03x01 - Smoke Signal

[bunniefuu]

Beyond the wall, there's a sea, or so Armin said...

But past the sea...

I always wondered what's beyond that...

"Smoke Signal"

You just try to steal some food, Sasha.

I'll get Captain Levi to chop you up into nice bite-sized pieces.

I won't! Probably...

Say what?

Hey! Did you guys wipe the dust and dirt off your shoes before you came in?

Say what?

No, we didn't. Can't you see all the stuff we're carrying?

Do you seriously think that attitude will satisfy Captain Levi?

If I hadn't personally given your sheets hospital corners this morning...

Quit nagging! Who are you, my mom?!

We're back.

Wait, were you just chopping firewood?

Gotta stay in shape.

You got grabbed by a Titan!
You should be in bed.

I try to stop her, but she won't listen.

I saw her doing sit-ups earlier!

How dare you, you peeping Tom!

Mikasa, you do know you're not a wild animal, right?

It's almost like we're back in the Cadet Corps.

Yeah...

Why do you figure we were chosen for the new Levi Squad, though?

Protecting Eren and Historia is such an important mission...

Because we're talented, I assume.

Sasha... what did you just put in your bag?

Nothing bread-related.

Why, you!

Give it back.

Hey, focus! We gotta finish cleaning before the captain gets back!

Put back the bread.

What's this commotion about?

How many times have you done this now?

Our food reserves are precious!

Cut the crap, Potato Girl!

I'm quite sure I gave you enough time.

Anyways...

We'll discuss your lax cleaning job another time.

Eren.

Hange is itching to get the experiment started.

R-Right.

Eren!

What's wrong, Eren?! Get up!

The future of humanity is riding on you!

Get up, dammit!

Hey, four-eyes.

He's not quite the same this time.

He's not even meters, and some of his body doesn't have muscle.

Plus, Eren's ass is hanging out.

I can see that!

Eren! Can you still move?!

Give us a signal or something!

Eren!

Mikasa!

Hey... That gloomy brat is acting on her own again.

Time to think up a punishment?

No, there's no signal... We're done here!

Eren!

Hot! Hot damn, you are hot!

Hange, wait! Eren is bleeding!

Whoa! Check it out, Moblit!

Eren's face! Hurry up and sketch it!

Section Commander! Are you lacking in human compassion?!

Sorry, I got carried away...

Looks like we've got a long road ahead...

...before we can use the Titan hardening ability to seal the wall.

Yes... I knew we'd be grasping at straws from the start.

Strategically, it's not a bad plan.

Instead of lugging tons of supplies, all we need is to get Eren there.

Whether or not we're grasping at straws... all depends on Eren.

Experiment's over! All troops, disperse at once!

Roger!

Make sure there's no witnesses!

Yes, sir!

You ride in the same wagon as Eren.

I'm headed for Trost District with Hange's group.

Okay.

You must find her at once.

Only she... She may know the truths which even we cannot perceive.

I see... Another failure, then.

If the plan would have worked out, we could have plugged the hole in Shiganshina District in less than a day.

It's because we lack information.

Might be a different story if there was a book about the hardening ability.

But we have Christa. No, Historia Reiss...

Maybe we learn about the wall through her?

I read the entire report about her upbringing.

She's the illegitimate daughter of Lord Reiss, and it's by no means a happy story.

But the real mystery here... is why a mere regional lord would know the secrets of the wall.

Eren!

You should still be in bed!

I'm fine. I already slept a whole day.

Besides, it's my fault the strategy for retaking Wall Maria got shelved.

It's not your fault.

So don't worry about it.

All I care about... is getting a chance to fight that Beast Titan.

Whatever that damn ape is, I'll never forgive it.

It's about time to switch lookouts.

Mikasa?

Yeah.

Must be nice.

You and the others...

You have goals in mind, even though they won't be easy.

But me, now that Ymir is gone... I don't even know what I want.

Don't you want to save Ymir, though?

Yeah, but...

Back then, I couldn't believe what she did...

Though, it's true I wanted to save her.

But now, I'm thinking differently.

Ymir chose her own path in life.

I have no right to change that... and no need to.

Finally, you're talking again.

Huh?

When we came here, you told us all about yourself, but...

