AN: Oi, it feels like every time I think I managed to pass the hardest chapter, another one rears its head. I'm sorry for making you guys wait this long, but I hope you enjoy this chapter.


Chapter 80: Advancement

Eren was getting really tired of waking up in the infirmary. In fact, he was sick of passing out altogether. He vaguely remembered a massive Titan and a lot of fire, but his short-term memory was still groggy. He hoped that things had settled down enough so he could get back to training with Annie. He'd kill for even half of her endurance.

To no one's surprise, he saw Mikasa sitting near his bed. She hadn't noticed him wake up, giving him a rare opportunity.

"Just once, can we trade places?" Eren snarked, catching her by surprise. "You be the one knocked out, and I'll be the one standing by your side."

The Asian turned to face him, giving him a glimpse of her reddened face. She had been crying recently. "Eren, thank God you're alright."

"It's not the worst thing that-OOMPH!" He was cut off by the girl practically crashing into him, embracing him tightly. "Mikasa, still recovering. Give me air, damn it!"

Embarrassed, Mikasa pulled away. "Sorry. I was just… I was worried about you."

"When are you not?" Seeing her hurt expression, he quickly retracted that statement. "Sorry. I'm a little on edge."

"I know." Carefully, she sat at the foot of his bed.

Eren sat up a bit, looking around. "Where's Armin?"

Before she could answer, the door slammed open to reveal the third member of the Shiganshina Trio, and he was very out of breath. "Sorry! Had to (huff) use the bathroom! (huff)"

Eren couldn't help but smirk a bit. "I wasn't going anywhere, Armin. You didn't have to run."

Armin all but collapsed into a nearby chair. "I know, but if you woke up, I didn't want to be called away before I could see you."

It felt good to be with his friends again. He needed some friendly faces after the hellish few days he had.

Of course, Mikasa had to ruin it by asking, "Eren, what happened? You've never disobeyed orders like that before. And the way you spoke to Commander Erwin-."

"I don't want to talk about it." Eren averted his eyes from her, his countenance darkening. With Annie confirming Rod's words, he couldn't let Armin and Mikasa know what he had done.

True to her nature, she refused to let it go. "No, Eren. We're not going to change the subject."

"Oh, for crying out loud. How long is it gonna take for you to stop acting like my mother?" Eren snapped suddenly.

Ever the peacemaker, Armin tried to mediate. "Eren, calm down. We're just worried about-"

"About me, right? You don't fuss over Jean like this. Or Sasha. Or Connie. Why is that, huh?" He narrowed his eyes suspiciously and promptly stood up, ignoring how wobbly his legs were. "You think I'm on the edge of my rope, don't you? That I'm just one bad day away from going completely crazy."

"Eren, please. We just want to—."

"You want. You want. You want. Do either of you give a damn about what I want? Of course not! If you actually cared about my well-being, you'd leave me alone and—!"

"Annie told me the truth!" Mikasa blurted out.

And just like that, any hope of avoiding the horrible conversation disintegrated into dust.

Eren found every possible word evading his grasp. She knew. And judging by Armin's sorrowful expression, he knew, too. There was no way out for him.

"I spoke to her," she went on. "She told me everything that happened to you when-."

"Don't!" The Shifter fell onto his knees, grabbing her wrist in a fit of desperation. He clung onto her tightly and said, "Don't say it, Mikasa. Please."

It broke Mikasa's heart to see him like this. Eren, the reckless, bull-headed soldier who swore to avenge his mother was now on his knees begging for her not to say another word. She wished she could honor his wishes, but they had to talk about this. There was no way around it. So, she carefully helped him up and placed him on the hospital bed. "Eren, it's not your fault," she said quietly.

"Please, stop," he pleaded, tears filling up in his eyes.

"Grisha forced you to become a Titan. It wasn't your choice."

Eren's fingers dug into Mikasa's wrist as if that would somehow stop her words. The most it could do was make her wince.

Armin moved to his side and gave his shoulder a firm grip. "You're not a monster, Eren. Anyone who says otherwise doesn't know you."

He was silent in response to his closest friends trying to reach him.

Perhaps now wasn't the best time to add to all this, but Mikasa knew that if she didn't tell him now, she would lose her nerve. "Annie also told us that… that when humans become Titan Shifters, they can only live for thirteen years." It was blunt, but there was no gentle way to break the news to him.

Eren's grip went limp, his eyes widening in shock. Rod failed to mention that little detail to him and Historia.

"That doesn't mean all hope is lost," Armin assured in an attempt to raise his spirits, even if it was a little. "There might be some avenue we haven't discovered yet, a way for you to live. We still have time."

"But until then, I'm a dead man walking," Eren said in a low tone. "So, this is the life my father doomed me to live."

"Eren, you have every right to hate him for what he's done to you," Mikasa stated. "If he was alive, I would-."

"You're wrong. Both of you are so wrong." At long last, Eren met their gazes. He looked like he was accepting his fate, and yet, he looked so defeated. "You don't understand. Yeah, there's a part of me that wants to rant and rave against my father. He forced me into this life. I should hate him, but do you know what the worst part about this whole thing is?" No going back now. "The one person I hate more than him is myself… because I'm grateful for what he did."

Mikasa and Armin were too stunned to respond to that declaration. They did not see that coming.

Without his friends able to speak, Eren continued. "It's because of him I've gotten as far as I did. He turned a helpless, stupid kid into a Titan Shifter that could do what he swore to do: kill every fucking Titan out there. No way in hell I could do that as long as I was just Eren Yeager. He gave me this power and it saved my life. How can I hate him for everything that he did for me? I'm thankful, Mikasa! I'm thankful I… I… killed my father."

With that, Eren turned away from the two in an attempt to avoid them at all costs. The tears were coming down faster despite his efforts to wipe them away. The truth of who he was, what he was, was crushing him into the ground and grinding him to pulp. This was the true Eren Yeager, a monster who was grateful for eating his own father.

