With a sigh, the young, lilac haired man ran the tip of his pen along the paper that was sitting before him, with him once more skimming through the legal document he had atop his table with no small amount of annoyance before signing it with a scowl.
In all honesty, Orga Itsuka should've been used to this by now; five long years of constantly doing this should've gotten him very used to reading legal documents, but alas, not everything could become a habit, it would seem, and unfortunately, this was apparently one of those things that he could never bring himself to get used to, and even as he set aside the document that he had signed, the lilac haired boss of Tekkadan still found himself groaning in annoyance when he saw that he wasn't even halfway through this mess just yet!
He still had two stacks to sift through…!
As he looked through the documents with a look that said that he wished to burn them with his glare, his 'assistant', or perhaps 'overseer from Teiwaz' was a more accurate term, looked over his shoulder and gave him a gentle smile. She was none other than Merribit Stapleton, the blonde accountant of Teiwaz, or rather, the blonde accountant for the corporation which technically owned Tekkadan.
Tekkadan… it was rather funny to think that it was once a child soldier brigade that operated on Mars not much longer than five years ago. Back then, they were nothing more than an illegal business trying to scrape by, but now, however, it was a legitimate armed military organisation, one that worked closely with Teiwaz of the Jupiter Sphere and even, rather ironically, alongside Gjallarhorn at times, thanks to how large they had become!
It was shocking to even Orga at times, really, as he still remembered the times where Gjallarhorn would try to kill them no more than half a decade ago. Oh, how times have changed, he reckoned, but that aside, the young boss of Tekkadan was quick to eject these thoughts from his mind as he moved back to continue his work on these documents, though before he could do so, Merribit placed a gentle hand atop the young man's shoulder, catching his attention all the while.
"Perhaps you should take a break, Orga?" suggested Merribit gently, prompting the lilac haired boss of Tekkadan to turn to face her, and as he did so, he offered her a half-smile before sighing in dismay. "You may be the boss, but even you need to rest every once in a while. Perhaps let me take over the documents for once."
"That won't be necessary, Merribit," assured Orga, with him exhaling through his nostrils sharply as he turned back towards his table and grabbed ahold of a handful of documents once more, with him getting ready to sign off on a fresh new batch of ammunition for the Gusion Rebake Full City, though right as he finished signing down his name, Merribit to piped up once more.
"You're thinking about him, aren't you?" she asked, making Orga turn to give his assistant a glare, and to his credit, she had flinched a little when she saw how intense it was, though after some time, his gaze softened as the lilac haired man leaned forwards and began rubbing his temples, giving out a low groan all the while.
"Is it that obvious…?" he asked, trying to sound sarcastic but failing miserably. Merribit simply gave a sad nod while Orga flashed a sad smile. It was true… although half a decade had passed by now, Orga Itsuka still missed him…
… he still missed Mikazuki like he had five years ago, and that feeling had never waned, not one bit.
While he was indeed a Charisma Vacuum, Mikazuki did have his charms that extended beyond his effectiveness in combat. The way he spoke, the way he glared at hostile people, the way he looked at friends and family alike with a subtle, protective gaze, and the way he looked up to Orga as an older brother of sorts… the young boss missed all of those traits and then some. Losing Mikazuki Augus had hit him hard, and, while he certainly wasn't hit the hardest, for the first few months of his loss, Itsuka couldn't help but fall into a pit of depression.
If not for the combined efforts of his family, Orga had a feeling that he'd had offed himself a long time ago, but he couldn't. As the boss of Tekkadan, the man needed to remain alive… to lead his friends and family to the place that they belonged… the place that he had failed to lead Mikazuki to…
"Perhaps… but even so…" muttered Merribit, with her smiling kindly as she got ready to sooth Orga's woes, though before she could do so, a small knock to be heard on the door to the office. Without much thought, Itsuka gave access to whoever had knocked, and shortly thereafter, when a familiar, pink haired girl, practically a young woman at this point, poked her head in, the Tekkadan boss couldn't help but smile in recognition, with Stapleton perking up a little as well upon seeing her.. "Oh! Atra!"
"Orga, Merribit," greeted Atra with a smile, bowing her head lightly as she entered the office, with two packs of food held in her hands. Aside from growing about a head taller and with a new Tekkadan themed outfit, Atra Mixta remained relatively the same as she was five years ago. There was an air of solemnity around her, sure, but she refused to let it show as she went about her job as Tekkadan's lead chef with her head held high.
It was what Mikazuki would've wanted, she surmised…
That aside, however, upon seeing the two packs of food in her hands, Orga heard a loud growl coming from… somewhere in his office. At first, the guy thought that he was hearing things, but a soft chuckle from both ladies made him realize that his tummy was rumbling, prompting his cheeks to flush violently at this realization, with Atra walking up and setting a food pack onto his table momentarily. "Looks like you're hungry, boss."
"Er… maybe…" muttered Orga with a smile, with him pushing down his embarrassment as he said this. Thereafter, and after recovering from her initial amusement, Atra nodded before she moved to hand Merribit a food pack as well, and after a quick farewell, she was off, though as she left, Itsuka couldn't help but frown deeply as he stared down at the food pack on his table solemnly, catching Merribit's eye as she turned towards him.
"Is something else on your mind, boss?" asked Merribit, with her words snapping Orga out of his thoughts once more, and after acknowledging her words, the Tekkadan boss huffed before he shook his head, and moments thereafter, he responded.
"I loved Mika, Merribit, more than anyone here could know, as both a brother and my best friend. But Atra… she loved him in a different way…"
Mobile Suit Hanger
"And I can only imagine the amount of pain she's going through whenever she even thinks about him…"
"A little higher! Alright… alright… WAIT TOO HIGH!"
Those were the first few words that Atra had heard as she entered the Mobile Suit hanger, and once inside, the strong stench of oil and metallic gunpowder assaulted her nostrils, prompting her to give an adorable sneeze, catching the attention of almost everyone in the area.
"Ah, Atra!" greeted the one whom Atra first heard when she entered. This individual was none other than Norba Shino, Captain of Tekkadan's First Combat Squad, AKA the Ryusei Team. He was the only one that liked that name, really, but hey, no one was (openly) judging him for that.
"Shino," responded Atra with a small smile as she approached him, food pack in hand, one that Shino immediately took when she was close, opened it up and dramatically sniffed the contents. It was enough to make Atra give a chuckle at his lack of etiquette, not that it was the only thing he lacked, really. "Don't do that, Shino!"
