A/N: Warning for some heavy violence, but well, it's AoT, what else do you expect? :3
Chapter Revamped: 24 March 2020
Humanity's Strongest Woman by xDollfie
Chapter 18 — Game of Survival
North of Wall Sina.
The trees stand as ballet dancers, poised to show the world their grace, strength showing in how they remain so still in the seasonal gusts. Now that the leaves have fallen, he thought that they looked so proud, as if their silvery-brown skin was their glory all along.
Winter would be upon them soon, and the northern parts of Wall Sina would be the first to experience its cruelty. Before the cold winds come to breathe his world anew, before the snow makes the familiar street a canvas of his ambitious dreams, he knew that the time to act was now.
A loud knock to his office door drew his attention from the scenery outside his grandiose full-length window.
A brunette male entered his office, his hazel eyes hardened by the cruelty of the world as he poised into a salute. "Sorry to bother, but a message from the king just arrived."
"Mhm." He played with the jewels on his fingers. His thumb caressed his family crest ring fondly; his pride, his heritage, his dreams. "What news does it bring?"
"The government has officially called for orders to disband the Survey Corps." The brunette reported stiffly. "The Military Police's Anti-Personnel Control Squad was deployed to capture Eren Yeager and Historia Reiss and suppress any other signs of rebellion."
"Kenny?" He smirked wickedly, turning around to address the brunette with an air of arrogance and calm. His eyes glazed on the scar on the brunette's cheek and he chuckled. "So, that blubbering idiot Rod has finally decided to act. It means the time for us to put our plans into motion has arrived well."
An eyebrow quirked on the brunette's visage. "Are we going into hiding? Rod Reiss has already left his estate weeks ago, and many other members of the nobility have followed suit. It's best if we lay low for now too, the location of many members of the Survey Corps are still unknown."
"Into hiding?" he repeated almost incredulously, looking positively amused. "My dear boy, whatever for? There's no need for us to panic over this. This situation is to our utmost advantage."
He tapped his jewel-studded fingers on his expensive oak wood desk, deep in contemplation before the brunette male advanced towards him and handed him a piece of paper. "Also, she's a wanted fugitive now, these papers would be distributed tomorrow."
He took the paper calmly and stared at the portrait of the woman drawn on it. He smirked before he moved his gaze to the other drawn portrait of a man beside it. "Never thought I'd see this day, Ackerman and Starke together fighting for the same cause… My… how our great houses have fallen..."
"What are your orders?"
"Write to that daft wanker Rod and tell him that I require the Anti-Personnel Control Squad to do something for me as well," he ordered stiffly, his countenance calm. "He shouldn't complain, seeing as I was the one who developed those weapons and trained those soldiers."
"To do what exactly, Lord Starke?"
His jewel-studded fingers glided over the portrait of the woman and he smirked. "The game will start soon, and of course, I need to take my prized possession back."
Shock and horror ran through the brunette and his expression contorted into genuine surprise. "Her?"
"She has awakened, there's no doubt about it..." His emerald green eyes met with a pair of hazel ones, cold and determined. His staunch stare mystified and held a captive audience of the brunette before him.
His lips pulled back with a sly smile, revealing a set of pearly white teeth as he spoke and confirmed the horrifying thoughts of the man before him. "My beloved estranged wild niece… Ida Starke..."
o o o —xπ{Ö}πx — o o o
"AAAARRGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
She whistled when she heard the agonizing phantom cry erupting from the basement. Over the table, the newly composed squad winched simultaneously at the horrific sound, fully aware of what was going on in the basement below.
"Damn. The sound of a wailing pig. Now that's a sound that I missed." Ida commented without the necessary filter and continued chewing on her sweets, completely unperturbed.
She stopped chewing when she felt the horrified stares from the younger recruits resting on her after her disturbing remark. "What? People get tortured all the time in the Underground City. Not that I am fond of it, it's too messy and complicated," she spoke flatly. "Hanji and Levi are probably having a swell time though, those sadistic assholes."
When she said this, Sasha took a moment to spare an uneasy glance at Connie, who shuddered subtly at Ida's words while he uncomfortably readjusted himself on the chair. It was clear in his reaction that he too was disturbed by her brutally realistic words.
"It finally started huh?" Jean rubbed his forehead, wondering how he had gotten into this complicated mess. "Jeez, I'm all for killing the Titans but I just don't know who the enemy is anymore. Why are we staining our hands with something like this?"
"Can't be helped. We are pulling a coup d'etat under the Commander's orders." Eren replied calmly, but despite this, it was obvious in his eyes that he too was unsettled. "This is probably just the beginning."
"That's right. We're rebels now." Ida stated rigidly just as another piercing cry flowed into the room from the basement, causing the teens to shudder at the sound again. "Better start getting used to getting your hands dirty. If we fail, we would probably have our pretty little heads hung in the town plaza. Now, that'll be fun."
Armin shifted his gaze to the ground, disturbed at the cruelty of everything. He was frustrated, but he tried to compose himself. "We're already criminals... We aren't fighting the Titans… We are fighting our enemies because our way of thoughts is different… We're fighting simply because of our different allegiance and from now on because of that, we might have to take the lives of others... We aren't the good guys anymore."
"Tch." Ida scoffed at his plain superficial words. "Good guys? Depending on how this plays out, we might actually be the heroes. After all, justice in this world is just a bunch of shitty principles made by those with power to suit themselves. So, who's to judge by saying we are the 'bad' guys here? If you're going to survive in this merciless world, you need to understand that only two kinds of people exist in the world; those who steal and those who are stolen from."
Popping another candy into her mouth, Ida kept talking, "In a world like this, no one really thinks of others, you'll lose everything if you can't keep up. People die all the time, so just deal with it. Someday, you might have to steal from others. It could be their lives or something else, but it doesn't matter. It's either you steal or get stolen from, so which one will it be? Make your choice."
The recruits swallowed dryly at her ultimatum and Mikasa couldn't help but frown when she saw how her words affected her classmates.
"Don't you think you are being a bit too harsh here?" she snapped, taking offense at her nonchalant attitude.
"Harsh?" Ida repeated almost incredulously. "It's better that you learn this earlier. Your life might depend on it in the future seeing where we are headed." She pointed a finger to Eren to make her point. "People are coming for this Titan brat that you care so much about, would you allow him to be stolen from you, Ackerman? Or will you fight?"
Mikasa bit her lower lip at her question and looked away guilty. Her scarf was covering her mouth, but Ida could still see her face darkened ever so slightly. Ida knew she was right. Mikasa would gladly kill any Titan or man if it meant saving Eren, and this disturbing revelation only brought truth to what she had said.
Ida smirked when she saw her expected reaction. "I thought so. But this time the stakes are higher than just making it out alive or saving your friends. The future of humanity depends on us, so I suggest that you drill my words into your brain and be prepared to get your hands dirty. This is nothing more than a game of survival."
The chair squeaked in protest, showing signs of age when Ida stood up. "Tell me when the pig downstairs decides to talk, seeing how his torturers are that lunatic and that midget, it shouldn't take very long."
It was when she was finally away from the recruits, did she feel the dread percolate in her stomach. Ida released the breath that she didn't know was holding when she left the room.
In order to defeat a monster, you have to become one. That was the mantra that the rational part of her insisted on droning and Ida had repeated it more than a hundred times since the new order from Erwin arrived. Her squad had left their hideout in a hurry, escaping just in the nick of time before armed men invaded their hideout.
