In the deepest regions of hell, there is said to be a vast, frozen lake. Forever exposed to the biting winds, the shivering heads of those inhabiting this forsaken place are fixed beneath the shadowed visage of Lucifer. Theirs is an abode not wreathed in flame, nor where whips lacerate the flesh. No, theirs is endless years in darkness, in isolation, in cold penance. A place farther removed from the light of heaven than any other. It is here that betrayal brings the souls of the damned; it is the eternal fate of traitors.

Joshua Kassmeyer struggled to gain his feet. Even with the aid of his ODM gear, standing was an endeavor of great strength. His head hurt, having hit the back of his skull when the great winds generated by the Colossal titan, dashed him against the stone, causing his vision to shift in and out of focus. He gingerly pressed his fingers to that place and they came away wet. His ears were ringing, blocking out any and all other sounds. The wounds he received in Stohess throbbed too, and the scalding current of air stung his flesh. Every nerve ending in his body shrieked at the torrent of abuse. He tried to take a step, but stumbled and fell. His eyes refused to agree on where his legs were in relation to the ground. Maybe he could try crawling? But then, which way would he crawl? He didn't even know which way he was facing. The haze obscured just about everything from view. Robbed of hearing, movement, and reliable sight, he was helpless as a newborn babe.

He got to his knees and craned his neck every which way he could, hoping to catch a glimpse of light, sky, anything. When an opening did briefly appear, it wasn't what he'd hoped to see. A crimson visage was revealed, only for a second, but long enough to recognize. The monstrosity was close, nearly close enough to touch it seemed. It didn't spare a glance his way. Either Josh was unnoticed, or he simply wasn't any sort of significant threat to something like the Colossal Titan. Despite being only half of its usual height, it was still larger than any other titan. How miniscule Josh was by comparison, how insect-like he seemed. Truly, Bertolt's form lived up to the beings of ancient mythology from which their kind drew a name. Such a great and terrible creature, made by fusing some infernal power with the tissue of a man.

Just like that fateful day in Trost district, he felt fear. Fear that was compounded by how close to home it hit. They'd been entertaining the company of demons these demons the whole time. Friends, comrades…lovers, all instruments of Armageddon. These people walked amongst them for years, smiling, carrying on like everyone else, fighting as hard as everyone else. Lies built upon lies to conceal their true nature; he hadn't wanted to believe any of it. Before the regiment departed for Stohess, that night when they told him who…what Annie was, he brushed all of it aside. Hell, even in the face of it, he tried so desperately to pretend everyone around him had gone insane. There was no way it was true…he so desperately wanted to believe she was innocent, that he was ready to lock blades with anyone who came at her.

Josh's attempts at chivalry proved a fool's errand. He stopped nothing, saved no one. Half a city was levelled, and hundreds of citizens were killed in the ensuing melee between Annie and Eren. And now she was encased underground in a crystal sarcophagus. No method or tool that they possessed was able to release her, or even make a dent in the stone. All attempts at communication met with similar results. She was "asleep" within the crystal, for lack of a better word. Whether she was alive, dead, or somewhere in between, he didn't want to think. Sitting in that musty cellar, staring at her for two days didn't help. He'd spent those hours trying so hard to fathom what transpired, with only uncountable questions remaining in the aftermath. Although, there was at least one less to answer this day. In seeking the enemy, one doesn't need to look very far. The roots of treachery are, after all, parasitically attached to the tree they're trying to undermine.

But of course, an answered question tended to give way to yet another. It was a cruel world they lived in, an unforgiving and brutal world. Half a minute with a back-alley thug would tell you as much. Even with mankind on the brink of extinction, humans were still driven to murder one another. Yet, most violent acts, however horrific, there was some sort of goal or purpose in mind, no matter how twisted. Josh's brain couldn't envision any such purpose here. Two young men lit a match, then watched as the kingdom was set ablaze. So many people killed, and to what end?! What cause necessitated the wholesale slaughter of twenty percent of the remaining people on the planet?

(***)

Over the side of the wall, another bolt of lightning came down from the heavens, followed by a rush of air and a bestial howl. Eren had assumed his titan form. From the ledge above, Aline momentarily peered down upon the two enormous figures as they squared up to each other. A sensation of disgust welled inside her stomach as she looked on.

"You took your sweet ass time, Jaeger," she spat. "Having to rely on a dumbass like you…I'm amazed more of us haven't been killed." Aline then gazed over at Reiner. If it hadn't been for Mikasa, she'd have decapitated him on the spot. Maybe she died in the fall, but Aline doubted fortune was so kind. Not that it mattered one way or the other now; Ackermann was the smallest of the current problems.

