Child of the Wings

Why didn't he run?

*Elisa's POV*

*Year 847, age 12*

"Listen up maggots! I am Commander Keith Shadis, and I have the unfortunate pleasure of turning you into proper soldiers! The next three years will determine whether or not you will be titan food!" The old man at the front of the division shouted at the top of his lungs, most likely to intimidate us trainees.

"Who the hell are you!" The Commander shouted at a smaller boy, who had shoulder length blond hair.

"Armin Arlert of Shiganshina, sir!" The boy, Armin, shouted back to the old man.

'Never saw him before today,' I thought to myself.

"Armin?! What kind of name is that! Who named you?!" The old Commander kept on shouting.

"My grandfather named me, sir!" Armin responded.

"And why the hell are you here?!" The Commander shouted.

"To help humanity in its victory!" The blond shouted.

"Third row about face!" Commander Keith shouted, grabbing Armin by his head and spinning him around.

"Why is he skipping some?" I heard someone ask from behind me.

"Because they were there when Wall Maria fell, they witnessed the hell of it all, you can see it on their faces," Another voice responded as the commander stared me straight in the eyes, then continued walking.

'I don't think all of these people will be able to make it through three years of training, there's no way,' I thought to myself, just as I heard the crunch of food, and a collection of gasps from the trainees around me.

"What is your name cadet!" Commander Keith shouted, I couldn't see who he was yelling at, but I think they might have a scared expression.

"Sasha Blouse of Dauper Village, sir!" I guess she wasn't that scared after all.

"What do you have in your hand?"

"A steamed potato sir!"

"And why are you eating it now?!"

"Steamed potatoes are best eaten warm, sir!" After that, I stopped paying attention, just wanting to start training.

*Time jump, later that evening at dinner*

I still can't believe that people left on the first day, before the training even started, I thought people would start dropping out on the second day, when we actually did some training.

"And where are you from?" I heard someone ask on the other side of the dining hall.

"I'm from Shiganshina district, same as Armin here!" I heard another boy say, looking over I saw the everyone started surrounding him.

'This is stupid, why would people want to make him relive what he went through again?!' I sighed and got up, ready to put my dishes away when someone stopped me.

"Where are you from?" I looked to see a boy, about a foot taller than me, he had black hair, parted in the middle, the boy also had freckles and a very warm smile.

"I was from Shiganshina district. Who are you?" I asked the boy, staring him in the eyes.

"I'm Marco Bodt from a small village inside Wall Rose. Nice to meet you, uh," I forgot to tell him my name.

"Elisa Deraener," I told him, putting my hand in his and shaking it.

"As in Corporal Deraener?" Marco said enthusiastically.

"The one and only," I said, a lump forming in my throat.

"What happened to him anyways?" He said, still interested in my dead father.

"I don't really want to talk about it," I whispered, pushing past him.

"See you tomorrow!" The boy shouted after me.

'Why didn't he run when he saw my eyes? Everyone always runs!' I wondered, walking into the cabin, and getting into bed.