Chapter 5
First Couple Days of Cadet Core
Kara stood with the Cadets with her arms behind her back. She stood between a boy with two colored hair and a horse face and one that had freckles across his face. Both boys towered over Kara. Today was the day that she joined the Cadet Corps. It was hard to say goodbye to Levi's Squad and Hange. Hange and Petra practically were crying and hugging her to death till Levi told them that she be coming to visit on days offs if they weren't on mission. Levi escorted her since the Scouts were in Trost to the training camp. Levi wouldn't tell Kara, but her father had a bounty for her to be brought to her father alive. Sadies promised that he keep an eye on her with the guards.
Sadies steps forward and looks at all the Cadets. Kara straightened out her spine and stood with head hell high. She had met Sadies a few times when he came to talk to Erwin. Levi had explained he was the Commander before Erwin, but stepped down to train Cadets.
"Straigten those spines piss-ants. The 104th Cadet Corps Boot Camp starts now! Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Commandant Keith Sadies. And you will grow to hate me! Training is gonna be a white-knuckle ride through Hell. If I've done my job, you'll be waking up in cold sweat from memories of this place every night from memories of this place for the rest of your miserable lives. Right now, you're nothing. Livestock. But over the next three, soul-crushing years, you'll learn to take down your own Goliath. Remember this moment when you come face to face with him, because here's where you ask yourself: Am I a fighter or am I feed? Am I gonna be ground up to pulpy human gist between boulder-sized incisors. Or am I gonna be the one to bite?" Sadies asked.
'Oh I will be a fighter and I will make my father proud." Kara thought. Levi stood with his horse as he watched Sadies approach the Cadets and start interigating them. He started with a blonde hair boy. Levi saw Kara standing with her head held high. He knew she would make it through them with no issue.
"Captain Levi. I'm surprised to see you here." One of the old Intructors said, coming over.
"Just dropping my daughter off for the Cadet Corps. I have to get back to HQ. We got a mission tomorrow." Levi said.
"Ah. Which one is your daughter?" Intructor asked. Levi nodded to where Kara stood between the two boys. "She looks ready to conquer the world." Levi nodded. Sadies passed some of the Cadets. "Those must be the ones that survived Shiganshina two years ago. You can see it in their eyes." Levi studied the Cadets, wondering how many would join the Scouts. He knew Kara was joining and had a spot on his team. Sadies approached a boy to Kara's left. Levi watched.
"What do we have over here?" Sadies said. The boy quickly saluted Sadies.
"Jean Kirschtein, sir. From Trost District!" Jean said.
"And why are you here, cadet?" Sadies asked.
"To join the Military Police, sir. The best of the best." Jean said. Kara rolled her eyes.
"That's nice. You want to live in the Interior, do you?" Sadies said.
"Yes." Jean said. Kara winces as Sadies headbutts Jean and Jean falls to his knees as he grabs his head in pain.
"No one told you to sit, Recruit! If you can't handle this, Kirschtein, then forget about joining the Military Police!" Sadies said. He moved away from Jean and got in front of Kara. Reconization filled his eyes when he saw who it was. She looked up at Sadies.
"Who the hell are you, shorty?" Sadies said, seeing the two boys towering over her. Kara quickly put her hand over her heart.
"Kara Ackerman, sir." Kara said. Some heads turned at the last name.
"Your Captain Levi's daughter." Sadies said, causing people to stare at her, but she kept her head held straight.
"Yes sir." Kara said.
"Why are you here, Cadet?" Sadies asked.
"To join the Scouting Regiment and become a Scout like my father." Kara said. Jean snorted at her words, but stood firm.
"Good. You'll make good Titan food for them with your size." Sadies said as Sadies moved away. Kara saw her father watching. Levi gave her an approving nod as he got on his horse and turned to leave. Kara smiled. Sadies got into the face of the boy next to her. "What the hell is wrong with your face, you smiling idiot?"
"Marco Bodt at your service, sir, from Jinae. South side of Wall Rose. I aim to join the Military Police and give life and limb in service to the king!" Marco said. Kara mentally facepalmed.
'Oh heavens. I'm surrounded by two idiots that want to join the MPs. Why me?' Kara thought.
"Well then. That makes you an idealistic fool. And a rube. You want the truth?" Sadies said. He gets into Marco's face. "The only use the King has for your life and limbs are as Titan fodder." Marco looks at Sadies in shock with his mouth hanging open. "Hey, Cue-ball. You're up next." Sadies walks up to a boy that looked Bald. The boy quickly saluted but with the wrong arm.
"Oh, me? Sir! Conny Springer from Ragako village, sir!" Conny said. Sadies grabbed him by the head and lifted him in the air. Kara's eyes widen as people watch in horror.
"You have it backwards, Conny Springer. That was the first thing you were taught. This salute represents the resolve in your heart to fight the systematic destruction of our people! Is your heart on your right side?" Sadies yells as he pulls on Conny's eye balls. Someone takes a bite out of food, making everyone freeze. Kara looked back in a row behind them and sees a brown hair girl, eating a potato. Sadies drops Conny to the ground and went to approach the girl. Conny sits up, grabbing his head.
