Chapter 4: Rebirth
A/N: My current plan is following the dark knight storyline with a twist or two, but if you have any suggestions I can implement then feel free to ask about them.
Mikasa walked through the grand hallway, towards that ever-familiar staircase at the base of the house. She'd recently returned home after a month abroad. In Germany. Her search for Eren had kept hitting dead ends, his house no longer his, the neighbors not knowing where they are. It was obvious they'd moved since what happened, but other than a blind search Mikasa had no way to look for Eren and Grisha. She had planned on a longer stay, to look anywhere and everywhere, but was forced to return from the news. Her parent's killer was closing in on parole.
Hearing about this, she rushed on the first flight home with her luggage plus two new additions; a map with crosses on indicating where she couldn't find Eren, and a loaded pistol. A revolver, eight rounds loaded with a range of forty meters each. Though Mikasa knew, she'd need less than four. She wasn't willing to let him leave for her parent's death like stepping out for a Sunday stroll. He'd taken everything, and she would kill him for it.
After putting on a heavy winter coat, dark brown in shade, the teen walked back down the ever-familiar steps of her father's mansion. Or her mansion, as Hannes had put it. If it wasn't for the nostalgia and her father, Mikasa wouldn't let it stand. She'd tear it down brick by brick. But she just couldn't, not after everything the walls held. It wasn't the bright paintings on the wall or the polished marble floor. But the memories, she could never forget her precious memories. Those walls held that and that alone, no other value.
She'd reached the end of the stairs and was opening the door until she met eyes with a man. Or rather, tried to. He was about ten centimeter's shorter than her, which was quite abnormal as she wasn't very tall herself. Only about a hundred and seventy herself, which the man clearly noticed. His grey-blue eyes staring into hers, wearing an expression of pure annoyance. She'd grown used to it by now, after all, he was family. Her only blood relative, an uncle who didn't have the time or maybe even the heart to look after her.
"What do you want Levi?"
The short man raised an eyebrow, changing from his usual annoyed expression. "That's commissioner Ackermann to you, brat." He said, his tone showing his mood was the same as always.
"Oh, is 'uncle' not good enough for you?" Mikasa said, taking on an identical tone.
"No, not really. It doesn't suit me." Levi said, earning a stare from her. "And are you coming?" Upon hearing this it became Mikasa's turn to raise an eyebrow.
"Where?"
"The hearing of course, why else would you even bother coming here?" Levi asked, slyly.
"What makes you think I'd want to go with you?" Mikasa rhetorically spat out.
"The fact you can't drive, Hannes being on leave for some important family business or maybe it's that you've never even been to the town court. Take your pick, brat." Levi said, once again placing emphasis on the 'brat'. While she couldn't bear his insufferable attitude, information wise he knew his superiority. She hadn't been to the city in years, not after what happened. But he went on a daily basis, cleaning up Shiganshina one bullet at a time.
"Fine, but call me brat again, I get out and start walking. Pygmy." Mikasa says, walking towards the white and blue dodge charger behind Levi. While he didn't show it, that hurt Levi more than it looked. His only relative and she hated his guts. Then again, who wouldn't? After leaving her to Hannes and the Jaeger brat, she didn't want anything to do with him. But that was for the best. He could never provide for her, not in the way Herrick and Akane had. He still missed them deeply, especially when looking at Mikasa. He looked and only saw Akane, her face and raven hair.
It cut his heart deeper than any bullet ever could.
After about ten minutes of silence, Mikasa couldn't take it anymore. He just looked ahead, not talking or even glancing at her. Just focused on driving. Ignoring her, like the seat was practically empty.
"So are you planning to talk, or just sit like a statue?" Mikasa said, after what felt like an eternity of silence.
"Why should I?"
"Because I'm your niece, and last I checked there's no reason for the silence treatment."
"Tsk." Levi spat out, coldly.
"What's that suppose to mean?" Mikasa asked, starting to lose her composure in favor of anger.
"You really don't know?"
"Don't know what-" Mikasa started to say but was cut off when the car abruptly ground to a halt.
"You're here now so get out, you've got chalk dust all over my foot mat." Levi said, coldly.
"Thanks for the lift commissioner." Mikasa said, sarcasm coating her words like treacle.
The court proceeding ran on for about half an hour, alternating between the jury and the judge. Mikasa looked on in disgust, not believing that someone so evil could even walk free. Simply for a bit of dirt on Dok, the mob boss downtown. She didn't believe him for a second, listening to every word spewing out the murderer's mouth.
