3rd POV
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"Arameeeeh~" Is what the blond heard when someone hugged him from behind. "what are you doin~?"
The blonde looked up at the familiar face of Colith. She'd appeared out of nowhere and had taken them in, him and his friends after the fall of Wall Maria, five years prior. Although he is truly indebted to her and considers her family, he cannot help but find her intriguing.
How she held herself, talked, the strange gestures of affections he wasn't at first used to, and Her weird fashion sense gave him a hint. COLITH, according to him, seems to come from elsewhere, but he couldn't pinpoint from where. Maybe a family thing? He didn't know about hers as she tended to avoid the subject.
The only thing he knew about them was that her family isolated themselves to avoid human traffickers, which is a good reason to hide since he knew about what happened to Mikasa's family. But the thing he couldn't understand was 'why decide to show yourself now?' She could've continued living in peace, out of sight. But...perhaps the fall of Wall Maria played a role in her desire to engage.
The fact that they are no longer safe within the walls could be a factor. Yes, that could be it. The loss of the rest of her family can be a valid motivation, Eren and Mikasa are proof of this, but contrary to them, it doesn't look like it's affecting her, or perhaps it was and she was good at hiding it. This saddened the blonde, she was too, the last member of her own family, like them.
That must be why they complete so well... That said, brown fingers snaps snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Huh..?"
"Ya scared me there, you just stopped writing and stared at my face for a moment." she had released him and was patting his cheeks, a little frown present on her face. "You alright, Min?"
"O-oh yes yes, I was just thinking about something..." He apologized. "What did you need??" he closed his diary and turned around to face her. The boy had grown up a bit. He now stood at the height of 5'4 (1m63), but compared to Colith 6'0 (1m81), he still felt short. This however resulted in more hugs from the female and more glares directed at him from the other males.
"Oh yeah, I was just asking about what you were doing with that book~." She grinned. The blond immediately replied.
"This is the journal where I write the events that happen, it might be useful to me in the future..." he took a look at the book he held in his hands. The young lady hummed.
"Got that, but you better write a spot about the great me in there!" she ruffled his hair, to which he squawked. "Now come on! We have an endurance test in 10 minutes, better not be late before Scary blad man catch us slacking." the golden-eyed teen cackled before zooming out to get ready
Armin chuckled, ah yes, the nicknames. He didn't know where Colith got the time to create them but he found them extremely accurate. He shook his head and went to get ready as well.
Running under heavy rain, mud splashing from their footsteps, were the cadets of the 104th Division. Many of them had difficulties completing this exercise because it required wearing heavy equipment on their backs.
Despite that, they all held on, except a certain blond who found himself last and completely exhausted. Sergeant Keith Shadis, was on horseback, motivating, in his way the 'little shit' as he liked to call them.
"PICK UP THE PACE, YOU SLOWPOKES!!" He slowed down to Armin's Level "WHAT'S WRONG, ARLERT?! LET'S SEE SOME MUSCLES!!"
The poor boy only wheezed in response.
"AREN'T THEY HEAVY FOR YOU SON?! HELL DROP IT, LEAVE IT IN THE MUD. THE TITAN WILL HAVE EASIER WORK DIGESTING YOU WITHOUT ALL THE EXCESS BAGGAGE." he picked up the pace.
"Dammit..." He breathed heavily. A light tap on his shoulder snapped him out of his thoughts. It was Colith, who was casually jogging next to him.
"Need help, Min?" the boy looked at her, confused before he felt someone snatch his bag from him. He looked at the culprit and his eyes widened at the sight of Reiner.
"Here! Focus on staying upright! We are being graded on this you know!" The smaller blond blinked.
"Hey! I was the one who asked if he needed help!" The dark-skinned girl smoothly snatched the bag from Reiner and threw him a smug look while running backward, to which he blushed.
"Wh- what?! But won't they demote you both– And Colith! Stop doing that! You'll hurt yourself!" He cried out. 'How can she even lift these like they weight nothing ?!' he mentally screamed.
