Chapter 17: Berik
"So you want to enrol here, in my academy?"
"Yeah, you heard us right!"
"Ymir! Be more polite; this is principal Erwin after all," Berik scolded, putting a hand on her shoulder.
Ymir and Berik stood in front of a wooden desk, the stubborn girl with her arms crossed and the boy fidgeting with a frightened body posture. The man they spoke to sat at the desk with his fingers laced and his elbows resting on the surface. His blond hair was neatly combed to the side and his face was clean and chiseled. His expression bore an amused and stern look, while his blue eyes seemed to strip the children of their confidence and display their insecurities for him to see. Ymir did not like how he seemed to read her entire life with just one look.
"I don't care who he is – I'll treat him nicely if he deserves it!" Ymir snapped.
"Quite the attitude from someone who's asking a favour, don't you think? You used to be our rivals, and now you're asking to be let into our schools. I'm not sure what to say," Erwin commented, gaze unwavering.
Berik hesitated, then pressed forward with a determined glint in his eyes. "Sir, I'll have you know that despite us being former Titans, we never liked our school and always fought with the other students there. I'm not too sure about Ymir, but my other friends and I never swore an allegiance to Maria Academy."
Erwin seemed impressed, if the slight widening of his eyes and lifting of his eyebrows were any indication. "You are very passionate and fluent in your language. I can see you would make an excellent addition to the Scouts. Where are your other friends, if I may ask?"
"They're still in the Maria district, but I know that as soon as they find out we've left, they'll be coming here in no time."
"You left? Meaning, you've both run away from your homes?"
"Sir, we didn't have the best home lives."
"I see. That would certainly explain why you've no guardian with you or why there hasn't been any formal paperwork for your transfer. I'm sorry, but I'll have to call the Garrison to report you found if you've run away."
"No!" Ymir shouted, eyes wide and scared, "don't call the Garrison! They'll take me back and put me in that foster home again! And they'll take Berik away, too! Please, sir, if there's anything I'll beg for, it's to not have the Garrison called on us!"
Erwin set his hands down and glared at the brunette. "The law is the law; I can't bend it just because you asked me to, child."
"Then don't bend the law – just ignore it! We're better off with them thinking I'm dead. At least now I can truly live for myself without owing anyone any favours."
Erwin stayed quiet, deep in thought. Ymir watched him nervously, sweat sliding down the side of her face, while Berik held his breath the second the powerful man stood. He was very tall and muscular, but it was hidden by his heavy and formal clothes. The principal paced behind his swivel chair, frowning and rubbing his chin, then halted to stare out the window behind his desk, his arms behind his back.
"You're wrong, Ymir. You will owe me an enormous favour, one that will stick with you and Berik until the end of your years here, at the Rose Academy," Erwin said, smiling over his shoulder.
Berik grinned widely, tears in his eyes, and hugged Ymir as he laughed. Ymir hugged him tightly as well, sighing and closing her eyes in relief.
"Now, about your residence: I'm willing to provide a small apartment for the both of you, on a few conditions, of course. The school will pay rent for you, but once you're both adults, we will cut off the payments the very next year. You will provide your own food supplies, because I'm sure you can find a small job somewhere as a delivery person. Also, you will always attend school, no matter what, and I will register myself as your guardian, though we'll keep that bit a secret.
"The only way for me to check on you is for the both of you to attend school at all times, and to always call in sick when you're ill. We will also provide a telephone, though that should be scarcely used, since it is a privilege and not a right. You willdo well in school and you will avoid harassing other students, but I do permit defending yourselves, since I do realize Titans entering the Scouts' district is unusual and unwelcome.
"Vice-principal Pixis, who I'll introduce in a few minutes, will always be here for you if you find yourselves in a bind. Due to the workload on my shoulders, I cannot guarantee that I will be able to help you. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir."
Erwin turned around and nodded once, smiling slightly. "Good." He pressed a button on his desk and spoke into what appeared to be a microphone. "Miss Ilse, if you could please page Mister Pixis for me and call him to my office?"
"Right away, sir."
