Yo, sorry for the delay, I'm thrilled people have followed this! Thanks :) and enjoy the chapter, keep in mind that I am going to be proofreading this until the next chap is up and little things may change here and there.

Enjoy :)

She took a deep breath, the smell of horse and hay flooding her senses. Her eyes were closed, spring sun comfortably warm on her face as the horse she was propped up against puffed a sigh, shifting its weight. The pressure of her mother's ring was cool and solid in her hands, in the distance she could hear the ever present, common, birdsong. It was a pretty normal day, but Mina felt right at home.

"Hey," the deep timbre of Jaun's voice startled her her finger catching the sharp edge of the ring. She hissed, eyes snapping open as she brought her bleeding finger to her lips. The ring was a gift from Rosa, who had gone to her old house for a sixteenth birthday gift. Mina shot a betrayed look at the man who chuckled at the glare. "Hey, you should be paying more attention to your surroundings. What if I had been a titan? You'd have been an early dinner!" He joked.

"Yeah ha-ha, except there's been no titans for years, so no early dinners for you, Mr. Titan." She stated somewhat irritably, her finger steaming slightly but the pain still sharp.

"Okay, okay, but you have a little blood right-" he pointed at his own lips just as the blood on Mina's started evaporating, she smirked, raising a brow. " - nevermind." He muttered dropping it. "So I haven't seen Rosa in a while.." He trailed, rubbing the back of his neck, cheeks going pink.

"Okay firstly, gross, she's still seventeen bud, secondly, she's up on wall Maria with Hikari, they've been heading up to check the structural stability, Ymir is thinking of knocking the whole thing down, build a new one, get employment up and expand for more farmland." Mina explained, "it's not like we need the walls anymore, but she's so paranoid. 'There's more, mark my words, they're laying in wait etc etc'" she strained her voice, imitating the Queen.

Jaun laughed but mussed his hair uncomfortably. "I'll never get used to hearing you use her name, or teasing her so openly." He muttered. "If I were to do that, she'd eat me!" He exclaimed and Mina waved him off, chuckling.

"Nah, Ymir's like a mom to me." She dismissed the fear, knowing the woman was just a massive softie, despite the front she put on when she took the throne. Mina was fourteen, Historia had been fighting an illness for the months leading up to the extermination of the titans, she never saw the momentous occasion, succumbing to the illness only a week before, leaving the throne to Ymir. Ymir had really stepped up after Historia's funeral, becoming a powerful ruler - if a bit harsh. "She wouldn't like the taste of you anyway, she hates horse."

He stuck his tongue out at her, but chuckled good-naturedly, tension dropping from his shoulders. For a long few moments they stood in comfortable silence, Mina allowing her eyes to drift shut again while the the rasping of Jaun's brush started up. Many days had seen similar activity, that day was no different. Mina resumed her previous task of grooming the horses while easy banter flowed between the two friends well until the sky was turning orange.

Looking out the other end of the stables Jaun grinned mischievously. Two uneasy women, each in military police uniform, were standing somewhat stiffly, looking bored. "They still not letting you walk around without your babysitters?" Jaun asked slyly, getting their attention while Mina looked a bit confused as to what he was getting at.

"Eh, no?" She answered, more a question than statement, turning to look back at the two military police assigned to watch her. She had been assigned guards at fourteen years old, when the real push to exterminate the Titans was at its peak and Hikari couldn't tend to her everyday - being survey corps herself. It was in the interest of security. She was suddenly jerked out of her thoughts by a powerful force pulling her down, buckling over. Jaun was holding her in a headlock.

"Oh no! The powerful Mina Leonhardt! She's going to kill us all! With all the power of a twelve year old!" He roared loudly over her undignified shrieking, her small fists digging into his ribs harmlessly. "Oh whatever will humanity do!?" He mock-wailed, the horse beside them rearing it's head up at the disturbance. The two military police looked mildly annoyed, both scowling at the display. Mina had already heard them complain about having her as an assignment, she really wasn't a threat, having the strength of a child; and she never did anything interesting according to them.

