Rags and Riches ~ Levi x OC

12. Race For Command

 "It's just as Section Commander Flagon said." Enyo landed softly on the ground next to Levi and a spooked Farlan. "You both use too much gas with extra movements. Farlan, engage your core to keep yourself from being a pile of limbs flailing around."

"All we have to do is kill them. Who cares how we do it?" Levi said.

"Well for starters we do have a budget, less gas, save money," Enyo cheekily said before she made eye contact with Levi. She had to look up at him and she internally cursed. Moblit and Luke bet on Enyo and Levi's heights and Luke just won. The man was taller than her. "Plus, if you get surrounded or are fighting against an abnormal, then what? You go that fast, use up your gas, what? Sure, a tiny guy like you uses less gas than Farlan here, but the fact of the matter remains the same."

Levi snickered. "It doesn't matter. We kill them, they're dead."

"I'm just trying to help you live longer, short stack. If you insist on going that fast, use gravity, not your gas."

"Don't concern yourself with our wellbeing." Levi's gaze was like spears striking their marks. Enyo however, had faced a titan head on. Many, in fact. A man an inch taller than her did not even make her quake in her boots. She knew he was trying to intimidate her, staring at her down his narrow, perfectly arched nose. Plus, Enyo didn't care whether or not they survived. She'd stopped caring about how long people survived in the Scouts. The only thing that would help someone live longer was the knowledge of what they were expected to fight, so, to make it equal for everyone, Enyo was just sharing her knowledge after Erwin commanded she keep track of them.

So, when Levi tried to intimidate Enyo, a Scout who'd earned her Wings of Honor, she cocked her head and took a step even closer. Their noses were just a fraction apart now. "How about this," Enyo hissed. "You three against me. We'll set up ten model titans for each of us. If I kill my ten before you do, you all listen to my advice. And use it. If one of you three wins, I'll walk away and say nothing more about your form or usage. If we somehow manage to tie, then whoever has the most resources leftover is the winner."

"Fine," Levi agreed. His breath was hot against Enyo's upper lip and she gave him her very professional smile and stepped back.

"Great."

Levi was not happy about this turn of events. They weren't supposed to be spending their entire day training, but in Erwin's office, finding that document. Farlan readily agreed with Enyo and she disappeared to hunt Isabel down, who was riding a horse.

"There's no way you're going to beat big bro," Isabel sang while Enyo refilled her gas.

"Yeah right," Luke piped up. He leaned against the supply shed's door frame with his award winning smirk and Enyo's gaze brightened when she took him in. "Moblit said you're gonna' wreck the newbies."

"You want in?" Enyo asked. "I can ask Dieter to set up more titans."

"Oh no way!" Luke laughed. "I know better than to race you, Little Eagle."

Enyo rolled her eyes and slapped Luke's arm as she walked by. When they left the supply shed, a small crowd had formed. Luke told her that no one was stupid enough to miss her completely obliterating the recruits. Levi rolled his eyes as he walked past and screwed his gas tank on tightly.

"Remember, Farlan," Enyo hollered past Levi and Isabel. They stood in a line just before the trees. "Tighten your core to avoid flailing!"

Dieter held up his hand as Hange jogged to the treeline. Hange was thrilled to get to see the Underground recruits in action and to see Enyo on top of that? Enyo was the spitting image of what a Scout should be. Fast, sure, and confident.

Luke winked at Enyo and she gripped the triggers on her handles tightly.

"Go!" Dieter's hand dropped.

Levi, Farlan, and Isabel took to the air, hooks shattering the bark of trees as they zipped toward the trees. Enyo sprinted under them and Levi eyed her as she sprinted. Fast. Really fast.

Enyo's right finger twitched and her hook angrily latched onto a branch and she jumped into the air. Her body was now a pendulum, gravity and gas pushing her forward until she reached the highest she could get, aiming her body toward the first titan.

And she fell.

Rapidly.

Her blades slashed through the fake nape of the titan and the wooden frame underneath teetered and fell sideways. Enyo twitched her finger again, body swinging high up into the air as she propelled herself forward. Until she dropped crazily quick again.

No twirls or flips or any unnecessary tricks on Enyo's side of things. Just needed movements and a careful calculation of gas. She zipped through the forest in her usual, pendulum way. And when she dropped, it was as if an eagle had nose dived.

"Ten," Enyo declared and plopped on a tree branch.

She turned around and watched Levi slash his last titan before landing next to her. Isabel and Farlan were nowhere in sight. Levi huffed and side-eyed Enyo, who stared at him with an annoying, wide shit eating smile.

The rest of the evening they listened to Enyo. She corrected Isabel severely on things that Levi and Farlan had never thought of correcting. She gave only tidbits to Levi, like to use less gas, only turn when necessary, etc., but her hands were quick to correct things on Farlan and Isabel's gear.

"Whoa, Enyo!" Isabel gasped when Enyo pushed Isabel's belt lower and tightened it. "This thing is so much more comfortable!"

Enyo smiled at Isabel and ordered her to take flight again. The one time Enyo noticed something on Levi's gear that wasn't quite right, she hesitated to correct it. "Is it okay if I loosen one of your straps?"

Levi looked away and Enyo took that as a, 'Sure, Enyo! That'd be great, Enyo! You're amazing, Enyo!' Enyo chuckled to herself as she readjusted the strap on his thigh. He zipped through the forest and Enyo jogged up to his side. "Hold your blades up as if you're going to strike."

He did as ordered, begrudgingly.

Enyo lifted his chin. "Titans aren't below. Lift your head and look at them directly."

"I know that."

Enyo hummed and pushed his shoulders down. "Relax your shoulders. You'll injure your neck if you tense too much with your shoulders raised like that. And if your shoulders are too tense when you go in for the kill, you could pop one out of place."

Levi recoiled when Enyo's tanned hand tapped his collarbone. She frowned and turned her attention back to Isabel, who was staring between Levi and Enyo with her own frown. Enyo lifted Isabel's blades almost immediately.

"Your blades will fly out of your grip upon impact if you hold them too low."

Isabel stuck her tongue out. "It burns my arms to hold them higher!"

Enyo knew that pain. "Sore arms or death," she pointedly stated. Isabel whined but held her arms higher. She'd ask Erwin later why he was so adamant that Enyo was the one to oversee the recruits despite not being on Flagon's squad. It was most definitely a part of whatever plan Erwin was cooking, but still, why?

"Officer Aetos," Flagon yelled across the field. "Section Commander Smith wishes to see you in his office."

Enyo dismissed Isabel, Farlan, and Levi for dinner. She saluted by smacking her hand to her heart as she jogged past Flagon toward the Scout's office.

Levi quietly cursed at the woman who disappeared around the corner, then turned toward Farlan and Isabel. They stared at him with questioning eyes and he grumbled.

"We'll kill her too."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

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