Chapter 5: Search Party

"What the hell have you gotten yourself into, Adam?" he thought as he walked down the school's main road.

Going to school regularly was already unbearable for him, but sneaking in under the darkness of night? The risk of getting caught by a staff member or possibly getting into more trouble with the police circled his mind. He hoped his nerves would stay in check and not shoot off like a thousand small fireworks. It was bad enough that characters from the Attack on Titan universe were lost in their world, but they just had to be near his school. He saw the school as a torture chamber, an inescapable prison. So, going back right when summer vacation had started didn't help

Considering that Alex and Harry were there, along with the Shiganshina trio, he wasn't worried if the situation went south. Even with Eren's injured leg, they should still have the strength if something happens.

"How much longer is it?" groaned Eren.

"Not too long. We can rest here if you want or keep going," said Lucas, considering that his leg was most likely hurting.

"It's fine. I'll keep walking till we get there," sighed Eren.

"Eren, you shouldn't push yourself too much. Considering the state of your leg, you should take it easy." Mikasa said, concerned as ever.

"Relax already," snapped Eren. "Walking won't kill me, ya know!"

Adam subconsciously shook his head at the brunette. With all that anger about destroying the Titans, he was blind to see how Mikasa truly felt about him.

"Hey, Adam?" said Armin.

"Yeah?"

"What sorts of things do you learn in school?"

"We learn a mix of things," explained Adam. "But everyone goes through the basics such as math, English, history, and science."

"What kinds of science?" Armin enquired.

"Biology, chemistry, physics, environmental, and Earth science," said Adam. "We must take at least three out of the five to graduate."

"Why is it required?" asked Mikasa.

"Well, we learn the basics 'cause they're vital for success in our futures, I guess," replied Adam. "It's kinda like how those who want to join the military police still have to learn how to fight Titans."

"Makes sense," said Eren.

"Do you guys not have a similar process?" asked Adam.

"We do, but we don't know much about it, to be honest," admitted Armin.

"Oh yeah, you guys joined the military when you were young," mentioned Harry.

"So what do you do after you graduate from school?" asked Armin.

"Well, it depends on what you want to do with your life," replied Adam.

"Some people go to college, some people don't."

"Most of the good jobs require a college education. As Adam says, it depends on what you want to do," added Harry.

"So what do you want to do?" asked Armin.

"Personally, I'm an expert with computers, so I'll probably do something in that department," said Harry.

"What's a computer?" asked Eren.

"Computers are awesome!" beamed Alex. "They're the next thing closest to a friend. You can do stuff like watch videos and look at websites."

"Videos?"

"Websites?"

"I'll explain that stuff to all of you when we get back," interrupted Adam.

While it couldn't be helped that the trio would have many questions, all this new information needed not to be dumped on them like a waterfall. One slip-up could lead to a spoiler, which was the last thing Adam wanted to happen.

"Anything else you want me to explain when we get back?" He asked.

"I'm interested in discovering this world's history and maybe more about what it looks like," said Armin.

"You think we could go and see everything one day?" Eren asked. "Like mountains and the ocean?"

"Maybe one day, but for now, we'd best stay local and find your friends first," replied Adam. "Besides, no telling what we could run into or fin—"

Before he could finish, a pickup truck roared past them out of nowhere, diving straight into a massive pool of leftover rainwater. Splashing both Adam and Armin.

"Ugh! You couldn't have gotten us more wet?! Asshole," cursed Adam.

Both teens began to spit and slightly gag as some rainwater had gotten in their mouths.

"What was wrong with that guy?" scoffed Eren, clearly annoyed that the guy had doused his friend. "Why'd he soak you for no reason?"

"He probably didn't realize," responded Mikasa.

"She's right," added Adam. "We're not completely soaked, so I guess it could be worse. Come on, we're just around the corner from the school."

"Ew," grumbled Armin. "Now my mouth tastes like mud."

"Here," said Alex as she handed him a piece of gum. "It won't get rid of the taste completely, but at least it won't be as bad as before."

"Thanks," replied Armin. "But what is it exactly? Is it a kind of sweet?"

"Yeah, but you chew it and don't swallow it."

"Why would you chew it and not swallow it?" Mikasa asked. "What would be the point?"

"You just do it for the taste. Try it!" said Alex. "Plus, it makes your breath smell good."

Armin then stuck the gum into his mouth, and started to chew it.

"Like it?"

"Yeah, it's not bad. Thanks, Alex," smiled Armin.

"Don't worry about it!" said Alex.