Finally, their enemies were starting to act.
This is nothing more than a game of survival, Ida, and you're a survivor.
That was the only thought pervading her mind when she exited their new hideout. She planted her feet firmly to the grass, cursing her mind for being such a persistent prick. A sharp exhalation on her part escaped her and Ida used the cool night wind to unclog her mind.
So much had happened since they left their previous hideout.
As expected when it came to Erwin Smith, he was fearless and ambitious in his orders. The Survey Corps was going to rebel against the monarchy.
It didn't take long for Levi to hatch a plan and successfully convince a wealthy merchant in Trost district to be on their side. Dimo Reeves had kidnapped a fake Eren and Historia as they had planned, and after a brief exchange of words with Levi — the Captain had found out that Dimo was actually threatened into following orders, not bribed.
This made it much easier to convince Reeves to switch sides. Ida had to give Levi props for pointing out that if Reeve's business vanishes, Trost will stop functioning and many would suffer — he really did know how to manipulate people into doing what he wants. With the help of Reeves, they even managed to capture two Military Police officers involved.
The luckless officers Sannes and Ralph were graced with a fine welcome 'courtesy' of a fanatical Hanji and a ruthless Levi once they stirred awake. Truthfully, Ida didn't like the painful sounds that emitted from the brutal torture session going on in the basement, but she knew it was inevitable and it was the only way they could extract information out from him.
"Damn it…" she growled underneath her breath, pinching her nose bridge. "If only the kids can see me now, fretting over the same thing as them… How pathetic Ida, even for you..."
Ida closed her eyes and internally grasped whatever tranquility she could find. As much as she wanted to shudder at the inhumane torture, she couldn't afford to. Her new squad consisted of nothing more than children pretending to be soldiers, she needed to be the guiding figure.
Admittedly, Ida understood what the future had in store for her ever since Erwin revealed his plans, but instead of rebelling against it like she used to, she was determined to carry out his orders.
Ida had placed her trust and everything that she had into accomplishing what she had set her mind onto, no matter how dirty it was.
These were peril times and she knew imminently that she had to step up and guide the younger scouts. This was realism, the disgusting twisted world that they lived in. Her petty emotions didn't matter anymore and neither could she afford to act so spoilt.
In truth, Ida always knew that she always had it easy and perhaps she had taken it for granted. Erwin excusing her naïve behavior, Levi guiding her and doing most of the work, Hanji running around to accomplish her commander's orders.
This time, she wanted to be of use.
As she brooded over her thoughts, Ida found herself rubbing on the bracelet on her wrist and she glanced fondly at the little charms. Just like Mikasa, Ida realized that if it were for him, she would have gladly get her hands dirty any day.
"Ida-san?"
She turned around when she heard the meek voice. "What is it, Armin?"
"Captain is looking for you…" said Armin, looking nervous. "They are… uhm, done with the questioning."
"I'll be back in a minute. Thanks."
When she heard the door close behind her, Ida closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, composing herself.
There was no escaping it this time and Ida knew innately what she needed to do. Because when all choice is taken from you, life becomes nothing more than a game of survival.
o o o —xπ{Ö}πx — o o o
"Honestly, you even wear an apron and gloves when you're torturing someone?"
Levi turned to the source of the sarcastic frosty voice. "You got a problem with it?"
"Nah, I expected it from a clean-freak midget like you." Ida shrugged, removing herself from the door frame she was leaning on. "So did you get anything?"
He grimaced, taking off his bloodied gloves. "The Reiss Family is the true royal family, Fritz is just a damned figurehead. Hanji is back in there with Mobilt fixing the wailing shitty pig up."
She frowned at this startling revelation, her mind speeding up to digest the implications. Erwin was frighteningly accurate in his predictions again. "Did the shitty pig say anything about the Starke family?"
"No," Levi answered flatly, scowling. "It appears that they are even more secretive and low-profile than the Reiss family. Sannes knowledge only extended up to the Reiss family."
Ida suddenly drowned in a vortex of fear and uncertainty with his plain answer. Crap. This was not what she was expecting. Could Erwin be right again after all? That man's intuition was always frighteningly accurate. This was not going according to her plan. In addition, it was highly unlikely Djel Sannes would purposely omit information if he was willing to divulge information about the Reiss family, but she couldn't say for certain.
Shit. She needed information and she needed it quickly — if not, then there was no other way but to proceed with Erwin's other plan. Once Erwin manages to overthrow the government—
"What's wrong?" Levi's deadpan voice jolted her to reality. He frowned when he saw her startled reaction. "Our foremost priority is to protect Historia and Eren. Focus. We need to capture Rod Reiss."
She straightened her spine and quickly kept her expression neutral, knowing how perspective Levi could be. The last thing she wanted was for him to ask unnecessary questions. "Armin said you were looking for me?"
"Take one of the brats and patrol the area," Levi ordered tonelessly. "Nifa should be arriving soon, then we'll commence the meeting. We need to get this information to Erwin as soon as possible."
"Alright," she nodded numbly, uncrossing her arms.
Patrol duty would do her some good — it gave her more time to think about what she was going to do from now on. Ida was confident that her expression was unreadable, but something must have seemed off, for Levi grabbed her wrist when she was about to turn around.
"What's wrong?" he reiterated firmly, his tone demanding an explanation, and she knew she couldn't escape.
"Nothing," she lied, capturing his stern cold gaze without much effort. She had never been too good of a fibber. She doubted Levi would fall for her lies, but she had to try anyway.
"Really?" he said tightly, doing an awful job of hiding his irritation with her.
"I'm just worried about the kids…" she replied smoothly, praying that he would settle for that explanation. "They were pretty disturbed over the pig's wails of agonizing pain."
His hooded eyes narrowed, scrutinizing her expression. Chills bolted up to her spine when she saw this. She was becoming uncomfortable under his haunting gaze. Dread besieged her. Before she became unnerved, Ida reached out and touched his cheek, "I'm fine, really. You should get some rest, you've been up all night."
Levi's eyes expanded at her gesture and only when Ida saw this, did she realize what she was doing. She froze, appalled with her own actions. She should've retracted her hand back, but the shock of everything kept her from moving. Levi did not move as well, his firm grip still wrapped around her wrist. For a moment, the two of them just stared at each other, the world seemingly arriving at a startling halt.
She found herself drowning in his eyes, besieged by its haunting nature. Ida couldn't make up what he was thinking. Slowly, her eyes moved to his lips and she was entrapped in a startling need to kiss them. She had done it before, hadn't she? All she needed to do was to move forward and—
"ARGH!"
Ida snapped back to reality when the sound of Djel Sannes's screams filtered through the hallway of the narrow basement.
"Haha! Sorry!" Hanji's chirpy sarcastic voice followed the scream of pain. "My bad Sannes! How thoughtless of me, I shouldn't have placed so much pressure while bandaging your nose! Haha! But it's nothing compared to what you put Nick through right? Haha!"
She retracted her hand back and her gaze met with the floor. Ida could feel her cheeks heating up, her lust for him simmering in her veins, boiling like lavas of hell. "I — I should get going."
"Yeah." Levi agreed, his voice indifferent, but Ida spotted the muscles of his jaw working together when he grinded his teeth. He released his hold on her and at a record pace, Ida bolted out of the room and up the staircase of the abandoned hideout.
