It was year 845, also known as the "Death Year" after having a peaceful life for more than hundred years. Not even a single person inside the wall knew that day would come like hell. Not even the young girl, who just graduated as one of the top 10 from her trainee corps, Petra Ral.

It was the usual afternoon where the new graduate almost finishing their first task patroling inside the walls. New graduates are mostly patroling inside the inner wall of wall maria and helps the garrison member occasionally. In a week more, the new graduate must decide what corps they would like to join. The Military Police, Garrison, or even the Scouting Legion. While most trainees already decided where they want to be, for some reason it wasn't that easy for Petra.

She was assigned to help the garrison to patrol in a small town inside wall maria quite far from Shiganshina but not quiet near wall rose. Her shift ends at 3pm as she went back to the garrison headquarter. Most of the senior members were just slacking off the job and handling all over the work to the youngster. All they did were just playing cards and go drunk. What a useless soldier she thought. But it was already a common sight that none ever complained about it, not even her. She went inside a small room where the new trainee use it especially just for them with just a simple table of four in the center and some bookcase. She had a long sigh while opening the door when someone greeted her across the room.

"Hi Petra!" A young girl with black ponytail hair greeted her with a big grin on her face

"Hi Emily, you finished early" Petra replied

"yeah, I slacked 30 minutes though hihi~" Emily replied with a playful voice.

"That's so you" Petra sat on the chair across her.

"It can't be helped,, our job is soooo boring...we keep helping the citizens here for a month!" She slapped the table and look outside the window

Petra looked at her while squinting her eyes.

"Military Police is just the same right? Helping the citizens...." It flew out from her mouth

"Basicly, but it's inside the inner walls so it's different!" Emily replied with annoyed face

"So you have decided to join the military police..Emily..?" Petra asked carefully

Feeling the change of atmosphere, they went into a silence for couple of seconds. Emily looked down.

"Well...you see..I never thought that i would be the number 10th at graduation...When I return to home, my parents were so proud of me that they insist me to join the military police..cause.. why not..? that's prize you get for being the best 10 right? ...So i think..it's the best choice.."

Petra looked straightly at her with a hint of sadness

"I'm sorry...Petra...I know we promise to join the scouting legion.. but it was 2 years ago.. things are different now!..well if I'm not the top 10 i would still reconsider join the scouting legion but it's just hard when i went home hearing my parents,, thinking of it...it's just hard.." Emily's voice gone quieter

Now both of them looked down in silence. Emily is one of Petra's closest friend in trainee days. She didn't like the idea of separation with her good friend that always be there for her. But as the time goes by she knew that it wouldn't be forever.

"I understand...Emily, goodluck with that" Petra was the one who break the ice, her warm smile now visible under the afternoon sunlight.

"Thankyou..Petra..God..Why won't you just join the MPs" Said Emily with annoyed voice

"Actually...My dad insist me too..."

"See?!! Then why?!"

"I told you my reason before right..?"

"Yes but it doesn't have to be you Petra!" Emily voice raising up

"I know...ah..well..let's see in another week, I'll reconsider it" Her face looked conflicted.

"You will ?!?! Thanks Petra ! I'll wait for your answer anytime!" Emily gripped Petra's hands suddenly.

"Yes.." At the end she managed to smile.

Just when they finished the talk, couple of people ran across the road outside the buildings. Both of them looked outside the window witness hundreds of people ran in hury leaving the town.

"What happened....?" Petra wondered

EMERGENCY REPORT !!! EMERGENCY REPORT !!!!

PLEASE EVACUATE NOW !!!!!! I REPEAT, PLEASE EVACUATE NOW !!!!!

"What the hell is going on?!" asked Emily

Suddenly the door flung open with the garrison senior with such a grim face

"YOU TWO, PREPARE YOUR GEARS USE YOUR 3D MANEUVER AND COME WITH ME, NOW !"

"YES SIR,!" Both of them saluted and began to prepare their gear in hurry.

