In less than a month, we found ourselves back in Trost on the day of the disbandment ceremony. We were told that some higher ups would be present for the ceremony, and that we had to make ourselves look presentable. Which lead me to giving last minute haircuts to Reiner, Bertholdt, Eren, and Armin in one of the least populated courtyards outside of the military headquarters in Trost. I did Armin first; his bowl cut was the easiest to maintain and keep how he liked it.

"Who do you think will be in the top ten?" asked Armin.

"I really don't care, but I hope Jean's not," I was working on Eren's hair at the moment, and he always moved his shoulders and head with him when he talked. I reached out and pinched his ear with my free hand.

"Don't move so much! If I mess up, you'll regret it, not me." When Eren leaned back in his chair, I ran fingers back through his hair and continued to snip the locks at the back of his head, "Besides, it shouldn't matter to you what happens to Jean."

"Okay, Mom, I got it."

Even though I couldn't see Eren's face, I could imagine him rolling his eyes in the same fashion he used to roll them at Carla, an expression he usually saved for Mikasa.

"You know, Eren, she could scalp you right know with those scissors, and then you'd have to go to the ceremony tonight with parts of your hair missing," Reiner chimed in.

"I don't think you know what scalping means," I walked around Eren in the chair to make sure his sides were even and then leaned down in front of him and started sniping his bangs, so they didn't fall so close to his eyes.

Bertholdt interrupted Reiner's response, "It feels odd that today is our last day as trainees."

"All things come to an end," sighed Armin.

"Yeah," Eren added. "But just imagine what we'll go on to do!"

"Eren!" I yelled. He moved his shoulders and head again in his enthusiasm, just as I was cutting one of the locks above his right eye. As a result, my cut went up farther than it should've, and at an angle, too. My eyes went wide, and I took a step back to look at it.

"What happened?" asked Eren worriedly, and I put a hand over my mouth while shaking my head.

Armin, Bertholdt, and Reiner walked around to stand next to me and look at him. Reiner laughed loudly, clutching his stomach while Armin and Bertholdt tried to keep a straight face.

"It could be worse," Armin offered in consolation, and Bert snickered.

"What happened?!" Eren started to stand, and I pushed him back down.

"It's alright, I can fix it. You're bangs will just be a little shorter than normal."

"Damnit, Alex," Eren grumbled.

I ignored him and set to work on trying to fix the mistake, while Reiner chastised him, "Hey now, she warned you about not sitting still. Don't get mad at her about it."

The boys continued to chat and bicker while I focused on fixing Eren's bangs, cutting the rest of the hairs to better match the messed-up piece, and then trying to sweep the bangs more to the sides to make it look better. This wasn't the only time I had messed up Eren's hair because he couldn't sit still, and it probably wouldn't be the last.

"You're next, Bertholdt," I announced, stepping back to let Eren out of the chair.

"Is it bad?" Eren asked, and I shook my head no.

Eren frowned at me, and turned to Reiner and Armin while Bert took his place in the chair, "Is it bad?"

"It could be worse, but it'd be better if you had sat still," Reiner replied while Armin nodded.

"Just don't mess mine up, please," Bertholdt joked and I rolled my eyes while starting to work on him.

"It's not like I can do any worse than Reiner used to."

"I was just defending you, you know. And besides, I tried my best. That's what matters."

Bert and I laughed, and I half listened to Armin and Eren trying to predict the top ten members. Bertholdt's and Reiner's hair were a lot easier to cut than Eren's and Armin's. Their preferred hair styles were much simpler, and after I had started dating Reiner and learned he and Bertholdt were cutting their own hair, I insisted I did it for them. I may not be an expert, but I had a little bit of experience cutting hair for Mikasa, Eren, and Armin, and even they could admit I did it better than them.

While I worked, I thought about what Bertholdt had said before. This was our last day as trainees. I had known it was coming for a while, but the realness of it was just starting to seep in. The friends I had seen every day for three years, I may not see again for a long time. I also hadn't decided on whether I'd follow Reiner to the military police brigade if I made the top ten or not. The idea of being separated from him left a bad feeling inside me, but I had joined the military with the intention of eventually joining the survey corps with Eren. Would it be right to forget that for Reiner?

The topic hadn't been mentioned between Reiner and I since the night we argued in the library, but I was sure he would bring it up again after the rankings were announced tonight. I wasn't completely convinced I would make the top ten, despite Reiner and Bertholdt insisting that I would. There was over two hundred people finishing training, so you had to be good to get in the top ten. I was often praised by the instructors during 3DMG training and got good marks in physical evaluations and in the classroom. Still, there was no guarantee.

As I ran my fingers through Bertholdt's hair, I announced that he was done, and motioned for Reiner to take his place after Bert stood up. Reiner's hair was the simplest to cut out of the four of them. He kept it too short to worry about styling it at all.

"You're being unusually quiet," commented Reiner, startling me. It was the first time he had spoken since he sat down. "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong. I'm just thinking." I didn't want to admit in front of them all how worried I was about not being in the same military branch as Reiner. "I was reminiscing. All of our friends might get split up in a few days."

