Selenia stood, lining up with the rest of the students. In front of him, a towering instructor stood. He glanced at the group critically. Some of them felt pressured, some of them did not. Certainly, the man had a note-worthy presence, and unlike many of the other instructors, he had battle experience that made him a hardened soldier.

Out of all the classes so far, this only looked the most promising. But Selenia was distracted, her mind elsewhere. What are you trying to do?

---

It was lunch period. Her magical theory class had just ended. Selenia was exempt from magical classes that required their cadets to cast magic, but she was not exempt from theory classes. This served two purposes: first, it provided credits for her to graduate. Second, a warrior had to know how magic worked even if that warrior chose not to use it (or more accurately, was not able to use it). A SeeD soldier had to be prepared, and know what to expect. Much to Selenia's gripe, they wanted their recruits to fight with their heads, instead of letting themselves be caught in what they referred as "heat of battle"; for her, nothing was better than letting mind and body react naturally.

Like most of the young recruits that had lunch on this period, Selenia headed to the cafeteria. The place was pretty big, as it allowed most of the students to have lunch at the same time. Lunch extended itself between this period, and the next one, so as to allow room for everyone to be sat. Even so, the cafeteria connected directly with a mid-sized garden, a place that students also used for having their meals on the sun. The grass was carefully trimmed, and a few trees provided shade. White benches were placed alongside the narrow paths that divided the green fields composing this small resting place. Selenia usually took her meal here most of the times, since it was hard to find an unused table, not to mention she preferred to eat alone rather than listen to idle chatter.

It was her turn to decide which food she wanted in her tray. She wasn't very picky, and just chose whatever she thought at the moment. Selenia noted the importance of a balanced meal, but sometimes she didn't care. Today, though, she wasn't eating junk food: some pieces of meat loaf cut thin, pumpkin purée, and a side of asparagus with olive oil and salt.

Considering today's food, however, she would need a table indoors. She was searching for a spot, unsuspecting that three cadets were glancing at her from a table.

"That's the one that hit Samantha with a wooden sword in the arm?" Asked one with spiky, orange hair, who was facing towards the direction Selenia was approaching.

His two mates turned around to verify. "Yeah, that's her," confirmed one. "It was during spar, though, so she can get off with it. I feel sorry for Samantha, though. She said it hurt."

"Yeah," acknowledged the third one. "Not to mention, Samatha's hot and you can't just do that to a hot chick." He grinned. The cadet next to him grinned too, but the one with spiky orange hair looked at Selenia intently.

"Who says she can get away with it?" He prompted.

The two other recruits looked half-puzzled, and half-anxious. "What are you going to do, Jared?" Asked one of them.

This time, Jared was the one to grin. "Follow my lead, and when I get up from the table, you guys take your trays and follow me." He dug his hand into his pocket, and took out a wallet. He searched a bit, before he took out a couple of bills and looked satisfied, stashing away his wallet. By now, Selenia was almost passing to the side of the table, not paying attention to them. When she was almost next to Jared, he stuck out his leg so bluntly, he almost kicked Selenia's. Unsuspecting, Selenia tripped on the leg, dropping the tray with her untouched food in the process but regaining her balance, and avoiding the fall. The tray fell face down into the ground. The purée splattered past the square tray, and the oil of the side dish was already spreading out on the ground. All the food had gone to waste.

The loud clank made a several heads turn. Those who knew Selenia, either gasped, or keep watching, expecting trouble to arise. Several other students simply resumed what they were doing, putting it off as an accident. The farthest one of the three cadets snorted, while the other forcibly suppressed his laugh. Jared had a triumphant grin plastered over his face, and he was only half way through his scheme. He crumbled up the bills and tossed them at Selenia. They hit her body, and fell to the ground.

"There you go; for your next meal. Samantha sends her regards, bitch." He got up with his tray, and his companions did the same. But just as he was about to do so, Selenia spoke.

"Where the fuck do you think you're going?"

Jared's face switched to scorn. "Oh, I'm sorry. You want me to pick that up for you...?"

Selenia's eyes that were looking at her tray, fixed on Jared. Jared reflexes weren't quick enough. Selenia closed in, and socked him a clean left before he had managed to drop his tray. The fist smacked the side of his face hard, and made him fall backwards due of the bench. Food fell to the sides, but otherwise the tray made it safely to the table. The cadet closest to her quickly moved to Selenia, but was in turn slammed by his punched friend's tray. The third one tried to get away from between the bench and the table, but Selenia leapt on to the table, and kicked him flat in the chest. By now, Jared was up again, red with anger and with a sore cheek. He spat blood.

Shouts of "fight, fight, fight" filled the cafeteria. Some cadet from the crowd tried to grapple Selenia when she got off the table to stop the fight, but she kicked his legs on one side, and chopped him with the opposite hand in the other side, making him lose his balance and fall flat on the ground. Another cadet tried to stop Jared, but he shoved him away with a wild swing of his arm. He charged towards her, but she rammed the hilt of one of her katanas right in his solar plexus. Jared gasped for air as he went to the ground.

Selenia picked up a tray from one of the cadets in Jared's group. She took it towards gasping Jared, and let all the food splatter over him. Just as the last of the meal fell off, the fight had been neutralized. Jared's group was being held by many people from the crowd, and an instructor stood behind Selenia.

"Miss Selenia," she called irritated.

"It wasn't her fault," replied another voice to a question that was imminent. That prissy voice. I know it from somewhere... Selenia turned, only to find Erin amongst the crowd. She had that confident smile again. Not for long. "The boy over there tripped Selenia purposely, and actually tossed the money to her all crumbled up to repay for the food, after calling her, if I may be excused for using such a word, 'bitch'. I believe he had no intention whatsoever of apologizing."

"I see," replied the instructor present digesting her account. "Still, I would like to have a word with you two, Jared, Selenia." Before she followed the instructor out of the cafeteria, Erin gave off one last grin at her as if delighted.

What are you trying to do? I will still fight with you, she thought, but said nothing.

---

Her mind returned to the moment at present. The instructor seemed ready to begin with his class.