The air was of a most comfortable chill in the late afternoon of Canterlot; cool enough for snowflakes to fall from the clouds, but not so cold that ponies couldn’t enjoy the majesty that the winter season had to offer, especially at this time of year. Wreaths and holly were strewn across each streetlamp, each tree was decorated with glittering ornaments and colorful lights.

Ponies left brightly-lit stores with boxes wrapped in ornate paper and tied with ribbon. Fillies and colts rolled around the soft mounds of snow and at often times, threw some at each other. Not a frown could be seen on any of the ponies, as they were in the full swing of the Hearth’s Warming spirit.

If there was one sight that was prettier to look at in all of Canterlot on such nights, arguably even in Equestria, it was the palace where the Princesses Celestia and Luna made their home. Outside the gates, loving couples and families large and small gathered before the gates of the palace, a photographer standing before them with his camera on a tripod. With the bright flash, the camera captured the moment that would last in their hearts for generations to come.

As more ponies awaited their turn in line, two pegasus royal guards stood outside the gate, smiling fondly at the unbridled joy the holidays brought in them. On their waists was a 3D Maneuver Gear minus the main body, and their hooves were equipped with operational device shoes.

For the royal guards, standing outside the palace gate was even better than being within the comfort and warmth inside the castle, as the warmth they felt in their hearts seeing the happy citizens was far warmer.

Beyond the opposite side of the gate, it was a much different story. The guards marched stoically throughout the palace, also wearing 3D Maneuver Gears, keeping their eyes on any oddities about the area that would require their attention. The unicorn guards had their Maneuver Gears’ operational devices attached to pockets on the side of their armor. Sitting along the top of the large, metallic sheaths, there rested a long, slightly-glowing blue crystal with a wire drilled into it that connected it to the Maneuver Gear’s main body and devices.

Even though the courtyard and the outside of the castle was just as, if not, more ornately decorated than the city streets, in here protecting and serving the princesses was a far higher priority.

Further inside the castle, the carpets featured festive gold designs stitched into the sides and each pillar was strung together with long strands of holly, mistletoe, and golden bells. Despite the atmosphere of the room, the guards continued patrolling about, not seeming to pay any attention to the decorations that surrounded them at each possible angle.

Also walking throughout the castle was Annie Leonhardt, wearing a uniform very similar to the one she wore when she was in the Military on planet Earth. However, as opposed to the brown leather jackets, sashes on her waist, and boots, they were all colored a bright gold, just like the armor of the guards. Upon the back, the side of her shoulders, and the left pocket of her jacket was a light-blue star, much like the one that was at the center of the chest on the guards’ armor.

Visible on her chest and legs, was a harness that was tied tight. On the side of her body, she was also wearing a 3D Maneuver Gear, a long, blue crystal also fastened atop each sheath, the wires connected to them running into her main body and the operational devices inside the holsters on her.

As she walked about the castle, making sure a single hair or ornament wasn’t out of place, a bell rung throughout the palace. The guards all stopped and turned their head towards the bell tower east of the building they stood in. At this moment, the guards dropped their stone-faced expressions and became looser and relaxed, walking down the hallway to the south and chatting casually with one another.

As the ponies talked happily amongst each other, Annie followed them, her stoic expression still on her face and walking with firmness and stature.
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Standing in the equally decorated main chamber of the palace, Annie and the guards awaited Princess Celestia to relieve them of service. Annie looked to her right and left. For months, she was the only human woman amongst a force otherwise comprised of strong, burly stallions with white coats and blue manes and tails.

None of the guards would dare look at her funny or with an air of disdain; like they did their fellow guards, they respected her as if she was one of them. She was a fearsome fighter, and she did her job and did it well. Only an idiot would cross her.

Annie looked amongst the ponies and saw one that always managed to be an eyesore for the past month since he joined the Royal Guard. He was an orange-coated pegasus that shared a blue-colored tail. His cutie mark and hairstyle were hidden by his armor. Unlike the other guards, he did not have a Maneuver Gear on his body.

Before she could look at him any further, the doors to the chamber opened, bringing the attentions of the ponies back to the center. Walking down the hallway was Princess Celestia, inspecting each of her loyal soldiers with ease.