"Are you alright?" Kara whispered as Sadies yelled at the girl whose name was Sasha Braus.
"I'm alright. Damn that hurt." Conny said as he stood up.
"Well you should do the right salute next time." Jean said.
"Leave him alone. He was nervous." Marco said.
"I think we all are." Kara said.
"You don't seem to be, shorty." Jean said.
"Come on. That's the nickname for my father. I'm taller then he is by a couple inches. It's Kara." Kara said.
"Your Levi Acherman's daughter?" Marco said.
"Yes." Kara said. Marco and Jean looked at her. She kept her face straight.
"How about Kar for a nickname." Jean said. Kara sighed.
"No." Kara said.
"I'll find a nickname for you eventually." Jean said. Kara rolled her eyes.
"Alright, horse face." Kara said. Marco snorted and Jean's eyes widen. "It suits you."
"She got you there, Jean." Marco said.
"Alright. Pipsqueak." Jean said. Kara closed her eyes.
'Just three years Kara. Just three years of dealing with this and he'll be with the MPs and you'll be with the Scouts.' Kara thought.
"Run till your dead or no eating privaleges for 5 days." Sadies yelled at Sasha. Sasha's eyes widen and took off running. Sadies continues to interigate the Cadets.
That night. Everyone sat in the mess hall after a long day of Cadets being interigated. Some cadets dropped out and were sent back to the fields. Kara sat with Jean. She was in a red skirt with white shirt. They sat eating as a group gathered around a boy named Eren, who was a survivor of Shiganshina, asking questions. Kara turned it out since she heard other Scouts talking about what happened. They were asking about the Colossal and the Armored. Jean sat with his hand to his face, listening with interest. Kara ate her food as the conversation continued.
"Hey. Are you crazy or something?" Jean asked. Kara looked up at Jean as Eren turned to look at Jean. "Not that it's my business, but signing up for reconnaissance is like a death sentence." Kara rolled her eyes.
"I guess we'll see. Or at least I will. You seem content hiding in the interior with the MPs." Eren said, glaring at Jean.
"Look, I'm just speaking honestly here, kid. I think it's better than being some loud mouthed braggart tough guy wannabe pretending he's not as piss-scared as the rest of us." Jean said. Eren stood up and stared down Jean. Kara rubbed her temple.
"Are you trying to pick a fight?" Eren asked.
"Stop it, you guys." Marco said.
"Alright, sure." Jean said. He stands up and walks up to Eren. "Makes no differncet to me." Eren and Jean faced each other. A bell started ringing. Kara got up and put her food away as Eren and a girl left. Kara heard she was another Ackerman, but she didn't know how she was related to Levi.
'Probably a distant cousin.' Kara thought. Jean stared after her in complete shock with red on his checks. He was inflactriated by her. Kara brushed by him. He looked at her for the first time really since they stood together during interigation. Her blonde hair was down to the middle of her back in curls. She was small but he could tell she had mussle in her arms. She looked at him with gray eyes. Jean's eyes widen. He didn't realize she was pretty, probably more then Mikasa.
"What?" Kara asked.
"Nothing, pipsqueak." Jean said.
"Stop calling me that." Kara said.
"Well you are a pipsqueak or would you rather me call you shorty." Jean said.
"Will you two stop fighting. Don't need Sadies giving you the same punishment as Sasha." Marco said. Jean and Kara stared each other down.
"Let's start this right. I'm Jean." Jean said, holding out his hand. Kara stared at him and took his hand.
"Kara." Kara said. Jean smiled. She let go of his hand and head for the door. Jean watched her more then he did with Mikasa.
Kara headed to the girls dormitory. She was sharing a bed with the Potato Girl that people were now calling her. Since the girl was still running, Kara picked out the top bunk. She stared up at the ceiling. She couldn't help but smile. She was now in the Cadet Corps. She fell asleep after a little bit.
The next day was the Aptitude test. Sadies stood in front of the recruits.
"It's aptitude test time, so listen up! There is no place for you here if you cannont perform! Fail and be shipped to the fields!" Sadies said. Kara went up with Conny, Sasha, Mikasa, and Jean to be tested. One of the cadets strapped the ropes to her belts. Someone cranked the lever. Kara was lifted in the air. She swayed a little but having used ODM gear back at Headquarters she held steady. Jean was lazy just relaxing as Sasha and Conny took a bit and got it. Jean caught Kara looking and smirked. Kara shook her head at him.
"What about this guy?" An instructor asked. Kara looked to where he was looking and saw Eren hanging upside down. Jean started laughing.
"Stop it." Kara said, glaring at Jean.
"That's precisely why we run these tests. He proves that drive and dedication do not always translate into capability." An old instructor said. Sadies kneels down next to Eren.
