I tapped my foot impatiently, waiting for my "Captain" to arrive at our meeting place, steam shooting out my ears.

'That fucking bastard...sending me here so early without even showing up himself,'

An angry growl rumbled from my throat. I'd been out here all alone since way before the sun rose. By now, it was high in the sky and still without any sign of Ackerman.

"Who the hell does he think he is? Think he's all cool cause he has a new badge. And a title. And an office...that's pretty cool, I guess. But you know what," I huffed, crossing my arms. "I'll bet his chair is really uncomfortable."

"I wouldn't know," A smooth voice sounded from behind me. "I don't spend as much time sitting on my ass as you do."

I whirled around, poised to knock his teeth out if he opened his mouth one more time. "BASTARD! I'VE BEEN OUT HERE FOR HOURS WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU?"

His usual scowl deepened at my shrill voice and he turned away from me, causing me to angrily flail at the rejection. "So," He stared in the direction of the training fields. "Have you been watching?"

I scoffed. "Well there wasn't much else to do at the crack-of-fucking-dawn." I ignored his minuscule smirk and continued on. "Most of the rookies are slightly above average. Pretty decent. Not many really stand out, though, except," I nodded towards two forms near the practice tracks. One shorter male that I recognized instantly, making me smile, and the other being much taller and feminine. "The top two."

Levi grunted disinterestedly. "What are their names?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Why would I know?"

"Because it's your job to."

"And it isn't yours?"

"Not when I have a dancing monkey to do it for me."

"The FUCK did you just call me?!"

"Do you know them or not?"

I huffed. "Fine." I pointed over to where the two trainees were training, glaring daggers at each other from what I could see. "The short guy's Jax Stronghold. From what I hear he's pretty intense about following orders. He's a good soldier, though, and people trust him." Levi nodded, actually considering my words for once. I smirked, moving my finger in the girl's direction. "That one's Dia Frosche."

I paused to think of a way to explain the enigma that was Dia Frosche. "She's...uhh...has an interesting...work ethic?"

Levi grunted and stepped up towards the recruits. "At least try to appear competent while we interview them. I don't need to explain how important Erwin thinks this."

"I'm plenty competent!"


"Jax," I greeted professionally. "Long time, no see."

He turned and beamed in recognition. "Nyx! I was wondering when I'd run into you!"

I smiled at him, which clearly annoyed Levi, who had insisted we stay entirely impartial throughout our screening. "We're here to observe. I'll be able to talk later. Right now," I challenged. "Show us what you've got."

Jax saluted us and shot off. He wove through the practice pegs on the field, zipping in a zig-zag pattern at remarkable speed. It was an impressive display and it took all of my self control not to beam like an idiot as Levi circled something on his clipboard. Jax landed in a jog and started heading back our direction.

My attention shifted onto the girl he had been training with. Dia Frosche. I braced myself.

She sauntered up to meet us, a painfully forced smile stretching her lips nearly to the edges of her cheeks. Her hair was light brown and cut short over her pointed face, which, to my amusement, was lightly painted in a layer of makeup. I almost snorted. Only the rich folks in Wall Sina could hope to afford such a luxury, and only they would have the mindset that allowed its use. My life had been surviving one day to the next, having to be just a little bit quicker and cleverer than the next person to cross my path. I'd never touched the stuff. It was a waste of time.

"Hello, Captains," She greeted sweetly. I struggled to keep a cringe off my face. "What would you like me to demonstrate?"

I could no longer hold back a scoff. "Well what did you spend the last three years doing?"

She glared at me dangerously, her sweet facade dropping instantly. "Working. Training. Something you've never had to go through, ma'am." She snarked through gritted teeth. "As to why that is," Her eyes darted to Levi's bored scowl. "I couldn't say."

I chuckled, infuriating her. "Call it naturally gifted." I was surprised Levi hadn't hit me yet. So was Dia, apparently, seeing as she was looking between the two of us expectantly.

"Wipe that stupid look off your face, Cadet," Levi monotoned. "It's gonna give me diarrhea."

I laughed loudly as Dia nearly fell over in shock. How ironic that Levi and I would agree on the one thing Erwin is forcing us to do. Dia whirled back to glare at me, but I held out a hand to halt her next words. "Nope. Don't speak. I think we're done here."

