A/N: inspired by fanart and short prompt by roxoah on tumblr
Rivamika AU requested by wishingred
Captain Levi Ackerman of the Winged Behemoth was a fearsome pirate indeed. Feared on the high seas, this infamous sailor was known for his penchant for raiding anything and everything. Rumored to have a cache of loot bigger than the island of Maria itself, he was an elusive figure.
This swashbuckling rebel was highly admired for his daring but few knew him on a personal level. Very few were allowed in Levi's inner circle, the only people whom he truly trusted were on his crew. Sasha, Connie, Jean, and Armin knew their captain was abrasive and rude but underneath the hard exterior was an honorable man worth their loyalty and respect.
Armin, the Winged Behemoth's resident navigator and mapmaker had recently plotted a course for the legendary island of Sina, a fantastical place no one in living memory had ever laid eyes on. Legend had it that on the island was a treasure worth more than all the loot in the world.
Currently passing through the strait of Shigashina, Connie, the lookout was perched up on the mast, peering through a telescope. On the other side was a hazardous body of water shrouded in mist. Levi peered down at the water searching for dangerous sandbars or protruding rocks that could damage his ship.
Eren, his ever present parrot, sat serenely on Levi's shoulder, preening his brilliantly colored plumage. "Oi, why don't you make yourself useful and fly ahead," Levi muttered to his parrot. Eren looked miffed and gave what could only be described as a shrug. "Can't see," Eren sqwawked.
Levi rolled his eyes, and muttered some profanities under his breath. But then Levi's eyes widened as he heard unearthly music emanating from the water. A sweet voice sang in a foreign tongue, flowing through the air like liquid silk, it haunted and bewitched Levi's ears.
"What is that?" Levi demanded, looking at Armin. In addition to navigation, Armin was also the expert on sea lore. If the legend existed, Armin knew about it. Armin had his head cocked to the side, listening. His blue eyes opened, looking at his captain. "A-a siren," Armin gasped. Levi's eyes narrowed. Even he had heard of sirens. In all his years of traveling he had never encountered any, so he assumed they were myths, that, or extinct.
Sirens were dangerous. How was one supposed to protect oneself when you couldn't even think straight. "Tell me everything you know about them," he ordered Armin.
The young man's brow furrowed as he did his best to recall every scroll he had ever read on the rare creatures. "They're rare," he finally answered. "There are very few left. I didn't think they existed anymore. This one must be one of the last. None of the texts are clear on what their appearance is. No one has ever lived to describe them. They ensnare you with their voices and no one ever comes back after hearing their voice."
"Must be ugly," Levi replied arrogantly, "They wouldn't need such beautiful voices otherwise." Armin shrugged at him. The others had gathered around as he had described the sirens. "What now, Captain?" Jean asked.
"We catch it and bring it back," Levi announced. "A beast this rare will be worth a ton of gold." It only made sense. Maybe this was what the legend spoke of. Levi could see the nervousness his crew mates' eyes, but they trusted him. They would follow him to the end. Connie and Sasha went below decks to find a net to subdue the siren when they found it.
The ship drew closer to the source of the tempting melody and bumped gently onto the shore of a body of land that appeared in the mist. Levi jumped easily onto the beach from the ship, his crew following, carrying the net.
He walked warily deeper into the misty island, eyes flitting here and there to look for traps or hazardous quick sand pits. Following the enchanting ballad, Levi saw that they were now walking in a tropical forest. A rustle alerted him that something was nearby. He could hear the ripple of water as something was swimming in it. Signaling for his crew to go around, he approached the break in the trees. He would go in first before calling on his crew for backup.
