Inside the mess hall of the Scouting Legion headquarters earlier that afternoon, the remaining soldiers not chosen to assist in Annie’s capture at Stohess sat at the tables, nervously chatting about what was happening. Neither of them were in uniforms or harnesses, wearing their causal clothes instead. Reiner wore a white-collared shirt with brown pants instead of his own tunic. Bertolt wore a similar outfit, but had a brown jacket buttoned over his shirt.

A chess board sat on one of the tables, its pieces scattered on and around the table. Rarity rested her chin on the table, wanting nothing more than something to do as she sat across from Sasha, who sat with her arm and hand supporting her head. Pinkie Pie, as chipper as ever, sat across from an oppositely bored Conny, shuffling a deck of cards over and over. Neither pony was wearing any clothes. Conny and Sasha decided to aid their tedium by engaging in a conversation.

“You know,” Conny yawned, “my village ain’t too far from here.”

“My home is pretty close too,” Sasha added.

“We’re all the way here near the southern districts of Wall Rose, but we’re not even allowed to go visit them. I mean, it’s not like there’s anything to do…”

“We could always play another game of Go Fish!” Pinkie Pie chirped, already dealing cards to Rarity, Sasha, Conny and herself.

“Come on, Pinkie,” Conny moaned, tossing his hand at Pinkie Pie. “We’ve already played about a thousand games of Go Fish.”

“That’s not true! We only played seventy-six games!”

Conny couldn’t help but chuckle at Pinkie Pie’s random frankness.

“I know!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “I can make you all laugh all day! All I need is a bag of flour! Hold on!”

Pinkie Pie darted off into the inside exit of the mess hall, going down the halls and towards the kitchen.

“Well damn,” Conny sighed. “I can’t believe I got paired with her of all these ponies.”

“Why?” Reiner asked. “Do you not like her?”

“Nah… It’s just… she’s just so random that I can’t keep up. I mean, I’m a genius and all, but I just don’t know what to say to her half the time.”

“She’s just trying to cheer us up,” Bertolt said. “I think we could all use that right about now.”

“There’s only so much she can do,” Rarity moaned, picking her head up. “I mean, I’m up for a rousing game of chess and cards now and then, but not a hundred.”

“Seventy-six,” Conny corrected.

“Oh. MY mistake.”

“Conny,” Reiner spoke up, “you say that you want to go to your village?”

“Huh?” Conny exclaimed, shooting up in surprise. “No! I mean, I’m not going to desert! Don’t be crazy!”

“It’s alright. If you want, I can help you.”

“What? Why would you do that?”

“Don’t you think it’s strange that we we’re being made to sit here in our casual wear and being forbidden from training? We’re soldiers, god dammit! Why would they give us such an order? The worst part is that our superiors are all equipped and ready to fight. It’s not like we’re on the front lines; we’re within the walls! Just what are we preparing to fight with?”

Sasha and Conny, as badly as they wanted to take Reiner’s plight seriously, were far too tired and uninterested to.

“Uh…” droned Conny, “there are bears around here.”

“Yeah…” Sasha absentmindedly agreed. “Bears.”

“If we’re fighting bears,” Reiner reasoned, “guns should be more than enough. No one knows what the hell is going on and everyone is getting anxious. You, Sasha, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity seem to be the only ones who are still so carefree.”

“Believe me, darling,” Rarity piped up, “I’m anything BUT carefree. It’s just that we have nothing to do while we care.”

“I honestly don’t know what to tell you then. When Pinkie Pie comes back, just humor her in another game of cards.”

Sasha couldn’t take much more, removing her head from under her hand and plopping it down on the table, wondering if she could at least get some more sleep. Rarity stroked her friend’s hair, completely empathetic with her. Reiner and Bertolt looked at her with pitying expressions. In the back, Ymir and Krista were talking with one another, unaware of Conny and Sasha completely.

“I kind of want to see the faces of our superiors if you do sneak out,” Reiner said to Conny, who only half listened as he turned to look at him.

Sasha’s eyes began to slide closed as the boredom was becoming too hard to deal with. With her ear on the table, she could feel the vibrations of the commotion in the room, either from people walking or talking. She could feel another set of vibrations among these, increasing in intensity with each passing moment. Sasha knew what this was, her eyes widening upon the realization.

