And here we have it, Chapter 4. I suppose we're getting somewhere, though I certainly am not in my quest to write longer chapters. Anyways, more at the end of this.

Don't own the anime/manga, though I suppose if I did, Eren's Titan form would be a bit more impressive.

Titans. Titans. TITANS…

"Seriously, faulty 3DMG harnesses? If anything, it sounds to me like someone had it out for ya', Yeager-boy." The mood within the mess-hall was very light, considering what had happened earlier today. And of course, it all revolved around Eren 'Yeager-boy'. You see, just yesterday they had begun the aptitude test, to weed out the weak who had made it through basic. Simply balance yourself in midair, suspended by two wires, and you'd pass. Sadly, many just didn't have what it took to work the basic principle of the 3DMG. Of course, Eren was quite confident he'd be able to manage it. Yet, after the first day of failing numerous times, he'd retired early to sleep off his lapse of control over his anger. He'd yelled at Armin, and felt terrible for it.

The next day, he'd found himself getting it on the first try, for over a minute. But, once again he'd fallen, halfway through a victory screech. Keith Shadis, wondering about this peculiarity, had asked one of the trainees to swap harnesses with Eren. Afterwards, he'd managed to balance himself perfectly, without even trying. And that was how it'd come to be known that his own harness was faulty.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. You all just can't accept that military-grade stuff isn't always flawless." This had double-meaning in his mind, though no one seemed to catch the subtle barb aimed at the military.

"Fine, Yeager-boy. Have it your way." With that, Reiner resumed eating his meal, unhappy with how easily Eren deflected everything he stated or questioned about.

"Congratulations on passing the test, Eren. I knew you could do it." There was Christa, always the supportive one. She currently occupied one of the seats beside him, and was too focused on his face to pay her food any mind.

"Of course he'd pass. Otherwise, his bravado would be just that." Annie occupied the other, though she was actually eating. Still, her eyes flickered to him on occasion.

This seating arrangement didn't sit well with Mikasa, though she decided to take the seat directly across from him. It'd allow her to keep the two girls within her vision, as well as Eren. "I'm glad you passed, Eren. We won't be separated now." Her scarf was thankfully wrapped around her face, else you'd see her heavy blush.

Pausing in his eating, Eren exchanged glanced with all who'd said their piece, smiling gently at each. "Thank you, thank you. I couldn't have done so without your support," Aimed at Christa, "your respect," Annie, "and your caring." Mikasa. He resumed eating once again, knowing he'd accomplished what he wanted to with that simple statement.

Titans. Titans. TITANS!

"Today, we will begin hand-to-hand instruction. Please disperse amongst yourselves into groups of no more than eight, and choose your partners from this group." Another day, another bunch of bruises and abrasions.

The group Eren would be stuck with came together on its own, as all who'd become acquaintances with him drew close. Reiner, Annie, and Christa; Bertholdt came along with Reiner, and Ymir with Christa. Of course, Armin and Mikasa also joined in, though for different reasons. Armin, simply to be close to his best friend. Mikasa, to keep her brother safe. Right.

"So, our group formed with ease," Eren commented half mindedly, glancing around at everyone as he did. "Though, who'll be sparring with who?"

"Dibs on Christa." No surprise, Ymir called her. She seemed protective of the girl. Very curious.

"I'll spar with Annie." Reiner seemed overly eager to spar with the stoic girl.

"Bertholdt, would you like to spar?" "Ah, of course, Armin." The two timid ones. That was about right. Of course, that meant…

"Ah, um.. Please be gentle, Mikasa?" He knew he could fight the girl on even ground, but of course, these spars had no rules. And men held a particular weakness.

"No promises, Eren." Fortunately, Mikasa was unwilling to damage that area in the slightest, for unknown reasons. Right.

…

"GOD HELP ME! LEGS JUST DON'T BEND THAT WAY!"

That didn't mean she'd go easy on him anywhere else.

Titans. Titans. TITANS…So much pain…

"I'm so glad you're okay, Eren! Hopefully, you'll be healed properly by tomorrow." The worried voice of Christa could be heard, muffled as it was, as she nuzzled Eren's bandaged chest lightly. Currently, he lay in bed, bruised pretty much everywhere, if not bleeding slightly from some of those places. He had no idea what'd come over Mikasa to make her go all out in a spar. Honest. He had no clue.

Absentmindedly, he reached out his hand, clasping the cold stout of water held in Annie's waiting hands. She didn't express it vocally, but her face, mainly her eyes, showed worry and nervousness. "Thank you, Christa. Annie." Turning his head whilst drinking from the stout, he found Mikasa on one of the other beds, not nearly as bandaged and worn as he. She was even sitting up, ready to leave. Though, he noticed how she was glaring heatedly at the girl currently hugging him, then switching to glare just as murderously at Annie.

