I know I'm late, but cheers to the new year, everyone!
Disclaimer: I don't own Attack on Titan, Devil May Cry, or any of its characters…
The interior was in a state of confusion, just like five years ago.
Further inside human territory, particularly the land that was within Wall Sina, countless people had formed crowds in the open roads to try and catch up with the news that surrounded the recent dilemma in Trost district. News like this get around the whole walls particularly fast, with the tragedy from five years ago being a prime example. When the information came out that Shingashina had been breached, the panic reached nearly all of the districts and villages within the walls.
"The Colossal Titan had destroyed the southern gate of Trost district… and Trost was temporarily occupied by titans… but a do-or-die operation to take back the territory has succeeded, and the gate was sealed."
"The titans still inside Trost district are being hunted down…"
"The wall was 'sealed'? How'd they manage that?!"
Despite the miraculous event of humanity becoming victorious against the titans for the first time, it was very unlikely for people to believe in it, especially those who weren't there to witness what actually happened.
"Of course, it's all lies! This is just royal propaganda."
"They're spreading those lies around to keep us commoners in the interior in the dark!"
"The bastards from outside the wall are already rushing through Wall Sina!"
The reactions of the people were varied, even though they believed in the same notion that the so-called "operation to retake Trost" was only a fluke. They didn't know who to believe, nor did they know what they should do from now on. Strange, considering that there was nobody who was supporting the idea that there really was a successful operation.
"Terrible news from the merchants!"
Another loud voice cut through the already-growing voices in the crowd, getting the attention of most of the people who were gathered in that area. However, none of them were expecting to hear more conspiracies from the outer walls.
"The merchants' association? Can we really believe information that isn't certified by the monarchy?!"
"And why should I believe the monarchy's information is correct?!"
One individual in particular, had widened his eyes when his attention was caught by news that could be deemed both interesting and unbelievable at the same time.
"Hey… what the hell does this mean…?"
The way how the man spoke was enough to also catch the attention of the people that surrounded him, before being bombarded by questions left and right to figure out what it was.
"What is it?"
"D-Did something happen?"
"I-It says here… a titan sealed up the gate… with a boulder!"
There was nobody there who could provide an answer to that. Quite frankly, there was no one who even expected that kind of delusion. A titan, the monster that haunted humanity for a century, sealed the gate? How could that even happen? If possible, it was just a mere joke in a hopeless world.
"What does that mean?"
"Are they saying a titan was on our side?"
Eren sat on a bed, having woken up from a deep slumber. Rubbing his eyes, he quickly noticed that he was wearing a pair of pajamas which bothered him. Wasn't he using his soldiers' uniform to help out in Trost? Before he could get up from the bed and search for answers though, he saw that his hands were bound and cuffed to the wall.
He looked back and sighed. "I should've expected this," he mumbled to himself. Slowly but surely, the memories of Trost district came back to his mind, more particularly, when he successfully sealed the hole.
"At least it all worked out in the end…" he finished in his thoughts, looking at the brighter side of things.
He looked up and saw two soldiers standing outside his cell, which means they must be the guards. "Excuse me," he called out but only one of them turned his head to look at him. "I need to use the toilet."
"We're not the ones who give you permission to do things here, but I sure hope we were." He spat, glaring at the white-haired teen.
Ignoring the glare that the man just gave him, Eren instead went for an alternative. "Then can I at least have some water? My throat is about to go dry." He said as though he was pleading.
"Hey," the other soldier spoke with a glare that matched that of his companion's. "Know your place… you demon."
That rendered Eren speechless, and left him staring at the two guards with a confounded look. However, it only took a few moments for him to snap out of his trance and proceeded to look away with a grim expression.
"Demon, huh…" he thought. "Well, he's not wrong… but… it's strange. Haven't I already proved I'm on humanity's side when I plugged up that hole? Are they so afraid of me and what I am that they have to shackle me like this? Well, I guess that makes sense… they must be scared shit that there's a threat that can pose as a danger to humans other than the titans." He leaned back on the bed and gazed at his uncovered right arm. He was tempted to cover it up in bandages again when this is all over, only for him to shake his head at the idea. "That'd be pointless if everyone now knows what this looks like. Come to think of it… what happened since then…? To Armin… Mikasa… and the others… what are they doing now? I only remember hearing two voices, but I can't make out who they are…"
"Please endure this just for a while longer. We'll try to speak to someone."
"He looks nothing more than a brat instead of a demon…"
Just then, the door outside of his cell opened, which snapped Eren out of his thoughts as he looked up to see who it was that entered.
A woman with dark brown hair tied in a ponytail stood before the cell with a look of sympathy on her face. If it weren't for the insignia of the Survey Corps that was on her soldier's uniform, Eren would make a mental note not to trust this woman. He had a weird feeling about her. Standing beside the woman was a tall and well-built man who had blond hair with a dark mustache and beard. Like his companion, he also bore the insignia of the Scout Regiment on his clothes.
"Eren, I'm sorry." The woman spoke, trying to explain things. "We kept you waiting. But it looks like you can finally get out of here."
Eren's eyes widened upon hearing those words and as the female soldier spoke, the guards outside opened his cell door and went inside. The half-demon watched as the two also undid his shackles, only for them to bind his arms behind him that got a groan of slight pain from Eren.
"Can't these binds just go since I can finally get out of this cell?" he asked, before getting pushed off the bed by the guards who then forced him back up to his feet.
"They'll be coming off eventually, trust me. For now, just follow us out of your cell." the woman continued as the two Survey Corps soldiers walked off.