Since then, you haven't smiled once, and you rarely talk either.

Because it's a pain.

Sorry.

That good-girl Christa who was nice to everyone is gone now.

Nah, I think it's better this way.

Huh?

Before, it felt like you always put on a facade.

It was so forced and unnatural, it made me sick.

I see...

But, the you right now is pretty normal.

A stupidly honest, but normal girl.

Anyways, you have plenty of time to think about Ymir.

In a lot of ways, I...

Wait... Wasn't that...?

Hange and the others arrived!

Gather in the main room!

Huh? What was that?

He's dead... Pastor Nick.

He was m*rder*d.

This morning, in the Trost District barracks.

Hey!

You'll disrupt the crime scene, you damn Scout!

Don't get any closer.

This is our job, not yours.

It's another robbery-m*rder. They've been springing up a lot lately.

Wha...?! I'm not buying that!

His nails were torn off!

Which unit are you in?

Fourth Squad Section Commander Hange Zoë and Executive Officer Moblit Berner.

Your ranks mean practically nothing when your branch is the trash that it is.

Listen here... It was no Titan that k*lled that man.

A person k*lled another person.

This work is out of your league.

First Interior Squad?

Why? What's the capital's m*llitary Police doing down south in Trost?

What's so strange about it?

Unlike you useless g*ons, us valuable soldiers are busy getting things done.

Oh! So that's how it is!

You're right, I'm worthless, really.

I'm so lucky to meet great soldiers like you.

Let me shake your hand!

I see... So poor Nick was robbed...

Such a pity...

Did he ever have stuff worth stealing in the first place?

Of course.

Everyone knows the Church's trinkets are made from valuable iron.

Huh?!

Nick was a pastor for the Order of the Walls?!

What are you talking about?

He was a friend of mine on personal terms...

But, as far as I knew the man, he was just a chair-maker.

I even wrote that on his application here...

Dammit, stop...

Though, I guess this only means I never knew Nick as well as I thought I did...

Hey! Let go!

Oh, I'm sorry! Forgive me!

Well then, good luck with the investigation.

When you capture the culprit, please tell them this...

The things you did to him, perhaps you felt were righteous and just.

But, personally, I couldn't care less about any of that.

To you scoundrels, I will ensure you're tortured alive like my friend, and experience suffering above and beyond what you did to him.

Yes, you'll be sorry!

Pass along that message. Excuse us.

Section Commander, do you think they really...?

Yeah... First Interior Squad, Djel Sannes.

All the skin on his fist was split.

Nick was tortured by the Interior m*llitary Police...

And then m*rder*d...

I figured the Church would want to deal with

Nick since he was cooperating with the Scouts.

That's why I hid his identity and had him stay in the barracks, but...

To think they would use soldiers to k*ll him...

I was too careless.

It's entirely my fault.

The m*llitary Police... Did they t*rture Pastor Nick just to find out what information he spilled to us?

Most likely.

But it was the Interior m*llitary Police, which means there's something more behind it.

So, how many nails did Nick have ripped off?

Huh?

You saw, right? How many?

I only caught a glimpse of him, but all the nails that I could see.

People that talk, talk after one.

If they don't, peeling more won't make a difference.

Pastor Nick... I thought he was an idiot, but...

He didn't turn away from what he believed, all the way till the end.

In other words, they have no idea we've caught wind of the Reiss family.

Though, someone in the government is up to no good, and their eyes are fixed on us.

Captain Levi.

A message from Commander Erwin.

I went to tell him about Pastor Nick, but he sent me off with this.

Everyone, out. We leave now.

Leave no trace we were here.

That was close...

If we hadn't left right then, what would've happened to us?

But why? What would make Commander Erwin...?

New orders came from the government.

There's been a freeze on all Scout Regiment activity outside the wall.

They're telling us to hand over Eren and Historia.

By the way, right after he gave me the message...

...the m*llitary Police came for him...

That's treating him like some sort of criminal!

Someone's not working from the shadows anymore.

They're moving for all eyes to see.

To go that far to protect the wall's secrets...

What's more, why do they want us to hand over Eren and Historia?

Not to k*ll, but for them to obtain?

Who knows?

Anyways, it's clear the enemy is after these two.

