Three days had passed. The nightly beatings by the drunken MP's continued. Each day his wounds healed more slowly as hope seemed to fade. He knew his friends were trying to reach him, but they were the government, after all. they had ways of hurting people, extorting them.
He could sense the change in pace when he opened his eyes that morning. His hunger pains had dulled enough to be ignored, and there wasn't anything he could do about it.
Even though he hadn't seen anyone, but the air was crackling with tension. He frowned, licking his parched lips. Had… had they finally arrived? Or were they just going to execute him without trial?
He wasn't really certain, but there were hushed voices before footsteps sounded. At least a dozen MPs stood outside his door, all looking anxious and staring down at him with made no move to stand up, instead blinking.
They didn't speak to him, instead unlocking the door of the cell. It swung open, metal screeching, before his hands were yanked behind his back and cuffed. He was hauled to his feet, the cold metal of a pistol being jammed into the small of his back.
"W...where are we going?" he rasped, uncertain.
"Move." was all that was growled at him. he stumbled forward on unsteady legs, being held steady by an MP on either side who held his forearms roughly. The clanking of metal as they walked informed him that nearly every other MP in the procession was pointing a firearm of some sort at him, like they didn't trust him.
"What's happening? Where are you talking me!?" he spoke louder this time, dry throat making his voice rasp.
The lead MP simply grunted, sweat beading on his brow. Eren wasn't sure if the man was afraid or annoyed by speaking, but he wanted answers.
Still, the sound of boots on the dirt and the clanking of his chains was the only response he got. the ground went from cool dirt to rough hard wooden steps beneath his bare feet, before a door was being kicked open, and he was thrust into the blinding brightness of the courtroom.
Mikasa's fist clenched from where she stood beside Levi, behind the banister partitioning the courtroom. Eren was escorted into the room by a dozen MPs- at least three muskets were trained on him, he was barefoot, clad in only his torn brown slacks and a sullied shirt that would've been white.
His face was pale, eyes dull, shadowy bruising adorning his cheekbone, more purple edging across his shoulder and disappearing below the collar of his shirt.
Eren blinked, struggling to adjust to the sudden brightness at being above ground. he was disoriented to begin with, and that fact wasn't helped when the MPs roughly shoved him to the floor and chained him to the pole in the center of the floor, yanking him up by his hair and securing his restraints before they were striding harshly off the floor, the echos of their fotofalls the only sound.
Eren was blinking rapidly still, looking around- his eyes landed on the Scouting legion, on Levi in particular, and he closed his eyes, relieved. Levi would fight tooth and nail for him. With Levi in his corner, he knew they'd pull out all the stops to try and protect him….
Levi was disturbed by the state Eren was in. the boy's face was thin, visible skin littered with bruises. It was apparent he'd been abused. but nearly more unnerving was the way Eren relaxed when he saw Levi in particular, the anxious posture leaving his body. Levi felt both honored and afraid that the boy trusted him so much, though really, he was afraid. If they lost this trial, he'd have failed to protect the boy like he'd promised….
The sound of a gavel hitting wood was sharp in the air, and the judge cleared his throat.
"I call this court to order. May the opening statements be read."
A suited man stepped forward, clearing his throat. "We call to trial today Eren Jager. Not only has the Scouting Legion violated the provisions of security in caring for him, but we have reason to believe Jager is inherently disturbed and must be destroyed. This is evidence by the incident report where the boy viciously beat a senior scout. We believe that, without contest, he must be executed."
Armin stepped forward, blue eyes practically glowing with determination as he pulled his own script of parchment from his pocket.
"We, the Scouting Legion, contest the provisions in which Eren was supposed to be kept in as inhumane. Furthermore, his classification as disturbed is contestable since, as shown in the incident report, he acted only in self-defense. Finally, we call upon the high court to realize that it is not only illogical, but a blatant mistruth to call Eren disturbed when he has volunteered to give his life for humanity's cause. That commitment alone is far more than his condemners have ever done for humanity's sake." Armin was shaking with anger and determination by the time he was done speaking, staring down the prosecution.
The suited man looked across the floor, slightly shocked that the small blonde could speak so eloquently.
The judge lowered his spectacles down the bridge of his nose, staring at Armin in shock for a moment, before he turned to look at the prosecutor.
