At the northwest corner of Trost countless numbers of titans were swarming at the hundreds of soldiers gathered at the top of the wall. Many soldiers were still climbing the wall with the 3D Maneuver Gear, but some were not lucky enough to escape the titans unscathed.

One in particular was being helped up to the top by two soldiers, but were shocked upon seeing the soldier. His arm down to his elbow was gone, replaced by a bloody, meaty string and mangled leather. The soldier was nauseous, both from the pain and the loss of his blood, sweating profusely and groaning as he went to join the others. The titans, despite being far too short for the top of the wall, continued to reach up, hungry for human flesh.

The sight was observed by Pixis and several other Garrison soldiers as they walked down the Wall Rose barrier of Trost.

“We managed to gather most of the titans into one corner of the town,” a soldier said to Pixis. “Despite our best efforts to avoid combat, we’ve lost about twenty percent of our men.”

“We did not lose them,” Pixis assured him, issuing a gasp from the soldier that begged for a clarification. “Those soldiers didn’t just go die for no reason. They did it because I gave the order.”

Pixis then glanced out to where Eren would be before he continued.

“This is a crucial moment, the outcome of which shall decide whether mankind lives or dies. If humanity can survive as a result of my actions, I will gladly accept being branded as a mass-murderer.”
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Mikasa had dived out of the way of Eren’s titan’s fist, getting cut by one of the many chunks of the debris that exploded off of the building. Ian, Riko, Mitabi, and the ponies all gasped in horror as their desperate plan was going awry.

Eren’s titan’s fist had broken off due to its punch, but it didn’t seem to faze it, as it was already reeling its left arm back to hit Mikasa with its left fist.

“MIKASA!” shouted Applejack.

Mikasa quickly placed her left hand on the edge of another ceiling to her left. As Eren’s titan thrust forwards, Mikasa pulled herself off and leapt over its fist. Mikasa then shot a hook into Eren’s titan’s cheek and reeled herself in towards his face.

“Hey!” Ian called. “Ackerman, stop it! Get away from that thing!”

Mikasa grabbed onto a lock of Eren’s titan’s hair and placed her foot on his face for support.

“Eren!” she shouted at it. “Don’t you recognize me? It’s me, Mikasa! I’m your family! You need to pick up that stone and seal that hole!”

Rainbow Dash then flew close to Eren’s face as well, looking him in one of his eyes.

“Eren!” she yelled. “It’s me, Rainbow Dash! You remember me, don’t ya’?”

Riko, having swung in to see the plan up close, pulled out a red smoke round from a case she had on her.

“The mission was a failure,” she hissed. “I should have known. We have no such thing as a human weapon.”

Riko aimed the pistol up and covered her ears, firing a red round into the sky. She then went to join Ian and Mitabi on the next roof.

“EREN!” Mikasa continued to yell. “You are human! You are−”

“Ackerman! Rainbow Dash!” screamed Ian. “Get out of the way!”

Eren’s titan’s right fist, having regenerated, pulled its arm back to strike Mikasa again as well as Rainbow Dash. Mikasa’s eyes squinted, shocked and appalled that her brother would attack her like this. Mikasa jumped off its head and to a building while Rainbow Dash ducked out of the way as Eren’s titan punched itself in the face, completely shattering the head from the bottom jaw down.

“Eren!” Rainbow Dash shouted, her eyes streaming tears.

Mikasa looked in fright as the titan, now robbed of its vision, fell backwards and landed against the boulder, sitting against it and smoldering with steam. It laid motionless and still, as if it had killed itself.

“What's up with him?” Mitabi commented as Mikasa landed by him and Ian. “He’s stupid, just like all the other titans.”

“Eren!” shouted Mikasa upon seeing the state of his titan.

“Squad leader Ian!” called a soldier from the south. “Two titans approaching from the front gate! One ten-meter and one six-meter class! There’s one more behind us! Twelve-meters, and it’s coming our way, sir!”

“Ian,” advised Mitabi, “we gotta' retreat. That brat isn't going to block any gates!”

“Aye,” agreed Riko. “We have no choice but to leave him here.”

Mikasa angrily looked back at the group just as Ian was looking to her for her opinion. Ian looked at the scowl on her face that told him not to dare abandon the mission. The glare bore into Ian’s eyes, scared by what her actions would be if he called for retreat.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Pixis and several other garrison soldiers and captains looked out to see the smoke that Riko had deployed.

“Red smoke bomb from the elite team confirmed,” relayed a male Garrison soldier with a thick moustache. “The blocking operation must have run into some serious complications.”

As the soldiers and captains continued looking out, one soldier near the shack for the controls of a lift, sat down on his knees and rested his face into his hands, demoralized at the failure of the last effort to save humanity.

“All for nothing,” he wept. “My comrades... They died for nothing.”
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Soldiers along the corners of the town that were keeping the titans at bay and carrying up gas tanks looked up at the red smoke that extended into the air. Armin and the other soldiers looked upon the sight with nervous and hopeless frowns.

"What's that?" shouted a cadet.

