"We should just... take it easy. Right? It's best if we don't rush. Slow and steady," Marco suggested to Armin, who merely shrugged in response. The pair were bent over the map they had been given by their instructor, attempting to strategize their next steps.
"It would be dumb to wear ourselves out for no reason," Jean called ahead from his horse, leaning forward on his saddle. "May as well take it easy."
"Yeah, well I don't know how to take it easy," Eren was frustrated, scowling at Jean. "Hell if you're just gonna relax, I'm gonna scout ahead."
"No, we have to stick together!" Mina and Marco fumbled over one another's words, trying to stop their steeds from taking off after Eren's. "Wait, are you serious?"
Victoria sighed to herself. She sat on a large, brown stallion named Muffin, following the group of cadets as they trotted through the woods outside boot camp. Muffin was strong and a bit excitable, but V kept a good grip on her reins.
This would have happened, she thought.
"Mission is as simple as it sounds. But if you think it'll be easy you better pull your head out of your ass and think again!" Victoria thought back to when Shadis had yelled at the assembled cadets before they took off. "A soldier is a soldier at all times! You must always be ready to fight, regardless of the situation you're in. NEVER SUCCUMB TO BOREDOM! Never be fooled by peace. This whole mission is a battle! Don't forget that!"
Their objective was to venture into the canyons surrounding the boot camp on horseback. It was a straightforward 40-kilometer journey spread over two days. At least, that was the expectation. Should have been easy.
The cadets were divided into two squads for the exercise, departing simultaneously but taking different routes to reach the same goal. Upon arrival, they would retrieve a package and then retrace the path of the other group. This outing aimed to test the cadets' endurance and ensure they could maintain their alertness throughout an extended mission, even in the absence of an obvious threat.
In the first group, Marco was designated squad leader, with Armin in charge of writing an honest and thorough mission log. Under their charge were Eren, Mina, Connie, Sasha, Krista, Jean, and Victoria.
The second group was led by Thomas Wagner, with Mikasa as the record keeper, with Reiner, Bertholdt, Annie, Ymir, and a few other cadets that Victoria didn't know.
The start of the excursion had gone smoothly, the two squads pushing their horses with haste. However, Eren and Jean had started to bicker back and forth about a kilometer into the trip. Marco was trying, and failing, to keep the peace. He wasn't a great leader if Victoria was being honest. He was kind and calm, but some of the pigheaded teens weren't deterred by kindness.
Eren, shockingly, listened, even if he did complain about it.
"If only complaining made the time go faster," Connie whined, half draped off his horse, watching some beautiful rock formations they were going by. The redstone cliffs towered above them as they rode through the ravine.
"That'd be the dream," mumbled Sasha, who also looked like she was ready to fall asleep on her stallion. The instructors had ambushed everyone in the early morning hours of dawn and rushed the cadets to get prepared like it was an emergency. Many of them were still tired.
"We've got a long way to go."
The trail they followed guided them deeper into the rocky ravine, where the valleys transitioned into a marshy landscape filled with soft mud and jagged stones. As they ventured further into the woods, majestic evergreen trees began to surround them, creating a natural canopy. The sun beamed down warmly, but fortunately, the trees offered a welcome shade from its intensity.
Suddenly, a long greenish-brown reptile scampered out of a crevice and ran alongside them.
"Perfect," Jean said sarcastically. "Looks like we're traveling in the company of lizards now." He had a disgusted look on his face, scowling down at the scaley thing.
Sasha perked up. "That kind of lizard is rare! Out here, anyway," Victoria watched it as it clawed its way over rocks and through bushes. "And super tasty!" Sasha pitched in again. "I'm serious! Back home, my family would trap them and cook 'em up all the time. If you ask me, they taste just like chicken."
Jean looked back at Sasha, arching an eyebrow at her. "Huh, that's interesting. So, does that mean you know how to cook them?"
Sasha nodded absent-mindedly, scratching her chin as she mentally ran through her dad's recipe, "Oh yeah, it's super easy."
