Disclaimer: I do not own Attack on Titan or this Story.
Previously: Hange, Levi, and Erwin decide the people watching 'Attack on Titan' are trustworthy.
|~|
"Hey, you!"
"Sir!" Armin saluted Keith.
"Who the hell are you?!"
"Armin Arlert, from Shiganshina District!"
"I see! That's a ridiculous name! Did your parents give it to you?!"
Hange sighed, smiling fondly. "Brings back memories."
"My grandfather did, sir!"
"Arlert! Why are you here?!"
Armin closed his eyes and replied loudly. "To help humanity achieve victory!"
"How very admirable of you! We can feed you to the Titans!"
"I was seriously having heart palpitations," Armin said, heart almost feeling faint thinking about it.
"Third row, about face!" Keith turned Armin's head and moved on. "Who the hell are you?!"
"Sir! Thomas Wagner, from Trost District!"
"I can't hear you!" Keith got in his face.
Thomas flinched and repeated. "Thomas Wagner!"
"Can't hear you!"
"Man, he could be so irritating," Jean complained. Then he shot Hange a wide-eyed look and quickly clamped down.
"Look at them go." A young man walked with his silver-haired superior.
"Go practice in a barn!" Keith yelled.
"You went through the same thing when you started as a trainee, didn't you?" The elder man said. "It takes me back."
"No! You're from a pigsty!" Keith said to Mina. "You're less than livestock!"
"Hey, that's the line I got," Petra giggled.
"Yes, sir! I am less than livestock!" Mina blurted, panicked.
"But what's all that intimidation for?" The young man asked.
"It's a rite of passage. We revert them to a blank slate through the use of self-denial, after which we mold them into proper soldiers."
"Was that the point?" Sasha asked. "I thought he was just mean."
"Same," Christa replied, nodding.
"Hmm, that does make sense," Armin said.
Keith picked on another poor soul. "Why the hell are you here?!"
The silver-haired man nodded. "This is one step in that process."
"To devote myself to humankind!"
"Fourth row, about face!" Keith passed by Annie.
"There are some he's not talking to."
"I see," Connie said grimly. "Annie was at the same place as you guys because she lost her home to the Titans, too. It's why Shadis skipped her."
"It's unnecessary for those who've already been through their rites of passage. They most likely witnessed the hell that took place two years ago. They have a different look on their faces."
Shots of Mikasa, Bert, Reiner, Eren, and Ymir were shown.
"Let's go."
"Who the hell are you?!"
"Jean Kirstein, from Trost District!"
"Why are you here?!"
Jean smiled slightly. "To join the Military Police and live in the interior!"
They giggled.
I can't believe he said outright. Christa thought. You could always trust Jean to speak his mind and be honest. He was the opposite of her in that sense.
"Wow, Jean." Eren shook his head.
"Why did you join the Survey Corps then?" Petra asked curiously.
"Because Yeager's insanity is contagious."
Levi had to admit. "At least you had the balls to say it. Unlike the wimps that give some bullshit pretty little excuse about serving the king."
Jean preened at the praise while Eren sulked at how easily he'd impressed the older man.
"I still can't believe you just blurted that out." Sasha giggled.
"You're one to talk." Jean gave her a pointed look. "Potato Girl."
The rest of the 104th class laughed.
"What? What's that mean?" Hange was burning to know, to be in on the joke.
Ymir snickered. "You'll find out in a minute."
"Oh. You wanna live in the interior, do you?" Keith asked.
"My favorite part's coming up," Eren said gleefully.
"Shut up."
"Yes!" Jean smiled.
And he was immediately head-butted, knocking him to his knees.
That drew some laughter from the group.
"Who said you could sit?! If you can't handle this, you can forget about the Military Police!"
"Asshole," Jean grumbled quietly to himself.
"Who the hell are you?!" Keith rounded on his next victim. "Why are you here?!"
"Marco Bott of Jinae, on the south side of Wall Rose!" Marco smiled naively. "I want to join the Military Police and give life and limb to the king!"
Shoulders slumped in sadness at the familiar, freckled face. The veteran Scouts knew better than to ask, recognizing the expressions all too well.
