A Cruel, Yet Beautiful World (Eren x Mikasa) AoT AU

Chapter 13 Part 1

Sorry that it took so long for me to upload a new chapter, this chapter proved to be significantly longer than I thought it would be. So I decided to split it into two separate parts. I also really wanted to thank all of you guys for all the recents reads, votes, comments and support in general that I have gotten because that all helps to inspire me to write :)

After sometime walking, Annie and Armin finally made it to their peers lining up for today's training. The blondes tried to blend in with the cadets in order to hide from Shadis, however the bald commandant noticed them anyway and yelled out, "Cadet Arlert and Cadet Leonhart, mind explaining to me why you're both so late? As well as the brown stain on Arlert's jacket?"

The two of them looked at each other before Armin spoke up, "Sir! During breakfast I slipped and spilled tea on my jacket. I tried to bribe Ann-... Cadet Leonhart to switch mine with hers, however she refused. I then tried to take the jacket but, she was stronger than me and raced here before I could steal it."

"Overpowered by a girl." Shadis sneered, "I guess I shouldn't expect less from a runt like you." he then raised his voice to the boy, "Cadet Arlert, as punishment for your clumsiness at breakfast, as well as your tardiness to my lesson, you'll clean the mess hall for the next week. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?!"

"Sir, yes sir!" The blonde boy cried out, saluting the man.

Shadis then turned to other the cadets, "Now as I was saying, it is aptitude test time so listen up! There is not a place for you here if you can't perform; fail and you'll be shipped to the fields!"

The students then lined up to collect their ODM Belts from the instructor to take turns on an apparatus that would raise them in the air. Eren and Mikasa were lined up behind Armin when brunette asked the blonde boy, "Umm... Armin, why are you wearing that girl's jacket? Also, why did you lie to Shadis about what happened?"

Armin sighed, "I changed jackets to make things right with Annie, I did not want her to get in trouble for something that wasn't her fault. And I lied to Shadis because if he found out you and Jean were fighting, you'd both be expelled. I would much rather clean the mess hall for a few hours over you losing your shot at joining the Survey Corps."

Eren was completely shocked by his blonde friend and felt guilty for what he was putting him through. The emerald eyed boy grabbed his nape and let out a sheepish, "Wow... thanks Armin, I really owe you one."

The blonde boy then turned his head with a smirk, "Yeah, you really do."

The three teenagers then received their gear from Shadis and waited for their turn to test their balance with the belt. Armin was the first of the three to go, struggling at first however; quickly rebalancing himself. Mikasa went on another apparatus and easily stabilized herself, impressing the other cadets and even the likes of Shadis.

Eren was next and the boy pumped himself up as his belt was connected. This was the first step to mastering the ODM gear and the brunette boy was excited to master it. Once he began being lifted into the air, he confidently mumbled to himself, "Moment of truth, time to put up or shut up."

However, as Eren was being raised, something did not feel right to him. The chocolate brunette struggled to stay still and started to wobble. Before Eren even realized it, he flipped backwards and was hanging upside down. The boy desperately tried to rebalance himself, however, to no avail and he was just left in this awkward position.

Shadis noticed the boy struggling and walked up to him to yell, "What is your major malfunction Yeager!? Straighten yourself up!"

Eren tried to listen to the bald man's command but, for some reason could not get himself back up right. He had no clue how to work this thing and why this was happening to him. The emerald eyed boy could do little more than frantically squirm as his peers laughed at him and Shadis yelled into his ear. He has never felt more humiliated in his life as everyone looked at him like he was a big joke. Eren began to panic as his dream of venturing outside the walls felt like it was disappearing before his very eyes. He refused to give up and desperately tried to correct his posture for several minutes. He did not care if it took all day or all night, he was not going to fail. This refusal to give up however only made him look more like a fool in the eyes of his comrades and their laughter soon grew uproarious