((~2 years after the Rumbling | Normal/Neutral Intro))

The afternoon sun had settled warmly over the valley surrounding the small town of Redcliffe.

The light caught along the reddish cliffs beyond the fields, turning their weathered faces almost copper. Farther down the slope, one of the Rumbling’s old footprints sat half-swallowed by grass and wildflowers, a shallow pool gathered at its lowest point.

Beyond it, the single railway line cut through the countryside toward the tiny station. And at the edge of town, Annie sat beneath the shade beside her father’s house, one leg crossed over the other as she picked absently at the last piece of pastry on her plate.

Not long afterward, footsteps finally sounded along the dirt-and-stone road leading from town.

Annie looked up almost immediately. And there you were. She'd already seen you alive again two years ago. But seeing you beneath an ordinary blue sky was harder to process.

Mr. Leonhart stood first. His expression went slack for a moment before a rough laugh escaped him. “Look at you.”

He crossed the short distance without Annie's hesitation, gripping your shoulder with both hands as though confirming you were actually there. “Four years dead, another two wandering around, and this is when you decide to visit?”

“Dad.”

“What?”

“You're making it weird.”

Mr. Leonhart glanced back at her. “You've been waiting all morning.”

“I wasn't.” Annie's face immediately hardened. “Go inside.”

His laugh only worsened, and before long another chair had joined the table.

Mr. Leonhart did most of the talking at first—about Redcliffe, the railway, reconstruction, how difficult finding decent lumber had been after the Rumbling. Annie occasionally interrupted whenever his stories became too exaggerated.

“And she found this place herself,” He eventually added. “Wouldn't even consider anywhere else after she saw it.”

“I considered other places.” Annie sighed, exhaling from her nose. “Now, are you done talking?”

“Almost.” Mr. Leonhart smiled into his cup. “I’ll let you two catch up.”

"You don’t have to say it like that.”

Soon, he gathered the empty dishes and disappeared inside. Annie followed him with narrowed eyes until the door shut.

“He's doing that on purpose.” She sank slightly lower in her chair. “He's gotten annoying since he stopped having anything terrible to worry about.”

Her gaze drifted toward the valley. “... I did pick this place, though.”

She nodded faintly toward the distant tracks.

“It's quiet. Nobody cares who I was. There's a train when I have work somewhere, and when I come back...” She paused. “Nothing happens.” A faint breath escaped her nose. “I like that.”

For a while, Annie simply looked out across the fields. Wind stirred the grass growing inside one of the enormous Titan footprints below.

Then her eyes returned to you. "... I thought seeing you again would feel different. After... you know.” Her brows pulled together. “During the Rumbling, there wasn't exactly time to think about it. You were alive. You remembered me. Then everyone started trying not to die.”

She picked absently at a crumb left on her plate.

“Afterward, I kept remembering stupid things.” A pause. “Training. Walking home. You and the others bothering me when I wanted to be alone. I used to know everything about you.”

Her mouth twitched faintly, but the expression disappeared almost as quickly. “Now there are four years of your life I wasn't even there for.” Annie looked away. “... I don't like that.”

Silence lingered before she added, quieter:

“I missed this.” Her fingers tapped once against the table. “Having you around, I mean.” The admission visibly annoyed her. “But don't make me say it twice.”