His father had been merciful in his punishment. Having broken the Cycle, he should have ceased to exist. Expunged from all of Creation. And yet here he was, wandering the Sands of Origo for all of time. He remembered his crime. He remembered his father's wrath. He remembered all of it, and yet he felt it all slipping. His mind and his history ceased to be with every step he took. Perhaps he could rest soon. Perhaps he would finally die.

Team 53 Arc

~ Chapter 2: Cadet Pt. I ~

August 3rd, Year 839

It took three days for the transport to reach the Marley/Middle-Eastern Alliance border. On the Marley side of the border was a training camp, which was used to train thousands of troops weeks before they would be sent into battle. The fort was named Fort Tatakai, and it housed over nine thousand Warrior Cadets who would be training to become the next inheritors of the Six Titans.

Harry was let out of the transport at the entrance and was escorted through the front gate toward admissions. There, he was met with a relatively kind-looking woman who seemed both tired and energetic at the same time. She peered up at him through rose-colored glasses. "Name and age,"

"Harry Potter. Age six,"

"Ok, Harry Potter. Hand over your form," Harry did so, handing the woman the form he had been given by one of the Marleyan soldiers on the transport. It had his height, weight, and measurements. After examining it, the woman smiled. "Well, Mr. Potter, we should have uniforms perfect for your size. I haven't met many six-year-olds over 4 foot, let alone 4' 1". Come on back and we'll look for you," So Harry followed the woman into the back into the storage closet, where there were large shelves stacked with uniforms of different types and sizes. They picked out two service uniforms, three combat uniforms, two fitness uniforms, and two sets of sleeping wear. They would be the only possessions he could keep within the fort. "There you are, Mr. Potter. Make sure to change and put on your armband. Failure to do so will result in time in the brig,"

"Yes, ma'am!" Harry exclaimed. He turned and left the admissions office, heading for the Fort's barracks. He entered the first barracks complex to find a massive room full of bunk beds lined against the wall. It stretched for what felt like a mile and looked like it could hold nearly three thousand people. But he noticed that after every three bunk beds, there was a sheet that acted as a partition. Harry was quickly approached by a young man who appeared in his early twenties. "You must be Harry Potter. Admissions told us you were arriving. Your bunk is in Section 36 along with Team 53. Head there now and rendezvous with your teammates,"

Teams? Harry had never heard of the Warriors working with teams. But he supposed it made sense. After all, the Warriors worked in teams of seven anyway. So Harry walked down the line, passing energetic children and tired-looking adults as he went. Eventually, he passed Section 35 and stopped at Section 36 to find his new teammates. There were six of them already there. A young boy with bright blonde hair and golden eyes. There were three other boys as well. A taller one with black hair and pale green eyes. And the other two appeared to be siblings, one with swept-back brown hair and hazel eyes, and the other has swept-back blonde hair and hazel eyes.

The other two members of the team of six were girls. One of the girls had bright blonde hair that fell to either side of her face and was also held back in a ponytail. Her eyes were blue, and she was quite pale compared to everyone else. The second girl had long black hair tied back into a ponytail, as well as dark grey eyes that seemed both bored and interested at the same time. The blonde girl's eyes were the same. They were empathetic towards life it seemed, and Harry wasn't sure what to think of this. The first blonde boy spotted Harry first and smiled. "Potter?"

"Yes," Harry replied with a shrug.

The others had all turned to Harry now and were watching him with a mix of interest, surprise, and annoyance. The blonde boy's smile grew wider. "My name's Braun. Reiner Braun. That's Bertholdt Hoover," He motioned to the tall, black-haired boy. "Those are the Galliard brothers Marcel and Porco," Reiner pointed towards the brown-haired and blonde-haired boys respectively. "That's Annie Leonhart," He motioned to the blonde-haired girl. "And that's -"

"Pieck Finger," The girl spoke, getting to her feet. She extended her hand towards Harry, who watched it for a single moment before deciding to grasp it in a gentle handshake. Harry wasn't sure what to think of this. This girl's self-introduction seemed to have been caused by something in particular. Perhaps a dislike of Reiner? Or maybe a sense of self-entitlement? But when he looked into her eyes, Harry didn't see a sense of self-entitlement or disliking. Instead, he found bright and hopeful eyes. She was staring deep into his soul, and Harry wasn't sure what to think of it.

