Preperation

Mikasa was now practicing her kendo skills,using her bamboo sword to practice her downward slash.She's been training her kendo and kyudo skills for the past 2 hours,preparing herself before heading to the exam.

"Mikasa!Are you ready?" Her father asked. 

She nodded. "Yes,I'm just going to put the shinai back."

Mikasa headed inside and placed the shinai in her closet.Her room was a dark purple with the bed sheets and pillows being black.With a small black bookcase comprising of medical books,mystery books and gothic fiction.Mikasa took out her black backpack and duffel bag and began to place a few shirts,skirts,a bottle of nail polish remover and a bottle of black nail polish.

She then grabbed her small black book that she used in middle school to write curses on to keep Jean and her bullies away from her but the curses didn't work.But by the way that Jean made of fun Eren,Armin and Marco for wanting to be Adventurers,she highly doubted that he will be there.Mikasa placed the book on her bed.

She closed her room door and was about to head downstairs but she looked at the door at the end of the hall.

'I have to do this…just one more time…' 

Mikasa entered the dark room but she remembered the mapping of this room by heart.She approached the nightstand in the corner across from her and pulled on the handle,showing multiple packs of incense sticks with a lighter next to them.Her eyes were slowly adjusting to the dark as she looked closely to see what scent type of the box she pulled out.

"Cinnamon,"She shook her head before placing it back.

She took out another box and it was Copal but she put it back.Mikasa took out another one and it was Ginger but she shook her head and put it back.She then took out another one and the scent was called 'Chakra Lotus'.

"Perfect."

She took out the lighter before turning and shuffling towards the pillow that was in front the wooden butsudan that was to her left.The butsudan was 4 and a half feet tall with a two shelves with left area of the lower shelf with a glass vase that has a Gladioli flower and a Lily flower in inside with a ceramic incense holder on the right.On the upper one had a candle on each side.

Mikasa sat on the heels of her feet and took out an incense stick and lit it up before she stuck it in the holder and then lit up the candles and opened the doors to see a photo of her mother in her kendo-gi.She remembered that the picture came from when she earned her 4th dan rank,a year before she was born.She closed her eyes and put her hands together.

"Mother,please look over me…"She said in her mother's native tongue before she opened her eyes and blew out the candle lights and incense stick.

She closed the doors of butsudan before she turned to see her father standing by the entrance.

"Father,I-"

"It's okay.You could take your time…"Her father said.

Her father recently hit 45 a couple of months ago.A man at 6 feet with a slim build,short dirty blond hair,golden amber eyes with thick stubble on his chin.

"It's fine.I'm ready to go now."She stood up and put the lighter back before closing the nightstand and leaving the room with her father closing the door behind her as Mikasa picked up her bags and went downstairs to the main area but as she was heading for the front door she looked at a picture of her and her parents in a small frame above the fireplace.They were dressed in white with her father standing behind her mother with a younger Mikasa standing next to her,smiling.

"I remember that photo,"Her father said,looking at the same photo."You wanted to sit on her lap in every picture but she wanted to show that another member in the family was on the way."

Mikasa smirked a bit before reverting back to her frown.As she gained one,she soon lost one shortly after.

The teen went outside to go to the car.Her father's car was a sleek black suv that he got last year,with tinted windows and a sunroof.

"Here,let me put your bags in the trunk."

Mikasa gave her bags to her father before she went and sat in the passenger seat as her younger brother Mako was sitting in the backseat playing with his dinosaur.

Mako is her younger brother of 5 years old.He shared a great resemblance to their father with his dark blonde hair and round face, but he did inherit the dark grey eyes of their mother just like Mikasa as she resembled her mother greatly with her medium length black hair,pale skin and grey eyes so dark that they look black.

"Hey,Mikasa.You like my new dinosaur?"he asked.

Mikasa turned to see Mako's new dinosaur. "I like it.Is that a Pterodactyl?"

"Yeah,it's a purple Peterodactyl,"Her little brother said.