A grin broke out on Jean's face. "In that case..." Looking back at the lizard it had managed to gain some distance away from the cadets. "Hya!" He kicked his heels into his horse's side, the large beast taking off in a gallop towards the reptile.
"Hey wait!" Marco and Krista tried to call him back.
"Hey look, sometimes you gotta hunt on these expeditions, just think of it as part of training!" Jean called back gleefully, clearly enjoying himself as he clung to the reins.
"I'll go get him," Victoria sighed. Ahead of them, Jean was gaining on the lizard and had pulled out his swords as he neared the reptile, and just as he lifted his hand to strike it, V caught up, pulling alongside him, deflecting the strike with her own blade.
"Hey, what is your problem!" Jean pulls back, frowning at her.
V's face was serious. "Stop treating this like a game!"
"Why should I even bother? There's no instructor around! We're not earning any credits for this!" Jean protested, his horse fidgeting beneath him, mirroring his agitation as Victoria simply glared at him in silence. "Come on!" he complained, just as the lizard disappeared into its burrow.
The rest of the group had already urged their horses forward and dismounted. "Cut it out, everyone! Please!" Krista implored, her big blue eyes reflecting Armin's concern as they observed the escalating tension.
Eren, while still standing apart, nodded in agreement with Victoria, adding, "You all are behaving like children!"
"Oh, that's a laugh coming from you!" Jean and Victoria retorted in unison, their voices rising in indignation.
"We have food, we don't need it-"
"WE DON'T HAVE ANY MEAT!" Sasha's voice rang out loudly. Behind the cadets, her eyes were wide and pleading, clearly upset and wanting Jean to have caught the lizard. Everyone was quiet, for a moment. The silence hung in the air awkwardly.
Victoria grumbled. I'm an asshole. With a sigh, she walked over to Sasha and squeezed her arm, before mounting her horse again. The famine had gotten worse over the last year and it was starting to affect the cadets' meals as well.
Finally, Marco released his breath, letting out a loud sigh. "Let's just go." As everyone remounted their horses, Sasha was lamenting, lips pouting. "It was a really big one too, it would have fed all of us."
~o~
Midway through their journey, the cadets started to establish their campsite. Positioned roughly 5 kilometers from the checkpoint, they intended to rendezvous with the second group the following morning, ensuring they all would return to base camp before night fell the next day. As the sun dipped below the horizon, some cadets busied themselves with pitching tents, while others tended to the horses and prepared cooking fires.
As they stoked the flames, the rations provided by the Commandant started to warm up. The food was far from appetizing. V carefully poured hot water into the small container, observing how it transformed into a thicker consistency reminiscent of tomato-based pasta. Unfortunately, it was stale and had an unpleasant metallic flavor from being in the can for who knows how long.
"These rations taste like actual dirt," Jean said, lips curled over his teeth as he picked at his rations with a metal fork.
"Yeah," Victoria replied, spitting the nasty mush into the fire. "Sorry, I stopped you from catching that lizard."
"Nah, screw lizards, I bet they taste like dirt too," Jean muttered, his tone dissatisfied.
"Didn't you just try to hunt one?" Eren's voice was sharp.
Jean sighed, setting his food down.
Oh, no, here we go again.
"At least I'm not pretending I'll be able to fight Titans someday," Jean snapped back to Eren.
"Then why the hell did you bother joining the Cadet Corps, huh?!" Eren was furious, throwing his foul can of rations aside. He shot to his feet and began stomping towards Jean.
"I didn't do it out of a psychotic desire to throw my life away, I can tell you that!" Jean stood also, shoulders tensing and fist clenched as Eren got closer.
"Shut your mouth! You crossed a line and you know it!" Eren went to grab Jean's collar, but Jean, having learned from his encounter with Shadis, was already taking a step back.
Armin stared in disbelief, his blue eyes wide and his hand shaking uncontrollably. Suddenly, he sprang into action, glancing around for a moment before seizing his pen and jotting down notes in his log. He was determined to document this unusual, well somewhat unusual, event.
