Recall - Levi Ackerman x Fem OC (An Attack On Titan /// Shingeki No Kyojin ff)

Chapter 5 - The 57th Recon Mission

After a long few weeks of preparation, intensive training, planning, experiments and sleepless nights, it was finally time for Erwin's so-called '57th Recon Mission'. It had been a month since the breach of Trost and it was decided that the gate there would now be permanently out of use. Thus the Scout Regiment now waited patiently at the gate in the Karanes district, exactly how Erwin had planned.

Tension thickened the air of Karanes as they sat on horseback, preparing for the gate of Wall Rose to rise. A loud bell tolled around them, echoing for miles.

"Titans in the vicinity have been lured away, gate opens in thirty seconds!" A voice familiar to Leah from the Garrison called out to the crowd of green capes.

Leah's horse shifted beneath her, feeding off of her nervousness. She wasn't anxious for her own life, but for those of the countless soldiers that were guaranteed to lose their lives today. She looked at Levi next to her. His face was solemn but he showed no outward sign of fear or worry. Leah steeled her emotions and forced herself to clear her head.

Leah had expectations to live up to today. A plan to follow to a tee. There was no room for doubts and second guessing. She knew what she was here to do and she wasn't going to let Erwin or Levi or anybody down.

The gate lifted with a ground shaking rumble and she snuck a final glance at her squad around her. Over the past month she'd gotten quite close to them all. Looking at them now filled her with the motivation and hope she'd needed to get out of these gates.

Levi; his face focused ahead, unreadable. Petra; shooting Leah a fleeting grin that didn't quite reach her eyes. Eld; a slow nod that hid the grin tugging at his lips. Oluo's stupid face; a smug smile turning his mouth. Gunther; with a shaky thumbs up of reassurance.

Even Eren was relying on her to play her part today as he gazed at Leah with wide, artless eyes. As Erwin's voice broke through the nervous silence, Leah's grip tightened on her horse's reins.

"Forward!" Erwin exclaimed.

"I'll see you on the other side, guys." Leah said quickly to her new companions as their horses began to jolt forward.

"It's officially begun. The 57th Recon Mission! Scouts, move out!" Erwin's voice drowned out any response she might've gotten from her dear comrades.

This was it. It was too late. They were off.

-

Squad Levi plus Eren moved along in a wide-based triangle formation. Of course Levi took up the point, and for safety reasons Eren was positioned directly behind him. Oluo and Leah sandwiched Eren and the rest followed suit in a row behind them.

The scenery was haunting. Houses which had once been homes stood empty and overgrown now. Glass panes in window were smashed and grimy with years of neglect. The once clear road was now speckled with debris and cracked cobbles. Dangerous for a clumsy horse.

"Loaded question. Be straight with me." Leah heard Eren speak from next to her, to no one in particular. "You think my friends have a shot at taking down a Titan?"

Without a second hesitation Oluo spoke out of the asshole on his face. "Really? I should certainly hope so, otherwise what the hell have they been training for?"

For once he made a point Leah had to slightly agree with. They'd spent years of their military career just training in the art of killing titans. Surely if they made it this far they could be capable of that. Leah repeated that in her head, convincing herself they stood a chance of making it back alive from this expedition.