Jean, Fluttershy Reiner, Armin, and Twilight hid behind a small line of trees, managing to keep away from any titans that may have been in the area. As Jean stood on a rock next to a horse, loudly whistling out with his ring and pinky fingers in his mouth, Reiner and Fluttershy helped apply a bandage to Armin’s wound, Twilight sitting by Armin’s side with the side of her body against his thighs.

“How’s your 3D Maneuver Gear, Armin?” asked Reiner, taking the roll of bandages from Fluttershy’s teeth.

“The clasp did release as intended,” Armin said, “so it seems it’s not broken.”

“Well that’s a relief,” Twilight said. “As much as carrying you isn’t very hard, trying to kill titans with you on me would be very difficult.”

“That’s just it,” added Reiner, unrolling the bandaging and wrapping it around his head. “We now have only one horse. If Jean’s horse comes back, the three of us can move, but…”

Jean, seeing as his whistling wasn’t doing any good, took a second to take a breath, contemplating the situation.

Damn it, he thought, why? Reiner’s horse returned, so why didn’t mine?

Jean tried another whistle. Again, nothing happened. Jean began to look nervous, knowing what this would mean.

We can’t stay here any longer. In the worst case, we’re going to have to allow Twilight or Fluttershy to carry him, but with Armin’s injury, it would be wise for him not to fight the titans, and that would mean we’d be losing not just one, but two fighters in the process. But who should take him? wondered Jean, looking behind him.

Should it be Twilight, who can quickly ride alongside us? Or have Fluttershy take him, leaving us with a decent soldier to assist us if we come across a titan? However, if Fluttershy is left free, she won’t be nearly as strong a fighter as Twilight. And if Fluttershy takes Armin, with her slower pace, Armin could easily bog her and the rest of us down. Or should I just run and find my own horse… Damn it! Why do I have to think about this? We all made it through that fight alive. This isn’t fair!

Jean continued to desperately whistle into the yonder for his horse, hoping that he would return eventually, if at all. Armin couldn’t help but remember being cornered by the Female Titan, looking into her icy stare as she reached for Twilight, who tried to protect him. Armin still in his state, couldn’t do anything, which bothered him the most.

“Armin,” called Reiner’s voice. “Hey, Armin!”

The last call brought Armin out of his trance.

“Are you still out of it?” Reiner asked.

“Yeah,” he replied. “My head’s still a bit fuzzy.”

“I see,” Reiner responded, standing up, “but we must decide. One of these ponies are going to have to ride with you.”

“I’ll do it!” Twilight answered, jumping onto her hooves as she faced Reiner. “I can handle Armin’s weight on me, and you and Jean can ride your horse while Fluttershy tags along!”

“Wait!” Armin cried, not wanting to rashly make a decision as he stood to face. “First, let’s fire a smoke round. If the formation continues straight ahead, the 4–3 team should be nearby.”

Jean, realizing this was a better decision for now, grabbed a purple canister from Reiner’s horse’s bag and applied it to his gun. With Jean holding it in the air with his arm over his ear and his hand over his other, as well as the humans and ponies covering their own ears, Jean fired a purple round of smoke into the sky.

“That’s the signal for an emergency,” Jean said, placing his gun back to his side, “but I can’t imagine that they’ll understand the direness of our situation from just that.”

“Armin,” Reiner told him, “we can wait another three minutes. After that, we will go with Twilight’s plan for her to carry you–”

“I’ll just stay!” declared Armin, genuinely shocking Reiner, Twilight, and Fluttershy. “But there’s something I want you to tell them for me, preferably to Commander Erwin alone…”

“No, Armin,” spoke Jean, a heavy amount of relief in his voice. “You’re going to tell him yourself. It looks like someone is coming! And with two horses!”

Twilight and Fluttershy gasped while smiling, knowing that they’d all be safe. Everyone could see as the rider approached, holding the reins of two horses that galloped along both sides of her horse. The rider looked to be a small, young woman with blonde hair.

“That’s…” Jean realized.

