The broken gear

Yago opened the crate. Inside lay a set of Omni-Directional Mobility Gear that was almost as good as new.

Where had the Omni-Directional Mobility Gear come from? He had stolen-no, recovered it while the smugglers were digging their hole, of course. He was a soldier, after all. Wasn't recovering equipment perfectly normal? Recruits in the Training Corps were soldiers too. Yep, that's how it is, Yago told himself.

Of course, he wasn't about to let those weapons smugglers off the hook either. What? Take them on himself? Yago wasn't stupid. His strength, speed, and perception might be exceptional, but that didn't mean he could handle two adults who might be carrying deadly weapons like muskets. Turning into a Titan would work, but if Yago really did transform, he absolutely couldn't let either smuggler live. Killing people was still something he couldn't quite stomach.

So he chose the best option: finding the Garrison Regiment soldiers guarding the forest and letting them handle it. Those soldiers usually spent their days waiting to accumulate enough seniority. Adding a feat or two to their records would not only earn them a generous reward for completing a mission, but might even give them a chance to join the Military Police Brigade.

Their interests aligned perfectly, and the Garrison soldiers hurried over as soon as they got the news.

Now everyone was happy. The Garrison soldiers had earned their credit, Yago had obtained the Omni-Directional Mobility Gear he had dreamed of, and he wouldn't even have to pay to enter the forest anymore. How wonderful.

Ten minutes later.

"You've got to be kidding me!!!" Yago's anguished howl echoed through the forest.

Having strapped on all the equipment, Yago discovered to his dismay that this set of Omni-Directional Mobility Gear was broken. It was broken. Broken. Broken.

He pulled the trigger on the blade handle. Nothing happened. He checked the gas canisters; there was still plenty of gas.

The housings held plenty of blades too. He drew one out. It was extremely sharp; a light stroke across his hand was enough to cut his skin. Wisps of steam rose, and the wound on his hand quickly healed.

Although the gear was damaged, that couldn't dampen Yago's enthusiasm. He decided he might as well go all the way and dismantle the entire set of Omni-Directional Mobility Gear.

Not right now, of course. He packed the Omni-Directional Mobility Gear into its wooden crate and carried it out of the forest, running into the group of Garrison soldiers at the exit.

Sure enough, the Garrison soldiers knew how to play along. They didn't give the wooden crate in Yago's arms a second glance. Even if they had inspected it, they wouldn't have said much. Omni-Directional Mobility Gear was a restricted item too, but compared with muskets, it was nothing.

After all, Omni-Directional Mobility Gear was used against Titans, while muskets were used against humans. In fact, the Garrison soldiers wouldn't have been pleased to learn that this set of Omni-Directional Mobility Gear had belonged to the smugglers too, since high-level smugglers mostly dealt exclusively in muskets. Wasn't the current situation just fine? The smugglers they had caught had only muskets, and muskets were all they could have.

Carrying the Omni-Directional Mobility Gear, Yago reached his home and paused, hesitating over whether to take it inside. First, its origins would be difficult to explain. Second, Eren and the others might not agree to let him dismantle it.

After thinking for a moment, Yago carried the crate somewhere else.

Night fell. "I'm home!" Yago's languid voice drifted in as the door swung open. Eren, Mikasa, and Armin, who were eating dinner, all looked up. Still dressed in his uniform, Yago had returned carrying a small piece of smoked meat.

"You're back? Come have dinner. Oh, where did you get that smoked meat?" Lucia wiped her hands on her apron, surprised by the meat in Yago's hand. But remembering what he was capable of, she soon accepted it. Back in the refugee camp, when Yago went into the forest with them to gather mushrooms and such, he would occasionally catch little rabbits or frogs. In those circumstances, they couldn't afford to worry about how cute the little animals were. They had eaten them all.

"Oh, this? I caught a squirrel in the forest today and traded it with the butcher over there," Yago said, mixing truth with lies.

Eren's mother, Carla, came over just then. "Really? Then I can make some smoked meat pies for you. Aren't you going on a picnic tomorrow?"

"I made some sponge cakes and other treats today too. Take them along tomorrow, Yago," Lucia added in agreement.

"Okay."

Waving his spoon, Eren eyed Yago's uniform and complained, "Hey, hey! Yago, did you sneak off to train? That's not fair! You didn't even ask me to come."

Yago raised an eyebrow. "You wanted to go too? So you were going to leave Mikasa and Armin behind?"

Mikasa's expression changed at once, and she gave Eren a dark look. Though Eren was usually oblivious, even he could sense that something was wrong with her now. That chill seemed ready to swallow him whole.

Eren hurriedly said, "Of course I wouldn't leave Mikasa and Armin behind! I meant, how could you sneak off to train without telling us?"

Only then did Mikasa's expression return to normal. Watching the scene, Yago held back his laughter and said nothing, while Armin resigned himself to playing peacemaker.

"Eren, there's something I want to discuss with you," Yago suddenly said, sounding mysterious.

"What is it?" Eren looked taken aback.

Yago deliberately leaned closer, then suddenly shouted, "When you and Mikasa have a kid, let me be his godfather!"

Mikasa: "!!!"

Eren: "!!!"

Armin: "!!!"

Mikasa's face instantly turned scarlet, though she still stole a glance at Eren. Flustered, Eren protested loudly, "Are you kidding me?! I, Mikasa, she... anyway, don't joke about things like that!" But his reddening face suggested he wasn't entirely opposed to the idea.

Armin said, "Oh, that's such a unique idea, Yago. Then I want to be the second godfather!"

"Hey! Armin, why are you joking about it too?!" Eren demanded, exasperated. As he spoke, he looked at Mikasa. A trace of disappointment flashed through her eyes, and for some reason, a sharp pain struck his heart, as though he were losing something.

"At least wait until we've driven out the Titans before talking about that..." Looking at Mikasa, Eren unconsciously softened his tone.

Yago said, "Ha! I'll take that as a yes! Remember this, Armin. You're my witness!"

Armin said, "Understood. I'll remember!"

Eren said, "You two... enough already!"

Mikasa: "..." (This is so embarrassing~~)

Watching the children, Carla felt both comforted and a bittersweet ache.

Lucia patted her shoulder. "The children are almost grown up. Eren and Mikasa really do make a lovely pair."

Carla gazed at Eren tenderly. "Sometimes that boy is just too impulsive, and he's always troubling Mikasa to look after him. I hope he'll look after her too when he grows up. No matter how strong Mikasa is, she's still just a girl."

Lucia said, "Don't worry. Children always soar higher than we expect. They won't disappoint us."