A/N: I was planning on posting this later today, but the next chapter in the manga (76) just got posted, and they began filing in some backstory that I wanted to create in this chapter so I decided to post right away. My beta hasn't had a chance to review the final product, although we have edited once, so let me know if some parts are confusing in terms of who is talking.
Huge disclaimer: The dialogue is all taken from the manga No Regrets, so they get rights to that. However, Marissa and Derick are mine. I decided to back up and write everything that had happened before the first chapter from the time Levi joined, so the scene is theirs. More at the bottom, so please read it. Hope you enjoy!
"Stop! Take a good look around you!" The mustached blonde yelled as he jumped in between Levi and the other blonde. Levi couldn't help but notice their nearly identical haircuts, and almost snickered before he heard Isabel's voice.
"Lemme go! You little-"
The fiery magenta haired girl cut off and stopped struggling when Farlan called out in a tired voice, "Don't waste your energy, Isabel."
At the same time, the woman who was barely holding Isabel shouted, "Squad Leader! Are you alright?"
The shorter blond responded, "I'm fine, Cadet Marissa. Good work capturing both of them."
Squad Leader, huh. Why would someone so up in the ranks be here for a clean-up job? Levi wondered to himself as he glared hatefully at the still annoyingly tall squad leader, whatever that meant. At least, he tried to glare hatefully, but the second he saw those huge eyebrows he almost burst out laughing. Are those actual eyebrows? They look to big to be real. Okay Eyebrows, what're you going to do next?
Eyebrows motioned to the two holding Farlan and Isabel and Levi found himself being roughly grabbed and shoved to his knees along with them by the taller blonde, the one with the mustache. Tch. He thought, disgusted. These streets are filthy.
"I'm going to ask you a few questions." That's it. No introduction, just shove us into the street so that you can look down on us and start an interrogation. I didn't think a squad leader would be so rude. Levi hated the blonde's condescending attitude, wanted to grab his knife from inside his boots and show him why he shouldn't have messed with them. Wanted to, but couldn't because the mustached-blond and the other two had put wooden cuffs on his, Isabel's, and Farlan's wrists.
"First, where did you obtain these?" The squad leader continued, face an emotionless mask. Levi stayed silent, knowing that Farlan and Isabel wouldn't say anything. They could handle themselves. Seemingly unfazed by the stony silence he received, Eyebrows continued.
"Your 3D maneuver skills are also remarkable. Where did you learn how to do that?" he asked.
On our own. You have to do a lot of things on your own down here, if you want to survive. That's why we're here after all. Nobody up there wanted us, so they shoved us into this underground garbage heap and forgot about us, unless, like you, they wanted us for something.
The silence became deafening, so Eyebrows walked closer to Levi.
"You are the leader, correct? Have you ever received military training?"
Levi almost laughed. If I had received military training, do you think I would be down here with stolen gear? Unless of course even the military is willing to dump their unwanted ex-soldiers down here. Come to think of it, they probably do.
Levi responded to the question with a glare that sent most MPs running. That is, when they actually did their job to control crime in the underground slum that Levi called home. Eyebrows didn't bat an eye. He almost smiled, and Levi thought that there must be a course in how not to smile in training.
"Your face is telling me that you are plotting how to best kill us and escape, right?"
Wrong. I need to know why you are here. Once you tell me, I won't need to think about anything, because Farlan already has. We will escape, and you will be dead.
Met without a response, the squad leader's attitude changed, just slightly, and he spoke slowly, languidly, as if he thought himself a fox who has just caught a sleeping rabbit, and must cautiously get close enough to attack. Levi hated that the blonde thought that he was the rabbit.
"If possible, I didn't want to be rough, but…" Eyebrows glanced at Mustache, and in Levi's peripheral vision he saw the tiniest of nods.
He better not- Was as far as Levi got before Mustache grabbed a fistful of his hair and slammed his face directly into a muddy puddle in the street. Pain exploded across his face, and he fought the urge to gag amidst all of the filth. Turning his head sideways, he spat out the dirty water that had gotten in his mouth, and glared fiercely up at the chief.
"Let me ask you one more time," the chief said, his expression dark and ominous, his voice hard as steel, directly meeting Levi's eyes. "Where did you learn 3D maneuvers?"
The two leaders glared at each other, cold steel against ice blue. And then the silence was broken.
"We didn't learn from anyone! Get off your high horse, mister public servant!"
