୧ ׅ𖥔 ۫ CHAPTER IX . judgement⋄ 𓍯
🐚 #' m . jaeger

"SO , EREN'S INQUISITION , WHAT'S THAT ABOUT ?" mikasa asked , "if i were to guess , they're probably deciding what to do with him ." maeve mumbled , her lips pressing against the rim of a cup , water flushing down her throat .

the ravenette's gaze flickered to the girl , her eyebrow raising , seeming puzzled . "what to do with him ?" she repeated in an inquiring tone . armin sat back , staring at his plate , his eyebrows furrowing hesitantly as he bit his lip before speaking .

"they're debating whether or not if they should let him live , or if they should have him executed ." he told . mikasa's mouth fell agape at his words , a shaky breath being let out .

"they won't kill him ." maeve commented , "i'm sure of it ." she exhaled in wariness , doubt plaguing her mind .

mikasa became silent , her onyx-coloured eyes seeming despairing , brimming with dread . the brunette extended her hand out across the table , resting it on her's , watching as she looked up at her . "they won't touch him ." maeve reassured .

a frown still lingered on the ravenette's face as she nodded her head , keeping her hand in place as maeve held it gently .

armin raised his head at the sound of the door being barged through , revealing a soldier of the military police on the other side of it , followed by two more holding shotguns in their hands .

"maeve jaeger ?!" he called out , his shouting attracting the attention of the brunette and everyone else in the dining hall . "here , sir !" she waved , noticing the mean glare he was shooting her .

he approached their table , maeve's brow raising even higher , trying to read his face . "stand up for me , cadet ." he ordered . she chose to follow his commands , rising from her seat , her gaze becoming timid as he stared at her more intensely .

in an instant , she was slammed against the table , being pinned down , handcuffs being tightened around her wrists . armin and mikasa's mouth flew agape , watching the situation go down .

"you are hereby placed under arrest for insubordination and for making an unlawful threat against a superior . you will stand trial alongside your brother , eren jaeger , where the court will determine the consequences of your actions ." he declared , pulling her up from the table and shoving her forwards .

"what ?!" armin blurted , "slow down !" mikasa said .

        the officer turned around , facing the two , "ackerman and arlert , you've been ordered to appear as witnesses at this afternoon's inquiry . the premier insists that you show up on time ." he informed .

        "the premier ? . ." mikasa muttered , a singular hum emitting from the officer as he shoved maeve towards the door , his grasp staying firm around the cuffs .

        the girl kept a soundless nature throughout the interaction , her eyebrows furrowed in irritation of his repetitive and unnecessary use of force against her .

˙ . ꒷ 🕊️ . 𖦹˙—

        the afternoon arrived quicker than she expected , being escorted through the hallways of the courthouse . she kept her gaze on the ground , millions of thoughts racing through her head .

handcuffs ? for a crime so little as insubordination ? normally , it would just be a slap on the wrist , but a full out prosecution ? there had to be another reasoning for their overdramatic and excessive behaviour , right ?

she was blinded by the light that reflected off of the marble walls and ceiling , the room growing silent as she walked through the doors , an mp behind her with a rifle in his hands .

        she stopped by a podium , making small glances around at the gathered soldiers , commanders , captains and bystanders that were glaring at her in disdain .

        that was when she made eye contact with armin and mikasa on her left , her gaze softening at the sight of them . the officer stood , scanning over her stature in surveillance .

        heads turned at the sound of the doors barging open again , revealing her tense brother behind them , being escorted by two more officers to the podium .

        once they reached it , they forced eren to his knees , sliding a metal pole in between him and his cuffed hands , which were behind his back .

        the two officers backed away , joining the other's in the stands .

        eren's gaze found his sister in chains , a look of confusion and dread striking his features . maeve furrowed her eyebrows softly at his concerned reaction , a frown forming on her face , shrugging in response .

        a figure took a seat in the judge's chair , setting their coat down on the table beside them .

        the man cleared his throat , rummaging through a brief case and pulling out papers , his eyes turning to maeve . he rolled his sleeves before speaking , "well then , let us begin ." the man said .

        this must be the premier .

        he readjusted the glasses sitting on the bridge of his nose , reading one of the letters , "eren and maeve jaeger , is it ?" he hummed . "that's right . ." her brother replied in wariness .

        the premier nodded his head , "this tribunal will be held under military , not civilian , law . meaning the final decisions rests entirely in my hands . do you two have any objections ?" he stated , waiting for a response to his last inquiry .

        "no , sir ." eren muttered , his sister shaking her head in slow movements .

        "i appreciate your perception . i will be direct ." he remarked , "as anticipated , mr . jaeger , 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 custody of you ."

        eren glanced at the premier , his brow raising in anticipation . "our options have been limited to the military police ," the man motioned towards the right , "or the survey corps ." he did the same to the left .

