CHAPTER 2 : Dinner Fest

Trost District

"As of today, all preparations have been completed. The operation to take Wall Maria will commence 2 days from now. And as for what lies within the underground room? If we wish to know, we'll go see for ourselves." Erwin Smith smiled, "That's the way of the Survey Corps, is it not? Everyone, to your own divisions, then."

"And as stealthy as possible."

"But at least we should be able to have some meat, right?"

"That's right... We have to show those kids they can defend on the adults once in a while."

"Wait, we aren't going to talk about the new recruit of Rivalle Squad? That squared off with Levi on a hand-to-hand combat?" The blonde Corpswomen questioned.

"I'm right here, lady." Fera frowned, sitting on the desk beside the bookshelves with a cut on her lip and a bruise near her eye.

"Why are you there?"

Hange gestured to her. "C'mon, Fera, we need to talk."

"I'm not your pet, Zoë."

"Sorry, was I sounding like that?"

"What of Commander Shadis' crimes of concealment?"

"Just leave him be." Hange said, "We don't have time to get caught up over that."

"What a shock, Hange.. he was your crush, after all."

"Shut up."

Fera laughed. "What? No way! I'll tell him that when I see him."

"Yes, yes! Tell him!"

"Don't!"

"What's with your reaction, Ha-?" Fera halted.

"Huh?"

Levi leaned on the door, closing it before Fera could exit. "Hey, Levi! I still need to talk to her." Hange tapped the door from outside.

"Just wait for a few minutes."

"Ugh, fine! But this is the last and I'll have her to myself! One minute, Ackerman! One!" She pounded on the door one last time.

"She seems very hungry for me." Fera said to Erwin.

He chuckled. "Yes, well, no one has survived outside the walls even for a day. Let alone six years."

Fera made a 'fair point' face and blinked at Levi when he pointed a finger at her. "I need to interrupt your chitchat. Why is she on my squad?" He asked sternly.

Erwin blinked and glanced at Fera. "She hasn't told you everything, I presume."

"And she told you, I presume?"

"He didn't ask." Fera said when Erwin gave her a look.

"Levi, if I didn't know any better you're..." Erwin trailed off, amusement fading away when he saw the shadow on the blue eyed Captain's face.

"Acting like a child? Yeah, he always is vaguely childish." Fera ignored his glare when she smacked his finger from her face, "So, if you could let me out, Captain Levi... Hange and I will exchange information."

"One minute is up!"

Levi pushed himself off the door and Hange stumbled into the room. "Make sure you won't leave out every details, Hange." Erwin said.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I won't." She hauled Fera by the shoulders out of the room and slammed the door close.

"What is it, Levi?" He asked when said guy didn't followed out.

Levi leaned on the door. "I got two things to discuss with you."

Erwin inclined his head for him to continue. "Firstly, why didn't you tell me about F- Lichtenstein? Or anyone?" Levi scowled.

"Because I didn't think she was your concern, neither did anyone. I and Shadis are the only ones who knew about her life, after we shared ours."

He was silent. "And now, you think she is?"

Erwin gave him a look. "Is she not?"

His mouth pressed tightly into a thin line, jaw clenching. He sighed exasperatedly, although it sounded defeatedly in Erwin's ears. "Secondly, this may be jumping the gun a bit but... what happens after we retake Wall Maria?" Levi asked instead of answering.

"Man, everything's gone haywire for the past 3 months, huh? Thanks for letting me borrow your clothes for tonight."

Hange chuckled. "Yes, very. No prob. So, I've been thinking ever since Shadis told us about the first time they saw you.."

Fera knew what was coming but she let it be. "Did you survive by eating titans?" Hange asked, heart hammering in anxiety and anticipation.

Fera was staring at the table, she closed her eyes and settled it on Hange's. "Yes," she answered. Clad in a pale yellow short sleeved hoodie shirt, dark worn-out pants, and black flat shoes. A black leather jacket on the backrest of her chair.

"H-how? Don't they evaporate?" Hange inhaled sharply.

"I eat them before they evaporate. Their flesh is very warm, much warmer when you chew and swallow. The first time I ate one, I had a stomachache. But I didn't feel like taking a shit. Afterwards, I crave for more," Fera paused, not taking her eyes off Hange. "But I still have a tinge of my sanity, so when I find cows and such, I don't eat titans. The world is pretty amazing if it weren't for them roaming around."

