-Chapter 42: A Grand Day Out in Trost-

The return to Shiganshina was brought with its usual fanfare. The denizens rejoiced, family welcomed family home, lovers embraced, children ran to their fathers and brothers begging for tales of their heroics.

And of course, the Order of the Morningstar welcomed their champion and praised the names of the new gods.

But what is an expedition without a debrief to military command? As such on the following day, while many in the Survey Corps had the benefit of a day of rest, their squad leaders, their commander, and the all-mighty demigod were tasked to make haste to Wall Sina early morning and convene with their higher ups to report on all that had occurred throughout the expedition.

-oOo-

Mess Hall, late in the night…

Squad Miche's second in command was seated inside one of the many tables inside the mess hall alone, long after the afternoons meal concluded and many of the scouts had rested for the night. She sipped from her teacup as she peacefully read from the book in her hands, slowly and carefully turning each of its yellowish pages.

The Karanes Tales, a multi layered story telling of a journey of a group of pilgrims on their way towards Wall Sina, and the many short stories they told one another in the hopes of having the best one of all.

Despite the numerous times she had read through it, she always found herself enraptured by those little accolades, especially the Ratcatcher's tale. Though these pilgrims' tall tales couldn't quite compare to the stories told by a certain man in the regiment.

And speaking of said man…

*CREEEAAAK*

"Geuhhh…."

He appeared from the entry door, looking very tired. With low slumbering steps he walked in with a tired sigh, his head looking downward as he passed her by.

"Evening Mav."

"Nana."

"Worn out from the trip?"

"The trip was fine." He said aloud, just before another sigh let out from his mouth. "It's dealing with the think tank up in Sina that's draining."

A sharp laugh was heard from the young woman while Maverick began to search through the kitchen's many cabinets and counters, his thoughts turning from his desired item to the events from earlier in the morning.

His mind played out the events from early in the afternoon. The moment they arrived at high command H.Q. they were met with eager and congratulatory voices from their superiors. Pixis always so jovial and jolly with his words, and even Nile of the MP's had shared a few pleasant words to the scouts' commander.

Soon though the pleasantries ceased, and they all got straight to business. Starting with the reports of the exterior base's continued existence, which lead to the subject of its newest additions to the Walls military might, The Sentinels.

To make it short the reports on their capabilities had left them stunned, horrified, yet very pleased. The backing of the squad leaders and the commander helped to make the claims of the 'enhanced' titan's abilities much more believable.

With that Maverick, and the Corps as a whole, would be delegated the additional task of wrangling and 'recruiting' additional titans into the ranks of the Sentinels, specifically of the muscled and fit variety.

This was a first for the Survey Corps. Capturing instead of simply killing…felt as if the world was turning even more topsy-turvy than it already was.

Hange of course was ecstatic. She was barely able to contain her glee as she stood very, very close to her squad mate throughout the debriefing.

Then came the relics found scattered across the forests. Each of the recovered items of interest had been brought and presented inside of folded cloths in order for protection and ease of travel. At the sight of them many of their superiors got down from their chairs and moved in to inspect the pieces for themselves.

Maverick had strongly suggested for the gathered men to look but not touch, for worry that too much pressure and scrapes could further damage, even ruin the items more than what mother nature and father time had already done.

Taking his words to heart the men did so, all the while being informed on the relic's possible origins. As he spoke he took the moment to eye a certain individual among the group, who just so happened to stay in his seat. It honestly made him stand out far more.

Geralt. The gatherings dear government liaison. He was someone Maverick always had a very keen interest in since the first time they met. Through his glowing eyes he gazed at the man, seeing how he felt on the whole matter.

And he certainly had some thoughts. Though he tried his best to hide his emotions, as a man of his position often did, Mav could see the small twinges of uncomfortableness in his face, or the slight twitches in his eye. Especially when he brought out the old, rusted weapons, and mentioned how they were clear evidence of ancient life outside the walls.

The man knew, and now he knew that they knew.

It became even clearer when he mentioned the suicide pit found in the caves. His reaction was the most subdued from the other higher ups. And even when he did say a few words in regard to the matter, it felt far too…practiced, for his taste.

The man knew damn well that humanity once thrived beyond the Walls. No doubt he knew more than he let on.

The question now was, how would he deal with the knowledge that the Survey Corps was getting in on this forbidden knowledge?

He and Erwin had discussed this matter in private afterwards. No doubt he'd inform the members of the government about their recent discoveries. And while he had the king's word there was no doubt that some rouge factors, those who would rather see the knowledge of the outside world go silent and forgotten, wouldn't sit idly by and let the status quo go unchallenged.

It was all a matter of how'd they'd react. Would they simply let this go by, or would they find some way to seek retribution. Experience said the latter.

He suddenly clutched his chest, for he could feel the mark of war burn brighter, the inner war god inside himself rumbling, far overeager for the future complications to come.

Though he expected conflict with such individuals every time, a small part of him wished such matters could be resolved with no bloodshed. If not for his own safety, but for those who would get caught in the crossfire.

Thoughts and images of his squad mates flashed in his head for a moment, and soon felt his chest and fist tightened ever more. If those little rouges even had a single thought of doing anything to any of them-

Then he would not be held responsible for the things he'd do in return.

"You hungry Mav? I can fix you something up real quick."

Nanaba's voice brought him back from his darkening thoughts. Shaking his head he responded, just as he found what he was looking for, his custom sized stein mug.

"Oh no, no, no. We stopped by a restaurant in Utopia on the way." Walking back he presented his drinking mug to her as he made his way to the ale barrels nearby. "Honestly I'm more thirsty than anything."

Filling it to the brim he took a quick swig, his taste buds stinging with glee as the refreshing liquid entered his system. "Hahhh, but thanks for the offer."

She smiled as he walked towards her table, not minding one bit as he placed his large hand on the table, shaking it a little as he reclined on said hand.

"So, how's the home front been?" He asked, taking another sip from his mug.

"Calm for now." She huffed at her own response, never thought she say that with such confidence. "It's still a bit jarring to think that after years of…well, you know."

He nodded as he understood. Following a few moments of comfortable silence his eyes drifted to what she was reading, and raised a curious brow.

"Watcha reading?" He asked leaning in closer.

"The Karanes Tales."

"The Karanes Tales?"

Mhm. It's about this group of pilgrims travelling to the district while telling all sorts of stories." She continued to explain the basics of the story in general, all the while Mav's mind was drawing some serious similarities to a certain other collection of stories from a renowned author of ancient history.

Just another cosmic coincidence.

Nanaba would be suddenly interrupted by the sound of the entry doors opening, and the sharp sound of something wooden hitting the floor.

"Oi Mav." The gruff voice was immediately familiar to the both of them. For the one standing at the door was the Survey Corps quartermaster Leon.

The man had served the Corps during the command of the 11th Commander. A veteran with many years of experience under his belt. It wasn't until one unfortunate encounter with a bizarrely nimble abnormal that had cost him his left leg, and ended his expedition days for good.

But like many he didn't want to be completely out of the fight, so becoming the Corps go-to man for all their equipment needs was the next best thing.

"Leon. What can I do you for?" The man closed the door and made his way to them, his wooden leg clanking against the floor as he fished out something from his jacket pockets.

"Got some letters for ya." He presented the folded papers with a little wave as he hobbled towards them.

"Was gonna hand them to ya yesterday but you and everyone else looked pretty beat from the expedition. Then I was gonna give em in the morning but by the time I got to your room you were already gone!"

The veteran let out a sharp laugh as he got to the table, leaning to give the giant his mail. "Got some nerve to make me walk so much."

"You, me, Nanaba, and the Lord know you need it." Nanaba hid a small snicker, as Leon's face went through a multitude of expressions in response to Maverick's response, before settling on a familiar easy going smile.

"Can't really argue with that now can I?" He patted his stomach. "*Sigh* Not the same man I was back then."

Fearing he had actually offended the man Mav was about to get up and reassure him, but a sudden sharp look in Leon's eyes stopped him. "But mark my words Mav, one day, It'll be me who's saving your behind!"

His strong words caused a bit of a pause before the giant gave a smirk.

"Heh, I'll hold you to it brother." Handing the letters the quartermaster wished the two good night and made his way back to his late night post, leaving Mav to skim through the small pieces of paper.

He began to quickly eye each and every one while Nanaba went back to her reading. Most of the parchments consisted of writings from young children from across the districts, or one of his followers many ponderings of the faiths.

One letter in the mix had the familiar seal of a merchant all the way in Sina whom he had somehow earned the pleasure of being in correspondence with. No doubt it was another arrangement for his daughter. He made a note to strongly remind the man that his daughter was still far too young.

Another letter surprised him, as there was no name or address, only a simple red seal. Opening it and skimming through revealed the letter was from Emilio back in the Industrial City. He decided best to read it in its entirety at a later and more private time.

The last of the letters caused him to nearly gasp, a smile appearing on his face as he read the name and address. This letter was one he was waiting for ever since they left for the expedition.

Nanaba glanced at her companion as he excitedly opened up the letter, curious to its contents.

"Hah! My orders ready!" His sudden loud voice made her nearly jump from her seat and nearly spill her cup.