“Good evening to you all,” Princess Celestia addressed.

“Good evening, your highness,” each of the guards replied, including Annie and the orange pegasus.

“You have each put in a long day’s work. You are all relieved from duty for the evening. Have a pleasant night.”

“Thank you, your highness.”

At that moment, the guards dispersed, several of the ponies gathering into small groups and discussing their plans with each other. Annie walked straight to the end of the hall, following Princess Celestia to the exit. Before she could pass through the doors and to her locker room to pack up, the orange pegasus stepped out in front of her.

“Oh, hey there!” he greeted pleasantly. “You’re that human, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” Annie answered. “What about it?”

“It’s just… my name is Flash Sentry. It’s a pleasure to meet you!”

Flash Sentry put his hoof out before Annie, and with slight hesitation, she shook it.

“And, I’m sorry,” apologized Flash Sentry, “I didn’t catch your name?”

“Annie Leonhardt,” she responded.

“Listen” Flash Sentry whispered, getting close to Annie, “I’m new here to the Royal Guard, and I don’t know too many ponies here. I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind me treating you to dinner tonight and getting to know each other. So, what do you say?”

Annie looked down at Flash Sentry’s smile, trying to make her feel at ease.

“Sorry,” Annie said, walking past Flash Sentry. “I have plans tonight.”

“Oh…” he responded shamefully.

Annie continued down the hallway and turned down the corridor, disappearing from Flash’s sight.

“Well,” he called, “perhaps tomorrow maybe?”
________________________________________________________________________________________

Annie continued walking down the hallway, the only things on her mind were a hot shower and a cold drink. As she made her way to her locker room, she saw Princess Celestia standing in the center of the hall. Annie wanted to sigh despondently, but knew that doing so in front of the princess would be unwise. With swallowed pride, Annie approached Princess Celestia, wondering what she wanted.

“Good evening, Annie,” greeted Celestia.

“Your highness?” Annie responded, her left arm at her side with the side of her right hand placed diagonally on the right side of her forehead.

“Why do you look so glum? It’s the time of Hearth’s Warming.”

“I see. I suppose I’m still getting used to life here.”

“Annie, there’s no need for you to play coy with me. Hearth’s Warming is a time for friendship and being with loved ones.”

Annie couldn’t suppress a slightly angry scowl as she heard the term “loved ones.” Celestia, catching herself, gasped in slight embarrassment.

“My apologies,” spoke Celestia. “I didn’t mean to prod, but I was just concerned that you’re walking out here by yourself instead of making plans with your friends in the chamber.”

“I’ve never been good at making friends,” she responded.

“I… see.”

“Your highness, is this the only reason that you stopped to talk to me? To discuss my inability to be social with others?”

“Annie, please understand. When I converted your death sentence to an exile, I hoped that you would use this opportunity to start afresh. I know how hard life was for you on Earth, but I hoped that the more accommodating nature of Equestria would allow you to open up.”

“I try my best, your highness.”

“Annie, please, tell me what I need to do to help you. All I want for you is to be happy in this world. Just say the word, and I’ll do my best to make it happen.”

“Your highness,” Annie said, “may I please go to my locker room and change?”

Celestia was taken aback by her answer, but wished to respect Annie’s feelings.

“Very well,” Celestia said, stepping aside. “You are dismissed.”

Annie wordlessly walked past Celestia as she continued her journey into some more comfortable clothes.

“Have a pleasant evening,” Celestia called.

Annie didn’t respond, only continuing her walk until she disappeared around the contour of the hallway. Celestia looked out at Annie, forlorn for her indifference and apparent sadness.
________________________________________________________________________________________

Annie stepped through the doors of a modest bar and lounge, where many tables were filled with jolly patrons and holiday music floated through the air from a grandiose piano on a small stage in the corner. The brown stallion in the tuxedo jacket played each note with gusto, his hooves drifting across the keys like a soft winter’s gust.

The ponies eyed Annie in her white turtleneck sweater and dark-khaki pants with formal brown boots. Despite having been in Equestria for several months, many of the ponies marveled at the alien creature that frequented there. As always, she headed for the bar, looking at a vacant row of stools. Ignoring the glances of the ponies, she made her way to the middle of the row, isolating herself from the other ponies sitting on the stools and sitting down.