"Um..Sir, why should we use the 3D Maneuver gear?" Emily carefully asked

"Didn't you hear the rambling outside ? Shiganshina has fallen !!" The Man shouted in panic

"WHATTT YOU MEAN BY TITANS SIR ?!?!?!" Both of the girls were surprised as they quicken their preparation getting even more panic.

"Yes! We need to safely evacuate the citizens around the perimeter to make sure people travel north safely."

"By north, you mean inside wall Rose...?" Petra carefully asked

"If we had to.."

Emily's hand were shaken so bad. But Petra calmed her down.

"My family....is not far from Shiganshina....Inner walls though...but stil.....no...way..." Her body shivered so bad

"They'll be okay if they evacuate right away through the river" The man said

"We'll go there and check on them okay ? I'll accompany you" Petra gripped her hand

"Sir, please let me go to my hometown !" She pleaded

"Grr....alright, we'll go check on it later"

"Let's Go safe some people, Petra." She smiled at her. It lightens her panic by a bit.

"Come on! Grab your horses!" The man shouted again.

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A small team consist of 6 people with Petra, Emily, and other 4 Garrison seniors: Chad,Derek,Micha, and Captain Hans headed south to Emily's hometown. Other than Emily, Petra and the rest of the group hometown are inside wall rose so they wouldn't worry so much, that's why they were eager to help her. So far, an hour after leaving the chaotic town, no titan be seen yet. Yet the main road was packed with panicking citizens so they had to choose another road.

"Whoa...so many people....Is it really serious?" Chad asked

"Of course it's serious dumbass..they said a titan crossed the wall...well..i still can't believe it until I see em myself.." Derek replied

"How can a titan cross the wall? I mean why now after hundreds of year ?" Micha asked

"Shit..what can we do if we see them...I barely practice 3D Manuever anymore..." Chad mumbled

"You idiot, you think only the scouting legion who are made to kill titan? We have to too, the difference is we do it inside the wall..which means in this situation! Recall your trainee practice days now before it's too late. You can't be serious to look like a pipsqueak in front of these two trainee ?" The Captain of the group who flung open the door earlier finally spoke in anger.

"I'm sorry captain..." Chad apologized

Both Petra and Emily just looked at their seniors upfront. It looks like they can trust their captain after all and that was a relief.

"Excuse me captain..we've been in horse for like an hour, but i barely see other soldiers here.. like only few..where are the others...?" Emily suddenly asked which made the captain's eyes widen.

"Tch...they were probably too scared and headed north..how useless.." The captain face looked annoyed

"How about the scouting legion, sir ?" Petra asked in louder voice

"Come to think about it...they should have reach shiganshina and fight in the frontlines... but we didn't know when was the exact time when the wall broke and how long has it been in chaos... oh i just remember...this is bad..."

"What...about...?"

"The scouting legion doesn't usually start expedition from Shiganshina and their main headquarter is far from shiganshina, far enough that it's closer to the northeast... I don't recall they have branch headquarter inside the wall judging from their smaller amounts of member than the garrison..."

"Sir...Are you implying that the scouting legion would come later ?!" Micha assumed

"I think so too.. tch.. they just returned from a brutal expedition yesterday and i don't think they are capable too.. but still they are better than us... But we really can't fully relied on their small amount of members.."

"So what should we do sir...?!" Chad was in panic

"Our objective is securing Emily's hometown first and secure the perimeter, We are absolutely not going inside Shiganshina, not worth the risk"

"Thankyou sir..." Emily thanked the captain

"I heard that you are one of the top ten right? Before you go to inner walls, you got to have some experience here first.."

"Ah...yes I am.. Actually , Petra too.. She is more skillful than I am.." Emily pointed at Petra which made the whole member stared at her

"Ahh really? I bet you both going to be a good military police unlike those bastards now haha"

Petra wanted to object but she decided not too. Besides, facing with a real titan for the first time could determine her decision for joining the scouting legion. She only learned titans from the academy. Fighting with fake titan models, that's all. They said that real titan are scarier than anything they could imagine. She got herself lost in her thoughts.

