AN: After four long months, we've finally started this blasted arc. Sorry to keep you waiting yet again. I swear I'm trying to give you guys quality content whenever I post.

As a reminder, this story has a TV Tropes page that is in desperate need of attention. I hope some of you will consider updating it.

Hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 84: Homeward Bound

Darkness fell upon the Scout Regiment once they reached the mountainous terrain of Wall Maria. It was a treacherous path to go on horseback, so the Scouts went on foot, carefully guiding their steeds by the reins. The entire trip was nothing short of tense with the soldiers' anxiety rising with every second. A Titan could show up at any moment, or worse, one of the Warriors. While the new lanterns allowed visibility in the dark, they also made the Scout Regiment one big target. Right now, the only advantage was that the Warriors didn't know when they were coming. Considering there were only three of them, possibly four, patrolling the area would be treacherous for even the most seasoned soldier.

"How much further?" Levi asked in a low voice.

Nanaba looked at the map, scrutinizing the details. "Once we're past this terrain, it'll be a straight shot to Shiganshina."

In the middle of the cavalry were the 104th cadets talking in low voices.

"I feel like something is gonna jump out at us," Hannah said with a shiver.

"I'm not too crazy about the atmosphere either," Connie added. "What if we run into the Titans that walk at night?"

"There's no moon," Jean reminded them. "There's no source of light that would let them be active. We're off the hook on that front."

"Not from Titan Shifters," Armin pointed out. "I doubt they have the same restrictions. Right, Annie?"

"Right," she answered simply.

Jean threw the blondes an annoyed expression. "Gee, thanks, guys. Just what we needed tonight."

"I've only seen the Armored Titan once," Franz said after a moment. "Scariest son of a bitch I've ever seen. And now, we're going up against three of them."

"We're ready for them this time," Eren stated with assurance. "No matter what they throw at us, we'll bring them down once and for all."

"Just don't get reckless," Mikasa urged. "You're their biggest target."

The Shifter grumbled under his breath about her overprotective nature, but she was right. While Annie had the power to fix the Walls, Eren was the one with the Coordinate. He wished there was a way for him to access those abilities again, but for now, he had to make do with the Attack Titan's strength. At least he and Annie had a plan for dealing with Reiner if it came to it.

Mikasa's eyes drifted over to Annie and noticed that she was deep in thought. "What's on your mind, Annie?"

She didn't answer for a moment, trying to choose her words carefully. "I told our superiors this, but Reiner, Bertholdt, and Zeke may not be the only ones we'll be facing."

Eren's eyes widened. "There's another one?"

Annie nodded. "Pieck Finger, also known as the Cart Titan. She's got the face of a mule, but she's damn fast on all fours. We used her to transport supplies as well as scouting the enemy's position."

"You think Zeke brought her here?" Armin asked, concerned.

"If he did, then she's probably watching us at this very second."

That statement caused Hannah's shivers to intensify. "B-But if that's the case, then she could ambush us right now!"

"Keep it down!" Hanji whispered harshly, getting involved in the conversation. "The last thing we need is for the Scouts to start panicking. You need to keep it together, Diament. We need you in this fight. Understand?"

"Yes, ma'am," she answered with an enthusiastic nod.

"We have several contingencies in case we get ambushed," the Section Commander added. "Just follow our orders when the time comes."

While Hannah was calming down thanks to Franz, Annie returned to her thoughts. The closer she got to Shiganshina, the sicker she felt. She was just as responsible for the massacre as Reiner and Bertholdt were. After all, she led the Titans straight to the District. She had passed out from exerting so much of herself, so she didn't witness the carnage. Now, she would be face to face with the first act of senseless destruction she wrought.

"Annie, you're trembling," Armin noticed. "Are you alright?"

Putting on the cold mask like it was an old friend, she answered stoically, "I'm fine."

Armin wasn't convinced. "If this is about—."