Bertolt's titan stood tall, wreathed in scorching haze. Given what he was able to do with his power, taking him out was first and foremost. Then, assuming Jaeger could keep him occupied long enough, Reiner would follow suit. She scowled at the latter. "I can't believe I used to fantasize about you…"

Turning her attention to the task in front of her, she tried to strategize. Back in Trost, she'd been too afraid to approach the Colossal Titan. Looking at it now, she felt no such thing. There was a massive amount of power contained within its' equally massive form, enough to cause destruction on an apocalyptic scale, but size was something that also worked against it. Impossibly large creatures required a proportional amount of energy and effort to move about. Assuming physics hadn't jumped ship whence he'd exploded into being, that meant he'd be a lot slower than the average titan. Fundamentally, anatomy would be the same; weak points would be the same. A killing blow was inflicted in the same manner, whether it was five meters tall or sixty. This bastard's claim to fame was simply being bigger than any of the others.

Even from down here, she could glimpse the location of her target. Only problem was that all the steam would likely obscure line of sight, and she'd be flying around blind in search of the nape. These scorching clouds had been used before, concealing Bertolt's escape in Trost. Annie has her skin hardening; Reiner has everything proof armor. Figures that each one possessed some sort of defensive ability. Otherwise they could've been put down ages ago.

"Rude of you assholes to make this more complicated," she muttered. There were patches of visibility created by the winds which seemingly emanated from the Colossal titan, though they were too brief to catch sight of much. Through one of these patches however, she caught a silhouette of human size bent down on the ground. Seeing the irony in her own thoughts, she wondered who the hell would be reckless enough to sit that close to him? "Boy, if it's you, I swear to God…" Aline pulled her hood up and strode into the cloud.

The air within was heavy, choking, and nearly hot enough to burn your lungs. Ash and embers swirled about her in a tempest. Breathing was both cumbersome and somewhat painful; keeping her feet was next to impossible. She pulled some of her cloak up over her nose and mouth to block out the worst of it. The air held a distinctive scent of charred meat, which made sense, but the odor was as far from the word pleasantas one could be. It was the smell of dead meat, as though someone decided to cook a deceased stag after the bugs already started on it.

Aline looked around for the figured she'd spotted. She called out, but received no response. She tried again, louder this time. "Is anyone there; can you hear me?!" Still nothing. Aline swore inwardly and took a few more steps, feeling around with her feet for what her eyes couldn't see. With the cloud engulfing the breadth of the wall, it'd be easy to go too far in one direction. "Dammit, whoever's in here, answer me if you're still aliv—" she tripped on something, or someone, rather. She turned around, looking into the startled face of Josh Kassmeyer.

Josh had felt something knock against his leg and jumped. When he turned, he saw the blurry form of someone in a scout's uniform, although he wasn't sure who. The individual began gesticulating wildly, like they were shouting. It finally occurred to him that he'd all but forgotten about the others. With his senses dulled and mind racing with fear, the overall situation slipped from thought. How long was he sitting here? What had happened with the rest of the platoon? Was anyone dead?! This person should know, right?

He strained his eyes, trying to force them to see properly. The person proceeded to grab him by the collar. "I can't…you! Why in…didn't…" The ringing in Josh's ears was beginning to subside. "Are you even…me?!" A…female voice? "I ought…your ass!" Wait…Aline?

"Aline, that's you, right? Please tell me that's you."

"Now you finally say something?! I've been wandering through this shit, calling out and you just sat here without a care in the damn world! What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"I hit my head…can't see very well. My hearing is just now coming back." Hopefully the next few minutes would give back his eyes too.

"You can't see?" Her tone shifted abruptly.

"It's all really blurry right now. My depth perception is practically zero; I can't even take two steps." He needed to be able to see, to fight. This wasn't a battle he could forgive himself for sitting out of.

"This penchant you have for getting beaten up is really exhausting," she sighed. "Come on, Mr. Masochist, we need to get out of here." Aline pulled him up by the arm, draping it over her shoulder. "Just don't make me do all the support work."

"Where is everybody?" He asked as they started moving.

"Eren and Reiner are in a fistfight down on the other side of the wall. I couldn't really see what was going on with anyone else, too much smoke. These bastards have really made a mess of things."

"Hey…why do you think this keeps happening?"

She shifted his weight. "Probably because being in the military attracts the maximum amount of suck."

"No, I mean, why do we…why do we keep getting betrayed?"

A twinge of sadness entered her voice. "…I don't know, Joshy boy," she answered. It'd only been a few days. He was still coming to terms with what happened. Aline understood that well, but she herself avoided talking about the subject, Giselle's annoying prodding notwithstanding. She didn't have the slightest clue how to begin, or where. Eventually the conversation would reach the point of I tried to kill the girl you love. Given Annie's current state, Aline might as well have.

