❝𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒖𝒑 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒍.❞
─ 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐔𝐒 𝐀𝐔𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐔𝐒
꧁꧂
WONDERFUL. Absolutely fucking wonderful.
Fuming at the door was Levi, his bared teeth complemented by a large, blackening bruise blooming on his cheek. Valen descried his flaring nostrils, the muscles of his tautening neck. He looked just as─or dare she say more─enraged than when they sparred in the gymnasium.
The sentiment was shared.
His gaze strayed to her, and the fire in his eyes intensified. Valen maintained a nonplussed expression, the only indication of her burning rage towards being the slight purse of her lips. Had the Commander abandoned them, Valen would have gladly risen to dish another bruise, but unfortunately, that was a fantasy that'd solely reside in her imagination.
And then it dawned on her.
"Great. Everyone's present," Erwin said, turning. His contented tone clashed with the searing tension hanging between Valen and Levi. "We can now proceed with this meeting." As Erwin seated himself, Valen noted how oddly pleased he sounded─had he reassigned her?
Of course─why hadn't it come to mind? From the start, she'd known Erwin was a deceivingly ruthless man who'd do anything in his willpower to advance humanity's fight for freedom─but not once did it cross her mind how far he'd go to advance the cause.
Erwin motioned to the chair beside Valen's. "I presume you're drained from your duties. Why don't you have a seat?" he suggested.
"Thank you, but I'll pass," Levi answered. Merely existing in the study at the same time was proving to be challenging on its own: it was beyond question that he wanted to stay far from her.
"As you wish." Calm swept into the room, but the underlying tension between Valen and Levi prevailed. "As both of you may have deduced, I was the one who handled the reassignment. Nobody else played a role in this decision."
"Obviously, because I had no say in this," the Captain grumbled. "Just because you possess the authority to reassign people does not give you the right to be changing the rosters as you please. Every person on my squad I handpicked, and they worked hard to earn their placement."
"I understand your frustration, Captain. As a former Squad Leader myself, I'd be disconcerted if my predecessor had done the same," Erwin sympathized, "but everything I do is for a reason, and as Commander it is ultimately my duty to do what is best for the branch and ensure our success."
"Commander," Valen started, and his eyes flashed to her. "The sincerity is flattering, but don't you see this reassignment as unwise? I have no experience on the field."
"Exactly─"
"Captain," Erwin said sternly, stopping him in his tracks. "Now, I'm completely aware of your lack of experience, and most would agree. It's a gamble, and a big one, too, reassigning an inexperienced soldier to a squad such as the Special Ops. "He held up a folder. "But based on the reports from the Cadet Corps, I believe you possess the skills deserving of your placement."
"Mikasa Ackermann graduated first in the Southern Division and fought in the Battle of Trost," Valen argued, recalling a conversation she'd eavesdropped on to entertain herself during dinner. Barely distinguishable, a tinge of annoyance could be seen on Erwin's expression. "Using that logic, she should be getting reassigned, too."
"While Mikasa Ackermann is unquestionably talented, she does not possess the qualities you have," Erwin said.
"And what would those qualities be?"
"That is a question I cannot answer." Valen's body tensed, and her eyes wandered around. By coincidence, she laid her eyes on the man standing beside the door, and they tensely but wordlessly agreed on the same thing.
The Commander was absolutely ridiculous.
"This upcoming expedition is key to our success against the Titans, so I would like for you to start training alongside the Special Ops as soon as tomorrow morning," Erwin said, clearing the silence. "Captain, I'm assigning you the responsibility of establishing expectations and facilitating the reassignment."
"Sir."
"Valen, I have my own expectations for you," Erwin continued. "It is my understanding that you are opposed to this reassignment, which I can partly understand. But when you enlisted you dedicated yourself to the cause. It is your duty to serve humanity." All Valen craved was to jump from her chair and bash the Commander's skull in. Humanity for all she cared could burn. She owed nothing to anyone─not the civilians, not the pompous bastards living lavishly in Mitras, not the Commander, not the Captain, absolutely no one. Not when she'd been excluded, objectified, coughed on, and degraded.
If she did things, it was because she found them to be in her best interest and her best interest only.
