I walked next to the old man as we both entered a fairly big garage. On the walls, there were tools and blueprints of some kind of motorcycle. I looked over it for a second before my eyes focused on my titan. He was currently hanging from the chains with his power still off. Everything seems to still be intake from when we collapsed. I sighed softly seeing that he was scraped for parts from this old man. Just then I saw an orange mop of hair appear behind him as a small child appeared wearing some kind of overalls over a long shirt matching her tan skirt. She looks nothing like this old man.

"Oh, dad. You're back. Is this the man you spoke of?" She asked as the old man nod.

"Indeed. How is his titan dear?" He asked as she looked down in sadness? Why is she upset at Stryder?

"He hasn't moved and I tried to enter its mainframe to see what was wrong but I can't scan it at all." She explained making me confused before I saw my vision turn monochrome as I held my head.

"Hey, are you alright?" The old man asked as I looked at him before nodding.

"I'm fine." Looking at him I noticed my vision return to normal.

"Father, my scans indicate an anomaly around him." The girl said as I looked at her confused but my helmet blocked it.

"An anomaly?"

"Yes. This anomaly is also around his massive friend as well. I can't seem to pinpoint its source." She said but I knew exactly what she was talking about.

Making my way towards Stryder I felt around his cockpit for a lip. Running my hand around it I felt it before ripping it off the heavily damaged titan. Placing my hand inside I pulled out a small monochrome device. The symbol on it was a ghost as it was heavily damaged just like its home. Sighing I placed it in my pocket causing the onlookers to look in confusion.

"Apologize. But the device I have on me currently is what causes our whole issue. I'm keeping it on me until I feel more comfortable to trust you after all this whole world is completely different from my own." Using my jump kit I boosted towards the back of Stryders chasis as I pulled out an average size briefcase after pressing a series of buttons.

The case was its signature silver color completely different from the charred black of my titan. The label on it was the same three letters of the people that invaded my home. I.M.C. I looked at this case with no emotion. Jumping off I made my way towards the room I stayed in as the two looked at me with confusion. Setting the case on the bed I opened it up seeing the multitude of silver, metal, and cloth.  I began to strip off my armor. Standing in my forest green shirt and brown pants I saw that they were also ruined by Demeter. Taking my shirt off I looked down at my body. It wasn't too slim or too buff. It was average but you could see I worked on it during my time as a soldier. It might've been buff but it's also scarred from bullets and knife slashes.

Looking towards my right wrist I looked at the two black bands on it. The two had names on them the people I do this for, my fallen father and grandfather. I kissed them as I pulled the helmet on reminiscing on my time as an IMC soldier.
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Location: IMC hq day: 2 time: 1600 hours. 8 pm.

A dark room empty of all life laid dormant. The door of the room slid open, a broken man made his way inside lazily. His hand left the door panel as he made his way in. Taking his helmet off the soldier stood still before dropping it to the ground. Turning around and sitting on the bed he placed his hand on his forehead. Tears ran down his face as they connected with their outfit that was stained in blood and soot. His h/c hair was greasy and messy. The tired e/c eyes scanned the room before picking up a small portiet of a family.

"This must be Shipleys family." He concluded as he scanned the picture. The woman in the picture was a beautiful blonde with blue eyes and a white complex while she wore a blue dress. Next, we're the two kids one had blue eyes and black hair and seemed to be the oldest. She wore a white tank top and blue jeans her expression made her look like she would rather be with her friends than there. Next was the boy, he stood smiling as Shipley had his hand on the boy's head. He looked like a spitting image of his father. They all looked like a normal family, Something he took away, even though they took his father away from him and possibly his grandparent he couldn't help but feel bad. But all that sadness turned to anguish as he remembered the other people he took from their families.

Tears ran down his face faster as he was sobbing his inhales and exhale's sounded like he just couldn't handle the pain and sorrow. He was thrown into this war cause he had no other options. It was either kill or be killed. Just then his helmet began to flash making him wipe away his tears and grab it. Watching the lights flash he knew it was binary for "put me on." His grandfather knew binary back in his youth and he taught him some. Placing it on his head he calmed down before answering.

"Hello?" His disguised voice asked as a screen with Stryders name appeared.

"Pilot you did well today." He said causing the pilot to lay down saddened.

"I don't feel well Stryder." He sighed as his titan stayed silent.

"Did you manage to get your arm fixed up? That could be the reason as to why you don't feel well." The robot asked making the boy nod before replying.

"Yeah, I was injected with some kind of serum during the battle I'm not sure what it was but my wounds healed. I do have a scar from the bullet though." He sighed but Stryder had an idea.

"Pilot there is a training pod in every IMC pilot room. I recommend getting training done before our next mission." He said causing Y/n to turn his head to a massive circular pod as he looked at it. Entering the pod he sat down in a chair.

"Warning: unauthorized access detected please put in code for training pod." The pod computer asked as Y/n looked up seeing multiple buttons, switches, and a lever.

"Pilot switch the red switch on the left then press the white button on the top right followed by three presses of the second blue button in the second row then pull the lever." Stryder helped to cause Y/n to question him.

"How do you know all this?"

"I may have been a titan to help with your tree farm but I was originally made for combat. My A.I have extended knowledge of all machines in military-grade." He answered truthfully before I began to press the series of buttons and the final pull.

"Code accepted. Welcome pilot Shipley. What would you like to do?"

"Training, give me a refresh on everything."

"Activating jump kit tutorial and combat training."

The pod began to shine green on the inside as the doors closed before Y/n felt himself appear in a training room.

"Begin training."

Preparing his weapons he made his way down the hallway and into training. The beginning of a pilot and a killer.

Running from wall to wall, killing A. I and taking down waves and waves of titans Y/n heighten his skills, with each death he learned and adapted. Soon he was beginning to be a force to be reckoned with. Using multiple different weapons and titans he trained for hours on end. Training for nearly twelve hours straight he exits from the pod before feeling the effects of the pod hit hard. Stumbling towards the bed he laid down and closed his eyes. He and Stryder were becoming a stronger a deadlier pair. Something that the militia feared.
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Looking down at his helmet Y/n shook he wore the IMC armor and the helmet was left to be put on. Screams, blood, gunshots bones snapping, and even the fear of people's faces flashed in his mind.

"I'm just a soldier." He spoke before putting the protective headpiece on as he stood in the room he was given by Pietro. "A killing machine."

Leaving the room and his militia armor behind he went towards his titan before pulling out the data core. Turning to Pietro and the girl he looked at them.

"Can you find a new power source for him?"

"I can. But it'll have to wait my boss called me in." He said making Y/n raise an eyebrow.

"Boss.....does he have anything for work that I can do?" He questioned making Peitro smile.

"I think he'll have something in mind for a soldier like yourself." He beamed with hope while Y/n just nods.

"Good. I've worked in the field as everything you can think of. But this time. I don't have my titan." Looking down at stryders data core he saw his code. ST-5571. "Take me to him please."