Happy (belated) New Years! How was Christmas? School just started and i'm settling well in class. With this being my final year there might be weeks where I'm unable to update. So, do forgive me. .

Today, the young recruits had hand to hand combat training. Even though It seems useless, imagine a titan and an unarmed human were to fight in close range combat it's obvious that a titan would win but as a soldier, it is their duty to fight till their last drop of blood even without means of victory.

The training was simple, it was a paired training. One person would be equipped with a wooden dagger and he would charge at his target. The unequipped must then unarm his attacker.

"You have 30 seconds to choose a partner!" The instructor yelled.

Spotting her blonde friend, Alice quickly runs over to her.

"Do you have a partner?" Alice asks.

"Nope." Julie answers. "Let's make a team."

"Hah. All you two will ever do is play a fool." Tanya said as she appeared from behind them.

"You think you're so great, don't you?" Julie counters.

"Better than you at least."

"What did you just say?"

"I'm only telling the truth."

"Are you picking a fight with me?"

"With you? Please. I can beat you hands down."

"Was that a challenge?"

"Bring it on ."

"I've chosen my partner!" They shouted as they raised their hand in unison.

The instructor walked up to them.

"Rossavelle and Hoult. He took out his clipboard and jolted down their names. "20 seconds!" He barked.

After realizing what she had just done, Julie turned to Alice.

"I'm sorry, I got pulled into the flow."

"It's alright. It's not your fault"

"I'm really sorry, I'll partner up with you next time. I promise!"

"Really, I'm not mad. I'll just ask someone else."

The brunette ran off in a hurry, at the corner of her eyes she saw a certain red headed boy.

"Nicholas!" She called out.

He turned around upon hearing his name, only to see her running towards him.

"Oh it's you Alice."

"Do you have a partner yet?"

"No, not yet."

"Great! Would you pair up with me?"

"Why? You just said that you didn't have a partner."

"I'm sorry, I just can't." His face reddened.

"Don't mind him. It's just that there's no way a gentleman like this guy over here can hit a girl." Jaune came from behind him and wrapped one arm around his neck. "Especially not yo-" Just as he was about to finish his sentence, Nicholas elbowed him, knocking him out instantly. You could even see his spirit flying out of his body.

"Are you alright Jaune?" Alice asked. "What just happened?"

"I-I have no idea but don't worry he's going to be just fine." He raised up his hands. "Sorry Alice. Maybe next time."

The instructor came over to write their names down. As well as lecturing the half dead Jaune, who was being carried by Nicholas.

"What's wrong with you Bryson? Got no bones? Stand up straight! Is this the attitude you show in front of your superior?!" He shouted not realizing that the poor boy was unconscious. (Poor Jaune.)

Alice could not finding a partner within the given time and paired up with a boy who was in the same circumstances. That was after they were given a long lecture with the instructor spitting on their faces as he spoke. Training began, Julie and Tanya were both amazingly good, neither of them were giving in nor did either of them showed signs in winning. It was like Street Fighter all over again. On the other hand, Jaune (who finally came to) was practically useless against Nicholas who was well built and had a tall structure. Even when his attention was focus on elsewhere (or someone –winkwink-) he could still block his blows which seemed inhuman.

Fustrated Jaune shouted. "Take this!" and swung his fist at Nicholas. He charges, Nicholas puts out his hand.

Slam!

Jaune's face crashes into Nicholas's palm. Jaune continues to struggling to free his face from his grasp but Nicholas took no note at what he was doing as he was crushing his friend's handsome face. His gaze was one filled with concern focused on a single girl.

She was struggling to take the dagger away. Her opponent charged at her, she dodges barely escaping the 'deadly blow', even though it was made of wood it would have still hurt if you got jabbed by one. He comes at her again, this time she charges at him and wresltes with him a little but without much effort he shakes her off and she fell on the ground, with a thud while landing on her bottom.

"Are you alright?" Her partner asked.

"Yeah, I think..." She says as she rubbed her sore butt.

"I'm really sorry about that I used too much force."

"No, it's not your fault."

She stood up and dusted the sand off her white pants.

"Let's try it again." Alice said.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I won't be satisfied till I beat you at least once."

"Maybe it's wasn't such a good idea to pair a guy and a girl together. Should I ask the instructor to switch partners?"

"No, it's fine. If I can't even beat you then I shouldn't even start talking about killing a titan. Please don't go easy on me."

"Alright. If you're sure."

