GambolMuse

Attack on Titan: Reclamation

Thank goodness Sergeant Ekkehardt hadn't stuck around to chew them out more, Ki'te wasn't sure if she could take much more being yelled at right now. Following the lead of Samara, the trio made their way to the supply tent for their new uniforms and were greeted by some of the sorriest souls Ki'te had ever seen in her life. So that was the look of someone who had seen Titans first hand was it? Would she and the others end up the same way? You must get used to it though in the same way she'd grown accustomed to gutting her kills while hunting: she'd been nauseated at first but had quickly grown used to the smell and sight. Not that she wanted to think of her fellow man as little more than prey in a hunt but it certainly helped to put things in perspective. Meeting the gaze of the recently returned soldier she tried to offer a polite smile but felt it fade as she looked into his eyes, cringing inwardly as she shuffled out of line. Had he lost someone? A friend? She'd seen similar eyes before in one of their people when a loved one died, so was that the kind of pain to expect out here?

After exchanging her uniform for the new one Ki'te hurried after Samara and Koto to their bunks, relieved to finally be done with this day. It was only going to get worse from here but having some respite, however brief, would be most welcome. Not terribly far off they could make out the sound of the sergeant tearing into another group of recruits and she thanked her lucky stars it wasn't their turn to be ripped a new one. Not wanting to give Sergeant Ekkehardt a chance she hurried into the barracks with her friend and brother, stopping at the door and looking around their quarters despondently. Most every bed was already claimed and the few she could see open were single at best, was she going to have to sleep with a stranger? Even after three years Ki'te had trouble doing that and there was no way she could do it now, not with all of the stress and tension built up in her. Desperately clinging to Koto's sleeve she smiled with relief when Samara found them a trio of bunks available, rushing ahead of her brother and quickly throwing her belongings up on the top bunk.

Scrambling up onto her bunk Ki'te went about trying to organize her bed, managing to get two corners of her sheets and finding herself struggling with the others. After the third corner was secured she attempted to hold down the fourth only for the third to spring back off and comically latch onto her head. Sighing in defeat she peeled the sheet off and had to stretch to fasten both at the same time, satisfied when they seemed secure at last. Putting her remaining belongings into a somewhat haphazard pile in the corner of her bunk she shimmied to the edge and sat, legs dangling down as she looked at Koto worriedly.

"That's not our job though, we're here to kill Titans..." Ki'te muttered, though she didn't know which was a better alternative. Biting her lip she leaned forward and rubbed her hands together, her legs swaying idly as she looked at Samara. "They're not going to make us do that... R-right, Samara? If they n-needed more they would have taken more from our v-village." Unless of course there were other villages which had been visited like their own. Curiously however they were the only ones native to the mountains that were here, either that or they were being kept even more to the shadows than they were. Ki'te sincerely hoped they wouldn't have to do something so unsavory, it had pained her greatly to have to leave home and she would never want to inflict that onto someone else. Like Koto she didn't know if she could do it, order or no. She'd take whatever punishment they wanted to give before she ever agreed to do something so horrible.

By now Ki'te should by all rights be used to the sound of their superiors screaming at them. And yet when Sergeant Ekkehardt bellowed and demanded everyone present themselves she jumped and nearly fell out of her bunk, catching herself on the frame and frowning worriedly. Had someone messed up already? It wasn't uncommon for someone's mistake to be made an example of for everyone but they'd just graduated, what could someone have done? Not wanting to incur the wrath of their sergeant upon herself Ki'te slid down from her bunk and followed the others outside, wondering why in the world they were being summoned here. Standing at attention when a corporal barked at them she stiffened up, glancing back and forth worriedly as she awaited whatever command they were going to be given. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted another woman approaching their group, one whom she didn't recognize whatsoever from any point of their training. Upon the woman's jacket was the same symbol as theirs and immediately Ki'te realized who it was, her heart catching in her throat as she watched the woman stand before them all seeming rather angry. That woman was their Captain... Wasn't it? If someone that high a rank was calling them out...

"Good job everyone, your ability to follow simple instructions will be the savior of humanity yet..." It was a wisecrack and yet there wasn't a single hint of humor to Stella's tone as she spoke, standing before the ensemble of recruits with a tired look upon her face. That she'd have to come back from a mission so abruptly to take care of these children when Sergeant Ekkehardt was perfectly capable of rounding them up herself. Looking through the ranks she paused at a pair of men that were talking among themselves, gritting her teeth and stepping through the ranks to reach them. One of the men noticed immediately and swiftly went to attention, the other however was too busy chatting with his friend. Grabbing the boy by the collar of the shirt she swept a leg out from under him and dropped him to the ground in the blink of an eye, wrenching his arm behind his back with her foot planted squarely on the small of his back.

"Perhaps I spoke to soon, it seems I interrupted something extremely important with my visit," Stella muttered, narrowing her eyes as the recruit writhed beneath her. Tightening her grip she frowned and looked around at the surrounding recruits, her eyes settling on the boy's friend. "Care to tell me what was so important? I'm not terribly patient, take too long and I may accidentally dislocate your friend's arm here." The boy opened and closed his mouth idiotically like a fish but failed to produce anything remotely similar to coherent speech. He was perfectly capable of it though, she knew he was since the fool was blathering away just a second ago. Rolling her eyes she pulled on the boy's arm and ignored his pleas for her to stop, relaxing her hold only when another recruit spoke up.

