Chapter 1: New Beginnings

Ok, so, before I let you off, I have to admit that this wasn't my idea, AT ALL. In fact, it's CanaanAlphardForever's idea. We started working on this project a little into August, and we've been working hard to get this into top-notch shape. Honestly, I don't know what I would've done without her. She's been incredibly helpful and patient, offering ideas whenever I was stuck and going as far as writing out awesome scenes for the story. If you wanna thank someone for this story, thank her! Seriously, go read her stuff, it'll knock your socks off ;)

Finally, I just wanna thank everyone who took the time to read this, as well as CanaanAlphardForever for being a fantastic partner in writing, as well as a supportive friend. This is my biggest writing project yet, and I feel it's going to be an incredible experience for everyone involved. This story may make you cry, or question yourself, or even laugh, and if it does, then our goal has been achieved.

CanaanAlphardForever: Before you get to read this amazeballs story, I'd just like to say that I got this idea one day, and decided to ask Turbotail88 to write it, since she had a better grasp on their relationship dynamic and personalities that would be needed for the story. She was awesome enough to accept my offer and she wrote this :D with my coaching here and there XD she did not disappoint! I hope you guys enjoy this as much as we did in creating and writing it.

Note: To any new readers, welcome! Hope you enjoy the story. To any confused past readers: welcome! I've taken the liberty of re-writing, enhancing and tweaking the story slightly to make it better. I've deleted annoying "Author's Notes", except the ones that I thought necessary to keep. I invite you to read this piece of fiction again, and hopefully spot the improvements I've made thanks to your help. There have been some major changes in regards to certain characters.

It was April, the beginning of the school year and the return of friends and enemies alike. Spring was in its prime and the air had a wonderful feel to it. It truly felt like the right time to start school. The cherry blossom trees were blooming, students were piling up at bus stops and hitching rides with their friends' used cars and teachers were groaning as they set up class plans. Some aspiring teens were very anxious and nervous to be starting school, and one of them was Krista Historia Reiss. She was a short girl, with big blue eyes and soft blond hair. She was kind, somewhat shy and polite, and she was often seen as a rabbit or mouse because of it. However, despite her meekness, she could be very stern if need be.

The young blonde straightened out her skirt for the fifth time and loosened up her collar, since the standard uniform seemed a bit too tight. It consisted of, firstly, a blouse with an emblem on the right breast: a shield emblem with black and white wings crossing. Her lower body was covered with a green and black plaid skirt just below her knees.

Krista looked out the window, playing with the hem of her skirt. She thought about her new school and new environment, since she recently moved three months ago from the Trost district. She didn't know anyone here, since her parents forbade her from going to teen hangouts or even outside the house unless it was to run errands. Usually, a maid or butler accompanied her during her outings, limiting any contact with her peers. How was she supposed to fit in if she knew no one who went to this new school? Her stomach was tied up in knots and her chest felt constricted from the buttons on her blouse. Though the window was open, the car she was in felt far too closed up and stuffy.

"Stop fiddling with your clothes, Historia. You will wrinkle them and the maid will have to waste time to iron them."

Krista looked up at her mother and flinched, looking down and nodding. She clenched her hands on top of her skirt to stop fidgeting and exhaled carefully through her nose. God forbid what her mother would do if she actually sighed in her presence.

"Now you will represent us well in school, Historia. I expect nothing less than the daughter of my husband. You will not bring shame to our family. Do you understand?" her mother tersely said, eyes staring ahead.

Krista closed her eyes and nodded once more. "Yes, Mother," she replied.

"After all, it is Rose Academy, the school of future doctors, generals and engineers."

Krista hummed in response and looked out the window again, glad for the air. She pulled out a brochure from the pocket of her skirt and fingered it, inhaling to calm her nerves. Rose Academy, one of the best schools of the nation, was home to the Scouts, rivals of Maria Academy's Titans. Though Sina Academy's Cavaliers were also competitors, the rivalry wasn't as strong as it was between the Scouts and the Titans. Rumour had it that the Titans of Maria were extremely tall and ugly, though Krista knew it to be simply trash talk. Rose Academy haters usually spread propaganda about Scouts being short and wimpy anyway, so it's no wonder the Scouts would find retribution through the use of rumours.

It was her second year of senior high school, and she had celebrated her sixteenth birthday before moving. She never had much friends then, so it had been a quiet affair with her parents stiffly shoving gifts in her face after school.

Krista snapped out of her thoughts when the car passed by a cherry blossom tree. The petals were quickly falling and a few even entered through the window. She smiled in delight, rubbing her fingers over the smooth texture and inhaling the scent. Her mother clicked her tongu in response and automatically pushed her window up.

Krista frowned but said nothing, shoving the cherry blossom petals into her skirt pocket. She put her forehead to the glass window and stared, noticing the large crowd of students making their way to school. Many of them were dressed like her, however the boys were wearing black slacks instead of skirts. She spotted a few students gaping at the car she rode and she giggled, waving. They couldn't see her anyway; the windows were heavily tinted black.

