Walking through the Eldian 'ghettos' wasn't fun. It wasn't supposed to be. It was a place of heavy oppression. Nothing would change that. The streets are empty even on holidays. Now and then children would come out and play, but seeing a guard scares them back inside for weeks. You can't blame them after everything they've witnessed from their windows late at night. It was a harsh world for Eldians.

The houses all sit in the same color on the dead and dreary street. You would expect it to look happier. The sun was shining overhead, only a couple of clouds in sight. It seemed like a perfect day. Birds singing sweet, sharp tunes. Though most were scared to come outside in the first place, people, or more than often, the men, had to work. It wasn't like anyone would help them out. People had to earn their keep or starve.

The streets would probably get busier with people running careful errands that afternoon. It was ration day as well, so maybe a bit earlier. People liked to get there as early as they could. If they didn't, there was a heavy chance of not getting anything, or getting spoiled and rotten food. The bread was always stale, but the further back in line you were, the less edible it became. The meat was scarce too. Dairy products are hard to get, usually costing extra just to get a good amount.

All of that wouldn't matter to Y/N soon enough. He walked down the sidewalk quietly, right towards those guarded gates. His hand holding his slip of paper as he kept his hands tucked into his jacket pockets. He pulled it out once he got closer. He wouldn't want to look suspicious, gripping something in his pockets and walking towards the guards. He stared at that paper, fingers twitching slightly as he let his eyes scan the words. This was his pass to slight freedom.

There was one escape for the Eldian children and young adults. A small, very unlikely one, though an option. Of course, it wasn't a complete escape. They would still be under control, but they would be slightly less oppressed. A bit more freedom from random beatings and other forms of violence pushed on them. The Warrior Candidates. Candidates are chosen every once in a while to inherit one of the stronger titans. Though the decision seems completely random, it clearly isn't.

And why do Eldians decide to do this? Why do they choose to be thrown into a war as a monster they don't want to be? Well, that just depends on the person. Some are forced by their family to try, others want to take their family away from their suffering. And some just want freedom, just want the power. The picking isn't random. The applications sent in, their appearance, it all matters in the long run.

For a child with no parents? Joining was all about having power. It might not be much, but power over anyone when your life had been under someone else's control for so long sounded amazing. Maybe that's what led Y/N to try and get chosen. Surprisingly enough, the young man was chosen. He hadn't actually expected this. Plenty of the other people trying looked so much fitter, so much more qualified. But he had gotten the slip of paper delivered to him. He was chosen.

He knew he'd have to train until one of the titan spaces opened up and they decided who to give it to, but he didn't mind. It got him out of the dingy place he was forced to call home. It was freedom. He would get to be seen as brave by some. And even gain some respect from his Marleyan superiors. What he really wanted to gain from this, however, was thoughts of his family being proud. They may have departed from the world, and he may never get to see them, bound to death by the curse of Ymir, but he didn't care. He wanted them to know he hadn't given up.

Seeing the other chosen candidates, however, almost made him just turn back. Or, the ones that lived in the area with other eldians at least. He knew there were more than the ones present. It wasn't hard to know their names either. Everyone knew just about everyone, especially if they were some of the only people brave enough to sit outside.

Annie Leonhart, an intimidating girl, despite only being nine. Her father openly taught her self-defense, and everyone knew she was strong. Bertolt Hoover was tall, for his age at least. Not very intimidating, however, just a sweet kid. He was friends with one of the Eldian families that lived outside of the ghetto, often seen leaving to go visit him. Pieck Finger was the final one, and she was simply known for being the peaceful one. She liked to negotiate, and talk things out instead of resorting to violent behavior.

Annie and Bertolt came off of the same street, while Pieck was already there, chatting with a guard. They all had their papers in their hands. It wasn't that he was scared of them. Well, maybe Annie. She could probably snap his arm if she really wanted to. It was mostly because they all seemed like such good candidates. Their personalities seemed to compliment each other.

But, he continued his way to the gate and the guards, forking over his paper. When the other two got there, they did the same. After some time of the guard analyzing things, he let the group of four through. They walked quietly, none of them seemed in the mood to speak. Perhaps nervous. Y/N adjusted his armband as they walked to the place they were instructed to go.