“Red smoke…” said Armin.

“Does this mean they failed?” Marco asked.

“How…” Armin said to himself. “Eren… Mikasa… What the hell is going on?”

Armin knew that he was better with his voice than he was with his swords or his 3D Maneuver Gear, but now was his chance to save his friends in a similar vein to how they saved him as a child. Armin dropped a wooden basket of gas tanks that was fastened to his back and ran east down the wall.

“Huh?” questioned Marco, seeing his comrade run off. “Armin! Where are you going?”

It was too late. Armin was too far out of earshot and too far beyond the point of caring. His friends needed him, and they needed him now.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

“Commander Pixis,” spoke the moustached soldier, “we must quickly resume defensive formation and head to the gate. We just need your approval.”

“No,” Pixis simply answered.

“We should order the team to pull back,” said the female with the telescope.

“No need. Continue to draw the titans closer to the corner of the town. As for the elite team, we’ll trust the commanding officer on the field to do the right thing. They aren’t just skilled soldiers; they’re the elite of the elite who hold the fate of humanity in their hands. Giving up now would be unforgivable. If there’s one thing we can do to make sure our soldiers didn’t die in vain, it’s to keep up the fight for as long as we live.”
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Twilight and the other ponies began to reconvene on the roof with Mikasa, Ian, Riko, and Mitabi, who were all discussing the best choice of action given their circumstances.

“Hey!” shouted Mitabi at a still reluctant Ian. “What’s the holdup? Just give the order!”

“We’ll stop when the mission is successful!” Twilight butted in, but was not heeded by Mitabi, Riko, or Ian, who continued to look at Mitabi as he continued his rant

“Ian, this isn’t your fault. This whole plan never stood on solid ground to begin with. Everbody knows it! It was worth a try, sure, but we’ve been trying more than enough as it is!”

“Then try harder!” ordered Rainbow Dash, flying in front of Mitabi and poking him in the chest with her hoof. “Unless someone plugs up that hole, we’re all going to die!”

“Look who’s talking!” Mitabi scoffed, brushing Rainbow Dash’s arm away from him and then pointing at Twilight. “Pixis said you could use magic, right? How’s about you use it to pick up the boulder?”

“My magic isn’t strong enough here!” she responded. “You might not understand it, but unicorns and alicorns draw magic from the earth, but there’s not nearly enough here for me to do anything. It would be like you and your soldiers all going out on this mission on nearly-empty gas canisters. Better yet, it would be like you and you alone trying to pick up that boulder. We just don’t have the strength!”

Mitabi grunted, understanding what she was getting across.

“Fine then. You do as you wish. Me and my team are climbing the wall!”

A clearing of Mikasa’s throat sounded off, having each of the ponies and humans present to turn and face Mikasa, who had her sword drawn and was beginning to advance towards them. The ponies were scared at Mikasa’s intentions.

“Uh, Mikasa?” Applejack chuckled nervously. “Let’s not do anything rash, hehe…”

Mikasa didn’t care. If these two were going to leave, they’d have to deal with her first. However, an arm raised up and blocked her path.

“Hold it!” Ian shouted.

Even though Mikasa was now halted, she continued to look at Mitabi and Riko with warning eyes.

“Wait,” panted Ian, glancing backwards. “Calm down, Ackerman.”

Ian didn’t need Mikasa or the ponies to alter his decision. He looked right back at his two human comrades.

“Team Riko, take down the twelve-meter titan on the rear! Team Mitabi and my own will deal with the two in the front.”

Mitabi and Riko were shocked, while the ponies were uplifted by Ian’s dedication.

“Excuse me?” Riko demanded.

“I am the one in command here!” yelled Ian. “Shut up and follow my orders. We cannot allow Jaeger to remain defenseless for any longer!”

It was now Mikasa’s turn to be surprised while Mitabi and Riko remained fearful of Ian’s orders. The ponies were still happy that Ian would not cower out as easily as Mitabi or Riko.

“Change of plans,” began Ian. “We’ll protect Jaeger from the titans until he’s recovered. The fact is, the potential that he represents for humanity is just too great. We can’t afford to let go of that so easily, because unlike any of us, there’s no replacing him."

Riko had calmed down, but was still too skeptical to allow herself to follow Ian blindly to her death.

“Hundreds of us have already died for the sake of that hulking failure of a human weapon.” stated Riko. “Now you want to recover him, just for us to go through all that again?”

“That’s right,” answered Ian. “No matter the casualties or how many times it takes, we must continue trying.”

The ponies were speechless, merely nodding in affirmation over Ian’s words.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Jean had rappelled himself up the wall to join Marco and Conny. The scene around them all was just as desperate as before, more and more soldiers coming up wounded or dead, with or without the help of their comrades.

"What happened to Eren?" asked Jean to both of them.

"Armin's headed there alone," Marco answered. "I think... they'll be fine."

"You think?"

"They'll be fine! I'm sure!"

"Eren can do it!" Conny responded.

Conny's supportive answer went as a shock to Jean.

