An air of orient

The Underground was the poorest, most miserable and useless place on earth. Build under Sina, the city protected by three fifty-meters tall Walls, it gathered all the poverty, so that, on the surface, there wouldn't seem to be any stain on the perfect picture of the Capital city. People down there usually lived and died without even seeing the sun once. Those were thieves, murderers, human garbage that wouldn't be regretted by anyone if they died. The richest ones were human trafficants, merchants and all kind of dealers ; then, some thieves and killers managed to make a living out of their bad actions. Those who tried to keep their hands clean were meant to die. It had become a constant to be dishonest to survive. The only hope that prevent people from killing themselves right away was the meagre possibility to reach the surface by any means possible. Because, even though it was hard and expensive, the Underground was worse than anything, or so they thought.

Levi had never lived out of it. But he was no longer a weak child that needed to be protected. He had become a legend among the thieves. Not only become of his incredible strenght that contrasted with his pitiful height, but mostly because of his personnality : quiet, efficient, lethal. Somehow he knew when he should or shouldn't pass a breaking point. He could kill thugs for having hurt Isabel, his friend, with no regret ; but he could also let alive rich merchants because he had another job to do. Some remembered how this shorty had defeated a well-built barman just because he wanted to obtain some rare tea. Some others remembered having seen him flying around with his 3D Maneuver Gear as a bird. Free and unstoppable. Most of his current friends used to be thugs themselves, who had found a leader in Levi after he had defeated them too. Farlan, his right-hand man, hadn't managed to hold on against him for more than a few seconds, like his friends. This was part of Levi's myth.

But most of people didn't know him closely enough to understand how he had become such a character. And even fewer people knew about his relationship with a certain child of the Underground, who had become even more of a legend due to his youth. Her name was Manjushage, and as her name would suggest, she belonged to the Asian Clan. It was loitterally written on her skin and face. Written in her dark almond-shaped eyes, her shoulder-lengh straight ebony hair, her pearly skin, and in the scars her clan has applied on her wen she was a baby. Although she was a lot younger than Levi, she was the only was unable to fight his strenght. Perhaps because she was even shorter than he was, or because she had been trained to be a kill-machine, just like him. Her unique goal was to protect the rare remaining members of her Clan in the Underground, a few people that lived in a poor house with a child for only protector.

It was a cold, dark night when he had met her properly. Before that, they have used to figt each other, but haven't ever talked. She always managed to escape. As he wandered back to his own home, where he was awaited by Farlan and Isabel, he heard a weak scream. Glancing deep down in an obscure lane, he saw them : three men and a child. The three of them were beated the indefense creature, laying at the ground. Miserable moans of despair, hatred and pain escaped her mouth as blood ran to fall onto the ground. Levi made a few steps, and triggered his 3D Maneuver Gear. Soon, the three men layed unconscious in the dark alley. Their victim could hardly cough, but she tried to get up, not knowing whether her saviour was really a friend. But the pain was too harsh, and she collapsed before seeing his face. Levi had just the time to end up with the men's lives before he saw her faint. He hesitated for a while before taking her up to his house. For one night, it wouldn't be so difficult for her clan to survive without her, and she needed to rest and heal. Fortunately, Isabel was kind of good when it was about taking care of wounds.

"Levi-aniki ! You took your time, why were you so long... ?", Isabel's voice came as soon as he entered the house. Then she raised her voice in surprise. "Wait, what are you doing with the Asian child ? Is she dead ?..."
"Will you stop shouting. She had been beaten up and needs rest. Can you do something for her ?"
"Huh... Yeah, sure, I think. Just leave her on my couch while I take some medicine..."
Then Farlan arrived and appeared even more bewildred than Isabel at the sight of the peculiar girl in Levi's arms. Isabel seemed worried about her health, and said nothing while healing her wounds. She counted seven minor contusions, several bruises and deep cuts, and scars. Many scars. On her left wrist, there were some arranged scars, organised to form an emblem. The Asian clan one. As she gently touched the symbol, the girl woke up and her big ebony eyes opened widely. She jumped at the sight of Isabel and immediately took a step back, reaching out her hand to catch a weapon at her belt. Isabel squirred in fear, but the girl froze. The ginger-haired girl didn't seem any dangerous, but she wondered just what have happened.

"What... Where am I ?!"

