A thin yellow line drew the horizon as if the stars were crashing in a distant land, with bubbles of light in permanent explosions that polluted the sky in a grayish glow. From the edge of the bow, Sasha felt it approaching as if flames were devouring the ocean to reach her. She looked down and only saw an unending black. Nothing told her she was the one moving. But Onyan did tell them that they were getting near the coast. After 14 days, they finally arrived.

The trip got way longer than she expected. Longer, and lonelier. She avoided getting out of her room as much as possible. It pained her having to push away Jean and Connie, but she didn't want them to know, and she knew that if they insisted, she would end up breaking down. Thankfully they didn't insist much when she lied by telling them she was sick. They were easily convinced by the symptoms she didn't need to fake. Many times she comforted herself by imagining that she just had a cold, that nothing had really happened. But the pain she felt with every cough, with every gulp, wasn't like any cold she ever had.

"Do you need me to repeat it for you again, you stupid. Fucking. Hick? Don't ever come near me. We are not friends." Mikasa told her.

Sasha had to hold her tears the whole feast after that. Even meat had turned bitter as if it had rotten in just a moment. But when she finally got to be alone, she couldn't cry. No matter how much she wanted to cry, how much her heart demanded her to drown her sorrow, not a single tear dropped. She waited the whole night without thinking, staring blankly at the dark. But there wasn't any relief to be found.

The next days weren't any better. Breathing got easier, she didn't cough as much, her throat stopped hurting, and even the bruises healed away. But there was always a numb feeling of horror that screamed from her guts. A feeling she couldn't let go. Because it was her fault, after all. She was a hick. A stupid fucking hick. She would end up losing Connie and Jean too.

Locked up in her room, many times she missed the firm ground. But as the ship got closer to the coast, she felt worse. Even with her crew at her side, with Connie and Jean along with her, she felt she was going to face a new world all alone, and that ruined any excitement she had for exploring what was beyond her home. Instead, she wanted to go back. She longed for a hug from dad, mom, and Kaya. They still loved her, she didn't lose them yet. She thought she shouldn't have ever left home.

A horn startled her. She looked to the side, and she found a much smaller wooden boat with a swollen sail and a small smoking pipe on its stern. There were people on the deck waving at them. She saw some children with an expression of amazement, looking up with their jaws dropped.

"Huge ship you got there! From Marley?" an old man with olive skin, a white beard, and an orange turban asked while grabbing a bronze candle lamp. He wore a very loosened white tunic that covered him down to his ankles. Sasha's eyes focused on the shine of the curved sword that hang on his red belt.

Onyan grabbed her shoulders and moved her to the side to reach the edge. "Good night good sir! You're right, it's from Marley, just like us."

"I've heard there are pirates hovering around the route your ship comes from. The waters aren't the safest because of the damn war, and your ship is the first I see from Marley this year. What brings you to Di-ni Vajrayi, sir? Not a very good time to do tourism."

Onyan thought for a couple of seconds, tensed by the question. "Work. Principally for work. And you, what're you doing so far from the coast? What are those kids doing here at these hours?"

"They're my grandsons, and, we were heading towards the eastern coast till we saw the ship. I'm sorry if I've bothered you, but the kids wanted to take a closer look. They have never seen a ship this big."

"Are you the captain?" a boy not older than Kaya asked full of enthusiasm. He wore the same as the old man, including a curved dagger more fitting for his size. There was another chubby kid at his side, who seemed timider and younger. He wore a striped tunic of white and blue, but no turban, and no blade.

Onyan seemed shocked by the question, but he ended up smiling. "You got it right little one. I'm Captain Stefano. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"How you got to be captain of this ship? It's huge! Someday I want to be captain of a ship like that too."

"Well, kid…" he said embarrassed. "I did so by behaving well and heeding my elders. So be sure to do the same."

Yelena chuckled behind them.

"Okay! I will!"

"Is it your first time at Di-ni Vajrayi, sir?" the old man asked Onyan. "If so, I warn you there's a lot of traffic ahead. Not many free ports because of the war. The best place to try to land would be near the tip of the peninsula, at Khasaviatnam."

"Thank you, good man! There is we'll be going then."

"No problem! I'll not bother you and your crew anymore. Himmat, Agam, say goodbye."

"Goodbye!" said the older one waving, who seemed to be the one named Himmat. But the younger and chubby kid didn't say anything, he just stared at Sasha.

"Why are you wearing that?" said the kid. "Are you a princess?"

"Eh!? No!"

'I'm a hick'

"You are very pretty. You look like a princess. Goodbye!"

