A/N: Hey everyone, I will not be able to post a chapter on Wednesday this week, so enjoy this chapter a day early! I will be back in action next Wednesday, so no worries there! As always, thank you all for your continued support in this story. I love writing it, and I hope you all love reading it. Keep me posted on your thoughts!

Chapter 11

Willow winces as she moves her shoulder in small circular motions, testing the limits of her movability. It has been four weeks since her discharge and Willow has been working on keeping her body in shape for when she is expected to return to the field. Her first two weeks were spend feasting on the kitchen's food and barely getting any exercise. Her body has softened since her discharge, and Willow knows she will have to continue her routine prior to her injury in order to prepare her body to return to the field.

She pulls her head back, soaking up the morning sun as she stretches her limbs and moves her muscles. Oruo watches her from a distance, gawking at her body before him with his lips slightly agape. "Have you ever seen a wonder?" he releases with wide eyes, admiring her body. "She is perfect, just look at that ass."

Oruo feels a hand smack him across his head and he looks down to see Petra fuming at his comment. Before she can scold him, Eld laughs at the exchange. "You are not going to be able to talk your way out of this one."

"Petra, I am simply admiring a beautiful woman," Oruo says, and Petra grows in frustration. "Hey, it is not distasteful if it is targeted at my intended wife," he points out.

"That is only alright if she accepts your proposal, which she has not," Petra reminds him.

"I am a patient man, Petra. She just needs time before she can accept my proposal," he informs her, and Petra rolls her eyes. "Until then, I cannot be faulted for looking," he shrugs, and she hits him again.

"Captain," Petra exhales with an exasperated sigh as Levi enters the courtyard. "Can you tell Oruo to stop being a pig?"

Levi's eyes flash over to the man who rolls his eyes at Petra. "Oruo stop being a pig," Levi complies without asking what all this is about.

"I am simply admiring a beautiful woman, Captain," he says and Levi's eyes move over towards Willow as she stretches in the courtyard, seeing what Oruo gawks at. She is in her plain clothes hugging her body in a flattering way, bending and stretching her body in positions mindful of her shoulder.

Levi pulls his eyes away from her and looks back at his squad mate. "Oruo stop being a pig," Levi repeats now understanding Petra's request.

Petra and Eld burst into laughter while Oruo wildly attempts to explain his actions with animated gestures that Levi tunes out as he goes to approach Willow. She is on the ground, settled on her knees as she curls into a tight ball, placing her forehead to the ground. Her arms extend upwards, with the arm of her broken shoulder unable to reach all the way over her head, and settles it bent downwards towards the side of her head.

"You look… comfortable," Levi states looking down at her as she bends herself in ways that he cannot imagine himself in.

Willow breathes out, lifting herself from her position as she moves into another one. "I've been getting soft," she tells him, eyes closed and face peaceful. "Spending my days trying new recipes and not running away from Titans isn't doing my body any favors," she says as she stops stretching and opens her eyes to Levi. "Figured I would get back into it now that I am halfway through my recovery."

Willow stands next to Levi and he looks down at her arm. She is no longer keeping her arm in a sling, but her arm still hangs at a slight angle past her elbow to alleviate tension on her shoulder and collarbone.

"Erwin's called a meeting with the Captains and Squad Leads. I figured since you were here with Eld, that I would call for you before Malik came looking for you."

Willow cracks her neck, as if physically preparing herself to see Erwin. Since her discharge, any interaction with him has been a push to get her one the field, despite the medic's assessment of her.

Levi nods at Eld as they walk past them, and he follows them into the Commander's office where the Squad Leads and Captains sit and wait. Willow looks around, finding Hal quickly and standing next to him. Derrek positions himself on the chair across from Erwin as he always does. Willow smiles, deeming that chair to be Derrek's and wonders for a moment how the Captain would react if she sat in his chair, though knows the Captain to be too sweet to say anything to her.

Malik stands by Erwin but keeps a farther distance than he normally does as Section Commander Miche stands next to Erwin with Nanaba on the other side of Erwin. Levi positions himself in the back of the room and Eld hangs back next to his Captain as Erwin begins speaking.

