A while later,
Seeing how both of you had recovered your stamina, you head on your way and scale the wall using your ODM gear like before. You decide against Annie using her titan form as it would compromise your position in the unlikely event of coming across the Beast Titan and decide it was best to proceed on horseback.
With that, you go on foot looking for a horse. It wasn't uncommon to find them in the area as the Survey Corps leaves them behind rather often during expeditions. It was a gamble, but you manage to find a small herd within about an hour or so.
They were already equipped with saddles that had the Survey Corps emblem on them, as expected. You approach them slowly to avoid startling them and manage to tame two of them.
"So, where are we going now?" Annie asks as the two of you head south on horseback.
"Shiganshina! We'll find Eren's basement and retrieve the information inside. It's the Survey Corps' top priority right now. If we do it for them, we might be able to prove your usefulness to humanity and reconcile with them." You explain your immediate plan.
"Are you sure that'll work?" Annie expresses her doubt.
"I can't say for sure, but it's the only chance we've got at clearing our names. If anyone's willing to even consider it, it's Commander Erwin." You answer. "We need to have both of us reinstated in the military if we are ever to see your father again."
"Hmm... I guess there's no other option then. So how do we go about it?" Annie asks.
"Well, since neither of us know the exact location of Eren's house, I expect it'll take a while to search for it, so first we need to set up a temporary base. Also, we'll have to fight titans one way or another, so we need supplies. Luckily, there's a place that can provide both." You start explaining your plan.
Annie asks, "Does something that convenient even exist?"
You continue, "Yeah, the old HQ should work. The construction is solid, so if we can reinforce the entrance, it'll keep us safe from the titans. The gas supply should still be functional and since military rations are mostly canned food, there should be at least something usable even after all this time."
"Are you sure titans won't swarm it like they did in Trost?" Annie asks.
"We'll probably have to clear the first floor like we did back then, but once we do that and barricade the entrance, we should be safe for the most part. Titans are drawn to large groups of people after all. Unlike in Trost where we had multiple squads in the HQ, this time it's just the two of us, so I doubt the titans will even notice.
❋❋❋
You arrive at Shiganshina by evening.
As you make your way through the destroyed gate, you feel a sense of nostalgia mixed with anticipation seeing familiar streets you grew up in. The dirt roads, the small wooden houses, they were all there— albeit deserted.
As excited and emotional as you were, you had to keep a low profile to avoid titans as much as possible. After scaling the wall twice and outrunning the Survey Corps, you barely had any gas remaining. You arrive at the HQ to find the entrance completely destroyed.
"Shit, I don't think we can repair this. Dammit, what are we gonna do now?" You're worried, as your plan wouldn't work without sealing the entrance.
"I'll do it!" says Annie. "I can patch it up using my titan hardening. Take my gas canisters and kill the titans inside while I seal the entrance."
You follow her instructions and proceed to take out the titans that were inside the HQ to claim it for yourselves. It was similar to what happened at Trost during the attack. The construction of the base was too strong for the titans to break through. Therefore, the titans inside were all three and four meter class as they were the only ones that could fit through the entrance.
They swarmed the first floor, but couldn't get anywhere else as the stairways were too narrow; even for three meter class titans to enter. You sprint towards the stairs to go up to the second floor so you could get on the rafters like earlier.
You slowly move along the rafters and scout the area. There were a total of eight titans inside, with five of them being four meter class ones. You had to take them all out by yourself, however unlike last time, you had ODM gear.
It was especially helpful that you were used to performing complex movements in restricted spaces. You latch onto the celling and dive in to slice the nape of a four meter class titan. As you did that, two more come charging towards you.
You quickly reel back up and maneuver around them to attack them from behind. Just as you take them out, you latch onto a four meter class that was facing away and quickly cut its nape before it could react.
You were following Mikasa's strategy of one shot-ing them at the nape as it was incredibly efficient. However, it required a lot of precision and agility to avoid being grabbed and eaten, so it wasn't something most people could pull off.
You see two three meter class titans running towards you and you use a quick burst of pressure to zip your way around them and take them out. As you do that however, a four meter class comes from behind and grabs you. Its body was disproportionate, as it had long but really thin arms compared to its large frame.
Your arms were restricted by its grip so you couldn't cut its fingers to escape like you'd usually do. Instead, you anchor yourself to the ceiling and reel yourself up along with it. Lifting the titan's weight burns through your remaining gas, but it was either that or get eaten, so you go through with it having no other choice.
As you get off the ground, the titan's hand rips off from the wrist as it couldn't support its own weight and falls down. You use the opportunity to dive in and slice the nape.
You were completely out of gas at this point and one three meter class titan remained. Realizing you had no time to refuel, you decide to take it down using one of Annie's techniques, as you couldn't reach the nape on foot. You let it get close to you. As it reached out to grab you, you dodge it and grab its arm instead.
In one swift movement, you trip its leg while pulling on its arm. Using its own momentum to offset its weight, you bring it to the ground. In a lot of ways, it was similar to how Annie took down the much larger Reiner during anti-personnel combat training in camp.
Once the titan was on the ground, you quickly jump onto its back and slice its nape before it could get back to its feet. Having taken out all eight titans, you head outside to find the entrance fully sealed using the crystal like material from Annie's titan hardening. Seeing that gives you an idea.
"Thats incredible Annie! I didn't know you could use hardening like that. I just had a thought, umm... do you think you could patch the walls the same way?" You ask her.
"I should be able to. But I'll have to rest for a few days before I could pull off something at that scale." Annie answers. She then follows up, "How does patching the walls help us though?"
You explain, "The more we accomplish here, the more likely we'll be able to prove our usefulness. If you manage to seal the walls and isolate the district, the two of us should be able to take out the remaining titans and reclaim Shiganshina. Not only will it be a monumental victory for humanity, it'll also make looking for Eren's basement much easier."
"I see... alight then." Annie agrees to proceed with your plan before calling it a day and head back as both of you were completely drained out. On the way back, Annie briefly explains about Marley, Paradis and their Mission to capture the Founding Titan.