Authors note: Spoilers for the Manga are in this chapter

Part 12: Recruiting the female titan

Hanji and Mobilit were leading both Stars group along with Levi squad down to the underground cell where they keep Annie. "You sure your idea will work" Hanji asked Star?

"Yes I'm sure" said Star, he looked back to see Guts and Casca has nervous looks on their faces, "Hold up for a second" he said making everyone stop on the steps.

"What's going on, you don't like the underground" asked Levi looking back at Stars group.

"Not now Levi" said Star looking back at Guts and Casca, "You don't have to come down with us, I understand that the last time you were here in a place like this it lead to something bad happening to the two of you" he said.

"No were alright" said Guts now looking calm.

"Were with you" said Casca looking determined.

"Alright then" said Star as they continued walking down the steps that lead to the underground.

"Did something happen to them back in their world that had to do with being underground" said Connie.

"If im correct, Griffith was once kept underground before he was broken out by what was left of the band of the hawk" said Serpico.

"It wasn't long before the eclipse happenned after we escaped" said Casca.

"Who was the band of the hawk" asked Eren?

"It was a group of mercenary's back in our world, me, Guts and someone else are all that's left" said Casca with a sad look on her face as she remember her fallen comrades.

Guts noticing the look on his wife's face put his hand on her shoulder, Casca smiled at him and held his hand.

"What happenned to the others if you don't mind me asking" said Mikasa.

"They were sacrificed so their leader could become a demon with power so he could achieve his dream" said Star making the scouts look shocked.

"Not sure if I heard you right but did you say demon" said Jean.

"Yeah" said Star, "Guts and Casca were branded to be sacrificed, but sadly something much worse happened to them after it" he said as they reached underground cell. They stopped their conversation as every looked at the girl trapped inside the crystal.

"Has there been any movement" asked Hanji looking at one of the military police how was guarding it.

"No not sinceit was moved down here" said the military police member as he watched Star walk up to the crystal.

"Ms Leonhart, my name is Heaven Star, I'm going to need you to come out of that crystal, I need to have a talk with you" said Star looking at the the crystal. There was no response, she just lyed in there with her eyes closed, "Huh" he sighed.

"So what now" said Hanji.

"I'm going to give you to the count of five" said Star ignoring what Hanji said as the bright blue light covered his body. He placed his right hand on the crystal, "1, 2, 3" he said as cracks started to appear on the crystal from his hand, "4, 5" as he spoke the last number the entire crystal shattered and Annie's body fell to the ground surprising the scouts and Stars group.

Annie slowly opened her eyes and looked around at the people who stood in front of her. She could see some of Levi squad looked at her with hatred in her eyes, but when she looked at Armin she looked relieved. This look didn't go unnoticed by Star.

"Ms Leonhart" said Star getting her attention, she looked up noticing the other people in the room, when she looked at Star she backed up a little surpsied by his appearance.

Levi took out one of his blades ready for a fight when Star help up his hand, "Hang on" he said walking over to Annie and crouched on the ground in front of her, "It's okay, no ones going to kill you" he said.

"Just who are you" said Annie.

"Well I guess you didn't hear me while you were in there, the names Heaven Star, I'm the one who got you out of the crystal you put yourself in, now I want to have a little chat with you" said Star standing up.

"Fine, but she will have to put these on" said Hanji taking out some shackals, she cuffed Annie's hands and lead her back up to the service.

Inside the main military headquarters of Stohess the members of Stars group, Hanji and Levi with hissquad were waiting in a hallway outside an interview room where Annie was being kept. Star walked into the hallway carrying a small black box, "Give me about an hour, it shouldn't take me long" he said walking towards the door.

"Wait, show is what's in that box" said Levi getting up from the chair he was sitting on. Star turned around opening the boxe and revealing its contents. The members of Levi squad stood up looking at it.

"Is that what I think it is" said Ymir looking surprised. There were two syringes in the box, one of them had a drawing of the female titan on it.

"One to take away her Titan powers, the other to keep changing into a Titan and getting read of the curse of Ymir" said Star, because of the light covering his body they didn't know what facial expression he had.

"Are you sirious, are you going to try to recruit her" said Jean, Star immediately shut the box closed.

"That's exactly what I'm going to try and do" said Star sounding sirious.

"Star you weren't here when she killed a lot of our comrades" said Hanji.

"She is responsible for the deaths of the previous Levi squad, but" said Eren getting their attention, "She was manipulated when she was just a kid, she was lied to" he said.

"He has a point, even after everything she's done we can at least try" said Mikasa.

"I'm going in now" said Star opening the door and after walking in he closed it. Annie sat in front a table with her arms still shackled, her military police jacket was taken from her.