"Thank you." He then sat at his desk and pulled two manila folders from a drawer. Inside each folder was an inscription form as well as a thick packet of rules, regulations and agreements. The principal handed each one to the children, who paled and sagged at the amount of writing.
"You both seem very intelligent, so I hope you can fill this out without any mishaps. If you do have problems, feel free to consult Mister Pixis– ah, there he is! Hello, Pixis."
A balding man with an impressive white moustache entered the office and smiled at the occupants of the room. "Erwin! A pleasure to be here. What do you need me for?"
"Well, you see, we have a situation on our hands." Erwin then went on to explain the plight of Ymir and Berik, Pixis nodding solemnly in reply.
"I understand. We'll welcome these two warmly, since we are not as cold as the Titans. Though, if they were beautiful, I really wouldn't mind their frightening ways. But alas, they are all unfortunately ugly, and my heart breaks at every district meeting because I'll never find a gorgeous Titan teacher or staff member."
Ymir and Berik exchanged a look and grinned. "Don't worry, Mister Pixis, we'll be good!" Berik promised, fist to his heart, "and we'll make both you and Mister Erwin real proud! We swear it, right Ymir?"
The brunette stared at Berik then, grin fading to a small smile, and mimicked him, fist to her heart. "Of course," she replied quietly.
Pixis laughed and slapped the back of both children. "Well, what do you know? They aren't even enrolled here and they already know the traditional salute! Very good!"
Erwin nodded and extended his hand out to Ymir, who shook it firmly.
"Welcome to Rose Academy."
It was all a wild ride from there. Ymir and Berik found a small but useful apartment and, as promised, the Scouts' district school board paid for the rent and whatever other expenses the two required. Ymir found a job as a paper girl for the newspaper and Berik performed random chores around the neighbourhood for pocket-money, be it raking leaves, mowing the lawn or shovelling snow. Together, they amassed enough money to buy their own food, clothes, and even little luxuries on the side.
School was not an issue for either of them, for they walked to school every day and kept to themselves. No one knew where they came from, or who they were, but many were curious. Ymir had even come back from school one day, complaining about a gluttonous girl who couldn't stand up for herself. Berik had smiled then, bumping into Ymir's shoulder lightly.
"Yeah, so maybe you should straighten her attitude up with your pers… persua–"
"Persuasiveness."
"Yeah, that!" Berik laughed.
At some point, word got out that Ymir and Berik were former Titans, and that was where the troubles began. A little girl by the name of Mina Carolina accidentally suggested it to her friends, which was then heard by one Nack Teaz, who then spread it across the junior high school. Ymir and Berik were met with glares and scowls everyday on their way to school.
"Look, it's them."
"Titans?"
"That's what I heard from Nack."
"We'll kick their asses someday, just you wait."
Ymir growled deep in her throat as she glared at the kids half her size. Berik smiled shakily and put a hand to her shoulder to calm her down. Ymir glanced at him and crossed her arms, turning her nose up pointedly.
"Berik, we shouldn't have to take their crap just 'cause of the school we came from!" she pointed out angrily.
"I know, Ymir," Berik soothed, "but we can't hurt anyone until they hurt us first. Remember Erwin's warning before you raise your fists."
Ymir nodded and sighed, stuffing her fists into her pockets. She decided to get the male uniform, because she didn't want to seem girly and weak to Berik or any other boy for that matter. In Ymir's mind, being womanly meant being fragile, just as Kirsten was back in the foster home. Kirsten was so sensitive sometimes it disgusted Ymir. However, just the thought of her sweetness and kindness made the girl's heart clench tightly and she shook her head to force the memories away. By now, Kirsten would've forgotten all about her.
"Ymir?"
Ymir looked to the side to see Berik peering at her in worry. She plastered a grin on her face and put her arm around his neck, pulling him forward.
"Let's show these kids that we're true Scouts, right Berik?"
"Right!"
"Hey! Loser! Yeah, you with the black hair!"
