I looked at Hanako. She smiled. And I nodded. I lifted up the pots and pans that were in my hands and started banging them against each other. "WAKE UP SLEEPY HEADS!" We yelled. I heard a few moans and groans. "Go away!" I heard someone say from inside a room. I waked in to see it was Jean in bed and Armin getting dressed. I smirked, as I started banging the pots and pans right by his head. He shot up. "THE HELL!" "WAKE UP!" I yelled back at him. "Training doesn't start till dawn." I shook my head. "For everyone else, yes. Not for you. So get up before I start making you and your partner run laps." Armin looked at me. Now fully dressed and ready for training. He opened his mouth to say something but I answered his question. "You never leave your partner. So, that means you do punishments together. Why do you think we had rooms reassigned?" He nodded. "So Jean, get your ass in gear and let's move! I want you on the field in 5!"
"Welcome Friends! We know this is early, but get used to it. You will not be training with the other cadet. From no on, we want you up and out here in the field by five. We woke you up at 5:30. Just to give you a little bit of adjusting time. When you wake up is up to you as long as your here by 5. We plan on being easy on the waking up part and when you get here this week cause we understand it's not what your used to. We also know you guys are tired right now. But we need to get you trained. Before we release you to do as you please at the end of the day, we might ask you want you think works and what doesn't. Please answer us honestly. We're new to the this and we're dropped in alone. You guys are also our friends. I trained to get here with you guys. So I have a idea of what your capable of. Hanako went to get someone from Hanji for you guys. So now for what we plan on doing today. First, we want to see what your strengths and weaknesses are. Secondly, we want to see how well you work with your partner. And lastly, we want to see how you make decisions." I explained. I saw a few of them yawn. I didn't blame them. That why I had Hanako get coffee from Hanji. "Ok I got the coffee." Hanako said, a tray in each hand. I took one of the trays of coffee cups from her. "Ok. Come on and get your coffee!" Hanako said. They crowded us, trying to get to the coffee.
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"Ok guys. Let's go get breakfast!" I said. "YEA!" I heard Sasha yell. Me and Hanako laughed. "TO FOOD!" Hanako said running over to Sasha and Connie. I noticed she was good friends with them. A part of me was jealous, but the other part of me was happy she found friends while I was gone. We walked into the mess hall, I immediately spotted Eren sitting over by Levi. He waved and ran over sitting next to him. "My two favorite guys!" I said with my smile. Eren laughed. "I missed seeing that smile everyday." I blushed. "Armin! Mikasa!" Eren yelled waving them over. I smiled. This was just like old times. I motioned them to hurry up. Levi stood up. "Wait!" He turned. "Can you you bring me food?" I begged. He nodded. Armin looked at me in shock. Levi came back and handed me the food then walked over to go sit with Erwin. I dug in. This was my first actual breakfast. Not that hospital mush. I shivered at the thought of that. "You ok Amber." Mikasa asked. I nodded. "I'm fine."
"Ok! You peoples are dismissed! Remember 5 in the morning you bed to be out here! Also if you want to come hang out we're gonna be in our 'office'!" I told them. Everyone went in a separate direction. "I'll meet you up there, I'm gonna go see what they thought of today." I nodded, then started running towards the building. Down the hallway, take a lef-. I felt my leg give out and I fell face first the floor. Only I never hit the floor. "Are you ok Amber?!" Eren asked helping me up. I nodded. "Yea. Thanks for catching me." "What happened?" "My leg gave out. It happens sometime." I said. "Where are you headed?" "Our 'office.' Me and Hanako need to go over the info we have." He nodded then scooped me up, holding me bridal style. "Eep! H-Hey! You don't have to carry me!" He smiled at me. "I want to." I sighed. There was no arguing. It was pointless. It wasn't like I could get there on my own. He carried me the rest of the way then set me in the pillow fort. "Thanks Eren." "No problem Amber. I'll see you around." I nodded. Opening the files.