"Harry Potter," Harry replied, smiling wide as the two shook hands.

"Nice to meet you, Harry,"

"Same,"

"Have you been appointed your titan yet?" asked Bertholdt.

"Umm...no?"

"We were all appointed our titan when we got here. Reiner was assigned the Armored Titan. I was assigned the Colossal Titan. Annie the Female Titan. Pieck the Cart Titan. Marcel the Jaw Titan. Porco the Beast Titan. And you...well...there isn't a spot for you. So I'm assuming you're here to replace one of us," explained Bertholdt. Porco frowned, taking on a dark expression as he got up from his bed. Annie sat up from her top bunk, peering down at Harry with minor interest. Harry, though, was confused.

Harry shook his head. "I thought you earned a position based on your field of excellence on the battlefield. The Armored Titan is for those who defend their comrades. The Cart Titan is for those with the most endurance. The Beast Titan for the best throwing skills. So on, and so forth,"

Marcel nodded. "That is how it's done, but the admissions office gives you a titan upon entry so that the higher-ups can better gauge your skills. Reiner was given the Armored Titan cause he's larger than all of us and stronger. I was given the Jaw Titan because of my speed. Once we go out into battle, the commanders will decide whether we're good enough for the titan we were given or if we should be given a different titan,"

"Or no titan at all," Annie pointed out.

"Mr. Potter," Everyone turned, suddenly, facing one of the admissions desk workers. He handed Harry a piece of paper and left them quickly. Harry examined the paper for a moment, before sighing.

Pieck stepped forward, moving to Harry's side as she too read the note. Reiner spoke first. "Well?"

"He got his assignment," Pieck whispered, her eyes falling on Porco.

"For the Beast Titan," Porco guessed, his eyes narrowing on Harry. Harry was in shock. He had been assigned the Beast Titan, and yet there was already someone ready to inherit that position. Zeke Jaeger was the son of two Restorationists who had been executed years before. He would inherit the Beast Titan's powers a year before the rest of the Warriors. So if Harry won the spot, he would have to wait another thirteen years to get the power. By that time, the Warriors who would receive their powers after Zeke would only have a year left to live. It was the worst Titan to be applied for.

"I don't want the Beast Titan," Harry said, hoping to defend himself.

"It doesn't matter. The commanders think you deserve it," said Porco, angry.

Bertholdt once again took a calm approach. "What kind of skills do you have that might make them consider you for the Beast Titan? Can you throw well?"

"I throw as well as anyone else," Harry defended. But he stopped. He had been a very good thrower before he stopped playing ball inside his house. Ball-throwing had been banned outdoors due to the possibility of property destruction, but he was still allowed to throw the ball around inside. But that soon ended when Harry accidentally broke a vase near the window. But there was something else that might have led to the commanders considering Harry for the Beast Titan. His intelligence. He read at such an advanced level, and he could formulate answers to equations in seconds. Harry sighed. "I can throw very well. I used to practice outside until I was four. And I played ball inside until I turned five. And I'm smart. Smarter than most kids older than me,"

"I can't tell if you're being honest or conceited," commented Annie.

"Honest," said Pieck, who was still watching Harry. "He doesn't seem like the bragging type,"

Harry smiled. "Thanks," Pieck returned the smile but quickly turned back to her bunk, where she took a seat. Everything seemed to die down at this point, but Porco still seemed frustrated and annoyed. The lights suddenly went out, and Reiner visibly stiffened in the darkness. "It's lights out, so we need to go to bed. Lucky for you our section has an extra bunk on the other side of Annie and Pieck's bunk," From left to right, Reiner and Bertholdt had the first bunk, Marcel and Porco had the second, Annie and Pieck had the third, and it seemed Harry had the forth. He felt a bit odd being separated from the rest of the boys, but he liked Pieck and decided it couldn't be so bad.

Taking a seat on his bed, Harry changed into his sleep-wear in the darkness, finishing the outfit by pulling on his yellow Eldian armband. He lay down and stared up at the bunk above, but he was unable to sleep for some time. So he turned towards Pieck and Annie's bunk, spotting Pieck in the darkness lying in her bunk. She was looking away from him, but Harry had a suspicion that she could sense his gaze on her. But he decided to focus on her and her kindness, and it seemed to help him grow tired. But he couldn't sleep. There were too many thoughts in his mind.

