Attack on Titan: A Warrior of Devils Chapter 16 (The Breach of Trost) (Patreon)

With a commanding voice, he bellowed, "Dedicate your hearts!" His words hung in the air for a moment before the cadets responded in unison, their voices ringing out with conviction and patriotism.

They stood at attention, their arms snapping up in a crisp salute.

"Yes, sir!"

The sound of their unified response echoed through the training ground, filling Shadis with pride and hope for Humanity's future.

As Shadis went on with his detailed explanation of how all the trainees who successfully passed the rigorous training corps could select three preferred military branches, Jaime's mind wandered off, uninterested in the other options. He couldn't help but fixate on the only Branch that truly mattered to him, the Survey Corps.

"Number ten is Sasha Blouse." The relief that flooded through her was overwhelming, and she let out a deep sigh as the weight of her worry lifted off her shoulders. She knew she would never again have to worry about going hungry.

"Number nine is Connie Springer." The Shorty sighed in relief; he couldn't wait to see his parent's faces; he knew they would be proud of him.

"Number eight is Marco Bott." With a swift movement, Marco wiped away the beads of sweat from his forehead. With a confident smile, he stepped forward, knowing he could serve the king.

"Number seven is Jean Kirstein." Jean couldn't help but glare at Eren, knowing the suicidal bastard had shown better skills than him, but nonetheless, he was looking forward to joining the Military Police.

"Number six is Eren Yeager." Despite not being in the top five, his green eyes gleamed with determination, knowing the time had come to fulfill his promise and kill all the Titans.

"Number five is Bertolt Hoover." his back was straight, and his eyes were fixed firmly on the horizon; he couldn't help but look up at the sky, wondering how much longer this mission would last.

"Number four is Annie Leonhart." Her face remained stoic, and she did not bother to look at anyone around her.

"Number Three is Reiner Braun." He glanced briefly at Krista before looking south, knowing all this would end soon, and he would return home to his family.

"Number Two is Mikasa Ackerman." The girl wasn't surprised to hear that; everyone knew who would be the best of them.

"Number One is Jaime." Now that he was officially a soldier, he took a deep breath. He could start the first step: Liberating Wall Maria.

The top 10 cadets lined up in perfect formation, their uniforms crisp and their faces determined. The instructor stood at the front of the line, his eyes scanning each cadet as they saluted him in unison.

With a resounding voice, Shadis told them that tonight was a special night, a night for celebration, as they had just become soldiers and were now ready to give their lives for Humanity. The majority of the new soldiers cheered; their hearts swelled with pride and excitement. Among them was Sasha, her eyes shining with elation. But, as her stomach growled hungrily, she couldn't help but think of the delicious meat dishes she could now enjoy.

As the new soldiers marched into their common room, the atmosphere was filled with a mix of excitement and apprehension. For the past three years, this room had been their sanctuary, a place where they had shared countless meals, laughs, and camaraderie as cadets.

It didn't take long for the party to start. Jaime sat with Ymir, Krista, Jean, Marco, Sasha, and Connie. The beer and wine were flowing like a river, especially from Ymir, who was holding two jugs in her hands and her right arm around Krista, who looked a little flustered from the close contact with the Freckles girl.

Jaime wondered just how close the two were. He knew something was between them, but he never bothered to point it out; it was their business, not his. If they wanted to tell him what was happening, they knew where to find him.

Jaime looked over his shoulder and saw Annie's familiar blonde hair. She was sitting alone at her table as always, with a jug of beer and the food served to them. Jaime frowned slightly; since yesterday, his girlfriend had been more withdrawn than usual. She was always a little secretive about herself; Jaime wasn't blind; he knew Annie was hiding something from him, but he didn't ask her; he knew he himself had his own demons hiding in his closet, if he weren't willing to share his burdens, then he wouldn't blame Annie for not wanting to share hers, whatever they were.

Jaime escaped his thoughts when he felt an arm around his shoulder. He quickly looked up to see Jean, who was putting his other arm around Marco, who looked a little uneasy. "Hey, look at us. We will become Captains in no time. The Military Police won't know what hit them." Jean announced with a stuttering voice.

Jaime arched an eyebrow before looking over at Marco, who looked just as confused as him.

"Jean, are you already drunk, man? The Party just started!!" Jaime said, a little baffled. Jean wasn't one to drink. Well, he was one of the few who got drunk back at Ymir's birthday, but he got drunk only after hours of celebration, not right away.

