Dogma of Monsters
AU In a world where winged beasts control the skies, humanity has taken to hiding underground. Petra Ral, a young, naive soldier, finds herself trapped in a dragon's den on what should have been a routine mission. Expecting death, she instead finds that not all monsters are the same. Levi/Petra

A/N: First time in the Shingeki No Kyojin fanfiction archive :P I really loved Petra/Levi and wanted to do something different for the pair (that didn't follow the horribly sad canon) ^^' I do apologize for any OOC-ness, grammar errors, or misspelled words; I try to catch most mistakes, but you know...

Disclaimer: I do not own SNK.

Chapter 1- From the Night

.

.

Tucked away in one of the many man-made wells, Petra Ral gazed longingly at the illuminated sky. While most would never approach a place where the sky could be seen, the auburn-haired soldier could not escape her love of the night. The world seemed suddenly vast, filtered by the gentle light of the scattered, blinking stars. There was a feeling of weightlessness, of freedom, of simply existing as the celestial lights swayed overhead. She wanted to preserve it, to etch the silence and stars together like a map, a series of hastily drawn constellations upon black paper that lead somewhere— anywhere. Because, it could be the last time she ever saw true night instead of suffocating darkness.

But, there was never enough time.

Not unexpectedly, there was the familiar harsh howl against the night. The tell-tale whoosh of dragon wings sent the young cadet fumbling backwards, returning to the sightless network of interconnected tunnels. Holding her breath while cramped between two unknown soldiers, the honey-eyed girl waited. The stirrings of fear had already crept into her body, eating away at her breath while the earth shook from the motion of hovering wings, causing loose bits of dirt and rock to fall from above.

Moments passed in silence as the whole platoon stilled, all lamplights dimmed. Even though the likelihood of the dragon being a variant was low, it had never done them any good to make assumptions. Assumptions got people killed. So they waited, waited until the threat had definitely passed.

"Return to your posts!" The cold, weathered voice of her platoon leader called through the darkness, echoing to every soldier huddled in the eastern-most tunnels. Petra swiped blindly for her own lantern until the soldier adjacent to her lighted his own, aiding in her search. She gave a relieved sigh, finding that it bore no dents or damages from her mad scramble to safety.

Silently, head tipped once more to the gaping hole known as a 'well' (one of the few scattered throughout the once civilian-town Trost), she wished that one day humanity could see the light without fear. A time where gazing at stars didn't remind one of fire and death. Taking up her position once more, the orange-haired girl returned her thoughts to the mission at hand.

They were stationed outside of the larger, collapse-proof tunnels in the abandoned city of Trost, which had fallen only a handful of years ago. It had met its end at the mercy of a variant dragon, the first of its kind. The tunnels had been devoured by flames, killing both civilians and military alike. Now, huddled in these same forgotten, blood-stained tunnels, the fifty-sixth expedition beyond human civilization would begin.

The goal of this expedition was simple: bring back resources. From the towering oaks which could not grow on weakened soil or artificial light, to cleaner water for the more crowded cities, a lot was depending on the mission. They were to split into three groups once the tunnels ran out, using the cover of night to evade the beasts of the air. Petra's group was to head for the nearest source of water: a small spring located a few kilometers east of the civilian tunnels.

But, for tonight the group would conserve their strength and spend the rest of the next day navigating the Trost tunnels until their end. With these thoughts in mind, the auburn-haired cadet curled against the dirt, clutching the lantern to her chest. Eventually, the spindles of sleep stole across her and she fell asleep.

Petra awoke to the sound of clashing metal and darkness. The skies were a foreboding grey, from what she could see inside the well as soldiers dashed through the tunnels, swords in hand. From above, she heard a blood-chilling screech and only just caught the sight of a soldier being torn asunder by a pair of colossal talons. The body landed with a sickening thud beside her, causing a shriek of fear to erupt from her chest. With one hand pressed against her mouth to stop the sobs and the other curled around her sword, the petite woman dashed forward, following the swarm of cadets who had also awakened at the sound of screams. She tried not to look back at the dead man, whose eyes were white and milky, gaze fixed eternally upward.