Marco rushed to intervene, exclaiming, "There's no reason to note this! It's just meaningless chatter by the campfire! Armin please!" Armin continued to write.
"Heh, I guess your love of pointless training exercises comes from the fact that you've seen a Titan, huh?" Jean was face to face with Eren now, their noses almost touching. "Man, you're such a-"
Eren managed to snag Jeans' collar, "Finish that sentence; I dare you!"
"Enough, you guys!" Krista Lenz was standing now, yelling at the boys, but still keeping a distance. Chaos ensued through the camp, but Victoria had no energy to intervene. She sighed, rubbing her face with her hands, before laying back on the bedroll.
She doubted sleep would come easy, with those two fighting, but she was determined to try.
Suddenly, there was movement out of the corner of her eye.
Victoria glanced over. She had seen a shadow shifting in the tree line. She thought she did anyway. The longer she watched the spot, the more she felt a little crazy.I must just be tired,she thought to herself, glancing back at the other cadets.
Krista was staring intently at the same spot.
~o~
Eventually, the fight wore out the boys. It hadn't come to blows but Jean and Eren continued to spit venom at each other as the coals of the campfire slowly dimmed. It wasn't long after that Victoria's eyes fell shut, exhaustion creeping in.
If only the cadets had the hindsight to have someone keep watch.
A sharp scream broke through the night air like a gunshot. V's eyes shot open only to find herself face to face with a rifle. A broad-shouldered man, wearing plain, nondescript clothes and a bag with eye holes cut out, stood above her, finger planted firmly on the trigger.
"Alright," Victoria followed the voice. There was a group of these men. They all stood around the cadets' bedrolls, guns all in hand. "Gather up all their ODM gear. Move fast!"
V was frozen, eyes staring up at the barrel of the silver gun that reflected the moonlight.
"What are you going to do with it?" Eren suddenly spoke up, his voice quiet, as he asked the man who had a gun to his face the question.
"It's a valuable commodity. We'll sell it for profit." The one with a rifle to Armin replied.
"It's not like the Titans can be beaten." The one by Victoria spoke now. They were all men as far as she could tell. "We have no issue stealing useless weapons."
V watched as Eren's eyes began to bubble with rage. He moved so quickly that it caught Victoria by surprise when he started to grapple with the man before him. Eren had grabbed the rifle and was struggling to gain control of it."Get up! Fight back!"
Victoria shifted only slightly on her heels, but the sound of a bullet being loaded into the chamber of the rifle made her freeze.
In a moment of opportunity, Jean suddenly took off in a sprint, running for the treeline, as a coward or to get help, Victoria wasn't sure.
In the midst of grappling with Eren, the man succeeded in aiming his rifle at Jean and pulled the trigger. The bullet zipped past Jean's head, narrowly missing him and nicking his cheek, which made him falter in his steps. All eyes then returned to Eren, who was struck in the face with the rifle's butt, sending him crashing to the ground with a heavy thud. Armin attempted to advance toward Eren, but another man quickly repositioned himself, leveling his rifle at Armin, leaving him paralyzed with fear.
"Don't even think about trying that again. Behave yourselves."
The cadets stood in stunned silence, their expressions a mix of fear and disbelief. Mina cautiously approached Jean, her eyes filled with worry as she noticed his pale complexion, which suggested he might faint at any moment. A fresh wound, a cruel reminder of the bullet that had grazed his cheek, was oozing blood and soaking into his white shirt. Although his body language screamed fear, the intensity of his gaze was locked onto the shooter, revealing a deep-seated anger. Eren, lying face down in the dirt, mirrored that fury; his green eyes glimmered with a potent blend of helplessness and rage.
"Alright!" The leader of the men called out after he was satisfied with their lack of response, "Let's get this gear packed up!"
He began to delegate tasks to a few of his men, while the rest kept their rifles pointed at the cadets' heads. Krista had successfully made her way to Victoria after a bit, intertwining her fingers with V's, holding on as if it were a lifeline. V had heard stories of thieves who stole from the military, but she never expected to face them during a training exercise. Unless this was part of the exercise?No, if it was secretly her instructors under there there's no way they would have shot Jean.
