Sorry for how long it's been! I've been busy with finals and holidays and writers block but it's here! Thank you to everyone who's favorited and followed my story! And I want to thank Ea for their review.
Scout Regiment Headquarters, Trost District, Wall Rose, Year 847
Lilly was busy getting ready, moving around the temporary room she was given. It was spotless, of course. She had been excused from the training corps once more, but this time for a much more serious reason than a birthday party. She came for a mission outside the wall. She had been on a couple... No, she had only gone outside with a small, elite group for practice. Never before had she been on a real mission. She was both very excited and very nervous.
The most interesting part was that she wasn't with either of her parents. She was with a man named Jakob, who lived in Wall Maria. She enjoyed him as a leader, since he made jokes often, but she knew the jokes hid the deeper pain inside. But then again, she knew many Scouts were considered crazy, based in having different ways of reacting to the tragedy that surrounds them.
But today... Today was merely a training day, some hand to hand and gear training. Nothing difficult, save Lilly would be surrounded by some of the best men and women in the military. It was a little bit intimidating. At least the late-April weather was nice... And it was a couple days after her mother's birthday. The party had been a classic Hanji party; aka plenty of alcohol. Many members were still recovering.
"ALRIGHT!" Erwin boomed over the din of everyone. "I have the list of sparring partners up! Go find out who you're with, and after whom you fight. We will go in that order, I don't want to have to call out names. Then again, all of you should know how business is run here." Erwin gave a small smile.
Lilly managed to get through the throng and she chuckled. Her partner was L. C. L. Of course she knew who that was, while to everyone else it could have been a mystery. She didn't know how many people knew to whom those initials belonged.
She waited patiently until it was her turn, taking off her jacket and rolling up the sleeves of her soft lilac button down shirt the fight before hers. She had worn a similar color scheme since her first days of training. She waited, bored, as the cadets fought and sparred. She easily could have floored any of them in five minutes. Soon enough, it was her turn.
She jumped over the railing as the cadets left, and laid her jacket over it, a grin spreading across her face as she saw her father enter the ring with her. A ripple of gasps raced around the watching cadets, but Lilly just smirked. She cracked her neck and knuckles, getting into her fighting stance, almost identical to that of her father's. And that wasn't a surprise, after all, he taught her all he knew.
Erwin gave the command, and Lilly moved first, darting forward, then flipping up and over Levi as he went to punch. She moved to swipe his legs from under him, but he anticipated the move and kicked at her. She narrowly avoided his boot and rolled away, jumping up and raising her arms to block the kick to her face.
He's almost too fast... But maybe I can use family ties against him? Lilly thought as she danced backwards.
Levi went to kick at Lilly, trusting she'll block, but as he saw her stay still, he hesitated. He'd never forgive himself if he hu-
Levi let out a groan as he found himself flat on his back in the dirt, Lilly having moved while he stopped, kicking his feet out from under him while he was distracted. She offered him a hand.
"Need help, old man?" She smirked, her words drawing a gasp from the surrounding Scouts.
Levi took her hand, then spun and pinned her to the dirt. "Never let your guard down, even once they're defeated. I thought I taught you better."
"And yet I was still able to get you dirty." Lilly clicked her tongue, and Levi flicked her in the head.
"Cheeky little brat." He helped her stand and she brushed herself off. "Certainly you didn't get it from me." Levi added and Lilly rolled her eyes and just left the ring for the next group to go.
"Nice work." Erwin clapped a hand onto Lilly's shoulder and she beamed.
"Thanks uncle. I'm surprised I actually managed to floor him."
"It's because you betrayed the love I have for you." Levi nudged his daughter, and she just stuck her tongue out at him.
"You're just mad because I made you look beatable."
"Keep your claws in, kitten." Hanji laughed as she came to the little group. "We have a lot more to do. After this training, we have gear, and I'll want help putting together some things to capture a Titan one of these days." She giggled maniacally.
"Hanji Zoe I did not give clearance for that." Erwin shook his head. "I don't need anyone being killed because you need some toys to play with."
