"Ugh, what happened," Eren groaned, rubbing his head.
"Eren," Mikasa exclaimed, supporting her adoptive brother.
"You shifted, and lost against the Female Titan," William said. "Drayce, Mikasa, and Levi had to chase her and get you back."
"Did you catch her?" Eren asked.
"No, we were forced to retreat," Armin replied.
A silence took over the cart.
"Drayce, are you okay," Eren looked over at his friend.
"I was just thinking, the reports said that during the exchange between the Clawed Titan and the Female Titan, the Female Titan referred to her 'own kind'," he explained. "The way she said it, she made it sound like there may be others like her, set out to destroy the walls and everyone in them. The Armored and Colossal Titans are also shifters."
"That doesn't make sense, if the Clawed Titan did refer to 'her kind' as titan shifters, why would they destroy their own home?" Armin asked.
"Unless, this isn't their home," William said eyes widening.
"Exactly my point," Drayce said.
"So there are more humans living beyond the walls?" Eren asked puzzled.
"Armin, is something bothering you," Mikasa asked the pale boy.
"I need to speak with the Commander," Armin said suddenly.
"Well, we're almost to the walls. Wake me up when we get there," Drayce said, stifling a yawn. "I had one heck of a day."
He wrapped his cape around himself and closed his eyes.
The carts rolled back into the walled city, bystanders staring at them.
"Drayce, wake up, we're back," Willam said as he shook his best friend awake.
Drayce woke with a start, a frenzied look in his eyes. He squinted and adjusted to the bright sunlight.
"Captain Levi," a man said walking up next to him. "I'm Petra's father. I just wanted to thank you for taking such good care of my daughter."
"Dad," Petra said, coming up behind Levi. "Sir, is it fine if I go home for tonight?"
"You did fine in battle. Yes you may. Tell the rest of the squad," Levi said.
Petra's smile grew and she mounted her horse to find her squad.
"Uh, Captain Levi, I need to speak to the Commander. It's regarding the Female Titan," Armin said.
Levi narrowed his eyes and nodded.
'Because if I'm right, god help Drayce,' Armin thinks worriedly.
"We've received a royal decree to hand Eren over to the Military Police," Hange said heavily.
"Hange, correct me if I'm wrong, but there is a procession in Stohess to move Eren right?" Erwin calmly asked.
"Correct," the scientist said nudging her glasses.
"Excuse me sir, but are you intending to disobey a direct decree?" Jean asked politely.
"Not exactly, we intend to flush out the traitor which leads us to identifying them. Arlert," Erwin spoke, gesturing to Armin.
"I have a theory about who it is," he spoke slowly. He took a deep breath and said, "The Female Titan is Annie Leonhart."
No one spoke a word, not even Drayce.
"There is no way she's the Female Titan," Eren said angrily.
"Back on the expedition, me, Jean, and Reiner were fighting her. She would have killed Jean had I not shouted that she killed you, the suicidal blockhead, no offense," Armin said quickly.
"She hesitated," Jean recalled. "Only someone from the 104th would've known the nickname."
"That's right and since Annie was the only one who didn't join the Scouting Legion, it would be easy to get around without raising suspicion," Armin continued grimly.
"But- but, she can't be," Eren said helplessly.
"Drayce, you okay mate," William asked.
"He just found out his girlfriend is a potential traitor. What do you think," Levi snapped.
"That's enough Levi," Erwin ordered.
"So when we capture her, we take her in for questioning," Hange assumed.
"No."
Everyone stares at Drayce.
"When you capture her, I'll deal with her," he says, eyes downcast.
"Brat, who do you thi-" Drayce looked up and glared at Levi, eyes blood red.
His friends immediately recoiled in shock, even Mikasa backed down a bit. They never saw him like that besides the time Jean had insulted his dead friends. Levi, sensing danger, shut up immediately.
"Never mind," he huffed.
Tension was thick in the air, no one spoke a word. Jean, being a bit bold was the first to break the silence.
"So who's going to be the decoy," he asked.
"Funny you should ask," Hange said grinning.
Five minutes later, Jean is standing in Hange's office, a wig on his head.
"God damn it Erwin," Jean said under his breath.
Annie yawned and sat up. She was extremely tired after her failed attempt at kidnapping Eren. She felt a sinking feeling in her gut. She was too far down her path. No one could help her. She got dressed and walked down the stairs, lining up next to her fellow officers.
"Listen up, there's a convoy being moved today. You're job is to protect it," the captain said. "Dismissed."
One by one, they filed out of the building.
"Annie!"
Annie turned to the source of the sound. Armin was standing there in the alley, dressed in, is that a rain poncho?
"Armin? Why are you dressed like that," Annie asked confused.
"It's to hide my gear," he responded, showing her his 3DMG.
"What's going on?" she asked.
"Right now, the MPs are moving Eren, or they think they are at least," he said.
"Armin, are you going to disobey a direct order?" Annie questioned.
"Well, only a little until we get Eren out of here. Annie please, we need your help. We need someone that can get us through," Armin pleaded.
