From Marley, with Love.

Chapter 20: Code Black Bird

Code Black Bird

At around 10 past 4 in the morning, Rosanna walked a lonely, dark road just outside of the city of Rebellio. In front of her, Oscar led the way, lighting up the path with a weak lantern. Rosanna walked with scrunched up tense shoulders and crossed arms. In the woods, surrounding the road, there was the chirping of birds. They declared the dawn of the new day, the orange streams of sunlight peeked through the thick brush of tree leaves. "You should immediately go to sleep, as soon as you are home." Oscar said, he yawned, stretching. "Uh-huh." Rosanna hummed, shivering. Oscar stopped, waiting for the girl to catch up. The two stood in silence, surrounded by the darkness in that path in the woods. The birdsong slowly picked up, becoming louder and more distinctive. "They're black birds..." Rosanna whispered, listening attentively to the dawn chorus. Oscar smiled, "You must be freezing..." he said, taking off his coat and putting it over her shoulders. Rosanna pulled the coat tightly around her shoulders. Oscar put his arm around her shoulders and guided her down the road, into the farmers district of Rebellio. Many farmers were already up, feeding their livestock and harvesting new crops. A farmer's wife, collecting eggs from a chicken's coop, froze as she saw the girl. She took a few steps towards the couple walking past her home, before catching sight of the red and white armband. She bounced back, giving them a look of pity as they vanished from her sight. Rosanna's gaze was fixed on the rooftops of the farm houses and stables. "What are you looking at, Rosie?' Oscar asked, feeling concerned. "Them." Rosanna answered, pointing at dozens of black birds on the roofs and ledges. She tucked her head into the coat, "I wish I could go with them..." she mumbled, Oscar squeezed her shoulder. "You can't, dear." He whispered to her, "We need you..." Rosanna cast down her eyes, her long black hair falling in her face. 'Please understand that, for yourself and the people around you." Oscar brushed her hair away from her face, "I am not ready..." Rosanna sobbed, her eyes acutely filling up with tears. Her face turned into painfully scrunched pout, immediately she clapped her hands in front of her face. Hiding the tears. "Come on, little black bird..." Oscar said soothingly, "You'll be fine after a nigh... day's sleep." Quietly sobbing, Rosanna walked along.

At the border of Rebellio to the interment zone of Liberio, mister Bauer stood ready to receive word of his child, or to receive her back. He had left his wife with a pot of tea at the kitchen table in their home. The guards at the gate seemed irritated, multiple times they had asked what the man was planning to do and if he had a pass to cross the border. The man had mumbled something incoherent, which had made one of the guards conclude that he was simply a senile man in a hallucination.

"Will he go away already?"

"Let's wait another hour."

"You already said that an hour ago..."

A deep sigh came from the elder guard. "He is clearly senile." The younger guard responded. "He is not..." the elder guard huffed; his voice now more irritated then before. The two guards looked at each other. The younger guard squinted his eyes, "You know something I don't..." "I do." "Please, tell me, man." The elder guard's eyes widened, "The nerve of your generation, I swear." He shook his head. "It was reincarnation night, last night." He started; the eyes of the younger man widened. "You mean the passing on from a titan?" "Exactly that... didn't our superior tell you, you were at the briefing as well, weren't you?" "No..." the guard responded, giving his superior an anxious look. The elder man glared at him, thinking of a way to scold him. "You little..." he started, he stopped when he saw mister Bauer leap across the border. "OI, OI!" the younger guard yelled, charging after the man. "It is fine, it is fine!" a young man's voiced yelled, running up to the guard to stop him. "The young lady was part of the reincarnation." He pointed at Rosanna, now tightly being embraced by her parent. "Is she going into quarantine at home?" the elder guard asked, walking towards his subordinate to pull him away from the situation. "No... she is not a successor." Oscar responded, "she is the next doctor of the warrior development." He said, his voice carrying a hint of pride. The younger guard gave Oscar a confused glance and looked up at his superior, who looked concerned and astonished. "Her?" he pointed at the girl. "She could be in school with my youngest..." Oscar's proud attitude deflated, "Are they truly sending a child onto the battlefield..." Uncle carefully supported Rosanna at her side, speaking soothing words to her. "Even worse... they're sending a child to look after other children..." Oscar mumbled. The two guards glared at him. "Just saying..." Oscar shrugged as he said this, he turned around to the city of Rebellio, disappearing into a side alley.