"I can't help but think it's pointless to gather all the titans into the corner of the town," Conny spoke.

"Fighting the titans always becomes a battle of attrition," Jean reasoned. "We can't let more soldiers perish at this point."

Conny turned around and looked out at soldiers along the wall.

"So those who already died," he said, "they died in vain?"

"This is bound to become an all-out war sooner or later! We have to preserve our forces as much as possible until then. Keeping casualties to a minimum is only natural."

"But we've got the ponies!" Conny shouted. "They can help us win this war, can't they?"

"They are still flesh and blood!" Jean yelled. "They are nothing more than animals, just like us. I'm right about this."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive!"

"Then let's try and not become casualties ourselves," Conny replied, turning around with his trademark cocksure smile.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

“Ian,” Riko yelled at Ian, “are you mad?”

“HOW ELSE CAN WE WIN THEN!?” yelled Ian, causing the ponies to take a frightened step backwards. “Let’s hear it! How do we defeat the titans!? You tell me! What other way is there to get through this without more people dying!? All while remaining human ourselves!? How do we overcome the strength of the titans then, huh!?”

The ponies were stunned. Not once had they seen such fires of fury from him, and to say the least, it was very inspiring.

“Of course I don’t know any to defeat them.” she calmly responded.

“Right,” agreed Ian. “That's why this is all we have left. Our job is to throw our lives away for the sake of this obscure human weapon. Our job is to die as bravely as we possibly can.”

Riko still looked agitated with her commander’s decision while Mitabi was still scared of the prospect of death. Twilight and the ponies, while also scared of dying, looked at the body of Eren’s titan still sitting motionless by the boulder. They knew well that if they had any chances of saving their friend, as well as their other friends and the whole of humanity, they’d have to risk their lives to protect him. Their nervous faces turned to ones of determination as the six ponies and Spike gave Ian a nod.

“Isn't it pitiful?” Ian asked as he looked at the encroaching titans. “As humans, and even for these ponies, this is the best we can do. Sacrificing ourselves for something that might not even pay off.”

With a look back to Mikasa and each one of the ponies, the resolve on their expressions answered to him that they all had his back.

“So,” he concluded, “what will you do? This is the only way we can fight. This is as good of a struggle as we’ll ever put up.”

Riko grit her teeth, knowing it was futile to change his mind. She turned on her heels and began to walk away. The ponies frowned at her supposed cowardice.

“Yeah, right,” she scoffed. “I’m still not convinced.”

“Riko!” called Ian.

“I’ll follow the plan!” she said, bringing Twilight’s glares down. “I believe what you're saying is right. I will teach them to fear the dreadful human beings can be when they're fighting with all they’ve got. I won't die a dogs death. Leave the twelve-meters class on the rear to my team.”

With that, she ran out to the back and fired her hooks out at some buildings soaring down to take the titans there.

“This is no longer time for idle chatting, Ian,” Mitabi stated, running in the opposite direction towards the southern gate, “Let’s go! Those titans up ahead are waiting.”

“Right!” confirmed Ian as Mitabi rocketed off on his 3D Maneuver Gear.

“Thank you very much, squad leader Ian,” Mikasa said.

“You really have a way with words,” complimented Rarity.

“Mikasa,” spoke Ian, “ponies, there is no need to thank me. I had no idea what you were about to do, Mikasa, and I admit that that scared the shit out of me. Move ahead on your own to execute the original plan. Your abilities are best utilized that way.”

“Sir!” she confirmed.

“Defend your lover.”

“He’s family…” she whispered, blushing.

“Ponies,” Ian addressed to them. “You’re all going to need a way to defend yourselves. Even if you can fly and use magic, I’m not sure how long that can hold up when titans begin to surround you on all ends.”

Rainbow Dash put her hoof to her chin, trying to ponder a solution. Suddenly, her head shot up and a smile appeared on her face.

“Spike,” she called, lower herself to her shins and elbows, “hop on.”

Ian was confused as he watched Spike hop off of Twilight to mount Rainbow Dash.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Getting something to defend ourselves with, what do you think? Spike, you on?”

“Ready,” confirmed Spike.

With incredible speed and a tail of rainbow colored contrails, Rainbow Dash flew back into the center of the town towards the HQ. While her speed was awesome, Ian knew that they couldn’t spend anymore time there.

“Ackerman,” ordered Ian, “do what you must! The ponies seem to have things covered.”

As Ian ran down to join Mitabi and any other soldiers he gathered, Mikasa looked down at Eren’s titan’s headless body, but saw that neither the head nor the hands have grown back yet, still smoldering.

Eh? she wondered. He hasn’t regenerated yet from the wounds he sustained back then? How is that going to affect Eren? We’re not even sure if Eren can return to his normal shape in the first place–

“Mikasa!” shouted Applejack, snapping her out of her train of thought. “I don’t think yer gonna’ do a good job killin’ titans standing here like a bump on a log.”

“Wait,” Pinkie Pie pondered out loud, “are bumps on logs even able to stand? Or do they normally wear scarves?”

