All of this about graduation, forming a team, forming bonds. It sounded redundant and frankly boring. Combat training had long since ceased and the last few days were spent going over more fundamental, menial tasks. At least that's how Alois viewed it. He was always most at home when active, particularly in combat, real or otherwise. He needed that excitement to interest him, otherwise he was hard pressed to show interest. That hadn't inhibited his progress in training though, he was also keen to show the other recruits he wasn't some layabout. As such he had ended up in the top 10 students, the second best in fact. Many people had a hard time either accepting or believing he'd done so well, he didn't exactly come across as the ideal soldier. Perhaps that was why he was so good though, appearances could be deceiving after all. With his boyish looks, long red hair braided back into a ponytail it was no wonder he'd been a laughing stock when arriving three years ago. Well, who was laughing now?

While some of it may have been pedantic, Alois would be hard pressed to say he truly hated these last few years. Compared to living at home it was a thrill, even the worst of it. And he had made some friends, somehow, particularly those in his squad. And his mother had always chided him that his behavior would alienate him, like hell. He fit right in with the others around here. It took a special sort to want to do what they were, particularly those he was with now. Sure, even by their standards he was a bit off, but they were hardly free of labeling themselves. He was in exceptional shape, had friends, and a job. The turnover rate might suck, but hell, the perks were why he chose it. To go beyond the walls, slay Titans, see the world for what it really was. Inside the walls was an illusion, what humanity wanted the world to be like. Beyond those was the reality, and everyone tried to shut that out. Damn it, he was through living in a fantasy world, he wanted to experience the real thing. And the military promised plenty of that, certainly with his joining the Survey Corps if all went to plan. 

Everyone was gathered in their bunkhouse for the moment, taking a reprieve from their hectic schedules. It was in here that they as a squad had spent countless hours, chatting, sleeping, preparing. Whereas the training grounds were their workplace this building had become their home, and it certainly reflected that. With only one female in their group it was easy to tell that boys lived here, even with the strict military standards. Often they would keep their spaces clean, both to keep Ava off of their asses as well as the instructors. Alois himself was busy reading a book on battle tactics, or more like staring at the pages blankly. His right leg was bouncing irritably from sitting still, he wanted to get back to training already. Hearing Ava address them all he was going to ignore it, piquing up when Tinker began to speak instead. That wasn't his real name of course, just something they gave him since he was always working with things. He had a real knack for making all sorts of devices, probably some that would save his life someday. A few Alois had been keen on testing himself, though it was difficult to test a weapon on a living subject when your options were people or people. Understandably his squadmates had constantly told him that wasn't allowable, and he had begrudgingly agreed every single time. He'd not shoot to kill, but shooting someone in the foot wasn't all bad, right?

Ava looked like she was on her way out, and Tinker seemed to be preparing as well. If they were going then he'd take the excuse to join them, scarcely wanting to stay seated any longer. Setting the book on his bed by the pillow, Alois got to his feet, smirking as he reached up and rubbed at his head. "Depends, you gonna let me shoot someone for a change if I help you?" he asked, eying the weapon curiously. Feeling eyes boring into him the redhead rolled his own eyes, scoffing under his breath. "Kidding! Christ, you all can't take a joke." He wasn't some maniac murderer, he wouldn't actually kill someone. Not outright anyways, that would be so complicated. He did have a tendency to get a little carried away though, evidenced by his mishaps during training. Not that he ever ended up in a poor state, but those he sparred with tended to. Most of their fellow recruits he didn't mind hurting either, especially the ones looking into the Military Police. Those cowards didn't deserve to call themselves soldiers, hiding behind the walls, eating all the time and getting fat. Some fight for humanity that was.

"I got something to say! Tinker is right, we shouldn't relax just because we're at the end. In fact, we should put more effort in than we have been. You know, scare the crap out of the others with how determined we are! Especially those cushy-ass Military Police wannabes," Alois said, voicing his thoughts now. That was a fairly mutual consensus among their group, no one here was fond of those recruits. There was obviously appeal to it, their lives would be better than they had been as civilians. But joining the military should mean risking yourself and protecting people, not sitting around all day. If you survived and lived to a ripe old age then fine, you earned it. But teens like them were just being selfish. "We should remind our classmates why we're the best squad there is around here, don't you think? I'd hate for someone to think we're going to get all soft now that training is coming to an end."