"Nah." Jean drawled, his eyes somehow cloudy, before looking at both Jaime and Marco with confusion. "Why are you two glued to me, what do I look like to you? Your Daddy?!" Jean stammered as he tried to push both of them away.

"You wish, is not my fault that no girl wants to call you that." Jaime said with a smirk as he sat near Ymir.

Jean turned bright red as the others nearby laughed, especially Connie, who started slamming his jug against the wooden table, almost breaking it.

"Why are you laughing, Connie? It's not like you have someone." Jean quickly said heatedly, trying to salvage any scrap of face he had left; Connie grumbled before drinking from his jug.

"It's only a matter of time, every girl in the Military Police will learn how handsome I am." Connie boasted, clearly a little drunk.

"Who told you that? Your mom." Jean quickly added as he laughed more. Connie looked embarrassed, suddenly not wanting to stay near them.

"What about you, Jaime? Since you started this, do you have anyone to warm your bed?" Ymir suddenly came out of nowhere, wrapping her arm around his shoulder and bringing him closer to her. Since he was much shorter than her, it looked a little ridiculous.

Jaime grumbled, while Krista looked at Ymir in disapproval for asking such a private question. For the first time, Ymir wasn't paying attention to Krista as she looked down at Jaime with cloudy eyes and a blush on her cheeks. Jaime knew right away she was a little drunk, especially with the smell coming from her mouth.

His purple eyes subconsciously went to the blonde hair that he liked looking at. Annie had told him that she wanted to keep their relationship a secret. He didn't really understand why. There was nothing wrong with that. At least he was sure there was nothing wrong with their friends knowing the two were dating, especially since Ymir would finally shut up about it. But Jaime had agreed to keep it a secret to respect her wish.

"Not yet, Ymir," Jaime said, trying to sound convincing, but it seemed Ymir could see right through him. A smug smile appeared on her freckles face, while Sasha looked delighted to hear Jaime's answer for some reason. Ymir moved Jaime even closer to her. Now, he could feel her annoying breath against his face, especially since she was leaning a bit more forward than usual.

"Ugly Freckles. I appreciate it, but I'm not into giants. You should try to find a Titan." Ymir laughed out loud before moving away, closer to Krista. Jaime could finally breathe easier.

"Jaime, I don't understand why you still want to join the Survey Corps. Come with us to the Military Police. There, you can have food and meat and be safe," Sasha suddenly said out of the blue as she slammed the empty jug on the table. Jaime saw that her second jug was empty, and she blushed.

"She's right, Jaime. Someone like you will be a Captain in no time." Connie added enthusiastically, with hope in his eyes. Jaime couldn't help but not like it; he knew he would have to say 'No' to their offer. Jean was the only one who remained silent; he knew Jaime would not change his mind.

Jaime wasn't one to change his mind so easily; he had waited for this moment for over five years now since the day he left the Underground City and saw the Sun for the first time. When he and Arthur used to live down there, he would see the sunlight sometimes, but not once had he stared at the Sun.

When he walked out of that hole that day, when he had first seen the Sun, the feeling of delight had engulfed him, the feeling of Freedom. A feeling that he wanted to feel once again. He wanted to see everything that one could find out there; he didn't know how much truth there was in Armin's books, but he wanted to see what Armin had described that he had seen in his book.

"No," Jaime said with a voice that made it clear that he wouldn't change his mind. Sasha opened her mouth to say something, but Jaime quickly raised his hand to stop her. "I'm not changing my mind," Jaime added, this time with more strength in his words as he looked at their faces. Krista looked down at her lap. Jaime didn't like seeing her smile disappear; she looked much better when she smiled.

"Since the moment I left that hellhole, all I ever wanted was to go outside, to see the World, the Beauty of it. I can't see any of that if I'm stuck here," Jaime explained confidently. Sasha looked down at her food.

"How do you know that you will live that long, Jaime, I don't want you-" "Sasha. I appreciate your concern. You are a good friend, but I won't die. I will not die until I have seen everything out there. I will Live; I have too many reasons to live." Jaime said with clear ambition and determination in his eyes, his purple eyes glittering, but he didn't notice the way Sasha's face fell when he called her a 'Good Friend.'

