Disclaimer: I do not own Gate: Jieitai Kano Chi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri while Shingeki no Kyojin is the property of Hajime Isayama, I only own the OCs I create and finally, I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank You.

"Hi!"=Yelling/Title

"Hi"= Speaking

'Hi'=Thinking

"Hi" = Flashback

'Hi'= Flashback thinking

Hi=Intro

"Hi!"= Flashback Yelling

Author's Note: Hello everybody sorry for the delay. I just wanted to let you all know that I intend to publish at least one chapter every month from now on, and trust the chapters will soon be getting longer. I hope that by doing this I can prevent the story line of the fic from getting all messed up due to rushed updates.

Thank you for electing to read this newest chapter and I hope you all enjoy.

Sincerely,

JackieRobinson

Chapter 14

June 3rd 15:40 hrs., AOT Universe, Coalition Headquarters, Ehrmich District

What do you think is the most devastating part of a sudden military attack? The battle itself? The organizing of the defense? The directing of reenforcements to any necessary areas that require support? Evacuating the civilians from the area under attack to prevent them from being injured? While all of these answers are true, and the last one extremely close to the mark they not the most devastating ones.

By most modern military standards the recent engagment, which Dreyfus had heard some of the corespondences in the headquarters were referring to as the "Battle of Trost", was a complete success. All of the ground which had been temporarily lost was now back in the hands of the Coalition and Garrison Forces as the majority of the the remaining titans were either caught in small pockets or trapped in an area against the wall. The overwhelming majority of titans who had made their way into the district had now been eliminated, the many carcases that were spread across the district serving as a testament to the success.

And as General Dreyfus looked at the scale of not only the attack, one would hope that he would feel a certain amount pride in the planning of his staff and the bravery of his soldiers. But as he once again slowly read the earliest estimates for not just casualties to forces but also damage done to the local area, one would be proven wrong. No, for Dreyfus looked at the large map in front of him there was one question that he couldn't help but think one critical thing. How were these people going to rebuild? The question was not based on a place from personal involvement or military strategy, but rather simply empathy.

The current statistics read as followed. An estimated 300 soldiers had died with the break down consisting of 23 Coalition soldiers, 69 Eldian Legionnaires, with the rest of the casualties with the other 208 reported casualties coming from the combined Eldian Garrison and Recruits units who had joined the battle. Of course, one didn't have to be well versed in the areas of military tactics to notice that based on the sheer scale of the battle these numbers were far too low to be taken seriously. In fact many of the higher officers placed the figures to be higher, especially amongst the Eldians who'd been deployed to aid the Coalition soldeirs and Legionnaires in the fight.

"Sir, Sir" Dreyfus heard a voice faintly call, prompting him to pull the last cigarette he'd been given out of his mouth and let out a long, drawn out breath.

"You have a visitor"

"Is it Commander Pixis?" Dreyfus asked before placing the cigarette back into his mouth.

"Unfortunately no, the Commander is still our inspecting the damage and looking for that rogue titan-".

"Then I would greatly appreciate it if you would tell our guest that now is not the best time for a personal confrence, perhaps tomorrow or the day after would be far better" Dreyfus stated in a grunt that betrayed how weary he was.

"But sir, the young man is that a Commander of the Survey Corps you were set to hava meeting with this afternoon" the voice stated, causing Dreyfus to indeed remember planning the meeting. With the event being part of the collaboration attempts that his superiors had been trying to organize to lessen the demands and subsequent strains placed on Coalition resources.

'Some man with a German name Egon Sitz, Eduard Schmidt, somethign along those lines' Dreyfus thought, now regreting the fact that of all European languages he'd gained semi-fluency in German was not one of them. Of course given where the attaché he'd been assigned to in French Guiana, Italy, Belgium, and England his fluency in the other languages made sense. Removing the cigarette from his mouth for one last time Dreyfus proceed to eye it silently for a few seconds before dropping it to the ground before stamping on it.

"Alright, show him in" Dreyfus ordered, prompting him to fix his uniform as he heard the sounds of foot steps before turning around to see a moderately tall man with blond hair and blue eyes in front of him.

"So nice to see you Commander" Dreyfus stated as the man entered the room, greeting him with the odd salute that the native Eldians used as a form of respect. Clenching both of their hands into fists before bending their elbows and placing the clenched fists over what looked to be where their hearts were, or at least where the Eldians thought their hearts were. An act which Dreyfus responded to by performing the traditional French salute with his palm facing towards the man.

