Not Much Longer (AOT)

Teacups

The town of Soldat was bustling as the Saturday market had begun. The small mountain town came together once a week to buy, sell, and trade items with one another. Not many visitors would come to the secluded town. The only outsiders were typically involved with politics or the military, and months would go by in between their visits.

Today was going to be one of those days where the town would get visitors.

Coming in on their horses, the Commander of the Survey Corps, Erwin Smith and his accomplice, Captain Levi Ackerman were spotted the moment they stepped foot in town. The streets lit up with excitement at the arrival of these men. Both of them could feel the shift in the air.

"Don't they know it's not polite to stare?" Levi hissed at the people gawking toward them.

"Just ignore them, we don't need any more attention-" Erwin replied.

Both men pulled their hoods over their heads in an attempt to hide from the crowd. 

"- and maybe next time we don't show up in the middle of the day."

They continued into the heart of the market. Merchants selling baskets, horses, produce, feed, and anything else seen as valuable, were spread about the town square in their booths. The streets were crawling with people, and the market was erupting in voices.

Erwin looked about to try and catch a glimpse of anything useful. "I think we're going to have to ask one of the locals."

Levi rolled his eyes and dismounted his horse. Stalking up to one of the booths, he came face to face with an elderly woman. Bright red apples filled the baskets that surrounded her.

"Who is the most educated person in this town?" He mumbled to the grey haired woman.

Her wrinkled face turned sour at his question. "What?"

"Do they even teach you mountain goats how to read or do they leave you to grow up into idiots?" Levi growled. He was very impatient and tired from the long trip it took to get to the dead end town. "I asked you, who is the smartest person in this town?"

The woman stared at Levi, then at her apples. "I'll talk if you buy something."

Levi clenched his fists and closed his eyes for a moment. Anger was beginning to boil up inside of him, but the last thing he needed was to get into a fight with an old woman. He averted his eyes to Erwin who was still on his horse, then back to her. "How much?"

"Five."

Levi reached into his pocket and dumped the coins into the old woman's hands. Upon receiving payment, she tossed an apple into his hands.

"She lives on the very south edge of town..." the woman started. "Her name's Athena. Super smart girl that can learn anything you want her to, as long you've got a book for it. Real quiet though, she doesn't like to talk to most anyone... A real strange creature she is, and a real skittish one too."

Levi nodded his head and kept the apple in his grasp. He hopped back onto his horse and turned to head to the south side of town.

"We're looking for a girl named Athena. She lives on the outskirts" Levi spoke  to Erwin.

Turning to make their way to the elusive girl, Levi tossed his apple to a little beggar boy on the side of the street. Startled, but grateful, the little boy shuffled to his feet and called out to him. "Thank you sir!"