"Your evidence?"
"We call the victim of this crime, Gunther Schultz, to the stand."
"Gunther?" Eren's voice was barely above a raspy whisper, but he looked shocked as Gunther made his way to the stand. His surprise was obvious.
"Objection!" Armin's voice rang through the courtroom with startling venom, and even Gunther stopped walking, looking alarmed.
"The fourth article of the king's charter clearly states the accused must be informed of the charge against them! Was Eren ever informed as to what he was accused of?"
"The boy knows what he's done." the prosecutor sneered. "He was informed by the MPs who apprehended him…."
"You mean the MPs who seized him in the middle of the night?" Armin was seething. "He has to be clearly informed, a passing mention alluding to the charges while he's being arrested doesn't qualify…."
"I believe our good MPs were more worried about the fact he was sleeping in the room with his superior officer than reading him his rights, soldier." the man sneered, white teeth leering at them.
"That's absolutely no excuse to deny him due process!"
But the damage was done. The crowd watching was gasping, looking scandalized, and Levi wordlessly stepped forward, staring the prosecution down.
"I have been working with Eren for weeks. He's only dangerous to himself, and the conditions in the dungeon were inhumane. It floods and molds down there, not to mention the temperature is only fit for a corpse. You really thought I'd make him stay there and risk the health of humanity's hope?"
"That's irrelevant, I'm afraid. It clearly states within the provisions of the agreement between the royal court and the scouting legion that Eren must be in restraints at night…."
"Ah, I see. It's a one-way game, then. You can deny Eren his rights because you feel like it, but I can't act in the boy's best interest. Apparently only the scouting legion is subject to the law." Levi sneered, glaring across at the prosecution. "Or am I wrong?"
The prosecutor was furiously rearranging papers, refusing to acknowledge Levi's statement. "The prosecution calls Gunther Shultz to the stand."
Gunther wordlessly trudged up to the chair in the middle of the room and sat, but not before giving a concerned and apologetic look at Eren, who simply nodded.
The prosecution began with a barrage of questions.
"Mr. Schultz, was it true you suffered a broken nose, bruised ribs, were knocked unconscious, and kept off duty for three days as a result of injuries inflicted on you by Jager?"
"Yes. But-"
"Mr. Schultz, is it true that Jager fled the scene after you were unconscious?"
"Yes. He was shaken up, though-"
"Did he ever attempt to get you help, or did he simply leave you lying in the dirt?"
"He fled the situation because he was scared-"
"Mr. Schultz- did he or did he not leave you lying in the dirt, unconscious?"
"He left me. He had good reason to, though-"
"That will be all, Mr. Schultz." the prosecutor glared at him.
Gunther stood, looking frustrated. "You aren't letting me tell the whole story, dammit!"
"We've heard all we need to. You may take your seat, Mr. Schultz."
Gunther stared at the man, eyes blazing, hands clenched into fists.
"You can stay there, Gunther. We have a few questions to ask him yourself." Erwin had stepped forward, cool demeanor and silver blue eyes bleeding the tension out of the situation.
"Gunther- would you mind recounting the story to the best of your ability?" Erwin inquired.
Gunther nodded, sitting back in his chair.
"The Scouting Legion is a rough place. We have traditions- a lot of times we'll sneak up on people and wrestle with them, just for fun, it builds camaraderie and such. I figured I'd try it with Eren, a sort of baptism by fire- he was our rookie, afterall. So while we were walking by each other in the courtyard, I turned around and put my hands around his throat. I wasn't choking him, I just meant it to be a wrestling match. I don't remember what he did to me- I was just on the ground. I saw his face, though, his eyes- he was terrified. His eyes were glassy, he was panicked- I tried to say something, but then I blacked out. If I'd realized how much my attack would've scared him, I never would've done it. He was really shaken up, so he ran… he was just scared, he didn't know what to do…. If anything, he acted in self defense. He thought I was gonna hurt him-"
"Objection, your honor. His testimony is bias- he's twisting things because he knows the Jager boy…."
"Yeah, well I object to you!" gunther fumed, glaring at the prosecutor, eyes blazing.
"On what grounds, Mr. Schultz?"
"On the grounds that he's an asshole! He's taking everything I say out of context!" Gunther was nearly shouting, now, and the prosecutor, in his purple robe and white ruffled collar, looked shocked at such blunt language.
