Chapter Text
A new day dawned with a light rain that chilled Levi in his sleep. Levi was slumped in his chair with a pen loosely held in his hand. The sound of rain on the roof was soothing, but it did little to comfort Levi from his nightmare.
His blood-stained clothes clung to him from the heavy rain. Levi felt his sanity slip when he found Isabel’s severed head. He threw himself into battle in a blind rage, not noticing how fast he was sinking into the mud. Levi was trapped, struggling to escape from the thick sludge of blood and muddy water.
“Levi?” Hanji knocked and waited.
He was always too late. Levi let out a strangled cry as he helplessly watched Farlan wave to him in their old farewell gesture.
“I know you’re in there! Your horse is still in his stable!” Hanji’s booming voice was muffled by the locked door.
The sound of Hanji slamming against the door woke him up. Levi looked startled for a moment and then composed himself. He leaned back in his chair and stretched his legs out, letting Hanji tire herself out as petty revenge for being so loud in the morning.
Levi knew Hanji wasn’t here for an emergency because she would’ve announced it by now. The fact that Hanji was persistently banging on his door meant that she wanted a favor from him. Levi didn’t know what she had in mind, but he already wanted to say no.
The pitter patter sound outside his window combined with his lingering nightmare already put Levi in a bad mood. He didn’t have enough energy to be swept up in one of her crazy experiments again.
“I’ll buy you the rarest black tea out there!” Hanji pleaded.
“She must be desperate if she’s resorting to bribery,” Levi thought as he gave in and opened the door.
Hanji beamed when she saw Levi glaring at her with intimidating dull gray eyes, “Good morning Levi-”
“No.”
“I haven’t even said anything yet!” Hanji exclaimed.
“Don’t bother bribing me. You don’t even have that kind of money, moron,” Levi said in a grouchy tone.
“Geez, so boring,” Hanji lamented as she shrugged. Hanji slipped into the room before Levi could shut the door on her, making herself comfortable by the window sill as Levi returned to his desk.
"Get out now," Levi said. He was running out of patience for her childish antics, but Hanji ignored his complaint, too lost in her own somber thoughts. Levi sensed that her mood was shifting, so he sat back in his chair and waited. Some found it unnerving how quickly Hanji's personality could change, but Levi was already used to it. All he could do was respect the space she needed until she was ready to speak up.
"Levi, I need you to come with me to visit some families."
"Is that so?"
"Moblit is sick."
Levi just sighed in response and went into his bedroom. Hanji was unfazed by Levi’s silent treatment and continued talking, “I know you hate going out when it’s raining, but the others are busy and I rather not go through the ordeal alone-”
“Let’s go,” Levi cut Hanji off as he threw his green Survey Corps cloak on.
Hanji's small smile broke her serious demeanor. She knew that she could always count on Levi for help. Levi found Hanji's eccentric behavior to be annoying at times, but after years of working side by side, they shared a strong bond.
The light rain became a downpour as it splattered hard against his windows, drawing their attention towards the cold world outside. Hanji looked disappointed and said, “Ah, the rain got heavier.”
“Tch."
The wooden Pit Lidors sign was discolored from the rain. You ignored the ghostly children playing in the puddles and walked through the toddler who was hanging off the roof ledge. The tavern was filled with loud chatter and the clanking sound of glass. The laughing patrons paid no attention to you as you walked over to the stoic bartender who was wiping the counter.
“You’d better go around the back and get out of those wet clothes. You’re ruining my floor,” the bartender complained.
You peeled off your dripping cloak and dropped it onto the counter, “Here, it’s a gift from me to you.”
The bartender glanced at the puddle forming at the spot he just finished cleaning, growing annoyed with you for the umpteenth time. He was about to tell you off but you leaned forward, cradling the heavy hood of the cloak in both hands, “Carly told me to send her regards.”
The bartender’s eyes flickered down to the unusual sewed up hood and got the message. He carried the offending cloth to the back room and came out with a dry cloak and stale loaf of bread. You grimaced when you felt how stiff the bread was, “What kind of payment is this? It’s a brick!” You knocked the counter with the bread to prove your point, accidentally spreading crumbs all over the place. You offered him a meek apology and tried to blow the mess onto your hand, but you missed with crumbs now on the floor. The bartender kicked you out of the bar and slammed the door. The children near the tavern were startled by the harsh sound and started crying. The fact that they were dead slipped your mind as you crouched down to comfort one of them.
The small boy stopped crying when he saw you respond to his tears. “Y-you see me?” the boy asked in awe. You quickly stood up and backed away from him, realizing your mistake as the other kids started to gather around you. To your horror, they had you surrounded as they kept cutting each other off.
“Play with us!”
“Where’s mama?”
“Hungry…”
“I’m scared!”
Humanity was forced to abandon Wall Maria and retreat to Wall Rose after the Fall of Shiganshina. 20% of the population was gone after a failed mission to recapture Wall Maria. To the corrupt monarchy, it was a relief that the number of citizens went down.
They were more than just numbers.
They had a name and their own stories to share. Their last thoughts, greatest regrets, and lost dreams remained untold until you came along. People who lost their loved ones were overcome with anguish in their hearts, praying to see them one last time. The ability to see the dead would be a blessing to the heartbroken survivors. But, you saw it as a curse. You had the power to shape reality itself. Those who passed away were essentially alive as a mere shadow of their former selves.
You didn’t understand why you were bestowed with this gift, but you still wanted to help. You patiently listened to the spirits as they poured their sorrows on you. You hoped to reunite the ghosts with their lost families and friends. But as fate would have it, you were met with angry cries from the grieving families. The living scorned you, but the ghosts continued to search for you in hopes of a friend.
It became a burden to be the dead’s sole living confidant. You were tired of a responsibility you never wanted. You ran the moment the children’s chubby hands came up to grasp at your clothes. The sound of the rain was barely enough to cover their pitiful wails.
Unknownst to you, a young man with silver blonde hair sat perched up high on the roof of another building. He watched your retreating form, already forming a plan to have you join his group while his red-haired companion comforted the kids you had left behind.