"Th-they were wondering why we were m-mustered, ma'am!" another recruit explained hastily, feeling themselves shrink under the Captain's gaze. Nervously glancing at others around them and finding none would support her the recruit continued, "We were all w-wondering why, that's all..."

"I was going to get to that before these morons interrupted me. Try being patient and you'll be told what you need to know." Letting go of the boy's arm Stella turned on her heel and took her place again before the rest of the class, ordering the boy's friend to get him to his feet and back into position. That she was passing up a chance to clear out a den of Titans for this... "Now listen, those who are present are now members of the 72nd Expansion Battalion. You belong to a branch of the Survey Corps that, for all intents and purposes, does not exist. Our job is to take on assignments and go deeper into uncharted territory than most of the Survey Corps will go, and to take on missions that they, while under the eye of the branch leaders and the King, cannot. Everything we do we do under secrecy and that means absolutely no speaking of our work to anyone else." Looking at the pair of boys still recollecting themselves Stella frowned and continued, "Though I know that may be hard for some of you I trust you'll learn to remain silent when told."

"I'm not going to lie to any of you, our job is not easy. We have one of the highest mortality rates in the military and I would be amazed if half of this class makes it back alive by the year's end." And as expected that little disclaimer sent the class into something of a frenzy. Most who could spoke out in protest, shouting and demanding reassignment and decrying the insanity of their mission. Others were too stunned or in disbelief and simply stood there, gaping like clowns or trying not to break. Sighing through her nose Stella reached into her back pocket and pulled out a pistol, raising it over her head and firing a single shot to silence everyone. "Whether this is fair or not isn't my problem, my problem is making sure the missions we're given are complete. And understand this: Yes, some of you will die. But I do not send my people out on suicide missions, and I do everything in my power to ensure people survive. Every mission we undertake I will be there alongside you fighting, and so will your comrades. Take heart in knowing that you're not alone on the battlefield, and prepare to give it too, if need be."

Could she be done with the speeches already? People still seemed to be rather upset over the harsh truth she'd delivered and no little consolation was going to change that. While Stella had been truthful in that she would be present for every mission it wasn't as though she could personally see to every individual's survival. Casualties were a fact of life and that was especially true in their group, you had to accept that and work regardless. Growing annoyed as murmurs broke out in the ranks again she resisted firing her weapon again and instead, slammed her hand down on a low table, quickly silencing everyone again. "If you have questions Sergeant Ekkehardt will answer them. Don't ask for reassignment, you won't be given it, and don't try weaseling out of this either. If you're here then you deserve it and that's final. Appreciate you've at least been given a chance." With that she turned and made her way back to her tent, hardly caring that Ava was doubtless about to be flooded with questions and demands. That was her job as the intermediary, she could babysit until the missions came.

High casualty rate? Ki'te had known that much just by being in the Survey Corps, but to be told it was even worse in this place was heartbreaking. Looking around at several of the crestfallen recruits she wondered just how many faces would be gone before the year was through. Would she make it? Samara would, of that she had no doubt, and as long as he didn't die trying to save her Koto would too. She would have to do everything in her power then not to drag them down, easier said than done of course. "W-W-Well... At least w-we're going to stay t-together..." she said weakly, tears welling up in her eyes as she smiled at the others, "Th-that's good, right?"

Adelon: Steeling the Faith [Open!]

Ethan uttered something unintelligible as he stumbled backwards with Nymira, turning around and fixing his shirt once he was freed from her grasp. "He's probably hungry too, we all had a lot of work today! Let's go fill our bellies and then we can get cracking at this training, he won't mind. Right Kensen? Maybe you can show us some good places around here!" Everyone had their own preferences for food, he himself loved poultry and Nymira seemed to usually go for the more gamey meats, though maybe that was just a result of her traveling. With Amuné and Wyth having gone off with Cecil to train that was two less mouths to feed, which made everything easier. Of course there was the matter of Adrian too, if he was going to join them then it was only fair he dine with them as well! Looking back to find Adrian and realizing how far behind the other man was Ethan stopped in his tracks and waited, beaming as he waved in greeting when Adrian rejoined him. "We're going to grab a bite to eat before we train, want something? It's our treat!" he explained as he clapped Adrian on the back, "Maybe you know some good places around here? I mean we only just arrived yesterday and haven't been to much besides Taliya's place, think you can show us around?"

"Oh, by the way! In case you still didn't get all of our names I'm Ethan, and you met Nymira earlier. I know she can be a little... Difficult," Ethan stressed the last word with a smile and laugh - a strained laugh at that - as plenty more could be said about Nymira. "She's a good person though, I promise. Maybe you can't talk to her much but she'll help you when you're in trouble, no doubt. The little girl and her pet are Amuné and Wyth, and our Machina friend is called Cecil. I figure if you're going to be with us you should know our names huh?" They needed to be friendly to potential comrades, he figured that someone like Nymira who was trying to forge alliances would know that better than anyone. She'd been friendly enough with the mayor but even then only enough that the guards didn't hall them off, anyone who wasn't potentially a leader of sorts got the cold shoulder. "So uh... You're from the Church huh? I kind of figured Lionel was just kidding but..." Ethan trailed off slightly as he looked ahead, his mouth pulled in a thin line as he thought carefully about his words. You killed Cedric huh?. Not directly of course but by association, and yet he knew there was no way Adrianna had personally done it, and throwing the death of his friend on someone new certainly wasn't going to make them on good terms. Shaking his head he flashed Adrianna a smile and shrugged his shoulders, "Whatever happened in the past is in the past, right? The future's all yours now! That's all that matters now!"