It was getting late, but the weather was as calm as usual as if there was nothing bad happening. In contrast to that, the roads were getting even more packed with thousands of people heading north bringing everything they could. Shouting, ramblings, and cries could be heard. Now they see more soldiers that helped the evacuation process but that wasn't their objective.

"IT'S THE TITANS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" A man shouted from top of his lungs

Everyone stopped their horse seeking for the titan across the horizon. They finally saw it. About 1 Km from their position right then, a titan around 15m was sighted on the wheat field wandering around. Not far from it, another shorter titan was runmaging through some small houses around the field. They could hear some screaming citizens that pleaded for help. Everyone was shocked at the sight. Not long after that, they saw the titan grabbing a person and then ate it mercilessly.

"I DON'T WANT TO DIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE----!" it was that person last words before eaten

"What the hell.....so ....that...is...a...Titan.....?...it's huge...." Chad began to quiver

"Captain...? Should we retreat back...? It's dangerous the titan already reached here..." Micha retorted

"Emily, how far more from here to your hometown ?!" The captain tensed

"...a...err...about 5 Kilometer again from here... there is another way around from here.." Emily panicked

"But captain !!!" Micha objected

"Listen Soldiers. I won't change the objective. Right now this young girl's family is in danger and we have to make sure they are ok, If we were on the same situation as her won't we need people to help us? Hmm?!" The captain sound more dependable.

"Alright..sir, but we need to go fast then return fast too!" Micha finally convinced

"I know"

Then all of them proceed to Emily's hometown. Petra couldn't give any comments at the team's arguments earlier, she was too conflicted to think what should they do. One thing for sure, she sincerely wanted to help Emily and making sure to get her answer after facing with the titan. The reason for her mother's death. She wanted to understand it. She wanted to be awaken to the harsh reality that this world she lived in is never been in peace at all. She needed to know.. Her face was tense all the time instead of scared like Emily and the other members. Emily wondered what was going on inside Petra's mind. It was something she probably couldn't understand at all.

As they getting closer to Emily's hometown, more titans sighted, more screams, chaos and blood everywhere. They rode their horse in terror seeking only one objective first. They hated at the fact that they couldn't help the citizens yet. They managed to hit the town from small roads to dodge from nearby titans. The number wasn't that many yet, but they were sure that it could be worse by nightfall.

"MOM !!! DAAADDDD !!!!!!!!!" Emily shouted at the now empty town filled with blood scattered around.

"Stop shouting brat! You might attract em !!" Chad reminding her

"Oh right...sorry" She carefully sneaked into her house direction.

So far they had been playing hide and seek with the titans around the town. They didn't dare to use the maneuver gear only to be spotted by the Titans. Emily entered her house with Petra while the other patrol on the outside.

"Sir.. I think there is barely any people in this small town, either killed or evacuate already." Said Micha

"Oh shoot look! There is a child crying over there!" Derek pointed fingers at the sight

"shit...she is crying over her parent's dead body there isn't she....?" Chad replied

"That place is too open, it's dangerous, we should help her!" Derek all of sudden ran across the road to the little girl direction

"Oi Derek !" The captain shouted.

The little girl keep crying over her mom's dead body under the building ruins.

"Hey...you okay...? It's not safe here, Let me carry you to somewhere else safer.." Derek asked the girl in hurry. They girl stopped her cry for a moment

"....uu...mom....she....."

"...I know...but I'm sure she wants you to be okay...so let's get out from here first...."

"..Sir..what..is...a titan...? The town people...keeps..shouting that word...." She was doing her best to talk between her wails.

"It's a monster that we should not be closed with at all" Derek smiled at the girl

"ah...Is that one on the roof a titan....??" The girl pointed above his head.

