Chapter 5

When the Colossal Titan appears in front of them, the first ones to react are Eren and Aya. Eren says, "This is our chance!"

"You bet! We're not going go let it get away like last time!" Aya says.

Both of them are charging at the Colossal Titan, who raises his hand and slams at the cannons, Eren and Aya use their gears and jump out of the way.

"Seems like he's after the fixed cannons!" Aya observes.

"Let's see if we can do something rather than transform into a Titan and fight." Eren says as he attaches his gear to the titan and tries to slash it with the blades.

"But it is our chance. If we take it out here once and for all..." Both of them are running on top of his skin, but a shake causes them to fall as they swing around.

"Aya! Now's our chance!" The two of them swing their blades at the back neck, but just before they can do it, the Colossal Titan just releases a lot of smoke and disappears.

"He disappeared again!" Aya gasps.

"Damn it... so that Colossal Titan is just like us..." Eren tries to search for the person who might be at the scene, but no one is there, which means the titan must have escaped before they can spot him.

"Eren! Aya! Did you defeat it?" Thomas yells at the two of them.

"No! It was the same as five years ago... he appeared out of nowhere and vanished just as suddenly." Aya says.

After getting back onto the wall, Eren bows and says, "I'm sorry, I let him get away."

"Why are you apologizing?" Thomas asks. "The rest of us couldn't even move-"

"Hey, there's no time for discussion!" Connie says. "The wall's been breached. If we don't patch it fast, the Titans will get in like before!"

"What are you doing? The contingency plan for the Colossal Titan has already begun. Get to HQ! Anyone who made contact with it, don't forget to report." Samuel says.

"Yes. Best of luck to the advance team!" Connie says.

But deep down inside, Eren and Aya are angry that they didn't get Bertolt. But they have already expected it and they already have a plan to seal the gate.

A bell rings, signaling the danger. People panic, flooding the streets, rushing away from the oncoming danger. A little girl being carried over her father's shoulder drops her doll. She watches with tearful eyes as it is stomped on by the crowd.

"Keep all personal belongings to a minimum! Remain calm during the evacuation!"

Back at the Wall, Garrison soldiers are preparing for battle. "If they make it through, we'll relieve the tragedy that befell us five years ago! We stop the Titans here!"

Soldiers work the cannons and the commander yells, "Prepare to intercept!"

The cannons are shoot, and the Titans are hit. Then the others are charging at the titans as they prepare to fight.

At the HQ, a Garrison soldier is giving orders. "You trainees have all passed the final training exercise, and now are full-fledged soldiers. We expect great things from you!"

The group of seven are together, Armin's hands are shaking badly as he tries to fill up his canister from the gas pipes attached to the wall.

"Are you okay, Armin?" Peter asks.

"I-I'm fine. I'll get it soon enough." Armin replies. "B-but we're in a bad shape. We currently don't have the means to quickly patch an eight-meter hole...we never even managed to dig up that big rock near the front gate! Since we can't seal the hole, we have to abandon the town. It's only a matter of time before they breach Wall Rose! Besides, they can wipe out humanity whenever they want, anyway!"

"Armin! Calm down!" Eren says while grabbing his hand. "Things are different now. Humanity won't be defeated by Titans anymore!"

"I'm okay..." Armin takes deep breaths. "I'm alright."

As more Titans are breaching through the holes, everyone gathered in the HQ. "Just follow your training! Split into groups! Under the Garrison's orders, you will resupply combatants, relay orders, and kill Titans! Garrison intercept forces will form the vanguard!" The brown-haired man named Kitz Weilman says.

"Trainees, led by the supply team, will comprise the middle guard! The Garrison's elite force will form the rearguard. Also, messengers report that the advance team has been neutralized. The outer gate has been compromised, and Titans have entered the city. In other words, the Armored Titan may appear at any time to destroy the inner gate!"

The trainees are now terrified as Kitz continues, "As we speak, the vanguard is engaging them. We have but one objective in this fight: to defend Wall Rose with our lives until the evacuation is complete! Also, as you are all surely aware, desertion in the face of the enemy is punishable by death. Mark this well, and fight to your last dying breath! Dismissed!"

"Yes, sir!" As they all rush to fight, Jean grits his teeth, "Why today? As of tomorrow, I would've been in the Interior..."

Another trainee is throwing up as Christa is patting his back, "Are you okay?"

At the same time, Aya, Mikasa, and Peter are on a different team than Armin, Eren, Katrina, and Odom. Aya says, "Eren. When the fighting gets fierce, come find us."

"You and I are on different teams, are you sure?" Eren asks.

"Plans will fall apart in the chaos of battle." Mikasa says. "But we will protect you."

Before they can continue, the three of them are called to be moved to the rearguard. Before they leave, Aya says, "Eren...please don't die."

Eren smiles at her and says, "I promise. I'm not going to die."

Then the group, along with Thomas, Mina, Nic, and Milieus, are Squad 34, and they are now on top of the roofs of the buildings.

Katrina says, "Isn't this a great chance? If we're successful here, before even joining the Survey Corps, we'll definitely rise quickly through the ranks!"

