Dinner was eaten in silence that evening, nearly as somber as the prior. It was prepared by Sigrid, whose cooking skills were not on par with those of Karina or Tina's, but her cooking was necessary. Not that anybody was feeling hungry, except for Theo and the baby. This was going to be a long several days. Or more.

...

Earlier that morning, Onyonkopon's unprompted visit was caused by him finally receiving word from the Alliance-Paradis negotiations before the official press release to the public. He was clearly upset but firm in his words.

"A subfaction of the Jaegerists have violated the truce and have bombed Trost HQ where negotiations were to begin. The Alliance had not yet arrived by escort, but dozens died in the explosion and many more were wounded."

Karina trembled and almost dropped Viola before Levi grabbed hold of her. Dear Creator. The Walls. Damn. Shit. Levi thought he could hear glass drop in the kitchen where Tina was preparing the tea.

Karina gripped her chest as she struggled to maintain her balance. "What of… are…" she searched for words. "Are our children-"

"They are alright. The perpetrators are being located and arrested, although the Paradisan government in alliance with Hizuru is currently switching their priority to tracking any sleeper cells or dissidents to the peace meeting. The Alliance was transported to a secure location along with Queen Historia and her family as insurrection against the royal family is highly probable until the terrorists are disbanded." Onyonkopon fumbled with his hat before placing it on his head. "I apologize for having to deliver distressing news at such an early hour. The administration of foreign affairs wished to have me inform you in person before the media releases the news."

Nobody could be heard breathing, even Viola, who did break the dread hanging over them by gurgling and spitting up on Levi's jacket. Gross, but damn this. Karina was pale as snow, holding her hand to her chest as she baby-stepped her way to the sofa, Onyonkopon close beside her. Tina returned from the kitchen empty handed to join her, equally pale. The clock chimed at the half past nine mark, but time seemed to have stopped for them.

A few weeks before, as the ship was about to embark, Levi had been there to bid farewell to his former squad and their newfound allies from three years prior. Connie was yammering away to Jean about some new invention called a television he had heard about from a girl at a nightclub before Levi's familiar cold stare hit his eyes. Both young men shifted quickly to stand in line with the rest of the Alliance to salute, dedicating their hearts, a normal gesture for them yet one of the only remaining pieces of the Survey Corps culture in this post-Rumbling world.

Levi stood up from his wheelchair. Even standing, every Alliance member save for Pieck and Annie was taller than he was. He cleared his throat. He was never good at farewell speeches with all their sappiness and trite. He hobbled along the line and placed his fisted left hand over each of their hearts, only giving a basic nod, each one responding likewise. He didn't care for the press and their flashing cameras behind him who were going to print his picture in the newspaper the next day, which he would promptly discard if he saw his picture on the front page. He reached the end of the line where he saluted Commander Armin- not that they all were one to address by rank anymore.

"Don't screw this up, Arlert" he mumbled, keeping his voice low. "Survive."

Armin smiled faintly. "Of course, Ackerman. We've practiced our story many times. They will see what we've seen." He blinked his bright blue eyes as he gestured at the calm ocean at the docks. He understood why he was here.

"Armin, I'm telling you. I have a bad feeling about this. What if they remember what I did in Ragako?" Pieck whispered. "They'll only be nice enough because Connie's mother turned back." And because she was working with Zeke, Levi thought. He would be just as much of a traitor if he were still alive to both sides.

"Pieck, stop worrying," Connie reassured. "Just trust Armin. They'll remember all he did back in the old days with the Titans." He stretched his arm. "Besides, the last telegram from my mom didn't seem all that bad. She's just glad I'm alive and we're all okay now." Mrs. Springer had been found wandering through the countryside amidst the Jaegerist celebrations all dazed and confused three years back. It was fortunate enough at the time that she was found by anti-Jaegerist citizens who took her in to hide her, or Queen Historia's protections would have been much harder to implement.

Jean cleared his throat. "Guys, stop bickering. We'll talk about this on the ship. Everybody's watching us." He stroked the back of his hair, mindful of the photographers.