Just as she was about to turn ahead, she noticed something odd. There was a tall girl, seemingly walking alone despite the various large groups around her. She wore, strangely enough, the male version of the uniform, though her blouse was not buttoned at all. She had a frightening disposition, her glare evident from the crease of her brows and down turned lips. Her hair was short, reaching the nape of her neck, and brown. Krista couldn't tell her facial features due to the distance, but something about this girl made her reach into her pocket and tightly grasp the pink petals. Her digestive organs tangled once more and she held her breath, exhaling when her mother drove by the girl.

"Was that a sigh, young lady?"

"N-no Mother!"

Soon enough, the car slowed to a stop in front of the prestigious school and Krista climbed out, trembling slightly. She grabbed her book bag and the brochure in her hands.

"Be polite to your teachers."

"Yes, Mother."

"Do not associate yourself with delinquents."

"Yes, Mother."

"Use the other name we told you to use when you introduce yourself."

"Yes, Mother."

"...be safe."

"Yes... Mother."

Krista looked down when Mrs. Reiss pierced her with her cold blue eyes, not unlike her own. However, where Mrs. Reiss' eyes were icy, hers were warm and inviting, like the sunny blue sky on a day at the beach.

In her hand was her book bag, given to her by her father as a birthday gift. It was made of leather and had her initials written on the corner in cursive yellow writing. She slung it over her shoulder and waved at the retreating image of her mother's sports car.

Krista gulped and turned around, walking stiffly, the school's promotional brochure clutched tightly in her hands. People stared at her as she walked, and Krista realized she probably stuck out like a bright yellow highlighter because of her ride. Shutting out their whispers, Krista pumped her legs faster and bowed her head.

She couldn't see where she was going, and just as she was about to lift her head she slammed into someone's body and fell roughly on her back.

"Ow, shit! Watch where you're going, moron!"

Wind thoroughly knocked out of her lungs, she let out a painful whimper and lifted her head to see who she assaulted. Upon noticing it was the same tall girl from before, sitting down and rubbing her back, Krista gasped. Her hand immediately went to her pocket and she felt the wilting petals once more, a shiver going down her spine.

Krista observed the girl's facial features, noting the freckles on the bridge of her nose and cheekbones, which she found slightly endearing. She had vicious brown eyes that were glaring at her and a snarl on her thin lips. The blonde blushed and dusted herself off. She stood up, mumbling apologies and extending her hand. The tall girl scoffed, slapped the hand away and stood up on her own, yanking the front door to the school open and marching in.

"What's her problem? Geez, all she did was bump into her."

"Hey, didn't you know? That's the resident bitch."

"I know that already but... why does she have to be so... bitchy?"

Krista looked around and saw that various students were leaning their heads together and whispering loudly. They all stared at the door that the brunette entered, yet nobody made a move to open it.

She sighed, walking to the door and pulling it, albeit softer than the aggressive tall teen. Finally entering the school, she was amazed at how simple and neat the entire establishment seemed, as well as its subtle elegance. Not a single speck of dust was out of place, and the floor shined from a thorough waxing. There was a trophy case on the left adjacent side of the entryway, and it was full of awards, medals and plaques, mainly academic achievements.

Someone tapped her shoulder and Krista whirled around to meet the kind green eyes of a boy who appeared to be her age. He had short coffee brown hair and a tall, scrawny build. Behind him, on his left, there was a girl with short and neatly combed black hair, an athletic build and a red scarf wrapped around her neck. Her eyes were black and appeared dull, but Krista knew better than to judge her.

On his right was a boy who could pass for her twin, though he was taller than her. He had blond hair just below his ears and blue eyes that emitted wisdom and compassion. The boys were smiling gently and the black-haired girl's eyes twinkled slightly with something akin to amusement.

"Hey, you new here?" the brown-haired boy asked.

Krista nodded. "Yep! I moved here from Trost, and my parents sent me here."

"They made a good choice!" the boy laughed.

"They were actually thinking of sending me to Maria Academy but changed their mind after... is something wrong?"

The brown-haired boy's jaw was tightly clenched and his eyes released murderous intent. His whole body gave the impression of a coiled spring; tense and ready to pop. The girl with the red scarf put a hand on his shoulder, talking lowly. The blonde boy laughed nervously and pushed Krista away from the tense teen, leaning down to whisper in her ear.

"Eren really hates the Maria Academy Titans. It's been a goal of his to completely annihilate them in everything, ever since the Titans humiliated his mom at a grocery store when he was twelve," he explained.

Krista's mouth made an 'O' shape and she fidgeted. She extended her hand to Eren, who snapped his jade eyes to her. "Well, I'm here now, aren't I? My parents, who have extremely high standards, chose Rose instead of Maria. Doesn't that mean this school is better?"

Eren relaxed immediately, grabbing her hand and shaking it. He smiled widely. "Ha, I like you! It's nice to meet you! I'm Eren, this is Mikasa, the strongest girl in school and my sister. That's Armin, resident genius and my best friend. What's your name?"

