In Love with a Devil

Chapter 4 - Outside

(CW/TW: violence, harsh language)

"Get up! The enemy won't hesitate to take you out while you're already down! Now get up!!" a soldier yells as he pushes you with his boot.

You grunt as you stand, your body battered and bruised and your nose slightly bleeding. You stance up and start to circle the soldier, waiting to strike. You swing at him, your arms sore and weak from training nonstop. The soldier then punches you in the side, then again on your chin and stomach. You stumble to the ground, coughing up saliva and blood as your vision blurs.

"Tch, pathetic. Take your sorry ass to the showers and turn in. we'll start again in the morning." the soldier says begrudgingly.

You shakily stand on your feet, holding your stomach as you walk to your room. You take a towel and dip it in a bowl of water and bring it to your pained face. You wince as the cold water stings your fresh wounds, cleaning off the dirt. You set it down and look into your mirror, your eyes full of resentment and hate. Your superiors could yell and taunt and belittle you all day, you tell yourself to keep your emotions in until you can be alone. You shudder as a tear falls down your cheek, quickly wiping it away.

Stop it. You're not a child anymore... you don't get to cry.

Even if i'm on my last breath, don't forget anything those assholes taught:

Never let the enemy look you in the eyes.

Never hesitate.

It's them, or you.

You want to be free... don't you?

-

Not even a week into joining the Survey Corps, the captured titans were killed in the night, and the suspect was someone among the scouts. Everyone's gear was checked and cleared, meaning the supposed traitor was a trained soldier who didn't want the scouts to experiment with the titans... you couldn't afford to look into it, though it did strike you as odd. You couldn't know who would do that... you had your mission and that wasn't a part of it...

Over the next few days, you began training. Well, not so much as combat training, but rather sitting in lecture halls learning the long-range scouting formations. You were preparing for something big... the 57th recon mission. After a lecture, you were assigned to a squad, a special operations squad led by Section Commander Hange Zoe. They were... eccentric to say the least. They were often called crazy by other scout members, but they had a passion for knowledge of the titans and sought the answers no one else had seemed to find.

"Welcome to the team, cadet Y/n! My name is Hange and as long as you stick with me, we will find out the secrets of the titans!" they exclaimed. They handed you a new uniform and cloak with the wings of freedom on the back.

You gave a soft smile and followed them to the rest of the group. You watched as the remainder of your former corps talked amongst themselves in their new squads.

The next day, the scouts were off. The entire scout regiment on horseback, riding off past the ruins of wall Maria. The outside was... breath-taking. There were so many trees and fields that went off as far as the eye can see. You took a deep breath and closed your eyes... This was the first breath of freedom. I will be free... and when I am... this will be nothing more than a bitter memory.

"Long range formation. Let's go!" Erwin shouted.

You branch off with Hange's squad and ride forward. Not even a few minutes into the recon, a red smoke signal shoots into the sky. Great. We'll probably lose 100 people right off the bat. Your eyes snap forward as you follow Hange, away from the signals and rerouting.