Mikasa giggled at her little brother's mispronunciation as her father worriedly before sitting down in the driver's seat and placed his car key inside to start the car.As her father began to drive,Mikasa waved at her neighbors mowing their lawn as they headed from the suburbs of Trost to the tryout building in Ehrmich.

As the family continued their drive to Sina's southern district,Mikasa was on her phone,reading one of her webnovels while her father was driving.The book was loosely based on mythology about people turning into gods and causing great calamity in the world.

"Mikasa…you don't have to do this,"her dad started,worriedly. "I understand why you're doing this…but I don't want to lose you too…"

"I understand,father but...I want to do this…I have to do this, " Mikasa said.

"Mikasa.Look,you could go to school and get your education and become a doctor here without risking your life.Please Mikasa,you don't have to do this,"he pleaded.

"Father,I'll be fine,don't worry,"Mikasa assured,giving her father a small smile.

"You can't tell me not to worry,Mikasa,"her father said. "You're my child.My only daughter.It's natural for a parent to worry about their kids.Especially with what you're going to do."

"I know.But if i could help people be able to have the best medicine to have the opportunity to stay with their loved ones longer…then it's worth it."

"Even if it costs your life?"

Her father stopped at a red light as Mikasa looked to see a woman teaching her child how to ride a bike,crossing the street. 

"If I have to sacrifice my life for it…then…then…"she said,hesitantly. "I…don't know…"

"I know I shouldn't ask that,but you have to think about these things,Mikasa.Is it worth it?"

"Where are you going,Mikasa?"Her little brother asked.

"I'm going to try out for a test,Mako,"she explained. "And by the end of the week,I will be notified if I passed or not."

Mikasa stayed silent as Mako was making squeaky bird noises,pretending the flying toy dino was a bird.After a few minutes,her father parked the car in front of the tryout building.She took a deep breath in preparation before opening the car door.Her father gently touched her forearm.

"Please,just be safe okay?"Her father asked.

Mikasa nodded and hugged her father. "I will."

"Bye Mikasa!"Mako waved with a huge grin.

Mikasa smiled as she unbuckled her seatbelt to hug her little brother.

"Bye,Mako.Don't give father too much trouble okay?"

"I will do my best!"Mako promised.

She couldn't help but to chuckle at her little brother's response.She and her father got out of the car to go to the trunk.Her father unlocked the trunk of the car and lifted the lid of the trunk.

Mikasa picked up her bags to only see a katana.Her mother's katana.She went stiff,dropping her duffel bag on the ground.

"What…what is this doing here?"she asked her father. "It should be at home,father,not here."

"Well…it's been 4 years since your mother passed away and…I think it's time to pass it down to the next in line,"her father said. "To her first born child…her daughter."

Mikasa's lips tightened as she shook her head slowly. "I can't…I can't take it…it's mother's sword,not mine."

"And you're her daughter.You trained in kendo too,so i know that her sword would be put to good use. "

"But what if I break it or lose it?I don't want to take that risk…"Mikasa asked.

"I know you won't lose it,"her father grabbed the sword. "And if it breaks,you could get it repaired.Mikasa,this is your sword now.Use it to help you pass the exam and use it to protect yourself and your allies from harm's way throughout your journey."

"I don't know,"Mikasa said,unsure. 

Her father gently touched and lifted her right wrist before taking off her bandage,revealing a tattoo consisting of three black samurai swords forming an A inside of a black circle.

"You have the crest as well,in the same place that your mother had it.This crest is proof that her blood is in your veins,she is half of you,"her father chuckled. "So if you want to be technical,the sword is still with her."

"What about Mako?Will he get the crest on him as well?"

"If they keep their promise... " her father muttered as he wrapped her wrist with the bandage,covering the crest again.

"Keep their promise?What are you talking about?"

Her father sighed. "I guess you're old enough now.How do I explain this?Well,your mother's side of the family weren't really fond of me because I wasn't Asian and when she told them that we were engaged,they were...well,disappointed."

"What happened afterwards?"