A cream-colored unicorn with a stylish brown mane and tail with a martini glass for a cutie mark walked up to her. In his soft-blue aura, he wiped the inside of a glass with a white silk cloth.

“Hello, Annie,” the bartender said in a raspy English accent. “Crystal on the rocks, I presume?”

Annie gave a nod to the bartender, and immediately, the bartender slung his cloth over a hook at the front-bottom rung of the liquor cabinets. Opening the icebox at the center of the back of the bar, he scooped four medium-sized ice cubes with a metal ice scoop, pouring them into the glass with muffled clinks as they settled. As Annie watched the bartender make her drink, she was unaware as two muscular white pegasus stallions with cropped blue manes and tails walked inside.

Opening one of the cabinets, the bartender took out a long, but beautifully carved decanter made of glass filled three-quarters full with a clear liquid. Pulling the top off, the bartender poured the liquid into the ice-filled glass until it was filled a third of the way. The bartender carried the drink to Annie and picked up a napkin from the back bar and placed it on the counter before Annie, where he delicately placed the glass.

“Your drink, ma’am,” the bartender silently announced.

“Thank you,” she said.

She took a sip, savoring the acetic taste of the liquid. It heavily reminded Annie of drink back in her world that the people called vodka, except the taste was much stronger and it went down smoother. Bottles of it were taken from the easternmost lands of Earth and stocked with the people she used to affiliate with. It proved a relaxing elixir before she went out on missions as the Female Titan.

The pungent taste only served as a reminder of the people she mercilessly killed, but the comfort she felt afterwards far outweighed the pain she felt drinking it. Annie took another generous sip of the crystal, blinking hard as the liquid practically evaporated on her tongue.

Just then, the two royal guards took the seats on both sides of Annie sitting down and leaning on the counter of the bar. The stallion to her left had a cutie mark of two of the golden shoes that the guards wore. The stallion on the right had three spears emblazoned on his flanks, two of them pointing up to the left and right, the center and third one pointing straight up.

“Annie,” the guard on the left happily grunted, “so this is where you’ve been hiding.”

“Gauntlet,” she greeted to the stallion, then turning to the one on her right. “Spearhead.”

“Say,” spoke Spearhead, “why’d you come here by yourself?”

“To be alone,” Annie answered simply as she took another sip of her drink.

“Hey,” Gauntlet responded playfully, “no one should be alone on Hearth’s Warming Eve.”

“But I want to.”

“Well, since we’re all here, I thought that maybe we could order some food and have a nice night together.”

Annie glared at Gauntlet, who could already feel her eyes trying to push him away. Gauntlet, however, kept his spot.

“I’m being serious here, Annie,” Gauntlet pressed on. “We at the Royal Guard really respect you and think really highly of you. I’ve never seen someone your size be able to throw one of us onto our backs.”

“I appreciate your compliments,” said Annie, “but I just wanted to sit down and enjoy my drink in peace.”

Both Gauntlet and Spearhead looked at each other with pity on their faces.

“Well…” wondered Spearhead, “we can still sit here, can’t we?”

Annie glanced at Spearhead, looking upon his slightly hurt face. Annie didn’t look swayed by Spearhead’s melancholy, but she knew she had no real reason to keep them from sitting where they wanted.

“Fine,” she sighed. “Just leave me out of it.”

“No promises,” Gauntlet chuckled, nudging Annie in the arm with his elbow.

Annie glanced a sharper glare at him, one that genuinely frightened the living daylights out of him. Leaving well enough alone, he quickly turned his head back to the bar, awaiting the bartender for his order. Soon enough the bartender came, and as he asked for Gauntlet and Spearhead’s orders, Annie swirled her own drink around, mixing the liquor and melted ice together. As she set her drink back down, a conversation going on behind her interrupted her next sip.

“No,” the voice of a young mare spoke defiantly, “I’m just going to go home now!”

“But I told you, babe,” the belligerent voice of a stallion slurred, “I don’t got no money. How else am I going to pay for these drinks?”

“You’re a grown stallion, you figure it out. I’m tired of being your bank.”

“I left my bit purse at home. You can understand, can’t you?”

“That’s what you always say.”

