Happy new year to everyone!
I really want to thank you because the numbers are shown in my profile and you don't know how much it fills me with joy to know how many people are reading. I love you all, from the first to the last.
Thank you so much.
I wish you that this year can bring you much joy and happiness.
When I grow up I want to be chosen.
"So...?" Elizabeth asked sitting on Levi's desk, when she saw him enter and close the door behind him as he used to do every time she was with him.
The Captain looked at her for a moment, he always scolded her for that strange habit she had of sitting right there instead of using a normal chair but it didn't really bother him.
Seeing her there, on his return, warmed him every time, gave him a feeling at chest height that he couldn't hunt and didn't even want to try to.
She had become his everyday life.
"That brat wants to join the Survey Corps. I will personally take responsibility for him."
"Damn… a titan fighting titans. There's something ironic about all of this."
Levi allowed her a little laugh and a movement with his head, actually agreeing with her as he got close enough for her, stretching her legs and tying them around his hips, to pull him over her.
"There is something about him that is definitely suited to the Survey Corps."
"Let me guess. You will have to convince Zackly right?"
Levi brought a lock of blonde behind her ear, then moving both hands to her hips without stopping to look into her eyes. He was damn proud of her: she had risen to prove her worth and everyone was aware of that now. He didn't care if he had to hide them if she was next to him.
"Yes. Tomorrow Hange and Mike will accompany him to the assembly. And you must also be there as my vice."
Elizabeth snorted, throwing her head back and closing her eyes to emphasize how she considered it a nuisance, but doing so only gave Levi enough space to leave a little kiss on the throat.
"I just can't avoid it, can I?"
"Why are you asking questions that you already know the answer to?"
She seemed to think about it a bit, in fact it didn't make much sense but she liked to annoy the Captain, he had such a sexy look...
"Why don't you help me find out. Maybe taking off your clothes." she whispered mischievously bringing her lips to those of her captain, so inviting as to ignore.
The grip on her hips grew stronger as Levi smiled and joined their lips in a breathtaking kiss.
Elizabeth waited patiently, along with all the other superiors, and those of jurisdictional power, for the arrival of Eren Jeager.
She didn't want to be there at all but she had to admit that it was starting to intrigue her.
The little boy who was let in didn't seem like someone who could transform to kill you instantly, rather he gave her the impression of a frightened deer who didn't understand at all what was happening to him.
"The boy is frightened." Elizabeth whispered next to Levi, who, however, immediately prepared to carry out the order that had been assigned to her by Zackly earlier. Nobody trusted him and they feared his possible transformation so that she had to stand next to him, armed, thus threatening to kill him at the first false step.
The blonde didn't understand it: could that little boy really be that stupid to transform himself in front of a bunch of people armed and trained to kill?
A soldier with a rifle pushed Eren forward to where Elizabeth was standing, putting him in awe.
"Step forward, now kneel there before the Vice Captain."
"Having said that, it seems that he has to kneel to me..." Elizabeth commented, regardless of the fact that they had all heard her, while she took care to handcuff him to a long and thick pole.
At Zackly's entrance the whole room became silent as Elizabeth settled the blade in her hands but didn't point it at him, which made Eren curious. If she had to keep it under control why not point it at his throat?
"Well, then let's us begin. Eren Jeager, yes? You are a soldier sworn to sacrifice your life for the public good. Is that correct? "
"Yes sir."
"This is an exceptional situation, this tribunal will be held under military, not civilian law. It follows that every decision will be my exclusive competence. The final decision rests entirely in my hands. Your fate will be decided here. Do you have any objections? "
"No sir."
Elizabeth continued to keep her gaze rigidly on the General, who gave her an approving look in response before starting to speak again.
"I appreciate your perception. I will be direct: as anticipated, concealing your existence has proved impossible. We must make your existence public in some form, or a threat to humanity other than titans may arise. What I will decide today is which force will have to custody you. The Military Police or the Survey Corps. Then, I ask the Military Police for their proposal."