"What order?" She asked while steadying her heartbeat.

"Y'see a couple months back I ordered a special little something." He waved the letter in his hand. "And this- says that its ready for pickup!"

His joy filled tone and spirit proved infectious, as soon enough Nanaba had a smile of her own, happy to see him happy.

"So where's the pickup place?" She asked.

"An emporium in the Trost district." Her smile almost went away at the mention of Wall Rose's southern district.

"Oh…" She said softly. The giant, to consumed in his own thoughts at the moment didn't pick up on her change of tone as he stretched his back, the pops ringing out across the room.

"Welp, I'm hitting the sack. See you in the morning."

"Mav."

Hearing her tone he looked back to see her still seated, with a somewhat forced looking smile plastered on her face. Taking a small, hidden breath she spoke.

"If it's not too much trouble, maybe…I could join you on your trip?" Her eyes drifted down for a moment, the nerves getting the best of her as her hands behind her back began to rub one another. "Its uhh…been a while since I last saw the district so…"

"Well sure Nana." Those words made her take pause. "We'll make a grand day out of it."

The two quickly began to plan out their future outing, mostly settling on the possible date, arranging their schedules, and deciding what other places of interest the district had to offer.

With a basic plan in mind the two decided to call it quits for the night. Maverick was the first to leave wishing his comrade a pleasant night.

"See you then Nana!"

Nanaba waved and watched as the giant shut the door behind him, leaving her to her own devices. The moment she saw the doors close she fell back to her seat, letting out a breath she wasn't aware she was even holding. A low and dry chuckle escaped her lips, as a plethora of warm and fuzzy emotions ran through her mind and body.

Now they had plenty of fond moments where they'd been alone together, most of them taking place in the mess hall's kitchen during off hours. However this time felt different, for some unexplained reason Nanaba had a very strong feeling that something special might happen. Didn't think it was going to take place back in Trost of all places. The mention of the district made her joyous mood sour a little.

Trost, the name still left a bad taste in her mouth. Too many foul memories of her time there still permeated in the blackest reaches of her mind.

But she wasn't about to let them get in the way. She didn't let them when she signed up with the Training Corps, nor did she let them consume her when she came face to face with the titans. Even when one of them reminded her of him.

No, this would be a special moment for her. If anything this is exactly what she needed to quell these dark memories of hers. Hopefully in the future, the next time she ever thought of Trost it would be of the moments she and Maverick spent together.

Her hand clutched the area of her heart, calming herself. When it didn't work she reached into her left jacket pocket, pulling out a small, ripped piece of parchment. The image inside always seemed to calm her mind and heart.

As she stared into the smudgy eyes of the drawn figure inside she found her less than pleasant thoughts rescinding.

Maverick often spoke about how the spirits of their loved ones would often look down from the immortal realm, offering guidance or comfort during hard times. It was a thought and belief she grew to hold very dearly in the last few years.

She smiled and spoke to the person whose face was forever immortalized in that ripped piece, knowing they would hear her words from beyond. For she hoped to make some new and pleasant memories in the days ahead.

'Wish me luck Mama…'

-oOo-

A few days later, inside the H.Q. Plaza

The day of the trip had arrived! And for this such occasion Maverick had seen to it to rise up early and look his best for the outing. His beard had been treated and trimmed extra well, and his choice of clothing caught the eyes of those early bird scouts inside the H.Q.'s plaza once he stepped out from the barracks.

The sight of the man dressed in a very nice and large woolen sweater, mixed with a set of dark dress pants and shiny black boots made him look very fetching. The large leather bandolier strapped to his body was an odd addition but definitely spoke to his adventurous spirit. And the necklace decorated with charms and runic icons draped on his neck was just the exotic touch one could expect from a spiritual man like him.

"*Whistle*"

"Looking sharp, Sir!"

"The ladies in Shiganshina are gonna have a lot of sweet dreams after seeing you today Mav!"

The giant waved his arm at the passing scouts. He knew that already. Got his natural genetic charm from his father after all.

"Where you going Big Man?" Breaking from his thought the giant turned to see Dirk and Darius, each giving the man some smirks.

"Just picking up some stuff in Trost. Nothing special."

Darius snickered at that. "Heh, I bet."

The two knew what was going on, for word on the grapevines spoke that their dear demigod and Miche's second in command were going on a little date.

"Don't stay out too long." Saying their peace the two men left for the training grounds, leaving Mav to chuckle.

'Slagging bastards…'

"Maverick."

Hearing that familiar voice Maverick turned to meet his companion, and the sight of her made him take pause.

There she came walking towards him, her usual scout uniform replaced with a nice dark blue shirt with a very eye catching jacket, surprisingly colored in a light shade of indigo, along with a leather satchel hanging across her body. Her grey pants were secured with a belt, with a very fashionable bronze belt buckle. Topping it all off was a red bandana hanging loosely on her neck.

Maverick was honestly stupefied. For this was quite possibly the first time he had ever seen her with a completely different outfit.

"Well, well, well, looky you Nana." He exclaimed. "All gussied up for an adventure eh?"

"*Chuckle* Well I just had these lying around for a while." She said confidently, hiding the fact that she really spent a bit of time actually deciding on what to wear. Which was something she never thought she would struggle with in her life.

"Well you look great, really." His words made her loose a bit of her cool, as she quickly rose up her bandana to hide her no doubt reddening cheeks.

"T-Thanks. You t-to." The man let out a humored hum, giving his thanks with a pat on her shoulder.

"Well let's not waste any more time." Maverick said, breaking the quiet. With a nod Nanaba followed the man as he made his way towards the H.Q.'s entrance door with a semi-brisk pace.

Unaware of a figure watching them from a window in the main office building of the H.Q.

-oOo-

Opening the massive double doors he and his female companion walked out, a confused look on her face as she did so.

"Mav. You did get the cart, right?" She asked. For she clearly remembered they had arranged to rent out a carriage to get to the district.

Her companion gave her a raised brow in response.

"Yeah about that…"

With no warning or heads up he suddenly picked Nanaba up and carried her bridal style.

"W-Whah, Mav?!" Her words became stutters as she found herself very close to his face in a matter of moments.

"I asked myself why waste money on a cart, when I can just huff it there?!" He proclaimed.

"Mav, please put me down!"

"C'mon this'll be fun, trust me." Securing his hold on the woman he got into a sprinting position. "Just relax and enjoy the ride Nana!"

"Enjoy the whaaaaAAAAAHHHH!"

Wasting no time he began to sprint through the streets of the Shiganshina, the markings on his feet glowing brighter as the power of a thousand speed gods channeled through him!

In seconds he sped by numerous garrison troops and early bird denizens, blowing up wind, dust, and junk as he dashed straight towards the interior gates at rapid speeds. His pace quickening with every step with a smile on his face. Even with a screaming woman in his arms.

"FOR GOD'S SAKE MAV SLOW DOWN!" Nanaba shouted as she watched the interior gates grow bigger and bigger by the seconds.

"SLOW IS NOT A WORD IN MY VOCABULARY NANA!" He humorously shouted back. His eyes narrowed as he focused on the semi blurry path ahead.

He chuckled in his head as he heard Nanaba's screams. If she thought this was bad then oh lordy he could only imagine how'd she be doing if he went into maximum ludicrous overdrive speed.

"HOLD ON TIGHT!" She quickly followed his words and latched onto his neck, nearly putting his in a choke hold, and braced.

Those Garrison stationed looked on at the speeding glowing object with shock and worry, only to be stunned into awe as the glowing being jumped high into the air.

"*JUMP GOOOODDDD!*"

"DON'T LET ME GOOOOOOO!"

They watched with wide eyes as the demigod soared over the wall, disappearing into the other side, with the sound of both masculine laughter and feminine shrieks sounding off in the sky.

"D-Did he just?" One of the younger guards began, only for a hand of his elder to pat his head.

"Don't question it son, you'll just hurt your head."

-oOo-

Inside Wall Maria

The marked man landed onto the ground with the grace of an ox, sliding on the ground as he regained his footing and continued to race across the fields of Maria, following the path he took on the day he set out for the Utopia district so long ago.

Only now he was going for pleasure instead of business, and with a lady friend in tow in his arms.

"Open fields and fresh air, this is the life Nana!" His companion had thankfully stopped screaming but had chosen to close her eyes tight.

"You're missing a hell of a view!" He exclaimed. The woman only tightened her grip harder and shook her head.

"Just tell me when we get there okay!?"

"Aww c'mon Nana, this is a once in a lifetime moment!" Said the speeding giant, just as he evaded multiple carriages, leaving behind spooked horses, confused drivers, and baffled riders. For all they saw was a glowing blue blur.

"Was a cart really that much?!" She screamed again, her eyes still shut.

"Not really! But I can always use a little more morning cardio! Hahaha!"

She shook her head in response. The numerous twists, turns, and jumps he made rattled her head and made her heart drop and skip a few beats. She could only imagine what kind of madness was going on in the visible world.

Such thoughts would slowly cause her to slowly take a peek and see. And soon enough her eyes went wide a what she saw, or more like what she couldn't see.

