There is No Point to This Story

A/N: Like it says in the title, there's no point to this. It's written from the reader's perspective and I think by the end it will explain itself. Message me if it confuses you I suppose J

Also, this is a one shot so THERE WILL BE NO UPDATES TO THIS STORY.

"And you managed to capture him?" you ask in amazement.

"Yeah well, it was actually pretty easy once we got our hands on one of the brats he babysits." the man you're following says with a grin. "People always talk about his strength and skill, but they never talk about his weaknesses. They want to believe he's the brave hero who'll save humanity from the titans and all that, but when he's forced to the ground he's just like the rest of us.

"So clearly you don't think he's strong at all?" you question.

"Oh, he's damn strong! But not stronger than a trained bounty hunter like me."

"I see."

As you continue to follow the bounty hunter through the dark gloomy dungeon you think about why the Military Police decided to send you on this errand. When they told you that Captain Levi had been captured as a prisoner of the MP you were surprised. When they told you that you were in charge of bringing him to the capital you were even more surprised. Why was the Military Police going against the Captain? Did they have some point to make? Had he committed a crime? No one had explained anything to you except for that they wanted him alive inside Wall Shina by tomorrow. It left you very confused.

As you turn a corner your mind drifts to the bounty hunter. Who was he? He never gave you a name. He reminds you of a butcher that used to live next door to you, large in stature but intimidating like he could slice you up and sell you as meat. You decide to call him Butch, but you wonder why the Military Police are involved with him. And more importantly, why did the Military Police have to hire a bounty hunter to capture the Scouting Legion's second in command?

You're train of thought is halted when the hunter stops and holds the torch up to a dim gloomy cell.

"Ah, here we are." he says gesturing for you to come look. "Behold the mighty Captain Levi in his rightful place: behind bars where he can't hurt anyone." he said mockingly.

You peer into the darkness and see before you an unpleasant sight. The man the hunter referred to as strong and powerful looks anything but that. He is kneeling on the ground with his arms chained behind his back. His neck has a collar around it that attached to the wall opposite the door. What you could tell used to be a Scouting Legion uniform was torn and shredded and through the rips and tears you can see dark lines which you assume to be bloody gashes. The patches bearing the wings of freedom are also covered in dark stains. You can't make out his face because it is hanging low against his chest, but the top of his dark hair is caked in what looks like dirt. Even with the dim lighting you can see how defeated this man looks and you don't like it.

"Just look at him." the large man spat. "Disgusting rat. And they call him Humanity's Strongest Soldier, as if he's done more for the sake of humanity than the common soldier."

It's true, you think. Captain Levi's fame was spread throughout the interior of the walls. Stories about his mysterious past and his amazing skill with the 3DMG were told everywhere. There were some stories that you were sure must have been exaggerated but were still true. He wasn't called Humanity's Strongest without reason, but the man in front of you couldn't possibly be the same man that people told these stories about. That man was strong and powerful. This man looks vulnerable and weak.

"You're sure that this is Captain Levi?" you ask raising your eyebrow.

"Do I look like I mess around, sonny?" Butch says with a slightly threatening tone.

"No, no! Of course not!" you hurriedly respond. "It's just, he looks so…uh pathetic I guess…I ah, suppose I expected someone…b-bigger?" you stutter.

The hunter gives you a quizzical look and says "Eh, whatever. Point is he's in here and not out there…"

An awkward silence spans out for a moment as the large man zones out, lost in memory. Unsure of what to do you clear your throat and ask "Did he do something to you?"

The man snaps out of his daze and registers what you said. His complexion goes dark and something vicious flashes in his eyes. "What's it to you? You're just scum from the inner sanctum!"

You take an instinctive step away from the man. Based on Butch's reaction you wager that he has in fact encountered the Captain before. You decide not to probe the thought any further.

"Okay then" you say returning your gaze to the damp cell. "How exactly are we moving him out?"

"Good question" he answers redirecting his attention to the Captain. "Let me show you." He reaches into one of his pockets and pulls out a set of keys. Moving over to the cell door, he plunges one of the keys into the lock and turns it until a click echoes through the damp hallway.

"Hold this" he says holding out the torch to you. You take it as he opens the door to the cell. He walks in, but passes Levi heading for the far side of the cage.

"Bring that light here!" he commands. You jump a little at the order, but do as he says. Upon entering the cell you are suddenly able to make out more of the Captain and you immediately wish you hadn't entered.

