Attack on Titan: Bloodline – Prologue 2 (JULY 24, 2018)
Lorraine panted and sobbed, still clutching Armin's arm for fear of losing him in the crowd, listening to the wails and cries of the citizens.
Shiganshina was in ruin. People were rushing to the escape boats. Others were mourning the losses of loved ones, despite the approaching Titans. Children were crying. Mothers clung desperately to their babies. Garrison soldiers were ushering the people out of town as fast as they could. Titans grew nearer amidst the chaos with every passing second. Lorraine heard the voice of a wall worshipper echoing loudly across town.
"Till then a man apart from God. O wretched was I. Having driven even as a plough by avarice. Now thou behold'st, am I here punished for it. Punished by the justice of God. Where covetousness leads, thou see'st bourn. Upon the penance of these writhing souls, the Mountain holds no greater pain! As greed has drowned our love for every good, every right, so here justice doth chain!"
Lorraine whimpered by Armin's side. The preacher's voice continued, fading into the distance, "Tethered, captive, are; merged with the clay! And thus to remain so long as it pleases the Lord: fraught, fixed, earthen in heart and limb! What else may heav'nly grace do for sins as ours?! For we lifted not our eye to heights bequeathed, and like the plou-" His sudden halt made Lorraine bite her lip. Armin gasped and said, "Lorraine! Look! The boat!" Lorraine said shakily, "B-but what about Mikasa and Eren and his mom?" Armin sighed and said, "I-I don't know. I just hope they're safe, too." They boarded the boat without a hitch and Lorraine looked around in a panic for her family. Armin joined her in looking, tightening his grip on her small, trembling hand. Mr. Arlert calmly said, "Come, you two. Sit for now. We can only hope they make it."
"There! Armin, look!"
Lorraine pointed out towards the entrance of the boat where Eren and Mikasa stood, waiting to be let on by a soldier. Armin and Lorraine looked at their blank stares and glassy eyes. Lorraine finally let go of Armin's hand as the two got on board and ran, pushing through the crowd to reach her sister. Armin called, "L-Lorraine, wait!" His grandfather, however, said calmly, "Armin. Best give them a few moments. God only knows what those two have been through." Armin sighed, not quite sure of what he meant, but he sat next to his grandfather anyway.
Lorraine threw her arms around Mikasa's neck, tears spilling from her eyes as she incoherently sobbed. Mikasa gripped Lorraine tightly and shushed her as calmly as possible.
"Lorraine!" she exclaimed, "Oh, God, Lorraine, I'm so glad you're safe." Lorraine cried, "M-Mikasa! I-I was so scared! I thought...! I thought you were gone!" Mikasa said, her voice still shaking, "I-I know. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I left you." Mikasa held Lorraine tightly and said, "Eren. Lorraine. Here's a spot we can sit. Come on." Eren followed, staring blankly off into space, and the trio sat together on the ground, leaning up against the cabin. Mikasa and Lorraine sat hand in hand. Lorraine had calmed down to the point of just holding back her tears, but she still clung to Mikasa. As they settled, they felt the boat jerk roughly and begin to move, followed by the voices of distressed citizens down below.
"Hey! What are you doing!?"
"No! Please! At least let our children on!"
The soldiers on the boat pulled the boarding ramp up and shouted, "I'm sorry! There's nothing more we can do! It's at full capacity!" People, in a frenzy to save themselves, threw themselves at the boat, some successfully grabbing the edge and getting on, with others missing and falling down into the canal below. Without warning, another bolt of lightning struck near the wall on the opposite side of Shiganshina, lighting up the sky.
Lorraine let out a gasp and stood up.
"Lorraine," Mikasa said nervously, "Sit down. Wait!" Lorraine stumbled and pushed her way through the crowd of people to try and see what the commotion was. As she reached the side wall of the boat and looked back to her hometown, she saw the Garrison Regiment soldiers putting up a fight against the massive hordes of Titans. She watched, her eyes stinging in the setting sun, as they reloaded and moved the cannons. Everything looked okay until the Garrison halted. A Titan, not nearly as large as the first one, but still bigger than the majority of the ordinary ones, covered from head to toe in what appeared to be some sort of armour walked out into the open, taking a solid stance like that of a runner. Lorraine's eyes widened. It kicked off the ground in a burst of speed that sent it careening across the entire town in mere seconds, cracking the ground beneath its feet. The gate began to close, but it was too late. The new Titan slammed its body through the stone gate, sending rubble and chunks of stone flying.
