#the incompetence brigade

[manglednatalia]

Oh my God, they were acquaintances

[shibusawaz]

armed detective agency this decay trio that. what I really want is to fuck shit up with these hoes

[missbaphomet]

I've been working since I was 16 and had a run of bad luck, fucking what of it? I'm employed again with a company I was at for a year and a half and my higher up not only remembered me for my good work (employee of the month twice in a year ✌️) and I was told in my interview it was just formality, that the job was mine and they were ecstatic to have me back.

Cope and seethe.

Bad luck is bad luck, you roll with the punches and move on. I'm in a great place. Employed, my car almost paid off, and on the wait list for an apartment with my best friend and mentor.

But you keep being bitter <3 get fucked, stay fucked

[tecchous-thicc-buttocks]

im trying something bare with me

[communist-ojou-sama]

Don't doubt for a second that only thing that the only thing that allowed for a future where the Zionist Entity becomes a pariah state and collapses as opposed to succeeding in a quiet, slow-rolling genocide of the Palestinian people has been the bravery, resourcefulness, and wisdom of the righteous mujahidin of the Resistance Axis, be they of the Martyr Omar al-Qassam Brigades (the military wing of the PFLP), the Iz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades ("Hamas") or, indeed, the mighty fighters of Kata'ib Hezbollah. Had they not exposed the indolence and incompetence of the Zionist Enemy on October 7th, it would never have been possible for the Zionist Enemy to lose this much credibility both among its fascist constituency and abroad as quickly as it has.

Operation al-Aqsa Flood has put the Zionist enemy, and more specifically the jewel in it's crown, its intelligence edifice in a double-bind, forcing them to either claim that they deliberately allowed Operation al-Aqsa flood to occur despite foreknowledge, a lie, and an intolerable lie for the internal security of the Entity, or to admit the truth, that it's so hubristic and incompetent that it didn't even see al-Aqsa flood coming, completely damning its credibility as a security partner and exporter of intelligence technology abroad.

I won't let any of you claim that any of this would be possible without the hard work and sacrifice of the heroes of the Resistance Axis. All glory to the Resistance and the martyrs. Death to the Zionist enemy, now and forever.

[the-seelie-court-official]

i try to assume incompetence before bigotry but at this point if staff is Continuously banning some of its biggest, most popular, most clicked-on blogs on Accident rather than outright purposeful malicious intent towards some of the most discriminated-against populations, then... that's somehow more embarrassing, actually.

"Oops i just happened to consistently and without fail disproportionately and inappropriately selectively enforce ToS in favor of bigots and against trans, black, and Palestinian users, while allowing hate brigades against those same users go unpunished... While the CEO was cyber-stalking a trans user we banned... and he was posting private information he only had thru staff permissions... while being investigated for this very behavior, whoopsie!!" sounds like a really funny thing to explain to the lawyers

[empirearchives]

Paris Fire Brigade — The fire department of the city of Paris

The Paris Fire Brigade was created by Napoleon on 18 September 1811 after a devastating fire in Paris in 1810. The brigade remains the same firefighting service of Paris to this day.

Illustrations created by Aaron Martinet between 1807 and 1814. Top: Imperial Guard, Engineer Sapper. Bottom: Imperial Guard, Officer of Engineer Sappers. These were the military positions which were transitioned into the fire department.

The deadly fire at the Austrian embassy ball in July 1810, during the festivities for his marriage to Marie Louise, reminded the Emperor of the importance of a well-functioning fire service in the capital.

Despite the courage and dedication of the gardes pompes [firefighters of the old organization], who are sometimes falsely accused of numerous shortcomings, the firefighting service revealed its weaknesses: delays, insufficient and unreliable equipment, poorly trained personnel and incompetent managers. The staff present at the embassy on the day of the tragedy were cleared of all suspicion by an investigation led by the Count of Montalivet. On the other hand, the leaders of the old organization were dismissed, and the corps des gardes pompes was abolished.

After this catastrophe, the Emperor reorganized this public service by creating the first military corps of firefighters, made up of the engineers from the Imperial Guard who were dedicated to defending the imperial chateaux against fire.

At the behest of Emperor Napoleon I, the creation of the Paris fire department [bataillon de sapeurs pompiers de Paris] by imperial decree on 18 September 1811 was an original and innovative step, marking the transition from a civil and municipal organization to a military body. The choice of such an atypical status for a public service echoes the creation, eleven years earlier, of the Paris Police Prefecture, an equally singular legal administrative body.

From its creation, this military corps was placed under the authority of the Paris Police Prefecture, who was responsible for the security of the capital. After a long process, this military status and subordination to a prefect became the logical consequence of the spirit of the decree of 12 messidor year 8.