"The world is pretty much dull without titans around." Hange joked, crossing her arms.

Fera's lips twitched up into a grin that sent shivers down Hange's spine. "A bit," She laughed.

"Did you find anything more about them?"

"Not much. But like you said, I also thought that titans and humans are biologically related. I dissect one, but failed since I didn't know how to."

Hange stifled a laugh and so did Fera. The brown haired titan enthusiast stopped when a thought hit her mind, making her feel guilty. "Do you really think titans were once humans?" She blinked at the girl's question, surprised since she was just thinking that.

"Y-yeah, I think so but I don't believe it that much." She answered honestly.

Fera nodded. "Me too. But then... I ate a chunk of Xen's arm and they taste the same."

Hange stiffened. "Titan and human flesh?" Wondering how she asked that straightforward.

"Yes. Maybe that's why I was almost drooling when I tasted human flesh. Now I know why titans are addicted to us."

For some reason, Hange thought her room that was lit up by lanterns began to dim. Shadows painting Fera's face but she could see the girl's red eyes and toothy and gummy grin, reminding her of a titan.

"But does that mean I have been eating humans?"

The question made the room brighter again while the knock on the door made Hange flinched. It opened and revealed one of her troops. "Dinner is ready." He said.

She nodded and stood up, Fera followed suit. They trailed behind the guy after Hange locked her room. She pondered on Fera's question. Fear, sadness, anger, guilt, and.. hunger were written on the girl's face.

Hange nudged her. "Wanna eat with me?"

"Nah, I should probably eat with my squad. I'd rather not get on Levi's bad side tonight." Fera shook her head.

"You always seem to be on his bad side after everything you told me."

"Hahaha! That's true, Zoe."

"Seriously, make up your mind about what you'll call me. Zoe or Hange?"

She shrugged. "Depends on my mood."

Everyone in the hall was awed at the sight of meat on their table. They haven't seen this many meat in their entire lives, for some, a single glimpse of one.

"Today, we celebrate the retake of Wall Maria! Cheers!"

The last word wasn't echoed like he thought they would. Instead, the soldiers roared at each other and tried to take the meat for their own. Fera was in a table with Marlo and the rest of the Rivalle Squad. Laughing while clutching her midsection at the scene unfolding in their table. She was wearing the black leather jacket.

"Ahhhhhhhhh! She's eating me she's eating me she's eating me!" Jean howled when Sasha got two of his fingers in her mouth.

Connie was teary-eyed in fear. "Sasha!? That meat is Jean! You can't recognize him anymore?!"

Fera clapped her hands, muffling her laughs with a mouthful of meat. "You couldn't even eat meat in the Survey Corps? Pitiful." Marlo said, biting on a piece of meat.

"Ah...!" Connie blinked when Sasha suddenly punched Marlo square on the nose. Blood gushed out of it.

"Connie, bring her down." Mikasa stood up, Sasha punched her midsection.

"I'm trying but she's moving unconsciously now!" He said.

"Maybe we should knock her out." Fera swallowed the mouthful of meat, tapping her knuckles on her palms.

"What? No!"

"Do you want me to do that to you, Fera?"

"I'd rather not we fight... Mikasa, was it? It was just a suggestion!"

"She's right, Mikasa."

"You're taking her side, Jean?"

"Jean has a crush on her."

"Shut the fuck up, Marlo! Where did you get that idea?!"

When Connie was able to carry Sasha away, Eren helped him tie her on a wooden column. "Will this do?" He asked Connie, who sighed in relief.

"She finally tired out..."

"How long have you guys known each other?"

They looked at Fera and she gave them a 'what' face. She was on the end of the table, Marlo at her left while Jean at her right. "Since we were trainees, but Marlo joined the Military Police." Armin said, itching to ask her a question when Marlo hit off on a conversation that they all listened to.

Jean said. "Precisely you have no experience at all, you're in the rear guard."

"Indeed, I'm still weak, but that's the very reason I should be out the front lines observing the enemy, isn't it?" Marlo retorted.

"What? Are you trying to act brave in front of the veterans by lecturing about self-sacrifice?" Jean questioned.

"But how could the unit function as a whole without that sort of spirit?" Marlo glanced at Fera, thinking. 'What about her? I heard she just joined the Rivalle Squad, she doesn't look like she has experience.'