"After all, someone has to call you Ugly Freckles," Jaime quickly added in a lighthearted voice. Ymir groaned loudly and tried to push him away from her. This time, Jaime was trying to give her a big side hug. The gesture achieved what Jaime wanted. Connie, Krista, Marco, and Sasha laughed out loud, while Jean merely chuckled as Ymir kept trying to free herself from Jaime's strong hug.

"You are not going anywhere until I give you a hug."

"Shut Up, toddler. How are you so strong?! Krista, help me, dear." Ymir begged, looking at the cute blonde girl with puppy eyes. Much to her horror, Kristan instead pushed her gently against Jaime. Now, both of them hugged her sides. Ymir turned bright red from embarrassment as many laughed at their antics, including Jaime and Krista. Ymir sighed, accepting the hug. If it meant that Jaime and Krista would be happy, she would accept the stupid hug.

Their little moment was interrupted when Eren started discussing the outside world with Jean until Armin came in and told them not to fight, at least today.

"Bowl Head is right. We should drink!" However, Ymir's excitement was met with a deadpan look from Armin, who couldn't help but roll his eyes at the absurd nickname. Nevertheless, he couldn't help but chuckle under his breath as he watched her take a swig from the jug. Armin touched his own hair and turned to look at Mikasa.

As Armin nervously fidgeted with his hair, Mikasa's gentle voice broke through his anxious thoughts, "Your hair is perfect, Armin." With a smile as cute as a button, she reached out to fix a stray lock of his hair.

As Ymir's hand wrapped around the handle of the heavy jug, she couldn't help but feel the excitement bubble up inside her. The frothy golden liquid sloshed against the sides. She turned to face Krista, her eyes twinkling mischievously as she extended the jug toward her. "Drink up, my dear Krista," she teased, a sly grin dancing across her lips. But Krista hesitated. She glanced nervously at the beer, her mind racing with conflicting thoughts.

What if she got drunk? Ymir had already snatched the jug and forcefully thrust it towards Krista's lips, not allowing her a moment to consider the consequences. The bitter liquid burned as it trickled down her throat, and Krista could feel her head growing dizzy as she struggled to keep up with Ymir's relentless pace. Just as she was about to protest, Ymir yanked the jug away, leaving Krista gasping for air and feeling more disoriented. The latter gasped as the crisp breeze filled her lungs; she couldn't help but feel a sense of relief, the sweet oxygen a welcome reprieve from the stale, boozy atmosphere of the crowded party. As she took in deep, ragged breaths, she felt the familiar burn of alcohol coursing through her veins, making her head spin and her stomach churn. Beer spilled from her lips and dripped down her chin, cascading onto the floor below in a frothy, amber stream.

"Ymir, you're crazy!" at her dear friend's seemingly reckless behavior of consuming large amounts of beer, Ymir couldn't help but laugh boisterously, still clutching onto the jug of bubbly liquid with a tight grip. Despite her friend's disapproving gaze and scolding tone, Ymir felt liberated and carefree, relishing in the moment of pure bliss and indulgence.

With tears streaming down her face and a look of disappointment etched on her countenance, Sasha suddenly shouted, "There's no meat!" She gripped the sides of her head with both hands, messing up her hair. Her heart had been set on devouring a hearty stew with chunks of juicy meat when she joined the army, but instead, she found herself staring down at a bowl of stew with small and almost undetectable meat chunks. She had hoped to savor the taste of succulent meat as a reward for becoming a soldier, but all her dreams had been shattered. The little meat in the stew wasn't enough even for a bird, leaving her disappointed and frustrated. Several soldiers laughed at her antics; Connie, sitting beside her, rolled his eyes.

"Bahh, don't worry. Once you enter the Military Police, you won't have to worry about food anymore." Connie reminded Sasha, hoping to make Potatogirl smile; his words had the desired effect of making Sasha laugh bitterly.

Sasha grabbed a loaf of bread, tearing off a piece and dipping it into the hearty stew that bubbled on the wooden table. As she took the first bite, a warm sensation spread throughout her body, and she couldn't help but hum in contentment. As she chewed, she couldn't help but daydream about that juicy steak she had been craving for weeks. Her mind wandered to the tender meat, perfectly seasoned and cooked, and her mouth watered at the thought. She was so famished that she could have devoured an entire cow.