The other four candidates waited for them with their escorts. They were new faces, all strangers to Y/N. Bertolt seemed to know one of the blondes, however. It seemed that must be the friend he was always leaving to visit. They didn't take long to get moving again, just a quick headcount and name check from the escorting man. They were led into a building just a few minutes away, led back to a small dingy room. A few chairs and crates were scattered around.

Some of them started a conversation while they all found a seat, the door closing behind them. This was probably the most interaction most of them got if they were from the Eldian area. Having friends was pretty pointless because of guard brutality against some of the kids. So it was understandable when most of them clicked together as friends fairly easily.

Y/N sat in his seat, crossing his legs and ducking his head down, staying silent as some of them talked. The only one completely silent besides him was Annie. But she had always seemed like the strong but silent type. He had just been taught that silence is the best option when you're met with a new situation. Gives you time to survey your surroundings and any danger that may be possible. It also gives more time to listen in on things about the others.

It didn't take long for the group to get tired of that. Zeke cleared his throat, adjusting his glasses. "How about we do some introductions? It'll be an icebreaker for all of us, instead of breaking off into small groups and talking to each other separately. After all, we'll be working together soon enough. I can start." Y/N peeked up from his lap. Zeke was a tall man, circle glasses with silver frames, and blonde hair. There were a lot of blondes in this group of people. He was well built, and Y/N had a hard time believing that he was new to the warrior program.

"My name is Zeke Jaeger. I am sixteen, and I have been training for quite a few years to inherit the Beast Titan. We won't be training long together. It is expected that I'll receive the titan sometime next year. But I will still be watching over all of your progress. I hope we can all develop a close and trusting relationship." His hair was nice, wavy, and blonde. Clean, almost shiny. Considering that he said he had been training for years, he probably came from a privileged Eldian family.

His eyes were nice. A grey-blue color, with the shine of intelligence in them. He had a small stubble on his chin. Seemingly growing a beard. Overall, he looked like a perfect example of a person, of a warrior. The way he talked was gentle, but also professional. With the way he spoke, it was more than likely that he'd become like an older brother to everyone here.

One of them raised a hand. His hair was dark brown and he sat up straight. He looked a little stuck up, maybe mean. Y/N expected him to be rude, however, when he started talking, he didn't seem horrible. More so just assertive of who he was. "I'm Marcel Galliard. I'm twelve years old and I'm going to become the next jaw titan. It's my right after all, and I'm willing to put in the hard work. Porco is my younger brother. He's going to be training right next to me."

Porco's hair was a lighter brown color, almost a dirty blond. He looked like a haughty kid, and when he started speaking, it was obvious he wasn't going to get along well with Y/N. "You hear 'em! I'm Porco Galliard, ten years old but I could take any of you in a fight. Except maybe Zeke. I'm sure I could do it. I will inherit a titan just like my brother. Probably the Armoured Titan, but I'm not picky." Y/N had to keep himself from laughing. Porco didn't look like much, and he seemed to underestimate everyone in the room.

Annie could probably take down anyone in the room. There was no doubt she could easily overpower Porco. He'd have to see that someday. If he was going to talk big, the least he could do was try and keep that promise and actually take them all on. Y/N would bet money on him losing to all of them.

The boy that Bertolt had gone to when they first arrived raised his hand, signaling his turn next. He cleared his throat. He could be compared to Zeke when it came to hair color. They looked like they could be related. More than Porco and Marcel. "I'm Reiner Braun. I'm ten, but I'll be eleven soon enough! I'm really hoping to inherit a titan and bring my family lots of pride in me. So, I won't hold back! I'm going to compete to inherit a titan, just like all of you."

Y/N watched him as he spoke. The younger looked so enthused by the idea. He seemed to have something to prove to that family of his. Sad that some of the kids from Eldian descent felt they had to put their lives on the line to be seen. His eyes were a hazel color. It looked nice, though they had an almost saddened look in them, opposing the look on Reiner's face.

Y/N was pulled away from his thoughts by a sharp elbow prodding his side. His eyebrows furrowed and he looked over at Annie. Her nose was different from most peoples'. It was the only thing Y/N took note of when he had first met her. Her blond hair was held back in a messy bun, those side pieces hanging down and framing her face. She was pretty for a nine-year-old.

