The rumble vibrating from the soles of her feet had prompted Hange to wake. It hadn't been a steady sleep, at any rate – the past hour had found Hange sitting at the edge of her bed, head in hands, without having moved a muscle since Celine's departure.

"Section Commander!"

"I'm here," Hange had said, addressing the voice on the other side of the door. The room had been crossed in a few swift steps, the cloak hanging on the wall scooped up and swung over her shoulders.

What I felt was a charge from one of the tunnels, Hange had thought. I'm certain of it.

Waiting for her in the moonlit hall had been Moblit. The pair had exchanged a nod before taking off down the corridor in a run. The enemy's efforts to free Annie Leonheart from custody had been unfolding at a quicker pace than anticipated.

This was no indication the military had been less than prepared.

Although … had Erwin truly expected this?

The tunnels between Headquarters and the courthouse had been set to be patrolled with squads consisting mostly of Military Police soldiers and a select group of Scout soldiers Erwin trusted enough to sniff out a traitor if any were lurking among the other branches. Soldiers with ODM gear at the ready had been stationed around the tunnel entrances on the off-chance Annie (or another surprise Titan) made it to the surface in their escape.

What had been left of the Scout Regiment within Stohess were meant to report to the outpost atop the southern side of Wall Sina at any indication of a charge being set off. If all else failed, under Hange's command they were to act as the final spring in the trap. Cannons had been manned, nets were put in place, and a handful of thunder spear prototypes had been at the ready.

It all sounded so good on paper …

Hange stared into the distance. Under normal conditions, she'd be able to see all of Stohess District from her position atop the southern part of Wall Sina. Tonight, Stohess was shrouded in smoke from the fires threatening to burn half the city. The flames were the result of an explosion larger than Hange could've imagined – the destructive force creating a crater which stretched at least ten blocks from the epicenter. Even from her great distance, Hange's head had rung from the thunderous sound with enough force to rattle her to her core. A wave of blistering, humid heat had followed. It took a moment afterward for Hange to have felt comfortable opening her eyes to discover the cause.

Is it horrible for part of me to feel … Hange thought, taking in the cries of panic and the smell of burnt flesh drifting from the streets below.

… like I should never have opened my eyes again, and remained blind to my responsibility to deal with the aftermath?

An image flashed through Hange's mind: It was of a slight figure in low lamplight as they walked away; the thud of their boots coming down like the rhythmic hammering of a funeral pyre being erected. The figure had turned their head as if to look back. Blonde hair had obscured their face, leaving Hange guessing if the amount of hurt across their features had been genuine or just for show.

There's a good chance now I'll never know what she was thinking.

"Section Commander!"

Hange snapped out of her daze, grateful for the distraction. She turned to the side as a Scout soldier approached. His breath was short, the calves of his pants and palms coated in black ash.

"Did your team locate him?" Hange asked.

"No, Section Commander," the soldier said. "Our squads approached the area as close as we were able. We did not find any traces of Commander Erwin. We can–"

"We'll proceed as planned," Hange said, not skipping a beat. "Joan's squad will continue their search. Your squad will meet up with Moblit and be assigned a position in the formation to confront the enemy Titans."

"Yes, Section Commander," the soldier said. He appeared uncertain, shifting his weight from one foot to another before voicing his concern. "Down there, Section Commander … The Military Police and Garrison are doing what they can … but I think more of the Military Police were caught in the enemy Titans' attack than we imagined. There aren't enough soldiers to aid in evacuation ahead of the fires. With your permission, I would like to request my squad be reassigned to evacuation efforts."

"Denied."

Hange had her gaze fixated on the Titans trading blows over the burning rooftops. She hoped the grim expression on her face would be enough for the soldier to know arguing wouldn't be an option. This appeared to be the case when his ODM gear activated and the man swung away in a hiss of steam. The squad lingering behind him followed suit, leaving Hange alone at the edge.

"Get up," Hange said, turning her head to look over her shoulder. "We'll be joining Moblit in the advanced guard."

"Really? That's surprising."

The figure behind Hange was sitting atop a crate, head in hand as they looked to the streets below with a bored expression. They'd been that way since the explosion – watching in indifference as Hange barked orders to the streams of soldiers running to-and-fro. There'd been no comments, no cries of shock, or offers to help. They only watched.

"You go where I go," Hange said. "And you'll be accompanying me to face the enemy Titans head-on."

"I take it you expect me to help."

The figure slid off the crate. They stepped forward at a leisurely pace, their slender frame creating a sharp silhouette against the orange glow from below. They came to a halt beside Hange. Keen, brown eyes absorbed the mass of people swarming the gate below. They watched the turmoil with the lazy sort of inspection of selecting a fresh apple from a vendor stall.

"You're a soldier under the Scout Regiment, tasked with protecting humanity at all costs," Hange said. "I can't fathom how you can take in everything that's happening and feel no sense of duty, Ymir."

The girl, Ymir, had been awake in her quarters when Hange came to collect her earlier that evening. She had next to no knowledge concerning any plans in place to capture intruders due to her own lingering suspicion of involvement. Prior knowledge didn't appear necessary when it came to Ymir being dressed and ready to move out the second Hange came knocking.

'You've drug me out of my room for questioning any time a mouse so much as passed wind,' Ymir had said, clearly irritated. ' It's no stretch to imagine you'd drag me out for this, too.'

Ymir hummed. Long fingers reached up to brush back the brown bangs which had fallen in her eyes. "I would care a lot more, I think, if this were the other side of the wall. As it is, these Sina bastards are the ones who made Historia live a life which wasn't her own. Seeing them down there … dealing with real problems instead of the contrived shit of reputations and blood lines … it's almost refreshing."

