Yay! The sixth chapter is done. I hope everyone enjoys reading it. I post on my profile when I'm most likely going to update, so you can always check that out if you are curious. Please leave a comment or criticism. I want to know what you guys think I'm doing right or vice versa.

Saph's PoV

The three of us split up in hopes to make it seem like we were trying to escape. The whole plan depended on the Survey Corps not suspecting us of doing anything suspicious. If they had any doubts, they weren't going to let us join them.

That was when I got a true sight of Levi's abilities as he pushed himself at a speed that made it hard for the eye to follow. I'd never be able to become that good at the 3DMG. Instead of swooping through the structures sporadically that were spread out in the vicinity, I landed lightly on my feet and began to run along the road. When one of the Survey Corp's personal got close to me, I latched my hook in the side of a corner and let it propel me in an arching motion. Running across the side of the building in front of it, I let it release just to jump through the window of the building I had been sprinting on. Hearing the person land on top of the house, I slipped out of the door and started to go where Levi, Farlan, and Isabel's homebase was at. Someone was going to have to get them close to Farlan so we could include him in this made-up fight for freedom.

I had been going to their house almost everyday since I tried to steal the gear, I knew the environment around it well enough that I thought I could get there without getting caught. They were strangers and this was where I grew up. It was just common sense, but I had underestimated the person's stubbornness to capture me. Whoever was behind me wasn't making anything easy with them trying to get a hold of me. Dodging people and carriages, I weaved through the marketplace hoping it was chaotic enough to lose this person who had never been here before. Whoever it was, hadn't survived Titan hunting for nothing, their movements were deft enough that if I tripped up, I was going to be in trouble.

Miscalculating Isabel's own abilities, I hadn't expected her to be in the same area as me. It was when I tried to do a back flip over my follower, did I notice that Isabel was headed my way with two people on her trail as well. Unable to reshoot the wires, one the people who had been trailing Isabel targeted me. Their body slammed into mine. Desperate to readjust myself, I was caught by surprise when my legs were captured in a grip by the man who had hit me.

"Let of me," I screamed as I felt the air whooshing by my ear. At the speed I was going towards the wall, I was going to crack my head hard enough that I could fall unconcious. Thankfully, he let his wires soften the blow by making sure they slowed us down. While I was happy my wits were still with me, they didn't exactly help me escape. One largre hand of his could easily hold both my wrist above my head as he used his weight to his advantage to pin me against the wall. My attempt to sink my teeth into his shoulder failed when he wrapped a hand around my throat to keep me from biting him.

He grimaced when he saw me bare my teeth at him, "What are you? An animal?" Lazily, as if I wasn't putting up a fight at all, he sweeped my feet from underneath me. Before I could reagain my footing, he whipped me around and slammed me against the hard surface. A whine of pain escaped as he wrenched my arms behind me. I was effectively restrained. Even when I tired to put a foot up to kick off the wall in hopes of getting enough leverage to knock him down, the man ripped me away before I could get the friction necessary for my stunt. "I sure hope you're worth all the trouble," he growled under his breath as he began to drag me along with him.

Panting hard, I pretended to be complacent as we went to where ever he wanted to take me. It was only slightly surprising to already seen Levi, Farlan, and Isabel kneeling on the dirt in a row. As if I was horrified to see my supposed friends restrained like I was, I let out a ferocious cry and leaned forward slightly. The action was to make him think that I was trying to lunge towards my companions. The man's hold on me loosened enough that I could lean forward. Lurching backwards, I was planning to break his nose with the back of my head. My idea was thwarted when he turned his head and having me only smack into his cheekbone instead. Finally, I had angered him to such an extent that he threw to me the ground besides Isabel and shoved my face into a dirty puddle. Mouth and nose filled with the leftover rain water, and I struggled to breath. Gasping and choking, my body bucked as it begged for air. Taking a fistful of my soaked curls, my hair was pulled back so my neck bent at an unnatural angle, and I was left facing a blonde haired man with icy blue eyes. They looked at me with no hint of pity or mercy. It was as if he had no qualms watching a child get beaten by an adult. Not that I expected anything better than from someone was in the Corps that let my parents die. I could only guess that this man was Erwin Smith.

Filth and water began to dribble down my chin as I hacked up everything I had accidentally swallowed when my face had been pressed underwater. I was so occupied trying to get that disgusting taste out of my mouth, I almost didn't hear Erwin's question.

