-Chapter 20: Choose Your Regiment-

The Spring Maiden had finally awakened, bringing an end to Old Man's Winters' spell upon the Walls. The last of the snow piles had melted away and made way for green and healthy grass to rise upon the ground. Trees across the walled lands were reborn as new leaves began to grow just as the flowers bloomed. Wildlife began to reemerge from their hibernations and roam the lands, as the birds returned from their travels beyond the unknown southlands. And the people from all three Walls opened their windows allowing the spring air to fill their lungs and absorb the rays of the bright sun.

For the military the spring season was an important event as well. For it marked the day the most recent batch of trainees from all eight Training Corps divisions would be graduating, and finally join one of the three military branches. Of course those who made it to the top ten of their classes were given the privilege to apply for the Military Police, and have the skills they learned over the last three years and overall training be absolutely wasted. But at least they would be safe in the confines of the interior… mostly.

-oOo-

Scout Training Yard, inside Wall Maria

A large number of scouts from all squads were gathered inside the training yards, but not to keep their skills in top condition, ohhh no, instead they were bearing witness to a most grand spectacle, provided by humanities first and third strongest soldiers.

How did things escalate to this point? Well like many situations it began with the marked man, who was questioned by his peers on why he always left their headquarters so early at the crack of dawn. His response was that he was heading to a secluded area in the nearby woodlands in order to practice his martial arts routine.

Immediately this peaked their interest as some scouts recalled how Hange had demonstrated one of his moves so many months ago, and wished to see it as performed by a "professional", to which Maverick was more than glad to demonstrate. What started as a few people soon turned into a much larger crowd, who were left in awe at his performance. The way he moved was unnatural for a man his size and stature, and the multitude of forms and stances he performed were unlike anything the scouts had ever seen, minus his squad mates who had the pleasure to see him beforehand. Things got more interesting when he decided to do a mock fight, as to show off his more special moves.

Who better than the scouts resident sniffer as the sacrif-volunteer.

Miche, to his credit, accepted the duel with no hint of nervousness or weariness in his movements, even as Maverick's glowing eyes peered into his own and a nasty grin stretched across his face. He maintained his usual composure as he removed his half jacket, to better allow himself some additional mobility. He formed a combat stance, recalling his hand-to-hand combat training from his cadet days, which earned him a chuckle from the marked man, seemingly amused by his efforts.

"Come on Michy-boy, let's test your might…" He gestured with his hand for the tall blonde to approach, whom eyes narrowed with great focus. Within seconds he was upon the large goliath with a series of quick punches which were deflected with equal if not greater speed. The squad leaders' expression only hardened as his right fist went for another punch, while his left aimed for the ribs.

Both were intercepted, eliciting a chuckle from the marked man as he held the two fists in place. Miche responded with a kick to Maverick's stomach, causing him to let go. Maverick showed no signs of pain or discomfort, only the smile ever present on his face.

"Go Miche! Don't let him spook you!" Shouted Dirk, a fellow veteran and squad leader. His favored side in the fight made clear for all. It was followed by a few more scouts showing support for humanities third strongest soldier.

"C'mon Mav, quit stalling and show us your moves!" Moses exclaimed suddenly. He knew Maverick was simply stalling, and wished to see the aforementioned Tombstone Drop, with other scouts voicing their agreements.

Soon the training field was engulfed with the cheers and cries from the scouts, as two sides were formed in support of either Maverick or Miche. The two men continued to trade blows-scratch that, it was more like one was delivering blow after blow while his much larger opponent either blocked each hit or occasionally let one slip and hit him.

"Why isn't he hitting back?" Moblit muttered watching as Maverick continued to block Miche's punches and kicks.

"*Chuckles* Can't you see Moblit?" Hange whispered to her assistant. Confused by what she said he looked to the fight once more, for she clearly saw something he didn't. He observed his large friend once more as he waved away an incoming fist from the squad leader. Moblit soon focused on his face, and noticed how his eyes had narrowed, and his grin returned to a calm smile.

"He's gauging him, seeing what he's dealing with…" Moblit said, earning a nod from his squad leader.

"Mhm, think Miche knows that too. Besides, do you really think he'd seriously hurt him? Look at that smile on his face, he's having fun." Moblit looked back to his squad mate and couldn't help but disagree with Hange.

"More like plotting…" He remarked as he heard a few chuckles come from the marked man, as he grabbed Miche's leg and tossed him away a few feet away.

Cheers and gasps emitted from the crowd as they watched Miche roll onto the ground. However he was not down for long as he quickly got back up, just to see the marked man make his way towards him, his grin returning. His hardened look hadn't faltered as he craned his neck, an audible crack sounding as he put up his dukes once again and charged at the grinning goliath.

"Man, Miche's' not letting up." Remarked Klaus, a fellow veteran, as he watched the tall blonde strike at the forearms protecting Maverick's ribs.

"Heh, against him? Think you need all the strength you got." Darius replied, taking a swig from a water pouch he brought before the fight.

Just as he capped his pouch Maverick grasped both of Miche's arms and held him in place. Miche attempted to free himself but to no avail as Maverick closed in on him.

"Alright Zacharius, you got some skill, I'll give you that." He said, with a shit eating grin.

"But now…"

He disabled Miche with an open palm strike to the face, disorienting the blonde. He grasped his head as the world kept spinning in his view. While it felt like a slight tap, he was sure that was barely even a fraction of Maverick's true strength.

"Time for me to strut my stuff…" He formed a stance as he prepared to go on the offensive. Ready to finally give his audience a taste of his martial prowess. His squad mates' eyes widened by his stance, for they had seen this one in particular.

"Which form is that?" Moblit whispered with a bead of sweat forming on his forehead. The stance was familiar, but the name escaped him for the moment. It was practically at the tip of his tongue just as Hange said it.

"Silat…" Moblit's jaw nearly dropped at the mention of that specific martial art. For not only was it Maverick's most favored technique, but from what he said and demonstrated a few times it was rather dangerous, if not deadly, to use on another person.

And so for the next few minutes or so Miche was subjected to the martial prowess of a kombatant. The series of strikes and leg sweeps performed by the marked man kept Miche unfocused. He attempted to get a hit in, however his swing was a bit sloppy allowing Maverick to grab and lock his arm, then delivering a knee strike to his stomach, before being pushed back by another palm strike.

Miche tried to regain his footing as well as keeping his composure, however he found himself on the ground once more, in order to evade a special move from Maverick, who gave him a "V" finger salute before swinging his fists in an arch like formation. While its speed was alarming, Miche was more startled by the blue ethereal trail his strikes left behind as they passed narrowly by his head.

The scouts in the audience echoed his thoughts as they shouted out in surprise.

"WOAH!"

"HOLY SHIT!"

"THE FUCK WAS THAT?!"

"Not trying to hurt him, huh?" Moblit whispered to Hange who kept her focus on the fight. She observed for a few more moments before shifting her eyes to the vice-captain.

"No…it was a feint…" Moblit gave her an incredulous look. How on earth was the Twin Comet Special a faint? He had seen what that move could do to a block of wood, he dreaded to think how it would look like when dealt to another living creature.

"That didn't look like a feint Hange!" He whisper shouted, causing some comrades to look in his direction. Hange shook her head in response, for she saw what Maverick was accomplishing with his rather brash and startling attack.

"No…Mav's got him right where he wants him…" Moblit was about to inquire further, until the shouts from the scouts around them stopped him from doing so.

"Yeah! Go Mav Go!"

"Kick his ass!"

"Cmon Miche, keep those fists up!"

The scouts in support of Maverick were getting quite riled up, while those who favored Miche grew silent. But there was one voice in that still favored humanities third strongest soldier.

"Don't listen to them! Y-You can do it Miche!" Came a rather unsure cry from his fellow squad mate.

'Not very confident Nana…' Maverick thought as he continued his onslaught. Despite his situation Miche still tried to keep a stiff upper lip, even as he let out a few exhausted breaths. Maverick's wolfish grin soon lowered to a less vicious smile.