Krista was taken aback by his sudden change in attitude but she giggled and shook his hand as well. "Krista... Lenz," she offered, deciding against divulging her middle name and remembering her mother's advice.

The siblings were none the wiser, though Armin narrowed his eyes slightly. He smiled kindly and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Eren, don't you think we should show her to the secretary's office so she can get her schedule?"

"Yeah! I like that idea! Then we can compare our schedules and see if we have any classes together!"

"Sounds great!" Krista chirped, excited to make friends.

"What about you, Mikasa? What do you think?" Eren questioned, turning to his sister with a grin.

She pulled her scarf down slightly. "I'd like that too," she said, smiling.

The trio walked forward and Krista followed them, walking next to Armin. Her face was bright with joy at having made friends, hopefully friends her parents would approve of.

Despite having started off on the wrong foot, Krista knew this day would only get better.

Now the only thing that would surely set it in stone would be meeting and learning that girl's name.

Mikasa and Krista rushed through the halls, bags clunking behind them. They had their schedules in their hands, and though Krista appeared worried, Mikasa was calm. Krista took comfort in the other girl's attitude and concentrated on matching her stride.

After they received their schedules, Eren immediately compared all four of them. He was disappointed to find he only shared little specialty classes with Krista, such as Home Economics, though he had a near perfect schedule with Mikasa and Armin. Krista had first with Mikasa, while Armin and Eren had first together. With extreme reluctance, Mikasa bid her brother and friend goodbye and led Krista to their first class.

They stopped at a door numbered '104' and Krista inhaled deeply to prepare herself. Mikasa gave her a weird look but shrugged turning the knob and entering. Checking her schedule once more, Krista read that her main teacher would be a Mr. Keith Shadis. Though she didn't know him, the brochure mentioned him being a former military officer and resigning in order to prepare the next generation.

Keith Shadis, a man with heavy bags under his eyes, a brown complexion and a greying goatee, was a lot of things: imposing, frightening, strict... but his main defining feature was his intolerance for misbehaviour. When Mikasa opened the door, it seemed as though he was preparing a yelling fest, for his chest was swelled up and his face tense. However, Krista swore she could hear the class sigh collectively when they entered, and hid a smile behind her hand.

Keith exhaled through his nose and glared at the door. Krista heard a loud banging noise and turned to find a head against a desk. She frowned, but thought nothing of it when confronted with Keith's furious glare.

Mikasa was in front of the small teen, taking the brunt of the teacher's glare and reflecting it with her own cool, unemotional stare. She pulled Krista with her and sat directly behind a boy with ash brown hair and light green eyes. Krista sat behind a blond boy, who immediately turned to her with a wide smile.

"Reason for tardiness?" Keith grumbled.

"We're not late," Mikasa coolly replied, "in fact, everyone is exactly three minutes early."

The boy in front of her turned to her and flashed a smile, winking. "That's my Mikasa!" Mikasa blatantly ignored him, turning to Krista instead. He slumped and sighed heavily, leaning against his desk.

"Damn prodigies and their damn logic," Keith cursed quietly, setting his suitcase on his desk and opening one of his drawers. He dug into it, looking for something, and Krista took this time to turn to Mikasa.

"Thanks," Krista whispered.

Mikasa hummed and pulled down her scarf to smile reassuringly. When Krista turned around, she saw a hand thrust into her face.

"Hey! The name's Reiner, what's yours?" the boy greeted cheerfully, voice deeper than what Krista expected.

She shook his hand and smiled. "Krista."

"Don't worry about Keith. He's really a big softie, but he needs to look tough so we can behave," he muttered, cracking a grin.

Krista giggled. "I'll remember that."

Keith pulled a leaflet from the drawer in his desk. "When I call your name, answer with a 'here'. Is that clear?"

The class groaned and mumbled. Krista looked around and saw someone cover their ears with their hands at the back of the class. She raised her eyebrow but imitated the person. Suddenly, Keith slammed his hands on his desk and gained an angry aura around him. He inhaled deeply through his nose.

"I said: IS. THAT. CLEAR?!" he shouted.

"YES, SIR!" the class replied, straightening and saluting the teacher with a fist to their heart. Krista fumbled and copied Mikasa, flinching when Keith stared at her. He paused for a moment but returned to his sheet.

"Good. Mikasa Ackerman?"

"Here."

"Reiner Braun?"

"Here."

"Sasha Braus?"

"..."

There was a crunching sound emitting from a girl on the other side of the classroom. Krista turned her head slightly to see a girl with brown hair the slightest shade of mauve tied up into a pony tail. She had a fringe and light brown eyes. She was currently occupied with a piece of bread that she was shoving into her mouth. It crunched noisily, signifying its freshness, and Krista had to wonder at the girl's nerve and audacity.

"Sasha Braus?"

The girl swallowed her food loudly, smiling widely with crumbs between her teeth and around her mouth. "Here, here!"

