"Try not to walk clustered together. We'll stand out. Eren and Historia, just act normal," Levi instructed.

The streets of Trost were busy and crowded. The plan was going smoothly for now. People would be showing up to abduct Eren, Historia and Nathalie any moment now. Or at least, Jean, Armin, and Nathalie. It was annoying for both. Jean acting to be the guy that he hated and rivalled almost all the time, and Armin acting to be a girl. His blonde hair and bright blue eyes helped perfectly. Nathalie had to lend him one of her skirts and shirts, since Mikasa's and Sasha's were too big for him to wear. Nathalie could easily sew them in his size, but she didn't have the proper equipment and neither the time at the moment.

The three from Hange's Squad had taken upon themselves to guide Eren and Historia to safety in a carriage that covered them and helped them slip through at the moment. Nathalie was wearing her hood, even though she knew they'd still recognise her and abduct her. But that was in the plan.

"Why's the royal flag hanging everywhere?" Connie asked.

"Today must be the anniversary of the King's coronation. Once a year they hand out extra rations to celebrate it," Sasha answered.

"Huh,"

"All that food and he's just giving it away?" Mikasa asked surprised.

"It's not as if he needs it all. He's here to control people when they're not starving," Levi answered.

"You've no idea on what lengths people can go to achieve power," Nathalie said.

The seven of them continued walking down the street until Levi suddenly stopped. No matter how far, he had learned to recognise well the sound of a carriage as it approached. He could tell Nathalie had heard it too. Maybe her abductors were going to show up after all. Nathalie wasn't wearing her ODM. She was wearing a casual grey skirt with a white shirt on top, but she had daggers in places no one would be able to spot them in. It almost reminded her of back then, when she, Levi, Isabel and Furlan would get in lots of kinds of trouble in the Underground.

"Behind us! Look out!" Levi cried out, urging the kids to stand out of the carriage's way and into safety.

There were three men on the carriage. One grabbed Armin, the other, Jean, and the other, Nathalie. Nathalie just looked over at Jean and Armin, making sure the two were safe and she allowed the man to tie her hands behind her back. Patience. She reminded herself. She trusted Levi's plans. She always did.

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Now they were tied in chairs in an old abandoned warehouse they were hiding in. The ropes were uncomfortably tight around Nathalie's hands as she watched one of the men who had abducted them approaching them. He was supposed to keep an eye on them. Those men seemed like total amateurs. They hadn't even searched them for guns or knives or daggers. They had them tied in ropes. Professionals would tie them in chains. Not to mention, that she could easily reach for her dagger beneath her shirt on her back. Nathalie was willing to bet they had been hired by someone else. But who? She had no idea at this point.

Still, she couldn't stand to watch the guy playing with Armin's fake tits. Both Armin and Jean were tense. They hated this. She couldn't let their cover be blown either. Nathalie raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, bald guy," Nathalie drew the middle-aged man's attention. "How about you stopped touching the little girl and won't you come over here to get some real action?"

Jean shot Nathalie a look. He was shaking his head telling her no. He didn't want that guy to start touching her. Nathalie just returned a reassuring look, to help him somewhat calm down. But he didn't.

Still, the guy turned and approached her. He laughed. "Eager, aren't we?"

"Well, I can't help it. I'm very sensitive around bald, chubby, middle-aged men," Nathalie said. Bald, chubby, middle-aged men were the exact opposite of what her actual type was.

But she was good at pretending, Jean had to admit that. It wasn't the first time she was seducing someone for the sake of a job. Nathalie had done this again. Levi's plans always required some bait. He hated using her as the bait, but he would always come to her rescue. That was until he taught her enough to not need his rescue.

"I've never been with a doctor before," The man leaned close. His hand found her breasts massaging uncomfortably.

It's nothing you haven't done before. Nathalie reminded herself and she kept her composure. "Well, I promise you I know exactly where to touch," Finally. Her hands were freed. She had just finished chopping off the ropes with her dagger, and with a swift move she cut off a finger from the hand that was cupping her breast. The man screamed in pain. The finger landed on the floor. She punched the man hard in the face whilst Mikasa dropped from the rooftop and cut off Nathalie's restraints.