"S'been fun Miche, but gonna have to finish this…" With no warning or shout Maverick immediately placed his arms in a "X" formation and performed the special move that had felled the strongest of opponents. In a quick motion he fell backwards, slamming his body onto the ground with an earth-shattering force, shocking everyone as Miche was lifted into the air, alongside throwing some nearby scouts off their feet.

"UHGH?!" Was all Miche could sound out as he was released from the grip of gravity, the first person in this walled world to be subjected to the Tombstone Drop.

His thoughts were scrambled as everything went upside down. In those few seconds of weightlessness he looked at the faces of his comrades, as they all held looks of shock and awe. Either from what just occurred, or the fact his face was finally showing an expression that wasn't his usual flat and uninterested look.

Moments later he was in freefall, unable to stop or prepare himself for what was coming next. For Maverick quickly rose from the ground and brought his hands apart, only to bring them together, and clapped.

*KRACLAPPPP*

The force from the thunderous clap was not only ear shattering, but created a gust of wind powerful enough to send Miche flying backwards while in the air, leaving the scouts slack jawed and utterly speechless.

"OH JEEZ!"

"GAHHH!"

"WOAH!"

"GAHHHH!"

These were but a few voices shouted out as some were blown back from where they were standing as well.

"MICHE!" Shouted Nanaba as she watched her squad leader skid across the training grounds. As she rushed to his side Maverick simply wiped his hands and stood triumphant.

"I win."

The grounds were dead silent as the scouts were still processing the events that just unfolded a few seconds ago. Many were expecting such an outcome, as well as seeing Maverick's special moves. And yet he still found a way to leave them absolutely stupefied.

As Maverick began to slowly make his way to where Miche had landed, he started to hear the whispers from his comrades.

"What the hell?"

"Just sent him flying…"

"God, I can still hear the ringing in my ears…"

Maverick soon approached his defeated opponent who was recovering from his flight. He chose to ignore the scowl from the tomboy as he looked down at the blonde scout, before placing his hands behind his back and giving Miche another shit eating grin.

"Consider us even." It was audible enough for everyone to hear, causing them to raise their brows in confusion.

"What did he do?" Nanaba asked, her anger at the marked man dissipated and exchanged for puzzlement.

"He knows what he's done! He knows his sins!" He exclaimed while pointing his large finger at the man. This left everyone totally confused on what he was talking about, minus his squad mates, as Hange's snickering was soon heard from afar.

"*Giggles* Are you still hung up about that?" She asked with a raised brow. Maverick's head immediately snapped in her direction, his eyes glowing brighter than usual. And with a stone-cold tone he responded with a firm…

"Y E S."

Her giggles turned to full-blown laughter, even Moblit couldn't help but let out a sigh as he hadn't expected his large friend to not only hold a grudge, but to settle it in the most dangerous, and quite honestly, petty way.

Maverick sighed, for his companions refused to see his just reasonings for his actions against Miche. But he was now willing to put it all behind him as he held out his hand to help his comrade up. Miche even showed no hesitation to grasp the large hand.

"Cmon Sniffer, upsy daisy…" He slowly lifted the blond scout, careful not to move too fast and give Miche whiplash.

"*Cough Cough* W-What…was that?" He asked between coughs, eliciting a chuckle from the marked man, who crossed his arms and looked towards the markings on his left arm, eyeing the symbols of three kamidogus etched into his skin.

"Heh, just a little combo. Tombstone Drop and finish em with a Thunderclap." Miche let out a huff as he tried to keep himself steady after the ordeal, just as a familiar voice rang out from nearby.

"The hell is going on?"

All heads turned to the direction of the voice, revealing it to be the short statured Captain Levi. Alongside him was Commander Erwin, alongside his aides. At the sight of the commander the gathered scouts saluted him.

"Commander, Captain! Good Morning!" Came a loud welcome from many of the squad leaders, eliciting a small chuckle from Erwin at the hint of nervousness in their voices.

"And a fine good morning as well. Now tell me, why are we all gathered here?" He inquired with a raised bushy brow and hands held behind his back.

"Maverick was demonstrating some of his martial arts sir. M-Many wanted to see." Moblit responded, earning him a curious and wide-eyed look from the blue-eyed commander.

"Is that so?" Many scouts nodded their heads voicing out their confirmations all at once to the chagrin of humanities second strongest soldier.

"Should have seen em' Commander, made Miche go flying across the floor with the clap!" Came the loudest voice from Moses who imitated the Thunderclap moves, with less than impressive results. Still it was enough to gain his surprise and interest as this was no doubt the source of the loud noise he and his retinue heard along the way.

"Is that what we heard on our way?" Levi remarked, putting the commander's thoughts into words. It was then did Erwin finally noticed his long-time friend and comrade supported by his squad mate.

"Miche?" He gave Erwin a nonchalant wave, as another cough left his throat.

"Just winded, I'll live." Erwin released a sigh seeing that it was all the confirmation he was going to get from Miche. With that matter settled he turned to the regiment with something important in mind.

"Well, since were all gathered here, I have an announcement. I'm sure all of you realize that spring has finally arrived." Many scout nodded in agreement for they knew what the spring season entailed.

"And with spring comes a very important day for the military. Now-"

"Shit! It's today?!" Moses exclaimed, for he believed that the event wasn't until another week. He then realized he interrupted the Commander by speaking out loud. He shut his mouth and quickly averted his gaze from both the Commander and the Captain, who was giving him an irate look. Erwin seemed not to mind as he slowly nodded his head.

"Indeed Moses. Now I don't feel it necessary to remind you all, but with our recent addition…" Turning to the marked man he was surprised by the knowing look he received. As Maverick waved off his concerns.

"Hange filled me in commander, no need." Erwin remained silent for a few moments before speaking once again in an effort to get back into his groove.

"Ah, well then, saves us the time. *Ahem* Now, I'm sure your all aware, that today is the day the 100th Training Corps graduates and will soon make their decision on which regiment they will serve." He continued.

"Which means that we will hopefully see some fresh faces joining us in a few days." A few murmurs were heard from the gathered scouts. Many hoped for a large turnout this year, seeing as the regiment had a total of roughly forty to fifty members at the moment. As some scouts who were grievously injured in the last expedition were relegated to non-combative roles or retired from the military overall.

"We'll need to get our headquarters prepared in time for our new arrivals, regardless of how many choose the scouts. To that end, the captain will be in charge of overseeing said efforts."

Levi suddenly stepped forward, eliciting looks of worry and dread from some of the scouts, mostly dread. For not only was the Captain renowned for his deadly skills in battle, but he was also known to be an utter neat freak. To the point where it bordered on obsession. Erwin ignored the looks of worry of his men as he continued.

"While I and a select few will head out to the training camps across both Maria and Rose and present our case to the trainees." As he concluded he turned to the captain with a hint of a smile on his face.

"I leave the operation to you, Captain." The halfling gave a nod as he unconsciously cracked his knuckles.

"Right." With that Levi began to round up the scouts and place them in cleaning groups, eliciting some groans and nervous smiles. While Erwin set his sights for the large man standing in the center.

"Maverick, a word please." With a nod he followed the commander as the group made their way towards the entrance gate to the training grounds. There was silence as they walked, until the marked man began to make his case regarding the fight.

"If this is about Miche, he volunteered-" Maverick began to explain, only for the commander to wave off his concerns.

"Don't worry, you're in no trouble. I simply wished to discuss some important matters concerning your appearance tonight." Unsurprising, Maverick thought, of course he would be one of the few to join Erwin on his little tour across the Walls.

"Many, especially inside Wall Rose, still see you as an enigma. So this will be many cadets' first impression of you. In fact I won't doubt that many will join just to get a glimpse or perhaps "bask in your presence." A chuckle escaped Maverick's lips, for it seemed that his following had enlightened the bushy browed commander.

