《Attack on Titan : The Witness Awakens》 Prologue
"Vivienne, stop running ahead!"
"You''re too slow, Father! Uncle will be waiting for ages!" Her father always said she had little patience, that she could never wait. As if she were in a hurry. As if¡­ time were running out for her. The little girl ran, waving her arms. Vivienne came to a stop, hands on her knees, breathing heavily as strands of golden-blonde hair fell across her face. "Looks like a little gust of wind got stuck in front of me." Lifting her emerald-green eyes, she beamed. "Uncle ¨¦tienne!" Her uncle swept her up in his arms with a grin. "Looks like the prettiest young lady in the capital has landed right here." Vivienne giggled happily. "You still spoil her too much," her father muttered. "Someone has to. Isn''t that right, Edmond?" Her father stared at them for a moment before nodding. "It''s good to see you, brother." Her uncle had always been an inspiration to her. Unlike other nobles, he travelled beyond the different Walls and met people from all walks of life. Vivienne had never once left Mitras. Stories of the world beyond the capital fascinated her. She would spend hours playing adventure games in the garden, imagining herself beyond the Walls¡ªsomething few in her family, or those around her, could understand. The House of D''Aubigne thrived on trade and innovation. Engineering was their obsession, and many in her family dedicated their lives to it. Why would anyone want to leave the comfort of their home? Why bother with the needs of others? They were always told they were building for the future. But what kind of future would that be? It was late, and Vivienne rubbed her eyes sleepily. All she really wanted was to go to the toilet. But when the sharp sound of something breaking jolted her awake, curiosity took over. She couldn''t resist. "Why...? Why are you still talking about this nonsense as if we were children?!" "Perhaps because, unlike you, I still believe in wonder¡ªand I keep my promises." "¨¦tienne!" Vivienne crept closer, slow and hesitant. Weren¡¯t those her uncle¡¯s and father¡¯s voices? Light spilled through the crack. She had always complained about the monsters in her head. Every time she closed her eyes, they were there¡ªvoices and images of people whose names she didn¡¯t even know. Screams. Pain. Make it stop. Her father¡¯s arms wrapped tightly around her as she pressed her hands to her head. "I¡¯m here. You¡¯re here. Together, we¡¯ll make the nightmares stop. Because they¡¯re not real. I¡¯ll always have a free ear for you." Vivienne peered through the crack. Why did Uncle ¨¦tienne look so upset? Why did Father look so desperate? "If you won¡¯t tell me the truth, then I¡¯ll take matters into my own hands," ¨¦tienne said, clenching his fists. "What are you talking about?" Edmond asked. "I''m going to join the Scout Regiment!" Her father¡¯s voice rang out, sharp and furious. "Are you out of your mind?! Those people have nothing but a death wish!" "Brother, tell me¡ªwhen did you stop planning for our future?" Her father¡¯s eyes widened at ¨¦tienne¡¯s words. "Do you really think that just because our family has wealth and happiness, others won¡¯t suffer? That they won¡¯t still fight for our freedom? You promised to tell us about our father¡¯s legacy. But even now, you remain silent." The voices blurred. Her uncle turned his back on her father. "I have never stopped dreaming." Vivienne¡¯s eyes widened as she realised her uncle was looking straight at her. Heart pounding, she spun around and ran back to her room, diving under the covers. She wasn¡¯t sure how much time had passed, but when the door creaked open, she knew she was in trouble. Vivienne sat up, ready to apologise¡ªonly to find herself pressed up against something. "I''m sorry, Vivienne." "Uncle ¨¦tienne?" His arms held her close. Something warm and wet seeped through her clothes.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "We won¡¯t see each other for a long time." "Huh?" Vivienne looked up at him in confusion. "W-why not? Where are you going?" "I''m going on an adventure." Adventure? "I promise to write letters. As often as I can." Letters ? "Until then, be a good girl, okay? Listen to your mother more, study hard, and be someone who follows their heart. Don¡¯t listen to them. Don¡¯t listen to the people who walk blindly through our Walls. I know you can see through them. I know you can see through it all." There was so much she wanted to say. But why? Why couldn¡¯t she say the words? Why was her voice gone? Why was she so motionless? Her eyes fluttered shut. Darkness enveloped her. You may not have silenced me. But I will remain your witness forever. I will watch every step you take. I¡­ Her eyes snapped open, her breathing heavy. Vivienne ran into the parlour. Her mother¡¯s face was streaked with tears, her older brother held her hand, and her father stood with his back to them, gazing out of the window. "W-what¡¯s going on? Why is Mother crying?" "Uncle ¨¦tienne has gone off to join the Scout Regiment," her brother said. Vivienne¡¯s eyes widened. It¡­ wasn¡¯t all a dream after all? "I always knew he was an idiot." Her face flushed red. "Don¡¯t talk about our uncle like that! He would never do something so stupid!" They didn¡¯t have a good reputation here. The grown-ups all called them a waste of tax money¡ªcrazy idiots who couldn¡¯t do anything with their lives. Suicidal puppets who stood no chance against the Titans anyway. And no one questioned it. No one wanted to know. They were blind and refused to see. "Vivienne," her father said in a serious tone, "your brother is right. Your uncle has joined them." She didn¡¯t know what to do with this information and sank to the floor. Why¡­? Why hadn¡¯t she managed to say goodbye to him? Surprisingly, the first letter arrived sooner than expected. I¡¯m fine. The food will probably never taste as good as it does at home. But what¡¯s an adventure without a few hurdles? The presents lay unwrapped on her bedside table. Vivienne opened the envelope, and a dried flower slipped out. Happy Birthday! I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t say these words to you in person. I¡¯m also sorry I couldn¡¯t give you a better present. This is a flower I picked from outside the Walls. The others told me it was nothing special, but it reminds me of you. "Outside the Walls¡­" Her gaze remained fixed on the daisy. They were everywhere. But knowing this one had come from beyond¡­ changed everything. She hadn¡¯t even realised there were flowers out there. I hope you¡¯re eating well. I¡¯m glad to hear you¡¯re getting good grades. I always knew you were clever! Captain Levi has no fear. He¡¯s gotten us out of plenty of sticky situations. Vivienne walked through the streets, the taunts from the outer Walls echoing around her. Why? Why couldn¡¯t she read any of the stories her uncle wrote to her in the newspaper? Her emerald eyes widened. At last¡ªan article! "Tsk, another waste of our taxes. Stupid Scouts." "Why should we care? It¡¯s not our fault they can¡¯t find anyone to sleep with." The newspaper crumpled in her hands. "Shut up! Unlike you lazy men, they¡¯re actually fighting for our freedom!" Both men scowled at her. "You little brat¡­" They stepped towards her, but Vivienne didn¡¯t flinch. Only when they were right in front of her did she dart to the side. Before anything worse could happen, a firm hand gripped her shoulder. "Please forgive my daughter¡­ She¡¯s going through a phase." The men hesitated. But when they recognised her father, they backed off without another word. No one would dare touch someone from her family. Their status was too high¡ªengineers who shaped the future of humanity. "Vivienne, your behaviour is getting worse by the day. This is the third time in two weeks that something like this has happened." "How can you let them talk about Uncle ¨¦tienne like that?! The Scouts are out there fighting the Titans! He¡¯s fighting for our freedom, yet all anyone does is insult him and call him an idiot!" "Vivienne¡­" "You can¡¯t even read about it in the papers! And if someone is kind enough to write an article, all people do is complain that it¡¯s a waste of taxpayers¡¯ money!" "Vivienne." "Uncle ¨¦tienne is a hero, and you¡ª" "He¡¯s an idiot!" Her father¡¯s words made her shudder. Why¡­? Why did he speak about his own brother like that? Wasn¡¯t he the one who always told her that ¨¦tienne was simply free-spirited? Was her father¡­ just as blind? Her face streaked with tears, she ran into the room. Her father sighed, covering his face with his hand. One of my comrades fell today. The feeling inside me¡­ I don¡¯t know how to describe it. Is it emptiness? But don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m stronger than I look! Besides, you only die when you¡¯re forgotten. And you¡¯ll never forget me, will you, Vivienne? Above her, the blue sky stretched endlessly. She tried to convince herself that it was just the heat of the sun making her sweat. "We now begin the enlistment ceremony for the 104th Trainee Corps!" announced an older, balding man in a stern tone. "I am Keith Shadis, and I¡¯ve had the misfortune of being assigned to train you bastards. I am not here to welcome you. Right now, you¡¯re nothing more than cattle, fit for nothing but Titan food! In three years, we¡¯ll take you worthless pieces of crap and turn you into soldiers!" "In three years, when you stand before a Titan, will you be food? Or will you be a noble wall, shielding the King? Or perhaps, one of humanity¡¯s glorious soldiers, slaying Titans?" "You will decide!" Uncle... I will not forget 1 "Huh? Again? Aren¡¯t you a bit young to be sending letters to someone on the battlefield?" The shopkeeper eyed the envelope critically. "She must have read about one of them in the newspaper and fallen head over heels," another shopkeeper scoffed, smirking at her. Vivienne¡¯s expression darkened, a tight, burning sensation rising in her chest. She slammed the money onto the counter and left without another word. She had to endure comments like this every time. This was the third time in two weeks she had come here to post a letter. Normally, she was patient¡ªshe understood that whatever her uncle''s mission, it might take longer for a reply to reach her. But it had been over a month. Vivienne lowered her gaze, her emerald eyes dim with worry. Maybe she should have expected this. Maybe she shouldn¡¯t have been so surprised. She unlocked the front door and hung up her coat. "To what do I owe the honour of the Commander of the Survey Corps visiting me in person?" Father? "Indeed. I don¡¯t usually make house calls, but in this case, I¡¯ll make an exception." Vivienne peered through the small gap in the slightly ajar door. A man stood opposite her father. He was well-built, with neatly parted blond hair and piercing ice-blue eyes. For a brief moment, it seemed as though his gaze locked onto hers, but then he turned back to her father. "¨¨tienne D''Aubigne has been found dead." Vivienne¡¯s breath caught. The bag slipped from her hand, hitting the floor with a dull thud. She stepped into the room. "Lies¡­ No¡­ It can¡¯t be. Uncle, he¡¯s¡­" Her hands trembled violently. The Commander regarded her carefully, as if trying to decipher something in her. Then she turned to her father, whose face was unreadable. Edmond¡¯s expression shifted slightly¡ªjust a flicker of something bitter before he looked away. "I see." "I see?" Vivienne repeated, her voice rising in disbelief. "That¡¯s all you have to say?" She sucked in a sharp breath. "Your brother has just been pronounced dead, and all you can do is¡­ understand?" She couldn¡¯t stay. She couldn¡¯t look at them anymore. The young girl snatched up her bag and ran. The streets blurred past her as she sprinted, head down. Parents played with their children, lovers strolled arm in arm, drunken gentlemen laughed loudly. How could they? How could they all smile? How could they carry on with their lives when outside, people were dying for them? Vivienne clenched her fists as a tear slipped down her cheek. The weight of this utopian world pressed heavily on her shoulders. She stopped at the fence beside the river, her breath unsteady. She should have seen this coming. She should have known. There were rarely happy endings for those who joined the Scouts. Loud, drunken laughter echoed behind her. A group of Military Police officers staggered past, careless and carefree. Her grip on the fence tightened. Why? Why did they get to drink and laugh while real soldiers¡ª More tears spilled over as a quiet sob escaped her lips. She closed her eyes. Uncle ¨¨tienne had been the only one in her family who understood her. He knew why a little girl dreamed of adventure. He never dismissed her curiosity or her yearning to explore. The world had never felt so cruel as it did in that moment. She opened her eyes when a handkerchief was suddenly offered to her. Startled, she turned her head. The Commander of the Survey Corps stood beside her. "A lady shouldn¡¯t be left to cry," he said, his gaze drifting towards the river. Vivienne hesitated before taking the handkerchief, dabbing at her tears. She stared at the fabric for a moment, fingers curling around it.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. "How¡­ how did my uncle die?" Maybe she wasn¡¯t meant to know. No one wanted to hear how their loved one had been crushed between a Titan¡¯s teeth, swallowed whole, lost forever. But she had to ask. She had to know why she would never laugh with her uncle again. "That depends," Erwin said, reaching into his coat. He held out a piece of fabric¡ªworn, but unmistakable. The symbol of the Survey Corps. A pair of wings, one blue, one white. The Wings of Freedom. Confused, she took it from him. Erwin¡¯s ice-blue eyes studied her, measuring something unseen. "How far would you go to uncover the truth?" "You there!" Keith Shadis'' voice sliced through the air like a blade. The cadets stiffened as he pointed at a blond-haired, blue-eyed boy. "Who are you?" "Armin Arlert, from Shiganshina!" "Yeah? That¡¯s a stupid name." Shadis barely waited for a reaction before continuing. His sharp gaze scrutinised Armin, then he scoffed. "Did your parents actually give you that name?" His tone was filled with mockery. It was clear¡ªthis man wasn¡¯t going to go easy on anyone. After a moment, he moved on. His piercing stare landed on someone else. "Who are you?!" Vivienne¡¯s breath hitched. She hadn¡¯t expected to be called out so soon, but she quickly straightened, raising her arm across her chest in a firm military salute. "Vivienne D''Aubigne, from Mitras!" The silence that followed was heavy. She could feel the weight of dozens of eyes on her. Of course, she was probably the only recruit here from the capital. Shadis scoffed. "I see. A noble from the interior who wants to be a hero, is that it?" Before she could even attempt a response, his voice rose to a bark. "Listen up! You¡¯ll get no special treatment just because your family has money!" Vivienne clenched her jaw but kept quiet. She had expected this. Her background would always be a target, but she wasn''t here for privilege¡ªshe was here to prove herself. Shadis had already turned to the next person. "Who are you?" "Jean Kirschtein, from Trost!" Jean had spiky brown hair, shaved in an undercut with the shorter parts a darker shade. Another boy from Trost. When Shadis demanded to know why he was here, Jean hesitated only slightly before answering. "To join the Military Police and live a comfortable life in the interior." Vivienne¡¯s eyes flickered towards him. One of them. Should she judge him for it? Her uncle had been mocked for joining the Survey Corps. Yet, as someone who had grown up in safety, it felt hypocritical to condemn those who sought the same security. "Oh, I see," Shadis sneered. "You want access to the interior?" Jean¡¯s mouth curled into a confident smile. "Yes." Shadis responded with a headbutt. Jean crumpled to his knees. Vivienne wasn¡¯t sure whether to find his honesty impressive or ridiculous. "Who said you could sit down?! If you can¡¯t handle that, you¡¯ll never make it to the Military Police!" She wasn''t sure she agreed with those words. From what she had seen, it didn¡¯t take much to become one of those officers. The way some of them strutted around, drunk on authority, made her doubt their competence entirely. Shadis continued. Another cadet stepped forward¡ªMarco, another who wanted to join the Military Police. Then came Connie, a boy from Wall Rose. Vivienne barely had time to process how easily Shadis lifted him clean off the ground by his head. His voice thundered across the field. "This salute shows your determination to give your whole heart to the people!" All eyes shifted to the side. A girl was biting into a potato. Vivienne blinked. Is she¡­ seriously eating? For a moment, she could only stare. She had expected the others to see her as a spoiled brat, the privileged girl from Mitras. But even she knew that eating at a moment like this was beyond inappropriate. The girl, however, continued to chew, completely unfazed. It didn¡¯t take long for Shadis to storm over. "You! Who are you?" he bellowed. The girl swallowed, snapped to attention and saluted¡ªwith the potato still in her hand. "Sasha Blouse, from Dauper, sir!" Shadis¡¯ eyes narrowed. "And what are you holding in your right hand?" "A boiled potato!" she said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "The kitchen had a fresh batch, and I couldn¡¯t resist." Vivienne exchanged a look with the cadets beside her. Is she serious? Nobody spoke. The silence stretched on. Then, as if to break the tension, Sasha tore off a piece of the potato and offered it to Shadis. He took it. Stared at it. And as punishment, made her run laps. A lot of them. Vivienne exhaled slightly. What could possibly go wrong? 2 Vivienne packed her clothes into a small cupboard. She shared the wooden cabin that would be her home for the next three years with four other girls. Funnily enough, one of them was the same girl who had been made to run laps outside as punishment for eating a hot potato. Everything here was made of wood and relatively simple¡ªa stark contrast to the furniture and architecture she was used to at home. A voice cut through the air. "Who would have thought that the nobles would be so kind as to join us poor peasants in battle?" A tall, slender young woman with short, shaggy dark brown hair, parted down the middle, stood before her. Vivienne turned, brows furrowing. "Excuse me?" "You heard me. Tell me, have they given your family more money? Or is this all a social experiment to see how well someone from the upper class performs? Did your family lose a bet or something?" Her eyes darkened. She could understand the suspicion towards her, but it still made her angry to hear such words¡ªespecially when no one really knew her. That was true¡­ Nobody knew her. Perhaps no one ever truly would. Not even her own family understood her. Two Months ago Her father¡¯s hand slammed down on the dinner table. In all these years, he had never looked at her with such frustration, disgust, and anger as he did now. Her mother nervously poured more tea into her cup, while her older brother sat tensely, gripping his fork but not eating. "Vivienne! You can''t talk about people like that!" her father shouted. Unimpressed, she met his glare. "Why? Because it''s the truth?" "Vivienne!" She gritted her teeth. How many times had they argued this week? How many times had he raised his voice? Slowly, these confrontations were becoming routine. Her uncle, ¨¨tienne, had given his life because he believed they could live in a world without walls. But every time she walked down the street, and someone spotted a product from her family''s company, they laughed, whispered, sneered. Called him an idiot. His name was nothing but a joke to them. And every time she stood up for him, she¡¯d find herself here again¡ªsitting at the dinner table, being told off. A scene played out over and over again. Repeating. Endlessly. And that was when she realised¡ªthe walls would probably never disappear. Her father¡¯s voice cut through her thoughts. "Your behaviour is getting worse and worse. It¡¯s almost as if your mother and I never taught you any manners." Vivienne¡¯s jaw tightened. "Is that so? Have you ever given a single coin to the Scout Corps to support your brother? Have you ever done anything when someone spoke ill of Uncle ¨¨tienne?"This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Her voice had risen. "Stop talking to me like that!" her father snapped. "That¡¯s not how we brought you up!" Vivienne looked down, fingers curling into fists. Why was it so unfair? Why didn¡¯t he understand? Hadn¡¯t he always promised he¡¯d be on her side? Then why? Why was he so blind? Why did he refuse to see¡ªor to listen? He always left a gap open in the door to his office so he could hear her, didn¡¯t he? Didn¡¯t that mean he wanted to listen? Her brother sat back in his chair, watching her with something close to amusement. Condescending. Mocking. She snapped her gaze up, her next words spilling out like venom. "Oh really? Then you¡¯re going to love this¡ª I¡¯ve enrolled in the Academy. I¡¯m going to be a member of the Survey Corps!" Silence. Her mother¡¯s teacup slipped from her fingers, crashing against the saucer. Tea seeped into the elegant tablecloth. Her brother¡¯s fork clattered to his plate. Her father¡¯s expression froze, his face blank with horror. Her mother put a trembling hand over her mouth, tears welling in her eyes. Vivienne¡¯s gaze softened for a moment, but her decision was made. She stood, turning her back on them, ready to leave the room. Then her father spoke. "If¡­" His voice was quiet. Cold. "If you join the Survey Corps, you must be aware of the consequences." Slightly confused, she turned back to look at him. Her emerald-green eyes met his¡ªthe same ones she had inherited from him. "Once you step out that door and leave home to become a Scout, you are no longer my daughter." Vivienne¡¯s breath caught. She had expected anger. Had expected him to yell. But this? Her mother let out a broken sob, her back trembling as she turned away. Vivienne clenched her jaw. "So be it," she whispered. And she walked out. "Don''t be so mean! I''m sure she has her reasons for being here, just like all of us!" The voice snapped Vivienne out of her thoughts. A blonde girl with sky-blue eyes stood before her, holding out a withered daisy. "It fell out of your pocket," she said with a warm smile. Vivienne hesitated. Uncle ¨¨tienne¡¯s birthday present. The flower that came from outside the walls. She reached out. "Thank¡ª" Her fingers brushed against the girl''s skin. And suddenly¡ªa strange sensation flooded her senses. Darkness. A shiver ran down her spine. A loathing face. A crystal cave. Harsh words. Despair. Grief. Pain. Too many images. Too fast. Her breath hitched. Please! We haven''t even talked about it yet! Vivienne sucked in a sharp breath and snatched the flower from her hand. The blonde girl frowned, concern flickering across her face. "Are¡­ are you all right?" Vivienne¡¯s emerald gaze locked onto hers. "I''m fine¡­" she murmured before tilting her head. "Tell me¡­ have we met before?" The girl blinked in surprise. "Not that I can think of¡­" Then, she offered a small smile. "Oh, by the way, my name¡¯s Christa. And that''s Ymir over there. Don''t mind her too much." Vivienne¡¯s gaze flickered to Ymir, who stood with her arms crossed, clicking her tongue in irritation. Her eyes drifted back to the daisy in her palm. What¡­ had just happened? 3 Now she was trapped within these wooden walls¡ªand beyond. It felt like her whole life existed around nothing else but walls. Today marked the first official day of training. Vivienne couldn''t tell if she was nervous or excited. Probably both, but mostly nervous. She was well aware that she wasn¡¯t very popular here. Even though she should have been used to the condescending comments¡ªones that had always been directed at her uncle¡ªit felt different when a group of people stared at you directly, whispering the moment you passed. No matter what she did¡ªhow she walked, ate, or even slept¡ªshe felt watched, judged. Vivienne hated that feeling. The ODM training had officially begun. The Omni-Directional Mobility Gear was an advanced piece of equipment designed to give soldiers incredible agility in combat against the Titans. Shadis had told them that anyone who failed would serve as a decoy on the front lines. Vivienne eyed the structure before her¡ªthree wooden mast-like poles, reinforced with metal, with wires hanging from either side. Impressive. Most of the cadets struggled to stay upright. One of them, however, was perfectly still. Mikasa, a girl with short black hair, stood calm and unmoving¡ªas if this were effortless. She was talented. Then it was Vivienne¡¯s turn. A young man secured the wires to her harness, and in an instant, she was airborne. At first, everything seemed fine. But then¡ªher balance wavered. Her arms flailed as she desperately tried to steady herself. And then¡ªit happened. She swung forward, her head suddenly tipping downwards. Laughter erupted around her. A deep heat crept up her neck, settling in her cheeks. A sharp pang of shame ran down her spine. Her blonde hair dangled beneath her. Her jaw clenched. It can¡¯t end here. Vivienne had never been desperate for admiration, but she refused to become known as the noble girl who couldn¡¯t even stand upright. