*

NEXT DAY

Gathering what we needed for the secret location, I couldn't shake off this eerie feeling since the Wall was breached, but then was falsely assumed. I knew there wasn't an opening, nor a crack in the wall. 

However something felt off to me, but after a good night's rest, my mind was never wandering like before. Something shifts inside me, shoving my complaints and discomfort. It was so much, that I didn't want to deal with or hinder it.

Eren and Historia were our main priorities to keep watch over, but I cared deeply for the 104th.

Then again, some of the cadets were still torn apart with their ex comrades betrayal. Things were shifting so quickly, I tried my best to keep up and analyse what our next job was. It was to seal the wall in Shiganshina, and regain Wall Maria. It sounded far more simple being said, but the job was weighing on Eren's shoulder whether or not we could pull it off.

That being said Levi, Hanji and I were the top superiors of this mission, while Erwin was recovering.

Saddling my horse I just tightened the strap, slipping through the buckle, patting the side of my horses neck. My eyes hung heavy, realising how many horses I've been going through. I've wanted to just rely on one, so the cost would reduce and to at least bond with them. 

Shaking myself out of my thoughts, something falls from my bag causing me to snap my head, to see one of my old sketchbooks since I was a child.

"Hmm.......haven't you seen you in a while," I murmur to myself, while picking up. However, something was peaking out from the very back of the book. Tugging the small slip of paper, it was folded four times. Unfolding it slowly, not recalling ever placing something in here, I went to read what was written when a hand rests on my shoulder.

My head snaps to their direction, only to meet his steel gaze.

"Best be going," Levi appears out of nowhere, but I quickly fold the paper and shoved it in my pocket.

Nodding, "Hmm......yeah, hope Erwin can manage without us for a bit," I say, when Lena appears out of nowhere. Perfect timing, "Hey Lena.....could you um, place my books back into the barracks. I don't think I would be needing them for a while, sorry."

Her eyes widen, "Oh, thought you wanted to take these with you," She assumes, before taking them willingly. "Sure, won't be long."

Humming softly, I flip my reigns over the horse head to rest at the pommel of the saddle. 

"How is your leg?" I ask softly, shifting my eyes to meet his soft gaze. "Are you able to do this?"

He scoffs, "Tch, seriously.......I'm alright," he assures me, nonchalantly while glancing back to check if we missed something. "Anyway, we must keep going before anything gets leaked on Eren's location."

Humming softly in agreement, Lena finally returned rather quickly signalling us that it was time to disperse. Hoisting myself upon the stirrups, I swung my leg before mounting my horse comfortably. Gripping my reigns with left hand, I brush my hair to the side seeing Lena and Levi already upon their horses already.

"Erwin will inform us further information later," I spoke up, informing the two. "With Hanji relocating Pastor Nick, hopefully things will calm down in a few days or weeks......"

Levi hums in agreement, steering his horse around to face me.

"Well, she will be joining us later," He points out, before flicking the reigns while nudging his horse. We began setting off to the gates, as we began making our way to the location. Though we were trying to find some way to regain Wall Maria, things were just feeling really off. I could feel it. 

*

SOUTH OF WALL ROSE

The hills and plains of the stretched land was calm, and peaceful as if nothing has happened. It was early in the morning, which gave us some time to settle in the new cottage we've been set in. Seeing from a distance, a wagon and horse were rested up at the front.

Reaching the place the wind dies down, as my hair grew fluffy and scruffy from the rushing wind.

"Look good," Levi sarcastically comments, nearing his horse near mine while we slowly trotted to the house. He pats my hair down, feeling his fingers glide across my soft skin while tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. A blush dusts across my cheeks, while stammering over my words.

Clearing my throat, I side glance his way.

"Um.....well, we don't all look perfect you know," I retort playfully, but rather defensively. My hand ball around the reigns, while puffing my cheeks out like a child would.

He clicks his teeth with a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, as we continue heading towards the hut. Lena flanks behind us both, while being rather quiet but with a teasing grin, when I turned to check on her. Her eyes would flicker from me, to Levi before giving me a sly wink. Rolling my eyes playfully, we soon arrive at our destination.

