The Trainee

Chapter five

As James sits you turn to Samson only to find him gone. You shake any forming thoughts from your head and turn back to James.

"So what is it you're having trouble with?" You ask as he settles himself.

"The beginning." Is his short response. You spend the next few hours going over titan weak points and attack strategies.

"I still can't remember anything." James sighs tossing down his pen. You stop and try to think of a different way of explaining it.

"Ok. What do you like to do in your free time?" You ask after a few minutes of silence. James looks at you confused but you insist. "Just answer the question."

"I don't know." He stammered looking about. "I like running, music, umm sports-"

"What kind of sports?"

"I like kickboxing, football, soccer, duck-n-dodge (dodgeball)."

You pull out some pages from a near by notebook and begin to rip them up. You balled up one full piece and ripped the others in to about nine or ten parts.

"So you know how in sports there is the home team and the visiting team?" You begin.

"Yeah?" He says still unsure.

"Home team is us, humanity(small pieces of paper). The visiting team is the Titans(big pieces of paper). Humans are on defense. We will always be defense. You following?" He nods and you begin to set up a strategy on the table. "The plays that the coach calls out are the strategies and the weak points on the Titans are the weaknesses in the offense."

You arrange the paper on the table to show the 'game field'. "The play is always the same and the weak points are the same."

For the next hour and a half you go over different strategies with him and deal with the normal titans and the abnormals.

"Thanks." James said gathering his things. "I just might pass the test this Thursday."

"Don't worry about it." You say as you return to what you were working on previously. He begins to walk away but turns around.

"You know. You're actually really cool." He turns back and continues on his way. You smile a little as you look back to your books.

"That's an interesting teaching style you got there." You turn and see a blond guy sitting several seats down from you. A small 'Thanks.' Is all you can manage.

"How did you think to explain it like that?"

You look him over. His sleeves were rolled up and you saw part of a scar curling around his arm. He catches your gaze.

"104th squad." He says catching you staring. "I might not have been much older than you when I got it. I'm Armin by the way." You process the name for a minute. You had heard it before.

"You got a name?"

"Oh!" You say coming out of your thoughts. "[full name] of the 108th trainee squad."

Armin nods and sees your books. "What are you working on?"

"Nothing really." You shrug as you begin to pack them away. "I'm just looking into the different options of service. If you don't mind me asking, what did you choose?"

Armin leaned back in his chair and looked a little distant. Suddenly you felt like you were prying. "You don't have to tell-"

"I'm in the scouting legion."

Your eyes go wide. Before you can say anything, Armin continues. "I only did it to stay with my friends. We were all we had. You know?"

You sit for a moment and let it sink in. In the distance you hear the signal for dinner sound. Armin stands and begins to gather his things.

"Wait!"

Armin stops and looks at you expectantly. What were you even trying to say? "Say you could choose again. Say you wanted to be selfish. Would you still choose scouting legion?"

Armin motions for you to follow him so you gather the rest of your things and do so. As you walk down the hall some people call out greetings or wave.

"Do you have any family?" He asks as you both exit the library.

"Two younger brothers." You answer.

"And your Parents?"

"It's complicated."

"Isn't it always?" You both walk on silence for a while.

"You seem to be torn between doing what is right and doing what you want." Armin begins as you walk through the courtyard between the library and the mess hall. "From the looks of it, you are the only one your brothers have. If you want to have a good job with little risk of dying, the MP's are your best bet. But you'll have to deal with corrupt officials and many under the table jobs. The next best would have to be stationary guards where the worst that could happen is you fall off one of the walls."

He stops and you look up at him. He goes on. "Now I may be more than a bit partial, but the scouting legion is the best. The advancements that have been made, even in my four years here have been impressive. If you want to really make a difference, join the scouting legion. But if safety is your main concern, join the MP's. In the end the choice is yours."

He was right. Did you want to make a difference or did you want safety? Safety meant being there for Eli and Oli. Making a difference meant a better world. A hand claps you on the shoulder.

"You've got about a year and a half. Take your time. You look level headed. You'll make the right choice." He smiled and for the first time in a while you felt at ease.

(Nearby)

"Who is that she's talking to?" One shadow whispered to another.

"I don't know." A second girl answered. "They look like they know each other though."

"I think it's someone from the 104th." A third voice chimed in.

"That's it. She's finished." The first voice declared. "If that bitch won't leave on her own I'll help her on her way."