Shorter Than Me

24 Ecyn

All the people training the new recruits are in the commander's office. I see an interesting stack of papers on his desk. They look out of place.

"I'm going to be assessing your trainees, starting tomorrow." He looks at a small piece of paper that has handwriting on it. "Elles first, then Toji, Ussan, Clamme, Key, Iddar, Kur, and Tarnithal."

"Why so soon, sir?" Wade asks.

"Well first of all, Hanji hasn't let me live a day without submitting one of these." He points to the stack of papers. "And her report about capturing titans was actually approved and sent back with an order to go on the expedition as soon as possible."

"Are we going to capture titans?" Wade asks.

"We're going to try. But all the details will be given at dinner tonight. For now, just make sure your trainees are good." His face turns completely serious. "You could be the difference between their life and death."

Odds are some of them are going to die, but everyone ignores that fact. We go on the expeditions anyway, because no one else will.

"Here are these forms to fill out about your trainees. Give them to me the day I assess them." He hands us each a sheet of paper.

***

"The commander is going to assess all the new recruits. You're first, tomorrow. Is there anything you want to know or learn?"

"Can you teach me a complicated trick or maneuver, ma'am?"

"What kind?"

She shrugs. "I don't know, ma'am. Just something that looks complicated."

"How about a flip?"

"That's fine, ma'am."

"Alright." Over the time I've trained her, I've discovered that she doesn't learn like I did with Ackerman. She's more auditory than visual. She pictures the move in her head as I describe it, then she sees it, then she does it. I don't know if she'll be able to do this flip on the first try. It's kind of advanced. I hope she doesn't fall or hit a tree. That would be terrible, and it would look bad for me.

She's is different from Levi. Levi would be like, "Some people actually believed I killed her on purpose, but of course that's not true. I haven't killed anyone in a while." or something like that. (That's the same paragraph down there.)

"First, you start going pretty fast. Then at one point, you tip forward and release all cables. Then you catch yourself and swing out of it. That's what it looks like if you're watching someone else. When you're doing it, you go quickly first. Then, before you start the flip, you concentrate on a tree that you'll grab onto when you're done. Something about instinct or your brain calculating the distance as you spin. Then you lean forward, release cables, spin, deploy cables, and swing gently out of it. Curl into a ball while you're spinning and then open flat  facing down. Release the cables when you face upwards. Does that make sense?"

"Yes, ma'am. But you're going to show me before I try, right?"

"Of course. Watch carefully." With one glance at her determined face, I quickly move far away. I've only done this twice before, so now I'm second-guessing myself.

After I've moved to a place I can gain enough momentum to do the flip near Elles, I start. I build up speed. When I see her out of the corner of my eye, I find a tree and lean forward. I draw my cables to myself as I spin out of control. Then my body automatically expands and I shoot my cable out. I let myself swing to slow down and then work my way back to Elles.

"Your turn."

"Yes, ma'am." She looks a little uncertain.

"Try starting a little higher. That way, if you fall, you'll have more time to catch yourself."