"But it smells waaaaay too nice, though!" complained Shino as he marched over to his personalized Mobile Suit, with Atra following by his side. His Mobile Suit was different, very different, from the one which he had used during the Edmonton battle so long ago. The most obvious thing was that it was no longer an EB-06 Graze Frame. Rather, it was a newly made STH-16,IO Frame Shiden, a new model produced by Teiwaz. What separated this unit from the other Shidens, however, were the colours and how it was in possession of an Alaya-Vijnana system. Like its predecessor, the Ryusei Go II, the aptly named Ryusei Go III was coloured in a hot magenta with goofy looking 'eyes' painted on either sides of its visor alongside a commander's fin. It really did a lot to separate his personalized unit from the standard Shidens, though even Atra had to admit that the colours were a bit gaudy, not that she'd ever voice that out, of course.
Moving away from Shino, who had set his food pack down to yell out for the visor of his Shiden to be lowered down a little more, Atra went along to her next target, who was standing before his own Mobile Suit, the only Gundam Frame that Tekkadan owned in full following the Edmonton battle.
"The Gusion Rebake Full City's Ahab Reactors should be operating at maximum efficiency now," informed a rather tubby, dark skinned man as he rapped the back of his knuckles against a notepad he held in his hand, listing off a handful of the repairs made to the Gundam all the while. "The damaged armour bits are also repaired. Try to not get it too banged up on your next mission, understood?"
"Ah, but no promises, Old Man," responded the person Old Man Yukinojo Nadi Kasspassa was speaking to, a tanned young man with sizable muscles, and in response to the younger guy's words, the older mechanic could only sigh in mild frustration as Akihiro Atland chuckled, though within a second, he gave a smile and a gentle punch to the young man's chest.
"Keeping Gusion in one piece is important, but you'd better try your best to keep your head on your shoulders as well, kiddo," advised Yuki as he looked up at the Gundam Frame, with Akihiro huffing a little as he nodded in acknowledgement. "You're our Ace in the hole… and even beyond that, the Gundam is also an important social mark for us. Lose it, and Tekkadan might lose out to the other bigwigs like Tanto Tempo."
"I hear you, Old Man," muttered Akihiro with a sad smile, only for both of them to turn when they heard Atra approaching them from behind. Upon seeing the considerably small (in comparison to himself) young woman, Akihiro gave a small smile and waved at her, a gesture which she had mirrored in kind. "Atra!"
"Akihiro," responded Atra with a kind smile as she jogged up to Old Man Yuki and Akihiro. Swiftly, she handed both of them their respective food packs. Yuki gave her his thanks as he walked off to enjoy his meal in a cleaner environment whilst Akihiro simply set his pack to the side, prompting Atra to tilt her head. "You're not hungry yet, Akihiro-San?"
"Not too hungry at the moment," muttered Akihiro, crossing his arms as he gave a sigh. "Tests for the Gusion Rebake Full City are scheduled to take place within the hour, so I can't sit down to enjoy a meal just yet."
"Ah…" muttered Atra, with her staring up at Akihiro's own personalised Mobile Suit rather wistfully all the while.
The unit was definitely a lot different than it was all those years ago during the Edmonton battle. For one, its outer armour seemed to be completely reformatted, being much blockier and looking as though it could take an Anti-MS missile head on. Atra was no expert on MS design, and she herself almost never partook in any of the Mobile Suit briefings, but even she knew that the Full City had obtained a new weapon in between the Edmonton Battle and the present, which was some sorta shield scissor that had quickly come to be the defining feature of the unit.
Seeing Gusion stand stoically in the hanger of the Tekkadan base gave Atra a sense of nostalgia which grew larger the more she stared at it. Noticing this, Akihiro snapped his fingers in front of her face, effectively snapping her out of her trance all the while.
"Atra… you there?" came Akihiro's voice out of seemingly nowhere, making Atra squeak and turn up to face her large friend. With a soft chuckle, she nodded and straightened herself out.
"Y-Yeah… sorry for that. I… just blanked out for a moment there," apologised Atra with a solemn smile, and to that, Akihiro simply gave her a smile alongside an understanding nod. He knew what she was thinking, but he didn't have the heart to ask about it, so instead, he kept quiet and let the whole thing slide.
"It's alright," assured Akihiro with a nod, and thereafter, he lightly patted her shoulder with one of his hands, something that was comical to see, considering how massive his hand was in comparison to Atra's shoulder. "Don't forget to eat something too, you got that? We wouldn't want you fainting like last time, y'know?"
"Ah, I will. Thanks, Akihiro!" thanked Atra with a smile, prompting Atland to chuckle softly.
"Anytime, Atra," replied Akihiro with a nod as she walked off to continue her food delivery, though as she walked, the girl felt her smile fade before she moved onto her other comrades.
Tekkadan HQ mess hall
"Atra…?"
No response.
"Atra…?"
Still nothing, and by all means, her lack of response was very much a concern to the tubby young lad that was trying to get the attention of Atra, and after some consideration, the junior Tekkadan member raised a hand up and snapped his fingers in front of the young woman's face, with said gesture being enough to snap her out of her trance as she flinched and glanced his way.
"H-Huh…?" muttered Atra uncertainly, only for the junior Tekkadan member to bring his arms up defensively.
"Sorry about that. You were just standing there, staring at the wall for quite some time. Is something wrong, Miss Atra?" inquired the junior, to which Atra winced as she shook her head. Goodness… had she been that lost in thought…? It would seem so…
"Ah, don't worry about me, Dane," assured Atra rather dismissively as she waved her hands in the air, assuring the junior Tekkadan member, Dane, that she was alright. "I was just thinking about stuff…"
"But you do seem troubled," muttered Dane, hands by his side as he spoke to the girl who was just about at his waist level. Although younger than most, Dane was no doubt a wise young lad, and he had a teddy bear-esc feel to him… it was hard to not open up to the guy, and honestly, Orga had considered making him a therapist more than once. "We're all part of Tekkadan, after all, so it's alright to speak up about things you're worried about."
Smiling at the consideration the newer member of Tekkadan was to her, Atra did consider telling him about her current dilemma, though before she could do so, a senior member of the organisation walked up to the large guy and spoke up.