"Knock it off!" She shrieked angrily, stumbling back and falling over as he suddenly let her go. She glared up at him from the ground, the horse staring down at her and nudging her with it's nose. "Only the horses appreciate me, a swear to the goddesses." She muttered grumpily as she stood, a gentle hand on the horse's neck, petting its soft nose to calm herself. Jaun opened his mouth to say something else but Mina cut him off. "I'll tell Ymir on you!" She threatened and his face drained, grin falling.

She smirked, petting the horse one last time before turning with a self-satisfied grin and heading out of the stable, the military police following her while she ignored Jaun's frantic cry of "you aren't really going to tell her!? Are you?"

The ride home was peaceful, she still occasionally got startled looks from passing townspeople, but a lot of people didn't even know what she looked like anymore - or rather, what her mom looked like. Ymir had explained that Annie was before their time, but it still saddened Mina that a person, even one as infamous as her mother could be forgotten so quickly. She wondered how long it would be before people forgot Mikasa, who had died some months earlier, or even Historia, possibly the greatest ruler the kingdom had ever seen.

Thoughts turning morbid, she began wondering how Ymir was feeling, watching all of these people she once knew, even her soulmate, die, all while she was stuck, unaging. One by one her companions, friends, leaving her. Would it be like losing her mother all over again? Could Mina even comprehend the feeling? She still didn't know if she would stop aging, but if she did, would she one day have to watch her own friends die? Her thoughts immediately went to Rosa, she felt a sharp ache in her chest at the thought of anything happening to the other girl.

She thought on the two guards beside her. She hadn't really ever spoken to them, or interacted with them much, but she still found herself wondering if she would outlive them - two solid presences in her life for the last three years. She slowed her horse, prompting them to shoot a look at each other in confusion, but she pressed on, ashamed that in all this time, she had yet to speak to these two women. "You've both been assigned to me for three years of my life, and I have yet to ask your names." She explained to them while the one eyed her suspiciously.

They were both quite fair, both blonde, though one had brown eyes and one had grey. Despite the similarities though, it was quite obvious that there was no relation, one of the two had sharp, angled features, a grizzly scar dominating the left side of her face, her eyes were deep-set and overall her face was somewhat gaunt. The second, while being shorter and lighter built, had full sunny features, hair tinged with a hint of red with a small amount of freckles.

"Erika Dreyse." The smaller of the two obliged, to Mina's right. She seemed comfortable, confident, but regarded Mina carefully.

The suspicious one took a moment, eyeing both Mina and her partner, Erika, with a narrowed gaze. "Erwin Franzer." Her answer was clipped, cold and short.

'Erwin.' Mina surmised, the name ringing a bell but taking a moment to come to her. 'Like commander Erwin, the man Mikasa took over from.' Looking the hardy woman over, Mina thought that the name suited her.

While Erwin looked experienced and well into her fifties, Erika was baby-faced and unscarred, young and in a safe line of work, but still mortal. She found herself looking at the sunny faced woman and wondering if she would see her die, if she would outlive her. Shaking her head, she dispelled the dark thoughts, wondering what brought the negativity on. She still had a couple of hours, she could go see Ymir, perhaps the queen could provide some insight into her turbulent thoughts.

Turning the horse to change paths, the two behind her had to act quickly to catch the turn too, but they knew Mina wasn't trying to escape, she would go on foot if that were the case. Riding along the street, Mina looked up to the grand sight that was the castle. It was as impressive as ever, a home away from home in recent years as Ymir's duties kept her bound to palace grounds.