Hange's hand shot up. There was a flinch from Ymir as she prepared herself for the strike. It did little good, Hange finding her mark before Ymir could back away.

"You are …" Hange said, rubbing the top of Ymir's head in a gentle fashion. "... the second most terrible liar I know."

"Get off me!"

Ymir slapped Hange's hand aside. She backed away with a look of offense as if Hange had been the one to strike her in a violent manner and not the other way around.

Ymir seemed to be the very definition of a spooked animal who would sink their teeth into any hand being offered. It was strikingly similar to something Hange had witnessed earlier that evening.

'Shut up, you asshole!'

Hange's chest grew tight. "You really are like her; you're scared."

"I just don't want any part of your bullshit!" Ymir said. "I'm not one of you! I don't have to fight your battles! The only reason I joined the military in the first place was to make sure Historia didn't get herself killed doing something stupid!"

"Historia, huh?" Hange said. She looked away in thought. "That's right; she's going by that now instead of 'Christa.' I've wondered about her. Such a sweet girl … It struck me how odd it was for her to enter the military, much less join the Scouts. She doesn't give me the impression of someone who will survive for long."

"Shut up!"

Ymir gripped the front of Hange's jacket, shoving her face forward until they were a hair's-width apart.

"Historia isn't what everyone thinks she is," Ymir said, voice low. "She's strong. Much stronger than she looks."

'Maybe there isn't much more to you than an obnoxious crackpot who has an unhealthy obsession with Titans … just like everyone says.'

"Perhaps that girl really is only what everyone sees," Hange said. Her eyes narrowed in the face of Ymir's growing rage.

"Even so," Hange continued. "Historia chooses to take what strength she has and put it toward fighting for the people of the walls; all the people of the walls. Even the ones below who you feel should burn for their sins. She understands what it means for us to bridge the gap and fight for humanity as a whole – a humanity you're a part of as well, whether you admit it or not."

"I'm not one of you," Ymir hissed.

"You pledged your heart," Hange said. "You made a promise to fight for the good of this city you've found yourself in. You haven't revealed a thing to us about where you're from, or who you were before, but the person I see now has as much of a right to protect their home as I do. I would suggest you stop filling your head with excuses, and join me in the effort to make sure you'll still have a home to return to when this is said and done."

Ymir pulled her lips back in a snarl. She shoved Hange away, but the act wasn't quick enough for the tremor in her hands to go unnoticed.

"You were in rough shape when we discovered you at Utgard Castle," Hange said. "You were missing limbs … a part of your ribcage … you sustained injuries which would've killed a normal person a hundred times over. I can only imagine how painful and frightening it must've been to face so many Titans head-on."

"I …" Ymir said. Her hands grasped the flesh above her elbows, hugging herself. "You don't know anything."

'It's clear we've exhausted our usefulness for one another.'

You're a terrible liar, Celine, Hange thought. I learned that early on. I'll admit I'm a fool in many ways, but …

"I know one thing," Hange said. She took a step forward, placing a hand on Ymir's shoulder. Her head tilted slightly as her voice grew stern. "I know you care about Historia, and I think you care more about your comrades than you let on."

Ymir moved as if to speak. The words didn't come, her lips pulling back in frustration.

"I also know Historia and your friends are among the advanced guards who will be heading out to face those Titans shortly," Hange continued, voice steady. "And this I may not know for sure … but I have a feeling the chance of survival for those of us in the advanced guard will be slim. Tell me something, Ymir – will you, as someone who claims to care about her wellbeing, watch that girl risk everything while you let fear stop you from aiding her when she needs it the most?"

Ymir's eyes grew wide. She slowly turned her head, fixating on the Titans battling in the distance. A queasy smile grew on her face.

"You don't play fair," Ymir said.

"Neither does the enemy," Hange said. "So I work with the hand I've been dealt."

"The hand you've been dealt, huh?" Ymir said. She stepped away from Hange, making her way to the edge of the wall. "I've been dealt a pretty shit hand myself. This world has thrust so many things upon me I don't want … and when I finally come across something I want, the world does whatever it can to take it away."

Ymir lifted her hand to reveal a small knife. This caused Hange to flinch, wondering when Ymir took the opportunity to snatch the knife from her belt.

"Historia and I …" Ymir said. "I want us to finally be able to live the lives we choose. I want us to live without fear of who we are. That's what I was afraid of, Section Commander; I was afraid if I truly embraced what I am, perhaps Historia's perception of me would change to match the disgust of the others around me. Although … I've only ever looked at them with disgust, too."

The tip of the knife rested on Ymir's opposite palm. A gust of air rushed from below, causing her bangs to whip about as specks of burning ash danced in the air.

"I want Historia and I … to be a part of something," Ymir said. "And how could we do that, if the assholes over there destroy our home?"

The blade ripped through Ymir's palm as she leapt from the side of the wall. There was a blinding flash of lightning from the dark sky, Hange lifting a hand before her eyes. A loud crash rang from below.

Hange rushed to the edge of the wall. She watched as a Titan considerably smaller than the ones in the distance rushed away, leaping over rooftops and around groups of stunned soldiers.

"Section Commander!"

"I'm aware," Hange said, backing away from the edge. She turned to regard Moblit as her subordinate landed at her side.

"There's a slight alteration to the plan that's hopefully going to be in our favor," Hange said. "Has everyone been gathered?"

Moblit nodded. He received a pat on the shoulder as Hange passed.

"Good," Hange said. "Let's get out there and show those Titans what we've been working on since Trost."