Content Warning: This story is explicit and will contain several sensitive themes including but not limited to: graphic depictions of violence and/or gore, grief and personal loss, realistic depictions of mental illness and/or disabilities (PTSD, ADHD, depression, etc.) and eventually sexual content. More specific warnings will be given as needed.
A/N: This is an ongoing fic that I've decided to try cross-posting from AO3 onto here, hence the 15 chapter head start! I'll spare you a wall of text and include my more detailed notes at the end of the chapter.
Chapter One - Hesitation
"Have you ever been to Mitras before, Ms. Strober?"
Big, wondrous eyes fixate on the plethora of sculpted ivory lining the streets. Enormous buildings adorned with the finest architecture money can buy, passing their carriage window at a leisurely pace. She had heard plenty of stories, but Quinn could never have imagined the interior was quite this stunning.
It takes every ounce of willpower for her to tear her eyes away from the window, turning to face the man who had addressed her. Unwavering blue eyes stare Quinn down from the seat in front of her. "Never, sir." she mutters with a small shake of her head. She keeps her response short, still a bit uncertain about how to conduct herself around this unfamiliar superior. Section Commander Erwin Smith was in charge of strategy and scouting formations – something Quinn never had any involvement in. Her squadron's primary focus has always been Titan spotting and defense, so when her own commander approached her with a mission under Erwin's command, Quinn wasn't sure what to make of it.
'He asked for you by name.' Commander Flagon had told her.
Seated to Quinn's left is Captain Miche Zacharius, one of Erwin's right-hand men, accompanied by two of his other subordinates. They were just as unfamiliar, but not nearly as intimidating as the broad man still eyeing her from across the carriage.
'What exactly is this mission about again, sir?'
'No idea. Something about tracking down a group of thugs who got their hands on a couple of ODM rigs.'
Although Quinn has nothing but respect for Commander Flagon, she can't help but wonder why he'd offer up one of his best soldiers to a man he seems to butt heads with on a daily basis. Maybe he's just hoping to gain some information – a bit of insight on what the hell that enigma of a man was up to.
Honestly, Quinn can't blame him. It was almost as if Erwin took over ages ago, lurking in Commander Shadis' shadow, biding his time until the day their head commander would become Titan fodder and give up the reins.
Still, this mission was strange, even for Erwin Smith.
"I'm glad you agreed to come along, Quinn." the section commander continues with a small but respectful smile. "Your skills will be of great use to us."
There's a barely audible scoff that comes from one of their Military Police escorts, seated in the opposite corner from Quinn. A subtle roll of the guard's eyes confirms her suspicions — he doesn't believe a word Commander Erwin is saying. And from an outsider's perspective, nobody would blame him.
Those who fought alongside Quinn would often call her a prodigy — a fierce warrior against the Titan onslaught. However, those who've never witnessed her in action rarely believed in her capabilities. Based on looks alone, Quinn was a delicate thing; a petite young woman whose face was better suited for a trophy wife than a war hero. Her skin resembled that of a porcelain doll – seemingly untouched by the harsh wounds of battle. Combined with cascading waves of soft strawberry blonde and eyes that reflected a soft sage green, Quinn's appearance cast a veil of innocence over anyone she met. From a measly 13 year old cadet, to a well seasoned 20 year old Scout, people underestimated her.
It was both a gift and a curse.
It isn't long before Quinn can hear the rhythmic trot of horses begin to slow, their wagon coming to a stop somewhere near the edge of the city. Miche and the others start to file out without a word, with Quinn following close behind. She secures the elastic that holds her hair up as a million questions rattle behind her teeth.
'But Commander Flagon, we're Scouts. Isn't this a job for the MP's?'
'It would be, if those bastards had the skills to catch them.'
The group begins to unload their gear, fastening it to their belts in silence. Quinn's feelings of isolation are steadily increasing, beginning to feel as if everyone else has been let in on the inner-workings of this plan but her. Who the hell would authorize the use of ODM gear in the capital, anyway? The anchors alone would cause more damage to these buildings than all of their base salaries combined.
Not that that was very much, but still.
As Quinn trails behind Miche's squad, the silhouette of a passageway catches her eye. Carved into the brick of the road is a staircase, framed by a wooden awning. She'd heard rumors about the underground tunnels within the confines of Sina, but Quinn had always assumed they were old wives' tales. This made more sense. If a group of thugs were to be found anywhere in Mitras, it would be here.
