Pairings: Levi/Helen. Possible one-sided Jean/Helen.
Warnings: AU Universe. OOC. Gender swap. Character deaths. Slight humanity bashing. Less hot-headed Helen. Non-canon. Overprotective Mike
Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin and any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me
Chapter Three: Different
If anyone in the Survey Corps had been looking out of their window at this time of night, they would have seen a certain bad tempered man swinging his Titan slaying blades around in the courtyard right next to the horse stables like he's waging a battle with some invisible ghosts.
And seated not too far away with their backs against the walls of one of the horse stables, Isabel Magnolia and Farlan Church watched with both bemusement and concern.
"We have always been there. You just weren't aware of it. No matter how many times we called out, no matter how many times we screamed, you weren't able to see us or hear us—"
Levi scowled.
"We saw everything that happened after our deaths. The Titan attack. You taking Helen into your squad. The discovery of the last true member of the royal family. The betrayal by the Military Police. Everything."
Farlan honestly wouldn't be surprised if Levi's arms are sore the next day with how hard he had been swinging his blades.
"Kristel Nightray reached out to us within a year of joining the Survey Corps. She seems to be the only one who can see us—maybe because she is one of the Lady's chosen—"
Isabel winced, as Levi's swings increased with ferocity. "He seems really angry," she whispered to Farlan.
"The Old Religion had been around for a long time, way before the People Within the Walls had shunned the nature clans and had forced them into living in seclusion before turning them slowly against the Walls. The attack on Wall Maria. The Trost invasion. Everything… We forced their hand, Levi."
"Well, I can't blame him if he's confused." Farlan murmured. "I was too when we first found ourselves here."
"But things are different here. The Titans are still around, yes. But Levi, what I think is that our true enemy are the ones within the Walls. You came here to stop them, right? The Lady gave you a second chance to do that. But this is not the timeline and world that we knew."
Oh, he knew.
Levi has known it all along ever since he was a kid and Kenny had taken him in and had taught him everything he had ever known. Humans can be a worst kind of enemy than the Titans. After all, look what had happened to Helen, and none of them even realised the danger until it is too late.
"We were here around a month before the Lady sent you back. The mission that had originally killed us had taken place nearly six months ago. We survived, of course. You were newly promoted to Lance Corporal just a month ago. So we had all the time in the world to find out everything new and strange in this timeline. And it's not a pleasant tale."
Levi swung with more force than necessary, a deep set scowl on his face, almost losing his grips on his blades.
"There has been dissatisfaction and strife building amongst the ranks of the commoners and even amongst various members of the militia. Mainly because of the Military Police and the royal family. The situation with them is worse than what it is with us."
Honestly, Levi is surprised that the situation within the Walls isn't worse than it already is back in his original timeline. But that's not what is grating at him…
"Also… Shiganshina fell a year early than what we originally remembered. But this time, it isn't because the Armoured Titan had kicked a hole into the wall."
Levi gritted his teeth.
"There was an attack on Shiganshina itself. Only a mere handful survived due to the attack having occurred in the dead of night. This isn't in the Survey Corps' jurisdiction, so no matter how much Keith Shadis had demanded; the information isn't getting to them—to us. Because we're known people from the underground, Erwin Smith sent us to get information. What we could get isn't much, but it's enough. It's the Military Police, Levi. They went after the Jaeger family. Shiganshina is just a cover up for their true intentions. Dr. Jaeger had been researching Titans and their secret for the Survey Corps for years as a personal favour for Keith Shadis. They found the dead bodies of Grisha and Carla Jaeger amongst the ruins of their house, but not those of their daughter and their foster child."
Honestly, Helen can't seem to catch a break, can she?
Levi can only pray that with things going so wrong as it is, that Fate can just spare some pity for Helen and spare her the trauma of being a Shifter. As it is precisely because of her status as a Shifter that things have gone so fucking wrong the last time.
