Hello All. Here is another lengthy chapter of my SNK fic. Seeming as I waited a month to give a new chapter, I'll probably update again next Friday or before. Thanks for following and liking the story. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 12

*bold*= brief flashback

"There they are!"

"The main force from the Survey Corps is here!"

"Commander Erwin! Kick their Titan asses for me!

"Look! There's Captain Levi! They say he alone counts for a full unit!"

"A full unit? Wow Levi, you've got quite the reputation." I chimed in happily along with the rest of the crowd commenting on his passing.

"Can't they shut up?" Levi complained irritatedly. I rode atop my horse to the left of the Captain even though newer soldiers usually stayed in the back.

"Just imagine how disappointed your admirers would be if they found out how much of a neurotic clean freak you are," Hanji commented from Levi's right. I giggled at her comment, earning a glare from the Captain.

"Beyond this wall, the Titans wait. What types will I get to meet this time? I hope I can see an abnormal! That'd be so cool!" Hanji exclaimed with starry eyes. I raised an eyebrow at her dramatic approach to this expedition. It seemed that she hadn't changed from the first time I'd met her. In the face of danger, she always seemed too eager to get close to it. Maybe it was her way of coping with everything. She'd spent years in this line of work so perhaps getting angry at the Titans was probably just too typical a reaction for her.

"If you want an abnormal, I found one," Levi commented.

"Huh? Where?" Hanji and I asked at the same time. Hanji looked around curiously while the Captain steered his horse over to the right and took Hanji's head with one hand, turning her face to his.

"Right here," he answered. I chuckled as the two began throwing jests at each other.

"Hey Caria! Is that you!?" hollered a familiar voice. I snapped my head to the left and saw someone pushing past the crowd. It was Nac Tius. He waved to me happily and came to walk alongside my horse. I smiled nervously at him. He wasn't really supposed to be in the streets with the main force but since he wasn't a civilian, the SC would probably let it slide. "Wow you cut you're hair! You look really great!" he exclaimed. I still had yet to tie my hair back much to Levi's annoyance.

"Thanks! Hey Nac, today's our first day as full fledged soldiers. Are you excited?" I smiled.

"Oy Caria, whose that?" Hanji hollered going around Levi with her horse. I hesitated slightly before answering. I noticed Levi glaring intently at Nac in a seemingly disapproving manner.

"This is my friend from the 104th Trainee Squad. Nac Tius," I replied.

"Whoa, is that Captain Levi?! You must have serious connections riding up here with him," Nac commented seemingly awestruck by the dark haired man.

"Yeah I met him six years ago, long story," I said rubbing the back of my head nervously as Levi's frown deepened. Fortunately this went unnoticed by my oblivious friend. Eventually Nac recovered from his brief starstruck daze and directed his attention at me. I took note that he was blushing and knew that something I would probably find unfavorable was coming.

"Caria, after you get back from the expedition and we have some time off, would you be willing to spend a day with me in the capital? They're pretty fancy in the innermost wall but we can just go in our military uniform without looking out of place. But if you want I could get you a dress," Nac said looking up at me with a hopeful smile.

"Nac thank you, but I you know I feel about you and well-"

"Caria I know you don't like me that way, but now that I'm a soldier I could die any moment. I don't want to force you to go but even if we're just friends, I'd like to at least spend a day with you outside of being trainees or soldiers," Nac cut in with a determined expression.

"Nac..." I paused. He was right. Both me and him could die at any moment if the Colossal Titan or the Armored Titan decided to show up, bringing death and destruction in their wake. Would it really hurt if I just went with him as a friend? It was all he was asking for. "Alright Nac, as friends, we'll spend the day together. But no fancy dress, those things are down right uncomfortable," I said.

"Okay, I would have liked to see you in a dress but maybe some other time," Nac joked.

"Advance!" cried Commander Erwin's voice from the front line. Now was the beginning of the company latest excursion into Titan controlled lands.

"Bye, Nac, tell the others I said good luck on their first day," I waved, spurring my horse forward.

"We're not the ones going to fight Titans. I know you're on top with Mikasa, but you and the Recon Unit probably need more luck than the rest of us," Nac called as I moved further away. "I'll be waiting for you when you return!"

Wall Maria. Once a place where my home resided. Now dangerous grounds housing countless titans, all brought in from the Colossal and Armored Titan. The expedition eventually led us to a town with Titans wandering about. Teams were organized to clear the town of Titan activity. It was time to prove myself...

"Erwin, let Caria go with my squad. If she really is skilled, I could use her one my team."

"Levi, you know that new recruits are usually in bigger groups and you tend to take on ample amounts of Titans at once. Plus you're the elite of the elite. She really should be with one of our other veteran member's like Mike."

