Ymir, minutes later

"For now, let's get to a place without Titans! We need to get as far away as possible! My Titan form isn't very fast. If I get surrounded, I won't be able to protect you guys."

Riding on Bertholdt's back, Ymir doesn't understand why he and Reiner, now carrying an unconscious Eren, are rushing to get away. Now being chased by the Titans that waited hours for them, her frustration with the other Titan shifters reaches a new peak. "Then why didn't we just wait until nightfall?" She hears a pop, looks up from the Titans below to the green smoke signal streaking upwards. Smoke signals? Did the Scouts come to rescue us?

"Unless they brought loads of horses over the Wall, the scouting formation won't work. Someone made that call. I didn't think it would happen so soon. It must be Commander Erwin. A tough opponent!" Another one fires, much closer than the last. "Shit. They're already that close? It's Eren's fault for going beserk."

Ymir continues to look back, her eyes widening as she thinks of the scouts, one of them in particular. It can't be... She's... No, she is! "Reiner! Christa's here! Christa came with them!"

"Huh?"

"If you want her, now's the chance!"

"How do you know? You can't see her from here!"

"I just know it! She's such a good-natured person, it's stupid! I guarantee she came to save me! I know it!"

"Even if that's true... It's no use! We'll do it later!"

"Huh?"

"Our chance of succeeding is way too low! How will you get Christa out of that formation?! Wait for a chance!"

Ymir gasps in shock. "Wait for a chance? Seriously?! Will that be after I'm eaten by one of your warriors?! No! I don't trust you!"

"Trust me! Christa is indispensable to us, too!"

"Then get her now! Go prove it to me this instant! It has to be now or never! I want to see her right now! At this rate... I'll never get the chance...to see her again."

Underneath her, Bertholdt sighs. "It's impossible. I'm sorry, Ymir." She looks down to the back of his head, flabbergasted. "We don't even know if we can escape ourselves, let alone go back for her."

"I promise you," Reiner says, "If anyone, it's Christa I want to save from this conflict! You have to trust us! So just bear with it! This is for Christa's own sake! Got it, Ymir?"

"...Is it...really for Christa's sake?"

"Yes!"

"...Fine."

"Thank you."

Ymir looks to the ground, her face fallen. I've come this far...and it looks like I'll have to lie to myself again.

Elijah

We are closing in on the forest after a long, rapid ride. I feel sorry for Spirit having to be pushed so hard beyond his limits, but with the situation as dire as it is, he's going to have to endure for just a little while longer. Don't worry, boy. When we get back, you can have all the apples you want.

I've been quiet for the entire trip, not breathing a word to anyone about anything. It's taking every fiber of my being to remember Commander Erwin's words, to focus on rescuing Eren and Ymir, not killing Reiner and Bertholdt. I know today will not be the last time we encounter them, but...why wait? Then again, we can't get past Reiner's armor...or Bertholdt's steam. As humans, they were at the top of our class, just beneath Mikasa...and a few above me... The Commander's right, even though I hate it.

I'm not the only one here with a definite goal in mind. Mikasa, Armin, Hannes, they're here for Eren. Connie and Jean want answers. Sasha...I guess is here for the same. Christa is here for Ymir.

I turn to Christa, seeing her determined face set forward to the rising forest. I understand the relationship between her and Ymir, much as it's like Eren's to us from Shiganshina, but...even then, she's not the girl I remember. She's still the cute, kind-hearted girl I would help at the Garrison hospital during our training years, but for the last twenty-four hours, I've seen nothing but courage from her. I see why Reiner likes her a lot.

That bastard will never lay a single finger on her body, even if I must cut them off one by one over and over again. I will keep my promise to Ymir, to protect her at all costs.

Ymir

"In this environment, I'm the strongest one here." Ymir leans over, tightening her grip on Berthold's head, covering his right eye.

"Q-Quit it, Ymir!"

"Don't you think a forest like this is where I can shine the most? Well?" They nearly head straight into a tree, but Bertholdt retracts the hooks in time. However, in his shock, the pair begin to fall down to the earth, nearly doing so before Bertholdt manages to fire his hooks again.

"Ymir! Stop! We'll fall!"

"Dou you think I care? If I became a Titan, I might be powerless compared to you, but I can jump through the trees and move swiftly. I could snatch Eren away from you and go back to meet up with the Scouts and probably succeed. If you don't agree to take Christa with you right now, I'll get in your way and fight you right here."

