Author's Note: Yes! My first babble session :D First I'd like to thank you guys for reading so far and I'd especially like to thank you for the feedback! I honestly wasn't sure whether I should release this story yet or not, especially considering I'm currently in examination mode. That being said, I'd like to ask for more feedback, I'm the type that gets nervous when you don't say anything and it messes with my flow~ So if you have any questions, comments, or criticism you want to drop feel free to through reviews, pm's or even drop a comment on my facebook profile (a link is available on my ff profile). Feedback people, please! Enough of this though, back to the story!

~oOo~

"Hey you little snots! I've trained infants to run faster than that, hustle! Hustle!"

The morning sun reflected off the top of Keith's head as he stood in the grass, feet spread and arms folded. He wore red shorts and a white t-shirt with a whistle dangling from his neck, which he blew at every student that seemed to be lagging behind.

The students from room 104 had the unlucky draw of having Keith Shadis for their physical ed teacher. It was the only class that the entire homeroom had together and he was planning to make his assigned homeroom suffer as punishment for him having to 'babysit' them. Today, they'd be doing track.

"Faster maggots!" Keith grinned as he heard multiple groans from the track.

Christa pushed as hard as she could, rivulets of sweat pouring down her face. She was better than average, but even she couldn't compare to the athletes who made themselves obvious, already laying out in the grass after completing their 10 laps, namely Mikasa and Annie.

Christa was the fourth to finish, collapsing into the grass next to Eren, who was third. Reiner was strong, but long-distance running had never been his strong suit, so he was visibly struggling on the track. Christa yelled words of encouragement to him every time he passed by, giving him a noticeable boost each time.

Christa watched the rest of the students struggle to finish their laps, especially Dazz, who always seemed weaker than the average person. She took note of two missing faces, Ymir and Sasha. Ymir was no shocker. She was probably just sleeping on the roof again. Sasha on the other hand... Christa found it strange for the girl to be missing in action like this.

After Keith got tired of watching the last few people drag themselves along the track, he decided to move the class forward. As they moved off the track, Shadis' eyes scanned through the crowd of students, an annoyed scowl growing on his face.

"Where is Sasha?" He growled in a low voice. "Where'd that slacker head off to?"

He rounded each student and walked further ahead near some large shaded trees that served as a cool resting spot for students after physical ed. Suddenly, his ear picked up some muffled growls behind a tree. The class watched curiously as he checked the back side of the tree, grinned strangely, and pulled a familiar brunette from the guise of the shadows. Holding her left arm above her head, Keith pulled Sasha close and his grin dropped. "What are you eating Braus?"

Sasha swallowed and shook her head furiously, her free hand placed protectively behind her back. Keith noticed this and grabbed the item she hid behind her back.

"What is this shit you're eating?" Keith asked, eyeballing the somewhat spherical item in his hand. His eyes were slightly larger than normal, if that was possible.

"A..." Sasha swallowed her words before opening her mouth again. "A baked potato sir." she answered with uncertainty.

There were muffled laughs from the students, but Keith continued to probe her, bewilderment in his eyes. "Why would you eat a baked potato during my class time? I don't get it."

"I forgot this was first period and I really wanted to eat it while it was still hot." Sasha reasoned quietly.

"I don't understand, why a potato?"

"... I don't know, sir."

~oOo~

The day went by pretty much uneventful and lunch came quickly. Students sped out of their various classrooms, heading toward the school cafeteria. Very few brave souls dared to go against the current, forcing their way through the torrents of bodies to escape the building. Amongst murmurs, obnoxiously loud conversations, and silly arguments, a distinct struggle broke its way to the surface.

"NO!"

"You have to!"

"Don't wanna!"

"Doesn't matter! You - Have - To!"

"Please god, spare me! Don't make me go!"

"Sasha! Stop struggling so much!"

In a corner away from the hustle and bustle of the school hallway, Christa was pulling Sasha by her waist, trying to force the brunette to let go of a doorknob she was clutching to for dear life. Trying to pull Sasha away from a school cafeteria at lunch was like trying to pull a starving wolf from meat, and the possibility that you may just lose an arm in the struggle was just as great.

"It's not fair!" Sasha cried out, genuine tears falling from her eyes.

"If you don't show up for your punishment, who knows what Shadis would do!"