True, it is also thanks to Helen's Shifter form that the Survey Corps have even managed half the things they did. But they also could have achieved the same things they did with a little more planning, especially now that Levi knew that the Shifters—Annie, Reiner and Bertholdt were never really their enemy.
"That was a year ago, Levi. Keith Shadis had been looking for Helen Jaeger and Mikasa Ackerman since. As Armin Arlert was amongst the missing as well, Keith Shadis thinks that he might be with those two."
"HOLY SHIT!"
A loud yell from Farlan caused Levi to snap out of his thoughts; and he turned just in time to see that one of the Titan slaying blades in his hands had flown out and had struck the wall behind Farlan where his head would have been just a moment ago.
"Watch where you're throwing that thing, will you?" Farlan yelled to Levi, glancing at the blade half embedded into the stable wall nervously.
"Sorry." Levi murmured, walking over to his two childhood friends and yanking the blade out easily. The horses in the stables who were all asleep just moments ago were neighing with annoyance at having been woken from their sleep.
"What's gotten your knickers in a buzz, Big Bro?" Isabel asked cheerfully as if Levi hadn't almost decapitated Farlan.
Levi gave Isabel a death stare—the one that always sent his enemies running, but it seems like Isabel is immune to it by now. She has to be to hang around Levi and Farlan. "I don't wear knickers, Isabel—"
"So what do you wear—"
"What Levi wears as his underpants isn't the problem right now, Isabel." Farlan interrupted hurriedly, seeing Levi's eye twitch dangerously—always a danger sign. He looked around, spreading out his senses the way he had taught himself to do when living within the underground. When Farlan was satisfied that there aren't any eavesdroppers, he turned towards Levi who finally let out a grunt and settled himself down on the ground with Isabel and Farlan.
Farlan let out a small grin when he saw this. The old Levi that he knew would never have dreamt of sitting down on the dirt floor. But probably, the war with the Military Police and then spending months on the run before heading straight to Avalon for refuge had finally knocked the one thing that he had been trying to knock into Levi for years: there are things worse than personal hygiene to worry about.
"Is it bothering you?" Farlan asked Levi bluntly.
He had known Levi for years; had grown up with him since they were both boys after Kenny had walked out on Levi for some strange reason. It took Farlan awhile to get Levi to open up to him though. And after his rough childhood, Farlan can't blame him. It actually took a girl nearly nine years his junior to get Levi to open up and learn to love and trust again.
Farlan wasn't able to at that time; but he had wished that he was able to give his thanks to Helen Jaeger personally. Maybe this time, he could. That is assuming that Helen Jaeger is still alive, of course. It will be wholly ironic if Levi and both of them were sent back in time to save their world and Helen Jaeger only for said girl to be killed even before they could do that.
"I would be lying if I said I wasn't." Levi admitted at last. "Everything feels wrong here somehow. It's not the place I know. She's warned me—that it might not be the place I know. But still, I had hoped."
"Our enemies have always been there, Big Bro." Isabel pointed out sensibly. "It's just they don't really bother hiding it here. Scratch the surface." Isabel shook her head. "The underground is ten times better. At least we don't have to constantly worry if the next person we speak to might kill us just for looking at them wrong. Though granted, the underground isn't that much better." She admitted in the end.
"What are you going to do next?" Farlan asked Levi bluntly. "You have a task to do. We are just sent here to help you. Even I've heard enough about the Old Gods to know that they don't tolerate failure."
"I don't intend to fail." Levi said through tightly pursed lips. "First things first however; I need to find out more about this world and the political state. And also if anyone even know of the nature clans, and if they are enemies of the People within the Walls. Also…" Levi felt his heart clenching. "…I want to find Helen. I don't believe that she's dead. And I want to know why Shiganshina was targeted and what has Dr. Jaeger got to do with it."
