Attack on Titan: Bloodline – Chapter 16 (May 27, 2019)
The next day, the newly appointed Scouts travelled to the Scout Regiment HQ to begin their new training. It wasn't combat training, but rather, memorizing the long-range scouting formation Commander Erwin had devised. Although everything was written out in great detail, Eren's position on the map wasn't clear, leaving many soldiers confused as to where he was. The former Cadets were assigned to work under Commander Deiter Ness. He was quite a cheerful man with a special relationship with his horse, Charette, who apparently had a thing for chewing on hair. Perhaps this was the reason the man always wore a white bandana atop his head.
As the sun sank lower into the sky, the group was on their way inside to their living quarters, escorted by an officer. Lorraine and Reiner were towards the front of the group, hands laced together, when a familiar voice called out to them.
"Hey, Armin! Mikasa!"
Armin turned around, his eyes shining excitedly. Lorraine tugged on Reiner's hand excitedly. Mikasa suddenly seized Eren's hand, frantically interrogating him.
"Eren! Did they do anything bad to you? Did they subject you to cruel experiments? Mental torture!?"
Eren shook his head and said calmly, "No. Nothing like that." Mikasa huffed, "That pipsqueak really crossed the line. I swear I'll make him pay." Eren stammered, taking his hand away from Mikasa, "Pipsqueak? Y-you don't mean Captain Levi, do you?" Armin said cheerfully, "Eren! I'm glad you're okay!" Connie greeted Eren excitedly, meeting him with a friendly handshake, "Yo, Eren! It's been awhile, man!" Eren said, "Yeah! Wow. You guys are all here!" He smiled, but his face shifted to a look of surprise when he saw Lorraine and Reiner walking up to him, their hands still intertwined. He chuckled a little.
"No way. Reiner? Lorraine? You two...?"
Lorraine blushed and said, "Yeah. I-I guess you haven't heard the news. Reiner and I are...well...w-we're..." Reiner said, finishing her announcement, "You see, Lorraine and I are together. She is officially my girlfriend." Lorraine hid her face in her free hand for a moment, grinning, but a little embarrassed still. Eren smiled, but he raised an eyebrow. He said, chuckling again, "Wow. Congratulations, you guys! That's great." Lorraine said, "Thanks, Eren." Eren looked around and said, "So, if you're all here, then that must mean you all joined the Scouts!" Reiner asked, "Why else would we be here?" Eren said, "Then, only Jean, Annie, and Marco went to the MPs, right?" Jean stood behind Eren and said solemnly, "Not exactly. Marco is dead." Eren gasped lightly and his eyes widened. He stammered, "What? N-no way. Marco? H-he can't be dead. Stop kidding around, Jean." Jean sighed, "It's true. I wish I could tell you that he died a hero, but to be honest, I don't even know how he died. No one was around when it happened." Eren stood there in silence, too shocked to say a word.
"Hey, rookies!"
The group turned. Another soldier had come over, holding piles of cloaks and jackets. Commander Ness, standing next to the soldier announced, "Your new uniforms are here!" He passed out the uniforms to each new Scout and they all turned in their Cadet Corps jackets. Lorraine pulled on her new jacket, but before she could get to it, Reiner had grabbed her hair, gently tugging it free of her jacket. He let the soft strands slip through his fingers and down onto her back, watching as her hair fell over the Wings of Freedom on her back. She smiled and turned back to him.
"Thanks."
She walked off to join Eren, Armin, and Mikasa, leaving Reiner to collect his own uniform. Eren cleared his throat and asked, "So, Lorraine, how long has this thing been going on between you and Reiner?" Lorraine's cheeks flushed and she said, "Officially, not very long. Only since the day before yesterday." Eren said, "What do you mean, 'officially'? Were you two dating in secret?" Lorraine sighed annoyedly, "No, Eren, we weren't." Eren interrogated, "Have you two...you know...?" Lorraine snapped, suddenly more embarrassed than before, "God, no! Of course not!" Eren began to ask another question, but Mikasa put her hand on his shoulder and said, "That's enough, Eren." He sighed.
"Sorry. I guess I'm not used to it. You're like a little sister to me, Lo."