As the Sun set on the army base, the common room was filled with the boisterous cheers of new soldiers who were celebrating their hard-earned success of passing the grueling training and being initiated into the prestigious rank of soldiers. The air was thick with the aroma of freshly brewed beer, and the sound of bottles clinking together in merriment echoed through the room. The walls vibrated with the laughter of the inebriated soldiers, which could be heard from far away. Despite the fact that many were already tipsy, the revelry showed no signs of slowing down as they continued to dance and sing. The jolly atmosphere was interrupted when Samuel shouted. "We can't defeat them."

Everyone's attention turned to Eren, who stood up, looking at Samuel with unyielding determination, his eyes almost ablaze.

"Five years ago, everyone inside the Walls believed the Walls would protect us. Many believed that we were safe as long as we were inside the Walls. Five years ago, The Colossal and The Armoured appeared and Destroyed the gate. That day, we all saw that those walls were not indestructible and that living inside them was not the safe haven we all thought it was." Eren stopped talking, letting his words sink in. Many soldiers had solemn faces, but everyone was listening to Eren; all of them fell silent; among them, a certain red-haired soldier with a questionable haircut appeared to be particularly impacted by Eren's words.

"The walls will fall if we do nothing. It is not a matter of if but when. If we don't fight, we will lose. If we lose, we die. Only if we fight can we Win. Whenever it awaits us beyond the wall, it might be heaven or maybe just another hell, but only those That Keep Moving Forward Will Ever Know, and that's what I will do." Eren's piercing green eyes seemed to almost glitter in the flickering candlelight.

"I will keep moving forward. Until I destroy all The Titans." Eren's words made everyone go silent, leaving his comrades in silence, and many of them felt a chill run down their spines.

As Jean sat there, his cheek rested heavily against his palm, and his mind wandered to Eren's words. The words reverberated through his mind like the chimes of a resonant bell, echoing endlessly and refusing to fade away.

Damn you, suicidal bastard, Jean thought with clenched teeth before deciding to go outside and take a breath of fresh air; perhaps he needed to calm himself.

After Several Jugs of Wine and Beer Later...

"This is perfection, the best party in the world." Ymir stammered, leaning against the back of the chair. Due to her height, her head hung upside down over the back of the chair, looking at everyone else behind her.

"I think Ymir has already kicked the bucket." Jaime said, a little impressed by the many jugs she was able to drink. The others weren't doing that well. Sasha and Connie had started singing, saying they could sing better than him, but all their singing did was earn bursts of laughter from everyone, including Jaime and the others.

Jaime occasionally looked at Annie, who was still sitting by herself. Once Ymir and Krista left, Jaime decided to sit with her, and since the freckled girl was almost out of her wits, it wouldn't take that long for that to happen.

"That's bullshit, Jaime. The night is still young." Ymir stammered as she leaned forward with her upper body, a little too hard since she slammed herself against the wooden table, but still with a wide smile.

"You are right. Ymir, let's get you to your bed." Krista said, struggling as she tried to lift her up, but Ymir kissed her on the cheek, her face red like flames.

"Ohh, to my bed. Krista, what are you trying to do to me? I didn't take for someone who took advantage like this, though I quite like it." Ymir said with an alluring smile, giving the cute girl a side hug and bringing her closer. Krista's face had turned bright red, and Jaime was sure it wasn't because of the beer.

"Ugly Freckles, just shut up. Let's get you to your bed," Jaime said, putting his arm under her shoulder and helping her stand up easily. But before he could walk her outside, Ymir groaned loudly.

"I w-want to you hear s-sing..." Her words trailed off as her head slumped down, hanging limply as if she had fallen asleep, but Jaime was sure she was still alive. He was ready to tell her that they needed to bring her to her bed since she would probably remember nothing anyway. Sasha and Connie, who were nearby, heard Ymir's suggestion.

"She's right, Jaime. This is our last night together. Sing for Us!" they both shouted loud enough for everyone to hear. Soon, one after the other, they all started chanting for him to sing; even Annie looked like she wanted to hear him sing.

Jaime sighed in defeat, sitting Ymir back in her seat, and gave him a smug smile.

"You are the worst, ugly freckles."

"And you still love me." Ymir stammered as he walked up to the same place where he had sung many times before, everyone's eyes on him. Mikasa looked at him with a smile. Of everyone in the room, she seemed the most excited to hear him sing. Jaime remembered the song he had been writing for this day.

