Day 31, Mitras.
Life was a constant trade-off, and there existed a balance of sacrifices. Sometimes, you chose what to give; more often, the choice was made for you. Freedom demanded struggle, peace required war, and nothing came without its cost. Armin knew these things to be true as he stared into the mirror, his reflection glaring back at him, the faint twitch of his eye betraying his unease as he donned a dress for the second time in a week.
He was never going to live this down.
Golden curtains brushed against his cheeks thanks to the finely crafted wig perched atop his head. He was going to be teased mercilessly once this was over, he could already picture the shit eating grins on Connie and Sasha's faces.
Historia was taken away to god knows where, and the new junta couldn't afford for the people's faith in their new regime to waver. Their first act, after tearing down the old monarchy, was to officiate the new one with a lie. A clean slate built on a white deception—ironic, really. Armin could almost hear commander Erwin chuckling over the thought, if he wasn't so busy dealing for what lay ahead.
Stohess.
The name alone was enough to tighten the invisible band around his chest. Even now, as he adjusted the heavy folds of his gown, his thoughts drifted to the others. Eren, Mikasa, the Captain, all of them were preparing for a confrontation that could reshape everything, band the battle would not come without cost.
And here he was, playing pretend.
The absurdity of it might have made him laugh if the weight of the situation wasn't crushing him. But this? This was nothing compared to what the others would face. Sacrificing a shred of dignity, donning a dress and playing queen for a few hours was not comparable. His heart thudded as the muffled hum of the crowd's voices beyond the curtain grew louder. They were waiting for him—for "Historia", the true heir, the symbol of a new beginning.
He inhaled sharply, steadying himself. It wasn't the first time he'd pretended to be stronger than he felt, and it wouldn't be the last. A faint voice cut through his thoughts, signaling that the assembly was ready, his mind, almost instinctively, drifted to Historia herself.
The real Historia, somewhere far away from here.
"You've grown so much."
Historia remained motionless, unsure, and anticipating under the weight of this man's gaze. She had been imagining for years what it would feel like to see him again. She had imagined derision, rage, and possibly hatred based on Floch's statements alone. But now that she was in his presence, all she felt was a hollow, empty ache. The only sound to break the hush between them was her own labored breathing. Absurd, it really was. To think that all her life, this man was nothing more than a faceless nobody she only heard about from her mother.
"Historia, my daughter... It's been so long."
Rod spoke in a smooth voice that had a hint of something she couldn't identify. Sadness? Was he feeling sorry?
She narrowed her eyes at him sharply, "...Daughter? After everything?" She glared back at him, lips quivering with a newfound bubbling anger. "I... I didn't even know you, I was lied to all my life. Why? Why are you doing this?"
She wouldn't be letting her guard down, Floch and Eren warned her.
Rod's eyes widened, recoiling at that venomous expression she gave him. His face contorted into a complicated expression before he ultimately lunged forward, and to her surprise, instead of physically lashing out, he pulled her into a hug as he spoke out.
"I'm sorry!"
Historia froze.
Huh?
He was... Sorry? Historia frowned, She expected to hear many things from this man, but that particular word was so far down the list she never thought she'd hear it out of his mouth. Floch never said anything about this...
"No amount of words will ever make this right, but it was necessary! I've dreamed of the day I'd get the chance to hold you like this again!" He cried out, as she kept staring over his shoulder bewildered. "Your life was at stake! I had to keep you safe from the council no matter the cost! But It's all been for you, and you only. I am ashamed to call myself your father after all these years but I had to keep you hidden away! Until now, things have changed now!"
"What do you mean?" she said, her voice steady despite the storm inside her. "What... changed?"
Rod's lips curled into a faint smile as he pulled away to stare down at his daughter. "Everything, I will show you soon. That boy, Eren Yeager, he holds something far more important than you could ever imagine, something which he has no business having, because it was stolen from it's rightful owners, from us, from you."
"...Stolen?" Historia's brow furrowed, could he possibly mean Eren's titan?
