Promoted

The sun's rays began to appear on the horizon and the soldiers could already see Wall Maria, which gives access to the abandoned Shiganshina District. Erwin ordered everyone to mount their horses and gallop at full speed.

"Be on guard for Titans hiding in the shadows!" exclaimed the Commander. "Our operation begins now! All troops, switch to ODM gear!"

At this moment, a visual spectacle took place. All soldiers leaped from their horses and attached their hooks to the Wall ahead, flying like eagles through the skies, their cloaks fluttering behind.

The mission goal was to seal the two gates of the District, causing the Titans to be trapped inside, and then, they could be killed by the soldiers. However, if the Colossal, Armored, and Beast Titans discovered that Eren was among them, they could capture him. Therefore, all soldiers, no exception, were covered with their green hoods.

Lara, Hange, and Levi landed next to each other on top of the Wall, gazing at Shiganshina. Everything was destroyed, just as it was when Lara first visited this place, when she was just ten years old.

Today, she was visiting Shiganshina as the Leader of her own Squad.

It was impossible for them not to remember that moment, because it was here, in this very District, that Lara began to give her first hints about Hange and Levi being a couple, when they weren't even her tutors.

But they needed to get moving immediately, for the mission couldn't wait for them to dwell on past memories. Levi, Lara, and Hange would go with their Squads towards Shiganshina's outer gate with Eren, so he could transform into a Titan and harden himself.

The three of them looked at each other, as if they wanted to keep this moment where they were together. They didn't know when they could do it again.

Hange then put her hand forward.

"Together?"

Lara and Levi looked at each other, with bold smiles.

"Together!" they replied and placed their hands on top of Hange's.

They began to run with the other soldiers and met Eren, Mikasa, and Armin still gazing at the city.

"Don't stop!" exclaimed Levi, grumpy. "Head for the outer gate!"

The three friends reached Hange, Levi, and Lara. Armin was running alongside Lara, who gave him an encouraging smile.

Then, Armin suddenly stopped. Lara noticed and stopped too, letting the others keep running. Her parents didn't even realize she was left behind.

"What's up, Armin?" she asked, going to his side.

"Lara, look at this," he replied, pointing to a black stain on the paving at the top of the Wall. "This is... The remains of a fire?"

They looked at each other, eyes wide. Their hearts raced instantly.

"Commander!" called Lara, waving in a certain direction.

Erwin looked at them and Armin made hand gestures indicating that Reiner and Bertholdt were close.

♦♦♦

When they were almost at Shiganshina's outer gate, Hange looked back and noticed her daughter's absence.

"Levi! Where's Lara?!"

He looked around and shrugged, confused.

"I'm not seeing Armin either!" exclaimed Mikasa, right behind.

Thanks to Hange's goggles, she spotted Lara and Armin talking to Erwin.

"They're back there!" she exclaimed.

Everyone looked behind but kept flying.

Hange looked worriedly at Levi.

"I hope Lara isn't trying to promote Armin now, of all times!" thought Levi, distressed.

Hange and Levi reached the top of the Wall, near the outer gate. They and several other soldiers watched around. Everyone was confused.

"This doesn't seem right..." began Hange, standing back to back with Levi. "Where are the Titans? There's none in here!"

"But we have to keep going," he replied.

"Yeah. We can't call the mission off just because of that."

Hange then fired a green flare, indicating that Eren could start hardening right away. Then, all they saw was his transformation flash and Eren successfully hardened himself, completely closing Shiganshina's outer gate.

♦♦♦

Lara and Erwin were side by side, watching the green smoke in the distance, indicating that Eren had completed the mission.

"Even if he did it," said Lara, worried, "there's something odd, Erwin... I imagined some kind of ambush, but we've not seen a single Titan so far. My mother must be disappointed..."

The Commander chuckled.

"But..." she continued, "Could it be that our enemies were not prepared for such a sudden assault from us? Did we take them by surprise?"