"He'll try to make friends of our enemies before long..." Nymira grumbled irritably as she overheard Ethan prattling to Adrianna. There was being cordial when the situation demanded it and then there was simply being idiotic, Ethan quite comfortably belonged to the latter. No amount of traveling with him was ever going to make watching him bumble about, befriending people at every turn any less bewildering. Having comrades was good, foolishly placing your trust in every single person who so much as said hello? Pinching the bridge of her nose she closed her eyes and muttered to herself about having patience, looking at Kensen after a moment with a frown.

"I meant to ask... That man Gage, was it wise to leave him with Amuné? Cecil is there but he'll be joining Norman, and the child is far from a warrior, even with that animal of hers. And I've not gotten the impression Gage is a man who does well with children." Or people, he had less social graces than most anyone she'd ever seen. He also wandered around like a man who had grown far too big for his own blade and thought he had the run of the place. He'd been capable during their encounter with the beasts to be sure, rather capable actually given he never seemed to use magic, but that didn't earn him the right to act like the arrogant swine he was. He had zero respect for her or anyone save perhaps their leader. "At least we seem to be in agreement on one matter: That man is a nuisance."

Listening to this machine and the little girl prattle on was beginning to make Gage ill. Why was this even a discussion? Yes Cecil was a highly unusual Machina and far more emotional than any he'd seen before but ultimately that was all the boy was: a Machina. Calling him "boy" even was pushing it when Cecil was the equivalent of the prosthetic limb Gage himself possessed. Running a hand along his face and groaning aloud as Amuné went on a tirade about feelings and emotions he quickened his pace and stood behind the pair, narrowing his eyes as he cleared his throat loudly.

"Listen you little shites, quit blabbering about things that don't matter none, will you? You're giving me a headache and we haven't even started your training yet," Gage grumbled irritably, throwing Wyth a look that dared him to bare his fangs against him. "And don't even try it you cat, I've killed beasts meaner than you while on my ass drunk, you won't even be worth it." He was not here to make friends with any of them, he wasn't here to console anyone and he sure as hell wasn't here to listen to some little girl and her pet robot have a heart to... Whatever Machina had. That said he did feel like he should say something if only to keep them from continuing on this obnoxious trail of thought they'd been on.

"Cecil, you're a Machina, end of story. If you feel emotions then that's how you were built, that's all. Yes you're not human, you're not a living being, get over it. We die, we tire, we age and we grow weak. Machina will never die as long as you're not destroyed, so its a trade off. If I had my way I'd be a damn machine like you, save me a shitload of trouble if I didn't have to worry about so much..." As if to prove a point Gage placed a hand on the back of his neck and rolled it, popping joints audibly with a groan. Stepping past Cecil and Amuné then he gestured over his shoulder for them to follow as he headed for Norman's shop. "Accept what you are and move on, ain't no use in whining about what can't be changed. Make peace with it and everything will be a lot easier."

Attack on Titan: Reclamation

That was it, they were done weren't they? Despite them doing their best and Samara and Koto excelling Ki'te was positive they were going to be thrown out. And if they failed then that meant their village was forfeit as well, everyone's lives were at risk because they hadn't been adequate enough. In the pit forming in her gut was the sneaking suspicion that their failure rested squarely on her shoulders too, she'd single handedly brought down her brother and friend, and their entire people. Samara excelled with the 3ODM gear and Koto, while he lacked in that regard, was a proven and highly capable fighter. Her? She merely stood in their shadow and tried, poorly, to emulate their successes. And yet emulation hadn't been enough it seemed, not of their current predicament was at all telling. Feeling her chest tightening and her anxiety rising she was shaken when Koto approached her, looking up at her brother with wide eyes.

"B-But... Why? We did everything they s-said, we tried our best..." Ki'te's words came as little more than muttered pleas as she cast her gaze down, grasping tightly at the cloth of her shirt, "We're not animals... Why do they t-treat us like animals..." Every single one of them was human regardless of birthplace or origin, no matter what crimes they may have committed or who they swore fealty to. While that may be the reality it appeared that no one cared for it, instead seeing fit to live in their own world. Those with fairer skin, those who lived within the walls, they were superior. It mattered not that Ki'te scored higher generally on aptitude tests than most of them, or that Samara could quite literally swing circles around others, or even that Koto, inch for inch, was stronger than nearly every other recruit. No, simply because they looked different, because they were outsiders, that alone was enough to justify treating them this way. It was something Ki'te had been told countless times over the past few years and yet it didn't make stomaching that any easier.