"C'mon, gDane, don't bother the young lady," came the voice of a founding member of the organisation, and both he and Atra turned to see the familiar ginger haired face of Eugene Seven Stark, standing with a hand on his hip and with a neutral expression on his face, one that reflected a small amount of understanding as he addressed Dane.
"Ah… Eugene…" muttered Dane awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his head, sounding both sheepish and apologetic as he spoke. "I apologise if I spoke out of line, I really didn't mean to…"
"It's alright, kid. I know you mean well, but try to not stick your head into everyone's issue, alright?" clarified Eugene as he motioned for Dane to exit the mess hall, and to that, the overly large young man complied, though he had to be creative when it came to squeezing through the door. Once he was gone, Eugene locked eyes with Atra, whose expression fell once more as she went back to packing food items. Unlike Dane, however, he did know what was bothering the girl, and not without some reluctance, he spoke up. "You're still thinking about him?"
"...ah," muttered Atra uncertainty as she rubbed her cheek, turning back to Eugene as his expression softened dramatically. "I just… can't help it…"
"Well, neither can most of us," agreed Eugene, his shoulders slouching a little as he spoke. "Mika was a good pilot… and a great friend. He really did help us a ton… and it just doesn't feel right to not have him savor all this."
Atra's simple response was a nod, with her remaining silent as she silently vented out her grief, with her not noting a junior soldier listening in to the conversation before he walked off alongside Dane and another junior soldier, leaving the two senior Tekkadan members to their own devices all the while.
"Who're they speaking about, anyhow?" questioned the junior Tekkadan member, a simple blonde teen with the standard issue Tekkadan jacket. Beside him, Dane rubbed his chin before answering.
"They're likely talking about someone who is potentially important to Tekkadan's history…" he deduced. And within seconds, he got his answer, with him snapping his fingers victoriously all the while. "The only potential candidate is… Mikazuki Augus…!"
"Mikazuki Augus?" quipped the third person in the group, a brown haired teen with a pompadour haircut. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully before answering: "Never heard of em."
"Mikazuki Augus is the first pilot of Tekkadan, having piloted the Gundam Frame: Barbatos," explained Dane helpfully. "He fought in the Edmonton battle four years prior that secured Tekkadan's place as a legitimate company, and he went up against some of Teiwaz's ace pilots at one point."
"Doesn't sound like much," muttered the blonde, clearly not interested in this 'Mikazuki' boy. The pilot didn't sound impressive to him, and he didn't really find any reason to respect him at all. From what he has seen, Akihiro and the Gusion Rebake Full City were much more capable than he was, considering how Akihiro had fought both Amida Arca and Azee Gurumin at once and lived. Sure he lost, but to survive was nothing to scoff at.
"You say that, but Mikazuki Augus is one of the main reasons for Tekkadan's current success, even if he is no longer with us," said Dane, brows lowered a tad as they entered the Mobile Suit hanger to assist in the Full City's testing. "Perhaps you should respect his name a little at the very least…"
"Hmph… no. I don't think I will."
And in response to that, Dane simply sighed as he moved on to help out around the base, ignoring the blonde's blatant disrespect for the first pilot of Tekkadan all the while.
(Optional OST: Strength's Focus (Crossrays Ver) / Dead On Arrival, depending on your preference)
Running was something that the pilot was used to, but even so, even he had to admit that running in the rain whilst carrying a survival pack atop his shoulders was very much a taxing ordeal.
It wasn't as though he was going to complain, of course. Training to become a soldier was never going to be easy, and he knew it, and besides, it wasn't as though he didn't appreciate the challenge, as the young man ran forwards alongside his fellow Cadets. To his left was Annie, who looked a little winded but still capable of moving onwards regardless, though behind them…
"Are you two alright? We can slow our pace if-" began Mikazuki, with his mild concern over Mina and Nac shining through as he spoke, to which the latter flinched whilst the former shook her head frantically beneath her hood.
"We're fine! Let's keep this pace up, Mika!" yelled Mina, with her forcing out a grin as she continued on running, and moments later, the girl slipped on some mud and fell flat onto her face, prompting her friends to stop and help her back up rather awkwardly.
And over by the sides, riding atop a horse as he kept tabs on the progress of his Cadets whilst they ran towards their designated training site, Keith Shadis couldn't resist an amused snort at what he had just seen, though moments later, he glanced past those four and saw one Armin Arlert lagging behind, with Reiner Braun lagging alongside him as he grabbed one of the shorter blonde's bags off his back, with him carrying it for him for the time being.
Such an act of camaraderie was commendable, but even so… it was ill-advised, especially when out in the field, seeing as how it could breed dependance…
Reiner Braun… with the mind and constitution of a grass-fed ox, he's got muscle to spare but not much when it comes to on the spot planning. His warm demeanor and helpful attitude has earned him the respect of many of his comrades…
Armin Arlert… built like a daffodil, the boy lacks the strength of his peers, but he makes up for it with his academic brilliance and tactical prowess…
And right as that thought crossed his mind, Keith watched as Armin snatched the bag out of Reiner's arms and sprinted past his large friend, who huffed as he watched the shorter blonde shoot onwards with an unexpected burst of speed.
Several hours later - Southern Training Fields
"They're en route! Raise that damn thing!"
"YES SIR!"
At the command of another, the soldiers working at the southern training fields went to work on raising the wooden Titan target that had initially been laying flat on the ground. It took them a while, but before long, the Thirteen Metre target was standing upright, with the fabric of its nape just waiting to be cut into as the seconds ticked by.
From high above on his perch, Keith Shadis narrowed his eyes as he took stock of a handful of his soon-to-graduate Cadets swinging into the fray. A good majority of them were brushed off by Keith, with him considering their skills to be adequate, but not noteworthy enough to be noted down, but as for a small minority of them, however, he thought it prudent to keep an eye out for them for this training exercise.
And, as if on cue, three of the soldiers that Keith had been keeping an eye out for swung into view, and in a flash, all three of them swung their blades at the cushioned nape of the Titan Target. Shadis had quite literally blinked before all three slash marks had appeared, and upon noticing them, he jotted down the results on a notepad; two of the cuts made on the fabric were deep enough to kill a normal Titan instantly, though the third and final cut was too shallow to me fatal towards a Titan, a thought that infuriated Shadis as he thought that he had taught these kids better!
That aside, however, there was a momentary pause as the three that had sliced into the fabric nape of the target swung into view, and as they did, Keith narrowed his eyes as he identified all three of them in rapid succession.
