𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛, 𝙷𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛, 𝙵𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙴𝚗𝚎𝚖𝚢 |𝙰𝚘𝚝 𝚏𝚊𝚗𝚏𝚒𝚌

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟼: 𝚀𝚞𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗

After the first week of aptitude tests and weeding out the weak, the structure of the cadet's training became more rigid and arduous. The weather took a sudden turn seeming to match their dampening moods, but it didn't halt to gruelling activities they had to partake in. The Commandant had them wake at the crack of dawn on the Monday to take them on their first trek through the forest. They were unprepared for the rainstorm that cast over them but Shadies did not relent making them blunder their way through the trees. They ended the day long after the sun had set, soaked to the bone with legs that felt like lead and brains stuffed with wool.

"I feel like a walking corpse," Connie groaned as he stiffly sat down at the table for dinner.

"At least I've got meals back," Sasha grumbled.

"Is every day going to be like this?" Jean said, his head on the table.

Every day was like that. The Commandant pushed them to go further and faster each day with heavy packs on their backs. Mara felt miserable, the rain made it hard to even talk amongst themselves, everyone preferring to keep their heads down and hoods up. They had been more prepared for the harsh weather the following days, but the days still ended with them cold and aching. She noticed a few people were struggling to keep up but under the Commandant's never wavering gaze they were strictly forbidden from alleviating the burdens from each other.

On the third day, Mara noticed Reiner help Armin with his pack but didn't say anything and kept moving forward. She hadn't spoken to him since Friday. She'd seen him hanging around with Jean and Connie on the weekend, he had left when she and Sasha approached. Though they were in the same group during treks Reiner didn't speak to her. She had first thought he just didn't want to speak to anyone but on the fourth day when the rain had settled down and people were more social, she couldn't help but notice he was talking to everyone except her.

Mara didn't know why she cared. Wasn't she already breaking her own rules by aligning herself with Jean and the others? Why did she want that big blonde oaf to talk to her? Still, she couldn't help but wonder why he had chosen to ignore her. Was she that repulsive? Had she done something to offend him? She found it hard to focus on her conversation with Jean when he could hear his gravelly laugh behind her.

"So, what do you think?" Jean asked her.

"Hm?" she stared blankly at his face.

"You weren't listening?" he said unbelievably.

"Well, you just went on forever. So maybe I zoned out."

"I was saying, Connie said there was a lake further back that doesn't look too hard to get to and the weather looks like it's clearing up, we were thinking of hanging out there this Sunday, you down?"

"Sure," she shrugged, "as long as it's not too far, right now I don't even want to think about walking anymore. Oh, and we'd have to make sure our chores are done on Saturday."

"Alright cool."

"Who else is coming?"

"Well Marco, Connie and Sasha of course," he said counting on his fingers, "Marco said something about inviting Armin which means Eren will be coming." Jean looked disgusted at the thought.

"If Eren comes then Mikasa would definitely join in."

"Oh yeah," Jean's face lit up, "okay then Connie was going to invite Bertholdt and Reiner and then-"

"Wha- who did you just say?"

"Bertholdt, the tall guy kinda quiet, hangs around Reiner all the time. You know him of course."