Cold shiver ran from his temple as he began to look behind him. A titan crouching above the roof was staring at him as if he was some delicious food. No wonder he didn't feel any grumbling ground since the titan climb the roof ?! In the matter of seconds, the titan suddenly jumped at their direction hitting all over the build across it.

Derek managed to dodge the fatal hit with the girl on his hug and started to run at his squad, but the Titan didn't give up that easy as it began to chase after them. Derek carried the little girl running for his life. He cannot use his 3D gear at this state while holding on the child on his arms.

"OIIII DEREKKKK !!!!!!!!! HURRRY !!!!!!! GET INSIDE !!!!!!!" The others were shouting like mad at him attracting the other titans around them.

He was like 20m close to the meeting spot when the titan that chased him suddenly jumped over him and crashed its body right above Derek and that girl. Everyone were silenced.

"c...c...ap...tain....." Chad called the captain who was just as shocked as the other two.

"....The titans.... they are coming here....." Micha warned them

Emily and Petra finally ran to the entrance from the 2nd floor

"My family's not here anymore, My mom purse couldn't be found, I think they already evacuate them self right on tim-" Emily stopped her saying when she saw such a gruesome sight in front of her house door. A titan was eating Derek's and the little girl body at once like it was a delicious meal.

"Oh....that's good to hear....then..." Micha replied to emily, not removing his gaze from the eating titan infront of them.

"...captain...what should we do...?" Petra whispered at their captain

"...Lets walk first...then lets see their reaction..." The captain made his decision

All of them left the site carefully, seemed like the titan ignore them. But it didn't mean that they were safe, They remember that it was not only one titan on the abandoned town.

"Shit...shit...shit...captain, they are getting lot coming here..." Micha declared

Another titan noticed them rightaway as if it got some great instict and began to growl as if telling the others to come there.

"Shit..shit...shit !!!! They began to run !!!! Fuck this!! I'M OUT !!!" It was chad who use the 3DM gear to freed himself out from the town

"HEY CHAD WAIT !! tch...Let's use the gear !!" The captain finally gave his order"

"Yes Sir!"

Ofcourse all them them wanted to escape quickly but without their horses it would be meaningless and they wouldn't be able to retreat north.

"I'll chase after Chad and getting the titans attention up front, you both girls ride the horses and bring em all outside the town, Micha will assist you!"

"I..WHAT SIR ?!" Micha objected

"Don't let the trainee dissapointed, Micha, I trust you" The captain flew away with his gear leaving 3 of them behind.

"You heard the guy...Let's move out"

"Yes sir.."

For couple meters they thought that they could play kite with the titans and keep em away from the horse, Petra and Emily raised their horse's speed while Micha flew attracting the titans out of the way, but he realized that they came from everyway and their number increased. One of it suddenly slapped Emily's horse as she was thrown far from Petra

"EMILY !!!!!!!!!!!" Petra shouted.

"Shit !!" Micha was about to head over to Emily who was knocked out at the sudden impact earlier, But another titan was ready to grip her, Micha tried to cut the titan's nape from behind but he missed. And he stumbled at the Titan's slippery skin to the ground. Petra flew by with tremendous speed and sliced the titan's nape but failed also. But the titan was ready to fall down on Emily's direction, luckyly, Micha was right on time to saved her as he pushed Emily's body away, but it cost his body gripped by the titan

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!" Micha screamed for his life

Petra screamed on top of her lungs as she watched the titan devoured Micha's body allover the place while She hold's Emily on her arms bellow.

She killed one, but it cost another life...it wasn't enough..So this is a titan...Her skin felt cold all of the sudden, Her body trembled so bad. She didn't talk much this whole afternoon thinking what could she do when facing the titans. She was sure that she hit the right spot..but why..?...why?? She couldn't take off her gaze from Micha's body that were thorn apart. Blood splattered even painted her cheeks. Her legs felt numb, she didn't have the energy to stand up anymore. More citizens who were left behind got eaten here and there. She wonder when will that thing regocnize their presence

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"...Petra....? What happened....?" Emily finally awaked

She couldn't really reply her when she looked down at her friend. She wanted to cry but she couldn't.

