Fandom Attack on Titan: Birds of Paradise

[Moonlessite]

MENTIONS: Raiden [Luka], alexfangtalon [Anke], jrink [Katsu]

​

Slowly but surely, everything was going to shit. What was to be expected? They were all just recruits; the closest thing they had fought compared to Titans were just wacky cardboard cutouts. Many of them hadn’t even experienced anything akin to war and loss. Elke, for instance, was one of Shiganshina’s survivor, but even she was stunned at the loss of one of their own.

It all became worse when Luka went to support Elke. One of the Titans had loomed too close, drawing the boy’s attention. Luka’s attempted slaying of the beast had gone painfully awry, and within sheer moments he was splayed on one of the roofs in a muddled mess. Why were they all faltering? Most of the platoon nearly graduated in the top ten, and even she, who had made it to that prestigious title, didn’t know what the hell to do. Vivian just knew she had to act before it was too late.

Grinding her teeth, Vivian took to the air again. Katsu was preoccupied with another Titan, so he wouldn’t be able to deal with this one. But… before she knew it, the Titan that had been previously been focused on Luka had loped after Anke. A distraction. That was what they needed. She silently thanked the younger girl as she landed on the rooftop where Luka was.

“Luka, get the hell up!” Vivian roared as she roughly shook the boy. He was the leader of their squadron; they needed him conscious. “We need you on your feet!”

Her gaze flitted back to Anke and Katsu. Damn it, if Elke was functional at the moment, she would have sent her to help them out. Vivian cursed under her breath. She couldn’t stay until he woke up. She had to help the other two, unless she wanted them to end up like Viktor. Standing back up to her full height, she shot one of her hooks into the nearest wall and tailed after Anke and the other Titan. Luckily, it was distracted— she placed another hook into its shoulder and swung around to cut its nape, but the force of her trajectory, despite it being just enough to fell the devil, had wrenched her left wrist in a painful direction.

Vivian landed on another rooftop, nearly stumbling to her knees in the process. Drenched in sweat and having taken down two Titans in the matter of minutes, she was all but exhausted. “Anke! Help Katsu out!” she called out towards the blonde. She had done all she could for the time being— she only hoped that Luka would be up and at it by the time they needed him.

 

[Arcanist]

Jo Schreiber
Mentions: Raiden (Luka), Colorless Spectrum (Laurie) || Interactions: homintales (Sera), . D O V E (Gwen), Demon Shinobi (August), alexfangtalon (Heiko)

(commission by @kalatl!)​

Every soldier performed their role with the precision of steady-handed surgeons. August first as he sliced through the Titan’s Achilles’ tendon, their literal pound of flesh. Gwen didn’t hesitate when it came to the other leg, cutting the knee, then the ankle. The Titan started swaying then, too slow to consider the disabling attacks. Sera, the final piece, even if she had sauntered up to the nape like someone at a bar clearly looking for a good time, was the one to administer the final blow.

All cuts struck swift and clean, and yet, the blood that sprayed from the Titan – strange that they bled just like them – the way the Titan struggled to get onto its feet, it reminded her of how a butcher cleaved and hacked. Butchering did them no good here. Neither did lulling.

Jo allowed herself a brief sigh of relief. “Nice one, guys!” She shouted to the others with encouragement, though, felt her hand tremble slightly on her blades. That hand came too close, she realised. Already she was lying to Laurie about keeping herself safe. She didn’t doubt this squad, but she didn’t desire to leave them without a leader. The goggled girl looked to her comrades, who celebrated as if the battle had already been won. She wished she could partake in the same optimism. The reverberation of large feet, screaming pleads, they all served as a reminder that this was certainly no training exercise.

It was real.

Jo turned, intending to gather them all again and knock some reality back into them, only for August to turn to her guidance once again. She could feel the others’ gazes, their stances renewed with vigour. “Stick with our current plan,” Jo told them, turning to look at the 15 meter that had evaded their grasps. “We might be able to carry out a similar plan again since it’s facing away from us. But,” she added, “I'm keeping side-on in case anything goes wrong. If we're taking it down, we need to be quick about it. I don’t need to tell you to keep your wits about you. Now, let’s go!”

Jo ran forward, grappling hooks whizzing and gas hissing as she propelled forward in front once again towards the Titan that evaded them. She frowned to herself. She wasn’t sure how long this plan was going to hold up. She could sense plenty of those things coming from behind them and travelling in the big group that they were would only attract them more.

Yet, she couldn’t help but feel safer in these numbers.

 

[Raiden]

​

---

Central Trost District — Battle of Trost District, 850
Interactions: M Moonlessite (Vivian & Elke), jrink (Katsu), alexfangtalon (Anke), Arcanist (Lena)
Mentions: N/A
​

A ringing sensation deafened his ears as Luka was unable to lift his head from the confines of his forearm, only managing to slump his body to the right side almost involuntarily. His arms remained locked in place while stars swarmed his vision, his eyes rolling within their sockets. They barely made out the face of Vivian when his silver-haired squadmate tried to shake him back into consciousness, responding with unintelligible murmuring. When he finally began to recover after her departure, the mind bomb of dizziness continued to addle his mind; where... am I? He looked up towards the cloudy sky that dampened his hair, prompting the boy to flick the hood back on and wipe the rainfall that trickled down his face. All of the screams brought him back to Trost District, where danger threatened to envelop them.

Luka was slow to rise, having to crutch himself against one of his blades in order to return to a standing position. The remnants of Squad 26 were attempting to keep the ten-meter Titan preoccupied in an effort to assist the panicked Elke, all while humanity's formation was a crumbling structure; already, the other numerous squads were abandoning the front line, leaving them and the dead behind without a second thought. Trost's military headquarters stood as a bastion against the breach, and in a matter of moments, it was going to come under attack from the encroaching Titans. We'll lose it all if they take that much ground so quickly. To make matters worse, it was their only rearmament zone, and it'd been endlessly drilled into their brains that being on foot in the proximity of Titans was practically a death wish.

Quickly ensuring that his canisters were tightly secured to prevent leakage, Luka tapped his knuckles against the right tube to gauge his air supply, clicking his tongue out of frustration. I've already used too much gas, but I should be fine for another engagement. They were due a resupply from the support squad within the next ten minutes, provided that their rendezvous point and safe route wasn't now disrupted by the invasion. The soldier stood up straight and focused past the fresh carcass, narrowing his brow towards the six-meter Titan that drew close to Anke. It was in that moment that Luka realized his misjudgement; six more towering monstrosities lumbered in their direction under the rainfall's guise, soon to arrive. There's no time to deal with this one. With this in mind, he set off from the rooftop and sank his hooks into its forehead. He had to consume more gas than usual to ensure that he would be faster than its reflexes, veering past its outstretched arms and embedding both of his blades directly into its eyes.

"They're going to overwhelm our position!" Luka made the call towards his squadmates after the six-meter Titan's agonizing roar, motioning for their attention as he detached the blades from his controller grips. "We're pulling back! On me!"

He didn't bother waiting for any second opinions if they were had, immediately turning and leaping away before the Titan's hands came up to its face. Luka tried to limit his gas usage through the flight, but his lack of expertise in the omni-directional mobility gear made the feat rather difficult as he soared through the street. The headquarters towered over all of the buildings around them from the distance; they were still quite far from the castle, but they couldn't afford to fragment the frontline any further. Soon, they would have to stand and fight once more, but he couldn't help but think that they needed a miracle to come out of the struggle alive. "Just when will this storm come to an end?" Luka cursed, bringing his eyes to the sky when another roar of thunder filled the district.

*Disclaimer: The map of Trost District is not indicative of its actual size; it's solely for reference. Realistically, the district is two to three times larger than what is shown.*
​

---

SQUAD 19
Mentions: Arcanist (Joanna), homintales (Sera), . D O V E (Gwen), Demon Shinobi (August), KaramelKarma (Jericho & Fiona), alexfangtalon (Heiko)
​

As Squad 19 prepared to mobilize against the fifteen-meter Titan that seemed to be the last within their proximity, any premature celebrations would be short-lived. A pot-bellied twelve-meter Titan with a black bowl cut waltzed into the plaza from the central streets at a hastened pace compared to other Titans. Its arms were stretched out towards their squad leader, its right arm raising above its shoulder as it closed the distance. It let out a yell as its hand swiped down, attempting to swat Joanna and her grappling hooks from the air.

Three more Titans approached from the same direction; a four-meter and a ten-meter Titan followed after Joanna's assailant, while a fifteen-meter Titan threatened to surround Squad 19 from the southeast vicinity. The risk of more Titans overwhelming their position after taking the center is a concern that causes several preceding squads to begin falling back.

---

SQUAD 47
Mentions: ShadyLady (Nina), Colorless Spectrum (Laurence & Noah), Danidify (Elyse), SpookyBones (Milo), Castello (Leon)
​

Though Squad 47 hadn't been poised to meet a substantial force in the invasion's initial stages, the situation would quickly come to a head as the central formation of the frontline crumbled. On the adjacent street, five surviving soldiers from two combined squads found themselves entirely surrounding by four Titans, with the earlier ten-meter Titan confirming its Abnormal status when it sprang from Squad 47's vicinity to consume one of their last members in mid-air. Gulping down its meal, it continued to ignore Squad 47 and move towards the inner wall on its fours, disappearing around a corridor. It was only a matter of time before those four Titans- two thirteen-meters, an eight-meter, and a six-meter, finished off the remaining survivors and turned their attention to Nina's team.

The ten-meter Titan that held Leon in its grasp began to raise the boy towards its mouth, mere moments away from consuming him.