"I'm Annie Leonhart. I'm nine, and I will become a titan shifter." She spoke so bluntly as if she just wanted to get it over with as if it were pointless. He wondered what went through her head to make her so cold on the outside. He also wondered why she had nudged him so hard. It still stung a bit, and she hadn't even given a reason. He brushed it off though, rubbing his side for a moment, looking to the next person.

Raising her hand next was Pieck. She still had the dreamy, sleepy expression on her face. It was cute in a way, but it also made her look like she needed a nap. Hopefully, she would be more productive than she looked. Her voice was sweet, soft, but loud enough to hear. It was peaceful to listen to. Her hair was messy but it looked almost nice, down around her face and shoulders. It matched her carefree attitude fairly well.

"I'm Pieck Fingers. Yes, fingers, like the things on your hand. I'm fourteen, So compared to all of you I'm much older. Zeke is way older than me though. It's nice you all are close in age though, you'll get along way better. I just think whoever is the best should get the next available titan shifting ability. So let's all be fair to each other and do our best."

And then there was one more. Bertolt seemed a bit anxious to introduce himself, but Reiner set a hand gently on his shoulder, as if in reassurance to the timid boy. Bertolt was actually pretty plain-looking with his brown hair and eyes. He was taller than the others his age though.

"I'm Bertolt.. Um, Hoover, Bertolt Hoover, and I'm ten. I'm trying for the same thing you guys are, but I'm not going to look at it as a contest. Just an opportunity. I want to help you guys become friends. Even if one of us gets picked to be a shifter instead of another." He was kind it seemed, trying to be sweet and offering his help, making sure they all knew he was there for them. It was important to have one of those types of people. Usually, the weakest link, building you up until you're above them and they don't even realize.

Y/N received another nudge in the side by that strong, bland blonde. He gripped her elbow in his hand, sitting up straight from his slumped position, glaring at the young girl, who in return gave him a bored look. "It's your turn to speak. You can do that can't you? Instead of staring at everyone as if you're studying your prey."

He rolled his eyes and pushed her elbow away, moving his hands onto his knees. "My name is Y/N. I'm twelve, just recently. I'm joining because I don't have anything better to do and no one to lose. But I'd rather die like a badass titan in thirteen years instead of dying in a random trench." He offered a small half-smile until he realized a few of the other boys were staring at him as if he were crazy. Specifically, Reiner, Marcel, and Porco. "What? Did I say something wrong? You three are staring at me weirdly. It's really intense and I suggest you speak up."

And speak Reiner did, loud and proud about his principles, unshared by Y/N. "You should be doing this for Marley, not for yourself! It's all for bringing glory to our land and our families. What you're saying is just selfish!" Reiner Braun seems he's an annoying patriot. Y/N crossed his legs and shrugged, causing Reiner's eyes to widen even more. "How could you-"

"Calm down Reiner. Your voice is getting a bit too loud. You wouldn't want to lose your chance at training, would you?" Zeke set a hand on the smaller boy's shoulder, offering a reassuring smile. Reiner reluctantly nodded. "As for you, Y/N was it? If you're going to speak like that, the least you could do is decide if you have the right audience."

"I was just introducing myself the same way all of you did. What am I supposed to say? In return for my family being hanged and beaten to death, I will proudly defend the Marley government and bring pride to the empire that executed my family and forced me to live alone at the age of seven? That just sounds fake. And I never said I wasn't going to defend Marley. Just said that if I'm going too, I want to be more useful than the eldians that are sent to dig trenches and die." He shook his head.

"If you guys aren't the right audience, then I suppose there is no reason for these introductions. We just have to know each other's fighting styles. Getting to know each other any further than that is pointless. Because we don't all have the same morals, and obviously it's going to cause some disputes." He shot Reiner a small glare

"Let's not fight.. We want to make a good impression. Any of us could be replaced if we cause issues." Bertolt said, his voice quiet as if scared to speak up. Zeke and Pieck agreed with him, while Porco glared and Marcel looked annoyed. Reiner was also glaring, which made sense considering he started the nonsense defensive attitude in the first place. Annie seemed like she could care less. The room stayed tense for most of their waiting period, though Zeke easily started a conversation with the calm ravenette.

