Humanity's Future

Plan O

Hey everyone,
It's been a while, sorry 'bout that. This chapter is unedited currently, so if you see anything odd lemme know, and I hope you enjoy!
~Rainy

Rachel

   Rachel used to like sitting up on the wall.  It gave her time to think, to plan her next move.  After everything that would happen, she used to feel like she deserved it. However, Humanity's most recent discovery has her on edge. Now, her isolated perch has changed from the wall to a certain tree in the forest surrounding the old abandoned castle where the Survey Corps take refuge.

   As of recently, the wounds from her encounter with the Rogue Shifter Village haven't healed to the extent she would have liked.  Her injury was so severe that even her healing ability hadn't been able to work at its normal pace. She loves to spend time with her comrades and friends at the old castle, but the gloomy atmosphere at the place is too much for her to handle.

The Wall Titans are... a different matter altogether. Rachel would have perhaps known about them had she and Spark stayed, but Rachel is honestly happy they didn't. Her time outside the walls was refreshing, a breath of relaxation and new hope for the winged girl. She spares a glance at her wings, laying limply by her sides on the fairly narrow tree branch beneath her.  She thinks of her slow healing ability.  She remembers a time when she soared above the clouds on wings clad in feathers of the richest golden hue, her worries left firmly chained to the earth below.

   Rachel guesses she doesn't have as much time as she thought she did.

~

   "So here's what we know." Armin begins. Trusted officers and friends gather in a currently vacant classroom, late into the night four days after their newest bit of intel shook any foundation of hope they once had. The blond commander stands at the front, a few crude drawings scattered on the chalk board behind him. Rachel sits toward the edge of the crowd, allowing her curled wings to lay on the seats beside her. Armin begins to pace as he projects his organized thoughts to the crowd. "Fifty-meter Titans of an unknown number reside with the walls: further investigation proved that all three walls hold these Titans."

Murmuring breaks out amongst those who didn't already know this. Rachel absently listens to two soldiers frantically whisper to each other about the absurdity of the situation. She snorts softly at the irony.

"Further," Armin continues, immediately casting the room in silence, "we've learned that, should these Titans be hit by sunlight, they will 'awaken' and go on a rampage."

"Pastor Nick was happy to share that info, at least." Hanji remarks cheerily from her relaxed position near the front. Levi glares at her boot-clad feet that rest on the table with disdain.

"Unfortunately, the rest we had to glean ourselves." Mikasa adds, gazing at the drawings behind Armin. The blond nods in response.

"Correct.  But other than what I've shared, we have no more knowledge on these knew variants."  He begins to tick off his fingers, "Titan-shifters or abnormals, multiple versions of Annie or multiple versions of Eren, ability and mastery range... these are all things we still have no clue about."

"Okay, but what about, like, contingency plans?"  Kaiden raises his hand, his voice drawing cautious gazes to the back of the room.  Rachel spots Spark shoot him a proud look, and has to hide a small smile.  "Why don't we just break down a small portion of the walls night by night and strike their necks to kill them?"  Sasha turns and shoots at look at Rachel, as if to say 'See, why don't people listen to this boy's simple idea?'  Hanji shakes her head, a regretful look on her face.