Bertholdt Hoover… he's got immense potential hidden within his lanky frame, and his penchant for predicting the weather, however unorthodox his methods may be, is invaluable, but his low self esteem holds him back from being a star soldier.
Annie Leonhardt… her Unarmed Combat and Maneuver Gear performance is something to behold, with her small frame allowing her to maneuver with more grace than many of her peers, but unless her cooperative efforts improve to extend beyond those whom she considers to be friends, she will forever remain stagnant in her development.
Jean Kirstein… his Maneuver Gear skills are top class, and his dexterity is considered to be the best out of the 104th, but even so, his naturally hotheaded attitude causes discord among his comrades, even if he has shown to be a natural born leader on many occasions.
"Tsk… I'm no match for their slashing abilities…" groaned Jean as he watched Bertholdt and Annie swing off to find their next target, only for a newfound glint of determination to appear in his eye as he narrowed them, having found an alternative to matching the strength of two of the best soldiers in the 104th. "If so, then I'll simply have to find my targets before they do!"
With this new resolve, Jean turned his attention towards the side and began boosting through the forest, evading trees and keeping himself above ground until he found his target: a ten metre Titan target. With a smirk on his face and with his blades brandished by his sides, the young man maneuvered himself to face it and boosted towards its fabric nape at top speed.
"Bingo! You're MINE!" exclaimed Jean, approaching the 'Titan' with both arms raised, only for a familiar bald guy to bolt past him, with a massive, goofy smirk on his face as he caught Kirstein off guard with his presence. "Huh?!"
"Thanks for the help, Jean!" cackled Connie, a massive, goofy smile on his face as he bolted past Jean and closed in on the Titan target, ignoring the baffled expression on the other guy's face as he readied his blades for a swing. However, just as he had done to Jean, the boy widened his eyes when a shockingly fast(er) blur beat him to the punch and slashed the fabric nape before he could! "W-WHAT THE?!"
"I got it!" exclaimed Sasha Braus as she was sent skywards by the momentum of her initial swing, with her giving herself a mini-celebration before allowing herself to freefall back towards the ground whilst both Connie and Jean watched on in shock. Over in the distance, Keith, despite not seeing the events that had transpired, was still able to hear the trio's commotion and piece together the events which had probably gone down, and even if he was unimpressed by the Cadets' lack of maturity, even after four years of grueling training, he did admittedly feel a little amused at their antics.
He supposed that spending four years with such imbeciles would get anyone, himself included, to grow fond of such idiocy…
Connie Springer… his Maneuver Gear abilities are beyond impressive, especially for a Cadet like him; his capabilities in regards to sharp turns is nearly unmatched, and his speed and dexterity is not to be underestimated either. Despite this, his dim-witted self makes him hard to work with, and he is rather quick to anger and easy to agitate, a potential detriment, both on and off the field.
Sasha Braus… her instincts are almost akin to that of a predator's with just how inhumanly strong they are, and her Maneuver Gear skills are comparable to most seasoned soldiers within any of the Military Brigades. That being said, however, her character is very much unsuited for solving based combat situations.
Turning away from the direction in which he heard the three, Keith refocused on three newcomers, narrowing his eyes as they swung towards a recently erected Titan target. The three of them delivered a trio of decently deep slashes upon its fabric nape, though at best, their slashes would just barely kill a Titan, much less annoy it, something that made Keith shake his head in disappointment as he watched Nac Tias, Mylius Zeramuski and Mina Carolina move on to seek out their other targets.
Mina Carolina… she's average all across the board, not excelling at anything in particular. By no means a jack of all traits, she would be a complete write off were it not for her immense drive for improvement and her soft heart, which has inspired others to improve themselves for the better.
Nac Tias… he excels when it comes to academic lectures, but his physical attributes and Maneuver Gear abilities are mediocre at best. Despite this, his friendly nature and refusal to leave anyone behind for dead has earned the trust of many, and his charisma is nothing to turn a blind eye to either.
Mylius Zeramuski. He's below average for a majority of his physical attributes and not much better for his mental ones. His timid nature also tends to hinder his abilities, but his tactical mind has allowed him to make up plans on the fly, making him an invaluable resource to any military brigade.
Whilst the trio sped off, Keith turned down to his notepad to write down several notes, only to pause when he heard a Garrison overseer inform him of an incoming duo of Trainees as he and a fellow overseer raised a Titan target upright to 'greet' them. The balding Commander narrowed his eyes at the newcomers, and as soon as he had he acknowledged who they were, the man began expecting a good display of physical prowess.
The first of the two to arrive zipped past the back of the erected target's neck and delivered an immensely deep cut in the fabric nape, having nearly sliced through the entire chunk of fabric with very little issue. So powerful was she that even Keith had to flinch at her strength as he wrote a positive note down below her name, though as he was noting it down, however, the man didn't notice the second Trainee zip by and slice into the fabric until he had passed it completely, and by the time he had noticed the cut, Keith took stock of how his slash was about half the length of the former's, something that amused him quite a bit.
'Damn it… I didn't manage to cut in as deep as Mikasa again…!' cursed Eren mentally as he turned mid-flight and boosted up beside his 'sister', grimacing heavily as Mikasa frowned, having assumed that she did something wrong to anger her 'brother' all the while.
Mikasa Ackerman… strong, smart and excellent in regards to her Maneuver Gear abilities, she is a prime example of a model soldier in the Military Brigades. Although she is rather uncooperative when in a team and more concerned over protecting her brother, she can still be relied upon when a situation takes a turn for the worse.
Eren Jaeger… he doesn't possess any particular talent, but he's improved his marks through pure effort and his extraordinarily strong sense of purpose. His strength lies in his tenacity, and regardless of how many times life has knocked him down, he refuses to lay down and surrender; a quality that many can aspire to learn.
"Eren… is everything-" began Mikasa in a worried tone, with her expression reflecting her concern just a little as she spoke. Before she could finish that statement, however, Eren turned and glared at his sister, making her wince and snap her jaw shut.
"Not now, Mikasa! We-"
Similarly to how he had cut her off, however, Eren Jaeger himself was cut off when he heard another Trainee coming straight at them. Turning towards the inbound newcomer, Mikasa widened her eyes and kicked Eren back before she boosted backwards moments later, just in time to avoid a head on collision with Mikazuki Augus.
