AN: Please feel free to review and follow. This is M rated simply for language and possible gory content at the moment. Spicy stuff not until much later. Gotta love that slow burn. Thank you to AkiiNii for the early review. Much appreciated.

This chapter I'm listening to: Lorde – Tennis Court

It's A New Art Form Showing People How Little We Care.

"Hanji how do you move around in this gear?" Asked Flo as she awkwardly tried to adjust her shirt.

It was so stiff and scratchy. Damn this world and its lack of comfort.

Hanji laughed as she helped smooth out her jacket for her.

"Hey you don't even have your 3DMG gear yet. You'll get used to it. You look great!" Said Hanji enthusiastically.

Flo raised her eyebrows sceptically. She highly doubted that.

She'd spent all yesterday recovering. Her head felt physically fine. Hanji had removed the bandages and she was only left with a small healing scab on her forehead just above her eyebrow. Mentally though her head was a mess. She was still here and she had no idea what she was doing. This world was so very strange. There was practically no existing technology and what little there was wasn't present in her world. And with respect to medicine it was positively archaic. She had a lot of work to do here. She wondered what the people back at the hospital thought had happened to her. At least she had no family to worry about her that was the one blessing in all this.

"What do you want to do about your hair?" Asked Hanji.

"Huh?" Asked Flo in confusion.

"Well it's pretty long. Most people in the corps cut it to the shoulders and put it up or cut it all off. It's safer, you know gives the Titans less to grab onto and stops you from getting tangled up in your gear." Explained Hanji.

Florence nodded.

"Oh well…cut it all off I guess." She answered without hesitation. Florence took her bun out and let her golden waves fall freely to her mid back. She reached across to the desk and picked up the open razor and she placed it gently in Hanji's hands.

Hanji gasped.

"Oh no! I couldn't cut it. Your hair's so pretty."

"Hanji just do it. I would do it myself but I'd probably end up slicing an artery somehow." She said with a chuckle.

Hanji sighed.

"Ok if you're sure." She replied reluctantly.

Florence could feel how tense Hanji was. She was deep in concentration. She could barely feel her fingers on her scalp or the swift motion of the razor.

After some time and with a large pile of golden hair accumulating over her boots Hanji finally stopped and walked around Florence critiquing her work.

"What do you think?" Asked Hanji as she handed her an old, well used hand mirror.

Florence looked in the mirror and her eyes widened slightly she hadn't had short hair since she was a kid. It made her look a little younger. Hanji had completely chopped the back of her hair into a messy crop but she'd kept the front a little longer allowing her to tuck a few golden strands behind her ears. Florence had never been vain or paid much attention to looks so she wasn't sad to lose most of her hair.

"Love it." She replied honestly.

Hanji beamed.

"Well you're all set."

Florence grimaced. She didn't want to leave the security of Hanji. She'd grown accustomed to her presence and her odd though strangely warm countenance over the past few terrifying hours.

"You'll do great. Look me and my squad will be headed to you anyway really soon and if it doesn't work out Erwin will take care of you. He said you could get a Practice somewhere."

Florence nodded a little more reassured.

"Don't worry about Levi. He may seem like a dick but actually…no, ok he kind of is. But trust me he's the best person you could ask for to train with. He has the most battle experience out of everyone. You're in good hands."

Butterflies erupted in her stomach this was it. She was terrified. They would all laugh at her pitiful attempt to be a survey con member. Especially Levi. Oh how he would laugh with those cruel eyes of his. No. Be brave Flo. Don't be weak in front of him.

She inhaled slowly and closed her eyes. It was now or never. She nodded and shook Hanji's hand thanking her for everything. Hanji squeezed her hands in hers and wished her luck in case she didn't get a chance to see her before she left.

Florence walked freely through the streets trying to get her bearings. Hanji had kindly drawn a map of the area. The city was a mess. It looked like an ancient ruin all decaying stone and shattered cobbles. Debris littered the streets and any buildings that still stood were seriously damaged. The streets were crawling with survey corps on clean up duty. She shuddered as she saw their white aprons smeared in blood. How awful to think that these poor soldiers were going around attempting to identify the maimed bodies of their fallen friends. How many times had they done this before? And how many times would they need to go through it again? It was all so surreal and horrifying. She knew nothing of real pain and suffering or how it felt to constantly be on the run from death itself. Was she really strong enough to help them? She didn't have a choice. At the very least she had to try.

The noses and mouths of the soldiers were covered by a handkerchief to protect against the stench of rotting corpses. Flo had ceased to smell death and decay long ago. She froze as she inspected an oozing red sac of body parts embedded against a wall. She had a strong stomach from years of surgeries but the image that confronted her made her stomach churn.

