(Greetings, Author here. Just a quick little introduction before this chapter. I cover A LOT of ground in this chapter, getting all the way up to just before Stohess. As such, a lot of character is skipped in favour of progress. So, there will be some changes in personality that don't make perfect sense now, because there changes happened off screen. This is actually the longest chapter yet, although that record may not last long. Anyway, next chapter will be very intense, because I'll be heading into Stohess, where there will be an absolute ton of things that happen. Anyway, until then, signing off ~ Cerily.)

The return into Trost was worse than they had thought it would be. Angel's primary mission, personal alongside military, was to protect Eren. He was not on the elite squad, nor was nearby Eren during the majority of his time in Trost. Eren's failure to control his Titan in the first half relegated him to killing titans around the area of his collapsed form, but afterwards Angel stayed behind to keep any titans from coming up the rear. After the breach was sealed, he left with the others.

Well, there was one more event after the breach was sealed, as the Survey Corps returned and secured the evacuation of the remaining soldiers. Angel had always had respect for the group. In a way, however, there were legends to him rather than reality. Facing them now, especially the legendary Levi Ackerman himself, was partly like a dream come true. Not that Angel got much time with the man, only a couple glances of him as he confronted Eren and his friends.

That was fine in Angel's mind. The less he was important the more ability he had to reveal himself at a crucial time and swing the tide.

So Angel kept himself hidden in Trost, and continued to learn of his power through his memories. Him and Annie avoided each other afterwards, neither wishing to begin a conversation with the other. Eren underwent a trial over his Titan powers, and ultimately was given to the Survey Corps. The trial itself further convinced Angel of the need to keep his own power secret. The 104th chose their military branch. Eren, Mikasa, Armin, and many others joined the Survey Corps. Annie joined the Military Police. Angel had just a moment of uncertainty as he signed up with the Corps.

And so his new life began. The dream he'd been thinking about for 3 years was fulfilled. There was a night of celebration, which was combined with a night of mourning. Many good men had been killed, but many others had lived. Two titans had been captured during the clearing of Trost, but they were killed one night, and a gear inspection showed nobody as a culprit. Very few gave it much thought, for the newest members of the Survey Corps had to prepare for the 57th Scouting Expedition.

The 57th Scouting Expedition was bound to be interesting.

Eren was a shifter. The general human populace was aware of the existence of such things. They did not understand what it meant, and neither did Eren, and so how could they hope to realize the danger this fact placed them in?

Angel often caught himself thinking like this. The more he delved into his memories and what he was, the more began to separate himself from the rest of the world around him. He seemed to grow less a part of the society of the walls, and more something else. Not that it was too important. There were larger things to concern himself with. He had begun to understand what being a Titan Shifter meant, and what his relation to it was. He saw his ancestors exploring their titans, back before the Great Traitor. He knew his father had never explored this deep into the past. The further Angel went, the more he wished to feel the power he kept seeing. He understood how to activate it, but to control and wield was something he didn't grasp from memories alone. To fully realize his potential, he'd have to gather experience with his Titan.

He had made another revelation inside his head. There were nine OTHERS. He was not one of them. What this meant, he would come to learn. For now, he focused on the mission.

The green cloaked troops were riding through the field.

"Black smoke. Not good. But we're moving towards the forest." His commanding officer said. They turned their horses.

"Something's wrong." Angel said, although as far as the eye could see nothing was very wrong looking. "I feel like something has gone horribly wrong."

The officer shrugged, "Knowing our luck? Probably."

The two continued to ride, unaware of the rampaging Female Titan in the distance.

"Hey," The officer said eventually, "Look at that."

Angel looked over, seeing the female titan far off in the distance. Within a minute, the dots had connected and he realized what was happening. "That's not good." He said, "This day just gets worse."

"We'll be in the woods soon enough." The officer noted. Angel did not speak again, focusing on thinking what Annie was doing. It was obvious she was making a move, but the question as to if it concerned him was what was prevalent. He didn't want to fight her. He still had not really come to understood his power like he wanted to. He still hadn't decided if he would embrace it.

If Angel was called to fight, he could not say if he would answer it.

The two men continued forth. They lost sight of the Female Titan, for the time being. Slightly before they entered the forest, Angel saw the Female Titan just about to vanish into the tree line as well. Annie noticed him, as they were a lot closer than before. It was evident she had been pulled off track by the errant movements of the formation and, perhaps, something else. But it was clear Annie recognized Angel, for she paused in her steps as she looked very specifically at him.

"Holy hell, into the woods boy that Titan has noticed us!" The Officer yelled.

Angel nodded, watching Annie as she stepped back and moved into the forest, diagonally moving away from Angel. It was evident she had no desire to fight either.

She had other targets, other purposes. Angel was too risky. He seemed to understand too much. Yet, she believed he wasn't something that had to be dealt with. The group would have to talk to Zeke to further plan for Angel, although Annie was still confused. She had not spoken of him to the others. In fact, when they had prompted her about him, she responded that it seemed to be that he was not aware of them, and that he had no powers. She was lying, of course.