Sasha groaned as she resigned, dropping her head low in utter defeat. She released the doorknob and followed Christa with a grim expression, like a criminal being shuffled out of the courtroom after being condemned to the death sentence.

Sasha had been issued punishment after the potato incident with Shadis that morning. She had also suffered being branded with the permanent stigma of being "Potato-girl", something she had hoped would eventually fade away, a hope that was now gone. Sasha was to meet with Keith at lunchtime to make up for the class she had wasted eating.

As soon as Sasha arrived, changed and laced up, Keith gave the order for her to keep running until she fainted. Devastated that she would definitely be missing lunch, Sasha began her laps on the track.

Christa followed to keep an eye on her friend, rooting Sasha on through the majority of the lunch period. Eventually the bell rang and Christa had no legitimate excuse to miss post-lunch roll call, so she headed to class, but not before leaving some bottled waters out for Sasha, who acknowledged them with a quick nod and a quiet "Thank you".

The blonde girl found that she was definitely impressed with Sasha's resolve. Even after Keith had left, she ran with all she could, not slowing down even the slightest. She had thought that Sasha would run away the second Shadis looked away, but the brunette continued to endure her punishment.

Mindlessly, Christa reached her arm out to push the homeroom door open when she felt something warm beneath her hand.

"You mind?" She heard a husky voice come from behind her causing her to nearly jump out of her skin.

She quickly reeled in her hand, stumbling back slightly. Christa closed her eyes tightly, knowing her somewhat clutzy nature, absolutely sure she would fall. That's why when she felt herself stop mid-fall, her eyes fluttered open and she mentally thanked the heavens for whatever warm body was supporting her. However, the second her eyes caught sight of those freckles, a frown quickly replaced her gentle smile and she pulled herself back to her feet.

Ymir watched the girl's reaction to her with an amused expression, chuckling slightly under her breath, but choosing not to comment. Instead she slicked closer, a sly grin gracing her features. Christa pressed herself against the door, turning her head away from Ymir's as the taller girl drew closer. The blonde could feel her face redden under Ymir's gaze. Suddenly, Christa felt the support of the door disappear and she fell back on her hip, Ymir holding her stomach in mirth.

"Ymirrrr!"

"It's all good pipsqueak." Ymir continued to laugh obnoxiously as she stepped over Christa and plopped into her seat. The entire class either glared at Ymir in disgust or watched over Christa with a mix of pity and sympathy.

Just as Christa lifted herself from the floor, all eyes cast to the center of the room. Reiner stomped through the class, turning over every chair in his path and shoving away any student stupid enough to remain in his way. His nostrils were flared as he bit down on his lip and his face was completely washed over in red from fury. He breathed long, heavy breaths as he stood in front of Ymir.

"I'm getting tired of your goddamn shit Ymir." Reiner bellowed from the pit of his stomach.

"Oh no, did I invoke the wrath of Reiner Braun? Oh please forgive me." Ymir rolled her eyes, pleading sarcastically. "Bite me ya big mutt."

Immediately Reiner reached over the desk and gripped Ymir's collar in his right fist, but as soon as he clutched hers, she clutched his. Ymir rose to her feet and the two squared off, not one of them releasing their grip on the other. Suddenly Ymir smirked amidst the tension, slightly unnerving Reiner but he quickly regained his composure.

"What's wrong? All bark and no bite? Punch me, I fucking dare you." Ymir spat in Reiner's face.

Reiner pulled his arm back, fully prepared to make good of Ymir's offer when he felt a large hand wrap around his fist. He immediately recognized Bertholdt's touch and calmed down slightly. The tall boy shook his head and pulled Reiner back, both opponents releasing each other with Bertholdt's intrusion.

"Please guys, this is stupid and childish." the tall boy spoke, being the only voice of reason present. Reiner grunted in response while Ymir only turned up her nose. "Let's go Reiner, leave it alone."

Reiner made up his face, preparing his protest, but immediately bit back his words and wiped off Ymir's saliva from his face. "Don't you ever fuck around with Christa again." He grumbled but walked away, Bertholdt following right behind him.

Ymir also grumbled to herself, throwing herself back in her seat and engaging in her favorite pass time, staring out the window, though with a scowl on her face rather than her usual bored expression.

Christa was afraid to sit next to Ymir while she was in that kind of mood, so she hovered about the class until finally settling into a conversation with Eren, Mikasa, and Armin.

