to see Bemadette regularly, and they're on good talking terms: she must care about her, to go out of her way to do that on a weekly basis" Lisa pointed out optimistically. But the women merely gazed at her with mixed feelings in their eyes, unable to answer that...
Family relationships were never always as straight forward as some like to imagine: and the relationship between a mother and daughter could be rather complicated, especially when said mother was a prostitute living in destitution on 'the bad side' of town, and who'd decided to have another three children in the years since the storm. Bemadette's mother never gave a straight answer as to why she chose to live the life she had: but then, she was not the kind of woman who had the mental constitution to properly think things through anyway; she lived day to day hand to mouth, her income determined by how many 'clients' she catered to every night, and all the while trying avoid the gaze of any pimps looking to get a new whore on their 'payroll'. It was not a life that brought satisfaction, security, peace of mind, or happiness, and why she didn't try to get herself out of it? No one knew, or could say for sure: the one good thing everyone could agree on that she did get right was to get her daughter away from that life and somewhere she had the chance to make a future for herself. But now, Bemadette had three baby brothers, Brendan, Bren and Brendis, who came to visit her once a week, but they were still living with their mother: and any talk of making long term provisions for them hadn't been raised as of yet, and the more Bemadette's mother put the subject off, the more it began to worry everyone concerned.
"Caring about your children and caring about their futures are sometimes two different things," Rosemary thought aloud regretfully, "The latter often involving having to make some pretty tough decisions on your part; you can't just bring a child into the world and expect everything to work out alright. After all, there's no such thing as a free lunch"
"Well? Whatever happens, I'm sure things will work themselves out in the end" Lucile smiled, trying to inject a little positivity into the conversation, "They seemed to work out okay for the Schulz's?" Lucile pointed to the house between the Grayson home and the Jaeger home: "They came here only year ago with not a penny to their name, and yet they've been able to pick themselves right up" she smiled. Watching the house in question, the women noticed a small boy by with black hair come outside, and run over to where they were sitting with a casserole pot in hand covered by a tea towel: "Morning Mrs Weber" he smiled at Lisa, "Good morning Lawrence" she smiled back, "What's that you got there?" she glanced down at the pot, her mouth watering from the lovely smell of the pie inside: "My mum's game pie, she said sorry she couldn't come along to Marigold's welcoming party, so she made you this instead" he handed her the pot, "Oh that's so kind of her: how about you take it inside and ask my husband to give it to all our guests, I'm surely they'll love it" She smiled, "Okay" he nodded, and made his way into the house; "Such a well mannered young man" Rosemary thought aloud with a smile, "he'll go far if he keeps that up"
"Indeed... I wish Eren could take a few cues from him," Carla sighed ruefully as she stared up into the blue sky: the other women knew exactly what she was talking about, as a feeling of awkwardness suddenly overshadowed the conversation: "Oh, yes of course" Lisa sighed sheepishly, "How is Eren doing anyway? Only, I heard he was in a bit of trouble last week?"
"Last week, every week; it's been going on for over a year now" Carla thought aloud: "And I'm worried it might be getting worse: I mean, he still does his chores when I tell him to, and he has his moments of calm with Armin and Ariana; but this last year? It just feels like we've been arguing more and more. This 'chip' he's got on his shoulder? He's like a dog with a piece of meat, he just won't leave it alone, and for the life of me he won't tell me why"
"Eh, he's at that age all young boys start to get impetuously stubborn" Miriam shrugged: "Right before they enter their teens, they start to think they know what's what: and you gotta give em' a bloody nose to remind them where they stand" "Oh Miriam you are awful" Rosemary waved off dismissively, "Debatable," Miriam waved off before tuning serious, "But my point is, he's lost perspective: no offense Carla? But he's an idiot if he thinks he's going to achieve anything on just pure determination and attitude alone; I can't help but think what got him so riled up in the first place?"
"This is what I've been trying to ask him, but every time he just tells me no" Carla sighed, "Armin and Ariana haven't said anything, but they've noticed he's changed too: he's started getting into fights with the kids who pick on him, he's been scolding Hannes for drinking on the job, and now because of him, Armin and Ariana have been getting picked on too. Ariana's a tough girl she knows how to stand her ground, but Armin? The poor boy can't even say boo to a goose let alone stand up to anyone. And the worst part? I don't think Eren can see the consequences of his actions, and the effect it's having on those around him"
"...Well? His hubris will come back to bite him in one form or another" Rosemary sighed, "It usually does with most people in that state of mind" "Speaking of Ariana, where did she scamper off to?" Lisa looked up and down the street, "Oh, she's out in the forest with the others" Lucile replied.
Meanwhile, deep in the Marian forest:
"HEY! That's not fair! I saw it first!" Rowan shouted up at the Raven twins as he chased after them on his ODM gear. "You snooze you loose!" they grinned as they swiped their prize and took off, firing their lines into the nearest tree and flying up into the canopy to escape him. "Watch your spacing!" Bryson called up to the children from a nearby branch, "You don't want your lines getting tangled again!" "And make sure you got enough room for the long jumps! You misjudge that gap and you'll go crashing into someone!" West added as he watched them from another branch nearby.
Ariana shot her lines up and aimed for the target, but just as she was in range to grab it, Shadow quickly reached his hands out to grab her lines, but at the last second she recalled the cables and shot them into his arm instead: rapidly swinging up and over as he pulled away, recalling her lines and letting the force of the swing carry her to the nearest tree, where she landed feet first against the truck, shot her lines up at the target again, and jumped upwards; swiping her target before Shadow had a chance to catch her again. "Nicely done Ariana!" Bryson called over, "Keep it up!"
"You know? I could watch this all day" Eraman thought aloud as he reclined between the roots of a giant tree: his ravens all sitting at his side in the grass, watching the spectacle. "Me too: and to think, we used to be scared of them falling, now look at them; they're confident and sure as any bird" Falken nodded as Evernight sat in his lap dozing, unconcerned by what was going on.
For the last three years, the kids had been learning to use their ODM gear, and in those three years they had come a long way. Between West, Pascal and Bryson as their tutors, they had learned just about all there was to know: from the evasive combat manoeuvres of the Scouts, to the more unconventional and maverick tricks Pascal and West used to employ when they were thieves, using ODM gear to beat a hasty retreat for the authorities. Learning the basics was hard, learning the intermediate skills was challenging, but now that they had they had the strength, weight and frames to use the gear comfortably, the training became more advanced, as their tutors were always thinking up new ways to test their skills. One such means of training was a game called 'swipe the pine cone', which pretty much described all that they needed to do: the aim was to grab a pine cone that was suspended on a long piece of string from a high giant tree branch; the catch? The pine cones were guarded on four sides by Shadow, Midnight, Boar and Angel, and suspended over a wide clearing, making nearby anchor points for the cables very difficult to reach, unless the children shot their lines at the titans themselves and used them to get to the pine cones. It was a means of training Bryson had gone through when he was in the scouts, and was important in terms of being able to fight the titans in open spaces where no trees were available. But in this instance, it had become a fun game for the children and titans to enjoy together: and for the titans, the tiny hooks embedding into their tough skin were not much of a nuisance.
"I got this one!" Belle shouted to her sisters as she shot her lines low and used her gear's gas to propel her horizontally right between Boar's legs, before recalling and firing her lines up into the back of Midnight's left upper arm: and as the titan swung her arm downwards in attempt to grab Hawk, she used the momentum to propel herself up at high speed, essentially catapulting her upwards, allowing her to grab her pine cone and get away. When Midnight realized what had happened, she let out a loud frustrated "TCH!" to which Angel could help but laugh. "Watch it Angel! Their coming right at you!" Lucy shouted as she and her brother allowed Ash, Rowan and Dale to fly right past them, splitting off into three directions and throwing the bird titan's concentration off as she could only swipe at two of them with her wings: Lucy and Lucius took advantage of the opening, and sailed over the titan's head, swiping their targets and zipping away. "You cheat's! She got Dale and Ash!" Rowan shouted at them as he watched his brothers kick themselves off the avian's wings, "Sorry Rowan but you know there's no etiquette to this game!" Lucy called back, smiling smugly to herself.
"Their getting stronger" Evrard smiled as he folded his arms, "Pretty soon they should be able to shoot a bow and arrow while using those things", "I wouldn't be surprised if they already know how" Tyto smirked.
"Dammit! They're getting better at this!" Hecate huffed as she tried to grab Ashlyn, only for the girl to twist herself up and avoid her clawed fingers: her brother had somehow snuck around the back of her, and used her long hair to swing around, and grab his pine cone. "Can't we just use a little wind? You know? To blow them outta the way or something?!" Angel panted as she tried to keep her eyes on the Willum sisters, Fox and Shyla as they flew close together like a flock of birds, only to split off in all directions at the last possible second as she tried to softly bat them away with her wings; "Now now, We promised no cheating," Javorin playfully pointed out as he tried to grab Ash's cables, only for him to recall his lines at the last second, and drop down out of the way before firing them again, "Besides, this is as good for us as it is for them: in corporeal forms as big as these, keeping our spatial awareness and hand-eye coordination in check is important"
"I get all that," Midnight frowned as Josefa and Jaye gave her slip between her legs, "But you didn't warn us the brats would be this good!" "Are you saying you're getting slow in your immortal dotage?" Herne grinned cheekily as he jumped up at Hawk, forcing the boy to swing up and around out of the way, and find a new route to his target, "With that fine figure of yours you could've fooled me!"
"Oh shut up Shorty!" the goddess huffed as she reached up to grab Ariana, but to no avail as she easily dodged her hand, shot her lines into her hip, and sped off down and up in a fast wide arc, grabbing another pine cone before Javorin could spin around and catch her.
As Ariana retreated into the canopy of a nearby tree, she looked over her pine cones and grinned with pride: "This'll put in first place for sure this time!" Placing the cones in the small basket used to hold them, she turned and readied herself: gazing down at the titans and picking out a new pine cone to grab. But just as she was about to fire her cables, something caught her eye on the ground. Several meters from the base of the tree she was standing in, Jaye had landed on the ground after being softly swatted away by Boar, and was looking for a way back up to the pine cones: but as he stood there watching everyone else fly around, he was completely oblivious to the large black wolf that was sneaking right up behind him, only several meters away; completely concealed from sight by the thick undergrowth as it readied itself to attack.
"JAYE!" Ariana screamed as she jumped off the branch, grabbed her hunting knife from out of its holster and shooting her lines at the nearest tree as she barrelled down into the wolf's neck at high speed: the animal yelped in surprise as she hit it hard, and Jaye spun around on his heels nearly jumping out of his skin as he heard a loud crash in the bushes right behind him. In the same instant, everyone stopped in their tracks and hurried over to the bushes: "ARIANA!" Tyto panicked as he dashed to where he caught a glimpse of his daughter falling. Shadow careful stepped over to where the commotion was, and as he parted the bushes and small trees out of the way, he saw Ariana lying on the ground next to the wolf: the hilt of her knife protruding from the back of its neck, and its lifeless eyes gazing up into nothingness. "-Ariana?!" Tyto found her, and saw the wolf too: "I'm fine dad," Ariana gasped as she slowly stood back up, her cables still lodged in the side of the tree with too much slack to recall them, "He was about to attack Jaye, I saw him from up in the tree" she explained, trying to regain her composure.
"What? ..." Jaye gazed down at the wolf in stunned surprise, as his sister landed next to him, "I-, I didn't hear him, I didn't even know he was there!"Jaye panicked a little. From the looks of things the wolf had broken Ariana's fall, as she'd swung too low to the ground to be able to swing up again, and she'd used her momentum to drive the knife into its neck, killing it instantly; as he reached down to inspect the animal, Tyto breathed a sigh of relief: "Well at least your both alright: well done Ariana"
"Why would a wolf be stalking a human at this time of the year? And with all that commotion going on?" West thought aloud as he landed on the ground next to Tyto; he'd seen what had happened but was been too far away to reach Jaye in time. "Look at him," Tyto gazed down at the wolf, "See his ribs? See the bones on his back? He must have been desperate for an easy meal". Suddenly, several long mournful howls echoed through the forest all at once: the rest of the pack couldn't have been more than a few miles away, and as they listened, the whole group began to get an uneasy feeling in the pits of their stomachs. "Maybe we should call it a day?" Bryson suggested as he landed next to Ariana: "If the rest of that pack is looking for food and they're not picky about preying on humans, it might become a problem"
"So? We got four titans to keep us safe, what've we got to worry about?" West shrugged casually: kneeling down and gently tapping his shoulder with the tip of his finger, Shadow grabbed West's attention as he spelt out, : He's got a point. It could become problematic, especially if you run out of gas. Take the children home and we'll sort them out. It shouldn't be a problem: "You sure about that?" Evrard asked disconcertingly. : Quite sure, it's okay: Shadow shook his head.
"Okay; well? Don't forget tonight" Tyto reminded him, "The usual place at the usual time?"
: Don't worry, we'll be there. See you later kids: Shadow spelt out, before leaning over and gently pulling Ariana's hooks out of the tree, and allowing her to recall her lines: Walking over to her favorite titan, she stroked the side of his hand as she smiled up at him, "See later big guy". The other children all voiced their goodbye too before following their fathers out of the clearing, with Bryson and West bringing up the rear. Tyto removed the knife from the wolf's neck: picked it up and slung it over his shoulders, and handing Ariana her knife back. "Waste not, there may not be much fat on him but we can still get a decent bit of meat, as well as a nice pelt" he smiled. Gazing down at his daughter, Tyto could tell what happened back there was a real shock for her, as she gazed down at the blood on her knife, seemingly lost in thought: "...Oh don't worry about it darling" he tried to assure her, "A strike like that to the back of the neck? He wouldn't have suffered for very long" "It's not that," Ariana gazed up at him as she wiped the blood off on her sash belt, "I was just thinking how sad it was that he had to take such a desperate measure like that, and risk death to get a meal"
"Sad but true," Tyto sighed, "When any creature, man or beast is forced to take extreme action for the sake of their survival, they are often forced to make a choice they wouldn't normally make. And sometimes, it means having to change the very nature of what they are, in order to try and beat the odds"
Ariana didn't press the subject any further, as she pondered on how things might have been different if there had been a herd of deer nearby. On the way back to the road, the children and their tutors stashed their ODM gear away in a large tree cave that was situated in a hollow, surrounded on all sides by thick tall bushes, a perfect hiding spot for the gear to remain hidden: as bringing it back to their homes in Shiganshina was not permissible by their elders, least it would attract unwanted attention.
Once they were done, the sound of soft titan footfalls caught their attention as Angel came running up to join them. "Ah, you want to go and see Carla huh?" West smiled, and Angel nodded enthusiastically with a string of happy chirps, "Well off you go then, we'll see you later tonight" Bryson told her. In a flash of pale blue light and white sparks, Angel shrank in the blink of an eye into her dove form, and took off for the city. "I'm amazed Grisha hasn't thought about putting her in a cage yet: the amount of time she spends at their place? He must think she's a pet" West thought aloud, "As far as the good doctor is aware she's just a common dove who knows Carla's kitchen is good for breadcrumbs, she doesn't go inside the house while he's there remember?" Falken pointed out.
"So? Are we really going to see 'the fruits' of all your hard work at long last?" West gazed over at Bryson, "Only, you guys have been really secretive about this whole 'titan study' thing: three years you've been at it, and the rest of us have only seen a handful of pages in all that time" Belle huffed, "I know it's been a long time, and I apologize for testing the limits of your patience" Bryson gazed down at the children, "But I can finally say at last that we've got a good body of work in place, and that we're ready to present our findings to all of you tonight" he smiled. "So what have you guys discovered about the titans, exactly?" Gale smirked: "Ah If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise" Bryson smiled slyly. "Dad? Any hints?" Ariana grinned up at her father, "I'm not saying anything, you'll have to wait until tonight!" he chuckled.
As they listened to the human's voices drift away into the distance, the three remaining gods stood there in silence, contemplating the day's events. "They're defiantly getting good on those gears" Javorin thought aloud as he folded his arms: "If any of them join the military, they'll practically sail right through half the training" Herne concurred, "I'm just wondering about tonight's meeting: will they really have anything good to show for all their efforts?" Hecate pondered aloud in a deadpan tone, "After three years of studying and experimenting? I should hope so!" Herne exclaimed, "I wouldn't worry about it too much: it's not like they've been met with absolute failure: they have made significant strides during that time"
Hecate passed a heavy sigh, trying to let go of her doubts: "...Sorry. I guess I'm just being worrisome as usual...We reveal our powers and share our blood with an amateur scientist, a doctor, a soldier, an architect, a couple of blacksmiths and thieves (excuse me, former thieves), and four Celts who've somehow managed to retain their skills at reading the hand of the ancients, along with all their brats, who're now proficient flying brats...In the past, this kind of thing was usually a recipe for disaster"
"Old habits die hard hm?" Javorin offered a reassuring smile: "And then some" Hecate shrugged with a small smile, "But then I suppose that's just the realist in me?"
"That's understandable" Javorin nodded, "But, considering how closely we've been working alongside them for the last three years? I think we can safely conclude no one's making an attempt to bring about Ragnarok any time soon. Besides, it'll be interesting to see the finished results. All-father knows how many journal's Claude must have gone through by now?" "Well? I guess, for an amateur scientist he's not a complete crack-pot: better him than a rouge wizard" Hecate shrugged. Herne was about to throw in his opinion, when the distant howls of the wolf pack echoed through the trees yet again: "Oh, I better go see to them" he sighed as he took off into the trees, "Catch you two later!"
"So, we got some time to kill before tonight: fancy some 'people watching'?" Hecate joked, "Maybe another time" Javorin sighed as his mind turned to other things: mostly Ariana and her two other best friends Eren and Armin: "There's something I need to see to before the meeting" "Eren again? ..." Hecate raised an eyebrow, to which Javorin gave her a sideways glance; she sighed dubiously: "...You know how Carla feels about 'this situation' of ours: and she's made it clear she wants to keep him out of it for as long as possible"
"I respect Carla's wishes; it's not 'us' I'm concerned about" Javorin explained, "... The boy has changed much this past year, and I fear his new-found drive and determination could prove problematic for his friendship with Ariana. She still holds him close to her heart: but I fear his own heart's desire could lead him down a path she may not be able to follow"
"You think he may do something to hurt her?"
"Not intentionally" Javorin sighed with a vexed frown, "But, I fear his resentment towards his circumstances could get the better of him, and he could do something bad without realizing the consequences" he gazed over at Hecate, "Ariana is aware something isn't right with him, she's also aware of the responsibilities she holds with us: but at the same time, having been best friends since they could first remember, she feels bad for keeping both Eren and Armin 'out of the loop'"
"Well? She can't have her cake and eat it: she's going to have to choose eventually" Hecate shrugged. "I hope it doesn't come to that: but for now, she and Armin are a good influence on him" he replied as he glanced over at her, "I'm going to head back, I'll see you tonight" "Bye" Hecate sighed as she watched the god change into his hawk form, and fly off in the direction of Shiganshina.
A short while later:
The flight to Shiganshina from the forest was barely ten minutes for Angel, as she soared over the wall and picked out the roof of Carla's home from among the many hundreds of other rooftops in the city: she knew it by heart as she glided down to the street the house was situated in, perched on the kitchen windowsill, and tapped on the glass pane with her beak. As usual, Carla opened the window for her with her warm welcoming smile and Angel hopped right in, perching on the rim of the sink: "I was wondering when you'd show up" she smiled, "I'm just about to get dinner started, you don't mind do you?" Angel shook her head, and watched curiosity as Carla started talking about her day, and all the other gossip from the past week.
