Author's Note: Well thanks for sticking around to at least read chapter two! I know the first chapter was pretty rough... It'll probably be redone later. There are other stories I have to write, or at least continue, before then.

I still remember the day my father died. It's something hard to forget. But what I remember the most is the change and the decision I made.

I decided to join the Survey Corps. Not to follow in his footsteps. Not for vengeance, like many people did. I joined because I was so wrong when I was younger. Thinking about how ignorant and lazy I was back then cut into me like a blade. Nobody knew about it, and it was most certainly going to stay that way.

I did it because nobody else wanted to join for the right reasons. Everybody either wanted to go into it for revenge, for destruction, for lack of a purpose otherwise. I didn't go into it for any of those reasons.

I am not quite sure why I did, actually. I know those reasons weren't as fundamental as they normally were, though.

I dipped my hands into the stream, trying to get the blood off. Titan blood evaporated. Human blood didn't. It was tenacious.

"von Klein!" A fresh recruit ran up to me.

I looked up. "Yeah?"

"We've got another one."

I sprang up, ignoring the water and the blood. "Show me."

We ran off. He lead the way, looking as stunned as most people did on their first trip out. I was close on his heels, having forgotten my previous task of ridding myself of blood. I was about to get neck deep in it yet again. I tried not to think of how bothersome this was, as this was a dying soldier I was off to face.

The man was against a tree. He was paler than the recruit. Blood was pouring out of a stump where his left leg used to be. With each passing second, he looked closer and closer to death.

I dropped to my knees right next to him. "Sorry it took me so long."

He opened one eye. I noticed the sweat that slicked his brow, and the way his jaw twitched ever so slightly. He watched as I took out my things, the bandages and the bottle of vine.

"Do you have family back at home?" I took the cork out of the bottle and put some of the liquid onto a cloth.

"I have a sister," he strained. "And maybe a nephew or niece soon."

"Nobody wife or anything?"

He shook his head.

"I'm not going to lie. This is going to hurt as much as it did to lose the leg itself." I put a hand on what remained of his leg. "So do it for your sister."

I placed a damp cloth on the wound. He fought back a screech. I hastily tied up his leg with the bandages. Stopping the bleeding was not my biggest objective at the moment. I just needed to get him good enough that he would survive the rest of the trip home, and so he could be treated by an actual doctor.

I made sure the bandages were secure before I sat back. I didn't bother cleaning my hands. There were other things I was concerned about.

"That bottle of vine," he muttered. "Can I have some?"

I chuckled a bit. "Just leave some for me."

I handed him the bottle. He took a heavy swig and handed it back. Before corking it, I took a small sip. It felt warm going down, sitting in my stomach in the most comforting way. The edge wore off the slightest bit.

"What am I going to do now with only one leg?" He sighed. "I doubt I'll be much good to the Corps now."

"You could always join the Military Police. You'd be the best soldier in the whole branch."

He laughed at that. I stashed the remaining bandages back away.

The recruit from earlier came running up again. He panted heavily. I wondered what a poor kid could do to get assigned the duty of sprinting around and delivering messages, especially to the medics. And on his first trip out.

"We're retreating."

"Retreating?" I stood up. "But things are going so well! Did they tell you why?"

"Maybe retreat isn't the right word." He thought for a moment. "Returning was what they used."

"Why are we returning?"

"Something about Trost." He looked nervous. "Something really big is going down in Trost."

Author's Note: What, did you think Levi would show up this soon? I have plans for it! Don't worry, sweet readers! Remember to review and tell me your thoughts! I hope you liked it!