Five minutes into attendance, Shadis had yet to show up. With his warning and instructions of what to do in his absence still remaining fresh in the students' heads, a paper was passed around the class for students to sign their name to prove they were present. The responsibility of getting the papers to Shadis' office was placed on Armin, who was proven to be the most reliable. The students dismissed themselves and surprisingly Christa was the first to leave, not waiting on anyone.

Ymir noticed Christa's behavior as well as how the blonde girl intentionally avoided her seat today, but immediately shrugged it off as unimportant. Instead she had bigger matters to worry about.

~oOo~

"I'll give you this, but only because you remind me of myself when I was younger. Don't tell anyone alright." The old woman winked and gave a throaty laugh.

Christa tried her hardest not to scrunch up her nose or show any sign of repulsion when the woman's breath forced its way into her nostrils. Instead, she forced a smile on her face and gratefully thanked her for the container she was passing the blonde. Christa bowed and left the large woman to her kitchen duties, biting the inside of her lip. "I hope she was lying." Christa thought to herself with a sigh of distress. "I really don't want to be like that when I grow up!"

Christa slipped the container into her bag and headed down the hall.

~oOo~

"Ymir, I hope you remember the conditions I laid out for you. You are keeping them in mind right?"

"Sometimes." Ymir shrugged.

Ymir sat in an arm chair in the corner of a small office. It was somewhat dark since the blinds hadn't been drawn. Still, little twinkles and thin rays squeezed themselves through the thin cracks between the blinds, slightly illuminating the sharp figure sitting at the large wooden desk with his back to the window. On his desk sat a little gold plaque-card that read, 'Principal Erwin Smith'.

"Well I see being enrolled here isn't that important to you." He ran his fingers through his slicked back, golden locks. "After all, to be here with the scouts requires dedication and loyalty, things you don't seem to have for us."

Ymir grit her teeth and mumbled under her breath.

"What was that Ymir?"

"I said I want to be a scout, sir. Sorry." She hissed between her teeth.

"Good. Now to get down to business." Erwin went on, unfazed by the daggers Ymir mentally shot at him. He pulled some papers out of his desk drawer and straightened them with a few taps on his desk. Laying them flat on the edge of his desk, he gestured for Ymir to come grab them, a demand the tall brunette quickly complied with.

"What's this?" She waved the papers to fan herself.

"A contract. You are obligated to fulfill all the guidelines as outlined in that paperwork. Failure to do so will result in your immediate expulsion. It's just as we discussed. "

"Right, I know already." Ymir rolled her eyes and grabbed a pen out of her bag. "So, where do I sign?" She placed the papers back on his desk.

"The point of printing this is so you could read it, don't you think so?" Despite his words, Erwin pointed out the lines provided for student signature. Ymir began signing.

"Why bother? You say it's the same as we discussed right?" Just as she finished the statement she finished the last stroke on the last dotted line.

"Well there was a slight difference." Ymir nearly choked when Erwin mentioned this. "I'll be assigning you to another student, one of our new students. I want you to learn some things about cooperation and teamwork."

Ymir sighed, rubbing her thumbs against her temples, regretting her decision. "Well, who is it?"

"I think you'll be pleased with my choice. I think she will be a good influence on you. At the same time, I think you two will support each other well and-"

"Quit beating around the bush and just give it to me straight. You didn't put me to some snot-nosed junior right?"

"No, this student is in the same grade as you. Well, that's one of the criteria for my choice anyway."

"What are you talking about?"

"In all honesty, I haven't picked a student as of yet, I'm combing through a few files now, but I have an idea of what I'm looking for."

"Why can't I just pick someone? I refuse to prance around the school getting dragged around by some random chick."

"You don't really have a choice in the matter."

Ymir clicked her tongue, resigning in anger. Her eyes subconsciously made their way to the window where she caught sight of something interesting.

~oOo~

Christa walked out to the track only to find Sasha collapsed in the grass. The girl almost looked dead and all the water bottles Christa left out for her had been emptied, crushed, and abandoned.

Christa approached the girl slowly, kneeling just next to her in the grass. She nudged the brunette but received no response. "Get up Sasha, you can't just stay out here."

The girl groaned.

