Sacrificium

Chapter 6: Memoriae

"Your hair! What did you do??" The woman's voice yelled out as the chopped hair was fallen at the child's feet. Red eyes opened, glancing back at the woman who was standing in the doorway. "Sabbath! I can't believe you would ruin yourself like this. Think of your sister."

"You can't be serious, what in the world is wrong with you two? We do not train you guys to fight each other." Shadis spoke, crossing his arms as he glared at the two busted up cadets. Mikasa gave a glare to the red eyed cadet. "She shoulder checked me sir, it was defense."

"And Caddel?"

"She pissed me off."

"Mom...? Whats wrong?" Sabbath asked, wondering why their mother was scowling at them like that. The woman suddenly slapped the child, wide red eyes stared at the ground. "What in the world were you think of going outside like that?! Imagine if you got hurt! You wouldn't be able to help your sister."

"You can't just go around fighting people because they piss you off Caddel." Shadis sighed, frustrated with them. Mikasa bowed her head, being the perfect ideal cadet that any drill instructor would want. Shadis mentioned her go leave, Mikasa walking out of the office with little punishment for self defense.

"Caddel, you've been acting like this since that meeting with Commander Erwin. Was your childhood so bad that this is your response?" Shadis asked, watching Sabbath. But was taken off guard by the cold eyes staring back at him, not seeing an ounce of guilt or regret. Not seeming to care about the blood running down their face, almost seeming hollow on the inside.

Try being sacrificed for your twin and then see if you wish to be so supportive of them.

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"No! What were you thinking?! Look at you!" The woman cried out, seeing the injuries on Sabbath's young body. The child almost thought that the woman was worried for them, until they heard the woman crying about Stella. Now they were glad that they felt no pain.

Not able to fight back when the woman started to drag them off, their smaller body doing nothing against them before getting thrown across the rough floor. "You've left me no choice! You've gotta stay in here to make sure that you don't damage yourself farther for Stella, just do something right for once and die for her already."

And that was the beginning of keeping Sabbath locked away in a room, only able to hear their parents dotting on Stella through the walls. Anger and hatred festering everyday, boiling into a small bottle inside- ready to pop at the right moment.

"Why were you born? You know you're bad luck!" Sabbath would hear this a lot, knowing to sit by the door after barricading it with the wooden posts of the taken apart bed. They didn't want any of them in the room and they knew that the door wouldn't be taken off because they didn't want the chance for Sabbath to escape.

"All you have done was cause this family suffering! Especially your sister, just a fucking devil leeching on a precious angel." The door banged, Sabbath jumping against the wooden surface. Their eyes burning in anger as they stared ahead, silently simmering in rage that no child should have to.

Sabbath quietly walked back, knowing that tomorrow was going to be a busy day with the extra PT's that Shadis assigned them to. "So, is it true? You and Mikasa fought?"

Their eyes glanced up at Connie who called out from leaning on the railing of the boy's cabin. Their eyes narrowed at Connie, watching the cadet flinched at seeing the look in those red eyes. So crazy...

He thought before grinning, thinking it was cool. Sabbath didn't know what the smile was about, but they really didn't care either. "Here Sabbath."

They turned, seeing Reiner standing there with holding out a flask of water for them. Their eyes glanced down at the water, immediately not trusting it and glaring back at Reiner. "Whoa, don't get me that look, I'm tryin' to help ya out man."

"Why...?"

"You've been going this whole time without getting any help from anyone or making friends. Dude, you can't do everything on your own."

"Watch me." Sabbath snapped, turning away from Reiner and was about to walk away when Reiner grabbed their shoulder. Their body froze, Reiner watching them. "I just want to be your ally in this, don't push away help."

"What do you get out of it?"

"A skilled ally." Reiner answered honestly, Sabbath glancing back at him. Ironically, they felt no lie or ulterior motive from Reiner- it confused them. Why be so open about that? "Now, want some?"

He mentioned to the water again, glancing down at the water with a narrowed glance. Reiner noticed that they still didn't seem to trust it, sighing while opening it to drink some of the water. Holding it back out for Sabbath.

It was silent for a moment, Sabbath staring at Reiner. Waiting, watching him for any discomfort. Finding nothing and confirming that nothing was wrong with the water. Taking the flask from his hand, sipping at the water inside the flask.

"So, how badly did Shadis torture you?" Reiner asked, making some conversation with Sabbath. Their eyes glanced over at him, wiping their mouth when the flask was lowered. "I just got extra PT's in the next week."

"They're gonna muscle failure you man, shit that sucks." Reiner said while shaking his head. They shrugged, not really caring as they crossed their arms. "It's whatever."

"You're something else." He chuckled while shaking his head; Sabbath shrugging while handing back the water. Reiner took it back, checking over at Sabbath. "So why did you and Mikasa even start fighting?"

"Fucked around and found out." Sabbath shrugged, turning away from Reiner and leaving before he could ask anymore questions. When the door opened, Sasha immediately was getting off of the bed to check on Sabbath. "Are you okay??"

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Blood dripped down their skin, the preteen sitting on the floor. It felt sticky, slow sliding down their skin. Their mother stared down at them, watching them. "Aren't you happy? You're finally giving your life for your sister."

"Sabbath, wake up." They recognized that voice, opening their eyes to see an upside blonde. Annie was their top bunk mate, seeing Annie hanging upside down to stare at them. Their hands rubbed their eyes, sitting up while feeling exhausted. "What?"

"You were repeating numbers." Sabbath looked up, confused at hearing that. They didn't know that they were doing that... There were scissors in the bathroom as they had gotten up, cutting off the longer hair. Getting it back short to the way they liked it.

"Got any idea why you were repeating numbers?" Annie asked while leaning on the doorframe, watching Sabbath cut some more of their hair. Their head shook, making sure that the hair was correct length.

It was something that woman made me do... Repeat numbers till she claimed I was forgiven for what I did against my twin, repeat the numbers from the hits.

But Sabbath knew that they weren't dreaming of that time... But it only concluded on more reasons why they didn't like to sleep, memories of those time seem to haunt them. "We'll be doing the gear training in the forest today, you ready?"

"Of course." Anything in the air, Sabbath enjoyed. It's where they felt the most comfortable, the most free. But they knew that they needed to get some of the punishment training before, leaving without saying anything. They didn't need to, Annie already knew from talking to them last night.