When the battalion was formed in 1811, the Paris fire department took on a new mission: fighting fires, the importance and development of which they were still unaware of.

Four companies were then created to respond to fires. Relying on a typically military functional triptych (extensive training of men, systematic technological research and implementation of efficient operational procedures), the battalion quickly made its new environment its own, and by the end of the second half of the 19th century, had become a model for the organization of public fire-fighting services and a national, even international reference.

Several fire chiefs succeeded one another until 1814. At that date, command was entrusted to battalion commander Plazanet. He provided the battalion with an instruction manual, made it compulsory for sappers to be stationed in barracks, and introduced gymnastics to train efficient and daring rescuers.

Source: Brigade de sapeurs-pompiers de Paris — Le Bataillon

Picture source: Napoleon's Army: 1807-1814 as Depicted in the Prints of Aaron Martinet, By Guy C. Dempsey, Jr., (Section: Support Troops)

[ms-scarletwings]

Honest truth, with every episode of this messed up show I finish rewatching I’m more are more sure that Dib is just as incompetent and short-sighted when it comes to his “mission” as Zim is. But it’s so funny to me that while Zim just makes bad plans, has awful priorities, and improvises a lot by the seat of his pants, Dib’s incompetent in the classical bumbling villain sense. Like, he’s doing the right thing, he generally has clever approaches and insights, makes full use of his resources, yet,

He’s still aesthetically and narratively such an antihero, the poor dweeb.

Observe, my magnificent Venn diagram

Only thing I didn’t want to tack on that because it bears worth of some more elaboration: Both of these two are horrible about recklessly arming their nemesis with tons of free information and striking opportunity that can only be used against them.

And Dib is worse at this, like, so… so much worse. Zim will do the classic ‘Muahahaha, now that I have you right where I want you, here’s a detailed presentation of my entire insidious plan, Batman!’ routine while at least having the class to wait until the hero is being lowered over the acid vat or tied to the train tracks. Dib, as a villain? Would start reciting that same speech while in the middle of trying to kidnap the hero, about 3 and a half steps way too early. It’s actually crazy how fast he will telegraph his next move even when he’s not in a position of having a real advantage yet.

The first time the two met and Dib stood there loudly showing himself as the most perceptive and hostile human in range? And then stood there explaining alien sleep cuffs and what he was going to do with them? And then stood there declaring war and that he’d identified Zim’s base location, swinging said cuffs around in front of the gnome brigade? Granted, he wasn’t aware of Zim’s security at the time, but the essence of that sequence was a pattern that he was more than happy to keep repeating for the next couple seasons.

Also, Zim’s brutalism, while it went to some shudder inducing places, is more expected from a genocidal maniac born from a race of colonial supremacists. It’s part of his theatrics and it’s fun for him in the same way it’s fun for his leaders to blow up innocent ice cream space-trucks and unlucky planets. Dib gets mean with their face offs in a way that’s just dripping with spite. All the time spite. Trivial, personal, petulant spite. Even more than Tak and her grudge, which, should be a lot more surprising to me. But it’s really not.

What it did do instead was remind me of a very interesting quote I once heard, from a Cracked video about online gaming behavior, of all places,

[zodiacs-web]

We can have headcanons of qin shi huang, Nikola tesla and jack the ripper Finding Their partner Seriously Injured Because she was ambushed by one of their enemies

(A member of the enemy realm of Qin, A cult member attempting to kill Jack and a government agent or an organization seeking to steal Tesla's technology)

Their Partner gets Ambushed Drabbles

╰₊✧Qin Shi Huang/Nikola Tesla/Jack the Ripper x Gn!Reader

╰₊✧ What's in the web: blood mention, it got turned in to drabbles cause I forgot how to do headcanons

Qin Shi Huang

He'd thought it'd be fine to let you go visit your parents yet he never suspected an ambush. He was confident his men were able to protect you, plus you can protect yourself as well. He feels stupid to think that this small brigade was enough to protect you.

He won't forgive himself even as he attempts to keep the blood in you. Maybe if he was there he'd win and you would've been safe, maybe if he kept you home, maybe this...was going to happen anyway.

Nikola Tesla

He'd never thought in his entire life would he see his own government stoop so low just to steal one of his inventions. If he'd know that you'd be bleeding in his arms, he would've given that project up in a heartbeat.

He should've never left you for a moment, that wretched feeling in his stomach, he should've followed it. Now he just keeps thinking about how he could've prevented over and over and over again. Losing sleep over your safety.

Jack the Ripper

He doesn't take it well, his blood boils yet his face remains unnervingly calm. At that moment, the color red is no longer beautiful in his eyes. If he stayed on alert, he'd be sure that you wouldn't be in a state like this due to his incompetence.

