Tumblr Prompt: "I've been fighting for a long time…and it's turned me into…this."
Decision
The Court consisted of the Survey Corps newly appointed Commander Hange, Garrison Commander Pixis, and Commander-In-Chief, Darius Zackley. The Jury was merely what was left of the Survey Corp. All nine members present, standing, silent, dutifully, awaiting the sentence of their former trainee acquaintance, now turned wall-wide criminal, Annie Leonhardt.
Zackley coldly assessed the young girl below him; the guards had chained her to the same iron post that they had once chained Eren Jaeger too. How ironic; the young boy who was once in this very same position, now watched from the jury box above, jaw locked tightly, brows furrowing together in concern for the unknown.
Zackley straightened in his chair, pinning his attention on Leonhardt. "I believe you know well, how this will go." He pulled a sheet from underneath the neatly stacked documents on his bench, "Annie Leonhardt, Ex-Military Police Officer, former Cadet of the 104th training camp, one of the Top ten."
He placed the sheet down, "And, the Mysterious Female Titan."
The girl blinked, slow, and dazed; clearly under the influence of some type of sedative.
"You are guilty for Treason within the walls, the destruction of District Stohess, causing massive hysteria among the citizens of Wall Sina, and the murder of more than several Survey Corp soldiers, including those of the former Squad lead by Levi."
Eren let his eyes drift to Captain Levi who stood rigidly in front of him, fading out Zackley's speech as he continued to list Annie's wrong-doings. He couldn't see his Captain's expression; but he knew well that Levi was glaring murderously at Annie. He knew well that he should be feeling that same bitter hurt, the same vengeful rage, too. But he did not. Eren, for once, did not know what he was feeling in that moment. It was a plethora of emotions. Everything hitting him at once. His head ached dully from one too many thoughts; was he confused?
His hands were sweaty, balled into fists so tight, the veins under his skin bulged. Was he angry? His heart felt as it were being squeezed in an iron fist. Was he hurt? The fist squeezed only tighter. Was he heart-broken?
Anyone could see it so blatantly written on his face; he was more hurt than any of the other members in this Court room. But for a different reason; one he would never make public. It wouldn't matter to them, anyway. Nor would it to the girl who caused him this pain.
"And so, Annie Leonhardt," Zackley cleared his throat, "We've got no further use of you here. You will be handed over to Survey Corp, under the watch of Commander Hange. You will be imprisoned in the dungeons of Castle Yggdrasil of District Utopia. From now, until your dying day."
Soft murmurs broke from the Garrison side of the Jury Box; Commander Pixis stepped forward, "If I may have a word, Chief?"
Zackley turned to the old man, confusion etched on his features. "Having second thoughts Pixis, this was the agreement, was it not?"
"It was," Pixis mused, "However, I've come to a better wager of this young girl."
From the Survey Corp side, Commander Hange raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Is that so, Pixis?"
"It is so." He held Hange's firm gaze, "I believe we need more fighters in these walls; Shifting fighters, to be exact."
"Are you implying something?" Zackley briefly glanced at the prisoner before him.
"I am saying, Chief, that we need this girl," Pixis gestured to Annie insistently, "We need another titan-shifter, we need power, strength. Her power, and strength to be exact."
A loud scoff erupted from Captain Levi, who had remained silent for almost the entirety of the trial; every pair of eyes were on him in an instant. "Another shifter?" He shook his head, "Look, old man, if I am forced to look after yet another shifter, and the one who had killed my former squad, I will resign from my position." Levi hardened his glare, "Right after I'm done kicking your old dusty ass for proposing that stupid decision in the first place
Hange, already used to her fellow Captain's crudeness, closed her eyes and breathed in deeply through her nose, mumbling something that sounded like, "Levi, please don't."
Pixis was determined though, shaking off Levi's bitter insult. His eyes landed on the two younger soldiers who stood behind Levi. "Eren Jaeger, Armin Arlert!"
Armin shaken from a reverie, stepped forward, Eren followed. "Sir!"