While Ki'te had hoped someone might come and fetch them she'd have preferred someone a bit... Nicer, to do so. Jumping out of her skin when the whistle pierced the silence she shot upright reflexively and stood at attention, her jaw taut as she fought to keep herself from trembling. So they were under her command then and were to follow her so soon, why? Why weren't they allowed time to celebrate or even rest? Far too high strung to even think of arguing Ki'te fell in line with her brother and friend, keeping her head low as they marched from the building. Now where were they off to? The barracks? The ceremony? No, she doubted either, but she couldn't imagine where Sergeant Ekkehardt might be taking them.

Eyes downcast and focused on the ends of her shoes she'd barely noticed when Sergeant Ekkehardt broke rank and approached them, gasping and reflexively grabbing onto Koto's arm. Was she... Sympathizing with them? On one hand it sounded as though she might be trying to console them and reassure them everything would be okay. And yet just as swift as the sergeant was to console them she made a very clear threat as well: try and leave and you'll be cut down. Ki'te's blood ran cold through her veins because she knew the woman meant every word of it, as if she or anyone needed any more reason to kill her or the others. Nodding numbly and muttering a faint "Yes ma'am," she exchanged a worried look with Koto and Samara, more concerned about the latter and her constant threats to try sneaking her and Koto back home. It wasn't even a matter of what happened to them anymore, was it? If they escaped, successful or not, their whole village was at risk. They couldn't leave... The only way they would get out would be by dying in the line of duty.

And with that they were left alone again. While they had some idea of what to do with themselves now Ki'te could hardly say she felt any more at ease. They hadn't been dropped out of the program, far from it, and the knowledge they remained soldiers came as both a comfort and a fright. No one had said why they were removed from the rest of the class nor why this woman, who none of them had ever seen before, was in charge of them. Just what were they doing? Holding her hands tightly to her chest she tried to smile, looking at Koto and Samara both as she rubbed her thumbs together. "W-Well... Looks like we're still in!" she laughed meekly, glancing over her shoulder at the tent where their uniforms awaited them. "I guess we should go get our things... I mean we want to m-make sure it fits, r-right?"

A new bunch of recruits, and with them came another headache of training the whole lot of them. Would they last longer than the others? It was doubtful, very few made it through 72nd in one piece. In fact the only other person that had emerged from the previous iteration, the leader aside, was Sergeant Ekkehardt. Considering that 72nd had consisted of no less than 15 members altogether that was an abysmal survival rate by anyone's standards and went to show how maniacal the missions they were assigned tended to be. There might be pity for the new recruits if most hadn't earned their place here one way or another. Criminals with no other recourse and staving off execution were a familiar case with their group and it hardly mattered if they lived or died, callous as that may sound. No, the few that warranted even a shred of pity were the outsiders, and yet deserving though they may be the Captain felt none for them. They had been dealt a poor hand and dragged into a situation beyond their control, and doubtless it would be the death of them, but there was nothing for them. She couldn't be bothered to feel anything, not when they'd probably be dead in a week.

They would be gathering the recruits soon and that meant addressing them and finally filling them in on just what their assignment would be. Some would break then and there, there was always a few who did, and one might even try to flee. Like it or not this was their life now and they would see through it to the end no matter what, whether that was through earning their freedom, the end of her blade or through the teeth of a Titan. Stepping out from her personal quarters, a ramshackle tent on the edge of the encampment, her eyes narrowed slightly seeing her sergeant wandering among the recruits. Why was she letting them meander about? They had an explanation due to these kids and they should be gathered together for it, not wandering about like hapless cattle.

"I'm assuming you were on your way to get them ready, sergeant?" Though void of personal animosity Captain Stella's voice was cold as she spoke, near emotionless save for the faint hint of annoyance that colored it. Looking down at her subordinate she placed on hand on her hip and simply stared as though awaiting an answer, but before any could be provided Stella waved her hand in dismissal. "Get them together and be quick about it, I want to get this over with. They still need to get their uniforms and be assigned to their bunks, we have enough to do without wasting time gathering them together."

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

"Just like that. I know it seems intimidating but you can do this, if I didn't think so then I never would have brought you here." Yusef would never ask any of his men to do something he himself could not, even more so his own son. Was it still dangerous? Of course, it was potentially fatal if T'charrl made a wrong move and ended up being smashed against the rocks. All of the safety precautions in the world could only do so much and there was a very good chance the only thing between T'charrl and an early grave might be Haku. Grim tidings aside they were starting with a much easier exercise, one that at worst would result in a bump or bruise, and only once they had worked out even the most basic aspects would they work their way up to the harder exercises. "If its of any consolation the winds at the bottom of the chasm are far less violent," the General explained as T'charrl got into position, "The rocks at the bottom help to break up the winds and its wider as well, more area for the winds to spread out in. It's nothing you haven't dealt with before while flying, so just focus on keeping your posture for now, you'll do just fine my son."

----------

"If it makes you feel better people ain't exactly lining up to train me either buddy. I mean we're pretty strong too so I doubt just anyone can train us, you know? I bet old man Roshi couldn't train us now, we're probably leagues above what he can work with." Shu being able to change didn't have anything to do with it far as Takeshi was concerned. Sure the little guy could change if he got pushed and it'd take someone really strong to deal with him, but even when not transformed Shu was a bit much for most people. As lousy as this arrangement of theirs was Shu didn't appear to mind it at all, he was only focused on getting stronger and everything else be damned. Scratching his cheek and looking at Shu curiously the older boy shrugged his shoulders, smiling as he placed his hands on his hips. "Fine, we'll get better at fighting together. If it means we can kick this asshole's butt a little then I'm all for it. Uh... By the way..." Takeshi added, trailing off for a moment as he looked away and rubbed at his neck before smiling nervously at his brother, "You're... Not still mad about the whole tournament thing, are ya? I mean I've apologized like a dozen times by now..."