Comments like those rot his brain all while he watches you in the bed. Comments that tell him that he should've done better than that. He should've accompanied you to the market, he should've been there in general now he can only feel a pain in his heart.

[scrapironflotilla]

One of the classic criticisms of the British army in WW1 and at the Somme in particular is the way they just marched soldiers in lines towards the German trenches. There is some truth to that, and some formations did do something like that. The attack of the 7th Division on 14 July was pretty straightforward along those lines.

But while there are some basic similarities due to the practical realities of trench warfare, there was a hell of a lot diversity in the formations used throughout the battle.

Some comparisons for the opening of the battle on 1st July 1916. Here you've got a brigade each from the 30th and 18th Divisions in the same battle and over a similar frontage, 700ish yards but using different numbers of battalions, different formations of platoons and companies and a difference in depth.

Again, two different divisions attacking in the same battle, this time on July 14th, adopted completely different formations for the attack. Their objectives and frontages were similar, but the methods were again quite different in formation and depth.

It's a bit cliche amongst WW1 historians that the generals weren't all incompetent dullards, but it's still pretty much the default view in the public imagination and I don't think recent WW1 films have done much to dispel that (not that they're aiming to anyway).

But even a cursory look tells you that most of these guys were professional soldiers who took some level of pride in their work and tried to come to grips with the realities of the war. They didn't always succeed, but most were open to trying new ideas and ways of doing things that wouldn't only be successful, but also reduced the number of their own dead.

[beautifulpersonpeach]

I love BTS and their in-group dynamics they are all so precious and adore each other and it's all 100% genuine it's one of the things that made me an instant fan. But there's something about JM and JK that stands out in a unique way. they are special (or what they have is special) and I see some type of commitment between them that goes beyond even in the context of the band commitment if it makes sense. it's sad that they receive so much hate but I think it's because even the haters see it

*

Ask 2:

Jikook in Tokyo again😭❤️

***

Not all the haters see it. In fact, a big chunk of them certainly don’t see anything significantly special about jikook’s relationship. Understandably, since they don’t even like looking at them. We’re talking about people who deliberately choose to boycott music and content because it has other members on it. They’d go as far as not supporting Jimin or Jungkook’s content simply because they don’t want to see another member. Has this member actually committed any crime? No, his crime is that they hate him for whatever reason. That’s the thing about hate, it causes such insane but predictable behaviours in certain types of people that the outcome is expected but no less sad.

A lot of the people who hate Jimin actually do hate him. They’re obsessed, yes, most stans in this space are, but they’re fundamentally twisted in that they get their dopamine hits by being awful, sadistic, conspiratorial people to the members and to other fans. This latest hate campaign against Jimin reminds me of November 2018, but that incident was even worse than this believe it or not. Celebrity isn’t always worth much in the military, but in BTS’s case, it is worth more than zero. And that’s good enough. The military would be beyond stupid to let something happen to the leader of BTS and to any of the members under their watch. The military has already suffered the embarrassment that was Jin’s nurse incident, so I doubt they’d be keen to repeat their display of incompetence again so soon after that one.

This is exactly the sort of issue that should be quietly reported and brigaded. In a way I’m doing that effort a disservice by talking about it here, but the point is this isn’t the time for gotchas. Jimin and Jungkook are the priority.

*

I know they’ll have fun in Japan. This is a lovely time to be in Tokyo, Kanazawa too is lovely this time of the year, right when things are just crisp and it isn’t yet too cold. I don’t know what their plans are there but I know they’ll have a good time.

Jimin eats very well. That’s one of my favourite things about him. He eats like someone who enjoys good food. I love that for him, the spicier the food is the better, because that’s how it is with me too. Jung Kook too likes to eat. So yeah I think this jikook travel show is a match made in Heaven.

They’re a good match in so many ways. In their own words, they “click”. Their temperaments complement each other perfectly. Seeing this happen time after time, year after year, has been such a joy. I’m eagerly looking forward to this show.

[crazysnakey]

Do you think the Doctor ever told anyone what happened in the parallel world? Do you think he ever had nightmares about it? Do you think he ever looked at someone and saw their parallel world counterpart? Do you think he ever accidentally called the Brigadier “Brigade Leader” whenever they had a heated argument, maybe over the Brig’s methods? Do you think he ever looked at Liz with her fair ginger hair and imagined it turning black and burning like Section Leader Shaw's? The Brigadier gets shot in another invasion and as the medics lay him on the ground to be treated the Doctor sees the Brigade Leader on the floor after being shot by the Section Leader.

