From the street facing the gate of Wall Maria, the soldiers that were gathered were murmuring and conversing loudly about what was to transpire.

“A plan to recapture Trost?”

“As in right away?”

“They’ve gotta be kidding! We can’t close up that hole in the gate! We don’t have the technology!”

“What is the top brass thinking? If we enter the Trost district again, we’ll all die.”

“Since we can’t seal the hole, all we could do is die defending Wall Rose.”

“Dammit! Do they want glory that badly?”

Daz was with Marco and Sasha earlier and was beginning to crack down, upset by having to go back into Trost.

“Again?” he shuddered. “I have to return to that hell again?”

Now the cadet was hysterical once again, grabbing his hair and crying out.

“NO! I don’t wanna’ die! I want to see my family, please!”

“Daz!” Marco yelled at him from in front. “Quiet down, man. You’re being too loud!”

“You there!” shouted an approaching Garrison soldier with combed-brown hair. “I heard that! Are you saying that you want to abandon your mission?”

“Yes, sir! I do!” screamed Daz. “This is nothing but mass suicide, and it will solve nothing! There's no point!”

“Do you have no respect for humanity?” asked the Garrison solder, gripping to the handle of his sword. “Do you have no respect for order? If I wanted to, I could have you executed on the spot!”

Daz drew his sword, ready to fight for his beliefs.

"Go ahead," he beckoned. “That’s a hundred times better than ending up being eaten by titans.”

Marco ran out and tried to bear-hug Daz into submission again.

"Stop it, Daz!" he shouted at him.

"NO!" he screamed . "Let go of me! I don't want to go back!"

The desperate commotion from the front was stirring feelings of dissent amongst the other soldiers as well.

“Did you hear that?” a soldier asked.

“Not surprising, given the circumstances,” said another soldier.

“Hey,” said a female cadet with medium brown hair who happened to happened to be standing by Reiner and Bertolt, “I wish someone would rebel here as well.”

“Me too,” a dark-blonde female cadet replied. “I wanna’ choose the way I die, at least…”

“Hey you!” a goateed Garrison soldier shouted about a foot from her, issuing a surprised reaction from her.

“I... I was only joking,” the cadet tried to speak without sounding scared.

“Do it.”

“Huh? Come again?”

“Make as much noise as possible get as many others to go along!"

The dark-blonde frightfully looked at this soldier, unnerved that it would have to had come to this. Jean was observing the brewing mutiny with a nervous expression.

"Many of us in the Garrison aren't too happy either. We’ll take advantage of the commotion and get away.”

“Get away?” Jean asked, nearby. “And go where?”

“To see my daughter! The wall here is going to fall eventually anyway!”
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Pixis and Eren continued south along the east side of the wall surrounding Trost. The ponies had caught up easily, with Twilight (with Spike riding her), Rarity, and Pinkie Pie walking alongside Pixis, and Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Fluttershy alongside Eren.

Rainbow Dash had the side of her head leaned against the left holster for Eren’s swords that was connected to the 3D Maneuver Gear that he was now equipped with. Eren glanced down at her every so often, feeling encouraged by her loving attitude towards him.

“It is said that before the land fell under titan control,” said Pixis to Eren, “humans would slaughter themselves in wars over race or ideologies."

Twilight gasped, the story ringing familiar in her ears.

“That’s when someone spoke thusly:” Pixis continued. “'What if a mighty enemy appeared that happened not to be human? Men would cease their wars and unite.' What do you think?”

“I've never heard of this legend,” Eren admitted. "Sounds naive, almost silly."

“Hahaha,” chuckled Pixis. “You have a warped mind, just like my own.”

“Well,” Twilight spoke up, “where we come from that’s not just a legend; it’s real history.”

“History, you say?”