"..I can't kill them...I'm not as skillfull as you said...I..can't...!"

While Petra dealing with her shockness, Emily scanned the whole area around them realizing that more titans coming at them. The titan that devoured Micha's body now finished its meal and now staring at them. It was literaly the closest titan near them now.

"Petra..if you managed to survive, please tell my parents that I'm sorry..." Emily closed her eyes again.

"no.....no..........NOO...!!" Petra screamed as loud as she can while squinting her eyes hard

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*CLANG*

The titan's body suddenly fell down and vaporized right away. She began to open her eyes. The wings of freedom is the first thing she saw on the man's jacket infront of her before gazing at his face.

"You Okay..?" The raven haired man gently asked her knowing that she was still in shock with her eyes widely opened and almost to cry at any moment however his face remained stoic infront of the girl.

".....ah.. scouting le..gion...right..?" Petra quickly stood up but her legs failed her, but the man prevent her falling

"Carefull..."His arms around her waist, and their face was just couple of inch away. For a couple of seconds their eyes met for the first time as if time stopped right on that time.

She breathed heavily shoulder went ups and down. The man's eyes staring at her deeply squinting his eyes then turned his gaze bellow before releasing her to stand up still.

"Is your friend...okay..?" He asked

"Ah...I think she's not..her bleeding wont't stop..All horses with the first aid kit ran away...Ah!"

She was about to continued her talking but a group of titan coming on their direction closer now.

"Stay still.." He suddenly stood up a shoot his maneuver gear and began to kill like 5 titans at once then finish killing every titans around them effortlessly before coming back at her. She was left in awe witnessing humanity's strength against the titans with her own bare eyes. His precise movements and didn't even missed the neck spot was unbelieveable.

He took off his scarf and began to rolled it around Emily's head, Petra helped him.

"It's not safe here, I'll help you both get out from here, you carry her and I'll secure the way. My horse also outside the town, didn't get the chance to bring it here when there were many citizen i need to help here and didn't realize that it's far already.." Once he finished he began to stand up followed by Petra with Emily on her back

"Looks heavy, you sure you okay?" He asked her since emily was much taller than her. But he realized that he was just slightly taller than her.

"Ah..I'm fine..Sir...more importanly..Did you see any garrison soldier around the town...?" Petra asked him

"I'm sure the town is empty now..oh..i saw some garrisons bodies thoug-...."

Her body felt weak as if she almost fall, but she stood still with such a terror on her face

"No way..." Her voice cracked

"Sorry..didn't know those were your friends...Look, you can mourn later about their death and you have to be strong and keep living, only that way is how you appreciate their sacrifices."

I'll make sure that you'll get some protection once we got out the town but after that I can't really accompany you to go north.."

"...What? You are going south..? Shiganshina ?!?!Alone?!" Her eyes widened

"...yes.....Yes...and ofcourse No, most of the others head straight to Shiganshina"

"Sir...you must be one of the best soldier...." She innocently flattered him which made him a bit nervous at shyness

"errr....maybe....." He wasn't sure how to react to that

"Are the scouting legions are all this good like you sir ?"

"well..Mostly..." He began to stepped away a bit

"Did you not regret it..?!" Her voice went higher leaving him shocked.

"Cut the crap, lets move out already!" He shouted at her leaving her in silence.

Couple seconds later tears began to fell out from her face. He panicked at the sight and worried if it was because he shouted at her.

"My bad..." He nervously told her

"No...it's not about that...." She tried her best to smile on her cries, it was really strange

"What then , we got no time" He squinted his eyes

".....Thankyou..for saving us....Sir..." She finally opened her warm hazel colored eyes glistening with her own tears and the afternoon suns. Her innocent gently looks somehow captivated him.

