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Chapter 8

Armin's eyes widened. He really feels anything about the old gang?

Levi saw the captured teen's eyes widen and knew that he had shown some sort of emotion. Glaring at the brat he focused his attention at the newly appeared gang members.

"I don't give a damn. You are all coming with us." His tone was frigid.

Thank god.

Erwin stood, staring at the teens before him. All of them were handcuffed, and a circle of soldiers wrapped around the gang, cutting off all paths of escape. "Did you catch anyone else?" The tall man asked, tuning to Levi.

"We probably could of, but it needed all of us to get them here. We can go back another time if this experiment works."

"Fair enoug-"

The words were cut off by a shout; "We aren't just some experiment for you! We have our own place and that is not in the stupid military!" The outburst was voiced by boy, with scruffy brown hair and eyes the seemed to burn with caged rage.

Levi was already striding across the room. Predictable. "Stop Levi." Erwin said, the authority of command underlining the statement. The short man halted, though annoyance radiated around him. "What's your name?" The Commander asked, turning to toward the boy in question.

"Eren."

"Last name?"

"Why should it matter?" The teen hissed. "Nobody cared about my parents when Shiganshina's walls came tumbling down!" "Eren! Calm down. " One of the captured girls, with raven black hair down to her shoulders, uttered it, looking anxiously at her friend. At the words the named teen let out a small growl of frustration. Then, to Erwin's surprise, the young man closed his eyes, tuning out the world. It lasted about a minute, but once those eyes opened the Commander saw little of the fire remaining, and the small flame that lingered was controlled. I didn't think he would have that much self-control.

Again the black haired girl spoke up. "He is Eren Yeager. I'm Mikasa, and that's Armin." She added, nodding toward a short, blond boy with a sleeveless jacket. After the three names were given Mikasa stopped, clearly done with introductions.

Yeager? Erwin recalled that name. It was the surname of a man who had been studying titans as the time of the attack on Shiganshina. Hanji had been devastated, as apparently the man had been about to make a breaking discovery in how titans formed. However, the tale was supposedly one of the many tragedies of Shiganshina, with the family thought to be all dead. Apparently not.

"I trust you all know why you are here. The Survey Corps are running low on recruits right now. You are some of the best in the underground, at for that reason have been chosen to be trained as soldiers. The training will start tomorrow. You will be kept under guard at all times. As far as I am concerned this matter is not particularly complicated. There will be an assigned leader to your group to keep everybody in check."

Levi added the last piece, the one part of the agreement that Hanji had been unsure of. "Lastly, you will all be expected to dedicate yourselves to this. Anyone slacking off, trying to escape, sabotaging missions or trying to steal will be handed over to the Military Police."

Commander Erwin nodded crisply. "Any questions or statements that are not a demand for freedom?"

This time teen who had been introduced as Armin spoke up. "You said no requests for freedom sir. However, I think that there is a legitimate reason to mention that. Out gang has been helping civilians who have been attacked by titans or lost family members for a long time. We are all criminals, that is certainly true, but we have hardly led the stereotypical lives of street thugs, being a burden on society. We have helped stop thieves from breaking in and stealing military gear. Many refugees were helped by the Wings of Wrath during different titan attacks. That is how Mikasa, Eren and I ended up here. Many of us have helped the Survey Corps from behind the scenes. Are you sure that we aren't more useful to you where we are?" The words were spoken with a not entirely calm voice, but the teen was clearly trying, and his arguments had some merit.

However, Erwin looked sceptically down at the thief. "Give me one good reason to trust that anything you say is true."

Armin felt his pulse quicken. He had been trying desperately, hoping to appeal to the man. What the strategist had never expected was to be taken seriously. What now? What can I say that will convince him?

"The brat is speaking the truth Erwin."

Armin stared in shock. Levi was looking at the Commander calmly, and there was no doubt that he had spoken the words but… Why would he help us now? Then Armin remembered the look in the Corporal's face when Connie had called him a traitor. There had been a small pause in man's expression as he realized what the word meant and then pain had shattered his gaze. Does he actually feel… guilty?

After a brief hesitation Erwin gave a nod of acknowledgement, then turned back to Armin. "Convince me."

Gathering his thoughts Armin began speaking again. "We can start watching the walls more from now on if that is a concern. If we are not in the military there is a freedom to out movements that you do not have. It is fairly easy to sound the alarm after all, solider or not. Also, I know it is not part of what the Survey Corps do but I believe that the comfort and support we offer to affected families in needed. Anytime titans attack society all morals crumble and it becomes each person for themselves. Soldiers often can do little to stop this as they have to fight of the actual threat. However, we can work in the crowds, directing and calming the panic from within, without causing more fuss than needed."

Erwin paused, no longer entirely sure of his intended dismissal of the subject. All of the points the boy made were valid but at the same time what the Survey Corps really needed were people out fighting titans. "Hold them here. I'm going to discuss this with the others." The man said at last, gesturing to Levi to take over.

When Erwin at last came back, the answer was mixed. Whoever he was talking to must have had varied opinions, because he chose part of each option. The Commander turned, focusing his attention on Armin, know that all the other gang members would be listening. After all, this decides our fate.

"You will all be trained by the Corps for a month. That in not negotiable. However, when that time is over we will release you. When you leave the gang will be fitted with a special, lighter weight version of the 3D maneuver gear all military personal carry. Every single person will also be equipped with the swords used for killing titans. How you disguise these to blend into in the underground is your own decision and problem. Anytime the Survey Corps goes out on a mission we will no longer leave twenty people behind to guard the city. The number will now be only five. You criminals are to guard the city and compensate for rest of the soldiers. During that time you will take on the duty Survey Corps soldiers."

Armin wasn't sure how to respond. We didn't get everything we wanted but… it is far better then what could have happened.

That was when he noticed Jean, Mikasa, Eren and Marco whispering, clearly deciding what to do. A small wave of relief washed over Armin. Whatever the decision at least it is one thing I will not be responsible for alone. I got us this far, you guys decide now. After about five minutes of heated discussion Jean turned around.

"We accept." The words were spoken harshly, almost like an insult. Armin winced in sympathy. Like Eren, Jean had a lot of pride. Bear with it. Give it a few months and I can get us out of this. Armin had no intention of letting his beloved friends be ruled by the army.