Rare author notes~ starting this chapter, thoughts will be italicized. Thank you!

Chapter 43

Eren's training was put on hold for the sake of the teen's physical and mental health. That is why Annie had nothing to do for the day and just stayed inside her cell. Actually, she had long had nothing to do with Eren's training as she already had taught him everything that he wanted to know and it all depended on himself if he is able to learn it. The Scouts still let her out of her cell to watch these trainings despite that.

This kind of behavior baffled Annie so much. Aren't they afraid she'll transform into a titan and bolt to the walls?

Going back. Even though Annie was literally free enough to go out of her cell. She didn't do anything out of line of sorts. As for why… First, there was no doubt that she will just get captured so easily like before. Second, the scouts didn't plan on executing her. So it didn't matter to her if she escaped or not. Third, the Survey Corps seemed close to discovering who the Coordinate is, hence staying will aid her mission.

She was just doing her daily training inside her cell when she heard of the dungeon doors opening. She knew it wasn't Eren since the other disliked the place and other than him, who was placed in the dungeon due to the requirements of the jury for the Scouts to keep him, she didn't know who else was going to visit this place.

A face flashed in her mind but she quickly whacked it away. There was no point in visiting her anymore since she already gave the all information she had.

Annie stopped her training and slowly calmed her breathing that was slightly off due to the exercises she had done. Her eyes slowly followed the people pouring inside. She had recognized them as part of Levi's squad. Her brows furrowed as she watched them bring in multiple injured people.

Did they mistake the dungeon aka prison as the infirmary?

Annie then observed the people they had brought in closely. Her eyebrows continued to sink deeper. She vaguely felt these people were rather familiar.

Where have I seen them? she thought. She jogged her memories and couldn't come up where. Not until she saw that unforgettable face that was brought in last.

"Kenny Ackeman!" she exclaimed softly in a volume that only she could hear. Now it all clicked to her where these people came from.

The dungeon of the HQ was neither small nor big. It was simple enough to hold or detain at least 20 people. Of course, it didn't mean that the dungeon had 20 cells. It had fewer cells but each cell could contain many people.

The anti-personnel vertical maneuvering equipment squad was placed in cells that weren't near the two titan shifters. They were grouped and separated in different cells except for Kenny their squad leader, who was directly placed in the opposite cell of Annie.

Seeing all the injuries on their bodies, Annie had an inkling who inflicted them. She slowly let her expression go back to her usual indifference. However, she didn't continue with her training. Instead, she sat down on her bed and concentrated at Levi as he walked towards Kenny's cell.

Levi was aware of her presence and her attention but he gave no fucks about it at all.

"You guys can return and rest now," Levi said as he glanced at his men.

Four of them nodded while Farlan closed his distance to Levi. "Do you need me and Isabel here?" he asked.

"… No," Levi said. "I want to talk to this guy alone."

Isabel and Farlan looked at their big brother figure with understanding before they followed the rest of Squad Levi out.

"Really? Asking me to talk right now?" Kenny asked. "Where's that break you promised if I went with you guys?" he had a joking tone in his voice.

"Well, it's not like you're asked to do handstands while we're talking," Levi snorted. "You're just lying or sitting there and you can move your mouth just fine so stop being dramatic."

"Ah," Kenny sighed. "What a serious runt…"

"For someone who got captured by the enemy camp, you are too…" Levi's face scrunched. He lacked words to describe this man before him. He just knew that this man can't be associated with the word normal.

"I just find this entertaining that's all," Kenny said. He had a maniacal grin on his face despite the aches on his body. But despite this grin that seemed to suggest that what happened to them right now didn't affect him any way, Levi caught the flash of darkness in the older man's eyes.

"Is that so?" Levi crossed his arms over his chest.

"So what do you want?"

"I just want to know a thing or two today…" Levi began. "Why did you leave me back then?" His mind went back to the past when he was younger, around Luffy's or Law's age back when they took them in. He was on the verge of dying from starvation and malnutrition. Back then, he looked bonier than Luffy was.