"Tonight is our last night together. We will all go to different Military Branches tomorrow, so let's make this night memorable. To remember the friends we have made these past three years. I wrote this song for this night; I hope everyone here enjoys it." Jaime said, and almost everyone stood up and applauded. He quickly looked and smiled at the three people he wanted to see the most applaud for him. Annie, Krista and Ymir. Annie's applause was light and quiet, but it still counted for him.

Jaime cleared his throat, suddenly feeling much more confident.

"Where are you at?

Where have you been?

There's no response even if I ask

Where are we headed?

What did you mean?

Even if I chase after it, it's far, it's far away

A bird, a butterfly, and our pictures

Don't make a mess of memories

Just let me heal your scars

The wall, the owl, the forgotten wharf

Time wouldn't stop...

We're getting older second by second by second...

Why oh why, Why oh why

Don't you want to stay with me?

Why oh why, Why oh why

Are you giving up on me?

I'll be waiting, waiting for you

Let me hold you. Under the tree

Under the tree-ee-ee

Ee-ee-ee

Ee-ee-ee-ee

I'll protect you

This World is Cruel, but I still Love you...

.

.

Why were you crying?

What are you dying for?

Your dream, did it satisfy or terrify?

Annoying pain in my head

The things left unsaid

I'm sorry that we have been relying. On you. Too much to be freeeeee

Why oh why, why oh why

Don't you want to stay with me?

Why oh why, why oh why

Are you giving up on me?

This is already enough.

We'll figure out the rest.

Let me shoulder your sins together. With You.

People may not call it love.

And we won't be blessed.

But let me shoulder your sins together, and together. We grow old and happy.

If I lose it all

I'll be waiting, waiting for you

Let me hold you under the tree

Under the tree. Ee-ee-ee-ee. Ee-ee-ee-ee.Ee-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee.

I'll protect. YOU."

Silence spread over the entire room. Jaime gulped suddenly; he felt too embarrassed to speak. He was waiting for them to say something. Did they not like the song?

Suddenly, everyone started applauding and whistling at him. Jaime sighed heavily in relief, feeling as if a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders. For a moment, he feared they all would laugh at him, while it had never happened before. He was never good when he had the attention of too many people.

"That was amazing, Jaime," Reiner shouted with a broad smile, walking up to him and slapping him hard on the shoulder; thankfully, with the new strength he had, he easily handled the slap.

"Thank you, Reiner, but what about you? How about you sing a song for us?" Jaime suggested with a sly smile; Reiner laughed sheepishly as he slowly walked away from him.

"Perhpaps another day." That's all he said before hiding away.

Jaime looked at Annie and could see from her face that she had enjoyed the song, but he noticed she looked distraught. Even more now after he finished the song.

"Jaime, help me carry Ymir," Krista requested. Jaime decided to help them and talk with Annie once he put Ymir on her bed.

Walking Ymir outside felt awkward, especially since she was tall. Jaime wondered what she ate to get so tall; he was still as short as he was when he joined the Training Corps three years ago.

It's not fair, Jaime thought as he kept dragging Ymir away since her legs were dragging against the ground. Much to his surprise, she had fallen silent, but her eyes were wide open. He had expected her to say something about the song to tease him, but since he had finished his song, she had yet to utter a single word. Instead, she looked down at the grass with cloudy eyes.

"Thank you for helping, Jaime." he pushed, and Krista pulled her into her bed, but he knew better than to stick around for long; Shadis would go mad with rage if he saw him in the girl's dormitory.

"No worries. She might be taller than me, but I'm still stronger than her." Jaime said humorously, earning a giggle from Krista. He turned around, ready to leave, when Ymir's voice stopped him.

"Jaime, your dream-" Ymir stopped mid-sentence when she looked up as Jaime turned around and looked down at her.

"You are worth more than your dream, Jaime. You are more worthy than any dream." Jaime looked at her strangely. Ymir had never been against him joining the Survey Corps. Hell, she used to joke that she couldn't wait until he joined so she could have Krista all for herself, but she never tried to question his dream.

"I appreciate it, beautiful Freckles. You know, despite your words, your dry jokes-" Ymir growled as Jaime smiled innocently, but soon he spoke with tenderness, the kind of tone he had never used with her before. "But you are a Good Friend. I'm relieved to know you will join Krista in the Garrison, even when I'm not around, as long as you are with her. She will be safe. Ymir...you are a dear friend to me." Jaime said sincerely, with the moon glittering behind him; his purple eyes seemed brighter than ever as he looked down at Ymir, who was speechless.

