Disclaimer: I only own Seffra and Jonah (and the dreams that spawned this story)

Chapter 6: Cages, Trials, and a Lease oh my

A cage. A fucking cage. They had placed her in a damn fucking cage!

Seffra knew that this place was actually referred to as a jail cell but there were bars, no windows, and she was given basic scraps for food. She felt like a dog that was to be put down for fucking sake!

The manacles on her wrists did give her enough leeway to walk the back end of the cell, but only a little. She'd been down here for was she estimated to be a minimum of three days, assuming that she was being given two meals (if one could call them that) a day and the guards changed shifts three times a day.

She hadn't seen Mike since she had been placed down here. From what she had heard when the doorway was open, it seemed that the guards didn't agree that he needed to be down there. He was given proof that she was still alive by the mere fact that she would randomly yell and curse at the guards to keep from going crazy being in a cage.

Today's shift held one of her favorite guards. This one she had managed to bite in the arm, drawing a decent amount of blood before they had secured her to the wall. He still flinched when she grinned, revealing the teeth that had dared to injure him.

Let's just say she made him realize she knew his small flicker of fear in a subtle way.

"Hey, Flinch, when the fucking hell am I being let out of this goddamn cage?"

And cue the flinch.

"You will keep silent. Degenerate like you are an eyesore and should know better than to speak to your betters."

Maybe she should have bitten harder cause this guy was obviously in need of a lesson on manners, like a disobedient pup.

"Didn't you know, I'm new to this place? The only thing I know is how easily it is to slice something's throat and to tear off heads of things over four times my size. You are barely taller than me so it would actually be a simply thing to do."

She pretended not to notice the adams apple quiver from a gulp and the way the man's skin turned pasty.

Content in having made her point, Seffra settled back onto the rough cage bed and decided to take a nap. It took her mind off how filthy she was. The odor would alone would attract Titans like she was wearing a big 'Eat Me' sign and Titans were literate. She hated smelling bad, no matter what that fucking shorty though of her.

-AoT-

It was another two days before the cage door opened.

Seffra opened an eye to see Mike at the entrance, walking towards woman and securing her for moving. She didn't even struggle, settling to smirk at the guards simply because she knew her lack of aggression would rub them the wrong way.

As they walked down the stone corridor, the red head glanced up at her taller escort. The blonde man appeared to be a normal, serious soldier at first glance, but Seffra still remembered how he had sniffed her back in her territory. Apparently this was strange by human standards but she had seen animals smell each other to familiarize themselves with new things so she just ignored it.

Still, at least she didn't have to worry about any snide comments unlike Shorty or listen to this 'girl' talk that Hange seemed to want to have. This silence was just fine. After growing up without it and then living without it again the past year, she had no issue with just keeping silent. Plus, there was no creep factor with being stared at with this guy.

Still, she didn't want to imagine what was about to happen. Now she'll see just how this gamble will play out. Will she (and therefore Erwin cause she will not be the only one to pay if this failed, maybe she could remove a leg or two from the Shorty as well before she was surrounded) die or will Erwin manage to convince this pigs that she was an asset.

-AoT-

She was so going to kill someone, whether this worked or not. She was being placed on a pedestal in the middle of a small fenced area, mocked as her handcuffed hands were secured by the tall stake behind her. It was like she was some animal to be gawked at.

An older gentleman entered and sat down in a chair at the table before her. He glanced at the papers set before him before starting to speak.

"Now that we're all here, we can begin the trial."

Where is that Shorty? And that Erwin?

She glanced around and noticed the Shorty and the rest of the Survey Corps behind a fence to the left. More soldiers were behind other fences in similar uniforms with different emblems. Those must be the other types of soldiers that Jonah mentioned, Garrison and Military Police.

"Seffra Lyall. I am Generalissimo Darius Zackly. I must say that it is this will be a first for me, to try someone not of our military branches and from beyond the Wall. However, the sole right to pass judgment on you rests in my hands, so it would be wise to behave yourself."

There was no hiding the scoff Seffra let escape from her throat.

"That right lies in the hands of whatever fucking god thought fit to bring me to life. If he or she decides I'm to die, you'll merely be the tool used to bring that about. Don't delusion yourself into thinking your high standing means a damn thing in the real fucking world. A wolf will still rip your throat out, no matter your position so don't talk to me about fucking right to judgment."

Murmurs filled the room as the people commented on her stupidity to talk back.

Zackly didn't appear angry though but intrigued at the gall of this woman.

"Indeed, if this were the world beyond the Wall. But we are not in that world where such laws are the ruling power."

Seffra just shrugged.

"If you died in the Walls, your corpse still stands a chance of getting eaten by carrion birds. Your idea of safety is merely an illusion that the Titans shattered years ago and will shatter again once you become complacent."

"Are you saying the Titans are going to breach the Wall again!?" A different man called out. This one, had dark hair, eyes, and facial hair. His military emblem had some warped horse.