Mikasa bowed her head down and closed her eyes for a second, almost as if she was embarrassed for standing around like she did.

No, she thought, looking back out to where Ian and Mitabi were. That’s enough. No matter how hard I think about it, I have no way to know. For now, I’ll just do my thing.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Armin ran down the wall to reach Eren and Mikasa. His panting was heavy and labored, but he knew he'd be damned if he were to succumb then and there.

Eren. Mikasa, he thought. What happened?
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Inside the nape of Eren’s titan’s neck, Eren lied motionless and still. His arms, legs and face were grafted to the muscle inside the neck and spine. Eren’s own neck had its own spine visible, the skin shifted to attach itself to the inside. The left eye, not covered by the flesh, opened up, awakening Eren.

Huh? he thought. What the… What am I doing here? Am I sitting? I can’t see a thing. What day is it today? Where am I?

A bright light began to take over Eren’s vision, causing him to drowsily blink his eyes to adjust. Once he got used to the light, he could make out the scene in front of him. He was now a ten-year old child again. He was in a large wooden room. The right wall had a modest fireplace and cabinet of plates and other dishes.

In front of him, there was a wooden table with four wooden chairs, his father occupying the right bottom one as he was writing down in a journal. Behind the table, Mikasa, now ten years old too, was helping Eren’s mom with dishes at the sink. Eren’s mom’s black hair was combed and draped around her right shoulder. The sun streaming through the window above the sink provided ample light. Eren himself sat on a wooden bench with a pillow to his left and behind him and a blanket wrapped around him.

“What the…” he muttered to himself nonchalantly. “Oh, I’m in my home. I need sleep...”

With a mighty yawn, Eren leaned backwards on the pillow and shut his eyes, snoring loudly.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Armin was almost to the site. With no blades in his handles, he swung southwards towards the area as fast as his 3D Maneuver Gear could allow him. Landing atop a roof, he got a good look of Eren’s titan as it sat with its back to the boulder and its head blown off. The journey to the site, along with Armin’s shock, caused him to pant.

“Eren…” he said out loud, “what the heck are you doing? Eren?”

Southwest from Armin, on the same roof that they had been standing on, Rainbow Dash and Spike had returned. Rainbow Dash had eight swords in her grasp, handles and all. Spike had wrapped two each in his arms by the handles with the blades pointed behind him to avoid slicing Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash dropped the swords to the ground, the clanging and clattering alerting Armin to the noise. He gasped upon seeing his friends still there and grabbing swords. However, Mikasa was nowhere in sight. Wanting to know what was happening, he swung his way over to the roof. Upon his landing, the ponies gasped in shock.

“Guys,” spoke Armin, “what are you doing?”

“Armin!” squealed Pinkie Pie as she wrapped her arms around Armin’s body in a tight, crushing hug. “You’re alive!”

“Pinkie!” scolded Twilight. “Let go of him!”

“Oh,” she answered, letting Armin go and allowing him to take a deep inhale. “Sorry ‘bout that!” she whispered.

“I’m glad to see you all safe and sound too, but what’s going on? Where's Mikasa?”

“She left with Ian and Mitabi,” Rainbow Dash answered, “We need to keep those titans away from Eren, so we’re arming ourselves.”

“Huh? How are you going to do that? I can see Twilight and Rarity using their magic, but how are Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy going to–”

“Like this!”

Rainbow Dash picked up two swords in each hoof and flew up. To Armin’s complete shock and surprise, the rainbow-maned pegasus flawlessly held the two swords in her wrists that were squeezed to hold the sword in place.

“With this, we’ll cut them down to size!” Rainbow Dash declared.

“And how!” Spike replied, holding a sword up.

“Spike!” yelled Twilight. “Put that away! You could hurt somepony!”

“The only ones I’ll be hurting are those good-for-nothing titans!”

“Spike,” reasoned Armin, “I know that you want to help your friends, but you can’t let your emotions make your decisions. Eren did so when Thomas got killed and he almost died. He was one of the top ten students of the class and he nearly died, so what chance do you think you have?”

“They won’t touch me!” Spike talked back with his hand over his heart. “I’m a dragon, and those titans shouldn’t try and attack me!”

“Spike,” Twilight ordered, pulling the sword from his grasp, “that’s enough! I won’t have you go fighting the titans and that’s final!”

Spike was hurt at Twilight’s words, but his rage was penting up. With as much quickness as he could muster, he grabbed another sword and tried to run to where Riko went. However, his efforts were just as futile as Twilight held him up with her magic.

“Let me go!” Spike said as he flailed in the air, nearly slashing a nearby Twilight and Rainbow Dash.

“Quick,” Twilight said as she extracted the other sword from Spike’s hand, “grab the swords and go head off. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, you stay and guard Eren. Fluttershy and I will help out Riko. Rarity and Pinkie Pie can go and help Mikasa, Ian, and Mitabi.”

