Under the Moonlight
“Don’t know if you heard, but it’s Ackerman.” Levi turns to Mikasa, “Might be a relative of yours.”
A small soft gasp of surprise escapes her at the statement. It seems she too was all confused about the possibility. Ever since learning of Kenny the Ripper’s last name, the captain has felt a certain connection… a bond that connects him to Mikasa – the gloomy brat he’s had his eyes on for some time.
He needs to know. And when he turns his full attention to her to listen, she slightly droops her head.
“I remember my parents saying that my dad’s side, the Ackermans, were persecuted when they lived in the cities…”
Her words trail on as he listens. And Levi finds himself imagining a small but happy family. She must have lived a good and peaceful life, he reckons. Before the simple fact that she had that damned last name endangered her.
What a life it would have been… for her, at least.
“But my father never told me why the Ackermans were persecuted…”
The moment the last name is mentioned again, Levi snaps back to reality. Or at least from the imagery of the more peaceful and happier Mikasa his mind had just conjured.
He needs to know. And the time to ask is now.
“Tell me this,” he starts, trying to come up with the right words, “Have you ever suddenly felt a… power awaken inside you?”
There goes her small gasp of surprise yet again. But her face lights up, and he knows he is going in the right direction.
“I have…”
Relief washes over him at her response, like a missing piece has been found to complete his puzzle. And though there are bigger puzzles to solve, he feels at ease.
As the moon shines brightly in the dark of night, accompanied by the rolling sounds of the wagon and the steady hoofbeats of horses, he stares deeply at her. A tinge of intrigue gleams in his steely blue eyes.
“This has happened for Kenny Ackerman as well. Suddenly out of nowhere, he felt an absurd amount of strength surging through him. And in that moment, he knew just what he needed to do,” he explains.
His eyes never leave her as she lifts her head to look back at him.
“And it’s happened to me too…”