Attack on Titan: Secrets of Marley (SNK x OC)

Chapter 8: The Forge of Heroes

- CONNY SPRINGER! FROM RAGAKO, SOUTH DISTRICT OF WALL ROSE! shouted a young boy with gray shaved hair.

Shadis's ritual continued unabated. After interrogating Gray, he yelled at countless students before arriving at this short-haired midget.

Suddenly, he lifted Conny by the head and squeezed her extremely hard. Some students looked on in horror but didn't dare intervene because of the sergeant. Gray, for his part, didn't care.

- YOU'RE DOING IT BACKWARD, SPRINGER! shouted Shadis.

"What a fucking idiot!"

- WE HAD TO TEACH YOU THE SYMBOLISM OF THIS GESTURE: BY DOING SO, YOU SWEAR AN OATH ON YOUR HEART,

Tears began to fall from Conny's eyes as Shadis continued to squeeze his head.

- IS YOUR HEART ON THE RIGHT, SPRINGER?

Conny seemed to be trying to stammer out an answer, but the sergeant dropped him to the ground and stared at someone in the crowd. Gray followed his gaze and saw a girl, rather tall with long brown hair tied back in a ponytail, chewing on a potato.

All the young soldiers held their breath. The courtyard was uncomfortably quiet, and no one dared speak.

- You there, murmured Shadis, stepping forward slowly. What the hell are you doing?

The dark-haired girl stared at the sergeant but didn't answer and bit into her potato again. "Is she fucking stupid? She's going to get herself killed!" Gray thought.

Shadis rushed in front of her and shouted: I'M TALKING TO YOU! IDENTIFY YOURSELF!

The girl seemed panicked and swallowed what was in her throat quickly before putting her hand (the one in which she was holding the potato) in front of her heart.

- SASHA BRAUS! she shouted. From the village of Dauper, South District of Wall Rose!

Shadis let a long blank moment pass, during which he stared at the potato. Gray could feel the instructor's growing anger.

- Tell me, Braus... May I know what you're holding in your right hand? he whispered, annoyed.

- A SWEET STEAM BAKED PASTA, SERGEANT! she shouted. SEEING THAT IT WAS MEDIUM RARE, I SNATCHED IT FROM THE KITCHEN, SERGEANT!

- Ah, because you stole it too, growled Shadis. And does this seem an appropriate time to pig out?

Sasha seemed to think for a moment before answering.

- I mean, if you let it get cold, then it's ruined. So to be on the safe side, it was now or never, Sergeant! she replied.

Shadis displayed an expression of incomprehension for a moment.

- I think you misunderstood my question. Why were you eating that potato?

- I'm having trouble following you, Sergeant. The sweet potato is an edible tuber if you cook it, so it's good to eat it, isn't it?

Silence reigned in the clearing. None of the youngsters dared open their mouths for fear of being punished by the instructor. Sasha had enormous nerve. Even Gray, who had so far been insensitive, felt a tear of sweat bead down his cheek. He looked at Reiner, Bertolt and Annie, who also seemed worried.

Finally, Sasha tore his potato in half and handed the instructor a slice.

- Here... Let's do half and half, she said.

- Half and half? murmured the instructor.

Sasha let out a smile, leaving the instructor speechless. Suddenly, he grabbed her by the hair and dragged her to the floor as she struggled to free herself from the imprint.