DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own anything regarding the Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) series with the sole exception of my own characters and their story-lines or their involvement within the story. Everything else belongs to Hajime Isayama.


~11 Hours After The Titan Spotting: Stohess District; Wall Sina~

"What the hell does all of this mean? Damn it!"

Armin looks up from helping Mikasa load the wagon with furrowed brows. "But... Would Titans break walls with Titans in them?"

"It happened before. They busted the wall into our city." Eren commented, causing Armin to shake his head.

"That was a gate."

Mikasa took her place next to Eren in the wagon, leaning over to see the blonde clearly. "Armin? What are you saying?"

Armin looks down in thought. "The thing about the walls... There's no crevices between the rocks or any signs of cracking. We can't really tell how they're made. So what if they're made of hardened Titan skin? It must be pretty versatile if Annie can encase herself."

Eren's eyes widen slightly. "Titans... In the wall..."

Before the conversation could continue, the rest of the scouts began to mount their horses and quickly finish readying the wagons.

Mikasa leans over and adjusts the cloak Eren had threw on haphazardly. "Eren. Wear it right. It's cold at night." She said, earning an eye roll from the male.

Suddenly, Hange appears next to the wagon with a smile. "Sorry to keep ya! Took longer to prepare than we thought."

Her sudden appearance wasn't what startled them. In fact, it was the sight of Pastor Nick, who stared back at them anxiously, that caught them off guard. Armin began to fidget as he looked between the two. "Um... Isn't this a priest from the Order of the Walls?"

Hange's grin widened as she threw her arm around the males neck, pulling him close. "Yeah. Nick and I are best buddies." She replies, glancing over to the stiff male for confirmation. "Right?" She asks, and when he said nothing she turned back to the trio. "Don't let him bother you. The whole makeup of this squad doesn't make any sense. Does it Levi?"

Levi climbed into the wagon first, followed by Pastor Nick and then Hange. Once he was seated and as comfortable as he was going to get, he stared intensely at the three, making them somewhat nervous. "No, I think it might. Erwin picked them out for a reason."

Hange hummed and leaned back with a sigh. "I suppose... Though it's too bad we're one member down already..."

"One member down?" Armin parroted, staring at the older female curiously. "Are you talking about Rosie?"

"Mmhm. Erwin sent her to be with the 104th, so she's probably pretty deep inside the front lines right now with no gear. That is, unless she was sent back to Ehrmich District to report." Hange replied before looking up to the star filled sky thoughtfully. "I sure hope she's okay."

"You mean, you don't know where she is?" Eren asked with furrowed brows.

"Sadly no. It was those of the 104th who sent word of the initial sighting. So more than likely Mike split them into groups and sent them to other villages and towns as couriers. Rosie could be anywhere." The woman replied, causing the trios worry for their friend to grow.

"Open the gate!" A soldiers voice yells from the front of the group.

Erwin nods and turns his horse around to face the scouts behind him. "The situation within Wall Rose is unclear. But everything up until Ehrmich is safe. We'll save time going through there." He informs before adding a quick, "Move out!"

"Yes, sir!"

Erwin nods to the Garrison soldier standing a few feet away. "Take us out." He orders, prompting the soldier to signal others to open the gate. Once they have enough room, they begin their journey away from Stohess.

Armin looks back to the gate as they ride farther away. "This whole time, Titans have been protecting us from Titans." He murmurs.


A few minutes of silent riding later, Hange begins to explain why Pastor Nick was with them and that he knew about the recently discovered 'Walled Titan'.

"Huh? He knew? There's Titans inside the walls and he's known about it?!" Eren asks in disbelief. His wide, rage filled orbs locking on Nick's form.

"Yes, though.. he's kept his mouth shut this entire time. But now he's coming with us to witness the harsh reality." Hange answers before cupping her chin thoughtfully. "Will his beliefs be strong enough for him to stay silent? Or will seeing it with his own eyes make him question himself?"