"Yes sir." a man from the faction to Eren's right stood up and Elizabeth noticed that he had some papers in his hand, which made her smile and shake her head: he even needed to write everything down. "I, Commander of the Military Police Nile Dawk, will present my proposal. After a thorough investigation of Eren's body we believe he should be eliminated immediately. It's certainly true that his titan power overcame our previous peril, however now his existence threatens to spark a civil war. So we ask him to die for humanity's sake, leaving behind all the information he can."
"There is no need for that." the minister Nick, a person Elizabeth couldn't stand at all, interjected. Eren looked at him a few moments before turning to Levi's vice captain who rolled her eyes visibly irritated by him. She didn't even hide it.
"There he is..."
Elizabeth immediately noticed that the boy did not look at her frightened as with all the others, he seemed to trust her already, perhaps it was her gaze that granted him it but he did not fear her. He was asking her for help.
"This is a monster who has penetrated among us deceiving the walls ..."
"Even you can't stand it uh... you're not the only one." Elizabeth whispered to Eren as she placed a hand on her hip to settle herself in balance.
"Order please." Zackly interrupted him, while the blonde thanked him mentally raising her eyes to the sky and sighing. "We'll hear the Survey Corps's proposal next."
It was strange for Elizabeth to be in that room again, considering she wasn't the one on trial this time. Almost pitying the boy.
"Yes sir." Erwin answered turning his gaze to the Supreme Commander. "I , 13th Commander of the Survey Corps Erwin Smith, will resent my proposal. We would welcome Eren as an official member of our forces and use his power to retake Wall Maria. That's all."
"That's all?" Zackly asked, intrigued by the speed with which the Commander had hurried. Straight to the point as always, Erwin preferred to avoid unnecessary turns of phrase.
"Yes, sir. With his power we can retake Wall Maria. We believe it is clear what our priorities should be."
"I see." Zackly seemed to think about it for a few moments before turning his attention to other aspects of Erwin's idea. "And where do you plan to begin this mission? Pixis, the Trost walls has been completely sealed, correct?"
"Yes, it can never be opened again." Pixis answered, taken into consideration. Elizabeth could get her hands on the fire, that man surely wanted to be elsewhere to sleep or drink. And she was of the same opinion.
However, Zackly was really considering Erwin's proposal, absurd as it seemed, and she could do something to help with it.
"We would like to set out from Karanes in the east. From there we will proceed to Shiganshina. We will determine the route as we go." she explained, then stopped by another man's voice.
"Wait a moment! Shouldn't we seal all the wall gates instead? The Colossal Titan can only destroy the gates, if we can strengthen them we needn't endure further attacks!"
"Shut up merchant dog! Whit that titan's power we can return to Wall Maria!"
"We can no longer indulge your delusions of grandeur!"
Elizabeth snorted once again as she stopped listening to that useless debate that had arisen, they had to discuss Eren and, instead, they clung to everything to get him out.
"Now he gets angry..." she murmured in a low voice, aware that of all present only Eren could hear her, too close to him.
"You talk a lot, pig."
And as she had foreseen, Levi raised his voice to intrude.
"Told you."
"Where is your proof that the titans will wait while we seal the gates? The 'we' you speak of are only those you wish to protect, your 'friends' who help line your pockets. The people who starve because there isn't enough land to sow don't even figure into the thoughts of you pigs."
"We just thought that we could survive by sealing the wall gates-"
Eren almost laughed when minister Nick spoke again and Elizabeth snorted for the umpteenth time.
"Oh my God, when he starts he never ends it..."
To interrupt all the noise that was created, which was bothering not only Levi, it was Zackly who repeatedly clapped his hand on the wooden bench until everyone was silent.
"Silence. You may discuss your personal philosophies and opinions elsewhere. Jeager I wish to confirm something: can you continue to serve as a soldier using your titan powers to benefit humanity?"
"Yes, I can!"
"But the report Trost's defense says this: immediately after turning into a titan he swung his fist at Mikasa Ackerman."
