Hanji sat on the couch inside of one of the rooms in the Scouting Legion headquarters. With her head hung low, an abundance of sniffles and a couple of exhausted sobs, she was still mourning the loss of Sawney and Bean. Twilight was sitting beside her, rubbing Hanji’s back with the front side of her wing. While she was still visibly upset, Hanji was in far better shape than she was in Trost.

“There, there,” Twilight cooed as Hanji continued to wipe her dripping eyes. “We’ll find whoever did that eventually.”

As badly as Hanji wanted to profess that the culprits were the last thing on her mind at the moment, she was far too fatigued from her crying to do so.

“Sawney…” she whimpered. “Bean… they never stood a chance. They were stuck there and they were slaughtered like dogs! And now… all that hard work… all the tests that I could have run… it’s all lost now. I just hope Bean didn’t hurt when he died…”

“I’m sure they’re in…” Twilight said, trying to make the wording as far from awkward as possible, “a better place.”

Hanji couldn’t respond. Twilight could only wish that Pinkie Pie were in the room with them; she would have the solution. Then, she came up with one of her own.

“Could you give me a second, Hanji? I’d like to get something.”

“Sure,” she answered.

As Twilight leaned off the couch and went back onto all fours, she exited the room, leaving Hanji alone for a while. Hanji continued to look down, demoralized by her loss.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Levi leaned back into a wall in the courtyard of the castle, his feet supporting him up as he crossed his arms. He was enjoying a bit of peace and quiet when a voice caught him out of it.

“Levi?” Spike’s voice asked.

Levi’s eyes opened, his pupils already pointed down at the tiny, purple dragon.

“What do you want, squirt?” he asked. “Couldn’t you see I wanted some time to myself?”

“I was just wondering,” Spike wondered, “have you seen Twilight anywhere?”

“Last I saw, she was with Hanji. I swear, that woman spends so much time with titans and she’s already treating them like her own children.”

“Well,” reasoned Spike, “I know that they’re dangerous and all, but she had to make sure they were taken care of properly so her tests could run more smoothly.”

Levi’s eyes squinted at Spike, still curious about his presence there.

“I answered your question, squirt. Now get going.”

“Oh, that’s right!” exclaimed Spike, remembering something. “That’s another thing I wanted to ask you. Erwin said you’d be training us.”

“Yes? And what of it?”

“If we’re going to fight those titans for that mission you guys were talking about last night, aren’t we going to need to get our own gear? And when do we even start training?”

“Oh…” sighed Levi, his glare lightening up a bit. “Intuitive little lizard you are.”

“I’m actually a dr–”

“I’ll explain everything over dinner tonight. Now please, leave me be.”

“Oh! You got it, Levi!” Spike exclaimed while placing the left side of his right fist over his heart and his arm out with the front of his fist on his waist.

“That salute was terrible,” Levi stated. “You need to work on it.”

“Yes, sir!”

Spike ran off to the entrance to the castle. Levi didn’t look back, but he couldn’t help but think of the potential that Spike would have, especially considering what he saw of him back in Trost…
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Twilight appeared back into the room with her saddlebags. Hanji noticed her clopping noises as she stepped inside. Upon remembering the contents of her bag, her crying immediately stopped.

“Eh?” she wondered. “Are those…?”

“Yes,” answered Twilight. “These are the books I brought with me from Equestria. You may read them if you like.”

“No… no way…” she stammered, getting happier and excited. “You’re really okay giving these to me?”

“Of course! I know you can’t study those titans anymore, but you can still learn a bit more about us if you like. And that’s not all.”

Twilight pulled out a sheet of paper from her bag and levitated it into Hanji’s hands. She looked upon it, gasping as she read the signature.

Dear Hanji,

It’s very good to know that you’re making friends with my little ponies, and I’m also happy to hear that you and Twilight are taking to each other so well. Lastly, I want to thank you, Erwin, Levi, and anyone else in the Scouting Legion who are keeping them safe. And while I’m very interested to hear about your experiments, I believe that you and the others have more pressing issues to attend to.

I hope to hear more from you or Twilight soon.

Signed,
Princess Celestia

As if her experiments never existed, Hanji shuddered with joyous excitement as she leaned back into the couch with Celestia’s response held over her heart as if it was from her greatest admirer.

