Chapter 31
Infiltration
Stohess was under a downpour. Those still out in the night scurried toward their homes and those who did not have found anything to cover them form the rain.
The rain was a perfect cover for the seven hooded figures that walked down the empty streets and alleyways. With the rain late night patrols would not be happening and any lowlife in the city was under a roof of some kind.
The seven moved quickly and as quietly as possible, but with the downpour any loud sound they made was drowned out. However, to a trained eye, four did not move in unison. It showed that the four were inexperienced in making measured movements.
The group maneuvered out of the main city district and toward the warehouses by the river. The warehouse district was harder to remain unnoticed. All the warehouses were lined in such a manner that it made it difficult to stay to the shadows.
The group reached a warehouse all the way to the end of the district. The leader made sure that no one was around and slid the back door open. Even with the rain the sound of metal grinding against metal could distinctly be heard. Everyone looked around for a moment and when the coast was clear everyone shuffled into the warehouse.
When the last person entered, the leader closed the door, enveloping everyone in darkness. Swiftly, an oil lamp was turned on illuminating a portion of the warehouse. When the group knew they were alone, one by one they dropped their hoods.
"We made it," Kuroko said letting out a breath.
"Yeah soaked to the bone," Connor complained as he took off his damp cloak.
"We got lucky with the rain. No patrols made for easy movement," Momoi said.
The three turned to the their four new squad members. They were all silent, but the three could tell that they were glad to be out of the rain as well. Kuroko was surprised at how quiet they were. What had happened in the last few weeks made for a rift to form among members of the 104th recruits. Kuroko had thought he chose the four without conflict between them, but the glares Aline sent Kagami were proof enough that was not the case. While there were argument getting to Stohess, once they entered the city all of that ceased.
Though Kuroko could tell that the silence was for them to not start arguing again. Josh standing between them usually meant he was the wall that prevented a fight. Kuroko sighed as he removed his damp cloak.
Beneath the cloaks they all wore civilian clothes. While he was sure that any MP stopping them would know who he and Momoi were, the others were in a much different position. They could get away with looking like civilians.
The group also carried packs filled with only the essentials; which was not much. Though they had packed an extra set of clothes and they were all eager to remove the wet clothes they all wore.
"Aline, let's get away from the boys for a second," Momoi said.
Aline nodded toward to her superior.
Momoi grabbed a spare lantern and walked behind a stack of boxes. Most of the boys' eyes followed as the two girls disappeared. Connor sighed in disappointment, while Kuroko chuckled quietly. They were still young after all.
Momoi turned on the lantern and set it on a box. She walked past Aline and had her back to her as she took off her clothes. She took off her hair tie, revealing her hair was a lot longer than Aline anticipated. It almost reached the middle of her back. How she could fight with just her hair tied up was incredible. Momoi grabbed a strand and muttered at how long it had gotten. However, Aline still felt awkward around her superior. While she knew that Momoi was kind hearted, she was unsure how to act around her.
"No need to be so tense," Momoi said not looking at her.
"Y-yes, ma'am."
Momoi chuckled and turned her head toward her subordinate. Aline could not help but glance down quickly.
"It's just us. I'm sure Kuroko won't let the boys peek."
"I would hope so!" Aline exclaimed.
Momoi giggled at her subordinate's flustered expression.
"How about we take this chance to talk, hm?"
Aline rose an eyebrow. "What about?"
"The rift between you and your friends to start."
Aline scoffed. "There isn't a rift."
"I beg to differ." Momoi returned to facing the warehouse wall. "I'm sure of three. Mikasa, Historia, and Taiga. Though I'm sure there are others."
"Well, for the first, I just hate her," Aline replied.
Momoi glanced back. Aline's gaze was facing the ground, while her brows had furrowed close together.
"I see. Why is that?"
"She got people killed during the recon mission."
"I doubt that is entirely her fault."
"It was!" Aline stomped. "If she didn't abandon our squad a lot more people would have survived!"
"Perhaps, or perhaps not."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Aline asked.
Momoi sighed as she recalled that disaster of a mission. So many lives had been lost, including the majority of their team. From what Kuroko had explained to her, the amount of carnage during that mission was unavoidable. The choice to keep the mission's directive a secret meant there would be death. However, Aline's words had merit. Abandoning one's squad did increase the likelihood of death.
"I understand your point, but that mission was going to be costly."
"I lost good friends because of her!"
"And I lost friends on that mission too." Momoi fully turned toward Aline. "Too many friends. But you don't see me blaming Kuroko for it."
"The captain?"
Momoi sighed and turned away from the girl. She put on the standard white shirt, and pushed her hair out of the shirt.
"When Tetsuya came clean about the mission, I did initially blame him for what happened. But the situation became out of his control. I realized that he was already bearing a massive weight, one that he has no intention on sharing."
Aline's expression softened. She turned to the boxes and tried to look through them to see the captain. She had always known that he bore something on his shoulders. Despite it, she always saw him smiling or trying to cheer people up. She realized that he could barely keep it together when he apologized for her when she punched that bystander for belittling their efforts.
