FicWad

“No, no, no!” Annie’s father snarled. “You keep turning wrong!”
Annie grumbled to herself as the dirt scuffed her knees and elbows. She had fallen once more in a sparring match with her father. She stood up and brushed off her trousers. Glaring up at her father, she squinted against the bright sunlight shining through the leaves of birch trees. A crow cawed a loud warning call as her father snapped at her, and fluttered off into the forest.
“Maybe if you could show me how to do the move correctly,” Annie hissed, “I wouldn’t keep doing it wrong!”
“Yeah, and what would I demonstrate on?” her father retorted, “a tree?”
“Me, you idiot!”
“Don’t call me an idiot and do the move like I taught you!”
“What did you teach me?!”
“I told you how!”
“Yeah, how very helpful that was!”
Annie, who was usually quiet and cynical, seemed to get into yelling matches with her father more often than not. As a result, her father had insisted they move out into the empty recesses of Wall Maria and find a house secluded from the rest of civilization so as to not provoke the Military Police.
“Fine, how’s this then?!” Annie roared as she performed the move, which consisted of ramming a knee into her father’s stomach. He was sent skidding across the dirt and made hard contact with a solid birch tree. Leaves floated down from their standing points as the trunk of the tree shook from the impact of her muscle-bound father.
“V-very g-good, Annie…” he spluttered as he clutched his abdomen.
Annie smirked as she helped him up.
“Don’t get smart with me,” he chuckled. “We’re done for today. Go tend to the cattle, would you?”
“It’s your turn,” Annie muttered grudgingly as she trudged off to the animal pens. Dark gray clouds slowly moved in with a cold breeze and Annie suppressed a shudder.
Annie was completely unaware of a wiry man watching their match from behind the shadows of a cluster of birches.

When she returned, her father was conversing with a taller, thinner man, and a light rain was beginning to fall. The man had a thin beard, light brown hair, and long limbs. Despite his skinny frame, he had broad shoulders. He was wearing an official-looking suit, and held a paper in his hand. The newcomer pointed her way. Annie was unable to hear what they were saying from her distance, but their lips were definitely moving. Her father glanced in that direction and nodded. The taller man started walking towards her.
He knelt down in front of her and offered his hand for her to shake.
“Hello, your father says your name is Annie Leonhardt. Am I correct?” He murmured soothingly. Despite his menacing appearance, he was seemingly gentle and caring.
“Y-yes…” Annie stammered quietly.
“My name is Johnathan Linnings. I have a special place for people like you.”
“People… like… me…?”
“Yes, a… place... that helps children like you learn about your special ability.”
“Special ability, what do you mean?
Her father hurried forward and nudged the man aside.
“Annie, may I have a word with you?”
Annie ruefully followed her father away from the intriguing man.
“I haven’t told you, have I?” Her father muttered as he led Annie to the back of their house. A flock of birds feeding on seeds flapped away.
Sunlight peeked through the clouds and leaves of the birches and shone down on the two.
“Told me about what? The special ability Mr. Linnings told me about?”
“Yes…”
Annie’s eyes widened as her father explained. I can… turn into those beasts the people from the walls talk about? And… other people can, too?! Annie thought frantically.
“You can make the whole world your enemy.” Her father’s voice wavered as he spoke. “Even if the whole world hates you, your dad is the person on your side!”
Annie’s father knelt down in front of her and hugged her closely.
“Annie,” he whispered, “It’s too late to ask for your forgiveness, but there’s one thing I want to ask of you.”
“Dad… I…” Annie was at a loss for words. Her father had never showed affection for her unless he was praising a sparring match she won, which didn't happen often.
“I’m letting Mr. Linnings take you there. To let you… control your ability… please understand.” Her father’s pleading eyes bore into hers. Annie managed a feeble nod. “So promise me… that you will return…”
Johnathan Linnings appeared behind them with a grin plastered across his greasy face. “Is she ready?” her father nodded gravely.
The tall man took Annie by the hand and led her to a fancy-looking cart being pulled by two horses. The carriage was painted black with white rims. One of the horses was a brown paint horse and the other was a deep black. The carriage's wheels were caked in mud and rocks from the ride up. Lavender curtains were drawn inside the small windows. Two curious pairs of eyes peeked from behind them.
