With her maneuvering gear cleaned and ready for battle, Ducky stepped out of the house she had come to call home. A lot had happened in that house in the short time she had been there. She had made a friend, one willing to help her survive an that relied partly on her to survive.

Using the gear, she shot up to a nearby house and searched the dark city for anyone coming her way. Carefully, she moved closer to the bustle, still watching out for the Military Police that were planning to ambush her.

Golden Force. She scoffed at the stupid name. It really wasn't much better than her particular race of people being called the Titanics, but it sounded better than Golden Force.

She stood guard on the edge of the market watching people pass by ignoring the beggars or dying. Merchants of all kinds lined the streets selling rarities, there were brothels almost every other building, and broken down bars in between. She was amazed at the amount of people from the top that came down to the brothels. It made her wonder if the women were worth it or if the men were that desperate.

A gunshot behind her signaled the beginning of her battle. Her gear launched her across the city, giving her a good view of how the Military Police was going to try to pin her. As they circled around her, she could tell they were forming at least five rings and closing in.

Rather than let adrenaline control her, she popped her hilts into the blades and shot herself full force toward the nearest Military Police, her sword easily slicing through his gear without touching him. Being mid-flight, however, forced him to slam into a decrepit home that shattered on his impact. Many more fell the same way, the men on the ground crying out for back up.

She had taken out the three circles that were using their gear when they showed up. It was the Golden Force. Of the five present, two of them were her brothers, Peter and Killian.

"We wouldn't have recognized you without that hair," Peter smiled.

"It's good to see you, sis," Killian greeted with a warm smile like his brother.

Despite the battle that was about to take place, Ducky shot her way to the building they stood on and hugged them both. "It's nice to see both of you. I'm sorry it came down to this."

The two frowned, "Yeah."

"Oh," Peter exclaimed as he reached into a bag he had hidden beneath his cloak. "After the King heard about your success in the Training Corp, he declared women to be allowed to join. He's even letting you graduate into the Military Police."

When Ducky saw the jacket's emblem, she frowned, "I'm joining the Scouts."

"Scouts?" They asked.

The two jumped when a house behind them suddenly collapsed. "He was getting too close," Ducky said. "Call off the men directly below me or they will die."

The three stood in a tense silence, as if daring the other to make the first move. "I know Farley, Stanley, and Marcus are down there. I can't really tell them apart though. Let's see who dies."

Her brothers flinched at the sound of the gun resonating beneath their feet.

"You don't have to do this," Peter said, almost begging her. "I know you have friends down here, but you can't stay."

"I'm not going back to that village, and I'm not joining the Military Police," she said firmly as she pointed a sword at them. "We are not experiments. I'm not a baby machine or a sex toy." She didn't realize she was crying until she sniffled, "I'm not leaving. Not unless I take everything I have here with me and go to the Scouts."

"You're too dangerous, Ermengarde," Killian argued. "You don't know how to handle your power yet."

The brothers knew they couldn't use that argument when she lifted her blade, easily blocking an attacking soldier. "You have no idea who you're messing with," she warned them.

"Fire!"

She stood still as surrounding gunmen took their shot, only to have their bullets freeze and turn back on them. Then, all hell broke loose.

The Golden Force appeared. The missing five Titanics popped from nowhere, all assaulting her at the same time. She was barely able to keep up with their swift attacks, desperately trying to keep an even head before she accidentally killed someone. After a few hits, she started hitting back much harder, her blade hardening a bit as she broke their blades and wires to keep them handicapped while she flew around.

While they chased her around, she managed to disappear from their line of sight, landing in a small cavern that had a maze leading through most of the city. She needed to get away from the populace, where the dead rested. As she ran, she suddenly felt a terrible heat rushing toward her.

That's right. Peter could control fire.

Spinning on her heels, she stared at the swirling inferno and shot out of the cave, the sewer cap exploding up with her. She was immediately caught off guard when a giant sword slammed through her chest, pinning her to the other side of the city.

And, of course, Killian could control objects, changing them to various things or making them larger or smaller. She struggled against the blade, doing her best to block out the agonizing pain.

She was surrounded, but she had made some damage to the squad. The ten had dropped to two, her brothers being the last to stand. She could tell there were fewer alive than had originally joined them.

"How many died?" She asked.

"Five," Peter replied. "Two of them were your half brothers on your mother's side."

"Brothers," she pondered quietly. "What were their names?"

"Jonathan Riley and Frederick Bohannon," Killian said.

"So, a son of a scientist and a son of an elder," she frowned. "You know they came for me, too."

"We remember," they answered.

"You can't get by on sympathy, Ermengarde," Killian said as he used his gear to get to a house closer to her. "You killed our family. You have to pay."

She groaned as the blade shrunk letting her fall to the ground. She lay still on her stomach, staring at the very worried face of Farley and Stanley while Marcus smirked, walking from their hiding spot. "That was quite a show," he said as he clapped. "It's a shame you'll be executed."

She took a deep breath, tears starting to fall from her face as the ground began to shake. Her head felt like it was about to explode as she closed her eyes. Her eyes opened as the houses around her began to shake, some of the smaller ones lifting off the ground while the others had roofs that started to shatter and float. Just down the alley, the skeletons of forgotten people began to float as well. If she was going to die, she was going to be remembered, and the Golden Force would be no more.