Meanwhile, a lone fifteen-meter class Titan that was once outside of their field of view waddled towards Squad 47. Its features, no longer obfuscated by the rain, stood out from a majority of the other Pure Titans. The fifteen-meter Titan didn't have a single strand of hair on its head, its nose as deeply sunken as its dark eyelids. The skin and flesh surrounding its jaw was lacking, giving it a gaping maw and proudly displaying two rows of bloodied teeth. Upon further inspection, one could spot the mangled remains of two soldiers hanging from its particularly sharp incisors and below a long, exposed tongue. The Titan's well-proportioned body mass seemingly twitched as it slowly drew closer and closer to Squad 47, as if excited for the prelude to slaughter. Its colorless pupils cycled between each of them before they landed upon Laurence.

---

Lower Trost District — Battle of Trost District, 850
Interactions: N/A
Mentions: ShadyLady (Nina), Castello (Leon)
​

The minutes dragged on, and with each second, the soldier only became more complacent about his assignment. Not even the sounds of the storm could drown out the heartbeat that pounded in his ears, calling upon him to act now. Though Hal obviously couldn't make out what was occuring on the frontline, it didn't stop the questions from piling onto his psyche: just how was he going to serve humanity from the backline? Was the evacuation nearly completed yet? How many Titans were there on the frontline? Had any of his allies already gotten eaten? The last contemplation forced his fist tightly around the controller grip, his brow furrowed down in mounting frustration. No chance. They're better than fodder. Yet, even that slight ounce of optimism quickly diminished like woes in the rainfall. Everything about the scenario angered him, and he wasn't going to accept it any longer. They won't make it without me... they need me.

"Fuck this," Hal came to a standing position from his post, the sudden brandish of his blades alerting the other three Garrison soldiers who were his seniors. "O-OI! Cadet, where are you-?!" he could only make out their initial reactions before their voices became another drop of water, feeling his heart whirl to life like the mechanics in his omni-directional mobility gear. From street to street, he crossed over many rooftops to move forward, barely able to make out the distant figures of fellow soldiers. Why are they retreating? There's no way the Titans've pushed that far so quickly!

Realizing that it was necessary to assume the worst scenario, Hal took a deep breath and attempted to acclimate to his surroundings. Though it was incredibly stupid to traverse the district on his own with Titans running amok, he knew that his battle skill and aptitude with the gear would keep him alive; any sort of doubt or fear had completely erased itself. "I just need these blades, the gear, and a lot of air," he adamantly reassured himself, the corner of his lips curling into a short smile. His figure flew underneath of an overpass and swung far up into the air for a better view, casting his eyes towards the direction of where Squad 47 was meant to be. Nina's not dumb enough to get anyone killed, but Leon? The dark-haired boy felt compelled to stop that imbecile from attempting something foolhardy, but the two of them were nearly cut from the same cloth in that regard. Leon, if you go and get yourself killed, well... I'll kill you.

From his aerial perspective, Hal was quick to gauge the distance between him and the frontline, reminding himself that he wouldn't have to worry about his gas supply for the time being. He simply required to be efficient with his usage for the remainder of the trek to Leon, and it would be rectified by the support squads from the headquarters. His smile widened into that of a grin; finally, he was going to avenge the tragedy from that day. None of his friends would die, and nothing could stop him.

Until his omni-directional mobility gear suddenly sputtered a terminating breath.

*Disclaimer: The map of Trost District is not indicative of its actual size; it's solely for reference. Realistically, the district is two to three times larger than what is shown.*
​

 

[Arcanist]

Jo Schreiber
Mentions: -| Interactions: homintales (Sera), . D O V E (Gwen), Demon Shinobi (August), alexfangtalon (Heiko)

(commission by @kalatl!)​

How wrong she was to feel safety in large numbers. How ironic it was that she instructed others to keep their wits about them, and yet, she couldn’t seem to take her own advice. When she took notice of the twelve-metre, she expected it to be the average, lumbering husk of flesh she had witnessed before.

“Four to the right!” She warned her comrades, intending to outmanoeuvre the twelve metre.

Jo found out, much too late, that this one was far too eager to let her simply swing away.

Even as the executioner’s hand came swinging down, Jo’s eyes followed its trajectory. Panic threatened to cloud her decision making. She forced herself to stay present in the moment, even though she felt like her stomach was about to drop out of her. This was a make or break decision, a risky one, but she felt she had no other choice.

Another burst of gas sent Jo propelling forward as she leaned back, her wires hissing as she retracted them. She raised her blades above her, and just as she had guessed – never hoped, for it was never a thing to hope for – shadowed fingers loomed above her. She counted three fingers that she sliced through, but she wasn’t determined to look back as she heard blood stream from behind her.

No looking back. No thinking about it. She shot out her hooks at a nearby chimney, propelling towards it and swinging around it.

No way they could take on this many.

“Everyone, we’re falling back!” Jo shouted over the hiss of gas. Regroup, recover.

Were any of her group even still alive?

 

[Colorless Spectrum]

Laurence Arnault

The was a nagging feeling in the back of his mind, a worry in his chest. He was antsy, and if he could have the liberty of tapping his foot he would have. Focus. Laurie reminded himself, it wasn't the best time to be absent-minded. He could see the steam from the Titan they had just killed through the corner of his eye. They got through it, but it was no time to celebrate yet, it was only one and there are many more.

It's been a minute or perhaps less, either way, it was more than enough time that they should spare to recuperate. Amidst the pour of the rain and the thundering of the sky, Laurie was still able to a faint scream. Four Titans feasting on another squad. Just seeing them even from a distance made his heart sank even further. Can any of them survive this? Can he? I have to try. She told me to live. She told me to stay safe. They should go and inform the others.

Turning to face Noah and Milo, "Alright, there are four titans near our vicinity and it looks like we're the nearest squad so it might turn their attention to us. We should tell the rest of the Squad-"

The shake of their surroundings had taken his attention, forgetting his words. Where did it come from? How did it get here? Questions that ran in his mind. What's worse was that it was heading straight to them. A shiver went down his spine as the Titan's eyes locked on him. "Milo, Noah, you both should go." He said, never taking his eyes off the bald Titan. "I'll try to lure it away from the Squad."

"Laurie, no!" Noah spoke with gritted teeth. Shaking Laurie's shoulder, as if it could help in changing his mind.

"Noah, you've used up most of your gas, and Milo is injured. I think it's best if I grab its attention and leave, you both go back to Nina and the others because even if we try to fight it, well, I think we'll just get killed." Laurie said back, pushing off the younger teen's hand. "I'll be careful. What do say, Milo?"

mention: Danidify Castello ShadyLady || interaction: SpookyBones

 

[homintales]

Sera Mayer
Mentions: Arcanist alexfangtalon . D O V E
Interaction(s): Demon Shinobi ​

Things were just starting to get interesting. Why… why is there always some unseen force that makes its goal to ruin everything for Sera as soon as things start to go well? Sera would ponder that once the current situation was resolved. If it was resolved.

Sera, still standing next to August, watched as the five Titans, large and small, continued to move towards Squad 19’s position. One quick paced Titan, standing at twelve meters tall, attempted to get a strike on Jo.

Thankfully, Squad 19's leader was able to quickly escape from the attack and also managed to slice through a few fingers in the process, and without requiring any assistance too. It was an impressive scene, not that anyone possessed the time to praise it.

Jo, now maneuvering away from the area, gave the order for Squad 19 to retreat from the immediate area. Sera, who, only a few seconds ago was under the impression the squad would also get to take out the 15 meter Titan, wore a frown.

She understood and agreed with the order. They were clearly required to withdraw from the area, as long as they wanted to survive, anyway. But even so… Disappointment was the only thing Sera could feel in that moment.

Before running away to follow in Jo’s footsteps, Sera, speaking quickly since they were running low on time, nonchalantly nudged August in his side. “You might w-want to try moving faster than usual... and try not to stay close to the others when f-following. Titan’s chances to grab us are lowered if we stay separated. Something tells me there’s even m-more Titans in the area.”

With the advice given, Sera proceeded to jump from the rooftop and chased after Jo. Her canisters were starting to feel somewhat light, which was certainly not a good sign. Hopefully Jo would allow them to return to HQ soon so they could all resupply.

 

[. D O V E]

Gwen Bulwark​

If the outcome of an unfavorable situation seems too good to be true, chances are it probably is. Gwen watched with raised brows as more and more titans began swarming their area. Sure, her members were decently capable at the job, but it was undeniable that even them wouldn't be able to hold the position any longer.

As Gwen maneuvered away from the oncoming giants, she caught sight of Jo cutting through a titan's attack. Good thing she survived; Gwen wasn't really keen on naming a baby after her.

It wasn't long before Jo gave out her order for retreat. The titans were relatively slower compared to ODMGs. They probably could make it to a safer area so long as they don't get ambushed on the way. After taking a glance at the monsters behind and her teammates who were busy flying off, Gwen tightened her grips and grinned at herself. 'It's now or never!'

With that, the woman propelled herself into one of the residence's open windows. She landed with a roll and ran for the aperture at the other side, her direction clear- southbound. If anyone were to see her right now, they would certainly question her choice. What madness had invoked her to split from her group and possibly take on numerous giants by herself? But then again, she was Gwen Bulwark- a woman full of mad decisions.

Thunder pealed and her skin met the coldness of rain once more as she jumped out of the opening, shooting out hook after hook and latching onto buildings after buildings thereafter. While it was true that she has been training with the ODMG ever since she was young, she was still aware that her chances of surviving this endeavor were slim. Her plan was to avoid an encounter with the titans while at the same time saving as much gas as she could.

All this was foolish, yes. If everything goes south, she'll die; though, Gwen knew for a fact it hardly matters. If she fails her mission and returns to the other side of the wall, she knows a fate worse than death will be waiting for her.

