A New Threat - plus more Short Stories! (An OC based story)

Once A Kid's Mission - Pt 2

"What's the reason for being here today? I assumed this wasn't your favorite place to come by." He chortled like the old man he was.

"Just a couple of paperwork to send in before they resend a couple more stacks." Erwin propped the folder filled with papers under his arm.

"Erwin." Levi trotted up to him. "Aishi and I will stay he—"

"Actually, I have to go," Aishi shouted from a distance. She gestured towards a young man dressed in an MP uniform. "He said someone inside needed to meet with me."

"Well, then we'll all go. I could send in my paperwork a little later." Erwin strolled over. Levi, from his position, was a bit suspicious of the man's posture. His spine curled along with his knees which began to quiver once their eyes met. He squinted, successfully intimidating the man.

"Oh," Aishi simply shrugged her shoulders. She faced the man. "Care to show us who wants me?"

"U. .uh. . yes ma'am." The man seemed stingy as if he hadn't been outside for long. His hands curved unusually while he walked the three passed a corner and then down an empty pavement. Aishi stopped in her tracks, placing a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Sir. I don't think you're taking us anywhere, aren't you?" Her eyes narrowed, hearing Levi and Erwin's blade unsheath from their racks.

"No. . but I think I got you right where I want you." His back straightened, his fingers popping in their designated positions as one finger pressed on something which opened up a trap door under the three, dropping them into one glass room.

"Shit!" Aishi collided with the glass, but it didn't break. It was impenetrable as well, minding Levi's blade thrashing against the glass. His body vibrated, though the glass had not one dent. "Why did I even follow him in the first place?"

"He was wearing an MP uniform, so I can't blame you," Levi mentioned, slithering his blade back into its rack.

"What is this man planning?" Erwin tracked his presence stepping downstairs then swooping into the room they were in. "Is there a reason you need us?"

"You were there. . all three of you." The man croaked, his eyes made of steel. His hand gripped around a lever, unhesitantly tugging it downwards, unlocking something terrifying that the three faced apathetically. They didn't seem scared, almost questionable, though the man didn't care to question.

Aishi's head rigidly shifted towards the man, her eyes bleak. "What do you mean—" The glass cage they were imprisoned in glowed a sudden blue until it blasted out like a shockwave, Aishi, Erwin, and Levi disappearing beyond the limits Paradis could ever extend to. Spark flew, and electricity fluidly tickled the generator, breaking and shutting down on itself. The project the man had worked on was successful, now he could go. . go where he needed to be: family. 

*

Aishi felt. . warm. Her ears perked up to the birds chirping, pecking, and cawing. The inaudible, consistent conversations between civilians along with the shoes, heels, or boots clattering across the pebble pavement. Was she back where she originally was? "Aishi?" A voice probed, poking her on the shoulder.

"Huh?" Her voice squeaked, her eyes still appearing bleak. She sat up from her lying position, rubbing her eyes from the blinding light glaring down from the sky. Her eyes accumulated water, but she wiped it off. Aishi faced Levi, bewildered by the fact she was facing a young version of Levi. "Levi? Why are you tiny?"

"What do you mean by that?" He raised a brow, noticing Aishi was miniature herself. "Your voice is a bit higher as well."

"Yours too!" She pointed with a stubby index finger, and she realized. "Wait. . are we. ."

"I think so." Levi sat on a fountain ledge. "Where's Erwin?"

"I dunno. . isn't this the part where we bump into him?" Aishi questioned, sitting on the fountain ledge with him. She took a whole loaf of bread from a basket full of food next to her then ripped it in half, offering the other to Levi which he kindly took. The breeze lifted, blowing Aishi's small skirt with her wavy hair and her tiny red bow tied on her head. It left Levi in a wonderful trance of 'she's beautiful' constantly repeating in her head. 

He subconsciously took a bite out of the moist bread, staring at the red bow tipping back and forth like a bouncy ball, or whatever it reminded him of. They casually sat there as if morphing into their kiddy bodies while having a mindset of a 27 and a 30-year-old was normal. Aishi nibbled on the last of her bread, licking her fingers of the remaining flavors that lingered very tastefully.

"You're beautiful." Levi managed to say. "And your hair is long."

"Hm?" Her eyes shifted directly at him. "Right. . my hair was still very long." She fluffed her skirt, hopping off the fountain ledge. "We have to find Erwin." Until now, she disliked what Levi wore: raggedy clothing with clean skin. Aishi felt bad that she had to rub the crumbs off of his cheeks and stroke her fingers down his straight hair.

Levi gently swatted Aishi's hands away from him. "What are you doing?"

"I'm fixing you up." She took his hand before scooping up the basket full of food. "Let's go." Aishi dragged him down the pavement, dashing down corners like she had before. The both of them arrived at a large library nearby a recreation center. Aishi twirled around, chewing on her lower lip.

"How do you know that he's here?"

"Cause he bumps into us." She pointed at a specific spot. "Right here." Then that's when little Erwin strolled upon their view with some precious books in his hands. He seemed lost, as if he was looking for something valuable. "Erwin!" Aishi waved which Levi was insanely displeased with. He instantly lowered her arm, gripping it tightly.

"What are you doing?" Levi murmured, his side-eyes noticing Erwin gradually approaching them. "What if he's not what you think he is?" The big bulging eyes of Erwin's ocean eyes said it all.

"Levi. Aishi." Erwin's voice announced out of nowhere. It was squeaky, but very noticeable due to the strict tone that he would naturally use. The both of them turned around with expansive eyes as if they had seen something terrifying happen. Erwin was in what Aishi was unhesitantly labeled 'nerdy clothing'. She giggled at that fact. "What? This? It's what I'd normally wear."

"If you want to be nerdy and adorable at the same time." Aishi giggled.

"Oh shush. As if your outfit is any better than mine. You're wearing a red bow and a lenient dress that's translucent from the Sun."

"I like it. It's what I wore when I was little, so shut it."

"Alright, alright. My apologies." Erwin rubbed the back of his neck, examining his environment. "It appears that we. . aren't exactly home."

"Aishi!!" A man with a disembodied tone called. Aishi could clearly sense the patters of his loafers. "Where are you?" The man then released a loud huff.

"Who is that?" Levi questioned, though Aishi was frozen still. Her eyes were bleak and frosted with thin ice. She was on thin ice. She knew who it was and immediately gripped Levi's raggedy clothing.

"Levi, it's my father." She whimpered, cuddling closer to him. "I don't know if he had injected the serum inside of me yet, but I forgot what happens next and—"

"It's also possible what we do can affect the future. So whatever leads on from here is what will change. I clearly don't remember us just talking like this."

"No shit Erwin, Aishi and you just bump into each other then we move on." Levi interposed.