Fire began to spout out from various sewers surrounding them, catching the floating houses and corpses on fire, having them swirl around creating a tornado of absolute pain. Her eyes focused on Farley and Stanley. Levi was somewhere nearby, but she couldn't pinpoint him.

"Now, I can die in peace," she said as she closed her eyes, the inferno swallowing everyone in the area, focusing on the Golden Force that had surrounded her.

The pain of the collapsing debris wasn't as bad as the burning. She wanted so badly for the pain to stop, but she suffered through it, her lungs burning, her skin melting and bones boiling. She begged for death as the weight began to crush her, but it never came. Her mind was still too active, making sure Farley, Stanley, and Levi were safe.

They were just too close, her mind worrying and her heart pounding. The roaring inferno had caught a lot of attention, many citizens swarming the area, but those four were the only ones not moving.

She opened her eyes, not realizing they had ever closed. Everything was so quiet...and clean. She sat up in bed, staring at the room around her. The walls were smooth, a light tan and there was a small dresser next to her. She didn't recognize the clothes she was wearing, but got out of bed and headed to the closed door. What bothered her the most was the sunlight glaring through pale curtains. Why was she above ground?

Climbing from the bed, she realized she was in uniform, and next to her were her new clothes. As she stared at the gold unicorn, she could only glare. She was an official member of the Golden Force.

She pulled on the straps to her maneuvering gear, strapping down the complex system, blades at the ready. Almost out of habit, she pulled on the orange jacket with the insulting mark and stepped into her boots, walking out of the room to speak with whoever was in charge.

When she pushed the door open, she nearly ran into a rushing soldier. He stumbled a bit, and opened his mouth to argue before slamming it shut and saluting her. The only benefit from being in the Golden Force was all military had to listen to their orders, no matter what the commander said.

"Stop standing like that," she told him. "What's your name?"

"Leslie Adams, ma'am!"

"Leslie? Would you rather be called Adams or something else?" She asked. His tension didn't go unnoticed.

"Leslie is fine, ma'am," he replied.

"Alright, I want you to get Stanley Halbert and Farley Jackson to report to me, immediately," she told him. "Where is the commander?"

She followed the timid soldier to an office that had a lot of noise going on behind it. She could smell the tobacco and alcohol before she opened the door. She hadn't ruined their party, instead being invited.

Her eyes narrowed when she saw her brothers in their intoxicated states. Though drinking was looked over by most military officials, she did not agree with people at her rank getting hammered, and that was what her brothers were doing.

"I'm looking for the commander," she announced.

"We haven't had a commander in years," Peter told her. "Gather what troops you want, and put in their file they're yours, and that's it. You can boss around all of them, but the ones you claim don't have to listen to what any of the other Golden Force say, but they can't give orders."

The brief, but insightful information was necessary for her to do her job. She would need their help. She closed the door behind her, walking down the halls until she found a room she decided would be her office. When she turned the knob, the door clicked itself locked.

She grumbled as went back to her room and began searching for anything that remained of her former life. Only a few pins were left. Nothing to remind her of Erwin. Nothing to remind her of Levi.

"Commander Jude," two voices called from behind her.

"Stop saluting'" she ordered, not looking back at the two. "And don't call me that. It's Ducky, and it will always be Ducky." She turned to the two who were trying to hold their terror back. "I trust you two since we graduated together. You will wear these at all times," she said as she pulled two pins with the Golden Force insignia and pinned it to their jackets. "You do as I say, and only as I say, is that understood?"

"Yes, sir!" The two agreed with smiles.

"I don't remember what happened in the Underground, but I need you to tell me everything," she told them as she closed the door.

"Well, you burned down a good bit of the underground," Stanley said. "We're supposed to lie to you, but Levi is alive. He tried to fight off some of the Golden Force, but we promised you would visit as often as you could, since your position is almost next to the King."

"We told Levi we'll help pass letters between you. We sneak out mail for everyone else," Farley grumbled.

That made Ducky smile, "Not what you hoped for, huh?"

"No, it is," he admitted. "But, after seeing what you can do, and after learning about the people from Golden Rod, there's a chance against the titans that we're not taking. We could win, but it's like they don't want to."

"Good," she replied with a nod as she headed to the locked office. "There's a locked office down the hall, it will be my office. We will begin cleaning it immediately. There will be no dust or stains, do I make myself clear?" They nodded. "Good. Starting today we will be working on improving the Military Police from the inside. It will be a long and difficult process, but we need to get rid of anyone and everyone that will stand in the way of our cause."

"What is our cause?" Stanley asked as Ducky started picking the lock.

"To create a secondary force from Golden Rod. A group that will be sent out on expeditions at the request of the Scouts for the more intense expeditions. I doubt we will be able to get any to willingly join, so there needs to be a secondary group at the ready."

"Just from Golden Rod, or will you accept transfers?" Farley questioned quietly.

The lock clicked at the end of the sentence, allowing her passage to the dark room. "I thought you wanted to be in the Military Police," she said, casting a look of doubt to Farley. "What are you trying to say, Farley?"

"Stanley and I talked about it," he began as he followed her into the dark room, "We decided to go where you go. We'll follow you to the titans, if that's where you take us."