"But, I haven't-"

Levi cut her off. "If you can't keep a level head when speaking to your commanding officer, you won't do so in battle. You're a liability."

Dia's entire face flushed as we turned and began to make our exit. I heard her take two steps forward and tensed. I sensed her before I felt her. I spun around and snatched her wrist as she thrust out her fist, twisting it, throwing my other arm out, and flipping her midair. She hit the ground and jumped into a crouched position before swinging out a leg to knock my feet from under me. I smirked and jumped over it. Cheap trick. Textbook.

Just before my feet came into contact with the ground again, I reared one back and swung it, not to hit her, but to get myself spinning. I landed on one foot, spinning like a top, and used the momentum to slam my fist into her cheek. She didn't have time to brace herself, my blow sending her flying at least fifteen feet away.

I straightened back up and stretched, popping my back. I looked around. A small audience had gathered to watch our "fight." Their expressions made me chuckle. They all stared at me like some sort of scary monster, flinching backwards if I even brushed my eyes over them. Whispers reached my ears.

"Dude, she just destroyed her."

"Was that Dia? Holy crap..."

"She beat Dia so easily? Freakin' monster,"

I raised an eyebrow at the last speaker, mildly annoyed. Monster was a bit strong. Levi cleared his throat behind me, grabbing my attention back. He looked annoyed, although I was unsure which direction the irritation was directed. Nodding, I turned to follow him back to HQ. My thoughts were on the girl, dim worry sparking in my chest. As annoying as she was, that girl had skill. I just hoped she'd learn how to utilize it the right way, instead of getting her team into danger with her hot head. I heard a long scratching noise from Levi's direction, followed by the click of a pen. I chuckled.

Wasn't my problem anymore.


"AHAHAAHAHAHA!" Hanji howled, banging her fist on the table.

"I SWEAR SOME OF THEM PISSED THEIR PANTS!" Harold whooped, throwing his head back. Mike was in stitches on the floor, clutching his stomach as he fought for breath.

Fran laughed too, her hilarity parting for slight worry for the Cadets. "Did they really?!" She exclaimed.

I shrugged, a shy grin on my face. The group blinked at me for a moment. They looked at each other.

Hanji snorted loudly, sending them all tumbling back into another fit of laughter. I chuckled at my friends, taking the final swig of my water. Mike and Harold had tried to convince me to try their alcohol, an offer I had wildly refused. I'd only drank once before and, although I don't remember much of it, the night had somehow ended with Hanji in hysterics and Fran standing over me with a bag of horse feed and a garden hose.

Recovering from her fit, Fran spoke up, her words broken apart by small giggles. "So, did you guys decide on anybody yet?"

"For the squad?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

She looked at me sarcastically. "No, for the Scouting Legion Beauty Pagent."

I puffed my cheeks at her. "No need to be so mean," I whined. "Yeah, we have a few ideas."

"Anybody we know of?"

I set my mug down. "Yeah. We're keeping it small - no more than five of us total. Any bigger makes our formations too spread out." They nodded.

"HA!" Hanji burst out. We all jumped, looking to her in irritation.

"Jesus, woman, what's your problem?" Harold grumbled.

Hanji covered her mouth, holding in escaping giggles. "Nothing just," She put her hand down, guffawing. "JUST IMAGINING LEVI AND NYX BEING STUCK TOGETHER EVERY SECOND OF THE DAY" The group laughed again, me groaning in dread.

Fran put an arm around my shoulders. "Aw, come on. It won't be so bad," She insisted. I rolled my eyes. Nudging me, she lowered her voice. "Besides-" She leaned into my ear, whispering a few words I would have never imagined coming out of her mouth. My face burned scarlet as I shot across the room, letting out a high-pitched squeak. I raced out the door as Fran shouted, "WELL IF YOU NEED TO TALK I CAN EXPLAIN THE DETAILS!"

The room exploded into the loudest round of laughter yet as I screamed in disgust, covering my ears and dashing towards my cabin. I rounded the corner at top speed, slamming into what felt like a brick wall. I splatted backwards onto my butt, closing my eyes as I fell. From the floor, I looked up to see what I'd run into.

Levi glared down at me from where he was standing, clearly ticked at his rude welcome. My face had to be scorched as I yelped and stumbled down the rest of the hall, leaving behind a bewildered Levi and my friends practically screaming in laughter.