"You two are the only titan-shifters that are on our side." Pixis fixed with an almost pleading stare. "Do you understand the benefit of having another titan-shifter fight for humanity within the walls?"
"Do you understand that's bullshit?" Levi quipped from the far end. Pixis glared his way. "What makes you think that this brat," Levi motioned to the half drugged-induced girl, "Wants to fight for our cause?"
Zackley considered the words of both parties, though before he could make anything a final decision, Armin declared another option "I think we should hear from Annie herself, if she wants to fight for us or not!"
Eren looked at his friend, bewildered, Armin nodded to him, affirming his decision. "I agree, as well!" Eren spoke up, trying to muster as much weight into his weakened voice. Mikasa Ackerman, who stood idly at his side, took notice of this. "We don't even know if Annie has much time left…in this world… Sir."
The hard truth hurt him; but it made every Commander in the room freeze. Armin had a vague speculation of her death date, but that's all it was. Eren only knew that it dreaded closer than either of theirs.
After a long-driven silence, and some shuffling of papers. Zackley's attention was fixed on Annie Leonhardt once more. He tilted his head in wonder, taking in her eyes that were a cloudy robin-egg blue, "Can she even speak?"
He waited, and then the rattling sound of rusted chains resounded in the Court room. "She…can."
She spoke. And all of Eren's focus was on her in an instant; on her wild blonde hair that shielded her features, on her ghostly skin, on her clothes that—in some places were ripped, and covered in a dried red substance. But mostly, he focused on her voice. And how different it had sounded to his ears. The way it was so soft, and meek. Fragile on the edges. Like glass. He missed her usual tone of voice. The voice that was made of steel. Regrettably, he missed all of the old Annie. The one he—regrettably—had fallen in love with.
"Right then." Zackley settled into his chair. "What say you Annie Leonhardt. If what Jaeger has said is deemed to be true, would you rather waste your remaining life in a dungeon cell, possibly interrogated and beaten,"—Eren frowned—"Or would you rather fight alongside humanity within the walls; even have the chance at becoming an honorary soldier?"
Eren knew Zackley had sugar-coated his last words. None of the nine left of the Survey Corp would ever look up to her, to a traitor. Annie's gaze was on the floor, and she swayed every bit. Eren wished they hadn't drugged her. He wanted to see what his—what the true Annie Leonhardt would say.
But much to his disbelief, the girl chained to that iron post, was the true Annie Leonhardt, and he was—regrettably—going to have to accept that.
"I'm…so tired." She drawled, shaking her head to rid herself of the drug induced haze she was in. "So very tired of…of fighting."
Eren passed a fearful look to Armin, who's face resembled the same. Please don't go there, Annie.
"I've been fighting…for a long time…and it's turned me into…this." She shrugged, or as much as she could with her limited mobility, "I'm…just…a tool used for war. I don't want to be that…anymore."
Zackley, hanging on her every word, nodded. Clearly intrigued by her display of emotions. Eren felt disgusted at his fascination.
"So, Leonhardt. Does that mean you choose to not, join the Survey Corp, and by association, fight for our cause?"
Annie gave a vague nod, confirming her decision. Inside, Eren was screaming profanities at her. She's so stupid. She's so damn stupid! What is wrong with her?! We gave you a way out!
He was not going to stay silent, and Armin, noticing the fierce determination on his friends' face, tugged back at his sleeve. He shook his head in silent communication. Don't do it. But it was Mikasa, who anchored him back to his calm. "If you cause a scene now, they'll only punish her more. Don't do anything you'd regret, Eren." She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. He trembled, glaring, hurtfully, down at the stupid girl. He had already done something he regretted. No matter what, no matter how much he suppressed his feelings. Annie would always have his heart in her hands.
And he loathed her for it. About as much as he loved her for it.
I hate you. He watched as Zackley dismissed the court room, the decision made final. The Guards came to collect her, dragging Annie to her feet. She looked so lifeless as they her hauled away. He turned away from the scene. A day will come when Eren Jaeger did not suffer quite as much as he did already; but so as long as Annie Leonhardt lived; he'd just have to endure that pain—the twisting knife to his heart.