“Ah yes,” Johnathan sighed as he noticed the onlookers, “I must introduce you.” He opened the door.
Two boys, one tall with brown hair and green eyes, another shorter with blonde hair and amber eyes, stepped out hesitantly from the carriage.
“This is Behrtoldt Hoover,” Johnathan said, gesturing to the taller one, “and this is Reiner Braun. They possess the same powers you do.” The two boys held out their right hands for her to shake. Annie didn’t move. “This is Annie Leonhardt,” he continued, “Annie, be nice and say ‘Hi.’”
Annie didn’t say anything. She stared at her shoes and didn’t look up.
“She’s a bit shy,” Johnathan dismissed.
Annie gave Johnathan a deadly look and went back to her feet as they boarded the carriage.
A snap of reins rattled the cart and it began to tremble as they moved across the gravelly road. Annie resisted the urge to look out the window to catch one last glance at her father. By now, the rain had gotten heavier. Splat... splat... splat... The roof beside her was leaky, and water dripped down from it. Annie scooted closer to the window and lifted the curtains slightly. A countryside, enclosed by huge walls, surrounded them. They were heading towards a mountain with a small village almost balanced on the mountainside. Closing the curtains, Annie turned back to staring at the opposite wall. The carriage was painted dark brown and had deep purple leather seats. There was just enough room for five people to be squished together. Behrtoldt and Reiner sat at the opposite end of Annie, and kept exchanging glances.
Behrtoldt was the first to break the silence.
“Do you know any fighting moves?” He asked nervously.
“Yeah, back at our hometown we were in a sparring program.” Reiner agreed. "Best in our class, too!" he boasted.
Annie mumbled a quick “Yes,” and didn’t look up.
“You’re awfully quiet.” Behrtoldt pointed out.
“Yeah, so what?” Annie growled.
“I knew you had a tongue,” Reiner teased.
“Shove off,” she grumbled.
“A sharp one at that,” Behrtoldt muttered.
"Don't be mean, Behrt."
"I told you to stop calling me that."
"So?"
"So I'd like you to stop!"
"Could you shut up?!" Annie barked at the arguing boys. Reiner was taken aback by her sudden change of mood and shrunk in his seat.
A pang of guilt stabbed through Annie's heart as Behrtoldt shot her a look. Annie mumbled a quick apology and turned back to the window. Hooking the curtains on a golden latch beside them, she stared out the filthy pane. The carriage was almost to the village. Annie sighed and closed the curtains again.
The carriage lurched to a stop.
“Are we here?” Annie asked. Shut up! Stop talking! She snapped at herself.
“No, Mr. Linnings said there would be two more stops after ours when he picked us up.” Reiner explained.
“Will… will we be going back home at all?” Annie whispered. Great, now you look like a weak fool!
“Not that we know of,” Behrtoldt said darkly.
The door to the carriage opened and the trio stepped out.
“We have an unexpected guest,” Johnathan explained, clearly flustered. “We were planning on only picking up Ymir here, but her friend Krista has asked to… join us…”
Annie cast a glance at the two. A tall one with tannish skin glared at Annie through messy dark hair. A shorter one with long blonde hair stared at the ground. She was covered in mud, and her rather fancy clothes were torn. Tear stains made ruts in the dirt on her face.
“I’m Ymir,” the taller one mumbled, “and this is Krista.” She gestured to her sniffling companion.
“Krista will be coming along just for the training, yes?” Reiner asked. “She doesn’t harness the-” Behrtoldt cut him off with a sharp jab to the side and a swift head shake.
“She said she wanted to enroll in the military a few years from now, and currently she just needs a place to stay,” Johnathan explained. “Where are my manners? This is Annie Leonhardt, Behrtoldt Hoover, and Reiner Braun.” Johnathan waved his hand at the three. “They have the same powers you do, Ymir.”
Neither Ymir nor Krista said anything. Silently, the five made their way onto the carriage.
They won’t understand; Annie’s father’s words rang in her ears.
Looking out the window, trees whipped past and rain pelted down as the cart hurtled along a winding dirt road. Your dad is the one on your side.
The trees suddenly broke away and a huge clearing came into view. Three long, well-constructed buildings split the land. Reiner gasped as he pressed his face against the glass. The carriage came to a halt once inside the clearing.
“This is it,” Johnathan announced as he pulled the door open.
Promise me that you will return.