Tags: Demon Shinobi Arcanist homintales alexfangtalon KaramelKarma (Squad 19)

 

[ShadyLady]

Interactions: Colorless Spectrum (Laurie and Noah) Danidify (Elyse) Castello (Leon) SpookyBones (Milo)
Mentions:​

Control was slipping through her fingers. Any grasp on the situation she hoped she could maintain was gone at the mere sprawl of a tragedy waiting to happen. Nina’s stomach dropped, plunging at the scene being painfully illustrated before her. Splashes of crimson painted the roof, each a dire brushstroke of dread against her, mottling her canvas of a mind with a burgeoning disquietude. The calling of her name and the crackling of thunder shoved her back into her unfortunate reality as she sparked into action again. Nina ran, wind lashing and rain pelting her form as she sprung off the roof. Grapples latched into bricks and then skin, gas spurring the redhead forward and up into the air where her blades cleaved down on the nape, ending the Titan threatening her side of the group in a fell swoop.

While it wasn’t good practise to kill using friends as an almost sacrifice, it’d been enough for now. Nina tumbled down onto the roof alongside the recently departed Titan. The soldier rolled, breaking her fall the best she could as she landed near Elyse and Leon with a wince and gritted teeth. She expected to see the blooming of bruises on her skin later, if she even managed to live that long. Her gaze landed on Leon, his form still trapped in the grasp of the readily decaying Titan. Cutting him free, she levelled him a stare, frosty eyes narrowing at him. A part of her wanted to spit venom, hiss and give Leon a verbal lashing for his recklessness, but she refrained, held back with the tethering thought alone that at least things hadn’t gone as pear shaped as they could've.

“Let’s not throw our lives away so easily.” Nina commented dryly, glancing between Leon and Elyse with a quiet relief as she switched her now blunted blades with a fresh pair. Shifting on her feet, Nina helped free Leon and moved to practically hoist Elyse up, offering the young woman all the support she could spare. A nagging doubt warned her that the brunette would likely be unable to carry on fighting without proving to be more of a liability, let alone make it out without suffering further injuries or a crueler fate.

Turning to peer at the other half of her squad some houses down, Nina’s breath caught, stuttering to a halt at the sight of more Titans. Were they really supposed to stay here no matter what? The redhead's expression betrayed her thoughts, muted from the turmoil and cast in the beginnings of a familiar detachment. There was little letting her distress run rampant would do but hinder her. Still, confusion flitted through her as she saw the three men hesitate despite the rapidly approaching foes. “Regroup now, we need to fall back and retreat before it’s too late!” Nina shouted, voice ringing out in the open air.

 

[Danidify]

ELYSE HILDEBRAND
​

It’s interesting how painstakingly slow the swiftest moments can pass by in the heat of the moment. Elyse’s hands were cramped from the suffocating grip held around her blades, incapable of letting go even though she knew all too well they wouldn’t stop a frontal attack from a titan. Her second attempt to get up had failed her just as bad as the first, a painful jolt burning through the adrenaline that had already been fueling her body too long. Why did her body feel so heavy, so exhausted?

Staring at the titan with unfiltered fear, Elyse peered at Leon with a stunted, overwhelmed gaze as his sudden appearance cut her tragedy short. Leon’s movements - ferocious and exact - were as impressive as they were intimidating, but the smile that came after was only the latter. Its coldness was familiar, though.

For the brief second that Leon’s eyes met hers, she felt the tension in her hands, neck and legs ease ever so slightly, but it all refracted when her focus shifted back to the true horror. The titan’s hand rapidly reached closer, and now there was a new target.

“No!”

Trying to push herself up, Elyse bit through the pain to stand up on both feet, desperately swinging one blade forward in a clearly futile attempt to release the dominant grasp on Leon’s body. Her strike was too weak, too slow, leaving the titan’s hand barely grazed and her squadmate brutally hoisted up into the air in a grip even tighter than her panic-stricken hand. Failing to keep herself standing on the slanted, slippery surface, the brunette fell back down as she helplessly watched Leon move further out of reach. His shout sent shivers running down her spine, though hope reformed as the content of the message computed in her head. It seemed there was still a bit of luck left in the world.

Leon’s prayer caught the right ears, and soon enough, the monstrous giant was surging down in defeat, casting its massive shadow over the rooftop that Elyse had involuntarily made her resting spot. In fear of being splattered like a bug, the Hildebrand girl closed her eyes, braced her feet and raised her arms over her head in yet another futile response to a threat too big to handle. Fortunately, the creature's arm had the decency to not land straight on top of her, making for another lucky moment.

Rooftop tiles cluttered as Elyse partook in an unflattering crawl towards the now lifeless hand in her wish to check up on Leon. Only there, when she laid eyes on Leon encased in a prison of flesh, did she begin to realize what he had done for her.

Embarrassed both by her incompetence and lacklustre attitude, Elyse could barely get herself to look at Nina when she came to aid her after freeing Leon. The stubbornness within the brunette made her partake in yet another attempt to raise herself before having to accept help, but it was to no avail. With sorrow plastered on her face, she grabbed onto Nina, needfully placing her weight on the redhead as she rose while trying to keep her dysfunctional foot lifted slightly.

“Thank you.” She’d utter shakily to their squad leader, her eyes reluctantly trailing to Leon. Holding back tears, Elyse nodded her head and irked up the slightest of smiles, trying to nonverbally repeat the words she had given Nina. Many discussions and conversations were resting on her tongue, but they would have to wait. For now, she just wanted to keep herself from messing up even more, though the sight of her foot and the surrounding dangers warned her that it might be too late for that. There was still something she could do.

Following Nina’s shout to regroup. Elyse garnered her confidence to look her comrades in the eyes, shifting a gaze between the two top 10 cadets as she spoke.

“If I fail again, leave me.” Her tone was still in turmoil, yet under the layers of vibrant trepidation hid a newfound certainty.

“This is what we signed up for, right?”

INTERACTIONS (squad besties): ShadyLady Castello ​

 

[Castello]

»»————-　　————-««
Leon Monar - One Thing to Another
Interactions - ShadyLady (Nina) Danidify (Elyse)
Mentions - Raiden
»»————-　　————-««

​

The monster's fingers began to grip and grasp. His ribs caged in, creaking like an old wooden floor. While Leon uttered a few grunts of pain, his visage was truant of fear. He was nothing more than a toy for the titan, helpless to its vices, yet Leon's eyes still remained labeled on Elyse. His eyes yielded no emotion--they were elsewhere, victimless to the situation, almost as if they were gazing into a deep, arid field. He made no effort for eye contact, no plight to tell everyone he knew everything would be fine. The only fits of awareness were granted in the form of twitches as the Titan coiled around his bosom, rearing its fangs as it prepared to indulge.

His life did not replay in front of him, no distant memories impeded his vision. Instead, as his face turned towards the frightened Elyse's pupils, he saw nothing but snow and a young, forgotten woman, holding out her hands. A smile Elyse had seen quite some time ago formed, the warm smile one offers a litter of kittens, a gawk that showed a hint of life in the otherwise stoic man.

The Titan's body slammed against the drowned concrete. Human soup splashed up into his face, as his forehead slammed against the lifeless hand of the Titan. As if nothing happened, Leon thrust the sawed off fingers of the Titan his comrade had so nicely freed him from. As he consciously traced Nina, Leon offered her a sentient sigh. He hauled himself onto his boots, lifting himself into a puddle. His palms glided against his ribcage, while bruised, he was able huff relief at the fact that nothing had been broken.

"Don't pretend like my life was ever in risk Nina. Clearly, I have a guardian angel." Leon said, readjusting his weapons, his sight making for Elyse. Of course, every angel came with its devil.

Elyse's words marked a moment of silence for Leon. There were no outward gestures proposed, no curling of the forehead or grit of the teeth. His hands made for her collar, immediately following it up with a swift slap to her cheek. He did not hold back for the girl.

"You think your death would not affect the team?" His eyes could no longer bare to witness her, instead, he observed the gore around him. "How many people do you think watched their friends, and teammates die today? You think that made them stronger?"

As his eyes ventured from Elyse, however, another image entered his periphery. It was a soldier flying to their proximity, was it Hal? He immediately ditched the young woman on the ground.

The sound of water grinding against concrete could be heard in the distance. His heart sank. Leon rushed over to Nina, whispering something into her ear.

"I need to go, I think that was Hal."

 

[SpookyBones]

Interactions: Colorless Spectrum (Laurie)
Mentions: ShadyLady (Nina), Danidify (Elyse), Castello (Leon), Colorless Spectrum (Noah) ​

Milo’s body had never felt so lifeless, like an invisible force had pinned a foot to his chest and towered above him exuding formidable smugness, holding him hostage in his overexposed resting place. Remnants of energy slowly seeped into his body with every gasping breath he took, feeling as though his lungs were centimetres from bursting against their shield. All things considered, Milo was relatively unscathed; his left ankle was twisted when he fell and his skin had been tarnished with some minor wounds but the boy could grimace the pain by actively shifting his weight to his right leg.

The trio’s brief salvation from the calamity had been crumbled to ashes before their eyes as a monstrosity of a Titan, bearing its razor teeth and venomous tongue, made it apparent in its stride that it had set its sights for his sable-haired comrade.

Laurie’s reckless bravery had seemingly overcome him as he left Noah and himself dumbfounded by his nonchalant manner in his speech, “I’ll try to lure it away from the squad.” This summoned enough anger to raise the fatigued boy to his feet; after Noah said his part Milo shoved Laurie a little harder than intended, “Laurie you can’t just sacrifice yourself! Do you really value your life so little?” Laurie turned his focus to Milo, casting him with a stern look standing tall above him, he curled his lips into an earnest smile before explaining, “Its not that. I just don’t want the people around me to die. I know how risky this is but I’ll be careful. I promised someone after all.” Laurie was solidified in his decision, that was clear enough for anyone to see, but it was the indisputable glint of fear set in the boy’s eyes that gave Milo faint hope, that just perhaps his insanity would carry him through his tumultuous path that lay ahead.