"I get what you mean. He takes all the criticism the people have and simply apologizes."
Momoi smiled. "He bares a lot more than just that, which is why I don't blame him for all those who died."
"It's not as simple for me," Alien said.
"I understand. I can guess the reason as to why Mikasa abandoned the squad. While her reason may have been personal, if we did lose Eren something much worse would've happened to the Scouts."
Aline opened her mouth to respond, but as she processed Momoi's words she began to rationalize it a bit.
"You don't have to forgive her; that's a different topic. Just try to see the bigger picture. Go beyond the personal. That includes Historia and Taiga. You're too young to be holding grudges."
Aline scoffed. "Yeah, then people should just be straight with me."
"Everyone has something they want to keep hidden. I'm sure that's true for you too," Momoi reasoned.
"When someone hides something important from you for three years, it tends to piss you off," Aline retorted.
"Have you asked why she kept that hidden?" Momoi asked. Aline was about to respond when Momoi continued. "I did and understood well enough. As for Taiga, well he has to sort it out himself first."
Aline went silent as she took in Momoi's words. She knew everything her superior was saying was right, and she wanted to let go of all her frustration. But with everything that had happened all she had left to hold onto was her rage. It pushed her forward, it was her main source to keep fighting.
"You don't have to act on my advice now. Just keep it in the back of your head," Momoi said.
Momoi turned to the girl, fully dressed, and crossed her arms as she saw that she still had yet to change out of her soaked clothes.
"If you don't get changed you'll catch a cold."
"Oh, right."
While the girls were having their conversation, the boys were mostly quiet. There were short conversations here and there, but nothing of substance. The most quiet was Kagami. He sat away from everyone, simply staring at the wall. However, his thoughts were running a mile a minute. He felt confused. So much had happened in such a sort span of time that he had not had time to process it all. Despite the amount of time he had for house arrest, he was still figuring stuff out.
The one that was easiest to figure out was Aemilia. She was a traitor and sided with Reiner and Bertolt. He knew that the next time they met she had to die. While he did want answers as to why she made that choice, he knew that was less of a priority. What he could not figure out was what role she served in Reiner's group. She never transformed into a titan, which meant she may not have been able to in the situation or she was not one at all. He sighed and resigned himself at never finding out.
Then there was the person that was in his thoughts more often than not: Historia. Ever since Trost there had been something between them. It was difficult to figure out what that thing was. It felt like she knew, but he was still figuring it out. However, he could never manage to bring it up to her. He sighed and shifted his gaze toward the ceiling.
"Wow, someone's lost in thought."
Kagami shifted his gaze and saw Kuroko standing next to him. Kuroko wore a kind but tired smile. When Kuroko saw his expression, he gave a knowing chuckle.
"Ah, so that's what's on your mind."
Kagami rose an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Kuroko turned his head toward where Momoi and Aline had disappeared. "According to Connor, I have a similar expression at times."
Kagami followed his gaze and saw Momoi and Aline rejoining the group. His gaze fell on Momoi and understood what his superior officer meant.
"I don't think we're on the same page then."
Kuroko turned back to Kagami. "More so than you think."
Kagami rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the wall.
"Are you doing okay?"
Kagami shrugged. "Never better. I've learned to just keeping going even after life gives you shit."
Kuroko sighed. "Fair enough. Being a Scout, one tends to think the same way." Kuroko sat on the other side of the same box Kagami sat against. "Though I can tell something's bugging you." Kuroko glanced toward Kagami. "Is it about Historia?"
That got a reaction. Kagami shifted his gaze toward the floor and turned his head to not be able to see Kuroko in his periphery.
"Did you want to be part of her protection detail as well?" Kuroko asked.
"I don't know. A part of me does, but another doesn't."
"It seems like you do know. You think distance will help in forgetting. But it's the opposite, isn't it?"
Kagami nodded. Kuroko gave an empathetic smile and put a hand on the red head's shoulder.
"The question is, what do you want to forget?"
"Whatever it is I'm feeling."
"Which is?"
"That I have to protect her. That I should give back the trust she has in me. To tell her that I was wrong in that she needs to stay away from me," Kagami said, his voice raising in volume as he spoke.
"Then I think you know what that feeling is. You just choose to ignore it."
Kuroko left Kagami with those words. He stood up and join the rest of the group. Kagami watched as his superior sat down next to Momoi. Kagami saw the two interact and began to understand what Kuroko had told him. Kagami sighed and join the rest. He received a few playful insults from Josh and Connor, but he simply waved them off.
The rest of the night went by quietly. Kagami volunteered for first watch since he still wanted time to think. The recruits took the offer and managed to fall asleep quickly. Connor followed them after going over a few things with Kuroko and Momoi. Momoi drifted off not long after.
Kagami reassured Kuroko that he would wake him for his turn, but Kuroko was adamant on staying awake. The two engaged in small talk which usually revolved around their lives as kids, which could not have been anymore different.
