Titan Warrior

Chapter 2

The sun beats down as the 104th Cadet Corps trainees stand ready for initiation. Everyone stands still, the majority of them nervous as the instructor, Keith Sadis begins the initiation process.

Keith walks down the first row of cadets, taking prey first to a blond-haired boy by the name of Armin Alert.

Amelie watches, as she was in the same row as the boy named Armin. She was finally here, and she was finally able to start doing her part to help against the Titans. To say she was nervous was an understatement, and her anxiety was due to more than simply awaiting her turn to be hollered at. She knew, the moment she said her name, everyone present would know who she was. She knew from the moment she entered the Cadet Corps she would be considered an outsider; they would no doubt wonder why the daughter of the Grand High Councilman would wish to join the military.

Amelie breathes in deeply, noticing Keith approaching her next. She straightens her posture and stands ready. She reminds herself that she belongs here just as much as the others, no matter the circumstances.

Keith towers over Amelie, his eyes meeting hers. “WHO ARE YOU, PRINCESS!” His voice booming as he addresses her.

Amelie breathes in deeply again, forcing herself to meet Keith's intimidating gaze as she answers. “Amelie Meyer! From the Capitol City Mitras, SIR!”

Every eye in the field turns in Amelie's direction, followed by a few gasps.

Keith was momentarily taken aback as well and took a minute to ponder before snapping back into character. “WHAT THE HELL IS A MEMBER OF NOBILITY DOING HERE?! DAINTY LITTLE THING LIKE YOU BELONGS AT HOME SEWING AND BRAIDING HER HAIR!”

Amelie forces herself to make eye contact with Keith, refusing to be intimidated. “I am here to do my part in the war against the Titans, sir! This world is my home too!”

Keith doesn’t look completely convinced by Amelie's answer. “What are you going to do, bat your eyes at them?” he jeers. “I suppose if we need a distraction for an escape we could always provide them with a RICH meal!” He turns and moves on, not giving Amelie a chance to say anything more.

Amelie closes her eyes and breathes in deeply. The taunts weren’t as bad as she had been expecting, though she knew this was only the beginning. She could see it in some of the gazes of the other cadets. To them, she didn’t belong there.

She ignores their judgmental stares and watches as Keith continues to make his way from one Cadet to the next. Some he would holler at, some he would insult and others he would completely skip altogether.

I won’t let my name determine who I am, she thinks to herself. They will eventually see that I am much more and that I am just as capable and deserving to be here as the rest of them.

All eyes turn, suddenly, as the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps grows louder. They gasp as they see a girl, her cadet uniform in all black, come leaping over the gate and lands in a crouch in front of the group.

The girl smiles, still crouched. “Phew, some shortcut. I hope I'm not too late.”

“What… in the world?” one Cadet questioned aloud.

“You've gotta be kidding, scoffed another.”

Keith approaches the newcomer, not at all pleased with her tardiness. “Hey you, who the hell do you think you are?”

The girl turns to look at Keith and straightens up to stand, towering over him. “Hmm? You’re… talking to me, sir?”

Some of the cadets gasp as the girl stands nearly a foot taller than Keith.