After extensively explaining Jason's circumstances to his superior, Armin was finally given permission to watch over this "lost scout". Jason was told to at least wear their uniform, and was given an extra hoodie that the others had. The symbol on the back was a pair of wings. Blue wings covered the left side, and white wings covered the right.

"It symbolizes freedom." Armin explained.

Jason was ordered to keep his hood up and stand in the trees to attract titans from entering the forest alongside Jean and Armin. Christa and Reiner joined another superior to do the same in another part of the forest.

He flipped his coin. Heads. Golden sword in hand, he crouched waiting with the others.

"I hate this." Jean stated.

Jason glanced at him.

"Not knowing what's actually going on, being treated like…"

"Jean, we need to focus." Armin cut him off.

Jean gave Armin a hard look.

"Of course you know what's going on."

Armin shifted his weight.

Jean chuckled.

"Don't worry, you don't have to tell me. I'll follow orders. Just wanted to give my piece."

Jean was smarter than Jason gave him credit for.

Which meant Jason was right. This mission wasn't just an excursion. There was a purpose to it.

"Titans spotted straight ahead! Keep your guard up!" Yelled a superior officer from a distance. "Don't engage unless ordered!"

"What in Tartarus…"

Jason looked on in horror. Naked giants approached them. All with contorted faces, all looking at them. The shorter ones reached 10 feet, while the larger ones without hands extended, reached 14 feet or more.

"You really haven't seen a titan before." Jean noticed.

Jason nodded.

"Don't worry." Armin said from behind on his branch. "We'll keep you safe."

Jason chuckled wearily. "Usually I'm the one saying that."

Jean gave him a look. Crap, did I slip up.

He proceeded to pat his equipment. "What do you mean, usually? We have the ODM gear here. Without it, you would have been titan fodder."

Jason sighed in relief. Maybe Jean isn't that sharp. "What is that equipment anyway? Is ODM an acronym for something?"

Jean laughed. "You really don't know anything. Man, if Commander Sadies found out about this, he would make you run laps till sundown."

Jason itched closer, eager to learn more about this strange weapon these mortals had developed.

Jean moves his cape out of the way.

"Listen, there are four components to our Omni-directional mobility gear."

He showed the items in his hand, they looked like the handle of a gun, but with no pistol attached.

"These hand grips let us control everything. The amount of pressure we release, when to fire grappling hooks, and where our blades are attached."

He demonstrated how the hand grips turn into sword hilts when attached to their blades.

He pointed to the aluminum boxes on his hip.

"These not only hold our blades, but our pressurized air as well. The grappling hooks shoot out of the machine behind us using the pressurized air in these tanks."

Jason was shocked. These people were still riding horses and yet they had such advanced weaponry. What's the story behind that? Jason wondered. Jean continued his explanation of the ODM gear, how it is used to fight in 3D space instead of 2D. How these machines were made specifically to fight titans. And how one has to train for three years to be able to use this gear.

"You guys trained for three years?"

"This equipment is complicated, and can only be used by our strongest, most fit, soldiers. Some cadets are left on the cutting room floor if they can't pass the stand up right test. Though I'd rather be a cadet than out here." He looked down as more titans gathered at the base of their tree.

"How about you Jason? What sort of training did you go through? How does your weapon work?"

Jason shifted his weight.

"I said I couldn't remember."

Jean scoffed. "What, you think I'm an idiot! I don't get why Armin is making you lie, but it won't help you here."

"Jean…"

"No Armin. This isn't like the mission. If he turns out to be an enemy, it will be all our lives at stake." He pointed his blade at Jason.

"So, what is it? Enemy or ally?"

Jason looked at Armin, he had a question he wanted answered first.

"Why did you ask me to lie?"

"Oi, don't ignore me!" Jean yelled.

Armin sighed.

"You… when you looked at the Female Titan, you said that it wasn't a titan. As if you knew what a titan looked like. If anyone else heard what you said they would assume you were insane, or even worse, the enemy. You would be killed on the spot. But when you risked your life to fight the Female Titan without ODM gear, I knew you weren't bad. I didn't want another good person to die just because of a misunderstanding."

More titans had gathered under their tree.

Jean put his sword down. Jason kept his gaze on the mysterious kid that saved him.

When he was talking about what happened five years ago, it sounded like he had witnessed it first hand. Who did he lose to that attack? It must have been someone important, otherwise he wouldn't have gone to this much trouble to keep him safe.

Jason stood from his kneeling position.

"I'm a soldier, much like you. Abandoned at a young age I had to learn how to survive on my own. Until I joined the 12th Legion. There I found people like myself, and we dedicated ourselves to protecting others."

"So, you're from outside the walls?" Armin asked.

Jason thought about it for a moment. "I don't think so. Humans aren't an extinct species where I come from. And I've never heard of a place being run down by man-eating monsters." Jason looked down at the titans. "Especially monsters looking like that."

Jean rubbed his head in confusion. "That makes no sense! How can you not be from outside the walls? Where do you come from?"

Jason returned to his crouching position. "I don't know Jean." He replied coldly.

He didn't mean to sound cold but he couldn't help it. Being asked questions he didn't know the answer to bothered him as well. He shouldn't take it out on others though.

Jean noticed his discomfort and stepped back.

Armin broke the tension. "Don't worry Jason, we'll figure it out. Together."

The two sides glanced at him. "As soon as we're done with this mission."

The wind blew through the leaves. Where does he get that relentless optimism?

Jason gave a small smile.

"Right." Jean affirmed.