#𝗙! 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗥 𝗫 𝗩! 𝗔𝗢𝗧 ✧ in which the daughter of two funeral directors is told to join the scouts regiment to fight the titans, but more importantly, find more clients.
(𝗛𝗨 𝗧𝗔𝗢 𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗣𝗜𝗥𝗘𝗗 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗥)
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It had been 3 years.
Friendships had been made, skills had been improved upon, and now, we all stood at the graduation ceremony to choose which of the three regiments we wanted to join.
"Dedicate your hearts!"
Everyone stared at the man who stood at the top of the steps. The only thing making him visible were the two comically large torches that stood on either side of the yard.
"Today, you trainee graduates will be given three choices. You can join the Garrison, protecting towns and reinforcing the walls. Or the Survey Corps, who risk their lives beyond the walls in Titan Territory. Or the Military Police, who serve the king, lead the people, and protect internal order. Of course, only the top ten students, whose names were just announced the Militaru Police."
I stood in between Eren and Annie, but couldn't help but pout a little.
"Aw man, why can't they cut me some slack and just give me a business opportunity already? I even asked him and he just looked at me like I had four heads! It's not my fault; I'm trying to make their lives easier... or well, their death easier hehe— OW!"
I looked to my left only to see one of my now best friends, retracting his elbow and looking forward as if he hadn't just knocked a thousand winds out of me.
"Pay attention, idiot," he said through gritted teeth.
"pAy ATtEnTIon, IdIOt," I mocked under my breath, and not long after, the ceremony had come to an end.
﹌﹌﹌
"You knooooow Jean, we're pretty much all marching towards our deaths anyway, so instead of wallowing in your self-pity because Eren beat you, why don't you take one of my coupons!"
I was ignored ultimately, and he continued rambling to himself. I shrugged my shoulders at the angry man and walked over to Mina.
She was standing in a circle with a few other graduates, including the trio who I had managed to get close to over the last three years.
"You'll never beat them!" Thomas cried, catching the attention of everyone in the after-party. He looked around awkwardly at the abrupt attention and quieted down.
"You do know how many tens of thousands have been eaten? We lost over twenty percent of our population, so we know for sure. Humans cannot defeat the Titans."
"Wooooow. Isn't he just a bundle of joy?" I mumbled at Mina and she let out a giggle, muffling it with her hand so no one would hear.
"So?" Eren replied, "if you think we can't win, you'll just give up?"
"Well..."
"It's true that humanity has only suffered defeat until now. But we didn't know anything about the Titans then. Fighting them head-on is pointless. We did lose, but the information we gained gives us hope for next time! Will we abandon the tactics that cost tens of thousands of lives to develop and let the Titans eat us without a fight?" He exclaimed passionately.
"Hell no! I am going to exterminate all of the titans and escape from these cramped walls! That is my dream... humanity isn't finished yet!"
No one said anything. Everyone just looked gobsmacked. It wasn't exactly expected of such a headstrong, confident guy to give such a motivational and sentimental speech. He even seemed surprised, as small tears gathered at the corners of his eyes as he ran off. Presumably in embarrassment.
"Geez..." I mumbled as I held my head dramatically. His two close friends ran after him.
"I guess I should go too... curse past me for befriending such a problem child."
Mina rolled her eyes at the dramatic lament and playfully pushed me forward.
"You can't talk. See ya later!" She waved off and I gave her a lazy one back before I was out of the door.
There, I was met with the trio seated on the stairs. Armin and Eren had engaged in a conversation, and Mikasa observed, so, I sat next to the number one graduate.
"Yo, Mika!" She turned around swiftly, with tense shoulders before they relaxed again, seeing as it was only me.
"Good evening, [N/N]"
"Whatcha doooooin'? Eren too busy moping about his little speech or someth—"
"I'm joining the Survey Corps." The blonde said confidently, and everyone turned to him in shock. He was smart, incredibly smart, but that skill didn't translate athletically, unfortunately."
"Are you serious, Armin? You got the best written test score, so you should use that!" Eren gawked in disbelief.
"I won't hold you back, even if it kills me."
"I'm joining the Survery Corps, too." Mikasa proclaimed, seemingly indifferent.
"Hey, you're the valedictorian. Join the Military Police! "
"If you join the Miliatry Police, then I'll do that." The two stared at the young woman in shock, though it didn't exactly surprise me. She was deathly loyal to Eren, and she'd follow him to the grave without hesitation.
"If you join the Garrison, I'll join, too. You'll drive yourself to an early grave without me."
'Woah. That kind of a low blow...' I held in a laugh as the brunette looked away in embarrassment.
"No one asked you to do this..."
"I don't want to lose any more family."
"How nice! You guys really are close, huh?" The other two jumped back in fright.
"WHA—? WHEN DID YOU GET HERE?" Eren shouted, but I shushed him quickly.
"Mind the ears, I don't wanna go deaf before I even get to go on a mission, you know?"
He apologised, and I let out a laugh.
"Surely you don't take me as the type of friend to just leave you to drown in your sorrows? At least all alone?" I clicked my tongue and shook my head sarcastically, "You guys underestimate me!"
They all sweatdropped, and then it turned silent. I couldn't help but let out a soft sigh.
"I don't think I need to make an epic proclamation of what I want to be, since I've made it clear since joining, though I don't want everyone to have the false idea that I'm just doing it for the sole purpose of getting money or something like that."
It stayed quiet, and I took it as an invitation to carry on. I looked at the tattered stone step as I continued.
"I do wanna help people, whether it's through their life or through their journey of death. My father had a past of being a Survey Corps member too, so I want to experience what he went through along with carrying on their business. " I fell backwards dramatically.
"Damn those old bastards... didn't even warn me in that letter it would be THIS hard to get customers... 'coupons are an effective way for business' my ass."
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hiya. sorry to the people in the last chapter asking me to update and Inever did.
