Chapter 2

   How? That phrase that guy said repeated in my mind, pestering me until I gave up. How can I? I don't even remember when I met Erik for the first time. It seemed like he was always there from the beginning... but I wasn't born here so how could that be possible? This man is helping me and I could give no answer...

   "We could just sit on the branch and say hi? I didn't really do anything to have Erik help me; I mean I don't think so..." I trailed off, mentally slapping my head. Sit on the branch and say hi? That was the stupidest answer you've given to anyone. But then I got a swarm of guilt grasping and releasing in my stomach after realizing that Erik was still dead. This man killed Erik and I couldn't do anything about it. He killed another titan, even worse, in front of my eyes, and I did nothing about it. Titans were my friends, weren't they? Shaking my head, I decided to think about something else for now and deal with this later. Maybe annoying this rude man would ease the death off my shoulders.

   "Tch. If it was that easy, none of our men would've died by now. Does that idiot brain of yours give any well-thought out answers? And I actually thought you could've done something," he muttered, whispering that last part to himself.

   I sighed, I wasn't going anywhere with this man. After giving out the exaggerated long sigh and rolling my eyes, he glared at me. Well I guess it couldn't help to know something about him.

   "What's your name, shortie?" I retorted back with my head and voice raised with my hands on my hips. I even decided to secretly go on my tippy-toes and tried to look as mighty as possible.

   "Who're you calling shortie? The only shortie I see here is this girl on her toes trying to look taller when I'm taller," he calmly sassed back with a hint of annoyance laced with every word. How can he still look intimidating when he's using such bad sass lines that somehow work?

   Looking down at his boots, a smile slowly crept on my face. "I bet your boots make you taller. Take them off and I'll be taller! You still haven't answered my question you know," I reminded him.

   "My boots aren't that tall anyway so keep on dreaming about growing. My name is Levi and call me heichou. Next time, I'll only respond with the correct way to call your higher ranks," he corrected.

   "Levi? Levi. Levi! Leeeviiiii. Levi! Levi?" I pleaded. He really was serious when he said that?

   "Heichou, my name is..." I trailed off. How could I not know my own name? That's right, in the forest there was no one to call me that. I mean it's not like Erik was going to call me by my name. Another punch landed in my gut. Isn't there anything else to think about besides Erik? "I don't remember. I-in the forest, no one was there to give or call me by my name. I don't remember my parents, my name, or even my age. What should I do? I guess I'm just a rogue living out here with my titans... No one could ever accept me or love me in your civilization, could they? They'll probably see me as a threat. I bet my parents don't even love me or even remember me." I stopped in my tracks, just a little behind Levi. My bangs hovered over my eyes as I tried not to cry. "You can go without me. I'll just be a burden to you. Remember what you said? You don't want to travel with brats as dirty as me. Funny how I remembered that, right? Well, bye. I'll just die a useless life here in my forest," I lamented with tears starting to come out of their cove and dropping on my feet. That last sentence seemed to trigger something in Levi because he suddenly grabbed my hands and looked firmly into my eyes.

   "No one's life is useless. I hate it when people die with no cause. You will be accepted in the walls and you're already accepted by me," he comforted with a burning determination in his eyes.

   "Really? You don't even allow me to call you by your name and you call that accepting someone?" I joked with tears slowly dropping, sparkling as they splashed into a million pieces on the floor. Suddenly images rushed through my mind as I was reminded of something that would calm me. I stretched my hands out and childishly pleaded, "Levi, hug."

   He glanced at me as if I were insane and just continued walking. What's wrong, I just want a hug. Is that such a bad thing to ask for? I remember hugging someone, somewhere, and I felt comforted after that hug. I pouted, "Levi, why can't I get a hug? Don't a lot of people hug each other? Isn't it normal?"

   "Ria."

   "Who's Ria?" I interrogated, thinking another person was here.

   "Your name will be Ria. Naming a stubborn brat like you is enough, no hugs," he stated with full authority.

   A wide smile slowly formed on my face as my mouth wobbled. He turned around and complained, "Are you coming or not, Ria?"

   Wiping my tears, I nodded and happily skipped towards Levi.

~*~

   "Are we there yet, heichou? We should go faster," I whined. He sighed and whispered a quiet tch.