Lorraine felt her heart pounding in her chest.
The only thing keeping the Titans out was rendered useless in less than an hour.
The Titan knelt down on one knee, hinged its mouth open, and let out a jet of steam. She felt a pang of fear, almost feeling like her heart was just stabbed, as the monster raised its head, for she could swear she had made eye contact with it.
"It's over," she thought, "Not again..." She jumped when Mikasa grabbed her hand, breaking her trance. Mikasa looked out at the gargantuan beast and said sadly, "Our home...we've lost our home again..." Lorraine sighed, "Yeah. N-now what, Mika?" Mikasa bit her lip. She didn't know what to tell her sister. She mimicked Lorraine's sigh and said, "For now...for now, we have to go along with the others. We can't do anything yet but get to safety." Lorraine gripped Mikasa's sweaty hand and walked back with her to sit with Eren.
"Please don't leave me alone, Mika."
Mikasa looked down at Lorraine, huddled close to her side, tears rolling down her face. She wrapped an arm around Lorraine and whispered, "I won't...I promise..."
Hours passed and Lorraine, leaning her head on Mikasa's shoulder, eventually found sleep, though it was short-lived as they arrived in Trost District. She felt her shoulder being shaken and heard Mikasa.
"Hey," she muttered, "Lorraine, it's time to go. We're here." Lorraine sniffled a bit, rubbing her red, swollen eyes, "Here?" Mikasa helped her to her feet and explained, "Trost. Where the refugees will be staying." Lorraine muttered, still not fully awake, "I want to go home." Mikasa grabbed her hand and said, "I know. Me, too." The refugees filed out fairly calmly and piled into their designated sleeping residences for the night. Eren and the two Ackerman sisters slept in a small group, all huddled together for warmth and comfort while Armin and his grandfather found a spot not too far away to sleep.
Lorraine slept soundly, considering the ordeal that she and the others had been through. She opened her eyes the next morning, stretched, and yawned. Many of the refugees were stirring awake in the early morning sunlight. Her throat felt like she'd been gargling nails. She glanced over at Mikasa, who was still fast asleep, curled up near Eren. Lorraine scanned the room and saw Armin and his grandfather just waking up as well. She stood up and walked over to them. Armin greeted her with a small smile and said, "Good morning, Lorraine. How did you sleep?" Lorraine shrugged and said, "Fine, I guess. You?" Armin shook his head, "I tossed and turned all night. The ground was so hard." Lorraine sighed and nodded in agreement. "I wish we had some blankets, too," she said, "It was a bit chilly. If it weren't for Mika and Eren, I'd have been shivering all night." Mr. Arlert spoke up.
"I'm sorry, children, but it's the best the Garrison can do for now. Just be thankful that we got out of Shiganshina when we did. We could have been one of the more unlucky people."
Lorraine's gaze dropped at the mention of her now destroyed hometown. She muttered, "You're right. I'm glad we made it." A loud noise startled Lorraine and Armin, catching their attention.
A tall, lanky Garrison soldier stood in the doorway and explained to the group, "Listen up! We will be handing out food rations, so make sure to get in line if you wish to eat! I repeat, we are handing out food rations!" Armin's grandfather urged, "Right. Armin, Lorraine, we should go see if we can get you kids something to eat before too many people wake up." Armin sighed lightly before joining his grandfather. Lorraine nodded and followed closely behind.
The two kids walked close to Mr. Arlert's side as he found a spot in line to wait patiently. The line moved slowly, but before long, they were standing in front of a stern-looking Garrison soldier who was handing out rations. Mr. Arlert said calmly, "Please, Sir, I have two other children in my care. They're currently still sleeping, but if it's not too much trouble, may we please get some for them as well?" The soldier hesitated for a moment, but saw Lorraine and Armin shyly standing behind the elderly man, their eyes pleading silently. The soldier grumbled under his breath, but handed Mr. Arlert five small loaves of bread. He politely thanked the soldier for the hospitality before handing Armin four loaves.
"Now," he said, "Go and take this to Eren and Mikasa. I'll catch up later." Armin smiled. He said happily, "Yes, Sir! Come on, Lorraine." Lorraine barely had time to process what he had said before Armin sprinted off into the crowd. Lorraine called out, running in the same direction, "Armin, wait!" Armin slowed down a bit and said, letting her catch up, "Come on, Lorraine, let's go!" Lorraine huffed and ducked and dodged, keeping an eye on Armin's blonde hair; however, he was just a little bit faster and she soon lost him in the crowd. She jumped up and down, trying to spot him.
