An Ackerman's Journey

Night of the Graduation Ceremony

4 Days After Aptitude Test
Training Field

All the cadets were out trying to find partners for CQC training the commandant set up. Most of the cadets took the time to just wander around or talk with each other as it wasn't being scored. One of those cadets was Elias, just not by choice.

"So I'm alone for this?" Elias questioned the two. "Well not alone per say. You're just not with me or Mia, which means you have to go make some friends and be social" Noah responded to Elias.

"Can we trust them?"

"Elias, they're cadets who are from cities, towns, or villages nobody's heard of. What could they do even if they tried something?"

"Don't trust them."

"You don't have to trust them, just work with them. Besides, you can 'accidentally' hit the horse too hard."

Mia cut at this point questioning Noah. "I'm sorry Horse?" Noah nodded before responding. "Yeah the horse face guy, Jean. Remember the dude who wanted to join the MP's?" "Ohhhh. Yeah I can kinda see the hors- where'd Elias go?"

While the two were discussing the 'horse' Elias walked off to watch what other cadets were doing. Most of them he was able to see were either sitting around, talking or actually doing the training. Eventually he decided to stay and watch two people in particular, Reiner and Bertholdt.

For about five minutes he stood there watching the two go between running the training and talking. "Hey," a feminine voice spoke up from behind Elias, causing him to turn fast and reach for his back before he remembered he left his knife in the barracks. "What?" He questioned while keeping his distance from the girl. "Why are you staring at everyone else instead of doing the training?" She took her turn to question him with no emotion on her face or voice.

"Maybe I'm just bored and don't want to run the training. Think of that?" He responded to her in a similar way keeping his face and voice emotionless. "Because for the past few days I've seen you just watching different people. So want to explain why?" The girl still kept her voice empty when she spoke with the same tired look in her eyes.

Elias let out a sigh before continuing. "I'm figuring people out." The girl tilted her head a bit while still looking at him. "Figure people out? By staring at them?"

"Well when you say it like that it sounds weird."

"Then why don't you explain it."

"I watch people to see how they move, read their body language basically. Either that or people's eyes say a lot as well."

"Oh really?" Elias nodded in response to her before she continued. "Prove it. Figure me out then." The girl stood there looking at him waiting for his response. Elias stood a few feet from her taking notes on multiple things. From the one fist on her hip to the tired look in her eyes.

For a few minutes the two stood there in silence while looking each other in the eyes. After a while the girl spoke up. "So are you just going to stand there or are you going to say something?" Elias snapped back to reality and responded to the girl. "Yeah sorry, zoned out for a second. Well you're similar to someone I heard about back home. Putting on a cold persona but you're a softie on the inside. Am I right?"

"Hmpf." The girl turned and walked off leaving Elias on his own. Soon after two people walked up to him to speak. "Oh. Reiner and Bertholdt right? You were the two who caught me when I fell. Thanks I guess."

"It was nothing, don't worry about it. We're soldiers right? We should watch out for each other" Reiner responded to Elias, causing him to let out a sigh. "Still on with the soldier crap? And what's with you Berthot." "It's Berthtoldt."