Ymir whirled around to see a group of boys her age pointing and snickering at Berik. The boy beside her flinched but glared at them. Ymir put on her fiercest glare and extended her arm to shield Berik from whatever assault those boys planned on delivering. The boys continued laughing until Ymir decided she'd had enough and stepped forward.
"Hey, losers! Yeah, I'm talking to you idiots! Why don't you piss off and leave us alone?" she shouted angrily.
The group ceased their laughter to give each other amused looks, and one boy stepped forward with a cocky smirk.
"Hey, you a girl or what? Why are you wearing the guys' uniform?" he snorted.
His buddies erupted in laughter and Ymir clenched her teeth. Berik opened his mouth to say something but stopped short at the boy's glare on him.
"Stay outta this, shorty!" he yelled. He pointed at Ymir and turned his eyes back to her. "She's the stupid girl who thinks she's a boy!"
"Shut up!"
"No!"
"I'll make you if you don't leave us alone!"
"Bring it!"
"What the hell is going on here?!"
All the children turned to see vice-principal Pixis scowling and frowning. The boys immediately assumed innocent expressions and pointed at Ymir and Berik.
"They started it!" they cried.
"What!" Ymir exploded, face red. She clenched her hands into fists but stopped when Berik placed a hand to her shoulder. She turned her face to see him shaking his head slowly, and shoved her fists into her pockets.
"Our best bet is to show that we're mature, so that Pixis will see through their act. Okay, Ymir? Do you understand?" Berik whispered.
Ymir trembled but nodded her head once. She kept her mouth shut as the boys attempted to convince Pixis that Ymir had provoked them. Despite the burning rage that engulfed her being, she stood her ground and heeded Berik's advice. Berik sighed in relief and released his grip, turning to Pixis and watching the man's expression shift from curious to contemplative. Soon, Pixis raised a hand and all attempts at explaining what had occurred ceased.
"I don't believe any of you," Pixis began, ignoring the resulting sputters, "which is why I'm going to ask you this question, and you better not lie. Answer 'yes' or 'no – that's it. Nothing else. Did you provoke these two into entering a conflict with you?"
The boys remained silent and Pixis nodded. "That's what I thought. Leave now – you will be punished later. Scouts ought not to act like this, and you know it."
"Yes, vice-principal Pixis."
The children trudged off quietly, heads down and shoulders hunched in. Pixis sighed and rubbed his temples with his fingers. He looked off to the side and smiled at the relieved expressions both Ymir and Berik held.
"Well? Why aren't you heading off to class?" he asked, chuckling when both children jolted and bowed.
"R-right, sir! We're going right now!" Berik exclaimed, dragging Ymir along.
Ymir looked back as Berik pulled on her arm. Pixis caught her eye and smiled, to which Ymir grinned over her shoulder. She turned her head and her grin faded as she thought about the boys. She looked at the boy pulling her and felt the slightest shiver pass through her body. Narrowing her eyes, she looked down at the hand on her wrist and finally noticed the frigid touch he held.
It felt like death.
Months passed, and eventually Reiner and Bertholdt came to join them, just as Berik had predicted. They came by on their own, after having convinced their parents that Rose Academy was a much better school for them. Both boys' fathers were business partners and had no trouble setting up a new office for their thriving marketing scheme.
Due to their appearance and friendly attitude, no student dared to commit any wrongs against them, and some had even offered a hand in friendship. It made Ymir blind with anger, but she reminded herself that children with parents were more socially acceptable than orphans with shady backgrounds. It was cruel, but it was also the truth.
Berik immediately clicked with them again, and familiarized himself with their developing personalities and appearances. Bertholdt was still monstrously tall, Reiner just a few inches behind. While Bertholdt grew more confident and Reiner less aggressive, the jealousy that Reiner held for the bond between Ymir and Berik never wavered.
"Get away from him, loser! He's coming with us to the ballpark!"
"No way, it's too dangerous out right now, idiot!
Ymir and Reiner stood across from each other, in Berik's shared apartment, glaring and seething with their palms slammed against the dining table. Berthold and Berik watched nervously from the sidelines.