The sound of their footsteps echo off of the walls as the group of soldiers makes their descent. Brightly lit torches line the passageway, guiding the Scouts as they creep further and further down. Quinn still can't shake the feeling that something is off about all of this. If their targets are nestled down here, then where does the ODM gear come into play? Could the tunnels be that vast as to warrant their use?
Just a few steps ahead, she spots a clearing where a substantial amount of light is shining through. As the rest of the cavern comes into view, Quinn is nearly rendered speechless.
A city. A huge, populated city, with tall concrete towers and a myriad of different lights reflecting off of the stone walls. It's at least the size of her hometown, showcasing a unique style of architecture she had never seen before.
Quinn can't hide her blatant gawking at the scene in front of her. A question slips past her lips that she can't manage to bite back. "What is all this?"
Miche, who's walking to her right, answers without breaking his forward gaze. "This is the Underground. It's a subterranean city that was abandoned decades ago."
"Abandoned?" Quinn asks as she continues to survey the cityscape. "But there's plenty of people living down here. I can see them from here."
The man's expression seems to falter ever so slightly. "After the construction was called off, the government abandoned the lesser population down here. These people can't leave without proof of citizenship on the surface."
"So they're all just stuck down here?" Quinn's voice carries an edge of disbelief, her tone rising slightly. "They've locked all of these people in a hole? How many people are aware of this?"
"Strober," Erwin's baritone voice cuts through her words. "Keep your head on straight. We need to stay alert."
Quinn bites her tongue at the commander's reprimand. "Yes, sir." she mutters before sealing her lips back under proverbial lock and key.
"Everyone, keep your cloaks tight and hoods up. We don't want to draw any unwanted attention until we've completed the mission." Erwin instructs as they reach the end of the stairwell, before ducking his head and leading their group into the depths of the Underground.
︎***
The sense of disgust twisting in Quinn's stomach only gets worse with every step she takes. Hollowed husks of people line the dirt of the streets, most of them obviously sick and malnourished, others intoxicated on obscene amounts of who knows what. But what really broke her heart were the kids – so many helpless kids huddling together in fear, their sunken eyes capable of thawing even the coldest of hearts.
At least, in theory. Quinn had realized pretty quickly that the MPs stationed down here weren't here to protect the citizens, but to maintain order and guard the merchant stalls lining the streets, selling grossly overpriced essentials just because they can.
"We're just a few blocks away from where the ambush is set to take place." Erwin says after several minutes of walking. "We're going to hole up in one of these towers until the targets make their move."
The commander leads them into a dust-riddled building, climbing the winding set of stairs until the group positions themselves in front of a window that overlooks the rooftops.
"Alexander and Luisa, you are to apprehend the girl and the blonde man." Erwin instructs, studying the streets with keen eyes. "Miche, Quinn, I want you two with me. We're pursuing a single target. I've heard he can be trouble."
After a brief pause, Erwin turns to face them, as if to emphasize his next words. "Blades out."
Something about the tone of his voice off putting, as if there's a hidden purpose beneath his words. Quinn complies in silence and huddles by the window with the others, watching and waiting for their commander's orders.
After what feels like an eternity of waiting, the familiar sound of ODM gear firing and reeling their hooks echoes down the street. Quinn hears the sound of wood splintering as a tower of crates comes crashing to the ground.
"Somebody call the MPs!"
Erwin raises his hand slowly as he prepares to give the signal. Quinn firmly grips both of the handles of her gear, the sharp metal of her blades angled downward.
Another set of ODM gear is approaching — and fast. Quinn catches sight of a group of Military Police in pursuit of a small gang of thieves. She has only a split second to react when Erwin jerks his hand forward, signaling the start of their pursuit. Leaping out into the streets, the five Scouts begin to tail the squad of MP's.
'They'll only serve as a distraction. When they branch off, we'll be the ones in pursuit.'
Peeking out from beneath the edge of her hood, Quinn catches sight of three figures flying ahead of them. A meager group consisting of one girl and two men, with what she assumes to be her primary target flying front and center. The man's hair was a sleek jet black, his smaller build allowing him to gain more momentum than the others. Not to their discredit, though — these people were fast. It's easy to see how the Military Police could never catch up to them, no out of practice soldier could compete with the skills these strangers seem to possess.
One by one, the MPs begin to branch off, leaving the chase solely in the hands of the Scouts. They nearly manage to close the gap, when the black-haired man executes a swift maneuver, repositioning his hooks to slingshot himself backwards. Quinn and her squadmates are caught off guard, quickly attempting to turn around as they watch the group they're pursuing make their way back down the street. As the Scouts reposition themselves, the trio they're pursuing splits off into three different directions.