“You got it!” said Rainbow Dash.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash jumped off the roof to the ground to stand by Eren, who still lied motionless. Rarity grabbed four swords with her magic and galloped off with Pinkie Pie. Fluttershy got two swords for herself while Twilight took two along with the ones she took from Spike, leaving none left. As Fluttershy flew off, Spike ran to Twilight and pushed her, setting her aback.

“Why are you doing this?” he shouted as he stamped his foot, tears streaming down his face. “Why don’t you trust me?”

“I don’t want anything bad happening to you, Spike,” she tried to reason.

“Then why did Celestia allow me to come here in the first place?”

“Don’t you bring her into this, mister!” she yelled, pointing her hoof.

“I’m not just going to be your messenger while we’re here! If titans are going to keep surrounding us, then where would I even find safety? If my life is going to be in danger, then I want to fight for it, and I’m not going to let you or anyone stop me!”

Armin gasped at the two arguing. Armin couldn’t help but look at Spike more often, reminded of Eren’s own fury and resolve.

“You’ve always stuck your neck out for me,” Spike continued, “and I've hardly returned the favor. Just please, Twilight,” he sobbed, now on his knees and hugging Twilight’s chest, “just let me fight! I’m not a baby anymore! I want to save all of my friends!”

Twilight knew very well that Spike’s heart was in the right place, but she didn’t even think to consider that danger was coming from any and all ends. If Twilight let him be, Spike would have to face the titans alone. If Twilight or anyone brought him with unarmed, he’d be nothing but a useless burden.

However, Spike had learned much since he was hatched, and he would prove to be far better help if he had swords. Twilight shut her eyes and winced, unable to find the right decision. However, she realized again that risks were unavoidable today, much like the risk to use Eren’s titan power and the risk to continue protecting him after that failed. If the tide of the battle was going to turn, another risk would have to be made.

“Okay!” she shouted, dropping two swords at her hooves as her own tears ran. “Join Applejack and Rainbow Dash. I can’t have you riding on me with swords while we’re both trying to kill titans.”

“Really?” Spike hyperventilated. “You mean it?”

“Yes, Spike. I know I can’t keep holding you close to me forever, it’s just that it’s hard for me to let you go, especially like this!”

Twilight couldn’t talk anymore, instead opting to weep.

“Come on, Twilight,” cooed Spike, his voice still shaky as he wiped her tears, “you act like this is the first time I’m going away.”

Twilight remembered Spike’s first Great Dragon Migration and how awry it turned out, but she knew that Spike had grown since then, much like he showed when he brought the Crystal Heart to Cadance and saved the Crystal Empire, and she wouldn’t allow Spike to be confined to her at all times anymore.

“I’ll come out of this safe and sound.” Spike finished as he put his fist to his eye. “Pinkie promise.”

Twilight knew there was nothing more sacred than a Pinkie Pie promise, and that Spike seemed more than ready. However, there was one last thing that needed to be done before they separated. Twilight wrapped Spike in her arms for a possibly final hug.

“Go get them,” Twilight sighed, nuzzling her head into Spike’s.

“I won’t let you down, Twilight,” he answered.

They finally garnered the strength to let go, and with a final glance, Twilight lifted Spike and his swords up and floated him down to the ground, surprising the cyan pegasus and orange earth pony below.

“Spike?” wondered Applejack. “What in tarnation are you doing here?”

“I’m helping you guys out,” answered Spike. “I’m not safe here no matter where I go, so I might as well do something about it.”

Applejack was about to object when Twilight’s voice rung out from above.

“Girls!” she called. “You look after him with your life!”

“Twilight!” whined Spike.

“I’m letting you fight, but I won’t let you go unprotected either!”

“Okay then! Good luck, Twilight!”

Twilight then looked to Armin, her look surprising him mildly.

“Are you staying here, too?” she asked.

“Yeah,” he answered. “I need to get Eren up, or we’re all doomed.”

“I hope the best for you.”

Twilight then walked up to Armin and gave him one last hug as well, shocking him yet again.

“Farewell, Armin,” she bid. “I’m glad to have met someone quite like you.”

“Yeah,” he said, patting her back, “me too.”

Upon breaking free, Twilight gave one last look to Armin before she flew off to help Riko and Fluttershy. She glanced backwards at Spike and Armin, hoping with all of her might that it wouldn’t be the last time she’d see either of them alive.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Safely hidden behind a building near the swarming crowd of titans at the corner of Trost, Jean, Conny, Annie, two cadets, and a Garrison soldier were discussing a plan, all while watching the chaos unfold around them.

"Do you understand?" asked the male Garrison soldier with wavy brown hair. "We mustn't let the titans leave this corner. Focus only on that goal and lure them closer enough. Do you understand?

"You won't have to fight. Cadets will form groups of three and run on the ground. Once you're under the wall, climb up it. Try not to die.If by some minuscule chance any of the titans stray away, we'll crush them."

"Minuscule chance?" mumbled Jean unhappily. "I'd say it's more likely than that."

"Are we free to act as we see fit in case of an emergency?" asked Annie.

"If it comes to that," answered the Garrison soldier. "Sure."