He nodded back at her. "Yes, but worry not, we'll have it back soon. Once he's brought to us, I will show you the truth, and offer you your rightful place, Historia."
Her eyes widened at hearing those two words at the end, and what came next shocked Rod. He didn't move at first, his feet rooted to the ground in disbelief. She smiled at her him as tears welled up in her eyes, and his expression finally softened, as the two enveloped each other in an emotional hug. Rod's eyes began to water when he heard that magical word again after so many years.
"Father!"
"I want to grow up to be like you." - Historia Reiss 845 AD , to her half-sister Frieda Reiss, weeks before the fall of Shiganshina.
She was gone.
The dull thud of Ymir's body hitting the floor froze Floch in place. His breath hitched, his chest tightening as warm blood splattered across his face. Time seemed to stretch, each second dragging as his eyes locked onto her body. Her features were half-hidden by tangled hair, matted with blood from the gaping wounds that marred her face, the sight permanently seared into his mind.
The three men turned their weapons toward him, and Floch's body moved before his thoughts could catch up. Adrenaline surged through him like a wildfire as he twisted, deploying his ODM gear with a sharp hiss, hooks sinking into the wall on the far side of the room. Bullets tore through the air, shredding the space around him as he soared, knocking over a table and diving behind it. Wood splintered, shards flying in every direction as the table disintegrated under the hail of gunfire.
She was gone.
Floch gritted his teeth, his grip tightening around the triggers of his ODM gear. His heart pounded in his ears with rage and desperation. With a sharp exhale, he anchored himself to the ground and sprang out of cover, firing a hook. The steel cable shot out with a metallic clang, latching onto the chest plate of Ymir's killer. The man's eyes widened in shock as he was yanked forward, his feet scrambling for purchase.
Floch met him halfway, a dagger already in hand. He drove the blade into the man's stomach with brutal precision, the sickening crunch of metal piercing flesh echoing in the room. The man let out a guttural scream, his hand clawing at Floch's arm, but Floch didn't stop. His face twisted into a mask of cold fury as he plunged the steel in again and again, each strike punctuated by the wet sound of tearing flesh and the spray of hot blood. The man's struggles weakened, his cries turning to choked gurgles.
She was gone.
In a last, desperate attempt, the man raised his gun, but Floch was faster. He wrenched the arm over his shoulder keeping the barrel of the ODM gun pointed straight and away from himself, the gun firing uselessly into the wall behind. The deafening shots rang in Floch's ears, but he didn't flinch. With one final, savage thrust, he buried the dagger into the man's throat before ripping it out, slashing the flesh open with a warm spray of blood. The body went limp, collapsing against him, the red liquid spraying all over Floch's bangs and face, flowing down his face and dripping from his chin.
Blood coated eyes flicked to Ymir's body over the man's shoulder, his chest tightening again. He lingered for a fraction of a second, hoping against everything to see her wounds heal, to see her move, he couldn't lose the Jaws like this. But there was nothing. Just stillness. His eyes darkened, his expression pinched as he tore his eyes away from the corpse and sought cover behind the dead man's larger frame.
Fuck.
The remaining two attackers opened fire, bullets tearing into the body's back and ODM gear. Floch moved forward, using the corpse as a shield as he hurled himself over the railing. He landed hard on the ground floor below, rolling to absorb the impact. The body hit the ground beside him with a wet thud, but Floch didn't spare it a glance. He was already moving, sprinting for the back exit of the shop.
The two men charged after him, their boots pounding against the floor above. But then, one of them stumbled and fell, his ankle seized in a vice-like grip. He looked behind and his heart skipped a beat, Ymir's hand clamped around his ankle, her fingers digging into his boot. Her face was a mangled mess, torn and oozing flesh greeted him, one undamaged eye glaring at him with a feral intensity from behind her disheveled hair.
The man froze, his gun trembling in his hand as he met her gaze, the words dying in his throat. Electricity crackled around her, the air humming with raw power. And before he knew it, everything erupted in a blinding flash of light. The deafening boom that followed shook the building to its core, and the walls crumbled inward, burying everything in a cloud of dust and debris.