Do you think the others noticed anything off with the Doctor in the weeks after? Do you think they worried over him? Benton observing that the Doctor seems uneasy around him sometimes when Benton's standing near him with a gun, even though they both know he'd never hurt the Doctor. The Brigadier noticing that the Doctor seems more standoffish with him at times. They've always had their fair share of disagreements but it's like there's another wall between them when they talk now. After the Inferno Project is shut down Liz and the Brigadier, curious, ask the Doctor how he'd known what would happen and what to do, since he'd disappeared for hours and then spent most of the time unconscious and he looks at them with an expression of such grief and despair that they find themselves regretting asking. They never actually get an answer.

Someone tries to restart Project Inferno or start a similar project involving drilling into the Earth and the Doctor explodes and is practically hysterical as he tells them to shut it down and stay away from any attempts at drilling into the Earth. Everyone at UNIT knows the Doctor's always had little patience for human incompetence but even for him this seems overboard. The Brigadier once again asks what's wrong, but the Doctor brushes him off or blusters and gives him a non-answer.

The Doctor tries to move past it. It's not easy and it takes time, but things get better. He doesn't slip up in front of Benton or the Brigadier anymore, doesn't overreact. He's got a new assistant, he's focusing on fixing the TARDIS, and with the Master here pulling a new scheme every Wednesday things are more interesting and he's always being kept busy with something. He thinks that maybe things are all right now, and will be all right. That maybe he can put what he saw and experienced in the parallel world to the back of his mind.

Then he gets strapped to the Keller Machine and the memories and fears are all brought back to the surface again in vivid detail.

[stardestroyer81]

Pizza Tower features a wide variety of foes for Peppino to plow his way through, though if I had to chose my ultimate favorite enemy in the entire game, I'd have to go with the Bad Rat. I love literally everything about their animations and I always get super excited whenever I come across one!

It was when I first attempted to draw a Bad Rat that I realized the potential of taking one and making it into my very own Pizza Tower OC... enter Brat the Rat, the punkish and portly rival to Gustavo's right-hand rodent, Brick the Rat!

(Check under the cut for some insight on Brat's character as well as concept art!)

We all know that Peppino Spaghetti has his fair share of rivals, and while it's unanimously agreed upon that his ultimate foe is the villainous Pizzaface, I've always thought that the Noise made for a better fit as the Italian's evil double. I mean, they do hate each other with a passion.

But how cool would it be if Brick the Rat had his own rival (Gustavo doesn't need a rival, he's too precious to have one)? There's a distinct difference between Brick and the Bad Rats (I.E. tail color, ear length, messier whiskers, etc.), and I thought it would serve as a neat basis for a Pizza Tower OC!

Brat the Rat is the commander of the Bat Rat brigade in the Pizza Tower, and sent Brick out to dispose of the intruders of their domain. However, after Gustavo and Brick's eventual friendship, Brat takes it upon himself to disregard the incompetence of his inferiors and go after the true threat to the tower, Peppino, personally.

He is best described as a conniving though lazy figure of authority, and spends most of his time snooping about The Pig City or at home in the fittingly named sewer level. In spite of his mean demeanor and meaner intentions, Brat also has a seldom-seen (At least to anyone besides the Bad Rats) gentler side, and can be a complete and total cuddle bug if he trusts you enough.

I find that Pizza Tower sprites are easiest to draw if you sketch them out beforehand, and that's just what I did with Brat! I wanted Brat to be larger than the standard Bad Rat by a longshot, and that he'd tower over Peppino when sitting upright, so I made conceptual sketches of the such before going into spriting.

Honestly, it took me a little while to figure out Brat's body shape when he isn't laying on his front, but I've since perfected it and can safely say he is easily one of the easiest and most fun of my OCS to draw! Seeing how big of a hit he was to some of my mutuals outside of tumblr, I figured I'd show him off to y'all on tumblr as well! 🍕✨

[2n2n]

elyospace I wish we could have learned more about the characters in this trial, I mean it was funny and all but there was much more tension in the previous chapter…….

It is really funny the trial is so crude and 1-dimensional, it does make Kako feel incompetent... but I kinda like that, myself? I like that Tsukasa is genki again... I'm happy to save the serious tension for later... I've been kind of eager to just get Kako out of the room, I haven't really wanted him to be relevant gfl;dkgfd;gk.... this can really be chicanery in da clock for all I care... Akane and Teru are having a little fight, Nene-chan is all dinky, Mirai is a rat... mayhaps it is destined to be dummy brigade times....

I've been thinking like, man, if it's all shenanigans and nonsense right now, it would be in service to get us all comfortable and unsuspecting for this set-up waiting to become relevant the moment we fix time

[dorminchu]

Between Heaven and Earth: Chapter One

a/n: Merry Christmas! The next couple chapters will tie in with Nur für die Schwachen (as in, certain plot points/elements from that fic are referenced). You don’t have to read one story to understand the other.