"I don't want you to be disappointed, Jaime; the outside... world might not be as you dreamed." Ymir stammered, her head rolling around to the side of the bed.

Jaime looked at her strangely; for a moment, he wondered if she knew something he did not, but he quickly dismissed that thought. This was Ymir; she would have told them everything if not share her secrets with them, then who? Before he could ask why she sounded scared, he heard a snor, and her eyes closed.

"Well, she officially kicked the bucket." Krista japed. Jaime chuckled slightly as both walked outside. He knew Krista would stay with Ymir, so he started making his way to the others.

"Jaime." He turned around and saw Krista right in front of him.

"What—" His words were interrupted when she walked on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. He felt a sudden jolt of electricity, but it quickly disappeared within a second as Krista backed away.

"Please, don't die out there, Jaime," Krista spoke meekly, but she was taken by surprise when Jaime hugged her closely and kissed her forehead.

"I will always return, Krista. For you, for Ymir, and for Annie. You three are important to me. I will always return."

*

*

"What is a beautiful lady like you doing here alone?" Annie looked up to see Jaime standing before her, his face a little flushed from the alcohol he had drunk.

"It seems the beer have made you a bigger fool than you usually are." Annie said with a disinterested tone, but Jaime knew she cared; she just wanted to keep acting like she didn't care. He didn't know why it was so important to her, but that didn't change how he felt. Not one bit.

"Maybe, but my eyes are still working fine, and you are quite beautiful, and someone like you shouldn't be here alone." Annie looked away but still smiled in amusement before stepping away for him to sit with her.

"I'm honored, my Ice Queen." Annie rolled her eyes at his antics.

"Congratulations on being in the first place. You deserve it much more than everyone else," Annie said sincerely, showing a rare smile that she had only when talking to him.

Jaime wanted to say that Mikasa deserved the first place just as much as him, but he knew that Annie and Mikasa never looked eye to eye with one another, but a week ago, during a Hand to Hand combat, while Annie was showing Eren a move, well, more like using him as a punching bag. Mikasa had interfered before challenging Annie in a fight. Annie, being Annie, had accepted right away, but before the fight could start and turn into a bloodbath, Shadis had intervened and since that day. Annie and Mikasa seemed to be even more hostile towards one another.

' "Jaime, can I ask you something?" Mikasa asked with a hint of uncertainty as they were again put in the Kitchen job. When they were alone, Jaime enjoyed talking with her about their past, but nothing traumatic yet, just the good memories.

"Sure," Jaime said right away as he chopped the garlic into pieces.

"Why do you spend so much time with Annie?" Jaime almost cut his fingers, quickly looking up at Mikasa, clearly caught off guard by the question.

"What brought this on?" Jaime asked a little defensively.

"Nothing, I'm just curious." Jaime arched an eyebrow. He was sure she wasn't telling him the real reason, but he couldn't really think of a reason to ask that question. He knew she couldn't be jealous since she had her eyes set on Eren. It was obvious to everyone, even blind people, that Mikasa had feelings for the moron. He remembered some boys asking out loud if they knew if Mikasa was truly taken since, despite her strength, many found her beautiful, but if she and Eren were together, it would be pointless.

"She's a good friend, Mikasa. I know she might appear, well, she can be cold sometimes, but she can be kind too, and I know her. Her cold attitude, I belive she acts like that for a reason, but I know deep down she is kind and gentle, and she cares. Even if she tries to hide it behind a cold heart." Jaime explained, and the face that Mikasa made, she looked as if she disagreed with him, she opened her mouth, she wanted to say something, and eventually she spoke.

"Do you want to sit at our table tonight?" Huh? '

"Thank you, Annie. I'm sure you could have done just as good as me." She knew he was right, but she didn't care in which place she was as long as she was in Top Ten.

"Well, I never really cared as long as I was top ten. I don't understand why you were trying so hard to be in the Top Ten?" Annie asked curiously, knowing one didn't need to be in the Top Ten to join the Survey Corps; they could be at the bottom and still join the Survey Corps. Upon hearing her question, Jaime had a thoughtful look on his face; suddenly, he seemed nervous.

"I know my dreams are not something I can ever hope to achieve, if Armin's book is right, then the world out there is vast, not a world one could hope to explore fully within one lifetime. I know that, but one day. The mission will be over. All the fighting will be over, and when I finally want to settle down. To buy a house for us. " "Jaime." But he ignored her as he continued.

