Old Flames Summer, Year 850

Levi had been standing with his arms up to his chest, one hand going up to his face pinching his bottom lip ever so slightly for hours now. In this decorated garden, that belonged to the mansion just behind him, was now home to two ominous objects in the middle of it. The sun was beginning to set behind rows of huge mansions and neatly paved sidewalks. Flowers adorned every inch of this garden ranging from blues and pinks to reds and yellows. Breaking the sea of flowers were two cold gray headstones. Both headstones had bundles of white flowers all around them making them very easily seen among the flowers.

Levi looked to his left. The headstone that sat there had a cased portrait sitting by it to the right of the stone. It depicted an olive skinned noble girl. The girl looked to be about 15 years of age, sitting prim and proper, head held high and hands on her lap. Her big fluffy dress had a scheme of blues and yellow details. Her facial expression was blank and covered with freckles, but her amber eyes shown full of life. Her ginger hair was pulled back into an elegant high style with a few curls of her hair falling, framing her face. Her bright almond shaped eyes seemed to pierce into Levi's as he stared at the well preserved painting. Etched on the headstone next to it read:

CALLEDORA LA BALLI

June 1st 820 - August 5th 848

"A well respected and loved young lady who had a bright future that was sadly cut short. She gave 12 years of her life to protect humanity and had done well. She was admitted to the Science and Research department under Hange Zoe. She will be dearly missed."

Levi than looked at the other headstone that also had a portrait stationed by it. The painting showed a girl that resembles the noble slightly. She had short cut ginger hair and the same piercing bright amber gaze as the other. Her head is being held high with her face showing of pride and determination. She wore the well known military outfit with the Survey Corps insignia on the left breast and shoulder of her jacket. Her body was standing at attention, her right arm curled upwards towards her chest while the left arm was behind her back. Her hand in a balled up fist is placed over her heart. Her round eyes looked straight back at Levi. He couldn't stand looking at her picture as it haunts him a bit too much. He looked at the writing on the stone:

PETRA RAL

December 6th 830 – June 6th 850

"A hard working girl with unbreakable spirit, whose loyal life was cut terribly short. She had given only 5 years to the service of mankind, but contributed greatly by being honored with a position on the elite Special Ops under Captain Levi. She will be dearly missed."

Levi looked back and forth between the two headstones, a look of anguish never disappearing from his face. Footsteps sounded behind him and he looked back. Coming up behind him is the Commander of the Survey Corps, better known as, Erwin Smith. He came and stood next to Levi, looking solemnly at Calledora's headstone.

"I was wondering when you were going to come back, was your shit long enough?" Levi said while still not breaking eye contact with the two stones. Erwin raised his chin a bit and looked down at Levi over his cheekbones with a small smirk.

"I just had to say hi to some old friends." Erwin looked around the place, stopping his gaze at the sun that had been continuing to go down making the day darker. "This place brings back some memories, doesn't it Levi?"

Levi knew the commander was referencing his own childhood spent here and to Levi's past when Erwin blackmailed him into entering the Survey Corps. "For you maybe, but for me I only remember being underground my whole life. I didn't have the pleasure of being well endowed from birth." He ended his sentence with a slight bitter tone, with his head falling forward fully into the crook of his fingers. "…It isn't fair."

Erwin gave Levi full attention wondering what got into him. He wasn't one to show much emotion, even when they were in private like this. "Well I didn't exactly say they were pleasant. You're living a much better life now than if you kept living-" Erwin's words faltered to silence by Levi shaking his head.

"No, it's not that." Levi looked up at Erwin with a newfound rage on his face, but still spoke cool and calmly like usual. "Why did Petra have to die? The bitch titan killed her and it finally seemed like we were going to capture her in Stohess. But no, she had to play coward and trap herself in some fucking crystal, and then Calle." Erwin perked up a bit at the mention of her name. He knows where Levi is going with this. "On the expedition that day, when I saw her… I didn't think I would have to see anyone like that again." His fist began to clench and unclench in front of him. "… The Government here is responsible for both of their deaths. They know something of the titans that we don't know. Pastor Nick is proof of that." Levi's voice began to tremble just slightly.

Erwin put a hand on Levi's shoulder to comfort him. They stood there like that for a spell. He could only think up one thing to Levi's mini speech, "I miss them too." He looked at Calledora's painting with a face of regret. They stood there mourning for both women and reminiscing on the days when they were alive. Levi soon began to walk towards the gate leading out of the garden.

"I have to go meet up with Hange. We're taking Nick on a little tour of what's really going on."

"I was just about to leave soon also. I still got more official meetings to settle for our little stunt in Stohess." Erwin followed suit with Levi, leaving the two stones resting peacefully together.