Okay...Now the REAL story begins. It's time to get things popping off! I really hope I executed this chapter well.

Enjoy. :)

My muscles are stiff…

My voice hurts….

Everything I thought was gonna happen in the entrance exam was shattered…

And yet, I lived. I passed it with flying colors. Orientation is tomorrow. The other guys who made it are celebrating. Even though most of them are more messed up than me..

My name is Reid. Er...I mean Kendrick. No one cares about first names except the other trainees. Well, the trainees that know each other. I was always the odd one. Never had any friends growing up. Or...I think I didn't...I don't remember much of my past honestly. I just know my name, my physical strength, and my will to fight.

Anyway, the entrance exams were brutal..they made us jump….high….over and over..I think one person even broke his legs. Then they made us jump off of stuff,very high stuff. That isn't even the worst…

The voice test was excruciating...basically, one guy would run about half a mile away from another guy, and they'd scream their heads off random commands like run, dodge, dance like a chicken, etc. It was just pure hell. Screaming commands aren't as easy as one would think. It was to test how good we'd be heard in actual combat/coordination. Even though most people aren't going to be anything but either Garrison or the MP, it's killing multiple birds with one stone to teach everyone everything. Luckily, I had a pretty loud guy on my team, name was….Eran Jaeger...I think. Maybe Eren...whatever. He won't be too important to my life.

I just laid there, feeling everything on my body ache. Others were celebrating, despite having a hard time speaking/moving, they had fun.

"I can't believe we actually made it." I hear one guy say, his voice sounding like someone blew sand in his throat.

"Yeah..but what's the training gonna be like if some almost died at entrance exams…?"

That guy had a point...if that was tough, then what's the actual training gonna be like…? I've never seen the type of stuff that soldiers do, I mean, besides being assholes to regular civilians.

"Don't worry about it! We made it this far!"

Damn...that guy sure was excited. I expect that smile will be wiped off his face by tomorrow. We're meeting our instructor, Keith Shadis. Former head of the Survey Corps. Basically, he's not gonna go easy on a bunch of kids..

I was too tired to even see straight...if I moved from that spot on the bunk, everything would ache. So I decided to close my eyes and hope most of that pain would fade away by morning.

"Heads up maggots!"

I hear, making every other noise in the area go silent. I knew then that it was someone I've been afraid to see, even though I've never met him...Instructor Shadis…

Every trainee there, including me, stood up straight, silenced instantly, and saluted. We did not wanna get onto Shadis' bad side..

I was in the third row, so I could hear him perfectly. Then again, you could hear him on top of Wall Rose you wanted to. "Those of you may know me as Commander Shadis, former Survey Corps commander! From now on, you shall know me as Instructor Shadis, the man you will hate until the day you die!"

The guy had a really blunt way of saying things. But I knew that every inch of it was true..the stories of killing Titans...commanding a whole fleet to kill or be killed, and not even batting an eye..I'd kill to be as badass as that..

He took a step off the stage, walking towards the crowd. He stops in the front of someone.

"You! What's your name?" Shadis says, looking down on a blonde haired kid. Shadis is gonna tear that little flower apart..what the hell is a guy like that gonna do? More importantly, how did he get past the entrance exams..?

He salutes and swallows every inch of fear he has in him. "Armin Arlert sir! From Shiganshina District!"

"What a pathetic name! Who in their right mind would curse their child with such an idiotic name?"

"It was my Grandfather! Sir!"

"And why is a pathetic flower like you interested in the military?"

He's asking all of the right questions. I can see the look on everyone else's face. They were just as nosy as I was.

"To help humanity overcome the Titans sir!"

…

Everything was silent. A little guy like him? Joining the Survey Corps? I think it even shocked Instructor Shadis a little. He had this look on his face...the type of look you'd get if you said something incredibly stupid..

"So young...and so idiotic…" Shadis says, grabbing Armin's head. "The Titans will eat you alive...that's if you make it past the damn training you runt…"

He was so blunt...he didn't care about our dream..hell, he knows that most of the trainees here are trying to get into the Military Police. Safe in the inner walls..away from Titans..it's a nice thought right? There's one catch...you'd have to be in the top ten..top ten? Out of all these people? Sorry, but I think I'll just go somewhere where I can possibly help. Yeah, being in the Survey Corps means no sweets, no nice beds, and you can die just for going on a mission, but Instructor Shadis survived, and look at him. Tough. That's all I wanna be...tough..

He lets go of Armin's head, walking past him. He gives a sharp stare straight to me. Making me instantly turn my head forward. But it was too late. I heard his boots getting closer and closer towards me, until I was staring right at his chest.

"What is your name cadet?"

