Chapter 25

A few weeks after the beginning of year 847, inside the military training facility for new soldiers, more specifically in the open field, could be seen the 104th squadron of cadets who had just enlisted with the aim of becoming future soldiers serving the people within the walls.

And walking among them was the chief instructor whose name is Keith Shadis.

"HEY, YOU!" - Keith

"Ha." - Armin replied while putting his closed fist to his chest.

"WHO ARE YOU?" - Keith.

"Armin Arlert from Shiganshina District sir!" - Armin.

"Is that so? What a stupid name! Did your parents give it to you?!" - Keith.

"It was my grandfather, sir!" - Armin.

"Arlet, what did you come here for?" - Keith, in his raised voice.

"To help in the cause of humanity, sir!" - Armin.

"That's great! I'll make you bait for the titans! Everyone in the third row, turn around on your backs!" - Keith, at the same time holds Armin by the head and turns his position.

All the recruits in the third row followed the command and turned to the other direction. As Keith headed toward his next target.

"And who are you?" - Keith, still keeping his tone high.

"Thomas Wagner, from the Trost District!" - Thomas.

"SPEAK UP!" - Keith.

"T-Thomas Wagner of the district-" - Thomas.

"I'm not listening!" - Keith.

Seeing such a scene, a short distance away were two soldiers walking slowly while talking.

"You went through this too, remember?" - Veteran

"Yes...But why does he do that?" - Soldier.

"It is a rite of passage, for them to abandon their previous lives and dedicate themselves only to the life of a soldier. It is a necessary ritual." - Veteran.

The chief instructor followed walking among the various recruits among the 104th squadron and was doing the same thing he did with the other two before him, yelling at each one who spoke to test their convictions and show them what they are getting into.

"But why does he have kids he doesn't talk to?" - Soldier.

"You have children who don't have to go through the ritual. They are probably the ones who saw the hell of two years ago... as for others, they don't seem to be serious enough..." - Veteran.

The older soldier was talking about none other than a golden-haired recruit who had a big smile plastered on his face and his locks closed. Nobody was paying much attention to him, until Keith Shadis started walking towards him. However, some people had different and strange feelings when they saw him.

'This is so exciting! It's like I've invaded my TV screen and stepped into anime!'

'Why does he look so familiar?'- Mikasa, who was also among the recruits.

'Did this guy come to the right place?' - Almost all the recruits.

"EI, YOU!" - Keith.

"Ha!" - Zirken, still keeping a wide smile on his face.

"WHO ARE YOU?" - Keith, with a much higher tone than the previous ones.

Clearly seeing this course of events was Reiner and his companion Bertolt, a bit distant from him, but close enough to see everything. Both had different thoughts in mind.

'Has he lost track of where he is? Even I was a little afraid of that bald demon.'   - Reiner.

'Stopping to think now, we never heard Ezir's last name. What must it be?' - Bertolt.

It was then that, with several thoughts in mind, the smiling boy stewed his chest and placed his closed fist over his chest.

"EZIR LEONHART, SIR!" - Zirken, speaking as loudly as Keith and still maintaining his smile.

"?!" - Reiner and Bertolt.

"!!" - Keith Shadis and almost all the recruits.

'That idiot, did he need to shout so loudly?'- Annie, who was standing right next to him.

"Leonhart, what did you come here to do?" - Keith, lowering his tone, but still speaking loudly.

"Training enough to join the scouting troop, sir!" - Zirken.

'Is this guy crazy?!' - Most of the recruits.

'This kid... is she crazy or is she simply overconfident?'- Keith.

"Right... Except for the scouting troop doesn't need innocent, naive children!" - Keith.

"I think you're wrong, sir."  - Zirken, as he opened his eyelids and revealed his golden eyes.

'His eyes... That kind of look only exists in people who have witnessed hell in person... Besides, how are his eyes golden?!' - Keith.

"Then dedicate yourself and show that I'm wrong!" - Keith, raising his voice and walking off towards his next victim.

