The Next Morning

As morning came and the sun began to rise over the walls, you and the other male cadets were laid in bed, sound asleep. However, growing up after losing your home and deciding to join the military, you made some big changes to your life, that included work outs early morning to get as much training in as you could. Doing this for three years, your body's internal clock got used to it and you slowly opened your eyes as you felt it was time for another work out. Yawning while sitting up, you kicked your legs over to the side and hopped off your bunk as you stretched your body in nothing but a T-shirt and your underwear. After leaning back and stretching your arms up above your head, you turned to the wall where a drawer full of your belongings was and opened it to grab a pair of pants and your cadet jacket. Throwing them on and leaning down to tie your boots, you suddenly heard your bunkmate, Jean, talk in his sleep.

"M-Mom...Not the bib..." You heard as you turned and saw Jean with his face in his pillow while drooling. "...Can you clean my pants...?" He snored as you covered your mouth from laughing and quickly tied your boots up before heading over to the restroom to clean up and brush your teeth.

After getting your morning stretch in and not waking any of your fellow men, you walked out of your barracks and saw Dawn had just broke over the horizon and it was still a bit dark out. You smiled as you like the solitary of working out alone, which was hard to do before, and jogged out to the open training field for a small warm up. However, before you could even really get going, a voice called out.

"What do you think you're doing?" You heard from behind you.

"KYAAA!" You yelped as you turned to see Shadis standing nearby watching you closely. "S-Sir!" You saluted him quickly as he approached you.

"What are you doing up so early?" He asked as you gulped down a breath of air.

"Usually around this time is when I would do my morning training routine. It was part of my schedule to get my body in shape for the cadet corps." You said as Shadis stared at you for a few moments and you were beginning to sweat nervously before he spoke up.

"Head around the canteen and you work out in the training grounds there. We'll all be gathered there today to run some tests." He said as you were surprised by his suggestion.

"T-Thank you, Instructor Shadis!" You thanked him before raising a brow as you saw him holding some sort of belt in his hand. "What's with that?" You wondered.

"Dismissed." He said before walking pass you.

"Yes, sir!" You said as you jogged off to the gathering place everyone would be at.

After about an hour and a half passed, the cadets had been woken up by the instructor's and the camp was full once again with life as Eren and Armin were walking around wondering what you were all going to do for the day. As they neared the testing area, the two of them noticed a large bunch of girls were gathered together watching something. Staring in wonder, someone walked up behind the pair and spoke up, breaking the silence of confusion.

"What are the girls doing?" Eren turned to see fellow cadet, Reiner Braun, come towards them with his close friend Bertolt Hoover.

"Reiner, Bertolt..." Eren greeted them before turning towards the group of girls. "Beats me...They've been standing there for some time." Eren said another bunch of footsteps could be heard coming as Armin turned to see Connie and a few other guys.

"Well, we won't know until we head over and find out. Maybe it's the test that Shadis is going to make us all go through today." Connie said as he and a few other guys walked by before Eren and the other three followed suit, and as they grew closer, they could hear the words coming from the girls. 

"Holy cow...!" They heard one girl spoke in a slightly excited tone.

"So cool...!" Another girl said as the boys grew closer and moved to stand on the side of the group of girls.

"Hey, who's that? Who!?" A girl asked as the boys were now in full view of what was going on, and what they saw made them all, except Eren and Armin, irked.

"Huh? Y/N? You actually found time to work out?" Eren asked as everyone was staring at you doing pull ups off a wood beam of an elevated building.

You were shirtless with sweat drenched all over your body as you muscles bulged and your body shined from the sunlight. After doing one last pull up, you exhaled and dropped to the ground before flexing your arms from the tingling sensation of the workout making progress on your body. You leaned down and grabbed your shirt to wipe your sweat and wrap it over your neck and carried your jacket over your shoulder as you turned towards Eren.

"Ah, mornin' guys." You said with a smile as you walked towards them, the girls having blushes on their faces while the guys seemed to feel annoyed at how the girls were fawning over just you. "Hm? What's going on?" You asked as you noticed they were all separated again by gender.