Jean looked at the TV, resolute. Maybe we'll know. Maybe we'll know what happened to Marco. It seemed morbid. Still, he couldn't help but think how quietly his friend had passed away. Without anyone knowing. All by himself. Jean needed to know what had happened.
"I see. That's a fine goal, indeed. Go ahead and strive for it. But, just so you know," Keith said, getting into Marco's face, "the king doesn't want your lousy life or limbs."
Marco stared, shaken.
"You're next! Who the hell are you?!"
"Connie Springer! I'm from Ragako Village on the south side of Wall Rose!" Connie was saluting with the wrong hand.
"You have it backwards, Connie Springer!" Keith grabbed his head and squeezed.
Jean laughed extra hard to rub it in Connie's face for laughing too much when his younger-self was head-butted.
"It was the first thing you were taught! This salute expresses your resolve to give your heart to the people!"
Two rows behind and to the left was Sasha.
"Oh wow." Petra gaped while Levi's eyebrows rose at the bold act.
Hange was shaking in laughter.
"Potato Girl, indeed," Erwin said with a wide, amused smile.
"Is your heart on your right side?!" Keith demanded.
"Maybe it was." Connie folded his arms.
Then a crunch was heard. And Keith saw it.
"I could not believe my eyes." Christa giggled at the sight of her, Keith, and the other trainees watching Sasha with open mouths.
The ominous music had disappeared, the only sounds being Sasha chewing and swallowing. Keith dropped Connie. "Hey, you. What do you think you're doing?"
Sasha didn't seem to have heard him.
"How did you miss that?" Mikasa asked. "It was dead silent. Everyone could hear you eating."
"It was a good potato," Sasha replied defensively.
Sasha took another bite.
Keith was suddenly in her face, yelling. "I'm talking to you! Who the hell are you?!"
She chewed quickly, swallowed, and saluted. "Sasha Braus from Dauper Village, on the south side of Wall Rose!"
"At least you didn't talk with your mouth full and spit potato bits in his face," Christa said, unable to stop giggling.
They all chuckled at that image.
"Shadis would have burst a blood vessel." Jean grinned.
"Sasha Braus." Keith towered over her. "What is that you're holding in your right hand?"
"A steamed potato, sir! I found one in the cookhouse that was ready to eat so I couldn't help myself!"
"You stole it? Why? Why did you decide to eat it now?"
"I felt it would be a waste to let it get cold, so I elected to eat it now."
The group began to laugh.
Even Levi couldn't keep the amusement off his face.
"No, I don't understand. Why did you eat the potato?" Keith was so genuinely confused.
It made the whole scene even funnier.
"Are you asking me why people eat potatoes, sir?"
"I can't believe you really said that!" Petra laughed.
"Wait for it." Eren snickered.
"Here's half of it for you." Sasha held it out almost reluctantly.
More uncontrollable laughter came from around the room.
"I'm no genius but that's not half," Connie pointed out. "Barely a third."
"Half?"
"Maybe that's why he got mad. Because you gave him the smaller piece," Armin mused, smiling.
|~|
"Whoa, he still has Potato Girl running," Connie observed.
"Man, she's been at it for five solid hours." Marco was impressed. "She's really something. Still, being told to run until she's on the verge of death didn't seem to bother her quite as much as being told she has to skip dinner."
"Dauper's a small hunting village in the mountains, isn't it?" Connie said to himself.
"What's that?" Eren asked, noticing a carriage.
"They're dropouts," Mina answered. "They asked to work in the fields instead."
"What?" Armin said. "It's only the first day, too.
"That's just how it is here," Eren said. "The powerless have no choice but to leave."
"You're pretty arrogant for someone who hasn't even started training yet," Levi said. He did not need a big-headed brat on his team.
"Eren placed 5th in our class," Mikasa replied icily. Why was he being so unnecessarily rude to him?
The two glared at each other.
Eren leaned to the side, blocking her view of the corporal. "You gotta admit, I was being kind of egotistical and snobbish for no reason."
"Graduating in the top ten is very impressive," Petra said to her captain.