"Like wise General Dreyfus" the man responded, the accent that most of the Eldians seemed to have not being detectable in a single word the man said.

"Please do sit down" Dreyfus stated, extending an arm towards the nearby chair that had earlier been occupied by Pixis. A furniture piece taken directly from the castle's main parlor, where Dreyfus assumed its aristocratic overseer received his guests, making it a tad too soft and seemingly spineless for Dreyfus' liking.

'Just like most of the leadership here' he thought.

"Thank you" the man answered before going and taking a seat.

"Now Commander, if you would be so kind-" Dreyfus began, only to have the man raise his arm suddenly stated.

"General Dreyfus, I know that the request I am going to make is possibly indecent and no doubt highly irregular, but I simply wish to learn of the situation at hand and more importantly what my men can due to aid in the counter attack". A declaration that caught the General somewhat off guard, even if Dreyfus did not show it.

"Very well then Commander...Commander" Dreyfus began, pausing several times to buy himself time before openly admitting.

"I'm sorry Commander, but given the hectic nature of the events which occured but a few hours ago I seem to have lost track of your name".

"It's quiet alright General, had it not been for the aid of my subordinates I would surely be in the same position as you" the man answered, before stating in a firm tone.

"My name is Smith, Commander Erwin Smith"

June 3rd 14:39 hrs., AOT Universe, A House, Trost District

The air was thick with dust, dust which made gave the air a stale smell and caused the eyes to begin to burn. Or at least that's what young Josip Medved thought as he raised his hands from his sides and rubbed his eyes for what felt like the third time in the last hour. Before returning them to their previous place at his sides, once again giving them the duty of seperating the rubbel that was ever encroaching on either side of him. Or at least it felt as though they were, his arms had made it seem like they'd been doing so for over the past hour.

It had been an ordinary afternoon, with Josip having been by his mother to return home from the street where he was playing to his friends. Much to his irritation at the time. He could remember the conversation that they'd been having at the time with each one of them discussing, or in the case of one of the boys named Isaak openly bragging, about their trades. Or more specifically the trade that their fathers were going to train them in. A conversation that Josip had been more interested in listening to than participating in.

His parents had been farmers from the Shinganshina district who'd lost everything during the first Colossal Titan attack ten years ago, forcing them to relocate to one of the many refugee camps. Remaining there until his father had gathered enough money to buy them a small house, or as his friends called it a "shack", just in time for his mother to give birth to him. It was upon stepping through the front door of this house that Josip first heard it. The sound of something moving through the air at a great speed, causing a faint whizzing sound, prompting him to turn and begin to ask.

"Mommy what's tha-" seconds before something slammed into the top of the door frame. The force catapulting him backwards several feet as he heard the sound of the house creeking and then silence. A little while later he came to, and found himself in a situation similar to where he was now.

"Mom, mom where are you?" he'd called, turning his head to look around the small space he found himself in, before a small beam of light caught his eye. Believing it to be the way out Josip had begun the meticulous process of inching his way towards the hole, wincing as he felt his legs scrap against the occaisional piece of splintered wood. Only to find that the hole was far too small for him to fit through and that there wasn't enough time for him to turn around and go back. So instead, he proceeded to roll over onto his back.

"Mother, mother" he called again and again as he looked back into the inky darkness that lay behind him. Only to be meet with silence each time he did so, motivating him to begin shifting the rubbel around him so that he could turn around and return to the remains of the house. Or at least he was, until several pieces of rubbes suddenly moved and fell onto his arm, cutting it and promtping him to roll onto his stomach to protect his face. Causing him to once again begin facing the whole and see something move across it.

"Daddy, help, I think mama is-" he began only to fall dead silent as it was only a short time later that he heard the sound of the ground thumping and shaking, and heard the shouts coming from outside. At first they seemed organized, the sound of people trying to coordinate efforts to clear away the rubbel to find survivors. But then the loud thumping came, a sound that seemd to shake the very ground beneath him and the shouts became slightly pannicked and then turned to full on screams.

Awful screams, terrifying screams, screams that made Josip's blood curl and prompted him to place his hands over his ears in an attempt to stop hearing the screams. The screams that always seemed to end suddenly, violently, never on their own, never in the natural manner that even seven year old Josip knew that they should. Screams that made him shut his eyes in fear. Then there was the smell, the foul stench that assaulted his nose, first from the whole in front of him and then from the black abyss behind him.

