Chapter Six – New Thrills
Cynthia woke to a sharp heel digging into her shoulder, nudging her to attention. The cart hit cobblestone, jerking her further awake when the back of her head bounced against the side. She was alone this time, her Marley counterparts staying back in Stohess.
"Ouch," she murmured, unable to open her eyes. She hadn't slept much since the trial that bound her to the survey corps service.
"Hey. You should be awake when we make it to Headquarters," she heard Eren say. Cynthia struggled her eyes open to the teenager watching over her from his horse. He was as subdued as he was on the beach a week ago. Cynthia regarded him curiously. This was one of the first times they had spoken privately.
"Why?" she asked, rubbing her eyes until she saw stars. A sharp pain shot through her body, causing her to groan. She pulled at the straps of the ridiculous body harness she barely managed to figure out how to put on. It was painfully constraining, the clasps pinching her skin through her clothes, the leather already causing skin rashes. The fastenings prevented her from stretching comfortably.
"Levi expects attentiveness. You will have to be on your toes from now on. You're a recruit now," Eren warned. Cynthia sighed, spotting Levi in the forward party ahead of the cart. Out of earshot.
"I appreciate the advice, but… I'm not new to this rodeo. I was answering to Captains when you were learning your ABCs. He doesn't intimidate me," Cynthia jested, knowing full well that her life very much depended on proving to the man she wasn't a threat. Eren's expression remained unchanged, his green eyes holding a glint of disregard.
"I know," he said. Cynthia believed him. "But he is not like any other kind of Captain. Everyone else is too afraid to tell you that, but I think you should know. It'll make things easier."
"Huh?" Cynthia questioned. The boy was always cryptic, it seemed.
"I was in your position just over a year ago. You should know it won't be easy, especially since you'll be expected to learn quickly."
"Right…" Cynthia said, considering Eren's words. It was true she didn't really understand what was ahead of her. She hadn't even seen the ODM gear in action yet, didn't know what it felt like to wear. The uniform already felt awful enough. "Any advice then, Eren?"
"Don't question Captain Levi. It's not worth it. Secondly, Commander Hange is a loose cannon, but you should trust them."
"I'd be in a prison cell if I hadn't," Cynthia said bitterly.
"You won't regret it", Eren said, not looking her in the eye. Cynthia shook her head.
"Not sure about that…." Cynthia said. The two fell into awkward silence until the Survey Corps Headquarters', a white castle, came into view. It was a lot like Stohess, old and grand, the brilliant blue tiling of the roof almost blinding against the green backdrop.
"It's huge", Cynthia commented. She was oddly in awe of it the compound, it was quite beautiful, and it was nothing like she would have seen back in Marley.
"Feels too big sometimes", Eren almost snapped, earning a confused look from Cynthia. It wasn't directed at her.
"What do you mean?" she dared to ask. Eren's flare of anger continued.
"A lot more scouts use to live within its walls. Not so much these days," he explained.
"I see", Cynthia acknowledged quietly. "The titans did a number on you guys, huh."
Eren remained silent for a moment, considering his following words carefully.
"It is not something to take lightly", he warned, his voice close to venomous. Cynthia felt herself stiffen at the reaction.
"I did not say it lightly. I understand what it is like-" Cynthia started to defend herself but was promptly cut off.
"You don't. But you will," Eren said, quickly moving his horse ahead of the cart before she could respond. His words stunned her for a moment, unsure what to make of them.
"Weird kid," Cynthia whispered, trying to not let it get to her. She watched him fall into stride alongside his friend Armin, who regarded Eren with some concern. She hadn't spoken much with the blonde either, but the rumour was he was jealous of her promotion from a prisoner of war to Hange's unwitting assistant. She wasn't sure how true it was.
When the convoy reached the front courtyard of the castle, the scouts present stood to attention, saluting the squad as they entered with the curled fist to the heart.
"Welcome back to HQ, Commander Zoe", Cynthia heard a scout say. Hange dismounted her horse and saluted back at the red-headed man.
"I'm sure you received the news, Floch?" Hange asked. He nodded.
"We sent out the supplies you asked for two days ago. A squad was sent out to transfer the engineers to Stohess. There has been word that no other ships have been witnessed," Floch quickly briefed.
"Good, good. Gives us more time to prepare than we first thought," Hange thought out loud. Before Cynthia had even exited the cart, someone was shoving bed sheets and toiletries into her hands. She shot Hange a questioning look.
"I may have already informed the scouts of your arrival," Hange explained sheepishly, approaching Cynthia cautiously. She was fully aware of Cynthia's distaste for the situation. "Also, you'll be bunking with Sasha and Mikasa. Gotta keep the squad together!"
"What!?" Sasha exclaimed from the stables. Cynthia grimaced, shooting the girls a sympathetic look.
