💚 See Me Now 💚
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VI. Pursuers
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Hange and Jean were both looking at (F/N) as she wiped her face with a clean towel.
Hange ordered (F/N), ordered, to tell them what really happened inside Levi's office. With tears in her eyes, she recalled how Levi ordered her to go to his office that morning to do some paperwork. She told them how he was not satisfied with her job and the beverages she made for him that finally urged him to do that terrible thing to her.
The girl buried her face on the towel, unable to control her sobbing. Jean suddenly felt rage within his being that surprisingly shook him to his core.
"So, that's why you kept on making those beverages." Jean said. (F/N) just nodded. "But, come on! They're not bad!"
"How did you know about that?" the astute scientist asked Jean.
The boy suddenly went red in the cheeks, looked away, and began scratching the back of his head.
"Well, err, I sampled the chocolate and the c-coffee she made. They're all good." Jean stuttered. He snapped his eyes back at Hange, infuriated at such awful treatment the short Captain has shown the girl. "You don't spill a drink on anyone because of that, right? In fact, you don't spill your drink on anyone, period!"
"Okay, calm down, Kirschtein." Hange thought for a while and touched the girl's shoulders gently. "You said that he made you fill out his documents?"
The girl just nodded. Hange took her hands off the girl and went outside the kitchen.
"Section Commander, wait!" Jean said. "Where are you going?"
"Wait for me, you two." she called and finally turned round a corner. Jean was about to place his arm round (F/N)'s shoulders when they heard Hange say, "And, don't do anything reckless, got that?"
Jean clicked his tongue in annoyance at the lady.
A few minutes later, she was back, carrying with her some documents that Levi left in his office when he went out. Jean immediately saw the papers and went closer to Hange to see (F/N)'s written work.
Jean,... was stunned. He looked back at (F/N), whose face was still buried on the towel. "(F/N), you did this?"
Once again, the girl just nodded.
Hange cleared her throat. "I want to ask a question, (F/N)." she said. The poor girl looked up at her superior with her eyes that were red from crying too much. "Is this the first time you filled out documents of importance such as this?"
(F/N) shrugged. "No, Squad Leader."
"When was the first time? And who taught you?"
"Commander Shadis taught me how to do it. I used to help him with his paperwork."
"Shadis did?" Jean uttered. "You mean THE ex - Scouting Legion Commander and Trainee Squad Head Keith Shadis?"
The girl nodded.
"Oh, I see." Hange said. She sat with (F/N) and showed her the documents. "You know, other Cadets could never produce an excellent work such as this. Well, not without years of training. When did Shadis teach you how to do this?"
"Just a few months before graduation. About two."
Hange absorbed the information like a sponge and pondered for a while.
Everybody is aware of (F/N)'s ability in battle and lack, thereof. But, to think that Keith Shadis would teach her such things that no other Cadet should know about, since their future line of work would simply revolve around guarding the walls or slaying the Titans,...
Not unless he wanted her to join the Military Police Brigade, which was hopelessly impossible given her lack of good grades when she was still a Trainee.
Or, maybe - ?
"Why would Captain Levi reject her work if it's that good?" Jean impatiently asked while looking at the numerous digits that (F/N) filled out in the papers that make no sense to him.
"You know how Shorty is with paperwork. That midget's a freaking perfectionist."
"Hahaha, and to hear that insult coming from you, Section Commander,..." Jean laughed.
"So!" Hange said. She tapped (F/N)'s shoulders, took the soaked towel from her, and handed her her very own coin purse. "You, my little Cadette, should go wash yourself, dress nicely, and buy whatever you want at the market. You should go take the rest of the day off. In fact, I insist."
(F/N) just stared at her in disbelief, the pink coin purse still in her hand.
"What are you standing there for? Go!"
"Yes, ma'am!" (F/N) saluted and went out of the kitchen.
Jean collapsed on a nearby chair and plopped his feet on the table. He continued studying the documents. "No matter how many times I read this, it just doesn't make any sense!"
Hange fetch herself a glass of water and took a seat across Jean. "It will make sense, Kirschtein."
"How so?"
"If you are a higher - ranking officer, that is. Or better yet, a Commander,..."