At that moment, Farlan and Levi entered the room, alerted by Isabel's scream. Manjushage groaned, like a wild cat, and kept her weapon -a dagger- next to her chest. Levi walked closer, ignoring her threatening gaze, and said :

"So you woke up, brat ? Will you stop threatening Isabel or should I steal your knife ?"

The girl groaned, but obeyed, and let out :

"It was you, back then. In the lane. Right ?" He nodded. She stood up out of the couch and bowed deeply, both to Isabel and to him. "I must thank you. Both for saving my life and healing me. You have my respect. But I have to go."
"You're not in shape to walk", Isabel exclamed. "Rest a little more."
"I can't..." Pain flew through her limbs, making her shake. "I can't leave them alone..."
"You're talking about the Asian clan, right ?" Farlan asked. "It won't matter if you're not here for a night."
"You... you'd be surprised of how often our home is attacked. Let me go out."

The trio exchanged a gaze. She couldn't walk back to her house. Although it wasn't directly their problem, they couldn't feel rassured at the idea of her, alone in the dark streets. She would be killed easily. Levi talked.

"You can't possibly reach your house in this state."
"You don't understand ! They're go..."
"Calm down, for fuck's sake. We'll leave you there."
"Huh ?"
"Ready for a flight, you two ?"

A few minutes later, the trio was flying around the city in the air. Farlan, being the tallest, was carrying Manjushage, who closed her eyes shut in fright. She simply couldn't believe that they were used to do that every day. They arrived at the house of Asian clan in matter of minutes, yet she felt worried. When she pushed the door open, her muscles relaxed, relieved, and a voice came to greet her. A woman appeared and hugged her petite frame, before jumping at the sight of Levi's group.

"It's alright. They won't do any harm to us. Levi", she nodded in his direction, "saved me when some trafficants found me out."

The woman's eyes stopped on the man, then on Farlan and Isabel, and she bowed to show her respect. She couldn't bow as much as the young girl, for Levi had noticed her heavy belly. She was pregnant. The two women offered the trio to come in to thank them, which they agreed to. As soon as they arrived, a gentle scent of tea reached Levi's nose, and he inhaled lowly. A few other people lived there, other than Majushage and the woman, named Kiyoko, but the leader of the thugs noticed that the remaining Asian Clan was getting less and less numerous.
While Kiyoko offered tea to her guests, the young girl went to a room next to the living one, and they heard some coughs and whispers. Manjushage went back, a sorrowful look on her face, and sat down near Isabel.

"Wow", the ginger-haired girl exclamed. "That tea is great ! Aniki, it's good, isn't it ?"
"Yeah, it is."
"I should thank your mom", the girl followed, "when she comes back !"
"Kiyoko is not my mother", the Asian said with a soft smile, "but my aunt. My mom's there", she was showing the room where she had entered before joining them. "But she's sick ; she hasn't much time to live."
Her voice was sad and painful, her eyes shone in despair. In the thugs' eyes, she was barely a child, and yet she seemed to be the leader of the group. A man, with no oriental features, arrived and greeted both the guests and the girl before asking about Kiyoko. Manjushage said she was in her room, and that she needed to rest before the baby's birth.

"This was Wilhem Ackerman, Kiyoko's husband. My uncle", she explained as Farlan gave her a strange look. "We no longer are a lot, in this clan."
"I've heard there were less and less Asians, but I didn't think it was...", Farlan said before stopping.

"Yeah, that's quite pitiful. A few years ago, we were around twenty people ; now, we don't reach the number of ten. My mother's dying, just as my newborn brother. There's still Hama-sama, but she's old and won't bear the loss of her daughter." She sighed in pain. "I can only hope for Wilhem and Kiyoko to escape and leave this fucking Underground before it's too late. This is not a place to raise a child."
"You... you manage to survive, that's not bad...", Isabel tried to say in a comforting tone. But the girl's eyes were clouded by sadness.