"Your welcome...Let's move" He readied himself to launch his gear checking on their surrounding for more titans

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They both went out the town safely with the help of the man she just met that surprisingly came from the scouting legion. Soon Petra and Emily were transported by the garrison evacuation team and headed north to wall rose with the man's request. She just realize that she hadn't manage to ask for his name when they already split on their way. Last thing she saw was the Wings of Freedom on his back as she prays that he would be fine at Shiganshina and protect the walls with the other members.

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Emily recovered 2 days later when both of them now in the temporary shelter for wall maria's refugees inside wall rose. It was chaos and packed with hungy people everyday. As a soldier they needed to assist the citizen to get enough food and hospitality. It was a hard week for everyone.

Wall Maria had fallen, the scouting legion was too late to arrive when the titan penetrated the wall way deeper and scattered everywhere leaving chaos and mayhem everywhere. Many death and grief marks that day as a day that humanity once again awakened at their weakness agaisnt the titan.

Even so, She also witness what a human can do agaisnt the titan, That man was a living proof that humanity can do so much more that that. As she decided to follow his track to join the scouting legion. Emily didn't object her decision, yet she was happy for her, Knowing the harsh reality but Petra convinced her that it was what she wanted. It wasn't about getting her mother's revenge, but it's for the world's freedom itself. Emily chose the Military Police and decided to protect the wall peace as things getting more serious than ever before since the fall. Both of them support the life inside the wall on their own way.

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One night on the scouting legion headquarter..

"you are.....!"

They met again on the corridor after a whole week.She smiled widely at the raven haired man

"I hadn't got the chance to introduce myself before Sir, My name is Petra Ral, I see that you survived Shiganshina..."

"Ah nice to meet you again.....yes..but..It was too late when I got there it was hell...I couldn't do much.." He hold his banded arms

".....you got injured too...are you on the way to the infirmary Sir..?"

"Yes.. by the way how is your friend..?"

"Emily? She is good now, and now in the MPs" Her face suddenly changed

"Wait...Petra Ral...oh...I heard you rank 5 on your batch ?"

"...how you know...?"

"Well Commander Shadis always keeps an eye for the top graduate if any one of them don't choose the MPs, so I guess you are one of them..and that's ..rare..But that's great..."

She felt flustered and looked down immidiately

"No I'm not great at all...I couldn't kill any titan before...i was a coward..!"

"Of course you were.. you were only a trainee that's why you chose this place, to get stronger am I right?"

"No offense sir, but it's not just about the power,training, and self actualization...!" She retorted with a hint of angry on her face

"What then...?" He stared at her with such a bored face making her nervous

"Because this world needs to be freed..that's what my mom told me..She died outside wall maria long ago..seeking that freedom.." He was shocked at her unusual reply and went silent

"er...I'm sorry to shout at you like that Sir...I got carried away..."

"I agree with you.. Looking forward for your improvement soon.." His face changed into somewhat longing, She was strucked by that face he made.

"um..I'll do my best...thankyou..! er....you should go now...I'm sorry for taking your time..Sir,," She went nervous all of sudden

He began to walked passed her but stopped suddenly

"It's Not 'sir', It's Levi.." As he glance at her one more time

She was sure that her face was now bright pink, The wings of freedom on his back is the last thing she saw that night, but now she got the same symbol on her back too, After the tragedies and fought in argument with her father..somehow she felt like she made the right decision

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She trusted him so much that she worked so hard to improve her skills

The man who saved her life turns out to be the same man who in years later became her captain

And later became someone special to her

Yet the world didn't give them chances

all she can do is just moving forward

his presence is what keeping her forward

She left the happy life inside the walls

That's the sacrifices she made,

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Did she make the wrong decision then?

Author's note

It's been like 5 months since my last writing lol , rivetra week is on now in tumblr , even though i can't keep up with the tags, it's better than nothing right hehe ~~~ Hello to all of you !! ^^ Please visit https://www.tumblr.com/blog/yasminozrose