Chapter 9: The missing soldier
Erwin Smith has a lot of plans for the future. His version of a future doesn't conflict with his mission, he is a soldier and he will continue to be a soldier. In his years of living he has seen many things. He has walked his path while to the sides the bodies of his fallen soldiers pile up. He sees their faces when death reaches them, but to go further he has to go on, letting them behind him. So their dead eyes can only see his back.
One of these soldiers sting a bit more than the others. Erwin had thought together with Levi he could reach his goal faster, easier. Even after the death of his two friends, Levi stayed, he continued to fight but now he is only one of the dead bodies that he had left behind.
It is afternoon and after a day like today Erwin feels how he gets tired more easily. The day had already cost the lives of a few soldiers. This expedition should be different, they left with less soldiers to be a smaller target, still the titan´s found them. Until they the night falls its still a few hours and Erwin isn't sure they will make it if another group of titans attacks them.
The signal of another titan came not a minute after he had thought about it. Black smoke, not good. "Sir, something is wrong." Erwin looks at the soldier next to him and follows his eyes. He had seen the titan but what the soldier is referring to is not the titan, it is something that the titan does. Form the distance Erwin would say it is a 15-meter call titan, looking closer he sees that the titan has one hand on the back of his neck while the other is waving at them. Waving never before had a titan waved. They slow down and see that the titan is sitting down and a small figure is standing on the titan´s head. A figure in a green cloak with two swords in his hands. Waiting for them. The titan doesn't move and has now both hands behind on his neck. "Erwin, that is Levi." His eyes leave the figure for a second as they fix on the soldier on his other side, Hanji Zoe is starring directly at the small figure. "He found me a titan." Hanji nearly shrieks and stars pushing her horse to a faster pace.
"Don't go too close. No one gets closer to the titan. That is an order." The last part was mostly for Hanji, the other soldier don't want to get closer to any titan. Looking around them there is no other giant walking around. Only the sitting titan that is waiting for them with one of his lost soldiers. "Everyone stays behind me. Attack as soon as the titan moves."
Only Erwin and Hanji move their horses closer to the titan. Still out of reach but close enough to see the Levi probably. The man looks healthy, nothing seems to be broken, no blood on him and he stands tall and ready on the titan's head.
"Levi, you know how much paperwork your resurrection mean right?" What else can you say to someone who you thought for dead for months. About the titan … Erwin is just not sure how to bring that up. One thing is clear this titan is intelligent and it seems like Levi is protecting him. The only reason why he hasn't moved away from the titan is that the second he would move his fellow soldier would attack.
Levi knees down, one hand on the titans head who looks up but doesn't move an inch. He is telling the titan something, something Erwin can´t hear. "Good thing that it is your paperwork. Going missing on a mission is a good excuse." Levi answers and Erwin is happy to see that he hasn't lost his bite. But something is strange, this Levi is different, Erwin isn't sure how to describe it but he is different.
Before they can continue their conversation while ignoring everything around them Hanji seem to have reached her limit what patient she has to offer. She jumps down from her horse and runs over to the titan. Erwin feels the soldier behind him tens up but with a sign form his hand they say still. "LEVI, can I touch your pet titan. PLEEEEEAAAAAAASSSSSSEEE."
"Hey, shitty glasses don't touch him." Levi shouts down from the titans head.
"But I want to touch him. Please I want to do experiments on him." The last thing gets an reaction out of the titan. A low grow and suddenly the air around them change. Levi doesn't move from his place but Hanji seem to notice that something she had done or said the titan doesn't like.
"She won´t do any experiments on you. Am I right?" The first part was softly spoken to the titan, the second part was clearly for Hanji and in a way for Erwin. "Erwin this titan is special, he doesn't eat humans, he saved me and he wants to help us. The only thing that matters for him is to stay with me. When you are against that I will return to the forest where he lives and stay with him. Here is your choice." Seeing Levi´s grey eyes Erwin knows that it was no joke, human's strongest warrior will live outside the wall and stay away from humans for this titan if he doesn't let him come with them.
"Levi we can´t take a 15 meter tall titan inside the wall." Maybe they can create a headquarter outside the wall where the titan can stay but he knows most humans won´t be happy about it. No human, except for Hanji even likes to look at them.
"So, when he is smaller he can come with us and no harm will be done?" Erwin looks back at his soldiers none of them are happy what happens, but they will listen to him.
"Sure. But how will you do that, cut off his limps?" Levi shakes his head, the next words can´t be heard but one of the hand of the titan move. Erwin takes a step back but it only stops for Levi to get on it. The titan brings his hand to the ground close to Hanji but not to close.
"Good." Levi watches them all wary. "No one will hurt him." He waits for everyone close to nod. "Eren come out." He calls and suddenly the nape of the titan releases steam as if it had been destroyed. Something fast and green climbs out, runs and jumps down the titans body, which is dissolving and lands directly in Levi´s arms. His cold, sometimes emotionless solder has offered his arms up for whatever came out of the titans body and caught it. Looking closely, it is a child. A smiling, 10 year old child who is half hugging Levi.