Training

The next two weeks were spent in excruciating pain. The recruits were made to run every morning, pushing their bodies to their limits. When that was done, they discussed strategies and studied their equipment. Some struggled more. Their talents and deficiencies became more apparent. Each moment of weakness and strength exhibited to the other recruits. Felix showed an aptitude with rifles. This talent was dismissed by most as useless, as titans wouldn't be killed by even the best shot. Nanaba displayed her skills in slaying the titan targets. The quickest in clearing this course however was a man named Saul Eitan. He was quiet, and had an aggressive personality.

Dolph, the farm boy showed an unsurprising aptitude for horses and riding. With his strength and stamina earned from years of hard labour, he was thought to be one of the best. When it came to fighting, he was able to throw around anyone.

That was until they began 3DMG training. When Dolph climbed higher and higher, flying into the air, he felt his body panic. As he pushed the triggers, breathing heavily he forgot the functions. He was no longer a man, but a brick sailing through the air. Seeing the ground, feeling the fall, Dolph pissed himself. Pushing his arms in front of him, he braced for the fall. "So this was it" he thought.

Another body slammed into him, at an explosive speed. The drill sergeant carried Dolph in his arms.

"What happened, maggot?"

Dolph cried. "I don't know sir. I just forgot. I got scared and I forgot."

"Did you go and piss yourself? Stop crying and get a hold of yourself." the Drill Sergeant said. Some of the other recruits were laughing. "You forget again and you're done. You go into the field, you forget, and you fall, you become a hindrance. Someone else has to carry your broken, injured body away. How does that affect the combat ability of your squad?"

"Badly sir."

"Correct. I want you to spend the afternoon practicing each function. Then, I want you to write a one-page essay on how it works."

Felix came and approached you both. Flying through the air and landing perfectly. Dolph wiped his tears with his sleeve, vainly trying to hide them. "Sir, permission to help Dolph."

"He's your responsibility now" the Drill Sergeant said.

Felix worked Dolph through the controls, making sure he understood each mechanism. Felix taught him twice, quizzing him first.

"I think you're ready."

Dolph launched his hooks and pulled, flying through the trees. As he reached height his vision became blurry. He flew onto the ground, landing prematurely. Felix followed.

"What's wrong?"

"I feel dizzy when I get too high up." Dolph said.

"Damn. At least you aren't crying now, though." Felix said. Dolph laughed.

"Asshole."

"And you didn't piss your pants either."

Dolph turned and walked towards Felix.

"Woah, hey now" Felix said, stumbling backwards and falling on his ass. Dolph laughed before helping him up.

"I don't even have to do the motion, you flinch so easily."

Felix smiled. "Glad you have a sense of humour."

"So what should I do about my vision?"

"Well, I had a cousin who was going to become a doctor, but he was afraid of blood."

"What'd he do? Find something else?"

"His father talked to the butcher, and he spent a day with pigs blood. Looking at it, touching it, getting it dunked on him. At the end of the day he was comfortable with it. He became a doctor."

"So I should, go somewhere high?"

"Maybe on the walls."

Dolph shivered thinking about it.

"I'll talk to the Drill Sergeant. Don't want him to think you're deserting."

Dolph begun to climb the wall. It was huge, and tested his nerves. "I should have brought Felix" he said to himself, beginning to doubt his ability. He felt sick, but continued upwards and onwards. He looked down to check his progress and felt sick. If he wasn't kept in place by the hooks, he surely would have fell and perished. Dolph's stomach churned and he remained completely still, hoping it would pass.

"Dolph!" He moved, hearing the commanding voice of the Drill Sergeant. "Katze has told me about your fear. You must continue to the top. Do not let fear control you."

Despite being so small in the distance, his voice remained powerful. Dolph continued to climb. His hooks pulling him up faster as he became more comfortable. He could do this.

He reached the top and climbed up.

"No railing? Seems dangerous" he said.

"It is" said Ingersol, another recruit. Dolph jumped, he thought he was alone. Ingersol had long blonde hair and wore a pair of goggles, making him look feminine.

"You

"Don Jozef sent me up here while you were stalling, in case you needed to be rescued."

"Who?"

"Don Jozef, the Drill Sergeant. You didn't know his name?"

"Didn't think he had one. I just thought they made the bastard out of spare parts."

"You fool."

"What?"

"You need to get on his good side. He controls your placement. I saw you on your first day, how you tried to see Anna before finishing your food. You think it's not a big deal but it is. You look like you're difficult, and today you cried and peed in front of everyone."

Dolph scoffed. "I'm good at other things."

"You think you're going to impress him by being the best horse rider? What if he chooses not to pass you?"

Dolph shivered. Would he be **** to repeat this training? Or would he be shunted into some support role, carrying supplies for the rest of the garrison.

"If you don't want to fall behind you have to lick his boots. Some of the girls have even offered him..." Ingersol paused, realizing he might have said too much. "Just forget it. Let's go back down before the stew gets cold."

Dolph rappelled down, thinking about what this all meant. Were the girls really sleeping with the Drill Sergeant? And who? Was he taking advantage of Anna, **** for wages and in such a **** position? What about Nanaba? Angela surely wouldn't, she had too much integrity, not enough to lose. He felt uneasy, knowing that this cruel man who **** them all to suffer could be taking advantage of the recruits. As Dolph got down, he realized he was no longer afraid of heights.

"Let's go" Ingersol said.

What could Dolph do in this situation? Confront Don Jozef? That would surely not end well for him. But if Dolph didn't do something to protect his friends, could he live with himself? He and Ingersol walked to the mess hall.