Cultist Hunt (Open) (Lots o' Violence)

Reia wanted nothing more than to go home. So once Levi was done bandaging her leg, they walked to the stables to get their horses. Reia went to Angus and rested her forehead against the Scottish Shire's large black and white snout. "Ready to go home, boy?" she whispered.

"Can you ride?" Levi asked her.

Reia wasn't sure, but she couldn't see another alternative to getting home, so she gritted her teeth and nodded. Still, Levi had to help her get on the horse. After that, it wasn't so bad. Angus could tell that she was hurt and made the ride as smooth as possible.

When they finally got back to HQ, it was almost sunrise. Reia was too tired to walk all the way back to her room, so she went to the library and passed out on a cushioned bench in front of the window. She figured it would be a good place, since people didn't visit the library often. Levi, not willing to let her out of his sight, sat down in a chair and picked up a book.

It was midday by the time Luna found the two soldiers in the library. She knocked lightly on the door frame before entering and made a commotion as she shuffled her numerous papers around in his hands. "Good afternoon," She started with a quick flash of a smile, though she figured it would be lost on them. "Commander Erwin would a full report of what transpired yesterday and ----- if any condolence letters need to be written, then he would like those to be attended to as soon as possible."

Luna caught her plump bottom lip between her teeth, rocking back and forth on her heels as she waited for an answer from her superiors.

Charles was waiting in the library Reia.Kurt was patrolling outside,eating some shrubbery.He saw her enter with Captain Levi.Several minutes later,a new Scout came in,undoubtedly a rookie.She began speaking with Reia and Levi.As they spoke,Charles scanned the area.As usual,MPs had followed her,most likely waiting for her to be alone.He clenched his rifle under the table.Charles got up,and carried his rifle on a strap on his back.He approached Reia's table,and whispered "Follow me if you want to live,"as he walked by and headed for the exit.

Reia stood on top of Wall Maria, facing her mother and sister for the first time in three years. "Please come home!" her sister begged, tears in her eyes.

"You don't understand," Reia said quietly, unable to look at her sister's pleading face. Instead, she glanced at her mother, who wore a mixed expression of concern and understanding. She knew why Reia couldn't come home, and yet she had come all the way to Shiganshina to convince her to do just that.

"Why? Just talk to me!" her sister cried.

Reia stood there silently.

"____." She glanced up when her mother softly said her name. Not "Reia", as she had been called for the past three years. Her real name. Reia looked at her mother, and in that moment, she almost did it. She almost went home.

Then the colossal titan appeared, and everything changed.

Reia was running through the city, with her mother and sister close behind her. There was no one to protect them. The guards had run away, leaving them to die. Hands reached out from behind them. They grabbed her mother, then her sister. Reia ran faster, wanting to look back and at the same time not wanting to. When she finally did, she saw that the murderous hands reaching for her were not titan, but human...

Reia bolted upright. She was back in the library. She was alive. Her sister was alive. Her mother... "Calm down. It was just a dream," she told herself.

There was a knock on the door, and a young girl walked in, saying that Commander Erwin wanted her full report from yesterday. Reia resisted the urge to groan. She was still exhausted from the mission. "Very well. Thank you, cadet. You may go," she said.

After the girl left, Levi said, "You can sleep longer if you want."

"No," Reia replied, standing. "I've slept enough."

A man approached her. Reia recognized him as one of the Garrison soldiers from last night. As he walked by, he told her to follow him. Reia grabbed his arm. "Why is a Garrison soldier in the Survey Corp's HQ?" she asked with narrowed eyes.

Levi appeared by her side, glaring at the soldier. "Answer the question," he ordered.

As Luna made her way out of the library, she caught sight of a few Garrison soldiers in the hallway and her eyebrows narrowed in suspicion. After a moment of thought, she figured that they must be here to speak with some of the higher-ups or something of that sort. Still, the young girl couldn't help but let her curiosity get the best of her, so she decided to keep hidden in the darkened corner of the old building.

Charles replied,"Severin's orders,"before breaking the grip and walking off.The MPs followed suit.Charles kept walking casually until the MPs caught up with him.Charles was just outside the HQ.He slugged one of the MPs in the face,followed by a ram from Kurt.Charles walked away,with Kirt distracting the MPs.As Charles walked,he was joined by another figure.Severin.They conversed for several seconds before Severin left using his 3DMG.Kurt had defeated the MPs,and resumed eating shrubbery with all of them lying on the ground.Charles then turned left and dissapeared from sight.Several more MPs had appeared,and we're following Charles.Epsilon appeared from behind the MPs,and quickly disposed of them.He then zoomed off with his 3DMG.Charles kept walking.

A small gasp of surprise escaped Luna's lips as she watched the carnage in front of her - who knew the Garrison could be so brutal? Against her better judgement, the teen ran after the other soldier, careful to avoid the blood stains smeared across the ground. "Hey ----- " She called after him and, when she was close enough, grabbed at his arm in an attempt to halt his progress. 