I swallowed every inch of fear inside, standing up straighter, if it was possible. Basically, I was making my salute mean something…

"Kendrick Reid sir!" I say, feeling my voice snapping out of existence. It was at that moment I knew that my voice was nowhere near better.

"Reid?" He says, looking down at me. "You're the cadet that passed the entrance exams at top rank?"

"Y-Yes sir!" I say, feeling the eyes of the other trainees look at me. I knew I was good..but did I really get top rank?

"Where are you from?"

"Karanese District! Sir!" I say, unsure of myself. That's where I've been for the past year and a half. I don't remember anything past that year..

"'Karanese huh?" He says, standing up straight. His voice was calm, but still loud. "And why did you become interested in the military?"

"To-" I paused. I couldn't say what that Armin kid said. Then I'd be the laughing stock among the others...not that have have any friends...but I don't wanna start of having negative friends..

I had lost my posture. I didn't know what to say, it seemed like I had drifted off into an abyss.

"Do you have shit in your ears?" I hear, snapping out of my daze. "Answer the fucking question!"

"To help in any way that I can sir!" I say, saluting again. Even I knew that answer was half assed.

"And what way do you think if the way to help?"

"I-I don't know sir…" I say, looking down at his boots. "I just want to help…"

"Hm.." He says, standing there. There was an awkward silence throughout the field, not that there was any sound to begin with…

He walked away slowly, relaxing every bone in my body with each step.

Well, I survived orientation..

Dinner was...lonely..

Most of the people were getting to know each other. Which was good. But me, I sat away from everyone. Eating my..soup? Maybe stew? Well, it was food. More than I could ask for at my old house..My parents were rich, but I was bad, so I hardly ever got food. I just worked day and night, trying to make them happy..

There was one cadet..he was literally picked up off his feet at orientation. Instructor Shadis was so cruel. Only because he got the salute wrong..well, they jammed that in our heads to get it right, but picking him up by the head? Still, this other girl was eating a potato during orientation, I'm scared at what he made her do...

"Yes, okay? I saw the red guy." I hear from across the room. I looked over and saw a bunch of people around a table. I decided to get up and check it out. The talk of the day was..

Eran Jaeger...maybe Eren. Either way, he was bragging about something, so I wanted to hear.

"Ooh!" Connie says from behind Eren. "What it look like?"

"It stuck it's head over the wall." He says, taking a bite of his bread.

"I heard that it jumped over the Wall completely!"

"That was a rumor in my village too!"

…

Are they serious? Was this guy really bragging about seeing the Titan that caused the Shiganshina attack? What type of sick bastards would do this?

"It was big, but it wasn't that big.." He says, looking at the trainees that made the accusation.

I had to say something. This entire conversation was idiotic..but what could I say?

"So what were the Titans like?" I hear someone else say. "Were they scary?"

That question hit this guy like a rock to the face. His entire facial expression changed from boastful to terrified in a matter of seconds.

"Okay guys, I think that's enough questions. He obviously doesn't wanna remember."

That guy was right..that Eran/Eren Jaeger guy's expression changed quicker than the sky during winter.

"I'm fine…" He says, causing everyone to look back. "Titans are stupid...they aren't really as scary as everyone thinks…"

…

...Okay...no..

I let out a long (and loud) sigh, causing everyone to look at me.

"Are you really that stupid?" I say, looking up at him. "If Titans aren't so bad, then why have thousands of people died from them, huh?"

He sat there, silent. He wasn't the only one. Everyone else was. Did I just tell off everyone? Why was everyone so dead now? I didn't mean to be a killjoy..

"That's why I want to train…" He says, still looking down. He smiles a little. "Because if we train hard enough, we can kill them all. Together."

I smiled. He was right. With a lot of hard work and training, we can become the best trainee squad anyone has ever seen.

After that, I sat back down. Him and this other guy got into a fight. Jean was his name I think...Shadis talked to him too. Said he wanted to join the Military Police not to help, not to secure the people, but to be protected by the Wall..like the Wall is gonna stay up forever. It's idiots like that that make my skin crawl. Shadis didn't take to kindly to that either. Headbutted him right in the face. Said something like: "If you can't stand up straight then how in the hell are you supposed to join the MP?" Something like that. Guy was pissed.

…

They're animals...every single one of em.

Who the hell leaves this big of a mess for someone to clean up? I mean, seriously..there was food on the walls, dishes on the floor..

Of course, being the little worker that I am, decided to clean up the place.

It was almost curfew, and I was basically done. As I finished wiping what was left of our food off the walls, I walked out, looking at some people walking by. They were cadets too, but...they were walking away from the barracks. Oh well, it wasn't my business, so it wasn't my problem. Before I made my way to the barracks, I was jerked away in a quick flash. The shadow that was pulling me, wasn't that strong honestly, it caught me off guard. I was thrown into the bushes before I was even able to say a word.

