104th Cadet Corps
Year 2

The hot sun gleamed down onto the training field where the 104th Cadet Corps were doing hand to hand combat training exercises. Armin's breathing was noticeably heightened as he dragged his fingers back through his dampened yellow-blond hair to keep it from sticking to his skin. This wasn't his best area... well, anything on the physical training front, really. But damn it, he gave it his all.

Kuro faced Armin, the Cadets having been placed in teams of two. The exercise would have been fine had Eren and Jean not been paired up, as they started arguing the second they were told to start. Kuro shook his head at Armin and gestured to the others.

Armin shrugged and put his hands up to go another round. He was more than used to Eren picking fights over the things he was passionate about. At least here, he had an outlet for it.

Kuro mirrored Armin despite their comrades not actually paying attention. Back in Shiganshina, Kuro was never one to pick fights. He just did what he needed to do and ignored most people. That had changed inside Wall Rose. He fought to get extra food for his brother. After Ryu died, though, that all changed. He struggled to get food, money... anything, and by any means possible.

He flashed Armin a smile. "Come on. Fight me like you hate me."

Armin let out a puff of air as he lowered his brow and braced his feet. Then he ran forward, acting at first like he was going for the left shoulder, but then quickly changing to the right leg. Even if he wasn't the strongest among his peers, he made up for it in his strategic skills.

Kuro had to react quickly. He knew that Armin wouldn't attack his shoulder, but he still wasn't too sure where he was going to aim. He didn't have time to block, so he instead dodged out of the way and tried to get back at him by kicking up dust.

Armin turned his head away quickly against the onslaught of flying dirt as he grasped blindly and managed to wrap his arms around Kuro's leg. It brought him down, but awkwardly. "Ugh." Armin shook his head and coughed, on his hands and knees. "I'm just not fast enough..."

"I've just had a little more experience with playing dirty. That's all. It's all well and good training us to fight properly but if you come up against someone who's had no formal training... then it's a level playing field."

Armin pressed his hands into the dirt as he stood up. "Unfortunately, I was always on the receiving end of the dirty fighting," he remarked, brushing his palms together.

Standing up, Kuro brushed the dust off himself. "Just think about what they did to you and try to do it to me. That might work."

"I understand the strategy of it all," Armin tried to explain. "I guess it just doesn't come naturally is all." He smiled a little. "Guess that's why we're out here doing this, huh?"

"Yeah... training til it becomes second nature. You only learn that through repetition." Kuro stepped back and stood ready again. "You'll get it one day. Anyway, we won't be going hand-to-hand with a titan."

"I suppose it's logical that we learn all types of fighting," Armin mused aloud. "In any event, it makes us stronger as soldiers."

"Or give us the ability to beat the hell out of everyone we don't get along with," Kuro said as he gave a disapproving look to Jean and Eren, who had completely forgotten the exercise and were just arguing now.

Armin looked over at his friend. "Don't judge him too quickly," he said slowly. "Eren might have a hot temper... but he's someone I'll always want to have at my back."

"I'm not just talking about Eren. It takes two to fight." Kuro crossed his arms. "We're meant to be learning how to fight alongside someone else." Sighing, he turned back to Armin. "We might as well keep practicing then. And if everything goes as planned, then those two will go to different regiments, and we won't have to deal with their fighting day in day out."

Armin nodded and just put his hands up, ready to continue the training.

Kuro focused. Armin was good at strategy, so not planning too much and relying on instinct would work better. With that, he dropped onto his hands and swung a leg round at Armin's.

104th Cadet Corps
Year 3

Kuro stood on a tree branch, waiting for his turn to run the ODM course. Unlike some, he didn't feel like he had to give it everything. He didn't want to be in the position of taking up a place in the top ten that would stop someone from going to join the MP. All Kuro had to do was pass.

Three years had gone by since Kuro had joined the Cadets and now, graduation was right around the corner. There were final exams in everything they could possibly have an exam for. Everyone had different approaches to them; there were some who were giving it everything they had. They were mainly those who wanted to make the top ten and become MPs. There were some exceptions but that was the general trend. As he stood there waiting his turn, Kuro watched each person run the course, taking note of what they did. He did a lot of his learning by watching others.

Eren was as enthusiastic as ever. He was determined, which now and then left him with a one-track mind. He could be quite distant at times but was generally alright as long as Jean wasn't around. He wasn't the best, but he was driven, which made up for a lot.