"Drop it, Armin," Annie interrupted in a clipped tone. "Not now." She didn't like snubbing him like that, but she had no choice. She had to focus on her job. Then they could talk about it.

By the time the mountainous terrain had been conquered, there was a faint glimmer of light in the sky. It wouldn't be long before the Titans were roused from their… slumber? Hibernation? Immobilization? Even Annie wasn't sure what to call it. In light of this, Erwin ordered all Scouts to mount steeds and dash towards Shiganshina at full speed. The atmosphere was still tense among the Scouts, but there was excitement, too. If this operation was a success, then they could return to Wall Maria for good.

Naturally, Eren, Mikasa, and Armin were filled with the most trepidation. Even though this was the moment they've always dreamed of, the memories of that wretched day weighed heavily on their minds.

It was the first time Armin had ever witnessed death firsthand. Seeing innocent people crushed by the falling debris thanks to the Colossal Titan's kick was terrifying enough. Then he saw the Titans. Gigantic, grinning monsters that would eat every human they could get their hands on. He was thankful that he had his grandfather to support him during that time, but he was also thankful that he could be there for his friends.

For Mikasa, it was yet another grim reminder about how unfair and brutal the world could be. A year prior, her parents were murdered by human traffickers, but she was taken in by the Yeager family. Just when she started getting used to the idea of having a family again, it was torn away from her. Even with all her abnormal strength, she couldn't save the kindest woman she ever met. Eren and Armin were the only family she had left in this world, and she would give up everything to keep them safe.

Rage and regret were the most prominent feelings Eren felt the closer they drew to Shiganshina. The Titans had kept them caged for over 100 years, trapping them within the Walls. Humanity was a prisoner in its own world. He had always wanted to join the Scouts and kill as many Titans as he could, but they made it painfully personal when they took his mother from him. What hurt even more than her death was that he never apologized for being such a brat to her. He couldn't even remember if he told her how much he loved her that day. The ungrateful child lived while the innocent mother perished.

The trio had lost so much five years ago, but now, as dawn approached, the Walls of Shiganshina were on the horizon. So much has changed since then. The weak, frightened children grew up into battle-hardened soldiers. A Titan Shifter once on the side of the enemy was now giving her all to dispel the threat of the Titans. Most importantly, the Scout Regiment was united more than ever. The Warriors had no chance of stopping them now.

"All soldiers, switch to ODM gear!" Erwin commanded.

One by one, all one hundred and fifty Scouts took the skies. Half of them would be patrolling Shiganshina for any signs of Titans. The other half would keep an eye on the rear in case the Shifters launched a surprise attack from behind. The new Levi Squad, which consisted of the 104th Cadets, and Hanji Squad would be protecting Annie as she made her way to seal the Wall.

Eren thought he was ready to see his hometown after so long. He thought wrong as the sight of Shiganshina froze him in his tracks. A District that was once thriving with life was reduced to ruins. Eren could remember every street he walked down, every adult that told his parents how much of a loud-mouthed twerp he was, and every kid he picked a fight with (which was nearly all of them). Above all else, he remembered every second he spent trying to save his mother and failing miserably.

"Hey!" Levi's shout snapped him out of it. "Stay focused!"

Keeping his mouth shut, Eren nodded and grappled into the city. The Scouts were taking every precaution to hide Eren's location. Hoods raised to prevent identification, not referring to Eren by name, and assigning Eren to a random patrol. As long as he remained focused, the enemy would be kept in the dark a little while longer.

Of course, it was quite difficult to remain focused when he saw an abnormality on the Wall that was not there before. "What the hell is that!?"

It was impossible to miss the crystalized Titan hand protruding from the Wall. There were miniscule gaps between the crystal and the Wall that indicated this was used to seal an opening. Since there were no Colossal Titans walking around, the patch job was successful. Given its shape, Annie quickly figured out that this was Zeke's handiwork, no pun intended. What didn't make sense was how the Wall was broken in the first place. None of the Warriors were stupid enough to risk unleashing the Colossal Titans inside. After all, that's what they were sent here to prevent. So, who—?

