(Edited)
Year 847
The two years after the fall of Wall Maria went by in a whim, and you found yourself standing under the ruthless sun, ready to pledge your allegiance to the 104th cadet corps and the military. You looked around, scanning the countless nervous faces around you. You shifted your feet, moving your weight from one leg to the other.
'God, whyyyy. Why out of all days, the sun had to be this hot the one time we have to stand completely still in an open dirt field for hours.'
You felt sweat piling up by your hairline.
'Shit, this is embarrassing. I cannot be sweating like a pig on the first day, I need to make a good first impression. The sweat doesn't help me look less nervous either.'
You eyed the commandant, Keith Sadies, as he walked through the rows of cadets. He was looking at everyone he passed, like he was trying to find something. He abruptly stopped.
"You there!", he yelled, his voice loud enough to be heard all the way over in Shiganshina. He was looking at a blond boy.
'Wait, I would recognize that hair anywhere! That's Armin! What is he doing here? '
"Who the hell are you!" Sadies continued, still yelling as if his life depended on it.
"Armin Arlert from Shiganshina, sir!", Armin answered. Even though you couldn't see his face, you could hear it on his voice that he was scared shitless. He stood his ground though.
"Is that so? What a stupid name, did your parents name you that?", Sadies replied.
"It was my grandfather, sir!", Armin answered loudly.
"Arlert, why are you here?", Sadies asked him while he closed in on his face, staring him down.
"To contribute to humanity's victory, sir!". His voice sounded confident; however, his head turned a little to the right, enabling you to see that his eyes were closed shut.
"How very admirable-" Sadies began, his face almost all the way up in Armin's face now. He had a way of staring so intensely that it looked like his eyes were about to pop out.
'God damn, he is almost scarier than a titan'.
"-You will be a fine titan-bait!", he said as he grabbed Armin's head, turning him around 180 degrees. "Third row! About face!". The rest of Armin's row turned around in unison.
Sadies continued and started screaming at a boy called Thomas Wagner. You took the liberty to look around again, now focusing more on the people closest to you. You were placed between a brown-haired boy and a brown-haired girl with a ponytail. You suddenly heard munching sounds and looked more closely at the girl. In hear hand, a hot, steaming potato.
Your mouth dropped a little. It was actually the most random thing you have ever seen in your life. Here you are joining the military, people are being punished and insulted as we speak, and she thinks this is the perfect time to pull out a steamed potato of all things.
'Should I stop her or warn her or anything? God knows what Sadies will do if he sees her'
A boy with light brown hair and a dark undercut was kneeling on the ground, clinging his hands on his head, groaning in pain.
'I wonder what he said to deserve that. That potato girl distracted me enough to miss that whole ordeal'.
You mentally beat yourself up for not paying attention.
"What the hell is wrong with your face, you smiling idiot", Sadies yelled to the boy standing beside the one on the ground.
"Marco Bodt, at your service sir! From Jinae, south side of wall rose! I want to join the military police and give life and limb in service to the king!", he answered, all in one breath.
"Well then, that makes you an idealistic fool and a rube", Sadies replied, his voice lowered but strong. You could see Marco's happy demeanour deflating at his words. That made you a little sad. You always had a soft spot for happy and kind people, like Armin. You felt protective of them. That is why you went out of your way to help Armin all those years ago.
"You want the truth?" Sadies continued, getting all up in Marco's face like he did with Armin, however this time his face was ten times scarier. "The only use the king has for your life and limbs are as titan fodder". He backed away. "Sixth row! About face!". Marco along with his row turned around, and you could now see his face properly.
You noticed the boy had freckles and a very kind face, even though he had a weird grimace planted on it after that exchange of words. . You wondered what he was like. He sounded quite brave, wanting to devote his life to someone else and all, even though that certain someone was the king, a person you didn't really care for. You tried not to stare too much, as it wasn't really that hard for him to notice. His eyes suddenly met yours. He gave you a quick, small smile and you darted your glance away from him, embarrassed that he noticed.
'God Y/N, get a grip!'
You straightened yourself up and looked over at Sadies again. He was now lifting a bald boy, Connie Springer, up by his head for messing up the salute.
'Y/N, you better not do anything stupid'.
Sadies let go of Connie and moved along to the next row- your row.
You put on your poker face, not letting any emotion reveal itself.
'Please don't stop, please don't stop..'
Sadies stopped and turned around to face you.