Everything was blurry, a blurred world if you will. Everything from the fields, trees, small farms, and even towns flew by in moments, like pages in a book being rapidly flipped.

The only thing that was remotely normal looking was the roaming fields, the tops going up and down sporadically as they continued to move at high speeds.

As she remained in his strong grips she took the moment to steady her breathing through her nose. By the time she felt she could somewhat relax they were already in sight of the exterior Wall of the Trost District.

-oOo-

Outside the entrance of Trost' Exterior Gate, Wall Rose…

To her thanks the giant had slowed down to a brisk walk as they neared the entrance gates. The dust cloud forming behind the two finally caught up and enveloped them for a moment before quickly dissipating back onto the soil.

"And here we are." Maverick said, he gazed upwards at the symbol of the goddess plastered atop the gates for a moment before slowly and gently set the woman in his arms onto the grass below.

The moment she felt the ground once again she nearly fell over herself, as her legs had fallen asleep during the trip.

"You good?"

He went to help her, but a firm raised arm stopped him in his tracks.

"I just…need a moment." She said, standing a bit weakly in the knees. "Just a moment."

In the next said moments she shook each of her legs, allowing the blood to start flowing and relieve the numbness she was feeling. Soon enough she managed to stabilize herself and stand upright, inspecting herself to see if all of her belongings were still on her person.

"Good?" Maverick asked. Nanaba slowly nodded, as if still on the fence about it.

"Yeah." Taking a breath she turned back to her companion and crossed her arms. "You're a bastard you know that?"

"I get that sometimes." He said, completely unfazed by her words.

"I'll ask again, was renting a cart that much?"

"Awww come on Nana. The Maverick Express was the best choice, and you know it."

She gave an unamused look towards the giant. "The Maverick Express nearly gave me a heart attack."

"And you loved it none the less." He countered with a smirk. "Nothing makes you feel more alive than a fifty foot drop!"

A sigh escaped her lips, as she couldn't quite deny that.

"I guess." That was more than enough to satisfy the giant as he stood by her side and gave an enthusiastic pat on her shoulder.

"That's the spirit!" His gleeful attitude helped to ease her and bring a more genuine smile back onto her face. "Besides with how early we got here, I'm sure well have the district all to ourselves!"

She idly nodded and chuckled at his words. Soon enough the two made their way towards the entrance to Trost ready to begin their grand day out in full.

-oOo-

Inside the District

"Still as I remember…" These were the first words to come out of Nanaba's mouth as she stepped foot inside Trost once again. Her eyes scanned everything around her, her mind flashing in and out to how it looked all those years back.

Her giant companion looked to her with a grin. "You know we did pass by here after my trial remember?"

"I fell asleep by that time, remember?" She quickly retorted. Maverick took pause to scratch his beard as he recalled that day, and realized she did. She was one of the few to stay behind in the cart while he, Ewin, Hange, Levi, and Miche went off to the tailors.

"So you did Nana, so you did…" He left his memory den and looked back to his comrade, who looked on towards the semi empty streets of the district with a far-off gaze.

"You alright?" Maverick asked as he tapped her shoulder softly with his finger. She shook her head and blinked at a quicker pace the moment his touch was felt.

"Y-Yeah." She attempted to laugh his question off, only for a meek cough to escape her mouth. "Just…have a lot of memories in this place."

Maverick gave an understanding look as he watched her hide her face in the bandana around her neck. In the years he'd come to know Nanaba, one of the clearest things about her was that there were certain topics that brought her mood down, most of them revolving around her early years.

He still remembered that one moment in the mess hall's kitchen years ago when he mentioned her folks. Seeing her face contort into a look that switched from anger to sorrow in seconds was a clear red flag. Since then, he was careful to mention such sensitive topics around her, and weary of mentioning anything regarding the word family.

Now here they were, at the metaphorical ground zero of her inner troubles.

Yet the look on her face when she turned to him told him that none of that seemed to matter. "Thanks for bringing me with you Mav."

He gave a simple nod. "The pleasure is all mine Nana."

Sharing a fond look to one another the two began their day off inside the district in full. Since it was very early in the day most of the local businesses and shops were only just opening up, leaving the two to simply walk and mill about the main road at a leisurely pace.

It was a much different atmosphere compared to the hustle and bustle that they were used to, of course that could be said for every district in the early hours of the day.

Still the silence and near peaceful serenity was refreshing. Minus of course by the occasional chirping of birds, barking dogs in the distance, or the lamplighters going about their rounds, with many of them stopping to wave hello or glance at the two.

After a small amount of time of walking the man began to whistle a tune to fill the silence. The peppy melody was one unfamiliar to the blonde, but very enjoyable nonetheless. As he kept going he switched his pitches making high and low tunes which amused Nanaba.

"Catchy Mav." The man smiled at her compliment.

"Thanks. Though if I had an ocarina you would have gotten the full experience."

"Ocarina?"

"It's an instrument." He explained. "Kind of like a flute but rounder and more holes."

"Ahhh." She voiced. "So where'd you hear that tune?"

Her question made him go silent for a moment, as a nostalgic and faraway look formed on his face. "I heard it from a friend of an old ward of mine who taught it to him, many lifetimes ago."

"Ward?"

"A child, whom I promised to protect." He clarified with a small chuckle. "Ended up going through one hell of an adventure for all my troubles."

He recalled his days in that faraway land. The sights he and the young man saw, the foes they faced, the friends they made along the way, and of course the melodies they learned and played.

He let out a sigh as a certain memory resurfaced, one that still brought a bit of heartache to him after many lifetimes afterwards.

That memory of course being their…reunion, many years later.

"Then he taught me it to remember him by." Maverick said his head lowering a bit as he continued. "Before he left for greener pastures."

Understanding his meaning Nanaba offered a comforting hand to the giant. "You two were very close, hmm?"

His bearded lips curved upwards into a proud smile. "Aye, he was like a son to me."

He continued to whistle with regained gusto as they went along a few alternate paths on the main road, getting themselves purposely lost in order to experience the fun of urban exploration.

Nanaba had also taken out her old guide in an effort to revisit some of her old stomping grounds and to see if things really were the same. Some locations unfortunately had closed, some had gone under new management, and some had moved locations as said by some elder citizens on their morning walks.

They continued on walking and exploring just as the sun began to rise above the district walls, with many of the districts inhabitants now beginning to rise in full to do their morning duties.

For many the sight of the giant and his companion giving a fine 'howdy doo' and 'good morning' was an unexpected but not entirely un-welcome surprise.

The scout duo walked along, being greeted in kind by the occasional passerby or store owner just opening up their shops. Children ran to gawk and point to the giant, only for their parents to come and retrieve them, giving an apologetic look to the man.

"They've really gotten used to you." Nabab said, watching as a few shop workers waved to the two. The ones that got her eyes to widen though was a passing patrol of MP's, who gave a few acknowledged nods towards Maverick! The complete one eighty in their attitude was astounding.

Of course, the shiny new repeater rifles strapped to their backs could have been a big factor in their mood.

The marked man grinned at her words. "Well, where I'm from Nana we have a saying. Treat others the way you'd like to be treated."

It was something that was passed down to him by his parents, and something he would pass down to his children in turn. He always made a conscious effort to practice what he preached, whether in public or private, with friends or alone.

He thought back to those few who had the 'pleasure' to meet his colder attitudes, reevaluating them on whether they had truly deserved his disrespect. Some definitely did.

Meanwhile with his companion, a small smile curved on her lips. It was certainly a nice moral to live by. If only more folk could live by that.

A few dark thoughts began to renter her mind until they were snuffed out by the distant words of a man close by.

"And remember dear listeners. For much talk and rumors spread, the Slayer, like the Walls, is a gift from the Almighty above!"

She looked to Maverick, who nodded as he too heard the voice. Following the source they peeked from the corner of a wall they stood behind and saw a rather large gathering of people.

And at the center was a man, the preacher, whom they heard, riding atop a mare. Both man and horse were draped in the familiar blue colors of the Order of the Morningstar.

"For what is a wall without its guardsmen?" The preacher suddenly asked aloud.

"A defenseless wall!" Repeated the crowd, along with two other members of the Order standing close.

Maverick and Nanaba continued to observe the outdoor congregation. The two recognized the aged voice atop the horse was one Wilhelm Shroder, a Maria native. One of many new members of the order who had set themselves to travel across the other walls as a missionary.

Not wanting to disturb them the two kept to themselves hidden, listening in as the preacher retold a tale regarding one of Maverick's many adventurous lives. At the tales conclusion the mass of Trostians departed, Maverick smiling as he heard the voices of children who wished to hear another tale.

Once they were certain that the group fully dispersed the scouts revealed themselves to Maverick's followers. "A pleasant sermon Wilhelm."

Hearing the deep tone compliment the old man turned, his old eyes going wide from underneath his hood.

"Your words warm this old soul Savior!" The vigor in the old man's voice betrayed his age. He steered his horse in the direction of the Savior of Shiganshina. "And a good morning to you madam!"

Nanaba smiled as she waved to the mounted preacher and his fellow acolytes. "Spreading the good word?"