Despite a greater disparity in technology, trading electric torches for gas lamps and subjection to bean-potato stew for the majority of their meals succeeding the government's seemingly overconfident investment in pit latrines last year, the overall mood was not so different than Marley. Trost's streets were narrow, so the new influx of pedestrians coming from Wall Maria often had to compromise among the horses and soldiers moving through. No motorised vehicles to be seen, even in Wall Sina.

Grice, posing as a refugee from Wall Maria, had quietly worked his way into Wall Rose’s Northern Division as a recruit—because he’d signed up before the new decree to lower the age of conscription, he managed to join up with the Garrison the same year they became trainees. Right now, he was stationed over in southern Wall Sina. He’d send letters every visitation day, updating the three of them on life as a Paradisian soldier.

Last summer, Annie’s reconnaissance mission into the interior turned up fruitless. All she would tell Reiner and Bertholdt was that a man from the MP Brigade saw her face. Rather than apprehend her, he’d let her get away, which had dissuaded her from going undercover again. Though the MP Brigade were the only ones allowed in the interior, they did work with the MPs in Wall Sina. None of the training academies in Wall Rose would allow enlistment directly into Mitras—you had to undergo additional training from selective military schools. If you didn’t have family in the military, or the interior, there was a specialized academy in Wall Maria. Neither position was viable, so what was the point of bringing it up at all?

Grice insisted it was better to seek a position in the MPs regardless. Before Paradis was breached, the offices were flooded with applications to the Garrison, since it was easier to get into than the Military Police and had the second-lowest mortality rate. It sounded nice, coming from the mouths of recruiters, but any position was better than the Scouting Legion. An overabundance of spending on resources with little to show for it but a seventy-five percent mortality rate. Without better funding, or a significant change in leadership, no one in his right mind would enlist voluntarily.

Unfortunately, many of the MP divisions were already plagued with decades of corruption and incompetence. Losing a third of their country’s territory didn’t whip them into shape. The Garrison was spreading itself thin, trying to do its job and the job of the MPs. It had gotten so extreme that the 104th Training Corps were routinely put to work, with Garrison supervision, at the top of Wall Rose. Better to acclimatize them with defense now, than assume that a catastrophe could never happen again.

The Scouting Legion would, on occasion, assist the Garrison, whenever they were not performing routine expeditions. But their expenses and mortality rate had gone down significantly since Wall Maria's breach. Commander Irvin was interested in reforming the Legion’s reputation. Public opinion became less hostile than it had been under their previous leader, Commander Shadis. In fact, there was a lot of speculation among the military higher-ups that Shadis favoured Irvin as a recruit, and he’d stepped down for the sake of the Legion’s reputation as well as his own tenure.

…

Tragedy bound the cadets together into fickle hierarchies. Privates Kirschtein and Jaeger butting heads just for the excuse to fight about something. Private Fritz smuggling in beer in exchange for swapping chore duties with anyone gullible enough to take her up on a simple favour, with the exception of Private Lenz. Most of them had no real opinion on their King, the government within the interior or their iron grip of censorship besides a passive, unquestioning resignation to dedicate their hearts to humanity. They weren’t interested in questioning the nature of the mission to retake Wall Maria.

But in their second year, Private Arlert got into a prolonged debate with the instructor about the ethical implications of the operation. Rattling off statistics in a rapid-fire, accusatory pitch while the instructor became increasingly dismissive. It came to a head, when Arlert accused the Garrison of corroborating a lot of falsified search warrants for the sake of cutting down the amount of civilians to rehouse, and was assigned latrine duty for two weeks and told to sit down before his impudence further affected his training score. Red-faced and fuming, Arlert took his seat.

According to Bertholdt, he’d lost both his parents during the operation to retake Wall Maria. His grandfather, over the course of his own life, had fostered a collection of pre-Paradisian literature and encyclopedias, and was charged by the Garrison with spreading misinformation. Their house in Wall Rose was raided. Arlert had no choice but to work in the fields, enlisting alongside his childhood friend Eren Jaeger.

Jaeger took Arlert’s side. They sat together in the boy's barracks during free-time, going over their notes on ODM maintenance from the textbook. Other, keener kids, the likes of Bodt and Kirschtein, were willing to play devil’s advocate before lights-out, but never to Arlert’s face. Most of them would agree, amongst themselves, that Arlert had been wronged, but what was the point of sticking up for someone whose argument was so one-sided? He’d be lucky to wind up as a technical instructor if he didn't crack his head open during free-climbing, or the most rudimentary ODM gear exercises.

Braun and Hoover followed them back on the same pretense of study, and now Hoover played the diplomat. “You’ll be able to change a lot more about the military’s policies from the inside. Everyone starts as a foot soldier.”

Arlert just stared at his notes and said, in a tight voice, “Every history book is dictated by another man’s biases. There’s no choice, for most, but to roll over and let the victors decide what truth prevails.” His voice shook slightly. A white-knuckled grip on his pencil couldn’t salvage his composure. “I’m not the only one who feels this way.”

