A/N: Here we are folks! The beginning of the new Civil War Arc!
Turtle Dude32: Thing is, until yesterday, I didn't even have a personal device, I've written this story entirely from either my school issued Chromebook or my family laptop. However, now that my new Gaming Computer came in, and once I set it up this Saturday or so, I'm going to be uploading a lot more frequently.
Civil War Arc Part I: The New Enemy
The Attack Titan slammed it's fist down on where Mina was, only for her to backflip gracefully over it's attack. Dropping down on it's wrist, she began to run up the length of Eren's arm. But, Ymir's Jaw Titan lept up at her, attempting to slash at Mina, however, instead Mina hooked onto Eren's arm and jumped off to the side, Ymir sailed over Mina as she righted herself and hooked onto Eren's shoulder blade, flinging around to his nape, she inflicted a small gash on it. The gash wasn't deep enough to harm him, but it was enough to signify victory.
Immediately, Eren came out. "Wow, you are surprisingly good at this Mina."
Wiping a bit of sweat off her face she nodded, "Thanks."
"Oooh~" Hanji dropped down with her ODM, "Well!" She immediately rushed over to Eren, "How do you feel? Anything odd?"
"Sheesh," Ymir emerged from her own Titan, "You're going to smother the poor kid, just watch."
Eren got out of his titan on unsteady legs, wobbling a bit until Mikasa came and steadied him.
"I'm serious though, you may be as good as Mikasa." Eren complimented Mina, Mikasa winced slightly at that. Although she'd never admit it, her second-to-none skill was admittedly a source of pride for her.
"I'm not Mikasa-level yet. Although I'd do anything to be there." Mina said humbly.
"Mina…are you sure you should be doing things like this? I mean you were shot." Armin said worriedly.
"Please, I'm not the flower I was in the Cadets." Mina said dismissively.
"Don't waste your breath Armin." Eren shook her head, "She's taking after Mikasa in every regard, even the bad ones."
"Shows over." Levi walked up to them with Petra, "Hanji, Petra, and I are headed to town on a supply run and we're taking Armin, Jean, and Sasha with us, you idiots need to clean the cabin in the meantime."
Krolva District
"Here's some money." Levi handed them pouches of a mix of Kapitalmark bills and Münze coins of various value. "Jean, get us some rice, something we can boil and cook quickly. Armin, focus on non-perishable foods. Sasha, come with us."
"H-hey!" Sasha groaned, "Why am I being babysat?"
"Because you'll eat everything you buy." Jean said offhandedly,
"Come on," Armin called.
However, food-shopping was not the first place Armin and Jean went, instead, they went for a newspaper stand.
"Uh, I'm pretty sure news isn't edible." Jean said sarcastically,
"I know that Jean." Armin replied, ignoring the sarcasm. "I'm looking for news on the Freiheit Liberation Corps."
"Freedom Liberation Corps, a bit redundant if you think about it, but it's something of a cool name." Jean said, "Why are you so interested in them?"
"Because they're the first revolutionary group humanity has seen in one hundred years."
The Freiheit Liberation Corps, or F.L.A for short, was a group that appeared right following the 1st Joint Branch Expedition. Claiming responsibility for a string of serial assassinations of high ranking officials. Then, they proceeded to leak information to press about their deeds, proving them to be corrupt. One may believe they were simply self-styled vigilantes, but if one looked even a little bit deeper, their real goal became much more apparent.
The two main differences were that 1.) They were all heavily connected to the Wall's Nobility, and 2.) We're also heavily important in their respective sectors. Prominent Military officers, influential religious men, etc. It was clear that they were hitting the high command of their enemy, but that begged the question.
Exactly who were they fighting?
"You're still keeping up with those FLA freaks?" Levi asked,
"Remember what Alto and Historia said on the wall? That Rod Reiss was hunting Alto down for some reason, and was also responsible for killing Astell? I'll bet a pretty penny that the F.L.A ties into that somehow."
"You think Alto is leading the Freiheit in a war against Reiss?" Petra asked them
"I'm sure of it. This takes years of planning. Funding, supplies, allies. Alto has had nothing but time."
"You forget, Alto was ten. Who'll listen to a ten year old?" Levi said pragmatically
"The Burkes we're much loved, especially in the Military." Hanji countered, "And their tragic demise was a little too complete for many people's liking."
"Okay, so, Alto is the leader of the F.L.A. What are we going to do about it?" Levi asked,
"That-" Hanji told him "-Is something for Erwin to decide."
