Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Shingeki no Kyojin/Attack on Titan.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: *frantically raises hands* I'm so sorry! I know I have like a million other stories I need to get to, but please don't kill me for posting a new one! It's just that when I get a new idea, I feel like I have to write and post it to hear other people's opinions. Sorry, I'll try to get to the other ones also! Well, I hope you guys enjoy this story!


"Pain makes you stronger.

Tears make you braver.

Heartbreak makes you wiser.

Thank the PAST for a BETTER FUTURE."

-Anonymous


PROLOGUE: WHERE THE FIRST TEAR FALLS

I ran. Faster than I've ever run before. I lost my horse. I lost my squad. I lost my 3D Maneuver Gear.

I HAD NOTHING.

I don't know what to do. I don't want to die. I can't die. I swore to take down all the Titans. I can't just give that up. I can't die. I'm scared. I'm in Titan's territory and I have nothing to defend myself with except for one measly sword. I can't even kill a Titan with only one sword. But I kept it with me. Just to make me feel better.

I ran. I ran and ran and continued to run. I had to get back to the walls or find others of the Survey Corps. Or I would die with no one to watch over me in my final hour. I sprinted into the forest. I dodged the large trees and frantically looked around. Desperate to find someone. Anyone. My breathing was labored and I knew that I wouldn't be able to keep this up for much longer. But I had to. If I wanted to live, I had to. As I ran around a tree, I froze. There, in front of me, stood an eight-meter Titan. Then I did the thing that I had been doing for what seemed like forever.

I ran. I knew in my head that I wouldn't make it; a human's speed is no match for a Titan's. But my heart refused to believe it.

I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die.

I'M GOING TO DIE.

The words echoed through my head like a mantra and I couldn't get it to stop. Tears streamed down my face and my visions blurred. While my sight was temporarily blocked, I ran straight into a tree. I groaned in pain and quickly turned around to continue my escape… But when I turned, I was face-to-face with the Titan. I gasped and tried to jump back, but couldn't. I was trapped between the tree and the Titan.

"Oh my God. Oh my God. No, get away from me!" I screamed, but my efforts were futile. The Titan just grinned and his hand reached out towards me. Images flashed through my mind.

My family. My friends. My comrades.

I was the girl that was just there. I wasn't popular nor was I unpopular. I wasn't beautiful nor was I ugly. I wasn't smart nor was I stupid. I was just… Faith. Everyone knew I was there and at the same time, no one knew I was there. And now, on my death bed, I regretted it all.

I regretted not being closer to my family. I regretted not interacting a lot with my friends. I regretted not always being there for my comrades.

I was going to die with a life full of regrets. What a pitiful death. I clenched my fists. No… I won't die… I can't die! I'll live! I won't allow myself to die with all these disgraceful regrets!

With a yell, I jumped up and grabbed onto the branch above my head and swung onto it. The Titan's large hand reached up. I jumped onto another branch and ran across it. The Titan followed. It only gave me a second to spare, but a second was all I needed. With all my strength, I slammed my sword against another branch and it snapped in two. I grinned. Perfect.

I had to be careful with the second sword that rested in my left hand since there was no hilt to protect the sword from piercing my flesh.

I turned to face the Titan that was approaching the branch I stood on. I took a deep breath. I had to get this right. The timing has to be perfect or I'll die, once and for all. Three… Two…

"…One!" I screamed and hopped down from my branch. I kicked myself off the tree trunk as I fell and I saw it. I was right at the Titan's neck. I gripped tightly onto the blades and my left hand bled as it cut deep into it. "I WILL FIGHT FOR HUMANITY! WE WILL NOT LOSE TO YOU! HUMANS WILL TRIUMPH OVER THE TITANS AND I WILL BE THERE, IN THE FLESH, TO WITNESS IT! I WILL NOT DIE AT THE HANDS OF YOU FLITHY BEASTS!" I declared and slashed the neck. 1 meter long and 10 centimeters wide. It was a perfect cut.

I crashed into the ground and groaned as I felt a few bones crack. But I smiled through the pain. I had done it. I had killed the Titan and lived. I laughed for a second. Then my eyes widened. A 12-meter Titan towered over me. I shot up. "Shit!" I cursed and struggled to get up. Its hand wrapped around my waist and lifted me. "Damn it! Let me down!" I kicked and punched and squirmed, but the Titan didn't loosen its grip. It slowly opened its jaw and moved its hand forward. I closed my eyes. This was it. This was really the end.

