A/N: It's that time of the week again... you excited?

Also, a very canon chapter. The scenes here actually happen in the manga/anime, but we get Levi's perspective. You will recognize it when you read.

I mostly went off memory and from reading the official translation of the manga/anime. I even added one or two lines because I always saw this as an AU fic where things are just a little bit different from canon, so I think I can take a few liberties there... I watched this scene dubbed and subbed, but I purposefully didn't want to write it word for word, if that makes sense? I think since this anime gets translated into so many languages across the world, there isn't one definite script, etc. Okay, maybe the Japanese is the official script, but I hope you enjoy it regardless.

Levi

It's hot as balls out as Four Eyes and I ride on horseback to see where the brats are up to with the railroad.

Also, we have some pretty shitty news to tell them regarding our so-called meditator Kiyomi Azumbito.

Tch. Just our luck.

I can't stop scanning the landscape, expecting to see the ugly face of a titan looming over the horizon, yet I find nothing.

Once upon a time, this land was considered titan country, yet here we are three years later, building a railroad that may hopefully connect us to the world beyond the sea.

Hange rides with a determined frown on her face that almost borders on terrifying, and I try to offer her space. She hasn't spoken a word since we left Wall Maria, and I can tell she's pissed.

After all, we had been relying on Kiyomi, yet our efforts proved to be in vain.

We will still have to sacrifice Historia in the end, and now I find myself riding a little faster too. Like that will make a difference.

I still have to believe there is another way to save the woman I love. I will not sacrifice the mother of my future children.

Something must have happened, something that prevented her from sacrificing her life, and I know we can all get through this. We can save Historia and the island.

No one will have to die needlessly.

Shapes materialise along the hazy horizon, followed by the echoing clank of hammer against steel, and we've finally arrived at our destination.

Hange hails. "Hey!"

The brats stop once they see their commander, and soon we're all discussing politics and worldwide ethics around the newly-formed tracks.

I wasn't even aware of the concept 'worldwide' a few years back. How times have changed.

"Sorry about the weather," Hange remarks. "It mustn't be easy working your butts off out in this heat."

Jean takes his hat off, wiping the sweat off the back of his head. "It's all right. Someone has to keep an eye on this moron, and make sure he doesn't go off the rails..."

He's talking about Eren, of course. No one laughs at his rails pun, though. Now isn't the time.

Seeing the hope in all their eyes creates a dipping sensation in my gut, and to distract myself, I make an offhanded remark, peering up at Connie Springer and I mean up. He's gotten so big. They all have.

"You all got so tall. It's like you're sprouting up just to spite me..."

I sound like an overgrown brat, but anything to take my mind off things. Anything to show that I'm not completely dying on the inside.

Hange cuts straight to the chase, throwing all small talk out the window. "We just received word from Hizuru, and it's not good."

She goes on to explain how Kiyomi is pretty reluctant to share the island's resources with the rest of the world (are we really that surprised?), and how other nations need to see us as a threat as it provides "global stability".

We unite the world by being a common enemy. Fan-flipping-tastic.

However, there are some organisations who are sympathetic to our course, but they're considered freaks. No one takes them seriously.

Fuck. This is going to be harder than I thought.

One by one, the brats wilt, and I don't have the heart for this. I can't bear to see the heartbreak in all their eyes as only one thing crosses our minds now.

"So, does this mean we have to rely on the Rumbling and sacrifice Historia?" Eren says, and I bow my head.

"That's right," I reply, unable to meet anyone in the eyes. I know they all look at me, but only briefly. Everyone's too wrapped up in their own grief to concentrate on me.

After all, Historia means a lot to us all.

Armin's the first to break the silence. "So, that's it? They've all decided for themselves that we're the enemy, despite what our intentions are? It's like they want us to repeat the sins of our ancestors. Why can't we all just come together and find a path for peace?"

"Probably... because they don't know who we are. They don't know our faces..." Mikasa replies, just as crestfallen.

That's true. To them, we truly are just a bunch of faceless devils. Maybe if they really did learn what we're all about, then they would change their minds.

It's wishful thinking, but there has to be some open-minded souls out there.

"Well, that's it," Hange says. "They just need to learn what we're about. We could stay here, hoping that Kiyomi manages to convince some sympathetic nations, or, we could go out there for ourselves and show the world who we are. After all, isn't that what the Survey Corps has always been about?"

A hush spreads through the group and all I can do is stare at Four Eyes.

She wants us to leave the island?

My head knows it's the right thing to do. In fact, I can even glimpse Erwin right now smiling proudly at Hange as he approves of her our new mission, but my heart doesn't want to leave.