"Ymir and Krista are the closest to having the kind of mindset we want them to. Willing to sacrifice themselves for others, but not wanting to die. Armin has the ability to make the decisions, but he's constantly self checking himself. Thinking he's wrong. We need to get him to be more confident in his choices. Jean has the physical ability to do everything he could need to. But is over confident and gets cocky." I said. Hanako nodded. "Sasha and Connie are the best pair when it comes down to it. Reiner and Bertholdt are a close second though." The door opened. "What's up Oluo?" I asked. He looked around the room. This obviously being the first time his seen it. "I don't understand why they made you two a corporal. Your so childish." I stood up. "Excuse me?" "You heard me." I walked forward. "You know? It's about time I told you what I thought of you. Your an overconfident asshole, who has an obsession with my brother. You don't understand that there are people with much more skill then you. Your a tongue biter, who can't go a single conversation without bitting your tongue. Your disgusting coward, and I wouldn't want you on my team in a million years. I don't how you made it on to my brothers squad, cause you can't take orders." I said, telling him off. "I wouldn't want to be on your team anyway. All your team is, is a suicide squad." I laughed. "At least we have the skill to survive." He took a step back, and glared. "Your a brat who should've died that day. With your injury your skill got worse then it already was. Something I never thought was possible. The only reason you have this title is cause your Levi's sister." I smirked. "Oh! That's right! I'm sister of one of the most well known criminals. Not to mention I'm one myself. Ever heard of Shadow? That used to be me. I avoided capture where my brother didn't. And yea! I shouldn't be alive. I shouldn't have saved Petra. Let her have been eaten. I should have never put my life on the line." His eyes filled with rage the second I mentioned saving Petra. "You lit-" "Oluo, what's going on?" I saw Levi walking towards us. I smiled. "What's up?" I asked. He looked at Oluo. "You were supposed to come get here Amber." "S-Sorry Sir!" "Dismissed." I smiled as he turned and left. Levi looked to me. "Can I come in without getting beat up with pillows?" I pretended to think about it for a second. Then shrugged. "As long as up don't knock down the pillow fort. Sure!" I moved out of the way do he could come in. "I don't trust you two to do paperwork. So I'm having Erwin give it to me. Also, we have a meeting tomorrow for the next plans for the expedition. You two are to be there." Hanako poked her head out of the fort. "Ok. We'll be there." Levi nodded. "I'll see you later."
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"Good Morning!" I yelled. There were a bunch of mumbles saying it back to me. "LOUDER PEOPLE! WAKE UP!" I screamed at them. They jumped and gave said it back. Louder. I smiled. "There we go! Now, today we will be doing a kind of obstacle course. This is to help with decision making, and skill. Follow me!" I started skipping towards the forest. Sasha ran up. Connie coming over behind her. "Where's Hanako?" I smiled. "Don't know."
The truth was, I did know. Hanako was acting as a killer. The idea is that they're getting away from the criminal. Motivation to make them go as fast as they can. Launching themselves into tight spaces, and making multiple sharp turns that usually take weeks to master. Not to mention, decisions that have to be made in a split second. Going over in the broad daylight, or under into the dark tunnel. I planned to be watching from above. After that, it's time for a game me and Hanako call Hide and Go Hunt. Where me and Hanako would release them into the obstacles course. Wait about 30 seconds, them hunt them down. Motivation so they won't willingly get caught? The team that goes the longest without getting caught, doesn't have to go get chores from Levi.
"Ok! So here's wants happening. This is the start of the course. The idea, is to get to the end as fast as you. No matter what. Any questions?" Armin was the first to speak up. "How will we know when we finished it?" I smiled. "It will lead you back here." Reiner was the next to speak up. "Do we go with our partners?" "ALWAYS!" He jumped, raising his arms in surrender. "Anything else?" They shook their heads. "Alright then. Let's go!"
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"I'm glad we went with your idea to cushion the walls." Hanako told me. We walked over to Connie. Who seemed to have passed out on the floor. I crouched down and poked him. "You alive?" He groaned. I poked him again. "Earth to Connie." He opened his eyes. "You ok?" I asked. He nodded. "Good. Cause your gonna love the next thing we plan to do today." Hanako said. "I doubt that." I heard Ymir say. I turned and threw a stick at her. "HEY!" "I was about to say we could go get breakfast before we did it, but never mind now." I said. They all gaped at me. Then glared at Ymir. I laughed. "I'm kidding! Let's go get food."