"Damn," she silently cursed, "Why the hell do I have to be so short?" Her eyes lit up as she saw a flash of blonde turning a corner into an alleyway.
"Armin!"
She pushed her way through the crowd, but as she turned the corner, she felt herself collide with someone. She fell to the ground with a hard thud. "Ouch," she muttered, looking at the palm of her hand, which took a light scrape as she fell, "Watch where you're-" She looked up and immediately fell silent. The person she had run into was a boy. He was a few years older than her, well-built for his age with a mop of blonde hair on his head. His jawline was bold and his golden eyes were narrow. Her cheeks were dusted with a light pink tinge as she gazed at him. He looked down and apologized.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I-I didn't see you there. Are you alright?"
He offered his hand to her. She took it and, with a strong pull from him, was on her feet in no time. She barely reached his shoulder when it came to height. She stammered, "Th-thanks. Um..." The boy smiled awkwardly at her, but after several moments of silence, she finally moved past him and ran down the alley. She reached the end of the alleyway and turned back. The two waved at each other for a moment before she disappeared around the corner.
"Who...who was that girl," the boy was left wondering. He chuckled and continued walking.
Armin called to Eren and Mikasa, "Hey! Guys!" Mikasa asked, "Armin? Where's Lorraine?" Armin turned and looked behind him and said, embarrassed, "Ah...sh-she was right behind me." Eren sighed. Armin mumbled, "Oops." Mikasa said calmly, "Don't worry, Armin. We'll find her."
"Hey," Lorraine called, making her way through the crowd of people, "Armin! What the heck?" Armin's face relaxed and he handed out the small loaves of bread he was carrying.
"Here," he explained, "Grandpa managed to get a little extra by telling the powers that be that he had kids." Mikasa smiled and said, "That was nice of him." Lorraine, still a little out of breath glanced behind her for a moment. "Lorraine?" Armin asked, handing her one of the small loaves, "You okay?" Lorraine looked back at Armin and smiled. She nodded and said, "Y-yeah. I'm good." Eren furrowed his brows and said, "You sure about that? Your cheeks look a little pink. You coming down with something?" He reached out and brushed the back of his hand along her forehead, but she slapped his hand and snapped, "Tch. I told you I'm fine-" The four's attentions were drawn to a tall Garrison soldier behind them, who sneered and walked off with a disgruntled expression. Lorraine asked in a whisper, "What's his problem?" Armin explained in a low voice, "Don't worry about him. Just ignore it. You see, there's a shortage. The poor man's probably hungry." Lorraine looked down at the sad piece of food in her hands and sighed.
"I'd make these rations last if I were all of you," Armin added, "They were already struggling with famine before the attack on Shiganshina. Now, with all the refugees here, the food will surely be scarce." The four heard the soldier from before talking to a few others. He venomously said, "Damn. Nothing like seeing your hard-earned rations go to a bunch of animals, huh? But, hey, the Titans like to eat a little meat, so I guess we should just let 'em eat up." Eren shoved his way past Armin and Lorraine, storming right up to the soldier and kicking him right in the shin. The man shouted out in pain, then angrily said, "Damn it, you asked for it, asshole!" With one swift punch, Eren was on the ground.
"You're all spineless cowards!" he shouted, "Y-you don't... you don't have any idea what they're like! Have you seen one? Huh?! Have you!?" Lorraine covered her mouth, seeing Eren's tears. The man snapped as he readied his fists, "You little piece of-" Armin ran between the man and Eren.
"He's sorry!" Armin shrieked, "He didn't mean it! He's hungry! That's why he so rudely lashed out at an adult! W-we all get that way sometimes. We speak out of turn, right? Please, forgive him, Sir!" Lorraine ran to help Eren to his feet. The soldier glared down at the young blonde.
"Psh. Yeah, well, just keep in mind that we're giving up our share so you brats can eat. I'd tell your little buddy that a little gratitude goes a long way."
