1.3

It was almost seven am on the third training day. Within the members of the 104th trainee squad, the final participant would be undertaking the aptitude test.

The cadets bustle around the dining hall, jeering and mocking the only cadet to fail the test so far. A small twelve year old that'd stand at 5'4", was the only one missing from the 104th trainee cadets, which didn't go unnoticed by her closest acquaintances; Reiner Braun, Bertolt Hoover, Armin Arlert, Sasha Blouse and Eren Jaeger.

They were all eager to see the blonde's face before the test, but much to their discontent, she did not show.

Instead the young but experienced blonde sat twiddling her thumbs, on the arm chair in Commander Keith Shadis' office. The two were in a deep discussion about the broken clasp on the 3dm gear, belonging to Eren Jaeger. "How could you of not realised that it was broken, Keith! For gods sake. When you realise that a cadet is failing at something as pitifully as Jaeger was, wouldn't you realise that something was wrong?" The blonde queries with a lazy wave of the hand.

The stern bald man bit his tongue, to refrain from yelling at his equal. She was quite good at pretending to be a cadet, running on orders from Captain Levi. "Kaminari, I get it. How about I give him a bit of a scare first, then get the belts changed over?"

The girl merely hums in approval, rotating her wrist to check the time and stood to leave the room. The voice of the commander halted her in the doorway. "Moriko! You do know Levi just wanted what's best for you? By sending you back he hopes you learn to be a kids again and maybe create bonds with people your own age."

Her hand gripped the wood on the door and she didn't look back. "I understand what he was trying to do but it ultimately failed. The day I was incarcerated by the Military Police because of my... unusual abilities. I was forced to grow up and the normal childlike nature of a seven year old died. The worst part was that when I now become settled with my group and begin to trust others, I'm torn away to socialise and create bonds with these children for the next three years." Her voice had grown louder and anger was clear at the end. It didn't go unnoticed by Commander Shadis.

The Commander sighed as the blonde takes her leave without another word. "You deserved so much better, Kaminari Moriko."

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All of the cadets had gathered around the equipment for the final aptitude test taker. They patiently waiting for Commander Shaids to enter and at the sound of the squeaking door, they snap their heads towards it. But it was only Kaminari exiting the building.

She pushed through the crowd of cadets until reached the familiar faces of Reiner and Eren. Kaminari placed a comforting hand on Eren's shoulder, feeling his nervous energy already. "Look, Eren. Everything's going to work out. We all have faith in you, whether you realise it or not. Just go out there and do your best."

The brunet remained quiet but nodded his head. He couldn't imagine failing. Not again. Commander Shadis exited the building soon after and Eren adjusted his clasps before being lifted. The boy held steady for a few seconds, looking quite hopeful this time around.

Kaminari hid her face in Reiner's shoulder muttering, "I can't watch this." Eren suddenly flipped forwards until he was hanging upside down.

Eren Jaeger's limp body was lowered to the ground. He was devastated. "No, no! Not yet I can do it!" He begged but Shadis dropped him, looking a little dejected. Commander Shadis neutral expression or resting bitch face, as Kaminari called it, remained unmoving as he spoke in a loud voice.

"Kaminari switch belts with Jaeger!" The blonde complies and Eren is lifted again, the only difference is that he remain as upright without trying. A small smirk formed on Kaminari's face. He wasn't as useless as everyone thought.

Whispers of shock and awe spread like wildfire through the cadets. All amazed that Jaeger could do it with a broken clasp. "You're equipment was defective," Shadis said matter of factly. "If not given defective gear you might not be so useless after all. Although I wouldn't of notice the broken clasp if it had not been for a keen eye, I might have to go to the supply depo and crack some skulls."

Eren's face remained astonished at the revaluation that it wasn't his fault he was so useless. "I didn't wash out?" "I knew you could do it, Jaeger. But please don't let the success get to that big head of yours," Kaminari snickered with a a hand on her hip.

"Wouldn't dream of it, Kaminari."

*insert spongebob voice here* ---------------------- Three Years Later ---------------------

The cadets of the 104th trainee squad ran through the seemingly never ending expanse of trees, against a thundering backdrop as the storm breaks above them. The rain toppled down like an ocean thrown from the sky, crashing down onto the cadets and soaking them to the bone. The rattling wind nipped at their exposed skin as they pushed forwards, determined to make the cut.

Commander Shadis' bellowing voice called out to the waterlogged cadets from his station. "PICK UP THE PACE YOU LEAD HEELED LAGGERS! ARE YOUR LEGS WATER LOGGED, ARLERT? PACK TOO HEAVY FOR YOU SON? LEAVE IT IN THE MUD. TITANS WOULD HAVE AN EASIER TIME DIGESTING YOU WITHOUT THE PACK!"

The cadet that had currently caught the commander's eye was Armin. He was struggling to keep up with his fellow cadets in the damp conditions.

A blonde girl leading the pack nods towards her comrade Reiner who slowly filters through the herd until he's beside the struggling boy. "Give me that and focus on staying upright. We're being graded."

Armin appeared as concerned as his tired face could allow without hindering his breathing pattern. His lungs were on fire. "Wouldn't they mark you down for helping me?"

The larger boy shrugged as they pushed onwards. "Yeah, if they find out. Just make the cut." Reiner was dismissive and encouraged Armin forward.

Commander Shadis watched the scene carefully. 'Reiner Braun; mind and constitution of a grass fox. Well respected by his comrades.'

The smaller blond snatches his pack off the older boy's back as he rushes forward, shouting for all to hear. "I'm no one's burden, you hear me!"

'Armin Arlert; built like a daffodil but academically brilliant.'

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Bodies of the cadets flew through the forest and with blades drawn, slicing the napes of any titan they come across.

'Annie Leonhart; gifted with a sword but doesn't play well with others.'

'Bertolt Hoover; heaps of native talent but too mild mannered.'

'Jean Kirschstein; head of class on OMD. Although he is an insufferable smartass and I hear he is trigger tempered.'

Another group rushed through the trees. Connie Springer rolls pasta branch and yells out to Jean. "I hope you don't mind if I steal your thunder!" The two were competitive throughout the exercise but when he was closing in on it, a flash of brown got there first. Sasha flipped crazily, slicing the neck of the 'titan', whooping and hollering as she went.

'Sasha Blouse; unusually fine instincts, rarely shares with her teammates.'

'Connie Springer; good on the switch backs, a few sandwiches shy of a picnic.'

Jean, Connie and Sasha gun it towards the next titan, only for a blur of black to surpass them, stealing their thunder. 'Mikasa Ackerman; a great cadet, excels in everything, it's no overstatement to call the girl a genius.'

Seconds after, Eren zooms through, slicing the same titans neck, leaving a smaller indent than Mikasa. 'Eren Jaeger; blockbuster in the class room and mildly better in the field, but is driven by a sense of purpose that is mildly terrifying.'

As Mikasa goes to slice another neck, she too is beaten to it. A small blonde moves at neck breaking speeds, slicing it before the proclaimed genius could even comprehend what had happened. The Commander smirked at his comrade.

'Kaminari Moriko; a prodigy since her first time training as a cadet. She has the uttermost respect from each of her comrades. Although she's not actually a trainee, it's no surprise that she is top of the class, above Mikasa.'

A/N: not edited. Procrastinating ayeee

Small edit (2020)