He would not see his mother or father for another four years. Four long years. A lot could happen in four years. His parents could have another kid. He could be a brother by ten. And by the time he turned ten, Harry would be a murderer. He would have killed someone by then. He would have killed at least one person in battle, and if he ever wanted to be a Warrior, he would have to kill dozens if not hundreds. His mind raced. Porco was angry with him, something that would affect Harry's place on the team. And yet Harry found himself not worrying. It seemed that Reiner, Bertholdt, Marcel, and Pieck were friendly with him, while Annie seemed impartial about his existence. So perhaps Porco's anger would go unnotice or would be defused before it turned into burning rage.

Rage.

Harry had experienced rage before. He wasn't sure where or when, but he remembered it vividly. He remembered feeling it. The urge to kill. The urge to harm so thoroughly that the one experiencing your wrath could not possibly live on in solitude. Harry remembered a wicked laugh. A flash of green. A veil of mist. All of it was accompanied by whispers of burning hot rage. But all Harry felt was cold anger when thinking of Porco and that situation. Why should Porco be angry at Harry? How could Harry have known he would be assigned to the Beast Titan? How could he have known that he could replace Porco? And how could Harry possibly change the situation? If Harry went for another Titan, he would just be replacing another one of the team, and that would only make them angry at him.

But he was calmed at once as movement stirred from Pieck's bed. She had turned around and was now watching him. Harry wasn't sure for how long the two had been staring at each other in the dark, but he suspected that it had been more than a minute. Harry stilled, and a feeling of nervousness fell over him. He wasn't sure whether to turn away or say something. But the sound of heavy footsteps and a distant light told him that the second option wasn't good. He wasn't sure about the rules here and was unsure if speaking during lights-out was allowed.

It was not. As the guard drew closer, Pieck shut her eyes, pretending to be asleep as she drew her bedsheets closer. Harry followed suit, doing the same so that he too appeared asleep. A moment later, the guard passed their section, flashing his flashlight on both Pieck and Harry as he passed. When he was long gone, Harry opened his eyes and found that Pieck had turned away. He was both relieved and sad at the same time. He wanted to look at her more. To examine her face more thoroughly than he had before. But the opportunity was gone, and so Harry turned and stared back at the bunk above him. It would take him another hour to fall asleep.

He took another step for the trillionth time. He had been walking the Earth for eons and yet he had only moved up these stairs twice, this time included. The first time had been the last time he saw her. Her. With her silky brown hair, and chocolate-colored eyes. His thoughts shifted to the smoothness of her skin. The wetness of her lips. How much he regretted not kissing them when he last met her. But she was still here. Even now. Like him. Forever drifting across this blue rock.

August 4th, Year 839

"So, the newbie is running off of little sleep,"

Harry sighed. He was sitting in the massive meal center within the fort, having come back from his morning jog with one of the commander's group sessions. He was eating mashed potatoes and green beans along with a large glass of apple juice, and he was not looking forward to this inevitable confrontation with his teammate. Porco took a seat next to Harry, grabbing hold of his apple juice before taking a massive drink, depleting Harry's glass by nearly half. But Harry didn't react. He stayed calm, letting the cold anger he felt build inside him, growing cold and icier with each passing moment. "That apple juice is good, newbie,"

"Stop being a bully, Porco. It doesn't suit you," said Marcel, who snatched Harry's apple juice from Porco's hands before handing it back to a much appreciative Harry. "Don't mind him. He's still angry about the Beast Titan assignment,"

"I can tell," Harry remarked, receiving an angry sneer from Porco. Harry merely rolled his eyes at the boy, turning his attention back to lunch as Reiner and the others took a seat at Team 53's table. Pieck, Annie, and Marcel sat across from Harry while Reiner and Bertholdt were to Harry's right. Harry tried his best not to look at Pieck as he ate, but it was growing quite difficult when she continued to pick green beans off of his tray. After several silent moments full of eating, Reiner spoke first. "We're doing group training after lunch, so get dressed in your combat uniform and meet me by the training course fifteen minutes after we leave,"

"Understood," said Harry and Porco at the same time, with Porco sending another glare toward Harry. Everyone sat at the table collectively rolled their eyes, and Harry couldn't help but internally smile. So he had been right. Porco's anger was not felt by the rest of the group. He would not be hated by more than one of the team. Harry examined the table around him. Reiner and Bertholdt were having a hushed conversation at Harry's right. Porco and Marcel were having a slightly louder conversation across from each other that Harry wasn't paying attention to. And Pieck and Annie were silent, minding their own business as they ate their food quietly.

