Saph's PoV
Bruises were blotched all over my body. Remnants of fights and scuffles. I'd started to steal whenever possible in the hopes of making enough money to reach the surface in order to find my brother. Consequently, that meant getting caught and punished more often. Hard blows from callous adults left their mark, but I'd gotten faster with time. Both my instincts and speed had been sharpened from the constant need to survive. I'd become better at evading more so than fighting.
Kicking a rock as I walked down the dusty trail, puffs of dirt tickled my legs. It was a day where I didn't need to worry about anything except someone stabbing me in the back, a constant threat here no matter who you are. My hand twitched nervously at my side at the thought of a blade being used against me. Sinking into my raggedly thin body, even a small one would penetrate completely through. I'd been wanting to get a solid weapon of my own. Keep it with me, but hidden. Maybe in my boot in case of an emergency. That sounded like a good idea.
Emancipated corpses lied in far black corners, consistent reminders of death emitting from the corners of the desolate town. Letting me know that I'm lucky to be breathing right now, but I'm not allowed to relax. Such suffocating despair overwhelms the senses, invading my being with drenching darkness. Let it stay with you too long and it hollows you out. Leaving nothing in its wake but emptiness. That's why I needed to leave before I had nothing left. It'd never been a question on if I would get out of the Underground, but when.
Turning a corner into a narrow stone alleyway, I saw the beginnings of a scuffle not too far ahead of me. A guy much shorter than me appeared to have bumped shoulders with a large thug. Holding the body part in an exaggerated fashion, he yelled and cursed in anger. He wheeled upon the shorty and his two companions. None of them seemed to be perturbed by the erratic behavior in front of them. That or the man's two equally large friends who'd now joined him. It appeared comically overblown to see three men with arms thicker than my thighs intimidating some teenagers because of an accidental bump, or it would've been if not for the clearly violent intentions.
Confrontations and fghts is what is done for fun down here since there's nothing else to do. A familiar scene to play out for everyone, the strong taking from the weak. Not interested in watching the same brutal cycle repeat itself, I began to move around the bristling tension. Focused on moving past, I didn't pay attention to what's happening inside the circle. Only low grumbles reached my ears and frantic movements in the peripheral of my vision. The man waved his arms to appear larger as he moved towards them while complaining. Sure they're about to receive a beating, I picked up my pace to get out of the way. Suddenly, I felt a dusting of stone tickle my cheek. Glancing up to the wall next to me, I was shocked to find a hook embedded within. Whirling around, I realized 3MG adorned the shorty's hips as well as his friends. We all watched as he sent himself whirling towards the stunned guy, only to jab his foot straight into his stomach. The red-headed girl and blonde-haired boy each took out one of their own with ease. Scoffing at the pathetic attempts to capture them, they all bested them completely before flying off.
"Wow," I couldn't help but murmur in astonishment. What I wouldn't give to have a weapon like that here. I'd soar over danger. Escape near death with a push of a button. No more living in fear. I'd finally have a tool that'd help me get out of here. Ideas swimming around in my brain, I decided to trail them from behind. Pulling my hood over my head, I kept low to the ground as I set out to see where such an interesting group of people lived.
While I had to rush to keep up with their pace, having them high above me certainly helped me keep track. Pushing myself to my limit in terms of speed and stamina, my sides began to ache. It'd be a struggle to not have my panting be overheard. At least I didn't have to continue much further. Slowing down to a jog, I found out they didn't live in a much fancier place than the rest of us. While the house did look clean (weird), nothing else made it stand out from the shacks next to it. No one would think the residents inside had 3DMG to raise hell if they wanted.
Content with knowing the location of their home, I went back to my own. I'd need to make some preparations for a stakeout if I'm going to accomplish this. They must guard those weapons pretty heavily. With 3 against 1, it'd be all about finding the right moment. If I don't find that, I swallowed hard, they might kill me.