She exhaled gustily when she was finally far away from him. Her brows drew together as she placed a hand on her chest to calm her rapidly beating heart. She was really going to pass out from this rate. Ida could hardly control her growing attraction towards Levi and she had almost allowed it to inundate her with their wickedness. Briefly, she wondered if Levi felt the same way. But she thought not. All clues indicated he had put that damned kiss behind him.
"Get a grip on yourself…" she murmured, cringing at her behavior. "That's your Captain."
She couldn't afford to be distracted at a time like this. Not now. Not when humanity is threatening to fall apart and when danger is lurking at every corner. The bitter thoughts of the bleak future quickly overshadowed the butterflies in her stomach and Ida exhaled tirelessly.
Starting her walk to find her squad, Ida tried to keep the stern expression firmly solidified on her face.
o o o —xπ{Ö}πx — o o o
She crouched down in front of a still trembling Historia, sighing when she scrutinized her mental well-being. After confirming that the Reiss family was indeed the true Royal family from Djel Sannes, it was crucial that Historia followed Erwin's plans and ascended the throne as queen. It was the main goal of this revolution.
But what she didn't expect was for Historia to reject the role given to her.
She should've seen it coming, it was an error of judgment on her part. All her life Historia was given a role to play — an identity to assume. Suddenly being asked to occupy the role of Queen — the most authoritative position — must have been a daunting prospect to her.
It didn't help that Levi had practically intimidated the poor girl into submission and she was frightened shitless because of it. Of course, she would be. She was just a child, a frightened helpless child that was just born with the wrong family name, just like she was.
"Historia, are you okay?" Ida helped her off the floor, but the girl remained mute even when she sat down on the chair.
She frowned at her silence, realizing that she was in a state of shock. Crap. While Ida didn't approve of Levi's method, she understood him well enough that he didn't mean to do any serious harm. But then again, she reminded herself that this was Levi she was talking about, he was intimidating.
The meeting was now over and Nifa had left to deliver the results of their investigation to Erwin, and yet the after-effects of Levi's crude methods had left their entire squad at an unrest state.
Seriously Levi… Ida thought bitterly when her eyes scoured the disturbed expression on her subordinates' faces. Why did you have to strangle the poor girl in front of the kids?
Steeling herself, she decided that her foremost priority was to ease the tension among her squad. "I apologize on behalf of Levi," she said, breaking the heavy silence that had settled in the room. "He went a little overboard."
"A little? He strangled Historia! Forced her to obey!" Jean, as usual, held no restraint when it came to speaking his mind. Even when he knew it could potentially spark conflict with Ida, he was greatly angered at how Levi had treated his classmate. "Doesn't she have the right to choose?!"
She met Jean's anger with an aura of calm. "As I said, I apologize for his behavior. You should know this by now, but Levi isn't exactly... great at phrasing how he feels."
Ida understood the reason for his abrasive demeanor — it was the reason why she simply ignored his scathingly sarcastic or angry words most of the time. But what Ida had failed to realize was that her squad didn't understand like she did.
"That's still no reason for him to do that!" Connie retorted, rage anchoring his tone. "Captain Levi is probably going to use physical force to get anyone to do things his way! It's not right!"
Her brows creased together. "I understand but—"
"Even though he was so accommodating towards the Reeves Company, what he did scared the life out of Historia!" Sasha cut in sharply, frustrated. "He probably did that to make her easier to control once she becomes queen!"
The accusing tone of Sasha's statement forced her to turn around sharply. A murderous inferno rippled in the irises of Ida's green eyes. She looked like she was ready to rip Sasha's eyes out. Her fingers curled together and she felt insanely offended that her squadmates thought so little of their Captain.
What did they know? Did they know how much he had sacrificed? Did they not know how honorable and righteous he was? What choice did Levi have? Other than to become a monster, what other choice did he have?
She closed her eyes in a bid to restrain her anger. The last thing the kids needed was another outburst from their superiors.
"Look." Ida's voice was suddenly firm and stern, earning a flinch from everyone. "Just because I don't condone his shitty behavior doesn't mean that I don't understand why he is doing this. You guys are being a bunch of brats and are only acting this way because you don't understand the severity of our situation now."
"I agree with your lady officer." Dimo Reeves supplied in an effort to cool the situation from the side chairs. "Honestly, given the situation and Trost District fate hanging on a thin thread, there are a number of ways he could've gone about. He's definitely someone who clawed his way up. Still, even if your boss is a scary man, he isn't such a bad guy."
Ida exhaled sharply, raking her hands through her hair when her squadmates still looked unconvinced. "It's at crucial times like this that we need to stick together. Our fates… no… humanity's fate depends on whether we can pull this off." Ida deepened the severity of her glare. "I know it hasn't been long since you've been assigned to Levi's squad — but the trust you have for him, and for the Survey Corps is sickening to watch."
When the recruits averted their gaze away shamefully, she continued talking. "Time is of the essence, and neither Titans nor our enemies would wait. We don't know who will still be around tomorrow and we cannot afford to be bickering with each other. Listen to orders."
"So, are you saying it's fine to torture, threaten, and even kill people now?" Jean countered bravely. "Just because it's our orders?"
"Yes," came Ida's simple reply.
At her confirmation, a disturbed expression flashed across the teenager's faces simultaneously. Upon seeing their crestfallen faces, Ida's expression softened.
"I... honestly do not like killing as much as you do," Ida admitted, her tone softer and no longer holding a sharp edge. She ignored the revolting feeling at the pit of her stomach. "But I'd gladly take down anyone in my way, man, woman or even a damn child if it meant preventing the entire downfall of humanity. In fact, I'd take pride in doing so. You lot chose to be soldiers and this hazardous profession requires sacrifices, so I expect all of you to perform your duties well."
"I want to sacrifice myself for humanity, not some for some violent cause…" Jean argued back, restrained rage anchoring his tone.
Her gaze softened when she regarded Jean, realizing how similar she had acted in the past.
How secretly afraid she was, how much she detested seeing people die, how inexperienced and naive she was with all her idealistic reasonings.
But look at where that got her? A dead squad and countless regrets.
With profound experience in this area, Ida stared straight back at the ash-blonde male. "If you really want to sacrifice yourself for humanity, Jean… Sorry to burst your bubble and drag you back to reality. This is the only way."
o o o —xπ{Ö}πx — o o o
Damn it.
Levi had to admit, he felt a little hint of regret after he had forcibly threatened Historia into agreeing to become the Queen. He had allowed his suppressed aggravation to get the better of him, and he snapped under the pressure and stress. He was losing control of himself and this bitter thought frustrated him. It was out of character for him to do so.
Truth to be told, his frustration was magnified not by the burdens of saving humanity, but of something else.
It bothered him endlessly at how he couldn't forget that kiss — it had been weeks, and while he and Ida had acted the same when duty calls or when they were around someone, it was their moments together alone that he was frustrated about. The tension was obviously still there, palpable enough to be felt.
It had brought up a more pressing concern regarding his female subordinate.
How can I have her on the squad when I can't stay objective when it comes to her? Levi crossed his arms, a scowl covering his face.
Levi had thought everything would work out eventually but over the past few days, it had weighed on his mind. Ida was clearly affecting his mind and judgment. Even at such a dire time like this, there were often times when he looked at her, only to remember how her body and lips felt against his; soft curves and warm flesh. She smelt like wildflowers and tasted like some warm sugary treat.
He grinded his teeth. Levi wasn't even going to touch the subject of how inappropriate that moment yesterday night was right now, he had more pressing matters at hand.
These thoughts were filling his mind but he was quick to realize that someone was knocking on the door.