“And if it’s not too much trouble,” Twilight added. “I want to be by your side on any future experiments and studies that you may conduct.”

Hanji then shot off the couch, leaned towards Twilight, falling on her knees in the process and giving her a hug.

“This is great!” she exclaimed. “I am indebted to you!”

“Well,” Twilight admitted, patting Hanji on the back, “it’s nothing at all really. Studying and learning things was one of my favorite pastimes in Equestria. I think working with you is going to be a lot of fun.”

“Yes!” Hanji shouted. “I agree! What should we do first? I figured I can read up on these books, and perhaps you can fill me in on anything the books don’t tell me! Or should we start studying with Eren? Perhaps we could run–”

Hanji’s words were stopped by Twilight, putting her hoof over her mouth.

“First things first,” Twilight spoke. “You can do whatever you want, Hanji. Just try and tackle it one thing at a time. Deal?”

“…Right! It’s a deal!”

Hanji took Twilight’s hoof in her hands and gave her a vigorous handshake. Spike, coming down the hallway, found Twilight and Hanji together upon passing the doorway.

“Hey, Twilight?” asked Spike.

“Huh?” Twilight questioned. “What is it, Spike?”

“You know when dinner is?”
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Dinner was a bowl of unseasoned cabbage soup with a half a loaf of bread. While many soldiers chose to eat dinner with their human friends from the Legion, other soldiers crowded themselves around the table where Eren, Hanji, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity sat. Levi, Petra, Auruo, Erd, and Gunther sat at a table further away from them, specifically Hanji.

“You would think that they could at least season the soup a little,” complained Rarity, ladling some broth with her spoon and pouring it back in.

“I’m sorry,” apologized Hanji, “but this is what we can afford to feed everyone. With supplies running lower due to the loss of Wall Maria, and salt being a priceless luxury now, this is how we eat.”

“It’s fine, Hanji,” spoke Twilight, then glaring at Rarity. “I think the fact that we’re being fed at all is very kind of the Legion.”

“I was just saying,” Rarity defended.

“I think this soup is delish!” Pinkie Pie said, lapping her empty bowl clean. “I only wish I could have some more!”

“Pinkie Pie!” scolded Applejack. “These meals are rations for all of us. There are no second helpings here. Besides, I got permission from Erwin to plant my apple seeds outside of the castle, so we should have some more food in no time.”

“Eh?” Hanji asked. “But trees take years to grow, yet alone produce any fruit.”

“Well,” Applejack explained, “the seeds that I planted were enchanted, so they’ll be fully grown and fruited in just a couple of days.”

“Oh!? No way…”

“Excuse me,” Levi said, walking up to the end of the table where Eren was sitting, “I have something to say to the ponies and the squirt.”

“Squirt?” wondered Twilight.

“I, uh…” Spike mentioned, scratching the back of his head, “guess that’s his pet name for me now, hehe…”

“Anyways,” Levi announced. “You will all begin training soon, but before that, we must go to the Yalkell district located west of Wall Sina.”

“What’s this all about?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“If you’d shut up, I can explain.”

Rainbow Dash crossed her arms in a huff.

“Tomorrow,” Levi said, “we get you fitted and tailored for your Scouting Legion apparel and harnesses. Of course, any of the winged ponies will not need a harness due to the fact that they can move about the air without the use of 3D Maneuver Gear. Those of you without wings will have to learn how to use them and will be tested upon your balance and aptitude, just like we all did when we were cadets.”

Eren grunted with a slightly furrowed brow, remembering how the test nearly cost him his placement in the Military.

“But,” Levi added, his expression being more foreboding, “since the test requires you to be upright on two legs, that will spell trouble for four-legged animals such as yourselves.”

As badly as Applejack, Rarity, Twilight, and Rainbow Dash wanted to protest about being called animals, they knew that with Levi, arguing was pointless, and for the most part, he was right.

“We’ll do all that we can,” Applejack stated.

“Mmhm!” answered Pinkie Pie and Rarity.

“Oh… Very good. However, another problem that persists for those unable to use magic are your hooves. While Twilight and Rarity can just use the normal operation devices with their magic, we’ll need to find some way to accommodate for those stumps on the ends of your legs.”