"Which is why I want you to give a speech at the ceremony. To not only formally introduce yourself, but to also enlighten them on the realities of the joining the Survey Corps. You'll have to tell them the truth, you can't ugh…ermm…w-what was that term you used once? It's on the tip of my tongue…" Erwin snapped his fingers, trying to jog his memory.

"Sugarcoat?"

"Yes! You can't sugarcoat things." Maverick stayed silent in thought for a few moments before giving his response.

"I have no complaints, but isn't telling the rookies the bad news your job commander?" A smile formed on Erwin's lips as he responded.

"Of course, however I believe they will place your words higher over mine. You are the Savior of Shiganshina after all." Chuckles came from the retinue with Maverick releasing a humored sigh in response. Seemed like that new title of his was really going to stick with him for the rest of his life in this world.

With that in mind the Commander and the superhuman continued to discuss about the approaching ceremony. While everyone else made their way back to headquarters, ready, or at least somewhat ready, to make it presentable not only to the future recruits, but to Captain Levi's outrageous standards of cleanliness.

-oOo-

Later that evening, inside the HQ Barracks

It was late in the night, with many in the regiment having already fast asleep, exhausted by the halfling's cleaning operations. Minus Maverick of course, for his body barely felt any exhaustion from the ordeal, Gods beyond be praised. But now he found himself with another task ahead of him…

Reciting a speech…

He had long since conquered his anxieties of public speaking, but still, it didn't hurt to recite a passage or two before the big day, less he fumble on something and make himself look like a fool. As Erwin said, this was going to be many a recruits first impression of him, and as the old saying goes, first impressions are everything.

He chuckled in his head, hard to believe that such thoughts came from someone who once flew under the radar in life, or cared little for impressing others. How the flow of time could change a man…and the never-ending cycle of death and rebirth.

Getting back to business, he continued to read and reread the entirety of his written speech, making sure everything sounded clear. That is until the sound of footsteps brought him out of his concentration.

The door opened revealing to be his squad mates, with lit candles, and a warm steaming mug of something in hand.

"*Thought we'd get you a little something.*" Hange said with whispered breaths as she placed the candle she brought onto the nightstand, while Moblit handing him the mug.

"*Oh, thanks you two.*" He brought the mug to his lips revealing to be warm milk. A satisfied groan escaped his lips as he wiped his beard. "*Mhm, ohhh that's good.*"

Tired laughter filled the room causing Maverick to turn to his companions, noticing their half-lidded eyes and slouched postures. Like many others Levi had put them through the wringer, especially Hange, as she swooned in place, her body seeming to be on its last legs before shutting down completely.

"*Shouldn't you guys be in bed by now? You two look ready to give up the ghost.*" Hange simply laughed off his concern as she leaned on the wall. While Moblit took a seat on the only chair in the room.

"*We wanted to see how you were doing, considering you've been locked in here for the last few hours.*" Maverick could only smile in response, while her concern was appreciated he wished she could take the time to think about her own health, and not drag poor Moblit around, seeing as he nearly fell over on the chair a few times since he got here.

"*Well if you must know, my little speech is done, just gotta not choke on my words when I'm actually standing in front of all those cadets.*" His humorous tone expressed a small, yet surprising sense of nervousness that caused both of his squad mates to raise their brows, which was soon followed by the tired giggles from the squad leader.

"*What?*" The marked mans' question was met with a smirk from the squad leader who stood up and started to make her way closer to him.

"*Chuckles* Oh Maverick, all mighty, Savior of Shiganshina,. The man who could look at a horde of titans and laugh….shudders at the thought of having to talk in front of a crowd of fresh-faced recruits.*" She snickered as she spoke at Maverick's expense, while twirling around in place with arms held outwards, like one of his devoted followers whenever they spoke about him.

It was all in good fun of course, though someone outside the fourth squads' inner circle wouldn't tell as Maverick gave her a flat look as he stared her down.

"*Oi, never said anything about being spooked*." Hange continued to snicker as he leaned against the wall once more, having made herself dizzy. "Just want to make sure my thoughts are well prepared for tomorrow, less I fumble my words." He continued, causing Moblit to give him a questioning look.

"*Huh, would have though with all your uhh…gifts, they would have…you know…*" He gestured at his comrades body, eying the glowing markings and symbols that etched his exposed skin. Even under his shirt he could see the faint blue glow emanating. Maverick looked to his exposed arm before giving his comrade a small smile and a chuckle, wasn't the first time he heard that remark, wouldn't be the last.

"They made me a demigod Moblit, didn't magically cure my anxieties. Had to solve those all on my own, well…most of them…" Moblit's eyes slightly widened before lowering once more as a more apologetic look formed on his face. There were times he forgot that underneath all the muscle and blessing from gods and deities from worlds beyond, there was still a man. Someone whom he, in the last couple of months, had the pleasure to call a comrade and friend. Hange meanwhile rose up again, now in a very interested mood.

"Ohhh?" She voiced out her curiosity, wanting to hear more of the marked man so-called anxieties.

"As if I'd tell you anything." He shot her down immediately, however Hange was not going to give in so easily.

"*But Mav, were comrades. ~You can tell us.~*" She grasped his left arm as she attempted to sway him, though all it did was make him nearly spill his mug all over the floor he spent a bit of time sweeping. With some finesse Maverick managed to pry the squad leader off his arm and hold her back.

"*I've taken many things to my grave Hanji. Aint gonna start spilling anytime soon.*" He said with a chuckle, as he watched her deflate slightly. She didn't stay that way for long as she eyed and quickly snatched the written speech off his hands. She skimmed it for a bit as Maverick finished his drink, not seeming to mind.

"Well…I don't think you should be so worried. If anything I think they'll be too awestruck just from you being there." Maverick nodded, for she had a point. Seeing as there were still many people who stopped whatever they were doing and watched him pass by every time he wandered out of the district, the graduates would be no different.

"Yeah…but like I said, wouldn't hurt to get it memorized at least." His companions slowly nodded in agreement, before finally deciding to take their leave in order to get some much-needed rest. However, Maverick suddenly called out to the vice-captain just before he made his way out the door.

"Oh you know what? Moblit, know any place that sells good spirits?" Moblit leaned his head back, quickly answering his query.

"Yeah, why?" He spoke in a drowsy yet questioning tone.

"I'm gonna need it…"

-oOo-

The following day, Training Corps Graduation Ceremony, Inside Wall Maria

Today was the day. After spending some time to relax and enjoy time with friends and family, the cadets of the 100th Training Corps Southern Division were gathered in front of a stage, awaiting the representative of the Scout Regiment. They stood in attention, even as the minutes went by and the sun bared down on them, causing some to start talking amongst themselves.

"*Sigh* How long do they expect us to wait…" Muttered a cadet as he wiped his brow, already feeling the small beads of sweat starting to form. Just how long were they expected to wait? One would think that the scouts wouldn't be late to their own speaking event. A small huff from his comrade sounded in response to his complaint.

"*Chuckles* What's the rush Ian, you gotta be somewhere right now?" Turning his head, Ian Dietrich gave a narrowed look to his fellow who gave a half smirk while he fixed his pompadour. Gelgar was the cadets name, a lad that Ian had bonded with in his time in the Training Corps. While they may have met near the end of their first year, their fondness for alcoholic beverages made them fast friends.

However their friendship had been tested today, seeing as Ian gave a quick reply to Gelgar's joking remark.

"Cannon maintenance." The young cadet stopped fixing his hair, taken aback by his friends serious tone.

"You really gonna stick with the Garrison?" He whispered, with a hint of bafflement in his voice, which was met with a similar question.

"You really joining the Scouts?" Ian replied with a raised brow. Gelgar stayed silent with a disbelieving look, before it turned into a grin as he stood firm once again.

"Of course. Gonna take the fight to them, pay em back for nearly overrunning Maria." The smugness was practically oozing off of him, as if he was the one to solely punish them for even daring to enter the district.

"Heh, you got that right." Came the voice of another cadet, Henning was his name. Like Gelgar, Henning's choice of regiment was clear as he bumped shoulders with his comrade.