"By the way, this might be out of the blue, but I don't see that sniffing guy around, and he's always around us since that Erwin dragged us here." Isabel piped up, looking around as if Mike will pop up from out of nowhere at any minute.
"Now that you've mentioned it…" Farlan frowned, looking around. "I haven't seen him for a week—not since those rumours about nobles and corrupted soldiers turning up dead have started."
"Rumours?" Levi was interested. From his experience, it is often the innocent that ended up dead, not the other way around.
"Yeah. It started going around about three months ago, from what we know…"
XXXXXX
"I did tell you not to show your ugly mug here, didn't I?" The young man hissed in annoyance at the tall broad figure dressed in a dark cloak that only serves to make him look more suspicious, especially in these parts. "Come in!" He yanked onto the wrist of his 'visitor' and tugged him into his 'house'.
"I need some info." Mike Zacharius said simply the moment that the oil lamp is lit and there is a source of light visible in the house. "You're the best person I know of that will know what I want to know."
Sigurd Michaelis growled low in his throat, glaring at the Survey Corps' soldier even as he put out the flame alit on the matchstick in his hand by flicking at it with a finger. The young man has to be in his mid-twenties at best, and is relatively good-looking with raven hair and silver eyes. A glint of a dagger's handle was visible on his hip.
Honestly, there are days when Sigurd had bemoaned the day he had met Mike Zacharius, since every so often, the man had came to darken his doorstep asking for some information or other. The last visit he had gotten from Mike was nearly half a year ago when he wanted some information about rumours surrounding some underground people that have somehow gotten their hands on the 3DMG gear that is only issued to the military.
Sigurd had thought he'd have another year of peace before Mike would darken his doorstep. But it seems like his luck had ran out.
"Just keep your voice down. My sister is asleep." Sigurd hissed at Mike, gesturing towards the back area of his 'house' that was curtained off by a piece of thick fabric covering reaching from ceiling to floor.
Mike nodded solemnly. "I've been sent to investigate the recent spate of killings occurring on the surface," he explained. "No one on the surface would be able to do the things that have been done, so I've come to you."
"You think it's one of ours." Sigurd finished his sentence with a sigh, and Mike nodded. "And so? Why are the Survey Corps interested? Last that I know, this is within the MP's jurisdiction, not yours. Besides, don't you have enough to be concerned with? I got lots of sharp eared folk, so I know for a fact that you have enough trouble getting enough budget for your expeditions."
Mike inwardly applauded Sigurd's quick insight and sharp mind. If the man hadn't been so dead set against the military from the start, he would have tried recruiting the man into the Survey Corps just like how Erwin did for those three half a year ago.
Mike had his doubts when Erwin first did that, but it seems like Erwin's gambles paid off—like it did for everything. After all, that Levi guy had gotten promoted to Lance Corporal after just six months in service. And it seems like those two friends of his aren't far behind in getting a promotion, with how the other senior officers are singing their praises.
"Erwin is a little concerned." Mike grunted. And when the future Commander of the Survey Corps is concerned, you can bet that it'll soon be within the Survey Corps' jurisdiction, whether the law says so or not.
"I have no idea why you're so worried anyway." Sigurd commented. "Those that have ended up dead—from what I heard, they're better off being amongst the dead than the living anyway."
"True. But still, we would prefer to know who are being vigilantes and if those skills would be turned on us someday."
"If you don't do anything to piss them off, you wouldn't find yourself on their list." Sigurd argued.
"Ah ha! So you do know who they are!" Mike crowed triumphantly, and Sigurd cursed at having fallen for the oldest trick in the book. "I'm not going to kill them or call the MP on them, Sigurd." Mike reassured Sigurd.
"You couldn't even if you wanted to." Sigurd grumbled. Cat's out of the bag now. He might as well come clean. "You can say that they're like the younger versions of Levi and his two buddies whom your future commander had poached to the Survey Corps just half a year ago."
"You know who they are then." Mike stated it as a fact rather than as a question.
