A/N: I just realized that with Simon being a Titan shifter and his current age he would've already been dead. So, uh, let's ignore that bit of information, okay? Enjoy the chapter!

edited on april 27th, 2022 @ 4:20am

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𝓒𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝚃𝙷𝙸𝚁𝚃𝚈-𝚂𝙸𝚇,
𝓟𝙴𝚁𝙵𝙴𝙲𝚃 𝙶𝙰𝙼𝙴.

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THE COLOSSAL TITAN STOOD UP as it raised it's hand, crushing some houses in it's way as the debris fell down. "H-Hey... Those houses will drop on us. You think one of those houses... is Eren's?" Connie asked. "Eren's house... is eavesdropping!"

Connie then began laughing hysterically. "Sasha, could you smack Connie?" Jean asked her as Sasha did so and smacked the top of his head.

"I don't think he knows our location." Mikasa announced.

"Yeah." Armin agreed. "He's making Shiganshina a sea of flames by scattering burning debris.

More debris came falling from the sky. "A-Armin! The fire! Your orders?!" Connie asked once again.

"Hurry it up!" Sasha exclaimed.

Armin thought back to what Bertholdt had said to him before he turned around. "Jean, can you take my place?" He suddenly asked as everyone looked at him.

"I just have no idea... what to do... I was wrong reading Bertholdt, and look where it got us. Jean! You're better suited for this!" Armin admitted as Jean was taken aback.

"The river! Move to the river! Everyone aboard Eren! Conserve our gas!" Jean ordered.

Everyone hopped onto Eren as Eren crouched down to avoid being spotted by the Colossal Titan.

"Eren. At some point, we'll have to get Bertholdt's attention, but until then, don't let him see you." Jean continued on before looking towards Armin. "Armin. I'm all right at reading situations, but I'm coming up empty with a plan to get us out of this. In the end, we're all counting on you."

Meanwhile, a soldier has flew down next to Levi, Simon, and Oliver as Levi glanced over towards him.

"We're done cleaning up here. The only small ones left are the ones way at the front. Still, how will we take down the Beast Titan? He's perfectly content sitting way over there, not moving an inch."

"Yeah, it seems he's a coward. Not like he's ever had balls to begin with." Levi informed.

"You and Section Commander take a break. We'll mop up the rest of the small ones. Let's go!"

"Roger!"

"Levi." Simon simply said.

"No, Simon."

"It's the best option we got right now, Levi! If I turn into my Titan form, I can fight the Beast head on— Look out!" Simon paused his sentence as small boulders suddenly came flying at him, Levi, and Oliver.

Simon closed his eyes as he crossed his blade in front of him to avoid getting hit, Levi doing the same.

Simon looked up as he heard the screams of the Scouts as blood was mixed with the smoke that was rising from up above.

He widened his eyes to see the Beast Titan was standing up.

Levi rushed in front of warn the Scouts from up ahead. "Shit! You guys!" He shouted.

"Ollie, come with me! This bastard's head is mine!" Simon informed before quickly using his gear to pull himself forward with Oliver right behind him.

More boulders were being thrown as Simon and Oliver took cover. Simon could hear the screams of the Scouts who were caught in the blast all while their blood painted the sky.

He saw the blood was mixing in with the smoke from the impact.

Simon lands down in front of the Scouts that were in charge of the horses, landing next to Levi.

"The Titan's throwing boulders!" Simon announced.

"Captain Levi! Section Commander Simon!"

"All of you, retreat to the wall with the horses!" Levi ordered.

"Roger!"

More rocks came hurling at them, making everyone duck so they wouldn't get caught in the impact.

"Hurry! Stay outta the line of fire!" Levi commanded.

Boulders came once again as Floch fell to his knees. "Hey, stand up! You wanna die?!" Levi asked him.

Erwin then joined them on the ground. "Commander!" Marlo exclaimed.

"How's it looking?" Levi questioned.

"Terrible." Erwin responded. "His throws have destroyed the front line of houses. If he keeps on throwing, everything will get leveled. We won't have anywhere left to hide."

"We can't retreat to the other side of the wall?" Levi asked.

"No... The Colossal Titan is already heading this way. Spreading fire all along his path. Supposing we scale the wall to evade the stones, we'd have to leave the horses. If we retreat here, there's no hope for victory." Erwin explained.

"What happened to Hange's group? Is Eren all right?" Simon questioned.

"I don't know. But the majority of them were caught in that explosion. We've been dealt a serious blow. The Beast Titan directed the small Titans so our soldiers would group up in one place. As such, while engaging the small Titans, Dirk Squad, Marlene Squad, and Klaus Squad were all wiped out by the bombardment. In other words, our remaining forces this side of the gate... consists of you new Scout recruits, Captain Levi, Section Commander Simon, Oliver, and... me." Erwin ranted.

More boulders were being thrown as Levi and Erwin stared at each other.

"We're doomed!"

"Erwin... Do you have any sort of plan?" Levi asked him.

"Let me face the Beast Titan head on with my Titan form, I can surely—" Simon started to say.

"No. With our current situation, you need to stay on the down low, Simon." Erwin interjected.

Before Erwin could say any more, a loud bang was heard. Simon looked up, widening his eyes in the process.

"Hey... Is that Eren?" Levi questioned.

