Chasing Ghosts [Attack on Titan](Wattys 2014 Winner)

Chapter twenty eight- Life Lessons

Chapter twenty eight

I plummeted down and scrambled the best I could to stop myself from body slamming into the grass below. I flailed about In the air twisting and turning madly unable to control my movements, I struggled with quivering hands to remove the swords at my sides. I managed to and got as close as I could to a tree. I smashed the blades into the bark, the sound of the metal cutting through the wood screeched though the forest as the force of the blades in the tree slowed me down. Eventually, I came to a stop hanging about fifteen feet off the ground. I looked down and felt my head go little woozy. I could have careened into that ground and been smashed into a thousand tiny pieces. I clung to the weapons firmly lodged into the wood.  I turned around to look at the engine strapped to my back. It puttered quietly, hissing and gasping. I shifted against the wood putting my feet on the bark and trying to hold myself still. I looked at the engine trying to figure out what was wrong with it. I grabbed at the motor looking for the source of the problem in the steam vents within the metal.

I was unable to find it, and I looked down at the ground below me. I could try and get down, but it was risky. I removed one of the blades from the oak and moved it down, moving my opposite foot down with it. I did the same with the other blade and managed to make some progress. I was about ten feet off the ground when the right blade snapped. I scrambled and let out a little scream of surprise as the right half of my body lurched downward I clung to the right blade with my left hand, using my left foot to hold myself to the massive piece of greenery. I ran my hand along my forehead, I felt the left blade slipping. It was dis-lodged out of the hole in the bark and down I went to the ground, I tried to stop myself but to no success I smacked into the ground with a loud ‘thump’ I tried to breath but I found I couldn't. The wind had been completely knocked out of me. I lay there in the green grass hacking and gasping trying to find air.

I clawed at the sky, trying to bring the oxygen to my lungs. Eventually the usage of my organs returned and I could breathe. I sat up quickly, checking myself to see if I'd broken anything. Thankfully I came off with only a cut on my back. I grumbled, whistling for my horse. The ebony steed trotted up swishing her tail to and fro as she nuzzled my face. I smiled, standing up and rubbing my head which I had smacked pretty hard on the grass. I re-mounted the horse and we rode back to the head-quarters. It was still very early in the morning so few were up. Just a couple of trainees who saluted me as I passed. I de-saddled my horse and fed her some hay, I went inside to were the maneuver gear was stored. I set down the broken gear on a work bench and pulled out some tools from below. I unscrewed the machine and looked at the inside of it, I sat there for a moment puzzling over the piece of equipment. The motor and steam engine was in tack. It coughed a plume of smoke, I waved it away from my face and continued to peer into the insides of the machine. Suddenly a speck of brown caught my attention. I pulled out a small twig from the engine compartment.

I frowned as the thing roared to life I switched it off with a sight and hung up the gear stepping outside the room. I rolled my shoulders, still sore from smacking into the ground at twenty miles per hour. As I walked out of the room there was a loud yelling coming from below. I narrowed my eyes and rushed down the steps towards the sound, I opened a door and peered in at a fight. I lurched forward the room was dark and I could barely make out who was who. There was a shadow of someone holding someone else to the ground. I yanked the collar of the person who was holding the other one down. I ripped them back and sent them flying as they passed me I kicked them swiftly the person was heavy, heavier then I had expected.  I rushed to the lamp switch and flicked it on. To my surprise Gunter lay on the ground blood dripping from his mouth while Eld was the one I had thrown against the wall. “Whats going on here!” I yelled.  The boys sat up Eld was scowling at Gunter. “Gunter accused me of being soft, so I showed him that I' m not.” Eld said. I face palmed, running my hand along my forehead in exasperation. “Dear wall Maria, you two are stupid. Come with me, now!” I barked. They nodded and scrambled up. I led them outside standing before them.

I tipped my head to the right examining them. “Your grown men, I'm  not your baby sitter. You're going to have to figure out how to fix your problem.” As I said that Tamaki stumbled out of the door his hair ruffled and messy on his head. “Whats going on?” He said, yawning and rubbing his eyes. Obliviously not used to getting up so early. He blinked as his eyes crossed the two bloody and beaten trainees “Did you do this?” He asked me peering around the young boys to meet my eyes. “No” I said “They had a fight.” Tamaki sighed quietly and sat down on the steps pushing his long brown hair out of his eyes. I turned back to the two before me. “Eld, what you did was unorthodox. You don’t get to beat your friends, fights are to be accepted but beating him up is not. You'll face punishment.” I said as Eld sagged his shoulders in defeat. I could see regret flash though his green eyes, I turned to Gunter beside him who was rubbing his bruised nose. “You shouldn't be trying to stir up fights either, you got what was coming to you. I'm sentencing both of you to clean out the stables. Go to the infirmary then report back here stat.” I said waving them off. The two raced off to a building in the courtyard that housed the sick and injured. Tamaki walked up beside me still fiddling with his hair.

I shifted rolling my shoulders back again, my wound was stinging slightly. I would get that checked out later, he looked down at me. “Why were they fighting?” He asked. I looked up “As close as those two are, they have their differences. Just like every other person they have fights, apparently Gunter called Eld soft and he was showing him he wasn't.” I sighed quietly rubbing my right shoulder with my hand in discomfort. The military captain blinked tipping his head and gazing into the slow sunrise. The sky was still painted in orange and red as the yellow ball of fire climbed its way into the clouds above. I sighed, closing my eyes and listening to the gentle breeze and the songs of the birds. After about ten minutes the two came back, Gunter had bandages on his face while Eld had some on his hand and knuckles. I got them shovels and tossed them to them. “I expect this clean by sundown, I'll be checking your work.” I said gruffly leaving the boys to muck out the stalls. I returned inside going up to my room leaving Tamaki by himself in the sunshine.

I looked out the window into the distant forests, autumn was on the horizon some of the smaller trees leafs were turning from brilliant green to a dull gray-green. I removed my shirt and stood in the mirror trying to get a good look at the wound. I winced, it was puffy and swollen. Something must have gotten into it, I'd have to go to the infirmary to get a look at it. I pulled my shirt back on and the chestnut jacket over it. I looked out the window at Eld and Gunter who were working on opposite sides of the stable. They'd learn eventually. I knew, deep down that the two would bond very well. An inseparable friendship, only parted by death itself.