"To any willing ear." Wilhelm said, his hand caressing the book in his wrinkled hands. "The children tend to favor the more grandiose tales of your feats across the lands."

Maverick smiled as his eyes drifted to said book. It was one of the first cooperative efforts between him and the people of this land.

It was essentially a large collection of tales Maverick had told to the Order, and a few additional ones he had yet to speak of. All were recorded, written, and copied, thanks in part to a local printing press that wished to spread the word of his existence in any shape and form.

And it seemed to work wonders, as the large group of listeners showed. Though it seemed so Mav couldn't help but ask aloud his concern.

"And any issues with the folk here?" His question made the three followers take pause and think.

"Well…besides a few looks and heckles from those who still hold the belief of the three goddesses, me and my fellows have had no serious problems." Wilhem explained. The clarity and confidence in his voice was a reassuring thing to the giant.

"Many here have welcomed us." One of the acolytes added. His features far younger than the preacher. "Know more than a few here who had family in Shiganshina when the skirmish happened., so they took their words to heart."

"Helps that you actually exist." The third added.

Mav nodded. Seemed that there wasn't much cause for concern. If he was honest out of all of his cults many, many, many incarnations, this one was the calmest to have been formed. Though time would tell before any more altercations would occur.

He knew it was only a matter of time before someone would commit themselves to more extreme methods of disapproval of the new faith.

As if sensing his concerns he felt Nanaba's hand pat his arm. Looking to her he saw her give a reassuring smile. Sending her a silent thanks he turned back to the group.

"Well if anything does happen, don't hesitate to send a letter up to H.Q. I'll be here like that." He snapped his fingers to emphasize his point, making the old preacher chuckle.

"We pray we don't ever have a reason to."

Sharing a laugh the two scouts and acolytes soon went their separate ways, for the scouts still had many more sights to see, and the Order had many more folk to entertain and convert. "See you around boys."

"Sigmar preserve you!"

"Talos guide you!"

"Athena bless you!"

Nanaba chuckled at their choice of passings and wishes. It reminded her just how many powerful beings Mav had on his side, and them in turn. "Like I said earlier, your popularity her has really grown."

"Comes with the almighty powers and tattoos." He lifted and eyed his right hand, staring deeply into the marking on his knuckles, parting gifts from dear old Nuffle. "Y'know I was never one for this kind of stuff."

She gave a curious look to him. "What, the tattoos?"

To her mild surprise he nodded. "The thought of just HOW people get them on was more than enough for me to never go for it, least on my first life."

His shoulders suddenly shivered, as he recalled an old internet video regarding the process. "And that's not mentioning just how harder they made for you to get hired."

Hearing Nanaba's chuckles made him look down to her and see her smirking face.

"Speaking from experience?"

He was shocked and appalled. Was his dear tomboyish comrade comparing him to some….unemployable street punk?! That would most certainly not do in his mind and eyes. He knew he had to set things straight.

"I'll have you know there were plenty of parlors that offered me positions in their shops when I made myself known!" He said while pointing his large sausage finger in her direction, amusing her.

"Alright, settle down." She patted his arm, electing an adorable huff from the giant as he turned his head from her. The two continued to walk and be gawked at by passersby for another few minutes before he spoke up.

"Speaking of shops, you hungry?" Just as he said that a grumbling was heard. Her blushing face soon after answered the question for him.

"Well let's see if Miss Gartner recommends any good places, eh? That Inn of the Fishes place was pretty good last time."

Her insides warmed up as she heard his compliment. Carefully taking out the old guide from her satchel she flipped to the pages detailing the many points of interest inside the Trost district of yesteryear. Unfortunately, Gartner had only described a few, as much of her guide detailed the more scenic points of Trost.

Her mind suddenly thought of one, a place form long ago. It was a more than a perfect place to take him, there wasn't a doubt in her mind that Mav would find it more than suitable.

With that in mind she looked to him, a small smirk that made him cock a brow in curious amusement.

"Actually I do know this one place, if it's still around…"

-oOo-

The two traveled further deeper into the inner areas of the district completely at the direction and mercy of Nanaba, who led her companion through numerous streets and roads with stunning familiarity. For the more they walked, the more she remembered.

She eventually had little need of the old guide, as she let the memories of her olden days lead them in full towards their destined location.

Soon enough they would arrive to a little old eatery, The Breakfast Barrel (Now serving Lunch and Dinner). Located on a small little dead end road the place showed its extreme age, the coloration of its wooden architecture being a much darker tone compared to the other buildings around the area.

The sign displaying the year of its establishment cemented that thought as well.

'Serving homecooked meals since 746…*Chuckle* must be doing something right…'

And doing something right it did, as he eyed many horses tied to post and numerous carriages parked around the area zone. This place was definitely popular, and they had showed up just as the lunch rush was starting.

He suddenly heard a long, content sigh come from the woman standing beside him. Looking down to her he saw a very nostalgic look on her face.

"Place brings back some memories?" She nodded. The warm smile on her face confirming his question.

"Well, let's see if it's still as you remember on the inside eh?"

With a pat on her back Mav and Nanaba walked up to the establishment. They just hoped there was still some available seating.

-oOo-

Inside the Breakfast Barrel (Now serving Lunch and Dinner)

The two had little time to admire the interior as the moment they walked in the entire place went completely silent. Both patrons and staff stared at the seven-foot tall being with stunned eyes. Some looked to him with a small sense of familiarity, but Mav could see from others that this was their first time laying eyes on him.

Even a few of the cooks had looked out of the ordering window to see why the place had gone dead silent. At the sight of him they too went wide eyed and retreated back to the kitchen, no doubt readying themselves for whatever massive order they'd probably be receiving.

The silence inside the Barrel permeated for a few moments until an exited voice blurred out.

"Bloo!"

All eyes turned to a young child, no older than two years old. From his highchair he pointed at the marked man, a very happy smile on his ketchup-stained face. "Bwloo, Bloo, Boo!"

The young child's parents quickly shushed their young, both man and woman giving Maverick a few nervous and apologetic laughs.

The giant simply smiled and waved to the young family. "Yes little one, I am Bwloo!" His unoffended tone brought a few smiles from the patrons, bringing back some life to the Barrel.

He then pointed to his companion. "Now what's she?"

The young child looked to said woman, then back to their mother, then to Nanaba once again. Its confuzzled look turned to another wide smile.

"Mama!"

Some in the eatery erupted into laughter, while Maverick himself snickered. Children had such a knack for saying the darndest things.

Nanaba though found herself quite flustered as she smacked his hand away and fixed her bangs. Taking a quick glance at the mother of that foolish child she couldn't help but see some resemblance. Though her brown hair was a clear difference. Children truly said the darndest things.

With the earlier mood reestablished the two checked in with the hostess. To their luck the two were able to find a table near the back of the establishment. Of course the eatery had no seats his size and the best they could offer was an empty crate once used for storage.

Maverick of course didn't mind one bit. Not every day a man the size of a space marine comes waltzing in with a lady friend.

Leaving them with their menus the hostess went scampering back to her station, leaving the two to look over what the place offered.

"So, what's your history with this place? If you don't mind me asking." He asked as he looked through the menu's lunch options.

"Well, I used to work here." She said, recovered from her earlier fluster. "Came here looking for a job, and soon enough I spent the next couple years here."

Maverick's moustache curved. "And it's here in this little piece of heaven where you got your fine culinary skills right?"

"Smart man~." She replied, a little smirk appeared on her face before she continued. "Though I was already pretty handy with a stove and cookbook, it's here is where I learned the finer things."

The smirk on her face then extended into a full-on smile as she let out another tid-bit. "It became a sort of second home too…"

Her eyes drifted around the place. From the decorated walls to the open bar filled with all manner of drinks. It was just as she remembered it, besides the new faces staffing the Barrel.

Many a fond memory was made inside this little restaurant. A warm sigh escaped her lips as she relaxed into her seat.

Maverick was content to let her stew in whatever thoughts were overtaking her at the moment. Lord knows he'd done it more than a couple of times himself.

"Apologies sir but this is the biggest drinking glass we have." The sound of the young waitresses' voice startled Nanaba out of her thoughts. The young girl gave an apologetic bow as she handed him a pint glass. In his large hands it was nothing more than a child sized cup.

"Oh don't worry dear, this'll suit me fine." He waved off her concern. The waitress' cheeks reddened as she gave a thankful look before lifting the jug from her serving plate.

"Compliments of the house." She poured a familiar cidery drink into both their cups before asking them if they were ready to order. Having long decided the two were quick to decide on their meals.

"Be back soon." Giving a polite bow the young lady went off to turn in the order, leaving the two scouts alone once more.

"Been meaning to ask you this Nana." Speaking her name in such a curious tone made her raise a brow. "What made you want to join the scouts? Don't think I ever asked you."

His question caught her a little off guard. "Well I…"

She suddenly paused, soon asking herself that same question in her head. Just what had made her want to join the Survey Corps. What made her want to leave a cozy place like this and join up with often referred to 'Suicide Regiment?'

The face of a certain individual came to mind, and found her mood going down at just the sheer thought of him.

She took a small quick breath and spoke a relieving mantra to herself before giving an answer to her comrade.

