Training Corps (4)

Mina's POV

Months of being on the frontlines of the war back in my first world have made me experience a lot of betrayals and fights. In my role as a combat medic, my job was to observe and analyze the soldiers' well-being. As an additional asset, I also acquired the skill of somehow predicting some of the common moves made by both the Eldians and Marleys. 

As for this case, it's helping me immensely. 

As Mikasa threw in a punch, Annie swiftly evaded it and countered her with a jab. To her dismay, Mikasa's evasion skill is also considered on par with hers. After repeating the same pattern in both their attacks and defenses, I knew then that it was time for some kind of tactic to change. 

And it did because Annie began to use more of her legs in her next attack. 

I have to admit that Annie's flexibility is definitely out of my league, but Mikasa stayed on track only by using her strength and agility. Blocking a kick to her chest, Mikasa countered by pulling it upwards, resulting in Annie losing her balance. 

Or so I thought. 

Annie uses it as leverage to force her way into tackling the young Ackerman.

"This fight is insane," Connie whispers beside us while the others agree due to their admiration.

But for me, it was torture.

At any moment, if I am even a second late with my timing, it would result in Mikasa having either a dislocated bone or a bruise. To hell with Annie. My priority is to keep Mikasa safe from harm. 

As the cheers intensified, their fight was at its climax point as well. There, I noticed a sudden shift in both of their stances and the sudden call of the instructor caught almost everyone's attention.

However, it was at that moment that Mikasa and Annie threw both of their critical attacks, unaware that only three of us had predicted what injuries may have occurred if those attacks had landed on their target.

I swiftly placed myself in between them with a stance that defended Mikasa from Annie's left foot. The strength that it had almost shook my whole being as I tried my best to block it using my right arm. Luckily for me, Eren was quick to move as well, and he positioned himself at the back of Mikasa to keep her from landing a punch that might have landed on my shoulder. 

Bertolt tried to keep Annie from attacking, but she was faster. For the good part, no one here got their bones dislocated. 

"Mina, your arm!" 

The boy named Samuel was the first one to notice as a huge bruise began to form. I couldn't feel pain from it, but the entirety of my right arm continued to tremble. 

"I'm fine." I shrugged it off, but someone just had to pull it up when I tried to hide my arm behind my back. 

I couldn't tell if Eren was angry or concerned, but somehow, deep inside, I wished that he was. 

How greedy! Ymir would have probably said that. 

"It doesn't look fine." Eren then points to my trembling hand, which can't seem to stop even if I force it to. 

"Mina…" Mikasa's whisper immediately caught my attention. However, upon turning my head to look at her, my chest instantly tightened. Seeing her with an expression of guilt and shock doesn't suit her, and it pains me to see her wearing it because of me. I didn't want to see her with that face because she deserved more.

I thanked my disability for not feeling pain from minor injuries as I yanked my arm from Eren's grasp to hold Mikasa's hand instead. My right hand was still trembling as it held her rough and calloused hand, but for me, it was a memory that I shall forever cherish. 

"You were so good, Mikasa!" I gave her a smile that greatly contrasted what I should have been expressing due to my injury. "Nice fight." 

In addition to the memorable sights that were locked in the corner of my brain, I added a new one where a young version of my mother looked extremely surprised as the tip of her ears began to turn red. I didn't want to disturb them anymore due to this stupid injury, so I immediately bid my farewell and dashed toward the infirmary. 

***

Later that night, after I applied ointment to my injury and rested it for a few hours, I went back to the dormitories to rest. It wouldn't hurt to skip one meal: I've already done it by going as far as three days during the war. Upon opening the door, Historia – wait, I should probably think of her as Krista for now – was the first person that I saw.

She was waiting for me by the door. 

"Mina!" She immediately stared at the injury I attained and frowned. "Are you all right? Doesn't it hurt?"

I shook my head in response. "I don't feel any pain from injuries like this. I'm okay."

"Minaaaa~" Sasha then came bawling at me. "Listen to this: Mikasa is a monster!"

I hummed, thinking that it might be best not to tell her that she was. 

But in a good way.

"What happened?"

Krista giggled. "Eren and Jean were about to be reprimanded, but Mikasa here told the instructor that the commotion only happened due to Sasha's fart." 

I eventually held myself back from laughing while Sasha continued to let out some desperate cries. 

Then, a shy voice brought me back as Mikasa closed in. "Are you… okay?"

I nodded my head to give her some assurance that I was. "Don't worry, it'll heal soon." 