It seemed that Reiner and Bertholdt were inseparable, and Porco would most definitely never be Harry's friend. So it seemed Harry's options for close personal connection were Marcel, Pieck, and Annie. Because Marcel was deep in conversation, Harry decided to start with Pieck and Annie. "Where were you two born?" He asked, trying to keep the conversation simple and easy.

"Oh...we're both from Liberio," answered Pieck.

"Oh? I'm from there too,"

"Most of the Warriors come from Liberio. It has the largest internment zones in Marley," commented Annie.

"That's true," Harry agreed. "How old are you?"

"I'm five," answered Pieck.

"Five," said Annie.

"I'm six," Harry supplied, earning nods in acknowledgment from the two girls. The conversation ended in uncomfortable silence, with Harry poking occasionally at his food. Eventually, he grew tired of the silence and got up from the table, receiving concerned looks from Reiner, Pieck, and Bertholdt. But he waved away their concern and left the cafeteria after dumping his tray. He entered the barracks and found his bunk easily. After changing into his combat uniform - helmet and all - Harry left the barracks and headed for the training grounds, where he would find the training course.

Harry decided he would be productive, so he ran the course twice before he began basic exercises off to the side in the grass. Ten minutes after lunch ended, Riener stepped forward in his combat uniform. "You started early,"

"Yes sir," Harry replied. He knew that while Reiner was the same age as him and just a kid, but this kid was the leader of Harry's team. He deserved respect for his position. This seemed to brighten Reiner's mood, seeing as the boy's entire posture loosened and he smiled brighter than before. He then joined Harry in his exercise, doing rounds of pushups, situps, squats, planks, and jumping jacks until Pieck, Annie, and Marcel arrived. Porco and Bertholdt could be seen in the distance sprinting towards the training ground, but they wouldn't make it within the fifteen-minute mark.

"So, Harry wins for attendance today," remarked Reiner with a grin when Porco and Bertholdt eventually arrived. Porco growled in anger while Bertholdt bent down to grasp his knees in exhaustion. Reiner continued. "We're going to start with basic training like pushups, situps, and all of that. And then we'll run the training course ten times or until we collapse,"

"Did you just quote word for word what the commander said this morning?" asked Harry, who was grinning.

"Yes. Yes I did," replied Riener with a matching grin. And so the seven children did their basic exercises before running the training course. They all lasted for different variations of time. Bertholdt lasted the shortest, being able to only last for four laps around the course. Porco was second, finishing after six. Then it was Marcel at nine. Pieck at eleven. And Reiner at sixteen. By the thirty-second lap around the course, Harry was beginning to struggle, and so was Annie. They were breathing heavily at this point, and both of them were sluggish in their movements as they climbed/slid over/under obstacles. It wasn't until lap thirty-nine that Harry eventually collapsed at the end of the course.

Annie won by a small margin, collapsing herself after another lap. That set the record for their age class. Forty laps on the course was unheard of for anyone under sixteen. Let alone a five-year-old. Harry and Annie were sent off to the barracks to rest as the others went off to lunch. By the next day, the seven would continue to train under the leadership of Reiner.

I was given a journal to collect my thoughts roughly three months ago, and I have yet to touch it until now. It sat beneath my bunk for most of that time collecting dust, unseen by the light until I became too consumed by those thoughts to think clearly. Training has been going well. Team 53 has yet to go out onto the battlefield, which I think has something to do with Bertholdt. He hasn't been doing well in his physical exams lately, and I think the commands might see him as a liability for our team out on the battlefield.

As far as the rest of us are concerned, we're all ready to go. Reiner is more than prepared to pull Bertholdt's weight, and everyone else is physically able and willing to go. Annie and I are still at the top of our class in terms of martial arts and the training course. She's still ahead of me though, lasting nearly seventy-six laps before getting too exhausted to run. I can last seventy-one, but it isn't a close enough margin to be the least bit proud of myself. The others have improved as well. Pieck shot up above Reiner to sixty-eight laps, only three below me, while Reiner could handle running roughly fifty-eight. Marcel and Porco were tied at forty-nine, and Bertholdt was last at only twenty-three laps.