Moments earlier.
Eren crouched low on the sloped roof, the smooth tiles cool under his fingertips as he peered at the building across the square, his jaw tightened as he clenched his fists. From this vantage point, he could see the tea saloon where Floch and Ymir were meeting— He could only speculate what those two were saying in there but whatever the hell it was it didn't appear like it was going in their favor.
"Not good. She's getting aggressive," Petra murmured, one eye closed as she observed through a telescope.
Oluo glanced up, curiosity flickering across his face. "Did something happen?"
"She just knocked a cup of tea out of his hand."
"Damn, I could go for one right now," Oluo muttered, earning a sharp glare from Petra. A vein threatened to bulge on her forehead before she returned to the telescope, ignoring him.
Eren, meanwhile, was zoned out, his breathing heavy through his nose, heart pounding in his chest. This was it. If things escalated any further, the streets below would become a battlefield—titan against titan, or titans in this case. Beneath the anger and revulsion, a flicker of excitement stirred. Ymir had bailed him out the last time he fought Reiner, but this time would be different. Armor or not, he wouldn't make the same mistakes again.
His eyes darted left and right, scanning the rooftops and alleys. A single bead of sweat rolled down his temple. Reiner and Annie could be anywhere, waiting, watching. "Damn traitors..." He muttered under his breath, the words heavy with contempt.
"Keep steady," Levi's voice cut through his thoughts. Eren looked up to the side to find the captain's gaze momentarily on him before he fixed ahead, his demeanor calm.
On the highest vantage point beside them, Sasha sat on her knees, her rifle slung over her back. Her head tilted slightly, brows furrowed as her ears twitched. "Captain!" she called out, her voice a little urgent.
"What is it?" Levi replied without turning.
"D-do ya hear that?" She asked, prompting the man to look over in her direction.
Levi's eyes narrowed, briefly scanning the skyline. "Hear what?"
"It's faint, but… ODM gear. Incomin' from the west. Are we gettin' reinforcements?"
Levi frowned, Erwin wouldn't just send people over like that. "How many?" Levi asked as he hooked up to her position. Sasha furrowed her brow as she closed her eyes and focused, all the other members of squad Mike and Levi watching her intently.
Moments her eyes snapped open, "A dozen or so, maybe more."
Levi didn't respond immediately. His gaze darted to the west, scanning the rooftops. His shoulders stiffened, his hand moving to the hilt of his blade. "No," he said darkly, his voice rising. "You've got to be kidding me, Shit! Ambush! Get ready!"
As soon as he said those words, several figures suddenly launched out of the cover of the neighboring buildings and into the air. They came fast, clad in the interior's anti-personnel gear and firing on sight. Sasha's rifle was up in a heartbeat. She steadied her aim and squeezed the trigger, the sharp crack of her shot cutting through the chaos. One of the attackers dropped from the sky dead, before Sasha could cycle to another round, Levi's boot connected with her side, sending her tumbling off the roof. He dove away just as bullets riddled the spot where she had been crouching, the tiles shattering under the onslaught.
Everybody else scattered for cover. Mylius and Mina alongside Henning being the farthest away quickly re-positioned themselves, while Oluo and Petra took off, a small group giving chase to them. Mike lunged, catching Nanaba by the arm and yanking her out of the path of a speeding assailant. They tumbled behind a chimney, momentarily shielded from the chaos.
"Stay low!" Mike barked, his voice strained as he reached for his rifle slung over his shoulder and fired back.
Nanaba groaned, her eyes fluttering open, only to freeze at the sight of Lynne's lifeless body rolling off the roof and into the ground below, leaving a trail of blood in her wake.
Eren and Connie huddled together on the opposite side of the slope, their breaths coming in short, sharp gasps after having outrun the initial ambush. Connie leaned out, fired a shot at the figures soaring through the air, and ducked back down as bullets whizzed past. Eren turned to look at the building across the square, only to find the windows shattered and Floch and Ymir gone. His blood ran cold.