It was pitch black, the shadow came closer, reaching into it's pocket. It was a slim figure, with hair that came down its back. I assumed it was a girl. The hair was pretty long honestly. She took whatever she had out of her pocket. It lit on fire, showing the girl's face.

I looked at her fearfully, afraid that I was about to get executed. We stayed there, awkwardly staring at each other for a few minutes. She looked like she was expecting something from me.

"Well?" She says, her voice both masculine and feminine. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

I stayed quiet. I had no clue what she was talking about. I've never met this girl in my life, hell I hardly even talk to people..

"C'mon Kendrick.." She says, putting one and on her hip. "Stop messing with me."

I gave her an even more confused look. If that was possible. How'd she know my name? Was I being watched?

"It's Myra you idiot!"

That didn't help in the slightest...I still didn't know who this girl was. It made me feel bad, seeing someone that I didn't know, but knew me.

She looks down at my arm, she continues staring at my arm. I look down at my arm, seeing my old bracelet, it was made of sticks and worn out..but it calmed me down at my old house in Karanese.

GW-Where'd you get that bracelet?" She says, stepping closer. I was on the ground, looking up at her. "Do you remember where you got that from…?"

"N-No.." I say awkwardly. I feel her soul plummet to the ground as I said that. It made me feel bad, even though I had no clue who this Myra girl was..

"You're such an idiot.." She says, on the verge of tears. Her voice became shaky, as she looks back up to me. "You really don't remember…? Our plan was to go through this together…?"

"S-Sorry..you may have the wrong guy…"

"I can't have the wrong guy when you're the only guy!" She says, pretty loudly may I add. What was that supposed to mean?

"Only guy..?"

"You're the only guy I've seen with that skin color Kendrick! Of course I'd remember you! We were best friends!" She screams. I could feel the tears wanting to come out. She's right, my skin was darker than everyone else's. Even my parents. "I'm the one who gave you that bracelet!"

She was mad, and I couldn't do anything but sit there dumbfounded. "Look," I say, standing up slowly. "Sorry for the whole misunderstanding, I don't know you, but we can be friends if you'd like..? It's the best I can do.."

She stood there quiet. I didn't know her, but she knew me..how? Apparently she knows something about my past, maybe...maybe she's just lying, after all, Instructor Shadis did call me out in front of everyone.

"Where'd you find that name from…?" She says, giving me a grim expression.

I stuttered a bit. "M-My parents.."

She stayed quiet for a moment, just staring at me. A full minute has gone by, and neither have us have said anything. She gives me a confused look. "What parents…? You were an orphan…"

….

"Okay...you definitely have the wrong person…" I say, my voice full with haste. This girl was getting annoying, and we were out past curfew...

"Then who do I have every single memory of you Kendrick…?" She says. "I know your dog's name, your favorite subject in school, your favorite TV show, your favorite anime, I know everything about you!"

"I don't even know what most of those things are!" I say, fully annoyed.

She looked at me with full frontal sock on her face. She grew quiet, eerie quiet. She turned around, facing away from me. She began to walk away. I didn't want that..I didn't want to make her feel bad, but I couldn't do anything but that.

Before I could even fathom what just happened, she's gone. I just stood there for a moment, trying to think about what just happens. Apparently I'm not really who I think I am…

No..that girl just got the wrong idea. I probably look a lot like someone else. It's a small world after all.

I gather my thoughts and begin walking to the cabins. As I walk to them, I notice that there are others that are out after curfew. One of them was Sasha Blouse. Oh right..She was ordered to run until nighttime. She even had to skip dinner. The weird thing was, she was more upset about not eating than running. I just shrugged it off, walking into the cabins.

…

I laid down on my top bunk, face at least a foot and a half away from the roof. I sighed a little, knowing that if I ever had a bad dream that caused me to wake up in shock, I'd be stopped quickly by hard wood.

I closed my eyes, feeling myself easily drifting off into sleep. It's not that I had a hard day, I mean, I didn't get killed by Instructor Shadis, I had a meal, I cleaned up after the pigs that called themselves trainees, and I met...Myra. That was her name right? I just hope she finds who she was looking for...She said she's only seen one person with a skin color like mine...is it possible that there's another me somewhere in these Walls?

I sighed to myself.

Maybe whoever it is, is my real family.

…

No..maybe she's just there to test me. I might be known around here now, with me being the one who passed at highest...

I shouldn't have passed..I just wanted to be unknown. A side character, no..a person in a book who doesn't even talk. Just a part of the crowd while the real action goes on. Maybe that's why Shadis came up to me.

I held onto that thought, taking it with me as I drifted off into sleep.