Loitering around here is dangerous.

We're moving her and Eren to Trost District.

Why? That's the same place Pastor Nick was k*lled.

It's worse to head towards the interior.

With Trost in a panic, it should be easy to slip in.

And if somehow it comes down to it, we can use these in the city.

True...

Plus, not knowing the enemy puts us in a tough spot.

We need to find out who's behind this.

Hange, lend me some of your squad.

Of course.

All right, I'm going after Erwin.

Moblit's with me. The rest of you will follow Levi.

Roger!

Hange!

Here...

I remembered a conversation between Ymir and Bertholdt.

Didn't get time to tell you, but it's here.

All right.

I'll take a look at it later.

Hiyaah!

They're rather quick on the move.

Hmph... It's because that little runt is actually disciplined.

An acquaintance of yours?

An old one.

Try not to walk in a cluster. We'll stand out.

Eren and Historia, just walk normal.

Why is the royal family's flag hanging everywhere?

Oh! Today must be the anniversary of the King's coronation.

Once a year, they hand out a haul of rations.

Oh...

We'll begin handing out rations!

King Fritz has heard of Trost District's hardship and will donate the royal family's reserves!

There's enough for everyone! Line up orderly!

...Thank goodness!

...Long live King Fritz!
...Thank goodness!

What a King! He sure is generous!

He's got more than he knows what to do with.

People are weak, especially when baited with food.

By handing out those rations, over % of the reserves are gone.

Don't you think it's a bit too much for raising the people's morale, Lord Reiss?

It's necessary. There was a need to raise the public's approval of the royal family.

More importantly, we need that power and the vessel.

And we must hurry.

The m*llitary Police failed again?

I'll return and continue the hunt at once.

No, we'll soon have what we need.

"That" is set in motion.

Watch out! Behind us!

Armi...

I mean, Christa and Eren!

They got snatched away again!

Will it really work?

He looks absolutely nothing like me...

That horse face? Yeah right...

Yeah? You like that? Let me hear you moan.

Well? How's that? Doesn't it feel good?

I'm just dying to hear your cute little voice.

This is why I didn't wanna go through this sh*t a second time!

Screw being his body double!

She’s more muscular than I expected…

How's it going inside?

If we don't hurry, they'll see through Armin's disguise.

And I feel bad for him...

I see.

How is your leg? Any better?

I can move well enough. It's not bad.

More importantly, these kidnappers... They're nothing but amateurs.

Why would they be using guys like this?

You can handle the rest on your own. I'm heading for Eren.

Once you've dealt with the trash, come and meet up with me.

Roger.

One more thing... I'll tell you, just in case.

Tell Armin and the others, too.

You're sure, without a doubt, it's Christa and Eren?

Yes, they match the description.

Huh? Where's the guard?

What the...?!

Don't you dare move.

Conny! Is it really just the four of them?!

Yeah, that's it!

Nobody else in the area!

If you move again, who knows where I'll hit?

All right! First, we tie these guys up, then we meet up with the captain.

What do you mean?

Captain's orders, and he sends a message, too.

Hey! Get outta the way!

Captain?

Well?

The road is crowded, but nothing unusual.

It's not much farther to Commander Pyxis'.

How's the body double mission?

A success.

And yet, you don't look that happy...

No...

Something is wrong...

The m*llitary Police can't be behind this.

They're far too arrogant. They wouldn't use amateurs.

This is more like...

Assuming the wagon was being followed...

And the group was trailing their target...

Captain.

The wagon's almost moving again.

Nifa, have you heard about Kenny the Ripper?

The mass-m*rder*r in the capital?

The one that slit the throats of over m*llitary Police?

That's just an urban legend from years ago, right?

He is real, and the stories are true.

Huh?

I lived with him for a while when I was a kid.

What? Why would you even say that?

This isn't the time to be making jokes.

That's right... He wouldn't care about using amateurs.

If a group was trailing their target, it would be from both rear angles, and...

...a place high up, with a view...

Nifa!


Yo, Levi.

You grown any yet?

Oh? It don't look like you changed at all!

Kenny!

Kenny and Levi meet again.

The enemy's target was Eren and Historia.

In order to get them back, Levi and the others must take aim and sh**t.

Next episode: "Pain."