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a hair tie, quickly securing her hair into a ponytail. For a brief moment, she wondered¡ªhow had Uncle ¨¨tienne fared during this training? She had always thought of him as strong, steady. At least, when they played together. It was hard to imagine a man as kind as him becoming a soldier. And yet, no matter how much she had grown, he had always been able to lift her into his arms. "Looks like a little gust of wind got stuck in front of me." Her eyes widened. Wind. Vivienne let herself sway. Back and forth. Lower. Closer. Her head inched towards the ground¡ªthen, just before her nose could brush the dirt, her body swung back up. She focused on her breathing. Stilled her hands. And this time¡ªit worked. The laughter stopped. She turned her head slightly. Not far from her, Shadis was yelling at a boy who had failed to pull himself upright. Unlike her, he had been noticed. Vivienne felt relief. And guilt. The wooden tables rattled slightly as cadets leaned forward, tapping their forks against their plates. The air was thick with the scent of overcooked stew, damp clothes, and sweat¡ªexhaustion and tension lingered over them like a heavy fog. Vivienne sat alone at the end of the table, absentmindedly dragging her fork through her food. She wasn¡¯t particularly hungry. But she was listening. A large crowd had gathered around Eren Yeager¡¯s table. He and Armin¡ªwho, according to Shadis, had a stupid name¡ªwere both from Shiganshina , which sparked a flurry of conversation. Vivienne stared blankly at her plate. Even though she was from the capital, even though she came from a completely different background, even she had heard about it. The day the Titans broke through the Wall. The day where the impossible happened. Eren was bombarded with questions. How big was the Colossal Titan? Did you see it? Really? Was it really that big?! And still, she kept listening. Listening to Eren¡¯s loud, unfiltered frustration. Jean Kirschtein had made a casual remark about joining the Military Police and living a comfortable life. And, as expected, Eren had taken the bait.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. "Are you serious? Do you really think you¡¯ll be safe inside the walls forever?" Eren¡¯s voice rose, drawing the attention of the same crowd that had just been hanging on his every word about the Colossal Titan. "What if they break through the Wall again? Who do you think will stop them?" Jean scoffed. "Not my problem. That¡¯s what the Survey Corps is for. And if you¡¯re stupid enough to join them, good for you." He stabbed his bread with his fork. "I actually want to live." Vivienne¡¯s fingers tightened around her fork. "Then live as a coward," she said, voice even. "But don¡¯t mock those of us who want to fight." Jean turned to her with a slightly irritated look, narrowing his eyes. "Oh, I forgot," he said sarcastically. "Princess Mitras here wants to play hero too. Why? Looking for another war story to tell at your fancy noble parties?" Vivienne¡¯s chair scraped against the floor as she stood up abruptly. "You think I¡¯m doing this for a story?" Her voice trembled slightly¡ªnot with fear, but with suppressed anger. Jean raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by her reaction. "I think," he said, leaning back slightly, "you¡¯re delusional. Just like him." He jerked his thumb at Eren. Eren slammed his hands down on the table. "Say that again, asshole" But Jean didn¡¯t back down. "I said you¡¯re delusional," he repeated. "You act like you''re some fearless warrior, but we all saw you on ODM gear training. You were shaking. Face it - you''re terrified". His eyes flickered towards Vivienne. "And so is she" Vivienne stiffened. He wasn¡¯t wrong. She was afraid. Afraid of failing. Afraid of not being good enough. Afraid of ending up like¡­ her uncle. But that didn¡¯t mean she was going to run away. It didn¡¯t mean she wanted to give up. How could she? There was nowhere to return to. The academy¡ªbecoming a soldier¡ªhad to work. She had no other choice. "You¡¯re right," she said quietly, forcing Jean to look at her again. "I¡­ am scared." Jean frowned, as if he hadn¡¯t expected her to admit it so easily. "But at least I¡¯m not pretending it¡¯s not happening," she continued. "At least I¡¯m not lying to myself, telling myself the Titans will stay outside the Walls forever." Jean¡¯s jaw tightened. "I¡¯m not a liar," he shot back. "I am a straight talker. Unlike someone who acts like they¡¯ve got balls of steel even when they¡¯re about to piss themselves." Eren practically lunged at him, but Marco grabbed his shoulder before he could. Vivienne exhaled sharply, clenching her fists. "You think we¡¯re idiots for wanting to fight," she said, her emerald-green eyes locking onto Jean "But tell me, Jean¡ªwhen the Titans come knocking at the door again, and the only ones left to fight them are the people you laughed at¡­ will you still think we¡¯re the stupid ones?" She wanted to believe her uncle had joined the Survey Corps because he understood the danger. He was a clever man. If someone who had grown up in nobility¡ªas he had¡ªhad realised this was the only way forward, then she wanted to follow him. Jean¡¯s lips parted slightly, but no words came out. For the first time that evening, he had no answer. The canteen fell silent. Eyes darted between them, waiting for someone to break the tension. Then, after a long moment, Jean clicked his tongue and turned away. "Tch. Whatever," he muttered, shoving a piece of bread into his mouth. Vivienne sat back down, her heart pounding harder than she cared to admit. It was the first time she had spoken out against anyone other than her father. Jean didn¡¯t say another word to her for the rest of the meal. But when she looked up, she caught him watching her from across the table. His expression was unreadable. She wasn¡¯t sure what it meant. But she had a feeling this wouldn¡¯t be the last time they clashed. And maybe¡ªjust maybe¡ªit wouldn¡¯t be the last time he looked at her like that either. Vivienne exhaled slowly and forced herself to focus on her food, though the tension still lingered in the air. Jean had turned his attention elsewhere, muttering something to Marco. But Vivienne could still feel his gaze flicking towards her from time to time, as if he wasn¡¯t sure what to think¡ªor how to feel¡ªabout her presence. She ignored it. What she couldn¡¯t ignore was the other pair of eyes watching her. Eren. When she finally looked up, his green-blue eyes were fixed on her¡ªsharp, questioning, but not unfriendly. She blinked. "What...?" she asked. Eren leaned forward slightly, his arms resting on the table. "You really meant what you said." His voice was softer now, less heated than before. Vivienne hesitated. "Of course I did." His gaze remained steady. "Why do you want to join the Survey Corps?" It was a simple question, but something about the way he asked it made her pause. The first answer that came to mind was her uncle. And while that was the easiest and most logical response, something about it felt... incomplete. "How far would you go to find out the truth?" Her grip tightened slightly around her fork. "Because... I don¡¯t want to live a life where I close my eyes to the truth." Eren¡¯s expression shifted¡ªjust a little. She wasn¡¯t sure why she had said that. But something inside her had whispered the words before she could stop them. A flicker of something¡ªsomething deep, something indescribable¡ªmoved in the air between them. And then, just as quickly, it was gone. She blinked again, shaking off the strange sensation. Eren nodded, his expression unreadable. But there was something in his eyes¡ªrecognition? Understanding? She didn¡¯t know. All she knew was that, for a brief moment, it felt as though she had seen him somewhere before. But that was impossible. "Hmm..." Eren finally said, leaning back slightly. A small, almost approving smile played at his lips. "You¡¯re different from the other nobles." Her eyes widened in surprise. "Yeah? And you¡¯re different from the other idiots around here," Vivienne teased. Eren grinned. "Glad we understand each other." Armin chuckled quietly beside him, and even Mikasa, as silent as ever, seemed to be watching Vivienne with slightly less scrutinising attention than before. Jean, however, had been listening. And for some reason, that annoyed him more than he was willing to admit. Vivienne wasn¡¯t sure what to make of it yet. But something told her that this moment¡ªthis meeting¡ªwould matter more than she realised. 4 The afternoon sun beat down on the training field, casting long shadows over the rows of cadets as they struggled to stay upright in their ODM harnesses. Vivienne clenched her teeth, trying to regain her balance as the wires pulled taut. She managed to stabilise herself for a few seconds, but her posture wavered. Her eyes darted over to Sasha¡ªthe potato girl¡ªwho was swinging idly in the air, staring up at the sky as if she had nothing better to do. Vivienne had heard she came from a village of hunters. A solid background, one that certainly gave her an advantage in training. Tracking opponents, predicting movements¡ªSasha would have no trouble with any of it. A twinge of jealousy prickled at Vivienne. What made her so different? She bit her lip, glancing around. Everyone else seemed to have turned the corner to success. Even Eren, who had struggled at first, appeared to have found his footing. Only a few cadets still wavered in their harnesses. She hadn''t grown up in a hunting village, hadn''t faced hardship like many of her peers. Everything had always been handed to her. If she wanted something, she almost always got it. That was the stark difference between her and the others. What did she have to offer that they didn¡¯t? Frustration stirred inside her. Were the others right to look down on her? She hated to admit it, but in moments like this, she felt alone. The sounds of training faded into the background. Was she just a spoiled noble girl who had no place here? No. That wasn¡¯t good enough. She had to do better. Taking a deep breath, she tensed her body, focusing on her balance just as the instructors had taught her. Then a voice cut through the air. "Careful, Princess. Wouldn¡¯t want you landing on your ass." Vivienne jerked her head to the side. Jean stood a few feet away, perfectly balanced, arms crossed, his usual cocky grin firmly in place. She rolled her eyes. "You really are fixated on where I land, aren¡¯t you?" Jean blinked. Then, to her surprise, his grin faltered slightly. Vivienne smirked, pleased with herself. But before she could gloat, Jean leaned forward, his expression turning more serious. "Listen," he said, lowering his voice so only she could hear. "I don¡¯t care where you come from or how much money your family has. But you want to join the Survey Corps. That means you can¡¯t afford to be anything less than perfect." Vivienne stiffened, her gaze dropping slightly. She knew that. She had always known. There were so many reasons she couldn¡¯t afford to be anything less than perfect¡ªher background, the expectations placed on her, the monsters she had to face. She couldn¡¯t hesitate in battle. She couldn¡¯t afford weakness. One wrong move, one wrong breath¡ª And it would be over. Still, it was a different feeling to hear it from him¡ªthe unfiltered honesty in his voice. Jean raised his hand and tilted his head slightly to the side. "Besides, we need talented soldiers so I can enjoy my life as an MP in peace and not have to worry about a Titan attack inside my walls." His words¡­ She couldn''t explain why, but they stirred something in her. Vivienne rolled her eyes again and held his gaze. "I will." Jean exhaled and shook his head. "Tch. You nobles always talk big." She gripped the trigger. "Then shut up and watch me prove it." And before he could say anything else, she leapt forward¡ªthe cables whistling as she soared through the air. Vivienne smiled with confidence. But her smile quickly faded as she plummeted straight to the ground.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Silence. And more silence. A deep silence. Jean coughed before bursting into laughter, his voice loud and unrestrained. A heat rose inside her, and her cheeks flushed. I really hate him! It wasn''t long before Shadis¡¯ voice snapped through the air. "Vivienne D''Aubigne! Why are you sitting on the floor staring into the ether?!" She didn''t know what was worse¡ªJean''s laughter and the fact that she''d really fallen flat on her ass in front of him, or that her instructor was making an example of her in front of everyone. Ashamed, she stood up. The grins of the other cadets were not lost on her. After the training session¡ªwhich she wished she could erase from existence¡ªVivienne sat on the grass and stared at her ODM. Or, more precisely, her ODM: Omni-Directional Mobility Gear. An unnecessarily long name for a piece of equipment. A name only someone in her family could have come up with. Was it a cruel joke of fate? Was it a test? Was it karma? Vivienne didn¡¯t know. But what she did know was that the ODM was the pride of her entire family. How do you defeat a Titan? It was a question that had been asked for generations, and to this day, no one had a precise answer. What had always existed throughout history, however, were people with a purpose, with dedication. Dedication to making a difference. Dedication to making the impossible possible. The blacksmith struck the hot sword with his hammer. Mankind had learned early on that the best weapon against a great monster was a sharp blade. Curious eyes watched him from the corner. Eyes that were not blinded by the world around them. "How fast is a Titan?" "Can Titans climb?" "So Titans can''t turn quickly?" "Is it best to attack from behind?" Every time one of the brave ones came to collect their swords, the child would ask new questions¡ªquestions no one else thought to ask. Time passed, but the curiosity remained in the eyes of the now-grown adult. "So you kill a Titan by cutting its throat. But how do you get to the neck?" That question consumed him. He couldn¡¯t stop thinking about it. The brave always rode their horses into the unknown. Horses were the fastest means of transport¡ªthey could outrun some Titans. But they couldn''t fly. They couldn''t jump high. They couldn''t climb or take you up trees. What if you had something that could do just that? Something that not only made you faster¡­ Something that could almost make you fly¡­ Something that could bring you closer to freedom. And with that drive for the impossible, the ODM was born. Everyone doubted it, called the inventor a dreamy idiot. The people within the walls had always been blind. They didn¡¯t want to see. Or maybe they just couldn¡¯t see. But one of the brave was impressed by the dreamer¡¯s devotion. Dedicating his whole life to one thing, one goal¡ªit was something the brave one could relate to. The result was revolutionary. The military, the police, the Wall guards¡ªthey were more enthusiastic than ever. Success in achieving the impossible brought wealth, reputation, a title that her family still held to this day. Vivienne could remember her father and uncle staying up all night, tinkering with various pieces of equipment. There was a sparkle of devotion and curiosity in their eyes¡ªlike a child playing with his favourite toy. They would proudly show off their new creations. The urge to improve, to fix, was part of her identity. The many times her father sat her on his lap, helping her repair her own toys, now felt like a bitter memory. He had always smiled so cheerfully at her when she managed to do it on her own. Ironically, her father had an ODM locked away in a cupboard in his study. How could it be that one of her ancestors had invented the ODM, yet she was so bad at using it? The setting sun kissed her cheeks as she fiddled with the triggers, gripping the controller. Vivienne looked down thoughtfully. Her finger had to exert a lot of pressure just to press the trigger at all. That took time and concentration¡ªresources that could be used to either survive or fight. She frowned. Why is it so damn hard to press you? What do you have inside? Vivienne went into the hut and retrieved a small toolbox. She hadn''t brought a full kit with her and hadn¡¯t really expected to ever use it. But after all, she was an engineer¡¯s daughter. Determined, she sat back down outside and stared at her ODM gear. She picked up the controller. I wonder what you look like on the inside. Trapped in her thoughts, the world around her disappeared. Her emerald eyes were focused, her hands steady as she worked to take the controller apart. Vivienne pursed her lips. You really are persistent. Her eyes sparkled, and a small smile spread across her lips. "Gotcha!" Armin and Eren strolled through the area on their way to get something to eat. "Hm?" Eren stopped and looked into the distance. "Isn''t that Vivienne?" Armin followed his gaze and nodded. "Looks like it." "What''s she doing there?" "I''m not sure," Armin replied, "but from what I¡¯ve heard, she¡¯s struggling with her ODM training." Eren''s gaze lingered on the noble girl, unreadable. Then he turned away and walked off with Armin. Vivienne, still grinning down at her work, hadn''t noticed their glances. "Well, let¡¯s see how you can make my life easier..." 5 Determined. Vivienne took a deep breath, her hands gripping the ODM controls tightly. She leaned forward slightly. Time seemed to slow before she braced her foot and leapt. The hooks locked into another tree trunk, and she soared through the air, gaze focused. She pressed the triggers again¡ªnothing happened. Her eyes widened. She pressed them again. And again. Nothing. The wind whipped her hair back, and realisation hit. The controls weren¡¯t working. ¡°Damn!¡± she muttered, bracing herself just before she crashed into the nearest tree trunk. She winced, rubbing her shoulder, and stared at the ODM controls. Her finger tapped the trigger absently. It was easier to press now, but something in the adjustment had thrown off the mechanism. ¡°So¡­ that wasn¡¯t it either,¡± she muttered under her breath. ¡°Vivienne! Are you all right?¡± A voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She looked up to see Armin standing on a higher branch, concern written in his sharp blue eyes. Before she could answer, another voice chimed in. ¡°Huh? Armin? What¡¯s going on?¡± Connie had just arrived, glancing between them. Vivienne looked back at her ODM controls. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± She pressed down hard, releasing her hooks, and dropped to the ground. Dust kicked up around her boots as she landed. She didn¡¯t bother looking back before walking away. Connie scratched his head. ¡°What¡¯s her deal? Nobles sure are weird.¡± Armin didn¡¯t respond, his gaze still following her retreating form, lips pressed together. As training ended, the usual noise of recruits filled the air¡ªlaughing, chatting, groups forming for the evening. Vivienne sat alone, fiddling with the handles of her gear. She knew there had to be a way to fix this. She just wasn¡¯t sure how. She sighed, resting her chin in her hand. Maybe she understood ODM mechanics better than most, but unlike her father, she wasn¡¯t an expert. The sun dipped lower, shadows stretching across the ground. The air was still thick with the day¡¯s heat, clinging to her skin. ¡°You¡¯re always alone, aren¡¯t you?¡± Eren¡¯s voice startled her. She hadn¡¯t even noticed him approaching until his shadow fell over her. Vivienne blinked, looking up. He wasn¡¯t his usual fiery self¡ªthere was something¡­ quieter about him tonight. ¡°I¡¯m just thinking,¡± she said, turning her gaze back to the horizon. Eren took a few steps closer, his expression unreadable. ¡°So, you¡¯re still planning to join the Survey Corps, huh?¡± She hesitated. No wonder people laughed at her. Just days ago, she¡¯d told Jean off, declaring her intention to join the Scouts. Yet here she was¡ªdoubting herself. Then something shifted inside her. ¡°Why else would I be here?¡± she said simply. Eren studied her for a moment. ¡°So you really want to go out there, knowing what¡¯s waiting for you? Knowing that¡­ you could end up like everyone else?¡± Vivienne¡¯s fingers tightened around her ODM controls. The thought of dying out there, of vanishing without a trace, terrified her. All she had left of her uncle was the cloth crest Erwin had given her. There had been no body. Nothing to bury.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Just memories. Was she willing to become one? ¡°¡­Death is part of it,¡± she said finally, voice quieter than before. ¡°We can¡¯t change that. But if we don¡¯t fight, then what¡¯s the point of living in this world? What are we even here for?¡± Eren met her gaze. For a brief moment, something flickered in his expression¡ªlike he was seeing beyond her. Then, just as quickly, it was gone. ¡°I understand that,¡± he said. ¡°But sometimes I wonder if I¡¯m doing this for the right reasons¡­ or if I¡¯m just chasing some stupid dream.¡± Vivienne frowned slightly, confused ¡°What do you mean?¡± Eren looked away, his jaw tightening. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to kill the Titans. To wipe them out. To take revenge for what they¡¯ve done. To see the world beyond the Walls.¡± His fists clenched slightly. ¡°But lately, it feels like something else is driving me. Like there¡¯s something I should be doing¡ªbut I don¡¯t know what it is.¡± Vivienne studied him, her chest tightening. His words carried a strange, almost desperate energy. It reminded her of something she couldn¡¯t quite place¡ªa pull she didn¡¯t understand. "You don¡¯t have to figure it out right now," she said quietly, unsure why her voice had softened. "None of us have all the answers. We¡¯re all beginning to question ourselves. But we¡¯re all here, in this together. That¡¯s what matters." She was struggling with doubt herself, wondering if she had made the right decision. Eren nodded slowly, but there was still a storm behind his eyes. "Yeah... but sometimes I think maybe I¡¯m not like the rest of you." Vivienne tilted her head, frowning. She wanted to ask him more, but she hesitated. Eren let out a breath, shaking his head. ¡°Forget it.¡± Vivienne raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re kinda weird, you know that?¡± Eren gave a half-hearted laugh. ¡°You¡¯re not the first to say that.¡± She smirked. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m starting to understand why.¡± A comfortable silence settled between them. Eren spoke again. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I feel like you understand.¡± Vivienne blinked. ¡°If you mean I understand what it¡¯s like to look like an idiot in front of everyone here, then yeah, I get it.¡± Eren actually chuckled. A real one this time. Then his eyes fell on the ODM controller in her hands. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Vivienne glanced down. ¡°Oh, this?¡± She hesitated before explaining how she was adjusting the trigger pressure to make it easier to press. ¡°You think you can actually do that?¡± he asked, tilting his head slightly. ¡°I have to,¡± she said, more serious now. Eren didn¡¯t need an explanation. Her expression said enough. He nodded. ¡°If you want to sit with Armin, Mikasa, and me at meals, it¡¯s no problem.¡± With that, he turned and walked away. Vivienne sat there, watching him go, surprised. A small smile played on her lips. The wind blew her hair into her face, snapping her back to reality. She tucked it behind her ear with an annoyed huff. ¡°¡­Really should¡¯ve brought a hair tie.¡± Then her eyes widened slightly. Maybe¡­ Maybe there was a way to make her adjustments work after all. The next day came faster than expected. Vivienne yawned slightly, standing beside Armin, Connie, and Jean. Two of them were anything but pleased that Shadis had put them in the same group. ¡°Great. Why do we have to be stuck with Princess Mitras? Might as well let the other team win,¡± Jean muttered, shooting her an unimpressed look. Armin shot him a look, about to object¡ª ¡°GO!¡± Shadis bellowed. Vivienne barely hesitated. She launched herself forward, pressing the trigger. The hooks shot out, anchoring into the trees. A second press, and she propelled herself forward. Her teammates stared after her. ¡°Oy!? When did Vivienne get so fast?¡± Connie blurted, struggling to keep up. Armin, swinging through the air, narrowed his eyes. Just yesterday, she had slammed into a tree. Now she was leading the charge. Could it really be¡­? Vivienne neared the Titan dummy. She spotted Bertholdt on the opposing squad, already closing in. Her eyes sharpened. One more shot¡ª She twisted, slashing clean through the dummy¡¯s nape. The whistle blew. ¡°Group 1 has won this round!¡± Jean, Connie, and Armin landed nearby, staring at Vivienne in disbelief. She had taken down the dummy¡ªby herself. ¡°What the hell just happened?