Chapter One:
Mikasa's muscles ached. She set down the little girl in the street. The poor thing was sobbing and Mikasa didn't blame her. All around them, the carnage of Annie Leonhart's rampage was scattered, coloring the stones crimson. The metallic scent of blood hung in the air. The girl sobbed and slowly wandered off. Mikasa let her go, she had more important things to worry about, besides the girl was wandering off in the other direction.
Using her 3DMG, she zipped through the buildings. Eren and Annie were still fighting by the wall. Annie threw a powerful kick into Eren's face and immobilized him. Mikasa's blood boiled. Annie ran for the wall, her footsteps resounding like an earthquake.
"Not this time." Mikasa thought grimly. Her cables sung with speed, a grey trail of steam in her wake. Mikasa deftly worked her way around the buildings, using the arched roofs to gain height. She latched to the wall as Annie approached.
With a swift turn she sliced Annie's fingers off. Time stood still. Annie's eyes widened in fear.
"Fall, Annie." Mikasa whispered.
The female titan hit the ground. Mikasa felt the aftershock all the way up the wall. Eren ran and ripped the back of the female's neck open. Mikasa couldn't really tell what happened next. Eren came out of his titan form, assisted by someone. Mikasa guessed it was Armin. Something shone far below, but Mikasa couldn't get a good look at it.
It exploded, sending crystal shards flying like bullets into everyone else. The sound was like a cannon.
Mikasa gasped and let go, coming as close to a freefall as she could get, racing down the wall. Her footsteps pattered in time with her racing heart. Blood was everywhere. She went to Eren first. He was dead. There was no doubt. The shards had pierced him through in more ways than one.
"No…. it wasn't supposed to be like this. No, this cannot be!"
Rage and denial built in Mikasa. She whirled to face the traitor, the titan shifter. She never got there. Something hard and metal crashed onto her head. She caught sight of her attacker.
"Captain Levi..?"
Her vision faded.
~0~
Levi watched the steady rise and fall of Mikasa's chest. There were various restraints on her bed. They had been attached to ensure that she didn't go off on a bloody rampage. No one knew what state she'd be in. As Eren's only commanding officer who wasn't under arrest, he was obligated to tell her.
Eren was officially dead.
Annie Leonhart was currently under custody. Two days had passed since the Stohess Incident, as everyone now called it. Mikasa hadn't so much as moved of her volition since. Levi was beginning to wonder if he'd hit her too hard. Or maybe it was the trauma of the day before the battle. Levi still didn't know how to tell her. He never really did with anyone. Even with Petra’s own father, he had been speechless.
Mikasa stirred, groaning softly. Levi sighed with relief. He'd been sitting there for nearly four hours. She opened her eyes and glanced around. She seemed puzzled. Mikasa pulled lightly on the restraints. Her charcoal eyes fell on Levi, narrowing.
"Captain? What happened?" Mikasa whispered, her voice hoarse. Her head ached and her body was stiff from being confined for 48 hours. The mattress squeaked as she tried to move.
Levi sighed. "What do you remember?" He deadpanned. Mikasa's face hardened.
"Annie did something. Blast it all, I was up on the stupid wall. I didn't see." Raw emotion had crept into her voice. Levi realized that she didn't know what had happened.
"Where is Eren?" Mikasa demanded. Levi knew the question was coming, but the hopeful, fearful look on Mikasa's face made it hurt. He swallowed.
"Eren died in action." He waited for a response. He expected tears, yelling, pulling on the restraints, Mikasa demanding to see Eren, asking him why he was screwing around with her. Or maybe just shellshock. Something. He certainly hadn't expected her to laugh. It was a bitter and resentful laugh, echoing like an old and weary ghost’s chortle.
"The world is cruel." She sighed bitterly. "I guess Eren lost, after all." She stared at the ceiling, expecting to feel something. Anything. There was nothing but the cold acceptance, an emptiness, like everything had been drained out of her; leaving nothing but an hollow husk. It was like Trost, she felt lost. Mikasa was a very purpose-driven person. Take that purpose away and she has nothing to keep her going. It was why she almost surrendered at Trost. Now all she felt was that same cold emptiness.
Levi had been watching intently. He didn't know Mikasa well, he barely knew her at all. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out an envelope.
"Ackermann, we've been summoned to the King. As soon as you woke up." He hated having to force her back to duty, as he would for any soldier who had just lost a loved one. Mikasa simply nodded. Levi untied the restraints. Mikasa moved slowly.
"They brought you a fresh uniform." He gestured to the neatly folded pile near the bed. He walked out leaving Mikasa to her own thoughts. She still felt like there was a cold stone where her heart used to. A few tears rolled down her face. She changed and joined Levi in the corridor.
~0~
"Welcome. There have been many rumors about you two, you know. Mikasa Ackermann, the Woman Worth 100 Soldiers. Captain Levi, Humanity's Strongest Soldier." The king laughed. His face gradually hardened. Mikasa and Levi stood to attention. The king sat at his gilded table.
"We anticipated that Jaeger would fail. We knew, from the start that it was a hopeless measure."
Mikasa and Levi's blood boiled. Their comrades had died for that plan.
So Petra, Gunter, Erd, and Aurou meant nothing to you sick pigs? Levi furiously thought. Yet his exterior didn’t change.
