Power to Strive

Crushing Blow

Disclaimer: I do not own Attack on Titan or this story.

Previously: The group learns about the Female Titan's abilities. They worry, seeing the plan fail spectacularly but try to remain hopeful. They take a break, anxious about the next episode.

|~|

The Scouts raced through the Forest of Giant Trees.

C'mon! Show us the other scene! Eren stared hard at the TV.

"When the Colossal Titan vanished," Erwin began, "whoever was inside had been wearing maneuver gear, so that they could escape in the steam. Don't you think the same possibility applies here?"

It has to be him. It fits. Armin frowned. Bert's gotta be the Colossal Titan. Some of the things he had seen in the previous episodes had hinted strongly at the identity of the Armored Titan. He thought about their physical traits. Three of them, and three Titans like Eren, the Female, the Armored, and the Colossal.

"But at the time…" Hange said. "Based on what we saw when Eren emerged from the Titan, we concluded it would be impossible."

An image of Eren coming out of his Titan form appeared.

"His equipment was destroyed, and his uniform was gone."

Mikasa hugged Eren close to her on the roof, surrounded by Armin, Reiner, Bert, Annie, and Jean as Hange narrated. "Above all, Eren was so weak, he couldn't even stand unassisted."

"The Female Titan was able to attract other Titans with her cry. We failed to predict this, and the operation failed. If Titan abilities vary depending on skill, it was a mistake to use Eren, a total novice, as the basis for our assumptions."

It's so painfully obvious now, after watching this. Hange thought, frustrated. Then again, she glanced at the rookies. They had figured it out with the same amount of knowledge. They saw the huge flaws in our logic almost immediately. Maybe we should have them go over the plans for any holes or mistakes. She snorted quietly herself. We're getting old.

Erwin shifted his eyes straight ahead. "If we are to outwit our enemy, we'll need to think outside the box."

|~|

Horse hooves were heard on the outer edges of the forest.

"If we're withdrawing, does that mean the mission succeeded?" Jean said to Armin.

If only. Armin thought.

"If so, then we may already know who was inside the Female Titan."

"That we do," Jean said.

Eren shot him a dirty look.

The group continued.

"I'd like to see who it is… But why was the commander so sure that the enemy would come after Eren if he left the walls?" Jean wondered.

"I think it's because, for some reason, they suddenly stopped their advance in the midst of the last assault. Even though they managed to break through Trost's gate," Armin's thoughts turned to the Armored Titan breaching Wall Maria, "they didn't even try for the inner gate. And when Eren sealed the gate," the Rogue slammed the rock into place, "they let him. It could mean that they now have bigger concerns…"