Ever since the titans revealed their amazing shape-shifting powers, it had become a regular thing for them to visit their human friends in Shiganshina disguised as animals: usually dogs, cats, rats and mice, but usually they preferred to be seen as birds. For Carla and Angel, this was a nice arrangement as it meant Angel got to hang out with her best friend, and Carla didn't have to worry about leaving the house to go to the forest. Disguised as a white dove, Angel would often come to the Jaeger house three or four times a week: if Grisha and Eren weren't in, Carla would let her in, but if the family were home she'd often perch under the eaves of the roof, and listen to their conversations; she found there was a lot to be learnt by listening, rather than asking questions all the time. By now, Carla could pick her out at a mere glance: while her disguise as a dove fooled everyone else, those pale glistening blue eyes were unmistakable; like two tiny blue topazes sitting in freshly fallen snow, as well as the glistening iridescence of her feathers, reflecting all the colours of the rainbow when she caught the light just right. She'd usually leave a book out for her to read by the windowsill, and sometimes Angel would try to help her with her chores around the house, but often than not, the two would usually talk, with Angel spelling out her words with her 'smoke light' with the flap of a wing.
As Carla got the vegetables ready, Angel plucked some herbs from the window boxes around the back of the house, and brought them to the sink to be washed: she told her about the welcoming party for the neighbor's new baby across the street, and in turn, Angel told Carla about her activities out in the forest: patrolling the tree lines to make sure the Disciples were gone for good; 'people watching' the woodcutters, the poachers, the foresters, and all the other humans that lived out in the forest. She told her about the kids ODM gear training, and about Jaye's close encounter with the wolf and how Ariana saved him just in time.
"Mrs Jaeger?" Ariana stuck her head in through the kitchen window, making Carla jump out of her skin and giving Angel such a scare that she fell off her perch into the cooking pot, landing feet up amid the diced vegetables. "Oh goodness Ariana, don't sneak up on me like that!" Carla tried to slow her beating heart as she patted her chest, reaching down to get Angel out of the pot "Sorry" Ariana sheepishly smiled as she adjusted the bow that was slung over her shoulder. "Are you okay? Angel just told me about the wolf" "Oh him?" Ariana remembered, "Its okay, no one was hurt, and we're having wolf steak for dinner tonight; have you seen Eren around?" "He should be in the usual place with Armin: if you see him, tell him dinner's on the way" Carla replied, "Okay thanks bye!" Ariana waved as she took off down the alleyway along the back of the house. "Good thing I wasn't about to place that in the oven huh?" Carla smirked, to which Angel ruffled her feathers in annoyance.
Running down the alleyway and cutting down a small side street, Ariana kept her eyes peeled for her two best friends: she didn't have to look for long though, as the sounds of their voices reached her ears first. Heading in their direction, she turned the corner in time to see Eren being beaten up two older boys, while two others were laying hard into Armin. "HEY!-" Ariana angrily shouted: recognizing the older boys right away as she reached for her bow and got a couple of arrows out of her quiver, locked one in place while holding the others between her teeth and aiming at the leader: "QUIT THAT RIGHT NOW OR YOU'LL GET IT IN THE SHOULDER THIS TIME CARL!"
Looking up, Carl smirked as he advanced towards her, "Heh! What're you gonna do ya lil' blue-eyed freak?!" he mockingly laughed, and without hesitation Ariana fired, landing the arrow right at his shoulder, piercing his clothing and flesh, causing him to scream in agony as he clutched at the wound. The arrowhead in question was a tiny triangular tip with barbs on the sides, not lethal, and she hadn't drawn it back far enough to make it go any deeper than the skin, but the barbs meant that trying to remove it was very painful. Stupidly, his friends thought trying to tackle her would be a good idea, only to find out that she was very quick on the draw, as she fired another three arrows in rapid succession, each hitting their target in each of their shoulders. "NOW GET OUTTA HERE BEFORE I PUT ONE UP EACH OF YOUR ASS HOLES!" she barked angrily: not wanting to push their luck, the boys took off running in the opposite direction with the arrows still lodged in their shoulders.
"God I swear those idiots get dumber every day! ..." Ariana huffed as she helped Armin back up on his feet, "You okay? They didn't hurt you too bad this time did they?" she asked him disconcertingly as she wiped away his tears with her sleeve, "I-, I'm okay" Armin sniffled, "Eren, you alright?" Ariana reached down to help him up, but Eren smacked her hands away, "I'm fine! I don't need your help!" he snapped; taken aback by his attitude, Ariana watched as he got back up and turned around, she gasped in alarm when she saw his bleeding nose: "Oh god! Eren you're not fine! Here, let me take a look at that-" she reached out to have a closer look at his face, but Eren only pushed her away, "-I SAID I'M FINE!" he barked angrily, making her jump. Suddenly realizing the look on her face, Eren immediately calmed down, and awkwardly tried to apologize, "I-,...I'm sorry: really, I'll be okay"
"Really?" Rowan folded his arms as he came up behind him with Ash and Dale following close behind: "You'll be okay? Just like all the other times you were 'okay' with getting your ass beaten up?" he frowned sarcastically. "Nice timing guys: where the hell were you a few seconds ago?!" Ariana frowned at them, "From the looks of things you had it all well in hand" Dale commented with a cheeky grin. "Let me guess, Carl Ludwig and the Huber brothers?" Ash asked with a deadpan stare: to which Ariana nodded, "...Right" he frowned darkly. It was no secret the three brothers didn't get along with those boys, their rivalry had been ongoing for years now, and with Eren and Armin as their new punching bags, they seemed to be getting more ballsy of late. "Okay, take em' home and get them patched up: we'll go have a little 'chat' with Carl and his buddies" Ash patted Ariana on the shoulder as he, Rowan and Dale strode away down the street, "-Hey I said I'm okay!" Eren barked at them, "Just shut up and let Ariana see to your injuries, before I give you more" Rowan glowered, giving him the hairy eyeball.
Not giving either of them the chance to argue about it, Ariana grabbed them both by the sleeves of their shirts, and dragged them back to her house, where she frog-marched them inside and into the parlor where the basic medical kit were kept. There, she prepared some hot water, some medicinal herbs, and some dressings and bandages and got to work, starting with the graze on Armin's knee. "Doesn't hurt too much does it?" she asked as she placed the mashed up herbs in the dressing, and pressed it against the wound: Armin flinched, but didn't recoil too much this time, "Uh, no? It's okay, really!" Armin assured her with a forced nervous smile; she knew he was lying, Armin would feel pain at even the smallest pricks or cut's, she knew he only put on a brave face for her. Fortunately, it was only the graze on his knee this time, she then turned her attention to Eren, who by now had reluctantly accepted her help and had had some time to calm down.
As she treated his bloodied nose and a small cut on his arm, she was half tempted to ask what the altercation was about this time: but knowing Eren, he would either dismiss it as nothing or say they were asking for it. She really couldn't be asked to care about such petty things anymore, and it annoyed her that he kept refusing her help more and more of late: deciding she didn't what to know, she changed the subject: "So? Are we still on for tomorrow?"
"Kinda" Eren shrugged, "Dad's going to see the Ackerman's for a check-up: he wants me to come along. He thinks meeting their daughter will be a good thing for me; making a new friend or something like that", "Well? You can never have too many friends" Ariana smiled, "I dunno? I haven't even met her" Eren frowned, "You want me to come along? 'Break the ice' so to speak?" Ariana asked offhand, "I guess?" Eren shrugged in an uninterested tone. "So uh? What'd you and your cousins get up to in the forest today?" Armin smiled, trying to lighten the mood: "She bagged her first wolf is what she did!" Ashlyn poked her head in through the door, "Yeah, damn thing was about to take my head right off before Ariana got it in the back of her neck with her knife" Jaye added; "You took on a wolf?! With your bare hands?!" Armin gawked at her. "Well? It wasn't much of a fight really? I kinda caught him off guard" Ariana dithered, "Hm, and you get picky over me getting into a fight?" Eren huffed in slight annoyance.
Ariana frowned in incredulousness: "It's not the same thing Eren: if you tried to take on that wolf all by yourself you wouldn't last five seconds in its jaws", "Yeah, the only reason Ariana won that fight at all was just blind luck" Josefa shrugged as she glanced over her brother's shoulder, "The wolf was desperate for food and he miscalculated: pure and simple, kinda like those idiots that keep beating you up". "I can handle them by myself just fine" Eren frowned at her, "I don't need anyone's help!" "Oh really?" Jaye deadpanned with a raised eyebrow, "And who was it that shot those arrows? Allowing you guys to escape?" Josefa added sarcastically before leaving with Ashlyn and her brother. Glancing back at Eren with a mother-hen look, Ariana sighed in disappointment as she put the medicine kit away and beckoned for the boys to follow her. Heading upstairs to the attic, they climbed out onto the roof and sat by the chimney stacks, gazing out over the city and listening to the wind as it whipped over the top of wall Maria.
"...What're you trying to prove Eren?" Ariana sighed in frustration, "Because, I've been trying to understand you for a long time now, and I don't know why? But you just don't seem to want to talk to me about anything anymore," she gazed at him with a pleading look, "We're still best friends aren't we? Best friends can talk to each other about anything, right?"
Eren stared at her for a moment: seeing the look in her eyes, and sighing in reluctance as he nodded, "... Yeah, we're still best friends..." shuffling a little close to her, he laced his fingers together as he explained, "...Do you remember last year? When you showed us that book you found in your Grandpa's attic?" he glanced over at Armin, who simply nodded, "... Well? That day, when you showed us that book and you said it was all about the outside world? I didn't believe you at first; but as you flicked through the pages and I saw all the different places that were out there: the ocean, the fields of burning sand, the wastelands of ice and snow; that was the first time I had ever thought about what lay beyond the walls...Up until then, I used to spend my days wandering the forest or gazing up at the clouds; but when I heard you talking about those things, and I saw the look in both your eyes, "he glanced at Ariana, "You both looked like you were staring into an incredible dream of some kind: and it was then I realized I had nothing: no dream, no ambition, that's when I realized for the first time in my life, that I wasn't free" he frowned.
Ariana stared at him surprise: "You're not free?" she echoed in confusion,
"That was the day I realized I'd been living in a cage my whole life: the titans, those monstrous things had stolen my freedom, the world was so big and vast and yet I'd been forced to live in this tiny cage since the day I was born; that was when I knew, I could never forgive them" he frowned bitterly. "When I turn twelve, I'm going to join the Scouts and I'm going to see the world beyond these walls, I'll slay every titan in my path, and I'll make it to see the ocean"
Ariana stared at him, and let her gaze drop in a mix of disbelief and disappointment. She remembered that day well: when Armin showed them both that book and explained how the world they knew they was so much bigger, filled with so many more wonders that there was no way to possibly see them all in a single lifetime. Who wouldn't fall in love with such a dream? A world full of things, animals and places that had never been seen since before the titans consumed humanity. She remembered gazing at the pictures in the book, and thinking how amazing it would be to go and see them herself. Gazing up at Armin, she saw the wonder and awe practically swirling around in his bright blue eyes: for the first time in his life he was truly alive; emboldened, unafraid, and determined to do something to realize his dream. But when she looked over at Eren, she saw how dazed and taken aback he was: at the time she just assumed he was as amazed and in awe as they were: but now? She realized it was something totally different. He had seen the wonder of the world that lay beyond the walls, and it had infuriated him that he had no way to reach it, other than to join the Scouts and risk death to get it.
"...So that's how you really feel..." Ariana sighed as she gazed at him ruefully, "... And nothing else will make you happy?" she asked in concern, hoping that he still remembered what was important. "No, how can anything make me happy when I don't have the one thing that should have been mine from the start!" Eren fumed. "The one thing? What's that?" Ariana glanced at him in concern: "MY FREEDOM!-" he snapped, "Because of those damned titans, I'm forced to live in this cage along with all the other fools who are content to live their whole lives as cattle! Doing nothing with their lives, happy to live in blissful ignorance!" he seethed.
"But, Eren" Ariana turned to face him, "You are free"
Eren stared at her in complete bemusement, while Armin gazed at her curiously as she continued, "-I mean, okay we live inside these walls: but, how can you think you're not free? With all the things we've done together as best friends? The fact we are a part of this world and all the other living things within it, means you already have your own measure of freedom; and it's the one thing nothing and no one can ever take away from you, no matter how many walls stand in your way!" she explained confidently, and with a sense of surety and belief.
But Eren only frowned in annoyance: "... You don't know what you're talking about!" he fumed as he got up, climbed his way across to the roof next door, and stormed across to his bedroom window. Feeling dejected, Ariana pulled her knees up to her chin, and sulked as Armin put his arm around her, "Don't feel too bad Ariana, I already tried to explain things to him once or twice, and he thinks I'm a little crazy too" he smiled awkwardly, "Seriously Armin?" she gave him a sideways glance, knowing full well he was lying to try and cheer her up; getting the hint, Armin quickly removed his arm and scratched the back of his neck nervously: "Eh, am I really that obvious?"
"Only to me. You get away with everyone else," she smirked slyly, before turning serious: "... Armin, do you think Eren is going to be okay with this? Even if he does join the scouts and ventures into the outside world, I fear he's only going to be met with disappoint"
"Are you saying you're not okay with him going? Because you know? I intend to join him when I turn twelve too. I want to see the ocean as badly as he does" Armin admitted, feeling as though he was shooting her down, "Even if that means risking death at the hands of the titans, I believe its dream worth dying for"
"Armin, you're way too smart to die" Ariana couldn't help but smile as she patted him on the back: "Hell, with all your bright ideas I wouldn't be surprised if make commander within your first year after graduation: I know you'll find a way to ocean one way or another..." she hesitated a moment, "...I'm just-, worried that determination alone won't be enough to help Eren realize his dream too: and if he's not willing to listen to reason, well then, what can either of us do?"
"Hmm..." Armin let his gaze drop as he contemplated her words, "...You really believe we're born free? All of us?"
She looked him in the eye, and stated sincerely: "Yes I do," she gazed back up at the sky with a hopeful smile: "I've always believed we are born free, that everything is the way it is for a reason. Even if it's so big and vast that I can't see all of it? Or that I can't make out what it is? I believe we're all born with the freedom to pave our own paths through life, and the fact we are given to discover that knowledge is a gift in of itself. Some of us realize that, others become lost through their own choices or because of things that happen beyond their control: but I believe those who're still trying to make sense of their lives, still have a chance to find their way: they just need a little help somehow"
"That's-, pretty amazing" Armin stared at her with an impressed smile, "Where did you learn that?" Thinking back to the night she first met Shadow and how everything that happened since then seemed to fall into place, as if it were a complex pattern: pointing her in a direction, that was leading to somewhere she could never have envisioned. Something: that while it had been difficult along the way, held the promise of a kind of hope at the end of it. Gazing over at Armin, and seeing that awe he still had in his eyes, she smiled: "...Let's just say, I've got some good friends that helped me along the way"
Gazing down at the street behind him, and seeing Ariana's cousins and friends playing in the street together, Armin realized (or rather, he believed) what she meant, and smiled in thoughtful contemplation: "...I see..." he gazed at her, "And? Have I helped you along the way too?" Ariana gazed at him in surprise, as if confused as to why he even needed to ask at all, "Of course you have silly!" she threw her arm around him and pulled him in for a hug, "Who else would I ask to beat me at chess? Or think up some start way to get around Josefa and Jaye's pranks?" she rubbed his shoulder, "Seriously, there's a lot me and Eren couldn't have done without you"
"Seriously?" Armin blinked in surprise, before shying away with a sheepish smile: "Come on, I'm nothing extraordinary: I don't have your stealth, or Eren's fiery attitude" "No, but you have a damn smart brain, and you know how to use it better than the two of us put together" she smiled, "I don't think you realize it now? But one day, that brain's gonna help a lot of lives, not just mine and Eren's..." she gently grasped his hand and stood up: standing next to her, Armin watched as she pointed to the wall: "I believe one day, you will get to see the ocean. That wall right there? It's just bricks and mortar, and the titan's? Eh, they'll be a piece of cake, knowing you? You'll come up with some smart idea to either avoid them, or kill them in a way that doesn't involve anyone having to risk their lives"
"...Will you be with us? ... Only? I don't think it would be right: me and Eren going to see the ocean and leaving you behind..." he asked her with a sense of anxiety. Gazing into his eyes and realizing he was serious: Ariana thought about Shadow and the other titans, and what it would mean having to leave them behind. Living half her life in secret with them and her heritage, she couldn't just abandon them and her family without good reason, and even then, would the reason be worthy of perusing if the cause was just enough? Going to see the ocean; would it really be worth it? Leaving everything she'd come to know and love, to pursue the dreams of her two best friends? The only two friends who didn't know about the titans? The fact she's a Celt? Or the numerous things that had happened to her along the way? "...Because?" Armin continued with a hopeful smile of his own, "I really believe you'd make a great scout"
Smiling as she blushed a little, Ariana looked away in embarrassment, "Oh shut up your just saying that..." she gazed at him, curiously, "...You really mean that?"
"Armin?!" Freya's voice suddenly disturbed the moment, "Your Grandpa's here! Time to go home!"
"Yeah, I do!" he chuckled as he headed for the attic window, "Well? See you tomorrow when you get back" he waved goodbye, and climbed down through the window back inside. As she watched Armin leave with his grandfather up the street, Ariana gazed up at the blue sky, and smiled with a small fluttering butterfly in her stomach, "...He really thinks I'd make a good scout?" she thought aloud.
As she gazed across the city, she saw a hawk with vivid blue eyes watching her from the chimney stack, and right away she knew who it was: "...Of course you'd be eavesdropping..." she smirked. The hawk flew up above her, and in a flash blue light Shadow resumed his titan form: but he wasn't entirely solid, his whole body was semi-transparent, and his weight was virtually nothing as he sat down on the roof of the neighboring house without causing so much as a creek or a groan from the rafters. Ariana knew he was invisible to everyone in the vicinity but her: a trick he'd shown her a long while back, and one that came in handy for talking to him face to face, so long as she kept her voice down.
