-Chapter 10: Among the Survey Corps-
After the trial's conclusion, the Survey Corps were quick to put their newest 'military asset' into service. After acquiring a carriage from their subordinates, they quickly set off back to Wall Maria, in order to regroup with the rest of the regiment and plan out their next course of action.
-oOo-
Somewhere along a road, inside the interior of Wall Rose
Inside a carriage sat the newest member of the Survey Corps, alongside his new comrades, as well as the previous commander. They were currently passing through the interior of Wall Rose, en route back to their headquarters all the way back in the Shiganshina District. There was a comfortable silence as they traveled, until Hange decided to disrupt the tranquil ride.
"So! Why don't we tell some stories to pass the time? Maverick, why don't you start us off?" The man in question looked down from his stargazing to the eyes of the bespectacled woman who looked at him with childlike wonder, alongside the other scouts who had curious gazes of their own.
"Sure, I do-" He was interrupted by Hange who clasped her hands together and quickly took hold of the conversation once again. "Great! Let's see now….Oh! How about those mighty God-Titans you spoke of earlier at the trial?" Her eyes shined through her goggles, like she was about to hear her favorite bedtime story. Maverick smirked, knowing which Titans in specific she was talking about.
"Are you sure? Their story is a rather long one." She nodded her head vigorously, as the rest of the scouts shared a few comments of their own.
"You said that the titans here, didn't hold a candle to them." Said Levi, as he emphasized Maverick's quote. "So there's gotta be quite the story behind them." Miche chipped in with another comment.
"You spoke rather highly of them, even naming one of them, Atlas."
"Alright then. Make yourselves comfortable, cause this will be a doozy…" Hange squealed in delight as she sat crisscrossed, while the others readjusted themselves, anxiously awaited the tale of the all-powerful Titans that their world traveling friend had faced.
"I suppose I should start at the beginning…for their story begins with two beings, Uranus and Gaia…"
Thus, did Maverick begin his tale; of the two primordial gods of the sky and earth. Of their consummation that led to the birth of the Titans at the Island of Creation.
He spoke of the twelve that came into existence, of the power they wielded, and their purpose in the world.
He recounted how the youngest of them, Cronos, overthrew his father and claimed rulership over his siblings. Under his rule they shaped and formed the rest of what would be known as the Greek World. Thus, beginning the Golden Age of the Titans, a term that did not sit well with the scouts.
They would not claim rulership forever. As Maverick spoke of a prophecy that haunted Chronos since his rise to power. For it was told that one day, he would be overthrown by his children, just as he did Uranus.
In desperation he would turn to the Sisters of Fate, three primordial beings that, as their name implied, held power over time and fate. He would attempt to sway them to his favor, only to be rejected as they refused to change his doomed fate.
In his fear of the prophecy, Cronos would consume each of his children one by one, so that the prophecy would never come to pass.
He spoke of Rhea; Queen of the Titans, who betrayed her husband and tricked him into eating a rock covered in cloth, while their last child was sent away to a faraway island. To be raised under the watch of his grandmother, Gaia.
The child was named Zeus, and would grow to be nurtured with the desire to free his siblings and swear vengeance on the one who imprisoned them. When he grew to adulthood, he would free his brothers and sisters, an action that led to the Titanomachy, known also as the Great War.
He recounted the events of the Great War, a battle of titanic proportions between the Titans and the upstart Olympians, a battle that shaped the mortal world and the fates of many. He spoke of the capture of Atlas' soul at the hands of the Olympians Hades and Poseidon, and the betrayal of the Titans Prometheus and Helios, who joined the children of Cronos. To end the war once and for all, Zeus would craft and wield the Blade of Olympus. He would use the blade to send the Titans to the furthest pits of the underworld, a realm known as Tartarus, where they would be sealed and tortured for eternity.
Thus did the Great War come to an end, as well as the end of the Titans' golden age, and the rise of the Olympians as the new inheritors of Olympus and the new Gods of the Greek World.
As his story concluded, Maverick looked to the scouts who held looks of bewilderment, struggling to process their thoughts into words, minus Hange of course, who still held her look of wonder.
The tale was just far too outlandish to be real, and yet they couldn't outright deny the story as just the ramblings of a madman, considering the appearance of the man that was telling it. It was also the way he spoke so passionately about it, like a veteran speaking of old war stories, as if he saw the Great War with his own eyes. Hange was the first to speak out her thoughts.
"Interesting, god of water, the sun and moon, endurance, memories, and foresight...They really were part of the world, weren't they?" Maverick nodded allowing her to continue. "Did you ever manage to speak to one?" He once again nodded, as a smirk formed on his face.
"I duked it out with a few, even met Ol' Cronos himself in my travels." Hange eyes widened in surprise as she squirmed in her seat.
"But, wasn't he banished to this Tartarus with the rest of his siblings?" Erwin asked, causing Maverick to snicker.
"Oh no, Zeus had a special punishment for him. He was forced to carry a temple that was built on his back and made to wander the great Desert of Lost Souls, like a dog mind you." Erwin's eyebrows rose, shocked at the treatment of the father. While he didn't know what a desert was, he was sure that the presence of lost souls did not make it a pleasant place to be in.
"For how long was he meant to wander?" Erwin asked. Maverick turned to the blonde, surprising him with his serious tone.
"Until the desert sands ripped the flesh from his bones." Everyone was left silent for a few moments until a stern voice came from Nanaba, who was sitting next to Miche.
"Hmph, for eating you own children, all because of some damn prophecy? Deserves worst if you ask me..." Nanaba said. Maverick was a bit surprised by the virulent tone in her voice. Before he could respond, Miche put his own two cents in.
"Seemed more like he himself was to blame for his own downfall." He commented.
Maverick nodded at the tall scout's statement. "Pretty spot on Miche. Oh! here's another bit, his blunder actually coined the term; the self-profiling prophecy." Miche nodded in interest, finding the new term appropriate. Levi meanwhile sat silent, processing a specific part of the story with a troubled look.
"So, if these Titans were all related…" Maverick nodded as he felt he knew where Levi was going with this. "Then…Cronos and Rhea…"
"Yep…." There was nothing but silence from the Scouts, only the looks of utter disgust and shock as they realized what act was committed by the two Titans, none more so than Levi, whose face scrunched up and his eyes narrowed even further than usual.