“Krista!” finished Fluttershy, happy to see her.

Krista was getting closer to where she would finally be within earshot.

“Is everyone okay?” she called out.

She finally stopped next to the five of them, her horses stopping as well. Suddenly, Jean caught his eyes on one horse in particular.

“That’s my horse!” Jean called.

Upon his horse seeing him, it trotted over and began rubbing its face all over Jean’s, happy to see him.

“Whoa, whoa!” exclaimed Jean. “Calm down, Buchwald.”

“He ran towards me, terrified,” Krista recounted as Jean and Armin re-accustomed themselves to their horses. “Did you come across any titans?”

Krista then looked down to see the bandages on Armin’s head.

“Armin,” she cried, “what happened to you? Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Armin answered. “I think so.”

Krista still looked worried for the well-being of her friend, but Reiner brought her out of it.

“I can’t believe that smoke round brought you here,” he said.

“I was nearby,” Krista said with a moderately proud smile, “and I already had Jean’s horse.”

“Even horses like you, though considering how well you got along with Fluttershy when you two first met, I can’t say that I’m surprised. It seems that you have a strange charisma. You saved our lives.”

“But I’m glad that the worst didn’t happen to you,” Krista said, wiping tears that were forming in her eyes. “I’m really glad!”

Reiner, Armin, and Jean alike were captivated by her sweet, demure face as the sun shone upon her bright, blue eyes and blonde hair. They were unable to take her eyes off their benevolent savior.

God… thought Armin.

Goddess… Jean declared.

I want to marry her, Reiner thought.

Twilight and Fluttershy only smiled, happy to know that such a person as nice and pretty as her could have ever existed.

“Well,” Krista said, bringing the men out of their dazes, “we should rejoin the formation as soon as possible.”

“Yeah,” exclaimed Jean, “there should be orders to retreat.”
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Now with healthy horses, Jean, Armin, Reiner, and Krista galloped in line with the formation, Twilight and Fluttershy flying close behind.

“To think we’ve been pushed back less than an hour out of the walls,” Jean said. “Things are even bleaker than I had imagined. And for some reason, that titan went in the opposite direction from the vanguard command team.”

“That titan?” asked Krista.

“You didn’t see it?” asked Fluttershy.

Suddenly, to the left of the group, beyond the trees, green pillars of smoke flew high into the air. Everyone was shocked, gasping at the sight.

“No way,” muttered Twilight.

“A green round?” shouted Jean.

“It looks like they’re continuing the operation,” said Armin, “only changing course.”

“What?” wondered Krista. “That wasn’t a retreat command?”

“What is Commander Erwin thinking?” shouted Jean.

“In theory,” Reiner mentioned, “any soldier has the authority to determine when mission completion is no longer possible. Did command not see our smoke round somehow?”

“Even we don’t really know what’s going on,” Twilight said, “so in reality, the only thing we can keep doing at this point is to carry on with the mission.”

Armin, completely agreeing with her, took his smoke pistol out and fired a green round into the sky. With the mission still going strong, the four humans and two ponies continued along the intended path.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Further in the back, the Special Operations Squad, Eren, Rainbow Dash, and Spike looked out to see the green arches of smoke out to the west.

“Smoke round,” accounted Levi, “green. Auruo, you fire it!”

“Roger!” he shouted, reaching into his bag.

Eren looked about, noting how little problems he and his other comrades near him were coming across so far.

For now, he thought, everything seems to be going fine. But is it really?

Auruo aimed his gun up to the air and fired it, immediately keeping his attention back on the path in front of him.

We already have casualties on the front lines. I can only wonder if any of them are the ponies or my classmates.

“Reporting!” shouted a solder coming in from the right, surprising Eren, Spike, and Rainbow Dash. “Message to pass along! The right flank scouting team has been destroyed! Our recon system is partially inoperative! Pass this on, to the left!”

“Oh no!” exclaimed Spike. “Twilight!”

Eren gasped, knowing that some of his friends were out in that area. Rainbow Dash gulped in fear, hoping that all of her friends were still okay. Levi kept his stoic face as he turned to Petra.