But while Alex and Armin talked, and Eren walked ahead with Mikasa, Adam saw a strange look on Harry's face, one he'd never seen before.

"What the...what was that? Is he...jealous? Of Armin?"

They finally arrived at the school. After finding no trace of the AOT characters at the entrance, the group headed into the school grounds. Adam had asked the Shinganshina trio and his friends to look out behind them in case anyone showed up, at least until they found a way inside. It was better that way, just in case anyone else showed up. After all, going to jail wasn't on anyone's summer bucket list.

As they walked down the grimy sidewalk that led into the school, Adam and his friends noticed flashing lights coming from the gymnasium, which was two parking lots away. That's right, the seniors were having a final party right before they left the school completely. With that, Adam was hoping that with students still being present on school grounds, the custodians wouldn't lock every building. After walking through a parking lot and deeper into the school campus, they finally arrived at one of the school buildings.

"So this is you guys' school?" asked Armin.

"This is it," replied Harry.

"It's pretty big," said Eren.

"Yeah, it's a decent size," replied Adam.

"It's funny," smirked Harry. "We just started summer break, and now we're already back in this hellhole."

"Lighten up, Harry," grinned Alex. "We're on a top-secret mission."

Adam slowly walked up to the door and pulled the handle, but it didn't budge.

"Damn, it's locked," grimaced Adam. "Uh, let's try another building."

They desperately needed to get inside the school, even if the cadets weren't in there. With Harry's help, they could access the school's CCTV systems to see where they went. But no matter what, they had to get inside. The group began to walk to the next building until Alex called for them.

"Hold on," yelled Alex. "This side door is open."

"Thank god," sighed Harry.

Alex then held the door open for the group as they all walked in.

"So, where are we exactly?" asked Mikasa.

"The 3000 Building," replied Adam. "It's where the cafeteria and library are."

"Cafeteria?"

"It's another name for a mess hall for the students," replied Adam.

"Well," hesitated Alex. "I suppose I can put this bad boy to use now."

She then brought out a rather large key and dangled it in front of the group.

"What is that?" asked Harry.

"It's a master key," replied Alex.

"Wait, why the hell do you have that?" asked Adam.

"I borrowed it from a custodian," smiled Alex.

"By borrow, you mean you stole it, right?" scoffed Harry.

Ever since the other two had met, it was obvious that they were complete opposites. Harry was always a sucker for the rules, while Alex was the more rebellious type.

"Think of it as a gift from me getting detention all the time," grinned Alex.

"Wait, if you've had a master key all this time, why didn't you just open the locked door?" asked Adam.

"I remembered I had it after we got in," said Alex.

Harry and Adam were about to say something but decided against it. The annoyed look on their faces said enough.

"Anyway, let's go exploring," grinned Alex.

"Let me guess, you just want to search the cafeteria first, don't you?" claimed Harry.

"...maybe."

"Normally, I'd be down to explore the school after hours, but we need to focus on why we're here in the first place," explained Adam. "If we're going to find everyone in here, we're best off splitting into three groups. Eren and I will take the cafeteria and the kitchen. Harry and Armin will search the library, computer lab, and any open classrooms, and Alex and Mikasa will search the gym. Sound good?"

"Can we search the cafeteria instead?" asked Alex.

"No, Alex," groaned Adam.

"But I want to eat some snacks!"

"No buts," said Adam. "Also, how the hell are you still hungry after all the Chinese you ate?"

Alex just nonchalantly shrugged. To this, Adam then facepalmed himself and sighed in annoyance.

Wait. So we're splitting up?" said Mikasa, in a slightly concerned tone.

"It's just until we find everyone," explained Adam. "We'll meet up back here in the lobby after we've searched around. Don't worry, we'll be in and out quickly."

But before any of them could set off, Mikasa grabbed Eren's arm, stopping his movement.

"Please, Eren, make sure you stay close to Adam no matter what. Promise me you'll be careful."

Getting annoyed, Eren pulled his arm out and walked away, giving her the cold shoulder treatment.

"Come on, Mikasa, I'm not a little kid," complained Eren. "I can take care of myself." He then began to limp down the hall as confidently as he could.

"Uh, Eren, the cafeteria is this way," said Adam.

He then swiftly turned around, passing the two again.

"I knew that."

"If any of us run into trouble, we'll call each other, alright?" proposed Adam.

"No doubt," replied Harry.

"Sure!" added Alex.

Each group began to split away, going their separate ways to find the other characters.

"Harry, hold up!" exclaimed Adam.

"What is it?" asked Harry.