"Yeah, you can say so. I was born to survive, to make them all survive." Since the trio didn't seem to understand, she chuckled and explained. "My clan always knew we wouldn't last long in such a poor place and because of the persecutions. In order to survive, we all promised to wear those scars to remember our origins and the clan we belonged to. When I was born, we were quite numerous to hope... My parents were brother and sister ; they thought having a child together was the only way to protect the clan. I was supposed to be married to a cousin of mine for the same goal. But he died at a young age, and, little by little, there were no males in my clan except from my father and my occidental uncle. After my father's death, I became the protector of the clan, and I learnt to fight, just like my father and my ancestors before. Kind of funny, when you think of it, to see that a child is the last hope of a whole clan."
"What about Kiyoko's child ?"
"Yeah, I know. My poor mother still hopes that it's a boy so that I could marry him when I'm older. But as for myself, I just wish for him or her to escape from that shitty place before being killed."
"Going outside is expensive", Levi said calmly.

"Indeed. But here, only death awaits us. Maybe the world outside isn't better. But..."
That's all we have. Levi knew what she meant. Protecting her family was a nice aim, but basically she was ruining her health in the process. Killing Manjushage would be the end of the others. She seemed tired and hurt, desparate and distressed. Isabel looked at her with pain, thinking of how unfair her fate was. Even the cartesian Farlan seemed concerned.

That night, Levi promised the wounded child who used to be is rival that they would try to get her some food and medicine while she was in a bad shape. She first refused all signs of attention, but then, she gave them the most beautiful of the smiles and thanked them. They were the first good souls she had ever met in the Underground.

Manjushage's mother died in the following days, killing Hama-sama, her mother, of grief in the process. The only ones the girl could now protect were Kiyoko's family, with Levi's help. He came to see her almost every night to see how her wounds healed, and, even when she had recovered, he never left the habit of visiting her in the night. During one of his visits, she greeted him with an unusual joy, hugging him and smiling cheerfully. He blinked of surprise, until she said :
"The baby's born ! Come, come ! Let's see her !"
They entered a warm room, where Wilhem was holding a tired Kiyoko's hands. Near them, in a crib, a newborn slept without a sound. Her chest raised and fell slowly. She had dark hair, ressembling Manjushage's, and pale skin. The child told Levi to give her his finger, and, as he executed himself, the child woke up and took it in her little hand. She opened dark eyes for a moment, before she fell asleep again. The short man couldn't help but smile, a warm feeling spreading in his chest.

"She's pretty, isn't she ? She has big eyes, just like Wilhem, but she looks so much like Kiyoko !"
"Yeah. I guess she's kind of cute", Levi said, which made the parents smile at him. "And so, what's her name ?"
"Mikasa. Mikasa Ackerman. I hope the best for you, dear baby. I promise I'll do my best for you to live happy...", she whispered.

Levi said nothing but gently carressed Mikasa's cheek. And he really wished for that baby to survive.

The little family managed to make a living out of Manjushage's steals. Although the incomes weren't large enough to allow them to escape from the Underground, it was enough to raise little Mikasa properly. When Levi and his friends came to visit the family, Manjushage offered them some tea, and Kiyoko entertained her daughter so that she wouldn't bother their guests. But sometimes, the baby would try to walk around on her little legs, and she would end up close to them. Most of the time, her cousin would take her in her arms and play with her ; but from time to time, the trio had to deal with the curious little thing. Mikasa seemed to understand that they weren't exactly relatives, but she was still curious about them : Isabel's hair was a wonder to her eyes, just like Farlan's ability in taking her to "fly". As for Levi, he got used to take her in his arms to prevent her from running around. And a few times, she ended up sleeping against him, and the short man had to carry her little frame to her bed, feeling her warmth against his chest.

She was a nice and calm child, and, to protect her, both her parents and Manjushage prevented her from going outside. Their home had been attacked twince between her birth and her first birthday. It even got worse after that, because the child wanted to walk outside and the tensions between the Asian clan and the other groups of the Underground aroused. Manjushage could hardly sleep for an entiere night, believing something was about to happen. And night was the perfect moment for their ennemies to attack.

Her predication unfortunately was right. It was a June night when an organised action from most of their persecutors hit the tiny house. Men trying to push the door open, screaming ; Manjushage waking up in the dead of night, calling for Kiyoko and Wilhem to escape while she'd try to buy them some time. Blood everywhere, as the tiny little girl shoot knives at the first men. Noise of plates and glasses hitting the floor as she tried to push a wardrobe over them. And then, an acute scream. Not from Kiyoko. The child stiffened at that sound.

Mikasa.

