--- Trost District ---

"Good grief. What are they doing in Shiganshina?" Hitch asks as she walks into Trost headquarters, only to spot water on the ground in front of her, "it's from... the basement?".

She follows the water to a room as she opens the door and steps inside.

"If you scream... I'll cut your throat" Annie says as she puts her hand over Hitch's mouth and kicks the door closed with her foot, "first, take off the jacket".

Hitch grabs Annie and throws her over and pushes her into the wall.

"You're so weak I thought you were a granny" Hitch says as she grabs Annie by her collar, "to think there'd be a day where I'd toss you around, Annie".

"It's you, out of all people, Hitch?" Annie asks as she looks at Hitch.

I've got to get her into the basement before it's too late.

Hitch says as she rolls Annie onto her front.

"Help!" Hitch yells as she pins Annie's arms behind her back.

"It's no use" Annie says as she looks at Hitch, "I already cut myself, so I can transform whenever. You'll just have to do as I say".

"Oh yeah? If you're this weak, you won't have the enemy to transform" Hitch says as she looks at the blood on her hand.

"You might be right. Guess we won't know until I try" Annie says menacingly.

"Dreyse! Are you alright?" someone asks from outside the room, "Dreyse! I'm coming in! Dreyse?".

Hitch rolls her eyes as she helps Annie up and takes her out of the room through another door, leading Annie to the stables.

"You're smarter than I thought, Hitch" Annie says as she looks at Hitch.

"Shut up. If you're skipping town, I've got no reason to stop you" Hitch says as she prepares a horse, "besides, I won't have to stare at your face in the basement anymore".

"That's good. I won't have to listen to your endless talks about lousy men anymore" Annie says as she watches Hitch.

"How do you know about that?" Hitch asks as she looks back at Annie, "were you... conscious the whole time?".

"For four years, it was like I was watching some distant dream" Annie says as she leans against the wall of the barn, "the only thing I could hear way you and Armin talking from far away. And when I couldn't, it was always the same-- pure darkness. So thanks to you guys talking, I always knew what was going on. But then, I was suddenly thrown back into the world... and I heard Eren's voice. Is he actually serious about destroying the world?".

Hitch and Annie make it outside as they see all of the Wall titans on the move.

"The Wall titans really are marching..." Annie says in shock.

"Look beneath their feet" Hitch says as she looks ahead, "the only meaningful job I've had as a soldier is picking up bodies and debris-- cleaning up after you and Eren. Maybe now you can answer me. How does it feel to see all the bodies crushed for your grand mission?".

"Yeah... since you asked a lot, I mulled it over a lot as well--" Annie says as she looks down, "how we gave no thought. Killing people was something we were praised for. Outside our lands, we were taught it was fine to kill soldiers and civilians alike. Since we were atoning for Eldia's sins and saving the world, anything we did was justified".

"Armin told me about your situation" Hitch says as she looks up at the sky, "in short, you guys were trying to stop that. You thought all the dead were a small price to pay?".

"No. Saving the world didn't matter to me" Annie says as she holds onto Hitch's waist, "none of it mattered to me. I was... abandoned by my biological parents right after my Mother gave birth to me. I came from my Mother's affair with an Eldian. I was picked up at the Internment Zone by a foreigner with Eldian blood. He'd been put there for similar reasons as me. His goal... was to make me into a warrior in order to better his life. For as long as I remember, he drilled the martial arts of his homeland into me. To him, my only value was if I could become a warrior. Years passed by... and I became strong, just like he hoped. And then I repaid him for all the pain he caused me. I made it so he couldn't walk straight again. But... overjoyed, he said: 'now you can kill, even without a weapon'".

"Uh, what? Is this your life story?" Hitch asks, confused about what Annie's talking about.

"I listened to you for four years, so the least you could do is hear me out" Annie says as she looks at Hitch, "so you see, I didn't care. I didn't care if people lived or died. I didn't think that life had any value, even my own. Until then. The morning I left for the island, he fell to his knees and apologised. 'The things I taught you were wrong'. And then in tears, he pleaded: 'please come back. Forget about being a warrior or an Honourary Marleyan. Just come back'. That man... was my Father. He thought of me as his own daughter. I have a Father waiting for my return. And just like me, there are others with people important to them. I can't say nothing matters anymore. All of the things I've done until now are absolutely unforgivable. But... if it takes me back to my Father, I'll do it all again".

"I see. Thanks for telling me" Hitch says with a small smile, "but even if you make it back, all you find is rubble and a corpse".

"I know" Annie says as she looks down.

--- in Shiganshina ---

"Evelyn, wait a minute. Even if you head for Ragako, you still won't catch Conny" Armin says as he looks at Evelyn, "besides, what would you even say if you did? Will you ask him to give up on saving his Mother?".

"I will" Evelyn says confidently, "even if it's hopeless, I've got to do everything in my power. Otherwise, we won't gain Gabi's trust. She's key. Any chance at keeping Reiner and Pieck in line depends on her. The problem with inheriting the nine titans hasn't gone away. We might repeat another 2000 years of war over titans and their powers... on this tiny island. Honestly, I'm so tired that I could sleep like a log for two days interrupted. But right now, I've got to do what I can. It may have a huge impact on humanity's future. I'll tell Conny that maybe his Mother should stay as an upside down titan" she says as she stands up.