Hanji rolled her eyes and they watched the next group go. They were okay, more even than anyone against Levi, but that didn't really change anything. Levi was a very skilled fighter, and took pride in that fact. Even Lilly had to resort to an underhand tactic to even get a hit on him. It was unbelievable. It was fascinating.
In a couple hours the training ended and they broke for lunch in the mess hall. Lilly sat with the higher-ups, since she didn't really have any friend in the Scouts. She wondered how Heike was doing, if the blonde was okay. She knew her friend didn't like it when Lilly left the training camp for the weeks that she did. She knew Heike always feared she was going to be killed or eaten or something. It was heartwarming, since Lilly was glad to have a friend her age who cares about her. Otherwise it was just Eren and Armin, then Uncle Mike and Uncle Erwin.
"You okay kiddo?" Hanji ruffled her hair as Lilly frowned. "What's bothering ya?"
"I'm fine, Mama." Lilly smoothed her hair and smiled gently, but she sighed as Levi sat beside her.
"No you're not." He flicked Lilly's head. "What's troubling you?"
"I'm just thinking about Heike, sorry. Just missing her." She shifted uncomfortably. She didn't have many friends. Heike was her closest, then the skilled fighter and bright engineer Ari Storme. She was a year older than Lilly, part of the 102nd training corps, the one hers trained with. She didn't have many male friends... But her father seemed quite okay with that. Lilly figured he was fed up with teen drama in the Scouts. Naturally he didn't want it in the family.
"No need for apologizing for missing a friend." Hanji put an arm around her daughter. "Just shows you care."
"And we know you and dad don't have many friends. Because you're crazy and dad just has a sparkling personality." Lilly snickered, earning a playful punch in the shoulder by her mother and a sharp jab to the ribs from her father. But both of them were smiling and/or chuckling while doing it.
Soon enough it was time for gear practice, both alone and with the assigned squad. Lilly met up with Jakob, who, she learned, had been a Scout for five years now. He was part of the one hundredth training corps, two before Ari's. But as Lilly flew beside him, she noticed how good he was. He was young, only 21, but if anyone his age deserved his position, it was him. He had a natural authority but was also incredibly kind and polite. He motivated everyone, even those not in his Squad.
"You alright there?" Jakob called back to one of the other members of his squad, a dusty blond named Stephan.
"I'm fine! Just made a small calculation error!" The boy laughed and swung off again, rejoining their formation. He was a fantastic flier too.
It wasn't long before Lilly really began to feel inferior. Here were all these strong and powerful people, and who was she? She's a fucking kid who was here because of her parents. She landed on a branch at the end of the course and sat down. She wasn't really that tired, just feeling dejected. She sighed and then looks up as Jakob sat beside her.
"You're looking down. Everything alright?" He raised an eyebrow.
"I'm just... It's hard, being here will all these wonderful Scouts... I'm just a child playing with the big kids... It's overwhelming... Like I don't measure up." Lilly admitted softly.
"Lilly, you're the best that I've seen at your age." He said, watching the other cadets practice. "You have a lot to learn still, but at 15... Holy shit I've never seen a kid your age be this good, especially with only a year and a half of training under their belt." He looked at her and smiled. "Don't sell yourself short, Lilly. Your skill comes from you, not just your parents. You're the one who's kept training, who decided to go into the Scouts even before graduation. You easily could make the top ten, yet you don't want to go to the easy life of the MPs."
"I've never been a fan of easy. It doesn't provide the challenge that I enjoy." Lily shook her head and chuckled. "And I've never liked the MPs. They're part of the reason my parents can't really do anything out in public." She sighed. "Yet they seem to think they deserve all the praise while we risk our lives to make progress. This whole system is bullshit." She glanced out at the flying cadets.
"It is indeed. That's why they hate us: to make us look bad as we do work. Their hate masks their sloth." Jakob nodded. "It's ludicrous. It's insanity, yet no one else sees it. The king is corrupt too." He bit his lip. "Pure insanity."
"You're right." Lilly nodded. "But we can't really do anything about it. It is what it is. We can just continue fighting and let the MPs and the king continue as they are. So no need to fret."
