[ARMIN]
We believed.
That it would be a quick,
distress-free training mission.
Simple and easy.
[ARMIN] A ride into the forest
followed by a ride back home.
In theory, that was how
the whole process
was meant to play out.
[ARMIN]
It's worth noting
that as part of
this training mission,
our unit in the th
Cadet Corps had been split.
We operated as
two separate teams.
We were to locate
a checkpoint in the forest,
pick up a package there,
and return to base.
Going one way, it should
be a kilometer trip.
Our team had been placed
under Marco's leadership.
I, Armin Arlert, was in charge
of writing our mission log.
As for the other team,
they were led by Thomas,
with Mikasa serving as
their recordkeeper.
They left at
the same time we did,
but we took different routes.
Or rather, we went in opposite
ways on the same route.
Once we'd exchanged
information at the checkpoint,
we'd return to base via
the path their team came from,
while they took the path
we came from.
The stated purpose
of this training excursion
was to test our ability
to stay vigilant
over the course
of a long mission
that featured no clear thr*at.
This mission is just as
simple as it sounds.
But if you think that
means it'll be easy,
then I suggest you
pull your head out of
your ass and think again!
A soldier is a soldier
at all times!
You must always be
ready to fight,
regardless of
the situation you're in!
Never succumb to boredom!
Never be fooled by peace!
This whole mission is a battle!
Never forget that!
[CADETS]
Sir!
[MARCO] So. It's best
if we don't rush, right?
We should just
go slow and steady?
[ARMIN]
Uh. Yeah.
[JEAN] It'd be dumb to wear
ourselves out for no reason.
We may as well take it easy.
Yeah, well I don't know
how to take it easy.
Hell, if you're just
planning to relax,
then I'm gonna scout ahead.
Wait. Are you serious, Eren?
We need to stick together
and work as a team.
Don't you think, Jean?
I couldn't care less.
This training exercise won't
help me get into the MPs,
so it's kinda pointless.
Hey, you don't know that
for a fact.
Whatever, can we please just
focus on the mission, guys?
Not gonna happen.
[MARCO]
C'mon. It's too soon for this.
[EREN] Yeah, suck it up
like the rest of us, Jean.
[JEAN] What, am I
not allowed to complain?
[CONNY] If only complaining
made time go faster somehow.
[SASHA] That'd be the dream.
We've got a long way to go.
This is so friggin' stupid.
[THOMAS]
If we go that way,
I doubt we'll
get there before dark.
[MIKASA] Okay. Should we
push further east then?
To be honest, I feel like
that might take all day, too.
[MIKASA gasps]
You good? See something?
No. Thought I did, though.
Perfect. Looks like
we're traveling
in the company of lizards now.
That kind of lizard is rare.
Out here at least.
They're also real tasty.
I'm dead serious.
My family back at home
would cook 'em up all the time!
If ya ask me,
they taste just like chicken!
That's interesting.
Do you know how to
cook them, then?
[SASHA] Of course I do!
It's easy peasy!
Oh. Cool.
Hey!
Look, sometimes
you've gotta hunt for
food on these little outings,
so just think of this as
part of our training!
No, wait, Jean. Come back!
I'll deal with him.
[grunts]
Hey, what's your problem?
Stop treating this like a game!
Why should I? There's no
instructor in sight here!
We're not getting
credit for any of this!
Hey, cut it out, guys!
You're acting like
a couple'a kids!
That's pretty rich
coming from you, Conny!
Jean. Please, just behave!
None of this matters,
so why should I?
'Cause if you slow us down,
we'll have no choice
but to report it!
But don't write anything
down yet, Armin. Okay?
[ARMIN]
Uh. All right.
I've got nothing to hide,
the fact is I was about to
secure us some food,
but then Eren rode up with his
blades drawn and sabotaged me.
We have food, you--!
It's not meat!
[gasps]
Let's go.
Oh. Uh. 'Kay.
That was a really big one, too,
it would've fed
every last one of us.
[MIKASA]
And you're sure?
[DAZ]
Positive. I left it right here.
And it vanished without
so much as a trace.
How could your ODM gear
disappear like that?
[ANNIE]
Hey.
No warmth left,
they must be long gone.
I found another campfire
not far from here,
so it seems like we're
dealing with a group.
[ANNIE]
Agreed. Now look here.
[REINER]
Wagon tracks.
[THOMAS]
Looks like at least two.
[ANNIE] The mission
briefing didn't make
any mention of
a local population.
