“It passed. I never would have imagined that Councilman Lovof would change his mind,” came the gruffy voice of a man reading the papers in his hand, his fingers adjusting the thick frames of his glasses while going over the content of the documents repeatedly. Darius Zackly was certain that the greedy bastard was willing to go to any lengths in order to impede the Survey Corps’ scouting missions. So why...

“Keith… do you have any idea why he did?” 

A wave of awkward silence radiated from the two men before him. Keith Shadis, the 12th Commander of the Survey Corps merely denied any knowledge while Erwin Smith, the prodigious soldier honed to be the next commanding officer, maintained a straight face.

“I see…” 

Zackly stole a quick glance at the blonde officer. His suspicions on Erwin has done nothing but grown immensely ever since he learned of the child’s existence. His tenacity and sheer determination to salvage humanity in the endless war with the titans was admirable, but even the general shuddered to think of the extent of this child bringing humanity forward. Erwin Smith, he is a man with a mission, a mission as complex and twisted as the man himself.

“But that’s not the only good news,” Zackly continued. “We received support from an unexpected noble, quite the powerful family I must say. Do you know of this too?”

Keith denied knowledge for the second time. “This is news to me as well, sir.”

Erwin’s slight surprise was not left unnoticed by the old general.

“How fortunately strange. It seems that we may have finally received Heaven’s favour,” Zackly surmised airily, stacking the documents on his desk. “If there is nothing else, you are dismissed.”

With a firm salute, the two gentlemen left the general’s office.

Erwin tailed behind his commander in silence. It was not until they reached the privacy of his office did the commander’s expression turned a pitch black.

“Has this got to do with that new informant you snagged from the underground?”

Erwin remained silent, his face betrayed nothing.

“So it is.” Keith shot his squad leader a chilling glare. “I won’t ask you further about this. To me, that person never existed.”

Thanking the commander, Erwin stared dead ahead. “I shall take full responsibility of the consequences, sir.”

Another coin in the bag.

 

 

---

 

 

The golden ball of light has fallen and a blanket of black skies took over the atmosphere, beckoning rest for its occupants, humans and titans alike. Perched on a tree branch was a lone figure resting her back on the bark, the coolness of the wood seeping through her leather and blouse while her dark cape fluttered gently in the wind. The warm breeze was a familiar welcome and the obsidian skies littered with thousands of twinkling stars was a sight she could never get enough of. Peace and quiet, it would have been nice to have a steaming cup of tea to enjoy the view with. Too bad she only had what little rum left in her flask to last her for the night. Remi supposed if she waited a little longer, she could sneak into the empty kitchen and loot a loaf or two. That would really go well with her newly caught boar that she seared the night before. She decided to wait for another hour.

“Was that your ‘better news’, another supporting noble?” Erwin’s sudden voice stirred Remi from her light nap. If the blonde officer truly intended to surprise the female, he was utterly hopeless. Remi could hear him stalking in the grasses from a quarter mile away while she pretended to be asleep. Erwin seemed to like playing surprise with her but she sometimes wondered why he even bothered trying. He was really bad at it.

“So you’ve heard. You’re welcome.” Remi replied lazily, stretching her limbs fully while balancing her weight on the thick branch. Remi knew Erwin simply wanted information on Nicholas Lovof, something he could blackmail the noble with. But the extra help she prepared for the Survey Corps was entirely out of her own initiative. Knowing Erwin, she would probably get a dressing down from him when he learns about her unnecessary meddling, hence a warning was due. She told him of expecting better news just before the man departed to meet General Zackly with the Commander. Now that that was done, she awaits the berating that was to come.

“I would praise you for soliciting such a tremendous help for the regimen,” Erwin gently touched the cool bark as he stood underneath the branch from where Remi sat, his piercing cerulean eyes shifting to the black figure resting casually above him. “But I don’t remember instructing you to do something of that sort.”

To Erwin’s sharp tone, Remi simply feigned ignorance. “The General seemed happy about it.”

“My orders,” Erwin cut in. “I told you to strictly follow them. Interfering needlessly... there will be consequences beyond my calculations.” 

A lengthy pause filled the silence between the two. Remi waited till the clouds passed over the bright moon before continuing again. It seemed like a good cue for her next opening.

“All consequences are beyond human calculations, Squad Leader Erwin,” Remi’s eyes still fixated on the endless night sky. “Even now, me talking to you like this in the open field, it was never part of your calculations, wasn’t it?”

Erwin’s eyes widened a fraction, his gaze subconsciously drifted to the ground. He probably hated to admit it but this moment, he never thought to imagine it. The man has lived by carefully moving a pawn piece at a time, each move hardened with countless calculations and assumptions. He, the brains of the Survey Corps, knew better than anyone that one could never truly predict the future, only estimate risks and prepare for them as best as possible. But perhaps, like what the Phantom suggested, he was probably going ahead of himself, a little too unforgiving to give allowances for minor errors or changes. 

Erwin has always believed in his revolutions, the Phantom being one of them. And it seems like tonight, he was reminded once more that revolutions were the epitome of change. They were disruptive at the very least, and that was the perfect definition for the unfathomable black figure before him.

