Chapter Four: Transfer to District 16

"Isn't it great that Commander Chris decided to move us to District 16 to take part in one of the most important missions?" Edward affirmed, arguing with Alois.

For his part, Alois thought about it, given his overthinking expression. "Yeah, that may be so," he smiled. "...It is also thanks to General Schwarz that he allowed us to leave. He must have stood up to the Commander to the end." He retorted politely, placing me at the center of the matter. Edward rolled his eyes. "Isn't that right, General?"

We were on horseback, marching to District 16. Edward and Alois were my comrades, who were part of my squad of soldiers. They both constituted a crazy solidity that they had repeatedly been able to demonstrate in the most dangerous missions under Commander Chris's orders. They were young, full of life, and although I did not openly confess it, I showed my support for them in a completely different way than my superior colleagues. It was not every day that the General of a Division would take it upon himself to cook for his subordinates in order to reward them for their rewarding work and the fact that they returned within the Districts, safe and sound.

Edward Kidman was an exalted man. It often happened that I would clash with him to teach him a lesson, and once the sanction I considered such was over, he would keep his tail between his legs even for a week, until the emotional turmoil collided with repentance and then he would retrace his steps. Alois Lie, in contrast, was the head of our team. Due to his incredible intelligence and physical agility, he was promoted two years before he graduated as a soldier. He had felled many titans, but unlike the exalted one, he was neither hot nor cold. His esteem for me gave him a remarkable ability to always want more.

"Of course Alois, you should know me by now." I answered him with a smirk, even though he could not see me, and tightened the straps of the horse, staying ahead of the others, who followed my advance.

"Stop licking her ass, I can't stand it!" Edward mumbled annoyedly to his companion, elbowing him. I raised an eyebrow, checking them out of the corner of my eye unnoticed.

Alois felt the stricken spot with a pained expression, and looked at him crookedly. "I'm not kissing her ass, Edward. Stop being so disrespectful. She is the General of the Division as well as of our team. You should give her more respect and take this more seriously. Don't forget that she was the one who promoted you to the Second Research Corps." She rebuked him, keeping a low tone. But little did they know that I heard them anyway, since I was on the same step as them.

I imagined Edward's astonished look. He did not appreciate someone reminding him of such an event. As per the regulations, neither Chris nor Rivaille had welcomed Edward into Division I, because by their standards he was a simple soldier who, unlike many others, would stay dry on first assignment. Thus, I took responsibility for all my actions, placing my reputation in his hands. But I did not understand why he felt such anger toward me. Probably because being a woman and a general, the two did not coincide at all. I sighed. It was really difficult.

"Hey Edward, Alois is right! Stop swaggering with General Schwarz." Alexandra intervened, scolding him harshly, and flanked him with her own horse, then continued, "He might hear you," she whispered, "and you know what happened the last time you challenged his lack of reverence."

Alexandra Petrovich was the sweetest girl I had ever met. She paid attention to everything, and that was not why she was my personal adviser. She paid attention to everything, and for that reason, too, she was my personal assistant. She had a good head on her shoulders; not because the others I did not trust, on the contrary, but rather she was the only one who came back without a scratch, unlike the others who, in order to create dispute with the other districts, would drive me into their messes without my knowledge.

At those words I smiled. It seemed that only Edward did not like me, but I was going to beat the shit out of him once we reached District 16. In the meantime, I was going to remain calm. The boy deserved a lesson. A hard lesson.

It was not long after we arrived, glimpsing from some distance the District 16 building belonging to the First Division. I would live with Rivaille from now on, an additional problem and headache I preferred to be rid of. "Don't die, Keyes!" Those words spoken in great frustration kept flashing through my mind almost like a warning.

I left the room slipping on my uniform jacket and closing the door behind me. The day had been very heavy and I had to somehow clear my head. Chris had decided that both Rivaille and I would take care of Edmund; I would help Rivaille supervise Edmund and help Dr. Siena with the titan experiments to study their power.

I should have been relieved by Commander Chris's statements, but I was not at all. I wanted at all costs to defend humanity from the giants, despite the fact that they were despicable to their own kind. Yet, I was much more concerned about having to spend all my days near Rivaille.

I walked, but immediately felt the fatigue that had made me slow my pace and lean my back against the wall, tilting the back of my head back.