As they spoke, it was Kagami who was beginning to drift off first. Kuroko reassured him he would stay awake and Kagami quickly found himself falling asleep.
—-
Morning came quickly with the door to the warehouse being slammed open. The three veterans were already awake, but the recruits were woken by the sound and the light.
"Shit, we've been found!" Albrecht said, his eyes still closed.
The four tried to grab a semblance of a weapon, while the three veterans watched amused.
"These are your soldiers, Tetsu?" a gruff voice said.
The four tensed up, with Kagami being the first to loosen up when he recognized the captain's name.
"Sorry, they're still a bit green," Kuroko said. Kuroko turned to the four recruits. "You can loosen up. This is our contact."
The four looked between each other and followed their captain's suggestion. They turned toward the new arrival and watched him close the warehouse door. The four quickly recognized who the contact was; Daiki Aomine. While his appearance gave away who he was, the streak of dark blue in his black hair stood out the most. He carried with him two bags and set them down in front of Kuroko.
Aomine put his hands on his hips and scanned the room, his eyes staying a bit longer on the soldiers he did not recognize. His eyes slightly widened when he saw Kagami. He chuckled and turned back to Kuroko.
"Another one, huh?"
Kuroko nodded. "I was just as surprised as you."
"Is the Ackerman girl here too?" Aomine asked.
Kuroko shook his head. "This is the whole team."
Aomine turned to the four again, once again his eyes staying on Kagami.
"He won't work as a spy," Aomine said plainly.
"What?!"
Kuroko raised his hand to keep Kagami in line. "He won't be part of the infiltration team." Kuroko gestured to the other three. "They will. Connor as well."
Aomine studied the four. The three kids he had not idea who they were, they would be perfect. He knew of Connor and worked with him during the retrieval operation. He hoped Akashi and none of his elites had fought alongside him. Midorima likely did, but he figured Midorima would not give him much thought.
"I can work with this."
He knelt down in front of the bags and gestured for the four to join him. The four looked between each other and shrugged. The four saw Aomine rummaging through a bag filled with MP uniforms. He grabbed four jackets and handed them to the spy's.
"You'll wear these. If anyone asks, you're recently approved transfers from the Trost operation." Aomine moved to the other bag and took out four files. "These are your new identities. As far as the MP's are concerned you're these people. Study them. You are these people."
The four took the files and began to look over them. They separated from Aomine and talked about their new objective. Kagami walked over to the three Orientals. He felt out of place among the infiltrators as he was not a part of that assignment. He wondered why he was there if he was not part of that operation.
"You look lost, Kagami," Momoi said.
Kagami shrugged. "Just wondering what I'm doing here if it's not to be a spy."
"Unfortunately, like us, you're an Oriental. You'd stand out," Kuroko said.
"Then what are we doing?" Kagami asked.
"We're still taking point," Kuroko replied. "Every night, one of them has to report what they can find out about Akashi's plan." Kuroko turned to Aomine. "Speaking of, you got anything?"
"Not much. I just know he's moving forward. The ripples of the retrieval op are what he needs," Aomine replied.
"What's his angle with this? What does he hope to gain?" Momoi asked.
"Power," Kuroko said coldly. "He want's power."
"He already has an entire district under his control. Plus, he's the son of a royal council member. What more could he want?" Aomine asked.
"I'm not too sure. Whatever it is, he needs Erwin out of the picture," Kuroko said.
"Erwin?" Momoi and Kagami said at the same time.
Kuroko nodded. "Erwin told me that Akashi had talked to him during the retrieval op. He had said something about having him die then wouldn't be beneficial for his plan."
"Doing you think he knows about the Commanders intentions?" Momoi asked.
Aomine rose an eyebrow. "Intentions?"
Kuroko and Momoi looked between each other. Kagami once again felt like an outsider. The two seemed to be discussing something only they were privy to.
"Can I trust you, Aomine-kun?" Kuroko said.
Aomine straightened his posture. If Kuroko had to switch languages, then it was certainly something important.
"That'll depend."
Kuroko rose an eyebrow. "On what?"
"If what Erwin's planning is better than what Akashi has in mind," Aomine said.
"Do you know what he's planning?" Kuroko asked.
"Not a clue, but I'm willing to see either option to the end," Aomine said.
Kuroko and Momoi turned to each other. They knew they needed Aomine's cooperation for their infiltration to work. Kuroko let out a defeated sigh. He knew he could not tell a half-truth. Aomine knew him too well to attempt that. Which only left one option.
"He's planning a coup."
"WHAT?!"
All attention was on Aomine. Every turned to see his looking like they were about to pop out.
"Everything okay over there?" Connor asked.
"We're fine," Momoi said quickly.
For Kagami's part, he still had no idea what was said. The three were speaking in a language that he did not know. He figured they were talking about Erwin since he heard his name, but whatever made Aomine explode went past him.
"Are you serious? Why? How?!"
"All I can say for certain is that the whoever is sitting on the throne isn't the real king," Kuroko said.