"It's not that simple," Bodt chimed in. "The instructor is upholding whatever he's told to by the government. It doesn't matter what he thinks."

Arlert snapped, "What has blindly adhering to theocracy done for humanity? For any civilization, for that matter?"

"The Wallists don't bother anyone," Kirschtein said. "They just give people something to focus on besides arguing with each other. The rest of us get on, like usual."

Arlert glowered at his notebook.

Reiner looked at Bertholdt, a silent exchange that went unnoticed by the other boys. That kind of talk would get you sent to Heaven. Reiner never got to play mentor to anyone back home. He was too busy looking after himself, and scrapping with Galliard while Bertholdt kept him from straying. During their mandatory hikes, Reiner would always lag behind to make sure Arlert didn’t faint, burdened with a pack that weighed about as much as himself. These Paradisians were eager to learn from him and Hoover as much as possible. They’d sit with them during meals and before lights-out, and talk about their insignificant lives the same way Galliard and Finger used to. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to start reaching back, for the sake of keeping the enemy close.

“The only way you or I can make a difference, for humanity,” Reiner said, “is to become an exemplary soldier. No single one of us can change an unfair decree, but that’s always been the nature of the world. What you and I can do, is work to become someone your friends would be willing to put their lives on the line for.”

Arlert shrugged. “The instructor couldn’t disprove what I said, so he made an example of me. Once I graduate I’ll probably never see his face again.” He averted his eyes to his notes. “I can’t argue with you. I just—shouldn’t get so worked up about it. That won't undo what's been done.”

“You shouldn't be hard on yourself, Armin,” Jaeger said. “You stuck to what you believed. That’s more important.”

Arlert’s mouth lifted into a wan smile.

…

Most of the 104th wouldn't make it past graduation. The ones smart enough to secure a position in the Military Police or Garrison would go underutilized, but Paradis wouldn’t really be any worse or better for it. Titans and Eldians would coexist, and the world's only mercy was its indifference.

In Marley each soldier was out for himself. Overt sympathies were discouraged. In Paradis, Bertholdt and Reiner became model soldiers who climbed all the way to third and second best of the class in three years, succeeded only by Private Ackermann. Training scores were determined by ODM exercises—so she could rely on her “kill” count and technique to get ahead. She wasn’t very talkative, but gracious, interested in learning from others regardless of their skill level.

She’d make a great captain someday, Hoover said. She’d go further if she wasn’t held back by her loyalties to Jaeger and Arlert. It was Jaeger that took to Reiner with an avid need for a mentor figure who wouldn’t treat him with kid gloves. For how often he talked of indifferent humans and cattle, he’d never once considered that the Walls and Titans beyond were meant for keeping things in. Typical, straightforward thinking with no regard for the long-term or bigger picture; the perfect candidate for the Scouting Legion, or a half-decent farmer, if only he put his mind to it. Domesticity was never in the cards, nor the peacetime that the 104th Training Corps might not live to see, only strive towards.

Private Leonhardt was skilled on paper, but when they had to lead an expedition without the instructors, Private Springer elected to follow Kirschtein instead. Private Blaus was happy to work with her during chores, but when it came to ODM gear exercises, they had a tendency to get in each other’s way. Private Kirschtein insinuated she thought herself too good for everyone else—so Leonhardt reminded him that the only difference between them was his desperation to prove himself the better candidate. If he wanted any pointers, he was free to ask Ackermann about it, because he’d clearly confused the two of them.

While her loner mentality made her unpopular, it was easier for Braun and Hoover to get to know the others, and for Leonhardt to stick to the mission.

Now, Private Jaeger had more of a death wish than any other cadet in the division. Everyone had heard about the scrappy, angry from Shiganshina. Ackermann and Arlert were always close behind, probably to make sure he didn’t wind up scraped off of a tree. He was too stubborn to live a long and happy life inside the Walls. An unexceptional student, save for his uncrushable tenacity and loyalty to the Scouting Legion.

In another life, he’d have made a decent Warrior. Leonhardt didn’t speak more than a sentence to him until their second year.

The majority of their budget went towards ODM equipment, food and space for the cadets as well as horses. When it came to self-defense, the instructors went over the fundamentals out of principle. These techniques might buy you a few seconds. Your average criminal could just as well drive the sharp end of a whisky bottle into the newly-made private’s stomach, and that would be that.

