Chapter Text
My eyes fluttered open, finding myself in a cold damp room. The only light was some flickering candles. The sensation of pins and needles spread throughout my entire body and a painful throbbing shot through my head. I grumbled softly before moving my hands feeling a mattress beneath me.
'I'm in a bed of some kind at least.' I thought as my brain tried to remember what had happened before waking up. I pushed myself to sit up as an image of a tall man with black unkempt hair looked down at me with soft blue eyes. He wore a white lab coat, grey trousers and a red button up shirt. He was guiding me, through what? I couldn't remember but that would probably fix itself later. Besides, I had other things to worry about.
"Where am I?" I breathed curiously.
"Within Wall Rose." A soft voice spoke. Immediately I looked over and saw a blond male, who looked to be in his early twenties. I blinked focusing more intently on him. He looked oddly familiar; blond bob cut, light blue eyes. He was wearing a white button up shirt, white pants, brown jacket with a white right wing and a blue left wing over a grey shield insignia. My eyes widened looking at the symbol.
'The Wings of Freedom?' I thought before gasping in realization that the guy in front of me was Armin. Armin Arlert from Attack on Titan. I smiled thinking it was a great cosplay but my smile faded when I noticed the bars in between us.
"I'm in a jail?" I asked, he nodded slowly.
"Yes Miss, I'm sorry. We had nowhere else to put you just yet. We are having to determine who gets custody of you. Which is going to be settled in court." He stated.
"Why is this being decided? Can I just go back home?" I asked. "Armin" shook his head, his eyes holding sympathy.
"You don't know? It's been two thousand years since 'your' time." He replied sadly. I blink shocked.
"That's impossible..." I gasped looking around at the dungeon as if that would give me an insight to the truth.
"We found you in a laboratory in a 'sleep chamber' as one of my superiors called it." The blond boy stated.
"What's going to happen to me?" I asked. Another man walked into view, my eyes were drawn to the blond caterpillars that were his eyebrows but I then took in the rest of the tall man. There was no mistaking it. This was Commander Erwin Smith of the Survey Corps or at least a reaaalllly good cosplayer. He stood beside Armin and looked at me.
"If the Survey Corps get custody of you. We'll try our best to keep you safe and moderately comfortable as you are our only direct link to the past." The Commander explained.
"Would I have to be a soldier?" I pondered. "I'm not trained for that."
"No, you are far too valuable, I wouldn't want to put your life at risk." Erwin smiled.
"Well thank you. I wouldn't be very good as a soldier." I shrugged.
"That's the brat?" A stoic voice asked. I gasped and tensed up slightly. I knew that voice, it belonged to my favourite character, Captain Levi. He walked over to the two and as he did I had to resist biting my lip, he was so handsome in the flesh. I started to believe this scenario a little more after seeing the short stoic man.
"Levi be nice. And Armin you may go." Erwin insisted. Armin nodded smiling over at me then walked out the dungeons while Erwin looked at Levi.
"Tch, the court hearing is in two days. Allows 'Sleeping Beauty' here to get her shit together." Levi grumbled.
'Charming as ever' I thought holding back a smiled despite his harsh tones but I couldn't stop myself from trembling wondering about my future.
"Thank you Levi" Erwin sighed then looked over at me.
"Tch." Levi clicked his tongue at my shaking.
"Don't worry Mickila you won't be harmed. It's just a decision on who would value your presence more." Erwin smiled. I was taken aback and lowered my eyes questioningly.
"How do you know my name?" I asked.
"When you were found, a birth certificate was in a ledger on top of some personal belongings. Unfortunately you cannot retrieve them until the court date as they are evidence." Erwin stated. I nodded with a smile calming back down.
"Out of curiosity brat. How old are you? Not all of us got to see that birth certificate." Levi muttered staring coldly.
"Huh? Oh, I'm twenty four. Well, er. Technically I'm two thousand and twenty four." I laughed weakly, Levi arched an eyebrow as he folded his arms over his chest.
"Well you still look like a teenager." Levi grumbled.
'So do you!' I thought but kept that retort quiet so I didn't irritate him.
"Thanks?" I said perplexed.
"Mickila?" Erwin spoke up.
"Yes Sir?" I asked tilting my head curiously but added. "Please call me Kila."
"Alright, Kila, if given the choice who would you prefer to have custody of you?" He questioned. I thought for a moment or what seemed like one. On one side of my mind was "Shall I pretend I don't know them, hope this is all a big joke or if this was real. His dangerous could it be to tell the truth. Either way, I didnt like my odds but I took a deep breath in and decided to pretend I had no idea as it was the safer option.
"I'm not sure. I don't know who gets custody of me. I dont even know who you are." I shrugged.
"Oh right, my apologies. I am Erwin Smith. This is Levi. And earlier you met Armin Arlert a cadet of the Survey Corps." Erwin began before going onto explain the different branches of the military; The Survey Corps, The Military Police and The Garrison regiment. He explained what each branch did;
The Survey Corps scouted out beyond the walls into Titan territory to discover new land and reclaim it.
The Military police kept law and order within the walls, however more corruption rises in that branch each day.
The Garrison Regiment were in charge of repairs, guard duty along the wall gates and defense against Titans.
Erwin also said which branch would be debating for my custody, only the MP and The Survey Corps. He also mentioned what I'd be expected to do at the Survey Corps. I'd be a walking encyclopedia, stating what I have saw in the past and what they could expect to see.
I listened intently to what he had to say and thought about his previous question more seriously.
"I'd pick the Survey Corps." I stated as I noticed a slightly puzzled sigh escape Levi's lips.
"Why?" Erwin mused with a smile.
"Because I believe you are helping the people in these walls, not that the know that. Also I don't like what you've told me. The Military Police sound corrupt." I reasoned.
"Hm? I guess you are dumber than I thought. You'd not last a week in the Survey Corps. They would spoil you there with meals." Levi scoffed.
"Levi!" Erwin chided.
"Luxury over life? If I lived there I'd be waiting for the Titans to break through or I'd be sold to a slaver or mysteriously vanish! I don't trust them." I retorted angrily.
"In that case Kila, we will do all we can to gain custody of you." Erwin stated smiling warmly.
"Thank you Sir." I replied.
"For now. Get used to moving you've been sleeping in the same position for a very long time." He suggested.
"That's a good point." I smiled, moving my legs up and down along the mattress slowly. "Thank you for visiting me."
"Tch." Levi clicked his tongue and strode out of the dungeon.
"Good evening Kila." Erwin stated then followed Levi.
"You too Sir." I called after him.