Fandom Attack on Titan: Chapter II

[Harley Quinn]

Hana raised her head back up. “Oh haha, I’m fine” letting out a awkward laugh, she forced a small smile. Her Face was almost completely red. “Are you okay?” She looked down at the hand on her shoulder then back up at Nik’s face

 

[Flame Demon]

Victoria silently listens to the conversations around her, she didn't have anything to say at the moment, what was there to say after all this. She looks at Lucas and says "You know, we have to survive the training first", surviving training wouldn't be a problem for her, she knew that, but some cadets were pretty traumatized.

 

[Allo]

The whole incident, Astrid wasn't shaken by any means. Yes, death was terrible and being eaten by a Titan was terrible as well. But... Astrid just couldn't bring herself to be sad or scared. It just wasn't in her nature. Taking a deep breath as she entered the stables, she walked towards the horse she would frequently ride, she had quite the attachment to it. "Did you see that, hmm?" She talked to the horse as her small hands ran over the snout of the brown horse.
"That's what happens when you underestimate them..." She mumbled, giving the most discreet of smiles as the horse chewed on her light pink hair. "At least you don't have to worry about being eaten by them, do you?" She asked, not expecting an answer. As she left the stables, she saw the carriage and Niklas consoling Hana. "What should we do about the body? Bury it? Burn it? Prep it for transport to the family?"

 

[Two Fives]

Niklas nods at Hana. Unconvincingly, uneasily. "Yeah, yeah," grumbles Nik as he settles down in the carriage, "I'll manage. Still got my head, after all. Just need some sleep. Hopefully that titan won't be in my nightmares."

He sees a woman approach their carriage, a woman whose eyes are the colour of amber rock, "We're only cadets," he tells Astrid, inviting her into their carriage with a wave of one hand. "The body we'll leave to Drill Sergeant Dave and the officials. Wall Maria help her family... those who knew her, through this. Can only imagine what they'll go through when the news finally catches up with them. Haven't seen you around before. I'm Niklas Dok. Nik for short. Who are you?"

 

[Allo]

She placed a blanket over the body, her eyelashes fluttering against her cheekbones. Turning back to the carriage and climbing in, eyes half lidded as Niklas introduced himself to her. "Astrid Haraug... You probably haven't seen me because I try not to stand out." She said calmly as she crossed her arms and sat down. Sighing, she looked back up at him. He had striking eyes, pretty ones too. "I don't talk to many people, but due to the circumstances..." She shrugged, running her pale hand through the rose gold hair. "I might as well." She shrugged, her expressionless eyes making eye contact with his. "I'm from Shiganshina... Aiming for Survey Corps." Astrid introduced herself, before looking down at the brown and slightly tattered boots she wore.

 

[Two Fives]

"Karanes District," informs Niklas. Sighing, he looks her in the eye and trades several glances and then some with her, sapphire for amber, and continues speaking, "Surprising. Spoken to some of the other cadets and all of them want nothing to do with the Scout Regiment now. Not after that. They're hoping for the Military Police. And if that's out of reach, the Garrison." The Thoroughbred horses are moving now, pulling the carriages and carts with the cadets in them, and clouds of dust spill out from under their hooves.

 

[Allo]

"I could easily get into the Military Police if I wanted to, but..." She scrunched her nose, her eyes trailing from the dirt that the carriage left behind to the eyes of Niklas once more. "It wouldn't really give my life meaning, and it wouldn't put my skills to use." She explained as she slightly leaned forward. "The Garrison? Maybe, but I don't really want to just sit on a wall all day. I'm done living like livestock." She had a faint smile on her face. "Scout Regiment, I can fight for humanity you know? I want to see whats beyond these walls besides man eating machines. There's got to be something better than the walls that hide the sunset."

 

[Two Fives]

"You think highly of yourself," remarks Niklas, finding his balance on his backside after one of the carriage wheels grinds its way roughly over a slab of rock, "Can't say the same for me. Not sure I have what it takes to be in the top ten."

The metaphor Astrid uses to describe humanity, 'livestock', makes the young man muse over his thoughts for a minute or two. The comparison is strange but true nonetheless. That's what they are, in a sense. "That's one way to look at it," he reasons, "And we'll be seeing what lies beyond those Walls soon enough. I'll see it with you, Astrid. They might've decided to abandon the Scout Regiment... but I haven't. Humanity needs us. Humanity needs us to fight, as you said." Fight.