Ian's cold look gave way to a small smile, the two had always spoke about wanting to join the scouts, even before a certain individual appeared inside the Walls. As he recalled how long ago that was, a voice from his right was heard.

"You just want to see him don't you?" Turning their heads revealed a much taller cadet staring down at them with a questioning look. Mitabi Jarnach, a close friend of Ian, kept looking at the would-be scouts, waiting for an answer. A smirk began to form as both Gelgar and Henning refused to answer much less look at the tall cadet in the eyes. That was all the answer he needed, couldn't blame the of course. When news spread about him, nearly everyone had made up their minds on their choice of regiment.

"Think that's a given." Said a feminine voice behind the lads. Ian turned to the young ponytailed cadet with a small yet worried smile.

"Make sure you keep an eye on him Lynne, rather not lose a good drinking buddy." The young woman simply kept a smile on her face as she patted the back of her fellow.

"Oh don't worry, I'm sure the scouts will help keep him in check." Some small bouts of laugher erupted from the small groups of cadets, knowing of Gelgar's antics under the influence. In response the greaser deflated and looked back at his comrade with a sharp and irritated glare. Lynne simply brushed off his nasty look with another smile, having long since grown used to them.

"Wouldn't you say Tomas?" Turning to the cadet on her left she was met with no response as the tanned and dark-haired lad kept staring down at something in his grasp. It wasn't until he didn't hear voices that Tomas looked around.

"Hm? S-Sorry, what?" He muttered, completely oblivious to his comrades entire conversation. A few snickers came from the cadets around him at his expense, all in good fun of course.

"Gonna go earn your wings too, eh?" Ian asked. Before he could respond Jarnach spoke out with a scoff.

"Nah, he just wants to see the Titan Slayer too." Tomas offered no response or rebuttal as he tried to place whatever was in his hand back into his shirt. "I see the little shield on your neck man, I'm taller than all of you."

A frown soon formed on Tomas' face. The small shield was given to him by one of his relatives, who had survived the Shiganshina Skirmish. Like many of the survivors he was a staunch follower of the new rising religious sect, The Order of the Morning Star. Tomas was gifted it as a charm of good luck, which he wore around his neck with pride.

Only natural that he would feel the need to defend his gifted trinket.

"It was a gift, so what?" Mitabi was taken aback slightly from his tone, but didn't comment on it as he continued.

"Just saying, you gotta commit to the cause y'know, don't think you'll fly by just by worship-"

"Mitabi, enough." The sharp tone brough the tall cadets' attention to the much smaller female to his right. Looking up at him with an unamused expression was another of the tall cadets' longtime friends.

Rico Brzenska, a very small statured young woman, recognized by her short platinum blonde hair that often looked pale white in the right light, and a pair of round, thin rimmed glasses that were quite literally strapped to her head.

Another recognizable aspect of the young Rico was the constant sharp and often intimidating look on her face, as if she was constantly scrutinizing whatever was caught in her sights. It had earned her the nickname "The Librarian" which stuck throughout the threeyears of her training. Though one would be wise to not say it within earshot or in the same room as her. Her looks mixed with her often cold personality made it somewhat difficult to approach her.

Yet she had found a friendship among Dietrich and Jarnach, showing she was more than capable of forming comraderies. Though their friendship meant nothing at the moment she was currently staring up at Jarnach with a stone cold look.

"What do you gain by questioning him? If he wishes to join the Scout Regiment, then that's his choice, not yours." Mitabi couldn't respond as Rico's stink eye stared into his soul. "Unless you wish to join them?" She added with a raised brow, her voice changing to a more judgmental tone.

"I-I-N-No, that's not what I-"

Whatever he was struggling to say died in his throat as Ian suddenly patted his chest. Looking back at him he leaned his head towards the stage, as a tall blonde-haired soldier appeared from the right side of the installation. All the cadets suddenly shut their traps and stood at attention as the tall man made his way towards the center.

With both hands behind his back he stood up, back straight, eyes scanning the gathered cadets from left to right, scrutinizing each and every one of them. Seconds later he readjusted his bolo tie before speaking with a firm tone.

"I am Erwin Smith, Commander of the Survey Corps." The cadets remained silent as the commander continued. "First off, apologies for the slight delay, for we had some…issues along the way…"

Looking back to his right he saw the other scouts in his retinue, more specifically his piercing gaze was on the large man who gave him a nonchalant hand wave, as if he wasn't responsible for de-railing their trip with a "pit-stop." He let out a small, slightly irritated sigh before turning back to more important matters.

"Regardless, I am here today to offer you all a personal invitation to join the ranks of the Survey Corps. Quite frankly, we are in need of new blood." Some of the cadets were surprised by the commanders' bluntness, others weren't as much, knowing the situation with the scouts beforehand.

"I'm sure you all know by now of the last time the regiment went on an expedition, and the results of said expedition." Silence filled the grounds as no words were needed to acknowledge the losses suffered by the Scout Regiment. Some cadets lowered their heads out of respect for the fallen.

"While lives were lost that day, we also gained a great boon in our fight against the titans." Mutterings were suddenly heard from the gathered crowd. Among the voices Erwin could pick out some certain choice words, all related to a certain marked individual.

"I believe you all know whom I speak of." He didn't need to point out the obvious, but the mention of him made the cadets more attentive.

"I'm sure there are many of you who wish to join us in the hopes of fighting alongside such a renown individual. But let me remind you all that despite his strengths, the dangers of the world outside the Walls, are still very real…"

As the commander went on to explain the dangers that faced the scouts, Maverick was busy going over his speech one last time, with his comrades giving him some extra support.

"*You'll do great Mav. Relax.*" Hange patted Maverick's arm in hopes of easing her comrade. She received an appreciative nod from the large man, before he returned to the small piece of paper in his hands.

"Never thought I'd see him like this…" Darius whispered, honestly shocked to see Maverick show any other emotions other than calmed assurance and slight anger.

"Happens to the best of us." Dirk responded, finding it all amusing than anything. His remark was loud enough for Maverick to hear.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence guys…" He said, the sarcasm clear in his tone. Piping down they listened in on the Commander as he continued to talk to the cadets about the dangers outside the Walls. While they couldn't see the reactions from the crowd they imagined they weren't exactly getting motivated.

"Wonder how many will actually stay…" Klaus said, pretty much voicing out what everyone was thinking at the moment.

"If the commander doesn't scare everyone away, then we should expect at least some…" Answered Moblit reclining on a support pillar of the stage. Just as he finished saying his peace an interesting little bit was heard from their fearless leader.

"Of course don't just take my word for it. For our special guest will certainly agree." Maverick stopped pacing around and slowly turned towards where Erwin was standing.

"For he has faced odds so great that none of us could ever hope to compare. A veteran of countless battles across lands and battlefields far beyond the Walls…" A sigh left Maverick's mouth, for it seemed like it was now the time to get ready to do his part.

"Moblit…the bottle please." Handing him a bag Maverick carefully took out an expensive looking bottle. While it was large in the scouts' view, compared to Maverick it looked to be a bottle of average size.

"Such a life has not only given him immense strength and abilities bordering on the supernatural, but has gifted him with thousands upon thousands of years' worth of experience and knowledge."

Maverick eyed the bottle's cover noting the age of the liquor and the cute little designs around the borders, making it quite an eye catcher.

"Knowledge that he has shared with all in the Scout Regiment, knowledge that many before us have died for…"

He carefully removed the cap and took a whiff of the content inside, soaking it all in. Seconds later he took a swig as Erwin continued.

"Allow me to formally present to you all the man with the strength of a thousand titans. The man who slew hundreds of them and saved Wall Maria from being overrun. The man marked with the blessings of gods and deities from across the world. The strongest soldier of humanity! The Titan Slayer!"

Looking back to his right he had to take pause at the sight of his large comrade chugging down the bottle he had bought, with the others of his retinue giving nervous looks. They didn't wait long as he soon dislodged the bottle from his lips and placing the cap back on. Giving it to Moblit he turned and prepared to make his way towards the center of the stage, not before receiving another few words of motivation from the bespectacled squad leader.