Without a word, Luisa and Alexander break off to either side, beginning to pursue their respective targets. Quinn keeps pace just a hair behind the commander, watching as her target's movement speed only increases. The man in front of them adjusts the angle of his wires, using a swinging motion to propel himself straight into the open window of an abandoned building.
Now Quinn was starting to understand why they brought her along. Skilled as they are, Erwin and Miche aren't exactly "agile". A man who stands over six feet tall can only move so fast, especially when it comes to small spaces and narrow corridors. She needs to be the one to flush the man out – to force him into the open so the two other men can intervene.
Quinn gives the commander a brief nod of understanding, propelling herself with a boost of gas as she traces the side of the building the stranger had disappeared into. Another window quickly comes into view, but this one is still shut, blocked by a dusty pane of glass. Gritting her teeth and silently praying that the glass was as fragile as it looked, Quinn shields her right side with her cloak and barrels through the window in an explosion of thin shards. As she tries to regain her composure, she looks up just in time to see that she had successfully cut the man off, but his pace isn't slowing. Before she can fully recover, the man lets out another burst of gas and leaps over her. Through the veil of her cloak, Quinn catches a glimpse of the man's eyes, caught off guard and wide with surprise.
Despite her ambush, she didn't manage to slow him down at all. Quinn scrambles to her feet, nearly slipping on the shards of glass around her as she starts sprinting after him. By the time Quinn rounds the next corner, the man has disappeared out of another window, the faint zip of his wires echoing from the street below. Despite the radiating pain in her shoulder, Quinn jumps out of the building and continues after him with all the speed she can muster. However, despite all of her efforts, it quickly becomes apparent that she won't be able to stop this man with speed alone. Quinn may be fast, but this guy was on a whole other level.
She needs to find another way to catch him off guard – one that will actually work.
Being stealthy with ODM gear isn't exactly easy, but if you're as familiar with your equipment as Quinn is, you learn how to manage. She lowers herself to the ground as much as possible, zipping under bridges and through dark alleyways. She can't see the man from this position, but she's keen enough to follow him by sound, keeping her distance until she finally hears the sound of the man's gear come to a stop.
He's perched himself on the ledge of a nearby building — one that Quinn is in perfect position to ambush, given she can move around it without being noticed. She positions herself against a wall just around the corner, listening as his footsteps approach the edge before swinging herself around with all of her strength.
Another look of shock is plastered on the man's face as he fumbles for his gear, but Quinn is already slamming her full weight against him. The two crash into the dirt below, and what began as a chase quickly devolves into a hands on fight. The stranger regains his footing before Quinn can, giving her only a split second to react as the glint of a knife catches her eye. There's a sharp clack of metal on metal as she parries with her blade, but her grip is unsteady, pain radiating through her arm from where she had crashed through the window. She manages to block a few more swings of the man's knife before her left blade snaps from its holster and flies to the side. Seizing the opportunity, the man braces his forearm across her chest and slams Quinn into the stone wall behind her. The harsh impact stuns her, and before she can react, Quinn feels the cold edge of a dagger pressed against her neck.
The man has her pressed firmly against the wall with one arm, while his other hand holds a knife precisely against her jugular.
Shit.
She could actually die right now.
Panic rises in Quinn's throat, a faint grunt of pain being suppressed by the man's force. She never considered this side of things — where these people turn out to be even more dangerous than she imagined. To be killed by a mindless Titan was one thing, but to die at the hands of another person?
She didn't want that. She didn't want that at all.
Her eyes are practically pleading with the man, clashing against the hostility in his own that pins her just as harshly as his grip. Then, there's a brief flash of confusion. He's taking a moment to analyze her — trying to evaluate in his head how much of a threat she poses. It doesn't take long for Quinn to realize that despite the man's obviously violent intent, he's hesitating.
Suddenly, the pressure on her collar disappears as another person crashes into the man's side. The sheer size of their build and flash of ashy blonde hair tells her that it's Miche, who had tackled the man while he was distracted. Quinn can faintly hear the clash of their blades as she attempts to regain her composure, her heartbeat still pounding in her ears.
By the time she looks up again, Erwin is standing there, his sword held dangerously close to the stranger's throat.
"Stop. Look around you."