"You must be more ignorant than I thought if you couldn't tell that the big muscled Titan possessed intelligence, as did its smaller sprinting partner. They had a plan then and could very well have one now. Maybe if you lived a few years outside your little play pen you'd actually be capable of thinking of this on your own. Such things aren't completely unknown in the real world, idiot. I'm not even going to waste my breathe explaining this to someone not worth my respect."

And to finish off her comment, Seffra turned her head away from the still composed man and went back to staring at the old man.

"These are things that may be brought up at another time. Right now, the matter at hand is what to do with you, Ms. Lyall. An unknown existence that had somehow gained access to beyond the Wall-"

"Can't you even get your damn facts right? I've never lived within your fucking Walls. I've always lived beyond them, only coming within the one you lost to the Titans after it fell. I grew up in the lands you fear, got it? Don't lump me as some rebellious human who just left."

Again, the old man didn't appear frazzled.

"We did have that information as stated by Commander Erwin Smith, but given your mentioned temperament-"

Why did she feel insulted?

"-You were most likely to disclaim facts that were not truth and the court needed to hear it from you."

So he tricked her. Fucking old man.

"Knowing the importance of your knowledge, we now can begin the trial that will decide where you will be placed. With the Military Police or the Survey Corps."

He nodded towards the dark haired man, "We shall let the Military Police start us off."

"Chief of the Military Police Nile Dok, reporting. We believe that secure lock up and disposal of Seffra Lyall, once we have extracted all useful information from her. This conclusion came about due to the nature of her origins. Should it become known that life outside the Walls exists and is possible, we could very well face panic and rebellions among the people. We can prevent any issues occurring should we immediately lock her away from society and be able to secure that knowledge without fear of the discovery of her existence."

His eyes coldly looked in her direction, but Seffra felt like he was actually looking through her.

"The royalty are keeping out of this as they do not yet see her as a threat to their lands. However, despite our attempts these past few days, no information could be gleamed about her apart from one from interesting fact. We discovered that six years ago, a member of the Survey Corps named Jonah Dyer was written as MIA and later KIA. We have now discovered that this man has actually been alive until a year recently. His remains were recently returned to his family, with the statement that he died a year ago of an illness, hinting that Seffra helped him survive for five years. Her access to resources and information on Titans is invaluable but she is too unknown to be trusted."

"She is an abomination and should be struck down immediately."

Seffra glanced over to where the new voice had spoken from. This man was different from the rest, mainly from the outfit which wasn't the same uniform as the rest of the men. This one was more like a weird dress robe that she had found in some lady's closet.

"She brings discord and wishes the destruction of our Walls!"

"Actually, I couldn't give a howl about your dumb Walls. I have better things to do than worry about those eyesores."

She wanted to laugh at how red the dress man's face was turning but she was not such a petty person.

"Thank you for your statement Pastor Nick, but this debate is between the Military Police and Survey Corps. The Survey Corps may now state their right to claim." This was followed with a nod to Erwin.

"Yes, Sir. 13th Commander of the Survey Corps, Erwin Smith, reporting."

So now, let's see exactly Erwin has up his sleeve that he is so confidant will help him win.

"Seffra Lyall has knowledge and resources that can help the Survey Corps. With her vast experience living among Titans and evidence that she taught another to survive for five years out there, her abilities stand to increase not only the Survey Corps survival percentage but also increase our chances of successfully taking back Wall Maria. That is it."

…..what? That is it? That is his big plan? Wasn't Levi supposed to do something that convinces these idiots? Unless he was suicidal and wanted a means of going out without having his name discredited.

"Thank you, Commander. Seffra Lyall, I now have some questions to ask of you."

She only stared back at the old man.

"Do you hate humanity? Does any part of you desire our death or consider the Titans actions against us just?"

Really? Nothing was making sense anymore. This was what Jonah had sacrificed his life to keep her from and some part of her desperately wished he was here to help her understand just what was happening.

Still, she would just have to act as always. If nothing, she would go out with her head held high.

"Do you want the honest truth or just some bullshit that you humans seem to conjure up?"

"The truth would be appreciated."

Deep breathe Seffra.

"You want the truth. The truth is that almost seven years ago I wouldn't have even blinked if you all died off. Part of me still doesn't give a fuck. You all are nothing more than ignorant humans who have kenneled yourself off for the Titans to freely wait until the next time you grow cocky and show you just where you stand in this world. Nothing more than sheep to be consumed when they have the chance, because your all nothing more than fucking cowards that have grown complacent and arrogant in your self-assured safety. You want to stick me in a cage, study and torture me? Go ahead, cause nothing you do could compare to what I endured growing up, against creatures that were far more dangerous and competent at taking me down. So you can all go and fu-Gugh!"

Choking! Choking! Why can't I breathe? Something is suffocating me!