"That's disgusting….utterly disgusting" Maverick chuckled as he scooted closer to where Levi was sitting.
"Oh, Levi. Let me tell you, ever heard of the phrase; Like father, like son?" Levi remained silent, not wanting to answer the man. "Cause if you think what Cronos did was bad, then wait till I tell you about the shit ZEUS got himself into!" A Cheshire grin formed around Maverick's face as he put an arm around Levi's shoulder, making the scouts slightly nervous about where he was heading with his story.
"I'd rather you didn't…" His response went ignored as Maverick continued.
"Allow me tell you all a tale about the infidelity of Zeus…" Immediately, the scouts cried out, not wanting to hear this particular story. "H-How about that place you mentioned? The Greek World, was it? I-I think I'd like to hear about that better." Came a surprise suggestion from Moblit.
"G-Great idea Moblit! Yeah! The Greek World! Sounds fascinating! What can you tell us about it?" Hange's eyes shined through her goggles once more, despite the slight stutter in her voice. Maverick chuckled at the woman's interest in the world that he once called home.
"All right then, let's see…where to start."
-oOo-
Sometime later…
Maverick had the scouts enraptured with his stories of Ancient Greece. It's rich history, the cultures, as well as the living legends and myths that inhabited the world. Even Moblit couldn't help but turn his head away from the road as he listened in on the marked man's tale of the city of Rhodes, and of the wonder that made the city famous and renowned.
"So, you're telling me that they built this giant Colossus sized statue with its legs separated on both sides of this.. harbor? Like an arch?" Levi asked in disbelief after hearing about the construction of the famed Colossus of Rhodes. Maverick gave the man a sincere nod.
"Yep, saw it my own two eyes." Maverick responded, pointing two fingers at his glowing orbs of sight, a few chuckles erupted from the scouts, minus the small one, who still held a disbelieving look.
"I don't believe you..." Levi said while shaking his head. For the man could only withhold his sense of disbelief for so long. Even Erwin spoke in agreement.
"I must agree with Levi, a statue such as that would not be structurally sound, much less be able to support itself, it would collapse under its own weight." He spoke. However, Hange spoke out in support of Maverick's claim of the statue's existence.
"Come on you two, in a world with living gods, you don't think a 32-meter-tall golden giant couldn't exist?" The two stayed silent, as the woman had brought up a bizarre yet valid point, regarding the world their otherworldly recruit spoke of.
"How did the people of Rhodes build such a thing?" Came a question from Keith, who had stayed silent through the majority of the ride, seeming content with simply listening.
"Oh, well some time ago the city held off a siege from an invading army, and they used the abandoned siege equipment as construction material." Maverick responded. Keith hummed in slight amusement, surprised by the ingenuity of these fabled people, even if it was to worship some...sun titan.
As the gang continued to listen to Maverick's stories, they didn't realize how soon they had arrived at the Trost Districts until they were shouted at by nearby members of the Garrison, guarding the interior gate. As they waited for the gate to rise, a few townsfolk approached the carriage to gawk and see the man that had everyone inside the Walls talking.
"Is that him? The man who slayed every titan in Shiganshina?"
"Yeah, look at him, practically looks like a titan himself."
"Of course, everyone knows titans have glowing blue eyes, don't they?"
"My uncle came from Shiganshina. Said he saw a glowing naked man knock out a titan with one punch."
"My cousin was in Shiganshina too! Said she was caught by one of those monsters, then a glowing man swoops in and kicks the titan to the ground and swoops her in his arms. Saved her life he did!"
"Hey, that's captain Smith, a-and that's lieutenant Levi! What's he doing with the Scouts?"
"Heh, looks like the Survey Corps got their hands on him."
"Oh yeah, heard there was a trial earlier this morning right?"
As the townsfolk continued to talk amongst themselves the interior gate was finally raised, granting the scouts passage into the Trost District.
As the carriage made its way across the streets of the district however, Keith motioned for Moblit to stop. "This is where I get off, I thank you Maverick for keeping us entertained with you tales." The marked man offered the man a two fingered salute as Keith disembarked from the cart.
"Are your certain?" Erwin asked, only to receive a nonchalant gesture.
"Heard an old friend of mine arrived here after the breach, want to check in, see that he and his family are alright. Besides, I'm no longer the commander remember? Sent in my resignation before the trial." He gave his farewells to the veteran scouts and turned to continue his journey on foot. However, not even a few steps in did he turn around for one last time and direct his eyes to the regiment's newest member.
"Maverick."
As the marked man looked in his direction, Keith's mouth opened slightly, as he struggled to find the words, before simply standing straight and offered Maverick a wholehearted salute. "I hope you continue to make the regiment proud and help us finally reclaim our world from these monsters. Dedicate your heart; Titan Slayer." Maverick stared at the man for a few moments, before stepping off the carriage and repeating the same salute to the 12th commander.
"Consider it done." Keith's eyes slightly widened in surprise at the man's sincere tone. Satisfied with Maverick's answer, he turned around and continued on his way, disappearing into an alley.
After that exchange, the carriage continued on. As they passed through, Maverick looked around to see the nightlife of the district. Workers and shop owners closing for the night, friends enjoying a late-night drink at the tavern, young couples enjoying themselves. This all brought back fond memories of similar old-world towns and cities he had visited and lived throughout his many lives. However, his musings were brought to a halt, as Erwin motioned for Moblit to stop the carriage.
"Stop the carriage here Moblit , this shouldn't take too long." Moblit steered the carriage to the side of the street, allowing the gang to get off and follow Erwin's lead. As they walked along the almost empty street, Maverick spoke up. "Not that I mind a nice evening stroll, but where are we going exactly?" The smallest of the group gave the man a sideways glance as he responded.
"Tailor shop near here, it's one of the conditions we promised the higher ups." Maverick looked up at the darkening sky with uncertainty. "A tailor? At this hour?" The scout didn't look back as he responded. "This guy works later than most, plus he specializes in clothing for people like you."
Maverick stared Levi down, his arms crossed and glowing eyes burning a hole in the back of the smaller man's head "Now what's that supposed to mean?" Levi didn't offer a response as he continued to walk. Sensing conflict, Erwin was quick to offer a response to mitigate their new recruit.