“Did you hear that, Petra?” Levi asked. “Go.”

“Yes, captain!” Petra exclaimed, turning away from her position to warn the nearest soldiers to the east.

The right flank? wondered Eren nervously. I think that’s where Armin is too. But Armin and the others should still be in position, near the center. The titans couldn’t have made it in that far.

The faint sounds of exploding pistols sounded off to the west, leaving the others to turn to see the color. Eren and Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened upon seeing the smoke colored black.

“A black round?” thought Eren aloud. “Abnormals?”

“Eren,” ordered Levi, seeing the smoke, “you fire it.”

“R– Right!”

“What a mess,” Levi muttered, looking back ahead. “We let it penetrate deep into our formation.”

Eren fired off the round, Rainbow Dash having moved out of the way for the round to go off. Eren looked out to the smoke, wondering what was happening.

It’s almost here, concluded Eren, the titan. Beneath those smoke rounds, is there someone fighting?

“Levi!” shouted Rainbow Dash. “Permission to engage in that abnormal titan?”

“Shut up,” Levi coldly told her. “The soldiers that fired those rounds will take care of it. I’m not going to allow you to disrupt Erwin’s formation to take care of another soldier’s job. Now stay put!”

While Rainbow Dash somewhat expected this answer, she still couldn’t get over how taciturn her superior was.

“I understand sir,” grumbled Rainbow Dash, continuing to fly by Eren’s side.

Levi didn’t respond, only keeping ahead. Spike looked up at the rising pillars with unease.

I sure hope they’re all alright, he thought.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

The Female Titan continued to run, going through the street of a long-abandoned town with many buildings. A soldier whizzed by on his 3D Maneuver Gear at the windmill to the titan’s left. Realizing the danger it would be put in, it put its hand over the nape of its neck for protection.

Three other soldiers kept with it, one following it from behind, another riding to its right, and the other right in front of it. The soldier in front had short, curly, black hair. He pulled out a smoke gun, aiming it at the titan’s face. With the soldier that came just seconds before, the Female Titan’s gaze was set in the direction the soldier went.

“Dammit,” grunted the soldier up front. “Look over here. You monster…”

Checking its path again, the Female Titan looked forwards. In that same instant, the soldier pulled the trigger, launching a black smoke round at it. The titan tilted its head to the left, just dodging the rocketing canister as it whooshed by its neck. At its speeds, its move forced it to juke to the left.

“NOW! ordered the soldier.

Hiding atop the roof of the windmill, the young soldier with medium-length brown hair leapt off and rocketed towards the titan, aiming for its back. The other two leapt off their horses, both aiming for the back of the ankles. With three different attack targets, it seemed as if the titan’s escape was all but impossible.

Three separate attacks at once, calculated the front soldier. You’re pretty smart, but you can’t possibly protect all three targets!

“Spine,” he said, “Achilles tendon, it doesn’t matter. Hit one, and we slow it down. Go!”

Each of the soldiers got closer to their targets. One soldier with long dark-blonde hair swung out as his wire connected to the titan’s ankles.

“Damn you for causing so many deaths!” he shouted, reeling himself in.

Another soldier with short, black hair swung down, his wire connected into the other ankle.

“We’ll make you die a slow, painful death!” he yelled.

The soldier from the windmill hurdled at the titan’s back, launching a hook right for it spine. However, the titan was well-aware of them all, reaching behind itself with it free right hand and grabbing the wire from behind it right before it could latch into its spine. She then jumped high into the air, pulling the wires of the soldiers hooked at it ankles, pulling them up to and disrupting their target.

“It jumped?” exclaimed the front soldier.

As the Female Titan began to fall, she aimed its left foot over the black-haired soldier, crushing him like an ant as it pushed the foot down as it landed, spraying blood from underneath it. The titan then turned to the blonde-haired soldier as he tried to escape up the front of a building. Just as it could pull itself higher to the roof, the Female titan kicked at him, slamming the soldier into the building which crumbled at its force. The last soldier was caught by his wire, the titan looking down at him amusedly. The soldier knew he was done for.