Keith paused, lifted his eyes from the attendance record and stared blankly at Sasha. He approached her quietly, closing the leaflet and crouching beside her desk. He crossed his arms and placed them on the wooden surface.

"What... what are you doing?" he whispered.

Sasha looked around and pointed at herself. When he nodded once, she waved her loaf of bread around joyfully, laughing. "I'm eating, mister teacher!"

"You're... eating?"

"Uh huh!"

"In my class?"

"Yep!"

Keith stared in disbelief, standing up and letting his arms fall to his sides. He snatched her loaf of bread, ignoring her cries of outrage, and opened the window, throwing the food with all the strength he could muster. Throughout the whole ordeal, his face remained impassive, frightening Krista.

He flipped open his attendance record once more. "Mina Carolina?" he continued, seemingly ignoring the panicking teen.

Krista turned to Mikasa with a horrified look in her eyes. "Is it always like this?"

The skin next to Mikasa's eyes wrinkled up, indicating she was smiling. "Sasha has been a very hungry girl from even before I knew her. And Professor Shadis is a very strict individual with a zero tolerance policy. However, he's gentle with newcomers, meaning you. But Sasha knows the rules already, and has had classes with him in the past, which is why he reacted the way he did now."

Krista nodded, and smiled, glancing over at Sasha. Maybe they could be friends? Krista liked helping people and Sasha looked like she could use some help. The girl was still in shock, face pressed against the window.

"THE BIRDS ARE EATING MY FOOOOD!" she wailed.

"SASHA GET OVER IT!" Keith roared.

"But..." she sighed, trudging back to her desk and slumping over it. Her stomach growled loudly and she blushed at the snickers and giggles, pressing her face harder into the wood. Krista fought a grin and, feeling eyes on her, turned to the back of the class, meeting blank, brown eyes. Her own blue orbs widened and she gasped quietly, jaw dropping open. Her fingers twitched toward her pocket and she felt a tingle up her spine. It was that girl! The girl she saw walking, then bumped into earlier! She appeared to be staring, and Krista swore there was something that happened in the air.

However, the brunette turned her eyes away and straightened, raising a hand. "Here."

Shoot! She missed her name. Guess she'd have to ask around for it now, though the thought slightly bothered her because of the reactions people generally had for the brunette.

"You!"

Krista jumped and turned around, coming up close and personal with Keith's face. She shuddered but kept a straight expression.

"Y-yes, sir?"

"You're new here. What's your name? Stand up and introduce yourself to your classmates."

This is what Krista feared she'd have to do. She nodded, unable to reply orally, and stood, gaining courage from Mikasa's smile. She walked to the blackboard and turned on her heel. Inhaling through her nose, she braced herself.

"My name is Krista Lenz. I come from the Trost district and I'm here to learn and give my heart to humanity!" she said proudly. She remembered the salute and performed it, blushing when she heard giggles and whispers.

"She's so cute."

"Like a little rabbit."

"Or a mouse."

"Haha, yeah. Aww, she's blushing! Guys, stop, seriously."

Keith remained impassive. "So you've incorporated our motto, 'Giving our hearts to humanity!', in your introduction. Good. Don't do it again if you want to be taken seriously. Well done. Class, greet your new friend and make sure to treat her well."

The class chorused a positive response, except for the girl in the back, who leaned forward and pretended to be asleep. Krista frowned, slightly irritated in the girl's behaviour, but said nothing. She didn't want to look like a rat or snitch to the others.

"You're all useless piles of meat for the capitalist government. Go sit down, Lenz, and we will begin our first review of the school year."

Krista obeyed and took out her writing supplies, grinning at Reiner who gave her a 'thumbs up'. The boy beside Reiner, Jean, looked her up and down. He quickly snuck a glance at Mikasa, but whatever he saw seemed to convince him for he smirked and returned to his notepad. Mikasa put a hand on Krista's shoulder and squeezed, patting it a few times before returning to her work as well.

Krista smiled. She finally belonged somewhere.

With the end of first period, Krista was glad to have found friends. People were pushing and shoving in the hallways, so having Mikasa, Jean and Reiner with her improved her chances at survival greatly. Of course, that wasn't to say she didn't enjoy their company, and vice versa. She treated Reiner like the big brother she always wanted, Mikasa like an older sister and Jean like that cousin that always did crazy stuff. Even though she just met them, Krista felt very comfortable with these three. It was mainly because she had never known what true friendship was like before, and unfortunately latched onto whoever treated her with kindness and respect. However, she knew that Mikasa wouldn't betray her, neither would Reiner or Jean for that matter. It was a gut feeling she had, and she always trusted her instincts.

Jean conversed with Reiner, often sneaking glances behind when he thought no one was looking. Mikasa ignored him, and Krista felt tempted to pry. She didn't want to, but if she ever wanted to be closer friends with these people she needed to learn about them. At that thought, Krista flinched, clutching her book bag tighter. Maybe someday she'd tell them who she really was and her background, but right now, she wanted to live a normal life.