******
Three hours later, (F/N) was strolling around the Trost District market.
She just bathed and she wore the shirt that Nifa lent her. She still couldn't believe that the Section Commander, her Squad Leader, was letting her spend her own money. She felt really guilty.
So, she brought her own purse, which contained a decent amount of coins, and decided to bring back some souvenirs for her friends.
Of course, what happened inside Levi's office was still fresh from her mind.
As much as she wanted to believe that Levi was just punishing her for wearing Petra's dress, she could clearly feel that his treatment towards her has turned even more awful. It's as if he had some kind of grudge against her.
Her eyebrows furrowed. She finally decided that Levi just couldn't let anyone take Petra's place in his life. No one could, after all. She was the greatest person she knew. No one could be like her friend, Petra.
"Flowers for the beautiful, young lady." a shriveled voice said. She turned to her left and saw a kind elderly lady wearing what looked like patched rags. She was holding a basket filled with white roses and she was offering one to her.
Her heart instantly melted at the sight and she quickly rummaged through her purse to get money.
"No, dear child." the old woman said.
"Sorry?"
"This rose is for you. I give this as a present for the beautiful, young lady."
The old woman was still offering her the rose. She felt guilty for refusing her, so she just took it from her hand.
"T-thank you so much."
She sniffed the rose. It smelled heavenly.
"I'm glad the beautiful, young lady likes it." the old woman said and went back to her place in those filthy rags on the ground near the fruit stand.
She smiled, waved at the old woman, and went on walking.
Just as she was about to look at a nearby stall where cheap jewelry was sold, she heard everyone around her muttering excitedly at the same time. Two country girls who were buying trinkets from the same stall were whispering to each other quite scandalously.
"They said he was never in a relationship." the blonde one said.
"Who knows? He is Humanity's Strongest Soldier! Any girl would be willing to spend just a single night with him!" the brunette said. "I want to spend a night with him!"
"You are quite the naughty one!" the blonde girl pinched her friend's arm playfully.
(F/N) turned towards the crowd, which were huddled in the middle of the square, watching someone riding a horse, whose mane was as dark as the evening sky. It's Shadow, the Stubborn Stallion. Which means,...
"Captain Levi!" shrieked a young lady from the crowd. "Notice me! NOTICE ME!"
"Oi, watch it!" an old man said beside her. He was trying his best to dodge her flailing arms.
Levi wasn't amused. In fact, he hated it when people show their adoration towards him. It's just ridiculous.
He was about to proceed to the gates leading to the next district when he felt someone staring rather intently at him. He turned, his sharp eyes searching for the source of the unexplained force, and found no one there. He clicked his tongue and commanded Shadow to keep going.
(F/N) barely made it in time as she quickly hid behind a stall to not be seen by the Captain. Here, of all places? Why?
She slightly turned to look at Levi when she noticed that he had dismounted his horse beside a stall six blocks away from where she was hidden. It was a good thing he didn't see her staring at him.
She cautiously came out of her hiding place, the single stem of white rose still on her hand. She watched as Levi went to a food stall to get himself something to eat. Then, she felt really bad. He must really be starving and thirsty right now. She saw him order a piece of bread from a grumpy old man who owned the food stall and waited for him as he toasted it.
She still couldn't stop herself from looking at him. She knew he did terrible things to her, but it still didn't stop the butterflies from fluttering inside her stomach, giving her an indescribable rush of emotions. She smiled, observing Levi's muscular back clad in black jacket.
All of a sudden, the same old woman who offered her the rose tugged at his shirt. He turned irritably around and faced her.
"Rose for the handsome, young man." the old woman said. Oh, how sweet of her,...
Levi tch!ed and shoved money in the poor woman's basket.
"That was meant as a gift!" the old woman's voice suddenly changed.
Even before (F/N), or Levi himself, realized it, the old woman grabbed his arm forcefully, took out a syringe that was concealed with flowers inside her basket, removed it's cover with her foul, yellow teeth, and injected his arm with the suspicious black liquid inside it. Levi growled with the sudden pain and pushed the old woman away. The needle was still injected onto his arm. He took it out and winced with pain.
The old woman suddenly laughed, her old shriveled voice sending chills down (F/N)'s spine. What's more, nobody seems to mind what was happening to them.