“What the–” she exclaimed, shooting her body up.

Her quick motions and suddenly loud volume of her voice awoke Conny and Rarity, as well as alerted everyone in the room, stopping their conversations.

“Sasha?” Rarity queried. “Whatever is the matter?”

“I hear rumbling,” explained Sasha, “that sounds like heavy footsteps.”

The others didn’t know how to respond. They couldn’t tell if Sasha was joking, but the joke was far from funny.

“Huh?” Conny questioned.

“What are you saying?” asked Reiner. “If you’re saying that there are titans close by, then that means… Wall Rose has fallen…”

Before a full reaction could be made, the blond-haired soldier from the watchtower swung down to the ground, opened up the window from the outside, and jumped in, giving another shock to the soldiers.

“Nanaba?” Krista addressed.

“There’s a large number of titans approaching from the south,” Nanaba clarified. “They’re heading here, and they’re about five-hundred meters away. You don’t even have time to get your uniforms or Maneuver Gears. Get to your horses, head to the neighboring villages, and get them to evacuate immediately. Is that clear?”

The titans had been confirmed, as well as the fall of Wall Rose. Sasha, Conny, Krista, Ymir, Reiner, Bertolt, and Rarity were terrified, as were the others.

“From the south?” Conny shouted.

“Oh no!” squealed Rarity, galloping in place. “No, no, no, no, no! This can’t be happening!”

“This must mean…” Reiner concluded, “the wall was breached?”

“Get moving!” ordered Nanaba, already climbing back out. “You won’t be able to eat lunch if you’re dead!”

The soldiers all scrambled towards the exit, wanting to leave the room and get away with their lives.

“Oh no!” Rarity gasped, looking about the room. “Pinkie Pie! Where’s Pinkie Pie?”

“She’s not back?” shouted Conny.

As badly as Conny wanted to leave, he felt oddly compelled to rescue his partner, standing still as he contemplated his decision. Clenching his fist he made a decision he knew he’d regret very soon.

“Dammit!” he shouted, running into the hallways that led to the kitchen.
________________________________________________________________________________________

Nanaba swung up to the highest roof he could to observe the advance of the approaching titans, finding Mike and running up to him.

“Mike,” Nanaba called, “where are the titan’s coming from?”

“They’re right in front of us,” Mike answered, “as far as my nose can tell. Nine of them are in the immediate vicinity.”

The nine titans that Mike and Nanaba saw were of varied sizes and builds. Many of them were malformed and hideous.

“So that means the wall was destroyed again,” Nanaba concluded.

“Yes,” confirmed Mike.

“Should we hunt them down? If the Trost and Nedlay districts have been breached, we would have known. If a part of the walls other than the gates was destroyed, there’s no telling how much damage there is. Even if the gates were broken, there aren’t any boulders that are big enough in the vicinity, so even if we had Eren with us right now, he couldn’t plug the hole. In other words, the worst case scenario is happening… as we speak. As it stands, Wall Rose has been breached.”

Nanaba, in defeat, knelt down, getting deep in thought.

“We…” he summarized, “have failed to find out the true identities of the Colossal Titan and the Armored Titan, and we failed to learn about any other abilities our enemy has. The day has come… we– no, the whole human race has lost.”

Mike turned to face Nanaba, knowing that humanity still had fight in it.

“No,” Mike disagreed. “Not yet.”

Mike looked down to see a large number of the soldiers leave the building, heading straight for the stables.

“We will have only lost the moment humans give up and stop fighting. As long as they keep fighting, our defeat will never be certain. We can’t apologize enough to the 104th Trainee Squad. Because of our doubts, they’re left defenseless in this hellish scenario… because we failed to predict that things would turn out like they are now.”

The soldiers hurriedly grabbed pulled their horses out and applied the reins and saddles to them.

“Ugh,” Nanaba grunted as he stood back up. “Can’t let them see how pathetic we are.”