They didn't need to know that, however. Annie was just going to avoid him, and if she did that she hoped he wouldn't interfere. She was worried, in all honesty, about fighting him anyway. For one, she wasn't certain if she could beat him. He was very skilled as a human, and perhaps more so as a Titan. As well, he just didn't match what she knew. There were nine titans, with defined powers. Zeke was already an anomaly. He was the only one of them to wield odd powers which were not normal.

Her Titan allowed her to sense danger, and other shifters. It wasn't 100% accurate, but generally she could feel out shifters given time. She also could feel potential threats to her, which generally happened to be shifters. Not only did Angel seem to have the SAME power, but he often seemed to cause her Threat Radar to go off, whatever that entitled. At times, while around him, she would suddenly feel a slight tingle, and this feeling that there was just something off about him. She had missed Eren with her Shifter Radar, but almost from the start it seemed to react to Angel, even before she noticed him. Standing in the crowds on the first day, she had felt this sense of danger, and narrowed it down to him. Over three years she watched him closely, voicing the feeling to her comrades here and there.

When they fought during hand to hand training, her instincts were screaming run. She hadn't understood it then, why this normal man posed such a threat, but in Trost the story unraveled and know she at least knew why she was afraid of him.

Even if she still hadn't come to terms with her...other emotions towards him.

And on the other side of the forest, after a while, where the recruits were standing on top of the tree's, they heard it. The unmistakable roar of Eren transforming into the monster which he hid inside. Mikasa seemed to stiffen at the noise, and then she was off, moving amongst the tree's with incredible skill.

Angel looked towards her as she went flying away. He sighed, standing from the spot he was sitting and leaning against a trunk. He quickly checked his gear, and leaped off the branch taking after her. He wasn't sure why he was going, but he really did know. Eren and Annie were fighting. One of the two would lose. One of the two would die. That wasn't ok. Something within him just said it. That wasn't ok.

He had to save them.

Annie bit Eren right out from his nape as Angel and Mikasa came into the area. The two saw it. Saw him not be bitten, but bit out. They both gave a minor sigh of relief at the sight. Mikasa because it meant Eren was alive, and Angel because it meant they both were alive. The Female Titan, as Mikasa knew it, glanced towards the two. The eyes of the monster didn't even seem to pass over her. Mikasa watched the large pupils focus in solely on the man beside her, and Mikasa noted the small display of fear, as the creature moved and turned away quickly, moving to run.

Mikasa also quickly let the detail drop from her mind as it came barreling back down to her that the monster was running away with Eren. Her Eren. Mikasa gave chase. Angel moved out beside her. Mikasa didn't expect him to be needed, but she was happy to have somebody else around to witness her full fury.

Then, out of the blue, Captain Levi, Humanity's Strongest Soldier, came spinning out of one pathway, and quickly joined the two other soldiers giving chase. Where once Angel would've marveled at the man, his current thoughts and desire to rescue Eren and prevent Annie's death stopped him from losing focus in the fact that Captain Levi himself was now here. Mikasa didn't care much either.

But Levi cared very much about this. That monster had taken down his squad. It had brutally murdered them, and he would make it feel pain as well. He would kill it.

"Maintain good distance." He said, "She's slowed down a bit. This fight will be round two. It looks like it bit Eren right in half. He's most likely dead."

"He's still alive in there. This titan is different, it acts with purpose. If it needed him dead, it'd have crushed him. But she needs her hands to fight, so she's holding him on her tongue." Mikasa countered.

"It is possible it just wanted to savour it's catch. In which case he's been swallowed."

"He's alive!"

Levi paused, "Someone's optimistic."

"If you had just done your damn job we wouldn't be having this conversation!"

Levi paused again, "I see. Childhood friend, right? Suddenly this makes sense." And then he turned to Angel, "And what are you here for? Erwin said something to me of a Military Police boy joining us. I presume that's you."

Angel looked at him, cold faced, "I was never Military Police, but I was good friends with somebody important there."

"Doesn't really matter to me. We have other issues at hand."

"We have to reclaim Eren!" Mikasa interjected.

"Right, for the sake of argument let's narrow our goals. First we forget about taking her down."

"No way!" Mikasa said, "She's taken down too many of our friends. She's dead."

"Her defenses are too powerful." Angel said, "It's best to secure Eren first, afterwards we can reassess."

Levi nodded, "It's a lost cause to attempt to kill her. We assume Eren is alive. We have to take him back before she exits the forest. I'll handle the cutting. You two find a way to distract her."

"Right." Mikasa said. Angel considered how he could handle this. He had to prevent Annie's death. But he also had to rescue Eren. So if Levi and Mikasa failed, he'd transform. No other option. However, he doubted Levi would fail. So in which case, he had to prevent him from killing Annie. If Levi gets the chance, Angel knew Levi will take it. He had to subtly sabotage this mission to prevent that.

