Levi's Journal

Volume 1 Entry 2

Day: 10
Month: April
Year: 854

I spent most of my teenage years wandering the underground city. Making a living in some would say unsavory ways. By the time I had reached 17 I had created somewhat of a name for myself, and I had enough money so I could stop sleeping in filthy ally ways at nights, & stealing food from unsuspecting homes. To be honest, I didn't like being involved in organized crime, but when you are stuck below the outside world, and see as a rat you soon begin to act like one. In the underground there were only a few things I had absolute control over, one of those being my home. A small apartment with not much furnishing, which was kept immaculately clean. I had spent most of my childhood in filth, and had no plans of going back. I also made sure the place had plenty of tea leaves, a kettle, and cup.

I think at this point those who are reading this are wondering "when did the captain get such a love for tea". Simple, in one my many nights creeping into a house for some food, I was about 16, an older woman snatch my wrist out of the darkness. It was one of the first times I froze in fear. Still gripping my wrist she spoke to me in a soft kind voice, "I'm not going to hurt you, nor will I turn you over to the MPs, so please don't run away when I let go". My gut told me to run, after Kenny had left me, I trusted no one but myself. But when she let go in my wrist...something kept my rooted in this woman's kitchen. She let go of my wrist and tuned on a lantern. The older woman looked to be about in her 60s, which was almost a miracle given the life span for people here. She had some scars on her face and arms, that I tried not to look at. "Brutal aren't they", she said. "In my line of work, or former line of work, I wasn't really seen as a person". It didn't take much for me to realize that this woman had spent most of her life as a prostitute. "I've heard about you before" she continued, "Levi isn't it? Levi Ackerman?" I nodded. "You have started marking quite a name for yourself". I looked down at my shoes, "yeah I guess so". "Well you are much shorter than I imagined" she said with a laugh. She gestured to the small table, "come sit down, you must be hungry". I sat down, and watched as she busied herself in the kitchen. "My name is Ann Marie by the way". She made a small meal of onion soup and bread. I ate greedily, letting my hunger give way to manners. After dinner she sets down a cup with a black liquid in it. "It's tea dear, I wish I could offer your sugar or milk but that's hard to come by here". I had never had tea before but it had a heavenly aroma. I took a sip of the warm liquid, gripping the rim of the cup scared I would break it. The tea warmed my insides, and I feel under its spell. "I take it you like it then" Ann Marie says with a warm smile. "It's....comforting" I told her. We spent the rest of the time sipping tea and talking about each other's life's. Both filled with incredible and unfair hardships. I learned that she had lost his son years ago, the military had come through the underground, looking for able bodied recruits, her son, Matthew had joined up, under the promise that he would soon be able to bring his mother up to the surface. He didn't live long enough for that to happen. From what she was told, he had died in a military operation, and that's all they would tell her. "They never even had a body to bring home", "A friend he had met in training, starting sending me tea leaves and some money, as he had promised Matthew that he would take care of me, I am so grateful for him but he won't tell me his name nor what happened to my son". She sighed mournfully. "I was told he dedicated his heart for the glory of humanity, whatever that means".

From that night on I would drop my Ann Marie's small home every so often for tea. I enjoyed the tea and we both enjoyed the company.

Then she was gone. I'm not sure what she died off, probably disease, but I showed up one day to see her and a neighbor told me she was gone. I had just acquired a permanent place to live, so I went into her empty home, & took the rest of the tea, I'd didn't think she would mind. I wanted to take the small table. So I came back later that night for it.

I won't forget that time with Ann Marie, hearing her stories, sharing my own & above all finding my love for tea.

-Levi Ackerman