A warm hand touched her shoulder and Krista turned to meet concerned black eyes. They weren't really black, Krista noticed, just a very dark shade of brown. Could she and Eren really be related?

"Is something wrong?" Mikasa asked.

Krista shook her head. "Umm... are you and Jean dating or something?"

Mikasa sighed, pulling her scarf up to cover her nose. "No, but I know of his feelings for me."

"So why do you ignore him?"

"Because I don't feel the same way and I don't want to lead him on."

Krista nodded in understanding. "I understand. Sorry for prying, by the way."

The corners of Mikasa's eyes crinkled. "It's no problem."

Suddenly, a shout came from down the hall. A boy was being held by his collar and pushed up a wall by a blond girl half his size. Her face twitched with anger and her fists tightened with every second. Reiner rushed forward and pulled her back, turning her to face him.

"Annie! What's gotten into you?" he asked angrily, shaking her.

The fury receded from her face upon seeing Reiner's worried and distraught expression. She released her clenched fists and stalked off, purposefully bumping into Mikasa's shoulder on the way. Mikasa's eyes narrowed but she did not reply, crossing her arms and walking to Jean, Krista in tow. Krista looked back at the retreating blonde's back and wondered at the various personalities she'd encountered so far. The school was very lively, it seemed, and very diverse. Looking forward, Krista rushed to Jean and knelt by the sobbing boy's side.

Jean was comforting the frightened boy, however, his face contorted into a disgusted expression when the boy muttered something. He jumped and wiped his hands on a short, bald boy passing by.

"What the hell, Jean?! What did you wipe on me?"

Jean's face turned sombre and he sat on the floor, arms hugging his knees.

"My faith in humanity's bladders."

The boy scoffed and rolled his eyes in annoyance, stomping off.

Krista smiled and patted the boy's knee, standing up and offering a hand. He took it, righting himself and grinned. She passed him a handkerchief, which he took reluctantly, blowing into it and dabbing his eyes with it. He put his hand out to Krista, who laughed nervously and told him to keep it.

"You sure?"

"Positive."

"...angel."

"What?"

"Class is starting soon, better hurry!"

The boy ran off, face bright red, and entered a random classroom. Even at the other end of the hall, Keith's booming voice could be heard loud and clear. The student body winced collectively and offered prayers for their fallen comrade, Dazz. Krista stared dumbly, only moving when someone roughly bumped into her shoulder. She looked up and saw the same tall girl from before. With a glare, the crowd parted as the students pushed themselves against the walls. Krista pondered to herself, and was about to call out to the girl, hand raised and mouth open, when Mikasa grabbed her wrist and rushed her into another classroom.

"That wouldn't have been a good idea," Mikasa muttered, walking to where Sasha was sitting, still in despair. She sat next to the hungry girl and pulled a loaf of bread from her book bag. Krista sat behind Sasha and stared at Mikasa, her words confusing her.

"Why not?" Krista asked.

"Because," Mikasa started, offering the bread to Sasha, "that girl is dangerous. She has a very bad reputation and a very bad temper." Sasha perked up and drooled. She reached out her hand to grab it. Mikasa pulled her scarf down, and with an impassive expression, ate the bread. With every crunch, Sasha seemed to deflate. She pouted but turned to Krista, grinning.

"Hi! I'm Sasha! I like food and Mik- I mean, miso soup! It's nice to meet you!"

Krista laughed. "I'm Krista, I like helping people and miso soup too!" Sasha blushed and turned away, mumbling under her breath.

Krista poked Mikasa's shoulder and asked her to elaborate. "What about that one girl that Reiner talked to? Isn't she the same?"

Mikasa shook her head. "No, Annie and I have a fierce rivalry, so this is a common occurrence. Annie does not lash out whenever she feels like it and prefers the company of Reiner and Bertholdt to anyone else. That other girl is a loner, and purposefully one too."

"I don't get it. If she's so bad, why hasn't she been expelled yet?"

"Ah! She is a very smart student, right up there with Mikasa and Armin!" Sasha exclaimed.

Mikasa nodded and tucked herself into her scarf. "Yes. Precisely. I'm sorry, Krista, but could you please stop asking me about her? It's not very polite to gossip."

Krista blushed and waved her hands around. "N-no, I should be the one to apologize! I've pried too much, but I was just curious."

Sasha laughed. "Oh, Krista, it's okay! Naturally, anyone who meets Ymir gets curious! It's fine!"

"Ymir?"

"That's her name."

The three turned around to see the same bald kid from before and a very tall black-haired boy with a gentle smile. The bald one sat behind Mikasa and the tall one sat behind Krista.

"Hello, my name is Bertholdt," the tall one greeted.

"Oh! Mikasa mentioned you! You're friends with Annie, right? I'm Krista, by the way."

Bertholdt chuckled and nodded. "Yes, Annie is a childhood friend. It's nice to meet you, Krista."

"Likewise."

"So what's this about Ymir?"

This one came from the other boy behind Mikasa.