"Just…thought I could do more with my life."

Maverick chose to ignore her change in mood and continued the conversation. "You could have made a decent life here." He gestured to the restaurant. "No shame in that."

"I know." She replied, smiling as she listened in to the sounds of the diner. "I don't regret my time here, but…"

The face returned, which to her was the real root cause of everything. She felt her chest tighten as her memories replayed a certain moment in her hellish life that caused her to finally leave home and never look back.

"I wanted to prove to myself that I could make it." Her initial calm tone hardened as her hand formed into a fist from underneath the table. "To prove that my existence in this world wasn't just a fluke."

Her eyes squinted as they struggled to contain her emotions. No longer was she inside the restaurant having a swell time with a man she'd grown fond of, but back into those dark places that were once kept deep in the back of her psyche.

"I wanted to show that bastard that I wasn't a mistake…"

She began to mutter and stew in her own animosity. Her inner thoughts were nearly becoming consumed by less than pleasant thoughts, until a voice brought her back from the brink.

"You certainly have Nana."

Her eyes went wide as the dark edges of her mind dissipated. She looked to her companion and saw him looking back to her, a smile on his face that began to melt away the slowly building rage, with embarrassment filling her mind.

Forgetting the man had better than average hearing, she tried to hide her face inside the bandana, hoping its red coloration would be able to mask her no doubt reddening cheeks. Yet his following words made her stop.

"I mean after everything you and the others have all suffered through, all the losses, the shame, the doubts, everything. You're still here, stronger, wiser." He said, his tone that of a proud commanding officer reencountering an old platoon. "Takes a certain individual to rise above it all."

He then leaned in to close the distance between them, and whispered something that brought her mind and heart to pause.

"And whoever he is, take pride in the fact that you've accomplished so much more than what he could have ever done in his life Nana."

She could feel a strong stinging sensation inside her chest in reaction to his words. While it was something she had long told herself, having it come from Maverick felt a little more meaningful.

Considering the details on her past wasn't something she wasn't very keen to tell anyone at the time she was oddly relieved to find that Maverick had so easily figured it out, and felt enamored with him as he provided those comforting words to her.

Enamored. That was the right word to describe how she felt at that moment. She had felt such feelings before whenever they spent time back in the mess hall or in those rare moments of leisure during th expedition, but in that moment those warm and tender feelings were stronger than before.

Such feelings would have been enacted upon, hadn't their waitress returned, with plates of food in both hands.

"Here you go you two, enjoy!"

With another polite bow she left to tend to other patrons, leaving the two scouts alone once more. However, that small interruption was more than enough to evaporate the mood, as the hunger that had been kept at bay for a while had now started to kick in in full.

The two sent a knowing look to one another and began to tear into their meals. The meatloaf sandwich he had ordered was worth the money, the taste and texture of the prepared meal earning it a mental spot next to the equally delicious sandwiches served back at the Arlen Barn, and those by his own dearly loved mother.

Nanba herself found her pork cutlets to be equally good, not as good as compared to how she would have made them, but good nonetheless. She found the taste was exactly as she remembered from so many years ago.

The Breakfast Barrel (Now serving Lunch and Dinner) truly hadn't changed a bit.

-oOo-

The two had quickly finished their meals, yet still found themselves far too comfortable to leave the Barrel so soon, as they were too caught up in their own little world.

"So Mav what'd you think you'll be doing after we deal with our titan problem." The giant reclined in his seat as he put on his metaphorical thinking cap.

"Well…me and the rest of Delta all promised we'd go off exploring the rest of the world." He said. "I'll also be pretty busy in elevating the level of technology in this land *Chuckles*. Then after that…well, that's honestly still up in the clouds."

His left hand idly tapped on the table as his right-handed fingers ran through his beard. "I could always start up a logging company with the boys. We have the tools for the job."

Her thought turned to his squads signature blades. She recalled him saying one time that the chainblades were essentially the weaponized versions of a tool once used for woodcutting and surgeries, made for the armies of a mighty yet very unpleasant sounding human kingdom, or imperium, as he called it.

Maverick meanwhile went on about the many things he could do after the war for the survival of the human species.

"I could also take up writing again, or maybe go back to farming." He chuckled to himself, thinking back to the many jobs he'd had throughout his lifetimes. "My possible options are near endless."

He then turned to Nanaba with a raised brow and smirk. "How bout you hmm?"

Now it was her turn to think. With a palm underneath her chin she pondered for a moment.

"Dunno honestly." She replied, staring at the empty cup to her side. "I definitely know I'll be sticking with the Corps till the end."

She spoke truthfully. Despite her original reasons for joining the scouts she had felt proud of her years of service, the bonds and memories she formed with her fellow comrades were things she would cherish for as long as she lived. The Corps also allowed her to meet the man sitting alongside her.

"The food cart option is still there." A small but audible laugh was heard from his female comrade. It wasn't the first time he had suggested this possible career option. Throughout their time together he had often complimented her culinary abilities, whether they crafted some Wall specialty dishes or when recreating a dish from his homeland. She had clearly made a good impression.

"Maybe…maybe…"

Her thoughts deepened on the subject. While it was certainly an appealing thought, and perhaps one she might entertain in the future, it would have to wait, as their fight with the titan was far from over.

-oOo-

Soon their waitress had returned with the bill, and almost immediately a small hand and large marked hand both reached for their coin pouches.

"Oh Mav no-"

"Pleas Nana I insist-"

"Mav-"

"Alright hold on." Knowing they were going nowhere with this he knew what they had to do to come to an agreement. Quickly taking out a single coin he held it up to his companion. "We'll let the fates decide!"

Nanaba was left a bit confused as Maverick smirked before positioning the coin atop his thumb and flipped the coin into the air. "Call it!"

Seeing the coin go into free fall she quickly called out heads, just as the coin returned to the giants palm. Moments after she saw his smile disappear as he eyed which side was up.

"Fortuna seems to have abandoned me." He said, showing the side with the minted head of the king.

Nanaba felt a wave of self-satisfaction as she took out her coin purse. Her initial smug look turned to piqued curiosity as she watched him simply recline on the wall with a relaxed expression. "Really, just like that?"

"The fates have cast their judgement." He said simply. "As is tradition I must respect it."

"Tradition?"

"It's a thing in my family." He informed with a hand wave. "If we can't decide on something, toss a coin."

"Huh, first time I've heard of that." She remarked. This caused Mav's eyes to go wide for a moment.

"Right…right, heh."

Nanaba smiled watching as he scratched the back of his head. While she was extremely flattered to know he was mindful for her sake, the idea for this trip was to rid herself of that stigma, despite some earlier setbacks.

She wanted for him to feel comfortable speaking about his more personal anecdotes. They had known each other for two years now, which she felt was more than enough time to discuss more sensitive topics.

"It's fine Mav, really. Tell me."

Hear the confidence in her voice Maverick was assured. And so with a nostalgic smile he began, as the memories of his younger years resurfaced.

He went on to retell the story of his birth, as told by his parents when he was of understandable age. Nanaba's smile stretched as he went on, amused and fascinated by the whole inciting issue his folks based this apparent decades long tradition on.

"Pretty interesting way to settle on a baby name." She voiced amusingly.

"Well my folks liked to settle things quick." Replied the giant, recalling the many other moments where his father and mother had to deescalate things with the good ol' coin toss. "Didn't like it when me and my brothers saw them argue too much."

"Your brothers?"

"Yep. I'm the middle child." He said proudly. Looking down he chuckled at the sight of Nanaba's very surprised look. "Hard to believe eh?"

She nodded. The idea that this absolute giant of a man was only the second born of his family was startling. She could only imagine what sort of titan his older brother could be.

Only to remind herself that the numerous blessings from the gods were responsible for his massive stature and size. Still an amusing, and frightening, thought to think of for sure.

She continued to listen intently as he continued to speak of his kin. As said before he was the middle child to a trio of brothers, the Henderson boys, as they became known.

His elder brother was Matthew Henderson, or simply Matt to family and friends. To her surprise he was apparently the ninety third Matthew of his very extensive bloodline. He was described by the giant as the calmest of the trio. As the firstborn he always felt he needed to be the living example of what a Henderson man should be.

Of course should anyone insult the family, their mother especially, then all bets were off.

Malek Henderson was the younger brother, born some years after Maverick. Named in honor of a relative form his mother's side of the family he was Maverick and Matthew's dear baby brother, a constant source for entertainment (and teasing) for the two.

Like many younger siblings he was always determined to prove his worth to the two, a drive that had made him the most athletic of the trio, which would have earned him a promising career, had he not had other plans in mind for his future.

"Must have been a fun time growing up together." Nanaba remarked.

"Ehhh so-so." He said with a hand wave. "Living together with two other guys wasn't always a pleasure."

He reclined his chin on his hand as he recounted. "We'd have our usual spats about some asinine topic now and again, always ended with our parents breaking us up before things got too serious."

He chuckled to himself, flashes of said certain arguments resurfacing through his mind.

"Just a couple stupid kids arguing about stupid things. It became something to laugh about when we got older."

His companion nodded and smiled. "What'd they do for work?"