"Mr. Schultz, I will have you removed for contempt of court!" the judge was banging the gavel now, looking affronted.
Gunther pursed his lips into a firm line, falling silent. "Return to the bench, Mr. Schultz." Gunther huffed, walking back over to stand with the scouting legion.
"Is that all the evidence, then?" the judge looked a bit on edge.
Levi stepped forward, raising his hand. "Following the incident with Gunther, I took it upon myself to work with Eren individually. We worked through much of his impulsiveness- everyone on this squad will vouch that he's our greatest asset."
"It's invalid, your honor. They've all bonded with the boy." the prosecutor was quickly protesting.
Levi glowered, but it did nothing to silence the prosecutor, who barreled onward. "And even if what Mr. Schultz says is true, if he really did trigger some sort of panic within the boy- it means he's unstable. A person with his abilities and such a fragile disposition can't be allowed to live."
"I'd argue the exact opposite, your honor! It's Eren's emotion, the fact that he was raised as a person and treated like one, that keeps him from being a dangerous titan. It's his impulsiveness, his emotion, and his ability to make split-second decisions while in titan form that makes him humanity's hope!" Armin's voice dripped with seriousness as he glared at the prosecutor, the paper script he'd written for himself forgotten, instead being strangled by his white-knuckle grip.
The judge looked from one party to another over the rims of his glasses, papers still in hand.
"Have both parties concluded their argument?" he was affirmed by silence, and he continued. "I will prepare to rule…."
"Wait." a hoarse voice spoke, and everyone looked up to see Eren sagging against the pole, sitting on his knees, looking at the judge with surprisingly clear eyes. "Don't I get to say something? It's my trial, afterall."
The judge blinked, surprised, for a moment, before he nodded. "You may speak, boy. But if you begin to get excited, we'll shoot you on this very floor."
Eren nodded, pink tongue darting out to wet his chapped lips before he began speaking.
"If I were so out of control, don't you think I would've transformed and killed those MPs who came to my cell and beat me every night?"
The judge fell silent, suddenly finding the floor very interesting.
"I mean, you must see me now. I'm covered in bruises and scratches- they beat me every night. I hated them for it, and I still do- but I haven't retaliated. I didn't transform. And I won't transform now, either. But if I were such a monster, don't you think I'd have blindly retaliated?"
Still, the judge said nothing. The entire courtroom was silent.
"Don't pretend you can't see it!" Eren spoke up, eyes glistening with emotion. "I'm covered in bruises! Don't lower your eyes, don't look away- if you're going to kill me, the least you can do is look me in the eyes!"
"ENOUGH!" the judge roared, and the sound of muskets cocking filled the room as MPs pointed their guns at him.
"No! I'll say it all! I'm human, you can see it in my face, on my eyes, you know it! But you just keep looking the other way because you don't want to have my death on your conscience! Look me in the eyes and tell me I'm a monster! Go ahead and lie to my face! But you can't deny these bruises, you can't explain this away- I'm HUMAN, DAMMIT!"
The entire courtroom fell silent.
Eren still knelt, chest heaving, exhausted by such passionate speech.
Erwin nudged Levi forward. "Go. Take off his shirt. Show them the bruises."
Levi was already jumping over the rail, walking across the platform before crouching before Eren. Eren looked up at him, green eyes dull and tired. Levi looked at the boy sadly, seeing just how painful the bruise on his face looked, as he moved to undo the buttons to his shirt.
Eren awkwardly moved his shoulders so the shirt fell back completely, revealing a torso marred with bruises- some fading yellow, others recently blossoming purple with outlines of red- the flesh was mottled and horrible looking, and Levi ached just looking at it.
The court was silent- women held handkerchiefs up to their mouth and looked away, tearing up at the sight of the abuse, while children hid their faces in their mother's skirts, and men looked at the floor, ashamed.
"Are you surprised?" Levi asked, addressing the crowd before reciting the information he'd learned about Eren Jager a long time ago. "He bruises like us, bleeds like us, hurts like us, feels like us- Eren Jager is human. He's the most human person I've ever met."
Still, Levi's words were met with an uncertain silence, before the Judge spoke. "I've prepared my ruling."