Good Night, Dear and Sweet Dreams Vol. 02 Levi
The man stood before a large obscured door.
Darkness had fallen and the stars shined in the sky.
Where am I…?
He got off his horse and opened the heavy door on his own.
What am I doing…?
While his mind was still occupied by uncertain thoughts, his feet moved him toward the open door.
"Welcome, Levi. I'm glad you made it."
"What's with that getup…Erwin?"
There appeared someone he knew very well, but he almost looked like a different man.
******
Could it have been before they went on the expedition?
They had passed by MPs in town and were cursed as idle good-for-nothings, just as they always were.
"Heh, I see the MPs are as egotistical as ever," Hange said, brushing it off.
"MPs… You become one by being one of the talented brats in the Training Corps, right?" Levi asked.
"That's right. You have to be in the top ten of your section's class."
"Now that you mention it, Hange… Didn't you and Erwin have good marks? You could've become MPs if you wanted…"
"Maybe." Hange laughed at Levi's question like there was something funny about it. "Wear fancy clothes, hang out around nobles, enjoy expansive luxuries… I can't even imagine living that life! But I think it might suit Erwin, no? I mean, think of that square, sober face of his!"
Hange seemed to find their own words funny, as they disregarded Levi and his stone face and began guffawing.
*****
…Oh. And that's why I'm having this stupid dream.
Erwin had appeared in Levi's dream dressed in extravagant clothing, and he now invited Levi into his estate.
A red carpet…? You know your feet weren't meant to walk on one of these.
"Now, Levi. You ought to enjoy this, too."
The illusory Erwin opened a second door as he stood atop the scarlet cloth.
"Everyone…!"
A crowd of people with fancy drinks in their hands was there to meet Levi. They were his comrades in the Survey Corps, the ones he had fought alongside until now--
"Levi! You're late!"
"Captain… We were waiting for you."
Levi's vision wavered.
They wore well-tailored suits and expansive-looking dresses. Not one of them looked good in the clothes.
This isn't even funny… Just look at them.
"I know all of you, and not one of you would ever look this gutless," an irritated Levi spat, trying to shake the dream off.
"But you know, Levi," the imagined Hange said, something dropping from their mouth.
The drop of crimson began to ooze outward as the red carpet turned into a sea of blood.
"It's better than this, isn't it?"
"Wha…!"
The next thing Levi noticed, all the comrades around him were on their sides, bleeding.
******
"--Ngh!?"
Levi woke up drenched in sweat. He found himself in an ancient castle where they'd decided to set up camp.
"Ah, um, Captain?!"
"…Oh, Petra."
One of Levi's subordinates, on watch duty, looked at him with worried eyes.
"Are you not feeling well, Captain?"
"…I'm fine. Sorry, but…give me some water."
"Yes, right away!"
Levi watches Petra's back as she went to grab the closest canteen and recalled the dream he'd seen until just moments ago.
They were soldiers who had thrown away the security offered by the capital in order to choose to stand in a sea of blood.
Did they make the right decision or not…? That's not something anyone can say. But…
Levi drank the water he was given in one gulp and wiped his mouth.
…I just need to protect them. They were prepared to take this step forward…and I should at least defend that.
Was this true determination, or was Levi only trying to act tough so that he could shake off his ominous dream?
Levi laid back down without knowing for sure which it could have been.
SOURCE: Attack on Titan: Short Stories