As much as the others betrayed them, a part of her felt as though she'd done a little betrayal herself and was too afraid to be confronted on it. She didn't want to see the look on his face, or the pain that'd inevitably be in his words. Partly, it was because she hated the idea of putting him through any more hurt than he was already in. There was another more selfish reason she shied away from the subject though.

The blood of titans felt soothing when it touched her skin, traitorous blood especially. Such a thrilling sensation in it. There was license in wearing the uniform, a freedom in being able to cut down anyone who threatened the safety of humanity, but she didn't do it for mankind. She knew well that many people from the top down didn't give a rat's ass about them. So, she killed for her friends and killed for the love of killing. She already was hating herself for enjoying it so, carving into an enemy. Aline didn't want him to hate her too.

Just as the titan steam roiled about them, so too did worries and fears swirl around in her mind. All the more reason to hurry away, to where the open air and their comrades could provide a distraction from the violent whisperings of her own demons.

(***)

They were disoriented, shaken, battered. Worse still, they were entirely unprepared. If the time came to take Reiner Braun and Bertolt Hoover into custody, it couldn't have occurred in a less desirable location. Far from supplies, reinforcements, and heavy ordnance, they were only a handful of tired men and women against the most powerful titans on earth. Not to mention they had troops without arms in tow.

"Shit, that's twice now they've jumped the gun on us," Blasa referred to the initial attempt to capture Annie Leonhardt. Of the two, this one was going immeasurably worse. Any tactical advantage they had was gone. Thanks in no small part to these damn, impulsive kids.

"Sergeant Shevchenko, did we lose anyone?!" Hange shouted.

"Bumps, bruises, a couple of scrapes, but we're fine otherwise, thank the Lord. We have a couple unaccounted for besides." It was a miracle that the tempest of flying debris hadn't killed anyone, although it'd nearly pitched a few of their number off the wall.

"Who's missing?"

"Holde and Ackermann went over the edge; Kassmeyer, I lost sight of when the explosion came." Whether any of the recruits were alive or dead was as such, unknown.

"And Eren?"

"Engaging the Armored titan on the other side of the wall, ma'am," Terrelle answered.

"What are we doing, Hange?" Blasa was anxious to get to work.

"Give me a second, lieutenant." Things had admittedly proceeded in defiance of any planning she'd done, but the opportunity was still in front of them. An opportunity that was unlikely to present itself again now that they'd shown their hand. The Armored titan was beyond their capabilities to handle, with its' hardened dermis that only explosives could pierce. The Colossal titan however, possessed no such natural defenses. In theory, it was no harder to kill than a regular member of its' species. A one-meter high, ten-centimeter across section of the nape was still the weak point. Should they get close enough, the beast would fall.

The scouts were lucky in one regard: there were no smaller titans to threaten them. Humanity had the numbers for once. If they were to perform a blitz maneuver, they could overwhelm him before he was able to counter the assault. Even if there were casualties, he couldn't move fast enough to stop them. A single strike and the entire trajectory of the war might be shifted.

"All troops, prepare for combat! We swarm the Colossal titan and end this!"

"YES MA'AM!"

"Sergeant Shevchenko, pull the recruits back to a safe distance and send up a couple of flares, black and purple."

The veteran nodded. "Bude robyty, komandyr; skorochennya." She turned to her unarmed charges. "Let's get a few meters between us and the stage, kiddos."

It'd taken a long time for the scouts to gather themselves, relatively speaking. The appearance of the world's largest titan a mere stone's throw away had quite literally sent them reeling. And in that time, their foe wasn't simply resting atop the wall. It was no accident that Bertolt Hoover only manifested the top half of his titan. On the contrary, it was actually was advantageous to root himself to Wall Rose. He wouldn't need nearly as much energy to maintain this form, and the more he was able to spare, the better. As long as he could keep the scouts busy while Reiner fought Eren, they'd succeed. Bertolt just had to keep his eyes on their second target. He drew back his arm.

The massive appendage swung down towards the rallying soldiers. Recalling the Colossal's appearance in Trost, Sasha Braus instantly realized what was happening. "Ma'am, he's going to sweep the wall!"

"Everyone over the side; evade!" The scouts peeled away, just as the massive hand ran across the battlements, reducing the topmost layer of stone to bits.

"Was anyone hit?!" Nifa, Squad Four's commander shouted.

"I don't see Manfred or the titan-girl anywhere!" Rashad, her subordinate, answered. Sure enough, the Colossal titan had taken hold of both of them during the scramble. The latter however, just happened to be holding onto Ymir when he went to snatch her up. Based on how he was being gripped, Manfred was probably already dead. Ymir was still unconscious, but alive by all appearances. It didn't seem to matter though, because the Colossal tossed both soldiers into his mouth, clamping his jaw behind them. Christa screamed.