The sound of crashing wood began to encroach as a fifteen meter titan walked through the buildings, getting closer to Jean and the others.

"Kirschtein squad, move out!" the Garrison soldier yelled.

"Got it!" he responded.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

A titan lied dead in the streets as it decomposed in a cloud of steam. Another titan that tried to reach at Ian and Mitabi on the roof was quickly cut down by Mikasa’s blades as she leapt over the rooftops at its neck. Upon being hit, the titan’s lifeless head slammed into the building, breaking a part of it as vapor poured from the wound.

“Shit!” yelled Ian. “Behind us! A thirteen-meter class! It’s making its way across the building to get at Jaeger!”

Sure enough, a large titan north of them had climbed onto the roof and crawled along it to create a shortcut, the soldiers of Ian and Mitabi's squads watching fearfully.

“Hey!” exclaimed Mitabi from the south, “More titans are coming in through the gate!”

Four large titans had come in from the broken gate in succession.

“Four ten-meters class!” shouted Mitabi.

Mikasa looked behind her at the thirteen-meter class as it continued to make its way across the buildings. Suddenly, a bang rang out through the air very close to the area, shocking the three humans.

“What?” Ian wondered. “They shouldn’t be firing those cannons now!”

Ian looked behind him, however, to see the thirteen-meter class titan fall to the ground from the roof it was on from a large puff of smoke. It fell on to its stomach, allowing a small-white quadrupedal creature with four swords floating at its sides to stand at the edge of the roof and swing the two of the swords into the back of the titans neck, killing it. Once the smoke cleared, a pink creature with a large blue cannon was visible.

“Rarity?” Mikasa wondered. “Pinkie Pie?”

Pinkie Pie had put her cannon away from behind her as the two ponies ran across the roofs to reach Mikasa, Ian, and Mitabi, and their men.

“I thought you could use a bit of assistance,” Rarity claimed.

“You got that right,” answered Mitabi. “We got four titans coming from the gate. We need to take care of them.”

“Then let’s go then!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, running to the southernmost end of the building.

As Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Mitabi went out to get the four titans that were coming in, Mikasa looked out to see more large shapes coming towards them.

No way, she thought. Why are there so many titans gathered this way? There are barely any humans in that area. Unless… they are somehow drawn to Eren?

“Ackerman!” Ian called out. “Titans coming from the north! You think you can take care of them? I think Rarity and Pinkie Pie can manage with us.”

“Yes, sir!” she answered without hesitation.

Mikasa used her 3D Maneuver Gear to zip across the rooftops to find an ideal place to defend Eren.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Armin needed to get Eren up. It would be a long-shot, and it was extremely dangerous, but it had to be done, or Eren would never move. Armin shot hooks at the top of the boulder and swung to it, climbing down it soon after and landing on Eren’s titan’s back. The two ponies and dragon that were with him looked at his feat with awe.

“Armin!” called Applejack. “What do you think yer doin’?”

“I’m going to try and wake up Eren!” he answered.

Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Spike bit their lips and widened their eyes, scared of Armin’s plan.

“Armin?” shouted Mikasa’s voice.

Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Spike, and Armin looked up from their locations to see Mikasa on the roof to the building west of them.

“Mikasa!” called Armin. “What happened to the plan? What’s going on with Eren?”

“Get out of here!” ordered Mikasa. “It’s too dangerous! Eren can't control that titan! Rainbow Dash and I tried talking to it and it didn’t respond! There is no point in anybody else trying!!”

“What about the plan?”

“It failed! We’re fighting because we can’t afford to abandon Eren! But with the number of titans, we are not going to survive this!”

Armin gasped, along with Spike, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack. Spike was beginning to fret over the very real prospect that he’d be breaking his promise to Twilight. However, Armin remembered the first time Eren had emerged from the nape of the titan’s neck, and he had suddenly thought of a way to get Eren up.

“Area from the back of the head to the nape of the neck:” Armin accounted as he connected a blade in his sheath to the holster in his hand, “length: one meter. Width: Ten centimeters,” he said as he drew his sword out.

“Armin?” shouted Mikasa, unsure of what he was about to do.

“Armin!” Rainbow Dash yelled. “Are you nuts?”

“I’m getting Eren out of here!” Armin shouted at his friends. “You keep the titans away from here!”

Armin then shot both of his 3D Maneuver gear hooks into the shoulder plates of Eren’s titan, holding him firmly in place.

Huh? Mikasa pondered. What the…

“Eren emerged out of the titan’s weak spot before,” Armin spoke as he held the handle of his sword with the blade pointed at Eren’s titan’s neck. “Surely it has something to do with the way they function, whatever it is.”

Mikasa and the ponies were too stunned to speak, merely watching as Armin went on with his plan.

“It’s going to be okay,” he said, raising his sword up, “so long as I don’t strike the middle.”

“No!” shouted Rainbow Dash trying to fly out to Armin with Applejack holding her down by her tail, “Don’t do it!”

“It’s just going to hurt a bit!” he grunted as he drove the sword down.

“Armin!” yelled Mikasa.

