Soon later, everyone unpacked what little clothes and belongings they held, Petra even managed to get some flowers to decorate, courtesy of her parents. Though, Carmens side was much barer, there weren't any extreme differences. Then, the two headed to the dining hall, instead of being filled with teenagers, Carmen could actually see people her own age. However, she still managed to blend in with Petra's age group. It seemed as though her lack of sunlight and facial expressions granted her a 'young face'. Even if she was 24.

"That's the handsome man I told you about." The strawberry blonde looked at the table of higher ups.

So the information she was given before her mission was correct, he was close with Erwin. Judging by his fighting abilities, he was also a threat. It wouldn't matter for long, he'd be dead in a week or so, give or take.

"Please, he isn't good looking." Oruo scoffed. "He's barely taller than you. Even Carmen has more height than that pipsqueak."

When her name was mentioned, Carmen snapped back into the conversation. "That pipsqueak is Captain Levi. Humanities strongest." She have her insight.

"You've got to be shitting me." The blonde boy scowled, glaring at Levi until he returned his glance, which forced Oruo to quickly avert his eyes.

"He's so dreamy."

"He's an ass." Carmen countered.

"Agreed." Oruo added. "Wait, when did you start hating people?"

He was right, Oruo was allowed to dislike Levi, he had an excuse; Petra. But Carmen had no reason, other than him being her target. She needed to think again. She did have moderate excuses, they'd fought once. Or maybe she didn't like the way he looked? What if she...

"Yoohoo, anyone home?" Oruo waved his hand in front of her, which Carmen grabbed and squeezed. "Ow."

"I met him last month, Shadis made me fight him. It ended in a draw." She found her answer.

"Someone actually held their ground against you?" Oruo was shocked, or maybe he was overplaying her skills because he didn't want anyone to know how terrible of a fighter he was.

"I was going to win, given time." She defended, after all, this was the first fight she'd had that didn't end in victory. "We were both choking each other, I can hold my breath for 9 minutes 43 seconds. I would have won."

"No way." Petra gasped. "You're actually holding a grudge? I thought you were laid back."

"She's just taking a page of my book, Petra dear."

"Hopefully not."

"Oruo, I was under the impression you didn't know how to read and write." Carmen shot back, her insult was as calm as usual. The victim couldn't fully tell if she was being serious or not. "A joke." She confirmed.

Oruo rolled his eyes and glanced back to the table Levi was sitting on, only to quickly too back at Carmen opposite him. "Shit, he's still staring at us."

"Really?" Petra wonder and tried to turn around, but Carmen prevented her from doing so.

"It's best we ignore it." She advised.

"And how is that the best option?"

"Well..." Carmen didn't have an answer. "It just is."

"You're lucky I trust you." Petra obeyed and faced Oruo once again. Then, once again, the subject changed. "Do any of you know how to draw?"

"We're not five." Oruo rolled his eyes.

"So you can?"

"We've got better things to do. Right Carmen?"

"I don't draw." She nodded her head, because she did have more important things to do. Like training and following orders.

"I couldn't help but overhear." A new voice interrupted. "I can draw."

"Our hero. See Petra now look what you've done." Oruo complained, not paying any respect to the soldiers beside him, who we're probably a higher rank than them.

"Oh, it's no bother, I just wanted something to decorate Carmens side of the room." Petra answered politely, disregarding Oruo's rudeness.

"My side of the room is adequate." Carmen defended.

"Your the new recruits, right?" The scout asked. "I'm Eld Jinn. You are?"

"I'm Petra Ral."

"Oruo Bozard."

"Carmen."

"I'm Gunther Schultz."

Each of them introduced, shaking hands while the assassin kept to herself. "What made you guys pick the scouts? I assume you'd rather have taken the Garrison route?"

"Actually, you're looking at the top three of the 98th training corps." Oruo bragged.

"He was second." Carmen reminded.

"What made you join the scouts?" Gunther wondered, he too was in a top ten position, but top three was surely a guarantee into the MPs.