"Oi. I bought you tea." Ida swung open the door, placing the steaming hot cup of tea on a nearby table. She turned around and saw his back still facing her. "I thought you needed some time to cool off after everything. Have you calmed down a little?"
"Stop fussing over stupid things like this," came his monotone reply.
She sat on the adjacent bed beside his, forcing him to face her.
"Well, why don't you stop worrying so much then? You're going to get wrinkles if you continue." Ida suggested lightly, poking the space between his furrowed brows in light jest. "Try relaxing a little."
While Levi may be almost permanently apathetic, Ida knew well that he is capable of an incredible depth of feeling. He was simply too emotionally jaded from his life as a criminal and years in the Survey Corps that he's developed a veneer of stoicism.
Knowing this, Levi's protective wall for abrasive words and violent outbursts couldn't fool Ida.
She knew him better than that.
"Tch." He hissed in annoyance and jerked away from her touch.
Her eyes flashed with concern when she saw his dark eye bags. "You didn't get any sleep at all? I thought I told you to rest."
"Speak for yourself, last that I remembered, you didn't even sleep last night as well." Levi deadpanned, suddenly looking very serious when he deadlocked his gaze with her.
"You shouldn't overwork yourself." Her concern expression suddenly dissipated into a disapproving frown. "And really... Did you have to handle Historia that way? She's practically still a baby in her diapers, can't you be a little less harsh?"
Levi scowled at her words in cold displeasure. "She needs to understand our situation, we have no time to think of idiotic things like that."
"I understand what you're trying to say," Ida replied smoothly. "But you could've phrased things a little nicer, not everyone can tolerate your rudeness you know?"
"They have to learn to deal with it and grow up." Levi grated, his expression an equal mixture of irritation and impatience.
She rolled her eyes, she had expected of him to conjure up that reply. It was just like him to say something like that. "Just do as I say and try to be a little nicer."
His eyebrows arched with amusement and a pinch of suppressed rage. "So, I have to take orders from you now?"
Ida smirked mockingly. "I'm your partner." At that, his thin eyebrows almost hit his hairline. "A woman is always smarter than a man. It's common knowledge," she added with humor and triumph. "Right?"
"Tch." he scoffed rudely. "Well, aren't you the damned personification of morality?"
Ida glared, offended. "I never said that."
"Yeah," he grated. He looked like he was about to retort with more angry words. Instead, Levi closed his eyes and said, "Says the one who looked mortified when I said I was going to torture Djel Sannes."
It might not be her Captain's intention to sound so callous, she knew that was just how Levi sounded at times, still, Ida couldn't help but bristle.
Levi seemed to have picked up on her uneasiness. He observed her in a raw, but companionable silence when her gaze dejected the ground. "…Still no change, eh?"
She looked up. "What?"
"It's not in your nature to give up this easily." Levi pointed out, knowingly very well that she was clearly affected by something but she was just bottling it up. "Having problems with hearing me torture someone now?"
"No." she denied flatly, squeezing on her kneecaps. "I'm… just worried... Handing Eren and Historia over to the Military Police to lure Rod Reiss out is an extremely risky task… Not only that, if it comes to a battle, but our squad also might…"
"Die?"
Her squeeze on her kneecaps got tighter and she looked away with glistening marble-like eyes that seem to have reflected everything she was feeling. Fear, Levi could tell, she was afraid of losing her squad again.
"If that happens, then it happens." he deadpanned. "Grieving over a senseless death will only make you angry and frustrated, and you'll lose yourself in that rage. Sulking is bad for morale, and it hinders your judgment, making you useless as a soldier."
"I know…" Ida mumbled softly. She chuckled awkwardly when she saw his eyes narrowing. "Haha. I'm supposed to be comforting you now, but I guess you always have to babysit me in the end, huh?"
Her chest felt warm when she thought back to the first time Levi complained angrily about 'babysitting a brat like her' when they first met. Things hadn't really changed much since then. He was still her supporting pillar and guiding figure now.
"In comparison to you, the prized Levi Ackerman… Humanity's Strongest… You would never lose control over your emotions. No one has ever seen you weep and make a fuss... You're not like me…" Ida whispered with hooded hazy eyes. "But… even someone like you should grieve a little at times instead of holding everything in, it's tiresome and you get cranky—"
She stopped midway when Levi's face came extremely close to hers, they locked eyes for a moment and immediately Ida felt her heartbeat stop. She didn't blink, her breathing hitched, she was rendered completely paralyzed.
Levi couldn't comprehend what came over him. Ida looked so vulnerable, so fragile at that point. Nothing like the hardheaded strong woman he knew. Her emerald eyes… Those haunting pairs were what enraptured him. They were like glistening green marbles, a reflection of pure water, hiding nothing, showing everything she was feeling. Honest eyes.
Why…?
Why didn't she try to hide anything she was feeling?
She didn't use to be like this, she used to hide everything. Ida was good at hiding her emotions. So good, she had everyone and even him fooled. But truthfully, Levi preferred the Ida now who wore her heart on her sleeve.
She felt his head tilt slightly as he leaned in closer to her, closer, and closer, until she could feel his hot breath barely inches away from her slightly parted lips. Then, she jerked away slightly and moved her head like it was a natural reaction.
"…D — Don't scare me like that..." Ida stuttered helplessly, blood rushing up to her cheeks and tainting them pink.
Silence followed. She wished there was a ticking clock somewhere to distract her from the quietness. It was unbearable to her. From the corner of her eyes, she watched him surreptitiously in pure raw tense silence.
He was no longer leaning forward and his expression contorted to his infamous annoyed expression that had never failed to make someone nervous... Ida found her heart fluttering at that expression, and she anchored herself inwardly, disturbed at her reaction.
She had to be the only one in the world whose heart made a somersault every time her Captain made that intimidating frown. Something had to be wrong with her. Ida tried desperately to compose herself, but it was futile. Her hands were clammy, her breathing was shallow and her heartbeat was pumping crazily fast.
Her flustered state did not go unnoticed by Levi.
Young. Levi found himself thinking as he observed her unrest state. Too young.
She's too young for him, too pure, too naive... Ida deserves someone better than him. Suddenly, Levi felt hesitant about touching her again. His hands were far too tainted. She was just like a flower. If he were to touch her again, wouldn't she be tainted as well?
It was clear to Levi that the relationship between them had changed. There were moments between them that were completely off, almost… intimate. He felt a phantom feeling encroach him those times — the sudden urges to hold her, talk to her, even feel her. Although he hated it, a small part of him wondered how her perception of him had changed after that stupid kiss. Surely it affected her, or she wouldn't be acting this way now. If that was the case then maybe—
No. His rational part of him came thrashing back in and Levi placed his wicked thoughts on hold. He was too old. Too old to even be thinking about senseless things like this now.
He had lived most of his life without her and he was so sure that he could very well get on with his life without her. Ida deserves to be with someone better than him, she had so much more potential in her life. She could resign from the military, free from worries and danger and live happily. Comfortably. Meanwhile, Levi had dedicated his life to humanity, there was no way he could leave the Survey Corps.
But somehow — even as he said those words to himself to cement his resolve — Levi felt a surge of anger and frustration race through him and he couldn't comprehend how it came about.
What if Ida really did leave? What if she stopped coming to him whenever she felt down? What if she stopped depending on him? She had said it before, she would be content even as a farmer's wife, that was her dream was it not?
She would ultimately leave one day.
What will he do then?
At that disturbing thought, all the voices of rationality in his head seem to disappear one by one.
