I'm still quite new to the Attack on Titan fandom. I've been watching the Anime on Netflix, and fell in love. I used to live in Japan about 10 years ago, so I can pick up about every 5th word, and some of the subtitling is kinda hokey. But I love it anyway. I've not read the manga, as much as I want to, but I've been researching it so I know all the spoilers. I've written this fanfiction, through the end of season one, and I'm not sure how to continue without seeing season two or reading the manga so we'll see.
Anyway, I just thought we needed more characters to love.
I don't own anything from the show but please read and review.
Only a couple minutes had passed since Commander Smith finished his salute and not a soul had moved. A solemn haze seemed to hang in the air as Armin Arlert picked up his head and looked around at his comrades. Who had stayed? There were so few, but… He suddenly felt more optimistic as he realized he recognized many of the faces around him. He couldn't blame those who left. Life held so much value, and he didn't want to lose any more friends, but if they didn't fight, who would?
Armin couldn't help feeling a bit surprised by who stayed. Bertolt, Connie, Krista, and even Sasha, he was sure they would take their earned place with the Military Police. A flash of Bertolt telling him he's rather be in the fields then around the Titans again danced through his memory. It seemed like a lifetime ago. They were only boys back then, now, they were men. Battle hardened men, and woman, with a purpose. Armin took a deep breath of pride, this was his squad, and these were his friends.
He then looked around at the faces he didn't recognize. They gaze of many looked the same, a firm absolution. All of them knew the risk of their decision, but were willing to make their sacrifice. The ultimate sacrifice if need be. A curious few stood out. One short, mousy haired girl to his right had fallen to her knees, still in salute posture, tears pouring down her face. His heart quivered ever so slightly. He turned around, a pair of tall, red headed cadets, were arguing behind him. The girl slapped the boy and stormed off, huffing like an angry bull. Don't let that girl get irate with me, Armin thought, as he continued to inspect the scene around him. Finally, his eyes settled on a black hair boy just off to his left. At first glance he seemed ordinary, just like the rest of them, but the strange smirk on his face seemed out of place. The boy seemed to feel Armin gaze, opened his eyes, and nodded to him. Armin took this as an invitation to come over.
"Hello," Armin greeted, holding out his hand to the dark haired boy. "I'm Armin Arlert. 104th Squad, Southern Division."
"Oscar Groll," the boy replied back, sharking Armin's hand. He then flashed a friendly smile. "104th Squad, Easter Division. If I may ask, what compelled you to join the Survey Corp, Armin Arlert?" The young, blond cadet seemed taken back, slightly unsure of the best response. "Let me guess, the unsung glory of the Scouting Legions?"
"Oh, well, my best friend is a Survey Corp member. He's so passionate about fighting and destroying the Titans, that it's contagious. I can't think of fighting along side anyone else. And I think the Survey Corp is where I can do the most good for humanity." Armin paused and noticed that Oscar was listening intently. "Oh, if it's not to forward, can I ask you the same thing?" Oscar frowned for a moment and then tried to put on an easy smile. He ran a hand through his hair, trying hard to look carefree, the looked around at the other cadets. The taller cadet's hands were shaking, ever so slightly.
"I just didn't want to spend the rest of my life standing on some wall," Oscar replied with a false cavalier tone. He flashed another carefree grin, then clenched his jaw and sighed. "In all truth, I like the idea of taking back Wall Maria. If Commander Smith thinks this, Eren Jaeger, can help us take back what is ours, maybe more, from the Titans, I'm willing to fight for that. I was originally from Wall Maria, and I want to see my home again." Armin looked down, and nodded.
"I was from the Shiganshina distract, I understand what it's like to want… home. But now my friends are my home." This seemed to catch Oscar off guard. He'd heard the stories of Shiganshina and couldn't imagine what Armin had gone through. Suddenly the smaller boy seemed like a pillar of strength. He'd never even seen a Titan, let alone fight one like the younger man before him. Oscar bunched his fists up into his pockets and kicked at nothing on the ground. A long moment passed.
"None of my friends joined the Survey Corps," he replied longingly. "Look around, I'm the only one from the Easter Division here. My best friend from training joined the Military Police. I'm not able to follow him, I was 13th in my class, but he's a good man, idealist. He thinks he can single handedly stopped the corruption."
"My best friend wants to change the world too; I just hope… we've already lost Marco and so many others…" Armin sighed and left his fear of losing Eren or Mikasa hanging in the air. Oscar seemed to know the blond boy didn't want to discuss the matter anymore and took a deep breath.
"So Armin Arlert, do you think from now on, you could count me amongst your friends?"
"Oh, Yes, of course Oscar, and please, just call me Armin."
Oscar finally let out a genuine laugh, "Of course." Their conversation seemed to have drawn attention from some of the other cadets, and they had made their way around Armin and Oscar. The small, mousy girl's eyes were puffy and bloodshot, but she had finally stopped crying.
"Hello," she said in a high, pinched voice. "I'm Lilou Moreau." She blew her nose into a handkerchief, and then offered her hand out. Oscar grabbed it first and shook it. "I'm from the 104th Squad Western Division. I'm sorry if I was eavesdropping." No one had heard her approach; she was ninja like in silence. "I'm joining Survey Corps because I didn't make the cut for Military Police either, but the Scouts have horses. I…I was hoping they'd let me look after the horses. They have a veterinary squad, and I've been looking after the ducks and pigs on my farm since I could walk. Plus, I know this would make my mother proud, to finally see me be brave."