"Hey, Y/N, do you normally workout without a shirt?" Jean asked as you wiped your face of sweat using your shirt.

"Hm? Yeah, it's just sort of habit now and it got hot." You said as you wiped your body to clean the sweat off you before tossing the shirt to the side.

"IT'S MINE!" A girl yelled as a group of girls viciously dove towards the falling shirt and a small cat fight broke out amongst them. 

"Hey, Y/N." You heard your name get called and turned to see Krista heading towards you with Mikasa and a few other girls you knew. "Mikasa says that you both came from the same place, is that true?" She asked as you nodded.

"Yeah, that's right." You said to her.

"Did you do this regularly when you were back home?" She asked as you shook your head.

"Nah, I just started after we had decided to join the cadet corps. I spent countless days to change my body, and it sorta just became habit." You said as Krista grew a pink hue on her face and averted eye contact with you.

"U-Um...Around when do you start training? J-Just wondering! I-I was only j-j-just wondering!" She waved her small hands around frantically.

"Hm? Usually around dawn or so..." You said to her as she turned away from you.

"Alright! I know what time!" She fist pumped at the fruits of her efforts of trying to find out when she can stalk--I mean, observe your workout as you raised your brow at her but shrugged it off as you noticed Shadis coming ahead with the rest of the cadets following behind him.

"Hey, look alive." You said as you took your jacket off your shoulder and threw it on as everyone turned to see Shadis coming and straightened themselves up.

"Line up, canon fodder!" Shadis yelled as you all fell into formation and he approached the testing harnesses before turning to face you all. "First, we'll evaluate what you have! Anyone unable to do this can't even serve as a decoy! They will be sent to the frontier. You first!" Shadis pointed at you, and this felt like he picked you on purpose for what you were doing this morning.

"Ahhh, can't catch a break..." You sighed as you stepped forward to the harness.

"Cadet Carolina, help him with the straps." Shadis instructed her as she ran out.

"Yes, sir!" She rushed over to the harness and crouched down to help you strap in, but as she looked up while holding the wire that would dangle you, she noticed your exposed six pack and blushed. "Oh dang...! You could grind meat against those!" Mina thought as she bashfully connected the wires to your harness.

"Thanks, Mina." You said as she looked up and was dazzled by how handsome you looked at the moment.

"Y-Yeah...No problem..." She said as she could feel the hot blood in her body running all the way to her head as she covered her nose, feeling a nose bleed coming. "Not good...Better get outta here..." She said as she left your side and stood at the crank that would lift you off the ground.

"Raise him." Shadis said as Mina began to turn the crank and you were slowly lifted off the ground.

As you were lifted off the ground, everyone watched as you mastered your balance in no time, and swung around in place a bit to have some fun. You twisted a bit and swung a few times as Shadis spoke up to the rest of the group.

"As you can see, cadet L/N has balanced himself in three dimensional terms and has complete control over himself in the gear. This is your goal! You will work with other instructors until everyone has passed. If you do not manage to master this, you will be kicked out immediately! Fall out!" Shadis yelled to everyone.

"Sir!" They all spoke in unison as everyone broke into groups to try and get their turns at the test harnesses.

As you were let off and took your harness with you, all that was left for you was to watch as you fellow cadets took turns and learned how to balance on the harness. You were surprised at the speed that some would master the task, while with those who took some time and struggled a bit, you were impressed at the fruits of their hard labor. However, there was one person that you had some concern for, and that was Eren who was dangling upside down from his harness in bewilderment of how bad he was.

"What are you doing, Eren Jaeger!? Pick yourself up!" Shadis yelled as a few cadets were humored and laughed a bit at Eren.

"What is this? How am I supposed to do this? This can't be happening..." Eren thought as you could only watch in pain as Eren tried over and over and over to master this simple craft, but to no avail.

After everyone had finished their testing of the ODM gear test, the sun had begun to set as you were still standing there with Mikasa, Armin, and Eren who was still struggling. Right now he was standing up listening to Mikasa while you waited behind her and Armin stood at the crank.