“Yes. Before Equestria was founded, earth ponies, unicorns, and pegasi were at odds with each other. The tensions between the three races were strained even more when a blizzard caused many ponies to be faced with starvation. The leaders of the three races then set out to find land with which they could raise crops and prosper, bringing along their advisors. The three races eventually made it there at the same time, leading to arguing between the leaders over who would rule the land.

“However, the blizzard had followed them to this new land and forced them into a cave, which froze shut, trapping them in. It turned out that the cause of the blizzard was because of creatures called windigoes, who feed off of hatred and anger and freeze everything around them. Eventually, the leaders were frozen in ice, just like their hearts, but their advisors, who saw each other as equals despite their race, used the love within them to ward the windigoes off.

“Through their continued friendship, they freed their leaders from their ice prisons and melted the ice blocking their exit from the cave. Because of their newfound friendship, the three races finally decided to live together in harmony and peace in the new land they founded: Equestria.”

“That sounds even more ridiculous than the other story,” Eren said, deadpan.

“But it’s true!” Pinkie Pie chirped. “They hold a pageant of the story every year on Hearth's Warming Eve. You should come by when you have the chance!”

“Pinkie Pie,” said Rarity, “I do think it would be most difficult to travel to Equestria when he lives worlds away.”

“I, on the other hand think it’s a marvelous story,” Pixis spoke. “If something like that can happen in reality, then perhaps the human race isn’t doomed after all.”

Eren gasped at Pixis’s sudden belief of the tall tale. But with a blue, winged, talking pony to his left, he couldn’t tell where fiction ended with them and non-fiction began. It was true that these ponies, despite knowing him for such a limited time, were already supporting him as if he was a dear member of their own families. Despite the hope that Eren felt around the ponies, he knew that hope alone wouldn’t save the day.

“But still,” spoke Eren, “these titans have driven us all into a corner, and we still have yet to unite.”

“Indeed,” agreed Pixis, “but it's high time we did so. Otherwise, we hardly stand a chance in battle.”

They had finally reached the north gate where Hannes and the other Garrison soldiers under his command were. To the north, the cadets were lined up and awaiting orders. Upon hearing people approach, Hannes turned around, his eyes immediately trained on Eren, surprised but elated that he was still alive and standing.

“Eren,” he spoke to himself. “I see you’re safe.”

Suddenly, he noticed Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Fluttershy by his side, as well as Twilight, Spike, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie.

What are those things? Why are they following Eren and… Pixis? What’s Pixis doing here?

“Yo, Hannes,” Eren nonchalantly ordered, pointing down at the soldiers below, “focus on your mission.”

Focus on my mission? Hannes thought with a scowl. How dare he address a superior officer that way? Judging from his attitude though, I reckon Mikasa and Armin are doing fine as well.

Looking out from the corner of his eye, Hannes saw as Eren stopped to Pixis’s right while the ponies lined up from Pixis’ left, looking down on the countless numbers of soldiers below. Hannes was surprised at this sight especially.

What? he thought. What is Eren doing right next to the commander?

Pixis took out his flask, unscrewed the cap, and took a final swig. Looking at it again, he realized that Eren might not have another chance to do such an act as imbibe alcohol, causing him to chuckle.

"You want some?" asked Pixis, handing the flask behind him.

"Yes, please!" Eren spoke.

"Ooh!" squeaked Pinkie Pie. "I wanna try some too!"

Eren took the metal container from the commander's grasp and poured a hefty amount of the drink into his mouth. At once, Eren felt the burn on his tongue and the rest in his mouth, his cheeks puffing and his eyes watering in a desperate attempt to expel the liquid out. Eren turned his head and body to behind him and spit, spraying the alcohol behind him. Pinkie and the other ponies were less than amused.

"Um," Pinkie mentioned, "on second thought, I'm not thirsty anymore."

Pixis and the ponies then looked among the chaos below, hearing the fright and desperation from the reluctant soldiers.

"Kill me!" they could hear Daz screaming from below. "If you're going to execute me, do it now!"