A smell that suddenly made Josip feel very alone. Maybe it was because the stench made him burry his nose in the rubbel under him, preventing him fom seeing the outside world. But it was most likely because when that failed he covered his nose with his hands, allowing him to hear the silence around him.

"Mommy, mommy" Josip had whimered as he felt tears flowing from his eyes, wiping them with his hands before adding.

"Mommy, if you say something I pro-pro-promise I-I'll be good"

Since then Josip had not heard anything, it was as thought he world had abandoned him and he was on a small island. An island with no food or water, where he would starve, would bleed, would be thirst in complete silence. An island completely forgotten by the world, maybe even an island where he would die.

Or at least he had until he heard another foreign sound reached his ears, an angry sound that had an ebb and flow to it. An unnatural ebb, far harsher than of any animal that he'd heard in his life far, a sound that made the young boy once again tremble in fear. Was it the titans? Had they come back? He'd heard stories on how smart some of them could be, that they could dig, that they could hear even the softest breathing, smell the faintest of fear. Could they smell him/ could they hear him? Is that why they'd come back to get him?

Josip felt his heart move to his throat as he heard first the sound of having breathing above him, covering his mouth to prevent his breath from betraying him. Hoping that in doing so, the titan might lose track of him and then lose interest allowing him to remain hidden until night. His father had told him that titans didn't come out at night. Maybe he could dig his way out and run to saftey is he lasted until then.

However, Josip's hopes and train of thought were suddenly derailed as he heard the faint sound of scratching above him and as the first bits of sunlight peaked through the hole the thing on the other side was making it took all the little boy's effort not to scream.

June 3rd 14:40 hrs., AOT Universe, Destroyed Neighborhood, Trost District

There are many words that can describe the inside of a French VBCI, espcially one filled to its maximum capacity, and one gurantee was that none of them would be comfortable. Of coourse, no one would say for a second that any military vehicle was designed with the comfort of its occupants being a main feature requested of the manufacturer. Their saftey, yes, but their comfort, not as much.

However, something that most certainly didn't do the vehicle any favors was the smell and sounds that would be generated when a VBCI was filled up with wounded soldiers rather tha healthy ones. A reality that Jean Kirstein found himself in as he found himself once again being jostled around as the VBCI firmly shook for what felt was the fourteenth time since the vehicle has started from the headquarters. Causing him to become annoyed as the vehicle shook once again, even if it was most likely only the fifth time it did so.

"S-something wrong Jean" Connie asked causing Jean to proceed to rapidly turn towards his fellow legionnaire, the prospect of a distraction from his current irritation being more than welcome.

"No, just sick of this-" Jean began, only for the VBCI to roll over another divet or crater in the road causing them to go down briefly before suddenly popping up, causing Jean to instinctively grab his helmet.

"-road"

"I k-know it's m-more than a handful" Connie answered, causing Jean's attention to change from the road to his winded friend.

"Are you okay Connie?"

"Right as r-rain" his friend, replied before leaning against the interior wall behind his seat, attempting to take even breaths as he did so. Connie's condition had significantly improved since when they initially been piled into the vehicle, he'd gone from barely being able to breath for more than a minute without any needed breathing assistance to over five minutes. Luckily neither Jean nor his fellow squadmates had been forced to intervene for at least a quarter of an hour, but that didn't mean that wasn't at all concerned about a possible relapse.

But, and Jean truly did hate to admit this, Connie's condition had possibly allowed him an escape from the other sounds that permiated the VBCI. Well they were sounds, if you could honestly call them that. In all honesty it was better to call the cacophony of misery that was to his left just one big sound rathan having to diagnose each indeividual groan, cry, scream, and whimper as well as the injury that caused it.

"Yeah, right as an icy winter rain in August" Jena heard Ymir murmer, causing him to lean out and buck up courage to give her an honest resumé of his thoguths. Or at least he would have.

"Hey you seeing this?" the assistant driver stated as Jean felt the vehicle slowed to a halt, causing one of the medics to move towards the front of the vehicle while the drive could only mutter a singlew word of.

"Yeah"

"Hey, what's the hold up we've got wounded here" the medic asked as he reached the front of the vehicle, prompting the diver to point to the right and the medic to look that way before muttering.

"Shit"

"Didn't know that's what they looked like up close" the driver stated before his assistant pulled out a map.

"Are you sure we're in the right place?"

"Yeah, absolutely" the assistant answered before looking up from the map and glancing around.

"Well then let's move on slowly and hope it doesn't notice us" the driver stated before the vehicle began to move only for it to stop once again.

