Its been a few weeks since mom and dad left, and everyone was taking the leave kinda well. Mom and dad made sure to write letters to us when they had the time, the letters always talked about how the training was, the people they met, every update they had about them was all in their letter. Auntie and grandmother kept the letters in a box so all of us can always revisit them. But the best visit of them all was the visit with unexpected guests.
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I was at the ocean with Kyrii watching her play in the water and make sand castles. I smiled as she called out that she found a seashell on the shore and asked if we could take it home as a souvenir. I nodded at her agreeing to it and also telling her that we could make a necklace or bracelet out of it, she smiled widely and jumped up and down at the thought telling me that she was going to find more shells so everyone can have one. I told her to stay where I could see her so I know when she is in danger. I looked at the waves crashing against the sand softly as I was in thought, 'this...is just what we needed', I sighed to myself in relaxation. Even though everyone at the house was acting normal, I could tell that the tension was high, and without mom and dad to balance things, it just made it a little worse. 'I just hope they're okay', I thought.
With mom and dad gone, both aunt Katie and grandmother had to act like our parents, which I could tell they're trying really hard to do. Grandmother took the role of mom, making sure that we're dressed and well-fed while aunt Katie took the role of dad by helping us train every day and giving us tips on survival. Uncle Mark and Grandfather didn't really intervene at all...well at least uncle Mark didn't. You see, ever since the decision was made, uncle Mark closed himself from the rest of the family, he would hide out in the attic all day and won't come out unless it was time to eat or talk to grandfather. Arn acted the same as did Kyrii. But for me? I was in the middle. I act like everything is fine on the outside but deep down I can't help but think that something is going to happen like an answer is waiting to unfold.
As I was in my thoughts I didn't hear my sister calling to me until I felt a splash of water on me, "HEY!!!", I looked at her glaring as she giggles mischievously,
" To be fair, I did call your name three times.", she laughs and so do I eventually.
"So do you have all the shells you gathered?"
"Yup! I'm ready to leave now.", I nodded grabbing her hand as we made our way back to the forest a question popped in my mind,
" Kyrii..." she looked at me,
"How do you really feel about mom and dad leaving?" she looked taken back by the question and looked down thinking,
"I feel like...like mommy and daddy will never come back. Like they'd leave us here forgotten" I looked shocked at her answer and sighed about to respond until she brought something up that left me surprised,
"I know that the reason you agreed to them going was that you hoped that dad would allow you to go in the walls one day" she looked at me smiling
. I shook my head in denial, "N-no!!! I agreed because what mom said is true!!"
I blushed in embarrassment as she giggles,
"Sure sis whatever you say." I roll my eyes chuckling at her response. As we get to the house we noticed some horses lines up by the side of our house. Kyrii and I looked at each other in confusion then ran to the house, as we did we both saw everyone in the living room with a smile with three unknown faces and two familiar ones,
"Mom?.... Dad?..", I mumbled until Kyrii ran and jumped on them,
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I still couldn't believe it. It has only been a few weeks since they left and now they're back with 3 other people whose names I learned to be Erwin, Hanji, and Levi, a corporal, squad leader, and a commander. I remember dad telling me about those rankings before when I was 6 years old. I remember asking him about his life inside the walls super excited to hear his story, I giggled at the memory and took a look around the room, everything looked...
'normal', I thought to myself.
"Your sister is incredible!! She knows the forest so well!!" I heard the squad leader say.
"Hanji is right. If it wasn't for Angel joining us, no one would be alive or have hope for that matter." the commander said.
"Aw c'mon guys don't let me take all the credit", my mom pouted, "We all have our parts to play and I just do what I think it's best."
"Tch like a rebel against orders." the corporal stated.
"Haha Angel has always been the one to go off on her own.", auntie mentioned,
" I don't go off on my own! I go by my heart!", my mom yelled.
"Yeah more often than not!", my auntie replied.
I could tell that the atmosphere around the house was joyous, 'I just hope it stays that way', I thought to myself.
" So how long are you all staying?" the grandmother asked gently.
"Not too long ma'am, we don't want to be a burden.," the Commander said
"Oh please. The day she will be burdened will be the day she stops fighting." grandfather replied snarkily.
