The Bloom Titan (1/2)

CH.17: The Special Operations Squad.

We rode along a dirt road on horseback. I had received a new horse, it was a fine, rose grey horse with a perfect build. I named it Zip, because I thought it suited it's speed, but I'm having second thoughts but I can't change it now.

"The former Survey Corps HQ. As an old castle that was renovated to be our base, it definitely looks extravagant. But since it's this far away from the walls and the river, it really wasn't something we needed. It was used back when we were first formed and our spirits were still high. I never imagned we'd be keeping you two in that old decoration." An elite soldier told us.

I notice Eren glaces over his shoulder and I follow his gaze. Captain Levi was staring at Eren intensly, the his head whips round to look at me. My head snaps back to facing the front. The Elite soldier moves his horse up close to Eren and I.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, recruits."

"Excuse me?" Eren stammers. The Elite moves in closer to Erens face and a shadow goes across his.

"You may be a Titan or whatever, but pissy brat's like you two being under Captain Levi's watch-" His horse suddenly trips over a stone on the road and he bites his tongue so hard blood goes everywhere.

"Olou, stop scaring the recruits!" A blonde man shouts at him.

"I wathn' thrying to." Olou whines in a funny way.

"Stop bickering like a bunch of children and pay attention, we're here already." The strawberry blonde girl from behind yells.

She was right, it was right infront of us. The HQ I jumped out of when I was thirteen. "Hey, Eren. This is the sad place that I jumped out of all those years ago, remember?" I nudge Eren's side with my elbow.

"Yes, I remember seeing you with a few cuts and bruises from doing that." Eren smiles, looking up at a broken window at the top floor. "Wait, you jumped out of that?!" He points to it and looks over at me, his eyes wide like an owls.

"Yup, but, now that I think of it, that's quite high. No wonder I hurt my ankles." I laugh, petting one of my ankles.

I dismount Zip and lead him into the stables. I take him into one of the free stall's and take his saddle and bridal off. "Good boy." I praise him, gliding my hand down his neck gently. Zip whickers and nuzzles my arm. I smile and walk out the stable and to one of the supply carts to grab a block of hay for Zip.

My hands wrap round the bottom of it and I place it over my shoulder. I jump off the cart and strut back over to the stables. I drop the block over the gate and into Zip's stable. He instantly notices the block of hay and begins munching on it.

I walk out the stable and over to a well to get some fresh water. As I lowering the bucket down into the well I overhear a conversation.

"This is what you get for yapping away on horseback." Petra scolds Olou.

"First impressions are crucial. Those recruits were scared stiff." Olou retorts smugly. I hear the bucket hit the surface of the water and wait a few moments so it can get heavy.

"I think they were just surprised by how stupid you are." Petra mocks him. I pull the bucket back up to the top of the well and go back into the stables to fill Zips water basin.

"At any rate, everything went as planned."

"Say, that's not how you usually talk, is it? If... If that's your idea of imitating Captain Levi, could you seriously stop? Then again, it's no like it was similar in any way." Petra grimaces. I take the bucket back to the well and place it back on the hook.

"Are you trying to bind my hands together, Petra? You haven't gone through the proper steps to act as my wife." Olou slurs teasingly.

"I wish you bit through your tongue and died. All you do is brag about your Titan kills." She deadpans.