"So how long were you listening this time?" she deadpanned up at him, : Long enough: he spelt out with a smirk, "You guys really have no concept of privacy do you?" Ariana couldn't help but smile; but as she gazed up at him, she began to contemplate the implications of what Armin was asking of her: with a defeated sigh, she asked bluntly: "...Am I wrong to go with them? To see the ocean I mean? ...I know we've talked about this before but now? I'm beginning to think about this more seriously"
Sensing her mind was troubled by this, Shadow asked her,: I sense you wish to remain loyal to them, and that's fine. But you do know what joining the Scouts will involve. And if you go out on the expeditions, I will not be able to guarantee your safety:
"Yeah I know all that, Bryson's lectured me enough on it already" she waved off, "It's just- keeping you and the others a secret from them for so long? I owe them you know? I mean, I talk about stuff with you I don't tell them about, and vice versa I tell them things I don't tell the others about. Having to lie to them like this? All because Mrs Jaeger doesn't want Eren to feel 'burdened' by the guilt of keeping this secret of ours? Maybe three years ago when we kept this from our own parents it applied then, but now? We're growing up, things have changed, and I don't feel like Eren's a liability; he may have a chip on his shoulder but I don't believe he's dangerous in any way" Ariana vented, before heaving a heavy sigh, "...It just doesn't feel right; you, Midnight, Boar, Angel, and everyone else? You're all my friends, but so are Eren and Armin: and I don't want to choose"
: Nobody's asking you to: Shadow spelt out, : But the thing is; it's possible that your lives will head off in different directions over time, and that being together the way you are now? May not be possible. I'm not saying you'll stop being friends. It just might be that you'll have to be prepared to part ways, if it ever comes to that: "...If it ever comes to that..." Ariana sighed as she thought about it: knowing in the back of her mind that he had a point, it was a possibility she didn't like; but one that could well come to pass. "...Then I guess I'll have to make the most of it while I can huh?" she smiled up at him, reaching his other hand down to stroke her cheek, he smiled and spelt out, : Most definitely:
Glancing down and around the street to check to make sure no one was watching, a crafty glint lit up in Ariana's eyes as she got an idea: "So, we're not meeting the others until much later: think we can go for a quick fly before then?" : Oh, I don't think that'll be too much trouble: Shadow replied with an equally craft grin: and in an instant he transformed into his elemental form, picked Ariana up with his strong updrafts, rendering her invisible as well, and took off up into the sky with Ariana giggling with elation.
Meanwhile down on the ground: Belle watched as Ariana disappeared into mid air, seemingly shooting straight up into the sky, "Where're they going?" Josefa asked offhand, having just caught a glimpse of the same 'disappearing act'; "Eh, probably flying off somewhere?" Belle shrugged: "She was talking to Eren and Armin a few minutes ago" "I know, I saw Armin leave" Gale interjected as she passed a sigh of vexation: "Be honest with me guys, do you think Eren's still the same guy we used to know? I mean, he used to be nice to hang out with, but now? He's just- angry at everyone; and I can't figure out why?" "You and me both" Hawk sighed, "I have to admit, he's got me stumped: the only people he doesn't seem to be annoyed with is Armin and Ariana, and I think that's more to do with the fact they know what makes him tick" "I think it's kinda sad" Poppy sighed ruefully, "We used to play together all the time when we were little; now? He just pushes everyone away" "he wasn't always like that though" Clay pointed out, "Do you remember after the floods three years? He spent a lot of time with his mum and Ariana, and I think that was out of guilt for believing they were both dead, and at the same time happy that they were alive" Hazel added,
"You know, come to think about it? I don't think Mrs Jaeger told him or Doctor Jaeger about what happened up at the sanctuary" Fox thought aloud, his little sister nodding in agreement, "Well? Even if she had gone the MP's the cult would've probably flat-out denied it, or worse: they might have tried to finish the job" Lucius frowned as he folded his arms, "That doesn't bare thinking about" Lucy worried. "You know? Maybe we should try and do something nice for Eren, try and get him to lighten up a little?" Ashlyn suggested, "I mean, Ariana's the only one out of all of us who still hangs out with him: he must still be a good person at heart if she's willing to spend half her time with him?" "Yeah but Ariana will hang out without anyone she feels could use a friend: unlike Eren, she always looks for the good in others" Bemadette pointed out. Clay was about to say something else, when Ash, Rowan and Dale came walking up the street: looking slightly bedraggled, and Rowan holding Ariana's arrows in one hand; "Oh hey you guys" Hazel greeted offhand, "Did Carl put up much put a fight this time?" Josefa asked, "He did at first, until I yanked the arrow outta his shoulder" Ash sighed as he straightened his shirt and took the leather cord out of his hair to redo his ponytail: "Seriously, what is with those guys? It's like their brains keep shrinking every other month" Belle frowned.
"What's 'with them' is that Ludwig's old man is a pompous blowhard that lets his brat have the run of the place," Pascal frowned as he stepped outside the Inn with a wooden tankard of mead in one hand, "Lunch break already?" Gale blinked in surprise, "Eh, business is slow today" Pascal shrugged as he took a swig of his drink, "So, those four idiot's been giving you grief again?" he smirked at the three brothers: "Us? Hardly, Ariana shot them in the shoulders for beating Eren and Armin up again" Rowan replied as he gently trailed his finger over the barbs; "Considering how proficient she is with that bow of her's? I'm amazed she hasn't killed them already" he raised an eyebrow: "So uh? Any idea what we can expect from the genius's tonight?" he asked offhand. "Your guess is as good as mine" Clay shrugged, "I don't get why they've been so secretive around us? Everyone else I can understand, but we helped out with some of the experiments remember? We should've at least been mentioned in the footnotes" Jaye thought aloud, "I think it was out of necessity for double-checking everything: you know? Make sure all the information was correct?" Dale offered, "Besides, have you seen how cluttered Claude's 'laboratory' is? You can't swing a cat in that place (believe me, I tried it with Boar once), and Breck, Bryson and Derek are very touchy about letting anyone into their 'privet spaces'. Dad's been pretty elusive too, but he's been really excited for the last few days; I think he might have finally cracked the-, you know what's"
"Really?" Gale blinked in surprise, "After all this time he might have finally done it?" "Eh I don't know, all I get is from what I hear with my ear pressed to the basement door late at night" Dale shrugged, "I guess we're just gonna have to wait for him and the rest of them to tell us in person"
"Tell you about what?" Lawrence smiled as he poked his head around the corner of the building, "What're you guys talking about?" "Nothing" Ash shot him a reprimanding look, "You shouldn't be eavesdropping on other people's conversations Lawrence: you might hear something you're not supposed to" "Like what?" he asked curiously as he stepped out and approached the group, "Like how I'll pound the living shit outta ya if I catch you doing it again!" Rowan frowned at him as he raised his clenched fist: Lawrence quickly got the message and bolted back to his house; he took one last glance back at them before retreating down the alleyway between his house and the Jaeger's place. "Nosy lil' brat! He's getting too damn good at sneaking up on us like that!" Rowan fumed, "Remind you of anyone?" Dale shot him a sarcastic sideways glance. "Might wanna start thinking about bringing these kinda conversations indoors kiddos" Pascal suggested casually, "You never know who might be listening?" he turned to head back inside, but before he did, he glanced over at Ash and told him: "Oh by the way, next you beat up Carl Ludwig? Tell him to tell his old man he still owes me money for that little 'altercation' in the bar last week: or I'll be paying him another visit. Well? See ya tonight" he waved goodbye as he stepped back inside the bar.
As she leaned down to check on the pheasant that was roasting in the stove, Carla heard little footsteps outside beneath her kitchen window, and right away she suddenly got the feeling she was being watched; turning around, she spotted Lawrence peeping over the edge of her windowsill, watching her curiously. "Rowan chased you off again huh?" she smiled as she approached to get some more herbs from out of the window box, "He caught me eavesdropping" Lawrence huffed as he climbed up and rested his elbows on the windowsill: "Well it serves you right: it's rude to listen in on other people's business" she told him. "That's what Ash said" Lawrence shrugged: he was about to say something else, when something odd caught his eye and made him raise an eyebrow in bemusement: "Um? Mrs Jaeger? You do know you got a bird sitting on your table, and it's reading a book, right?" Glancing over at the dove sitting on the kitchen table, Carla only smiled: "Oh that's just Angel, she visit's me regularly for breadcrumbs: she likes to read too" she joked, "She reads?" Lawrence frowned in confusion, "But her brain's the size of a pea, how can a bird read?" he exclaimed; the dove snapped its head in his direction and ruffled her feathers with an annoyed coo, as if offended by his remark: "I don't know? She just can" Carla shrugged.
"Lawrence!" his mother called out "Coming mum!" Lawrence shouted back, "I gotta go, see ya later Mrs Jaeger" he waved goodbye, "Oh Lawrence wait-" she stopped him, "Would you like to play with Eren later? He and Armin usually like to hang out with Ariana in the afternoons?" she offered. Lawrence hesitated a moment, as a look of slight worry crossed his face: "Uh? That sounds cool an' all? But I got chores to do this afternoon. Thanks anyway" he smiled awkwardly, before jumping down from the window and going to meet his mum at the back door of his house: as she reached for a small knife and placed the herbs on the chopping board, Carla heard a little of their conversation drift down the alleyway: "What was all that about?" she heard his mother ask, "She wanted me to play with Eren, but I don't want to: he's always grumpy and he gets angry over the stupidest things" Lawrence huffed, "I know darling, but at least be nice to the lad, he hasn't got many other friends remember?" she reminded him.
Hearing that, Carla suddenly felt her heart sink a little, so much so that she placed the knife down on the counter, and wandered over to the table: sitting down next to Angel, who immediately picked up on the fact that she was now upset. Hearing Eren's footsteps creek the floorboards upstairs, Carla gazed up at the ceiling instinctively and heaved a heavy rueful sigh as she contemplated her predicament. This past year had seen a real change in her son, he didn't socialize like he used to, he always seemed to be loathing over something: and his friendship with Ariana had become a little more strained than usual, as she was now more frequently having to fix the cuts and bruises he was receiving at the hands of the neighborhood bullies. Of course she'd tried talking to him, what concerned mother wouldn't? But every time she broached him about it, he'd avoid it one way or another. But what really hurt the most, was that before all this began he was a happy and well-adjusted child: after the flood and the storm three years ago, he had been closer to her than ever before, out of fear that he'd lose her again and happy that she was alive and with him; but now? It was as if he was turning into a completely different person, and she didn't know why?
Seeing the troubled look on her face, Angel approached her and got her attention with a gentle tugging at her sleeve: Gazing down at the disguised titan with a tired look in her eyes, Carla watched as she stretched out one wing, and spelt out the words, : Thinking about Eren again? :, Carla merely nodded; Elysia was well aware of the situation with Eren, she knew it vexed Carla to no end, and for the immortal life of her she wished she knew what to do. But when you're a weather goddess who's had very little to no previous experience with humans and the nature of their relationships, you're not equipped to handle the situation with the sensitivity and tact it requires: a fact Elysia was all too aware of, and it both annoyed and grieved her to not be able to help out somehow. She'd asked Javorin or Herne if she could (though she and Hecate were okay with each other, she didn't trust the goddess to be able to figure out how to deal with this), but she had a feeling they'd only tell her to let Carla deal with it in her own way; but at the same time, she valued their wisdom, and knew they knew what to do when it came to dealing with complex human things.
Flapping her wing again, Elysia spelt out, : I could talk to Shadow if you want? He might know what to do? : Carla forced a small smile, and gently stroked the dove down her back, "Thank you, but I'll figure something out" she sighed. : You've been saying that for the past year now: Elysia pointed out, : I don't think it's that simple, is it? : She asked disconcertingly, before adding, : I know it's not your fault, you didn't do anything to make him like this: "But something's made him like this" Carla frowned, "I just wish-..." she pressed her hand to her forehead as she leaned her elbow against the table, "...I just wish he'd talk to me; god only knows, I don't know what to do?"
"Best thing you can really do, is just let him come to you in his own time" Freya smiled sympathetically as she stood at the kitchen window: "Oh, Freya" Carla smiled as she got up and went over to the window: "Sorry for eavesdropping, But I couldn't help myself" she smiled as she leaned closer to the window, "Sorry I can't stop long: I just came to ask if you'll be joining the 'heretics and traitors' for their meeting this evening?"
"Oh, sorry, could you give Tyto my apologies please? I'm not really up for any of that at the moment" Carla sighed. Freya knew it wasn't a one-off: she hadn't been 'up' for anything in a very long while; she knew Eren was on her mind all the time now, and it troubled her to see her worry so much: "Certainly" Freya smiled, before reaching up through the window and placing her hand on Carla's, "You know you can always come and talk to me right? That's what best friends are for: and I hate seeing you worry yourself so much," she assured her, "Listen, me and the girls are going to be working on that embroidery piece tonight, the one with the pink roses and blue birds? Why don't you come along and help us the get rid of a bottle of brandy-wine that have been sitting in the pantry for over a year now?" Freya smiled with a cheeky glint in her eye: picking up on her friend's hint, Carla couldn't help but smile: "That's not a request is it?" "Nope, be round our place seven sharp, and I won't take no for an answer. You need some good friends, some good gossip, and a little wine to help ease your troubles. See you later" she waved goodbye, "Won't miss it" Carla smiled back.
: Well at least I know you'll be okay tonight: the dove spelt out, her 'smoke light' dissipating as a breeze blew from the window, "It's been ages since I've had an evening with the girls" Carla thought aloud with a hopeful smile, "It's nice to able to talk about-...things you can't talk about with your family..." the smile faded from her face as she thought about the fact Eren didn't know about the titans, nor did Grisha; keeping the titans a secret had become a double edged sword for her. On the one hand she knew she was keeping her family free from the burden of having to live with such a big and profound secret, and yet she couldn't confide in them about it when things got tough: and on the other hand, she enjoyed Angel and her company, as well as Shadow's, Midnight's and Boar's whenever they came to visit, but vice versa, there were things about her family she couldn't confide in with them, for the simple fact she didn't want to make her burden's theirs too; that wouldn't be fair, and with Eren being the way he was at the moment, she hadn't been as open with everyone as she used to be.
Seeing the look on her face, Elysia reminisced on happier time's past, and spelt out, : I miss the old days you know? When you used to come up to the forest to visit me? : "I know, I miss those day's too" Carla nodded, "But hey, you come to see me every day here, that's not so bad is it?" Elysia dropped her gaze in contemplation for a moment, before replying, : No, but ever since Eren starting behaving differently; it just doesn't feel the same anymore: Carla knew she had a point, and as her own gaze wandered down to the floor, the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs snapped them both back to the here and now: Elysia quickly flew off the table and landed in the window box outside, just as Eren entered the kitchen.
"Hey sweetie, been back long?" Carla put on her motherly smile, and went back to the stove to check on the roast pheasant: "I heard you talking, was anyone-" he suddenly noticed the dove: "Oh it's just Angel," he casually thought aloud, before glancing over at his mother; the dove had become a regular site at the kitchen window, and not something he'd really given any attention to, "I just came to ask when dinner's ready" he asked offhand. "Oh it won't be ready for at least another hour" she gave him an apologetic look. Seeing the deadpan look in his eyes, Carla felt another pang of concern go through her as she watched him leave: "...Eren?" she hesitated, he stopped at the door but didn't turn around: "...You know you can come and talk to me about anything right? If there's something troubling you, you don't have to be worried or afraid: I'm your mother, I'll hear you out no matter what..." she stated in a soft motherly tone; an uneasy pause passed between them, before Eren quietly replied in a monotone voice; "... It's okay mum, I'll be alright" and headed back up the stairs to his room. Feeling more uneasy, Carla stared down at the floor, wondering what was going on with her son.
Elysia shook her head in rueful disappointment: she hated feeling so helpless; she made a mental note to talk to Javorin about this: doubts or not, she couldn't let Carla keep enduring this.
Later that night, the Black Stallion Inn:
"Have we got enough room? I swear this cellar grows smaller every damn time we come down here for these meetings!" Pascal grumbled as he shuffled along, trying to make room for everyone else: "If I recall correctly you and West are only down here as an 'interested second party', your being here is entirely optional" Claude pointed out. "I'm not complaining, just as long as the drinks are free" West threw his hands up: "You two live here! You get all your drinks for free!" Breck exclaimed, "So do you!" West shot back, "I'm the local doctor! I only get mine at a discount!" Breck frowned. "Hey, save it for when we're done" Gustav grumbled, "This is supposed to be a secret meeting remember? So keep your voices down!"
The wine cellar was pretty cosy as everyone attending the secret meeting filed in: Gustav, Bryson, Breck, Claude, Derek, Bren, Tyto, Evrard, Falken, and Eraman all took their seats at the table, while all the kids bar Ariana followed after them, sitting up on the ale and mead casks. As everyone got themselves as comfy as possible, Ariana was last to arrive with the titans in hand: perched on her shoulders in their raven and Sky lark forms were Midnight and Boar, and Shadow and Angel were perched on her arms in their dove and hawk forms. The four birds flew onto the table, and sat at the four corners as if they were their designated seats. And when everyone appeared to be seated, Tyto addressed the room: "Okay? Shall we begin?" everyone voiced their agreements, and Evrard added, "Very well, who'll start the meeting?"
"Well? Claude's the 'head researcher' here, I think he should start" Bryson suggested, "Oh really? Uh very well..." Claude smiled nervously as he reached for the bag at his side, and pulled out twenty large well-used and very full journals, placing each of them in front of him, along with several large rolled up pieces of parchment. "... Well? As you are all aware, these last three years have been spent in the pursuit of knowledge: studying closely the unique and mysterious nature of our 'titanic' friends and their strange yet miraculous powers," he gestured to the titans, before pointing to the journals, "These journals are all the accumulated data we have collectively assembled together: between Bryson's knowledge of the 'regular titans' outside beyond the walls, Tyto, Evrard, Falken and Eraman's broad knowledge of their people's 'Celtic rune-symbols', my scientific smarts, Derek's mastery of a paintbrush and fine-nib ink pen (along with his eye for minute detail and numbers): as well the input from the titans themselves of course. This gentlemen (and children), is the result of all our hard work. Go ahead, take a look"
Taking a journal and parchment each, flicking through the pages and passing them around, everyone was astounded at the level of detail, as well as the amount of information contained therein each book. "Whoa, I knew Claude was eager to study us, but this in incredible" Angel stared bug-eyed at all the journals, "This is all his work?" "Looks like it, it's mostly his handwriting" Herne shrugged.
"You guys really did all this?" Fox blinked in surprise as he looked at one of the parchments, which depicted Midnight's tomb from all four sides and above, with all the precision and detail of any architectural drawing. "My goodness, these are incredible" Bren breathed as he scanned his eyes over an anatomical drawing of Shadow's torso, along with all the markings covering it. "You really drew all this Derek?" Ashlyn scanned her eyes over the parchments in amazement, studying every detail the watercolor and ink drawings: "Well? Being the only architect here, the tombs were kind of a no-brainer; but still, they are as unique as the titans: and I still haven't figured out what kind of granite they were carved from" he replied offhand. "It's a pretty extensive collection of work, and that's just on the titan's anatomy and powers alone: Breck, if you'd care to show the fruits of our combined labors?" Claude smiled.
"Certainly..." the doctor reached for his bag, and pulled out a collection of test tubes filled with various brightly coloured liquids, each with a large tag pinned to the corks listing an extensive list of details, along with a smaller journal that was filled with various tattered notes sticking out of it: "As you all know, the healing properties of the titan's blood has been my particular field of research for the past three years: after what Ariana described the night she ran away and encountered Shadow for the first time, I got thinking as to how the blood could be used medicinally, without changing one's eye colour, or any other potential side effects. Between my knowledge of medicine and Claude's unorthodox scientific approach, we took samples of all four of the titan's blood, and combining other medicines and various other organic substances, conducted extensive testing on a variety of different animals and plant life as our test subjects. It wasn't easy and it wasn't without its fair share of pit-falls and draw-backs, but I believe our efforts have finally paid off," he held up one of the test tubes, which contained a pale blue transparent liquid that seemed to shimmer with gold as it caught the light: "...Pay attention now" he smiled as he took a scalpel out of his bag and cut the back of his hand: everyone bar Claude gasped in alarm, but Breck calmly uncorked the test tube, and poured a few drops of the liquid onto the cut; within seconds the wound glowed faintly blue as the blood stopped oozing out, and the skin meshed back together, closing up entirely until only a scar was left in place. Everyone stared at his hand in amazement as Breck corked the tube and placed it back with the others.