"Well." Mav listed off things with his fingers. "Matt followed in dad's footsteps in the carpeting business, I of course went on into construction, and Malek joined the army. He wanted to make our warrior ancestors proud you see."

"Lot of soldiers in your family?" Nanaba asked with a curious brow. Maverick simply smirked in response.

"The Henderson bloodline has had more than a few of its members fight for Ol' Uncle Sam."

He went on to provide some examples. Such as one of his most renown and ancient of ancestors from his father's side of the family who fought in the last battle for his nation's independence from the vile British Empire.

Then there was his great times a thousand grandfathers, also from his father's side, who served as a sharpshooter during his homelands first Civil War. Then there was one of his grandest of granduncles who fought on the European front during the Second Great War.

And how could he forget his great, great, grandfather, who had fought in the eastern campaigns, and who raised the flag of the homeland over the ruins of the Forbidden City during the final hours of the Siege of Pyongyang.

Nanaba was fascinated. She could tell that he was clearly proud of his family's long military service, judging solely from his tone of voice as he regaled their heroics. If she could, she would have loved to shake the hands of these veterans.

Of course there was another part that she wanted to know about him, but felt a lump in her throat all of a sudden when she thought about it. She quickly swallowed it back down and asked him.

"So…how about your parents?"

He stopped suddenly once those words went out.

"Matthew and Rachel Henderson." He said, his eyes staring into the distance, as the faces of his parents flashed in his mind. "The best parents a kid could ask for."

By those words alone it was obvious to Nanaba that he held his folks in the highest and most loving regard. Once more she found herself listening intently as he spoke of the ones who brought him into the world.

First was his father, Matthew Henderson the Ninety Second of the Henderson bloodline. Mav had a little difficulty in describing his father. As he told his comrade-

"Dad was…heh, well, dad."

Like many fathers he did his absolute best to provide and care for the family. While he didn't serve the military complex like many of his forefathers he still honored the family name in his own ways. If there was one word to describe Mav's old man, it was devoted.

The Henderson boys were the pride and joy of his loins. He raised them, loved them, taught them the ways and changes that came with manhood, and encouraged them in all their endeavors.

Also taught him to not take shit from folk who weren't worth jack. A lesson he'd taken to heart very well.

A small smile was on Nanaba's face as he continued. To hear him go on about his father brought all sorts of feelings into her. One among them she felt extremely bad about, but couldn't help but feel nonetheless.

Envy.

She immediately chastised herself for even feeling such a thing for the father of her comrade. Matthew clearly wasn't like him, not by a mile. Of course Maverick could simply be just remembering the fonder things about his father, but that was justified. He clearly loved his father, and his father in turn loved him.

Despite how unfair it may sound, their relationship was just simply better than hers.

"You okay Nana?"

Hearing his words once more she looked from the table and back to the man sitting on his crate, a slightly concerned look on his face.

She gave a disarming smile. "Nothing to worry about Mav, continue please."

Though he could tell she wasn't quite telling the truth he continued on with speaking about his mother.

Rachel Abdullah Henderson. His father had often described her as an earthy angel, as she had this air of calmness about her that made it very difficult in acting up in her presence. It was an aspect he and his brothers definitely knew she had occasionally weaponized at times in order to get them to stop in their scuffles, or when she wanted something to go her way.

Despite her shrewd tendencies it didn't change the fact that she loved Matthew and the boys dearly, and wasn't shy in showing it. Especially when the extended family came about.

She was the one to teach him to provide himself with the culinary and medical arts, and was the one who gave him much needed advice and help whenever bumps in his own marriage came up now and again, often being the mediator and therapist.

All in all, much like his father, mom was mom. A kind, loving woman who wanted nothing but the best for her children.

As he continued Nanaba picked up on one aspect that piqued her interest about his mother. That being when he mentioned that she was responsible for his olive toned skin.

Asking him about it he said that it was something he inherited from her, as he revealed himself to be of mixed race. Further questions led to him using a certain word to describe the family of his mother's side.

"Immigrant?"

"A very, very long time ago my mother's ancestors moved from the east to live in the U.S." He explained. "By the time she was born her family were pretty much as American as anyone could be."

Nanaba found herself fascinated by this concept the more he went on. Cases like his were uncommon but well known in certain circles. Though clearly Maverick wasn't born out of some raunchy affair.

"So why'd they move from their old home?"

Her companion huffed in slight amusement. "Hmph, Mom never had a real answer for that when I was younger, neither did her parents. Every time I asked all they said was that they wanted to live a better life."

He then leaned in closer to her. "Wasn't until I got older that they told me why. I'll spare you the less than pleasant details and just say that conflict and strife were a more than common thing back in my mother's ancestral homeland."

Memories of Ol' Jerusalem flashed in his mind. Even in the many worlds beyond the ancient homeland seemed to always be destined as a battleground. Be it the holy wars, the resource wars, or as the final battle to end all battles when the end times arrived.

"Not a very safe place to raise the next generation I take?" He scoffed in response.

"Understatement of the millennium."

And so the two continued to talk for some hours, despite having paid the bill. The staff didn't seem to mind their continued presence, if anything the appearance of the Giant of Maria seemed to benefit the eatery, as more folk came around just for the chance to see the demigod in the flesh.

It was a win-win for everyone.

-oOo-

The two soon left the Breakfast Barrel (Now Serving Lunch and Dinner) to the dear farewells from the staff, who thanked the giant for his business and hoped to see him and his lady friend soon.

Ever the polite man he tried to be he reassured them all, promising to make the eatery his number one spot to go to should he ever find himself back in the district.

Turning back the continued on their way, leaving the dead end street as the giant rubbed his stomach and let out a very satisfied sigh.

"*Sigh* Welp, that'll keep me full for the next…half hour or so."

"Should have ordered something else then." Said the young blonde walking by his side. She knew that sandwich wasn't going to fill him, considering one of his hands nearly enveloped the entire thing.

Maverick just waved off her words. "Ahhh I couldn't do that to you Nana. I would have put you into debt three times over."

That got a laugh from the woman. It proved to be quite infectious as he soon joined in.

Quickly dying down the two continued to walk a bit aimlessly around the small street, content to bask in the atmosphere and in each other's company. A few passerby's were met as this part was mostly a residential area, with many having turned in for the day.

"Mav. Thanks, by the way." Nanba suddenly said aloud, making him stop.

"For?"

"For all those stories about you and your folks." She said while giving a warm smile. "I feel like I know you more a lot better now."

The giant found himself transfixed on her loving smile as he spoke. "Well. Thanks for listening to an ancient one ramble on about the past."

The little giggle he got warmed his hearts. It reminded him that he was in all intents and purposes on a date with a woman he had grown very fond of.

Such warm and honeyed thoughts were suddenly interrupted when a small piece of paper was presented to him.

"Here Mav. It's only fair I share a little about me too."

Taking the piece with his fingers he took a gander at what it contained, that being a small drawn visage of a very beautiful woman. A woman that looked very familiar to-

"That's my mother." Nanaba said. "She… died, bringing me into this world."

The man didn't say a word as she continued. "Before I left home I took it from an old photo. It's the only thing I have to remember her by."

His hearts ached when he saw her face as she spoke. His face remained stoic as she recounted what little she knew of her, most based on hearsay and what little was divulged to her from friends of the family and neighbors.

She sounded like an absolute earthly angel to his mind. A soul gone too soon from the mortal coil.

He had assumed such a scenario with Nanaba, yet hearing it confirmed from her own mouth didn't make it any better. Though a tale like hers was a dime a dozen, it didn't make it any less unfortunate or meaningful to the man.

"A certain someone saw fit to make my life hell for the next couple years after that." Her lose hands formed into fist as the mention of him, only to loosen once more. "Wasn't until I was seven when I finally had enough."

A low sigh escaped the giant's lips. Her words nearly made him crumple up the picture in his hand, had he not restrained himself in time. As both a man and a father himself it made his blood stew and boil to hear that.

"Found the Barrel here, and the rest…" She chuckled humorlessly before continuing. "Well I'm sure you know how the rest goes."

Indeed, he thought as he nodded his head. "I do."

He returned the small memory of her mother back to her, careful as to not smudge the picture itself. "You have my sincerest condolences Nana, for what their worth."

Those words brought back her smile as she took the photo back, though her eyes were still downcast and less colorful than earlier. "Thanks Mav." She said in a near hollow tone.

Seeing her still in a bit of a mood he decided right then and there to go a little bolder. Taking a knee he went to meet her at eye level, and wrapped his arm around her body, enveloping her into a one-armed hug.

Nanaba's breathing hitched suddenly, as she didn't expect him to do such a thing so suddenly. Caught completely surprised by his move she was unable to get a word in as he spoke his peace.

"She's up there Nana. Safe and in eternal bliss." His whispered voice sent a wonderful shiver down her spine. "Take heart in knowing she looks down from the heavens and smiles proudly at the courageous, and beautiful woman she brought into this world."

Her mind froze at what he just said, as did her cheeks turn to a lovely shade of red. Her heart stung and skipped a few beat as he went on.