Their wooden boat changed course to the right until the light of the lamp disappeared in the middle of the ocean. The words of that chubby kid cheered her up a little bit, but Jean and Connie's laughter rapidly screwed her up.

'They think I'm a hick too.'

It was true after all, Sasha couldn't blame them. She forced a smile, happy that at least they were having fun.

"I'm cold," she lied. "I'll wait in my room, call me when we arrive."

She turned around, glanced at Mikasa, and got away at a fast pace. Nobody interfered. She walked through the promenade deck, staring blankly at the floor. She wasn't thinking about anything, nor felt anything in particular. She gave another step, and then another, and then she stopped. She stayed still for a couple of seconds. She didn't know why. Suddenly she gasped in an abrupt cry as if something had punched her stomach, she crunched, covering her mouth with a trembling hand while tears flowed without end and she whimpered desperately.

"Sasha?" someone said behind her. "Are you alright?"

She got up and ran away without looking back, tears fleeing from her face. Once in her room, she shut the door and locked it. Her cheeks were still wet, but she had stopped crying. It had felt good, or at least, better. She would've liked to cry more. But she felt relieved that no one saw her do so. She didn't want Mikasa to get into trouble for her.

"We are not friends."

'She didn't mean it,' Sasha told herself. 'She never treated me badly, but I got too far that time, that's it. We can still be friends.'

It made no sense that their friendship broke in just a night. She brought up Armin, maybe it was because of that. She remembered how Mikasa cried at his funeral.

'I should've been more careful. She's right, I'm a stupid hick.'

Mikasa just needed time, Sasha concluded. And if anyone knew about what happened, that would only make things worse. She had to be happy, not sad. She had to be normal, or someone could suspect.

'C'mon Sash, don't be a crybaby'

Meat always made her happy, long before she joined the army and met anyone. Food always was her friend, since she was a child, and if she didn't want to feel alone or sad, she only had to eat. It was easy as that, she concluded.

A loud knock on the door made her jump, and she found herself crying again.

"Sasha?" a voice she didn't recognize asked from outside. "Are you there?"

"Who is it!?" She cried, unable of holding any tears or pretend a calm voice.

"I'm Nicolo, the cook. I saw you… and… Is everything alright?"

Sasha unlocked the door and opened it. She didn't care if he saw her crying, he was no one.

Once he saw her face, his expression fell into a saddened shock. "Wha… Why are you crying?"

She pointed a finger at his face while crying angrily. "You!" she yelled acutely. "Bring me meat! A huge rib steak grilled but not till dry! Make sure it has a good bone so I can grab it without any dish! No salt, no pepper, nothing! Do it fast or I'll make sure they kill you! I'll kill you myself if I need to!"

Nicolo was petrified, jaw dropped and eyes wide opened in shock.

Sasha punched his chest. "Goooo!" she shrieked.

"Y-yes, miss! Right away!"

Once he ran away, she shut the door, locked it, and sat on the mattress of the bed, crying under a deep frown. Her stomach growled.

Time passed so fast that it seemed like the cook arrived in just a minute. Once he knocked and called her, she violently opened the door. He carried a big greasy rib steak, grabbing it by the bone with a cloth. She took it away from him and took a bite. It was tender and easy to chew. She loved it.

"Is it good?" Nicolo asked, smiling sweetly.

Sasha looked up at him impassively, chewing and crying at the same time. She slammed the door in his face without answer. She sat on the bed and ate it slowly, rubbing her eyes and sniffling from time to time. She was enjoying it a lot, but she kept crying. It didn't hurt her, but it was uncomfortable while eating. She felt stupid just crying constantly as if a dam had raised and let a river of tears flow. Sasha was happy, not sad. And when she visualized herself, eating a rib steak while crying alone in her room dressed in a vanilla dress that made her look like a princess, she laughed at herself.

'I'm the hick princess' Sasha concluded while laughing and crying at the same time.

If Jean and Connie could see her, they would laugh too at how ridiculous she looked. Imagining that made her eager to meet them. So once she finished the steak, she dropped the bone to the floor and got outside. She didn't have any mascara that night, so she didn't worry they could notice she cried.

Once she got back to the bow and meet again with the rest, she saw Onyan talking to Hange.

"...Yelena and I made up a fake pirate boarding report before taking over," he said. "You know, pirates weren't a new thing, but the difference was that this ship didn't have any escort and wasn't prepared to defend itself or flee. It's just a tourist cruise, but Marley confiscated it when they couldn't rely on any other ship because of the war. And surely our Marleyan officers were excited to travel in first class instead of an austere military ship. Those bastards didn't know they gave us the best opportunity in years." He laughed.

"That's why you said we didn't need to stay to defend the island?" Erwin asked.