Then, he felt a piece of fabric wrap around his neck. A familiar fabric. Slowly, his fingers traced the ratty, old scarf he wore all the years ago, the one that Mikasa had worn for so long. What the hell was going on?

Making sure the scarf was secure, Mikasa gently held Eren's hand, making sure he could see him. "Do you know why I kept this scarf all this time, Eren? It wasn't just a thoughtful gift for a girl who just lost her parents. To me, it was a reminder to keep moving forward and to be strong even during my darkest moments. You taught me that. I know you're hurting, and I know it's going to take a long time for you to come to terms with this, but I believe in you, Eren Yeager. I always have... and I always will."

Whatever dam kept his emotions at bay crumbled to pieces as he fell into Mikasa's embrace. He didn't deserve her or Armin, yet here they were, comforting a murderer like him. It gave him strength unlike anything he felt before, and when he found the words, he said brokenly, "I will never give up again. I swear."

That was one vow he would keep all the way to his final breath.


(Mitras)

The initial response to Historia's ascent to the throne was a mostly positive one, but she still had a long way to go. Flowery words could only get one so far, and because of her inexperience, the former Scout had an uphill battle ahead of her. Thankfully, the people that made her a queen had no intention of leaving her high and dry. She had two advisors to help her through this process: Darius Zackley and Carolyn Amsdale. Both had intricate knowledge of the populace as well as connections to nobility and the common man. Also, they could determine whether any of Historia's ambitions would be feasible. One such project wasn't exactly going the way she wanted.

"Setting up an orphanage would be a fantastic idea, but it's not doable right now," Zackley explained. "Financially, it wouldn't be much of a problem, but the food shortage is still hitting our country hard. If you want these children to be taken care of, we need to make sure that they CAN be taken care of."

"The nobles hoarded food for years," Historia pointed out, frowning. "That should be enough to get us started."

"But it's not enough to keep it going if we don't have a reliable and continuous supply of food," Carolyn explained. "Our best bet is to keep rationing until we can retake Wall Maria once and for all."

Every fiber of Historia's being wanted to protest this, but her advisors were correct. She had to conduct herself in a responsible and pragmatic way if she wanted to keep this country functional. That being said, she didn't want to be heartless either. "What we need is a temporary solution. Something that shows we are making a visible effort to help people."

"Well, seizing the stockpiles of food that the nobles hoarded is a great start," Carolyn told her. "I know that the people outside of the Interior are going to appreciate it, especially the Scouts. They are overdue for some good food."

"Speaking of which, I think we need to review what has been done to the military branches as of late," Zackley advised.

Seeing as how her orphanage idea would have to wait until further notice, Historia agreed with moving on.

First up on the chopping block was the Military Police. The safety of the civilians within the Walls were top priority. Without the threat of his family over his head anymore, Commander Nile was able to set up a task force of his most trusted officers to root out as much corruption as he could find. Carolyn Amsdale had supplied him a list of officers that she couldn't take to the courts but knew they were guilty as sin. Hitch Dreyse, of all people, was able to provide some valuable intel thanks to her penchant for picking up rumors and gossip when no one thought she was listening. With plenty of names at his disposal, Nile could remove the dirty officers out of his regiment one by one.

Unfortunately, there was a massive issue with this plan. With so many MPs being removed, there wouldn't be enough soldiers to uphold the law and keep peace and order within the Interior. Crime would escalate, the nature of humanity all too easy to predict in these circumstances. Thankfully, due to the over abundance of Garrison soldiers, Commander Pixis was able to deploy a contingent of troops to the Interior. He even sweetened the pot with the idea that if they excelled in their duties, they could become permanent Military Police officers instead of a temporary fixture. As much as Historia wished otherwise, this operation would take more than a few months before the Military Police were fully turned around.

Next up was the Garrison. Like she promised, Historia issued a decree banning drugs and alcohol for all soldiers, even those in the other regiments, that were on duty. Anyone breaking the new law would be immediately suspended pending a review. Depending on the circumstances, the soldier could either return to their post or be dishonorably discharged. Pixis was none too happy about losing his daily vice, but at least he had something more to look forward to in the evenings.

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder," he had reasoned.

However, not all soldiers were as amicable about it. About 40 percent of Garrison signed a petition stating that if Queen Historia did not render her new degree null and void, they would walk away in two days. She anticipated the backlash and wrote a letter that was to be read in front of the entire Garrison:

"To the foolish, lazy, incompetent soldiers who have decided to protest against sobriety while you stand guard against the clear and present dangers towards your country…

"Thank you for signing your names. You have been very helpful."

Needless to say, the majority of soldiers protesting grew very silent after that.

Then there was the Scout Regiment. Considering its crucial role in protecting and advancing humanity, this would be a tricky branch to reform. One decree that Historia passed was that any official or unofficial operations within or outside the Walls had to be run by her first. She had the final say. Any commander who doesn't comply with her, regardless of how effective the operation was, would be immediately relieved of duty, arrested, and put on trial. The punishment would vary depending on the circumstances, but the death penalty would be a viable option.

The other issue Historia wanted to focus on was the mental well-being of the soldiers within the Scout Regiment. If the near-mutiny in Dauper was any indication, it was clear that many of them were on the edge of losing it. Historia couldn't outright shut the branch down until she could build it back up properly. She might as well invite the Titans to Wall Rose for a gourmet feast. At the same time, if the Scouts were bombs ready to go off, it would be equally disastrous during the times where they are needed the most. For now, she would have to rely on the fourth branch to determine how best to handle the Scouts.

Speaking of, Historia opened a file that she had brought pertaining to the fourth branch. "I think it's time to select a commander for the Sun Guard."

"Sun Guard?" Carolyn repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Is that the name you're going with?"

"It's an idea I'm tossing around," Historia explained. "The name needs power behind it, something that exemplifies the purpose of the branch. Shining a light onto the military to protect our people."

"Very poetic," Zackey commented, "but we still have time to finalize the name. As for the commander of this branch, Nile Dok seems like an excellent choice."

The blonde shook her head almost immediately. "I need him in the Military Police. He's the only one I trust right now to weed out the corruption in that branch."

