Attack On Titan Chapter 7

Show Of Faith
Toushiro: “VEGETA!”
Vegeta snapped out of whatever trance he seemed to be in and stopped his attack cold, looking over at Toushiro!
Toushiro: “Have you lost your mind?! Look at him!”
Vegeta looked down at Levi and gasped. The man was on the ground shaking in fear! He was terrified of him! The saiyan turned away and apologized before leaving.
Vegeta: “Forgive me.”
The prince just walked off while Toushiro went up to Levi. The soldier was shaken up but otherwise fine apart from a few new cuts and bruises, including a nice bruise under his right eye. That night, Levi just sat out on the deck after getting his new wounds bandaged up. The only one that couldn’t be bandaged up was the bruise under his eye, which was still red and now painfully tender. The soldier was still rattled. The sheer power that Vegeta wielded was frightening enough. But the look in his eyes at that one moment is what sent chills down his spine. Not even an army of Titans instilled the amount of fear he felt then.
Toushiro: “Nice shiner.”
Levi barely budged as he glanced up at Toushiro before breathing out a small sigh. The young captain sat down on the deck next to the solider. He didn’t have to guess why Levi was so glum.
Toushiro: “He didn’t mean it, ya know.”
Levi looked back at Toushiro.
Toushiro: “He didn’t mean for it to go that far. Sometimes he just gets so caught up that he sometimes forgets... ya know?”
Levi: “... I know... Still... I wasn’t trying to push him that far.”
Toushiro: “It was an accident, Levi. He didn’t mean for him to get carried away. Vegeta’s a saiyan. His race evolved to fight- that’s what he was born to do. It’s like a horse that’s bred specifically to run. Give it half a chance and it’s gonna do what it was bred to do, wether you like it or not.”
Levi looked down at the ground before looking back up at Toushiro.
Toushiro: “Trust me, I know Vegeta. He’s very sorry for what he did and I’m sure he’d love to make it up to you.”
For the rest of the week, Vegeta avoided Levi. Even though he forgave the saiyan Levi could clearly see the prince purposely avoiding him, having not forgiven himself. Every time they crossed paths, the saiyan forced his gaze somewhere else. The next week saw the return of Levi’s ODM Gear. Gin had repaired it to where it was practically brand new. With Toushiro’s assistance, Levi started training with his gear again. He found that the young Soul Reaper’s ice powers were a great help. But even then, Vegeta still stayed away from Levi. In time Levi started to miss that saiyan’s contact and thundering voice. Out of everyone here, Vegeta understood his situation better than anyone. Then, one day, something extraordinary happened. As he usually did after first waking up, Levi went out in search of Toushiro and his alien companion. It was earlier than he normally did as the sun was only just beginning to rise. The morning air was a perfect temperature and a fluffy mist coated the ground, beading the grass blades and delicate cobwebs with tiny crystal drops of water. The air had a rich freshness to it which Levi filled his lungs with willingly. All was quiet except for the morning song birds. Then, in the distance, a loud high-pitched sound shrieked. It got louder and louder as it got closer. Suddenly a gust of wind struck from above! Levi looked up and saw a miraculous sight!...
Toushiro: “Morning, Levi. You’re up extra early.”
It was Toushiro, riding on the back of Vegeta as they hovered in the air! The saiyan had a pair of large great black wings flapping on his sides and a pair of smaller ones attached to his tail! Toushiro sat in what had to be the strangest saddle Levi had ever seen! In fact, it looked like the larger set of wings were connected to the saddle. The mist swirled away as the saiyan slowly descended to the ground before landing gingerly on the moist ground. Levi watched in awe as Toushiro unhooked his harness from the saddle and stepped down before standing proudly next to the great saiyan prince.
Toushiro: “What’s with that look on your face? Betcha didn’t know Vegeta could fly, right?”
Levi could only shake his head, still speechless at the sight he had just seen.
Toushiro: “Well, to tell you the truth, almost all of his friends and son can fly too. Even we Soul Reapers, but it looks more like were jumping through the air to be honest. Even Krillin, Yamcha, Tien, Videl and such can fly too.”
Levi: (Finally summoning the words up) “You mean ‘fly, fly’?”
Toushiro: “Yeah, at least they can. Vegeta’s a little different. He needs help. That’s why I was on his back.”
Levi: “Why does he need help?”
Toushiro: “You’ve already been told about Coge, right? (After Levi nods) Well the last time Coge attacked, he did something to Vegeta to prevent him from flying on his own. At first it wasn’t a big deal, but it started to feel bad seeing him not be able to fly. We have no idea when his flight powers will return so I had Gin make some modifications to the saddle he made for me and Vegeta. Now with help, Vegeta can fly again. Pretty cool, huh?”
Levi: (Just audibly) “Yeah...”