Sigurd rolled his eyes. Hell, Mike even approached him all those years ago because he knew that the Michaelis clan acted as the Enforcers and regulators for the underground. They're a neutral party—normally interfering when fights and wars between the underground people got a little out of hand.
Thus, there aren't many things happening in the underground that Sigurd isn't aware of.
"I do." Sigurd said promptly. "I met them once—that was six months ago. Right after your lot poached Levi and his two buddies. They only turned their blades and the skills they learned onto those who deserved it. They never hurt the innocent. They protect them."
Mike frowned. "Who are they, Sigurd?"
"They—"
XXXXXX
There was a gurgle of blood as the now dead man slumped over to the ground, dead. The only thing he had seen just before his death is that of a pair of cold green eyes flecked with gold beneath a dark cloak, concealing his killer's face.
"Hell awaits you," said a voice from beneath the cloak even as the owner cleaned the blood off of the blade onto the dead man's shirt and sheathed it back within the holster by their side.
"We're done on our side too." Two more cloaked figures appeared on either side—though they were much taller.
The first person—the one with green eyes then stiffened as the two others tensed up as well. Green Eyes was the first one to react, pushing his two companions out of the way as a blade came swinging down from above at where they were standing at just scant moments ago.
Green Eyes however was quick to react even as he pulled out the blade from his side again and parried the blade that threatened to take off his head. His arms groaned from the strength from the man that is both bigger and older than him.
His two companions weren't idle, as identical blades were pointed at the throat and stomach of the tall man who'd attacked them.
"Don't move." One of the companions warned, even as the cloaks covering their faces were uncovered from the small scuffle.
"I didn't think that he was serious when he told me that those vigilantes that have been giving the MP such troubles of late were kids barely old enough to enrol into the Academy." Mike Zacharius commented, not releasing hold of his blade, not seemingly concerned with how three blades were pointing dangerously at him. "Not a bad showing either from kids." He looked from one face to the next.
"We got you. Don't move a single muscle or you're dead." The tallest girl—a girl with Asian looking features and a red scarf warned, dark eyes glinting dangerously.
"Quite the contrary. I had you." Mike immediately pulled out his secondary blade and easily knocked away the blades pointing at his vital points. The two other kids stiffened as the blade stopped just a hairbreadth away from their necks.
"NO!" Green Eyes cried out.
"Helen—"
"It's me you want. Those killings—those were my idea." Green Eyes—or Helen as the blond called her interrupted, glaring up at Mike with all the ferocity and fire that Mike found oddly familiar—having seen the same look on Levi's face six months ago. "Leave Mikasa and Armin out of it!"
"Helen, don't be stupid—"
"We said that we're in this together!"
"If he's going to kill you, he has to go through me first!"
"I'm not letting either of you die—"
"No one is dying here tonight." Mike interrupted, tired of all the arguing back and forth. It was amusing in the beginning, but his neck is starting to cramp with all the looking down he had to do. He removed his blades from the threatening position, and the three kids before him immediately scrambled to stand together. It is just Green Eyes who had a weapon with her still—the other two however were glaring at him defiantly. Honestly, Mike had a strange sense of déjà vu. "I've been searching for the three of you." He said. "I got a proposal."
Helen Jaeger frowned. "What is this 'proposal'?"
Mike smirked.
A/N: Like mentioned, this story is not going to follow canon. I've read the latest manga chapter, and oh man, Sasha! WHY? I freaking hate the author right now. I doubt I'll be going back to it since I already had a feeling I won't really like the following chapters, with how harsh the rest of the gang are on Eren. And either way, this story was planned around the time when Eren and Historia were kidnapped, so again, I WILL NOT BE FOLLOWING CANON. I am still contemplating if I still want to make Helen a Shifter. It'll be interesting trying to retell the events of canon if Helen ISN'T a Shifter.
I hope that you like this chapter, and please read and review! Reviews give me more inspiration to update!