I misjudged.

With the years, I took a quiet liking to Isabel. She didn't turn out to be a burden like I imagined. Instead she was a cheerful girl who showed much capability and braveness. Sometimes she acted like a kid, we had to watch out for. Therefore it was amusing to watch her being lectured by Levi for her foolish behavior.

In a flash a year had passed. By the time Isabel learned how to use the 3DMG and also had the opportunity to save her little bird by bringing it to the surface through an undiscovered cave. Most of our time, we spend with improving our skills or cleaning the house at the behest of Levi.

Our purpose was it to get the hell out of this damn Underground and to start a new life on the surface. Together.

When I heard that for the first time, I was quite surprised. Honestly, I didn't believe it at first that we could ever accomplish something like that. It felt too much like a dream. That belief however stopped over the time once I saw Levis determination and his way of handling things. I eventually learned to trust him.

Plus, we were known as criminals in the Underground. There was no other way. With the aim to leave this Underground we had to gain money.

Most of our targets were the merchants. At the beginning, I had quite difficulties in stealing since I never had done something like that in my life. We also had to fight them in the process when they would caught us. After a few months though, I didn't consider it as difficult anymore and honestly even enjoyed it. They just seemed to live a good life in the Underground unlike other people. They disgusted me. Harming poor and frail people just for fun, treating them like slaves and making children do the work. Knowing this made it a lot easier for me to beat the shit out of them like they did on other people.

I never felt a bit guilty. Until then. Until I committed the hugest sin one could ever do. I took someones life away.

It wasn't on purpose. It just happened by mistake. These were the things which I persuaded myself with. But it couldn't change the face that I killed him with my own two hands. His blood would always stick on my hands no matter how often I washed them. It truly was the most terrifying moment in my whole life. It frightened me and made me feel disgusting. I wasn't better than these people.

At this point, I never dared to take a step outside, never dared to touch someone again. I just locked myself in my own room. Furlan knocked every day on my door, trying to get me out with comforting words. It wasn't my mistake, Levi and he killed multiple people. But his words didn't help. It didn't change the fact that I myself killed someone. So I continued to stay in my room alone until Levi decided he had enough and kicked my door down. He knocked some sense into me, breaking my nose in the process.

I was aware of the fact that it was just Levis way of comforting. A really strange and crazy way of comforting. But that was just his way of handling things. Though, he could had spare my fucking nose...but after all that, I strangely felt better again, pretty much alive.

And after a few days everything went like always again. Though, I still had a few problems with it at the beginning. Every night the same scene would repeat itself before my eyes, me killing someone, their blood on my hands. And every night I would scream. Levi was always the one who came into my room every night then, staying with me the whole night. Just staying by my side without saying anything. But that little already helped me a lot. And by the time the repeating dreams stopped all at once.

And then it happened again. I took someones life again. But this time I did it to save my comrades. It didn't make me feel like a monster.

Now I was used to it. But I never ever forgot a face of whom I killed. I really became a person who could hurt and kill people without any hesitation just to reach a certain goal...

"Levi-aniki! Please don't pick me! Just not me!" Isabel fussed as the four of us walked to our house.

Her annoying fuss made me roll my eyes but I could understand her. The thought of cleaning the roof again made me cringe. I still could remember the last time I had to do it just because I accidentally spilled a little tea on Levis pants. Damn him and his stupid being clean obsession.

"What's the deal, old man?" Isabel suddenly asked with her hands crossed behind der head. I looked up and discovered an old man in front of our house.

He was an old man with white hair and a mustache. His clothes were composed of black pants and a white shirt. Over it he wore a black coat and a black hat on his head. But the thing that caught my eye was that his clothes seemed rather too noble for the Underground. I stared at him suspiciously and at the same time wary as I continued to examine him from up and down. Although he seemed to notice it, he didn't let it show it and kept a stiff upper lip.

"Didn't you get the wrong house? This is not a handyman shop." Furlan began and narrowed his eyes at him. But the man ignored him as he turned his attention towards Levi.

"I promise you a reward."

"Go home!" Levi spatted instantly and continued his way with us following behind him as we passed the old man and went the stairs up to our house. That was it.

"I've already paid the deposit though."

Upon hearing that, we stopped and I furrowed my eyebrows at him.

"You're kidding, right? This is the very first time we've seen you." I said, frowning at him with my arms crossed.

"That's true, but you should already know…about him."

At that, he turned around and directed his gaze at something. Following his stare, my eyes widened as I spotted our friend Jan, talking with two strangers as he limped forward with his arms around one of them. They helped him entering a carriage. It seemed like he had difficulties in walking again, certainly because of his leg. I glanced at the man again and narrowed my eyes at him. I didn't like the fact that he involved Jan in whatever business we are now.

"His leg is already at its limit. He needs to get treatment at a hospital on the surface. Isn't that right Levi-kun?"

