The Love We Give

A Change of Ways

TW brief mention of death, loss, and grieving

Time-skip! Welcome to the year 849, where Hange is currently 29 and Sira is 26.
Soon, five years will have passed in-time after chapter 9 and we're picking up a few months before the 104th Cadet Corps will finish their training. After being in the Scouting Legion for seven long years now, it is finally time for Sira to step up. As always, enjoy and tell me what you think! It means a lot.

Song recommendation for this chapter once more:
"Like a Prayer - Choir Version from "Deadpool & Wolverine" by I'll Take You There Choir

"You want me... to review the new Cadet Corps? They still have... what? About six months more to go, before they complete their training, right?"

She looked up to her brother as he put the cup of tea down in front of her, before taking his chair. He stirred the steaming hot beverage, setting down the spoon with a quiet clinking sound. Erwin gave Sira a confirming nod, leaning back now and giving her a soft smile.

"I do. The Survey Corps have always had the lowest number of cadets joining after their complete training, but I think we shouldn't brush off an idea that might help with recruiting at least some more soldiers. If you... spend some time there, get to know them... I expect a minor rise of numbers, at least. And we need every single cadet to join. We have been going on like this for almost five years now, Sira. We have to change plans, if we want to keep pushing forward and making a change." There was a certain kind of firmness in Erwin's voice; something that told Sira that he had specifically her in mind to do this job, but she felt like needing to hear more about it first.

Her brother was right, though. For almost five years, ever since Wall Maria had fallen, everything had changed and yet the atmosphere inside their headquarters felt heavy and thick, as if nothing they ever did made a difference. For a long time now, life had felt like nothing was happening – kind of. The truth was that the Scouts tried again and again to recapture Wall Maria, but with the gaping holes it was an impossible task. And yet, there had been tries, costing them soldier after soldier. Sira felt like so much happened, but at the same time, nothing changed at all. For a while now, she especially had felt trapped – so much more than usual.

"You have taken responsibility for Winnie and Peck for some months now and they are doing great, if I may say so. Winnie is so much more confident on missions and Peck shows great leading qualities, since you... well-"

"Since I gave him unshirted hell for being a reckless idiot? In front of three other squads?" Sira grinned, coaxing a deep and slow laugh out of her brother, too.

"Yes. He might have needed that, I have to admit.", Erwin responded, carefully nipping at his cup of tea. Sira was still placed in Hange's squad after all these years, but some time ago, Erwin had decided to assign her two new Scouts to take care of. They had come from Orvud district; Winnie, scared as hell but biting down on her tongue to pull through, and Peck, with an ego that screamed "dying unnecessarily because of recklessness". Erwin thought they needed someone to take them by their hands and he also thought that Sira needed that kind of responsibility; he knew she could do it. Looking at her on missions, how she not only worked incredibly well with her own team and under his commands, but also how she, again and again, tried pushing the others, made him wonder one too many times, if his little sister couldn't do... better. Better, than just being assigned to Hange's squad – which went well and Erwin knew the three of them were doing great, indispensable work. But, accepting the fact that Sira had grown so well into her spot inside the Scouting Legion and that she wasn't just his small, little sister anymore, she could have achieved so much more than just working under someone, he thought. She was ready to do more and have more responsibility, Erwin concluded. Putting her, just like Levi and Hange, on the pedestal she deserved, was yet another, crucial step into the right direction, he realised.