The two dark-haired soldiers crossed their arms, grunting.
"Man, the way they act sometimes, you'd think they were related or something," Sasha whispered.
Connie nodded along with Christa, and even Ymir had to admit it.
"Now that we're all friends again," Hange interrupted. "Let's keep watching."
"I can't believe anyone would want to pick up rocks and pull plants again."
"That reminds me." Marco straightened. "You weren't asked to state your name and birthplace or anything."
"I'm from Shiganshina, same as him." Eren smiled at his best friend.
"Oh. That means..."
"You were there that day, weren't you?" Connie asked.
"H-Hey!" Marco said.
"Did you see the Colossal Titan?"
"Connie! Have some tact!"
"It's already done, I can't go back and fix it, Christa."
"Y-Yeah."
|~|
Inside the mess hall, a group had surrounded Eren's table. "Like I said, I saw it."
"Really?" Thomas asked.
"How big is it really?" Samuel asked.
"Big enough to look over the Wall."
"What?! I heard it stepped over the Wall!"
"Me, too!" Hannah said.
"That's what they said in my village, too!" Franz jumped in.
Armin shook his head. "It's crazy how stories get warped and exaggerated."
"Did people seriously think it was big enough to step over the Wall?" Mikasa said.
"They may have seen it themselves if it really was that humungous." But Ymir supposed that was too much common sense for people. "Not to mention it could have easily walked to the heart of Wall Sina with ease."
Eren took a sip of his soup. "No, it wasn't that big."
"What did it look like?" Mina asked.
"It had a huge mouth, and almost no skin."
"What about the Armored Titan that broke Wall Maria?!"
"That's what people call it, but it looked like an ordinary Titan to me," Eren said.
Reiner was drinking from his mug at a nearby table.
"What are you, blind, Yeager?" Jean said incredulously. "How did that fucker look like 'an ordinary Titan' to you? Oh, wait, never mind. I guess you were just trying to show off, weren't you?"
Eren turned red. "Shut up, Horse-Face!"
Jean didn't reply, looking smug, knowing he'd won that round.
"Th-Then, what are ordinary Titans like?!" Samuel looked eager and a little scared.
The memory of the Smiling Titan came back, eating his mother. Eren dropped his spoon and covered his mouth. His fellow trainees fell silent.
Marco spoke up, "Let's spare him the questions, everyone. I'm sure there are things he doesn't want to remember."
"Sorry for asking—" Connie began.
"It's not like that!" Eren took a bite out of his bread. "Titans aren't actually that big of a deal! Once we've mastered the 3D gear, they'll be nothing to us!"
"Says the guy who got eaten almost immediately at the start of the battle," Jean snarked.
"It's because he had to save Armin!" Mikasa snapped. Then she turned to her left. "I wasn't implying—"
"Don't worry, I know you didn't mean anything negative." Although Armin still blamed himself for being so weak that it had almost gotten his best friend killed.
"Was I really that arrogant?" Eren slinked back in his seat, cringing at the replies.
"Yeah."
"Yes."
"Yup."
"Uh-huh."
"Do you want examples?"
"Just a little..."
Mikasa wisely kept silent.
"It was a rhetorical question," Eren said sulkily.
Jean was listening to the conversation in disinterest.
"We finally get to train as soldiers. I was just overcome with emotion, that's all. I'm going to join the Survey Corps and drive the Titans out of this world! I'm gonna slaughter—"
"Whoa, what are you, crazy?" Jean called out. "Did you just say you're gonna join the Survey Corps?"
"Yeah, that's right. Aren't you the one who wants to join the Military Police and live the easy life?" Eren said.
"I'm all about being honest, you see."
"And that's why he's my favorite!"
"Did you hear that?" Jean beamed. "I'm Candy's favorite!"
"Horse-Face!"
Eren started to laugh. "She calls you Horse-Face, too!"
"At least I'm not a Suicidal Bastard!" Jean glared.
"You two are such children," Petra said. "Always squabbling about something."
"It's much nicer than being, say," Jean said, smiling, face in palm, "a loser who acts tough but is actually scared shitless."