"Being at the top will have its benefits. I can buy both of us a good house, live there happily for the rest of our lives, and maybe one day, we will hear little footsteps walking around the house." Jaime finished with a dreamy look on his face, looking at Annie, who wore a shocked expression.

She felt touched that he wanted a life for them both together and had already thought of a house for them, but deep down, as much as she tried not to think about it. She knew her time in this Hell was not long; her time was running out fast, but if she had learned one thing from the moron that had touched her heart. The world is Hell, but can still be beautiful.

She knew it was selfish; she knew she could never give him what he wanted; she knew she should have never started this relationship; she should have spared him the heartbreak he would soon feel, but she wanted him all for herself. She wanted him to look at her, the look that always made her feel happier. She wanted that and more.

"I like that dream, so don't die out there." Annie agreed. Her words brightened Jaime's face like a star in the night sky. She couldn't remember him looking so happy.

"Can we talk alone?" Jaime stood up with her, and both walked outside. Soon enough, they found themselves at the same place in the forest where they had trained for almost three years now, and the full moon caused the river to glitter like silver.

Jaime sat on top of the same truck he always sat in whenever he made drawings. Annie sat beside him, and since they were alone, her hands grasped his, their fingers intervening, her head resting on his shoulder.

They remained in silence, enjoying each other's presence, but Jaime could tell something was bothering his girlfriend. It still felt a little weird to think of her like that, and he liked it much more this way. Her hand felt soft. He could still remember the way she felt, but most importantly, her beautiful blue eyes that he could get lost in for hours.

"What is bothering you?" Jaime eventually asked, breaking the silence. Annie looked up at him, looking surprised.

"Don't look at me like that. I've known you for three years, and I'm your boyfriend now. Is my duty to know when something is wrong." Annie looked at the river.

How could she tell him what will happen tomorrow? She wanted to tell him, but she knew she couldn't. She knew Jaime would hate her guts. She didn't want that; she didn't want his kind purple eyes to look at her with rage, the same way he had looked at the bandits when Krista was kidnapped that night. She had never seen such rage in his eyes, and she didn't want him to look at her that way. She wanted him to always look at her the way he always looked at her, with kindness, love, and softness.

"Tomorrow. It will be five years since the Colossal Titan attacked Wall Maria." Annie said in a hushed tone and a hint of warning.

"Annie—" Jaime now understood why she was concerned for him and why she had been so withdrawn; while it felt good to have someone who cared for you, he wanted her to know that everything would be alright.

"I don't think anything will happen tomorrow, but even if it does, I will be careful. I will join the Survey Corps. We will eventually have to face him, as long as that Titan is out there, he and the Armoured Titan. We will never be safe," Jaime said determinedly before placing his hands on her shoulder. She looked up at him; her eyes looked so vulnerable.

"You will never be safe, even behind Wall Sina, but I will take care of myself, you know me."

Annie smiled with slight amusement. "I know you, that's why I'm telling you to be careful." Jaime chuckled as her hands reached up, resting on his shoulders, her fingers moving through his black hair as their foreheads touched, her pretty blue eyes like clear water. They looked so beautiful.

"Well. I will be extra careful. No matter what happens, I will always return back to you." Jaime promised his thumb on her cheek. Annie accepted his words. She knew he had never lied to her, so she knew he would return to her. She didn't know why, but she felt the same silly feeling; her stomach tingled as his purple eyes looked at her affectionately.

"You better, Jaime," Annie said in a hushed voice as she closed the gap and kissed his lips.

Tomorrow

As the Sun began to rise above the horizon, casting a warm golden glow over the city of Trost, the members of the Survey Corps began their routine preparations for their mission. With each of them donning their signature green capes and maneuvering gear, they set out on their journey outside the towering walls of Wall Rose, ready to face whatever dangers lay ahead as they made their way toward their destination.

A small crowd had gathered to see them off, including Eren and quite a few from the Training Corps, including Jaime, who had his eyes set on only one person. Eventually, his eyes found him amongst the sea of soldiers from the Survey Corps. There was no doubt anymore.

'"You know you're not the first brat that I taught how to wield a knife," His mentor said with a grunt as he pulled out a second hostler from his bag with a bowie knife.

"Who was the first?" 