As if on cue, she slipped on a rock letting out an "OH FUC– but before she could meet the ground, a hig hand caught her flailing wrist, surprising her and Armin.
"Really Colith, you should be more careful with this weather.." Reiner started with a flirty loop sided smile on his lips. The black-haired girl chuckled in response and straightened up with his help before they went back jogging.
"Yeeeeeh thanks big guy!" she flicked lightly his nose, making his smirk disappear, as he flushed. "You're so cute when you do thaaat~" she giggled when the taller boy looked away. Scowling, Armin went to snatch his bag from her, not liking the situation.
"I–I'm no one's burden! You hear me!" he then sped off, still struggling with his breath.
"LOOK AT HIM GO!!" She dramatically shouted, "Come on big guy! Let's go!" hitting his shoulder with hers as she passed, she easily caught up with the little blond, starting teasing him about his apparent pout. Behind, Reiner looked at them while running, still blushing.
'I think I love her.'
Shadis having witnessed the scene sighed, exasperated by the odd girl he had found five years ago in the woods with Grisha's son. It still bothered him, this girl was so strange and out of place that it was difficult not to look twice at her.
Despite all that, it seemed like she was hiding something, but what? The Sergeant didn't know, but he felt that something big was going to happen...
"This is going to give me a headache..." he muttered before resuming his evaluations.
-Reiner Braun. Both Strong physically and mentally. He has his companions' full trust.
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-Armin Arlert. Although being very much below physically, He shows in theoretical class an unusual way of thinking.
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-Annie Leonhardt. Gifted with the sword, but does not exactly play well with others.
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-Bertholdt Hoover. Has some huge potential but is too mind-miled.
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-Jean Kirsten. Head of the class on ODM, also an insufferable smart-ass with an air trigger temper.
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"Think you'll show off, slice and dice?! Best hope you see a titan before I do!" He grumbled before launching himself in the air. 'Military police! Save a place for Jean!' He suddenly stumbled upon a titan dummy. His victorious smirk turned into a frown when he heard an annoying cackle.
"THANKS, JEAN! YOU DON'T CARE IF I STEAL YOUR THUNDER RIGHT?!" Connie yelled, but before he could even cut the nape, Sasha did in his stead. "WHAT?!
"I DID IT! WOW!"
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-Sasha Braus. Possess an extraordinary sixth sense, on the other hand, has no team spirit.
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-Connie Springer. Has mobility that allows him to easily adapt to any situation, but is slow-minded.
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Down below, instructors in charge of lifting the wooden titans perked up when they heard the sound of several ODM gears.
"Get ready, they're coming!" one of them started lifting the wooden creatures as two figures dashed through the titans, slicing their napes.
"dammit! Still not deep enough!" The brunette compared his cuts with the Ackerman's.
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-Mikasa Ackerman. Model Cadet excels in everything. In fact it's now a fact to call the girl a genius.
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-Eren Jaeger. Doesn't have any particular talent, but was able to perfect himself thanks to his efforts. But, is driven by a sense of purpose that's almost terrifying.
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A gleeful shout made the three look at the newcomer in surprise.
"MAN!! I'LL NEVER BE TIRED OF THIS THING!" the dark-skinned girl yelled while heading for the three wooden titans. Readying her blades, she executed several powerful slashes which, truthfully said were pretty destructive since she literally beheaded the dummies.
"HOLY SHIT! SORRY GUYS!! Man, I should be more careful with my strength..." she mutters at the end before quickly zooming out of the sight of the gaping instructors.
"COLITH! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" A baffled Eren shouts when the girl neared them.
"Are you sure you're human, Colith?" Mikasa asked, incredulous.
The black-haired girl scoffed a "You're one to talk, sweetie. I didn't know it would be ripped off like that!!" She cried out while they continued on their way, leaving a shocked Shadis behind. Shakingly he wrote the next thing that came to his mind.
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-Colith Tobe...
A monster.