Teachings of Strength
Day 2 – RivaMika Week 3 - Gladioli
Strength: showcasing of physical or mental prowess | drawing of swords and blades
They stood amidst the colorful field of gladioli, the wind blowing gently against their faces, their green cloaks, his pure white cravat and her blood red scarf, and the faint scent of the flowers in their lungs. Who knew such a paradise existed within the confined and suffocating walls? Humanity's Strongest pair stood in comfortable silence, content in the moment of peace, an escape from reality.
There was a shuffle of grass. "… they look like swords, don't they?" a quiet voice murmured.
Corporal Levi turned to see Mikasa Ackerman, kneeling down on the grass, gently caressing a white gladiolus.
The brat had blossomed into a young woman. Five years of fighting alongside with him, she had matured in physically and mentally many ways… oh so many ways. Her hair was longer, making her look more feminine. However, the red scarf she keeps around her neck was something that never changed.
"They do look quite deadly," he absently commented, eyeing the sharp point of the leaves.
Mikasa traced her finger on the edge of a leaf until the tip, then she saw a drop of blood trail down her finger. She stared at it, feeling a little amused as the flower was indeed dangerous.
"Idiot," she heard her Corporal mutter as he kneeled down beside her, taking out a roll of bandage and ripping a short piece to wrap around her finger.
Her gray eyes turned towards him. It was ridiculous, really. She never could have predicted that she would come to tolerate, and even daresay, enjoy the moments she spent with him…
Her left blade clattered away, leaving a trail of dust on the ground.
"Again," he ordered calmly as he watched her rub her left wrist. Surprisingly, she didn't go after it. She was usually determined, if not obsessed, to perfect every move taught to her. And this technique he was teaching her was no exception.
"Pick it up."
He heard her give a sound of annoyance and watched as she wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. The cravat, the scarf, and their jackets were long gone. All that remains were their button up shirts rolled to their elbows, the straps of their 3DMG, and their blades.
"Stop it!" She faced him, her face contorted in exhaustion and anger.
"This is a very important technique, Mikasa," he frowned, slightly confused by her objection. "This will help you defend against any charging opponent, either human or titan."
She snapped at him, eyes enraged, "I'm perfectly capable of defending myself. In my own way. Not this fucked-up version."
Levi had taught her how to wield the swords a different way: holding the blade of his left hand facing upwards while the blade of his right hand facing downwards*. He finds this method beneficial for him to spin faster and attack more proficiently, cutting more deeply, as well as blocking for self-defense.
He understands her frustrations. Over the last few sessions, she kept losing the grip of her left blade at a crucial point. The wielding of her swords was not the problem. In fact, she perfectly grasped the feeling from her first try. The problem was using the technique, thus causing her to lose her grip.
"How do you expect to defend yourself without the use of your maneuver gear?" Levi snapped angrily, his patience wearing thin. She needed to learn this. "Imagine a scenario without gas, within open terrain, and no places to hide. Imagine a scenario where your opponent attacks faster than you do, where you only have your blades and nothing more. What then? How will you defend yourself?!"
Suddenly, he heard her growl as she charged at him, knocking him off balance and the back of his head hitting the ground. She panted above him, her legs straddling his waist, each of her palms on either side of his face. He felt the ends of her long black hair tickle his chin and a drop of her sweat drip at the base of his throat.
She does not say anything as her breathing begins to calm down until they were shallow breaths turning silent. She took a deep breath, tied her hair into a messy bun, and stood up, "I apologize, Sir." Picking up her discarded blade, she held in the way he had taught her, set with determination, "Let us continue."
She learns from him, mentally and physically. She learns to control her emotions, to "not make a blunder" as he once said. Their blades clash with one another and once again a blade clatters away, except it was not hers, but his.
The look on his face was priceless: disbelief and a hint of bewilderment.
Mikasa could not stop the triumphant curve of her lips. He, too, gave a little smirk at her achievement.
"I don't think I've thanked you properly," she murmured as he finished wrapping her finger.
"For?"
"For teaching me." She returned her gaze to the white gladioli, an amused smile on her face. "And for putting up with me."
Levi snorted, "You're company has become much more… tolerable." She resisted the urge to lightly punch his arm as he retorted with an amused tone. He shifts his position from kneeling down to sitting comfortably on the grass, caressing a red gladiolus beside him. "In fact, I should be thanking you as well…"
Strolling into town to buy dinner's ingredients, Mikasa stumbled upon two ancient thin, steel swords. A memory briefly flashes in her mind: it was the same artifacts of what were once displayed on the wooden wall of her family's cabin, horizontally parallel from one another.
