Underwater Kiss

Chapter 1: Diana

Diana was your average nine year old girl to anyone you asked. She ran through the streets and laughed. She smiled and cried. She wasn't the type to do anything too bad or too good. She just went wherever her nine-year-old mind directed her.

However, even though she laughed as she chased a neighbor boy through the street, something terrible was about to happen. There was a low, faraway rumble. Then another and another. They seemed to get louder. Then someone screamed. So did another person and another. Then, she saw it. A titan. A titan was running through the village. Diana looked at the neighbor boy. He turned and fled. Diana ran to her house.

Her mother was cursing and crying. As soon as she saw Diana, she told her to run. "Mama! Let's go!"

"Go by yourself! I'll catch up to you in a minute!"

"What? No! Mama! Now! Let's go!" Diana grabbed her mother's arm.

"No, Diana. You must go by yourself. You'll be safer without me."

"I won't! I won't! I won't! I won't!" The stubborn nine year old pulled her mother along with her. She forced her mother to run with her. Soldiers in green capes and tan jackets whizzed through the air. They attempted to bring down all of the titans, but the ones with roses on their backs, the Garrison Regiment, were not very successful. Overall, the caped soldiers, the Scout Regiment, were much more efficient.

A titan began following Diana and her mother. Her mother ran faster. Once it became close enough to grab the little family, Diana's mother screamed, "Diana, you will survive this. You will grow up and have a family all your own. One day, your father may claim you as his own. Trust him. He loves you very, very much. He'll make sure you are safe."

Diana didn't know what to do other than to keep running. Her mother had never spoken about her father before. Although she was terrified of the titans, she was curious. "Where is he?"

"He's in a faraway land. Don't worry, dear. He'll find you. Now, run until you're safe. Understand, Diana? Run."

"Mama? Mama!" Diana's mother stopped running. She let the titan grab her and lift her away.

"Survive, my princess! Survive!" Diana didn't realize, but she stopped. She had tears falling down her face. "Run, my daughter! Run!"

"Mama? Don't leave me!" The titan bit down. Diana's beloved mother was dead. She stood there, horrified. She didn't know what to do or where to go. She depended on her mother. She couldn't do much without her.

As she stood, she cried and screamed. She didn't notice the Scout yelling at her to run. She didn't notice him at all until he grabbed her waist and swung with her. Diana screamed. "Shut up, brat. You need to learn to listen." The man had black hair and fierce narrow eyes. He cut a glance over to her and back in front of him.

"Hey mister, what am I supposed to do now?" she asked after a long silence.

"Survive, brat. Isn't that what your mother told you to do?"

"How do I do that? I'm by myself now. Where do I go?"

"You'll go to Wall Rose. Now, quiet."

"Okay, mister." The man seemed to not expect her to obey so easily. He hoped the poor kid would make it. He took her to a boat and demanded for her to be put on. The guy with a unicorn badge, a member of the Military Police, said, "Look, Ackerman, you might think you're all high and mighty, but you aren't better than any of the civilians-"

"Who the hell said that? This kid has no parents. Why don't you look into her eyes and tell her," he leaned in closer so Diana would not hear, "she probably won't survive alone? Why don't you tell her that small chance is going to be reduced because you're too much of an asshat to let her on this damn boat? Tell her yourself, you quivering coward."

"What a funny joke, Ackerman. Come on, kid." He held out a hand to help her onto the boat. Diana looked at Levi Ackerman for support.

"It'll be okay, kid." He said 'kid' instead of 'brat' that time. Diana wouldn't forget that.

"You're nice, mister." He raised his eyebrow, but he didn't respond. Diana looked down at her feet and boarded the boat. The MP looked at her with a mixture of sympathy and irritation for giving Levi an opportunity to hand his ass to him.

A few days later, Diana knew this whole surviving thing was going to be difficult. She'd only had one glass of water and what was supposed to be a day's worth of food. She begged and pleaded with anyone and everyone for something to eat, but she got nothing. She saw men beat each other up for the chance he had something on him. A few men had forced her to let them pat her down for food. She was only nine; she couldn't do anything. The MPs didn't care.

After five days, she got so desperate she resulted to stealing for herself. She found one of the men who had searched her and stole a small piece of bread from him. A blond boy about her age had saw her. She panicked slightly and pressed her finger to her lips. His eyes were wide as she backed away quickly. For the next few days, she was too afraid the man or the MPs would come for her in her sleep. But eventually, exhaustion won. When she woke up, she wasn't in Wall Rose anymore.