Why was my heart consenting to everything without thinking of the consequences?

I do not remember how long I remained in that position with my gaze fixed on the ceiling and my head tangled with thoughts that led who knows where. However, one touch, one small gesture, was enough to bring my concentration back to reality.

"Kesey, why?" Was this perhaps the question he had been asking himself since I had entered the room?

I squinted my eyes. "What are you talking about?"

Rivaille shook his head. "You know what I'm talking about, don't play dumb!"

"Rivaille..." I interrupted him without an edge to my voice. "Tell me something...." I closed my eyes, "Anything..." I was really tired that day. Arguing with him was the last thing I wanted.

Rivaille had fallen silent. I sighed. "You know, I'm tired of this life. Of being General, I mean", I began, turning my head toward him. "We could have had children by now, and who knows,"I shrugged, "even a dog", I chuckled.

"Kesey..." He sighed. Was I hurting him by talking about that future?

My mood faded. "I know... I'm sorry." Neither bitterness nor resentment. The words I reserved for him were dictated by the heart I had hidden with pride. I detached myself from the wall. "I'd better go..."

I turned away and walked down the empty hallway as the boots I was wearing pounded frantically on the floor.

Was this the feeling of letting go? The perception of emptying?

"Wait!" I reduced my pace and kept my back turned. I didn't want to look at him. I didn't want to listen to him. "...Whatever happens, you do not die Kesey. Do I make myself clear?" Imposing even in a promise.

I smiled under my mustache and swiveled my foot on the ground, turning halfway up my torso. I lifted my face and tilted my head. "Is that a threat?" I used a sarcastic tone. Rivaille arched an eyebrow, masking his embarrassment.

He shook his head. "A promise...," he pointed his finger at me. "Your promise to me."

Suddenly I put my feet back on the ground when an individual of slim build and rather tall stature showed up. I would not have given him more than sixty years or more.

"General," he brought the cut of his hand to the level of his forehead and made a bow that had nothing to do with the greeting, "I am Mikey Orlando, a member of Captain Rivaille's Special Service Team. It's a pleasure to meet you in person, I've heard a lot about you."

I looked down at him from the top of my horse, with an ugly face and a good lesson to teach Edward; the formality of Rivaille's colleagues did not excite me at all. "Do you introduce yourself like this to every one of your superiors, Mikey Orlando?" I recalled his appellation on purpose, and saw his eyes widen and thin lips part, not expecting such a question.

Mikey could not reply, but I bet he would not have much trouble answering a low-ranking cadet. Rivaille came out of nowhere and made his way over, resting a hand on the man's shoulder. " That's enough, Mikey. General Schwarz woke up on the wrong foot this morning." He recited the last words and looked at me holding an expressionless, austere gaze, causing me to lift a corner of my mouth smugly.

It was useless. I knew that expression on his face well.

"Captain Rivaille, excuse me, sir!"

"General Schwarz," a beautiful girl with a slender physique approached, smiling kindly at me, "I'm Cassie Bloom. It is a real pleasure to meet you and the Second Recognition Army Division. I sincerely hope to get along with all of you."

I cast a mischievous glance at my companions and saw that Alois's cheeks turned a beautiful crimson red, while Edward looked at her in fascination, which made me chuckle under my mustache. He was not asexual then. I turned to look at Cassie, lifting my chin. "It is a pleasure to meet you too, Cassie Bloom. Please call me Kesey."

Cassie blushed and I found her very pretty. "All right... Kesey!"

"What about me?" I frowned, turning my gaze to Mikey. "What's the difference between Cassie and me? Nothing to take away from her, indeed. But I exposed myself the same way she did and she considered it....." He began to get agitated, but even that was a good reason to shut up. His speech was unsuccessful because he stumbled over a stone and bit his tongue in blood, remaining on the ground in pain. The other two members, who had come to the rescue of Cassie and their captain, looked at Mikey with resignation.

"General Schwarz, we are Thomas Anderson and Eddy Caleb. It is a pleasure to have you here." They bowed their heads and I returned the gesture, smiling cordially at them.

"Well, we're done with the introductions....." said Rivaille, calling everyone to attention. "Thomas will accompany you to put down your horses in the stable and Cassie will accompany you to your assigned quarters."