"Eren!" I yelled hugging the Titan shifter. "Hey!" He turned on the bench and hugged me back. I smiled, sitting next to him. "So how's your training going?" He asked me and Armin. "It's pretty hard. Amber's making us do all this advanced moves without teaching at all!" Armin ranged. I laughed. "Your the only one who did get anywhere near the idea of what you were supposed to do for sliding in the wall." I said with a giggles. "How are we supposed to do it then?" "You have to launch yourself at the hole, and reel your anchors in before sliding through. Then once out, immediately launching your anchors before you hit the ground. It takes a lot of trust in your gear. Sasha was the only one who did it flawlessly. That's one of the maneuvers we plan to teach you. Not to mention the sharp turns are just a matter of knowing how." He nodded. "I may need some extra practice then." I nodded. "I'd be happy to help." A plate of food was set in front of me. I looked up. "Thank you Levi!" I said standing up to hug him. After a moment he hugged me back. "Thee you go Brat." I laughed. "You love me." "Debatable." I smiled and sat back down.
"WELCOME BACK! So here's what we are gonna do next. Hanako, care to explain?" I turned to my best friend. "This is a game we like to call Hide and Go Hunt. The winner, AKA the team that last the longest won't have to go to Levi for chores today. Now for the actual game. Me and Amber will be what you call hunters. You are the Hunted. Your goal is to stay 'alive'. When we catch you, you're considered dead. Then you will head back here and wait for everyone else. You can go or hide anywhere in our obstacle course. Any questions?" They shook their heads. "Ok then. We will give you 60 seconds to go. After that, we will be shooting a green flare up, signaling our release. Good luck!" I finished off. "GO!" Hanako yelled. I started the timer, and they zoomed off. I looked back to Hanako. "Should we split up?" I asked. She nodded. I sat down on the ground and started pulling my shoes off. Standing back up, I looked at the timer. I shot up the green flare. "Let's go!"
Chapter three
I shot off into the course. It was f heard to find Sasha and Connie. The second they saw some they flew the opposite direction. I used swinging motions, letting gravity propel me forward instead of using gas. They made a sharp turn, forcing me to use gas. I smiled. Whether they were doing it purpose, I didn't know. But they were helping their friends by making me use gas. The less gas I have, the harder it is for me to catch people. I made the sharp turn. Once again using gravity to propel me forward. Then went towards the small tunnel. They went over it. I shook my head. The tunnel would've been the better option. They should've taken the risk and tried to take it. I shoot myself into the right tunnel. Ducking under the spike, and running forward. The small tunnel was the faster route. I shot the anchors at the end of the tunnel. Using my gas, I zoomed out of the tunnel. Immediately tagging Sasha and Connie. "ALWAYS TAKE THE ROUTE LESS TAKEN!" I yelled, continuing one.
Jean zoomed past me, Hanako on his tail. I immediately changed my course. "I got him, go find the others!" "Got it! Report?" "Sasha and Connie!" "Armin, Ymir, and Krista." "Ok! Split!" Hanako took a sharp right.
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"Switch!" I yelled. Me and Hanako immediately switching targets. Bertholt fainted right, and went left. "Fuck!" I said, as I had started heading right. I immediately changed my landing point so that I could jump off the side of a tree. Pain jolted through my leg. I swung down, "GOT YA!" I sent out the red flare as I headed towards a branch. The second I landed on it, my leg crumbled. I grabbed the branch above me to keep from falling. One I steadied myself. I shot off towards the beginning of the course. I fell to the ground as I landed. "Ok! So Jean is technically the winner. But this was about the TEAM who survived the longest. So in that case, it's Bert and Reiner. You guys are lucky we lied about you getting chores from Levi. Instead, you will all clean the stables to my standards. Jean and Armin I want to talk to you two real quick. Everyone else, go!" I yelled. Hanako ran over with them to let them know when they had reached our standards. And assure them it was no where none at as high as Levi's. I got comfortable on the ground. "Jean, good job. You were t caught. Though we would have eventually got you, you still would have been the last one caught. Armin, I believe you were the first one caught. Tomorrow we plan on teaching you the maneuvers. We do have something different for you guys. Since you were the first team to go, you are gonna help me set up for tomorrow. Eventually Hanako will join us." They nodded. I smiled. "I'm glad you guys aren't chewing me out. Now," I took out the gas canisters from my gear, handing them to Armin. "can you refill theses?" He nodded running off. I looked at Jean and held out my hand, asking for help up. He immediately took it and pulled me up. I wrapped my arm around his shoulder, using me as a crutch. "Thanks." He nodded. "What happened anyways?" I looked at my feet. "It's a long story." "we have time." I sighed. "I saved another soldier, and took her place in the Titans hand. It threw me up and caught me in its mouth. It bit almost completely threw my leg. The when Hanji killed it, its fell on top of me." I told him. His face was full of shock. "I'm lucky to be alive. I was offered to live in wall Sina. When I turned that down, they offered me a place in nnthe MP. They were shocked when I turned them both down." "Why would you turn them down?!" I shrugged. "I don't want to be a lazy pig like them."