"I still remember that night, but not as a memory rather as a nightmare. I tell myself I was desperate, like a lot of people back then. But that doesn't change what happened. As much as I wish it could." He'd said, Mikasa's anger brewing from every syllable.
"From what I know there is a member of the Ackermann family here today." The judge says, clearly implying Mikasa. "Does she have anything to say?"
Mikasa rose, her hands dug deep in her pockets. She caught a glimpse of the man's face, recognizing it instantly from her nightmares. Though this time a look of fear instead of hate. She resisted the urge to kill him, instead choosing to walk out into the hallway. Leaving the crowd behind her. Reaching for the pistol, she concealed it in her sleeve. Cocking back the trigger, and loading in a round. Ready to kill, regardless of the consequences.
The man walked out, handcuffs removed. The press swarming in like fireflies. She gripped her pistol and controlled her breathing. Blocking out all the background noise of cameras and reporters. Just focusing on the man, but before she can fire a shot a girl around her age, short blonde hair and a green hoodie walked through the reporters and right up to her target.
"Hey mole, Dok sends his regards." She said as her hand reaches inside the green jacket's pocket, and pulled out a black pistol. A browning, 18 round magazine aimed at the man's chest. And the teen pulled the trigger.
First, the flash appeared, along with a deafening bang that shocked everyone gathered around. Next, the blood started to pump from the man's heart like a hose. He stumbled to the ground right as the girl's pinned and cuffed by police officers. Mikasa saw the color drain from his lips, his eyes dilating from the loss of life. She knew to turn away, but just couldn't. She tried to feel satisfied insteadstea, her emotions turned blank. She'd expected answers, stability or at the very least to feel better. But his death meant nothing, just like her parents'.
After five minutes she was back in her uncle's car, breathing in the bleach smells permanently attached to the seats. Once again Levi stayed silent, not making a whisper or even a sound. For about ten minutes they just drove like that, not saying a word until Levi strangely took the job of breaking the sound like shattering glass. Cutting the tension like a knife.
"You feel satisfaction yet kid?"
"Honestly...No." Mikasa said, knowing his death had done little than stain hands with blood.
"Then you realize, killing him didn't bring your parents back. No matter how much you wish it could."
"Yeah, I get it." She said. "So now you're talking you may as well explain why I keep getting the silent treatment."
"Honestly?"
"Honestly."
Levi sighed deeply and pulled into the side to park. He put the parking brake on and looked straight into Mikasa's eyes wearing a look she'd never seen him wear before. Sadness, his eyes cloudy and grey with tears lining the edges. He began to speak, in a tone with no edge and words with no sharpness lining them.
"When your mother gave birth, I promised your dad I'd stay away. To keep you safe, and to stop a target being placed on your back. If they'd found out you're my niece, they'd hurt you to try and hurt me." Levi said, making Mikasa's eyes widen. "But finding out about the shooting, about their death." He started to say but instead started to sob. Tears lining his eyes. "I soon saw that staying away did the opposite! They died because I couldn't save them!" He cried out, salty tears streaking down his face and uniform.
"Levi..." Mikasa started to say.
"And seeing you, knowing that there was no-one to protect you that night sickens me. Except, that you weren't really alone. You had Eren, and seeing his arms wrapped around you that night made me realize that he can do so much more than I ever could." Levi said, tears now flowing down his cheeks onto his chin.
Mikasa didn't say a word but just leaned towards him. Levi expected a scolding or a cold insult. But instead, she embraced him. And started to cry with him. Neither one of them caring about the commissioners uniform, or if anyone was watching. They just sat, arms wrapped around each other, locked together in a hug of pure emotion
"I don't blame you. I just miss them so much." Mikasa said through her tears.
"Me too kid, me too..." Levi said, still crying.
After about fifteen minutes of emotion and tears, they separated and Mikasa opened the car door. She looked back, towards her last family member. "I'll come back. When I can see what I need to do." She said turning around to face the harbor. She walked along towards the dock edge, her pace slow, and pulled out her pistol. Disgusted at herself, having allowed her hands and mind to consider murder, Mikasa threw it into the water. Looking to see the water ripple from its touch. She then decided in her mind not to hide, not to wait for her life to return. She couldn't change the past, and wouldn't try to. But instead, she would try to make a difference in the present.
She decided to try and understand why her parents had to die, and what she can do to make the world a place where people don't have to lose. Never again, not like she had.
She would find out who she really is.