[REINER]
Could be brigands.
[DAZ]
Huh?
[REINER] They steal
weapons and supplies,
then sell them to
black market fences.
I hear ODM gear can
fetch a high price.
You think these guys
are after us?
If they caught sight of you,
they probably would've att*cked.
You should count yourself
lucky to be alive right now.
So what do we do then?
Should we call it quits
and head back to base?
[REINER] No. We're almost
to the checkpoint.
Let's hurry there.
I think we should
warn Marco's team
and head straight
to the base after.
[JEAN] These rations
taste like actual dirt.
[SASHA] Too bad.
If only we'd caught that lizard.
Nah, screw lizards.
I bet they taste like dirt too.
[EREN]
Didn't you just try to hunt one?
Well, at least
I'm not pretending
I'll be able to
hunt Titans someday.
Then why're you even
here right now?
Why the hell did you bother
joining the Cadet Corps, huh?
I didn't do it out of
a psychotic desire
to throw my life away,
I can tell you that.
Shut your mouth!
That crossed a line
and you know it!
Wow, okay.
No need to write this down.
It's just campfire talk,
let it go.
Heh. I guess your love of
pointless training exercises
comes from the fact that
you've seen a Titan, huh?
Man, you're such a--
[EREN] Finish that sentence,
I dare you!
[CHRISTA]
Wait, don't fight!
Why don't all of us go
and hunt a lizard together?
I bet it'll help us
to relax, you know?
[EREN] You know what,
I don't wanna hear it!
Just let go of me!
[JEAN] You grabbed onto me,
you good-for-nothing jerk!
[EREN] And what do you think
you're good for?
Hey! Listen--
[JEAN] ...you suicidal maniac,
I know that for a fact!
Just sit down!
If you keep this up,
you're gonna rip my shirt!
[MARCO]
Okay, that's enough.
--[JEAN] I hope I do rip it!
--[EREN] Screw you!
[JEAN] That's your comeback?
"Screw you"?
[EREN]
I said let go of me!
[JEAN]
Shut up!
[gasps]
[rustling]
[CHRISTA screams]
[LEADER A]
Don't move.
[LEADER A]
All right.
Gather up all their ODM gear.
Move fast.
Just what are you
planning to do with it?
[LEADER A]
It's a valued commodity.
We'll sell it for profit.
It's not like
the Titans can be b*at.
I see no problem with
stealing useless weapons.
[JEAN gasps]
[EREN]
Get up! Fight back!
No, Eren!
[ARMIN gasps]
[LEADER A] Don't even
think about trying that again.
Behave yourselves.
[LEADER A] Once we've
delivered these goods,
we'll set your friend free.
But if you pursue us,
we'll see that she pays
with her life. Got it?
[EREN]
You guys.
[ALL gasp]
[EREN] This wouldn't have
happened if you guys had
stepped up and helped me!
That's just your
thick-skulled opinion.
I think we would've
gotten k*lled.
They had g*ns
pointed at our heads.
You put us all in danger!
Guess we should abort mission.
[ARMIN]
Yeah.
[EREN]
So you're abandoning Christa?
[gasps]
It's not like that.
Without our horses or gear,
there's nothing we can do.
Let's run to base for help
and then come back.
[EREN]
And if we're too late?
[gasps]
You're free to give up
on her, but I won't!
If you're too scared
to try and save her,
then I'll do it my own!
Eren.
Eren, I--!
Hold on!
Just how do you expect
to catch up to them
without a horse, Eren?
Do you even have a plan?
Shut up, that's none of
your business.
[JEAN]
Of course, it's my business!
I'm coming with you!
[gasps]
Yeah. I've got your back.
I don't wanna walk home
in humiliation either.
All of you?
[CONNY]
Glad that's settled.
But how do we track these guys?
We've got way too much
ground to cover.
We could split up, but...
I know just what to do!
Let's climb somewhere high
and look from there!
When you get lost on
a mountain, hike to the peak!
When you get lost in the forest,
find a tall tree and climb it!
I learned that from my dad,
he knows lots of stuff.
Hey, look there!
[LEADER A] We'll move out
as soon as we finish loading.
So hurry it up!
--Well?
--We could just rush them.
Not when they've got
those g*ns, we can't.
We won't stand a chance.
[ARMIN]
I think I have an idea.
[ARMIN] They'll want to sell
their loot as soon as possible.
And Odel is the closest
city in the region,
so I'm more or less sure
that's where they're heading.