"We have gotten new reports of Titan activity in the southeast region beyond the walls," he begins handing a piece of paper to Malik who takes it and looks it over with pressed brows. "There are various small villages in the area that are facing the Titan threat with little to no weapons to fight them off," he states and Malik hands the report to Derrek who takes it with his smile remaining unwavering.

"I have plans to initiate the Long Distance Scouting Formation," he informs them as the paper moves from Derrek to Hange. "Going around is the location in which each of you and your squads will be placed within the formation," he says and Hange gives the paper to Eld who looks at it with Levi looking over his shoulder. "The goal of this mission is to avoid combat with the Titans and redirect the threat from the villages in the southeast."

The paper reaches Hal, and Willow looks over to see they are going to be located at the Upper Outer Left Rank. Her face pulls downward seeing that Malik Squad will be the first touchpoint to the left and exposed to the most Titan activity. Derrek Squad is located on the Middle Outer Right Rank under the new Cadets that are located at the Upper Outer Right Rank. Hange Squad in the Lower Outer Left Rank, providing support for Malik squad for any outlier Titans Malik Squad misses. Lastly, Levi Squad is located in the Upper Inner Center Rank just above Erwin and Miche Squad to provide protection in the center in cases of emergencies.

Willow looks away from the paper as Hal hands it over to Mario and Nicole from Derrek Squad. "Are there any plans to evacuate the people in these Villages?" Malik asks, looking down at the back of the Commander's head.

Erwin does not look back at Malik as he responds, "Capacity within Wall Rose has been overreached since the day Wall Maria fell, and despite the causalities we faced upon the initial attack, we do not have ability to facilitate these people."

Willow swallows hard and Malik returns with a simple nod, knowing well that the Commander tells him in so many words that they are there to redirect the Titans and not rescue the people from the threat. Willow keeps her mouth shut, knowing that her words will fall on deaf ears and their goal is not to protect anyone.

"We will redirect the Titan threat to the Southwest. Malik Squad will make the initial contact with the Titans in the Southeast near the village. Here we will entrust Malik Squad to engage the Titans and push them forward and over to the right. Any outliers Hange Squad is to engage and support from below. Levi Squad will provide any inner support if needed, though it would be detrimental to the formation if the Titans push inward," he explains, "Once Malik Squad has pushed the threat forward and over the Upper Center Rank, the new Cadets will push the threat outwards to the right where Derrek Squad will provide support if needed."

The plan seems simple; the threat is to the left, where Willow and Malik Squad are positioned to engage and herd the threat like sheep from the villages to the right. Once the herd is moving to the right, the new Cadets will take over and push them off into the woods and away from the villagers. The only issue with the plan is if all Titans are normal and complacent. If they come across an Abnormal, the plan is shit.

"And in the case of an Abnormal present?" Hange asks before anyone else can.

Commander Erwin's eyes shoot over to Willow and her eyes widen at his gaze. "What?" she breathes as he looks at her with intent.

"You would simply need to render the Abnormal paralyzed until—"

"I have not been cleared for fieldwork," she reminds him before he can speak further.

"I have spoken to the medic and with minimal sword work, he believes you will be able to perform adequately on this mission."

"What about any other Lead in this room? Why me?" she asks him with a growing tone.

"No one has been able to effectively render an Abnormal incapacitated as you have," he tells her simply. She looks over at Malik to support her, but he does not respond, keeping his eyes on Erwin's desk, unable to match her gaze. She shakes her head at him, betrayed by his baited promises of ramping her back into the field, only to switch and throw her in without a rope.

"Well why don't we just kill the damn thing," she asks in a worried tone as the tension in the room grows thick. "You don't need me to control it when you can just kill it," she says trying to move his intentions away from using her.

"If we come across an Abnormal," Commander Erwin begins, "It will be advantageous for Captain Hange to perform experimentation on them to review the differences with them and give us a better understanding as to why you cannot manipulate them as you can others." The Commander sighs when he sees her expression harden, "And you are the only one who can successfully detain the Abnormal while we capture it."