The weather showed no signs of aiding them in their battle as the gusts grew stronger against the flaps of his uniform and the rain fell like hail - unabating in its shower, as though Mother Nature herself was disgruntled with their feeble efforts against the Titans. It was a cursed fate to leave Laurie on his own, but it was the decision he had no choice but to follow through with. For the greatest chance of survival Milo had to regroup with his squad. Over the rumble of the chaos a faint voice could be heard - Nina’s. Without hesitation he shot through the air, slightly off balance from his previous injuries and trying to spare as much of the little gas he had left as possible. What lay before him were 3 soldiers whose experience had evidently been no smoother than his own. Trost district was scattered with Titans, wrecking havoc and obliterating the Scouts wherever they could, Milo feared their punishment for retreating, but their fate of remaining here would result only in death.

 

[alexfangtalon]

INTERACTIONS: Luka Soroka ( Raiden ), Elke Vinter ( M Moonlessite ), Vivian Schweiss ( M Moonlessite ), Lena Becker, and Katsu Rutland ( jrink )​

Her heart felt like it was beating so hard that it may soon burst out of her chest. She had successfully drawn the Titan’s attention, but that was merely a short fix for a long-term problem. With two of their squad currently out of commission and one gone, someone would have to come along soon to help.

The only currently functioning squadmate she could see was Katsu but he had his own hands full. It even seemed as if the Titan he was fighting had caught wind of her throwing off Katsu’s kill attempt. Everything was going downhill because she had failed to do her task. Luka was hurt, maybe even unconscious. Katsu was battling a Titan all by himself. Elke was in a state of shock. Then there was Viktor. The boy she had consistently derided as Sina-Trash all throughout their training. If only she had paid more attention to their surroundings rather than act like a rabid animal. She might have had a chance to warn him.

Anke started seething anew, but mostly angry at herself for failing her allies. Something needed to change for the better and soon. Thankfully, as if on cue, Vivian showed up, and like a streak of lightning flashed across the Titan’s nape ending its miserable existence. This was their opening. Taking Vivi’s order, the blonde rocketed towards the Titan harassing Katsu.

Silent when compared to the rain around them, Anke soared like a thief in the night ready to steal the Titan’s life. Her eyes were wide and she felt as if she could hear her heartbeat but the cut was as clean and swift as a top recruit could manage. With a look at Katsu to make sure he was okay, she pointed towards the others and then took off for Elke. That’s when she heard a roar not too far behind her. Turning she saw Luka with his blades eradicating a 6-meter’s eyes.

He then called for a full retreat. With not a moment's hesitation, Anke continued to where Elke was. She didn’t know what was best to do in this situation but she trusted Luka. Landing in front of her sister, Elke still seemed to be out of it. Unfortunately, they didn’t have time for this with more Titans encroaching upon them. ”El-E-ELKE! Her voice was much more hoarse than she was expecting it to be. ”Come on, we need to move. Luka called for retreat.”

 

[Colorless Spectrum]

Noah Eisner

He was set on his decision, Noah could see that well. Laurie was too nice for his own good, that much Noah knew well. He thought as Milo simply left after their older companion's answer. Was there nothing he could do to change his mind? He didn't want him to go, that's why he stood there, even after Nina's command to regroup.

All Laurie had was a soft smile on his face. "It's okay. I'll see you later, Noah."

"You better," Noah said back with anger. "I'll never forgive you if you die." He gripped his controller tighter, it was their lifeline. If not for these they would've been dead already, and now he knew first hand what he was going to sign up for. He shot through the sky, following Milo over to their squad but not before taking one more look as Laurie garnered the attention of the Bald Titan and flying away from them. "Good luck, Laurie."

Upon arriving just after Milo, Noah immediately saw the state of the group. His attention focused on Elyse who was on the ground. "Elyse, are you okay?" He said as he walked to her and helped her up.

He looked to Leon and Nina, his lips in a thin line. He hated the idea of retreating but it's their survival that matters most. "Where do we go?" His question directed at Nina, because even if their Squad was a mess, she was still the leader and it was his duty to follow their orders.

mention: || interaction: ShadyLady SpookyBones Castello Danidify

 

[Raiden]

Lower Trost District — Battle of Trost District, 850
Interactions: Castello (Leon)
Mentions: Colorless Spectrum (Laurie), Demon Shinobi (August), M Moonlessite (Vivian & Elke), Arcanist (Jo), SpookyBones (Milo), ShadyLady (Nina), Danidify (Elyse), alexfangtalon (Anke), . D O V E (Gwen), lion. (Ramiel), homintales (Sera), jrink (Katsu)​

The world turned upside down as the dark-haired soldier’s momentum forfeited at the sudden termination of his omni-directional mobility gear. A rush of panic stirred from his chest to each limb of his body, his arms involuntarily flailing in a futile attempt to stay afloat out of sheer survival instinct. Hal’s quivering fingers repeatedly pressed down on both of the controller grip’s bottom triggers, yet his desperation produced only empty clicks that drowned out the song of the storm. Not a single plume of compressed gas blew from the cylinders at his hips; in the matter of a heartbeat, he began plummeting towards the ground below. ‘Is this happening?! Right here, right now?!’

His eyes quaked under the unforeseen duress, but Hal refused to submit to the flight response. He was seventeen meters from ground level; a fall from this height would easily kill him, and even if he somehow cushioned his landing, he was going to be in a world of pain very soon. The seconds to these very next moments were crucial if he wanted to survive. His right arm extended outward in an attempt to cling to the end of the rooftop, but it was a vain effort as he was just shy of grasping at the edge. Cursing as there was no other choice, Hal inhaled deeply and detached both blades from the controller grips. Throwing his arms around his head, he brought his knees slightly outward while locking both legs closely together, ensuring that the tips of his toes would meet the first impact.

The quiet prayer that the young man uttered dissolved into an agonizing scream that howled into the storm above. There was a brief numbness that the kick of adrenaline provided before the excruciating pain settled in. His left leg had curdled underneath itself and his backside, obviously broken. Yet, his consciousness grew faint while his vision blurred towards the other limb, as if unable to bear the reality. As that perspective cleared, the howling only grew louder. The bones in his right leg had done more than snap like a twig from the long fall; it was a compound fracture. The sharp end of his broken tibia had impacted through the skin of his leg, and now, it protruded from the limb, spewing blood from the mortal wound.

Fucking, why, why, why?! Looking upon his predicament was like staring at imminent death. His ambition and bravado had conquered the moments before, only to spiral so suddenly into this. Hal tried his best to fight off the shock that was beginning to set in, his fingers as unsteady as his frame of mind. He reached for both canisters of compressed gas, only to find that the right canister was entirely empty. “T-t-t-that doesn’t make any sense,” he thought it to be a trick of the stupor, another knock on the metal frames giving the same answer. I only used enough to get in position, and that’s nowhere close to emptying out! He was one of the most meticulous trainees when it came to equipment surveys; he wouldn’t have turned a blind eye to something like this. “No way…”

“VERDENDE!!”

An empty expression wore on his features as a barely-familiar voice shouted from the rooftops before the shadow stood over him, blocking the raindrops from falling across his pale face. One of the Garrison’s elite soldiers had followed after him; a middle-aged man with brown hair and chestnut-coloured eyes by the name of Mustacio Einher who looked equally as distressed as he was. “What… what the fuck happened?”

“The gear, gas, it stopped-”

The ground shook from the distance as it immediately drew both of their attentions towards the far end of the street. A ten-meter class Titan had come to finish him off, it seemed. “If you can crawl, climb into one of those buildings,” Mustacio Einher tried to stifle the latter’s defeated sentiment if only for a moment. “I’ll come back after I deal with it.”

Rain, it was regrettable.

It was weather like this where Leon cherished the quieter moments inside, watching the water cascade upon the crops, transform the dirt into mud that the pigs relished in and provided deep comfort as he and the other children would nestle by the fire, tell stories and laugh. Rain was not supposed to be a bad thing, yet as Leon reared his head over the building, macabre thoughts were all that could pour out.

“Hal!” From windpipe to lungs, his entire upper body rattled out his name.

Leon was not alone in his concern, however. An older man had come to his support as well. Leon watched as Mustacio dashed bravely towards the Titan. Leon, still reeling from his skirmish before, shot his attention instantly towards the injured boy. As his boots treaded upon the roof, a sigh of relief could be heard raspily shooting from his throat.

He’s still alive.

If Mustacio could distract the Titan for just a few moments, Leon was confident he could evacuate Hal. Despite the labrous endeavor it was to move his body, from the trouble he had catching a breath to the simple movement of his chest sparking pain that grinded against his ribcage, Leon was quick to move. His heart could not catch a break, still pounding into the cavity of his chest, urging Leon forward, even as it screamed in exhaustion. He was not willing to have Nina watch Elyse die, but Hal was a different story.

He needed to save Hal. Almost in the same light that he needed the water that quenched.

With a precise hook across the street, Leon shot down towards the streets where Hal lay helpless. Without any other thought other than Hal’s safety, Leon threaded through puddles and corpses, his eyes never inching off of Hal. As he approached the boy, Leon offered him a meek smile, kneeling beside him. Leon’s arms gently cradled Hal’s shoulder towards him as he observed the damage.

“Hal, can you hear me fine? We’re going to get out of here, just hold on tight.”

Despite Leon’s timely arrival, only the smallest crumb of relief washed over Hal’s psyche. He cropped his upper body up on one elbow, his right hand clasping tightly around the corresponding thigh. “Guess I really should’ve sat in my boots,” the dark-haired soldier lamented over being seen in such a miserable state. His eyes flickered between Leon and Mustacio, wincing with disbelief and shaking his head when the latter took off towards the approaching ten-meter Titan.