"My god, you finally cracked it!" Derek grinned, as did the kids: "Well? I can't take all the credit" Breck admitted humbly, "It was Midnight that helped us to get the right blood-to-saline ratio" he gestured to the raven: who held her head up high with an air of smugness about her.
"Blood-to-saline ratio?" Javorin raised a figurative eyebrow: "Hey, they had to dilute it with something, using our blood in its purest form isn't necessarily a good idea, remember?" she shot him a look, "Besides, throwing medicinal herbs into the mix actually helps to improve the quality of the desired results"
"Needles to say, through this prototype 'healing elixir', we've managed to create an entirely new range of medicines that can heal serious wounds and cure a number of diseases; some of which are not curable or treatable with the conventional treatments we have currently available. Suffice to say, this could potentially be the future of modern medicine" he grinned.
"Indeed...And I'm please to say my contribution to this endeavor has yielded some promising results," Bryson nodded as he cleared his throat, and took out a small notebook from his breast pocket: "While my own 'field of research' has not been based in science or medicine: I feel it is a particular field of expertise that will serve mankind greatly in the war against the titans," he stated as he placed the notebook on the table, and flicked through a few pages: each depicting a series of study drawings and notes on the titans powers and their combat manoeuvres: "From their observations in the field, shadowing the Scouts on their expeditions as well as fighting the 'regular titans': the titans have described in great detail the powers and manoeuvres they employ to ensure a minimum loss of life, while at the same time remaining invisible. Through extensive experimentation, utilizing their combined knowledge, along with my own combat expertise, as well as Lucy, Lucius and Dale's head for strategy: we have created a series of tactics and manoeuvres that ensure an effective means of keeping the scouts safe, while also taking into account their own strategies and combat procedures"
"Bryson used himself as our 'test scout' for the new moves with his ODM, and the results were pretty good: he didn't even know they were there, even in open spaces" Dale added. "In short, with these new tactics being used by the titans, they can cut the Scouts annual mortality rate by at least two thirds" Bryson stated enthusiastically, "It'll be a vital tactical advantage for the Scouts, and one that could see them gain more ground than ever before"
"Wow, no wonder you were keeping this all secret" West smiled in amazement, "This is incredible stuff you guys have been doing. But? What about your research on your people's 'rune-symbols'?" he gazed over at Tyto curiously.
"Yes, I was hoping we'd get to that," Tyto smiled nervously as he reached for his backpack, and pulled out a large rolled up leather hide, and placed it on the table next to all the other items: "Suffice to say, our own 'field of research' into the titans markings and the engraving on their tombs did yield results. Albeit-... We're still not a hundred presence sure what it is we've found, exactly"
Glancing at one another in curious bemusement, the gentlemen, children and four birds leaned in to listen as Tyto tried to explain as simply as he could: "...Thanks to Derek's eye for detail, recording the titans markings and the engravings was not an issue, it was when we tried to make sense of them that we ran into a number of problems"
"To begin with, each of the titans individual markings, on their own each tell a different set of meanings: like Midnight's for example, her markings correspond to the patterns that denote the night, the moon, the stars, darkness, and the balance between good and evil in the world. Boar's correlate to hunting and the balance between predator and prey, and the need to respect all animals of every kind. Shadow's is more complex, his is a number of different symbolic representations denoting wisdom, guidance, balance, and even nourishment. And while Angel's is smaller and simplistic, her's represent the sky and the wind" Evrard explained.
"You guys really got all that? Just from the markings?" Pascal blinked in surprise,
"Is that true?" Angel glanced over at the other gods: "The Celt's interpretation of the hand of the Ancients always had a few variations in places: but by and large, our own markings denote our divine duties and the substance that our own individual powers are derived from" Midnight answered: "This isn't new, but as to why we have the markings in the first place? ...I have a feeling they found something we missed" Herne frowned as he continued to listen carefully.
Falken went on to elaborate further: "By themselves the titan's markings are a artistic depiction of our people's beliefs in the spirits and our shared relationship with the earth; how everything and everyone is connected, and how those connections are, by their varying natures, as simple as they are complex. In short, the markings are each a page in a chapter of our people's spiritual connection to the world. But that was only a broad part of it: it was Tyto that made the crucial breakthrough"
"When we got all the markings down on parchment and we looked at them in their entirety, I noticed a certain 'pattern' that seemed to emerge between the different designs: a series of 'joining's' that interlink them into one whole design; but how they linked together and in what sequence? That was the really tricky part, and when we looked over the engravings, we realized they corresponded to the whole design as well"
"In short, all the titan's markings, as well as all the engravings on their tombs, are all part of the same depiction" Eraman added as he unrolled the hide: Claude, Breck and Bryson moved all the journals and test tubes off the table to make room as Eraman and Tyto laid the hide flat on the surface. Standing up for a better look, the gentlemen and children all gazed down at the pressed leather in amazement: the elaborate artwork was as detailed as it was complex, a non-symmetrical mass of swirling, coiling, sweeping lines and interlocked shapes, all interlinked by one non-symmetrical form after another, forming a circular design that didn't repeat itself in any particular pattern. "Whoa..." Bryson blinked in surprise, "I knew the rune-symbols were complex, but I never expected anything like this"
"Neither did I" Claude admitted, "But look, he's right: the markings do join up" he pointed to what was part of Shadow's left arm markings, to part of Boar's lower back markings, "And they connect at multiple points throughout the design, with the symbols from the carvings acting as 'jigsaw pieces' to combine them together"
"It's beautiful for sure, but what does it mean?" Bren frowned in bemusement, "That's just it..." Tyto sighed in disappointment as he scratched his beard, "We don't know what we're looking at; I was rather hoping you guys might have some idea-..." he glanced down at the birds: "...Uh, guys?" Tyto tried to grab their attention, but the birds simply stared down at the image intensely, completely focused on it.
"Guys, do you have any idea what this is?!" Herne gasped, "-I know I know!" Hecate exclaimed in disbelief as she ruffled her feathers, "By the all-father! Of all things I was expecting to see tonight I wasn't expecting this!This is what our markings were this whole time?! Why didn't I see it?!" "What?! What is it?! What're we looking at here?!" Elysia panicked: "Wait-, you've never seen one of these before?!" Hecate gawked at her; "No! What is it?!" she shot back impatiently.
"Kid, this is a Semitam!" Herne grinned, "A Semitam? What the hell's that?" Elysia cocked her head to one side in confusion: "It's an enchanted map protected by a special concealment spell, that keeps the location of something secret from anyone the user doesn't want to know about" Javorin explained as he scanned his eyes over the design, "In addition to several other magics the seal might be hiding: basically, it's an all-in-one map with the spells and charms required to find your way to where you want to go"
"And Tyto actually figured it out (albeit he doesn't know what he's found)" Herne added: "-Hang on a sec! Tyto's not a wizard a mage or an alchemist, so how can he use it if he, or any of the other humans here don't have any magical potential?!" Elysia frowned, "That's the convenience of Semitam's kid, the magics they utilize don't necessarily require anyone of any magical potential to wield them: you just need to have the key to unlock it and you're good to go" Herne explained.
"So? Our markings and the engravings on our tombs was a hidden map this whole time?" Elysia blinked in surprise, "But-, a map to where?! And what's the key to unlocking it?" "Don't know, but you can bet your tail feathers we're going to find out!" Hecate grinned. "But wait! Is that really a good idea?!" Elysia panicked, Herne and Hecate stared at her: "You just said it yourself Herne, Tyto doesn't know what this is, none of the humans do! And you all want to try and unlock it?! Without knowing where it leads to? You said it might be hiding other magics, well what if it's got a curse placed upon it? What if we unlock it and something bad happens?!"
Hecate and Herne's train of thought came to an abrupt stop; both sighed in regret as they knew she had was right: "Far be it from me to bring the mood down, but Elysia does have a point" Javorin stated in a serious tone: "We don't know what this Semitam might contain, and for all we know it could well have some corrupted magics tied into it. Plus, the key could be anything, and there's no way to know for sure, unless we take proper precautions and study this properly"
"We've also got another problem," Midnight suddenly realized,as she was aware all the human's attention was now focused on them: "Do we tell them the truth? Do tell them what this really is? Even though they may not be able to comprehend how it works?" "Well? They managed to get their heads around our powers, why shouldn't they be able understand how a Semitam works?" Herne suggested, "It's not that simple" Hecate frowned, "We're talking about an inanimate object that contains magics all of its own; it's not on the same level as ours!"
"But it's magical never the less, and this isn't the kind of magic you run into every day: they need to be aware of that..." Javorin stated seriously, as he carefully thought about what to tell the group: he knew this was a big jump into the deep end, but what other choice was there? He couldn't lie to them even by omission, and he couldn't afford to be blasé about it either. The humans all continued to watch the birds in a mix of concern and curiosity, waiting for an answer of some kind: until finally, after a long uncertain pause, Javorin stepped around the hide to stand in front of Tyto, and with his outstretched wing, formed the words, : It's called a Semitam, and it's a hidden map:
Everyone stared at the hawk in a mix of bemusement and amazement: "Wha-, a map?" Gustav exclaimed, "A map to where?". : We don't know: Javorin clarified,: But we'll help you find out, its magical in nature so you're going to need help if you want to unlock its power:. Everyone paused in confusion, glancing at one another as they tried to make sense of his words; leaning down in front of Javorin, Tyto tried to speak his confused thoughts as best he could: "...Are you saying, that this 'map' hold's some kind of power? All of its own?" the hawk nodded, and answered, : Yes, It's hidden by a special power, and requires a key specific to it alone; to reveal the map concealed inside: "A key?" Derek blinked in surprise, "But, what would that be?" : We don't know that either. That is why, with your permission we'd like to borrow this: the hawk pointed to the hide with his wing, : So we can try and figure it out, and make sure nothing bad is hidden inside:
"Bad?" Bren swallowed hard, "You mean-, there could be some kind of 'bad magic' inside that thing? Like a curse or something?" he pointed to the hide. "Uh? Hang on, before we all go to cuckoo-land together: What proof is there that this 'map' has any 'power' of its own'? Unless I see something in the way of a little Hocus-Pocus, I ain't buying it" Pascal glanced down at the hawk with a skeptical frown; nodding in acceptance of his challenge, Javorin waved his wing as he spelt out, : Repeat. Audite-me-et-videte, I command you reveal that which you hide:
Frowning at the first four words in confusion, Tyto didn't know what they meant or what their significance was: but he didn't question the hawk, and so clearing his throat, he spoke aloud, "...Audite-me-et-videte, I command you real that which you hide" The design suddenly glowed in a myriad of colours, lighting up the whole cellar and making everyone jump in surprise: like ripples bouncing around the circular edge of a pail of water, the glowing seemed to shimmer and glisten as a strange soft ringing sound filled the air; but just as suddenly as it had started, the glowing died down until it stopped, and the ringing sound dissipated back into silence. Leaving everyone in the room stunned and amazed.
"Whoa, that's cool!" Bemadette grinned: "... What was that?" Clay stared at the hide, wondering what it was he just saw. : That was the Semitam's power being awakened: Javorin replied, "But-, it didn't do anything, it just glowed and then, nothing" Bren waved his hands in confusion. "Because it wasn't the key," Dale suddenly realized, "He said it's hidden by a special power: that glow was the power," he glanced over at Tyto, "Shadow didn't touch it or do anything to it, all you did was repeat what he spelled out" he pointed out.
"That was a demonstration, wasn't it?" Bryson gazed down at the hawk, having regained his composure, "That was the only way to prove it". Javorin nodded, and spelt out, : Yes, the magics that lie within this design cannot be broken, even if it is spilt up into pieces and scattered far and wide:
"...I figured as much..." Claude frowned as he rested his chin on his laced fingers: glancing over at the amateur scientist, everyone saw the look in his eyes, that look that told them the cogs in his head were turning and his mind was going a thousand thoughts a second. He was getting another of his 'big idea's', and judging from the smile that was slowly spreading across his face, it was a grand one. "...What're you talking about Claude?" Falken asked offhand, "Yeah, what are you talking about?" Midnight frowned at him. "...I think I know: and I think he might be right on the mark" Javorin frowned, as he watched the man's aura thrum with the blossoming of a great epiphany.
"Think about it" Claude explained, an air of eager enthusiasm laced in his voice: "These titans have been 'asleep' in those tombs for goodness knows how long, and when they wake up they find they're covered in Celtic rune-symbols that they didn't have before going in, and their tombs are covered in the same markings: all of which combined together, create this," he gestured to the design on the hide, "A map, hidden from our eyes by a power all of its own (and aptly demonstrated), divided between the titans and their tombs: reconstructed by those who know how to read them and how to piece them together" he grinned like a maniac, "...Don't you all see it? This was deliberate: someone went to a great deal of trouble to keep this map a secret, along with the titans themselves. Whoever did this had it in their mind that one day: in the far future, the titans would awaken, piece the map back together, and find the location of whatever it is the map is hiding. It's the only thing that explains all this!"
Everyone stared at Claude in silence for a moment, trying to wrap their heads around his theory: "...But, if that is the case, who or what was the map being hidden from?" Shyla pointed out; "Whoever went to the trouble of hiding it the way they did; did so with a preview to the titans being able to outlive them: it would explain why they were in those tombs for so long" Claude replied confidently.
"Is it just me? Or is anyone else weirded out by the fact that dad just spoke an incantation to make that design 'come alive'?" Dale nervously pointed out. "Uh? I don't follow" West frowned in confusion. Getting down from the cask he was sitting on and approaching Javorin, Dale leaned to down to meet his eye level, and asked apprehensively: "Is it-..." he tried to get his thoughts straight, "Is it possible, for anyone to 'bring magic to life'? So long as they know the incantation? Or? Any incantation that can do what just happened?"
The four birds paused hesitantly a moment as they glanced at one another, as if taken aback by the question: Javorin raised his wing, and spelt out, : It is possible; but for all of you, it's not advisable. For three important reasons. 1. You may have been studying magic and how it works these past three years, and while you have displayed a healthy open-mindedness and respect for it, you do not practice it or know how to use it; they are two very different things, and theory does not always correlate to practice. 2. The nature of magic is complex and vast; it is not a singular force but rather many different ones all colliding and interacting with each other to form the substance that shape them into what they are. It's like the forest; it's not just plants and animals, it is many organisms all living together in equilibrium, and it is they, that make the forest a living entity as a whole. And 3, while it is possible for you, or anyone, to learn some 'simplistic' and 'basic' magics, unless you understand what you are dealing with, you could cause something bad to occur. And the damage magic can do can often have a lasting effect, with severe consequences attached in some cases:
"So? ..." Pascal frowned in contemplation: "Essentially it's a 'just because you can doesn't necessarily mean you should' kinda thing?"
: Exactly: Javorin replied, : And while I have no doubt all of you would make observant students in learning some simple incantations; for the time being, while this Semitam is in your possession, I wouldn't recommend broaching us on this subject again, until we can be sure you are ready. Do you understand? :
" ... Well? Better to have the ground rules in place, least we know or not know what we're dealing with I suppose?" Claude sighed was a regretful shrug: everyone glanced at him confusion: "You're taking it very well: I thought you'd be more bummed than this Claude?" Fox frowned, "Bummed? Yes: and while my curiosity have been vigorously renewed at this latest revelation; as a man of science it would be reckless if not totally irresponsible to overstep my mark. I am a scientist, not a wizard, and I don't pretend to be otherwise" he stated confidently, "Although, if there's any way I can effectively 'train' to be 'ready' do let me know ol' chap?" he smiled pleadingly down at the hawk, :We'll let you know, don't worry: Javorin replied with a warbling chirp that sounded similar to a chuckle.
"So, if you guys manage to unlock the Semitam's power, and the map is revealed, what will we do then?" Ariana asked. Everyone glanced at one another in realization: "...I have absolutely no idea..." Tyto admitted, shaking his head.
The following morning:
The morning air was unusually cold for mid spring as Ariana watched the steam on her breath rise up into the air: the heavenly scent of freshly baked bread was wafting through the street from the bakery across the road, sharpening her hunger, despite the fact she'd had three fried eggs, three sausages, four rashers of bacon and three slices of toast for breakfast. As she waited for Eren and his father, she checked over the new batch of arrows in her quiver: the broadhead's carved from amethyst were filed down to razor-sharp edges; she hoped she'd get some decent target practice done later.
As she waited for Eren and his father, she contemplated last night's meeting, and how the revelation of the Semitam had had quite an effect: everyone had come away from that meeting eager and curious to know what the map was and where it lead to, but at the same time, the possibility that a 'bad magic' of some kind could be hidden inside was a daunting thought. But it was the implications that the Semitam posed that really got everyone thinking: and questioning what they previously thought they knew about the powers the titans commanded. After all, if it was possible for an inanimate object to hold a magical power of its own, and possible to 'awaken' magic into being by speaking certain incantations, what else was possible?
Suddenly, her father stirred her from her musings as he stepped outside and sat on the front step beside her: "Got everything you need?" he smiled: "Yep, I'll go straight to the usual place when I'm done with Eren; I don't know how long we'll be so don't wait for me okay?" she replied as she adjusted the bow on her shoulder. Sitting in quiet contemplation for a moment, Tyto then turned to her and spoke his thoughts aloud: "... Quite the meeting last night huh?" "For sure" she nodded, "...So? What're we going to do? When the titans eventually unlock the map I mean" she looked over at him, "To be honest? I don't know what's more mind-blowing? The fact that all those markings and engravings were an enchanted map this whole time: or the fact that our ancestors must have been able to wield magic? Because, if our people's rune-symbols and that 'Semitam' were one and the same thing? That can only mean that our people were somehow connected to the titans ending up in those tombs"
Realizing he had a point, Ariana's eyes grew as big as saucers: "...Whoa..." she breathed in amazement, "Have you talked to Claude about it?" "I'm going to, later: although, knowing him he's probably already figured it out by now" Tyto sighed, "Are you going to tell mum?" she asked, "I'm still trying to figure that out: I don't think she'll freak out per se? But-, this is big" "You think?" Ariana glanced at him in surprise. An uneasy silence passed between them, before Ariana changed the subject; just thinking about the Semitam was giving her a headache: and as Eren came back to the forefront of her mind, she asked: "...So listen, There's something I want to talk to you about later, about-, my future: I haven't made my mind up about something, and I'd like to know what you think about it" "Really? What?" Tyto blinked in surprise: "I'll tell you later, but it's just between us okay? I don't want mum knowing about it just yet" she added, "Very well" he smirked as he stood up: "Listen, I've got to get going, I'll catch you later okay?" he placed a kiss on her forehead, and walked off down the street. "Bye!" Ariana waved, "Bye sweetheart!" he called out.