Aomine took a moment to calm down and think. He remembered what Akashi had been speaking about last night. He had mentioned the king having a bastard, but was not entirely sure what that meant. However, there was the fact that the bastard was being harbored by the Scouts. Aomine's eyes slowly widened as he began to put pieces together.
"That makes sense…" Aomine muttered.
"What makes sense?"
"Something I heard Akashi talking about. It was about that Historia girl."
"What about Historia?!"
The four turned to see Josh walking over to them. Behind him were his two friends.
"I don't know what you're saying, but I heard her name," Josh said.
"Just mentioning where she was and who was protecting her. Nothing more than that," Kuroko said.
Kagami was impressed at how smoothly Kuroko could lie. He glanced over toward Josh and saw that he did not entirely believe him, but seemed to take that as an answer.
"Is she in trouble with Levi's team?" Albrecht asked.
"There's no one better to keep her safe than him. You have my word on that," Kuroko said. He used a kind smile to diffuse the situation.
Once again, Josh looked like he did not fully believe him, but took the answer. He walked away quietly and returned to studying the file.
"Kagami."
The red head turned to his captain. "Yes?"
"Join them. What I'm about to talk about is something that is between me and Aomine."
Kagami nodded and walked toward their little camp. He spared a glance toward Kuroko and saw how much it had hardened.
Kuroko turned back to Aomine. "Getting back on topic. Does Akashi have some sort of plan for Historia?"
"I'm not sure, but she does seem important to him. What use does Erwin have for her?"
"He plans on using her to ascend the throne and oust a corrupt government."
"But she's so young?" Aomine asked in disbelief.
"Most likely the military would have to take an active role in government," Kuroko replied.
Aomine's brows came together as he crossed his arms. "Does Erwin plan on being her adjutant?"
"Not that I know of," Kuroko said.
"Erwin just thinks that those who are in power now don't have what it takes to fight titan shifters and that they don't have the people's best interest. Which his why he plans on showcasing that to the populace," Momoi explained.
Aomine was silent. His arms remained crossed as he closed his eyes. He mused his options. While he had already thrown his towel in with the Scouts, which meant that Akashi would view him as a traitor. Even if he did sell out the Scouts, he would still be tried for colluding with them. Then there was the fact that ever since the retrieval he had been growing disillusioned with the MPs.
He had thought that joining the regiment would be an easier life, and it was, but it lacked any kind of excitement. He remembered being out and fighting. It was hell, but it was the most exhilarated he had been in years. The thrill of battle was something he desperately needed. Which only left him with one option.
"Fine, I'm already in deep might as well see this to the end," Aomine said.
Kuroko and Momoi let out a relieved breath.
"Thanks, Aomine-kun. I promise your sacrifice will be worth it," Kuroko replied.
"I will say this: one wrong step and I will sell you out. Damn the consequences," Aomine said.
"Trust me, Aomine. This is what's best for everyone behind the walls."
Aomine sighed and walked past Kuroko and Momoi.
"All right, you grunts. I hope you got everything on those pages memorized. We move out in twenty minutes!"
The four spy's groaned and began quickly skim the papers. Aomine turned to Kuroko and held up a closed fist. Kuroko smiled and bumped his fist with Aomine's.
"I trust you, Tetsu."
—-
"I hate this stupid uniform," Aline complained.
Aomine rolled his eyes. Since he and the four infiltrators left the warehouse it had been nonstop complaints about wearing the MP uniform. While he understood the sentiment, it would not help in their blending in. While the four with him had extensive combat experience, being an MP required a different set of skills; one of which being utter detachment.
"Get your complaining out of the way now. The moment we reach HQ you need to act like you belong," Aomine said.
"That being said, what are we looking for exactly?" Connor asked.
"Any piece to what Seijūrō is planning."
"So, anything and everything," Albrecht replied.
"Essentially," Aomine said with a shrug. "Keep a lookout for Seijūrō's elite team. If anyone knows something, it'll be them."
"How come you don't know much? Aren't you two friends?" Aline asked.
"He doesn't tell me anything," Aomine replied. "Just says I don't need to worry about it."
The four Scouts looked between each other. They all had a similar look, one of skepticism. If someone that was so close to Akashi did not know much, what hope did they have in finding anything.
The five continued to walk around Stohess. They all looked around to see that the fight between Annie and Eren was still present. Buildings were crushed and large debris was still scattered about. Connor's expression fell as he saw some buildings that were entirely collapsed. Josh had guilt written all over. Part of him blamed himself for what had happened. Albrecht had a brief expression of understanding having only heard about the battle. Aline tried her best to ignore everything. She kept her gaze firmly forward, but could still see the destruction out of the corner of her eyes.
For Aomine, he had done this on purpose. He wanted the Scouts to see the outcome of their missions. He was sure that underneath the larger debris there were still unidentified bodies. At the same time, he had rationalized that this was the outcome of battles between titans. He could not blame the destruction entirely on the Scouts. If the MP's had a better response time, maybe things may have been different.