However, Eren wasn't quick to follow the orders given to him and so it took the two guards from behind to push him out of the cell, and that was when the teen relented and walked up towards the two scouts. Of course, he did send a little glare those two guards behind them and wondered what the hell was their problem with him. Because of his power, he could easily break the shackles that bound his wrists, but he decided not to and would see first where would this lead to.
"Besides, I might end up scaring them even more because of it…"
As they walked through a set of stairs and the deep hallway that followed, the long-haired brunette began to speak once more.
"I'm HANGE ZÖE, a squad leader in the Survey Corps…" she pointed to herself before looking over to the blonde man that suddenly went behind Eren. "And he's…"
Eren's face contorted into one that showed disgust when the man leaned in close to his nape and began to sniff him. "Uh, what is he doing…?" he asked, as Eren couldn't help but feel that he was being violated.
"He's MIKE ZACHARIAS, also a squad leader in the Survey Corps." Hange explained, sending a reassuring look at the teen. "He always smells people when he first meets them…" The man named Mike finally stepped away from Eren, before letting out a snort. "...and then sneers."
"Note to self… try to stay away from this guy…" Eren thought, sweat-dropping. "He's damn weird."
"It probably doesn't mean anything," Hange continued. "Believe me, his skills as a squad leader outweighs his quirks— oh!" The group reached the end of the hallway, where a large door was located.
"Squad Leader, where are we heading?" Eren asked, who look confused at what was going on.
"Sorry… I talk too much. This is it already. But don't worry!" As Hange opened the door, Eren noticed a bead of sweat running down her face. "Wait, actually… maybe it's better that I didn't explain."
"Wait, what's going on anyway? Where are you taking me?" He was right about his suspicions with this woman all along.
"Just tell them exactly how you feel. Maybe I shouldn't say this… but all we can do is believe in you."
With those words, he was pushed inside by the guards watching him and the half-demon got a good look of his surroundings afterwards.
Two separate groups of people were situated on either side of the room, with one looking at him with neutral looks while the other sending serious expressions and a few glares. A long and tall platform was at the far end of the room, with three of the chairs there being occupied by two soldiers who looked like they were both part of those in the upper power. The chair between them was empty, but that won't be for long.
"...a courtroom?" he mumbled to himself. "So I've been in the cell below this place all this time…?"
"Keep walking, slowly." One of the guards whispered to him, while Eren resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He was able to get a quick glance at Hange and Mike who were behind him before he continued on walking, particularly towards the small elevated platform that was in the middle of the room.
"Get down there." Obeying the command, Eren knelt down on the platform as he felt something lock his bound wrists in place afterwards. He turned his head to see a small plank inserted through his restraints, giving him no chance of escape… or was it truly that way?
He sent glances to both sides of the room, attempting to find out who were involved in his… capture. He'd make another mental note to not trust those people when the time comes.
To his right side was a soldier who stood in front of the mob of people, which included regular civilians and soldiers alike, with one particular man who stood out from all of them because of his attire. The soldier had the insignia of the Military Police on his uniform, and a bolo tie similar to that of his fellow military commanders. He had short, thin, black hair and his eyes were dark in color. He also sported a very light mustache and goatee.
"The leader of the Military Police Brigade…" he concluded, before turning to the opposite side of the courtroom. His eyes immediately took notice of a familiar figure whom he met a few days before.
"Commander Pixis…" Eren noticed that the commander was with his subordinates and standing not far from them, was the pair of soldiers who paid a visit to him in his cell not long ago. The teen wasn't aware of this, but he knew enough about the Survey Corps that he was able to recognize who they were almost immediately.
"Commander Erwin… and Captain Levi…" He also noticed the short black-haired soldier known throughout the walls as humanity's strongest soldier, Levi. Beside him was the tall blonde commander of the Survey Corps also known throughout humanity's territory, Erwin Smith.
"So they're here too… and from the looks of it, they're on Commander Pixis' side." A quick memory flashed through his mind, and he remembered how Pixis himself said that he would guarantee his safety along with Armin and Mikasa's, which lead him to one conclusion. "That means… the Survey Corps is with the —" Speaking of his two friends, Eren's eyes slightly widened in surprise when he caught sight of them as well. "You guys… you're here too?" They were at the same area with Pixis, Erwin and Levi along with the soldiers under their command. Both of them were looking at him in worry, especially Mikasa.
"Well… let's begin." A short old man with sunken eyes said as he took his seat in the middle of the podium at the other side of the courtroom. He wore glasses, had noticeable wrinkles on his face, a full beard and mustache. He wore a white shirt with dark colored pants.
"That man is the head of the three military branches within the walls…" Eren said in his thoughts, getting a good look at the man before him. "Commander-in-chief DARIUS ZACKLY…"
"You are Eren Yeager, yes?" the man spoke, reading from a piece of paper. "As a soldier, you've pledged your life to serve the public. Correct?"
Realizing that the best way for him to deal with this is by cooperating, Eren slowly nodded and answered. "Yes, sir."
"And it has been pointed out in particular here that the fabled Dark Knight Sparda of an old legend, is in fact, a reality and that you carry his demon blood within you through one of his sons… who, in turn, bore you as their offspring. Hence, that abomination on your arm. Is that correct?"
"Yes, sir." Eren nodded again, although with a small hint of surprise in his tone. Zackly was handling this better than what he had expected, but then again, the man was the commander of all the military branches.