Reiner waved to his mother and the kids who were watching Levi's wheelchair. In his hand he had the letter from Historia explaining the current political climate on the island. Maybe some more things hadn't changed from the Survey Corps days. Annie rolled her eyes. "We need to board the ship. Now. I'm getting tired of the photographers." Levi wanted to chuckle. That woman. If she had not killed most of his old squad those years ago, he and she would have wanted to moan and bitch about the world and the state of humanity together over tea.

Armin concurred. "Goodbye. We'll do as you always said." He placed his own hand on Levi's chest before turning to board the ship. The crew consisted of Hizuru's nationals sent over at the expense of the tax dollar. It was probably too over the top for only several people, but Historia insisted that her old friends be treated at the highest expense for her own actions in the past.

Levi took his place in his wheelchair. Karina was wiping away a few tears while Gabi and Falco were jumping around like little kids again as they tried to get Reiner and Pieck's attention from the deck of the ship. Some things really hadn't changed much, damn it.

…

The whole living room was quiet again. Viola fell asleep on him on his still spit up covered jacket. He knew this would happen. He just knew this would happen. And he couldn't do anything now. The women sat hunched over sniffling. Onyonkopon took hold of his briefcase and fumbled inside of it. "Now now. We must mourn the lives that were lost yet be thankful to our Creator that they had lives lived. An innocent spirit will always be given new life when it returns to Him while an evil spirit will only continue to invade this world."

What exactly consisted as an innocent spirit in his religion? Viola stirred.

"We must be thankful that more lives were not lost, including our Alliance's. We received a private telegram among the classified documents from Armin. You are allowed to keep this." He pulled out a crisp packet with documents inside and handed it to Karina, who was trying to steady her breathing. She opened the top of it. "Now I must be on my way to Mr. Finger's apartment. I will go to your husbands' workplace next to inform them." He adjusted his hat and made his way for the door, but not before patting Viola on the head.

"You are wonderful with our future generations," Onyonkopon commented. Levi remained silent but nodded, paying attention to the women attentively reading through the telegram. Onyonkopon shut the door gently behind him. The outside atmosphere had become a light gray overcast. Perfectly miserable weather for the day.

Karina held the telegram close to her, Tina butting her way in. Their eyesight was getting worse with age and they both probably needed some reading glasses.

"Karina, what does it say about Reiner?" Tina asked.

"Oh… oh. Armin says that he is doing alright. He and Jean were the first ones to jump into action and read the area to make sure nobody had planted bombs along the road. But they were… so close." She put her hands on her forehead. "He says that many in the crowd were injured by the trampling after the explosion. The security tried to stop them from leaving their vehicles, but they couldn't just leave innocent civilians to die."

Tina relaxed her shoulders. "The islanders will like them better now, won't they? They weren't the ones to plant the bombs, so they should be okay, right?" She put a hand on Karina whose eyes were brimmed with tears.

The Alliance. The good Eldians. Another puff piece about how the war criminals jumped in to save some starving woman and her child. But Levi wasn't in the mood to let the two distraught women off with a piece of his mind about the political climate of Paradis. He'd been done with that shit for several years now. Having a baby on him was more important to pay attention to now.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Tina exclaimed in his direction. "I had a fright and dropped your tea. I need to clean that up and get you a new one. You must be tired of holding my baby and-"

"It's fine," he cut in. "I'll take it when you're ready. Neither of us have anywhere to go or do." The rest of the morning was spent without a conversation as they all thought about the Alliance's new reality on the island.

…

Gabi's rambunctious disposition was nowhere to be seen after she arrived home from school that day. Onyonkopon had not gone to their school to inform them; instead, the classes listened to the announcement over the radio. She laid out on the sofa next to her unopened book bag with her homework. Theo sniffed at her hand in sympathy only to be pushed away. Viola babbled and fussed over her pained gums in her small playpen in the living room, but her older sister didn't bother to give her the rubber ring that soothed her pain.