"Yeah." Odom says. "And we can take back our home in no time."

"Just to say." They turn to see the others, Mina is the one speaking, "A lot of people want to join the Survey Corps this time around."

Thomas says, "You got the best of me earlier, but not anymore. Let's see who can kill more Titans."

Then they start to advance and support the vanguard, they start jumping on buildings and using their ODM gears to attack the titans.

"Look at all the Titans!" Mina gasps.

"The vanguards have been routed!" Thomas notes.

"What are they doing? After all of their boasting?" Nic asks.

Eren, Katrina, and Odom are the three who manage to get to the Titans first and an abnormal appears. "Dodge!"

But it is too late, Thomas is caught in his mouth and is swallowed inside, causing the others to gasp in shock.

"How dare you!" Eren, Katrina, and Odom charge as they try to kill the Titan, "We'll avenge Thomas!"

They manage to swiftly kill the titan that eats Thomas, but behind them, Mina, Nic, and Milieus are also grabbed by the other Titans. Armin can only watch in shock as he kneels.

"Damn it..." The three of them continue their killing spree as more and more Titans are being killed. But just as a Titan is about to reach Armin, Eren notices it and he yells, "No! Armin!"

"Eren!" Katrina yells, and Eren says, "I'm saving Armin! You guys can transform if you want, but I'm going to save him!"

As he charges at Armin, he starts to have a flashback.

(Flashback five years ago)

"Eren! Katrina! Peter! My grandpa was hiding this!" Armin shows the book. "A book about the outside world!"

"About the outside world?" Eren asks in confusion. "You aren't supposed to have that! The Military Police will arrest you."

"Forget about that...It says that the majority of the world is covered by a huge body of water called the "sea". Armin says. "And it's all saltwater!"

"I've heard about it, there is not only salt inside, there is also delicious meat as well." Peter says, "My dad told me that my ancestor used to live near it."

"And there are more! Flaming water, frozen earth, plains of sand, white as snow! I'm sure the outside world is many times bigger than the world inside the walls!"

"The outside world..." Katrina says, "It's amazing!"

(Flashback ends)

"Armin!" Eren yells as he manages to grab him before having it swallowed by the titan. Then he throws Armin outside the mouth, much to Armin's shock.

"Eren!" Armin yells.

"I can't die here..." Eren says. "Armin, you told me about the outside world. So...I'm going out there "

Just then, the titan closes his mouth, much to Armin's surprise. Katrina and Odom notice the scene and they can only gasp in shock. But fortunately, Eren uses the power of the Founding Titan and made the Titan spit him out, Katrina says, "Ew... you smell disgusting."

"I don't want to have a fight with you, Katrina." Eren checks Armin's heartbeat and says, "He's still alive. That's good. I just need to rewrite his memory a little."

"But if you use the power of the Founding now, won't the Warriors find out and come after you?" Odom asks.

"I make sure they won't be able to find out." Eren says, "And Armin will remember that I escaped the Titan instead of being eaten. Now all that's left is sealing the gate."

Then the three of them leave, and Connie manages to find Armin and wake him up.

"Armin, are you okay?" Connie asks. "Snap out of it!"

Armin opens his eyes and Connie asks, "Thank goodness you're awake. Where is your squad?"

"Squad?" Armin repeats.

"Come on, get a hold of yourself. Why are you alone?" Connie looks at this hand. "You're body feels kinda slimy. What in the world happened?"

Armin looks around and finds that even Katrina and Odom are gone, he starts to let out a scream. "I'm a dead weight! I should just die!"

"Hey, calm down, Armin!" Connie says. "Where's everyone?"

Ymir says, "That's enough, Connie. They're all dead. Minus this guy."

"Shut up! Armin hasn't said anything yet!" Connie says.

"Isn't it obvious from just looking around?" Ymir asks. "We don't have any more time to waste on him!"

"Why is Armin the only survivor?" Connie asks.

"Who knows? Maybe they thought he was a corpse." Ymir shrugs. "While I think it's unfortunate they ran into a swarm of Titans, the fact that Eren and the others died while this incompetent survived is ridiculous."

"Hey, you bitch. Want me to shut you up for good?" Connie yells.

"Stop! Both of you!" Christa says. "I'm sure we're all just shaken up. A bunch of our friends is suddenly dying, after all! It's only natural!"

"That's my Christa!" Ymir cheers, "Marry me once this operation is over!"

"Yeah." Connie says, "She is screwing around more than usual." He turns to Armin and says, "Anyway, we can't just sit around here. Can you stand, Armin?"

"Sorry for being a burden." Armin says. "I'll go join the rear guard."

"Armin!" Connie yells, but Armin already leaves and the squad is moving.

Armin looks around and mutters, "This is hell. Wait, that's nothing new. I just wasn't aware of it until now. The world has always been hell. The strong prey on the weak. It's so mercifully simple. But...my friends...sought the strength to live in this world. They saved a weakling like me. I couldn't bear that. To them, I'm just someone who needs protection. I wanted to be strong like them, so I could stand as their equal and survive in this world."

And here is another new chapter. The next chapter will be the backstory of Aya and Mikasa.