I Want to be More (Attack on Titan, Shingeki no Kyojin)

Chapter 4; Hope

Chapter 4; Hope

"Come on!! Can't you guys help??" Eren pleaded as we sat across from the two older men. They a few years older than us, both cute of course. Reiner had blond hair and striking gold eyes, while Bertolt had black hair and beautiful green eyes. Bertolt was literally a walking giant, they were both tall, but he towered over everyone. Everyone else already made me feel short, but this? This made me feel like a toddler. I was only 5'2. I frowned slightly as they shook their heads.

"Some people just aren't meant for this... It can't just be taught, ya know?" Bertolt said.

"Come on!! Please?! You guys are good at it!!" Eren pleaded. They both sighed.

"Hey uh, where are you all from?" Reiner asked us. I blinked quickly at his question, was he trying to change the subject?

"The Shiganshina District." I answered cooly. Their eyes widened slightly.

"So you guys saw first hand what they could do... And yet you want to go through all that again? All of you?" Bertolt questioned. We all slowly nodded our heads.

"I refuse to sit around like a caged animal pretending like everything's okay." Eren growled. "I will destroy them all." I furrowed my brows as I looked at him, he didn't seem the same. You could see how angry he was...well he had every right. We all did, we all lost our families to them anyway...

"So where are you guys from?" I broke the unwelcome silence. I ignored the anger that was radiating off Eren and looked over to Reiner and Bertolt.

"A village to the south, just outside Wall Rose." We all gasped slightly.

"So that means-" Armin started.

"Yeah, we didn't get any warnings. We just heard the pounding... No one thought much of it until the titans were right at our door." Reiner mumbled.

"I-I'm so sorry." I stuttered as I imaged their experiences weren't much different than ours. They both looked at eachother before getting up from the floor.

"Come on." Bertolt motioned for us to follow.

After walking in silence for ten minutes we arrived at the training grounds. Reiner put the lantern down next to one of the giant poles and called Eren over before hooking him up to it.

********

I yawned as Mikasa, Sasha and I made our way back to the training grounds. We spent almost all night trying to help Eren balance correctly. It was exhausting honestly, but it'll be worth it if he succeeds. I know Mikasa is worried beyond measure, she's praying just as much as I am that he doesn't fail. We can't do this without him, I can't without all my best friends. I just...can't. I sighed softly as we all got in our places. Eren was already up on the stage being hooked up. Once he was hoisted up into the air we all seemed to hold our breath as we prayed, hoped. My eyes widened at the sight before me, he was struggling slightly, but he was doing it.

"He's doing it. He's actually doing it." Mikasa gasped. As if in que Eren let out a slight yelp as he fell back, hitting his head on the ground roughly. "No..." She whispered.

"This can't be." Armin gulped. I couldn't speak, literally I couldn't form any words as I stared in horror at him. He failed...

"Why?!? Why can't I do it?!" He yelled.

"Cadet Wagner, switch gears with Yeager." We all paused slightly, maybe there is still hope. But why would he need to switch gears? The young cadet quickly scrambled to remove his gear. Within minutes Eren was being hoisted back up into the air with the new gear. Instinctively I grabbed onto Mikasa and Armins hands as I held my breath. They each squeezed my hands as we waited. Nothing happened. He was doing it. He was hanging in the air almost perfectly, occasionally struggling, but he...he was going to pass. "Just as I expected... Your gear was busted." Everyone gasped.

"His gear was busted and he still managed to stay up for so long last time?" Someone from behind us said.

"That's incredible!!" Another added.

"Wow!!!" Someone gasped. I grinned slightly.

"S-so does this mean I passed??" Eren questioned.

"Indeed it does." The commander said. I dropped Mikasa's and Armin's hands and threw mine up into the air, cheering. Everyone quickly did the same. I looked over to Mikasa and saw her eyes welling up with tears.

"Look at him! His eyes are telling us he did it!" Connie laughed happily.

"No." Mikasa said. "He's saying that he won't have to leave me now." I smiled at her words because I knew they were true.

********

"Congrats Eren!!" Krista cheered as we all sat down at our usual table.

"Thanks!" He smiled at her. I took a drink from my cup and sighed happily.

"Two years of training and we graduate." I smiled happily.

"I can't wait!!" Sasha cheered as she stuffed bread into her mouth.

"MP's here I come!!" Connie said happily. My smile faltered slightly, but I didn't want to say anything about it. I know we all have a choice, but the MP's just sit on their asses all day... That's probably why so many people want to join up with them. It's also one of the safest.

"Scar, you okay?" Armin asked. I smiled and stirred my soup around.

"Of course I am! I just can't wait." Everyone agreed before going back to dinner. Two more years, that's it. Two more years then I can help protect humanity and destroy the titans...