"Perhaps someone from the Scout Regiment would be a better candidate," Carolyn suggested. "After all, it is the branch in most need of proper oversight."

"I like where you're going, but it would have to be someone who's not only a high enough position to reveal the details lower ranked soldiers are not privy to, but someone who is willing to hold their former comrades accountable. They are incredibly loyal to each other."

A slight smile appeared on Zackley's face. "According to the report, there was an incident in Dauper Village not too long ago concerning the Scouts. If the statements hold any water, I think I know the right man for the job."


(Scout Regiment Headquarters; Levi's Office)

"You wanted to see me, Captain?"

Levi gestured to the seat in front of his desk. "Sit down, Eld."

Cautiously, the final member of Levi Squad followed his order. "What's going on?"

He let out a long-suffering sigh before briefing him on the situation. "Historia and her… advisors have been vetting candidates to see who could be the commander of her new military branch."

An uncomfortable thought occurred to him. "Captain, you're not among those names, are you?"

Despite his deadpan expression, Levi somehow managed to look amused. "If I was in the Top 100, I would stage another coup in protest."

That's when Eld put two and two together, and to say that he was flabbergasted would be a gross understatement. "Me? They want… me!?"

The captain responded with a silent nod.

"I-I-If this is about my injuries, Captain, I'm making a good recovery. I'll be fighting Titans in—."

"It's not about that," he interrupted. "Were it up to me, I would make you a Section Commander, but the queen wants someone she can depend on to enact the changes that need to happen." He held up his hand to prevent another stammering fest from his subordinate. "You stood by the 104th when Hanji and I failed to do so. While I'm not thrilled at how things went down in Dauper, you made the right call. When push came to shove, your loyalty wasn't towards the Scout Regiment; it was to humanity."

"Captain, that's a bit of an exaggeration. I just wanted you to grant the cadets some leniency due to the circumstances. Not to mention that it was Amsdale who went off the deep end that caused the commotion in the first place."

Levi shook his head. "Hindsight is 20/20, Eld. It's too easy to put all the blame on him. He was so desperate to prove he was a soldier, a man that could fix himself, that he destroyed himself in the process. Yeah, he was an insubordinate idiot that needed to be benched a long time ago, but it was Hanji and I that helped push him there. We crossed the line just as much as he did." Another sigh left his mouth. "Times are changing, and the military is changing with them. If the Scout Regiment is going to be under careful watch, I'd rather it be from someone I can trust with my life. Someone like you, Eld."

That was the highest praise Levi had ever given to anyone under his command. Eld felt like he was back when Levi first invited him into his squad. Nervous, anxiety-filled, desperate to prove his worth to a great man. Thankfully, he was far more mature now and he could contain his emotions. "I swear that I will make you and the Scout Regiment proud, Captain."

"And already you're failing your job," Levi deadpanned. "Your position is going to be against the regiment. If I have to kick your ass to prevent you from kissing mine, then I will."

For some reason, Eld was relieved to know that despite everything, this part of Levi hadn't changed. "Understood." Then, he decided to take a risk. "If I'm going to do this, I have one condition, sir."

"Name it."

"Let me join you in retaking Shiganshina. It's been a long time coming."

Pragmatism required Eld to stay behind in order to ensure his survival and success of the fourth branch. Today, pragmatism could take a walk off the roof. "Done. You'd better survive. I don't need to explain to the queen that I got her prized candidate killed." Levi held out his hand. "It's been an honor fighting alongside you, Eld."

Smiling, Eld shook his hand. "Same to you… Levi."

"Don't push it."

"Sorry, Captain."


(Mitras)

"Do you think he'll go for it?" Historia asked.

"Given the circumstances, there shouldn't be much of an issue," Zackley assured. "I have a couple of backup candidates in case he falls through."

Carolyn handed the queen a folder. "The Stohess Memorial is almost complete. All that's left is to carve everyone's name and transport it to Stohess. Afterwards, they'll begin on the Scout Regiment, though that'll take a lot more time to finish."

"Make sure Annie is one who carves out those names," Historia told them. "I don't want anyone else involved in the process." She took notice of two sheets of paper with the title: Appeasing the Public. "What's this?"

"Well, Annie isn't what you call a beloved figure within these Walls," Carolyn explained. "There are still a lot of people who want her head on a pike."

"We haven't officially pardoned her of her crimes," Zackley added. "If we did that, we'd risk the Interior rioting in the streets."

"So I came up with a way to deal with the issue permanently," she finished confidently.

Historia's eyes widened the more she read the script. "You're asking me to gamble with Annie's life? If this goes wrong, we either get her killed or risk another massacre."

"It's completely your call, Your Highness," Carolyn replied simply. "You can forget about the whole thing if you want, but I will say that some risks need to be taken to avoid future problems. If this goes well, you won't face controversy for allowing the Female Titan to live."

The queen pursed her lips as she mulled over her options. This was the kind of high-risk high-reward situation Erwin would do in a heartbeat. She was just starting off as queen and already, she would be betting on a lot of lucky breaks. It was sensible to disregard this plan and leave it at that. Deal with the populace's reaction as it comes around. But then again, like Carolyn said, there was one hell of a prize waiting at the end of this tunnel. The previous government used the Scouts' alliance with Annie to tarnish their reputation further. They fueled the flames. If she played her cards right, she could work with Annie without fearing an uprising from the people in response. Paradis could not survive another drastic revolution.

"I'll do it," she finally decided. "Two days from now. Let's hope I'm not making the biggest mistake of my life."


(Stohess; Two Days Later)

Standing on top of the Wall, the only things running through Annie's mind were how she committed so many atrocities in this District. Hundreds of lives lost by her own hand, many of them civilians. The damage done by her Titan form had yet to be fixed and she could still see the wrecked streets and demolished houses from that battle. What she had done gnawed at her soul and would do so for the rest of her limited life. While there was truly nothing that could be done to undo the damage she had wrought, today would at least allow her to make amends, even if they were insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

Today, she would seal the hole Elise made in Stohess's Wall a while back. This would allow the Scouts to finally answer the question that had been brought up thanks to Annie's actions in the Crystal Caverns: why did her hardening work then?


