A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the long wait. I had been really sick for a while there. But I am still alive. Thank you all for the Favs, follows and reviews! It made me so happy coming back and seeing all that. I hope you all enjoy this next chapter. I am sorry if anyone is OOC.

Chapter 4

The Test

Embarrassment and humiliation had begun to seep through my very core. Being upside down wasn't helping my situation at all. I could hear the whispers and the mock tones of the others all around me. I had to keep myself from crying out of anger and frustration. How could this be happening? This test hadn't seemed all that hard. Why was I having so much trouble? And of course, I had to open my mouth about killing Titans when I couldn't even manage to stay up straight.

Damn is, I thought. I had to get better. I wouldn't let it end like this. I would become a soldier in the Survey Corps. I had to. There was nothing I wanted more then that. I need to show them all what I was capable of. But it was already too late. Everyone had gone back to do their things, leaving me alone with my two best friends, Armin and Makasu.

"Maybe this is a sign, Erena. You should just quit. You'll only get yourself killed," Makasu told me as I attempted the test on my own time again.

"Maybe Makasu's right, Erena. Maybe this isn't-" Armin added before I cut him off.

"Both of you, shut up! I can do this! I will do this! There's nothing you can say that will make me give up!" I yelled at them before dropping to the ground, hitting my poor forehead in the process. My words were bitten back at my epic fail. But still, I couldn't give up now. I made this my life's mission. No matter the obstacle, I will defeat it!

"Why can't you just let this go? What are you trying to prove? You will die out there," Makasu questioned me. His concern was becoming to be irritating. Because his concern also should how much he didn't believe in me. And that hurt a lot. I huffed and crossed my arms as I sat on the ground after Armin had let me down. I tried to not show my hurt. I heard Makasu sigh then his footsteps start walking away from me, "Fine."

I bit back my tears as I punched the earth beneath me once, relaxing my hand only to claw at the dirt as if I could hold to my emotions. Makasu had always been someone I looked up to. He always seemed strong. Why couldn't I prove myself to be strong too? I didn't want to feel so helpless. Especially now after I had made a vow to kill all the Titans. What was I doing wrong?

"Erena?" I heard Armin's voice. I could tell that he was talking as if he were walking on eggshells. He didn't want to upset me even more than I already was.

"Yeah?" I said without much emotion or care. It was the only way for me to deal with my unwanted feelings.

"Let's go eat. Maybe after we eat you'll be up for more practicing," I could tell that he was trying to cheer me up. I just gave him a nod before getting myself up and dusting off my clothes. "Er. Maybe we should go to the Med Bay first."

I turned my head to look at his worried eyes. He was staring at my forehead. No doubt he was stressing out about my injury. I rolled my eyes, "It's not that bad. But sure. Let's stop there before you panic over it."

He frowned, "That's not far. I just hate seeing you hurt. That's all." I let myself smile a little, appreciating his genuine words. He had always been there for me. He was like a worried brother. He smiled back at me before we made our way to get my head checked. Maybe I could ask some help from the others before the retest tomorrow morning.

3rd POV (Makasu's)

He watched on in the crowd of would be soldiers. He held his breath, waiting for the instructor to fail his friend. No. Erena had become more dear to him than any mere friend. She had become someone that he wanted to stay close to. He wanted to protect her from ever being hurt. But she was stubborn and reckless. This had been evident since they were kids but now it was different. She was marching in the path of certain death.

His fists tightened beside him as he thought about it. Why had she been so stubborn to walk down this path? He didn't want to see her get hurt. He didn't want to see her die. But there was nothing for him to do. He had tried to change her mind countless times. She only seemed to pull further away from him. What could he do to make her see that he only wanted what was best for her?

He let out a sigh, All I could do was enlist with her. The heavy feeling in his chest wouldn't disappear. Why was he feeling like this?

His mind snapped back into reality when he heard the crowd say disappointed words from all around him. He focused back in front of him and saw that Erena had once again failed the test. He couldn't up the tiny smirk and the feeling of relief swell up in his chest. Now she would be out of danger. However, his relief was cut short.

No, he frowned. He watched at the instructor asked another person to hand Erena their belt to try it again. His hands tightened their grip once again. His teeth clenched as he watched Erena smile and look at him with a look of triumph on her features as she passed the test. He knew that she was proud and was telling him that she wasn't going anywhere.

"She did it even when her gear was defective? Who is this girl?" he heard someone say. He felt a pang of anger and something else surface but let it go as quickly as it came. Erena was an amazing girl. He knew that very well. It shouldn't bother him that other people saw that as well. But why did it?

"Is it just me or is Erena being full of herself," Armin commented with a sigh. He was watching his closest friend grin like an idiot as she balanced herself of the apparatus.

Makasu shook his head, "No. She is telling us that she isn't leaving us. Not today." Not being able to bare it any longer he turned around to leave the field with a weight on his shoulders.

I guess there's nothing left I can do, he thought as he kept walking away. He had tried to discourage her. He had even sabotage her belt so that she would fail. But of course, the instructor had to have figured it out. At least no one knew that he had been the one to do so. He knew that if someone found out what he did and told Erena…

It was for her own good, he told himself. He couldn't lose more family. He wouldn't lose her. But is was unlike him to do such things. To others, he would seem like the silent, brooding type. Or even mysterious. But truth was, he didn't know how to deal with people. Erena was the only one he was trying to communicate with and understand. It was hard though. For Makasu, it was hard to say what he felt. All he could do is try to guide her and protect her in his own way.

He promised himself that he would do his best to become stronger. He needed to be able to protect her. That day, he vowed that he would slay any Titan that would get in his way of protecting his only family left.

A/N: What did you think? I'd appreciate any feedback. I try to keep everyone in character but there will be some differences since two main characters are gender bend. Did you like the POV change? Thank you!