        "as for you , miss jaeger , insubordination and threatening a higher ranked officer can result in some pretty hefty consequences , including involuntary discharge from the workforce , and even time behind bars . are you ready to take on whatever punishment you are charged with ?" the premier told .

maeve was taken back , were they being serious ?

the girl bit her lip nervously before responding , "yes , sir ." she replied .

"good , then we shall start off with the claims first before choosing to move on with your statement ." the premier announced , looking through the piles of paper .

"is it true , cadet arlert , that when threatened , maeve jaeger said to a superior , 'if you raise that hand any further , i will come back and haunt you all myself' ?" the man asked armin , watching the boy's eyes widen at the question .

maeve's mouth flew open as she realised what he was talking about , her face contorting into one of complete angst as she turned to look at armin herself , listening to him fumble his words in panic .

"answer me truthfully , arlert ." the premier commanded , catching onto the boy's stammers . armin let out a shaky breath , "that's right , sir . ." he quivered .

"and is it true that miss jaeger said afterwards , 'that wasn't a threat , it was a promise' to her superior ?" the man interrogated . armin glanced at maeve again , mirroring each other's look of dread .

"arlert ." he grumbled , "uh — oh god . . that's correct , sir ." the boy gulped , an amused hum emitting from the premier . "i see ." he muttered .

"miss jaeger , do you have anything to say ?" the man inquired . maeve kept quiet , feeling a nudge in the back from the officer behind her , "answer him , you laggard ." he spat , his voice a low whisper .

she let out an exhausted and a drawn out exhale before pleading her case , seeming over everything that was happening within the courtroom .

        "my actions were wrong , and entirely inflicted by my own emotions . i was trying to protect my family , sir . i'm sure that if any of you were put in my situation , you would do the same ."

"i am willing to accept any punishment , except imprisonment or discharge , as i believe sidelining my talents and skills would be a significant loss to humanity ." she stated .

the premier raised his eyebrow , "is that so , cadet ?" he probed , "yes , sir . i implore you to think long and hard before making any rash decisions ." maeve suggested .

a smirk tugged at his lips at her boldness , letting out a sharp exhale as he thought about his next move in complete silence .

armin hummed , clearing his throat before speaking up any further . the nerves surged through him even more once he got the premier's attention , staying focused on what he had to say .

"forgive my disrespect , sir , but maeve has repeatedly demonstrated her qualifications as a soldier , showing remarkable courage in the face of the enemy . she has never once backed down from a challenge ." he paused , making small glances at the brunette .

        "i would know , having witnessed her firsthand . on that day , i observed her make several tactical decisions — each one proving to be the correct choice , driven by her own intuition ." armin concluded .

she flashed the blonde a subtle grin , flattered by his words and attempt at trying to defend her .

        the man wafted his hand back and forth , trying to silence the boy's judgement on her .

        "very well , arlert , we'll move onto mr . eren jaeger for now ." he declared . "i ask of the military police for their proposal ."

        it seemed that the premier had decided to dismiss the girl's case for the time being , waiting for the mp's to bring forth their plan .

        maeve looked to the stands beside her , watching as a bearded man with a mullet began to speak .

"i , commander of the military police , nile dawk , will present my proposal ." he said , rummaging through piles of paperwork . "after a thorough investigation of eren's body , we believe he should be eliminated immediately ."

the girl turned her head to face her brother , her mouth agape . he stared at her , his eyes wider than an open meadow .

"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 ." nile concluded , looking up from the papers .

"there's no need for that . ." a voice spoke — a priest from the stands . he raised his finger , pointing at eren with a grimace casted across his features .

"he is an invasive pest ! he has deceived the walls that embody god's wisdom ! he must be killed at once !" the man went on .

maeve narrowed her eyes , glaring at him in disgrace . 'he must be one of the wallist .' she thought , 'five years ago , no one bothered to care for their propaganda . . but now , they've gained a significant amount of power . perhaps it's finally gone to their head .'

"order , please . . we will now hear the survey corps's proposal ." the premier announced . "yes , sir ." a blonde man responded , sounding firm and formal .

"i , 13th commander of the survey corps , erwin smith , will present my proposal ." he declared , looking over at the boy . "we would welcome eren as an official member of our forces , and use his power to retake wall maria . that is all ." erwin stated .

        "that's all ? . ." the premier questioned , "yes , sir . with his power , we can retake wall maria . we believe it is clear what our priorities should be ." the commander elaborated .

        "i see . and where do you plan to begin this mission ?" the premier interrogated , turning to the garrison's commander , "pyxis , the trost wall has been completely sealed , correct ?" he inquired . "yes , it can never be opened again ." pyxis replied .

        "we would like to set out from karanes , in the east . from there , we will proceed to zhiganshina . we will determine the route as we go ." erwin shared , "wait a minute !" one of the bystanders called out , receiving everyone's attention .