As they walked, a patrol walked past them. The four Scouts turned away, but kept their gazes firmly forward. The leader of the patrol acknowledged Aomine with a nod and kept walking. He glanced back as the patrol turned a corner. As they disappeared, the four Scouts visibly relaxed.
"You need to act like MP's. Avoiding gazes makes you look out of place," Aomine said.
"Then how're we supposed to act?" Connor asked.
"Lazy, probably," Albrecht said.
"Ambivalence," Aomine replied. "You're patrolling but you don't really care about what happens."
The rigidity of the Scouts had really sunk into them. Aomine understood Connor. The others surprised him a bit. It had only been a few months since the Trost operation, but it seemed the Scouts were all about protocol.
When they finally reached HQ, they were met by Aomine's subordinates. They were all quick to question who he was with, but did not question further when Aomine gave them an answer.
Entering HQ felt like its own beast. All eyes were on the new arrivals. Aomine muttered them to walk casually in order to make it seem like they belonged. The four followed him to his office, and after a quick look down the hall, Aomine ushered them inside. He locked the door behind them.
Aomine's office was sparsely decorated. It the bare essentials an office needed, a desk, a bookshelf, and two chairs. His desk was a disarray of papers and files, and dust lined the furniture.
"This is where we part ways," Aomine said.
"Why?" Aline asked crossing her arms.
"I still have duties as an MP to uphold. Contrary to most, I try to take my work a bit seriously." Aomine's gaze sifted quickly toward the window before returning to the four Scouts.
"Where do we start?" Connor asked.
"Ask around, but be subtle about it," Aomine said as he sat down at his desk. "While everyone has their guards down here, some places are louder than others."
Before anyone could respond, there was a knock at Aomine's door. Everyone tensed, ready to attack whoever entered.
"Daiki, it's Kasper. The door's locked," Kasper said.
Aomine felt the sweat beginning to form. He silently hoped that he had not heard anything.
"Coming!" Aomine called out. He turned to the four. "Play along."
The four nodded in response.
"If that'll be all, you're all dismissed!"
"Yes, sir!"
Aomine took a long step toward the door. He opened it and allowed for the four to exit. Kasper had a confused expression at first, but he quickly collected himself. The two MP's watched the four turn the corner before Kasper turned back to Aomine.
"Who're they?" Kasper asked.
"New recruits. The final approved applicants from the Trost applications."
Kasper turned back toward where the four had disappeared.
"Uh-huh. Rather strait-laced bunch," Kasper said.
"They wanted to make a good first impression," Aomine said.
Kasper rose a disbelieving eyebrow, but did not make another comment.
"Do you need something Kasper?"
"Seijūrō has called a meeting of all the team leaders."
"First I've heard of it," Aomine said crossing his arms.
"It wasn't on the schedule," Kasper said as he turned away from Aomine. "Let's go, we're late."
Aomine rolled his eyes and followed his comrade. He inwardly sighed in relief. If there was a meeting of all the team leaders, then Kasper would be the only one the four Scouts would encounter for a while.
—
Aline felt lost. She walked around HQ trying to find somewhere she could get information, but always found herself around the most lethargic of soldiers. How the MP's functioned with their work ethic was beyond her. If she hd to guess, it was Seijūrō who kept them in line.
Aline turned a corner and found herself in front of two larger doors. She rose an eyebrow and walked into the room the doors closed off. She found herself in a large library, that looked devoid of anyone. She closed the door quietly and walked around the aisles skimming the spines of the books. She doubted she would find anything of value, but she found herself curious.
She turned a corner and found herself in a large open space. There was a desk, which a librarian would likely sit. Behind the desk was another bookshelf, with a filing cabinet right next to it.
If there is anything of value, it'll be there.
Aline walked behind the desk and skimmed the labels trying to find something related to Seijūrō.
"You're not on duty."
Aline slammed the drawer she opened closed. She quickly stood up and turned to see a young man with silver hair. The silver haired man quickly sized her up, his brow creasing as he crossed his arms.
"Who're you?"
"Uh, I'm Al- I mean, I'm Patricia Ubert," Aline said.
"Is that right? Never seen or heard of you before."
"I'm a transfer from Trost."
The young man sighed. "The captain's still accepting people from that fiasco? I thought the last transfers came in before the Stohess incident."
Aline recalled the information she had been given from Aomine. "Right, uh, it's because of that my transfer was so late."
"That still doesn't answer why you're here. You have your own duties, right?"
"Y-yes. Just got a bit lost along the way."
"Shouldn't you have gotten that info from your superior?"
"Unfortunately, Lieutenant Aomine wasn't all that forthcoming regarding that."
Aline knew that if she mentioned him then anyone questioning her would back down. It seemed to have worked, as the man standing in front of her loosened up and became less hostile.
"I-I see. He is known for being rather vague."
Aline watched as the young man's eyes darted in every direction. Any semblance of suspicion had vanished. She figured that if she was going to get information from the soldier, it would be while he was on the back foot.