"I'm heading straight for Shiganshina to put an end to the Shifters there."

The words in Dillon's letter echoed in Annie's mind, her eyes widening in horror. She knew that he was losing it. Hell, that was one of the biggest reasons she broke up with him, but this? Was he so desperate that he was willing to risk the entire world if it meant bringing down the Warriors?

As terrifying as that theory sounded, Annie couldn't bring herself to dwell on it. She had a Wall to fix up. To think that she would be fixing the very thing that she helped cause. The irony was not lost on her. Once she reached the hole that the Colossal Titan made, she decided to take a leaf out of Eren's book and bite down on her hand hard enough to draw blood. By the time she reached the base of the Wall, she was fully transformed and already hardening her body. It took about ten seconds before the crystal reached her nape. Her human body exited the Female Titan in the nick of time, gasping for breath.

Mikasa zipped downwards and landed on the crystalized shoulder, looking concerned. "You alright?"

Annie nodded, rubbing her face where the marks were. "Stings like a bitch, but I'm fine." She looked at her attire and noticed something missing. "Shit. My cloak's stuck in there."

Heaving a sigh, the Asian took hers off and handed it to her. "Don't say I never did anything for you."

"Thanks."

On top of the Wall, Hanji and her team were scouring the area, anticipating a sudden attack. When a few seconds had passed with nothing happening, she called out to the Scouts. "How does the Wall look?"

The Scout on the outside Shiganshina answered, "Looks good from over here!"

"Other side is sealed up, too," another Scout answered.

The two shot green flares into the sky, indicating that the first half of the operation was complete.

"One down, one to go," Hanji declared once Mikasa and Annie rejoined the Scouts. "Good job, Annie. Let's keep going."

As the Scouts started running back to the other hole, Annie was deep in thought the whole time.

Levi took notice and got her attention in his typical, crude way. "What's with that constipated look on your face?"

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Annie answered, "I can't figure out what Zeke is planning. That bastard is a tactical genius, thinking three steps ahead."

"If he hasn't started the attack by now, then sealing the Wall was part of his plan," Mikasa realized. "Annie, you know the Beast Titan better than any of us. How does he conduct operations?"

"By using everything he has at his disposal at the right time," she explained. "Before the Warrior Unit was sent here, we conducted smaller operations under Zeke's command. There were always two outcomes: extraction or annihilation. With extraction, he would use himself, Reiner, and Bertholdt to distract the enemy, while Pieck, Marcel, and I would attempt to retrieve the target."

"Kinda like you did during the 57th Expedition," Hanji noted, joining in on the conversation.

"Something like that," Annie agreed, "but back then, you were all scattered. Here, we're together in roughly one place."

"What about annihilation?" Levi asked. "I assume that would entail leaving no survivors."

"Zeke always told us that when the enemy has nowhere to run, annihilation is guaranteed. But this area is too open with plenty of ways to escape. There's also the fact that he wants Eren alive." Annie felt like she was missing something critical. An army of mindless Titans would be useless since the Scouts could easily climb to the top of the Walls. That being said, the horses would be vulnerable to getting squashed by Zeke's throwing skills the same way as Utgard Castle.

And then, it dawned on her. This whole time, she assumed that Zeke would choose one goal over the other. However, there was a simple way to guarantee that both outcomes could happen, and she just gave it to him. "Oh, my God," Annie said, eyes wide with horror. "We just boxed ourselves in!"

While all this was going on, Armin, with Erwin's permission, was investigating an unusual sight. There were soot marks on top of the inner Wall, indicating a campfire. He zoomed down to the ground and found a trio of mugs, which confirmed the Warriors were just here. Unfortunately, there was another worrisome detail he noticed, leading to him getting back to Erwin as fast as he could.

"What did you find?" Erwin asked.

