Chapter 22 - XX

🪖 The Year is 850[1]

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Two years after enlistment, the cadets of the 104th Cadet Corps were different people.

The fear in their eyes was no longer fresh. The soreness in their muscles is no longer surprising. They moved like soldiers now. On this day, they were being tested again.

Weighted backpacks.

Miles of uneven terrain.

Fitness assessments.

Mock Titan search-and-destroy drills.

Keith Shadis shouted from behind, clipboard in hand.

"You're only as strong as the person slowing you down!"

...

Armin Arlelt struggled at the back.

Sweat soaked his shirt.His breathing was shallow.His legs wobbled beneath the weight.

"Pick it up, Arlelt!" Shadis barked. "Or I'll have you scrubbing gear with a toothbrush!"

Armin stumbled.

And then, Reiner Braun appeared.

Took the pack off his back.

"Keep running," Reiner said. "I've got this."

Armin weakly said, "Give it....Back, I can handle it..." Reiner didn't listen and continued moving on.

Shadis narrowed his eyes.

Then scribbled something down.

"Teamwork. Noted."

Kaelen wasn't running.

He walked.

Not slowly. Not lazily. Just…

Calm.

His movements efficient. Balanced.

He never wasted energy.

Beside him, Krista Lenz chattered away, her expression cheerful despite the strain.

"I saw my mother recently," she said. "Just for a few minutes, but… it was enough. I think we're getting closer." She said with a smile, "She even sent me a letter! Well...she meant it for me but she sent it to you, I suppose I never did tell her I was joining this place." 

Kaelen nodded.

You're welcome, he thought, but said nothing.

Originally, he had planned to use Alma as a caretaker for Carla. Someone to clean. Feed. Handle the hygiene and humanizing of his 'mother.'

But Krista had taken the assignment personally.

She saw it as a bridge.

And built something out of it.

That was fine.

Better than fine.

It made her more emotionally malleable, though her mother was getting annoying with the constant questions about Krista, at this rate, he'd end up knowing everything.

...

Kaelen felt it before he saw it.

A sensation. Annoyance. Something sour, he was used to being drowned in emotions, that's precisely why his own are very weak.

He turned, despite not needing to...it was just odd if he didn't.

And saw her.

Short-cut hair. Narrow eyes. A slouch of someone who never wanted to be seen.

Ymir.

Kaelen raised a hand, his pale eyes flashing with curious intent.

"Hey there."

Ymir barely slowed.

"Don't 'hey' me."

Krista brightened. "Good morning, Ymir!"

Ymir nodded slightly, but her eyes remained on Kaelen. Kaelen wanted to laugh; he read others, but he didn't get read.

Cold. Assessing.

"Do you hate me?" Kaelen asked bluntly, calmly, as if the question wasn't a very important one.

Ymir blinked.

"Dislike you. Not hate."

Kaelen nodded.

"Fair. I'll be sure never to hate you."

Ymir scowled. "That's not going to change my opinion."

Kaelen smiled. "I didn't expect it to." She's pretty annoying...should I just...get rid of her?

Krista looked between them.

Confused.

Amused.

"We're all friends here, right?" Kaelen said innocently.

Ymir's lip curled slightly, narrow eyes watching him.

"You're not subtle, you know."

"And I should care because?" Kaelen asked coldly, 

"Because you're one of those types," Ymir continued. "The ones who talk in circles. Always ten steps ahead. Always adding pieces to the infinite chessboard you're playing."

Kaelen chuckled softly.

"Very strong hypothesis, but I'm just someone who wants to live happily...without titans." Kaelen lied.

He glanced sideways, the thought of such destructive things flooding his mind.

"And for that to happen… the world needs to be happy, too."

Ymir stared at him.

Then slowed her pace.

"Just don't bother me."

"I won't, for now."

"And I won't bother you." 

"Deal."

She fell back, creating space between them.

...

Krista tilted her head.

"That was… cryptic."

Kaelen shrugged.

"Boring stuff. I just wanted her to open up."

Krista blinked. "You did?"

He nodded.

"People who act cold usually have a good reason. Everyone's hiding a story."

Krista paused.

"Are you… trying to be her friend?"

Kaelen tilted his head thoughtfully.

"Not quite."

"Then why?"

"Information," he said. "Equal footing. But if friendship gets us there, I won't say no."

Krista smiled, half understanding.

"I guess that makes sense."

Ymir, Kaelen thought.You're clever.But that cold anger you felt—it wasn't about me, was it?

It wasn't jealousy of me.It was jealousy of her.

He looked toward Krista, who was now stretching her arms out and chatting with Armin, face aglow.

Jealousy is not for affection. But for proximity.That girl hides a loyalty so deep, it bleeds into every glance.

Delicious.

Kaelen chuckled to himself.

Low.

Private.

Though...I can't quite understand why you would be jealous of her. Loyalty is nice and all, but someone like you shouldn't feel much...unless? No...that wouldn't make sense, I might have sensed it wrong.

The more unknowns there were… the more interesting this game became.

__________________________________________________________________________________

[Auther: And this is the 3rd? I'm not sure...Anyways, comment and put stuff, ask questions or whatever...]

[1] "I think...I'm having trouble with the years and some of them might be wrong."