While leading them to their destination, Erwin took advantage of the situation to try to know them better. The most talkative was, of course, Kondo, who always smiled gently and laughed heartily, like a good and sincere man. To Erwin it felt like he was chatting with an old friend, someone who would always have his back. It was easy to gain his sympathy; he was a very simple man.
However, the other two weren't as easy going as their Commander. The black-haired man, Hijikata, seemed to have a very bad habit, smoking anywhere he could. It made Erwin wonder how could he keep with the others in combat, and just how strong (or not) were his lungs. He and the blond youngster, Okita, looked very apathetic to their surroundings, specially Okita, who seemed to have glued a permanent deadpan expression. Erwin soon understood Okita was the type of person his mother told him once to avoid as possible, and that he was lucky not to be in Hijikata's place. For some reason he didn't dare to find out why both partners in justice were entangled in an unfiltered deathmatch.
He shoock his head, telling himself it wasn't his business, anyway. Fortunately for him, he also was near his destination.
"Good afternoon, Mike. How's everything doing?" He saluted friendly.
Said person looked up slightly startled, but quickly covered it up. He answered Erwin's greeting with a nod and a smile of his own. "Everything's going smooth, Commander. Hange Zoe is inside the lab, doing some experiments," he told him, opening his nostrils and detecting some new scents.
Erwin smiled, used to Mike's weird way of acknowledging people, and turned to introduce the Shinsengumi.
"I guess you didn't have the chance yet to meet the new faces. This is Kondo Isao, Commander of the Shinsengumi, Hijikata Toushiro, vice-chief, and Okita Sougo, Squad Leader."
Mike nodded, eyeing them curiously. "Yes, I remember them at the court. I don't think anyone will forget that trial for a long time. I won't for sure," he said, of course refering to the ruckus they made at the speaking.
Erwin sweat-dropped and quickly changed the subject. "So... what is Hange doing this time?"
"Oh, you should see her," a new voice said from behind.
They all turned and met with a brown-haired man looking irritated.
Erwin sighed. "What is it now, Moblit?"
"She's acting all crazy since she somehow managed to pick up a strange signal from an experimental device she created."
Erwin furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "Come again?"
"Exactly what I said, Sir." His gaze then turned to the Shinsengumi, who were watching the conversation with mild interest. He blinked, surprised at their appeareance. He wasn't present at their trial, after all.
"They are the Shinsengumi. A special military police force back their home," Erwin vaguely answered, getting concerned about his crazy friend, Hange.
"I see..." he said, eyeing them with suspicion and curiosity.
"Now, If you kindly let me go to Hange's..." Erwin started saying with an authoritative voice and a scowl.
Moblit looked at him, visibly shock at his sudden change in demeanor and nodded profusely.
"Of course, Commander, go in please," he nervously told him, stepping aside.
Erwin entered, along with the Shinsengumi members, to Hange's lab.
Armin was curiously staring at an old bookshelf, when some steps took him out of his reverie.
He nervously turned and, thinking it was his superior, started bowing focibly.
"I'm sorry, Sir, I'm sorry! I was doing all my chores, but I got distracted seeing at this antique furniture." He stupidly blurted out.
He was expecting a punishment, but was shock when he heard a soft laughter. He blushed, meeting his gaze with Mikasa.
"I-I...
She silenced him with one of her rare gentle smiles, but was rapidly turned into a frown.
"The midget ordered us to go outside. We're meeting some new 'assistants', I think was the word," she said, getting thoughtful all of sudden.
Armin oppened his eyes wide in shock at her statement. "Who are them?"
Mikasa shook her head. "No idea, we're going to meet them right now," she said, and started heading out.
"Hey! Wait for me!"
"Hurry up! Everyone's already outside," Mikasa told him, as they hurriedly walked.
"Who do you think they are?" Jean whispered to Connie, as they all lined up in a line.
"I guess they must be good. If they're under Levi's wing..."
"Maybe they're all muscles but no brain," Ymir contributed, serious as always. "What do you think, Christa?" she turned to the blond petit girl.
"Uh... I don't know," she said timidly.
"Cute," Ymir said aloud, ignoring his partners stares.
Jean then looked forward, looking at Mikasa and Armin coming at last. They quickly lined next to Eren.
"Where is the Captain?" Armin asked, slightly uneasy.
"Don't worry, he hasn't come yet. You're not gonna be punished by Levi for being late," Eren told him with a cheeky smile.
"This is weird, though," Jean mused, thoughtful. "Levi's not one to be late."
The others stared at him curiosly at his statement.
"Jean's right. Maybe he got a little sidetracked..." Connie said.
"Or maybe you little dipshits forgot you're supposed to meet me at the forecourt, not at the backyard," a sudden grumpy voice stated behind them, and they all quickly turned, meeting with the Captain -who seemed to be more annoyed than usual- and three out of place looking people who were at his side, indifferent at the short's temper. Their eyes widened in realisation, remembering they were the strange outsiders who had raised several questions between the low and higher ranks.
"U-Uh, we're very sorry, Captain, Sir!" Armin blurted out, flushing. The others weren't also doing very well, trying to hide their faces from the murderous Captain with fear or embarrassment.