"Evelyn... what should we do?" Mikasa asks as Evelyn walks past herself and Armin.

Go help Jean however you can. And then get my Mother from the hospital, and meet with Hange and Levi. Please. She knows something about this new power of mine that I don't. And it could be key to stopping the rumbling and Eren" Evelyn says as she leaves the room.

--- outside of the headquarters in Shiganshina ---

"Even though it's for his Mother, I reckon Conny will hesitate and think twice about taking a kid's life" Mr Blause says as he tries to reassure Gabi, "you'll make it in time".

"Thank you, Mr Blause" Gabi says as she looks at Mr Blause.

"I'll be staying with the Blause's for now" Niccolo says as he looks at Evelyn.

"Good. Get away from here as soon as possible" Evelyn says as she looks at Niccolo.

"Mia" Kaya says as she comes over, "take care".

"My real name... is Gabi" Gabi says as she looks at Kaya.

"Huh? Gabi sounds weird. Mia is better" Kaya says as she stands in front of Gabi.

"See you, Kaya" Gabi says as she hugs Kaya.

"Goodbye, Gabi" Kaya says as she hugs Gabi tightly.

With that, Evelyn and Gabi get on Kanmori and ride off as fast as Kanmori can take them.

--- on the top floor of the headquarters ---

"Stop, Floch! Don't shoot him!" Jean yells as Floch shoots a man in the hand.

"Relax, Jean. I'm trying to help him understand" Floch says as he looks at Jean, "he couldn't grasp the situation, but I think he does now. Not everyone knows what happens if you decide to mouth off".

"Hey. Who elected you to act like King of this place?" Jean asks as he looks at Floch, "Evelyn's still your Section Commander and I'm pretty sure she's well within her rights to kill you just for the sheer amount of insubordination you've been displaying recently. The first opportunity she has to shove a rifle into your mouth she'll do it, don't even think she'll hesitate".

"I'm not scared of some bitch from outside of the walls. She deserves to die too" Floch says as he looks at his gun, "and I'm glad you asked who died and made me King. Listen up, everyone! Ten months ago, Eren told me his plan: his plan to use Zeke and gain control of the Founder! I gathered comrades, aided Eren, and today, his plan was fulfilled! You volunteers lost both your leader and the military that had your backs! And soon, you'll lose your homelands! They'll be reduced to giant footprints! You lost the reason you came here-- the dream of reviving your homelands! Even so, if there are any among you who will aid our Eldian Empire, speak up! We will welcome you as fellow Eldians!".

"Screw you, asshole! I'll be dead before I bow--!" the man on the floor says as Floch shoots him in the head.

Jean watches in horror as Floch shoots the man two more times to make sure he finished the job properly.

"His pride as a volunteer wouldn't let him live in submission" Floch says as blood rushes from the man's head, "but is pride worth dying for? What's so wrong with submission? Isn't it much better than dying like this? Take some time to think. Lock them up!".

"What the...?" Mikasa asks as she and Armin run up the stairs into the room.

"What happened, Jean?" Armin asks as he looks at Jean.

"To answer your question, I act on Eren's behalf" Floch says as he kneels in front of Jean, "if Eren's solving the problems outside of the island, I'll wipe out the resentment within it. Anyway, after surviving through that hell four years ago, it's finally in our grasp. Do you know what it is? Freedom. You don't have to fight anymore. You can live as you please. Jean, didn't you want a comfy life in the interior as a member of the Military Police? Go live it. You're one of our heroes".

"Is it... over?" Jean asks in shock.

"It's over, so go back to being the old Jean: reckless, annoying, and cheeky" Floch says with a small smile as he puts his hand on Jean's shoulder.

"What did you call me?" Jean asks as all of the volunteers are lead out of the room.

"Floch. Section Commander Evelyn gave us a short and sweet version, but what really happened to Commander Hange and Captain Levi?" Mikasa asks as she looks at Floch.

"Ah... unfortunately, they were killed by Zeke" Floch says as he stands up.

--- somewhere in Wall Maria, heading towards Ragako ---

"Conny... I appreciate you helping me, but aren't we still going North?" Falco asks as he sits in front of Conny on a horse, "see. Sunset is that way".

"It's fine. It puts us further from danger down South" Conny says as he looks ahead, "I'm taking you to a hospital for your amnesia. I found you collapsed all by yourself-- it's true. I'm a soldier, so it's natural to help out this much".

That's right. I became a soldier. Dad, Sunny, and Martin won't be coming back, but I can still bring back Mum! Just wait a bit longer, Mum! I became a soldier, and now--

Conny says as he looks up at the sky.

"Thank you, Conny" Falco says as he holds onto the saddle, "you've really gone out of your way for me".

"It's nothing" Conny says as he looks at Falco.

Thank goodness Conny's a nice person, but I really need to get back South. I remember up until meeting Colt, Gabi and Evelyn, but what happened after that? Plus, I feel like I've seen Conny somewhere before. But if he doesn't recognise me, maybe I haven't.

Falco says as he faces forward.