AUTHOR'S POV:
The force of the landing sent out a large shockwave of air, steam, and small rocks.
Trees whipped around like leaves in the wind and soldiers, including Hange and her squad, were forced up and off the Wall.
Sasha quickly jumped down to shield Armin with her body.
.
Knees bent, Mikasa struggled against the force. Her efforts were futile and she was knocked off the tree. Her swords escaped from her hands as she was sent flying back.
.
Up on Wall Rose, Hannes, Christa, and the others lay on the ground, bracing themselves, holding the edge of the Wall.
.
Inside the steam, the Armored Titan roared as he shoved the attacking Titan's head being deeper into the dirt to expose his nape.
.
Armin struggled to look as Mikasa did the same, clutching the grass.
.
The Armored Titan took a bite and snapped his head back, blood covering his mouth.
.
Armin gasped.
.
The steam finally began to clear. The Colossal Titan lay, maw gaping, eyes dark, steaming thickly.
Bertolt walked over the decaying corpse's shoulder, 3D gear strapped to his waist and carrying an unconscious Ymir.
The Armored Titan ran by the Colossal's body and Bertolt used the 3D gear to reach him, crouching on the junction between his shoulder and his neck.
.
"Eren!" Armin screamed, watching as the Armored Titan ran further and further away.
.
.
In Throst district, Titans approached the massive rock covering the hole in the Wall.
.
Sitting on the wall, Pixis was sleeping, arms crossed and head down.
Several bottles and an empty crate were next to him as he dozed.
"Commander," Anka said, walking up to him. "Wake up, Commander Pixis. You'll get sick if you fall asleep here." She slapped the back of his head. "I can't believe you drank all this." She collected the empty bottles as he rubbed his head. "You're not young anymore. And I'd rather not spend my days changing your diapers."
"Being cared for by a pretty lady sounds all right to me," Pixis quipped, opening a bottle. "So? What's the situation?"
Anka snatched the bottle out his hands.
"Patrols were sent out once the Titans were gone from the 1st and 2nd defensive lines, but any Titan sightings are few and far between." Anka informed.
"Hmm..." Pixis replied and pulled out a watch from his jacket's inner pocket. "If Hannes and the advance squad followed the Wall without problem, they'll be returning any minute now. It would mean they met the unit from Krolva District and turned around halfway. And they couldn't have encountered many Titans, if any. If there was a hole in the Wall, it would never work out like that."
Behind them, Erwin arrived.
"Commander Pixis." Erwin called out.
"Hmm?" Pixis said, turning to see Erwin join him. "Oh. If it isn't Erwin. I hear you've captured one of those troublesome mice." He stood, placing a hand on Erwin's shoulder.
"Yes. Unfortunately, we were one step behind." Erwin said.
"Hmm," Pixis said. "But at least it will get those goons in the interior thinking. Maybe they'll reconsider how important their stale beliefs and motives are to them."
"Yes, it appears they have." Erwin said and turned and stared on the inside of Wall Rose. "Look over there." On the ground, a group of MPs stood. "The Military Police have finally been forced into an area with Titans."
.
Among a group of Scouts, Faye sat, bored and concerned.
"Can't believe we didn't see any Titans." A soldier behind her said.
"Really?" Faye asked. "None at all?"
"Seems so. It's unusually quiet out there." The soilder replied.
'I hope they are ok.' Faye thought.
.
An MP approached two of his comrades.
"Can you believe it? I thought this was an emergency." First MP said.
"Yeah. And everyone's just sitting around here." His friend replied.
.
"Hey, Levi," One of the MP called out, looking at the cart where Levi sat with Pastor Nick across from him. "Where you hiding the Titans at?"
"Oh? You all seem so disappointed." Levi said, and the men shifted nervously at his words. "Sorry... A shame you couldn't fight Titans today. If you're looking for another chance, there's plenty of expeditions outside the Walls. How about we join forces and face some Titans together?" Levi offered plainly.
"Uh, well, you know..." One of them replied, sweating. "We're busy with work on the interior..."
.
"The advance squad's returned," A Scout yelled, running to the group of soldiers. "Inform Commander Pixis!"
.
.
Soldiers were gathered around Phil, who was sitting on his knees, out of breath.
"I see... So there was nothing wrong with the Wall?" Pixis questioned.
"Yes, sir!"
"As I suspected..."
Phil and Sasha behind him, drank deeply from their water-skins.
"H-However," Phil said, "there's a bit of a situation! We were heading back to Trost to give our report when we ran into the Scout unit led by Squad Leader Hange. Along with them, there were recruits from the 104th without their equipment. And it turns out, three of them... were Titans!"
"Huh?" Faye said with surprise. "Three more?" She took a step forward. "Who were they?"