"He meant nothing by that Maverick, understand that your…build, requires special clothing to compensate it, we are here to simply find a supplier." Erwin responded. Maverick's narrowed look softened as he relaxed his posture and jokingly reassured the commander. "It's fine Erwin, relax. It's not the first time I've had to deal with people like the halfling here."
The new nickname sparked a few reactions from the group; From Hange's schoolgirl-like giggles, Moblits look of absolute shock and horror, Miche's signature smirk, Nanaba's flabbergasted expression, and finally to Levi's glaring sideways glance. Erwin could only sigh as a response, for it seemed like Maverick had found himself rather comfortable among the Scouts.
Further into their nightly stroll the group came upon their destination, if the sign depicting a suit was anything to go by. As they approached the store Hange presented the store to Maverick in the style of a street crier "Here it is! Harold's Heavy Wares! Clothing for patrons of all shapes and sizes!" Hange's tone seemed to get a few chuckles as she emphasized the shops name. Maverick offered the woman a few slow claps for her performance.
"Don't quit your day job Hange." The woman scratched the back of her head in embarrassment. "Heh, Heh…Well! Let's not waste any more time then!" Maverick nodded in agreement "Right, who knows how lo-" The marked man suddenly stopped moving the moment his laid eyes upon the stores sign, more specifically at the scribbles inscribed on said sign.
'That's not Japanese….what is this chicken scratch?'
He continued to stare at the writing on the sign, slowly approaching it to get a better view. Confused looks were on the faces of his companions as they watched the large man stare at the shop sign with a troubled look.
"Oi, what's wrong with you?" Levi asked. No response came from the marked man as he eyes narrowed at the writing on the sign. A few mutters could be heard, however they were all in his native tongue, so it was impossible to understand what he was saying. "M-Maverick, is everything alright? What's wrong?" Hange's concerned voice brought the man out of his funk as he backed away from the sign a bit.
"This writing, it's the actual written language here, right? I'm not just imagining gibberish on the sign?" A few nods from the group confirmed his fears. He placed his hands over his face as a loud groan escaped his lips. "I can assume that the writing on the sign isn't this Japanese you spoke of, correct?" Erwin asked. "Yep, it's a completely new system of writing…."
The group stood silent and looked confused the Maverick's statement. "Will this be an issue?" Erwin asked. "No, no *Sigh*, it just means that I'll have to learn an entirely new writing system…again." Hange suddenly perked up as she rushed to Maverick's side.
"Oh! I can help, I can teach you our writing no problem! We're going to be working together a lot from now on, so it's only natural we help each other out. While we're at it, maybe you can teach me some of that English you were speaking, or maybe that was another language you were speaking, just how many do y-" Before she could continue invading Maverick's space, Levi pulled her back with a single tug.
"Save the questions for later four-eyes, we've been standing here for way too long." Erwin replied in agreement.
"Agreed, we can worry about the language barrier later. Right now, we have other matters to attend to." Thus did the conversation end as the Erwin opened the door to the shop, letting the larger man duck under the door frame as he entered the shop first.
"Ah! greetings, I wasn't expec-b-by the Walls!"
-oOo-
Once again on the road to Shiganshina…
There was a comfortable silence as the carriage was approaching Shiganshina's interior gate. As Maverick looked to the sky, he couldn't help but let out a yawn as the events of the day were wearing him out. That and he hadn't had a decent sleep since he arrived in this giant infested world.
"Tired?" Erwin asked with in an amused tone, receiving a slow nod from the Slayer. "Not to worry, we should be arriving soon to headquarters." Maverick nodded again in appreciation, before realizing an issue with what the commander just said.
"Are you not worried about the breach in the outer wall? Can't imagine the giants will simply just wait till morning to strike." Maverick said as he looked to the interior wall. "Also, wasn't the district declared uninhabitable by your government? Doesn't that mean we're barred from entering it too?" Erwin smiled at the man's deduction.
"Valid points Maverick. However, research done on their behavior shows that the titans are much less active at night. So there isn't much we should worry about. As for the district, while it is deemed uninhabitable to civilians, as far as the military is concerned, all personnel will be needed, for Shiganshina is now a contested battleground." Maverick pondered on the bit of information, as another comment came from Levi.
"Which means were going to be pretty busy keeping the district out of the titans' filthy mitts, at least until the Garrison can think of a way we can seal the breach." Their conversation was soon interrupted by Moblit, who noticed a series of lights shining in front of the interior gate.
"Commander, everyone! Look!" All turned their attention at the startling sight near the interior gate.
There was a large gathering of people in the center of the road. Many held candles in their hands, while others carried what seemed to be offerings and other trinkets. A scout that was near the gathering saw the approaching carriage and quickly rushed to meet them. "Commander, welcome back! Were you successful in-" He didn't finish his sentence as the glowing eyes of the marked man pretty much answered his question.
"Indeed, we were able to recruit our friend into service. Tell me, what is happening here?" He gestured towards the gathered mass of people. "It's the weapon he left behind, the people here started crowding around it since yesterday, leaving food and offerings. Hell, some are even praying to it!" The news surprised the veteran scouts, minus Maverick, who watched the crowd with an almost expecting gaze.
Moblit motioned for the horses to continue moving, heading towards the gathered masses. As they got closer one of the folks in the crowd noticed the approaching carriage, more specifically at the glowing marked man.
"OUR SAVIOR HAS RETURNED!"
All eyes were immediately drawn to Maverick as he got off the carriage and continued to approach the townsfolk, who spoke amongst themselves or stared in awe at the man who held a disarming smile. A familiar ghoulish looking man among the crowd approached Maverick, a look of relief on his face.
"Thank the Almighty, you've returned! W-When we saw the Military Police carry you off, we feared the worst!" The other townsfolk had gathered around the two, looking at Maverick with awed gazes. He chuckled, as if the whole ordeal didn't affect him in the slightest.
"Well, it seemed like fate had other plans for me" He pointed to the approaching carriage ridden by the Scouts.
"The Survey Corps? Ahhh, then the papers were true." Maverick held a look of surprise. "Papers? What papers?" Another townsmen approached with a newspaper in his hand.
"The news press! They got word of your feats here in Shiganshina and spread the news around!" The man presented him with said newspaper. Maverick took it and tried his hardest to look like he knew what the scribbles said.
'Hmmm... guess I'll take up Hange's offer…' He thought as he flipped through the paper. "Well, that's something. A-anyways, what uhhh…what's going on here?" He asked at he pointed to everyone gathered around him.