"Regular law cannot apply in these exceptional circumstances. Therefore, this will be a military tribunal. Ultimate authority has been entrusted to me…" He turned his attention to the teen in the middle of the room with narrowed eyes. "Even over your life. Now, I will only ask you once. Do you have any objections?"
Despite the small threat that was given to him, Eren steeled himself and simply shook his head. He needed to be careful in handling everyone's curiosity about his real nature, or it might end up in something worse than what already is.
"No, sir."
"I'm glad that you understand." He turned his gaze back to the piece of paper than was in his hand. "Now, this unprecedented case has given rise to many conflicting, passionate arguments behind these walls. There are those…"
Eren made sure to listen to every word that was being spoken; he may have a rebellious nature of the sort, but he knew when to settle down and have a talk. He didn't want to be held down like this, but he could understand why it needed to be done.
"...who call you the devil that will lead us to destruction. And others consider you a savior who will bring hope to the human race." He turned back to Eren and pushed his glasses up. "As expected, it proved impossible to hide your existence from the general public. When we are eventually forced to make an official announcement about you, it will inevitably produce a new threat in addition to the titans."
At this moment, Erwin Smith stepped forward and the commander of the Military Police did the same from the other side of the courtroom."We are here to decide which branch of the military will be responsible of your activities. That decision will determine how you are dealt with."
The Brigade commander then sent a sharp look towards the white-haired teen, while Erwin had a stoic expression on his face.
"The Military Police Brigade… or the Survey Corps…" Zackly turned towards his left side where the Military Police were all gathered. "We'll hear from the Military Police Brigade first."
The officer with the only bolo tie on his uniform spoke up, but not before saluting the commander-in-chief. "I am Chief NILE DOK of the Military Police Brigade… and we believe…" he looked towards Eren, who returned it with a scowl. The half-demon had a feeling that he's not going to like where this was going.
"...that Eren's body, especially his right arm, should be thoroughly examined… after which it should be disposed of without delay."
Silence filled the whole courtroom afterwards, and nobody dared to either oppose or add more to what Nile said. However, it didn't stop Mikasa from looking more worried for Eren, but Armin was doing what he can to keep his friend calm. Nile was quick and direct to the point with what the Brigade wanted to do, but unfortunately for Eren himself, he wasn't behind that notion one bit. It seemed stupid and was obviously produced out of fear just for what he was. Also, it appeared that their plan of action was solely based on the decisions of civilians instead of the soldiers' own judgement.
"Careful consideration of the grave damage that validating his existence would cause… led us to this conclusion." Nile explained, before getting into more details of their proposal. "Those who hold the reins of power in the center regard him as a threat. Yet despite the current situation, those people, including the royal family, have stuck to their policy of non-interference in matters outside the wall, just as they did five years ago. However, the masses see Eren as a hero for his part in the counterattack. This has sparked a backlash, chiefly among merchants and people of Wall Rose. As a result, we may even see a civil war consume what territory we have left."
"They're confused… the people have no real idea what went down in Trost…" Eren said to himself, thinking of Nile's briefing of the situation. "What the hell is happening out there…?"
"It's undeniable that the power he holds within him deserves credit for repelling this latest attack." The MP commander sent a cold look at Eren. "However… it's also fact that his very existence causes real harm. In no time, he's become a highly politicized figure. Therefore, after we extract as much information as we can from him… we will turn him into a martyr for the human race."
Eren didn't hesitate to send a hostile expression back towards Nile as they locked eyes, enough to make the grown man break his cold demeanor just for a second and start to sweat, only for a new voice to break out from the side of the Police Brigade.
"That isn't necessary!" Eren's cold glare disappeared as he turned to the man who just spoke, the same for the rest of the people in the courtroom.
"What…?" Nile said in a confused tone. For a moment there, it looked as though he was in a trance and he didn't know what happened. Why did it feel like he just stared into the eyes of the devil itself?
"He is a pest that circumvented the divine protection of the wall through trickery, and puts up false claims for having the blood of the legendary Sparda through his body! He should be executed immediately!"
At the mention of the name 'Sparda', Eren's eyes widened. So there are people here who look up to his grandfather as if he was truly a legend? In all honesty, it shouldn't be that way since the people inside the walls only knew Sparda as a legend, and a myth too. It was only now that they were becoming aware of his existence, but this man was acting strange.
"I… t-that uniform…!" The white-haired teen began to recognize the man just from getting a good look at his clothes. He was a very tall and wrinkled man with his eyes having dark circles over them. He wore a black cassock with three bands near the top that had the symbols of the walls on them, but what caught Eren's attention was the strange insignia on the man's sleeve. "It's from the group that started gaining followers years ago… what was it called…? The church, was it…?" Eren then narrowed his eyes at this mysterious man out of suspicion, as the latter scowled at him in return. "If his group had gained followers throughout the years, then…"
"MINISTER NICK, quiet, please." Zackly said, before turning to his right where the soldiers of the Garrison and the Survey Corps stood. "We will now hear the proposal from the Survey Corps."
"Sir." Erwin saluted before fully speaking. "I'm ERWIN SMITH, 13th Commander of the Survey Corps. We plan to induct Eren into the Corps as a full-fledged member…" He turned towards Eren almost immediately. "...and use his demonic abilities to take back Wall Maria. That is all."
"Huh?" Eren looked towards Erwin in slight suspicion, trying to detect any sign of malice in his words, only to find nothing. While this was happening, Zackly spoke in a somewhat intrigued tone.
"Hm? That is all you have to say?"
"Yes, sir." Erwin nodded, looking up at the commander-in-chief, but not missing the sour looks of Nile and Minister Nick that were directed to him. "With his power, we can recover Wall Maria. I believe our priorities are clear."