"Umm... They were-" Sasha said.
"What happened when their forms were revealed?" Erwin asked, interrupting Sasha.
"The Scouts engaged the Colossal and Armored Titan in battle," Phil replied. "But by the time we joined up with them to fight...it was all over."
.
.
Mikasa lay unconscious on Wall Rose, missing her brown jacket. The red scarf was folded under her head like a makeshift pillow.
Armin was sitting quietly next to her, arms crossed at his shins.
Footsteps were heard before Hannes joined him.
"Unbelievable. What a disaster." Hannes said, looking at the unconscious soilders.
Armin followed him gaze a few yards to where over a dozen soldiers lay unconscious as a few Scouts, including Christa and Connie, were looking after them.
"Luckily we were above so we got away unscathed," Hannes continued. "Everyone underneath got blasted by steam and wind. There was nothing they could do."
.
Christa pressed a wet cloth to a soldier's burns while a frowning Connie stood with arms folded, a white cloth in hand.
.
"How's Mikasa doing?" Hannes asked, looking at Mikasa.
"I don't see any bad wounds," Armin answered. "so I'm guessing it's a concussion."
"I see. Armin, you haven't eaten, have you? I'll get you something," Hannes said but Armin shook his head. "You've gotta eat." He ruffled Armin's head, then left.
.
.
.
"Mikasa!" Armin yelled, running through the Shinganshina market.
Mikasa and Faye looked to him when he joined them, a basket full of groceries in Mikasa's arm.
"Mikasa, it's Eren!" Armin said.
Mikasa immediately leaned in, an intense look on her face.
"What happened to Eren?!" Mikasa asked.
"It's those three bullies again," Armin told her. "They took some bread I bought from me. So he went on his own to get-"
Mikasa pushed the small basket into Faye's hands and ran off.
"I tried to stop him! Wait!" Armin yelled after her as he chased her, Faye following behind.
.
.
Eren glared up at the light-browned boy.
"Give it back!" Eren said.
"I thought I told you already. There's none left cause I ate it. Got it?" The bully replied and smirked.
"That was three days' worth of food for his family!" Eren said. "And there was that, too."
"You gotta be kidding me," one of the two lackeys behind Eren said. "Those table scraps?"
"Quit it, man. I feel bad now. If you're fine with vomit, I'll give it back." The leader said and pretended to throw up, causing his friends to laugh.
"Pay him back for what you took!" Eren said and head-butted him, sending him stumbling back.
He grabbed the bully's collar and swung him around, throwing him into a table.
.
"Hey!" The stall's owner said. "Knock it off! Hey," he called out to the Garrison soldiers sitting around playing cards. "You drunk, good-for-nothing soldiers! Come and break up this fight!"
"Put a sock in it." A drunk Hannes replied. "Can't you see the kids are just fooling around?"
"Like hell they're fooling around!" The merchant yelled while one of the lackeys pulled Eren off his friend. "Come and stop 'em!"
"It'll be fine, I'm telling ya. Someone will be along who can help more than we can." Hannes said.
"Huh?!" The stall owner said.
.
With a smile, Hannes watched Mikasa run by, Armin and Faye running after her.
"Eren!" Armin yelled.
.
The bully had Eren pinned against a wall.
"Eat this!" He said and raised his arm back to punch him.
Then a shadow fell over him and looked up to see Mikasa flying at him, sending him crashing against another one of the stall owner's tables as the man cried out.
The Garrison soldiers laughed loudly. The bully whimpered, touching his face.
"It's Mikasa!" One of the lackeys said fearfully.
She slapped a hand over his face to shut him up.
"Mikasa, why are you here?!" Eren asked, annoyed.
"Eren," Mikasa said, turning her head to him while the boy struggled with her hand, "if you don't get home and chop wood, your mother will get angry again."
"You little..." The leader stood up. "Don't underestimate me!"
Mikasa dodged him, still holding the lackey.
"You asked for it!"
The other lackey charged at her but she threw his friend at him.
"Eren!" Armin said and grabbed him to keep him from jumping in. "Let Mikasa handle this!"
"Yeah, right!" Eren said and shoved him and tackled one of the lackeys.
"Eren!" Faye called out.
.
"Nice one, Eren!" Hannes cheered, standing along with his buddies.
.
"Don't lose to Mikasa!" His friend Fugo yelled.
A second later he was nailed in the face with a bottle
"The hell you doing?!" Fugo said, irritated.
.
"I told you to stop the fight, you damn freeloaders!" The merchant yelled, standing close to the group.
"What was that?!" Fugo said and stomped to him. "Wanna say that again?!"
"Damn straight I will! You're a waste of taxes!"
"You son of a-"
Hannes grabbed his shoulders as Fugo continued to throw useless punches.