I laughed causing Hanji to look at me, " And who is this lovely young lady?" the squad leader said to me.
I blushed and looked at her then looked away saying my name very softly, "My name is Aimii"
"Aimii huh I have to say surprisingly you look just like your mother!" the commander looked at me and nodded his head in agreement.
"They're absolutely right Angel, she looks just like you.", the commander agreed.
Hanji looked over at me and asked me the question that I was surprised that they asked, "Are you going to join the military just like your mom and dad?"
I looked at her shocked and somewhat surprised, I didn't know what type of answer I should have given them. I've never really thought about joining the military, I've always thought about just going inside the walls but facing those things that they're facing is something I wasn't really sure I would be ready for...my brother quickly looked at them earning a glare from him,
"No she's not to join the military, she's not leaving." everyone was surprised at my brothers tone.
They never really seen him this stern or angry ,to be honest he sounded a little bit like Uncle Mark at the moment. My grandfather chuckled and looked at my brother and told him,"Now, Arn, you shouldn't be quick to say something that could possibly not be true."
My brother sister and I both looked at our grandfather in utter confusion.
"What do you mean Grandpa?" my sister asked.
"Well if she has the heart of your mother and she wants to live inside the walls I won't be surprised if she decides to follow in her parents footsteps but then again it is her choice."
My aunt nodded in agreement, "That's true but we wouldn't want the kids to go inside the walls just yet there's still so much of undiscovered land they have yet to explore."
"Oh speaking of undiscovered land Kyrii found something that she wanted to give everybody, right Kyrii?", I stated.
My sister looked at me and confusion then looked at me in recognition "Oh right!", Kyrie runs upstairs and got her seashells.
"We went to the beach today and I found some seashells, I didn't know there was going to be more people so I don't think I have enough for you three but if we go to the beach tomorrow then I'll be sure to find some for you guys before you leave." she said cutely.
Hanji Levi and Erwin looked at my sister in complete shock, was she really willing to give strangers seashells that she just met? Of course, that's how my sister always was, nice and always willing to think of people before herself, I love those moments about her.
My grandmother smiled and said "That's very nice of you Kyrii but if they're going to be staying overnight then that means they have to leave in the morning so I'm afraid that you can't really find them seashells but who knows maybe if they do come back you can give them some alright?"
" Yes ma'am." my sister replied.
∆•∆•∆•∆•Later that night•∆•∆•∆•∆•
It was time for everyone to go to bed but I couldn't sleep. I was tossing and turning in my bed,my room looks so dark and the only thought that was keeping me up at night was that my mom and dad were going to leave and this could be the last time that I was going to see if them. I guess reading my thoughts my mom came into the room after knocking on my door "Sweetie are you okay?" she asked me
"Yeah I guess I just couldn't sleep." I replied back, I was embarrassed to let my mom catch me not going to bed, I knew my mom wouldn't be mad but I was still sort of embarrassed.... no, it wasn't embarassment......it was fear... I was afraid that one of these days I'm going to wake up and my mom's not going to be here.
I didn't realize it until my mom asked me "Sweetie why are you crying? is- are you okay ?"
Was I really crying? I guess my brother and sister were right I guess I am always so thought up and caught up in my thoughts that I never really pay attention to what's actually around me. The next thing my mom and I knew, I had thrown my arms around her, crying sobbing into her chest and I remember telling her,
"I'm so afraid that one day I'm going to wake up and I'm not going to see you or Dad! I don't really want you to go! I know that you're doing this for a good cause but what if I don't see you again?!? Auntie and Grandma are taking care of us really well but I can tell it's still a struggle for them Grandpa h-he's trying to make the most out of everything but he's still so so solemn about you guys leaving and Uncle Mark isn't even talking to us anymore! It's such a struggle without you and Dad balancing out the house... I'm just scared!!"
My mom's shushed me rubbing my back and rocking me back and forth on my bed silently I didn't expect myself to just burst out like that but all things have to come out once in a while right? My mom wiped my tears and said: "Amii I want you to look at me and listen very carefully."
I did what she asked me to see how this look of peace all on her face with a soft smile looking very angelic.
