Attack on Titan: A Blacksmith's Tale

Chapter 2: Sina Brat

"Keith Shadis. I'll never be able to forget that bald-headed, yellow-eyed, loud-mouthed bastard. He was one of the few people I have ever met that I respected and despised. It came with the territory since he was our drill instructor. There were days I wanted to break his jaw so I wouldn't have to hear his damn voice yelling in my ear, but self-control was one of the many tests I had to pass. He might've been an asshole, but he was one of the key people in my life that shaped me into who I am today. I owe him that much."

"Straighten those spines, piss-ants!" the drill instructor shouted. "The 104th Cadet Corps Boot Camp starts now. Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Commandant Keith Shadis and you will grow to hate me. Training is gonna be a white-knuckle run through Hell. If I've done my job, you'll be waking up in a cold sweat from memories of this place every single night for the rest of your miserable lives. Right now, you're nothing. Livestock! But over the next three soul-crushing years, you'll learn to take down your own goliath. Remember this moment when you come face to face with him, 'cause here's where you ask yourself: am I a fighter, or am I feed? Am I gonna be ground up to human, pulpy crisp between boulder-sized incisors, or am I gonna be the one to bite?"

Dillon had to hand it to him; Shadis knew how to simultaneously make them feel terrified of their future and pumped up for it. In his case, the blacksmith could only hope he was strong enough when the time came to kill the Titans. Otherwise... best not to think of the alternative.

"Hey, Mop Top!" Shadis exclaimed, looking directly at a blond-haired, blue-eyed boy that Dillon thought was a girl at first.

"Sir!" he replied, saluting.

"What do they call you, maggot?"

"Armin Arlert from Shiganshina, sir," he answered.

"Seriously?" Shadis asked, feigning wonder. "Why would your parents curse you with that ridiculous name?"

"It was my grandfather, sir."

The drill instructor leaned in, not granting the boy personal space. "Cadet Arlert, why is a runt like you here?"

Armin's voice started cracking, terrified, and even closed his eyes. "To help humanity defeat the Titans!"

"That is delightful to hear," Shadis replied, not at all delighted. "You're gonna be a great light snack for them." Grabbing Armin by the head, he forcefully turned him around. "Row 3, about face, runt."

He moved on to the next victim—uh, cadet, who had short blond hair and brown eyes. "What do you call yourself?"

"Sir, my name is Thomas Wagner. I'm from the Trost District."

"I can't hear you!" At the volume the man was speaking, it was unlikely the nearby cadets would hear ever again.

"I'm from Trost, sir!" he repeated, louder. "I want to—"

"Nobody here gives a damn. Next!" Shadis interrupted, quickly moving on to another cadet, this one being a black-haired, gray-eyed girl. "You!"

"Sir, Mina Carolina from Karanes," she quickly introduced.

"Is a pathetic worm like you the best Karanes has to offer!?" he roared.

Like Armin, she, too, closed her eyes in fear. "Sir, I'm afraid that's the case, sir."

"Tell your district they can burn in Hell for sending you here," the drill instructor ordered.

"Yes, sir," Mina replied.

"You."

Crap, he noticed me. Dillon realized as the yellow-eyed terror approached him.

"Who the hell are you?" Shadis demanded.