ZOMBIE {EREN JAEGER}

03: The Cadet Corps

"So strategized, all the eyes on you

Sashay away to your seat

It's the best seat, in the best room

Oh, he's so smug, Mr. "Always wins"

So far above me in every sense

So far above feeling anything"

-taylor swift, mr. perfectly fine

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847

The journey to the Training Corps base was nothing short of uncomfortable. Jean and Charlotte had said goodbye to their mother, Charlotte's adoptive mother so to speak, leaving her in fits of tears as they rode off together on one horse. They switched taking the reigns and took breaks every hour or so. Jean complained the entire way, earning some annoyed glares from Charlotte every time he opened his mouth. "What? I'm sure you're thinking the same thing," he snapped back at her.

"Sure I am, but at least I have the self-control to suck it up."

When they finally arrived at the base many other cadets were checking in as well. They looked just as nervous as Charlotte felt; pale faces, wide eyes, shaky hands. She refused to show her emotions. It was her first day, she was going to make a good impression. Nervous people don't make good soldiers. When the soldier checking the cadets into the Training Corps reached Jean she took a deep breath and steeled herself.

"Jean Kirschtein and Charlotte Cadieux," he told the woman and peered over her clipboard to see what was on it. Charlotte smacked him on the arm and he recoiled, frowning at her.

The soldier checked some boxes on her clipboard with a pencil and said in a droning tone — "You will be bunking in separate barracks. Left is boys, right is girls. Inside are your uniforms. Please quickly change into them and line up as instructed." With that phrase, she continued to the next cadets. Charlotte and Jean exchanged looks and did as told.

When they emerged from their respective barracks in uniform they walked as a pair down the dirt decline into the almost pit-looking training area. Jean nudged her. "Doing okay?"

She nodded and took in more of her surroundings. It was dryer here than in Trost. She had even gotten a nosebleed on their horse ride. The base was in a large circular valley with natural cliffs of rock surrounding them. Besides the barracks, there were plenty of other houses lining the training area where half of the cadets were already lined up and standing as still as possible. As Jean and Charlotte reached their new comrades a soldier of some sort told them to fall into the fourth line from what she assumed was the front.

Charlotte straightened and blew some of her hair out of her face.

"Lottie," Jean said in a hushed tone. She chose to ignore him, no one else was speaking. "Hellooo?"

Charlotte glared at him and mouthed back. "What?"

He glanced around before quickly shoving something into her left hand. She frowned and opened her palm to see a woven hair tie made by Beatrice for her hair. Charlotte smiled and mouthed a thank you to him. He nodded and gave her a smile in return. She quickly tied her hair back and immediately felt much less irritated by the strands that had been whipping around her face and tickling her nose. Jean knew she never carried any hair ties with her. It was endearing how he always kept some in his pocket for her to use.