"Paradis' waters are infested with pirates," said Yelena. "And it's one of the favorites for contrabandists. We made some friends that taught us their routes. Or rather, Onyan made some friends. Whatever, the thing is that, before the war, it was already troubling, but now it's much worse. Marley wanted to mass deploy thousands of titans on your island to avoid you from reaching the port, but because of its navy's failures in the war, it had to be postponed till they just had this ship as a resource."

Afuom, the weird officer which Onyan called brother, opened his smirking mouth. " It looks like they're losing in the sea… and the pirates know for sure. Marley can't risk sending another ship, because they know that just like they lost this one, they'll lose the next. Until the war is over, I don't think we have to worry much about it."

"I agree," said the beardy Bekoe, who was another brother of the black people. "But we should hurry, commander Erwin Smith. Time is running out. The Caliphate alone can't win against Marley."

"What do you know about Al-Waheguru, captain?" he asked.

"Not much, but I've heard they are slavers. What I know for sure is that Marley is superior, and will end up winning if we don't intervene."

"Slavers…" Hange said worriedly. "Yelena, do you know something about their stance on Eldians?"

"Well, I'm pretty sure it's much better than in Marley. At least I haven't got any information about ghettos. I doubt there's any discrimination."

"Could there be free Eldians?" Eren asked.

"Maybe. But we can't risk searching, there is Marleyan presence in the state we're going. We'll be safer if we just pretend to be Marleyan tourists." she said giggling and smiling at the last part.

"I don't find it fucking funny," Levi said, glaring at her. "At all."

Yelena just shrugged, grinning.

"Doesn't it bother you that we have to pretend to be them?" Hange asked confused.

"No. I rather find it amusing that I have to be them to fuck them up."

Hange averted her gaze, uncomfortable. No one said anything else, they all just stared at the glowing horizon that was the coast. After a couple of seconds, Connie realized Sasha was back.

"Weren't you cold?" he asked.

"Eh… Yeah but I'm feeling better after I ate."

"What did you eat? I'm hungry too."

"A rib steak. Niccolo made me one."

Onyan turned around once he heard his name.

"Good to see you're already friends," he said smiling. "How is he?"

"Alive," Levi interrupted bluntly with his back to them. "And in one piece. So, he is much better than he deserves."

"I have to agree with that," Yelena added.

"Sasha," Levi called. "I know I'm not your superior anymore, you made it very clear to me, but do me a favor, and don't you dare be friends with him. Don't sell yourself for a piece of fucking meat. You have to be better than that."

"He's not my friend!" she refuted annoyed. "He just cooked for me…"

"Good. He'll be our slave if so, but not a fucking friend. Never, after what he did."

"He did nothing…" Onyan intervened. "The kid just…"

"Don't call him kid," Hange interrupted. "There were kids, he wasn't one. And… he looked the other way while they did that to them… That's a lot..."

Onyan opened his mouth, but he seemed to regret it and shut it down without saying anything else.

Hange had her back to them, but Sasha sensed how angry she was without looking at her face. She felt guilty for having spoken to Niccolo, even if it only was to demand him to bring her meat.

The Marleyans were very bad, and Niccolo was a Marleyan, so, he was bad too. The titans, and everything bad that happened to them, happened because of people like him. Sasha remembered how Kaya stared blankly at her own mother, who was slowly being eaten alive. If it wasn't because of Sasha, the little girl would've been eaten alive too. The idea made her stomach churn; especially after she had expended the free time she had after reconquering Shiganshina taking care of her. The girl barely spoke, she was always off. But with a lot of effort, she managed to bring a smile to her face from time to time, until finally, she became a happy child. Or at least, happier after what happened to her. Remembering that made her happier too. Kaya called her big sister sometimes, and even though Sasha was an only child, she felt it was true.

'No more silly whiny crap,' Sasha said to herself 'I can't be sad, I have to be happy… for her.'

She glanced at Mikasa. She wasn't saying anything, but she never spoke much, so she appeared as usual. But after what she did to her, her presence pierced her with intense pressure. She tried to push the memory down with all her strength, but it erupted. She remembered her firm grip, how she squeezed, and especially, how she looked at her. Her eyes told her the truth. It wasn't that she annoyed her, that she was angry at her; she wasn't angry. She just wanted to kill her. Her heart pumped as if it was going to come out of her throat.

'No… Don't be stupid… You're exaggerating… Everything will be better with time Sash, just relax… She didn't mean it… She didn't…'

Sasha approached the edge and looked at the horizon. She crossed her arms, shivering.

