Attack on Titan: A Blacksmith's Tale

Chapter 5: The Gift of Practicality

"Annie Leonhart. Now there was a girl that was shrouded in mystery. There were days where she and I were on friendly terms. Well, as friendly as she could get. Those were the moments where I could finally get her to open up a little more instead of her being on the defensive so much. Her mother passed away when she was younger, though she never liked talking about it. I could tell when she talked about her father that she missed him a lot. I'm hoping that she'll get the chance to see him again. When this was all over, maybe I could try helping her find him.

"However, those days were rare for her. Most of time, she was cold, always wanting to push people away. Except for me it seemed. I've seen her smirk, but I've never seen her smile, except for the time I made her laugh, and that was in 847. I always wondered what happened in her life to drive her to this point. So, I concocted a plan that I hoped would finally make her days a little brighter. There were advantages to being a blacksmith.

"Unfortunately, there was one obstacle that I had to get pass first."

(March 20)

"You wanted to see me, Commander?" Dillon asked.

Shadis pulled out a brown box from his desk that had clearly been opened recently. "Open the box and tell me what's inside, Amsdale."

Nodding, Dillon took off the lid, revealing two, black knives with six-inch blades. There were in perfect condition, indicating that they had never been used. There were also two, small letters engraved on the hilt: D.A. He gulped, realizing where this was going. "These are boot knives I made, sir."

"How do you know these are yours?" he interrogated.

"Every weapon I made has the initials D.A. on the hilts," he explained. "My father does the same thing, except his are M.A. It's not just an artist signing his work; it's doubles as an insurance policy in case someone decides to kill someone else with our weapons. Makes tracking them down easier."

Shadis walked over to him, his stare as menacing as ever. "Then explain to me why these weapons were delivered to you and what you are planning to do with them."

Taking a deep breath, Dillon said, "I asked my parents to send them to me so I can give them to Annie Leonhart for her birthday. I thought she would appreciate them, sir."

He snorted. "The gift of weapons. How romantic."

Careful, Shadis. I can smell your sarcasm. "It's not like that," he explained. "You see, I've known Annie for a while, and—"

"Save it, Amsdale," Shadis interrupted, returning to his desk. "I'm holding you personally responsible if I find one of these knives in the back of a soldier. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," Dillon responded, but then a thought came to him. "Uh, sir, if you don't mind me asking... when is her birthday?"

Once again, he was on the receiving end of the yellow-eyed glare. "Figure it out yourself, Amsdale. I'm not about to reveal personal information to help you get laid."

Dillon blushed in embarrassment. "That's not my intention, sir."

"Get out of here, maggot!"

Taking the box, Dillon dashed out of Shadis's office before the commander entertained the thought of throwing one of the knives at him. He should have thought out his plans more. He couldn't ask Annie herself. She would get suspicious and the surprise would be ruined.

He took another look inside and noticed a letter. He opened it up and only found two words on the paper: "Good luck!" Short, brief, and to the point. Definitely his father. Needless to say, Dillon had to come up with an idea fast in case Annie's birthday was right around the corner.