A mission gone wrong...

[Tino Väinämöinen]

'Where did everything go wrong..?'

Tino Väinämöinen had left the safety of the walls after volunteering to join a separate mission with a group of Recon Corps members that were being sent out to study the Abnormals.  He, and the rest of the group had hopped on horseback and took off, hoping to return within a mere few hours.  The trip into the wilderness was strange, perhaps quite off, for there wasn't many titans about at all.  It lead the group to venture a bit further from the walls than they intended.

That was where everything began to take a turn for the worse.  The group split into two to cover more ground to find the titans, only, the group that separated from Tino's sent the black smoke signal into the air.  They were being attacked, and more than likely all hope for them had faded.  Tino didn't want to believe that, so against orders from the group he was assigned with, he hopped on horseback and took off towards where the signals came from.  It was this action, that had actually lead to his life being spared, for another mob of titans had attacked the group Tino abandoned.  Tino unintentionally ended up alone, in the middle of an almost-baron plains as he could see the black signal from both directions.  He knew soon, the titans would come after him next.  Tino wasn't one for strategy, but he knew one thing.  He would not last out here, at all.  Not without backup, at least.

Forced to make some form of retreated, he felt he was in the clear.  He dismounted his horse, and sent it on it's way after writing a brief note that stated that Tino was alive, and would be hiding up in a tree.  He hoped that, somehow, someone would find the horse, and know that Tino could be alive.  When the horse was out of view, Tino used his 3d Maneuvering gear to raise himself up into the tallest point of the tallest tree around the area he was in.  He could hide-- but this solution would only be temporary.  If too many titans were to make their way to Tino, Tino would fire off the signal he still had on his person.

[Lovino Vargas]

Lovino was fuming. How stupid did these leaders have to be? He honestly had wished that he had thought more clearly when he decided joining the small group that was venturing outside of the walls for a bit of research was a good idea. Honestly he was going stir crazy inside the castle. At least if he went outside of the walls he could have the freedom and the wind flowing through his hair.

He loved wide open spaces compared to the closed in walls of the castle. Every where he looked once he was out of the gates seemed to be flourishing. Soil was so rich here. Such a shame they had to lose it all. He examined the grass as they passed recognising some of the shrubs as the tops of tomato plants he smirked. God, he missed those. He thought of perhaps taking some back. He knew he definitely needed more fresh ingredient in his meals he already noticed his caramel skin was showing a more washed out pale since his diet had changed. He looked to the soldiers riding next to him and considered asking them to cover for him while he unsaddled and picked a few. But, of course, he decided against it. He'd rather not have to ask anyone for a favour, that would mean he would have to repay it and Lovino hated owing people favours.

It was then his side of the massive group branched way from the others to cover more land. Lovino at the time was already feeling edgy. This was opening them up for an attack and with less of them together the chances of them being able to protect themselves halved. He turned to the man next to him, taller, broad shoulders and a short buzz cut. He hadn't seen this man before but then again although it wasn't a massive castle Lovino hardly socialised with anyone. Chances are, anyone would look unfamiliar to him due to that fact.

"I don't like this." The man said before Lovino had even time to part his lips. "I understand why but its too risky when there already isn't a lot of us."

Ah we have an intelligent one among us. Lovino thought before turning to him.

"Me neither." He looked around the canopy that was increasing growing in density. The sunlight was dappling through thick leaves. "This is getting too dange-" Lovino cut out mid-sentence as a loud crack interrupting. He snapped his neck around to see what had happened and felt his stomach drop. A huge titan head was laying on the ground face down. The horses around them had to skid to a halt to avoid hitting the monster's head. The titan didn't move but no was sticking around to see if it was still alive. Lovino swore loudly and yanked on his reins violently to change the path his horse was thundering down. He avoided the titan as widely as he could. The man he had be talking to before had his eyes constantly on the Titan. From what Lovino had seen it looked like a 10 meter class. He couldn't see the face or really the rest of the titans body. Lovino wasn't going to investigate he was going to get the fuck out of there. He turned to the man.

"What are you looking at?" He asked loudly, slightly agitated.

