[Center][color=teal][h2]Mora Kingsly[/h2][/color]
Wall Maria, Shiganshina district

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Sweat beaded upon her brow as Mora grunted beneath the heavy weight of the wooden pillar. A few feet beside her her father stood, face twisted up in concentration as the two of them hauled the frame off the earth below and laid it flush against its supports. They had been at it all day; with the trio up bright and early to take advantage of the cool mornings but it was mid-day now and sweat rolled down their flesh and darkened the light blue cloth that clung to the youth. Not that Mora minded. The sweat, the grime and even the occasional splinter. All of it was worth it in the end as the skeletal structure started to take the shape of Mr. Oritiza's newest Shoppe. 

[B]"Alright, Cain, go ahead and bolt these together."[/b] her father instructed to the boy. Mora took notice of the weariness that crept into her father's voice. He was getting old. She had noted this several times over the past few months. The work days got shorter and the jobs took a little longer. 

[B]"Stop looking at me like that, girl."[/b]

Mora startled, looking away as heat colored her cheeks 

[B]"I'm not that old."[/b] he chuckled but Mora didn't budge. Looking up she shot him a heavy glare, [color=teal]"But you're not getting younger either. It's time for you to step down. Give the business to Lorren!"[/color]

Lorren, the eldest of the Kingsly crew, was often the target of Mora's snide comments. He was strong and healthy yet he has stopped coming to help their father years ago. Her father reminded her time and time again that he was a grown man, with a family of his own to worry about. [B]"I could always give it to you."[/b] her father joked as he cast a sideways glance over at the impetuous girl. 

[Color=teal]"Dad..."[/color] her voice trailed off but the guilt was easily read across her face 

[B]"Yes. Yes. I already know. My daughter- the cadet."[/b] he laughed before moving to help Cain fasten the last of the bolts in place.

[B]"You know that's no place for a girl to be."[/b] her brother chimed in. There was always something about Cain that got on Mora's last nerve, though to be fair she could probably say the same for almost all the Kingsley men, but it was his blatant sexism that always got her started. 

Mora had already drew in a sharp breath, all prepared to lay into her older brother when her father lifted his hand to silence her. [B]"Hey, why don't you go see what's going on down by the marketplace,"[/b] he gestured with a free hand to the to the roaming crowds of people drifting down the street, [b]"Cain! Go with her and pick up something to eat from the bakery while you're down there."[/b]

The boy groaned at the request but hurried to catch up with his sister who had already taken off without even a goodbye.

[Color=teal]"It's got to be the Scouts."[/color] she mused to her brother as they fled down the cobblestones. She could feel it in the air, that tension that came right before a storm. [B]"What's with your obsession with the military anyway?"[/b] Cain scoffed.

[Color=teal]"I've told you countless times. What better way to spend your life than helping humanity. They keep us safe."[/color] Mora could practically hear her brother roll his eyes at her. [Color=teal]"I swear you're some random child my parents took in."[/color] she muttered under her breath at his cowardice. Unfortunately he wasn't the only person who thought like that. The awe and honor that probably once accompanied being a scout had long worn off. People saw their march as a nuisance. Not Mora though. She marveled in their strength and bravery. Plus, they had been beyond the wall. They had gone places she had only dreamed of. 

A chorus abuse greeted her ears as she arrived at the gates. The troop, battered and haunted marched solemnly down the street. There was group of people berating a fallen solider while others spat out questions that fell on deaf ears. [B]"Is this what you want? Look at them,"[/b] Cain hissed in her ear, [b]"I won't have you running off and joining them. I won't see you trudge through those gates looking like that!"[/b] For the first time she turned to her brother and really looked at him, maybe he wasn't always belittling her dreams for the sake of spite. No, the look he had in his eyes wasn't disgust with the poor souls before them. It was pity and anger. 

Mora squeezed his hand softly before breaking away. She had nothing to offer to the Scouts. No food or water but she wanted to give them hope. To show them that she appreciated their efforts. Winding through the crowd she made her way to the group of hecklers. Mora recognized a few of them. They went to school with Connor. She didn't say a word as she approached them just balled up her fist. Behind her she could hear her brother call for her but he was bulky and a little slow; he'd never catch up in time. She swung with all her strength into the gut of a boy named Frazier. He immediately dropped to the hard stone below them as his friends scrambled to help him back up.

[Color=teal]"You show some respect! They are putting their lives on the line while you sit here in safety. Cowards!"[/color] She spat her words like venom while her brother snatched her back and pulled her back. [B]"What the hell, Ra. This is not the time or the place."[/b] 

He dragged his sister away as the group took to insulting her but at least they'd leave the poor solider alone. That was enough for Mora, at least for now.