Part I
And so, He was born again,
"The past gives you an identity and the future holds the promise of salvation, of fulfilment in whatever form. Both are illusions."
-Eckheart Tolle
"Hey, Captain."
"What?"
"What do you think it would be like if titans didn't exist?"
"We'd be having a pretty good time, what the fuck do you think?"
"Do you think that there might be something worse than titans?"
-x-
Beep. Beep. Beep.
The sound of a heart monitor rings out through the room, and a lone figure on a hospital bed shuffles in their sleep. If you listen quietly, faint breathing can be heard, coupled with the rise and fall of a weary chest.
The poor patient looks very asleep, when in truth he is only moments away from-
"…unggh…" Brows crease, and bandaged hands clutch at the sheets below him. "Ugh… What kind of a shithole is this?" His deep voice bellows out, with a hint of annoyance- you'd think he owned the place.
Pushing himself up with his elbow, he glances at his surroundings. This most definitely is not his home, or anywhere in Wall Sina. He briefly examines the IV drips in his arms- or rather, the plastic appendages dropping some unknown liquid into his veins; of course he doesn't hesitate to remove them. Unknowingly unplugging himself from the odd contraption that was actually his heart rate monitor.
It lets out a long dull tone. He really could care less.
Limping over to the nearest window, across the cold tiled floor (it made him think he was in a morgue at first, heads would roll if he were in such a dirty place), and he sees a world unlike his own, tall shining buildings, people walking amongst grey ground and odd motorised vehicles, probably successors of the carriage.
"I see you're awake." A monotonous voice comes from behind him. A man in a lab coat, probably one of Hanji's co-workers, enters the room- through sliding doors no less.
"Yeah. Where the fuck am I?" He questions, a deep glare in his eyes. "And where is my gear? I need to head out-"
"Sir, if you please, you're still recovering, please eat, then we can speak about your discharge."
Raising an eyebrow at this doctor, he almost chuckles. Nurses come up from behind him with food prepared on a cart and tray- he is feeling parched.
"…Fine, I'll eat. As soon as I'm done, I expect my uniform and gear to be ready." He sits down on his bed. The tray pushed towards him by the nurses appears before him; his meal looks half decent.
"Not bad. It doesn't look like complete shit." He says, grabbing a fork and knife, and cutting into the tender meat of the steak. The nurses look confused, as does the doctor- he opens his mouth to speak but is cut off.
"I want a status report on that brat though, and I need to speak to Erwin." He demands, looking at the doctor, placing the food in his mouth and chewing slowly.
"Sir, what are you talking about?" The doctor asks, generally piqued.
"Important matters, so I expect him here so-" Suddenly, his eyes go wide, and the meat is spat straight back onto the plate. He coughs and splutters and the nurses look on in worry; the doctor in mild shock, ready to go into action if necessary.
"Sir- are you-"
"What the fuck is this shit? It tastes like cardboard- no it's fucking worse- did Hanji put you up to this?" Visibly fuming he turns to the hospital staff. "That's it- Hand me my uniform and my gear- Now!" He demands and the nurses are shocked into action, as they scatter into a frenzy, the doctor looking on with a stern look.
"Whatever issues you have with our food can be sorted, so please calm down-" He tries to calm the hysteric man down, but to no avail as he stands from his bed, walking barefoot to the door and past the doctor. "Sir- please, at least give us your name, we have to alert your family of your injuries".
"Captain Levi, Rivalle of the Scouting regiment." He simply states, eyes narrowed at this foolish doctor- Someone that worked with him and didn't even know his name? Just who does Erwin hire as part of the medics?
"Hmm, I thought so, you're not from around here, are you sir?" The doctor quickly questions, stopping Levi in his tracks.
"No shit, whatever part of Wall Sina this is, I haven't seen half the shit you use here." He comments, glancing at the new technology.
"Sir, this is the 20th Ward, in Japan."
"…What?"
"Attacked by a ghoul near Kamii University a month ago, we were barely able to replace your stolen organs- unfortunately we had to place you in a medicine induced coma, which you have only awakened from now." Kanou gives a wry look, a hand placed on Levi's shoulder.
"It seems that the medicine has made you delusional and amnesiac, please come back and rest".
"…Don't shit with me, I came for a check-up on my ankle after we caught that titan-bitch in these walls- and you're telling me that I'm making this shit up?" He begins shaking with anger, fists curled prepared for a punch and the veins in one of his eyes suddenly becomes much more prominent.
Doctor Kanou only smirks, tightening his grip on the man's shoulder, as he quickly plunges a needle held in his other hand, deep into his neck. He injects him with a strong sedative, and soon, he has fully relaxed and fallen asleep in his hold. The nurses return with old clothes, but upon seeing the passed out man; help him to his bed as the doctor looks over at him one last time.
…It has finally begun.
-x-
"Humor me Petra, what could be worse than these things?"
"I-I don't know, just..."
"What?"
"J-just that, titans eat because they don't know what else to eat- right? What if they don't want to eat us, but have to?"
"Then they're surviving. And so are we, by killing them."
"...That's a little sad."
"Pitying the enemy?"
"...No, just the people."
So, as it would turn out, this is going to be a full story.
Hope you enjoy this revamped version of the first chapter, feel free to R&R.
