DISCLAIMER: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin. It's characters, plot, etc belong to Hajime Isayama. I do own Inari and Shepp and any other creations/adaptions to this story. Hope you enjoy my story!
Chapter 3
Time skip…
I hold the cards in my hands, eyeing my opponent for any tells. His brow was sweating, he bit his lip furiously, yet that's what you'd expect from a bumbling merchant losing his month's earnings to a sixteen year old girl dressed in rags, adorned in some piercings and a few tattoos. I wouldn't admit it aloud, but I was indeed cheating and conning him, yet I let my innocent façade dazzle him, clouding his better judgement.
"Well, sorry little lady, but I will be taking my earnings back," he says, laying his hand of cards on the table. Ha! He thinks he's won with that. I still have tricks up my sleeve.
I lean over the table, providing a generous view of my cleavage, hoping to distract him. Like my mother, I am well-endowed and curvaceous, yet still keeping a trim figure. His eyes take in the view greedily, not seeing me switch out two of my cards for better ones from stash.
I clicked my tongue, pulling away from the table. I lean back in my chair, cross my legs dramatically, catching the eyes of his two partners behind him.
"Sorry, but that isn't happening. Seems I've got a better hand, good sir," I pucker my lips, giving my signature innocent pout. I place my set of cards on the table for him to see. He stares at me and then the cards, his face growing several shades redder.
"I've got to go now," I pick up the loot, about 100 dollars-worth of coins and some various pieces of gold jewelry. I place them in my satchel and turn to leave.
"Not so fast! One more game," He shouts, grabbing my tunic. He tugs hard, freeing a small stash of cards from my bra band, letting them scatter to the floor. Oh shit! "Hey, you little bitch! You cheated!" He rages.
"Ha ha! Got to go," and with that I dash out of the dirty diner and into the nearest alley. He and his men soon follow, beginning the chase. I run past other commoners, pushing some to the ground in the process. With the pound of their feet and the roar of their shouts, I can tell that they are hot on my trail, and gaining. I weave through the streets, trying to lose them, to no avail. I knock over an apple stand, sending the produce scattering. Hopefully, that will slow their pursuit. I glance behind me and see that I've lost them. I chuckle and turn the corner, only to land on my ass.
"Hey! Watch where you're going-" I snap, but I'm cut off by strong hands lifting me off the ground and into the air. My opponents grizzly face boars into my eyes. "Oh, fuck!"
"Looks like you need to learn a lesson," he spits. He drags me deeper into a dark alley and tosses me to the ground. My elbows scuff the cobblestone ground, cutting open a fresh wound.
"I'll give it back, you pig! Just let me go," I shout, scooting away from his towering form.
"But you had us chase you all over the district," he motions for his two goons to step out of the shadows, "We need some compensation for that."
I reach into my bra band and pull out my dagger, ready to fend off their grubby paws. They are not going to defile me! He simply laughs and step closer. I will cut them to pieces! Just as I'm about to make my move, a blur zooms past me, pummeling the front man to the ground.
There in front of me is Shepp, sending punch after punch into the man's face. Damn him! I rush into the fight, slashing the chest of goon #1, and sending a round-house kick into the second one's groin. He falls to his knees in pain and I return my efforts to the first. He charges after me, but I bend backwards, missing his punch by a hair's width. I quickly switch my gait and thrust upwards, aiming my dagger into his shoulder blade. I hear a satisfying crunch, knowing I pierced bone. He cries out in agony, trying to free the dagger. I twist it in further, loving this wails.
Suddenly, I feel large hands grip my waist and chest, pulling me back, slamming my back into the alley wall. Damn, I thought I kicked his junk hard enough. He lands a punch in my gut twice, blood escaping my lips. The man I stabbed has freed the dagger from his back and now runs towards me. Both me grip me to the wall, denying me escape.
"Such a pretty face has a nasty bite," the second one grabs my throat, clenching it.
"You need a face to match, so no one will be deceived again," The first man with my dagger in hand says. He swipes its tip across my cheek below my left eye, drawing blood. Fuck, that'll scar.
"Fuck off! I'll slice you to bits," I spit out at them. They laugh menacingly, the one tightening his grip on my throat, cutting off my air supply. I gag and claw at his hands.
"Oi, Boss! Listen to her gag! I'd love for her to choke on something else. What do you say?" The man holding my throat says. No answer. "Boss?" They turn their heads and I follow their gazes.