My soldiers dismounted from their horses, carrying out Rivaille's orders, escorting the horses to the stables following Thomas. I raised an eyebrow and stroked the mane of my steed. "Mikey, instead you take care of the new enlisted men who are coming in," he cast me a glance, "Sienna and Edmund are at the back of the building. I told them we'd join them once you get settled in."

"There is no need, Rivaille. We are here!" In the distance, Sienna announced her presence with a ringing tone and raised her arm in welcome from some distance away. Rivaille looked up, grunting.

I smiled at Siena's enthusiasm and dismounted from my horse holding him by the straps. I approached the two, after which I turned to Edmund: "It's good to see you without bruises, Edmund," I brushed the horse's muzzle. "Don't worry, the captain won't lay a finger on you again."

"It's a pleasure for me too, General," he scratched the back of his head shyly. I looked up. "Edmund, I told you to call me Kesey. Have you forgotten?" The boy gave me an apologetic smile.

"Are you going to plant it? I just finished my breakfast. I'd like to stop Siena from cleaning up my vomit!" Rivaille grunted.

Siena looked at him in confusion. "And why should I do it?"

"Because I said so!" he glares at her. "Hey, you, brat. Didn't I tell you to clean the pantry?" he asked authoritatively, turning to Edmund, who winced at the captain's call.

"I'm going... I'm going, sir," he cleared his throat and turned to me, hinting at a smile, "I'm going back to my duties," he bowed his head. "I'll see you this evening for dinner."

I nodded, "Yes. Good luck, Edmund!" and he started toward the building.

As soon as I returned my gaze to Rivaille, he looked up and huffed, "You follow me. I'll accompany you to settle the horse in the stable."

I looked at him confused. "Isn't that that way?" I pointed to the spot where I had noticed my companions heading together with Thomas, while Rivaille was going the other way. He stopped and gave me a lightning glance, "There's one for the superiors."

"Take care, Rivaille, don't torment your beautiful ex-wife." Siena sneered, eliciting an amused smile from me. "I'm still amazed at how she managed to marry you."

"Get out of my sight, you fucking psychopath!" Siena gave him a shrug with her wisecracking smile, signaling that his comment had not touched her in the least.

There was something wrong with those two. In a bad way.

"Follow me." He replied annoyed, leading the way. I followed him with my horse, filling him with caresses on his muzzle, and he enjoyed licking my hand. We reached a stable with three dark-colored horses, while mine was as white as milk. "You can take the stall next to my horse's, the others are reserved." He said, leaning his back against a central wooden plank with his arms clasped to his chest.

I nodded without answering and devoted myself to freeing my horse from the equipment surrounding him. I took a brush and combed him gently, as if afraid of hurting him. Rivaille, meanwhile, had done nothing but keep his eyes fixed on me.

"Has anyone ever told you it's rude to stare stubbornly at a person?" I gave a dull smile as I continued to slowly comb the horse. Rivaille sighed deeply. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him turn around. "So, is there anything you want to tell me?"

"There is one thing: I don't want any slackers. All of you will have to clean the base from top to bottom every day. Especially you. I don't care if you are a superior or even if you are involved in protecting the brat. Chris was clear and gave me free will to keep an eye on you one by one." He said without using a particular tone of voice.

I finished brushing my horse and turned my head in his direction, raising an eyebrow. "I know your fixation on cleanliness Rivaille, there is no reason to get so heated. Besides, my companions know what their duties are: in our parts we helped each other, and I was in charge of preparing them something good to eat to reward them for their efforts." I shrugged my shoulders. "You have nothing to worry about...." I smiled. "So, is there anything else I should know?" I laid the brush on the stool next to some straw and guided the steed into its enclosure.

"No." He replied dryly.

"Well, then I would go." I asserted firmly, heading toward the exit from whence we had come, when, however, his voice stopped me.

"Actually, there's one more thing...."

I turned around confused. "You said there was nothing else. How come you changed your mind?"

Rivaille sighed. "I know, but I think it's better for you to hear it from me instead of someone else. So, listen to me..." he retorted, looking up at me. "Fan is dead. It was five years ago, at the end of training, when we carried out our first mission outside the Districts. You had already been selected in the Second Division by Commander Khali." I felt my eyes moisten.