"Damn those tiny things" the driver muttered as the assistant lowered his window and shouted.

"Hey what's the big idea? We got wounded here!"

"Leclerc recalculate our route" the driver stated before glancing back to the medic and adding.

"Better strap down everyone that moves doc" sending the medic scurrying to the back of the VBCI as the driver turned in the direction that the assistant had been driving. Moving them forwards for a few more minutes before they came to another stop and the assistant rolled down his window again and was rudely greeted.

"What are you 'lot doing here?"

"Moving the wounded, what are you doing here" the assistant added jerking his thumb towards the back of the vehicle as he did so.

"Fall in then, we need all the vehicles we can to form a perimeter to block in a titan" the man on the outside stated, causing the assistant to raise his head and mutter something before they continued on before stopping again.

"Alright, short stop open up the back" the medic state as the door went down. Giving Ymir, Armin, and Jean a well deserved bit of sunlight and excuse to leave the vehicle. Causing them to be greeted by the sight of numerous soldiers running past them, with Armin unable to prevent himself from grabbing one of them.

"What's going on?"

"We've managed to corner the Rogue Titan and it seems one of the cadets has gone out to meet it" the man replied, before tearing his army from Armin's grasp and causing Armin to attempt to peer through the small semi circle of vehicles.

"You'll never get a good look from there" Armin heard Ymir mutter before the distinct sound of boots on metal caused him to look and see her climbing the VBCI.

"Come on"

Turning to Jean and shrugging Armin proceeded to quickly follow Ymir's example, with the three of them reaching the top of the vehicle quickly and instantly being rewarded with a better view. Which meant that, just as the soldier had claimed, the trio were indeed able to see the Rogue Titan sitting slumped against one of the houses on the far end of the roundabout in front of them. With several Foreign Legionnaires climbing all over it in a careful manner, as though they were sure that it was simply asleep rather than fully out of comission.

"Looks like they weren't kidding" Jean stated, his awe audible in his voice.

"Well it's not something they'd exaggerate now is it" Ymir responded, boredom evident in her tone that earned her an unwelcome response from Jean while Armin withdrew a pair of binoculars from his pack to get an even closer look.

"Oh shut up"

Armin was about to remove his binoculars to prevent the two from continuing their small feud when something, or more specifically someone, caught his eye as they were being slowly removed from the titan's body.

"Eren" he stated in weak voice, earning him the attention of his friends.

"What?" Jean asked, caught in the cross hares of hoping that he heard right but also not wanting to get his hopes up.

"It's Eren" Armin stated, this time louder forcefully shoving his binoculars in Jean's hands as he did so before pointing towards what he'd seen.

"See"

"Well I'll be" Jean muttered as he fully took in the sight of the Legionnaires cutting out Eren with a previously unseen Eldian Legionnaire aiding them in the process.

'Mikasa'

"Hey what's going on down there?" Jean hear Ymir shout, causing him to turn and see her looking over the side of the VBCI while hearing the sounds of a schuffle. The sounds only began to serve as the tip of the iceberg as he looked over to see two members of the Military Police standing outside the vehicle, with several wounded soldiers surrounding them. Both of them seeming to be attempting to forcefully pull someone out of the vehicle, someone who was resisiting. Sounds which were followed by the sight of what looked to be two Military Police soldiers dragging a young short haired man out of the vehicle.

"What're you doing?" Jean asked, causing one of the two to look up and answer with.

"None of your business"

"We're escorts for this vehicle, so I do believe that it is our business" Jean fired back, causing the man to release one of his captives arms and point towards Jean.

"Well if you must know we found this coward hiding here and taking up space meant for loyalt soldiers, says he's in shock, the only thing that's shocking is how stupid he thinks we have to be to believe that cock & bull story"

'Like your ones to talk' Jean thought, before a distinct voice hit his ears.

"J-J-Jean" a fragile voice called, causing Jean to lean over and feel as though he was hit by a ton of bricks. The men weren't carrying a deserter, they were carrying Connie. A realization made worse by the fact that he was able to catch sight of the young man's eyes and see the pure fear in them as he began hyperventalating. With Jean's mouth running faster than the rest of his body.

"Let him go!"

"Excuse me?" the Military Policemen asked in a cocky tone.

"I said let him go, he isn't a coward, he was put there by one of the medics"

"Listen hear Cadet" the man began, no doubt failing to distinguish between Jean's current insignia and that of the normal Cadet Traning Corps.