"What the hell was that?" Was all Luna could come up with, gesturing over at the scene of the fight with some obscure hand gestures. "You got a death wish or something?"

Reia and Levi exchanged a look, then followed the man at a distance. When they arrived outside, they were greeted by a fight between Garrison soldiers and MPs. Before they could do anything, the Garrison soldiers ran off, leaving several MPs lying on the ground.

Levi picked one of them up by the collar. "What's going on here?" he asked.

The man put his hands up in a non-threatening gesture. "Hey, man, don't ask me. Those guys just attacked us out of nowhere."

"That doesn't explain what you're doing at the Survey Corps Headquarters," Levi challenged.

"We were, uh, here to deliver some papers. We were just leaving."

"Then get out," Levi said, dropping the man. After the MP and his friends scrambled to their feet and left, Levi turned to Reia. "I don't like these other regiments snooping around, especially with Eren here. We tell Erwin about this, and then we go back to the squad. We've been away too long."

Reia nodded, and they left to find the commander.

Severin observed from a distance.He checked Flammende Gerechtigkeit's magazine.Five rounds.Charles was being grabbed by a young Scout,who was questioning him.Through the telescope,he noticed Epsilon looking at him.Severin nodded.Several seconds later,Charles left the area with his 3DMG,with Epsilon following suit.Severin scanned the area with the tee old.He froze when he saw Reia.At least twenty MPs were waiting around the corner.They were going to attack Reia.He aimed his rifle.But,Severin heard commotion behind him,and saw a similar number of MPs approaching.They had 3DMG and rifles.Severin took off,and the MPs took chase.Soon,he was zooming around,trying to out
outmaneuver the MPs.But there were too many.So Severin just zoomed along,avoiding rifle fire and obstacles.

Before Luna could continue her interrogation of the boy, he pulled away and flew out of sight, though that was the least of her problems considering the barrage of bullets that was currently raining down from above. With a growl, she was off and running so she could take cover in the foliage of the trees above. Catching sight of Reia and Levi, Luna made her way over to them as fast as she could.

"The Military Police are attacking!" The redhead called out to her superiors as she landed in a stumble in front of them. "We've got to find cover or we're as good as dead."

As Reia and Levi walked the halls, heading for Commander Erwin's office, the cadet from before ran in front of them, screaming about the Military Police. Instead of being worried, Reia was annoyed. This had gone on long enough. Whatever was going on between these two groups, they needed to take it somewhere other the Survey Corps Headquarters, where, she might add, they were keeping a titan shifter. Better yet, they could use all their energy to actually do their job and fight titans.

Reia looked at Levi. After knowing each other for seven years, they had developed an uncanny ability to tell what the other one was thinking. This moment was no different. With a nod to Levi, she addressed the girl. "Calm down. We'll take care of it. Just stick close to us, okay?" With that, Reia and Levi led the way to Commander Erwin's office.

"I'm assuming that you didn't invite the MPs and the Garrison over for a tea party," Levi said as he entered the room.

"No," the commander replied without looking up from his papers. "Why?"

"They're duking it out on our front lawn," Reia informed him.

Erwin set down his papers and sighed. "It never ends, does it?" he mused. "Alright. I'll take care of it. You two just get back to guarding Eren. And Reia, I want your report on my desk before dinner."

Severin noticed Reia go inside.He shot a flare at the MPs,blinding them.Severin,Charles,and Epsilon then led the area,heading for their temporary base in Shiganshina."Well,"Charles said as he caught up with Severin."Reia is with Levi,so she's safe."The group zoomed along,and,two hours later they were back at base."Home sweet home,"Severin said as he collapsed on a chair."You guys discover anything new?"Severin inquired.Splinter looked at Severin."We've found another cultist pocket,sir.We believe the MPs are supplying them as well."Severin nodded."We'll make a move once everyone has recuperated."

The younger girl nodded in silent agreement, keeping her head down as she followed the two experienced soldiers to the Commander's office. After a beat of heavy silence, Luna glanced up and questioned in a tilting voice, "Do you think it has anything to do with Eren?"

The Titan shifter was obviously an asset that any branch of the military could use, so she could see why the Military Police and the Garrison would be fighting over him, but the real question was ----- why now? 

"I mean ----- don't you think we should try to do some of our own investigating? It seems like its getting pretty out of control - its a total shit storm actually."

Reia cracked a smile at this little girl's use of a four-letter word. It seemed so out of character that it was almost comical. She wondered what to do with the cadet. They couldn't take her with them, as no one but Special Ops was supposed to guard Eren. However, they couldn't leave her here alone, either. "Who's your squad leader?" Reia asked.

"Hanji." She replied simply. While the young girl loved her Squad Leader to death and knew that the older woman always had her squad's best interests in minds, being assigned to her was both a blessing and a curse. The woman was no doubt a Titan eccentric which could lead to her making some rash and irresponsible decisions though Moblit always seemed to keep her under some kind of control.

