4. Who is Levine?
Levine stared into the space of his room in shock. He thought he'd only see this guy underground, but here he is right now. Gray eyes, black hair and that knowing glare of his eyes. It's him, but not necessarily him. He's just like a part of Levine, but not the real Levine. He's like a ghost that haunts him whenever he's alone and no one to talk to. He thought that he'll stay in the Underground with the others, but it looks like he tagged along.
"I thought you'll stay in the Underground," Levine said as he close the door behind him, "What are you doing here?"
The person clicked his tongue and lean on the wall of his room.
"Haven't you get it yet, huh Levine? Wherever you go, I am always there. I can never be separated from you. I'm a part of you," the person said as Levine closed his eyes. Whenever he closes them, this person will go away if he try hard, but Luck isn't in his side today.
"Why can't I get rid of you?" Levine asked, annoyed and sat on his bed. The person scowled and shrugged.
"Face the truth. You being lonely since birth made me stick with you, so better get use to it," he said with a cold voice. Levine opened his mouth to say something when there was a knock on his door.
"Uh, Levine! It's me, Armin. We got training to do and I'm here to pick you up," the blonde behind his door said and Levine looked over to the person in his room. He knew that Armin might think he's crazy if he'll start talking again since he think he's the only one can see and hear this person. Levine ended their argument and opened the door, seeing the slightly taller blonde in front of him.
He clicked his tongue and started walking. Armin caught up and walked beside Levine. He saw how quiet Levine can be and the awkward atmosphere surrounding them is choking him whenever he think he'll be alone with Levine. If only he can build up the wit to start a conversation with him to ease up the awkwardness.
"So...why did you join the Survey Corps?" Armin started and Levine's eyes slightly narrowed.
"To escape the horror of my old life," Levine said and Armin suddenly turned curious about what's his previous lifestyle. What could possibly be more horrible than a life to kill or be killed by titans?
"Where did you say you came from?" Armin asked an Levine's eyes glared at Armin, but he stood firm and tried not to avoid eye contact. Levine is a bit amuse. None of the thugs can look at him in the eye, but this wimpy kid can. How impressive. Maybe he deserve the answer to his question.
"The Underground," he answered, surprising Armin. The Underground part of the walls? He felt both amazement and pity towards the ravenette teen. He heard that living Underground is really tough. Tougher than their current lifestyle in the surface.
"How is life down there?" He asked once again and Levine just decided to go with the conversation.
"You fight to keep your territory and steal to live. I lived a life of crime before I was brought here," Levine answered and Armin's eyes widened in bewilderment. He was an underground world criminal?
"Oh, okay," after that, Armin didn't said another word and silently walked to the training grounds. They arrived there when Jean and Eren started bickering like some spoiled brats and there was no one trying to stop them. Levine glared and Armin flinched beside him when he noticed.
"Levine?"
"Won't the two of you ever stop?" Levine's cold voice said making everyone freeze. They turned to Levine and noticed his aura. They are petrified for a second, but Mikasa decided to talk.
"No, they won't," she said with an equal cold tone. Levine clicked his tongue making them flinch. That is so Levi-ish and Levine-ish at the same time.
"Well they will be while I'm around," Levine said and let out a menacing aura, making Jean and Eren stand up straight. Connie gulped in the background and Levine crossed his arms, "I heard that Levi is the one who organizes you--"
"Actually it's Hazel-san," Armin cut off and Levine glared at him making him flinched, but he looked away with no word.
"Anyway, while those two are gone, why don't you just do what a disciplined soldier's suppose to do?" Levine firmly said and sends out chills into their spines. He might be new, but he don't like undisciplined people and he'll do what he can--no everything to keep them in shape.
He asked Armin about their training menus and Armin asnwered him with the usual things they do during training and Levine made them do it with him, of course. He don't want to get left out.
Hange was passing by when she saw them having hand-to-hand combat. She noticed Levine eventually and saw that's he's partnered with Mikasa. Levine challenged her for she had the same surname as him so he wanted to test her skills. Hange decided to watch the show with an amuse face..
"Let's see what Little Shorty can do," Hange mutteed to herself as the hand-to-hand combat start.
They move in equal speed, but they are fast. They pour much energy into each attacks which can make a huge blow when it landed, but neither of them let their opponent land a punch or kick.Those who watch them is simply amaze. Each fighters doesn't want to get defeated so they give it all their might.
"Wow. I never thought someone would fight Mikasa this long. Not even Annie, I think," Jean commented an Connie nodded beside him.
"Levine is good," Eren said and Armin remembered what the short ravenette told him earlier. A few minutes later, both fighters jumped backwards and stood up without breaking a sweat. Levine glared at Mikasa look and she stared at him blankly. Neither moved until a voice spoke.
"What are you troublesome doing?" They looked to the side and saw Levi and Hazel glaring. Hange who is standing a few feet away from them, flinched and smiled sheepishly when Hazel glanced at her, "Shouldn't you be training, instead of watching people fight each other?"
Hazel put a hand on her hips and snapped her fingers. The cadets, except Mikasa and Levine, gulped. Hazel walked towards them and looked at each of their faces. Whenever she look at one of them, they averted their gazes, until she arrived in front of the two ravenette of the group.
"Well, Ms. Ackerman and Mr. Newbie are a good pair in combat. I'll take note of that and maybe you could teach Blouse and Springer some of your skills," she said, looking at them and the said cadets flinched in the background.
"Well, that's that. And since I am here, better start your training before I go all roundhouse on you," She said and walked back to Hange and Levi. After that, they continued training under Hazel's supervison. Levi and Hange left after an hour.
From the window of Erwin's office, the blonde commander watch them, but his eyes are fixed on Levine. On his desk lay a parchment where Levine's profile is written and not much information is listed in it. It's just his name, height, and affiliation.
Erwin brought a complete stranger into the brigade without any information about him, but Levine's mysterious character makes him curious.
'Just who is Levine Ackerman?'
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