"It could take a lifetime to ponder the mysteries inside those caves," Hanji had stated, writing down several notes on a chalkboard, "but I think I know why your hardening worked."

Annie had been fiddling with a fragment of her crystal, pondering what had happened. "It shouldn't have worked. Once I left the body, it all should have crumbled."

"AH HA!"

The Shifter recoiled in her seat from Hanji's intense exclamation. Not to mention the fact that the grinning scientist was pointing the chalk at her like a dagger.

"Right there. You hit the nail on the head, Annie. We've been looking at this whole situation all wrong. It's not a question of why you couldn't do it before; it's why the Walls, which are made from similar material as your crystal, are still standing." She drew a cartoonish Titan along with a line to represent the Wall. In between the two, she drew an arrow pointing at the Titan. "Because, my diminutive Shifter, these Titans are still alive. In order for the hardening to remain permanent, the host must remain. Otherwise, complete and utter disintegration."

Annie was not impressed by the so-called revelation. "We already know this, Hanji."

"Not done!" The Section Commander cut her off swiftly. "Hardening seems to only operate as an outer shell, which is why it doesn't regenerate on its own. However, it is still a form of Titan skin, so what do you think is gonna happen if we… graft some new skin onto the wound so to speak?"

Now, the blonde was getting it, her eyes widening in shock. "How the hell could you have come up with that?"

"The crystal caves were not a natural formation," she answered. "Someone had to create them, and I bet it was a certain Titan Shifter king who did just that. Odds are that underneath all that crystal lies quite a few, immobilized Titans." There was an awkward pause between the two before Hanji quickly wrote, "Note to self: don't dig too deep."


Now was the time to finally test this theory. If Annie failed, then there would be no hope of ever reclaiming Wall Maria and putting an end to what she and the other Warriors have wrought. All eyes from the lowest civilian to the highest-ranked soldier would be watching her. No pressure.

Speaking of, the audience on top of the wall was quite plentiful. Her comrades from the 104th, even Historia, came to watch this happen. Eren looked more nervous than she did, which wasn't surprising. This would determine if he could ever drive out the Titans from Wall Maria for good. Naturally, Erwin and Hanji were watching her every move. Levi and Eld were down below alongside a contingent of MPs performing the important task of crowd control. After all, if something went wrong, Annie would rather not cause the deaths of more civilians.

"Are you ready, Annie?" Erwin asked.

Not in the slightest. Annie nodded back at him. "I'm ready."

Excited, Hanji fired a red flare into the sky to signal the start of the "mission."

A flick of her ring blade and a lightning strike later, the Female Titan rose again, standing tall on top of the Wall.

As always, this was the easy part. The awkward part would be reaching the hole. After hardening her fingers, she carefully began to climb down the Wall using the column, digging her fingers into it. The columns were the only areas where there was no danger of unleashing the Colossal Titans. That being said, every time she pulled her fingers out, pieces from the newly-created holes fell to the ground. At least the Scouts and the MPs had the foresight to keep their distance as well.

At around twenty meters, Annie came to a stop next to the hole. She couldn't help but stiffen when she noticed the eye of the Colossal Titan staring directly at her. One wrong move, and humanity could say goodbye to this world. Making sure her right hand was dug deep into the column, she stretched out her left arm.

A deep, low groan caused her to freeze in place. It could sense her. The thought of this mindless beast busting out of the Wall to feed on her made her move faster. Once she grasped the other end of the hole, she began crystallizing her hand all the way to the forearm. Then, she concentrated on the hole itself. Sure enough, the blue shell began to form over the opening until it was completely covered and the Colossal Titan could not be seen.

With a grunt, the Female Titan pulled hard enough to amputate the rest of her arm from the crystallized portion. Unfortunately, the sudden move dislodged her balance on the Wall. Her fingers popped out of the column and she found herself plummeting to the ground. There were only two words to sum up the situation she was in, and a majority of Stohess would hear it: "Oh, shit!"

The ground violently rumbled upon her landing, a deep crater forming as a result. Her head currently occupied a two-story house, but thankfully, that was the only victim from her fall. Well, unless she counted the screaming civilians running away in a panic, of course. Compared to all the injuries she had ever suffered as a Titan, Annie would rank this as a 3.5, maybe a 4. It was more humiliating than hurtful all things considered.

"Annie!" Sure enough, Armin had zoomed down to her location with Sasha and Jean right behind him. "Are you okay?"

With a grunt, she forced herself into a sitting position, removing the house debris from her face. "I'm fine. Falling won't… kill me." Thanks to practicing, it was getting easier to speak vocally in her Titan form. Since only a handful of Scouts were mentally linked, it was a necessary skill to get a handle on.

While the MPs were dealing with the frightened public, the rest of the soldiers eyed the crystal carefully. They were ready to move if things didn't go as planned. Ten seconds went by. Then twenty. Thirty. An entire minute. Not a speck of steam could be seen from the crystal. It worked!

Jean breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, Annie, looks like you've been hired as the official Wall Repairer."

The Female Titan rolled her eyes at that. "I should start charging you for my services."

On top of the Wall, the remaining group let out a cheer after the yellow flare was fired. Eren and Mikasa looked more relieved than anyone else, and Erwin had a massive smile on his face.

Hanji was bouncing in joy, unable to contain herself. "Yes! I knew it would work! Moblit, are you—?" She froze upon realizing that her assistant, her friend, was not around to share this momentous occasion with her.

Nifa had volunteered to take his place, not that it did much to fill the void. "Don't worry, Section Commander. I'm, uh, making sure that we've got everything documented," she said awkwardly.

"Right. Thank you," Hanji said quietly.

"Nile and Pixis will increase patrols around the area to make sure that hardening continues to stick," Erwin assured. "Until we find out otherwise, we now have a chance to reclaim Wall Maria from the Titans."