Attack on Titan: Reclamation

What kind of future did most women envision themselves having? In the village and for a woman of her birth, Ki'te would most likely have become a mother in a few years time. Her father, the best hunter in the village, would have easily earned the favor of another prominent member and gotten her a great husband. She may have her first child within a few years and be on her way to helping raise the next generation. Were women here within the walls similar? Her view of them had been very limited and what few she did see reciprocated her curiosity with their own, and often followed swiftly by disdain. She had heard women outside of the military and even a few within refer to her in less than friendly terms: brutish, unclean, a seductress, uncultured harpy, and those were just what she could repeat in polite company.

Graduation did little to help her standing with her peers any either. While she, Samara and Koto did well enough to reach the top 10 recruits they would receive no recognition for their efforts nor be permitted to take part in the ceremony. As if it wasn't bad enough they had been stolen away from their homes now they were even being treated like second class soldiers, shown no consideration for their efforts and ushered aside while the remaining members of their class took part in the formal ceremony. Of a class of nearly 100 recruits almost a dozen had been cast aside including them, for reasons not explained to any of them. Had they done something wrong? Had they actually failed somehow? Ki'te had been so confident that at least Koto and Samara would end up on the top of the class but both of them had been thrown aside as well. Why was this happening to them?

Though a serious matter the ceremony proper had been well lit with several prominent members of society and the military alike present. The head of every branch would be there to sort out the recruits and assign them posts, none of that would be provided for Ki'te and the others. Instead of standing proudly among their classmates they had been sent to a dimly lit building just off of the training grounds, hardly large enough to house half a dozen people, much less twice that, and told to wait. Save for two soldiers posted outside the doors they were utterly alone, those present having long since broken up into groups and talking softly among themselves. Seeking refuge in familiar faces Ki'te turned to her brother and Samara, taking a seat along a wall as she pulled her knees up to her chest and passed a somber sigh through her lips.

"I don't understand, we've done all they've asked of us so why are we here? What have we done wrong?" It was a question on everyone's mind but she was the first to voice it. Was it because they were outsiders? Had the military decided not to allow them to enlist after all? What would become of their village if they failed to live up to expectations? Digging her nails into her arm nervously Ki'te chewed her lower lip, her amber eyes darting around the room looking at the faces of those present. Most seemed more confused or annoyed than anxious, she along was showing a great deal of worry over their situation. There had to be a reason for this and yet none was given, they were quite literally left in the dark and meant to wait until further instruction was given. She'd almost prefer to be doing more drills than this, at least with drills you knew what to expect.

Wrapping her arms around her knees she buried her face in them and closed her eyes, mumbling softly to herself to try and calm her nerves. Seriously, if they had failed then what would happen? The ultimatum made that day had been as clear as the summer skies themselves: give us recruits or see your village destroyed. While they had come to enlist they may have been a waste of time for all they knew, meaning the only alternative was... Ki'te's frame shuddered as though a cold wind bit into her and she lifted her head, her eyes shimmering as she stifled tears, looking up at her brother hopefully, then Samara. "We didn't fail, right...? Please tell me we didn't fail..." she whispered weakly, lifting a hand to rub at her face, "We've done our best, surely they can't punish us for that..."

Attack on Titan: Reclamation

Ki'te

Name

Ki'te Roth

Appearance

Art done by the fabulously talented Nuriko-kun!

Age

18

Rank

Private

Background

Ki'te is the youngest child of Batto of the Gora clan, and younger sister to Koto. Everyone in the village was expected to pull their own weight and for women it was no different. Genders scarcely dictated what one's role could be, there were as many women who were warriors as were men and some of the finest artisans were women. However one needed a particular talent to create and Ki'te sorely lacked that, and any more intricate tasks she lacked a particular attention span for. In need of some way to contribute however her elder brother Koto took it upon himself to help her find her place. Like him and their father Ki'te was trained to be a hunter, and with a fair lay of the land from many years of playing she knew the perfect spots already. Of course her skill as a hunter was... Wanting, to be generous. Yet her brother practiced as much patience with her as he did with his craft and after much trial and error she became a capable hunter all her own.

Unfortunately her time as a hunter was limited as was their time with their beloved village. Upon returning from a hunt both Koto and Ki'te were greeted by a pair of unusual looking men dressed in strange clothing, as large as some of their biggest warriors and made of just as stern stuff. Battle was nothing new to their people and they had encountered Titans occasionally but none of their warriors wore the expressions these men bore that day. Utterly hollow, more like walking corpses than actual living beings. After roughly being escorted to the village center their people were given the ultimatum of a lifetime: help in eradicating the Titans or see their village razed to the ground and raided for their supplies. Never before had the village been visited by outsiders nor did anyone recognize the strange equipment they carried, and none dared raise a hand against these men, lest they bring misfortune upon their village. It was with heavy hearts then that the villagers elected to help, and Chieftain Ghiri was informed they would take children to train into soldiers.