Hal tried to maintain his composure, snarling through grit teeth. “My gas ran out,” he didn’t bother explaining the unknown factors that lead to the scenario. “I couldn’t even use the gear if I tried. My legs are broken.”

A shift of the wind and the rainfall drew his attention back up towards Mustacio, his mouth hanging open in horror as the ten-meter Titan’s figure leaped into the air and caught the older soldier unawares. It’s an Abnormal. He felt his heart sink further down his chest as the man disappeared in the blink of an eye, watching the Abnormal Titan slam into one of the buildings. Its face pulled back from the ruins, coming back to ground level on all fours as its fangs nibbled on Mustacio. The familiar scene took him back to that day-- the first time that he’d seen a Titan feed on someone.

The screams from the older soldier faded into white noise as Hal couldn’t bring himself to witness it again. His blue eyes reflected resignation, slowly lowering to the ground. “Leon, listen to me,” the soldier implored in a shaky manner, his right arm pulling back to try and shake away Leon’s arm. “I’m done for. Don’t try to play hero like me. Get out of here!”

Leon’s eyebrows struck a long arc. “Gas?” He replied. There was a quick deterrence, as his teeth bit down on each other. That’s ridiculous, at a time like this? The tall boy’s eyes wandered over Hal’s beaten, bruised and mangled body, completely speechless at the outcome. Yet, as distant screams of the mustached man strangled his ears, Leon’s thoughts had little time to ponder. It was fight or flight.

The Titan had gotten him so soon?

Elyse had been a weight on his shoulder, but Hal in this state was an anchor on a sailboat. Leon’s mobility had been completely restricted, his posture completely dedicated to keeping Hal in his arms. Yet, despite all this, there was no hesitance found in Leon as he lifted Hal closer to his chest. His gear began to rattle as a hook shot into the side of a building across the street.

“Hal.” Leon’s voice went quietly, as if all other sounds had been washed out from his head; each step the Abnormal paced towards him, the spillage of Mustacio as his remains trickled onto the street and the pounding of rain, his attention fixated on Hal. Death was clearly at their doors, yet Leon offered the crippled boy a smile.

“I told someone, a very long time ago.” There was a short pause, seconds. “That I would not watch a friend die in front of me.”

Leon’s boots began to scrape against the building as the Abnormal began to gain on his trail. His feet leapt over glass and put holes into brick as he tried to put distance between them and the Titan. As the Titan began to close in, another hook would make its way to the other side of the street. As the Abnormal dived towards the two boys, Leon narrowly flew under its jaws still tainted with crimson before flinging to the other end of the street.

No one was going to save them, and Leon had played his last trick. Yet, as the Abnormal dove in their direction, a small chuckle echoed from Leon, a juvenile one, like the time the two had slipped into mud during one their sparring sessions, or the time Leon crushed him in Chess.

“You know.” his words grinded against the wind. “That pocket watch. You never told me what was inside it.”

While Leon’s resolve to save him was admirable, Hal wore a scowl as he attempted to pry himself from the other boy’s arms to no avail. They weren’t gaining any noteworthy distance from the Abnormal Titan that pursued them; his additional weight was hampering any potential for the omni-directional mobility gear to pick up any wind or momentum. His chest seized up when the shadow of the ten-meter cascaded over them, hardly avoiding its leap by a hair’s breadth. “What?” the soldier’s brow narrowed at Leon’s sudden question. “What does that have to do with anything?”

Before any answer could be had on the irrelevant matter, the Abnormal Titan was quick to turn and pounce towards them once more, but stopped short, its giant palms flattening down on the center of the wire. This caused the hooks on the opposite side to break off from the buildings and throw the two soldiers off course, tossing them to the street. The impact forced his broken left leg back into place, his body rolled across the sidewalk with whiplash further addling him as Hal was briefly dazed and confused.

​

“Leon!!”

Yet, only the rain answered him. The still body of his best friend laid a few footfalls behind him, where two Titans had their eyes set on more nourishment. Panicking, Hal tried to come to his feet, but the crippling pain was too great. “DAMN IT!!” he slammed a fist into the damp pavement as he cursed towards the sky, as if attempting to drown out the elegy of the end that was the song of the storm. Tears streamed down his face, and he became the boy from Shiganshina District again; everything had been for naught. All those years, only to die in a place like this. Slaughtered by those we call tyrants, only to prove that nothing would ever change. Leon, Laurie, August, Vivian, Jo. The rest of the 104th Training Corps… was this destiny’s design, for cruelty to prevail?

“No… the only easy day was yesterday.”

Halvor Verdende would not leave this world as a coward. Determination, however futile it was, coarse through him in a vitalizing rush. The broken warrior came to his knees and drew the blade into his controller grip; this would be the final sword to end the titanomachy. The agony of the compound fracture at his right leg tormented him, but in its place, he let out a wild howl of defiance, managing to sever three of the Abnormal Titan’s fingers before its other hand snatched his body into its violent clutch. Blood poured from his open injury at the leg, staining the skin below.

His mind threatened to fall unconscious, but Halvor Verdende refused to accept defeat. The Abnormal Titan raised his body towards its bloody jaw, yet its constricting grasp failed to stifle his final battle cry. Slowly, he felt two rows of giant teeth begin to sink down into his neck.

I’ll save them all…

I’ll save them…

I’ll…

I’LL KILL THEM ALL​

Spoiler

​

In the quiet of the storm, a flash of lightning rumbled across Trost District. A burst of energy shook the buildings across the lower settlements as the flesh and bone of the Attack Titan generated within a dense mist of steam. A mighty roar erupted from the vessel as it pried itself from the jaws of the Abnormal Titan. Its right arm reared back, its large muscles flexing as it landed a haymaker punch across its adversary. Launching the Abnormal Titan into the buildings at the side, the Attack Titan took hold of its entire face in its palm, using its tremendous strength to hurl it towards the two Titans that encroached upon the downed soldier.

Letting out another bellow, the Attack Titan crumbled the stone beneath its feet as it broke into a sprint towards its disabled enemies. One after the other, it began to crush their napes beneath its heel, grunting in satisfaction with each summary execution. Without a second thought, the Attack Titan set its course for the front line, eager to commit swift slaughter.

 

[Moonlessite]

MENTIONS: Raiden [Luka], alexfangtalon [Anke], jrink [Katsu]​

​

What was even going on? In the middle of the downpour, all she that she could see were shadows. The rain blotted out the others' shouts and muddled her senses. All she could smell was humidity, sweat, and blood. Everything was gray, and she was cold, and all she wanted to do was go back home to her aunt and uncle and be warm and cozy again. But, deep in her mind, she knew that was impossible. That life didn't exist anymore. Shiganshina didn't exist anymore. Her aunt and her uncle didn't exist anymore. And soon... Luka, Hal, Jo... her sister... they wouldn't exist, either, right? They'd all soon be eaten by Titans, and it'd all be her fault. Why did she have to drag Anke into this? Why couldn't she just have run away and--

Through the fog that plagued her brain, someone shouted at her. It startled her from her shock, and Elke raised her water-laden eyes to her sister. Retreat... they were going to retreat? To where, deeper into Trost, to HQ? Was there even a way to escape? Her trembling right hand shot forward to grip onto Anke's forearm and gripped the limb like a hawk would do to a rabbit or mouse. "Re... retreat? Where are we going?" she mewled like a useless lost kitten. She blinked, focused her eyes, and wiped the water that streamed down her face. Did it even matter if she asked? The outcome was going to the be the same thing anyway, right? Shivering still, she hauled herself to her feet, using Anke as support. Her legs felt numb and like jelly at the same time. What a mess she was. Everyone out here was fighting for their lives and all she did was cry.

"What are you two doing?" Vivian's voice roared from behind Anke. Elke looked up to see the pale-haired girl drop down on the rooftop they were on with a deep crease on her brow. "We need to retreat, now! The Titans are almost among us!"

Elke's fingers tightened around Anke's arm. She wanted to say something in response, but she couldn't find the words. There wasn't any time to talk or even to think. Just as Elke turned to follow Luka, a bolt of lightning crackled through the air again. The loud noise made her flinch, and she almost stumbled onto the tiles of the roof. As the echo of thunder rippled through the wind, she turned back to face Anke again. "We... should hurry up." Elke stammered out as she glanced back at Vivian. The other girl's expression had morphed into a bewildered one, obviously as shocked as she was by the horrid sound of the thunder. What approached from behind Vivi that struck fear right back into Elke's heart. A five-meter Titan with a lopsided grin and a hooked nose loomed right over them, having approached while they were distracted. Its intent was true and quick; the monster's mangled hand swept towards Vivian. A wordless scream left Elke's lips as Vivi turned to face the menace, but was too slow with her dodge. The Titan's arm clipped her leg and sent her flying aimlessly away from them. Vivian slammed into a roof a few houses away from them, tumbled, and fell off of the edge.

"Vivi!!" Elke cried out. They had to do something, but what could they do? What could she do? Her hand shot out towards Anke's and pulled her after her as she ran from the five meeting, tossing her head back over as she fled. "Katsu, come on! We need to go!!"

As she took to the air and pursued Luka, the clouds over their drenched heads began to thin. The downpour slowed to a slight drizzle, then almost nothing. Elke wished they could have swung around and checked on Vivi.

She'll be okay. She has to be, right?

 

[Arcanist]

Jo Schreiber
Mentions: Colorless Spectrum (Laurie), Raiden (The Attack Titan) | Interactions: homintales (Sera), . D O V E (Gwen), Demon Shinobi (August)

(commission by @kalatl!)​

Things teetered dangerously along the lines of a disaster. No, the frontline effort was a disaster. The only thing that could have prevented this from being a complete disaster was for the evacuation effort to pull through. But even the survival of Trost citizens couldn’t be guaranteed. Nothing was guaranteed in this life. She knew that as she leaped over Trost's rooftops, away from what Luka had titled their 'apex predators'.

