"Take me on," Mikasa said, to Annie, helping Eren back on his feet.

"I don't much like extra work," Annie said. "Especially when it doesn't benefit me."

"Why waste your time fighting Eren, then?"

"Because it's fun."

"When someone strong challenges you to a fight, you cower in fear?" Mikasa asked.

Eren gave her a disapproving look. "Mikasa... Annie's been teaching me how to fight better. She might be rough, but it's definitely worth it."

"It's fine, Eren," Annie said. "I didn't enlist to break my bones fighting. I joined so I could get a place in the all-so-glorious Military Police. Yeah, I'm scum, trash, a coward. But so are most people. Look around us, Mikasa. You think any of these people are here to seek vengeance against the Titans, besides Eren? Of course not. They want to be safe within the confines of Wall Sina, as do I. Is there something wrong with that?"

"Yeah, there is," Mikasa said. "You're spineless and pathetic."

"I agree, but most normal people are. For good reason."

"And what reason is that?"

"We're weak." Annie faced Eren. "You plan on joining the Scouting Legion, right?"

"Yeah," he said. "I knew before day one that I was going there."

"Admirable, but foolish. You're heading towards an early grave. And you, Mikasa, you'll join whatever Eren joins? I think you're even more foolish than him."

Mikasa put a hand on Eren's shoulder. "He's the only family I have left. I can't not follow him."

"And so, here we are." Eren sighed.

"How cute," Annie said. "Is that why you decided to interrupt our training, Mikasa? You feel like I'll steal away your precious 'brother'?"

The black-haired girl didn't like that. "You're quite talkative today." Her eyes darkened. "Come on, teach me some of your moves. Let's have a friendly spar."

Of course, Annie knew fighting Mikasa wasn't going to be a simple friendly spar, but somehow the prospect of taking her on excited her.

"Well... my moves are intended for humans to use. I'm not sure someone like you needs them at all. But... I'm curious if they even work on a beast."

"Is this for real?" Eren asked, backing up.

Several of the other trainees overheard them. Among them Connie. "This isn't really about to happen, right?"

Sasha was in awe. "It's like a match up from a dream..."

"I think Annie's going to win," Bernholdt said.

"Huh?! Are you stupid?!" Jean yelled at him. "I'm betting my whole dinner on Mikasa!"

"Which one would you pick, Eren?" Reiner asked.

"Well, I..."

Annie raised her fists. Mikasa stood still.

Everyone in the crowd went silent. They watched the two girls stare each other down; one having the eyes of apathy, the other colder than ice. Neither would back down. Both wanted to see who would strike first.

Mikasa made her move. Her leg flew through the air faster than anyone could anticipate. Anyone not named Annie. She saw the high kick coming, braced her left forearm for it. When it struck her arm, she moved in tune with the attack to reduce the impact. It forced her off her feet. She rolled across the dirt, recovered, and backed off, rubbing her arm. That kick was even stronger than Annie thought it'd be. It could have fractured her arm if she took the full blunt of it. That strength, however, would be Mikasa's downfall.

"Say, aren't you a little too serious, Mikasa? You could really hurt me, you know."

"I knew you could take it. If anything, this is payback for Eren."

"Alright," Annie said. "No promises that you'll be unscathed after this."

"I could say the same."

They circled each other, slow steps leaving imprints on the dirt. Each took their respective fighting stances - though Mikasa's could hardly be called a stance.

She swept her leg up again but feinted, instead throwing a left hook that Annie had predicted. She stepped back, the blow almost grazing her chin. Quickly she wrapped her own left arm around Mikasa's underarm and locked her arms behind the girl's neck. Annie swiped her foot backwards against Mikasa's calf. They both tumbled to the floor, the blonde girl on top.

"I win."

"Round one," Mikasa said, as if to finish Annie's thoughts. She stared dead straight into Annie's eyes.

People in the crowd began whispering things in each others ears, careful not to let the two combatants hear them. "I bet ten potatoes on Mikasa!" Sasha yelled suddenly.

The two girls ignored them as they rose. They stood back a few feet away from each other, fought each other with their eyes once again.

"Remember, guys, this is a spar," Eren said. "Nobody wants either of you going to the infirmary."

Mikasa broke eye contact with Annie at the sound of his voice. In almost an instant, Annie snapped forward a single jab with her fist.

Mikasa caught it in her palm, without looking - her instincts were quick. Annie tried a left punch - Mikasa caught that too. Annie's fists trembled as she tried yanking them out of Mikasa's grip. She squeezed an iron grip on Annie's hands.

A bead of sweat formed on her brow as she gulped and tried ignoring the pain.