Levi almost groaned. Isabel. As much as he had drilled it into their heads never to speak in these situations, she had always looked up to him. He should have guessed that she wouldn't be able to keep from answering if it meant preserving his honor.
The stare-off and oath of silence broken, Farlan added, "We picked up these skills in order to survive in this dump. Someone like you, who doesn't know that taste of sewer water, would never understand." His voice was dripping with derision and loathing as he glared up at Eyebrows as if they were at the same eye level.
The tall squad leader looked uncomfortable for a second, and then spoke, "My name is Erwin Smith. What is yours?"
Levi nearly laughed again. Eyebrows, or Erwin, didn't look so impressive anymore, instead appearing smaller and less in his element. Well, I don't care if you know you lost that battle, Smith. I don't answer to people like you.
Levi remained silent.
And promptly had his face turned and shoved harder into the dirty water, before it was yanked back up, his neck craning from the awkward angle. He gasped for air, and fought back the shivers of disgust he felt from having the water all over his face and again in his mouth.
Erwin wasn't done being pretentious though, and remarked candidly, "I admire your spirit, but if you keep this up, we'll have to get your comrades involved."
At his words, the two soldiers standing behind Farlan and Isabel each put one of the blades that had downed many a titan against the necks of their prisoners, and panic shot through Levi. He stifled it though, needing a clear head, and vaguely heard Isabel yell, "If you're gonna do it, just do it already!"
Levi grit through his teeth, "You bastard."
Erwin calmly stated, "Your name."
Levi paused, weighing his chances. Maybe he could use a fake name… But then an unfamiliar voice interrupted his thinking, and he whipped his head around to the source.
It was the soldier whose sword was held to Farlan's neck, and he spoke languidly as well, adopting the same tone as his leader had before, although this time, he owned it. He was the fox, and Levi, Farlan, and Isabel were his prey.
"Just say the word, sir. I'm ready." Levi was shocked to notice a shift in the atmosphere, every one of them tensing, suddenly wary. Who was this guy, and how did he have so much influence over everyone?
Erwin nodded, and suddenly Levi knew why everyone had reacted the way they did. It was hard to tell, but still noticeable. The man was smiling, a soft, lazy twitch of the corners of his mouth, like he was completely at ease, instead of waiting for orders to kill. Like he knows something we don't. Levi suddenly thought.
He turned his gaze back to Erwin, and swallowed, before speaking, his voice rough from the silence, "It's Levi." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the soldiers smile grow, and he put down his sword, the other soldier following his lead.
Erwin gave a small smile too, even less noticeable, and kneeled down in the dirty water, putting himself as close to Levi's eye level as he could, while Levi felt Mustache's hand leave his hair, allowing him to straighten up.
"Levi. Won't you strike a deal with me?" Erwin asked.
"A deal?" he echoed, confused. Hadn't they just threatened to kill his friends?
Erwin nodded. "I won't ask what crimes you've committed. In return, you'll lend me your strength. Join the Survey Corps."
The words hit Levi like a barrel of bricks. Join the Corps? His lip curled in disdain before he remembered the job he had been hired to do. The man had promised to let him, Isabel, and Farlan live on the surface after they succeeded… Of course Levi had his suspicions about that. But this was the end goal, and everything had happened exactly as they had been told… The man who stood behind Farlan shifted his weight almost imperceptibly towards the blond kneeling at his feet, a clear enough warning for Levi. He internally grimaced at the thought of joining a group where he would be, but shoved the thought down.
"…And if I refuse?" the raven-haired man asked, glaring up at Erwin, who had stood again.
"I turn you over to the Military Police. Considering your crimes, I don't think you or your comrades can expect decent treatment." There was a smile behind the words, and Levi could instantly tell that the blond didn't think much of the Military Police. He watched as Isabel grit her teeth in anger, while Farlan looked sideways at Levi, who made eye-contact.
He heard Erwin add in the background, "Choose whichever path you wish."
Farlan gave the tiniest of nods, and Levi sighed internally. He waited one, two, three seconds, clenched his teeth, and said, "Very well. I'll join the Survey Corps."
Erwin nodded, satisfied, and Mustache, Dangerous One, and Marissa all unlocked the wrist-cuffs, freeing their three new comrades.
But not completely, since the three were immediately surrounded, Erwin in front, Levi in the middle with Farlan and Isabel on either side, Dangerous One on Farlan's side, and Marissa on Isabel's side with Mustache bringing up the rear. Essentially still trapped, as far as Levi was concerned. Erwin started walking and they all followed, but it wasn't long until Isabel asked why they weren't using their 3DMG gear. It was Dangerous One who answered, a rueful and passive-aggressive tone coloring his warm voice.