The man tried to pull out a gun, but Nathalie kicked it away from his hand. Her foot slipped beneath his own, making him lose his balance and fall down. Nathalie straddled him. She wasn't going to kill him. They needed information from that man.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, our fucking session will have to wait," Nathalie grunted as she elbowed him hard enough to knock him half unconscious. By the time she got back on her feet, Jean and Armin had been freed off their restraints by Mikasa and Sasha.

"Dad!" Another man came running towards them with three other men following from behind.

Sasha shot an arrow on one man, pinning him from his shirt on a wooden nearby box. Mikasa attacked the other, and Jean with Armin knocked another one out. Nathalie realised she didn't have to do anything. Her kids had it all covered.

"Don't even think about moving," Jean threatened as he tied one down.

"Connie," Nathalie looked up only to see the kid who was keeping watch from the rooftop. "This is all of them, right?"

"Yeah! That's all! No one else in the area," Connie answered.

Nathalie knelt down looking at the man whose finger she had cut off. She recognised him. "Dimo Reeves, correct?" The man tried to take out a gun, but Sasha's arrow stabbed his sleeve, keeping his hand pinned down on the wooden floor.

"Move again and you won't like where the next shot hits!" Sasha threatened.

"It's not nice to ignore a lady when she asks you a question, you know," Nathalie teased.

"Just what the hell do you want with us?!" Dimo cried out, visibly frustrated.

Nathalie frowned. "For now, stand still," She turned at the kids and she pulled off her skirt revealing her pants beneath. Armin approached her with her ODM gear and Nathalie started putting it on. She turned at Jean, Armin, Mikasa, Sasha, and Connie who were waiting for orders. "Jean, Armin, gear up. Tie Dimo and Flegel Reeves down and do not let them escape,"

"Yes, ma'am!"

Nathalie checked the buttons of the handles of her ODM. It was ready to go. But before she had the chance to climb at the rooftop of the building, Mikasa cut her. "Wait, Nathalie. The Captain left a message. He said it's not just titans. We're fighting against people too,"

Nathalie's eyes widened. No. No way…

"We need to meet up with the Captain-" Mikasa tried to say.

"No," Nathalie cut her. "You kids stay here, stay safe. That's an order," She said and before they could say anything, she had already hooked herself on the rooftop and she was out of the building and on top of its ceiling.

She knew what that meant. No. No, no, no, no, no… They hadn't thought of that variable in the equation that made their plans. Anti-personnel ODM Gear was specifically designed to take out the Scouts. They didn't have swords. They had guns, which made them extremely dangerous.

For all she knew, the kids couldn't kill and she wasn't intending to make them to. She knew that's what Levi meant. Levi meant for them to go for the kill. It wasn't the same as killing off the titans. These were humans. These were people. She didn't want to stain her kids' hands with blood. Not yet, at least. They were too young for that. She didn't want them to get hurt either. They weren't trained to fight against people with Anti-personnel ODM Gear.

Nathalie jumped from ceiling to ceiling. She hooked herself from house to house. She had to reach Levi, fast. If their enemies were really using anti-personnel ODM gear then there was no way she was going to let Levi deal with this on his own. It was clear, the real enemy here had predicted all their moves. They had hired those amateurs, to react to the bait, and fool them that their plan has been successful so far. This felt so familiar. Someone who wouldn't care to use amateurs… It sounded so damn familiar.

Her breath was caught halfway her throat when she realised who that might've been. No way. She spotted Levi and Nifa sitting by the rooftop of a building. She landed on that same building. Levi's eyes widened upon seeing her there. What the hell was she doing?! She wasn't supposed to be there! She was supposed to be somewhere safe!

But he didn't get to react. A bullet came for Nifa, and Nathalie grabbed the girl just in time. "Nifa, get down!" Nathalie cried out as she grabbed the girl and they rolled down the building together. They landed unceremoniously on the street. "Get Keiji and Don out of here. Get back to Hange and tell her, it's Kenny the Ripper," Nathalie spoke hastily but the girl's eyes widened. She nodded.

"Yes, ma'am!" She said and she started flying away on ODM with the rest of Hange's squad

Nathalie hooked herself back on the rooftop of the building, but Levi caught her, settling her beside him. Her back crushed against the wall that was going to serve as a shield from the old man's bullets. Nathalie's eyes widened. It was really him. Kenny. Levi's fists were clenched. Teeth, gritted painfully against his jaw. He was furious and Nathalie wouldn't blame him. After all this time… And Nathalie was there, and he had to keep her safe. He growled. She shouldn't be here. But still, he knew he wouldn't be able to get through this on his own.