A sound behind them made Eren whirl around. Two men had snuck up on them, their weapons trained on Connie, who was too busy reloading his pistol to notice. Eren cursed inwardly, his body moving on instinct as he prepared to shield the boy.
But Mikasa was faster.
She came in from the side like a blur. Her foot lashed out, kicking the first man's extended arm and throwing his aim off as the weapon went off into the ground. In the same motion, her blade flashed, slicing through his neck. Blood sprayed as he choked, collapsing to his knees. Mikasa planted her palm against the roof, pivoted, and delivered a low sweeping kick that knocked the second man off his feet.
The second attacker recovered quickly, raising his weapon, but Mikasa was faster. Her ODM hooks shot out, the first ricocheting off his armor plate, the second embedding in his arm. He stiffened in pain but held her in place, his finger tightening on the trigger as he brought up his other arm to shoot.
"Mikasa!" Eren shouted, his voice raw with panic.
Mikasa gritted her teeth, her eyes narrowing as she struggled to free herself. But before the man could fire, Connie's shot rang out. The bullet struck center masse, and the man crumpled.
Eren looked behind him over his shoulder in awe, relief flooding his features. "Nice shot, Connie!"
Suddenly, the three froze, as did most of the others, as they turned around to watch the building where Floch and Ymir had been collapse in on itself. Moments later, they all witnessed the Jaws titan burst out of the rubble and climb up onto to the adjacent building, it scanned for a moment before it's eyes fell on the trio of Eren, Connie and Mikasa.
"Holy shit! S-she's looking right at us, guys! That can't be good right?! Floch got out of there, r-right?! Right?!" Connie stammered in fear, as he nervously turned to the other two for reassurance.
Eren was momentarily stunned, before his eyes darkened in rage as he glared back at Ymir. He stood up and readied to jump down and transform, before Mikasa stepped in at the last moment. He glared at her, attempting to shove her aside. "Move out of the damn way Mikasa, Floch's in trouble!"
She quickly put an end to his reckless behavior and slapped him in the face, rooting the stunned boy in place. "Think for a moment! Annie and Reiner are somewhere out there, with the first squad in the way we won't be able to support you properly! If you fight her head on, you'll be putting yourself at a massive disadvantage." Mikasa argued back, her clutch tightening on his shoulder. "Floch knows what to do better than anyone, so have a little faith, Eren!"
"She's right, man! There's a time and place to pick your battles! We need to regroup and get our shit together fast!" Connie added in agreement.
Eren frowned, as he looked over her shoulder, before he gritted his teeth in frustration and backed down, they were right. Reiner's armor was already a problem, but fighting Ymir now and getting caught with his pants down after the other two transform would spell disaster. Especially since he wouldn't have Levi and the rest to back him up. Seeing this, Mikasa nodded at him and removed her hand before the three quickly hurried out of there to regroup and repel the first squad.
Eren looked over his shoulder, he'd leave the Jaws alone for now.
For now.
They should have seen this coming, of course they'd strike when they least expected them to, that was their M.O these last couple of weeks. No problem, he'd cut them all down all the same, if he could safely reach them that is.
The air screamed with the hiss of ODM gear as Levi soared above the streets of Stohess. Below him, two assailants lunged upward, their modified gear spitting gas as they closed in. Levi's eyes narrowed, calculating trajectories in a split second. With a sharp tug on his triggers, he pivoted mid-air, his body twisting as he dodged a hail of gunfire much to their surprise. The first attacker pushed in attempting to shoot point blank—a fatal mistake. Levi dropped like a stone, letting the pellets pierce empty air before wrapping around from the side where the gun was fixed forward to where the cable was attached.
Their equipment was annoying to deal with, but flaws like this made it too easy sometimes. He anchored onto the man's shoulder plate, and pulled towards him, using the momentum to drive a knee into his ribs. He grunted in pain, before Levi quickly finished him off by slicing off his jugular and kicking him away, sending the fading man reaching for his neck into the ground below.
