The stagecoach rolled to an unexpected stop. Celine reached out to peek between the black curtains. She caught a glimpse of the coach driver's gloved hand as he waved in a manner alerting an old woman transporting a cart of pottery she was free to pass. Guilt etched across the old woman's face as she urged her mule ahead – it was bad luck within Laurel Town to stop the path of a stagecoach with its curtains drawn.

A group of men and women passing the intersection paused. They approached the stagecoach, kissing their fingers and laying them against the polished red exterior for a second before withdrawing. Their light-hearted chatter resumed as they and the coach went on their way.

Stagecoaches were uncommon outside Wall Sina. Nobles or merchants of high-standings would be seen lounging within the plush, lavish interiors from time to time. They garnered attention, but the Military Police officer usually found sitting aside the driver was enough of a deterrent to dissuade most from offering more than a glance.

This was a stark contrast to how many citizens behave upon seeing a coach with a lone driver and the curtains drawn. One was meant to kiss their fingers and place them against the doors, albeit the practice had begun to grow out of fashion over the past five years —

A person could easily find themselves quite delayed if they were to stop and offer condolences to every stagecoach on its way to a funeral.

This was Celine's second time riding in an enclosed stagecoach. The last instance had left her and her father arriving over two hours late to Victoria Bodt's burial. They had been escorted on all sides by Military Police on horseback, but threats had done little to deter the masses of Wall Rose citizens who'd hoped to gain a blessing by offering their commiserations to the family of Maria's Knight.

For blocks, the ride had left Celine and her father wobbling in their seats when they rolled over thrown offerings of flowers, bread, and coins. The ride had grown less peaceful the closer they'd gotten to Wall Sina; shouts began to claim Maria's Knight herself was within the coach – being brought to the interior as a tool to be used for only the inner citizens' protection. Calls to free the suffering hero had mounted into a roar, a rock making it through the Military Police defenses and shattering a window. Celine remembered her father clutching her to his chest, covering her head with his hands as he'd whispered to himself.

'Don't take my child … anything but my child … don't take her from me, too.'

The ride happening in the present couldn't have been any more different, yet Celine still felt on edge. The beating of her heart didn't slow until Wall Sina's passing shadow was well behind her. Here, the coach garnered no extra attention; life in Stohess District continued as normal as the coach rolled down the streets and passed through the center courtyard.

The coach slowed enough while rounding a corner for Celine to catch snippets of conversation. The center courtyard was a popular meeting ground for the men and women of Stohess alike to gather and gossip over the latest happenings.

"They say refugees from Wall Rose will stream in here after the Scouts failed another attempt to reclaim Maria …"

"We'll starve! That can never be allowed. I don't know why the gates are even open … They should exclude passage from outsiders into Sina entirely."

"If the Titan who helps humans supports those in Rose … do you think it'll attack us?"

Celine pulled back the curtains to catch a glimpse of the busybodies who had nothing better to do in the middle of the afternoon than work themselves into a frenzy.

Interesting, Celine thought. It's just like back then.

It had been exactly the same with her mother. The people of Wall Rose had revered her as a savior — a bright spot among the murky depths of the Military Police.

The people of Wall Sina hadn't shared the sentiment. They'd lamented Victoria's demise as losing a tool to further protect themselves; it had been considered a waste for such talent to be thrown away defending those outside her charge. Victoria had gone against orders and turned her back on the nobility she'd sworn loyalty to. The inner wall was more vulnerable because she wasn't here to protect it from more than just the Titans.

Nothing really has changed, Celine thought. If Eren Jaeger were to break down the barrier between the two …

Celine lifted her head from her hand as the stagecoach jerked to a stop.

… it wouldn't be so bad.

The driver opened the door. Celine ignored his offered hand as she hopped to the cobblestone. She looked up to take in the grand exterior of the courthouse. The wide doors and columns were framed with a pair of winged angels carved from white stone, their arms reaching for the heavens. Celine regarded the statues for a moment before heading up the stairs leading inside.

The courthouse was abuzz as Military Police officers jogged down the marble halls in preparation of Eren Jaeger's tribunal. Said tribunal was the reason why Celine had been summoned in the first place in what she considered to be an overly dramatic manner.

The rumors concerning Eren Jaeger and his dubious loyalties to the people of Sina had left a few prior witnesses being harassed if their take on his actions didn't align with certain views. This led to statements now being compiled in a far more discreet manner. Celine thought little of the added precaution; she would've borrowed her father's mare to arrive in full view if the stagecoach hadn't already been waiting outside her apartment when she'd exited that afternoon.