 

[Allo]

"I do think highly of myself. If I were to think anything less, I wouldn't be able to use my full potential. That would make me a half-assed soldier in return, and I can't have that." Her amber eyes narrowed at Niklas, before they returned to normal. "Also, the secrets. Secrets of Humanity. I seek to uncover them." Her own explanation on that is something that she would keep to herself, she had already let this person get to know too much about her. "I think you have what it takes to be in the top ten. If you think about it, all you need is results." Her voice gave a gentle hum at the end, her voice lingering just a second longer.

"Study, focus, demonstrate... But the second you let fear over take you like most cadets did back there, it will just make you weak. Fear makes you weak no? Makes you stop in your tracks and hesitate. Except that Titans don't hesitate to kill. Keep that in mind when you train or encounter another titan."

 

[Two Fives]

"I don't think fear makes you weak," argues the young man. Nik rubs his chin, thoughtfully, musing Rin the Researcher's words over before all of the screams and shrieks following Samantha Smith come into earshot, "Didn't you hear her back there? She said being scared... having fear... that was the difference between life and death. Figured that must've meant fight or flight, you know? We're livestock, like you said. Animals. Fight or flight, it keeps us on the edge, keeps us pumped with adrenaline. Keeps us moving even when our minds aren't with us, when our muscles have burned out."

 

[Allo]

"I think it does. I think it makes you stuck between decided to fight or flee. I can't have that." She looked up at the ceiling of the carriage, shaking her head. "Anyways, that's just what I think. But then again, I'm the type of person who decides to save their own skin over others if I'm forced to make the choice." Astrid winked at him, crossing one leg over the other with her arms crossed as well. She wasn't lying, she was fighting for her own future at this point. He had his reasons for joining the Corps just as she did. She wouldn't blame him if he was just like her, or any of the other cadets. She just couldn't see herself sacrificing her life for someone else, not when she had so much to fight for.

"Wake me up when we're there." She ended her little conversation for him, closing her eyes and leaning her head back to catch some shut eye.

 

[Two Fives]

Agree to disagree, he muses. He muses some more over her words. She understands that he has his reasons and he understands too that she has hers. "At least you're honest," he replies, "Nobody wants to die, this is true. But things happen, especially when push comes to shove. My grandfather used to tell me you only know someone's character, their true character, in the moments before their passing. You say this now... but, maybe, you'll find yourself giving up your life to save someone you care about. Only Wall Maria knows."

When Astrid decides to retire to sleep, Niklas nods at her request, saying, "Will do," before he turns, sliding back one of the carriage windows, taking in meadows and molehills as they blur with speed, passing them by as a vague scape of vivid colour.

 

[Flame Demon]

Victoria glances at her bag with books, but decides not to read one right now, she looks at Niklas "Is it weird, that after seeing that I made up my mind to join the Scouts?" she asks, since her aunt had sigbed her up as heer daughter instead of niece there was no question asked that if she wanted to live a boring. But she wasn't going to let anymore cadets die "Any idea whst the exercise was?" she asds

 

[Two Fives]

"Kind of," comments Niklas at Victoria. "Why's that?" He rubs his chin. It's becoming a habit. Slender, bony fingers scratch at the film of stubble that covers his jawline like a sketchy shadow. And at her question, the young cadet simply shrugs, murmuring, "No idea. Guess you'll have to ask Drill Sergeant Dave. Might always be a mystery. Doesn't look like the Cadet Corps that come after us will know either. Maybe that's for the best."

 

[Flame Demon]

"My aunt wants me in the military police where I'm save" Victoria says "My parents don't even know I joined the military, so my aunt said I'm her daughter, kind of to ensure I will be save if I fail to make the top 10", she looks down so her hair is hiding her eyes "My parents live in the outer wall, I wanna protect them and everyone I care about" she whispers, not sure if Niklas heard that "When I saw that I just... felt like I lost all feelings".

 

[Two Fives]

"Sounds complicated," Niklas remarks to Victoria. The afternoon blue becomes an evening red, the sky's clouds making way for a coming sunset. Their carriage rocks side to side, pulling across the landscape, now cast over in stretches of red shadow, "I want to protect the people I care about too. That's why I'm here. I think that's why a lot of us our here. Especially those who still want to join the Scout Regiment... after that."

 

[Flame Demon]

"I doubt there will be many" Victoria says, still not touching her bag of books, reading won't take her mind of things now "I think everyone will be siming for the top 10 now, at least, those who want to live a boring life"

 

[Allo]

She sighed, unable to sleep with all the talking. "Eh? A boring life?" She asked, opening one eye. Even with the one eye open, she sent an intense piercing glare towards the both of them. "Sure, most people are aiming for the top 10 with the military police, but if you think about it." She adjusted herself in her seat, opening her eyes. "The only reason the military police is reserved for the top 10 is because the interior is small. Smaller than Wall Rose and Wall Maria. They don't have enough room. Logically, the Military police only investigate. They have nothing to do with titans." She shrugged, running a hand through her hair.
"If anything, to be in the scout regiment you should be in the Top 10. You're facing off Titans head on. That's more risky than Military Police... Then again, everyone believes people are joining the Scout Regiment to just die."