"You sure?" shouted the Garrison officer threatening him. "I'll do it!"

Pixis could hear the commotion too, and with a look and nod from him, he, Eren, the ponies, and Spike stood along the edge of the wall. With a clearing of his throat as well as placing his arms behind him, Pixis took in a deep inhale.

“SOLDIERS!” shouted Pixis at the top of his lungs. “ATTENTION!!”

Twilight and the others were frightened by the sudden volume of Pixis’s voice, but remained as still as possible to appear presentable to the soldiers. From below, the murmuring and chatting soldiers looked up to Wall Rose were Pixis was and silenced themselves. Even Daz and the Garrison soldier he was facing stopped to look up at Pixis.

Eren’s arms were also placed behind his back with his stance widened and firm. The ponies, unable to stand on two legs like the humans, stood in their own widened stances. Spike however, moved by Pixis’s command, hopped off of Twilight and stood firmly as well, amazed by the feeling of standing over so many people like this.

“I shall now explain the plan to retake Trost! Our objective is the gate that has been destroyed! To succeed, we must do two things: reach that hole, and seal it!”

The guards were dumbfounded by this seemingly impossible plan.

“Seal it…” muttered Marco. “The heck…? How would we do such a thing?”

“As for the way we’ll proceed, let me start by first introducing these six ponies and this dragon!”

The guards, upon looking to Pixis’s left, now getting a better sight of them, were both terrified and mystified by the appearance of the ponies. While Jean, Sasha, Conny, Marco, Reiner, and Bertolt were surprised by their being alive, Ymir and Krista were both completely stunned at their mere existence.

“Well, I’ll be damned…” Ymir whispered.

“Do not fear them, soldiers!” Pixis continued. “Though they may be different from ponies that you may all know, let me tell you about them! They come from a world far beyond ours and are gifted with abilities ranging from magic to flight! They are also extremely intelligent and have been sent here by their leader to assist us in winning the war against the titans! As long as they remain here, they shall be treated as your equals!”

Pinkie Pie began to wave out to the soldiers, but had her arm planted back to the ground by Applejack, who gave her a disapproving shake of the head. The soldiers were murmuring loudly, not expecting such an odd form of help.

“Just what is this?” Daz stammered quietly, still scared over this news.

“Next,” continued Pixis, pointing his arm at him, “let me introduce you to the young man who will seal the hole for us: Eren Jaeger from the Trainee Corps!”

Eren immediately stepped forwards and gave out the Military salute. With Eren’s name announced over the soldiers, all of his cadet friends gasped in shock that he was still alive and well, especially Sasha, Conny, and Ymir.

"E– Eren?" Conny exclaimed.

Pixis continued.

“He is the result of a top-secret project to turn humans into titans! He has the ability to create the body of a titan and control it at will!”

Conny was now much more shocked by this news, gulping nervously.

“Hey…” stammered Conny, looking back to his other friends. “I have no idea what the commander is talking about. Am I just too stupid to get it or something?”

“Would you shut up,” Ymir retorted, “idiot?”

“He will turn into a titan," Pixis shouted, "pick up that large rock not far from the shattered gate, carry it over, and seal the hole! Your role, ladies and gentlemen, is to protect him from the other titans while he's moving the stone!”

From the south side of the wall directly behind Pixis, Eren, and the ponies, Armin, Mikasa, and Pixis's chosen members of the Garrison tried their best to listen in on Pixis’s speech as they tried to come up with a plan of their own. They were all crowded around a map that served as the basis for the plan.

“Huh?” a Garrison soldier with medium combed-back, brown hair asked. “We don’t need to fight the titans?”

“E– Excuse me,” spoke Armin. “I don't mean any disrespect speaking up to a ranking officer…”

“No, continue,” he interrupted.

“Y– Yes, sir. We know that titans typically react to large groups of humans by giving chase. We could take advantage of that to lure them along the walls. I believe this way, we could keep the titans away from Eren without engaging them in direct contact. We can take them down later with the cannons without mounting any casualties in the process.