"Where did you get the 3DMG?" His voice commanded our attention, but it's not like I could answer him. I never asked where they had got the equipment. I didn't ask any questions at all actually. While I was silent because of lack of knowledge, Levi, Farlan, and Isabel all held their tongues in defiance. At least one of them knew where the gear had come from. My guess was Levi, but taking notice of their own leader's defiance, neither Isabel or Farlan spoke up.

Shrugging of the question with a nonchalance that made me wonder if he even cared for the answer in the first place. Erwin approached Levi. "You all displayed exceptional skills using it. Who taught you?" For his part, Erwin didn't seem to get annoyed with our lack of response, it was as if he expected it all along. His chilling gaze focused on Levi. Relief filled my veins, this man made me nervous. Far more than Levi ever did. You could almost say I feared him, so I was glad he wasn't paying any attention at all to me. "You are the leader, correct? Do you have any military training?"

Levi hated the military. His face darkened at the prospect of having learned from people he declared as pigs, he shot a death glare in Erwin's direction. The intent to kill was written all over his face.

"I was hoping to avoid violence," Erwin exhaled- say that to my stinging throat- "but if it's what works…"

A tall man with a mustache grabbed Levi by his hair and shoved him down into the puddle I had just been in. Somehow, Levi had turned his head so he wasn't drowning. Lucky, the taste of mud still coated my mouth. Not that Levi found his situation any better. I shuddered at the new level of anger Levi had reached. They were going to pay for shoving the clean freak into this watery filth.

"Let me ask you one more time," Erwin's voice had some resemblance of politeness before, but now it held a clear threat of danger, "where did you learn to use the 3DMG?"

Everyone held their breath as Levi continued to keep his mouth shut. The tension was becoming unbearable, and I began to wish I was anywhere but here. Just tell the man already, Levi!

"No one taught us, all right," Isabel finally shouted. Not capable of seeing her big brother being threatened any longer.

Farlan chimed in, always the one to try and diffuse the situation. "We learned in order to survive here."

Exhaling, I tried to appear as helpless as possible when Erwin glanced at me. They were the ones who taught me not to long ago. Even if they had learned from someone, I hadn't been told nor would I be able to reveal it. This was a time for me to keep myself silent.

"My name is Erwin Smith. Your name is?" The mustached man was apparently expecting some resistance again. Before Levi could try and answer, his head was shoved into the water deep enough that he couldn't breathe. They didn't hold him down long, and soon Levi's head was yanked back up. Everyone could see the clear hatred reflecting in his eyes. "If you don't answer soon, you're friends are the ones who are going to pay." Suddenly, long blades were held up against all of our throats. I'm not going to die just because Levi doesn't want to say his name. I refuse too.

Levi seemed to find his voice to utter out a single insult, "Bastard."

"Your name?" Erwin repeated, indifferent.

"It's Levi."

Kneeling down on the muddy ground, Erwin asked the simple question we had all bet our lives on. "Why don't we make a deal?" The man slowly took in all four of our shocked expressions before speaking again. "We won't charge you with anything if all of you enlist into the Survey Corps."

Grounding his teeth, Levi spat, "What if we refuse?"

"Then we'll hand all of you over to the Military Police," Erwin stiffly responded without batting an eyelash. "The choice is yours."

Beside me, Farlan was giving Levi a pointed look. This is what we were after. Take the deal! Hopefully, none of the Survey Corp's members could read the message like me. Not that I expected them too. This was something all four of us had planned and thought about for weeks. Now wasn't the time to be second guessing our decision.

"Fine," Levi lifted his head and grimaced at the unrelenting man in front of him, "we'll join your damn Survey Corps."

"Stay here," we were commanded before the person left the carriage. The ride here had been short, and it hadn't taken long for us to get our few belongings before leaving. The only things I wanted to take with me was the money I had saved up and my knife. Erwin had wanted to refuse my request to have my knife in my boot, but he had begrudgingly allowed it after Farlan mentioned that we still didn't know if we could trust them.

"Be nice," Farlan pointed at me. "If anyone knew what you're like, no one would want to get close to us. Stop acting selfish for once."

This was the first time Farlan mentioned anything about my behavior. Shouldn't he be more worried about Levi? "I wasn't planning on it. It's in my best interest to act like a good person, so I'll be nice. Besides, Levi is the one who keeps acting as if he's going to kill Erwin any second now."

"That's because I am going to kill him. First chance I get and that bastard is dead."

Farlan and Isabel both went speechless at his declaration of violence.