“Well then…” Mike resolved. “Let’s fight!”
________________________________________________________________________________________

Conny ran throughout the hallways, which became a confusing and stressful labyrinth as finding Pinkie Pie became more difficult with time running out.

“Pinkie Pie!” shouted Connie. “Where are you!”

To his sheer relief, the pink pony emerged from a hallway with a sack of flower on her back.

“Conny!” Pinkie Pie chirped. “Why aren’t you in the dining room? I want to show my routine to everyone!”

“Everyone’s gone!” shouted Conny. “Titans are coming right at us! We need to get moving!”

Pinkie Pie dropped to the floor, laughing incessantly as she kicked her legs in her uproar. Conny was frightened to see her not taking his warning seriously.

“Oh, Conny,” she giggled, standing back up, “there can’t be titans in here! We’re protected by the walls.”

“Bu–” stammered Conny turning around and back as he pointed to where the exit would be, “Wall Ro– breach–”

“Is it finally ‘Make Funny Noises Time?’”

Pinkie Pie begun to contort her face and mouth as she produced whatever sound her mouth formed at the time being, enraging Conny further.

“Fuck it!” he yelled, running to Pinkie Pie.

Kneeling down, he slid under Pinkie Pie’s stomach so his neck was right under it. He then wrapped his right arm around Pinkie Pie’s front legs and put his left arm around the back legs. Once he had a firm hold on her, he stood up and ran to the exit, Pinkie Pie bouncing on Conny’s neck with each step he took.

“Oooh,” she squealed, “I LOVE piggyback rides! This is so much fun!”

Conny screamed as he ran, hoping he could still make it to the stables in time before the titans could arrive.
________________________________________________________________________________________

The soldiers were now mounted on their steeds as Mike and Nanaba led them away from the castle. Sasha looked back at the castle as it got smaller out of view.

“Once that group of titans reaches the forest,” Mike instructed, “we’ll split up. Before we do that, we need to get into groups of four. Each squad will be comprised of scouts from the 104th as well as the armed squad leaders. They will either head east, west, north, or south as you go to each village and district to spread the word. Avoid battling the titans as much as possible.

“What you do to accomplish this task and how you do it is up to each of you. Once you come across people or settlements, split up and keep going. Furthermore, the south squad will have the additional responsibility of locating destroyed settlements and the breach in the wall. That’s why the south will require more hands. Now, is there someone here who’s familiar with the area?”

Sasha threw her arm up, knowing that her volunteering would bring her back to her village.

“Yes,” she answered. “I was born in the northern forest here. I know the terrain of the area well. And… Conny too!”

Sasha and Rarity scanned the group to look for Conny, but he was nowhere to be found.

“Wait,” Sasha stammered, scared for her missing friend, “where is Conny?”

“And I can’t see Pinkie Pie anywhere!” called Rarity.

“Did they get left behind!?”

“There’s nothing we can do now!” yelled Nanaba. “I don’t think I need to reiterate, but this is the worst day humanity has faced all over again! This is the one time where speed is of the essence; we need to go as fast as we possibly can.”

Off in the distance, the titans finally began to surround the castle.

“Now!” called Nanabana. “The titans reached the forest! Split up! Run as fast as you can!”

Sasha continued to ride north with Rarity and the other soldiers of the north squad, while Reiner, Bertolt, Ymir, and Krista took to the south around the approaching titans. Sasha looked sadly at the castle as she took one final glance at where her friends’ resting spot would be. Rarity couldn’t bear to look, only sticking by Sasha’s side so they could save any others.

As Mike led the south group out to their destination, Mike took a look at the titans emerging from the trees, unable to believe what he was seeing: the titans suddenly broke out into a sprint towards them.

Why? he wondered. Why are all the titans running all of a sudden? They’re fast!

“They’re chasing us!” yelled Reiner.

Mike had to act fast, knowing they’d all die if something wasn’t done.

“Gelger!” he shouted at a soldier with a long face and short, curly white hair. “I’m leaving you in charge of the south squad!”

Mike then broke from the formation and ran right at the approaching titans, stunning the soldiers in his group. Gelger knew his confirmation wouldn’t reach him, but he was sure not to let his squad leader down.

“Yes, sir!” he yelled.