Eren stood, knocking his chair back. "Are you implying something?"
"S-Stop!" Marco held up his hands. "Come on now."
Jean met Eren halfway. "I wasn't really…"
A bell rang outside, breaking the tension.
Jean sighed. "Whatever, I'm sorry. I don't mean to dismiss your ideas. Let's call it even with this." He held out his hand.
"That was the fakest apology ever," Sasha declared.
"Yeah, I'm sorry, too." Eren slapped his hand against Jean's.
"Followed by the other fakest apology," Connie said.
Eren walked away.
Kill me now. Jean winced at what was about to happen.
Jean was looking at Eren's retreating back when Mikasa walked by. It was as if time seemed to slow.
Jean wanted to disappear into the sofa.
Then Candy stepped in—so to speak. "L'Oreal," she giggled. "From Paris!"
It was quiet for a second before the laughter came. Although not from Candy's joke that no one understood. The embarrassed teen crossed his arms and refused to meet anyone's gaze. But he unconsciously picked up his crush's bland voice amongst the gaggle.
"I don't even know how to react to that."
"We all knew he was a pervert." Eren shot him a distrustful look.
"H-Hey, you!" Jean blushed hard when she looked at him. "Uhh, err, I've just never seen anyone who looks like you before. S-Sorry! You have very pretty black hair."
"Thanks." That said, Mikasa walked away.
Jean paused for a second before chasing after her. Looking around, he saw her fall in step with Eren.
What a cruel twist of fate. Ymir thought, amused.
"It's no big deal. Get off my back," Eren complained.
"You never think things through when you get worked up," Mikasa chided.
"That again? Anyway, don't you think your hair's too long?" Eren casually flipped her hair with the back of his hand.
"Oh no." Petra covered her mouth, trying to hide her smile. No wonder the two butted heads so much.
That explains it. Hange giggled.
Christa shot Jean a sympathetic look.
Levi rolled his eyes. Children.
"It could cause an accident during 3D gear training, you know."
"He does make a valid point," Erwin said.
"Alright." Mikasa pinched a few strands between her fingers. "I'll cut it."
Jean looked like someone had sucked the life out of him.
Some of the viewers laughed a little. Although they felt kind of guilty about it. Still, they chuckled.
"But how short should I make it?" Mikasa asked.
Christa let out a little gasp while Ymir snickered at the little twist of the knife already stuck in the poor boy's chest.
Connie was walking by, humming cheerily to himself when Jean wiped his hand on his back. "H-Hey! Don't mess with other people's clothes! What did you wipe on me?!"
"My faith in humanity."
No one was able to smother their laughter this time.
Even Erwin couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him.
"I'm so sorry, Jean," Christa apologized, wiping off any traces of amusement from her face.
"Whatever." Jean sunk deeper into the sofa, red-faced.
|~|
"Finally…done…" Sasha collapsed on the ground. A figure came from the shadows. Her nose twitched. This is... Wild-eyed, she attacked the newcomer, knocking her to the ground. "Bread!"
"What an animal," Connie said.
"Amazing! Your olfactory senses must be higher than average like Mike's," Hange said.
"It's not much, but I saved it for you." Christa held up a waterskin. "Oh, but you really ought to drink some water first."
"Are you a goddess?!"
"A common and completely understandable mistake," Ymir said.
Christa looked confused. "Huh?!"
"Are you?!"
"Uhh…"
"Goddess!" Sasha cried out again.
"Hey, what are you two doing?" Ymir came up to them.
Sasha, looking like she was afraid Ymir was going to take the bread from her, began eating it in a frenzy.
Sasha felt a little embarrassed seeing her on-screen self acting so mannerless when everyone else acted so properly. Except for Eren and Jean. But they were impulsive and hot-headed so they didn't count.
"Umm, she's been running non-stop all this time," Christa began, "so—"
"So you're trying to do something nice, huh?"
"Huh?"
Sasha passed out in Christa's lap.
"Lucky," Connie said jealously, earning nods from Jean and Armin.
