Hi guys. Thanks to those who have liked this story so far. It really gives me the motivation to write more. So in this chapter (a little spoiler) Levi will be appearing and I gave him the rank Lance Corporal since I'm not too sure of what his rank was before that. I don't own most of the characters. They belong to Hajime Isayama.
One year later…
The trees were still, their branches slowly waving in the wind. Birds chirped in the air just as the sound of wires connecting to bark filled the air. Several people zoomed past on their 3D maneuver gear, carrying them several feet in the air. "Dead ahead!" Radu yelled and I surged forward, bringing up my blades and slamming it into the target's neck. I cut the nape, the spongy like material falling to the ground as I regroup with my team.
"Nice one, Izzy," Radu grinned as he zoomed next to me. "Don't get all sweet and all. We're still having practice," Mona said as she fly next to me. "Here we go!" I yelled as all three of us sped ahead and removed the napes of our targets as one, the sound of blades filling the air. The sound of the other teams hitting targets came from all around and I high-fived Mona.
"Great job as always," Mona grinned as we removed our gear. "Man, that was fun!" I said as I stretched my arms. We were to have hands-on combat training an hour after lunch and I was starving so bad. "Don't get cocky you two. We still have a few years of training," Radu said as we lightly smacked him on the arm. "Where's your kid brother?" Radu asked as we walked to the dining hall. I pointed to the people manning the food station, where Jon was clad in an apron and ladling out soup.
"On food duty again kiddo?" Radu smirked as Jon handed him food. "Shove off," he snarled but at the same time both of them bumped fists. I was glad that we managed to find a few friends in the Training Corps. Radu came from a village in the mountains while Mona came from Trost District. We went over to our usual table and sat down. I tore at my bread as Jon came over, removing his apron from around his body.
"How you doing Jon?" Mona asked as Jon gulped some water. "I'm fine. Just need a bit of rest," he said. Very few people knew about Jon's heart condition and those who knew had been sworn to secrecy by both of us. Some of the superiors didn't even know about the problem or they would have kicked him out of training ages ago. He managed to get a small job in handing out food so it didn't really cause much stress to the heart as if he were to train all day long.
"We have a simulation expedition not long from now," Radu said as he rolled out a map. He pointed at a mountain area that lined Wall Sina. "There are supposedly some Titans over there so they're hoping to be able to help us get some practice," he said. "Man, can't wait to slay them," Mona grinned. "Don't get so cocky, kid. You never know when they hit you until you're dead," a voice said as we looked up. Lance Corporal Levi was standing next to us, his face dead-panned as always.
We quickly stood up in attention and saluted him. "Lance Corporal Levi! Welcome to the Training Corps!" I said and he snorted. "You're not qualified to do that until you have completed your training," he said as we stood. "I have come to collect you brats for some training. Pack your gear. We're leaving in an hour," he said as he turned his heel. "Wait, Lance Corporal! Our training wasn't even supposed to be until Wednesday!" Radu started to say when the Corporal turned to look at him, making him gulp. "Don't you understand your orders?" he hissed and Radu quickly shouted an apology.
"Man, Lance Corporal Levi is one scary person, for a shorty," I muttered as we packed our bags. "Be glad he didn't hear you or you would be fodder for his blades by now," Mona said as she stuffed a shirt into her bag. "I heard he lost two of his friends on his very first expedition. Since then, he seemed to have lost his ability to feel anything," she said as we headed out. The guys were already waiting for us at the stables, the Lance Corporal already on his horse.
"You guys need to pick up the pace if you want to survive. Let's go!" he commanded as he dug his heels into the horse's side, causing it to whinny and gallop away. We quickly mounted our horses and followed him, riding for several hours until the forest finally loomed ahead of us. The trees were tall and spooky, shielding us from any light that might exist. "Lance Corporal! Just what are we doing here?" Mona yelled as there was a boom in the distance.
"There is a group of illegal smugglers hiding out in this forest. You are to hunt them down and take them alive," he said. "You called us out here to catch a bunch of thieves?!" I demanded as he turned his head. I gulped as his black eyes stared at me. "Unless you follow orders, you don't stand a chance surviving in the world. You want to join the Survey Corps I heard, girl," he said and I nodded. "Lightbane eh? That guy was a stubborn headed one. If only he had listened to the Commander, he may still have his head attached to his body," the Lance Corporal muttered as I rode next to him.
"What did you say?!" I screamed as I threatened to pull out my blade. "Izzy! Stand down!" Mona shouted as they circled us. Jon glanced at me, his eyes pleading me to stop. "Look at you. A brat who can't control their temper cannot survive long in the Survey Corps. You think it's that easy to bring down a Titan? I've seen people die in so many ways before my eyes. You think you can stomach it?" he sneered as I gritted my teeth. "Don't you dare to talk about my father like that," I hissed as I released my grip on the blade.
"That's a good girl," Levi said as he kicked his horse, taking him further ahead. "That ass," I snarled as Jon put a hand on my shoulder. "Come on. Unless you want to get kicked out for not following orders, you better control your temper," he said as I gripped the reins tightly. We continue to ride for a while until Radu let out a shout. "Tracks from a carriage!" he shouted and we pulled up at the spot. True enough a set of carriage markings lead straight into the forest, where the road wasn't built.