"He got himself flung on top of the wall? By him..." Simon added on, referring to the Colossal Titan.

The Beast Titan kept throwing more rocks and destroying more run-down houses. "He needs to be stopped..." Simon thinks to himself, gritting his teeth in frustration.

"The Beast Titan has a good guess where we're at. This place will look like a honeycomb soon." Levi informed before he turned to Erwin. "Erwin. If you're saying we've got no chance to counterattack, let's get ready to flee." He pointed up at Eren. "Wake Eren sprawled out up there. Ride him and flee with as many people as possible. At least we'll have some survivors."

"Hey! The horses got away! That was your job!" Marlo's voice had grabbed the trio's attention.

"Shut up! Like it matters!" Floch shouted back.

"Excuse me?!"

"Those Scouts were insanely strong and they died in an instant! You know as well as I do! What good is protecting horses... when there's nobody left to ride them home?!" Floch cried out, holding his hands to his head. "It all made sense at one point... If humanity just hid behind the walls, we'd someday get slaughtered by Titans out of nowhere. Somebody has to bite the bullet and risk taking action. In order for others to not become victims, we needed people to become the victims themselves. Who will be that brave soldier? When I was asked that, I actually believed I could be that someone! But I never thought... that being sent to my death... would turn out to be so utterly meaningless in the end! Now that I think about it, I bet almost everyone ends up saying the same thing as me. Why did I ever think that I'd... somehow be different?"

Simon somehow felt bad for him. He, along with Levi, have been doing this since before the fall of Wall Maria. He was used to all the death that was brought upon in the Survey Corps. It didn't made him cold-hearted, he had just seen it so much he learned not to be bothered by it. It didn't effect him as much as it did before.

Levi turned his attention back to Erwin. "What if whoever's left of the recruits and Hange's group scatter on horses... and try to make it home? By using them as a decoy, you guys could escape on Eren." He spoke, looking down.

"Levi. What would you do?" Erwin questioned.

"I'm facing the Beast Titan. I'll draw him away—" Levi began but Simon interrupted him.

"That would be impossible. You won't even be able to get close to him." Simon informed.

Levi turned his gaze towards the blue-eyed male. "Probably not. But if you, Erwin and Eren return home alive, there's still hope." Levi stated before turning back to Erwin again. "Isn't that the best we can ask for at this point? What a huge defeat... To be perfectly honest, I doubt a single one of us is making it back alive."

"Yes, assuming we had no way to counterattack." Erwin responded, making both Levi's and Simon's eyes widen.

"Is there a way?" Levi questioned.

"Yes." Erwin simply replied.

"Why didn't you say that sooner?" Levi asked. "Why'd you keep your shitty mouth shut?"

"Wait... Erwin surely couldn't be thinking... But that's the only way!" Simon exclaimed in his mind.

"If the plan goes well, you may be able to take down the Beast Titan. But it will take the recruits..." More incoming boulders struck. "It's like you said. Either way, most of us will die. No, it's almost guaranteed we'll all be wiped out." Erwin began to walk forwards. "In which case, we can stake our heroic deaths on a slim chance of victory."

Simon stayed with Oliver as Erwin and Levi walked away. "Section Commander." Oliver spoke up, causing the gray haired male to glance at him.

"Do you have a plan?" Oliver questioned.

"I do, and Levi's not gonna like it one bit."

Soon, Levi and Erwin came back. Levi walked towards Simon and Oliver. "Simon. You and Oliver go back to the wall and help Eren out. If Hange's squad really is gone, they need all the help they can get." Levi informed.

"You know I can't do that, Levi."

"Simon—"

"What's the point of having my power if I don't ever use it?!"

Both Oliver and Levi widened their eyes at Simon raising his voice. "Aside from you, Levi, I'm the one other person who can stand a chance against that bastard. I'll distract him so you can get the job done." Simon continued.

"Besides, if anything happens, Ollie will be there with me."

Levi sighs before wrapping his arms around his husband.

"I love you." Levi told him, making Simon be taken aback before chuckling.

"You know, Levi. You rarely tell me you love me nowadays."

"With our profession, I'm always afraid that if I say it, you'll be gone."

"Understandable."

Simon released their hug as Levi glanced over to Oliver. "If anything happens to him—" Levi started to say.

"You'll have my head. Already know the drill, Captain Levi." Oliver interjected.

"You three." Erwin's voice called out to them. "It's time."

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Simon was riding his horse alongside Erwin's, hoisting himself up as he got ready for the signal.

"Now! Fire!" Erwin ordered, raising his smoke signal in the air. The Scouts soon followed as green smoke painted the sky.

"Tsk! It's coming, move!" Erwin commanded as the horses separated into sections. Simon watched as boulders were being thrown their way by the Beast Titan.

"You're about to meet your match, you hairy bastard!"

Simon lifted himself up into the air as he swiped out his folding blade that was hidden in his ring. He sliced his thumb as a bright beam of light appeared, grabbing the Beast Titan's attention.

"Hmm? It seems he finally made his appearance known." The Beast Titan spoke as Simon transformed.

"Let's dance, you damn monkey!" Simon thinks to himself as he appeared in his Titan form.

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A/N: Another chapter is completed! Thanks for reading!

Word Count: 1970 words.