Disclaimer: All characters, names, places, intellectual property, etc... belong to their respective owners. I do not own Attack on Titan or any of its associated media.

When it comes to important days during your training, the second and third days are by far the most important. These are the days that decide whether you end up becoming a proper soldier, or whether you end up becoming a farmer. The concept behind it is pretty smart, really. On the battlefield, those who can adapt to changing conditions and new difficulties are the most likely to survive. The Commandant threw us into the ODM aptitude test intent on seeing which of us could adapt, and which of us couldn't. Those capable of adapting to their situation went on to continue their training, while those who couldn't were kept far away from any battlefields.

- An excerpt from the journal of an Eldian soldier, 850.

The midday sun beat down on the cadets assembled on the dusty field. In front of them stood several large contraptions of wood and iron. Commandant Shadis stepped forward and addressed the gathered cadets, "Alright, listen up you piss- ants! This here is the ODM aptitude test. It's designed to figure out whether you have the balance required to successfully operate ODM gear. You will be strapped into this harness and lifted up off of the ground, where you will then attempt to balance yourself. Falling upside down and failing to right yourself will count as a failure. Those who fail twice will be sent to the fields."

A wave of murmurs passed throughout the formation as cadets glanced nervously at each other. They had two chances to get this right without any practice. A tall order for some, no doubt. Skip eyed the contraption with apprehension, he really would've liked more time to prepare for this. Then again, a good soldier is either prepared for anything, or really good at improvising.

Shadis spoke up again, "Ready or not, we're starting now! Cadet Falke, up here, on the double!"

"Yes, sir!" A sandy haired cadet a few years older than Skip trotted up to the test rig. Falke seemed calm, except for the tapping of his fingers against his leg. Once Falke reached the rig, the assistant training officer began to strap Falke into the harness that hung down from the top crossbar. Once the cadet was strapped in, the training officer nodded to Shadis.

"Start the test."

The soldier operating the rig began rotating a crank on the side of the rig, lifting Falke upwards off of the ground. For a brief moment, the cadet held his position, seeming to pass the test. That was until he lost his balance and fell backwards, hitting his head on the ground with a resounding "oof". Falke struggled to right himself, but to no avail. He just couldn't seem to bring himself back upright.

Shadis, looking unimpressed with the display, approached Falke, and crouched in front of him. "Cadet Falke, you have failed your first test. You may attempt a second test tomorrow, but should you fail, you will be sent to the fields. Do you understand me?"

"Yes sir, I understand, sir!" Replied Falke, looking somewhat mortified at his initial failure.

Shadis, seeming satisfied with the answer, turned to the training officer, "Very well. Lower him."

The still somewhat mortified cadet was lowered, before they released him from the harness and sent him on his way. The failure of the first cadet did nothing for the confidence of the cadets who would soon follow him. Skip hoped that someone else would go next and pass. That way, he could observe them to see what they did right, and learn through observation. Unfortunately for him, though, fate had other plans.

Shadis' voice cut through his thoughts like a knife through hot butter, "Cadet Chuckles, you're next!"

Mentally cursing his lack of luck, the cadet automatically replied "Yes, sir!", before making his way to the contraption where poor Falke had just failed. As the training officer strapped him into the harness, Skip could feel the eyes of his comrades squarely on him. He tried to ignore the feeling. He took a deep breath to steady himself, and exhaled. Once the training officer finished, Skip wiggled around a little, ensuring that his stance was loose. While Falke's failure hadn't taught him much, he did learn that a rigid stance was not the way to go about the aptitude test. Falke's rigid stance didn't allow him to make any minor adjustments to his balance. Skip would not make the same mistake.

"Cadet Reid, are you ready?"

Skip's gaze rose up to meet the Commandant's, "Yes, sir!"

Shadis was silent for a moment. "Very well," he said. "Lift him up."

The training officer began to rotate the crank, and Skip saw the wires beginning to go taut. Before long, he felt himself being pulled upwards off of the ground. Taking care to ensure that he kept his stance loose, he relaxed, attempting to center his weight. The cadet felt steady for a moment, before he began to feel himself lurching forward. Taking in a breath to prevent panic from setting in, Skip adjusted by shifting his weight backwards, almost falling over the other way in the process, but managing to re-center his weight before he could flip upside down. Skip spent the rest of the aptitude test sitting in a shaky equilibrium, making micro adjustments with his muscles to keep himself in a relatively stable position. After what felt like an eternity of hanging precariously, Shadis seemed to have seen enough.

"Well, well, well... Looks like you can hold yourself. I've seen enough, you've passed Chuckles. Let him down."

