So this chapter is not M rated, but the next one will be haha. (first M rated fic so we'll see how this goes...) The story will be either 2 or 3 chapters long, so it should all be up in not too long. I don't read the manga (I like the anticipation of the show so there are no manga spoilers) Anyways I hope you like it :)

Sasha and Connie were laughing it up on cleaning duty, somehow having the time of their life even while clearing horse shit.

Mikasa was not having it.

Cleaning duty was fine. Collecting horse excrement for manure and laying new hay for the horses and pack mules was fine. Even coming out smelling like the back end of Sasha after eating Cooks Chili bean surprise was perfectly acceptable.

But the fact was she hadn't seen Eren in over a week despite living in the same building as him. While the recon HQ was really an abandoned castle in the middle of nowhere in need of a complete overhaul resulting in endless chores, you'd still think that two freshman to the world of the scouting legion might at least glimpse each other in the mess hall, or at formation simulation practice, or anywhere really! But no, other than the brief conversation when they had first arrived, a week had passed without seeing neither hide nor hair of him.

She did know he slept in the basement due to the ridiculous fear of Eren turning titan in his sleep. She knew that the orders were part of the promise that had loosened the noose on Erens life. However, while it may let some sleep easier knowing he was chained to the wet mouldy walls of a dark crumbling basement, it didn't help the issue at all. Instead it cemented the idea that Eren was not human.

Even Captain Irvin, a cunning but fair man deserving the respect his officers gave him, who had bargained for Eren's life and offered him the dream position as a legion scout, even he did not see him as a life deserving treatment as a human. Or maybe he had calculated it best to appear that way. Or maybe not. Mikasa had never illusioned herself as a thinker of great means, so the true intentions of keeping Eren locked up and out of sight wasn't clear to her, nor did she think it something she could work out on her own.

She asked Armin on the few occasions she would get a spare word with him. While also worried over Eren's continued absence, his overall opinion on the matter however was blatantly biased by almost a decade of hero worship for Captain Irvin.

"Don't worry Mikasa." Armin smiled reassuringly, eyes crinkling and not exasperated at all by Mikasa's blunt intrusion on his conversation with Reiner, with an also typically blunt question about Erin. "I'm sure Irvin Taichou has his reasons. Plus Lance Corporal Levi went along with its execution."

"That's true Mikasa", Reiner put in. "and Levi Heichou doesn't seem like the type to do unreasonable things without a reason. I mean take the instance in the courtroom"

Armin winced at the mention of the public beating and looked to Mikasa. Yup, Armin thought, she's furious.

Everyone in the 104th squad knew of her over attachment to Eren, and were quite scared of what she might do after the courtroom judgment was over. Armin, more than anyone, knew the strength of her attachment to Eren, and the lengths she went to protect him when she thought no one was looking. But her anger that day hadn't been born in a flash. It was a slow growing burn that had exploded with the beating. Armin did suspect a deeper meaning to her anger, but it wasn't something he thought to dwell on, and was extremely relieved to see that she hadn't retaliated like he had thought she would.

However, much to his later horror, his suspicions were quite spot on. Mikasa anger toward those who had subjected Eren to cruelty was really just barely kept in check, like a rabid dog waiting to burst free at the next opportune moment.

Yes, she was angry because of the abuse Eren suffered, but it was a little justified according to both Eren and Armin. But her heart could not be appeased by that alone. Corporal Levi could not have known about Eren's regenerative capabilities when he was beating him to a pulp. Those kicks were as much a test of Eren's resolve and body's vitality as a ploy used to setup their proposal for time. That had infuriated her.

But there was also another more personal aspect to her anger. After the events that had caused to her to be adopted into the Yeagers, Mikasa had become strong, or rather realized the potential to her strength. Her reaction speed was almost godlike, her precision and agility demonic. There was no holding back, because if she did, she would be breaking her unsaid promise to survive. When she continued to strive forward, the world was hers. It was a feeling crazy to be said out loud but she could not deny her belief that it was true. She would never have to loose what was important to her, never have to relive that nightmare again.

But that day in the courtroom reminded her that while her strength would enable her to survive in the fight or die situations that so populated her life thus far, it wouldn't hold up against the rotten power structures of human civilization.

Politics, birth status, religion, money... power. Her strength that day couldn't protect Eren from the hands of those in power. Human nature was not necessarily cruel, but it was just as savage as any animals. The major difference Mikasa found, was that humans could communicate. Humans wanted to live, eat, shit, and procreate as much as any animal, but because we could communicate we survive easier in groups, leading eventually to society, with all its benefits but also its hierarchies. And there are always things to be wary of about society.