"And someday you'll be up there too, right by her side." He said confidently. "In that kingdom of everlasting glory and peace. Mother and daughter, hand in hand."

The young blonde went misty eyed as he spoke those assuring lines. In that moment she felt the many years of steeled resolve and self-motivation that had allowed her to wall off her feelings on this matter simply melt away, as if they weren't even there to begin with.

She soon found herself wrapping her own arms around the limb that held her, sharing in the embrace. The two didn't care for any prying or distant glances as they found themselves in their own little world.

She asked herself why. Just why and how did she allow him to come this close and break down her walls. Why did she trust him enough to tell him something she was ready to take to her grave?

A part inside herself roared to life, telling her why through the aches and tightness in her chest.

It was simple. She'd simply grown fond of him, very, very fond of him. In him she saw more than the future of humanity, more than their personified hopes and rage…

She saw a man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

"Mav…"

In that admittance she felt herself a little more than overwhelmed with all sorts of warm and fuzzy feelings. And so, just as he turned his head to meet her, she acted upon her feelings in that moment.

Grasping his shoulders she closed in on his face and in a great display of emotion.

*Smooch*

She kissed him, and not just a simple quick kiss on the cheek.

Maverick was a bit stunned, as he hadn't felt this sensation in centuries. Before long though he embraced her advance, as he wrapped his arm behind her back and held her.

While it seemed like hours on end, their lip on lip contact only lasted for a few seconds before she separated from him, a small line of droll keeping them together.

Soon her eyes went wide as she suddenly realized what she just did. Going into a stuttering mess she looked down and hid her face inside the reb fabric around her neck.

"I-I-I-"

Wiping away the small bit of saliva he chuckled. "Feel better Nana~"

Her cheeks went to an even deeper shade and found the ground much more interesting. "Y-Yes."

He gave her a grin while tilting his head slightly sideways. "Hmmm, good to know."

He could almost see the steam leave out of her ears as she shook her head and took a swig from a canteen on her belt in an effort to cool herself down. An act that amused the man.

Soon he and his lady friend set off once more towards one more destination on their agenda, to the teasing looks from those who witnessed their little moment of affection.

-oOo-

By the time the two had finally arrived at their last destination the sky was beginning to turn to a lovely shade of orange.

Nanaba took a moment to examine the place. It was a rather large building, its entrance decorated with a number of banners displaying numerous images and colors, such as the coat of arms of Wall Rose's deity, or a symbol of a familiar spiked weapon. Seeing these decorative flags Nanaba knew where they were, as she remembered moments when she had passed this building by a few times in her youth.

Sparing no more time the two entered the establishment, with Maverick almost colliding his head with the small bell atop the door that chimed to signify their arrival. They waited for to be attended to, listening as the sounds of machinery further inside continued on.

They waited for another couple minutes to admire the wonderous looking interior. More banners of varying dyes were stretched across the walls, and numerous rolled up fabrics stalked the shelves. And right smack in the middle was a large rectangular desk where folks would do their business, which was empty save for a few lit candles.

With his patience waning Maverick went up to the door and tapped the bell.

"Hello, hello?" He spoke in a raised tone. Both the sound of his voice and the bell echoing across the room

"I'll be with you in a minute!" Came a loud female voice in response. Mav had a satisfied look on his face while Naana could only shake her head.

As said minute passed a figure appeared from a darkened hall of the complex. The light from the candles revealed them to be a heavy set woman of elder age. The wrinkles on her forehead rose up as her eyes met those of the demigod.

"Ah it's you." She said. The woman's wrinkled face scrunched up as she crossed her massive arms. "About time you showed up. I sent that letter days ago."

Ruth Schmidt was her name, head seamstress of the establishment. The elder woman was the one whom Maverick had been in communications with regarding his order. Her slightly harsh tone and demeanor spoke of how annoyed she was to find that her client had finally arrived to pick up the specialty item she and her workers had spent many days and nights to complete.

She was especially annoyed to know that only now, right close to closing time, had he decided to come. It was downright insulting. No doubt that young pretty…woman, by his side was the culprit to him taking so wall-forsaken long to get here.

"In our defense, we were outside the Walls for almost a month." He quickly remarked. The old woman let out a tired sigh, the stress of the day leaving her body.

"Well you're here, that's all that matters." She said while waving her hands. Turning towards the hall she entered she began to shout.

"JULIAAAA!"

"YES MADAM?!"

"THE BIG ONE FINALLY SHOWED UP!"

Silence filled the hall once more as the party waited for the young worker. In that small amount of time Ruth took it upon herself to start grillng the couple.

"So, been having fun on your little date you two?" The old woman smirked, her previous annoyed attitude disappearing almost entirely.

Both their cheeks turned a little redder than usual as they both chuckled. There really wasn't any other word to describe the day they had.

Ruth looked on amusingly. But before she could go any further her worker had appeared from the hall with a triangular case in her hands.

"Thank you dear." With a smile the girl handed the case over to Ruth, who ran her hand along the case. The triangle shaped case was a part of the order, as Maverick had specified, thus a joint order operation with the carpenters and crafting guilds was made to bring the case to fruition.

She placed it on the desk and turned it to the side showing the small triangular glass window display. "Would have been a shame to just have this gather dust."

The two looked what laid inside and had two very different reactions. Nanaba was stunned as she had never seen such a design and dual mix of colors coming from this honestly beautiful fabric.

Maverick however had a more subdued, and nostalgic look. The fabric and the display were both very, very, recognizable to him.

For inside was a blue and white colored flag, shaped in the triangular shape of the case it was nestled in. The white stars across the blue worked to dazzle Nanaba, as she couldn't keep her eyes off them.

"Let me tell you mister this one was a doozy." Ol' Ruth said, her old yet still sharp eyes gazing at the multicolored fabric. "But me and the girls were honored to have made this for you."

She remembered the grueling hours spent having to put this together, as per the specifications her client had provided. Every star and stripe had to be perfect, creaking joints and achy fingers be damned. Yet despite the hours, the sweat, and pricked fingers, it was all well worth the effort, for this order was one of her crews' finest.

"Such a fine flag."

"A grand old flag she is." Maverick said. He could hear an ancient song of his homeland play out in his head. With his emotions in check he grasped the case gently in his massive hand. "I can't thank you and your girls enough for this."

"*Chuckle* Well you can start by handing over the other half of the payment."

"Hah! Of course, of course." Handing the coin pouch over the old woman took out one coin to see its authenticity, by biting it. Feeling some resistance she nodded and looked back to the two and clasped her hands together.

"Thank you for business. Now you give that flag a good home."

"Oh don't you fret madam I will." Exchanging a thankful glance to the old woman and her workers the giant and his companion exited the building and began making their way back to Trost's exterior gates.

As they did so Nanaba's eyes shifted in Mav's direction, and smirked seeing his very satisfied face.

"Happy?"

"Very much!" He exclaimed, showing his toothy smile from underneath his bearded face. He took another warm glance at the case in his dominant hand. It was a long time coming, and despite costing a pretty penny with the many separate orders it was absolutely worth the drain on his savings.

"So I have to ask Mav." Nanaba began. "What kind of flag is that?"

To her startlement he stopped moving and turned to his lady friend. Presenting the case to her once more he spoke.

"This my dear Nana, is the flag of my homeland." He proclaimed, his voice beginning to fill with pride and patriotism. "The flag of the United States of America."

Nanaba was surprised and pleased. Just some hours ago they had discussed the finer details of his homeland. This was just one more little tid-bit of knowledge she had the pleasure to personally know.

She listened intently as he went on to explain the details surrounding the flag. Details such as how the white stars represented the many states that made up his nation. He also described some hidden details, such as some apparent red and white stripes included, which represented the original thirteen colonies from their time under the rule of Great Britannia.

"Wow. How many stars?"

"Fifty one!" He replied and began to list off a few from his fingers. "You got Massachusetts, Ohio, Alabama, Kentucky, Texas, Puerto Rico, New California-"

"What happened to the old one?"

The smile on Maverick's face quickly disappeared. Slowly he turned to Nanaba, his glowing piercing eyes bearing down on her.

"We don't talk about Old California."

A tense moment of silence followed before he returned back to his previous giddy mood.

"Come on lets go back to Maria. I wanna get her flying as soon as possible!" He began to walk with a brisk pace, before suddenly stopping. "Unless you wanted to stay here for a little longer."

Nanaba stood still for a moment, and turned back to the whole of the district they had now passed by. The wind blew as she looked back to everything the two had done up to this point. A lot of new memories had been made this day, and she felt satisfied.

"I think I've had my fill of the district for one day Mav." She said, turning to her companion with a warm smile. "I'd really like to see where you'll hoist your flag."

Nothing more was said as the giant demigod and his female companion made their way back to their home, with the demigod lifting the woman into his arms once more and setting off for the exterior gates, one titanic leap after another.

Nanaba would enjoy the return trip this time. As her arms wrapped themselves around his neck throughout the entire return trip, her heart racing with every second.

-oOo-

Slayers Keep, somewhere in Wall Maria…

Nanaba was quite surprised when they had gone off the beaten path towards the district, but soon understood. The old scout castle keep was his home after all. What better place to place your banner than in the place you now called home.

