Both scouts stood thunder-struck beneath him gaping at the monster in front of their eyes. If it wasn't for his 'modified' explanations, he'd hate to think of just what thoughts they'd be torturing themselves with. When he took a step to steady his body, both soldiers shot off the ground into the trees with Hange coming to rest on his shoulder.

"C-can you understand us?"

"I'D HOPED THAT'D BE OBVIOUS BY NOW."

Levi made himself visible as he swung into his line of sight putting a small distance between them while he remained suspended mid-air.

"So you're in the neck now, huh? Does cutting your titan hurt you?" He bluntly inquired. Grisha chuckled at the obvious question, but it was a small consolation Levi felt no need to hide his intentions with him. Not that Levi was likely to be capable of subtlety.

"I COULD FEEL THE PAIN BUT THE INJURIES WON'T AFFECT MY BODY AND ANY CUTS ON MY REAL BODY WILL HEAL, LIKE A TITAN'S."

"Well! That's an enlightening note, thank you very much! For now let's go kill more titans and start up our newest anti-titan weapon shall we?

Grisha moved to the closest titan and easily squashed its nape with his foot, when he bent down to the next one and tried punching its nape, his hand broke and the nape steamed to confirm the singular kill.

"The hell was that flop?! Is that a punch? Do you have absolutely no concept of technique?"

"Ease up, Levi; we can't expect doctors to be soldiers"

"No. No. No. This can't be the hope of the scouts. I won't allow it. I'm telling Erwin. Up until he joins the trainees tell your kid he's training with me and the scouts, in hand-to-hand, ODM Gear, and bloody swordsmanship if he has to. If you're forty then it's already too late to drill anything but the least bit of combat into your-"

"I UNDERSTAND, EREN WILL BE GLAD TO HEAR IT. SPEAKING OF TRAINING, YOU CAN TRY TO ATTACK ME. BUT I WARN YOU BOY, I WON'T HOLD BACK."

Grisha had absolutely every intention of holding back. Killing a scout would be very poorly received even if said scout was a recruit. Levi's eyes had flashed and he nodded from his position. Hange let off an odd giggle and flipped off his shoulder, to a safer position. The moment she cleared Levi shot high above him and fired the hooks into his scalp, falling fast with gravity until Grisha raised his right hand to the nape. Without slowing down he blurred past the nape and that was the last Grisha saw of him until he registered the hooks on his calf and felt his ankles flick off, as he fell he felt Levi's blades cut his free hand and sever the fingers.

He hit the ground and rolled once before his eyes lost their vision, without feeling the hooks the hand guarding the nape began losing chunks and two swords cut his real arms off as the titan skin behind his real body helpfully reported the sensation of boots as it was peeled off with a cut that exposed his back and his body was yanked out forcefully and dumped on the floor.

"Pathetic. And for the last time, I'm not a teenager, don't ever call me boy."

"Truth be told, I did see Levi's first abnormal titan put up a better fight than that, but I'll presume you haven't had much practice in the cities right? Plus Levi is in his thirties." Hange added the last bit while dragging his armless torso away from the decaying titan body and unceremoniously dumping him into the wagon.

So that's why they brought it.

Hange took over the wagon while Levi rode ahead, back to Wall Rose. Neither said much to him on the way back, simply riding hard before the sun rose. It was daybreak by the time the walls were in view with a long line of refugees unaware of the danger just a few hours ride from them.

"Training?"

"His skills, or whatever that was, are a danger to the Survey Corpse. He couldn't even swing a punch properly. We're going against trained titan soldiers and even if we're going to manage what we have in young Jaeger, it doesn't mean we have to suffer for it and be unprepared. Sir"

Erwin dismissed the last courtesy with a wave of the hand; Levi's report was exactly what he'd expected to hear, especially from a doctor. It was good to know that the doctor didn't hesitate to kill the titans meaning there was some truth to the story he'd spun them.

Souls and corpses

Far too obviously a cover story; less apparently one he made up on the spot. Optimistically, he may have wanted to spare them the thought of killing living humans all their lives but then again, even Shadis who was supposed to be the doctor's friend was as ignorant as they were for over thirteen years. That was a very long time to lie to both wife and family by any metric, then turn around and give the full truth to a roomful of strangers. Military strangers.

However, truths the good doctor could not censor were waiting for them in Shiganshina just blocked by a few Titans, for now however;

"I'll discuss your request with the doctor and I will choose the officers best suited to training our new Titan friend, that will be all for now Levi."

Levi raised his hand to near his chest in some approximation of a salute with a weak shrug and turned away from the desk, just as Hange slammed Erwin's doors open, freely ignoring his wince for the door hinges.

"He's whole and awake! But first here you go; a summons from the royal government for you, Commander."

She casually flicked a sealed letter at him and Levi, but the new scout made no attempt to lunge for the letter even when Erwin leaned over his desk and caught it easily.

"Is throwing stuff to your boss considered respectful here?"

"I was throwing it to you-", Erwin tensed for whatever came next; "-not my fault it was out of your reach.

Levi didn't even blink as he strode past her and gently closed Erwin's double doors. Erwin turned his attention to the letter in hand and huffed in frustration.

All traces of the bouncy scout gone, Hange frowned and looked down at the slowly curling letter,

"Bad?"

"Quinta."

"Yikes."

A/N: Years of living under the Royal Government's censorship has rubbed Erwin raw. He is NOT an enemy of Grisha or an anti-hero here. He simply doesn't like being kept in the dark for pity or for order.

Review and ask questions as you wish! Corrections and discrepancies are always received!

Looking to that Bright Dawn!