Oh.
My.
God.
Their boss is lying in a pool of his own blood, pulverized to a pulp. He appears dead, yet the slight gurgle from his throat, shows he's only unconscious. Shepp stands over his body with bloody fists at his sides. His pony tail has become a bit disheveled, letting some stray hair fall in his face, hiding his eyes. He looks prepared to murder.
My eyes bug out of my head as I see black spots coat my vision. I'm about to lose consciousness. The last thing I see before I pass out his Shepp coming at the two goons, drawing two hidden blades.
…
It has been about a week since my encounter with the merchants. Shepp has kept me under lock and key. His lecturing never stops. I simply tune him out every time and stare at the wall behind him.
"God damn it, Inari! Isabel would be furious with you!" He yells at me. Oh hell no, he did not just drag Isabel into this. This time I shout back.
"It's been a year, Shepp! She left me hear a year ago and I haven't received any more letters since seven months ago. She's likely forgotten about me," I rest my chin on my palm, leaning on the arm of the chair.
"Of course she didn't! You know Wall Rose has been breached about five months ago! She's probably been swamped with expeditions because of it!"
That's right. Five months ago, the Colossal Titan appeared, creating a whole in Wall Rose, pushing humanity to flee behind Wall Maria. And every day since then, I have feared for my sister's safety. I know she's strong, but I can't help worrying. I immediately reached for my sparrow necklace, twiddling it between my thumb and forefinger. I do this whenever I have anxiety.
"Stop that, Inari," Shepp says more softly. He knows how much my sister's absence plagues me. I often wake him in the night because of my nightmares. I wake up screaming for my sister. "You've been acting out since Wall Rose. Gambling, conning, stealing, piercings, tattoos," he pauses for a moment, "You've become a different person," he says with pain in his eyes. I know his feelings for me, even though he hasn't confessed openly. They became obvious a while after my sister left. Yet, I just can't love anyone right now. Besides, he was like a brother to me, but I'd never tell him that. That would break him.
"I'm sorry, but I lost myself when Isabel left. She took it with her," I rise from my chair and brush past him to my room. I close the curtain, shutting out any further confrontation. Spray painted on my walls were the Survey Corps' Wings of Freedom, along with various newspaper clippings of their progress. Most importantly though were tally marks. I've been counting down the days until this year's Trainee Squad initiation. I am of age to join humanity's fight. I will rejoin my sister, even if it means giving up my life. I grab my charcoal stylus and put a slash across the most recent four tallies. Zero more days to go. In the morning I'm gone. I will be a soldier starting tomorrow, though Shepp will not know. I will leave before he wakes and leave no trace of me behind. I don't want to leave a part of me in the Underground. It will be like I never lived here.
…
The military square was more crowded than I expected. There were many who joined the Trainee Squad in order to escape the Underground, yet being malnourished and highly under-qualified as we low-lives are, most of us would be sent back after the first year. Not me. I will survive and prove them wrong. I will rejoin Isabel in the Survey Corp! I am two people away from signing my name on the enlistment form when I hear him.
"Inari!" Shepp calls for me, running my way, out of breath.
Damn him. I had hoped he would sleep in a bit. I ignore his constant calls, hoping to blend in.
I feel a tug on my shoulder, "Inari, what are you thinking? You are not going to enlist!" Shepp spins me around to face him head on. He looks enraged and terrified.
"I'm of age and it's my choice! I'll be able to be with Isabel!"
"We talked about this. She will come for you! Besides, you won't make it past the first year," He responds. Those words stung, especially coming from him.
"I'm not a child, Shepp! I'm stronger than any other here and I damn well plan to prove it!" I shout, stomping my foot. I hear the enlistment officer clear his throat behind me. I turn away from Shepp and step forward. Before I can grab the quill, someone else snatches it away and signs there's name.
Shepherd Arthur Harland.
Shepp enlisted in the Trainee Squad.
"What the hell? What about helping your cousin in the shop?"
"I think your sorry ass needs me more than him. Besides, who else is going to protect you?" He says, forcing a smile. He just signed his death note for me, but I can't change his mind. Plus, he can't take back his signature.
"You're so incorrigible," I mutter, taking the quill from him, signing my own name below his.
Inari Louisa Magnolia.
"An you're so bull-headed," he says, ruffling my hair with his hand.
And with that I silently vow to make sure he doesn't make it past the first year of training. I will not let him face this hell with me.