Annie had seen this seen this several times before from ponies at this time of night, and more times than not, it culminated into something much uglier. As the bartender brought Gauntlet and Spearhead their drinks, Annie picked up her glass and tilted it towards her mouth, draining the glass of all the crystal and melted water.

Annie turned to walk to the source of the argument, leaving Gauntlet and Spearhead stunned over her ability to drink so much alcohol at a time. Annie scanned the tables and found a distraught looking couple of ponies sitting at one of the tables behind the booths that lined up at the front of the bar.

The mare was a creamy-lavender pegasus with a royal blue mane and tail. Her cutie mark were two masks: one smiling and laughing, the other frowning and crying. The stallion was a dark green earth pony with a messy black mane. His cutie mark was a rolled up blueprint. His lazy eyes and loose lips screamed intoxication.

Annie, keeping her eyes on the couple, walked around the booths towards the stallion. As the argument got louder, the other ponies in attendance looked more distraught, their spirits dampened by their lack of merriment.

“Do what you want,” the flustered mare spoke, getting out of her seat, “but I’m through with you. I’m going home.”

The stallion stood up before the mare and glowered over her, frightening her into submission.

“Sure,” he grunted, “you can leave me, but not before paying for our drinks.”

“Hey,” Annie’s voice called, “let her go.”

Both the mare and stallion looked up to see Annie standing before them.

“Get out of here,” demanded the stallion, waving his arms away. “You’re off duty. This doesn’t concern you.”

“You’re causing a scene,” Annie responded. “This concerns everyone in here.”

“Just shut up,” he dismissed before turning back to the mare.

Annie, her face now in a furious scowl, put her right hand on the left shoulder of the stallion.

“I think you should leave now,” she said.

“And I think you should just–”

The stallion grabbed his glass with his hoof and turned to toss it back at Annie’s face. With lightning-fast reflexes, Annie took her hand off the stallion’s back, caught the glass by the rim and wound her arm all the way to the left, dropping the glass where it fell to the ground with a chipping sound and a thump as it hit the carpet.

With her arm still wound up, she swung the back of her fist into the side of the stallion’s head, sending him flying off his chair and to the floor in front of a booth of four stallions. The sound and sight of Annie’s strike brought shocked gasps all around the room, even bringing the piano player to stop his ditty.

Before the stallion could come to his senses and get up, Annie ran to the stallion, and kneeling down on her right knee, she pinned the back of the stallion with her elbow and grabbed his bicep with her hand. With her left hand, she held the wrist above the ground locking him in place. The pegasus mare continued to watch the scene with both frightened shock but respectful amazement.

As the bloodied stallion struggled to fight Annie’s hold, both Spearhead and Gauntlet ran around the booths and stood behind Annie.

“Annie,” gapsed Spearhead, “are you alright?”

“Yeah,” she panted, “but he certainly won’t be. One of you, find a night guard and have them arrest him.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Gauntlet responded as he galloped out of the restaurant and into the city.

“I’ll take it from here,” Spearhead responded. “Here…”

Spearhead carefully placed his hoof where Annie’s elbow had been and pinned the stallion’s arm down with his own hoof, allowing Annie to stand up, walking to the petrified mare.

“You stupid foal,” grunted the stallion. “You’re going to get nailed for assaulting a citizen.”

“You shut up,” ordered Spearhead. “I saw you throw that glass at her first. Looks like you’re going to be in much more trouble than not paying your bar tab.”

Annie, seeing the situation had solved itself, walked over to the mare that continued to observe the whole thing. Once she saw Annie stop before her, the mare looked to Annie with continual shock.

“You aren't hurt, are you?” she asked the pony.

“N– n– no,” the mare whimpered.

“That’s good. You can leave if you want. He’s not going to do anything more to you.”

As the mare turned to head to the door, Annie eyed the glass that she had dropped right in front of the pegasus’ hooves. A small piece of the rim of the glass was broken off and a crack ran down to the center of the side.

“Watch your step,” advised Annie.

The mare looked down and saw the glass. Carefully stepping over it, the mare trotted out to the door and outside. The patrons and pianist were still too stunned over the ordeal to resume their drinks and playing.