Annie and I have been training a lot together lately, but she seems distant for a reason I can't explain. She's long been over her distant brooding attitude toward me, but she now seems to distance herself for another reason. A reason I can't possibly comprehend. So I train with her in the evenings, and then I leave her to do her exercises toward lights out.

And Pieck also seems conflicted about something. We've grown closer in the past five months. We talk regularly during meals now, openly discussing our lives before boot camp, our families, our friends, and our schools. And we get along very well, Pieck and I. We train in the mornings together, and it seems she appreciates some of the help I give her in building her endurance. But despite our closeness the past few months, she too seems put off by something about me. Whether it's my existence on the team being a threat to her or anyone else, I cannot guess, so I decided I would just give her space when we aren't training or at meals.

Reiner and I are fairly decent friends now. We confide in each other a lot, and I think Reiner looks up to me as a colleague as well as a friend. He even joked one time about me being his vice-chief, something that visibly bothered both Bertholdt and Porco. But Reiner is a good person. He likes a lot of the same things I do, and we get along in our love for training, for pushing ourselves beyond our limits so that we can be the best at whatever we do. But we could never be best friends. That title belonged to Bertholdt, and I wasn't going to get in between them in their friendship.

As for Porco and Marcel, things could be going better there. Marcel is distant because he's worried I'll take the Jaw Titan from him. I'm faster than almost everyone on the team besides Annie, and he's afraid that might be considered a reason for me to be given the power of the Jaw. And Porco has always hated me from day one, so there isn't much to say there. But he seems to have calmed down a bit, his anger cooling. How long that will last, I'm unsure, but I'm enjoying the moments of relative peace I get at mealtimes and during training.

— Excerpt from Harry Potter's first journal. Dated 3-13-840.

March 22nd, 840

Team 53 received its first assignment. They would be joining the Marleyan Armed Forces on the front lines of the war, and the first tests would begin to determine their skills and prowess. It started at breakfast. Harry had gotten up early to join Commander Hoyt's training on the training course, and after taking a shower had gone to the cafeteria to get a much-needed meal. When he arrived, he found Annie alone, appearing slightly depressed as she took occasional bites of food. Taking a seat next to her, Harry took a bite of his food. Hashbrowns with slightly burnt eggs. Not the worst breakfast, so it was doable.

They sat in silence for several minutes, with Annie seeming visibly uncomfortable while Harry tried his best to respect the fact that she wanted silence. But eventually, it became too much for him, and he spoke. "Is everything alright, Annie?"

"Yes," was her simple reply.

"Are you sure? You seem down today,"

Giving him the most annoyed side-eye Harry had ever received in his life, Annie mumbled. "I'm fine,"

Before Harry could push further in questioning her, Reiner approached the table, holding a piece of paper with a Commander-approved stamp on the top-right corner. Holding it up for Harry and Annie to see, Reiner spoke. "The Commander issued us our first assignment!" He passed it to Harry, who read it quietly while Annie continued to act uninterested. "We're going to the front lines in three hours. So you need to pack your bags and get ready by 10. If we're late we're going to set a bad example for the Commander,"

"I'll be ready by eight," said Harry, who got to his feet suddenly. Annie didn't move and instead continued with her breakfast as if nothing had been said. Reiner followed Harry out, accompanying him to the barracks where the others were already packing their things. It seemed they would be waiting for Annie on this one. "Should I go back and tell her we're leaving early?"

"We can't leave early. We're just getting packed. The transport won't leave until it's scheduled to leave," said Porco in his ever-annoyed voice. Harry sighed, nodding in acknowledgment as he moved towards his bunk. Pieck was at his side, facing her bunk as she packed her small bag with her uniforms and spare armbands. Harry didn't bother sparing her a glance. He figured she had more important things on her mind than to speak with him. So they stood in silence, packing their bags until everything was ready to go.

With everything done, Reiner spoke. "I guess we can go to the training course?"

"Or we can go to the cafeteria for lunch," Porco suggested.