"It is a contingency, Willow," Section Commander Miche reminds her, smelling the distress on her. "You will only be needed in the case of an Abnormal."

Hal places his hand on Willow's good shoulder as a form of support, but she shrugs it off angrily. She looks around the room at everyone who watches her. Their eyes are expectant of her, waiting for her to gladly take the mission and see it as an honor. She looks onto everyone's eyes to see that no one seems to be on her side, and she wonders if she herself is out of line. Would they all jump at the chance if they were in her position? She shakes her head realizing that it doesn't matter. They are not in her position, and they all stand before her, expecting her to mindlessly comply.

There are so many words she wants to say. She wants to yell and scream. She wants to tell Erwin that he can strap into ODM gear and get on the Abnormal himself. She wants to challenge this savior complex he has imposed on her, but she does not. She places her head down, torn down at the realization that no matter what she says to him or to her Captain, they will continue to force this protector role onto her until she is in the ground, and there is no one here who will speak up with her.

She shakes her head slightly at the disbelief, shutting her eyes tightly before she inhales deeply and says, "If that is your command, Sir," she tenses her jaw, hating the words that spill from her lips.

They are dismissed and no one approaches her to give her words of encouragement or support. They know all too well that their words are useless to their cause and Willow will perform the way they want her to… whether she wants to or not.

The following day Willow mounts her horse, feeling foreign in her full Scout uniform, having not worn her uniform in what feels like an eternity that was not as long enough. She rolls her shoulder carefully, still feeling it ache as it is not fully healed.

She stays mounted on her horse waiting for the rest of Malik Squad to join her and get into formation. She looks around to see the new group of Cadets gathering in the courtyard as they receive their horses. The boy who had nasty words to say about Willow looks over at her. She has since learned his name to be Leo*. His brown hair sits wildly atop his head, falling in front of his eyes. He is baby-faced, with soft features and a permanent blush kissing his cheeks. His face seems kind and approachable, a direct contrast to who he truly is.

His green eyes reach hers, seeing that she is watching him, and he releases a scoff. He wonders what she is doing on a horse and preparing for the scouting mission when she is nothing but a kitchen maid. She watches as Hal approaches her with the reins of the horse in his hands. Leo surveys them carefully as she speaks with him, wondering why an Elite soldier would waste his time speaking to her, figuring she is nothing more than his pity project.

"See that kid over there watching us?" Willow asks Hal as he mounts his horse.

Hal glances back to see the Cadet watching them carefully, "Yeah, new Cadet," he says situating on his horse. "I hear he's a real ass."

"He thinks I am 'some kitchen maid who thought joining the Scouts would give her purpose'." Willow says quoting his nasty tone.

Hal's thick brows raise in shock at the boy's harsh tone. "He's in for a surprise when you position yourself in the left flank."

Willow shrugs with her good shoulder, "I guess it's better than being called 'some skinny little bitch'," she says with a raised brow quoting Hal's words to her as a wide smile reaches her lips.

Hal cringes visibly in distaste of his own words being pushed back at him. "I mean, you were a skinny little bitch back then," he says with a smile that Willow cannot help but laugh at. She smacks him playfully in the chest and he laughs. "Now you're just a bitch," he groans at her hit, rubbing his chest with a smile on his face.

Willow smiles at their friendship, thinking back on their first day together and how fearful she was of him, to now being his equal. It's a fleeting moment of happiness before Commander Erwin and Miche come to take their places in the formation.

They all ride out in a line through the decaying city within Wall Maria. Willow keeps her eyes on the path, never once letting her eyes look onto the decrepit city that she once called her home.

Once they leave the confines of the city, Commander Erwin commands them to take formation. Willow kicks her horse into a full gallop as she joins Hal, Laura, and Colin behind Malik in the Upper Outer Left Rank.

Hal approaches her with a wide smile that puts Derrek's smile to shame. "Your number one fan is shitting himself!" he calls out to her and she looks over her shoulder to see Leo's eyes practically bulging out of his head in shock at the sight of her riding with Malik Squad.