She glanced around for any sign of her comrades. Stick to the facts and shelf all conjectures. That was her greatest comfort right here, right now. Jo crossed out each name she held responsibility for in her group. Sera and August zipped along nearby, but she couldn’t place Jericho, Fiona, hell, even Heiko, amid the chaos. Had they been caught in the crossfire of earlier Titans? How could she not have noticed? Jo gritted her teeth. What grievous mistakes had she made along the way?

Jo’s head whirled to glass shattering and the familiar sound of burning wires. “Gwen! What the fuck is wrong with you?!” She growled, nowhere near loud enough for the girl to hear. The nerve of her to run off like that, headfirst into danger. Did she have a death wish? What honour was there in dying to Titans?

Jo forced herself to look forward, her knuckles growing whiter. Three out of Squad 19 remained. Her squad, who she held responsibility for. Nausea rose in Jo’s throat once again. She wanted to hold onto the slightest shred of hope for those who had gone missing or run off, but she knew she wouldn’t find it here. She knew war wasn’t supposed to be easy. But this was worse. This was hell.

She promised Laurie she wouldn’t die. But how could she avoid it when death was all around her? What hope did they have left?

A bright flash stole Jo’s gaze and the rumbling across the buildings reached her even in the air. “Can this weather get any worse?!” She shouted above the deafening shaking buildings. She’d appreciate being struck by lightning now, if it meant not being devoured by one of those hideous creatures. She listened to the same earth shaking, rhythmic vibrations across Trost, now even closer than it had been before. When she glanced to the side, she felt her stomach threaten to drop.

Jo didn’t want to face another Titan.

“Fifteen meter!” Jo warned her comrades, preparing for the creature to inevitably spot them a few buildings across. She was in it now, as she had told herself before, and she had to commit. Though, she watched as their group flew past it…and noticed how it hadn’t bothered to acknowledge them. It simply kept running. “An abnormal…” She noted. But it was strange. Weren’t abnormals usually attracted to larger groups? Sometimes not at all, but this one…it was running towards the front lines.

She couldn’t help but drop to another rooftop along the way, stopping to look back at that running Titan. “Why is it going towards the front lines?” Jo asked no one in particular. She shouldn’t have been so bothered or puzzled by it. Titans weren’t role models when it came to intelligence. Most were just mindless monsters who chewed on humans for fun. Abnormals exhibited strange behaviour, but this seemed more than just…strange. Like it was intelligent.

Or maybe exhaustion truly began to plague her.

 

[Colorless Spectrum]

Laurence Arnault

Thunk! His hook pierced to the stone-walled houses one after another, fling himself away from the titan that followed him since he left Milo and Noah. He knew well that he can't run forever with his limited gas, his only hope was that he stumbles to a group that could help him in his dilemma.

On every roof he landed he felt the rumble of a titan's step. His heart beat with it, and every beat it took was an even deeper fear that overcame him. He panted, feeling the loom of the bald titan behind him. "If I continue in this direction, I'll probably find Luka and his squad." He said to himself even when he couldn't hear his own words from the rain.

He was already halfway, he can make it. That was what he wanted to believe as he shot across the sky. And at that moment... Was something he never thought he'd see. From a flash of lightning came a roar that seemed to rival the thunder of the sky. It was as if time went by slower in that instant and from the distance, he could see a titan fighting... another titan? It didn't felt right to call it an abnormal but that was exactly what it was.

In his wonder, Laurie had failed to be alert of his surroundings. The bald titan had caught up with him and was eager to have him as his next meal.

"Shit!" He cursed, immediately reeling himself to another house with the titan failing to grab him. Unfortunately, his side made contact with the titan's finger that had him flying in an arc and bruising his side. He crashed into the roof, hearing the clink of the tiles hitting his body and gear.

How cruel the world was, sucking him into a mire when he wanted to stay. He had a promise to keep but the sight of the titan's shadow enveloping his body had made it hard to move. The pain in his body was a lot but it was fear that held him in his place. There wasn't anyone around him like earlier, and that made it hard to be brave. He watched as the titan's hand grew larger for a second. He wondered, even if he didn't believe in a higher being, was there someone that would listen to his prayer? If he prayed hard would a miracle happen? Is that why there were Wall Worshipers?

mention: . D O V E Raiden and Luka's squad || interaction:

 

[homintales]

Sera Mayer
Mentions: Arcanist Demon Shinobi . D O V E ​

Trost was never viewed as the ‘Golden City’ to travel to inside the Walls, and it certainly wasn’t anywhere special, at least not in a positive way. Really, it was only one more slum Maria's people were forced to take refuge in. It wasn’t like there was anywhere else Trost's people could travel to. It was obvious Sina would never accept so many... what is the word the nobles like to use? Peasants.

Even prior to Wall Maria falling to the Titans and all the extra refugees pouring in, Trost was just another place in Wall Rose filled with even more useless filth and miserable scum than any one person could count. A good ole' purge would probably give the people something good to think about. But even so…

An attack on Trost meant Sera’s own family was under attack. Sophia, Sigrun, Sera’s mom, and Jory, they were all on the potential victims list. They needed to find a way to counter or stop the invading Titans altogether. And they needed to stop them quickly, otherwise, no one’s family would survive this catastrophe.

Salvation was more than likely not inside or anywhere near the HQ. Shelter and a chance to resupply was the only thing waiting for the new recruits. All the same, they needed to regroup with the other groups. Maybe they could find a way to formulate an actual strategy?

But then a thought containing an even more important question crossed Sera’s mind. An Officer had warned them all that running away from the Titans meant summary execution. Here they were, now retreating straight to the HQ.

More than likely, it was simply an empty threat, meant to maintain the will to fight and to make more Titan kills likely. But still, the idea of getting executed, instead of going out killing Titans really pissed Sera off.

As they continued to retreat towards the HQ, Sera made sure to follow Jo as closely as possible, who took a window to shout at Gwen as she went on a rogue path. Discipline doesn’t tend to mean too much when your subordinate can’t even make out what you’re saying.

At this point, was anyone else even following them? Aside from all the pursuing Titans, obviously. The loud steps made it clear they weren't going to give up this chase with ease. Sera, while still propelling forward, chose to take a quick glance.

The only person Sera spotted was August. Aside from Gwen, who was probably going to get eaten anyway, Sera couldn’t see any other Comrades. She was worried about them. But not worried enough to pointlessly return to a likely slaughter ground.

After pulling a quick attempt to jump over to another structure, the unfortunate, yet inevitable occurred. Sera’s gas, mostly used up when killing an earlier Titan, was now completely gone. Barely making it to the other side, Sera was forced to quickly pull herself up to avoid another awful fall.

“Fucking… Dammit.” Sera cursed into the wind. She was already frustrated with the way things were going. Now… Now she was furious. She turned around and realized she was still close enough to see the Titans in pursuit. Even without gas, she needed to maintain an average speed.

"Fifteen meter!" Sera turned around once more to face Jo, who was close to the exact Titan she just called out. Sera was ready to rush straight to Jo. She didn't possess any gas, even so, she wasn't going to let the squad's leader get eaten when they just started.

But then something strange occurred. The Titan, already moving at a good pace, appeared to ignore every person that it passed or vice versa. It looked as though it wasn't even interested in consuming anyone at all. It was made obvious that this was some sorta abnormal Titan.

"What kinda fuckery?" Sera was struggling to comprehend the idea that there was a Titan not attacking every person in sight. And where was it even going? But as the other Titans were getting even closer, she remembered that getting to HQ was more important than ever. "Fuck, gotta move."

 

[SpookyBones]

Mentions: ShadyLady (Nina), The rest of Squad 47​

As the thunder raged on, it only grew considerably more deafening, increasing in its ferocity as the sky darkened around them by the minute, threatening to envelop them all - better yet than in the jaws of a Titan. The adrenaline had begun to dissipate within Milo, replaced only by insufferable impending doom, shrouding any composure he had remaining, depriving him of oxygen as his breath remained hitched in his throat.

There was something so sickeningly sobering in the air once Squad 47 had regrouped, all but a morsel of valour had evacuated his body, leaving him beyond vulnerable and rightfully scared. He was awakened to the inescapable truth - that every single recruit - past, present, future, were all mere lambs to the slaughter, being perpetually and mindlessly sent to sacrifice their innocent lives to become nothing more than remnants of flesh and blood coating Titans' teeth. The thought sickened and enraged him, too many emotions plaguing his mind all at once.

As it often did, loneliness followed him, always lingering in the backdrop of his consciousness like Death waiting to claim another soul. Milo envisioned himself as another lifeless paling body in the back of the cart - nobody there to ask of his fate, to identify his remains - if he was lucky enough to have any. The boy pined for his friends back home, if anyone could even call it that anymore; tears glazed his eyes - threatening to break the bank at any second as he unwillingly hunched his form to cradle his knees upon the dilapidated rooftop. There must be something more to life than this.

The ground beneath him physically trembled as though it too feared for its life, far too similar to when The Colossal showed and sent him hurtling from the wall. If he hadn’t just huddled himself into the slates he would’ve sworn he could still feel the way gravity mercilessly clawed at his body only hours earlier. Rain still relentlessly thrashed against his cinnamon locks, Milo looked like no more than a stray puppy abandoned on the curbside. As lightning struck far too close for comfort, it awoke him from his momentary daze and though this feeling wouldn’t subside, they still had to retreat as safely as possible. Milo inhaled sharply as his unsteady hands attempted to force himself to stand, his fingertips were still glossed with droplets of rain causing the hand to slip from beneath him, leaving a deep cut in the pad of his index from the rubble; a stifled sob escaped from his lips as the tears finally broke free. With his head craned to the ground, fingers interlaced in a vice-like grip around his neck, he noticed a shadow form on the ground beneath him. Milo twisted his head, adorned with a pained expression, to meet the gaze of Nina.

