Chapter Text
A small apartment 102 miles south of the
Dead zone.
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I walk in and immediately go towards the old steel Fire escape that hangs rickety off the side of the building.
The city smells of smoke, piss and someone baking something 3 blocks down. I think I saw a bakery in that direction.
My name is Mal, I'n 23 and just escaped hell, and I did it on my own.
It's a Friday night and I can here are the drunkards of the city stirring in the night.
The wind blows steady at my skin, It's something I'm not used to.
Opening my phone I can see that I had received messages from someone I knew quite well she was the one to wait for me on the outside.
I think I'm quite indebted to her on that part
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Sue❤️
Did it finally work this time
can I see you again?
Mal
I'm doing just fine
Thanks for the concern
Sue❤️
Meet soon?
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Grinning, like a child at my phone. I quickly sent response back.
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Mal
Sure
Sue❤️
I'll see you at
Crow's coffee at 9:30~ ?
Mal
See you there, love ❤️
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I smiled down at my phone, Words couldn't describe how much I have missed her.
Imagine seeing how much she had changed. The last few years broke my heart, but it lighted a new love.
It's before I can take in this true moment of peace. I begin to hear a hissing coming down the block a screeching If you must a clawing at the walls.
Scrambling to my feet and dodging inside evacuating to the safety of my apartment listening as they passed.
I release my breath. Walking into the bedroom, which is still unfurnished all but a mattress on the floor And a large pile of clean clothes and a smaller pile of dirty ones. Crawling onto the mattress and drifting into state of unconsciousness I fell into a deep slumber.
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It was about 7:42 when I woke up. Probably not the smartest decision, but it would do fine.
Standing up for my small mattress on the floor stretching and looking around the still barren room before walking over to a small pile.
Grabbing out a simple black body suit and cargo pants. I would eat when I got to the cafe.
Strolling up to the fire escape. I'm listening to the city start to roar life with the coming workday.
Dramatic billboards light the Morning, making it Impossible to sleep for any longer.
Pulling out my phone I began to read the latest news articles scanning through headlines.
" Criminal escapes dead zone "
" army in need of new recruits "
" Possible war efforts being made in the outside "
Unfortunately, these headlines were not new to me. The outside was more dangerous than the dead zone could ever have been. If, in the dead zone, humans could still live in the outside. There should have been no one
The outside had, what is now called the titans. From the old history books. They're these man eating monsters, apparently at one point, most of them are human.
Of course, information from our past is treated lightly.
Most of this information was already publicly known. In fact, most of these books could be picked up at your local library. At least outside of the dead zone is what I hear.
Most of the past is treated lightly due to heavenly mistakes like the rambling, most considerate, a religious event, a cleansing of the outside world.
And while people don't really believe all of that stuff anymore, since it happened over 2000 years ago, the fact that titans are now emerging shows that some of those people were right, and it terrifies some of us
And to the dead zone Is the 50 mile radius around the epicenter.
Where titans first emerged
And while there are many titans around the epicenter, humanity was gifted with the 3 major titans.
- The Combat Titan
A titan, capable of immense physical power.
- The colossal Titan
A massive Titan standing at 60 m tall.
And when activated has an explosive power
- The weapons titan
Typically emerges with a warhammer this Titan has the ability to do summon weapons.
From what I know of these are the titan that exist.
I'm reading through all of the articles and ensuring that my information is correct.
I scuttled from my spot on the fire escape. Grabbing my bag in a small coat.
I dart down the street to hopefully make it in time.
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Crow's coffee is a small in the wall restaurant and coffee bar. It smells so sweet. But honestly, the best thing I've smelt in my life
Scanning The cafe I quickly noticed a girl with dark purple hair sitting at a booth. Her eyes are at the window, but soon join mine.
"Hey, mal?"
Her voice is the kindest thing I've heard in the years.
"Sue"
I worked out already moving towards her table. Slide him into the booth, she Grabs my hand and looks straight towards me.
She looks nervous as she says it and mumbles.
"We still haven't ordered yet."
"Yeah, that's fine," I grabs her hand "let's go order."
Sue is about my height and a few months older than me. She sports, a black hoodie and baggy pants.
Sue stairs up at the options on the Menu.
"I'll just have a Black coffee."
She states calmly
"And you miss? " the barista looks to me.
"Can I have a caramel machio with extra whipped cream?"
"Sure thing, that'll be right out." The barista responds automatically. "Your total is $10.50."
Whilst waiting for our drinks to be made, we walk back to our booth.
"How's your day been?" Sue asks.
"Well, it's better because your in it." I smile at my Cheesy remark.
"Where have you been working these days? Did you finally make it out of that cult?"
I laugh
Sue punches my arm and smiles.
"We both know it's not a cult." Her smile weakens. "It's the Army."
Sue leans into my ear and in a panic voice, she says
"I can't let yo- you" Her voice breaks, but she continues. "You need to run as far as you can. They're coming for you, they won't stop-" Her voice cuts as she notices a tall figure into the room.
3 years ago, the reason why sue left, and I didn't is because the Army took her in, more spacifically, one of its regiments,
the scouts
Since then, me and sue had poor communications, at best a text once or twice, but never response.
And this shadowy figure was the reason for it, I knew his name. He is "Erwin smith" And he is 113 Commander of the survey corps.
Sitting across the cafe, I noticed several other uniformed scouts, highly decorated officers.
This wasn't me meeting my love again.
This was a set up.
I immediately dart up from my table, running for the back to escape through an alley.
But not long before this, when a short black haired man tackles me to the ground. With the ferocity of a tiger or maybe one of those really old bayblades who knows?
But before I know it, I'm kneeling down in front of some of the strongest people in the core people who had left and seen the outside and returned.
"What's your name?" The commander dictated.
No point in fighting, they probably already knew it.
"Mal"
"Last name?"
"I don't have one" I spit
"Fine" He pinches his nose. "Is it true you're fro-"
The commander is cut off.
Sue speaks up.
"You already know all of this, can we just go back to base?"
She complains.
"Very well." The commander turns to sue. "Thank you for this, your cooperation on this mission."
Before I can think I'm loaded into the back of a army cruiser.
The drive feels agonizingly long painful, at times.
After what feels like hours of driving I'm loaded out. And in front of me, stands, what looks like the oldest building in the city.
Compared to other buildings made of concrete, this one is made of steel. There are no other buildings in the vicinity. It's just wide open space for miles and miles.
And I'm terrified of what's next.