"Everything was going right, but suddenly it started to rain very hard and a thick fog appeared. Many Army soldiers were killed by the behemoths, so I thought I would take advantage of it to create an opportunity to escape together with Fan and come to retrieve you, but he didn't agree." I was paralyzed.

"My selfishness took over, and I chose to create that opportunity for myself by abandoning Fan."

He could think of nothing else. My eyes were clouded with anger, as was my mind. I pounced on him with determined steps and grabbed him by the white scarf, snarling at him. Rivaille, however, did not back down and proceeded to throw reality in my face: "When I reached the border, I met Chris; his team had already been killed and those damned people were heading for Fan and the others' position. By the time I arrived, Fan had been mauled." I tightened my grip on the scarf around his neck more, tightening my lips into a straight line, preventing the same me from killing him.

"That's why, in these five years, I never came looking for you again," he said. "Chris made me realize that it was not the case to go the extra mile, even though I was blinded by anger, and proposed that I enlist permanently in the Army of Recognition. From that day on, I decided that nothing else was more important to me." He concluded, showing no flash of pain or resentment.

Rivaille was as cold as a block of ice.

"Why...?" My lower lip began to quiver. "Why are you only telling me this now?! Why have you been so selfish?!" I grunted through clenched teeth, staring at him with rancor.

"You would have hated me." He replied, staring intensely into my eyes.

"And you think I don't hate you now?!" I asked angrily. Rivaille reduced his gaze to two slits. "You're a fucking bastard, that's what you are. You favored your selfishness to become stronger than anyone else and Fan.... Fan is dead only because of you!" I muttered in a hoarse voice, trashing my tears.

"I've been berating myself about this for five years, Kesey. There is no need for you to lecture me. I still fight against my demons." Rivaille took my hands, urging me to let him go. I gritted my teeth.

"...Why is it that you don't seem to care about anything anymore?" Rivaille squinted, disguising his bewilderment. "I hate you." I muttered contemptuously, pushing him away from me. I took a step back, turning my back on him, and went forward in the direction I had gone before.

"Where are you going?!"

"Away from you!"

In the evening we all found ourselves in the room with Division I. My companions were sitting at the table discussing more and less. Edmund, along with his friends, was arguing heatedly with a boy who showed the same drive and personality as he did. I tried to follow the discussion from where I was sitting at the table with Rivaille's team, but Mikey continued to disturb me.

"General, tell me... are you busy?" He gave a minute smile, highlighting cheeks slightly flushed from the five glasses of wine he had guzzled down as if they were water.

"Mikey!" Cassie pecked him. "How dare you address General Schwarz in that tone?" Mikey ignored his colleague's intervention, however, and continued to stare at me with impigmented eyes.

I raised an eyebrow in a bored manner. "Yes Mikey, I'm busy." I replied cheekily, bringing the glass of water to my lips.

Mikey moved closer and encircled my shoulders with his arm. I looked at him out of the corner of my eye.

"And are you perhaps interested in something less demanding and more casual?" He whispered mischievously in my 'ear, raising and lowering his eyebrows again.

"Thomas! Ed!" Cassie broke out in a cold sweat, gesturing nervously with her hands in front of the stares of her companions. "If Captain Rivaille were to see something like that, he'd cut our heads off."

"Mikey, man, stop it," Thomas tried in vain, receiving from Mikey only silence.

"What exactly am I supposed to see, and why should I cut off your heads?" Cassie paled along with the two.

Rivaille positioned himself behind the girl, who had been far too kind, as I watched Mikey's relaxation, not noticing that he was surrounded by the Captain within a meter of him.

I decided to seize the opportunity and jerked Mikey's arm away from my neck. "Sorry Mikey, but I'm not interested in having sex with an old man."

"I'm not old!" he replied offended. "I'm nineteen years old, dammit." I blinked in surprise.

Was this a tease?

"Mikey?" Rivaille arched an eyebrow, looking inquisitively toward us. "What's going on here?"

I raised and lowered my shoulders again. " This old man made a request of me and I declined it. The crazy thing is that he just told me he was nineteen years old, can you believe it?" I chuckled lightly, taking a portion of bread.

"General Schwarz, Mikey is really nineteen." Cassie lowered her gaze to her hands.

My eyes grew wide.