"Connie! Introduce yourself to Krista!" Sasha scolded.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. The name's Connie, star basketball player of Rose Academy."

"Krista, new girl of Rose Academy."

"Haha, I like that. So, anyway, Ymir? What'd she do this time?"

"Connie!" Bertholdt warned.

"Whaaat? It's not like no one wonders or doesn't know!"

"Is Ymir really that bad?"

All four students stared at her like she was something they couldn't quite figure out. "Yes," Connie answered seriously, "she's the worst. She's nasty, mean and she'll make you feel like the worst person on Earth."

"But how do you know this?"

They looked at each other and Bertholdt sighed. "She never lets anyone get close to her. There are some things she's done in the past that have resulted in her current attitude. She will never accept help from anyone, never do anything for anyone, even the teachers. She hates people and she's a very selfish person."

"Wow, that's big, coming from you, Bertholdt," Connie remarked, leaning back.

Bertholdt's eyes flashed ominously for a second, but it quickly disappeared. Krista had caught it, however, and frowned. "There are some things you just don't know about, Connie..." he muttered lowly, but Krista was sharp enough to catch it.

She turned in her chair when the door opened and prepared her notes. This Ymir was turning out to be quite the mystery.

The mystery walked right in. Unfortunately, or fortunately, Ymir had to pass by Krista's lane in order to get to her usual spot in the back. Krista's eyes widened as Ymir passed. Her breath quickened and her heart rate accelerated. She needed to know: was Ymir as bad as she seemed? She lifted a hand and touched the girl's arm, ignoring Sasha's gasp. The brunette stopped moving and turned around slowly to face Krista. Her expression was blank, but Krista recognized the deep sadness and bitterness in her harsh, brown eyes that mirrored her own.

Ymir said nothing, her mouth twisting into a grimace. She simply wrenched her arm away and walked to a desk at the back of the class. Krista watched as she took out her writing supplies and laid her head on them, mindlessly daydreaming.

"See what I mean?" Connie whispered harshly.

Krista nodded, but deep inside she knew he was wrong. There was something about her, something special and different that no one else could see. How could they, if they didn't relate to her? Krista had been a loner almost all her life, she knew what it felt like to be ostracized so she could sympathize with the girl on some level.

But maybe…

The professor walked in, a bright lady with brown hair tied back and glasses perched on the bridge of her nose. "Hi, class! It's very nice to see old and new faces in here, so I hope we can all work together and have a great year!"

...maybe she didn't want sympathy?

Finally, lunch had arrived, and Krista was invited to sit with the whole gang outside, under a big oak tree. She met Marco there, and had taken a quick liking to him. Who wouldn't? He was very kind and gentle, and had the most sincere smile. His black, neatly trimmed hair and freckles only added to his charm. Connie was absent; he had to attend an emergency meeting for the basketball team.

"So, Krista, how was your day?" Eren asked, taking his lunch box from Mikasa.

"It's been great so far! I'm very glad to have met all of you, but where's Annie?" Krista said, looking for the blonde.

"Annie doesn't eat with us," Mikasa answered, "she's a lone wolf and prefers to indulge in quiet meals."

"You sure know a lot about Annie for just being your rival, huh, Mikasa?" Armin teased, smiling as he bit his sandwich.

Mikasa blinked, unimpressed, and turned to a fuming Sasha. "You're not jealous, are you?"

Sasha gasped and quickly engaged Krista into conversation. "SO, anything else you want to know about Ymir?"

The group gasped in unison and they stared at Krista. "What! Krista, is what Sasha said true? Are you interested in Ymir?" Reiner asked, eyes wide.

Krista nodded and was taken aback when Reiner stood up abruptly, stalking off. Bertholdt chased after him, apologizing in advance. Krista, shocked, found no response to this sudden development. What did Ymir do to make Reiner so upset at the mention of her? Eren approached her and put a hand to her shoulder.

"Listen, Krista, just forget about Ymir. Don't bother associating yourself with her, she'll only bring you down to her level," he advised.

"But I don't understand! Why? All you've said is that she's bad news and horrible, but none of you have ever given me any proof of her wrongdoings!" she argued.

"Well, we don't really know why Reiner hates her but we've all had bad encounters with her one way or another," Jean said, opening up his soda can.

"Like what?"

Jean waited for his soda to fizz, sipping a bit. "Like the one time me and her were partnered up last year for a History assignment. She called me a nuisance, ditched me and did all the work on her own. She got an A while I got an F."

Eren nodded. "Yeah, that makes sense. Jean failing, I mean."

Jean's soda spurted from his mouth on Marco, who complained and kicked Jean's stomach. "What did you say, Jaeger? That I'm gonna make you wear your ass for a hat?"

Eren stood up and glared at Jean. "No, I said that your failing grades are natural, dumbass."

Jean stood and shoved Eren. Mikasa sprung up, knocking Jean back and into Marco, who groaned in pain. "Eren, are you all right?" she asked, pulling him up.