As the minutes went by and turned into almost an hour, the light from the coast slowly swallowed them. Once they were near enough, the ship steered to the right till it lined up with the shore. Everyone moved to the left side of the bow to gaze at the coastline. Sasha had to strain her eyes to recognize the moving dots. It was late, but she found people on the beach that lengthened beyond sight. It seemed to have no end until it did with a brown wall that marked the beginning of a harbor full of boats with its sail set on the mast.

She looked down and to the sides, and found countless vessels moving in the same direction as them. Some steered towards the port once they found a free space, but most kept accompanying them. Most of the hulls were made of light brown wood with the oval-shaped wheelhouse on the stern edge, bow, or middle painted in light blue, yellow, or plain white. But the squared-shaped ones were of a rusty metal that had their colors peeled by time and salt. Their ship was huge in comparison; the biggest one reached the main deck they were on only with its two chimneys, with its smoke impregnating the air with the dirty odor of burning coal. Sasha coughed because of the intense smell, and caressed her neck, feeling a tingling sensation where the bruises were.

She looked at the coast again and saw how inside a small bay the lights climbed the rocky hills of the mountains, declining as they reached the top. But they always filled the shore completely. She looked down at Connie, with the lights reflecting in his eyes, and saw he was hypnotized, mouth opened. She bent and hugged him with an arm around his shoulder, her cheek on his head while looking at the moving shore. She felt like crying again, but fortunately, she could hold her tears this time.

Time passed, and finally, their ship encountered a dock suitable for its size in an ocean liners terminal. The cruiser docked smoothly next to the large harbor, and Sasha saw the building on its edge. It was an elongated square, longer than the ship, with its two lower floors of clay brown, and the four above of red with stripes of yellow. Each window was separated horizontally by a square column that protruded from the wall and reached the top, crested with gilded battlements. At its corner closer to the edge of the harbor, stood a square tower twice the height, with a golden dome gleaming at its top. She looked up, her attention drawn by a waving cloth. The large flag hung from a pole in the center of the dome; it was a crimson square surrounded by yellow, with a smiling black lion holding a scale weighing a yellow bag in each.

"There's no one here," Hange said.

Sasha looked down at the harbor. It was true; the harbor was deserted and no light was visible inside the building. But a path of lampposts led toward the bustling city, which growled from a distance.

"Not to worry," said Onyan. "At least, for now. Tomorrow they'll demand docking fees from us, and I'm pretty sure it won't be cheap."

"Won't they demand any proof we are Marleyans?" Erwin asked. "Like, an identification of some sort?"

"Passports aren't needed here," Afuom answered. "We only need to pay, and for that, we need to exchange our denari bills for whatever their currency is."

"Di-nirhem I think they call it," Bekoe added. "We need to find a bank, but I doubt we will at night… Maybe we should wait."

"No," Erwin said. "We'll search now."

Bekoe opened his mouth, but Erwin turned around and walked away. He gave a confused look at Onyan, who answered shrugging. They all eventually followed Erwin through the promenade deck.

"Your majesty," Yelena spoke behind Sasha. "Before you disembark, there's some who would like to show their respects"

Historia sighed. "Didn't you already present me the soldiers from your group?"

"They aren't soldiers, and they aren't from my group."

They encountered Niccolo in the middle of the deck, which interrupted the conversation. He stood in Erwin's way, looking at him with a pleading expression, so they stopped. Niccolo opened his mouth, and before uttering any word, he glanced at Sasha.

"C-Commander Smith," he stuttered. "I would like to thank you again for sparing my life. I know… that what I did was wrong. I'm truly sorry and… If there's anything I can do… I…"

"Yes," Erwin interrupted bluntly. "You'll come with us."

"He will not," Levi said at his side. "He could rat us out to the first Marleyan we encounter."

"No!" cried Niccolo. "I promise! I don't agree with what Marley does to your people, I never did…. I know my hands are stained with blood just by looking the other way… I know every Marleyan is… But, please, let me do something to compensate. I want to help."

"As I said, you'll help us learn," Erwin spoke softly. "So, Niccolo, what do you think of our outfits? Do we look Marleyan to you?"

"Eh…" He glanced at Sasha again, with his mouth open. "Sure…" He smiled nervously.

"If you lie, you are of no use to me. Don't make me regret my decision."

"I… I'm sorry… I just…" He averted his gaze.

"Talk," Erwin said with a quiet voice that wasn't soft.

"Your outfits… they… they aren't fitting at all…" He glanced at Sasha once again. "You are going to attract a lot of attention dressing like that… Don't you have something less… weird?"

"Onyankopon told us they were good," Hange said to him angrily.

"Well, that's not exactly what I said…" Onyan added. "But, don't worry Nico, we'll look deranged enough to appear inoffensive."