"My team is enough and you know what I'm capable of," Levi argued. Erwin's eyes narrowed in on Levi, silently questioning the shorter man for his unusual insistence on such a matter. I looked between them but kept silent. Levi was reputed as humanity's best so I was eager to work with him but in the end, it was up to the commander to decide.

"Hmm, very well Levi. Caria, you're with Levi's team," Erwin said turning towards me. I stepped over to the Captains' side. Soon I would see one. My hands itched on the handles of my swords. My muscles tensed under my cloak.

* It had stomped her to an unrecognizable bloody pulp. Even from my far away distance I could see the happy sadistic smirk. The smirk. The gall. The arrogance. The god complex. *

"Caria, you're scowling," Levi said. I shook my head vigorously of my old memories. I needed to focus for this mission, not get caught up in thoughts of vengeance. I felt a hand touch my shoulder and looked up to see Erwin wearing a grave expression on his face. He was probably already anticipating the substantial losses that the Recon Unit would take from this expedition. We lost several men simply getting to this town.

"Be careful Caria, this is your first time out here and things can get pretty hectic. Follow Levi's orders and you should be fine," Erwin advised.

"Yes sir!" I nodded. I saluted him and went on my way with Levi's team which consisted of the same soldiers that had been at his house last night and some other veteran soldiers that I had just met. We headed into the section of the abandoned town with the most Titans. They all looked the same as they had over three years ago. Smiling, frowning, mouths agape, eyes round and doll like with no change in expression. Our group stopped on top of a high roof which overlooked multiple classes of Titans to the North, East, and West.

"Petra, Oluo, Sven, Hugo, and Gustav; take down the cluster of Titans to the North. Eld, Gunther, Wilhelm, Alda and Maude you guys take care of the East. Go and remember not to screw up. Don't misjudge a situation, it could lead to your death and the death of you're comrades!" Levi commanded. Saluting, the soldiers broke into two groups and headed North or East respectively.

"Caria, you're with me," The Captain said turning my way. He scanned the area around us until his eyes stopped at a looming figure. "You see that 9 meter class Titan to the West? You're going to take it out," I nodded apprehensively following his line of sight. Taking my swords out, I readied them at my sides.

"Just remember training," I told myself. All I needed to do was make a deep cut in the nape of the neck. Both hooks shot out of my 3D maneuver gear and lodged into a clock tower just above the Titan. I waited for it to pass by me. Fortunately I hadn't been noticed yet. My hook shot out into the area just above the nape and my body flew towards the Titan. Just as I was about to come in contact with the Titan's nape, it turned abruptly, catching me in its hand. I gasped at the sudden movement, the wind briefly knocked out of my lungs. Was it an abnormal?

*I stood there frozen in place as the Titan's hand begun to close in around me. I was so distraught by my impending doom that I just barely heard the galloping of a horse coming from behind me. *

No. I wouldn't be saved by the Captain again. I was a soldier now dammit! My bottom half was locked, but my swords were still free. I stabbed the Titan's hand with my right sword and cut into the index finger, loosening it's grip. Using the sword I had stabbed into its hand, I levered my body out of it's grasp and ran up the length of it's arm. It had an angry, seething frown plastered on its face. As I ran up close to its face, the Titan snapped at me. I dodged, jumping on the pointed nose and up to the peak of the Titan's head. I back-flipped as it brought an arm up to squash me and cut horizontally into the nape just as I passed it, felling the 9 meter monster. My hook launched onto the side of the building where the Captain stood, and I was whipped up to the roof landing lightly in front of him.

"How was that?" I asked confidently, proud of my first Titan kill.

"Not bad. Not bad at all. You demonstrated precision and fast reaction even after the Titan caught you," The Captain complimented. He looked at my hands which were covered in blood and frowned. Walking over to me he took out his handkerchief and rubbed my hands of blood. I looked at him incredulously.

"Umm... what are doing?" I frowned.

"Cleaning. You're hands are bloody and you have a stain on your jacket now," Levi muttered.

"Geez Levi. You do realize that with every Titan I kill there's going to be blood, right? Besides the most of the blood usually disappears like the Titans body and besides, we're in the middle of fighting," I whined.

"Suit yourself. Go join Petra's team to the North, I'll take care of the rest of the Titans around here," Levi ordered. I looked around seeing a 10 and 12 meter class in the distance. There were likely smaller ones around as well.

"Shouldn't we work together on this?" I suggested.

"Hmm, well I suppose I'd rather have you close to me so that I can confirm that that kill of yours wasn't just beginners luck," Levi said matter-o-factually. I rolled my eyes and headed towards a 7 meter class Titan I saw walking around to my left. I'd show Levi that it was skill that got me here once and for all.

