[DISCONTINUED] Entangled in the Strings of Fate ~ Attack on Titan (Levi x OC)

09. Ilse's Journal (Part 1)

-Year 850, Day of the 49th Expedition-

Hanji tapped her fingers impatiently on the saddle. "Sixty seconds feels so long... Hey Levi--"

"Nope." Levi immediately answered, not even bothered to let the girl finished.

"But I haven't even said anything yet."

"'Help me capture a titan', right? No matter how many times you ask me, my answer will remain the same."

Hanji huffed as she cocked to her right. "What about you, Mike?"

The man just shook his head.

Hanji rolled her eyes. "As always, boring answers from boring men... Guess it's just us and our squad, Aile."

"Neither she nor your squad will help you," Levi said while glancing at Aile behind Hanji.

Aile nodded at Levi's statement. "He's right, Hanji. I might be your right hand, but I won't do it without Erwin's permission."

"Pfft. Boring." Hanji rolled her eyes again.

The big bell tolled, followed by Erwin's loud shout. "Gate opens in thirty seconds! All squads, prepare to leave!"

The gate slowly lifted up, letting the strong wind blew in. "We will now begin the 49th Expedition Beyond the Walls!"

The scouts glared forward, tightening their grip as they waited for Erwin's command.

"Onward!"

As Erwin spurred his horse, the whole formation followed behind him, exiting Shiganshina District and spreading outside the wall.

"Yahoo!! Titans, I'm coming~!"

Hanji suddenly came surging from Erwin's back, spurring her horse past him while cheering.

"Hanji, slow down!"

"That dummy..." Aile frowned, putting her palm against her forehead.

--------------

The formation stopped at a rest point, letting themselves refilled their supplies and relaxing their tendons.

As Aile walked with her horse, she saw Hanji was entering the commander's tent followed by Moblit, Hanji's other assistant. Some moments later she could hear Hanji's shouts from there.

"She must be requesting it again," Aile let out a long sigh. "And Erwin's gonna reject her again..."

"Squad Leader Hanji is the most rock-headed person I've ever known," beside her one member of Levi's squad, Gunther, remarked.

"Well, we could say the same about ourselves." Eld, another member of Levi's squad commented.

Aile flashed the two a small smile. "Right. We just don't bear it as much as she does... Anyway, do you two see Levi?"

"I saw captain was giving his horse drink over there," Gunther pointed his thumb to his back. The woman's smile grew wider. "Thanks, Gunther."

Aile waved the two a goodbye before leading her horse to where Levi were. "Hey, Levi." She greeted the man once she had found him.

Levi turned around from his horse, facing her. "Oh, it's you," he shortly said.

"How are you and your squad doing?" Aile said as she let her horse joined Levi's horse.

"Pretty good, I guess. My squad has developed much better."

"I see."

The two fell into silence as they watched their horses drinking.