"Fine. I'm in," Annie says, putting on her ring.
They walk swiftly into the alley and into the backstreet where Eren and Mikasa are waiting for them.
"Hey Annie," Eren greets her cheerfully.
Mikasa simply nods in her direction. "
Come on, it's not to far away from here," Armin urges as he walks ahead.
'This is strange. Why is this entire place empty? And it's quiet, too quite,' Annie thinks and she narrows her eyes.
She follows the trio and they eventually come to a set of stairs leading down underground. Armin, Eren, and Mikasa stop at the bottom and look up, only to find Annie at the top of the steps.
"Annie come on, what are you waiting for? You're not scared of the dark are you," Eren asked annoyed.
"So what if I am? I wouldn't expect you to understand a feeble maiden like me," she deadpans.
"Is this a joke Annie?! Come down here already," Eren shouts.
"Eren, we'll be found," Mikasa hisses.
"It wouldn't seem to be a problem would it? Seeing as there is no one here," Annie replies.
Armin swallows and begins to talk.
"Back then, why did you have Marco's gear. I did maintenance with him so I know every groove and dent," Armin questioned.
"I found it so I took it," Annie replied.
"So you killed the two titans as well," Armin pressed, flare gun in hand, hidden from Annie's view.
"Maybe," Annie simply said.
"Back on the expedition, why did you spare me," Armin asked with gritted teeth.
"I don't know. Why did I," Annie wondered.
"Enough of this talk. I'm going to slice you to pieces, Female Titan," Mikasa snarled.
For a moment, no one spoke, and then came laughter, one so haunting that it sent chills down Armin's back. Annie paused to take a breath and she looked at them with an insane smile.
"Armin, you were always smart. It looks like your bet paid off, but this is where my gamble begins," Annie says and she raises her finger to her mouth.
As fast as thought, Armin fired the acoustic round and scouts rushed out from their hiding places. They grabbed at Annie's arms and legs, restraining her from movement. They put a cloth in her mouth, forming a gag. She looks down at them, a deadly glint in her eyes. A flick of her finger and a spike pops from the side of her ring. Mikasa whirls around and hurtles down the steps, dragging Eren and Armin with her. A split second later, lightning strikes down along with a deafening explosion. Bloody bodies are hurled everywhere as Annie transforms, flesh and bones appearing out of thin air.
"Hey! Was Plan A a failure," a scout shouts as he and his squad approached them.
"Yeah, we're moving on to Pla-" Armin says before getting interrupted by a ceiling section which smashes down on the group of scouts.
A giant foot retracts from the tunnel.
"Damn it, we're trapped," Armin groans. "If we try and use 3DMG, we'll be swatted like flies."
Another terrific crash and another hole appears, this time on the opposite end.
"If we stay, we'll be crushed. She's taking a giant risk," Mikasa realized.
"Get over here, I'll shield us," Eren says, wrapping his arms around his friends and bit down on his hand as hard as he could.
Blood flowed from his injured hand but nothing was happening. Eren's screamed was muffled, as he tried to block out his pain.
"Oh no, why now of all times. Just work already," Eren moaned, collapsing down to his knees.
"Remember Hange's advice, keep a clear goal in mind," Armin reminded.
"I'm trying, it isn't working," Eren cried out angrily.
Another hole.
"We're out of time," Mikasa said. She pulled on her hood and took out her blades.
"Mikasa! What are you doing?! She'll kill you," Eren said shocked.
"We have to buy you time Eren," Armin said.
"If both me and Armin go out at the same time, she'll have to choose one of us to go after" she said.
"Take that chance to escape," Armin says grimly.
The two run to the holes and that's when the ceiling collapses on top of Eren.
"Eren!" Armin yells looking back.
He shakes his head and launches out of the hole. They fly out, Mikasa reeling in to attack Annie. She grabs her and her hand explodes as her fingers are cut away. Mikasa falls out and her hood slips off.
"I'm not letting you get him Annie," she says.
Armin turns back around and lands near the caved in section where Eren is trapped by the rubble. Mikasa launches back into the air, assaulting Annie while Armin tries to shift the fallen concrete. Noticing this, Annie make a break for it and runs towards Eren. Mikasa launches back up and in the attempt to stop Annie, she cuts at her arm just as she swings. Annie's hand rakes across the rooftops and pieces of rubble fall, hitting Mikasa. She is knocked from the air and hits the ground rolling before coming to a stop.
"Come on! We have to stop her," yells George to his friends behind him.
Annie was about to swing her fists, her eyes explode into a bloody mess. Another cloaked figure whirls and lands on a nearby roof, his hood slipping off. There was no mistaking the gold eyes. Drayce held his steel blades in his hand, staring at Annie, her eyes steaming.
"Armin," Jean yells.
"Help me! Eren is stuck under the rubble," Armin groaned as he tried to move another piece.
"What! He couldn't transform?" Jean yells. "Hey Eren, didn't I tell you humanity's future was in your hands?"
