Never Ending

A Kings Son

Flashback

Barrell: Thats it son you're a natural

*Bertholdt positions himself exactly as his dad instructs him as he shoots the boarded targets*

Bertholdt: thanks dad

*barrell pats Bertholdts head and calmly nods in the direction of a group of birds*

Barrell: now, think you can hit those birds?

Bertholdt: m-moving targets?

Barrell: moving targets, you can do it

Bertholdt: animals

Barrell: are you going to let them go?

Bertholdt: they're...alive...i..i cant

Barrell: listen son, sometimes, we dont have a choice

Bertholdt: but, you're choosing to teach me how to shoot, why?

Barrell: i want you to have a skill

Bertholdt: to kill?

Barrell: no Bertholdt never to kill, to defend, defend yourself, defend friends, family, people you love, never use this skill out of anger

Bertholdt: but the birds arent attacking us, they're not mean

Barrell: i know, i know, sometimes we have to do things we dont like

Bertholdt: why?

Barrell: i want you to remember something son

Bertholdt: ...?

Barell: this world is cruel

Bertholdt: ..huh?

Barell: well, you'll understand one day that things are never so simple, even good people can do bad things, especially for good reasons

Bertholdt: cruel

Barrell: yes, and i want you to be prepared for it, thats why im teaching you, a way to defend yourself

Bertholdt: ill try my best dad

Barrell: good, thats all i want is for you to try, hey i can already tell you're going to make me proud

*giving Bertholdt another pat on the head Barrell begins to cough intensely almost falling on top of Bertholdt*

Bertholdt: dad!

Present

Reiner: Bertholdt, copy, Bertholdt, come in, do you copy, come on brother i need help here

Bertholdt: ....shit..reiner, sorry, im here, copy im in position

Reiner: finally i almost died

Bertholdt: reiner?

Reiner: im just playing

Bertholdt: at a time like this?