She smiled slightly as she lit a candle, "I see. The Scouts are always looking for recruits, and I can guarantee you will be trained personally by me if you come with me."

"Trained? Isn't that what we spent three years in that hell hole doing?" Stanley asked as Farley and he joined in with lighting up the room.

The room was more than a mess. Large bookshelves filled with books and trinkets lined the walls, even covering windows and a door. There were rolled up pieces of paper, possibly maps of sorts stashed in a corner and closed wooden crates everywhere. Cobwebs dangles overhead and when they stepped, dust plumed at their feet. There was a large table, able to seat at least ten people buried beneath empty bottles of booze and old poker chips. Disgusting.

"You spent three years getting standard training. I spent ten training in Golden Rod. You won't be able to move when I get done with you. If I had had the time, I would have done the same with Levi, but I only managed to get in two days. He surprised me with that."

She walked up to one of the packed book cases and pulled a book from the shelf. A frown appeared on her lips as she stared at what she hoped to be a different language since she couldn't read any of the words.

"Let's empty the bookshelves so we can move them around and get to that window and door. If we have to, we'll move everything to my room to keep it out of people's way."

They began emptying the bookshelves, placing all the things on the table and slowly pushed the old cases to the center of the room. The amount of sunlight that entered hurt their eyes, and Ducky had to pick open the other lock as well.

The other room was practically the same, though it had more open space without the large table. Instead, there was a small table. So, the cleaning began. Though Ducky couldn't read any of the books, she told the others to keep them and put them on shelves.

It took days for her to clean the rooms. No one stopped her, no one asked why. Every day Stanley and Farley reported to her, telling her about things they had seen in their patrols. Everything was falling into place, though not in the way she had expected.

Shortly after she had finished arranging her office, a soldier stormed in, practically throwing Farley to the ground in front of her.

"You had better have a good explanation as to why my soldier is on the ground," Ducky said as she looked up to the older man.

Newson stared down at her, his eyes widening as the reality of who he was staring down began to register. "Commander-"

"Shut up," she spat as she stood up. "Farley, what happened?"

"The same thing he was caught doing back at training," Farley answered as he stood up. "Stanley had heard a rumor and was following up on it when we caught him."

"Where is Stanley now?" She asked.

"The medical center. Commander Newson shot him."

Farley didn't move when he heard the gun go off and the man falling to the floor. He been shot straight in the head, Ducky lowering her arm as she stared down at the paling corpse. "Now, we'll get this cleaned up and I'll write an official report for his file. Farley, I will need you to write a report since you are a witness to the entire situation. Please write a second report on the situation with Stanley so we can add that to his file. Are his injuries life threatening?"

"No, ma'am," he answered.

"I'll write a leave of absence on Stanley's behalf to give him a few days off. Let me know if he wants to see his family," she ordered as she stepped around her desk to look at the body.

"Disgusting filth," she spat. "He's not worth the burial we have to give him. I should throw him into the Underground and let rats eat him."

After sending for soldiers, a group of five walked in and took the man's body without question, though left his jacket behind to give to his family. Once she finished cleaning the blood from the floor, she went back to her desk to write the report on what happened.

"Already killing people? What did he do to you?" Killian asked from the doorway.

"My soldiers heard rumors he was molesting children, and they caught him in the act. He shot one and brought the other to me so I could punish him. I killed the Commander instead."

"Why? Commander Newson would never-"

"He molested me while I was in the Training Corps. He got shot there, too, but that wasn't enough of a punishment since he got promoted. Do you have official business in here or are you going to tell me I made the wrong choice to kill someone so admirable?"

"I was going to save you the time of doing the paperwork, but since you killed the commander, there doesn't need to be an official report. Also, since you killed him, he was the one in charge of the Underground, so you'll get to deal with that again."

She sighed as she pulled out some paper from her desk and began writing the report. The Military Police needed to be cleaned up, and she needed to start. As the days passed, she never received a letter from Levi in response to the one she had sent. If he hated her, she couldn't blame him. She had heard him address the Military Police as pigs, and now she was one. Even still, she sent money when she could.

Erwin, however, had finally sent word to her, congratulating her on her entrance to the Military Police. He told her he would be in Stohess within the next few months to report findings. He was still trying to convince his commander to capture a titan to experiment on.

That seemed to be a constant as her life slowly became boring. She didn't care much for her drunken brothers who had a bad habit of getting into bar fights or causing some sort of problem in the Underground. Since she had been put in charge of the area, they took advantage and tried their best to ruin everyone down there. There wasn't much respect to be earned, but what she could get, she was thankful for.

Almost every week a complaint came in about people robbing vendors in the Underground, but Ducky never did anything about it. She knew it was Levi. Only when something completely out of character happened did she send Farley and Stanley to check on it. She soon found out Levi had friends, but found out in a terrible way when Farley came back with a slice on his arm.

It was the first time in nearly five years that Ducky had returned to the Underground due to the incident. She had sent Levi a letter and would wait for him at the bar.

She didn't wear her uniform, dressing in white pants and a red long sleeved shirt that she had found in her office while cleaning it out. She didn't bother ordering a drink as she sat down at the bar and waited.

As time passed, she wondered if he was coming. Her telekinetic powers had only gotten stronger to the point she could not only sense people around her, but she could tell them apart.

