Turning Saints Into The Sea

Chapter 4

~Chapter 4~

~Ivy~

After I eat breakfast I go with Hanji to start my official training. Although I was trained before I came here there were certain requirements and battle skills I needed to know for the Scouting Legion. I, of course, was unaware of the scouts sneering at me and whispering in hushed tones.

"Why is she so special, getting here after only a month of training..."

"I'll bet she won't last one day outside the walls..."

"Someone has to show the newbie what it takes to be a real scout..."

I get my 3DM gear in place and am given the signal to start my practice with slaying titans. I'd have to say I'm pretty good when it comes to this part of training, I can dodge well, I can use minimal gas, but I have an awkward form. I'm left handed so I had to apply for different blades for my gear and I've been told that although I can cut the nape of their necks efficiently the way I hold the blades is off and could hurt myself. But, that was when I used right handed gear, I haven't used my left ones until now.

I sliced through the air and nimbly cut through every titan dummy pulled in front of me. It was fun to see the angry expressions of the other scouts who kept trying to trip me up. I'm almost threw the coarse when the wind picks up and a much bigger dummy jumps out in front of me. Without thinking I retract the anchors of my 3DM gear to some trees behind me, then reshoot them to the side of its face. Swiftly I cut threw its weak spot and land outside the forest with a thud.

"WAHOOO!" Hanji came swinging past me. "Great Job Cous! I've never seen anyone move like that! On to the next course!" she hung one arm around my neck and started walking away with me in tow.

"Wha...! H-Hanji! Wait!"

~~~

I came to a field with dandelions spread everywhere. There must have been about thirty to fifty scouts on it sparring. It reminded me of the how we were taught to spar in the training corp. I turned toward Hanji to find her not there. I looked around in worry and shock to find her walking back with a knife. I remember this now... It was a fighting tactic I learned just before I arrived. A "rogue" is supposed to charge you with a knife and it is your job to take back the knife from them.

"On your mark...Begin!" she raced toward me, attempting to stab me in the side.

"Got ya..." I swept to the side away from Hanji, grabbed her hand, flipped her on her back and pinned her down, putting the knife to her throat.

"Oof, I guess you don't need any more practice in combat."

"But I am going to have to learn the different formations and signals."

That was the only part of the scouts I was nervous about, well that and the titans. I'm not good at following directions, I never have been.

"Well it's understandable why" she stood up and brushed herself off. "Well, it's time for that now, after that is lunch. Then more you have to go brush and clean up Gunpowder, I'll teach you how to ride him too."

Hanji dropped me off in a classroom with Erwin and who I guessed was part of battle planning.

"Ah, Ivy. We've been expecting you, it's time to learn about battle formation."

"Uh- sorry for making you wait Commander Erwin" I saluted him.

"Oh, there is no need for that. Now, let's start. The main battle tactic we use is known as 'long-range scouting formation' which I myself designed. This formation creates a rough semicircle," he starts laying out the formation on the blackboard behind him, "This is in turn comprised in eight different sections, in the front rank the Forward scouts are comprised of elite soldiers. Next are the Scout support teams who are in charge of taking care of titans. Command is on the front lines, me and a few others will be there to inform the corp of verbal messages. You will most likely be part of a Relay team where the new recruits are put. It is a relatively safe area and a good place to put those who are not used to surveying the land outside the walls just yet. Cart guard teams protect the Carts who are in the deepest place in the formation, riding single-file behind the Command team. The Carts hold extra equipment and can be used to hold the injured. Standby is in the most protected part of the formation, right behind the cart line. The last is the Rear guard, the soldiers who ride in the very back of the formation. They protect the squads from titan attacks from behind, unfortunately it is also the area with the most risk. This tactic has proved to be a great success, cutting our losses by 30%. However this all is ineffective if there happens to be bad weather such as rain where flares cannot be seen, and if you cannot see the flares showing detection of titans, you cannot see titans and there are more casualties. Do you have any questions?" I thought long and hard.

"Before, when you talked about the Relay team. You said I would most likely be in that squad. Does that mean there are possibilities of being in a different team during my first mission?"

"Ah, I see. Yes, there have been incidences where new recruits have been put into different sections. Because of your special skills tho, you may have to face the possibility of being a part of the Scout support team, Standby, Forward scouts, or the Rear guard. We make one expedition roughly every month, so you will get used to the formation soon enough. Now, it is time for you to meet back up with squad leader Hanji" Erwin held the door open to me, basically signaling me to leave.

~~~

Its after lunch and I'm currently waiting for Hanji to teach me how to ride Gunpowder. I love animals but I get nervous around horses, more specifically, riding horses. Hanji is taking forever, I wonder if something happened... Just as I think that someone comes up from behind me.

"Hey Hanji, I was worried you wouldn't show" I smile toward her.

"Sorry for the wait, I had to deal with Shorty. Okay let's begin, you have to be able to handle your horse before the mission next month." I nodded shyly. Hanji knew what had happened the first time I rode a horse. "First, familiarize yourself with Gunpowder, establish a bond. Just go up and pet him until he feels safe with you. Today I just want you to get in touch with him, get used to brushing his mane, cleaning up after him and cleaning his hooves, a rotten hoof makes a rotten horse." I picked up a brush and started brushing his hair and mane, a few times he shook his head, then I continued.

This went on until dark. Hanji reassured me again and again that I was doing a great job and this would greatly help me when it came time for riding. I was so tired I could barely eat anything when we got to the dining hall. We went to our usual table but Team Levi wasn't there like usual.

"They aren't here."

"Hah?"

"Squad Levi left to train in an isolated castle. They shouldn't be back until the night before the mission. If you think this place has a lot of space for training wait until you see that place."

"W-Wait? What do you mean Hanji?"

"Oh, sorry I guess I forgot. Tomorrow morning we are going to meet them at the castle. Our squads do a lot of family bonding now that I'm involved with research into Eren."

"I'm confused, what do we have to do with Eren?"

"Oh! Dear me! Why did I not tell you this before!? Eren is a Titan-shifter and he is invaluable to our research."

"Oh..." I had no idea he was the boy Hanji incessantly talks about.

"Just a heads up, um, we kind of have to ride our horses to the castle. And be prepared to clean."