Eren, unsatisfied with the answer given, quickly stands, sending his cloak to the floor of the wagon. "No, no, no, no! This is all backwards!" He exclaims, turning his gaze to Nick. "If there's something you know, tell us about it! Nothing's more important than keeping humans from going extinct!"

Mikasa tugs on the boys arm, making him sit down. "Eren, settle down. You're still not fully healed."

A heavy silence filled the air around the group as the trio stared at Nick's tense form. The sudden sound of a gun being cocked made them quickly look in Levi's direction, each one taking note of the discreetly hidden handgun in his possession. "There's more than one way to get answers." He drawls out emotionlessly, staring over at nick from the corner of his eye. "I may be injured right now, but it doesn't take much to watch one man. I'm hoping we can settle this without blasting a hole in anyone. Are you?"

Hange grinned to herself. "Threatening him doesn't work, Levi. Believe me, I've tried." She states, her own gaze locking onto the already uncomfortable priest. "It seems to me that this priest is capable of sound judgement. That's why I wonder... What if the reason he doesn't talk is because he knows something more important than the fate of humanity?"


Another silence had fallen over the group at her musings, everyone getting lost in thought at what was to come.

Levi, keeping his gun aimed at Nick, leans forward slightly to look at the female, who was quietly staring at the stone fragment in her hand. "Hange. Hey, four-eyes. Are your hobbies so boring that playing with rocks is somehow fun for you?"

Hange smirks to herself. "Yeah. That's right. But this is no ordinary rock." She informs, holding it up for them all to see. "It's a hardened fragment of skin left behind by the Female Titan."

Armin's eyebrows rose. "Huh? It didn't disappear?" He asks in awe.

Hange's gaze snaps away from the fragment and to his face, her own expression becoming one of excitement. "Right! Annie reverted from a Titan, but it's still intact even though it broke off her body. It didn't evaporate. It didn't disappear. So I thought, "What if?" She paused, turning the fragment around in her hand. "When I compared it to a piece of the wall, it's pattern and composition were practically identical. In other words, the wall is a barricade of humongous Titans. And if I'm right, the surface is constructed with hardened Titan skin."

"That's exactly what Armin was saying..." Mikasa murmurs.

Armin gasps as he leans forward. "T-then-" He begins but is cut off as Hange slams her hand into his face, covering his mouth completely.

"Let me finish, Armin... As it stands, we'll be hard pressed to fill the hole in Wall Rose. That is, unless we can find the perfect boulder to plug it. But if... But if Eren, in his transformation state, could use the Titans hardening ability to seal the hole in the wall..."

"Use me.. to seal the wall?"

Hange nods. "It should be made of the same material. And seeing how the hardened section won't evaporate, even after you revert from a Titan... It's possible..."

Armin cups his chin in thought. "I think it's well worth the risk to try. And assuming it really does work, reclaiming Wall Maria is feasible, too. Up until now, we've had to transport a large quantity of materials and supplies. That's why the need for outposts past the wall limited our progress. But if we don't have to accommodate supply wagons... We could quickly make our way to Shiganshina." He muttered before looking up at Hange. "What if we carried out the plan at night?"

"At night?"

Armin nods. "Yes. During the night, when Titans can't move."

"I see... If the group was small enough, you could sneak all the way to Wall Maria. The current situation is as bad as it gets, but... We still have a glimmer of hope."

"Yes, but remember... It all depends on whether Eren can seal the hole or not."

Hange sighs and turns to Eren, who was listening along quietly with the others. "I realize this hardly seems fair, but... Think you can do it?"

Eren opens his mouth to speak but before anything could come out, Levi cuts him off. "It doesn't matter what you think. You have to. There's no other choice. Our forces are struggling so desperately, there's nothing else they can do. You have to succeed."

Eren nods, his green eyes lighting up in determination. "I will! I'll do whatever it takes to seal the wall! Whatever it takes..." Trailing off, he reaches into his shirt and pulls out the basement key. "The basement... My dads basement... If what my dad said was true, we'll find the answers to everything there."