Eren stopped looking at the General to give a completely shocked look to the girl in question, who Elizabeth felt the look on her back since she had approached the boy. It was evident that she cared about him, there was no need for her to ask for confirmation; if Mikasa could have set fire to something with only her irises Elizabeth would now be reduced to ashes.
However, even if the gaze did not show it, the blonde focused on a detail that was irrelevant to everyone, except for her.
Ackerman.
"Is Mikasa Ackerman present?"
"Yes. That's me"
"You are Ackerman? Is it true that, as a titan, Jeager attacked you? "
Mikasa hesitated and Elizabeth hoped she wasn't stupid enough to lie, or it would put both him and herself in a bad position. She seemed an intelligent girl, in some respects even similar to Levi, now she had only to trust in her good judgment. Feelings had to stay out of these things.
"Yes it's true."
"I knew it. He's just another titan."
In the room, a shouting rose again that Elizabeth found incredibly annoying but gave her the right opportunity to be able to address the girl, this time, instead of Eren, without risking being heard by everyone else.
"If you know something that can clear him, say it, girl."
Mikasa watched the blonde wink at her before she found exactly the words to say.
"But on two previous occasions Eren saved my life in his titan form. The first time mere seconds before a titan would have had me in his grasps he stood between us to protect me. The second time he saved Armin and me from an HE shell. I would like these facts to be considered as well."
"I object!"
Elizabeth this time refrained from snorting. She immediately recognized him, it was the same one who had thrown himself against her during her trial, that face she would never forget. "I believe these comments are greatly colored by her personal feelings. At an early age Mikasa Ackerman lost her parents and was taken in by the Jeager household."
"If so then why admit that Eren attacked her? He could lie and say that fact was false, there is no concrete evidence that it happened. Only three of them saw it. And anyone's testimony could be compromised for personal reasons." Elizabeth said, while Levi hid a pleased grin. If there was one thing he discovered he loved watching, it was her who took a stand.
Eren, on the other hand, grazed his eyes, not expecting her to defend them just when she was in charge of keeping him under close surveillance.
"Our investigation has also revealed a surprising fact about the underlying events Vice Captain Elizabeth." he looked at her defiantly, obviously disagreeing with the blonde's promotion. "At age nine Eren Jeager and Mikasa Ackerman killed three robbers who tried to kidnap her. Even if it was self-defense I must question their fundamental humanity. Is it right to entrust humanity's fate, resources, and lives to him?"
"Oh, so you think the same of me?" she asked, smiling, satisfied and defiantly, managing to surprise some who still didn't know her. "Because if I remember correctly you were there during the trial with Misha, wasn't you? But my searches had made you useful to clean up your reputation."
The many began to talk to each other again as he no longer knew what to answer. She was damn good with words and if he had added anything else she would still be able to argue and put him in a bad light. That look was definitely different from when it was in Eren's place, that day there was only a lot of self-esteem but now it was full of awareness. Even more dangerous than before.
"So is she! Do we know that she's human?"
"That's right! Just to be safe we should dissect her!"
Eren could not bear them talking like that about Mikasa and looked at Elizabeth as if asking for help. But she had nothing else to add, on the contrary she was convinced that he instead had a lot to say, so she just nodded at him, giving him the signal to speak and to interrupt them.
"Wait! I may be a monster but she has nothing to do with it! Nothing at all!"
"We can't trust that!"
"It's the truth!"
"If you're covering for her it means she's one of you!"
"No!" Eren was now dominated by anger and frustration and Elizabeth could not let him get nervous, she didn't want to get to the point of killing him but she knew that if he exaggerated the only thing she could do was cut off his head. To avoid it she hit him on the head, blocking it with one hand with an ease that left him almost dumbfounded, kneeling beside him as she just pushed his throat against the pole behind his head. It wasn't choking him but it was blocking him and that knowledge made Eren calm down for a while.
