[Marley:]
Isaac opened his eyes as he stared at the ceiling, the paint was especially beautiful on this fine day.
He sighed after he finished counting to sixty in his head and pulled the sheets off his body, his daily procrastination was done.
He got up and turned to the side as his feet touched the freezing floor, his ironed uniform was in the same place he left it yesterday, on the chair near his bed.
He slipped his socks on and started dressing up for the upcoming ceremony as a familiar blue screen appeared in front of his face.
[Host: Isaac Crown
Age: 9
Titles: Devil, Eldian
Atributes:
*Superhuman senses*
*Superhuman physique*
*Increased regeneration and metabolism*
Skills:
{Curse manipulation}]
Isaac tuned it out as he finished putting on the belt and straps of his uniform, after he was finished, he stepped in front of one of the few decorations his miniscule home had – the mirror.
He looked like a distinguished little gentleman, the uniform was made of a pale green fabric and it matched quite well with his crimson hair.
Today he would begin his training to become a Warrior of Marley.
After he confirmed he didn't look like a bum he grabbed the chair he used to hang his uniform and went to the kitchen and the only other room in his house where a singular table stood along with a couple shelves and a sink.
He placed the chair near the table and grabbed a bowl of simple grain that he had soaked the day before.
It didn't taste like a whole lot to be honest, but it was the most nutricous thing you could get here with the miniscule amount of money he had and either way, he was never a picky eater in his two lives.
He swallowed the remaining food and cleaned the room. After finishing all that he moved to the door and looked at his small home one more time – he liked this little cave he had, it was peaceful.
On the other hand, he could see how his body's previous owner had grown to hate it after his parents died.
Unfortunate for him, but current Isaac only had two parents, not on this earth and which had watched him die in the hospital at the young age of 17.
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Isaac walked through the street while the sun tried its best to mirror the climate to the Sahara desert. He didn't like summer, winter was far superior in his opinion.
He passed quite a few people as he walked, most looked at him in pity as they recognized the uniform, others didn't care and focused on their own worries, which he reconned they had plenty of.
He could understand the looks of pity, in their eyes he was either going to die young or run back home crying.
He would try his best to not accomplish either.
Isaac finally reached and entered the training yard, close to 50 children stood in rows of 5 as he took an empty space. Looking around he noticed the boy standing to his left was shitting bricks and shaking.
To his right was a blonde girl, she was shorter than himself.
'Small world.' He thought, turning to the podium in front of their formation.
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An hour passed.
Isaac smiled wryly with no amusement as children passed out left and right, the sun was literally cooking them, and none of their supervisors cared.
'When was the last time I felt hot?' now that was a thought, in the past two years his body never felt cold or hot, just warm.
Thank God for superpowers.
He looked to his peers Annie was sweating and breathing deeply, but didn't fall, Bertholdt on the other hand was visibly wobbling and close to passing out.
Bertholdt's eyes shut momentarily as he began to fall. Isaac caught him with his left hand and pushed him back to standing straight.
The boy turned to him in shock and gratitude, he tried to speak, but his mouth was too dry.
More time passed as the Podium creaked and their supposed instructor entered, everyone saluted.
"Open your ears Devils. You can either call me Instructor Major or Major Instructor. You will not address me as anything else, because I will not have you, Devils soil my good family name by speaking it. Is that understood?" the fat fuck addressed the crowd of children lined up under the summer sun, barely hearing him. He was nothing special, middle aged, fat and had the same hobby as most Marleyans – tormenting Eldian kids.
Their nearby attending supervisors finally moved and picked up the passed-out children, so they would not gain serious injuries. Out of the 50 that came only 20 were left.
"It's my job to turn you Devils into something useful. Something less - you." He spoke with a smile.
"Your kind are a cancer on this earth, and I will weed out the worthlessness out of your worthless race. Know this, if you are found overstepping by me, you'll be shipped to Mantega and put to work for the war effort before you can even blink." Throughout his speech, he paced back and forth on the stage, making a special effort to look every child in the eye at least once. He paused and pointed to his missing eye, "I lost my eye because of one of you people and make no mistake, on that day every one of you may as well have stabbed my eye out personally."
"But!" He put a finger up and continued pacing, "There is hope, to reprogram your vile base nature. Remove your sin in a baptism of fire and blood."
Somewhere in front of Isaac, another thud was heard and the soldiers near them rushed over to bring another collapsed recruit to the sick tent.
"Like her! Her love of Marley couldn't overcome her biology and she will suffer for it. Don't be like her." He growled out, "Now go home! Those who are still standing will be handed a number, you will fasten that to your uniform and never take it off. Consider it your life in the military.
Isaac frowned as he was handed a number. When he turned to leave Bertholdt stopped him, having regained his voice." T-Thank you, if not for you I would have failed."
"No problem." Isaac spoke and extended his hand for a handshake.
"Isaac Crown."
"B-Bertholdt Hoover."
Isaac nodded and returned home, this military business wasn't that hard.
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"You think you're better than me? Me!" the instructor Major roared at Isaac after he saw him helping some cadets.
His fist landed solidly on Isaac's solar plexus as Isaac collapsed to his knee, he brought his fist back and cradled it in his other palm silently. He felt like he just punched a boulder, but his sour expression softened into a grin when he saw Isaac kneeling.
"That will teach you, Devil. I am the Instructor here. I instruct. You obey." He spat and walked away to torment someone else as Isaac effortlessly stood up after a couple moments.
'Punches the way he looks.' Isaac thought with a grin.
The first week of 'training' for Isaac was quite humorous as the fat fuck instructor tried his best to make him embarrass or hurt himself at every turn.
He didn't teach anything useful aside from how to handle a rifle and trained the other children like they were adults. Not surprising.
Currently, he was eating with Bertholdt in the mess hall. Bertholdt sniffed, wiping a few stray tears from his cheeks and trying to will his shame away after the instructor had finished tormenting him for having emotions just half an hour before.
Only after groveling on his knees and begging was Bertholdt able to keep his spot in the class. The Instructor even said that the only reason he was allowed to stay was because he was the second best shot in class.
Isaac wasn't judging, in his place he would have begged too.
"Calm down."
"Easy for you to say." Bertholdt spoke as he finished sniffing.
"It is." Isaac nodded.
"So… I think I hav-"
"We're still going for that run, it's less fun for me alone and you're weak." Isaac reaffirmed with a smile and Bertholdt looked like he was about to cry again.
"Can I join?" A new voice asked. The boys turned and saw a boy with tired eyes and blonde hair sit down across from them.
"Do I know you?" Isaac asked.
"Uh, no." the boy scratched his cheek.
"Exactly, what do you want with us?"
"I saw you helping others during training, can you help me get stronger too?" he pleaded with Isaac.
"Why not." Isaac nodded.
"I don't think you should." Ignoring the fact that he didn't even know him, Bertholdt warned the boy with the most serious expression Isaac had seen from him yet.
"What's the worst that can happen, my name is Reiner Braun, by the way."
"Bertholdt Hoover."
"Isaac Crown."
After finishing their introductions Isaac stood up and looked at them, "Enough hanging around, lets go."
"Now?" Bertholdt asked
"No, tomorrow."
"Thank God." Bertholdt muttered with a relieved expression.
"…"
"…"