"We'll discuss about our current plan once everyone is settled," I spoke up, when coming to a halt. Gripping the pommel of the saddle, and cantle, I land comfortably on the ground while patting my horse gently. 

Levi hums in agreement, "They better have that damn place spotless, and dusted," he warningly says, while we brought our horses to the stables beside the house. Lena ties her horse already, before heading straight inside of the building. 

"Come on, I know we gave them a chance to clean......" I began, while pushing some water near our horses. The water swishes side to side, almost over filling the sides. ".......anyway, we have more important matters to worry about, than cleanliness."

Patting the dust against my jeans, I place a hand on his shoulder warmly.

"Come on, we have a lot to talk to the kiddos," I chuckle softly, while pressing a chaste kiss upon his cheek. 

"You missed," he murmurs, but I was too out of earshot to hear while making my way to the building. 

The valley around was so quiet, that it gave us some sense of solace and peacefulness. After a heavy and chaotic week or two, things were finally calming down. Though it may seem that way, I knew things might become an obstacle and disrupt that peace. No matter, I can deal with what we have for now.

I couldn't complain, especially after what we've been through.

Finally entering the room with Levi following behind, I see the kids cleaning with such haste and panic. Smiling tenderly with how hard they were working, I walk up to Jean who was only nearby, "Just ease up, will ya kiddo," I softly assure the boy, as he tenses under my hand.

"Oh, Corporal!" He exclaims, with surprise. "It's......good to see y-you're doing well!"

"Sasha, give me the bread!" Armin calls out, while seeing her refusing to do so. "Come on, befo--Corporal! Captain!"

He cut himself off when he meets my eyes, sweat drops with embarrassment while Sasha continues to selfishly hog the bread holding it in the air, out of reach. Not knowing the full story, I bet I know she didn't mean too. 

Levi quietly walks in, while I walk over taking the bread that was in the air from her grasp.

"Come on Sasha, we need to make ends meet," I warningly laugh, while trying to at least be firm and not overly strict. "We're soldiers, not animals......okay?"

Her eyes widen, before nodding sheepishly.

I noticed Eren looked rather troubled by just how everyone wasn't to this kind of work before, as we taught him well during that month with the Levi's squad. Thinking back upon those days, I could still hear their laughter from down the halls. Whenever Levi wanted to have alone time with me after a big day, somehow one of them would be at the door with reports or more annoying paperwork to be assigned too. At the time you think it was irritating, but now you just wish for those days back. You just take them for granted, and it's unfair.

Someone approaches me from behind, as Lena nears me.

"Hanji and her squadron has arrived, as well," She informs me, while I nod. "Shall we proceed with our next course of action?"

Levi turns to me, "We will, just wait til everyone has gathered around the table," He orders, while walking to the chair at further end of the table. Placing the piece of bread back in the bag, I pass it to Armin to deal with it and stashed for the moment. Historia and Mikasa began making some tea for everyone, allowing everyone to get ready to process our next plan of action. Not long after, Hanji's squad comes in one after the other quietly before seeing Hanji themself walk in.

Giving her a nod of confirmation, we all began sitting around the table. 

Leaning up against the wall, I fold my arms while allowing Levi to take charge of the small meeting. With everything, I think it would be best if he gave the instructions to start the meeting. Just when I thought we were going to begin, Levi skims his fingers beneath the table while dust seems to accumulate.

He lifts his hand, "I am quite certain I gave you enough time," He sighs deeply, pulling out his handkerchief out wiping his dirty hand. "Nevermind.....we can discuss your utter failure at a later date.....right now we need to get organised and plan our next move......"

Everyone fell quiet, listening in to what Levi has to say.

".....of course....while much has happened recently, our original goal is still the same..." He continues on. "....that is, to close the hole in Wall Maria. So as long as we can do that, most of the details don't matter. Whether it's the people next to us turning into titans.....A hair covered titan tossing boulders at us......or a handful of titans popping up inside the walls....."

Levi turns to Armin, wondering what they've discussed while I was with Miche's squad.