"Three empty cups near the spot where I found the marks," Armin answered. "There's no question about it: at least three people were camping here last night."

"Looks like we'll be seeing the Beast Titan after all," Nanaba summed up, glancing at her friend. "Ready for a rematch?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Gelgar responded, a grim look on his face.

Erwin decided to stamp out that particular fire before it could escalate. "Set aside your personal vengeance. We don't have the luxury for that. You stick to the plan and follow my lead. Understood?"

Properly chastised, the two answered, "Yes, sir."

"Um, there's more to it, Commander," Armin piped up anxiously.

Erwin nodded at the cadet. "Continue, Arlert."

"I found a cooking pot as well, but it was completely cool to the touch. Sir, the campfire hasn't been used for at least an hour."

That got the leadership's attention.

"They knew we were coming?" Gelgar asked in a worried tone. "How?"

"Pieck Finger, the fourth Titan Shifter," Erwin explained. "Leonhart spoke of her scouting capabilities and her speed."

"Yeah, she mentioned her last night," Armin added.

"Zeke must have sent her on nightly patrols to ensure that he would receive an advanced warning of our arrival. That means he's had ample time to prepare for us."

"Armin, get a message to Erwin!" Annie suddenly shouted through the mental link.

The poor blond stumbled backwards with a yelp. "A-Annie?"

Erwin raised his eyebrows briefly, but he was able to put two and two together. "I assume she has something she wants to say?"

After a moment, Armin relayed the message. "The Beast Titan is planning on using the sealed Wall to box us in. All he has to do is take out our horses and we'll be trapped. After that, all he has to do is wait."

"Just like Utgard Castle," Gelgar remembered, an anxious look on his face.

"It's a sound strategy," Erwin complemented. "Starving us out, waiting until we're at our weakest to snatch Eren. Unfortunately, as long as the Shifters remain hidden, there's nothing we can do for now. We'll have to deal with whatever comes our way. Tell Annie to stay the course."

While Armin was sending the message, Nanaba spoke up. "Sir, I can take charge of the horses and see if I can get them out of the line of fire."

"Do what you can," Erwin replied with a nod.

"Yes, sir." Nanaba grappled towards the village right outside Shiganshina.

Erwin, then, turned back to Armin. "You have a terrific mind, Armin. It has saved us and humanity many times. I know that I can count on you now more than ever."

The cadet was taken aback. "Commander?"

Erwin signaled a squad of Scouts to approach them. "There's a good chance they are watching us as we speak, meaning at least one of them is hiding near the inner Wall. Find them and draw them out." Once the soldiers were in position, he declared, "As of now, you will obey Armin Arlert's commands. He'll tell you how to proceed."

The squad understandably hesitated at that command. However, they were trained to follow orders, so they chorused, "Yes, sir!"

Armin wanted nothing more than to shrivel out of existence. What was the commander thinking, putting him in charge of Scouts? He wasn't a leader; hell, he wasn't even sixteen yet!

"We've searched the perimeter of the Walls and found nothing," one of the Scouts stated.

"What are your orders, sir?" another Scout pressed.

Now that he was put on the spot, Armin spoke the first thing that came to mind. "Uh, we need to send a group to each side of the Wall. Check for areas near the gates, especially the houses. You find anything suspicious, fire off an acoustic flare. Does that… work for you?"

"Understood!" The Scouts dispersed within a matter of seconds.

"Poor kid was about to wet himself," Gelgar said once Armin was out of earshot. "You think he can handle the pressure?"

"Arlert's proven himself," Erwin assured. "He is one of our greatest weapons. I know that he will make a fine commander one day."

"Hopefully, we'll be around to see it," the Section Commander responded.

Armin knew he was running out of time. In a few minutes, Annie would arrive to seal the other gate. By then, the trap will have been sprung and they would be stuck on the defensive. The only way they could gain an advantage was to draw them out of hiding. But where were they? Searching the houses was proving to be a fruitless endeavor. The only place they didn't search was inside the Walls themselves and that would be… ludicrous…

Without hesitation, Armin fired off an acoustic flare, signaling the soldiers to rally to his position.

