Attack on Titan: Secrets of Marley (SNK x OC)

Chapter 9: Plan Monitoring

The members of the 104th Training Brigade marched towards the Trost district canteen, their heads still full of the events of the ceremony. The air was charged with a nervousness mixed with excitement; for most of them, it was the end of an era and the beginning of a new one. Night fell slowly, enveloping the city in its golden light.

Gray walked beside Reiner and Bertolt, his thoughts swirling. He'd been surprised to be ranked sixth. It wasn't the ranking he'd hoped for, but at least it meant he had access to the Police. Reiner, on the other hand, seemed to be deep in thought, his gaze fixed straight ahead.

They arrived at the canteen, a large wooden building with windows that let in the soft light of the oil lanterns inside. Inside, the atmosphere was lively, filled with enthusiastic discussion and laughter. The long wooden tables were covered with trays filled with bread, meat and vegetables - a rare feast in these wartime times.

- MEAT !!!!! screamed Sasha as she rushed to the meal trays.

Smiling, Gray found a place at a table next to his comrades. Reiner sat opposite him, with Bertolt at his side. Eren, Mikasa and Armin took decanters and moved to sit against the wall with a group of people.

- Hey, it's so weird to think this is our last meal as recruits, said Conny, sitting down noisily with a broad smile on his face.

- It sure is, replied Jean, biting into a piece of bread. Tomorrow we'll officially be soldiers.

Gray took a sip of water, his thoughts returning to what Reiner had said earlier. "If the Founding doesn't intervene, we'll be forced to stay." The idea of being stuck here, with no way back, made him shudder. But he forced himself to smile and turned to his comrades.

- So, what's it gonna be? he asked, feigning levity.

Jean shrugged, - You already know. Military Police.

Gray turned to Reiner and whispered, - What do you think, Reiner?

Reiner replied with an enigmatic smile, - I suppose we'll have to wait and see.

The conversation continued, interspersed with laughter and jokes, but the mood remained one of uncertainty about what lay ahead. They all knew that, whatever their decisions, their lives would never be the same again. And for Gray, the weight of his secret mission weighed heavily on his shoulders.

For once, he was happy to be on the island. Of course, he couldn't wait to get home, but for once, he was enjoying the moment when he was safe.

For a moment, he enjoyed eating, but suddenly he heard Thomas shouting at Eren about how he wouldn't survive if he joined the scouts. Gray turned his head to the wall where the two were standing and listened intently.

- You know very well, Eren! You know how many of us have been eaten by the Titans! We've already lost over 20% of our population. Mankind doesn't stand a chance against them! shouted Thomas.

- So what? shouted Eren. You're giving up because you think you can't win? It's true. We've suffered nothing but defeat so far. That's because we knew almost nothing about them! We can't beat them by sheer numbers. We may have lost, but the knowledge we've gained from these battles gives us hope. Yet you'd discard the tactical progress bought by hundreds of thousands of sacrifices, just to serve yourself up on a silver platter? You've gotta be kidding me. I'll slaughter every last one of 'em and break free of these walls! That is my dream! Mankind hasn't lost everything yet!

Then, faced with the apparent silence resulting from his speech, Eren ran out of the room before the eyes of the recruits. Gray, who recognized that Eren was good at speeches, turned to Reiner.