She caught his look, freezing him in place. "Think I'm as inexperienced as you?" She asked, he vigorously shook his head.

"You know, everyone starts off green as new soldiers. Nothing's going to get passed down the next generation if we use the new soldiers as fodder, right?" Jean paused, "It's your job to study from the back and live to return."

Marlo felt the sweat on his cheek was heavy as the burden they're carrying. Jean placed his arm on the table, inclining his head to the right. "I mean, the most useless of all are the suicidal bastards that only know to rush in head first, right?"

Eren halted from sipping on his barrel mug, catching Jean's sideways look. "Jean, who might you be talking about?" He snarled.

Armin and Jean looked at him, startled. "Is there anyone other than you? A suicidal bastard?" Jean questioned, amused.

"I've only realized quite recently that I'm quite normal. But from my normal perspective, it's more like you're too much of a coward, right?" Eren snickered and they exchanged black looks.

Armin flinched when the two abruptly stood up. "Why aren't you in a good condition, you pig-headed bastard!?" Jean shouted and used his hand to seize the front of Eren's jacket.

"What about yourself with your long hair, you self-deluded prick?!" Eren shouted back, collaring Jean with a hand.

Fera's eyes sparkled and whooped. "Pig-headed bastard versus self-deluded prick!"

Mikasa frowned at her, who threw her a flashy grin. Connie stood up with his barrel mug and a bowl. "Just not the face, ok?" He said when the two pushed the other away from their table.

"What are they doing?" Marlo asked Mikasa as Eren and Jean exchanged punches on the gut.

"Show him what you've got!"

"C'mon! Are you even trying!?" Fera yelled and the crowd that gathered roared in agreement.

"Such shitheads..."

"Looks like something started."

"I told them not to get so rowdy."

Jean panted. "Real talk now..."

"Ah?" Eren furrowed his brows.

He clutched his shoulders. "How many times would you have died without the titan's powers? And along with that, how many times did Mikasa have to save you?! If you keep rushing off to die again-"

Eren grunted when Jean struck his stomach again. "-I'll kill you!"

"I'll.. be sure to keep that in mind!" He returned the hit and pulled back his fist for another, "And what about you?! Be nicer to your mom! Jean-bo!"

"You go and forget that!" Jean yelled, punching Eren's midsection.

"Is it okay to let them go on?" Armin asked Mikasa.

"Yeah! Let them!" Fera roared with the crowd, raising her barrel mug and they followed suit.

"I think it's fine." She said blankly.

She and Armin sweat dropped at the two collaring each other while panting and sweating, arms still up. 'Why.. isn't anyone stopping us?' Eren asked inwardly.

'How long is this going to go on? Shit, the meat's coming back up.' Jean tried not to gagged when they heard an 'oi' from behind him.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and he turned to see Levi kicking Eren in the stomach. Everything in his vision spun and he felt the meat effusing up his throat as he fell to the ground. The crowd and the rest were silenced at the sight of Humanity's Strongest.

"All off you are getting a bit carried away." Levi said, glancing at the two on the ground. Fera slipped in the crowd as Levi looked up to the audience. "Go to bed. And clean up."

"UNDERSTOOD!"

"Lichtenstein!" Levi hollered, searching for said brunette. Who just crawled out from under the table to where Sasha was tied. The Potato Girl was thrashing and calling for help.

Mikasa pointed at her. "She's over there, Captain."

Fera panicked, shuffling to her feet before breaking into a run. But not after cutting Sasha from her ropes with a dagger that she always kept in her boot. "Oi! Get back here, you bitch!" He shouted but the brunette was out of sight, he swore and unconsciously kicked Jean's leg. "Somebody find her for me."

But everyone was cleaning the mess they made. Levi decided to find the brunette and come back later to see if they managed to clean up the ruckus.

Fera perched on a wooden rail of a balcony on the second floor, watched as the soldiers go to their quarters. Looking over her shoulder from time to time, in case a certain Ackerman sneaks up on her. She was admiring the star filled yet moonless night sky when she heard familiar voices below.

"There's more beyond the walls than titans. Flaming water, frozen lands, fields of sand. I joined the Survey Corps because I wanted to see them."

She tensed, eyes widening at the sudden memory that lurched in her mind. A little girl with strawberry blonde hair was hitting her for some reason.