"Carmen here decided to join and we tagged along."

"I told you to think about yourselves." Carmen scolded. "I can handle myself."

"Just because you can, doesn't mean you should." Petra countered, proving a point. Carmen trusted them both too much, could she really just give up on her friends so easily? After her mission was complete, there was no reason for her to stay.

Carmen stayed silent, there was no need for a reply, or maybe there was and she just didn't want to push away her friends. She didn't know what she was supposed to say.

"She's right though, it's dangerous in the scouts, you've got to be dedicated to come back alive. Wasting your life for someone else is just stupid." Gunther defended the quieter woman.

"We are dedicated, but we joined for different reasons." Petra stated, she was right, but did she know the death rates? Carmen did, off by heart, she'd tried to tell them, if only she hadn't been so selfish. She'd gone soft.

"After the first year, 75% die." She began. "That's if you last the year."

"Why would you say that?" Oruo scolded, watching Petra's face soften. They'd known, they had to. But both decided to neglect the obvious facts.

"But those who do live, become the strongest of strong. That's why the military police put ideas into peoples heads, but in reality, the scouts are the greatest threat to the titans. To our enemies." Carmen added, attempting to make a right from her wrong.

"She's right. The scouts get shit done." Eld agreed. "We've been here a few months, hopefully we'll get a squad soon."

"Captain Levi is looking for a squad, maybe we'll get lucky?" Gunther tried to lighten the mood, unaware that the captain was still glaring at the back of Carmens head. She could almost feel it, the urge to turn around was taunting her.

However, despite her resistance, she heard her name get mentioned. Was this her signal to turn around? Probably. So she did, meeting Levi's glare and then viewing the waving section commander, clearly the one who'd spoken her name. She couldn't send an equal smile back or a smilar wave, because that may invite her into a conversation she didn't want to have. Instead, she nodded back, confirming that she'd at least acknowledged their gesture.

"She's so cool." Carmen heard Hange almost shriek, shocking Carmen slightly. She was cool? That was a first, usually, she was emotionless and cold. But in a way, cold and cool we're similar, as far as Carmen was aware at least. "Hey Cara!" Hange shouted, trying to grab her attention again.

"Carmen darling, I think they're talking to you." Oruo theorised, the mispronouncing of her name masking her from the others.

"Cara!" The section commander shouted again.

"They're all staring at me, aren't they." Carmen buried her head in her hands. This was humiliating.

Hange got up from her seat, walking towards the table of new recruits, Carmen was surprised she even remembered her, let alone found her importance enough to interrupt meals for. The assassin could already predict the scientists approach, she would surly attempt physical contact, something Carmen wasn't fond of. But reacting to her friends and a superior officer were two different things. Would she brush it off, or show that it isn't okay to just touch her so casually?

The decision was made for her when her instincts kicked in, Hange had grabbed her shoulder, and as a result, Carmen gripped her wrist and twisted, pushing the woman away from her.

"Wow Cara, quite the grip you've got there." Hange struggled to find the correct words, in pain from the blondes grip. Reluctantly, Carmen released her wrist.

"Carmen." Petra scolded, then looked at the higher ranking soldier. "She didn't mean that, she just doesn't like physical contact." Petra apologised on Carmens behalf.

"My name is not Cara." She revealed. "It's Carmen."

"So that's why you didn't turn around, for a second I thought you were ignoring me." Hange stated, smiling, oblivious to the fact that Carmen was doing just that.

"She would never." Petra defended.

"What about that time-  Ow!" Oruo didn't finish his sentence, instantly being cut off by a swift kick from Carmen.

"Is anything required of me?" The assassin asked, almost robotic, she'd practiced that line, a lot.

"Huh? No I was just being friendly." Hange answered. "I take it you've heard that Captain shorty is looking for a squad, I think you'd be a perfect addition, but he said you only joined the scouts to infuriate him, so he doesn't like you one bit."

