Inside a large, circular, marble cathedral, people were formed in three large rings in the center, the smaller of the two being within the larger outer circle. Each of their chests were adorned with the gold necklaces with the crests of Wall Maria, Wall Rose, and Wall Sina upon them. With each of their arms clasped to each other in unity with their hands clasped to their own in prayer, Pastor Nick and two other priests led the mass outside the circle.

“Let us pray for the well-being of the three goddesses: Maria, Rose, Sina,” stated Nick. “For our continued peace and safety, you must not doubt the holy walls. The walls of light, born by God’s hand, will become stronger through our devotion and faith. An innocent heart, believing in God, is our only protection against the titans. Our only way to keep them at bay–”

*BFFF*

A massive tremor shocked the building, loosening the roof as dust and powdered rock fell onto the floor. While a few of the devout followers held on to each other and kept praying, several people let go and covered their heads and necks with their hands, screaming in terror.

“Do not fret!” bellowed Nick, his arms up to quell the crowd. “No matter what the outside world may do to shake the buildings, we shall not let it shake our faith! If we continue to believe in the power of the three goddesses, we shall remain invinc–”

*PFFSSH*

The Female Titan crashed into the cathedral, its body landing on the whole of the congregation while the falling rubble fell upon the two priests beside Nick. Once the rubble and cloud of dust cleared, Nick was horrified to see the Female Titan lying just meters away from him.

“A titan?” Nick wondered. “What is it doing here?”

The Female Titan got up to look upon the bloodied, smeared bodies of the people it crushed, its hand over a particular woman with red hair. Eren’s titan and the matured Spike, having waited long enough, ran at the Female Titan with every ounce of their strength. Knowing it couldn’t take both of them at once, the Female Titan made a run for the walls with Spike and Eren’s titan following behind it.

“No…” shuddered Nick. “Stay away from the walls. Not the walls!”

Spike’s foot came down right next to Nick as he ran by, spraying him and a collection of dirt and debris from the ruined church.
________________________________________________________________________________________

Several people watched with fright as the Female Titan, Spike, and Eren’s titan ran by them and into their sight, destroying buildings that happened to be near them as the chase continued. The citizens ran for their lives. Many also watched from the safety and fear of their own homes.

Hanji, Armin, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Jean did their best to catch up with the three, swinging from building to building while stopping to maintain their breath and keep their distance.

“This time,” noted Hanji about Eren’s titan, “it seems he’s retaining control.”

“Yes,” Armin agreed, “but Eren’s never been able to beat the Female Titan.”

“Then it looks like Spike is going to do all he can to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

“And now that they’re both titans,” Jean spoke, “they won’t go down so easily.”

“Spike isn’t a titan,” Twilight answered. “He’s… just giving in.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“It’s a long story,” Rainbow Dash said.

“Either way,” Armin said, “willpower and numbers alone won’t be enough in battle. You know that, Jean!”

Jean and Fluttershy recounting the numerous deaths at the hands of the Female Titan shuddered, knowing Armin to be correct.

“Defeating Annie will require far more…” finished Armin.

Spike and Eren’s titan continued to chase the Female Titan, the other pursuing soldiers could see that the two titans and the dragon were running into a large plaza with an imperial domed building to the left of it.

“An open area!” shouted Auruo.

“The Female Titan is heading for an open area,” said a soldier with brown, square-framed goggles.

“Shit! We can’t use Maneuver Gear there!”

Hanji, Armin, Jean, and their pony partners came up quick ready to attend to their predicament.

“Split up and work your way to the other side!” Hanji ordered.

“Roger!” Auruo confirmed.

Armin and Twilight and Jean and Fluttershy went their separate ways as the others did as well, not wanting to miss the Female Titan if neither Spike nor Eren’s titan could stop her. Jean, Armin, and the ponies could only watch as helpless civilians were either crushed or blown away by the force of the footsteps of the Female Titan and Eren’s titan.

“Shit!” exclaimed Rainbow Dash.

While bits of debris from the damaged buildings hurtled at more pedestrians below, Rainbow Dash flew in and delivered forceful punches and kicks at the pieces of rock, breaking them up into small enough pieces that wouldn’t harm them or knocking them out of the way entirely. The people looked at the pegasus in awe.

“What are you standing here for?” yelled Rainbow Dash. “Run for cover up north!”

The soldiers did as they were told, running up in the opposite direction as the three giants continued their fight. Rainbow Dash flew as fast as her sore back could allow in front of the chase to warn the others up ahead.

Meanwhile, the Military Police officers struggled to put their harnesses and 3D Maneuver’s together, completely unprepared to actually do anything, yet alone stop a rampaging titan.

“Hurry, hurry, hurry!” stammered an officer.

“This doesn’t make sense!” cried another. “What’s a titan doing here?”

“Go, go, go!” shouted Rainbow Dash as she whizzed by them all.

They had no time to ponder their own questions further as the three giants barreled towards them. While some ran away in time due to Rainbow Dash’s warning, the more terrified ones were stomped or blasted back as the three of them ran by.

The Female Titan ran towards the building while Spike and Eren’s titan continued to run. Turning around and grabbing the pillars on the outside to stop itself, the Female Titan faced its two chasers, who in turn stopped.

Annie, Eren thought, you always acted like you found everything incredibly stupid. You always seemed bored.

The Female Titan, having taken enough of a breather to continue the fight, put its arms and knee up in its trademark stance, ready to throw down.

But there are times when you looked alive, Eren remembered, when you were showing off your martial arts. You said none of it mattered, but to me, it didn’t look like you really believed that. I just thought you were a terrible liar.