Y/N was impatient, unable to sit still. He constantly adjusted in his spot. He was starting to feel anxious. He just wanted to get out of this room. He had already looked over everything, and now there was nothing to do. Or so he thought. Annie flicked his shoulder. Better than a sharp elbow to the side at least. He looked over and raised an eyebrow slightly, only to have her dangle a deck of cards in front of his face.

"You seem antsy. We could play while we wait, so you don't focus on whatever is making you anxious." She shrugged and got the cards out, getting up while shuffling them in her hands. She found an empty crate and pulled it between their chairs, crisscrossing her legs and dealing out the cards. She wasn't as bad as the others. Maybe a little rough around the edges, but she seemed to have good intentions. A kind heart under a rough exterior. He took the cards and listened as she explained the rules. And then, they played.

He wasn't sure how much time went by, but he and Annie didn't have a terrible time. They eventually started talking, moving further away from the rest so that it could be just them bonding. It was nice, and even Annie cracked a few small smiles as they joked and wasted time. A friend found it in less than two hours. Y/N was almost disappointed when a door opened and a man stood there, calling their names. A role call. Once they all were accounted for, they were asked to line up, oldest to youngest, and then follow the male.

They walked down a dimly lit, narrow hall, taking a few turns before another door was shown. Light peaked through small cracks in the door. It seemed they would be headed outside. That'd be nice, maybe they'll jump right into training.

When the door opened, they were met with another room. It had doors in it as well, though it seemed to be an office. The light had been coming from large windows behind the desk. They were ushered in, taking a seat in front of the desk, while the man walked around and sat in his chair.

"The wait was long, but now you all can begin your journey to becoming warriors for Marley. First things first, examination for physical health. We don't need any of you dropping dead from disease or something. Especially don't need you spreading it to other, more important people." He tapped the desk with his finger for a moment. "When the nurse gets here, you'll be taken behind the curtain in the corner. She'll have you undress for her and check everything that needs to be checked."

Y/N made a small face, looking down to his hands that rested in his lap. Undressing in front of a woman, behind a curtain that would still show his silhouette didn't seem like something he would want to do. He understood the need of course, but that doesn't mean he has to like it. One of the doors received a knock and the man called for the person to come in, lighting a cigar. The nurse came in with her small tray of examination tools and took Zeke back first.

Being the third oldest meant Y/N was third in line. It was an uncomfortable situation, even if the nurse had done nothing wrong. She did her job and gave him a warm smile at the end of it. He seemed to be in perfect health, though she suggested gaining more weight. It'd help with energy in her explanation. He thanked her and sat back in the room, keeping slouched in his chair to avoid the smoke being produced. Damned Marleyians can't even take their smoke outside. No one had anything wrong with them, though she did come around and give all of the warrior candidates a shot. Meant to boost their immune system.

They were ushered off again. A brief run-through of their schedules was given to them. They were expected to remember it. They were all the same, aside from their schooling times. First, the nine-year-old Annie and all the ten-year-old boys would learn together, While Marcel, Pieck, and Y/N had lunch. Zeke would have a break at this time, a chance to freshen up or nap if he chose to. Then the youngsters got their break, and Marcel, Pieck, and Y/N got their schooling. Zeke would be allowed to eat lunch at this time. And finally, Zeke does his schooling, the younger warriors get their lunch, the young teen and preteens get their break. Then they all joined together for an hour jog.

Most of the schedule surrounded exercise. Which made sense, considering their future jobs. They woke up early and did an hour of stretching, thirty minutes of breathing exercises, and a thirty-minute run. Then they got to go shower and get dressed, giving all of them an hour to do so. They'd either have to take extremely quick showers, or share, as there were only three showering rooms for their use. After they did that, they'd clean the room and bathroom. Only after that was done and examined would they get their breakfast. A harsh start to the morning. But, a good one nonetheless.

As they were taken to their room, the guard explained how things were set up. The girls would take the bunk beds in the corner, provided with a barrier for when they need to change. They all got a drawer from the two dressers supplied. Besides Annie and Pieck, they were expected to match up. It was suggested that they go to sleep as soon as their things were delivered and put away. But for the time being, they were left alone. Marcel and Porco paired up as bunkmates, as did Reiner and Bertolt. That left Zeke and Y/N.