Eren Jaeger was sent off course and crashed against the side of a tree, though outside of the initial impact, he was mostly fine as he latched himself onto its side with a scowl.
"Hey! What's your problem, Mikazuki?!" demanded Eren as Mikasa turned towards Mikazuki's rapidly moving form… and as he moved, the young man did not acknowledge either one of them in the slightest; instead, he simply held his Anti-Titan blades tightly as he closed the distance between himself and the fabric nape of the closest Titan target.
And, as soon as he was sure that he would strike it with all his might, the pilot swung both his Anti-Titan blades straight at the fabric nape of his target, and upon doing so, the blades had not only dug straight through the fabric, they had also cleaved straight through its entire neck, decapitating the entire thing as everyone, even Keith himself, looked on with dumbfounded shock. Hell, even Eren had all but forgotten about the head on collision the two almost had as he watched the head of the Titan replica drop to the ground, landing with a loud thud all the while.
Without so much as a second glance back at his work, Mikazuki swapped out his dulled Anti-Titan blades out for a fresh new pair before moving onwards to seek out his next target, leaving Keith to absentmindedly write down something for Mikazuki on his notepad.
Mikazuki Augus… academically, he's a washout, but when on the field, he can only be described as a one man army. With movements that border on being impossible to pull off, even for some of the Elite soldiers of the Survey Corps, and tactics that none could dream of coming up with, Mikazuki is no doubt the silver standard when it comes to what an ideal soldier should be.
Hours later
(Optional OST: Strength's Focus (Crossrays Ver) / Dead On Arrival END)
"Hello there."
"Hey."
Smiling kindly as her greeting was recuperated, however unenthusiastically, Christa walked up to Mikazuki's side and stood by him in silence. Currently, the two were standing outside the dining hall, with the latter having found the inside to be just a bit too rowdy for his liking today whereas the former just needed some time to herself for now. Neither expected to find the other outside, really, but for all it was worth, they weren't about to complain about it.
Off in the distance, Keith Shadis stood by quietly; he knew that those two were out of the dining hall, but in truth, he really didn't mind. As long as they didn't cause a scene or burn the place down, he was fine with them wandering about.
Moving to stand by the edge of the dining hall, Christa joined her fellow Cadet in staring up at the sky, where the sun was beginning to set. It was a beautiful sight indeed, a silent sentiment that was shared between the two (and even Keith off in the distance) as they stared at it in wonder.
"The end draws near, it would seem," mused Christa, with her pushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear as she said this, and moments later, Mikazuki glanced her way as he raised his brow in confusion, prompting her to elaborate. "Our four years of training is reaching its conclusion…"
"Ah. It is," huffed Mikazuki absentmindedly, with him shoving his hands into his pockets as he nodded at Christa's words. Four years, huh? They passed him by rather quickly, honestly… but hey, at least no one died in training, he supposed. Staring down at his boots, Mikazuki hummed slightly as he acknowledged how he himself had grown over those four years, both mentally and physically.
No longer 163cm tall, the boy stood a tiny bit taller than he used to, at around 170cm, and he had gained just a bit more muscle now thanks to his constant training with his friends. His physical capabilities had not waned, not one bit, and by all means, he was likely more ferocious now than he was all those years back. He had Keith to thank for that, really, as he was the one that stated that Hand-To-Hand combat training was imperative to work on.
Mentally, Mikazuki was also doing better than he had been back in the day. Although not frequent, Nac, and on occasion Annie and Mina but still primarily Nac himself, had taken it upon himself to tutor Mika whenever possible, and after four years of spread out tutoring, Tias was able to teach Augus how to read and write properly. It took some focus on his part of things, but his tenacity was not to be scoffed at, and it certainly did pay off, considering how the pilot's intelligence had gone up quite a lot ever since he took the initiative to tutor him.
That aside, however, being a Cadet for four years had also forced Mikazuki to open his heart to others that extended beyond Mina, Nac and Annie. He didn't exactly consider anyone else present a friend, per say, but that wasn't to say that he didn't care for them. He learnt their names, recognised their faces, and, if it came down to it, the pilot reckoned that he'd willingly put his life on the line for their sakes, and even if they could be rather annoying at times (he pretended that he wasn't thinking about Reiner or Jean as he thought of this), they were still good people that deserved his respect, some more so than others, anyways…
Still though… amidst his training, Mikazuki's respect and subsequent love for his only three true friends grew evermore, and by now, Mika would've been lying if he claimed to not see Mina, Nac and Annie as anything less than family. Mina was always bubbly and full of energy, with her kindness and determination to do better at every turn serving as an inspiration for the pilot whenever his mind went back to how he was never supposed to be here in the first place. Nac's friendly nature and drive to do good was, at the very least, amusing, and although naive in spite of his age, Mikazuki found himself enjoying his friend's naivete. He didn't look forward to having his naive worldview be shattered, though…
Annie… well, what was there to say about her? The blonde was amongst the few who could keep up with Mikazuki when it came to a fight, and when in the air, she was the only one that could effectively work with the pilot when it came to Maneuver Gear combat. She was a trusted ally and a good friend, even in spite of her flaws, and even if he didn't wish to choose between them, Mikazuki had to confess to having Leonhardt at the front of his mind for who he would choose when going into battle.
"It feels… fast. Time, I mean. It feels almost like yesterday, when the Commander was shouting at us on the fields," admitted Mikazuki bluntly, with him huffing at the memory of Shadis yelling at everyone in the 104th all those years back. Ah, how they had changed since that day… and in response to his words, Christa hid her smile behind her hand as she nodded in agreement.
"Oh indeed! It certainly felt as though no time had passed whatsoever!" laughed Christa, with her smiling lightly at Mikazuki's words as she spoke. For all it was worth, Mika smiled at her comment as well. "Though… have you anything you wish to do before we graduate? I doubt we will have as much time to ourselves thereafter."
"No, not really," mused Mikazuki with a shrug. That was the truth, really; he had nothing on his grocery list at the moment, and by all means, he was only really here to make sure that his friends didn't get themselves killed in an accident when he wasn't looking. Outside of that… "I don't have much that I want to accomplish. Not now, at least."
"I… I see. Then what about in the future? Surely, you have aspirations that extend past your time as a Cadet, no?" hummed Christa, to which Mikazuki shrugged.