You dared to just throw away Eren’s life and lives of our friends?! Humans, you are more like monsters, like them. Mikasa mentally yelled, outraged.
"So we decided on a contingency. Every Plan A requires a Plan B, after all." He smiled coldly. They both nodded.
"So I and some of my advisors and commander Pixis decided to do some research on the extraordinary cadets who survived the Battle of Trost. From there, we decided on this course;" He paused.
"Captain Levi and Recon Scout Mikasa Ackermann will head an elite force designed to retake Wall Maria. You will both be promoted to High Commander. The Recon Corps are being abolished. You will replace them. You will be provided with a training garrison that will double as headquarters. You have the authority to recruit whoever you see fit, be they from the former Recon Corps, Garrison, Military Police, or any cadets you think deserve to be accepted." He gestured to some envelopes.
"The instructions are more detailed here. You do understand?"
Mikasa and Levi nodded. Both were stunned and saddened. Both were outraged and incensed. Both remained apathetic outwardly. They knew their duty.
"Then welcome, High Commanders Ackermann and Rivaille. You are dismissed." He handed them the envelope and they left, their footsteps echoing on the polished marble floors. Once outside, Mikasa opened the envelope with shaking hands and looked at where they were supposed to be. How ironic, her old training garrison. She saw an alternate name too. Levi looked over her shoulder.
"We're using that one." He said, pointing to the second name.
"Why?" Mikasa questioned.
"It's better fortified. And it's in Wall Maria. Away from MP or any other governmental scum. We're heading there now." Mikasa sighed. They were equals now, but Levi still acted like she was his subordinate.
"High Commander," Mikasa started.
"It's Levi." He snapped. Mikasa realized his growing anger over the issue. She knew to tread carefully.
"Levi, we can't just head there without preparations." She paused. "We should do some recruiting too."
"And who would we recruit?" His eyes glinted and Mikasa remembered that his entire squad died three days ago.
"I have some in mind."
"Then recruit them. I'll meet you at HQ." He snapped and walked away.
~0~
Rap. Rap. Rap.
Mikasa quietly knocked on Hanji's door. Finding where everyone was had turned out to be not as hard as she'd thought. All she had to do was ask at the Garrison.
The door opened and a very tired Hanji peered out.
"Ackermann? What the heck?" She said.
"I have a lot to tell you." Mikasa stated. Hanji gave a once over and opened the door wider, the rusted hinges creaking. Mikasa sat on one end of the table, Hanji slouched on the other.
"High Commander Levi and I were summoned to the King today." Hanji raised her eyebrows at the use of commander. "The Recon Corps are being abolished." Hanji gasped. "The government never expected Eren to succeed. They formed a contingency plan. They have appointed me and Levi as joint commanders of a new elite force, designed to retake Wall Maria." Hanji scoffed. Humans? Retake the wall? Please.
"I'd like you to join our force." Hanji stared. Mikasa's face remained resolute.
"Fine. But where's Erwin in all this?" She questioned.
"The king didn't tell us." Mikasa replied. Hanji sighed.
"Meet at the old Headquarters of the Recons in two days at dawn." Mikasa stood to leave. "Thank you, Hanji." Hanji waved it away.
Mikasa made several other offers that day. Sasha Braus accepted when Mikasa told her she could hunt as much as she wanted. Connie Springer was shocked, but accepted when he heard Sasha was going. Jean decided to stay with the Military Police. He had met Marlo, and the two of them were determined to reform the corrupt force. Armin had gone MIA. Mikasa wished more than ever he was around. His strategic genius would have been invaluable.
It was dark when Mikasa rode into the HQ. She put her horse in the stables and went in through a side door. There was a light in the kitchen. She went in. Levi was already at the table, eating some bread.
"The bread is stale." He deadpanned.
Mikasa sighed.
"You should eat something else, then."
Levi laughed bitterly. "I haven't the motivation to cook." Mikasa had started getting a pot out and she poured some chicken broth into the pot, followed by potatoes and meat. For good measure, she threw in some rice. The result was thick and hearty. Levi hadn't finished his stale bread since she'd started. Mikasa placed a steaming bowl in front of him. He reluctantly stuck his spoon in. Broth pooled against it. Mikasa had already ripped her bread and was dipping the chunks into the soup and savoring them, soft and moist. The soup wasn't spectacular by any means, but it was more filling than most meals. Levi almost licked his bowl clean. Going back for seconds, he found that Mikasa had separated the soup perfectly into two large servings. She took his bowl and started washing. Levi dried for her. The whole evening seemed to pass in silence. Finally, Levi broke it.
"We should look at the instructions." Mikasa nodded. They went back to the table and opened the envelope.
There was a lot bureaucratic trash in it, but the main purpose was as the king had told them: build an elite force and retake Wall Maria. Details like how the breach would be sealed were included. It was a two-pronged plan; one half of the force would defend the breach from incoming titans, while the other protected the workmen who would seal the breach. Levi and Mikasa both knew it was a risky plan, but the necessity of retaking Maria was absolute.
Later that night, Mikasa lay awake, staring at the moonlit patterns on her sheets. Slowly, salty tears dampened her bed. Muffling her sobs into her pillow, Mikasa let what tears she had flow.
Yet, scarcely three drops escaped her eyes amidst her grief.
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