OMG THANKS FOR FAVS, REVIEWS AND FOLLOWS :) MAKES ME SOOO HAPPY... IM NOT SURE ABOUT PAIRINGS YET, NOT GOT ANY PLANNED TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. I HAVE PLANNED OUT THIS BATTLE OF TROST BEYOND BELIEF! I'VE DRAWN BLUEPRINTS AND EVERYTHING ON A3 PAPER LOL! HOPE YOU ENJOY, IT'S BEEN WELL THOUGHT OUT... SO HOPE YOU ENJOY IT... PWEASE :3

"Hey, Eren...?"

"I think he's fallen asleep" Armin laughed, covering his mouth with the sleeve of his blue cardigan.

She looked over to him, smiling awkwardly. "I think we should head home now..."

"Yeah, I think I missed dinner, the sun's almost set."

They looked up at the wall, the top of the sun peeking over, saying goodnight.

Mikasa lifted Eren, he was out cold. He was settled on her back like a big adorable lump.

Armin looked amazed, she was so strong for a girl her size.

"I can walk you home if you want" she stated calmly.

He blushed "no, it's fine."

"Armin?"

"Y-yes?"

"I like you" it was as if the words were 'I like apples' or 'I like flowers'. So casual, but with a light-hearted tenderness. "It was nice meeting you."

She walked away, carrying Eren on her back.

Armin smiled, but didn't call after her. His cheeks turned a light shade of red.

Mikasa stroked the neck of her chestnut stallion, lost in thought as the horse nickered to her in comfort. Beside her, Auruo held the reins of his bay stallion, he looked at her occasionally with a hint of distaste. She ignored it, he seemed the type to do that to anymore who came near him.

Before the gates entering Trost, there was a straight formation of horses and carts.

There were three long carts, powered by four heavy horses each. In front of the first cart was Levi with a black mare. In front of the second cart was Petra and Gunther, Petra on a grey stallion, Gunther on a bay stallion. In front of the third cart was Mikasa and Auruo, on their chesnut and bay. And standing behind the third cart was Erd on bay mare.

"You aren't afraid are you?" Auruo snapped.

Mikasa looked up briefly, then looked back at her stallion.

"Silent act, huh?"

She still didn't reply.

"You should answer your superior, little brat..."

Her hand slipped from the stallions' neck calmly and she looked up with a warning glint "I know what's being asked of me, any fear I have is irrelevant."

"What... You..." He couldn't find the words, but finished his sentence along the lines of "smug little..."

"Everybody get ready, we're waiting on the last signal!"

They mounted their steeds, clutching the reins, awaiting the order for the gate to open.

Earlier that day...

Our young heroes stood in formation with a large mix of Scouting Legion and Stationary Guard members. Awaiting a speech from Commanders Erwin Smith and Dot Pixis.

"Do you think we can do it, retake Trost?"

"I don't know, man..."

"How many people did we lose when we lost Trost? This mission is suicide..."

"I don't want to die..."

"Maybe we shouldn't go?"

"We have to go, who else is gonna fight? You don't even know what the plan is yet."

Armin listened in on the conversation not far from him. He noticed from their uniforms they were in the Stationary Guard, they chose a life away from the Titans outside, avoided the Scouting Legion. He could understand their reluctance.

"Listen up!" Pixis ordered. "Retaking Trost will be difficult, but we have compromised the most reliable plan with great effort. Three carts will be sent out, picking up boulders and debris from the Trost gate. These carts will be accompanied by the Special Operations Squad, lead by Lance Corporal Levi. They will attempt to block the gateway."

"Six teams of two will go ahead atop the Trost walls on either side. Once each team lines up at the specified locations, they will fire a green flare to indicate they are in place. They will serve as an extra lookout for the carts. A red flare will be signalled if they spot a majority of Titans moving towards the Special Ops formation. A black flare will be fired if an abnormal is spotted heading towards the formation."

"Those is these three teams will be picked out accordingly. Everyone else, your duty is to distract the Titans, so the Special Ops formation can get through the first half of Trost with ease. You will hang over the inside of the walls on the sides, and await a green flare from the formation. Then you will move to Wall Rose and await another green flare. You are not, I repeat, not, to engage any Titans. Is everyone clear on the plan? Good. Now get ready, we begin soon."

"What? I can't, no..."

"Don't worry, we can do this."

Armin sighed, worried. He had contributed to this plan, any blood spilled today is on his hands.

"Armin Arlert?"

He looked up, seeing a woman with short silver hair, wearing glasses. "Th-That's me."

"Your with me, we will be one of the Six teams along the wall. My name is Rico Brzenska."

He saluted, raising his hand to his chest.

"At ease, we have to leave now" she turned to leave, and he followed, looking back at his friends. Stay safe...

...

Armin and Rico were one of the first to find their position, they stood early back at the most rear point of the wall, closest to Wall Rose. They would see the Special Ops formation first. Armin kept his eyes open, scanning the gate warily.