"Your mother didn't care,"her father grew a soft melancholic smile. "She loved me so much that she was willing to cut contact with them and then the rest was history-"

"Until mother got sick,"Mikasa added,gripping the sword tighter.

Her father's smile turned into a frown. "That's correct.When i told them what was happening to her...they felt horrible and wanted to apologize."

"And to show that,they put the crest on me."

"That's also correct, and hopefully they will put it on Mako when he's ready."

She hugged her father again before sobbing into his chest."I miss her so much..."

Her father hugged her back. "I know.I do too."

Mikasa tightened her hug. "I love you dad....I love you so much."

Her father gave her a kiss on her forehead. "I love you too,sweetie.Just please come back to us safe and sound,okay?"

She broke the hug to see her father's tired look on his face with slight dark circles arround his eyes."I will, and I promise that i will bring back mother's sword in one piece."

"Your sword,"he corrected her before giving her the sword.

She grabbed the sword and slowly unsheathed a bit of the blade.The handle of her katana was wrapped in a black cord giving her handle a diamond pattern.The handguard was black while the collar was gold and the blade was lights and shiny silver.The scabbard was jet black with her maternal family's crest in the middle that was colored gold as well with the tip of the scabbard being gold as well.

Mikasa picked up her bags before heading towards the building.She turned to wave goodbye.

"Call me if you want me to pick you up,okay?"her father said.

"Only if you get some sleep.You have dark circles under your eyes."

"Do I?"he looked at the reflection of the trunk window. "Huh,I guess I do."

Mikasa chuckled before heading inside.

The inside of the hall was massive with ceilings high enough to hit the sky with white cylindrical pillars spread out throughout the hall.The walls were a bright white with an elevator near the right corner of the and the dark marble floors were so clean that it looked like she was standing on top of a mirror.The large gathering hall was crowded with a bit over 500 people of various ages from as young as her to people who can classify as a senior citizen.

'So many people…too much for my liking,' Mikasa thought as she made her way through the horde of people to get to one of the sign up machines.

Mikasa put in her info,making the machine process her personal info before it popped a small white badge with the number 498 on it.She placed the badge on her left chest area of her shirt and sat down on a nearby bench,placing the sword next to her.

She went on her phone to continue to read her story until she heard someone call her name.

She looked up to see Floch.Floch is a classmate and friend of hers.She didn't like him at first due to his very judgmental nature but as she hung out with him longer,she found out that he's a good person at heart.Floch was a couple of inches taller than her with an average build,light tan skin, brown eyes and auburn hair so tousled that the hair on the top of his head had created a swirl pattern like a cyclone.He was wearing a blue hoodie with his badge number,279 on it, black joggers and white and black checkered slip on shoes.

"Hey Mikasa,"Floch greeted.

"Hey,Floch,how long have you been waiting here?"

"About 15-20 minutes,"Floch sat down next to her. "You look nice today."

"Thanks,"Mikasa said but she wasn't wearing anything spectacular.Just her usual style with her hair was styled in pigtails,wearing a simple black long sleeve shirt,a dark purple knee length skirt with black leggings underneath with black combat boots on her feet, a black choker hugging her neck and her nails coated in black polish with silver rings on her index and pinky fingers with a black ring on her left middle finger.

"Is that a katana?!"Floch asked,pointing at her sword as he sat beside the raven haired teen on her right.

"It is.It belonged to my mother before she passed."

She grabbed her sword and slowly unsheathed a bit of the blade.The handle of her katana was wrapped in a black cord giving her handle a diamond pattern.The handguard was black while the collar was gold and the blade was lights and shiny silver.The scabbard was jet black with her maternal family's crest in the middle that was colored gold as well with the tip of the scabbard being gold as well.

 "Oh,sorry for asking you that.I know that she's a touchy subject to you."

"It's not your fault,"Mikasa said. "You've never seen it before so I understand your curiosity."

Floch's eyebrows furrowed. "You won't believe this shit,guess who's here?"

"Who?"

"Look,"Floch pointed.