Kenny was a bit startled by this unexpected question. He was expecting questions about the secrets of the royalty or something. He then laughed as he managed to compose himself. "No big reason really. I just can't become some brat's dad!" he said as if it was common sense, a logical fact that didn't need to be asked or questioned.

"… What's your relationship with my mother then," Levi continued. "From the little time I've spent with you, you're really not the type to take in kids for no good reason." He wasn't an idiot.

"Nothing special," Kenny said, still laughing a bit. "I'm just her brother!"

Levi's eyes widened when he heard his words. "You…" A blood-related family… It's the most surreal thing to him. He actually has that kind of connection with someone. After all these years, he hadn't thought that it was still possible. "Wait. You're an Ackerman… Does that mean I'm an Ackerman too? There's also another Ackerman in the Scouts… Are we in any way related?"

"I thought you just wanna know a thing or two," Kenny said. "You keep blasting questions out."

Levi clicked his tongue. "Just answer you darned old man."

"Heh. Anyone who bears the name Ackerman is part of the clan. Whoever that is must be a distant cousin," Kenny said. "Are you done asking these unimportant questions, oh dear nephew? Scram and give me a break already."

Cousin... Levi thought as he absentmindedly left the dungeon. Today he had found two blood-related family members and they had been so close to him but he never knew.

That Mikasa must not have any knowledge either. Because of his actions, hurting Eren during his trial, he had garnered the teen's hatred. Every time they meet, she would give him a stink eye. There was no ounce of familiarity nor recognition as a family.

Ah, Levi thought. It's not like anyone can recognize their family by seeing their face. It's usually the surname that enabled people to connect the dots. If the former had been possible then he would have recognized Kenny as a family from the get-go.

… My boys don't have surnames themselves do they? Levi stopped walking. He was alone in an empty hallway. Nobody could see the unusual worried face on the grouchy man's face. I wonder if they will want to take my surname? Ackerman… Luffy Ackerman. Law Ackerman.

… It doesn't sound bad. Unbeknownst to himself, Levi's mouth curled up a bit, letting out a small smile.

Rod Reiss didn't know what went wrong in his life. After the walls of Shiganshina fell, everything went out of control. His family died, that power got stolen… Now he was to rely on his illegitimate daughter that was now in the Scouts, who also harbored the son of the thief, that crazy man, who ended his family.

He was waiting patiently right now for his daughter and that son of a bastard to arrive. But it has been days since he had sent out Kenny after finally telling the man what was wrong. Back then, he had sensed that the man actually want him to skin alive after telling him how that power was stolen for years already but begrudgingly went to get it back.

Days passed by so slowly in Rod's opinion. Slowly, a seed of unease sprouted deep inside him. Since back then, Kenny had been very fast and efficient in doing his tasks. There was no way it could take any longer than a day or two.

Something had happened? he thought. Inside, he felt that was rather impossible. That man was an Ackerman. Those people who had the blood of the Ackerman always scared the Royalty more than those other bloodlines they have eradicated.

Granted, the Scouts also had an Ackerman but with Kenny's rich experience, it was almost unthinkable for him to lose.

He was waiting in the chapel where his family got murdered by that hateful man, sitting in the front rows, looking all serene, but deep inside his entire being was plunged in endless anxiety. For some reason, Rod felt like there was a hanging guillotine right above his head, ready to cut him down anytime.

The sound of the doors opening made him stiffen. A light set of footsteps was soon heard. These unfamiliar footsteps made Rod slowly turn around. His eyes widened as he saw the face he hadn't seen for years.

"Father…" her soft voice called out. "I heard you wanted to meet me again."

Rod dispersed the unease he had felt for days as he saw his daughter's soft and forgiving face. It reminded him so much of Uri's and Frieda's once they had inherited that power.

"Historia, you are finally back!"

So, some formatting might be off. I did this on my phone. Since I got no wifi for my laptop and my hotspot is just too slow. My chrome crashed gazillion times this week. I'm all spent.