 

[AI10100]

Mentions: Remnants of the Supply Squad
​

Sean couldn’t have picked the worst time to be transferred to the Southern division. When he heard that Milo transferred, he was more than willing to follow. Of course, the order to transfer didn’t come before graduation. While the others were busy with the last remnants of the party, Sean and some of the other Northern division trainees were on their way to the southern district to join up with him. He was excited to surprise Milo with their arrival. It might have been a shocker to suddenly be placed in another division after three years of bonding with their original division.

Who knew volunteering would lead to this, right?

“We need to get the gas back! The others need it!”

“No, we can’t! We- it’s—”

Sean cursed under his breath as the building shook once again. He turned to the window where a titan’s eye was clearly visible. The feeling of fear and anxiety washed over him and he felt frozen as it began to move. It opened its jaws but the building’s structure held for now. It couldn’t get in. Now, if that was the only problem, then maybe they could gather their wits.

One titan might be killed by some fresh graduates, right? All they needed was a bit of coordination, courage and some daredevil attitude and they might go out in a blaze of glory.

Either way, they were going to die so might as well die doing something, right?

But no. HQ was swarming with titans from all sides, climbing onto the building in a desperate attempt to make a feast out of them. Even if they tried to escape, a titan would just be able to grab them. If only he left earlier with a few supplies, maybe he could have at least taken some to the other cadets. Maybe he would die with the knowledge that he had managed to help someone instead of dying in some room because no one else would move.

“Look, if you guys don’t want to fight, fine. Go ahead. But your friends are out there fighting for the sake of humanity and without gas, they’re not gonna be able to do that well. So the least we can do is secure this damn place!"

A fake bravado anyone could see through. His voice shook. His body trembled. Is this what it really feels like to face titans? Were all those stories that grandma used to tell true? Is this why she didn’t want him to join the military? It was safe in Wall Sina. If he had stayed, he probably would be living the high life. He wouldn’t be worried about some titans breaking the wall. But there would be others dying for him and that just didn’t sit well with him.

“The supply....” One of his squadmates, Tristan, piped up and he felt himself get pulled back from his thoughts, alongside another thump from the titans outside. “You know there are titans down there! We barely got out of there alive and you want to go back in!?”

He jabbed a thumb towards the window. “Better than that.” That was easily a fifteen meter and an eight meter out there among the titans that were trying to turn them into titan chow. “At least the ones below are smaller…”

“So what? You want us to fight titans?”

Sean didn’t know where he found the courage to laugh, but he did. A laugh so wholehearted and true that he had to bend over. Even as the Southern division trainees gazed at him like he had gone crazy, he was glad. He was glad that he could have a good laugh. It gave his head a bit of clarity. “Good joke!” He said, making his way to the lift. “I thought we all signed up in the military to fight the titans. And here we are doing exactly the opposite. If someone refused to do their job, my grandma docked their pay. You think they’d dock our pay too?”

“... that’s what you’re worried about right now, Sean?” Alyssa asked out of disbelief. “You’re just fucking crazy, aren’t you?”

Right, these people didn’t know him. When he was placed in the supply squad, it was because they didn’t know where to place him. He wondered if they could place even a modicum of trust in his words, or to even let him do his job.

“My instructors told me that too. That I’m crazy. So did a couple of other trainees.” Sean rubbed the back of his head, a wide grin forming on his face. “But I always wanted to join the Survey Corps, so it just fits, doesn’t it?”

He checked his equipment. It was still in pristine condition. He hadn’t been able to use it at all aside from when they had to evacuate from the supply room which required only a little bit of gas. In someone’s panic, he couldn’t remember who, the gas canisters they had filled up were left down there with the titans. Everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong. Sean wondered if this would always be the case while he was in the military.

“Fine! Go do your suicide mission!” Tristan yelled, covering his ears as the thunderous rain continued to batter the titans and the buildings outside. “I’m staying here!”

Sean looked down at him and sighed. Well, he couldn’t always successfully help others if they wouldn’t help themselves. “I'm gonna scout the situation down there and try to make a plan. I’ll be out of reach of the titans. Just so you know where to find me."

He was more talking to Siegfried at this point who was the only person he was assigned to that he knew. The only person he trusted among all of their other squadmates. Siegfried was so much smarter than him and he could probably make a better plan than he ever could. But in the end, he still couldn't force Siegfried into doing anything he didn't want to.

Tristan and Alyssa looked at each other unsurely. They had no ties with Sean, nor he to them. Among those that died was their original squad leader and only a very select few of them that had managed to get to a safer location, leaving the supply room to be overrun by the smaller titans. He could barely remember the names of those that had died but their screams still rang vividly in his ears.

He couldn't let them die in vain.

Sean gave them a nod before heading down the stairs. The thumping of the titans' feet roaming in the area made his heart race and he tried to keep himself as quiet as possible. Just calm down.

“Shit.”

 

[The Prophet]

𝐒𝐢𝐞𝐠𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐉𝐞𝐚𝐧-𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞
Interactions: AI10100 (Sean)
Remnant of the supply squad​

---

For a first experience upon transferring to the Southern division, Siegfried expected something vastly different. Meeting the immediate chain of command, discovering who he would work with….all fell away in the face of Trost's attack. Terrible timing to transfer aside, this was not when he expected to see real combat.

"No injuries present, and very minimal mental fatigue."

Siegfried tightened his belt and rechecked his gear. No perceptible malfunctions and gas levels at near maximum. He'd needed to use a small burst just prior, otherwise, it would be completely full.

"ODM performing at optimal capacity, and roughly 97% on gas."

not that he nor his gear's condition was doing anyone any good right now. As one assigned to supply squad for the skirmish, it was currently their task to ensure those fighting had sufficient supply to maintain their line. As such, while much less 'exciting' as another designation, it was incredibly important. That singular fact stuck with Siegfried, as instead of said job, they were pinned inside their very headquarters.

As if on cue, a titan's eye peered into the room they were in, no doubt pleased to see it had found its next set of targets. How was he supposed to feel at this moment? After a little deliberation, Siegfried figured that there was supposed to be some overpowering feeling of dread, but there simply wasn't. Rather, the blonde attempted to analyze the situation they found themselves in while attempting to drown out the rain. They were working with an unseen time limit; squads would need gas soon, or they would be forced to retreat here or die. Given the regulations surrounding retreat, Siegfried imagined most wouldn't run back to HQ, but some would likely risk it. That worked in their favor if some did, as it carried a chance that a percentage of titans would pull away towards easier prey. The odds of Killing all the titans present with only 2 individuals willing to fight weren't the highest, even with their rank in training. His thoughts were broken by a laugh, and one he knew well. As usual, it was followed by the claim that the laugh's owner was crazy.

"Crazy is inaccurate, an evaluation determined that Sean is deceptively competent and sane."

Who were these people again? They were obviously also assigned to the supply squad, but for reasons lost to him. It didn't yet seem worthwhile to learn their names. For all purposes, Sean was the only fellow graduate, in the sense of both expected ability and actually knowing them in the first place. The other North division transfer was ready to go out to complete their task, and as Sean left Siegfried was right behind. Just before he ventured down the steps, however, he turned and regarded those present.

"By my guess, should the frontline not receive their supplies, they will be wiped out within the hour if everything goes well. When that happens, this place will be reduced to rubble by the main force of titans, and the odds of us all dying increase exponentially if they aren't by then ensured. As it stands, our odds of survival decrease the longer we wait, and require us to secure the position to restore our odds to acceptable ranges."

And with that, he was gone. Now down behind Sean, he couldn't help but experience a rush of adrenaline as his eyes darted about. Briefly, he placed his forearm on Sean's back to let him know he was there, before stopping just past while pushing up his glasses. "Conserving gas is paramount. We shouldn't use more than necessary, so if combat starts play safe. The goal is to ascertain the best way of securing the facility and distribute gas to the frontline before they run dry and are overrun. Preferably without either of us dying. Don't be a hero." He reiterated.

No selfless duty, no heroic acts.

No heroes.

 

[. D O V E]

Gwen Bulwark​

Amidst the unceasing rain, a cloaked figure soared through the crevices of Trost, strangely deprived of comrades following suit. The sound of whirring wires and gears permeated Gwen’s ears alongside the patters of the rain, almost drowning out the sound of distant screams and heavy thuds which seemed to have filled the city ever since the breach. With her emerald eyes darting from side to side, Gwen absorbed the absolute devastation that befell the district. The hulking boulders and scattered debris, the nauseating stench of blood, and the feeling of a certain doom eyeing her wherever she goes. It was just like how her mentor described it.

“But trust me, kid, you’ll never feel more alive than when you’re neck-deep in hell...”

‘How fascinating.’ Gwen thought to herself with a smile as she hooked into a building and turned a corner.

Ahead of her was a familiar sight. The Trost Cathedral- a place that she had been taken to plenty of times. She garnered this would be the first time she’d head there out of her own volition. Not to pray, though, but perhaps to answer one. With an audible thud, one of her hooks latched onto the steeple’s bricked wall and she pressed her gas to send herself upwards, retracting the first one before shooting out both hooks to the roof tiles and maneuvering a land on it.

The one good thing about churches was that they were built with a tower that oftentimes looms over the rest of the infrastructures in the area. Gwen looked around, eyes scrutinizing every nook that she could possibly see in hopes of locating a certain someone. Sadly, all she could see so amidst the chaos were the heads of the roaming giant and the signals of danger from the other soldiers.