I slammed the door behind me, pressing my back against it with a sigh of relief.

Alone at last.

Chuckling, I pulled my hair from the messy bun I'd thrown it in after my shower. It had grown over the past couple years, the black strands straightening out and reaching my waist. I looked at my reflection in the darkened window. My face had matured as I grew. My jawline and collarbones had become more prominent, my skin having taken on a healthy caramel hue. I'd inherited my father's full lips and dark eyebrows. My face itself was shaped like my mother's, oval with a spattering of light freckles. My eyes came from her as well. They were a striking bronze, framed by long, dark eyelashes.

I looked like her. It made me nauseous.

I blew out the candle by the window, the floorboards creaking as I made my way to my bunk. I undressed in the dark, slipping on a big shirt to sleep in. Sitting down on my bed, my adjusting eyes swept over the empty cabin.

There was a time when this room was filled with laughter. Like the day that Emilee and I arrived after dinner to find Harlie making out with some douchey guy from their class named "Chad" on our bunk. Emilee had made me burn the sheets before we went to bed that night.

I laughed softly at the memory, my smile turning sad. 'I really hope this promotion comes with new housing,' I thought, blocking the memories of my departed friends and laying down to sleep.

'I can't keep living with ghosts.'


"Here, in my hand, is the list of soldiers assigned to the first ever Special Operations Squad. Captain Levi Ackerman has agreed-"

Is "agreed" the right word?

"To take charge of this unit, alongside his Second in Command, Onyx Bently." Erwin announced.

Levi and I stepped up to either of his sides, saluting our fellow soldiers. They were lined up in the courtyard used for speeches, each of them standing with their hands neatly folded behind their back. Erwin cleared his throat, holding the list out before him. "Please step forward when your name is called.

"Fran Martin."

Fran stepped forward, her face deathly serious.

"Harold Trazzer." Harold followed suit, a proud smile twitching at his lips.

"Jax Stronghold." Whispers of surprise emanated from the name, awed at our choice to recruit a soldier fresh out of training. Jax looked stunned himself, only moving forward after being elbowed sharply by Gunner, who looked torn between jealousy and pride.

I grinned, standing by our choice. Jax was young, inexperienced, but had incredible potential. Under Levi's command, he would flourish. I waited impatiently for Erwin to give his final orders, wanting badly to speak with my new squad.

But, it seemed he wasn't done.

"Dia Frosche."

I grunted in surprise, my head whipping around. Levi and I locked eyes, him looking equally as alarmed (a rare show of emotion on his part), and then turned to glare at Erwin, who, if he noticed our exchange, hadn't acknowledged us.

"You four are to meet with your commanding officers in the training grounds tomorrow at 0500 hours. "Offer your lives!"

"Sir!" We saluted in unison.

The crowd filtered off as Levi and I rounded on Erwin. "What the hell are you playing at?!" I whisper-shouted, knowing better than to make a scene out of this.

"I said I may make my own placements as well," Erwin smirked. He seemed to be doing that a lot recently.

Levi scowled at him. "Erwin, you know as well as I do that girl is not fit to be in elite circumstances."

I felt a twinge of annoyance at being excluded.

Erwin narrowed his eyes in amusement. "And why is that?"

I jumped back into the conversation. "She has no respect for her superiors or her comrades, her judgement is clouded by emotional responses, she has a blatant disregard for orders- need I go on?"

Erwin raised his eyebrows at me, leaning down to level his face with mine. "Sounds a lot like a certain pickpocket I found nicking from one of my men a few winters ago."

Anger charged through me. "No." I said strongly. He faltered slightly, taken aback by my dark tone. "Respect aside, I have never allowed my emotions to rule my mind. Put a soldier like that into action and you're throwing them in deeper than they can swim."

Erwin's expression finally became serious. He straightened back up, dusting off his uniform. "Her skill is unmatched by any other trainee graduate in over half a decade. I want her under your command. If things go south, I want a full report. I will consider, then, removing her from your squad." He held out a hand to us. "Deal?"

Levi just stared at him, not satisfied with his answer. I, however, was feeling extra bitchy. I coldly slapped his hand away, turning and storming off to my cabin.

I might as well get some extra sleep. These were gonna be a rough few months.