"...I see." Zackly turned his head towards Pixis afterwards. "By the way, what base do you plan to use to launch expeditions going forward? Pixis?" he asked the commander of the Garrison troops present. "The Trost District wall is now completely sealed, is it not?"
"Yes… that gate will never open again." Pixis answered.
"We wish to set out from eastern Karanes District." Erwin continued. "We need to develop a new route to Shiganshina District… completely from scratch."
A man wearing a black coat from the side of the MP Brigade quickly raised his arm in alarm, his face showing desperation and worry. "Hold on! Isn't it time we sealed off all the gates permanently?" He interjected. "The Colossal Titan has only been able to destroy the gates in the walls! If we just reinforced those areas, they would never be able to attack us again…"
"The conservatives are here too, huh…" Eren sighed internally, because this trial won't be over easily with these people acting like this.
"...do those dogs in the merchants' association want land that badly?!" the man continued with a desperate voice. "All you people do is blurt out unrealistic ideas while plunging us further into ruin! We won't let you play at being heroes any longer!"
Nobody spoke from the Survey Corps or the Garrison for a few moments, looking like they were thinking about the man's words, before Captain Levi scoffed in annoyance. "Tch. You're full of talk, you pig… but where's your guarantee that the titans will wait patiently while we wall up the gates?"
The man flinched under the cold gaze of humanity's strongest soldier, as Levi crossed his arms. "When you say 'we', you talk about my friends who protect you while you get fat. You pigs take no notice of the people who can't eat because there isn't enough land!"
"A-All I said was that we'd be safe if sealed up the gates…!" The man tried to defend himself, only for the creepy presence of Minister Nick to suddenly appear beside him.
"That's enough, insolent scoundrel!" He shouted, getting the civilian to shut up and unknowingly attracting the attention of everyone in the room, including Eren. "Wall Rose was a gift from God… do you mean to say human beings should lay a hand on it?! How can you fools look upon that wall, that divine masterpiece beyond human knowledge, and still not comprehend?!"
Eren turned away, not wanting to hear the man keep on blabbering all the pointless shit that came out of his mouth. "These idiots were the reasons the reasons why it took forever to get cannons mounted on top of the walls… what they say is nonsense, but they have widespread support and influence, which makes them dangerous." The half-demon shook his head in annoyance. "I hate religion… and even now, everybody's putting their own interests first, when we tell them we put our lives on the line… why can't they just believe that?"
Ignoring Pastor Nick's tantrum, Zackly's voice rang out through the courtroom and everyone was silent once more. "Let's move on. Next… I have a question for you, Eren."
Hearing his name, the white-haired teen immediately looked up and paid full attention to the commander-in-chief. "Sir."
Zackly fixed his glasses slightly, as he read from a new paper that had the mission report. "It seems you wish to join the Survey Corps… but can you continue as a soldier and use your power for the benefit of the human race?"
"Yes, sir. I can!" Eren nodded with a look of determination on his face.
"Is that so?" The old man narrowed his eyes at Eren, who raised an eyebrow in response. "According to the report on the recovery mission, a batch of demons… was the main cause for the operation to halt. Mikasa Ackerman, a fellow cadet of yours, almost got killed by those demons had it not been for your intervention." He finished looking at the report and turned to Eren again. "While your courage to step up against the enemy is commendable, if you are going to risk our soldiers to fight whatever those things are, then it won't be good to give you to the Survey Corps. You can be the reason why they could be wiped out by this new threat that is on our doorstep…"
While Eren was struggling to find an answer to Zackly's statements, Mikasa immediately turned towards Rico who was standing just beside her. The girl had an expression on her face that asked "Why?" and Rico only rolled her eyes.
"What? Lying won't help him get out of his situation either." Rico defended herself, since it was her who wrote the mission report of the operation, which was justifiable anyway. She was a soldier who was supposed to fulfill her duty with no questions asked.
Mikasa kept her gaze towards Rico for a few more moments before turning away. She couldn't possibly put the blame on Rico for what's happening to Eren. Mikasa knew better than that, and she understood a soldier's duties very well, being one herself. So, without any other choice, she looked up at Zackly and spoke up so that he would be able to hear her.
"Sir." She even raised her arm to get Zackly to notice her and luckily, it was enough for the old man to turn towards her. "With… regards to the mission report… I'd like to present my own stand… being the one directly involved in said conflict." she said in a normal tone, which was different from her usual voice that was shy and quiet.
"Very well." Zackly nodded as all the attention in the courtroom turned towards Mikasa. "Let's hear it from you, Cadet Ackerman."
Mikasa felt a bit uneasy being under everyone's intimidating gazes, but she was able to handle herself well thanks to Eren's reassuring look which was different compared to all the people in the room. After all, he knew what exactly happened during that time and just like how Mikasa puts her trust in him several times through the years, he can place his trust in her too.
"It's not Eren's fault that the demons nearly killed me." she admitted, causing the tension in the room to slightly rise. Zackly was intrigued with that, since he was only following the words of the written report, but not from the soldiers who were involved in it.
"What do you mean by that?"
"While… While the operation was underway, those demons… they prevented Eren from reaching the rock that was going to be used to seal the gate. I… simply wanted to help so that it would be over with quickly." Zackly's eyebrows raised, perhaps the operation didn't go exactly as what was described in the report he was holding. "Although I did manage to kill a few demons of my own accord,"
Now that got everybody thinking. She killed demons on her own? A young cadet like her? How was that possible? Minister Nick retained the scowl on his face, while Nile was quite taken aback. Even the emotionless Levi of the Survey Corps had raised an eyebrow slightly, paying more attention to what the girl was getting into.