"Mikey has an incredible obsession with wanting to look like the Captain, which is why he doesn't show his real age." Ed confided, rubbing the back of his head in amusement. Rivaille gave him a fiery look and the latter, realizing the words he had used, tried in vain to apologize, "No sir, you show your years very well indeed. I didn't mean..."

Rivaille huffed and avoided him. He did not feel like scolding his team at all for being called "old." He sat back in his chair and leaned against the backrest, crossing his legs in such an elegant way that left me spellbound.

"Now be quiet."

"Yes, sir! Excuse me, sir!" Ed replied with his eyes downcast.

The continuation of dinner continued in religious silence at our table. At a certain hour, I felt fatigue invade me and had the urge to throw myself into bed and sleep soundly. I observed Cassie talking to Rivaille, and the latter merely nodded as she sipped her tea in the strangest way possible: grabbing the cup by the edges instead of the knob.

Mikey, on the other hand, had fallen asleep with his forehead resting on the table as a result of all the wine he had downed. Meanwhile, Thomas and Ed were playing cards.

There were few recruits left, with the exception of my companions' table and Edmund's table still occupied. I made to stand up to go and hole up in my room, ending the day, but the empty silence of the room prompted me to hear in more detail the conversation Edward and Alois were having, along with the others.

"I told you that Captain Rivaille is the strongest of anyone: not for nothing has he been nicknamed the man of strength." Edward said, a little tipsy. She was not alone in hearing this, as the person directly involved in the conversation pointed his eyes at me. "General Schwarz is just a puppet of Commander Khalis. It is his fault that I was not hired in the First Division. I could have been more esteemed and rewarded by the community and the King."

Rivaille continued to look at me and my face darkened. I wanted to see how far he would go.

"Edward knock it off!" Alois scolded him annoyed. "The General is at the top for a reason, and Commander Khalis is not stupid enough to entrust human lives to someone with no skills," he huffed. "Remember that time he gave you such a thrashing that you slept the whole day? If the General were to hear you now..."

"...Alois is right," Alexandra intervened with her mouth full, "try to calm down. You've been trying to provoke her to have an impromptu reaction since this morning."

"You are only a troublemaker if you think you can challenge her, Edward." Isak Cory, the team's ace strategist, commented coldly.

Edward suddenly rose from his chair, clapping his hands firmly on the table, drawing the stares of everyone present to himself. Even of Edmund and his teammates. "Have you given any thought to why Ston resigned? She's just a self-absorbed blowhard, that's all." He retorted mockingly. " I don't understand why you people don't see it, whereas I saw what kind of person she was from the moment I joined the team."

Alois shifted his gaze toward me and noticed that I was already examining him from a distance. The young man elbowed Alexandra, who, sitting next to him, immediately laid her eyes on me. I don't think I had a happy expression the moment one of my subordinates spoke ill of me.

The young woman swallowed her food, trying to silence Edward. "You idiot, now stop it! Right now, Edward!" However, the boy ignored her and emitted a sob like the drunkard he was, continuing to talk trash.

I stood up, moving my chair, and Alois followed. "General Schwarz! Edward..." I shushed him by raising my finger and approached them, observing them one by one. I understood their attempt to protect Edward, but when it was too much, the context around them became paralyzed.

Edward turned around smiling like an idiot until he looked at me and paled. He opened his mouth to justify himself, but I delivered a direct punch to his stomach, forcing him to lean forward and cling to me. I heard those present hold their breath.

"General," Edward gasped. I grabbed him by the shoulder and with all my strength made him stumble, making him grope on his legs and then pull him to his feet and throw him back against the hard surface of the table. Edward let out a moan of pain.

I inhaled deeply, watching as the soldier dragged himself in pain across the wooden table. I looked around and the recruits looked back at me, astonished and pale. Rivaille's elite also stood looking on in astonishment.

"Rule number one: never mess with a general, especially if the latter kicks your ass." I thundered laboriously, my chest heaving up and down with fatigue. I ran my palm over my lips as if to chase away something dirty. " Tomorrow morning we have our first mission with the First Division, see that you talk less and act more!" Vehemently I grabbed my uniform jacket and headed for the exit of the hall.

But before I crossed the exit door, I heard Alois and Alexandra scold Edward. "We told you so, you imbecile."

Accompanied by Isak's thunderous, satisfied laughter.