"Actually, while I have you here, how does everything operate here exactly? Does everything really go through the captain?"
The soldier nodded hesitantly. "Y-Yeah. He gives out most orders and approves anything. No one dares step out of line when the order comes from him."
"Do his orders ever feel like there might something else to them?"
"I'm not sure about that. Even the most mundane of assignments usually have a purpose within the district."
Aline figured that was the case. She figured the soldier in front of her was not that high ranking, but it was worth a shot to ask.
"Though, lately, most of the captain's inner circle have been rather tense," the soldier said.
Aline's ears perked at the mention of that. She had thought the soldier would not know much, but even he could notice a change, then maybe he knew more just by observing.
"Why do you think is going on?" Aline asked.
"Its has to be something big, but I honestly have no idea."
Aline nodded. "I guess I'll keep an eye out."
The young soldier nodded in response.
Aline then excused herself and turned to exit the library. She knew there was no information left to be learned and decided to move on.
"By the way, figured you should know who I am since we're going to be working together."
Aline stopped and turned to the young man.
"Name's Boris Feulner."
"I'll see you around," Aline said as she opened the door to the library.
—-
Kagami sat against the same crate he had slept against. His hands were in the position one held a guitar and he mindlessly changed positions on the frets and strummed an invisible guitar. The tune had played in that castle had come into his head and part of him desperately wanted to play it.
He was also very bored.
Being one of the few held back for the infiltration mission meant he had a lot of time on his hands. He had already looked over his gear three times and there was still nothing missing or out of place. He assumed the three Orientals would be tasked with procuring food from the markets, but the captain had not said much in that regard.
With nothing to do, he spent his time strumming an imagery guitar. Producing a melody that only he could hear. He tried playing something new, but without an actual guitar there was no way of knowing how it sounded.
He wondered if that was the last guitar behind the walls. He had not seen one since he was a kid. He was sure some rich noble from Mitras likely had one, but there was no way he could get his hands on it.
Kagami sighed and let his hands drop. He was running out of things to keep himself amused. He wondered how the other group was faring. Both the infiltrators and Levi's team. Knowing them, they were probably at each others throats.
"Lost in thought again?"
Kagami turned to see Kuroko walking toward him.
"Not this time. Just bored out of my mind," Kagami replied.
Kuroko chuckled and put a hand on his hip. "Can't do much about that."
Kagami shrugged in response.
"However, there is something I need you to do," Kuroko said.
Kagami rose an eyebrow.
"You haven't forgotten how to be a thief right?"
Kagami looked toward his captain with a confused expression.
"You want to do what?"
"People have looser lips while on the street. I'm sure for whatever Seijūrō is planning he needs help from merchants. It's up to you what you do when you're out there," Kuroko answered.
"Won't I stand out?"
Kuroko shrugged as he crossed his arms. "Then maybe you're not as good a street rat as I thought."
Kagami was not sure how to feel at being called a street rat again. He was never happy at being called that, but he was a street rat for much of his life.
"I'm probably rusty, but I'll manage."
Kuroko smiled. "Good." Kuroko turned away from Kagami but quickly stopped and turned around again. "And Satsuki will be going with you."
"WHAT?!"
Kagami shifted his gaze to the lieutenant. She appeared to not have any idea what he and Kuroko were talking about. She simply adjusted her clothes as he put a cloak over herself.
Kagami turned back to the captain, who had his monotone expression. Kagami sighed and ran a hand down his face. He would not be getting out of working with the lieutenant.
"She better not slow me down," Kagami said.
"Trust me, Kagami, you'll be slowing me down," Momoi said as she walked over.
Kagami did not respond and simply turned away. He had prepare his own equipment for the assignment. He glanced back quickly, wondering what Kuroko was going to be by being the only one left in the warehouse. He was wearing his own cloak, something he only just now noticed.
"I'm leaving you in charge tonight, Momoi. I should be back in the morning," Kuroko said.
Momoi nodded. "Just be safe."
Kuroko smiled. "Of course. No one can see me after all."
Kuroko threw his hood on. When Kagami blinked the captain had vanished. Kagami thought he had gotten used to seeing to him no longer disappearing, but he was wrong.
"Shall we?"
Kagami nodded. Inwardly he wondered if the lieutenant had the subtlety to be a thief. There was nothing that pointed that she lived in a similar manner as he once did. However, she did portray a sense of confidence as they walked out of the warehouse and into the alleyways of Stohess.
When it came to said alleyways, it felt significantly easier to move around compared to those of Shiganshina. Not because they were more spacious, but because MP patrols were lax. Even with everything Kagami had been told about the way Akashi ran his regiment, they still found ways to slack. Which meant that the two would not get information from the MP's that lazed about.
They decided on their first stop being the Stohess markets. It had been set up on a densely populated street which along with street stalls had storefronts selling their goods as well. Despite what had recently happened, the people were trying to find normalcy again. Kagami wondered if they ever did reclaim Shiganshina, would it look similar to what he was seeing. He shook his head to push that thought aside and focused on the task at hand.