"I don't you or some quack doctor telling me how to move soldiers, if I say he's a phony traitor than he's a-" he never finished his tyrade as out of nowhere one of the front doors of the vehicle opened to allow a very pissed medic to exit.

"What the Hell are you doing?!" the medic asked as he approached the two men.

"Not another one, look here I'm moving this-" the Policeman began only for the medic to cut him off with.

"I'll tell you what you're doing, you're harassing a young man with shock symptoms and giving him a glorified death sentence by sending out to fight" the medic began before adding.

"Good God, this really is the dark ages" before glancing up to see Jean and Ymir looking over the edge.

"You two, get your asses down here and tell these two bastards to piss off, and if you let bastards like these get here again I will personally have you put on the most humiliating duty your officers can find".

"Now see here-" the other Policemen began only to have the medic rush towards them and physically begin to struggling to get Connie free of the Policemen's arm. An action that was aided and ultimately ended by Jean and Ymir's actions as they proceeded to place Connie back in the VBCI.

"Are we all ready to go?" the driver asked, just as the sound of footsteps reached the vehicle.

"Just have two more" the medic answered as four shadows reached the rear entrance of the vehicle, revealing two heavily Legionnaires, with Eren and Mikasa in between them.

"We're got special instructions to make sure that these two make it back to the regional HQ" one of the men stated before shoving Eren into the vehicle. An action that earned a protesting grunt from Mikasa before she was added into the vehicle and the door slowly began to shut.

"Alright you two welcome aboard, but I warn you if either of you begin disturbing or harassing any of my patients I'm going to kick you two out and I don't care what the superiors say" the medic stated, or more accurately threatened as the over filled vehicle began to shake before slowly moving on to the safty of Wall Rose.

June 3rd 14:40 hrs., AOT Universe, Destroyed Neighborhood, Trost District

For the majority of able bodied humans walking is not a form of physical exercise that requires a good deal of effort or normally ecokes a great deal of emotion within us. The act, in a philosophical sense, is often used as a metaphor for the obtaining or retaining of a great level of freedom. Freedom to move, to travel, to explore, to learn, to aid others, to aid ones self, and to be able to live as is fit to do within the bounds of nature. It's for this reason that as young Marco Bodt found his walk through one of the ruined neighborhoods in Trost to be trying.

He'd attended the briefing and listened carefully to all of the information that the French Legionnaire had given them regarding the estimated damages and deaths. But as he looked first to his left and then to his right it took almost every ounce of his will to not become paralysed with shock at what he saw. At how immensely the Legionnaire understated everything that now surrounded him, or rather what was left of what once might have surrounded him.

For starters, there was not a single building was entirely stable. Be it a house, or barn, outhouse, or even back storage she, everything had been structurally compromised with houses having collapsed wholly or partially. With most that had somehow managed to avoid total or partial collapse, having had parts of their wall bent either outwards or inwards. With piles of rubbble being located seemingly at random on either side of the street, or sometimes in the middle of the street, some of which had small billows of smoke rising from them. But all of which was set in front of a what seemed to be a slightly blackened sky, creating an eery feeling about the whole place.

'Reminds me of those pictures of ruined cities they showed us in the urban combat course' Marco thought as he glanced at the buildings, a testimony to the titanic destruction that had been unleashed upon the street. Thinking of the only comparrison he could think of, having not been old enough to remember anything in regards of the aftermath of titan attack on the Shinganshina district. For that attack all he had to rely on was the rumors of his fellow legionnaires who had survived the attack.

'What was it called...the blitz?' he mused as he jogged over towards another pile of rubble, feeling the repeated tug of the dog leash in his hand.

Marco had originally found his post to be insulting when he was assigned to it, of course who wouldn't be. Putting in a year's worth of intense training like all of his fellow legionnaires, only to be given the rank of private and sentenced to the task of a patrolmen with a leash. It was fate depressing enough to make the celebration they'd had for him and his friends a bitter affair rather than a sweet one, and if the work hadn't been as easy to as it was mundane he might have quit.

But not now. Not as he found himself bearing witness to the stressed toil of the army of recue workers he'd been assigned to. As he watched them pick through the remaining rubble of houses, pulling survivors from the rubble and corpses from their tombs. With most of the former being severly traumatized from the experienced and the latter bearing horrendous injuries that indicated many were either slowly or instantly curshed to death. With a few having already been made victims of the titans' seemingly endless appetite for destruction and death.