Mrs Bauer sat on the couch in the living room, in front of the cold hearth. In her hand she clutched a cup of tea, gone completely cold. Her foot bounced up and down against the wooden floor. Her ears were focused on any noise outside, either the familiar footsteps of her husband or the moving of the front door's doorknob. She jumped up when she heard the back door open and heard shuffling come into the hallway. She dropped her tea and ran towards the sound. She gasped when she found her husband holding their collapsed child in his arms. "She... she swooned." He said softly, his voice shivering. "Get her on the couch, quick..." she ordered, the two ex-army doctors' came into action. Scurrying around to help their unconscious daughter. Uncle Bauer stuck by the girl's side as she started to wake. Her aunt came into the room with a bucket of cold water and a clean cloth. She carefully dabbed the girl's forehead and cheeks. 'You're back..." she whispered to Rosanna. Rosanna groaned, trying to sit up before feeling a wave of nausea coming up. Her uncle grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back into a laying position. "Just rest up for now, darling..." Rosanna stared at the ceiling with glazed over eyes. Her teeth tightly gritted to push back tears.

The next afternoon, Rosanna woke up to the sound of the busy street beneath her room. She carefully sat up, looking at her tear stained pillow, she sighs and rubs her eyes. They're sore from exhaustion and crying. She carefully places her feet on the floor and shuffles off to the bathroom.

Ten minutes later, she had cleaned herself up and put herself back in uniform. Her hair was washed, dried and neatly combed into a bun. She stared at herself in the mirror, her outside appearance was a good façade for the empty gaze. She was done crying for the next few years or so, "You weakling..." she murmured to herself. She turned away from the mirror, walking into the hallway; it would take at least a week or more before she would be called back to the headquarters for a further hearing. "HONEY!?" she heard her aunt yell from downstairs. "YEAH?!" Rosanna responded, leaning over the bannister of the landing. "Oscar is here for you." Rosanna paused, "I'll be right down." She jogged into her room, opening her closet and picking out a white headscarf. She put it on as she walked downstairs to meet Oscar. "Hello." She greeted him solemnly, Oscar looked at her with relief, her long sleep had gotten her back on her feet. "We need you at headquarters." Rosanna blinked at him, "Is Zeke not in isolation for a week?" Oscar shook his head. "He is not." He reached out to her, "Now come on, Black Bird."

'Stay here, I'll go and check if they want you yet." Oscar said as he gestured towards a chair on the opposite wall of the meeting room. He quietly went inside, Rosanna plopped herself down on the chair, looking outside through the barred windows. "Funny, only this section of the building is barred." She thought to herself, she looked at the busy stone road outside. Chic people in fancy clothing, carried by automobiles or carriages zoomed past. She imagined herself in a carriage like that, but it wouldn't be because of her fortune or good name. Simply to show her off to the public of Liberio, a mere puppet that would be put forth as a saviour. "Rosie?" she looked up and saw Zeke stand opposite of her, she hadn't noticed him leaving the meeting room. He looked; different. His hair was slicked back, he wore glasses and the official warrior uniform. A long white coat on top of a white blouse, white trousers and high brown boots. "You look fine..." Rosanna said, sounding relieved. Zeke's mouth pulled into a small smirk, "Since when do you care for my well-being?" Rosanna felt her cheeks become red; she had been awfully vindictive towards Zeke for the past years. Keeping up a nasty sibling rivalry. "Since last night." She answered. Zeke smiled again, "I understand." He said calmly. "Come in."

As Rosanna stood in front of the officers of the warrior department; commander Magath started his speech. "As we have understood from Yeager, you, Rosanna Bauer are willing to take on the role of the doctor of the titan Squad."

"Yes, sir." She responded.

"Do you understand the notion, that as you are responsible for the warrior's health, so you are responsible for the health of Marleyan foot-soldiers and higher officers?"

"Aye, sir."

"We give you the responsibility to observe the devotion of our warriors to the motherland of Marley. We expect you to take note of any abnormalities and let us know."

"Yes, sir."

"Then hereby. I present to the state of Marley." He turned to his officers. "And to the higher officers, the new doctor of the warrior department. Rosanna Bauer, also known by her code name, Black Bird."