Training Corps (3)

Mina's POV

Two years have passed since Ymir threw me into this timeline. The sky was dark, and it constantly rained these days, but the spirit and vigor of the trainees only proved to have become even more determined to graduate from this academy. 

"You're too slow! Run, you laggards!" 

Yes, good day to you too, Sir Keith Shadis. 

The trainees were made to run amidst this rain, which only made the trails even harder to run in. In addition to that, we were given a huge backpack whose contents are unknown. It's damn too heavy and blurry for me to think properly!

"What's wrong, Arlert?" Sir Keith asked the boy, who was slowly and wearily running in the back. "You're falling behind!"

He spilled a few more hurtful words, but that didn't seem to deter the young boy's dedication to accomplishing our current training. I continued to run up ahead, only to witness someone helping the young Armin Arlert. 

It was Reiner Braun, the traitor who kidnapped my father and is also known as the armored titan.

I need to keep my eye on him, but not to the point of them noticing. It would be a hassle if they did.

The academy gave us lessons and knowledge concerning what they had learned and experienced from the Titans outside of the wall. However, even more than that, they gave us endurance, combat, and maneuver training to keep our bodies in shape and flexible to counter those huge titans. 

And in my opinion, I love using ODM gear. The sound of the wires being unleashed and stuck on a nearby wall or tree and making our bodies swing forward like that of a pendulum is out of this world. If this is what it feels like to fly, then I'll gladly swing to my heart's content. 

Up ahead, a looming titan suddenly appeared, forcing me to release more gas. I quickly pulled the blades that were made from ultrahard steel and positioned my body to react quickly, just in case it decided to move in a different direction.

With one swing, the supposed nape of the titan has been cut deep enough to make me feel giddy. Thinking about it right now, were father and mother also happy upon learning how to use the vertical maneuvering equipment? If they were, then that would make me extremely jolly. 

At the corner of my eyes, another looming titan appeared. I would have chosen it as my next target if not for Mikasa and Eren passing on top of me. I inwardly smiled and went in the opposite direction. 

To my surprise, the next wooden titan that I saw was also targeted by Annie Leonhart and Bertolt Hoover. With no hesitation needed, I increased the release of gas and quickly dived in for the kill.

Next was combat training. I would have hoped that Sasha or Historia would become my sparring partner, but Mikasa just had to pick me up every time we had this session.

"Want to do it?" Mikasa asked me after I blocked her punch. If I had not forced myself to make this body even more sturdy, I would have surely been blown away. "We don't need to repeat the steps we have mastered."

"Spoken like a true queen, Mikasa." I quickly did a short breathing exercise before lunging forward to attack. I would never tell the current Mikasa that my mother used to teach me how to fight back in my first world. She taught me how to position myself properly to attack a stronger person than me and how to defend myself from the said person. 

As of this moment, I applied every single one of her teachings to attack, defend, and counter the younger version of herself. I may be smaller when it comes to height, but when it comes to speed, strength, and guts, I hoped to be an equal match for her. 

Not until she managed to trip me did I lose my balance. I was about to hit the ground when Mikasa caught me by the waist. 

"Sorry," she apologizes. "I got too into it." 

I let out a tired laugh before answering. "That makes me feel even more honored." 

She hummed. "You fight well."

"My mother taught me these moves."

Mikasa could only nod her head, not knowing that I was referring to an older version of her. 

At a distance, I noticed something peculiar happening to Eren. His training partner seems to have changed. Wasn't it Reiner earlier? Why is he suddenly fighting Annie?

"What are you looking at?" Mikasa asked me and decided to look in the direction that I was currently gazing at. I could easily tell that she didn't look happy after seeing that. Watching Eren clutching his foot made me curious about how strong Annie is in this world. I never had the chance to fight her back in the second world, so I was dead set on learning how good she currently is.

But her next move even made me a bit angry. It may not compare to how deadly Mikasa's gaze is right now, but seeing her kicking my father on his back doesn't feel right. 

After noticing that Annie threw the wooden dagger at Reiner, I suddenly had this gut feeling that the man in between them would get involved in whatever incident they'd have. I quickly told Mikasa to move forward as I rushed toward the younger version of my father. 

However, upon seeing Reiner being hauled like a sack of rice in just one move, I couldn't help but whistle in amazement. I could have gone back to Mikasa after witnessing that it's over, but it seems like Annie has some major issues.

Luckily for me, the Armin I knew in the first world told me her story. 

Just when she was about to attack Eren once more, I finally arrived beside them with Mikasa in tow as she abruptly held the wooden dagger in her hand. 

"What do you think you're doing?" Mikasa asks her while a hint of malice slips through my façade. If this were a real dagger, her hand would profusely bleed right now.

Annie just stared at her and then at me, as I saw a hint of fatigue deep inside her eyes. I would know because I empathize with people like that. But even if I do know their pain, I will not allow them to hurt my parents while I'm still given the chance to stay alive. 

She ignored her question and began to speak with Eren once more. "Anyway, I'm not stupid enough to enjoy playing soldiers in this shitty world."

Then, with that, she left.

"You aren't cut out to be a soldier after all," Reiner comments as I ask Eren if he's okay.

"Yeah," He replies, stretching out his right arm. "She's a good fighter." 

I agreed and eventually stopped myself from saying that he shouldn't say that if Mikasa was around. 

"I'll… go and ask for more pointers." Eren turned his head to look at me and then at Mikasa, his eyes gleaming like that of a polished gem. "Whatever happens, stay out of it. Got that?"

I knew from his tone that us being nosy didn't exactly infuriate him, but if it's Annie we're talking about, then casualties were bound to happen.

I nodded my head in obedience as Eren tried to catch up with Annie. To my surprise, she accepted another match invitation. It's good that my father is trying to learn everything he sees, but after seeing him being tackled by Annie to the ground once more, I flinched. 

Her body was so close to his, too close for his sake. A deadly aura began to appear beside me as I noticed Mikasa inching closer to Reiner.

"Hey, what are you-" And with that question not being answered, Mikasa immediately trips Reiner and even manages to fling him towards Annie and Eren. 

Poor father. I pray for your ribs to be intact after being squished by a huge man. 

Annie, on the other hand, has amazing reflexes. She managed to jump aside as a menacing aura began to radiate from the woman walking toward her. 

"Hey, Annie," Mikasa says while inching a bit closer to the said trainee. "Why don't you teach those moves… to me as well?"

I couldn't help but sigh as I moved closer to Eren, who was still crouching on the ground. I asked if he was okay before returning my attention to the two strongest females this batch has. 

Annie sighed. "I wonder about that. These moves are intended for humans. I don't think someone like you would need it."

Yeah, she doesn't. 

"But," Annie continued. "I'm curious if they would work on a beast." 

Trainees began to gather as something historic would happen. They started betting on who would win, as a distinct memory of mine began to invade my thoughts. If I recall correctly, my mother told me about her fight with a girl named Annie. Is this what she was referring to? 

Then we have a big problem ahead because I distinctly remember her saying that both of them came out of that fight, injured from a dislocated bone and a huge bruise. 

***