Love in a Time of War

Chapter Two

A twelve year old Emiko follows behind her brother "Levi-" she starts. "Not happening, Emiko." he tells her. "But you are." she pouts. "Because it was the only way to ensure you had a good life." Levi responds. "But I can already fight and use the ODM gear, you taught me." Emiko tells him. "And I'm beginning to regret it. You're not joining the Scouts." Levi tells her. "Why not? I want to fight and help." Emiko tells her brother. "Because I'm not loosing you too, Emiko. I've already lost... I'm not loosing you as well." Levi responds. Emiko looks down, thinking about her adoptive brother and adoptive sister "That's why I want to. Because I don't want to lose you either, Levi. Every time you go beyond the walls I'm scared." she admits. Levi sighs and crouches to her height "Emiko, look at me. I will always come home to you, okay?" he tells her. Emiko feels tears fall "That's what Isa and Farl said too." she tells him, her voice breaking. Levi puts his arms round her "I'll have rules." he sighs. Emiko looks at him and nods "Okay." she responds. "You write weekly, you don't do anything stupid, and when you're fully trained you join my squad so I can keep an eye on you." Levi lists. "I promise." Emiko tells him. Levi nods "Okay, I'll go tell Erwin." he sighs, kissing her forehead.

Emiko follows Levi over to Commandant Shadis "Commandant Shadis." the siblings greet. "Ackerman... why is your sister here?" Shadis asks Levi. "She's joining the 104th." Levi responds. "Is that so?" Shadis asks. "It is, Sir." Emiko responds, keeping eye contact. Shadis nods "Join the ranks." he tells her, motioning to the group in to the side. Levi squeezes Emiko's hand "Remember to write." he tells her. "I will." she promises, squeezing his hand back before walking over and joining the troops. "We now begin the Enlistment Ceremony of the 104th Trainee Corps! I am Keith Shadis, and I have the misfortune to be assigned to train you bastards! And I am not here to welcome you at all! Right now, you are mere cattle, fit for nothing but Titan food! No, less than cattle! In three years, we'll take you worthless pieces of crap and train you! Give you the means to fight the Titans! In three years, when you stand before a Titan, will you still be food?! Or will you be a noble wall, shielding the King?! Or perhaps one of humanity's glorious soldiers at slays Titans?! You will decide!" Shadis tells them all, Emiko clenching her jaw as she stares straight ahead.

"You there!" Shadis says, looking at a blonde boy. "Yes Sir!" the boy responds. "Who are you?!" Shadis asks. "Armin Arlert, from Shiganshina!" the blonde responds. "Yeah? That's a stupid name! Your parents give you that?!" Shadis asks. "My grandfather did!" Armin responds. "Arlert, what are you doing here?!" Shadis asks him. "Trying to aid in Humanity's victory!" Armin tells him. "That is indeed wonderful... Then we'll feed you to the Titans! Row three, about face! What is your name?!" Shadis asks, continuing to question everyone. Emiko zones out until Shadis is in front of her. "What is your name recruit?!" he asks. "Emiko Ackerman, Sir!" she salutes, making eye contact with the Commandant. "What are you doing here, Ackerman?!" he asks. "To join the Scouts and aid in the fight for humanity, Sir!" Emiko responds, still not breaking eye contact when Shadis raises a brow. "Is that so?!" he asks. "Yes, Sir!" Emiko tells him. Shadis moves onto the next person, Emiko noticing a tallish blonde-brunette looking in her direction with surprise.

At noon, Emiko sits on the steps of the mess building "Hey, Emiko right?" the blonde, Armin asks. "That's me. You're Armin?" she asks. "Yeah, my friends and I were wondering if you'd like to join us?" Armin asks her. Emiko looks over to see a brunette boy and a dark haired girl looking over "Sure." she nods, standing and following Armin over to his friends. "Eren, Mikasa, this is Emiko. Emiko, this is Eren and Mikasa." Armin introduces. "Nice you meet you." Eren smiles. "You too." Emiko nods. "Hey, I'm Connie." a boy with a buzz cut introduces. "And I'm Mina." a girl smiles. "Marco." a boy with freckles smiles. "Emiko, who's that running?" Emiko asks. "He's still making that potato girl run." Connie remarks. "Wow, for five straight hours? But she seemed more distraught when told her she wouldn't get any dinner than when he told her she must run until she dropped." Eren remarks. "If I remember correctly, Dauper village is a tiny hunting village deep in the mountains." Connie tells them. Emiko nods "Yeah." she agrees. "What's that?" Eren asks, looking at a cart of people. "Dropouts, they requested to be transferred to the frontier." Emiko tells him. "What?! But it's only the first day!" Armin exclaims. Emiko shrugs "It was only a matter of time... If you aren't strong enough, you have to leave. Are to believe that they'd rather go back to weeding and picking up rocks." Eren says.

"Hey, he didn't ask where you came from, did he?" Marco asks Eren. "Shiganshina, the same as him." Eren responds, motioning to Armin. "I see... that's..." Marco trails off. "Then, weren't you there that day?" Connie asks, Emiko looking at him in surprise. "Hey!" Marco exclaims. "Did you see the Colossal Titan?" Connie asks. "Yeah..." Eren trails off. "What about you, Emiko? Where are you from?" Marco asks, trying to change the subject. "Um, mainly Trost. I moved a lot as a kid..." she responds. "That must have been hard, moving around a lot." Armin says, giving her a sympathetic smile. "I had my brother, he made it better." Emiko tells them. "You have a brother?" Connie asks. "Yeah, he raised me. Our mother died so it was just us..." Emiko trails off sadly, thinking about Isabelle and Farlan. "I'm sorry." Eren tells her. Emiko wipes away her up she'd tears "Thanks but I have him and that's all I need." she tells him. "What did he say when you told him you were coming here?" Mina asks. "He wasn't happy but he's a Scout himself so I used that against him." Emiko jokes. "Your brother's a Scout?" Eren asks. "Yeah, he's one of the best." Emiko smiles.