Which means we can
predict their route
and ambush 'em.
But how are we gonna
get ahead of them
when we don't have horses?
[SASHA] The path they've
gotta take is real windy.
But we can just
cut through the woods!
[SASHA]
Woohoo!
[ARMIN] Past this forest,
the road splits in two.
If they turn right,
towards Odel there, that's that.
It's a clear, open road.
We won't be able to catch them.
However.
[gasps] They're here!
All right!
But even if we do
divert them, what then?
We need to know
which wagon has Christa,
and which has our stolen
ODM gear. Any ideas?
I'll listen for the rattle
of metal and signal you.
[MARCO] I'll tug once if
the gear's in the front wagon,
and twice if it's in the rear.
If it's in both, three times.
[MARCO gasps]
[EREN]
There! That's the signal!
[JEAN]
Here goes!
[MAN C]
Wh-What the hell?
Huh? What's going on?
C'mere, ya little whelp!
There, I got you!
How do you like being
ambushed for a change, huh?
[EREN grunts]
I'll teach you brats a lesson!
Whoa, wait, don't!
[gasps]
[gasps]
[MAN D] Dammit! No way
am I gonna miss twice.
[CHRISTA]
No, stop!
--[JEAN gasps]
--Christa!
Get off me!
[ALL gasp]
Hey, you good?
[EREN]
Yeah. Somehow, I'm fine.
[MARCO]
Jean, Eren! How'd it go?
Not too bad.
We got ahold of the ODM gear.
But they still have Christa!
Let's go then!
Sasha, do you have
a flare g*n?
Well yeah, but why do you ask?
Because I need to borrow it.
[CHRISTA groans]
[MAN D] Lay off me, damn it!
Stop fighting!
Do as you're told, or else!
[CHRISTA gasps]
[gasps]
Don't k*ll her!
She'll fetch a good price!
Yeah, I guess that's fair play.
Between taking that loot back
and wrecking our wagon,
you and your friends
put us deep in the hole.
Now, you'll just have to
make up for it.
[gasps]
What?
Hiyah!
Dammit!
Keep your distance!
And lower your weapons!
[LEADER A] Put down your blades
and take off your ODM gear.
C'mon, make it quick!
[ARMIN gasps]
[LEADER A]
This is such complete bullshit.
When am I gonna catch a break?
We barely escaped the Titans.
Only to get resettled in a place
where every crop we plant dies.
I can't believe I ever
taught my daughter
that if she did right and
worked hard, she'd be fine.
[CHRISTA gasps]
All right, hurry up!
How?
Mikasa?
No, wait, don't k*ll them!
Fine.
[ANNIE]
You guys ran into trouble, huh?
[ARMIN] After that,
we arrested the brigands
and put them into
m*llitary Police custody.
When all was said and done,
the excursion ended
without a single casualty.
[ARMIN] Though our mission
ended prematurely,
I still had to submit
a report to the commandant.
I thought it important
to make said report
as honest and straightforward
as possible.
Excuse me, sir.
Can I ask something?
Go ahead.
When our gear was taken,
should we have returned to base
and requested assistance?
Or were we right to
bet on ourselves?
I guess I'm just wondering if
chasing the brigands
was the correct choice.
I can't answer that
as a soldier.
However, when I'm faced with
that kind of choice as a person,
I try to choose
whatever path I think
will bring me the most distress.
So between retreating
and pursuing the brigands,
what would you say sounds
most distressing to you,
Armin Arlert?
Uh. Well, I--
[ARMIN] I couldn't
come up with an answer.
But I suspect the trials we
faced during that excursion
were less an interruption
of our training
and more an intended part of it.
[MARCO] Well, here's hoping
I never get forced
to try to lead a team again.
[EREN] Really? I feel like
you took to it a lot better
than you think you did.
Nah. I'm just not
cut out to lead,
and I'm fine with that.
Jean, though. He's a natural.
Are you serious?
That guy's a useless jerk.
[MARCO chuckles]
Eh. You'll see it someday.
[EREN] If I do,
I'm gettin' my eyes checked.
I wonder. What kind of soldiers
will we all be?
[ARMIN]
All this transpired in ,
a mere two years before the
members of the th cadet corps
would fight our first battle.
OVAx03 - Distress
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After a soldier Eren Jaeger sees one of the creatures devour his mother, he enlists some friends to help him k*ll every Titan.
After a soldier Eren Jaeger sees one of the creatures devour his mother, he enlists some friends to help him k*ll every Titan.