"Pardon, but I'm afraid this meeting is going to have to come to a close. There is much to do," Erwin lamented. "Questions or concerns?"
Valen opened her mouth but decided to hold her peace─what could she argue? Nothing she said or would reverse his decision. And by the sound of it, Levi had arrived at a similar conclusion, too.
"I presume that is a no," Erwin said. He closed the folder and grabbed a pen. "You both are dismissed." For a moment, nobody moved a muscle, trapped in a state of quietude. If she listened closely, she could hear the creaking of the building and maybe a discussion from downstairs.
Breaking from the chains, Valen sharply rose from her chair and strode past Levi and through the doors of the study, wishing for an escape from the reality that had caved in on her.
꧁꧂
Not even a second after she stormed past him, Levi stomped towards Erwin's desk, his molars gnashing against each other. "Just what in the world are you thinking?" he sneered at Erwin, who regarded him placidly as he tapped his pen on his armrest. "Are you of your damn mind?"
"If I was out of mind, I wouldn't be Commander in the first place," Erwin cracked dryly. Levi clicked his tongue. "Again, I understand the situation is upsetting─"
"Upset? That hardly comes close." Levi planted his hands on his desk. "You just assigned a person with no Titan experience on my squad. Not only is she inexperienced, but she's insubordinate, too." He pointed to the contusion staining his skin. "She slapped me."
"So I heard." He gaped as Erwin stood up again, strolling to a bookcase on the opposing wall.
"You were watching us."
"I thought it'd be an interesting fight. And I was not disappointed." Levi glared scathingly at the man, who absentmindedly brushed his hand against the spine of a book. "I have to say, you had me surprised. It was the first time in a while I'd seen you in such a position of weakness."
Levi's fists curled at his sides, the memory alone enough to inspire an unyielding furor in him. "She was playing dirty."
"And you played right along in her game because you grabbed at her shirt, correct?" Levi paled. "Anyone would do the same in your situation, and I'm certain you're no exception. Explain: why is it alright for you to play foul but wrong when others do so?"
Levi wished he could respond, but his mind blanked, his words lodged in his windpipe, darkening his already wavering temper. He'd given the thought of her so much power, simply thinking of her provoked the most fervid disputes in his head, clouding his judgment and warping his perception. It was like she purely existed to challenge his values.
"As I said, I do have my reasoning─" Erwin started.
"And what reasoning would that be?!" Levi demanded. "Scoring first in her division isn't justification enough. The only thing her ranking says about her is that she excels in an educational environment. She's yet to prove herself on the battlefield."
"You're correct," Erwin responded. "As skilled as she may be, there's much she needs to learn as a Scout. More than can be covered in a month. But if there's something the Scout Regiment does best, it's gamble, and right now I'm more than willing to play my cards."
"But why on her? She's a self-centered woman who couldn't care less for the cause!" Levi argued. "She enlisted not to fight for mankind, but for her own narcissistic purposes. You once led a squad of your own. Answer this. Would you have placed someone like her on your squad?"
"Absolutely," Erwin answered boldly. "Of course, her lack of regard for the cause would be concerning, but when you overlook her apathy and greed, you'll find she carries every quality needed in a proper soldier. Dedication, reason... strength." His tone darkened, the Commander slipping into his harsher, more callous persona. Levi had seen him morph into that state many times through their years of camaraderie.
Not once had it failed to frighten him. "Where are you going with this?" Levi asked.
"Strength on its own can only be so advantageous. It is when it's harnessed it becomes marvelous," Erwin said. "Guaranteed it can be harnessed properly, it can become an asset in the fight against the Titans."
"So placing her on my squad is part of your plan?" Levi asked, derision lining his words. "A reassignment isn't going to magically straighten her─"
Erwin raised a hand. "You misunderstood me. I only said to make the best of her aptitude, but not once did I mention anything on 'straightening' her or changing her." He dropped the hand. "Valen is not to be tamed. She's clearly established her own agency. It's best not to infringe on her autonomy."
"Oh, so now you're yielding to her?" Levi seethed. "What's next, you're going to give her flowers?"
"If you're implying I'm romantically interested in her, then you're greatly mistaken," Erwin said. "She's a stunning woman, but there are boundaries that must be respected. It'd be unwise of me to find a partner considering my position."