"What is it, Arlert?" one of the Scouts asked once he got close enough. "Did you find them?"

"Everyone, scour the Walls!" Armin commanded, his voice showing no sign of nervousness like before.

"But we already did that," another Scout protested. "There's nowhere to hide on the Walls."

"Check inside the Wall themselves!"

That statement caught everyone off guard, including Erwin Smith himself.

Armin went on. "Look for a small cavity, someplace where a person could hide out in."

"How do you know this thing even exists?" yet another Scout questioned.

"...it's a hunch."

Frustrated, the Scout grabbed Armin by the shoulders, shaking him. "Damn it, we don't have time to waste following your hunches!"

Gelgar moved to rebuke the soldier, but Erwin held him back subtly. He wanted to see how this would play out.

"Think about it for a second," Armin shot back. "The enemy always gets the better of us by using Titan powers or tactics we can't even fathom. If we don't think outside the box against the Warriors, we're as good as dead!"

Erwin shot a red flare into the air, signaling the others to halt their position. He was convinced. "There are times to be strict and times to be flexible. Follow the chain of command and keep yourselves focused on victory."

Armin felt more empowered than ever and didn't waste a single second. "Form two groups again and check the surface of the Walls. Start above the gate. Quickly!"

"Yes, sir!" The Scouts dispersed to do what was ordered.

Before Armin could join them, Gelgar patted his shoulder. "Not bad, kid."

"Thanks, Section Commander," he replied before zipping away.

A good distance away, Annie's group came to a halt on top of the Wall. Even Eren had joined them so he could see what was going on.

"What's going on?" Connie asked.

Jean looked through the spyglass to examine the other Scouts. "They're scaling the Walls and… tapping it with their blades. It's like they're looking for something."

"Let me see that." Annie took the spyglass from him to perform her own examination. After a moment, a smile slowly creased her face. "Armin, you magnificent bastard."

That got Eren's attention. "What? What did he do?"

"Did it ever occur to you people why we targeted the gates in the first place?" Annie asked. "The gates are the only spots where there are no Titans lurking. Otherwise, the entire world would have been doomed five years ago. What better hiding place than inside the one part of the Wall where there are no Titans?"

Upon hearing this, Levi readied his blades. If Armin was correct, then he would need to act fast.

After about five minutes of tapping the Walls, the soldier to the left of Armin felt an audible clunk. He quickly fired an acoustic flare, yelling, "Over here! This part of the Wall is hollow!"

Eyes narrowing, Levi charged straight towards that area. Things were about to escalate.

And escalate they did because Reiner Braun pulled open his hiding spot and stabbed the Scout through the chest. The man was dead long before he hit the ground.

"REINER!" Armin screamed, ready to take on his former friend.

Reiner didn't get a chance to react because Levi dove straight down and impaled the Shifter straight through the neck. But Levi was just getting started. He ran down the Wall, detached the blade in Reiner's neck, and plunged another blade into his chest. Those things would kill a normal being, but Reiner was not normal. He was still gasping for breath when Levi let him fall.

"Shit!" the captain swore. "What are these guys made of?"

His body contorting in agony, Reiner screamed his loudest before a lightning bolt descended upon him.

"Stay on the alert!" Erwin ordered. "We still have to find the other Warriors before they-!"

He was cut off by another explosion, this one coming from behind. The commander could only watch as a row of flashing lights appeared across the landscape. Once the smoke cleared, the Beast Titan was standing tall. On each side of him was a wall of Titans stretching from one end to another. It was just as Annie said: they were boxed in. To make matters worse, Zeke picked up a boulder and lobbed it straight at them.

"Incoming boulder! Brace yourselves!" Erwin shouted.