"Did you do it for Potato Girl's sake? Was what you gained worth the effort it took?" Ymir asked. Christa didn't know how to reply. "Well, whatever. Let's just get her to her bed now." She picked up the unconscious girl.
"Are you trying to be nice, too?"
"I'm doing this so that she'll owe me. Her stupidity will come in very handy."
"Liar," Sasha said teasingly, "we both know you love me but you're just too closed off from your feelings to admit it."
It earned her an eye-roll from Ymir.
|~|
"We'll begin by determining your aptitude!" Keith began. "If you can't do this, you're not even fit to be bait! You'll be sent off to the fields!"
Across the training field, trainees hovered, balancing using the wires.
"These are only just the bare fundamentals." The silver-haired superior of the Training Corps approached. "Still, you can determine a person's knack for 3D gear-mobility at this stage." Something caught his attention. "Observe." Mikasa was balancing with ease. "Completely steady. She knows exactly what to do and how to do it. That's what aptitude is all about."
"That's very impressive," Erwin said.
Petra agreed, "To get it on your first try, that's amazing!"
"Thank you," Mikasa replied politely.
"How long'd it take you?" Hange asked Levi.
"Never did it, remember?" He didn't give out any details.
"Oh, yeah, you learned how to use the gear without practicing on the stationary version."
The others wondered how that was possible. But they didn't ask, either not having the courage to or knowing he wouldn't answer.
"It looks like we have many talented trainees this year."
Connie, Sasha, and Jean were doing fairly well themselves.
"Umm, what about him?" The younger man asked.
"Now that's another definition of aptitude," his superior replied. "Some people might have plenty of motivation yet turn out to be less than capable."
Eren was hanging completely upside-down.
His former classmates laughed.
Petra frowned, puzzled. "What's wrong?"
"Defective gear?" Hange guessed.
"Yes!" Eren nodded. "It's shitty machinery."
"Thought so."
Keith knelt next to him. "What are you doing, Eren Yeager?! Straighten yourself up!"
What is this? How am I supposed to… Eren was horrified. This can't be for real.
|~|
Later that evening, Mikasa instructed him. "Just follow the basics and you'll be able to do it. Don't think about being fancy or anything. Focus on your front and back balance, then slowly place your weight into the belts on your waist and feet."
"You can do it if you stay calm," Armin continued. "Even I did it, after all."
"Alright, I feel like I've got it this time. Lift me up, Armin." Eren was still for a second before face-planting into the dirt.
"Serves you right for being so arrogant. Yes, I'm not deaf," Levi interrupted Mikasa, "the machine was broken. Still, mouthing off like that before he even began, he had it coming in."
"Don't." Eren touched her arm to keep her from snapping at Levi. "It was a lesson in humility."
|~|
In the mess hall, two trainees spoke, highly amused.
"Hey, Daz, isn't he the one who said he was gonna slaughter all the Titans yesterday? I guess it's off to the fields for him tomorrow."
"Yeah, we can't afford to feed the useless."
"Do you guys not notice he's steaming from the head?" Hange addressed the recruits.
"It's dinnertime, I was focused on the food." Sasha shrugged, and Connie nodded.
"When you're sitting with friends, especially in the mess hall, you don't really pay attention or notice other people unless they do something loud. Like picking a fight." Ymir gestured toward the middle couch where Jean and Eren sat.
"If I, or anyone really, saw that, I'd most likely dismiss it as my imagination or think it was coming up from the food," Petra thought out loud.
"True," Hange said.
"And this was before anyone thought humans could turn into Titans and had impossible healing abilities," Armin added. "It just wouldn't stand out unless we saw the wound heal up before our very own eyes. But the bandage was covering it and the next day, we dismissed the injury thinking it was probably nothing."
That gave Hange an idea.
"Eren." Mikasa gripped his shoulder, causing him to flinch in pain. "There's no point worrying about it."
"You can just learn to do it tomorrow," Armin said.
"How pathetic. There's no way I can wipe them out like this."
"You should just forget about that altogether."
"So, Mikasa's still trying to convince him to quit," Connie said. "You're pretty stubborn."
"Good thing he's stubborn, too," Erwin said.