"Yahoo!" Hanji cried in excitement. Heading over to an emaciated looking Titan. She landed on the roof just as the Titan turned around to face her. "Don't worry! I'm not going to hurt you!" Hanji called to the Titan. I watched in awe as she evaded the Titan's grasp. "Not quite," she exclaimed. Her gear arced her around the Titan. "It's my turn! Gotcha!" The nape was torn out and the Titan stumbled forward falling on its face. I shook my head. She really does have too much fun with this. I had just gotten my 3rd solo Titan kill of the day and turned to watch Levi in action. He landed on a roof and walked nonchalantly towards two 13 meter class Titans. A hook sailed out and dove into the brick of a building. The Captain flew around the Titan and launched himself towards the neck doing 360 spins and cutting the nape clean out. He landed with one foot and pivoted so that he was sent flying over to the next Titan which had deep sockets and a bald head. A thought crossed my mind. That Titan looked an awful lot like instructor Keith Shadis. The Captain arched back and then forward, tossing the swords into the Titan's eyes. The large creature cried out painfully, covering its eye sockets. Levi landed on its head and pulled out a new set of blades. He jumped up high in the air and came down on the titan, rotating at a high velocity once more. The Titan fell and the Captain flipped up onto the roof immediately looking at his no doubt bloody swords. I rolled my eyes and headed over to him. I had to know how he did those amazing spins. I came up to him just as he took out his handkerchief and began cleaning his swords.

"Wow Levi you're incredible! How in the world do you spin like that?" I commended.

"Hmm, you were watching me?" he questioned looking up from his sword polishing.

"Well...uh yea," I replied blushing slightly. I probably should've been killing Titans or helping the others but the Captain's skills were simply captivating. He made killing those monsters look so easy.

"Take notes," he stated abruptly before swinging down towards the street below. I followed him to where Petra was, huddled over a dying soldier.

"Captain, I can't stop the bleeding!" Petra relayed with watery eyes. I looked down at the soldier, Sven, whose midsection was covered in blood. One of his organs had probably been punctured judging by the extent of the damage and the amount of blood.

"Captain..." the dying voice of Sven whispered. Levi strode over to the body and bent down.

"What?" the Captain said calmly.

"Was I... of use... to mankind? Or willI die... useless like this?" he pondered with his bloody right hand rising up purposefully. His question struck me. My brows creased. The soldiers of the Recon Unit were so different from the Garrison and Military Police. They put they're lives on the line for everyone and this... this was all they got out of it? Levi's hand shot out and clasped the dying soldier's bloody fingers.

"You did great. And you'll do even more. Your spirit will stay with me and give me strength!" the Captain declared. "I swear to you I will exterminate the Titans!"

"Captain... he's gone," Petra stated sadly.

"...Do you think he heard everything?

"Yes. I'm sure he heard it... just look at him. He's resting so peacefully now," I came up behind the Captain and looked down at the man. He did look peaceful, blood smeared face and all.

"That's good," The Captain said solemnly rising next to me. I looked at his grey eyes, downcast towards Sven's body, lost in thought. This was the first time that the Captain's humanity really became evident to me. He may have been a superhuman soldier, but he was still affected by the dying men around him. As harsh as he could be towards others, he cared deeply for each of his comrades and the whole of humanity.

"Levi!" came Commander Erwin's voice from behind us. I spun around with the Captain to face the blonde haired man. I raised a curious brow at seeing the Commander and a few other soldiers atop their horses. "We're going back!"

"Back? We still haven't reached our limit." Levi retorted with an undertone of irritation. "Did my men die in vain?"

"The Titans have all started heading North towards the city. It's just like five years ago, something's happened in the city. They might have even broken through the Wall." I felt Petra and Levi tense on either side of me. A sense of despair rose within me. We'd already lost a disheartening percentage of soldiers for this expedition and I shuddered to think how high the causalities would be from this second attack of the Titans. How many more could we afford to lose in this hell?

***end chapter***

Yes on episode 9, I kid you not, there is a Titan that resembles Keith Shadis with sunken eyes. Hehe. If you don't read the manga or Birth of Levi I highly recommend it since this story contains bits of info from them(and will eventually contain even more). Also, I don't know if you guys do this but even when reading I hear the Japanese voices of the characters since I watch animes in Japanese. While I only understand phrases, I was thinking it would be nice to assign Caria a voice actor(yes I'm weird). Mainly just to get a sense of what she sounds like when talking to Levi and on top of that, I might name certain soundtracks at certain moments if you ever listen to music while you read just to set a mood. For instance, before an epic battle you might see

**Attack On Titan plays**.

If you're not into any of this just ignore everything I just said and go about reading like a normal person cause I'm crazy. Ciao.