Finding herself at the junction where all the surviving Trost tunnels met, she was easily caught up in the crowds, pushed further from her assigned post. There were tremors and shakes that traversed the cave-like paths until a volley of screeches stopped the woman dead in her tracks. Looking back, Petra saw that the tunnel behind her had collapsed, trapping hundreds of soldiers under dirt and ash. The lucky ones, the people who had not been crushed immediately or had managed to wiggle free of the debris, were forced to climb up the wells and out into the open—more screams followed.

The sound of wings became sharper, louder, despite the surrounding chaos. The young soldier forced her way forward and away from the fallen tunnel, honey eyes wide with unmasked horror. It wasn't the first time she had seen a dragon— but the fear was near palpable inside the cramped tunnels as some people were shoved to the ground, trodden on by stronger, faster soldiers. Then, she realized that fear tasted like metal—a sharp, bitter tang that coursed just as strong as the adrenaline in her veins. In some respects, the feeling of fear, the calamity that it brought, was more frightening then the dragons themselves. How easy it was for the soldiers, though newly ranked, to turn on one another in times of despair.

I don't want to die here. Her mind echoed, scrambling through the darkened tunnels. Bodies collided painfully against her, but she continued to push herself towards the nearest accessible well. If she was going to die it would be out under the sky, not cramped in some crumbling man-made tunnels that could function just as easily as graves. Eventually, she could make out the faint rays of silver light.

Freedom. All sound bled away other than the rumble of gravel beneath her feet and the thudding of her heart. It took one final leap and then she was there, out under the sleet grey skies. The rope ladder had remained firmly rooted in place, and she quickly climbed up it, one hand still clutched around her sword.

Once out of the tunnels, Petra swept her gaze across the charred landscape, letting out a single gasp. Bodies of her fellow soldiers lay pitifully across the earth, limbs twisted at impossible angles (inwardly, she felt relief that none of the pale faces were familiar— the thought made her sick). Every crevice and crag was layered in ash, the smell of charcoal nearly overpowering to the young woman. It was worse than any attack she had seen before. The dragon which had caused the atrocities had swooped down, dark scales gleaming silver in the fog of smoke as it attacked a group of soldiers. Plumes of fire blanketed the area, causing the auburn-haired girl to run in the opposite direction to avoid the flames.

Her mind glossed over the terrain, thoughts focused on finding any form of shelter. But the smoke was near debilitating… her eyes fluttered to the left, away from the dragon and the burning people. There was a place that all cadets knew; a dead man's paradise. A cave which dipped just below the usual landscape, nearly hidden in the shallow incline. It was a dragon's home.

Turning back, Petra saw that the dragon had once again flown into the sky, crimson eyes set on her. Taking one last backwards glance, the ginger-haired girl ran towards the cave, willing her legs to push forward. The sound of wings beating echoed dimly in her head along with more screams. Her heart hammered desperately in her chest as she sprinted the last meter to the cave, just missing a blast of fire from a livid dragon. Feeling the flames against the back of her legs, Petra rolled into the dark safety of the cave, letting out a hiss of pain. The fire had not eaten entirely through the fabric, but she was sure there were going to be burn marks. Still, it was a small price to pay if she survived the ordeal.

Now limping, the girl fumbled further into the dark. The dragon from before, to her relief, had left, signaling that the cave was not its home. It was a well-known fact that the reptiles were territorial and would not often tread on land not their own. A shiver crept up the woman's spine at the thought; in this case it meant that the dragon inside the cave was stronger than the one circling the skies. She shook her head. There was only one way to go: further into the cave.

Maybe the dragon's out… she rationalized in her head, hoping to not have to face the scaly beast. She had only just escaped the ambush with her life. It would be meaningless to survive the attack only to walk into an even worse situation and die. She took small, careful steps, edging against the walls of the cave.

Momentarily, she was fazed by what appeared to be a glowing light centered just above her head as she traveled further into the dark. She had to blink to make sure the object was real. It was a set of hanging candles, the first in many that lit the path. They were trapped in what appeared to be similar to iron birdcages, with obvious signs of burns. One cage was even without a door, apparently worn off by flames.

What dragon needs lights? She questioned, following the candles regardless. Perhaps the rumors of a dragon living there were just that— rumors. No one had actually ventured into the cave in years. But, it wouldn't solve the mystery as to why the dragon outside did not pursue her in the cave. In her silent ponderings she didn't realize that the narrow path had grown wider, leading to a large clearing.