The man looks even worse in the light. Gashes and cuts cover his entire body, especially his arms which look like they were clawed by a wolf. You can see that patches of his hair are missing. The front of his shirt is shredded and behind the tears are more cuts. In fact, his shirt is more brown and red than it is white. Some stains are bright red which tells you several of the cuts are fresh. You can only imagine the variety of infections that this man has from the wet moldy cell.

You've seen carcasses look better than this man before you. Part of you wonders if he's even alive. But no, his chest appears to be slightly moving with each small breath he breathes. He's alive.

As you move behind him you don't want to look at his back, but you do. After a split second of gazing at the bloody mess of his back you look away. It's too much. You were never particularly sheltered from pain and suffering living inside wall Shina, but the sight of anyone enduring something so awful is more than you can stand to see right now.

The hunter has stooped down a meter or two in front of you to look for something. A moment passes and he stands with something in his hand. He turns and you see it's a brick.

"Wha-" you start to say, but he cuts you off.

"This is how we're getting him out. Watch."

So you do. He walks over to the chained Captain and before you register what's happening he smashes the brick into the back of the defenseless man's head. The tension in Levi's arms and back drains as he slumps forward.

You immediately protest "What was that for!? You probably just killed him!" You rush to the crumpled form and hold his head up to check for a pulse. It's tricky to feel his neck with the large metal collar keeping him contained, but you manage to make out a faint but steady beat. You shoot a disapproving glare at the hunter, but the man just gives you a sickening grin that speaks volumes about his cruelty.

"That was the fun part. Now we have to drag him out of here." You decide, regardless of any affiliation this man has with the Military Police, you want to be very far away from him very soon.

While you support an unconscious Levi, the hunter unlocks his chains. The longer you gaze at the wounds on the Captain's distressed body the more you sympathize with him. Your questions grow and repeat themselves. Why do the Military Police want Humanity's Strongest in chains? Since when do they torture other trusted members of the military? You question your values too. Is this what you stand for? You help the Military Police because you believe they will bring a better tomorrow. You believe in humanity, but there's nothing humane about this type of treatment, even for an enemy.

When all the chains are off, Butch lifts one of the Captain's limp arms and pulls him onto his shoulder. You do the same on his opposite side being careful to hold the torch away from anyone. You both begin to drag the captain out of the cell and into the dark hallway.

No words are exchanged on the trip back out of the dungeon. Thoughts spin through your head faster than horses. You're confused, but you want to be away from the bounty hunter more than you want answers so you continue walking. And you keep walking. You feel Levi stirring on your shoulder, but he never wakes up. You feel terrible for the poor man, but you just want out. You want to be done with this horrifying mission for the Military Police and maybe when you get back to Shina you'll quit. You don't know. All you can do is keep walking through the dirty hall. Keep walking…

And there's the door! You've never seen anything look so hopeful! You hurry to it and almost rip it open; you want to be out so bad!

The cool night washes over you and you breathe a sigh of relief while drinking in the sight of the stars.

"Over here" you motion Butch to the right. Your horse and wagon wait next to a tree. A cage sits in the wagon for Captain Levi and Butch wastes no time dragging Levi over to it. You hand off the Captain to Butch and dig in your pocket for the key to the cage. Almost before it's unlocked he throws the unconscious man into it and slams it shut. You lock it and tuck the key safely away noticing how Butch watches you do it.

"You make sure not to let him out, got it kid? If you do I WILL find him and you and I'll kill the both of you. That rat doesn't deserve to live and if the Military Police weren't offering me a hefty sum…well, it wouldn't be such a nice night for the little captain." You swallow and nod your head. "Which reminds me," he continues. "Where is that hefty sum?"

Right! The money! You quickly run to your horse and dig in the saddle bag for the bag of currency. You promptly find it and rush it back over to Butch. Now that Levi is out of the way you worry that the bounty hunter will snap at you and strangle you with his huge hands if you upset him in anyway.

"So, that's everything I think…" you say slowly.

Butch dumps the coins into his hand and counts them. "Certainly seems that way, doesn't it."

"I'll be on my way then" you say turning back to your horse. You can feel Butch's eyes on you while you walk over to and mount your horse.

As you whip the reins to set your horse on the path back home Butch calls out. "Don't forget what I said! I will find you if you let him lose!"

You shudder inadvertently and whip your horse again. Please just get me away from here, you think.

You move further and further away from the wretched dungeon and Butch and deeper into the night. It would be another few hours before you reached Wall Shina. This was going to be a long ride. You can only hope that morning will bring some light and that as the physical darkness fades from the world it will take with it the dark desires of men.

Yup. So that's all. Hoped it was written clearly and made sense.

Cheers!

-C