"Yeah. Lunch is almost over, anyway, so we gotta get to class. See ya, Krista!"

Krista waved at the siblings and friend who left and turned to find Sasha snooping through her book bag. "Sasha, did you need something?"

"Foooooood!" Sasha drawled, drool seeping from her mouth. Krista laughed and pushed her lunch to Sasha.

"Here, it's your favourite: miso soup."

Sasha blushed.

The afternoon periods were the same as morning: mainly reviewing past lessons and building a stronger foundation in the students' memories. By her last period, she was alone with Eren, Marco and Jean in Home Economics. Their teacher, Levi, was leaning against the blackboard, arms and ankles crossed. He had a genre of a mushroom cut, except shorter, and his hair was black. His eyes were grey and bored. He wore a handkerchief over the front of his dress shirt. However, the most interesting thing about him was his shortness. Krista bit back a giggle. He was so short!

"Hello. I'm Levi, Home Ec. teacher and your worst nightmare. If you don't pass my class you're guaranteed to be a grade A idiot," he started, voice monotone.

He pushed himself off the board and grabbed a ruler, slapping it against his other palm. "Now, today we will be reviewing the curriculum for the trimester, so I best not hear any moans or bitching, alright? First, we'll start with cooking, then..."

Krista turned to the sounds of whispers and saw three boys pointing at her and sneaking glances at her. She raised an eyebrow, confused, but returned her eyes to Levi when he started to write notes on the board. Copying them down, Krista swore she felt someone's breath over her shoulder and whirled around to see Jean peeking above her head, looking sheepish.

"Sorry... I can't read Levi's writing, it looks like chicken scrawl," he admitted.

Krista giggled. "No problem! I'll pass them to you at the end of class so you can copy them. Just don't breathe on me like that."

Jean smirked and leaned back, glancing at Eren. He snickered to himself, ripping a sheet from his notebook and crumpling it up. He flung it at the back of Levi's head and immediately his expression shifted to innocence. Marco slapped his forehead and groaned loudly beside him. Levi turned around slowly, lowering the chalk from the board. His eyes went directly to Eren's form, hunched up over his notebook and dutifully scribbling his notes. With a sigh, Levi tossed his chalk at Eren's head, smirking at his indignant expression and returning to the board with another piece of chalk.

Eren clenched his fists and ground his teeth, pointing at Jean. "You bastard! I know you did it!" he whispered furiously.

"Did what?" Jean innocently replied, eyes wide.

Eren grunted, frowning, and returned to his notes, muttering under his breath. "Stupid Jean! Gonna kick his ass."

Levi looked at the clock and set his hand down. "Alright, class, we've got five minutes left, so if you want to chat with your friends, now's your time. Do not leave the room until the bell rings. Class dismissed."

The three boys from before stood up and approached Krista's desk, who had given her notes to Jean so he could copy them. Looking up, she blinked innocently and smiled. "Hi! Can I help you with something?"

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Jean look up from his notes and Eren tensing. "Yeah! Uh, well, we noticed you're new here, and you helped out our friend Dazz earlier, so we were wondering if you'd allow us to show you around town tonight. As a way of returning your kindness."

Krista's eyes lit up. More friends? Wow, these people were nicer than she thought! "Sure! I'd love to!"

"Great! We'll start right after–"

"Piss off," Eren snarled.

"Huh?"

Krista raised an eyebrow at Eren's furious expression and Jean's solemn face. Marco was behind her, hands on the back of her chair and glaring at the three boys who spoke to her.

"I said, piss off. She doesn't need you losers dragging her around town and using her like some sort of tool!" Eren spat viciously.

"Tool? Eren, I don't understand what you're saying. They just wanted to show me around," Krista tried, worried.

"Listen, Krista, I know you're new here but you never, ever, accept invitations from guys to go around town. Especially if they're in groups," Marco advised softly.

Krista nodded but jumped when one of the other boys slammed his hands on her desk. "Hey, the girl wants to go, so back off, you pussy!" he yelled

Jean grabbed the boy and slammed him backward, foot on his chest. "Marco's not a pussy, you jackass. Now you and your little buddies better scram before we show you why we're the strongest in the school."

Eren nodded, standing beside Jean and cracking his knuckles. Marco put his hand on Krista's shoulder and smiled down at her reassuringly. "Don't worry about these guys, we'll take care of them."

"You will do nothing of the sort," a voice sounded above... below them. Levi glared at the boys, arms crossed.

"May I ask why you pieces of shit are fighting in my class?" he demanded.

Eren approached the teacher and stared him down. "They were trying to take advantage of Krista. We told them to back off."

Levi hummed and turned to the boys. "Okay, your side of the story?" They hadn't interrupted Eren's version, because they knew Levi would lash out and punish them severely if they did not respect the speaking terms. The boys eagerly attempted to explain themselves.

"We wanted to take her out in the town, since she's new here! Honest, that's all it was!"