"Great", Cynthia muttered, looking over the objects in her arms, surprised to see a toothbrush.
"Look. I know this is not ideal…." Hange's voice trailed off as she searched for the right words, her hands waving around aimlessly.
"But it was the best option I had?" Cynthia guessed her following words. Hange snapped her fingers in affirmation.
"Between you and me, I think it's obvious you're not a warrior, but my superiors are paranoid – understandably so," Hange said sincerely, "But I do not expect thanks either."
Cynthia regarded her words, sorely realising that maybe there was a reason to thank Hange. Even if prison wasn't her only option, what else would she do? A part of her acknowledged she wouldn't be able to settle in this strange, new place. Conventional work did not suit her. She had no connections, no motivations. At least serving Hange gave her a purpose of some sort. It also meant she was able to stay out of Marleyan hands. She took a deep breath, collecting her thoughts as Hange patiently waited for her response.
"I'll get over it. I understand why… doesn't mean I like it, of course," Cynthia said, a sly smile coming across her face, "Just don't work me too hard, hmm?"
She couldn't help herself. The more time she spent with Hange, the more comfortable she became with the woman's presence.
"You won't have to worry about me", Hange chuckled, gaze drifting to Levi at the stables, where he was thoroughly brushing the dirt off his horses flank. The steed practically dwarfed him.
"I just won't give him reason to kill me, and it'll be okay, right?" Cynthia asked as Hange led her to the front doors of the castle.
"Wrong. But you'll figure that out for yourself," Hange laughed, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, softly gazing at her. Her slender fingers squeezed it indelicately, causing Cynthia's blood to run hot. She could not help but imagine how they might feel on bare skin. She shook her head, trying her best to ignore it. However, Hange realised the effect she was causing and moved her hand away. Cynthia could only guess that it didn't feel right now – now that she had no choice in being her subordinate. It could be… problematic.
"Great. He sounds like a delight," Cynthia quipped, quickly glossing over the interaction.
More scouts appeared to greet Hange before hastily returning to their duties, but not before staring at Cynthia, reminding her of her outsider status. Inside, the building was just as grand as outside, the main hall three stories tall. Giant chandeliers hung from the ceiling. The main entrance led into a mess hall and two staircases that led left and right.
"I'll show you the lab first before Shorty poaches you for your first lesson," Hange said, directing them to the right.
Hange's office reminded Cynthia of a room of curiosities. It was packed wall to wall with book and display cases, filled with books and diverse oddities and dangerous-looking materials. The higher shelves were covered with collections of vials and bottles holding mysterious liquids and samples of metals, crystals, and rocks. Most of them had obviously been tampered with, fragments littering the shelves. Collections of dead insects pinned to felted backgrounds sat in boxes. They also hung on the wall next to crudely made taxidermy animals and botanical illustrations. Animal skulls and posed skeletons were also present. The window sills and random sunspots on the floor were populated with countless different looking plants and terrariums, all in various stages of death. The smell of preservation alcohol permeated the stale air.
"Welcome to our office!" Hange exclaimed, highly animated.
"Ours?" Cynthia questioned.
"You will be doing most of your non-combat related work here; seems like a reasonable label", Hange explained.
The centre of the room had several desks covered in paperwork, more books and what Cynthia assumed was scientific equipment. It was an expansive collection of strange-looking glasses covered in pipes and instruments made of brass that looked like spyglasses. The desk parts visible underneath the mess were covered in cup stains and charcoal smudges. Unfinished projects could be seen on every surface available amongst the chaos. Only a single green armchair and side table in the corner of the room appeared spared the clutter. Hange was glowing with excitement like people rarely got to see this side of her work, and she desperately wanted to show it off.
"I know just the spot for you!" Hange declared, not even taking the time to consider where Cynthia would work. She already knew. Cynthia watched in surprise as the woman managed to pull a wooden chair from the depths of the disorder and placed it at the desk. She quickly gathered whatever was immediately in her way and piled it up carelessly, dust flying into the air. A stack of books looked close to falling to the floor.
"Ah, Hange… is that safe?" Cynthia asked from the doorway, afraid to add to the disarray.
"It's fine, it's fine. It is what it is; now come sit," Hange commanded, pulling the chair out. Cynthia cautiously entered and sat on the chair. Hange ran around the room, searching for something unbeknown to Cynthia through random drawers and boxes. She let out a little 'Ah-ha!' when she found what she was looking for. She slammed down a collection of new leather-bound journals in front of her and a wooden box.
"Everything you'll need for illustrating should be in there", Hange said proudly, hovering behind Cynthia. Her mouth was dangerously close, hot air tickling Cynthia's ear. Shit, shit, stop it. She slid the top of the box off, revealing a collection of mixed charcoal, pigmented pencils, chalk, brushes and ink. She couldn't help but be in awe. She wouldn't see a collection like this in her lifetime in Marley.