Right?
The cold barrel of a rifle pressed against her cheek. "Get up you two." This was no time to figure it out. She knew they were dangerous and had live ammunition. Fighting Titans was one thing, fighting a human being was another. And they hadn't quite reached hand-to-hand combat yet.
The hooded figures gradually rounded up all the cadets, herding them into a single area. Mina was focused on tending to Jean's injury when a rifle shot rang out, striking the ground near her. The sudden noise startled all the cadets, causing them to flinch in unison. Jean and Mina scurried to join the rest.
"That's all of 'em!" One of the lackeys called out from the trees.
"Good." The leader acknowledged his men with a nod before shifting his gaze to the students gathered in front of him. The forest around them was eerily still, a tense calm hanging in the air until he abruptly reached out and yanked Krista from V's embrace. Krista let out a small gasp, her voice caught in her throat as fear washed over her. Her hands were tightly bound, leaving her feeling vulnerable and trapped.
"What are you doing?" V tried to stand but she was backhanded to the ground.
"Once we've delivered these goods," the man replied, leveling his rifle at her as Krista was loaded into the wagon with the gear. "We'll set your friend free."
Victoria frowned deeply as she heard the chamber of the rifle click as he pulled his thumb back, ready to fire again.
"If you try to pursue us. She will pay with her life."
There was nothing any of the cadets could do as they watched the thieves ride away with their mobility gear, their horses, and Krista.
Ymir is gonna kill me.
~o~
The cold harsh moonlight shone down on the cadets as they stood on the road, watching the wagon depart into the dark shadows of the forest.
"You guys," Eren's voice trembled quietly. V strained to hear him before he exploded.
"This wouldn't have happened if you guys had stepped up to help me!" He was trembling with rage but V could see the tears in his eyes. Everyone was speechless, even Jean, with his bleeding cheek.
"We would have gotten killed, Eren," Mina's voice was stern. "They had guns pointed at us, we would have gotten shot." Her voice pitched as she pointed at Jean. "Jean did get shot, because you tried to be the hero, Eren!"
Eren didn't reply. He stared at her with fury but V could tell he didn't know what to say.
"I guess we should abort the mission," Marco said quietly resigned. Armin agreed.
"So, you're just going to give up on Krista?" Eren's eyes were cold. Victoria's own anger flared at the question.
"N-no," Marco replied anxiously. "It's not like that. Without our gear and horses, we're sitting ducks. There's nothing we can do. Let's run back to base for help and then come back."
Eren opened his mouth to speak but V beat him to it. "And if we're too late?" No one would meet her gaze, "If they decide to kill her anyway because she saw something or knew something from being too close to them? That's a 20-kilometer trip on foot, Marco!"
"You're free to give up on her, but we won't," Eren interjected, stepping beside V. "If you're too scared to try and save her, then we'll do it on our own!"
V nodded fiercely, "I couldn't do anything but sit there as they ripped Krista from me. I'm going to get her back."
Eren clasped V's hand tightly, and together they sprinted down the path, leaving behind a chorus of cadets who raised their voices in a collective outcry of protest.
"Eren!" Armin called out, "Victoria!"
"Now, hold on!" Jean stormed after them, "How do you even expect to catch them without a horse? Do you guys even have a plan?" He caught up quickly with his long legs. He grabbed Eren's collar and pulled him to a stop.
"Shut up!" Eren yanked himself out of Jean's grip. "That's none of your business, coward!"
"Of course, it's my business, you idiot," Jean flashed a determined look at Victoria, anger bubbling in the depths of his eyes. "I don't want to walk home in humiliation, either. We're saving Krista." The rest of the cadets had caught up. Mina, Armin, Marco, Connie, and Sasha; all had the same determined look.
V scanned the faces around her, taking a moment to commit each expression to memory, just in case the worst were to unfold. She felt a deep sense of respect for their courage and wanted to ensure that their bravery would never be forgotten. She would make sure Armin put this in that little notebook of his.
"Well, then. Let's get to it."