'Fuck.'
"Who are you cadet!", he yelled at you.
"Y/N L/N, sir! From Shiganshina district, sir!", you answer, trying to keep your emotions in check and not let them show on your voice.
"Why are you here L/N!", he asked intensely.
"To avenge my parent's deaths and take down the armoured titan, sir!", you yell back at him, surprized that you just said that out loud.
'Shit, I didn't really plan on being that specific with my answer... Welp, too late now I guess'
Sadies didn't answer, he just stared intently at you with an expression you couldn't really read. That's when the munching started again. You flinched at the sound of the girl sinking her teeth into the potato again. Sadies turned his head towards her, seeming utterly disturbed. In fact, everybody around you had the same expression of shock and confusion.
'I guess no one else noticed the potato until now'
"Hey you there! What do you think you are doing?" he asked her with a mix of anger and genuine confusion in his voice. The girl looked around at the trainees around her trying to figure out who he was talking to. She then took one more bite.
'Are you serious, how does she not understand that he is talking to her. This is almost comical, Y/N, don't you dare laugh!'
You felt a tiny bubbling in your chest and struggled to keep your mouth in a straight line.
"YOU ARE OFFICIALLY ON MY SHITLIST, WHO THE HELL ARE YOU", Sadies screamed at her, making everyone around him slightly jump, you included. She gulped down the potato piece she had in her mouth and slammed her hand against her chest, saluting with the potato still in her grasp.
"Sasha Blouse from Dauper Village, at your service, reporting for duty, sir!", she answered him confidently.
"Sasha Blouse, huh? And what is that you are clutching in your right hand?", he asked.
"A steamed potato. It sat there in the mess hall begging to be eaten, sir!", she answered him, just as confidently as before. The bubbling in your chest became stronger.
'Oh god Y/N, no! DO. NOT. LAUGH.'
"Theft, huh? I understand, but why eat it here of all places?", Sadies questioned, and you listened intently, wanting the answer just as much as him.
"It looked quite delicious, and it was getting cold. So I gave it shelter in my stomach, sir!".
Oh no, the bubbling became almost unbearable.
'How can she say all that in such a serious tone? They are literally having a discussion about a potato'
"But why? Why would you eat that potato", Sadies continued, his voice lowered and confused.
"Are you asking me why people eat potatoes? I'm surprised you don't know sir", she answered, and a complete silence settled on the field. Everyone was in disbelief over what she just said. You on the other hand were about to lose the fight against the bubbling laughter threatening to burst out of you any second.
'I-I just, c-can't hold it in anym-more'
Sasha then proceeded to break of a piece of her potato and handed it over to Sadies.
"Here sir, have half", she said and smiled sheepishly.
'Half?! That's like 1/5 of it'
Before you could even register that you had done it, you let out a short little snort of a laughter. Your hand immediately smacked over your mouth as you stood there in shock. Everyone's attention was now on you.
'Way to give a first impression Y/N... And what even was that laugh, I sounded like a pig!'
You felt like sinking into the ground and disappear forever.
"You think this is funny cadet L/N?", Sadies asked firmly. His eyebrow was raised, and his eyes stared straight into your very soul.
"N-No, Sir!", you answer and salute, trembling in fear on the inside.
"I was going to have Blouse here run laps alone 'til she collapses; however, I don't think she would mind having a running buddy", he said with the tiniest hint of smugness in his voice.
"CADET Y/N L/N AND CADET SASHA BLOUSE, YOU WILL RUN LAPS UNTIL YOU ARE PHYSICALLY UNABLE TO MOVE. THERE WILL ALSO BE NO FOOD OR DRINKS FOR YOU FOR THE REST OF THE DAY!", Sadies yelled in our faces with all his might.
"THE REST OF YOU ARE DISMISSED! GO GET CLEANED UP AND READY FOR DINNER!", he concluded, and the crowd dispersed.
'Way to fucking go Y/N'
_____________________________________________________________
A/N:
(SPOILER warning just in case someone reading this for some reason hasn't finished season 2!:
Just me who picture Reiner somewhere in the crowd, standing there like;
"👁👄👁"
when Y/N says she wants to kill the armoured titan?😂
Lol, i know i said that it would be a while before i posted a new chapter, but since i didn't have anything important to do today, i found myself enjoying just sitting down writing.
I hope you enjoyed this introduction to the cadet corps!:)
Have a wonderful day!<3
~Jen