Wrong, she'd actually joined the scouts to kill him, but that didn't matter. However, if she wanted to get close to Levi, it may be a good start to join his squad, trust is easily developed when your close with someone, and when your life is in their hands. Maybe this was her opportunity, but how would she get him to like her enough to invite her. Short answer, she couldn't, he was far too stubborn.

"Carmen?" Hange tilted her head.

"You haven't seen me on my ODM gear, or out on the field. Why do you think I'd be a perfect fit?" She finally decided to ask.

"Levi has never lost a fight, ever! It was so badass, and Shadis confirmed you could have easily taken down a titan after your first week of training. A compliment from Shadis, must mean something." Hange explained.

"Yes, he said that before my push-ups until I dropped." Carmen recalled.

"When did you drop?"

"I don't drop." Carmen assured, and it was true. Shadis always stopped her after a few days, even though he was eager to see when her limit was.

"I wonder when you do drop?" Hange thought.

"Without food or water, I'd be dead within a week. But given water, I could last up to 3 months, depending on how much fat I have stored."

"Carmen, you do realise that drop doesn't mean drop dead?" Petra asked nervously, this was highly concerning. The strawberry blonde only grew more scared when Carmen didn't answer, only diverting into her usual thinking face. "You didn't, did you?" The girl realised.

"It didn't cross my mind. All I had to do was run, not think." The assassin confirmed.

"A machine." Hange muttered, remembering what Shadis had referred her to. However, Carmen wasn't too fond of the word, it was a constant reminder that she was barely human. "So Carmen, what do you say? You interested in Levi squad?"

The question was strange, obviously she was interested in Levi squad, everyone was. Gunther, Eld, Petra. The only one who didn't want to be part of the squad was Oruo, and that was because he may have been slightly jealous of the man. Carmen had other reasons to want to join his squad, she needed him to die, but could she do that to her friends? The question send shivers down her spine.

"Sorry about her, section commander." Petra apologised, once again on Carmens behalf. "Sometimes she thinks too hard and just zones out, but she's still really smart, it just takes her a while." She explained.

"Of course I want to join Levi's squad, everyone does." She finally answered. "But in order for that to happen, he has to want me to join, but you confirmed that he resents me."

"She's holding a grudge." Oruo butted in. "She's never lost a fight before, maybe if she was thinking clearly then she'd be able to see that this is a great opportunity for her. Right Carmen." He explained, trying to convince her.

"He's right." Eld added. "It's a good opportunity, take it."

"It's not my opportunity." Carmen denied, maybe this would be a way to gain Levi's trust. Sympathising and understanding him. "If the Captain wanted me to join his squad, then he would be the one asking me. Besides, none of you have seen my skills, you've only viewed my hand to hand combat abilities. Clearly not enough to verify my titan killing."

"He was right, you're stubborn." Hange smiled again, it was strange how she could easily gift them with her gratitude. Carmen found it much more difficult; smiling was reserved for undeniable gratitude, and this wasn't one of those moments. "Anywho, we have an expedition in a month. If he doesn't take you, then I will. We're going to be such good friends."

Is that how friends were made? It sounded far too forceful for Carmen's liking, Petra and Oruo had been far more lenient, and understood her comfort zone, where as Hange didn't. Even after violently grabbing her wrist, the section commander still tried to pat her shoulder.

"Oooo, she's thinking about it." Hange marvelled.

"Bad news." Oruo tried to mask his statement through a cough.

"Doubtful." Carmen finally bounced back. "Our personality's collide, I'm reserved, where as you are too excited. Not to mention I don't befriend people by command, Petra and Oruo have earned my friendship."

"Carmen, that was rude." Once again, Petra was the only thing keeping her from being reprimanded. However, she couldn't help it, emotions were still new to her, maybe she was experimenting, she didn't know.

"Apologies." The assassin said and then left her lunch table, she finished a while ago, and didn't need everyone glaring at her. Her first orders were to settle in, so she did so by exploring. Or as she liked to put it, surveying the perimeter, finding empty rooms and places to hide.

She could do this.