"...their overwhelming numbers was something that was too much for my own abilities. If it wasn't for Eren… I would be dead." Mikasa continued, looking down with a defeated expression before turning back towards the commander-in-chief. "Sir, I believe those terms should be considered. It was never Eren's fault. It was my decision and as a soldier… I take responsibility for my recklessness in the battlefield. It will not happen again."
"I see. I will be looking more into that, but if that was truly the case, then I have a question." Zackly placed down the report and stroked his beard afterwards. "How were you able to kill those demons on your own? Surely this information will prove useful in the future against humanity's newest threat."
"The same way how we deal with titans, sir. Using the 3D maneuvering gear." Everyone's eyes went wide at that, except for Eren. It also sparked some fear across the few civilians that attended the trials. Did this mean that those 'demons' would be as unbeatable as the titans?
"Although unlike the titans… they can be killed by a sufficient number of blows dealt to them… they don't have a particular weak spot like the titans' nape… but still… Eren was able to get rid of them easily more than me… maybe because of his arm, which he used to protect me and our friend from cannon fire before the operation. That is all."
"Very interesting… yes, this is indeed helpful…" Zackly regained his composure after also being put in a state of surprise while listening to Mikasa's words. He turned his attention to the entire courtroom, before speaking in an authoritative tone. "Since no other soldier except for Cadet Ackerman here has had an encounter with a demon as of now, the information she has provided us shall be known as the protocol in dealing with that new threat as soon as this meeting is adjourned. Any other information shall be accepted as well. Do I make myself clear?"
All of the soldiers in the room saluted and yelled, "Yes, sir!"
Eren sighed in relief. He had a good feeling about this. The commander-in-chief acknowledging Mikasa's words meant something, and if this plays out the way he hoped it would, he won't be handed over to the Military Police because if he was, things would get ugly.
Zackly nodded "Now then, with that being said, let us decide what —"
"Pardon me, sir." Nile interrupted, holding another report in his hands. "But I'm afraid we aren't done just yet."
Eren rolled his eyes and had the urge to groan. Just when things looked like they were going well, this guy comes in to ruin the party. Can't the Military Police just leave him alone? This could very well add to one of the reasons why he didn't like the branch in the first place.
The old commander's eye twitched in annoyance, before he turned towards Nile. "I shall let this act of disrespect slide for the reason that I may be rushing this trial a little, Nile. Now what is it that you wish to add?" he said in a commanding tone that scared most of the civilians present.
"Forgive me, sir." Nile bowed his head slightly before proceeding to read the report in his hands. "But I wish to add in an interesting case that will enable us to take care of this dispute without any difficulty."
"And what is that?" Zackly raised an eyebrow.
"It is said here that Cadet Yeager was seen possessing a strange-looking sword while engaging both demons and titans in Trost, which was significantly different to the blades provided by the ODM gear. However, that is not what's suspicious about him."
Eren kept a sharp look towards Nile. He knew exactly what the man was referring to.
"Along with that sword, he was seen using two firearms in combat." Only the people from the side of the Police Brigade were in shock, while the Scouts and the Garrison looked unaffected. But Zackly was intrigued, to say the least. "Now, according to one of the laws of the military, only soldiers who belong to the Military Police Brigade are given authority to wield such weapons. Eren here is not a member of the Military Police Brigade, nor was he given permission to wield a gun by an official, as it would have reached me."
Eren wanted to answer in an attempt to explain things, but he opted to stay quiet instead. Talking right now might be a bad idea since he was still on trial and showing disobedience could be used against him.
"Of course, his reason for using firearms is understandable. It was for the benefit of the operation and secure the district… yet it raises doubts as to how did he acquire them. He couldn't have gotten them from any of the soldiers in the Brigade, nor could he have acquired them by going to the headquarters in Trost because the surviving cadets have sworn they didn't see Eren go there. He was too busy fighting against the titans." Nile looked up from the report in his hands. "If we don't even know everything about this child, should we entrust him with the lives, resources, and the fate of the human race?"
The atmosphere seemed thick in the courtroom, and silence followed afterwards. It seemed like nobody had an answer to Nile's statements. But as expected, the civilians from the side of the Military Police were the first to break the silence that ensued.
"That's right! H-He might be a titan that took the form of a child to infiltrate our society!"
"O-Or worse! He… He could be one of those demons that attacked Trost! Just look at his arm! He's pretending to be our ally to ambush the human race behind our backs!"
"Is this any time to be having a leisurely debate?" The man from earlier spoke up. "He's right in front of us, like a powder keg that can explode any minute! Those shackles mean nothing!"
If Eren was annoyed earlier, now he was worried. "Shit… I better say something, or…"
"That one, too!" The man pointed to Mikasa out of desperation, with a look of fear present on his face. His sudden action caused the girl to step back as well, as Armin held her arm just in case. "How do we know she's human? If she killed those demons on her own, she must be something more than just a normal human being!"
"Yeah…"
"Just in case, we should dissect them both…"
More civilians from the side of Military Police were coming to an agreement, as they began to talk about how to deal with the two devils, as to how they put it. However, Eren wasn't going to have any of this.
"HEY!" Eren's voice rang out in the entire courtroom, getting the attention of the civilians and the soldiers too.
Not anymore.
He was fine with placing the blame on him, but to involve Mikasa in this… was something that he won't tolerate.