"Where did it come from? Why didn't we hear any noises?"

"You ask the real questions. But here's another one, why the fuck hasn't someone shot a smoke gun?!" Lovino scowled at the people in front of them. The man beside him rolled his eyes but nodded.

"Fire it!! Someone fire the black smoke round!" He shouted. It wasn't long before someone did.

Everything went down hill from there.

Titans left and right began to appear knocking down trees as if they were simple weeds. Horses fell and soon only few we're left running their hooves still thundering against the hard well worn ground. Lovino's grip on his reins tightened, his knuckles whitening. He was furious. He has just seen men, good men fall so suddenly. He was also incredibly scared, his heart thundered in his chest heavily. There were tears that pricked in the corners of his eyes which he refused to believe that we're caused by anything but the sharp win now whipping his face. He heard a voice beside him and it caused his blood to run cold. The man who he had talked to before was caught under his horse that had toppled over him. Lovino hesitated. He couldn't get down, he wouldn't be able to lift the horse off him. He wouldn't be able to get back on his own horse without a huge chance of being attacked himself. He had only a we seconds to either save the man or give himself a head start. Lovino clenched his jaw, closed his eyes and felt his heart tighten.

"Forgive me" he whispered before thundering on. He made a turn before heading into the Forrest hoping that hiding himself within the large trees would help him escape the titans that had seemingly appeared from no where. It was then he had to skid to a halt as another horse trotted past and stopped in his path.

"Move!" He hissed, trying to go backwards, his horse bowed its head in refusal. "God dammit! Move!!" He kicked the side of the horse before noticing a note stuck to the saddle of the horse in his path. He was hesitant to go for it but ended up doing so in the end as his curiosity won out in the end. He read over the letter a furrowed a brow. Who was Tino? He looked around and hopped back onto his horse while tethering the other horse to his own, walking the both of them alongside the tall trees. If he was attacked again Lovino would have to use his manoeuvre gear, he felt safe in knowing he had a plan would anything happen. Images of the man stuck under the horse flittered in his mind. His death was not Lovino's fault. Had he have not been there the man would have still fallen and would have stilled died so his death was not in at all his fault. He could have prevented it but then in turn killed the both of them. The real person at fault was the person who had planned such an exhibition.

Lovino began to look up trying to find the alive "Tino" without much luck. He stared down at the paper again and sighed a crumpled it up. Any other sign on his where abouts would have been freaking nice. He then sucked in his breath and faced upward. "TINO!!!" He called out not expecting a response as the forest looked incredibly dead from where he was.

[Tino Väinämöinen]

"Perkele..."

Tino cursed to himself as he ran a hand through his hair. He knew sitting it out was suicide, but it was more suicidal to run out there into the wilderness, alone. Right? He kept his gear on him, and wound use the tree for cover. That was his initial plan now, and he wound stick with it.

However, he winced when he began to hear movement, loud movement, and soon the first titan arrived at the tree, moving to claw at it in order to try to reach Tino. He let out a small shriek, moving back against the base of the tree. He was still higher up, and he had to think. Eventually, he knew, Titans could learn... So Tino took a deep breathe and took a look around. He made sure it was clear, before he swung down to take that titan out. More could appear, but he had to keep the tree somewhat secure until someone finds him. "..." He looked down at his belt, to where the smoke gun and the capsules of smoke were. He couldn't fire them off. It would be too dangerous, right?

Tino didn't know much about the crew he had left with-- but now he had regret joining them. Everything was eerily quiet as he made his way back up to the tallest branch of a tree, staying there in hiding. He wondered if his horse had made it back home yet, or if it was stopped by a titan-- or perhaps, a survivor? "..." Did anyone else live...? Tino frowned. He began to regret his choice. Maybe he should have kept his horse an tried to ride his way home? It would've been suicidal though. Not when the titans seem to have gotten sneakier.

"!?"

Tino perked up, hearing a light sound of someone's call. His name? Oh no! If they're screaming it out they'll definitely get advanced on by titans. Tino didn't call out, he did, however, think he could fire off one of his remaining smoke capsules. He reached down, taking off the gun and a green one. It was clear as far as he could tell. So he raised the gun in the air, covering his ears with a hand and his forearm, before he fired the signal into the air. He hoped whomever (Lovino) had screamed for him would see it and hurry on over.