"You can have whichever bed you want. I don't think it matters much. Unless you're a bed wetter. Then you should be sleeping on the bottom bunk, that way the piss doesn't seep through the mattress and drip onto me. That'd be disgusting and I'd prefer not to experience it. Oh, and if you roll off the side. I don't want to wake up to a child with a broken arm."

"I'll take the top bunk then." He mumbled, seeing Annie pull herself up to the top bunk and make sure the bed up there was neat. That influenced his decision slightly. They were on the same wall of the room, so they could talk quietly if they wanted to. They could probably even go over to each other's beds with little noise if they wanted to also. That's just how close the beds were to each other. A barrier wouldn't do much good if Y/N was a pervert. But he wasn't, so the two girls didn't have much to worry about.

A small round table was supplied in the middle of the room for all of them to sit, supposedly have their breakfast and dinner as well. Marcel and Porco sat on their bottom bunk, talking to each other about their day. Reiner and Bertolt were talking about that as well, but mostly about their future as warrior candidates. Zeke had pulled a book out of his inner coat pocket, laid back on his bed, and reading intently. Pieck was sleeping, which was surprising considering the chatter going on around her. Or maybe she was faking?

Annie held up the cards after snapping her fingers to get Y/N's attention. He had been checking his sheets, making sure there weren't any bugs or stains that would be hard to sleep on. He looked over at her and shrugged, pointing to the table and raising an eyebrow. The blonde-haired girl nodded and got down from her bed, taking a seat at the table. Y/N followed her lead soon enough, sitting across from her and starting their game. They played a few rounds and talked until their bags got dropped into their room.

They all got them passed to the correct owner, and folded their clothes, putting them neatly in their drawers, two at a time to avoid anyone hitting each other by accident. Any other items they had brought with them got tucked into the drawer with the clothing, or else it would have to stay in the bags and get taken away. Y/N put his hygiene products away with his clothes, but that was just about all he had. A small sack of coins that he had earned over the years, but nothing more.

The only clothes left out were the ones they were meant to sleep in. The girl's closed the barrier around the bed and got dressed. Changing around people, especially this group, left Y/N feeling agitated. He wished they had more privacy. But, he just got it over with, changing clothes quickly. He was the first of the boys done, quickly crawling into bed and covering his face with the blankets. He pretended to fall asleep right then. If he hadn't, Zeke would have confronted him about the behavior. He'd probably do that tomorrow.

The lights shut off once most were in bed. Zeke made sure everyone was comfortable and tucked in. Like Y/N had guessed, he acted like a caring older brother. The light chatter started, but not long after it quieted down, and breathing evened out as people fell asleep. Y/N couldn't fall asleep that easily. He was up for hours that night, thinking about the training they would do, and thinking about what all of them would eventually become.

Titan shifters in a war against many places. Including a small island called Paradis. Y/N had mixed thoughts on that island. He had heard the stories since he was young. It wasn't hard when so many people liked to retell it. But once he was home, tucked into bed, his father would tell him a different version. A version where Marley was the bad guy who forced their country to suffer, dragging others down into despair with it.

According to his father, Paradis was filled with innocent people that hadn't killed anyone for years. They didn't have any reason to, secluded on the island with titans attacking and ruining their lives now and then. Y/N wondered if his father had ever been to Paradis. It was highly unlikely. But he spoke of their innocence so passionately, talked about how peace was possible and that they were level-headed people.

It was too bad that people heard him talking about it. Y/N blamed himself for that. He shouldn't have asked about it until they were in the safety of their home. SHouldn't have asked his father about the innocent devils. Shouldn't have asked if they could do anything to help them. He sighed and closed his eyes tight, curling up before laying on his back, watching the ceiling.

Enough of thinking about that. He needed to think about the future. Think about how to stay alive. How to look out for no one but himself. He didn't have time to dwindle on his life in the path. His father would want him to continue forward, to pave a path he'd be proud of. He'd make him proud no matter what. Even if they never met again, he just wanted him to know he had tried for him. Tried for his mom. Tried for his older sister. Everything was for them. For him. His eyes fell shut and he drifted into a dreamless sleep.