"A brat, I left him a long time ago. Once I knew he was good enough to survive, I left. You don't know him, but I have a feeling you two will meet eventually." '

As Jaime looked at Captain Levi of the Survey Corps, he knew without a doubt that Captain Levi was the other 'brat' that Kenny had trained. Now that he looked at him, Jaime could see the small similarities between him and Kenny, but he wondered. Why?

Why did Kenny train me and Captain Levi? 

While working for his mentor in the MP before joining the Training Corps, Jaime had asked around about his mentor's past since he always refused to ever utter a word about it. Eventually, he learned more and more about the first brat he had taken care of, and after a lot of investigating, all fingers pointed at Captain Levi, which Jaime found a little ironic, considering that Humanity's Strongest Soldier had been a thief of the Underground City, but Jaime didn't care about his past. He wanted to know if there was any connection between him, Levi, Mikasa, and Kenny.

Later

As he stood atop the towering Wall Rose, Eren took a moment to inhale a deep breath of crisp, refreshing air, feeling the tension in his muscles slowly dissipate. His eyes scanned the vast expanse of lush, green landscape that stretched out before him as far as the eye could see. The verdant fields, dotted with clusters of trees and punctuated by winding rivers, seemed to go on forever.

Jaime wondered why Eren was looking at the lands beyond. When he suddenly felt something...something felt very wrong.

"Everyone back away from the edge—" was suddenly interrupted by a bright yellow flash of lightning that struck perilously close to Wall Rose, shaking the ground and causing the soldiers to stumble.

In the blink of an eye, a massive head devoid of skin emerged, blocking their view of the once vast and beautiful expanse. Eren, Connie, and Sasha were frozen in terror. The Colossal Titan had appeared right in front of them, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still as the young soldiers tried to comprehend the enormity of what was happening.

"Everyone, use your ODM Gear!" Jaime shouted at the top of his lungs as a wave of heat blasted them all off the wall.

However, Jaime's quick reflexes and training as a soldier kicked in, and he swiftly activated his ODM Gear, using his grappling hook to attach himself to the side of the wall and avoid falling to his death. Everyone quickly used their Gear to attach themselves; Samuel was the last, but thankfully, Jaime's warning had been enough for him not to get caught off guard by the appearance of the Colossal Titan.

Before Jaime could think of doing something, suddenly, everyone heard a loud sound echoing throughout the entire city of Trost; looking over his shoulder, he saw the debris from the gate of Wall Rose hurtling through the air, uncontrollably crashing into the city below. The force of the impact was so great that it instantly destroyed many of the houses in its path, and tragically, several unlucky people lost their lives.

Annie, Ymir, Krista. God, please let them be alright, Jaime thought, feeling like someone was gripping his chest.

"The Wall is Destroyed."

"Ohh God, No. We are all Dead."

"The Colossal Titan is right here, don't let him get away. We kill him right here." Eren shouted as he started using his ODM Gear to reach the top.

"Eren, wait." Jaime shouted, but it was too late. He quickly looked at everyone who still didn't know what to do.

"Everyone retreat, go back to the Headquarters, and wait for orders. I will protect Eren," Jaime ordered. As he quickly used his ODM Gear to reach the top, he saw Colossal's Titan Hand rushing towards him. This was his first time seeing a Titan. He looked horrifying, but Jaime wasn't scared as he looked at the approaching hand that was dragging across the wall.

He's destroying the Cannons! He's intelligent!! Jaime realized as his giant hand pushed the Cannons off the wall one by one. But Jaime quickly rushed forward, launching his grappling hook to his wrists; he knew his entire hand was too thick for his swords. With a burst of speed, Jaime cut through the flesh, and Colossal's thumb and index finger suddenly were sliced off.

Jaime smirked once he noticed that his hand had stopped moving, but the best part. The Colossal Titan was distracted, his eyes wide with fear.

"What will happen if you can't even see me!" Jaime shouted as he launched his two grappling hooks; one punctured his right eye; he quickly retreated back the grappling hook, causing the entire right eye to burst out like a balloon. Blood gushed out, and Jaime saw that Eren was rushing towards the nape.

Suddenly, a burst of heat wave crashed against him in full force; he closed his eyes as his other grappling hook was shot away. Jaime was free-falling, but he quickly used his Gear to return to the wall. His entire body felt hot, and suddenly, the hot steam disappeared like magic. He quickly turned around; the Colossal Titan had disappeared completely.

Where did he go?