Shuffling slightly, I stretched my aching feet and legs out. I'd prepared for this. Brought food, water, a weapon, and rested up before traversing over here again. It'd been a few days, and I still had no idea what might be transpiring inside or who I'm dealing with, but I knew I needed to be cautios no matter what. Dealing with the boredom and stiffness of my body is the worst part.
I struggled constantly to tell if they even happened to be in their house at all. Even after searching ther perimeter, I found no back doors, but they always seemed to slip out without my noticing. Only to come skyrocketing in out of nowhere. From what I'd seen so far, they felt the same way as I did about being wary. Keeping away from windows and using a variety of exits to leave, they acted suspicious, as if they had a secret bigger than the gear.
There's a chance it'd take awhile before a clear opportunity arrived for me to take advantage of. I'd yet to see them leave without their weapons saddled onto their hips, leaving me only with the option of sneaking in there to steal it while they're home. Just as that thought entered my mind, I saw three figures landing from the sky. Within the shadows of the roof, I ducked deeper into the darkness. Yep, that's them. As if they'd been awaiting their cue.
"Don't worry, Brother, I'll get the Military Police myself next time!" A rambunctious young girl shouted, pumping a fist into the air.
The blonde hair guy shook his head in exasperation at the young female. While the two males are older than me, the girl undoubtedly left me feeling more mature. I'd never seen anyone act so childish down here. Standing on her tiptoes, she swung her arms about as if she was dancing without a care in the world. Her coordination might not be too bad, but there's no real strength or skill behind her movements. It seemed as though her ability to fight would mostly consist of careless punches and furious kicking, similar to a tantrum.
"No matter who they are, they won't stand a chance against Big Brother! Right, Farlan?"
"Isabel, would you be quiet? They might still be looking for us," Farlan scolded her in a much lower tone. I needed to lean forward a little to hear. He turned to the shortstack. "Levi, What do you want to do?" Unlike the energetic kid, Farlan had a much more contained energy. A cautious smooth talker who spoke for the other two. His movements were deliberate and confident, but he lacked instinct and power. I'd be able to get away from him in a pinch if the situation devolved into one of violence. Not that it's what I aimed for. However, while there's a chance I'd be able to hold my own against the girl and Farlan in a hand-to-hand fight, the other guy reversed those odds completely. The incredibly short one made me nervous.
He responded bluntly, "Get myself cleaned up and then the house."
What a weird guy. His quirks and height made it easy to underestimate him, but the quick fight I witnessed between him and the big guy revealed how much strength that tiny body of his held. I doubted that I'd be capable of handling him on my own, much less on top of his two companions. Holding Farlan or the girl hostage might work if I'm cornered, but that's the plan only for an emergency. Disaster just seemed eminent no matter how I looked at it. I'm safe in the house from them using the 3DMG because it's a tight space, but there's always the possibility of them hunting me down with it afterwards. It wouldn't be worth the risk if it wasn't for Suzu. I need find him as soon as possible.
All three of them began to enter their house, Farlan and Isabel jostled each other into the doorframe in their earnest. Levi paused, causing me to hold my breath in anticipation. He tilted his chin upwards, scanning the area above him. Curling into myself as silently as possible proved to be a difficult task as I tried to become as small as possible. Lowering my body, I kept myself trained on his every movement. This guy was going to become a problem for me, I just knew it. Seeming to find nothing wrong, Levi shut the door behind him.
After dusting myself off, I jumped from roof to roof as I headed towards my own home. Heartbeat racing, I felt too unnerved to be here any longer. It's time for a long night of sleeping before coming back in the morning. If I don't do something soon, I'm going to get caught. I just need to get my hands on the equipment so I can teach myself how it's done. Couldn't be that hard.
Each limb creaked as I stretched from my place on the stone-covered ground. Easing my way to my feet, I double-checked that my stockpile of cash was still hidden. I'd not feel at ease until I did. My stomach grumbled out a few complaints, but I'd eaten the rest of my food the day before. With nothing to fill it with, it'd start to cramp soon, so I decided to quickly get to my destination.