I then heard a yelp of pain and, surprisingly, it came, not from me, but the Titan. My eyes opened and blood splattered on my face. The hand released me and I felt myself fall down. I gritted my teeth. Even if the Titan didn't eat me, the injuries that I acquired from earlier and the height of this fall would be enough to kill me. Then I felt arms-normal, human-sized arms, thank goodness- grab my waist. I looked up and my azure eyes met with stony, grey ones. I gasped. This person was…

"Corporal Levi!" I exclaimed as his feet finally hit the ground. I was still above ground level for I was being carried bridal-style in my corporal's arms, which, for your information, was extremely embarrassing. "W-why are y-?"

"This was our return route. We were bound to meet with you. I was just trailing ahead in search of Titans when I found you," he exclaimed stoically.

"O-oh…" I said dumbly. "Corporal, you can put me down now. I'm fi-"

"I refuse," he shot down bluntly and proceeded to walk back, presumably to where the others were.

"EH?!"

"You have multiple broken bones, cuts, bruises, and most likely exhaustion from running here. The last time we saw you was three hours ago. You're in no shape to be walking. It's surprising that you made it this far and got here before us." I felt dizzy. Three hours? I ran for three hours? "Oi, I found someone."

"Faith!" I heard a familiar voice exclaim. I think it was… Hanji? "Where did you find her?"

"She was killing a Titan," he answered.

"Huh? But she doesn't have a 3D Maneuver Gear, so how could she hav-"

"We'll talk about this later, Shitty-Glasses," he cut off rudely. "We need to hurry and get treatment for her."

"Where should we put her? We don't have any more horses and the carts for the casualties are full! We were hoping that no one else would be harmed. I guess we can squeeze her in…"

"She can ride with me," Levi said.

"What? Really?" Hanji asked. He ignored her and gently sat me on his horse before getting on himself.

"Corporal… Thank you so much…" He saved my life. I would be eternally grateful to him.

"It's normal for people to save their comrades, Conrad." I was shocked. He knew my name? Hanji had mentioned my first name, but never my surname. I wasn't unpopular, but I never imagined for someone as high in rank as Levi to know my name. Then… he said the words that would change my life forever… "That was one of the bravest and most inspirational things I've ever seen, Conrad." My eyes were half-lidded and I felt drowsy. But I hung on to his every word. I had been acknowledged. Someone finally acknowledged me as someone worthy of his attention.

CORPORAL LEVI ACKNOWLEGDED MY EXISTENCE.

I smiled as a tear fell from my right eye. "Oi, why are you crying?" he asked. He didn't sound worried, actually, he seemed quite disturbed.

"Did you know, Corporal Levi? When a tear falls from your left eye, it signals tears of sadness… but when a tear… falls from your right eye… they're… tears… of joy…" I trailed off and felt the sleep slowly take over. "Thank you… Corporal Levi… for… acknowledging me…"


AUTHOR'S NOTE: How was it? I actually really enjoyed writing this! If you liked it, FOLLOW, FAVORITE, and REVIEW! I really hope you guys don't think Levi was OOC because honestly, I believe that while Levi can be extremely blunt and rude, he is not the type of person that would ignore someone's obvious bravery. I got the idea for this when I watched episode 3.5 of Shingeki no Kyojin, Ilse's Notebook. I had no idea there was an episode for that and when I watched it, came up with this. That's why the situation was practically the same.

Well, until the next chapter! Bye!


Preview for next chapter:

"The wall surrounding Shiganshina has been breached!"


My heart momentarily stopped as I caught sight of something red. Red hair… The same red hair as mine. I shakily got off my horse and approached it, my entire body trembling. I squatted down and reached my hand out. Then I flipped the body over. A scream rang out so loudly that it hurt my ears. It took a second to realize that it came from me.


"Are you going to quit the Survey Corps now?"


"Oh shit. I just tackled my OCD superior officer on the filthy ground and wailed into his shirt for an hour. Shit, shit, shit, shit!" I cursed.