~o~
Perched atop the mountain, the cadets quickly spotted the telltale smoke rising from a campfire, confirming Sasha's insight. The elevated vantage point provided them with an unobstructed view of the landscape below. As they navigated through the gaps in the trees, their progress on foot was unexpectedly swift, while the thieves were constrained to the meandering roads. The cadets had managed to close the gap, watching as the men below took a moment to collect a cache of supplies, diligently packing more items into their wagons. Through her telescope, V spotted Krista. With her hands tied and held at gunpoint, she was being placed into yet another wagon. All the wagons appeared to be nearly indistinguishable from one another.
"Well?" V handed the telescope to Eren, who took a look himself.
"We could just rush them?" Eren offered after a moment, passing the telescope down the line of cadets.
"Not when they have all those guns," Marco countered, taking a look himself. "They'd shoot us before we even got close. We don't stand a chance like that."
A glimmer of inspiration brightened Armin's face, his expression reflecting both determination and enthusiasm. "I think I have an idea." With a calm assurance, he gently climbed down from the ledge where the cadets had been resting. As he gathered the group around him, he unveiled the map, eager to share his fresh strategy.
"So, they'll want to sell their loot as soon as possible, right?" Armin pointed to a spot on the map. "We were here when they first ambushed us." His finger followed a trail, "And we've followed them to about here."
"OK, so where's the nearest city that possibly has someone with enough influence to move a bunch of stolen military gear?" V asked, eyes flicking around the map. She was unfamiliar with Wall Rose's towns and cities.
"Odel," Armin answered, pointing to it. "It's the closest city in the region, so I'm more or less sure that's where they're heading." He pointed off towards the edge of the forest, and everyone's eyes followed. "Past this forest, the road splits in two. If they turn right, towards Odel, that's that." He sat back on his ankles, hands in the air. "It's a clear, open road. We won't be able to catch them. However..." Armin trailed off, his eyes fixed on the map, his brain working overtime.
"We can predicate their route and ambush 'em."
"How are we going to get ahead of them without horses?" Connie asked, crouching down to scrutinize the map
"We do what we've been doing," Sasha put her hand on his shoulder. "We can cut through the trees, and they'll be forced to stay on the roads which gives us a little extra time if we hurry."
Below, commotion. The wagons were starting to leave.
"Ok, Let's go!" Armin shoved the map back into his bag and took off down the cliff face, trying to stay as quiet as possible as his fellow cadets followed him.
~o~
Victoria sat high up in the branches of a tree, her eyes scanning the horizon with anticipation. The sound of rumbling wagon wheels grew louder, echoing through the air as they approached. Come on, they must be nearing Marco's location by now, she thought. Her gaze shifted to the makeshift chime hanging beside her, a clattering creation cobbled together from old food cans and frayed rope, a testament to her resourcefulness.
Mina, Connie, and Sasha had been successful in blocking off the road to Odel. With some rope and proper torque, they were able to pull a small tree down, making the road impassive. The wagons had begun to move right into their trap.
"Once if the gear is in the front wagon, twice if it's in the back, three times if it's both." She muttered Marco's instructions to herself quietly.
"Quiet now," Jean whispered, urging her to be silent. He and Eren sat beside her, perched forms tense with their gazes locked on the winding road below. Noticing the worry etched on her face, he flashed her a confident grin, as if to reassure her. The wound on his cheek had finally ceased its bleeding.
JINGLE. Once! JINGLE. Twice! There!
As the wagons rolled into view, the trio sprang into action, their adrenaline surging with the movement. Victoria, being the most agile, was the first to leap from the tree branches, her smaller stature giving her an edge in speed. Close on her heels, Jean and Eren followed suit, and together they burst through the canvas covering of the wagon, creating quite a dramatic entrance.
"What the hell!" the driver shouted, pulling on the reins and struggling to control the horse. The thieves had discarded their masks, revealing the shock etched on their faces as Jean lunged at the man in the back, forcefully knocking him out of the moving wagon with a powerful shoulder check to the chest.