"Did that just happen?!" Ctirad's mania was returning in full force. Barely a couple of hours had passed since they'd been rescued and things were already worse than the night they'd spent at Castle Utgard. It was enough to make him profoundly question his career choice. He'd have been better off working at his parents' shop or apprenticing for a blacksmith.

"Goddammit…" Blasa growled. "Bastard wasn't even going for us; we were just in the way."

"They were right under our noses the entire time…" Erik breathed. In training, Reiner was essentially a big-brother figure to everyone. Strong, encouraging, and always willing to pick up the slack when things got too hard on someone else. Bertolt was always quiet, a bit bookish, and never hurt a fly. He was calm and diligent in his drills and studies, a model student. Erik could've lived five hundred years and never suspected either of them. Even the intelligence reports sounded ridiculous when Commander Hange read them the evening before.

Hange, for her part, was biting deeply into her own lip in frustration. One more unanticipated setback, the number of which was steadily growing. She should've figured this. Once they knew of Ymir's ability, there's no way they'd let her go. Reiner and Bertolt probably wanted her as much as they wanted Eren. Now it was no longer a question of protecting either, it was a question of value to the war effort. Much as she'd have liked to capture the Colossal and Armored titans for study and interrogation, the threat they posed to the other friendly titan shifters was far greater than the value they possessed as prisoners.

"Listen up!" She said through gritted teeth. "Bertolt Hoover and Reiner Braun are now considered acceptable losses. In the interest of preserving the life of recruit Ymir, we cannot let either of them leave here alive! All teams, ENGAGE AND TERMINATE!"

(***)

They'd only avoided being smashed by a hair's breadth. Aline had thrown herself flat against the stone, bringing Josh down with her. She felt the heat of Bertolt's arm passing over them and the rush of air that followed slid them forward about a meter's length. Lifting her head slightly, she saw several tons of masonry being ripped away by the massive appendage. A single second later and it would've obliterated them. She almost hadn't heard the strike coming.

"Are you okay?" She asked Josh.

"That's not the term I would use…" he groaned, "but the intense pain must mean I'm still alive." Bertolt really must've not known they were there.

"Sorry about that."

"I'll take bruises and sore muscles over losing my head any day." He stretched out a hand. "Do you mind…?"

Aline shook her head. "We should make you stay home with how often you've gotten the shit beaten out of you." She pulled him onto his feet.

"Give me some morphine and I'll be right as rain." Sitting this one out was not an option. With so much at stake, nothing short of being crippled was going to stop him. Several times now, he'd been forced to watch while others fought the crucial battles, and someone important was always critically injured or killed. The medic's syringe could keep him in the fight a while longer. If the pain subsided, perhaps his faculties would return faster as well. Especially the deep-throbbing in his skull.

"Then we better pick up the pace." She pulled one of her swords. "I don't think the fight's going to wait until we're out of the kill box." And with the steam clouds starting to recede, they couldn't count on staying unnoticed. Though Josh was steadier on his feet than a few moments ago, he was still stumbling about. Even prior to the current engagement, he was clearly in pain; these latest blows only put more strain on his battered body. You stubborn idiot…

Aline faintly perceived the sound of someone screaming and moved a bit faster. The air started pushing back on them, meaning that the Colossal titan was moving again. Somebody was grabbed. Her eyes darted every which way, searching for a break in the murk. Damn it, how many more steps until we're out of this? She took more of Josh's weight around her shoulder and put more vigor into her legs. They had to be close to the edge of it. The ground was uneven here, heavily damaged. She could hear shouting, not quite intelligible with the wind whistling in her ears, but the voice carried authority. Were they preparing a counterattack? Come on, come on, what's happening? She squeezed the hilt of her sword tighter. They'd walked at least another ten meters. How much freaking cloud cover do you need?!

"Bertolt, you asshole, let us out already!" She lunged forward with all the energy she could muster, hauling Josh behind her. Sunlight splashed across her face and the burning sensation left her lungs. They were under open sky again. She took a few extra steps for good measure before turning around. Aline waved to the Colossal titan with her index finger and lowered Josh onto the ground.

"That took a lot longer than I thought it would." He laid back, taking several deep breaths. Fresh air seldom felt so good. Shapes were growing more distinct in his field of view, despite the pain. He could discern details and features, albeit they were slightly out of focus.

"It's difficult to move when you're lugging someone else around, you know?"

"I didn't mean that you—"

"Sarcasm, Josh, only sarcasm. Not like something so small could hurt my feelings either way. That aside…where the hell is everyone?" Although she'd heard the voices of at least two different people, escarpment to escarpment, she saw no one.