"Hange… thanks for this", Cynthia couldn't help but say. She looked more closely at the wooden box, noticed the name 'Moblit' inscribed into the wooden side.
"Who is Mo-" Cynthia started to ask but was interrupted by a swift knock at the door. The two women turned to Levi, who stood in the doorway like it was precarious to do so. He looked stressed by the sight of the disorder.
"I leave this place for a month…" he complained flatly. Hange entirely ignored him.
"Hey, I haven't shown her everything yet. Can it wait until after lunch?" Hange begged. Levi shook his head sharply, glancing at Cynthia. She felt small under the stare.
"We've lost enough daylight already. You'll get her back after dinner," Levi promised. Hange let out an aggravated sigh, relenting.
"Fine. Don't be too mean," Hange said, gesturing to Cynthia to stand. Levi was already leaving, halfway down the hallway, before she caught up. For someone of his stature, he was surprisingly quick on his feet. Cynthia kept quiet, getting the impression he wasn't interested in speaking. A part of her wanted to throw a million questions at him, especially about Gideon. She had no idea where he was now and if he was even alive. No idea why Levi was going to let her kill him. She hadn't a spare moment to think about it all until now.
Levi lead Cynthia to an armoury facing the courtyard on the bottom floor. A couple of scouts were inspecting a large stock of ODM gear equipment and gas cylinders, writing reports.
"Oh, right into the ODM training? I didn't think I would be ready for that," Cynthia said with some puzzlement. Yet, the thought was exciting, based on the basic's Hange covered about how the gear worked.
"You're not," Levi said, grabbing a bucket from seemingly nowhere, shoving it in her direction. She took it tentatively. You got to be kidding me. "A new order of gear needs to be cleaned down before inspection."
The Captain pointed to a stack of crates in the middle of the room, already partially opened. Cynthia raised an eyebrow; what little thrill she might have had already diminished. This was all feeling very familiar to her.
"Ah, that seems important, but I was hoping to do something more productive for my first day Levi-"
"It's Captain", Levi cut her off, grey eyes piercing through her. She stood her ground.
"Captain," Cynthia corrected herself, "I understand you probably read the reports. I'm not some spring chicken; I'm capable of combat training. Is the grunt work necessary?"
Levi crossed his arms regarding her flatly. Some recruits nearby looked like they were about to shit themselves, Cynthia immediately sensing an air of hostility. A line was already stood over.
"This isn't Marley, Tempest. You do what I tell you now. And I'm telling you that equipment needs to be clean by tonight," Levi stated coolly. And yet, Cynthia found the words biting, anger swelling within her chest. She didn't have to argue, but she wanted to.
"Forgive me for not wanting to follow orders that don't actually utilise my capabilities. I feel I'm owed some say, don't you think?" Cynthia said stiffly. If Levi was receptive to anything other than dry humour, he might have laughed.
"You've been spending too much time with Hange," Levi said, his voice somewhere between bewilderment and scolding.
"She thought I was capable enough for this position. You need to let me prove it," Cynthia asserted, even though it was likely a lie. Levi's attitude was getting on her nerves, far too similar to what she would deal with in Marley.
"Capable? You can barely dress; how can I expect you to use ODM gear?" Levi scoffed. The comment was a direct attack – he really didn't think she was competent. The thought annoyed her.
"Huh?" Cynthia questioned, looking down at herself, unable to see the issue. Levi sighed, standing forward.
"Your harness, it's all wrong. You'll give yourself bruises," he said, silently asking for approval to fix the problem.
"Ah, how so?" Cynthia asked, letting the Captain come into her personal space. Quick, delicate fingers undid the buckle of the harness strap across her chest, untwisting the leather so that it was no longer digging into her skin. Stun locked by the action, she didn't formulate a reaction before he had already done it up again, crouched and started loosening the thigh straps, fingers squeezing underneath the fastenings to check the tightness. She did her best to ignore the analysing hands, every prod and nudge causing her temperature to rise. I need to get laid, she thought bitterly. It was like Levi could hear her thoughts and immediately wanted to squash them.
"You smell like shit", he muttered, standing up and standing back, observing his work. He was entirely apathetic about the interaction, which calmed her nerves somewhat.
"I haven't been able to bathe in a week," Cynthia said through a sneer. What an irksome man. Although, her harness was now a lot less bothersome.
"No wonder Four-eyes can't stop ogling you. Your stink probably attracted them," Levi said dryly. Cynthia detected a hint of resent in his pointed words. She let out a chuckle. It was all too easy to take the piss out of.
