Butterfly Kisses ((MARCO BOTT X OC - ANNIE LEONHART X OC))

Chapter 1

"You know about my mom?" Amelia look surprised. Marco laughed.

"Well, yeah, everyone does," he gestured around the room. "She's a legend."

"I knew she was good, but I didn't know she was that good." Amelia looked bewildered at the thought of her own mother's popularity, and the look on her face made Marco laugh again.

"I don't think it's anything to be ashamed or embarrassed about," he reassured sweetly. "Are you following in her footsteps?"

"You could say that," Amelia chuckled. "What about you? Which regiment do you plan on joining?"

"The Military Police of course!" Marco looked proud and straightened up.

"Woah, the elites," Amelia mused. "You'll have to score in the top ten for a chance at the MPs."

"I know, it'll be hard work," Marco laughed halfheartedly and palmed the back of his neck. "But I'm prepared to do my best."

"I'll be rooting for you then." Amelia and Marco shared another laugh together before an unnamed soldier came into the mess hall announcing the commencement of role call.

"Looks like it's time to head out," Marco said as the pair got to their feet. "Getting nervous yet?"

"Hell no!" Amelia fist bumped the air. "If anything, I'm getting more excited. The first day of the rest of our lives, y'know?"

"I never thought of it that way," Marco grinned crookedly whilst scratching his cheek with his index finger. "Say, why don't you look for me again at dining hour? Couldn't hurt to have a friend during the next three years."

"Yeah, I definitely will," Amelia agreed cheekily, and from there, the two went their separate ways. "See you again soon!"

__________

Trainee Commander Keith Shadis walked the line of soon-to-be-soldiers with eyes that could kill. The look on his face was set in an unkind glare, and he flicked his gaze upon those before him with his arms crossed behind his back. The silence that had long since settled among Amelia and the others was borderline uncomfortable, and she fought the urge to shift on the soles of her feet.

"Hey you, Mop Top!" Suddenly, Shadis' attention was directed toward a short blond boy a few rows ahead of Amelia, and the sound of his shout made her tense up.

"Sir!" The boy acknowledged him with a salute.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Armin Arlert from Shinganshina, sir!"

The name struck a chord of familiarity in Amelia, and she found herself leaning forward unnoticeably to try and catch a glimpse at his face. She failed.

"Why would your parents curse you with such a dumb name?" Shadis' tone was incredulous. The mean expression on his face remained unchanged.

"It was my grandfather's, sir!" Armin didn't flinch under Shadis' ridicule, and despite the Commander's eyes boring right into his face, he kept his head straight, looking forward.

"Why are you here?" Shadis bent down closer to Armin's face.

"To contribute to humanity's victory, sir!" Armin replied thereafter.

"How admirable," Shadis said mockingly whilst palming the top of Armin's head and turning him around."You'll be a great lightweight snack for them. About face, runt."

The action finally allowed Amelia to get a look at his face, and once she had, she immediately recognized him. From where, she wasn't quite sure.

"And who the hell are you?" Shadis continued in antagonizing the new recruits while Amelia concentrated on Armin's face. She had all but zoned out on the Commander entirely until his body obscured her view of whom it had been that she was staring at.