"What are you going to do about it?"
Elsie groaned and dropped her head, already knowing where Oluo's question was leading to. They had barely been training for five minutes before him and Petra were at each other's throats.
"Come over here and I'll show you." Petra snarled, baring her teeth and looking just about done with him.
Oluo picked at his teeth and shrugged, "Not worth my time."
"Are they always like this?" Eren whispered to Elsie.
"Sometimes they don't talk first thing in the morning." Elsie reflected, wondering if there was ever a time that Petra and Oluo had gotten along. The two somehow managed to tick the other off before they got their boots strapped.
It was the beginning of the second week and Hange had finally relinquished her hold on Eren. In two days the graduates will pick which Regiment they wanted to join and Levi had been badgering Hange for training time with Eren. He had been getting frequent letters from Erwin, which Elsie believed were plans on the expedition, or at least informing Levi of the expedition. Levi never mentioned Eren's basement and it was rarely brought up, at least when Elsie was around.
"Guys," Elsie inched between Petra and Oluo. "Can we start training?"
"Yes," Petra eagerly agreed. "Okay Eren, let's see what you're made of."
Eren rolled his shoulders and stepped forward, squaring up with Petra. She laughed and shook her head, "Not with me! I want to see how you hold against Elsie before you get to me."
Elsie blinked, "What? No, you should work with him."
"I just want to see where his level is. Don't worry, it's just practice," Petra waved her off, grabbing her and leading her to stand across from Eren. He didn't seemed phased and turned his stance towards her. "This practice isn't like with the captain."
"I can only imagine what that's like." Eren grumbled.
Elsie relented and raised her fists. Petra backed to Oluo's side, the two watching them before Oluo raised his hand, "Start!"
Elsie darted forward, knowing that it was for her best interest to move first. Eren backpedaled in shock, not expecting her to rush, and she used that to her advantage to swing a kick at his knee. He fell to his right and Elsie punched, grunting when he blocked and punched her in the stomach. She coiled back, the two beginning to circle each other. Eren ran forward, swinging both fists, and she dodged each one. She was shocked when not a hand touched her, his moves were fast and precise. He got close enough for her to lift her knee into his stomach.
Eren bent over and Elsie grabbed his arm, twisting it behind his back and pushing him to the ground. He fell in a mist of dirt, grunting when his cheek his the rocks. Elsie quickly released him and held a hand out to help him up, panting.
"Wow, you're really good." Eren said when he stood up.
Elsie was shocked, "Yeah, I guess."
"Looks like all that time getting beat up by the captain paid off." Oluo retorted.
Petra nodded, her eyes wide, "I have to agree. I guess when you fight us we don't notice how good you actually are."
"Wait, did you not go through the academy?" Eren asked, rubbing his arm.
"No, Captain Levi trained me. And them of course." She lamely pointed to the two soldiers. But it didn't feel right. She should've have been able to beat Eren. She frowned and stepped back, gesturing for Petra to step forward. They continued on while Elsie thought over the fight, still in disbelief that it had been over so quickly.
She looked over her shoulder before looking at Oluo, "I'm going to head back to the castle."
"He's in his office doing work, don't bother him." Oluo said casually.
Elsie, already heading for Levi's office, stopped and looked back at him, "I wasn't going to."
"Sure. It's not like you two somehow always end up together." He continued, giving her a teasing smile.
"We don't." Elsie defended, deciding now was the best time to leave. She stalked up the hill towards the castle. She wasn't always with Levi, she sure as hell spent enough time around the rest of the squad. Sometimes they talked too much and she found solitude in Levi's presence.
"Grab the sword, let's see how you hold your blades." She heard Petra direct.
"Oh, you don't have to worry about that - Gah!"
Elsie was thrown forward from the explosion that sounded off. She stumbled and caught herself, spinning in horror to see Eren's arm in titan form, holding the sword perfectly between his fingers. Petra and Oluo had their swords drawn, closer to Elsie than Eren since the blast had thrown them back. Elsie didn't think, running back towards them with her hands out stretched.
