Underground Beauty to Survey Corps - Attack on Titan

#17 Feelings

The remaining soldiers had retreated from the Forest of Giant Trees. Many of them went back to collect the bodies of the fallen soldiers to identify them, wrap them up, and load them into the carriage to bring them back for a proper burial. It wasn't the most pleasant thing to do, or see. Some of, if not, most of these soldiers were close friends of the ones who remained alive. Whether they were new recruits or not, no one could ever get used to this. And this wouldn't be the last.

Growing up in the Underground city, it was always Orabelle against the world. She didn't have friends, and the closest she could get were people who were nice enough to spare her some food or money. She was always alone. When she joined the Training Corps, she met people like Reiner and Bertoldt, and then came Eren, Mikasa, Armin, and others. And then came the Special Operations Squad, whom she had trained days prior to this expedition. However, she felt like she didn't belong anywhere. She couldn't even openly tell people that she was an ex-criminal wanted by the Military Police. What would they think knowing that their friend used to steal food and killed people? It wasn't that she didn't appreciate any of them, it's just that no matter how hard she tried to convince herself that things were different on the surface, there was no one whom she could turn to.

And there she was, standing in front of the corpses of her comrades with an emotionless expression. She did feel sad, but she didn't feel sorrow like she should. She'd always felt so detached, even during the Titan invasion in Trost District. Maybe it was because she was numb to seeing people die since her Underground years. But how dare she make such comparison! These fallen soldiers had sacrifice themselves for humanity; they're not criminals. So why wasn't she able to shed a tear for them? Was there something wrong with her?

'Am I a monster?' was her question; one that she wouldn't be able to find the answers. She was so caught up in her thoughts, that she failed to notice a pair of eyes staring at her from far.

Soon, it was time for the Survey Corps to return. Orabelle was riding alongside Mikasa, who kept her attention on the unconscious Eren. She was staring ahead with a blank expression as she was still in her thoughts. She snapped out of it when she heard one of the rearguards warned that they were being pursued by Titans, followed by the red flare. "Full speed ahead!" ordered Erwin.

"I don't see any tall trees or buildings." noted Levi, who was riding alongside him. "It will be difficult to fight out here."

"We're better off trying to outrun them to Walls." said the Commander.

Orabelle looked at the Titan over shoulder, watching it devour one of the soldiers that was pursued by it and another one - who attempted to rescue him - was caught. She moved her horse towards the Titan and lodged her grappling hooks into its torso, allowing her to fling herself up high and slash its nape. The Titan fell to the ground, and the soldier came out its grasp shaken by the experience. "Quick!" called Orabelle, rushing towards the soldier with his horse. "Get back on!" The soldier did what he was told and continued moving with the group, followed by her.

After reluctantly dumping the corpses of the fallen soldiers, the Survey Corps were able to escape the Titans. They later took another break to figure out their route, and once that was done, it was time to return. But it was a dreadful journey back home. Not only did they lose so many comrades, the plan failed and they weren't able to achieve anything. They finally reached the Walls, and as they walked through the town, it didn't take long for the people to notice their state, claiming it to be another disaster before going on about how the Survey Corps was useless and a waste of tax money. The only exception were two children who watched in awe, as they praised the soldiers for fighting despite losing. But it only struck a chord in the hearts of the soldiers who heard them, with the purple-eyed girl being an exception as she moved forward with an empty look, deep in her own thoughts that drowned out her surroundings.