The boulder struck right at the opening in the inner Wall. Aside from scaring the hell out of the horses and Scouts alike, no one was injured. However, the damage was done. The entrance was completely caved in, meaning no one could take refuge in the District. Even from afar, Erwin could see the malicious grin of the Beast Titan. He was taking pleasure in the fact that the Scout Regiment was trapped. Erwin would not be deterred by this.

"Strengthen your resolve, men!" he commanded. "The fate of the world hangs in the balance. Do not falter or we will lose everything we hold dear!"

The majority of the Scout Regiment formed up on top of the Wall. Most of them were wracked with nerves, but they refused to buckle.

In the distance, Erwin caught a glimpse of the final Titan Shifter herself. She was unique among the others for many reasons, and it wasn't just because she had a stretch-out face like a mule. Unlike nearly all the Titans, she was on all-fours like an animal. The machine on her back, however, was the biggest draw of all. It looked like some sort of canon, but Erwin couldn't quite make out what it was. His gut told him that she was going to cause problems for them.

"He's going to climb," Annie warned, flicking out her blade.

Sure enough, the Armored Titan was on his feet and running straight for the Wall. He grabbed on the column, digging his fingers inside for a better grip. Once he was secure, Reiner began his ascent.

"What's his goal?" Sasha asked, confused by Reiner's actions. "It doesn't make sense."

"He's going to target the horses," Levi answered. "Ensure that no matter what happens, we all die."

At the same time, the Beast Titan let out a tremendous roar and slammed his fist into the ground. The smaller Titans within the pack charged straight for the village.

"We've got multiple 3 and 4 metered Titans heading this way!" Hanji pointed out.

At this moment, Erwin made his decision. "Nanaba Squad and Gelgar Squad, form up on Klaus Squad. Protect the horses and kill every Titan that comes close to them! Levi Squad and Hanji Squad, take down the Armored Titan. Use the thunder spears however you see fit!" As the soldiers were falling out, Erwin looked Annie dead in the eyes. "Annie… you're up."

Nodding the blonde leapt off the Wall. There were several ways she could attack Reiner. Descending on top of him would be amusing, but there was a good chance she wouldn't dislodge him. Clinging onto his back could work, though it would take too long and he might just knock her off him. In light of that, she gained a bit of distance from the Armored Titan and came at him at a curved angle, slicing her fingers once she was close enough. The momentum of her position carried her through even during the transformation. By the time the Female Titan was fully formed, she body-slammed Reiner so hard, he was pried off the Wall. The two Titans fell to the ground, creating impressive craters upon landing.

"Impressive," Levi complemented as he prepared to join his squad.

"Hold on, Levi," Erwin interrupted. "I need you here."

The captain looked almost insulted by that order. "You're saying I'm going to protect the horses over Eren?"

"I'm saying that I'll be counting on you to take down the Beast Titan," the commander explained, pointing his blade at the ape. "The minute you see an opening, I want you to take it."

It didn't take long for Levi to see his point. "If you insist. I may have dropped the ball with the Armored Titan, but I'll make up for it by taking the Beast Titan's head."

The cadets were hanging off the side of the Wall, watching the entire thing going down with awe.

"I am so glad she's on our side," Connie commented.

"We may not even have to use our thunder spears," Jean hoped.

"I wouldn't count on it," Armin said. "If Zeke is half the man Annie described him as, he'll have a countermeasure for her, too. We've only just started."

Eren would've made a comment about how much he hated being backup, but he saw a random splash coming from the canal. "What the hell?"

"Eren, what's wrong?" Mikasa asked, concerned.

"The water. Did you see that?" he wondered. "There was some sort of movement down there."

"It's probably from the debris," Connie told him. "What, do you think Marley is employing sea monsters now?" He chuckled, but then his expression turned to anxiety. "Oh, God, please don't tell me they have sea monsters on their side."

"That's a bit of a stretch, Connie," Sasha said with a roll of her eyes.

"Let's focus on Reiner. We need to move the second Annie gives us the signal," Jean stated. "The anticipation is killing me, but we have no choice."