Amber orbs widened in fear at the sight before her, fingers digging painfully in the crags of stone. Stopping just where the clearing opened, Petra saw the sleeping form of a dragon. It was curled in the center of the amphitheater-like room, huffs of breath escaping from its muzzle. The beast was actually smaller than most (only about five meters—the dragon outside was at least ten), but its scales gleamed a familiar charcoal. For a moment, she almost believed it to be the same dragon, or at the very least, have some relation to the fire-breathing one outside. That is, until it opened its eyes, dark pupils narrowed to slits. Its irises were a sleet grey, almost onyx, reminding her of the rain-slicked sky.

What filth. Tracking dirt into my home; I hope you have a good excuse, human. A voice rumbled in her head, low and annoyed. Bewildered, the young soldier glanced around the cave, searching for the source of the sound.

There was a sigh. I'm the one talking. Obviously. The hint of exasperation was still apparent in the masculine voice.

"Y-you're talking? B-but, you're a-a dragon!"

She could almost see the dragon give an eye roll. Yes, congratulations. I am, in fact, a dragon. What gave it away, the scales or the talons?

Petra remained frozen, unable to form a single cognitive thought. There was a dragon in front of her, alive, and— and talking! The thought was enough to make her feel dizzy.

You look like you're about to piss your pants. Calm down. I wouldn't eat a midget like you, anyway. He reassured, if not a bit vulgarly, returning to a sitting position. The reptile gave a sudden yawn, sharp teeth exposed. Petra instinctively moved back, hand reaching for the sword at her side.

How many times do I have to tell you to calm down? No matter; tell me this, human: why are you in my home? I can tell from your uniform that you are just a cadet. Don't tell me you got lost and stupidly ran in here.

"…Petra. My name is Petra Ral. A-and while I am a cadet, it's not the first time I've seen a dragon. I'm used to the battlefield."

The dragon's head cocked to the side, although his eyes remained unflinching, expression apathetic. Fine, Petra. I am Levi. Just Levi. Now, about why you're here.

Despite the situation, she couldn't help the blush that dusted her cheeks. "O-oh, right. Uh, there was an ambush. A dragon attacked and I ran in here. There was nowhere else to… hide." She finished lamely, feeling a bit embarrassed. She had run from the battle; she should have stayed, aided her fellow soldiers, even if it cost her life. A sudden pain erupted in her legs and she nearly buckled forward, a grimace making its way onto her face.

You're hurt. The dragon muttered, onyx eyes focused on the human girl in front of him. It wasn't the first time a human had stupidly entered his home; but, it was the first time that said human hadn't attacked him immediately. She really must be an A-class idiot.

Hang on; I'll get you some bandages. But then you're going to leave. Got it, brat?

There was a flurry of head nods from the woman which almost caused the dragon to roll his eyes again Were all humans this idiotic? It had been so long since he had spoken with a human that he was surprised that the language flowed so easily from his mind. Spreading out his wings, a clipped roar escaped his mouth, signaling his transformation. The ground shook as a light enveloped the beast, causing Petra to look away.

Seconds ticked by as the sound of bones cracking and shifting filled the cave, the silver light still making it impossible to see what was happening to the dragon. Eventually, the light faded, leaving only the appearance of a young man dressed in a simple white dress shirt and dark pants. The cravat attached to his collar gave him an air of aristocracy as he moved forward, pointing to a path opposite of them.

"I have some supplies over here— you've got to be fucking kidding me." He finished, realizing that the woman had fainted. She had fallen suddenly to the cave floor, her head just missing a sharp stalagmite. Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Levi walked closer to the girl, a deep frown setting upon his usual apathetic features. His gait was a bit off as it normally was right after a transformation, but he continued forward, dark eyes narrowed.

"This is why humans are so shitty. You bring nothing but trouble." He muttered, scooping the unconscious girl into his arms.

A/N: So, I don't know if a dragon!Levi has been done before, but I hope it was entertaining, nevertheless ^^' If you guys want more please let me know in a review XD I'm pretty new to this fandom so I'd like to know if people read Levi/Petra stories. Chapter two's already in the works btw (yay!), so expect more snarky dragon!Levi, confused!Petra, and some more major character appearances :P Oh, and the reason why Petra is a cadet and not in the Survey Corps (yet— and yes, it does exist in this AU) will be explained soon.

Thanks again for taking the time to check out my fic! I'll see ya next chapter!

Review?

-Isis