 

[Flame Demon]

"Exactly what my aunt thought when she met my uncle" Victoria says with a slight smile "They told me all avout how they met" she adds, her smile growing bigger at the memories "Then they got stuck with me while my parents renovate the house and here I am. Took some convincing when it came to my aunt about letting me join though"

 

[Two Fives]

"Agree with you there, Astrid. The best humanity has to offer should be facing the titans. The best of the best. The crème de la crème, so to speak," Niklas agrees with a sigh, "Not hiding in the interior. It's backwards, really. Suppose that's the way things are though. Can't really do much to change it, can you?"

He nods at Victoria, managing half a smile as she recounts a memory or two of her past, and settles his back against an oaken wall of the carriage, rolling his shoulder blades, then grunting at the discomfort, "Guessing this is why you can't sleep? Actually, maybe it was us two yapping away."

 

[Allo]

"Ah, well that's where you're lucky Victoria. You have someone who tried to stop you because they care for you... I don't have any family, really... So." She shrugged, her eyes closing when she sighed. She was mentally slapping herself for revealing so much about her.
"It's whatever. I don't sleep very often anymore to begin with." She shrugged, her brows furrowing in the process as she looked out of the carriage. Sighing, the rolled her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm a tad bit hungry though, not gonna lie. But hey..." She turned her head to Niklas, pushing a lock of her hair behind her ear.
"When are we getting to our destination? What are we doing anyways?" Astrid asked as she readjusted herself. "It's like the higher ups never want to tell us anything..."

 

[Two Fives]

He shrugs at Astrid, murmuring a short while after, "They're higher up. That's what they do. Keep us down low in the shadows. Doesn't look like we're far off, mind you. That landmark, over there, the hills, I recgonise them."

Looking out of the carriage with her, he sees animals, a rangale of deer in the wild, their heads lowered to the earth, sniffing flowers and other forms of flora as nature works her magic. The evening deepens its ruddy colours, the advent of sunset ever so near in the horizon. Clouds, a silvery orange against a backdrop of scarlet sky, drift to and fro like an ocean's waves. It's so beautiful.

 

[Loki The Trickster]

The Lawrence's carriage comes across a hill or two and, with a thwack of a wheel, one of them draws him out of his short sleep. Startled, he eyes everything around him, not yet making sense of it all. Slowly but surely, however, it comes back to him... Samantha Smith. He wipes drool from the corner of his mouth, then wipes it again from his knuckles onto his trouser leg. Lucas isn't the classy sort, sad to say.

The young man looks out of his carriage window too, a hand propped above his brow to shadow his eyes from evening's red light. Greens of the meadow, in the sunset's glorious rays, have become red... become so red one could mistake the swathe for a field of poppies. How symbolic.

 

[Coco Adel]

Danira overhears the others conversation and sighs "Well, what exactly were you expecting? They're human, no one on this earth wants to die and if they don't have to put themselves at risk, why would they? To them, we all just look crazy. We have more than enough land and the walls keep us safe from those monsters so what is the point of venturing beyond the walls?" She looks up at the sky as they continue to walk to their destination "Freedom is overrated and if it comes down between that and survival they're going to pick the ladder. Freedom, courage the human spirit are all nice words and concepts, but when it comes down to it most people are cowards, they take the path of least resistance so of course, people would do their best just to run to the interior. It's the furthest away they'll get from the outside." She shrugs "Personally I can't say if I'm brave if I have courage or carry the human spirit. I'm just paranoid I guess and sitting in a wall hoping nothing bad will happen does nothing for my anxiety...not that aI think the walls will last forever...the wall priests refuse to let anyone touch them...the walls have been around for what? 50 years with no maintenance maybe not in our lifetime but someday if things don't change those things are definitely coming down."

Allo
Two Fives

 

[Loki The Trickster]

"Well said," Lucas grumbles to Danira. His voice is gruff and groggy. That's to be expected of anyone five or so minutes from dreamworld. "The walls might come down. Not in our lifetime though. Later rather than sooner. And that's all that matters to them, they who want a place in the top ten for the Military Police. Why throw yourself to the titans if you don't have to, right? Would wager that's their mindset. Not much you can do about that."

He tries to make himself comfortable in his carriage but with each and every tug of the horses it becomes increasingly more difficult. "Never thought I'd say this," He swallows hard, "but I miss the barracks."