Quinn and the man seem to scan their surroundings at the same time. Both of the man's comrades come into view, struggling against Alexander and Luisa's grip.
The man takes a brief moment of consideration before releasing his knife, letting it tumble to the dirt below.
*︎**
A pair of old shackles hits the ground in front of Quinn with a loud clatter.
"Cuff him." Miche orders as he begins to fasten another set of shackles on the redhead kneeling front of him. Quinn looks at Miche with a raised eyebrow before glancing down at the back of the raven-haired man's head. He's down on his knees facing Erwin, lips shut tight as the commander silently observes the three in front of him. Quinn scoops up the handcuffs, walking up behind him and reaching for one of his arms. Despite his complete surrender, when Quinn tries to pull his arm back, there's resistance. Not an attempt to fight back – just a passive, irritating resistance.
Fine. Be like that.
Quinn tightens her grip on the man's forearm and yanks, breaking through the stiffness of his arm. A surprised grunt suppresses itself in the man's throat, completely disregarded as Quinn forces his other arm behind his back and clamps the shackles around his wrists.
Their three captives are lined up in front of Section Commander Smith as he stares them down. As Quinn circles to the front, she realizes just how young the group really is. The two men aren't much older than her, and the girl looks even younger, most likely still in her teens.
"I have some questions for you three. How did you obtain your ODM gear?" Erwin asks in a firm tone.
Silence.
"You're all quite skilled at maneuvering with it, who was it that taught you how?"
More silence.
Erwin takes a few steps forward until he's standing directly in front of the man Quinn had cuffed.
"I take it you're the group's leader? Just how much military training do you have?"
The stranger is resilient, only offering the commander a cold stare that could tear the average person to shreds. In the blink of an eye, Miche seizes the man by his hair, yanking his head upward before slamming him down into a puddle of murky water. The girl with red hair starts to yell from the sidelines, while the man in Miche's grip continues to glare up at Erwin. Quinn tries her best to hide the shocked expression on her face.
"I'll ask you once again, who trained you in the use of ODM gear?"
The other man at the end of the line finally breaks the group's silence as he watches his friend struggle in the mud. "None of us were trained, okay?! We taught ourselves!"
Erwin's gaze briefly shifts to the other young man. "That's scarcely possible. I don't believe you."
"Yeah, well the definition of 'possible' changes a bit when you're trying to survive in a dump like this!" the man retorts, his eyebrow furrowing in anger. "But unless you know what sewage tastes like, I doubt that's something you would understand!"
Quinn is finally starting to paint a clear picture in her mind. She recalls the sickly street orphans, and the sorrow reflected in their eyes. These people were the ones who survived, who clawed their way up and established their own means of living.
The redhead interjects from the ground, interrupting Quinn's train of thought. "Tell that thug of yours to let him go already! You can't just torture people in the street!"
Erwin pauses in a moment of consideration, glancing down at the man hunched at his feet. After a few seconds, he looks up at Miche, who lifts him out of the water while maintaining a firm grip on his hair. A strained gasp escapes the man's lips as he struggles to catch his breath.
Then the commander does something Quinn would've never expected – he kneels down into the same muddy puddle that the man was just dunked into, coming face to face with him as he struggles in Miche's hold. "I'm Section Commander Erwin Smith of the Scouts. What's your name?"
The stranger stares him down for a moment, before his response comes out through a jagged breath.
"Levi."
︎***
A/N: Whew, alright y'all. If you're here, tysm for checking my fic out (: This has been brewing in my brain for like a year now. I've put a lot of love into developing my OC as well as the overall plot of the story.
A few points to go over!
- This fic will cover the events of No Regrets, chunks of time before and after the fall of Wall Maria, and the main plot of the anime. (Maybe some after, too? We'll see!)
- For the most part, this fic will be canon-compliant, though I will be expanding a lot and adding a LOT of original aspects to the story.
- There will also be a few things mixed in from the No Regrets manga, as I think it's a better reflection of Levi's origin story and adds a lot more details than the OVA.
- Levi is aged down SLIGHTLY in this fic. Quinn's age is what it is for lore purposes, and I'm just not a fan of big age gaps so this is a personal preference thing (: He's canonically in his early 30s in the year 850, in this fic he'll be 29. so yknow, not far off at all, but still worth noting.
- This is my first fanfic that i've published since i was like 12, and the longest multi chapter fic i've ever taken on (this baby is also gonna be a loooong one) If you're sticking along for the ride, I love and appreciate u sm.