Historia, outfitted in her Scout uniform and ODM gear, glanced over at the other side of the Wall, seeing a caravan of soldiers approaching Stohess's gates. "Looks like it's time for the next part of the plan."

A project that had been in the works by the government since the Stohess Operation was constructing a memorial for all the lives that were lost, both civilians and soldiers. One would think that considering all the sacrifices the Scout Regiment had made since the beginning would have earned them their own memorial a long time ago. Of course, one would have to remember that the Interior was held in higher regard than the Scouts, so they got all the perks and recognition ahead of them. In any case, it was a gesture to show that the massacre in Stohess would never be forgotten.

Crafted in stone was a statue of a woman holding her son tightly as if to protect him from an unseen danger. The inspiration came from finding a woman buried underneath a broken house. When her body was moved, the soldiers found a seven-year old child barely clinging to life. She had sacrificed herself to give her son a chance to live. On the base of the statue was a platform with the names of everyone who died in the Stohess Operation. All 354 of them. It had taken Annie the full two days to carve those names out with a chisel. Grueling work, but it was completely necessary.

Once the civilians were somewhat contained, Levi approached the Female Titan. "Clean yourself up. The gate will be opening soon." His eyes darted towards the trio that leapt to her aid when she fell. "Congratulations. You three just volunteered for crowd controlling. I don't want any stragglers trying something stupid."

Armin, Jean, and Sasha weren't very enthusiastic about keeping a bunch of high-strung victims at bay, but orders were orders.

While Annie dusted herself off and removed any pieces of debris that were stuck to her, Armin hesitantly approached her. "Are you sure you're up for this?"

She decided to voice her thoughts mentally. Some things weren't meant for the public to know. "No. I hate this place so much, Armin. If I had my way, I would never have come back here." Her eyes drifted down to the blond. "I could ask you the same question. I know how much the operation… how much I affected you, too."

"It's not easy," Armin admitted. "I wasn't just fighting a Titan that day, Annie. I was fighting my friend." He shook his head, realizing where that train of thought was heading. "It's just a bad memory. It'll pass."

Outside of Dillon, Armin was the first person from the 104th to bridge the gap that Annie made. Hell, he outright apologized for the mistakes he made even when it was her fault any of this happened in the first place. The respect she had for him grew as a result. Maybe a reminder would help. "Well, one good thing came out of all this." She reached down and patted the top of his head with her index finger. "The timid mouse grew one hell of a spine."

Armin couldn't help but blush in slight embarrassment. "That's a bit of an exaggeration."

"I don't exaggerate. I wasn't the one who distracted a fourteen-meter, angry Titan long enough for Eren to transform. Or do I need to bring up the time when a certain blond stood right in front of a cannon and gave a dramatic speech about Eren's usefulness to humanity?"

By now, Armin's face was as red as a tomato. "I was really hoping you'd forgotten about that."

"Not a chance, Armin," Annie responded smugly. "Get some self-esteem. You've earned it."

While that conversation was going on, Sasha's ears picked up the sound of a rock rolling across the ground. She felt it come to a stop at her foot. Clearly, someone wanted her attention. She followed the path of where the rock was thrown until she found a piece of paper on the ground. Considering that it wasn't caked in dust, it had been dropped here recently. Curiosity got the best of her and she decided to read what was on it.

TO ANNIE LEONHART

EHRMICH DISTRICT

AMSDALE GUEST HOUSE

TONIGHT

COME ALONE!

Sasha looked around to see if the messenger was still around, but she found no trace of them. Logic dictated for her to immediately inform her superiors, but she decided to speak with Annie first through the mental link. "Annie, it's Sasha. Ah found a note with your name on it."

"Anybody we know?" she asked after Armin left.

"No idea, but they want ya to meet 'em alone at some house in Ehrmich tonight. Apparently, it's owned by Dillon's family. Sounds like a trap to me."

There was a moment of silence on the other end before Annie spoke again. "I know the place. I'll be there. Don't tell anyone about what you found."

"That sounds like a really bad idea," Sasha warned. "If it's someone holdin' a grudge against ya, or hell, maybe one of the Shifters-."

"I'll handle it, Sasha," she interrupted with annoyance clear in her tone. "If it ends up being dicey, I'll call for backup."

"Sasha, what are you doing?" Jean asked suddenly from behind. "The gate's about to open…" His voice trailed off when he saw the note in Sasha's hand. He couldn't make out all the words, but he got the gist of it. "Secret admirer?"

"Prob'ly not," Sasha answered, crumpling up the message and pocketing it. "Annie thinks she can handle it alone."

"And what do you think?" he asked.

She gave him a smirk. "Ah think she'll have a chaperone keep an eye on her. You in?"

Jean didn't even hesitate to answer. "Yeah, I'm in."

"No, you're out." The two practically jumped when they saw Annie leaning over one of the houses, staring down at them with a deadpan expression. "I said I'm doing this alone and I meant it. Don't follow me."

Then, Levi showed up to say, "Unless you two want latrine duty for the next week, get a move on."

"Y-Yes, sir," the duo stuttered.

On Erwin's order, the gates opened and allowed the caravan of soldiers to come through. They came to a stop once the statue was fully inside the District. It was about eight or nine meters tall, but it weighed hundreds of tons. With a grunt, the Female Titan lifted it above her head and began her long walk. It wasn't like carrying a gigantic boulder, but it was still pretty heavy.

As she carried the memorial towards the center of the District, Annie felt thousands of eyes looking straight at her. She could feel their hatred, their terror, and their sorrow, not that she blamed them. She was the scourge of Stohess, after all. Walking through these streets felt like trudging through hardening concrete. Each step was tougher than the last. At least her friends were nearby to provide much-needed moral support.

Images flashed through her mind of that damn day, and there was nothing she could do to stop them.

"Annie, please! Come down and let's talk! Prove we're wrong to accuse you!" Eren shouted his most desperate plea to her, but she refused to cave in no matter how much it hurt.

"Think about Dillon, Annie. You have the capacity to do the right thing!" If she had known Dillon had lived, Armin's words would have been enough to get her to back down.