"Stick to the basics, and you should be fine. Don't worry about doing well. Watch the balance and stay centered. Slowly rest your weight on the belts attached to your hips and feet." Mikasa gave him a few pointers.

"Stay calm, and you can do it. I was able to do it." Armin reassured Eren.

"Okay, I think I can do it this time! Raise me, Armin." Eren said with a desperate look on his face as Armin nodded and began to turn the crank and slowly raise him, but as soon as his feet left the ground you noticed...

"H-Hey! Eren!" You yelled as you tried to run, but Eren was already falling forward and yelled as he hit his head on the ground, giving himself a small wound and concussion.

Timeskip, Supper

You were sat with your friends eating dinner, but you couldn't eat as you were too worried about the despaired look on Eren's face. As you sat there with your hands clasped in front of your face, you heard someone speak up a few tables away.

"Hey, Daz...Isn't that the kid from yesterday who said he'd kill all the Titans?" You heard as you glared across to the table diagonal to you and saw Daz looking at Eren in humor with another cadet.

"Well, I bet he'll be off to the frontier tomorrow. We don't have enough food to feed worthless rejects." Daz said as you lowered your hands to give them a full look at you annoyed face as they noticed and averted their eyes.

"Damn...Assholes..." You thought as you glanced over to see how Eren was doing, but raised your brow when you noticed some steam coming off from the top of his head.

"Eren..." Mikasa grabbed him by the shoulder and shocked him out of his despaired trance and back to reality.

"There's no point in worrying. You just have to figure it out tomorrow." Armin told Eren in an attempt to keep his spirits up.

"I'm pathetic...I'll never be able to kill them all like this." Eren said in disappointment of himself as Mikasa spoke up.

"You should let go of that idea." Mikasa said as the three of you were all surprised at her statement.

"What?!" Eren asked in disbelief of what he had heard.

"You should give up on being a soldier. There are other ways to fight than by throwing away your life." Mikasa said without batting an eye as Eren seemed irritated by this.

"Listen here...I saw what happened that day! You really think you'll convince me this way?" Eren retorted Mikasa's suggestion.

"But it doesn't matter how much you want it." Mikasa said.

"Huh? Why?" Eren asked in confusion as she looked towards him.

"It isn't your decision whether you end up a soldier or not, Eren." She said as Eren was taken aback by her statement and you only furrowed your brow, knowing what Mikasa was saying was true. 

Just then, the bell indicating supper was over had begun to ring as everyone was beginning to clean up and put their trays away. You decided as well to take yourself out of the subject and picked your things up and headed off without the other three. After cleaning up and heading back to the barracks, you were laid in bed with your arms behind your head while Eren and Armin were stood near your bunk with Jean and Connie asking how to pass the test.

"The trick to staying upright? Sorry, but I'm a genius. All I can say is to feel it." Connie said with a smug look on his face.

"Actually, I'd like you to tell me...How are you still sane, after you humiliated yourself like that?" Jean said with a humored face as Eren had a desperate look.

"Guys, I'm begging you here..." Eren pleaded as Armin tried to keep him distanced from them.

"But didn't you say just yesterday something like, 'People who aren't strong enough should leave'? Am I wrong? Or was it, 'If you don't have the talent, you have to leave'? Which was it?" Connie reminded Eren of what he said as Eren was shocked and filled with despair.

"Hey, Connie. If you're a genius, how'd you catch your leg on the harness and faceplant into the dirt?" You asked from your bunk.

"Huh!?" Connie turned around in shock and embarrassment of the reminder.

"And Jean, when you tried it first, you had a face like you were going to shit yourself." You said as he turned around also flustered.

"I-I was concentrating! It was my first time!" He tried defending himself as you looked over at Eren.

"Hey, I think you could get some real advice if you went to see Reiner and Bertolt. They handled it with ease and are competent enough to give some good advice." You said as Armin ushered Eren to find the pair as you sighed and jumped out of your bunk before throwing your boots on.

"Hm? Going out?" Connie asked as you stood up straight and walked pass them.