“But since we can’t quite leave Eren undefended, a small elite team should be there protect him. On top of that, there’s no way we can avoid confrontation with the titans that com in through the wall. That elite team's skills will be very crucial.

“Okay, got it," confirmed the male Garrison soldier. "We'll take that into account and revise our plans."

"But," mentioned Armin, "this plan can only work with Eren sealing the hole with that boulder. We are proceeding with the operation without certain proof that he can. I cannot help but feel doubtful.”

“True enough,” the male Garrison soldier agreed. “Given the uncertainty of a crucial element, I do not relish sending many men to their deaths. But I can understand what Commander Pixis has in mind as well.

“One thing is," the female spoke, "we have a time issue on our hands. The titans are continuing to enter the town, even as we speak. The more titans that continue pouring into Trost, the worse our odds will be in retaking it."

"In addition to which, Wall Rose is likely to sustain a breach as well.”

This fact haunted Armin, who wanted nothing more than for the events of the past to not repeat themselves again.

"Also," concluded the female, adding more tension, "there's a limit to how much one can be motivated by terror.

Back on the ground, the soldiers were contemplating Pixis's insane and impossible do-or-die mission.

“Pick up that enormous stone?” wondered a male soldier. Could this… Could this be possible? Have the humans finally learned to control titans now?”

Daz couldn’t bear to hear these outrageous plans any longer, his eyes welling with tears again.

“You're lying!” he shouted out. “I won't put my life on the line for a plan I can't even understand! What do you think we are, huh? We aren't pawns for you to sacrifice!”

“Human weapons, huh?” questioned another male soldier next to Jean.

“What a load of bull,” spoke another. “How many of us did they expect to take them seriously? You’ve gotta’ be kidding.”

"He's telling us to die here today," spoke the goateed Garrison soldier. "I'm leaving."

Soon, Daz, along with dozens of other soldiers, began to walk north, away from the soldiers and their duty. Sasha herself was tempted to leave, but something inside of her glued her feet to the ground.

“Hey!” the Garrison soldier called to Daz. “Wait! You'll get the death penalty for this?”

“Humanity’s done for!” he cried. “I’m spending what little time I have left with my family!”

“Count me in,” called another soldier.

From the walls, the ponies looked with shock and despair as the soldiers abandoned their hope and walked away. Captain Felman watched the scene with horror with his other soldiers.

“If this trend continues,” a nearby Garrison soldier stated, “we’re in trouble.”

“Yes” agreed the grey-haired female Garrison soldier. “Order is falling apart…”

“Ghh,” grunted Felman, having had enough. “Say your prayers, filthy traitors!” he shouted as he drew his sword from its holster. “I'll kill you right now!”

Seeing that more death would needlessly come, the ponies gasped in terror.

“Pixis,” Twilight half-spoke half-whispered, hoping he could still hear her, “do something!”

Pixis also knew that death could not occur now, inhaling to give another order.

“HERE IS MY DECISION!” he cried. “I SHALL PARDON ANYONE WHO DESERTS NOW!”

It took everything within the ponies to keep from screaming, “What?” collectively. From below, the soldiers were all shocked, but were stunned into remaining still and silent.

“What?” shouted Felman.

“Commander…” muttered a Garrison soldier atop the wall with Pixis and Eren, unsure of his commander’s intentions.

“Titans are terrible creatures,” called Pixis, “and once someone gives into that fear, they can never fight them again! Those of you who have learned that fear should leave!”

The deserting soldiers didn’t wait for him to finish, as they were already walking away to be with their loved ones. Twilight couldn’t even begin to imagine what Pixis was thinking, but his still-existent frown told her that he was still not done.

“And those of you wishing their own parents, siblings, and loved ones to feel that fear for themselves are all free to walk away!”