“Squad Leader Mike is baiting himself?” exclaimed a female soldier with a ponytail.

“All alone against nine titans!” shouted a soldier with short brown hair. “I have to help him! It’s too dangerous!”

“I forbid you!” yelled Gelger. “We need people here as well. Believe in Mike; he’s the second best soldier the Scouting Legion has next to Levi! He’ll take them down and regroup with us, I’m sure!”

Mike was now a dot in the distance, going off to risk his life to save the lives of the others.
________________________________________________________________________________________

Conny finally made it back to the mess hall, Pinkie Pie still on his back. Conny tossed Pinkie Pie off his back, straightening his back to get rid of the strain Pinkie Pie’s weight added on him.

“Hey,” Pinkie Pie squeaked, “where’d everybody go?”

“They got out of here,” Conny shouted. “We could have too if you hadn’t run off like you did!”

“Why? What’s wrong?”

The sound of breaking glass and stone exploded through the mess hall, and Conny and Pinkie Pie were horrified to see the hand of a titan reaching for them. The sight of the hand reaching them caused both of them to scream as they moved out of the hand’s way, ducking under one of the corner tables for safety.

“What’s a titan doing here?” Pinkie Pie asked. “You would think that with those walls, they would think that they’re not invited!”

“I don’t think they got the message!” Conny yelled in fright.

As the hand moved over to them, Pinkie Pie and Conny huddled close, preparing for the end. However, a slashing noise was heard outside, and the titan hand fell limp inside the room. Conny and Pinkie Pie, seeing that the titan was finally dead, stood up to see who their savior was. Conny and Pinkie Pie were shocked to see Mike fall down and nimbly land on his feet.

“Mike?” Conny exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”

“Conny?” Mike questioned, turning to find them inside. “Pinkie Pie? Why didn’t you evacuate? Titans are swarming all over here!”

“I’m sorry, Mike,” Pinkie Pie whined, twiddling her hooves guiltily. “I went to the kitchen for some flour and Conny had to come and get me.”

Mike knew this wasn't the time nor the place to scold Pinkie Pie or Conny. They needed to leave now.

“Conny," he ordered, "your horse is still in the stables. If you can, take it out and you and your partner get out of here! Join the southern squad in my stead! Now!”

“Yes, sir!” Conny and Pinkie Pie both yelled.

Two titans approached Mike from both sides. Mike noticed them, looking to the one closest to the exit of the mess hall. Conny already opened the door, ready to make a break with Pinkie Pie by his side.

“Wait!” called Mike, stopping Conny and Pinkie Pie before they could leave. “Titan right outside. I’ll take care of it!”

Mike launched a hook at the roof next to the titan blocking Conny and Pinkie Pie’s escape, rappelling up quickly as the titan reached for him. Before the titan could secure its grasp, Mike hooked into the titan’s neck and swung around and pulled himself closer to the nape. With the right timing, Mike slashed the nape off and flung himself to the titan on the other side. Conny watched as the second titan Mike killed landed dead in front of them.

“Pinkie, run!” Conny ordered.

“Yeah!”

Conny and Pinkie Pie made a mad dash towards the stable where one last horse was bucking madly, wanting to leave the chaotic scene. Conny found his saddle and reins, rushing to apply them to his horse as it continued to bray and buck.

Mike stood on the roof of the dining hall, looking out over his progress. Five smoldering titan corpses lay scattered on the ground as four others encircled the building Mike stood upon. Mike looked at his sheaths. There was only one fresh blade left in each one.

Four more to go, Mike thought. No. Now’s my chance. I bought them plenty of time to escape.

Mike put his thumb and index finger inside of his mouth and blew, producing a shrill whistle that could be heard from a long ways away.

Now I just need my horse to come back, he concluded, and then I can get out of here.

The sound of footsteps to Mike’s left caused him to turn towards the source. It was a titan, but the titan looked unlike anything he had seen before. It’s entire body, minus its feet, lower chest, abdomen, hands, and the center of its face was covered in thick, brown fur. It had a short, but very wide and muscular midsection, and its forearms were long enough for its hands to reach its lower shins as they swung to its walk. Its ears were also pointed and its face was very beastly. It appeared to walk by Mike and the building, not bothering with him.