Christa giggled and pulled her bag in front of her. She reached in and pulled out the container the lunch lady had given her earlier. The second she removed the lid, the whole area around her was engulfed in the familiar scent of cafeteria gruel. It was the only thing left since everybody avoided the stuff. While the scent personally made Christa's stomach turn, she knew the scent of any form of food made Sasha's mouth water. As soon as the scent hit Sasha's nose, the girl bounced to life.

Sasha went on all fours, a dangerous glint in her eyes. In one quick leap, she snatched the bowl from Christa's hand. Holding it above her head, she allowed the meal to ooze out of the bowl and slide down her throat. When she cleaned the bowl of its contents, Sasha collapsed once again into the grass, this time with a contented smile.

Christa giggled again after getting over the initial shock. She slung one of Sasha's arms around her neck and tried to get them both to their feet.

"Sasha... you're heavier than you look. " Christa struggled to lift the girl, Sasha babbling incoherently the whole time.

"Well when she eats the way she does, what would you expect?" A voice spoke from behind the two, laced with disinterest.

Christa's eyes launched up to the source of the all-too-familiar voice. "Ymir? What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you that, what're you doing out here during fifth period? You're not the type to skip class." Ymir knelt until she was near eye-level with the shorter girl. "I don't know what you're hoping to get out of this girl, but she doesn't have much use just to let you know."

"I'm not trying to get anything out of her! I'm just trying to help!" Christa yelled defensively.

"Why?"

"Because she's my friend, and you're supposed to help your friends, Ymir. But you wouldn't know anything about that apparently."

Ymir laughed. "Damn right I wouldn't! I don't get it at all!"

Ymir grabbed the sleeping brunette and tossed the girl over her shoulder. Christa looked up at her, clearly confused. As Ymir lifted herself with ease, Sasha dangling off her shoulder looking as comfortable as always, she smirked. "Don't get confused shortie. Unlike you, I'm only doing this so she'll owe me."

"I thought you said she wouldn't have any use." Christa mocked, following suit and standing as well.

Ymir flicked Christa's nose. "Not for someone as sweet and innocent as you. But me, I could find some use for her." Ymir turned on her heels and began heading towards the school building.

Christa pouted but she quickly caught up to Ymir when she realized the brunette was planning to leave her behind if she didn't start moving. Ymir didn't bother to look at Christa. Instead, she kept looking straight forward which irritated Christa slightly. "I hope you're not planning to just drop her off to class."

"Hell no, I'm not going anywhere near the classrooms! As far as I'm concerned, that's the danger zone."

"Then where are you taking her?"

"It's obvious, ain't it?"

Without another word, the two continued down the hall, Sasha swaying with every move and turn Ymir made, snoring now. They walked until they reached a small metal door. Ymir banged on the door aggressively.

In a few moments the door was opened and a familiar brunette woman poked her head through the opening, grinning wide as usual. "Well if it isn't Ymir, I see you have guests. Come in, come in."

Ymir stepped in with no hesitation, but Christa trembled slightly as she forced her feet to enter.

The woman closed the door behind them and announced, "Welcome to my humble office!"

Ymir set Sasha down on one of three available beds in the small, white office. Christa stood in the center of the room uncomfortably. Before she could make a move, the woman closed in on Christa, examining her from head to toe. "You're in my biology class aren't you?"

"Yes, Hanji-sensei."

"No need to be so formal." Hanji waved. "Just Hanji is fine."

"Okay." Christa squeaked. "Umm, what kind of office is this?"

"Hmm, this is my private office."

"But there are beds for the nurse's office here..."

"Sure are."

"And, chemicals and beakers... and... and samples. Animal samples."

"Yup!"

Christa had absolutely no idea what to think. She was mystified, and that mad grin on Hanji's face didn't help much. Before Christa could spew any more questions just to receive some ambiguous answer, Ymir decided to put an end to the annoying Q&A.

"Hanji is the Head of Research for the military and also the school nurse." Ymir said matter-of-factly. "Sometimes when I need a good excuse to skip class, I come here to help her out with some experiments."

"Like... a guinea pig?" Christa whispered, slightly disturbed.

Ymir grinned a mischievous, toothy grin as she responded. "Sometimes."