"Ah! Since your departure, we've kept watch over your weapon." The ghoulish man said as he led Maverick to the center as the crowd parted to clear the path. When they reached the center Maverick laid eyed on his morning star that now took the form of a small decorative shrine of sorts. A variety of trinkets and foodstuffs were placed around Skullsmite as well as a ring of candles that surrounded the area of the weapon.
"As you can see, many have placed offerings for you. Call it our little shrine in honor of our savior." The man said. The other townsfolk nodded in agreement, offering their thanks and prayers to the marked man. Maverick could only nod in acceptance, this wasn't the first-time people had worshiped him as a divine deity, he'd just have to keep an eye on them, make sure they wouldn't go too far with their worship in the future. "Well, I hate to ruin the beautiful display but….I will need to take back Skullsmite. Can't kill giants without it"
"Oh of course, of course! Please take the offerings as well! They are for you after all!" The gathered townsfolk held looks of understanding as they backed away from the mace shrine.
"Well thanks for the gifts, uhhh…I-I'm sorry but I don't think I ever caught your name." The leading man stood silent for a few seconds, before going into a stuttering mess.
"A-Ah yes, with the breach, the evacuation, and the police, there wasn't much time to introduce ourselves was there, heh-heh. *Cough*"
The ghoulish man had introduced himself as Cornelius, the one who approached him after the battle, then there was Tobias, a local blacksmith working in the district, who was unfortunately trapped in his workshop by a hungry giant. Then there was Mathew and his wife Carolyn, an elderly couple who lost their way in the district during the panic. Maverick offered a genuine smile at each new face that came up, either to thank him or introduced themselves.
While he took the time to get to know the people, The Scouts seated in the carriage looked on with bemused expressions. Erwin took out a pocket watch and raised his bushy eyebrows at the time showed. He hated to interrupt the wholesome scene in front of him, but they seriously had to get a move on. With that in mind he motioned for Moblit to get the carriage moving again.
"Apologies everyone, but our friend here is going to be quite busy tomorrow and he's going to need all the rest he can." Erwin said, as he gestured for Maverick to get back on the carriage.
"It was a pleasure to meet you all." Maverick unbuttoned his cloak and gathered the gifts and trinkets into his makeshift sack. He then picked up Skullsmite with ease and rested it on his shoulder. As he made his way to the carriage, he turned to the townsfolk once more. "Hope our paths cross again soon!" The people waved him farewell, wishing him luck, as well as saying their thanks to the scouts for their service.
-oOo-
Survey Corps Headquarters, inside the Shiganshina District
The gang had finally made it back to headquarters, as they made their way to the courtyard Maverick noticed some lights shining through the windows of one of the buildings. "Are the rest waiting inside?" Erwin asked his subordinate.
"Yes sir, right inside the mess hall." The scout replied. As he turned to open the front door the scouts were met with the eyes of the remaining members of the Survey Corps, calmly sitting down, awaiting the commanders return.
"Evening everyone. I won't bore you with the finer details and get straight to the point; we were successful in gaining custody of our friend." Looks of relief and surprise were on the faces of the scouts at the news. "Now, allow me to formally introduce our newest edition to the Survey Corps." He motioned for Maverick to enter the room. All eyes were on marked man, whose glowing eyes looked back at the scouts. He recognized a few faces from both his first encounter in the forest, and the battle in the district. With a smile he introduced himself once more.
"Hello again…I suppose we'll all be fighting together from now on." He received a few nods of acknowledgement, as well as a raised mug here and there. It seemed like some were still a bit weary of him, and who could blame them. It's not every day a glowing, nearly 7 foot tall, musclebound, superhuman wakes up in your giant-infested world and becomes a part of your military. He supposed in time, they would grow used to his presence.
"I'm sure you all have some questions for our newest recruit however, I ask that you save them for another day. It's been a rather long day and we all need our rest, dismissed." The scouts began to sit up and made their way out of the mess hall, making the occasional glance towards Maverick. The other veterans said their goodbyes and departed as well, thanking him for his entertaining stories. However, the commander had one last thing to say to his newest Captain.
"Levi, why don't you show our recruit to his quarters? I trust you can find a decent sized one for him." He emphasized the word in a joking manner, his comrade simply sighed in response. "Right c'mon rookie, let's find you a bed that won't break." Maverick let out a sound that seemed to be a mix of a cough and a chuckle as he followed the smaller man.
The two made their way to the barracks, eventually making their way to an empty room near the end of the hallway. "Here we are, make sure to keep the place clean at all times." Maverick observed the room from head to toe. He found the room to be rather spartan to say the least, but the basic necessities were there; a large single bed, desk, and a cabinet/wardrobe. He set the cloak sack aside on the desk and slowly sat on the bed, testing how much the frame could hold his weight. "We'll start your training early, so get some rest." The short scout said no more, as he closed the door.
Following his advice he adjusted his resting position, careful not to move too much. As he covered himself and stared at the roof over his head, he thought about his current situation.
'Another life in the military…gonna have to get used to early wake up calls again…' He turned in his side as his mind relaxed and drowsiness began to take him. However, a certain thought filled his mind and his eyes quickly opened up in panic.
"*GASP*"
The warrior immediately rose from his bed and looked around the room. "How could I fucking forget?! Paper, I need some-" His eyes set upon the desk. Rushing to it he opened the bottom drawers, searching frantically for any sheet. "Dammit, empty…" He let out a sigh as he returned to his bed.
'Guess I'll ask where they keep the writing supplies, maybe Hange knows….' The marked man let out another sigh and soon laid his head on the pillow once more. He allowed sleep to take him once more, despite the growing heartache filling his chest.
-oOo-
The following day…
Hange and Moblit walked beside one another as they made their way through the hallway, searching for the room that housed their newest recruit. Hange was whistling a tune, while Moblit was still getting the tiredness out of his eyes.
"Isn't this exciting Moblit? Not only do we have a someone from another world in our team, but he's going to finally teach us his language! Ohhhh, it'll be like our own little secret between us three! Do you think he knows others? Maybe the language of those Greeks he spoke about? Or maybe something entirely different!" Before she could run her mouth further, Moblit interrupted her as to remind her of their objective.
"Were supposed to be training him today, Section Commander…" Hange held an uninterested look as she waved her hand.