"Whoa…"

"What?"

Josh pointed directly into the sky. "Up." Aline followed his hand, just in time to witness two dozen dark shapes descending from the circle of the sun. Then that familiar sound, like the cracking of so many whips. It is said that the angels in heaven regularly fly down to the mortal plain, because the devil and his ilk refuse to stay in hell where they belong. And when the devil steps out of line, you don't send a bunch of golden-haired youths playing lyres, you send warriors, the killer angels.

(***)

The Colossal titan's eyes rose to meet them. Good, she wanted him to see death coming. A reckoning was upon the bastard, a reckoning five years in the making. Blasa Tanzerin knew not what motivated their barbarity, and she cared not. Many comrades lay at the feet of these monsters, these boys. Her sister not least among them. And as the hand of the young traitor came up to grasp at them, she allowed herself to smile.

"Divide into assault teams!" Hange shouted as they fell. "We're going to hit him from every angle!"

"Any specific directives, ma'am?!" Terrelle asked.

"As a scientist, I'd normally want to have samples for study and analysis, but as a soldier, I'm casting aside my inquisitive nature for today. There's one request I have for you, my valiant comrades, make it hurt."

Blasa was all too pleased with such an order. "I'll slice the prick's pecker off and shove it down his damn throat! If it grows back, I'll do it again, again, and again until he chokes on them. I'll cut the rotten little shit apart, one piece at a time, an ounce of flesh and a few drops of blood for each person he helped kill." Heh, I'll probably be at it for a week. She briefly considered the flag in her pouch, the ruined banner she'd carried since the failed reclamation of Wall Maria. Maybe she'd strangle him with it? Oh, there were so many possibilities, a veritable cornucopia of ways in which to make him suffer.

When the soldiers came to meet the titan's flesh, they maneuvered about it with expert precision. The Colossal itself was the single largest surface upon which to utilize their ODM gear. His movements were just as suspected, far too slow to keep up with them. The cohort shot themselves down the length of his arm, running and swinging along the appendage, some inflicting cuts and slashes as they went.

"We're coming for you, you son of a bitch!" Rashad roared, slicing for several meters down what would've been the arterial line.

"He'll have steel in his neck before he even takes a swing at us," Terrelle mused. Compared to the myriad other beasts he'd fought in his time as a scout, this one was little challenge. As a lone actor, the Colossal titan wasn't half as fearsome as his strength might suggest.

"Teams four, five, and six, split off and go around the left side!" Twelve of the scouts seamlessly shifted directions, moving in an arc across the chest and up to face level again. "And would somebody be so kind as to do something about the look on his face? I'm growing tired of being stared at. See about getting the jaw open while you're at it."

Blasa beamed. "I have the perfect solution." Though well established as a Survey Corps veteran, there were always new things to learn. Different soldiers developed different techniques with which to stun, cripple, and slay the foe. Captain Levi was the most adept in the regiment at this. His status as humanity's strongest fighter was well deserved and she aimed to surpass him in time. What better way to do so than to partake of his instruction and use those skills to her own advantage?

As she passed near to the Colossal titan's head, its eyes tracked her position, making what she was about to do even more enjoyable. Blasa abruptly whirled around, drawing her sword back. She flung her arm out, depressing the release lever for the blade. The razor-sharp piece of steel spun through the air like a discus, before plunging deep into the titan's eye socket. Bullseye. She dexterously maneuvered herself another meter to the right and repeated the action for his other eye.

Once blinded, she repositioned herself close to his ear and leaned in. She wanted to be certain she was heard clearly. "Guten tag, Herr Arschloch. I do hope we're entertaining you. It's pretty impressive how you're handling the pain, I gotta say. You barely even flinched, despite having steel jammed in your eye sockets. Although, I'll admit that we're here to discuss business, not exchange niceties. There's a tiny little favor I'd like to ask of you. I'm gonna need you to open up that fat cock-holster of yours and let out those people you decided to eat. That's not too much for a girl to ask, is it?" Unsurprisingly, he didn't comply, just as Blasa had hoped. It wouldn't be any fun if he was the obliging type. Thanks for making me do this the hard way.

"Terrelle, get your ass over here! Our guest needs some help loosening his lips!" She dropped down onto the titan's shoulder. It wouldn't be the first time she'd cut a monster's jaw off, but muscle density was far different at this scale. The jaw muscles were far thicker than usual, which meant there needed to be more momentum to slice through them. A hard press on her accelerators would do the trick. Attaching hooks by the ear, then swinging downwards in a diagonal motion should make the most of the kinetic energy in her swing.

"I'm in position, LT, ready when you are!"