No doubt against his own wishes his own daughter Samara had been the first selected, and shortly thereafter Botto's two children, Ki'te and Koto, were selected as well. The youths were easier to train and break than older warriors set in their ways, the men argued, and with but three children the village would be spared. No less than an hour after the decision was made did they depart, bound and carried on the backs of some of the swiftest beasts they had ever seen. Horses they were called, beautiful and yet terrifying creatures for all of their speed and strength. They rode down the mountains and into the valleys, across fields and farther than Ki'te ever thought possible. A tense night was spent in the open under constant alert for Titans, and the following day as the sun rose high above their heads they arrived.

The tall, foreboding presence of the walls had terrified Ki'te at first, more so than the ever-present threat of Titans had in the fields. To her they screamed imprisonment - living freely without any walls to hold you back had not prepared her for this - and her stomach sank as they passed through the gates. Houses pressed so tightly together it was a wonder people could walk between them, cobbled roads, more people than 10 villages combined, so this was how the other people lived. Their lives as they had known them had ceased to exist now, they would spend the rest of them, however brief that may be, bound within these walls. They would be soldiers, forced to fight for a people they did not know and unable to help their village survive. Ki'te's will broke that day and were it not for the presence of Koto and Samara she may well have taken her own life at first chance.

Stella

Name

Stella Brandt

Appearance

Art done by the fabulously talented xXSada-chanXx!

Age

29

Rank

Captain

Background

Much has to be sacrificed when fighting a threat like the Titans. Soldiers are thrown into battle almost as whimsically as a gambler rolls the die, countless resources are pooled to support expeditions, and for what? Had Stella been asked shortly after enlistment then she would have wholeheartedly answered "For humanity's future!" Having been enamored by Commander Erwin Smith's vigor and his unwavering belief humanity would triumph, Stella would have gladly given everything she had to further the Commander's dream. Now? You'd be lucky to get so much as a single coin for the effort.

Like it or not however she was a soldier, abandoning her post was out of the question and so too was trying to have Erwin removed from his place in command. The Survey Corps had known more success beneath Erwin than any other commander and yet it was still not enough. Too many lives spent, too many fat, sheltered pigs within the walls willing to throw money at them and demand they march forth. For what? To kill a handful of the seemingly endless Titans? The Commander might be able to spin a positive out of each expedition and indeed they learned more of their enemy day by day, battle by battle. But they would run out of bodies to fight before they ever came close to achieving victory. After half a dozen excursions beyond the walls Stella's once glowing enthusiasm had been reduced to little more than embers, hope replaced with a deadening nihilism; humanity was dead, they just didn't know it yet.

Her disdain for the expeditions and lack of faith would invariably lead to insubordination on Stella's part. On her final excursion she demanded that her people withdraw early and refused to sacrifice lives for a seemingly lost cause, and as a result two squadrons were torn to shreds in what was one of the Survey Corps' most devastating battles to date. Regardless of intent the fact remained clear: countless were dead due to Stella's orders, countless soldiers whose lives should never have been lost. Though she possessed the rank of Captain it meant little in the face of the Commander and the King, no amount of authority she carried could outweigh their word. Most people who had done what she had would be executed without trial after being branded a coward, probably have their corpse paraded through the streets or defiled, humiliated and degraded. Yet Erwin had known that despite her folly she had talent, talent far too crucial to waste. At the same time however punishment was needed and he had just the idea in mind.

As a result of the Survey Corps' losses, criminals, conscripts and people who lived beyond the walls were brought in to train and fight. Most would go to the regular ranks, Erwin explained, but some would be set aside for another purpose - a purpose which made Stella's gut churn in anger - and yet one that was utterly necessary. She would retain her rank despite all that had transpired and she would continue to command troops, only now in a much different capacity.

No contingent like the 72nd Expansion Brigade had existed before, at least not officially. Nor would this iteration of it, lovingly dubbed the "suicide unit" by those in the know. Former criminals and some of the conscripts who showed promise would be sent to this unit under Stella's command and they would be assigned missions deemed too dangerous, too risky for even the likes of the Survey Corps. For a woman who loathed to place her troops in undue danger there could be no greater punishment and yet duty demanded she carry out her orders. Bitter, betrayed and furious she went to her new post to watch over the recruits that would one day be her soldiers, determined to learn each and every one of their names before they'd even graduated. If Erwin and the others thought they would all die in some blaze of glory then they'd be damned, she'd see that each and every member of her squad came back alive, no matter what.

Attack on Titan: Reclamation

Saving this for actual important stuff!

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

"Uh... I d-don't know anything about genes, but I know you're s-strong, T'charrl. I've seen you fight plenty enough to k-know that," Haku said with a weak laugh, rubbing at his neck as he looked at his friend. He'd been both an ally and an enemy to his friend which was probably something not many could claim for themselves. He knew firsthand how terrifyingly powerful T'charrl could be when he wanted to, and when he didn't want to be as well. If, no... When T'charrl mastered that power for himself he was going to be as powerful as any Saiyan out there easily. They'd all seen what he could do and now it was just a matter of T'charrl believing how strong he could actually be. Smiling as Yusef came down to rejoin them he had to ask about the training as well, something just didn't seem right. If it was strength training that T'charrl needed why were they doing this? Why not something like sparring, or lifting weights, the sorts of things they did on Kortal?