Star sat on the other side of the table and placed the small black box on the table. Annie didn't move, she just continued to look at her shackled hands.

"Here put your hands on the table" said Star standing up.

"What are you going to do" said Annie as she placed her hands on the table, Star held up a key in his right hand and opened the shackles.

"If I want you to trust me" said Star as the bright blue light stopped covering his body, "I want you to know you can trust me" he said sitting back down in his chair,

"Thanks I guess, so you wanted to talk" she said with a calm look on her face.

"Everyone in the walls knows the truth, where you came from, the Titans, how their human beings and I know you were lied to about these people" he said making her look surprised.

Annie then looked down at her hands, "I wanted to go back after Marcel was killed, but Reiner told us to keep going on, I didn't exepect the people of the walls to be like this, but I kept do no what I was told so I could get home, but instead I started to have feelings for someone and because I listened to Reiner, Marcos now dead" she siad as her hands began to shake.

"I understand how you feel" said Star making her look up at him, "A long time ago my mind was maninuplated and because of that I lost someone very dear to me" he said with sadness in his eyes. Annie looked to see some running his arm over a golden ring on his finger.

"That's a nice ring" said Annie making him stop what he was doing. Star looked at his ring and put his hand under the table.

"Annie we need your help, the people here already have a lot of intel, but we could use your help on what you know, so please help them and you won't be killed" said Star as he opened the box and showed her the two syringes, "The one with your Titan form drawn on it will let you keep your ability and get read of the curse" he said.

Annie sat there for a second thinking, but she then grabbed the syringe with her Titan form drawn on it, "Ill help them, where should I inject this" she asked?

"I suggest the arm, as long as it's gets into your body it will take effect" said Star getting up from his chair as Annie injected herself.

"Is Armin outside by any chance" asked Annie looking nervous.

"Yeah, all of the new Levi squad is out there, would you like me to send him in" said Star smiling and she nodded.

Star walked outside the door and everyone stood up, "Well how did it go" Hanji asked?

"She's with us, Armin" said Star getting his attention, "She wants to talk to you" he said going to sit down on one of the chairs near Guts and Casca.

"Did she mention what she warned to talk to him about" asked Eren?

"It's okay, I'll go talk to her" said Armin walking into the room.

Annie has changed the direction of her chair and was now facing the door. She looked up at Armin seeing that he was nervous, "Hey" she said.

"Hi, Star told me you wanted to talk to me" said Armin.

"So that's what you call him for short huh" said Annie smiling.

"Yeah, but after seeing his appearance I understand why his gorup calls him that" said Armin smiling aswell.

"I'm glad your still alive" said Annie, "Listen Armin I don't you to expect to forgive me for what happenned, but I'm really sorry for what I did to all of you" she said as her tears started to come out of her eyes from her thinking he wouldn't forgive her for what she did, she then put her hands over her eyes as she cried.

"It's alright" said Armin sounding calm, Annie looked surprised as she looked up at him, "After what Star told us I understand you didn't have a choice, you were lied to and so it's not your fault" he said smiling at her.

Annie then quickly got up from her chair, she ran up to him and Armin was surprised when she suddenly kissed him on the lips. She then stopped kissing him, "I'm sorry I shouldn't have" she began to say when Armin put her hand on her face and this time he kissed her. Annie looked surprised at first, but then kissed back and wrapped her arms around his neck.

The two of them stopped kissing and looked each other in the eye, "It's okay, I like you too" said Armin smiling.

"Guess it's good thing I'm a good person in your eyes" said Annie smiling. The two of them laughed as they remembered that conversation. The two of them kissed and then hugged. The two of them feeling happy that they felt the same way towards each other.

Later Annie was brought to a cell in the military headquarters. Hanji was able to get some information from her and was currently discussing it in one of the room of the headquarters with Levi, Star, Guts and Casca.

"It turns out that the beast Titan isn't the only Titan shifter Marley has on their side, they have one called the quadrapeddle Titan" said Hanji.

"It's a Titan that can carry a large amount of weight on its back" said Star explaining the titnas ability.

"Yes but here's something else's, apparently there's a noble family in Marley who controls the Titan power called the war hammer Titan" said Hanji looking at the notes she had taken.

"Could that be trouble" asked Levi?

"No I can take it down, but let's hope I can take care of it before they get a chance to transform" said Star, "Did you tell her what happenned to Bertholt".

"Yes, she was surprised at first, but she didn't look sad" said Hanji.

"If he was still alive she would probably see him as her enemy today" said Levi.

"It proves that she's now on our side" said Casca.

The next day Annie was in her cell, the military still hasn't recognized her as a member of the scouts even though she was now on their side. She was lying in bed when her cell opened up, "Whats going on" she said when her hands were shackled. She looked up to see two military police members.