The tall blond boy pointed his finger to the window in the living room. "It's broad daylight!"
Ymir refused to back down. "It's downtown!"
"Ymir you're just hogging Berik all to yourself! Why don't you go find other friends, you dumb girl!"
"Because I don't have any!"
Shocked into silence, Reiner watched as Ymir grabbed her coat and slammed the door open, stalking out angrily. Berik pulled on his hair and Bertholdt hesitantly put a hand to Reiner's shoulder. The boy seemed overcome by anger, his face red and his body posture stiff. However, his expression was filled with regret and the slightest hint of sympathy.
The shortest of the three threw his coat on and motioned for his friends to exit. "I think you should leave," Berik spoke quietly, stoically, "you've done enough for today."
Reiner opened his mouth but Bertholdt shook his head and pushed him forward. "We'll see you soon, Berik," he mumbled as he brushed by the shorter boy.
Berik forced a smile and shut the door behind him as he followed them. "Yeah, soon." He then locked the door and ran down the hall to chase Ymir. He knew where she liked to go to think, and ascended the metal staircase on the outside of the building. The roof overlooked the residential area of the city, and was home to many starry nights, amorous escapades and cloud gazing activities. There were little boxes scattered across the rocky surface, their main purpose related to the ventilation of the building.
Ymir stood at the railing lining the roof, leaning on it and throwing pebbles at various pedestrians. Berik watched her duck occasionally and snicker to herself. He smiled despite himself and slowly approached her, leaning with his back against the rail.
"Ymir, I just wanna–"
"I know."
"Reiner was being a–"
"I know."
"You'll forgive him?"
Ymir sighed and threw a pebble into a passing car's window, grinning at the surprised shriek. She pulled Berik down with her when the driver leaned out of his window to holler, and turned to the boy with a serious expression.
"I'm expecting an apology from him, Berik, not you. I forgive but I don't forget."
"Alright, well, I don't like it when you two fight. You're both my friends and it hurts to see you two argue every time we hang out together."
"What do you want me to do? Let him take the only person who helps me pay the bills away from me? Hell no!"
Berik crossed his arms and stood. "I get it. I'm just a helping hand, huh? You don't care about me, you care about yourself and the bills."
Ymir gaped and stood up. "No! You've got it all wrong! I–"
"Just forget it."
"No! Berik you're being an idiot! If this was all about the money then I would've just stolen it from you and run off by now!" Ymir shouted. "We're like family, and we support each other with everything we've got! I don't want Reiner to take my brother away. No one, and I mean no one, will take you away from me."
Berik, speechless, walked back a few paces and tripped over one of the ventilation boxes. The force of the trip made him flip backwards over the railing, and Ymir gasped as she rushed over and quickly caught his arms before he could fully flip. His mouth opened in a silent scream and his eyes bore into hers. She swallowed nervously at the fear she saw and concentrated on bringing him to her. Her hands slid to his and she pulled him forward to stand upright. Again, his hands were cold, too cold, and his blue eyes held terror within. She felt the shiver through his palms before he gingerly took them away and buried them in the pockets of his coat. Spring was just around the corner, but that didn't make the cold disappear.
"Are you okay?" Ymir asked in concern. She scowled and crossed her arms at the wind, her freckles pronounced.
"I'm fine," Berik whispered. He shakily took a few steps away from the railing and allowed Ymir to lead him back to their apartment
Ymir glanced at the boy and her heart squeezed at the terrified and anxious movements he made. With every step he seemed to sink into the floor, as though he were thanking his feet for staying grounded. She felt guilt weighing her down and tried to reason with the argumentative side of her. "Berik, I'll try to get along with Reiner. For your sake."
The black-haired boy looked up and smiled slightly. "Really?"
"Yeah, really."
"Good, I'm glad. C'mon, let's go watch the old man down the hall gamble his life savings away!"
"You're on!"
They ran down the hall, grinning and laughing.