¡± Jean demanded, still trying to wrap his head around her sudden transformation. ¡°So she was successful,¡± Eren muttered. Armin turned to him, frowning slightly. Did Eren know something the rest of them didn¡¯t? But Eren¡¯s gaze stayed on Vivienne. She stood below, catching her breath¡ªthen smiling. A small smile tugged at Armins lips. Well, whatever it was, it didn¡¯t really matter right now. It was just nice to see her smile for once. 6 The canteen was a hive of activity, the smell of dry bread and boiled potatoes wafting through the air. The wooden benches creaked under the weight of exhausted cadets. Vivienne sat between Armin and Eren, a plate of stale rations in front of her. Across the table, Mikasa ate quietly, her expression as unreadable as ever. Armin, ever curious, leaned forward. "Vivienne, I''ve always wanted to ask¡ªhow did you modify the trigger on your ODM gear? I''ve never heard of anyone setting it up like that." Vivienne straightened slightly, a flicker of satisfaction rising in her chest. She had expected Armin to notice, but it was still nice to have someone acknowledge her work. She had barely opened her mouth when a loud, mocking voice cut in. "Ohhh, Princess Mitras is a mechanical genius now?" Jean Kirschtein. Vivienne let out a slow breath before turning to face him. He had just dropped onto the bench next to Connie, a smirk on his face as he propped an elbow on the table. She raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "Do you need something, Jean, or do you just enjoy listening to yourself?" Jean snorted, swiping a piece of bread from Connie''s tray and ignoring the half-hearted protest from him. "I just think it''s funny. A noble girl, messing with ODM triggers like she actually knows what she''s doing? What''s next? Gonna teach us all how to embroider our uniform patches too?" Connie and a few others laughed, but Armin frowned. "Jean, don¡¯t be ridiculous. She''s obviously done something right. You saw how fast she was today." Jean rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, we all saw. She was flailing around yesterday, and suddenly she''s zipping through the trees like a pro?" He leaned forward, smirking. "What, did you bribe someone to fix it for you?" "Jealous?" she said smoothly, taking a deliberate bite of her food. Jean scoffed. "Jealous? Please. I just find it very convenient that you, of all people, have suddenly found a way to cheat your way through ODM training." "Cheat?" Vivienne let out a short laugh, gripping her fork a little tighter. "Are you telling yourself that to make yourself feel better? Should I slow down next time so your fragile ego doesn¡¯t take a knock?" Across the table, Eren smirked. "She¡¯s right, Jean." Jean shot him a glare. "Shut up, Jaeger. Nobody asked you." Eren just shrugged, clearly enjoying the show. Vivienne crossed her arms and gave Jean a once-over. "It must be exhausting¡ªhaving nothing better to do than point out other people¡¯s weaknesses while you''re left in the dust yourself." Jean¡¯s grin faltered for just a second before he covered it with an exaggerated sigh. "Right, because I''m so threatened by you." He rested his chin on his hand, his smirk returning. "I have to admit, though, Princess¡ªthat was impressive. I didn¡¯t know you had it in you." Vivienne frowned. That almost sounded like a compliment. Almost. But the teasing tone in his voice made it clear he wasn¡¯t going to let her have it so easily. "I''m honoured," she said dryly. "Really." Jean''s grin widened. "You should be." Armin, sensing the rising tension, cleared his throat. "Vivienne, what were you saying? About your ODM triggers?" Vivienne tore her eyes from Jean and exhaled through her nose. "Right. Well, I found that the standard trigger required more pressure than necessary, so I adjusted the tension in the internal spring mechanism¡ª" Jean groaned loudly. "Oh, great. Now we''re getting a full-on engineering lecture." Vivienne narrowed her eyes. "You could just walk away." Jean rested his chin on his hand again and grinned. "Nah. This is way too entertaining." Vivienne took a slow breath, resisting the urge to shove his plate off the table. Jean Kirschtein was insufferable. And unfortunately, she had a feeling this wouldn''t be the last time he got on her nerves. Vivienne let out a sharp breath and stood abruptly. She grabbed her plate and turned on her heel without another word, her boots clacking against the floor as she walked away. Jean watched her go, still grinning, but Armin sighed and shook his head slightly.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "That really wasn''t necessary." Jean looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "What? She dishes it out¡ªshe should be able to take it." Armin gave him a pointed look. "Jean... do you even know who her family is?" Jean scoffed, crossing his arms. "Yeah, she''s some spoiled noble from Mitras. Pretty obvious." Armin shook his head. "Not just any noble. If I remember correctly from what I''ve read about ODM history... her family actually invented it." Jean blinked. "What?" Eren, who had been watching with an amused expression, suddenly frowned. "Wait. Are you serious?" Armin nodded. "The first ODM prototypes were developed by a group of engineers in Mitras. Vivienne''s family was one of the main contributors. Her great-grandfather and his brother were directly involved in the development of the release system we use today." He glanced towards the door Vivienne had walked through. "That''s probably why she knew how to set it up. She¡¯s probably been around this kind of technology all her life." Jean¡¯s grin faltered slightly. He leaned back, arms still crossed. "Tch. You''re telling me she comes from the family that made ODM gear?" Connie, busy stuffing his face, finally spoke up between bites. "Man, that''s kind of crazy. You just made fun of her for not knowing what she was doing, and it turns out she probably knows more about ODM gear than any of us." Jean scoffed and picked up his bread again. "I wasn¡¯t making fun of her¡ª" Eren snorted. "You literally accused her of cheating." Jean shot him an irritated look. "Oh, like you don¡¯t run your mouth every five seconds, Jaeger." Eren shrugged. "At least I don¡¯t sound stupid when I do." Jean put down his bread. "The hell did you just say!?" Armin quickly raised his hands before the situation escalated. "Alright, alright! Let¡¯s not start another fight." Jean snorted but said nothing, his eyes drifting towards the exit. So that''s how she did it. He didn¡¯t know exactly why, but the knowledge annoyed him. Not because he actually thought she had cheated¡ªbut because it meant she had really outperformed him today. Jean ran a hand through his hair and clicked his tongue. "Tch. Whatever." But he glanced back at the door. Maybe he had underestimated her. And that annoyed him even more. Outside, Vivienne clenched her hands into fists, anger etched across her face. It was almost as if Jean knew exactly what to say to get under her skin. Every time, her patience with him ran out, and she had to stop herself from punching him. If she could project the same intensity onto Titans, then she had already won the battle for survival. In a way, she was surprised she had managed it. Her relationship with her father had been far from good in the weeks leading up to her announcement that she intended to join the Survey Corps. She didn¡¯t know exactly when things had changed. Sitting next to each other at the dinner table in silence. Walking past one another without so much as a greeting. It had become a routine¡ªone that both father and daughter had grown used to. However, they had always found common ground when it came to engineering. Various screws, springs, and other tools were scattered across the table. Her emerald-green eyes lingered on them for a moment before she turned sideways. "A hair trigger?" Her father, who was fiddling with a tool needle, nodded. "A trigger that shortens the trigger travel and reduces resistance, so it can be pulled faster and with less effort." She nodded, impressed, tilting her head slightly. "What would you use it for?" "Everything," her father replied, still focused on the object in his hands. "Anything that requires a trigger. It¡¯ll save you a lot of time and energy." Vivienne nodded again. The words sounded familiar; he had mentioned something similar before. "And how would you make such a trigger? I suppose the spring would need to be weakened and replaced with a softer one, right?" A small smile, tinged with pride, spread across her father¡¯s lips. Why did she suddenly miss that smile? Her hunch had been right. Stops or set screws were used to adjust the trigger so that it only had to move the bare minimum to release, thus limiting the trigger travel. A reduced first stage should make all of this possible. Her father held the trigger up to her, and she leaned forward. "You¡¯ll hardly be able to tell the difference from a normal trigger," she said. "And that¡¯s the point," he added with a smile. Something hard struck her shoulder. She barely registered it. Because suddenly¡ª Smoke. Thick, choking, swallowing the air. Heat. Scorching against her skin. The scent of burning flesh. A scream. Her scream. Someone else¡¯s. It didn¡¯t matter. It all blurred together. A building collapsing. A rush of dust and rubble swallowing everything. Figures in the dark. Twisted shapes, moving unnaturally¡ª Her breath hitched. Her heart slammed against her ribs. Why does it feel like I¡¯m burning? Why does my body hurt so much? Vivienne looked to the side. "We haven¡¯t even tried to talk this out yet!" Her breath caught in her lungs. "Vivienne?" Bertholdt¡¯s voice pulled her back to reality, and her head snapped in his direction. Her hand went to her forehead. What had just happened? She turned slightly, locking eyes with the person who had bumped into her¡ªReiner Braun, another cadet. "Are you all right?" he asked in a low voice. A tight feeling spread through her chest, nerves creeping in. She looked down as an uncomfortable heat built up inside her. Reiner¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze sharpening when she didn¡¯t answer straight away. "I¡¯m fine," she finally said, looking forward, away from them. "I¡¯m sorry I bumped into you." Reiner didn¡¯t respond immediately, but after a moment, she heard his voice. "It¡¯s all right." She walked away slowly, the tightness in her chest still there, her breath a little unsteady. When she glanced back slightly, she saw Bertholdt watching her nervously, while Reiner¡¯s gaze remained serious, scrutinising. Vivienne quickly looked forward again. What had just happened? 7 Vivienne exhaled, her heart pounding with exhilaration as she landed lightly on a branch. The wind whipped against her face, and for the first time since joining the Cadet Corps, she felt capable. She had spent countless nights adjusting her ODM controls, testing different trigger pressures¡ªand now, it was paying off. She wasn¡¯t just keeping up; she was fast. A rare smile crept onto her lips as she prepared for another swing. But then¡ª A frustrated sound caught her attention. Vivienne glanced to the side and immediately spotted Armin. He was hanging awkwardly in the air, one of his ropes pulled taut while the other dangled uselessly. His legs kicked slightly as he struggled to straighten up, but he wasn¡¯t moving forward. She frowned. Why is he just stuck there? "Ugh..." Armin muttered to himself. "Come on..." Vivienne didn¡¯t hesitate. She fired her hook at the nearest tree and launched herself in his direction. With practised ease, she adjusted her angle and landed softly on the branch closest to his. "Armin!" she called. His head snapped up, eyes wide. "V-Vivienne?" She tilted her head slightly, surveying him. "Are you all right? You¡¯re sort of... just hanging around." Armin groaned, looking away in embarrassment. "Yeah. I¡¯d noticed that." Vivienne¡¯s expression softened. She knew Armin was intelligent¡ªprobably one of the smartest cadets in their class. But ODM gear wasn¡¯t just about intelligence. Unlike Eren or Mikasa, he didn¡¯t have the raw athleticism to compensate for small mechanical flaws in his equipment. That was probably why he still struggled. "Right, let¡¯s get you down." After some effort, they managed to loosen the grip of his hooks. Armin dropped to the ground with a thud, dust swirling around him. Vivienne landed beside him and extended a hand. He took it with a small, sheepish smile as she pulled him up. Then she folded her arms, thinking. "Let me see your controls." Armin blinked. "Huh?" "Your triggers," she clarified. "I want to check them." Armin hesitated. "I¡ªuh¡ªVivienne, I don¡¯t think my gear is the problem. I think I¡¯m just... bad at this." Vivienne narrowed her eyes. "That¡¯s stupid." Armin looked mildly offended. "What?" She sighed, stepping closer. "Look, Eren and Mikasa can use standard ODM controls because their physical strength makes up for the resistance. But you¡¯re not them, Armin. If your gear isn¡¯t adjusted to suit you, it¡¯ll only hold you back." Silence fell between them as Armin looked down at the ground, his expression slightly downcast. Vivienne didn¡¯t need to ask what was going through his mind¡ªshe already knew. This feeling, these thoughts¡­ they were all too familiar. "I¡¯m the same," she said softly. Armin looked up in surprise. Now it was Vivienne who glanced down. "I¡¯ve never had to hunt for food. I¡¯ve never had to collect firewood." The innocent memories of her family¡¯s servants tending to her needs, or her uncle chasing her around the garden in playful pursuit, weighed heavily on her. Back then, running had been a game. Now, it was survival. Vivienne smiled sadly. "You¡¯ve no idea how ashamed I was when I kept slamming into tree trunks. I still have bruises." She paused, exhaling slowly. "But I¡¯ve had to accept that I¡¯m not on the same level as some of the others here. The only thing I can do is try to keep up." There was another silence, and something shifted in Armin¡¯s blue eyes. He studied her uncertainly. "You... do you really think that¡¯s the problem?" Vivienne gave him a small, reassuring smile. "It¡¯s worth checking, isn¡¯t it?" He hesitated again before finally nodding. Vivienne held out her hand. "Give me your controller." Still looking slightly unsure, Armin unfastened the device from his wrists and passed it to her. They walked away from the dense woods, and when they reached the edge of a cliff, she sat down on the ground. Turning the controllers over in her hands, she pressed the triggers lightly, her brows knitting together in concentration. "This resistance is too much," she muttered. "No wonder you¡¯re struggling¡ªyou don¡¯t have enough grip strength to make quick adjustments in the air." Armin sighed. "Yeah, tell that to Keith Shadis. He keeps yelling at me about my form." Vivienne grinned. "He yells at everyone."If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Armin let out a weak chuckle, watching as she retrieved a small screwdriver tucked into her uniform. He observed in quiet fascination as she carefully adjusted the tension in the controls, her fingers moving with precision. He could hardly believe it. She actually knew what she was doing. Her eyes were focused, lost in her own world as the sky above them deepened into sunset hues. A few moments later, Vivienne handed the controller back to him. "Try them now." Armin slipped them on, adjusting the straps before gripping the triggers. He gave them a tentative squeeze. His eyes widened. "They¡¯re... lighter," he murmured. Vivienne nodded. "They should respond better to your grip now. It won¡¯t make you an expert overnight, but at least you won¡¯t be fighting against your own equipment." Armin stared at her, completely taken aback. "Vivienne... that¡¯s incredible," he said, genuine awe in his voice. She shrugged, glancing away. "It¡¯s nothing." "No, really!" Armin insisted. "I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d meet anyone here who could actually do something like this." He laughed again, but this time, it was warm¡ªgrateful. He looked down at his ODM controls, then back at her. "Thank you, Vivienne." She shrugged again, but this time, a small smile tugged at her lips. "Next time, don¡¯t hang around in the air like a complete idiot, okay?" Armin grinned. "I¡¯ll do my best." They walked slowly down the hill towards the huts, the stars shifting overhead. Armin¡¯s blue eyes flickered with thought as he trailed beside her. He knew he could probably never fully repay her kindness, but... one question had been nagging at him for a while. "Vivienne?" She glanced over her shoulder slightly. "Why... why do you want to join the Survey Corps?" Her expression was unreadable, and Armin hesitated, suddenly unsure. He didn¡¯t want to seem ungrateful or make her think he doubted her. "It¡¯s just¡­ with talent like yours, you could have a much safer, more successful career and still help humanity." A life of security. Within the safety of the Walls. Not having to fight to survive every day. That was something they all wanted. Armin hated to admit it, but in a way, he understood Jean¡¯s wish for a quiet life. To grow up. To have a decent job. To start a family. Warmth. Vivienne stopped walking so abruptly that Armin nearly stumbled into her. She stood there, staring out over the lake, her lips slightly parted as if she wanted to speak. But she hesitated. Armin waited. He could see it¡ªthe weight of something unspoken pressing against her. Then, finally, her voice came, quiet. "My uncle... he joined the Survey Corps." Armin¡¯s breath caught. He hadn''t expected that. Vivienne¡¯s usual composure was cracking, just slightly. "People called him a fool," she said, her arms wrapping around herself. "Said he was throwing his life away. I thought¡­" She hesitated again, then shook her head. "I thought they were wrong. I still do." The wind stirred the branches overhead. Armin stayed silent, giving her space. Why? Why had she said those words here, now? She didn¡¯t know. But there was something about Armin that she couldn¡¯t quite place. His soft voice? The way his warm blue eyes watched her, unjudging? Was it because she had been asked this question so many times before and was tired of justifying herself? Or was it because, for once, someone wasn¡¯t looking at her as if she were just a spoiled noble girl? "As a child, I used to dream of adventures¡ªof running outside. But I wasn¡¯t the only one in my family who liked dreaming." Her chest tightened, and a familiar ache crept into her ribs. For a moment, the only sound was the wind stirring the branches of the nearby trees. Vivienne¡¯s hand clenched into a fist. "No one thought of him as noble when he chose to fight for freedom beyond the Walls." The laughter of her family¡¯s acquaintances still echoed in her ears¡ªmocking, dismissive. To them, her uncle had been nothing more than a fool. A na?ve, reckless idiot. "I don¡¯t know anything," she said, and something in her voice shifted. "I don¡¯t know how my uncle met his end. I don¡¯t know what drove him¡ªan engineer from a wealthy family¡ªto fight. I don¡¯t even know where he is." Armin¡¯s eyes widened. But it didn¡¯t take him long to piece things together, and he looked down, a faint sadness settling over him. Vivienne clenched her fist tighter. "But what I do know is that I respected him more than anyone. I know that if he thought fighting was more important than standing by, he must have had a reason. I know I need answers." She narrowed her eyes, forcing back the pain that threatened to surface. Then she turned to Armin, her voice laced with quiet bitterness. "I know I can¡¯t just stand there with my eyes shut." Armin stared at her, wide-eyed. He hadn¡¯t expected Vivienne¡ªcalm, collected Vivienne¡ªto understand what it meant to lose someone. But her clenched fists, the tension in her jaw¡­ she wasn¡¯t just speaking. She was feeling it. And suddenly, a memory surfaced¡ªhis mother¡¯s hands, trembling as she pushed him forward, her voice urging him to run. The crushing weight of helplessness as he watched her disappear beneath rubble and smoke. He swallowed hard. He¡¯d thought he understood pain, that he carried more of it than most. But now he realised how foolish that was. Loss didn¡¯t care who you were. It reached everyone eventually. His fingers curled into his palms. He looked down, shame creeping into his chest¡ªnot at Vivienne, but at himself. Then, after a pause, he gave her a small, understanding nod. "I hope you find your answers." I hope so too... The next day, during training, all eyes were on Armin¡ªeven Eren had fallen into an unusual silence as he watched. But it was Connie who finally approached him. "Armin, have you been training all night?!" The blond boy gave a small, sheepish smile and scratched the back of his head. "Not really. Vivienne looked at my controls and adjusted them for me. Since then, it¡¯s been a bit easier to find my footing." Connie glanced at Sasha, who stood beside him. Across the field, Vivienne was leaning against a log, adjusting her boots. She looked up just as the two cadets hesitated in front of her, their expressions oddly tense. "Are you both all right?" Vivienne asked, frowning slightly. Sasha and Connie exchanged sideways glances, both avoiding her gaze. Vivienne¡¯s confusion deepened. Then, out of nowhere, Sasha blurted, "Can you take a look at our ODM controllers?!" and shoved them towards her. Connie blinked in surprise at Sasha¡¯s outburst, but after a moment of hesitation, he wordlessly extended his own controllers in her direction. Vivienne stared at them, caught off guard. But then, slowly, a small smile curved her lips. "Let¡¯s see." 8 The training ground was a hive of activity. Instructor Shadis had split everyone into pairs for ODM sparring exercises¡ªwhich meant, much to Vivienne''s displeasure, that she was now stuck with Jean. "All right, listen up," Shadis barked. "The goal is simple: keep your balance, avoid attacks, and learn how to move in the air! You''ll do some light sparring to simulate fighting Titans¡ªor, more realistically, bandits or marauders inside the Walls!" Jean exhaled sharply and adjusted his straps. Across from him, Vivienne tightened her grip on the triggers, her emerald-green eyes glinting with determination. "Tch," Jean muttered, rolling his shoulders. "Guess I''ll have to take it easy on you, Princess." Vivienne raised an eyebrow. "That''s funny. I was just thinking the same thing about you." Jean scoffed. Cocky little¡ª Shadis'' voice boomed across the field. "Go!" Jean launched forward, his ODM gear hissing as he manoeuvred towards her. Fast. Direct. He¡¯d knock her off balance before she even had a chance¡ª Vivienne spun suddenly in the air, narrowly avoiding him. Jean¡¯s eyes widened. She was fast. Before he could recover, she swung behind him, her boot slamming into his back. Shit. Jean twisted at the last second, parrying the blow with his forearm. The impact still sent him off course for a moment. When he steadied himself, Vivienne grinned. "What''s the matter, Mr MP? I thought you were so much better than me? Looks like I was right¡ªall muscle, no strategy." Jean gritted his teeth. "Yeah? And you try too damn hard to impress everyone." Something flickered in her expression, and her grin vanished. Jean pushed forward. "You think I can''t see it? The way you push yourself harder than anyone else?" he taunted. "You don''t have to prove anything to me, D''Aubigne. If you want to break your back trying to be a hero, go ahead." Vivienne didn¡¯t know what was worse¡ªthat his words were true, or that they¡¯d come from Jean of all people. She had modified her ODM triggers for one simple reason: to prove she wasn¡¯t just a spoiled noble girl. She refused to be left behind. Her grip on the controls tightened. "I don¡¯t care what you think." "Yeah?" Jean shot forward again, catching her off guard. Their ODM lines tangled as they collided in mid-air, and Jean grabbed her wrist to keep them both from spinning. For a second, they just hung there, suspended, their faces inches apart. Vivienne¡¯s breath was unsteady, her eyes locked on his. Jean could feel the warmth of her skin beneath his fingers. Shit. He let go first. "Tch. Just don¡¯t slow me down," he muttered, quickly manoeuvring away. Vivienne hesitated, her heart pounding. Then she scoffed and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Don''t fall behind, Kirschstein." Jean didn¡¯t answer. But damn it, he was beginning to enjoy these arguments a little too much. Two days later, the two of them were put on a team again. Once again. Vivienne hadn¡¯t counted, but she noticed it all the same. And it irritated her. "All right, you brats," Shadis said, crossing his arms. "This exercise will test your ability to adapt in the air! One of you will be the ¡®target¡¯¡ªevade, counter, and defend. The other? Attack and break their stance." His sharp gaze swept over them. "Swap roles every five minutes! And if I see anyone slacking off, you¡¯ll regret it!" Jean exhaled slowly. He could handle it. "Don¡¯t lag behind," Vivienne teased, saluting mockingly. Jean rolled his eyes. "Don¡¯t start." He struck first, his movements precise, calculated. This time, he didn¡¯t underestimate her. Vivienne wasn¡¯t bad, but her ODM skills weren¡¯t on his level. He would not lose. She spun mid-air, narrowly dodging his attack. Quick, controlled¡ªlike someone with close-combat training. Jean hated to admit it, but she was skilled. Ever since she¡¯d modified her ODM triggers, her movements had become more fluid, more efficient. But that didn¡¯t make her better than him. He closed the gap. Vivienne dodged¡ªbarely. Their ODM cables crossed, and for a split second, Jean saw it¡ªa flicker of hesitation in her eyes. His instincts screamed at him. Now. He feinted left. Vivienne reacted¡ªtoo slow. Got her. He hooked an arm around her waist, knocking her off balance. A sharp gasp escaped her lips as Jean manoeuvred them both downwards. He had her. But instead of frustration, Vivienne just grinned. "Oh no," she said dryly, voice dripping with sarcasm. "You got me." Jean¡¯s forehead twitched. Smartass. Shadis blew his whistle. "Switch roles!" Jean barely had time to process it before Vivienne flipped their positions, forcing him into a defensive stance. Shit. He realised it then. She¡¯d been playing for time. That¡¯s why she¡¯d hardly attacked at all. Vivienne had wanted him close¡ªso she could use it against him. Jean barely dodged her next strike. Quick. Too quick. Her technique was sharp, her movements smoother than before. He blocked another blow but lost ground. And just as she was about to lunge again¡ª Shadis'' whistle split through the air. Vivienne¡¯s eyes widened. Jean smirked. Got you this time. He shot forward. She dodged back, landing on a thick branch¡ª Only to slip. She toppled backwards against the trunk with a soft thud.