"Stop! Stand down!" She shouted, getting between the three of them. Eren was hysterically trying to pull his arm out of the titan form, gasping at Petra and Oluo in disbelief. Their faces were stark, eyebrows furrowed and eyes narrowed on Eren.
"Move back, Elsie!" Petra screamed.
"He didn't mean to!" Elsie screeched. "Can't you see that he's scared?"
"You were told to not transform without permission! What the fuck are you doing?" Oluo's words sent spit flying.
"I didn't mean to! I don't know what happened!" Eren was clawing at his own arm, tearing his shirt and causing bloody scratches to form.
Elsie ran towards Eren, climbing up his arm to get close. The titan muscle burned her hands, the steam singing her skin, but she pushed on. Eren held still when she wrapped her hands around his wrist, helping him to pull on it. It stayed enclosed in the red material.
"Elsie get the fuck down!" Oluo bellowed.
"What are you doing?" Petra hissed, staying back.
Eren was shaking his head, "I didn't mean to, Elsie, I swear. I don't know how I did it guys!"
"What is going on?" A new voice joined their screams.
Elsie looked through her hair to see Levi running down the hill with Eld and Gunther. Thank fucking God, Elsie thought. Levi would tell Petra and Oluo to stand down and they could get this kid out. But then Hange came galloping behind, her glasses glinting in the sun. Now they would never get Eren down.
"Stand down!" Levi ordered, reaching them. Petra and Oluo immediately dropped their blades, exchanging worried looks. They didn't trust Eren.
Elsie thought she had skipped this part by teaching Eren how to summon his titan. Looks like things still had to run their own course.
"Wah! Eren what is this? Only a limb transformed?" Hange was pulling at her hair, trying to grab the skin and hissing when it stung her. "How marvelous!"
"Elsie, get down before you burn yourself." Levi snapped, walking so he was just below her.
Elsie yanked once more before admitting defeat, "It's okay Eren. It's just your muscles attached, that's all. You'll get out of this fine." She soothed the panicking teenager.
"I don't know what I did, I swear." He said earnestly.
"I know. Things like this happen sometime."
"How do you know so much about this?" Eren asked, his eyes searching hers for something. "Are there more like me?"
She knew saying yes would result in a burn so she merely gave him a look that had a thousand messages, "Just trust us, yeah? We know what we're doing."
"Okay."
"Elsie." Levi didn't sound pleased, impatiently waiting for her to drop.
"I'll wait for you." Elsie said in farewell before releasing her hold on Eren's wrist.
She slipped off Eren's feet, dropping a good four feet from the floor. Levi grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her back until she was beside Petra. Hange was making Hibolt run back up the hill to get some medical supplies to get a sample while Eren continued to pull at his arm. Levi turned her hands palm up, tsking when he saw how red they were.
"You idiot. Who the hell climbs up a titan body? Don't you realize how hot they are?" Levi berated her.
"I just wanted to help Eren."
"Next time fucking think."
Elsie scoffed, not wanting to get into it. She knew Eren had control over himself, he wasn't the worst thing around. Elsie wrapped her arms around her waist and watched as Hange got a sample and Eren, sweating, finally pulled his arm out. He stumbled and flew off his arm, falling hard onto the ground. The squad glowered as Hange and Hibolt helped him stand and led him to the castle, excitedly talking about what just occurred. Levi lingered before following them, leaving Elsie and Levi Squad in the singed clearing.
"What the hell were you thinking?" Petra rounded on Elsie, fury making her hair stand on end. "He could've killed you."
"He wasn't. You know him, he would never hurt us." Elsie defended, shocked that Petra was actually mad about it.
"I know that the first time he fully transformed he tried to eat his childhood friend," Oluo imputed, not seeming bothered to be on the same side as Petra for once. "How are you, a girl he's known less than week, any different?"
"He hasn't transformed fully around us, we have no idea how he would act if he did." Eld supported.