"For now, at least, it looks like you won your bet, but I'm going to gamble, too, and here's my wager!" Deranged didn't even come close to describing her expression when she made that declaration.

"ANNIE!" And then, he showed up and made all the difference.

To her right, Annie could see the area where Dillon had confronted her. He put everything on the line (his secrets, his loyalty to humanity, and his own life) to stop her. Regardless of what happened between them later, she wouldn't have given that up for anything. Stohess was the end of a very dark chapter of her life and the start of a brand new beginning. Something good really did come from something bad.

Annie knew she reached the center of the District when she spotted the ruins of the Wall Worshippers' Church. Eren had punched her directly into that building, causing the deaths of most of the congregation within. She could still remember their terrified expressions looking up at her like she was some kind of demon. They weren't that far off. Carefully, she lowered the monument right where they marked the area. She even nudged it a little to the left to make sure it was properly centered. Despite every action she had taken up to this point, the silence remained. It was like Stohess itself was expecting something awful to happen. No one said a word, not even to protest the Female Titan walking through their streets once again. It unnerved her, but at least it was over and she could leave… or so she thought.

The silence was broken by the sound of ODM gear. She felt something land on her shoulder, prompting her to assume that Levi had come to collect her.

She assumed incorrectly.

"People of Stohess!" Historia called out. "I know your hearts are filled with so much grief that a mere stone will do little to wash it away. I know you seek justice for every man, woman, and child that died here because of Annie Leonhart, the Female Titan. She deserves nothing less than to be executed for her crimes against you. Today, I am offering the opportunity for justice to be served."

Annie stiffened when she felt the cold blade prick the back of her neck. Even the crowd gasped at the sudden movement. The instinct to protect herself was high, and yet, she didn't move a muscle. She had to trust that Historia had a plan.

The queen eyed the people carefully. Many were shocked, but some were elated at her offer. It was the reaction she expected. "However, before I kill her and avenge every name on that memorial, I shall explain the situation. Not only do the threat of the Titans remain, but there is an entire country of humans that want to see us all dead for the crime of existing. Even if you do not believe that such a country exists, you know that the Armored and Colossal Titans are still out there. It's because of them that Wall Maria is uninhabitable. It's because of them that Trost has been decimated. If we do not stop them, every single one of us will be wiped out, down to the last child.

"Annie Leonhart has been instrumental in thwarting their attempts. You may not have witnessed her actions personally, but you have heard testimonies from the Scout Regiment, the same regiment that she attacked in the 57th Expedition. It's because of her that I am alive to be your queen. We need her to live if we hope to survive. But if you demand justice for the crimes she committed against you, say the word, and she dies right here and now."

Okay, there was no question who wrote the script for Historia's grandiose speech. This had Carolyn's hand in it from beginning to end. Annie was impressed by Historia being willing to attempt such a plan. Of course, she hoped that she would survive long enough to be annoyed at not being warned this was gonna happen.

They waited patiently for someone to speak up or come forward. The ball was in the court of these people. And yet, they remained quiet. Out of fear of the Female Titan or fear of a future filled with more death, no one could really say. The streets were so silent that one could hear a pin drop from miles away.

Then, a woman with long, black hair stepped out from the crowd. The most notable feature about her was that she was quite pregnant, around eight months, it seemed. A man had tried to gently pull her back, but she refused his attempts. She was clearly afraid of the Female Titan, and yet, here she stood.

"My name is Claudia Auttenberg," she began in a clear voice. "My husband was in the Scout Regiment. His name was Jensen."

Annie felt a cold shiver course through her body. She knew that name all too well. She remembered his face. The one that begged her to let him go… and what she did to him. If Historia was true to her word, she was not gonna live to see another day.

Once she had everyone's attention, Claudia continued to speak. "Two months ago, I watched my husband leave me to conduct the 57th Expedition. He never came home. There wasn't even a body for me to bury." She rested her hand against her belly, tearing up. "My child will never know what a good man he was, how much compassion he had for others, not even what his smile looked like." Her brown eyes glared at Annie with the fires of hatred burning within them. "But he was nothing to you, wasn't he? Just another soldier for you to kill. You took my husband from me. Because of you, my child will grow up without their father!"

What the hell could Annie say to that? "Sorry I killed your husband?" Hell no. This woman had every right to hate her and with her pent-up emotions out there for all to see, the crowd would be swayed towards execution. Annie knew that if she ran right now, she'd be able to escape. That was the smart choice, but Annie didn't move a muscle. She owed it to Dillon, this woman, and especially Jensen to stay put no matter what.

Once she wiped away her tears, Claudia stated, "Nothing you say or do will ever change that. I will never forgive you for what you have done to me, to my family. I want you to die, Annie Leonhart. I want to watch you be torn apart limb from limb. I want you to be beaten and broken until there's nothing left but a husk. Only then will you pay for killing the man I loved." She let out a shaky exhale, the baby within her moving beneath her hand. It caused her to be choked up for a moment. "But… I can't lose my baby, too. I can't… I can't…"

The man from before, most likely a relative, rushed to her side. She began to weep in his arms, unable to contain her sorrow any longer.

Then, the ground rumbled slightly, catching the two off guard. Annie had knelt to their level and decided to speak to Claudia. "I remember his name. I remember his face. As long as I live, I'll never forget him."

"Please.. just go," she begged.

Nodding, the Female Titan rose to her full height. She turned to leave, but then she stopped. No matter how worthless the words seemed, she couldn't stop herself from saying them. "I'm so sorry."

No one else could bring themselves to step forward like Claudia did, but there seemed to be some sort of an understanding. Either that, or Annie was overanalyzing things too much. At least she could leave this place behind for good.

Historia remained on her shoulder, though she did put away her blade since no one ended up calling for Annie's death. Outwardly, she wore the mask of complete composure. Inwardly, she bombarded the mental link with, "I can't believe I almost got you killed. Annie, are you okay?"

"A little warning would have been nice," she admitted. "Carolyn had something to do with this, didn't she?"