It was this reality that made the his fellow rescuers bitter about the victory roll they'd seen a friendly aircraft perform earlier. Displeased with the pilot's thought that being a glorified show off would some hoe brighten the days of the many thousands of civilians, soldiers, and aid workers flying over. With Marco remembering how one of the more aged workers had summed up their frustration with one simple statement.

"Who the hell's he trying to kid?"

It was realities which made it all the more difficult to prepare to begin to examine what must've been the tenth pile or rubble he was assigned to perform a preliminary search on.

'It must've been a shack' he thought as he reached the pile and loosened his hold on the leash of his service dog. Taking in the thin walls and remains of what looked to be a flat roof often associated with the peasants and other urban poor due to the fact that many of their houses were designed in stages rather than one go. With each tiny addition being made based on the financial wellbeing of the occupants rather than their convenience, a relaity that struct too close to home for Marco.

The young Legionnaire might've remained in thought longer, or even moved on down the street, had it not been for the sudden whimpering which came from his dog.

"What is it Titus?" Marco called as he rapidly loosed his hold on the dog's leash, allowing the animal to make its way over towards the rubble pile he was looking at. Traversing the mound several times, its nose almost pressed directly against the ruble as he went along until the animal suddenly stopped and started barking in a wild manner that prompted Marco to sprint over to where Titus was standing.

"Hey, I think I have a survivor over here" he shouted as he did so, a procloamation that caused three individuals who had been previously taking a break to sudden jump up and dawn their helmets before sprinting towards his location. While Marce went about the task of trying to pin point where the scent Titus had found originated from. Eventually resolving to take a knee across from his dog as the animal began to franticly dig at a specific spot in the rubble. A reaction that caused Marco's heart to begin to sink as there was only one reason for Titus to be acting so frantically.

'The person's badly injured'. A reality that prompted him to pull out his entrenching tool and begin digging as well, albeit less haphazardly than his four legged friend.

"What do we have?" one of the Legionnaires asked upon reaching the pile.

"Survivor, but if my knowledge of the Titan' actions is correct then the person under all this might not be a survivor for mucb longer" Marco answered, prompting his fellow Legionnaires to form an organized circle around Titus and also begin digging and causing the dog to step to the side. His barking not ceasing one bit inspite of his decision to take himself out of the way of his companions.

The quartet proceeded to dig frantically for the next few minutes. Each one of them working in previously practiced manner on the whole they were prepating, with two of them working to dig it while the other two worked to even out the edges of the circle so that it wouldn't collapse and crush the possible survivor. Their efforts being spurred on by the seemingly ceaseless barking of Titus, causing them to not feel any of the fatigue in their muscles.

"Come on where is he?" one of the frustrated Legionnaires asked as he paused briefly to look around at the hole, noting that inspite of their efforts they didn't seem to be making any headway. The debris of the shack, which were most likely all seperate when the building was standing, having seeming fused together and become entagled like twine. It was then that in a brief act of frustration the Legionnaires across from Marco slammed his entrencing tool in the debris under Marco. An act that solicite a sqeak, but it wasn't Marco.

"Did you hear that?" Marco asked, causing said Legionnaire to point towards at the debris he rested on.

"I think it came from there!". A proclamation that caused Marco to slowly slide to where his compatriot was, allowing the man carefully repeat the action and earn another squeak.

"I knew I heard something!" the man shouted as the quartet began to frantically dig at and around the prospective area, solciting a series of more squeaks as the quartet first created and then began to enlarge a hole. It was in the midst of this that Marco saw something move in a controlled, knee jerking manner not replicable the shifting of debris.

"I think I see something" he shouted, causing the two legionnaires on either side of him to crawl over to where he kneeled.

"Where? Where?"

"There" Marco answered before pointing at the now shivering mass that lay under the rubble in front of them. Almost instinctively one of the men began to tear at the front of the tiny hole to enlarge it for easier acesses, causing the mass to cry out before moving away from the entrance.

"Hold off, you're scaring him" Marco stated causing the man to do so immediately and move behind the younger man, an action that put Marco at the front of the huddled group. But not one that seemed to be any reassurance to the survivor as he or she continued to shiver, their arms now placed above their head in what was possibly an attempt to blend into the debris around him. A rather sound stategy considering that the individual's clothes were covered with all sorts of dust and his hair looked to be almost plastered to his scalp. Making it so that if Marco hadn't noticed the individual at first or the tiny movements they made he might've missed them.

"How are we going to get him out?" one of the men surrounding him asked, bringing up a legitimate problem in their extraction of the survivor.

"I don't know, we'll need to enlarge the entrance of the hole he's in without collapsing it" another one pointed out.

