The Captain - Levi Ackerman

Chapter 43

Dedicated Chapter Song: Far From Home - Five Finger Death Punch

Another day in this carnival of souls. Another night settles in as quickly as it goes. The memories of shadows, ink on the page, and I can't seem to find my way home.

       Anna tucked a blonde curl behind her ear, emotionless as she was forced to get on her hands and knees to scrub the floor of the dining hall in the VM headquarters. "I can't believe he's making you do this all alone, Urrie." said the younger boy from before, Miles, with his freckly smile. "It's fine." Anna lied as she dunked the scrub brush into the bucket of soapy water. "It's not like I'm not used to it." she said. "You'd better get out of here before you get in trouble."

      "I don't really care if I get in trouble." Miles tugged at his floppy white sleeves. "I never have. I don't fight for his cause, Urrie, I fight for myself." he knelt down beside her, taking up the extra brush. "I'll follow your lead, Captain."

      Anna solemnly smiled as she handed him a sanitary head scarf. "Can you wash the dishes for me?" she asked, a weakness in her voice and emotions cracking through. "Of course." Miles rose from the ground and sauntered over to the large sink. "You snuck out to see him last night, right? Captain Levi?" Miles questioned. "What's he like?"

      Anna sighed quietly. "Like me. But he's so much better. He knows the value of a soldier. He's the most emotional person I've ever met, but he hides it so well it's hard to tell he even feels emotions. He cares about people- in his own way- and does whatever is necessary to protect those he cares about. Whenever he slips up and someone dies he pretends not to care, but those that really know him can see through his facade." she described. "He's not one for showing much emotion as he feels they're a weakness and a waste of time. He barely sleeps due to nightmares, getting about 3 hours on average."

      Miles scoffed, smirking at her. "Still more than you." Anna rolled her eyes. "Yeah. I guess." she mumbled. "When was the last time you slept?" he asked, a little concerned. Anna raised her blonde head. "What month is it?" she asked, blinking her heterochromia eyes.

      "Jesus, Anna, you know I wore about you." Miles sighed, scrubbing some blue plates. Anna picked up the soapy bucket and carried it over to the sink. "Everyone worries about me, Miles. You're no different." she dumped out the filthy water down the drain.

      The brunette boy grabbed her wrist. "What exactly is your plan of attack against Fritz?" he asked. Anna sighed. "I can't tell you." she stated. "Why not?" Miles questioned. "Because I can't risk anyone else getting hurt because of me." Anna stated, refilling the bucket of water. "I'm sick and tired of losing my friends. I swear to you, Miles, if this plan goes through effectively, I'll take you to the Scouts. Maybe you can join the MP or the Garrison or something."

      Miles smiled sadly. "Yeah. I'd like that. But what about the others?" Anna scoffed as she walked back to the dining room table, setting the bucket upon it. "The rest of them are lost causes, brainwashed by Fritz." she stated. "By the way, were you able to look more into Boss's origins for me?"

      Miles nodded. "I only found a little, but it's enough." he shut off the water faucet and walked over to her. "Anna... he's not what he seems." he said lowly. "What is he?" she demanded. Miles grabbed her shoulders and shoved her down into a seat. "This may take a while."

(A/N: Heavy spoilers about the origins of the Titans up ahead)

      Anna eagerly looked up at him as he paced. "You remember before the Walls, right? Well do you remember the Eldian empire?" he asked. Anna nodded.  "Faintly." she replied. "Well, over 1,800 years ago it's said that Ymir Fritz, an ancient monarch of the royal Fritz family, made a deal with the Devil of Earth. No one knows what she exchanged with him, but it's said she was granted the power of the Titans." Miles took a seat right in front of her.

      "Ymir became the first known Titan and Titan Shifter, and used her Titans and power of the so-called Progenitor Titan to perform great deeds for her civilization, such as building roads, bridges, excreta." Anna's eyes gleamed with interest. "When ymir died, her 'soul' was split and passed down unto nine Titan Shifters. After her death, the nine Titan Shifters made use of the Titans and their powers, conquering the people of the world, collectively known as the Marleyans."

       Anna shifted in her seat as she listened. "Boss... was one of those Titan Shifters." Anna's eyes widened. "That's how he's so fast!" she gasped. "It's said that the villagers Titans eat, sometimes become Titans themselves. Apparently there's a theory that the reasoning for the Titans eating people is so that they can become human again."

      Anna furrowed her eyebrows. "What do you mean by that?" she inquired. "Well, you see, Titan Shifters can't turn back into a human unless they consume their predecessor, a.k.a. another Shifter. These Titans could have been turned and are eating humans in hopes that one of them could possibly be a Shifter."

      "So how does one become a Titan in the first place?" Anna pressed. "That's still somewhat unknown. Apparently there's an injection of Titan spinal fluid that can turn you into a Titan-"

      Anna's eyes shimmered with craze. "Does Boss have any?" she slammed her hands on the table. "I... I don't know. Probably but... Wait... that was your plan, wasn't it?" Miles's brown eyes widened. "You're going to become a Titan?"

      "It's the only way I can save us all from this hellhole." she lowered her head. "Anna! That's an insane idea!" he barked. "But... it's just insane enough that it might actually work..."

      "If I eat Fritz, I'll be able to be human again, right?" she asked. "Yeah, that's generally how it goes." he nodded. "Then all we need to obtain is Titan spinal fluid. That shouldn't be that hard."

      "Easier said than done, Anna." Miles reminded. "You're completely mental." Anna grinned as she stood up. "I shall take that as a compliment. We have a deadline. A fortnight as of yesterday. We cannot waste anymore time." she shook her head. "Our kill contracts come in at 7:00. We leave at 7:10, understand? We need to be able to extract some kind of Titan spine fluid from whatever one we find before dawn."

      "That should be totally easy." Miles sarcastically spoke. "It will be if you help me." Anna reminded. "I need you, Miles. Otherwise this plan will all be for naught and the world will come to a war far beyond the reach of mankind." her eyes misted. "I can't risk anymore lives." 

      "What happened to the Anna who gave no regards for another's life?" he glanced at her as she mopped the rest of the floor. "That was never me. It was only ever a show to put on for Boss's enjoyment." she huffed. "To be fairly honest, I'm not even sure what the real me is like. I've been hiding behind a metaphorical mask for so long I've forgotten who I truly am." 

      Miles walked over to her, cupping her head with hands. "Then let's not forget anymore, right, Captain?" Anna grinned up at him. "Right." she thought back to the time she had walked away from the Survey Corps. "We'll fight for a place we belong."