"Oh pshhhh, I'm sure he'll pass with flying colors." Their conversation ended as they arrived at the room that housed their newest member. Wasting no time, Hange knocked on the door.
*Knock Knock*
The two waited for the door to open. After a minute or two with no response, Hange knocked again.
*Knock Knock*
They waited, but still no response.
"I-Is he still asleep?" Moblit asked. Hange put her ear next to the door, no movement or sound was heard. "Should have heard the wake-up call."
Hange knocked on the door once more, hoping to hear anything, but to no avail. "Seems like he's a heavy sleeper." Moblit said. Hange removed her head from the door, as an annoyed look formed on her face.
"Well, this won't do at all. Being a powerful, world traveling, superhuman, is NO excuse to sleep in!" Hange opened the unlocked door to the room, with Moblit quickly following suit. "C-Commander what are you doing?!" he whispered, while Hange walked closer towards the sleeping giant. However, she stopped as she laid her eyes on his right arm, more specifically, the symbols and markings.
"Oh!" Hange's eyes lit up as she inspected the blue colored symbol on the upper arm. It was a depiction of a cross and atop of it was a small orb, with what looked like two flames protruding from the back. The way it arched across made it look like it was soaring over the cross. She also noticed a smaller letter of sort inside the flaming orb.
'Such an interesting symbol…what's your story?' Hange thought. Moblit meanwhile, was trying to get her attention, as Hange was getting a bit too close to Maverick.
"Commander?" Moblit asked but got no response, as Hange continued to inspect Maverick's arm, tracing the markings without touching the arm itself.
"Commander, I don't think this is really the time." Hange wasn't listening as she looked at the bicep which contained smaller symbols inside patterns that seemed to go around the entire arm. The way they were close together, she deduced that it had to be a language of sorts.
'Is this the English he spoke of? Or is it another language entirely? Hmmm….'
"Commander!" Moblit said in a raised tone. This seemed to get the Section Commanders attention as she shook her head.
"H-Huh? Oh! Right, right…" Wasting no more time, Hange quickly stood up and brought her hand back, before unleashing a powerful slap across Maverick's face.
"*GAHHHH*"
The marked man spasmed as he was rudely brought out of the realm of dreams and tumbled onto the cold wooden floor. He quickly got on all fours, like a predator, with a look of irritated fury in his glowing eyes.
"*FUCKING CHRIST! WHO THE FU-HANGE?!*" The fury in his voice cause the assistant to quickly back away, while the spectacled woman didn't seem phased, except for a bit of sweat that ran down her face.
"Rise and shine sleepyhead, it seems you overslept, so it's a good thing that me and Moblit came to get you! Also, I don't know what you're saying!" She spoke in a rather cheery voice, despite being screamed at. Moblit slowly began to approach the section commander, trying to control his breathing in the process.
"D-Did you have to slap his face?" He asked as he avoided eye contact with the slapped victim in question. Hange laughed his concern off, despite the bit of nervousness in her voice.
"Nothing wakes up a person like a good old slap! Hah-hah-hah…ehhhh" Here cheery mood seemed to dwindle under the gaze of the man she had slapped, who simply stared at her with a neutral expression, which quickly formed into a forced smile.
"Your very funny…"
Hange spoke again, trying to steer the conversation back. "A-Anyways, now that you're up and dressed, we really need to get going. The sooner we finish your training, the sooner we can start your tutoring!"
"Tutoring?" Maverick asked, as the tension in the room now completely dissipated.
"Our written language remember? You said you didn't understand it, so I offered to teach you. ~As long as you taught me some of yours as well~" Maverick couldn't help but chuckle, for this woman's persistence to learn was something admirable.
"I did promise that didn't I?" Hange responded by nodding her head vigorously.
"You did…" Came a response from Moblit who had now calmed down to an extent. He still held a look of apprehension, as he stood behind Hange.
"Well, what are we waiting for let's go!" Hange turned around and quickly made her way with a skip in her step. Leaving the two men alone.
"She's quite energetic about all this…" Maverick said as he quickly made his bed. Moblit chuckled as that word didn't even begin to describe the Section Commander.
"Learning your language is all that's been on her mind since the day of the breach. To be honest I'm a bit excited too." Moblit said with a small smile, having calmed down enough to look at the larger man in the eye.
"Oh, you gonna join us?" The marked man asked as he hoisted his sack still full of food gifts. "Well, I'm her assistant after all, where she goes, I go." Maverick chuckled at Moblits resigned tone.
"Heh, well aren't you the committed type." Suddenly Hange's head poked out of the door and shouted at the two.
"COME ON, USE THOSE LEGS AND MOVE IT!" The two men quickly made their way out of the room, the larger of the two nearly hitting his head with the door frame in the process.
-oOo-
Testing Area, Wall Maria Interior
The three scouts' rode on one of the scouts specialized carts towards their destination. Since he missed breakfast, Maverick went to eating the food inside his improvised cloak sack during the ride, even offering some to the other two present. Half an hour into the ride through a forested area, they saw the sight of a wooden gate that opened for them to pass. The sight that awaited the group was a contraption familiar to two of the three scouts, and a group of awaiting soldiers, as well as the appearance of a recognizable halfling, who was tapping his foot.
"Finally. The hell took you so long?" He said in an irritated look. Hange didn't seem to be bothered (possibly being used to that look by now) as she responded with a cheeky tone.
"Sorry about that. A certain someone decided to sleep in on their first day of training." Hange pointed towards Maverick, who held a look of slight shock as she threw him under the cart with a sweet tone.
"I said I was sorry. My internal clock's still getting used to the military life again." He said to the small, irritated man.
"Then get if fixed. Anyways, this is instructor Duvalier, he's taking time out of his busy schedule to help us supervise your training." The scout turned their attention to the man who stood near the large contraption. The man was tall, adorned in a coat displaying the symbol of the Training Corps. His aged face displayed a look of surprise as he eyed the large, marked man disembarking from the cart. He had heard and read the reports, but to see him in the flesh was something else entirely.
'Now I've seen everything…' he thought, as he approached the Scouts, more specifically the man with glowing eyes.
"So…you're the one the Scouts found outside…the so-called, Titan Slayer…" The instructor stared the man from head to toe a bit surprised by his current raggedy attire. "Claude Duvalier, was a Scout myself for a time. Nice to see they still know how to pick em." He held his hand out, wanting to shake the hand of the man who saved the southern district, to which Maverick replied in earnest.