She recognized Levi's presence before he even entered the bar. There were two more with him, who she could only assume were his colleagues. She didn't move when she felt his fingers move through her hair, just like they used to.

"You let it grow out," Levi stated as he sat by her.

"It still looks bad," she replied as she pulled the band from her hair and fixed it back into place. She looked by him where a young girl with red hair and jade eyes glared at her and a tall blond man sat, giving her a suspicious look. "Farley came back injured."

"It wasn't us," he answered. "There's another group that's starting to take my business. I'll take care of them."

She smiled slightly, "I miss it down here. My life has turned into nothing but paperwork and killing people."

"So you are turning into one," he mumbled.

"Don't get me wrong, they all deserved it, and I took the legal way of doing it," she answered. "It's crazy how many people chase children. Farley and Stanley are all I've got, and it's taking everything we have just to keep up with that. The more we learn, the worse it gets. I've had to personally kill nearly thirty soldiers."

"So, you are cleaning up the streets," Levi said. "But, you can't get us out of here?"

"Stanley and Farley have been looking into it when they're not chasing people. I've saving up because once your out, the King will demand taxes on you for however long you've been alive and living Underground. You're, what? Almost twenty five? Your friends are probably twenty three and sixteen. I'm doing the best I can, Levi. You're an honest man with a good heart. I'm not going to pave the road to your freedom in blood."

He placed his hand on hers, giving it a small squeeze, "Thank you."

Their meeting ended, the girl asking Levi seven million questions as they parted ways. When Ducky returned to her office, she looked at the book on her desk. She had been teaching herself how to read again, though this time it was in a different language entirely. From what she could understand, the books were written before the walls. She didn't understand what they were saying, but life had been different before the walls. Honestly, what she could understand made her want to stay in the safety of the walls forever, but she couldn't back down. She was the answer to the problem of the titans. She just needed to work on finding a way to get to the Scouts.

A knock caught her attention. "Name and business," she ordered.

"Do old friends need a reason to visit?" The man asked as he opened the door.

She couldn't help but grin as she stood up, "If it isn't Erwin Smith."

She moved around her desk, hugging the tall man. He was older and it was showing. The messy haired teen now had brushed blond hair and eyes that showed the pain of loss and trauma of fighting titans. He was larger, his shoulders and muscles much larger than they had been. He wore the Wings of freedom with pride, in his own way of picking at her that he made it when she didn't.

"We're looking for recruits," Erwin said as Ducky made her way to start some tea.

"I wish I could join," she said as she sat down at her desk. "Stanley and Farley have been helping me clean up the ranks and streets."

"Oh? I thought you wanted to join."

"Plans change," she admitted quietly. "Levi said the Military Police was worse than the Underground. He was right. I've also placed a request to section off some of the Golden Force to be at the ready should titans attack or the Scouts need the assistance, but it's been denied." Erwin shifted under her wicked smirk, "I've become quite the asset, Erwin. If I step away, the Golden Force could collapse on itself. Also, the crime would go back." She sighed as she ran her fingers through her hair, messing it up once again, "I have to choose between the human race now or the human race in the future. Stanley and Farley are ready to follow me to the Scouts, but if they leave, corruption would definitely return."

"So, you have no suggestions?" Erwin asked.

"He's going to murder me, but yes, I do have a suggestion. Three, in fact. They're not able to go right now. Can you wait a year? You won't regret it."

He sighed as he watched Ducky get up to make the tea, "I don't remember you being a tea drinker."

"Levi didn't drink anything else," she replied. "Life in the Underground was so simple. I never ended up in a brothel. Levi took me in pretty quickly. We had a good arrangement."

Erwin frowned, "You were only fifteen. How old was he?"

"It wasn't like that," she defended. "I stole food and other stuff for him, he gave me a place to stay."

"I never thought you to be a thief," he scoffed quietly.

"Thief, murderer, things you never think of becoming, you become," she replied dismally. "I managed to lose the title of thief, but murderer I still carry."

"Murderer?"

"I killed around twenty soldiers during that event in the Underground. Since I got up here, I've killed thirty soldiers. I consider it justified, but not many others would."

"Guess it depends why," Erwin pondered.

"There were more Newsons in the ranks than I would like to believe," she replied lowly. "If I could decide their fate, I would put them in the Scouts."

"I see," Erwin mumbled. "Well, Commander-"

"It's still Ducky, Erwin," she corrected. "I don't like pulling rank unless absolutely necessary."

"You're twenty now, right? I'm sure older soldiers resent that."

"You have no idea," she replied with a smile.

"I still haven't seen your mind trick," he smiled. "If I hadn't heard the Underground had been destroyed, I wouldn't believe it."

"Well, that's fine, because I've been meaning to rearrange some of the books on my bookshelf."

She could hear the books shuffling around as Erwin watched in awe. "We have an actual chance against the titans, but you're here." He slammed his fists on the table, shaking the tea cup a bit, frustration written across his face, "You're here, protecting humanity from itself! If people weren't such trash, you would be able to fight!"

"If people weren't trash, I might not exist," she sighed. "On a positive note, I've been learning another language. This room is full of books that talk about things before the titans and before the walls, but I can't really understand what it's saying. I can only form partial words, so it's a work in progress. The answer to defeating the titans might be in this room. Only time will tell."