"It's not foolish, Fera-nee! Besides, I also want to protect the people in the walls, of course. Good or bad people, I'll protect them. Not just go out and explore!"

Fera choked at the pain in her chest and head then before she knew it, the ground was going to meet her. She immediately fished out one of her grappling hook guns and shot at the spot where she was sitting. It stopped her fall but she still crashed on the ground.

"Ow," She said, flicking a switch to bring back the hook.

"Fera?!" Eren exclaimed when she sat up.

"What? Oh, just so you three know, I wasn't eavesdropping. I was on the balcony, hiding from Levi."

"You've been out before, Fera. Did you see any of the things I mentioned?" Armin spoke before Mikasa could scold the brunette.

"Well, yeah.." She said and stood up, dusting herself off.

"Really?!" They exclaimed, surprising her for a bit.

Fera laughed and tread towards them, sitting on the spot beside Armin. She sensed someone was watching and glanced to the open doors behind, seeing no one. "Only the field of sand, though." She made a face.

"What was it like? How far is it!?" Armin enthusiastically questioned, flushing in embarrassment. They chuckled at that.

Fera looked up, trying to remember. "Um, it was very scary for me."

"Oh?" Armin blinked.

"That's because I got attacked by a titan the minute I stepped foot in the sand, or more like I stepped on its hand," She apologized when she saw the look in his face. "Anyway, it was huge! Really, really, really huge! I couldn't see anything but hills of sand."

"Amazing!" The twinkling enthusiasm was back in Armin's eyes.

"How far is it?" Eren asked, curious.

"Hmm, really far. About one week and a half before you get there? From my memory, you gotta go through the forest first. The forest near the Shiganshina District. Which is a day march from the walls, three days will pass when you get out, depends on how fast you are. Then you'll enter a widespread meadow, don't be fooled when you enter, there are titans just laying in the meadow. It's just five hours on foot before you find a rainforest-"

"Rainforest?" Mikasa furrowed her brows.

Fera nodded. "Yep, that's what I named it, it's a forest where rain is always pouring. Really annoying if you are camouflage in leaves or animal skin, titans can still smell you 'cause the rain washes off the smell. I got out in four days using my grappling hooks but I just jump from tree to tree whenever there are titans. There were many titans in that rainforest, that's why I hate going there but the same time I like it since I can eat as much as-"

Mikasa called her name, Fera blinked and turned away. Catching a sight of a figure in the corner of her eyes on the open doors behind Mikasa but ignored it. "Are you alright?" Eren asked, she nodded and continued after gulping loads of air.

"After exiting the rainforest, you'll cross the woods before the slope that'll let you see the field of sand. The woods can be confusing, it took me five days to get out! Mostly because of the small class titans that chased me around, the trees aren't really high so it's hard to escape."

"So it's a week and six days away?" Armin inquired.

She nodded. "Yeah, depends how fast you are."

"And you aren't lying?"

She fake gasped. "I'm hurt that you think that, Mikasa!"

Eren laughed. "So, do you have any name for the field of sand?"

"Desert, I think?"

"I'll remember them and I'll see them someday!"

"I like your guts, kid." Fera patted Armin's shoulder.

He looked at the duo. "You two will come with me, right? And we'll have Fera as guide."

"What?"

"Isn't it hard to tell us your experience outside?" Mikasa asked instead of answering.

"Not really. It's not like I have anything to lose." Fera shook her head, looking at each of them in the eye.

"Oi, you three, go to sleep."

They swiveled to see- "Captain Levi!"

"I'm not telling again, go to sleep."

"Yes, sir!" The trio stood up and bid good night to him and Fera. Who was already on her feet.

She nervously laughed. "Well! Guess I'll go and hit the hay too."

A hand on her shoulder halted her from dashing away. She was about to beg for mercy, the last resort since she knows he has a trick up his sleeve to trap her if she gets on her stance. "Do you know where you'll be sleeping, idiot?" He asked.

She opened her mouth then closed it, blinking to the left before eyeing Levi. "No," She snickered sheepishly and glared. "Don't call me idiot, you hobo."

"Come," He turned and tugged her with him, heading to the direction where the trio went.

"You could've just told the directions of the apartment the squad is sleeping in." She said, he ignored her. "I can walk, you know."

"I know. But you'll run when I say, we need to talk." Levi glanced at her over his shoulder, she froze. He was right.

One word echoed in her head. Shit.