Eren’s titan slightly crouched and put its arms up to fight. Spike lowered the top half of its body down and waved its tail, ready to pounce at the Female Titan.

Tell me, Annie, Eren asked, what are you fighting for? What could have been worth killing all those people?

Eren’s titan made the first advance, running up and reeling its arm back to punch. Prepared, the Female Titan formed the crystalline plating over its elbow. Eren’s titan’s fist connected, and while the Female Titan was left unscathed, Eren’s titan’s hand was broken and steaming. With its hand temporarily useless, Eren grabbed a hold of the Female Titan’s leg. As the Female Titan tried to kick off, Eren’s titan swung it by the leg and threw it over a line of buildings and into a line of others.

As the Female Titan, weakened and woozy, tried getting to its feet, Eren’s titan charged at it while running through the buildings. The Female Titan ran left, avoiding Eren’s titan, only to be met by Spike as he leapt over the buildings and tackled Annie to the ground. To avoid its claws and razor-sharp claws, the Female Titan kicked Spike in the groin. As Spike let out a painful roar and weakened its grip on it, the Female Titan managed to run away further to avoid Eren’s titan coming at it.

“What is this?” asked a Scouting Legion soldier on the roof as they watched the fight drag on back into the streets. “Squad leader,” he relayed to Hanji, “even if we capture the Female Titan, they might destroy the whole city first!”

“We do it regardless,” Hanji ordered. “That was Erwin’s decision. Be sure to capture her.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Armin and Twilight looked upon the destruction, disheartened by the casualties they were no doubt causing.
________________________________________________________________________________________

Mikasa continued to lay in the streets, still hurt by the Female Titan’s last hit. As she got up, the whirring of retracting wires brought her attention fuller again. She was somewhat relieved to see that it was Applejack returning to her rescue, but was confused as to why she came.

“Applejack,” Mikasa sighed. “What are you–”

“No time!” Applejack yelled as she went to retrieve the Maneuver Gear that was left scattered on the ground. “Eren and Spike need our help taking Annie down!”

“Eren… And… did you say Spike?”
________________________________________________________________________________________

The Military Police still couldn’t believe their eyes as the two titans and dragon continued to brawl.

“No one told me anything about this,” Hitch stated. “Why are titans fighting here?”

“What’s going on?” Marlow wondered.
________________________________________________________________________________________

Erwin continued to be held at gunpoint by Nile while Levi, Petra, and the other soldiers didn’t dare move a muscle, hoping not to have their commander be shot.

“Erwin,” demanded Nile, “is all this due to your plan?”

“That’s correct,” Erwin answered without hesitation. “All of this was my personal decision. I don’t intend to make excuses.”

Nile, angered by Erwin’s seeming disregard for the damage caused, slung his rifle over his shoulder and held on to Erwin’s jacket by the lapels, which didn’t shock him at all.

“You must have known what would happen if you executed a plan like this in the city!” Nile said. “How? How could you do this?”

“…To lead humanity to victory,” Erwin answered.

“Bullshit!” he yelled, pointing his gun back at Erwin along with the others. “You’re a traitor! I could execute you right here and now, and none of the brass would even care!”

“That’s fine,” Erwin understood, “but then you must assume command.”

That statement took Nile aback as he faltered with the aim of his gun.

“You must not let the Female Titan escape,” Erwin advised. “Paehl’s in charge of formation, Vyler oversees supply. Work with them to drive her to the east wall at all costs.”

“W– Wait!” stammered Nile. “Are you really telling me that this will help humanity?”

“I believe it is a step forward.”

Nile, as much as he wanted to kill Erwin out of rage and pride, he knew that Erwin was miles ahead of him in terms of intelligence and foresight. Nile lowered his weapons, an act that caused even Erwin to gasp slightly.

“Lower your weapons,” he ordered, “all of you. Handcuff him!”

“Yes, sir!” answered a soldier as he and his other comrades lowered their rifles and ran off.

“Deploy all of our men! Your priority is civilian rescue and evacuation!”

Erwin looked to Levi as he hands were clamped by the iron bonds by two Police soldiers.

“Levi,” instructed Erwin, “you stay put with Petra. You dislike pointless deaths.”

“You’re right,” Levi agreed, albeit slightly unsure. “I despise it, whether it be mine or my causing someone else’s.”

Erwin gave Levi a nod, and with that Niles and his men escorted Erwin through the streets. Petra couldn’t help but feel uneasy about the situation.

“Levi,” Petra spoke, “we’re really not going to stand here, are we?”

“Commander’s orders,” Levi answered. “They’re my orders to you as well.”

“Don’t you have any idea what that roar was before that bolt of lightning? That couldn’t have been Eren. It didn’t sound like the Female Titan either.”

“Either way, there’s nothing we can do about it now. We’re both not fit for battle in our states.”

“That didn’t seem to stop Spike at all.”

“What?”

“Even without his hand, Spike still managed to come and save me. And I could see how you looked at Spike after I told you about that. You really like him, don’t you?”

Levi was silent, but seemed emotionally unmoved. He couldn’t deny his growing fondness for Spike, but like hell he was going to show it.

“Spike was over there when the Female Titan transformed. I bet he’s doing all that he can right now to try and stop her. Then what’s stopping us?”

Levi couldn’t answer. While his ankle still hurt under substantial weight, he was walking around just fine. Even he couldn’t deny that he was one of the best with a Maneuver Gear, and it would be a disservice to both him and humanity to waste that talent standing there. Levi merely furrowed his brow, knowing what had to be done.
________________________________________________________________________________________

Armin and Jean swung to the next roof to observe and keep watch over the fight between the Female Titan, Eren’s titan, and Spike. Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight flew in close behind, fluttering down to the roof besides their partners. Twilight looked anxiously as Spike stood before the Female Titan while Eren’s titan stood behind him. Clearly, Spike was going to attack first. The Female Titan was prepared and ready to defend itself.