"I need you to pick up something from the library for me," said Adam.

After explaining to Harry what he needed, he disappeared from the lobby with Armin.

"Hey Adam, you coming?" asked Eren

"Yeah, I'll show you the way."

While there was no guarantee that the other AOT characters were in the school, there was the itching sensation in his mind that if they had managed to break inside the school, what was to say someone else couldn't?


"Hey Adam, what's this?" Eren asked. Adam looked at Eren and saw that he was staring at a bulletin board coated with papers and many worn pictures.

"It's a bulletin board," replied Adam. "It's for posting notices and details on events."

"But why are there pictures of kids on it?"

"They're pictures of school events," explained Adam. "Like, some of them are from awards ceremonies and other school events. It's not important now, so we'd best move on to the cafeteria."

"I guess you're right," said Eren. " So, what makes you think anyone's in there?"

"Well, I don't know for sure, but there's no harm in looking," replied Adam. "If I had to guess, maybe Sasha came in looking for food."

They made their way through the hallway to the cafeteria. As they approached their destination, Adam hoped that the doors hadn't been locked yet. The pair walked up to the wooden, see-through cafeteria doors. Adam grasped the handle and attempted to pull the door open, but instead of moving outward, the door remained stationary. After giving it a few tugs, he gave up.

"What's wrong? Is the door jammed?" asked Eren.

"No, it's locked."

"Can't we use the master key?"

"I would if I had it," replied Adam. "I let Alex keep it in case the gym was locked."

"Well, guess there's only one option."

Before Adam could ask what he meant, Eren awkwardly walked up the see-through window and began stretching his arms. He then arched his elbow back, squinting his eye as he prepared to break the window.

"Whoa, what are you doing?!" exclaimed Adam.

"Making a way through," replied Eren.

"No! A broken window equals jail!" explained Adam. "We'll find another way."

"Such as?"

Adam glanced towards the ceiling and noticed multiple small windows across the wall dividing them from the cafeteria.

"There. Those windows up there don't have locks, so I can just push them open," explained Adam. "All I have to do is climb up them, get inside, and open the door from the other side."

"I guess that works, too," said Eren. "Be careful when you get in there."

"Why?" asked Adam

The Eren shrugged at his question, answering nonchalantly. "Just in case. You never know who or what could be in there."

His words made Adam think. They already knew that other characters from Attack on Titan had entered their world, but what about other things? Such as Titans? No, if that were true, it'd be fairly obvious. However, the thought of it wasn't pleasant.

"Don't remind me," groaned Adam. "Stay here till I get the door open."

He then mounted his foot on the first foothold, preparing his body and nerves to climb. He then grabbed the railing above and began to climb, shaking with every move. The teen didn't exactly have a fear of heights, but falling from that distance wasn't a pleasant thought. He reached for the next railing, his hand quivering with a mix of adrenalin and fear. The heart in his chest thumped with every move he took.

"You okay?" Eren asked from the ground.

"Yeah, I'm fine," replied Adam.

"You sure? You seem nervous," said Eren.

"I'm alright," told Adam. "I'm just not used to heights like this. I don't have a phobia or anything, but it's still pretty high."

"Adam?"

"Yeah?"

"You're only about a foot off the ground."

When he heard those words, the teen looked back down and groaned loudly. He'd hardly moved, not even a fifth of the way up.

"Unbelievable," thought Adam. "I've constantly dreamed of using ODM gear, but I can't even climb up a dumb wall."

"I'm pathetic, aren't I?" groaned Adam.

"Adam, you're not pathetic."

"Oh yeah? Then explain why you can soar over rooftops, and kill Titans, while I can't even climb a stupid wall," sighed Adam.

"Try and relax," suggested Eren. "Just because you're getting anxious doesn't automatically mean you're worthless. You know it's funny, Armin's got the same problem too. You don't trust yourself enough. Stop telling yourself you can't do it, and soon you'll be saying that you can."

"I guess, but we're two different people," said Adam. "You're a hero, and I'm a wuss who gets beat up every other day of the week."

"Sometimes even I struggle, but no matter what I keep trying," shared Eren. "That's what you need to do, keep trying until you're easily pushing the limits. Don't you remember how you fought off those bastards in the alley, and how you helped us learn where we are? We couldn't have done all that without you could. You're smart and have a strong will, you just don't know it yet."

Adam then took a moment to consider Eren's words of encouragement.

"Guess I just gotta keep moving forward huh?" said Adam.

The statement left a surprised look on Eren's face, that slowly turned into a grin.

