The ride was tense and uncomfortable, none of the three of them wanting to say anything. Though, eventually Colette did fall into boredom and ended up grumbling snarky comments for most of the ride, which the two soldiers attempted to ignore. Finally one just told her to shut up and she told him to go feed himself to a Titan, which then disintegrated into an argument about whether or not all the Survey Corps members did was become Titan food. Remembering Dave, Colette gave the soldier a murderous look and told him to go screw himself, and after that both soldiers shut up and were on edge from that point on from the look on her face and the tone of her voice.

Once they arrived at... Wherever it was they were now, somewhere inside Wall Sina she guessed, she was promptly dragged out of the stagecoach none too gently. Glaring at the soldier, she growled "Don't touch me." and followed one of the other soldiers that had arrived to escort her.

Really, did they seriously need eight soldiers to deal with one captive? She was strong, but without weapons and with her hands bound, she probably couldn't even take on three. Paranoid idiots, she decided.

They took her down to a dungeon, similar to the one back at the Survey Corps castle, and forced her into the cell at the very end. There was one additional soldier here, the dungeon guard.

After locking the cell, they did remove the handcuffs, to which she was relieved. But now she was alone, with the one guard for company, and was definitely starting to miss Levi and her comrades. She hadn't missed the shocked looks on the other soldiers' faces as she was taken away, and knew they hadn't known she was going to trial for this. How they hadn't guessed, she didn't know, but now she was starting to regret not warning at least the ones she considered sort-of friends. She was well aware that she was very likely going to die here, and probably within the next few days.

With a sigh, she slumped against the wall, and pulled her hood up. She was glad she'd grabbed the cloak from Levi now, since she felt less alone now with the scent on it. At least she could pretend she wasn't in a dark cell far from home, and was instead warm and safe in his bed, like she had been that morning.

Her mind wandered to the trial, and what was going to happen there. Levi had said he wasn't going to let her be executed, but she knew there was no way he could keep that from happening for sure. He must have some sort of plan to get her through it, but if he did, he hadn't had a chance to tell her. He was probably going to need her help to convince them, but she had no idea what he was going to need her to do in order to accomplish that.

"You okay?"

Colette looked up at the sudden voice, and noticed the guard watching her. He was a lot younger than the others, and had a sympathetic look on his face. She decided she liked this one.

"Yeah, just.." She wondered if she could trust him enough to talk to him. "I just wish the corporal was here. Or that I was in the Survey Corps dungeon instead, at least that's familiar."

"I don't really understand what they're all freaking out so much about. You don't look like the type to turn around and set humanity on fire as soon as they stop watching you." The guard shrugged.

She definitely liked this guard.

He spoke up again. "Hey, what's it like being in the Survey Corps?"

Colette blinked, slightly confused. "It's, uh, nice? Actually, other than Levi's spontaneous cleaning days, it's great. Everyone keeps an eye out for everyone else, and once my secret got out, I didn't actually run into anyone there who cared whether I had wings or not."

"I probably should have joined there when I graduated, but I was afraid. Now I'm starting to regret that decision, there's so much corruption here." He shrugged again. "Oh well, my mistake I guess. Hey, what do your wings look like? I mean, if you don't mind me asking. I haven't seen anyone with wings before. Well, obviously.."

It took her a lot of effort not to start laughing, this kid was kinda funny. She stood, and walked over to the bars of the cell, before unfolding her wings and holding them out from under her cloak. He just stared at them in amazement.

"Wow, those are so cool! Can you actually fly with them?"

"Yes, Levi was making me do flying training just this morning."

"What does it feel like to have them?"

"Kind of like an extra set of arms."

"Do they ever get in the way?"

"Quite often, but they're not too much of a problem if they're folded."

"Are they itchy?"

"Boy you have no idea."

This went on for quite some time, the guard seemingly never running out of questions, though they did get more and more ridiculous as the night trailed on. And therefore, so did her answers.

"Do you like potatoes?"

"We can either have potatoes or Sasha. Not both."

"Has anyone ever referred to you as 'fluffy'?"

"Dear god I should hope not."

"What do you think my commander would do if I dyed his hair pink?"

"Probably kill you."

"What's the difference between right and left?"

"In my case, colors."

"If I split your mind in half would you become twice as dumb or half as smart?"

"I don't know but I believe I would make you become dead."

"Is Levi really as unfriendly as he seems?"

"That's classified."

Eventually, another soldier joined them in the dungeon. Colette groaned when she noticed it was one of the grumpy ones from before.

"Come on, it's time for her trial." He said, sounding like he'd rather be anywhere but there.