"I'll give you that time," Erwin stated. "I'll give you a year, then I'll be back for the three you told me about. If you can figure out a way out of this place, come with me to the Scouts. Fight against the titans so there will be children to save."

It was a dark thought. If titans did get in...there would be no one to save. As Erwin updated her on the failed experiments they had done on one titan they had captured, Ducky's mind began to wonder. What did Golden Rod have that the Scouts didn't have?

"Ducky?"

She looked up at him, not realizing she had started reading the book on her desk. "I'm sorry. I was just thinking, what is Golden Rod keeping from the Scouts to keep them from beating the titans? As a basic rule, no one outside the military is supposed to know about Golden Rod. Obviously people know about it since someone wrote a book about it, but no one believes that. So, what is Golden Rod hiding? For them to get fresh abnormal DNA to inject into my mother, where did they get the titan?"

Erwin smiled some, "I've been wondering the same thing. I'll see you next year."

He left after getting a quick hug and ruffling her hair, "It looks good. You've become more beautiful than I thought you would be."

She smiled slightly, "Yeah, I was supposed to be a man for the rest of my life. Who knew?"

He chuckled as he left, closing the door behind him. She had a lot of work to do. She immediately went back to the book, looking through the pages, trying to decipher the words as she compared them to other books on her desk.

Days passed without her leaving the room. Every so often, Stanley or Farley would update her or bring her food, unable to really catch her attention to the more urgent affairs as she gave them basic objectives of punishment for whatever crime that was brought up.

Her face fell when she found the deciphering code. There was no way a world like this was beyond the walls. A world where people could fly. A world without candles. A world without titans.

As she looked over different diagrams and pictures, she simply couldn't grasp the information. Though she really wanted these things to be impossible, her maneuvering gear was in there as well. All of it was definitely possible, but there was no way for her to make it possible. The supplies were simply too expensive.

But...

Her eyes moved to a miniature figurine of a dog. There was a possibility. She just needed wood, and a lot of it.

Hours ticked by as she began building one of the things in the book. It took her days to crack the equation so she could correctly scale the size for the thing. Who knew...maybe it would work.

Failure after failure passed, each getting thrown in the fire to rid the evidence. It took her three months to create the thing. She didn't even know what it was supposed to be. It had long pieces and small pieces, even wheels. The book said it could fly. It was called an airplane. As for as she could tell, there was nothing air could do for it, and what was a plane? Did they misspell plain?

With a disappointed huff, she threw it toward the fire, but immediately froze when she saw it glide. It stopped in the middle of the air, just floating as she approached it. It...it could fly.

It took her days to grasp the concept as she stood in her office and threw it, watching it glide and stopping it before it could get damaged. What was this witchcraft? Only, it wasn't witchcraft, not really. Not unless her maneuvering gear was made from witchcraft as well.

She immediately began working on the next invention in the book, something called a hot air balloon. It could make people fly, too, sort of. It was more so that they could touch the skies rather than fly. It used fire to float.

She had completed the scaling diagram when everything went to hell.

"Commander!" Stanley and Farley yelled as she's practically kicked in her door, falling in front of her desk.

She didn't need to be told. The fear and tears in her soldiers eyes told her everything. Titans had officially started a war.

"Where are they?"

"Shiganshina! They're heading to Wall Rose!"

She took a deep breath as she grabbed her jacket, shrugging it on and attaching her gear to her waist. "Until we reach the Scouts head quarters, you are my soldiers. Stop for no one. I'll grab what we need for the journey. Get the horses ready and wait for me."

"Sir!" They saluted before rushing out.

As Ducky began packing bags, she kept her mind open to others approaching. They would try to stop her. This time, there was no stopping her. Her eyes moved to the pen and paper on her desk. The pen immediately began scribbling on a piece of paper. Her farewell to Levi, and all the money she had saved up. For all she knew, he was just going to keep the money and burn the letter without looking at it. Since he was so proud, he might be burning the money she was sending as well.

Finally finishing, she grabbed the bags, the money and letter, rushing out of her office. She was less than pleased when a wall of fire appeared in front of her, keeping her from leaving.

"You're not going to fight the titans," Peter said as he looked at her over the fire wall. "You're stuck here."

His eyes widened when the fire suddenly went out. "You have no say over anything I do, Peter," Ducky said as she walked by him. "I'm going to save the human race before they die out behind these worthless walls."

She continued out, not bothering to wait for Killian to try to interfere. Just as she began to wonder where he was, she made it to the stables, where he waited with Stanley and Farley.

"You can't stop me," Ducky told him.

"I'm not here to stop you," he replied, "In fact, I support you leaving. I know the titans can't kill you. I promise Levi will get your letter and money." He smiled at her suspicion, "I've been helping smuggle things down to the Underground as well. Though, I mostly do medicine since I can sort of make more. Peter and I will keep an eye on the corruption as far as the children go. Good luck...Ducky."

She smiled slightly as she passed him the letter and money to her brother, "Take care of Peter, Killian. I don't think he understands."

"No one does," Killian admitted.

She hugged him before tossing bags to her comrades and climbing onto the horse she had been given. Without a second thought, she rushed her horse to the gate, ready to join the Scouts. It surprised a lot of people when the gate to Wall Sina began to rise slightly, just enough for Stanley, Farley, and Ducky to escape.