"We can only eat once. Harry wouldn't be able to get anything," Marcel pointed out.

Porco shrugged. "So? How is that my problem?"

"It's not. Go eat. I'll be fine," said Harry. He knew that they hadn't eaten lunch yet, and instead had gone back to the bunks immediately to pack. He wouldn't refuse them a much-needed meal just because he had already eaten his. Marcel and Reiner - both appearing grateful - thanked Harry and walked with Porco toward the cafeteria. Harry left too, only he headed for the training course instead. He did a few warmup exercises, a few laps around the course, as well as a few climbs up and down the rock wall before he caught sight of Pieck not far from him. She was watching him with a somber expression, seeming lost in her thoughts.

Climbing down the rock wall, Harry stepped up to her, a deep-rooted nervousness taking root as he struggled with what to say. Luckily for him, Pieck spoke first. "This will be our first battle," So she was worried about the war. Whether or not they could die on their very first mission outside of the fort. After all, they were only five or six years old. Nothing could be said about how they would fare on the battlefield. But Harry believed in their abilities. He could hold his own in a fight. Reiner was an excellent leader. Bertholdt was a great tactician. Annie was a skilled fighter. Marcel and Porco were both quick-witted and strong. And Pieck could hold her own much longer than anyone else in the group. That was why she was being considered for the Cart Titan. "We're not going to die, are we?"

Harry's eyes widened. Pieck immediately looked abashed, shrinking into herself as she took a step back. Harry stepped forward. "No. I don't think any of us are going to die. We're all strong. And smart. And the Marley troops will make sure nothing happens to us. They care about our safety,"

"Anything can happen in a fight," said Pieck.

"I...that's true. But the odds are in our favor. Because we have you," Pieck looked up from the ground, her gaze falling on him as Harry flushed red from embarrassment. "And Reiner. And the others. All of us. They have all of us," Pieck nodded, turning her head back towards the ground. Harry sighed in relief, some of the redness leaving his face as he stepped up to the training course. "Want to run a few laps?" Pieck frowned but agreed as she stepped up to the course alongside him. "Ready? Set. Go!" The two took off at a sprint.

He stormed the beaches with his fellow men in arms. German machine guns rained fire down on them. With every soldier that passed he had one more soul to reap. After he cut their cords he watched with pride as they rose to join his brethren at the Holy Gates. If only he could join them. If only he could leave this life and return to his true home. If only he could die.

Team 53 departed from Fort Tatakai at 10 am that morning, carrying with them nothing but small bags filled with spare uniforms and armbands. They wouldn't get to the border for another hour and would have to sit in the transport in silence for that time. Harry spent the entire transport ride thinking about how much his life had changed in the past six months. He had been separated from his parents and his life in Liberio. He was placed in the Warrior program among his new friends. And now he was being sent off to war, where he would no doubt be expected to kill others to protect Marley from invasion.

It was surreal. Harry wanted to jump with joy in excitement, but the logical side of him knew what was ahead. Grueling and dirty trenches filled with wounded and dead soldiers. Limited rations, meaning starving stomachs for days at a time. They would be given weapons and orders, being forced to squeeze the trigger against men and women also doing their jobs. It would be a terrible experience. One that would no doubt haunt thousands of surviving soldiers in the years to come. But not Harry. He wouldn't be haunted by whatever he saw today. No. He needed to persevere and ensure that his training was complete. They had three and a half years before they inherited the Titans, and he wasn't going to waste time caring about the terrible things he saw today.

As he looked in front of him, Harry couldn't help but frown at Commander Kien. The man was watching Harry carefully, looking away only when he thought Harry wouldn't notice. But Harry saw him and wasn't sure the reason why the commander had such an interest in him. Then the logical side of Harry's mind kicked in again. Of course, the commanders would have an interest in him. According to his marks in training, he was one of the best in almost everything on his team. He was as good as Bertholdt in strategy. As quick as Marcel in wit. A better thrower than Porco. He had more endurance than Pieck. And if he practiced more, Harry believed he could be on par with Annie in terms of hand-to-hand combat. So of course they were interested in him. As the wild card in the team, Harry could take any spot besides the Female Titan.

