The town of Rose was mostly rural, mostly farms, with a a few blocks of shops, the high school and middle school, and a park surrounded by old homes that was considered the 'center of town.' Annie lived in a patch of woods around a small lake on the outskirts of what would be considered Rose, based on the school district lines. Annie would run from her house, into town, then take a different route home. She had never measured the distance, but because of the winding farm roads she thought it was probably at least four miles there and back. She wasn't training for anything other than fitness, so she didn't worry about increasing the distance any when her usual loop became easy. She also trained in martial arts when she finished her run, so she supposed that helped her endurance.
Currently, she was on a run after school and she had just started making into the cluster of houses on the outskirts of town. She wore a light tanktop and running shorts, but a cool wind signaling fall was making her wish for sleeves. Annie picked up her speed to warm herself up, and was soon making her loop through the small park.
Annie heard a loud catcall and swiveled her head to find the last person she wanted to see sitting on a bench in front of her. Mina Carolina was surrounded by what looked like twenty year old men and Annie's scowl became fiercer. Mina was going to try to start something when she passed, she just knew it. She prepared to run straight past the group, ready to ignore anything said, no matter how dirty the insult.
Annie caught sight of Mina's smirk as she got in range, and was suddenly jerked to a stop by a meaty hand on her wrist. She twisted loose but was stopped by a wall of older men. Annie deiced it was best to not start a fight just yet. She was confident in her fighting, but she wouldn't get out of a fight with four grown men without a scratch, or at least she didn't want to bet on it. She didn't have a death wish and she wasn't stupid or cocky. It would be a lot easier if she could talk her way out of this.
"Look who it is. My best friend." Mina sneered, still sitting on the bench.
Annie glared at her, but didn't take the bait. They hadn't talked on good terms since eighth grade. Before the Incident, Mina had been Annie's best and only friend. But then Mina had become obsessed with what others thought of her, and tried her best to fit her own deluded version of cool, which now apparently included hanging out with creepy high school drop-outs who probably lived with their mothers.
"Just kidding. I don't hang out with psychotic bitches." Mina continued to taunt, "Didn't your mother ever teach you... Oh, right! She's a whore and left you!"
Annie tried to settle herself by taking a deep breath, but her irritation levels were at dangerous heights. "Back the fuck off or I'll break your toe."
"My toe? What the hell? She is crazy, isn't she?" Mina's henchmen chuckled deeply. "You have a screw loose up there or what, Leonhardt?"
Annie had heard these same lines over and over, Mina was the most uncreative insulter Annie had ever heard, but for some reason the words always riled her up. Anything her backstabbing-slut-ex-friend would say always set her off like a firecracker.
"I'm serious Mina." Annie growled through clenched teeth.
Annie saw a flash of something cross her enemy's eyes, but the snarky confident look was back just as fast as it had left. "Did you hear that, Alex? She's 'serious.'"
The man with the meaty hands chuckled and leaned forward, taking Annie's wrist in his hand again. "Heh, what could a shrimp like her do? Poke me to dea-" Suddenly he found all 190 pounds of himself flying through the air.
Annie didn't pause to watch him hit the ground. She reached out to the next closest man and punched him in the gut, then the jaw, then sent him sprawling on the ground with his friend. By then the other two had realized that being in Annie's reach was a bad idea, and had stepped back.
"What're you pussies doing?! She is just a girl!" Mina shouted, panicked.
The taller of the two tried to punch her full force in the jaw, but it was easily dodged, and in the same movement twisted the man's arm until his whole body followed as what could be described as rough barrel roll. When the next man lunged she stepped up to meet him and with their chests close enough to brush, she brought her knee up into his groin.
Within one minute she had brought down four grown men easily. She had over-estimated them before. It actually would have been easier for her to kick their asses first instead of putting up with Mina's insults. Who knew? Annie blankly stared at Mina, and never one to break a promise or a threat, stomped on her foot, hard. "I hope that broke your toe." She said with no inflection as she began to jog off.
For all fans of Mina Carolina, I have to apologize. I have nothing against her, but I needed a bitch, and she just worked out in my head so well, despite her personality being completely OOC. Not that she had much development in the show or the manga whatsoever... Well, I am back from my vacation so updates will slow down a little, but I will do my best.
Zrye13: Thank you! I'm so glad you like it :D
Mikila94: Well here is another fight for ya haha did you get to read the new chapter yet? Does Mikasa scare you like she scares me?
Meepmeep123: Thanksssss I hope you continue to enjoy it!
Thanks to all you new followers! You keep me motivated! (even if you don't review. But reviews are nice too, even constructive criticism or anything having to do with the story at all. *hint hint, wink wink*)
Until next time,
~Goldflame