Skip let out a sigh of relief as his feet touched solid ground again. His legs wobbled slightly. Before he could make his way back into formation, however, Shadis stopped him.

"Cadet Chuckles, relieve Sergeant Lehmann. You will man the winch and lift your comrades."

Suppressing a sigh, Skip acknowledged his superior, "Yes, sir," before moving to relieve the training officer from his task. Over the next hour, Skip proctored the aptitude test for dozens of fellow cadets, watching many succeed, while watching many others fail. Eventually, the cadet he had come to know as Krista Lenz came up for her test. Skip had only talked with her briefly, but even in that brief conversation, he had gotten the feeling that something was off about Krista. He couldn't bring himself to buy into the angelic persona she put forward, it just didn't feel genuine. He had learned long ago that there were no angels among humans. Even so, he didn't have any intentions of pressing the matter anytime soon, everyone had something to hide. Despite her questionably genuine personality, what definitely looked genuine to Skip was the nervous glance she shot at him as she was strapped into the harness.

Deciding a little support wouldn't hurt, he gave her a reassuring nod. "Don't worry too much, you've got this. Just take a deep breath, let it out, and don't panic."

Although the small cadet only looked marginally less nervous, she still offered a shaky smile. "Thank you, I'll try my best."

The training officer overseeing the process nodded to Skip, "Cadet Reid, begin the test."

"Yes, sir!"

Skip began to rotate the crank yet again, slowly raising the small cadet off of the ground. Like many before her, Krista's stance was shaky and unsure, but held her upright nonetheless. After a few moments, the training officer gave the signal to let Krista down.

"Congratulations Cadet Lenz, you passed. Now go find the others."

Krista, looking relieved at having passed, snapped a salute. "Yes, sir!"

Skip nodded at her with a small smile, "See, not too bad, eh?"

The blonde chuckled lightly, "No, I guess you're right, it wasn't that bad. I'll see you around!"

Skip watched Krista leave, still pondering what she might be hiding behind that angelic facade. He couldn't ponder for long though, as the next cadet came up for their test, looking no less nervous than Krista. When Skip locked eyes with Mina, she smiled nervously. "Got any tips, Skip?"

He shrugged nonchalantly, "Just like what I told Krista. Stay calm, take a deep breath, and you'll be fine. You just need to stay upright."

The girl nodded nervously as she was strapped into the verifying that all was right with the equipment, the training officer nodded to Skip, signaling for him to start the test.

Skip immediately noticed that Mina held a rigid stance initially, which had been the source of Falke's downfall an hour earlier. When she began to lurch forward, though, she loosened her stance to allow her to adjust her balance better. While she was noticeably shakier than most other cadets who passed, she still remained upright.

Nodding in approval, the training officer ordered Mina to be lowered. As Skip lowered his fellow cadet to the ground, they made eye contact again.

"See, you did fine. Nothing to worry about," Skip remarked with a small, relaxed smile. Something about her just seemed to disarm him like nobody else did.

She nodded, "Yeah, you were right, I guess." A mischievous glint appeared in her gray eyes. "Thanks for the advice, Chuckles."

Skip shot the brunette an unamused look, before a panicked yelp from another of the testing harnesses caught his attention. He turned around just in time to watch Eren slam his head into the ground. Skip flinched a little, that had to have hurt. Poor bastard, and he was talking big about mastering the ODM gear to take out the titans just last night, too. Seems he didn't have the bite to back up the bark. Skip's attention was pulled back when he heard the voice of the training officer directed at him. "Cadet Reid, you are free to go. Cadet Carolina, replace Cadet Reid."

Both cadets saluted in acknowledgement, "Yes, sir!"

"Have fun," Skip muttered sarcastically in a voice that only the two cadets could hear.

"Come on, Skip, there has to be something you can tell me!"

Skip sighed as his gaze flicked to the other inhabitants of the men's barracks, before flicking it back to the desperate looking Eren in front of him. "Look Eren, I'm going to be frank with you. As pretentious as he may be, our equine friend has a point. It really is just something you feel. With practice and time, I'm certain that you'd get it. The problem is, you don't have time. Best I can tell you is what I told people earlier today. Take a deep breath, exhale, and don't panic. Just try to feel your way to balance."

Seeing that he wasn't going to get much help from Skip, Eren lowered his gaze dejectedly, "Alright... Thanks anyway. At least you aren't a jerk about it like Horse Face."

Skip couldn't help the quiet chuckle that escaped his lips, "Not a high bar to beat. Anyways, if you're still looking for advice or help, I saw Reiner and Bertholdt do pretty well today, I suggest going to them next. They may have something to tell you that I don't."