"Not to mention not one of us had our ODM gear on." Gunther grumbled, patting at his empty waist as if just realizing.
Elsie shook her head, "I know him. He wouldn't harm us."
"How exactly do you know him?" Petra was exasperated, throwing her hands in the air and shaking her head. She looked like a fed up mother, annoyed that her child didn't see the dangers in the world.
"I've watched him grow up. He's not a bad person." Elsie said plainly, not knowing what else to say. They would see in time.
"Watched him grow up? Come on now." Gunther snorted, shaking his head.
Oluo snickered, "You're insane, Elsie, you know that?"
"What's insane is that a boy who wants to end titans just as much as you, if not more, has the power to help you and you don't trust him." Elsie snapped, kicking at Oluo's ankle before stomping up the hill.
She heard Oluo hiss in pain, "I'll get you for that!"
"Come at me, Oluo!" She screamed over her shoulder, not slowing down until she reached the castle doors.
Elsie walked past the dining room and kitchen to a side room that held all medical supplies. There was a lone chair in the room which Eren used, slouched in the cushion with his red arm out for Hange to inspect. She bent over him, poking and drawing the marks on his arm into a sketchbook. Levi and Hibolt stood to the side, both looking like they would rather be doing something else.
"How are you?" Elsie asked Eren, stopping by his arm.
"I'm good. Thanks for standing up for me," Eren smiled. "They looked ready to kill me."
"Ignore them." Elsie waved it off.
Levi grabbed her hand from the air, turning it palm up to examine her palm, "You're burned."
Her palms were red and skin was beginning to blister. She shrugged and pulled her hands back, "It's fine."
"I'll get you some cream," Hange interceded, stepping back from Eren. "So what happened?"
"We were just training. Elsie and I sparred and she was heading back to the castle. Petra told me to grab a sword and when I went to grab it, I just transformed. Everyone flew back and the next thing I know Elsie is standing between me and them. I didn't mean to, Captain, you have to believe me." Eren pleaded to Levi, who's face was far from comforting at the moment.
Elsie stepped forward, "It happens, don't worry. You grabbed the sword, you had a purpose in mind, and your titan tried to help you."
"Does it happen often?" Hange asked.
"No. Rarely."
Levi stared down at Eren, "That's enough for today. The last thing I need is for you to transform while wiping your ass."
Elsie couldn't hold her laugh back. Hange rolled her eyes at the potty joke and returned to Eren, rattling questions about how he feels and so forth. Levi went to the cabinets behind Hange and dug through it before pulling out a mason jar of white goop. He gestured for Elsie to follow him out of the room. They walked up the stairs to his office where she immediately sat on the couch and motioned for him to hand over the jar.
"You're stupid as fuck." Levi said when he sat in his office chair.
Elsie shrugged and began to rub the cream in like lotion, "They were going to cut his arm off."
"It would grow back."
She glared at him, "That's no way to think."
"It's the truth. It would grow back, he would learn to control himself, and you wouldn't be burned. And it isn't like they would've just chopped his arm off."
"Sure as hell looked like it." Elsie grumbled. She knew the squad, she had watched as they grew to love Eren, but something in that moment made her forget it all. They weren't her friends but threats to Eren.
Levi met her gaze, his grey eyes holding her's with complete seriousness, "They're not just machines. I can guarantee you that every single one of them was conflicted over it."
"You're not supposed to be telling me that." Elsie thought of the hallway scene, Levi standing beside a downtrodden Eren. It was where they bonded.
Levi leaned forward in his chair, his fingers clasping together and his eyes taking her in. She felt the air thicken in the room, his eyes seeming to have a control that demanded her entire attention. Even though she was feet away she felt like he was right beside her.
"When are you going to tell me everything you know?" Levi asked.
Elsie smiled sadly and stood, "Some things are better off not known."
"I don't like that attitude." Levi fell back into his chair, flipping through papers on his desk.