"What's the meaning of this?!" Furlan demanded, looking slightly angry and confused.

"I told you, didn't I? It's a deposit for the job. You'll listen to the details now, right?"

I bit my lip at that and glared at him. Don't have much a choice, I guess. Probably that man was hired by someone. Obviously we had to do some dirty work for someone in exchange for healing Jans leg. But then that means that he at least got the opportunity to get on the surface. That little thought made me smile a bit. He deserved it.

But like always there had to be something. Something that was seriously hard to deal with, that could get us into really huge trouble. I glanced at Levi and waited for his answer. Whatever he chose we would follow it anyway.

"Fine then."


Climbing the stairs of the 11th stairway, we were getting nearer the surface which made my heart beating faster in anticipation. I never had been that close to the surface and yet I could already see the end.

Arriving, I blinked and held a hand out in front of my face. I wasn't used to this brightness of the surface. After I got used to the light, I slowly dropped my hand as I discovered a red carriage above us. A man stood in front of it but I wasn't able to distinguish his face because of the brightness.

"Are these the guys?" The man asked and received an answer from the old man. "Yes, I've heard they're excellent."

Excellent.. I repeated in my head and thought back to all the training and severe exhausting combats I went through with Levi. They were worth it in the end.

"Who the hell are you?" Levi asked, showing no emotion on his face.

"It's understandable that you're wary of me. But you'll learn, it's okay to trust me."

Hearing that, Furlan let an unbelievable laugh out while I also scoffed at that. "How could we?"

"The fact that I'm here says everything. I'm at great risk just by being here. Have you received the deposit already?"

"I don't know how things work on top, but in our world it's called taking a hostage." Levi said.

That was true. With the treatment for Jans leg, it was like we were practically forced to do their dirty work. What would happen to Jan if we wouldn't do it? What a dirty move to force someone into something. Still so fucking clever.

"That's just a contingency plan we laid in place. When you have successfully completed the job, you won't only be getting a huge sum of money but also... citizenship on the surface."

My eyes widened upon hearing that as my whole body went still. A sudden urge overcame me and I gulped. Don't be greedy, I told myself and licked my lips. This was a huge step. Nobody knew the outcome, either we success and get our freedom or we fail and maybe die.

But seriously, the chance to leave this filthy place behind and living together on the surface. I would do anything for it even if it was the most ridiculous thing. My answer was settled. But that wasn't for me to decide.

I glanced at Levi who just looked as surprised as the others. All of a sudden, he slowly turned his head to me and looked me straight into the eyes as if he asked for my approval. Staring back with eyes full of hope and determination, I slightly nodded my head at him, approving the mans offer.


"YAHOO!" Isabel screamed exited as we escaped with our 3DMGs after knocking multiple supply crates over, making a scene.

"Levi, they're here! The pursuers!"

At that, I turned my head and discovered the Military Police behind us. That went fast.

"Huh? The Military Police again? Haven't learnt their lesson, have they?…..Hey, Levi-aniki! What I just said was a cool line right?"

"Oi Isabel. Shut your mouth and face the front." I said and rolled my eyes at her, making her pouting at me.

We were chased by the military police. In fact our plan was it to be chased by the Survey Corps because of our mission. The mission consisted out of two tasks. The first one was to obtain a certain document from someone of the Survey Corps who's name went by Erwin Smith. The second one was to kill him.

So we formed a plan to make a scene in the Underground. Then we would escape with our 3DMGs from the Survey Corps. We're going to let them capture us and then we're probably going to be in suspension after that. But that won't happen because we planned to escape after carrying out our mission. No way are we going to miss this darn opportunity to start a new life on the surface. Just wait Erwin Smith.

I looked over my shoulder again when I noticed that we were chased by people in green cloaks now. I also didn't miss their sudden increasing speed.

"Oi Levi! Those movements! They're not the Military Police!" I shouted at him and aimed my hook on a building, moving forward faster.

"Yeah. No mistake. It's them. The wings of Freedom crest…It's the Survey Corps." Levi leaped forward again, leading the way with us behind him.

"Heh. As people who battle the Titans, they're as different as expected."

I also felt impressed by their skills, like Furlan was. So that was the famous Survey Corps. What did Furlan taught me about them again in the past?

If I recall it correctly he told me that the Survey Corps were a branch of the military. They were mostly active in Titan combat, Titan study, human expansion and outside exploration. Everything about them involved Titans. A growing smile made it onto my face. The thought of fighting with people who dealt with real Titans awakened the fire in me.

"You guys. You know, right?"

Hearing Levis cue, we nodded and parted our ways.

