Our Garden of Dismay

Part 6

Today is extremely important, it's been awhile since our initial test with the ODM, we already have the first of our two final exams. We have to run a circuit through the forest with full gear and avoid Titans at all costs, making sure to follow orders from a squad leader. We have gone over the course several times and are even aware of what squads we are in. An ideal squad is four members where you have the leader up front calling the shots, the strongest in the rear to help protect against chasing Titans, with two others on the left and right in charge of firing flares or scouting. I am the left-wing in a squad with Sereno as the right-wing, Engel leading, and Giordano in the rear. The squad before us is Buchanan as the lead with Dietrich and Jean-Paul on the wings and Novak in the rear. As I double-check that I have all my blades and flares, I spot Buchanan's Squad arriving from the test and the sight is strange. As they land, smooth as butter, Novak immediately moves to Buchanan and begins cheerfully praising his leadership while he praises her combat prowess; unlike them, Dietrich is arguing with Jean-Paul about their flare and direction work.

"You were so damn slow!"

He screams in frustration, Jean-Paul turns her head away from him.

"To think you want to join the Survey Corps! You would be gobbled up with communication skills as poor as yours."

She barks back without making eye contact.

"You're a natural Seamus!"

Novak exclaims, her hands clasped and eyes glittering.

"Yeah, but we wouldn't have made it without your speedy kills Kitka."

He responds with a large grin. An interesting development that occurred, a good time ago, was the announcement of Buchanan and Novak's relationship. It wasn't a huge shock or anything but we really didn't expect them to actually tell us. On the other hand, Dietrich has asked Jean-Paul about ten times now and she has rejected him about the same number of times, so there is a little hostility there. The only other relationship interaction I can think of is when Sereno asked out Giordano and was rejected which is unfortunate because she was already cold as it was and now it has just been dialed up to eleven.

"Squad Engel, prepare to begin."

Instructor Vidal announces after finishing up some notes in her notebook.

"Final scores from Squad Buchanan's performance: Buchanan gets a seven out of ten for the Leadership category. Novak receives a nine out of ten for the Combat category. Finally, Koch and Jean-Paul earned a healthy five out of twenty for Communication. Twenty-one out of forty is the final result."

She reads off the scores and Dietrich and Jean-Paul start going at it again, screaming in each other's faces over their record of the day's worst score for communication. Novak and Buchanan celebrate Novak's day best of nine points for combat, a sight that makes Giordano crack his knuckles in preparation for his turn.

"Come on guys, twenty-one is easy to beat, so let's blow them out of the water."

Engel says with a large smile as he takes position as squad leader.

"I'm ready."

Giordano responds with a determined expression as he draws his blades and triggers. Sereno and I lift our trigger mechanisms to use our ODM, double-checking they are ready to go. Then, in two swift movements, she crosses her arms, placing a trigger on a blade on the opposite scabbard and then pulling them forward, with the blade attached. I mimic her but with little success at looking like I know what I'm doing.

"Here you go, these are the mission orders, Engel. Carry them out swiftly and successfully."

Instructor Vidal says while handing him a piece of paper. He sheaths one of his blades, resting the trigger in the scabbard so he can read it.