"Yeah…" Reiner sighed, but was being especially careful not to move around so I wouldn't mess up his hair like Eren's. "Everything's going to change in the next few days."

Eren and Armin nodded and voiced their agreement, but Bert gave Reiner an odd look that I couldn't place the emotion behind. I wondered for a moment about what that meant, but Reiner and Bertholdt were lifelong friends. They often exchanged looks or words that I didn't understand the meaning behind, and I had come to accept that.

The disbandment ceremony was shorter than I expected it to be, and mostly consisted of Shadis lecturing us about the threat of the titans, focusing on the tragedy five years ago, ending with the rallying cry we had heard many times before.

"Dedicate your hearts!"

"Yes sir!" We yelled back in unison.

Another man stepped forward holding a small piece of paper in his hand, "Today, you all have completed your military training. I will now announce the ten who have achieved the top training results. Come forward if I call your name."

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the people around me start to get fidgety. There was almost 220 people graduating from the southern training squad, and almost all of them wanted a place in the top ten so that they could join the military police.

"At the head of the class, Mikasa Ackerman."

Of course she's number one, I thought to myself, half-proud half-jealous. As if anyone else had a chance.

"Second, Reiner Braun."

I watched Reiner walk out of line down the row from me towards the front with my peripheral vision. He walked confidently with a small smirk on his face, and I had to bite back my smile.

"Third, Bertholdt Hoover. Fourth, Annie Leonhardt. Fifth, Eren Yeager. Sixth, Alexandria Arlert."

I walked forward to take my place next to Eren, trying hard to keep a straight face in front of my superiors. After me, Jean, Marco, Connie, and Sasha were called, and he continued.

"After you leave here tonight, you will have three options. The Garrison, whose job is to enforce the walls. The Survey Corps, who ride out into Titan territory to reclaim what was once ours. The Military Police, who maintain law and order under the order of His Royal Majesty. Those who eligible to join the MP regiment have already been named. Please choose wisely."

The ceremony ended as soon as it began, and before long I found myself in a crowded room with my fellow trainee graduates. Dinner was over, and many were milling around the room conversing while nursing their drinks. I ended up leaning against the wall closest to the door with Samuel, Mina, Mikasa, Eren, Thomas, and Armin. Armin was the only one leaned against the wall with me, and we were carrying a conversation amongst ourselves.

"I can't believe Eren beat me out for the top five. I mean, I know he's worked his butt off, but so have I!"

Armin gave me an exasperated side eye, "Weren't you saying earlier that you'd be surprised if you made it into the top ten?"

"Yeah?"

"And now you're complaining you weren't in the top five?"

"It's not that I didn't make the top five, it's that Eren made the top five and not me," I glanced over at Eren and Mikasa, but they were paying more attention to their conversation with Samuel, Mina, and Thomas.

"Don't be like that," Armin nudged my arm. "Making 6th out of 220 cadets is really good, it doesn't matter who's number five. You should be proud. I'm proud of you."

He said the last part slightly softer than the rest, and I turned my head in time to see a slightly sad look cross his face.

"Were you upset about not making the top ten?" I asked.

"No, not really. I expected to not make it. I really don't have any wants to join the military police, and I knew that a lot of my physical and athletic scores were low, and those count more. But seeing you, Eren, and Mikasa all at the front…"

"I wouldn't worry about it. You were the top in the classroom. You'll still go on to do better things than the rest of us. I bet you'd be great as an engineer for the garrison."

Before Armin responded, both of our attentions were caught by Thomas, who had yelled suddenly, causing most of the room to look at him and Eren.

"Are you insane?" Thomas hesitated when he realized that he now had an audience but continued. "How many people have died? We're talking a fifth of the population. If that doesn't paint a picture for you, what will? This is our life now. We can't win."

The light and hopeful atmosphere had been sucked out of the room by Thomas' proclamation, creating a sorrowful feeling of dread around us all. Or maybe that feeling had always been there, and we had just gotten used to ignoring it? Everyone could guess what Thomas was talking about, and he didn't say anything we didn't already know.

However, if there was one person in the whole world that wasn't discouraged by helplessness, it was Eren. "Yeah? So what? We just take it all lying down?"

Sam and Thomas looked surprised by this response, and Thomas tried to speak, but Eren cut him off, "Things have changed since five years ago. Maybe not a hell of a lot, but enough. They're not the same mystery they were. There's still a long way to go, but we've made progress! Every battle we lose teaches us a new lesson and gave us the tiniest push toward something like hope. You're telling me it's better to cut our losses? Let all of that death and destruction be meaningless? Not on your life! Humanity's future lies behind the walls, and I'm going to clear the way. I'm going to take back what was once ours. As long as one of us can say that, we're not done."

Towards the end of his speech, tears started to form at the edges of Eren's eyes. Revenge and reclamation of his home was all Eren wanted, and it wasn't uncommon for him to get weepy while talking about it. Before being able to see his peer's reaction to his speech, Eren turned quickly and ducked out the door to avoid everyone seeing his tears fall.