The trip was quiet, occasionally stopping for water or to eat. It was the first time since training that they slept under the stars. Stanley and Farley were definitely terrified while Ducky tried to grasp the situation.

"Ducky, you won't let us die, will you?" Stanley asked.

"No, I'll do my best to keep you alive, but you are soldiers. Even I can die."

"You're taking this well," Farley pointed out. "What's on your mind?"

"There's so much humans are able to do, but we're limited. I don't understand. Golden Rod is holding something from the Scouts. Once the situation with Wall Maria is settled, I think I'm going to head to Golden Rod and figure out what they're hiding."

"I heard they hadn't used anymore abnormal DNA since it killed so many people," Stanley spoke up while looking at her. "You could stop them for good."

"Yeah," she mumbled as she looked at the stars. "I'll definitely kill the scientists and elders. The world needs to be rid of people like that."

The two laughed. Even Ducky chuckled a bit. Her kill list was starting to get a little long. Compared to the rest of the Golden Force, she was just an ant. All the Golden Force was well over 200cm. But, little Ducky was going to walk into the village of giants and kill them. It was amusing to picture.

"Get some sleep," she told them. "We'll be arriving tomorrow, probably."

"Yes, sir," they replied.

She yawned some, her eyes watering a bit as she continued to watch the stars. Someone had been up there. Someone had felt the sky. Could the sky be touched? What about clouds? Were they as fluffy or soft as they appeared to be? She wanted to touch the sky. Would she be able to before she died? Dying of old age seemed improbable, but if that was the case, would she live to see the day when humans touched the sky again? With thoughts of freedom clouding her mind, she drifted off.

Their day started with the sun. She wondered what the crack of dawn looked like. Everywhere she had been, the wall always blocked the horizon. After adjusting everything on the horses and making sure they had been watered and fed, they began their journey once more to get to the headquarters.

It was almost evening when they arrived, being welcomed by none other than Erwin and his commander. Ducky, Stanley, and Farley saluted the commander, who was introduced as Commander Keith Shadis. His sunken eyes spoke volumes of his exhaustion from the battle field.

"And who are you?" Commander Shadis asked with narrowed eyes. "The last thing we need is Military Police to bother us. Or a woman."

"My name is Commander Ermengarde Jude of the Golden Force," Ducky introduced. "These are my subordinates, Stanley Halbert and Farley Jackson. We graduated with Erwin Smith."

"Sir, this is Ducky Kelley," Erwin told him. "She made the top ten, but couldn't join the Scouts since she was a woman and from Golden Rod."

Ducky kept eye contact with the man as he stared down at her, "The Golden Force, huh? You don't look like much. Smith said you had some special talent."

"Way to underestimate it, Erwin," Farley mumbled as Stanley snickered.

"Well? What's this special talent?" Shadis growled.

"S-sir, the cannons are moving!"

Ducky kept her eyes on Shadis as he stared back at her, refusing to break her gaze.

"Sir, the cannons have been lit!"

"How many?" Shadis asked.

"Ten, sir! They're taking aim!"

"Sir, they're aiming at you!"

Shadis flinched when the cannons went off.

"Take a look, Commander," Ducky said as she approached him and moved to his side.

The cannon balls were a few feet away from him, surrounding him, but all would have made a perfect hit if they had been allowed. There was even one that had moved around Erwin and was a bit closer to the commander than the others.

"That is my small talent," Ducky told him. "Farley and Stanley don't have those abilities, but they will follow me to the end."

"So, there is a chance," Shadis said as he ran his fingers through his thinning hair. "We don't have time to get you a uniform. We're going to try to fight the titans to help the rest of humanity get to Wall Rose."

He left, leaving her with Erwin who smiled down at her. "Let's put your titan killing abilities on titans rather than humans."

"You heard him," Ducky told Stanley and Farley. "Leave what can be left here. Let's represent the MPs one last time and try to give humanity hope in the Military Police once more."

"You give terrible motivational speeches," Erwin said as he patted her on the shoulder.

"I suppose you've had plenty of time to come up with yours," Ducky joked as she dropped one of her bags from the horse, leaving the food and water attached.

"We are giving our lives for humanity. There is no greater reason."

Someone laughed as he placed his large hand on Ducky's shoulder, "Look, this isn't a game, officer. You should go back to the crown. We wouldn't want your uniform to get dirty."

Ducky pushed his hand from shoulder, "Erwin, you should keep your men in check. They have a tendency to speak out of place."

"Commander Jude is right," Erwin told the man. "She's not part of the Scouts, so she's still a Commander of the Golden Force. Until she wears the Wings of freedom, she is your superior."

"Tch, they let women in the military and suddenly they rule over us. You probably can't even use the equipment correctly."

Ducky grabbed Stanley's arm, pushing him back before he tried to attack the man. "We represent the Military Police, Stanley. Our name is dirtied enough without us needing to add that we physically fight the Scouts. Never throw the first punch."

"Just make sure the second ends the fight," Stanley quoted. He put his hand out, forcing a strained smile. "And when possible, kill with kindness." His smile slowly became more genuine, "A smile can be the final nail in their coffin."

"What was that?" Erwin asked as he man awkwardly shook Stanley's hand.