With a small tug from Toushiro, Vegeta started walking beside the young captain as they went up to Levi for him to get a better look. Cables connected from the tail fins, stretched all along Vegeta’s body and hugged him closely, and attached to the stirrups. The saddles body was padded with a skin of soft yet strong leather and was remarkably extremely light in weight. The wings, which were massive compared to his body, came out of small slots on the sides of the saddle and were made up with a very tough durable material. A number of straps and clips held the saddle on Vegeta’s body across his stomach, chest, and one around his neck. Padded metal loops tucked around the saiyan’s shoulders for extra support. Small clips jutted out of the saddle’s back where Toushiro had unhooked his harness, which he wore undoubtedly to stay on during flight. The head of the saddle bulged out in a loop with handles within. Upon closer inspection, Levi noticed two small little devices clipped on behind the saiyan’s ears. Somehow and even stranger, he almost knew what they were for: Controlling the large wings. After looking over everything, he was beyond impressed.
Levi: “Gin made this?”
Toushiro: “He did, with some help from Ulquiorra. Easy to see now how he was able to fix your gear, huh?”
Levi nodded but then noticed that Vegeta had his face turned away from him. He still couldn’t look the soldier in the eye after what he did. He had terrified him after all.
Levi: “So anyone can fly Vegeta now?”
Toushiro: “Er... Not really. He’s picky to begin with about who rides him. And although it looks simple, it’s actually pretty complicated to master the use of this gear. As of right now, I’m the only one. But I’m hoping to change that soon. I’ve come across someone with some serious skill. He just might be able to do it.”
Levi: “Who?”
Toushiro smiled. He had hoped Levi would ask. Levi only heard one word and it shocked him.
Toushiro: “You.”
Levi: “Huh?! Me?!”
Toushiro: “Why not? Truth be told after I saw you show us how your ODM Gear worked and how skilled you were, my intension from then on was to eventually train you to see if you could actually pull off what only I have accomplished.”
Levi: “He doesn’t let ANYBODY else ride him?...”
Toushiro: “Pretty much, yeah. Unless the situation calls for it... That’s why I suggested you train with him last week, so that the two of you could get to know one another better. I never intended for ‘you know what’ to happen and neither did Vegeta. Sure he knows you, but he doesn’t KNOW you if ya get what I’m sayin’.”
Levi: “I think I do. I have to gain his complete trust, don’t I.”
Toushiro: “You got it.”
Levi gazed at Vegeta. The saiyan was still avoiding all eye contact with him.
Levi: “That’s gonna be hard...”
Toushiro: “Listen, Levi... I never intended to put you in harms way, but there is actually a silver lining to this.”
Levi: “There is?”
Toushiro: “Hard to see but yeah. You have to bond with him in order for him to fully trust you. If you had just trained with him, that would’ve taken a while. But this method, albeit a leap of faith and I’m sayin’ that for a reason, is much quicker. Just to warn you now he’s gonna be a little hostile towards you.”
Levi glanced away for a moment. Easy for him to say. He’s been around Vegeta for years, he knows him. What looks like a little bit of hostility to Toushiro looks like a murder attempt to him.
Toushiro: “Just do what I say and you’ll do fine. We can always stop if you don’t feel comfortable... So whadda say, Levi?”
There was a small pause of silence while Levi thought. Toushiro has been very kind to him and has not once given him a reason not to trust him. The soldier turned and gazed at the saiyan who was still avoiding him. It would be nice to at least be able to talk to him again, he thought. And although he would never admit it, there was a small part of him that really wanted to know what it was like. To fly up in the sky without any real restrictions, without having to worry about running out of fuel or aiming the grapples. After considering everything, Levi decided... To make a leap of faith.
Levi: “... Teach me.”
That evening, in the golden ruby red glow of twilight, Levi stood outside in Squad 10’s lush garden courtyard. Standing next to a shallow pond at the other end, Toushiro stood holding Vegeta by a tuft of his thick jet black hair. Still the saiyan was determined not to look at Levi, still ashamed of himself for what he did. The young Soul Reaper gazed up at Levi with a confident smile.
Toushiro: “You ready?”
After taking a deep breath and a long sigh to calm himself, Levi nodded.
Toushiro: “Ok... Here we go.”
The youth let go of his lieutenant and backed away. There was nothing holding the saiyan back now.
Toushiro: “Walk up to him... Slowly...”
Tentatively, Levi stepped closer and closer to the saiyan prince. Once he was in arms length away, he stopped and waited for Toushiro.
Toushiro: “Now... extend your arm out to him...”
Slowly... Levi began to reach out with one arm. It was only then that Vegeta finally eyed him... and snarled in detest!... The gleam in the saiyan’s eyes were frightening and Levi quickly turned to Toushiro.