"I think if we can promp it open with our entrenching tools, but it will only work if we keep him calm" the legionnaire to Marco's left stated, the sound of sniffling from the survivor seeming to punctuate his point. Causing Marco to slowly make his way towards the hole allowing him to finally see the survivor was a child, though he was still not sure whether or not it was a boy or a girl.

"Hey, buddy" Marco softly called, causing the child to raise their head from the debris allowing Marco to see the tears that looked to be streaming out of the child's eyes. A sight that caused a dagger to be plunged deep into Marco's already bleeding heart.

"Listen, my friends and I are here to help you but we need you to answer a few questions, alright"

If Marco hoped that the statement would earn him a verbal response, however, all he received was a nother weak nodd from the boy.

"Are you hurt?"

Head shake.

"Are you stuck?"

Another, head shake.

"Can you move backward?"

Nodd.

"Alright, we're going to need you to move backwards, so is there anyone behind you?" Marco asked, a question that caused the boy to bite his lip and begin sniffling. Before the boy's head drooped, shoulders sagged, and the faint sound of sobbing could be heard coming from him.

"Damn private, what did you do to the kid?" one of the soldiers next to him asked as the boy's sobs proceeded to grow louder.

"Whatever it was, apologize and calm him down so that we can get him out" another shouted as he felt up the area around the boy's small hole.

"Hey, hey it's okay it's" Marco to say in a sympathetic tone, causing the small boy's cries to slwoly be reduced before looked back towards Marco. The brown dust that once plastered his face now broken up by two moderately large tear streaks on his face.

"We'll have you out in a second" he added before turning to the right and checking to see if his prediction was correct, letting off an audible sigh when he found out that it was.

"Alright, if I can get two of you to help me prop up the entrance of the hole then we can probably keep it open long enough to get the kid out" his comerade said, causing Marco to feel himself being slightly pushed to the side as the two other soldiers moved to do just that. An action that prompted the boy to instinctively begin moving backwards from the hole enterance.

"Wait, you're scaring him" Marco stated, noting the panicked look in the boy's eyes.

"Well then do something about it, this hole won't hold forever" one of the others stated, before gesturing towards the entrance in question and prompting Marco to lean inwards towards the young boy.

"Kid, kid, what's your name?" he asked, causing the boy to look at him.

"Josip"

"Well Josip, my name's Marco, and my buddies need your help if we're going to get you out"

"But what about mama?" the boy asked before turning and looking back into the darkness he'd first begun retreating into. Causing Marco's heart to again begin sink at the realization as to what probably happened in the many minutes leading up to the group's discovery of the child.

"I promise that we'll get her out, but before we do that we have to move you" he answered, before extending an arm and adding.

"I just need you to be brave for a little bit and we'll get you mommy out, I promise". Extending his hand into the hole as he did so.

"A-alright" Josip weakly answered, before extending his hand out to Marco.

"Come on, that's it" Marco whispered as he managed to grab her hands, first touching the boy's hands and then grabbing firmly on his hands. Before slowly easing the young boy out of the small hole.

"Private, better hurry it up" Marco heard a voice call as he gently pulled the boy out of the hole, or at least he did. That was until he heard the distinct popping sound of wood snapping causing him to suddenly yank the boy towards him. Allowing him to pull the boy from the hole seconds before a large cloud of dust flew out of the hole and went straight into Marco's face.

"That was a close one" one of the men stated, while the other older looking one proceeded to walk out of Marco's view and towards the general direction that he heard a moderate whimpering sound come from.

"M-momma" Josip weakly proceeded to cry, before turning his head in towards Marco's chest.

"Don't worry Josip, we'll find her" Marco replied, before hugging the boy int he most comforting way that he could. The footsteps of his departing comerade faintly moving away and out of Marco's focus, or at least he was for a while.

"Uh, guys, there's something I don't think you sould let the kid see" the man called, causing Marco to look up and see the man standign further up on the rubble pile. A morbidly forelorn look on his face.

June 3rd 18:40 hrs., AOT Universe, Utopia Aerodrome, Trost District

To say that Cesar was unhappy was a gross understatment, even to describe him as pissed off probably wouldn't have done the enraged look on the man's face any good. Enraged, that's a better word, Cesar Khansari was absolutely and utterly enraged by what he had bore witness to during his return flight from the destroyed ruins of Trost. So enraged in fact, that the matter had prompted Joseph to insist on coming with him to the female barracks of the aerodrome so that he wouldn't "say or do anything he might regret".