Upon hearing this final statement, each and every one of the deserting soldiers stopped in their tracks, struck by their commander's words. Sasha even looked up, amazed by the emotions that were churned inside of her. Twilight also understood what was happening as soon as the soldiers stopped. The ponies mouths remained agape as they observed what happened.

The goateed Garrison soldier began to tear up, imagining something even more terrifying than facing a titan: knowing that by leaving, his little girl would be forced into into food for the titans. The soldier's decision was clear.

“I can’t do that,” he muttered. “My daughter… is the very last hope I have left.”

He then turned on his feet and walked back to join his fellow soldiers. Seeing him walk back, the others, one by one, did the same. The ponies, moved both by Pixis’s words and the soldiers’ convictions, watched with watery eyes as a still flustered Daz admitted himself back in line, being greeted by Marco and other soldiers with supporting smiles and pats on the back.

Eren himself watched the scene, which only served to strengthen his resolve. With all of the soldiers back in order, Pixis could now resume his speech.

“Let us talk about four years ago,” shouted Pixis. “About the operation to retake Wall Maria! I believe I needn’t bother with an explanation; you all understand where I’m going with this! A reconquest plan! That had a nice ring to it! But essentially, it was no more than the government's way to dealing with all the unemployed could no longer afford to support!”

“What was that?” asked Applejack, unaware of this recovery plan.

“Shh,” Twilight hushed.

“It was a culling! Everybody kept silent about it,” Pixis went on, “because by sending them outside these cramped walls, we have been able to survive within them! It was a sin of which all of us humans are guilty, myself included!”

Applejack and Twilight were hurt by this story, but knew mourning the past wouldn’t solve the issues of the present. Pixis was thinking the same way.

“Because so few escaped from Wall Maria, there was never any open rebellion! But what now!? If Wall Rose falls, the sacrifice will be much greater than twenty percent! The remaining territory inside Wall Sina would not even support half of the remaining population!”

The ponies were trembling slightly at what they were standing to lose, but upon looking at Eren, who in turn glanced at them with a stern look on his face, their trembling ceased as they gave each other an understanding nod.

“If humanity falls,” resumed Pixis, “it won’t be because we were killed by the titans, but it will be because we humans have killed ourselves! We must not die even deeper within these walls! I beg of you to die right here!!”

The soldiers, while stunned by what the commander was asking of them, stood still, completely empathetic with his reasoning. Eren continued to stand firm himself as he held his proud salute.

I have no idea if I’ll be able to use the titan's power thing to pick up that boulder, but I understand what I must do. The whole thing may very well be just a lie, but still, I have to make it happen anyway. I must do this thing… I just have to become a symbol… for the sake of bringing hope to everyone!
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Dozens of soldiers from the Garrison were pushing cannons along the metal tracks that ran across the edges of the wall their barrels aiming down at the ground. Several others were lifting crates and supplies using the lifts that were around the edge of the walls. The plan was being put into action, and every piece had to fit just right or extinction would become the only option.

At the north gate of Trost at Wall Rose, Pixis was talking to three members of the Garrison. One of them was a man with longer, light-golden hair with a long, broad face. next to him was the grey-haired woman with glasses. The last of them also had a longer face with a more rounded chin. His brown hair was buzzed short and he had a beard running along the bottom of his jaw. The three of them were assembled and standing still for their commander.

"I see you're all here," Pixis addressed. "You have one mission: to guard Eren Jaeger, eliminating any threat appears during the operation. It will be the most dangerous and difficult task in the entire operation. It's no exaggeration to say that humanity's fate rests on your shoulders. I can lift the burden by saying that those ponies will be assisting you, but their mission is also your mission. Their lives too will be at stake."

"Commander," spoke the grey-haired woman, "may I say something?"

"What is it?"

"Does this human weapon really work?"

"Quiet, Riko!" hissed the golden-haired man to her right.

"You don't believe it either, do you?"