That was what Mikasa cared about. The power of fear and greed. The greed of the rich pig merchants, the fear of the military police, those who took it to their advantage like that fanatic pastor. In groups, these feelings grow stronger than that of any one indivdual. The feelings were almost palpable in that room, heavy awful feelings that grasp the heart and stop a person from thinking clearly. Their power and their influence wasn't something not all of Mikasa's strength could ever take on.

Sometimes Mikasa thinks back to her life in the mountains. Her quiet secluded life, isolated from everything but nature's plants, animals and insects, and of course her dear dear parents. She remembers the beautiful sky, the endless fields and her long gone innocence. But then she will also remember that she was weak. And that even then the intruders that came, represented a body of people and their feelings. Who had wanted to use her, sell her, rape the essence of human out of her. That this was what was the reality waiting for her beyond the paradise of her youth. This was human society. A people just as merciless in its fight for survival as all nature's creatures were. Thats was why she had to be strong. Only the strong could deem to show mercy, and afford to be kind. Only the strong.

And then that thing came and shocked everyone with his display of brutality toward Eren. Eren! Messy feelings of fear, self loathing, and anger exploded then. In all truth her antipathy was unreasonable. But she was confused and angry and if she was going to function she needed to a target to focus these emotions, at least for the moment.

Time had passed and she had cooled down. She no longer blamed him for the personal feelings brought on that day. But she still couldn't forgive him for the excessive violence he pulled. A tooth flew out of Eren's mouth from the first kick! That fucking midget had not pulled his punches at all. And pushing Eren's face into the floor with his size 4 foot? That man had taken it too far.

Coupled with the fact that she hadn't seen Eren for over a week, and that the Lance Corporal was in charge of him, Mikasa wasn't very happy with him to say the least. Thus Mikasa simmered in her anger as she loaded bags of horse manure in the cart. They were to haul the stinky goods all the way across the property to the garden area. She couldn't wait.

She tugged her gloves up and waited for Connie and Sasha to load their share. She had noticed earlier today that all the window panes on Corporal Levi's floor had been taken off for some reason. If it still was off then her plan of letting loose a squirrel in his room could still work! In a slightly better mood she offered to pull the cart first.

Connie noticed the out of place smile Mikasa wore, and made eyes at Sasha. Sasha stared at Mikasa for a long moment, then turned to Connie.

"I think Mikasa is high!"

"w-What? How?"

"I heard that cows release methane gas when they poo. Maybe the gas got to Mikasa?"

"Thats only when they fart man. And horse shit doesn't smell like gas, it smells like you."

"Fine you farmer hick, but I think all the cow gas from you village has scrambled your brain."

"At least I don't eat moose droppings!"

"Moose droppings aren't actually moose droppings! I told that already! Stop making me hungry!"

"Here have some nice horse droppings instead", Connie grinned and flung some horse shit mixed with soil at Sasha.

"EWW Connie!"

Sasha barely dodged another shit missile, and kicked some dirt at Connie's eyes to buy for time. She hurried to the other side of the cart and whipped a dirt clod up herself. Just as she made to throw it-

"Sasha throw that thing anywhere near me and I'll be eating your share of bread for the next month." Mikasa said flatly.

Connie who had been crouching behind Mikasa looked up sheepishly. Then he saw her face and ran around to cling to Sasha.

Mikasa turned back to the cart, about to ignore them when she overheard their conversation.

"But how else should we settle our battle?"

"It has to be physical. Nothing brainy."

"How about you aim your dirt clods at that window over there", Mikasa said pointing to a window missing it's upper pane.

"What if it's someones room?", Connie said

"With a missing window?" Mikasa countered, she would have continued but Sasha was already busy making rules.

"So best out of 3? Maybe 5? Any more than 10 each and thats a lot of manure gone missing."

Too easy, Mikasa thought, small grin back in place. She'd take any punishment that shortie could dish out just to have a dirt clod land right on his cravat collection.

...

There was always a bit of craziness when the new recruits came. Those who joined the legion scouts were always a bit crazy to begin with, and within the first month of joining you could always expect a number of incidents happening. Signing up for the legions scouts was akin to a death sentence, so new recruits always tended to go a bit crazy, living life up before the first mission.