"Don't let it get to you. It's the truth whether you like it or " Hannes said.
A fist connected with Hannes's face as Fugo ducked the stall owner's punch.
"Heh." The stall owner said and smirked.
Hannes shook his head and wiped his bloody nose with a thumb.
"That was a pretty good punch for a chump who runs a stall." He said and brought up his hands and went for him.
"Brawl!"
"Get him, Hannes!" His friend cheered.
.
Mikasa threw a lackey into another table. She turned to slam her palm into the oncoming bully, slipping behind him and twisting his arm, then spinning him midair.
.
Meanwhile, a crowd had gathered and began yelling as Hannes and the stall owner went at it.
"Get 'em! Knock his lights out, Hannes!"
"You've got this! Don't let that useless turd beat you!"
.
There was a pitched whistle as the fighting continued.
"Hey, you idiots!" An MP said and interrupted the two men. "What the hell are you doing?! Cut it out!" He turned when he heard Eren. "Cut it out!"
.
"Give it back!" Eren said who was on top of one of the lackeys and the boy tried to keep him back. He threw Eren off. "Damn it!"
"Run, you dummy!" A bully said.
The MP soldier whistled again and ran to the two boys.
"Knock it off!"
"Hey, this is turning pretty serious, you guys!" One of the bullies said.
"Forget it! Let's scram!" The leader said and ran off and they followed him.
"Wait right there!" The MP yelled, running to them but they were too fast.
"Wait!" Eren attempted to give chase but Faye caught him, restraining him.
"Eren, I don't care about the bread anymore! Thanks for trying!" Armin said.
"Eren," Mikasa said, "we should get back home, too."
"Go home without me!" Eren said and broke free and ran.
"Eren!" Mikasa yelled and tried to go after him but the policeman stopped her.
"Stop right there!" The MP said.
"Eren! Wait!" Mikasa yelled, watching, as Eren continued to run. "Eren!"
.
.
.
Mikasa opened her eyes to clouds moving gently in the sky. She sat up, and looked over to the injured soldiers.
Next to her, Armin opened his eyes, sleep quickly disappearing from his face.
"Mikasa?" Armin said.
"Armin!" Mikasa said and grabbed his cloak. "Where's Eren?!"
"Mikasa, calm down!" Armin said as she went over to the edge of the Wall. "You shouldn't be moving! We don't know how badly you're injured!"
.
A few Titans were hanging around in the massive crater.
.
A soft breeze swept through, ruffling her hair.
"Where is he?!" Mikasa asked when Armin knelt by her.
"Eren was taken away," He replied, much to her shock. "Ymir, too, by Bertolt and Reiner... Eren, he... he lost to the Armored Titan." he told her quietly. "It's been five hours since then."
"Is anyone..." Mikasa said, looking out into the distance. "Is anyone chasing them?"
"No..." Armin replied.
"Why not?!" Mikasa demanded, in his face.
"All the horses are on the other side of the Wall," Armin explained. "In order to rescue Eren, we have to wait for lifts to come so we can move the horses. There's nothing we can do. Squad Leader Hange and the other officers are too injured to move. To even send out a small scouting party, we're going to need more soldiers than this. Soldiers with experience. Understand?"
Mikasa winced, touching her head.
"Not this again..." She muttered.
"Does it hurt somewhere?" Armin asked.
"No... I must've hit my head pretty hard, but I'm fine. But... When Eren was taken away by Annie I chased them right away." Mikasa said, recalling fighting the Female Titan as she spoke. "And fighting alongside Captain Levi, in the end... in the end, we were able to get him back... But if it's already been five hours..." She went to retrieve her scarf, wrapping it around her.
"Hey, Armin," She spoke softly. "Why? Why does Eren always go somewhere far away from us?"
"Yeah, now that you mention it..." Armin said and smiled sadly. "Eren has always run off on his own, leaving us behind... But, he always comes back to us shortly after too..." He looked up. "I guess that's just the way things are meant to happen for Eren at least."
"But all I want... is to be at his side. That's all I ask for..." Mikasa said.
Knees drawn to her chest, Mikasa folded her arms over them and hid half her face in her scarf.
.
Hannes stood a few yards from the two. Then, smiling slightly, he walked to them.
"Mikasa? So you're up, huh? I bet you're hungry. Here, eat this. Armin, catch." He said, holding out a ration bar for Mikasa then tossed one to Armin.
Hannes plopped down, unwrapping his bar.
"As usual, field rations are all there is." Hannes said.
Armin and Mikasa sat silently, looking dejected.
