A Promise (An Attack on Titan Fanfic: Erwin Smith)

Encounter

It was their second day in Mitras.

The air below ground was stank, like a mixture of feces, trash and the rotten smell of corpses. It wasn't entirely dark, but it wasn't with light either, with the altitudinous ceiling that separated the underground civilization from aboveground soaring high above a cluster of aged houses with chipped walls and splotches of dried blood painting some nicks of the infrastructures. Several bricks that comprised the olden pavement have been plucked out, the streets now littered with the occasional fragments (and even bones) while some civilians wandered around, bodies malnourished and faces gaunt, a dulling glazed look washing over their eyes; it wasn't hell itself, but the Underground City was close to one.

A trio of soldiers, with their trademark jackets displaying the all-too familiar Wings of Freedom of the Survey Corps, marched down the narrow streets, the soles of their boots crunching the cement below them.

Isanna casted a cursory glance at the emaciated civilians leaning against walls, shadows of the houses shading their figures. Due to the dearth of sunlight, it wasn't uncommon for some of the underground citizens to lose function of their legs.

It was pitiful, and Isanna frowned at the stark contrast from the stable life in Mitras. She had seen the same images during her short visit yesterday, but she still couldn't get used to the forbidding gloom hovering in this place.

Hanji had snooped around here and there and managed to get her hands on the information Isanna wanted on the said underground thugs that were causing trouble for the Military Police, so Erwin had decided to check for himself shortly before they continue on with the issue about Nicholas Lovof and the signing of the petition.

"If they stole those vertical maneuvering gears only about a year ago, that means they're already better than those unicorn bastards who trained a whole three years," Isanna broke the silence as she pointed out to the two of her friends that were with her, "those MPs really like to bring shame to the rest of us."

Mike kept his steady gaze around their surroundings, cautious for any unusual movements. You could never be too careful in the Underground. "Are we really going to make them join us?"

"That depends on their skills," Erwin replied without looking back, as he was at the front, "we're only here to survey them."

Isanna snorted with a deadpan. "I guess that's why we're called the Survey Corps."

The two blonds paid no attention to the girl's (lame) pun and continued walking, with the raven clicking her tongue while rolling her eyes at the lack of response.

"A little gesture of support would be appreciated."

"Haha." Isanna squinted her eyes at Mike, whose eyes were still fixated at the front.

She decided to just let it go and redirected her attention back to their surroundings. Her gaze landed on a group of burly men who were lounging on the sidewalk, some sitting on boxes, some leaning against the walls where scratches of paint were tearing off. They were staring intently at something.

No, Isanna corrected herself as she followed their gazes to see three figures wearing faded gray cloaks walking down the street, from the direction opposite Isanna and her friends. They're staring at someone.

The girl could feel the air above the street decreasing as she watched the three figures with wary eyes.

"Erwin, Mike, hold on."

The two blonds stopped in their tracks and glanced at the girl, before they followed her eyes.

Isanna observed the man in front of the other two, his gait screaming of 'leader' as the man with dark hair in an undercut marched down the street with an undaunted, intimidating stare, his cloak ruffling behind his back. Despite his relatively short stature, his footsteps were heavy, an exuding amount of stealthy confidence emitting from him.