"Long time, Levi," The man approached with heavy steps on the other side of the building. "Still wonder if you've outgrown Nat's height," They had them surrounded. All on their anti-personnel ODM gears. They were everywhere. In every rooftop of every building. Kenny hooked himself on the wall, coming flying towards them with his guns pointed at them both. "No. Don't look like you've changed much at all, boy!"

Levi drew out his swords. He cried out furiously enough to scare even Nathalie. "KENNY!" He sent a blade flying straight towards the old man's head, but Kenny dodged it, before he started firing with his guns. Levi's hand found Nathalie's waist right away, shielding her with his body, before he threw off his cloak, blocking the view of their bodies from the old man's target and he urged Nathalie to slip off the building.

Nathalie and Levi dodged the bullets that came their way, and they switched on ODM, jumping from building to building. They finally found Eren and Historia. They had both passed out on the carriage, and one of Kenny's soldiers was now on the front seat leading the horse to a different direction. Nathalie gritted her teeth. Eren, Historia… they had probably been drugged.

"Nathalie!" Levi cried out and she turned her attention ahead only to see three more of Kenny's soldiers attacking them at once. Nathalie moved out of the way just in time. That large bullet could have knocked her skull open. Nothing we've never faced before. She reminded herself once again, and the two of them maneuvered back, avoiding all bullets. "Follow me!" Levi ordered.

The chase was intense. If the two weren't so skilled, they wouldn't have made it through this being chased like that. A bullet came flying towards Levi's way and Nathalie maneuvered towards him. She grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the way. Levi sent the hook towards a soldier that was heading for Nathalie. He stabbed him in the chest before drawing the hook back. Levi caught Nathalie's hand and tossed her with a grunt towards two more soldiers whose necks Nathalie sliced at once with her swords thanks to Levi's powerful throw.

They had been fighting like this ever since they were children. One saved the other. One completed the other. He was right. He wouldn't make it out of this mess without her. They passed through buildings and apartments trying to lose them. It was no use. They could predict their moves. Of course, they could. They were Kenny's soldiers, and Kenny was the one who had raised them. Levi had an idea.

Nathalie noticed he was heading towards a pub. She knew instantly what he had in mind. Pub owners were allowed to use rifles to protect themselves from street gangs. They could use a rifle right now.

The two of them blasted the door of the pub open and they landed in. Nathalie tried to ignore the stinging pain that came from a bruise in her hand. Not to mention the wound in her stomach whose pain was starting to come back slightly. Dammit. She hadn't maneuvered like that ever since they were children.

"It's Levi!"

"And Burgess! Of the Scouts!" The men inside the pub whispered. The pub owner was shaking in terror as he looked at the two.

"Make yourself at home!" He said frightened.

Nathalie looked at Levi as he pulled something out of his bleeding eye. She gasped. "You okay?!" she asked worriedly.

"It's just a glass," Levi reassured her. "Shit…" he cursed. "…if this keeps up, we'll lose Eren, Historia, and our team, again," He gritted his teeth.

"That's not going to happen," Nathalie reassured him right before she heard the familiar footsteps and she grabbed his hand, urging both him and herself to hide behind the counter of the bar.

"I seem to be smelling two rats in this fine establishment. C'mon out, kids! Your papa is here, and I aim to exterminate all the vermin I can find!" Kenny cried out, barging in the bar with his armed guns.

"You know, calling us rats and then calling yourself our papa makes you a rat as well," Nathalie said raising an eyebrow. "Simple biology really,"

"Aw, Nat, I missed that pretty little mouth of yours spilling out absolute bullshit," Kenny laughed.

"Been a while, Kenny," Levi said. "I really thought you'd be dead by now, with all the MPs you were butchering. But now you're great friends, huh?" Levi asked. His hand reached for the rifle beneath the counter.

"Yeah, well, adults do plenty of things kids like you two can't understand," Kenny said. "Oh right, my mistake, you're supposed to be adults now, but you're both so goddamn short, it's hard to tell," He chuckled. "I always hoped that I'd get to see you two in action someday. I can't say I'm disappointed either,"

"Oh really? Are you saying you're proud of us papa?" Nathalie said sarcastically and Kenny laughed amusingly.