"What will you do now, bastard?" She thought to herself. The rest of the troops were poised to strike at the nape and bring him down. So, would he attempt to save himself, or stop his captives from being taken? Strangely, he didn't appear to be reacting one way or another. Under normal circumstances, her field experience would've been setting off all sorts of red flags at a time like this. He wasn't just a titan, he was human too, even if he was only seventeen. And human beings were very calculating creatures, sometimes especially when put into a corner.

No sooner had Blasa fired her anchors into the Colossal's flesh, then the situation changed. A monumental gout of searing-hot steam and embers erupted from his back, accompanied by an equally punishing rush of wind. The assailing Survey Corps members were instantly thrown backwards by the blast. They were thrashed about like fish on the end of so many lines, their grappling hooks remaining embedded in the titan. Some attempted to keep the embers from flying into their eyes and mouths. Others tried to regain their balance and continue the assault, but the pull of their gear-shafts was insufficient to reel them in, even with the gas lever depressed all the way.

"Everyone, pull back!" Hange shouted over the roar of rushing air. To their credit, her troops withdrew in good order, despite having to propel themselves backwards with almost zero visibility. A quick headcount confirmed that no one had been killed, although that wasn't to say they came out of it unscathed. Nearly half their number were sporting burns on the exposed parts of their skin, a couple of which were rather severe.

"Iryna, we need water and bandages, now!"

The veteran grabbed her kit and a few canteens. "Recruit Delacroix, Recruit Reiss, I'd appreciate a few more skilled hands. Anyone else who's able should help us move the wounded back. Just be careful where you touch." Burns were always a frustrating injury to deal with. Given the acute pain they caused and the delicate nature of the dermal tissue in the aftermath, they required more attention and triage than all but the most serious of wounds. If the burns went deep or spread over a wide area, shock was an additional concern.

Blasa peered up at their enemy, scowling. Her fists were clenched so tightly that her nails drew blood from her palms. She slammed her boot against the ruined stone. "Goddamn mother-whoring cock-sucking son of a bitch!" The burst of profanity drew a number of eyes, and an admonishing glance from Iryna.

"We should've known it wouldn't be that simple," Hange said flatly.

"How the hell are we supposed to kill that bastard if he can generate his own wind storm whenever he feels like it?!"

"Lieutenant Tanzerin, you need to calm down."

"We were just punched in the metaphorical taint and you want me to relax?!"

"Lieutenant! I understand your frustration, but as an officer in this regiment, you need to keep a better grip on your composure, is that understood?"

"…Yes ma'am," she grumbled.

"Good. Go sit down for a few minutes, and get some wraps on those hands; you're bleeding all over your uniform."

Blasa looked down and unclenched her fists. Blood ran off either side of her palms in tiny rivulets, splattering her cloak and boots as it fell. She was so mad she hadn't noticed or felt herself doing it. "My apologies, commander. I'd wager that was a bit…unseemly of me."

"Just get yourself together, Blasa. I need my second to stay focused right now, otherwise I'm going to lose my damn mind."

"Yes ma'am."

Hange needed her hands together and tried to think. It was foolish for her to believe that they knew enough about their enemy to kill him. After all, Annie Leonhardt possessed defensive mechanisms that they couldn't put a dent in. Though she'd been captured, it was hardly in a state which benefited them. Could the others do something similar?

The cloud that the Colossal titan was mustering was far larger than when he'd first appeared, and the heat from it was far more intense. Why was that? "Is he going to try and escape?" She thought aloud.

"No, something's different this time," Recruit Armin Arlert was at her shoulder. "When he disappeared before, it was more or less instantaneous. He's maintaining a half form to emit heat. It probably uses more energy the more of his body is manifested; that's why it's only his upper half."

"So he's using it as a protective bubble?"

"I'm not sure it's that exactly. It's some form of area denial. With the wind, we can't get close enough to fight him. He could be delaying us?"

"To what end?"

"We may just have to wait and see, ma'am."

"Intellectually, the scientist in me appreciates patience and observation, but as a soldier, I've often found that course of action rather irksome." The kid might be right though. How much of one's military career was spent on standby? Still, she'd like to take the best position possible if they were going to sit around for a while. Rashad and Lauda's teams could be set up on opposite sides of the Colossal titan, while the rest of them assisted Eren in subduing the Armored. As for Ymir and Manfred, every passing moment decreased the likelihood of their survival. The objective might shift to involve Ymir's death as a matter of course anyway, given how unlikely it was they could capture either Bertolt or Reiner alive.

