This is my first story ever hope at least one other person will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Chapter One is not the most exciting one you will have ever read but keep reading it does become lighter and faster paced :)

The survey corps suffered tremendous losses in the latest battle and Levi's special operation squad was wiped out. Despite them being replaced by members of the former 104th trainee squad the primary fighting force had shrunk down to just a few dozen soldiers. Commander Erwin needs to resort to drastic measures and adopt a new recruitment policy for which he is currently facing enquiry at court.

In the court room general Dallis Zacklay was carefully going through Erwin's reports. His eyebrows furrowed as he took a moment to think, then he stared at the commander under his glasses. "So let me get this straight; not only do you suggest to free imprisoned criminals, assassins, thugs and lunatics who have yet to serve their time or face execution, but you also suggest to put them in the scouting legion?"

Erwin's steady gaze met the general's eyes with poise as the crowd watched him. He stood strong, his chiseled face unblinkingly withstanding the tension in the room. Like a human effigy come to life, his mouth moved as if independent from the rest of his statuesque body, to reply with an effortless, point-blank "Yes, Sir".

After a few moments of silence, the general spoke up, "We all are quite aware of the fact that even currently you have very questionable soldiers amongst your ranks but this", he held up the report" is … madness. You expect me to give you permission to free these criminals and then what? Turn them into Hanji's social experiments?"

"We have looked at other possibilities and the past has shown that even after managing to convince soldiers from the military police and the stationary troops to join us, their lack of courage held us back and caused even more casualties. Once someone gives into the fear they become unable to fight. Even as titan food they are more valuable to us than rotting away in their prison cells.

She sat in the corner wearing a straitjacket, her long, unbrushed red hair covering her face. As the guard opened the door Lance Corporal Levi and Hanji Zoe entered. "last one for today" Hanji said disappointedly.

"This is Nina Wenning, 24 years old", the prison guard announced and handed the confidential criminal records to the two ." Levi impassively skimmed through the document, his eyes searching for the most important word; "Offenses: Murder, Manslaughter, Assault, Insubordination, Treason. Offense information: Murdered a fellow soldier by severing his torso with her swords. Deliberately fired her grappling hook into a soldiers back for the purpose of maneuvering which ultimately led to his death.

Busy reading the rest of the somewhat less horrifying crimes, Levi's concentration came to a halt as he heared the shrill voice of Commander Hanji excitedly shouting "Hiya, so happy to meet ya "while she reached through the cell for a hand shake, her face wielding the biggest smile the young prisoner had seen in years. The silhouette behind the iron bars slowly started to take shape as the woman's head rose reflecting her gleaming eyes in the dimly lit room.

Levi lifed his head in surprise and directed his attention towards the woman. "Hanji", he said giving her a warning sign to step back from the cell. He lowered the papers and moved closer to get a look at the criminal charged with so many crimes at such a young age.

Blissfully disregarding any possible danger, Hanji looked at Levi and then back at the cell and her eyes opened wide in shock. " Ohhhhhhhh ...how incredibly rude of me. Forgive me", she said as she withdrew her hand "it must be awfully frustrating to wear that thing, we'll get you out of it as soon as we are out of here".

"tch, if it was up to this annoying four-eyes the entire prison would be having tea at the survey corps headquarters right now", Levi thought to himelf

"But first I need to ask you some routine questions. I'm Hanji…"

"Zoe, ... " the prisoner finished the sentence and stepped further into the light smiling at the Commander."The lady who would marry titans if she were allowed", she said in a calm fashion smiling all the while "I remember you".

Hanji stoppped, nodded and smiled back at the prisoner.

"and to my right I can sense the unbearably clean aura of Lance Corporal Levi. "To what do I owe the great honour of this visit?"

They hadn't met many prisoners who knew them; the ones that did were in such bad shape that they couldn't even make out coherent sentences. Most of them were drooling apathetically and staring at the walls. With two and a half years, she was relatively new and, considering the circumstances, still in very good shape.

They wouldn't try to recruit well known criminals to avoid having the other soldiers rip them apart. So, I guess they're only left with the "small fries", Nina thought.

"figures", she muttered, mustering both of them for a bit before asking "Is the choice mine?"
"Yes ... well sort of. All of your crimes will be pardoned by royal decree and you will be under our command" Hanji explained.

"Meaning those fat lazy bastards have allowed us to throw you at the titans, instead of leaving you to rot, like the disposable bags of useless meat you are.

"If you are deemed suitable that is" Hanji added, in a ridiculously polite fashion making it sound like she is delivering the news of the titan's defeat.

Nina's hysterical laughter burst through the room. "Suitable. Of course! I'll be a real culinary delight for the titans. Let's give them a bit of a variety, shall we? They must literally be fed up with getting trainee meat all the time; although, you wouldn't really be here if that was the only thing they were feasting on. You idiots must have really fucked up this time, eh?"

Her feet lifted off the ground as she felt herself getting jerked forward with immense speed. Hot streams of blood burst from her mouth and nose as her face smashed into the cold iron. Releasing his grip Levi looked down at Nina who, with her hands restrained, crashed hard onto her knees. His hand reached into his pocket, from where he withdrew a spotless, white handkerchief. With it, he delicately wiped the hand that came in contact with the prisoner.

He focused his eyes on her round, red face, her cheeks still flushing red from her shrill laughter. Her own blood running down her lips. His cold eyes fixed onto hers, completely devoid of any emotion. Her smile slowly faded as she understood she had overstepped her bounds, and the colour drained from her cheeks into a pasty white. She tried to look away, beginning to squirm under his gaze, but every time she looked back, those deep pits stared straight back at her. She could almost feel his eyes tearing into her soul, their cold, unwavering fixation unrelenting in its assault. As she stared deeper, she felt herself unable to move, frozen in the path of his gaze.

"You filthy rat will be the first to serve as bait", Levi whispered looking down with disgust at her dirty blood covered face.

"Sounds like fun, sign me up for it", she said, her lips ripping a crooked smile onto her ghastly face. As she smiled, a thin vein of the sticky red substance slivered from her lips and dripped onto the concrete floor. Her eyes widened in horror as she stared at the crimson liquid like she had never seen it before.

As she giggled at the ever growing glistening pool of blood before her, Levi remembered her words and his mind lapsed into the emotional wreckage that the titan attacks had left. Images of his comrades dying around him cascaded before his eyes, his sight losing focus. Her manic screams and laughter was drowned out by the sounds of soldiers in pain, suffering before their untimely deaths. As he fell deeper into the visions, his focus was broken by Hanji calling in the guards.

When they turned to leave, Levi caught a last glimpse of the prisoner's agonized, shell-shocked face, her eyes magnifying the bottomless pit of darkness, fear and insanity she is slowly falling into.

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If you didn't like it feel free to tell me how you think I could improve. I am always happy about constructive criticism :) 3