Mikasa looked in the direction where Floch was pointing and realized that those three were here as well.The three teens were standing across from Mikasa,talking to each other.The teen that was tapping his finger on the nearby side table was average height and average build with messy ash brown hair,recently styled having an undercut with the back and sides trimmed.His skin tone was similar to Floch's but slightly lighter with small brown eyes,wearing a navy blue varsity jacket,white t-shirt,tan cargo pants and black boots with silver ear piercing on his left earlobe.

The muscular build teen in the right was tall with a broad shoulders.He had short blonde hair with thin eyebrows,slightly fair skin,defined cheekbones and hazel eyes.He's was wearing zip up red and black plaid patterned hoodie with a white t-shirt underneath and navy blue jogging pants and black running shoes.

The bored teen on the middle was a girl with a slender build and very fair skin with long blonde hair that reaches a little over her shoulders with big blue eyes,light pink lips and a heart shaped face, wearing a white jean jacket with a hot pink colored shirt and skirt that went above her knees with black compression pants underneath and white mid-calf combat boots with white laces and the sole of the boots being black.

"What?!They're here as well?!"Mikasa whispered,shocked.

"I know right?I don't get why Jean is here.He was making fun of Eren and Armin when they decided to become Adventurers and then for Krista,she's a rich girl so her goal can't be money."

"I assume most people are here for money,"Mikasa guessed.

He shook his head. "That's not the case for me,I want to create the ultimate vehicle."

Mikasa looked at him confused."The ultimate vehicle?"

Floch nodded.

'Floch was always interested in cars but i don't think that should be something to risk your life for,' Mikasa thought.

"But you can fly."

"I know that.But it tires me out if I flap my wings or I guess in this case,arms for too long,"Floch said as he turned his left arm into a bird wing before reverting his arm back to normal,"But I heard from Armin and Eren that you would want to expand your knowledge in medicine and become a doctor.Is that the reason why you want to become one?"

"Yes.There are restricted and unknown areas in the world that only Adventurers can go to and there's a variety of other plants and medicine that we don't even know of that can become beneficial for people,"Mikasa explained.

"So basically you want to find the cures to all diseases?"

"If that's a possibility,yes."

'It may seem delusional to think every disease is curable but could I truly know if I don't go to see for myself ?'

"Damn it,where's Eren and Armin?The thing starts in 35 minutes!"Floch said as he looked at his phone.

"Armin and Eren are planning to take the bullet train here,so they will be here before the examination starts,"she told Floch.

"Alright,I will take your word for it,"Floch sighed.

Mikasa's stomach grumbled as the two continued to wait for the o

"Should've brought a snack before I left,"Mikasa said. "I spent so long practicing my skills that I forgot to eat something."

"Luckily, I came prepared,"Floch opened his blue backpack and took out a plastic container.He opened it to reveal a couple bags of trail mix with a few chocolate peanut flavored protein bars.

"Want one?"

"What type of chocolate is on the protein bar?"

"Milk chocolate."

Mikasa took one of the protein bars,thanking him for his kindness.

"I should've brought my curse book,"Mikasa said as she opened the wrapper, revealing the chocolate bar inside.

"What,the little black book that you carried around with you?"Floch asked.

Mikasa nodded. "Yes,I thought that Jean wasn't going to be here,based on the fact that he was making fun of Armin and Marco when they wanted to become Adventurers.But now I don't understand and I don't want to understand.As long as he's nowhere near us,I will be fine with his presence."

"Speaking of Marco,have you visited him recently?"Floch asked.

"I went with Armin yesterday.He was still in his coma when we visited him," Mikasa remembered when she heard the accident on the news,Mikasa was saddened by it but when the news revealed that the injured teen was Marco,she was so distressed that she wanted to leave and head to the hospital but it was nighttime and she had to watch over Mako because her father was working overtime.So the best that she could do to call her friends and notify them of the incident.

Floch took a bag of trail mix before the container back in his bag. "It sucks.I understand if they don't show up,especially Armin."

"I guess we'll have to see."