This year had been rather different with the new recruits having faced and survived the nightmare of the titans first hand. In mourning for their friends and perhaps in some cases lovers, they were even more solemn then the usual bunch. But they finally seemed to be loosening up. Fights breaking out and dissolving in laughter within minutes, customary harmless hazing and pranking by some of the veteran scouts, embarrassing drunk singing and dancing, and couples casual and serious forming in the dark of the night.

Food was good in the scouts, sometimes alcohol was available, and on certain rare days dessert. The money earned was usually all sent back to their families, or saved up by those who had no one left, for a day where they might make a family of their own.

It was a sad and bitter life sometimes, but those in the scouts valued something that went beyond merely surviving. Purpose, freedom, exploration, and hope.

Yes, Corporal Levi was happy that the new recruits were living it up. Really.

"And you thought throwing horse shit though an open window was a better idea?! Horse shit?" Petra's voice went strangled.

"It was mostly dirt you know. With a little bit of fresh wet dung to keep the dirt clod together.", Sasha said in an honest attempt to diffuse the situation.

Mikasa remained straight faced, but her lips tightened. Connie desperately wished lightning would strike him down right now so he could just disappear.

Levi, carefully watching everyone, found that his eyes kept coming back to rest on Mikasa. Her face was as expressionless as always, but something about her was different.

"We were going to clean it up after", Connie lied. "We didn't know it was an occupied room, we swear. I mean there was no glass in the window!"

"Didn't know it was an occupied room? You still don't know?"

Mikasa's lips tightened again.

"Oh my god you guys it's th-"

"Enough Petra. Lets just dole out punishments. Since Braus and Springer like horse shit so much you'll be on manure duty for remainder of the year, though if you survive the upcoming mission I might reconsider. Also anything found broken will be reimbursed equally from all three of your paychecks."

"Hai, sir!"

Connie visibly relaxed, and Sasha looked happy enough to faint, he didn't take away food privileges!

"As for you Ackerman," Levi's voice went colder, confusing Petra and Connie, Sasha was looking at Corporal Levi like he was the next messiah.

"Since you weren't technically part of this, though you did stupidly suggest it, you will be cleaning this room up to my satisfaction. If not done properly you will find yourself joining the idiot duo on shit duty. You will be skipping breakfast and will start cleaning immediately."

"Hai, sir."

Connie and Sasha walked out the room, but Petra had her eyes on the Corporal, whose eyes, in turn, were narrowed on Mikasa.

"Sir", Mikasa voiced after a long silence. There was no question in her voice but it seemed it wasn't needed. Even Petra was curious about Levi's silence.

"What are you waiting for, get a broom and start sweeping this crap up. I'll be back in an hour and I want to see some significant progress.", he glared at Mikasa before nodding at Petra and leaving the room.

Petra sighed. The kids had gotten off fairly easy, especially Mikasa, to be honest. But the look Levi was giving her was a bit ...off.

"Ral-san? Where can I find the nearest broom and dust pan?"

"In the Levi's closet over there. The whole thing's devoted to his cleaning supplies. And please, call me Petra." She smiled then hesitated. While she wanted to ask if anything had happened, she doubted that Mikasa would tell her if she knew. Plus it might be awkward if Mikasa really had no idea.

"Rivaille-heichou", Mikasa began, while starting to sweep, "was he acting a bit odd?"

Oh dear, even a girl whose never interacted with Levi could tell he wasn't acting normal. "E-ehh? Why would you think that?"

"It's just that I thought it would be faster to start with knocking off the surface dirt on the furniture and on the ceiling and walls first. Its going to fall on the ground anyway." Mikasa replied nonchalantly. "Actually I only noticed dirt on the ceiling when I saw some sprinkle down on heichou. Is he really a clean freak?"

"Oh he is. I think its the shock of seeing the room so dirty. Maybe he meant just a quick sweep to help the air before tackling everything else.", Petra laughed awkwardly. She stayed a bit longer and gave some advice on how to clean the room, made a polite goodbye and exited the room.

If Mikasa was that observant toward Levi, she must have noticed his cold attitude toward her. But it seemed the girl could care less. Instead the reserved Mikasa was taking jabs at Levi the minute he left the room. Petra even thought that if Heichou had stayed a bit longer, Mikasa have said those comments to his face.

Heichou, Petra wondered as she made her way to the mess hall for breakfast, what exactly did you do to make that girl hate you so much?

Next chapter will be more fun I think :P