"Exactly,"

With Eren's words still in the air, Adam cast his gaze back towards the railing. He raised his palms, gripped the cold metal, and began climbing his way toward the windows. This time, he kept his fear locked away, strengthening his will to pure iron. Placing his feet, then placed his sweating palms again. The teen kept a good rhythm going, shooting up the railing. The once-great resilience of his horror was shattering like glass with every step he took. And within thirty seconds, he'd reached the window.

"Nice work Adam! I knew you could do it!" shouted Eren from the ground.

"Thanks," replied Adam with a wide grin plastered on his face. "Now it's just a case of getting in."

Looking back to the small opening, Adam stepped onto the small ledge before pushing the window open. He then slowly crawled through the dusty opening and quickly grabbed onto the railing on the other side. He then slowly descended from the railing and placed his shaking feet on the floor, thankful to be down on the firm ground again.

"Okay," thought Adam. "That wasn't so bad. Alright, time to let Eren though."

Adam approached the door and attempted to push it open, but it didn't budge.

"Shit!" cursed Adam.

"What's wrong?" asked Eren, from the other side.

"The door won't open."

"I thought you said you'd be able to open it once you got inside," said Eren.

"Yea, that's what I thought too," explained Adam. "I'm guessing it's one of those locks where you have a key to open it."

"Damn," cursed Eren. "Maybe I should go find Alex, so we can get the key?"

"No," replied Adam. "You don't know your way around the school, I wouldn't want you to get lost."

"Good point," answered Eren. "Oh, maybe you can use your phone to call her?"

"Good idea," replied Adam.

Adam brought out his phone and attempted to call Alex, but unfortunately, there was no service.

"Damn, I got no service," said Adam. "Oh well, guess it's better since we won't waste any time."

"So what are we gonna do?" asked Eren.

"Since I'm here, I might as well look around," explained Adam. "Just stay here at the door I'll let you know when I'm done."

"Alright, good luck," said Eren.

Adam gave Eren a nod of appreciation and walked deeper into the cafeteria. He then turned on his phone's flashlight and observed his surroundings. Though he had seen it many times, strangely enough, the room felt alienated to him. All the tables had been placed against the far-end side of the room, making the room look larger than it really was. The only things left were the three vending machines, that lit up a small portion of the room. After taking a good look around, he went back towards the entrance.

"You find anything?" asked Eren.

"Nothing," replied Adam. "I'm going to check the kitchen now."

"Alright."

The teen knew he needed to do a thorough search, but he couldn't help but feel anxious. Checking a pitch-black kitchen with sharp knives, and tools wasn't something that interested him. As far as he was concerned, this was how characters die in movies. Any moment, a psycho killer clown would appear from behind the door with a butcher's knife and drag him away.

His right hand grasped the polished brass handle, coating it with a layer of sweat in the shape of a handprint. His skin's pores gushed in fear, emptying every drop of sweat onto his very shaky palms. He then pushed the door open and stepped into the kitchen.

And yet he saw nothing, just an empty lunch line bathing in the dim light of his phone's flashlight. He then went behind the lunch line into the kitchen, where he had gone before. As he entered the kitchen, the only thing he saw was leftover fruit and milk carts. As he was shuffling his feet, moving through a series of metal kitchen tables, he began to hear low bangs emanating through the air, shattering the silence of the kitchen. Adam looked around frantically, but nothing was in sight. Deciding to be safe than sorry, he rushed for the exit but ended up tripping, knocking down supplies on a table, and dropping his phone. The kitchen was then plunged back into absolute darkness.

Casting his gaze away from the darkened display, the teen could feel his heart pounding against his chest, looking out into the near shadowless hallway. His eyes stayed hungry though, looking to find every detail that was there. Then his heart fully jumped out of his chest when they found something worth focusing on. Two single red eyes stared straight into his soul like a fresh meal. Adam heard a low, beastly growl echo across the room, which replaced the pounding of his own heart.

And Adam did the only thing he could.

Scream.


Author's Notes: This chapter was supposed to come out on the 9th, but there were some delays with my editor. I mentioned in the last chapter's author's notes that I had an announcement to make. I have decided to go on a temporary hiatus from my writing activities. Taking this hiatus was something I had decided even before posting my first chapter. I figure taking a break will allow me to balance out my life and allow me to continue and finish the story. As a side note, I noticed my story isn't getting much attention anymore. I'm not sure why that is, but hopefully, some of that traction come back. Now, as for how long this hiatus will be, you can expect me to return in June 2024.