"I'd like to think that so, Lara," replied Erwin, serious. "But, considering the ashes of the bonfire that Armin found--"

He was interrupted by Armin's arrival, who had come down the Wall to investigate, at Lara's behest.

"I looked into it," he said, panting. "I'm pretty sure someone was camping around here! I found a cold pot and lights were scattered on the ground near the Wall."

Erwin and Lara listened very carefully.

"They were drinking something like black tea," continued Armin. "But, it had a particularly good smell... I've never smelled it before in any drink we know... I found three cups with drops of this black liquid in it."

Lara and Erwin looked at each other in a serious way.

"So," continued Armin, "it means that at least, there were three people camping atop the Wall."

"Armin," Lara took a step forward, "was the pot completely cool?"

"Yes."

"That's odd…" Erwin looked at them both.

"I agree," replied Armin.

Erwin looked to the horizon, in the direction that all Survey Corps soldiers had come from.

"We arrived here at full speed using horses and ODM gear..." he said. "If by any chance they had seen or heard us from the top of the Wall, they would only have two minutes to react."

"That's not long enough for a pot to cool down," added Lara, thoughtful.

"So," Erwin turned to her, "they had to have known we were getting here for at least five minutes or more. Meaning they've had plenty of time to prepare for us."

"How's that, Commander?" asked Lara.

"There must be a scout in addition," replied Armin, his hand on his chin, "making four of them." He then acquired a frightened expression. "I guess we have to assume there are many more enemies hiding around..."

"Locating these enemies is our priority for now," concluded Erwin.

The three of them remained silent for a few seconds, then Lara mumbled to herself:

"Yeah... It can't wait any longer..."

"Pardon?" asked Erwin.

Lara looked up, right into his eyes.

"Commander," she began, solemnly, "I was going to wait until the end of this mission to make a decision, but I believe Armin has already given me enough proof of his abilities."

Armin stared at her with a confused expression. Lara gave him a little smile.

"Commander Erwin," she continued, smiling boldly, "I'd like you to authorize Armin Arlert to be my Executive Officer, second in command of my Squad."

Both Erwin and Armin widened their eyes.

"W-W-What?" stuttered Armin, visibly embarrassed. "Your E-Executive Officer? Really, Lara?!"

"Yes," she replied. "I've been thinking about it for a while and I've even talked to my father already, Commander." Lara turned to Erwin. "He authorized it and only asked me to let you know before."

Erwin curved his lips in a proud smile at Lara, then he looked at Armin.

"Arlert," said Erwin, "you have saved us from many disasters with your intelligence. And now, we need your help once more." He turned to Lara. "You have my permission to make Armin your Executive Officer. Start right away."

Lara gave Armin a big smile, who was blushing, such was his embarrassment.

"Thank you very much, Commander!" replied Lara, confident. "Do you also authorize me to take some soldiers to help him?"

"Sure," said Erwin, already calling them with the only arm he had. "Take as many as needed. Find out if there are enemies hiding near the inner gate."

The soldiers formed a circle around the Commander, Armin, and Lara.

"As of now," said Erwin, "all of you are under Armin Arlert's command. Above him, you also own obedience to Lara Zoë Ackerman, Squad Leader."

Both Armin and Lara noticed how the soldiers watched them with a strange look. It was obvious what they were thinking: "Are we gonna take orders from two kids?!"

Lara was used to this kind of judgment by now, so she nudged Armin and signaled him to stand his ground. Eventually, the soldiers were conforming, until they shouted in unison:

"Understood!"

They began bombarding Armin with questions, which made him cringe and desperately seek Lara's eyes. So, she decided to do what her father had taught her since the first time they met.

Lara pulled Armin aside, asking the soldiers to wait for a while.

"Armin," she said, in a calm way, "breathe deeply. Think clearly. You can do it, I know you're fully capable."

Armin did exactly as she said and gradually, his heartbeat slowed down and a calmness began to come into his heart.

"Thank you very much, Lara," he replied, smiling.