"We planned on having him fly with heavy loads to build strength at first, it probably would be easier than this too," Yusef admitted as he drummed a claw against his chin, "But then we spoke we your friend Vegeta, and a man named Aito. He they are both intelligent and Aito called himself a doctor so we decided to ask what he thought about training and what the most effective way to build muscle might be. He and Renthal agreed an exercise using most of the body made sense, and just flying with weights wasn't going to do that. Vegeta suggested then we try swimming, which our people... Don't exactly do. But with that idea in mind we thought of flying against powerful winds, it would be like flying against a current, no? So we decided something like this would be best. King Nema found a location for use to use and the rest you know." They were certainly gracious for the aid his son's friends had provided them, with everyone's combined efforts surely T'charrl was going to be able to accomplish this.

"Of course... One doesn't begin at the top with training and work their way down, we start on the ground and climb up. That is exactly what you'll be doing starting today, my son." Yusef moved back towards the chasm and stood at the side of it, smiling as he gestured T'charrl and Haku forward. From where they stood gentle gusts were all that could be felt, but surely once you stepped inside they would be stronger. "To start you'll simply stand in the chasm and try to resist the wind. If you cannot stand against it then flying will be impossible," the general explained, taking pause as workers above called down that their work had concluded. Nodding graciously and waving to them he moved into the chasm and with his back to the wind stood still, folding his arms as a gust assaulted him. Though he leaned forward slightly Yusef did not move, and when the wind died down did he finally relax. "You can face the wind or put your back to it, the point is to learn to maintain body posture against a force. After you do that then we'll move to the next step, but this is where we begin, understand?"

----------

Seriously though, how did anyone expect them to be okay with training with Krom? Even if Takeshi himself ended up going along with it the guy had been one of those responsible for Shu's torture, why did anyone think being with a guy like that was a good idea? And yet when Takeshi turned the question on his brother he was defiant, clamoring that he needed the training regardless and that he needed the training. Sighing as scratched his cheek the older boy shook his head, frowning as he looked towards the doors. "It's not I don't want you to train buddy, I just don't want it to be with him, you know? I mean of all the guys who could do it whys it gotta be this jerk?" If Shu was okay with it then he really ought not to be complaining but that didn't mean he had to like it. Muttering to himself about what a lousy arrangement it was Takeshi put on a smile and put an arm around Shu's shoulders. "How about we just spar a bit before he shows up? Just a warm up, you know? Get all loose and whatever before he starts working us like dogs." Just what exactly was Krom going to have them do anyway? They vaguely knew it was meant to help Shu not fly off the handle and transform but that was about it, no one had really gone into the specifics with them.

Under the Light of a Crimson Moon

"Teach me...? What, you're going to teach me?" Kael pressed incredulously, smiling bitterly as he shook his head and looked at the dancing flames before him, "Or do you mean this Maria woman? I don't imagine she'll be any happier to hear about what happened to our Master." There was a comment to Josephine's suggestion she could so easily kill him but he let it pass, having no desire to argue over the fact. He would welcome death if she wanted to give it to him, and if he was forced to live then he'd devote himself to making sure she reached this woman. Hardly caring for his own life any longer he leaned forward and reached out, adjusting a stray branch into the flames and watching as it was eaten away. The sight of their master going up in a storm of blood was burned into his mind not unlike the fire swallowing the branches before him, engulfed and furious. Shame that alcohol was so difficult to find or he could indulge and with luck forget if only for a moment what he'd done. Call it cowardice to not face his failure but he wanted no part of it.

Kael flinched as something was thrown his way and awkwardly caught the bound book, arching an eyebrow at it as Josephine explained its contents. Was this their master's journal? Wasn't that sort of... Personal? Doing as he was told he opened up to the page and skimmed the writing between the pages, his eyes widening with each passing sentence. No doubt about it then, either their master was delusional from a feverish dream or Josephine was indeed his daughter. So he had killed her father then, her second father, or was it her first? Semantics aside it was a feeling that Kael himself knew all too well and not a day went by that he didn't miss his family, having watched them torn away from him by his own father, twisted into the very beast they had hunted. The agony of loss was something many knew these days and yet not everyone empathized with one another, most shut themselves off and became isolated and hostile, far and few between showed any compassion. Whether through a blessing or a curse he was one of the latter.

"Don't worry, I hate myself right now too so it's mutual. If we're both lucky I'll end up beast food before we reach the Clocktower." They shouldn't be resting here no matter how much their hearts ached and their bodies heavy, sitting here invited the beasts to set upon them. Traveling unguided by their master would have made Kael ecstatic any other day and today it merely filled him with a sense of dread. "If you're not going to kill me yet then fine, that means I'm doing my job. Which means get up..." Grabbing his weapon from the floor Kael released the string and broke his blade into two, his legs like iron as he forced himself to walk towards the edge of the building. Peering around the two corners he remained silent for a moment, making certain nothing was nearby before returning to Josephine. "If we're resting it will be inside a building, staying outside would be inviting death..." he muttered as he gestured for Josephine to rise, "And I'll be damned if I fail my job on the first night..."

