I do not own Attack on Titan


The sun beat down on my forehead, roasting it. My black hair absorbed the rays like a sponge, burning my scalp with the heat. I had pulled it back into a French braid and twisted the tail up into a bun before the initiation. A strand of baby hair tickled my forehead, but I refused to scratch it in fear of being singled out.

I watched as the instructor marched down the rows of recruits, glaring at them. His voice carried through the empty field as he pounded a recruit's spirits into the ground. It was enough to send me waking in my boots as well as many others beside me. After the first few cadets he picked on, I was pretty sure everyone was hoping they weren't next.

The form fitting uniforms did not help the situation, instantly sticking to my sweaty skin as I stood in agony. At first, when we were given them, I was very excited. It sent a shiver of excitement through me. But now, I wanted to strip naked and run for the showers.

Trying to relax, I focused on the other cadets. I had to scout out the competition, and see if I stood a chance.

A boy with short blonde hair and a good build on his frame stood a few rows down. He stood facing forward with the resolve of a wall. His eyes were cold and fierce, almost as intimidating as Shadis yelling in a cadet's face. Immediately, I knew I didn't stand a chance to him. A guy who was naturally built for strenuous work and without scruples would have no trouble staying in the program as long as he kept out of trouble.

Right next to him was another boy who looked just as formidable. He looked more agile than muscular and stood slightly taller than him. He seemed more approachable as opposed to his friend, still devoid of emotion though. Both of them wore blank expressions on their faces.

A girl across the way with her blonde hair pulled back stared ahead with a bored expression on her face. Her blue eyes were icy and cold as Shadis passed her too. Several others who had similar expressions as the two boys and girl were ignored by the Instructor. It was then I realized that the recruits who were going to be impossible to compare myself to were those kids with the blank expressions. My confidence was quickly going down the drain.

Shadis stopped in front of one boy with two-toned hair.

"WHAT DO WE HAVE OVER HERE?"

The boy saluted him and answered without faltering, "Jean Kirschtein, Sir! From the Trost District."

"AND WHY ARE YOU HERE, CADET?"

With a smirk, Jean replied almost coolly, "To join the Military Police, Sir—the best of the best."

Someone's ambitious. I thought to myself.

There was a pause. It was no secret that the Military Police was the best branch and most coveted. Being able to join the Military Police meant a life of luxury in the interior, away from Titans. Everyone vied for a spot, and that's why the competition was so fierce, and why I stood no chance.

Shadis's voice lowered momentarily, contemplating Jean's answer.

"You wanna live in the interior, do ya?"

Jean brightened. "Yes."

Before I knew it Shadis's head collided with Jean's, and Jean crumbled to the ground in pain.

"NO ONE TOLD YOU TO SIT, RECRUIT! IF YOU CAN'T HANDLE THIS KIRSCHTEIN, THEN FORGET ABOUT JOINING THE MILITARY POLICE!"

As soon as he turned on his heels, his gaze fell on me. My heart fluttered and my legs suddenly felt like jell-o.

"AND WHO ARE YOU?"

I saluted as precise as I could and answered without a hint of fear in my voice, "Naomi Peters, Sir! I'm from Karanese District!"

"WHAT MADE YOU WANNA JOIN? YOU LOOK LIKE YOU CAN BARELY BENCH THIRTY!"

"I was looking for adventure and wanted to be useful in life. And for the record, I can bench sixty-five!"

"WHAT ARE YOU, FIVE?! THIS ISN'T AFTERNOON TEA OR A WALK IN THE PARK! I BET THE FIRST TIME YOU ENCOUNTER A TITAN, YOU'LL PEE YOUR PANTS! YOU'LL END UP TITAN MEAT WITH THAT ATTITUDE OF YOURS! JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE A SMALL FRY DOESN'T MEAN I'LL GO EASY ON YOU. NO! IF ANYTHING, I'LL MAKE SURE YOUR LIFE IS A LIVING HELL!"

I tried to keep my face in check as he yelled, spit flying out of his mouth occasionally. My ears rang after he left to attack his next victim.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOUR FACE, YOU SMILING IDIOT?"

"Marco Bodt. At your service, sir, from Jinae; south side of Wall Rose! I aim to join the Military Police and give life and limb in service to the King!"

"Well then," Shadis started darkly. "That makes you an idealistic fool—and a rube. You want the truth?"

Shadis stepped closer so his face loomed over Marco's.

"The only use the King has for your life interest is Titan fodder," and with that, Shadis moved on to a short, bald-looking boy.