"Hmm... Taste neither good nor bad. Same as always." Hannes said and took a drink from his water-skin. "Speaking of which, this is the same as always, too. Ever since the good old days, you two and Faye have been there to clean up the mess of that brat. That's what I call a lousy relationship. Sheesh." He fondly remembered the fight in the marketplace. "It's a different time and a different place, but you kids are doing the same thing you always have. Am I right?"
Armin chuckled lightly. "The neighborhood bullies and Titans are a little bit different in size."
"True..." Hannes said. "The thing is, that brat isn't even all that good at fighting. But no matter if he's up against three or five, he'll charge in all the same. By the time Mikasa or soldiers showed up, he'd been beaten into a pulp every time."
Tears in her eyes, Mikasa closed her eyes.
"But you know... I've never seen him win a fight before, but I've never seen him get beat and give up either." Hannes said.
Armin and Mikasa finally seemed to break out of their mood, their attention now fully on him.
Hannes turned to face them.
"Sometimes he's so tenacious that even I think it's scary. No matter how many times he's knocked over, he gets back up. That's the kinda guy he is. You think he'll get taken away without putting up a fight?" Hannes said firmly. "Nope. He'll keep resisting as long as he has strength. Even more so when he's up against just two. He'll give 'em hell no matter who he's up against. Until you or I show up to help. That's how Eren's always been."
Hannes watched a bird fly in the sky. "I loved those good old days. If you ask Eren, he'd say those days were nothing more than a false peace. But for me, I'm more than happy to be a drunk, useless soldier. If it means getting back to those plain, ordinary days... I'll do whatever I have to. No matter how long it takes to get there." He clenched his hand into a fist. "I'm coming, too. Without you three and Faye together again, I can't bring back the good old days."
Armin and Mikasa nodded firmly, full of determination.
They quickly began ripping into their ration bars.
.
.
The sounds of horses and wagons filled the air.
"They're here!" Mikasa said, standing near the edge of the Wall, Armin, Connie, and Christa all suited up around her.
"Hey!"
"Isn't that..."
Moblit sat up fully and smiled.
"Commander Erwin!" Moblit said.
"And the Military Police!"
.
.
"I never thought they'd ride along the Wall." Armin said.
"That's probably the quickest route," Christa said.
"Christa... I'd prefer if you stayed back, but..." Armin said.
"No matter what you say," Christa said to Armin, "I won't. I refuse to wait here when Ymir was taken away. You two should know how I feel."
"Christa has a point, Armin." Connie said, standing before them, his back to them, arms crossed over his chest. "We have plenty of reasons for chasing after them. One of which I still can't believe... That Reiner and Bertoltolt are our enemies." A scowl covered his features. "I've gotta hear it straight from their mouths."
.
.
Erwin dismounted from his horse, on top of Wall Rose. Moblit came up to him.
"You made it, Commander Erwin!" Moblit said.
"Is the situation the same?" Erwin asked.
"Yes, sir!" Moblit replied.
"Good. Deploy the lifts!" Erwin ordered.
A hand grabbed Moblit's leg and startled him.
"Hange?!" Moblit said.
"Moblit... G-Give me a map." Hange said.
.
.
"It might be a long shot," Hange said, pointing to an illustration of a forest on a map, "but there's a giant forest here." Everyone had surrounded her. "We should head straight for it. Though it's not like they have a way to hide the Armored Titan's footsteps, but... I think that's where they're headed."
"Why's that?" Erwin asked, kneeling to her left.
.
Lifts with horses were being raised up along one side of Wall Rose.
.
"It's a gamble," Hange admitted, "but even if they have the strength to change into Titans, the other Titans outside the Wall might still be a threat. Especially after all that fighting. They might not be as bad off as Eren, but I'm sure they're exhausted. Like how Annie was out cold for a while."
.
On the other side of the Wall, lifts with horses were lowered to the ground.
"Let's assume for now that their destination is somewhere outside of Wall Maria. Considering the distance they'll have to cover, we can assume they'll need to recover their stamina. Which means... they'll want to rest somewhere where Titans are unable to reach them. At least until nightfall when Titans can't move." Hange explained. "We have until night! If we reach the forest before nightfall, we still might make it in time!"
.
.
Light followed by tree appeared as Eren weakly opened his eyes.
Steam was rising from him and it was another second before Eren fully regained consciousness.
He was lying on a thick tree trunk, missing both his arms at the shoulders.
Grunting softly, he sat up.
A couple of yards away, Ymir sat, steaming from her right arm and leg, a third of each limb missing.
"Oh, Eren..." Reiner said.
Eren looked over to see him standing on a branch across from him, arms folded. Bertolt sat cross-legged on a branch higher than Reiner.
"You're awake?" Bertolt asked.
.
.
The Scouts stood ready.
"Let's move!" Erwin ordered, leading the charge.
'We can not let go the only hope of humanity.'
_____________