Leo, like the other Cadets knew the Titan Killer was on Malik Squad, and with confirmation that Laura was not the Titan Killer, they were under the impression that she was being used for more important missions. Never did it cross the young Cadet's minds that the invalid kitchen maid was the Titan Killer, but as she gallops with Malik Squad, it is clear to him and the others who Willow truly is.

Willow smiles, bringing her attention forward and focused on the mission as they approach the open field. She keeps her eyes forward as the encroach on Titan territory, feeling her heart race wildly.

Her heart jumps when she hears the first gun being shot off. She looks up to see Malik's arm upright as a stream of red smoke flies into the sky, signifying the caravan. She looks forward to see the single Titan in the distance. It is not a threat to the village at its current location and they keep riding. Willow looks back to see the smoke signal behind, indicating Hange Squad has received the message, though she cannot see them from the distance they are at.

They continue forward with no other contacts with Titans, and no other smoke signals from the rest of the team. Her eyes look over and she notices the village in the distance. She kicks her horse into a quicker pace and rides next to Hal behind Malik. Her eyes wildly search the nearby woods for Titans leering in the tree line, waiting for an attack.

They continue forward, seeing some villagers watching them near the gates of their small town. Willow watches as a small girl—no older than five—wave at them. A small smile reaches Willow's lips looking at the girl. She is blonde like Willow, with long golden hair falling past her shoulders. She is in tattered clothes holding the hand of her mother who wears similar clothes. Willow's eyes reach the little girl's, and she lifts her hand up to wave back at the little girl, seeing her beam at the gesture and tugging on her mother's dress to see if she saw the gesture. The mother smiles down at her daughter nodding energetically at the girl's excitement of Willow's gesture.

Willow is aggressively pulled from the sight by another shot of the signal gun. A Titan has been spotted and it has been spotted by Levi Squad. Willow swallows hard and they begin galloping with intense force inward towards Levi and the rest of the caravan.

It takes them a moment to reach the center of the caravan to see Levi Squad has moved forward to keep the Titans from entering the Center Rank where Erwin and the supplies travel. Malik moves towards the Titans and begins herding them downward a bit, while Colin and Laura herd them from the left inward. Willow and Hal push back on Malik's direction, keeping the Titans from moving too far downward towards Levi Squad as they all form a semi-circle to push the Titans to the left. Everything is running smoothly as the Titans begin to move towards the west with ease.

Willow heart skips when three shots cry out in the distance to the west. Willow looks over in dismay to see three streams of black smoke in the direction of the new Cadets. Fuck, Willow thinks to herself wondering if there are three Abnormals, or if the Cadets panicked and shot all their signals, praying for the latter but still hating the idea that she will need to engage.

"Eld! Petra!" Willow hears Levi call out behind her, "Take over herding the Titans!" he commands them, and she hears them call out with confirmation. Willow turns from the Titans as Petra takes her place pushing back on them. Without saying a word, Willow and Hal move to the right and join Levi as they press with vicious force towards the Cadets, blind at what they must be facing.

"Hal!" Levi calls out as they ride towards the Cadets. "In the case there are three of these bastards, you and I will perform an immediate kill. These greenhorns don't need to deal with an Abnormal."

"Yes sir!" he responds strongly.

"Willow, you're not fully clear on sword work, so try to keep the Abnormal at bay for a while using ODM gear before stabbing its nape. Your shoulder is too damaged to fight against its nape."

Willow internally groans at the idea, hating using ODM gear around Abnormals but responds with a strong, "Yes Sir!"

When they arrive, to their dismay, there are three Abnormals travelling together and mowing down the Cadets. They have suffered many casualties as they panic and gallop frantically from the running beasts. Willow swallows hard, hearing the sound of primal screams for help as people die around her.

She pulls out her signal gun and shoots off a black smoke gun, confirming to the Center Rank there are Abnormals here and hopes Hange or Miche Squad can come and assist. She watches as Derrek Squad comes behind from the north. Derrek quickly jumps to have the remaining Cadets gathered and repositioned in the Center Rank while Hal, Levi, and Willow take care of the Abnormals.

