Eren was now suspended in the air, steadily held at the height that marked the passing threshold.
He hadn't fallen.
He was balanced — stable.
"Ohhh! He did it!"
Cheers erupted all around. For the first time, everyone could see that Eren had finally succeeded.
But then —
Eren wavered. His body tilted.
And he fell again.
"No… not yet! I haven't failed yet…!"
Instructor Keith slowly approached, staring down at the boy called Yeager.
"Let him down."
Eren was lowered to the ground, and the helpless frustration on his face said it all. Am I really… not good enough? If I can't even use ODM gear properly, how am I supposed to drive out the Titans…?
Everyone could feel the weight of his disappointment.
"Wagner. Switch belts with Yeager."
Keith had noticed something. He gestured to Thomas Wagner — the cadet manning the crank — and ordered him to trade ODM belts with Eren.
What happened next was astonishing.
With the new gear, Eren soared easily and passed the test without struggle.
"It was the equipment," Keith said, inspecting the broken metallic clasp on Eren's previous harness. "The connector on this belt is faulty. I've never seen one break in our training stock before… looks like it's time we revise our maintenance protocols."
Everyone stared, stunned.
Eren had been struggling all this time with damaged equipment — and had still managed to stay balanced for a few moments.
"What about my evaluation?" Eren asked from midair, hanging effortlessly this time.
"No problem. Keep training hard."
That simple sentence was all he needed. It confirmed his place among us.
Eren beamed. His grin radiant and full of sunshine. He turned his face toward me, Mikasa, and Armin — telling us without words that he, Eren Yeager, could fight Titans too.
I gave Mikasa a slight nudge, teasing like a child.
Mikasa glanced at me blankly. "What?" she said, pretending not to understand.
"You…" I started, but trailed off.
——
Sometime in the year 849.
Another regular day of training.
But today… today my body was a wreck.
I didn't know why, but ever since morning, my head had been burning. A heavy fog clouded my mind, and I could barely keep myself upright.
I didn't tell anyone — not even Mikasa.
Because I knew what she'd do. She'd drag me straight to the instructor and demand I be sent to rest.
"Mikasa, I think I'll stop by the infirmary," I said with my back to her.
We had just finished ODM gear drills under Keith's supervision. Up next was hand-to-hand combat. That part of training was rarely tightly monitored.
"I'll go with you—"
But Eren's voice cut her off.
"Mikasa! This time I'll definitely bring you down!" he shouted, eager to redeem himself after being humiliated by her in combat class.
"I'll be fine. Just the bathroom."
Still facing away, I waved my hand and left quickly.
I ducked into a quiet alley behind the dorms, where no one else lingered.
Sinking to the ground, I finally relaxed my body.
My cheeks burned red — my breathing ragged.
"…No way. It can't be."
I thought back to the medicine I'd stopped taking. A chill coiled through my chest. Did Grisha's illness return…?
My legs felt weak. The weight of my ODM gear only made it worse.
Suddenly, a shadow appeared at the entrance to the alley.
I turned my head weakly —
It was another cadet.
Cold eyes. Icy expression. She just stood there and watched me.
Annie Leonhart.
She was infamous for ditching training when Keith wasn't paying attention. I must've stumbled into one of her usual hideout spots.
She started walking toward me. I tried to stand, leaning on the wall for support, but my legs gave out.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to intrude. I'll leave."
I glanced up at her. She was half a head taller than me, but made no move to step aside.
Looking down, I avoided her gaze. I reached for my gear. If I could just fire a line up and out—
Clink.
Her own hook shot out, knocking mine off target.
"What… are you doing?" I asked, confused.
She'd stopped me from leaving — but moments ago looked like she wanted me gone. What was she thinking?
My vision was swimming now. I couldn't stay standing. I collapsed back to the ground, barely sitting upright.
My heartbeat slowed in my ears.
Annie stepped forward. Her face hovered above mine. She reached out — and scooped me up.
She was carrying me.
I reached up weakly and clutched the front of her uniform.
"No… you can't… Mikasa will find out… and she'll make the instructor… pull me out of the Corps…"
"She's always… worrying about me. I don't… want to be seen as weak… anymore…"
My fingers clung to her collar.
Annie stared down at me silently. Then she turned — and walked back toward the alley.
She laid me gently on the ground again. My head rested in her lap.
A lap pillow…
Her face was still unreadable.
I had always been the emotionless one — except around Eren and the others.
But right now, in this fevered state… I was more fragile than I'd ever allowed anyone to see.
Even Mikasa had never seen me like this.
Annie looked down at me. She could've left. She could've gone and told someone.
But she didn't.
Her fingers touched my burning forehead, checking for fever again and again.
—
Back on the field, combat training was winding down.
"Mikasa, have you seen Sandra?" Eren asked, scanning the area.
"No." Mikasa's tone was sharp now.
"Armin? Did you see her?"
"No… But come to think of it, she was acting a little off today…" Armin said, frowning.
He remembered how Sandra avoided all their eyes this morning.
And now… the ODM gear return box labeled "Sandra Gant" was still empty.
Mikasa's expression darkened.
She turned and noticed the other return box that was also empty.
Annie Leonhart.
Back in the alley, I was still lost in a fever haze. My head felt like it was on fire.
Something wasn't right.
But still… I didn't want anyone to know.
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