Spike lunged at the Female Titan, but Annie, now aware and concentrated, could read Spike’s attack. Hardening the skin on its stomach, the Female Titan blocked Spike’s left claw as it bounced off the plating. The force was enough to cause the shell to crack, shocking Armin and Twilight.

Despite the heavy blow, the Female Titan grabbed a hold of Spike’s hand and folded it backwards, breaking the bones and tearing the skin below the wrist. Spike let out a massive, pain-riddled yell as its hand was disabled again. Eren’s titan, seeing its comrade in danger, ran to assist.

“SPIKE!” shrieked Twilight.

Using Spike’s pain to its advantage, the Female Titan lifted Spike by his neck and stomach, the quick motions swinging the tail up and whipping Eren’s titan back. With the continued momentum, Spike was lifted into the air and slammed down face-first. The Female Titan threw Spike down with all of its might as Spike’s neck scrunched into the street, finally letting go upon hearing Spike’s neck break under the massive weight of his body.

“NOOOO!” Twilight cried as she tried to fly over.

“Twilight!” Armin shouted, holding on to her for dear life as she struggled to break free. “It’s too dangerous!”

Twilight was far too strong for the human, and she darted straight to Spike’s corpse, slipping out of Armin’s grasp.

“Twilight!” yelled Armin, swinging out to follow her.

Jean and Fluttershy were stunned speechless. Hanji, Auruo, and the other soldiers near them were also silent, unable to believe as Spike limply crumpled to his side on the street, completely unconscious. Twilight lied on Spike’s cheek, slapping it with her hoof in vain efforts to wake him.

“Twilight!” yelled Armin, landing on Spike’s corpse. “We have to get out of here!”

“I can’t!” sobbed Twilight. “He can’t be dead, I know he can’t!”

Eren’s titan was too angry to move, its fists clenching as Eren inside of it thought of every single way it would kill the Female Titan. With a thunderous shout, Eren’s titan charged forwards at the Female Titan to avenge his fallen comrade.

The Female Titan, signaled by Eren’s titan’s roar, turned around and hardened its leg, delivering a mighty sweep at Eren’s right leg that knocked his shin out and blew a fierce wind through the streets, knocking both Twilight and Armin off Spike’s body. Eren’s titan, however, was not deterred.

Using its whole left leg, Eren’s titan hopped up at the Female Titan and reeled back for another punch. The Female Titan put its hand up to catch and block the fist, keeping its leg hardened for further support. The fist collided perfectly, sending the Female Titan flying back, its plated leg and foot sliding along the street. As the Female Titan slid further back, Annie inside of it couldn’t help but remember something important.
________________________________________________________________________________________

Annie stood in front a kneeling man by a log cabin in the middle of wooded plains., the latter of whom looked ashamed and regretful as he held on to her shoulders.

“Annie,” he pleaded to her.
________________________________________________________________________________________

The Female Titan stood back up, strengthened by this man’s presence in Annie's memories.
________________________________________________________________________________________

“Annie,” he pleaded again.
________________________________________________________________________________________

Eren’s titan made another lunge, but the Female Titan thrust its plated leg into Eren’s face, knocking him into the buildings to his right. As the Female Titan tried to pull its leg back, it saw that Eren’s mouth was biting hard upon it, cracking the plating and keeping the Female Titan stuck there. The Female Titan was now enraged, forming a crystal shell on its fist, raising it up, and bashing Eren’s titan’s skull down with it.

Even with the dent in its head, Eren’s titan still kept its clamp down, angering the Female Titan even more. With frustrated screams, the Female Titan continued to wail on Eren’s titan’s skull, malforming it and spraying blood all over the nearby streets and buildings.
________________________________________________________________________________________

“Annie,” sobbed the man, now moving in to hug Annie. “Your dad is the only one on your side.”
________________________________________________________________________________________

The Female Titan could feel the grip loosening, but with one final strike to the face, Eren’s titan finally let go of it, freeing the Female Titan. With nothing left to stand in its way, the Female Titan ran to the wall, leaping over Spike’s body as it passed. Armin and Twilight stayed out of sight to avoid this seemingly unbeatable foe. Twilight hopped back on to Spike, hoping to wake him back up. As badly as Hanji wanted to stay and mourn with Twilight, they knew that the Female Titan would not wait.

“Everyone,” ordered Hanji, “follow that titan! If she escapes, we’re doomed!”

“Roger!” shouted Auruo and the nearby soldiers and ponies.

Armin, knowing that they couldn’t allow the titan to advance further, left Twilight alone to join the others as she waited for Spike to wake. Eren’s titan continued to lie in the buildings it was forced onto, but Eren was still alive and well inside of it, its anger and resolve only fueled more.

“I’ll…” he spoke, his voice strangely dualized into his own voice and a deeper, raspier one, “I’ll kill the titans. Every last fucking one!”

The veins in Eren’s body began to glow alight, and his back, arms and legs began to catch fire. With a spring in its step, Eren’s titan shot out of its slump and ran through the streets toward the Female Titan like a crazed ape, climbing over Spike and forcing Twilight to jump off to avoid it. As she landed in the street, she looked to Spike’s left hand as it began to fold back to normal, the bones crackling as they fused back together and healed.