Armin thanked the man and the four retreated towards the storehouses. Eren grumbled, "He's mistaken if he thinks I'm gonna show gratitude to a coward. I'm going back to Wall Maria. I'm gonna make the Titans pay for what they did to us." Lorraine gasped, "Eren, you can't be serious!" Armin suggested, "I-it's your stomach talking. Come on. Eat up-" Eren snapped, "I am serious! Wake up! The guys standing between us and them are nothing but talk! I'm going back!" He looked down, then chucked the loaf of bread back at Armin. He practically shouted, "You can take this back!" Armin asked, "Oh, yeah? What exactly are you trying to do? You'll starve!" Eren said, "When are you finally going to get sick of their charity? We have had everything handed to us! We have to stand on our own two feet!" Armin retorted, "And then what? We'll be eaten by the Titans without their help! I know I used to think our future was beyond the walls, but it's like you said back there! I had never seen what they were capable of!"
"So, that's it!?" Eren shouted, "You're telling me we just have to run away and take what we're given?!" Armin snapped, "Eren, look at us! We're helpless! What else are we supposed to do?!" Lorraine shrieked, "Eren, stop it! Armin's right-" Eren roared, roughly shoving her aside, "Stay out of this, Lorraine! If you and Armin want to get by on the charity of cowards, then fine, but I'm not a goddamn parasite!"
Mikasa's fist flew into the side of Eren's face with enough force to send him falling to the ground. The argument fell silent in an instant. Armin and Lorraine looked down at Eren, whose face was already red. He stared at Mikasa, defeated. Lorraine was on the verge of tears as Mikasa said sternly, "Have you seen yourself lately? We are all parasites. We couldn't have gotten out of Shiganshina without help. Tell me differently. Don't take your shortcomings out on him and don't you dare lay a hand on my sister like that." Lorraine swallowed the lump that was forming in her throat, choking back her tears. Mikasa said, "For God's sake, we can't even find food on our own. We're parasites and cowards. Titans are at the top of the food chain and nothing will ever change that. We have to swallow our pride and do what we must to live. Your mom didn't ask us to be brave." Eren and Lorraine's hearts both skipped a beat.
"She asked us," Mikasa continued, taking the discarded loaf out of Armin's hand, "to stay alive. I'm not about to let her down by letting you die." She forcefully shoved the loaf into Eren's mouth, causing him to gag a little.
"Eat. You need to stay alive. For your mom."
Eren whimpered and took the loaf, reluctantly eating it little by little. Lorraine sat in a small ball next to the wall, silently crying into her knees.
A few days later, many starved refugees were put to work cultivating the wastelands as a final effort to raise food, though the cold, hard ground yielded nothing. Lorraine spent many nights huddled next to Mikasa, wishing for the nightmare to end, but she knew deep down that life would never be the same. The only comfort she had was knowing that Mikasa, Eren, Armin, and Mr. Arlert were with her those many long days and nights. In the following year of 846, the remaining refugees old enough to serve in the military were sent outside the walls on a mission to reclaim Wall Maria. Unfortunately, out of the 250,000 sent, less than 200 returned. Although it did nothing to drive back the Titans, their sacrifice was at least enough to lessen the effects of famine in the Interior.
Armin sat in the storehouse, holding his grandfather's straw hat. He had tears in his eyes and his hands were trembling. Lorraine, Mikasa, and Eren walked over. Lorraine sat next to the boy and leaned her head on his shoulder, sympathetically muttering, "I-I'm sorry, Armin." A tear rolled down her cheek and onto his dirty, ragged, blue sweater. Eren spoke up, leaning on the brick wall behind them, "We have to find a way to stop the Titans. Our lives will never be our own until we do. This world will never feel like home." Eren sat next to Lorraine and said under his breath, "Next year, I'm planning to apply for the Cadets." Mikasa sighed. Lorraine and Armin looked up at him. His sea-green eyes shone with sincerity and he explained, "I'll become strong enough to fight back." Armin thought for a moment, then said shakily, "M-me, too." Eren and Lorraine gasped. Armin repeated, "I'm applying, too." Mikasa joined, "So am I." Lorraine smiled and said, "Don't count me out. I'm coming, too." Eren sighed, "Damn it, I'm not trying to drag you all into this! There's no point in following me to my death!" Lorraine nudged his arm and said sarcastically, "Oh, so this is just a suicide mission?" Eren snapped at her, "Shut up-" Mikasa said calmly, "If I can help it, it won't be your death." Eren sighed, then stood up.
"Alright," he said, "Together, then. We'll show the Titans what we're made of."