"Might as well buy supplies while we're out, right?" Momoi asked.
Kagami turned to her. She was eyeing a stall that had vegetables for sale.
"We can't be seen. If we're made then it'll make the others have a harder time." Kagami shifted his gaze down the street where three MP's were lazily walking. "Plus, having heat on us would also not be ideal."
"I don't doubt your logic, but we don't have much," Momoi argued.
Kagami sighed and surveyed the market. He could still only see those three MP's and when it came to the stalls, none of the vendors appeared to be on high alert.
"Swipe as much as you can grab. Just try to keep your face hidden," Kagami said.
"And we can't just buy the supplies, because?"
"I'm trying to minimize the chances of us being noticed. It's as the captain said, we stand out," Kagami reasoned.
Momoi shrugged. "We'll agree to disagree. You do things your way, and I'll do them mine."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Steal all you like, I'll just buy things like a normal person," Momoi said with a smile.
The lieutenant turned away from and walked toward the stall she had been eyeing. Kagami watched as she struck up a casual conversation with the vendor. She subtly pulled her hood to keep the top half of her face out of the man's sight. She turned to Kagami and gestured for him to join her. Kagami rolled his eyes but complied.
"Anything that interests you?" She asked casually.
Kagami's eyes scanned the produce. It all looked relatively fresh. It was almost like what had recently transpired in Stohess had not affect.
Out of the corner of his eye, Kagami saw the small patrol of MP's beginning to walk down the street. Kagami pulled on his hood, as he did so, the sun began to peek from behind the clouds.
"Sun's out in full force now," the vendor said.
"You said it," Momoi replied. "I'm glad we came prepared but the heat is starting to get to me."
The vendor chuckled. "I noticed. Glad I had the forethought to set up the tarps."
As the MP's walked past, the sun disappeared behind clouds again. Kagami silently thanked the sun for making them look less suspicious.
"Made a choice, lads?" the vendor asked.
Momoi nodded. "Just potatoes and carrots. Keeping things simple tonight."
"Fair enough."
As the vendor rolled up the produce in paper, Kagami noticed another MP patrol. It was not the same group as before. He flicked his eyes back toward the vendor and noticed his gaze following the patrol as well.
"Are there more patrols than usual?" Kagami asked.
The vendor seemed caught off guard by question, as he dropped one of the potatoes.
"Quite perceptive," the vendor said. He glanced once again toward the patrol. "Normally, there's barely any patrol at this hour. Lately, it's been the opposite. More patrols and entering the district has become even more difficult."
"Any idea why?" Kagami asked.
The vendor shook his head. "None. Maybe someone from the merchant guild might know."
"Well, thank you for the vegetables and the information. You've been very kind," Momoi said. She turned to Kagami. "Let's go."
Kagami nodded and said a quick goodbye to the vendor.
The two continued to walk around the market. The would stop at stalls to get information in the guise of buying something. Something Kagami noticed was that the traveling merchants were all weary of the MP's in one way or another. The only information they could not get was the reason why. The natural assumption was that Akashi was somehow the reason, but without anything concrete it was still an assumption.
The walked back to the warehouse was quiet. The two Scouts kept their eyes darting around making sure they were not followed. Despite Kagami's misgivings about the cloaks, they managed to keep the attention off of them. Maybe Momoi's way had merit. By striking up conversations with the vendors kept the heat off of them.
When they arrived at the warehouse, the two made sure they were not followed and quickly shut the door. The two set down their purchases and took off their cloaks.
"What're we gonna do with all these vegetables?" Kagami asked as he grabbed a potato.
"Be better than those who treated you," Momoi replied.
Kagami turned to her with a surprised expression. She had said it so casually that it almost did not register in his mind.
Kagami chuckled. "What are you, a guardian angel?"
Momoi shook her head. "No, it's simply the right thing to do."
Kagami did not respond. He stared at the potato for a moment before setting back with the others.
"We didn't get much in the way of info," Kagami said as he sat again a large crate.
"I think we got a decent amount," Momoi countered.
Kagami rose an eyebrow. "What makes you say that?"
"Well, we know that getting into the district is difficult if even merchants are complaining. And they're weary of the MP's due to them actually doing their jobs."
Kagami crossed his arms. "But how does that add into what Seijūrō is planning."
"He clearly doesn't want certain people entering Stohess; likely Scouts. In order to minimize the amount of interlopers, he has been stricter about who enters and why."
Kagami pondered the lieutenant's words for a moment. He tried to piece everything together as best he could. He factored in what Kuroko had told them about Akashi's ideals along with all the new information.
"If he really is planning his own coup and using the Commander as a scapegoat, then he'll want as many people out of the loop as possible. Which is why he's keeping the entrance into the district tight, but just loose enough that everything still appears to be normal."
Momoi nodded in agreement. "I was thinking something similar. Now we just have to wait as to when he sets everything in motion. We know one obstacle, but what are the others?"