“Spike?” Twilight questioned.
________________________________________________________________________________________

The Female Titan could see the wall. With one large climb over, it would be home free. It turned around to see Eren’s titan right behind it, leaping upon its back and forcing it into the ground, sliding into a large marketplace and destroying the stands and crushing the people that were caught in their path.
________________________________________________________________________________________

Applejack and Mikasa swung forwards to see Armin, Jean, and the ponies on the roofs closest to the marketplace. With her focus only on what was in front of her, Mikasa missed Twilight and Spike as she and Applejack made one final swing as they landed on the roofs.

“Eren!” shouted Mikasa upon seeing his titan hold the Female Titan down, prepared to run to assist him.

“Don’t!” warned Hanji, making Applejack tug her back by the back end of her shirt with her mouth, stopping her. “Right now, we don’t know if Eren can recognize you.”

Mikasa, while frightened by this aspect, could clearly see that Eren’s titan’s fury was insatiable. The Female Titan was huddled up with its hands covering its neck as Eren’s titan roared into its ears. The Femele Titan shifted back to toss Eren’s titan off, but Eren, grabbed on to the Female Titan’s face and the back of its head with both hands.

Squeezing tight, Eren’s titan could feel the head of the Female Titan trembling to the pressure. With the sustained press, the Female Titan’s face was shoved further into its head, shattering the front of the skull as blood spilled out where the skin broke.

“Aw yeah!” cheered Rainbow Dash. “Smash her face in!”

Nile and his men stopped to watch with Erwin as the fight raged on.

“H– Hey,” Nile quivered.

Erwin looked upon the fight expectantly, hoping that Eren’s titan would rise above the Female Titan. The others were horrified to hear the shrill screams of the Female Titan as Eren’s titan pulled its arms back, hoping to pull them out of the sockets.

The Female Titan quickly headbutted Eren’s titan and rolled to its back to kick it further back and give itself more space. The soldiers on the buildings behind the titans shielded their faces from the loose rock that flew into their direction.

The Female Titan ran to the wall, forming sharp, crystalline claws upon its fingers and toes. It leapt up, piercing the wall with them and began to quickly climb up.

“The wall!” Auruo shouted.

“Does she intend to climb it?” Hanji queried.

“Like hell she will!” Rainbow Dash protested.

Rainbow Dash flew out at the titan, swords drawn. The Female Titan saw the pegasus coming and let go with its right hand swinging away to move Rainbow Dash’s target. Rainbow Dash already redirected its course to the Female Titan’s left shoulder, swinging its swords at the muscle and slicing a hefty portion off. As Rainbow Dash tried to push back, the Female Titan brought its hand back to its shoulder and grabbed hold of Rainbow Dash, trapping her in.

“Rainbow Dash!” yelled Armin, Applejack, and Fluttershy in unison.

The Female Titan began to squeeze, but was distracted by Eren’s titan as it hung onto its leg and tried to pull it down. The Female Titan used its free leg and pressed down on Eren’s titan’s face with its foot as it tried to hold on with its teeth once again. With another hard push, the Female Titan’s leg came loose and fell Eren’s titan to the ground again.

Leaping up to avoid further interruptions, the Female Titan looked into Rainbow Dash’s furious eyes as she tried to push out. Mikasa drew her swords, prepared to save Rainbow Dash from her demise. As their stalemate persisted, the four-legged running stomps returned, coming closer with each second. The Female Titan could see as Spike, alive and well, ran from the street and toward the wall at it.

Knowing it couldn’t climb up with Rainbow Dash in its tow, the Female Titan threw Rainbow Dash at the ground, allowing the pegasus to swoop up and back to the sidelines to safety to watch as Spike leapt up to the wall and after the Female Titan.

As fast as the Female Titan was, once Spike grabbed hold of its leg, his climbed up the Female Titan’s back until its claws could reach its head. Once that happened, Spike grabbed hold of the Female Titan’s head, its claws dug into its skull, and slammed its head onto the wall, fracturing it.

The Female Titan was disoriented, allowing Spike to put its left arm into his jaws and bite down, crunching through the bone like toffee and ripping the arm off and tossing it aside. The arm crashed into the bridge where Nile and Erwin stood. While the Military Police scattered like cockroaches, Erwin stayed perfectly still, wanting to see the struggle through to the very end.

Spike reached around and grabbed the Female Titan’s face with his claws and swung to its left side. Pushing off with its legs, the Female Titan couldn’t hold on with its one hand and one leg, forcing the two of them to fall. Spike was ready though, as he held his arm up with the ground incoming fast. At the right time, he slammed the Female Titan’s head down, the back of its head and his hand coming to the ground in unison. With the strength and force of Spike’s smash, the Female Titan’s head exploded, causing bits of hair, flesh, blood, and bone to spray in every direction as everyone took cover.

With the titan’s sense of sight and hearing completely diminished, Eren ran back over to the Female Titan ready to exact his revenge. Spike rolled the Female Titan onto its stomach and backed away to let Eren have his turn. Annie, still safe inside the titan’s nape, knew her end was near, remembering the last of what her father taught her before they were separated.
________________________________________________________________________________________

“You can make the world your enemy…” Annie’s father spoke.
________________________________________________________________________________________

I’ll destroy the world! Eren declared as his titan punched the Female Titan’s remaining arm and leg, separating them from the body and completely crippling the Female Titan.
________________________________________________________________________________________

“Even if the world hates you,” he continued, “your dad is the one person who is still on your side.”
________________________________________________________________________________________

Eren’s titan knelt down over the Female Titan’s neck and lowered its head down to bite.

“Eren?” Rainbow Dash wondered fearfully.