"Come here, you little whelp!" Another man lunged at Eren, his intentions clear as he reached out to grab him. Eren, however, was quick on his feet, his instincts kicking in as he swiftly countered the move. With a fluid motion, he sidestepped the attack, using the assailant's momentum against him. The man stumbled forward, unable to regain his balance, and Eren seized the opportunity, delivering a precise strike that sent the attacker crashing to the ground with a thud.
Without a moment's hesitation, Eren followed, his focus unwavering. He swiftly maneuvered himself into a position of control, securing the man's arm with a firm grip. The struggle was over, and Eren's heart raced, not just from the adrenaline of the confrontation, but from the knowledge that he had successfully defended himself against a dangerous threat. The world around him faded into the background as he maintained his hold, ready to react to any further challenges that might arise.
"The driver, V," Jean shouted and Victoria was on him. She wrapped her arms around the man's neck, hands clasping together as they pressed into his windpipe. "How do you like being ambushed for a change!" She cried as she pulled the man backward out of his seat.
Eren and Jean exchanged a glance, their determination evident in their eyes as they prepared to take action. With a synchronized effort, they lifted the second man to his feet, who was struggling against their grip. Eren grabbed the fabric of the man's shirt, while Jean secured his collar, their hands gripping tightly to ensure he couldn't escape.
With a powerful heave, they lifted him off the ground, the man's feet dangling helplessly in the air. The sudden movement caught him off guard, and he let out a startled yelp. Ignoring his protests, Eren and Jean worked in unison, their muscles straining as they pivoted and aimed for the open back of the wagon.
With one final, forceful motion, they tossed him out, the man's body flying through the air before landing unceremoniously on the ground. The thud echoed in the stillness, and Eren and Jean stood at the edge, breathing heavily, their adrenaline pumping as they watched him fade into the distance. The two friends exchanged a satisfied nod, knowing they had successfully completed their mission, albeit with a bit of roughness.
The man in the wagon ahead of them was lifting his rifle toward Victoria, who still had the driver in a chokehold. The man beside him immediately began to panic. "Whoa, wait, don't!" But it was too late. The wagon passed over a hard bump as the man fired, thankfully missing his shot.
As Victoria kept the man in her grasp steady, Jean leaned forward and tried to regain control of the wagon.
"Krista!" Victoria called out, her voice filled with urgency as she watched the blonde teenager struggling to disarm the man who threatened them. The petite girl was desperately trying to wrestle the gun from his grip, despite her bound hands, but just then, another shot echoed through the air, striking the wheel spoke with a sharp crack.
The wheel gave way with a sudden, jarring crack, sending shockwaves through the entire wagon. The vehicle lurched violently to one side, causing the horses to rear back in confusion and panic. V's heart raced as she braced herself for the chaos that was about to unfold. The other wagon continued on its path, its wheels creaking rhythmically against the uneven ground.
As the wagon skidded to a halt, V's instincts kicked in. She clenched her jaw and gripped the sides of the wagon tightly, her knuckles turning white. Time seemed to slow as she prepared herself for the impending collision. The sound of splintering wood filled the air, and with a bone-rattling thud, the wagon slammed into a nearby tree. The impact reverberated through her body, and she felt herself being thrown off her feet, the world spinning around her in a dizzying blur.
For a moment, everything was chaos—branches snapping, the horses whinnying in distress, and the metallic tang of fear in the air. V landed hard on the ground, the breath knocked out of her lungs. She lay there for a heartbeat, disoriented, her mind racing to process what had just happened. But as she pushed herself up, she realized with a rush of relief that she was mostly unscathed. A few scrapes and bruises marred her skin, but nothing felt broken.
She took a moment to catch her breath, her heart still pounding in her chest. The wagon was a wreck, its wooden frame splintered and the wheel lying askew, but V was alive. She glanced around, assessing the scene. Jean and Eren were slowly climbing their way out of the wreckage. V shook her head, a mix of frustration and gratitude flooding through her. She had narrowly escaped a far worse fate, and as she stood up, brushing dirt and leaves from her clothes, she knew she had to keep moving. The journey was far from over, and she had no intention of letting a little chaos derail her plans.