How can someone be this strong, let alone a girl? Annie asked herself. No amount of training will prepare you for a fight with a monster. The thought made her chuckle. When given a choice to fight to the death Mikasa Ackerman or a Titan, fighting the Titan was probably the safer bet. In the end, however, it did not matter.

"A laugh, from you?" Mikasa asked. "That's a first. Care to share what's so funny?"

Annie gave her a faint smile. "This."

She hopped up, sprang her feet forward. Her boots collided with Mikasa's chest.

The fighters hit the ground. Annie stood up first, and distanced herself. When Mikasa arose, she cleaned off the dirt on her back and boot imprints on her chest.

"That was a dirty shot, you know," she said. Her stance matched Annie's own form now.

"I knew you could take it," Annie mocked. "But... you can't win this fight." No one could beat Annie in hand-to-hand combat. The experience she had in fighting human opponents dwarfed all the other trainees' knowledge. For every fight Mikasa had been through, Annie had fought a hundred times as much, with her father.

"Fighting Eren is one thing," Mikasa said. "Fighting me is entirely different. Let's go."

Mikasa sprang forward, her punch lighting-fast, but Annie caught it in her arm, twisted and tried throwing Mikasa over her shoulder down to the ground - only to fail. Mikasa, hanging low above the earth, held onto Annie's arm, legs ensnared her neck.

"You lose this time," Mikasa said. "If you so much as make a move, I'll choke you out. No one wants to drag your unconscious body away."

Annie wasn't going to lose. She still had a free hand, and more importantly, resolve. Other than her father and herself, she only cared about fighting. She was proud of her skills. Mikasa would not take that feeling away from her.

Annie lifted Mikasa up and slammed against the ground as hard she could. Mikasa grunted but still held her, and she did just as she said she would. Not a single breath of air escaped Annie's throat.

"Do you yield?" Mikasa asked, slightly loosening her grip.

I will not lose. Annie struggled back on her knees. Mikasa tightened her hold. With her free hand, Annie slugged Mikasa in the face several times. Crimson red began painting her knuckles.

"Hey, you two, that's enough!" Armin said.

"Mikasa, Annie! Enough!" Eren ran towards them.

"Shit!" Reiner said, trailing behind Eren.

Eren pulled Mikasa away while Reiner did the same for Annie. The oxygen in her lungs returned as she gasped.

Her neck was red and sore.

"You should have yielded," Reiner told her.

"I don't lose," she said.

"Yeah, you don't, but you tied. Even if you kept hitting her, you'd have went out cold."

"Whatever." Annie looked at Mikasa.

Her lips were bloody.

"Are you alright?" Eren asked her, lifting her chin and examining her lips.

She didn't look him in the eyes. "This is nothing."

All the others surrounded them.

"Damn, that was crazy!" Jean said.

"Don't scare us like that!" Krista said.

"That looks bad." Armin lent out a hand for Mikasa. "Let's get you checked out."

She took it as Eren pulled her up.

Reiner lifted Annie back on her feet. "Don't go all being reckless like that again."

Annie said nothing. To think Mikasa equaled her in hand-to-hand left a bitter feeling in her chest.

"Um, guys..." Sasha said, "head instructor incoming!" She dashed off.

Keith Shadis approached, eyes as dead as ever. He brought with him an air of suffocating fear. Almost everyone shuddered in his presence. He stood in the middle of the crowd, his eyes surveying the area like a vulture. Then his gaze stopped on Mikasa.

"Ackerman, what happened here?"

She gave him a salute, lips red. "Sir, Annie and I were sparring, when she accidentally struck my face. It is not her fault, I urged her to get more serious."

Why would she help me out? If she's expecting a favor, she'll be disappointed.

The head instructor considered Mikasa's story for a moment, then turned to Annie.

"I don't expect this kind of mistake from you, Leonhardt. You're to head for the forest and collect firewood. I don't want to see you back here until supper."

She saluted begrudgingly. "Yes, sir." Oh joy. Extra work.

"As for you, Ackerman, head to the infirmary. I want you running ten laps after you get that patched up. Do you feel that is a suitable punishment for your poor decision-making skills?"

"No, sir."

Everyone had a look on their face. The "What the hell did just you say?" kind of look, but they all stayed silent.

What is she thinking?

"I believe," Mikasa continued, "Annie's punishment is befitting for me as well."

The head instructor nodded. "Sharing punishment with your comrade, I like it." He turned his back to them. The crowd made way for him. "Everyone else, back to training unless you feel like running two dozen laps!"

"Yes, sir!" They all saluted in unison.

He looked each of them in the eye. "Oh, and if any of you happen to stumble upon Sasha Braus, eat to your heart's content in front of her, but share nothing with her." The corners of his lips twisted upwards.