Only, thought Mike, that abnormal titan really worries me. There’s something strange about him. It must be seventeen meters tall at least, and I’ve never seen a titan with hair like an animal’s before. He doesn’t seem to even mind me. It must be an abnormal.

Off in the distance, Mike’s horse galloped towards the castle, about to pass in front of the ape-like titan.

Oh! Mike observed. My horse is coming back. Good boy. Now I won’t have to wait until nightfall.

Mike’s eyes looked upon his horse as it ran right by the titan. Before it could leave, the ape-like titan grabbed the horse and held it up. As the horse thrashed to break free, Mike was in awe at what it was doing.

He went after my horse? he thought. No way! He can’t be.

The ape-like titan reeled its arm back, the horse still in its hand. The titan’s eyes were locked on Mike’s, which knew exactly what the titan was about to do. With a mighty throw, the ape-like titan hurled Mike’s horse at him.

Conny finally managed to calm his horse and put its saddle and reins on. Once Conny mounted, they could finally get out and leave. Pinkie Pie opened the door as Conny walked his horse out. Suddenly, a massive object struck the roof of the building, frightening Conny, his horse, and Pinkie Pie. Immediately, they scuttled back in and closed the door, hoping that whatever titan must have done that would not see them.

They two watched as Mike and his horse fell from the roof. While the horse died the instant it hit the roof and its master, Mike fell to the ground and landed right on his rump. Mike arched his back as soon as he hit the ground, indicating a broken tailbone. As Mike struggled to get up, a five-meter class titan ran from around the corner.

The titan’s head was the same size as its already small, rotund body. It’s eyes and nose were scarily large while its mouth was quite small. The titan picked up Mike and begun to insert his legs into its mouth. Pinkie Pie and Conny trembled, helpless to stop the titan.

“Hold it,” said a deep, wizened, but clear voice.

Conny and Pinkie peered just over the stable door to see as the ape-like titan walked from behind the dining hall building and looked at the titan about to eat Mike. Astoundingly, the titan didn’t continue its meal, only holding Mike inside its mouth.

“What is that thing?” Conny asked in the most hushed whisper.

“Whatever it is,” Pinkie Pie whispered, “it’s fuzzy looking.”

The ape-like titan squatted down and looked down at Mike and the titan holding him. The small titan, however, bit down on Mike’s legs, causing him to scream out. The ape-like titan couldn’t help but look betrayed by the titan’s disobedience.

“Eh?” it wondered. “Just now, I told you to hold it didn’t I?”

The ape-like titan wrapped its hands and fingers around the pygmy titan and squeezed tight, crushing its head like a tomato. One of the titan’s large eyes slipped through the ape-like titan’s grasp and popped out of its socket. As the ape-like titan continued to squeeze, the pygmy titan’s grasp was released and Mike slid out of the titan’s mouth.

The ape-like titan let go and looked at its bloody hand, looking disgusted by it. As the pygmy titan finally stepped back, Mike was going into shock, not only from the searing pain in his now crippled legs, but by the intelligence this titan appeared to possess.

“What is that weapon?” the ape-like titan asked, trying to sound as decent and polite as possible. “The one on your hips that allows you to jump around, I mean.”

Mike still couldn’t believe what was happening. The titan displayed enough intelligence to actually engage in a conversation. Conny and Pinkie Pie were also frightened by this new and threatening enemy. They didn’t dare make a peep, lest they be spotted in the stables.

Mike continued to look up and the ape-like titan in wonder. The ape-like titan tilted its head towards Mike and folded its ear towards him, making sure he could hear Mike’s answer. Creeping out behind the mess-hall building was a titan, sticking out only halfway, waiting for its leader to make the order. Conny and Pinkie Pie hardly noticed, only surprised by the ape-like titan’s incredibly human gestures.

“Hmm,” the ape-like titan pondered, “I was pretty sure we spoke the same language… or are you so frightened that you can’t speak?”

The ape-like titan looked at the sheaths on Mike’s side, seeming to understand something else about their mechanisms.

