The Walls We've Built - ◈ ARMIN ARLERT X OC ◈

Chapter 9 - 57th Exibition

Hey guys! So there is another time skip here, from the choosing ceremony to the beginning of the 57th exhibition, although in the show it only briefly touches on what happened during that time but just for the sake of this story I have set it as around 3 weeks between these 2 events. Anywho that's all for now, hope u enjoy this next chapter! (Also head up this chapter is quite long/ the longest one yet, lol) Anywho hope yall like it :)

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The days leading up to the exhibition flew by, with training and studying the ways of the scouts, my days became pretty busy. Over the last month every book I've read, training exercise I've done, has been leading up to this moment. I sit atop my white horse in the compacted Long-Range Scouting Formation that I have been studying day and night. My shoulders rise and fall rapidly as we wait impatiently for the gate of the Karanes district. Beside me is Reiner, who is also a part of the row 2-5 communication, our role is to run extra horses and relay sightings of smoke signals from the front groups of enemy detection.

"This is it, the day has come for humanity to take another step forward. Now let's show those titans exactly what we are made of!" a scout in front of us yells. In response we all raise our swords to the air, I look around at all the scouts filled with excitement and adrenaline. Next to me Reiner smirks, nudging me with his free arm and I smile in return. We wait in anticipation, a low rumble echoes around us as the gate begins to rise. The gate comes to a stop, I look out past the other scouts to the abandoned town outside the walls of rose.

It's been over 5 years now since I've seen beyond the walls, since I've last been outside this cage humanity lives in. I guess Nick was right, he knew I wouldn't be able to stay inside these god forsaken walls. It's almost as if he knew I was going to join the scouts. Everyday I try not to think about him, but somehow he always finds a way to creep back into my mind.

At the front of the formation, Commander Smith screams "Forward!" Our horses gallop in one fluid movement towards the gates, "It's officially begun, the 57th recon mission! Scouts, move out!" he demands as we pass through the gate. As I pass under the wall I look up at the stone gate that has been closed for so long, I stare out to the land beyond as the morning sun light beams onto my face. I look over my shoulder towards the wall behind me, somehow they seem smaller from this side. Bringing my attention back to what's in front of me I continue forward with my comrades.

We ride as one through the abandoned town, beside me Reiner is leading an extra horse while I have the smoke signal gun. Together we will ride in the middle ring of the ring of the formation, our closest comrades which we will be in communication with the most, replaying the smoke signal they see before us, or in the worst situation signals they send. In that situation we will have to assist them in fending off titans. The team in front of us consists of Armin and another recruit and behind us is Jean.

Once we are out of the town and the titan that was lurking within it, we make our way through the open fields of greenland. The landscape manages to be both beautiful and terrifying at the same time, flat open terrain is the worst place for us to be. Due to the lack of trees we are unable to use our ODM gear when under attack, that's why it is vital we look out for smoke signals and avoid interactions with titans. Commander Smith's plan follows; if a spotting squad shoots a red smoke signal into the air all surrounding groups who can see the signal are to relay it by sending another smoke signal and so on until everyone is aware of the nearby titan. From there Smith will analyse where the titan is and send a green smoke signal in the direction we are to follow. It's a simple yet effective method that aims to minimise casualties.

"Have you seen anything yet?" Reiner yells from behind me as we gallop together, I shake my head while firmly grasping my smoke gun cautious of the possibility there are titans around us. Reinier guides his horse forward so now we are riding side by side. "Are you shitting yourself right now?" he asks smuggly, I scoff before replying "Just because you finished second in our corps doesn't make you any braver than me." I reply with an attitude, trying to repress his ignorance.