The blade pierced into the neck about half a meter left of the titan’s spine. From within the titan, the blade sliced into Eren’s arm just left of the shoulder. The pain he felt caused his eyes to shoot open. The torso of Eren’s titan shot up as it screamed a gutteral shout. Armin held his grip on the sword with his hooks holding him in as best as they could as the torso bucked and writhed. Armin refused to let go as the titan sunk back into its shut-down sitting state.

“Armin!” yelled Mikasa. “Stop it! This is crazy!”

“MIKASA!” screamed Armin. “I’m going to do what I can! Get going! You might be able to save a few lives! Leave Eren to me! Now GO!!”

Mikasa couldn’t argue any further. She knew that the more time she stood here meant the more time the titans could surround Eren. With a defeated grunt, she sprinted over the roofs to back to Ian and Mitabi to help them out again.

“Eren!” shouted Armin with his mouth near the titan’s back. “Can you hear me? Get a hold of yourself! Get out of here or we’re all going to die!”

Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Spike looked sadly upon Armin as he tried to call Eren out.

“Don’t let a mere titan body control you! Now quick! Hurry up and get out of this lump of flesh!”

“Get out of here?” mumbled Eren’s voice from within. “Why? I'm so sleepy…”

"Eren! Come out! Hurry! Eren! Eren!"

Armin grumbled, unable to reach Eren. He then began to pant, louder and louder with increasing anger.

“What happened to avenging your mother, huh?” he shouted, banging his fist on the titan’s shoulder plate. “What happened to wiping out all of the titans? You hate those bastards, don’t you? They killed your mother!”
_________________________________________________________________________________________

In Eren’s fantasy, he saw and heard Armin, also a child, banging on the window above the couch he was sleeping on.

“What are you talking about, Armin?” he said, looking at the woman washing dishes with Mikasa. “My mom is standing right there.”
_________________________________________________________________________________________

The two ponies and dragon couldn’t help but shed tears at Armin’s futile attempts to wake Eren.

“Eren!” shouted Armin continuously. “EREN!”
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Mikasa ran ahead back to Ian and Mitabi to assist them after Armin claimed he would handle Eren, hoping that by both leaving her assigned team or leaving an unstable titan to Armin’s control wasn’t a grave mistake. However, she turned to the direction of the broken gate to see Ian and Mitabi cutting into the nape of a fifteen-meter titan that crawled atop the roofs as it grasped a whimpering Garrison soldier.

Rarity did her best to cut into the arm of the titan to free it, but she and her human allies were unsuccessful with either task, merely leaving deep scores into the titan’s skin. However, with one final slash from both of them, Ian and Mitabi finally killed it as its body crashed onto the roof, breaking it. The soldier that the titan had crawled out of its hand, whimpering even louder at his near-death.

“Got it!” shouted Ian. “Is the damned thing dead already?”

“Asshole!” shouted Mitabi at the slain titan.

“Another one coming from below! Dodge!”

From the street, a seven-meter titan popped up and raised its hand, ready to strike. It brought its hand down, leaving a crater in the roof. Ian and Mitabi had dove out of the way in time and ran as it looked into the titan’s gaping mouth.

“Fall back for now!” Ian ordered. “Team Mitabi, resume formation!”

Mikasa sprinted along the roofs as she made her way back.

“This is Mikasa, sir!” she called. “I’m back! I’ll be rejoining Team Mitabi!”
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Back at the boulder, Armin continued to reach to Eren inside his titan’s nape while Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Spike watched.

“Wake up, Eren!” Armin cried. “Eren!? I know you're in there, Eren!! Don’t just sit there, or the titans will kill you! It’s all going to end right here!”

Inside the neck of Eren’s titan, Eren, his arms and face still melded into the muscle inside, continued to succumb to his fantasy as his eyes drooped further and further down.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Eren, in his dream, still saw Armin inside the window as he sat on the couch with the blanket wrapped around him.

“I still don’t get what you’re talking about Armin,” Eren said. “What would I need to go outside for?”

Eren then quietly realized something.

“That’s right… what good is it out there? Why should I join the Scouting Legion?”
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Outside, Rainbow Dash smacked her paw with her face and grunted.

“I can’t take this anymore!” she cried.

“Rainbow, wait!” warned Applejack.

Before Applejack could anchor her tail down with her mouth, Rainbow Dash zipped up to Eren’s titan’s back and stood beside Armin.

“Eren!” she yelled. “Quit being such a doofus and get out of there!”
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Eren, in his dream, gasped at the sight of the blue pegasus now at the window next to Armin.

“Rainbow Dash?” Eren muttered, nodding off. “What are you doing here? You’re not supposed to be real.”
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Rainbow Dash couldn't believe what was happening now of all times.

“What…” she nervously stammered. “What’s wrong with him?”
_________________________________________________________________________________________

The wavy haired Garrison soldier was in the grasp of a titan with a large blonde goatee. He screamed in fear as his death came near. On the ground, Jean, Annie, and Conny ran for their lives to execute the plan. Jean grunted as he watched the soldier become eaten by the titan.

