National Anthem-- E. Jeager

Cadet Y/N Smith

"Today is the day you will be choosing your regiment." Commander Erwin voiced, clasping his hands behind his back.

"Those who wish to join us, please remain here. But first, ask yourself, can you give your life to fight for humanity?" He shouted. "And I ask you, if you were ordered to die, would you do it?"

Hundreds of people rushed passed me, apprehensive tears coursing down their faces. I couldn't move. I was practically glued in place.

"No sir!" The remaining cadets called.

I grinded my teeth timidly, my clenched fist slamming against my chest in an earnest salute. I turned to Armin, my new-found friend, who was basically sobbing like a newborn child.

"To all of you remaining, you are now officially members of the scouts." Erwin declared. "I respect every single one of you for the courage you have put forward today."

I held fretfully onto Armin's sleeve, keeping him from nearly collapsing onto the merciless concrete.

Just a mile or so away was a compact log-house where the eight of us gathered. In front of me was a steaming fire in which our fallen comrades burned.

A singular tear rolled down my cheek, dripping onto the ground below. I wiped away the stain left behind.

Drizzle of rain cascaded from the clouds above, slamming viscously onto my scalp. I scrunched my snub nose, pulling my hood over my head ominously.

I lowered myself onto the ground, resting my cheek slackly inside of my palm.

The flooding rainfall darkened the rather bright green cloth shielding my head.

Armin plopped next to me, subsiding himself into my view.

"Are you alright, Y/n?" He asked gently.

"I'm okay. I'm just sorta regretting my decision." I sighed hushedly.

"To become a scout?"

I nodded reluctantly, clutching my knees closer to my chest. He draped his arm around my shoulder.

"You shouldn't fret. I accredit we'll survive." He beamed broadly.

I exhaled thoroughly, raking my hands through my h/c hair. "You're right." I replied. "I need to put my trust in you guys"

Armin's grin grew impossibly larger.

The following day we were awoken excessively early due to our first day of training.

After nearly an hour of riding my horse into the tree line, my legs began to grow numb.

"Faster! You guys are nothing but lazy excuses for soldiers." Captain Levi shouted.

I scoffed. "And you're a lazy excuse for a Captain," I quietly mumbled to myself. Fortunately, no one heard besides me.

After a brief moment of silence, the Captain began shouting once more. "Now! Release your odm gear, use the trees as support!"

I pressed the trigger that sat around my waist, releasing a lengthy anchor which wrapped around the nearest tree. As I was ejected from my horse, my lips formed a concentrated line, my teeth grinding against eachother as I practically slammed into the tree.

I gracefully landed on a nearby branch, swiftly repeating the process over and over against.

Eventually, I reached a vacant field with a wooden dummy placed in the middle. I tore my blade from its carefully crafted metal holder, winding it back over my shoulder.

As I approached the dummy, I carefully calculated how close in proximity I would need to be to slash the nape.

Luckily for me, I work well under pressure. I presumed I would only need to be just a couple feet away, and as I advanced, my vision was suddenly blocked by a man who flew directly in front of me.

I damn near slashed his neck open instead of the wooden dummy's. I gasped, dropping my blade onto the ground below.

Quickly, I recognized the man as my cocky friend, Eren Jeager. I growled, reconstructing my position on a brand new tree.

"Eren!" I shouted. " I could've killed you, man! What's your problem?"

He completely dismissed me, pulling my blade out of the elongated grass. Using his anchor, he landed himself on the same branch as me. With an arrogant grin on his face, he handed me my missing blade.

"I think you dropped this," He snickered presumptuously.

I snatched it from his hand, my slim fingers tightening around the hilt as I returned it to its previous spot around my waist.

"I could've killed you, y'know?" I yapped bitterly.

"Maybe that was the point," he grinned.

Before I could snap back in my usual angry tone, he flew off and out of sight.

"Fuck you, Eren Jeager." I groaned.

Training continued on for virtually the entire day. I made it a point to avoid Eren, my silence towards him almost deafening.

Although, I knew I wouldn't be able to avoid him on the ride back to Wall Rose, and so I dreaded it.

But it approached faster than it left, and suddenly I was back in the saddle right next to Eren.

I could feel his gaze burning through my skin. But I held my ground, facing forward as if I couldn't feel him staring.

"You're the complete opposite of your father. Has anyone ever told you that?" He chuckled.

My father was commander Erwin Smith. He never wanted me to join the scouts, infact he made it clear he wasn't going to let me.

But I've always been rebellious, ever since I was just a kid. Back then, I had a despairing, wretched dream to travel outside of the walls.

Much unlike my father, I'd always taken interest to titans and the way they work. My father, on the other hand, had pretty much attempted to ignore their existence for most of our lives.

And so, in a intractable manner, I joined the scouts, feeding into my already unruly reputation.

Disobedience wasn't the only reason I decided to risk my life joining the scouts, though. Ever since my grandfather was murdered ruthlessly by titans, I've wanted to avenge him.

Although I haven't got a chance yet, when that day does infact come, hell will rise on Earth.