It was a disaster.
Not entirely, but still it was disastrous in the beginning. Up until Erwin suggested a new method. Scouts can venture in the trees to warn of oncoming titans for those on horses.
Shadis, desperate to turn the tide of their mission, implemented this method. And they were able to cover more ground with this strategy. When they cleared the trees into an open field they met an abnormal.
Shadis caught sight of Levi taking it down swiftly. And his heart sank. The way those eyes hyper focused, the inner strength and determination was disturbing. It was like watching a predator catching its prey.
Only the predator was a petite human against a giant titan. Interesting how that worked. Even so admiration grew from everyone who witnessed this moment for Levi.
And then they faced another serious problem. A thick fog snuck up on them. Shadis could barely see his horse in front of him.
Was that the footsteps of a titan? Or his heartbeat?
"Erwin!" Levi's cry was warning enough.
Shadis changed direction just in time to avoid colliding with a giant leg. His squad were quick to do the same, having heard the warning as well. Shadis counted heads and was relieved none had been snatched up.
Yet.
Suddenly Levi was flying above them. He sliced the hand that had reached down at them. The squad couldn't quite get their bearings yet. They were still blinded by the fog. All they could see were faint shadows.
Blood splattered everywhere. And Levi still advanced up the arm. They all watched in awe at how fast he was. In a flash he was leaping off the shoulder. His gear aimed at the back of the neck and pulled him to swiftly slice the weak spot.
And the titan crumbled. Levi landed before them. The majority of the squad cheered.
"You left your squad?" Shadis was angry.
The cheers stopped. Don't get him wrong, he was still impressed. But Shadis felt the fury rise from within.
"I lost them." Levi stared back.
"You lost them because you were focused on Erwin." Shadis accused.
"And you would probably be dead." He countered, not giving a damn about their statuses.
"You are a Scout! Your duty is to your squad! Losses happen, but when you abandon your own squad, you're no better than the thieves they send to the Underground City!"
Levi tensed, eyes blazing. Immediately Erwin climbed off of his horse and ran to him. He placed a hand on the small shoulder, towering over him. Levi was forced to look up.
"I'm not ungrateful. But you also need to understand your squad is your family, too." He spoke gently.
"...Understood." Levi spoke icily.
"Let's hope they fared well in this fog." Shadis hoped beyond hope.
There was a reason Shadis split the trio into different squads. He wanted Erwin in his own to groom him to be the next commander. He wanted to see the potential blossom.
Levi needed to be taught a lesson that he can't focus on solely protecting Erwin. The way Shadis saw it, if he spread out the power of these three out then the higher chances of survivors.
Shortly after this moment Shadis ordered for the retreat. And some minutes later the fog lifted as the rain stopped. The sun was bright on the horizon.
To the relief of the commander, Levi's squad didn't suffer. They had attempted to follow him and then lost him in the fog. They heard the fighting of Levi taking down a titan. Then a short minute later they heard Shadis and slowly made their way towards the voice.
Shadis then sent Scouts to spread out and begin to draw everyone to round up. It took nearly an hour to gather everyone that they could.
The body count wasn't as high as usual. But still the amount was a heavy weight on Shadis. He lead them back home with some hope that maybe things will get better with these new recruits. It was noted that the majority of them made it through their first mission.
As they walked through the streets there weren't any cheers. However even the people noticed the body count wasn't as high as usual, so they began whispering. Levi ignored them all.
That night at dinner, there was only one person who was cheerful.
"Did you see the way Levi swooped up that abnormal? It was so cool! The way the titan tried to react, it was like it was thinking! Do you think titans can think? A complicated sort of language like us, but they don't have the ability to speak it?" Hange was endless.
"They don't think. They just target humans and devour them as snacks." Levi scoffed.
"Can you please not mention titans? Some of us are actually trying to eat." Someone glared.
Levi made eye contact with the man. And without breaking eye contact he lifted the bread and bit and chewed like a titan would. A blood vessel was close to popping and the Scout stood, face red with fury.
"Technically, he's simply eating. Are you really going to throw a fist on someone for eating, when you mentioned that you were trying to eat as well?" Erwin pointed out.
Utter silence as everyone waited on baited breath. And the one that got angry sat back down. His face was red for a different reason.
"Stop antagonizing." Erwin stared Levi down.
Everyone watched for the reaction.
"Can't make promises. But I'll do better." Levi shrugged, not at all bothered.
Erwin made it seem so easy. But everyone knew that Levi was no pushover. The majority had seen him in action and a new admiration and respect took shape. His attitude needed work but at least Erwin was willing to put the effort into shaping him.
But that was a mystery no one dared to ask yet. What was the true catalyst that kept these two unlikely pair to work together? It was viewed that Levi felt a life debt, and he aimed to repay in full.
Even a blind man can tell Levi was bored of this lifestyle. He only seemed to come alive during missions. And yet he slowly came around to certain people. It was enough to loosen the intimidation he carried.
Strangely, Hange was constantly trying to get close to Levi. And nothing he said would deter them. Shadis was grateful he hadn't placed them in the same squad, or he would have been suspicious if Levi came back alive while Hange didn't.
Everyone expected Levi to throw Hange down eventually. Oddly enough, that never happened. And so Hange continued pestering.
The way Hange talked on and on about Levi and his skills eventually got everyone talking. And the word spread through the other branches very quickly.
"Why are they staring at me?" Levi pondered as they made their way for his third mission.
He felt unnerved by the attention. The stares made him nervous. He tried his best not to stare back to scare the citizens. Although the idea was very tempting.
"Guess you're popular!" Hange chimed. Of course they weren't outwardly showing nervousness about the upcoming mission.