Annie bent down and picked the broken shard up, flicking it inside the glass. Annie stood up as she picked up the glass by the bottom. Spearhead continued to hold the struggling stallion down as Annie walked around the booths and placed the broken glass on the counter in front of the still-stunned stallion. Annie then reached into her back pocket and pulled out a leather coin purse, fishing around for the proper coins inside.

“Here’s for the drink,” she said, placing five golden bits on the counter.

Annie reached into the purse once again, but grabbed a large handful of coins from it and spread them out over the counter.

“And here’s for the glass I broke,” she said.

Annie turned her body to face the house, scanning her head from side to side to address everyone.

“I’m sorry for spoiling your evening,” she apologized. “I’d best be heading back. Happy Hearth’s Warming.”

Annie walked her way to the door, placing her purse and her hands into her pockets, ready to face the chilly winter night outside again. The ponies still watched silently as Annie pushed the door open and left the building. Even after she was long gone, it was clear that the good moods the ponies had felt would not be returning anytime soon.
________________________________________________________________________________________

Annie walked through the streets of Canterlot. Being late at night now, the once bustling nature of the city had died down as ponies were probably at home in their warm beds, a place that Annie wanted to return to as soon as possible.

Annie’s breaths were hurled from her mouth as the vapor floated up into the air before it disappeared. All Annie wanted was a quiet evening, and if it hadn’t been for that drunken stallion…

*PFF*

The side of Annie’s head was struck by a thick ball of snow. Most of it exploded off in many directions, but a decent amount still clumped in her blonde hair. Annie turned her entire body to see who threw the snowball, her eyes wide open and narrowed to reveal her fury.

Standing along the side of a building were four foals: three colts and a filly. The colts were a red unicorn, a dark-blue earth pony, and a white pegasus, respectively, with a black mane and tail, a brown mane and tail, and a blonde mane and tail. The filly was a pink unicorn with a sky-blue mane and tail. Each of them were wearing hats and scarfs for the cold, but they had no cutie marks; the foals had to be quite young. The four of them looked at Annie with remorseful fear on their faces.

“We’re sorry, ma’am,” whined the pink filly.

“Yeah, I just got my aim thrown off,” responded the white pegasus.

“Please forgive us!” cried the red unicorn.

Annie settled down, her eyes relaxing to a normal state. There was no way she could forgive herself for punishing children when the only crime they could have possibly committed was being children. Annie closed her eyes and breathed a relaxing sigh as she calmed herself even more.

“What are you doing this late at night?” Annie gently scolded. “Get to your homes immediately.”

“Yes ma’am!” the four foals responded in tandem.

Like cockroaches, the ponies scattered off down random streets back to their houses, not even being able to say goodbye to each other. With the streets cleared, Annie ran her fingers through her hair, brushing the snow off as best as she could. Looking about all sides to ensure that there was no more trouble, Annie walked down the streets back to the Canterlot palace where she could finally get some much wanted rest.
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Celestia sat on a large, comfortable rug in the middle of her bedroom by a roaring fireplace. Surrounding Celestia were a plethora of various papers: contracts, letters, permits, etc. Along with managing her responsibilities in her own country, she also had to manage several of the affairs with Earth, whether they be the trading of goods on Earth or a meeting with a council comprising of herself, the king, Dallis Zacklay, and the Commanders of the Military, the extra work left her up later at night.

The door to her chambers came open, and Celestia looked up to see who was entering. Princess Luna stepped forwards, knowing that company with her sister was always allowed. Celestia looked at Luna, who had a very disturbed look upon her face and a rolled up parchment in her magical grasp.

“Dear sister,” Celestia responded. “What troubles you so?”

“I had just received a letter from Manehattan,” Luna said, “and was just on my way to give it to you. Before I could, a pair of my guards had just arrived from Trotsky’s downtown with a bloodied earth pony in their tow.”

“Oh dear! What happened?”

“According to the report given to me by Spearhead and Gauntlet, two off-duty day guards who were at the establishment, the pony had been harassing a female patron about paying for his drinks. And then… Annie, who was also at the lounge, stepped in to intervene.

“Spearhead claims that the pony tossed his glass in Annie’s face, in which Annie responded by striking the pony in the face and restraining him. Spearhead then stepped in for Annie while Gauntlet ran off to call the on-duty night guards. Annie paid for both her drink and the broken glass and then left soon afterwards.”