"Come on. We're moving by 3D maneuver gear. Tie up the horses and get in the air in five," Lance Corporal said and we complied, quickly dismounting the horses and flying into the air. "Before we begin this exercise, you are reminded to get those criminals alive," Lance Corporal Levi said and we nodded as we spotted out target in front of us. "There!" I shouted as I directed my aim to the carriage. I stuck a hook into the carriage and went down, drawing a blade to the driver's throat. "Unless you want to die, stop the carriage," I whispered and he quickly stopped the horses.
When the carriage came to a stop, we quickly lifted the tarp covering the cart to find crates containing 3D maneuver gear, the insignia of the Military Police Brigade stamped at the side . "What the heck," I muttered as Lance Corporal Levi examined them. "Those dirty scums. They never cease to do this shit do they?" he hissed as he opened the crate. The top came loose with ease, too easily to reveal an empty crate. "Where did the gear go?" Mona started to say as the sound of gas being released filled the air.
"Scatter!" Lance Corporal Levi shouted and we leaped off the cart just in time to avoid getting smashed to bits. The driver was thrown off and he slammed into a tree, his body unmoving. "Well, what do we have here?" a sneer came from nearby and a woman dropped down from the sky, her two partners in crime following suit. They grinned as they watched us, their fingers on the triggers of their blades. "You dirty…" Mona started to say when Lance Corporal Levi raised a hand.
"We just came to get the maneuver gear," he said and the woman snorted. "Wouldn't that be stealing? We paid for it after all. It fetches a good price in the black market. You know that well enough, Levi Ackerman," she sneered. "Tsk. Let's get this over with," he said as he leaped through the trees, slamming into them. One of the men yelled as he was slammed into the ground, his arms pinned by the Lance Corporal.
"Let's get out of here!" the woman yelled as she fly into the air, her partner following suit. We shot after them, swinging from the trees at high speed. "Damn it, we can't last long since we don't have any gas refills," Radu groaned as the chase dragged on. "How can we stop them if we can't hurt them?" Mona said as I shot forward. I flew towards the man, my blades at ready. "Izzy! Don't!" Jon shouted as the blades connected with the man's arm. He howled in pain as he lost his grip, falling to the ground with a thud.
"What the…" the woman snarled as she turned to face me. Her hands were on the triggers for the blades and she yanked them out, the metal flashing at me. "You want a fight?! Come get it!" she shouted as she flew at me. I charged, slamming my blades against hers. She grunted as she pulled back, noticing the blades had cracked. "You brats have no idea how much these things are worth. It can feed us for ages!" she shouted as she tried to escape. "Those are government issued equipment! Paid or not paid, it's still illegal to be in possession of them!" I shouted and she smiled.
"You think the military is made up of good guys or goody two shoes like yourselves?" she smirked, a small laugh escaping from her lips. "You have a lot to learn about the world, little girl! The world is not as rosy as you think it is!" she said, her expression like that of an animal. "Damn you," I snarled as I slammed into her, causing her to cry out in surprise. "You think the world is hell? Let me send you to the real one," I said as I lifted my blades.
There was clanging against metal as Lance Corporal Levi appeared between us, his face stern. "Stand down, recruit," he snarled and I tsked, putting back my blades. The woman seemed to breath a sigh of relief as we touched the ground. We made our way back to where the carriage had first exploded. The man who's arm I had sliced off was moaning, clutching where his arm had been. Their leader was handcuffed and thrown to the ground. "There will always be people like us out there! You can't stop it!" she hissed as Lance Corporal Levi stomped a foot on her face. "I'll be the judge to that," he said as he removed his foot, causing her to spit out blood and a few teeth.
"Recruit Lightbane!" he said and I stood at attention. "What did you think you were doing?" he snapped. "I tried to subdue the criminal," I replied. "Didn't I give you specific orders not to kill them?" he whispered and I gulped. "These kind of scum shouldn't be around. They disgrace the name of the military," I said. "There will always be people like this. Killing off a few rats won't cull them all," he said as the others checked the prisoners. The whinnying of horses came from nearby and a few senior members of the Survey Corps came soaring from the air, dropping on the ground.
"Lance Corporal Levi!" one of them said, saluting him. "At ease. Collect them and bring them in for questioning. Not like its going to be any useful," he said and the soldiers dragged them away. Lance Corporal came next to me, his mouth so close to my ear I shuddered. "Learn to control your temper if you want to live," he said as he started to walk towards the horses. The whole journey back was pretty silent, all of us just focusing on getting back to camp. When we finally arrived, it was dark out, the stars shining above us.
"Lance Corporal Levi! What brings you here?" Sam Walter, one of the people in charge said, holding out a hand for him to shake. "You know I hate dirt. And your hands are filthy," he snarled and the man quickly retracted the hand, chuckling nervously. "How did the recruits do?" Sam asked and he shrugged. "Not too bad for a bunch of kids, I guess," he started to say as Jon let loose a wheezing sound before collapsing on the ground. "Jon!" I shouted as I scooped him in my arms. "Get a medic! Quick!" Sam shouted.
"What's going on here?" Lance Corporal Levi demanded as he watched my younger brother twitch. He gasped for breath as his chest rose and fell quickly. "Don't worry. It's just an attack," I said as Sam started to yell. "Just an attack?! Look at him!" he should as Jon turned to face me. "You have it?" he wheezed and I quickly handed the medication to him, letting him take in the medication. His breathing eased a little as he slipped into unconsciousness. "You have something you want to tell me, recruit?" Sam asked as he eyed my brother and me. Slowly I laid my brother on the ground and faced my senior. "Yes. I do," I replied.
All comments are welcomed!