"A pleasure to meet another veteran." He said. As the two men shook hands, the instructor felt a slight shock go through his spine, however he didn't show his surprise as he continued to speak.
"Well, like the captain said, I'm here to show you the ropes. Normally it takes three years to train the rookies, but since you're a literal special case, you get the joy of training under a month's long crash course. Starting with this." Duvalier gestured towards the large wooden thing in the center of the training field. The best Maverick could describe it being, was some arch like construct being supported by three reinforced wooden pillars. There were also wires on each side of the construct. All in all, this thing seemed to look more like a piece of modern art than actual training equipment.
"And what does this contraption do exactly?" He asked with a look of confusion.
"You've seen the gear our soldiers use right? That piece of machinery on their lower backs?" Maverick nodded. "Well, this contraption is your aptitude test. It will tell us if your capable of even using the gear."
"Capable?"
"To handle the Omi Directional Maneuvering Gear, requires the user to be skilled both physically and mentally. You need strong leg muscles, the ability to withstand the g-force, a sharp and keen mind of your surroundings, and the mental fortitude to not panic in any situation." As he explained, Hange appeared next to Maverick with a look of assurance on her face.
"Well, I think our friend here has the physical part of the test checked out." She gestured towards Maverick's muscled physique. The sight of his chest peeking through the rags caused some of the female soldiers to look away with slight blushes on their faces.
"Right…which is why well be skipping the physical and fitness tests and jump straight to the aptitude test, let's get him strapped in. See if he's Survey Corps material." A couple of soldiers soon approached Maverick with the necessary equipment. While they had no trouble with the belt, the straps were a different story. They struggled a bit to place the straps around his thighs as well as to buckle the main harness on his body. After some minutes they finally succeeded, with uncomfortable results.
"Uhhh….H-How do the straps feel Maverick?" She asked, looking at the equipment that was literally sinking into his flesh.
"A bit tight…honestly." He said as tried to lift his leg, only to lift it a quarter of the way, before lowering it again as the thin straps were being pushed to their limit. The instructor brought himself out of his shock as he tried to take control the conversation.
"R-Right, lets hook him up." Nodding in agreement, Maverick waddled his way towards the contraption as the soldiers led him to the center. He turned around slowly as the soldiers attached the wires to the belt.
"So…what am I supposed to be doing exactly?" The marked man asked.
"Maintain you balance. The ODM Gear allows a person to move in three dimensions. Humans are generally used to moving in two. This test is to see if you can handle of feeling of weightlessness." Three-dimensional movement, he was still impressed that they had not only discovered the concept, but also created technology to utilize three-dimensional combat.
'Oh, this will be a cakewalk' he thought, for the man had decades of experience with 3D movement, his time spent utilizing jetpacks and as a proud member of the Bullfrogs proved that. Not that the Scouts knew.
As a soldier turned a lever, Maverick was hoisted up in the air by the two wires. The Scouts were surprised to see that the man remained upright, not even flinching the moments his feet left the ground.
'Impressive, like he's done this before…' The instructor thought. Even those who were naturals struggled a bit to maintain their balance on their first try. That calm, almost smug like look, it was obvious to him that this wasn't his first time doing something like this.
"Alright looks like you passed. Bring him down." As they lowered the man, the soldiers talked amongst themselves, surprised by how quickly he had passed.
"Like I said, flying colors." Hange said to her assistant, who nodded in agreement. Maverick made his way towards the gathered soldiers. However…
"Well that was-"
*SNAP*
The moment he took those few steps, the straps and harness snapped apart and fell to the ground. It seemed that the pressure he applied to his body unconsciously, was to much for the equipment to handle. Everyone present looked down at the now ruined harness with half opened mouths. Hange tried to play it off as a joke, trying to alleviate the concerns of her comrades.
"L-Looks like we'll need to get you something more your size. Heh-heh…"
-oOo-
Survey Corps stables, somewhere inside Wall Maria
The next stop on the training course was the stables that housed the Survey Corps renown horses. As they arrived at the fields, Hange asked Maverick concerning his experience with the animal.
"So have you ridden a horse in your past?" Maverick remained silent as he tried to remember.
"I have, but it's been quite a few years since, so I may be a bit…rusty, shall we say."
"How long we talking?" Levi asked, wanting to know an exact number. Maverick closed his eyes and looked to the sky as he searched through his memories.
"Let's see….last I rode a horse was uhhh…two centuries ago maybe?" The scouts accompanying him turned to look at the man, despite knowing his origins, it was still shocking to know that he has lived far longer than any of them combined.
"W-Well, as long as you remember the basics…" Moblit said trying to alleviate his surprise. With nothing more to say the group arrived at the stables to meet the instructor who had arrived at an earlier time, as well as the main stablehand, Dieter Ness, who was holding the reigns of a horse. Seemed he was still getting used to Maverick's presence, if the sweat beading down his face and slightly shaky arms was anything to go by.
"H-how's it g-going? I-I'm in charge of keeping the horses in shape. Heh, heh." Deiter said in a shaky tone, as if one wrong word would result in his immediate demise. Maverick simply offered the man a disarming smile in an attempt to calm him down. It seemed to work somewhat as his hands stopped shaking the reins "*Cough* Anyways, this here's Buck. He's the strongest horse we've got. "
He motioned for the saddled horse to move forward, as to present itself. The gray coated Equus slowly approached the strange glowing man with a bit of trepidation. Seeing its nervousness, Maverick slowly made for his cloak sack and pulled out an apple, showing he meant no harm to the creature. If sniffed the apple before consuming it in a few bites allowing Maverick to run his other hand through its mane. "Looks like he likes ya." Ness remarked.
"Heh, when in doubt, pull an apple out." Maverick replied, a couple laughs erupting from the soldiers.
"Alright, saddle up, let's see what you got." The instructor ordered, causing Maverick to turn a concerned gaze towards Buck. He worried if the horse could handle his weight, as it wasn't like the destrier breeds, nor like his old demigryph he rode in battles past.
But this was the strongest they had, so it had to be able to support both him and whatever gear he would carry in the future.
'Alright, let's see if the scouts will put down a horse today…' Wasting no more time, Maverick quickly saddled atop the mount. Despite a few shaky close calls, Buck was able to support the weight of his rider.