Toushiro: “He’s doing this because he doesn’t want to hurt you again. The idea is to make you stay away so he knows he can’t hurt you.”
Levi: “What do I do?...”
Toushiro: “Stand your ground. Show him that you’re not afraid. Believe me it may seem safer to be away from him, but it’s actually safer... to be WITH him.”
Taking a deep breath, Levi gazed straight into Vegeta’s fierce fiery black eyes and makes a show of faith. He stretches his arm out even further. Vegeta tried one last time to scare Levi away with loud roar in his face! But Levi did not budge. Vegeta stepped back and stared right back at him. His eyes told the saiyan everything. He had no resentment, no fear. Just open faith in both his new allies and himself. And then finally... Levi’s show of faith was rewarded. The great saiyan prince rested his forehead against the soldier’s open palm. Levi silently gasped to himself as he could feel something forge at that moment. A bond of trust. When the saiyan pulled away he looked back at Levi with a soft apologetic gaze. A tiny, sympathetic, smirk tugged at Levi’s lips. With his own smile, Toushiro softly congratulated the soldier from another world.
Toushiro: “Well done, Levi.”
Levi: “So what now?”
Toushiro grinned. And thus the training began! It started off with Levi sitting on Vegeta’s back and in the saddle with his feet in the stirrups while Toushiro told him how everything worked. The Soul Reaper showed him how the stirrups worked with the tail fins and explained in detail, using hands and everything to do so, what each position did. Toushiro told Levi that Vegeta controls the main wings, the actual flight, and a majority of the speed. But HE had to do everything else. Levi had to give Toushiro props. He made it look simple when it was actually pretty complicated. The first thing Toushiro wanted Levi to do was get Vegeta into the air slowly. But that didn’t go off well and revealed a crucial missing piece of gear by way of Vegeta bolting forward and Levi just literally falling over onto his back! That night Toushiro made a harness like his for Levi to strap himself to Vegeta. The following day Levi was asked to fly Vegeta around in a small circle, which was successful thanks to the harness. But the landing was off. They crashed into a patch of really tall grass. Levi managed to stumble out just as Toushiro caught up. He wasn’t hurt but Vegeta wasn’t anywhere to be seen. So the two of them looked back to where Levi had come out of and found Vegeta rolling around in the patch of tall grass. His behavior was weird until Toushiro took a closer look at the grass. He has seen this plant before and its affects were funny.
Toushiro: “Ah! I know what this is!”
Levi: “What is it?”
Toushiro: “You know what catnip does to cats, right?”
Levi: “Yeah?”
Toushiro: “This is essentially the same thing. This sweet smelling grass drives saiyans like Vegeta into weird playful mood. I saw it’s affects first hand on their home planet. Rare plant. Tough to get rid of.”
Levi: “If it’s tough to get rid of then why is it rare?”
Toushiro, with a baffled and slightly annoyed expression, just closed his eyes and thought about that one.
Toushiro: “... Good question.”
Vegeta, still affected by the saiyan grass, pounced on Toushiro. Levi winced and groaned at the sight.
Levi: “That looked like it hurt.”
Toushiro: “226 lbs of pure saiyan laying on top of you- yeah you BET IT HURT!”
The next day wasn’t any better. Levi ended up crashing them both into a pond and then nearly flew them into a wall! No matter how hard he tried or how much Toushiro instructed him, the veteran soldier couldn’t seem to get a complete handle on maneuvering Vegeta. So the young captain decided to try a different approach. He took them both up to a small cliff face that had a vibrant continuous gust of wind blowing all the time one early morning. Once there, Levi put Vegeta’s saddle on the prince while Toushiro hammered a hook down into the cliff. The young Soul Reaper tied a tether to one of the chest straps on the prince and tied the other end to the hook.
Levi: “Alright, Vegeta. Up.”
Vegeta smirked as he extended his wings. Very soon a good gentle gust caught the wings and began lifting them. The idea was for Levi to get used to the controls of the saddle while in the air but still stationary.
Toushiro: “That’s it... Good...”
And it was working.
Toushiro: “There ya go, Levi!”
By mid morning Levi seemed to have it down pat. The tether kept Vegeta stationary while allowing him to move as if he were actually flying. This helped the veteran Scout Captain get used to the tight moves and body postures he would have to use in real flight. The final test was to see if he could actually land Vegeta without any trouble. He slowly started to ease the prince down with Toushiro watching nervously. If he pulled this off, then Levi will have succeeded.
Levi: “Easy, big fella... That’s it...”
Vegeta’s feet gently touched the green grass as he eased to a final stop. Levi had done it.
Toushiro: “Well done, Levi! Whoa!”
Levi breathed a small sigh as he glanced up at Toushiro. He can’t believe he had done it. But... There was one more test he had to take.
Toushiro: “Now for the REAL test drive...”