Will it be alright? To just let go for once, to forget about his responsibility, age difference, ranks, and everything else? To just hold her with his tainted hands? To condemn her into a life with him on the front lines? To gamble with everything he had painstakingly achieved in the past years, to break their trusted work relationship and forget about the danger of losing their life anytime?
Would it be alright, for once, to just fall into the clutches of attachment even though it was hazardous to people like them? Was he really going to allow her to enrapture him like this?
But what if he were to die tomorrow? What if she were to die tomorrow?
Was it okay to just lay a wager now then?
Was he really willing to risk it all, to lose himself into his emotions, to just submerge into warmness for once? Was he really going to break the outer shell that he always painstaking honed for years?
Was he — the man who always displayed little emotions, who lost his humanity long ago, who had witnessed and touched death — really capable of love?
Ida was busy trying to compose herself when she felt his calloused thumb snaking under her chin and gently tilted her face until she faced him again. Levi was standing up now, hovering over her as she sat completely rigid on the edge of the bed.
What is he doing…?
The eye contact lasted for what seemed like an eternity.
His touch felt like electricity, like rolls of thunder generating from the tips of his fingers that transferred to her chin. Yet it was gentle, light, soothing even — nothing that she had ever expected to come from such an intimidating man like Levi. She was completely mystified.
Then when he lowered his head, his nose bumped into hers slightly, before he tilted his head. The brief contact enhanced the thrill and hitched her breath. Ida knew he was going to kiss her. There was no doubt. By now, it wasn't a choice for either of them. It was as simple and necessary as breathing.
She closed her eyes and this time, she didn't jerk away.
She felt a sliver of anticipation shoot through her veins. Her fingertips tingling as if aching to touch him. She was intrigued, mesmerized, sucked in. Levi was so close to her now, she could almost feel his lips on her. Her veins were surging with anticipation.
"Captain? Are you in there?"
Simultaneously, they froze when a string of soft knocks echoed after the Eren's voice. "I've done cleaning the basement as you ordered, so you can inspect it now!"
As quickly as Levi had eliminated the distance between them, they were separated just as rapidly. He had an indescribable expression on his face as he glared at the door — a clash of extreme irritation, anger, and frustration.
Ida looked away, red-faced and cleared her dry throat. "…You better go..."
He gritted his teeth, trudging towards the door in the purest form of irritation. "Go and get some sleep," he told her flatly during his determined march towards the door.
"Y — Yeah…" Ida mumbled just loud enough for him to hear, but before he could swing the wooden door open, she called out to him. "Levi…"
"What?"
"What would happen if I suddenly disappeared from the world? Like, what if I died?"
He paused at her question, turning around to see that her head was turned away as if to hide her expression. It was an odd question indeed. He couldn't help but feel that there was an underlying meaning behind her question. It just didn't sit well with him.
But despite his brimming suspicion and the answer already installed in his head, his lips betrayed him and uttered a simplistic monotone reply. "Humanity would lose another valuable soldier."
Her fist clenched the bedspreads beneath her. Somehow, she felt disappointed and lonely at his reply, but Ida wasn't going to let it show. "I see…"
Though her tone was dismissive, Levi could have sworn that he heard some form of sadness in it as well. But another knock from the door prevented him from asking the questions on the tip of his tongue.
"Captain? Are you there?"
Without sparing another glance at her, Levi left the room, his teeth tightly gritted and his roguishly handsome features morphed into a highly annoyed expression.
When she heard the door close behind her, Ida released the breath that she was holding in. Her fingers moved to gently touch her slightly parted lips.
She almost kissed him…
Gods, what was Levi even trying to do? Ida wanted to strangle herself in disbelief. Maybe he was just teasing her. It didn't need to mean anything right? Or maybe… she wasn't the only one feeling this physical attraction between them after all?
Just as Ida was about to submerge herself into another dark abyss of questions about her relationship with her Captain, Erwin's words replayed in her mind. "I need you to do something. Something that only you can do."
Revulsion rained over her face. The bedspreads furrowed further under her rigid clutch on it and her chest rose and fell with a long exhale. No, she can't afford to think about this now. She had matters of greater importance to ponder about.
Outside the door, Levi's expression darkened while Eren trailed behind him enthusiastically on their march to the basement.
"Oi… Eren…" he deadpanned, his calm voice vibrating with an undercurrent of admonition before they even reached the basement.
Eren was so confident that he did a good job this time, he made sure he was extremely precise and thorough in his work, knowing that it would please his Captain. "Yes, sir?"
"Go and re-do everything."
The Titan Shifter gawked at him, he didn't even see the basement yet! "Eh?! W — What? Did I do something wrong again?!"
Levi was adamant about not hearing his protest. "Shut up, and listen. It's an order."
"B — But—"
"I said, do it, brat," Levi repeated, much more sternly this time. Eren nodded fervently, knowing that his order was absolute.
Damn it, he could always count on the stinking Titan brat to ruin the mood.
o o o —xπ{Ö}πx — o o o
The wind pressed onto her cheek as she zoomed past the dense forest. She didn't have a good feeling and it bothered her incessantly. Levi had assured her that Dimo Reeves could be trusted. All they needed to do was to pretend to hand Eren and Historia over to him, and it would lead them to their Rod Reiss, the true Kings of walls.
It was a good plan, but still, Ida couldn't help but feel skeptical.
Spotting her Captain, she landed swiftly and silently onto the tree branch he was on. "The carriage containing Eren and Historia should have passed by now… What's taking them so long?"
Her gears clinked noisily when she turned around, growing increasingly impatient by the lack of response from her Captain. "Levi? Did you hear me? Do you think that Reeves has been found out?"
Levi's expression was the exact opposite of hers, still holding strongly onto his collected and cool composure. He leaned his back on the bark of the tree. "No idea." He stated flatly, taking notice of how her anxiousness anchored her tone. "You're usually calm and composed during missions…"
"It's nothing." Ida murmured distractedly, studying the silent mountain road. "Why? Do you think something is bothering me? We should focus on the mission."
Her sharp rebuff sparked Levi's suspicion. In fact, Ida was acting rather distant and odd these past few days. Though it was subtle, he could sense it. "Even if I ask, will you answer? It's your own damn problem and I've no right to know. So I'll just wait for you to come clean. When you want to talk, then talk."
Ida scoffed, but somehow her chest felt warm at the fact that Levi was always there for her. "Since when are you so considerate? I thought you were a disagreeable asshole."
"Don't be ridiculous. I'm always this way." Levi replied dismissively, frowning at her comment.
She changed the subject of the conversation, reprioritizing. "This is the only road that leads to the town… They are taking too long." Hissing, Ida breathed loudly while her eyes began to wander aimlessly throughout her rocky road. She caught sight of the funeral carriage appearing. "Damn, it's only a funeral carriage."
"What?" Levi instantly straightened himself, startled. His expression morphed into a scowl when he saw the carriage. His eyebrows creased together. "Dimo Reeves has been found out."
"What?" Ida blinked, wondering how Levi could discern that.
"That shitty funeral carriage most likely contains Historia and Eren," he explained. "If the enemy has taken the precaution to use such a disguise, it would only mean that they suspected that Reeves would conspire with us."
"Shit!" Ida cursed through a row of clenched teeth. She plugged her blades to her handgrips immediately, ready to launch into an attack, but Levi stopped her.
"Don't. This doesn't change our initial plans." Levi stated calmly, albeit he looked a tad bit frustrated that their plans had been foiled. "We need to regroup with the rest first."