You'd think the commander of the Military Police would have better things to do then personally get me a ride, Celine thought.

Celine climbed two sets of stairs. She pulled a slip of paper from her new Garrison Regiment jacket to confirm the room number, stopping outside one of many plain wooden doors residing in a hallway much quieter than the lower landings. A sigh escaped her lips as she rolled her head on her shoulders. The door received a knock with one hand while Celine rubbed the kink in her neck with the other.

"Enter."

Most of the furniture in the room had been pushed against the wall. The only pieces remaining were a long table and three chairs. The commander of the Military Police Brigade, Nile Dawk, was sitting in one of the two seats facing the door. Celine seated herself in the chair opposite Nile so his lanky form was framed against the sun streaming in through the windows.

"I hope you find yourself doing well, Celine," Nile said. He picked up a pencil and began trailing down a list of names before him. He found what he was looking for and crossed something out.

"I've been better," Celine said. She rested an ankle on her opposite knee and placed her elbow on the back of the chair. "You look like shit. You've lost weight since I last saw you."

"You can imagine I've been under some stress," Nile said. He opened a notebook and flipped through a few pages before finding one that was mostly blank. "I would ask you to also speak to me less casually in this setting."

Celine shrugged. "Fine by me."

Nile was like a tree – tall, shaggy, and possessing just as much charm. He'd been a figure in Celine's life for over a decade; refusing the requests of a curious little girl when she'd asked to try on his jacket or join her for a tea party. He'd always regarded Celine with the same dour expression he gave everyone else, but Nile learned over time to have candy in his pockets at the ready whenever a visit was paid to the home of the senior officer who'd been assigned as his partner.

Victoria Bodt used to have Nile and his wife over every few weeks for a short time with cards and a long time with wine. Celine's mother had been the only one who ever seemed at ease during the interactions, yet Nile returned again and again. Celine never deciphered if it was because he was intimidated by his superior or if he actually enjoyed himself.

And then you were chosen to be the new Commander, Celine thought, studying the man before her. It must've stung, since you knew along with everyone else it was your partner that had been the top candidate by a long shot.

Indeed, Nile didn't seem to take any joy in the position. There was no doubt he was a good pick for Commander of the Military Police since he was quickly becoming one of the few who actually gave a shit. This didn't change the fact he still lacked all the charm and charisma someone like Victoria would've brought to the table. He was smart enough to know he possessed this deficiency, yet there was no attempt at changing his no-nonsense demeanor. He didn't even linger five years ago when he attended his partner's burial. There were no outward signs of his grief, but to this day Celine was aware the Commander would occasionally visit the graveyard with a bottle of wine and two glasses in hand.

"Let's begin," Nile said, his eyes on the notebook. "You're Celine Bodt, a private under the twenty-third unit of the Engineering Corps. Until the events of two days ago, Unit Twenty-three was among the Garrison members stationed at the Engineering Corps Headquarters in Trost District. As far as your knowledge goes, would you consider this information correct?"

"It is."

"You were among the last group of soldiers to leave Trost during the initial retreat." Nile looked up to regard Celine. His expression softened. "I'm glad you made it out alive."

"That's two of us," Celine said.

Nile nodded and went back to the notebook. "Before exiting Trost, did you at any point have an encounter with Eren Jaeger, also known as the Titan under our custody?"

"I did."

The answer appeared unexpected. Nile straightened in his seat. "You did? I saw no reports of this."

"No one asked," Celine said. "And I thought you knew; isn't that the reason I'm here?"

"You're here because I'm questioning all surviving members of the attack on Trost prior to the mission to reclaim it," Nile said. "Tell me everything you witnessed."

Celine gave a brief explanation of her encounter with the Titan … with Eren Jaeger. The retelling didn't take long, and she watched with a passive expression as Nile finished his notes.

"So, you felt threatened?" Nile asked.

"He was a Titan," Celine said. "Of course, I felt threatened."

Nile nodded and continued to take notes. "Something like that can't be trusted."

"I trust him."

Nile's hand stilled. He sat up with a frown. "Were you previously acquainted with Eren Jaeger?"

Celine shook her head. "Not at all. He was terrifying, but I never got the intention he was going to cause me harm."

That's a lie, Celine thought. She kept her expression blank. Though … I'm not about to badmouth someone who could rip me clean in two.

"That goes against a number of other statements I have concerning Eren Jaeger," Nile said, sitting back in his seat and crossing his arms. "Most say he's unstable – he even went so far as to attack a close classmate. His task of securing Trost District was successful, but his perceived inability to efficiently conduct the mission leads me to label him as a liability. Too many lives were lost for me to conclude he has humanity's best interests at heart."