Mikasa was fast and by the far the best. She was quick and efficient. She did what she had to do. He'd never spoken much to Mikasa; she was always a bit of a silent type, but he respected her nonetheless. She was already a strong and capable soldier.

Armin had a brilliant mind. He was a genius. What he lacked in combat ability was certainly made up for in theory, strategy and planning. Through their time in the Cadets, he had been the one that Kuro was closest to. He was easy to speak to, which Kuro found refreshing.

Jean was clearly trying his hardest. Everyone knew that he wanted to make the top ten. He wanted to be an MP. Jean was easily good enough for that. Even if he did have a bit of a short temper, he was still incredibly skilled.

Kuro looked on and made mental notes still. Annie; he knew nothing about her except she was scarily good. Reiner; a strong soldier who was actually quite friendly to everyone. Bertholdt; very capable and worked closely with Reiner. Sasha; surprisingly good for how carefree she acted. Connie; another surprise who was quick and agile. Christa; sweet girl who was nice to everybody and was bordering the on tenth place. Ymir; also bordering on tenth but it was hard to work out anything about her.

He sighed. There were so many good cadets. Even those who would just miss out on the top ten would probably be able to make it into the MP's ranks if they wanted to.

With a zip and a light thud, a pair of boots landed beside Kuro. Holding his blades in his hands, Eren lifted one wrist to swipe at his sweaty forehead, the damp strands of hair shoving aside before falling limply back into place.

Kuro turned to look at Eren. "Nice work, Eren. You did a good job out there."

Eren looked over. "Thanks," he said with a nod. He looked toward the practice dummies again and flexed his fingers a few times against the ODM grips. "Though I'm sure itching to try it out on a real titan," he added.

"It'll be a bit different on a titan though." He looked out at the dummies. "I always thought they looked a bit tame. After what we saw... these can't prepare you for the real thing."

"Sometimes I forget that most of the others have never even seen a titan..." Eren said quietly as he watched Mikasa go through the course.

"Me too. The dummies always look too... human..." Kuro mused. "The titans have strange proportions."

Eren was quiet as he looked on. He'd certainly filled out in the three years since they'd joined the Cadets. They all had. Though their years still made them children, their training had turned them into soldiers, and childhood and all of its innocence were a thing of the past.

Kuro had grown quite a bit since he'd joined. He wasn't nearly as tall as Reiner or Bertholdt, but he was still a good inch taller than Jean.

"Still set on the Scouts?" Eren asked after a moment.

"Yep. I don't think there's any other I could join." Kuro looked back at Eren. "I just know it's the right thing for me to do."

"Yeah..." Eren said lowly. "Me too. All I wanna do is kill titans... as many as I can. Every last one of them if I can help it."

And Eren was at it again. They all knew this little speech by now. Kuro sighed and folded his arms. "It's not long now. We'll be wearing those Wings of Freedom in no time."

"Ever since I was a kid..." Eren said slowly, that passion that beat in his chest so detectable in his voice, "I've wanted to be a Scout. To fight alongside people like Captain Levi... people who actually give a damn about our freedom."

If there was ever a person that could described as a living legend, it was Captain Levi. If you looked up to the Scouts, you looked up to Captain Levi. Kuro remembered hearing his name mentioned a few times when he went to see the Scouts, not that ever managed to spot the Captain.

"I wonder what he's like..." Kuro said. "I wonder what it really takes to be the best that humanity has to offer. I have heard so many rumours about him that I have no idea what's true and what isn't."

"There has to be some truth to it," Eren remarked. "I know stories tend to get blown outta proportion, but... he's renowned for a reason, right?"

"That's true. You don't get the sort of rumours spread about you like he does if you're average." He sighed. "I mean, imagine just watching him fight. I heard he could take down multiple titans with a single manoeuvre."

"Yeah. I heard that too," Eren said, glancing over. He couldn't help but wonder how different that day in Shiganshina could have been had Captain Levi and the Scouts been there.

"Maybe we'll find out one day. I can't see Captain Levi really bothering with new recruits. It's not like we're anywhere near his standards." Kuro shook his head and looked down. "You've got to be something special to reach Captain Levi's level."

"Oscuro!!" Instructor Shadis bellowed from below. It was Kuro's turn to demonstrate his abilities on the course.

"My turn. Talk later, Eren." With that, Kuro stepped off the branch and swung over to the start. He had nothing to prove. No lofty goal to reach. All he had to do was pass.

Pass.

Graduate.

Join the Scouts.