The remaining cadets who had been following caught up to the wagon after a few minutes.
"You guys alright?" called out Connie, grabbing Victoria's hand to help her escape the wrecked wagon.
"Not too bad," Jean replied, leaning against the tree they had smashed into, taking a moment to catch his breath. "We got ahold of the ODM gear."
"But they still have Krista," Eren pitched in, already beginning to outfit himself with his equipment with serious haste.
"Well," Marco looked at the boxes containing their gear. "Let's go get her then."
As the cadets all suited up, Armin walked over to V, his nose buried in the map again. "Hey, do you have a flare gun?"
V glanced up from adjusting her leg straps. Lifting her hand to her jacket, she felt for the inner pocket and found the small metal pistol inside. Beside it was the case containing the different colored flare ammunition. "Well yeah, why?"
"I need to borrow it."
The cadets swiftly closed the distance to the last wagon, now armed to the teeth with their ODM gear. Victoria could almost see the thieves' wagon when she noticed the green smoke flare that Armin had launched into the air behind them. It dawned on her that Armin was attempting to signal the other group of cadets. More heavy hitters combat-wise were in that group. He was calling for backup.
Reiner.
The thought was cut short as Victoria laid eyes on the wagon. And the man pointing a gun at Krista. She snarled, teeth curling back, as she hit the trigger in her hand, flying forward as her grappling hook from the ODM gear stuck into the man's shoulder, pulling herself closer to the wagon. She disconnected at the last moment to flip around the side of it as a man fired a bullet at her. She could hear the bullet whizzing past her head as she twirled around toward the front, landing on the top of the wagon.
She was only playing distraction though, as Eren and Jean flew out of the trees above her, spinning forward on either side of the wagon and slicing the reins holding the horse in place. The beast immediately took off in another direction, frightened by the gunshots and mechanical whirls of the ODM gear, happy to escape. Victoria leaped off, following Jean and Eren as they moved out of the way.
The wagon barreled ahead, careening wildly as the driver desperately yanked at the emergency brake lever, but it was futile. With speed overwhelming control, the wagon tipped over, skidding along the ground before colliding violently with a cluster of trees.
The cadets landed, approaching the wagon cautiously.
The driver emerged from the twisted wood and fabric, clutching Krista tightly, a knife ominously poised against her throat. "Don't move!" he shouted, though his voice quivered with fear. From the debris, a second man appeared, panic etched across his face. "Wait! Stop! You can't kill her!" he pleaded. "Shut up!" the first man barked back, his grip tightening. The second man hesitated, his words faltering, yet he reluctantly aimed his rifle at the cadets, caught in a tense standoff.
"Keep your distance," The driver called out to the cadets. "And lower your weapons."
Everyone stood frozen.
"Remove your blades and ODM gear, and place them on the ground," he commanded once more. When his orders went unheeded, he escalated the situation, pressing the blade against Krista's throat, causing a trickle of blood to run down her neck, which Victoria watched in horror.
"C'mon! Make it quick!"
One by one, they started to obey, their hands gradually reaching for their buckles. The clatter of swords hitting the ground echoed around them. From her peripheral vision, Victoria noticed a flicker of motion.
As a grin spread across Victoria's face, Annie and Misaka darted out from the trees like two speeding bullets, grappling hooks embedded firmly in the earth as the teenagers ambushed the men, their blades poised dangerously at their throats.
"No, don't kill them!" Krista's voice cut through the night air.
Mikasa looked at Krista, her face betraying no emotion. "Alright," she murmured gently before stepping back. The two men fell to the ground, overwhelmed and breathless, as Krista embraced Victoria once more.
"You guys ran into trouble, huh?" Annie asked as the clop of horse hooves pulled up behind them. It was the second cadet squad. V made eye contact with Reiner, who was already staring at her concerned and... angry.
Why was he angry?
The rest of the night became a blur as the adrenaline wore off.