"Never throw the first punch. If you have to throw the second, make sure he doesn't get up for a third. Kill them with kindness. Bury them with a smile. In other words, don't start a fight, but be the one to end it and when your opponent is finished licking his wounds, try to his ally, because anyone stupid enough to challenge a Military Police member is smart enough to know how to slip through the cracks with their crimes."

"You let some people go?" Erwin asked.

"Of course," Ducky replied. "Anyone that led me to child chasers got let go."

"And that thief friend of yours?"

"Of course I let him go," she told him. "He wanted to live on the above ground. He wanted to live in the sun, earn an honest living. Not only would he have to pay to become a citizen of the city, but the King would tax him for every year he's been alive. The Military Police have an outrageous price to get out of the Underground. He has friends that he won't leave behind. They'll have to pay their taxes too, but they have to pay it when they get out from under there."

"I see," Erwin replied. "That doesn't make it right."

"No, it doesn't, but he's not exactly being treated fairly. There is no clean living down there. But, he's the one I want you to get when you go back to Stohess. You will not regret having Levi with you."

She noticed Erwin's look, "Are you trying to get him out because you love him?"

"If that was the case, I would have left the Military Police and joined his life of crime permanently to get our way to the above world. I care about him."

"Hm," he hummed thoughtfully, though his face remained stoic. "He must be impressive to catch your attention."

"It's crazy," Farley called out from behind. "He's got these friends. They're practically untouchable down there."

"Ducky almost got him though because Farley came back with a cut," Stanley laughed.

"It wasn't them?" Erwin asked.

"No, Levi said he would take care of it, so I left it with him to deal with it," Ducky told him.

"Are you ready to ride through the night?" A soldier chortled. "I bet you haven't had hardships like this since you were in Training."

"You know, I thought the Military Police were bad, but this is just mean," Farley frowned.

"The Military Police are just as bad," Ducky said. "This is their territory. If they want to pick at us, let them. The only difference is I taught you to be honorable men no matter what the situation. It's ruled in our favor, most of the time."

"Most?" Erwin asked.

"I killed someone. One of the officers disagreed with my methods. When he tried to start something, I put him in his place. Another soldier didn't like the way I was talking to him, and it turned into a mess. Lots of broken bones."

"You can't just kill people!" A soldier exclaimed.

"I'm a commander in the Golden Force. I can kill who I want for whatever reason I choose."

"Why would you kill an innocent person?!"

Ducky's grip tightened on the reigns of her horse. "What's innocent about a man that's selling children? What's innocent about an officer, sworn to protect the people, being the one that's damaging more than he's helping? There was nothing innocent about them."

She heard Farley yawn, "Hey, Commander, what do you think Shiganshina looks like?"

"The Underground after I burned it down," Ducky replied. "There will be blood, and it will smell awful. Titans aren't thorough, so there will be corpses and body parts. If you have friends in that area, I hope you're ready to see them like you've never seen them before."

"You've never even seen a titan," a soldier growled. "Don't act like you know what to expect."

"Ducky, can you read minds?" Erwin asked.

"And I can see memories," she replied. "I'm sorry, Erwin."

"That won't prepare you for what's coming," Erwin said. "Nothing will."

They rode through the rest of the night, arriving at Trost in the early morning hours. Erwin was right. Even after seeing Erwin's memories, she hadn't been ready for the beasts that controlled humanity behind walls.

They towered over them, meters upon meters high. Some of them carried squirming people, some still chewing on people.

"You know what to do!" Shadis exclaimed.

"Stay with me," Erwin said.

"Stanley, Farley, stick to me!" Ducky called.

"Get that thirteen meter!" Erwin directed.

"Stanley!"

Ducky watched as her soldier shot off his horse with his gear, flying around the titan, his swords slicing its neck and the beast falling to the ground, Stanley landing on his horse once more and falling back by Farley.

"Fifteen meter!"

"Farley!"

"It's an abnormal!" A loud scream called from behind her.

Stanley zoomed by, Farley's horse following as Ducky slowed her horse down, jumping into the air as her equipment fired her back, shoving her straight into the titan's stomach. It wildly thrashed to grab her, eventually succeeding. It lifted her up, ready to eat her while she simply stared back.

"What simple creatures," she spat as the beast's legs suddenly collapsed beneath it, eventually disconnecting from the force. It still made an attempt to eat her, but was soon put to death as part of his neck was cut out.

She reached out, her hand grabbing the reigns of her horse as it bolted by. Soon, she had joined the front line, easily slicing through the titans, either by crippling them with Stanley and Farley finishing them, or actually killing them herself.

She saved who she could, though her focus was mainly on her soldiers and Erwin. It was hard keeping the titans away from the general public that was rushing through, but it was possible. It felt like days of titan slaying before everyone was in Trost.

She heard a fight and watched a Garrison pushed down a traumatized kid.

"What's going on here?" Ducky asked as she walked up to the group, getting between the Garrison soldier and the boy.

"Oh, look, the Military Police have decided to show u-"

The man screamed in shock when Ducky kicked his legs out from under him, forcing him to his knees where he had to look up to her. "Watch your mouth, peasant," she said calmly. "You look like you haven't been to training in a few years. Maybe you didn't know, or maybe you forgot, titan blood disappears."