Eren took that as a compliment. Had he heeded Mikasa's words, where would humanity be now?
Reluctant as she as to admit it, even to herself, Mikasa was glad Eren hadn't listened to her.
"What did you say?" Eren turned to her.
"I'm saying you should give up trying to be a soldier. Fighting isn't about simply throwing your life away."
"Hey, now! I saw what happened that day! Do you really think you can just convince me to quit?!"
"Still," Mikasa said, "it doesn't matter how determined you are."
"Huh? Why not?!" Eren demanded.
"Because you don't get to decide if you're fit to be a soldier or not."
"Ouch," Sasha said. "That's gotta hurt."
The bell rang, signaling the end of the meal.
"I'm not saying you should return—"
"Let's go, Armin.
"O-Okay."
"—to the fields by yourself. You don't need to worry," Mikasa continued as they stood and walked away without her noticing. "Because wherever you go, I'll go with you." She turned to see Sasha in Eren's recently vacated spot, the mess hall empty.
Some laughter escaped the viewers.
"So, umm… What you're saying is that I can have that?" Sasha pointed to the food.
Mikasa held up the bread. Then took a bite out of it. Sasha's face fell.
"So mean." Sasha pouted while the others laughed.
|~|
"The trick to posture control? Sorry," Connie said, "but I'm gifted. All I can tell you is to 'feel' it."
"If anything," Jean mocked, "I'd like to hear your trick for staying sane after putting on such a pathetic spectacle."
"I'd have died of humiliation from such a public failure after all that boasting and claiming the weak should just quit." Jean was met with nods of agreement.
"Good thing you're so shameless," Hange said.
"I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment."
"C'mon, guys! I'm begging you here," Eren said desperately.
"But didn't you say yesterday, 'If you can't cut it here, you have to leave?'" Connie paused. "Or, wait. Was it, 'If you don't got talent, you have to leave?' Which was it again?"
"Way to kick a guy when he's down," Eren grumbled, earning himself a shrug and a grin from the short boy.
"Please! I heard you're both really good at it, Bertolt, Reiner!" Eren begged.
Reiner crossed his arms. "Sorry, but I don't think there are any tricks to just hanging there. I can't think of any especially helpful advice, either."
"Oh." Eren looked down.
"I guess we'll just have to hope for the best tomorrow." Armin began to get up.
Bert stopped him with a question. "You two are, umm, from Shiganshina, aren't you?"
"Yes, we are," Armin answered.
"Then you know how terrifying the Titans are. So why do you want to be soldiers?"
"Unlike Eren, I didn't witness the Titan threat firsthand," Armin answered. "It's just I decided I couldn't sit there and do nothing after the Royal Government forced people into that absolutely awful retrieval operation."
They all grimaced, remembering that disaster.
"I see."
"Where are you two from?" Armin asked.
"Reiner and I are from a mountain village on the southeast side of Wall Maria.
"Hey, wasn't that…?"
"Yeah," Bert said, "unlike the prosperous towns along the river, we didn't receive word right away. The Titans showed up well before the information did. It happened at dawn. The livestock was acting up, and these strange rumblings kept getting louder and louder. At some point, I realized they were footfalls of some sort. And then, when I hurriedly opened the window… After that l, umm, don't really remember."
"Who'd want to?" Connie shivered. "Opening the window and seeing a big creepy face staring at you."
"It's pretty horrifying," Petra agreed.
Bert was lost in his thoughts. "Everyone was in such a panic—"
"Hey, now," Reiner interrupted. "What are you suddenly bringin' that up for?"
"I can't blame him for not wanting to remember such a horrible day," Christa said.
"Sorry. Basically, what I was trying to say is that you guys probably aren't like them."
"Them?" Armin asked.
"The others here who don't know the horror of the Titans," Bert said.
"Hey." Reiner put his hand on his friend's shoulder.
"It's true, it's why you didn't get screamed at." Jean nodded.
Around the barrack, boys laughed and smiled, sitting in groups on their beds.
|~|
Outside, Bert and Reiner led them, lanterns in hand.
"They're mostly here for show. To live up to society's expectations. You're seen as a coward if you choose production work when you turn twelve. Society has pushed them into becoming trainees."