“Oh… I see. You use bladed weapons, eh? Then you know about what’s inside the napes of our necks. Oh well, it doesn’t matter. If I just bring it back with me…”

The ape-like titan reached for Mike, who in his fear, bent over and covered his head with his hands. With his shut eyes streaming tears, Mike couldn’t see as he felt a tugging at his lower back. With a jerk up, the ape-like titan plucked the main body of the Maneuver Gear off of Mike’s body, holding it in his lightly pinched fingers.

Mike turned to see the ape-like titan stand up and begin to walk back north, passing the stables without finding Pinkie Pie and Conny. It was able to see the horse inside the stable, looking at it sympathetically.

“Poor horsie,” he cooed. “Its owner must have not made it out in time. Pity…”

Mike shuddered in disgust, remembering his words to Nanaba and his actions in front of the ape-like titan.
________________________________________________________________________________________

“We will have only lost the moment humans give up and stop fighting.”
________________________________________________________________________________________

Mike would not die failing to live by his own words. With his operational devices still connected to the final blades in his sheaths, he pulled them out and forced himself to his knees, despite the tremendous pain he felt. He would fight until his dying breath.

The ape-like titan turned back, seeing the remaining three titans that still swarmed the Scouting Legion headquarters.

“Ah,” he sighed, “you’re free to do whatever you like to him.”

Mike felt a cold despair wash over him as the last three titans surrounded Mike, running to get a piece of him.

“NO!” he screamed as one of the titan’s grabbed hold of his arm. “STOP!”

The titan bit down on his arm as the pygmy titan clamped on Mike’s stomach while another bit at the top of Mike’s head. The fourth and largest titan leaned down, its mouth going for his face. Mike screamed in agony as he was devoured piece by piece until he couldn’t scream any longer.

“Oh,” the ape-like titan exclaimed as he walked away, “so he can speak after all… but what an interesting little device they made, eh?”

The ape-titan walked farther away and to the north, leaving Mike to die at the mouths of the titans. Conny and Pinkie Pie watched sadly as their now deceased leader was torn limb from limb by the titans like lions at the carcass of a wildebeest.

“Pinkie,” choked Conny, sickened by the sight, “now’s our chance! Let’s get out of here before they finish with Mike!”

Pinkie Pie squeaked nervously in response, sad about leaving Mike behind. However, they knew if they had any chance of surviving, they had to leave now. Conny carefully opened the door and quietly escorted his horse to the other side of the dining hall building away from the titans. Pinkie Pie followed close, not wanting to leave her partner’s side any longer. Pinkie stood in between Conny and his horse and stiffened her legs.

“Hop on!” Pinkie Pie called.

“Thanks,” Conny sighed, stepping up on her back and putting his other leg up and over his horse, allowing him to get on his saddle. Conny grabbed the reins and whipped them down, ordering his horse to gallop.

“Come on!” called Conny. “We need to find the others!”

Pinkie Pie galloped beside Conny’s horse as they headed south to get back with their friends. With the titan’s finishing eating Mike, and the ape-like titan going in the opposite direction, Conny and Pinkie Pie were safe for the time being.
________________________________________________________________________________________

Touma rode into the Hermiha district, his frantic face and the speed of his horse forcing the people manning the gate to open it quickly.

“Titans!” he shouted as he rode inside. “Titans! From the southwest! We must evacuate.”

The news brought more confusion than fear to the citizens of Hermiha. Even as Touma found a post to tie his horse to, the citizens had no idea what was happening. Touma dismounted his horse, tied it up, and walked over to a stack of crates to sit, allowing the terror of the situation sink in. A group of Military Police officers walked near him, also frightened by the news.

“N– No way…” said one, wiping his sweating brow. “So the wall got breached?”

“We can’t say for sure,” Touma answered, “what we saw was a group of about ten titans. But… you know what it means. It has already begun.”

Touma stood up, walking around to find another steed to ride as he grabbed a discarded Garrison cloak and placed it on himself.

“Someone,” he asked, “get me the fastest horse you can.”

“Hey!” shouted the Military Police soldier. “Are you leaving already? Where to?”