"Take it easy! If you want, talk, but don't dare to move!" she exclaimed in a high and authoritative voice, so much so that Elizabeth felt the young man swallow under her fingers, then she just approached him to be able to whisper so that no one would notice. "It's your time, don't waste it. Make yourself heard Eren."
Elizabeth got to her feet, leaving him there with his head down to think about the words to use, hoping he understood what she had said to him.
"I mean... you are wrong. But you're simply coming up with theories that fit whatever it suits you to think, as the vice captain Elizabeth pointed out before."
"What do you mean?" Nick asked with a shocked look as if he had something disconcerting in front of him. Elizabeth, on the other hand, just grinned satisfied: the boy understood.
"Besides, all of you people have never seen a titan, what are you afraid of? What is the point if those with the means and power do not fight? If you're afraid to fight for survival then help me! You... cowards! Just shut up and bet everything you have on me!"
Elizabeth clicked her tongue against the palate. The boy was determined but he definitely had to learn to calm down. Forced to intervene again, she blocked him once again against the pole, from the throat, without putting too much pressure on it but looking grim and angry this time.
"Weapons ready!"
"Yes sir!"
Elizabeth walked away only when she felt Levi's hand on his shoulder silently asking her to get away from him. If Eren at first thought that the Captain wanted to make sure of something, what he heard later obscured the flow of his thoughts because he kicked him so hard that he lost a tooth. Then a second and a third as the blood began to flow out.
Eren was able to look at Elizabeth for a few moments, but she had an incredibly cold and detached look, as if what had appeared before her eyes did not arouse her attention in the least.
"This is a personal opinion, but I believe pain to be the best way to train someone. What you need is to be trained like a dog not a man. It's easier to kick you while you're kneeling too."
Levi stopped only to speak, so that he would look at him, thus demonstrating that they were perfectly capable of bringing the boy to his knees without suffering the consequences, before resuming kicking him again.
"Wait Levi, that's enough now!"
"What is it?" Levi asked him, also acknowledging that it was the same one who had thrown himself against his Elizabeth long ago. A little personal revenge of him, who challenged her.
"It is too dangerous! What if he gets angry and turns into a titan?"
Levi gave another kick to Eren who was standing still without moving, despite the fact that neither he nor Elizabeth, he was sure, had escaped a particularly furious Mikasa who was stopped by a boy next to him to avoid throwing himself at him.
"What are you saying?" Levi lowered himself until his face next to Eren's, which he tugged by the hair before letting him recover again. "Aren't you going to dissect him? When he turned into a titan last time he killed twenty titans before collapsing. If he is an enemy his intelligence makes him a more formidable foe. Still no match for me, of course. But what you'll do? Anyone persecuting him should also consider that fact. Do you really think you can kill him?"
Elizabeth secretly nodded to the Commander, agreeing with him that it was time to act.
Erwin raised his hand in response, drawing Zackly's attention. "Sir, I have a proposal."
"What is it?"
"The detail of Eren's titan power remain uncertain, making it dangerous. Thus, I propose to have Captain Levi and Vice Captain Elizabeth take responsibility for Eren's control and embark on an expedition outside the Walls."
"With Eren in tow?" asked the General, interested in the idea that for many it was crazy but by now he had had the opportunity to see with his eyes how it was precisely the madness to make that division what it was.
"Yes, sir. Based on the expedition's result I'd like you to judge whether Eren can control his titan power and whether he is a boon or bane to humanity."
"Control Eren Jeanger... Levi, Elizabeth are you two sure you can do it? " Zackly then asked, this time to whoever captained the division and was still standing in the center of the room with Eren.
"I'm certain I can kill him, and I speak for Elizabeth too; the only problem is I doubt I can do any less." Levi answered turning to look Elizabeth in the eye for a few moments. Her plan had proved as fruitful as ever and he couldn't be prouder of her. Her mind refines to Erwin's made her special, so different from the Commander but so cunning that she could even overcome him. And damn exciting for him.
"Then I made my decision." Zackly concluded, later declaring that the Survey Corps, and the two of them in particular, would have obtained custody of Eren, with direct orders to kill him if he did not cooperate.
