𝔇𝔢𝔣𝔦𝔞𝔫𝔠𝔢 (𝔏𝔢𝔳𝔦 𝔵 ℜ𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔢𝔯)

CI - Bittersweet Truths

"Once. Never again." And he left. 

***

~The Next Day, The Day Of Operation Retake Maria~

For the first time in months, we readied ourselves for an expedition beyond the safety of the walls. 

Something was going to happen, my gut had a mild swirl in it as I watched the Garrison elevators lift horses and people alike to the top of the wall, hundreds of civilians standing amongst the streets doing the same. Time finally came as I stepped foot onto the large device, the gates closing behind us before the squad was all lifted to the point of the stone structure, the wooden platform creaking and squeaking every few moments as we all made our ascension. 

The air was thick, the streets humming with murmurs of innocents, the sky a stark contrast in colour compared to the stress and negative anticipation that hung over the military in the vicinity. I couldn't help but fold my arms under my cloak, hand wandering over my arm before pinching the fabric between my fingers. Standing at the edge of the wall between Hange, Levi and Erwin, we all looked down at the people who would typically look at us with distaste doubt. The sunset made them all look vibrant, glowing people below us staring back up at us. All was silent for a moment before a familiar face cupped his mouth and began shouting up at us. 

"Hange!" Flegel exclaimed, the woman beside us humming as she spotted him within the crowd. "Take back Wall Maria!" He screeched and I can't help but let out a lighthearted chuckle, the words upping the mood a little. 

"The future of mankind is in your hands!" A man shouted up at us.

"Captain Levi, thank you for saving this town!" Another yelled. "Please, make it back safely, all of you!" 

"Well, they blew it," Levi mutters making me giggle. 

"Someone was bound to figure it out after all that noise," I reply back casually, sparing the raven a brief glance. 

"Uh, I actually ordered the meat from the Reeve's Company," another soldier from further down the wall admitted and I give a carefree eye roll. Not even seconds later, Connie, Sasha and Jean were all cheering back at the crowd that wished us luck on our mission, Connie even shedding a tear at their words of encouragement. 

"How long has it been since the Survey Corps had a send off like this?" Levi questioned quietly. I thought about it, the twelve years I had served in the military, I don't recall ever having a crowd celebrating the departure of the Scouts, especially one of this size. 

"Who knows, has it ever?" The tall blonde replies back. "As far as I know this is the first," he quickly adds, blue eyes observing the vast amount of people that had gathered to bid us farewell. Once again, our eyes scanned the crowd, the hurrahs of the soldiers all along the wall slowly becoming a low hum in the back of our minds. That was until Erwin threw a fist into the air and let out a loud, encouraging shout. Hange, Levi and I all stared at him in bewilderment, the entire district now echoing with the screams and yells of cheering civilians. He stopped for a moment, just to stand there and appreciate the reciprocated prideful yells of those who usually bestowed some type of bad omen on us before letting out another shout. He soon drew a blade and pointed it in the direction of Maria, yelling loud enough for the Capital to hear. 

"Commence the final operation to retake Maria!" And in a flash, all the elevators were loaded and lowering every single squad down into the barren lands of what was stolen from us, the determination that marked everyone's movements as they mounted their horses and we all set off after the Commander ahead. 

For a while, it was just the sound of hooves pounding at the ground beneath us and the wind whirling through our ears. No one spoke after Erwin's command to advance towards Shiganshina, though every face I glimpsed was painted with an expression with a sense of purpose. It seemed contagious, because I felt that small pit of dread in my stomach recoil a little as I focused on the task at hand; make it to sunset and travel within the shadows.