It was strange to see Elsie's old home in smithereens.

The roofs had been caved in, blood smeared on the brick buildings. Fires were raging in all directions, destroying anything in it's path. From the top of the wall Elsie gazed soberly at the stomach clenching sight. She could've prevented this.

"Get a move on, shithead!" Oluo bellowed as he zoomed past her, thick eyebrows pulled together in a look of disdain.

Elsie blinked and pushed off the interior of the wall, jumping from house to house to find a titan that still lingered within in the district. They were cleaning out the remainder of titans, a good dozen or two that had been locked inside, and it was tedious. The light training at the castle held nothing over the strain of killing titans for days on end. Her body screamed for a break but she powered on, intent to regain the squad's respect again.

Elsie fell to her left side, looking between the spaces of houses for a sign of a monster. She could see green cloaks darting up then back down and hear the zing of grapple hooks latching onto something. Nothing compared to the sound of a titan's corpse falling and shaking the world.

She found a small titan crouched in the Main Street, it's hands digging into the rubble of a store. No doubt it smelled a human body and was hoping to get a light snack. She quickly sliced into it's neck and landed over head, scowling as it fell. Killing titans was a sure way to release stress, though, and it was perfect for the emotional turmoil she was going through. Levi hadn't spoken to her since the caravan, in fact that last time she'd seen him was on top of Eren's steaming titan body. She hadn't recieved orders from him but Petra had found her and curtly told her to help clean out the district. The beauty couldn't meet Elsie's eyes and hurried off once she was done speaking.

Elsie was nervous for when Erwin calmed down enough to speak to her. He probably had a few things that he wanted to let out on her.

Elsie didn't stay long and did a perimeter check. After a while she noticed many green cloaks rising to the top of the wall and followed, breathlessly landing next to another group. She didn't recognize any of them but they quickly brought her in, inviting smiles and tired eyes.

"It's sad but can you believe it? A titan closed the wall!" A girl gushed, dirt on her cheeks.

"Now we train it to fight the others."

"Can you imagine a titan on titan fight?"

"Commander Smith!"

The soldiers eagerly saluted the older man who seemed to have sucked on a lemon. He stalked over the tracks, his ODM gear attached, and a very angry midget on his heels. Elsie gulped and decided that she should start walking. She turned and headed the opposite way, her palms sweating and heart in her throat. Why was it so hard to breathe all the sudden?

"Cadet!" A deep voice boomed behind her.

She winced and spun, saluting without looking. Elsie kept her gaze on the floor, her knees beginning to shake. Thick boots entered her line of sight and she took a stabilizing breath, finding the courage somewhere deep down to look up.

Erwin towered threateningly over her. Levi's gaze was unforgiving yet lacked the anger that radiated off of Erwin. She was on her own against them, there would be no Levi to back her up when Erwin leaped down her throat.

"Come." Erwin ordered, brushing past her.

She met Levi's unresponsive eyes before nodding and following. The walk was tense, her shoulders bunched, and running speeches through her head. What should she say? What was Erwin going to ask? They used their ODM gear to get down the wall and Erwin lead her down the bloodied streets. They came upon her old house, the gate having been crushed by a foot. The walls were barely holding up, the roof blasted, and her poor tulips were dead. Erwin opened the creaky door and they entered the dusty hallway, memories of Levi and tea and fighting on Saturday's flashing through her mind.

Levi slammed the door behind him and the house shook from his fury.

"Explain." Erwin said in a dry voice, coming to a stop in her kitchen.

Her voice was shaky with nerves, "Yes, I knew the attack would happen on the day of our expedition. I knew that the hole would be closed."

"Yet you did nothing to warn us?" Erwin encouraged her to go on.

"It had to happen, Commander. It had to happen for Eren to realize who he was." She whispered the last part, waiting for the pain in her throat. Nothing happened.

"You knew about Eren this entire time and didn't fucking tell us that people can turn into titans?" Levi scoffed, leaned against the wall in his staple position. "Why the fuck did we help you? If all we're going to do is learn things on our own then let's just leave you out. You're only holding us back."

Her eyes watered and she felt her lip quivering. So callous. So quick to cut her off.

Erwin said nothing and she realized that it was an open question.

"I-I thought that if you knew about the attack you would want to stay and prevent it. Eren needed to prove to the rest of the regiment that he wants to help and that he's not an enemy of the Crown. He has so much faith put into him after the other day, you'll need it when you use him in future plans. So much happens and I don't know if telling you will help or ruin everything. I'm so sorry for not telling you of the attack but this was necessary." She bowed her head at the end, out of breath.

The house was silent as the men thought.

"Tell us everything until your throat burns." Levi demanded.

"Eren is a titan. He can heal and turn on command but he needs to train, he doesn't know how to yet. Hange will do many experiments on him. Mikasa is valuable, she has a dark past, they both do with killing adults when they were children but it was for their protection."

"Tsk, I don't care about that shit. Who else is a titan?"

She shook her head, knowing she couldn't say it.

"How many?" Erwin asked.

"Fo-ur." Her throat burned and she clasped it, hunched over as the fire spread. She felt a pair of hands on her shoulders, holding her up.

"Four of them, shit. All in the graduation class." Erwin muttered somewhere in the distance. Elsie fought for consciousness, grabbing at the counter and wobbling to the side.

Her last thought was if she made it up to Levi.