Allies and Enemies (AoT Reader Insert)

Chapter 16: "...but I wanted to say..."

Year 854: Libero Internment District

Day of the Festival

Summer.

For many, summer is seen as the height of the year. Not only in temperature, but in spirit and festivities. This year in particular was exceptionally lively.

It wasn't often that the Eldians of the Libero District came together to celebrate anything. However, with the conclusion of Marley's most recent war it seemed as though Libero had just as much to celebrate as Marley itself.

From food to crafts, the summer market was brimming with life.

For many of those who'd previously been out fighting Marley's war, this was the first summer in nearly four years where they were actually back home. This was especially apparent for a select few who, due to a mission across the sea, would be attending their first festival in nearly a decade.

Warrior Candidate Colt Grice was a generally reserved young boy. He prided himself on many things; being able to keep a level head on the battlefield was simple, being a good role model for the younger Warrior Candidates was a piece of cake, and sticking to all of the War Chief's convoluted battle plans was basically second nature. There was hardly a thing required of Colt as a Warrior Candidate he couldn't do, but it seemed that this Warrior Candidate had quite a trial to overcome.

It wasn't the idea of becoming the next Beast Shifter that currently had the boy's stomach knotting and twisting uncomfortably, but the simple task of asking a girl out.

Despite Colt's attempts to comfort himself with the thought that many people around his age had trouble asking the people they liked out on dates, he also figured that most people around his age weren't asking out the named successor of the Crystal Titan.

Emanon Williams to be exact.

It had been nearly five weeks since he'd asked his predecessor, the War Chief Zeke Jaeger, for advice on how to complete the aforementioned task, but all of his attempts thus far had been unsuccessful.

The flowers he had tried to give Emanon four weeks ago had ended up attracted a handful of bees (of which Emanon is allergic to), and the walk in the park he'd planned for the two of them two weeks ago had flopped when Colt had spotted Emanon excitedly chatting with a different teenage boy. Then again, Colt supposed 'flopped' wasn't the correct word since he had been the one to turn around and abandon the walk. In hindsight, he could've easily interrupted (and to be fair, it wasn't technically interrupting since hanging out with Emanon was the plan).

Now that a festival had sprouted in the Libero District, Colt was determined to impress Emanon. In his opinion, this was the perfect opportunity to do so!

He had everything all figured out. He would ask Emanon to accompany him to the other side of the festival where he'd heard games were set up. There he would search for a game where he could really show off his skills (perhaps a shooting range or throwing game) and win a prize for the ginger haired girl. Colt was certain that Emanon would be thrilled to receive a gift (without bees), leading him to the logical conclusion that this scenario would be the best moment to say something profound.

Not something as bold as 'I love you' per say, but certainly something noteworthy.

The first hurdle in Colt's plan had come in the form of two people; the Jaw and Crystal Shifters.

Although Colt hadn't really anticipated Jaw and Crystal Shifters to accompany Emanon and himself to the other side of the festival, that wasn't to say he wasn't prepared for this scenario.