It doesn't want to leave Historia.

But I know it's for the best.

However, it seems Four Eyes has forgotten one little tidbit. How am I supposed to get Historia pregnant if we're scouting new territory?

...

We ride back to Wall Maria, the sun's rays casting a reddish glow over the land, but I'm too pissed to take any notice.

Just like before, we don't speak. We ride in total silence, and I can tell Hange is dying to say something.

The tension finally gets to her and now she breaks her silence. "Well, say something, Levi. You haven't spoken a word since we left the tracks."

I tighten my hands around the reins of my horse, gnashing my teeth. The proposal of the new mission makes sense. We should be going across the sea and meeting as many outsiders as much as possible, but I can't leave Historia. Especially with the way everything is going right now with the MPs.

She's not safe here with them. I keep seeing the way that Roeg eyeballs her, and I will punch his ugly face if he so much as opens his mouth.

"Well, at least Erwin is satisfied with my plan..." Hange remarks.

I have no idea what she's talking about, but I grill it into her at last. "You seem to be forgetting one little thing, Four Eyes."

She narrows her one brown eye. "And what's that?"

I grind my teeth, locking my eyes with hers. "Historia. I can't just leave her to her own defences. Also, I need to get her pregnant. Not so easy to do with a whole ocean between us..."

She hangs her head. "Of course. I have thought of that. But if you were to get her pregnant before we—"

"Don't."

Hange tapers her eye. "Levi, don't interrupt me when I'm speaking. I'm your commander now, remember—"

"I won't leave her vulnerable and pregnant, Shitty Glasses!"

My mare startles beneath me, and I have to steady her. I must be losing my mind. I haven't called Hange Shitty Glasses in a long while.

My heart's thudding against my chest as Wall Maria rises up in the distance, glowing like fire as the sun sets in the west.

Hange speaks again. "Levi, I know you're worried about her, but it's for the best. The scouts need to embark on this mission. This is what our comrades all sacrificed themselves for. We owe it to them. But as I was saying before you rudely interrupted... With Historia being pregnant, the MPs wouldn't dare touch her..."

I'm not so sure I wholly believe that. I've seen what happens to people when they're desperate. They steal, they fight, they murder...

I've even held a small, abused girl in my arms. So I know what lies in the hearts of corrupt men. Ones who throw around words like 'justice' just to fit their own twisted sense of morality.

There are some bastards in the military who would gladly turn a pregnant woman and risk killing her child.

My child.

And I wouldn't even be there to stop them if they tried. Because I would be across the sea playing diplomat.

The face of Roeg flies up before me again, and I want to punch him in his face. Then Darius Zackley appears, and I want to tear him apart too.

It seems I will have to pay Nile Dok a visit before we depart. He's the only one I can trust. I know he will keep Historia safe while I'm gone.

"So you have nothing to worry about, Levi. Everything is falling into place, just as I planned. There's just one little thing you need to do..."

I speak through gritted teeth, keeping my eyes on the distant wall. "What?"

Hange pulls a stupid face, and now she bites her lip, looking like a total idiot, and there's the hare-brained scientist we all know and love.

"You just have to get her good and pregnant before we leave. I mean, it shouldn't be too hard. She is an attractive girl. You really do have a way with the ladies, don't you, Levi, which is surprising, considering how glum you are. And blondes, too. Hold on... would you say Petra was more strawberry blonde or honey blonde?" She stops rambling, peering at something I can't see. "Oh, I see... strawberry blonde. Thanks for the heads-up, Petra. Still beautiful as ever, I see..."

Okay, now she's freaking me out. It takes me back to the time she was convinced that a freaking cat was the reincarnation of Erwin Smith.

I rush to the gate ahead of her, leaving her to her imaginary friends.

It's like she's speaking to the dead.

Should I be worried about her?

You shouldn't laugh at Hange; we all know why she is seeing the Scouts. How long was she seeing them in the manga/anime? I don't know. Erwin was the same way too. It's so sad.

Also, you may have noticed, but I have Jean saying, "Going off the rails," which is an English idiom. That's something I added in, plus, I love puns, and they were building a rail system, so leave me alone!

Eren really did go off the rails in the end.

And I know I'm not the only RivaHisu shipper who wanted to know what Levi was thinking in that scene above, and now we have some version. I hope you liked it. I can't wait to write the part where the soldier mentions Historia in the giant forest to Levi. You all know what scene I mean (the one the anime totally omitted, just like they omitted the choking scene).

I think I need to read back the manga soon as I'm starting to forget things again. It happens. Watching the anime helps, but since they omit things concerning Levi and Historia, it's best I go off the manga.

See you next week.