“Crap!” Hanji exclaimed. “He’ll eat the girl inside too!”

“Don’t, Eren!” yelled Jean.

“Eren!” Mikasa yelled concernedly.

Eren’s titan was beyond hearing as its teeth gripped onto the flesh on the Female Titan’s neck.

I am free… Eren thought.
________________________________________________________________________________________

“So promise me,” Annie’s father begged, hugging his daughter close, “that you will return.”
________________________________________________________________________________________

Eren ripped the flesh of the nape off, revealing Annie inside. Before Eren’s titan could finish her off, Eren couldn’t help but see something about Annie that shocked him. Annie’s face was cascading with tears, saddened by the prospect of breaking her promise to her beloved father. As Eren’s titan knelt over Annie, the soldiers upon the rooftops, Twilight now joining them, stared in confusion.

“What happened?” asked Hanji.

Suddenly, a bright blue light and burst of steam emitted from the Female Titan’s neck, shocking Eren’s titan and the soldiers. As the soldiers blocked the hot, bright gust and from their faces, Armin looked past his arms to see a peculiar sight.

“They’re fusing?” wondered Armin.

Sure enough, the skin of the Female Titan’s back and Eren’s legs melded together, keeping Eren’s titan stuck with it. Eren’s titan looked down to see as Annie became enveloped in a light blue crystal. As Eren’s titan tried to pull free, Levi, now in a Scouting Legion cloak, harness, and 3D Maneuver Gear, swooped down from above and shaved the flesh of Eren’s titan’s nape, revealing Eren inside.

“Don’t eat a valuable witness, you idiot,” scolded Levi.

Petra, with cloak, harness, and gear equipped, joined the others upon the roof as they watched Levi cut Eren out the neck and pull him out. Petra finally saw Spike in his adult form, stunned by his appearance, but was slightly relieved to find the source of the roar before Eren’s transformation.

As Levi gently laid the tired and unconscious Eren down on the ground, the light began to fade, allowing the others to see. Spike looked to see that Annie was still caught inside the Female Titan’s neck, although petrified inside the crystal she formed. As Spike carefully walked over to observe Annie closer, Levi looked up to see him with slight awe.

“So you can do it too now, huh?” he said to himself.

Spike sniffed the crystal in the neck before licking its lips hungrily. Levi couldn’t help but recognize the behavior.

“Spike!” shouted Levi.

Twilight, knowing what would happen, flew down towards Levi, hoping to stop him fast enough. Spike quickly opened his mouth and clasped his teeth around the crystal, yanking his head up and pulling it out.

“You idiot!” Levi shouted, shooting a hook at Spike’s shoulder.

Spike felt the slight pinch, but was going to continue his actions regardless. As Levi pulled the trigger to lift himself towards Spike, he felt a force tugging him back to the ground, confusing him. Looking behind him, he saw that his sheaths were covered in a sparking purple aura as well as Twilight standing behind him, her horn covered in the same purple aura and her face sporting a vengeful scowl.

“Twilight!” gasped Levi, surprised by her betrayal. “Let me go now!”

Spike pinched the wire stuck in his scales and pulled it out, making Levi fall to the ground. With nothing left to distract him, Spike clamped down on the crystal, the nearby soldiers terrified as they heard the crunch. Levi, angered at Twilight, grabbed her by the hair and stood up, pulling her face close to his.

“WHY?” screamed the seething Levi. “WHY WOULD YOU LET HIM EAT HER?”

“Look!” Twilight squeaked, pointing at Spike.

Levi turned around to see Spike bow his head to the ground and open his mouth back up. Sticking his tongue out, Levi was surprised to see Annie, out of her crystal sanctuary, upon it. Spike slid Annie and pieces of crystal out of his mouth, all of which were drenched with Spike’s saliva.

Levi covered his mouth and nose, repulsed by the sight and stench. Annie’s bones in her legs and arms were broken from the fractures of the crystal caused by Spike’s bite. She was unconscious, but best of all, she was alive.

Levi looked at Twilight, who was scared with what Levi would do next. As if it were his only form of apology and consolation, Levi gently let Twilight down, turning back to walk up to Spike. Twilight rubbed her mane, both straightening it and trying to sooth the sting. By now, the flesh of both the Female Titan and Eren’s titan had evaporated.

“Twilight,” Levi calmly ordered, “come.”

Twilight walked alongside Levi as Petra swung down to meet them both. The sound of Petra’s feet hitting the ground alerted Spike, as he moved his head to where the end of his snout was inches from them. Spike’s brow was furrowed and he looked angry, but it didn’t faze Levi in the slightest, even as he growled at him.

“Spike!” yelled Petra. “Don’t you remember us? It’s me, Petra, the one you saved back then!”

Spike’s eyes scanned to Petra, and upon seeing her, his brow unclenched as the rest of his face began to relax.

“Spike,” called Twilight, “it’s over! You got Annie out! She’s no longer going to hurt anyone, now please, go back to normal before you do!”

Spike’s eyes were beginning to widen, touched that his friends were still behind him despite what he had become. Spike then felt a small feeling on the end of his snout. Looking in and down, he saw Levi’s hand as it was placed upon it. Levi looked right into Spike’s eyes, knowing that they looked for his approval.

“That will do, squirt,” complimented Levi. “That will do.”

Spike’s eyes closed, allowing a pair of tears to roll out from each eye. The other soldiers were also surprised to see Spike’s mouth form a warm smile. Spike’s body began to shrink, which Levi could feel under his hand, leaving him to pull away as Spike slowly changed from an adult to his original baby dragon size right in front of Levi, Twilight, and Petra. Spike, now back to normal with even his limbs fully healed, rubbed his head.

