Shorter Than Me

3 Ecyn

"Levi! How are you?" Captain Herga exclaims.

"Same as always. You?"

"I'm curious to see how well you've been able to train the recruit."

"As am I." Corporal Frel smiles.

"Remember, she's learning, not being assessed," Captain Levi says. "Let's start with triple maneuvers. Herga, you'll be the second. I'll be the leader and the shortie will be the third."

Corporal Frel laughs a little at his use of the word "shortie."

"The third is usually the bait in triple groups," Captain Levi says to me. "He is the least skilled and the most expendable."

I nod and try to ignore the six intimidating eyes staring at me. I focus on only two, which are still the most intimidating.

"The second is the middle and has a medium skill range," the captain continues.

"Hey! I believe I've just been insulted." Captain Herga smiles. I realize how different all the officers are from Captain Levi. Everyone else is more the "titans are depressing but let's have fun when we're not fighting" kind of people while Captain Levi is the "titans are everywhere and I have to remind people of that" kind of person.

"It's true," Captain Levi says. Everyone knows he's called humanity's strongest. He is humanity's strongest. "She might even be better than you."

"Was that a compliment?" Corporal Frel asks.

"No," Captain Levi responds. "It was an insult."

He turns back to me and throws a long complicated set of instructions on five of the basic triple maneuvers at me.

"You can't really expect her to memorize all that." Corporal Frel smiles, seeming a bit bewildered herself.

I didn't try to memorize them, just remembered the basic instructions in my head. When we actually play them out, that's when I'll memorize them. That's how I've done it for the past week. I've found it's easier.

"You don't make a soldier with words. It's better to give them simple instructions and then have them do it. They'll remember the actions better than anything else, so why bother with words they're best to forget?" Captain Levi explains.

"I guess."

"If her head is only filled with information, she won't be worth anything. It's better to get the habit in quickly."

"I see."

"You couldn't see a titan right in front of you."

Captain Herga laughs. "That humor, Ackerman."

"Let's see how good you are compared to a two-week newbie." The captain replies with a slight sarcasm in his voice.

"Let's see." Captain Herga smiles.

Captain Levi gives a short series of commands and we jump into the trees. I find the titan and swing in front of it, just out of it's reach, so it notices me and starts chasing me.

Of course, trees can't move, so I'm completely safe.

It's almost a game. We're playing pretend, imagining trees are titans and fake-killing them.

"You're a natural on the maneuver gear," Captain Herga says to me.

"Thank you, sir." I'm not used to compliments. In the Training Corps we were never individually trained, and of course Captain Levi doesn't compliment me. It takes me by surprise at first, but then I wipe that emotion away and try not to look too proud of myself.