"Hey Armin, you said if things went well, we could plug up the wall fast....." Levi spoke up, wondering if this was a combination on Armin and Hanji's part of this assumption. "Explain that again."

Armin nods firmly, "Yes, sir.....my idea was to have Eren transform into a titan, then use his abilities to seal the wall......" he explains again, but more clearly as I would presume. "......the walls seem to be made out of hardened titan bodies....so if he can create enough matter on the spot to plug the hole......then...if that's even possible, of course..."

His eyes lower, trying to place his words carefully. Resting my left leg I rested it flat against the wall, while closing my eyes to process his side of the explanation.

".....there'd be no need for wagons to carry large amounts of material, like in the original plan," He continues. "We could also choose a cloudy night, when the titan would be less active, to head to the wall.....if it's just us on horses, we should be able to travel the road from Trost district, to Shiganshina district in one night......under these ideal conditions....the mission to recapture Wall Maria would take....less than twenty four hours."

Everyone in the room grew silent, registering Armin's speculation.

"But....now that I'm talking about it again," Armin's tone filled with hesitation. "It does sound like a pie in the sky dream."

Sighing heavily, my eyes flutter open half way not breaking eye contact with the ground.

"Whether that dream can be made real, it all depends on Eren," I admit firmly, trailing up to meet Eren's conflicted face. "I'm sorry, but it's all we've got for now."

Eren purses his lips in a thin line, before running his fingers through his dark hair with a heavy sigh.

"Yes.......I understand that,"

Levi turns to Hanji, who sat in complete and utter silence. Too quiet, for the scientist themself to not waste a second without a word or sound.

"Hear that Hanji? He's for it....." Levi repeats more clearly. "....and you're the one who chooses where our experiment will take place."

Hanji's eyes were more in a daze, wondering what was going on in her head. She seemed to be more spaced out, as they were contemplating or something she wasn't telling us that kept gnawing at her.

"Hanji?"

Her eyes turn to me and then Levi rather calmly, "Yes.....of course, it's my duty...." She replies, but her tone seemed to be more troubled. "....as long as I'm alive."

My eyebrows pinch together, "What's that supposed to mean?" I question, more softly laced with concern.

"The Garrison is fully mobilized and patrolling the wall, to which that requires an incredible amount of labor and manpower," She explains, while her thumbs rolling over and over with anxiousness. "Patrols in the walled cities have become so infrequent, they can't even maintain order. This situation will only compound the chaos in the cities....."

Her eyes wouldn't meet anyone's, only sharing her own thoughts. It concerned me, and everyone who listened.

"....we have to recapture Wall Maria.....I'm even more convinced than before," She continues. "I want everyone to feel safe again soon.....I want this to be a world where people can live without fighting each other......that's why.....I want to test Eren's powers as soon as possible. This time, we'll experiment without fear to find out more about his hardening ability, and everything else."

She began to ramble on, while I try to at least hear her out more.

"The idea.....that he may have manipulated the titans is an amazing possibility," Hanji says. "If Eren can really do that, it could very well turn our situation completely around! That's why........we can't sit around and waste time! We have to hurry....and take action! But........I still want Eren to lay low for the time being."

Eren, Mikasa and Armin's eyes widen in unison, before the young shifter leans forward in shock.

"What?"

"But.....why?"

Hanji's eyes hung low with no ounce of hope, "I mean.....the situation seems to be even more complicated than we thought," She admits, while I walk towards her and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Hanji since you've entered the place, you've been looking rather on edge," I soft say, with concern lacing in my tone. "What's going on? There's something, and I want you to please tell us before you brea--"

"Minister Nick is dead," she replies, cutting me off with surprise. 

"Huh?"

"What...?"

Hanji's eyes harden, "Minister Nick was found dead this morning.....inside the Trost District Barracks," She further explain, while I'm trying to understand why and how he was killed. "I don't know the cause of death.....but I know he was murdered."

She begins to explain the whole story that went down early this morning, assuming it happened when Levi, Lena and I just left. 