"Commander," spoke the bearded man, "this operation depends on Eren Jaeger and we know nothing about him. If he cannot function, many soldiers will have died for nothing, with or without the ponies' help."

"Oh?" queried Pixis, twirling his moustache. "Do you enjoy losing to the titans so much?"

The question elicited minor gasps from the three.

"I certainly don't," Pixis answered. "I hate losing more than anything. But unfortunately, I've been losing my entire life."

The three soldiers looked at each other, understanding what he was getting at.

"I want to win against the titans," resumed Pixis. "I want to beat those giant monsters more than anything in the world."

"S– So do we!" agreed Riko.

Pixis turned around to face her with a cocksure smile on his face.

"Then betting on him is our only option. You're right. We know nothing about him. But he's the only chance we have to defeat the titans."

"Commander," relayed a far-off Garrison soldier, "it's time for the decoy operation to begin."

"Hmm," confirmed Pixis, looking back at the three soldiers in front of them. "Ian Dietrich," he spoke to the golden-haired man and moving down the line, "Riko Brzenska, Mitabi Jarnach. You are the Garrison's most elite troops. I'm entrusting humanity's faith in you."

"Yes, sir!" the three of them shouted in unison with a salute.

"Ian. You will take command. You have full authority out there."

"Huh?" questioned Ian, surprised. "Me?"

"I have no objections," Riko replied with a smile.

"Nor do I," responded Mitabi.

"But I'm not capable," Ian admitted.

"Don't worry," assured Pixis. "You're a man who knows his drinks. You're well-acquainted with drink both bitter and sweet. I'm counting on you."

Ian shoved away his worry and strengthened his stance.

"Yes, sir!" he answered.

Eren, now with an extra boot on his left foot to replace the one he lost, looked upon the three soldiers and the commander from behind the soldiers' backs. Behind him, Mikasa, Armin, and the ponies looked at their friend.

"Eren," Armin called to him, "I'm sorry. I ended up making you responsible for everything."

"Don't sweat it, Armin," Applejack assured him. "That seems to be the situation no matter which way you cut it."

"Applejack's right," confirmed Eren. "Like I said before, you have the ability to find the right answer. I believe in that."

"We all do," Twilight added with an, "Mmhm," from the other ponies and Spike.

"Eren," Mikasa spoke. "I'm going to–"

"Don't tell me you're coming with me," ordered Eren, shocking Mikasa. "You've been assigned to the decoy team."

"But I can't leave you alone!" she exclaimed, walking towards him. "If you're alone, you'll–"

"That's enough!" Eren lividly shouted, pushing her back. "I'm not your brother or a child. I told you that!"

Mikasa, defeated, bowed her head sullenly, foreboding the worst for her brother.

"Ackerman," called Ian. "Join the the elite force protecting Jaeger."

Upon hearing this, Mikasa lit up.

"We need your skill," Ian reasoned. "Ponies. You will be joining her. Seeing as how titans are only interested in humans, it would be pointless of you to go to the decoy team. Plus, if Pixis has as much faith in you as he does, there's no reason I shouldn't allow you to join us."

The ponies were very happy to hear this. Rainbow Dash jumped into the air and backflipped, screaming, "Woohoo!"

Ian was surprised by her vigor, but when Rainbow Dash flew up to him with her hoof extended to him, he looked at it confused.

"Come on," she egged. "Pound it!"

Ian was still confused.

"Try putting your hand into a fist and then tap the bottom of her hoof," advised Twilight.

Ian, wanting to honor her wishes, curled his fingers up and lightly punched Rainbow Dash's hoof, still unsure what this meant.

"That's what I'm talking about!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

As Rainbow Dash fluttered off, Twilight, with Spike jumping onto her back, walked up to him and tapped her hoof against his still balled fist. Ian couldn't be sure of what was happening as Spike also pounded his fist into his. Pinkie Pie was up next as she leapt up and punched his fist.