"Unless they want to shut us down." Jakob's voice dropped down to a whisper. "When I've visited Sina I heard rumors of the MPs figuring out ways of shutting us down. I don't think they'll amount to anything, but..."
"But it's good to keep in mind." Lilly agreed. "But I feel like things are gonna take a downward spiral really soon..." She shook her head. "I don't know how, but I feel it... It's just... A shadow."
"Yeah, I know what you mean." Jakob nodded. "I know perfectly well what you mean..."
††††††††††††
Lilly was nervous, as it was finally the day of the mission. She had been training her ass off for the past few weeks to get ready. She now felt up to par with the newest members. But her nerves were terrible. She was terrified she'll fuck it up and fall off her horse, or get lost or left behind, or get her squad killed. She was a good fighter, she had accepted that by this point with Jakob's constant encouragement, but she also knew that she could just as easily be the reason people lose their lives. It was a lot for a 15 year old to dwell on.
"Ready, kiddo?" Hanji clapped a hand on Lilly's shoulder. "You're going to do well with Jakob. He's young, but he's a good soldier."
Lilly nodded. "I trust him. He's been taking good care of our squad... I know I haven't known him for long, but I trust him as leader. I really do." She hugged her mom, and then pulled away to strap on the last of her gear. "I'm just scared that I'll fuck everything up, y'know?" She met her mother's eyes, fear shining in hers.
"That's a common fear for the first mission." Hanji nodded and kissed Lilly's forehead. "But very rarely does it happen, especially since you're an Ackerman." She chuckled and then sighed as she heard Erwin calling for her. "Well, gotta go. Good luck!" She patted her shoulder before she walked to the command tent.
Lilly watched her mother go, then positively jumped out of her skin with a small shriek as Levi snuck up behind her and scared her. "Papa, ninja is not what I need right now!" She turned and smacked his arm as he just smirked.
"You looked tense." He said matter-of-factly with a shrug. "And going into a mission tense is a bad idea. You make stupid mistakes."
"Scaring the shit out of me doesn't help." Lilly glared at him.
"Helped me." Levi quipped, ribbing her.
"Have you ever made a stupid mistake?" She raised a skeptical eyebrow, wanting to get back at him.
"Never." Levi chuckled and hugged his daughter. "Good luck, and trust your instincts. They're the best I've seen. You're smart and fast and sharp. Use your head as well as your instincts, though. Don't do stupid shit."
"I get it papa, geez." Lilly rolled her eyes but she took everything to heart. After all, this information could keep her and her squad from certain death.
"Now you need to use it." Levi flicked her in the head before he was off back at the command tent.
Lilly returned to caring for her marvelous light grey stallion named Samson. He whinnied and nuzzled her, and she stroked his nose. "What a crazy place we live in, huh?" She said to him softly, before she saddled and mounted him. "Time to go."
Samson trotted over to the troupe of horses that was her squad, Jakob checking that everything was alright. "Hey Lilly!" He grinned as she came over. "Ready for this?"
"As ready as I'll ever be." She shrugged.
Soon enough they were waiting for Erwin's command on heading out. She shifted in her saddle, nerves tingling. As the order was given and the gates raised, the Scout Regiment flooded through, spreading out into their formation as they reached the open space. Lilly caught her breath at the sight, the familiar sight of the Maria grasslands, now teeming with Titans. She didn't see any yet, but the idea burned in her mind.
"This way!" Jakob jerked his head to their point on the rim. His squad followed, Lilly's eyes and ears open for any sound of Titans.
An hour or so passed with no problem for their little squad, but soon enough her keen ears picked up the heavy footsteps of a Titan. Lilly listened to the gait, and pulled out her flare.
"Jakob there's an abnormal approaching!" She nodded to her squad leader, the Titan soon appearing as it ran towards the center of the convoy. It was 12 meters tall.
"Fire the flare and get ready for combat!" He ordered, and black smoke streaked through the sky. Then he angled his chestnut mare towards the Titan and started off, taking the grips from the holsters on his belt, and drawing blades. Lilly followed suit, as did the other two members, both boys, Stephan and James. The Titan was soon within attacking range.