“L– Let me go!” he shouted in vain.

Twirling its wrist, the female titan swung the soldier in a loop, getting faster and faster with each rotation. The front soldier could only stop and watch as the titan swung the soldier like a toy. He shuddered as he could faintly see the soldier at the top of one loop. With the g-forces harshly pulling his waist forwards from his wires, the top half of his body was folded all the way backwards, the backs of his hands inches from the backs of his ankles. With the massive stretch in his stomach from the pull, his abdomen was ripped open, blood spraying out from all angles like a vicious pinwheel.

The front soldier knew there was nothing he could do for him now, instead turning to leave the village and warn the soldiers further to the east. As the soldier got further away, the Female Titan let go of the swinging wire, flinging him backwards into the sky. As the soldier and his horse crossed the wooden bridge to the plains, he made his way towards where other soldiers would be.

“The most important thing is to ensure that they hear of this,” he planned aloud. “I must tell them what we’re up against.”

Looking to his right, he gasped in fear as he saw the female titan right behind him as its leg was lifted behind her, reeling back for a kick. With precise aim, the titan lobbed the soldier and his horse high into the air, the force killing the both of them instantly. From out further west, two soldiers watched the soldier fly into the air and the titan that caused it standing still, watching the soldier fly.

“An abnormal?” shouted a soldier with long, black hair in a ponytail. “It got in all the way here?”

“We’ll take it out!” declared the soldier with short brown hair next to him.

“We can’t let it penetrate any further!”

The two of them continued to ride at the Female Titan, completely unaware that they would soon be rushing right to a gruesome death.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

At the second-to-the-top center position, half a dozen soldiers were discussing the news that had been relayed to them by the same soldier who relayed the message to Eren and the Special Operations Force.

“The right flank’s been wiped out,” one soldier with black hair and a moustache asked, “but we’re not withdrawing? Why?”

“No idea!” answered the soldier next to him with long black hair. “The commander’s orders. Just relay a message to the left.”
_________________________________________________________________________________________

The Female Titan had finished its kill, leaving only large smears of blood and broken 3D Maneuver Gears in its wake. The Female Titan looked out west, seeing the green smoke signals pointing to the east. Knowing that that was the intended path, the titan made its way out again.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

On the very left side of the formation, two soldiers saw the green smoke pillars pointed to their left.

“We keep heading east,” commented a soldier with long, brown hair in a ponytail.

“Our goal is supposed to be south towards the old city,” added a female soldier with medium-length black hair.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

“Right now, our formation’s on a collision course,” said a soldier with slicked-back black hair to a soldier with medium-length golden hair at the center of the upper, left hand slant of the formation.

“Yeah,” replied his comrade. “You can see it. The Forest of Giant Trees.”

As they rode over the hill they came across a vast expanse of large spruce and pine trees in the distance that stretched out for miles.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Erwin and four soldiers riding on either side of him began to come towards the entrance to the forest. Along the most northern edge of the forest, there were several abandoned stands, buildings, and stables. In between all of these was a dirt path that led deep within the forest.

“It seems titans passed through here,” Erwin surmised. “There’s nothing growing on the road. We can bring the carts through here.”

Erwin and his men rode onto the path and into the forest.

“Send word to the rear,” Erwin ordered to the two soldiers furthest behind him, “that only the central cart guard can enter the forest.”

“Yes, sir!” they both shouted out, turning around to go back into the mouth of the forest.

Erwin and the others continued to ride on further and further.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Sasha and Rarity watched as carts entered the forest while they were heading straight to the left of the forest. This left them confused, wondering why they and the other soldiers that reconvened with them weren’t going with the rest of the team.

“Excuse me, sir,” Sasha asked quietly, “the center row appears to be entering the forest, but wouldn’t the rest of us collide with the forest?”

“Then I suppose we’re going to have to go around now,” Rarity stated.