"All for one and one for all!" she exclaimed.

Ian suddenly understood this gesture: it was one of camaraderie. As Applejack came around, he vigorously met Applejack's hoof with his fist, doing the same with Rarity and even the docile Flutttershy. With that out of the way, he lowered his arms back down.

"Let's go!" he said, turning his head to both the ponies and the three humans. "It's time."

Ian ran east down Wall Rose, prompting Eren and Mikasa to join with. Armin, who was stationed at the decoy squad, stayed put. Each of the ponies looked at him and he at them.

"Good luck, darling," Rarity bid. "We hope to see you again."

Armin nodded.

"Yeah," he said, his voice determined.

With a last look at each others' eyes, the ponies turned around and galloped off to join Ian and the others while Armin ran in the opposite direction. The ponies, with their animalistic speed, caught up to Eren and Mikasa in no time, who didn't once glance back towards Armin.

Farewell, Armin, thought Eren. Please, don't die.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Within minutes, Eren, Mikasa, and the ponies were running along the eastern side of the barrier surrounding Trost to get to the large boulder near the southern gate. Riko and Mitabi were now with them.

“They said you were a human weapon, so as long as you’re able to close up that wall, it doesn't matter. We’ll make your protection our highest priority. We’re counting on you!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Eren!” called Mikasa to his right. “Are you feeling alright?”

“Yeah,” Eren answered.

"Eren, are you sure–"

"I said I'm fine! Much better than when I was surrounded anyways.”

"We aren't playing house here, Jaeger," piped in Riko, catching up to join them.

"I didn't mean to–"

"I can't believe that we have to leave humanity's fate up to a spoiled brat like you," Mitabi stated, gaining an irksome look from Mikasa.

"Enough, guys!" ordered Ian. "We’ll reach the shortest route to the rock soon. As far as I can tell, there are no titans in sight. It seems everybody’s doing well in luring them away.”

"Listen, Jaeger," Riko spoke, getting Eren's attention. "During this operation, more than just a few will die. For you. They will be our comrades ranked both above and below us. As soldiers, they're prepared to die, of course, but they are not pawns without a voice. They have names and families, and all the feelings that those entail. Alyosha, Dominic, Phine, Isabel, Ludwig, Martina, Guido, Hans... They're all humans as alive as either of us.

"I've known some of them since my trainee days, and today, many of them will die for you. You have a responsibility to ensure that their deaths will mean something. No matter what happens, don't let yourself forget that, and be prepared to die for that responsibility."

"Right!" answered Eren, his resolve further strengthened by her words.

"We won't let you down either, Riko," Twilight assured her on her friends' behalf. "We'll make sure you and the rest of you get back safely to your friends."

"You can count on us!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash.

"That's another thing," Riko added. "What are you creatures even doing here? Pixis claims that you live in a world far from ours, but why would you come here of all places?"

"To help all y'all out of this pickle, of course!" answered Applejack.

"But that makes little sense. Judging by how you acted back there when our captain had you cornered, you did not come off as dangerous or harmful, so why abandon the safety of your own world just to help this one? You have nothing to gain or lose from helping us, except for, of course, your lives, so why bother?"

"Haven't you ever heard of unconditional kindness?" asked Twilight. "Where we come from, we do things because it's the right thing to do. Our princesses have been very keen on contacting other species from different worlds."

"So it's for political reasons? Sounds conditional if you ask me..."

"Don't think we don't know what we're risking by coming here!" shouted Twilight, shocking Riko. "None of mine or my friends' decisions were impacted by what our leaders wanted. We saw a group of creatures who were on the brink of extinction that our princess said we had the opportunity to save. We accepted not because of the political gain it could or could not give us, but because it's just what ponies and people should do for one another."

Riko took a small pause to consider her words before she responded.

"I still can't understand it," she admitted, "but if you're really willing to risk your life solely for the benefit of humanity, I shall not question it any further."

