Natural Strength || Levi Ackerman x Reader

Chapter 12: True Objective

A few days later, you wake up and get ready for the day like usual. Levi left a little after dawn to have a ride around the perimeter of where you'll be patrolling today with Eren, Gunther and Eld as Petra and Oluo have to stay and clean out the other rooms. This is nothing more than a test to make sure Eren can keep up with the group, Levi informed you.

Today is also the day the recruits will be selecting which regiment they want to join. If anyone joins the Scouts at all, they'll be arriving at the castle later with the other Survey Corps Squads this afternoon and prepped on the next expedition and taught the intricate formation designed by Erwin. The 57th expedition is set to launch in one week.

Currently, you're outside with Gunther and Eld to watch over Eren as he feeds the horses. They question him on the ideals of his classmates and if he thinks anyone will join, to which he responds inconclusively.

You take a final swig of your coffee and set the cup on the step behind you as you spot Levi approaching on his horse in the distance.

"Make ready, people. We're going on patrol," Levi commands.

"Yes, Sir!" the three of you chorus and salute as Eren rushes over.

"Good morning, Captain! Reporting for duty!" Eren greets with a salute.

"Eren, you will stay within ten meters of me at all times. The only reason that you're out of your cell is that I'm keep an eye on you. Understood?"

"Yes, Sir!" Eren answers.

"Good. Let's ride," Levi says.

The four of you gather your horses and mount them. You take off with Levi in front, you next to Eren and Gunther and Eld holding up the rear. You fly through the open fields and around the vicinity with sharp eyes out for any unusual movement.

"After we're finished, Petra and Oluo are meeting us at a secure location to go over the formation plans!" Levi informs over his shoulder.

The patrol continues for another two hours until Levi goes off the trail and into the open scenery. You all stop on his direction and hop down from the saddles to wait for Petra and Oluo to arrive, which they do only minutes later.

Gunther gathers the members together and rolls out the large paper with the plan meticulously detailed out to the very last article. You walk over to Levi as Gunther explains the formation to not only Eren, but the other three as well.

"(Y/N), aren't you going to learn the formation?" Eld asks.

"I have it memorized already," you simply reply, continuing over to Levi who is standing on his toes to pet the horse.

"I can get you a stool if you need the extra inches, Captain," you tease once you're far enough away from the group.

"Shut the hell up," Levi grumbles, lowering himself to be flat on his feet.

"Okay, what did you want to talk to me about?" you question, getting to the real point.

"Erwin has informed me that this expedition is basically a test run to see if we can accomplish getting Eren to Shiganshina, as I'm sure you're aware of. I've told this to you all, but it's not true."

You make a face of confusion about what that could mean and if he's saying there's another objective of this expedition.

Levi lowers his voice. "We think the Colossal Titan or Armored Titan are shifters like Eren and they're traitors to the Survey Corps. This whole plan is to possible capture them if they appear."

You're at a loss for words as you process what this could mean for the safety of your comrades and how Erwin thinks he can pull something so outrageous off successfully.

"What has Erwin done to ensure this secrecy?" you inquire.

"He's pushing for the expedition to happen sooner and the maps he made up are all different to each group who receives them. We cannot let anyone know Eren's true position in the formation or the entire plan is doomed," Levi answers.

"So you're basically using Eren as bait to lure one or both of these titans into a trap?"

"Precisely," he confirms and holds up a hand to stop you from speaking, "but he will be in the safest part of the formation where there's an extremely low chance of anything happening."

You let out a breath and rub the back of your neck as a way to lessen the mixture of fury and dilemma in your gut.

"I see both sides, but I assume Erwin doesn't want anyone to know besides you and possibly his immediate squad, so why are you telling me?" you ask.

Levi gives you a dull look. "I always keep you informed about shit like this and you can't deny it. But Erwin told me beforehand that he wanted you to know incase the Special Ops Squad freaks out when I deviate from the path."

"Which means what exactly?"

Levi sighs. "You're not to tell them anything at all, but if the plan is successful, I'm going to have to leave the team to help Erwin. You have to lead them at that point onward to keep them calm."

"Lead?" you ask in disbelief. "I'm not a leader, Levi. I can't possible just fill your shoes, even for a short period of time."

"Yes, you can. I only entrust you with this mission and I need you to go along with it," he replies.

You let out a quiet groan and shake your head. "Fine, whatever, but this is extremely dangerous and could hinder the trust our regiment has built."

"Then so be it. If they can't see how necessary this is, then better we don't trust them. We can't have a traitor in our regiment feeding information to the titans somehow," Levi argues.

"I know. It's completely necessary, I see that," you admit. "I just wish there was some other way."

Levi puts a hand on your shoulder to get your full attention.

"There isn't another way."

It's enough to convince you to go along with the plan wholeheartedly, although you have no choice in the matter in actuality.

"We're going to be sharing a horse because we can't risk a rogue animal in the Forest of Giant Trees, which is the place Erwin plans the capture and my departure," Levi says.

"Understood."

Leaving the responsibility of the squad's emotional state of mind to you is alarming, but you're determined to do what you can to keep the plan together and moving. The only part you intensely hate is where Levi will be out of your sight and his well-being will be unknown for who knows how long.