"She believed that if we didn't address this now, there would have been problems down the road," Historia explained, sounding a bit sheepish. "It was my decision to go through with it, so I get it if you're mad at me."

"No, I get it. It was a good plan, and it allowed me to face the people I wronged, like Claudia." The Female Titan's eyes narrowed slightly. "Just don't tell Carolyn I said that."

"Why not?"

"Because I refuse to give that bitch the satisfaction."

Historia knew that there was a lot of bad blood between Carolyn and Annie, but she didn't press the matter. Until it became her problem, she would let things be.

On Annie's end, now that her job was complete, she could focus on this mystery meeting. She had an idea about who this person was, and if she was right, someone was going to get a beat down tonight.


(Ehrmich District; Evening)

Dark clouds masked the moon, leaving the District in darkness were it not for the torches that helped light the way to all travelers. The temperature was dropping and there was a cold chill in the air. That was one of the reasons why Annie donned a white hoodie for this occasion. The other was that she wanted to keep a low profile. The last thing she needed was for her mystery date to be scared off because people were announcing her presence to the world.

It didn't take long for her to reach the guest house, and she was not happy. This was the place where she and Dillon consummated their relationship. It should have been a fond memory but recent events put a sour note in the whole thing. The two of them were just not compatible with each other in the long run. It wasn't a coincidence this person chose this particular house for the meet. Every bone in Annie's body screamed that this was a trap. It could be one of the Warriors looking to capture or kill her. But just because her curiosity had won the day, she was going to be very careful about it.

Instead of going through the front door, Annie decided on a more subtle approach. She noticed that there were a couple of boys staying outside when they probably should have been in bed by now. Either that, or they were homeless. In either case, she just needed one. "Hey, kids, wanna earn some money?" she asked, approaching them.

One of the boys scampered off in a hurry, but the other one drew closer. "For what?"

"I'll give you three coins right now if you knock on that door for me and then run away," she explained, pulling out said coins from her wallet.

The kid crossed his arms and gave her a petulant look. "Make it five."

Brat. "Four. Take it or leave it."

The compromise was acceptable, for he took his fee. "Thanks."

"And next time, don't talk to strangers," Annie warned offhandedly. "You never know what kind of person you'll run into."

When the boy was in place, Annie snuck to the side window. She could hear movement inside the house, making it clear that it was only one person. Either that, or the others were sitting in chairs waiting for her. She nudged the window slightly and found it to be unlocked. Horrible security. Reiner and Bertholdt would have made sure all possible entrances and exits were covered. It was becoming more and more obvious who the identity of this person was.

The boy knocked on the door and then took off like a bat out of Hell. The person walked towards the door expectantly while Annie snuck through the window. The body shape made it clear that this person was, in fact, a woman. When she opened the door and found no one to be there, she muttered, "What the hell?" before closing it.

Once the door was closed and locked, Annie lunged at the woman, wrapping her arm around her neck. "You've got a lot of nerve showing your face, Ymir," she snarled.

Despite her oxygen being constricted, Ymir barked out a laugh. "Nice to see you, too, Annie." She grabbed a painting that was hanging on the wall and smashed it against her head.

Annie recoiled in pain just as Ymir kicked her into the table, dislodging the expensive dinnerware.

"Gotta say, after what you did to me, that felt good," Ymir commented.

"Good for you."

Annie threw a couple of plates at her before ramming her against the wall. Ymir wasn't much of a fighter, so Annie was free to give her a punch to the face that left one hell of a bruise behind. She, then, slammed her knee into her gut three times until she heard a satisfying crack. Ymir gasped from her ribs breaking, doubling over in agony. Annie finished things by using a high kick to send the brunette crashing into the fireplace.

With her opponent too weak to try anything except crawl, that's when Annie was confident enough to start talking. "Care to tell me why you're here, or do I get to drag your pathetic ass to the Scout Regiment?"

Once again, Ymir chuckled, grinning with blood-stained teeth. "Ruthless as ever, Annie."

"Not quite. You're still alive… for the moment. Start talking."

She crawled into one of the lounge chairs facing the blonde and collapsed into it. Steam emanated from her abdomen as the healing began. "It's about Dillon."

That got Annie's attention, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "What about him?"

"Hey, ease up on the evil glare, Shortstack. It's thanks to your boy toy that I even escaped from your buddies in the first place."

"So, he really did go after them," Annie said bitterly, "and you used the chaos to get away."

"It was Dillon's idea actually," Ymir pointed out. "He told me that all eyes would be on him the second he reached Shiganshina. If I wanted to get back to Historia, that would be the time to do it. I had a little tussle with some mule-faced Titan, but I got away."

Pieck. So, she's here, too. "And yet, you're hiding out in his guest house instead of rushing into Historia's arms," she responded. "Why?"

Her cocky attitude vanished, leaving behind an exhausted woman in her wake. "You have no idea how much I want to do just that, Annie. I want to hold that beautiful girl and tell her how proud I am of her. I want to run my fingers through that blonde hair of hers before I pressed my lips against hers. That would be a dream come true for me, but I know that if I did that, then I would never leave."

Annie raised an eyebrow, not expecting that response. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She heaved a sigh and explained further. "I overheard Zeke talking to someone that wasn't there. He could be delusional, but I think he was talking to another Psion. He seemed very interested in bringing Dillon to Marley."

That's when all the pieces formed into place, and Annie was mortified. "They're restarting Project Psion using Dillon as a template."

"Sounds about right. The Marleyans really want the edge over you guys." Once her ribs had healed, Ymir stood up and stretched. "Which is why yours truly is going to get him out of there."

The blonde shoved her back into the chair as hard as she could. "I don't have time for your games, Ymir. If this is some kind of angle—"

"It's not an angle, you blonde-haired bitch," Ymir interrupted, glaring at her. "I didn't have to come all this way to tell. I could have left you tossing and turning wondering whether your boyfriend was alive or dead."

"You're a self-serving piece of shit, Ymir," Annie fired back, getting right in her face. "You don't do anything unless it serves you. So, tell me, what the hell are you getting out of this?"