"I knew you were stupid, but I didn't think you were that dumb. What do you think will happen if Erwin gets killed? They'll send us back to the Underground? No. The Survey Corps will be after our heads, and most likely kill us," I snapped.

Isabel huffed and shook a finger at me. "Don't talk to Big Brother like that!"

I growled in frustration. "I'm only speaking the truth. Just because you got a little dirty back there doesn't me you should throw out the plan just to get revenge." Almost all my teeth showed as I grinned. "Suck it up." How I have wanted to say those words Levi had told me so many times while he was training me.

Levi was about to smack me but Farlan reached out and grabbed his arm. "This is our opportunity to get a better life. One out of the Underground. Everything will work out if you just trust me!" Farlan pleaded.

"You three! Get over here!" The man who had left us had came back leaving Farlan's plea unanswered. "Just for tonight the four of you will sleep in here." He motioned towards four beds that had been set up in a cabin. "Tomorrow, you'll be assigned your bunks and your squad. I expect everyone to be up and ready early." With that the man left us.

What about dinner? I collapsed on the mattress and let out a sigh of contentment. "These are so soft."

"They aren't any better than the ones we had before," Levi snarked.

Ignoring him, I picked up a fluffy white square covered in the same fabric as the mattress beneath me. "What is this?"

Isabel raised an eyebrow at me. "That's a pillow. Do you not even know what a pillow is?" I could tell that she was enjoying knowing something I didn't. I'd guess it was a rare experience for her to not be the clueless one. "These are blankets!" She began to point out other various objects to give me their names, teasing me. Just because I didn't know what pillows were didn't mean she needed to act like that. I wasn't even sure that I had a pillow when I lived with my parents.

Masking my pout, I sneered at her. "I know what blankets are, and I'm not stupid. Just because I have never had a pillow before doesn't mean I'm dumber than you."

"That's weird," Isabel commented, settling down after wrapping a few blankets around herself.

"Maybe before," I whispered to myself, copying Isabel and how she was using the pillow. I didn't close my eyes, however. Farlan and Levi were both only sitting on their makeshift beds. Neither of them seemed ready to rest. "Did all three of you have pillows?" I asked, curious as to how their lives were different than mine. It's not like I as allowed into their base that often. Levi made sure that I knew I was unwelcome there, but I had still expected everyone to live a similar lifestyle like me as a criminal. But then again, they also had a house, that itself was luxary way beyond my reach.

"You think these mattresses are soft and you've never seen a pillow before," Farlan started with his brow furrowed, "where did you live in the Underground? Since you kept it such a secret from the rest of us, I had expected it to have comforts you didn't want us to take."

"I didn't want you to know where I lived because I didn't want you guys to sneak in and kill me." Avoiding Isabel's hurt expression, I kept my eyes trained on the wood wall. These pillows were making it hard for me to fall asleep.

"Why would we-"

"Because she would've done just that if she was in our position," Levi interrupted Isabel's question with his own answer.

While I couldn't argue with him because he was correct, I didn't like hearing the truth coming from him. Maybe because it made me sound like a bad person. That's probably because I was bad. Didn't matter to me. I didn't care if they regarded me as an evil human being. All human beings were evil. They just didn't like to show it, or believe they were. I had my brother. Brother loved me and didn't care that I wasn't a good person. Resolute in my view, I stayed silent. Me speaking wasn't going to change the matter, anyways.

Farlan spoke up as if to defend me, "Levi-"

Before he could finish his reprimand, Isabel sat up, startling all of us. "Just because Big Bro and Saph don't get along doesn't mean she isn't nice," Isabel announced not removing her eyes from her lap, "so don't say that about her. She is my friend, and I love Big Bro, but Bro shouldn't say those things about her." Flopping back down on her back, Isabel once again tried to go to sleep after her declaration.

It had been the first time that Isabel had even remotely disagreed with Levi. She usually took his word as law. Isabel shouldn't have defended me. Innocence and naivety made it so she had the notation that I regarded her as a friend. That wasn't what our situation was or was allowed to be. I had my brother and no friends. Anyone else could become an obstacle in reaching my goal. If I cared for others, how could I leave them to be with my brother? If I fought for someone else's well-being, I could die. Being dead meant I couldn't protect my brother anymore. That was just the fact of the matter.

Facing away from Levi so I wouldn't have to see his hardened stare directed towards me, I closed my eyelids. It was Isabel's own lack of knowledge that led her to think that. Her own damn fault, not mine.