"Fuck you Onyan," Yelena spoke behind them, making them turn. "And fuck you too, Niconi. I think we look great."

Afuom chuckled. "If by great you mean big, sure Yelena, you will be the tower that signals our arrival."

"Say that again and I'll shove a real tower up your ass you little shit."

Afuom smirked, looking up at her impassively.

Bekoe cleared his throat. "Take it easy, woman. He's right, maybe you should stay on the ship."

"Ha ha! Me? And, not you, bear?"

Bekoe glared at her.

Sasha thought that he indeed looked like a big bear, like the ones she once hunted with his father. His curly mane fell below his shoulders and his curly beard almost reached his protuberant belly. Even his forearms and knuckles were covered with thick and long hairs.

"Please…" Onyan said tiredly. "I decided to leave Alemayehu behind for this to not happen."

"You were the one that started by saying that I looked deranged. But whatever," Yelena looked down at Historia. "as I was saying, my Queen, I need you to see them."

"But… who do you mean by them?" she asked, confused.

Yelena pointed forward. "Them."

Sasha turned and looked. The whole passage was filled with men approaching. They were a mass of different shades of gray, wearing flat caps, striped coveralls over a loose shirt, and a gray armband with a white star on their left arm. Soot and sweat stains spread across their suits and covered their faces, bringing out the whites of their eyes and the different colors of the tissues around their necks. Once they were close, the old man with a gray mustache that led them halted their march by raising his hand as a signal. Yelena took Historia by the hand to join him.

"Is it her?" said the leader once he looked at Historia.

Yelena nodded. He bent his knee and uncovered his receding hairline by pulling his cap to his chest. Less than a second later, everyone behind him came down like a wave, clutching their caps to their chests, their eyes fixed on Historia.

"I apologize for our filth, my Queen… but unworthy though we may be, as chief engineer and stoker foreman, I formally pledge allegiance to you on behalf of all Eldian engineers and stokers. As this ship is yours, so are we."

Historia looked behind her shoulder at his friends, her mouth and eyes wide with anguish.

"Historia," Yelena called. "These men joined us once we took the ship, but they were very busy keeping the engines running on the lower decks. That's why you didn't see them before."

"They were there the whole trip…?" she asked shocked. "I could've visited them…"

"No, your Majesty, the boiling and engines room isn't a place for someone of your lineage," the foreman said.

"I'm no one… you didn't deserve to be working down there while I had fun above."

"You're a Fritz, It's an honor for us to serve you."

"A Fritz?"

"Yelena told us your family changed their surnames… But, Marley taught us that Eldia's royal family was the Fritz. They lie about almost everything, but we know that is true."

'So… Her real name is Historia Fritz?' Sasha still had to bite her tongue when she was about to call her Krista. 'Jeez, how many more times is she going to change names?'

Eren stepped to Historia's side. "What's your name?" he asked the old man.

"Walter Kohler. I was born in the ghetto of Luceria."

"Don't you have a family there?"

"I do. My old mother, my wife, my three sons, a daughter, and my seven grandchildren. All of them probably think I'm dead. All members of my crew have families, and the most likely is that they think the same about them."

"Wouldn't you like to go back to them… and show them that you're alive and well?" Historia asked.

Walter looked down in silence for a couple of seconds. He smiled fondly.

"Yes, we would, but…" He looked back at Historia. "We were forced to work under the Marleyans for many years... Not only in this ship, but in others as well. They all transported our people to Paradis. We knew what they were doing to them, and every time we returned to see our families, we knew they could be next... Marley taught us we are devils, and that we deserved it, but we knew from the beginning that they were lying. However… they also taught us that you abandoned us, and we believed them… until the day Yelena freed us. For once, our sweat and pain meant something; with them we could free our families too. As much as we miss them… as much as we would like to comfort them by being at their side… We want to give them much more."

Every man behind him nodded in agreement, smiling and looking at them wistfully.

"I promise all of you I'll do whatever it takes and that I'll not find any peace until your families are free," Eren told them.

"You may stand up comrades," Historia said. "Thank you all for bringing us here. Now, please, rest and take care while we're out."

Walter stood up and everyone behind him followed. "As you wish, Queen Historia." He put on his cap. "Good luck."

Historia led the group through the hundred men that stepped aside for them with reverence, and once she was close Sasha could smell their burnt sweat mixed with the charcoal that permeated them.

'Poor people.' They gazed at her full of hope, and that made her feel guilty without knowing why.