Reiner, now halting their retreat, frustratingly shouts at Ymir. "Wh-What are you saying?! Don't you care what happens to her?! We can't help her that way!"

"Yeah, that's fine. Even if it means taking her future away, I'll do what it takes to live and meet her. I might be the shittiest person there ever was. You guys don't know what it's like. She knows how awful I am, and yet she still smiles at me...that girl."

"You..."

"Don't be mad at me. I have a plan for it. If I stay and fight, it should be easier for you to escape anyway! Or would you rather stay and kill each other? Do you want me to prove how crazy I am?"

Elijah

"Oh shit..." Lightning strikes the forest, the telltale sign of a Titan transformation occurring.

"A light?" Armin says. "Straight ahead in the forest! I saw a light! It's the light that appears when a Titan transforms!"

"Then we're just in time," Erwin responds. "Soldiers, disperse! We believe the enemy has already transformed! Locat Eren and recover him! Battle is not our objective! Prioritize recovery and retreat!" We disperse, one group going right, ours to the left. Once we dodge the Titans guarding the woods, we engage with our ODM at Hannes' command.

"First thing is to find the enemy and let the others know! They should be fleeing the forest! Break!" Hannes and another soldier head right, Mikasa, Armin, and I head left. As we move, we search carefully as we can for the four Titans.

Come on, guys, where are you? A distant cry echoes through the forest, stopping us in our tracks. Knowing the sound of Eren's roar, I deduce it isn't him or even Reiner's. Yet, as it is familiar to me, I easily know who it is. So Ymir transformed! Did she escape with Eren? Probably not, knowing her. "That was Ymir! Let's go!"

By the time we arrive, Connie, Sasha, and Jean's group are already at Ymir's Titan. As expected, no Eren in sight. Now with Hannes and the other Scout regrouped, the five of us share a tree near Jean, we face Ymir, though while Connie interrogates her, Ymir's attention is elsewhere.

"So that's Ymir's Titan..."

Did she turn into a Titan and fight with Reiner?"

"Tell us anything, Ymir!"

"Say something already!" Connie leaps onto Ymir's head, beating it wothlessly. Yet I don't say a word about or to Ymir. Instead, I follow her eyes. She's searching...but for what?

Armin notices it too. "Is she keeping an eye out for Reiner? Something's not right..."

"You noticed it too, huh? The way she's looking around... I don't think Reiner's her worries right now."

"Why...is she looking at everyone one by one?"

"It can be what she's looking for...it has to be a who... If it's not Reiner... Then she's looking for-"

"Ymir!" As I was expecting, Ymir turns her head to the sound of Christa's voice. "Thank goodness! You're all right!"

Yes, Ymir is fine, but something's not right. Of all times, why is Ymir looking for Christa now? This can't be good... "Christa, get awa-" Nothing in the world prepared me for what happened next. As I warned her, Ymir leaped from the tree, mouth wide open, and snatched Christa.

"Huh?"

"No..."

"She... She ate Christa!"

No, not you too, Ymir. Don't tell me you've betrayed us, Christa most of all! "Get your ass back here, Ymir!" I shoot off, hearing Jean order the others behind me.

"She's fast! We're losing her!"

"Just keep going!"

"Why would Ymir do that?!"

"I can't be the only one who could've guessed it would turn out this way!"

"Yeah! She's clearly hostile to us now! Looks like she's cooperating with Reiner! She lured us right in!"

I look back to Armin. "No way! I know that she wouldn't have done this by siding with Reiner! There's something else to it, there has to be!" What in the hell did those bastards say to her?

Ahead of us, another yellow light flashes, and out of it comes the Armored Titan running out of the forest. Though he's tiny in my sight, I see Bertholdt zip to Reiner's shoulder, Ymir leaping to the other one as the three retreats to the plains.

"Oh no," Armin says. "Eren's being taken away!" I narrow my eyes, seeing my friend strapped to Bertholdt's back.

"Don't stop!" Hannes orders as he comes to us. "Get on your horses and chase!" Not a moment later, we're back on our horses, once more after the human Titans. Our rage refueled, We push our horses to the maximum, desiring to get Christa and Eren back. "I'm getting him back no matter what! Even if it means trading my life for it!"

Christa... I don't know what the hell Ymir is thinking. I don't believe it, but if she really is against us... I'm getting you back no matter what!