"I owe the bastard, okay!?" Ymir shouted before attempting to calm down. "Look, I'm not gonna pretend that we're buddies, Annie, but you, Eren, and Dillon are the best chances Historia has at surviving. It would be one thing if he was dead, but if they are using him to pump out more Psions, you guys don't stand a chance. Historia is going to die, or worse, be used as a baby factory for those dickheads." She let out a sigh. "I'm selfish, but I'm not heartless. I've never been able to cross that line no matter how hard I've tried. Hell, as misguided as it was, I felt sorry for Reiner and Bertholdt."

"Misguided is one way of putting it," Annie muttered.

"Look, you don't have to believe me. If I'm working against you, you'll be able to track me down and kill me. I don't have a chance against you. But until Reiner, Bertholdt and those other Shifters are dealt with, you're not in a position to storm Marley. I am. You've got three choices, Annie: kill me, turn me in, or let me go. Only one of those choices gives Dillon a chance to get out of there."

After everything Ymir had done, trusting her was a very difficult task. There were many unknowns concerning her, but there was one thing that remained constant: her devotion to Historia. Even if it was a twisted sense of logic, everything she had done was for that blonde. She would have burned the entire world for that woman if she believed it was necessary. Saving Dillon was all part of that devotion.

So, for the second time today, Annie made a big gamble. "Fine. If you're serious about bringing him home, then do it. But I swear, if you pull a double-cross—"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Titan chow by morning. I get it," Ymir finished before heading straight for the bedroom. "Now, I suggest you get back to the Scouts before they miss you. In the meantime, I'm gonna go sleep in the bed you banged Dillon in."

The blonde stared at her in disgust. "There's something seriously wrong with you."

The only response she received was her middle finger and the door slamming shut.

Massaging her forehead to ward off a migraine, Annie left the guest house and headed back for Karanes District. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't dwell on what Ymir had said regarding Dillon. The Scout Regiment was gearing up to retake Wall Maria. Annie would have to train harder than ever for when that day came. Failure wasn't an option.


AN: Everyone say goodbye to the Uprising Arc because WE. ARE. DONE! We are now officially into Season 3 Part 2: Return to Shiganshina. It was a long and painful ride for all of us, but we made it.

Before I discuss this chapter, I want to say that this arc lasted much longer than it should have, but it also was the one where I took the most risks. What happened concerning Dillon has been polarizing, to say the least, and I make no excuses for it. My hope is that if my comic reaches this point, I'll be able to cut out a good chunk of the angst and leave the important parts behind. Still, the biggest positive that made this arc worth it was the character development across the board. I had never had so much writing the canon characters in the six years I've written this story. The 104th, especially Historia and Sasha, have been a joy to develop. Levi and Hanji having to rethink the way they conduct things was absolutely critical. And even though he was a minor character at best, Erwin's talk with Historia is probably my favorite scene in the arc if we're just going by dialogue.

Now, then, let's discuss the chapter. Overall, this chapter was a hassle because I wanted to get everything done right. There were so many call backs to earlier chapters of my story that I've lost count. XD

Let's start with Eren. I was hesitant about including this scene because I wondered if you guys would strangle me for having a breakdown scene with another emotionally high-strung character. My goal was to have enough differences between the way Eren breaks down and the way Dillon breaks down so that they remain unique. And Mikasa giving Eren the scarf was literally something that popped into my head in the middle of writing the scene. It made me glad I had writer's block for this long. And yes, he'll be wearing it for a while.

So, there's really not much to say about Historia's scenes (Stohess scene not included), but it was to establish that needed the advisors that were with her. Of course, with those advisors being Zackley and Carolyn, I have a feeling some of you will not be thrilled. Historia needs the experience and those two were the best she got.

Not much to say about Eld's farewell except that this marks the end of the original Levi Squad. I think they had a very good run, and I was happy that Eld got the character development he did. I never expected that I would make him into such a badass, but sometimes, the story writes itself.

But now it's time to get to the meat of this massive sandwich of a chapter: Stohess. This was, by far, the toughest scene I had ever written. I had been going through scenario after scenario and nothing was coming up… until I decided that this would be a scene of closure. Originally, I was going to have the civilians start protesting and maybe throw things at Annie. Then, I remembered that Titans are still feared, so even the angriest civilian wouldn't do something so stupid… unless their name is Eren Yeager of course. Also, I don't know if you noticed, but Sasha, Jean, and Armin have now become their own trio in regards to supporting Annie. If you look at the previous chapters, you'll notice that it seems to always be these three.

The gamble Historia pulled was essentially to close the door on the crimes Annie had committed. No one is ever going to forget what she's done, but they have to let go and move forward if they hope to survive. Like it or not, the Female Titan is their ally.

But, by far, my favorite moment was the scene with Claudia Auttenberg, the widow of Jensen. First off, her first name is in reference to an OC belonging to a friend of mine. She's helped me with my story, and I can't thank her enough for her support. Secondly, I had been wanting to introduce this woman for a VERY long time, and the original plan was having Dillon approach her and apologize for failing to save her husband. But after all the angsty scenes with Dillon, it was scrapped. Having her confront the woman who murdered her husband, though? It was the perfect opportunity. Some of her speech was inspired by a movie I saw called The Laramie Project; specifically, the part where Claudia says she wants Annie to die. So I'm really happy at how the scene turned out.

Of course, we can't forget about Ymir coming back to the scene. Still as snarky and bitchy as ever, but damn it, we love her for it. Originally, I was gonna have her role be a secret, but I didn't want it to come out of nowhere. Best to set it up now and have it pay off later.

I usually don't do this because I never know how the next chapter is going to happen but I will say with 100 percent certainty: Dillon is returning to the story… with a vengeance. If any of you read that trailer I made back in Chapter 76, you know that it's about to hit the fan. And there is so much NONE of you will see coming that I know you'll enjoy.

I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, I look forward to your reviews, please consider contributing to my TV Tropes page, please consider sponsoring me to turn this story into a motion comic, and I'll see you all in the next one.