“That’s right,” said their squad leader. “Let’s move!”

Sasha and Rarity followed their squad leader as he banked to the left, the other three soldiers behind them following their superior’s orders.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Jean, Armin, Twilight, and Fluttershy rode along the right edge of the forest together with several other cadets, including Reiner and Krista. Jean was rather annoyed at his being at this particular location.

“Hey,” he complained, “what are we doing at this tourist spot?”

“Tourist spot?” wondered Twilight.

“Before the fall of Wall Maria,” explained Armin, “the Forest of Giant Trees was a tourist location. Many people took very leisurely walks through that path that the center line of the formation are now taking. Now, this forest is an ideal place for the Scouting Legion to use their 3D Maneuver Gear during expeditions.”

“I see. I do suppose that’s very practical.”

“Practical my ass,” Jean retorted. “We’re far from both our original destination and return point.”

“I really don’t know why,” Armin said, “but the order came from Commander Erwin after all. He must have a plan.”

“I sure hope so,” Twilight said. “I really can’t understand why we’re all the way out here. I know the Female Titan has really made this expedition more confusing than it should have been, but I can’t really see why he’s continuing it at all. Or maybe…”

“Maybe what?”

“Didn’t you say that the Female Titan was headed for Eren?”

“Yeah?” questioned Jean. “And?”

“Perhaps the plan is to lure it in? If Eren is in the center line like Armin hypothesized, and considering the safety that spot gives Eren, I have no reason to doubt that that titan will come into the forest to get him. Maybe we’re being set out here to enact a sneak attack of sorts once it gets in. These trees are ideal for using our Maneuver Gears, so we’ll be at a much higher advantage of stopping it than we were earlier.”

“I get it!” Armin said, smiling at his friend’s vast intuition. “That’s not a bad idea, Twilight.”

Twilight drooped her ears, blushing with an unavoidable grin on her face.

“However,” Armin said, bringing Twilight out of her moment of pride, “if that titan really has a human controlling it, it’s going to be much smarter than the average titan. With all of those trees to maneuver around, engaging it all at once will be impossible, and that will just leave the titan with only a few soldiers to deal with at once. And considering that Jean and Reiner barely made it out alive…”

“Hey,” shouted Jean, “I’m right here!”

“Ah! I’m sorry!”

“Relax,” Jean told him, sounding much more calm. “I know she’s difficult, and I can understand what you’re getting at: if me, or even Reiner, who scored in the top of our class couldn’t take her out, what chance do any of these other soldiers have?”

“Let’s not forget,” Twilight added, “that many of these soldiers have been in this division for years, so they’re skilled with killing titans.”

“Not like that one, they aren’t, and frankly, neither are we.”

Twilight knew that this was true, making her doubt her original assumptions and putting her back into a pondering state as she flew.

“Halt here!” shouted the voice of a squad leader up above.

As Jean, Reiner, and Armin skidded to a halt, Twilight and Fluttershy slowed themselves down in the air and landed on their hooves. Each of the soldiers, human and pony alike turned to face their squad commander, who had buzzed black hair, to hear his orders.

“Alright!” he shouted. “Listen up, recruits! We will now make preparations for a counterattack! Draw your swords and wait above in the trees!”

“I knew it,” Twilight silently whispered to herself.

“If any titans try to enter this forest, stop them at all costs!”

Huh? thought Twilight, completely taken aback by this unexpected twist. I thought this was about the Female Titan. How are we going to stop her here?

“Um,” Jean tried to speak up, “sir, what do you–”

“Shut up and follow orders!” the leader shouted.

With that, he took out his operational devices, inserted new blades into them, and climbed up the trunk of the tree with his 3D Maneuver Gear, landing on a high branch above with ease.

“Seriously?” muttered Jean, also dismayed by the shattered expectations. “What’s going on?”

Armin just looked down at the ground, just wondering what on earth Erwin was doing by making this plan.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Conny and Pinkie Pie galloped alongside each other. While Conny was slightly confused by the intentions of their superiors as well as the future of the mission, Pinkie Pie happily ran by Conny’s side. Mikasa also rode up on Conny’s left, Applejack galloping on her right.