In the panic that had followed the attack, no one had probably thought about her. She was left alone, upstairs, in her room. Manjushage's blood froze in her veins as she ran the fastest she could to stop a man from going upstairs. He was already in the staircase when she made him loose his balance and fell. His head hit the ground and he couldn't move again. Dead, she knew. Without even thinking, she ran to find Mikasa ; but her presecutors had heard the baby's voice now, and they knew she wasn't alone. Those monsters would want to take two lives that night, at least.

Manjushage hoped that Kiyoko and her husband were outside already. Somewhere safe. But she didn't know what to do about their baby. There was no way in hell she could kill all those men and escape with a baby in her arms. And even if she managed to get out of that hell, where would she go ? They haven't manage to collect enough money to go to the surface anyways. Down in the Underground, the more probable was that they would be found and killed soon. Even her wasn't invincible. But then, what ? Should she leave the house without her innocent cousin ? Should she give up already ? What ? What was the right decision to take ? She didn't know. Maybe... Perhaps, if Levi had been there...

But she shook her head and gave up that idea. She was alone right now. And it would be the death of everything she loved if she began to doubt.

"I'll kill them all... All of them..."

Her thoughts vanished as another man reached the first floor, following her, and she had to raise her dagger again, not even a little remorseful of taking a new life.

"They're too many, even for her", the girl said, worriedly. "We can't stay here, without doing anything."
"We have to go ! And now !", a tall man agreed. "Come on..."
"Shut up and do what I say." It was their leader, and the two said nothing, waiting for his orders. "You", he said to the girl, "find the couple and lead them to our house. As for you, follow me."
So they did, and, maneuvering easily, they destroyed the windows of the first floor, entering a room. A cry filled the air, and a little girl with black hair in her crib yelled even more at their intrusion. Then another girl, older this time, covered in blood and dust and wearing rags, entered the room with wide-open eyes. She stared at the two men in awe, and gasped at the taller one tok her in his arms and exited by the window, leaving his leader and the baby in the room. She cried out of despair :

"No ! Mikasa is still there ! Let me go, let me go !" Her voice was pitiful and insecure. "Let me go, Farlan..."
The young man promised that it would be alright. And, as if hearing him, Levi escaped from the house too, holding the baby close to his chest. Manjushage felt a few tears roll over her cheeks, grateful, and she closed her eyes, holding on to Farlan.

They reached the thugs' house in a moment, and the child found her aunt and uncle, as well as Isabel, wainting for her. Kiyoko hugged her, visibly frightened.

"Manjushage ! Oh thank God... thank God, you're alright ! And Mikasa ? Where's she ?! Did they..."
"No... no, she's..."
Levi arrived at that moment, and the little Mikasa soon found herself close to her parents. Manjushage's tears were still holding on to her face, and all about her seemed to be broken. Her hopes, her faith in future, everything. She had had to kill several men and, even if her injuries weren't so important, she felt broken inside. Empty and scared. What about now ? They would die, right ? Even if Levi and his friends had saved them, she couldn't ask them to protect them. But before she could even ask the terrible question out loud, a pair of arms took her and Isabel hugged her, repeating "you're alive, you're alive". Beside her, Farlan smiled, relieved. Levi, on his part, seemed as unexpressive as always, but he was the first one to wipe her tears away after his ginger-haired friend let her go.

Immediately after their arrival at the trio's house, he asked her to take a shower and gave her some old clothes that used to be Isabel's. While she washed her body, face and hair, she heard Mikasa slowly calm down, and Farlan talking about dinner. Later on, when she walked out of the bathroom, Isabel helped her with her wet hair and took a look at her injuries. When she was "all nice and dry", the two of them joined the others in the living room. Mikasa greeted her cousin, reaching out her hands to her side, and the Asian girl hugged her ; she still could hardly believe they were all alive and safe. But then, she had to look at her uncle and aunt and said :

"You have to go to the surface now. As soon as possible."

Her words were calm and determined, yet her voice shook and her heartbeats anything but steady. Kiyoko replied they hadn't enough money for escaping from the Underground, but she cut her :
"You have enough for the three of you. I'll stay here, but you have to go away."