The pair immediately took off, speeding deeper into the forest to rendezvous with their team.
"Captain!" Connie shouted on top of his horse the moment he spotted Levi and Ida streaming through the forest.
The rest of the squad looked up at the approaching soldiers with anticipation for orders.
"Our plans have been seen through," Levi informed them in a monotone, planting his feet on the ground in an effortless landing. "We need to alter our plans slightly."
"What?!" Mikasa gasped loudly, her blood ran cold at the news. She was extremely worried about Eren. What was going to happen to him now?
Nifa's lips tightened in a worrisome line. "We had expected this as well, not to worry Mikasa."
"We'll split into two groups," Levi told them flatly in a composed manner, grabbing onto his horse's reins that Sasha had handed him. "Those bastards are probably heading for Stohess district since it's the nearest town from here before they move to Wall Sina. My group will be trailing them nearby, using our 3DMG to cross over the Wall. The other group will be stationed near Wall Sina, ready with horses for everyone. Using the carriage, Armin will trail the casket wagon until everyone has joined up again."
Mounting onto his horse, Levi continued with issuing commands. "My team will consist of Hanji's squad. Ida, I leave you in charge of the group operating in Wall Sina."
"Yes, sir!" The recruits echoed in compliance.
"No, I'm going with you." Ida retorted defiantly, mounting on top of her horse with ease as well.
Taking the reins, Ida tugged on them as the horse trotted impatiently underneath her. "Your group is the most vulnerable in getting discovered, you'll need all the help you can get if a battle were to occur."
"No, do as you are told." Levi shot her down immediately, scowling at her defiance as his jaw tightened.
But Ida was persistent. She knew why Levi had assigned her with the new recruits — he feared that she wouldn't be able to wield her blade if a battle were to take place considering she had the tendency to be softhearted at times. A simple hesitation could end your life in crucial times and Levi wasn't about to play that gamble.
Understanding her flaws and the source of his concern well, Ida moved forward with an air of determination. Moral dilemmas put aside, Ida knew she could be as violent, sadistic, and equally capable of great cruelty if the time calls for it.
"You think too little of me, Levi." Ida defended in a measured tone. She matched his glare with her own, determined to not look like a fool. "You forgot what kind of a person I used to be, I have no qualms in killing humans."
The acid sarcasm in her voice was light but very evident. Levi stared into the depths of her eyes held unwavering authority and determination as she gazed into him. Their glares engaged in a silent clashing battle of two strong wills.
After several seconds of tense silence, Levi scoffed. "Fine. I'm counting on you."
Ida nodded numbly, before turning to the younger recruits behind her. "Remember what I said, trust in us. No matter what happens, is that clear?"
"Yes, ma'am!"
o o o —xπ{Ö}πx — o o o
The piece of newspaper furrowed in her rigid clasp when Ida saw the blasphemous portraits of her and Levi plastered on it as fugitives. She was beyond mortified with it, not because she was once again a criminal, but she was horrified with how she looked in the portrait.
There were already rumors swirling about her 'unsightly' appearance within the other military branches and the civilians. The badly drawn wanted posters would certainly inflame the rumors about her!
"Damn this really…" Ida cursed softly, sarcasm prominent in her voice. "From criminal to a Survey Corps soldier and back to a runaway fugitive again! Well, that fucking escalated quickly! And what the hell, I do not look like that! Who's the damn artist who drew this?! I look hideous! My nose is humongous!"
"Quit complaining." Levi chided her harshly, his bored expression scanning her face. "I don't need a whining brat on my team."
"Shut up." she hissed, pointing to his badly drawn wanted portrait. "Look! You look hideous as well! You look so fat in it!"
Levi hurled a death glare at her and she rolled her eyes. She crumpled the paper into a ball and tossed it away, infuriated. The piece of paper bounced down the roof they were on.
Putting aside her sudden need to find the horrendous portrait artist to give him a piece of his mind, Ida focused her attention back on Nifa who was busy watching the men outside the funeral home. "So, how is the situation like?"
"The two coffins are being transferred into the carriage," Nifa reported. "I'm certain that our assumptions are correct. Eren and Historia must be within the coffins. We almost lost track of them before, it's a good thing you were a step ahead in finding this spot Captain."
"But it's somewhat strange." Levi deadpanned, a slightly disturbed expression flashing on his face. "This is different from what the Military Police Brigade usually does. They knew immediately Reeves would conspire with us."
Ida nodded in agreement. "I get you, it's funny how those slacking pigs with a pea size brain could actually come up with something so clever, much less see through our plans."
"The enemy's trains of thoughts are very similar to mine…" Levi's features contorted as he contemplated the possibilities. "You can even say it's identical… Could it be him?"
"Him?" Ida and Nifa echoed in unison.
"Do you know 'Kenny the Ripper'?"
Ida's quizzical expression fell when she heard that name and in its place, a disturbing expression took over. Nifa however, remained painfully oblivious. "The serial-killer from within the Capital? I heard that countless Military Policemen had their throats slashed trying to capture him. Isn't that just a legend though?"
Levi met his gaze with Ida, acknowledging her obvious recognition at the name. "There's such a person. I lived with him when I was younger."
"What?" Ida was mystified in disbelief. She gawked at him with open-mouthed confusion. "…I heard of him in the Underground City, but he disappeared more than a decade ago…"
From her time living in the Underground City, she knew that 'Kenny the Ripper' was an infamous serial killer. Tales of his cruelty, strength, and cunning were still told even after his sudden disappearance, so much so that Ida could still remember his name. Never in her wildest dream did she imagine that Levi would have ties to a legendary criminal like that.
She waited for a reply, but silence hung in the air as a new tense stillness surrounded them. Levi looked as if he was contemplating something disturbing and she watched him in anticipatory silence.
Although she didn't approve of the ways of the Underground City, she would be a liar if she said she wasn't fascinated by the mystery cloaking the man. It intrigued her endlessly, especially knowing that Levi had ties to someone so legendary.
Her brows creased. "Levi? You okay—"
Suddenly, Levi snapped his head around, his eyes widening in realization. "Watch—"
Bang!
The drastic sound of gunfire ripped the air into two. Levi managed to evade unscathed as he pushed Ida out of the way, but the same couldn't be said for Nifa as a bullet drilled through her head.
"Ida!" He shouted in panic, instantly moving behind the chimney of the rooftop for shelter.
With quick reflexes, Ida had already taken cover behind the chimney as well, but she was panting and grunting in pain. Levi's eyes widened in horror when he saw the blood seeping through her cloak over her arm. She groaned when she felt the furious blood gushing out of her system, draining her.
Fury as hot as raging fire plagued his eyes when he saw the wound. Ida pressed her palm onto her arm, trying to stop the bleeding.
"I'm fine, it only grazed part of my skin," she sped through her words quickly, winching as the wound throbbed in agonizing pain. "What the hell was—"
"Yo, Levi." A mocking sinister voice came from behind them. "You grew up."
The sounds of grapples piercing the brick chimney flooded the vicinity.
Gears.
It couldn't be. It was impossible. Using guns awhile using gears?!
As if on cue to answer their questions, a tall man with short, coarse-looking dark hair and a thin beard propelled himself mid-air, turning his guns at them as he gave a vile smirk. "This part of you hasn't changed much!"
"Kenny!" Levi screamed in vengeance. In an expeditious moment, he had his blades drawn and with tremendous strength, Levi hurled a blade to the mid-air Kenny who knocked it away with his hand grips.