As she watched him disappear around the corner of the bookshop at the bottom of the street, a soft gust of wind drew her attention up to the roof, where an invisible Shadow hopped down, and kneeled beside her: with the street empty of people and traffic, she didn't have to worry about anyone seeing her 'talking to nothing'. "You're off back to the forest right? You got the-, you know what?" she asked. Shadow held the rolled up leather between is finger and thumb, and leaned down lower so his eye-line was closer to her's. He could sense her mind was still spinning from last night, but as she gazed up into his vivid blue eyes, he could see she wasn't so vexed that her smile wasn't genuine: "...So you're gonna try and get a start on figuring out what'll open it?" he raised his hand and spelt out, : Yes, but it's going to take quite a while, so don't hold your breath okay? : "Well? If it's' like trying to figure out the piece to a puzzle, then yeah, it's not going to be straight forward" she reasoned offhand, "But, what you said about us being able to learn 'basic' magic: is that really true?" : Essentially yes, but like many things in life it takes practice, patience, focus, persistence, and many other things to get it right; after all, you didn't become a skilled archer over night, right? : Running her hand over her bow, Ariana nodded in understanding, : It applies to magic too, and you cannot afford to be complacent with it; believe me, I learned that the hard way when I was much younger : he spelt out with a sheepish smile. Reaching out her hand to run her fingers over his free hand, Ariana gazed up into those vivid blue eyes of his, and asked, "... If and when you think I'm ready: will you teach me how to do magic?" Smiling down at her warmly as he leaned right over so she could stroke his cheek, he spelt out, : Of course I will; no doubt about it: "Thanks big guy" she smiled back as she placed a kiss on his chin. : I really need to get going, I'll see you later okay? : "Yeah, I'll catch you guys later" she waved goodbye as he stood back up, and completely vanished from her sight; a stiff gust of wind telling her he was already in his elemental form, and was speeding away up into the sky.
The sound of a door opening made her glance up the street, in time to see Eren and his father leaving their house, bidding Carla goodbye before setting off in her direction. "Ah Ariana, been waiting long?" the doctor asked offhand, "Only five minutes Dr Jaeger" she smiled as she joined them at their sides, "Okay, well we better get going" he smiled as he set the pace, heading down the street in the direction of the inner gate. Falling into step behind him alongside Eren, Ariana glanced at him with her usual welcoming smile, only to see him glance back at her with a blank expression; her smile dropped, she knew that wasn't a good sign. "... So um? ..." she was careful to keep her voice hushed as she glanced over at him, "Are we cool?" she asked hesitantly, "I guess" he shrugged in a casual tone, "But that doesn't mean I agree with what you said" he stated flatly, "Well? That's okay, you're entitled to your opinion, the same as everyone else" she tried to sound encouraging, before changing the subject to try and lighten up the mood, "So where're we going?" "Up the mountain past Rotenberg" the doctor replied, "Oh I know that place!" Ariana smiled, "Dad took us hunting there last autumn, it's not a very big mountain but the Elk love it up there" "Ah, so you know your way around the place?" he asked, "Only one side of it, where the road ends at the bottom? And I think there's a house right near the top?" she frowned as she tried to remember: "You'd be correct, that's where the Ackerman's live: and that's the only check-up I have booked for today" he replied.
As they passed by the bookshop, Ariana waved to Claude through the window, who waved back as he stacked several books on top of a shelf above the counter; "Where'd you like these Claude?" his assistant asked offhand as she walked out of the back room with a small box of papers inside, "Oh just put them in the office Gertrude, I'll see to them this afternoon" he pointed to the office just past the back room: "Is there any more books to stack Claude?" a small voice beamed from behind several large piles of books just beyond the counter; the voice in question came from a small boy with pale ash blond hair that fell around his face in short wispy bangs , and bright blue eyes that gazed up at Claude with an eager smile. "Oh, thank you young master Drake, but you've done enough already, why don't you go and steal yourself away in the natural history section, those new books on the birds of southern Maria just came in last week; once your mother's done sorting the papers, you can help arrange the display in the window" he pointed to the shelves over on the left side of the shop floor. Drake headed for the shelves in question, removed two of the largest books, and sat himself down in the small gap between two of the larger book cases. Checking the time on his pocket watch, Clause headed for the stairs behind the counter, "Gertrude? Could you watch the shop for ten minutes? I just need to see to something upstairs!" he called into the back room, "Not a problem!" she smiled.
Heading up the stairs to the landing, and then up a smaller staircase into the attic: Claude entered, what was essentially his 'laboratory' and own privet library, the middle of the room had a large table which was filled with a cluttered myriad of different equipment used for conducting scientific experiments; everything from tests tubes to beakers and flasks, to jars and bottles filled with different substances; at the far end of the room was a huge bookshelf containing his own personal library of scientific knowledge, and a number of 'illegal' books about the outside world, and to the right side was a desk and oil lamp, cluttered with various papers, books, notes; and of course, the journals containing all the information on the titans. Sitting at the desk writing out some note, Bryson glanced over at Clause as he navigated around the mess, and turned to face him as he placed his quill down next to the notes.
"I'm just about done here" he said as he stood up and maneuvered past Claude to get to the door: "You going to be long?" "Oh just ten minutes, I need to get started on the itinerary for the new research" Claude replied as he sat down at the desk, opened the top drawer and reached for the brand new journal that was sitting therein. "Already?" Bryson blinked in surprise, "But of course: time waits for no man, and I've got to get a handle on it while the thread of thought is still fresh in my mind" he stated as he picked up the quill, dipped it in the inkwell, opened the cover and began writing. Thinking about the meeting last night, Claude stopped, and passed a sigh as he thought aloud: "...What Shadow explained last night: on the one hand I can't wait to start learning about this 'basic' magic and how to use it; but at the same time, part of me is wondering if there's something much more to all this" "You mean the tombs? Yeah I was wondering about that too" Bryson frowned as he folded his arms, "The Celtic rune-symbols and the Semitam are one and the same thing: if Tyto's ancestors were capable of wielding magic, and were (presumably) involved with putting the titans into those tombs somehow, and leaving that map for them to find; one has to wonder what happened all those long years ago? What kind of 'conspiracy' was at work that prompted the 'titan trappers' to do what they did?"
Thinking about it, Bryson felt a sense of unease at the implications that question posed: "... I don't know?" he shook his head, "...But whatever it was: it must have been pretty dire if the titans were locked away on the basis of their longevity: that's the only thing that confounds this mystery; what was so terrible, so catastrophic that the 'titan trappers' or maybe even the titans themselves, had to take such drastic measures to hide that map?"
"Whatever it is, when that map is finally revealed: I think we're probably going to be left with more questions than answers" Claude sighed as she picked up his quill and got to work.
Meanwhile, at the Black Stallion:
"Order for table three!" Mabel called out to everyone in the kitchen as she walked through from the guest house's breakfast room. In the bar: Gale, Poppy, Belle, Shyla, Fox, Pascal and West were cleaning the bar and getting ready for when opening time would rolled around. Over by the fireplace, Gustav, Bren and Bemadette were having their breakfast before heading out to the forge to start the day's work, while Derek sat with them eating his own breakfast.
"So? If and when that map is finally cracked: do you think we'll mount an 'expedition' to go and find the place its hiding?" Belle grinned, "That all depends on the place in question; for all we know it might not be anywhere even remotely close to wall Maria, it could be somewhere way waaaay out on the other side of the outside world. Virtually impossible to reach, even with the titans tagging along; and for all we know the regular titans might not be the only threat we'd have to contend with?" Derek stated, "It's an appealing idea for sure: but way too impractical, given that we know next to nothing about the outside world; besides the fact its crawling with regular titans"
"Shadow and the other titans are bound to stand a chance if they went by themselves: they could turn into geese and just fly long-distance over every titan in sight, they wouldn't even have to worry about food, provisions and other things like that" Gale thought aloud as she polished the bar clean, "...Yeah, but it wouldn't be the same without them" Shyla sighed: everyone stopped cleaning and eating for a moment, as they let that sink in: "...Do you think they'd come back?" Poppy thought aloud ruefully, "What? Of course they'd come back! This is their home and they're practically one of the family! They'll always have a home with all of us" Belle dismissed, "They know that: and nothing will change it. You'll see"
"Maybe?" Shyla suggested, "...If they unlock the map and decide to go and find the place its hiding: we should have two big family portraits drawn; one for all of us, and one for them to take with them. So they'll remember the family waiting for them" "You know what? That sounds like a grand idea!" Derek smiled, "I'll need to collect everyone's portrait for reference" "So Pascal?" Gustav grinned, "Think a little 'real magic' will add some kick to your parlor tricks?" "Oh hell! Do think there might be a spell or something for melting metal?" Bren suddenly thought aloud, "That would come in real handy"
"Heh, hard to say?" Pascal shrugged as he placed the clean glasses back on the shelf behind the bar: "Personally, if it sounds too good to be true? That's because it usually is; and if it's easy to abuse then that's a risk I'd rather not take" he turned to place the tankards under the bar: "Although, I say that only because I'm older and wiser: there was a time once, if I'd have learned about 'basic magics' when I was younger? I'd have been the most successful thief in all the three walls" "You were the most successful thief in all the three walls: the MP's used to gripe about us enough, along with half the nobles in Mitras" West chipped in, "Only because I had you to plan the heists and take care of the minor details: don't put yourself down just because you prefer to stay at my side rather than take the lead" Pascal told him, "Yeah, but I never had your 'special touch', remember?" West glanced over at him with a knowing look, "You're the one who was born with 'the gift'" "The gift for what?" Poppy asked; "For not getting caught" Pascal replied matter-of-factly: "But then if you had that to begin with, why would you want to learn how to use 'basic magic'?" Fox asked with a curious frown. "Ah, when you're young you believe you can do anything: and that everything is yours for the taking" Pascal smiled nostalgically "And if there was anything that would help me to achieve that, you can be damn sure I'd have taken it without question"
"So how did you learn not to?" Shyla asked; thinking about it for a moment Pascal smiled and shrugged: "...Life, learning things the hard way, nearly getting caught: and having to rethink a lot of things I thought I knew to be true" he gazed over at her: "...Kinda like you kiddo: you had to rethink some things too" he stated with a sympathetic look in his eyes, to which she nodded. "...I did too..." Fox admitted quietly. "And do you feel better for it?" Gustav asked, knowing what he was referring to: Fox nodded confidently, and got back to work.
"...You know? ..." West thought aloud as he changed the subject, "This whole magic think kinda makes me think" "About what?" Gale asked, "...Well?" West stopped what he was doing, and stood there as the cogs in his head turned: "...The day we first arrived here in Shiganshina, we met you kids when you snuck away in our cart: six months later I stumbled across Angel's tomb while she was still inside it, and that same night she and the others broke out. Then a month later that crazy day happened, and around a year later a massive storm blows into Maria, and by the end of it we end up here, keeping the place free of pimps and gangs for a living (which worked out okay I guess? I really can't complain)...I didn't usually used to think about this kinda thing before? But after everything that's happened to us; deep down, part of me can't help but wonder if this was all meant to happen?"
"What? Like destiny an' stuff like that?" Gustav raised an eyebrow, "I don't know?" West shrugged offhand, "All I know is what I feel in my gut, and after last night, my gut's telling me we're all heading in the same direction together: where we're going remains to be seen; but I'm convinced the titans will be following us every step of the way"
Meanwhile, deep in the Marian forest:
The grove of giant trees was quiet as Javorin reappeared and rematerialized with the leather hide in hand: "Okay, I know we're all keen to get started trying to crack this thing, so let's get right to it" he smiled as he approached Hecate and Herne. "Not just yet, we've got a slight problem," Hecate huffed in annoyance as she thumbed over to Elysia's root cave, "The brat refuses to help out or even listen in. Go see what's bugging her will you?"
Blinking in surprise, Javorin approached the cave, where sure enough, Elysia was sat tucked up in her nest, sulking as she wore a sour look on her fair face: "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked worryingly. "I won't be going with you..." she frowned up at him, "If you crack the spell and reveal the map; wherever it'll go, I won't be going with you" she stated like a stubborn teenager. Passing a deep exasperated sigh, Javorin tried to explain: "Elysia, we are a very long way off from even considering that possibility: and until we have determined the Semitam's magic and confirmed it's not cursed in any way, we're not going anywhere else in the meantime either"
"Even so, I don't want to abandon Carla and the others: it wouldn't be fair to leave them behind" she sulked, "But would it really be fair to bring them along too?" Herne approached her, "For all we know that map could lead to somewhere on the other side of the world: and the humans of this era haven't stepped outside Wall Maria in over a hundred years; we don't even know if the titan's are the only problem we'd have to contend with?" Sitting down next to the mouth of the cave, Javorin sighed as he confessed his thoughts: "... Even if we had to consider leaving: I wouldn't want to go either"
Elysia blinked in surprise: "You wouldn't? ..." her gaze softened as he elaborated: "...I don't know what's happened to the rest of the world; if these three walls really are the last refuge of the remains of humanity? If the rest of our kin have passed from the mortal plain to go and join the Ancient ones in the eternal realm? Or, if something worse has happened and it's still out there somewhere? ...The Semitam was drawn up a very long time ago, and there's no way of knowing if the place it's concealing even still exists anymore?" he thought aloud ruefully, "...I guess what I'm trying to say is? When we finally unlock the concealment spell and the map reveals itself: we'll make our decision based on where it is, and how far we'd have to travel. Of course, actually getting there won't be an issue for us, but if the humans try to convince us to let them come along? Then probably no: since they have no knowledge of what lies beyond their walls, it's a risk I won't allow them to take"
"...You promise?" Elysia pleaded: "...You know I can't make any promises Elysia; the nature of my divine duty cannot assure any certainty. The unknown destiny of my charges is the will of my father, and I cannot change that no matter how much I want to..." Javorin explained in a more serious tone, though he still felt for her as he reached down and placed a hand on her shoulder: "Besides, I couldn't shake them off even if I wanted to" he smiled, "We're practically one of the family as far as their concerned: and families don't split up just like that" Feeling a little better, Elysia got up and maneuvered out of her nest: stepping back to allow her to get out of the cave, Javorin put his arm around her shoulder, and led her over to where Hecate was standing. "Don't worry okay? It's going to take a good long while to figure out the Semitam's key anyway: and it's not like we'll be leaving the humans out of the loop"
"Well you certainly didn't leave them out of the loop last night" Hecate rolled her eyes in annoyance, "You know what's going to happen now don't you? Claude and the brats are going to be up here later today pestering us for incantations! I swear if that little know-it-all four eyes thinks it's going to be that easy to- "-Alright calm down," Javorin patted her on the shoulder as he stood next to her, "I'll sort him later: we won't have to resort to turning anyone into a pillar of salt, okay?" he smiled. "TCH!-, fine, but don't go loosing another battle of wills to the brats alright? Their already annoying as it is on those ODM gears!" Hecate frowned at him.
Turning his attention back to Elysia, Javorin changed the subject: "Listen, why don't you head on back to Carla's place? Eren and Grisha won't be back until later and I'm sure she could use your company" "You sure? I mean, you don't need me to help out with anything here?" she asked offhand, "Eh, I'd say we got this covered kid, it's gonna be pretty boring anyway; a lot of complex incantations, spell recitals, charm prayers: you know, the tedious stuff? You won't be missing anything spectacular..." Herne waved off. "Well okay, But I'd have thought you'd have gone with Ariana?" the younger goddess gazed up at Javorin: "Oh she'll be fine by herself for the morning: and anyway, she wants to spend some quality time with Eren" he smiled.
Some time later:
The walk from the inner gate to Rotenberg had taken a good hour, and it was another forty five minutes before Doctor Grisha's destination was now less than half a mile away. The mountain they walked up was not so much of a mountain but rather an exceptionally large sloping hill covered with sparse pine forest and numerous copses of oak and birch trees. Along the way, Ariana had succeeded in being able to get Eren to cheer up a little, and the two friends talked about various things, with Doctor Grisha joining in the conversation here and there. As they rounded the last bend in the road, a small cabin surrounded by a large garden and fence came into view through the trees: "Finally, I swear this road get longer every time I come up here" Grisha joked. "Hey dad?" Eren suddenly changed the subject, "When're you gonna show me what's down in the basement?" he asked bluntly.
Ariana recalled Carla saying something about the basement in their house a while ago, about how her husband would spend most nights of the week down there and wouldn't go to bed until well after Carla and Eren were asleep. In all the time she'd known him, he never once spoke about what he did down there: and when asked he'd simply dismiss it as 'important medical matters'; which, could well have been the case. But at the same time, there had always been a nagging feeling that he wasn't telling the whole truth, and that there was something about his 'secret' that made him on edge whenever the subject was broached. Glancing down his son for a moment, Grisha didn't express any particular emotion and simply stated: "I guess? When you realize what's most important to you" "... What's most important to me?" Eren echoed, frowning in confusion: "How will I figure that out?" "When the time comes, you'll understand" Grisha simply replied cryptically. The doctor glanced over at Ariana with a look in his eyes that told her she wasn't supposed to have heard that: she submissively glanced down at the ground to avoid his gaze; but surprisingly, he said nothing and continued on walking as if nothing had happened. Ariana and Eren both glanced at one another, equally confused by the doctor's response: but neither of them said anything, and continued to follow him up the road towards the cabin.
As they opened the front gate, Eren pulled his red muffler tighter around his neck: "So? Her name's Mikasa right?" he tried to remember the name of the girl his father had told him about the previous day: "Yes, and she's just about your age: there aren't many other children around here so try to get along okay?" Grisha told him, "As long as she's nice us then we won't have a problem" Eren glanced over at Ariana: who simply shrugged, "Eren, if you only look for the bad in people, that's all you'll see" Grisha tried to sound encouraging. As they walked down the path towards the front door: the scent of blood suddenly made Ariana stop in her tracks, as she breathed in the scent and stared at the door, a biting cold knot began to grow in her stomach: "Hm? Ariana? Why have you stopped?" Grisha asked offhand. "Dr Jaeger?" Ariana swallowed hard, her voice laced with worry, "... Something's not right". Frowning in concern, Dr Grisha knocked on the door, but no answer came. As he continued to knock, Eren came up alongside Ariana, and seeing the look of dread in her eyes, he realized something was indeed wrong: "What is it? What's up?" he asked in alarm, "I smell blood" she whispered.
"Mr Ackerman? Its doctor Jaeger..." the doctor knocked a third time, and this time, the door opened ajar slightly, "...That's odd, are they home?" he thought aloud as he opened the door: "...Hello? Is anyone there-" the doctor gasped under his breath as he froze: his eyes wide with horror as he stared into the gloomy space inside. As he stood there, the scent of the blood hit Ariana's nose with full force, and she realized that something bad had happened: "... Dad? What's wrong?" Eren asked. The doctor didn't reply as he stepped inside, peering in through the door, the children both stared down at the motionless forms of two dead people: a man, who'd been stabbed in the heart and was slumped over next to a table, and a woman who was lying in a large pool of blood with her back to them. Leaning over her to check her pulse, Grisha cursed under his breath as he gently laid her hand back down. They had arrived too late; "Look around, both of you, do you see the girl anywhere?". "...I don't think so Doctor Jaeger" Ariana replied as she regained her composure. Standing back up, Grisha returned to the door, knelt down on one knee, and holding them both by their shoulders looked them both straight in the eye: "Listen to me: this is bad, I need to go and alert the Military Police while the trail's still fresh: both of you wait for me at the foot of the mountain. Understood?" Ariana nodded, but Eren seemed to be staring into nothingness: "Eren! Repeat what I just said! Word for word! EREN!-" Grisha tried to snap him out of it, "-We'll go wait at the bottom of the mountain!" Ariana blurted out, "Don't worry, you go get the police" she assured him. "...Alright, now both of you get going!" the doctor stood back up and ran back out the gate, taking off back down the road as if the devil were on his heels, until he disappeared among the trees.