“Wow!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “You should host a Running of the Leaves here! I can totally get Spike and I to announce it too!”

“Pinkie,” Applejack mentioned calmly, “as much as I want to shoot the breeze with y’all, I need to understand why only the center line is goin’ through that forest. I mean, what in the hay is goin’ on with the formation?”

“It’s gone,” Mikasa answered simply. “The forest blocks our advance, so the left and right flanks will have to skirt the forest. We’ve lost our recon ability.”

“Well that doesn’t sound too good,” Pinkie Pie spoke, “right?”

“Yes. Without a way to detect titans coming from our right, as well as being walled up against these trees, we’re in a very vulnerable position.”

This didn’t do anything to relieve Conny’s tension.

“Why didn’t we change course to avoid this forest?” asked Conny. “Did Commander Erwin read the map wrong?”

“Don’t be silly!” called out Applejack. “Sure this plan may not be the most… normal plan out there, but the Erwin I know will pull through, right Mikasa?”

“I don’t know…” she spoke quietly. “Perhaps we tried too hard to avoid the threat on the right flank and ended up here.”

“But look at all these trees!” Pinkie Pie proclaimed. “Our gears should work super-duper well here. Something fishy is going on around here…”

Mikasa looked to Pinkie Pie, thinking about how Pinkie Pie might have actually made a valid point.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Soon, soldiers stood all around the perimeter of the forest on high branches, keeping a close lookout for any titans that would be approaching. Jean and Fluttershy, as well as Armin and Twilight, stood by each other. The other cadets were spread out, leaving the four of them unaware of where their other friends were.

“This is insane,” Jean said. “We’ve abandoned the original mission to cache supplies, and when we abandoned it, we should have turned tail and run, but instead, we’re forging ahead to a tourist trap. Now, we’re just standing here to stop any titans that try and enter the woods?”

Jean looked over to their leader, who was only three to four branches away from him.

“Damn him for giving a crazy order,” Jean hissed.

“He’ll hear you,” whispered Armin.

“And this ‘no-real-explanation’ thing is innovative too. Of course, I’m sure he has his own concerns…”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Twilight.

“A commander deemed worthless by his men in a critical situation quite often succumbs to a mysterious attack from behind,” Jean said, brandishing his sword. “I’m just saying it wouldn’t surprise me.”

“Jean,” asked Armin, “what are you going to do?”

“You’re not going to really…” squeaked Fluttershy nervously.

“Sheesh,” sighed Jean, “you’re both so serious. This situation’s got me a bit worked up, that’s all. And what am I going to do, you ask? Obey my orders and keep titans out of the forest. I bet you’re thinking this is the right move, don’t you, Armin and Twilight?”

“Huh?” wondered Armin, a little anxious about being put on the spot.

“You both look like you know something. While I know this isn’t what you exactly had in mind, but you still think this plan in the end is for the best, don’t you?”

“Well…” Armin muttered, now unsure of himself.

“Five-meter class incoming!” shouted the squad leader.

Jean and Armin turned back out to see the fat titan running straight at the forest. Its mouth stayed open as its head hung to the left. As Jean, Fluttershy, and Twilight continued to watch it approach, Armin couldn’t help but doubt Erwin’s judgment.

Why bring the formation here? he wondered. What is Commander Erwin thinking? No, that isn’t what we should think about. That Female Titan is pursuing Eren, and the commander knows that. Assume these two things, and see what you can deduce…
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Eren, Rainbow Dash, Spike, and the Special Operations Squad were going through the forest. There didn’t appear to be any trouble for miles but everyone knew that danger could lurk around any corner.

“Captain!” shouted Eren. “Captain Levi!”

“What?” Levi responded.

“We’re in the middle of the woods! If the center enters alone, we won’t know if titans are approaching. It seems something is approaching us from the right. How are we supposed to dodge the titans or protect our carts?”