“And how can we do that?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“Kirill…”

“Who?” asked Fluttershy.

“How are baby shrimp going to help us?” asked Pinkie Pie, genuinely confused.

Levi glared at her slightly before returning to his point.

“Kirill Rostov,” answered Levi. “He is currently the lead developer of Maneuver Gear construction and innovations in Yalkell. We sent him a letter upon receiving the verdict of your trial, and he’s very eager to work with you all. You will meet him personally so he can modify the 3D Maneuver Gear to your use.”

“Sounds cool!” Spike exclaimed. “I can’t wait to meet him.”

“That is if you can pass the test.”

“Huh?” Spike, Applejack, and Rarity asked together.

“I’m not wasting a trip out to Yalkell if you can’t even use the gear properly. And of course, taking measurements and making proper apparel for you will take some time–”

“I could help!” Rarity called, raising her hoof.

“Huh?” Levi nonchalantly queried. “You can sew?”

“Not only can I sew, but once I acquire the measurements of the girls, Spike, and myself, I can have those seven outfits done by tomorrow afternoon.”

Levi didn’t look impressed, but he knew that with the magical capabilities of these ponies, Rarity wasn’t bluffing, and he didn’t think it was even within his own bounds to call her on it.

“Fair enough. Hanji!”

Hanji’s eyes shot up to meet Levi’s wondering what on Earth he could want her for.

“Tomorrow morning,” he ordered, “take Rarity and the ponies to the tailoring room. Once she’s done measuring, instruct her on what she must make and how to make it.”

“Yes, sir!” Hanji said, putting her fist over her heart in salute.

“Now, if you excuse me,” he concluded, getting up, “I shall resume my dinner with my team.”

Levi walked away to his table, with Spike and Rarity in particular as they watched Auruo talk to him, no doubt asking what he was doing over there.

“So,” Hanji said to Rarity, “do you really think you can create seven Scouting Legion uniforms before tomorrow’s end?”

“Why, of COURSE I can, darling!” answered Rarity. “If it’s essentially the same designs seven times over, it should be a breeze!”

“It’s true,” Pinkie Pie shouted, suddenly popping up behind Rarity and piggybacking her. “She not only created one, or two, or three, or four, or five, but six different dresses for the Grand Galloping Gala back at home!”

“The Grand Galloping Gala?” asked Hanji.

“Yeah! It’s this fantasmarific ball held each year at Canterlot!”

“That’s the capital, right?”

“That’s right,” answered Twilight. “I’m glad to see you putting my books to good use!”

“How could I not? They are just so interesting; I’m learning about a world far from my own! It’s incredible!”

From Levi’s table, Auruo, Petra, Erd, Gunther, and Levi himself watched as Hanji enthusiastically explained her findings in the book she read.

“Hey, Levi,” Auruo asked. “Hanji seems to be getting pretty loud. Do you need me to tell her to shut her m–”

“No,” answered Levi. “As long as she isn’t bothering us, we’ll be just fine.”

Levi daintily ladled a spoonful of greenish-brown broth into his mouth while Auruo sulked in his chair.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Later at night, Twilight was in her bedroom, sitting at her desk while Spike sat in a basket with a blanket and miniature pillow inside of it for him to sleep on. With an ample amount of candlelight, she wrote a letter to her princess back home.

Dear Princess Celestia,

Rarity is going to have us fitted for our uniforms tomorrow, which she will also make for us. Following that there is an aptitude test for Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Spike that will decide whether they can join or not. I know you’re worlds away, but I want you to send them some words of encouragement to help see them through.

Lastly, there are two things I wish from you. The first is 140 gold bits; twenty for each of us. We’ll also be travelling to one of the cities along Wall Sina, which I’ve heard contains the aristocracy of humanity. I assume we’ll need some shirts underneath the harnesses they expect us to wear. Finally, and this may sound weird, but could you supply us with around ten pounds of salt? From what Hanji mentioned at dinner tonight, she said that salt is a luxury, but since we obviously have plenty in abundance in Equestria, I would request some.

Thank you, and I can’t wait to hear from you soon.

Your Faithful Student,
Twilight Sparkle

“Hey, Twilight?” asked Spike. “Do you think Levi even likes any of us?”