Lorraine nodded and said, "I know, Eren." Jean shouted, walking over, adjusting his new uniform, "Hey, Eren!" He caught up and said, "Tell me something. I heard that when you turned into a Titan, you intentionally tried to kill Mikasa." Lorraine turned. Mikasa's grey eyes narrowed. Eren gasped. Jean asked, "Mind telling us what that means for all the rest of us?" Mikasa interjected, "No, that's not it. Eren tried to swat a fly and-" Jean interrupted, "I wasn't talking to you." He lowered his voice a little and said, "Mikasa, that cut on your cheek looks pretty deep. Where exactly did you get it?" Mikasa brushed her fingertips over the healing wound. Eren said under his breath, just loudly enough for the group to hear, "I'm told it's true. Apparently, when I became a Titan, I tried to kill Mikasa." Jean paused, then said in an accusing tone, "'Apparently'? Wait, so you're telling me you don't remember what happened? You can transform into a 14-meter Titan, but you still don't know how to control it?!" Eren nodded.
"Yeah, we're still working on the control part."
Jean said, "You guys hear this freak? Our lives and the fate of humankind rest on his shoulders. My guess is that we'll all end up like Marco...dead without Eren ever even knowing." Mikasa snapped, "Stop it, Jean! What good will chastising Eren do you? Just drop it!" Jean said, "Look, Mikasa. Not everyone here is willing to die for Eren's sake like you." Mikasa fell silent, but was still visibly upset. He said, turning to Eren and grabbing his shoulders, "Eren, we need a reason to lay down our lives. We all need a guarantee from you, Eren. We want you to prove to us that you're worth dying for. If you can do that, Eren, then we're with you all the way." Eren stared at Jean for a moment.
"Y-yeah."
During the month leading up to the 57th Expedition Outside the Walls, training was more intense than ever. Eren trained hard with the former Cadets, as well as with Squad Levi in preparation. Lorraine studied even harder in the medical field, volunteering to be a stand-in medic on the field in case it was necessary. She and Reiner often went to the library to study. The two grew closer as time went on. Many nights were spent snuggled up in the mess hall while they ate and sometimes, Lorraine would sometimes sneak into Reiner's living quarters to sleep next to him, wrapped in his big, warm embrace. Captain Levi secretly kept watching over Lorraine during training, though he never spoke to her. He never appeared to hold malicious intent, so no one ever said a word, though Lorraine constantly wondered what his motives were. Really, the majority of people were a little afraid of the petite Captain, so they likely didn't want to confront him, even if they did notice.
One morning, about three weeks into the preparations, Lorraine woke up in the earlier hours of the morning, just as she knew everyone would be beginning to stir. She yawned and slid out of bed, wearing her usual shorts and camisole. The sun was still just below the horizon, but she could see the sky turning from deep navy to a lighter blue. She stood by the window, just looking outside.
"Everything seems so calm first thing in the morning."
After a few silent minutes, she turned and walked towards the door, making sure to grab her uniform. She plodded down the hall to the women's shower room for her morning routine. She ultimately decided not to shower this morning, but still ran a hairbrush through her hair and made sure her uniform looked pristine.
In the mess hall, the entire regiment seemed generally lively. It was partly because of the pleasant weather. It was warm outside, but not too hot, and there was a light breeze with only a few clouds scattered in the sky. Lorraine sat beside Reiner, who had his arm draped over her shoulders, slowly eating her food. She sighed.
"What's wrong, Love?"
Lorraine and Reiner had started calling each other "Love" from time to time in the last few weeks. It was a bit embarrassing at first, but Lorraine quickly got used to it and even welcomed it. She shook her head and said, "Nothing. Just thinking." Armin, sitting across from the couple, said matter-of-factly, "Oh? What about?" Lorraine took a bite, then said, waving her hand around, "Don't worry about it. It's not that important." Mikasa smiled. Armin frowned a bit, but returned to his breakfast. Bertholdt sat next to Armin, setting his tray on the table with an airy "good morning". Eren greeted him from beside Mikasa, "Hey, Bertholdt. You got up late." Bertholdt sighed, "Yeah. Couldn't sleep last night." Lorraine said sweetly, "Still a little broken up about Annie, huh?" Bertholdt's face turned red and he started sputtering nervously. She laughed. Armin asked, "Annie? What about her?" Reiner said teasingly, "Bertl has a little crush. Has since we were kids."