As the two talked, no one noticed when Hanji made her way over to the small beds and examined Sasha. She looked her up and down, smiling sometimes and jotting down notes other times. After she seemed satisfied with whatever she had been doing, she grabbed some medical tools from a cupboard overhead, grinning wildly. Luckily Ymir's sharp hearing picked up the clank of metal and she turned just before Hanji had begun her dissection.

"She's not dead." Ymir warned.

Hanji looked up at her blankly. "I know."

Ymir nearly knocked herself out with the massive face-palm she gave herself. "She's not a test-subject either." Ymir growled in frustration.

"Aww!"

"Umm..." Despite the fact that she was very involved in the situation, the two brunettes had actually forgotten about her. Christa shifted nervously, twiddling her fingers, standing near the door with her bag on her back. "I think I'll head to class now."

~oOo~

Mr. Braun sat at his desk, filling out some paperwork, when a middle-aged blond officer approached him with a legal sized envelope in his hand. "This just came in for you from Captain Smith over at the academy."

"Just rest it here Hannes, I'll look at it before I leave."

The officer complied, resting the file on Mr. Braun's desk before laughing heartily. "It's probably another trouble child over at the academy that he wants you to deal with. Man, it must suck being the only probation's officer still stationed in this town, huh."

Mr. Braun looked up at him, unamused. "I'm tired of dealing with these disgusting teenage boys and their discipline problems. I barely wanna deal with my own boy."

"Now don't be like that. This time it might be a cute little kitten." An old bald man winked as he entered the office, finger tracing his short white moustache.

Mr. Braun stood to his feet while Hannes saluted the man. "Commander Pixis, what brings you to my office?"

"Nothing in particular. I was just drawn in by the conversation." He smiled brightly. "Why don't you check it out now, who knows, it might be a pretty little lady they stick under your wing." Pixis spoke cheerfully.

Mr. Braun reluctantly opened the document and inspected the files. "Well it is a girl..." He sighed. "But she's far from cute." He carelessly tossed the papers on the desk, unimpressed. Retrieving a cigar from his drawer, he motioned his cigar box in front of his guests, an offer that wasn't refused by either of them. After lighting the cigars, Mr. Braun sank in his chair, relaxing with a puff.

"When are you being assigned to the kid?" Hannes asked before taking his first puff.

"Sometime next month." Mr. Braun ran his fingers through his short black locks in frustration. "I better be getting promoted out of this town soon."

~oOo~

"You shouldn't involve yourself too much with Ymir." Reiner said flatly as he and Christa entered the door to their home. "She's only trouble and she'll only cause you to get hurt."

"Since when is who I associate with your decision?" Christa responded easily. There was no anger, no sadness, no real emotion, it just sounded like a regular question.

This unnerved Reiner slightly, but his resolve was firm and he was determined to make Christa understand. "It's not like I'm trying to meddle or anything. I'm just warning you and suggesting, as someone who cares for you, that you not get yourself involved with Ymir." He had meant to sound unbiased, but he couldn't help but growl as he mentioned the girl's name.

"I may be short Reiner, but don't mistake me for a little kid! I can handle myself!" Christa brushed past Reiner in an attempt to walk away from the situation. Reiner on the other hand, was not about to let the conversation end there. He grabbed her arm but she quickly yanked out of his grip, as if on reflex. She didn't bother to make eye contact with him, in fact she avoided it. Although it wasn't in her face, her eyes had shown a flurry of emotions. Emotions that could never be explained with words.

"I'm just worried about you Christa." He admitted quietly, eyes cast on the floor.

Christa wasn't sure how to respond so instead, she walked away just as she attempted before, but this time not out of anger. It was an unreadable expression to Reiner, one he had never seen his little angel make before. It made him swallow a breath he didn't remember holding. At that moment, he wasn't sure what to do.

Meanwhile, Christa entered her room and threw herself into her bed, belly-down. She looked around the room, eyes peeking over a pillow she had placed up against her face. Nearly a year ago, this was just an empty guest bedroom. Reiner and his father took her in when she really needed somewhere to go and Christa really was eternally grateful to Reiner, but he's been being too protective of her. It wasn't new. He was always like that, but still.

Christa reached over to the bureau and pulled a framed picture closer to her. It was one of Reiner and her, from the end of the first month of a training camp the local soldiers held for hopeful future recruits; it was when they met and became friends. She traced a palm gently over the picture."I don't want you to worry about me so much you big idiot."