[Lovino Vargas]

"TINO!" Lovino stoped to cough into his sleeve, his spit had been sucked back and he was now choking on it. He spluttered and spat out at the ground. Gross. He wiped his face and felt his mouth begin to get dry. He had stupidly left his mouth open during the fast paced running back before and found that the fast winds has dried his mouth causing it to feel rough and sandpapery against his sensitive tongue. He reached behind his on to his day pack hoping he still had enough water. He had accidentally spilt some earlier when he had opened it for a drink. It seemed to petty at the time to worry about spilling a bit of water and honestly it was. Nobody should cry over a bit of spilt water. But now Lovino felt his chest tighten as he grasped the light sheep skin bottle, he now started to feel the loss of the luxury. He hoped whoever this Tino was, if the bastard was still alive had some water on him… well. Lovino thought. He didn't exactly have to be alive, Lovino just needed to find him.

It was then he heard the blast and saw the black smoke through the thick canopy of the trees that towered above him. His horse now used to the mute silence of nature blunted by the thickness of the trees had jumped. Lovino had to tighten his hold on the reins and soothe his horse. Petting his hair he whispered softly to it turning it around to go toward the sound. Okay so either that was Tino and the lucky bastard is alive or someone else was around. Either way Lovino had obtained water and was on his way toward someone who hopefully had water. He licked his cracked lips. Perhaps things were all that bad then.

He snaked his way around the thick roots of the trees until he found himself in a place that looked identical in every single direction. He didn't want to shout out again as only doing so would make his thirst grow. He started to look up in the branches trying to catch a flicker of white but sighed in exasperation when he realised that with the sun dappling through the leaves the uniform was almost designed to blend in.

"Fuck." He murmured. Guess calling out was all he had to do now. "TINO!" He called again before having to cover his mouth once more with his sleeve and coughing.

[15 Meter Class]

The first thing the Titan notices is the black smoke that ascends into the air.

The audible sound is followed by a fading echo that is not only heard by the 15 Meter Class, but the other Titans in the area as well. Some were crouched or resting next to a tree half of their heights, others were laying on their sides basking in the sunlight to kill time. The grasslands had been quiet for what seemed to be weeks now. Although the concept of time was something unfamiliar to the beast, the occasional growling of its starved belly was a reminder of the passing days. So when a sudden black smoke appears in the sky with an extremely loud 'POP' sound, each Titan in the vicinity halts their movements; blank eyes peering up to the direction of the smoke in wonder.

The second thing the Titan notices are the others like him, slowly standing to their feet and heading the exact same way. 

Their casual walks turn into long strides, before they're clumsily running in the general direction of the smoke round; causing obvious vibrations in the ground around them. They're about twenty yards away, and the Titan watches them violently push and shove at each other like deranged animals after their first meal in weeks. Their eyes remaining blank as some are  even trampled, blood evaporating off of their thick skin. The 15 meter class' stands, and mindlessly follows the hoard through to the area, still keeping its distance.

The third thing the Titan notices, is the small animal and the even smaller man yelling at nothing in particular.

Tino! The young man calls out; the syllables disappearing into the air and falling on the Titan's deaf ears.

It remains crouched behind a tree, its head tilted as it watches the human with curiosity. It's pupils dilate as its gaze wanders away from the horse and onto the back of the person. A mop of brown hair, and the continuous, strained yelling of 'Tino, 'Tino' Tino' The Titan's plastered grin remains on its face, and all it thinks is how delicious this human will taste on its oversized tougnue. It wastes no time standing to its full height, a tree branch splitting in half along its shoulders and landing on the forest grounds. It towers over the tree by a few meters, able to see the tiny human more clearly. 


Its already parted lips begin to separate, inadvertently showing more of its  endless teeth. Drool begins eeping off of the side of its missing lips and dropping onto the forest ground in size of a puddle. Its breathing begins to grow lower and heavier, glaring down at his new meal in raw desire.