"I guess we'd better move on our own now," Annie answered.

Three titans were in hot pursuit of the three as they barely managed to keep ahead. Annie broke away, leading one of the three titans away. One of the remaining titans lunged for Conny, but he managed to jump over its arm and continue running. He tried to latch his hooks into a building up in front of him, but they only seemed to bounce off, leaving Conny stranded on the streets.

The titan knelt down to try and reached for the terrified Conny, but the hook from someone's 3D Maneuver Gear flew up and cut the titan in the hand, distracting it. The titan turned to see that it was Jean, standing before it to beckon it closer.

"Jean!" Conny shouted.

"Hurry up!" ordered Jean.

Jean then turned back and ran as fast as his legs could carry him, just barely dodging the arm that slammed down at him.

I've had enough of people dying on my account! he resolved.

Jean was brought to another T-intersection in the streets as he saw the titan get up to follow him. Jean however, gave a confident smirk and clicked both top buttons on the handles of his swords. Nothing happened. Jean began to look nervous as he continued to click the buttons and hoped something would work. Sure enough, the hooks inside the compartments at his hips were jammed.

Shit, Jean thought. It just had to break now?

As Jean desperately continued to click the buttons, a titan approached from behind. As it raised its arm to hit him, Jean leapt out of the hand's way and darted down the street.

Meanwhile, Annie and Conny rappelled up the wall. Upon making it to the top, they looked down at the streets to look for Jean. They found him running down the street as a titan tried to get him. Conny was terrified.

"JEAN!" shouted Conny. "Why isn't he using his 3D Maneuver Gear? What's wrong with him?"

It suddenly dawned on both he and Annie.

"Don't tell me it broke!"

Jean continued running for his life down below.

"I'll sort this out," he yelled to himself.

Jean turned right at the next intersection and hid inside of one of the buildings. Jean immediately headed for the two sole windows at the other end of the room and sat against the wall between them, hoping not to be seen by the titan that was going to pass by. As well, Jean now had a moment to take a breather and rest for a moment.

"Dammit," he panted. "Now I'm holding other people back?"

The footsteps came closer, having Jean peer out the window to see the titan walking by. Looking further down the street, he saw a dead soldier with his 3D Maneuver Gear that remained intact from the chunk of rock that crushed its user. Jean gasped and hid behind the wall as the titan came closer.

"Will this really work out?" he wondered.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Riko and some other Garrison soldiers tired their best to hold off the titans coming down south for Eren. Twilight and Fluttershy worked well to take out the titans that came close to the humans and kept them away, but at the rate the titans were coming in, they knew they couldn’t hold them back forever.

With their assistance, the titans now saw the ponies as much of a threat as the humans and tried grabbing at them too, forcing them to keep their distance and letting one or two of them go for the humans to try and face, which they seemed to do with unease.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Armin was exhausted. No matter what happened or what he had to say, it seemed that nothing could convince Eren to complete his mission and fulfill his vendetta. Except for one thing...

“Eren!” Armin panted, his mouth right at the skin of the titan’s shoulder. “What happened to exploring the world outside like we were meant to?”
_________________________________________________________________________________________

This question alerted Eren and widened his eyes, bringing his attention back.

“Far, far beyond the walls,” ranted Armin, “there is burning water, expanses of ice, and snowfields of sand, spreading far as the eye can see! I’ve been wondering if you still remembered,” said Armin, his eyes welling with tears. “That conversation… is what gave me the courage to enlist in the Scouting Legion, wasn’t it?”

Eren was heavily intrigued by his words.

“The world…” he mumbled, “…outside?”

“Yeah!” answered Rainbow Dash, through the window. “If we get out of this and defeat the titans, you can see our world too! There are cities made of clouds, a castle on a cliff, dragons, manticores, hydras! It’s so cool in Equestria! I’ll take you there!”

Eren’s childlike wonder was pried wide open as he stood up, letting the blanket around him drop to the floor.

“Eren, answer me,” asked Armin. “Even though you knew you knew Hell was raging beyond the walls, even though we might die horrible deaths like my parents… Tell me, Eren. Why did you want to see the outside world?”

It dawned on Eren. The heads of his phantom mother, father, and sister turned to face him to hear the answer. Eren turned around to look Armin dead in the eyes.

“Why?” he answered. “I… I thought it was obvious!”

Now remembering his purpose, Eren's fury returned.

“It’s because,” he finally stated, “this is the world I was born into!”

The dream around Eren burst into flames as he threw all safety and feelings of comfort away. There was only one suitable option for him.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Eren’s titan’s eviscerated head rose up, suddenly beginning to regenerate. As it began to stand, Armin and Rainbow Dash hopped off onto the ground next to Applejack and Spike. As Eren's titan gave out a triumphant roar, the four of them smiled.

"Eren!" cheered Armin.

"We did it!" Rainbow Dash shouted, hugging Armin tight. "We can still do this!"

"Come on, y'all!" Applejack shouted. "Let's get Eren to that hole."

Eren's titan turned to the boulder.