Adelon: Steeling the Faith [Open!]

If Nymira had to explain herself to Amuné then she wouldn't waste her breath. She was not being mean or even berating the Machina, it was more like imploring him not to be so ready to throw himself in harm's way. Machine or no he was still among them as an equal, as one of her unofficial retainers and she'd be damned if they just threw themselves in front of her. Nor did she wish for it, though she tried not to put too much stock into it there was a matter of her pride to attend to and it had already been partly shattered by the Varuna. How could she be a proud warrior if she was needing to be saved every day? She would train to become stronger and not need saving, no self respecting leader should need to be rescued like some helpless child.

"We all have training to do Cecil but a meal won't delay that too terribly much. If you want to join us you're more than welcome, even if you don't eat." Nymira was trying to be nice to the Machina and instead he was turning away at every offer. It was so much easier when you could just order people to do things and they'd obey, but without actually being in her service such a thing wasn't going to happen. Raising a hand to make another point the Dimuran frowned at a knock of the door and turned expecting to see Kensen or Gage come to fetch them. Ah... That man from before, what was his name again? Watching the boy address them uncertainly then go silent she rolled her eyes and looked back at Cecil, shrugging her shoulders and rubbing at her forehead. Whether they were off to eat or train she just wished to get moving, daylight was being wasted and so too was time to forward their journey.

No clear objective or plan had been laid out but they'd have time for that yet, Mutebo would probably be their home for a few days if not a week. And though both her and Ethan were still weary from their trial training and improving themselves was much too enticing a proposition to pass up, fatigue be damned. Cecil and Amuné were the first out of the room and a perturbed Gage was hot on their heels, clearly annoyed at having to spend his day with a child. If that man didn't learn to breath he was going to stress himself to death. Nodding for Ethan to leave as well Nymira stepped out herself and closed the door behind her, hardly giving Adrianna a passing glance as the two of them headed towards the doors with Kensen in tow. Much to her chagrin Adrianna wasn't finished with them yet and had a question for them as well, one she would much prefer not to answer right now. Yet if she didn't speak up Ethan certainly would and that clown would readily accept another member no matter what.

The name Midkemia meant nothing to the Dimuran and Ethan's bewildered echo of the name said he didn't either. So another crime ridden place like so many others it seemed, it was a wonder the kingdom didn't tear itself apart with how rampant criminals seemed to be. If a Dimuran acted out in the way many criminals here did they'd be thrown in a pit, lose a hand or be killed, there was little tolerance for criminal activity when simply surviving some days could be challenge enough. So it had been that woman Taliya who had planted the absurd idea in this man's head, she'd have to remember to thank her for that "pleasantry". As if trying to give them an incentive to accept Adrianna's help he offered to act as their healer, to which Nymira promptly turned up her nose and grit her teeth in distaste. While it wouldn't be a terrible thing to have someone who could bandage them and provide traditional treatment she was certain Adrianna had every intent to use magic, something which she'd more than made her position on clear already.

"We all have our own business to see to. Are you asking us to postpone our own travels simply because it would be convenient for you?" Pleasantries be damned if Adrianna thought asking nicely was enough to get them to oblige her. Stopping in her tracks and standing before the healer she crossed her arms, looking up at Adrianna defiantly as she scowled. "We have had trouble with the Church, yes, and I understand you're from it as well. Whether you're still their ally or not doesn't concern me, but if someone is after you too then we will not protect you, that is not our job. Nor can we help you with whatever it is you're after, we're busy enough as it is."

Ethan had come to a halt when he'd realized it was only him and Kensen still walking, asking the Dimuran to wait as he hurried back to Nymira and Adrianna. Whatever the two were talking about Nymira didn't seem at all pleased with, and he'd only just caught the tail end of the conversation when he'd arrived. Adrianna was wanting to travel with them too then was it? He could understand and respect Nymira's problem with a healer even if he thought it was a bit counter-intuitive but that aside what reason did they have to deny him? If Adrianna was willing to do the work and could be helpful there wasn't any reason to deny them their request.

"Oh come on Nymira, it's not like we didn't have other people with us before," Ethan urged gently, smiling as the Dimuran shot him an angry glance. Counting off on his fingers he continued, "Let's see... We had Asta, and then Zander and Geoffrey too. This is the smallest our group's been even so what's the problem with one more? Besides if Adrian is from the cities then he'll know how to get there and back, something none of us know how to do," Ethan pointed out, grinning as he gestured to himself, "Unless you want me to handle that?" For once his ineptitude at finding directions paid off, the very idea of him leading them to the cities and through them was enough to make Nymira roll her eyes and turn away, muttering something about "incompetence" under her breath. Ethan hardly cared though as she seemed to fold to his argument, and with a smile he extended a hand towards Adrianna cheerfully. "I think that means you're one of us now! But uh... You do know we're not leaving right away, yeah? We have training to do and that's going to take a few days at least. So long as you're okay with that..."

"If he means to travel with us then he has no choice, he can wait," Nymira interrupted curtly, looking over at Kensen before grabbing the back of Ethan's shirt and pulling him along, "Come now, we're going to make our dear instructor angry. Let's be done with this so we can eat."