Once they left their new comrades behind, they walked in silence. A metal gangway was lined from the ship to the harbor that allowed them to disembark. Sasha looked up at the huge building as she descended the stairway while sliding her hand along the railing. Her heart beat as if it was a small moribund animal that was trapped inside her stomach. The first step on the land of the new world wasn't the hardest; approaching the roaring city to meet the people that dwelled there was the worse. The lampposts above projected their shadows away from them while they walked on the stone harbor.

Sasha always disliked crowds, and had never seen a bigger one. A rainbow of people strolled along the city's waterfront and harbor. The men's clothing was a variety of long, loose silk tunics with symmetrical geometry and colorful embroidery from all animal kingdoms. They mostly wore turbants of different sizes or skullcaps of white and black. Almost all of them had bright beards, most charcoal black but some had them dyed in many outlandish ways. The few women Sasha saw were more modest in their dress; all wore a veil and a long scarf of fine cotton in uniform colors. Their robes were so long that they dragged them along the ground around them, causing the men that accompanied them to keep their distance. Some women even covered their mouths and nose with a transparent veil or even all of their faces, but even with it, they glanced at Sasha. Even the men stared as they passed by her, but their look was much more judgemental. Some stopped in front of her, but then looked at Jean and continued on their way. It was very weird.

They walked through the mass of people and immersed themselves in the cloying aroma of musk, myrrh, and vanilla that mingled with the cool sea breeze of the night. As people walked past them, their dark brown eyes stared at them unabashedly, and their brown faces expressed a trace of disgust and disapproval. Sasha looked at Niccolo's back and thought about what he said about their disguises being weird. Maybe he was right, and that's why they were looking at them like that. But the men and women of that new world didn't seem to judge their male comrades as much. Their glares were mostly on Sasha, Mikasa, Hange, and Yelena. She couldn't figure out why, and that unnerved her much more.

Sasha tried to distract herself by looking at the buildings beside her. Its first floor was of white ceramic with each entrance having multifoil arches on very thin cyan columns, and above, it rose very high, each floor smaller and smaller until it formed a pyramidal structure the color of cream and bone with a golden dome and a spike at the top. There were different marble animal sculptures on each floor, some of which Sasha did not know the name of. Each window had a multifoil arch with thin columns of golden on its balcony; they glittered with the lights coming from inside. Most contingent buildings were very close, and were mostly the same, with different arches, colors, and shapes. Sasha saw one that looked like a mural painted with hundreds of symmetrical figures in all shades of blue that made her feel dizzy.

Sasha averted her gaze to the sea. The port was full of the same boats she saw when she traveled on the ship, tied to their wooden docks and with their sails lowered. But as they advanced, the harbor ended and a large beach began to unfold.

Her attention was drawn to the huge scimitar with a golden crescent pommel that a brawny man casually carried on his shoulder. He wore a black tunic with a white cape and a red cup-shaped hat. His companion wore the same but had two long sables cross sheathed on his back. They gave them a suspicious look and approached them. Sasha's heart was about to pop out. One stopped in front of them, but the companion with the scimitar said something to him as he smiled mischievously and made him follow him in another direction.

Sasha never felt so out of place in her entire life.

"Where are we going?" she asked out loud amidst the buzz.

No one answered her. She looked up at Jean at her side; he was tense. She grabbed him by a sweaty hand, and he glanced at her.

"What are you doing?" he muttered.

Sasha didn't answer. She was beginning to feel overwhelmed by the stares and the constant touch of the passing crowd. At home, when she was just a child, the first time she walked into a city with her father for some reason she couldn't remember, she cried so hard that people laughed at her. This was just the seafront, and it seemed to be much more populated than any city within the Walls, but she wasn't going to cry; she wasn't a child anymore. She looked up and saw hundreds of light bulbs on wires replacing the stars in the sky. The cables were above them, tied into lampposts on each side of the walkway. She looked down at Connie, who was mesmerized by them. Sasha grabbed his hand as well.

"Sarah," Connie called her by the fake name they had chosen for their personas.

"Mmm?"

"Am I dreaming? I don't think I'm smart enough to imagine all of this, but it feels like it."

"Eh… Don't know."

"The three of us holding hands while some foreigners stare at us as if we were clowns. I feel trapped in one of your dreams too, Cornelius." Jean muttered without taking his eyes off the passing crowd.

"Now I know I'm not dreaming, Jack. I would never dream about you."

"Thanks for clarifying, Cornelius . I thought I was trapped in your mind… The dirty mind of the crazy Corneliuuus ."

"Don't say it like that, you'll spoil it."

"It's already spoiled; it sounds like the name of a deranged cat."

"And what about Jack? It sounds like a choke."

"Can you two shut the fuck up?" Levi said glaring over his shoulder. "We are making a total joke of ourselves." He looked up at Erwin. "Let's get out of here. Now."