"Because, although the Military Police were made aware of our presence, they don't typically like us, and we'd rather avoid any sort of confrontation with them. We do have a schedule after all, so Squad Leader, do you mind?" He ended with a questioning tone and a respectful clasping of his hands behind his back as he addressed his no doubt superior, despite the slight mocking lilt to his voice as he said "squad leader."
Erwin nodded, replying, "Lead on, Cadet Hayden." with that same mocking accent on the title. He then moved aside to let Dangerous One walk beside him. Levi, Isabel, and Farlan looked at each other in surprise when the guarded formation broke, and when Dangerous One immediately turned down one of the many narrow side streets in the Underground. He seemed to navigate effortlessly, maintaining a conversation with Erwin pitched low enough that even Levi couldn't hear them.
Within minutes, they group had reached the uneven stone stairs cut out of the rock wall that formed the cavern, and lead to the outside world. Levi felt a small breeze from outside and closed his eyes to enjoy the sensation, feet carefully picking out the best spots from memory. Levi had spent many an afternoon staring up at the steps, counting them, memorizing their shapes, so that if he had the chance to escape he could do so quickly. All of it had been worth it when the sunlight hit his eyes, almost blinding him even through closed lids.
He heard Dangerous One grunt, and opened his eyes to see the tall soldier shading his eyes with a grimace on his face. He felt anger rise up in him. You think you have it bad? You're used to the sunlight. We aren't. We'll probably burn up outside, so don't you complain about a momentary discomfort, he thought, his dislike of the man growing every second. Erwin laughed though, which surprised the whole group, and tugged the hood of Dangerous One's cloak over his head, a gesture which seemed very personal and not at all like what Levi had seen with Mustache and Marissa.
Narrowing his eyes, both at the sight before him and the bright sunlight, Levi stepped up the last stair, and looked around. In front of him, a vast span of land, bigger than anything he had ever seen. Behind him, Wall Sina towered above them, regal and imposing, seemingly glaring distastefully at the rats who had left their nest.
Levi glared back, glad to get out from underneath her, and away from the Military Police. Then he noticed the two carriages, one with a white and black horse tethered to it, the other with a beautiful black horse and an ordinary looking brown one. Erwin walked towards the black and white horses, patting them both on the nose, and Dangerous One followed him, scratching them both behind their long ears, which both twitched around in content. There was another soldier sitting in the driver's seat of that carriage, and Levi saw Mustache and Marissa climb into the driver's seat of the other.
"Sir, you really should be heading off to the meeting soon." Dangerous One said after he finished petting the horses, paying special attention to the black one, which looked like the other one, except for being entirely dark as opposed to the one that had caught Levi's eyes which had a grey sheen to its coat. Turning to Levi, he noticed the focus Levi had on the grayish black horse and said, "His name is Tyr."
Levi nodded. It was a good name. He wondered if the horse already had an owner. No. You aren't staying here, don't get attached, he thought firmly to himself. Erwin cleared his throat, and this time, Levi found himself willing to listen to the man. His voice held a much more authoritative weight to it up here, not like down in that stink hole. Levi realized with a start that Dangerous One was less irritating as well, less cocky and dominant, more genuinely respectful with the honorifics. It was making him uneasy. Levi wanted to find out why.
"As Derick mentioned, I have a meeting to attend. I will meet up with you later on. Derick, Mike, and Marissa will stay with you three and answer any questions you may have." After he finished, Erwin climbed into the carriage, which started towards Wall Sina, towards an outer-town in the distance.
Not-so-dangerous-anymore One whose name was apparently Derick gestured to the carriages doors, and before Levi climbed in, he gave Tyr a few pets to his head. He noticed Derick smile but ignored him, glaring at his feet as the carriage started moving and he began a new section in his life.
A/N: Hey guys! I hope you liked this! Getting back to the disclaimer, every thing after Levi agrees to join the Corps is mine.
So, what is this mysterious job that Levi keeps thinking about? What is the relationship with Erwin and Derick? What is the meeting for? And what will happen to Tyr? All of these good questions, some of which I have no answer. Let me know what you think, I can be flexible with my story.
Please review and tell me what you think, good or bad, confusing or not. I won't have access to a computer for a while, so the next chapter might take longer than I was hoping. Have a great time celebrating whatever holiday you celebrate, whether is has already passed or if it is still coming up! See you next year!