Few living people milled about. Some too hungry to sleep. Others, finishing up their shady business. With every new morning brought newly laid dead as well. Some seemed to be on the brink, each breathe is a battle as sickness or starvation slowly ate away at their life. Less common were the men and women with pools of blood encircling their wounded bodies, some with knives still sticking out. Victims of a stabbing in a fight, whether one they were involved in or happened to be near. They all clogged up the streets with the smell of their rotting flesh. Favoring the travel of running across rooftops had a surplus of advantages. One of the few places being small and light benefitted me. My small domain. Traversing the top of the buildings constantly meant my legs grown used to leaping long distances and landing on unstable ground. Knowledge of the whole area came from my consistent viewing on top of the structures allowing me to avoid unsavory individuals. The only reason I walked anymore was to pickpocket.
When I reached their house, I scaled the same building used yesterday. Settling in comfortably, I hoped without reason they'd leave without the gear with them. It'd only been a few minutes until a group of people actually entered the vicinity. That's new. Curious, I peered into the windows, eager to make out something from the shadows. Unsure if it's a good good idea to stay or not, I contemplated trying yet again another day.
Right before I decided to leave, Levi, Isabel, and Farlan followed the group of boys outside. Adorned in the same cloaks as the new aquintances, all of them blended together into one. Except for Levi. The white shirt covering his upper half almost blinding with its pristine condition. This guy seemed obsessed with tidiness. No machinery glinted from their waist. My chance has arrived. I snickered to myself as I thought about making a dirty mess inside the house after I got the 3DMG. Imagining just how pissed he would be caused a smirk to form before I knew it.
The small little party headed onwards, and I began to painstakingly observe the area before sprinting across the road. My feet scrambled to find enough friction to keep my body going upwards on the smooth surface. Hooking my fingers on the ledge, I opened the window and slid in. Enough light filtered in for me to see the majority of the room quite plainly. Considering my options, I decided that it'd be too suspicious to keep my escape route open. Just as I began closed the opening, hearing it latch shut, I watched in dread as Levi, Isabel, and Farlan hurried inside from below me. Stilling, I rested my ear on the floor and listened in on the conversation. Maybe they just forgot to grab something.
"Are you sure there is a guy following us, Farlan?" Isabel's inquired, her tone hushed all of a sudden.
A creak echoed throughout the room as I heard someone pull up a chair to sit down. "Yeah, I'm sure. I just hope they didn't see the other guys with us. Wouldn't want them to get in trouble with the Military Police for being associated with us. Hopefully, they still haven't discovered our hideout."
"But I thought you said it was only one guy!"
"Doesn't mean there aren't more around," Farlan warned.
All of us waited in silence, wondering if the Military Police would be knocking down the door. They must be after the gear or something if they're so worried. I started when a slow knock reverberated in my quiet small space. Swallowing hard, I peeked through the cracks of the wood. A glean of a knife caught my eye as Levi wiped it with a white handkerchief. Farlan approached the door while Isabel crouched readily in a corner in case something horrible waited behind. Nobody breathed as Farlan cautiously opened the door.
My vision obscured, I couldn't make out the figure standing in the doorway, but a gruff voice, that I assumed to be male, penetrated through. "I am a messenger sent by a certain man. Let me get straight to the point. Erwin Smith plans to capture you guys and make you join the Survey Corps. Once you join, I want you to steal some documents for me, and if you can, 'take care of him.'"
"There is no way we would believe such a ridiculous sto-"
"The reward is money and a place to live in the capital," he interrupted Levi's protest.
Everyone perked up at the prospect of that. This information could be used for my own benefit, even more than the 3DMG. My chance to receive everything I wanted. Never mind the gear, go straight towards getting citizenship for the top. I'd blackmail them into accepting my bargain.