The remaining woman took advantage of the distraction and fired from behind but then watched with growing fear as Levi outmaneuvered her shots. She veered away to reload, breaking the engagement. Levi swung his blade at her and detached it from the hilt. Her eyes bulged as he perfectly predicted her trajectory and the steel brutally pierced her body, sinking into her chest. Her last moments spent watching the wall ahead of her grow bigger and bigger before she splattered against it dead.
Levi landed lightly on a roof tile, but the movement left him exposed—a third assailant surged from cover, guns raised. A gunshot rang out. The attacker's head snapped back, a bullet tearing through his body. Oluo swooped in, pistol smoking, as Petra's hooks embedded into the roof beside Levi, her voice sharp.
"Captain!"
"Petra, Oluo!" He called back for them in relief before his features tightened. "We need to gather the others and fall back through the eastern route, we're making a change of plans." Levi said, his voice clipped.
Oluo and Petra flanked him, their movements synchronized. Together, they made their back to the town square where the other half of the battle was taking place—until the rooftop fell eerily quiet. Oluo looked around curiously, before he noticed something approaching them from their left flank far too late.
A scattergun suddenly roared.
Oluo's body jerked violently, his left shoulder erupting in a spray of blood and fabric. He gagged, momentum faltering as he careened sideways. "Oluo!" Petra screamed, veering to catch him, but the same figure materialized from the side—a boot slammed into her ribs, sending her crashing below.
"Petra!"
Levi whirled, blades raised, as Kenny Ackerman appeared before him and fired mid-air. Levi dodged out of the way at the last second, swinging dangerously close and fast to the ground and skidding against it as he hooked onto the underside of a bridge connecting two buildings. He swung beneath it then detached his hooks once he completed the arc and soared up on the other side, firing a hook and landing safely on a nearby gable.
Levi's face darkened as he finally registered who the man who had just ambushed them was. He landed on the opposite side of the roof and tipped his wide-brimmed hat, a grin splitting his grizzled face. "Well, well. Look who's still kickin', ya're still as small as the day I left ya!" His voice was a gravelly drawl, dripping with mock warmth. "Miss me, runt?"
"Kenny!" Levi growled back at him.
Kenny cracked his neck, stepping forward. "C'mon, kid. Let's chat."
Levi didn't answer, instead he propelled himself towards him. Kenny's scattergun buckshot shredded the space in front of him, the older man's smirk momentarily fell as he realized he wasn't connecting any of his shots. He grit his teeth and braced himself, as the brat was suddenly in his personal space. Levi launched forward, blades aimed for Kenny's throat. The older man blocked with his gun barrel, a clash of steel ringing out. For a moment, they remained locked in a stalemate.
"Why the hell are you here?!" Levi growled as he pushed against him. "You spend years butchering these schmucks now you're doing their dirty work?!"
"There's the feisty little rat I remember." He looked over the boy's shoulder, eyes narrowing at the rooftops ahead. "We all have to do what we need to in order to reach our goals don't we? I have a dream to catch after all, business, politics, whatever you choose to label it, it's all for the sake of my convenience."
"If your dream involves killing my men, then I'm going to put an end to it here and now, you should have never come back." Levi glared back, as he slowly but surely began to overpower the man, emphasis on the word slowly.
"Ya're free to do so if ya can. That's the thing, both of us has somethin' to fight to for right now. The only difference bein', The thing I'm strivin' for..." Kenny suddenly shifted on his feet, before he pushed against Levi and knocked him back with his foot "... Is much greater than yours!"
A small distance was created between them, enough for Kenny to lower his gun toward him and fire. Only thing was, he noticed that peculiar little figure in the distance earlier and was forced to shift back at the last moment, throwing his aim off a little as he moved. But it ended up saving his life, as a sonic crack pierced the air in front of him.
Levi's eyes widened as he was kicked back, he bent over backwards and watched as the bullets pierced the air above him, one of them grazing his cheekbone. Blood welled, hot and insistent, but Levi didn't flinch. He planted his hands on the ground and executed a handspring back flip, then back flipped one more time before shooting out his hooks mid-air while upside down, fleeing to a nearby roof.