"Titan vomit. They kill us but they can't digest us so they just spew us back out."

Florence jumped slightly at the voice behind her. It was Captain Levi. His voice was muffled behind his handkerchief.

"Then… why?" She asked incredulously.

Levi shrugged as he held out a pristine white handkerchief for her.

Florence's eyes widened slightly at the kind gesture. Maybe they'd just got off on the wrong foot? She shook her head and declined politely.

"The smell doesn't bother me anymore."

Levi's dark eyebrow quirked slightly but he placed the handkerchief back in his pocket neatly.

"Suit yourself." He said gruffly.

"What can I do to help?" She asked.

"I don't know what can you do Adams?" He asked sceptically.

Florence sighed. She should've known better than to think he'd actually be nice.

"Look, I get it. You don't like me. You don't trust me. You think I'm useless. But for whatever reason I'm here and I can't go home. So whether you like it or not you better get used to me." She said defiantly as she gazed into his cold, grey eyes.

In that moment she wondered what really went on in that head of his

Levi broke her gaze first her intense hazel gaze unnerved him somehow and he didn't like that one bit. Nothing unnerved him. She wasn't wrong he didn't like her. She was uncouth, soft and quick tempered. He didn't trust her. He rarely trusted anyone especially a strange woman from a strange place. He however didn't think she was entirely useless. She'd proven already to be less fearful than some and strong willed as they came. He could see she was eager to help and as a doctor he had no doubt she would be useful. But right now she was just complicating things. He didn't have the time or the patience to babysit her. She would be of use to the Corps but not to him and he did not want her as his responsibility or part of his team and that was the cold, hard truth. But she was right he supposed he would just have to get used to her for the next few months at least. Damn Erwin and Hanji and their stupid ideas.

He nodded his head. Her gaze was still on him.

"Do what you want. I have real work to do." He said dismissively as he left her alone in the street.

Flo sighed. Well that went well. He was so cold and guarded she wondered if he had a heart underneath all those scars. She guessed it would be hard to have one after everything he'd experienced. She wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty and she didn't know why but she wanted to prove to him that she wasn't entirely useless.

Florence found herself in the centre of town in a large sandy courtyard. It had been spared from the destruction. She was on the ground on her hands and knees wrapping a body delicately in a white sheet. She had been wrapping bodies all afternoon under the heat of the sun. She wiped the grit and sweat from her eyes with the back of her hand. There was a group of them working. Everyone else was much faster than her but she didn't care. She would do this her own way to satisfy her own peace of mind. The body was of a young girl, still a child really. Her pretty, pale face looked peaceful as if she were sleeping. But her spine had been broken and her limbs were set at strange angles. She was missing an arm. It looked like it had been bitten off. She swallowed thickly.

"Be at peace now." She whispered gently as she covered her face.

She felt herself being watched and she noticed the Commander and Levi standing off to the side. She bowed at the Commander politely and he returned it.

"Well she certainly seems to be coping well. Do you have any more faith in her ability Levi?" Said the Commander.

Levi sighed and rolled his eyes as he watched her. She treated each corpse with respect and care speaking a few words or a prayer over each. She was so innocent and pure of heart she wouldn't last long in this world.

"Even less. This is even worse than I thought. She's taking double the time of the rest of the recruits. There's no room for pity, emotional attachment or hesitation here."

Erwin shook his head.

"You are too hard on her. She is not familiar with the ways of this world yet. She is a Doctor not a Soldier. Is it so bad that she is doing her job respectfully and sensitively?"

Levi growled. He trusted Erwin as one of his oldest friends but he was naïve and emotive at times too. It showed weakness.

"No it isn't bad. But I don't have any need for someone like that in my squad. I need a soldier not a doctor. She won't ever make a good soldier and that I know for certain." Said Levi as he continued to watch her work.

His respect had grown for her today he had to admit. She had proven she wasn't mentally or physically weak at least. But her caring nature was entirely unsuited to life in the Survey Corps and that was a fact.

Erwin smiled slightly as he watched his friend. Levi and Florence were very different and he was correct in saying that she had a large capacity to care. But where Levi saw it as weakness he viewed it as a strength. He had no doubt in his mind that this strange girl would make a good soldier. This strange girl could be the key to everything. The key to the future he had dreamed of since he was a small child. The world he had always longed for existed. She was proof of that. Levi would see in time. He trusted Levi's opinion almost as much as he trusted Hanji's. But on this he felt he was wrong. Only time would tell and they were both so stubborn that he doubted it would be an easy road to either success or failure.