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. A low chuckle rang out. Jean leaned casually on his ODM line, eyes glinting. "Sorry, Princess. Looks like you fell on your ass again." Vivienne gritted her teeth. She really hated him. Then it was time to practise taking down Titans again. The air was filled with the rush of wind and the sharp whistle of ODM gear as the cadets swung through the training grounds. The hard thud of boots hitting the dirt echoed as Vivienne landed, adjusting the straps of her equipment. Her focus was already locked on the next Titan dummy in front of her. She was focused¡ªlaser-focused¡ªon the drills, determined not to let her mind wander. Until Jean Kirschtein came into view, soaring effortlessly through the air with his usual precision. Vivienne¡¯s grip on her ODM triggers tightened. She didn¡¯t want to watch him¡ªnot now, not when she was trying so hard to stay focused¡ªbut it was impossible to look away. There was something about the way he moved. His body worked in perfect harmony with his gear, his aim sharp as he thrust towards the dummy¡¯s nape, striking his target with flawless execution. His movements were so controlled, so natural, that it all seemed effortless. Something twisted in her chest. True, Vivienne had successfully modified her equipment and would argue she was faster than him. But Jean was a genius with ODM. Without any modifications, he moved and made it look all easy. She tried to shake the strange feeling rising in her, but it was no use. She was distracted. And she had no idea why. It wasn¡¯t like she had time to think about it. There was work to do, and she was more than capable. But every time she saw the ease with which Jean moved, everything else seemed to blur. With a sharp breath, she forced herself back into focus. She shot forward, her lines slicing through the air as she aimed at her own target. She had to admit¡ªshe was getting better at this. Each training session made her faster, more confident, less afraid to take risks. But just as she glanced over her shoulder to check Jean¡¯s progress, she misjudged the angle of her next swing. Her boot clipped the side of a rock. She lost balance. Shit. Wind rushed past her as she lost balance, her body jerking violently mid-air. "Damn it!" That sickening moment of weightlessness hit her stomach. Instinctively, her hands shot out for anything¡ªanything¡ªbut she was too late. She braced for impact¡ª "Vivienne! Watch out!" Jean. Before she could register what was happening, strong fingers clamped around her wrist. With a quick manoeuvre, he swung her back, steadying her before she could hit the ground. She inhaled sharply, her chest rising and falling as she steadied herself. Her eyes flicked up, wide with shock. "Are you all right?" Jean¡¯s voice was raspy, his breathing still uneven from the movement, but his gaze was sharp, steady. He didn¡¯t let go immediately¡ªhis fingers still firm around her wrist. Vivienne blinked, her pulse hammering in her ears. She hadn¡¯t expected to fall. But she certainly hadn¡¯t expected this. "Yes¡­ thank you." She pulled her wrist free and stepped back, suddenly aware of the heat creeping up her cheeks. Jean didn¡¯t seem to notice. He just grinned. "I guess I¡¯m not as bad as you thought." Vivienne crossed her arms, trying to settle the strange feeling tightening in her chest. "I didn¡¯t ask for your help." Jean raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "No? Because it looked like you were about to faceplant into the dirt." "I had it under control." She gritted her teeth. But could she really say that? Why did she feel so unsteady? It was just Jean. Why was she nervous? Because he was the biggest asshole here. Jean was already moving again, seamlessly slipping back into rhythm as he lunged forward. But his voice¡ªteasing, smug¡ªfloated back over his shoulder. "Of course you did, Princess. Just like you had it under control when you nearly smashed into that rock." Vivienne¡¯s face darkened. Oh, he was not getting the last word. "You think you¡¯re so clever, don¡¯t you, Jean?" She shot forward again, eyes locked on her target. This time, she wasn¡¯t letting anything distract her. Not his grin. Not his voice. Not the way his gaze had lingered on her. For a split second, her aim wavered. Focus, Vivienne! she snapped at herself. Concentrate! She propelled herself forward again¡ªno hesitation this time¡ªand sliced through the dummy¡¯s nape. The satisfaction of a perfect kill settled in her bones. When she landed, she didn¡¯t glance back at Jean. But she knew he was there. He¡¯d been watching her all along, hadn¡¯t he? The smell of toasted bread and something slightly meaty drifted through the evening air as Vivienne sat on a log near the training grounds, tugging at the straps of her boots. It had been a long day. Drills, martial arts, and yet another round of ODM training. She hadn¡¯t minded too much. Progress was slow, but it was there. Still, her thoughts kept circling back. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t stop comparing herself to Jean¡ªhow effortlessly he moved, how natural it all seemed for him. It wasn¡¯t just envy. It was frustration. Would she ever be good enough? Was she even average compared to the others here? She had just leaned back, exhaling softly, when a voice called out. ¡°Oi, Vivienne!¡± She looked up to see Connie jogging towards her, Sasha trailing a step behind, clutching something wrapped in cloth. ¡°We have a very serious question,¡± Connie announced, crouching in front of her with an exaggeratedly grave expression. Vivienne blinked. ¡°All right?¡± Sasha plopped down beside her, already unwrapping whatever she was holding. The moment the cloth peeled away, the warm scent of freshly baked bread hit Vivienne¡¯s nose. ¡°We need an official opinion,¡± Connie said, tone deadly serious. ¡°Is Sasha¡¯s food hoarding a sign of genius or a deeply concerning obsession?¡± Without hesitation, Sasha stuffed half a loaf into her mouth and mumbled, ¡°It¡¯s survival instinct.¡± Vivienne stared, then let out a soft laugh. She hadn¡¯t spent much time with them, aside from training or the occasional moment tweaking their ODM gear. But their energy was impossible to ignore. Still, she wasn¡¯t sure why they were here. People didn¡¯t usually seek her out. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said, tilting her head. ¡°How many rations have mysteriously vanished this week?¡± Connie grinned. ¡°More than you¡¯d think.¡± Sasha swallowed and waved a hand dismissively. ¡°I don¡¯t steal rations! I borrow them.¡± ¡°¡­Without giving them back.¡± Vivienne shook her head, watching them with mild amusement. She¡¯d expected them to be careless¡ªmaybe a little na?ve. But looking at them now, laughing despite their exhaustion, she realised how natural their camaraderie was. Connie nudged her shoulder. ¡°You never really sit with us after training.¡± Vivienne¡¯s eyes widened slightly. She blinked. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d noticed.¡± Sasha snorted. ¡°Of course we notice! You¡¯re always working on your gear, and when you¡¯re not, you¡¯re just wandering around on your own.¡± Vivienne hesitated. She was always working¡ªadjusting her equipment, tweaking the triggers, checking the balance. It wasn¡¯t just a habit; it was a necessity. She knew she wasn¡¯t the strongest. She wasn¡¯t the fastest. Jean¡¯s quick manoeuvres had made that painfully clear today. If she fell behind, if she made a mistake, it was over. Jean¡¯s words echoed in her head. You¡¯re trying too damn hard to impress everyone. Vivienne pressed her lips together. Of all the people she knew here, why did he have to be right? And as much as she hated to admit it, as much as she didn¡¯t want to prove Jean right again, a part of her did want to prove herself. She wasn¡¯t just some pampered noble girl playing soldier. She didn¡¯t care what her family¡¯s friends whispered behind closed doors. She was here, and she was going to make a name for herself. She had assumed¡ªperhaps wrongly¡ªthat everyone saw her the same way. That they knew where she came from and thought she didn¡¯t belong here. Maybe they did. Maybe they didn¡¯t. But¡­ Connie and Sasha were here, talking to her anyway. As if it were nothing special. As if it were just¡­ normal. Connie suddenly grinned. ¡°All right, let¡¯s trade secrets. You tell us why you¡¯re so obsessed with modifying and repairing things, and we¡¯ll let you in on Sasha¡¯s black-market snack deals.¡± Vivienne blinked. ¡°¡­You have black-market snack deals?¡± Sasha immediately whirled on Connie. ¡°You traitor!¡± Connie just chuckled. Vivienne laughed despite herself. And when Sasha tore the rest of the bread in half and placed a piece in her hand, she didn¡¯t refuse. Maybe she wasn¡¯t the one at a disadvantage. Maybe she had been the one seeing things the wrong way all along. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said quietly. ¡°If anyone should be thanking someone, it¡¯s me,¡± Connie said. ¡°I have no idea what you did to my ODM controls, and I still don¡¯t understand it if I¡¯m honest, but I swear, it¡¯s miles easier to fly now.¡± Sasha, still chewing on a mouthful of bread, nodded in agreement. The wind shifted, carrying a pleasant breeze across the training grounds. Silence settled over them, comfortable and easy. Then Connie grinned again. ¡°That reminds me¡ªI¡¯ve got this old card game from my village. Fancy a round?¡± Both cadets turned to Vivienne, waiting for her answer. Again, Vivienne blinked in surprise. Then, slowly, she smiled. ¡°¡­All right.¡± Maybe this wasn¡¯t so bad after all. 9 "What''s the matter? Don''t they teach you how to run someone over in the capital?" Connie laughed as Vivienne sat sulking on the floor. They were training in martial arts and with wooden swords, and Vivienne was anything but skilled at it. At first, Connie had been reluctant to accept her request to train together. He felt it was wrong to hit girls. But when she kept pushing him, he finally gave in, and here they were. "That''s because you cheated," she said, and Connie held out his hand to help her to her feet. A laugh escaped his lips. "You follow the rules far too much." She giggled. Vivienne wasn''t sure how she had ended up here. But once they had started playing cards, and Armin had joined them by chance, it had become something of a ritual for the four cadets. The barracks fell silent, except for the occasional snore or the sound of someone shifting in their bunk. Most of the cadets had fallen asleep, exhausted after another brutal day of training, but four figures sat huddled next to a dim lantern, whispering in the dark. Vivienne hugged her knees and watched as Sasha tried and failed to shuffle a deck of slightly worn playing cards. "Okay, okay, wait¡ªI think I''ve got it this time," Sasha muttered, sticking out her tongue in concentration. "How is it possible that you''re so bad at shuffling?" Connie whispered, trying not to laugh too loudly. "You''re brilliant at stealing food. How does that work?" "I''m not stealing it, Connie, I''m rescuing it," Sasha corrected, clutching her chest theatrically. "If I don''t take it, someone else will. It''s a matter of survival!" Vivienne grinned as she watched Sasha fumble with the cards again, dropping half of them on the wooden floor. "You might be onto something," she teased. "But speaking of survival, I think this game is already dead." Armin chuckled next to her and leaned his head against the wall. "At this point, it''s not about the game anymore. It''s about seeing if Sasha can ever successfully shuffle a deck of cards before we graduate." "Hey, don''t act like you''re any better," Sasha grumbled, nudging Armin with her elbow. "I don''t see you offering to do it." "That''s because I can shuffle," he replied, taking the deck from her hand with an amused shake of his head. Vivienne had to smile. A casual, sincere smile, strange but welcome. She hadn''t expected to feel so comfortable in their presence. Conversations with the others were often meaningful, full of deeper questions or unspoken tensions. But here it was different. It was easy, normal. She sat back and stretched her legs. "I don''t get it. You all act like you''ve known each other forever, but it''s only been a few months, hasn''t it?" Sasha shrugged. "When you''ve got Shadis screaming in your face every day together, it bonds you for life." "Yeah," Connie added. "I mean, we''ve all face-planted during ODM training. There''s no going back after that." Vivienne laughed softly. She understood what they meant. She couldn''t count on both hands how many times she''d crashed into a tree trunk or landed on her butt. The training had stripped away all pretence and forced everyone to be their most vulnerable, exhausted selves. Maybe that''s why it felt so natural. "Besides," Sasha continued, resting her chin on the palm of her hand, "you''ve somehow become part of the group, Vivienne." She blinked. "Have I?" Armin nodded. "Of course. You''re not half as scary as Jean makes you out to be." "Hang on¡ªJean thinks I''m scary?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Connie grinned. "Oh, he does. He says you stare too much and are far too intense." Vivienne felt heat rising in her cheeks and crossed her arms. She snorted and shook her head. "Well, that''s rich coming from him. Like I''ve got nothing better to do. I really hate this guy." The four of them burst out laughing, muffling the sound so as not to wake the others. For the first time since her arrival, Vivienne didn''t feel like an outsider trying to prove herself. She... was part of something. But as the laughter died down, something whispered into her ear. It was faint at first, like the rustling of leaves in the wind, but it grew louder, more insistent. Vivienne''s smile faltered as she tried to focus on the conversation, but the voices tugged at the edges of her mind. Broken promises Evening red Freedom Traitor She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. The words were disjointed, fragmented, but they carried a weight that made her chest tighten. She glanced at Armin, who was now explaining a new card game to Sasha, and then at Connie, who was grinning as he teased Sasha about her lack of coordination. Everything was so normal with them. There it was again. They weren''t constant, but they were there. Something she couldn''t explain. Heat was rising up inside her. "Vivienne?" Armin''s voice broke through her thoughts. "You okay? You zoned out for a second there." She forced a smile, though her heart was racing. "Yeah, I''m fine. Just... tired, I guess." Connie raised an eyebrow. "Tired? We haven''t even started the real training yet. Wait until you''re out there facing Titans¡ªthen you''ll know what tired feels like." Sasha elbowed him. "Don''t scare her, Connie. She''s already intense enough as it is." Vivienne laughed, but it felt hollow. The whispers were growing louder, more urgent, and she could feel a headache building behind her eyes. She needed air. "I think I''m going to call it a night," she said, standing up and brushing off her trousers. "Thanks for the game, guys." Armin looked up at her, his blue eyes filled with concern. "You sure you''re okay? You look a bit pale." "I''m fine," she lied, forcing another smile. "Just need some sleep." As she walked away, the whispers followed her, growing louder with each step. She clenched her fists, trying to block them out, but they were relentless. Her eyes looked uneasy at the ground. When she finally reached the door, she glanced back at the group. They were already engrossed in their new game, their laughter filling the room. Something weighed down on her. What was it? Was it stress? Was it the pressure of being scared to not performing well enough? She didn''t know. But what she did know was that she heard it more often now. A voice¡ªor voices. Vivienne wouldn''t know what to do without Armin. The memory of sitting desperately on her knees in front of her dismantled ODM gear was still fresh in her mind, as if it were yesterday. Panic had coursed through her entire body. "I''ve forgotten how to put the pieces back together! What am I going to do? I don''t want to be punished and run laps for over five hours!" Desperation had risen in her. She knew the ODM gear almost by heart. But sometimes her perfectionist drive to improve led her so far that she forgot the basics. Sasha''s punishment was nothing compared to what she was about to face. How could she even explain why she''d dismantled the ODM gear Was it possible to be thrown out of the Academy? "Don''t worry, Vivienne! We... We''ll manage!" Armin had spent the whole day and half the night with her, poring over diagrams and piecing the various parts together properly. Although Sasha and Connie looked at her as if she was speaking another language, when talking about the mechanics of the ODM gear, Armin listened to her every time, encouraged her, and offered ideas. He looked at her with those enthusiastic eyes every time she told him what she was going to try next. It made her feel understood. Sleepless nights. They had become more frequent over the past few weeks. As soon as she closed her eyes, the images came. Blurred at first, shifting too quickly for her mind to process, until the flashing grew sharper, each one striking like a hammer against her skull. A dull ache settled behind her eyes. Then came the voices. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Tears Anger Pity Cruelty The words slithered into her ears, whispers laced with urgency, rising and falling in a ghostly symphony. Some were sharp, others stretched and distorted like echoes in an empty hall. The more she tried to make sense of them, the deeper they burrowed, crawling under her skin. A cold sweat clung to her body. Her limbs felt stiff, coiled tight like a spring wound too far. The tension crawled up her spine, pressing against her ribs, making every breath feel shallow, strained. Then the images changed. The capital. Her home. Burning. The air choked with smoke. The stone streets cracked and littered with debris. The sky turned into an evening red. And looming above it all¡ª A shadow. Enormous. Unfathomable. Her stomach clenched. A ringing filled her ears. And then¡ª Vivienne''s eyes snapped open, her body jerking upright. She gasped for air, chest heaving as she clawed at the sheets. Her nightclothes clung to her damp skin, the room thick with the scent of sweat and unease. The whispers hadn''t stopped. They never stopped. She pushed herself off the bed, her legs unsteady as she stumbled outside. The night air was sharp, cold enough to sting against her overheated skin. It hit her like a wave, momentarily shocking her senses. Vivienne squeezed her eyes shut and inhaled deeply. The scent of damp grass and earth filled her lungs, grounding her for a fleeting moment. She was no stranger to these dreams. Similar dreams like this haunted her since childhood¡ªfractured glimpses of things she couldn''t understand. She used to wake up sobbing, overwhelmed by the chaos in her mind. But her father¡ª He was always there. The memory flickered to life, warm and safe. She could still feel the way his arms wrapped around her, his steady breaths calming her frantic ones. He never asked her to explain. He simply stayed. The nights grew so frequent that he started leaving his study door open, always listening, always ready. Vivienne''s throat tightened. Her father had been her rock, her protector. Her uncle had been her idol, the one she longed to be. But her father? He had been constant. The one person she believed would always be by her side. But she was wrong. "We haven''t even tried to talk this out yet!" The voice cut through the night like a blade, clear, familiar¡ªyet utterly foreign. Vivienne''s breath hitched. Her pulse thundered in her ears as her eyes darted across the empty training grounds. No movement. No one. The voice wasn''t out here. Her hand started shaking. It was inside her. She pressed a hand against the cold stone wall, steadying herself as the world tilted. That sentence. That voice. It followed her like a shadow, whispering in the back of her mind at the most unexpected moments. But whose voice was it? "Vivienne?" She startled, whipping around to see Sasha standing in the doorway. The concern in her eyes was unmistakable. "Are you okay?" Sasha asked, stepping closer. "You look like you''ve seen a ghost." Vivienne forced a smile, but her fingers trembled at her sides. "I''m fine. Just... thinking." Sasha didn''t look convinced, but she didn''t press. Instead, she sat beside her, a quiet but steady presence against the storm raging in Vivienne''s mind. "You seem deep in thought," Sasha murmured after a moment. "What are you thinking about?" Vivienne hesitated. Then, softly, she said, "My father." Sasha leaned back on her hands and looked up at the night sky. "Did you have a fight with him?" Vivienne blinked, surprised by the question. "You don''t look too happy," Sasha explained. "I used to argue with my dad too. I was often really unhappy with what he said. But then I realised it wasn''t about him being right or me being right¡ªit was that we were both right, in a way." Vivienne''s eyes widened. She looked up at the sky, letting Sasha''s words sink in. Could she blame her father for not wanting to send his own daughter into the army? No. But she could blame him for not doing more. And yet, sometimes she wondered¡ªhad she made the right choice? A piece of bread suddenly appeared in front of her eyes. "Warm bread will definitely help you sleep," Sasha said with a grin. Vivienne''s lips curled into a smile, and she took the bread. She broke it in half and gave the rest to Sasha. They both bit into their pieces and sat in silence, the whispers fading into the background. She cherished moments like this the most. Are you lost in thought again? "Really... what are you always thinking about?" Connie''s grinning voice brought her back to reality, and Vivienne looked over at him. He was another person she had grown very fond of over the years. She hadn''t won a single training round against him, but they were always fun. "I''m thinking about cake," she said. "Cake?" he repeated questioningly. She nodded at him with a smile. "We used to have cake on the table every Sunday." "What? You had it really good! We only had cake on special occasions," he said in a frustrated voice, and she laughed. "What are you guys talking about?" Armin''s voice interrupted them, and Connie pouted a little. "Armin, did you know Vivienne is such a posho that she could afford to have cake every Sunday!" "We even had different types of cakes," Vivienne added teasingly, while Connie looked at her, shocked. Armin and she laughed a little. Then Vivienne''s smile faded slightly. An uncomfortable feeling rose in her. She had now spent almost four years here. And still... sometimes she doubted if all this was the right decision. "Vivienne? Are you alright?" asked Armin. Vivienne looked over to him and smiled. "I''m good. Just thinking that we graduate soon." "You mean that we finally graduate soon," said Connie, and they laughed. "I guess it''s time for dinner," Connie said, putting his swords away. "You guys go ahead; I''ll join you soon," Vivienne said. "Are you sure?" Armin asked, and she nodded. He hesitated but then left with Connie. The sun had long since dipped below the horizon, casting the training grounds in a pale, silvery glow under the light of the moon. A faint breeze stirred the dust beneath Vivienne''s boots, but the night was unnervingly quiet. No crickets, no rustling of leaves¡ªjust silence. A silence too thick, too unnatural. Vivienne stood alone, her practice blade resting against her shoulder, staring at the towering walls in the distance. She should have gone to dinner, but the whispers had started again¡ªfaint at first, like a shifting wind, but now they crawled beneath her skin, threading through her veins. Evening red. Tragedy. Broken bonds Traitor She inhaled sharply as the words slammed into her skull like the crack of a whip. A cold sweat pricked at the nape of her neck, and a dull ringing filled her ears. She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as she fought to steady her breathing. The voices weren''t always this strong. Why now? Why did it suddenly get worse than usual? A faint scuff of boots on gravel made her spine stiffen. "You''re still out here?" His voice cut through the silence like a blade, and Vivienne had to force herself not to flinch. She turned to see Eren walking toward her, his hands stuffed in his pockets, shoulders tense. His blue-green eyes glowed under the moonlight, but there was something else in them¡ªsomething she couldn''t name. "Graduation''s in a few days, you know," he continued. "You should be resting." Vivienne forced a smile, but her chest tightened. The whispers surged, not deafening, but there¡ªjust beneath the surface, pressing in on her skull like a vice. She exhaled through her nose. "I could say the same to you." Eren shrugged, stopping a few feet away. His presence was like static electricity¡ªunseen, but impossible to ignore. "Couldn''t sleep. Figured I''d get some extra practice in." His gaze flicked to the wooden training blade in her hand. Then, back to her face. "You''ve been acting weird lately. Something on your mind?" Vivienne hesitated. Her grip tightened on the hilt of her sword, her knuckles turning white. How could she explain it? The whispers, the visions, the way her instincts screamed at her¡ªit was all too much. And yet, she couldn''t tell him. Not yet. Maybe not ever. Would he even believe her? Would anyone believe her? "Just... thinking about what comes next," she said finally, keeping her voice even. "Joining the Survey Corps, facing the Titans... it''s a lot to take in." Eren''s expression softened, just for a moment. He looked almost sympathetic. "Yeah, I get that." His gaze drifted toward the stars. "But we''ve trained for this. We''re ready. And we''re not alone¡ªwe''ve got each other. And you haven''t changed your mind, right?" Vivienne nodded, but her stomach churned. His words were reassuring, but his hands¡ªshe noticed too late¡ªwere clenched into fists. His nails dug into his palms, and his jaw was locked tight. Something about the way he said we''re ready made the air feel heavier. Her head pulsed. The whispers swelled. A girl with hollow eyes. A destroyed city. Screams- Vivienne''s breath hitched. "Vivienne?" Eren''s voice snapped her back to reality. He was staring at her now, brow furrowed, concern flickering across his features. "You okay? You look like you''ve seen a ghost." She forced a laugh, though it came out thin and strained. "I''m fine. Just... tired, I guess." Eren didn''t look convinced. He lingered for a second longer, then took a step closer. "You know," he said, quieter this time, "if something''s bothering you, you can talk to me. We''re in this together." The sincerity in his voice made her chest ache. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to trust him. Her lips parted. There was no one else here who understood her desire to join the survey corps better than him. But the whispers wouldn''t stop. Vivienne swallowed hard, pushing it all down. "Thanks, Eren," she said softly. "I''ll keep that in mind." For a moment, they stood in silence, shadows stretching long under the moon. Then, finally, Eren turned to leave. "Don''t stay out too late," he called over his shoulder. "We''ve got a big day ahead of us." Vivienne watched as his silhouette disappeared into the darkness, her pulse hammering against her ribs. The voices had settled¡ªjust slightly¡ªbut the pressure in her skull remained. She exhaled shakily and turned toward the walls again. Then¡ª "Watch him." A sharp breath lodged in her throat. Her fingers trembled around the hilt of her sword. She spun around, heart pounding. The training grounds were empty. Was she going insane? 10 The canteen was full of conversation, drinks, and the smell of food. Vivienne took another spoonful. The world around her faded into the background. Surprisingly, she had slept well for the past three days. So well, in fact, that Mikasa had thrown her out of bed because Sasha had begged her to. Not even the staff at her house, nor her own mother, had ever woken her so rudely. Her bed. It was the first thing that came to mind when she thought of home. But perhaps the girl with the short, dark hair just couldn''t help herself. In all her years here, Vivienne couldn''t help but feel a little envious of Mikasa. How had she managed to become so strong? Vivienne had gathered more experience in physical combat now and would probably be able to defend herself, at least somewhat, in a real fight. But she was still far from the level of Annie, Mikasa, Reiner, Connie, and the others. She hadn''t even won a single training round against Connie yet. As she was about to shove another spoonful into her mouth, her eyes suddenly widened. "Why do I have two pieces of bread in my bowl?" Sasha, her mouth full, turned her head to her direction and shrugged. Then she turned back to her food. Vivienne continued to watch her, then a small smile formed on her lips as she stared down at the bread. Over the years, there had been a few people here she had grown fond of. The potato girl was one of them. She pushed the thought away and focused instead on the moment. The future was coming, whether she was ready or not. Guilt gnawed at her. None of them said it outright, but she knew that Armin, Sasha, and Connie cared about her. The three of them always noticed when her mind was elsewhere, or when she simply zoned out. Each of them assumed it was nerves over graduation. And they weren''t entirely wrong. In the four years she had lived here, she had been trained to be a soldier¡ªsomeone meant to fight monsters. Was she ready for that? Her decision had not changed. Her uncle''s warm smile still haunted her dreams. The questions remained, and her resolve was as clear as ever. They never even found his body. When he first joined the Survey Corps, people laughed at him. A noble playing soldier. But she had never believed it was that simple. He wouldn''t have given up his title, his safety, for nothing. And the commander of the survey corps had asked her, once¡ªhow far would she go to find the truth? Far enough. But would she live long enough to get the answers she was looking for? She didn''t know. Lately, though, something else had been bothering her. Armin would probably join the Survey Corps because of Eren and Mikasa, but the thought that their nights playing cards together would soon come to an end stung a little. She couldn''t blame Connie and Sasha¡ªboth of them wanted to be safe. They often talked about joining the Military Police. Vivienne stayed out of those conversations. Even after spending over three years with her comrades, it felt wrong to lecture others when she had spent her whole life in comfort. Just because she had chosen to give up her security, she couldn''t blame others for longing for it. A sentimental feeling crept in. As Vivienne chewed her bread, she couldn''t help but wonder if she would spend her whole life saying goodbye to people. Today, the only voices in her head were her own. In the end, 218 students had made it through to graduation. Vivienne was one of them. "Dedicate your hearts!" The bright moon shone down on them as dark clouds of uncertainty drifted across the night sky. They all stood in perfect rows, raising their hands in the military salute. "Today, you graduates have three choices. You may join the Garrison, protecting the cities and fortifying the Walls. Or the Survey Corps, who risk their lives beyond the Walls in Titan territory. Or the Military Police, who serve the King, guide the people, and maintain internal order. Of course, only the top ten students, whose names have just been announced, may join the Military Police." Vivienne''s name had not been called. Despite her best efforts, she had only come eleventh. Still, she felt a certain pride. The only thing¡ªthe only person¡ªkeeping her out of the top ten, ahead of Sasha and Connie, who placed ninth and eighth respectively, was Krista. She had trained, studied, suffered, and tinkered with her ODM gear to get better. She was still a little jealous. Armin, standing next to her, gave her a warm smile. She smiled back. Most of them hadn''t expected her to last a year. "You''ll probably make history with your ODM modifications one day," Armin mused. Vivienne huffed a quiet laugh. "I doubt it. My ancestors already did that. I''m just trying to keep up." He shook his head. "You''re improving the design. That counts for something." Her smile broadened a little. He always gave her the confidence to continue. In the end, they all drank a toast. At last, they were out of the wooden barracks and in a more comfortable room in the middle of the city of Trost. "I''m going to join the Military Police!" "Finally, we won''t have to starve anymore!" The words made Vivienne grin slightly, but at the same time, her heart tightened. Perhaps it was for the best. She would rather see the two people who treated her as normal¡ªlike she was just anyone¡ªlive long and happy lives, instead of fighting Titans and living in constant fear for survival. At the same time, those words reminded her of the harsh reality outside Wall Sina. She had never had to hunt for her own food. She had never gone to bed hungry, counting the days until the next ration arrived. She had never watched a loved one waste away because medicine was too expensive. But she had lost people, too. She turned away from them and sat down at an empty table. She would miss this. All of it. The card games. Connie''s ridiculous jokes about her. Sasha''s food stealing and her absolute devotion to eating. And Armin''s excitement whenever she told him about the latest tweaks to her ODM gear. When Vivienne looked up, she realised the person sitting across from her was none other than Jean. They both stared at each other in surprise before he clicked his tongue and took a sip of his drink. "Tch." Vivienne grinned a little. "Well, I suppose I should congratulate you. You''ve made it into the top ten." Jean looked up at her, one eyebrow raised. He couldn''t tell if she was genuinely congratulating him or just mocking him again. "You didn''t do too badly yourself, Princess. I thought you''d be long gone by now. But I suppose I''m not as bad as you thought I''d be." She rolled her eyes at his words and took a sip of her drink. He had placed sixth. Their relationship hadn''t really improved over the years they''d been here. Vivienne still didn''t like him much. But when she glanced up again, she noticed he was resting his head on his hand, staring at her. "I suppose your dream has finally come true, then. You can join the Military Police." He didn''t answer straight away. Then, a slight grin appeared on his lips. "And what about you? Are you going back behind the Walls of the capital now that you''ve proved to everyone you''re not a complete idiot? Telling your story at noble parties?" Her hands clenched into fists, expression darkening. She really hated him. Of course he had to say something stupid. But before she could snap back, their attention was pulled to another conversation. "You''re not joining the Military Police, Eren?" Thomas asked, disbelief in his voice. "You made the top ten!" Vivienne wasn''t surprised when Eren stood firm. He had never wavered in four years. "I made up my mind when I started." Those words rang in her ears. She understood them too well. Vivienne''s decision had been made long before she ever set foot in the academy. Doubt had crept in now and then, but she had never changed her mind. Eren hadn''t trained to be a Military Police officer. Neither had she. They had trained to survive. They had trained to fight Titans. And soon, they would. "You''ll never beat them!" Thomas shouted, and all eyes turned to the conversation between the two boys. The laughter. The conversations. The atmosphere. Everything fell silent. Then Thomas tried to explain. Over twenty percent of the population had been lost to the Titans. Vivienne''s grip on her drink tightened, her eyes fixed on the surface of the table. Her uncle had been one of them. "Humans cannot defeat Titans!" The words rang bitterly in her ears. "So?" Eren asked if they truly believed victory was impossible¡ªshould they just give up? One of the reasons they had lost so many people was because they knew nothing about their enemy. Fighting an opponent without tactics or knowledge was futile. People were dying, yes. But everything they knew about Titans had been learned from those sacrifices. Could they really just stand by and wait for their bitter end? Don''t listen to the people who walk blindly within our Walls. Vivienne''s hand clenched into a fist, her face tightening. Uncle ¨¦tienne. Together, they had dreamt of adventure beyond the Walls. Most people refused to look past their own safety. Most refused to think about the future. But she came from a family of engineers. Looking ahead, pushing the boundaries¡ªthat was in her blood. Like her uncle, she had never stopped dreaming. She wanted to face the world with her eyes open. To find the truth. She was still convinced that her uncle had joined the Survey Corps for a reason. She didn''t know what it was, but she was almost certain that he had discovered something¡ªsomething that had led him to that decision. His last words to her echoed in her mind. "I know you can see through them. I know you can see through everything." Vivienne wasn''t sure she could. But she would rather die than not try. "This is my dream... Humanity isn''t finished yet!" With those words, Eren stormed out of the room. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. The dim light of the barracks flickered, casting long shadows across the walls as the weight of their choices settled over the cadets like a thick fog. The chatter had died down after Eren''s outburst, his decision to join the Survey Corps still hanging in the air like a challenge no one wanted to face. "What an idiot," someone muttered. "How can you make the top ten and then volunteer for the Survey Corps of all things?" Silence followed. A few cadets exchanged uneasy glances, but no one spoke. Some agreed with him. Others simply didn''t want to discuss it. Then, a voice broke the silence. "Eren is right." Vivienne leaned forward in her seat, her hands clasped on the table. Her usually calm expression was firm and unwavering. "Eren is right. We can''t just sit here and do nothing. We can''t keep hiding and hoping the Titans will eventually disappear." Her voice was soft but steady. A sneer broke the silence. "Oh, here we go," a cadet scoffed. "The noble girl wants to play the heroine." A few chuckles rippled through the room. Vivienne didn''t flinch. Connie and Sasha, on the other hand, shot sharp looks at the offenders. Even Jean didn''t seem particularly amused by the comment. But Vivienne had expected it. No matter what she did¡ªno matter how hard she trained¡ªsome of them would always see her as the privileged girl who didn''t belong here. It was a truth that still annoyed and frustrated her, but she had learned to accept it. "I''m not playing the hero," she said coolly. "I just refuse to walk through these Walls with my eyes closed." That silenced them. For a moment, the only sound was the low crackle of the oil lamp. Some of the cadets shifted uneasily in their seats. Others looked away. But her friends'' eyes remained fixed on her. "You think the Survey Corps is only for suicidal maniacs?" she continued, her voice unwavering. "You laugh at Eren, but at least he''s willing to fight for something. And you know what? The people on the other side of the Walls¡ªthe ones who died for us¡ªwere somebody''s family too." Her gaze hardened. "And maybe some of them had reasons that no one wanted to understand." The memories were still fresh. The laughter. The taunts. The mockery. Her uncle''s decision had been treated the same way as Eren''s¡ªwith loud laughter and shaking heads. It didn''t matter what social class you came from. In that sense, all people were the same. They were all blind. The words hung in the air, weighty and unshakable. The cadet who had mocked her opened his mouth as if to argue but thought better of it. Vivienne pushed back her chair, stood up, and took her drink. She didn''t look for their approval. Her decision had already been made. Then she turned to the door and left the room in silence. The streets of Trost were quiet, save for the occasional murmur of distant conversation and the wind whispering through the alleys. The moon cast pale light over the worn cobblestones, stretching their shadows long and thin. Vivienne sat on the edge of an old well, fingers absently twisting the cloth emblem in her hands¡ªthe Wings of Freedom, embroidered onto worn fabric. She traced the edges of the cloth, lips pressed together. It was all she had left of her uncle. She was seven the first time her uncle hoisted her onto his shoulders, pointing toward the towering walls of the city. "Someday, Vivi," he had said, his voice warm with conviction, "Someone will go behind the walls and will have real adventures that will bring the future. Maybe it''ll be you." She had laughed then, swinging her legs as she clung to his hand. "Me? I''m too small!" He had only grinned, tapping the tip of her nose. "For now." But years later, it wasn''t his voice she remembered most¡ªit was the silence that followed his last mission. The empty seat at the table. The whispers that followed when they walked past people. The hidden conversations between her parents Yet, to Vivienne, he had never been "just another soldier." He had been the reason she dreamed of something bigger. The reason she couldn''t ignore the call to step beyond the safety of the walls, no matter how terrifying it was. She barely heard the footsteps approaching. "Well, that was quite a speech. Are you trying to give Eren some kind of stupid competition?" Vivienne looked up, startled, meeting Jean Kirschtein''s unimpressed gaze. His arms were crossed, a casual slouch in his posture, but there was something unreadable in his expression. "Jean...?" she blinked. "What are you doing here?" He scoffed. "You do know this is my hometown, don''t you?" Right. She had forgotten. Jean had mentioned it years ago. Still, she hadn''t expected to see him out here, away from the warmth of the barracks, away from the loud celebrations. Vivienne exhaled and looked back down at the insignia in her hands. The soft fabric was slightly worn from how often she had held it. "My uncle joined the Survey Corps," she said suddenly. The words had escaped her before she even realised she wanted to say them. Jean blinked, visibly caught off guard. "Wait... what?" She swallowed, gripping the cloth tighter. "Everyone laughed at him. They said he was a noble with no purpose, just a fool playing soldier. A joke." Jean studied her, his earlier sarcasm fading. "But they were wrong," she continued, her voice quieter now. "They still are." The wind picked up slightly, rustling through the empty streets. Jean shifted his weight, his fingers drumming once against his arm before he let out a breath. "So that''s why you want to join?" His voice wasn''t mocking. It wasn''t indifferent, either. Vivienne didn''t answer right away. Instead, she lifted her gaze to him, emerald eyes searching his dark eyes. "This wasn''t your fault," Jean said, and for the first time, there was no smugness, no irritation¡ªjust something unexpectedly sincere. She inhaled sharply. "You can still leave," he continued, watching her carefully. "You can still go back to your old life. No one would blame you." Vivienne stiffened. No one would blame her. The words should have been comforting. They weren''t. "It is my fault," she murmured, voice taut. Jean''s expression darkened. "That''s bullshit, and you know it." She clenched her fists. "Anyone who takes our lives for granted¡ªanyone who refuses to act¡ªis complicit." She swallowed hard, eyes burning. "I can''t just sit around and pretend it didn''t happen. I need answers." Jean didn''t look away. He could have argued. He could have pointed out how insane it was to willingly throw herself into the mouth of death for a past she couldn''t change. But he didn''t. Vivienne turned sharply, her boots scuffing against the cobblestones. "Vivienne¡ª" She didn''t stop. She didn''t look back. She just ran. Leaving Jean standing alone beneath the dim glow of the lanterns. The streets of Trost buzzed with restless energy, a strange mix of admiration and fear rippling through the gathered crowd. Boots shuffled against the dirt roads, and the scent of steel, sweat, and horsehide filled the air. The people of Trost had come to watch, as they always did. Vivienne stood among them, heart pounding. "They''re here! The main force of the Survey Corps!" The words sent a ripple through the spectators, some gasping in awe, others whispering in hushed tones. The soldiers rode in tight formation, their green cloaks billowing behind them like wings. The Wings of Freedom. At the front of the procession, Commander Erwin Smith sat tall in his saddle, his sharp blue eyes fixed ahead, unwavering. He rode with purpose, every movement measured, every step of his horse a testament to the weight of the cause he bore. The cause they all bore. Vivienne inhaled sharply, the weight of the moment settling deep in her chest. "Look! It''s Captain Levi!" The voice cut through the crowd, and murmurs followed as people craned their necks to catch sight of humanity''s strongest soldier. He was smaller than she had expected¡ªlean and compact¡ªbut the way he sat atop his horse, the way his cold gaze swept the crowd, sent a chill through her. She remembered his name from her uncle''s letters. Levi Ackerman. A man with eyes like a blade''s edge, sharp and unyielding. A man her uncle had spoken of with something bordering on respect¡ªrare, for him. Vivienne clenched her fists, her gaze flickering back to Erwin. It had been years since he had delivered the news of her uncle''s death. He looked the same. Still unshaken. Still commanding. But she wondered¡ªjust for a moment¡ªhow many more soldiers he had sent to their deaths since then. And yet he was someone who her uncle deeply respected. The thunder of hooves echoed against the walls as the Survey Corps rode past, their expressions unreadable. Some were seasoned veterans, their eyes shadowed with the weight of experience. Others were young¡ªtoo young¡ªbarely older than she was, their grips tight on the reins, their faces set with quiet determination. How many of them would return? Vivienne swallowed hard. The crowd cheered. It felt wrong. They cheered as if these soldiers were heroes embarking on a grand adventure. As if this wasn''t a funeral procession in disguise. The green capes would return stained with blood. Some would not return at all. Vivienne''s nails bit into her palm. And soon, she would ride with them. The realisation struck like a hammer to her ribs. She wasn''t just watching anymore. She wasn''t the noble girl staring out of her bedroom window, wondering what lay beyond the walls. Soon, she would be the one in that saddle, riding towards the unknown. A figure at her side shifted. "You''re really doing this, huh?" She turned her head to find Jean watching the procession, his usual cynicism absent. His jaw was set, eyes locked on the departing soldiers. For once, he wasn''t making a snide remark. For once, he looked afraid. Vivienne exhaled, turning back to the Survey Corps as the last of them passed through the gates. The heavy groan of metal echoed through the city as the great doors swung shut behind them. The wind carried their dust away. And just like that, they were gone. Vivienne turned away. Together with Eren, Connie, and a few others, she had to prepare the cannons on the wall. But she hadn''t expected to hear those words. "You''re joining the Survey Corps?!" Eren asked. Her eyes widened, and she took a step closer. "Connie, are you serious? You''re really going to join the Survey Corps? I thought you wanted to join the Military Police!" Connie scrubbed at a rifle with a rag. "That''s what I wanted..." "Your speech pretty much convinced him yesterday," a girl with black hair said with a smile. "Shut up!" Connie said loudly, turning to them with a flushed face. "It was my own decision! Besides..." he pointed at Vivienne, "she wouldn''t be able to handle a real fight on her own. She can''t even beat me in our training matches!" Vivienne''s eyes widened. But then her lips curved into a smile. She felt a little guilty¡ªbecause she wanted nothing more than for her friends to be safe. But at the same time, she was glad she wouldn''t lose Connie as a comrade. And he wasn''t the only one who had made his choice. Thomas and a few others had also decided to join the Survey Corps. Then, out of nowhere, Sasha stepped forward. "I brought some meat from the officers'' room." Vivienne''s eyes widened, and she shook her head. She should have been used to Sasha stealing food by now, but this¡ªthis¡ªshe hadn''t expected. "Idiots are terrifying..." Connie muttered, and Vivienne had no idea how they were going to get Sasha out of this without getting everyone into trouble. Complaints filled the air, but before long, Sasha distracted them with the promise of delicious sandwiches. In the end, they decided to eat them. Vivienne grinned at Eren. "It''s not lunchtime yet. We should probably finish the cannons first." She walked ahead, the smile still lingering on her lips. Maybe the future wasn''t as grey as she thought. But something felt off. A stillness settled over the group, heavier than the midday heat. The air felt thick, as though the world itself had paused. Vivienne glanced over her shoulder, but nothing seemed out of place. The others were still talking, laughing, unaware. Yet, her pulse quickened, an odd sense of something pressing in on her. A warning she couldn''t ignore. The wind shifted, suddenly sharp and cold, biting through the thin fabric of her uniform. Vivienne narrowed her eyes. It wasn''t just the weather that felt wrong. It was... the quiet. The silence creeping in like a storm about to break. And then it came. A low, rhythmic sound pierced the air¡ªa beeping, too familiar. It vibrated through her bones. Her heart skipped, and her skin prickled. No. Not now. Her breath hitched as the sounds of the world seemed to fade. Time dragged. The pounding in her chest was the only thing she could hear, echoing like a drumbeat, louder and louder. She tried to focus, tried to steady herself. But the voices¡ªthe voices¡ªthey crept in, whispering under her skin. Tears. Anger. Pity. Cruelty. It was the same feeling, the same foreboding, like the calm before a storm. Her body went rigid, every muscle taut as the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. It was here. That feeling, that horrible presence. She didn''t have to look, didn''t have to see. She knew. They all knew. A bright yellow beam of light flared to her side. Too close. Too sudden. Vivienne''s heart slammed against her ribs. She froze, her eyes darting upward, dread flooding her chest. And then, it appeared. A shadow, too large to ignore, bloomed over them. A Titan. A massive, looming figure, its grotesque form blocking out the sky. They all stopped. Even Sasha''s mouth, halfway open to say something, hung still. No one moved. No one dared. It was the feeling that would forever haunt them¡ªthe moment of first contact with a Titan. Time bent. Slowed. The wind howled with fury, hot and fierce, as though the world itself was exhaling a deadly breath. It struck with such force that it sent them stumbling, knocking them off the wall. Vivienne''s heart pounded in her ears, the world spinning as she struggled to maintain her footing. Her fingers instinctively grasped the handles of her ODM gear, the harness pulling tight as she braced against the stone, trying to stop her fall. But before she could regain her balance, the world tilted again. A scream. The whiplash of the wind. A body. Samuel. She barely had time to react, her eyes catching the flash of movement below her. Sasha? In a heartbeat, the girl had already reached Samuel, her gear snapping him out of the air like a lifeline. Vivienne''s breath caught in her throat, but her gaze was already shifting downward. She had to look. She had to know. The wall. It was broken. Cracked. Her stomach dropped as the reality of the situation hit her. Broken. 