“Woah,” Spike slurred. “There’s a place I don’t want to revisit anytime soon.”

“Spike!” Twilight cried happily.

Twilight ran to Spike and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug, happy to see him alright. Levi gave a look to Petra, and knowing what he wanted of her, she gave him a nod and let him leave. Erwin, Nile, and the other members of the Military Police watched the scene in sheer confusion, unsure of what to do from there. As Levi walked past Erwin, he stopped to address him.

“I suppose we can call this operation a success?” Levi asked.

“Yes,” Erwin answered. “We have also ensured the continued survival of the Survey Corps, most likely by the skin of our teeth.”

“I hope so,” Levi said, looking back to Twilight.

As Twilight and Spike ended their hug, Hanji swung down next to Petra. Hanji looked to Annie’s arms and legs, which no longer emitted steam and looked healed.

“It looks like her wounds are done healing,” Hanji stated.

“So it’s time then?”

“Yes.”

Hanji reached into the inside of her jacket and pulled out a small, rectangular box. Opening the lid, Hanji picked up its contents: a glass syringe filled with a pale, light-pink liquid, kept in a soft padding.

“Would you care to do the honors?” Hanji asked.

“Nothing would give me more pleasure,” Twilight answered, taking the needle from Hanji’s grasp.

Twilight walked up to Annie’s body, which still continued to lie unconscious on the ground. Twilight wasn’t sure what would happen to Annie after the injection, but if they had any chance of restraining her for proper questioning, it had to be now.

Twilight rolled Annie onto her stomach, exposing her neck. Twilight quickly but carefully inserted the needle into Annie’s spine and pumped the liquid inside of her. Annie still didn’t move a muscle, but once the injection was complete, Twilight put her ears to her heart, hoping to continue hearing the heartbeat. While she could hear the heartbeat inside begin to slow, it still kept its rhythm.

The onlookers were silent as they awaited for some kind of response for Annie or Twilight. Twilight could hear Annie’s heartbeat as it began to regulate once again, retaining a normal rhythm. Twilight let out a joyous, tearful gasp and laid her head upon Annie’s back. Hanji, unable to see Twilight’s face, grew worried.

“Twilight?” she called. “Did it work?”

Twilight picked her head up and turned to face Hanji and the others, showing her trembling smile.

“Jaeger Serum: Test 1…” stammered Twilight, “was successful!”

Hanji, realizing what this meant, jumped and shouted for joy and ran for Twilight, both of them giving the other a tight embrace. Many of the others didn’t seem to know what had occurred, but they were happy to see such a celebration from the two. Erwin and Levi also seemed complacent with what had happened.

“Erwin,” wondered Nile, “what happened? What was that thing they put into that girl?”

“…Our victory,” Erwin simply responded.

As Twilight and Hanji continued jumping around, Spike looked up at the wall at the marks that both he and the Female Titan had made. Spike looked at the one in particular where he smashed the Female Titan’s head onto it, the cracks looking loose. Spike saw as the large chunks of the wall broke away and fell. Spike’s eyes widened in fear upon seeing what the fallen concrete uncovered.

“Guys!” screamed Spike, pointing up. “Look!”

Many soldiers looked up upon hearing the worry in Spike’s voice. Upon seeing what Spike found, they too were in sheer shock. As the nervous murmurs and frightened screams were heard by the others, they too looked to see what was in the wall. Finally, Twilight and Hanji were broken from their celebration to look at the wall, their eyes narrowing at the sight.

The hole in the wall partially revealed the face of an extremely tall titan, its face almost completely comprised of muscle and no nose. Its eyes were half-closed, almost as if it had come out of a long nap. More screams of terror ensued when the one revealed eye looked down upon the other soldiers. Fluttershy shrieked and hid behind Jean, who was too scared himself to react.

“Is it moving?” asked a soldier. “Hanji, your orders?”

How? Hanji thought. How did a titan get in the wall? Was it part of the wall by accident? Or… is this wall filled with titans… along the whole length?

Hanji suddenly felt a hand grasp her shoulder, turning around to see Nick, panting from his extended run.

“Pastor Nick?” questioned Hanji.

“Do not…” wheezed Nick, “do not let… sunlight shine… on that titan. You must block the light with something… anything. You have to hurry…”
________________________________________________________________________________________

The afternoon was beginning to come to a close as Hanji and Twilight stood atop the wall where the Female Titan and Spike’s claws pierced it. The both of them and a nervous Nick observed as a massive quilt was thrown over the hole and tied down tight to ensure that it wouldn’t blow away by other soldiers of the Scouting Legion.

As Hanji oversaw the construction, Twilight watched as a line of carts left the final sight of the battle with soldiers sitting inside the carts. In the back cart, Annie was lied down on her back with her hands cuffed behind her. Twilight then looked upon the destruction of the city, disgusted by the damage Annie’s actions caused.

“Well,” Hanji concluded to Nick, “looks like this is the best we’re going to do with this. “Real repairs will start after sunset. For the time being, the breach is being filled with quick drying filler compound. At the same time, the weakened parts next to and below the hole are being strengthened.

“Ha,” sighed Nick in relief, “that should do… Do you think the citizens saw this?”

“I doubt it,” Twilight answered. “With all the damage done to this city, the citizens are probably more concerned with the losses of their homes and loved ones than they are this part of the wall. That doesn’t mean that no one else saw anything.”

“I… I see…”

Hanji had already connected the dots, and as Twilight waited for her to make a response, she couldn’t help but feel unnerved at the unusually serious expression on Hanji’s face.