Florence stood after all of the bodies had been wrapped. She dusted herself off lightly. Well white seemed like a terrible colour choice for this line of work. She turned around to be greeted by Captain Levi. Oh great.

"Come with me." Said Levi urgently.

They would leave under the cover of night fall before the pyre was lit.

"Gather your things. We leave in an hour."

Florence frowned.

"Where are we going?"

Levi rolled his eyes.

"Through some sick taste of fate, and Erwin's poor judgement you're with my squad. We're travelling to a stronghold where we can help Eren get the training he needs before we head to Wall Maria. Oh and to stop you from getting killed the second you step outside the walls." He replied sarcastically.

Flo nodded choosing to ignore his sarcastic tone. She had been studying maps this morning with Hanji so she knew roughly where Wall Maria was in situation to here. It would be a few days ride at least. Great. She had asked Hanji about Eren as she had heard his name mentioned before. Poor kid. It must be terrifying having that kind of power within you and having no idea how to control it. And it couldn't be easy having everyone a little afraid of you too. So much responsibility on such young shoulders. The thought of Eren made her feel a little less alone. He was strange and different in this world too.

Florence nervously patted her horse's chestnut neck. She adjusted all her tack carefully and adjusted the materials she'd been give accordingly. At least she remembered how to do this part.

"What the hell am I doing?" She asked looking into the horse's dark eyes.

She shook her head.

"What do you know? You're a horse." She replied with a nervous smile.

"I'd hazard a guess that he'd still know a damn sight more than you do."

Florence exhaled tersely. She'd only been here two days but already his voice was the most aggravating thing she'd ever heard.

"Oh so this is the wall girl?" Asked a pretty strawberry blonde haired woman who appeared beside Levi.

"I'm Petra Ral." She said extending her hand to her.

"Just call me Florence. Nice to meet you." She said taking her hand.

Petra looked roughly around her age but her amber eyes had seen much more. She was introduced to the rest of the squad including Eren. She warmed to him instantly there was fear and anger swirling in those aqua eyes of his. So young. He was still a boy. He was tall and lanky for his age with wiry muscles that had been forced to grow too quickly for his young years.

They were all ready to set off. Florence had mounted her horse fairly smoothly which she was very proud of.

Levi shook his head.

"Shit. Can you even ride Adams?" He asked turning his head to look at her from his horse.

Florence blushed. Oh God. He was going to tease her mercilessly if she told the truth. She'd had riding lessons as a kid but had stopped more than ten years ago. She remembered very little. But he couldn't find out about that.

"Of course. Lead on Captain." She said with a forced smile dripping with sarcasm.

He narrowed his eyes but shrugged as he led the way.

Florence's heart was racing. Shit this was actually happening. Oh God. The beast between her legs whickered slightly sensing her fear. Please, please let me get through this. She urged the horse on gently and was happy to see it walked easily enough out of the stables. Her hands shook around the reigns.

"Eren!" She whispered sharply but softly enough so no one else would hear.

His face peeked through at her from the hood of his cape. His pretty eyes were wide with surprise.

"Help me. I have no fucking idea how to ride this thing. I mean I did pony trekking in the desert once but I was pretty drunk and-"

"But you said to the Captain-"

"I know what I said! I lied because I didn't want the Captain or anyone else to find out. He already thinks I'm useless." She said desperately.

The others were starting to trot.

Eren smiled and a chuckle escaped his lips. Something in his smile made Flo relax a little. He had a cute smile and seemed less nervous than earlier.

"Eren this isn't funny!" She shouted.

Eren only proceeded to chuckle more his shoulders shaking now.

"Ok, ok, ok sorry. Look I'll ride right beside you the whole time ok? Just copy me." He said softly.

He drew his horse parallel to hers and their hands holding the outer reign almost brushed.

She copied his every move and gasped as the horse beneath her began to gallop. The wind blew through her shorn hair and almost pulled the hood back from her head. A grin split across her face for some reason she couldn't quite pin point. The rhythm of the horse and the hard saddle were uncomfortable and foreign to her but the fresh night air hitting her face beneath the starriest sky she'd ever seen made this unknown feeling well up deep inside her. This world was terrifying and foreign but it also could be beautiful.

She grinned at Eren giving him a grateful nod and he returned it.

"Once you two are finished flirting with each other feel free to join the rest of the squad!" Shouted Levi from the front angrily.

And just like that her grin was gone. Florence growled and rode harder as she and Eren gained on the others and settled into the middle of the formation. She smiled slightly at the pink blush on Eren's cheeks that hadn't been there a moment ago. Well maybe he wasn't as boyish as she'd originally thought.

This was going to be one interesting ride.