Erwin injecting his strong sense of nobility into the conversation surprised Levi none. "So there's nothing I can say that can change your mind," Levi said.
"Correct." Silence settled between them. Levi profoundly respected Erwin and held him in a regard that no other paralleled─without him, he would have continued living his miserable, crime-ridden life in the Underground, squandering his potential arm wrestling in taverns and thieving from merchants. He trusted Erwin more than he trusted himself, regardless of how illogical or absurd his plans might be. This was another plan he'd have to conform to.
"What do you ask of me?" Levi asked─if Valen was to stay on his squad, he wanted to know what he was getting into.
Erwin smiled in the charming way he always did. "Glad we could come to an agreement." He retreated from the shelves and returned to his desk, clasping his hands together. "What I'm asking of you is this. Strength like hers does not come often, and as I said earlier. Strength, guaranteed it can be harnessed, is advantageous. She enlisted in the Scout Regiment to become stronger. Using that to our advantage, we can shape her into one of the greatest soldiers humanity will come to see."
"And how am I supposed to do that?" Levi asked.
"It's simple." He leaned back in his chair. "While her scores from the Cadet Corps give us every reason to believe she's skilled, Valen has grown to be rather... vain. It is my assumption that perhaps it's been years since she was last presented with a challenge. She needs to be pushed, shown that she can do more with her strength. That she, in her own selfish way, can become a champion for mankind."
"Absolutely not," Levi refused, almost shouting. "What you're asking of me is outrageous. My comrades─our comrades─have sacrificed too much for you to be fucking around and reassigning people as you please. Have you any clue how disrespectful this is to them?"
"What else are we supposed to do? Do you have anything better in mind?" Erwin objected, growing irritated. "This expedition is unlike any other. For once, we can finally obtain the key to eradicating the Titans. But victory is easier imagined than accomplished, and I will do everything in my power to ensure the success of this expedition. It might not be the only way to honor those who came before us, but it's the best way."
"Our situation is dire, Levi," Erwin continued, but solemnly. "With every loss, Mitras becomes more disillusioned in our cause, and we hardly managed to swing Premier Zachary in our favor during Eren's tribunal. There's too much at stake." Erwin exhaled. "Pardon me. But every day, I can't help but think about how uncertain things are becoming."
"Can't exactly blame you..." Levi said. Erwin was right: relations between the government and the Scout Regiment had always been constrained, but since the tribunal less than half a month ago, the hostility between the groups had heightened. Erwin's oration hadn't changed his opinion, though. Her values did not align with his squad's, it was clearer than water─but the future of Scout Regiment was compromised, and virtuous integrity should have been the last thing on his mind. He despised Valen in a way he hardly despised anyone, but he─in a way─understood why Erwin had done what he'd done.
Briefly, Levi debated bringing up her markings to Erwin, but when his memory flashed back to that very moment he looked in her deep brown eyes laden with fright, he said nothing. It was more than she deserved. he believed. Perhaps he was doing wrong by hiding something so alarming from the Commander─but that was one piece of information he'd hold on to. "How's the investigation going?" Levi asked, changing the subject. "Any developments?"
"I contacted Stohess' civilian registry a couple of days ago, and the soonest they can respond is in a month," Erwin responded. "Though the Chrolva and Utopia registries have provided nothing of use, I'm certain that the Stohess registry might render results. From there, this investigation can move onward."
The door opened, Lynne, a brown-haired woman of medium height, peeking inside. "Pardon the intrusion, Commander, but Section Commander Miche would like to have a word with you in his office."
"Inform him I'll be there soon." Lynne nodded, promptly vanishing. Erwin gathered some of his things, including a journal and a couple of pens. "This conversation must come to an end. We can resume later when we have the time." He reached the doors and glimpsed back at Levi. "Farewell, then."
Alone, his thoughts tormented him, stirred everything within him and around him into discord. The deafening stillness that filled the room, the hundreds of books tidily arranged on the bookcases, the empty coat rack looming over a wastebasket. All of it compelled Levi to tramp into the corridor, advancing him down the staircase and to the lobby of the building.
Stepping into the outside, Valen was the only thing on his mind.