I heard the crunch of feet as Armin ran back with my filled tanks. "Thank you!" I said, putting them in place. "Ok. Let's get to work. After lunch, your free to go. Let's get to work."
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"We're late! Come on! Hurry!" Hanako said running ahead of me. We just finished setting up for tomorrow and we hadn't gotten a chance to eat. "I can't run as fast as to!" I yelled back. We hadn't even had a chance to get out of our 3DMG. We slammed into the office. "Sorry we're late!" I yelled. Erwin nodded. "Did you guys get a chance to eat?" We shook our heads. Erwin sighed. "You guys really are busy." We shook our heads. "They don't have the skill or mindset we want them to." Hanako told him. He nodded. "I can understand that. You are always gonna have the hardest time with your squad. Now, everything said in this room is confidential." "Of course." I said sitting down. Erwin then explained everything.
"Ok. Wow." That's a lot." I said. "When do we leave?" Hanako spoke. "A week." I almost choked on the stew. I looked at Hanako. Was that enough time?! "We will inform the cadets." Levi spoke up. I nodded. This wasn't enough time. I stood up. "May we go. We have a lot of work to do." They nodded. We ran to our office, slamming he door behind us. "We don't have enough time!" She yelled at me. "I know! What are we gonna do!? We have to figure something out or we're screwed. We have a week. What can we do in a week." "YOU CANT BRAINWASH A PERSON IN A WEEK! THATS WHAT!" "Ugh!"
The plan was, I was to go join the special operations teams while Hanako lead our group. They're job was to to be the communications. Messengers for things that couldn't be said by flares. It's was a risky job, the moving around would have no leader for them to follow. But that wasn't their only job. They were to kill any titans that snuck their way into the grid. Once at the forest of giant trees, Levi would split from his group, leaving me in charge. When my brother told me that part, I had protested.
"They won't listen to me. The only ones that will are Eren and Petra! Oluo hates me, and the others think I'm a fucking child!"
"Ok. I'm goi for a walk. I just need to clear my head." I said. Hanako nodded. "Try and come up with something while your at it." I gave her a thumbs up as I walked out the door. I turned the corner and bumped into Eren. "Sorry!" He said. "It's fine." I told him with a smile. "What's up? You usually locked up in your office or room by now." I shrugged. "Just stressed about the up coming expedition." His eyes brows furrowed. "They're announcing it tommorow. But the next expedition is in a week. And our squad is nowhere near ready." I said. "I'm sorry." I shook my head. "Not your fault."
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"GOOD MORNING PEOPLES!" I yelled. There were a few mumbles back. "I SAID GOOD MORNING PEOPLES!" I screamed. They all jumped shouting it back. I smiled. "There we go!" I looked over at Hanako. "Care to explain what we're doing today?" She nodded. "Of course. After trying to get you to figure it out on your own, we've decided we don't have the time that it requires for you to figure that out. So, today! Prepare your heads, cause your gonna learn how to do it!" "After that, we gonna have breakfast, then we're coming back here. Today is a no stop training day. And depending on how you do, we may wake you up later tomorrow." I told them. Hanako looked at me, smirking. "Now to start this all up, let's have the cripple show us what we're doing."
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"After lunch, come right back here. Do you guys have any questions before we release you for lunch?" Hanako asked. "Why do you go barefoot? Doesn't it kill you feet Amber?" Krista asked. Hanako laughed. "People have been. Asking that for years." I nodded. "It's true. I go barefoot for a lot of reasons. The first, is I don't like shoes. Just plain and simple. I don't like them. Second, it helps me feel the places that are weak. The places I can and cannot jump back to. If I land on a roof, I can tell, 'Oh! This roof is rotting through if I come back here, it's might not hold my weight.' The third reason, better grip. I can't dig my feet into the ground to keep in place if I'm wearing boots." "But doesn't it kill you feet?" I nodded. "At first, it tears your feet to shreds. But I've learned that if I wrap them, it's helps."