Whatever was said was unheard but from Maverick's expression it seemed to help as he took a deep breath and straightened his back, and took the first steps toward the commander, as well as giving many of the cadets their first look at the illusive Marked Man of Maria.

A sea of wide eyes and slack jawed expressions was the first of many things Maverick saw as he slowly made his way across the stage. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as his eyes observed the many faces of the cadets as they too observed him. While many had looks of shock and awe, he noticed a few interesting looks. Some had smiles on their faces like one seeing their hero in the flesh, others looked to be muttering something while holding something in their hands, and of course the very recognizable blushes on many of the female cadets. No doubt he'd be the subject of many nightly fantasies in the future.

Then there was the small, quiet, and nervous voices as the cadets watched the glowing goliath take each of his slow and powerful steps.

Holy shit he's real…

H-He really does glow…

Thought he be larger…

Haaahhh…

He managed to keep his chuckles inside as he at last made his way towards the center of the stage. A small smile formed on Erwin's face as he stood back allowing Maverick the spotlight.

A coughed into his arm, getting his voice ready, before finally speaking in a clear and non-threatening tone.

"Morning, cadets. Let me just begin by congratulating you all for making it through your training. I can imagine the three years was grueling to say the least." A few surprised looks, but nothing too serious. Seems they didn't expect such a compliment from the goliath.

"But look at you now, not the same boys and girls you were when you started, eh?" A few nervous chuckles sounded from the crowd, either of feeling the need to respond or perhaps recalling memories from the past year.

'So good so far"

"Big day today, gonna be making a pretty important choice." A few smiles formed as he said that. "Maybe I'll see some of you on the battlefields as fellow comrades in arms, or maybe we'll see one another when your manning the Wall cannons…or maybe this will be the first and only time we'll ever get to meet one another."

Looking back into the crowd he noticed a few cadets with unresponsive reactions, clearly the top 10 of the class, and those with no thoughts of ever setting foot outside.

"But as the commander said, were here to get some new members into our ranks." He took a short pause, allowing himself to catch his breath.

"With that in mind allow me to put a name to all the many titles you've all heard so much about." He relaxed his stance, in an effort to seem more comfortable to the cadets. Despite his beard covering half his face many of the cadets closer to him saw the smile form on his face as he spoke.

"The names Maverick. Giant exterminator, and a proud member of the Survey Corps, Fourth Squad." A few mutters erupted from the crowd, saying the foreign name for themselves by syllables, for now they could put a name to all the stories and tall tales of his actions.

With a clap he silenced the crowd and got back to his talk.

"Now, I was going to tell you all a bit about myself, ease you all in to the more…outlandish parts of my life. But it would seem I was beaten to it." Taking a glance to his left he was met with a small smirk from Erwin, as if it was all according to plan. He scoffed, then returned his gaze to the cadets, and with another deep breath he continued.

"Let me say, that everything the commander claimed about me is all true…I have lived…quite an interesting life." A chuckle escaped his lips, as his head slightly lowered.

"A very….very…very, long life."

His voice was not very loud, thus many in the back of the crowd couldn't quite hear what he said, but those in front could, and were taken slightly aback. They didn't expect to hear such a soft and slightly hollow tone from the goliath standing before them. No one said a word as he continued to speak though now he stared gaze was downward, as if lost in his thoughts.

"I've seen places you could only dream of ever existing, and I've killed things far worse and far more challenging than your "titans." The scorn in his tone caused some wide eyed reactions, as well as the sneer that formed on his face when he said the word titan, as if it disgusted him to even say it by its syllables.

"Honestly, calling them titans is insulting. If any of you saw the titans I had to deal with….well, they'd make the giants here look like nothing." A dry laugh sounded from the marked man, before he finally looked back up, to which he noticed the shocked looks from the cadets turn more incredulous. With a sigh he continued.

"I can see by your faces that you're not really buying it. I can understand, What could be worse than a giant, feral, man eater?" His features hardened, the small smile on his face disappeared in exchange for a downturned expression. His straightened his back, a crisp crack sounding off, making a few of the cadets and Erwin cringe. He let out a sharp breath as he prepared to enlighten the graduates with one of his fantastical anecdotes of foes past.

"How about a creature, older than humanity itself, who's mere presence could cause maelstroms of thunder and lightning to engulf the sky, blocking out the sun entirely." There was nothing but silence, as the cadets were stunned by not only by the description of this beast, but in Mavericks tone as he continued to speak of it, with many believing him in seconds.

"A creature who could feed off of lightning itself, and wield a warhammer capable of breaking apart the earth." A few shocked gasps sounded from the cadets, the idea of a titan using a weapon very much concerning in their minds, to which Maverick capitalized on. "Oh yes! This titan could hold and wield weapons, and was armored top to bottom in brass!"

The retinue of scouts listened intently to Maverick, just as the young wide eyed cadets. Though they had heard many of his tales, it was always a surprise to hear him go off about the many monsters he'd faced. Though some couldn't help but feel they had heard this one before. As Klaus looked to his comrades for clarification.

"Who's he talking about?"

He'd get his answer as Maverick raised his voice, telling all of this lightning eating titan.

"Kholek Suneater was his name! A dragon ogre of immense strength and age. First born to Krakanrok the Black. Worshiped by chaotic tribes of northmen as a god of storms and destruction."

More mutterings from the cadets sounded, surprised that the titan had a name, even more so that it was apparently born from another named titan. A barrage of questions entered their little minds concerning this Kholek. Could a titan be capable of doing such a thing? Eating the sun in its entirety? Who was Krakanrok? What in the Walls was a dragon ogre?

Their questions would not be answered, as Maverick let out a little tidbit that made the cadets go stiff silent once again.

"Of course…he was."

Not a peep was heard, they simply let those words stew in their heads as he continued.

"I met Kholek once, and only once. After beating back an invading army of barbarians from my homeland, the skies were suddenly engulfed with storm clouds, black like the night sky. I remember hearing footsteps miles away, before I could even see him through the lightning. Then there was the chanting…"

A few small but audible chuckles escaped his breath as his head lowered a bit, recalling the amusing sight from that day in the cold battlegrounds.

"Those half naked inbreeds actually started to rave and chant, like one of their gods was coming to make things all better…" Some were getting a bit uncomfortable, seeing the small grin as he spoke.

"They made way as he strode across the land, stepping over the bodies that littered the ground like they were nothing. Then he points at me with his hammer. Fucker was calling me out, to face me one-on-one. Heh, I called his bluff" All eyes were on him as he went into further detail.

"For five days we went at one another, to the point where the battlefield was nothing more than a bunch of craters and cracks in the earth. My armor was busted, torn, pretty much nothing more than scraps of steel hanging by a few straps." The cadets were captivated by his tale, left wondering what kind of power was needed to not only fight a large mountain sized titan, but to apparently do so for five whole days. Truly a testament to not only his strength, but of how dangerous this Suneater was as well.

"But in the end I came out on top. I brought an end to the so-called Herald of the Tempest."

He started to chuckle again, this time much louder and with a little more vigor in his voice.

"*Chuckles*Ohhh if you all could have seen the looks on those Norscans when they saw their mighty shaggoth lying in a pool of his own blood, his armor cracked and dented, bones broken and bent, and his head smashed in by his own warhammer! *Chuckles* Where were their mighty gods now, eh?! Hahahaha!...ehhhh"

He looked back to see the faces of the cadets, now looking at him with more worried and nervous looks. Looking to his left he was met with the deadpanned look from his commander to his right he saw the other scouts with nervous smiles, minus Hange who had a pleased smile and gave a thumbs up.

"*Cough* *Cough* A-Anyways, like the commander said, we could really use a boost in our numbers, and something tells me we'll get quite a few from the lot of you." Looking around he noticed some of the cadets had some choice necklaces on their person, which had grown to be the common accessory to those of his following.