From afar, she could make out an abnormal titan decimating the radius around it. It seemed to be chasing some poor mucks, and by the looks of it, they were only a matter of time away from becoming titan food or a gory decoration on the streets. Gwen was ready to turn a blind eye away when suddenly…

The bright light swallowed everything in her vision, quickly followed by a strong gust of wind which almost sent her flying if not for the embedded hooks by her side. Gwen covered herself with her arms, grounding her feet into the tiles as hard as she could as she felt a few sharp particles cut through her skin. A bellowing roar followed suit, forcing Gwen to flutter her eyes open and meet the sight of a peculiar titan through the dissipating mist. No, it wasn’t the abnormal from before, but rather, it seemed to have descended with the lightning.

With wide eyes, Gwen found herself frozen in place with mouth agape as she took in the scene. “That’s…” She murmured, knuckles turning white as her grip on her controllers tightened. “That’s-!”

Gwen felt a gush of air from behind.

BOOM!

A giant hand came crashing onto the spot where she was, destroying the entire steeple with a single slide. Fortunately, Gwen was able to move out of the way in time- albeit not quick enough to dodge the strike unhinged. A few of the tiles collided with her body, one of which hit her right arm which caused her to lose balance and messily land onto the cobblestone.

She felt the air get knocked out of her system as she met the cold surface, the burn from the injuries hitting her right after. ‘Damn...’ She thought to herself as she let out a pained wheeze, the ends of her lips twitching as the large shadow of the titan’s hand took on a threatening shape overhead.

Slowly, the titan’s fingers wrapped themselves around her left leg and she felt herself being picked up upside-down. The titan eventually brought her above his face level, a slippery grin present on its face as it looked at her hungrily. Gradually, the monster lowered Gwen, having the clear intent of plunging her into its open mouth.

“...Oof, you’re one ugly bastard.” The ends of her lips curled into a smile as she readied her right index finger against the controller’s trigger and her left hand shuffled to grab a blade from her gear. Once the titan had lowered her to a certain angle, Gwen pressed the trigger and fired a hook into the giant’s eye, simultaneously hurling the blade at its other eye.

This caused the titan to lose its hold on her, and Gwen used the opportunity to fire her hooks onto the nearby building. Halfway through, she grappled onto the titan’s shoulder and used the momentum to swivel, maneuvering her way to the titan’s nape and delivering a slice.

She landed on one of the nearby roofs after, the titan falling onto the ground behind her before it disappeared into a cloud of thick smoke. A film of steam covered her as she wiped the vaporizing blood off her face, a wooden expression on her face as she flung her gaze ahead.

She needed to get to her mission. Fast.

…

Is that why there were Wall Worshipers?

A green trail of flare swiftly made its way to the face of the titan that was about to grab Laurie. The giant paused on track, and a jet of steam made its way overhead and to the back of his perpetrator’s neck. The sound of blood gushing out soon followed, and the titan subsequently keeled over.

Once the giant carcasses completely dissipated into a thick mist, the silhouette of a soldier became more and more apparent. It was only a matter of time before everything cleared up and the familiar sight of emerald eyes and red hair revealed itself to Laurie.

“Just like I said, Laurie, you don’t belong out here.” Gwen straightened herself and regarded the man with a stern and direct look before smiling.

Tags: Colorless Spectrum Raiden

 

[ShadyLady]

Interactions: Colorless Spectrum (Noah) Danidify (Elyse) Castello (Leon) SpookyBones (Milo)
Mentions: Colorless Spectrum (Laurie) Raiden (Hal)​

A slow, tired sigh was all Nina reacted with at the sight of Elyse being knocked to the ground once more after the redhead had just helped her up. Elyse was already injured, the poor girl didn’t need to suffer any more. Thankfully, Noah and Milo had regrouped and the former had helped the forever brutalised brunette back up to her feet. As for Laurie, what the hell was that fool doing? Did he really think leading a Titan away was the brightest choice? Nina hadn’t truly taken him to be an idiot with a death wish. Now, she wasn’t so sure anymore.

There was little use following the stray soldier. Laurie was already long gone, no amount of shouting would meet his ears in this storm and she doubted he would return even if they did. All Nina could do was think, raise a finger to her chin and tap away as she began to thread the beginnings of a new plan together, one of retreating and recuperating. But, if it wasn’t the roiling sky interrupting her thoughts, it was Leon. This time it was a low whisper, almost unhearable amidst the rain and thunder. Nina turned to face him, her expression flickering in momentary surprise as she registered his words, quieting down to become stony in the seconds that followed. “Hal?” Her brows knitted together and lips tugged to a slight purse. Azure eyes strayed to follow the distant form, snapping back onto her tall friend to give him a curt nod, “go if you must.”

Watching Leon disappear into the doom and gloom of the district hacked away at the little respite that Nina clung onto. The grim truth that there was diminishing hope for their squad hung in the air the more the members separated. At least she believed wholly in Leon and what he was capable of, the confidence was not shared with Laurie. As for her faith in the rest of the squad… The sight of Milo succumbing to the stress of the task at hand seemed to sum it up not so nicely.

Fretting momentarily, Nina made up her mind with a bleak solemness. “Noah, Elyse. Retreat to Headquarters now.” She ordered, offering them a mirthless smile, a thin and brittle echo of the usual curve to her lips, but a smile nonetheless. “We’ll meet you there.”

Before she could take a step towards Milo, her focus shifted, eyes narrowing. Did lightning just strike? Nina’s gaze deviated to linger in the direction it’d flashed, a frown creasing her face. She would’ve stared for longer if she hadn’t heard the sound of a half stifled sob. With her attention realigned, she moved to kneel beside her shaken squadmate, the redhead took in his hunched form, swallowing her unease as the Titans continued their approach and gently easing his hands from his neck and enveloping them within her own. “Come on Milo,” Nina murmured softly, concern kindling in her chest as she stared at the boy, “I don’t want to leave you here. Can you stand for me?”

Milo jolted when he felt the redhead’s surprisingly soft hands latch with his own, her tone was nothing but pitiful, yet despite their dire situation, her touch was tender and it instilled a slither of peace and composure into his rattled mind. His hands still shook as they were placed in hers, Milo nodded timidly, eyes never leaving her comforting gaze, “I’m- I’m okay I promise.” Without letting their grip part from one another, he slowly stood with her, “Thank you, for everything” he added in a shy tone whilst squeezing her hands affirmingly.

Another smile found its way onto her lips, one more genuine and kind. “Don’t thank me yet.” They were far from safe, and with Titans far too close for comfort they had to get moving now. Tugging Milo along with her, she began a retreat of her own, hoping to find some solace at Headquarters if they managed to make it back. “We can’t give up now, we have people waiting for us.”

 

[Colorless Spectrum]

Laurence Arnault

Gwen's word echoed in his mind. It was louder than any raindrop, thunder, or rumble from a titan's footsteps. You don't belong here. Why? He didn't understand at all, whatever that goes on Gwen's head, especially now. He worked hard, just like everyone else, he can be a scout. He wanted to ask why she was here. He didn't believe in faith but somehow she was there. Fate? Coincidence? A higher whatever in the works for all of this to happen? Either way, his prayer out of fear was answered.

"Gwen." He said beneath his breath, in shock. Laurie was stuck in awe at taking down a titan by herself when she hardly showed otherwise during training.

Nevertheless, Laurie was relieved and very much grateful. He wasn't keen on dying... yet. "Thank you, Gwen. I- Wait-"

The raven-haired scout immediately got up and held Gwen by the shoulders. "Why are you here? What about the others? Are they oka- is Jo okay?" He stopped for a moment, feeling ashamed. How could he not even ask her how she was. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't jump on you like that. You look hurt." He felt like a mess but he needed to get his shit together right now.

mention: || interaction: . D O V E

 

[Danidify]

ELYSE HILDEBRAND​

For a brief, silent second, Elyse was allowed to indulge in pride for the words she had spoken, a slight smile revealing a moment of inner peace despite the surrounding mayhem. It seemed that sunshine wasn’t reserved for such a murky day, however, for a rude awakening was on the horizon. Its name was Leon.

A wave of confusion synapsed through her brain as she felt the growing pull of Leon’s sudden grasp, swiftly followed up by a vicious sting against her cold cheek. The dim light on her face was quite literally smacked off, making way for the detached, panicked stare that had become her signature these past few hours.

Mustering what little reserve of adrenaline she still had, her hands swiftly curled around the arm that had made way for her collar, holding onto the uninvited force that was keeping her standing. Instinctively, she desired to be mad at the brute gesture, but it felt wrong. As rough and demeaning as it was, there was a certain warmth to the message, allowing Elyse to only stutter in bewilderment. Coherent syllables could barely escape her mouth.

“No- I just don’t want to hold you ba-,”

As if the trials thus far hadn’t been punishment enough, the brunette was swiftly reintroduced to the hard ceiling tiles, scraping her knees at the end of her unflattering descent. The vicious cycle of defeats seemed to have reached another level of demoralization. At this point, she just wanted to hide and cry, but even that seemed like a luxury.

Practically lifeless and void of motivation to get up again, Elyse could barely even notice or appreciate another knight in shining armour arriving to save the day. Noah would make number three on the list of people that pulled her out of harm’s way, yet his actions, though kind and warm, would only be thanked by a mere nod. Rain could veil the tears welling up in her eyes, but it wouldn’t mask the sadness clogging her throat, and the noble definitely wasn’t willing to embarrass herself even more.

“Noah, Elyse. Retreat to Headquarters now.”

The noble reluctantly peered up, scanning their squad leader’s face as she made her command. Starting from their very first spar all the way to now, Elyse had always seen Nina as someone with immense resolve, so to see her smile so faintly unsettled her greatly. The guilt she felt was overwhelming, and the fact that her mind made no objections to retreating made it all the worse.

“Let’s leave, Noah” she mumbled faintly, reluctantly keeping herself supported on his shoulder as she attempted to limp her way to the edge of the roof. The cracking of thunder flashed behind them like a bad omen.

INTERACTIONS (squad besties): Castello Colorless Spectrum MENTIONS: ShadyLady ​