"Come on, it's time for your trial" one of them said.

"My trial" said Annie looking confused.

The two military police brought her out of the military headquarters and was put in a carriage. The Carridge brought her to the courthouse. Annie was lead inside the courthouse by two members of the military police. They stopped in front of two doors, one of the members of the military police opened the doors. There were people already in the courthouse.

"Keep moving" said one of the men standing behind Annie making her move. Annie was lead to the front of the courtroom where a small metal pole was stuck in the ground. One of the men took out the pole.

"On your knees" said the man who got her to move earlier. Annie got on her knees with her hands behind her back. The metal pole was placed back in the ground through her shackles, making her be stuck where she was.

Annie looked to her left to see Erwin, Hanji, Levi along with his squad and on the right side we're members of the military police.

"Commander what's going on" said Armin looking worried.

"Apparently like Eren, her faiths to be decided to by a trial, I was only informed about it this morning" said Erwin looking sirious.

"But Star said she was on our side" said Sasha.

"We should have expected something like this to happen, despite what Star has said she still committed crimes against the military, now some of them want her to pay for what she's done" said Hanji looking at the military police who stood at the other side of the courtroom.

"Something's off, Stars not even here" said Levi looking around the courtroom.

"Could it be that he doesn't even know that this is happening" said Armin looking surprised.

"Technically speaking Star and his group are our allies, but they didn't join any military regiment so there's probably those who think he shouldn't be involved in a military trial" said Erwin.

"But that's wrong, he's been fighting along side us since he got here" said Eren.

"You bring up a good point, there are members of the scouts who consider him a comrade in arms" said Hanji and the members of Levi squad nodded as Zackley walked into the courtroom.

Zackley walked onto the podium and sat down on the chair at the top,"Okay let's begin" said Zackley when Erwin put up his hand, "Yes Erwin" he said.

"Sir I request you delay the beginning of the trial till I can get someone to fetch Heaven Star" said Erwin.

"Last time I checked he wasn't a member of the scouts" said Zackley.

"That is true, but in the end he and his group are our allies" said Erwin, "I would also like to say it is an insult not to have him here, it's thanks to him we were able to get her out of the crystal she trapped herself in" he said.

"What you say is true, but even so he is not a member of the military, ms Leonhart committed crimes against the people of this land, it will be those same people who will decide her faith" said Zackley loooking sirious as he stared down at Annie who looked nervous, "Now Ms" he didn't get to finish up his word because the doors of the courtroom were kicked open with enough force to send a blast of air throughout the courtroom.

"What's going on" said Hanji covering her face from the wind like everyone else in the courtroom. She then looked surprised as the air went down and standing at the entrance of the courtroom was Star in front of his group. He had an angry look on his face as he put his foot down and walked into the courtroom.

"Damnit, this might go bad" said Levi.

Star stood in front of Annie as his group stood behind her, "Someone mind telling me what is going on here" he said with anger in his voice.

"I didn't know you knew this trial was happening" said Zackley fixing his glasses.

"I didn't, Guts and Casca noticed Annie being taken from the military headquarters and went to find me, wasn't that hard to put two and two together" he said with a calm look on his face, "Now if I'm correct Hanji gave the report that Annie's now on our side, I know what she's done, but she was manipulated when she was just a child into thinking the people of this land were devils" he said.

"Do you have something in mind of what should be done with her for what she's done" said Zackley.

"Like the report said she's now on our side, which means she will be part of the mission to retake wall Maria and if you don't feel like that's not good enough" said Star looking back at Annie, "Then put Annie Leonhart under my supervision" he said looking sirious.

"Very well, but what happens if she were to change her alliance during the battle" said Zackley.

"She has my complete trust and I believe she won't do such a thing" said Star as he walked behind the metal pole, the bright blue light covered his body and a key appeared in his right hand. He opened the shackles and they fell to the gorund as Annie stood up.

"Sir" said a military police member appearing at the entrance of the courtroom, he was looking at Nile, the man in command of the military police.

"Yes what is it" said Nile as the military police member walked up to him, the man said something into his ear while looking at Stars group, Nile look surprised from what the man toldhim, "You there girl" he said pointing at Isma.

"Uh Yes" said Isma.

"I just received a report that a civilian saw you and that boy swimming in the river" he said pointing at Isidoro, "But whats strange is the man saw instead of legs you had a fish tail" he said making the people do the courtroom look surprised.

Star then thought back to when he met up with Isidoro and Isma before he reached the courtroom.

Flashback:

Star, with the members of his group accept Isma and Isidoro were running towards the courthouse.

"Hey Star" said Puck who flew next to Star to get his attention, "Look up ahead" he said.

Isma and Isidoro were up ahead of them and Star noticed that both of their hair was wet, "Hey what's going on" said Isidoro.