Falco had wanted to come over to console Gabi after hearing the news, but Ramon and Cecilia would not permit him after he struggled greatly on a maths exam from the other week due to his grief from the anniversary of Colt's death. Gabi was left on her own to overcome the shock of her cousin nearly dying and entrapment in isolation with the other Alliance members she came to know well in the three years following the Rumbling.

Levi spent the rest of the day in awkward silence after reading over his clan history book and then the telegram for himself from his former squad. That young man did have so much hope and wonder in him, but by the Walls. Did he underestimate everybody and everything even after all they had been through as a squad?

Greetings Ackerman,

Onyonkopon has probably told you what happened when we were being transported to the Trost HQ by the time this will reach you and the Warriors' families. Everybody in the Alliance is okay but shaken. Annie had a terrible feeling that the ship would be struck down upon arrival, which I was certain would not happen. And I was correct. Queen Historia and Hizuru greeted us courteously, and we were immediately escorted to our vehicles. Queen Historia has no resentment for us stopping the Rumbling, and neither does Hizuru, especially Kiyomi. I did not know that Paradis had been supplied with limousines since we first left the island.

Other than what we have seen in pictures of the island's industrial revolution, the rest of Paradis does not look very different from the last time that we were there three years ago. We found out some news about the Underground City on the ride to HQ that you may want to know. It has been converted into a mine. The most prosperous nation post-Rumbling has no more need for a place to keep the poorest unchecked in a city of crime.

When the explosion happened, Jean and Reiner immediately demanded to be let out. I think Reiner wanted to impress Historia, but it was total chaos so the rest of us couldn't resist to help. It was awful, but the rest of the civilians in the area were evacuated to safety. We had hoped that we would never have to see so many limbs and blood soaked torsos again after the Titans vanished, but we did. But I think there is hope. So many people were looking at us and were shocked that a group of people that they have hated for many years were helping the wounded the best we could. That is going to help our story. Maybe the witnesses and the media can add to it as well.

We are currently being housed in an underground bunker in secrecy. It's rather crowded but we'll all be okay after a few days' rest. Historia has dispatched her own bodyguard to watch the area for us. She and her family are at another underground location. Her daughter Ymir is very cute but very mischievous. We don't know how large the insurrectionist part of the faction is, but it can't be any worse than what we've faced before.

We will try to update in a few days.

-Commander Armin Arlert

P.S. We were going to visit Mikasa at Eren's grave, the one by the tree we played by when we were kids, along the way there. But I don't know where she went. I hope she's okay. Jean is especially worried for her. Historia has also dispatched her guard to seek her out.

Armin was not much better than the women now. He hoped that Karina hadn't disclosed too much about their private telegram to Gabi. All of them needed to take this more seriously. Whatever miraculous powers they all had before were whisked away. Not even Mikasa, wherever she was, would have the physical strength to protect them. If they were shot at, there would be no regeneration.

Theo whimpered at the door. That damn mutt was not going to get his walking stick in any circumstance. Levi sat up in bed. He managed to get some more rest after reading the telegram, but now he probably wasn't going to get any sleep tonight.

He stood up slowly and took hold of his walking stick. The throbbing in his bad leg was getting worse every day. It probably meant another damn doctor visit in the near future. Grunting, he opened his door and tried to shove Theo away with his good leg. Theo just wanted to sniff the bedroom and his luggage. He made sure to have tucked the Ackerman book into a dresser. That would be worse than him getting his walking stick.

As he walked in the hallway, he heard another voice that had not been there earlier talking to Giuseppe, Martino, and Mateo in the kitchen. It was a male voice he recognized from that of Dolph Finger.

"I swear by the blood of my mother, that nurse tried to slip me the wrong dosage of the wrong drug on purpose! I yelled for another nurse to come. She dragged her out of the room with the syringe in hand, and she came back later with a different syringe filled with the correct dose. I demanded to find out the truth, but the receptionist refused to let me see my record!" He slammed his hand on the table. "If it wasn't for our medallion, I can bet you the Nsonso River's whole water flow that I would have fallen dead!"