Before anything else could be said, the sound of gates opening catches their attention. "It's Ehrmich District."


~Ehrmich District; Wall Sina~

Once we leave Ehrmich, we'll begin Titan territory." Hange tells Eren as they begin to make their way inside. It's then that Moblit makes his appearance.

"Eren? Think you can ride a horse?" He asks, resting a hand in the brunettes shoulder.

Eren nods. "Yes. I feel fully recovered now."

"Yours is ready at the west lift. Lets hurry." Moblit replies, beginning to usher the two along. However, they didn't get far, as Hange noticed Levi leading a distraught Nick towards them. "Section Commander. We should hurry." Moblit prompts again.

Hange waves him off. "Give me a minute, Moblit." She replies before running over to the two males. "Have you had a change of heart yet?" She asks Nick, and when he stays silent she huffs, frustrated. "We don't have time for this! You know, don't you?! Will you talk, or won't you?! Make up your mind already!"

"I cannot say anything. The other believers are the same a I, and that will never change."

Hange's brows furrow as she glares at him. "Well thanks for nothing! We're so grateful for all of the help you've been!" She exclaims sarcastically, her yells prompting others to listen in.

"It's too great a decision for a single person to make. The Order of the Walls must always adhere to the sacred will we're bound to obey." Nick replies in hopes of placating the woman.

"Whose will? God or something?" Hange asks again, exasperated.

"I cannot say anything. However, I can inform you of a name, who under their sacred will, we were instructed to monitor."

"Monitor?"

Nick nods. "That person joined the scout regiment as of this year. Their name is.. Krista Lenz."

Eren, Mikasa, and Armin's eyes widen at the name. "Her?" Eren asks in disbelief.

Hange turns to him. "Who's that?"

Nick, not giving any time to explain, speaks up once more. "You must find her at once. Only she... She may know the truths which even we cannot perceive. That is all the information I can share. The rest I leave in your hands."

"If she's in the 104th, then she's deep in the front lines right now. Like Rosalie." Hange mutters, looking over to the shocked trio.

"Lets go! We need to hurry!" Eren exclaims, turning around quickly to leave.

"Wait!" Hange warns, but is too late as Eren runs into Sasha, sending her to the floor roughly.

"Ouch..."

"Sasha?!" Eren exclaims, staring down at the girl in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" Mikasa asks.

Sasha doesn't answer and shoots up from the floor before moving over to Hange. "Upon my arrival, I gave my report to the Commander! Afterwards, I was entrusted to deliver this message to the Section Commander!" She informs, holding out the rolled parchment for Hange to take.

"Message?" Hange parrots before nodding. "Thank you. Good work." She praises as she takes the paper, replacing it with a steamed potato as she walks by. "So who is this girl from the 104th?" She asks again as she caught up with the trio, who were currently preparing Eren's gear.

"She's the smallest one of us." Eren replies, fixing his boot.

Armin adjusts his grip on Eren's blades. "She's got long golden hair. Um, and... She's cute."

Mikasa looks up from adjusting Eren's gear. "She's always hanging around Ymir." She adds as Levi joins them.

Hange's face grows curious. "Ymir?"


A few minutes later, after everyone is prepared and ready to go, they find themselves in a small room waiting for orders.

"What is it, Section Commander?" Eren asks, watching as Hange sifts through the papers she received from Sasha.

Hange looks up. "Oh, well... I was finally able to get my hands in the background report for Annie Leonhart."

"Annie's?"

"Yeah. It's taken so long to get it because managing these reports is such a mess right now." She replies before looking back to the papers. "According to this, there were two others belonging to the 104th Cadet Corps who came from the same area as her. And those two are... Reiner Braun.. and Bertolt Hoover. Thanks to the chaos five years ago, pretty much all of their family records are spotty or missing. However... During the long-range scouting formation, their unit was given false information. They were among those purposely told that Eren was in the right wing."

