Together, we heal | Levi Ackerman

༅ 28. Two Thousand Days Passed

Year 850 (A week after the Battle of Trost)

"Come now, Sawney, don't be shy! Just tell me what's bugging your mind, honey. Hange's here to listen!"

The brunette scientist cooed as if the four meter Titan in front of them was their precious baby. Except, this baby, instead of being in a crib, had all sorts of steel ropes and large metal pins drilled into their limbs against the ground of the courtyard at the Survey Corps Headquarters at Trost.

Sawney only stared at Hange with its usual gaunt expression, teeth bared in its enormous mouth and eyes devoid of any indication of life. The Titan didn't look too pleased nor entertained at the eccentric soldier's tactics who was gaudily throwing their hands about to catch the Titan's attention.

"Hange, please, don't come any closer!" Moblit squeaked from the side with arms raised, ready to seize his squad leader in case Hange suddenly got gobbled up for stepping too close.

But Hange only brushed him off with a casual wave. "Now's not the time to be a party pooper, I'm doing this in the name of science!"

"Science or for your disgusting obsession with those freaks?" one Scout muttered inaudibly to himself as he stood on guard a few feet away from the incapacitated Titans.

"Both," Hange, who had sharp ears, heard him and winked from afar. The Scout cleared his throat in embarrassment and bashfully looked away.

"Who made this maniac a squad leader?" Another Scout snarled away whilst a few fellow soldiers silently agreed with him as they expressed their disdain towards Hange Zoe.

Moblit gave a deep sigh. He hasn't had much sleep ever since the operation of retaking Trost took place which practically rattled their whole regiment to bits. "Hange, just -- please keep a careful distance. A Titan is still a Titan no matter what name you give it."

"I know, I know! Just give me a few tries to get a word out of Sawney, I'm sure he'll -- GAAAAH!"

Hange leaped off just in time (though barely) when Sawney suddenly dipped his head, with mouth wide open, ready to munch the scientist with its teeth.

Hange squawked a loud and pained cry as they clutched their chest at the near-death experience. Moblit and the other Scouts didn't look any better with their steel swords already unsheathed in his hands and horrified looks in their faces.

"My word, Sawney!" Hange gave a gasp that sounded more pleased and endeared than terrified. "Where are your manners, sweetheart? Just look at Bean here. What a behaved lad!"

Bean looked bored as always beside Sawney, to say the least. With its whole body firmly ensnared to the ground, there was no other way Bean could possibly move its head as much as its fellow Titan can.

But at least Bean was behaved, that's what mattered.

A deep and exhausted sigh resounded behind Hange and Moblit.

Hange turned around, eyes rolling in frustration, as they regarded the person with a look of perturb.

"Oh come on, sweet cheeks. Don't give me that face!"

Heaving another sigh, Vanya Ronan raised her reading glasses from her eyes to the top of her head, brushing away her bangs. She rubbed her temples as if she was easing another impending migraine that can only be caused by reading the diary she was clutching to her chest.

Ilse Langnar's diary.

A year ago, the Survey Corps procured this abandoned diary during an expedition in the forest beyond Wall Maria. The diary belonged to a soldier named Ilse Langnar and before she died, she was able to record her experiences in this dusty and old diary, recounting her meeting with a Titan that talks.