Chapter Text
“Sasha! GET BACK HERE!” you shouted at your friend, running through the streets of Dauper village. “Your dad is going to KILL you!”
Sasha’s laughter rang loud in your ears. “Like I care! I told him, I’m joining the military! He can’t stop me!” Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks. “You should come with me! We can make the top 10, join the Military Police! Or even the Garrison!”
You smirked. “No chance of joining the Scouts, I presume?” You stood with a hand on your hip. You had no intention of joining the Military Police, or the Garrison. If you were to join the military, you’d be in the Scouting Legion - the glory of humanity. You’d take down every Titan you saw. You had seen the result of refugees from Wall Maria. Food shortages and crime were prevalent, especially in outer districts like Trost. While you knew the survival rate in the Scouts was abysmal, the fact was that they were the ones with the knowledge and ability to take back Wall Maria someday.
Sasha grabbed your shoulders and looked directly in your eyes, panicked. “You can’t join the Scouts!”
“Try and stop me, Sasha.”
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You stood at attention next to your friend on your first day as a member of the 104th Trainees Squad. Your eyes were forward, but you could see Sasha out of the corner of your eye, chomping away on a potato.
“Where the FUCK did you get that?” you hissed at her.
“Took it from the dining hall! Want some?” She extended her hand, inviting you to break off a piece of the potato.
“FUCK NO! Put that shit away!” You straightened your back as the instructor surveyed the group. Sasha, of course, didn’t listen to your instruction, only grinning as she continued to eat. Where the hell had that girl gotten her appetite?
Instructor Shadis skipped over a few determined-looking trainees, including a boy with the brightest green eyes you had ever seen, and a black-haired girl with a red scarf. He stopped in front of a tall, lanky boy with hair the shade of copper. “WHAT’S YOUR NAME, PUNK?” he shouted directly in the boy’s face.
“Jean Kirstein, from Trost district, sir!”
“TROST, HUH? FANCY YOURSELF A SOLDIER, DO YOU? WHAT IN THE EVER-LOVING FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE?”
“I’m planning on joining the Military Police to live comfortably in the Interior, sir.” Kirstein replied calmly. You could practically hear the smirk on his face.
Shadis froze. “Oh, really?” His voice was terrifyingly calm. “You’re going to train here for three years, BUSTING YOUR ASS, so you can go live a nice, cozy life behind Wall Sina?”
“That’s the plan, sir.”
You almost snickered. This kid was too much. He thought he would make the top ten by charming his way through? There was no way. You had seen the look of determination on so many of your comrades’ faces. A blonde girl with ice blue eyes, the girl with the red scarf, there was no way he could beat those two. Even Sasha, despite her thievery of the potato, was hell-bent on making top ten so she could live in safety. You didn’t care so much about your placement, although you’d be working your ass off anyway. You never had any intention of joining the Military Police.
A loud THUNK pulled you out of your thoughts. You couldn’t prevent your head from turning to the left, only to see Jean Kirstein on his knees, head on the ground. “IF YOU THINK THE MILITARY POLICE IS GOING TO TAKE SOME SHIT-STAIN WHO CAN’T TAKE A WHACK TO THE HEAD, YOU’RE SORELY MISTAKEN! ON YOUR FEET, SOLDIER!”
“Yes, sir…” Kirstein groaned as he struggled to his feet, touching his forehead gingerly. Shadis moved on to harass a cheerful looking boy with freckles.
“Sasha! Get rid of that FUCKING POTATO!” you hissed at her, as Shadis came ever closer. He was barely fifteen feet away from you now, currently holding a boy with a shaved head a few feet off the ground. Shadis’s eyes flickered towards you, and you froze, your eyes terrified. His gaze went from you to your friend, still chomping away.
He dropped the boy on the ground, who moaned pathetically. Shadis slowly walked towards you, his eyes only on you for a second before focusing on Sasha - who continued to eat, unfazed by the attention. You winced, knowing that she was not in for a good time.
“Recruit. Who the fuck are you?” he asked of her calmly.
“Sasha Blouse, from the village of Dauper, sir.” she replied between bites.
“And, uh...What the hell is that?” he demanded.
“It’s a potato, sir.”
“I know what a potato is, cadet. What the fuck is it doing here?”
“It was sitting in the dining hall, sir, begging to be eaten. I gave it a proper destiny.” Sasha replied, straight-faced. She hesitated for a moment, then broke off a piece of it and extended it to Instructor Shadis. “Here, sir.”
Shadis stared at her blankly. “What...GET OUT OF MY SIGHT, RECRUIT! YOU’RE RUNNING UNTIL THE SUN GOES DOWN! GET OUT!”
He smacked the potato out of Sasha’s hand and pointed. To her credit, she managed to look terrified, and darted away like a rabbit. The potato landed at her feet, and you cringed, knowing you were next.
Sure enough, Shadis approached you. You stood taller, pushing your shoulders back and holding your head high. “YOU! Potato Girl’s friend! NAME!”
“(F/N) (L/N), from the village of Dauper, sir!” you shouted back, pounding your right fist to your chest so hard that it hurt.
“HOPEFULLY YOU’RE A LITTLE MORE DEDICATED THAN POTATO GIRL OVER THERE!” He pointed at Sasha, who was now jogging out of sight.
“Yes, sir! I plan to devote my life to the cause, sir!”
“AND WHAT CAUSE IS THAT, MAGGOT? YOU GONNA JOIN KIRSTEIN OVER THERE IN THE INTERIOR?”
You couldn’t help but smirk. “No, sir! I have no such aspirations, sir!”
Shadis gave you an intimidating grin. “Oh? THEN WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE, RECRUIT?”
“I plan to join the Survey Corps, the glory of humanity, sir!” You stood tall and proud as you stated your intent.
You heard audible gasps around you. Most of your fellow recruits would have no way to join the Military Police, and would gladly take the Garrison. In the Garrison, at least you lived within the Walls, only having to fight Titans if they dared to come close. The Survey Corps was viewed almost as a suicide squad among recruits.
Shadis’s eyes softened, but only for a moment before he shoved you backwards. You landed at the feet of the recruit behind you, grimacing. “ON YOUR FEET! THE GROUND IS NO PLACE FOR A MEMBER OF THE SURVEY CORPS!”
“Yes, sir!” you replied in as strong a voice as you could muster. You hurriedly rushed back to position, painfully straightening your spine.