"Kaboom!" Kenny mimicked wickedly, firing his gun.
BANG!
Already predicting the attack, Levi grabbed his cloak, covering himself as an effort to disarray the aim of the impending bullet. Meanwhile, despite the occurring pain in her arm, Ida forced herself to roll away just in time to survive the attack.
Fuck!
Kenny's eyes widened when he spotted her red hair when her hood fell off Ida's head. "Oh! I see you have the Starke brat with you as well!"
Fuck! Levi clenched his jaw, throwing a fleeting glance at the bloodied corpse of Nifa nearby with a mixed look of horror and grief, before shouting as he sprinted to the other side of the roof.
"Ida! Go!"
She understood what Levi was trying to do immediately and ran towards the edge of the roof to split up. Ida plunged herself mid-air and steered away with the steel wire of her gears. Her heartbeat elevated when she heard the bullets firing madly on her deafened ears.
BANG!
What the hell was happening?!
"Ran away after all huh?" Kenny smirked wickedly like he was enjoying the hunt. He dropped the empty bullet cartilage to the ground, taking pure amusement from their horrified alarmed looks.
Ida found herself looking back and gasped when she saw Kenny going after Levi instead of her. A small part of her wanted to go with him but she knew that she would only serve as a nuisance and could potentially cloud Levi's judgment. He couldn't possibly worry about her and fight at the same time.
Please… be safe.
Ida panted heavily as she made her escape, zipping through the air. Her ears were ringing in fear and her heart was pounding at an astounding speed. Her strategic mind was quickly thinking of ways to get out of this situation.
Sounds of gunfire echoed within Stohess District again, bringing forth another round of horrified screams from the civilians. Ida didn't even want to think about what happened to the rest of Hanji's squad, she needed to be objective.
Shit! I need to regroup with the rest of our team first! If they found us there's a chance that the kids—
BANG!
"Fuck!" A bullet hit the air when Ida made a swift dodge to the left, barely escaping.
She whirled mid-air, cursing a string of curses when she saw a group of Military Police wearing the same modified gears as Kenny approaching for an ambush. Not only was she heavily outnumbered, but her enemies had an eagle eye's accuracy as well.
Damn it! An ambush, those damn bastards!
"I found the girl!" She heard someone call out amidst the chaotic frenzy. "Secure her alive! Aim for her legs or arms to subdue her!"
Ida was dismayed when she saw their shining gun burning for a desire to fire. Fear of the highest form consuming her and slowing her movements. It didn't make any sense. They killed Nifa and Kenny looked hell-bent on killing Levi. So why did they want her alive?
Why?
She made a sharp turn on the corner of a building just as her assaulters came towards her, pointing their guns threateningly in her direction. Ida was much quicker than them, she knew she was able to make the first move even before the enemy could pull the trigger.
But she didn't.
She couldn't.
BANG!
She dodged the bullet again, changing direction with unimaginable speed and precision.
Ida gritted her teeth upon perceiving the strength and speed of her foes. They were well-trained soldiers that did not know the meaning of 'exhaustion'. They chased her almost endlessly. Ida was confident that she had the strength, the mind, the eye, and the skills a leading soldier ought to have in order to get out of this alive. But she had trained herself out of repentance for her weakness in the past, she vowed never to use this strength unless necessary.
What was missing was her resolve.
Killing humans was nothing new to her, she had done it plenty of times in her past in the Underground City, but her sentiment just wouldn't allow her to do it now — she didn't want to go back to living with a burdensome heavy pile of regrets and guilt. She didn't want to sink back into the dark abyss of self-loathing.
Because despite all the big talk, Ida realized at that crucial moment that she was too overconfident. She couldn't do it. She was still weak. She was still the same after all those years.
Her every successful evasion was followed by a successive round of blood-hungry bullets propelled in every direction possible.
Shit! I can't just shake them off! They can easily tail me with their gears!
The fear of killing someone again gripped her and crippled her judgment — Ida couldn't bring herself to unsheathe her blade. And so, all she could do was run, flee, escape like a cowardly fool that she was.
She was going to be captured, she couldn't bring her herself to fight. At that realization, she began to hyperventilate, her movements sluggish and predictable.
Pathetic.
BANG!
"Ugh!" She grunted in agonizing pain when she barely made another dodge. The fiery bullets thirsty for blood had managed to graze her thigh. Though she was swift and quick, bullets were much faster.
Upon receiving another wound, Ida felt the bracelet on her left wrist getting heavier as if to remind her that Levi wouldn't be here to save her now. She couldn't depend on him forever. She needed to do something. She was going to get captured here if she didn't.
Without him, she was weak, helpless, and crippled.
Nothing but a frightened little girl, unable to do anything but run.
All these while Ida had depended on Levi to steer her in the right direction, to guide her on the right path. With him gone, she was nothing more than a lost cowardly fool. She knew innately then, that he was the source of her power.
I'm sorry Levi. You can't count on me after all.
Ida knew that being captured would serve only as an inconvenience to her squad — but despite knowing all of that, Ida just couldn't bring herself to fight back. Her mind was telling her to do it, but her body simply wouldn't listen. It was hell-bent on resisting.
She had gone more than a year without having to kill anyone. She was recovering steadily. Her endless rage was directed at a more honorable cause. She killed Titans now, not humans. She was repenting.
She didn't want to destroy it all again. She didn't want to hate herself anymore. Selfishly, Ida knew she couldn't do it; these were people with families, she had taken away so much in the past already.
Indeed, how spoilt she had been... Ida had always depended on Levi. He had always done the dirty work for her, he had always protected her, shielded her, guided her. Erwin too, there was no doubt he was much more lenient towards her. In fact, everyone was so tolerant of her.
She was such a brat back then... So unappreciative, so cocky, so foolish.
But didn't she make the resolve to fight? To be of use?
Why am I running? Is this all that I can do? Is the extent of my determination? Is this all I am good for? Didn't I want to help humanity? Fight, Ida! Fight! You have to fight!
"Capture her at all costs!"
BANG!
Disgusting! But she picked up her speed.
BANG!
Helpless! But she shot another grapple to the building, swirling herself away from danger.
BANG!
Coward! But her hands never once reached for her blade.
She made another sharp turn at the corner and her eyes expanded in horror when she saw a gruesome corpse, warm fresh blood still oozing out of the fatal bullet wound on the head. The image seemed to have been secured in her mind forever, slowly playing out on replay.
It was the corpse of her subordinate, the corpse of a dead Survey Corps soldier, Hanji's squadmate…
They killed him.
They mutilated him.
They stole him from his family.
Without a hint of remorse, without any moral objections, without any semblance of guilt, they killed him.
What if it had been one of the newer recruits instead...?
What if it had been Armin, or Jean, or even... Levi?
Something died within her that very moment the cruel imagery plagued her mind as something sinister and triumphant revived in its wake. Her wide eyes were filled with terror; terror and satisfaction as she looked at the ghastly corpse.
Its lifeless eyes watched her when she flew past. Her stomach churned when she glanced at the pool of blood accumulating from underneath the hanging corpse. Death nothing new to her. But the corpse she saw threw her through a whirlwind.
"Fine. I'm counting on you." Levi's voice echoed in her mind, reminding her of what she had to do.
The fire of fury hummed in her blood. No! Ida reminded herself about the promises she had made and her responsibility. What were to happen if she were to fall? Would they ruthlessly turn their guns on the people she cared about next? She was the front-line defense, the kids on her team were far too young. People were depending on her, her team depended on her, Levi depended on her — she couldn't afford to fail here! Not ever!