At this, Eren perked up a little bit, a new ray of hope in his eyes, "Heh, thanks Skip. You really are more helpful than Jean."

As Eren trotted off to consult Bertholdt and Reiner, Armin, who had been quietly observing the conversation from behind Eren, gave Skip a grateful smile before following his friend. After the blonde passed, Skip's eyes lowered to the floor as he lost himself in his thoughts. He could tell that Eren was a very driven individual. If he were to fail the next test, he would be shipped off to the fields to work with the other rejects and dropouts. While he may not have shown much promise with the ODM gear yet, it would be a shame to lose an individual with such drive and determination. Humanity needed those kinds of people if they were to reclaim Wall Maria and the lands beyond. There was also another drive there; the drive to avenge a loved one lost in the disaster, perhaps? Skip should have been able to sympathize with that. Maybe in another life, Skip would have joined the military to seek revenge on the Armored Titan to avenge his parents, but he just couldn't bring himself to hold a vendetta like that. Maybe that was just the way Skip lived, or maybe he just didn't have any real convictions. Eren's convictions were strong, stronger than perhaps anyone else in their class. Skip shook his head, sighing. He couldn't just let Eren fail, not before trying to help him, first.

He turned to where Bertholdt and Reiner's bunks were, but found them empty. Putting two and two together, Skip realized that Bertholdt and Reiner must have offered to give some pointers to Eren and help him practice. After ensuring that his bunk was in order, he pulled out his green Cadet Corps cloak, and slipped out the door unnoticed. He spotted a group of four people standing outside the door to the Quartermaster's depot, speaking in hushed voices.

"If we can't get in to get the equipment, then I'm afraid there's not much we can do."

As the group fell silent, Skip took this opportunity to approach them.

"I can help with that."

The group turned, slightly startled by his appearance. Eren was the first to recover, "Skip? What are you doing here? I thought you said you didn't think you could help me."

Skip, taking a pin from the pocket of his trousers, kneeled down, and began to pick the lock on the door. "Yeah, I did say that. Doesn't mean I'm not willing to try." The lock clicked, and Skip turned to the group, smirking, "Well gentlemen, we're now officially criminals. Better get your gear and go, I'd rather not get court martialed for theft on the second day. Or worse, end up running laps until hell freezes over." Reiner smirked at this, while Eren was too focused on getting his gear. Bertholdt and Armin just looked uncomfortable with the fact that they were technically committing theft.

As they waited for Eren, Reiner turned to Skip with a question on his lips, "So, where did you learn to pick locks like that? You do it more efficiently than the other refugees I've seen on the street."

"Came as part of my job, I guess," Skip shrugged, before noticing the three sets of eyebrows raised at him. Raising his hands defensively, he hastily added, "It wasn't anything illegal, I swear."

"Uh- huh…" Reiner mumbled, sounding unconvinced. Nevertheless, a smirk formed on his face. "Well, I'm sure there are plenty of former burglars in the military. Who knows, maybe you'll fit right in with them," Reiner teased.

Skip glared at Reiner, despite the corners of his lips quirking upwards. Before he could come up with a retort though, Eren emerged from the Quartermaster's depot with his gear in hand. Skip immediately closed the door behind him, and relocked the door.

"Alright, let's get going before someone sees us here."

The walk to their hidden training ground was filled with quiet conversation. Bertholdt had revealed to them that his only motivation for joining the military was that he was hoping to be able to join the Military Police, mostly out of a desire to stay alive. Reiner appeared to be adamant about returning to the home that was taken from him. Eren, as usual, was determined to slaughter every last titan. Bertholdt and Reiner looked back with a degree of shock and concern when they heard this, though Skip couldn't blame them. Eren's unyielding resolve to wipe out the titans even unnerved him to an extent.

Then Bertholdt turned to glance at Skip, "So what about you, Skip? Why did you join?"

Skip cast his gaze down at the ground for a moment, pondering one of life's great mysteries, 'Why are we here?' Deep down, Skip really didn't know why he had chosen to join. It was just one of those strange urgings that had come up over the years.

Skip lifted his gaze, meeting the curious looks of his companions. "Truth be told, I don't really know why I decided to join. It's just… something was telling me that this was where I needed to be." After a moment of silence, he shrugged. "Who knows, maybe it's just my subconscious driving me to make those responsible pay for their crimes."

At this, Bertholdt and Reiner quickly exchanged uneasy looks, but they were gone so quickly that Skip wondered if it was just the shadows playing tricks on his eyes. He dismissed the observation as they came upon a barbed wire fence, marking the boundaries of camp. One by one, they slipped through the gaps between the wires, and continued their trek. Before long, the five cadets came to a halt. At that moment the clouds parted, allowing the light of the full moon to illuminate the valley below, revealing a shimmering lake, surrounded by a vast coniferous forest.