"Let's stop there," said Onyan, pointing to the white wicker chairs and tables on an empty terrace in front of a bar.

They emerged from the moving crowd and sat down. Sasha felt relieved, the knot in her stomach released and it growled. Onyan heard it.

"I'm hungry too. We could have dinner while we ask for directions to a bank"

"And how are we going to pay?" asked Bekoe.

"They'll understand," Afuom answered. "I'm sure we aren't the first Marleyans who paid with denari, they can exchange it themselves."

"And what if they don't accept?"

Afuom smirked widely. "You could be a great dishwasher."

Bekoe grunted. "That's for women. Besides, I'm too strong, I would break them. Niccolo fits better for that task." His yellow teeth drew a smile under the clump of black hair that was his beard.

"If there's something I can do to help, I will," Niccolo said to him, ignoring the insult.

"Of course you will," Levi said while glaring at him, which made Niccolo look down in fear.

Sasha felt pity for him; she had been scared of captain Levi before too. But Niccolo was a Marleyan, and she reminded herself that she deserved it. Yet she remembered the tasty rib steak he made for her, and she wished him to make her another one, even if he was a Marleyan.

Sasha glanced at Mikasa as a reflex, because she was sitting on the other side of the table, in front of her. She suddenly felt as if someone squeezed her stomach; she was so distracted by everything around her that she had forgotten what had happened.

A fat man with a large golden mustache appeared. He wore a black vest over a white shirt along with black pants.

"Marleyans?" he asked with a deadpan expression.

"Yes. Do you have meat?" Sasha asked urgently; she needed to get rid of that awful feeling.

"Only lamb, chicken, and beef. Do you want any of our special dishes? I can bring you the menu to check them."

"No, give me all three, just grilled."

"Anything else?" He looked at the rest.

"E-eh…" Hange stammered. "I just want a beer, thanks."

The waiter smacked his lips with disgust. "We don't sell alcohol."

"I'm sorry, it's our first time in Al-Waheguru."

"Al-Vaa Jaraa," the man corrected angrily.

"Oh… I… I thought that…"

"What are you going to order, gentlemen?" He ignored Hange and looked at Erwin, who was sitting at her side.

"A dinner menu for twelve. What drinks do you recommend?"

"A juice of dates and plums with black tea, milk, cinnamon, and nutmegs."

"What are dates?" Connie asked, but was ignored.

"If that's what you recommend, we trust you," Onyan said.

The waiter repeated the order to make sure he got it right and turned around to the bar. It was a three-floor wooden pyramid with diamond-shaped windows and a bronze dome on top. Two red globes were hanging on each side of the cerulean door with geometric marquetry. When the waiter opened it, a breeze of smoke came out. It smelled very sweet, like burnt fruits.

"Shouldn't have we asked if they accepted denari bills first?" Bekoe asked.

But it was too late. The drinks were already being served, along with the first dishes. They were a thick and oily mutton broth with onion, potatoes, and stewed lemon. Sasha instead got her grilled meat just ten minutes later, and she devoured it with bare hands.

"How is it that you don't get fat?" Niccolo asked smiling.

"Well," She chewed and gulped, "my dad said there's an endless pit in my belly."

"So you don't shit?" Bekoe grunted and chuckled.

"Fuck me, we are eating!" Onyan reprimanded.

"I do shit!" Sasha answered very offendedly.

Jean and Connie giggled.

"The prettier the lady, the bigger the turds she throws my dear Niconi," Yelena said. "Remember that before trying to get too close to her, or I'll make sure that's the only thing you cook and eat."

"I… I'm sorry…" Niccolo glanced at Sasha and looked down, embarrassed.

"Niccolo," Erwin called. "What do you know about this country?"

"E-eh… Not much…"

"Fucking useless," Levi uttered glaring at him.

Sasha didn't remember Captain Levi so angry at someone. He always looked pissed off but, he was worse.

"I'm sorry…" Niccolo whispered.

"Don't worry," Erwin said softly. "We need you. If there's anything you think may help us, please, tell us."

"I'm just a cook… I don't know much. I had a friend that specialized in their dishes, but that's it."

"Do you think they may ally us?"

"I don't know why they wouldn't… They are at war with Marley so, I guess they should. I don't know."

"And how would you feel if we do ally, and Marley loses? Many would call you a traitor."

Niccolo stared at him, his eyes wide with surprise.

"You say you're just a cook but, you are a Marleyan too. Wouldn't you feel any guilt if you contribute to the demise of your nation? Don't you think that you should protect your own people?"