Most cadets did not go out of their way to train with her. Hoover was too leery of drawing blood and finding an excuse to hide the steam. Braun was always needling, had to be superior, and would rather spend his time with other cadets looking for a mentor. Arlert, her recent partner, kept freezing up in the middle of a feint. He'd flinch a little, when she snapped at him not to stand there and await her instructions—he’d been in fights before, but only ever internalized the desperation to stop the beating. It felt wrong to hit someone who wouldn’t fight back, even though Marleyans weren’t supposed to be merciful to the enemy. Her father wouldn’t hesitate to rap her on the shins for going soft. There was no discrimination on the battlefield, but she tripped him and let him fall flat on his ass and said, “You’re not going to accomplish anything if you won’t defend yourself.”

Arlert got to his feet. He took a shaky breath and said, “These exercises don’t really count for points. And it’s more likely we’ll be using guns or blades for self-defense against a Titan.” His eyes followed her boots, probably calculating her stance. “That doesn’t make it a useless skill, of course. But you and I are on different levels of proficiency.” Even as he said it, he tensed up again.

Leonhardt dropped her guard. “Find someone else to practice with.”

Arlert didn't think twice. She figured she may as well cut out and review her notes on ODM gear, for the hell of it. Anything was better than baking in the sun.

As she moved for the barracks, she noted Braun was partnered up with Jaeger. Better for Braun's ego and Jaeger's temperment.

“Hey, Leonhardt!” Braun called out. She stopped pace. “You can’t keep slacking off like this. Shadis'll”

Braun the soldier was a paradigm, quick to tease Leonhardt for her lack of discipline. He wouldn't let up, even when she flipped him on his ass to drive the point home. Titan or not, she could never harm him in a way that mattered. There wasn't any point expending time on him as a Warrior cadet. Why start now?

Because sucking up to the first cadet who asks for help is not going to make you into a better Warrior than I am. This exercise isn’t for points. You shouldn’t be drawing attention to me in the first place, you hypocrite.

She caught Jaeger’s eye.

Are you watching? Here’s a lesson on what not to do.

Braun, back on his feet, threw Jaeger the wooden knife and said, "Looks like you have a new teacher!" He caught her eye and winked. Just her luck.

Scowling, she made eye-contact with Jaeger and threw him the knife. “Your turn.”

Jaeger caught the knife. In the time it took for him to open his mouth and say, “What?” she’d already closed the distance. Disarmed and grounded. Easier than a dummy. His mouth split into a toothy grin. "That was amazing!" Clambering to his feet, dusting himself off, he said, "Where'd you learn to fight like that?"

"My father." She did not add it was a pretty basic technique. “Does it matter? It’s not what you’re supposed to be learning.”

He stared at her, eyes shining with fervor. “Let me try again. Disarm me.”

The only time she got to scrap without holding back was with Braun or Porco Galliard. In Marley the instructors were pushing a bayonet into her hands. In Paradis, a wooden knife, or a faux-rifle. Turned onto the front-lines, the Warrior cadets fought to kill, not disarm. She shouldn’t be going easy on the enemy.

The third time Jaeger wound up on his ass, she offered a hand. “You almost had it.”

“Really?” Jaeger reached out to take it; she withdrew and caught him in the stomach with her boot. He got back to his feet, staggering, a tic in his jaw. “What the hell—was that for?”

“You left yourself open.” Resuming stance, unfazed. “I bet you’ve never won a fight in your life.”

A few cadets stopped to watch. Each time she flipped Jaeger over there were cheers. Nothing like back home, always perfunctory and cold. It ended once Shadis barked at them to disperse and get back to what they were supposed to be doing. Leonhardt ended up doing laps.

Jaeger spat into the dirt and said, “I can’t keep up with you.”

“You’re right.” She walked in the direction of the mess hall. Jaeger followed at her heels.

“You could teach me,” he said, “how to fight.”

“Why should I?”

“’Cos I want to learn.” He made a face like she was being obtuse on purpose. “I’ve been in a lot of fights, and I’ve never seen anyone move like that.”

“Hm,” said Annie. “You’re not going to cry when you lose?”

“I won’t if you won’t,” he said, the light coming back into his eyes. He bumped her shoulder with his. “Next time, we’re partners. Don’t forget!”

…

Sparring became more of an excuse to give Jaeger a taste of the dirt, her boot, in no particular order. Most cadets would be too nervous or call out her refusal to parrot the techniques the instructor demonstrated—she didn’t need fundamentals to disarm an opponent—but not Jaeger. The light in his eyes was the same as the first time she agreed to teach him.

He still couldn’t disarm her, but he was blocking hits that would have knocked him down before. He couldn’t replicate her kicks, so he fought with his fists. He’d lost everything in that breach, and all that was left was his rage, tempering into discipline.

Jaeger ended up sitting with her during meals whenever Hoover and Braun were too busy blending in with the native Paradisians. She was never that close with them anyway. And unlike them, he would never expect her active participation unless he spoke to her first. Maybe growing up with Ackermann, he was used to sharing comfortable silences. He wasn’t even bad company. Just exuberant to the point of bordering on insufferable, especially during stretches on horseback or hiking.