As they walked, they passed a man who briefly looked up at them, before turning away, dropping the newspaper he was reading behind him.
The Cabin
"-I swear Sasha, if you steal food again, I'm going to let Captain Levi chop you into bits." Jean threatened as he dropped the bag of rice he was carrying.
"Hey!" Eren came over and pulled down his dusting mask, "Did you guys wipe off the dust and mud from your shoes before you came in?"
"Are you kidding? Can't you see all the stuff we're carrying?"
"You moronic horse! Do you think Levi is going to care about that?! First I had to remake your bed and now this-"
"Oh shut up! What are you, my mom?!"
Sasha chuckled, "Just like the Cadet Corps,"
Mina nodded, "Just like it…"
"Still, why were we chosen to be the new Levi Squad?"
Sasha quietly pocketed a loaf of bread in her bag, "Probably because we're so talented."
"Sasha…" Armin's face darkened
"Yes?" She replied innocently
"What did you put in your bag?"
"Nothing bread-related."
Mina walked over and before Sasha could even react, swiped it from her hand inside the bag.
"This is 'nothing bread-related'?" Mina sighed, "Honestly, we can't leave you for five seconds without you eating something…"
Shortly after, Petra, Isabel, Ymir, Historia, and Mikasa returned from collecting firewood
"Honestly," Ymir began, "Levi's going to have your asses if we don't get cleaning."
Historia chuckled quietly, but quickly straightened out when Levi and Hanji came through the door right as she said that.
"What's all this commotion about?" Levi asked, apparently not being heard over the din of their arguing. He didn't proceed to speak, walking straight over to the table, and running his hands over it.
Ymir quietly left for the kitchen as Eren groaned.
"I'm pretty sure you all had more than enough time." Levi asked, "Whatever, Hanji and I are headed back out, so I'll pretend I never saw this. However, if this place isn't so clean that if I shit on the floor it would vaporize…" Levi let the threat hang,
"Yes Captain!" The new members of Levi Squad responded.
"And Potato Girl?"
"Yes Captain?"
"Empty your bag."
"Yes Captain…"
"He's getting better at controlling it. But shifting multiple times is still a problem. And we still haven't figured out the whole hardening crap yet." Levi said to Erwin
"A shame, if it had worked we could've plugged the Shiganshina hole in less than a day."
"The thing is, we lack information. We've tried grilling Ymir about it, but it's clear she's as uninformed as us." Levi said, "If we could only find that brat and make him talk…"
"The only thing we can do is wait for him to come to us," Erwin said to Levi, "It seems more and more that all the cards are out of our hands these days."
"More importantly, why is a mere regional Lord so hellbent on the destruction of the Burke Family?" Levi asked,
"And why would he know the secrets of the walls?" Erwin added,
Pertland Industrial City, Freiheit Liberation Army Central Base
"Fräulein Kassandra, I'm glad I caught you, Herr Burke needs to see you."
Kassandra nodded, "I was on my way there." She placed her hand over her heart with her right hand, similar in fashion to a normal military salute, before offering a new addition, raising out her left arm in a diagonal fashion with her palm down. This consisted of the FLA's new salute, and was a kind of identification as well. Only members knew how to do it, and if it was done improperly, then the person was deemed an infiltrator.
Kassandra never ceased to be amazed at not just the size - almost 3,500 members - but the intricacy of the organization. Ever since she stepped into her role as Alto's right hand woman, she became familiarized with the extensive history of the organization. It began as a system of friends of the Burkes, who found and sheltered Alto in the months following the events of 845. But soon, Alto proposed it become something more. A resistance against the Reiss Family and their rule over the walls.
The idea caught like wildfire, the charismatic young man gathered the few allies he had, and set them to work at recruiting. The, then new, FLA chose to set up in Pertland Industrial City, the last place a resistance was expected to bud. The location was not only secret, but also allowed a steady stream of supplies and other materials to be funneled to the Liberation Army.
When Kassandra brought her own men into the FLA, their supply problems almost instantly vanished as they received fresh amounts of muskets, cannons, and - most importantly - ODM gear.
It shocked her even more to learn that the 3,500 thousand members (including her own) we're just the active membership. The organization had to be kept small for obvious reasons. However, Alto estimated that they had a reserve membership of almost 20,000. All ready to wage war on the Reiss Family at a moment's notice.
And, it seems, that moment has finally arrived.