Marco had a look of surprise and apprehension on his face. I almost felt sorry for the nice looking boy. He had freckles speckling the bridge of his nose, over his cheeks and friendly, brown eyes. I must have looked shaken as him after my brief interrogation.

Jean was back on his feet, sporting a sour look on his face. His forehead where Shadis had head butted had a slight red tinge to it. I imagined that he had a headache at that moment. Although very justifiable his motivation for joining the military, it irked me that he had the gall to blatantly declare his motivations. It was almost like kicking dirt on the rest of us.

However, I was no better. I wanted a spot in the Military Police. The walls may be strong, but eventually all walls fall from weather and decay. There was nowhere to go but inward. Even then, I wouldn't be safe. I just hoped that it didn't come to that in my lifetime.

Shadis was getting on the bald boy's case for saluting wrong. I hardly registered his turmoil as I met eyes with a girl a few bodies down from me. She studied me, emotionless. She had jet black hair with the same color of eyes. I heard of Orientals, but I had never seen one in person.

My Mama told me that my clan had a history of Oriental blood, and that's where I got my black hair and light skin. I was darker than the Oriental girl, but lighter than my kin. I didn't have the girl's midnight black eyes. Mine were amber from the long running gypsy blood flowing through my veins.

The story goes that when the Titans appeared a long time ago, the human race went nearly extinct. But the gypsy clans that roamed the land used their connection to the energy of the earth to keep the Titans at bay. Our earth energy came from the Atlanteans. We believed we came from the people of Atlantis, inhabiting a mass of land until it was swallowed up by the sea.

During that time, it was said a few of the remaining Orientals sought refuge with my clan, the Grastari. And so the Grastari became known for their Oriental features. For hundreds of years, the gypsy clans managed to evade the titans using their earth energy. Of course, it was all a legend that had been passed down in the clans for generations. I didn't actually believe in the earth energy.

I was born a Grastari, but raised as a Sindhi.

Suddenly the yelling stopped. I broke my eye contact with the girl and looked over to Shadis. Another girl with her auburn hair pulled back into a ponytail was nonchalantly eating a steamed potato. I had to blink several times to make sure I was seeing correctly. Apparently, Shadis as well as the other recruits were just as surprised.

"What do you think you're doing?" Shadis asked.

When she didn't seem to hear him, he stepped in front of her and bellowed, "YOU'RE OFFICIALLY ON MY SHITLIST! JUST WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?"

Saluting with the potato in one hand, the girl replied, "Sasha Blouse from Dauper village at your service! Reporting for duty sir!"

"Sasha Blouse, huh? And what is that you're clutching in your right hand?"

"A steamed potato," she answered. "It sat there in the Mess Hall begging to be eaten. Sir!"

"The theft I understand, but here," he looked down on her with a calm, serious face. "Why here of all places?"

I started to wonder how smart she was. She didn't seem at all aware of how serious her situation was.

Looking at Shadis with a dull expression, she explained, "It looked quite delicious, and it was getting cold. So I gave it shelter in my stomach, Sir."

"Why? I can't comprehend. Why would you eat that potato?"

It was then she sealed her fate.

"Are you asking me why people eat potatoes? I'm surprised you don't know sir."

Everyone stared at her in disbelief. If Shadis hadn't been scary yet, I was worried what kind of wrath would befall Sasha.

After offering Shadis part of her potato, he snapped back into action and roared, "NO EATING POTATOES AT ATTENTION! FOR YOUR LACK OF CONCERN FOR PRESENTATION YOU WILL RUN WITHOUT BREAKS UNTIL THE SUN SETS! GOT IT?!"

"Sir, yes sir!" Sasha chirped.

Snatching the other half of the potato, Shadis declared, "YOU HAVE ALSO LOST YOUR MEAL PRIVELEGES FOR THE NEXT FIVE DAYS! BE AT ATTENTION PROPERLY NEXT TIME RECRUIT! EVERYONE ELSE IS DISMISSED."

"Noooo!" Sasha wailed, suddenly becoming emotional. "Please, not the food!"

"I SAID RUN! SHALL I MAKE IT TEN DAYS?"

I relaxed from my position, stretching out my muscles. My back popped as I got my body moving again, and as I walked my arms and legs felt fatigued. Walking back to the barracks, I fell in step beside a girl wearing pigtails.

She said, "I'm so glad that's over."

"Me too," I said. "I feel sorry for that girl over there."

We both looked over and saw Sasha starting to run the grounds.

"Yeah. She must really be something else." She added, "I'm Mina Carolina."

"Naomi Peters."

She smiled at me kindly. "Nice to meet you Naomi."