Yep. Not a single clue.

Titans. Titans. TITANS…

Today was supposed to be a mix of more strategy/theory, like what they learned in basic, along with 3DMG maintenance. Basically, they'd be taking apart and putting together a 3DMG set while being timed. On the first day of maintenance training, though? Brutal.

Strategy was spent going over various diagrams of Titans, ranging from 3-5m, all the way to the Colossus 50m. These diagrams were accompanied by various forms of mathematics, having to do with the angle of trajectory and all that yatta-yatta. Basically, the best way to maneuver around a Titan given its height, body-shape, and circumstances it was encountered under.

Theory was more along the lines of in-depth Titan study, based off of various sketches taken while in the field. Some of them were rough outlines, while others were beautifully done, as if created by an artist within Wall Sina. By beautiful, Eren meant disgusting and terrifying, lifelike.

Soon, they'd moved on to 3DMG maintenance, where they'd be receiving their personal Gear for training, as well as instructions on how to repair them. This class would only be revisited once a month, to make sure the Gear was being maintained properly.

"Take a seat at your designated seat, pull out the tools indicated to operate on your Gear, and begin when I say so." Keith Shadis would be the one judging, of course, but he had another watching the timer. It'd be stopped for the one who finished fastest.

"Begin!" The clinking of various tools being pushed against bolts could be heard, though one station particular was putting off more noise than the others. Eren's of course.

He was currently in a world of his own, analyzing each piece with precision as he rushed through disassembling the Gear. Soon all pieces were spread neatly across the table, organized in whatever order he'd decided upon. Seeing all was well with the gear, he swiftly reassembled the complex machinery, much quicker than he'd taken it apart. His fist slammed against the table as he yelled, "Done, Instructor!"

Throughout the various stations, eyes were wide, mouths were agape, and some were even voicing their own disbelief. Instructor Keith in particular was glancing between his fellow instructor's stopwatch and Eren's station with a disgruntled look. "Yeager!" He finally yelled back, quickly stepping before the young man.

"Yes, Instructor!"

"You expect me to believe that you disassembled, inspected, and reassembled your set of 3DMG in under 10 minutes, Yeager?!"

"Yes, Instructor!"

"Do it again, then. Tobias, start the timer on my mark. Now!"

…

…

…

"Done, Instructor!"

Keith simply couldn't believe his eyes. The boy had shaved off roughly two minutes there, bringing him from 10 to 8. For the first time in his career as an Instructor, Keith Shadis grinned.

"Fan-fucking-tastic, Yeager! You're excused for early dinner. Instructor Tobias, continue on with your lesson!"

"Of course, Sir!"

As Eren turned to leave, he caught sight of something that caused him to freeze.

His instructor was saluting him. What a fucking day.

He swiftly returned the gesture of respect, and hurried out of the building. He had first pickings of today's meal in the mess hall. Sweet!

Titans. Titans.TITANS!…AND FOOD!

'Well, going by all that's happened so far, from my classes to my interactions with the various people here, I feel like these three years'll be the most eventful ones I'll ever have.' And he'd be right.

With people like Christa and Annie hanging off of him, two complete emotional opposites, as well as Mikasa's strange mood swings, his days would certainly be filled with plenty of drama.

With Reiner, Bertholdt, and Armin there to hassle him about his various interactions with said girls, as well as the rest of the female trainees, he'd be thoroughly stressed out.

Eren's eyes glazed over, as he thought back to the Head Instructor, the Keith Shadis, saluting him, a mere cadet. With that, he was certainly one step further in his goal to rally humanity behind him. Respect was key in this, specifically militant respect.

His eyes refocused, as one Jean Kirschtein walked past him, a bowl of soup and a loaf of bread in hand. His lips thinned into a grim line, as his ears toned out the "Are you alright, Eren?" from Christa. Going by just how many people were training with hopes of joining the Military Police, he'd be having to give plenty of speeches throughout the next years. To reach his goal, all of humanity would be needed to defeat the Titans, not just the ones brave enough to hit the frontlines without need of encouragement.

He'd be damned if a single person managed to escape into the sea of livestock flowing within Wall Sina. He'd be damned if anyone even dared to say that the walls would hold forever. He, for one, knew better. Witnessing the events of That Day destroyed his faith in the walls completely.

He would not allow humanity to destroy itself.

Titans. Titans. TITANS…

There, that's that. I'll probably be skipping to graduation from here, though I may set up a few more interactions via flashbacks for the sake of explaining character development.

Thanks for all the positive review. Glad to see my small chapters aren't bugging anyone that much. And also, thank you for your reviews, {insert name from prev. ch. here}.

To those it may concern, determine whether it's a harem or not on your own. It should be obvious, but meh.

Seeya, then.