"He's not fast enough to escape! We'll catch up!"

"This time, I won't hesitate. I'll kill them both, I swear. And if Ymir gets in my way, she's asking for it, too. No matter what it takes... I will!"

"I'll leave you the scraps by the time I'm done with Reiner." As for Ymir, you better hope I don't get to her first, Mikasa. If I must...I will. As I say that, I see Ymir remove Christa from her mouth and hold her like a well-deserved trophy. Smoke emits from the smaller Titan's nape, which can only mean Ymir is exiting.

Christa

"Ymir!" Having Titan saliva encase you is an experience not many live to tell, but Christa, to her knowledge, is the third person she knows to do so. But she's the second to have a person she knows to eat her in such a way. As her best friend rises from her Titan's body, coughing up saliva as well, Christa is mixed with questions and emotions.

"Christ- No, Historia. Sorry...for eating you...like that. I bet...you're mad at me."

"Ymir… What is this? What are you doing? We came here to rescue you and Er-"

"I don't need rescuing! Just stay right there. I'm following Reiner and Bertholdt now. You, too. Come with me. There's no future within the Walls!"

There's no future within the Walls? What...does that mean?

"Listen to me, Historia. Outside the walls isn't as bad as you think. Especially...because there won't be anyone saying that you're better off not being born."

"I'm pretty sure Titans won't be saying that to me because they'll be too busy trying to eat me!"

"Everyone has at least one or two faults! If you can just overlook that, they're not so bad after all!"

"Ymir! Everything you're saying and doing isn't making any sense! Could it be...that Reiner and Bertholdt threatened you?"

"It's...the reverse," Bertholdt softly admits, though Christa ignores him.

"Am I right, Ymir? I'll fight them with you, so let me out of your hand! I don't care if there's something you can't tell me. No matter what happens, I will always be your ally!" Ymir looks back, Christa's words bouncing in her head. Christa can see she might be able to change her best friend's mind. They can get out of this. She can get her and Eren out of this, and the Scouts can return home.

"Ymir. Look." Bertholdt gestures to the approaching Scout Regiment, hot on Reiner's heels. "The Scouts have already gotten this close. If only we had run right away, we probably would've been able to escape. But because you forced us to bring Christa...at this rate, they'll catch us. Hey, Ymir...are you telling us we did all of that for nothing? Did you change your mind? Is that really what you want? Letting Christa rot within the Walls? Don't be stupid, Ymir!"

The despair in Bertholdt's face… If Christa didn't know him better, she would say he was faking it. "Ymir! Hurry up and let me go!"

"I can't!"

"What?"

Ymir bows her head in internal turmoil. "Historia. To be honest, the reason I snatched you away...was only...to save myself."

"Huh?"

"A long time ago, I stole the Power of the Titans from one of their comrades. There's nothing I can do against them. Sooner or later, they'll kill me. But...if I hand you over and cooperate with them, they said they would see what they could do and try to make it so my crime goes away. Because you know the secrets of the Wall, you're someone important to the Church. Once this world started going to hell, I thought being with you would give me insurance in the future. I almost died during the battle at that castle and that feeling scarred me for life. I'm afraid to die. I'll do whatever it takes to live. I'm pathetic. I told myself I was doing it for your sake, but really, I did it for myself. Please, Historia… Please… Please save me!"

Christa raises her head to Ymir, a small but meaningful smile on her face. "I told you already, Ymir, no matter what happens, I will always be your ally!"

Elijah

"Let's get them!" Some of the Scouts take off from their horses, engaging the Armored Titan. Hannes tries to attack the leg, breaking his blade in the process, while another is taken out by Ymir, now back inside her Titan. Suddenly, her Titan cries out as steam erupts from her eyes. Mikasa... She hit Ymir. With murderous intent, she heads down on Bertholdt, but the boy quickly finds shelter in Reiner's hand.

"Mikasa! Fall back!" She doesn't listen as she dodges Ymir's punch. Equipping fresh blades, I see her decision about Ymir has been made...and I have made mine. As she begins to descend on Ymir's right eye, I interfere, blocking her attack before she makes the critical mistake of hurting Christa. Separating, I land on Ymir's head, Mikasa on Reiner's. Turning to Christa, I check on her. "You okay?"

"Yes. Mikasa, Don't kill Ymir!"

"That all depends on Ymir! What will it be? I'll kill everyone who stands in my way, so choose!"