"Welcome Lilou," Armin said shaking her hand, "it's nice to meet you."
"Likewise." A small smile, tugged at her lips as she let go.
"I'm Konrad Valka," the tall red head behind him came up. He had a deep voice and an almost hawk like gaze with deep green eyes. Lilou took his hand and blushed.
"Uh, Hi, Konrad," she somehow squeaked out. Lilou then looked up again at the tall boy and down again. "I, uh, you, have very nice eyes." He chuckled lightly. "So… why did you join the Scouts?"
"I'm not really sure," he replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "To be honest, something about the way Commander Smith spoke made me feel strong, like I could actually make a difference. Also, last week my sister, Kara, and I were all set to join the Military Police, you know live in Wall Sina, be safe and away from the Titans, however, it all fell through at the last minute."
"Huh?" Armin gasped, "What happened?" Konrad shrugged perplexed.
"I'm not sure, when the final marks came out, I was tenth in our squad and Kara was eighth. Then the final, government paper work came through," he paused and clenched his jaw tight. "I had dropped to 11th. One of the girls in our squad somehow went from 12th in our class, to number ten. I'd earned that spot. Not saying she was a bad cadet, a catty little brat, but she certainly didn't deserve to be tenth." He then looked around at his new Corps mates, looked right at Armin, and shook his head. There was a storm behind his eyes. "During Commander Smith's speech I tried to chase my sister off, you know, to get her to join the MP's, to stay safe, but she latched her arm to mine and wouldn't let go." He looked down in shame. "Secretly, I'm sort of glad she stayed with me, we're twins, and I've never been without her."
"What… Twins…?" Armin questioned, his eyes wide with disbelief. Everyone else looked on in doubt too. Twins were so rare that he almost thought they were nonexistent, something out of myths and legends. So few women could successfully birth one infant without complication, let alone two, medical care in many towns and districts was severely lacking. Those who did conceive twins never survived the birthing, and the smaller infant usually perished as well. Konrad seemed to wave the attention off.
"Before the fall of Wall Maria our family mostly kept to ourselves up north in Khielstrod. So we never realized we were different. But as soon as we became refugees, everyone wanted to poke and prod us. After joining the cadets, we got a visit from an eccentric Survey Corps scientist whom wanted to perform strange tests on us, but our Chief Inspector wouldn't allow her to do so." He paused for a moment to regain his train of thought. "Anyway, it's unimportant. Once I set my mind to join the Survey Corps, Kara was determined to stay with me. I tried to talk her out of it, even after Commander Smith saluted us, but she would hear any of it. Left me was with good bruise too." Armin titled his head in sympathy as Mikasa came to collect him.
"We need to go see the Quartermaster," she said paying no mind to the new people around her. "Survey Corps will not for leave for headquarters until noon tomorrow. We're all being reassigned to new barracks for the night, so Garrison Regiment can have their barracks back." All the new faces nodded, and he heard Sasha cheer at the fact they'd actually get to sleep in the morning. A luxury none of them have had since they became cadets. Though Armin had never been a late sleeper, he'd almost forgotten what a full night's sleep felt like. Although, he wasn't sure how well he'd sleep anyway, the nights have seemed too long and morose since the Battle of Trost. Even thought Eren survived, he was constantly haunted by the image of his friend reaching out of the Titan's mouth. The night before, he woke up to Mikasa holding him covered in sweat and tangled in his sheets.
"Ah, Mikasa you're in the bunk next to mine, I'm sharing with Oscar." Only Armin noticed the smile the tugged at Mikasa's lips. They'd get to stay close.
"Come on bunk mate," Oscar called to his new friend. "Let's go wash up and finally get some sleep." It sounded like such a good idea; they'd been up for almost 20 hours at this point. He could finally start feeling how exhausted his body felt. Looking around, he knew everyone else felt the same.
"Try to get some sleep Armin," Mikasa replied letting go of his hand. "I'm next to you if you need me." She paused for a moment, and looked right at him. "Or if I need you." She added. "Good night."
"Good Night Mikasa," he replied. "Sleep well!"
"Is she your girl friend," Oscar asked Armin, brows furrowed in disbelief.
"Huh, what… No! That's my best friend's sister, practically my sister. We grew up together back in Shiganshina." Oscar seemed satisfied and patted him on the back. "We take care of each other."
"Well, lucky you. She's quite beautiful."
"Just be careful, Oscar, you're not the only one who's failing to win Mikasa's affection."
"Yeah?"
"Jean Kirstein, he's been trying to court her since we joined the cadet training. He's a good guy, but doesn't know when to back down." Oscar looked over at the light brown haired recruit. Jean was still shell shocked and was walking robot like to their barracks. Jean hadn't spoken to anyone since the ceremony and couldn't seem to look above his own feet. He was bunking with Connie in the same room as them.
"I'm not going to fight a good man over a girl. I'll save my strength for the Titans. People can't turn against each other, not now, not when we're all that's left. Oi, hey," Oscar called to Jean. "Jean is it?" Jean stopped but barely acknowledged the man calling to him. "I'm Oscar, nice to meet you," the black haired boy held out it his hand, but Jean didn't take it so Oscar picked it up and shook it.
"Uh, Hi," Jean finally acknowledged, allowing his hand to be shook. "Nice to meet you," the autopilot repose kicked in. He may be hot headed, but his mother did teach him to be polite. But his eyes never looked up. What had the southern cadets been through?
"Come on, we need to get some sleep." Jean looked up to see who was actually being kind to him and nodded slowly. Tomorrow, they'd all start a new chapter.