After this, he spoke with three other recruits, these being Marco Bodt who aimed to offer his body to the king.      Jean Kirstein, who aimed to join the military police and live in the comfort of the Shina Wall, and Conny Springer, who did not have his goal revealed as he was reprimanded for getting the side of his heart wrong.

'I can understand Jean's goal, as much as I don't like him at all. But Marco... is he gay? Doesn't he realize how weird it is to say he's going to train for three years only to offer his body to a guy in the end?!' - Zirken.

'Besides... I see Mikasa has gotten much more beautiful after all this time...' - Zirken, looking intently at the girl.

'Why is he staring at me? And what is this strange feeling I get when I look at him?' - Mikasa.

Keith Shadis was still scolding Conny Springer, until he noticed something rather surprising in the corner of his eyes.

*Bite*

It was a girl with purple hair, but the most peculiar thing is the fact that she was calmly eating a potato, as if she didn't even care about her current situation.  All the recruits present finally noticed her the instant she took her first bite and had an incredulous expression on their faces, except for one person.

'You can't laugh...You can't laugh!'- Zirken, making a great effort to hold back his laughter.

"Hey you there, what are you doing?" - Keith, as he approached the girl.

Being clueless, the girl simply continued eating her potato, as if she hadn't even noticed that everyone was paying attention to her.

"YOU'RE THE ONE I'M TALKING TO! WHO ARE YOU?!" - Keith, shouting right in the girl's face.

*Glup*

"Sasha Browse, I come from Dawer Village, southern region of the rose wall, sir!" - Sasha.

"Sasha Browse...what is that in your right hand?" - Keith.

"A baked potato, sir! I found a tempting one in the kitchen and couldn't resist." - Sasha, making everyone look even more incredulous at her.

'Please...stop...I won't be able to hold in my laughter any longer...' - Zirken.

*screams*

"!!" - Zirken, who has just received a pinch from the girl next to her.

"Don't even think about laughing and drawing attention to our side, or else I will give an even harder one." - Annie, speaking low enough for only Zirken to hear.

'Tsk, not funny...' - Zirken.

Turning to the other two...

"You...stole it? And why...why are you eating now?" - Keith.

"It would look bad if it got cold, so I thought I'd better eat now." - Sasha.

"No...I don't understand. Why did you go and eat the potato now?" - Keith.

"That's a philosophical question like, why do people eat potatoes?" - Sasha.

'Holy shit...I really want to laugh, but I feel like I'm going to be dead after I do that...' - Zirken, noticing the girl with a menacing look on her side.

As if she had noticed something totally illusory, the girl suddenly broke her baked potato in half.

"Here, you can eat... half."  - Sasha, as she reached out to offer the potato to Keith.

"Half?" - Keith, with an even more incredulous expression.

After that, the chief instructor gave the potato girl a punishment, she would have to run around the whole training camp until she fell down. He spoke to a few more new recruits and dismissed everyone to start the 1st day of their hellish training.

"Hey, wait!" - Mikasa, moving toward the golden haired boy.

"Huh?" - Zirken.

"Is that you, Zirken?" - Mikasa, her heart racing.

"!!" - Zirken, being surprised but still hiding it perfectly.

'How the fuck did she find out in the first place?! I'm sure she wouldn't recognize me so easily!' - Zirken.

"'Sorry, my name is Ezir. I've never heard of this Zir guy...Zirke?" - Zirken.

"Ah, I'm sorry, I guess I was wrong then..." - Mikasa.

"But have we ever met before?" - Mikasa.

"I don't know, I guess I would hardly forget a pretty girl like you?" - Zirken.

"I see..." - Mikasa.

"But I guess that doesn't stop us from getting along, pleasure, my name is Ezir Leonhart, I hope we can help each other from now on!" - Zirken, proposing a handshake.

"Ah, pleasure, Mikasa Ackerman."  - Mikasa, shaking Zirken/Ezir's hand.

A little further away from the pair was a blonde-haired girl watching them quietly and with a somewhat menacing look on her face.

'Why am I uncomfortable watching those two talking?'- Annie.