The Titan decides it is going to savor every taste of this boys' skin and his bones.

[Tino Väinämöinen]

Tino heard his name called more times.  It had been to long since he fired off the shot and the signal was fading.  He could hear movement around, but wasn't sure if it was a light sound of a titan, or movement from something much smaller.  Perhaps it was slight paranoia the one calling for him had died and Tino was truly alone that made everything sound more...  audible for him.  At the latest call, Tino knew he couldn't stay hiding.  Using his 3D maneuvering gear he quickly descended to the ground, "I'm here!"  He called out, hurrying in the direction he heard the calls coming from.

The stomping was growing louder, and Tino cursed a "Perkele" to himself.  This was not going to be good....  Tino knew it.  He had to get whomever screamed his name, and together they had to get somewhere to hide...  Two against how many titans, it may possibly be bad.

Even within the growing darkness formed from the sunset, Tino did make the outline of a human, but he wasn't alone.  There was a titan nearby, and Tino felt his heart race.  WIthin sight of the titan, he felt that tinge of fear that Tino quickly masked over with feigned adrenaline.  Now in his mind, he knew they'd have to fight at least one in order to get away.  Tino slipped the smoke gun away, and seized hold of his blades, swinging in and landing on the ground nearby Lovino.

It would be a shame, but Lovino would have to wait for water.

[Lovino Vargas]

Lovino felt as though he could throw up. The titan stood tall, trees falling in its wake. He stared as the man landed next to him and almost wanted to wring his neck. It was the smoke gun, he was sure of it. He hadn't heard a thing until after the round was shot. Shit! He turned to the man beside him, assuming it was Tino.

"You're Tino?!" He asked throwing the rein of his horse at him. "Here's your fucking horse, you're welcome!"

He looked back up at the titan, its mouth was open. He wanted to run, fighting it would be stupid, it looked stupid and hopefully being able to run a bit before hiding would be a better way to avoid being Titan lunch. He turned to Tino and felt his face pale, Tino looked ready to fight.

"You're not going to fight it are you?! That will only slow us down! We need to return back to base!" Lovino turned his horse around but felt he needed to make sure the man would follow. How idiotic did he have to be to believe that fighting it would allow them to live? He stared at the tops of the trees and felt his stomach sink. More… More of them were coming. Quickly they would arrive.

"Shit! Tino! There are more! Lets go Lets go!" He tugged the man's cape. "We can use our Manoeuvre Gear later once we're further away there are more coming!!"

Staying here to fight the titan could lead to two or three possibilities, Lovino felt time slow as his mind worked furiously. They would defeat the titan, while other titans would arrive meaning that they had lost the advantage of a head start. They could defeat the titan and by then more people will have found them. That is if a) People were dumb enough to come and find the titans b) if people were brave enough to come fight the titans c) People cared enough to save two cadets from the titans. Or they could run away now and then once shrouded in the trees they could use their manoeuvre gear to make an escape…. Lovino tried to calculate more ways in which they could escape but time was against him. "Tino! Run for it!"

[3-6 Meter Class]

The colored smoke meant only one thing to Titans: that humans were nearby. While the larger Titans could move faster and reach the humans more quickly, the smaller ones wouldn't take long to catch up. Following in the wake of their taller counterparts, they scuttled and wobbled towards the trees. Two in particular had moved the fastest, and as they drew closer and closer they could hear raised voices and smell horse and human.

Oh! What a nice surprise! There were two humans here. And two horses too, but horses didn't matter, only humans. One of the humans was sitting on a horse and one was merely standing. He would be the easiest to reach. If he got on the horse, he would move faster, and that wouldn't be good.

One of the Titans began lumbering towards Tino, arms outstretched to grab him even though a decent amount of distance remained between the two of them. The second Titan, slightly smaller than the first, began walking towards Lovino, evidently more interested in the higher of the two targets, even if it meant dealing with the horse. Both had their mouths wide open, eager to make a meal of the two humans should they choose not to flee, although if they didn't move soon, they risked getting trapped; distant silhouettes on the horizon warned that these would be far from the last Titans to arrive.