"I guess. I'm going to help the Survey Corps take down the Titans, if that's what you're referring to," stated Mikazuki plainly, surprising Christa quite a bit with his words.
"That is very noble of you, Mikazuki, but… it is very much agreed upon that you will graduate amongst the top 10 recruits of the 104th. Would it not be better for you to become a member of the Military Police Brigade?" posited Christa innocently. "You have a better salary and guaranteed comfort within the confines of Sina, after all…"
"Comfort and cash are not things that I care for," stated Mikazuki almost immediately, with him glancing down at Christa as he spoke. Lenz appeared especially surprised to hear this, but even so, he couldn't blame her for this reaction. Only an idiot would turn down the chance to be an MPB, if only because of the comfort of living within Sina alone, so to hear him so brazenly state that he'd turn that down in a heartbeat must've been quite a shock.
"Well… in that case, then what exactly do you care for? So much so that you would turn down the chance to live a life of almost guaranteed comfort?" asked Christa, and in response to this, Mikazuki opened his mouth… only to shut it when both he and the blonde beside him heard a decently loud crash come from inside the dining hall.
Turning towards it, the duo looked between themselves before they moved to peer inside the structure, only to see Eren standing over Jean, who was laying on his back with a strained look on his face.
"W-What in the world happened here…?" muttered Christa as both she and Mikazuki peered in, and as they did so, the pilot glanced over at his friends, who stared back at him with shocked looks on their faces as they tried to process what had just happened as well, though moments later, everyone present stiffened when a third individual moved to stand between both Lenz and Augus, and although they were familiar with how he operated by now… both 104th Cadets still stiffened when Keith Shadis stared between them and into the dining hall with an annoyed look in his eyes.
"I heard a loud sound a moment ago, and considering how both Mikazuki Augus and Christa Lenz had heard it as well, I am to assume that I wasn't just hearing things," stated Keith as he glared into the room, watching as Jean and Eren retreated back to their seats as the room went silent. Neither Mikazuki nor Christa made a move, as they were unsure of what the potential consequences to doing so really were… and for the longest of times, no one uttered a word. "Anyone care to tell me what that was?"
No response, not for the longest of moments, anyways, as, after about ten seconds, Mikasa's arm suddenly shot up, catching everyone's attention all the while. Turning towards the young woman, Keith grunted, effectively giving her his approval to speak, and moments later… she answered his question
"It was the sound of Sasha farting, sir," stated Mikasa, short and two the point, and right as this comment left the otherwise stoic young woman's lips, the individuals within dining hall collectively took a breath in and did their utmost best to hold it as they realized that Ackerman might've just made a fucking joke.
All of them except for Sasha, anyways, as horror was quick to overtake her features as the fires of Hell began to metaphorically burn at her feet.
Meanwhile, Keith found his anger rapidly subsiding as a horrified look took its place on his face.
"So it was you again…" said Keith as brought a hand up to his nose, pinching its bridge all the while. His trust in his Cadets (well, some of them, at least) had been strengthened over the course of the past four years, and when he had heard one of his finest say such a thing… he saw no reason to distrust her as he paled a tiny bit at what he was just told, and the awkward tension that followed soon thereafter was just enough to make Nac bite his lower lip to keep the snickers in whilst Mina looked to be on the verge of losing it altogether.
Sasha, meanwhile, looked as if she'd seen the end of the world until Keith turned to take his leave, albeit not before some parting words.
"Learn some modesty already… it's been four years."
And when he was gone, Sasha immediately went over to Mikasa and demanded to know why she had done such a thing, with Armin watching on awkwardly all the while. Off to one side, Eren and Jean sat by one another, silently glaring at the other whilst Nac and Mina had lost it at that point and offered a few laughs of their own. Form where they stood, both Mikazuki and Christa couldn't help but laugh at varying levels as they watched all this unfold, with the former shaking his head whilst the latter kept her giggles contained behind her lips.
"Well, if I must confess to anything, then I will admit that I will miss these small moments between us after graduation," admitted Christa with a smile, and to that, Mikazuki had to agree.
"Yeah, me too…"
And so… 208 Cadets of the 104th Trainee Brigade had made it to graduation.
On the night of their graduation, the 208 Cadets had gathered at the fields of their Training site, the very same spot where they had been interrogated by their Commander all those years back, with Keith Shadis up front to inform them of their placements. Despite his expression being its usual, grumpy one, there was an undeniable glint in his eyes which told his former Trainees that he was proud of them in one way or another.
He would agree to disagree with some of them (namely Sasha Braus and Connie Springer), though.
"You have all done well, each and every one of you!" exclaimed Keith, though it was obvious that not everyone was deserving of this praise, at least to him at least, as his glare lingered on two very specific individuals as he spoke, much to their dismay. "Today marks the very end of your training, and you have all done phenomenally in surviving these past four years!
"Now marks the true start of your burdens, however, as today, you shall all choose one of the three Military Brigades to graduate into! Those who have done exceptionally well may join the Military Police Brigade, but for those who have not, you may simply join either the Garrison or the Survey Corps! Pick wisely, all of you!
"Now, I shall name ten of the best soldiers in this brigade, those who shall have the chance to join the Military Police Brigade! When your name has been called, step fourth!
"Number ten, Sasha Braus!"
With wide eyes and some drool coming out of her mouth as she anticipated the food that would come in the future, the southerner in question stepped forth in an awkward march. She may have been the last amidst the ten, but her being amongst those at the tip of the spear was enough to make her feel queasy, though that queasiness quickly turned into a small amount of dread when Keith glared at her, seeming bewildered that she even managed to get to the top 10 in the first place, though he did not voice that thought out.
"Number nine, Connie Springer!"
Doing his best to suppress his smirk, Springer stepped forth and saluted, his cocky smile present all the while. Of course, that smile faltered a little when he was up and staring directly at Keith, and by God, he needed a lot of willpower to stop himself from losing his cool when Keith glared at him with a look which told him that he himself also couldn't believe that he managed to get up to the top ten either.
"Number eight, Marco Bolt!"
Widening his eyes as he jogged up, Marco saluted and kept his expression firm, even if his lips quivered a tad in excitement. Once he was up, Keith gave Marco a quick once over and a mild nod, showing his apparent approval of him making it to where he was today, much to the freckled young man's delight and admitted relief.
"Number seven, Jean Kirstein!"