Severin poked his head out of the window,looking for any MPs.So far,none had arrived.Almost all of Ember Squadron was on high alert now.Slips approached Severin."Sir,you might want to take a look at this."Severin turned around,and Slips had a piece of paper in his hand."We found it on the body,sir.It's very..."Severin silenced him and began reading the paper.'Sgt.Manson,you are to take out a rogue Garrison squadron currently located in Shiganshina.They represent a major threat to both peace and our plans.'Severin stopped reading there.He didn't want to finish the paper,for he knew what was next:a list of names of everyone in Ember Squadron,including the dead."So it's official.The MPs really do want us dead."Severin looked into the distance,his expression grim.

"Of course," Reia thought. This girl was the perfect type for Hanji's squad. Lots of energy. "Alright. Hanji's office is right down the hall. We'll take you to her on our way to the Special Ops wing," she told the girl.

Placing her petite hands on her hips, Luna contorted her face into a less than agreeable expression. "So you're saying I can't help?" She questioned, pushing her bottom lip out in an obvious pout.

"C'mon ----- Hanji never lets me do anything." She added, offering a slight smile in an attempt to convince the older woman.

Ember Squadron sat around the fire,listening to Severin speak."It has come to be that,now,it's not just the MPs supplying cultists.Several Survey Corps members are also assisting.How?We don't know.But,the list of names we've gathered includes,"Severin paused."You've all read the list.Now,to the plan."Severin gestured to several drawings laid together."Some of us will stake out the Survey Corps HQ.Some others will follow MP patrols.The others will stay here and guard what we've gathered.As you can see,the groups have already been set.Since the Survey Corps HQ will be,no doubt,the most dangerous,Slips,Charles,Epsilon,and I will go there."Several minutes later,with the plan explained,the groups separated and began their business.When Severin and his group reached the base,they settled down in some nearby trees.Severin set up camp,and they waited for suspicious activity.Each man had their rifles shouldered and ready to fire,should the need arise.

Reia stared deadpan at the cadet pouting in front of her. She was appealing to emotions Reia simply did not have. "Sorry, cadet," she said, leading the girl to Hanji's office. "But members of Special Ops are the only ones that can guard Eren."

"Yeah - yeah - yeah ----- " Luna gave an over exaggerated roll of her dark brown eyes. Apparently her current tactic wasn't working, so she would have to resort to something a little less conventional. She moved to walk ahead of Reia and went about making mining lotions with her hands.

A giggle followed before the redhead stifled it. "Special Ops this - Special Ops that." Luna pitched her voice a few octaves higher and pulled her lips back in a grimace of annoyance.

"If you know anything - you know I'm useful." Luna finally turned to face her.

Reia knocked on the door of Hanji's office.

"Who iiiiiiiis iiiiiiiit?" Hanji called in a singsong voice.

"It's Reia and Levi. We've found one of yours." Reia told her.

"Oh! Come in, come in!" Hanji beckoned.

Reia opened the door to find Hanji standing on her head. At this point, Reia knew better than to ask why and just went with it.

Hanji jumped to her feet. "You said you found one of mine? Is it an abnormal?"

"One of your cadets, Hanji."

"Oh." Hanji giggled. "Right. Now, let's see," she said, turning to face the girl. "Aha! I've been looking all over for you!"

Luna sighed heavily, shuffling her feet around as she listened to her Squad Leader ramble on. "Yeah ------ hey, Hanji." She was less than happy to have their conversation interrupted, but she quickly lightened up as the saw the excited look on the brunette's face.

"Uh. . . what did you need me for?" She then asked, moving out from behind Reia and Levi so she could push herself up onto Hanji's desk, allowing her short legs to swing back and forth as she leaned over to pick at the remains of the Squad Leader's lunch.

Luna then glanced back over at Levi and Reia. "They said I couldn't help them. . ." And while she had found that pouting and whining wouldn't work on them, it would be more likely to work on Hanji then anyone in the headquarters.

"Well, you may not be able to help them, but you sure can help me!" Hanji was beaming suspiciously. It made Reia wonder what she had up her sleeve. "We're going to go poke and prod our favorite titan subject!"

Reia smirked. So the girl would get to be around Eren after all. Reia just hoped that Hanji didn't have her do anything crazy, like have her walk into a titan's mouth or something. Reia also had to wonder why this girl wanted to see Eren so badly. Did she have a crush on him or something? Reia let out a quiet laugh. If she did, she'd have to fight Mikasa for him.

"Ughhh. . ." Luna groaned aloud. "You're going to make me do gross stuff aren't you?" She accused, jumping to the worst conclusion before Hanji was even allowed to elaborate on the subject. Experimenting on Eren - while the girl did little, but spectate while Hanji had her fun - it was hardly an easy task - you know - considering the fact that the teen boy had a habit of becoming a Titan.

The redhead moved to slide across the desk to fall haphazardly into the desk chair with an undignified squeak before she righted herself in the seat and adjusted her hair. Reaching across the desk, Luna placed one of Hanji's many pairs of glasses on the tip of her button nose and kicked her legs up into the desk.

"But I guess, since it's you. . . I could maybe possibly do it." She replied in a tilting tone, adding in a subtle flutter of long lashes.