“And these trees are gonna’ make it really hard for me to fly around if a titan does come out,” added Rainbow Dash, “so what about me?”

“Don’t go on and on about the obvious,” Levi said. “We can’t do any of that anymore.”

“Then…” wondered Eren, “then why?”

“Look around, Eren, at all these big-ass trees. It’s the perfect environment for 3D Maneuver Gear. And please, try and use that tiny brain of yours. If you don’t want to die, think.”

“Yes, sir!”

Rainbow Dash scowled at Levi’s demeaning words, but knew that an argument was pointless. However, the gears in Eren’s mind were beginning to turn.

He’s right, thought Eren. These trees are very good for 3D Maneuver Gear in these otherwise barren plains. Besides, it’s just like the race I had with Rainbow Dash.

Then something clicked in Eren’s head.

I see. I’m not as good as keeping up right now because I’m still new. He won’t just tell me the answer; I have to figure it out for myself. I’m sure that’s how they learned how to fight.

Eren then looked to Rainbow Dash. Her being in the forest was making her on edge.

And Rainbow Dash’s flying abilities have decreased significantly since entering this forest. Even if she did nearly beat me in that race, these trees are obstacles for her.

Eren glanced to Auruo, the sight of what he saw shocking him.

“What the hell,” he quietly mumbled with a confused scowl. “Seriously? Damn it all. What the hell is going on here?”

Looking back at Petra, Erd, and Gunther, they all shared similar grimaces and looks of misunderstanding. Eren couldn’t believe this.

Wait, he thought. Wait a minute. No one knows what’s really going on? Maybe not even Captain Levi.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Armin, still stuck at the trees, continued to muse to himself about Erwin’s plan. Unbeknownst to him, Jean, Fluttershy, and Twilight were trying to get his attention, but to no avail.

The Female Titan is after Eren, he figured. If I’m, or Twilight, for that matter, is right about that, then there’s only one reason to come here. Commander Erwin intends to deal with the Female Titan here.

“Hey, Armin,” called Jean, finally getting Armin’s attention. “Our orders were to keep titans out of the forest, right?”

Armin could tell by Jean’s sweating brow and scared eyes that something was wrong down below. Looking down, Arming could see that what his friends were looking at warranted such a reaction. He saw as dozens of titans were lining the outside of the forest, clawing at the bark of the tree and trying to reach for the humans above.

“In other words,” Jean added, “there’s no longer any reason to fight. Right?”

Soldiers all around looked down at the titans with fear and unease. Engaging the titans in this spot would be an impossibility, yet alone an extremely unsafe plan. For whatever purpose the formation was ordered to these trees, one thing was certain: they were all stuck here.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Deep inside the forest, a black smoke signal broke through the trees and into the air. From Eren’s spot, he could see the pillar of smoke knowing that whatever abnormal was following them was only getting closer by the second.

“A black smoke round?” shouted Eren.

“It’s right behind us!” called Erd, also seeing the round. “It’s whatever was coming towards us on the right.”

“Draw your blades,” ordered Levi. “If we see it, it will only be for a second.”

Levi took his devices from his harness and placed the tangs of the blades into his handles, pulling out his swords with the blades pointing to below the bottom of his hand to allow him to continue holding the reins of his horse. The others continued to ride on, only wondering when this deviant titan would appear. Eren and Petra did the same thing, not wanting to take any chances.

Rainbow Dash also didn’t waste time with drawing her swords, placing the tangs inside the slots of her shoes and pulling them out. Then, a soldier with medium brown hair leapt out of the trees, facing backwards to engage the titan that was coming. Eren, Spike, and Rainbow Dash, having heard his cloak blowing, turned to see what was coming. Levi looked straight ahead.

Then, as if it appeared from thin air, the Female Titan weaved around the trees faster than the soldier could fly. Upon getting close enough, the titan swatted the soldier, smashing him against its hand in a burst of blood, bone, and metal. It then continued to run at Eren and the squad. Eren winced with unbridled fear as it ran so fast towards him.