At the end Alice could barely beat her opponent and as for Nicholas and Jaune. The outcome was expected. What about Julie and Tanya? Well about that… at the end no winner was decided.

"I won't accept this!" Tanya shouted angrily as she slammed her fist against the dining table.

"And you think I do?" Julie said.

"Where's Jaune?" Alice asked Nicholas as she left her two friends to argue.

"He's in the infirmary."

"What? What happened? Is he ok?"

"He should be. The nurse bandaged him up like a mummy. I don't know what happened. I even went easy on him."

"You're really strong huh?"

"Being the only guy, all the hard physical laboring tasks are dumped on me. So I guess it has its benefits."

"That's rough."

"Well it was at first, but you get used to it."

"I don't think I can fight very well." She said as she slumped deeper into her seat.

"Don't worry about it, everyone has their ups and downs. I'm sure you'll find something you're good at."

"I hope I do. At this rate I don't know if I can even make it through the academy."

"You're not that bad, there are others who are far worse than you. Besides, you did amazing in the theory lessons, one of the best actually."

"Yeah but theory alone isn't going to help me kill titans."

"Don't think about it like that. Besides, we have loads of time left till we graduate. Next we get to learn how to use the maneuver gears. I'm sure you'd do fine in that."

"If I don't I'm going to get laughed at again." She covered her face with her hands as she remember the humiliation of hanging upside down.

"Hey, just so you know, I'd never laugh at you. No matter what."

"Really? T-thanks." Alice blushed.

The bells which honed the end of meal time rung, putting an end to their conversation. Every student stood up and cleared their dishes, then headed back to their dorms. If they were late who knows what kind of punishment awaits them. They each bid their friends for the night, and went off their own ways. Soon, even the girls chatter had died down only leaving the cicadas to sing under the shining moon.

"Hey Tanya, you awake?" Alice whispered.

"What do you want?" She mumbled as she tossed her blanket over her face.

"How did you learn to fight like that?"

"Go to sleep Alice. We'll get in trouble if we get found out."

"It'll be fine as long as we keep our voice down."

"Does it really matter?"

"No, but I'm curious to know."

"I have two older brothers, does it answer your question?"

"I guess so. It must be nice to have siblings."

"No. it's not. Not every siblings are as good as they seem to be."

"I see. I'm jealous of you, you always seem to do everything perfectly."

"Well, I'm not as perfect as you think I am. Now go to bed."

"Eh? But I want to talk some more."

"Good night." Tanya said firmly.

"Night…"

Alice's POV.

I pulled one of the trigger causing a hook to attach itself to a tree, increasing the usage of my gas slightly I manage to zip pass Nicholas who was ahead of me. I did a back turn to get into position before attaching another hook on another tree to help me go higher for a better view.

This is great, I felt so at ease. It feels like I'm flying, I never knew it was this fun to zip through the sky.

I spotted my target. A large humanoid, I shifted course and headed to its direction. I swung back the two blades in my hand and waited for the right time to strike. Just as I was about to hit it, it's headed turned suddenly. I kept my cool, I stepped on it using it as a platform to do a flip and then slicing off a piece of skin at the nape of its neck.

Phew! That was close if it was a real titan I might have lost my foot.

"Dang it! You beat me to it again." Nicholas grumbled.

I let out a small giggle. It was fun to see him so frustrated.

"Well. You're just too slow." I teased.

"Don't get cocky, I'm going to get the next one for sure."

"Why are you following me?" Tanya yelled as she perched herself on a nearby tree.

"I'm not following you! It just so happens that I'm going the same way as you." Julie yelled back.

"Yeah, like anyone would believe that. You're just following me so you can steal my target aren't you?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Cuz you know you'll fail if you didn't?"

"Here we go again." Nicholas sighed. "Don't they ever get tired of arguing?"

"Just leave them be. You should know that it's useless to try to stop them."

"Yeah, we'd better get back to practice or we'll get scolded."

"Race you." I said as I slyly took off first.

"Hey no fair!" Nicholas said as he chased after me.

Somehow this kind of reminded me of something… I wonder what?

Hmm, I wonder what? -looks away- This is my last chapter for this arc. So for the next we're going to be more serious, everyone prepare yourself! Vote to save your favorite OCs. Just write which OC you like (excluding Alice of course.) in the reviews. Oh yeah BTW, I just reached 100 review?! THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE! I know it sounds weird but I read every single one of them and it makes me so happy knowing that you take the effort to write something. :3