"Why?" Levi hated this.
It made him question his decision to follow Erwin. But he couldn't shake the loyalty that dug so deeply. And he silently resigned to his fate.
Suddenly he felt the hairs on the back of his head rise. Levi glanced around. He subconsciously pulled the reins and his horse slowed.
There, to his left. He caught sight of a figure disappearing into the shadows. Tall, skinny, and a familiar shape of a hat.
Could it be him?
"Levi? Is everything okay?" Hange asked a little too loudly and heads turned.
Levi hadn't heard the question. He didn't even notice the stares. He was too focused on trying to locate the figure within the shadows. However he lost track and he was beginning to wonder if he had imagined the whole thing.
Shadis paused when he noticed Levi had stopped. He looked like he had seen a ghost. Erwin turned his horse around and trotted closer.
"Levi." His voice snapped the smaller man from his thoughts. He turned and blinked at seeing Erwin close.
"You all right?" Erwin inquired, not used to seeing many things effect the young man.
"Yeah." Levi was back to his stoic self.
Erwin gave him a look. Later, when no one was around, he wanted answers. This behavior was troubling enough that he wouldn't give up until Levi told him. He silently promised that he would.
"Then what are we waiting for? Get back into positions!" Shadis ordered.
Erwin redirected his pale horse around and trotted towards the front with his squad. Levi felt the stares by the Scouts. He didn't mind them as much as the civilians.
Levi tried his best to remain focused on the mission. However his thoughts constantly focused on whether that really had been Kenny. And because of the distractions Levi wasn't at the top of his game.
Screams filled the air. Levi finished his cut on a titan he targeted before glancing around. An abnormal had sprung from the trees and had decimated nearly half of his squad.
It had his squad leader in its mouth, chewing slowly as if debating whether he was tasty or not. Levi grit his teeth. With swift speed he rushed over with all his speed.
He aimed and sliced so hard his blades dulled as he pulled them out. Levi discarded them and replaced with sharper ones. The abnormal fell and the squad leader landed a few feet away.
Levi checked his surroundings before landing on the ground. He knelt beside the squad leader while the remaining members joined them. They stood on their feet so as to react if a titan snuck on them.
"I'm not gonna make it." The leader coughed.
"Where is your family located? I'll deliver the news personally." Levi promised, surprising them all.
"Trost. My wife, she won't take the news well."
"I've stared down titans and worse. I think I can handle a distraught wife." Levi knew this wasn't the time for his humor, but even so the man smiled.
"Tell her I love her." He coughed one more time then went still.
Slowly Levi stood.
"What's worse than titans?" One of his squad members asked.
"Humans." He answered.
No one disputed him. When it was time to round up the bodies and return home, this time Levi felt the weight of defeat. Even Hange wasn't their chipper self when they saw the state he was in.
Erwin stayed quiet on the matter as well. And as the bodies burned, he stood next to Levi. Hange and Mike watched from the sidelines.
"What you saw. It was him, isn't it? And seeing him distracted you." Erwin spoke softly.
"...Yes." Levi knew he would figure it out.
"We all make mistakes. It's the way of life. What matters is that we carry on without regrets."
Levi looked up. Those blues focused on the flames. And it was like seeing a visual representation of the fire that burned in his eyes with determination.
And it awoken something in Levi.
"I've got a promise to keep." He turned, the abruptness surprised those who were watching.
"Would you like some company?" Erwin offered.
"It would be appreciated. By the sound of it, the wife of my squad leader might try and toss me." Levi drawled, earning a chuckle.
The next morning they located the house in question. Levi knocked, perhaps a little too loudly. Children started creating a ruckus and the mother began yelling at them.
Then the door swung open.
"Daddy!" A little boy stopped at the sight of strangers.
"You're not daddy! Who the hell are you?"
It took everything in Levi not to hand it to the kid. He didn't mind the cursing. It was the rude behavior. And he briefly wondered why the boy looked nothing like the squad leader.
"Jean! Watch your mouth!" The mother scolded as she came into view.
Ah, the boy took after his mother.
"Oh, no." She noticed the grim faces. The uniform.
Levi felt his mouth dry.
"We're sorry to inform you, but your husband didn't make it this last mission outside." Erwin, ever the savior.
"Mommy! Where's daddy!" The boy demanded.
"Jean, baby, daddy isn't coming home." She broke down.
"What? How come? Did...did he go to heaven?"
"He was brave. He never faltered, even at the end. He wanted me to tell you that he loved you." Levi wasn't used to the softer side of him coming out.
He didn't even know it was there.
"Thank you." She sniffed, tears still running down her face.
"Wait! You were there? When daddy died? Then why didn't you protect him!? Why couldn't you help him! How come daddy gets to die but you live?" The boy demanded.
"Jean Kiersten!" His mother scolded on the top of her lungs.
"I hate you! I hate the Survey Corp! I wish you all died!"
She shoved Jean inside and promptly shut the door. They could hear the scolding as if the door was open. Levi walked away with mixed emotions.
"I'm proud of you." Erwin said when they were in view of the Survey Corp headquarters.
"What?" Levi was caught off guard.
"I know when we started training, you wouldn't have done that. You definitely wouldn't have when we first met. You've changed." The taller elaborated.
"Aren't we supposed to? In order to adapt, one must change." Levi raised an eyebrow.
"Yes. I worried that you didn't have a heart. But it's in there, hiding beneath very thick layers of a metal cage." Erwin smiled at his observation.
"Hmph. I just hope this doesn't bite me in the ass later. I might have made an enemy of that kid." Levi scoffed.
"I doubt he would ever step foot in our branch."