(***)

Hell of a morning it was turning out to be, and it wasn't even ten-thirty yet. There was the sense of that optimism-pessimism loop that was prominent throughout the siege of Trost, where it wasn't clear whether hope or despair was more appropriate for the circumstances. Under the cover of the scouts' assault, Josh and Aline stumbled their way out of the line of fire, only to be startled when their friends suddenly appeared from over the edge of the wall. Albrecht, Elise, and the others almost looked like they'd seen a ghost. Christa took one look at Josh and her demeanor took another downturn. Without the interruption of Sergeant Iryna, there was no doubt she would've laid into him. Rather, it was a momentary reprieve during which he could brace himself for the berating to come. Even as she was wracked with worry over Ymir, Christa still possessed enough vigor to give him a verbal lashing. This, on top of what just happened with the Colossal titan.

"We're really drew the short end of the stick today," Josh sighed, daubing at the back of his head with a wet cloth. "That figures…"

"We shouldn't be surprised," Aline said. "When we had our last run in with a titan-shifter, things turned out pretty much the same for us. Only thing that's different is that we haven't been slaughtered yet. There's always a pile of corpses left in their wake."

"I don't remember much of what happened in Stohess."

"Yeah, but you saw the beginning and the end, so sleeping through the middle didn't hurt you at all."

"I remember seeing Giselle when I woke up, but I didn't see you. Heck, I don't actually recall you being with us when we rode there."

"That's because I wasn't supposed to be, strictly speaking. I tagged along with the convoy on my own," she admitted.

"So…where were you during the fight?"

"…I was around, trying to help out like everybody else." That was either the biggest understatement of her life or the most evasive lie. "Who do you think brought blondie to patch you up?"

"It seems like I always have to have one of you look after my dumb ass, huh?"

"You're not dumb, you just forget you've got a brain in there sometimes." She tapped on the top of his head with her pointer finger.

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, because that's totally different."

She half-laughed. "It'd help if you got some sense knocked into you instead of out for once." Come on, you need to tell him. Giselle is right; dancing around what happened is only going to make it worse the longer you keep it to yourself. How cowardly was she going to be about this? She was having normal conversations with him after several days without a single word between them, and she just side-stepped talking about Annie, even when he brought up Stohess. He deserved to know what happened. It'd be painful, but not telling him…if he were to find out later, it wouldn't matter why she kept quiet, their friendship would be irreparably damaged.

Nobody would blame her for taking on the Female titan; she did what she had to do. Most circumstances of that sort would earn people medals for valor. Given the collateral damage to the city, the stockade was probably more what the central government's tribunal had in mind. It was a miracle only Commander Erwin was being investigated. None of that mattered, nobody else's views or opinions of her actions. How he felt was her only concern. That was the worst part about seeing your loved ones go at each other, whoever came out on top, the relationship with the survivor wouldn't be the same.

Aline bit down lightly on her tongue. If she had to do it, it was better that she spoke her peace while they were by themselves. Have a little bit of courage for God's sake. "Josh, Listen, I—"

"You two!" Christa was about a dozen meters away, helping Sasha set down one of the wounded. No sooner had she laid the injured scout on the ground, then she stomped over in their direction. The others were powerless to slow her down. "I've rarely heard of people who so flagrantly try someone else's patience!"

"I suppose we've got this coming," Josh muttered.

"Rushing headlong into that situation with no regard for your own safety! I almost had a heart attack; I thought both of you would be vaporized!" Often times, the smallest ones were the most dangerous, and they'd never seen her so angry. "Kassy, I ought to smack you silly! And Aline, I figured you weren't so freaking careless!"

"If Mikasa didn't—"

"If Mikasa didn't, nothing! You could've easily been killed!"

Aline scrunched up her nose slightly. "Not to state the obvious, but that's an occupational hazard."

"That's why we always do things as a TEAM! We couldn't have lived through the last several battles doing otherwise! You want to put your deaths on my shoulders when I'm already having a really stressful day?!"

"I understand what you're saying, but taking them out before they tran—"

Christa brought her hand down on Aline's head in a chopping motion, cutting her off again. "Don't give me any excuses; I don't want to hear them!" You could practically see steam coming off of her, like a tea kettle that was ready to boil.

"I'm sorry that we worried you…" Josh said sheepishly.

She narrowed her eyes. "A simple sorry isn't going to improve my mood, Kassy. Look at how beat up you are!" She was two years younger than them, and easily the shortest member of their class. Being yelled at by a tiny child would incense most adults, but there was something about her that made people want to take heed. Charisma, maturity, the fact that she was as cute as a puppy and as feisty as a badger? Maybe it was all that and more. Maybe there was some genetic predisposition she held towards such behaviors, something in her blood? All one could say with certainty was that when Christa Lenz, or Historia Reiss rather, spoke, you listened and listened well. She was like a miniature mom: devoted, loving, and compassionate, but also wrathful, authoritative, and frightening at times.

"Christa…Historia," Elise put a hand on her shoulder. "I think you've made your point." If Josh and Aline weren't remorseful of their actions, they at least bore the expressions of shame.