"I see that some of you hold me in very high regard…but let me tell you this. If you think your faith will be enough to survive, then your very, very mistaken." The cadets were once again taken aback by how quickly the marked man's tone shift.

"Faith alone won't save your life, or those of your friends. No, it will be your training, your skills, and your will to fight and survive that will see you through every time. A heaping helping of luck also helps, should lady fortune smile upon you." He let out a deep breath as he saw the despondent looks of those with their small trinkets. A part of him didn't want to dissuade or make them feel hopeless, but this had to be said, not only because Erwin told him so, but to be sure that the cadets would be self-reliant in the future.

"I know there are some of you that are wondering why? Why hasn't the Survey Corps been disbanded now that I'm here? Why not just send me out and have me take care of all of those dim-witted giants outside? Why risk your own lives?" He let the cadets talk amongst themselves for a bit until speaking once again

"Cause someday…I will die." Shocked looks filled the crowd, as they couldn't imagine the man who slaughtered a hundred titans being brought down.

"Not by the giants mind you. No way in hell will they'll take me down. *Sigh* But, in time, there will come a day where I won't be here anymore. And I don't want you or the next generations to grow overly reliant on me or my abilities." Some of the cadets looked confused, which was understandable.

"Believe when I say that I've seen what happens to those who hold their entire faith on a single deity or being, how they devolve from who they once were, and what happens when their idols forsake them…" Flashes of the many fanatical cults and zealous preachers of his past ran through his mind, before slightly shaking his head and pushing on with his spiel.

"When were out there fighting don't expect me to come and save you every time you're in trouble or constantly keep an eye out for every single danger, that will be your job." Upon the worried look from the young rookies he softened his tone, as if he was talking to his own young.

"Don't take this the wrong way. I'm flattered that you think so highly of me, but I want you all to have faith in your own strength. You've had three years to hone your skills. Don't waste them away, just because I'm here." The graduates kept silent, stewing in their own thoughts, until the voice of the Commander was heard once again.

"Death and the Survey Corps go hand in hand. While I believe we can mitigate our future casualty rates, the fact is that casualties will occur, especially once we venture outside the Walls." His said as he stood next to the marked man. Despite the size difference Erwin proved to be just as imposing with his piercing blue eyes.

"Don't think that I'll just leave anyone to die. If I see someone out there seriously struggling I won't hesitate to come and help. It all depends on the distance." A few relieved breaths and sighs left many cadets' mouths, bringing a small smile to the goliath.

"What we expect is for each and every one of you to give it your all. Your strength, your resolve, and your life for humanity." A couple of the cadets evaded the commanders' gaze finding the floor to be more comfortable.

"Now that you know what it will be like, ask yourselves, if you truly can and will be able to commit to those sacrifices. There's no one who knows you better than yourselves." With having all that needed to be said Erwin allowed the graduates of the 100th Training Corps to their thoughts.

"To those who wish to join another regiment you are dismissed. Know that we do not think any less of you should you leave."

"Someone's gotta keep watch of the home front while were gone after all." Maverick joked eliciting a few chuckles from the young rookies.

And with that some of the cadets soon were left to their own devices. It would be a few seconds minutes after the commanders speech did the first ten cadets leave the grounds, off to join the unicorns. Minutes later they were followed by a few others, seeming to decide that the wall duty was a better alternative. Some of them look back, giving one final apologetic look to him, only to look shocked at the smile Maverick gave in response. He couldn't fault them in their choice, self-preservation was a strong feeling amongst the human species. He knew that better than anyone.

As this was happening Gelgar and a few others simply stood firm, glancing at their friends who turn their backs and headed out. He felt a sudden hand on his shoulder, turning to reveal Ian.

"Good luck." Despite the shortness of his farewell, there was a very clear hint of genuine concern in his voice. As the young greaser processed this an appreciative smile formed on his face as he patted his friends arm.

That was all that needed to be said as Ian's little trio of friends made their way back from the Garrison headquarters. Minus one, who stood in place.

"Rico?" Mitabi asked, only to receive no response from the short statured cadet. She simply stood in place, eyes forward, straight at the 7 foot tall goliath still standing on the stage. She kept her sights on him as he did her, at least she thought, seeing as his lack of pupils made it impossible to really know.

Her eyes were on him the moment he appeared and for reasons unknown to even her, she found herself taking in every word that left his mouth. Even when his words caused doubt or his small episode of apparent madness when retelling his wild and outlandish tale, she found herself unable to scoff or give a questioning glare. If anything seeing the man show these sides to him was…fascinating, for lack of any better words. She felt she could listen to his accolades all day.

"Rico…"

The concerned tone in the voice brought her back to reality. With a slight shake she turned to see her two friends of three years looking at her. She turned back to see that the marked man's head had actually turned in her direction. A small tingling sensation was felt as her eyes quickly darted to the ground. With a few short breaths she managed to control both her breathing and the feeling inside her before finally bringing it all back. With her usual flat look she took a deep breath and turned her back, approaching her two comrades.

They chose not to say anything about what just transpired just a few seconds ago, nor the still visible redness in her cheeks.

Aftar that little scene the small group of cadets remained in place. Lynne looked back to Tomas and saw him hold his shield necklace with a strong grip.

"Still up for it Tomas?" She received a firm nod as a response. "Even if he…."

"He's right….can't put all my eggs in one basket." There was no sense of hatred nor scorn in his voice. More of a calm tone, as if his will had strengthened.

"I'll fight by his side…with my own strength…show that I don't need to be coddled." Looks of shock formed on the cadets around him, which turned to smiles, finding themselves motivated by his words.

"Heh, yeah. You're not one of them pansy Wallist after all." Henning remarked earning him a few snickers from the rest of the crowd. Minutes later the last of the cadets that wished to leave had left, leaving around thirty remaining sword-backed trainees. Erwin's face remained emotionless as he spoke to the crowd.

"Those of you who remain, know that from now on you embark on a road that will either end with the fall of humanities enemies, or you own demise. Until that day comes…"

With a much stronger voice he shouted out while placing his left arm behind his back and his right above his heart, with Maverick performing the salute as well.

"DEDICATE YOUR HEARTS! SHOW THEM THAT THERE IS STILL A FIGHT LEFT IN YOU! SHOW THEM THE MIGHT OF HUMANITY!"

In seconds the remaining members of the 100th Training Corps Southern Division performed their salutes in unison, and letting their voices out for all to hear.

"SIR YES SIR!"

Erwin looked at the batch of train-no, their new recruits, with looks of pride and respect, and while Maverick shared these emotions he couldn't help but feel a sense of dread, though he dared not show it.

"You are all to report to the Shiganshina district to get acquainted with your new accommodations, there you will be directed by a senior member to your new stations…" As the commander continued to explain Maverick decided to step back from the stage, not before receiving a nod from the commander. Making his way back to the group he received a hug from his squad leader.

"*You did great Mav!*" Hange exclaimed as she squeezed her hold on the superhuman. A chuckle escaped his lips as he patted the squad leaders' head.

"Heh, a bit of touch and go after Erwin's little speech. Had to improvise a bit." Small bouts of laugher came from the retinue of scouts.

"Well you didn't choke, that's what matters." Moblit joked causing a genuine bit of laughter from the large man to escape his mouth.

"Certainly had them with that story of yours." Daries added. Before they could discuss further the sound of Erwin's voice brought them out of their merriment.

"Don't celebrate too early everyone. We have seven more divisions to visit, best we get on the move to save time." A couple groans escaped their lips but that was all the amount of complaining they made, for a few of them like Darius had done this plenty of times.

As they watched the new recruits board carriages stationed to bring them towards HQ Erwin approached Maverick, with a small smile on his face.

"Excellent job with keeping the cadets attentive Maverick, think you can keep it up for the next divisions?" A chuckle escaped the marked man's lips as he cracked his knuckles.

"Oh, I got enough stories to last their entire lifetimes combined Commander, don't you worry."

And so for the last few hours the small group of scouts traveled from Walls Maria and Rose to each cadet division. From Quinta and Holst, to Trost and Karanes, they made their case to the graduating cadets in the hopes that they would consider the Scout Regiment.