"Ah, Fräulein Kassandra!" Oberst Rosalie Dumarque, the head of the FLA's intelligence network. She was an officer in the Garrison Regiment, but this wasn't exactly what made her important. Not only was she a skilled field operative, skilled in self-taught information gathering, but was the daughter of Charles Dumarque, a high-ranking Military Police officer, a noble, and one of the few that was genuinely 'in' with the shadow council that ruled the walls. She was also something of Kassandra's protege and a surrogate daughter to her.
"I'm so glad you could join us," Rosalie moved as if to hug her, but then retreated, as if choosing not to. "We were waiting."
Kassandra took stock of the leaders of the F.L.A around her, there was Rosalie, then there was Kihen Von Halstark. The Quartermaster General of the F.L.A, and one of the more surprising additions to the F.L.A. As the ranking officer of Pertland City, one of the three industrial cities that provided military equipment for the walls, he was essential in funneling equipment to the F.L.A, and managed the proper distribution of supply to their various safe houses and bases.
Then there was Erich Kaiserhue, Richard Sazenhauer, and Kallen Lyndser, each in command of a future "Corps" of the F.L.A. Each Corps was essentially an independent army of 8,000 people, each having it's own attached Calvary, Infantry, and Artillery.
Then, finally there was Alto himself, leaning over a map of the Walls.
"Kassandra, I'm glad you're here. I would like your input on this." Alto began,
"So far, the plan is simple, to put it simply, we call it Blitzkrieg, or Lightning War. Utilizing the combined arms format of the Corps, we launch a direct assault, I Corps and - hopefully - the Scout Regiment - led by me personally - will punch through Ehrmich District, and we will beeline straight for Mitras. II Corps will be responsible for the capture of the other two industrial cities. III Corps will remain in Pertland throughout the conflict. With their industry in our hands, and their political center also under our control, Reiss's faction will fall apart as the nobles desert him."
"Punching through Ehrmich relies on having the power of the Survey Corps on our side. The simple fact of the matter is that for this plan to work, we need to have the Jaws and Attack Titans on our side. One Titan won't be enough."
"I wouldn't worry about that." Rosalie said smugly,
"What is it?" Kassandra asked,
"The Reiss Faction has just issued a recall order for the Scout Regiment,"
Kallen sighed, "First, Pastor Nick's murder and now this. The Reiss Faction is moving for war, just as we are…"
Scout Cabin
"I figure it's because they figured out he was cooperating with us." Hanji noted, "But I never thought they'd use soldiers to kill him."
"They tortured him just to find out what information he spilled to us…" Armin muttered,
"That's likely right." Levi sipped his tea, "But it wasn't just any MPs right? This was the Interior Police. Which means something is up." He turned to Hanji, "How many?"
"How many what?"
"How many nails were ripped out?"
"Well, I didn't get to count, but from what I saw, all of them."
"I see," Levi began "Isabel and I…we've seen it before, and we know people who are going to talk, talk after one."
"We may not have liked the bastard, but he stuck to what he believed in to the end." Isabel added,
"This is good right?" Ymir asked, "This means they have no idea we've caught on about the Reiss Family?"
"Likely, yes." Levi replied "But this means that someone is still watching us nonetheless. And wants to keep us in the dark."
"Sir!" Petra approached him, "I've come with a message from Commander Erwin when I tried to tell him about Pastor Nick, he just gave me this and sent me off."
Levi took the letter from her hands, reading it quickly.
"We need to go. Now." Levi folded up the letter, "Leave no trace we were here."
From a nearby outcropping, Levi Squad watched as the MPs raided their temporary residence.
"Too close…" Mina sighed,
"What would've happened if we were there?" Connie wondered,
"Wait, what happened to Commander Erwin?" Armin asked,
"Arrested." Levi said bluntly, "New Government Orders, they're issuing a recall on all scout activity." Levi paused for a moment, then said:
"And they're demanding we hand over Ymir, Historia, and Eren."
"They're treating all of us like we're criminals or something!" Hanji blurted out
"So what now?" Ymir asked,
"We head to Trost, from there, we'll try to get in contact with the F.L.A. See if they can help us. Worst comes to worst, at least we can use these-" He revealed his ODM under his coat "-in the city."
Levi looked at Hanji, "I'm going to need some of your Squad. We need to find out what the hell is going on, and fast."
"Right, I'll take the remnants of my Squad and go after Erwin."
"We were too late, Captain." A woman mentioned to a man in a fedora.
"The brat has some discipline after all, it seems." The man said,
"You sure do get around don't you?" The woman said,
"Yep, I was in with a lot of people in my younger days." He smiled, this was going to be a long ride.
Fandom link:
the-official-flare-titan .fandom. com