Glancing behind me, I noticed how one of them was chasing after me and decided to push myself at a speed that was hard to follow. In the last years of training with the 3DMG, I noted that it was the best thing I could do without any problems. Even Furlan once praised me for being so good in it. He even mentioned that I could probably reach Levis level one day although I held a different opinion about that matter. Levis skills with the gear were just too crazy for me.

Aiming my hooks on a building once more, I reeled myself towards it and landed safely on my feet as I ran along the roof. Firing the hooks on another building again, I leaped forward and changed my direction, turning to a narrow alley as I latched my hooks to the side of a corner and leaped towards a broken window.

After landing safely on my feet, I quickly straightened myself up and sprinted to the next window, slightly turning my head to look at my pursuer. It impressed me that he was able to keep up with me. As expected from the Survey Corps. But that wasn't my fastest speed. Jumping out the window, I aimed myself on another building again and began to fasten my speed while glancing behind me.

A smirk made it onto my face as I saw that the person wasn't able to keep up with me anymore. I was about to fire my hooks again when someone suddenly got in my way and pushed himself towards me. I tried to avoid him but with my fast speed I couldn't stop myself anymore and crashed into him.

We fell on the ground, he on top of me while trying to get a hold on me as I punched him in the face at which he cried out. With his large hands then, he grabbed me and pinned me hard against a wall. My attempt to kick him in the balls failed as he caught my leg and slammed me on the ground. I underestimated him.

"Nice punch girl."

"You too not bad." I smirked and grimaced as I touched my head where a little blood already leaked out. It hurt like hell from the hard landing.

Suddenly I was pulled on my feet again as the soldier lightly pushed me forward. On the way I encountered with Furlan and Isabel who were also captured. I gave them a knowing look and they nodded at me. Everything was going as planned. Yet.

"Let me go, you bastard!" Isabel complained and tried to free herself as I spotted Levi in front of us who defended himself with a knife against a blond one.

"Levi!" Furlan yelled at which Levi turned to us. Upon seeing us, he slowly let go of his knife, a sign that he surrendered.


"I'll ask a few questions."

We were on our knees, strapped. Levi beside me. In front of us was the guy he fought with, blond hair and blue eyes. Probably the leader of the small gang.

"Where did you get this? You guys are skilled with 3DMG. Who taught you all that?" He asked and lifted a part of the gear. Nobody of us spoke up so he began to approach Levi, making me a little worried. It was obvious to me that Levi could deal with everything without problems but we weren't exactly in a situation where everything went well without any difficulties. Now was the real deal.

"You're their leader, right? Were you trained in the military?"

Silence. We all knew that Levi hated the military. His face darkened by his remark. He glared at their leader when someone suddenly grabbed his hair and shoved his head down into a puddle, making us gasp in shock.

A sudden wave of anger overcame me and I was about to snap at them when Levi suddenly turned his head in my direction, throwing me his "don't do anything stupid" glare. I sensed that he also fumed with rage when they dared to shove his head into a filthy puddle. He wanted to kill them right there and now. But he restrained himself and suppressed his killing intend instead.

So I followed his example and averted my eyes from this sight, clenching my fists.

"I'll ask one more time. Where did you learn to use 3DMG?"

"From no one! We learnt it by ourselves!" Furlan desperately said and stared worriedly at Levi who still had his head in the filthy puddle.

"Self-taught, you say? I don't buy it." My eyes twitched at that and I bit the inside of my mouth till I could taste a little blood.

"It's just so we're able to rise even a bit in this disgusting garbage place! People like you who are you used to sunlight won't fucking understand us!" Furlan finally snapped.

"Yeah right! Don't be cocky just because you're soldiers! That's enough now! Let Aniki go!"

After staring at us with thoughtful eyes, the leader threw an approving glance at the soldier who still had a grab on Levis head. Levi was yanked up again, the hatred clearly in his eyes reflected while the leader kneeled himself in front of Levi. "My name is Erwin Smith."

Hearing that, I narrowed my eyes at him. He was the one who was in possession of the document and the one we were ordered to kill. Our target. Honestly it didn't surprise me. That guy was a though one.

"And yours is?"

"Levi."

"Levi. Why don't we make deal?"

"A deal?"

"I will let your crimes go unpunished. In return, lend me your strength and join the Survey Corps."

Just when I thought that nothing could surprise me anymore. That was just so fucking random. Join the Survey Corps? We didn't except something like that. I didn't expect that. Not at all. It wasn't in our plan from the beginning. And that leader just threw us the perfect opportunity to steal the document as well as to kill him.

"And if I refuse?" Levi spatted, gritting his teeth.

"Then the Military Police will have you. Considering all of your crimes, you and your friends, won't be treated very nicely. Choose whichever you prefer."

I chanced a glance at Levi though I couldn't really see his face because of his bangs but I knew the answer anyway.

"Fine." Levi replied and spitted the dirt out of his mouth, shooting their leader a death glare. "I'll join your damn Survey Corps."