The smirk which Jean had at that moment was practically unrivaled, though the young man did wipe it off his face as he did his best to look professional whilst walking up front and giving his Commander a salute. When Keith made eye contact with him, Jean's confidence did shudder a little as he had expected another headbutt, though to his relief, it never came.
"Number six, Eren Jaeger!"
Unlike most others, Eren stepped forth with an impassive expression. He had no interest in becoming among the top ten. If anything, he felt like he robbed it from someone else, considering how he had his mind set on becoming a Survey Corp. Keith himself didn't wish for that, though a quick look at that gaze Eren had told the guy that there was no stopping him, and so he spoke and thought nothing of it before continuing onwards.
"Number five, Annie Leonhardt!"
Annie herself moved up front, her expression unreadable as ever as she saluted her Commander. She was just as she was four years ago, though Keith knew that she had improved in more ways than one… especially when he took stock of how Pigsy and Tall Guy were grinning from ear to ear at the announcement of her position.
"Number four, Bertholdt Hoover!"
With a mildly shocked expression, Bertholdt approached the front and saluted, looking almost scared that he was able to get up to the top ten. When Keith was in front of him, Bertholdt did admittedly lose a bit of his cool, though what he didn't know was how Keith was more upset on how Hoover was so much taller than he was rather than his position at the top 10.
"Number three, Reiner Braun!"
Reiner himself smirked and confidently strode up to the front, moving up beside Bertholdt and giving him a small grin. Bertholdt noticed it and gave his comrade a returning smile, though they went back to being neutral when Keith shot them an expression which told them to save the celebrations for later.
"Number two, Mikazuki Augus!"
With a nod, Mikazuki marched up to the front and gave a rigid salute, saying nothing as he simply accepted his position at second place, and all the while, Keith Shadis glanced down at him with an oddly sentimental look in his eyes before nodding. Once more, Pigsy and Tall Guy were smiling widely as their friend took his spot as Number Two, which was understandable, and for all it was worth, Keith himself nodded in approval of Mika's current standing before he moved on to conclude this ceremony.
"And number one, Mikasa Ackerman!"
Mikasa herself walked up to take her place beside Mikazuki. She spared no one a second glance as she saluted, simply staying still as Keith looked at her with approval; she was no doubt the single most impressive Cadet he had trained since… forever, really, and after a brief few seconds of silence, Shadis looked between the ten Cadets… nay, between the ten Soldiers standing before him before giving them a nod of approval.
"Congratulations to the ten of you," congratulated Keith, nodding as he spoke. "You have gone above and beyond to prove yourselves worthy for a position in the Military Police Brigade.
"Be proud of yourselves, if only for a moment, and perhaps only for today, celebrate your victory to your heart's content. But do not forget, you shall all be transferred to your chosen military branches by next week, so savor this moment! Am I understood?!"
"Yes sir!"
'If only you could see me now, Orga…'
With the faintest of smiles, Mikazuki huffed as he shoved his hands into his pockets and leaned back against the wall behind him. With the graduation ceremony over, the Cadets… the Soldiers had been sent back to the barracks with express permission to celebrate their success, and celebrate they did.
Food and drinks were provided by the Trainee Corps, just a little something to celebrate the occasion, and off inside the main dining hall of the barracks, the newly minted soldiers were laughing between one another as they celebrated their success. Mikazuki was aware of how Mina, Nac and Annie were all inside the main dining hall, and he would've joined them… though in truth, he wished to have some time to himself for now as he stood idly by the courtyard.
As he did so, however, and as the silence, a strong juxtaposed to the rowdiness of the main dining hall, engulfed him, Mikazuki's thoughts inadvertently strayed back to Tekkadan. His old family, having long since perished metaphorically, was an unavoidable aspect of his past that the pilot could never escape, and he was bound to remember them, regardless of how long his thoughts remained off them, and now, the pilot couldn't help but sigh in exasperation as he thought of them once more.
He still missed them, really. Mina, Nac and Annie were great, don't get him wrong, and if given the choice, he wouldn't exchange them for anything in the world, but even so, they were no replacement for Tekkadan. They were, in truth, nothing more than a substitute… he loved them, but never to the point where he had loved those in Tekkadan, and if given the choice, he would've probably still chosen to return home, to his true home, over remaining in this Hellhole…
Or at least…
'... that's what I'd choose… right…?' thought Mikazuki flatly as he stared up at the sky solemnly. To think in such a way made the pilot feel… odd, as he found it incredibly difficult when it came to comparing his three new friends, practically family at this point, to Tekkadan, and after a few minutes of silence, he shook his head and decided to not think about it for now.
Tonight was a night of celebration, he surmised, and there was no reason for him to dwell on such dismal thoughts during such a time. Tekkadan might've been a past that he longed to return to, but in truth, it was likely an impossibility and, more importantly, it was in the past. He couldn't turn the clock back to relive those days he had with Atra, or return to a time where he could bump fists with Orga. no… all he could do now was move on from those memories… and make new ones with his new family, and for all it was worth… he hoped that these memories would be just as good as those that he had made with Tekkadan.
'Still though… I hope you've brought everyone to the place that we belong, Orga…' thought Mika absentmindedly as he pushed himself off the wall he had been leaning on and stared up at the night sky, a bitter frown etched onto his face as he sighed, though seconds later, he shook his head and moved towards the door of the main dining hall. 'I can't be with you guys, but… I guess this is where I belong now…;
And right as he thought that, Mikazuki pushed open the doors to the main dining hall, and upon doing so, he was greeted by the sight of Reiner holding Jean in a headlock and noogieing him whilst those around them laughed. Off to the sides, Sasha was shoveling bread into her mouth whilst Connie and Ymir cheered her on, a rare sight of camaraderie between the two as they challenged Braus to shove as many pieces of bread into her maw.
The Dauper resident got to 39, or rather 40 as Mikasa had dropped one last piece into her mouth, prompting her to cheer victoriously as she was somehow able to shut her mouth with 40 pieces of bread shoved within it. How this was possible was anyone's guess, but Mikazuki could respect the tenacity behind all that.
"Mika!"
Ah, there they were. Turning towards a specific side of the main dining hall upon being called, Mikazuki was quick to find himself staring over at Mina, Nac, Annie alongside several other Cadets that they had befriended over the years, all of whom were staring over at him with smiles on their faces. For once, Mikazuki allowed himself to indulge in the moment as a smile appeared on his own as well, and with a steady stride, the young man moved towards his friends and nodded at them in greeting.