They hiked through a forest.
"That said," Bert continued, "I'm no different than them. I chose to be a soldier in the hopes of joining the Military Police so I could work in the safety of the interior."
"Breaking the rules and sneaking off after dark, don't think you can get away with that here," Levi warned.
"C'mon, Captain, we've all done it once or twice."
"Is that so?"
Petra didn't say another word, choosing to focus solely on the TV.
"If that doesn't work out, I might give up entirely. I don't have any will to call my own, you see."
"There's nothing to be ashamed of for valuing your life," Armin assured Bert.
"As for me, I'm going to return to the hometown we lost. That's all I care about now. I will do it, no matter what," Reiner promised.
Eren nodded. He, too, wanted that. To reclaim his home from the invaders.
"What about you?" Bert asked Eren. "Why do you want to be a soldier?"
"I…" His mother's death flashed through Eren's mind. "I decided I have to kill them. I decided I have to slaughter all the Titans with my own two hands."
"So, your encounter with the Titans didn't break your will?" Bert asked.
Hardship either makes you or breaks you. Levi thought.
"That's right. But now it's a question of whether or not I'm actually cut out to be a soldier."
Overhead, the clouds parted, revealing a full moon. Its silvery beams highlighted the forest and the river, making it sparkle like a diamond. "Check your equipment, starting with your belt adjustment," Reiner advised.
"How come it occurred to no one to check the machinery?" Petra asked and got shrugs.
"Apparently, they didn't know the part that was defective was capable of breaking," Armin answered.
"You'll do just fine tomorrow. I'm certain of it. Eren Yeager, was it?"
"Yeah, thanks," Eren replied, smiling, "Reiner Braun, right?"
|~|
"Eren Yeager, are you ready?" Keith stared him down.
"Yes, sir!" Eren nodded. I'm going to do it! I am! I might not have raw aptitude, but no one has more guts than I do!
"Begin!"
To hell with logic! I know it's completely baseless but guts are all I got! The wires lifted Eren. They're my weapon! He was hanging steady. Around him, the other trainees let out whoops.
"Being stationary on faulty equipment, even for a few seconds, is really something," Hange complimented.
I did it! I'm doing it! Then Eren began to lose his balance. And he crashed. "N-Not yet! I can still do it!"
"Let him down," Keith said.
"I-I'm—!" He sat on the ground, ready to cry.
Eren winced. I look so weak. I should have asked to try at a different station earlier! Then again, it was that failure that led him to befriend Bert and Reiner, so he figured it was worth it in the end.
"Wagner, switch belts with Yeager."
"Y-Yes, sir!"
This time, Eren easily hung in there. "Your equipment was defective. The belt you were using had a broken clasp. I've never heard of this part breaking before." Keith held the defective piece in his hands. "I guess we'll have to add it to the maintenance checklist."
"Then, even with broken equipment, he still managed to hang in there for a few seconds?"
"Whoa!"
Eren puffed at the crowd's awe. He had been too relieved the first time to notice.
"Th-Then, what about my aptitude evaluation?"
"You pass. Train hard!" With that, Keith walked away.
I did it! I did it! Eren threw his hands into the air, grinning. Whadya think of that, Mikasa?! I can do it!
Mikasa stared, mouth open.
Eren relished in shocking her and showing her that he could become a soldier.
I can fight the Titans! There's no need for me to depend on you anymore. Eren thought.
Mikasa fiddled with her scarf, eyes downcast.
"Looks like things worked out for him," Reiner said.
Armin smiled. "His eyes say, 'What do you think of that?'"
"No," Mikasa said. "He feels relieved that he doesn't have to leave me now."
Silence
"Um..."
"You're so cute." Petra was the first to start laughing.
Grisha, today your son has become a soldier. Keith thought.
Abruptly, the laughter stopped.
"He knows Dad?!"
"How?" Mikasa asked.
"Why didn't he say anything?" Armin wondered.
"We have to talk to him," Erwin said. If they were friends, Keith might have an idea where Dr. Yeager is.
~ Review if you want to