"Well, you two put up quite a chase. Seems you both still remember every trick I taught ya," Kenny said. He loaded his guns once more. "But didn't I ever tell you what happens to two cornered rats? Cause if I had you'd know that wherever you run you'd find a bullet waiting,"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, this is no way to treat your kids, pops," Nathalie teased, before a chair came flying over the endless bottles of liquor that were settled on the shelves behind the bench. All bottles broke, all liquor went to waste. Nathalie sighed as she watched the alcohol being wasted like this. It was sad.

"Ohoho it is. Especially when my kids had been acting naughty. Word's gone out you know things you're not supposed to, Nat. Of course, I should've killed you when you first spelled me your last name. It would have saved me a lot more trouble," Kenny spat.

"Maybe you should've, but you didn't. How did you explain this to your MP buddies?" Nathalie asked. She knew Kenny knew a whole lot more about her and her origins, but he'd never speak. There was no point in making him spill it out.

"Those useless assholes don't know jackshit. You two must have become Scouts for a reason, and I think I know what that is. We were forced to survive in that little hell hole, giving everything we had just to stay alive. So, when we found out just how big the world really was, you can bet it hurt like hell. But you know what saved us? We found something we enjoy doing. It's just that simple. Everyone needs a hobby. It's the only sense of fulfilling we'll ever find in this wretched world,"

"Oh, I see. Is that why you slice people's throats then? Because it's fulfilling?" Levi asked, but she could tell he was only trying to buy themselves some time. His hand reached for a bottle. He turned it slightly to reveal the man's reflection, before he finished arming the rifle.

"Yup. To achieve my grand goal, I'll kill as many as they get in my way. You two are no different. I taught you to kill too when it benefits you," Kenny said as he picked up another chair, ready to throw it again at their way.

"Yes… you did," Levi said as he shot at the man with the rifle upside down. A perfect shot. Nathalie was impressed, even though, she knew that she shouldn't be. She should expect nothing less from Levi. "Thanks, old man," Levi tossed the rifle back to the owner and he turned at Nathalie. "Let's go,"

Levi jumped out of the window as a distraction, and before the man standing on the rooftop had the chance to shoot at him, Nathalie sent her hook right into his stomach, stabbing him to death, before drawing her hook back. Levi shot his hook right to the stomach of another one. He carried the dead body as a shield for both him and Nathalie. The two of them ran on the rooftop of another building towards the two men who were shooting at them.

Levi and Nathalie got close enough to slice their heads off with their swords. They got back into maneuvering, from building to building till they finally spotted the cart with Eren and Historia. Nathalie gritted her teeth. They were still unconscious and they were still being carried away.

Another guy came attacking them. Nathalie dodged the bullet and Levi stabbed him with his hook only for Nathalie to slice his body in half. "They're here," Levi said and Nathalie turned to see Jean, Mikasa, Sasha, Connie and Armin flying towards them. Levi and Nathalie rested on top of a building to give their orders. "Get on the wagon!"

"Right!" Mikasa was the only one to respond as Levi and Nathalie continued chasing.

"Listen up. These soldiers were trained to fight other people. They almost took out three of ours. If you hesitate for so much as a second, you'll be dead," Levi said. "The moment you see an opening, go for the kill,"

"Yes, sir," Mikasa was the only one to speak. Nathalie could tell the others didn't like this. Of course, they didn't. Levi was asking them to kill. Nathalie didn't like it the first time she did it. But this is a cruel world.

Levi took out one of the two soldiers on the cart, and Nathalie took out the other. There were still many soldiers all around the buildings and they'd come attacking them any second.

"Armin! Secure the wagon with Jean!" Levi ordered.

"Sir!" Armin said.

"T- They killed them…" Jean said shocked. He could believe it about Levi, but he could never believe that someone like Nathalie could actually take a human life.

"C'mon! Let's go!" Armin urged him to snap out of it.

Nathalie sent her hook over another soldier, stabbing him and drawing him close enough for her to slice with her swords. She did it again with another one. If they kept this up, they'd have no gas to keep chasing Eren and Historia. Nathalie looked down at the wagon only to see the woman pointing the gun at Jean's head. Nathalie gritted her teeth as she rushed towards him. "Jean!" No, no, no, no… She landed between him and gun, shielding his body with her own. There was no way she was letting Jean die.

Bang-bang.

Levi's eyes widened.

"NATHALIE!"