Saviors [GiyuShino] [Apocolypse AU]

Chapter Five: Training

"Doctor."

I look up from my notes. "Hmm? Did you need something, Captain?"

"Bring your sisters to the courtyard. I want to test your skill in battle. It'll help me decide how I want to go about protecting you." the Captain explains blankly.

I nod, smiling. "Sure! I assure you, you won't be disappointed."

I mean what I say. I've trained myself and my girls diligently almost every single day without fail. We probably would have been able to survive the coming apocalypse even if the government hadn't sent soldiers out to protect us. I'm still grateful for the help, as it will allow me to better focus on my research, but they do not have to patronize us.

I quickly finish my notes, put them away, and stride out the door to round up my sisters. It doesn't take me long. I always know exactly where to find them.

"They want to test us? Why? Do they think we're useless or something?" Aoi asks indignantly. "We never even asked for their protection!"

I laugh nervously. I understand why Aoi is annoyed. "Aoi, they aren't trying to be rude. They're just taking some precautions to make sure nothing bad happens when the zombies invade. I think the Captain is just bad at talking to people."

Kanao nods. " Big Sister is right. I think the soldiers have good intentions." she says quietly.

It surprises me. Kanao never trusts people so easily. The fact that she trusts these soldiers means that they must be very kind people.

Aoi shares my thoughts. She closes her mouth and nods. "Okay."

"Let's go!" Naho, Kiyo and Sumi say at the same time. They sound excited.

I grin and lead the way to the courtyard.

"Yoo-hoo!" I call, getting the soldiers attention.

They smile and wave at us to join them.

"The Captain just told us to come out here. I wonder why." Tanjiro wonders. "Knowing him, it's probably some kind of training exercise."

"Oh no! It won't be dangerous will it? We can't let the girls get hurt, right?" Zenitsu squawks, waving his arms around in a frenzy. "Captain Tomioka is insane sometimes!"

Inosuke punches his friend's shoulder. "Stop being so loud! I don't care what it is, as long as I can fight someone!" he yells.

"You're so rowdy." Aoi remarks. "Would it kill you to stop screaming?"

Inosuke opens his mouth to say something, but seems to think better of it. "Hmph." he huffs. He folds his arms across his chest and glares at the gravel.

"Um, Tanjiro? Did he say when he would get here?" Kanao asks.

I'm surprised again. She directed the question at a specific person, and the person she directed it at is someone she doesn't know that well. I watch how he responds.

"I don't think so. The Captain gets late sometimes." Tanjiro responds with another kind smile, although for some reason, this smile looks even brighter.

How cute.

If he ever hurts her feelings, I'll give him a piece of my mind.

"I'll just arrange matches between you girls and my soldiers. No weapons."

I whirl around. The Captain stands in the doorway with his usual emotionless face.

"Okay. But how do we decide who wins the match?" I ask.

"The first person to knock their opponent down wins." he says.

Kanao fights Tanjiro first and almost wins. Tanjiro falls towards the floor, but manages to catch himself and tries to pull her down. She jumps out of his grasp.

"It's a draw. You're taking too long." the Captain announces.

Aoi fights Inosuke next. She holds her own against him for a while, but Inosuke eventually beats her with an attack aimed at the backs of her knees.

Naho, Kiyo and Sumi all fight against Zenitsu, and they manage to stay in the game for a good amount of time.

Nezuko fights her brother, almost bringing him down before he twists around and trips her.

I'm proud of them. I can see how much they've improved from the day I first met them. Finally, it's time for the final match.

I'll be fighting the Captain himself.

The Captain makes the first move. He lashes out a foot in an attempt to kick my ankles. I almost feel insulted. The move is so basic and so easy to avoid. I pretend to trip and let myself fall. When I'm almost to the ground I spin around and kick the back of one of his knees and twist his arm behind his back, a move that would force most people to their knees.

He looks surprised. And impressed. But of course he knows how to get out of that hold.

I jump away from him and land gracefully on the lowest branch of a tree.

He takes a sharp breath. I'm immediately struck with an idea. I jump down and pretend to put up a fight. I control the outcome of the fight with the moves I use, and eventually he puts me in a headlock, just as I'd planned.

I smile and snap my foot up towards his face. He underestimated my strategic abilities and my flexibility.

He gapes, but reacts quickly. He lets go of me and my foot connects with his shoulder instead of his face, where I'd been aiming. I quickly pull my foot away from him and kick his ankle in exactly the spot that would make it give way. He loses his footing and drops to his knees. But before I can kick him to the floor, he moves to bring me to the floor.

He's surprisingly fast, but so am I. I'm able to dodge just enough so that he can't completely bring me down. Our match ends in a draw. I'm not surprised.

I've been trained thoroughly in fighting and I started when I was just four years old. Its safe to say my skill level is about equal to that of a military captain. But in a real battle, the Captain would be worth more than me as a soldier. He's had more experience, so he would be of more use in a war against a large group of enemies.

"You were right. I am not disappointed." he says quietly. "As expected. The messenger was right."

The messenger who assigned him his mission must have told him something. But from the shocked looks on the other soldier's faces, they didn't receive that same information he did. The messenger must have told him something after the Captain's subordinates had left.

A/N: I've never written an actual fight scene before, so it may not be that great. And I didn't want to make the chapter too long either. But I'll improve! Please give me feedback in the comments (if possible)! :D