A year passed after that incident, and Ymir kept to her promise. She let Reiner take Berik out with Bertholdt for some guy time while she studied hard to uphold her promise to Erwin. Soon, she learned to memorize facts easily and perfected her writing skills, earning top marks among the school's brightest. Students murmured of her being on par with the genius Armin and the prodigy Mikasa, while others scorned her for her Titan origins, and justified her success as cheating and lying her way through the system. Either way, Ymir couldn't care any less – she kept her promise to Erwin, and that's all that mattered to her.
Berik struggled with school, due to all the extra-curricular activities he participated in, but managed to score within the average range and occasionally make it on the principal's honoured list. He managed to make friends with the group of children that Reiner and Bertholdt associated themselves with, yet Ymir kept away from all the distractions. She worked hard to earn her keep, and preferred to stay indoors and away from any form of socialization.
Vice-principal Pixis visited them on occasion to bring gifts and to check up on them. He also brought news from Erwin, such as progress in the guardian transfers request and word from Ymir's former foster parents. Pixis' visits were often bittersweet and it made Ymir loathe yet love him for his deeds. However, despite his presence in their lives, Pixis refused to associate with them at school and remained distant, so as to not display favouritism among the students.
When Ymir and Berik amassed enough money through their scattered jobs, they bought a little box that displayed moving images – something Erwin called a 'teevee'. It was still in production and cost them a hefty sum, but it was worth it. They stayed many hours watching documentaries on living things, comedy shows and even scary films at times. The fight for the remote was inevitable, but it taught them to share and respect each other's views – Ymir thought scary movies were not that scary at all while Berik thought that documentaries were redundant and boring.
It was this very same year that news arrived of a little blonde entering Rose Academy. Rumour had it that she packed quite the punch, and preferred the company of dust bunnies to actual people. Rumour also suggested that she had a history with Mikasa, Eren's adopted sister, and that they would engage in epic duels every full moon for Eren's attention. But rumours were often full of deceit and wishful thinking, which made Ymir think nothing of it.
Imagine her surprise when she came face to face with none other than Annie Leonhardt, the subject of discussion, one Monday morning in home room.
Their glares were full of hostility, ice and fire clashing for dominance. Annie stayed away from Ymir, thus staying away from Berik, and staying away from Reiner and Bertholdt. It confused Berik at first, and hurt him slightly that she would prefer to be alone than be with her friends, but after observing her actions at lunch, he understood her true motive for moving. It was not to be with her friends, but to be with Eren, and that was okay with him.
It was not okay for Reiner, however.
The boy kept on bugging Annie until she finally snapped and agreed to have lunch with him and Bertholdt every day at school. She warmed to Bertholdt far more easily than she did with Reiner, but in the end, she appreciated the company. She kept to herself, however, during class and after school.
Berik tried to communicate with her, mainly out of respect and nostalgia for their old friendship, but Annie would not allow a friendship with a boy who associated himself with Ymir. It grated on the brunette's nerves, how Annie estranged a long-time friend simply because of her, and one day she simply marched up to the blonde right at lunch, her fist around Annie's collar.
"What the hell's your problem, huh? Just 'cause Berik's my friend, it's suddenly okay to treat him like shit? What makes you so high and mighty?" she snarled.
Annie kept her face expressionless and shrugged. "I don't know, just let go of my shirt. You're wrinkling the ironing my mother did."
"To hell with your shirt! Stop ignoring Berik like he's some kinda stranger! He didn't do anything wrong to you!"
The blonde frowned slightly and grabbed Ymir's wrist. With a flick of her own, the brunette was on her back and groaning in pain. Her eyes were squeezed shut and when she opened them, she found Annie casting a shadow over her, her blue eyes mysterious and strangely agonized. Ymir squinted her eyes and clenched the grass in her hands.
"You're wrong," Annie muttered, "he did do something: he left us – for you." And with that she walked away, collar fixed and in place. However, Ymir wasn't finished yet. She stood up shakily and grinned despite her pain.
"Oh yeah, well, you're a damn coward for ignoring the kid who brought you all together!" she yelled. Annie stopped in her tracks and kept her arms to her sides. She peeked over her shoulder cautiously and watched Ymir's battered form tremble with adrenalin.