".....then Nick was tortured by the interior of the first squad of the Military police, then killed......" She claims, when i felt my gut was churning. It didn't terrify me, but it was rather troubling to his sudden death. "......I had thought that the church would try and get their hands on Nick once they learned he was helping the Survey corps. That's why I hid his identity and put him in the barracks.....but....I never imagined they'd use soldiers to kill him....I was naive....it's my fault that Nick was killed."

Giving Hanji a firm squeeze upon their shoulder, I take a heavy breath in and out while everyone has fallen quiet yet again. What could be said? He was dead, but how much information did he blurt out if he was tortured? Levi lifts his tea, and sips in the blanket of silence being rather calm about it.

"Torture?" Armin spoke up, shifting my eyes over to the boy. "So the Mp's tortured Minister Nick......to find out how much he told us?"

Levi places his cup down with a soft 'clink', lifting his eyes.

"Probably they'd want to know if the connection between the Reiss family and the church had gotten out....." He assumes, nonchalantly. "....and they'd want to know where Eren and Historia are."

Eren glances Historia's direction, while remaining quiet but also concerned with one another.

Walking over to Levi I pull a spare chair out, and sat down throwing my right leg over my left knee, folding my arms. Chewing the inside of my cheek in deep thought, their assumptions could be right. Yet, why would the Mp's help with Nick's murder? It's unlike for the Mp's to take action, which was rather out of the ordinary.

"Of course, we have shared this information with Commander Erwin, Commander Pyxis, and the entire survey Corps," Moblit informs us, adding in the good news that now the Garrison and Survey Corps are wary of the Mps. "So now the tables have turned on the interior Mps. We're watching them......so they should be able to do anything too extreme."

I rest my up against the head of the chair, "Well, what happens if they change their methods?" I question. "Right now, we're gonna be dealing with who is friend or foe at this point......it's gonna be hard to trust others."

Moblit hums in agreement, "Even coming here today, we split into two groups and assigned shadows to look for anyone tailing us," He replies. "Though I don't believe this location is compromised yet....."

Levi arches an eyebrow, "...and so....that's why you want to hold off on experimenting with Eren, Hanji?"

She nods, "Yeah, from the time Eren's titan powers were revealed....'someone' from the interior has been trying desperately to get their hands on him," She recalls back, to the courthouse occurrence. "But, since the recent turmoil, the level of pressure has clearly changed........They're trampling through territory they used to see as off-limits. They may have already split the Military into two factions. Everything inside the walls has become unstable, too......"

My head was processing the fact we have the Mps on our backs, which will be a pain in the ass to deal with.

"....If you think about this calmly, it becomes clear that 'outside enemies' like Reiner and Bertholdt had allies on the inside the whole time," She continues. "In other words, what we need to be worried about....is being fatally stabbed in the back while our attention is diverted outside the walls."

My hands ball into fists, while resisting the urge to speak out with force of irritation.

"So.....?" Levi breathes out, rather rhetorically. "You're saying we should just sit here and have tea parties instead?"

Hanji's eyes widen, "There's still a lot we can do inside....like knitting," She suggests, basically agreeing to his question. "....please? Just...just for now."

Levi's eyes narrow, "'Just for now?'" he sternly says, dripping with sarcasm. "No! It's the opposite....Do you think these people are going to give up that quickly? They'll find us here eventually. If we do nothing but run, then all we can do is get caught!"

"Captain," I warn him, raising my hand to prevent him from saying anymore than what's need to be said. He hesitant glares at Hanji's cowardness, not realising Hanji's doing the best to keep ourselves off the grid for now. Turning to Hanji I sigh, "Hanji........usually you would be clear-headed. However now, you feel responsible for Nick's death, and you made up your mind. I get that, I do......but you must not let yourself cower now."

Hanji nods timidly, "You're right......sorry, I just--"

"How many of Nick's fingernails were torn off?" Levi cuts her off, seeing he was already calm down a little.

"Huh?"

"You saw him, didn't you? How many?" He asks again.

"I only caught a glimpse of him, but all the nail beds I saw were empty," She replies, uncertain by his sudden question.

"People who talk, talk after one," Levi explains, the procedure of torture. "If they don't, ripping off more won't