While the Legion's reputation still left much to be desired, Jaeger clung to his idealism anyway. Leonhardt wasn't going to argue with a brick wall, but she could tune him out and he’d take the hint, unlike Kirschtein—who wasn’t a hypocrite, just arrogant and didn’t know how to pick his battles. Well, he’d learn the harm way, come deployment, that all the ideas in the world meant little once you’d lost most of your men to a mindless Titan.

“Mina says you want to be an MP,” he said. “What for?”

“Why do you want to join the Scouting Legion?”

Jaeger paused. “’Cos we let those goddam animals exist on the other side of the Walls. Just like any wild animal, they found a way to get in. The Garrison and MPs have been too busy sitting on their asses, while the Scouts do all the thankless work they get to take credit for.” His scowl deepened. “All the top recruits go to Wall Sina. The death rate in the Legion scares them off, but it’s a lie. That rate was from the last Commander. The recruitment officers are just using it to bring more people into the Garrison. Now there’s an overflow of soldiers that’d be better off elsewhere.”

Leonhardt smiled. “Imagine what humanity would do to itself, if those highly-skilled soldiers weren’t around to keep everyone in line.”

Jaeger shook his head. “The MPs haven’t made a difference in crime. It was like that in Shiganshina, too.” He frowned. “You never answered my question.”

“It sounds like you’ve made up your mind about people who choose to be MPs.”

Jaeger blinked. “I didn’t—mean it like that.” He turned away. “It’s not just about playing soldier.”

“You’re such an obedient patriot.” Jaeger barked out a laugh. “Why do you partner up with me?” she asked, to change the subject. “If you keep following me around, people might get the wrong idea.”

Jaeger scoffed. “What idea? I just have to keep going over the moves until they stick. That’s all this is.” Despite his reckless nature, he didn’t have a lot of bruises. No scars, at least, which was a surprise. She was proficient enough not to draw blood unless it was necessary. Jaeger’s ears flushed. She’d been staring at him longer than she meant to. He looked away first. “The other guys don't get why I like training with you.” He stabbed at the congealed mass of bean-and-potato mush that should’ve resembled stew, but more closely resembled a lump of brain matter soaked in gravy. “You take this seriously when you try. And I don’t think you’re a bad soldier, even if you hate all the bullshit.”

Leonhardt’s mouth thinned. She wasn’t hungry anymore. “Thanks.”

He was looking at her knuckles. “Your hands look pretty good.”

What the hell?

He took her hand in his, as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

“I mean, you don’t have a scratch on you. I usually cut my palm on the wire when I reach for my blades.”

His hands were faultless. She pulled away, a little tense. “That’s because you’re impatient.”

“Yeah, well—I’m getting better, now that Reiner’s giving me some tips. Mikasa doesn’t worry as much.”

Suppressing one’s regenerative abilities took discipline far beyond his capabilities. The only other way was to regrow the limb itself, which took a lot of excess energy. Newer Warriors tended to have a lot of trouble shifting while they were injured. He’d never so much as staunched a wound in her presence. 

“Where’d your father serve?” she asked, as if Eren cracked-my-skull-on-the-first-day-of-learning-the-ODM-harness Jaeger could be anything but human.

Jaeger rolled his shoulders. “He didn’t. He was a doctor.” He continued to eat in stolid silence, then paused. “Haven’t heard from him since the breach. He hardly sent letters while we lived in Shiganshina, so he’s probably busy.” His jaw tensed. “Your dad must’ve cared a lot, to teach you what he has.”

Annie regarded her own stale loaf of bread. “In his own way.”

[esyra]

I cannot believe people are seriously looking at that open air prison and the desperation people are exuding to escape and condemning them to terrible deaths. It’s always never again until it’s too late. Cowards, they should stand up for what’s right and not what’s good for their wallets. They sit in their plush chairs in their cozy offices and send millions of children off to do their dirty work. I hope the rot that fills the void their souls should be kills them from the inside.

Literally seeing people being buried alive, and cheering for more, or not saying anything at all? Seeing the hostages they pretend to care about probably being buried alive along everyone else and, still, asking for more? Knowing there's other Arab resistance groups like Hezbollah that are not gonna stand by and watch Gaza be wiped out? Because that means they will open themselves to the danger of being wiped out? Do you really think that's gonna make anyone in Israel safe?

Also, remembering the ground invasion in Lebanon in 2006, and how every Israeli possible called the Israeli Brigades shamefully incompetent, does anyone really think sending these Long Island 20-year-olds in tanks is gonna help anyone? Do you genuinely think these kids are gonna make it? Is that how you keep them safe?