A surge of power throbbed through her veins and along with the newfound strength came a tsunami of vindictive malicious thoughts — so sadistic and terrifying that it even frightened Ida herself, but instead of rejecting it, this time, she embraced it with anticipation and urgency, allowing it to consume her whole.
Hatred, disgust, vengeance...
She will channel it all into her slashes.
This was nothing more than a game of survival.
And Ida knew she had to emerge the victor in this twisted game. She had played it before. Countless times. She was an experienced player in games like these. It's either you are the hunter or the prey. It's either them or the people she cared about. Steal or get stolen from. Die or kill.
It didn't matter what she wanted. When all choice was taken from her, she didn't get to choose.
This was nothing more than a game of survival, she vehemently repeated in her mind again.
And the game needed to begin now.
Her pursuers had noticed something different in Ida too when her lips curved into a taunting smirk, all traces of the weak girl gone and replaced with something more… sinister.
She plugged her hand grips to the blades and extended the blades to full length as the men approached her. Halting her approach to flee, she angled her hips for the air, speeding towards her pursuers instead. She was so fluid in her movements that the men panicked at her sudden counter-attack and fired aimless rounds.
SLASH!
She swished, slashed, and sped like a furious bloodthirsty hurricane. Ida was nowhere as fast as Levi, but she was indeed as strong and brutal as he was when it came to the arts of the blades.
A pool of blood, a mound of lacerated flesh, amputated limbs, and that intoxicating smell of death…
Thirsty. She was too thirsty for spilled blood.
"You fucking bitch!" A horror-filled curse sounded above her when Ida ran her bloodied blade across the body of one of his subordinates, shearing his flesh and efficiently ending his life.
BANG!
"Shit!"
Ida hissed when another bullet sped through the edge of her hips, taking off a chunk of her flesh and opening a new wound. She was too reckless and impetuous in battle, Levi had reprimanded on this before, she needed to strategize. Ida glared at her pursuers in vindictive rage, her expression as composed like a bronze mask, but tough like a malevolent formidable warrior.
Five… Five more to go…
Ida knew she couldn't take them all out at once. Guns against blades, it was common knowledge to which weapon held the advantage. She needed to retreat, for now, she couldn't possibly kill them all without obtaining more wounds. It was far too dangerous, too risky. Back up would be arriving at any moment if she delayed any further.
Kicking the wind for momentum, she gritted her teeth at her peril circumstances when she made a quick sharp turn towards the gate of Wall Sina, pushing herself as fast as possible against the thrashing current of the wind in hopes of shaking off her pursuers.
I need to lure them away from the kids!
Ida gasped when she caught sight of the familiar figure in front of her, her eyes wide when she saw him twirling in a vicious lethal blur as the splendors of blood splattered around him like crimson rain.
"Levi!" Ida cried, relief washing over her.
He was safe, he was alive, and he was still fighting.
Thank the gods.
"Wait until she is within range!" A panicked voice echoed from behind her, reminding her that the enemy was still nearby. "We have to capture her alive!"
Her jaw clenched and her grip on her handles tightened in the purest form of rage. Noticing how one of her pursuers was within range, she shot her grapple, piercing his body easily. Without a second to waste, Ida reeled herself in, dragging her pursuer towards her as well and angled her blades for the kill.
"ARGH!"
Her razor blades effortlessly slid through her victim's body like butter. Humans' bodies were much softer than Titans and the past year of fighting off those Titans had honed her slashes into lethal vicious cuts. Twirling around, she released the gas from her gears and propelled away from the scene before she was within her pursuers firing range. Ida sped her way to join up with Levi from the front.
Passing through the gates of Wall Sina, she moved with agility towards the side just as another round of bullets fired in her direction. Damn it, if this keeps up, she could very well get captured here.
Ida knew for a fact that she couldn't dodge every single round of bullets, exhaustion would chase after her.
Wait, if they want to capture me alive then they couldn't possibly kill me! This situation is to my advantage!
Convicted of this realization, Ida steeled herself to continue fighting. Dropping all plans of retreating, she glared at the enemies pursuing her with bloodlust.
"You just don't know when to quit, you damn bastards!"
With newfound aggravation, she turned her towards her pursuers as her wires reeled her towards the front and with a click, released two of blood-drenched blades towards the enemy.
"ARGH!" Her aim hit one of her pursuers directly at the head, but the other was left unscathed as he dodged with precision at the incoming blade.
"Levi!" she shouted, and this time, he turned to acknowledge her.
A flash of relief masked his emotionless expression briefly. "We need to regroup immediately!"
"Go! I'll cover you!" Ida shouted, gritting her teeth as she looked back at their pursuers.
Twisting her hips in the opposite direction, she led them away from Levi. Plugging in fresh blades, she made a quick dodge and stamped her boot to a nearby roof.
BANG!
"Shit!" Ida cursed, running across the roof as a rain of bullets hit the roof tiles behind her.
Noticing how there was a tower on the left, she aimed her grapple towards it and used her gear mechanism to fly toward it. A bullet zoomed past her and crashed towards the roof, cracking into fragments.
Using her picked up momentum, it was just her luck that one of her pursuers was within her blades lethal vicinity and she wasted no time in slashing him completely in half. The crimson blood splattered from the ripped body, bathing her in raining crimson blood.
"She killed him…" Jean uttered in pure horror when he watched Ida gracefully swirl around the air, like a vicious roaring hurricane, killing everything in her path with vengeance.
His throat had grown unbearably dry over the horrific sight, not believing what he was seeing.
"Captain?!"
Levi plopped down with ease shortly after, scowling as blood covered half of his face. "Stop following after the casket wagon, our movements had been seen through! Give up on Historia and Eren for now! Their aim is to use the two of them to lure out the remaining Survey Corps members and kill us here!"
"What?!" Mikasa gasped out in shock.
"I'm sure there are enemies lying in wait ahead as well, the other three had already been killed."
The vicious sounds of gunshots echoed through Wall Sina again, reminding Levi of the urgency of the situation. "Armin, aim for the closet level ground from the left! Sasha and Connie, lead the horses! Jean, return gunfire from the roof racks! Mikasa, Ida and I will support the escape with our gears!"
"Roger that sir!"
"U — Understood!"
"What do you plan to do with Eren and Historia?" Mikasa questioned quickly before he could propel himself away.
"We'll have to find them by other means, that's if we're able to leave this place alive. When you can kill the enemy, kill. Understood?" Levi sped through his words quickly.
"Understood!"
"Captain! They are coming from the right side! They are turning!"
"Shit!" Levi and Mikasa immediately shot themselves airborne, flying to support the lone Ida and aid with the escape.
The redhead heaved out heavily, exhaustion spreading its fevers to her legs. Her eyes were getting cloudy, her wounds ached so badly but she pushed herself and made a sharp turn at the corner, flying towards the approaching pursuers.
Reaching another military police officer, she sheared him effortlessly in a single movement, a rain of blood cascading over her. She peered back at the escaping wagon, wanting to see if her squad was safe, but she was only met with horror when she saw Jean being held at gunpoint.
No! Jean!
Her body moved instinctively, ignoring the assaulters around her. Levi's eyes widened in horror when he saw that she had her back turned against the attackers. He sped towards her, shouting her name, hoping that she would snap out of her stupor.
"IDA!"
BANG!
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