11 "Not again... The Titans are coming through the walls again!" Vivienne¡¯s breath caught, and she froze. "Fixed Cannon Maintenance Team 4, prepare for battle!" Eren shouted. "Our target is the Colossal Titan in front of us! This is our chance! Don¡¯t let it escape!" He drew his swords and swung his ODM gear upwards. Vivienne wasn¡¯t sure whether to be impressed by his courage or to think he was a complete idiot. Maybe she was just scared. Maybe she was a coward. Her legs had locked up at the sight of the Titan, her grip on her swords turning clammy. Eren didn¡¯t hesitate. Why couldn¡¯t she be like that? You trained for this. Then why did it feel like she¡¯d forgotten everything the moment the real battle began? None of them had expected to face a Titan this soon. Vivi. Her uncle¡¯s gentle smile flashed through her mind, and her eyes widened. She looked up. "We have to help Eren!" she shouted, pulling herself up with her ODM gear. Connie and Thomas followed without hesitation. When they reached the top, they drew their swords and stood ready to fight. There was no sign of the Colossal Titan¡ªor Eren. As they edged forward, they spotted him hanging on the other side of the wall. "Eren!" Thomas shouted. "Did you beat it?" The look on Eren¡¯s face said otherwise. "It was just like five years ago¡­ It appeared out of nowhere and vanished just as suddenly!" Connie and Vivienne exchanged glances before peering over the edge of the wall. They had learned during training that there were different types of Titans, but they had never heard of one that could simply disappear. Vivienne¡¯s grip on her swords tightened. Her heart pounded. "Sorry. I let it get away." "Why are you apologising? The rest of us couldn¡¯t even move¡ª" "Oi! There¡¯s no time for discussion! The wall¡¯s been breached. If we don¡¯t patch it up quickly, the Titans will get in just like before!" Connie cut in, his voice sharp. "Connie¡¯s right," Vivienne said, steadying herself. "We should probably look for a Commander and¡ª" "What are you doing?" A Garrison soldier interrupted them, his expression stern. "The contingency plan for the Colossal Titan has already begun. Go to HQ!" The four graduates straightened into military salutes, listening intently. Vivienne was impressed¡ªthey had already set a plan in motion. Last time, the surprise attack had shaken everyone so badly that they had learned their lesson. They knew they had to act fast. There was no choice. "Anyone who made contact with it¡ªdon¡¯t forget to report." "Yes, sir!" Eren and Vivienne responded in unison, while Connie wished his team well. The bells rang. Vivienne¡¯s body remained tense. Panic spread through the streets, and all that could be heard were frantic screams and the thunderous footsteps of people desperately trying to escape. The Garrison Unit did their best, but how could they hope to calm an entire city when they knew they could die at any moment? The queue at the gate felt endless. The distant echo of cannon fire made her stomach churn. Were they already here? Had the Titans managed to infiltrate the city? "You trainees have all passed the final training exercise and are now fully fledged soldiers. We expect great things from you," an officer shouted. Hurried footsteps filled the room. Sweat trickled down Vivienne¡¯s forehead as her trembling hands worked to fine-tune the controls on her ODM gear. When she finally succeeded, she took a breath and glanced over at Connie and Sasha, who were still adjusting their own equipment. "Give me your ODM controllers." They looked at her, slightly suspicious. "Vivienne, I don¡¯t think this is the time to be messing with ODMs," Connie said. She opened her mouth, then hesitated. Who was she to order them around? It wasn¡¯t like she was some expert mechanic. What if she messed something up? What if¡ª No. Now wasn¡¯t the time for hesitation. "No, but I¡¯ll be damned if I don¡¯t check your triggers and refine them a bit¡ªso you don¡¯t end up as Titan food. So hand them over, now!" she demanded. Connie started to protest, but Sasha snatched the controllers from his hands and passed them to Vivienne. It wasn¡¯t difficult. It shouldn¡¯t have been difficult. In the four years she had been here, she had taken ODM controllers apart and put them back together more times than she could count. But why did it feel so hard, so difficult, this time? "It¡¯s okay, Hannah..." Franz placed his hands protectively over the girl¡¯s shoulders. "I¡¯ll protect you." They held each other tightly. Vivienne forced herself to focus on the controls in her hands again. Time was her enemy, and she needed to work fast. A moment later, she handed the controllers back to her friends. "I have to find Armin." She pushed through the crowd, her breath shaky, struggling to stay calm. When she finally spotted the blond boy, a small wave of relief washed over her. "Armin!" He looked up. She didn¡¯t need to say the words¡ªhe could read them in her eyes. "Let me refine your controls a bit." "Vivienne..." His voice was steady, but she could sense the tension beneath it. Vivienne didn¡¯t want to imagine what he was feeling. This was d¨¦j¨¤ vu neither of them wanted to relive. I know. Her hands clenched into fists, her lips pressing together. Was it unfair? A desperate smile tugged at her lips. "I know this isn¡¯t a good time. But I can¡¯t go into battle without knowing there¡¯s nothing wrong with your equipment." Armin¡¯s eyes widened. Of course. He wasn¡¯t the only one afraid of losing the people he cared about. He wasn¡¯t the only one who knew that pain. He handed over his controllers, and she pulled a small tool from her inside pocket, working quickly to fine-tune his gear. Was it unfair that she only took the time for the people she was afraid she¡¯d never see again? Her fingers hesitated over the controls. What if she got it wrong? What if she missed something¡ªwhat if, because of her, Armin¡¯s gear jammed at the worst moment? What if she was just trying to convince herself she was useful? She swallowed hard. She wasn¡¯t Mikasa. She wasn¡¯t Annie. She wasn¡¯t even Eren, throwing himself into battle with reckless certainty. She was just¡­ Vivienne. And what if that wasn¡¯t enough? No. She forced the thought down. Now wasn¡¯t the time. She had done this a hundred times. She had to trust her hands, trust what she knew. If she second-guessed herself now, she¡¯d just slow everyone down. She adjusted one last setting and exhaled. She was no different from Franz in that respect. Her eyes flickered to the side for a moment. Jean and Marco were talking, she didn¡¯t want to imagine how they both felt like. Trost was after all their hometown. And even Reiner¡¯s face seemed heavy with pressure and desperation. Her gaze narrowed. She had always been so sad when her uncle left on his journeys. For someone who hated goodbyes, she had chosen the wrong profession. "Done." She handed the controllers back, and for a moment, they stood in silence. Before either of them could speak, the call to line up came. "Just follow your training! Break into groups! On the Garrison¡¯s orders, you will resupply fighters, pass on orders, and kill Titans!" Vivienne¡¯s fingernails dug into her palms. She still couldn¡¯t believe how quickly everything had escalated. Worst of all, they had no choice but to use soldiers like her¡ªfresh out of training. The Survey Corps had left that morning. They were on their own. An uneasy feeling twisted inside her. Why was the timing so bad? Why did an attack like this have to happen just when the Titan-killing experts were outside the city? Maybe it was the nerves, or maybe it was just the fear inside her. But she couldn''t shake the feeling that this was all happening on purpose. "Garrison interceptors will form the vanguard!" a man with brown hair and a beard shouted. "The trainees, led by the supply team, will form the middle guard! The Garrison''s elite force will take the rear. Also, messengers report that the advance team has been neutralised and that Titans have entered the city!" Her eyes widened, as did those of the people around her. Vivienne clenched her fingers even tighter into her palm. These were experts¡ªsoldiers who had fought and prepared for years¡ªand they were gone. How were they supposed to survive as mere beginners? Vivienne shook her head. She had to suppress those panicked thoughts. She had to at least try. "In other words, the Armoured Titan could appear at any moment to destroy the inner gate!" Vivienne stared at the floor. They couldn¡¯t afford to lose another wall. If this continued, then¡­ "Silence!" The Commander¡¯s final words to them were to fight to their last breath. Everyone rushed to their assigned groups. Vivienne felt a small sense of relief when she spotted Sasha in hers. "Don''t worry, Vivi! We''re not going to be Titan food!" Vivienne looked at her, slightly taken aback. Only her uncle had ever called her that. The potato girl''s courage brought a small smile to her lips. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. They would survive. They had to survive. But how did you survive against an enemy you knew almost nothing about? Together with two boys, she stood on the rooftops, their gazes meeting in silent agreement before they nodded. Then, they leapt forward, swinging their ODM gear through the streets and buildings of Trost. They encountered the first Titans sooner than expected. "I knew we''d run into one quickly," Vivienne admitted, but her voice wavered slightly. "I just¡­ didn¡¯t think it would be this soon." Her fingers twitched over her triggers. This was it. No training exercises. No instructors watching her from a safe distance. Just her and a Titan that wouldn¡¯t hesitate to rip her apart. What if I fail? The thought dug into her like claws, but she couldn¡¯t let it win. She had to move. Her eyes scanned the streets, and she was shocked to see a man trying to hide behind a wooden crate. A Titan was slowly approaching him from the left. Vivienne wanted to scream, but no words came out. Instead, she jumped down from the roof. "Vivienne!!!" Sasha shouted her name as the others in their group stared after her in shock. Vivienne activated her ODM gear and shot forward, managing to grab the man just in time. The Titan''s massive foot crushed the crate where he had been hiding. "Are you all right?" Vivienne asked, but the man only looked up at her, eyes wide with terror. His whole body trembled. Slowly, she turned¡ªonly to see another Titan looming in front of her. The man screamed. Vivienne stood rooted to the spot. Move¡­ Move! Do something! Her hands trembled around the controls of her ODM gear. A vast shadow fell over her, but her feet refused to move. Was this it? Was this how she was going to die? "Vivienne!" Sasha soared through the air, her swords clenched tightly in her hands. Before Vivienne could even process what was happening, the potato girl sliced through the Titan¡¯s nape. It crashed to the ground with a heavy thud. Heat rushed over Vivienne as steam rose from the dissolving corpse. Her body was frozen. "Vivienne! Are you all right?" Sasha asked, running towards her. Vivienne¡¯s emerald-green eyes widened as she met her friend¡¯s gaze. "I... I''m fine..." The two boys in their group landed beside her. "What the hell was that? Have you got a death wish or something?" one of them demanded. Vivienne¡¯s lips parted slightly¡ªbut then closed again. She had only wanted to save the man. She had trained for this, spent years preparing to fight monsters like this. So why¡­? Why was it so hard? Was she really not cut out for this? "Unlike you, she wasn¡¯t a coward. She actually saved someone," Sasha snapped, glaring at the two boys. Vivienne lowered her gaze, feeling a pang of shame. She was touched that Sasha was defending her, but deep down, she knew the boys were right. Vivienne¡¯s fingers clenched around her swords, but the strength in her grip felt hollow. Her breathing was uneven, her chest tightening with every rapid inhale. She had frozen. If Sasha hadn¡¯t been there¡­ Her stomach churned. The thought of it made her feel sick. The man she had saved was still cowering on the ground, his hands clasped over his head. He hadn¡¯t moved an inch. His terror was paralysing¡ªjust like hers had been. "Get up," she said, but her voice came out weaker than she intended. The man didn¡¯t react. "Get up!" she tried again, louder this time. The desperation in her tone caught his attention, and he looked at her with wide, unseeing eyes. He was lost in his own fear, trapped in the same suffocating panic that had held her in place only moments ago. A bitter realisation crept up her spine. She had trained for this. He hadn¡¯t. Yet in the end, she had been just as helpless. A hand grasped her wrist, firm but not forceful. She looked up to see Sasha, her expression unusually serious. "We need to move, Vivienne," she said. "More Titans are coming." Vivienne swallowed hard, her body stiff. But she nodded. "Right." Sasha turned to the boys. "Take him to the evacuation zone. We¡¯ll cover you." The two hesitated but didn¡¯t argue. One of them hauled the man to his feet, practically dragging him away as they launched their ODM gear. Vivienne¡¯s legs still felt heavy, like lead, but she forced herself to step forward. She had to move. Had to do something. But the doubt gnawed at her. Was she really strong enough to survive this? She exhaled sharply and shot her wires toward the nearest building. The rush of wind against her face was a temporary relief, but it wasn¡¯t enough to silence the fear clawing at her chest. Sasha flew beside her, glancing at her from the corner of her eye. "You know, back in training, I had moments like that too," she admitted. Vivienne turned her head slightly, surprised. "You?" Sasha let out a breathy chuckle. "Yeah. Back when I thought I could just run away and live in the woods forever." Vivienne wanted to say something¡ªwanted to ask how Sasha had overcome it. But before she could, a bloodcurdling scream cut through the air. They turned just in time to see another Titan crashing through the remains of a house, its hungry gaze locked on the civilians trying to flee. No time to think. No time to hesitate. Vivienne gritted her teeth and readied her blades. This time, she would move. This time, she had to. They continued to move forward¡ªthe heavy thud of footsteps on the rooftops, the sharp hiss of ODM gear cutting through the air, the desperate cries echoing in the distance. Vivienne stayed close to Sasha. She dared to glance to the side¡ªand immediately regretted it. A cadet was caught in a Titan¡¯s grasp, their screams piercing through the chaos. Vivienne watched in horror as the Titan¡¯s jaws closed around them. Her breath caught, and she quickly snapped her head forward, pressing her lips together. Was this what hell looked like? The group had successfully escorted the man to a safe zone before immediately returning to their orders. So far, so good, Vivienne thought. But the thought barely had time to settle before a massive hand came out of nowhere¡ªalong with one of her group members. A bloodcurdling scream tore through the air. Vivienne turned just in time to see the boy thrashing helplessly in the Titan¡¯s grasp, tears streaming down his face. She froze. There was no time. Move. Without thinking, she shot forward with her ODM gear. She had one chance. The swords felt heavy in her hands. Her heart pounded. She gritted her teeth and swung. With a sickening thud, the Titan¡¯s severed hand crashed to the ground¡ªalong with the boy. Vivienne barely registered the impact as she landed beside him. He sat trembling, eyes wide with shock. She looked up. The Titan was already advancing. Panic surged through her, but her body moved on instinct. She grabbed the boy¡¯s hand and fired her ODM gear, yanking them both into the air just as the Titan lunged. Could she kill one of them? She didn¡¯t know. But right now, only one thing mattered¡ªrunning fast enough not to find out. Vivienne¡¯s breath came in sharp, uneven gasps as they swung through the smoke-filled streets. The boy¡¯s grip on her arm was tight¡ªtoo tight¡ªbut she didn¡¯t shake him off. Not yet. Not while the sound of the Titan¡¯s guttural roar still rang in her ears. Not while she could still feel the heat of its breath chasing them. She spotted a rooftop ahead and angled her trajectory, yanking the boy with her as they landed in a rough stumble. "Are you hurt?" she asked, not daring to look back yet. The boy didn¡¯t answer. He was shaking violently, his hands clawing at the ground, trying to ground himself. His face was pale, lips parted as if he wanted to say something but couldn¡¯t. Vivienne swallowed hard. There was no time to comfort him. A shadow loomed over them. Her pulse spiked. She spun, ODM hooks firing in the same breath. The cables latched onto the closest building, and she vaulted back into the air just as a massive foot came crashing down where they had been standing. The impact sent cracks spiderwebbing across the stone. She heard Sasha shout her name from somewhere nearby. Vivienne twisted midair, eyes locking onto the Titan as it turned its head¡ªslow, unnatural¡ªfollowing her movement with dull, hungry eyes. Its mouth hung slightly open, strands of saliva dripping from between its jagged teeth. The boy was still on the roof. Too frozen to move. "Vivi, get out of there!" Sasha¡¯s voice cut through the noise, sharp with panic. But Vivienne wasn¡¯t thinking about herself anymore. She was thinking about the cadet below her, paralysed in fear. She was thinking about the way the Titan was still watching him. Time slowed. She fired her hooks again, aiming lower this time. Her blades were steady in her hands now. Not heavy. Not anymore. The Titan lifted its foot. She shot forward, cutting through the air. She wasn¡¯t fast enough. She wasn¡¯t fast enough. "Vivienne!" A deafening crash. Dust and debris exploded into the air as the Titan¡¯s foot came down. For one sickening moment, Vivienne¡¯s breath caught¡ªhad she been too late? No. The boy had rolled at the last second, throwing himself clear of the impact. But he wasn¡¯t moving fast enough. The Titan loomed over him, its grotesque face twisting into something almost¡­ curious. As if it were fascinated by how small and helpless he was. Vivienne¡¯s heart pounded in her ears. Move. Her ODM hooks hit their mark, and she propelled herself downward, slicing through the air like an arrow loosed from a bow. Her blades caught the Titan¡¯s wrist as it reached for the cadet¡ªcarving deep, severing tendons. The creature let out a low, guttural groan, its fingers twitching as its grip faltered. "Get up!" she screamed at the boy, landing hard beside him. He flinched, finally snapping out of his daze. But before he could stand, the Titan lunged again¡ªits massive arm swinging wildly, sending Vivienne skidding backwards across the rooftop. The momentum nearly sent her over the edge. Shit¡ª She barely managed to fire her hooks in time, anchoring herself before she fell. The rooftop tilted in her vision, her chest heaving. Too close. Way too close. A blur of movement from the side¡ªSasha. The potato girl spun through the air, her blades gleaming in the smoke-filled light. In one swift motion, she slashed through the Titan¡¯s eyes, blinding it. The creature let out a distorted wail, its head snapping back as it stumbled. "Vivi, we have to go!" Sasha shouted, already adjusting her cables to retreat. Vivienne¡¯s fingers tightened around her swords. They could run. They should run. But as she watched the Titan writhe, steam hissing from its wounds, something inside her burned. I have to end this. Before she could second-guess herself, she moved. A sharp twist of her body, a perfectly aimed hook¡ªshe soared upwards. The Titan¡¯s neck was right there, vulnerable, exposed. One clean strike. That was all it would take. She gritted her teeth, raised her blades¡ª The Titan turned. Vivienne¡¯s stomach lurched. It was fast. Too fast. The moment she had accounted for¡ªits blind, sluggish movements¡ªwas gone. A massive arm swung toward her. Vivienne barely had time to react. Her instincts screamed at her to move, but the Titan¡¯s arm was already coming¡ªtoo fast, too strong. A shockwave of air slammed into her as the enormous limb struck. Her body twisted violently, her grip on the ODM controls faltering. The world blurred. She was weightless¡ªthen, suddenly, she wasn¡¯t. Pain exploded through her back as she crashed against a rooftop. The force knocked the breath from her lungs. Tiles shattered beneath her, and for a terrifying moment, she teetered at the edge before rolling onto solid ground. Her vision swam. Her chest burned as she gasped for air. Move, get up, MOVE! The Titan was already recovering, its sunken eyes locked onto her. She tried to push herself up, but her limbs felt sluggish, heavy. The impact had rattled her brain, left her body unresponsive. She could only watch as the Titan took its first lumbering step toward her. This was it. No. Not yet. A shadow flashed above her. Sasha. The potato girl¡¯s form shot through the air, blades glinting in the sunlight. With a ferocious cry, she spun and drove them deep into the Titan¡¯s nape. A shudder. A low, guttural groan. Then, silence. The Titan collapsed forward, its massive body hitting the street with an earth-shaking crash. Steam billowed into the air, engulfing them both in a suffocating heat. Vivienne coughed, trying to blink away the haze. Footsteps pounded against the rooftop. A second later, Sasha was at her side, breathless but grinning. "Well? Are you going to keep lying there, or do I have to carry you?" Vivienne let out a weak laugh, wincing as she sat up. "You¡¯re not strong enough to carry me." Sasha smirked. "You don¡¯t know that." A gust of wind blew away the last of the steam, revealing the battlefield once more. The screams, the fighting¡ªit hadn¡¯t stopped. Vivienne clenched her fists. It never stops. She turned to Sasha, determination hardening her features. "Come on," she said, standing on unsteady legs. "We¡¯ve got work to do." Together, they shot back into the fray. 12 The cadets found themselves on the rooftops of Trost. The mood was beyond sombre. Half of the people she had seen that morning were gone. All living things die one day. But they were young. Too young. They had dreams. Too many dreams. Vivienne¡¯s heart almost stopped in her chest when her emerald-green eyes failed to find Connie and the others in the crowd. But then she saw him standing next to Armin. She took a deep breath, and her heart started pumping blood again. "Connie!" she cried, running towards the two boys with a smile on her face. But it quickly faded when she saw Armin¡¯s expression. It didn¡¯t take long for her to realise something was wrong. "Where are Eren, Thomas, and the others?" she asked. Armin¡¯s face fell, and Vivienne turned to Connie. He shook his head slowly, without saying a word. Her eyes widened, and her lips parted slightly. How? How? How could this be? That morning, Eren had been the only one of their group brave enough to fight the Colossal Titan. He wanted to fight. He was the bravest of them all. He was the one who had encouraged them. He was the one who had convinced Connie and the others to join the Survey Corps. He was many things, but he wasn¡¯t reckless. So how...? Armin walked past her without a word. Vivienne started to call after him, but Connie stopped her with a shake of his head. They didn¡¯t need words to understand each other. Armin needed time alone. And even if the world around them was falling apart, they could give him that one small moment of peace. Vivienne followed Connie, stopping when they spotted Jean sitting on the roof tiles. Their eyes met, and for the first time, they weren¡¯t teasing each other. For the first time, there were no sharp words exchanged. And yet, even though she sometimes wished he¡¯d become Titan food, she felt a small sense of relief that he was still alive. A few more people gathered, but not many. She could count them on one hand. Her fingers clenched into a fist, nails digging into her palm. Gone. All of them. All the faces she had seen that morning. Almost all gone. "Oi, Jean! What should we do?" Connie asked, his voice serious. Jean, who always had a comment or a plan, stared at the ground, his arms resting on his knees. "There¡¯s nothing we can do..." He stood and put a hand to his head. "They¡¯ve finally given the order to retreat, but we can¡¯t climb the walls without more gas. So we¡¯re all going to die... because of those cowards." Vivienne¡¯s nails pressed deeper into her skin. She hated to admit it, especially now, but things were more than just dicey. Their group had run into far more Titans than she would have liked. Constant fleeing and trying to save others had cost them valuable fuel. Connie looked down at Jean. "The supply team... what happened to them? Were they wiped out?" "They¡¯re too scared to move. I can understand why... but abandoning their mission to resupply us, just to hide in HQ? Unbelievable. And of course, the Titans have swarmed them, so we can¡¯t get any more gas..." "Then we have to take our chances and try to clear out the Titans around HQ! Sitting here won¡¯t do us any good... The Titans will be here soon! And if we keep running, we¡¯ll just waste what little gas we have left. Without our manoeuvring gear, we really are done for!" Connie said, his voice loud and firm. "I¡¯m surprised to see you using your head for once, Connie," Jean muttered. "He¡¯s right, Jean," Vivienne said calmly. Both boys turned to her. "Do you really think we can do this with our numbers?" Jean asked, hesitation creeping into his voice. Vivienne hesitated too, her gaze sweeping over the group. "Let¡¯s do it, guys!" Sasha said brightly. "Come on, get up¡­ If we all work together, we¡¯ll be fine! I¡¯ll take the lead!" But her words didn¡¯t sit well with the two boys at her side. And Vivienne couldn¡¯t blame them. One of them had almost been eaten¡ªtwice. They had watched others devoured right in front of them. In the end, she couldn¡¯t even say they had accomplished anything. All they had done was run. The landscape was bleak. Hope was gone. Even though they were physically alive, one look into their eyes told you they had been dead for a long time. "There¡¯s no way any of us are making it out of this town alive. I knew I could die... but what am I dying for?" Marco murmured, staring up at the sky. Vivienne knew she could die. Had this moment really come so soon? No. She didn¡¯t want this. It wasn¡¯t fair. It couldn¡¯t be. But life wasn¡¯t fair. Loud footsteps echoed across the rooftops. Mikasa. She ran straight to Armin. Vivienne glanced sideways. She had always found Mikasa¡¯s devotion to Eren a little strange, but there was no denying how much he had meant to her. Probably more than anyone else. And so, through tears, Armin confessed that everyone in Trainee Corps Team 34... was gone. Everyone except him. Silence. No one could believe it. So far, only a few people from each team had survived. But the biggest shock of all was that Eren... The boy who had wanted so desperately to fight the Titans. Was gone. Tears rolled painfully down Armin¡¯s face as he choked out the truth¡ªEren had sacrificed himself for him. Vivienne hadn¡¯t known how she had imagined Mikasa¡¯s reaction. Anger? A complete breakdown? Tears? One of those things. To her surprise, however, Mikasa was eerily calm. She told Armin to pull himself together, that now wasn¡¯t the time to get emotional. Then, she helped him to his feet and turned to the rest of them. "Marco, if we kill the Titans surrounding HQ, we can refuel and climb the walls. Isn¡¯t that right?" she asked. "That¡¯s right, but... but even with you here, there are too many..." "I can do it," she cut in sharply. "I am strong! Stronger than you. So I can defeat these Titans! Even on my own! You¡¯re not just weak¡ªyou¡¯re spineless cowards." Mikasa waved one of her swords in their direction. "I¡¯m disappointed in you. Just stay here... stay here and watch." Then, without another word, the girl with the dark hair turned and leapt off the roof. For a moment, no one spoke. The only sound was the distant, echoing roar of Titans somewhere below. Mikasa was already gone, vanishing into the chaos without hesitation. Jean let out a sharp breath, dragging a hand through his hair. "Tch... I hoped for nicer words," he muttered, but there was no real bite to his words. Only frustration. Maybe even admiration. Then, he turned to Vivienne. "Oi, Viv. You know ODM gear better than any of us. If we¡¯re really doing this, what¡¯s the best route to get there without running out of gas halfway?" Vivienne blinked at him, taken aback for a second. Jean wasn¡¯t the type to admit when he needed help. The fact that he was asking her meant he was serious. She exhaled slowly, forcing herself to think. "That depends on how much fuel we actually have left." Her gaze swept over the others, sharp and expectant. "I need everyone to be honest. Tell me exactly how much gas you have left. No guessing. No pretending you have more than you do." There was a brief pause before Marco nodded and checked his canisters. "I¡¯ve got... about a quarter tank left," he admitted. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "Same here," Connie said, frowning. "Maybe a little less." Sasha clicked her tongue. "Ugh... not great. I¡¯ve got barely enough for a few more minutes of movement. If I don¡¯t conserve it, I¡¯ll be a sitting duck." Jean sighed. "Half a tank. I was careful." Vivienne nodded, absorbing the information. She quickly checked her own supply¡ªabout a third of a tank. Not ideal. "Alright," she said, mind racing. "We can¡¯t afford to waste fuel on unnecessary movement. No high jumps unless absolutely necessary. No full-throttle bursts unless we¡¯re cornered. We¡¯ll need to take the shortest route with the fewest obstacles." She turned, scanning the rooftops and the streets below, mentally mapping out their best course. The Titans had begun to spread out, but they were still clustered around HQ. "There," she pointed. "We use that row of buildings to glide as far as we can without using too much gas. We drop lower near the main street, but not too low¡ªwe don¡¯t want to end up in grabbing range. If we cut across that alley and take the scaffolding up the side of HQ, we should make it with just enough fuel to spare." The others nodded, some more confident than others. "Alright," Jean said, cracking his neck. "Then let¡¯s stop wasting time." Vivienne looked at each of them one last time, their faces lined with exhaustion and fear¡ªbut also determination. "Stay close," she said. "And whatever happens... don¡¯t stop moving." And with that, they launched themselves after Mikasa. They mostly ran across the rooftops, using jumps to gain momentum. Vivienne knew this was the best way to conserve fuel. Finally, they activated their ODM gear, soaring through the air. Vivienne stayed close to Connie and Jean. "Mikasa!" Armin shouted as he abruptly changed course. The others turned to see the girl with short black hair land on a nearby rooftop. He would never abandon an important friend like her. "Damn it," Jean cursed. Connie drew both swords. "Jean, you take over. I''ll go after Armin." "I¡¯m going too," Jean said, picking up speed to match Connie¡¯s pace. "What are you doing?!" Connie shouted. "The Titans are still out there! We need your skills. Follow Vivienne¡¯s route and get the others to HQ!" Then he swung away. Jean grimaced, pain flickering across his face. Vivienne closed her eyes for a moment. She could only hope she¡¯d see the three of them again. Her breath caught in her throat. She had never been so afraid of losing someone. She remembered the restless nights spent desperately waiting for her uncle¡¯s letters. The times she went to the post office three times in one day, just to make sure they hadn''t lost it. This pressure, this feeling of helplessness¡­ She pressed her hands together. Armin¡­ Connie¡­ Mikasa¡­ please come back. Jean and Vivienne landed on a rooftop. Focusing, she scanned her surroundings. It was her responsibility now. Out of all the cadets, she knew ODM gear the best. She had to find a way to get them to HQ. Her breath shook, and heat rose in her chest. There were more Titans in the streets below than she had realised. Think, Vivienne¡­ Think! A whimper snapped her out of her thoughts. She looked down, and so did Jean. A boy stood frozen in the street, trembling as he clutched his swords. He was out of fuel¡ªunable to pull himself back up. Jean gritted his teeth, and anger burned inside Vivienne. I told them to be careful. She had warned them to jump from roof to roof, to conserve their gas. Even if they were scared. Even if it was hard. Jean was about to jump down to help, but he hesitated as two Titans charged towards the boy. "Stay back!" the cadet cried. Vivienne couldn''t watch any longer. She stepped forward¡ªonly for Jean to grab her wrist, stopping her. "What are you doing? We have to help him!" Jean didn¡¯t respond immediately. His jaw clenched, lips pressed into a thin line. His eyes met hers. "Jean! Let me go!" She struggled against his grip, desperate to tear herself away. But then, to her shock, Jean pulled her into his arms, holding her from behind. Vivienne fought against him, fury rising inside her, just as she was about to curse him¡ª "Vivienne! It¡¯s already too late!" Jean shouted. She opened her mouth to protest. "Tom! I¡¯m coming to get you!" another boy yelled. He and a girl rushed to help, but¡­ Jean was right. It was too late. All three of them¡ªgone. Jean''s breath trembled against her ear. "I¡¯m sorry." Vivienne¡¯s eyes widened. It was the first time she had ever heard him apologise to her. His grip tightened slightly, as if afraid she might disappear too. "I just couldn¡¯t let you die." Her breath hitched at those words. For the first time, she stopped fighting him. Instead, her hand rested gently over his. Jean was afraid. But more than anything¡ªhe felt guilty. He knew that if he had reacted a little faster, maybe they could have saved them. Maybe, just maybe¡­ they would still be alive. Jean clenched his fists. Maybe¡ªjust maybe¡ªif he had reacted a second earlier, if he had ordered Vivienne to move instead of holding her back, they could have saved them. Together. But he hadn¡¯t. And not just because he was scared. The moment he saw her step forward, ready to throw herself into danger without hesitation, something in his chest tightened. A strange, suffocating feeling clawed at his ribs. He had lost too many people today. More than he could even process. But the thought¡ªthe stupid thought¡ªof losing her? It shook him in a way he wasn¡¯t ready to admit. And so, he had pulled her back. Jean exhaled sharply, releasing his grip just enough for Vivienne to move if she wanted to. But she didn¡¯t. She remained still, her fingers lightly resting over his. The distant sounds of screaming filled the air, the scent of blood thick in their lungs. ¡°We have to keep moving,¡± he muttered, his voice rough. Vivienne stirred slightly, and when she finally turned to look at him, there was no anger in her eyes. No sharp retort, no insult at his hesitation. Just a quiet understanding. She had felt it too. Jean swallowed hard and forced himself to focus. ¡°We¡¯re running out of time. Can you still figure out the best route?¡± Vivienne blinked, the weight of reality settling back onto her shoulders. She turned her gaze back to the ruined city below, scanning the paths, the rooftops, the positions of the Titans. ¡°We have just enough gas to make it if we follow the east side,¡± she said at last, her voice steady. ¡°But we¡¯ll have to move fast.¡± Jean nodded, stepping back. ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± Neither of them spoke about what had just happened. They couldn¡¯t afford to. Not now. Not when people were still dying. Vivienne took a breath, lifted her gaze to meet his one last time, then launched herself forward. Jean followed without hesitation, the ghost of that feeling still lodged deep in his chest. They flew forward. HQ was getting closer, and they could see Titans trying to climb it. It wasn¡¯t the sight Vivienne had hoped for. They ran along the rooftops, their movements swift but tense. Marco landed next to Jean, breathing heavily, and gave him a grateful look. "Thanks for helping us get this far," he said. Jean accepted with a small smile before they launched into the air again, their ODM gear propelling them forward. They swung and manoeuvred around the Titans, dodging their grasping hands. Then a scream pierced the air. Vivienne glanced to the side. A Titan had caught one of their own. Her grip on her swords tightened. She knew not all of them would make it. She had accepted that much. But knowing there was nothing she could do about it¡ªthat hurt more than anything. Still, she pressed on, following Jean. They crashed through one of the headquarters¡¯ windows, glass shattering around them. Vivienne tumbled inside, landing unsteadily on her feet. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her hands trembling. She had made it. They all had the same expression¡ªshock, exhaustion, disbelief. Vivienne¡¯s gaze flickered around the room, her stomach twisting. Was this really everyone who had made it? Jean ran a hand over his face, the weight of guilt pressing down on him. So many had died under his command. Their deaths had given him a chance to survive, and that knowledge made his chest ache. His eyes landed on two cadets cowering under a desk. "Aren''t you with the supply team...?" he asked, his voice eerily calm. One of them hesitated before nodding. Jean didn''t wait. He grabbed the boy by the collar and punched him square in the face. "Jean!" Vivienne shouted as Marco lunged forward, grabbing him from behind. "Stop it, Jean!" Marco yelled, struggling to hold him back. "You¡¯re the ones who left us!" Jean snapped, his voice raw with anger. "Because of you, more people died than necessary!" The girl who had been hiding under the desk rushed to the injured cadet¡¯s side, panic in her eyes. Vivienne took a step closer and placed herself between Jean and the others. "Jean," she said softly, forcing him to meet her gaze. "I''m angry too," she admitted, her voice steady. "I know we could have been saved sooner if we had enough gas to get up the wall." She hesitated, then looked around at the survivors once more. "But I also understand why they were afraid. Does that make it right? No. Especially not after training for this for three years. But I do understand it." She exhaled slowly. "And fighting each other now¡­ It¡¯s not going to change anything. It¡¯s only going to make things worse." Jean¡¯s chest rose and fell sharply, his fists still clenched. His jaw worked as though he wanted to say something, but no words came. The anger was still there, bubbling under his skin, but Vivienne¡¯s voice had cut through the haze. Slowly, his fingers uncurled. He exhaled a shaky breath. Marco, still gripping his arm, felt the tension ease and let go. "Jean¡­" he started cautiously. Jean shook his head, rubbing a hand over his face. "I know," he muttered. Vivienne studied his expression. The guilt was still there, pressing down on him, but at least he wasn¡¯t about to throw another punch. The supply team cadet, the one Jean had hit, pushed himself up slightly, clutching his bleeding lip. He was shaking. "We¡­ we didn¡¯t mean for this to happen," he stammered. "We were trapped! The Titans swarmed the building. W-we didn¡¯t think anyone would make it!" Jean scoffed, turning away sharply. He looked ready to snap again, but Vivienne touched his arm lightly. "Jean," she murmured, her voice firm but calm. "Enough." A sharp hissing sound cut through the air. Reiner peered through one of the shattered windows. His eyes widened. "Get down!" he shouted as the cadets looked around frantically. A Titan''s face came crashing through the wall, the sheer force of it sending two cadets flying. "Damn it! Too many people in one place," Jean cursed. It didn¡¯t take long for panic to spread. Screams filled the air as everyone scrambled to escape further into the building. Horror was written all over Jean and Vivienne¡¯s faces. She still had her hand on his arm. This was the reality they lived in. Two massive Titan faces loomed before them, their vacant eyes locked onto the group. Vivienne¡¯s grip on Jean¡¯s arm tightened. They had to fight. But then¡ªsomething impossible happened. Before their very eyes, a colossal fist slammed into the Titans, knocking them away. Vivienne¡¯s breath caught in her throat. What had just happened? 13 Glass shattered and crashed to the ground. Mikasa, Connie, and Armin climbed through the window. Jean called out Mikasa¡¯s name, but Vivienne¡¯s attention was fixed on the two boys. "That was close... I''m all out," Connie said, tapping his ODM gear lightly. Vivienne ran over to them without a word. "Connie! Armin!" said Vivienne The boy with short grey hair slapped Armin on the back with a grin. "You did it, Armin! Your plan worked!" "Plan?" she repeated. Connie nodded and stood up, still smiling. "That Titan is an Aberrant¡ªit kills other Titans! And it¡¯s not interested in us... If we can use it, we can escape!" Vivienne stared through the hole in the stone wall. A Titan killing other Titans. It sounded like a dream¡ªa revolution almost too good to be true. They had learnt a lot about different Titans in their training. But they had never heard of anything like this. Watch him. Vivienne¡¯s breath wavered, and her hand clenched into a fist. No... Not now. The last thing she needed was the voices in her head. Uncertainty spread through her body. While the others discussed the best way to use the Titan to their advantage, something inside her grew increasingly tense. It felt like she was losing control of herself. The pull towards the hole in the wall. The need to see what was happening. It was growing inside her. And she didn¡¯t understand why. But her instincts were screaming at her. "Vivi." Connie¡¯s voice snapped her back to reality. "I know you¡¯re nervous, but now¡¯s not the time!" Vivienne swallowed hard, forcing herself to focus. She couldn''t afford to lose herself now. "Right," she muttered, shaking her head as if that would silence the lingering unease. Outside, the Titan roared¡ªa deep, guttural sound that sent a shiver through her spine. She stepped closer to the hole in the wall despite herself, her breath catching at the sight beyond. The Aberrant moved with terrifying speed, slamming its fist into another Titan¡¯s skull. Bone shattered, steam rising as the defeated creature collapsed. It didn¡¯t even hesitate before lunging at the next one, gripping its opponent¡¯s jaw and wrenching it apart in a sickening crunch. The others were talking that they could use the titan to their advantage. But Vivienne barely heard them. Her heart pounded against her ribs, her fingers twitching at her sides. The way that Titan fought¡ªthere was something disturbingly familiar about it. The way it moved. The way it attacked. Like a person. Like someone she knew. Her stomach twisted. No. That¡¯s impossible. Yet the longer she watched, the more the feeling sank its claws into her. She knew this Titan. But how? A hand on her shoulder jolted her back. Sasha. Her expression was a little worried. ¡°Vivienne. We have to go.¡± She forced herself to nod, stepping back from the hole. But as they turned to leave, she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that whatever was happening out there¡ªwas to change everything she ever believed in. They entered the building. The cadets were sitting on the floor. Vivienne''s mind was still racing. She found it hard to concentrate, but she managed to pull herself out of her thoughts as Jean and a few others carried in wooden crates. "This is Military Police stuff... It was covered in dust." They took rifles from the crates. "Are scatter shots really enough?" Jean asked. "Can these actually do anything against Titans?" "I think they¡¯re a lot better than nothing," Armin said. A blueprint of the building lay on the floor in front of him. Vivienne stood beside Marco and looked down. "If there are only seven 3- to 4-metre-class Titans left in the supply room, even that might be enough firepower to blind them all at once," Armin explained. A large number of cadets would use the lift to reach the central ceiling, firing in unison into the Titans'' faces to blind them. Then, seven cadets, hidden among the ceiling beams, would ambush the blinded Titans in a coordinated attack. If this plan worked, no one would die. They would all live. Vivienne exhaled. They had already lost so many people that she couldn''t count them on her hands. If this meant they all got out of here breathing, then she would do it. Vivienne was not one of the top seven who needed to kill a Titan. Shame washed over her¡ªfor on the one hand, she was relieved. But she still worried about her friends. She closed her eyes. Had this really become her life? The lift descended slowly. Vivienne¡¯s grip on her gun tightened, and her expression grew more serious. When they arrived, they saw that the number had not changed. Fortunately, none more had appeared. She was standing between Marco and Armin. They all had their weapons pointed at the Titans. A Titan with a broad grin turned in their direction, and one of the cadets inhaled sharply, anxious. "Keep calm! Draw them in!" Marco said, trying to steady them. The trigger pressed into Vivienne¡¯s finger, and she felt a sharp pain. The guns were old¡ªmaybe the spring needed adjusting. No... No. It wasn¡¯t that. Her finger hurt because she was holding it against the trigger with all her strength, tense. She was nervous. Like everyone else here. The Titan walked towards them. Its footsteps echoed through the room. "Wait," Marco whispered. More and more Titans were coming. Most of them closed their eyes. Deep down, they were all preparing for the worst. The grinning Titan loomed over them. At that moment, time slowed. Their hearts pounded in their chests. "Ready..." Marco''s rifle was inches from the Titan''s eye. "FIRE!" he shouted, and they all pulled the triggers. Moments later, the seven cadets leapt down from above, aiming for the Titans'' necks. Vivienne''s heart stopped when she saw that Connie and Sasha had both failed to kill their Titans. It got worse when Sasha fell to the ground. But before anyone could intervene, Mikasa and Annie cut them down. Again. Again, she had almost lost someone close to her. And she wondered¡ªwould she ever get used to this feeling? The feeling that everyone - everything - around her was temporary? "We¡¯ve got them all!" Jean shouted from below. "Start resupplying!" A broad smile spread across everyone¡¯s face. Marco almost fainted with relief. The potato girl had tears in her eyes. "I accepted defeat in front of the Titans..." Sasha clutched her head. "I¡¯m so ashamed!" "I¡¯ll despise you all you want later! Let¡¯s get out of here!" Connie said. Vivienne, sitting on the ground not far from them, filled her gas canisters. She stared thoughtfully at the silver coffin. She really wondered if there was a way to stop the ODM gear from using so much gas. "The only way at the moment... not to use so much gas is to be precise about when you use it. That means you shouldn¡¯t keep pressing your triggers unnecessarily..." Because every time the triggers were pressed, gas escaped. But there was no time to think further about that. At least for now. After rearming, they left HQ. The hiss of the ODM gear filled the air. They all had one goal. To get to the wall. Vivienne¡¯s cables shot forward, and she swung through the air, close behind the others. She moved ahead with focus. Then, suddenly, everything around her faded. Her eyelids drooped. Nothing. She couldn''t hear anything. Silence. She thought of nothing. It was as if something had taken her over. It was as if the world itself was pulling at her. Vivienne landed on her feet. The swords in her hands felt strangely light. Her eyes dropped to the ground. Her hands began to tremble as she realised¡ªshe wasn''t on the rooftops. She was on the ground. Vivienne''s head snapped up. "We haven''t even tried to talk this out yet!" Her eyes widened. Everything was happening too fast. "MARCO!" The cadet was trapped in a Titan¡¯s grip, just metres away from her. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Vivienne''s breath caught in her throat. She whipped her head around, searching for help. Then she saw them. Annie. Bertholdt. Reiner. Three of the most experienced fighters. But... none of them moved. They were just watching. Why weren¡¯t they doing anything? Vivienne took a step forward. And then¡ª Evening red. Her breath hitched. No. No, no! They were back. No... they had never left. The voices¡ª CrystalcaveWallBirdBrokenpromisesFreedomTraitorRagePityCrueltyTheworldBurningAgirlwithholloweyesFateAdestroyedcityPainSomuchpainIsolationHerhomeDestroyedBrokenCrushedDarknessLossAllGoneRumblin. A stabbing sensation split through her skull. Vivienne screamed. It felt like her head was going to burst. The pain was indescribable. "STOP IT!" She clutched her head. Her breath came in ragged gasps. LoveBetrayalMurderDeathGriefwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatching Vivienne squeezed her eyes shut. For a moment¡ª Stillness. Her entire body trembled. Slowly, cautiously, she opened her eyes. Smoke curled into the sky. Buildings lay in ruins. Fire crackled, sending waves of heat rolling through the air. This wasn¡¯t Trost. This was somewhere else. Somewhere she didn¡¯t recognise. She looked down¡ª And her heart stopped. Her arms. Her hands. They were¡ªmassive. Four times¡ªno, more¡ªthe size of a human¡¯s. Her breath came in short, shallow gasps. Then she saw the reflection in a shattered window. A Titan. She was in a Titan¡¯s body. Vivienne¡¯s mind reeled. The Titan¡¯s head turned. "Is there really no other way?" a voice asked. It was her voice¡ªno, his voice. This body¡¯s voice. Vivienne could feel the hesitation. The reluctance. "It must be done," said another voice. Silence. Then¡ª The Titan moved forward. At first, Vivienne didn¡¯t understand. Did this Titan have a conscience? Could it think? Could it feel? Her thoughts shattered when she realised what the Titan was doing. Its arm swung back. Then¡ª CRASH! Its fist slammed into a building. Vivienne¡¯s chest tightened. "NO!" she screamed. "DON¡¯T DO IT!" But he didn¡¯t hear her. He carried on. "STOP IT!" The Titan¡¯s foot came down. People¡ªscreaming, running, crying¡ªwere crushed beneath him. Vivienne could only watch. "MAKE IT STOP!" But there was nothing she could do. Nothing at all. "MAKE IT STOP! PLEASE!