A terrible silence filled the air, as the child looked deep into the grown-up's eyes. She was determined and, born as a leader, wasn't expecting any protest from their parts. It was an order. Not only because, after this night, they wouldn't be safe anywhere in the Undeground. Also because, as their protector, she knew that, on the surface, they could trust on some kind of justice and live freely, which was impossible down there. She also knew that her aunt would disagree, yet she didn't hear her words of despair ; she didn't hear her talking about 'family' and 'protection' ; she could only pat her shoulder and tell er, as softly as a murderer could :

"There's no other choice, Kiyoko. Whether you three escape and Mikasa will survive and live happy on the surface... Whether we all die here, or we became sexual slaves for the trafficants. Please, Aunt Kiyoko ; that's all we can do right now. And maybe, if I'm alone, I'll manage to survive and not to be seen. But with the four of us, it's impossible."
"No... No, Manjushage ! listen to me, I won't let you alone in there ! not after all you did for us !", her aunt cried in despair, ignoring her sensible words.

"Kiyoko..." The child sighed and paused before replying. Around her, everybody was silent, even Mikasa, who was quietly playing with Isabel's hair. "That's my point. Don't make my sacrifice useless. Go away, be happy, raise your child so that she could never remember this place. And don't tell her about me or what happened here, not while she's a child at least. The Underground is not a place to raise a baby, and I won't allow you to give your own daughter a chance to be free, for God's sake !" She had unknowingly raised her voice and her hand were now clinged to her aunt's shoulders. Then she turned to face Wilhem : "Please, uncle Wilhem, take them on the surface before it's too late."
"What will you do if we agree ?", the occidental man said.

"I'll see. I'll try to hide myself and survive, as always. You must not worry about me."

"But !..."

At that moment, Levi interrupted the family reunion and proposed a solution to hide the Asian girl. He agreed to take her in, and, in order to calm the tensions down, he would make the others believe that she was dead. Manjushage opened wide eyes, but listenened carefully at his plan. She couldn't help but nod ; the idea was excellent and no one in the Underground was smart enough to see behind that trick. It seemed to reassure Kiyoko and her husband to know that the tiny girl would found a protector ; after all, Levi was a legend in the Underground, no one would dare to doubt about his words or try to get into his house.

"Listen to what she says", he added. "If you don't take this opportunity, you will regret it."
"And one day", Isabel followed, "one day, we're going to escape from this place too, and we'll find you again, I promise !"

Both Manjushage and Levi thought that she shouldn't have made promises that couldn't be achieved, but since the young mother was beginning to consider this 'option' as her only choice, they said nothing and waited for a response.

A few hours later, Kiyoko had agreed, and they were all walking to the doors at nighttime. Farlan and Isabel walked before the others to be sure that there was no one in their way. Levi and Manjushage looked around with quick glances, and tried to show no emotion. But it became harder when the group arrived at the door and that the two members of the Military Police took the family's money and agreed to let them pass. Kiyoko hugged the child she had considered as her own daughter for nearly ten years, and begged Levi and his friends to take care of her. Wilhem promised her to find a place where they could be safe and sound, where they wouldn't have to be scared every minute, and Manjushage nodded. Then was little Mikasa, who wasn't even two years old, but seemed to understand the gravity of the discussion. She asked :

"Why Maju an' Levi comin' ?" Her cousin, holding back tears, smiled at her while hugging her and stammered a reply.

"Li-listen, little Mikasa... I can't follow you right now, okay ? but I promise -I promise-, we'll meet again, soon. You're going to be a good child, huh ? You have to obey to Monny and Daddy, okay ?"
"Why you cryin', Maju ? You scared ?"

"No... no, it's going to be alright. You don't have to be scared. Promise me you'll be nice, okay ?"
"Sure, Maju ! When you goin' with us ? And Levi ?"

"I don't know... I don..."

Tears were now rolling over her cheeks and she begged her aunt to take her daughter and just go away. Mikasa called her name and Levi's, but her cousin couldn't speak now ; she was sobbing in Isabel's arms, seeing her aunt walk away, hesitantly, with teary eyes as well. Levi stopped the mother for a second and whispered something to the child. Manjushage heard her little voice reply :

"I don't wan' leave without you ! Levi ! Maju ! Maaajuu !"

But the short man told her something and she calmed down, even though she seemed sad. When her cousin could finally look through her tears, she saw a pretty little girl, wearing a sad smile and a dirty cardigan, waving at her, waiting for her to repeat the movement. So she waved at her too, feeling her heart collapse in her chest as her little figure disappeared out of sight.