"Ignore me if you want! Beat me, I don't care! It will only make me stronger! But whatever you do, don't do shit to Berik, or else I'll bite your ass and never let go! And trust me, I've got sharp teeth!"
The blonde turned her head back to the front and continued walking to where she was supposed to meet Reiner and Bertholdt. This time, when Berik greeted her, she returned the greeting and invited him to eat with her. Ymir simply grinned and chose to pick on Sasha by stealing her food and placing it on Professor Shadis' desk.
Another year followed that, and it was soon time for Ymir's class to leave junior high and ascend to high school. However, before they could do that, they needed to finish their final year.
Annie grew warmer towards Ymir, though still cold. Her attitude towards Ymir was comparable to a snowball slowly melting under the sun in winter – frigid, but not glacial. They often sparred when Ymir waited for Berik after school, and though Annie tried, Ymir refused to learn her tricks and tried to come up with her own to counter Annie's.
It was in this year that Ymir began to detect signs of being different than most girls at her school. She did not fawn over the muscles the boys were beginning to display, and she certainly had no interest in acquiring a boyfriend. She felt indifferent to the dream of romance, and put love to the back of her mind, where she was determined to never think of it again. Her dedication remained to the friendship she shared with Berik, which remained strong throughout their time together. They coexisted peacefully and helped one another, yet did not ultimately depend on each other. They were partners and roommates, but more than that, they were family – true family, the kind that only existed with unbreakable trust and friendship.
Ymir often received letters from Kirsten and Niklas, asking about her health and well-being, but she never replied, despite Berik's insistence that she should. Her reasoning was that with a reply, she would give them hope of returning, and she would never forgive herself if she disappointed them with the lack of a visit. She argued that Erwin's assurance of her safety should be more than enough for them, but through her tough façade, it was clear that she wanted to write a letter yet knew not what to say. What do you say to the family you left behind? To the people who tried to support your harsh manners? Nothing, that's what – and that's what she kept telling herself as she stuffed the letters into her pillowcase.
Ymir tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for Berik to get dressed. They were to meet Reiner, Bertholdt and possibly Annie at the mall for a group outing. It was Berik's idea, in order to properly unwind from the stress of the exams, and Ymir had reluctantly agreed. She decided that one day to relax would be fun, and what better way to have fun than to screw around with other people at the mall?
Finally, Berik appeared next to Ymir with his sweater in one arm and his backpack on the other. "Let's go!" he shouted in excitement. The brunette rolled her eyes and locked the door behind them once they exited. She kept one hand on the strap of the bag over her shoulder and the other one in her pocket. They both wore sweaters over t-shirts with jeans.
They approached a bus stop near the apartment complex and waited for the vehicle to pull in. After paying their fares, they sat together in the middle of the right row, away from all the other teens in the back. Unfortunately, they had already been noticed due to Ymir's height and Berik's unusual style and their closeness, leading some to think they were a couple.
"I wonder who wears the pants in their relationship."
Ymir grit her teeth and stood up, but Berik pulled on her arm and stared straight ahead.
"Ignore. Them," he seethed.
Ymir grumbled and crossed her arms, but obeyed. The teens walked down the aisle when the bus approached near a residential area stop. They snickered as they crowded around the back door.
"They're so weird."
"I know, right?"
"Ridiculous!"
Ymir stood up once more and Berik failed to stop her. She stalked towards the teens – whom she vaguely recognized as older Titans from her childhood – and scowled up at them. They didn't take her seriously and simply smirked down at her, her face unfamiliar to them.
"Listen, you morons, and listen closely: I don't give a damn if you're Titans or Scouts or Cavalry – no one screws around with me and gets away with it, got it?"
The teens looked at each other and laughed as the bus pulled up. One of the girls patted her head patronizingly as she exited the back door. "Sure, short stuff, I got it."
Ymir fumed and pushed the door open before it could shut. "OH YEAH, WELL, FUCK YOU!" And she stepped back to slam the doors shut. She stomped over to where Berik sat and plopped down on her seat glumly. Berik gave her a look of contempt for not listening to him but sighed in resignation, opting to stare out the window and keep a look out for the mall.
