AN: Another big thanks for the positivity for this! I'm coming towards the end of my pre-written content, so there might be some delays in writing/posting past the next chapter (don't quote me on that, it might not be the next chapter). This chapter features just Alfred and his new "buddy" Arthur, just so you can see how different those two nerds are. Prepare yourselves for some tension.

A year had passed since we began training, and I finally got my chance to find out who exactly was fascinated with everything I did. That day was when we learn hand-to-hand combat. Normally I would have paired up with my brother, but he kindly told me that he intended to test his strength against someone who he a) wasn't related to and b) hadn't had to save from childhood bullies. I accepted his points as he went to join the self-proclaimed "awesome" Gilbert Beilschmidt.

The man who was probably stalking me stood alone, and I carefully wandered over to him.

"Need a partner?" I asked him, smiling.

He shrugged.

"If it is mandatory, then yes."

"Hand-to-hand fighting then. Want to go first?"

I never found out the answer to my question. Without any warning or time to defend myself, he held up his fists and swung the right into my jaw. Swiftly, he kicked me in the shin and stepped back as I crashed backwards onto the ground. My face stung, as did my leg, to which he only responded by holding out his hand for me.

"My name is Arthur Kirkland," he stated, as I took his hand and pulled myself up.

"Alfred F. Jones."

He nodded instead of replying.

"So," I started. "Where did you learn to throw such sweet punches?"

"Where did I learn how to fight?" I nodded. "At my home."

"No no no, I mean, who taught you how to fight?" I said, rephrasing my question.

"My mother."

I nodded in response. We stood in silence for a few moments.

"So how come you've spent a whole year staring at me?"

"I haven't."

"Have too. I saw you. Multiple times." Damn, he was busted.

He tensed slightly, before stepping towards me. Our faces were mere inches apart, and I suddenly felt very uncomfortable.

"You interest me. You have seen much pain and yet you still smile. You act like an idiot when you clearly hold some great intelligence. You are an opposite of yourself. Doesn't that scare you?"

"I don't think you understand. Those things are all part of human nature. Why should I be sad when I can make others happy? Why should I let everyone treat me as if I'm a walking dictionary - full of knowledge yet confusing? Why should I let the world judge who I should be when I can make that choice for myself?"

Arthur gave me a very serious look.

"You are far from perfect, do not mistake my words. I believe differently from you, though. I don't understand your sense of free will - you can't do everything the way you want it to be done. If that happened, we would be in chaos."

"Free will isn't part of this."

"You are mistaken. It is every part of this. However, I don't care to continue this conversation. Farewell, Jones."

With that, he strode away. Arthur had started to fascinate me at this point. I wanted to argue with him, but I wanted him to agree with me. He exerted his wisdom in his free will argument with me, and that was what made me want to know more about the mysterious man with emerald eyes who seemed content with staring at me across a room.

Arthur continued to be deeply interested in my behaviour and outlook on life. As my brother began to join the new friends he was making, Arthur would sit beside me in class and work with me in physical tasks.

If I'm honest, he fascinated me in his behaviours. He treated everything either like it was gospel or like it was worthless. It confused me greatly. He confused me greatly.

The strange part of this whole situation was that he was spending more time with me but I never really found out anything important about him. I poured out the details about my childhood, family and the day the Titans attacked while he would just sit and listen. He looked as if he didn't really care about my life, but also seemed like he was mentally taking note of every detail I told him.

All I knew about him was that he was in Wall Maria when the Titans attacked, his mother had raised and educated him and that he didn't think highly of my ambition of joining the Scouting Legion.

"You would willingly leave the Walls on a regular basis to investigate the Titan's territory? That's… crazy. Training as hard as you do, you could live the easy life right in the capital. Why waste your life?"

That made me angry. I hated the idea of people training their asses off so that then they could graduate in the Top Ten and seize one of those places in the Military Police. I didn't despise those who genuinely wanted to serve the King and do their duty in that way, but those who wanted to live the easy life? I couldn't stand those people.

"How could you say that? There's no way I'd be wasting my life by joining the Scouting Legion! Members of the Scouting Legion fight for important territory back from the Titans, and that job is even more important now we've lost Wall Maria!" I snapped at him. "Rose and Sina are overpopulated as hell because we lost Maria. The Scouting Legion are putting every moment of their lives to purpose. And what are the Military Police doing to stop overpopulation? Arresting people? We need our land back."

He didn't respond to my counter-argument. Clearly I'd made my point.