'What a load of bull' Cesar thought to himself as he firmly planted, or some might say stomped, on a rare twig that lay on the aerodrome's only semipaved walkways. In all honesty it wasn't that the act he'd bore witness to was so agregious that it had made his blood boil upon his initial viewing. But rather the fact that he'd been forced to perform a debrief, write a report, and sit through a harsh talking to of his own before addressing the task at hand. All of which caused the barely noticable flame of frustration in the back of his mind to erupt into a full on infurno.

"Now Cesar, try to calm yourself do-" Joseph began, prompting the man in question to glance over his shoulder and retort with.

"You calm down Joseph, you didn't just have your ass put through the grinder because one of your subordinantes elected to act like a dumbass!"

Before turning back towards the now visible barracks, his already brisk pace somehow increasing in speed without turning into a full on run. A feat that allowed him to arrive at the door to the small building in no more than a few seconds, before raising his right fist and pounding on the door. Not knocking, pounding. The sound of which reverberated throught oak barrier and caused quickly circulating blood in his hand to go even faster. Luckily for everyone, including Cesar's hand, he didn't have to repeat the motion long as within a few seconds the was opened by one Mina Carolina.

"Sir, is there something wrong?" she asked, noting the unsuccessful way that Cesar attempted to sport a neutral face.

"Nothing at all Cadet, I was simply wondering if Cadet Braus in? She and I need to have a little..." Cesar paused, trying to find a way to calmly articulate the following words without tipping anyone off as to how thuroughly steemed he was.

"...a little chat"

"Alright sir, one second" Mina asked, closing the door briefly and allowing Joseph enough time to make a single suggestion.

"Breath Cesar, breath" earning him a death glare from the man in question.

"You called for me sir?" A voice asked, causing Cesar to turn back to the barrack and see the woman of the hour standing there.

"Yes I did Cadet Braus, could you please shut the door for a few seconds"

"Oh, alright sir" Sasha answered, doing as she was told.

"So is there something wrong?"

"Oh nothing really Cadet, I was just wondering if there was anything funny that you might've seen or done during the mission" Cesar replied.

"Well not really, I mean I did fail to take a shot on one of the abnormal titans we saw when we exited but I assumed you would've seen it as a waste of fuel an ammunition" she answered, causing Joseph to begin crossing his arms in an x-pattern behind Cesar.

"Anything else?"

"No"

"Are you sure?" Cesar asked, his done beginning to betray his feelings.

"Not that I can think of"

"Are you sure there wasn't anything you saw or did on the mission that might've gain some attention?" Cesar asked, leaning towards Sasha as he did.

"Like what?"

"Oh, nothing major, a victory roll perhaps" Cesar suggested in a casual manner.

"Oh yeah, that, it was really nothing sir" Sasha answered, a smilign on her face as she took on a proud tone and added.

"No need to be jealous". Little did she know that given her situation worse words could probably not have been said.

"Jealous? You think I'm jealous Braus?"

"Well sir, I mean we've all wanted to do one at some point, I just assmed that desire would extend to you as well" Sasha answered again, causing Joseph to frantically begin waving his hands in an attempt to get her to stop talking.

"Braus I am many things right now, but I know for sure that jealous isn't one of them" Cesar added in a frustrated tone before offering a smile that would've been rather cheeky looking if Joseph hadn't known the anger it was masking.

"But you know, I can give you a wise piece of advice for the near and far future if you want?"

"What would that be sir?"

"Never let me catch you doing a victory roll over a civilian column again" Cesar ordered, his voice taking on the firm way of speaking that it always did when he was not allowing any room for discussion. Unfortunately, Sasha's curiosity betrayed her.

"Why sir?"

"Because the last thing that I or any member of this Coalition need is for you to go showing off, make a misjudgment on your speed or alttitude, slam into the ground, and take out upwards of a dozen families while turning yourself into some damned victory jam" Cesar thundered back, before turning to leave and adding.

"Is that clear?"

"Well gosh sir, I was only trying to buck up the morale of the civilians" Sasha stammered, trying to defend her actions. Only to find herself earning a rather unsympatheric response of.

"Oh for God's sake Sasha, give your brain a chance!" from Cesar as he dissapeared, leaving Sasha standing next to Sasha somewhat dumbfounded.

"Sir?"

"Come on Cadet, I do believe there's still some warm coffee in the mess hall, there's some details that your superior isn't telling you" Joseph added before extendign an arm and gesturing towards the medium sized lodge liek building in the distance.