"See, Dad? I told you the medallions were good to wear!" Gabi exclaimed from the sofa.

"Gabi!" Giuseppe reprimanded. Gabi sank back down. Levi side-eyed her on the way to join the other adults in the kitchen. They must have invited him over some time. Dolph was red in the face even under his scruffy beard. He and the other men reacted to the pattering of the walking stick.

"Oh, good evening, Levi. It's been a long time." He coughed bitterly. "I was at the hospital today for more tests on my lungs. They've been trying to use an experimental drug to treat this for the past few weeks-"

"And they were probably going to kill him," Giuseppe concluded for him. "If a Warrior or his family in the Internment Zone fell ill, even then Marley dared not make the slightest of error."

Dolph grunted. "If my daughter were here, she would sacrifice herself until she bled dry if a quack poked me the wrong way. She didn't care if she shortened her own life. I begged her not to. And now I may lose her again if those insurrectionists decide to play dirty games." He took a swig of alcohol, something his doctors would strongly advise against in his condition.

Sigrid was tending to a pot of beef stew with leftover meat from the other night. Karina and Tina were probably in their room. Levi leaned against the wall. Great. Why am I always stuck in these situations? They probably want me to say some pretentious bullshit about making choices and this thing not being all their fault. Here he was. Just another bystander in some bigger dramatics he always ended up in.

"Congratulations to the one and only Klaus Leonhardt for insistin' a few years back our kids were good enough to study to travel back to the devil island without the strength or power to fight if a Jaegerist shoots 'em in the ass." Hell, alcohol and a distressed father did not mix well.

Theo's claws in need of a trim trotted along the wooden floor. The mutt became bored in Levi's room and wanted to investigate the person he never saw as much as the other visitors. Dolph too had a walking stick, not out of a prior leg injury but due to his delicate health. At the first opportunity, he made a grab for it and ran. Mateo started scolding his niece and his son as they ran after the mutt about how they needed to control that animal or he would otherwise be good meat for those living in refugee camps.

"Oh, to hell with gettin' pissed over a dog," Dolph burst out, his words gradually becoming more slurred. "They may as well start sterilizin' the refugees. Can't have a bunch of kids in a dirt pit bursting out while the rest of the world starves. Surprised Marley didn't start that a hundred years back on us Eldians, Titan pow'rs or not. But they needed us to keep lovin' and havin' children to turn to monsters for greed while makin' us feel better about ourselves and puttin' us on a pedestal rewardin' us with nothing but armbands."

Giuseppe pulled the wine glass out of Dolph's reach. "Please, no more drinking. You'll just upset Karina more if alcohol gets to your head." Gabi and Mateo trodded back with Dolph's own walking stick while dragging Theo by the collar to take him outside. Gabi's usually bright eyes were dull tonight. She sighed, stroking in her hands what looked like her own hero's medallion.

…

After dinner, it was just as somber as before. Guiseppe drove Dolph back to his apartment even if he insisted that he stay the night with them so as to not do anything else in drunken anger. A compromise was made so that Giuseppe would stay over to keep him calm. Dolph was usually much friendlier. His ever looming health issues made him more senile and angry by the day. It was hard to live like every day was his last if he couldn't have his precious daughter by his side, and the prospect of losing her again, only to violence this time, filled him with a fiery rage.

Even without the third member of the party that joined them in the afternoons and evenings, Levi was fine with listening to Gabi release her emotions about Reiner in his predicament with the other Alliance members. Much easier listening to a teenage girl than struggling adults who had no clue how to function as free citizens. Not that any of them really were.

"I was too little to remember Reiner going away the first time. I was only three years old! All I knew was that he was a Titan and that he was going to get rid of all the island devils. I wasn't scared of him dying or anything. Did anybody even know how to get a Titan's powers there?" Gabi laid face down on the sofa.