“Huh?” questioned Twilight. "What makes you say that?”

“Well, he's always kind of acting like a jerk to all of us, even to his other human friends like Hanji. I mean, I'm trying to get on his good side: being polite, giving him that salute they all do, but it seems that he's incapable of smiling or being happy. I don't even think Pinkie Pie could make him grin, even a little.”

“Well, from what I heard from Rarity, he did really appreciate her cleaning of the castle. I don't think that Levi's a jerk so much as he has very high standards and expectations of us. All you can really do is to do your best in front of him. I'm sure if you give him a reason to be proud of you, he will be. He wouldn't be the captain of the Scouting Legion if it weren't for good reasons.”

“Yeah, I guess you're right.”

Twilight finally rolled and sealed the letter before she passed it on to Spike. With a heavy inhale, he blew a plume of sparkling purple and green flames that vaporized the paper into withering ashes and smoke, which condensed in a spiral and disappeared.

“Ah,” Spike exclaimed, splaying his limbs out as he prepared himself for bed, “finally. I thought I’d never be able to get some sleep.”

“Well,” Twilight answered. “We have a busy day tomorrow, so get as much as you can.”

“And how!” yawned Spike, laying himself down and wrapping his body with the covers.

Twilight gently shook her head with a smile, fondly contemplating his youth, as he began to snore. Just as Twilight was about to blow the candle on her desk out, a knocking was made on Twilight’s door jamb.

“Twilight,” whispered Hanji, getting Twilight to turn in her chair towards her. “I just came to say goodnight.”

“Thank you, Hanji,” she lightly giggled, “and a goodnight to you too.”

Hanji gave her pony friend a closed-eyed, blushing smile, her appreciation beaming through it. With that settled, Hanji walked from the room and to her own. With no further distractions to keep her up any further, Twilight turned to her candle and blew on the flame, shrouding the room in darkness.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Mike opened Eren’s cell door in the torch-lit basement. Eren did not have his hands cuffed behind his back this time, using his hand to slide down the banister on his way to the cell. Mike followed him behind and walked to the cell door, Eren moving aside for him to do so. With a turn of a rusty key, Mike opened the screeching metal door with both hands, motioning one for him to step in.

Despite having to sleep in another cell, the bed looked much cleaner than the one he slept in in the court dungeon. While this fact alone was a bit relieving, he was still sleeping in a cold, dank dungeon. Eren stepped in as instructed, allowing Mike to close the door and lock it back up.

“We decided not to put you in chains,” Mike said. “If you turn into a titan in your sleep, there would be no way for them to hold you anyways.”

Eren sat down in the bed, nodding at Mike in affirmation.

“Well,” stated Mike, “it’s getting late. We’ll see you tomorrow morning, Eren.”

Eren lied back into his bed, wanting nothing more than to just get some sleep that he was deprived of the night before from talking to Hanji. He heard as Mike ascended the stairs and was about to turn and leave. However, his footsteps stopped, leaving Eren to tilt his head down to see the stairway and wonder what was going on. While Mike’s voice was unmistakable, he heard someone else’s voice talk to him. It was feminine and raspy.

“Rainbow Dash?” Eren wondered slightly.

The conversation seemed to be going on for long and it almost began to sound like an argument between whoever it was. However, Mike and whomever Eren predicted as Rainbow Dash stopped talking. Someone was about to lose whatever debate they were having.

“Come on down,” Mike said, his faraway, echoed voice hardly heard by Eren. “I’ll let you in.”

Eren watched as Mike descended the stairs as Rainbow Dash followed him down. There seemed to be a book of some sort nestled in her wing as Mike turned the key again and opened the door for her. As Rainbow Dash eagerly hopped onto the bed and nuzzled herself next to Eren’s right side, he looked to Mike for a clarification.

“Looks like you’ll be having some company tonight,” Mike said, turning and closing the lock. “Now I can bid you both goodnight.”

“‘Night, Mike!” called Rainbow Dash.

Mike wordlessly walked up the stairs, leaving them alone.

“Rainbow Dash,” Eren sighed. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m gonna’ bunk with you tonight, buddy!” she answered as she rolled onto her back, her head next to Eren’s. “I think it's pretty lame that you have to be stuck here in this cold, dark dungeon by yourself.”