She blinked. Had she really spent the entire night answering stupid questions?

"Okay. Hey, can you leave your cloak and gloves in the cell? They might think you're hiding weapons if you wear them during the trial." The questions guy said.

Her eye twitched. "Fine, fine." She growled, doing as she was told, and before she could even protest she was handcuffed again and being dragged back upstairs. They walked down long hallways with intricate designs all along the walls for awhile, which made her even more homesick for the old and slightly plain look of the Survey Corps castle, before reaching the courtroom she was to be judged in.

Colette didn't even have a chance to look around before the soldier she didn't like shoved her onto the slight platform in the middle of the room with a barked "Kneel there!" and she complied with a glare.

A metal post was then slid into place in the floor, trapping her hands and keeping her in that spot. Despite the annoying, well, everything, at least now she could look around. The first thing she noticed was that all four military emblems were high on the wall in front of her, even the training one, and then right after that she noticed who all was present. Glancing around, she spotted Erwin, Hanji, of course Levi, and..

Martin?

"You are Colette Saoirse, correct?" She looked up at the sudden voice, and she assumed its owner was the same guy that had decided what to do with Eren at his trial.

"Yes, sir." She answered. After being taken from the Survey Corps castle, she'd picked up the strict military way of speaking again, and the slightly defiant look she used to wear was back on her face.

The guy introduced himself as Darius Zackly, and she wasn't sure what she thought of him yet. He said some other random stuff that she didn't really listen to much, but she did pay attention when he asked "Do you know why you're here?"

"Because of.. These?" She unfolded her wings slightly, and let them drop to the floor on either side of her.

"Yes, those. First of all, may I ask why you have them?"

"I can answer that, sir." Hanji raised a hand. "It's a mutation, though she is still human."

"Human? I highly doubt that!"

Oh, here we go again.

The one who spoke was someone from the military police, on the opposite side of the room from the Survey Corps members. He looked angry and was waving his arms around exaggeratedly, and Colette couldn't help but notice the guy next to him held a rifle at the ready.

"She's an abomination is what she is!"

"You say that, yet there are giant humanoid monsters wandering around far outside these walls, devouring any humans they see." Colette said calmly. "Are you sure I'm the one you should be afraid of?"

"Despite that, it does say here that your presence on the battlefield got one of your fellows killed, as your sudden change in appearance distracted him." Darius read from a paper on his desk.

Colette's jaw snapped shut with a click, and she looked at the floor. She didn't have an answer for him.

"Actually, sir," Martin's voice rang clearly through the air. "It wasn't her fault. While he did get distracted by her, it wasn't from shock or fear. He already knew about her wings. And also, the reason she even revealed them in the first place was because it was the only way she would have been able to save Hanji. She knew full well that being found out would likely put her in this situation, yet she decided to risk it anyway in order to save the life of another."

"That's what she wants us to think!" Someone else she didn't recognize spoke up.

"No. That's the truth, but you wish to believe otherwise." She snapped.

"Levi, she's your apprentice, is she not?" Darius turned to the corporal. "Do you think she harbors ill intentions?"

"She is." His voice was monotone. "And judging from what I've seen so far, she ultimately just wishes to be useful."

"Liar!" The same man from before spoke again. "She's his apprentice, so he probably feels attached to her and is trying to keep her alive, regardless of her personal intentions."

"Is that what you think?" Levi asked, his voice cold as ice as he moved away from where he'd been standing beside Hanji. He walked up to Colette, and roughly grabbed her jaw, tilting her head and forcing her to look at him. "I think she has no ill intentions because of the way she looks at things, like a puppy wishing to please its master. She's either a very good actor or is just that, a lost puppy."

Colette almost blinked in surprise, but managed not to. Levi's voice was cold as he spoke of her and the grip her had on her jaw was obviously meant to look uncaring and controlling, however she could feel him trying to be gentle as he could while still making it look real.

He was faking it.

So that was his plan. He was going to make them think he felt nothing for his apprentice and that she would listen to any of his commands, completely under his control.

His leg swung through the air to carefully meet her back, and she dropped flat against the stone floor with perfect timing, making it look completely real to everyone else. His foot stayed against her shoulder, but there was absolutely no weight behind it. "Would anyone like a repeat demonstration of how I train these brats?"

"Levi, what if she goes on some sort of killing rampage when you make her angry?" Colette couldn't see who said that.

"Oh? Dear apprentice, do you plan to break free and kill everyone here?" Levi sounded slightly sarcastic as he looked down at her.