Apparently, Levi didn't share my sentiment. "This is getting shadier and shadier. I would leave if I were you."
Farlan, at least, seemed to have his head screwed on straight. "Wait, Levi." Had I read the situation wrong and this guy was actually in charge? No. This was a surprise to Levi too. Maybe Farlan had a plan? Smart man. "This has come as a huge surprise to us, so can you wait until we give you an answer?"
"I will give you until tomorrow to give me an answer. No one else can know of our conversation or your friends will be the one to suffer." The door banged closed as he disappeared.
"Hey," Levi started, confused about Farlan's proposal.
"Okay!" Farlan shouted grinning like a madman, "we are going to spy on this guy and find out who he actually is."
Isabel jumped out of her spot in the secluded corner. "You are thinking of accepting this job?"
"Even if we do get the documents, his next target will most likely become us," Levi huffed.
"Probably," Farlan said, nodding his head in agreement to the sentiment, "if we do obtain those documents though, we can use it to threaten him, guaranteeing our safety. You guys… Don't you want to get out of the Underground?"
Neither Levi nor Isabel responded to him. It's too clear of a clear answer. Who doesn't want to leave? Taking their silence as confirmation, Farlan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Now we are just going to have to get the information on him before tomorrow."
"I could help with that." From my spot in the attic, I responded. Without missing a beat, all three of them grabbed weapons.
"Who's there?" Farlan shouted, brandishing a knife.
"Just a nobody," I started as I climbed down the ladder. Carefully making sure none of them were inching towards me. "I mean, I really could just threaten you by saying that if you don't let me on to this little deal, I'll make sure you never get it. Spread the news around town. Tell everyone of the offer. I"m sure someone else would love to take it up. There's plenty of people who've killed for less. Stealing and murdering to get to leave this place would be a no-brainer. What makes you three so special? I'm nicer than that though. Might as well help you guys out while I'm at it."
"Who the fuck are you?" Levi growled out. The sharp blade glinted in his closed fist. "You better answer my question right now before I slit your throat."
I snorted at his aggressive display. Can't give any hints into my internal panic. All I need to do is reach that damn front door. "Well...Levi, Isabel, Farlan, I actually came here to steal your 3DMG gear. The plan has changed though. Let's just put it this way. You let me in on this job or I'll rat your asses out. None of you will get the chance to live outside of this filthy place, and that man will hunt you down. The other option is to let me get the information, bring it here, so we know who we're dealing with. Then when Erwin gets you to join his stupid little Survey Corps, I come as a packaged deal. We steal the documents, you get the money/house, and live happily ever after. All I want is the citizenship to live on the surface."
Before I even had finished my speech, I figured Levi's going to lunge by the growing look or irritation being displayed. Right as I paused to take a breath, the bastard tried to attack. Giving him a roundhouse kick to the chest. As he flew away from me, the jerk ripped off my shoe. Fine fucker, I'll just run barefoot then. Farlan and Isabel still failed to react by this point, so I bursted out of the house without any interference.
Running with all my strength, I prayed that they'd not have the time to grab the 3DMG in an attempt to silence me. Outrunning people was one thing, but outrunning that'd be impossible. Wincing as rocks began to embed themselves painfully into the sole of my feet, I risked a glance backward. Wow. Levi's fast. Hot on my trail, Levi kept up with my speedy pace. It'd been a while since I needed to go all out. Stretching my legs to their full potential, they began to eat the ground underneath them. Recalling his obsession with cleanliness, I made my way over to a small dirty sewage tunnel. No way he'd come in here.
It took a surprisingly long time before I felt I'd lost him, and I felt safe enough to go back to my alcove to wash up with a bucket of water. That'd also give me the chance to grab some coins. Can't go to the information hotbed emptyhanded. Might as well try convincing those three to let me join by gathering the intel. By proving useful for this operation, they might be a bit more welcoming. At least more welcoming than my plan to blackmail had been.