She wasn't even a step inside the main doors when she was suddenly spinning, Ymir holding her tight. "There's my girl!" The Queen rasped and Mina breathed a happy sigh, Ymir was her second mother, and unashamed about it, putting her down Ymir was grinning bigger than most people in her court had probably ever seen her do. Mina could see a couple of new guards gaping at the sight but Ymir didn't care at all. "I haven't seen you in what? A month? You're still so tiny!" The woman teased. Mina was five foot. She really wasn't too bad, and she still had time to grow.

Ymir really hadn't changed much in the last three years, she was still solid, eyes narrowed and intimidating but with a constant underlying sadness, dark circles around them. Losing sleep Mina assumed, at least that's what Mina had to blame for her own fatigue recently. She took the Queen's hand smiling up at her with more meaning than before, dropping it after to turn to a more formal-like tone.

"We should go to the study, I need your experience." She explained and Ymir nodded.

"Of course, I've retired from court for the day, you have me for the rest of your time." Ymir stated while leading the way, Mina only a step behind. "So what do you need?" She asked, opening the door to the study and letting Mina in, the two military police waiting outside as they often did when Mina visited Ymir.

"Well my thoughts came to a morbid place today, I began thinking about mortality and aging, and what may be in store for me in the future, Ymir, you're the only one who I can talk to about this. Will I stop aging too? Like you?" Mina asked, taking a seat in a reading chair. Ymir sat heavily in a chair opposite, fingers on her chin in thought.

"Right to the point eh? For full breed titans, everyone stops aging at different times of their lives - specifically when they transform into their titan for the first time, I was nineteen I think, if Historia had taken her family's serum she would have been stopped at fifteen. Annie was sixteen I think, although I could be wrong, I didn't know her very well. I'm still not sure you have a titan form, after all this time there's been no sign of it, even when you've had plenty of incentive."

Mina thought back to the first time she encountered a titan, feeling it's rolling hot breath on her as she ran for her life, the stench worming its way into her very skin so that even now she remembered it. She cringed, remembering when Rosa had been attacked by a rabid dog at the SC headquarters, even then there had been no transformation, and Mina had been scared for her life. She sighed, partly in relief, partly in sadness.

"You'll get there if you want it, sometimes it comes only at a life or death moment." Ymir assured and Mina sighed, because being chased around by a titan wasn't life threatening enough? Did she want it though? Was that her problem? "Don't get discouraged, you're still a child, it'll happen."

"And what if I don't want it to happen?" Mina countered though the question was legitimate. Ymir let her gaze drop.

"Then I wouldn't blame you. This life is long and hard. It would be selfish of me to wish it onto you too." Mina smiled despite herself, looking at her mother figure carefully.

"Ymir you are selfish." She retorted and it brought a smile to the older woman's face.

"Right then I'd be very sad, because I want you to stay with me." Ymir admitted with a chuckle but Mina could only offer a small smile. Ymir may have been lighthearted about it, but Mina knew just how deep the words ran. "Oh, I meant to ask you;" she suddenly changed the subject, Mina looking up at her questioningly. "I've been restless lately, losing sleep - more so than usual. Moments of panic for no reason. Have you felt anything similar?" She asked and the younger frowned.

"You think it may have something to do with our titan blood?" Ymir's unwavering gaze was all the answer she needed. "My sleeping's been off, and on occasion I've broken into a cold sweat for no reason. And just last week I looked at the walls and felt the urge to run."

Ymir looked troubled at the revelation. "The running - it's from your mother, in your blood. But, I think something's happening, something big, I just can't figure out what."

"With the titans?"

"I know you think they're all gone, but especially now, I don't believe it." She stated, standing and heading to her desk beside the study's only window. Mina watched as she grabbed some paper and began writing furiously. "I'm sending a letter to Hikari, I want her troops on the wall until this feeling passes."

"You want her on the wall for a feeling?" Mina asked, confusion written all over her tone.

"She's always believed me - she thought the victory was too easy. She's been waiting for something like this." Ymir muttered just loud enough for Mina to be able to hear it.

Mina sighed, there was no point in arguing with the older woman.