¡± Vivienne clawed at her head, as if she could rip herself out of this nightmare. Her body¡ªthis Titan¡¯s body¡ªwas not her own. She had no control. But she could feel everything. The heat of the fires licking at the air. The blood¡ªwarm, thick, human¡ªsplattering against her skin. The distant sound of a child screaming. Vivienne''s breath hitched. No. No, no, no. The Titan¡¯s head turned. A girl¡ªa child no older than six¡ªstood in the middle of the street, her knees buckling. Tears streaked down her soot-covered face. Her tiny hands clutched at the remains of a woman¡¯s dress. A dress that had once been a soft shade of blue¡ªnow shredded, soaked in red. The child was trying to wake her mother. But her mother¡¯s body lay twisted¡ªbroken, empty, lifeless. Vivienne¡¯s chest tightened. The Titan¡ªthis body¡ªstepped forward. The child looked up. Vivienne felt something cold coil around her heart. She had no control. No. Please. Not her. "STOP!" she screamed, but the Titan¡¯s body did not obey. This was not hers. The little girl stumbled backwards, her tiny frame trembling, her sobs lost in the chaos. She had no control. "Run," Vivienne pleaded, though no one could hear her. "Run! Please! Just run!" But the girl didn¡¯t move. She was frozen¡ªparalysed by fear. The Titan¡¯s hand reached out. No¡ªno, no, NO! Vivienne¡¯s soul shattered as the fingers closed around the child¡¯s body. A scream tore through her throat¡ªa scream that no one could hear. She felt it. The small body¡ªso fragile, so light¡ªstruggled against the Titan¡¯s grip. Vivienne thrashed inside her own mind. "STOP! LET HER GO!" The Titan did not listen. The pressure increased. Vivienne felt bones snap. The girl¡¯s voice rose in a shriek of agony¡ªhigh-pitched, terrified, helpless. And then¡ª Silence. The little girl¡¯s head lolled to the side. Her arms dangled. Her body went limp. Vivienne¡¯s vision blurred. She could feel the warmth leaving the child¡¯s body. Her stomach twisted. Her knees buckled. She wanted to vomit¡ªto scream¡ªto tear this monster apart from the inside. But she was powerless. She was nothing. Her body¡ªthis body¡ªthis thing¡ªmoved on. The Titan threw the girl¡¯s body aside. Like trash. Vivienne crumbled. The world spun. The fire, the blood, the screams¡ªthey swallowed her whole. She felt herself breaking. This wasn¡¯t just death. This was cruelty. This was evil. Her hands curled into fists. She wanted to die. If this was the truth¡ªif this was what they were¡ªwhat she was¡ªshe didn¡¯t want to exist. The Titan took another step forward. Vivienne sobbed. "MAKE IT STOP! JUST MAKE IT STOP! PLEASE!¡± But it didn¡¯t. And she realised¡ª It never would. Her eyes closed. Her chest tightened, and Vivienne had never felt such pain before. The echoes of people screaming, of buildings collapsing under the pressure of the Titans, rang in her ears. Slowly, she opened her eyes. Hot tears streamed down her face. A shadow fell over her. Her emerald gaze lifted, and she saw him¡ªReiner. He stood before her, swords in hand. His grip trembled around the hilts, his expression torn, as if he were fighting something deep inside himself. As if he were hesitating. Reality caught up with her. She was back in her body. "When...?" she sobbed, her tear-streaked face tilting up to him. Her voice was barely a whisper. "When will this ever end?" Reiner¡¯s breath hitched. Loud footsteps¡ªones she would recognise in her sleep¡ªcame towards her. A heat rose inside her. The Titan was close. No hesitation. Vivienne shot her cables into the air, the force of her ODM pulling her onto the nearest rooftop. The Titan hadn¡¯t noticed her yet¡ªits eyes were locked on Reiner, who stood frozen. Vivienne leapt forward, gripping her blades tightly. The Titan¡¯s head snapped towards her. Its massive hand reached out, aiming to grab her. Vivienne¡¯s fingers clenched around her triggers, and she shot sideways. Steel flashed in the firelight. Her blades tore through flesh. The Titan¡¯s arm hit the ground with a sickening crash. It landed on a rooftop across the street, sending shattered tiles flying. Vivienne landed, her boots skidding against the surface before she launched herself forward again. The Titan roared. It was in pain. But she couldn¡¯t stop now. Before it had time to react, her heels locked onto its back. Vivienne¡¯s eyes burned. Her pulse pounded in her ears. The cables of her ODM pulled her upwards, and for a fleeting moment, a thought struck her. Was this her fate? Were they doomed to watch their cities burn? Were they cursed to see innocent children crushed by fate? No. It couldn¡¯t be. Vivienne shot downwards. A desperate cry tore from her lips. Her swords sang. Steel met flesh. The hiss of slicing muscle filled the air as her blades tore through the Titan¡¯s nape. It collapsed. Vivienne landed before Reiner, her shoulders rising and falling with every breath. Silence. Reiner stared at her, wide-eyed. Annie and Bertholdt watched from the rooftop. None of them spoke. Vivienne¡¯s gaze fell to her hands. Her fingers trembled. Tears still streaked her face, though she hadn¡¯t even noticed them falling. "We have to go," she whispered, her voice raw. "Before more Titans come." Reiner¡¯s eyes widened. A pause. Then his expression hardened, and he nodded. "Let¡¯s go." They fired their cables into the air, the hiss of ODM gear piercing through the night. But as they soared above the ruined city, the horror remained. The pain the - screams, the burning, the blood - clawed deep inside her. And even now, she couldn¡¯t tell if it had truly happened¡ª Or if it had always been her fate. Together with the others, they had caught up with Mikasa, Jean, and Armin. The six of them were discussing whether they should rescue the Titan that was fighting the others and keep him alive. Jean was completely against it, which didn¡¯t surprise her. Vivienne stood a little outside the group. She didn¡¯t join in the discussion. Her eyes were fixed on the Titan. She still felt as though she knew him. Her eyes burned, and exhaustion spread through her. Vivienne''s thoughts returned to the moment when she had been able to see through the eyes of a Titan. Could it really be¡­? Before she could think any further, the impossible had already happened. Vivienne¡¯s breathing was ragged, her body trembling from exhaustion. The Titan¡¯s severed body lay motionless beneath her, steam rising from its nape. For a moment, all she could hear was the pounding of her own heart, the distant roars of other Titans in the city. She took a step back, her grip loosening on her blades. It was over. At least, this one was. But the unease in her chest didn¡¯t fade. Something still wasn¡¯t right. Then, suddenly, the Titan¡¯s body twitched. Vivienne tensed, instinctively raising her swords again¡ªbut the movement wasn¡¯t an attack. Instead, the flesh of the nape began to peel away, steaming more aggressively than before. Her breath caught as something¡ªsomeone¡ªemerged from the steaming wound. A figure. A human. Her heart skipped a beat as she finally saw his face. Eren. Vivienne¡¯s eyes widened, and her grip on her swords tightened again. Mikasa was the first to run to Eren, scooping him up in her arms. The usually icy girl burst into tears and held him tightly. She led him up to the tower. Vivienne stood with the others around them, her swords still in hand. Jean noticed and looked at her. ¡°I think it¡¯s all right. It¡¯s just Eren.¡± ¡°No,¡± she said, and he looked at her, a little surprised. Jean didn¡¯t realise it, but Vivienne was starting to understand. It was then that she fully grasped what she had seen in the Titan¡¯s eyes. ¡°This is a monster.¡± 14 "Trainees, keep your equipment at hand and stand by!" shouted an officer. The cadets gathered around the table. Connie explained to Krista and Ymir what had happened. Usually, Vivienne felt a strange, uneasy sensation in the presence of the nice girl. But this time, her mind was elsewhere. She was staring at her hands. Normal. Not unnaturally large. Vivienne was so caught up in her own world that she hadn''t noticed Sasha touching her shoulder, hadn''t seen Jean¡¯s anxious look, nor Connie¡¯s confused expression. Normal... Nothing in her world was normal. And it never would be again. A carriage carrying wounded cadets thundered down the road. One boy broke down, saying he could no longer fight¡ªnot after seeing his friends devoured before his very eyes. He wasn¡¯t even sad or angry. Just relieved. Relieved that it wasn¡¯t him. That he wasn¡¯t the one being eaten. Others desperately tried to stop him from taking his own life. Because he had realised they would never wake up from this hell. Punishment. They could only live in hell. Even Vivienne couldn¡¯t make sense of it any other way. Although Sasha sat beside a pile of stacked bread rolls, she neither looked at them nor paid them any attention. Vivienne couldn¡¯t stop staring at her hands. "Vivienne." A voice slowly snapped her out of her thoughts. She looked up to see Jean staring at her, his gaze focused and uneasy. As if he were waiting for her to say something. As if he hoped she might find the words for what they had witnessed. But she had none. Vivienne was still waiting to wake up from this nightmare. Her hands clenched into fists, and she began to tremble slightly. What if... What if she only woke up in another nightmare? Just like the last one? An explosion rang out, and everyone¡¯s heads snapped to the side. It came from inside the wall. Was it Titan steam? Reiner shot up, horror etched across his face, and sprinted across the rooftops. Annie and Bertholdt followed soon after. Jean wasted no time in chasing after them. Vivienne swore under her breath, shook her head, and activated her ODM gear. She followed the group. She wished she hadn¡¯t. She watched, frozen, as Armin tried to save Eren. Mikasa stood in front of Eren like a knight guarding her king. Even now, amid the chaos, Vivienne still couldn¡¯t understand her unwavering loyalty to him. But that didn¡¯t matter. Not now. To her horror, Armin suggested that they use Eren¡¯s Titan power to lead humanity to victory¡ªto take back the walls. She wanted to scream. To fight back. To ask if he had lost his mind. The fresh memories of being trapped in the body of an unfamiliar Titan played on loop in her mind, like a broken music box. But when she opened her mouth, not a single word came out. Just like the others beside her. She was speechless. She was weak. Just as the situation threatened to spiral further, Commander Pixis stepped in. It wasn¡¯t the first time Vivienne had met him. Ironically, their first meeting had been right here, in Trost¡ªwhere Sasha and Connie had lost a cooking competition to Jean. Something she still found hard to believe had actually happened. The five cadets hurried back to the others. The atmosphere grew increasingly sombre, thick with despair. Daz still wanted to end his life. Some wanted to flee. Others were losing their minds. Vivienne couldn¡¯t blame them. But what she could resent was the cold, bitter truth. She had grown up as a noble girl in the capital. Everything she felt now¡ªeverything the people around her felt¡ªhad been foreign to her until recently. Because she had grown up safe. Because she had never had to worry. Vivienne¡¯s fingers dug tightly into her palm. Shame crept down her spine as she grasped the weight of it. All those who had died today¡ªjust wasted tax money to the rich in the capital. Why was the world like this? The names they would never use again were more than just numbers taken from their own ranks. Daz threatened to take his own life once more, while an officer bellowed at him that he¡¯d kill him himself if he didn¡¯t stop. "Attention!" Pixis¡¯s voice cut through the chaos, and the room fell into uneasy silence. "I shall now explain the plan to retake Trost." He went on to outline their objective: to seal the hole where the gate had been destroyed and stop any more Titans from entering. "Let me introduce the one who will seal the hole for us¡­" Eren stepped forward, and Vivienne¡¯s expression hardened. Watch him. She wasn¡¯t the only one taken aback. The looks on Connie, Jean, and the others¡¯ faces said it all. "He is the result of a top-secret project to turn humans into Titans." Top-secret project¡­? If it really existed, it was no wonder none of them had ever heard of it. But¡­ something about it didn¡¯t sit right with Vivienne. If anyone would have known, it would have been Mikasa and Armin¡ªEren¡¯s closest friends. Judging by their reactions, and by how they had acted when they first thought Eren was dead, Vivienne highly doubted they had known a thing. Her emerald eyes flicked sideways. Was this it? The body she had been trapped in? Was this person, too, nothing more than an experiment? A human who could turn into a Titan? Pixis then explained that Eren would transform and carry a boulder through the broken gate to seal the hole. "Your job will be to protect him from the Titans while he moves the boulder!" Was this some kind of sick joke? They were fighting for their lives. They were fighting Titans. Yet no one had protected her. And still, she couldn¡¯t look away from Eren. Why? Why couldn¡¯t she turn away? It didn¡¯t take long for people to question whether Eren was truly capable of transforming into a Titan. Vivienne couldn¡¯t blame them. Had she not seen it herself, she wouldn¡¯t have believed it either. Daz, already on the edge of insanity, accused Pixis of lying. The atmosphere grew ever more tense as murmurs of doubt spread among the soldiers. "Here is my decision!" Pixis declared. "I will pardon anyone who deserts now. Once you succumb to fear of the Titans, you can never fight them again. Those who have learned that fear should leave. And those who would rather see their parents, siblings, and loved ones suffer that fear should leave as well!" Vivienne¡¯s eyes widened, and her hand clenched into a fist. Had he been afraid? Had Uncle ¨¦tienne been afraid? Had he regretted his decision? Her grip tightened. No. He had wanted peace. A peaceful life for everyone. For her. "Because so few escaped from Wall Maria, there was never any open rebellion. But what about now? If Wall Rose falls, the sacrifice will be greater than twenty percent. The land within Wall Sina won¡¯t support even half of the remaining population." Wall Sina. Her home. Vivienne knew exactly what he was implying, and he was right. If they lost Wall Rose, it would all be over. Before the Titans could even finish what was left of humanity, humans would have already turned on each other. It would end before it had even begun. Humanity could not be allowed to fail. "I beg you to die here!" She closed her eyes, understanding the weight of his words. He knew. He knew that by the end of this mission, half¡ªif not more¡ªof those standing before him would be dead. And this would not be the last time someone asked them to lay down their lives for the greater good. And so, they marched to their deaths. The cadets stood atop the wall. Vivienne¡¯s gaze drifted to the ruined city below. The day wasn¡¯t even over, and they had already lost so much. She stared down at her hands. Was leaving this task to Eren really the right decision? A sharp hiss caught her attention. She glanced sideways just as Jean landed a few metres from her. "I think luring the Titans to the edge of town is pointless," Connie muttered. Stolen story; please report. "Any battle against Titans is a war of attrition. At this stage, they want to avoid the needless loss of troops," Jean added. "I never thought I¡¯d say this, but Jean¡¯s right," Vivienne sighed, crossing her arms. Even if the plan wasn¡¯t perfect, she¡¯d favour any strategy that kept casualties to a minimum. They had already lost too much. Connie turned his back on them, taking a few slow steps forward. "Then¡­ anyone who doesn¡¯t make it now will have died for nothing?" Vivienne¡¯s breath hitched. Her eyes dropped to the ground. Now she understood. "Eventually, it will become an all-out war. But until then, we must preserve our forces. It¡¯s obvious that we should minimize casualties The brass made right call" Jean reasoned. "Is that so, huh?" Connie asked flatly. "It is!" Jean snapped. Connie turned around with a nervous smile. "Anyways... Let¡¯s both ensure that we don¡¯t end up as casualties" Then, the next order came. "All you have to do is keep the Titans in the corner of the city. Focus on that and lure them there. Understood? You don¡¯t have to fight. Trainees, form groups of three and move along the ground. When you reach the wall, get up it. Don¡¯t get killed. If a Titan breaks loose, we¡¯ll deal with it." Vivienne glanced at the officer, nerves tightening in her chest. This mission already sounded far worse than facing Titans head-on. Especially when she considered just how many of them were out there. Vivienne was grouped with Sasha and another cadet. The potato girl sprinted ahead, a Titan hot on her heels. Looking over her shoulder, she hadn¡¯t yet realised her mistake. The Titan hurled itself forward, crashing towards the ground. Sasha screamed, but an ODM cable shot past her, stopping the Titan¡¯s hand just in time. "Get up against the wall! I¡¯m right behind you!" Vivienne shouted, gripping her ODM gear controllers tightly. Sasha hesitated for a moment before nodding and pulling herself up with her gear. No time. Right now, she didn¡¯t have time to be afraid. Vivienne launched herself forward, her ODM gear propelling her upwards. Her shoulders eased¡ªif only slightly¡ªwhen she spotted Connie. But no relief came, and no smile reached her lips. "Where¡¯s Jean?" she asked. Then she saw Annie and Connie staring down at the city. She followed their gaze¡ªher breath caught. Jean was running through the streets. He wasn¡¯t using his ODM gear. That could only mean one thing. It was broken. Panic gripped her as she watched him desperately try to unfasten the ODM from the corps of a cadet. Jean cursed under his breath, his hands fumbling with the buckles. "Where the hell is Vivienne when you need her?" He gritted his teeth, trying to push the ODM on. "What¡¯s wrong with this thing?! Damn it!" Loud footsteps pounded through the street. A Titan was closing in. Just as it reached for him, Sasha made her presence known, leading it away. A hiss sounded beside him. "Let me," Vivienne said, landing in a crouch and pushing him aside. Jean had never been happier to see her. Together, they wrestled the ODM gear free from the cadet¡¯s lifeless body. But just as Jean reached for it, Vivienne hesitated. Instead of handing it over, she dug into her inside pocket, pulling out a small tool and fiddling with the trigger. Jean felt like his brain was short-circuiting. "What the hell are you doing?! We don¡¯t have time for this!" He shot a frantic glance at the street. Another Titan was coming straight for them. Vivienne grabbed his hand and pressed it against the trigger. It was stiff¡ªbarely functional. Realisation hit him. He never would have been able to pull it. "Then buy me time," Vivienne muttered, her fingers moving with urgency. Sweat trickled down her forehead. She wasn¡¯t even sure if she knew what she was doing. But she did know one thing¡ªshe wasn¡¯t leaving Jean behind. Another Titan lunged for them. Before it could reach them, Connie swooped in, drawing its attention. "What the hell are you two doing?! Get out of there!" he yelled, sprinting across the rooftops. Vivienne exhaled sharply and shoved the controller back into Jean¡¯s hand. They locked eyes for a split second. Then, without another word, they nodded and ran. They swung over the rooftops with their ODM gear, landing on the wall with exhausted exhales. Vivienne was still clutching her swords. "You''re crazy!" Jean shouted. Connie shot him an unimpressed look. "You''re the crazy one! I can''t believe I survived that¡­" Almost¡ªbut only almost¡ªa smile formed on Vivienne¡¯s lips. Annie suddenly stiffened and glanced sideways, her eyes widening. "Look at that." The others followed her gaze, their expressions mirroring her shock. Eren, in his Titan form, was carrying the boulder towards the broken gate. "Don''t let them interfere! Protect Eren!" Jean yelled. A horde of Titans was already closing in, determined to make their lives even more difficult. Vivienne gritted her teeth. She didn¡¯t want to do this. It felt wrong. But at the same time¡­ she wanted to. A twisted game played out in her mind. Then, without thinking, she leapt from the roof with the others to help Eren. Alongside Connie, she managed to take down a Titan. The fight felt endless, a relentless game of cat and mouse. They darted across the rooftops, their breath ragged, their muscles screaming for rest. Then¡ª BOOM. The deafening sound made them all freeze. Their eyes snapped towards the Gate of Trost. A giant boulder now sealed the entrance. Vivienne''s grip on her swords loosened slightly. He had done it. He had really done it. A column of green smoke curled into the sky¡ªa signal of victory. They had saved the city. Trost was not lost. The operation had been a success. Now, all that remained was eliminating the Titans still within the city. And then¡ªat last¡ªthey arrived. The Survey Corps. Their help had come far too late, but now, with their expertise, Wall Rose had been secured once more. It took an entire day to clear out the remaining Titans trapped within Trost. But it was over. And they had even managed to capture two Titans alive. Vivienne walked slowly through the ruined streets, the lower half of her face hidden beneath a shawl. The work was far from over, even if they had won. Even if she had survived. Her eyelids drooped slightly as her gaze drifted over the wreckage. The soot from the cannons fell to the ground like snow. It had been two days since the Colossal Titan appeared in Trost and shattered their lives. Could this really be called a victory? None of them were celebrating. Instead, they were scouring the town, searching for the bodies of those whose names were still fresh in their minds. If they left them here to rot, ignored the work, they¡¯d only create more problems. An epidemic could break out, and then their worst enemy wouldn¡¯t be the Titans¡ªit would be disease. Vivienne ran ahead with a Garrison officer. Her hands trembled as her eyes fell on a side alley. She knew it. She recognised those pale, lifeless eyes. It was one of her comrades. Heinz. He always sat at the back. He talked a lot. "Looks like we¡¯ve found another one," the officer said. Vivienne stood frozen. He had hated running. He liked cake¡ªthough he rarely had any. His parents had wanted him to make something of himself. All those small, insignificant bits of information, those overheard conversations, ran through her mind. "D¡¯Aubigne." Her heart clenched, her breath caught in her throat. "D¡¯Aubigne, there¡¯s no time to stand around. I need your help to lift the body." Her breath came out shaky as she took slow, reluctant steps towards Heinz¡¯s body. "Just grab his clothes. Don¡¯t touch him directly." Her hands tightened around the fabric of his uniform. Together, she and the officer lifted him. Vivienne kept her eyes on the ground. She couldn¡¯t look at him. She couldn¡¯t face the reality that his fate was to never be touched by anyone again. To never feel warmth. They laid him onto the wooden cart. He wasn¡¯t the only one there. And he wouldn¡¯t be the last. She stepped away. Even if the soot wasn¡¯t snow, it felt just as cold. More bodies. More weight. More silence. They stacked them up, piling the dead together. And then they burned them. It wasn¡¯t the funeral they deserved, but it was all they could do¡ªto protect the land, to protect the living. Smoke coiled into the sky. The fire flickered, casting light. But they still didn¡¯t feel warm. Connie knelt on the ground, hands gripping his head, tears streaming down his face. In all their time together at the Academy, Vivienne had never seen him cry. The silence was suffocating. Jean broke it. "Hey, guys¡­" His voice was hollow. "Have you decided which one you''re joining?" The usually confident Kirschstein was gone. Uncertainty clouded his face. "I have." His hands clenched into fists. His whole body shook. "I am joining the Survey Corps." Vivienne exhaled sharply, her eyes wide. How¡­? How cruel was the world they lived in, that even Jean had chosen to fight? A lump formed in her throat, heat spreading through her body. Jean was alive. Because she had checked his ODM gear. Her stomach twisted. What if she had checked the others? Would Heinz have lived? Would Marco? Her hands flew to her mouth, stifling the scream rising in her throat. Marco. If she had been faster, if she had been as good as Mikasa or Annie, could she have saved him? Guilt began to devour her. She slowly pulled her hands away from her face, staring down at them. The dark memories surged forward¡ªthe Titan crushing the little girl without hesitation. The way she had trembled beside her mother¡¯s lifeless body. And all she could do was watch. Watch. She had no control. It was as if the devil in the crevice was laughing at her, showing her the truth of the world. And she didn¡¯t know which was worse¡ªthe fear of death, death itself, or witnessing it all. The hell they lived in. Where they were punished. Where humans could turn into Titans. Was this a curse? Or a blessing? Was someone still human when they had the power to wipe out an entire village with a single step Her hand trembled as she reached into her pocket. The Survey Corps crest felt heavier than ever. "Uncle ¨¦tienne¡­" she whispered, her voice hoarse, no longer strong enough to hold back her tears. Had he been afraid? Had he screamed when it happened? Had he thought about her? Had he suffered? Had he hoped, like all the other cadets, that someone would come to save him? Had the pain been unbearable? Vivienne collapsed to her knees. Tears streamed down her face. She couldn¡¯t forget. The fear in her teammates¡¯ eyes. The little girl¡¯s fear. Her own fear. She was still scared. She was afraid. Afraid her friends wouldn¡¯t make it. Afraid she wouldn¡¯t. Afraid she had made the wrong decision. She was afraid she would lose herself. Vivienne let out a choked cry, squeezing her eyes shut. The tears wouldn¡¯t stop. The pain wouldn¡¯t stop. Her chest ached. Make it stop. She just wanted it to stop. Her emerald-green eyes landed on the stitched crest of the Survey Corps. The memory of her uncle¡¯s smile hit her like a slap in the face. And as she blinked through her tears, looking at her friends, she knew. Her determination was still there. She was going to join the Survey Corps.