Celine hummed. "That story … the one about him being some secret experiment? I thought that sounded like bull. It must be, because you're not the type to jump on destroying a piece of valuable government property."

"This isn't the place for speculations, Celine," Nile said, being an expert at dodging her attempts to get a rise out of him. "Would you attest under oath you perceived Eren Jaeger as a threat?"

"I think if he was a threat to us, he could've done something about it by now, no? I'd imagine if I had the power to turn into a Titan, I'd squash all of my enemies into a smooth paste."

A frustrated sound escaped Nile as he put his head in his hand. This garnered a smirk from Celine.

"You laugh …" Nile said. "... but that is a real concern among the people. You couldn't fathom how tense things have grown within only two days."

Oh, that's right, Celine thought. By 'the people,' he means citizens of Wall Sina. I'm sure they've been accosting him nonstop about Eren Jaeger and the threat to their safety he possesses … despite the only threatening thing he's done is exist. I never thought I'd feel disappointed in Nile, of all people.

Celine and Nile looked up when the door swung open.

"I apologize for my tardiness," Commander Erwin said. He strode across the room and sat at the free seat beside Nile. "I was held up by a prior engagement."

"You nearly missed all the interviews," Nile said. He handed over the list of names, Erwin's blue eyes tracking over the document.

"I'm surprised they have you taking statements," Celine said, meeting Nile's gaze. "Why not have an officer do this?"

"We'll be presenting our own proposals for action," Erwin said before Nile could answer. He placed the piece of paper aside and laced his fingers on the table. He wore a stern expression, although Celine gathered that might be how he always looked considering his prominent brows. "I would consider it to be a failure on my part if I didn't obtain the information needed to form a strategy on my own accord."

"So instead, you just missed most of the witness testimonies," Nile said. There was no bitterness behind the remark – despite the two men acting on opposite ends when it came to the fate of Eren Jaeger, they kept up a level of decorum. Celine couldn't imagine acting so civil when someone's life was on the line.

'Marco's life is worse off because you're in it.'

Celine's stomach churned. She pushed the feeling away.

"I apologize," Erwin said.

He was staring at Celine quite adamantly. This caused her to flinch.

"If you wouldn't mind," Erwin continued. "Please repeat your statement concerning your encounter with Eren."

Huh.

Referring to the kid as just 'Eren' made him seem just that … a person; a kid.

"Alright," Celine said with a gentle smile. "I like the sound of my own voice well enough."

Erwin didn't write anything down; there was an impression he didn't need to. He asked more questions than Nile – gathering information surrounding the encounter such as Marco's conversation with Mikasa, and Celine's viewpoint concerning Eren's intellect as a Titan. He appeared satisfied when a knock came at the door.

"That'll be the next witness," Nile said. He held up a hand as Celine began to rise. "I want you to consider something carefully. What you experienced may well have been a fluke. We don't know enough about Eren Jaeger to be sure he's truly on our side."

Celine rose from her seat. She offered Nile a slow blink. "I owe you a lot, huh? I figure you putting in a good word was the only reason I was allowed to stay in the Cadets as long as I did, and why I was placed in the Engineering Corps instead of being removed from the military entirely. For that reason, I'll do you the favor of not hating you if you send some kid who was just trying to help to his death."

A dull thud accompanied Celine placing a fist over her heart in a salute. "Commander Nile, Commander Erwin – this private is at your disposal if you require anything further."

The salute was acknowledged by Erwin with a nod. "Thank you, Private Bodt. I require nothing further."

Nile took a moment to respond. He watched Celine with a tired expression. "I just have one thing."

Celine remained in her salute. She revealed no emotion as Nile sighed.

"Is it true …" Nile said. "... you were conducting unsanctioned repairs on ODM equipment while stationed in Rosewall Borough two days prior?"

"Yes, Commander."

Another sigh escaped Nile as he rubbed his eyes. "There's only so much I can do to help you, Celine."

"I wasn't expecting any assistance, Commander," Celine said. "I can look after myself."

Celine was hit with a look which conveyed all of Nile's doubts on the subject. He waved his hand. "I require nothing further – dismissed."

The hardwood floor squeaked as Celine turned on her heel. She strode across the room and opened the door. A cadet she vaguely recognized was standing in her path, the girl quickly stepping aside to allow Celine to pass. Celine walked down the hall without a second glance, not bothering to slow her stride until she heard the sound of a door closing.