Niccolo averted his gaze and stayed silent for a couple of seconds. Everyone looked at him expectantly.

"My people…" He looked at Erwin. "My people are those I care about. Those who are close to me. Marley always talks about the nation, all for the nation. It's just an excuse to use us in their interests. I don't care if Marley falls. I don't have a people or a nation. I… I just don't agree with all of that."

"I don't know how you do it Niconi," Yelena said smiling bitterly. "but you always find a way to disgust me even more."

"It's fine," Erwin told her. "I prefer this. So, Niccolo," He looked back at him "Who are those you care about?"

"My mother and my sister. I really don't have anyone else."

"I see. We don't intend to hurt people like your mother and sister, even if they may hate us."

"My mother and sister don't hate you. They don't agree either with that Marley does."

"Okay, good. But, anyway, even if there are civilians that do hate us and agree with all of it, I don't blame them, that's what they have been taught just like we were taught many things. We only want to protect ourselves, do you understand?"

"Yes, of course. You don't have to convince me, I will help, I promise,"

"Maybe you can't help us. You are just a cook. That's why I'm telling you now that you can go back to your mother and sister. You can leave."

Levi and Hange glared at Erwin.

Niccolo had his jaw dropped "Really?"

"Yes, we won't stop you. You're free. But what I want to ask you now is to be with us, willingly. If you don't really agree with what Marley does, then help us stop it. We need every aid we can get, you know we do. So, can you be more than a cook? Can I have your loyalty?"

Niccolo averted his gaze and stared blankly at the table. He stayed petrified for a long time, but then he glanced at Sasha. Even if briefly, she could see how worried he was. He seemed worried for her.

"I'll stay," He looked at Erwin. "You have my loyalty."

"Good to know," The commander smiled. "Welcome to the survey corps then."

Levi was about to talk, but the waiter appeared, and he demanded payment for what they had eaten.

"Do you accept denari?" Onyan asked.

"No. Only di-nirhem."

"Eh… I'm sorry sir but… We just arrived and we didn't have time to exchange our money. Do you know of any bank?"

"There are no banks open at this hour."

"Well… Then…"

"What are you going to pay?" he asked angrily.

"Sorry but we don't have…"

"No no no no," he interrupted. "I've said, what are you going to pay?"

"We can wait when tomorrow banks are open and-"

"No, you will pay now, or I'll report this. Do you Marleyans think you can eat for free? I'll ask one more time," The big man leaned his hands on the table, looking at Onyan enraged. "What are you going to pay!?"

"Hey," Levi called the fat waiter. "What about this?" He grabbed a golden coin by the thumb and the index.

"What is that?" the waiter asked.

"Are you blind? Gold." Levi placed a heavy bag of coins on the table. "It isn't much but, we have more if you need to."

"No fucking way! Did you have gold this whole time!?" Onyan cried.

"We don't have much," Hange added. "That bag is only one kilo… Not even a whole loaf of bread."

"What the fuck are you talking about!?"

"I don't buy it, that's fake," the waiter said, crossing his muscular arms.

"Fake?" Levi asked annoyed. "Here, take it." He gave it to the waiter. "It's all yours, a miserable tip. You can bite it and check it for yourself. It isn't iron, we aren't that lowly."

The fat waiter bit the coin, scratched it, and even tapped it with the table. Sasha never saw a man become so happy so suddenly.

"Thank you so much, kind sirs!" he said, with his golden mustache glowing as much as his eyes.

He turned around and got back into the bar.

"Hey! You're forgetting the rest!" Levi called, but the waiter didn't come back.

"My friends!" Onyan called them full of enthusiasm. "Oh my dearest, my beloved! Did I ever tell you how much I love you?"

"What?" Levi asked with a dull tone.

"It seems that the story about the treasure of King Karl is true…" Afuom said while rubbing his chin.

"And I thought it was a pirate legend! Holy fucking shit! You'll see when we tell our brothers, Afuom. Whores for everyone!" Bekoe roared.

"Poor ladies… I bet they never thought they would fuck a greasy bear." Yelena sighed. "Well, at least they'll be well paid by such an act of bestiality." She chuckled.

"Yeah, I am a beast! They'll see that I am when they look at what I've got down there!"

"Shut your dirty mouth," Levi said glaring at him. "I don't allow whores."

"What!? What kind of a sourpuss are you? Don't you know they need to work too?"

Levi didn't answer, he only glared at him intensely.

"I don't understand what is going on," Eren said out loud.

"Me neither," Historia added.

"Onyankopon," Erwin called. "Explain yourself."

Onyan smiled widely and got up. "Oh, my friend!

Sasha looked at him expectantly along with her friends.

"We are rich!"