Eren was immediately approached by the Corps to which he now belonged but they were stopped by the General who approached them with his hands folded behind his back.
"Sir." they all greeted him with respect, while Eren already feared he was in trouble.
"Vice Captain Elizabeth, I'd like to have a few words with you."
That sentence left everyone shocked for a few moments, even her for the first time, who didn't expect it at all. Maybe she had done something wrong in challenging him so much but she hadn't been able to avoid it.
"Yes, sir." she replied, following him in religious silence until Erwin, Levi, Hange and Eren were too far away, as they then began to head to another office to wipe the blood from his face.
Elizabeth waited in loyal silence for the General to speak up, only after leading her to his office to make sure no one was bothering with that business.
"You must be wondering why I asked you to speak in private Elizabeth."
The blonde took a breath, trying to keep her face more serious but relaxed. It wasn't easy not to feel in awe of someone who could have kicked you out of the army with one single word. And she was the queen of too many words...
"Indeed yes, sir. I admit to being quite intrigued."
Zackly sat up, taking advantage of the office he had been left there to keep his things before returning to his place; he looked at her for a few moments, studying every possible betrayal of the confidence she had in herself. He found none.
"Some strange things are happening this year, especially among the new cadets. There are some, according to what I have read about the Battle of Trost, worthy of merit and noteworthy."
Elizabeth didn't really understand where he was headed. It wasn't like him to go around things or talk cryptically and just the fact that he was doing it meant he was convincing her. Or at least he was trying.
Well, that mean she wasn't in trouble...
"Your plan of action, albeit devised at the last minute, helped get rid of all the titans that had managed to pass through the Wall Rose, as well as provide two specimens for studies."
Elizabeth realized that he was only expecting confirmation when she saw him shut up, waiting for her to confirm or deny.
"Ah… yes sir, that's how it went. Time was short and we had to do what we could."
"And that's exactly why I'd like you to rank up. You alone have the value of a hundred men and strategists and under your leadership those cadets could become exceptional weapons."
"I don't think I understand what I can do for you sir."
"I would like you to take all the cadets who choose the Survey Corps with you and make a new division out of it, with you as commander."
The blonde was speechless. What he was asking of her was beyond her possible imagination, she was not enlisted with the idea of making a career and becoming someone and if she had found herself it was more for a pact with Erwin than for ambition, pure desire to help others, never she believed she would indeed be chosen from the multitude for her skills.
In short, the elite team was one thing, she knew she was an excellent fighter, but even commander of an entire division... it seemed too much to manage.
She did not think she could do it, it was too big a responsibility for her that she was definitely not suited for orders and office work, she wanted to be on the front line and fight with the soldiers.
"I am truly honored by your request sir but I don't think I am a suitable person to be a commander. I have very little experience as a superior to other soldiers, especially if they are completely inexperienced guys."
Elizabeth didn't want to offend him in any way but she didn't really believe she was the best choice for cadets who had recently seen hell with their own eyes. Probably then very few would have chosen the Survey Corps for the fame it had, now with Eren among them even less.
But Zackly didn't seem upset, on the contrary he smiled at her as if he were a father with his daughter.
"I've seen you grow a lot in the last period. When you were sent on a mission you were too fearless and too eager to show off, but now you are a woman even more confident in yourself and your ambitions. I'm glad there's an element like you in our ranks. However, please consider my proposal."
Zackly took a moment to observe her: she was a woman who appealed to many but somehow always managed to put her role first and not be influenced by the opinion of men.
"What do you mean sir?"
"If you ever feel ready to take this step forward please notify me immediately and that role will be yours immediately."
The blonde swallowed slightly, trying to breathe as calmly as possible. All she wanted was to be able to stand beside Levi and carry out her task, becoming commander would only bring her too much trouble and worries that, already from what she saw from Erwin's work, she would not have resolved with the same calm as him. She was honored but her answer was no.
"Thank you sir."