"Oh, I know. That's why I do it." Elsie stuck her tongue out before darting out of the office.
Dinner was quite the affair.
Hange stood at the head of the table with a sword wrapped in a white blanket. Elsie was one of the first to enter the dining room, her eyes widening at the sight. Petra sat at the table, forlorn, while Gunther stood sourly behind her. They met her gaze, no fire in their looks, and Elsie figured all was forgiven. She gave a smile that hopefully conveyed her truce. Petra returned the gesture and Elsie sat beside her.
"What's going on?" Elsie asked, noticing the lack of food.
"Hange has a theory." Petra filled her in.
Hange stood resolutely, clutching the sword like it was a precious gauntlet. They sat in silence as Eld and Oluo filtered in. Time ticked and Levi and Eren were nowhere to be seen. Elsie's stomach began to rumble with hunger and she looked pleadingly at Hange.
"When are we going to eat? I have to be up early for horse duty tomorrow." She said, jutting out her bottom lip to look more sympathetic.
Hange stared at the door, "Hibolt, tell Captain Levi and Eren that their presence is required."
"So proper." Gunther grumbled.
Oluo snorted, crossing his arms, "Nothing like the real thing."
"I hear you." Hange said.
"Are we wrong?" Oluo asked innocently.
The doors opened and Hibolt led Levi and Eren into the room. Eren sulked, standing at the head of the table while Levi took the seat across from Elsie.
"Where's the food?" Levi asked.
"Enough about that," Hange laid the sword on the table, lovingly opening it. Elsie knew exactly what was happening and felt her eyes begin to mist. "Feast your eyes upon this."
"My sword?"
"The very one. Your spontaneous titan arm erupted into being while holding it, like so. The world operates on chance so coincedences are expected. But this is something more. This utensil wasn't warped by the heat or by the pressure. Any thoughts on the matter?"
Eren began to sweat, "All I know is that I went to pick it up. When I did the arm came out of nowhere."
"Interesting," Hange rubbed her chin. "In each instance before you changed seemingly at will there was a goal in mind. I'm positive that self harm isn't the only way to transform. It appears as those a clear objective is crucial as well."
Eren seemed to be mentally freaking out.
"So, what I'm getting out of this is what you pulled wasn't on purpose?" Gunther asked gruffly, looking at Eren.
The boy shook his head, "No, sir."
The squad looked at each other, silently agreeing. Her friends nodded together and raised their right hands, staring intently at their thumbs, before biting into it. Elsie bowed her head, clenching her fists in her lap and closing her eyes to keep the tears at bay. It was an emotional moment in the series but shit, there was no comparing the emotion in the room to the anime. She heard Eren's intake of breath, could fee his disbelief at what they were doing to prove they believed in him.
"What hell are you doing?" Eren shouted. Hange was gasping in shock.
Elsie raised her head. Levi was staring at her, unaffected by the show in the room. Their eyes locked like magnets, unable to tear apart, drawing her toward him. Eld saying ow drew his gaze behind her. She sighed in relief, sagging in her chair.
"That hurt like a bitch." Eld stated
"I'm shocked you can bite that deep without shrieking." Oluo added.
"Consider this our way of apologizing, if you can find it in your heart to forgive us," Petra said gently, giving one of her beautiful smiles to Eren. "Fact is we were scared and made a judgement call. You have every right to be upset but all that aside, we are doomed if we can't trust one another. Just as you are if you can't trust us."
Elsie smiled at her words being used.
Eren nodded sagely, "Thank you. I have no words."
Elsie had no words. She felt her love expand for every person in the room.
"Good, let's get over this mushy shit," Gunther said, pulling out a chair and sitting down. "Now you can give us our food, Hange, no more need to keep us all here."
Hange sniffed, "I'm insulted you would think I would withhold your food just to get you all together."
"Yeah, why would we ever think that?" Elsie giggled, shaking her head. She felt the mood lighten and her eyes dried.
She wasn't going to let Levi Squad die, that was for sure.