I shouldn't have lied to Nile back there. There's no doubt I'd hate him if that kid who saved us was executed.

'Do you actually care?' a voice in her subconscious said. 'Or are you more concerned about a tool which could be used to protect you being taken away?'

Celine paused as she reached the stairwell. She stared at her feet before making her descent. "It's probably bad I can't answer that."

More soldiers than before were pushing their way through the hall on the first floor. The front doors were swarmed with clumps of chatting groups, Celine deciding to take the scenic route through the back.

The hallway emptied significantly as she stepped through a door and continued down an open corridor lining the courtyard. She regarded the peaceful sitting area with its tended flower beds and large oak tree providing shade. The calm of the space was a nice contrast to the frantic scene Celine had left behind … for two seconds.

"Celine!"

Two figures emerged from the door on the opposite end of the corridor. One of the figures was on top of Celine in a heartbeat.

"There you are!" Hange said, grappling Celine into a headlock and spinning her about.

"That's not how you greet people!" Celine said, prying Hange away. She swept at the hair which had come loose around her face and let out a huff.

"I heard from one of your commanding officers you were quite dependable!" Hange said, putting her hands on her hips. "I would expect no less! How many Titans did you end up seeing? Ooh! Did you see Eren?! Wait! Don't tell me if you did! I'm about to meet him myself and I don't want anything clouding my judgment as I form my own impression!"

"You know," Celine said, emulating Nile's tired demeanor. "You could've saved all that and just told me you're happy I'm not dead."

"Why waste time on the obvious?" Hange said. She laughed as Celine glared.

Hange's companion who'd been taking his time coming down the corridor stopped at her side. He had blonde hair, a prominent nose, and leveled Celine with a steady expression.

"Oh!" Hange said, gesturing to the man. "This is Miche Zacharies. He's a squad leader in the Scouts like myself. Miche, this is Celine Bodt, a good friend of mine who's a member of the Engineering Corps."

Celine extended her hand. "It's a ple–"

She froze. Miche had bent to her level, putting his face beside hers as he sniffed. He was smelling her. Miche straightened a second later with a smirk.

"Don't mind that," Hange said. "He–"

"Pervert!"

Miche was kneed in the stomach. He clutched himself with a gasp, finding his face level with Celine's flushed expression as she raised a hand and slapped him with all her might.

"Celine!"

Hange hooked her arms under Celine's armpits and drug the other woman back. Celine squirmed, her boot meeting its target as Miche received a kick to the side which left him banging against the wall.

"Calm down!" Hange said, struggling to keep Celine at bay. "That's just how he greets people!"

"That doesn't mean I'm putting up with it!" Celine said, fire in her eyes as she looked up at Hange. "How have you not reported this creep?!"

"My … apologies …" Miche said from where he was slumped against the wall. He lifted his head to reveal a bright-pink handprint peeking through his trim beard. "My intention wasn't … depraved."

"Like I care!" Celine said. "If I see you again, I'm slicing your nose off and stuffing it down your throat!"

Miche's gaze snapped to Hange. The look he received conveyed the threat wasn't entirely unfounded. There seemed to be the decision that his best course of action would be to squeeze around the two women and make a hasty retreat.

"I'll meet you inside in a minute!" Hange called to the tail end of Miche's boot disappearing through the door. The arms holding Celine at bay dropped to her side.

"I worry about the people you make company with," Celine said, regarding the door as if her gaze alone could set it aflame.

"You're one of those people, you know," Hange said. She looked at Celine with a smirk. "I should get going – Miche and I are assigned to escort Eren to the tribunal starting shortly."

Celine glared at the door a moment longer. She turned away with a deep exhale, her shoulders slumping as she regained her composure. "It's a Titan related thing. So, naturally you're involved. Just try not to be too weird about it."

"Huh?" Hange said. "I'm not weird."

"I see you're deep in denial," Celine said. She waved in a carefree fashion. "Just … be nice to the kid, he … I guess stuck his neck out for me."

"Interesting," Hange said, a gleam in her eye. "Now I'm more intrigued than ever to make his acquaintance. I'll be off then. See you, Celine! Remind me later to tell you about the new friends I made!"

Celine had a feeling she knew who Hange meant. A person would have to be walking around with cotton stuffed in their ears to avoid the mountain of rumors around the pair of Titans which had been captured by the Scout Regiment for experimentation.

"I have a feeling I'll regret it if I do," Celine said, waving over her shoulder as she turned.