Manjushage didn't not remember how Levi and his friends had brought her back to their house. She only remember that Isabel had to cut a lock of her dark bright hair for some reason, and then she fell asleep, alone in the ginger-haired girl's bed, her cheeks soaking wet and her eyes dry.

This precise night, Levi's trio went out of the house and wandered through the Underground until they met a certain man. He was one of the leaders of the attack on the Asian's house. As Levi came closer to him, the man stiffened and prepared for a fight. But the shorty only left a lock of Manjushage's hair on a table, where anyone could see it and remember how bright and beautiful her hair was.

"What the heck is that ?", the thug asked with a little fright in his voice.

Levi's reply broke the little chit-chats around them. "All that remains from the Asian clan."

"Wh... What did you say ? You're mad, shorty ! we haven't found them yet."

"You won't be able to find them anyways. The couple and the baby managed to reach the surface already. As for the warrior child, she asked me to kill her before you did."

No one, except Isabel and Farlan, could know that Manjushage was still alive, probably crying at their house. And Levi had no reason to protect her, as far as they knew. So that explanation was perfectly possible. Even though, someone called out :

"Why would she call you for that ?"

"She was desperate and hurt badly already. Her arms were broken and she couldn't hold her own knife. I just made her suffer stop."
"But I saw the three of you entering the house with your gears !", someone else shouted.

"The mother of the baby inside gave us money to give her daughter back. But since the girl wouldn't let us take the baby, we had to take her as well", Farlan told calmly.

People began to murmur unintelligible words about their story being true or false, about the girl being dead or... The boss of the murderers yelled them to shut the hell up, and took the lock of Manjushage's hair. He caressed it, lowly, even sniffed it and then repeated.

"So the girl is dead." It took him a while to understand that he wouldn't get any money, that some of his men have been killed in vain. But actually, that was not what bothered him. "Where's the corpse ?"

"You dumbass think I would've killed her and then let you touch her body ?" Levi's voice was cold, and angry ; some people jumped, other trembled, and the boss gulped in fear. "You asshole think I would've let you even look at that child, who gave her life to her family while you only want to have some fun with her ?"

He had taken a step further, getting closer and closer ; even his friends had never seen Levi in such a state of wrath and hatred. His usual quiet and cold self had become a burning soul. It was frightening.

The short man hit the boss's head, roughly, with pure violence and hatred ; his fist let a bloody mark on his face. And Levi kicked him, again and again, beating him up as he had never done before. Around him, people were paralysed in horror, at the sight of such a shorty, beating the murderer to death. The boss could hardly breathe after Levi had finished ; Farlan and Isabel had managed to stp him before he did something he would regret. Plus, the murderers around them were quite numerous ; and even if none would try to kill Levi, it would become dangerous to have them all against their trio.

"We leave, now", said Levi, turning his back on them, hatred and contempt in his voice.

It was the last time the boss would ever try to face Levi, and the tensions against the Asian clan slowly vanished. Rumour had it that they had left the Underground, or had been killed ; and Levi's reputation became even terrifying when people learnt he had killed himself one of the Underground's legend.

As soon as the trio came back to their house, Isabel went to see their new guest. Manjushage had woken up, and was sitting on the ground, holding her slender legs against her chest, trying not to cry. The ginger-haired thug gave her a warm, thoughtful, comforting hug, and announced proudly that people wouldn't try to look for her now. But the child didn't reply ; she seemed depressed and her body shook umperceptively. Farlan sat beside her and patted her head ; he couldn't promise anything, but he really wished to make that girl find her family again. Still, she made no move to say how she felt and her lips curved in a grimace, probably preventing herself from sobbing. That's why Levi sat in front on her, and, taking her chin in his hand, forced her to look at him. Her eyes reflected a dull light ; hopeless, fearful. Two rivers of tears already fell from those dark glassy orbs. He took her hand, a tiny, skinny and cold hand, and whispered :

"You're not alone. We're here with you now. Don't cry."

His voice had rarely been so gentle and reassuring. Perhaps it was the reason why the girl managed to stop her sobs and wipe her tears. A bright smile curved her lips, and even if it was forced and painful, the trio could not help but feel relieved to see that beautiful smile on her face again.