victory_road | BIG, BIGGER, BIGGEST!

[Well, Mikasa was thoroughly lost. This was not the forests of Shinganshina she knew. The trees were different, the dirt path etched by footfall was too wide. Then there was the strange animals. One of which had decided her shoulder was it's home. The small cat(Espurr) wasn't a problem though, it was kind of cute. It'd been curled up in her lap when she'd arrived.

So the girl kept walking. The man and his dog limping the other way only got two blank stares. Then the girl tucked her chin in her scarf and started walking again.

Pausing almost immediately when she bumped into another strange creature that had jumped out in front of her. It did nothing and only stared, it's omen lost on Mikasa.]

[Levi's senses were not as sharp as they once were, and he didn't notice Mikasa was behind him. His Scyther, however, did notice the Absol that had jumped out of the brush, and made a croaking, hissing sound to alert Levi. He turned his head over his shoulder to see the child and Pokemon behind him.

Was that black and white thing with the bladed horn on its head dangerous? Levi didn't want to take any chances on it. He gathered himself to ignore the pain in his leg and began to briskly walk in their direction.]

You! Kid! Clear out!

[His hands mimed at his hips, looking for a weapon that wasn't there, and he grimaced in frustration when he realized this might end up being a hand to hand fight. With a wild animal.

The things he did for little kids.]

[The Absol just stood there, where it had landed. Red eyes moving between the two humans. Giving a small bark(or roar?). Mikasa hadn't moved from it, wasn't running and turning your back the worst thing to do with animals? But she did slowly begin to step back. the small cat in her arms giving an uneasy whine at the dark-type.

Only for the Absol to just plonk it's butt down and sit. Lifting it's head and looking at pair haughtily.]

[...Okay, what kind of wild animal sits down like a stubborn mutt when threatened? Levi was honestly bewildered at the behavior-- he really only knew how to deal with horses-- and awkwardly stopped short of attacking it.]

[His Scyther, however, seemed to have some kind of idea about what was going on, and approached the Absol with a low hiss, as if he was trying to communicate. What was an Absol doing down from the mountains? Was there danger nearby?]

[The Absol let out another bark. Standing to move a little closer to Mikasa before sitting again. Something bad was happening, it stay, it protect.

Mikasa really wasn't sure what to do. Her head-turning to the man hobbling over and back to the pokemon. She hummed and ahh'ed. Having to look up at the man.]

...Is everything okay?

[She'd not been mauled yet and she didn't feel in danger.]

[The Scyther mimed at the Absol in return. No danger. Human can't walk. Bad leg. No trouble.]

[Well. It looked like they were coming to some kind of understanding? Levi had no idea what they were communicating to each other, but it was obviously peaceful. That Mantis had blades that it knew how to use, and it was choosing not to.]

I guess. [Because yeah, he wasn't sure, but it looked okay for now.] You're not hurt?

[The Absol sniffed, turning it's head. That lock of fur hiding it's eyes from view. That was not how predicted danger worked...But it'd relented. Choosing to watch and wait. There was something odd. Danger was coming but not here?

Meanwhile the girl it'd decided was in danger just kept staring at Levi. Head shaking slightly.] No. [But she raised her arms, presenting the Espurr that had curled up into a ball, shivering. It's eyes impossibly wide, had it been on any other creature.]

She isn't. [Her new fren...]

I see. [Levi got down on his knee, for one to be at eye level with Mikasa, but also because his leg was about to give out anyways.] I'm sorry. I know I look scary.

[His legendary resting bitch face was bad enough before the scars, nowadays Levi was used to terrifying local children.]

[Once they were face to face, he noticed that she looked very familiar. Hmm.]

What's your name? I'm Levi.

You're not scary. [Just a mumble as she held up the shivering Espurr. The fuzzy cat was the one who was scared. But Mikasa didn't hold them up long, she pulled the pokemon back to her chest to cuddle. Shh, it okay. But Mikasa wasn't scared of him, not even the slightest.]

Mikasa.

[Riveting conversation here.]

[You can't expect anything more than monosyllabic answers out of two Ackermans.]

[Mikasa, though? Levi supposed he could see the resemblance. He never knew her as a small child, but there was something in her that was remarkably like himself when he was that age.]

I didn't think it would be important, but I think I should tell you my full name. I'm Levi Ackerman.

Edited 2021-05-28 21:12 (UTC)

[They were doing better than expected.

Then he mentioned his last name and she tensed. Tiny eyebrows knotting together., a small noise of unease slipping out. Peering up at him like he'd suddenly look familiar... He didn't. She still didn't know him. So she looked down at the Espurr in her arms.]

...That's my last name. [Why did he have it?]

It's likely that we're related. I don't know how, though.

[His own memories of his mother were vague at best. She never mentioned family. Most of it was just her suffering and his starvation. Kenny wasn't a good parental figure at all, but at least he ate well then.]

I don't mean to pressure you. I just thought you should know.

Edited 2021-05-29 01:11 (UTC)

I don't know... [She'd not been told of any relatives. Only that her parents had gone into hiding, they'd never mention any other family members or where they'd be. She wasn't sure what to think and remained quiet thinking. The Espurr in her arms reaching to poke her face. Prompting her to lift it and look up at Levi.]>

...Why?

[Why did he think that? What did he mean by pressure, he'd not asked anything had he?]

Just because I might be your uncle, or cousin, doesn't mean that you have to listen to me or do as I say. That's up to you.

[An older Mikasa may have been his subordinate at one point, but she wasn't anymore. This one never had been. He respected people's autonomy, even a child's.]

Oh... [A few seconds pause as her head remained level. Staring at him.]

I wasn't going to anyway. [She really hadn't been. He was not a trusted adult to listen to, even if nothing about him made her tense. He was just an old guy with a limp, had it not been for his last name, she wouldn't have thought anything of it.] ...Do you live here?

[He wasn't offended by her decision in the slightest. He always felt that Mikasa only "followed" his orders because they lined up with her priorities at the time. This wasn't any different.]

No. I just arrived. Rather abruptly.

[That got a slow nod. Lifting the Espurr slightly, showing him.] I woke up here, with this. ['This' promptly gave a small cry and wiggled, trying to get away.]

...Where are you from? My... [She mumbled, a foot kicking at the ground. Gaze lowering.] They said there wasn't anyone else? [But this guy had known her. Just by her first name.]

I was born in the Underground. I don't know who my father was. My mother was an Ackerman. She died when I was very young. My uncle-- her brother-- raised me.

They most likely told you that to protect you. There's something special about our clan that made people afraid of us. There have been times in history when we were hunted down, but not anymore.

[That was a whole lot of information. Possibly too much. The underground? She'd heard vague rumours of that place, that it was bad.

But she nodded.] They said that... [That her father's side had been hunted down for an unknown reason. And her mother had been because she was 'rare'.]

Why were people afraid?

[It was bad. But she didn't need to know about his criminal lifestyle when he was young.]

We're strong.

Have you felt it yet? A moment where you knew you had to protect something, and nothing else mattered. You just did it.

[Welppp, that just got more blank staring as Mikasa's face paled. Did she know of a moment like that? Maybe, but it wasn't something she could talk about. Her eyes narrowed at the man as her temple started to throb.

She shuffled, shying away from him.]

...No.

...You don't have to talk about it. [He stood again, in an attempt to take the pressure off of her. It turned into a bit of a clumsy stumble, but he stayed upright.] It's not very important.

[She wasn't going to talk about, ever. Even if she remained rooted to the spot, a hand coming up to rub at her head, her right eye. 'It's not important']

Why did you ask then?

BIG, BIGGER, BIGGEST!

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