Princess Celestia sighed. This wasn’t the first time that the ponies that were brought into the Canterlot dungeons were bloodied or bruised by her fists.

“To be fair, sister,” excused Luna, “had she not intervened, he more than likely would have done something awful to that mare, and the stallion tried striking her first; she had every right to use force.”

“I realize, Luna,” Celestia responded, “but she acted rashly… not to say I can blame her.”

“Hmm?”

“Annie has had a troubling life on Earth. She made little friends and the only person she could consider close to her died in the Battle of Shiganshina. I don’t expect her to fully get used to life and customs here, but she’s clearly acting out through her aggression. I don’t want her killing one of my ponies, no matter what crimes they’ve committed.”

Luna frowned and looked away, already haunted by the very possible prospect.

“What do you suggest we do?” asked Luna.

“Not coincidentally,” Celestia replied, “Annie seems to find the most enjoyment during training and sparring practice. It’s the only time I see her display any kind of passion or emotion. It may be too early, but I think we should send Annie abroad.”

“What are you saying?”

“Luna, do you know of any upcoming missions that might require the involvement of our more… elite guards?”

“Now that you mention it, one did just come up.”

“You don’t say?” Celestia asked, raising herself to her hooves and walking to Luna. “Where is this mission you speak of?”

“The mission in question… was sent to me in this recent letter from Manehattan. And if you thought the news about Annie’s confrontation at Trotsky’s was troubling… just wait until you read this.”

Luna unrolled the parchment, allowing Celestia to walk by her side and read it. As her eyes scanned the letter line from line, Celestia’s eyes got wider and wider and her mouth became more open with each word she read. Once she was finished reading, she rolled the parchment back and looked up, making a short, but decisive huff.
________________________________________________________________________________________

Annie slept face up in her bed, the only light her room was given being the moonlight that streamed in through the large, glass balcony doors. Her uniform was neatly hung inside her open closet and her casual night attire from that night was tossed in a pile next to her mahogany dresser. Annie writhed and squirmed in her bed, moaning and grunting, clearly troubled by whatever dream she was having.
________________________________________________________________________________________

The Female Titan ran through the Forest of Giant Trees. As it chased after Eren and Levi’s Special Operations Squad on the path, two Scouting Legion soldiers raced to stop it. To its right, the Female Titan could hear the sound of a wire shooting towards the back of its head. The Female Titan dodged to the left, seeing the wire whiz past it.

With its right hand, the Female Titan grabbed the wire and pulled out, yanking the soldier with it. With perfect timing, the Female Titan juked its body into the closest tree to its right, squashing the soldier flung next to her in between itself and the side of the tree.

The Female Titan, seeing the next soldier fly forwards, twirled its body around to the left. Using its body’s momentum, it grabbed the soldier’s wire with its right hand and pulled the wire out to its right, pulling the soldier towards it. With its left arm swinging around, the Female Titan caught the soldier in its hand, squeezing and crushing him to death.

The Female Titan threw the body behind it, continuing its pursuit of Eren. At that moment, Levi, Eren, and the other soldiers split up on the path, running into the forest. As it looked about for Eren, the Female Titan could hear something running towards it. Looking up, another Female Titan came sprinting at her from the opposite direction.

Before the Female Titan could react, the duplicate of the Female Titan dove its body forward. The duplicate’s head suddenly grew to a massive size, opening its mouth and dislocating its jaw. The gaping hole of its mouth was enough to engulf the Female Titan as it ran straight in, hearing a shrill, ear-piercing scream as her vision was overcome by darkness.
________________________________________________________________________________________

Annie screamed as she shot her body out of bed, her messy hair flying out over her eyes. Annie supported herself by her hands next to her sides, panting heavily as she felt sweat cling to her white, collared pajamas with matching bottoms as well as dripping down from her brow.

Annie looked about the room, finding herself back in the safety of her bedroom. The darkness frightened her. The space of the room frightened her. Both of things combined only made her realize how alone she was.

Annie curled her legs into her chest and hugged her shins tight, burying her face into her knees. Her loud sobs were muffled in her legs as she was left alone and afraid in the dark, empty room.