Down below them, their many comrades hung over the edge, enticing multiple Titans that tried to climb up relentlessly for a bite.

"Arlert, are you going to fire the shot, or shall I?" Rico asked impatiently.

He flinched, and reached down for the gun. He packed the green smoke flare into it and pulled its' point into the air, covering his ear. Rico covered her ears too as he pulled the trigger, a green flint of smoke echoed into the sky, signaling their readied position.

Quickly after, the other teams let up their green flares. Ready, ready, ready, ready, ready, ready, ready, ready, ready, ready, ready.

They awaited the final flare.

...

"That's it! The final flare's been lit. Open the gate!" A soldier called.

The gates hitched, slowly being pulled up.

Levi jerked his horse forward, and the mission began.

They entered through into the Trost District, the carts only just made it through the gate. What a relief, if the carts didn't make it past...

The formation sped up, into a canter.

The way was clear, for now.

...

"I see them!" Armin exclaimed, peeping through a small telescope. "Everything seems good so far."

"No change in the Titans either, so far so good..." Rico added, looking down at her fearful comrades.

...

Levi halted his mare, in front of him was a large boulder, blocking the road. He shook his head, it was too big to lift. He moved down another road, down another street. He knew they wouldn't be able to keep a straight path to the first position.

Mikasa and the others kept vigilant, their horses slowed into a decent trot. It was going well, no major problems yet.

She petted the neck of her stallion, it's thick neck soft to the touch, but firm with muscle. What else was there to expect from the specially bred and trained horses of the Scouting Legion?

A bang sounded to the right.

They looked up, a black flare.

Levi shifted onto another street, a faster pace, but not rushed. He kept them heading left, carefully locating each street and alley. They couldn't afford to engage the Titans so early on, if it go to close though...

...

"A black flare..." Rico noted.

"This early on... I hope this works..." Armin bit his lip and looked on, helpless to stop whatever happened down there.

"Stop it, Arlert. Keep an eye on our own objective here" she glared.

He nodded "yes, ma'am."

...

"You think we lost it?" A man from the third cart asked, looking up and around.

"Quiet..." The man driving the cart hushed.

Mikasa looked around, listening carefully. They certainly couldn't have lost it, she could hear its' feet moving, it was searching.

"Abnormal, approaching from the rear" Erd called behind them, and lifted himself from his horse.

The man in the back of the third cart took Erds' horse by the reins, keeping it with the formation while it took to a slow trot.

He swung around it as it tried to swipe at him, its' movements quicker than the average Titan. But his blades found the nape of the neck and struck it down.

He returned to the cart and lifted himself onto his bay mare once more, continuing on with the formation.

Petra loaded her gun, and fired the green flare into the sky. They had reached the first position.

...

"They made it!" Armin shouted with glee, if he had a tail it would be wagging joyfully.

"Move back to Wall Rose, lead the Titans back!" Rico called to the soldiers below.

They moved back hesitantly, forcing themselves to not look down at the demonic grins and gaping mouth rowed with flat, grinding teeth.

One man's hook missed, and he fell. His screams filled the air. The deaths had begun.

Armin pulled himself back, mouth agape. Blood drenched his hands.

...

They reached the half way point between the ruptured gate and Rose.

The formation broke up, Levi took the first cart onward, following the direct root, with Petra following behind.

Gunter lead the second cart to the left, Mikasa following behind them.

And Auruo led the third cart to the right, Erd following.

Mikasa kept her eyes in front of her, listening to the clattering hoofbeats, along with the rattling of the steel cart wheels.

"Suitable debris ahead!" Gunter called back. She looked up, there were several pieces of fractured boulders, the size of their horses, three of them. They came to a halt.

Mikasas' stallion flared its' nostrils and shook its' neck. She pat him in response.

"concentrate, Ackerman. The lookouts may not be able to see 5-8 meter classes behind these buildings."

She nodded and lifted herself from her horse, flying up to a high enough building. Nothing yet down both ends of the street they had gone down.

Down below, two men got out of the cart, leaving the driver with the reins of the four heavy drafts. The men opened up the cart, it extended a meter at both sides to carry larger objects. They were specially designed for this mission.

The men put on their protective gloves and lifted each boulder at either side. Their backs must have ached under such pressure, but the boulders were small, or rather, small enough to carry. The two men were strong, heavily built. That's why they were recruited in such a specific role. Reiner had been recruited too for this task, he was up front in Levi's form.

...

"Ackerman!"

She hurried back down to her horse, resting in the saddle.

The men looked exhausted, rubbing the sweat from their brows, panting. She frowned.

"Let's go" Gunter ordered, leading the form onto the road back towards the ruptured gate.

They found the first formation after a while, Petra's ginger hair and grey mount, identifying them. Their cart looked much fuller than theirs' did. Damn, Reiner...