“How did you do it? I heard the noble was from a powerful family.” 

“Aren’t they all?” Remi shrugged, playing along with the change of discourse. 

“There is a hierarchy even amongst the nobles here. This one was a real catch.” Granted, the inclusion of the said noble not only increased the regimen’s expedition funds quite significantly, but it also propelled the council’s confidence in the Survey Corps. The Phantom’s network turned out to be far more extensive than what Erwin anticipated and at this rate, he would not be surprised if she was even connected to the royal family. With the Phantom, nothing was impossible.

“You have not answered my question, how did you do it? Was it blackmail?” Erwin pressed further, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Remi gave the man a side-eye. “My answers don’t come freely, Squad Leader.”

“And I have paid for everything I need from you with those citizenship papers.”

Remi clicked her tongue and turned her face away from Erwin. “You really are a stingy man.”

Admiring the skies, Remi liked how the stars twinkled softly and how the breeze hummed a gentle tune. The ambience was soothing and kind, so the female absorbed all and every comfort mother nature has blessed upon her, and it was only because of her good mood did she decided to let Erwin in on her little secret. 

“It was a favour from an old friend.”

The Phantom’s voice came with a rare tender quality, her gaze softened a bit and the smallest smile played on her lips. A distant memory flashed in her eyes but the female quickly pulled it back into the deep crevices of her mind, sealed it safely, only to open it later in private, away from prying ears and eyes. Wanting to end her midnight rendezvous with the blonde officer, Remi slowly stood up and dusted her clothes.

“Consider it an initiation gift from an employee - no - a partner,” Remi climbed another branch then looked over her shoulder. “I know it's already a big help for the Survey Corps so cherish it wisely.”

“You…” Erwin stopped her in her tracks. “Why are you denying your existence even here?”

He was talking about the surface citizenships, about how she refused to have one being put to her name and about how she was using them for her two brothers instead. No matter how Erwin thought about it, it was a foolish decision and an unfavourable one in many ways. Yet still...

“It’s how I’ve been living and how I’ll keep living,” Remi replied in a cold tone, her face cloaked in the darkness once more.  There was nothing else she wished to add and the man already had one too much secret for tonight. It shall proceed no further.

“It’s late. Goodnight, Squad Leader Erwin.” 

With a leap, the Phantom disappeared into the forest grounds. By day, it held the cadet trainings but by night, it was her sanctuary. Erwin watched as the black figure faded into the shadows. The man wanted to believe he bore witness to a moment of fragility displayed by the ruthless Phantom. If anything, it made her more human. But no matter, he has yet to rid of the itching suspicion nagging at the back of his head. There was something not quite right about his newly found partner, he was not certain of what it was exactly, but he knew it would come to light. Eventually. 

After all, time tells everything.

 

 

---

 

 

Light footsteps arrived in front of a semi-broken door. With a small push, the wooden door creaked to life, revealing the small dwelling within. It was a simple arrangement, a good stack of hay in the corner, a makeshift fireplace in the center and the rest of her goods in the farthest corner - weapons, armor and her modified vertical maneuvering gear. She was lucky Erwin agreed to smuggle her goods from the underground. Despite everything, she was still an illegal resident on the surface - no citizenship, no identity, no name. She was a ghost, in the underground and now too, on the surface.

 

“Tell me about Nicholas Lovof.”

“Of course. But first, what of my returns? Don’t even threaten me with the Military Pigs. You and I both know they don’t stand a chance with me. And neither would you, Squad Leader. Not here, no.”

Erwin did not need to be reminded of his vulnerable situation. In the dim cave where it was already impossible to tell left from right, the man knew better than to push any more buttons if he wanted to make it out from the deal alive, and successful. 

“What do you want, Phantom?”

Remi could not hide the smugness in her eyes. “How about surface citizenship?”

“You’re being ridiculous,” Erwin rebutted almost immediately.

“And I want two of them.” Before Erwin could refute further, Remi continued. “Shall I also tell you how to turn the tables around for the Survey Corps?”

Erwin paused, his calculating eyes edged with reluctance. “You need to offer something better.”

Remi placed a finger on her chin and hummed in contemplation. The man did not seem to want to relent, and while she appeared aloof about the entire thing, she was actually desperate to get her hands on those documents. Without warning, a long blade found its way to Erwin’s throat, scraping the surface of his skin ever so slightly.

“Shall I negotiate with your life then?” The female tilted her head to the side, her eyes a dangerous glint. Matching her fearsome gaze was Erwin’s own ones, his previous composed eyes turned cold and demeaning. Erwin expected this much of a dirty trick from an underground thug, but he did not expect himself to be so forcefully cornered.

“Do it, then. The deal ends with me.”

Erwin’s daring response sparked excitement in the female's eyes. Thrill coursing through her veins, the Phantom pressed the blade deeper into his skin drawing out droplets of crimson liquid from the fresh graze. Another second, the pressure stopped and the blade disappeared as if it was never there.

“A reckless one, aren’t ya?” 

A playful twinkle settled back into the Phantom’s icy blue eyes. “Since we both can’t agree, allow me to propose a better deal…”