The end of the year

Soon it was winter time,

Snow laying everywhere and covering the roof of each house.

"It's already that time of the year?" Said Kuramoto putting his hand above him as the snow flakes slowly come towards him.

"I feel so cold." Said Vaericha, rubbing her hands on herself in order to provide heat for herself.

"It's not that cold already." Sighed Yoru, "You overreact way too much."

"Well, I wouldn't admit it's THAT cold, but it is pretty cold" Kuramoto said, in Vaericha's defense.

"Well that's true." Agreed Yoru.

"It's a good thing that we get to enjoy the snow atleast for a week because of our rest period to recover. Those kids in there are still struggling." Giggled Vaericha.

Both of them agreed.

After a while, The snow had gathered on a slope suitable for skiing downwards.

They stumble upon that piece of land and the three of them become excited.

But the guilt of ending his empire, was still lingering deep inside Kuramoto.

They go to their residential address and bring back their own ski equipments and begin playing.

After 3 hours from now,

The snow had almost been exhausted in the high place, being dragged down each time they slide by in there.

"This place is not fun anymore, let's go somewhere else!" Said Yoru wanted to go to a different place.

"Ah! I know one!" Said Vaericha, "Follow me!"

They both follow wherever she went, and it was a mountain, filled with snowflakes covering the entire ground and a entire river turned into ice.

"WOAH! ITS AMAZING!" Said Yoru, thanking Vaericha.

"It sure is." Kuramoto added.

With another additional skiing and ice skating 4 hours had passed by.

It was already the day before New Year.

"It has become dark, maybe we should return?"

"Aw, Let's play some now!" After hesitating for a long period of time, Your agreed to playing some more with them.

The night had already come, but the three, kept playing and playing till they had not even an ounce of energy left in them.

"Wah! Today was so much fun!"

"I know right! All thanks to Vaericha for searching this place." Replied Kuramoto, "Let's return to the dorm quickly, or we will be scolded once again."

They finally return after a long period of time.

The doors were closed, The only way to get in was the windows.

They tried to sneakily walk in, but the commander had caught them, It was the woman who saved Kuramoto the first time in that Dragon Valley.

Kuramoto didn't remember the woman, and thought that they had messed up.

But the woman, vaguely remembered Kuramoto.

"You're a scout here?"

"Ah yes, I just joined" replied Kuramoto.

"Who are you?" Kuramoto added.

"Just the commander of the scout regiment, Call me Evelyne."

"It wouldn't be appropriate for me to call you that, And can you please excuse us for sneaking in so late?"

"Fine, just this once."

She goes back and the three sighed.

They both asked "Do you know her!?"

"I don't, She acted so familiar, but I don't remember her." He said, confused about her act.

"Doesn't matter anymore, let's just go back and sleep, tomorrow is new year's, We have to wake up early!"

They sneakily walk into the dorm and rest for the night in there.

The next day, It was New Year.

The start of the New Year had begun.

Everyone spending their days with their families and friends happily, with no tension of what's the come later.

The same was with the three, even if the three did not have parents, they had each other, spending time leisurely with each other, laughing at jokes and playing games was all they did that day.

"I feel kinda sad that today is the last day of the year, But I look forward to us becoming full fledged warriors, or even more than that next year" said Yoru.

"Same here! I hope we are all together always!" Replied Vaericha happily, "Kuramoto, why aren't you saying anything?"

Kuramoto, sitting in a corner, shook about the things that happened in this year to him, the past traumatic moments and more, couldn't escape from his mind, and it was well embedded in his soul.

He replied "Oh! U-uh same! I look forward to it too!" The others found his behaviour a little unusual, but since it was pretty odd, no one questioned him about it.

The sun, now disappeared from the sky because of the dark colour of the clouds, It seemed like it would rain that day.

When everything was going well, The news of a sudden titan attack spread through the whole nation, it was the invasion of one of the 7 titans, and other titans to assist it.

The titan was called the Reaper, it was equipped with a scythe, coated with black pain around it with a titan as fast as a human.

It was the 3rd strongest titan out of them all.

The time had come, the training they did, it was for this moment..

To Be Continued