Levi jumps from his horse and propels himself to his Abnormal. The beast quickly darts from Levi's grapples and he pushes down on his gas to redirect him to the Abnormal's new location.

"Captain, we got two more Titans approaching!" Hal calls out as he shoots towards his Abnormal's heels, slashing them quickly. The Abnormal falls to its knees and Hal presses down on his gas and shoots up the Abnormal's back, slashing his swords with great force at the Abnormal's nape, killing it instantly.

"Noted," Levi calls out as he continues to try and kill his quick moving Abnormal while Hal moves towards the two Titans.

Willow keeps herself on her horse as long as she can, galloping towards the Abnormal she is to paralyze. Her Abnormal is a 10-meter class Titan with large blue eyes that take up most of the Titan's face. A balding head ensures that Willow will not be able to hang from its hair while she rides out the fight.

She slashes at its heel and makes her way to the other by horse back. The Abnormal looks down and swipes at Willow before she can react. The Titan swats at her horse and propels them in the air. They crash to the ground and Willow is thrown from her horse. She gets up quickly, knowing that she does not have time to think about the pain, looking over to see her horse is dead. She groans as her shoulder aches and knows that she has no choice but to use her ODM gear.

She presses on her gas and flings herself into the air. She expertly slashes into its Achilles heels, then in the back of its knees to render it immobile. She shoots up its back and to its nape. Without hesitation, she drives her swords into the back of its nape, hitting the spot and paralyzing it.

She takes in a deep breath, looking over to see Levi has killed his Abnormal in that time, and gone to help Hal with the other Titans. She looks down to see Leo and a few other Cadets watching her with wild eyes, now confirmed that she is the Titan Killer. They don't seem disappointed as the old Cadets once were and are more shocked and impressed with her.

The Abnormal struggles in her grip and she presses down on her swords, trying to hold it into place. She winces in pain needing the strength of both her hands to hold down the Abnormal. "Derrek!" she calls out in panic as the Abnormal begins twitching. "I can't hold him!" she tells him.

The smiling Captain quickly shoots up the Abnormal and to her side. "What can I do?" he asks her quickly.

"Hold the sword in place. My shoulder is killing me, and I can't hold it down any longer."

Without hesitation, Derrek falls to his knees and takes hold of her sword, grasping his hands over hers. She slowly releases her grip and takes her hands from the hilt of her swords, confirming the Captain has a good hold on it.

"Are you alright?" Derrek asks her as soon as she releases her grip.

Willow winces as she places her hand on her shoulder. "Fucker killed my horse," she groans, dreading how she will explain this to Dita.

Levi and Hal thrust themselves upwards and plant their grapples into the back of the Abnormal that Derrek and Willow stand on. "You got this thing?" Levi asks Derrek with a skeptical tone, making sure the Captain can handle holding the Abnormal in place.

"Eh, it's not that hard," Derrek jests with a shrug, but Willow does not engage his joke.

"How many casualties did we face?" Hal asks looking down at the scattered bodies of Cadets and horses.

"Less than two dozen," Derrek says shaking his head, "Didn't see them coming from the west. They came out so quickly they couldn't even respond."

"Why were the Titans on the west and not the east?" Willow asks looking down at the corpses below her.

Hal shrugs his shoulders, "They must have migrated away from the village?" he guesses, and Willow shakes her head.

"Titans wouldn't move away from a food source," she releases, "Unless they were never to the east in the first place," she says with a sour taste in her mouth, "And the Commander sent us out here knowing that," She turns and Levi looks at her with a pressed glare.

"He wouldn't have positioned us the way he did if that were the case," Hal states.

"Unless… he was testing out the new Cadets' response to Titans?" she speculates, and all three men grow dark at her accusation.

Before any of the men can respond to her damning accusation against the Commander, the rest of the caravan joins them, with the Commander at the front of the lines.

Willow shoots down from the Titan, approaching the Commander and his Section Commander. She takes a horse and mounts it, looking over at him with hate filled eyes. "You have your Abnormal," she says taking the reins of her horse. "Now if you will excuse me, I have Kitchen Duty," she says riding away from him before he can respond to her.