Like in Shiganshina, Maverick's appearance left the cadets in awe, especially those in the Rose divisions. They were left even more shocked by the stories he would tell of the many giant threats he had faced in the past. All of them sounding far more dangerous and ludicrous than the titans right outside their protected Walls.

His encounter with the demonic imperator titan, Abominatus…

Facing off against a pack of rampaging Brumaks…

His bout with the dreaded Monstructor…

A one-on-one fight with the Hecatonchires of old myths…

Surviving the carnage and chaos from an all-consuming blob monster…

The Vastatosaurus Rex he faced on the mystical Skull Island…

And of course, a time where he had to bring down a 60-meter giant going on a drunken bout near his home in the countryside.

These tales he told left the cadets speechless. Many doubted the credibility of his stories, seeing as one, they weren't there to see it, and two, they sounded utterly crazy and made up. And yet it was the way he spoke of his encounters that slowly made them believe. Many could compare it to the way their elders spoke of their early childhoods or how retired veterans spoke of their first encounter with titans.

Not to mention the person telling them of all this was a seven-foot-tall giant of a man, whose eyes and body glowed like a star in the sky! Who were they to doubt or cast him off as a lunatic? If he was able to best these bizarre sounding titans, then humanity had more than a chance to beat back the man-eating hordes.

And many wanted a front row seat to see it happen.

His stories definitely had an effect on the cadets. Despite being told of the risk of joining the scouts and that the marked man would not be the guardian angel they had hoped there were still quite a number that stayed in place as their others left for the other divisions. The commander was surprised to say the least, but refused to let it show as he simply stood and saluted the new members of the regiment, getting a valiant salute in kind.

By the end of the day the number of new recruits had surpassed the two hundred mark, bringing the Survey Corps nearly back to full regimental strength.

-oOo-

Survey Corps Headquarters, inside the Shiganshina District

By the time the Commanders' retinue, along with the new recruits from Wall Rose's Northern division, had returned to headquarters the moon was high in the sky. As ordered, the rookies were to be brought to the mess hall as to receive an awaiting meal as well as become accustomed to their new surroundings, and being acquainted with the veterans of the regiment.

Judging by the sounds coming from the hall it seemed they were all getting along just fine.

A few yawns a grumbling stomachs were heard from the recruits as they had traveled nonstop through both walled territories with haste. Many had to control themselves, for the smell of food inside the mess hall was practically beckoning them.

'One can hope they left some for the rest of us…' Erwin thought. Just as he was nearing the doors he turned to the crowd of hungry and tired cadets.

"Before we settle in, I'll be making a short announcement, so I ask that you all keep your urges in for a few more minutes." Despite the despondent looks the cadets nodded their heads, as if they expected this to happen. With a small appreciative smile Erwin opened the double doors releasing a wave of delicious and mouthwatering smells.

Inside was a most surprising sight. Inside the packed hall were the many new recruits of the seven divisions, alongside the veterans of the regiment who were standing at certain spots around the hall, either chatting it up with some of the new members or keeping an eye on the ones seated. As soon as the doors were open all eyes turned to Erwin and the gang.

"Commander present!" One of the veterans shouted. All the seated recruits rose up immediately to give their salutes. A small chuckle escaped Erwin's lips as he motioned for everyone to settle down.

"At ease everyone, at ease. You may all get back to your seats." They did just that, just as Erwin noticed that much if not the entire spread of food hadn't been eaten. "I see that the food has yet to be touched."

"We had it all prepared once we heard you were on your way back sir. It didn't feel appropriate that we should eat before you arrived." Erwin was surprised. Both by the consideration and the fact that they had been able to restrain the new recruits, seeing as some of them looked to be on the verge of just ripping into it all like wolves.

"I see…and I assume they've been informed on their morning duties?" He received many confirming nods of from the squad leaders. "Well then.." Turning back to the recruits from the last division he spoke.

"Before I let you go just know that by morning you will all be assigned to your individual squads, and team leaders. You will also go through ODM training and gear maintenance, less we are notified of any titan activity. Understood?" Rapid nods from the recruits was all he needed to finally let them go.

"You may find a seat and dig in."

Hell nearly broke loose as the recruits race walked towards whatever available seating they could find, just as the rest of the gathered cadets final started to pick and tear at the spread before them. All the while Erwin and his retinue calmly made their way to the closest available table.

"*Sigh* Been waiting for this all day…" Maverick said while rubbing his stomach, to the laughter of his squad leader as they took their seats

"*Chuckles* Told you so Mav. Should have packed something before we left." He scoffed in response as he began to stuff his plate with all sort of meats and boiled potatoes "Didn't think we'd be out all day, plus the liquor made me hungrier."

"And why did you bring it along?" Erwin asked with a raised brow, which was met with a quick response.

"Liquid encouragement." It earned him a couple chuckles, as he went to the ale barrels near the corner of the hall. Minutes later he returned with a large custom made mug filled to the brim.

"Should have just carried us from one division to the next." He muttered to himself receiving a pat on his back from Hange. However another female voice was heard bring him out of his stupor.

"That would have been fun." Turning to the source of the voice he was met with the sight of a young woman. Her face held a smirk as she brushed some of her short light orange hair aside, before turning to the goggle eyed squad leader.

"Hey Hange, been a while huh?" She asked with a familiar tone, though Hange seemed to not recall the young lady in front of her.

"Eh?" The mystery girl deflated a little as she placed her hands on her hips.

"Oh come on now, don't tell me you forgot about me. We used to go out and pick frogs, remember?" The look of utter confusion remained on her face for a few moments, before her eyes suddenly widened with realization as to who the one standing before them was.

"MARLENE!"

In an instant she was upon the now named recruit, delivering a near bone shattering hug. The young Marlene showed no discomfort as she reciprocated with her own hug. Hange spun around in place as the two laughed, not caring for the scene she was making.

"Ohhhhh, I can't believe you're here!" Setting her down she placed her hands on her shoulders. "But why?" Marlene didn't say a word as she scratched her chin.

"Well…I thought I'd commit to something more than just run a store. Do my part, ya know." The smile on Hange's face grew nearly tenfold, simply happy to see an old face she hadn't seen since she joined the military all those years ago.

"Good to have you then. Oh! You have to meet my teammates!" She practically dragged her along the wooden floor as she presented her old friend to her new friends.

"Moblit, Mav, this is Marlene, we've been buddies since we were tots." Marlene tried her best to keep her cool seeing as she was a few feet from the large glowing goliath.

"A pleasure to meet you." Moblit greeted with a firm handshake, which was reciprocated. Then it was Maverick's turn as he slowly got up from his seat and stood next to his friend.

"Any friend of Hange is a friend of mine." He spoke in a similar calm tone as to not spook the new recruit too much. She managed to keep some of her composure in check as she slowly went to shake the man's large hand.

"Ahh-T-T-T-The p-pleasure is mine…." Then came the sensation of a shock going through her spine…

"Eep!" With a yelp she backed away from the man grasping her arm. It caused a few silent chuckles from the veterans, who had experienced the same feeling months ago.

"Oof, should have warned ya." Maverick said, giving an apologetic smile. A tinge of red appeared on Marlene's cheeks as she rubbed her hand, trying to get the tingly feeling out of her system.

"It fine, j-just a tingly feeling." She replied, her tone not sounding confident at all. Luckily Moblit was there to ease her.

"It happens to everyone, don't worry." Seemed to work as she seemed to settle her breathing, turning back to her original peppy tone.

"Well anyways, I was hoping I could steal her away for a bit, catch up you know." Turning to Hange she was met with a jolly expression as she nodded her head furiously.

"Yeah, lets!" Her eyes suddenly widened, realizing she was pretty much leaving her two squad mates behind. "Sorry to leave you two bu-"

"Don't you go apologizing for nothing, seems like you two have a lot of catching up to do." Hange stood silent for a moment before a very appreciative smile formed, glad at just how understanding her large friend was. She was truly blessed.