“Now then,” stated Hanji, “it’s time for us to talk, don’t you think?”

“Huh?” queried Nick. “About what?”

Twilight knew what Hanji knew as well, but it was only by Nick’s playing dumb that begun to set her off.

“Are you kidding?” Twilight asked. “The fact that you showed concern for the titan in the wall and whether people saw it or not speaks volumes about you.”

“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Let me make it simpler then,” Hanji said. “Why is there a titan in the wall? How long have you known about this?”

Nick remained silent.

“Answer me, Nick,” demanded Hanji, her anger rising even more.

“No,” Nick responded, brushing dust off his frock, “I cannot do that. I am a busy man. My church and my congregation are in chaos right now, and it is all your faults, you insolents. I shall make sure to demand indemnities for all the damage that you caused. Now let me off the wall.”

Hanji’s eyes were brimming with hate and rage. Twilight could feel her emotions radiating off of her.

“Alright,” Hanji said, grabbing Nick’s collar, pushing him over the north edge of the wall, and holding him over the ground below. “Is this where you’d like to be let off?”

Twilight gasped, completely taken aback by Hanji’s suddenly homicidal intentions. The other soldiers were equally shocked.

“Hanji!” Twilight called out.

“Stay back!” commanded Hanji.

Nick looked into Hanji’s eyes, and they looked brutally honest with their intentions.

“What do you think you’re doing?” asked Nick. “You’re being ridiculous!”

“Am I?” questioned Hanji. “You’re committing a grave offense here by jeopardizing humanity’s survival. All those protests about the walls reinforcements or the underground tunnels… it’s all because of what we saw in that gap, isn’t it? The king was the one who granted you with the power to make all decisions concerning the wall, right? That means… your cult aren’t the only ones who know about this; I can’t even begin to think how many there are.

“And yet, we, the Scouting Legion, have been continually shedding OUR blood and sacrificing OUR men to make a difference in this war, no matter how small, so we can save humanity from the titans! Even those ponies that you dared call vermin came from the safety of THEIR world to ensure our survival!”

Twilight and the other soldiers were haunted by the words Hanji spoke and the way she spat them out at Nick.

“Until now,” she continued, “we’ve never found information as important was what we found here. As you stand here and continue playing dumb, not once have you considered how many lives we lost to them, have you? All this time, you and your sect had the gall to keep quiet about this while my comrades– no, my friends, died trying to find this.

“Now, listen here. I’m not asking; I’m ordering you to start talking. If you don’t I’ll find another one of you and ask him the same thing: Would you rather keep your life or keep silent. However, I doubt killing just you will be enough.”

“Hanji!” cried Twilight.

“Let go of me!” ordered Nick.

“Are you sure about that?” Hanji wondered, loosening her grip.

“Yes, do it now! Let go of me!”

Hanji heavily considered Nick’s request, but knew that he was worth nothing to them dead. She continued to hold on, hoping he’d eventually talk.

“I understand your anger,” Nick spoke, “but it’s not like we did this out of malice. My life isn’t even worth enough for me to cave in. I’ve lost my family drowning myself in vine. I am but an unworthy sinner who can only rely on God to keep living.

“But go ahead, end my useless life. Then you won’t get a word from me nor the others whose faith is stronger than even mine. No matter how badly you torture us, we’ll carry out our mission until the very end!”

“Fine,” agreed Hanji, loosening her grip even more. “I’ll grant you the death you desire.”

“Hanji, please!” begged Twilight.

Nick’s eyes were bleeding tears as his life was about to come to an end.

“God,” he silently prayed, “the blessed…”

Hanji finally relented, tossing Nick back to safety atop the wall, knowing that he could still talk, if at all, alive. Hanji and Twilight looked at Nick, who remained huddled to his knees with his hands clasped together, weeping over his close brush with death. Hanji, defeated and tired, sat down along the side of the wall, looking out at the horizon north of her.

“Hanji?” Twilight asked, walking up.

“You know,” Hanji said, “I just remembered something that I forgot a long time ago; the feeling that I haven’t felt since my first expedition beyond the walls… fear.”

Twilight sat down beside Hanji and rested upon her, wanting comfort from her friend from the past and not the angry woman she just saw. Hanji wrapped her arm around Twilight and pulled her closer, feeling her pain.
________________________________________________________________________________________

Inside one of the bedrooms of the Military Police headquarters, Eren laid in bed, finally awake as Rainbow Dash laid beside him. Mikasa and Applejack sat on a bench by Eren’s side while Armin stood in the middle of the room with Twilight and Spike. Jean leaned against the wall next to the window while Fluttershy stood by his side. All four of the humans were dressed in their casual wear, no longer needing to fight.

“I assume that because of what happened today,” Jean guessed, “that Eren’s summon to the king is cancelled.”

“Yes,” Armin answered.

“Eren,” Mikasa cooed, “are you doing okay?”

Eren rolled up, feeling strange about being able to do so despite the physical toll his body took that day.

“I’ve healed so fast,” Eren said, “it’s almost creepy. At least we captured Annie, right?”

“Yeah,” Mikasa answered.

“Only at the cost of all of those soldiers,” Jean hissed. “To think that even after all that, she still almost got the better of us.”

“But she didn’t!” Applejack barked.

“And it’s all thanks to you,” Armin said with a smile.

Applejack, Twilight, Spike, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy looked to Armin with wondering eyes.

“If it hadn’t been for you guys,” Armin stated, “who knows what battles we would have lost and which soldiers would have died. And if it weren’t for your help, Annie would have gotten away, or at the very least, been frozen in that crystal.”