"I know you're scared, trust me your father and I were scared once we've made this decision. When I first went in the walls, I have petrified no one... no one even wanted to talk to me, everyone thought I was a freak because I knew more about the outside world then they did. It wasn't until I met Levi, Erwin, and Hanji that I I learned that everyone is not bad as they make it out to be because everyone id scared all because of what those creatures are doing outside of the walls and that's why I'm here....to help guide them. I believe I was here to help them."
"Even if it means that you have to die for them?" I asked and she nodded...she actually nodded..
"Even if it means I have to die but I want you to know one thing Amii, I know that if I die or something happens to me at least I know I did it for a good cause." she gave me a kiss on the forehead and rubbed her fingers through my hair, "I don't ever want you to think that this is all your fault do you understand me? I want you to know that I made this choice all on my own as well as your father did to protect me."
All I could do is just stare at my mom I always knew that my mom was strong but I never knew that she was this strong, my mom, in my eyes, was a warrior, a fighter, a leader...she was everything that you expect in a person that had a good heart and I knew from the day that she left the I wanted to be just like my mom. After my mom gave me a kiss and a hug and went to bed I still couldn't sleep, my room still felt very stuffy like I couldn't breathe even from the encounter that I and my mom had a few moments before I still felt like I was suffocating so I decided to go outside and take some air into my lungs but as I did I was surprised to see I believe he was a corporal? Levi, I knew that was his name but what is he doing outside? Maybe he couldn't sleep like me? Did he also have thoughts running around in his head? I decided that maybe it should have been best if I go inside but before I could do anything his voice talked to me " What are you doing out here brat? Shouldn't you be in bed by now?"
"I couldn't sleep, sir." I replied.
"Hmph, well I guess that makes both of us." I sat down next to him with a great distance between the both of us so it wouldn't make the atmosphere uncomfortable.
"Sir may I ask you a question?"
" Why exactly did you join the military if you don't mind me actually you know, asking that question." he looked at me and he said, "Let's just say I got caught doing something."
I looked down and it was silent for a few seconds, it wasn't uncomfortable silence but soothing silence just looking up at the dark sky which was clear and the stars are outshining brightly, the warm soothing wind came to blow its very calming breeze making the trees and the grass sway and just a syncing movement. I looked down and then I looked back at Levi.
"What do you think of my mom?" he looked at me surprise at the sudden question "What's with the question brat?"
"W-well I want to know what you think about my mom..you can be honest with me." he looks down staying silent for a few minutes and then look back to me and gave me his honest reply.
"You want the truth? Fine. I think your mom is weird, I think your mom is crazy, and I think your mom is stupid." I was about to argue back until what he said next stopped me "But overall I think your mom is a much bigger warrior than all of us out here doing this damn of a forsaken goddamn job, your mom is the only person I have seen that shows kindness is like no other and if you're anything like her I will say you're also going to be a dumbass as well"
"Hey I'm not a dumbass! I'm very smart I'll have you know, and by the way, I think I have way more outside the wall smarts than I actually have book smarts!.....wait..." he chuckled at my weak attempt to fight back.
"You still have a lot to learn don't you mini scout?" I looked at him surprised at the sudden nickname.
"Yeah that's the branch that me, Erwin and Hanji are in, the scouts, we basically are the only group that goes out of the walls to fight those titans and seeing how you don't know what they exactly are or given that you only probably know so much by your father, let's just say they're very dangerous."
He got up and walk back to the house before he can go step into one foot in the door he looked back towards me and smiled and said "I hope I do get to see you in the military.. it will be nice to see you again mini scout...your mom's like a sister to me and I promised your father and I'm making a promise to you that I'll protect her as well as your father so please don't worry mini Scout." and he walked off.
I felt peace within my mind, content...I got up and looked at the sky one last time I smiled and I knew from that day that nothing could ever get worse...
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Okay! The next chapter is out! And I am very sorry it took a while for me to make this chapter, my phone has been glitching, I have been revising this chapter 34 times. Literally. But I hope this chapter makes up for that, please let me know if there is any mistakes or questions I will be willing to correct/answer them as quick as I can!