Ein Riese, der Fliegen Wollte

Beginning of The End

The decree is posted in the center of town while everyone is at work. A few lines on a simple, unassuming piece of paper. Armin looks at it with trepidation.

ATTENTION

Previous Residents of Wall Maria are hereby required
to register with the Selective Service Order for the
possibility to join the Effort to Reclaim Wall
Maria at the end of this year.

Those under the age of 15, cripples,
women with a child or with weaning children,
active duty military, military recruits,
persons in essential government positions, and
citizens with permanent residence within Wall Rose or Sina for a minimum of 2 years prior to the Fall of
Wall Maria, will not be required to register.

Armin's frown deepens. According to the paper, he and Mikasa aren't required to join this Effort, but Eren...well he doesn't actually know how old Eren is, but he probably wouldn't be able to pass for fourteen anymore. He had filled out very well from the year or so of hard labor. He turns to Hannes, who is rereading the paper with a closed expression.

The look Hannes gives him is grim. "You're probably going to want to keep Eren busy tonight, Armin."

Armin looks at him. "Are you going to call a town meeting?"

Hannes gives a small, weak smile. "Unless the rest of the town suddenly became literate without my knowledge, yes."

He nods. Not many of the citizens were as proficient with reading and writing as the doctor, so it fell on his and a few others' shoulders to explain the posted words. Armin counts himself lucky that his grandfather was able to teach him before he died. It was a privilege that not many in the outer walls had.

"You don't want Eren to know, do you?" He asks, looking up at the man.

Hannes shakes his head. "Not yet. He's still hell-bent on joining the Survey Corps for goddess' sake, who knows what he'll do if he finds out about this. Kid would probably volunteer even if he didn't get drafted."

Armin nods grimly in agreement. Eren hasn't shown the best self-preservation instincts in the time they've known him. "He won't like it if we keep this from him."

"I know. Just...wait a few days? I want to make sure we break it to him gently. No sense in upsetting him." Hannes says.

Despite disliking the idea of lying to Eren, Armin has to agree with that. "Alright. But I'm telling Mikasa tonight..." he says trailing off when he sees it. His brow crumples in thought as he looks at the paper. It seems as though there's a rather obvious loophole; it could just be a simple matter of... "Hey Hannes..."

"What's going on in that devious little head of yours, Armin?" He asks, a hint of warning in his tone.

"It says that recruits don't have to go."

He doesn't need to explain further before Hannes's face shows his displeasure with the idea. "I thought the plan was to convince Eren not to join the Survey Corps."

Armin shakes his head "This changes things. If he doesn't join, he'll be required to join this." He gestures at the foreboding slip of paper. "If they're really leaving at the end of the year, then that means whoever's running it plans on giving the draftees practically nothing in the way of training." He presses his lips together in a hard line. "They'll be slaughtered. If Eren is adamant about leaving to kill Titans, I'd rather he train as a recruit for three years before he does."