"They brought Annie to the courthouse, we have to take care of this" siad Star as they all rushed to the courthouse without asking where Isidoro and Isma were.

Flashback end

"Is there a problem with that" said Star getting everyone's attention, "Besides" he said walking towards the entrance of the courtroom with his group and Annie following him, "I'm not fully human myself" he said beofre he left the courtroom.

"He kind of has a point" said Connie looking calm.

In the afternoon of that day two wagons headed towards an orphanage in the interior of wall rose. One wagon had the members of Levi squad and other one had Stars group with Annie. Annie wasn't made a member of the scouts, instead the military now saw her as a member of Stars group since she was now under his supervision.

When the wagons reached the orphanage they spotted Historia trying to make some of the kids behave, "Hey Historia" siad Ymir getting off the wagon she was on.

"Ymir" said Historia smiling as she walked up to her and the two of them hugged.

The others walked up to the two of them after they hugged, Historia notices Annie, "Annie" said Historia.

"Krista, though I guess it's queen Historia now" she said.

"Don't worry you can just call me Historia, you don't have to be nervous, like everyone else here I heard from Star the truth about you" said Historia.

"Thanks, but I still have to tell everyone something" said Annie, "It's about Marco" she said.

"What about Marco" said Jean looking confused.

"I was there when he was killed" she said making the members of Levi squad look surprised, "I wasn't there for the start of it, but Reiner told me to take his odm gear, he went on about the way I was acting around everyone, wanted me to prove my loyalty, so I took his odm gear" she said.

"So that's how he died" said Jean.

"I'm sorry, I should have done something" siad Annie as she clenched her fists, she then felt Armin hold her hand.

"It's not your fault, who knows what Reiner would have done to you if you didn't do what he said" said Armin smiling at her.

"Thanks Armin" said Annie smiling.

"Alright cmon you two love birds get to work" said Ymir making Armin blush and Annie just looked away while holding a piece of her hair.

Eren, Armin and Jean stood by the fence as they watched Historia try to make the kids behave, "You know I head the people gave her a nickname, the cattle farming goddes they call her" said Jean.

"It's amazing of how good she is at getting them to listen" said Armin as Historia talked to one of the kids with a sirious look on her face and Ymir talked to another kid next to her with a sirious look on her face aswell. The two kids had been chasing each other and had almost gotten hert.

"You know if this keeps up people are going to forget about the man who plugged the hole in wall rose" said Jean looking at Eren.

"This orphanage was Historias idea, she went from the underground to the districts of wall rose getting kids who no longer had a home, this place gives them some hope, she even got the approval of Captain Levi who grew up underground" said Eren, he then smiled, "Besides Jean, people will probably willremember Stars speech for a long time".

"Yeah your right, I think I heard some people in the districts talking about it before we came here" said Jean.

"There you are, the suns almost down and your just being lazy without doing any work" said Historia walking over to them with Ymir.

"What are you talking about the works almost practically done with him here" said Jean pointing to one of the barns, next to it was wagon that had sacks floating out of it and going into the barn as Star stood next to the wagon with the light covering his body. Some of the kids wathced it happening looking surprised and amazed.

"Well if you help out more he wouldn't have to do all the work so get to it" said Historia.

"Your heard Historia" said Ymir looking sirious. The three of them picked sacks up from the ground as they all walked towards the farmhouse.

"So Eren, hows the hardening expiraments going" said Historia.

"They're going fine, luckily Stars Titan form had a hardening ability aswell so we were able to make the weapon quicker, it will only be a matter of time before we go to shingashina" said Eren.

"I see" said Historia, "What are you going to do if you see Reiner again" she asked?

"I guess I'll have to kill him" said Eren.

"I see" said Historia, "Well make sure to come back, both of you" she said looking at Ymir who was walking next to her.

"Don't worry, but your are so going to have to marry me when I get back from a mission like this" said Ymir laughing.

The five of them reached the barn as Star finished floating sacks into it, "Hey Star" said Eren getting his attention.

"Yeah what's up" he asked as the bright blue light stopped covering his body.

"Has there been any word of when the mission to retake wall Maria will take place, I know you've been talking with the higher ups" said Eren.

"Me, Guts and Casca are to meet up with the other commanders in the scout regiment tommorrow, were gonna be discussing final preparations" said Star, "Now lets get this all finished" as he walked into the barn to help sort out the supply's they brought to the orphanage.

They sorted out the supplys before the sun set. Historia was riding back with Levi squad in their wagon. As they all left the orphanage and watched the sun set. The members of squad Levi thought about the words Star said, if they were going to be discussing the final preparations for retaking wall Maria the next day, then that means the expedition couldn't be that far away.