"No, wait! Ymir will be killed unless she does what Reiner and Bertholdt say! She doesn't have a choice!"

"There's only so many lives that I actually care about. My enemies made deciding that easy six years ago. So, you're mistaken to see any compassion from me. Because right now, I'm all out of time and room in my heart to care. Christa...do you pick Eren or Ymir? Which is it? Will you get in my way, too?" At Mikasa's threat, Ymir roars and prepares to attack.

"No, Ymir. Leave her to me." I stand, placing my sword in front of Christa as I stare up at Mikasa. "She can kill you, Ymir...but even if she tried, she could never kill me." I return the same glare Mikasa gave Christa. Just as she was determined to put down Ymir for Eren's sake, I'll put her down for Eren, Christa, and Ymir...even if it's the last thing I want.

"Elijah..."

"What are you doing, Elijah?!"

"I made a promise a long time ago to Ymir, to protect Christa when she couldn't. That's what I'm doing right now!" I point a blade at her. "But I also made one for you! To watch your back whenever you lose yourself! Now, Mikasa, I don't want to hurt you. Sure, you're way stronger and better than me, but we both know that if it came down to it, I will win. So let's focus on who the true enemy is! They're not in front of you! You're standing on his head!" I sheathe my blades, softening my face as I fly up to her and hold her shoulder. "If this was Eren, and Christa was in your place, would you not be doing the same? If you won't take Christa's word that Ymir is not the enemy, will you take mine, the one you trust as much as Eren and Armin?"

She closes her eyes, relenting. "...And if you're wrong?"

"I'll kill her myself. Come on, let's get Eren." We swing around to the other side, joining the rest of our class around Reiner's hands and neck. I look up to Reiner, his face forward as he continues to run.

"Quit it, Eren! Don't struggle!" Bertholdt's voice...still pathetically wimpy after what he's done.

"Good luck with that, Bertholdt. it's impossible to get him to calm down. He's the most irritating guy there is! I know better than anyone! I hate him as much as you do. So let's beat him up together. Why don't you come out of there?" Damn, Jean, I have a new respect for you.

"Bertholdt! Give him back!"

"Hey... You're kidding, right? Bertholdt? Reiner? This whole time...you kept quiet and deceived us? That's so cruel!"

"You guys! Tell us it's all a lie!"

"I mean, come on... What possible excuse could a pair of murderers have? Oh, wait, they don't!"

"Hey, hey, hey, you think you guys can keep running away? That's not gonna happen! For three years, didn't we sleep under the same roof as comrades through thick and thin? Bertholdt, your odd sleeping positions were truly an art form. After a while, we all looked forward each morning to see your pose and tried using it to predict the weather. But you... To think you, the invader...could sleep like a log...right next to your victims!"

"Was everything just a lie?! Remember we talked about surviving this together?! And that we'd grow old, and someday we'd all go out for drinks together?! Was everything...a lie? Was it?! You guys, what were you guys thinking this whole time?!"

"What does it even matter anymore?" Mikasa breaks the reunion the only way she can. "Just focus on cutting open his neck. if you hesitate for a moment, we won't be able to get Eren back. They are enemies of humanity. That's all there is to know."

"No, Mikasa. There's one thing I need to know." I look down to Reiner's hands, hopefully right into Bertholdt's eyes. "How does it feel to have a special place in hell after everything you've done?"

"T-Tell me who!" Betholdt exclaims. "Who the hell would want to kill people by their own choice?! Who the hell would like doing this sort of thing?! Do you think I wanted this?! People hate us...despise us. We've done such terrible things, we deserve to die. Things we'll never be able to take back...but..we just...couldn't come to terms with our sins. The only time we had some respite...was when we pretended to be soldiers. That's not a lie! Connie! Jean! It's true we may have deceived everyone, but it's not all a lie! We really considered you comrades! Neither of us have any right to even apologize. But...someone...please... Someone, please... Someone find us!"

"Bertholdt..." Mikasa says as calmly as she can. "...give Eren back."

"It's no use... I can't. Someone has to be the one to do it. Someone has to be the one to stain their hands with blood..."

"You guys," We heard Hannes call to us. "get away from there!" Seeing him look ahead, I turn to Reiner's front.

"Holy shit! MOVE OUT!" I and the other cadets leap off Reiner and back to our horses, looking with different levels of awe, confusion, and fear as our crazy Commander Erwin leads a horde of Titans our way.