Rags and Riches ~ Levi x OC

5. Graduation

Enyo dropped quietly to her feet from the top bunk. Hange snored loudly and rolled over with drool slobbered all over herself and pillow. It had been over a year since the last time Enyo had slept in Hange's bunk because of soreness. Now, Enyo rose before the sun did.

    The cool air kissed her skin like it wished her a very good morning. The sky's eerily dark blue hues flowed above her while Enyo laced up her boots. After her first month of training, she learned that simply stretching made her body feel like a completely different person. So now it was a necessity.

    Sleep crept from her blood when Enyo tugged on her tight muscles. Birds chirped nearby when Enyo approached the forest path. It was her favorite route. Sometimes, trapped in the trees, it was easy to forget about the walls looming nearby. Of course, the trees here in Trost were lame compared to what was in Shiganshina, but she'd only heard tales of the land there. Enyo tapped the second tree she passed and started running.

    Her bones weren't rattled beyond repair anymore and any knots that wound their way in her tendons and ligaments were stretched so much that they weren't bothersome. Her feet were quiet on the ground beside the few sticks that snapped under her.

    After a lap through the forest path, Enyo stretched again and wiped at the dripping sweat on her chin. The men's cabins creaked open and a mop of messy brown hair lumbered toward her. Enyo smiled cheerfully at Luke when he collapsed on the grass next to her, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

    "You don't have to get up so early," Enyo laughed.

    "And let you do it all alone, Little Eagle?"

    Enyo punched his shoulder and Luke caught her hand. Her skin was beyond calloused and her nails were chipped and cracked in weird ways. In fact, in the few years that they had been training, all of Enyo had changed. Her eyes were much more happy (which was quite strange considering many cadets lost their mojo after a year) and her lips were chapped from smiling so much. Her chubby chin was sculpted into sharp edges and her entire body was bulkier. Plus, Commander Zacharias put a request in two years ago for a fitted uniform for Enyo so she no longer walked around looking like a child in their father's clothes.

    Luke had put on some muscle too, but it wasn't as obvious. He'd grown a few inches and started growing facial hair. When he cleared his throat, his Adam's apple bounced up and down. "Moblit said he'd be out soon."

    Enyo grinned. "Hange wasn't even moving when I got up."

    Luke entwined their hands and she was determined to keep the nervous smile creeping on her face under wraps. Enyo had found comfort in Luke. His triangular face was much softer whenever he was around her and he ghosted his lips on her fingers. If it wasn't for him, Enyo was sure she would've been carted off during their first week of training.

    30 pushups. They counted in unison. 30 sit-ups. Unison. 30 squats. Moblit ran out and the door slammed behind him. He joined for their second set. After their second, Dieter (the man with floppy blonde hair and a skinny frame), took his sweet time meandering toward the ever-growing group. After the third, Hange stumbled out with a lion's mane of hair and crooked glasses.

    The horn blared and their group quickly reported to Commander Zacharias. Enyo's legs thrummed and twitched while she stood completely still, at attention with her hand pressed up against her heart. Commander Zacharias stared at Enyo with proud eyes before turning his attention elsewhere. The runt of the group had gone above and beyond to prove herself a worthy soldier.

Their packs of rocks had been switched out with heavier packs of gear. Even though they were heavier, they were infinitely more comfortable than running with a bag of rocks. Enyo had done a ton of back exercises, and despite the bag being nearly as big as her, she did not falter. They ran behind Commander Zacharias and Enyo kept a comfortable pace in the front half of the pack. Hange ran nearly right behind her while Luke was at the front.

Enyo stood in line for breakfast. Her shirt was drenched in sweat, but she didn't care.  Hange slumped on her and started snoring and Enyo could not believe that the crazy girl could sleep like that.

"Good job out there!"

"Thanks, Mia." Enyo beamed and passed the blonde.

In the past few years, all of the cadets had gone to Enyo for some sort of help. She hadn't realized how much her dedication had inspired the corps, but she took it in stride and helped where she could. She'd even give up her food for them if they asked (to which Luke put an immediate stop to), or she'd assist in some sort of training. And if she didn't know how to help them, she always knew the person who could.

Enyo scoffed down three bites before she stopped. Her throat still felt heavy and she always fought back gags when she ate. Her plate of crumbled biscuits looked like crawling ants and she shook her head. It's just mom. Come on, Enyo. You need to eat. She forced another bite down. Yeah, she'd changed the past few years. But she still thought about her mother every single day and she still had to teach herself how to eat. And it hurt. It warped her mind and she tried to think about something else. A few times, Hange found Enyo barfing in the bath house. But even so, Enyo was determined to erase her childhood.

"I can't wait for the results." Hange strapped her belt on.

Enyo agreed when Dieter approached them. He was good company and didn't make Enyo uncomfortable unlike some of the other cadets, like Elias. After the ODM gear test, Elias had become unhinged around Enyo.

"Still set on the Scouts?" Hange asked.

"Yeah." Freedom or nothing.

"I hope we're in the same squad!"

Commander Zacharias stood on a stage. Torchlight flickered behind him and Enyo stood a little taller, hand on her heart a little prouder. Her gaze was straight, calm, and narrow.

"Pay close attention!" Commander Zacharias yelled. He had to reel back a sheepish grin. He was pleased with the results of the 99th Cadet Corp. "Come up here when you're name is called. Hange Zoe!"

Hange laughed and excitedly jumped up to the stage.

"Dieter Ness!" The Commander paused when Dieter jogged to the stage. "Elias Tyler! Skyler Jor! Karl Heiss!"

The line slowly started to grow on the stage as they lined up. Commander Zacharias narrowed his eyes and read off, "Luke Cis!"

Luke took to the stage like a celebrity, hands pumping in the air. He winked at Enyo and stood next to Karl.

"Enyo Aetos!"

Enyo's blood rang in her ears. She hopped on the stage with a huge grin. The Commander continued talking when Enyo took her place next to Luke and held back the urge to punch his shoulders.

"These are your class's top ten! They represent what you all could be. Only these ten can choose Military Police. Everyone else must choose between the Garrison and Scouts."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

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