As Twilight responded with a smile, Eren looked to see that the drop-off point was getting very close now.

I'll do it... he thought with a scowl. I'll make this happen!

Upon seeing the boulder closeby, Eren remembered the final words of Pixis’s speech as they rang over the moralized soldiers.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

“Ever since the titans appeared, mankind has never won against them, not even once! Their continuous advance has meant humanity's continuous retreat and loss of territory! But once this mission succeeds, humanity will have retaken its territory from them for the first time!”
_________________________________________________________________________________________

“Over here!” called Ian, as he veered to the right edge of the wall. “Let’s go!”
_________________________________________________________________________________________

“This will be humanity's first victory against the titans!”
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Ian, Eren, Mikasa, and Mitabi leapt off the wall and fell downwards. Twilight, with Spike mounted on, leapt off and glided down to follow Eren. Rainbow Dash grabbed Applejack and Fluttershy grabbed Rarity as they leapt down to glide with Twilight. Pinkie Pie jumped off too, tucking her legs into her stomach and embracing them with her arms.

“Cannonball!” she shouted.

Unlike her winged friends who continued to glide, Pinkie fell like a stone to the ground, which came ever closer. Once Pinkie Pie was about ten meters above the ground, she grit her teeth and squeezed her legs harder as she began to fall slower and slower with the sound of rubber sliding against asphalt accompanying it. By the time her rump was an inch or two above the ground, her body was suspended in the air before she flipped up onto her hooves and ran down the streets.

Riko stopped right at the dropoff point and looked out to where Pixis would be. Placing her left hand over her left ear and raising her right arm into the air with it pressed against her right ear, she aimed a smoke pistol to the sky. Pulling the trigger, a capsule rocketed into the air, producing a green smoke that could be seen for miles.

From the northeast corner of Wall Rose, Pixis and several other Garrison soldiers looked out to see the pillar of smoke.

"Green smoke round, confirmed!" relayed a female soldier with lilght-brown hair. "The elite force has begun the mission!"

Pixis looked outwards with fierce determination, hopefully wishing for the mission's success.
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Eren and the others zipped through the air and weaved around, under, and over scores of buildings with their 3D Maneuver Gear. Eren and Mikasa made a beeline straight for the boulder with the other soldiers and the ponies going to either side to give him some room.
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“Compared to what humanity has lost,” spoke Pixis, “it might not be much…”
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Coming from the east, Eren leapt over the closest building west of the boulder before he took his left hand and placed it into his mouth.
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“…but for humanity, this one step…”
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Eren clamped down on his hand, blood squirting from the wound.
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“…would be a tremendous advance in our attack on the titans!”
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Eren burst into steam and light high above the rooftops. From the neck up and neck down the full body of the titan: bone, muscle, skin, and all began to form as Eren fell with his new body at a building, crashing into it in a burst of debris and vapor. From the cloud, Eren’s titan form, complete in its transformation, stood up and walked outside. It let out another roar, ready to go out.

Mikasa, Ian, and Mitabi stood on the rooftops of the buildings west of the boulder while the ponies landed on the roofs east of the boulder. Pinkie Pie came over soon after, standing next to the building that Rainbow Dash and Applejack were on.

I doubt a human of that size could lift that boulder. Mikasa thought. But I believe can count on Eren’s strength, as well as that of the assistance of these ponies, to show us the way!

Eren’s titan walked out into the street, going towards the boulder as planned. But before Eren’s titan could pick the stone up, it turned its body around, looking straight at Mikasa with a malicious glare in its eyes. Mikasa was scared, feeling that something was about to go terribly wrong.

“Eren?” she asked.

The titan’s response was a quick reel back in its arm followed by its fist aimed straight at Mikasa. The other soldiers and ponies watched with horror as Eren’s titan raged out of control, demolishing the part of the building that it struck.

“Oh shit!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.