“I have to warn Commander Erwin.”
________________________________________________________________________________________

In Trost, Hannes and Ian stood in front of Pixis’s desk as they sorted through reports and statuses of the gates and cannons. Just then, Nanaba burst in, looking desperate and nervous.

“Titans have appeared!” he yelled.

The faces of Ian, Hannes, and Pixis went alight with shock.
________________________________________________________________________________________

In Yalkell, Kirill sat on his couch, eating a buttered slice of bread for lunch, contemplating the troubles that were occurring at the moment. Eren was being summoned to the capital to be brought to the Military Police, which he knew would be a heavy blow for humanity. He hadn’t heard what happened to the ponies, but he figured that no news meant good news for them.

Immediately, he heard a panicked knocking on his door. Kirill sighed, disdained to be interrupted from his meal at this time.

“Who is it?” Kirill shouted. “I’m eating my lunch now!”

“Kirill, sir!” spoke the voice from outside. “You must evacuate! Titans have been sighted within Wall Rose!”

Kirill froze up. The news sounded ridiculous, but the voice sounded honest. Kirill placed his half eaten bread on the seat next to him and walked to the door. Upon opening it, he saw a Military Police officer standing before him. Upon seeing the scared, serious face of the man before him, Kirill knew immediately that he wasn’t bluffing; the Military Police would never look this grim if it weren’t for a good reason.

“Wall Rose has been breached?” Kirill asked.

“We haven’t confirmed it,” the soldier answered, “but it would be in your best interest to leave while you can.”

“…I see,” Kirill whispered as he pondered something. “Could you do me a favor?”

“What is it?” the soldier asked.

“I need a strong, fast horse and a large cart that I can store a lot of shit in.”

“Sir, do you think we’ll have tim–?”

“I’ll pay you handsomely!” Kirill interrupted, pulling several gold coins from his pockets.

“Uh, yes sir!”

With that, the soldier left Kirill’s house and ran off to do the task Kirill asked of him.

“Now,” Kirill said to himself, “I need to pack.”

Kirill walked to his bookcase and pulled the secret compartment book-lever, opening the door to his workshop. Kirill flew down the stairs, knowing that there wasn’t a moment to lose.
________________________________________________________________________________________

As citizens clamored through the streets, trying to claim their own belongings before they would leave, Kirill sat at the front end of a four-wheeled cart being pulled by a decently muscular thoroughbred, a large green tarp covering a large, tall stack of cases.

Kirill was also in his 3D Maneuver Gear, harness, and a military uniform: his red collared shirt and his Military Police jacket. One of the Military Police saw Kirill heading for the exit of the town, amazed that he could do something so stupid as head straight into the new titan country.

“Sir,” the soldier gasped, “what in God’s name are you doing? You can’t go out there!”

“And why not?” Kirill answered. “My friends are in trouble and they need all the reinforcements they can get.”

“You’ll get killed if you go out there!”

“And my other choice is any better? Wait this out until the titans come to destroy us all? I think I’ll take my chances.”

Kirill whipped the reins of his horse, making it trot faster and away from the pestering soldier. As he approached the gate, he was stopped by two more Military Policemen blocking the gate.

“You!” ordered one of the soldiers. “Where do you think you’re going? You have to stay and help evacuate the people!”

“It is I, Kirill Rostov,” he protested. “I do not associate with the Military Police… not anymore.”

“My apologies, Mr. Rostov, but I still can’t let you pass! Titans have been sighted inside Wall Rose!”

“You don’t think I know this? I’m bringing reinforcements to the soldiers south of here. They need all the help they can receive. Now move aside. Unlike you, I plan on making a difference.”

The two guards gasped at Kirill’s statement. While they wanted to rough him up for his insolence, they knew Kirill was protected with a job that arguably outranked theirs; only a fool would bully such a man.

“Very well, Kirill,” spoke the other soldier as they both stepped aside to let him pass. “I wish you the best of luck.”

“I wish everyone the best of luck,” Kirill bid as he rode out of the district and into the plains.

Once Kirill was fully out of the gate, he whipped the reins a couple of times more with a shout, putting his horse into a full gallop.

I do hope they’re alright, Kirill thought, a cold sweat appearing on his brow.