"~See you later!~" With that she and her friend parted on their own to discuss whatever it was two long distant friends talked about, leaving Maverick and Moblit to their own devices.

"Tch, can you believe her? Leaving us for some childhood friend she hasn't seen in years, the nerve!" Maverick spoke in a scornful tone, even pulling one of the Captain's signature tongue clicks. It got a rise out of Moblit, sensing he didn't truly mean it, even joining in with his own two cents.

"Yeah, the nerve." The two men chuckled at their little jest for a few moments and soon went back to their food, finally getting something in their stomachs besides their hardtack rations.

"But I'm happy for her you know, she looked so excited to see her again." With a food stuffed smile Maverick agreed, it was nice to see her show such emotions at anything that wasn't a giant man eater. Soon their conversation moved to other matters.

"So, you think the prototype is ready?" Maverick continued to chew his food while in thought, before swallowing and giving his squad mate a response.

"We got it trigger working, all that's left is a live fire exercise." A small groan escaped Moblit's mouth as he took a sip from his ale. "*Sigh* Gonna have a lot of complaints should we release any of our friends."

"Or we could test it on whatever giant comes wandering too close to the Wall." Moblit didn't have time to process this alternative option as a nervous voice was heard from his right.

"E-Excuse us. B-But may we sit here?"

Glancing to their right they were met with the sight of two young men with plates in their hands, which Maverick recognized as two cadets from Wall Rose's western division. The one who had spoken had short spiky blonde hair, yet what made him stand out were the round shaped goggles that he wore on his face, which didn't help to hide the worry in his eyes as he stood still.

The other behind him seemed more relaxed, or was at least able to hide his nervousness much better than his compatriot. Like Maverick his skin was tanned in coloration, though not as dark as him, and dark hair which had been given the buzz cut treatment. As soon as his eyes met his Maverick's widened slightly, as he felt a sense of familiarity in the young man.

'Christ, thought I was looking at my cousin for a moment there…'

Seeing as he had yet to respond Maverick scooched to the side slightly and patted the table with Moblit following. "Go right ahead, no one's stopping ya." With a still nervous smile the two joined the two veterans scouts making themselves comfortable.

"Welp, time to break the ice. Names?"

"A-A-Abel, a pleasure." The goggled recruit replied, still nervous at the prospect of sitting next to the renowned Titan Slayer.

"Keiji, likewise." His friend seemed to have no trouble introducing himself, though Mav could tell by his voice that he had rehearsed this before arriving. Still points for effort.

"Well nice to meet you two, Don't think I have to introduce myself, but…." Nudging his friend Moblit quickly wiped with mouth in an effort to look presentable.

"Moblit, Moblit Berner." After their short introductions were made Maverick got the two recruits to talk about themselves. To the surprise of both veterans these two were of the top ten graduates from their division, yet here they were. When asked Abel claimed that tales of Maverick's exploits had inspired him toward the "path of the scout". Keiji meanwhile, claimed that he joined to make sure his friend came back alive, that and meeting the man who could knock out a titan sounded fun.

Eventually the subject of their conversation was on Abels choice of eyewear.

"You sure you want to keep em on kid? They'll fog up with all the steam." Abel nearly choked on his food, as he tried to answer.

"O-Oh no its fine really." He said with a slight tinge of nervousness. A questioning look appeared on both veterans faces, till Maverick spoke with sudden realization.

"Ohhh I see. One of those prescription goggles eh?" Moblit too joined in, understanding the situation. "Our squad leader has one of those." The blonde recruit waved his hands while shaking his head, all the while his friend gave a sly look.

"N-No it not that, just uh…." That's when Keiji struck a killing blow to his friends pride.

"A fly got into his eye during ODM training once. Hasn't taken those things off ever since." Seconds after revealing that he was set upon by his friend, who had a look of shock, anger, and betrayal, all in one expression.

"YOU PRICK! YOU SAID YOU WOUDNT TELL!" He grabbed his jacket and begun to shake him, all the while Keiji kept a shit eating grin on his face. Though seconds later he felt his friends grip loosen, as the marked man had separated the two.

"*Chuckles* Easy son, easy. No need to make a scene." The number of scouts looking at them begged to differ, though Maverick chose to ignore them as he sat Abel back down, while Keiji readjusted himself.

"Now, there's no shame in any of that, it can happen to anyone." Abel remained silent as he started to pick at his food. "Happened to me too you know."

"R-Really?" The recruit asked with wide eyes.

"Yep, pretty funny story too. Wanna hear it?" Able nodded his head rather vigorously, alongside Keiji who simply leaned in close to hear better. Seeing as he got both their attention Maverick made himself comfortable as he recalled the incident from his youth, many millennia ago.

"Well…it all started when my dad took me fishing…"

A/N: Another long one. Can't even tell you how many times I had to rewrite Mav's little speech. Part of me still feels unsatisfied with it overall, but I'm glad to have this out.

Starting off we get to see a return of Maverick's kombatant martial arts in the story. I always wanted to have this as a recurring thing, but since he's fighting giants he'll have to settle with Miche, as well as any other people that may want to fuck with him, which will happen at some point. Also wanted to show that Mav isn't always going to be a "goody two shoes" as one reviewer commented. There will be moments where the more crude or overall hostile aspects of his personality will show up. Like ant other person he has flaws, and I hope I can show it without it being too, for lack of a better word "forced."

Next topic of interest is that we now see Hange able to speak English much more fluently with Maverick, to a point where she's able to have full conversations with him. Just wanted to say that from now on when you see one of these * before someone speaks it just means that they're speaking English, or another language entirely. Don't think I'll have to keep mentioning it in the story.

Next is the big event to the story, the graduation of the 100th Training Corps. Lots of new/old faces have been introduced, as well as some who I should have added much earlier in the story. Just so were keeping score, let me just list them off…

Dirk, Klaus, and Darius: Scout veterans that were kind of in the background for the first couple of chapters. Judging by their appearance in the manga/anime I'm pretty sure they were part of those few that stayed alive for five years, until season 3 of course. Similar deal with Dieter, who I edited in a past chapter.

Ian Dietrich: Sticking with the Garrison, just like the original. Doesn't mean that he'll have his moments.

Mitabi Jarnach: Just like Ian, hes going with the Garrison. Not much else to say other than his attitude towards those joining the scouts.

Rico Brzenska: The third member to the Garrison trio. Even before the attack on Trost we see she had already developed her stone-cold personality. Not to say she'll always be like that, she'll have her moments for sure.

Gelgar: The booze loving greaser and an OG member. Though here we see him as a fresh-faced rookie, ready to give those titans a good thrashing.

Lynne: Another OG scout. Trying to go for the "big sister" type with her, seeing as she was asked to keep an eye on the pompadour, a duty she will take to heart.

Henning: Another cadet ready to dedicate his heart. Gonna be a challenge trying to explore more aspects of his character, seeing as we didn't see much of it in the original manga/anime.

Tomas: Same deal with Henning, little to no detail on him, other than he rushed to alert everyone of the breach in Wall Rose, didn't even know whether he lived or died later on. Here however we see him as a somewhat devout individual, as I wanted to have someone who was part of Maverick's new following. Who better than a scout with little to no character?

Marlene: Reading the wiki it says that she seemed to have a close relationship with Hange, possibly old friends. Went with that and made her the old childhood friend type. Will help Hange later on with a certain issue that will arise later on.

Abel: Or "Googles" As he's sometimes known. An OG member of the scouts that we saw here and there, until season 3. Part of me wished I could have added him and the rest of the squad early on, but since I didn't see him in the earlier issues or in the first episode I assumed he joined the scouts later on.

Keiji: Last but not least, another OG member. Same deal with Abel. Decided to make them close friends, as to have a sort of rowdy kids dynamic.

Gonna be fun having to keep track of all of them. But I'm sure I can pull it off. Next chapter will have Mav and the gang trying out their new invention, with some new members joining in. Until next time.