"You think you're the smart ones here? You can call me a devil all you want," snarled the teen as he glared at them. "But Mikasa has nothing to do with it."
Mikasa's eyes widened as she watched Eren defend her from the delusional mob of civilians, as she began to calm down in her place.
"She's not involved. And what's more… everyone's just saying whatever speculation happens to be convenient to them! But once you've cut yourselves off from reality, it's all pointless!" he finished with a smirk.
"What…?" Pastor Nick voiced out with a look of disbelief on his face.
Even Nile looked equally shocked. "How dare you…?"
"I don't care if I get in trouble anymore… no one insults Mikasa in front of me!" He thought, before snickering at their gobsmacked looks. "And in the first place… you people have never even seen a titan, nor a demon… so what are you so afraid of? What can we do when the people who have power don't fight? If you're afraid of fighting for your own lives, then help me! You cowards…"
He struggled against his own binds in an attempt to lean closer to the side of the Military Police Brigade. "I'm going to tell them… everything I'm thinking… I'll tell these cowards…" Since he couldn't get any sort of leverage against his shackles, he simply leaned back, closing his eyes and roaring as loud as he could.
"Just shut your mouths… AND INVEST EVERYTHING IN ME!"
…
…
…
What followed next was an absolute silence. Nobody could make another word after the teen's sudden outburst. His voice even turned somewhat inhumane at the end of his statement, which further increased the shock that everyone felt. While only a few soldiers from the side of the Scouts were forced to take a step back in fear, the whole side of the interior flinched in terror and some even fell to their knees and looked close to crying. While this was happening, Zackly showed interest more than surprise after hearing that change in the boy's tone.
"Y-You… devil…"
"Uh…"
"I… I…"
Those were only a few of the horrified reactions from the civilians, but Eren wasn't going to have any of it. They needed to be taught a lesson. Turning to the side of the MP brigade, he kept an indifferent look that sent chills up their spine.
"Stand ready!" Nile told one of his men.
"Sir!" The soldier aimed his rifle towards Eren shakily, showing his nervousness at facing some kind of monster.
*BANG!*
The gunshot rang all over the courtroom as the bullet hit the restrained teen directly in the face. Many have widened their eyes at what had just happened, including Zackly, Nick, Mike, Hange, and many of the civilians who were present in the courtroom. Some had even let out a scream of horror, while some had started letting out smiles upon realizing what transpired.
Nile, who was taken aback at Eren getting shot, immediately turned to his subordinate with an enraged look. "What are you thinking?! I did not tell you to shoot!" he lashed out at the poor soldier who looked scared for his life.
"I-I'm sorry, sir! I was just so scared!" The officer dropped the rifle in his hand and raised both hands in defeat.
"Eren!" Mikasa, with a worried look on her face, tried to jump over the barricade and rush over to Eren and save him while there was still time, but Armin kept his grip on her arm to prevent her from going anywhere. "Armin, let go! Eren is— MMPH!" The blonde quickly slapped his hand over her mouth to prevent her from speaking any further.
"Eren's not dead. Look." He reassured her before pointing to their friend in the middle of the room, where the half-demon slowly raised his head, revealing his unharmed face much to the disbelief of everyone who was present.
Eren turned towards the Police Brigade once more, with his glare being enough to make a few of them burst into tears and some to look at him as if he was the devil itself.
The white-haired demon gritted his teeth before spitting out something towards the side of the MPs. It was the bullet that supposedly hit him in the face!
"Tough guy, huh…" Eren spat out, before smirking at the terrified looks of the people there. "I'd like to see you—!"
*WHAM!*
A bone-crunching sound rang through the entire courtroom, as Levi kicked Eren across the face before the brat could even finish his sentence. It caught the teen off guard, but he was able to notice a tooth went flying after that one hit.
"Was that my tooth that went flying?" Eren thought to himself, before he was pulled out of it as Levi sent his heel to the back of his head. The half-demon spat out some blood onto the floor before the strongest soldier grabbed him by his hair. Eren looked up at Levi with a small glare, before receiving a hard knee to the side of his face. At this point, the people from the side of the Brigade had stopped looking at Eren in fear and instead with shock at Captain Levi giving the kid a beating.
Mikasa tried to make a move for it once more, but Armin kept on holding her back, shaking his head. "Just bear with it, Mikasa…" He felt bad for keeping Mikasa from interfering, but this was needed. It looked like he knew more than what any normal soldier does.
Eren collapsed to the ground, and Levi stepped on his head as a result. "This is just my opinion…" the captain said, driving his foot deeper into Eren's skull. "But I've always found pain the most effective punishment. The lesson you need to learn right now… can't be taught with words… only with action. And you're kneeling, which makes you easy to kick."
The teen let out a small scream of pain when Levi kicked him in the gut, after which Eren slowly looked up with a harsh glare on his face, which sent chills up the spines of those people in the side of the Military Police Brigade. They felt as if that glare was directed to them more than anyone else.
As Levi planted his foot on Eren's face again, Nile stepped forward, reaching out with his arm. "Levi, wait…"
Levi turned to the chief of the MP Brigade with a bored expression. "What…?"
"...i-it's dangerous." Nile said, as he gulped in nervousness. "What'll we do if you make him mad, and he goes on a rampage?"
The captain tilted his head slightly as removed his foot from Eren's face, causing the teen to collapse again. "...what are you talking about?" He pulled up Eren by his hair, and the half-demon groaned in response. "You're the ones who want to dissect him, right?"