"Ackerman must die." the old woman said. She pointed a bony finger at him and continued shouting, the pitch of her voice gradually becoming an octave higher. "Ackerman must die! Ackerman must die! Ackerman must die! ACKERMAN MUST DIE!"
"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Levi screamed and suddenly collapsed on the ground. (F/N) quickly made her way towards the Captain. She grabbed a basket from a nearby fruit stall and threw it at the crazy old lady.
"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" (F/N) shrieked.
The old lady just smiled at her. "The beautiful, young lady is not Ackerman. So why bother? ACKERMAN WILL NOW DIE!"
"SHUT UP!"
All of a sudden, (F/N) realized that a few, hooded men had emerged from the darkest corners of the marketplace, making their way towards them. She looked closely and shuddered; they were all bearing guns.
No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No!
"Captain Levi, we must go!" (F/N) said while helping Levi stand. He has become groggy and unresponsive. But, the instant he noticed her, he tried to wriggle free from her grasp. Like a weak child trying to get away from an angry parent.
"L-let me go, you - "
Before Levi could say anything bad to her, he vomited, the thick greenish liquid spilling down his pale mouth.
The Captain would not let her help him. And now, the pursuers were getting closer and closer to the two of them.
"HELP US, PLEASE!" she shouted, but the people just went on with their tasks, like they do not even exist. Now, where did their adoration to the Humanity's Strongest go? (F/N) noticed the girl who was begging to be noticed by Levi earlier. She just went on picking flowers from a nearby stall.
It's no use, the pursuers will definitely kill them.
A hooded man, who seemed to be the leader, took a gun from his pocket and pointed it at Levi.
"No hard feelings, mate." he said with a raspy voice that (F/N) distinctly recognized. "This is just an order, nothing personal." He was definitely going to pull the trigger.
(F/N) cowered and hugged Levi, who was now unconscious on the ground, concealing him from the man, praying for a miracle. She closed her eyes,...
She suddenly heard an explosion. A gunfire.
But, we're still alive!
She opened her eyes and found a great white stallion before them. It was a truly magnificent sight! And the gunshot seemed to come from the tall, muscular man atop the horse. He was clad in flowing, green cape with the crest of the Wings of Freedom at the back.
The man,... was none other than Erwin Smith, himself.
The pursuers panicked at the sight. Ten more men in Scouting Legion uniform surrounded (F/N) and Levi, protecting them from the bad guys. They were all pointing their shotguns at the hooded men. Erwin looked at (F/N).
"(L/N), are you hurt?" the Commander asked her.
Her eyes were wide with admiration to the blonde Commander. "No, sir. But, Levi - Captain Levi is!"
"I see." Erwin brought his fingers to his mouth and whistled loudly. A few moments later, Shadow came in barging at the scene. The black horse stopped before them, stomping his hooves impatiently on the ground upon seeing his owner's limp body. Erwin unmounted and carried Levi effortlessly off the ground in firefighter style. He placed the unconscious Captain atop Shadow and looked at (F/N). "You must help me. Get on Shadow."
(F/N) looked at the black stallion, who seemed to consider her with much hate, just like his owner. But, she brushed all uncertainties aside and quickly hopped on the complaining horse. Erwin began skillfully coaxing it to relax. Now, she was positioned just behind the Captain. Her heart leaped at the close contact with the man she adored despite the dangerous situation they were in.
Erwin went back to his horse and gestured for his men to retreat. And despite all of the ruckus, the people remained uncaring and unaffected. The observant Commander noticed the look on (F/N)'s face and told her, "It's no use. More men are pointing guns at them, they couldn't do anything but watch."
(F/N) gulped audibly in nervousness. What situation did she land herself into?
"Fall back!" Erwin ordered and the men started riding back to the Scouting Legion Headquarters.
(F/N) took Shadow's reins and did her best in making Levi's horse move. "Let's go, Shadow,..."
They rode fast without a single glance behind them. They arrived at the Headquarters just before twilight.
It has begun, thought Erwin grimly as Hange met them at the gates.
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Knock, knock, @yepps , @levi4mikasa , @clovemcpandas , @unhappysap , and @shewolfofficial . 💚
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