"What is your major malfunction, Jaeger? Straighten yourself up!" Sadies yelled. Some of the other cadets were laughing with Jean. Kara, Armin, and Mikasa were few that weren't laughing. Kara was brought down and she went and punched Jean.
"Ow. Hey what was that for?" Jean said, rubbing his arm.
"For starting them laughing, horse face.
"Tch. I just found it funny." Jean said. Kara crossed her arms and went back to standing to watch other Cadets do it. Jean huffed as went to stand with Marco. "That girl is trouble."
"She seems nice. She is the adoptive daughter of Captain Levi. Might want to be careful with causing fights with her." Marco said.
"Tch. I'm not worried about her. I'm here to join the Military Police. Not going to let a Pipsqueak like her ruin my chances." Jean said, crossing his arms. Kara heard him and glared at him. He glared back. Marco sighed.
That night at the mess hall. Kara sat with Sasha and Conny. She avoided Jean. Eren had some extra training with Mikasa and Armin and now he was staring off into nothing with a bandage around his head.
"He sounded so determined yesterday now look at him." Conny snickered.
"He has a second go at it tomorrow and if he fails he's out." Kara said as she ate her food.
"You seemed to get it with no issue." Sasha said.
"Yeah. I've had a go on ODM gear at the Scouting HQ before coming here." Kara said. Someone slid in seat next to her. Jean sat next to her and she nearly groaned
"So we done fighting for now?" Jean asked.
"Depends on you. But yes." Kara said, shutting Jean up as she got up and put her tray away as the bell started to ring. She stepped outside. People walked by.
"Hey." Jean came over. She looked at him. "I want to be friends. Can we maybe try and get along?" Kara looked at him. He had a look in his eye he was telling the truth.
"Alright." Kara said. Jean grinned like a idiotic fool.
"I'll walk you to the girls dormintory." Jean said. Kara nodded and they started walking. "You think Eren will pass?"
"I hope so. He seems like a good kid. We'll see tomorrow." Kara said. Jean nodded. "I see you passed."
"I did. We'll be trying out the ODM gear tomorrow night. Care to try and race." Jean said.
"Maybe. We'll see. You got any family back home?" Kara asked.
"Just my mom back in Trost. You just got Levi as your dad?" Jean asked.
"Well my real dad is dead to me and my mother is dead, but yes along with his squad and Hange. Pretty much the Scouts are my family. So you want to live in the Interior and be part of the Military Police?" Kara asked.
"Yes." Jean said. Kara snorted. "What?"
"It's nothing." Kara said as they came to the Girls Dormitory. Jean raised an eyebrow. She turned towards him. Something in her eyes told Jean that she had a history or a bad past that was not good. "Thanks for walking me, Jean." Kara stepped in. Jean kicked the dirt.
'The girl is stubborn.' Jean thought as he headed for the boys dormitory.
The next day. Eren was hooked to the machine. Everyone stood around it. Kara stood next to Jean and Sasha as they watched. Sadies stood in front of Eren.
"Eren Jaeger. Are you ready?" Sadies said.
"Yes sir!" Eren said.
"Proceed." Sadies said. Thomas turns the handle that lifts Eren into the air. Eren steadies himself. Cheers rang through the Cadets. Kara smiled. Eren smiled until he started swaying and flips upside down. Kara cringes as he hits his head on the ground.
"So close." Kara whispered.
"No! Not yet!" Eren said as Sadies walks over. "Once more! I can do it!" Sadies looks down at Eren with a strange look on his face.
"Lower him." Sadies said. Thomas lowers Eren and Eren falls to the ground in defeat.
"I... I'm finished." Eren said, almost in tears. Kara felt bad for the kid.
"Wagner! Please exchange belts with Mr. Jaeger." Sadies said.
"Huh? Yes sir!" Thomas said, pulling off his belt. Eren did the same and put Thomas' belt on him. Sadies had Thomas hook him back up to the machine. Eren gets lifted into the air. Eren held steady and Kara grinned.
"Well all be damned." Jean said.
"Your equipment was defective. If given a piece of functional gear, you might not be worthless after all. Quartermaster didn't notice this broken clasp. Might have to visit the Supply Depot and crack a couple skulls." Sadies said.
"He did it. Even with broken gear." Kara said.
"That's amazing." Marco said from the other side of Jean.
"So, you mean I... I didn't wash out?" Eren asked.
"You made the cut. Now keep training, cadet!" Sadies said. Eren threw his arms in the air with triumph. Eren looked at Mikasa with a huge grin on his face.
"He actually passed." Jean said. Kara elbowed him.
"Look at him. He's got the determination on his face again." Kara said. Jean looked at her and nodded.
Later that night. Cadets soared threw the trees on ODM gear as Sadies rode below them. Kara and Jean were the first to get off the ground and was leading the cadets through the forest. Kara had a huge smile on her face as she felt the wind in her hair.
'Three more years to go. I got this.' Kara thought as Jean raced ahead and Kara went after him.
AN: Sorry it took awhile to update. Least Jean is trying to be her friend. LOL. Till next time.