"What are ya teachin' yer subordinates ya little rat?! Didn't I teach ya anythin' bout manners?!" Kenny called out after him angrily, scanning the place for the person who had interrupted their reunion.
Meanwhile, Sasha, perched on a distant roof, hid and didn't dare peek out again. Instead choosing to reposition herself quietly, she made it over to another rooftop and poked her head out only to freeze, spotting a group of scouts way out in the distance littering the street below dead. She lowered herself, and took a deep breath to control her racing heart, reloading in silence, trembling fingers barely able to slot the bullets correctly.
Her eyes were clouded darkly in silent horror, how in the hell were they supposed to be fightin' Reiner and Annie like this?
The eastern bell tower loomed ahead, Levi anchored on it's side and swung around it and onto the neighboring residential buildings as Kenny relentlessly gave chase. "Y'know," Kenny called, voice carrying over the wind, "I taught ya better'n to run."
Levi said nothing and instead shot through the air, gas canisters hissing as he banked hard around a chimney, Kenny not far behind. The older man's ODM gear whined, closing the gap with every swing. Levi gritted his teeth, veering sharply toward the town square—need distance, need a plan—but Kenny anticipated the move. A cable snapped out, wrapping around Levi's ankle mid-air. With a brutal yank, Kenny reeled him in and slammed a boot into his ribs, sending him spiraling into a third-story window.
Glass shattered. Levi hit the floor in a roll, pain lancing up his side. He staggered to his feet, blades raised, only to freeze. Across the dim room, Reiner and Annie sat hunched behind the wall by the window, mugs of cold tea forgotten. Their heads snapped up in unison. For a heartbeat, the world stopped.
Reiner blinked, mouth agape in horror.
Annie gazed at him apprehensively, not daring to move a muscle.
Levi's eye twitched.
You've got to be fucking kidding me, is what he wanted to say as he slowly rose up on one knee and used his sword for support.
Kenny landed on the windowsill, scattergun leveled. "Yer gettin' sloppy, brat. Ya just let yerself—" He paused, squinting at the two teens who were now staring back at him in absolute befuddlement. "The hell? Who're these runts?"
Annie's hand drifted to her ring, Levi's eyes widened, and he quickly made a dash for the window to his right.
Annie's eyes locked onto Kenny's face, memories flashing—Mitras, years ago, that same face, that same hat—and her instincts took over.
"Reiner!" She called out at the last moment, as Kenny raised his weapons to fire.
Light erupted, engulfing the room.
Boom.
The building exploded outward, crystalline shards and wooden beams raining over the square. Levi tumbled through the air, hooks scrambling for purchase as the Female Titan's skeletal form burst free. Kenny cursed, ricocheting off a collapsing wall. Annie's Titan stood tall, steam hissing from her joints as she scanned for threats. In the distance, she could see Ymir in her titan form watching patiently from a rooftop.
Kenny landed beside Levi on a nearby roof, as the two made a temporary truce. "These freaks the ones running around wreckin' the place?"
Levi wiped blood from his cheek. "They're the reason your employers are throwing this tantrum."
Kenny snorted. "Figures. Always some damn titans." He turned around, taking his leave. "Don't let them rob me the pleasure of personally snuffin' ya out."
Levi gave him a look over his shoulder. "Leaving again?"
"Heh, I'll come back to deal with whoever is left, better be you."
And with that Kenny jumped away, leaving Levi to grit his teeth in frustration as he turned around to face the current threat.
His eyes widened as the Female Titan's fist crashed into his perch, forcing him away. Levi flipped backward, blades flashing as he carved a gash across her wrist. She recoiled, and lashed out with her other hand. Levi jumped away, the blow obliterating the roof behind him. Annie pivoted, her foot slamming down in front of him as he attempted to cut low through the street. He grappled upward, avoiding it in time, before he latched onto an alley and momentarily bought himself some time as he created distance between them.
He shot up in the air and landed on the side of a steeple, gazing back at the Female who had tracked his movements. He glanced down at his equipment, noting the severe lack of resources needed to take her on. He craned his neck to gaze in the direction of HQ, he'd need to make a quick trip to restock or else he could forget capturing her much less fighting anybody in this state.