In his earlier rest, Levi had paged through some of his clan history book. As he assumed from the insurrection he played a role in years ago, the Ackerman clan, assigned to protect the power of the king, were often involved in the ceremonial transition of Titan powers. Unlike Kenny, nobody would dare seek the power which the royal family held. They knew their role and wouldn't ass kiss to get close to that power. In fact, when not defending the king, the Ackerman clan maintained its role as farmers. Gotta have something else to do other than keep the god walking in the flesh safe.

Gabi was aware of what happened to Reiner's friend, Bertholdt. It was just one of the many elephants in the room in the first days following the Rumbling. She was just too upset tonight to recall anybody but her own relative in his current state. She turned over and pulled something out of her bookbag, probably a notebook for schoolwork.

"All the other kids in class were looking at me. I-I screamed when they said that the place exploded. They all could have been there. Do they- don't they understand what it was like to be a warrior? I've told my friends many times what it was like. No other nations had child soldiers that young in training. Do you remember me telling you about Udo and Zofia?"

Of course. Those brats who died in Liberio, also their friends and fellow Warriors. What was the age that brats in Paradis could join the military? Twelve? Thirteen? Maybe a few exceptions to those from desolate poverty. How old had Isabel been again? Their days as a gang and something of a family seemed long past. But apparently it didn't violate any treaty that any Eldian children not from the island could begin military training while still toddling.

"Gabi. I was in the military for almost ten years. It never gets any damn easier seeing younger soldiers die no matter how much the fatass pigs in fancy chairs justify shooting at other people for the sake of God or money or easy women. You know full well how I sent Commander Erwin and almost one-hundred soldiers to their deaths. Some were only about your age. Don't think I don't get upset from time to time about that."

"Oh, you've told me this a million times before. 'We have to give meaning to those who die since life is just so cruel.'" She spoke half mockingly. "Are you telling me to not be sad about Reiner and my friends?" Great. At least she was more aware than her family.

"That is for you to decide." He leaned back in his chair. Where was Falco when he was needed? He could always balance out Gabi at her worst and most despairing moments. She was now writing in the notebook she drew from her bookbag. She glanced at him.

"I'm writing this for my teachers. They're worried about me and Falco. They don't understand, none of them. They don't care at all that we are heroes. Maybe my dad is right. The whole world is just going to hate us no matter what." She wrote increasingly fast. "If Reiner is lucky enough, maybe reinforcements will be sent to the island to rescue them and take them home right away. I'll just need some target practice. I've killed some Jaegerists before, and I'll do it again if-"

Thonk. She was hit with a pillow, but there was something inside of it. A book Sigrid was reading earlier that afternoon left on the side table.

"Hey! What was that for?!" She rubbed her head, grimacing.

"Gabi," he spoke sternly. "You're going in circles again."

It was exactly what he was doing most of the time, but she was still a girl with little experience, even without living in an internment zone. She needed to keep her mouth shut at times.

Gabi frowned. "I know. But I still think some of the islanders are acting like devils even if they aren't born as them." She became quiet. "Maybe… I am too."

Knock knock knock. The sudden pounding on the door startled Theo from the other room. He howled at the unanticipated evening guest and trotted to the door, barking at it. Gabi bolted up, immediately recognizing the knocking pattern. She opened the door without hesitation.

"Falco!" She reached out to hug him. "What are you doing here? Didn't your mom and dad say you had to study?" She buried herself in him even as he struggled against her.

"Yes, they did. Oh, hello, Mr. Levi. It's just that, um…."

She peaked past his shoulder. Ramon and Cecilia were standing there too. The Grice family seemed so damn nervously standing there. At this point, Karina rushed to the door while wearing her nightgown.

"Wh-what brings you here at this hour?" She asked. Ramon and Cecilia eyed each other, motioning for the other to speak first. Finally, Ramon spoke up.

"We're sorry for the unprompted visit, but Falco insisted. This is something very strange, so please listen." He stepped inside. He was carrying a small box in his hands. He walked past Karina to face Levi. What the hell did he have to do with this?

Ramon clenched his teeth as he opened the box. "A few days ago… did you get attacked by a bird after the children gave you that book?" Inside the box was the dead body of the bird that had entered his apartment.