They broke apart again, this time Levi's form took the left, while Gunther's took the right.

They stopped, filling their cart again, two rather small boulders this time, the two men could carry one each over their heads, but not with ease.

The carts' load extended above the drivers' head. He pushed the horses on, they struggled into a trot.

A bang sounded behind them.

They looked back.

A red flare.

"Hurry! Get them moving quicker!" The men ordered the driver, and he whipped their flanks. The continued to struggle into a slightly faster trot. It wasn't quick enough.

"Ackerman, prepare to engage." Gunter ordered.

She nodded, glancing back. The red flare was back at Wall Rose, quite far away.

The third form. Auruo and Erd, they were closer to it than them.

They found Levi's form once more, the gate in their sights.

"Switch to maneuver gear" Levi ordered sternly, lifting himself from his mount.

Petra, Gunter and Mikasa did the same, all headed for the gate. They were to guard the ruptured gate with their lives. The two teams on the walls above them fired their green flares, letting the front know they had made it that far successfully.

Around the other side of the wall, soldiers hung over the edge of the outside, attracting Titans away from the gate.

The men released the boulders into the open gateway, the first cart blocked half of it. Again... Damn, Reiner...

The second cart was ready to dump it's load when a flare flared sounded above them. They glanced into Trost, there was nothing.

"Abnormal on the outside approaching, engage immediately!"

Mikasa charged out through the gap, meeting directly with a viscious looking 10 meter class. It's eyes rolled back and it's jaw fell wide open at an unnatural state. She glared with disgust, readying her blades to put it down. It swiped at her wires, and she fell.

"Ackerman!"

Gunter charged, the Titan setting it's sights on him, readying to swipe him away. He moved too quickly, flying around it and slicing through its' neck. She regained her balance before hitting the ground. "Thanks" she said as she passed him, nothing more and nothing less.

They flew through the gap, just before they sealed up the last of the of the debris from the second cart.

The gate was sealed.

But they needed the last cart for extra support on the boulders. Where were they?

A red flare sounded again on both sides, closer, the halfway point teams.

"Gunther, Ackerman. Go find them, bring the cart here." Levi ordered.

"Yes, sir." Gunter answered, racing back into Trost.

...

Everything was going to hell... Armin looked down in horror, all the Titans below were turning their attention to the formations' direction.

"This isn't good..." Rico almost whispered, gritting her teeth.

Armin frowned, praying for his comrades, for Mikasa to be okay.

This had to work, it just had to...

...

They found the cart, it lost a horse. It looked very, very heavy. It's load was unbelievable. No wonder the horses struggled to walk.

"Gunther, go get more horses. I can handle this." Mikasa said steadily. She couldn't be seen as a failure again, she knew her abilities, she knew she could win.

"Mikasa..." he grunted reluctantly.

She looked at him, and he nodded, turning back.

She then looked around for her two squad members, her eyes resting on the men in the cart.

"What happened, where is-"

"Ackerman, over here!" She looked up to see Auruo, standing on a rooftop a distance away, Erd on another across the street from him. She hauled herself over to them, standing next to Erd.

"Titans are closing in, the plan is failing." Erd stated.

She looked down his eyesight, gazing at the hundred of Titans heading their way.

She extended her blade in front of her, he glanced down for a moment, then back up. "Eager to fight?... Eager to die?"

"I fight to win." She stated, matter-of-factly.

He nodded, satisfied.

...

"Come on..." Armin mumbled, biting hard against his bruised lower lip. Just fire the green flare down there, come on... Let humanity win this once, just this once...

Rico bit her lip as well, frowning. She wanted to be out there fighting as well. A number of soldiers scaling the wall had fallen already, either hitting the cold ground with a splat or into the grinding, filth of a Titans' mouth.

...

Mikasa sliced through the closest Titan, one that walked quicker than the others. It was mindless, not quick enough. An easy kill. They held their ground Gunther returned with the spare horses, four of them, all draft. The men in the cart attached them in with the other horses with some tight rope, and more rope for extra support. They moved forward, a steady walk. And then a laboured trot.

The mission was back in action.

She turned her gaze back, a group of four Titans approached. Erd and Auruo had already set at them, she slashed at a rogue Titan approaching them.

They continued, having to slowly pull back as more and more Titans came at them.

A bang lit up the atmosphere.

...

"The green flare!" Armin called "the mission, we succeeded!" He raised his fist into the air.

Rico's eyes widened, amazed, surprised. "We've... succeeded..."

Armin lifted the flare once more, firing the green flare up.

...

"Commander, the mission was a success!" A woman reported with a gasp in her tone, a mixture of disbelief and astonishment.

Pixis nodded "send in reinforcements! Eliminate the remaining Titans within Trost!"

"Actually, Commander. I have a request..." Commander Erwin Smith suggested. Not far behind him, Hanji Zoe stood with a glint of excitement in her eyes and a glow of anticipation.