Levi's grip tightened on his blades, his eyes darting between Annie's Titan and the wreckage-strewn square. His gas was running dangerously low, and his blades were chipped and dull. He gritted his teeth, scanning the horizon for any sign of backup.
Then, a flash of lightning split the sky.
Levi's head snapped toward the source, his breath catching as Eren's Titan erupted into existence, steam billowing from its massive frame, his Titan's emerald eyes locking onto Annie's. For a moment, the battlefield seemed to hold its breath. Levi allowed himself a fraction of relief. "Good timing, brat."
But the relief was short-lived. Another crack of thunder echoed as another blinding light momentarily covered the area, and Levi's stomach dropped as Reiner's Armored Titan emerged behind Eren. The odds had just tipped from bad to worse. Levi's jaw clenched. Three against one.
Damn it.
Eren acknowledged Reiner and Ymir's presence with a look over his shoulder before he roared, the sound reverberating through the streets as he dropped into a fighting stance. His Titan's fists clenched. Levi watched, torn between staying to support the kid and the cold reality of his own limitations. "Eren," Levi muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible over the chaos. "Hold out for as long you can, I'll be back."
He definitely couldn't stay. Not like this. Not with his gear nearly spent and his blades on their last legs. He needed to refuel, to restock, to regroup. Every second he wasted here was a second Eren was left alone against two of the most dangerous Titans they'd ever faced, plus extra.
Levi's gaze lingered on Eren for a moment longer, his expression hardening. "Hold the line, brat," he said, more to himself than anyone else. Then he turned, his ODM gear hissing as he launched himself toward the Stohess HQ. The wind whipped past him as he soared over the rooftops, the sounds of the battle fading behind him, where he desperately needed to be. But he'd return, Toward Eren. Toward the fight.
Toward whatever came next.
Happy new year! I'm only saying this a month late!
Anyway, some were wondering why Floch didn't tell Eren/Historia the events of post-RTS.
He's deeply paranoid and distrustful of everyone around him. He doesn't fully trust pre-timeskip Eren due to his attachment to Armin and sees no merit in telling Historia. Floch doesn't know Eren can see the future, he never did, he just knows that Historia can help him unlock his dad's memories due to her royal blood like everybody else but doesn't know the specifics so he's just waiting for "that" Eren to return.
This caution and paranoia is first shown in chapter 4 when he questioned if Sandra and the rest would betray him like Jean did, and in chapter 32 when he recalled the southern port battle when thinking about giving Ymir a chance.
It's not outright stated, but Floch is bitter about Jean's betrayal. In chapter 8, he sabotaged him and Connie to help Historia. In chapter 19, Floch inwardly tells him "Better luck in a few years" when Jean admits they wouldn't be able to stop him. In chapter 27, when he asks Jean not to tell Marlowe/Hitch about him. It was done as a test, it's why Jean was the only one that got beat up by Rico's group when they were interrogated.
Last but certainly not least, in chapter 14, Floch has this to say to Armin and Jean: "Marco and I can't leave, and neither can Mikasa. Us three are vital to this castle's defense, as for you two... Well, we can do without you Jean." and of course, thinking that Armin would serve as good titan bait straight after.
There's similar details like that throughout the story where he's being petty or downright vindictive against a few specific people. For example in chapter 17, he never told Armin and Mikasa his true motives to rescue Eren because he wanted to mentally torment them. When Armin broke down in tears and Floch smiled at him, those were his true feelings. (Karma hits him later when Mikasa frees herself and chases after him)
Fun fact, Floch's responsible for Bertholdt being dismembered over and over again, I left around a few hints to point that out but later felt they were too vague so I rewrote a line of dialogue in chapter 19 when he was taunting Bertholdt. (Two weeks into it, Hange pitched to Erwin the idea of selling Bertholdt's extra limbs to farmers so they could be used as compost.)
But yeah, that's all from me for now, hope you enjoyed, next part in two weeks if not I am dead.