Attack on Titan: Trainee Days - Part 3

Kiyomi's Pov

It was lunch time and I was eating with Armin. But the Jean and Marco. I wonder what it is they want? Jeans been really annoying as of late though. He better be nice.

Marco’s Pov

Ok Marco…..calm yourself. Just act normal. I tried to calm myself before walking up to Kiyomi and Armin's table with Jean.

“Um….hey Kiyomi and Armin. Mind if I join you?”

“Sure!”

Kiyomi smiled at me happily. I blushed seeing her looking so happy. But I couldn't really have feelings for her….right?

This is terrible!! I can´t be getting feelings for her!! She and Armin are together! They really like each other! I can't just….

“Uh….Marco….” I heard a voice beginning to call out my name and I saw a hand waving in my face. I snapped out of my thoughts and I noticed Kiyomi giggling a little.

“Marco, are you ok? You looked like you were out of it for a while.” She mentioned.

“Uh….yeah! Yeah, of course I’m fine!”

Oh great…..now both Kiyomi and Armin seems suspicious of me….not good. I can't let her know my hidden feelings!

I hope Jean wasn't the one who started getting me to be thinking like this….

“I think it's going to feel nice out today…..what do you guys think?”  Kiyomi started a conversation.

"I think the weather should be great, we have been having a lot more comfortable  weather as of late. I'm sure it'll be another nice day out.” I smiled shyly as I placed a hand over the back of my neck sheepishly.

“I hope the exercise training we have to do today won't be very intense….” mumbled Armin worriedly.

“What was that….Arlert?” a dark voice spoke behind our backs,causing shivers to go down our spines.

It was Instructor Keith. It was our….well, I guess teacher, training us how to survive long trails and intense training so we can eventually be strong enough to fight and kill The as a soldier, if the situation calls for it.

Titan’s are giants who eat people. And they have no interest in any other animals or living things except for us. Actually they don’t even need to eat anything to survive. Yep, it’s a crazy world we live in.

“Arlert….just now, tell me what you just said.”

Armin trembled a little and hesitated to speak.

“TELL ME NOW SOLDIER!!” Instructor Keith demanded.

“I-I-I-I n-n- umh….” Armin was about to say something but he trailed and hesitates on words not knowing what to say. We sure will get intense training if Keith realizes that, that was what Armin just said.

“ANSWER!!!”

Armin trembled and tried to make an effort to speak.

“I-I-It w-was nothing sir!”

Uh-oh…..Armin stuttered too much…

“What's with the stuttering, Arlert? And why are you trembling?!!” Instructor Keith placed a hard grip on Armin’s shoulder.

“Uh-Uh...Uh….” Armin continued to stutter at a loss of words.

“Did I hear you just now, say you hoped our training wouldn’t be intense? DID I HEAR YOU WRONG ARLERT?!!”

“N-NO SIR!!” Armin responded.

Instructor Keith thus began to raise his voice to everyone in the lunchroom.

“ATTENTION SOLDIERS!!!”

Everyone looked up from whatever they were doing and stopped their chit-chatting.

“Do you think my training for you all isn't so intense?! Well it appears so!! Weir going out later today in the hard rain on a trail for 3 hours!!! No breaks!!! Do I make myself perfectly clear?!!!!”

Everyone stands up from their seats  and saluted. “YES SIR!!” They answered.

“Good. You’ll all have Armin Arlert to thank for this.” Instructor Keith turns away before going out the cafeteria door and slamming it behind him quite loudly.

For a moment there was a moment of utter silence….

“So let me get this straight…..this is all HIS fault?!!” one guy pointed at Armin.

“No, it isn’t his fault!! It isn’t anyone's!!” Kiyomi shot back, and placed a arm in front of Armin, as if protecting him.

“Did you seriously say, I hope today's training won’t be so intense?! did you?!!” Screams another angry soldier.

Suddenly a angry mob of other trannies began to crowd around us in an effort to crowd around Armin.

“A-Ah! I-I-I'm sorry everyone! I-I didn’t mean for this to happen!”

“So it IS your fault!”

“Get him!!”

Before anyone could lay a finger on Armin, I stepped forward.

“Enough of this!! All of you!! What do you think you're all doing, ganging up on one of your fellow comrades?! Leave him alone!!” I Barked at everyone.

Kiyomi’s right! This isn’t Armin’s fault! And either way, Instructor Keith was probably already planning on giving us this exercise today!” I sided with Kiyomi.

“For THREE HOURS?!!” one shouted.

“Uh….erm,....maybe not for three hours, but it’s nothing we can’t handle! We can do this! We’ve been through much worse! Com’on! Weir a team, aren't we?! We can do this!!” I try to bring everyone's spirits up.

Everyone grew silent. And everyone decided to just back off and forget everything. But Armin knew that in the others hearts, they were still angry and mad at him…