So this would be it. His time as a Warrior would depend entirely on his first mission. If he screwed up here, the commanders would lose interest, turning their attention back on the others. And while that was fine in some cases, Harry couldn't stand the thought of losing. His family's lives were on the line. If he was sent home as a reject, his family name would be tarnished forever, his embarrassment showcased for all to see from his brown armband. He needed to succeed. He needed to win one of the Five Titans.

Harry thought about it a lot during the hour-long trip, trying to figure out what role to take during this battle. He couldn't play the role of martial arts master, that would always be Annie. And he couldn't throw stuff at the enemy. That was Mr. Zeke Jaegers job. So he would have to utilize the powers of one of the other five titans. He couldn't take Pieck's position. Taking her job of carrying the packs would result in her being sent into the field where she could get hurt. Harry wouldn't do that. So Harry was stuck between the Armored, Colossal, and Jaw Titans. The Colossal Titan was too big and sluggish for Harry's liking, seeing as he preferred to be free to move.

That left the Armored and Jaw Titans. They both seemed like good picks for Harry, but he wasn't sure which one sounded better in terms of his skills and weaknesses. He was strong, yes, but not stronger than Reiner or Porco, who were both in line to possibly get the Armored Titan. So that left the Jaw Titan. Harry was fast, and while he was taller than everyone else but Bertholdt, he was very agile. It suited him well. But the only problem was Marcel and Porco. Marcel was also perfect for the Jaw Titan's power, and he would be offended and angry if Harry suddenly took the spot. And Porco would see this as a betrayal, using it as a reason to hate Harry more.

But it was the only thing for Harry at the moment, so he would go for it. The Jaw Titan showed signs of great speed and agility, as well as great strength. Harry also showed signs of all three and felt confident in his ability to get the job done. His eyes fell on Marcel, and Harry felt a deep sense of guilt fall over him. It was very clear that Marcel didn't want Porco to be a Warrior, and he was doing his best to discredit Porco to get him sent home. And here Harry was trying to sabotage Marcel's chance at the Jaw Titan. If Harry succeeded, the Galliard family wouldn't have anyone within the Warriors program. But Marcel and Porco could always wait thirteen years to become their respective Titans. Perhaps Harry was giving them a blessing.

"Harry? Are you coming?" The voice of Marcel snapped Harry out of his thoughts, his gaze falling on the younger boy. Marcel was peering down at Harry with a worried expression, his finger pointed towards the door of the transport. It was open, and the others had already left. "We're here,"

"Right,"

The two exited the transport, joining the others just two hundred yards from the Marleyan trenches. They could hear and see cannon fire in the distance, and Harry could smell death through his sensitive nostrils. He stepped to Reiner's side, examining the scene with interest. Harry was surprised when Commander Kien stepped beside him. Placing a shoulder on Harry's shoulder, the Commander smiled. "What do you see here, Cadet?"

Harry frowned. A trick question? This was a battlefield. A war zone filled with death and destruction that may never end. But Harry knew better. The Commander was gauging Harry's knowledge and perception of events. This was a test. Harry formulated an answer immediately. "The simple answer would be that this is a battlefield, sir. But you already know that. No...what I see is the future of Marley. Or more specifically the future of Marley's eastern borders as a whole. If the Middle-Eastern Territories break through even a fraction of our line, the entire border could be lost. If we don't protect it with everything we have, we would be risking several key cities in the region,"

"Good. Very good," said the Commander. "And what would be the benefits of invading the Middle-Eastern Territories?"

Another interesting question. It didn't take Harry that long to formulate his response to this one. "There are a few benefits, mainly their resources and land. But I believe that for the future of the war and Marley, launching a full-scale invasion against the Middle-Eastern Territories is a bad idea. With the Hizuru on the other side of them, any attempt at a hostile takeover from us would result in an immediate set of countermeasures from the Hizuru. We would have to split our forces into two to face both forces at once, and even our military and navy aren't good enough for that,"

"So what would you do if an invasion had to occur?"

"If an invasion had to occur..." Harry turned to the Commander and spotted the other children behind him. Reiner, Bertholdt, and Marcel were watching him in surprise. Porco seemed annoyed and still angry. Annie still looked uninterested. And Pieck was smiling. Harry frowned, his eyes set on Reiner and Marcel. What was he doing? It was clear that the Commander was very pleased with his answers, and Harry had no doubt won points in terms of being a tactician. But Harry had already made it clear to himself that he didn't want Reiner's spot. Reiner was a good leader and a good Armored Titan. Harry wasn't going to jeopardize his spot on this team. And Marcel... "I'm not sure," Harry lied.

