Notes

August 1, 2014

- Deadlines: Things that odbo_bster needs to focus more on achieving work done before. I'll try to write much more in the coming weeks, but lately I have been unmotivated to work on the fanfic. I may not have wanted such a long-term project, but now that I've got it, there is nowhere left to go but forward. I promise this: TWRSE is now my top priority, from this point forward. This chapter was improvised, but all will be explained and connected. I did a bit of foreshadowing as well for analytical readers. Also, the characters in this chapter that have not been mentioned up to this point are supposed to be of a Middle Eastern ethnicity, since I did not approach discussing appearance heavily. It may be out of canon, Middle Easterns might be almost extinct in SnK along with Asians, but I'm not really sure. I'm rambling... enjoy.

Two weeks had passed since Petra had awoken from her surgery. Levi found himself happy during the time he took to be with her, against Erwin's recommendation of training the soldiers. Each morning, Petra would treat herself and Levi with a steaming coffee drink for a session of reading her diary. On the beginning of the second week, they snuck outside together during the early hours as the sun slowly rose to illuminate the Earth around them. Levi continued to learn more about what a strong young woman Petra was, and he grew even more attached to her perpetually warm personality.

Levi was now in the Phatean Market inside the northern section of Wall Sina, and he marveled at its sight. He had read that it had a Mediterrean-styled architecture and color scheme, large limestone shelters that held quilts of faded blues and greens. He could smell the spicy aroma of steaming hot dishes and heard the many vendors cry out newly reduced prices. The common area of the market was filled with the bustle of commotion and commerce, while Levi pushed his way through in search of a special gift for Petra. This place is exotic as all hell, so they better have it here.

He looked above the large crowd after managing to find a stool, and saw a lone jeweler polish his pieces, across from where Levi currently stood. He jumped down onto the ground and started to make his way towards the man. Faces went by him as he inched slowly through the crowd, until he gazed down into a glass case bearing many shiny pieces of jewelry.

"Welcome to Abraham's stall, sir! Judging from your uniform, you are a soldier of the Survey Corps, yes?" Levi looked up to the olive man, now holding his hand out to him. He spoke in a dialect that Levi was unfamiliar with, which was presumably native to the desert in the northern section of the walls before the Titans roamed.

"Yes. Captain Levi of the Survey Corps. I'm looking for a necklace that has either light brown or orange jewels on it. Price is not an issue as well."

Abraham smiled. "Ahh yes Captain Levi, Abraham thinks that he has many items like that for you! Now a question: would you prefer topaz, amber, or a hybrid piece?"

Topaz. Amber. Perfect. "A combination of the two stones would be great." The merchant nodded his head and dashed into a door behind him, to search through his storeroom. Levi heard him start to mutter to himself, and he raised his eyebrows when he heard a loud noise of a box falling. A small yelp came from the man inside, but soon he reentered the market area with a small transparent box within his hands. Inside was a beautiful silver necklace, dotted with orange specks on each link of it, and with three large, orange stones in the middle.

Levi opened the glass case and felt the weight of the necklace in his hands. "Abraham sees that you like it, yes? That's very good, for that necklace is one of Abraham's finest pieces. Each silver link of the necklace is embellished with an amber stud, the resin from the giant trees in the southern districts. Those three large stones at the bottom, from left to right, are topaz, fire opal, and spessartite garnet, all cut by Abraham to nearly perfectly round circular shapes. This necklace took a whole year to complete, after market hours."

Damn, this necklace has stones I've never heard of. Clearly this Abraham is an artisan to craft such a flawless necklace. "It's a very fine piece. Let's…"

"Oh Abraham, you've finally gotten a customer! Did you have to bribe him just to talk to you, you old loser!" Levi turned around to a group of men slightly younger than him stare at the vendor, smiling, the presumed leader in front, whom had just spoken those words. He looked at Levi. "He paid you didn't he? Ain't nobody who has the guts to talk to this crazy hermit anymore. Not after… Just buy your shit and go, eh, government boy?"

Levi, obviously capable of taking on the entire group of men in hand to hand combat, held his ground and observed the man's tirade. Abraham has some sketchy history from what this guy is saying. Or this attack is actually a sabotage. When I travel into cities I can always take information about hoodlums stalking the weary in gangs. This man has some of those traits, from what I can see: smug and direct. Whether Abraham has any affiliation with them or not, I don't know nearly enough to make any fair judgement on the situation. "I have not approached you, and while I am on business here that does not involve you, I suggest that you continue with your own tasks. Otherwise I will not hesitate to subdue all of you and get your asses locked up. Wipe that smile off your face, jackass. Are we clear?"

The man held his hands up, acting sarcastically innocent, "Oh but officer, please, I am but a passerby in this very busy marketplace. Pshh." He lowered his hands and walked towards Levi, but continued to walk forward. He put his hands on the glass display. "You probably couldn't care less about what our merchant pal over here has actually done, but I'll tell you this, asshole. You're a captain in the Survey Corps, eh? You see your men and women die outside of the walls every expedition. You know exactly what kind of corrupt shit the government is doing while your people die. Our friend here is no better than the royalty living in the lap of luxury, my friend. People like you, and people like me, we're just out to make the world a better place. Essentially, we are clear, that the right things need to happen. Unfortunately, you are wrong that I need to back off, and I am right, when I do this."

He reached over his shoulders and pulled out a long, wooden bat, and swung it over his shoulders onto the glass, with a piercing noise, and shattered into a million crystallite shards. Levi crouched, turned around, and held his hood tightly against his hood as he felt glass slide down his back. Screams of fear erupted within the common, and Levi stood to face this assailant, who was vaulting over the shattered case towards Abraham, cowering in fear. He held the bat's long edge in his palms and prepared to attack Abraham.

"Noo!"

Levi's cry was too late as the handle of the man's bat battered Abraham in the forehead, sending him into the brick wall behind him, crumpling onto the ground. Levi leapt over the case and tackled the man into the wall of the storeroom. Levi clenched his fist and struck him in the face, knocking him out with a single blow. He turned to face the rest of the gang, but they had disappeared along with the fleeing crowd of the market.

Levi knelt down to inspect Abraham, and was shocked when he noticed a large gash striped across his face, cascading in blood slowly. He coughed, and said, "I'm so sorry that you had to intervene, Captain." He continued to hack and cough, saliva and blood. "I'm not a bad man. I'll explain… eventually, but I've never done anything malicious in my life. My family… they died a long time ago… damn it all, take the necklace for free. Anything for that matter. You have extended my presence on this world, and I am eternally grateful. You don't know…"

The poor bastard… in such a poor condition, he's started talking in the first person again. "Be quiet. All formalities can wait for later, but for now, we need to get to the garrison to get you fixed up and have this assault reported. Here, let me help you up." Levi wrapped his arms around the old man, and lifted him off the ground, groaning in pain. Levi shoved the necklace in its glass case into his pocket, and continued to bring the man along with him when a gleaming object caught his eye, protruding very slightly from a small box.

"You said I could keep any other object, correct Abraham?" The man nodded. "Then just wait right here." Levi propped Abraham against a stall nearby and returned to the wreckage in front of the jewelry stall. He knelt and picked up the box, admiring it in all of its glory, and closed it shut. Levi returned and lifted Abraham up again.

The old man took a look at the object Levi had taken, and a gentle smile formed on his face. "I never took you for that kind of guy, Captain Levi. Interesting."