"The Female Titan attacked from the right wing!" Armin said with a gasp.

"Huh? What does that mean?" Sasha asks, confused.

"That it's possible they passed on that information to Annie..."

"Why? Why would they tell Annie?"

Eren sighs and turns to the blond. "Hey, hold on a minute, Armin. You can't just-"

"I know that, Eren." Hange cuts in, gaining everyone's attention once more. "By itself, that's not enough to prove anything. So just in case, I'd like to hear from you how these three interacted during training. Know anything?"

"I knew Reiner and Bertolt were from the same place, but... They didn't seem close to Annie." Armin replied.

Eren nods. "I agree. I don't recall ever seeing the pair talking to Annie that much. Well, Annie didn't talk much in the first place."

Sasha cups her chin in thought. "When we ate, Annie would always sit alone and munch on food by herself." She murmured before her eyes lit up. "Oh! I've got something! I heard a rumor that she liked sweets, even though she looks so grouchy!"

Mikasa looked away from the brunette and back to Hange. "I.. don't remember."

Eren shakes his head. "But... As their comrade, I'd find it hard to believe. Set aside Bertolt, who doesn't say much. Reiner is like everyone's big brother, and he's not devious enough to deceive all of us."

"I agree." Armin states before opting to elaborate further. "Reiner gave everything he had fighting the Female Titan with me. He would have gotten crushed in her hand if he hadn't-"

Suddenly the blond paused with a small gasp. Eren raised a brow, concerned. "What's wrong?"

Armin swallows thickly. "Reiner managed to escape, but... Annie suddenly changed her course.. and ran in the direction of Eren. I... I did mention that Eren might be at the rear of the center rank. But Annie was too far away to hear..."

"Seriously?" Eren asked in disbelief.

"Did Reiner seem overly interested in Eren's location?" Hange asked, her face going stern.

'"Then... Where the hell is Eren?"'

Armin's eyes widen at the memory. "It can't be... I only started talking about Eren's position.. because Reiner was the one who asked about it first. Furthermore... When that happened, the Female Titan was staring at her palm. He might've written a message with his blades in her hand. Reiner could've..."

Eren's face dropped into a deep scowl as he stared at the blond. "What the hell? Why are you saying things like this? You should-"

"Eren! No.. everyone, listen up!" Hange yelled, making everyone look her way. "Supposing that we find Reiner or Bertolt, act in such a way as to not reveal any suspicions. Of course, do not make any mention of Annie Leonhart either. Regardless if they're Annie's accomplices or not, we need to lead them deep underground and confine them. Does everyone understand?"

"Yes!"

"We've got to go!" Eren exclaims, turning to walk out the door.

"Calm down, Eren." Levi voices from his leaned position against nearby supply crates. Eren stops and looks back as the short Corporal moves and stops in front of them. "You all listen, too." He orders, looking directly at Mikasa and Armin. "We're going our own ways now. The rest is up to you. Erwin may have thrown together your squad, but everything's riding on you. Got it, Armin? Work with Hange and combine your knowledge."

"Y-yes, sir!"

"Mikasa." Levi calls, looking in her direction. "I don't know why you're so attached to Eren, but... Use the utmost ability to protect Eren at all costs."

"Yes, sir! Of course!"

Levi then turns to Eren. "And finally, Eren. Learn how to restrain yourself. Don't succumb to rage and lose sight of the goal. We can't afford another mistake."

"Yes, sir!"

Levi nods to himself and steps back. "I have a feeling you may find Rosalie out there. She has her orders, and she'll know what needs to be done. Bring her up to speed and work together, all of you."

"Roger!"


Not a moment was wasted after their little "meeting". As soon as it ended, they all found themselves on the other side of the wall, riding south.

Hange looks back at them. "There's a tower nearby where we can asses the wall. It's an abandoned castle to the southwest. We'll ride to Utgard Castle."