But there was no time for thought. Levi was in action. The Female Titan spun around to confront him, but he whirled up it's arm and plunged his blades right into it's eyes, sending it reeling back as he plucked a fresh set of swords and resumed his attack, cutting left and right at its legs and arms, whirling around it like a spinning green ball of death that could not be stopped as he continued the vicious assault, cutting just one too many nerves and sending the Female Titan collapsing against a tree due to the legs being unable to support her weight anymore, and yet Levi continued to unleash his fury upon it as he whirled around and quickly came back, bringing his strikes cleanly through the flesh and up along whatever poor limb he targeted, and then finally the jaw of the brutally wounded creature was bought open with one long cut right underneath the mouth, revealing to the world Eren covered in some kind of...goo.

There had been no distraction needed, and the nape of the Titan was exposed to the three soldiers. This was it. Angel had to stop any attempt on her life. Mikasa moved down to attempt to swing across the nape and cut right through it. She messed up however, and Levi came in quickly, grabbing her off the creature and pulling her away, grabbing Eren and then shooting away.

"Alright. We're done. We get out of here now." Levi said.

"I'll stay here for a while Captain. Make sure it doesn't move your way, and if it starts chasing you I'll come warn you." Angel replied.

"You think you can outpace this thing?"

"It's tired. Without a doubt I can. We don't want to lose sight of it now. I'll catch up with the rest of the Corps before they head out." Levi looked at him.

"Alright. Don't stay very long." And then he was gone, taking Eren with him. Mikasa had a moment of uncertainty, debating her next action before she decided Eren was moving away from her and therefore took priority. The two were gone within instants. Angel stood atop a branch, looking down at Annie in her titan. Whatever her goal, she had failed. Angel could see the...tears.

He moved down, to stand atop her head. He felt no fear. There was some new thing that he was aware of. It was not a memory, exactly, but more like a new desire born from his thoughts. He wished for the thrill of the fight. The brief glimpses of battle he had been given today had only sought to invigorate him. He had not had the chance to fight today, not really. And that was pity, at least that was how he felt about it. He wasn't sure if Annie even noticed his presence.

"I see." Angel said aloud, atop her head, unsure why he was so...violent right now, "You have proven a very powerful opponent. The stamina and strength to make it all the way here, fight Eren, and survive an assault by Levi and Mikasa. I await my turn to test myself against you." His blades were put away, as he paced very lightly back and forth on top her head.

"I did not think you would be so mighty. I underestimated you. I am gladdened by it. You have out done yourself today, I say." Angel was trying to understand what this sudden...bloodlust he was overcome with was. "Soon, yes, very soon I think we shall meet in glorious combat. You have wounded my friends. Not only have you killed many, but you have tortured many more."

"I will kill you. But now, you are too weak now to pose a challenge. Get well soon, as the sooner you are strong once more the sooner I can find out what your true strength is." Angel stood tall and straight on top of it's head, "I hope you beat my expectations next time. Good bye,' Female' Titan."

Angel moved to leave, "I shall await our next meeting." Annie quivered slightly inside her titan. Angel left then, quickly flying away. Annie remained perched up against the tree. In time, she would be rescued. She just had to wait. But until then, she was left in fear.

Angel was different. He had revealed to her his true personality, as opposed to the supposed false friend he often had put on during other times she had known him. He was going to kill her. But he didn't want it to be an easy kill. He needed her to fight back. He alighted in the thrill of the fight, the chase and the capture. He wanted to be tested. He wanted to pit his strength against others. Which begged the question, if he was so willing to test himself, how strong was he?

And why, oh why, did Annie still have trouble believing he was going to kill her. He had admitted it. But yet still, a part of her hoped that wasn't really him. A part of her hoped there was something off within him. He had not mentioned her by name. No, she had referred to her solely with pronouns. Why? Was he playing another game? Or was he unaware of her real identity? Impossible. He knew of her. He admitted it during Trost. But he did not name her. He did not reveal her. Then again, he did not actually attack her here today. He let the other two attack, and then stayed behind to gloat as if that was his victory.

Had he identified her as this titan? He has to have figured it out. He had asked for...peace...before, but here he was threatening to kill her now. Was this all another part of his game to keep her guessing? Probably.

Annie would be rescued within a few minutes. And then, she would retreat into the darkness again, and plan her next move. Perhaps, it is time to tell the others of his power?

No. She pushed the thought out of her mind. If she told the others, they would act differently towards him. He would notice this change of demeanor and draw the conclusion. He had not said he knows of them, only her. Is it worth revealing the rest of us to him in order to let them know of him? I don't think so. We have two surprises, he has one.

With that decision made, she awaited her turn to be rescued. Little did she know, although she suspected they would, that the Survey Corps without Angel's help still determined the truth. Little did she know that Angel wasn't sure where this desire to fight Annie had come from, and that even as the Corps planned their next move he debated with himself if he really could transform and fight her, and why the prospect of facing another shifter made him so excited. Little did she know, the plan to bring her down was hatched even as she awaited rescue..

And little did she know, not a single man was sure of what would come next.