Wings [Levi Daughter]

A Fragment of Time: Goodbye

Eren was leaving for the cadets.  Petra knew that her brother have always dreamed of becoming a Scout just like their parents and their grandfather. Mostly because of their grandfather. Everyday, growing up together, Petra would always  hear about the “Scouts this…”, “the Scouts that…”, how Grandpa was Humanity’s Strongest Soldier, how Mom and Dad were heroes of the war, not to mention the countless memorabilia that her father had in the house. The photos on the wall, the old uniform he kept in the chest at his room, and the mobility gear that was in the shed. Even when the Scouts were issued new ones, Dad always had his and Mom’s old one there, always kept in good shape. 

While she did respect the Scouts, admired their bravery and skill, Petra never imagined herself to be donning the uniform. Eren would sneak into their father’s bedroom and try on the Scout jacket that was kept in the chest, one time they were caught rummaging through their father’s memorabilia and Eren wearing a jacket that they thought were their fathers but was actually their mother’s.

“That was your mother’s,” Armin told them as he joined the two children on the floor. “The uniforms for the male and female Scouts were the same, that just shows their unity. It doesn't matter who you are or what you are, what matters is that you dedicate your heart.”

After that,  they gave Eren his old jacket and kept the one that was their mother’s.

School was no better when it came to reminding Petra of the Scouts and her lineage. When it was an activity to draw what they wanted when they grow up, a lot of them drew the blue and white wings that were the sigil of the Survey Corps, but she did not. While drawing what she really wanted her classmates were confused.

“Isn’t your father Commander of the Scouts?” 

“How come you don’t want to be a Scout too? That’s the greatest thing there is!”

Their questions went on. But Petra drowned them out and continued with her sketch. There were days when she would not mind their classmate’s comments, but sometimes it's just annoying to hear her lineage of Scouts. 

“It doesn’t really matter if you don’t want to join the Scouts,” Eren told her when they were outside playing at the swing. Dad was still in a meeting at the Scouts Harbour Base, and he won’t be back until later. But they were not alone, though, ever since Grandpa retired from the Scouts, he has been living close by.

“Tell that to everyone else at school,” Petra muttered. “Everyone at class seems to want to be one.”

Eren scoffed.  “Yeah right, I bet that half of them would flunk out at the first day. Then the other half will be fighting to join the MPs, then the other would want the easy life of a Garrison. Did you forget what Dad said? There have been more recruits for those two military divisions because training to become a Scout is hard.”

Petra smiled. “I think Uncle Leon is purposely making it hard.”

It was a new training plan made by the four regiments to have a separate kind of training for the Survey Corps and the Military Police, since those were the ones with specialties. While the Military Police only accepts the top ten candidates of the graduates, the Scouts are the ones who protect Paradis Island, they were considered the elite Military Regiment of the three, so to be one would mean hard and grueling work. Handling that was none other than Leon Kirch.

The man is an old veteran of the Scouts, despite his young age compared to the other old veterans of the other regiments. 

“Don’t you think Leon is being too tough on them?” Squad Leader Hitch once said, when the three commanders wen to see the new batch of recruits at boot camp to see prospects for their regiment. Petra and Eren were there when it happened as their father was not able to find someone to look after them at home.