As glorious and hallowed as Wall Rose is, it would surprise most folk how much maintenance is needed. The walls themselves need cement for the sporadic masonry, yet the cannons manning them are another story after a few drunkard guardsmen of Rose occasionally fire off a round or two. Rumor here and there say that Pixis himself has to document and report such behavior while he is on and off the drink; nevertheless, the acts continue, as one can only wish for such vigilance over thousands of miles of wall. When they are available, the cadets are more often than not the answer to Rose and Sina's abysmal staff.

She meets Reiner with the obligatory "Annie" paired with the stern-faced nod. The ammo stores are less than ideal from what she sees in the local armouries. The cannons' black exteriors though seem to have more or less weathered the elements. Reiner places his eyes close to the rusting equipment to examine and report. These very cannons can slow their impending advance, but a second thought is never spared in tending to them between the other two. They have never been on good terms, yet she finds a place to unwind some of her unease.

"Reiner, Do you sleep enough at night, knowing what we've done?"

"I sleep just fine. I think I did pretty well on that exam." Reiner examines the artillery.

"It's gotten worse. Hasn't it?"

"Ehh? What has? If you're talking about my ranking, I think I should still make it behind Mikasa after the last gear practice…"

"You're even more insane than I am."

"I mean, considering how well other graduates are doing, I'm sure they'll give me a promotion in no time. Heh, Sergeant Reiner doesn't sound too bad does it?"

"Are you even listening?"

"I'm just excited. Just imagine it though. Maybe one day we'll even beat the Titans back out of Maria. Eren will be at the vanguard under Smith! After I ask for a transfer, I'll be right next to him slaying every Titan I see!"

"No, you won't. In fact, Eren might die here today. After the Titans are lured here—"

"What are you talking about?"

"Bertholdt will break those gates in an hour."

"What the hell are you on abo—"

"And then you will break through the inner gate, slaughtering every guardsman in sight. Then, we're going to live a life after Sina falls, thinking that what we've done was the only choice we had. I'll try to believe that this was our only purpose in our short lives and that it was the only one worthwhile. We're never going to speak again and then—"

"We still have… work to do. Take a look at that cannon there." Reiner begins to mumble to himself.

Like this mission, she still does not understand Eren much like this miraculous appearance upon this wall. He's rather easy to spot from even a mile away—practically abusing his canisters. Eren rides the walls like the wind on high. Jaeger lands this side of the wall before his corpse becomes news to the garrisons. He makes his way towards her, cracking his dense fists just by clutching them, almost like he wants to start a fight here. Annie could feel his resentment from here but with his anger quelled for something much more sullen. Though, he's seems so much bigger than when they met that first year.

From the books she had occasionally had the opportunity to read and the storytelling she would hear every now and then from her roommates, this is usually the part where she's swept off her feet for a happy ending. He is neither a prince nor some impoverished peasant though—just someone who happened to have crossed paths. It's warm. His embrace is warm to say the least. The following wasn't nearly as strange as it first was. You could say it was much more committed this time around. She follows his lead albeit more slowly than the first time.

"I'm going to miss you."

Annie cannot acknowledge what he is to herself. She trembled behind her façade as always. Tears reach down her cheeks in the cover of her arms. In her own narrow world, she asks him only to 'stop' before he leaves and sees what is in store, but her mouth does not follow suit. Everything after Maria was more than she deserved.

Leonhardt hangs her legs over the wall. It's strange how a short push would save thousands of other lives… for a short while at least. There is no stop to any of this. That is unless he is exactly what they're looking for. This mission never fails to reign in her thoughts. Yet, in her hand, a desiccated blossom holding on.