"Reiner, please! Don't tell them!"
Eren said bluntly with a wink, "It's pretty damn obvious with the way you always look at her." Bertholdt stammered frantically, "N-no! It's not like that! C-come on!" Laughter erupted through the group over his unusual outburst. Bertholdt just huffed and started eating his breakfast quickly, keeping his gaze down. The cheerful laughter died down and Armin said, "Sorry. You're so soft-spoken. I never would have expected you to like Annie." Bertholdt smiled a little, but didn't say a word. Lorraine leaned her head on Reiner's side, nuzzling into his embrace.
Later in the day, Lorraine was making her way back to the mess hall from the library, walking alone down the hallway nonchalantly. She yawned, stretching her arms above her head when she heard the sound of a man clearing his throat behind her. She turned with a start and found herself staring wide-eyed at Captain Levi. She gasped and saluted strongly.
"G-good evening, Sir."
Levi sighed. He said bluntly, "Come with me, Lorraine Ackerman." Lorraine tilted her head to the side, confused. She wondered why he wanted to see her, but she was afraid to disobey her superior. She nodded and walked behind him in silence. He heart started pounding in her chest faster and louder.
"Did I do something wrong? Oh, God...I hope this isn't about Reiner. What if he boots me from the Scouts?"
Levi opened the door to his office and gestured for her to enter, which she did. She stood awkwardly beside his desk, looking around the room while he shut the door. Everything was pristinely cleaned and meticulously placed. The room seemed almost too perfect. There was hardly a speck of dust anywhere in sight. She nervously fiddled with her fingernails and cuticles, her hands shaking slightly. Finally, Levi sat at his desk.
"Tch. Sit down...and relax. I just want to talk."
Lorraine sat stiffly across from him, still unsure of why he called her there so suddenly. He sat there, his piercing gaze boring through to her soul. He looked as though he was searching for something deep within her that lay unseen to anyone but him. She said softly, "S-Sir...? I-if I've done something wrong...I-I didn't-" He said, interrupting her, "No. No, you haven't done anything wrong, Lorraine." She fell silent. She asked, "Then...why did you want to see me, Sir?" He sighed. She leaned forward a hair, her ponytail hitting the back of her neck as she moved.
"Lorraine. I'm sorry."
Lorraine gasped. Levi explained, "Fifteen years ago, I left my baby daughter on the front porch of a small cabin just outside of Shiganshina." Lorraine's brows raised. Her heart skipped a beat. Levi continued, his tone serious and his face earnest, "The guilt has haunted me since. Suddenly, she started appearing to me. First in Shiganshina. Then Trost. Now here." Lorraine chuckled a little and said, "Sir? A-are you implying that I'm somehow your daughter?" He nodded. She laughed a little, but then noticed that he wasn't laughing. She gasped, "Y-you're serious?" He nodded again and said gently, "Yes." She stopped. Shifting awkwardly in her seat, she said, "I-I can't be, though. I-I mean, it's just..." He sighed. She stood to her feet and said, "I-I'm sorry, Sir, but I have to go." She turned to walk out, uninhibited by the intimidating Captain. She said frantically, "I-I can't possibly be-"
"Isabel."
Lorraine stopped in her tracks.
"How the hell do you know...?"
He said, his gaze down at the desk, "Isabel was the name of a very dear friend of mine. She was lost on my very first mission outside the walls." Lorraine gripped the door handle, her hands trembling. She considered the fact that he might be telling the truth, but she brushed it off. She said solemnly, "I'm sorry, Captain, but I'm afraid you must be mistaking me for another girl." He closed his eyes and said, "Very well. You may go." She said, opening the door and walking out, "Thank you. Have a good day, Sir." He remained silent as she closed the door behind her. As she did, she could have sworn she heard a faint cursing behind the door that almost sounded hurt.
"I'm sorry, Captain. I'm not your daughter. I can't be."
