Disclaimer: Don't own anything but Seffra and Jonah.

Chapter 3: The Two Sides Meet

Dust was kicked up as Seffra landed feet first to the ground, blades up and ready to block any retaliating strikes, though all this was merely from habit. She was slightly in shock from what had just occurred, completely ignoring the blood dripping from her right cheek.

"How?" Her voice slightly grating from lack of use, Seffra tried to understand what had happened. She blinked at the scene before her, as if that alone would let her see the bloody remnants of her intended victim, instead of the man living, if not collapsed on the ground from being shoved out of the way.

Standing before her, blades at the ready, was the very man she had wanted to avoid.

Levi.

Seffra watched as Levi lifted his right blade up to eye level, inspected the point where the metal blade had snapped from the impact of meeting her own swords, the snapped piece having flown towards her face, slicing her cheek.

"Interesting," Steel colored eyes shifted to her own, acting as chains that kept her from moving, "You have an interesting weapon there."

The sound of blades being drawn came from behind. Seffra knew that the time for successful escape had passed. A single man had just destroyed her plan. Now she would have to rely on her wits to get out. Keep them talking until she could find an exit.

It took all of her willpower to not turn away from Levi and face the majority threat, because she would not be fooled. The soldiers may have the numbers, but it was this man that was the higher threat. Somehow, he had managed to cross the camp area and successfully block her attack despite not having shown any signs of knowing that she had been about to strike.

"How'd you know?"

What had given her away? A shadow? Light off of her blade? Just what was it?!

"Your desire to kill was so strong it was a pain in the ass to ignore. Anyone competent would be able to feel it."

Why did it feel like she was being mocked?

Seffra couldn't refrain from releasing the growl that rested in her throat, lip curling up to reveal her right canine. Levi merely raised an eyebrow.

"Well, looks like you're not a coward but a dog, going so far as to even dare to bare your fangs at me."

"Why don't I show you just how capable I am of tearing out your throat?" She would do it. This bastard was playing with her.

"Proving my point."

"That's enough, Levi."

Seffra could feel her body relax slightly when those eyes left her own to stare at the man slowly making his way around to her stand in her vision.

"My name is Commander Erwin Smith of the Survey Corps. Despite the circumstances, it is a pleasure to meet someone capable of building a life outside the Wall."

While his own blades remained sheathed, Erwin made no move to shake hands, something Jonah had said was a means of proper greeting.

"You'll forgive me if I don't sheath my blades."

Erwin chuckled while raising a hand up. It must have been some type of signal because the blades were then sheathed again. Was this a trick?

"While I had not been expecting you to just jump out and attack, I must say I've been very interested in meeting the ones to have been here for so long. What are you called?"

Did he really expect her to just share information?

"If not that then maybe you can share why you attacked."

Remembering her desire to kill that man, Seffra's gaze snapped towards Oluo, who glared right back, though she was happy to see that he still looked shaken from being so close to death.

"The bastard was disrespecting Jonah."

Levi glanced over to his subordinate while Erwin looked questionably at her.

"Jonah?"

"That is his grave the bastard is lazing on."

Oluo scrambled from where he laid, as if the fact that he was on a grave was dirty. Well, it was but he didn't have to act like it was a disease. Jonah had been very clean, which only caused Seffra issues when Titans easily smelled the older man, making her have to fight.

"Jonah was one of your comrades?" Erwin completely dismissed the fact that this grave was separate of the rest.

"Are you humans so ignorant of life out here that you have to assume that I need a group to survive out here?" This was really getting irritating. She may be able to withhold pride most times but right now, talking was all she could do to survive.

"No, Jonah was not one of my comrades. He was one of your people I saved years ago. Before Jonah, I'd been alone and have been since his death."

Seffra had only blinked when her vision was filled with brown goggled eyes and hair and was met with a loud voice.

"Is your sword what you used against Titans? What material is it? How did you manage to shape it? Have you managed to discover anything interesting about Titans during your stint outside the Wall? How did you even manage to-"

Seffra swiftly kicked her leg out towards the fast talking woman, only to meet air as Hange jumped backwards, almost landing onto Erwin in the process.

"Do you ever stop talking?!" Honestly, this woman could not be human with her abnormal lung capacity.

Hange regained her stance, only to be pulled backwards by Levi, "See, Shitty four-eyes, other people don't want to hear your constant blabbering. So shut it."

Erwin took a step forward, placing himself before Hange, hopefully in a means of keeping that crazy woman away.

"I apologize for Hange's outburst. Now about my previous question, this Jonah, you said he was one of us."

Seffra just kept silent. Information was what kept her alive after all. Erwin seemed to realize just why the she was keeping silent, as he changed strategies.

"We would like your cooperation. Your experiences out here in Titan territory-"

"Mine."

Erwin appeared nonplus by her interruption. "What?"

"This town is my territory. Not the Titans'. Not yours. Mine."

"Humans built this town, not you!" At the unpleasant voice, Seffra turned a chilling gaze to the wanted dead man who had dared to refute her statement.

"You humans abandoned this place. Now it is Jonah's resting place and I will not let Titans or you ignorant beings to defile it."

Levi raised an eyebrow at her words. "So you claim this land like a dog. Did you piss on the posts too?"

Ignore the short man. Ignore the short man. Ignore the dangerous short man.

Erwin raised a hand, silencing the background noise. "Either way, the Survey Corps need that knowledge. The methods you've used to survive for so long and the way you adapt and acquire resources could be valuable."

Seffra tightened her grip on her blades. That action did not go unnoticed as Levi slowly made a show of reading a hand to draw his own if need be.

"I refuse."

Erwin didn't even blink at that. "And why would that be?"

"Jonah. He gave up everything to keep me safe. He gave up his sister, mother, and comforts of the Walls to keep me out of your hands."

That did seem to puzzle Erwin, though it was barely noticeable.

"You said this Jonah was a member of the Survey Corps. Why would he want to protect you from the very group he was a part of?"

The group behind her hadn't moved at all. Why were they not relaxing at all? Was this all a stall tactic? She couldn't escape already because of the odds so reinforcements wouldn't be a plausible reason. She would just have to continue this conversation for now.

"Not the Survey Corps, but your leaders. Your ideals themselves. Whatever is different becomes either a tool or is destroyed simply because it doesn't fit within your standards of acceptable. This is why you humans are so ignorant, constantly trying to control everything and bend it to your standards. Jonah said that he would not force me to endure being trapped, a human that has never lived within the confinements of your Walls."

Erwin sighed. "I see. That is a problem."

And here it is. This is where he'll have them attack and detain her. If they thought she would permit them capturing her, then she'd have to rid them of that delusion. She would rather die on her terms than have her death decided by a bunch of fat cows.

A moment on Erwin's part had Seffra tense her body, ready to defend herself.

"If you come with us, and find yourself to be placed in the mercy of the Military Police, you may take my life."

…what?

TBC…

First off, a great big thanks to both LockFlower and Kal for reviewing. This chapter is being finished early because I felt so excited and slightly giddy when I read your reviews. I really appreciate the support. Second, I do plan on doing other PoVs but right now it will mainly be Seffra's for a bit longer. Again, please leave a review and let me know what you think. Thank you all for reading!