"This your first time riding a horse?" Dieter asked, getting a response in the form of the universal gesture; a shaky hand and a muttered "Ehhhh..."
"W-Well then, let's start slow with a few laps around the field." Maverick nodded and motioned for Buck to start moving. The horse obeyed and began to trot along the field. Maverick steered the mount to walk in a circle as he got used to riding atop a horse once more.
"You're getting the hang of it. Now, try picking up some speed!" Maverick obliged as he motioned for Buck to pick up speed. Soon, the horse was running laps, occasionally jumping over hurdles and other obstacles placed around the field.
"Don't be afraid to make sudden turns! They're bred to handle it!" Dieter shouted. Maverick nodded as he pulled on the reins, making the horse quickly turn to the left, then to the right,
"Wow, looks like he's getting the hang of it…" Ness remarked, as he watched the large man have Buck do sharp turns and evade obstacles. As the air blew through his face, Maverick felt a rush of enjoyment return to him, remembering days of old.
"A bit rusty huh?!" Hange shouted with a rather smug look on her face. Maverick shrugged with a cheeky expression as he rode Buck with no hands, whilst leaning on his side, startling the soldiers looking on. He continued to ride for the next two hours before finally making his way back to the stables. After dismounting he noticed Buck stumble his way towards his water barrel and dump his face into the water provided by Dieter.
"Guess I wore him out a bit." Maverick chuckled. However, he turned to the accompanying scouts when he didn't hear response, only to see them with some rather worried looks. "What?" He asked.
"O-Oh nothing! It's just that you REALLY tired him out! I mean look at him, drinking all that water, like his life depended on it! Ha-ha" Hange said, trying to joke away her growing concern. Duvalier chimed in.
"Alright, you got the balance, and you can ride. Now, we'll see you put those skills into something practical. After lunch of course" With that the instructor and the soldiers made their way towards the nearby lunch table. As they walked, Levi approached Hange with a growing concern.
"This is worrying…those horses are bred to ride for far much longer…" He whispered. Hange couldn't help but agree, their horses had the capacity to travel great distances, so Buck shouldn't have tired so early. Was Mavericks weight simply too much? If so…
"I know. Just imagine with all the extra equipment, Poor thing would break it back." Hange whispered back. Unknown to the two scouts, Maverick ears picked up on everything they said.
-oOo-
ODM Training Grounds, Wall Maria Woodlands
After a short lunch break, the group traveled to one more spot for the last part of Mavericks training. The location was a heavily wooded area of the interior, used to train recruits in simulated combat drills. Once again, they were meet with the instructor and another group of soldiers, standing near and equipment station that held the famous gear used by the people of this land.
"This here is the Omni Directional Maneuvering Gear, sometimes called the Vertical Maneuvering Gear, we call it ODM gear for short. Since its inception, this device has been instrumental in humanities fight against the titans." The instructor presented the device in question to the large man.
"Pretty advance piece of technology, may I?" He asked. With the instructor's approval he held the main unit in his hands. He inspected the two drum like constructs that connected to what looked like a thruster of sorts, followed by the two arm like extensions.
"Such an interesting design too…" His tone displayed a sense of respect and admiration for the device. The one responsible for its design was clearly ahead of his time. The instructor couldn't help but give a small smile as he watched Maverick look at the gear like one would admire a prized piece in their collection. "Sure is, it's gone through many iterations throughout the years, that right there is the latest model." Maverick whistled in amazement, wondering how the other versions looked and performed compared to the one in his hands.
"Alright, let's set him up." Duvalier ordered. Two soldiers standing put approached Maverick to strap him in with the necessary gear.
Like the beginning, Maverick was equipped with a tight-fitting harness and straps that hugged his body, causing concerns among the soldiers once more. Those concerns went ignored as they quickly began to attach the scabbards with no issue. However, problems arose almost immediately with the main unit. Besides the fact that it looked rather small on him, the rail arms that were supposed to go around his torso had extended beyond their reach, just barely adjusting to the right position. Even more troubling were the controller grips, which were practically enveloped by Maverick's much larger hands. Despite trying to adjust his grip he found that his fingers couldn't fit through the triggers properly.
The soldiers present could only look on in disbelief as the ODM gear wasn't compatible with the marked man.
'You got to be fucking kidding me…' Levi thought, as he placed a palm over his face in disappointment.
-oOo-
Survey Corps Headquarters, late hours of the day
In the end, Maverick's training ended much sooner than anticipated. After thanking Duvalier for his time, the Scouts boarded a cart and rode back to headquarters. There was a rather awkward silence during the ride, as no one wanted to speak about today's events, until Hange decided to break the ice.
"Well…you got two out of three sessions done…that's still okay in my book." Maverick gave an appreciative look to the woman.
"Suppose I'll stick with my tried-and-true method." Maverick said, as he grabbed Skullsmite's hilt, causing the weapons runes to glow. This caused the smallest of them to leave out a half-amused huff.
"As effective as smashing a titan's head is, Erwin wanted you to train using our gear, make you more versatile…guess it won't happen for now." The ride continued in silence. Eventually, they arrived at their destination and soon made their way toward the main plaza.
"Alright four eyes, he's yours for the rest of the day, gotta tell Erwin about this mess." Levi continued to walk towards the main building, leaving the rest behind. Hange clasped her hands together and began to giggle, like some sort of crazed felon of sorts.
"*Giggle* Alright then! Come on you, I know a place where we can start your second training!" Hange and company soon made their way towards another section of the headquarters' main building.
Inside his personal office, Erwin was looking over the newly made file that contained all the current information regarding their newest recruit. As he gave it a once over, his head turned to the sound of the front door opening to reveal his newly promoted Captain.
"Levi didn't expect you back so soon." He said with a smile on his face. However, the smile faded as Levi shut the door and locked it before turning to face him once again, with a slightly worried look.
"We have a problem…"
-oOo-
Meanwhile, Hange had led the two men towards an area that served as a study hall of sorts. Complete with desks arranged in rows, a large chalkboard, and multiple bookshelves that surrounded the room.
'God, this takes me back…' Maverick thought, as he remembered his time spent in numerous education facilities.
"This a good spot. You wait right here. I'll be back with some supplies!" Hange ran towards a nearby closet and began to rummage through its contents. As they waited, Moblit heard Maverick tapping his foot against the floor, as well as his fingers tapping the desk.