She was covered in red from soldiers she had fought by, some not making it. She was angry. Angrier than she had ever been. She realized then she was the answer. It would take time for her to adjust to her power to that type of adrenaline, but it would be possible.

She shoved the soldier to the ground with a sneer. "You lost nothing, you pathetic man. This child has lost everything, and then some. If I find any more children roughed up by you, I will end you."

She kneeled down to where she was looking up at the boy, "Are you okay?"

She was caught off guard when the boy wrapped his arms around her neck, sobbing. Smiling a bit, she gently returned the embrace as she watched two children approach her. The girl, once emotionless, suddenly had tears in her eyes as well as the blond boy who immediately jumped on her.

With careful movements, she managed to hold all three of them as they sobbed. She didn't move, even though she knew she needed to leave, go back to headquarters to get her Wings.

"I'm going to be strong like you," she heard the first boy mumble. "I'm going to join the Scouts! I'm going to kill all the titans!"

She smiled as she gently pulled away from the kids, placing her hands on the boy's shoulders. There was determination behind those green eyes that gave her hope. "And I'll be there, waiting to welcome you."

He was beaming until his eyes went to her jacket, "But, you're Military Police."

"Nothing is forever," she told him. "Some of us were born privileged. Some of us have to fight our way to the top. However, we were all born with a choice. Do we live for today, or do we live for humanity's tomorrow. And, it's okay to live for today. Some of us have no chance to save humanity, but we must find a way to save ourselves."

"What were you?" He asked.

She thought about it for a moment, letting the question roll through her mind, "I was born privileged. I did nothing to earn my position in the Military Police. However, I am the reason women are in the military. I went through the three years of training. I was in the top ten of my squad." She placed her hand on his head, gently ruffling it, "I want you to do me a favor."

"What is it?" He asked curiously as she looked at the sniffling blond boy.

"I want you to read Life in Reverse," she smiled.

"Why? Doesn't everyone know that story?"

"Just read it again," she replied as she stood. "Tell me what you would do if you thought that book was telling the truth."

The blond paled but soon smiled, "You mean, it is?" He grabbed his friend by the shoulders, "Do you know what that means, Eren?! The sea is real! The fields of sand! The lakes of fire! It's real! And, it's outside the walls."

"How do you know?" Eren asked,

"They were written by the same man," the blond was almost in tears from happiness.

She was surprised when the blond suddenly latched himself to her legs. "Thank you!"

"Armin, what about the Titanics?" The girl asked. "That means they're real, too."

"Commander! We're leaving!"

She placed her hands on each of the kids' heads, "I don't know if you're all coming to the Scouts or not, but, Mr. Eren, I will be waiting for you."

How could she forget those eyes, burning with such determination, it was almost intimidating. The girl was different, wearing a red scarf that clearly meant a lot to her. She had dried her tears much faster than the boys. Armin gave her a grateful smile. He looked like his birthday had come and he was getting the best gift he could ever have. Those big blue eyes of his glittered like a river.

With a small wave, she left the kids, being sure to send another glare at the soldier that had hurt Eren earlier.

"You won't be able to rescue every child," Erwin told her as she caught up to the group, mounting her horse before they left.

"My goal isn't to rescue every child. It's to save humanity. However, I will not allow children to be abused in any way in my presence."

"You'll make a good captain," Erwin said. "I might consider that promotion when I become commander."

"I'm not one for leadership," she reminded him.

"That's not what I saw today. You didn't even need to speak to your soldiers without them knowing what to do."

"That's not leadership, that's teamwork. I can only help so many people at a time."

"You know squad leader is just a fancy term for Captain, don't you?" He smiled.

"Squad leader sounds like it has fewer responsibilities," she reasoned.

"You'll be a great captain," Erwin smiled cheekily.

"And if you find a better candidate?" She asked.

"I'll have two captains."

"I don't think that's how it works."

"The Military Police have ten commanders just because they're the Golden Force. There are other commanders and other captains. I can have as many as I want."

Ducky gave him a deadpanned look, "No, you can't."

"Oh yeah? You'll see."

"How did you turn Erwin into such a child?" A soldier asked.

She simply shrugged as Farley and Stanley got to her sides. Both of them were clearly concerned for their leader.

"You didn't look so great with that Garrison guy," Farley finally said. "Is everything okay?"

"That kid had been through far too much for a soldier to just kick him down," Ducky confided, her voice low, almost a growl. "We save children. When we are not fighting for humanity, we are fighting for children so there will be a humanity to fight for. Remember that."

"Sir!" They saluted.

Erwin laughed, "You still call her 'sir'?"

"When we first started reporting to her, she told us it was still Ducky. The Ducky we knew was a guy," Stanley explained.

Erwin shook his head, "I graduated with idiots. How you made it to the top ten is beyond me."

"Hey, they're my soldiers now," Ducky frowned. "It's not their fault you don't joke around anymore. They had their experience of seriousness in the Military Police. At least killing isn't frowned on here."

"It's frowned upon, just not toward titans," Erwin told her.

"I wasn't comfortable being called Commander by people I graduated with," Ducky stretched.

"It was always fun to see her pull rank, though," Stanley grinned. "People would part to let her walk by."

"That was one time, Stanley, and that was because I had kicked a man through them, not because they wanted me to walk by."

"Keep telling yourself that," Farley teased. "We know you liked the power."