The soldier who shot Eren a while ago flinched, looking at the young man in fear even though he was all beaten up. He made no attempt to defend himself, and it caused Captain Levi to scoff.
"Heh…" Levi fully turned towards the MPs. "He apparently killed more than 20 titans before the operation took place, stopping only out of exhaustion. The fact that he was also the top cadet in his division makes him a formidable enemy. But he's not my enemy… is he yours?"
Many of them, mainly the civilians, had turned away out of fear. The soldiers however, looked as if they handled the situation well, only for most of them to start looking down since they had no real answer if they had to be honest.
"Everyone who's persecuted him should think carefully, too. I wonder… could you really kill him? Think of how he spat out the bullet from your rifle earlier like it was nothing." Levi pressed on.
"Commander-in-chief… I have a proposal."
Erwin called out, causing Zackly to turn to him. This also got the attention of everyone else in the room. What did he have to say this time?
"There are many unknown elements behind Eren's true nature and abilities, including that right arm of his. Danger will always be lurking underneath the surface. Therefore, in the event that you decide to put him under our control…" Erwin turned towards Levi. "...I would pair him up with Captain Levi as a failsafe. Someone as skilled as the captain would be able to deal with Eren even in a worst-case scenario."
"I see…" Zackly slowly nodded, before turning his attention towards Levi as well. "Can you do it, Levi?"
"If you mean killing him, it's no problem." The captain sent a bored look towards the bloody teen, who returned it with a scowl. "I've never killed a demon before, but I am sure a clean decapitation is enough to deal with him if he tries anything."
Zackly took a deep breath and clasped his hands together. "I see we have exhausted this line of inquiry. I will now make my decision."
Alarmed, Nile quickly acted and spoke up before it was too late. Maybe there was still a chance to get what they wanted. "Please, wait!" Without even waiting for an answer from the commander-in-chief, the leader of the MP Brigade looked towards his fellow commander. "Erwin… I want to ask you. What will you do about the interior?!"
Erwin merely nodded towards his old friend. "I am quite aware that our activities outside the wall depend on the stability of the human race. I don't take the problems of the interior lightly." He turned his attention towards the teen who was bound in the middle of the courtroom. "So, let me propose… that to calm the public… we'll prove that Eren is a valuable asset to humanity in our next expedition beyond the wall. I would like to decide his future based on those results."
"I see… so you're going outside the wall…" Zackly nodded several times in understanding, as he seemed to have made his decision.
"Anything to get them out of here now…"
"God willing, he'll die out there…
"Just get the devil out of my sight…"
Those were only a few of the thoughts of the civilians from the side of the Brigade, and it was safe to say that all of them were looking forward to never seeing Eren again. Meanwhile, Nile could only scowl for losing this dispute, while his fellow officers somehow looked relieved. They didn't want to deal with the teen after seeing how intimidating the boy was.
"Then it's settled." Zackly closed his eyes and began to speak in an authoritative voice once more. "Eren Yeager is placed in the care of the Survey Corps. However, he may return here, depending on his accomplishments."
In one of the rooms of the entire building, Eren sat on the lone couch, applying some ice to the bruises he sustained from the beating he had received earlier. Of course, he knew that he would heal from this quite easily, but this would at least cool down the pain for now.
With him inside the room were Erwin Smith, Hange Zöe, Mike Zacharias, and Captain Levi. Mike was looking at the window, Levi and Hange looked like they were discussing something, while Erwin approached the teen on the couch.
"Damn, good thing I can heal from this…" the half-demon hissed, as he looked up at Erwin who seemed apologetic.
"Sorry about that…" The blonde man knelt down so that he was on Eren's level. "But you did get your point across the commander-in-chief and other VIPs, anyway."
"Right…" Eren muttered, while looking to the side.. Despite that, there was still some part of him that didn't like being used as a tool to get what others wanted.
"And that gave us the perfect chance to play the card we had up our sleeve. Believe me, it was worth the pain. You have my respect." Erwin reached out his hand for the teen to shake. "I look forward to working with you."
Although he still felt bitter about what happened, Eren accepted the handshake professionally. After all, he always wanted to join the Survey Corps. It was his dream ever since he was a kid. "Sir. Thank you for having me."
All of a sudden, Levi plopped down into the couch, crossing his legs and spreading out his arms, startling Eren for a bit before calming down.
"Tell me, Eren…" The captain turned to the teen with a serious look. "Do you hate me?"
If he had to be honest, Eren really didn't like that Captain Levi resorted to violence against him, even though he was aware of his healing factor. If it wasn't for him figuring out what Levi was really up to in the midst of getting beaten up, he would've broken free earlier and fight back. But regardless, Eren decided to be mature about it and just shook his head to answer the captain.
"No, sir." Despite not being entirely mad at Levi, he couldn't look at the captain right now. Maybe he could calm down after a good nap to forget about all this. "I understood that you needed to do what you did… otherwise the MPs would've taken custody of me after what happened when I was shot."
"Glad to know." Levi shrugged, satisfied with Eren's answer.
"You could've shown some restraint…" Hange commented, leaning closer to get a good look at Eren as she held a wet towel in her hand. "Look… he broke a tooth!"
Levi waved her off. "I'd say that beats getting dissected any day."
"Eren, show me your mouth." Complying, Eren opened his mouth and Hange leaned even closer to get a good look. "Incredible… your tooth… it's growing back…" Out of curiosity, the other soldiers in the room also leaned in close to see if she was telling the truth.