"Pretty ballsy of you to come between two monsters." The human named Ymir scoffed. "Trying to gain attention?"

I forced out a smile to hide my initial reaction. "I only intended to protect Mikasa from getting injured."

Ymir raised her eyebrows, clearly not impressed. "You think she can't protect herself?"

"I think it's our job to protect the person who is more than capable of killing the Titans." My gaze shifted from her and towards Mikasa. "But more than that, I just wanted to protect her." 

Ymir rolled her eyes in annoyance and snorted. "How chivalrous." 

I bit my lip and forced myself to smile instead of retorting.

This is getting annoying.

Smiling through the annoyance is something that I'm used to, but I can't just tell them that it's a daughter's instinct to protect her parents from harm. 

I decided to ignore Ymir for the rest of the night and focused on the task at hand. 

***

Graduation is coming up. In the end, two hundred and eighteen trainees managed to last this long.

As we stood at a cemented area, the instructors placed themselves before the trainees, who would now choose their paths. 

"Today, you trainee graduates will be given three choices."

The first is the Garrison, where soldiers are tasked to protect towns and reinforce the walls. Secondly, we can also join the Survey Corps, which risks their lives beyond the walls. Lastly, the Military Police, who directly serve the king, lead the people and protect the internal order. 

However, as per the rule, only the top ten students are allowed to join the Military Police. 

And as for this world, there has been a slight… change.

Here we stand in front of both the instructors and trainees as part of the top ten graduates who performed well during our academic life. The first is Mikasa Ackerman, and the second is…

Mina Carolina.

"…"

I never intended to rank second! Krista, I'm sorry for pushing you out of the rank ten where you were originally included! 

Why can I hear Ymir laughing from the spirit world?

The third up to the tenth spot are as follows: Reiner Braun, Bertolt Hoover, Annie Leonhart, Eren Yeager, Jean Kirschstein, Marco Bott, Connie Springer, and, lastly, Sasha Blouse. It didn't exactly change. It just moved.

Damn it. 

Upon changing locations, the trainees decided to reward themselves by going to a restaurant. I would have loved to join in and have fun, but there are more important matters to think about.

The day of the Battle for Trost is approaching, and I still have no idea how to give this world the ending they deserve properly! 

I balled my fist in anger as I continued to let the cold wind brush through my heated face. The emotions that I rarely felt are going haywire and I try to contain them by punching the nearest wall that I can find. Blood trickled on it, but I could barely feel any pain. 

"You must love inflicting pain upon yourself, huh?" 

My eyes widened. That voice…

"Then let me do it for you!"

Just then, my sense of hearing was compromised by a high frequency that almost made my head explode. I felt my body touch the wall that I had punched, but the noise in my head made my eyes tremble and moist. It was a pain that I could never describe, a pain that I never thought I would have the opportunity to experience once more, prompting me to close my eyes, waiting for it to stop. 

And when it did, my body finally lost its energy as I slid down the cemented road. 

Within that high frequency contained a message.

A message informing me that the clock was ticking and that, sooner or later, I would need to perform the duties I had agreed to shoulder. 

It was a message from Ymir. 

The temporary blindness slowly subsided, and the first sense that came back to me was my touch. Terrifyingly enough, I felt two hands gripping both of my arms. 

The second is my sense of hearing, and there I can hear someone yelling, asking if I was all right. 

And lastly, my sense of sight. There, I saw a man crouching near me, holding me in place. He has black hair and wears a cravat, of all things, instantly making me realize who this man is. 

"Oi brat!" Captain Levi tightened his hold on me as my hands began to uncover my ears. "You scared the shit out of me! Are you all right?" 

As an instinct, I replied. "Yes, sir. Sorry for startling you." 

"God damn teenagers." He stood up and pulled me along with him. "If you're sick, then rest. Stop being an idiot and go home." 

He spoke with a harsh tone but, as usual, was as kind as ever. 

Hearing those words, however, overlapped with a certain memory of mine back in the second world. It's similar to what I'm currently experiencing, but back then, my physical state wasn't in the best condition at all. 

"Don't you fucking care about your body?" Captain Levi of the second world reprimanded me while bandaging my wound. He clicked his tongue in annoyance, but his gentle touch deeply contrasted his words. "Stop messing around and think more about yourself! I don't need another suicidal maniac on my team. Having one is already bothersome!" 

Ahaha… who knew that we'd meet this fast in this world? 

How nostalgic.

*****