From Across the Sea (Attack on Titan/OC) [ON HOLD]

Chapter 29

"I'm sorry. You're gonna need to run that by me again."

Lieutenant Angharad stood with her arms crossed over her chest, her brows pulled together in disbelief. Her braids were frizzy and beginning to come apart, and her tan Scout jacket was stained and torn in a few spots. By the end of the cleanup of Trost, she would need a whole new uniform entirely.

Armin shifted on his feet, and he wrung his hands together under her stern gaze. Mikasa took the brainiac's pause as her cue that it was her turn to speak.

"Eren is the titan shifter. He's the one who plugged the hole in the gate." Angharad's jaw dropped slightly as she processed what she had just been told. It had been a few days since the last of the titans were eradicated, and every possible soldier was hard at work assisting in the clean up of the district. Finally, she clicked her tongue and nodded.

"Okay." She blew a harsh breath out of her pursed lips, her bangs fluttering above her eyes. "Okay, you've had a long couple days, take this time to get something to eat. Get off your feet for an hour." The wrapped an arm around each of them, pulling them in for a group hug. She saluted when she pulled back, the teenagers doing the same before they went their separate ways. Angharad walked through the streets of Trost. The scenes were too reminiscent of 5 years ago. Blood splattered the brick and cobblestone streets, and the scent of decay lingered in every crevice of the city.

She passed rows upon rows of bodies, fallen soldiers who gave their lives in the line of duty to protect the citizens within the Walls. At some point, the medical team had run out of sheets to cover their remains, and unfortunately they lay on full display until they would be loaded in the back of wagons to be taken away and burned.

Suddenly she came upon a single soldier, ashy blonde hair slightly messy and hands covered in elbow length gloves. He was standing in front of a body leaned up against the side of a building. Based on the way he was frozen in position and staring at the sight before him, Ang could only conclude that he knew them personally.

"Trainee, do you know his name?" Ang watched one of the medical team members walk up with a clipboard.

"I knew I hadn't seen him around, but this couldn't have happened to him." The soldier muttered, still in shock at the sight of his friend. "Marco, what happened? Did anyone see how he died?"

"If you know his name, tell me now. Do you understand, soldier? It's already been two days since the hole was sealed and we still haven't finished collecting all the bodies. At this rate, there could be an epidemic. We must avert a second tragedy. There isn't time to mourn your friend yet." At the medic's last words, she chose to intervene, pulling aside a passing soldier to stop him in his tracks.

"Bring me a stretcher for the body." The lower class soldier looked to where Ang was looking and turned back to her.

"Umm, stretchers are being saved for the wounded." Ang didn't like using her rank to get what she wanted, but this time she could make an exception.