"I don't want us to lose anyone else…I'm not going to allow it." A bold statement. She was without weapons and gear. As things stood, she was nearly helpless, a mere civilian. There was no way to provide combat support in the manner she'd become accustomed to these last few years. Helping others was what she was always meant to do, always supposedto do. A tender angel, a good girl, beloved by everyone.

Aline sighed and clasped her friend's hand. "We aren't going anywhere. If experience has taught me anything, it's that our little band is stubborn. We've been kicked around and beaten up plenty, and we're still here."

"Jansen isn't…"

"No, no he isn't," she said softly. Five weeks, was that really how much time had passed since then? Some days it felt like five years. Others, it felt like five days. It was weird, because you almost forgot he was gone until you turned around wanting to ask him something. Josh said something funny a couple of weeks ago, that he saw Jansen in every perverse situation, heard his voice in every sarcastic remark. People weren't immortal, but their presence seemed to linger a long time after they'd departed this world. Their essence might be felt in the places they once walked. Maybe that was the power of strong bonds on one's psyche, or maybe that's where ghost stories came from, who can say?

"Come on, get rid of the sad face, it hurts seeing you like that." Josh winced as he stood up. "I realize that I haven't always made things easy for you." Historia raised an eyebrow. "Okay, okay," he admitted, "I'm usually a pain in the ass. BUT, given how much you've taken care of me over the years, I should start taking care of myself a little more."

"A little?"

"A lot more, okay? So yeah, I'll quit with the gun-jumping. Can't be much of a novelist if I become a quadriplegic, can I?"

"You promise me, you'll really knock this crap off?"

"Swear to God."

"I'm going to hold you to that."

"Nadzieja, Reiss, I still need your assistance over here!" Iryna shouted.

Aline sighed. "Duty calls, eh?"

"Is there anything you two need?" Elise asked. "It might be a bit before we can look you over properly."

"Then…if you could get me a bandage and a shot of morphine, I'd greatly appreciate it."

Historia pulled out one of the aid pouches Sergeant Shevchenko had given to be distributed amongst the wounded. She thrust it into Aline's hand. "Get a pad and some gauze on his head, but only give him a bit of the morphine. If his pain is numbed entirely, he'll start running around again." She stared daggers at Josh. "Make sure he behaves himself while I'm busy. That goes for you too." Aline nodded. With that, the two girls trotted back to the group of wounded scouts.

Josh pulled off his jacket and rolled up one of his sleeves. "Now, how about you shoot me full of that miracle elixir? My everything is killing me."

"You're only getting half a syringe, remember that."

"Yeah, doctor's orders and all that," he grumbled. Although, he couldn't fault Christa…Historia for taking the precaution. "As long as this pounding in my head goes away, I can manage." Aline wiped his skin with a wet cloth and pushed the sharp metal a couple of centimeters in before pushing the plunger. As usual, the relief was nigh instantaneous. "I don't know what wounded soldiers did before scientists discovered morphine," Josh half-smiled.

"You're not getting high on this stuff, right?"

"God, I hope not. An opiate addiction is…" He trailed off. "What's Connie doing?" Josh pointed. Connie Springer was walking back and forth across the wall, twisting his head frantically.

Aline blinked. "Hey, cueball! Are you having a panic attack or something?!" Her voice must've startled him, as he momentarily stiffened like a birch rod. She called out to him again. "Connie, what's wrong?!"

Upon turning and seeing who was addressing him, he hurried over. On closer examination, Connie was pale, sweating, and wide-eyed. His lower jaw twitched in a manner befitting a frightened animal. "I can't find them anywhere," he said quietly.

"Can't find who?"

"Reiner and Bertolt, have you guys seen them?" He could see that Josh and Aline were confused by his question. "We have to find them, fast. Neither of them have their ODM gear, and with the Colossal and Armored titans running around, they'll be screwed if they're cut off. What if they've been wounded? What if they got eaten?!"

"Connie, Rei—"

"Please, we need to do something!" It'd all happened so fast. One moment they were safe and the next, the archenemy was in their midst. There were so many casualties already. Accounting for everyone was obviously a top priority, so why were they looking at him like he'd lost his mind?

I'm back! Four and Half Months being MIA, struggling with all the living nonsense, but Lord willing, I've endured! Thanks guys, so much for all of you who've kept talking to me in my absence and for being patient. I love y'all so much. This chapter ended up running pretty long, so I decided it was best to break it into two parts (the second of which I'll be uploading tomorrow or the day after, depending.) Anyway, I hope you're enjoying Season 3 of the show as much as I am. I can't wait to reach that point in this story (I better pick up the pace if I want to do that haha.) WIR SIND DIE JAEGER!