The once chaotic, tense scene transformed into one of somber stillness. The brigands, who had moments ago been a formidable threat, were now apprehended and taken into custody by the Military Police, their faces a mix of defeat and resignation. The flickering torches cast long shadows through the forest, illuminating the weary faces of the cadets who had fought bravely to restore order.
V stood amidst the aftermath, her mind racing with the implications of the night's events. She had seen too many lives ruined by the cycle of violence and desperation that plagued their society. As she watched the captured thieves, she recalled the words of her superiors: those who chose to cooperate and divulge details about their activities might receive some leniency. It was a glimmer of hope in a world often shrouded in darkness.
Among the captured was a man whose eyes told a story of suffering and regret. V recognized him from the ambush—the man had endured the horrors of the Titan assault when Wall Maria collapsed. The memories of that fateful day haunted many, but for this man, they were a constant reminder of his failures. Driven by desperation to provide for his daughter, he had turned to a life of crime, believing it was the only way to ensure her survival in a world that had become increasingly unforgiving.
As the man sat on the edge of a wagon, his bound hands trembling slightly, he felt the weight of his choices pressing down on him. The thought of his daughter, innocent and unaware of the darkness that surrounded them, filled him with a profound sense of guilt. In a moment of clarity, he decided to share everything he knew.
He finally understood that his actions had consequences, not just for himself but for the community he had betrayed.
With a deep breath, he began to recount the details of the brigands' operations—their hideouts, their connections, and the network that had allowed them to thrive in the shadows. Each word he spoke was laced with the pain of his past, but also with a flicker of hope for redemption. He knew that by cooperating, he might not only save himself but also protect his daughter from the life he had chosen.
V listened intently, her heart heavy with empathy. She recognized the man's struggle, the desperation that had driven him to make these choices. She watched the commanding officers listen intently to every word, nodding empathically.
When all was said and done, the whole excursion ended without a single causality.
~o~
After the cadets were released from questioning, they returned to boot camp. The cadets rode together, along with an escort of officers. Shadis was already well informed of the situation upon the student's return.
Victoria lingered near the entrance of the mess hall, observing the flurry of activity as her comrades dispersed in different directions. Armin and Mikasa hurried away to file their reports, while Eren dashed off in search of a shower, and a few others made a beeline for the food line. Amidst the chaos, Victoria couldn't shake the feeling of being watched and turned her gaze to Reiner, who was once again fixated on her with an intensity that piqued her curiosity.
Taking a deep breath, she walked over to him.
"Hey," was all she managed to say under his scrutinizing gaze.
"Hello," he said, his eyes momentarily drawn to the scar on her forehead and the bruise that was starting to form beneath it. "I, uh, have something I'd like to ask you." He locked his gaze back onto hers, and the feelings swirling within them sent a chill down her spine. He remained quiet, his intense stare probing deeper into her eyes. She raised an eyebrow, anticipation building as she waited for him to continue.
"Why did you go after Krista?" he finally said.
Victoria's brow furrowed. "Wait, I'm confused. You know why, I know Armin filled you in."
Reiner nodded. "He did. But he also said you and Eren were the first two to step up, and even recklessly took off without the rest of the group. Why?"
"Why don't you go ask Eren?" she replied, venom dripping unconsciously into her tone. "Since you two seem to be so buddy-buddy."
Reiner frowned now, his thick eyebrows shadowing his eyes. "What were two lone cadets going to do? What was your plan? The thieves said they would not harm her."
"And you believe them?" Victoria's anger was palpable, a storm brewing within her. "Did you see what they did to her neck? The way you're speaking suggests it would have been wiser to just walk away from her. Maybe, but I'm not wired that way, Reiner. I won't turn my back on my friends."
Her eyes locked onto his, fierce and unwavering. "Would you have left me behind?"
His uncertainty and hesitation spoke volumes, leaving Victoria feeling frustrated as she turned sharply on her heel and fled back to her cabin. She could hear Reiner call after her as she walked but V refused to turn around. He didn't follow.
It was just another disappointing chapter in a day that had already been filled with shitty challenges.
