[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/180903/75d726de0fb1fee2ab57c13077646917.png[/img][/center][right][color=gray][hr][b]Shiganshina District, Wall Maria[/b]
MORNING, SPRING, YEAR 845[/color][hr][/right][indent][color=tomato][b]"Hurry up and close it!"[/b][/color]

[color=orangered][b]"The titans are coming!"[/b][/color]

The panicked shouts of his fellow comrades alarmed the garrison soldier in charge of those left behind to protect the gate to Wall Maria. The strain of the event had affected even those among the rear guard, but his companions had been right; the gate to Wall Maria had to be closed, lest the titans breach deeper within humanity's sanctuary.

[color=gold][b]"Hurry up and close the gate!"[/b][/color] The commanding officer barked to his men, who were quick to struggle against the large wheel that controlled the gate with all their might. Chains rattled to the protests of some of the garrison, whom declared that there were still civilians within Shiganshina, yet it would not be petty arguments that distracted those that resided nearby. Thunderous footsteps echoed through the ancient brickwork, bringing an eerie silence to the gatehouse that had been filed with fear and worry seconds ago.

As they looked outside, their fears would be confirmed almost instantly. A large titan, bolstered by chitin-like armor, stood outside the gate of Wall Maria. To even further their fears, the titan had been abnormal, readying a stance before it sprinted towards the gate.

[color=olivedrab][b]"What... the hell is it doing?"[/b][/color] A garrison soldier asked, to no one in particular. In a moment of fear, the soldier ordered his comrades to fire, whom had already primed the cannons for action. [color=olivedrab][b]"Fire!"[/b][/color]

Nonetheless, the cannonballs had little to no effect, ricocheting off the titan's armor. Even with lesser titans in front of it, the titan charged right through them without the slightest thought in its mindless head. Nothing would stop the titan in its tracks... perhaps not even Wall Maria, one of the three walls that had stood for a hundred years protecting humanity from the titan menace.

[color=cornflowerblue][b]"It's not working!"[/b][/color] A soldier shouted, knowing that they would be trampled if they stood where they were. [color=cornflowerblue][b]"Shit, run!"[/b][/color] He shouted once more, turning tail and sprinting towards the open gate.

His comrades were eager to follow suit, sprinting after their companion who had a clear head start. [color=olivedrab][b]"Hurry, the Titans are coming! Hurry up and close the gate!"[/b][/color] The one who ordered his comrades to fire earlier resumed the calls for the gate to be closed, hoping that it could stop the abnormal. It may have been coated in armor plating, but the titan was small compared to the one that towered over the entirety of the district. Perhaps, just perhaps, there was a chance Wall Maria could be saved. [color=olivedrab][b]"Close the ga—"[/b][/color]

The soldier was unable to finish his sentence as his body was thrown into the air. The sudden impact from the armored titan shattered Wall Maria, leaving a large gap where the rest of the titans infesting Shiganshina and beyond were free to waltz inside. Debris from the wall was sent flying, smashing into soldier and debris alike as it rained from the sky, crashing down upon the farmhouses just outside the Shiganshina district.

Those that managed to escape harm watched in horror, their yes unable to break eyesight with the hole that now existed with Wall Maria. It was as if they were frozen in time, unable to move due to the overwhelming shock. They were, after all, soldiers meant to guard a wall that had not been breached for a hundred years, and in an instant, the hope of humanity had been simply extinguished like a candle before their eyes.

Wall Maria was gone; its people now destined for a bloody death.[/indent]
[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/180629/9c1285d674507757316b93e854b98f63.png[/img][/center][right][color=gray][hr][b]Shiganshina District, Wall Maria[/b]
MORNING, SPRING, YEAR 845[/color][hr][/right][indent]Running. Screaming. More running. More screaming.

The breach of Shiganshina by the titans had seemed like an endless nightmare to Tanner, and likely to everyone else within the district. Rather, those that were still alive. A ray of hope shined down upon the poor souls fleeing for their lives as the entirety of the district ran for the open gate, or to the boats that had been readied for evacuation procedures. Nevertheless, it was nothing more than a free-for-all, as people bickered and fought for a limited space on the already cramped boats. Desperation among the crowd ran wild; after all, why should your neighbors be able to escape whilst you were left behind to suffer a painful death in the terrible jaws of the titans?

[color=crimson][b]"Do you think we can get on one?"[/b][/color]

The voice of her newfound companion brought Tanner back to reality, as she searched for an answer. Much like the rest of Shiganshina, Tanner had no wish to die painfully, despite having set herself on the path towards a military career. Her eyes scanned the growing crowd, searching for any possible way they could beat the crowd in an attempt to secure a place for the two of them.

A lone garrison soldier stood in front of the crowd, struggling to keep them from rioting and shoving their way onto the boats. The soldier was their answer. [color=#FFD967][b]"Follow me,"[/b][/color] Tanner whispered, taking the girl's hand so that they would not lose each other in the mass of people. Weaving in and out throughout the crowd, Tanner pushed her way to the front; towards the soldier.

[color=#FFD967][b]"P-Please, sir! You have to let us on the boats! Are you really going to let us die out here? We're just kids!"[/b][/color] Tanner pleaded to the soldier, much to the dismay of the crowd. Some were irate, shouting for the duo to scram or that they were more important than some hoodlum kids trying to take advantage of their youth in order to escape. Perhaps they were right, yet in the end, the garrison soldier had been stuck at a loss. These people lived and died by whatever he decided, though if he were to live through this event, could he truly live with the guilt of letting children die?

The answer, of course, had been no.

As the girls were hurriedly shoved onto one of the boats, the actions of the garrison soldier only served to aggravate the crowd even further. Anyone who boarded the boat meant that there was one less spot for someone else, and with the titans pushing further into Shiganshina, the possibility of survival was growing unlikely for those who remained alive. Filled with fresh anger, the crowd begun to push and shove, fighting against the wishes of the soldier as the girls were let on. If this kept up, it would be unlikely that no one wou—

A horrified screech echoed in unison, as if several among the crowd spotted the approaching titan. The crowd dispersed as quickly as it formed, with some jumping into the water while others continued to run for their lives. The boat, on the other hand, quickly broke port and hastily steamed away down the channel, away from the titan that had been in the process of claiming another soul.

Leaning against the railing, Tanner would finally break upon hearing the cries of the dying. She had been putting on a tough front since she had rescued the girl, though it would vanish upon the first tear that glided down Tanner's cheek. Tanner may have been miserable, losing her parents on the same day the titans would breach the walls, yet what kind of soldier-to-be would eagerly work for their own interests? Were her and the girl's lives truly worth more than those left behind? 

Tanner wanted to be a hero of humanity, yet deep inside—whether she knew it or not—she was just like everyone else. Someone that wanted to live another day. Someone that didn't want to be feasted on by a titan.

Nevertheless, the troubles of Shiganshina were far from over. The rumbling of the ground shook even the water the boat floated upon, like something had been stampeding nearby. It hadn't been difficult for Tanner to find the source, for such a massive creature wasn't hard to spot even so far away. Like a blur, the armored titan sprinted towards the gate to Wall Maria, having ignored any and all cannonballs fired by the garrison desperately trying to protect their post from the titans. Still, their struggle had been futile, much to the dismay of everyone in Wall Maria and the Shiganshina district. 

As shattered remnants of the wall were sent flying through the air, there proved to be only one thing that was certain: the entirety of Wall Maria had fallen to the titans, and with it, countless more were destined to die.[/indent]