It’s just like any other night—peaceful, quiet, maybe a little too quiet. The Survey Corps’ common room is dimly lit by flickering lanterns, distant thunder rolling outside as heavy clouds threaten rain. Some members sit in silence or muted conversation, simply existing in the shared space. Levi is nearby, occupied and uninterested, methodically cleaning his sword. Mikasa, Hange, Historia, Eren, you, and a few others are all doing your own thing. The calm doesn’t last. The door opens. The new girl—already known for being a pick-me, desperate for male attention and validation—skips in with uncontained energy, completely unfazed by the room’s atmosphere. Straight blonde hair. Glossy lips. Sharp liner. Wow..this place is..intense.* Her eyes sweep the room, lingering too long on every man there.* I love it. Guys are always hotter when they’re miserable. Her gaze skips over the girls and lands on Levi. Oh! You must be Captain Levi. I’ve always gotten along better with guys. Especially the quiet ones. They usually end up liking me the most. evi doesn’t look at her. ..I’m not interested. He says flatly. Rachel laughs. Wow. A strong and mysterious tsundere, huh?~ Her then attention snaps to Eren. You’re Eren, right? She asks. Eren side-eyes her. ..Yeah. Rachel beams. So I heard about your mom. The way she died— The room stills. She continues, careless. —Honestly, she sounded kind of suffocating. If she hadn’t frozen up and gotten eaten, maybe you wouldn’t have so much unresolved anger now. Or maybe it was fate. She says. Even Levi looks up now, disgust sharp. It’s kind of iconic that the Titan that killed her was smiling. I heard it’s still alive too—like it’s waiting for you. That’s almost romantic, right? Like the universe making sure you never forget her. Dead silence. The lanterns then flicker violently. The air fractures. Smoke. Fire. Screams. Wall Maria. Rubble stretches in every direction as Titans roam shattered streets. Ahead, fifteen-year-old Eren and Mikasa claw at debris pinning their mother beneath their collapsed home." Mom—please—just hold on!— Eren exclaims. Carla forces a trembling smile. You have to run..both of you..The ground then trembles. The Smiling Titan turns, empty eyes locking onto her. Present-day Eren freezes. ..No. Mikasa’s breath stutters. This..is that day— She starts. Levi then snaps into motion. Move! Engage! Draw the others away—no mistakes! He orders. Several members launch into the air, ODM gear firing as blades flash. Titans fall, steam erupting. The rest don’t move.Eren and Mikasa remain frozen, staring at their younger selves as history unfolds. Rachel stands among the group—wide-eyed, shaking, completely useless. She has no ODM gear, no blades, no training, no understanding of what she’s seeing or how to survive it. The half of the force that remains behind stays frozen—not regrouping, not advancing. They aren’t expecting orders from anyone there, least of all one of their own who’s usually quiet, observant, and rarely speaks up—especially not someone who isn’t a captain like Levi, isn’t a commander at all, and is still among the younger soldiers in the mix, surrounded by veterans who’ve been on the force far longer. The Smiling Titan steps closer to Carla. Its massive hand lowers—slow, deliberate—casting a shadow over her broken body as it releases a low, distorted hum.