"Okay, Okay. I'd better get going then, thanks for the time, Mir." The older woman paused in her writing then, looking back to see Mina standing up. She looked saddened for a moment, but turned back to her work in determination.

"Stay safe, Mina." She responded and Mina smiled, leaving the woman to her new business. She stepped out of the study and looked at each of her guards in turn, both seemed pale, they had overheard - that much was obvious.

"Erm," Erika started, the first time she had initiated any sort of conversation. Mina looked to her curiously. "Is it true? Are the titans coming back?" She boldly asked, the older woman beside her looking annoyed at the question.

"I'm not sure. I hope not." Mina replied, heading to the entrance hall with the two right on her heels.

"You've met one, right? A titan I mean?" She asked, again boldly, Erwin sighing now.

"When I was a child. It tried to eat me." Erika shuddered at the thought, but Erwin seemed mildly interested now.

"You're a titan are you not? Your mother was one." The grizzly woman spoke for the first time, startling Mina slightly.

"My mom was one, yeah, I never saw it though. As for me, I've never been able to trigger a transformation, not even when a five meter titan was trying to kill me." She explained.

"Maybe your transformation needs another kind of trigger." Erika interjected. Mina was about to dismiss this, but gave pause. It was an interesting thought.

"You want me to transform?" She asked the freckled girl.

"I've never seen a titan in the flesh, I was just a recruit when they were eradicated." She explained and both Mina and Erwin grew solemn.

"You don't want to see one." Erwin grunted, Mina nodding in agreement. She looked at the grump of a woman in a newfound appreciation - she had probably even killed a titan before, something Mina doubted she could ever do.

Once they were outside they mounted their horses normally and began home in a leisurely trot, they had lapsed into silence again but Mina knew both MP's were thankful for it.. Or at least Erwin was, nothing seemed to really bother Erika much - hell, she seemed to have already forgotten about the discussion she had overheard.

They were on the street leading to where Mina was kept when they ran into another Military Police, a high rank if the two beside her were anything to go by - both scrambling to salute once they had dismounted their horses. Mina got off her own somewhat curiously, she had never seen this man before.

"You two," he was barking. "You're being re-stationed for tonight, up on the walls." He ordered while both kept their rigid salute. "Get the prisoner inside and head to your new posts." And with that he turned and headed back to his business.

The two seemed just as confused as Mina about this development, but led her inside and into her cell. While before Mina would have turned away immediately, she lingered, somehow this time seemed different. She felt like she owed them something.

"Good luck." Was what she said, the words tasted weird and unnatural, but they seemed to appreciate it. Maybe this felt off to them too.

/

It was nearing midnight when Mina was jolted awake into a state of confusion. She hadn't had a nightmare, her cell looked the same as always, her mother's hoodie draped over the end of her bed, half a dozen books on her desk and the dim light of the window above just illuminating the cell enough so that she could see that there was nothing out of place.

But panic gripped her, her stomach churning so that she was sure she was going to be sick. Something was wrong, so very wrong. She got out of bed, pulling the hoodie over her head and shrugging on her mother's old jacket, heading over to the end of the cell to grip the cool bars.

She ended up pacing, for hours it seemed, restless and agitated for what seemed like no reason. Her skin felt itchy and hot, but it wasn't until she heard an inhuman shriek, one that shook the earth so that dust sailed down from the cell's ceiling, that she knew her restlessness and agitation had validation.

She was stuck, stuck when the cries and screams of people started, stuck when the crumbling of buildings and tremors in the earth had her struggling to stay upright, even when a mass of flesh struck the building she was in, tearing down half the walls until Mina could see the disappearing stars up above.

But Mina wasn't looking at the stars, but rather the face of an eerily familiar creature, it's twisted smile unsettling and fear inducing, it's lifeless eyes wide in an echo of hunger. The rubble around it obscured Mina's view to the street beyond, but what she could see was the corpses of people she vaguely recognised, and blood.

The titans were back.