Annie was the first one on her feet with Reiner right behind her. She smirked at the sight of his slightly-dented face, but his regeneration cleared it up quickly. As per usual, she took her fighting stance.

"Annie, don't forget to stay away from the Walls," Armin advised mentally. "Bertholdt could launch a surprise attack like he did last time."

"Got it, Armin," she replied, backing up. "If he detaches any armored pieces, I'll-."

Suddenly, a sharp pain hit her mind hard, causing her to cry out in pain. On instinct, the Female Titan held her head as the mother of all migraines appeared. The Armored Titan decided to charge her right then and there. Thankfully, she was able to jump out of the way, but it was sloppy. She crashed stomach-first into a house, crushing it completely.

"What the hell was that?" Jean demanded before he, too, felt the same pain Annie felt.

In fact, all the 104th cadets, Hanji, Levi, Erwin, Nanaba, and Gelgar were struck with the exact migraine Annie was experiencing. It felt like something was being forcibly ripped from their skulls while also being set on fire. For about ten seconds, they were in deep, agonizing pain until it receded into nothing. It was like the pain never existed.

Getting her bearings together, Hanji called out, "Is everyone okay?"

"We're still here," Eren responded, panting heavily. "What was that?"

Mikasa's eyes widened when she realized what was going on. That sudden pain was something she had experienced months ago, something she didn't want a repeat of. "I think… I think that was a psychic attack."

Hanji quickly moved to Mikasa's position. "Are you sure?"

The cadet decided to test her theory. "Annie, can you hear me?"

There was no response.

"Annie, please say something!" There was a bit more anxiety in Mikasa's tone that time.

Still nothing.

On the other side of the Wall, some of the horses started going haywire, neighing loudly and stomping their hooves violently. The Scouts attempted to calm them down, but the animals weren't listening. In fact, two of them galloped away in an attempt to get away from this invisible attack. Unfortunately, something pushed them directly into the Wall. The impact broke their skulls and killed them instantly.

"What the fuck is happening!?" a Scout shouted fearfully. His blade suddenly detached from his gear and proceeded to cut his head off. The cables of the ODM gear wrapped around another Scouts neck, choking him to death. Pretty soon, the regiment was in chaos with their own weapons attacking them. And the Titans hadn't arrived yet.

Erwin's worst fears had finally come to life. "PSIONS!"

AN: And once again, everything is going to hell for the Scout Regiment. To quote Gigguk's Attack on Titan in 9 Minutes: "Just another day for the Survey Corps!" I love that video. Go watch it on YouTube if you haven't seen it.

As an aside, I used to find the fact that Reiner was hiding in the Wall stupid because of the Wall Titan presence. That is, until I was reminded by a guy on Reddit that the gates are the only areas with no Titans, which made them a good hiding spot. Having Annie clarify that in this story was my way of explaining to you guys why Reiner's strategy was a good one and me admitting that I was wrong in that critique.

Also, I was referencing the movie Patton when Annie's comment regarding Armin. "Rommel, you magnificent bastard. I read your book!"

Not much to say about most of the chapter, so let's talk about the ending. One of the toughest things to do for me was try to come up with new, realistic threats to counter Annie's presence. She's just that strong. Hell, even Eren frequently references her by using her techniques against Reiner and saying that compared to her, Reiner is nothing. Then I realized that just because Dillon completely destroyed the Project Psion facility doesn't mean that every Psion happened to be there that day. There are some still alive. So I figured I'd give them a chance to shine by not only screwing over Annie, but by throwing the Scout Regiment into chaos with their arrival. Hopefully, I'll do the fight scenes justice in the following chapter.

I'm really hoping I can get a lot of content down in the next chapter because the one after that, if I play my cards right, contains a moment I have been waiting years to write. Something to look forward to… when I eventually get there.

Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I look forward to your reviews, please consider updating my TV Tropes page, and I will see you all in the next one.