“But it’s dangerous,” Eren said, scooting over to make some room for her. “What if I turn into a titan tonight?”

“I’m not too worried,” she responded, scooting closer to Eren. “I don’t think that’s gonna’ happen, and if it does… well, I don’t think I have to worry about that. You’re a good guy, Eren. I’m pretty sure you’d wouldn’t do something like that.”

Rainbow Dash continued to surprise Eren with her unabashed trust and courage in him, lightly gasping with admiration and appreciation. He then saw as Rainbow Dash flicked her wing out, causing a book to land on her stomach.

The artwork on the cover featured a mustard-yellow pegasus with a greyscale rainbow mane and tail, a compass rose on both sides of her flank, a forest-green collared shirt, and a white pith helmet with a forest-green band. On the cover, she was dipping and diving over, under and around multiple obstacles inside a large canyon, including giant eels, bats, and massive spiders. In both outstretched hooves, she held on to an emerald chalice as she tried to keep it away from the canyon’s dangers.

“What is that?” asked Eren.

“It’s Daring Do!” she answered. “She’s the coolest pegasus ever! Well, except for me, of course.”

Eren, despite her haughty remark, couldn’t help but laugh. While her ego was akin to Auruo’s, her kindness and loyalty more than made up for it.

“Who even is she?” he asked. “Is she a real pony back on your world?”

“Nah, she’s just a character, but she’s so awesome! She’s brave, fierce, adventurous, and she’s undeniably, unquestionably unstoppable. Kinda’ like someone else I know,” she finished, nudging Eren lightly in the ribs.

Eren smiled at her uplifting words, but with his interest risen, he reached for the book, eager to read it.

“Hold on there, bud,” she said, picking up the book in both hooves before he could. “I’ll be reading this to you. No one does a better Daring Do impersonation than me.”

“Oh…” Eren mumbled. “Alright then.”

“Let’s begin,” she stated, opening to the first page. “Daring Do and the Chasm of Chaos. Chapter One. Daring Do exited the carriage as she walked up the marble steps of the Manehattan library. With the sky clear and cloudless, the yellow-pegasus’s hopes and spirits were indeed high as she went to meet her longtime friend and colleague, Professor A.B. Ravenhoof, inside…”
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Eren could hardly care about sleep anymore, not so long as Daring Do’s fantastical adventure was continuing. There were just sentences left in the book as Rainbow Dash brought it to a close.

“…‘Excellent work, Miss Do,’ congratulated Ravenhoof. ‘Thanks to you, the Emerald Grail is safe and secure.’

“Daring Do looked into the glass display at her treasure that she risked her life yet again for as it sat on display for the world to see.

“‘All in a day’s work,’ Daring Do admitted with a proud chuckle. ‘All in a day’s work.’

“The End,” Rainbow Dash finished with a dramatic closing of the back cover.

Eren smiled, his appreciation for the book clearly there. With its references to the world that she lived in, along with the various exotic locations that the book vividly described, to say that it was an engrossing read would be a massive understatement.

“So what did you think, Eren?” She asked him. “Isn’t Daring Do so cool?”

“Yeah,” Eren admitted, “but you're right about one thing.”

“Yeah? What's that?”

“She's not as cool as you,” he answered, gently rubbing her stomach.

Rainbow Dash smiled in pure bliss as Eren comforted her. She suddenly realized how tired she was from being up so late and let out a loud, gaping yawn, rolling onto her side with her stomach against Eren’s ribs and her arm draped over his torso like a massive teddy bear.

“Goodnight, Eren,” she sighed, her eyes slowly closing shut. “See ya’ in the morning.”

Eren took his right arm and slid his bicep under her head, his shoulder providing a makeshift pillow for her. He then rested his forearm and hand upon Rainbow Dash’s back, snuggling her even closer.

“Yeah,” he whispered, his own eyes beginning to peacefully close. “Goodnight, Rainbow Dash.”

With Rainbow Dash by his side, his accommodations weren’t nearly as cold, and with Rainbow Dash’s warmth and softness soothing Eren further, it wasn’t long before he too could sleep peacefully in his bed.