“WAAAAH!” screamed Rainbow Dash and Spike simultaneously.

“Go!” shouted Levi.

The footsteps became louder from the right, and Eren looked to see the Female Titan rushing through the gaps in the trees and coming to the squad. With its arm stretched out for a try at a grab, the titan’s arm demolished a tree just behind Eren, pieces of wood just barely missing him and Rainbow Dash. Eren continued to rush forwards while the titan slid to the left of the path from its momentum, running as fast as it could to catch back up.

“AHUHUH!” exclaimed Eren, his fear choking him.

Eren looked up to see the titan’s ice blue eyes and hungry smile trained right on him, only adding to the tension.

“It’s fast!” Eren shouted.

The others too were terrified by the strength and speed of this titan, looking behind themselves to see it.

“In these trees,” Gunther shouted, “there’s no way to foresee and evade these attacks!”

“It’ll catch us!” yelled Erd.

“Captain,” exclaimed Petra, “let’s switch to Maneuver Gear! Captain!”

“Levi!” Spike pleaded. “You gotta’ let us go! It’s going to get us!”

Levi didn’t respond, only looking behind him with fierce determination as he saw the titan approach. From behind, two soldiers came, hot on the titan’s tail. The one on the right of the path had medium dark-brown hair, and the other was tan with a long, black, braided ponytail.

“You won’t escape!” the long-haired soldier shouted.

Eren was shocked to see the soldiers coming to their rescue.

“Reinforcements from the rear!” shouted Petra, glad to see them.

The black-haired soldier swung ahead to intercept the Female titan. The brown-haired soldier launched his hook forwards at the titan’s neck, only for it to tilt her head and dodge it. It then grabbed the wire and yanked forwards, sending the soldier flying to her. At just the right moment, the titan checked the soldier into a tree with its shoulder, crushing and smearing him against the bark.

The black-haired soldier swung further in, hoping to find the right moment to strike. The Female Titan pushed off the tree with its shoulder and twirled around once. With its rotating momentum, she grabbed the soldier’s wire with its right hand and pulled backwards. The sheer force of the yank forced the now screaming soldier back towards her. With its left arm reeled back, the titan whipped its left hand at the soldier and grabbed him, the collision and squeeze killing him.

Undeterred, the Female Titan discarded the soldier behind itself and continued to sprint. Each of the humans and the ponies were now overridden with terror as the titan continued to approach more and more with each step that it took.

“No!” shouted Rainbow Dash, almost to the verge of tears. “No, no, no!”

“CAPTAIN!” shrieked Petra. “YOUR ORDERS?!”

“Let’s go for it!” Auruo screamed. “It’s dangerous! We should kill it!”

“Hurry, Levi!” Spike yelled. “We gotta’ do something, or we’re going to die!”

Erd, Gunther, and Auruo drew their own blades ready to take the titan on.

“I’ll rip you apart,” Erd grunted.

Spike, seeing that everyone had their swords out, grabbed his devices with the slot pointed downwards and placed the tang of the blade in the slot, pulling them out and continuing to hold on to Levi’s cloak. Eren, realizing what this titan was up against, gave a confident smile.

Fool, he thought, looking behind him, you’ve run straight into Hell. You’re chasing a group of master Titan killers.

However, his confident air was replaced by fear and confusion again as he looked to Levi, who still refused to act.

“Captain Levi?” questioned Eren.

“CAPTAIN!” screamed Petra.

“Give us your orders!” yelled Auruo.

“At this rate,” shouted Erd, “it will catch up to us! We kill it here! That’s why we came to this forest! Right, Captain!”

“Captain!” Eren yelled. “Your orders!”

“Captain!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “Hurry!”

The titan’s gaze still affixed itself onto Eren, set out to get it. Levi then turned back to face his other soldiers.

“Everyone,” he said, “cover your ears!”

No one could understand what he meant. They all looked at him with confusion, unsure of what he was going to do. Levi pulled out his smoke gun and aimed it into the air. He pulled back the hammer with his thumb and pulled the trigger.