Celine felt like the sudden appearance and departure of Hange and Miche was the equivalent of getting caught up in an emotional cyclone. She walked in a slow amble, reaching up to re-braid her hair. The rest of the journey out the back of the building wasn't nearly as exciting as it had been before as strangers passed her by without a word. It wasn't until she spotted a figure leaning against a column did Celine feel a spark of recognition. She came to a stop, considering turning around and taking a different route.

I'm brave … huh?

Celine continued her approach. The person leaning against the column was probably waiting for someone, this notion being confirmed when the sound of footsteps caused him to look over his shoulder.

"I'm not here to fight you," Celine said.

Jean straightened. He watched Celine with a look which revealed he wasn't convinced of the sincerity behind her claim. "Good," he said, taking a wide stance. "Because I wasn't ready last time, but if you tried something like that again, things would go a lot differently."

Celine was tempted to prove him wrong. She grit her teeth and dug deep for patience. It didn't help that Jean had the type of face which looked like it would be a perfect accessory to the cobblestone.

"If we're being fair," Celine said, the words sticking to her tongue. "You're the one who approached me the other day and told me I didn't deserve to be alive."

Jean dropped his gaze. He appeared to be struggling with something internally as he stared at the ground. "There's something I have to tell you. Do you know what happened to Mar‒?"

"I hope the next words to come out of your mouth are an apology, because I certainly deserve one," Celine said. The expected reaction of Jean looking up with a frown ensued. He regarded Celine's outstretched hand with suspicion.

"I'm … I regret what I said to you," Celine said. "You don't have to accept an apology from me; that's fine. I figure the two of us can hate each other in private as long as we're civil around Marco. How does that sound?"

Jean clenched his fists. He dropped his gaze and grit his teeth. "Marco … I won't apologize for defending him. Especially after what he did for me; I owe him my life. He …"

"We have that in common," Celine said, withdrawing her hand. She observed Jean for a moment as the boy looked increasingly uncomfortable. "About those letters he wrote … You were right when you said I didn't read them; I burned every one."

The anger radiating from Jean was nearly tangible. Any reservations about trading blows seemed to melt away as he took a step forward. "You bitch! How could you do something like that?! You have no idea the effort he put in to make sure he could send you a letter every month! And you–!"

Celine didn't make a move to defend herself as Jean gripped the front of her jacket and raised his fist.

"I hope he remembers what he wrote in them," Celine said.

Jean's eyes grew wide. He held Celine's gaze before taking a slow step back in apprehension.

"I hope he remembers …" Celine said. "... so he can tell me everything in person." She looked down, gripping the front of her shirt above the painful feeling in her chest. "Maybe I do care. I don't know … I'm still not sure, yet."

"I …"

Jean cleared his throat. "There's something I'm supposed to tell you if I saw you."

"So you were waiting for me? That comes across as unusual."

Jean was growing blurry in Celine's vision. She turned away to wipe her eyes. It was embarrassing; she'd cried more times in the past two days than she did in the last five years. In public, no less. Celine hadn't even shed tears when her mother passed.

"It's a message from Marco," Jean said. "He told me this before our last mission: he said if I were to see you before he could, I should tell you he wants–"

"Oh! Jean; Celine!"

Celine turned. The corner of her mouth tilted up in a smile as she watched a figure descend the steps.

"You really did come across Celine before I did!" Marco said, stopping at Celine's side. "Did you already ask her if she could join the rest of our family for dinner tonight?"

"I was getting to that," Jean said, scratching the back of his head. "I'm not a messenger boy, you know." It was clear the statement had been made with feigned annoyance. He tilted his head to look Marco up and down. "You're moving steadier than last time."

"Oh!" Marco said. "Yeah – I'm feeling much better. I just needed to lie down for a bit. You got hurt too, right? How are the cuts on your leg?"

"Fine," Jean said. "It was nothing. Yours was–"

"Not a big deal," Marco said. "Hey! Would you like to join us for dinner? My parent's house isn't far from here, and you're more than welcome!"

Jean's eyes narrowed as he took in the fervent smile being thrown his way. Something appeared to pass between the two boys Celine couldn't decipher.

A quick glance to the side led to Jean locking eyes with Celine. He shrugged and turned away. "Nah, I got my own stuff to take care of. I'll see you around sometime before the graduation ceremony."

"Well, if you're sure," Marco said, sounding a bit put out. "See you then!"

Jean waved absently over his shoulder. His slow retreat along the gate surrounding the courthouse was regarded for a moment before Marco gave Celine's shoulder a tap. She looked up to take in a radiant smile.

"Ready to go home?" Marco asked.

Comments and feedback are welcome!