She took the chance to gander at the insolated castle, noticing the many refurbishing's and general cleanliness of the keep's interior.

After a small tour around the place the two made their way towards one of the western towers. For it was here that a long pole was built some time before their expedition, just for this occasion.

The scout had the honor and privilege of assisting Mav in unfolding his new flag, where she could see it in its entirety and glory. She was left amazed at the mixture of red, white, and blue. Truly a bizarre design, in a good way of course. For it matched the bizarreness of the man who hailed from the nation.

Mav welcomed the old flag into this new world with a salute. To see it fly once more brought about a feeling of patriotic pride in his spirit. Though his dear homeland was off somewhere in a distant star, he could always bring the virtues, the values, and the spirit of his homeland along with him on his journey.

The city of Americana back on Pandora was but one example that came to the giant's mind as he stared at the flag. He prayed that the grand city continued to live up to its status as a beacon in the edge of galactic civilization.

"*Sigh* Thanks for helping out an old G.I. Nana." Maverick gratefully said. "Seriously, with these fingers I would have been here for hours trying to get it up."

His companion chuckled. "Anytime Maverick." Patting his arm she continued "And your fingers are just fine the way they are."

"Hah! Try buttoning up a shirt with these sausages!" He wiggled said appendages. "There's a reason why I went with this sweater."

Her brow raised curiously. "So you have someone do it for you?"

"Of course not." He proclaimed. "Moblit does it voluntarily."

Sharing a laugh among themselves they soon found themselves reclining on the tower, enjoying the scenery. A sense of calm clarity followed as they listened to the sounds of the forest below. The serene atmosphere around them allowed the two to reflect on the events of the day.

For Nanaba this was one of the most enjoyable moments in her life. Just her and a friend enjoying a day off together.

Then a certain moment reappeared in her mind which caused her to turn away from the man reclining close to her, her face flushed and warm. It was starting to become a habit with her.

"Uhmm Mav…"

"Hmm?"

"A-About what h-happened…what I did-" The sudden chuckles coming from the giant stopped her.

"It's fine Nana." He said calmly, his eyes still looking out to the woods. "Been some time since someone pulled first base on me.~"

His slightly teasing tone only served to fluster her even more. "R-Right…" Taking a deep breath she tried to continue. "I-I hope it doesn't complicated things, between us I mean."

"It doesn't." He quickly said to her reassurance. "If anything, its certified some things."

"O-Oh…" Her fingers tapped the towers ledge as she kept her gaze on the forest. A bit of silence followed as the two continued to watch the sun disappear into the sea of red and orange, with the cool colors of the night sky slowly beginning to take over.

"So…what now?"

"Now?" He repeated. "Now, I have to decide."

Her eyes widened, before a small, forced smile crossed her face. She knew what, more specifically whom he was referring to. "Right, I'm not the only one."

A deep chuckle escaped her breath. The situation she found herself in was one she would have never thought she'd ever be in. Yet here she was, in a contest to win over a man with someone she herself considered a longtime friend and comrade.

A small pang of worry rose up in her chest, only to be quickly repressed. In the end, as he said, it would all come down to him.

"Well, I think I'll leave you to your own devices Mav." She finally said stretching her back as she backed away from the towers ledge and headed for the entrance that led them to the tower.

"You want me to take you?" He asked.

"No. I think I'll take the long way back." She said softly. "I'll rent a cart once I get to the next town."

She soon began to take her leave, only to stop suddenly and quickly turn back around to the giant's side.

In a sudden moment of boldness she grabbed his face and pulled him down to deliver another kiss, this one much less messy. A few blissful seconds followed before she parted her lips from his and gave him a small smirking look.

"Be seeing you.~"

With that she once more departed the tower, leaving the keep and the giant alone to stew in his thoughts. He stood silent watching as she appeared from out of the entrance gates, giving a wave before disappearing into the forest.

The man traced his lips before bursting out into a quick bout of laughter before setting his sights to the heavens, his cheeks a deeper shade of red.

'You've really done it again Mav.'

While most would be overwhelmed with making such a tough decision Maverick had no such stress. For he had already made a foregone conclusion to this little romantic predicament, one that had happened more than a few times before, and been solved many times before.

Plus he'd done a little reading up on the laws of this walled land, and made some certain discoveries that had favored his decision.

Yet despite these assurances, a small pervasive thought still managed to crawl into his head. It was a simple few words, one that the bane of many men.

Would they?

Sure he'd make the call, but would they even agree to it? Would they be willing to make that compromise?

He soon shook those thoughts out of his brain. Now was not the time for self-doubt, instead it was time he got back to planning, starting with sprucing up his keep.

After all, here inside this castle in the outskirts of Wall Maria, is where their destinies would be made.

A/N: And there we have it folks, the second part to this little romance arc. Meant to get this out back in January but you know, real life stuff, etc. etc. At least I managed to get this for Valentine's Day at least.

And how appropriate is the day that we see Mav and Nanaba finally cement their feelings. Only took me only a few dozen chapters. Hopefully it was worth the wait.

Fun little facts. I based Nanaba's outfit on a design she wears in the Brave Order app game. Also based the Breakfast Barrel on a place I used to go to as a kid.

(I really hope that Brave Order game gets a global release some day. I completely missed out on AOT Tactics, and only knew about it long after its EOS.)

Anyways I know I said it was gonna be a two-part finale, but in my infinite idiocy I said two-part, when I meant a three-part finale. So next chapter will be the conclusion of this little Romance Arc. Where I'll finally be able to update the pairing to this bloody story.

Just a heads up these following months will be extremely busy for me, so expect more of these by-monthly uploads from now on, might even go longer depending on how things for me go IRL.

Hope you'll all still enjoy these chapter as they come along. As always thanks for reading and see you all next time!

And like the last time, here's a special little ending credits idea. If any of you are confused by this, please refer to the previous chapter.

Edit 2/16/2024: Some spelling checks, and additional narrations added.

-Special Closing Credits: Nanaba Edition-

-Closing Song:セラのテーマ～記憶～(Lyrics sung by Maverick and Nanaba's Japanese VA's)

As the song begins a limelight is seen shining on Nanaba and Maverick. The two are seen standing behind one another, dressed in dapper clothes of the 19th century. Raising her head Nanaba is the first to sing.

Nanaba: You, rest inside my mind.

Nanaba: Since the day you came.

Nanaba: I knew you would be with me.

Her cheeks turn red as flashes and scenes of choice moments from the two years they spent knowing one another are beginning to play in the background.

Soon the moments from their outing in Trost are showing, with her face lowering and cheeks reddening as a certain…special, memory is shown.

Nanaba: All the times we spent.

Nanaba: What we shared was surely.

Nanaba: Warm enough to know you cared for me.

As she finishes her verse the limelight slowly turns to Maverick, as he looks up to the heavens, the background images depicting Maverick throughout his many lifetimes. Each of them showing his form evolve and changing over the millennia's.

Maverick: Light, floods through memories.

Maverick: Helps me walk my path.

Maverick: I'll keep my head up high.

The two smile and slowly turned their heads, and stare into each other's eyes.

Maverick: Words and Faith and Love.

Nanaba: Your strength gives me hope.

Maverick/Nanaba: Someday I'll find you with open arm.

As the song continues the scene goes white as a slideshow begins showing the many moments Mav and Nanaba have spent together throughout the years inside and outside the walls.

As the song nears its end the last scene shows the two during their first cordial meeting after the attack on the Shiganshina District.

Kneeing down to her eye level Maverick holds out his hand towards Nanaba, who is trying their damnest to keep eye contact with the giant.

With a nod and a smile she goes to shake his massive hand. Just as they touch a shock runs down her spine causing her to back away and shriek.

She quickly covers her mouth as her cheeks blush. The giant looks stunned before a humored smile formed on his lips, followed by a few chuckles.

Soon enough she joins in, just as the last of the credits roll, ending with a shot of the two gazing at one another.

-After credits scene-

We find Nanaba finally having arrived at the H.Q. long into the night. Departing from her rented coach she makes her way into the barracks, as the events of the last few hours plays in her mind.

A soft feminine giggle comes out of the tomboy's mouth as she touches her lips, the same lips that claimed the giant's.

Making it inside she walks through the lit hallway and up to her door. Slowly opening it she is met with an utterly spine-chilling voice.

"Had a nice time?"

The blonde yelps in shock at the sound of the voice in the darkness. Clutching her chest she tries to calm her breathing, only to hold it in as she spots something, no, someone.

A dark figure, sitting in her chair. Their appearance completely makes by the darkness entirely.

"Who the hell are you?!"

The voice lets out a low, snide chuckle. "Cmon Nana, you know damn well who I am."

Nanaba's eyes widen as she immediately recognizes the voice of the person inside her room, just as they get up and start to walk towards her.

Soon the figure's face slowly appears in the light, thanks to the illuminated hallway. Seeing who it is Nanaba takes a defensive step back.

"H-Hange?"

The squad leader of Delta Squad gave a very eerie-looking smile to her comrade, her glasses shining in the light masking her almost predatory gaze.

"Why don't we have a chat, you and I."