"Oooh, I get it now! You don't think she chose me to be her assistant for 'valid' reasons, right? Way to trust your superior's judgment," Cynthia said, struggling to control the aggravation in her voice. Unfortunately, Levi may have had a point. It was to save her ass from prison – but why save it in the first place?
"Fine. Prove their judgment is correct then" Levi challenged her. He was somehow icier than before. If looks could kill…
"How?"
"The reports said you were a hand to hand combatant?" Levi questioned. Cynthia blinked.
"I was a paid street fighter if that's what you mean," she said, unaware of where this was going.
"Would you say it's your best skill?" he asked, stone still.
"Likely", Cynthia asserted. That was her last mistake. Levi readied himself, guard up. More and more eyes were attracted to the scene. I can do this, Cynthia thought, following suit without thinking for a second. Unfortunately for her, Levi's knee projected into her ribcage before she even saw him move. The impact felt to throw her very soul from her body, her ass hitting the ground as she gasped for breath.
"You motherfuck-" she started to say as a boot came toward her face. She managed to evade that one, rolling across the floor to put distance between them. Before she could get up, Levi was already attacking again, throwing a foot into her side. She put her arms between her flank and his foot. He was impossibly fast, too fast. There was no way she could outmanoeuvre him before his next blow. As the next kick came, she grabbed his boot and pulled in a bid to topple him. Like an acrobat, he simply used the momentum to cartwheel over her. Not letting the act stun her, she used the precious second to get her footing, ignoring the pain.
"Unbelievable!" Cynthia shouted, getting her guard up again as Levi threw his fist. She grabbed his wrist, counterattacking with her own punch. It didn't even connect, Levi quickly twisting out of range. All the while, he hooked a leg around hers and pushed, causing her to fall on her butt again. She screeched as pain shot through her tailbone a second time. Levi backed off, not even having broken a sweat.
"You let your anger get the better of you", Levi said, composure unchanged. Cynthia couldn't argue, just sat catching her breath. "But you're resilient. It could have been a lot worse."
"Worse? I didn't land a hit on you!" Cynthia yelled, entirely exasperated. There was nothing in his technique she hadn't seen before, but his speed was inhuman.
"As I said – you're not ready," Levi said, holding out a hand, "But you will be"
Cynthia stared at his hand, surprised by his words. She fought through her humiliation and took it, pulled to her feet with ease. She dusted herself off, avoiding eye contact. No one had managed to get the better of her like that in a long time.
"Is beating the shit out people your version of a pep talk?" Cynthia joked through her pain, rubbing her back.
"Just for brats," Levi said, barely audible, grabbing the befallen bucket and throwing it at her once more. "For the record, I trust Hange. I don't trust you."
"Not yet", Cynthia groaned, stretching her arms out, her joints popping under stress. She was trying her best to look unbothered, but the fight had shaken her.
"Tch. We'll see," Levi said, eye's lingering over her stretched out form for a second. But only a second.
"…What?! He called you 'resilient'?" Jean questioned, almost spitting out his drink of water. Water that he got from the mess hall during dinner. The dinner Cynthia was currently missing.
"And?" Cynthia asked, struggling to rub a grease stain out of the gas vent of a piece of gear. She was halfway through the last crate, the end finally in sight. It could not come quickly enough.
"That's a compliment, coming from 'humanity's strongest," Armin said in astonishment, the blonde boy gawking at her. He had hastily followed Jean into the armoury to question Cynthia about the afternoon's events. Gossip was a valuable commodity, it seemed.
"It's all anyone's talking about at dinner. I thought it was just an elaborate story," Jean said.
"So you ran here to ask if it was true," Cynthia stated. Jean and Armin nodded enthusiastically.
"Nothing much new happens around here, so when we heard someone had a fight with Levi, we put bets on who it was. Connie owes me his firstborn" Jean laughed, clearly entertained by the whole thing.
"Why do they call him 'Humanity's strongest' anyway? He's just a guy," Cynthia muttered, still feeling sore over her defeat.
"He's an Ackerman," Armin explained, "The bloodline bred to protect the royals. He's stronger than the average person. He has more titan kills than any of us combined too"
"Right…"Cynthia said, processing his words. Both boys appeared surprised by her lack of reaction. So that's how he was so fast. A part of her didn't feel so strangely hollow anymore.
"Enough gossip. I have to finish these," Cynthia said sternly, desperately hungry.
"She's right", came a voice from the doorway. Levi walked in with a food tray in his hands. The smell of salty broth and warm bread filled Cynthia's nose, causing her stomach to growl. He placed the tray on an inspection bench, pointing to the doorway, already leaving. Jean and Armin wordlessly scrambled after him, leaving Cynthia alone with the food tray.
"Thanks," she said to empty air.