"I need some air." You said as you walked out the door before shutting it behind you. "Damn it..." You cursed as you walked off into the dark to clear your head. 

As you walked around the camp and kept to yourself, the sound of crickets and lit torches were all you could hear. After some time had passed though and you were sat against an equipment's building near the Men's Barracks, you heard something and saw Eren and Armin walking out the barracks with Reiner and Bertolt. Raising your brow, you wondered what they were up to, and noticed the direction they were heading was an exit from the camp. Slightly concerned, you got up and pursued the group in secret as  you found yourself trotting through a set of woods nearby that went up hill. As you tracked them, you noticed a light source coming up from ahead and decided to get closer to listen in on what they were talking about.

"The vast majority are here because they don't want to lose face. Told they'd be admitt8ing they were cowards if they chose to be workers after turning twelve, they became trainees. But we're not so different. We chose this hoping to join the Military Police because they're safe, deep in the interior. If that doesn't work, we may just give it all up. I don't have any will of my own..." Bertolt gave his monologue as you were even more curious about what they were talking about.

"There's nothing wrong with valuing your own life." Armin tried to reassure Bertolt's means as they crossed the barbed wire perimeter, and you followed suit, sticking to the shadows.

"I just want to return to the homeland I lost. That's all I have left to go on. I'm going back, no matter what." Reiner gave his reasons for joining the military as Eren and Armin were surprised.

"You..." Bertolt turned and looked towards Eren. "Why did you become a soldier?" He asked as Eren looked away, remembering the day he lost his mother.

"I..." He trailed off as he remembered the Titan that took Carla as he furrowed his brow. "...I decided I had to kill them." He said as Reiner and Bertolt turned around in surprise of what he said. "I had to kill all the Titans myself...That's what I decided." He said as you noticed the bewildered look that fell on Reiner's face, though you figured that's how everyone else would react when hearing Eren's reason for becoming a soldier.

"So even after seeing the Titans, you didn't surrender to despair?" Reiner asked as the four of them climbed a small piece of ground while you trailed behind them.

"No. Though I don't know if I can even become a soldier now." Eren replied as Reiner stopped at the edge of a cliff and you settled in a group of bushes looking out to where they were looking.

As the cold and brisk wind blew through the woods, the clouds above began to move and reveal the bright shining moon's light as it cascaded its light upon the earth to reveal the view. You grew wide-eyed and astonished at the beautiful sight that was laid in front of you, a massive lake where the stars had their reflections bounce off and twinkle across the water. As you stared at the marvelous sight, Reiner spoke up.

"Review and recheck everything, starting with your belt. Tomorrow will go fine." He said as he turned back towards Eren with a confident smile. "You can do it. Eren Jaeger, was it?" He said as Eren seemed relieved and reassured by Reiner's words. 

"Yes, thank you. Reiner Braun, right?" Eren thanked Reiner for his support as you smiled, knowing that you could also rely on Reiner to pick up your friends when they're down.

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Timeskip, Next Morning

As a new morning came and everyone gathered around to see if Eren Jaeger, the last cadet who has yet to pass the aptitude test for the ODM gear training, can finally succeed at the task he failed at over and over again. You were stood in the front row with Mikasa, Armin, and everyone else who he asked for help as you watched Eren stand there in his harness. Eren had this nervous look on his face as Instructor Shadis stood in front of him with a intimidating look on his face as he spoke up.

"Eren Jaeger, are you ready?" Shadis asked the nervous looking boy.

"Yes!" Eren responded as his eyes were wide-open, absolutely determined to pass. "I'll do this...I can do this! I may not have talent, but I have more guts than anyone." Eren thought to himself as he clenched his fists tightly.

"Begin!" Shadis instructed as Cadet Thomas Wagner, began to turn the crank and lift Eren off the ground.

"I don't know the theory...I don't have any evidence. But this is all I've got!" Eren thought as a shocked look slowly crept onto your face, along with everyone else as he spread his arms out and struck a stance he thought would succeed. "This is my weapon!" He declared in his mind as he managed to stay balanced for the first time of this test.

