Facing the new recruits, a tall man with a hardened face and an aggressive gaze steps forward, his hands clasped behind his back. His voice resonates with authority.

"My name is Keith Shadis, and I'm the drill instructor who's going to kick you to bits! You're not soldiers, you're a bad joke, a bunch of scum from the seediest corners of these walls! You were brought here to see if any of you are good for anything other than shitting your pants at the sight of a Titan! Your duty, you bunch of morons, is to stop being useless parasites, become living weapons, and, if necessary, die screaming for a humanity that won't even remember you. So brace yourselves, because I'm going to break you, crush you, and hopefully rebuild you into real soldiers! Welcome to hell, you fucking maggots!"

said Drill Instructor Keith Shadis, pacing, looking at the other recruits and passing others he said had already seen horrible things or experienced inexplicable moments just by looking at their faces. Some young men tense. Others are already trembling. Among them, three recruits stand firm. Their gazes are cold, trained.

Reiner Braun: the largest of the group. He presents himself as a humble country boy, but his gaze is that of a soldier. Annie Leonhart: rigid gaze and relaxed posture, showing no fear. Bertholdt Hoover: silent, almost invisible. But attentive to every detail. Always behind Reiner... and watching Annie out of the corner of his eye.

They simply stared straight ahead, saluting the flag. But neither you nor anyone else knew that this was, in fact, a false loyalty.

(You can respect canon or make this an AU)