Armin and Mikasa ran after him, and I followed too, but took the second to glance across the room to where Reiner was standing. I wanted to have a guess at what he thought of Eren's speech, although I knew he was already aware of Eren's stance on these things. I didn't expect to see him and Bert looking guilty. I kept following Mikasa and Armin and made a note to ask him more about it later.

When I got outside, Eren, was sitting on the cobblestone steps on the street outside the barracks, and Armin and Mikasa were taking seats on either side of him, Mikasa sitting slightly above him, Armin slightly below him. I could see how his face was swollen around his eyes from the crying. I followed their lead, and sat down on the same step as Mikasa, with my legs in between Eren and Armin.

"That was, uh, quite a speech you gave us all back there," Armin commented.

Eren leaned back slightly, resting his arms behind him, "Yeah, well, most of it was yours."

Armin and nodded, silent for a moment, and then blurted out, "I want to join the Survey Corps, too!"

"What?!" I sat up straighter. "But, Armin, you said yourself you weren't a fighter-"

"I know, but I'm through letting other people fight for me."

I wanted to protest more, but Mikasa spoke up as well, "I guess I will be joining the Scouts, too."

"No way," Eren looked up at her in disbelief. "You're the top of the class! You'd be wasting your shot!"

"Eren, understand this. Where you go, I go. I made a promise to your mother. I'm not letting you die," Mikasa kept look down at her feet, but I could see the serious and determined look on her face. "Whether you like it or not, I've got your back. So just deal with it."

"Yeah. Well, Mom's not here," Eren muttered, leaning his hand against his hand.

"A lot of people I used to care about are not here."

Eren sat up straighter at Mikasa's words, and Armin and I glanced to the side at her. We didn't say anything, but Eren knew to accept that.

"So, the four of us are doing this together then?" It was more of a statement than a question, but I felt the need to ask it anyway. "Just like three years ago?"

All three of them looked over at me with raised eyebrows, which was not the response I was expecting, "What?"

"Aren't you joining the military police with Reiner?" asked Armin.

Eren nodded, "That's where he said he was planning to go, him and Bertholdt. I thought since you made the top ten, you'd join the military police with them."

"He and I… talked about it," I admitted. "But we never really decided anything. My aim when we first joined the training corps was to join the survey corps. I did think about joining the military police with him, but I think your speech reminded me of why I wanted to join the survey corps, Eren."

Armin smiled up at me, and Mikasa and Eren nodded. Eren then leaned back to look up at the stars above Wall Rose, and the rest of us looked up too. It reminded me of when we were children and would look out at the night sky over Wall Maria, dreaming of what mysteries the stars could see beyond the wall that we couldn't.

The next day, the graduated members of the Southern Cadet's Corp were assigned duties around the Trost district, mostly work that was normally the Garrison's job. It was mostly busy work for us until we choose what branch we wanted to join. I was assigned to a group on the eastern side of the wall, with Reiner, Bertholdt and a handful of others I wasn't particularly close to. The only problem was it was ten minutes after our shift had started and Bertholdt still hadn't shown up.

"Are you sure you didn't see where he went?" I asked Reiner again, who was working on cleaning and reloading the canons with me. It was a rare occurrence that Bertholdt or Reiner didn't know where the other was, and Reiner's lack of concern was also odd.

Reiner grunted while he worked, "I've already told you, Alex, I haven't seen him since you last saw him, when he left breakfast early."

After a moment of silence between us, he sighed and continued, "Really, Alex, you shouldn't worry about everyone so much. It's not good for your health. If Bertholdt gets in trouble with the superiors then that's his problem, not yours. He more than likely went back to the barracks and accidently fell back asleep."

I nodded, knowing Reiner was probably right. It was more likely that Bertholdt was napping than hurt somewhere. But it was so unlike Bertholdt to be late or ignore his duties that I had trouble keeping myself from imagining the worst. So I forced myself to think of something else by changing the subject.

"You heard Eren's little speech last night, right?"

"Yeah. I wanted to talk to you about it, but I never saw you again after you went out the door with them."

"Oh, sorry. But I think Eren convinced me. What he said was exactly why I wanted to join the-"

My sentence was interrupted and forgotten thanks to a large booming sound toward the southern tip of the Trost district. My back was to the direction of the sound, but I froze in fear anyway. I had only heard that sound once before, but I'd had enough nightmares about it to remember and recognize it. After what felt like a lifetime but couldn't have been more than a second or two, I willed myself to turn around and confirm the source of the explosion. Standing on the other side of Wall Rose was the Colossal Titan, eye to eye with the cadets that were stationed at the southernmost part of the wall.

I heard one of the boys behind me start to yell, and all I could do was breathe out, "Maria, please, not again."

A/N: So, I'll be honest, I have no excuse for taking so long to update besides my lack of productivity this summer. Hopefully, I'll be better this semester. If you still follow this story, I appreciate your patience!