"No, sir." She replied, sounding sincere.

"Let's see if she's even capable of freeing herself. Try to do so, that's an order." The first part he said looking into the horrified faces of the gathered people, but the second was directed at her.

"Yes, sir." He stepped away and she sat back up, straining against the handcuffs in an attempt to make their chain snap. She pulled one way and then the other, and even tried lifting the metal post with them, but had no such luck. Finally giving up, her shoulders sagged as she stared down at the floor, wings limp. "I apologize, sir. I'm not strong enough."

Levi gave an exaggerated sigh, before faking another kick. This time she forced herself to visibly flinch before pressing her back to the post, and his foot rested carefully against her collarbone. "Not good enough. You'll need to try harder than that, because you never go against orders, understand?"

"Yes, sir." She made her voice sound slightly upset, and tilted her head down in fake shame.

"Oh yes, what was your concern again?" Levi looked back up, as if just remembering everyone else was there.

"Enough, Levi. You've proven your point, she is under your control. However, are we sure that she is on humanity's side as well, and not just yours?" Darius paused for a moment, before adding, "I've made a decision. Colette Saoirse will stay with the Survey Corps under Levi's control and training, however she must prove her loyalty and if she shows, even in the slightest, that she may turn on us she will be executed immediately."

"I'm really glad you made it through that okay! Levi sure was scary though..."

Colette looked over at the guard as she adjusted her gloves. "He's not that bad."

"How can you say that with a straight face after what happened in there?" He asked.

"I can't tell you. Just know that there is much more to Levi than he'd like everyone to think." He accepted her answer with a nod, and she changed the subject as she reached for her cloak. "What's your name, anyway?"

"You can call me Brice!" He said happily.

"Def." She held out a hand, and he shook it. "Come on, Levi will be waiting for me."

"Right." Brice turned and started climbing the stairs out of the dungeon, Colette following close on his heels. She found the walk to be quite pleasant this time around, now that it wasn't the pathway to her doom. At least now she could go back to the castle and relax a bit, free of worry about problems caused by her wings. Well, almost. She was currently shoving thoughts of her parents to the back of her mind, determined to not bother with them yet.

They finally made it outside, where there were now two stagecoaches waiting. One held Erwin, Hanji, and Martin no doubt, and Levi stood beside the other, waiting for her.

"Well my friend, this is goodbye. Or at least until I get myself in trouble again." She nodded at Brice.

"Try not to get in too much trouble. One can only escape their execution so many times." The young guard replied, and Colette waved at him absently to show she'd heard as she walked the last few feet toward her corporal.

"Hey Levi." She greeted.

"Come on." He turned, opening the door of the coach for her. She blinked. What was with the cold attitude?

"Did I do something..?" She asked as she climbed in past him.

"Sort of." He grumbled, following and sitting down next to her. She gave a questioning "Hmm?" at that, and he sighed, eyes dark.

"You flinched." Levi told her quietly. "Did I scare you?"

"I faked it. I knew what you were trying to do."

He turned to look at her, and reached out to gently tilt her face upwards, before tracing a line just underneath the edge of her jaw with his thumb. "Fake or not, you're starting to bruise."

"But I'm alive." She pointed out. Levi still looked conflicted. "Which is thanks to you. I knew you probably had a plan to win that trial, but I didn't know what it was. I had no clue whatsoever of what you were going to do, and I was a little surprised at how you stepped in, I'll admit. But I went along with it because I trust you."

Levi stared at her, partially surprised and partially in thought. Finally, he patted her head and said "You're a good apprentice."

"You weren't lying about the puppy bit, were you." She stated, glaring at him.

"Not really. Personally I think you're more like a rabbit, though."

She blinked. "...What."

He just chuckled.

They sat in silence for a few minutes after that, until Colette's lack of sleep caught up to her and she yawned. Levi looked over at her, one eyebrow raised.

"Was that so stressful that you're completely exhausted now?" He asked.

"No, I was awake all night."

Levi facepalmed. "Really, Colette?" He sighed, giving her a 'you are an idiot' look.

"Yes. Now hold still, I'm tired and you are comfy." She said before promptly leaning against him and resting her head on his shoulder. Levi rolled his eyes.

The last thing she was aware of was his hand petting gently through the feathers of her black wing, and after noticing that, she fell asleep almost instantly.

Yay she survived and Levi terrified everyone again!

Not much to say about this chapter. I did have some serious art block for the actual trial bit, hence why it's kinda awkward and short. I don't know law/military situations like that well enough to write it...

Anyway, that's all. As always, reviews make me write faster!