She grabbed the merchant by the collar, demanding where he found it. He mumbled that it was rummaged a few years ago, before the fall of Shiganshina District. She concluded that people must have raided her previous home. Threatening the man, she reclaimed what was once lost as rightfully hers.
Mikasa stood in her room, inspecting the curve and slender blade. She reminisced her mother showing her fluid, but deadly, movements. Carefully and precisely, she began to mimic her mother's actions and soon, after days of practicing on her own, she felt one with the blade.
She now stood outside in the training ground once again, holding one of the swords lightly while the other was carefully sheathed in a soft cloth. In front of her were three dummies she had constructed; potato sacks filled with straw. Holding the blade in front of her steadily, she sliced one dummy multiple times in a single, fluid movement.
Unbeknownst to her, Corporal Levi, who coincidentally looked outside as he needed a break from his paperwork, watched from the window of his room.
He found himself drawn to her as he exited his room, coming to her like a moth to a flame.
"What is that weapon?"
Mikasa twisted around and sees him leaning casually on the stone arch of the hallway.
Relaxing her stance, she ran her finger on the flat end of the blade, and responded, "It's called a Katana."
He walked closer, inspecting the blade himself, and commented, "I've never heard of such a weapon before."
"It's my mothers. At least, it was my mother's." She briefly explained how she came across it in the market a few days ago.
She performed on a little show, showing the hidden power of the thin blade. He watched her intently, it was deadly and beautiful all at once. She uses her whole body gracefully, the shift of her legs and the flow of her upper body.
"It is important to be in perfect control. Uniform," Mikasa murmured softly as she concentrated on slicing the second dummy. "However, the speed must be consistent as you slice."
Levi was entranced. He was under some spell as he gazed at her graceful movements.
With lightning quick reflexes, his hand automatically shot out, grasping the handle as she threw a Katana at him unannounced. She bends down to pick up the other sword and without another word, a lesson ensues.
It was very different from wielding the blades used to slaying Titans. One, they were not dual swords: both hands must be used to grasp the handle of the Katana. Second, it was very light. Levi assumed the Katana was less than half the weight of the dual blades. Third, the concept was more of art rather than will and determination. It was a complex dance, something he has never experienced before.
She corrects him: the way he moves, his stance, his handling. Fluid movements, Levi. Twirl instead of twist. You can't use these for blocking or else they'll break. Slice, not chop. And he can see that she was enjoying it, the smug little smirk in her face.
As she demonstrates how to right his wrongs, he realizes that the weapon was truly beautiful.
That she was beautiful.
Mikasa could only hum in appreciation. The Katanas were their little secret and it had grown to be her guilty pleasure.
"It's funny how things turned out," she said. "The moment I saw your boot connect with Eren's face, I despised you."
He scoffed, "Despise is a strong word."
"Loathed you."
"Clearly evident."
"Detested you."
"Same difference."
"Hated you."
"And now?"
Their bickering resulted in the both of them biting the inside of their cheek to keep from laughing.
"More tolerable," she casually responded, teasingly using his words just moments ago. She had forgiven him a long time ago, understanding that what he did was necessary and it did save Eren's life.
"Now that I think about, these flowers are just like us," Mikasa gently plucked the white gladiolus and the red gladiolus from his side.
"In what way?"
She holds both flowers in front of them, her arms outstretched, "They're both strong. Sharp. Cunning. Even deadly. But beautiful."
"… so you're telling me I'm beautiful?" Levi grinned.
She stared at him, baffled by his humorous comment, then she drops both flowers and muffled her continuous giggling with her scarf.
He raised an eyebrow as she ended her giggling fit, clearing her throat. However, another laugh was threatening to burst from her lips, "That was very funny, Corporal."
"… you should learn to laugh more, Ackerman. It suits you."
They sat amidst the colorful field, the plucked white and red gladioli tumbling through the field with the wind. Humanity's Strongest pair sat in comfortable silence, content in the moment of peace, an escape from reality, and cherishing each other's company. For they know they would have to wield and unsheathe their swords once they return from paradise.
*Credit: Shingeki no Kyojin Wiki - I had to do a little clarification research on how Levi wields his swords. Thank you, Wiki.
Yesterday's fics and art were amazing (I haven't even finished reading them all but I promise I will!) I'm so thankful for being a part of this wonderful ship and for discovering new people.
I enjoyed writing this one so much. I've always wanted to write something that displayed their physical strength and I'm grateful for this opportunity. Continue to spread the love~