Shingeki no Oneshot

I. A New Friend (Ereri)

written on — 17.11.13

inspiration — based off of how to train your dragon and a tumblr post by saltbalance. (link below and on the side)

word count — 2,300

artwork — seen on the side is one panel of the entire photoset on tumblr. check out the full thing in the external link! 

A NEW FRIEND

Levi ran his pencil all over the two pages he had recently drawn on, frustrated with himself and everyone that surrounded him. He shoved his drawing notebook into his vest and continued walking through the forest, muttering to himself about how his attempt to catch a titan yet again had failed. He let out a long exhale as he continued to wander. He reached a branch that was in his path-there were still a few scatterings of forestry here and there within Wall Maria-and, out of his growing frustration, he shoved it away with such force that it bounced back and hit him in the face.

         The boy ran a hand over his face and cursed to God-or the gods, whatever the religion was that was being preached in the main square at the moment-and examined the branch more closely. Following its origins, Levi saw that the tree in front of him was roughly split in half, and the part the branch was attached to had completely fallen over. Being as curious as he was, he walked down the path that had somehow been created right next to the fallen tree.

         The path ended at the top of a large ridge, somewhat like a hill, and when Levi peered over to see what it was on the other side he almost lost his footing and crouched low, hiding from what he had just seen.

         It was a fifteen-metre titan.

         Levi had only heard stories of five- and eight-metre titans from people who had encountered them. As for the fifteen-metre, Levi had only read about them. He had never seen one for himself, specifically in the middle of a forest, away from the outskirts of the town, especially within Wall Maria. All the titans were outside and away from the last of the human population.

         After catching his breath, he looked up at the titan again. It hadn't moved in the slightest and that was causing suspicion in the boy's mind. I thought titans were supposed to sense when humans were near.

         Levi pulled out a knife from his vest. It wasn't much protection at all but it was protection nonetheless. He slid his way down on steady feet, his back colliding softly with a large boulder in the small clearing. The titan was covered in a flexible, steel netting. The net was obviously made by the Military Police, but it was something Levi had picked up himself after the Military disposed of it for being 'faulty'. Of course Levi was able to restore it to its former glory, trying it out on the first titan he saw pass by. Now, here was the titan that so happened to be in the way, lying down, encased in netting.

         "I did it." Saying the words out loud made them real to Levi, made his heart swell with the knowledge that he finally caught his first titan. "Oh, I did it-this fixes everything! Yes!" He brought his foot forward, about to place it on the shoulder of the titan. "I have brought down this mighty be-"

         The titan twitched and let out a low rumble that caused Levi to stumble back, knife now clutched with both hands. He and the titan were both breathing heavily; Levi for the short fear that he would be killed and the titan for who knows what reason. Maybe it had tried to get out of the netting prior to when he showed up but every attempt failed. Maybe that was why it was resting on its stomach, slightly curled in on itself. Levi walked away from the shoulder area and closer to the face, wanting to examine the titan's features up close.