When they finally arrived, they noticed Reiner and Bertholdt pull up at different stop from a different bus and Berik hurried to meet them. Ymir rolled her eyes but followed at her own pace. Once the group united, Bertholdt explained that Annie would be in the mall, but she would not be joining them anytime soon, since she was with her father on a special trip. Berik appeared crestfallen but Ymir could care less.
The group entered the building and marvelled at the architecture. It was modern and had elements of the old within it. There were larger television screens, obviously advanced prototypes, being used as advertising schemes and several shops open to the public. The first thing they all decided to do was to eat lunch, which they did at a nearby sandwich shop. After filling their stomachs with food, Berik pulled Ymir to a photo booth and gestured for her to go in with him. The group took turns with each other taking pictures – which included Reiner and Ymir, surprisingly enough – and pocketed their souvenirs with fond smiles on their faces.
Afterwards, they decided to stop by stores that were far beyond their budget but fun to look at. They entered a toy store and commented on the astounding amount of material to play with.
"Wow! Check this out, Bert, a talking parrot!" Reiner exclaimed, "oohh, look at that sword! I'll be a true warrior with this!"
"Please put that down, Reiner, or you're going to get hurt!"
"But I'm the perfect warrior, watch: I can swing this around like a pro! Maybe one day I'll find my princess and I'll rescue her from some terrible beast!"
"Maybe someday."
Berik fumbled with a toy helicopter and squeaked when it suddenly flew up. He glanced around to see Ymir grinning and her hands on a remote. With every movement of her thumbs, the helicopter followed, and it made Berik laugh and shake his head.
"Do some cool tricks!" he asked excitedly, standing next to her.
"I'm trying," she muttered, tongue poking out. A helicopter could not perform somersaults and its movements were not the most fluid, but Ymir managed to get it through a mock-obstacle course by using other toy boxes around.
"Hey!"
The shout came from the back and the children dropped whatever they held that didn't belong to them before running away. They laughed and giggled as they fled from the store, hiding in the food court area to avoid the store employee that had probably chased them here. Ymir leaned against the foot of a table, Berik and Reiner at either of her side and Bertholdt behind her. They panted in uneven rhythms, and every now and then they would let out a chuckle or a snicker.
"That was fun!" Reiner panted.
"Yeah!" Bertholdt, agreed, nodding.
"We've gotta do that again sometime, right, Ymir?" Berik grinned, elbowing her ribs.
Ymir felt a cold sensation spread from where she'd been elbowed and looked at Berik in shock, who had his eyes closed and a small smile on his lips. She examined him carefully, then nodded her agreement as she straightened and stood from under the table.
"Yeah, definitely."
The rest of the boys followed suit and stood, stretching their limbs and keeping a lookout for the dedicated employee. Berik smiled and put his arms around Ymir and Reiner, who in turn put his arm around Bertholdt.
"So, where to next?" Berik questioned.
"I need some clothes."
"I want to watch a movie."
"Berik's coming with me!" Ymir and Reiner said in unison.
Bertholdt sighed and shook his head, turning it away when Reiner glared at Ymir. Berik removed his arms and glared at the two of them.
"No! We are not arguing again!" he protested in aggravation.
"I'm bored as hell, Berik, and I wanna watch a movie! Reiner can go pick out his panties on his own!" Ymir argued, crossing her arms. Reiner sputtered in shock, face red, and pointed angrily at the brunette.
"What the fuck is your problem?" he shouted, "I didn't even do anything to you and you're putting me down!"
Ymir sneered at him but said nothing. Berik looked between them and threw his hands up in exasperation.
"You know what," he started, "fuck it. Just, fuck it. You two go off and do whatever the hell you want – just leave me out of it. This was supposed to be a day to relax, and that's exactly what I'm gonna do, so leave me alone." And with that he stormed off, backpack in hand.
"LOOK AT WHAT YOU DID!"
"ME? IT'S YOUR FAULT, YOU MORON!"