Annie crashed into a building, a particular large piece of concrete flying right into the church tower.
"Armin," Jean yelled as even more rubble landed on top of Eren.
"Come on, if we're gonna get Eren out, we have to stop her first," Jean says before launching into the air.
"Eren, you once said that to win, a person must lose what makes them human. Annie can certainly do that but the question is, can you?" Armin asked before launching into the air to join the fight.
Drayce leaped of the building and Annie immediately caught him, his blades falling to the ground.
'What is he doing?' Annie wondered while Drayce is slashing away with a knife.
He cut himself free and fell to the ground. Annie looked down and saw a crude message stabbed in her fingers, "run now".
'He's holding back,' Annie realized with wide eyes.
She ran down the street and turned left. The familiar zipping sound and prick indicated that someone was coming. She looked back and saw Drayce reeling in. As she turned her head back, something caught her eye. A barrel with harpoons.
"Fire!" yelled Hange.
Harpoons impaled her legs and torso, causing her to fall due to her momentum. A figure fell and landed next to her. Annie's eyes widened as she saw Drayce with a harpoon speared through his chest. He was struggling to breath as blood filled his lungs.
'He must've gotten too close when the harpoons fired,' she thought panicked.
A spiked net suddenly fell on top of her, restraining her movements further. Hange landed in front of her, blades in hand.
"Be a good girl now," Hange teased.
Annie looked back and forth from Drayce to Hange.
"I'm going to absorb all the information you have to offer," Hange continued.
Behind her, Drayce was convulsing, blood dripping from his mouth.
"Aren't you listening to me?" Hange demanded.
Following her gaze, Hange's eyes widened as she spots a now twitching Drayce. Hange's face paled immediately.
"Cut the wire," she screamed.
A soldier took out his sword and hacked away at the steel rope, cutting it. Hange pulled the harpoon from his chest and his wound started closing. The remaining blood spewed from his mouth until he was breathing regularly. Taking the opportunity while the soldiers were distracted, Annie swept a leg at the traps, demolishing them. She threw off the net and ran into the center of the city.
"She's escaped! Quick! After her!" Hange yelled.
On the other side of the streets, a bolt of lightning strikes down and a terrifying roar is heard. Annie stops and turns around just in time to receive a punch from Eren, launching her into the air. Annie lands on a building, crushing the people in it. She looks back at Eren and runs away.
"Where is she going?" Hange asks.
"She going to the flattest part of the city, where no buildings are there. She's trying a last ditch attempt," Drayce realized.
Eren roared angrily and ran after her. Annie skids to a stop at the city's center.
"She's going for an open field combat," William shouts.
"Eren, it's up to you. Our gear will be useless in such a wide open space," Rachel shouts.
Eren crashes through a building, cutting across to the center of the city. Both shifters take their stances. Eren throws a punch and Annie sweeps his leg, taking it off. Eren try to throw another punch but a swift kick from Annie's titan breaks his arm off. Eren's titan collapsed and bit down on Annie's leg. She repeatedly smashed at Eren's head until his grip slackened. She sprinted towards the wall and leaped up.
"Is she trying to scale the walls?" Drayce said.
"At the rate she's going, she'll actually escape," Armin says.
Zipping sound comes from behind them as Mikasa jumps of the building and flies towards Annie.
"Mikasa! What are you doing?!" Armin yells incredulously.
Mikasa slices off the fingers of one of Annie's hand. Annie looked in terror as her hand fell uselessly to her side. Mikasa curved back around and sliced Annie's other hand. As she fell, Mikasa landed on the bridge of her nose.
"Annie, fall," Mikasa said softly and pushed off.
Annie hit the ground and rolled before coming to a stop. Levi landed next to Drayce as the scouts form a ring around her.
"She's yours," Levi nodded.
Drayce walked towards Annie and with a stroke of his sword, he tore her nape open. Inside the cocoon of flesh was Annie, tears streaming down her face.
"Annie," her father said. "I know it's too late to apologize for what I've done. You can make the entire world your enemy but know that your father will always be by your side. Just promise me the you'll come back," he said.
Drayce pulled her out of her shell and the entire titan starts steaming.
"Annie," Drayce says as she opens her eyes.
"Do it. Kill me," she says bleakley.
Drayce narrows his eyes and sheaths his sword.
"No. Annie you're forgetting one thing. I already told you, I will help you no matter what," he says.
"What the heck is he doing?" Levi demanded.
Suddenly a thunderous explosion and a flash of blue lightning struck down. A roar indicated that Eren was back, and he had shifted into his final form. Eren came charging at them, entire body covered in glowing red streaks and fire. Drayce immediately goes for his sword but Annie grabs his hand.
"Drayce, trust me," Annie pleads as Eren is about to bear down on them.
He turns and nods. Just as Eren's hand was about to slam down, Annie closes her eyes. Drayce watches as a beautiful blue crystalline material envelopes them. Within a matter of seconds, Annie encased them in a cold smooth crystal. As the last hole closes, both their worlds fades to a peaceful white.