She entered the mess hall and looked around. She wore an expression on her face that she couldn't explain. She felt herself questioning her upbringing. Even though she didn't believe Levi's story, a part of her wanted to. A part of her wanted to just blindly accept it, despite the unrealistic nature of it. She had heard plenty of tales from Armin's books about children being abducted or abandoned in infancy and growing up in all sorts of fantastic tales. One girl died on the street from cold and hunger, while another boy found his parents and they all lived happily ever after. She shook her head, trying to push the thoughts out of her mind, and walked quietly to receive her rations. A bowl of vegetable stew and a small slice of stale bread were handed to her alongside a cup of water. She sighed.
"Why am I even considering that as a possibility. There's no way. It's all a coincidence."
She thought back to how he knew her name.
"I hardly ever tell anyone my middle name. I don't think even Reiner knows my middle name."
She looked around for a seat, when she spotted Armin grinning and waving at her. Her full lips turned upwards into a smile and she trotted over to sit next to him.
"Hey, Armin."
He asked, "What took you so long?" She said unconvincingly, "Nothing." Mikasa said in her usual low voice, "It doesn't look like nothing." Eren jeered, "Yeah. What're you hiding, Lo?" Lorraine said, seeming unfazed by Eren's tone, "I'll tell you guys later. I don't want anyone to overhear." Armin said under his breath, "Oh. It must be serious." The group ate together, talking over some of the stuff they went over earlier, as well as just catching up. It wasn't long before the four of them decided to retire. Instead of all going to their separate quarters, they all went to Lorraine's quarters. Mikasa was wearing her long pants, tank top, and, of course, her scarf. Eren and Armin both wore just typical pajama pants and a plain-coloured shirt. All three sat on her cot, waiting eagerly to hear Lorraine's secret. Lorraine wore her shorts and camisole and took a seat on the edge of the bed.
"So...Captain Levi brought me into his office earlier."
Eren gave an annoyed huff. Lorraine lowered her voice and said, "He told me some story about how fifteen years ago, he left his daughter in Shiganshina. H-he seems to think...he thinks I'm..." Armin's eyes were wide. Mikasa sighed. Lorraine continued, "H-he knew my middle name, too. I-it's...weird." Eren laughed, "Unbelievable. Now, what actually happened?" Lorraine said, "What are you talking about?" Eren said, his tone shifting, "You know damn well what I'm talking about. Quit lying and tell us what really happened." Lorraine snapped, "I'm not lying, Eren. You honestly think I could make something like that up?" Eren shrugged and said in a snippy tone, "I don't know. Now, come on. Quit pulling our legs and fess up." Lorraine said loudly, "I'm dead serious!" Eren leaned forward, getting in her face, and said, "Even if what you say he told you is true, then it's probably a huge coincidence. There are probably quite a few people with the name Isabel who just happened to live in Shiganshina." Lorraine gritted her teeth and growled. Armin finally spoke up.
"Come on, guys, please don't fight over this."
Lorraine barked angrily, pointing at him furiously, "You wanted to know the truth and I told you! If you don't like it, that's fine, but don't go accusing me of lying to you, Eren!" Her voice was laced with venom as she said his name, causing him to flinch. He felt a pang in his heart and decided to back off. He huffed irritably. Armin suggested, "Look, maybe we should get to bed and think this over later. It's been a long day." Eren stood up and left without uttering a word to Lorraine, followed by Armin, who looked back apologetically. Mikasa stayed silent, standing by Lorraine's bed, a disheartened expression on her face. Lorraine sighed, upset at Eren, and turned to face Mikasa. Mikasa suddenly and tightly embraced her, causing her to let out a gasp.
"Mikasa...?"
Lorraine felt Mikasa's hands shaking. It was subtle, but she had known her older sister long enough to realize that she was upset. She just didn't want to show it. Lorraine stood there, dumbfounded, then leaned her head into Mikasa's chest, wrapping her arms around her waist. Mikasa sighed lightly. The girls stood in silence together for a long time until Mikasa finally let her go. Mikasa walked out, but turned back for a moment, saying shakily, "Good night, Lorraine." Lorraine smiled and said, "Good night. See you in the morning." Mikasa's brows were trembling, nearly unnoticeable by anyone but Lorraine. As she walked out, she shut the door behind her, leaving Lorraine alone with only her thoughts to keep her company.