"MY FAULT? BERT, TELL THIS BITCH THAT IT'S ALL HER FAULT!"
"Don't bring me into this."
"AT LEAST BERT'S GOT SOME SENSE!"
"YOU CAN GO TO HELL FOR ALL I CARE! C'MON, BERT, WE'RE LEAVING!"
Ymir watched the tall boys disappear into the crowd and kicked the table in frustration. He just had to ruin everything, didn't he, she thought miserably. She had to find Berik no matter what – Titans were known to prowl in the area, and if they were recognized...
"I have to find him."
An hour of searching proved fruitless, and Ymir began to grow desperate. She searched every shop, twice, and had even called out blindly to the fitting rooms to see if Berik was there as well. Just as she was about to collapse in despair, she noticed Annie walking around with a man bearing a similar facial structure.
"Annie!" she called out. The stoic girl looked at the brunette and raised an eyebrow, shaking her head slowly. She excused herself from her father as Ymir reached her, her expression desperate.
"Have you seen Berik?"
Annie appeared startled, looking around and behind herself as well as Ymir. "No, I haven't. Why? Where did he go?"
"He's been missing for an hour now. Annie, I've searched everywhere, every goddamn shop in this goddamn mall, and still no sign of him!"
"Have you checked the roof?"
"There's a roof?"
Annie sighed. "Follow me." She returned to her father and apologized, explaining the situation to him. The man smiled and nodded, going into the store he'd been window-shopping and waving good-bye to his daughter. The blonde beckoned the brunette to follow her and they both sped through the crowd. They turned several corners and cut into numerous lines, and at some point, bumped into Reiner and Bertholdt, who were also searching for Berik. The group continued together to the roof after exchanging greetings with Annie, though Ymir pointedly ignored Reiner and vice versa.
Finally, they reached the staircase to the roof and ascended the steps in a hurry. Their footsteps echoed much like that of a desperate, frightened stampede and it was only until they reached the top that they stopped to take a breath – a breath of shock.
There were four older boys – all Titans, if the uniform was any clue – pushing and shoving Berik around in a circle. The poor boy's backpack was thrown haphazardly near the railing, which lined the roof of the mall. The railing was as old as the building itself, which spanned several decades of existence. It was not inspected as often as it should have been, since the roof was not a very popular hangout location and budgets for the mall's safety programs were incredibly low. The metal was rusty, and the screws loose from weathering harsh conditions. However, there were vending machines of which other scared children cowered behind to watch, as well as chairs and tables set against the railing at different intervals.
"BERIK!" Ymir shouted, running forward. Reiner ran forth as well, followed by Bertholdt and Annie.
"Get the fuck away from him!" the brunette roared in rage. The Titans laughed and cussed at the children. One of them pulled Berik to him and held him back, watching his friends take on the Scouts. Berthold and Reiner teamed up against one of the boys to knock him out while Annie relied on her kickboxing training to swiftly knock her opponent to the side. Ymir struggled but eventually bypassed the boy to get to Berik, trusting the other three to take care of the Titan she ignored.
The Titan who held Berik smirked and backed up closer to the railing unconsciously. Ymir's eyes widened and she lifted her fist up, watching Berik panic at the sight of a long drop. The Titan sensed a threat and felt that Berik was not worth getting slugged in the face, so he roughly shoved the boy behind him.
However, Berik did not fall to the ground, as many would have thought.
If his backpack had not been there, Berik would have suffered a bruise and a scrape. But the bag was there, and the force behind the trip propelled him against the railing with enough power to push it and knock the screws loose. A part of the rusty metal fell off and Berik fell over the edge. The boy reached his hand out to grab something, and looked up into Ymir's devastated eyes as she extended her hand forward.
The brunette touched the boy's fingertips, feeling the abnormally cold temperature seep into her bones and paralyze her entire being. She watched Berik's blue eyes become smaller and smaller as he fell, and read his lips before he hit the ground in a sickening loud crunch.
'I'm sorry.'
Ymir fell to her knees with a piercing shriek of horror.
'Thank you.'