   "Stop asking, it's getting annoying repeating my answers and don't make me repeat a fourth time. We started running and you got tired quickly so now I'm stuck with you walking. I suggested using my 3D maneuver gear but you chickened out so shut up and bear with it, you filthy pig."

   "This is boring, let's talk, heichou!" I shouted.

   "No."

  "Heichou, that was fast, you didn't even think about it! That's not fair, give it a thought at least," I pouted with my cheeks puffed out.

   He was quiet for about thirty seconds and then replied with, "No."

   I guess it's hard having any fun with him. It's my first time talking to someone else in a while so he should be nicer. How do I even know how to speak anyway? How do I know this language? Where are my parents that gave birth to me? I need... to find my family.

   "Fine, I'll go with you on the 3D maneuver gear but... make sure I don't fall, okay?" I asked with puppy eyes to make sure he doesn't drop me. In the end, I decided to go with him on the gear because that counts as a hug since he's holding me. My plan is working...

   He just nodded and held me by my waist like last time and hooked onto a tree. We suddenly took flight at boundless speed and since I was surprised by the sudden acceleration, I loosened my grip on his shoulder. I felt myself falling, but I was held firmly by Levi. Since I was uncomfortable in this position and felt like falling all the time, I decided to switch. Kicking Levi's arm away, I grabbed his other shoulder with my other hand and successfully got into a piggy-back ride position.

   "Go heichou! Faster!" I yelled while laughing.

   Levi was obviously annoyed by this friendly gesture of mine that he simply made a sharp turn and kicked me off. The wind rushed down, pushing my face as I fell silently into the forest. He actually... let me go? I instinctively reached up for him but he was just there hanging from the tree, watching me with a dangerous glint in his eyes. Closing my eyes and bracing myself, I waited for the impact but it never came because I was right back to flying through the trees. Levi? No this person isn't Levi but... who? It was a male teenager with brown hair swishing through the air as he held me. He had matching eyes that reminded me of acorns and he smiled warmly at me then at Levi.

   "Heichou, I had a heart attack when you kicked this poor girl off! Why would you do such a thing? She could've gotten seriously hurt, you know," he scolded Levi.

   "Tch, she was pulling off a crazy stunt on me. Anyway, what took you so long? I'm guessing you were sh*tting in the trees and then attracted all the titans with that sh*t of yours? Glad you're here though, take care of this filthy girl for me. Apparently she lives in this forest eating titan sh*t and sitting on the trees doing nothing," Levi responded then increasing his speed.

   "How many times do I have to tell you... titans regurgitate humans! Didn't Hanji already tell you that? And no, I was just helping others finish off titans," he looked at me then said, "You live here with the titans? That's interesting and cool! I'm Lukas Beringer, what's your name?"

   "Hi Lukas! I'm Ria. About the titans... I don't want to talk about it."

   He looked at me with a bit of pity and then continued following Levi in silence. It was like that for the rest of the flight with me in the same piggy back ride position so that Lukas could freely use his 3D maneuver gear. We met with some other people but they just gave me hateful looks and spat at me. But then I saw the wounds of everyone else and realized that I was living in the forest with titans feeding me human parts that could've been theirs. It's always going to be like this, with everyone resenting me, isn't it? I started to cry but Lukas comforted me and led me to the wagon. He sat next to me with his hand around me while I leaned on his shoulder and tried to sleep. Just sleep and don't think about it.

   But while I was still on the wagon I heard a conversation.

   "What are they going to do with her, heichou?" Lukas asked coldly with a bit of worry.

   "How would I know? They'll probably lock her up and ask her a bunch of useless questions. A lot of people are terrified of her, you know. Who knows, maybe she can help us with the titans or just be a burden," a voice that sounded like Levi answered.

   Where am I going? People are scared of me? I'm a burden? These were the thoughts swarming around in my head but I blocked them off and slept them away. Don't think about it... don't think about it...

...Where am I going?

~*~ Ta-da! Chapter 2 is done! Anyway vote if you enjoyed and I would really appreciate it if you could comment on anything like constructive criticism or any favorite parts. Thanks! Picture is of Ria! She's a little bit older though; she kinda looks like a little kid in the picture. Oh and dedicated to @shingeki_no_kyojin because you know why............ and I'm dedicating chapter 2 instead of chapter 1 to you because I don't know why.