This is my first fan fic, please be kind in your reviews! Disclaimer: I do not own Attack on Titan, that honor belongs to Isayama Hajime-sensei.
Dear Mr. Ral,
I regret to inform you that your daughter, Petra Ral, was killed in action during…
Dammit, I can't write that kind of letter, nor do I think that you deserve it. You probably guessed the truth, when I refused to acknowledge you upon the Survey Corps' return to Karanese District. You deserved a response, rather than my cold silence, and a reason for your daughter's death. This is it: humanity's so-called "greatest soldier" is a coward. A spineless bastard who couldn't even face up to a caring father. Why the hell couldn't I swallow my damn pride and just tell you straight? I'm sure those idiots who call themselves the Military Police have been to your home and informed you of Petra's brutal death with all the sensitivity of a rock. Bastards. All they know of loss is an empty bottle of booze. But I lost something that cannot be replaced. I truly cared for your daughter but saying you care about those under your command doesn't carry much weight, if all you have to show for it are bodies you couldn't even bring home and filthy, bloody hands. How the hell could I have escaped with just a busted ankle, when your daughter was killed like an insect? I could say I should have died in her place, but what good would that do? I could say she died for the "good of humanity", but we all know that's a load of crap. Humanity didn't advance one damn inch towards defeating the titans, just like every damn time the Survey Corps has ever left these damn walls. What could I tell you about your daughter that you don't already know? Was she beautiful? What does a rat from the Underground know about beauty? Was she kind? What place does kindness have in this world? Though Petra certainly was kind. She was the first in my squad to have true compassion for Eren. She had compassion for everyone, even for that fool, Auruo. Is it wrong to speak that way of the dead? Probably. After all, he wasn't any more of a fool than "Humanity's Greatest Soldier." Who came up with that shit? What a joke! Could I have done anything different? Probably not. Humanity won't ever change, and neither will I. I will always be a coward.
Dear Mr. Ral,
I regret to inform you that your daughter, Petra Ral, was killed in action during the Survey Corps' 57th expedition outside the walls. Regrettably, it was not possible to recover her remains. I am deeply sorry for your loss.
Respectfully,
Captain Levi Ackerman