Glancing back at Eren, Ariana suddenly got a terrible feeling as she saw the look in his eyes, a look she had never seen in him before, one devoid of emotion, but at the same time stunned; glancing back over his shoulder at the dead couple, he then turned to Ariana and spoke in an alarmingly calm voice: "We're going to save her" "Wh-what?!" Ariana gawked, "You said you know this mountain, if they took her alive, where would they have taken her?" he demanded, "Eren, there's no way we can-" "-THIS ISN'T ABOUT US!" he grasped her tightly by the shoulders and glared her in the eye; "Do you understand what's happened here?! These people were murdered by a bunch of sick twisted bastards! And their daughter has been kidnapped! My mum nearly got taken by the same animals five years ago remember?! There's no way we're letting them get away with this! If it was one of your family what would you do?!" he growled through his clenched teeth, letting go of her.
Knowing he had a point and realizing they still had a chance to save her, Ariana forced her fear to one side: and as she breathed in the scent of the blood, another collection of scents stood out: "There were at least two of them" she realized, "One was smoking, and the other was drinking whiskey" Stepping out into the middle of the garden, she suddenly noticed the scuff marks in the grass: recalling all her knowledge of reading both animal tracks and human footprints, a picture of what had happened soon began to form: "She didn't put up a fight: she either didn't have it in her, or they knocked her out" she turned to Eren, who was hanging on her every word: "There's only one other house around here, a large cabin we used to cut up the elk in before heading for home: it's way down the other side of the mountain, but I know the way there" she frowned as she reached for her bow, and took an arrow out of her quiver. "Come on!"
Running out of the garden and into the sparse woodland, Eren stayed on Ariana's heels as she ran through the thick undergrowth, the ground steadily becoming steeper and rockier the further along they ran. In her mind, Ariana steeled herself for action, she knew this was going to get dangerous, and there was a chance they might have to fight: but she had a basic idea of what to do, she knew the layout of the cabin well enough, and she knew these woods; she remembered her father's words, as she recalled the hunt they conducted last year...
Remember kids, part of being able to hunt efficiently lies in the memory of the terrain: where you hunt can determine how well you can hunt. So if possible, try to choose the right location to trap your quarry
As they leapt over a log, Ariana stopped Eren and pressed her finger to her mouth in a shushing motion: before he could ask what she was doing, Ariana pointed to the cabin down below, and whispered: "Stay quiet and follow me". Nodding in acknowledgment, Eren tried to slow his breathing as Ariana quietly crept towards the building. The cabin was situated right at the bottom of a steep narrow dell, with the only road leading to it winding its way out through the thick wooded slopes. There was plenty of cover here, and the back of the cabin was just about visible through the thick overgrown ivy covering its walls and roof. As the smell of tobacco smoke and whisky suddenly wafted past her nose, Ariana knew they had the right place: straining her ears, she could hear raised voices coming from inside as they crept around the front of the cabin, being careful to stay right beneath the windows as she could hear they were in the back room to the left of the building. Creeping around to the front porch, the children carefully snuck up to the front door, the men too engrossed in their argument to notice the creaking of the wooden boards, and as they kneeled down next to the door, Ariana turned to Eren and whispered: "You hear them right?" he nodded, and leaned in to explain: "Okay listen, I got a plan: we can't take them on at the same time, so we need to lure them out one at a time: if you can fire your arrows and hit them right the neck they'll be dead before they hit the ground, and then we go in and get her; sound good?"
Ariana frowned as she listened to the men: it sounded like a sound plan, quick and clean with no chance for a fight to break out, but at the same time, her gut instinct was screaming at her that this was very risky: "Okay, but here," she reached down to her leg and handed him one of her hunting knife from out of its holster, "Take my spare in case things get dicey: You sure about this Eren?" she asked him worryingly. That look in his eyes hadn't changed, he was now too calm and too measured, and that wasn't right; that wasn't like Eren; what on earth was going through his mind? (If he still had it at all?). "I'm positive, you trust me don't you?" he frowned at her. Ariana hesitated a moment, before staring him down: "I trust you to stay calm and don't do anything rash!" she told him firmly, "Eren promise me you won't do anything stupid!" he merely stared at her with those alarming calm predatory eyes; and stated in an equally calm tone: "...I promise; now get ready..." he reached for the handle, gently opened the door and snuck in leaving it wide open.
As Ariana kept her ears on him, she got herself into position: drew back the arrow half way, and aimed at approximately where the first man's head was going to emerge. This was very dangerous and she knew it, without knowing their heights there was no way to accurately guess where the neck would be on each man, and there was the risk of missing the target all together, or even hitting Eren by accident. As all this ran through her mind, Ariana tried to keep her hand steady as beads of sweat ran down her temples. Listening closely, she heard the arguing had stopped: a door creaked open all the way in the back of the building, and she could just faintly hear Eren's hushed voice whimpering something incoherent. She couldn't make out what the man replied, but a dull thud from something heavy hitting the floor immediately alerted her. Suddenly, one of the men was shouting as the door creaked closed, only to suddenly burst open again and Eren started screaming in a blind rage; he was so angry she couldn't make out any of his words. Fearing the absolute worst, Ariana was up on her feet and running down the hall to the back room. Within those few seconds she was sprinting with her arrow drawn, she heard Eren clearly: "-THIS IS WHAT YOU GET YOU SICK BASTARD! YOU'RE AN ANIMAL! A DISEASE! YOU DON'T DESERVE TO LIVE! JUST DIE! DIE! DIIIIIEEE!"
"EREN!" Ariana screamed as she flew through the door with her arrow drawn right back, only to come to a screeching halt when she laid her eyes on the scene before her. the two men were lying dead on the floor, one by the door with his throat sliced open and bleeding out, the second one lying on his back a with a broom hilt protruding from his chest, which had a large knife tried to the end of it, with multiple stab wounds and blood pooling around him. Sitting on top of his chest, Eren was panting hard, holding her spare hunting knife in one hand with his hands and sleeves covered in blood. Off near the corner of the room, a young girl with long black hair was laying on her side: hands tied behind her back and looking dead to the world as she stared at Eren, too scared and traumatized to move or speak. Getting up and wiping his brow, Eren regained his composure: "The hard part's over, your safe now" he told the girl, and glanced over at Ariana: "You too, you're both safe". All Ariana could do was stare at the carnage in horror, and at the blood on Eren's hands: "...Eren, what-...what did you do? ..."was all Ariana could mutter as she tried to comprehend what she was looking at: but Eren paid her no attention as he sliced the binds on the girl's wrists: "...You're Mikasa right?" Eren asked her in a calmer voice, "I'm Eren, I'm Doctor Jaeger's son: my dad met your parents a few times before. We were coming by your house for a check-up" as she rubbed her wrists, Mikasa looked over at Ariana: "That's Ariana, she's my best friend" Eren told her, "... What happened to the third one?" she asked in a weak little voice.
Ariana suddenly snapped back to reality as she heard footsteps coming down the hallway, "The third one?" Eren asked offhand. Within a second and acting on instinct, Ariana threw away her bow and arrow onto the floor and slammed the door shut, grabbing her hunting knife in double quick time: she tried to hold onto the handle, but the man on the other side kicked the door open with such force that it hit her hard in the side, and she flew across the room, crashing into a bookcase and slumping down onto her front, only for the bookcase to fall right on top of her, pinning her by her legs to the floor. She was trapped: half dazzled and helpless. In the same instance, Eren tried to reach for the spare knife he'd put down by Mikasa's side, but the man was too quick as he kicked Eren hard in the gut, crashing him into the wall. With his hands clutched around his abdomen, Eren was powerless as the now enraged man picked him up by the scruff of his neck and began to throttle him with both hands. YOU LITTLE BASTARD! THIS IS YOUR DOING ISN'T IT?! YOU DID ALL THIS! I'M GONNA KILL YOU WITH MY BARE HANDS!" he snapped as his anger boiled over into an uncontrolled rage.
Unable to move for fear paralyzing her whole body, Mikasa sat there and stared up at Eren in horror. "EREN! EREN!" Ariana screamed as she struggled like mad to try and get out from under the bookcase, but it was just too heavy, and her bow, arrow and hunting knife were all too far away for her reach. As he struggled furiously against his attacker, Eren glanced down at Mikasa with that look in his eyes, and growled out: "...T-take him out! Fight! Kill or be killed! It's the only way to live! ..." Mikasa took the spare knife and stood up, but her whole body was shaking all over as she clasped the knife between her hands, "I-I can't! I d-d-don't think I can do this!" she squeaked. As she saw Eren's lips begin to turn blue, Ariana was now desperate: Mikasa was the only one free and armed, and this man was the one she had to beat. But she could see she couldn't do it, she was too scared to do anything: "You have to fight!" Eren continued to growl loudly, "If you want to live you have to fight!"
"MIKASA LISTEN TO ME!" Ariana shouted desperately, "You have to strike him! He's killing Eren! You have to fight back right now!" "B-b-but-, I-I CAN'T!" Mikasa began to cry, shaking more and more. As Eren began to lose consciousness and his arms went limp, a wide sick smile spread across the man's face as he took pleasure in the boy's waning life. As she stared up at the look of contempt on his face, Ariana felt something snap: a rage she never knew she had began to well up, and manifest on her face in a look of pure hate. But unbeknown to all in the room, including Ariana herself, her right eye was starting to glow bright blue as she watched the man drop Eren to the floor: "Kill him" she gasped, "-KILL HIM!" she screamed at the top of her lungs as her eye burned pure white for a tenth of a second: lighting up the room in a vivid blue aura, and sending out a ripple of energy that shook the whole building to its foundations, and all the trees to their roots outside. It was so fast, neither Ariana nor Mikasa noticed it.
But as the energy wave washed over everyone the room. Mikasa suddenly stopped shaking: she was as still a rock, eyes focused and every muscle in her body was totally under her control. Mikasa gripped the knife so powerfully she broke the wooden hilt, and her foot hit the floor so hard it almost went through the floorboards as she charged the man, screaming with adrenaline coursing through her veins, wielding the knife like a sword as she struck him in the back.
At the same moment, elsewhere:
As Javorin sat with his leg's crossed and his hands and fingers positioned in the gyan mudra, silently meditating on the Semitam: a sudden sharp wave of raw emotional energy washed over his whole body, bringing an intense feeling of pain, fear, anger, and desperation. Causing his tattoo's to glow as he activated his power to shield himself, and jerking in alarm as he on his feet within a few seconds. He stared into empty space: his eyes wide open in shock and every muscle tense in readiness to move as he reached his power out through the roots of all the trees around him, desperately searching for where that energy wave had came from. His lightning fast jump scared Herne and Hecate half to death as they quickly snapped their heads up at him, about to demand what just happened, when the thousand mile stare on his face immediately told them something was very wrong. "Javorin?! What's wrong?!" Hecate demanded.
Javorin didn't know what was more alarming: the fact that the energy wave was a portion of his own power; or that fact that he felt Ariana's aura attached to it. As he scanned the combined auras of the entire forest through the vast network of the trees root system, he couldn't 'see' her aura anywhere: she was either too far out of his reach or she was in a place where she was physically out of contact with the forest floor. With no time to waste he ignored the others, transformed into the wind in double quick time, and took off up into the sky like a hurricane; the chaos manna up in the air acted as a mist that shortened his ethereal vision, making reading the auras back down on the ground hard to make out. Regardless, he had to find Ariana: she was in danger, that much he knew and time was against him as he searched far and wide: "Come on Ariana where are you?!"
The children had stepped outside the cabin for some much needed fresh air: Eren was alive, albeit very wobbly on his feet as he leaned against the porch, breathing hard as his throat felt very sore and feeling like it was still half crushed; but his raw anger hadn't subsided as he still looked like he wanted to kill something. Mikasa sat on the front steps staring into nothingness, she wasn't shaking anymore, but now her eyes reflected the trauma of what just happened, she felt sad, lost; her parent's blood-soaked faces coming back to the forefront of her mind. Having been freed from the bookcase, Ariana emerged out the front door with her hunting knife in its holster, and her bow and quiver slung over her shoulder; she stopped at the bottom of the porch steps, her face blank, but her eyes filled with a trembling storm of emotion as she tried to get her head around what just happened.
"At least, we're all safe now" Eren breathed as he tried to keep himself upright: but in a blindingly fast moment Ariana slapped him hard across the face, making fall over backwards on his ass, and making Mikasa jump as she stared at Ariana in alarm. Eren simply stared up at Ariana in shock, as she glared down at him with the most hate-filled stare she could muster: "Do you have any idea, ANY IDEA OF THE DANGER YOU PUT US IN BACK THERE?!" she raged, leaning over him as she continued: "I told you not to do anything stupid! I told you not to be rash! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED EREN?! I could've taken them out quickly and cleanly, we wouldn't have had to go through all that! WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO NEARLY DIE!" she stepped back and toned her voice down: "...What?-" She shook her head as she held her hand to her forehead, trying to comprehend the carnage she first saw: "What the hell were you thinking?! Why did you do that?! Why did you have to butcher them like that?!-"
In one quick move, Eren was on his feet and slapped Ariana hard across the face: making her stumble back a little and taking her completely by surprise; now it was her turn to stare at him in complete shock as he stared at her with a hate-filled rage of his own: "Why? WHY?!-" he yelled in her face, making her flinch back: "THEY WERE ANIMALS THAT'S WHY! SICK TWISTED DEMENTED ANIMALS! THEY HAD NO RIGHT TO LIVE! THEY DIDN'T DESERVE A QUICK DEATH: THEY DESERVED TO SUFFER FOR WHAT THEY'D DONE! ALL OF THEM!" he paused to catch his breath, still in a fit of pure rage: "-This world is a cruel one, and you don't get to choose how you're born into it! You either fight or you die! If you don't fight you don't win, if you don't win you don't get to live! Fighting is the only way to survive this world! And being soft about it is weakness! You think those monsters will have been willing to listen to you back there?! You think they'd have been willing to talk things over?! After what they did how the hell can you think they'd be worthy of any form of redemption?! Any form of kindness?! You nearly died back there because you hesitated! You nearly died because you're weak! And because of your weakness we all nearly died! SO GET OUTTA HERE AND GET OUTTA MY SIGHT! I HATE YOU!"
Silence
A silence so thick you could have heard a pin drop from the other end of the dell: Ariana stared at Eren, dazed, confused, and with a growing ache in her heart as tears began to run down her cheeks; Mikasa stared at them in complete shock, wondering what the hell just happened.
As he caught his breath, Eren suddenly snapped back to reality, realizing what he just said: and all at once his whole body and mind was filled with horror and disgust: 'what- what did-, what did I do?!' his mind reeled with panic as he saw the pain and hurt reflected in Ariana's eyes, her one vivid blue eye glistening brightly like a cut blue topaz as tears continued to stream out of her eyes, and she instinctively backed away from him. "...Ariana..." Eren trembled as he raised his hands, "Ariana I-, don't know what I-, please I'm-" he stammered as he grabbed her wrists, trying to make her stop: "-DON'T TOUCH ME!" she screamed, pushing him away as she started to sob: "...I hate you! Don't you come anywhere near me!" she cried as she took off down the road. "ARIANA wait!-" Eren cried out as he took off after her: staring after them in surprise, Mikasa got up and took off after them; not having a clue what was going on.
"-Ariana wait! I'm sorry! I'm so so sorry!" Eren pleaded desperately as he stayed on Ariana's heels, but she was too fast for him: "Go away and leave me alone!" she cried as she tried to see straight, her tears half-clouding her vision as she wiped her eyes with the back of her arm. She felt like shit, worse than shit; her stomach felt like it was going drop right out of her, her mind was spinning with hurt and disbelief, and all the while her heart was breaking straight down the middle. "-Please! I didn't mean any of it! You have to believe me" he called back desperately. Their verbal exchanged carried on for another hundred yards as they ran down the steadily inclining wooded road, weaving down a tight hair-pin turn before running up the crest of a steeply descending stretch of road that ran straight down to the other end of the dell, where the central valley could be seen beyond, stretching for miles all the way to the eastern forest on the other side of the district. Eren was just about catching up to Ariana, but as she crested the rise in the road, she suddenly screeched to a halt and Eren ran right into the back of her: she didn't fall over, but Eren nearly fell over backwards from the recoil, fortunately Mikasa ran up behind him and pushed him forward to stop his fall. "Uh, thanks" he groaned he rubbed his sore head, stepping around her so as to face her, " please, can I just-" he was about to try and plead, but he saw Ariana was staring at something up ahead; something that had caused her tears to stop, and a look of shock to fill her eyes.
Looking behind him, Eren gasped as he spotted what she was staring at.
About eight hundred yards down the road, there was a cart with four men seated inside, plus the driver, and six others walking alongside it, slowly making their way up the dell; some were armed with guns while the rest were armed with large machete-like knives; they were talking and laughing among themselves, oblivious to the children standing in the middle of the road at the top of the crest. As they talked, their voices echoed up through the bare rocky walls of the dell towards the three youngsters: just vaguely coherent...
"So what kind price do you think we can get for the brat and her mother?" one laughed, "A good premium if their not too badly beaten up: Orientals always go for a high price in Sina," another commented, "Let's just go pick up the merchandise and get outta here: the valley's crawling with MP's and we still got another ten kids to snatch by the end of today"
We still got another ten kids to snatch by the end of today
Those words rang through the children's ears like church bells, freezing their blood and snapping them to attention as adrenaline surged through their bodies once more. Wiping her tears away, Ariana tried to calm her breathing as her mind began running a thousand thoughts a second: the walls of the dell were too tall and steep to climb: the thick woodland that grew around its base could only offer so much cover as the trees were spread wide apart. There was no way to sneak past the gang, and the only way out was back the way they came, where the bottom of the mountain trail met the back of the cabin. Gazing at Eren and Mikasa, and seeing the looks of fear on their faces, it was clear they both realized they were outnumbered and outgunned, literally, and with no weapons to hand they had no idea what to do. It was at that moment Ariana realized, she was the only one who could get them out of this; but at the same time, she knew those men couldn't be allowed to get away. She knew this valley, she was armed, and she had to get Eren and Mikasa out of danger. "Eren? Mikasa?" she tried to grab their attention, "EREN! MIKASA!" they both snapped their heads towards her, "Follow me!" she ordered sternly, and ran back up the road.
"What're we going to do?!" Mikasa exclaimed as she tried to keep up, "I have a plan, just follow me and do what I say!" Ariana frowned. Getting back to the cabin, Ariana entered through the front door, ignoring the scent of the blood from the three dead bodies in the back room, and headed straight for the kitchen: heading down into the basement. It was common practice for many hunters and poachers in Maria to keep a certain supply of lamp oil, flint stones and dry kindling and logs in abandoned buildings that were in the more remote areas of the forests, so that if someone found themselves stuck out in the wilderness, they would be able to light a fire to keep the cold night air from freezing them, and thus have a chance of surviving until they could get home; the hunting community was considerate like that. Having hunted in this valley before and using this very cabin to butcher her prize in, Ariana knew where the large canisters of lamp oil were and knew they'd be pretty full. Grabbing the canisters and hurrying back outside, Eren and Mikasa followed Ariana as she ran around the back of the cabin and back up the trail: once they were above the cabin she diverted onto another trail, one that ran towards the dell's rocky walls and cut steeply upwards into the pine forest some fifty yards above. Up here they had a clear view of the road and the top of the cabin some forty feet below, and as they glanced down into the dell, they saw the gang where just about to go around the hairpin turn. From up on her perch on an overhanging rock, Ariana got a better look at their weapons, and realized there might be a way to use them to her advantage.