"Nervous?" He asked with a chuckle.
"A bit honestly. Been a while since I've taught someone a new language, much less taught someone anything." As the two waited patiently for Hange to return, Maverick found it a good opportunity to ask the assistant a question "Say Moblit, know where I can find myself a notebook and some writing supplies?" Moblit though for a moment before turning to the sounds of objects falling and Hange's whispered cursing.
"Oh, yeah…actually, I think Hange might give you one for the tutoring lessons." He was surprised by the marked man's widened orbs the moment he said that.
"Oh! Good, that's settled then…" Moblit was intrigued by his wording. "Eager to learn?" He asked, wondering if there was some other interest he held.
"It's more of a personal matter actually…" A personal reason? What could he possibly want with a simple notebook? Before Moblit could ponder further, Hange returned with two arms full of papers, notebooks, and writing utensils.
"~Alrighty! So Maverick, are you ready to unveil your secrets of the English language?~" She asked, while invading Maverick's personal space. The man in question simply laughed her off as he calmly pushed her face away from his. "Ready as I'll ever be." The bespectacled scout went back to her seat and brought out a book from the pile.
To Maverick, the writing was nothing but scribbles, but to the people of this land the book was titled; Early Language Practice for Children, Volume 1.
"Great! Remember this will be an equal learning experience! I teach you our writing, and you'll teach me and Moblit your English." Maverick nodded in agreement to the terms. "Alright, so we'll be learning the basics starting with….the alphabet!"
-oOo-
Erwin simply stared at Levi as he finished his report on Maverick's crash course training, specifically the incidents that occurred. Snapping the straps, exhausting one of their specially bred horses, and now the inability to be outfitted with the ODM gear.
"*Sigh*….this is quite the dilemma…you're not pulling my leg are you?" Levi's eyes narrowed further, signifying that he indeed wasn't pulling his leg.
"I aint joking Erwin, everyone there saw it. His hands enveloped the grips entirely, his fingers couldn't fit through the triggers, and the rail arms on the main unit just barley went around his body." Levi took a moment to compose himself. "Our equipment is just too small for him." Erwin sat silent as he processed the information.
"Well then. Seems like I will have to send a special request to the factory city after all." Levi's eyes widened a bit.
'After all? Don't tell me…'
"I had a feeling this would happen, honestly." Erwin said, confirming Levi's thoughts. "I'm sure you've noticed that everyone in the Corps has a…shall we say…standard build and size. You, Miche, and a few others being the exception. Maverick's however, is something we had not prepared for." Erwin looked over the file once more, "Do you still have his measurements from the tailor?" Levi took out a small piece of paper from his jackets pocket, showing that he indeed still had them. "Good, that solves both our uniform and gear issue."
"Besides the gear, I think were gonna need a bigger food storage, just to feed him. Soup and bread aren't gonna cut it, and last I saw, he's already down to his last offerings from yesterday." Levi mentioned.
"Indeed, going to have to make some supply request to alleviate that concern. Good thing I wrote them in advance" Erwin opened the drawer in his desk, revealing a series of letters, ready to be delivered.
"Tch, bet there gonna charge a shit load for this, wouldn't put it past the filthy pigs." Levi sneered.
"I'm sure that all the headaches this will cause will all be worth it in the end. We need Maverick constantly at his best. Besides, he's Survey Corps now, he needs to look the part. Can't have him wearing those dirty rags all the time." Levi stood silent for a few moments before reluctantly nodding in agreement. "Well, if that was all you had to report, you're dismissed."
After Levi departed for the day, the 13th commander was left alone with his thoughts. He looked out through his window. His thoughts wandered to their newest recruit. The man from beyond the wa-scratch that, the man from beyond their world. A man who came from lands most unknown, lands where titans once ruled and gods spoke with humanity, and from what he told, that was just one of the many worlds he had traveled to.
Now he found himself here, fighting for the sake humanity against a foe that he didn't hold in any high regard and was more than happy to eradicate. He looked upwards at the orange sky, thanking whatever higher powers decided to send him here.
Survey Corps Military Personnel File:
First Name: Maverick
Surname: Unknown
Age: Unknown, possibly mid twenties
Height: Unknown, close to 7 feet
Date of Birth: Unknown
Place of Birth: Unknown, located outside the Walls
Education: Unknown, shows sign of above average intelligence and intellect
Rank: Recruit
Assigned Squad Position: Squad 4
Survey Corps Training Report:
Physical Test: Passed
Aptitude Test: Passed
Comments: Harness on recruit far too small, broke apart instant recruit made strong movements. Request for new harness.
Horse Riding: Passed
Comments: Recruits size cause mount to overexert itself after 3 hours, alternative method of transportation recommended.
ODM Training: Failed
Comments: Size of gear and harness too small for recruit. Request for new gear to fit recruits' large stature and mass.
AN: Sorry about the delay for this chapter but there is a reason besides general procrastination. I've been preparing because in a few days' college will be starting up again, and as it's my senior year, all my focus will be on finally trying to pass. So, for the next few months, updates for this story will be less frequent. I'll certainly continue to write for this story during whatever free time I have (when I'm not playing Vermintide or going over source material for this series) but when it comes to uploading new chapters, that will take time.
Also, apologies if these recent chapters feel more like filler than anything. I have a lot of ideas for this story, and I feel that certain things need to be brought up or added into the story for future ideas to make sense, such as the issues with Maverick's size, the people worshipping Skullsmite, or the passing mention of the factory city. Plus, don't expect Maverick to just sit on his ass for five years until the 104th enter the picture. I plan for a lot of changes and events to happen during those five years that will change both the people and the island of Paradis, as well as the greater world in general. Of course, I have to think if my ideas will actually make sense/fit in the first place.
Also, I want to have Maverick interact with and form relationships with the veterans and minor members of the Survey Corps, as they will have a greater focus in the story, as well as other minor characters from the other military branches. Plus, this is the "Life" of Maverick. I think we can all agree that life isn't always one exciting event after another.
TLDR: I'm getting way more invested in this story than I thought I would. Also, college and I'm lazy.
Edit 2/14/2022: Changed the random stablehand to the character Dieter Ness. Figured he looked old enough to be considered a veteran of five years.
Guess that's all I wanted to say for the moment. Thanks for reading.