I kept an eye on surrounding Titans as well as the process of clearing the pile of shit away from the Water Gate. Hanji oversaw the activity of her precious invention so I knew that it was in good hands. The rest of my fellow Special Operations Squad, as well as a few other Survey Corps troops were scattered around the cleaning area to prevent any curious Titans from getting too close and disturbing the operation. Erwin stood on the safety of Wall Rose, supervising and coordinating the troops.
"Uh, Officer Rina?"
I looked over my shoulder at the person who called out my name. a lower rank soldier saluted me in greeting. I nodded in acknowledgement.
"Yes, what is it?"
"Squad Leader Hanji said there was something for you to see?"
I raised an eyebrow. "For me? Or for Captain Levi? Or for Commander Erwin?"
The soldier shook his head. "I've already informed the Commander and he told me to tell you specifically. You meet Squad Leader Hanji at the Water Gate."
Slightly confused but unable to go against Erwin's wishes, I followed the troop over to the clearing site. As I approached and landed next to my friend, a solemn expression had me panicking. The bubbly scientist was far from bubbling.
"Hanji? What's wrong? Did we lose someone?" I fired at her. She simply shook her head.
"We're almost done with the clearing but there are a few things snagged in the Water Gate that we have to cut out."
My mind slowed down at the statement.
"Okay then…just cut them out then?"
Hanji sighed and gently dragged me over to the pile. "It's not that easy."
As i took in the sight, I suddenly understood why.
"Not easy indeed." I forced out. Two deceased Survey Corps soldiers floated lifelessly on the river, half of their bodies visible, the other hidden within the Water gate. I could already see an officer on the other side of the Gate bawling his eyes out at the sight of his once-alive friend. My mind reeled back in shock as I instantly recognized the other body.
Ex- Special Operations Squad member Petra Ral lay on the water, one of her arms caught in the Gate. With her eyes closed, you could have mistaken that she was simply sleeping, were it not for the fact that everyone knew of the Female Titan incident two years ago that wiped out Levi's team. I understood why Erwin chose to tell me instead of Levi. He was too emotionally attached to this certain situation. My heart tugged. I knew Petra. She was once a friendly, caring and quiet member of Levi's team. The Female Titan incident had forced the Survey Corps to abandon several bodies for the sake of survival. To see her again and in such a state had my eyes watering. However, I knew Hanji was closer to her than I was and therefore knew I had to be to the one to do the deed.
"I'm sorry Hanji. Don't worry, I'll deal with it." I placed a hand on her shoulder and the scientist gave me a small smile of gratitude.
"We got your back if you cant either, Hazura." Called a voice and I spotted Brian and Jack landing behind me.
"Much appreciated." And I stepped forward, drawing out my blade. I began making my way onto the makeshift raft that allowed personnel to gain better access to the Water Gate. Petra bobbed silently in front of me with her arm waiting for its fate and I drew in a breath, closing my eyes tightly.
"Forgive me." I whispered. My eyes snapped open, I spun the sword and bore it down on her trapped arm. At the last second, another blade slid in between my sword and Petra's arm. I gasped in shock and instinctively leapt away, backing into Jack by accident.
"Levi…" murmured Hanji. Sure enough, the Captain blocked our view to Petra and he was fully loaded.
"Don't touch her." He growled. My heart sank. Levi was not going to make this easy.
"Captain, we have to clear the Water Gate. You know that." Argued Brian.
"Then we clear it without severing Petra. I will retrieve and pass her body onto her father." Levi snapped in return.
"But Captain-"
"No! You will not damage her further." He was livid. I exchanged glances with Hanji.
"Is there another way?" I asked quietly. She barely shook her head.
"Maybe but given our time frame, risk and the fact I don't know how much she's caught in the Gate doesn't leave us many other options."
"So it's true that Levi deeply cared for the girl?"
Hanji's eyes crinkled in thought. "Despite his façade, I think he took Petra's death pretty bad."
Jack tried his turn at reasoning with our leader.
"Captain please, there are other lives-"
"-Don't you preach to me about lives being at stake! I know that! Petra was one who risked her life and she deserves to be reunited with her father. As a whole!" Levi coldly shot out.
I sighed, glancing at our surroundings. Other troops were risking their lives to keeping the Titans at bay and Levi was stalling us. His unstable emotional state couldn't be reasoned with logic. The only way left was by force.
"Brian, Jack." I approached Levi head-on. "Restrain the Captain."
"But Rina-"
"-the duties as Captain fall to me if the well-being or mental state of the current Captain is deemed unstable by his peers." I stated, full well knowing Brian, Jack and Hanji agreed. "Restrain him."
Hesitating but knowing it was for the best, my comrades stepped forward, wary.
Levi growled. "Come any closer and I can't promise you'll make it out unscathed, brats."
Brian and Jack paused, now worried. Levi seemed true to his word and if he was, that was a problem. Even to his members, Levi could seem scary.
"Be careful." Hanji warned, knowing what I was going to do next. I gave her a small nod and began making my way towards Levi, unintimidated, my slow paces sounding out against the cold concrete.
"Levi, there are other soldiers currently risking their lives to make sure we clear this Water Gate and restore water to our East crops. You and I both know what you're doing now is nothing but selfish."
"Shut up, brat! Petra deserves to be whole for her funeral."
"I never said that she didn't." I continued closing in on him. "However, not all soldiers are as lucky as her to die and remain whole. Some have died and we never saw their body again."
"So what?"
"So, an arm sacrificed to potentially save Humanity's hunger and death seem to be a fair trade, don't you think?"
By now I had reached within his swinging distance and unsheathed my right and left blades. At that, Levi roared and leapt at me, emotion fuelling his movement. Despite the increase in strength and speed, his predictability also increased. I dodged his left swing, ducking under his arm. I blocked his right slice with my own right blade, simultaneously jabbing his left wrist with the butt of my left sword. His left weapon dropped out of his grasp and I quickly sheathed my left blade. He continued to push against my remaining weapon and I let him go, side-stepping out of the lock. Our blades ground together, his sliding along mine, and his momentum forced him to follow his sword. I smoothly rounded on him and we locked eyes as we moved in opposite directions. With the last touch, I shoved a boot against his backside and he flew off the raft and landed at Hanji's feet on solid ground. Brian, Jack and Hanji all jumped onto him, keeping Humanity's Strongest from retaliating.
"No! No! Don't!" Levi cried out in anger. I ignored him and turned my back, facing Petra once again. I shifted my right hand and gripped the sword tighter.
"Don't you fucking dare! I'll never forgive you!" Levi threatened, spitting the words out. I hesitated.
"Lose my best friend or save Humanity from starvation?" I asked out loud, looking up to the sky.
Despite the obvious difference in priority, losing Levi would be a huge blow to me. I looked over at him and into his steel gray eyes.
"I'm sorry." And sliced right through Petra's arm.
Her severed limb was swallowed into the Gate and her remains were instantly pulled out by workers. I steadied my shaky breathing and returned to my comrades. Jack pulled off Levi, as he had grown limp. I cautiously stood before my Captain, waiting for the outburst.
"Your life will be a living hell." Levi muttered, still simmering with anger. Jack and Brian turned their sympathetic gazes to me. Hanji backed off and resumed her invention tasks. With a jerk of my chin to my squad members, they left to continue assisting Titan prevention.
"It already is." I replied, sheathing my blade.
"How could you?" he turned his fury-filled eyes to me, boring into my soul. Pretending to be unaffected, I leaned down to his eye level.
"How could I? I had to." I simply answered, "I have to do the things that you're not strong enough to do. If want to hate me for it,"
I whirled around and walked away.
"Go ahead."