Levi scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Listen, I know she's a girl, and I understand your urge and need to get laid, but this isn't the way to do it. Not to mention, it's weird that three boys are going to show one girl around. Nice try, but if I catch something like this again, it's going to Erwin right away."

The boys trudged off, hands in their pockets and glares directed at Krista's friends and Levi. Levi sat on the desk in front of Krista and asked her to face him. "That was really stupid of you, just accepting their invitation like that."

"But how was I supposed to know they weren't sincere?"

Levi sighed. "Listen, just because they smile at you and say nice things doesn't mean they're all flowers and rainbows. This is reality, and you need to learn to defend yourself from other people and make choices you won't regret. Smart choices and dumb choices exist, and if Eren and Jean hadn't interrupted, you would've made a severely dumb choice and regretted it."

Krista frowned worriedly and stared at her desk. "Okay. I'm sorry, I'll be more careful next time."

Levi nodded, smirking. "Good. Jean, the next time you physically touch another student I'll shove my ruler up your ass so hard you'll be shitting wood for two weeks."

Jean gulped and blanched. "Okay. I won't do it again, professor."

The final bell rang, signalling the end of school, and Krista was glad to finally be let out. Sure, she enjoyed her day, but school could grate on anyone's nerves if endured for too long, especially when the teachers had such fluctuating personalities. Not to mention the strange boys she encountered today. She gripped the strap of her book bag tightly and exited the school building. She looked around, sighed but wasn't surprised when she couldn't find her mother's car. Well, she would prefer not to find it, since she had friends now who would be asking her questions about it.

Instead, she looked for Mikasa or Eren, and followed the back of a red scarf. In her haste, she accidentally tripped over her feet and fell forward into someone's arms. Gripping her saviour's forearms, Krista looked up and gasped, eyes wide.

It was her! It was Ymir, again!

Ymir's expression was neutral, and she pushed the small teen back on her feet. She was about to walk away when Krista grabbed her wrist. "Wait!"

"What do you want?" she snapped, frowning. She turned to face the blonde, and pulled but Krista tried her hardest to prevent the brunette from breaking her hold.

"I just," Krista gasped, "I just want to know your name!"

Ymir rolled her eyes. "You already know my name, idiot. Everyone in this whole goddamn school knows my name."

"I'm not an idiot and I want to hear it from you! It's your name, isn't it? When's the last time you properly introduced yourself?"

Ymir grinned wryly. "When I was sent to the principal's office for vandalism of school property."

"Please, I just want to know if the name they gave you is your real name."

Ymir blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Is 'Ymir' your real name?"

"Of course it is!" she snapped, slipping out of Krista's grasp, "now leave me the hell alone! You're wasting my time!"

"Ymir, stop!" Krista shouted, tackling the taller girl. She hooked herself around the girl's neck from behind, leading to Ymir's sudden loss of breath. She leaned forward and Krista climbed higher on the girl's back, easing her grip.

"Please, Ymir? Can't we just have a formal introduction? It is my first day at school after all..."

Ymir's eye twitched. She brought her arms up to grasp the blonde's arms and pushed her away. Krista complied, sliding down the teen's back and tensing, ready for another approach if she resisted again. Ymir chuckled and put a hand to her forehead, closing her eyes and slouching. "You really are persistent," she muttered.

Krista merely smiled.

"If I introduce myself do you promise to leave me alone?"

Krista put her hands behind her back and nodded, fingers crossed. "I promise."

"The name's Ymir. It's been horrible meeting you."

"I'm Krista, and it's great to finally meet you, Ymir."

Krista entered her mother's car, which had finally pulled up an hour after school was dismissed. After Ymir introduced herself, the tall brunette had turned on her heel and walked away, not even sparing another glance behind. It hurt Krista, but she supposed the girl had a reputation to uphold and maybe didn't want to be seen socializing. Krista, however, wanted to change that. She'd been a witness to Ymir's attitude, and she thought it fake, since the brunette had been kind enough to listen to her request rather than completely ignoring and leaving her. Maybe she believed Krista's promise to be sincere, and the blonde suddenly felt guilty for deceiving the brunette like she did, but she didn't have a choice! She needed to pull the layers of concrete off of Ymir in order to bring out her true self and prove the student body wrong in their assumptions.

Krista was aware her mother was staring at her, but ignored it, staring out the window with her chin on her book bag. Mrs. Reiss sighed and pulled out of the school's driveway, going down the road. Krista's mind was reeling from the day's events, she could hardly believe it! She'd made great friends, caught up to her classes, and even got the school's meanest person to talk to her! Surely this was some sort of great accomplishment? Would her mother think so too? Krista shook her head, lips pulled down. No, her mother told her not to associate with delinquents, and she was sure Ymir qualified as one. She'd have to keep this a secret from her parents, since they would disapprove immediately upon hearing the news.

Tomorrow, Krista would continue to seek information from her new friends, regardless of their warnings. It was hot air, she told herself. Rumours are nothing but hot air.

She reached into her pocket, coming into contact with the cherry blossoms from the morning, and smiled.