The cadets were captivated by the sight for a moment, before Reiner finally broke free of the spell. He turned to Eren, "We're gonna get you through this test. I'm sure of it."

Skip could feel some minor anticipation bubbling inside of him as Eren was strapped into the aptitude test harness. Falke had managed to pass his second test moments before Eren, so Skip had hope that their all- nighter crash course would be enough to get Eren through. Eren's gaze momentarily flicked to where Skip was standing with Mikasa, Armin, Bertholdt, and Reiner. Skip nodded in encouragement when the two locked eyes, with Eren nodding back in acknowledgement. When they broke eye contact, Skip sized Eren up. His stance was firm, but relaxed. Good, he had listened last night. As Eren was lifted up, however, Skip furrowed his eyebrows. Something didn't seem right about Eren's gear. He hadn't had enough time to completely familiarize himself with it, but he still felt that something was off.

His suspicions were almost banished when Eren managed to hang steady for a moment, but were then further validated when Eren, seemingly for no reason at all, flipped upside down. Skip continued to study Eren's gear. It had to be something towards the front of the belt, everything else looked fine. His mind continued thinking through possibilities as Eren was lowered to the ground. Even as Eren stood up, a crestfallen look on his face, Skip still didn't have any answers.

But it seemed Commandant Shadis did.

"Cadet Wagner, exchange belts with Cadet Yeager."

As Eren was strapped into the contraption for hopefully the last time, Skip did a final once over on his gear. That's when he saw it.

"The clasp," he muttered, "Eren's clasp was busted."

Reiner turned to him, a little unsure, "How can you be certain?"

"I didn't see it at first, but Thomas' clasp looks different from Eren's. I only saw it when they switched belts. If you still need proof, just look at Eren, he's doing perfectly fine now," Skip simply replied, not taking his eyes off of Eren.

Reiner turned back to Eren, seeing that the hot- headed cadet was indeed doing just fine. "I guess you're right. Still, how did we miss that?"

Skip searched through his memories of the previous night, looking for any holes in what they thought was a comprehensive lesson in ODM basics. He resisted the urge to groan. "Step one, belt adjustment," he quoted to Reiner, who proceeded to close his eyes and sigh in mild frustration.

"Of course," he muttered.

"It was the only thing we didn't actively work Eren through, since he said he could do it himself. He wasn't technically wrong, and everything looked right, but that's just it. We were looking at it in the dark, with only the moonlight," Skip chuckled lightly before continuing, "and moonlight is a poor substitute for daylight."

Reiner nodded thoughtfully, seeming to agree with Skip's assessment, "That makes sense. Nice catch."

Skip simply shrugged, "Thanks, but I'd just say this is a lesson in why making sure your gear is in proper condition is so important."

Two Weeks Later

Skip hissed slightly as he sat down to eat dinner, his rear still sore from a mishap less than an hour ago. They had run their first obstacle course with the ODM Gear that day, and things had not gone particularly well for the cadet.

"Hey, you alright? That was quite the tumble you took not too long ago."

Skip looked up to see Reiner sitting down across from him.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." He grimaced as a sharp pain lanced through his right shoulder as he rolled it out. "It'll play hell with my target practice for the next few days, but It'll heal. Eventually."

Reiner snorted lightly, "Yeah, now maybe you'll hit the first ring instead of the bullseye every time."

"Oh, shove it," Skip rolled his eyes. "You're just mad that Shadis doesn't require me to go to target practice anymore."

"Alright, maybe a little," Reiner admitted with a small smile. "Seriously though, are you alright? That didn't look like something a normal person would just walk away from."

"Yeah, I'll be alright. I've found that I'm a pretty durable person," Skip paused for a moment to roll his shoulder out again. "Still hurts like hell, though."

Reiner chuckled a little, "I'd be worried if it didn't." His gaze then took on a more curious glint, "Say, Betholdt and I plan to go out and get some extra practice in with the ODM Gear. Maybe you should join us. After you're healed, that is."

Skip pondered Reiner's proposal for a moment. 'Well, it wouldn't hurt to get some more practice in. Lord knows I need it.' He winced a little as the pain in his right shoulder flared again. 'Okay, it might hurt a little, but it'll still probably be helpful.' The cadet shrugged lightly, "Sure, why not?"

Fun Fact: Cadet Harry Falke was given the nickname "Pixie" by his fellow cadets of the 104th. Nobody seems to know how he got the name or who first coined it, but it was quickly adopted by the 104th.

Up Next: Skip and Mina's merry mountain (mis)adventure(s).