Kagami sighed. "I guess that's where out infiltrators come into play."
"Precisely."
Kagami ran through all the information in his head again. Akashi's plan was far too elaborate to be something he only recently came up with. Kagami figured that the man needed time to get everything set up and with recent events he had everything he needed to make everything look legitimate. Despite having only seen him, Kagami was afraid of what Akashi was capable of. The man felt leagues above him in capability. He had a plan that was likely years in the making. It almost made fighting titans look like something simple.
"Quite the foe we have."
—
The sun was already halfway down the horizon when Kuroko reached his destination. It was an open, grassy area in the small ring of the capital. The only part of the captial that was formally a part of the military, the burial ground for fallen soldiers. Kuroko hated calling it a graveyard. As he walked down its many aisles, he gave each grave a glance. Most bore the symbol of the Scout Regiment. It was the byproduct of their occupation. However, it still stung to see so many fallen.
As he reached another section he began to recognize names. Brave soldiers who had fallen while he was still alive. Each name slowing becoming attributed to a face. He also knew that more than half of the gravestones did not have a body buried beneath. If one was lucky, it was a single body part. Part of Kuroko hoped that whenever his time came someone could at least bury his body. It was a morbid thought, but with the fight that was coming, it was increasingly likely.
When he passed the most recent deceased, he took a moment to stop at his former squadmates' stones: Rachel, Jonathan, and Simon. The long shadows from the headstones seemed to morph in the early evening light. He muttered a silent apology. It was the only thing he could think of.
He sucked in a breath and looked up. Several graves down was someone he was not all that happy to see. Akashi stood over a grave, an unusually solemn expression was on his face. He wore the formal military uniform, the green coat with the MP logo etched on the back. Kuroko walked up and stood beside him. The two did not acknowledge each other and simply stared at the headstone of their friend: Ryota Kise.
It still burned that he had been killed. It hurt all the more in that it was his first mission as a Scout. Kuroko had always told himself he never bought into the idea they were unkillable, but at times he found himself wondering why he was still alive when so many veteran Scouts were among the deceased.
"I could arrest you right now, you know."
Akashi broke the silence with his usual cold tone. However, his eyes never left the headstone.
"Why's that?"
"You're violating your house arrest orders. All Scout activity had been frozen," Akashi replied.
"Are you?"
Akashi did not respond. He knelt down in front of the grave and set a vase over the grass. Something Kuroko had no idea he was holding. He took out three sticks, lit them, and placed them in the vase.
"What're you doing?"
"It's an old tradition from our homeland. I saw my father do it at my mother's funeral. It seemed appropriate to do it for Ryota as well," Akashi replied.
"Didn't know you cared enough."
Once again, Akashi was silent. He moved to kneel on both knees and clapped his hands. It almost looked like he was praying.
"Another tradition?" Kuroko asked.
Akashi nodded. Kuroko followed suit and did the same. It felt odd to do, he was never taught traditions from their homeland, but it felt right at the same time. Kuroko paid his respects, and stood up again.
"Are you finally ready to be by my side, Tetsuya?" Akashi asked as he stood up.
"If that means following along with whatever you have planned, then no."
Akashi smiled. "Still as rebellious as ever. That Erwin sure has made his ideals stick."
"He's the one who has made me reach this far."
Throughout their exchange, their gazes had yet to meet. Each kept their eyes firm on Kise's headstone.
"What would Ryota say to seeing us arguing like this?" Akashi said. There was a distant tone in his voice that Kuroko was not quite sure where it came from.
"Probably try to mitigate. He was always trying to stop us from arguing during our cadet years," Kuroko replied.
"That seems like a lifetime ago. Just like his death."
Kuroko sighed. "You're right. It's barely been a month. I'm already forgetting his voice."
"To think, one of humanity's miracles would meet such a fate. It doesn't bode well for the rest of us."
"It just means we are still just human," Kuroko said.
"Perhaps."
Akashi bowed toward Kise's grave and muttered something in the language only they spoke. He turned and did not spare Kuroko a glance.
"I hope you don't get in my way, Tetsuya. Only one person needs to fall, don't add yourself," Akashi said as he walked past his comrade.
This time, Kuroko did not respond. He could see Akashi slowly walk away out of the corner of his eye. He let out a breath and bowed toward Kise as well.
"Keep an eye out for me, will you? It's nice to know you have my back," Kuroko said. A sad smile came to his face as he turned away. He still had a mission to complete and he would complete it at any cost.
AN: And we're back! Sorry for taking so long. Hit a bit of a slump so my creativity took a dive. Plus, this chapter a bit of a challenge to write. I knew what I wanted to put in it, but found it difficult to put pen to paper. The ending of the chapter was something that was a relatively new addition as I wanted things to line up with canon events. Because of that, I had to rearrange some events that I had planned for this chapter. However, I think this chapter came out rather well regardless.
With that out of the way, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'll try to keep updates consistent, but life always has other plans. Stay tuned for the next one and if you're enjoying feel free to follow, favorite, and/or review.