Said Captain, glared at them darkly. Seconds passed, wich to them seemed like minutes, and finally the Captain released a sigh, rubbing his temples.
"Fucking brats. Why the fuck do I have to be in charge of them?" he mused to himself, ignoring their stares. Of course it was him the idiot who had to do the most degradant shit. And of course Erwin had to get away with it. He metally cursed, feeling a headache coming it's way.
"So, should we present ourselves or what?" Gintoki asked him, not really caring about his grumpy attitude. He'd seen worse, after all.
Levi looked up at him -the permhead was freakin' tall- suddenly remembering the purpose of the meeting.
"Go ahead," he said, ignoring the annoying stares he was receiving from the trainees, who expected him to be more aggressive at Gintoki's forwardness.
"Yo! I'm Gintoki Sakata," he lamely said, raising his arm in something that was supposed to be some kind of salute.
"Shinpachi Shimura, a pleasure to meet all of you," the ordinary-looking youngster wearing glassed bowed, kind of uncomfortable at being the centre of attention.
"The name's Kagura Yato, uh-huh!" the China girl greeted, scratching her nose in disdain. The trainees -and also the Captain- looked disgusted mixed with shock as how a cute girl like her could scratch her nose so shamefully.
Levi then casted a glance at his subordinates. "Go ahead, brats."
Eren was the first to get out of his stupor. "I'm Eren Yeager, nice to meet you," he said with a smile.
Strangely, Mikasa followed him. "Mikasa Ackerman," she said curtly.
"I'm Sasha Blouse, nice to meet ya'!" the girl with the pony tail exclaimed cheerfully.
"Connie Springer," the bald guy said looking at them wearily.
"Em, are you all going to introduce yourselfs? How annoying, let's just skip it to the end. The author is also too lazy to do this kind of shit," Gintoki interrupted, scratching his neck.
Everybody, except Kagura and Shinpachi, stared at him blankly.
"What?" Eren blurted out with the same expression.
"Gin-san! Don't talk about the author that way!" Shinpachi scolded him. "This is supposed to be a serious moment!"
"Like hell this is serious, Megane! The author has basically written whatever came up from it's mind!" Kagura butted in.
"What the hell are you talking about?!" Jean exclaimed annoyed and confused.
"Let's just use that, uh, line break was it called? Yeah that. That way the audience will think we have went forward in time, after these guys introduced themselves and all that boring stuff," Gintoki said, ignoring Jean's outburst and the others glares.
"Good idea, Gin-chan!"
"Like hell!"
"Now that we all know our names," Levi remarked sarcastically, seeing as the Yorozuya kept on calling him by different names, "let's skip the formal introduction and get to the point." He looked at the trainees, who were paying attention with their full intent.
"I know you all have heard those shitty rumors wich have spread about these idiots. Don't mind them, they're surely false. By special circumstances, they were put under my wing and I expect you all to get along well, or at least behave. I'll only say that it is true they saved some trainees from the 105th Squad, and that the other three persons who accompanied them are with Erwin. Questions?"
"Why are they exactly here?" Eren dared to ask what was really bothering all of them.
Levi raised a brow. "Is it really of your fucking business, Yeager?"
Said guy gulped and shifted uncomfortably under his Captain's gaze.
"Em, not really..."
"Then don't fuking ask. First of all, they don't need to tell you their life's story; and second, I'm not in the mood to hear more shit coming out from their mouths," Levi said, glaring at the freelancers with the irritation of having to argue with them on the way there. Well, maybe he could do an exception Shinpachi, who was trying to get them to shut up, if anything else. He also didn't want to tell them about their origin and the time-travel shit because it would be too much for the poor brats to process. Hell, even he wasn't truly trustful about them. Who would?
Eren flinched at his answer, but didn't retort back.
"Any more questions?" Levi continued.
"You three are truly japanese, right?" Mikasa asked.
"Yes, we are. Except Kagura," Shinpachi said with a polite smile.
Mikasa's expression was indecipherable as she looked at them and nodded.
"Now that there're no more questions," Levi said, ignoring Armin and Ymir's hands up, "let's...
"CAPTAIN RIVAILLE! CAPTAIN!" A voice breathed out while running towards him.
Levi cursed under his breath and turned to glare at the mob. "What?" he spat.
The mob flinched, but dared to meet his eyes. "Something happened in Hange's lab, and they are asking for their presence," he turned to look at Gintoki, Shinpachi and Kagura.
Levi had his eyes slightly widened at his statement, and nodded.
"Good, go back to your team, brat," he told him, not looking at his eyes, while walking towards Gintoki. The fucker was a giant compared to him.
"Let's go, Permhead. You heard him."
Gintoki and his other two companions nodded, and followed Levi.
"Hey, brats! As a punishment I expect you all to stand here until I come back, okay? Someone's gonna watch you, so don't expect to escape from this one," he told the trainees with a sinister smile which send shivers down (almost) everyone's spine.
Now let's see what Shitty Glasses wants, he thought, carrying once more the three idiots behind him.