"You're not sure?" The Commander asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"Yes...I'm not sure. I would have to think about it," answered Harry.

"Hmm...very well. Think about it and I will ask again in the future," With that, the Commander walked away towards the trenches, beckoning for them to follow.

They did, falling into a group as they followed the Commander. Reiner and Pieck stepped up to either side of Harry. Reiner spoke. "Why didn't you tell him what you thought?"

"Who says I thought anything?" asked Harry.

"You're eyes. They glisten a bit when you get an idea," answered Pieck. Harry frowned. He didn't know that. Harry would have to avoid showing such apparent signs of his thoughts in the future. Hopefully, the Commander didn't know about his tells. "So? What was it?"

"I didn't have a plan,"

"Bullshit," said Porco.

"Oh?"

"You had a plan, you just want to keep it to yourself so when you pull it off, only you get the glory,"

"You clearly don't know me well enough if you think that's what my plan is,"

"Harry's protecting Reiner," Bertholdt spoke, stunning Harry. "He knows that if he shows good signs of leadership or tactical brilliance, he could replace Reiner as the team leader, and he doesn't want to do that,"

"Why not?" questioned Reiner.

"Because you're a good leader for this team, and I'm the wild card,"

"Wild card?"

"He means because he could get any one of our Titans," Annie clarified.

Reiner frowned. "Oh...so you don't want the Armored Titan?"

"No. Not particularly,"

"The Cart?"

"No,"

"The Colossal?"

"Too big and sluggish for my liking,"

"The Beast?" asked Porco, his eyes fixed in a deadly glare toward Harry.

"No,"

"So you want the Jaw," said Marcel, visibly conflicted.

Harry sighed. "No," When Marcel's eyes widened, Harry continued. "I don't want any of your titans. To be honest with you, I think you guys are perfect with what you have. I don't want to get in the way of things by intervening and trying to steal someone's spot,"

"There's five of us, Harry. Even if you don't intervene, one of us won't be getting a spot," Bertholdt explained. That...was true. Only five titan powers were being given up. The Beast Titan was already going to Zeke Jaeger, and the War Hammer Titan belonged to the Tybur family. It seemed that the odd boy out was Porco, and the boy knew it. His eyes fixed on Bertholdt now, anger pouring out of his iris' as if it was a fiery ray of death. Harry shook his head. "I'm fine to wait. I'll try again in thirteen years,"

"You're wasting your time," said Marcel. "You're a great fighter. You do better than us in almost every test. And I'm sure the only one capable of standing up to you and winning in anything is Annie. So to sit back and wait thirteen years just to give us a spot doesn't make sense,"

"I don't want any of you to hate me," admitted Harry, his eyes falling on the dirt in sadness. He didn't know why he had said that, but it was true. Despite the logical part of his mind telling him that he didn't need them to make his future, Harry still thought of them all as friends and cared deeply about their opinion of him. If anyone but Porco hated him, Harry wasn't sure what he would do with himself. He relied on them - perhaps too much - and they mattered to him. They stopped, and everyone turned towards him. "You all are my friends. If you hated me, I don't know what I would do,"

Smiling, Marcel stepped forward. "We couldn't hate you, Harry. Except maybe Porco and Annie,"

"I don't hate him," said Annie, who was shuffling her foot across the dirt. Harry smiled at the girl, glad to know that despite her odd silence and rough exterior, she didn't hate him. Perhaps she disliked him, but the way she was hiding her face made Harry think she did like him. That was nice, knowing that he had a friend like her.

Even Porco sighed. "I don't hate you," Then he turned away. "But I'm not your friend," He walked away, following the Commander.

Harry smiled as he left, turning back to Marcel and Reiner. But the smile soon faded. "So you want me to try,"

"Yeah. That's what we're all here for," answered Bertholdt.

"But Reiner? You want more than anyone to be a Warrior. I don't -"

"We can be Warriors together," interrupted Reiner, who grabbed hold of Harry's shoulder with a great smile. "All of us. Together. Warriors. Friends. Until the end,"

"Until the end," They agreed.