The heavy weight of the revolver in her hands does not fully register in her mind until she's led to one of the interrogating rooms.
Out of all the rooms in the headquarters, she likes these the least. It always reeks of dried blood and other bodily fluids, and Petra has to force back her dinner down her throat. Even after being in the Legion for almost a year, she is still not used to this place.
There are three interrogating rooms in total and for whatever reason they brought to her one, she is much more confused when they brought her to the empty one. The walls are dirty and streaked with fluids, human or not she does not really know, the floor is full of dirt and grime, and Petra winces when she feels something crunch under her heel. Definitely something else there. Just like all the other rooms where interrogations are held, there is a light bulb hanging in the middle but unlike the other two, there are no tools present and there's only a stool in the middle.
Inwardly, she wonders why she's brought here though and with a loaded gun, especially.
She hears the cough from the taller man from her back, and is surprised to see such a hard look on his face. Erwin Smith, a man with the weight of humanity on his shoulders, even with his pale and smooth skin, his face not wrinkled by age and well kept blonde hair, he still looks years older.
"Petra Ral." He says.
Standing straight in reply, Petra raises her head at him in respect. "Sir."
"You've done well after all this time." Erwin complements, and she nods at his words.
It is true, she had done so well in training and now she's about to picked by the Legion's best operative to be in their squad. Though knowing all that, she still has to ask.
"But sir, why am I called here?"
As if he had known, the Commander slightly smirks at her and Petra raises a brow in confusion. Did she do something wrong? If so, why had they given her a loaded gun when they could have done something else or much worse?
"I know you have completed your training with high marks no less." The Commander starts, folding his hands in his back and standing up much straighter and authoritatively like the former Army General that he is. "But I have to be sure that you are genuinely ready."
The shorter woman scrunches her brows at this revelation. How could she not be ready? He indeed said that she had gotten high marks but what other criterion is she missing in order to be officially called as one of them?
Commander Smith must have noticed her confusion and apparent frustration because he speaks up again, regaining the attention of his subordinate, and further explains.
"It's not that I, we, have seen anything wrong with your performance." He reassures her but Petra furrows her brows even deeper because there is something that he is hiding but she doesn't know what. "I assure you, it is anything but."
She fiddles with barrel of the revolver, careful enough not to play with the trigger even with the safety on. Not knowing what exactly this is leading towards, she had to keep her hands occupied or else she will lose her filter. She wants an answer, desperately so and just when she is about to ask for a clarification, a knock on the door interrupts them both.
Erwin glances at the door behind him before saying. "I would just like to test your loyalty."
Confused, she watches the Commander walk towards the wooden door and opens it to reveal Levi Ackerman, the operative who she is about to submitting to soon, hands bound behind his back and blindfolded.
Suddenly, she feels her blood dry run and the pistol in her hand go heavier.
Somehow, she understands where this is heading.
Looking back at her, Erwin leads the bounded man by his back and carefully leads him to the stool placed in the middle. The shorter man grunts as he's literally being shoved.
Once the raven haired man is properly seated, the Commander gives her one direct order.
"Shoot him."
Petra is beyond astounded. "What?"
"Shoot him." He repeats, tone hardening.
Having no choice, she aims the muzzle towards him in between his eyes. Petra think she sees him flinch when she tries to turn off the safety, but she must be hallucinating.
This is a dream - no, this is a nightmare and if there is any other way to know why she is told to do this, Petra does it.
"Tell me why." She says resolutely.
This time it is Commander Smith who raises a brow in confusion.
She repeats again. "Tell me why."
"A test of loyalty." He answers simply. "The Legion only wants the best to submit themselves fully to the organization after all."
"What if he dies?" She asks because why indeed?
This man had been the face of the Legion for a long time. Publicly named Humanity's Notorious Assassin for a reason. If he should die, them what happens to the guild?
"Then he dies." Is his simple reply.
Petra trains her eyes at the man before her, the man had been her mentor. The mentor who had taught her so much she needed to know. The mentor that she has come to admire and aspire to be the best. Levi had been her greatest motivator ever since joining them.
That answer doesn't make it any better.
"No."
She lets her hand fall down to her side, feeling the metal barrel hit her side. Safety still off.
"No?"
"This is cruel." She states, eyes burning on the taller man. He doesn't seem to falter under her gaze "Utterly cruel of you to throw away your best pawn for someone like me to take his place."
"You'll be removed from the Legion if you don't." Erwin warns.
Petra chuckles at the warning. "Please, killing the most dangerous killer is much worse than that."
"Even worse than your own?" He comments.
Petra laughs even harder at that. Really now? Who would miss her? "There's no one left for me."
And it's true. She was abandoned by both of her parents when she was so young. Petra's aunt brought her in after they left her off but she was no family. Later on, Petra decided to ran away, living her own life: strategically thinking of ways to get money for her needs until he came.
He, who is now bounded in the chair. Life threatened by the girl he saved.
Deciding that this a far much better option. She presses the muzzle of the revolver to the side of her temple. Index finger, caressing the trigger.
Erwin smirks at her in amusement.
"It is a shame if you pull that trigger now." He supplies. "You were one of the best candidates we had for a while. It would be waste to give it all up away."
She doesn't hesitate to correct him. "It will be a waste if you gave him up for me."
Eyes shutting close in anticipation of having her head blown up. She hears her blood run faster in her ears and silently prays, and without further hesitation, she quickly squeezes the trigger.
Click.
There's no bullet. She's not dead.
'What?'
Petra quickly drops the gun and falls down on her knees with it, blood still running with adrenaline. She vaguely hears the sound of fabric ripping before she can feel calloused hands holding her face and worried silver orbs staring right at her. He whispers to her that she's okay, that she's still alive but Petra does not register it, eyes still wide with disbelief
Scowling, Levi glares at the blonde.
"What the fuck Erwin?" She hears the rough voice of Levi and the small chuckle coming from the other man. "You're a fucking piece of shit, you know that."
"Calm down Levi." The Commander says. "She passed, didn't she?
"Yeah, but she almost died!"
"A gamble." He explains but Levi is not satisfied with it. He slowly retracts his hands from the copper haired woman and stands up, hands turning to fists. "You already know this. Among all six chambers with a loaded bullet, there is only one with none. It is nothing more than a test of faith."
"A game of luck is more like it." Levi grumbles, gently pulling the still dazed girl off the dirty ground. "I know I agreed with you on this, but I didn't fucking expect her to risk her own life."
"Hence why she passed the test." Folding his arms, Erwin watches the shorter man help Petra get on her feet. He notices the subtle touches Levi makes, as if trying to ground her to reality.
"Bullshit." Levi says, wrapping Petra's arms around his shoulder to steady her. Turning his attention to her, he softens his gaze at her and he receives a small smile in return.
He walks them both closer to the exit, not caring whether Erwin is still in the room. Just when his hand is about to twist the doorknob, he hears Erwin call his name and freezes.
"I'm only going to say this once." His tone is sharp and serious, nothing like the calm facade he showed a while ago. "The Legion only accepts the best."
"And if one is compromised," he pauses, letting the word hang in the air for the understanding to settle down. "Let's say, you would not like the consequence."
Levi lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding, and turns back to Erwin; the glare on his face sending daggers at the Commander, challenging him that if he lays one finger on Petra, things would not be pretty.
"You'll have to get through me first."