Graduation

Commander Keith Shadis stood before the 212 graduates of the 104th Southern Cadet Corps. He scanned them with his sunken eyes, a grim look upon his face as though considering how few would be alive in five years. They all stared forward, holding a military rest position as if they had been born to it. "Of those graduating into the military, only ten are eligible to join the Military Police. These ten are the finest cadets produced from this batch, which numbers two hundred and twelve.

"When I call your name, step forth so the good people you shall dedicate your hearts to may know your name and face!"

Eren glanced down the front ranks. Of the twenty standing at the front of their columns, every number of the coveted Top Ten was present. He had his own ideas of who they were, but nobody knew for certain—until now. Their trainers had held that information tight to their chest, despite attempts to bribe or cajole them into giving up the list.

"Number Ten: Krista Lenz of Wall Sina!"

The short blonde stepped forward, crossing the brief distance to a raised dais. Her hair, nearly waist length, swayed with each step she took. She came to attention once upon the dais and saluted, a fist over her heart. The crowd cheered for her, several wolf-whistles slipped within.

Eren personally suspected Ymir had fudged her scores to land her friend in the Top Ten, but there was no way to be sure. Krista had skill, her small size allowing her to move swiftly through the tests.

"Number Nine: Connie Springer of Ragako Village, Wall Sina!"

The buzz-cut boy stepped forward, a slight swagger as he joined Krista. He was among the names Eren expected for the Top Ten. He received some applause, including hollering from people likely from his village.

"Number Eight: Sasha Braus of Dauper Village, Wall Sina!"

There was a great deal of muttering from the onlookers as Sasha joined the two already named. From what Eren understood, people from Dauper weren't thought of highly—a feeling he knew all too well. Chances were, the people muttering agreed with the general sentiment.

"Number Seven: Marco Bodt of Jinae District, Wall Rose!"

The freckled boy made his way over to the three already called, a slight ripple of praise directed his way. There was a layer of scorn beneath, as if he was more worthy of their contempt than their admiration. Given he was a native of Wall Sina, Eren couldn't exactly fault them. It was tough enough for him to look someone like Marco in the eyes and wonder why he ever bothered with the military.

Though he's a better man than nearly us all.

"Number Six: Jean Kirschstein of Trost District, Wall Rose!"

Given their ceremony was being held at the parade grounds in Trost, the greatest amount of cheers yet met the announcement one of their own, born and bred, would be offered a post in the Military Police. Trost, from what Eren remembered, had provided roughly one in eleven of the cadets that made up their class upon enlistment.

"Number Five: Eren Jaeger of Shiganshina District, Wall Maria!"

Eren started forward to the sounds of gasps and silence. He was about halfway to the others when whispering broke out. It wasn't surprising, given how few survivors from his hometown, the unfortunate place breached, remained alive. He took pride in being from Shiganshina, and looked forward to the fighting required to reclaim his hometown.

He stood side by side with Jean and saluted proudly.

"Number Four: Annie Leonhardt of Wall Maria!"

Eren continued staring forward until she was beside him. The muttering that began with the announcement of his name got worse. He glanced over, green meeting blue with slight smirks.

"Number Three: Bertholdt Hoover of Wall Maria!"

Oh, that's true, isn't it, Eren realized, old memories crawling up. Bert and Reiner are from the same territory as us. That means the top five cadets hail from within Wall Maria.

I wonder where Annie's hometown is. She never told me.

"Number Two: Reiner Braun of Wall Maria!"

By now, the crowd had fallen deathly silent. It appeared to Eren that the old bias against those from outside of Wall Rose still existed, despite the years that had passed since the outer wall had fallen to the Titans.

"And the top trainee of the 104th South, Mikasa Ackerman of Shiganshina District, Wall Maria!"

Eren couldn't help but wonder what the crowd must be thinking, presented with talented soldiers from within the wall they had once detested and thought ill of. He remembered the months following the breach how many within Rose and even Sina viewed the Wall Maria refugees as parasites, and that those sent on the failed reclamation missions did the right thing and died instead of burdening the rest with their hungry mouths. Some had praised the king, sending them to die in the stomachs of Titans.

He forced away those old thoughts and memories so that he could bask in the fact that he and four others had proven them all wrong.

The festive mood in Trost's cadet mess hall oppressed Annie. She sipped from her mug, ignoring how tasteless the brew was. She glanced around at the people celebrating, at the toasts and the joy, and tried to hate them. Reiner had pulled her aside after the graduation ceremony and whispered, "Trost breach tomorrow."

She thought it immensely foolish to continue with the mission Marley had sent them to Paradis to complete. As far as Annie was concerned, the one who possessed the Founding Titan, heir to the king who built the Walls, had abandoned the Paradisians, despite the power he had. For all they knew, the Coordinate had fallen into the possession of some newborn Eldian child back in one of Marley's ghettos.

The mission was a wash. Marcel's death meant the Jaws Titan was lost. Eren Jaeger was explanation enough as to where the Attack Titan had been for over two decades. Yet the Founding Titan was still unaccounted for, if only in answering whom exactly had it. For whatever reason, the part of Reiner focused on the mission operated under the delusion whoever possessed the Founder's power would intercede if Wall Rose was breached.

Perhaps if I cared enough, I'd tell him not to bother. Then again, he hated the 'island devils' enough to go forward with breaching Wall Rose regardless. He would tell me the same, and ask if Eren has made me some devil lover.

Her blue eyes found Eren, who was caught up in preaching the virtues of the Survey Corps and fighting the Titan hordes. She wasn't worried about him—not enough to intercede concerning the coming day, though she suspected he might bring attention to himself, and to her.

Annie Leonhardt wasn't sure what she could do to lessen the coming bloodshed. If she betrayed Reiner and Bertholdt, she would march to the same execution block as them.

And so, heart heavy with fearful guilt, Annie told nobody that the breach of Wall Rose would come the following day.