"Those gun's look like blunderbusses," Ariana panted, trying to keep her voice down as she set the canisters down behind the rock, uncorked the lid on one, and taking out one of her arrows from out of its quiver, dipped the head in the oil, "Which means they'll be carrying a large supply of gunpowder with them" Suddenly realizing what she planned to do, Eren and Mikasa both nodded in understanding: "I get it, if you blow up the cart you can take them all out" Eren realized, "Hopefully," Ariana sighed as she reached for the flints in her pocket and handed them to Eren, "Now light me!" she held the arrow head up, and striking the stones together, Eren produced a spark that set the arrowhead alight. Taking the arrow and locking it into the bowstring (being careful not to burn her hand): Ariana glanced back down at the gang. They were just coming out of the hairpin turn, and as if by luck she spotted one of the men loading his blunderbuss up with gunpowder and slugs; the power was in a small wooden cask in the middle of the cart, and as she aimed her flaming arrow for the target, one of the men pointed up at her: "Who's that up there?"
She let her arrow fly, nearly burning her fingers as she released it. The arrow sailed down through the air, over the tops of the trees, and struck the inside cask:
BOOOOM!
In an instant, all the men in the cart disappeared into the fireball that erupted outwards, setting the surrounding trees on fire and catching the rest of the men in it flames, while the horse (who'd had its tail and hindquarters singed by the fireball) went insane: desperately kicking and thrashing about until it broke free and galloped back the way it came. The cart and its now-dead passengers burned where they'd stopped, while two of the men that had been walking right alongside the cart dropped to the ground, moaning and crying out as they rolled around in the dirt, finally putting the fires on their bodies out. "Whoa, good shot" Eren watched the burning wreckage in morbid curiosity. Looking over the destruction, Ariana remembered seeing six men walking alongside the cart: two were out for the count, but where did the other four go?
BOOM!
The rock in front of Ariana exploded, knocking her off her perch and forcing her to take cover behind another: "They've spotted us!" Mikasa pointed down to the road, where one of the men was lowering his gin, and the other three were running towards the cabin. "Quickly! Get up to the trees!" Ariana pointed to the forest above, Eren and Mikasa ran on ahead while Ariana poured the remaining oil all over the trail and up the rock face, she then grabbed the flints and struck them, setting the trail ablaze: making sure the remaining gang members couldn't come this way; forcing them to go back and take the long way around. Grabbing the remaining canister, Ariana quickly caught up to Eren and Mikasa who were waiting just beyond the tree line, but Ariana didn't stop as she carried on running. "What now?" Eren asked as he chased after her. "Those men have got to cut back and come up around the slope to get to us, but we got the advantage of the forest!" she replied. "But what do we do? One of them's got a gun!" Mikasa pointed out, "If that guy's got powder on him then he's the one we need to beat; first rule of surprising the prey, the first one's always a freebie because their too stunned to move, but when the rest of the herd jumps into action you pay full price: now, the real hard work begins" Ariana frowned as she bolted on ahead, knowing full well where she was going, and what she was going to do.
"Where the fuck did those brats go?!" the shooter angrily exclaimed as he caught up to his buddies, "They carried on up the trail into the pines" one of the men replied as they ran towards the tree line at the top of the slope, "Then we got them trapped! Come on!" the shooter growled as he charged towards the woods, having reloaded his gun, he held it up to his shoulder and kept it aimed: "Remember, don't shoot the black-haired girl!" one of them snapped, "Shut up! I know what I'm doing!" he grunted back.
"Quickly! They won't find us over here!" one the kids cried out some twenty meters away: pinpointing where the voice had come from, the shooter took off into the pines: "THIS WAY! HURRY!"
The four men ran down an incline into a small clearing in the trees, where up ahead, the shooter spotted part of the boy's brown jacket peeking out from behind a tree on the other side. With a sick grin he aimed and fired at the tree, but to him and his comrade's alarm, the jacket fell to the ground off the broken branch it had been hung from. Suddenly, an arrow shot straight down from above and struck the shooter in the back of the neck, killing him instantly: his friends glanced up and gawked at the three kids who were perched high up above them: the archer girl was loading another arrow into her bow while clenching another two between her teeth, while the boy and girl each threw a flaming pine cone down at the ground. Suddenly, the whole clearing went up in flames as fire rapidly spread around the three remaining men in a wide circle, cutting off their escape route.
One by one, Ariana fired her arrows down at the remaining men who were panicking like mice in a cage full of cats: despite running around in circles, she managed to land a blow to the right side jugular on the first, a strike to the heart on the second, and one straight to the left side jugular on the last; all were dead within half a minute. Ariana breathed a sigh of relief: glancing over at Eren and Mikasa, they were both just as relieved.
"-COME HERE!" an angry voice bellowed as Ariana suddenly felt a large hand grab her by the ankle and drag her down out of the tree: "ARIANA!" Eren yelled as another man dragged her towards the fire: he and Mikasa were about to jump down and tackle him, when they saw the base of the tree was ablaze, the remaining lamp oil having been poured all around it and set alight. Glancing up at him, Ariana saw the whole right side of his face was badly burned: she then realized it was one of the two men that were right next to the cart when it exploded. With a loud feral howl he swung her up and around, throwing her into the fire, but fortunately he misjudged his aim and she landed inside the ring of fire instead; but even so, Ariana was now trapped as the flames grew higher, and Eren and Mikasa were both trapped at the top of the tree, trying desperately to escape the flames. Reaching for her knife, Ariana armed herself as the man jumped through the flames and circled her like a mountain cat eyeing up its prey, reaching for his bigger knife.
"Do you have any idea what you've done?" he fumed as he pointed the blade at her, "Do you have any idea how fucked up you are right now?!" Ariana was petrified, but she held her knife up and assumed the fighting position Bryson had shown he once, when how to engage someone in a knife fight. "No one does this to me and gets away with it! Especially not a little bitch like you!" he lunged at her, swinging the blade down. But Ariana easily dodged it, tripping him up as she ducked out of the way of the knife; he rolled over but grabbed the ground in time to stop himself rolling into the flames, and quickly got back up. "COME ON ARIANA!" Eren shouted, "-KILL HIM!"
"I'm going to let your little boyfriend up there burn, and then I'm going to take you and the oriental! An eye as pretty as yours will fetch a high price!" he ginned: "You want me? COME AND GET ME!" Ariana shouted. The man howled in a rage as he charged her, Ariana took her knife by the blade and threw it right at his leg, impaling his thigh: the pain triggered a knee-jerk reaction, forced him onto his knees mid-step, and seeing her opportunity, Ariana ran at him, placed a foot on his shoulder and leapt over the circle of fire: the flames and intense heat brushed up past her, but didn't catch her clothes as she just barely cleared the inferno and ran to where her bow and quiver had fallen. Taking the chance to escape, Eren and Mikasa both jumped down: landing hard on the ground on the opposite side of where Ariana had run to. Ariana grabbed her bow and an arrow, but Mikasa's scream made her spun round and draw as she locked the arrow in place: running around the burning pine tree, she gasped when she saw the second (much larger) half-burnt man standing there, holding Mikasa by the waist with his knife right up against her neck, and Eren lying flat on his front with the man's foot pressing down on his back, keeping him pinned in place as the boy glared daggers up at him.
With her arrow aimed and drawn at the man's neck, and his blade dangerously pressed up against Mikasa's jugular, the two were at a draw as they intensely stared each other down. The forest all around them was beginning to catch fire and burn: the heat was growing unbearable as embers danced up on the hot air, and the burning trees creaked and cracked with the flames as they danced higher and higher up into the sky. But neither of them budged, and as Ariana remained focused on her target, she suddenly remembered something...
When any creature, man or beast is forced to take extreme action for the sake of their survival, they are often forced to make a choice they wouldn't normally make. And sometimes, it means having to change the very nature of what they are, in order to try and beat the odds
The wolf
It was the same as yesterday: sure the circumstances were different, but the principle was exactly the same. Looking into the man's eyes, it was that same look she saw in the wolf's; even in death the desperation was there to see, and it was no different for this man. This evil monstrous human who was willing to go to the very extreme, who was willing to do the unthinkable, and for what? Money? It was such a cheap and pointless reason; there was no sense or logic to it. But then, sense and logic didn't seem to have a place in this intense moment: it was life or death, pure and simple, and it was either his life, or theirs.
Time seemed to slow as Ariana gazed into his eyes: and for a moment she wondered what this man's life must have been like; what cruelty and indifference made him into this wretch? This desperate unforgiving man, who was now willing to risk being burnt to death, all for the sake of one girl? Was there really no way to disarm this situation? Was there any way to bring some kind of resolution that didn't mean having to kill anyone else? Was he still human enough to listen?
"It's over!" Ariana shouted angrily, "Put the knife down and I won't have to kill you!"
"Are you shitting me?!" the man laughed, "Do I look like I'm taking orders from you?!"
"Think about it, my arrow's going to kill you before you can slit her throat: You're already dead! You just don't know it! NOW PUT THE KNIFE DOWN!"
The man stared at her blankly for a moment, before a disturbingly calm smile spread across his face: "You know? It's a damn shame. This lil' misses here would've fetched a very good price on the black market...But do you know what I love more than money? ..." he grinned: Ariana felt her stomach drop, as she knew what was coming next: "The sound of little children's gargled screams, as I slit their necks wide op-
TWACK!
The arrow struck him right in the jugular, missing Mikasa's head mere inches: he stared at her as he dropped to the ground, and continued to smile as his blood arched out of the wound and pooled around him. Mikasa helped Eren back up as Ariana approached them, making sure they didn't have any injuries, and as they stared down at the twisted psycho, they watched as his eyes glazed over and he breathed his last breath, his head rolled to the side and his whole body finally went limp.
"... Come on, let's get out of here!" Ariana yelled over the roaring flames as she beat a hasty retreat back to the trail through the trees: Eren and Mikasa didn't hang around as they stayed on her heels. "Your dad should be back on the mountain by now: let's go find him!" Ariana glanced over at Eren: "Yeah!" he nodded.
As they passed by the circle of flames, an inhuman animalistic scream made the children jump out of their skins: suddenly, the first burnt man run through a gap in the flames in a blind rage, wielding both his blade and Ariana's hunting knife as he charged them at full speed. Staring wide-eyed in sheer disbelief, time seemed to slow once again as the children tried to jump out of the way, but Eren wasn't quick enough as the man swung his blade down: the knife missed him but his clenched fist slammed into Eren's face, knocking him out cold in an instant; enraged, Mikasa tried to grab him by the arm, but he swung his arm up and slammed her head-first into the trunk of a tree, knocking her out too. In the same moment Ariana readied her bow and remaining arrow, and aimed point blank up at his neck: but his arm thrust out straight at her, trying to cut her with her own knife and knocking her aim off; he missed her face but sliced the string of her bow, and with his arm still outstretched he punched her hard, sending her flying and landing half a meter just short of one of the burning trees. Time sped up again as the man pounced on her, saddling her hips and raising both arms up with another inhuman howl, ready to carve her up like a piece of meat.
Ariana gasped as she was about to scream, but at the last possible second, something up in the sky immediately caught her eye.
A huge black and white blur descended rapidly from out of the thin clouds, and crashed down right on top of them, shaking the ground and vibrating their bones as its feet hit the rocks and dirt: a bitterly cold wind blasted down into the forest and howled like a winter storm coming off the mountains, making every tree bend over and every loose branch break off as it dispelled the intense heat of the fire, putting out all the flames in less than a second. A loud bird-like screech pierced the air, forcing Ariana to cover her ears: she couldn't make out what the hell it was; all she could see was that it was ENORMOUS, and had a distinctly humanoid shape to its outline, while its gigantic wings blotted out the whole sky. The man screamed as the giant entity picked him up, and carried him off up into the air, the cold wind following it upwards in a powerful updraft. And just as rapidly as the whole thing began, it was over in less than several seconds.
Ariana sat there in a daze, watching the sky as the black and white blur disappeared into the clouds, and vanished from sight. Removing her hands from her ears and cautiously sitting upright, she looked around and saw the entire inferno had been extinguished; the trees and ground were black and white with burnt wood and ashes, with embers still hanging in the air, and the still-hot pines creaking and squeaking as they contracted and expanded with the sudden change in temperature. The dead men's bodies were only half cremated, but the smell of their burnt hair was horrible; noticing her hunting knife sitting in her lap, Ariana gazed up at the sky as she breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank you Midnight" she whispered as she placed the blade back in its holster. Glancing over her shoulder at where Eren and Mikasa still lay unconscious, Ariana got to her feet and ran over to them, laying them on their backs and pressing her ear to their chests, the sounds of their breathing and heartbeats assured her they would be okay. "Eren! Eren wake up!" Ariana shook him awake, and sure enough Eren's eyes opened, and he gazed up at her. "...Ariana?" he frowned in confusion as he sat up, "You okay?" she asked worryingly, "Yeah I think so?" he rubbed the side of his face, "...Hey, what happened to the fire?" he blinked in surprise. "I don't know" Ariana lied convincingly, "One minute that guy was right on top of me and the next, everything went-, black...I don't know how long I was out?"
Eren stared at her in confusion for a moment, but his head was too sore and the rest of him too exhausted to think about that right now, so he didn't press the subject. After bringing Mikasa back around and making sure she was okay, Eren helped Ariana to pick up all the arrows that had fallen out of her quiver as well as retrieve her bow: when Mikasa was back on her feet, the three children took one last look at the burnt out clearing, and then headed up the trail back to the more open ground. Once the trees opened up and the sky could be seen more clearly, they stopped and stood there, taking another breather: as she gazed out down the side of the mountain, watching the smoke from the still-burning cart, Ariana was nearly so lost in her thoughts, that she nearly jumped when Eren gently placed a hand on her shoulder: "...Um?..." he awkwardly tried to speak in a more subdued, quieter tone: "..Listen: I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say any of those things-" tears began to well up in his eyes as he forced himself to continue: "...I didn't mean to hurt you like that, I swear! You have every right to hate me and be angry at me, and if you don't want to talk to me ever again that's fine; but please, please believe when I tell you: you're my best friend, and I don't ever want to see you-
Eren gasped as Ariana threw her arms around him, and hugged him tightly, tears streaming down her face as she held him tight: "What? But-, how?-, why? I thought you'd be mad with me?!" He sobbed, "...I don't care about any of that: I'm just glad you're alive," she cried, her breath hitching as she let go, and held him by the hand, "... Let's just go home, okay?" Staring at her in dumbfounded confusion, Eren didn't know what to say; "Um? ..." Mikasa spoke up in a little voice again: "...So? Can you show me how to get home? It's cold out here, and there's nowhere else for me to go"
Ariana couldn't help but smile as she wiped her tears away, "Cold? We were standing next to forest fire not too long ago, I'm boiling hot" Ariana rubbed her bare arms, realizing that the heat had caught her skin, and her arms were now red and sore. Eren took off his muffler and wrapped it around her, covering her head and neck, "Will this do?" he asked. Unsure what to say, Mikasa gently ran her fingers over the muffler, and in an instant her eyes lit up: the depth of how much this simple gesture had touched her reflected in her eyes; and as she began to cry with gratitude, Eren gently took her by the hand, took Ariana by her hand, and told them both: "Come on, let's all go home"
As they walked back up the trail, heading in the direction of Mikasa's home, a sudden gust of wind blowing over the tops of the trees drew Ariana's attention: glancing up through the canopy, she saw a very worried looking Shadow staring down at her, seeing the look on his face, she gave him a smile, and a discreet thumbs up by her side out of Eren and Mikasa's line of sight. Waving one hand up, he quickly spelt out,: Are you okay?! :
"I'm fine, I'll explain everything when I get home, okay?" she mouthed to him: he disappeared but she knew he hadn't left, the way the winds whipped around the trees told her as much. And as they carried on walking, she wondered why Midnight hadn't stuck around back there.
One week later:
As she stood on the roof of her house, gazing out across all of Shiganshina: Ariana listened as the wind blew high above her head, carrying the sounds of the city below high up into the blue sky; but she was too lost in her thoughts to listen to any of them, as she thought over the events of the previous week...
With the adrenaline long since died down and the incident dealt with and concluded by the MP's as an attempted kidnapping by human traffickers (and subsequent rescue mission by the children): hindsight had been at the forefront of Ariana's mind, as she tried to make sense of what happened, and where she went from here.
The whole thing was probably doomed to end the way it did right from the very start: as she analyzed all the little details, she wondered what would have happened if she'd done things differently; if they hadn't gone after Mikasa's kidnappers in the first place, would the MP's have reached her in time? If she went into the cabin first instead of Eren, would she have been able to disarm them without killing them? (An arrow to the knee wasn't necessarily fatal, but it could cripple an opponent quite effectively) and if they'd retreated back up the trail rather than kill the rest of the gang, would that have avoided trouble? The only thing that bugged Ariana about that particular question, was that if they'd avoided the gang and subsequently let them live, they would in all likelihood have gone through with the rest of their evil plan to kidnap ten more children that day. That would have meant ten more families would have been destroyed, an untold number of people killed needlessly, and ten children whose lives would have turned out for the very worst; in hindsight, making sure those men didn't harm anyone else was probably a good thing, but did it really have to go down the way it did?
Sure, it was a desperate situation, and desperate times call for desperate measures; those men were killers, they were going to hurt them if they caught them, and there would be no room to try and talk their way out of it. Ariana had to accept that, part of her still wanted to believe things could have turned out differently, but that was part of her nature: she always tried to look for the positive, to try and find the good in others; but now? Having encountered and escaped those who had no goodness in them at all? She realized just how naive she'd been all this time; the wall cultists were no different, they tried to do the same thing. How could she forget that? How come she didn't see it sooner? As she gazed down at the people in the other neighboring streets, Ariana couldn't help but wonder how many amongst them were wolves in sheep's clothing? How many of them harbored dark and malicious thoughts towards their fellow man? How many secretly had blood on their hands? But as she glanced down at her street behind her, and saw her cousins and friends playing together while Carla and Armin's grandfather shared a few cider cups outside the Inn with Miriam, Gustav, Rosemary, Mabel, Claude and her mother: her heart couldn't deny that there were still good people in the world. Good people who made this cruel world worth enduring, who brought a little light into the darkness: and it worthwhile.