With that, Eren closed his mouth and just shrugged. "A simple tooth is nothing when your body can heal from almost any injury." He said like it was nothing, and to prove his point, he stopped using a cold compress on his bruises. That alone caused Hange to smile creepily as light shone in her glasses.
"Is that so…?" she chuckled darkly, before turning her attention to Eren's right arm. "We're gonna have so much fun then… I've only done titans, now I can't wait to start running tests on a demon~! Especially on that arm…" she actually drooled a bit upon staring at the demonic arm, before rushing out of the room as if she was being chased down by an abnormal titan.
Seeing how she was acting just now, Eren turned to Erwin with a conflicted look. "Should I be worried?" he asked.
"A bit. Hange is our top scientist, and she's always eager to perform experiments on titans that we captured in our expeditions. But you don't need to worry about anything life-threatening, she's not going to dissect you like what the interior police were planning. She just wants to learn more, that's all." Erwin smiled softly, before crossing his arms.
"That makes me feel somewhat better…" Eren snickered, before something important just crossed his mind. How could he have forgotten about her? His eyes widened upon remembering, before looking up at Erwin. "Say, commander… I'm a part of the Survey Corps now, right?"
Erwin nodded, before gesturing towards the captain. "That's right. You'll be travelling with Levi and his squad to headquarters as soon as you recover. The next expedition outside the walls is due to happen in a month and before that happens, we need to learn everything you know about demons, as well as your true nature and the extent of your abilities. Those are crucial if we are to take Wall Maria back from the titans, and now the demons as well."
"Alright, but… before I go with you, can I make a request?" Eren looked hesitant to ask for anything, since after all, he was in no position to do so in the first place.
"What is it?" asked Levi since from now on, Eren would be his responsibility; the things that come with joining Squad Levi.
Eren had his head down for a few moments before finally looking up, turning towards both Levi and Erwin. "I… I would like to visit my mom in Trost."
And that ends this long, long chapter! Eren is now in the Survey Corps, and is put in Squad Levi! But it looks like he wants to visit dear old Carla before doing anything related to the Scouts… what's gonna happen from there? Oh, I have a surprise for you all next chapter! Prepare for an old DMC character to be introduced, because things will start to get reaaaallly interesting from there. Excited? Tune in to find out!
I apologize if I took long, but classes have already started here and… oh boy, ashfall has begun where I am. The Taal Volcano is showing signs of eruption yesterday, and we are forced to stay indoors. Classes are even suspended. This will definitely hinder me, but not to worry! I'll keep on writing as much as I can.
Anyway, as promised, here is the list of devil arms that will be introduced in this fanfic, as well as their respective users. I may or may not add more, but we'll see.
Agni and Rudra - Levi
Cerberus/King Cerberus - Mikasa
Beowulf/Balrog - Annie
Nevan - Hange
Lucifer - Jean
Pandora - Sasha
Dr. Faust - Connie
Kalina Ann - Historia
I'm aware Kalina Ann isn't a devil arm, but I figured to add it to the list because it's still a weapon from the DMC universe that will be used by an AOT character. And as a bonus… here is a sample dialogue in the future from when Levi gets his very own devil arm!
TMCTMCTMCTMCTMC
"Wait!" Agni spoke up as he looked towards Levi, who merely turned around with a scowl. Didn't these loudmouths have enough? "Yes, wait!" He continued to call out, seeing that he had Levi's attention now. "We have been waiting for a long time!"
"Yes, a very long time!" Rudra called out as well.
"For someone stronger than us."
"Someone who can control us."
Feeling that this would be worth his time, Levi walked towards the two swords, the scowl on his face slowly disappearing.
"My name is Agni."
"And my name is Rudra."
"You shall take us with you, we can be of great help to you!" Both swords said at the same time, as Levi actually thought about it for a moment. Once he was done, he closed his eyes for a second before looking down at the two.
"Very well… but on one condition." He said, before glaring at them.
"What is it?" Agni said with eagerness in his voice.
"Name it!" Rudra said, excited to be with his new user.
"No talking." Levi ordered, pointing to each of them with each word.
"Fair enough."
"As you wish."
The captain then took both swords in each hands, before being quite amazed to see their flames and wind not affecting him anymore. He began spinning them around with trained ease, as if he was using his own ODM blades. No doubt that the swords and Levi suited each other as he wielded Agni and Rudra with incredible skill. He even combined the blades into one weapon, as the flames and wind created by the two became stronger and stronger with each swing.
His little demonstration came to and end after spinning around wildly like how he would do so with his 3D maneuvering gear, and creating a powerful vortex of fire and wind that ended with him striking a pose.
"Impressive." Rudra said, being reminded of Dante at that moment.
Levi bashed the two heads together, causing them both pain as the soldier glared at them. "No talking!" He ordered once again, and the two were silent as a pup afterwards. "Good." With that out of the way, Levi carried the two swords on his back before walking towards his horse.
"The gate here is all but rubble… I better regroup with Erwin and the others, or else more demons are going to target the people." Mounting his horse, the captain looked up the gigantic form of the Savior levitating in the sky. "Eren, it's all on you now." He thought, before riding off.
TMCTMCTMCTMCTMC
How's that? Did it make you hyped? I hope it did! Ever since I began thinking of which characters to use devil arms, Levi using Agni and Rudra was already a given in my mind. Him using those two just fits so much. And I'm pretty sure you know what arc that dialogue is taking place if you notice what Levi said in the end. I just hope you tune in long enough for us to reach that part. For the others acquiring their own devil arms, you'll have to wait and see!
Goodbye… and good night! BANG! *too sweet gesture*
-Lance