Lilly was the first to move, using her spinning slash on the legs to get it on the ground and unable to run. She severed the ankle, cutting the feet clean off. It crashed to the ground and James dealt the fatal blow, a plume of blood marking his slice.
Lilly mounted Samson as he trotted up and smiled at James. "Nice work!"
"Thank, but if you hadn't gotten it down it would have been much more difficult." James's emerald green eyes reflected his gratitude.
Jakob regathered them and they got back into formation. Once again they rode on in relative peace. Lilly knew right then that something was going to go wrong. Very rarely was there peace like this without something brewing. She kept her ears on high alert as James and Stephan began chatting, relaxing as they reached the two hour mark since confrontation. She looked at Jakob and he nodded. He felt it too.
"There!" Lilly shot a red flare as she heard the Titans approach. It was like a stampede.
"What the hell?!" Jakob looked around at the sheer number that's closing in. "Did we kick the ant nest?" He wheeled his horse around and started riding to the only gap in the circle of Titans, Lilly right on his heel. Stephan and James followed, but James's horse hit a slick patch of mud and it stumbled. It wasn't much but it was enough.
James screamed as the hand clamped around him and his horse was crushed beneath the Titan's foot. He screamed again as he looked down the throat of the Titan. It was cut off with the snap of teeth and a spray of blood.
"JAMES!" Stephan cried, taking out his blades and launching himself at the Titan that ate his friend. He took it down, before dodging a hand and slaying another. Four remained, and the closest swiped at him. He dodged, before he was caught by its mouth.
"A small... calculation error..." He groaned a moment before he disappeared down its throat.
Lilly turned her head and rode on, side by side with Jakob. He fit in a yellow flare and shot it, trying to find another squad to meet up with as four Titans chased them. It would have been amusing to see them tripping over each other if it wasn't so goddamn terrifying. Lilly laughed in relief as she saw an answering yellow flare.
The pair rode as hard as they could to the other squad, and soon they saw the four horses on the horizon. The squad didn't even hesitate to engage the pursuing Titans, the leader nodding to Jakob, her steely hazel eyes set with determination. Jakob saluted in response and they kept riding away.
Lilly blinked, feeling a bit lightheaded, and she checked herself over. She just stared at the long cut on her arm, caused from shrapnel of James' gear when it was destroyed. She didn't even feel it in the mad adrenaline-filled rush to safety. But now that they were relatively safe the wave of pain hit her and she cried out, before pulling out her bandages and wrapping up the wound.
"You gonna be okay?" Jakob asked, angry at himself for not noticing sooner. Some leader he was.
"I'll live." Lilly nodded and then glanced back, her heart growing cold as she watched the squad leader of the other team get flattened by the remaining Titan, the rest of her team nothing more than red smears on the grass beside three disintegrating corpses.
"What the hell happened?" Lilly turned to her leader, the full force of what just occurred not registering yet.
"I don't know..." Jakob watched as the last Titan seemed to run, then it seemed to sense the two very edible humans in front of it. "Go. Split up." He ordered as it began running, praying it'll go after him as he veers to the right, Lilly going left.
She heard the thundering steps and looked back, her heart stopping in terror as it picked her as its target. She rode as fast as she can, but she must have taken a wrong turn. Samson's hoof struck something and she was thrown from his back, landing hard and rolling as he bolted, spooked. Her gear detached just as it was supposed to, and Lilly landed in a heap, arm bleeding worse and a gash now on her head dripping blood into her eyes. She blearily looked up through the cracked lens of her goggles. There was a smashing sound and Lilly saw the broken remains of her 3DMG fall from the bottom of the Titan's foot.
I'm sorry mama and papa... I'm sorry Heike... I'm sorry Eren... She closed her eyes as its hand closed around her, a tear rolling down her cheek.
I'll get chapter seven up as soon as I can... Or as soon as I get to working on it. And as a request, if you leave a review, please don't put "update soon!" or "write more!". Those don't really help much. Thanks.