"I have a passing thought of scrubbing your mouth with soap. Now I believe that you need a fucking muzzle to keep the crap from coming out of your mouth."

She felt her identification tag tug against her throat and slowly move as the voice she instantly knew but wanted to imagine was someone else anyway. But wishes ignored, Shorty Soldier aka Levi appeared in her vision, gloved hand gripping her tag, having it cut into her throat. By the time he was almost in front of her, the tag was not so much choking her as it was pulling her forward away from the pole though she had to tilt her head more to compensate the lack of maneuverability in her arms.

"Instead of a cage, all that is needed to keep a mongrel in line is to leash it and train it to bark only when its master demands it."

Okay, just because this was now starting to sound like the plan that had been hinted before. Seffra knew that this had to be what Erwin was banking on, but that didn't mean that she was going just going to let Levi do what he wanted if he was going to keep referring to her as a pet.

"I'm not a fucking dog."

His face was impassive, but Seffra swore that his eyes were smirking. That was when she saw it. He hadn't just been speaking figuratively but literally. Attached to her tag was a metal chain, the other end wrapped around Shorty's hand.

Seffra couldn't stop the growl rising in her throat. It was like the fucking bastard was gloating over the power he held over her, the chain pulling her head up and towards him, jolting her from her kneeling position. He was forcing her to either bare her throat in submission or choke on her identification tag (she refused to call it a collar, though it seemed like one in this situation).

"Submit, mutt."

She would make him bleed one day. She swore it.

Her pride or her life. Those were the two things were the scales here, as everyone watched to see the result of these two colliding personalities and what the result would be. If she kept her pride, then she may very well be tortured and die a pointless death. If she submitted now, before everyone, then she may instead live and continue to see just what was it about humanity that Jonah was willing to risk death for.

Goddamn it.

Eyes closed.

-AoT-

"Seffra!"

Once again she was choking, though these circumstances were different but no less unpleasant. Hange's arms were tight around her neck, cutting off oxygen from her head.

"I'm so happy that you are still alive, or at least as alive as someone who is with a group that could die at any expedition but still alive and with us. Now we can gossip about Titans at any time, during meals, I can share all my Titan research with you and you can share yours with me and together we may be able to catch even more Titans for study!"

"Shitty-eyes, we didn't go through all of this just for your fucking actions to kill the bitch before we get results."

Hange jumped back, letting Seffra breath only to stumble when a bag was thrown at her face.

"These are your clothes, Bitch. Get a fucking bath, I feel filthy just standing feet from you."

"Levi, you shouldn't be so rude. It isn't Seffra's fault that she was kept in a jail cell and unable to bathe." Hange frowned.

Seffra took to glancing at the strange uniform in the bag. One she had known for years yet never thought she would have to wear.

A hand rested on her shoulder. The woman glanced up, seeing ice blue eyes staring down at her.

"Welcome to the Survey Corps, Seffra Lyall. Now you can decide for yourself if humanity, this group of people is worth the risk you took."

Right.

Taking a deep breath, Seffra stared forward at the duo.

'Well, Jonah, I hope that humanity proves to be worth all this.'

TBC…..

A.N. Alright, yes the trial is similar to Eren's trial. Mainly because the characters present would have been in their positions at the time and their strategy was a smart one. However, Seffra isn't Eren with his regenerative ability to grow back knocked out teeth. I am hoping that the means that Levi used to prove superiority over Seffra are within his character. I actually broke my buying series in order for Attack on Titan so I can get the proper volumes with the characters present and better grasp their personality and speech patterns.

Now, special thanks to the following for Favorite/Following this story:
SugarLandBabyGirl
Shadow the Ranger
fruitful
DaRk-SnOw-FlOwEr24
animefangirl0219
Demithechipmunk
kolulu100
Pokemon-Ranger-Aiko

Thank you LockFlower for the compliment and I hope this chapter meets your expectations.

Aniqa1234, I really appreciate the compliment and in regards to changing anything from canon, there will be the obvious differences due to Seffra's presence. While it will be a while before things even get to the Female Titan arc and after, I haven't been planning on altering things that much because the pain these characters experienced was what allow them to grow and learn in ways that we respect and love them for. Depending on the released chapters between now and when I do get to that point and the information we are given on the Titans origins may mean that my writing branches off from what the manga goes. I would like to keep using my theories at that point unless they're close enough that I may alter them without losing what I'm writing. I hope that answers your question.

Next Chapter:

She couldn't believe this. He couldn't be human. Was no one in this group human? This level of desire for something couldn't be normal.

Seffra could not believe what she was being made to do. This had nothing to do with Titans or humanity.

'Jonah, just what am I doing here?'

"Less brooding more cleaning, Mutt."

Would removing his manhood be so bad? He didn't need to the ability to reproduce to fight Titans right?

Seffra made a note to ask Hange or Mike later.