“Speaking of,” interrupted Jean, “how did Spike transform back then? Is he a titan as well?”

“What?” Rainbow Dash yelled, offended. “No!”

“Then please enlighten me. What happened there? All of his body parts healed, even after Annie broke his neck, much like a titan would.”

“It happened once before,” Twilight explained. “On Spike’s birthday, after he had received his gifts, he enjoyed the feeling so much that he became greedy and started taking others’ belongings. That greed and desire caused him to become an adult just then.”

“What are you talking about? You don’t just get big from wanting things! That makes no sense!”

“It actually makes a lot of sense,” Armin butted in. “In fact, it’s kind of scary how much sense it makes.”

“What do you mean?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“Spike, what were you thinking of the instant you grew?”

“Well,” Spike thought aloud, “I thought about all the times I wanted stuff, whether it was when Twilight let me fight in Trost, how I wanted to pass my aptitude test, and how I wanted to save my friends in the Forest of Giant Trees.”

Twilight caught on, her mouth and eyes growing wide.

“I see. For some reason, it seems that Eren and Spike have similar abilities that are triggered in similar ways. It sounds impossible, but… do you think that titans are connected to each other in some ways to dragons?”

Before anyone could answer that, the door opened up, and a Military Police soldier with a clipboard appeared in the doorway.

“Armin Arlert,” called the soldier, “Twilight Sparkle. Your commander wants you to attend the meeting.”

“Yes, sir,” the two of them answered.

“Well,” Jean groaned, stretching his arms up, “I’m gonna’ take a walk around. Something to take my mind off of today. Wanna’ join, Fluttershy?”

“Sure,” Fluttershy sighed, “if you don’t mind, that is.”

“But I asked if you wanted to.”

“Okay, I’m sorry…”

Armin, Jean, Twilight, and Fluttershy began to leave the room, allowing the Military Police soldier to close it, leaving Eren, Rainbow Dash, Spike, Mikasa, and Applejack alone.
________________________________________________________________________________________

With the damage brought upon the Stohess district, Erwin was called to a meeting with the district chief inside a moderately ornate room. With the sun setting fast, the candles were beginning to provide the only light. Levi, Hanji, Petra, Auruo, Armin, and Twilight stood off to the side, allowing Nile, a couple of his soldiers, as well as three priests, one of them being Nick, to sit at the table.

The district chief was a portly man, with short, black hair and a moustache. As he read over the reports of Erwin’s mission, Erwin didn’t look the least bit fearful.

“Erwin,” the district chief addressed, “I have a few plans regarding the plan you implemented today. If you firmly knew what goal you pursued, why didn’t you call upon the Military Police for help?”

“We did not ask for their help because it is impossible to know where the Female Titan’s allies are hiding. To ensure absolute success of the mission, only those who I absolutely knew were innocent were chosen to participate.”

“I realize that former Military Police soldier ‘Annie Leonhardt’ was living among us citizens in the district, but that still doesn’t atone for the massive damages caused during her capture.”

“Our plan was to deal with her without causing any damage, but unfortunately, it didn’t turn out that way, and it came in the loss of property and human life. It was our lack of ability to stop her, and for that, I profoundly apologize.

“On the other hand, though, if we had let her escape over the walls, the resulting damage would have been far greater than the damage that occurred today. We chose the lesser of the two evils and acted upon it.”

“And what of Annie now? Where is she?”

“At present, we have locked her away in an underground dungeon, so if she tries to transform again, she can’t.”

“Reports from Military Police state that they watched as Ms. Twilight Sparkle injected something into Annie’s neck. Is Ms. Sparkle present?”

“I am,” answered Twilight, stepping forward to make herself known.

“Very good. Now, could you care to explain what you injected Annie Leonhardt with?”

“I was given instruction by Erwin to use it if all else failed.”

“I don’t think I understand.”

“When Annie sealed herself inside the crystal, the only way we were able to extract her was by my colleague, Spike, destroying the crystal. I’m uncertain if any of the military branches would have been able to break the crystal, but I felt that the opportunity was right, seeing as Annie could have reawakened and either transformed or sealed herself again.

“Over the course of a month since joining the Scouting Legion, my friend and colleague, Hanji Zoe, had been working on an alternative method to defeat the titans… a cure.”

The room was in an uproar, unsure of what she meant.

“Did you say a cure?” asked Nile.

Twilight was about to explain further when a Scouting Legion soldier with long black hair and a thin moustache entered, appeared very distressed.

“Commander Erwin!” he shouted. “Bad news!”

“Touma?” Hanji questioned.

“Wall Rose is–”
________________________________________________________________________________________

Much earlier that morning, Mike, Touma, and a short, blonde-haired soldier were standing upon the watchtower of the Scouting Legion headquarters. The hot topic of discussion was easily the mission that was supposed to take place in Stohess and the possibilities of rats within the military.

“Do you think,” speculated the blonde-haired soldier, “that one of Annie’s comrades is among one of the rookies?”

“I’m not sure,” Mike responded, “but this is a possibility that we can’t ignore.”

Mike sniffed the air, smelling trouble afoot. As Mike sniffed more and more, the two soldiers near him looked worried. Especially as his eyes widened in response. Looking out over the edge of the tower, he saw the horrible sight.

“Touma!” shouted Mike.

“Yes?” he responded.

“Take a fast horse and report this to the commanders: There were no titans among the scouts of the 104th Trainee Squad; scores of titans invading from the south.”

Sure enough, about a dozen titans approached the castle, getting closer and closer by the second.

“Wall Rose has been breached.”