"We were just about to go looking for you, y'know? Annie over there especially; she thought you walked out on us!" chuckled Nac, with him holding a cup up towards Mikazuki as he spoke. The pilot accepted it with minimal difficulty, and as he stared into its contents, he saw that it seemed to hold some plain water… which was to be expected, really. Glancing back up at Nac, Mikazuki took stock of how the taller guy was standing rather close to Mylius, whose cheeks were tinted red at their proximity, though he didn't seem uncomfortable, not by a longshot, as he waved at Mika with a smile.
He got a wave back in response, something that made the blonde smile as the pilot moved to stand beside Mina.
"I knew you'd get into the top ten, Mika! I just knew it!" laughed Mina as she bounced up to Mikazuki's left, and at the same time, Annie took a stand by his right, huffing lightly at him as she brought her cup up for a small celebratory toast. Mika indulged her and brought his own against hers with a smile. Off in the distance, Sandra found herself grinning at the sight, though it was left unseen as she simply spoke with her fellow Cadets about their graduation.
"Thanks. You did pretty good too, though. All of you," assured Mikazuki as he glanced down at Mina, eliciting a mild blush from Mina as she smiled bashfully at his praise. The reddening of the tips of her ears was impossible to miss, though Mika spoke nothing of it as he huffed softly and took a sip from his cup. Hm… the water had a rather sweet aftertaste to it. Neat.
"I wouldn't call rank 56 all that good," admitted Mina sheepishly, to which Nac scoffed.
"Well, it's better than 71…" lamented Nac, only for Annie to roll her eyes as she took a sip from her cup once more.
"Shut up, both of you. You worked hard and got decent positions in the Cadet Corps, so stop moping around and deal with it," huffed Annie as she kept the cup up to her lips. "And besides, you all want to join the Survey Corps, don't you? If that's the case, then why bother with all this complaining? Your rank doesn't exactly affect your chances at getting in, after all."
"I… well, I guess you're right there. I guess it's just the competitive side in me that really wanted to go higher, I suppose," mused Nac, and as he said this, Mina perked up as well, with her smiling in agreement as she felt some of her prior confidence being regained from Leonhardt's words.
From then on, the small group continued to chat with one another, engaging in small talk and just overall congratulating one another with quite a bit of enthusiasm. Mikazuki in particular got quite a few congratulations of his own thanks to his spot as second best, and although he brushed most of them off, he still accepted them with a nod of his head, with him appreciating the sentiment behind his fellow 104th graduates' words all the while.
After some time, Mina moved from Mikazuki's side and darted off to parts unknown, with Nac following suit all the while, leaving Mika and Annie behind to accompany one another as they remained shoulder to shoulder in silence. Neither said a word as they stood by in silence, though after some time, the blonde lightly nudged her friend in the ribs before speaking to him in an amused tone of voice.
"It's weird seeing you smile like that, so stop it," admitted Annie as Mikazuki glanced up at him, and upon processing this, the pilot glanced down into his mug, at his own reflection, and saw that he was, indeed, smiling, something that surprised even himself as he blinked in shock. "You proud of yourself or something? I wouldn't blame you if you were, really."
"No, I am not. Being at rank 2 is just a bonus to me at this point," replied Mikazuki truthfully as he took a sip from his sup, and once he lowered, the pilot saw Annie staring at him with a mildly surprised expression, prompting him to elaborate. "I only really followed you guys into the Military Brigades to keep all of you safe, remember? I didn't come here looking for fame or glory. You all came out alright… better than alright, really, so I'm… content."
"Really now? No comment on joining the Military Police Brigade?" inquired Annie, with her hiding the dusting of pink on her cheeks quite well as she said this. Mikazuki wasn't exactly the most charming person… like, ever, but even so… he could make a person feel loved with just his words if he ever wanted to.
"No comment. I go wherever you, Mina and Nac go," stated Mikazuki with an air of finality, and as he said this, he found it… prudent to admit something. "When it was revealed that Ms Carolina had given her consent for us to become Survey Corps, I had… made a vow. A silent one to myself. I told myself that wherever the three of you go, I would follow. If you wished to become Survey Corps, then I will become one as well, and if you wished to become Garrison, I too would follow."
"Why take this oath, though? There were better things to commit to than to some random girl that befriended you all those years ago and her gaggle of friends," inquired Annie, and to this, Mikazuki snorted.
"It wasn't as simple as that, Annie. When Mina found me all those years back, I wasn't in a good spot. I… was at my lowest, and I didn't know what to do with myself for the longest of time," rebutted Mikazuki, with his tone being very much a serious one as he glanced over at his friend. His no-nonsense demeanor was atypical for him at this point, but this time… it felt different. "Before Mina came to me… I thought I'd die alone, forgotten and without any purpose. But now, because of her, and because of both you and Nac, I finally have something to strive for. Friends… family to fight for.
"And people to live for."
Ah… there it was, the suave fucker. Again, Annie doubted that Mikazuki was indeed a suave, charismatic sumbitch, but even so… the earnest nature of his words, paired with his genuine care for his friends made it impossible to not feel flustered by the guy, and upon hearing the pilot's response, Annie rolled her eyes with a huff, with her doing her best to hide her blush all the while.
"You know… for all it's worth, I've gotta admit, you're quite the softy, Mika," pointed out Annie in her most sincere voice as she took another sip of her mug, only to grimace when she realized it was empty. Upon noticing her irritated expression, Mika offered Annie his half full cup, and Leonhardt, seeing no reason to reject his offer, gladly accepted it.
"It's not like you've got any ground to stand on," retorted Mikazuki calmly, and as he said this, the pilot cracked the smallest of grins as he watched Annie abruptly stop drinking from her cup and glare at him. Unfortunately for her, though, her glare had more or less confirmed the pilot's thoughts, as if he were simply talking out of his ass, she wouldn't have reacted in the first place.
"Shut up," mumbled Annie as she glanced aside with a light blush, with her, honestly, unable to defend against the softhearted accusations from her friend all the while, and in response to this, the pilot's grin only grew in size as he allowed himself to have just a bit of fun for a change.
"Okay then, softy."
And beyond a minor kerfuffle that happened thereafter that involved Annie punching Mikazuki in the stomach (to little avail thanks to his rock hard abs), the rest of the night went on with little to no problem.