Ariana didn't know how to feel about all this; she wasn't proud of taking those men's lives, but at the same time she felt like she had brought some small measure of justice, by making sure they couldn't go through with the rest of their plan. She still cared about Eren, and she knew deep down that he was truly repentant for his outburst towards her, But still, seeing him like that: so consumed by his resentment and rage that he hadn't stopped to realize what he'd done until after the fact, made her realize he wasn't the same person she'd known before. He had changed, and what happened last week only seemed to prove that as he'd shown no remorse for his actions, and his contempt for those men was still as strong and unyielding. He had still been moody and slightly hot-headed at times since that day, but now he was being careful around her; still too painfully aware of what he'd done to her to try and fully apologize to her face. Although she never told anyone about Eren's outburst, it was clear to everyone that something else had happened up on that mountain, besides the trauma of what Eren and Ariana did. In a way she felt tainted by it: although her actions were deemed as self-defense by the MP's (thus avoiding the charge of wilful murder), Ariana didn't like the fact she had to take lives; she knew she'd probably carry that guilt for the rest of her life. It would be a constant reminder of the insidious nature of some people, the nature of this cruel world, and how you can never be complacent with it. And worse, the fact that her friends and family would never see her the same way again: knowing she was capable of doing what she did, pained her to think of the fear and doubts they must be harboring over her.
She felt like she had come to a crossroad: she had been through something horrible, something that had changed part of her outlook on life, and could never be taken back no matter how much she might try. She still cared about her best friend Eren, she always would: growing up together since either of them could remember, they shared far too much to simply part ways on bad terms. But knowing what he was capable of, that he was willing to walk the bloody path regardless of the consequences, she couldn't find it in herself to trust him the same way she did before: that thread of their bond was broken, and she wasn't sure if he could find it in himself to do what needed to be done to heal it. But at the same time she knew he wasn't the only one guilty of recklessness: even if Eren was the one to kill those first two men, she willingly went along with him, and not once did she try to stop or dissuade him; even if she didn't know what he was planning, she should have done more to stop things getting so out of hand.
Was she worthy of redemption? Her parents and Shadow seemed to think so, but in her heart of hearts Ariana could sense it wasn't that simple, or straightforward. She and Eren had killed monsters in men's flesh, but were they so different for stabbing, burning and firing arrows into them? As she contemplated what paths lay before her: Shadow's words began to haunt her conscience, as she began to come to the understanding, that maybe, she and Eren would not be able to walk the same path together through life.
As she let her gaze wander back to the rooftops, she saw Armin, Eren and Mikasa climbing up onto the roof of the house outside Eren's window, and made their way towards her; since the incident up on the mountain Ariana and Eren hadn't really spoken, mostly because neither of them were sure what to say without making the awkwardness between them even more uncomfortable (That, and receiving some harsh lectures from their parents had been somewhat time consuming). But as they came closer, Ariana could see Eren was looking a little surer of himself as he jumped over onto her roof and approached her. Armin and Mikasa hung back, as Eren scratched the back of his neck in anxiousness: "Um? Hi"
"Hi" Ariana offered a small smile, "You're looking better" "You too: uh, you're smiling again?" he nervously smiled, "Yeah, I haven't many reason's to smile of late: but that's not entirely because of you okay? I've kinda been torturing myself over-, you know" she shrugged; a moment of silence passed between them, before Eren heaved a heavy sigh, and sheepishly tried to explain: "...Listen, I'm really sorry I put you through what happened: I just thought that, by going into that cabin first I'd be keeping you safe, that there wouldn't be the opportunity for them to hurt you" Ariana gazed into his green eyes for a moment as she felt a little piece of her heart sink: in his voice she could hear he was telling the truth in some measure, but she could also hear a lie hiding behind his words: "...But you're not sorry for killing those men, are you" she let her gaze fall to the gutter: Eren frowned a little in disappointment, "Look, If your gonna stick up for those sick-
"-I'm not sticking up for them!" Ariana sternly exclaimed, making him blink in surprise: "Those men were evil and the world is better off without them: I'm excusing or forgiving what they did; they were beyond any form of redemption ..." she stated, before returning to a calmer yet more serious tone, "...But what you did? You didn't just kill them you butchered them, you weren't any different to them in that moment. How can you claim to be a 'good' person if you can't bring yourself to recognize what you did was an act of suffering and cruelty; yeah what those men did to Mikasa and her parents was horrendous and there's no excusing that, but what you did was just as bad. And if you can't see that then-..."
She paused, passing a bitter sigh as she stopped herself from trying to turn this into a rant: "...Eren, I'm scared of what you have allowed yourself to become: all because you can't stand the fact that your here, inside these walls, unable to see the outside world. You really think you're the only one who thinks that? That there aren't other people who secretly share that same frustration? It's a grievance practically half this world shares, and you going on about it won't change that. And I don't need to be constantly of that fact either!..." she exclaimed angrily: turning away from his surprised expression and gazing up at the sky, Ariana passed another deep sigh; she just couldn't not be annoyed with him over this, and it sucked: "...I want to see the ocean too, I really do: but after what happened last week? I have to wonder what you'd be willing to do to achieve that dream: joining the scouts and eliminating all the titans is one thing, but what lengths will you really go to? Would you care if anyone got in the way? Would you care if the titans somehow breached the walls and began consuming humanity? ...You know? As much as I hate myself for thinking this: part of me dares to think that maybe? Deep down, there is a part of you that would simply gaze upon that horizon, and just run: run from everything, from the pain, the suffering, maybe even all your friends and family, if that's what it takes to see the ocean..." she paused a moment, heaving another deep bitter sigh: "...But? ...At the same time? The rest of me knows you won't do that: for all the anger and resentment you hold, that's not the kind of person you are..." she glanced sideways at him, meeting his sorrowful gaze as she turned back to face him: "...You are a good person Eren, in my eyes at least: your kind, selfless, brave, and you will always be my best friend, no matter what. But if you're willing to do what you did? If you: or any of us are willing to discard our humanity for the sake of our dreams? ...That's a path I can't follow you down: because once I go there, if I allow myself to be consumed by that kind of darkness, and become one of those evil people for the sake of myself? I'll never come back..."
Eren stared at her for a moment, his eyes filled with regret, before tears welled up and his breath hitched in his chest: knowing he was hurting as much as she was inside, Ariana hugged him, and as he wiped his tears he asked: "...How can I make it up to you? Even if you don't want to see the ocean with me, I still want you to be in my life; I still want you, to be my best friend too" Letting go of him but keeping a hand on his shoulder, she looked him in the eye and told him: "...Listen, I don't know how this can be fixed, if at all? I've been trying to figure out a way, to try and get back what we lost between us...But honestly? I just- don't know..." she sighed in regret, before adding: "But-...if you really want to make it up to me? You can start by apologizing to your mum"
Eren blinked in surprise, wiping his tears away as Ariana elaborated: "Yeah, I heard you two arguing the other day, and take it from me; you hurt her as much as you hurt me with what you did: and besides, ever since you started obsessing about being stuck within these walls, she's been going out of her mind wondering what the hell's wrong with you. I know she probably won't understand if you try to explain it, but at the very least you can tell her it's not her fault, and that she's not a bad mother, alright?"
"Um? Okay?" Eren let his gaze drop in slight confusion: Suddenly, Mikasa was at his side, gently holding his hand: "Don't worry, I'll make sure he tells her" she told her in a monotone; "Still got that muffler huh?" Ariana smiled offhand: "I really like it" she quietly replied, pulling it up over her nose. Mikasa hadn't taken it off since she went to live with the Jaegers: in fact, the simple act of wearing it seemed to bring a measure of comfort for her; a reassurance that gave her the confidence to carry on in the wake of losing her parents. One other thing Ariana had noticed about the Jaeger's adopted daughter was how she followed Eren everywhere: always by his side, never leaving him for any reason, and more amazingly he actually seemed to tolerate her constant presence. "...Um? Listen," Ariana's smile dropped as she gazed at Mikasa with an apologetic look, "I know we haven't talked since-, last week: but, I wanted to say sorry, for making you having to go through all that. It should never have gotten that bad and you didn't need to be put through any more than what you already had to endure"
Blinking in surprise, Mikasa grabbed a hold of Ariana's hand and looked her in the eyes: "You don't have to be sorry for anything: I'm alive because of you and Eren, and if you hadn't come to save me, I wouldn't be here at all. So please, don't think that you made things worse, because you didn't. I'm grateful, to both of you...And those other ten children somewhere out there? Whoever they are, if they knew what had happened? I'm sure they'd be grateful too" Ariana mentally facepalmed: in all her mental angst over the incident and the questions of morality attached to it, she had all but forgotten about Mikasa, and how indeed, she had been saved because of them: "...Thanks Mikasa..." Ariana smiled, feeling somewhat comforted by her words: "Hey, you've been following Eren everywhere right? Have you run into Carl Ludwig and the Huber brothers yet?" "Ran into them, and gave them a taste of their own medicine" Mikasa stated blankly; "Good, you can help me keep an eye on Eren, he seems to get himself into a lot of scrapes with those idiots" Ariana commented, "What! But I- Eren tried to protest, but Mikasa simply started dragging him back to his bedroom window: "That won't be a problem" Mikasa stated, "Hey! Where're you taking me?!" Eren demanded "To go see your mum so you can have that 'talk'" she replied, shooting him a look.
As Eren continued to wriggle out of her firm grasp, Mikasa simply paid no attention as she picked him up by the back of his shirt, and threw him head first through the window, jumping down after him. Armin jumped over onto the roof as Ariana chuckled to herself: "You know? I think she's going to be alright" she thought aloud. "Yeah, I hope so" Armin sighed with a sheepish smile. Noticing that Armin had been hiding something behind his back since he arrived, Ariana was now curious: "Okay, what's the surprise?"
Ariana blinked in surprise as Armin showed her: "Your book?" she stared at him puzzled, "Yeah, I want you to have it" he smiled, "What? No Armin this is yours! It means the world to you!" "I know, which is why I want you to have it" he stated. Confused, Ariana listened as Armin explained with a regretful tone in his voice: "...Listen, ever since last week, it's become clear that-, that incident changed you somehow: you haven't been the same, and I think it's because you realized just how different you and Eren are..." She stared at him in surprise, somewhat taken aback by this, but she remained silent as he confessed: "...The truth is? I've been watching you two for a long while now, and? Well? I kinda got the impression that you guys just don't seem to get along like you used to: I mean don't get me wrong, I'm thankful and relieved that your still on talking terms; but by and large, you just-...Seem to be heading off in different directions, and, I don't know if you would be willing to follow him, or? If he would be able to follow you?" he hesitated as he tried to clarify, "I guess what I'm trying to say is...I think, I kinda already figured that you won't go to see the Ocean with us"
Ariana just stared at him for a moment, and sighed in defeat: "...Your right..." she admitted, turning to gaze across the city: "Don't get me wrong Armin, it is an amazing dream, and one I won't stop you or Eren from trying to achieve; but if we're being honest with each other? Going to see the ocean just seems like something a coward would do to me...I mean, running away from everything within this walled world? Yeah, I get that. But why should it just be you two? Doesn't everyone deserve the chance to lay their eyes on such an amazing sight? Look, this world isn't perfect and it's not easy, but there is goodness to be found within it, within other people, you just need to look for it. And those good people? They are what make this world worth all the struggling, all the pain, the suffering, the endurance to get up in the morning and carry on afraid and undaunted by the cruelty that we constantly have to face. Running away to find the ocean might be your idea of solving all your problems, but it won't help everyone else: and the only way we can get anything accomplished, the only way for humanity to succeed at anything, is if we all work together: and not put our own wants before everyone else's needs...I guess? What I'm trying to say is? I feel my path-, my life, will be in the service of others: to help those who cannot help themselves, to fight for those who don't have the strength to fight back, and show compassion to those who have been shown none. If I ever do join the military? Be it as a Scout, a Garrison troop, or one of the Military Police? That's what I'll do"
Staring at her, Armin smiled: "Well? I'm glad that, at least you know what you want to do and that it will be for a good reason" he suddenly thought of something else, "But, tell me one thing; have you ever had a dream of your own? Something you wanted so much that you'd be willing to risk everything to achieve it?" Thinking about it for a moment, Ariana smiled, and gazed at him fondly: "...To be honest? I never really needed one: I always had you, and Eren, and everyone else I can call my best friends" Armin stared at her in awe as he felt his heart swell with affection: "...I-..." he stammered as he tried to ignore the butterflies in his stomach, "...I don't know what to say? ..." he couldn't help but smile.
Ariana took the book, and gazing down at the cover, realized why he wanted her to have it: "...That's why you want me to have this, right?" she glanced up at him, "Something to remind me of you two, when you finally reach the ocean, and you venture to the horizon and beyond..." she held the book in one hand as she reached for the crystal pendant around her neck. It had been a little something Boar made for her and the other kids when they were younger: during the time Carla worked as a delivery driver, and they'd go to spend to time together in the grove of giant trees. There, he commanded all kinds of strange and beautiful crystals to erupt from out of the ground for their amazement and enjoyment. The children then took their treasures home and fashioned them into their own jewellery and trinkets. For her's, Ariana made an amethyst dagger pendant, bound with an ochre coloured leather cord, and decorated with a couple of red glass beads and beautiful green Teal duck feathers; taking it off, she gave it to Armin: "...Well? If you're giving me something to remind me of you, I want something to remind you of me"
"Your crystal dagger?" Armin blinked in surprise: "I won't take no for answer" Ariana smiled: "You're willing to give me something you've coveted since the day you first laid eyes on it, this dagger is precious to me too: so I want you to have it. And remember me when you reach the ocean, okay?"
"...Okay" he smiled as he took the pendant and looped the cord over his head, holding the dagger between his finger and thumb, he could see the various shades of purple sparkle in the light, along with the feathers and beads: it was a pretty little thing, and he felt privileged to have it, "Thank you" he smiled, "So? You haven't made your mind up whether you'll join the military for sure?" he asked offhand. "Eh, I got three years to think about it, there's plenty of time" she waved off, "I take it your still intent on joining the Scouts?" "But of course" he smiled, "Who else is going to keep an eye on Eren?"
"...About that..." Ariana sighed as she put the book down next to her feet, and held Armin's hands as she gazed at him honestly and pleadingly: "...I know I've never asked you for anything Armin, and I wouldn't ask anything of you, least it might become a burden; except? If we really are to part ways one day? Then I would ask that you do one thing for me" "Of course, anything" he nodded, "I want you to promise me that you'll watch over Eren: please make sure he is able to make the right choices; that he don't get into any trouble he can't get himself out of, and above all, be there to think for him. Use that amazing brain of yours: and be the one to come up with all the brilliant ideas to help him out" "...Well? I don't know about amazing or brilliant?" Armin thought aloud sheepishly: "But I'd like to think I have my moments?"
Ariana couldn't help but chuckle, "You're way too modest...But one day, everyone's going to see how great you are, and you'll see just what you can do too. Don't be afraid, and don't be sacred to face what scares you the most, okay?" "If you say so" he smiled nervously, "I know so..." she smiled as she leaned in and planted a kiss on his cheek, taking him completely by surprise. "Besides, it'll be- Ariana paused as she suddenly saw Armin's face turning red a strawberry as he blushed uncontrollably and stared off into space, seemingly in shock as his heart felt like it had sprouted wings and was trying to burst out of his chest, while his stomach felt like it was filling up with more butterflies: "Uh? Armin? Are you okay?" she asked offhand, "Uh-, I uh I think so?" he stammered in a daze.
"Armin! Time to go!" his grandfather called up to the roof, "C-c-c-c-c" Armin couldn't reply as his tongue got tied up: "He'll be right down!" Ariana called out, "Come on, let's get you to the attic window" she led him over the edge of the roof, and helped him down into the attic. "Hey, see you around tomorrow?" she asked as she stepped down off the windowsill, "Uh? Yeah, sure?" he glanced up at her, still looking in a daze and blushing like mad, "Alright, see you then" she waved goodbye as she returned to her favorite spot next to the chimney stacks: as he wandered over to the staircase, Armin gently touched his cheek where Ariana kissed him, and smiled like an idiot: "...She kissed me..." he squeaked.
Watching Eren and his mother talk from up on the roof (with Mikasa making sure he couldn't run away), Ariana smiled to herself in satisfaction. A sudden gust of wind on the back of her neck made her roll her eyes as she turned around, and saw all four (invisible to everyone else) titans watching her: Shadow and Midnight were leaning against her roof, while Angel and Boar watched her from the Black Stallion's rooftop, each with a knowing smile of content. "You guys really don't get out much when you come here to Shiganshina, do you?" she deadpanned up at Shadow, who merely leaned in closer for her to approach and stroke his jaw: "...I guess my 'soul searching' is done for the time being?" she thought aloud, "But what I said? About my life being in the service of others? I really do feel that's where my path is going to take me... And-, you were right you know?" she gazed up at him with a regretful sigh: "...I guess our paths really weren't meant to follow one another huh?"
Grabbing her attention with a friendly hum, Shadow spelt out, : Maybe not, but I am proud of you, for handling it the way you have: he nuzzled her with his nose, to which she couldn't help but chuckle as she stroked the bridge of his nose and his cheek, before turning her attention to Midnight: "Hey Midnight? ..." she approached her, "I know I didn't say it sooner, but I meant to thank you" : For what? : She spelt out as she raised an eyebrow, "For saving us from that guy up on the mountain, and for putting the fire out" Ariana replied, assuming she knew what she was talking about.
The titans stared at her in alarm as Midnight quickly replied, : Ariana, I was in the grove with Boar and Shadow, I didn't go anywhere near that mountain all morning: "But-," Ariana stared up at her in confusion, "That had to be you I saw: you're the only black and white titan around here" glancing at Shadow, Midnight nodded as she gently picked Ariana up off the roof, and placed the tip of her claw to her forehead.
Let that which is known to you, also be known to me
Ariana's eyes shot wide open as she felt her memory explode into the forefront of her mind, taking her back to last week, and the fight with the two burnt men amid the forest fire. Scanning through her memory to the moment in question, Hecate watched in alarm as the giant black and white entity came down and put out the fire: flying back off again with the screaming man in its sharp talons. From Ariana's view point it could only have been her, it was huge, black and white, and obviously had magical powers of its own. But looking through the memories with her keen ethereal eye, Hecate could see it wasn't her, it was bigger, had shorter hair, and although Ariana hadn't got a good look at its face, she saw she had caught a glimpse of its glowing purple eyes...
The eyes of a Night Roamer
Hecate broke the connection and jumped back in shock, while Ariana held her spinning head, feeling someone had just drummed their fingers up against the inside of her skull: "What did you see?" Javorin asked as he took Ariana from her and let her lay down in his palm to recuperate.
"...We are not alone" was all she could reply.
Well, at just about 100 pages long, this chapter was a pain to put together, I started off okay but then realized it wouldn't be taking it in the direction I wanted it to go: so in the end I cut out over 25 pages, modified 15 of those pages into new dialogue, and ended up writing 7/8 new paged from scratch before continuing with the rest. So I apologize for this chapter taking slightly longer to post than usual: that, and the whole semi-bust-up between Ariana & Eren was emotionally draining; it turned out well, but still, I feel for my bebe TTT_TTT And yeah, that was a new god that came swooping in to save the day :D I will be posting some new stuff on my Devientart page in the near future. Profiles of the other gods I got planned to make an appearance later on in the story, and I have to say, I'm pretty pleased with how they turned out. On that note, future chapters probably might take slightly longer to post, on account I'm going to try to knuckle down to get some much needed fan art & doodles done.
Anyway, do hope you all stay tuned, because next time: it will be the day...the day, humanity receives a grim reminder...You know what I'm talking about, so be sure to keep your tissue boxes handy and brace your feels for impact because it's gonna be blood, titans and death scenes galore! Oh, and don't forget to R&R before clicking off, thanks!