"Ohhhh!" All the cadets were awed and amazed in unison at the surprise of Eren finally being able to balance off the harness as you grinned and chuckled.

"I did it...I did it!" Eren felt accomplished as he tried to continue to maintain balance, but as you watched him, there was this glare that came from his harness that caught your eye.

As you stared closely, at the center piece of his belt, there was a piece of metal that seemed to be bending out. Just then, you saw the piece snap before Eren began to yell as he lost balance and fell to the ground hanging upside down once again.

"N-Not yet..." Eren said as he tried to push himself back up, and Shadis walked towards him. "I'm not giving up yet!" He yelled as Shadis looked down at him.

"Put him down." Shadis ordered as Thomas cranked the wires and lowered Eren to the ground as Eren dropped to his knees in despair.

"I...I..." Eren began to tremble on his knees as you came forward.

"Instructor Shadis!" You called as he turned back to you. "I believe Eren should test once again. But..." You trailed off as Shadis held his glare at you. 

"But...?" He repeated before dropping his jaw slightly in surprise as you took off your belt and held it up towards him.

"He'll use my belt to test." You said as everyone was confused about the proposal you were giving as Shadis turned back towards Eren.

"Alright. L/N, swap belts with Jaeger." Shadis said as you walked toward Eren who looked just as confused, but you flashed him a smile as you handed over your belt.

"Trust me." You winked as looked completely lost in the moment.

After swapping belts and taking Eren's to further examine, Jaeger was once again attached to the wire and lifted off the ground, but this time, he was balanced completely with any lack of effort from himself. In disbelief, Eren turned and swayed in the harness trying to see if he would lose any balance at all, but he still remained upright in a good position. Turning towards everyone, you held out the belt and pointed to the piece that you noticed broke during his test.

"His equipment was defective. This center fitting on the belt was damaged and snapped during his attempt. Has his ever happened before?" You turned your head to ask Shadis as he contniued to watch Eren.

"I've never heard of that part getting damaged. I'll have to add it to the maintenance checklist." Shadis said as you smirked and heard the cadets who watched in disbelief.

"So, he managed to stay upright for a bit, even with a broken belt?" One cadet said.

"Wow..." Another was astonished.

"T-Then, did I pass?" Eren asked nervously while hanging from the wires as Shadis looked him right in the eye.

"You're fine. Commence training." Shadis reassured him as Eren threw his arms up in victory. 

"I did it! I really did it!" He thought as he turned his gaze towards Mikasa and the others in the front row. "Did you see that, Mikasa? I can do this! I can fight the Titans! I don't need you taking care of me anymore!" He thought with a proud and prideful grin on his face as you returned to Mikasa's side and crossed your arms with a smirk.

"I guess it all worked out." Reiner said in relief of Eren's passing the test.

"He's look at us, as if to say, "See!" Armin mentioned the look on Eren face.

"Wrong..." Mikasa said as you, Armin, Bertolt and Reiner turned to look towards her as she watched Eren. "He's relieved because he thinks we won't have to be separated now." She said what she thought Eren was thinking as the four of you were bewildered by what she said.

"Grisha...Today, your son became a soldier." Shadis thought as he couldn't take his eyes off of Eren and the accomplishment that he made that day.

And after a few hours had passed and everyone was given their set of ODM gear, Shadis was riding a horse through a forest as the sound of wires and gas whizzing through the air could be heard from all directions. Leading the pack, you grinned as you spun around in circles before using the trees to swing off of with your gear and soar high into the air with the rest of your friends. To your left you saw Mikasa caught up, and on your right you noticed Eren with you as well, with Armin trailing right behind you. You smirked as you turned back to look at the sunset ahead of you as you pressed your triggers to fly even faster and the four of you broke through the ceiling of the forest and soared high into the sky as this marked the beginning of your dream and goal to take back your home and wipe the titans off the face of this earth.

A/N: That's another chapter down. I'm really enjoying being able to reimagine how I could've done this story and I look forward to hearing what you all think of it so far. Thanks for reading and all the support, see you next time!