      "shouldn't we seal all the wall gates once and for all ? the colossal titan can only destroy the gates , right ? if we can strengthen them , we needn't endure further attacks !" he suggested .

       "shut up , merchant dog ! with that titan's power , we can return to wall maria !" a citizen chimed in , "we can no longer indulge your delusion of grandeur !" another argued .

        "you talk a lot , pig ." a voice spat . maeve's gaze trailed over to the stands to her left , noticing a familiar soldier among the crowd . it was captain levi , the one that had saved her and armin back in trost .

        "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 ." he huffed .

        "we just thought that we could survive by sealing the wall gates —" the priest from earlier interrupted the ranting merchant , "silence , you impious traitor !" he said , "mere humans altering wall rose , walls that were a gift from god ?"

        maeve rolled her eyes in irritation , 'here we go .' she thought to herself . she had already heard enough of this , especially when she used to live back in zhiganshina .

        "can you truly see those walls , god's work far beyond human capabilities , and not understand ?! humanity is not fit to lay a single finger on those walls !"

        the priest and the merchant went back and forth for a moment longer before the premier jumped in , "silence !" he ordered , "you may discuss your personal philosophies and opinions elsewhere ."

        "mr . jaeger , i wish to confirm something . can you continue to serve as a soldier , using your titan powers to benefit humanity ?" he inquired , "yes , i can !" eren responded eagerly , a frown returning to his face as the premier let out a puzzled hum .

        "but the report on trost's defence says this . . 'immediately after turning into a titan , he swung his fist at mikasa ackerman' . . what's that about ?" he interrogated .

        eren's mouth flew agape , looking to mikasa in a hurry as she concealed the scar just under her eye with her hair . maeve's eyebrows furrowed at his reaction , 'does he not remember being unable to control it ? . .'

        "is mikasa ackerman present ?" the premier's eyes travelled the crowd , stopping at a certain person as they raised their hand . "yes , that's me ." the ravenette answered .

        "is it true that , as a titan , jaeger attacked you ?" the man asked , a sudden silence falling upon the girl . she breathed heavily in fury , not from eren's actions , but from whoever it was that slipped that piece of information into the report .

        "yes , that's true ." she exhaled , her words sending the courtroom into low mutters and murmurs .

        "but on two previous occasions , eren saved my life in his titan form ." she began , "the first time , mere seconds before a titan would have had me in its grasp , he stood between us , protecting me ." the ravenette shared .

        mikasa glanced at maeve , motioning towards her direction , "the second time , he saved armin , maeve , and i from an h.e. shell . i would like these facts to be considered as well ." she implored .

        "i object ." a voice called from the other end of the room , mikasa's gaze hardening on the person . "i believe these comments are greatly coloured by her personal feelings ." nile told the premier .

        "at an early age , mikasa ackerman lost her parents , and was taken in by the jaeger household . our investigation has also revealed a surprising fact about the underlying events ." he added , looking over his papers again .

        "at age nine , eren jaeger and mikasa ackerman killed three robbers who tried to kidnap her ." he said .

        maeve remembered that day , though she tried not to . of course , she was thrilled to have mikasa with them , but the thought of her brother's hands stained with another person's blood made her feel uneasy .

        before the pair could get a single word in , the commander cleared his throat loudly , as if he was about to start speaking again .

        "let the records show that another investigation was conducted , this time over miss jaeger ." nile began , "a few weeks before the fall of wall maria , maeve reportedly attacked two older boys in the name of self-defence , leaving vicious scaring spread down their faces ." he stated .

        maeve knew exactly what he was talking about , her eyes widening as she slowly turned to armin , the boy seeming just as shocked as her that they even brought that situation up .

        "a clear desire for violence is shown in both of the sibling's pasts , and it got me thinking , could this be what they crave ? destruction and bloodshed ? even if it was self-defence , i must question their fundamental humanity ." he contemplated .

"is it right to entrust humanity's fate , resources , and lives to mr . jaeger ? or the future of the regiments to miss jaeger ?" nile remarked .

        the crowd buzzed in fear at his words , talking amongst themselves , their whispers growing louder .

        "for all we know , she could be one too !" the merchant from earlier shouted , his finger pointing at mikasa . the ravenette seemed taken back by his accusation , her mouth falling agape .

        "our biggest concern is his bitch-sister ! as long as they share the same blood , they both ought to be titans !" another bystander growled , glaring at maeve . "very well then , we'll dissect 'em both !" the store runner declared .

        maeve felt someone kick her in the back , falling to her knees as she slammed against the marble flooring , wincing in pain from the impact .

        she peered over her shoulder , her glare shooting daggers at the officer that was stood behind her throughout the entire incident , a sneer on his face as he stared down at her in superiority .

        "stop ! i may be a monster , but they have nothing to do with it ! nothing at all !" eren pleaded . "we can't trust that !" the merchant hissed , "it's true !" her brother argued .

        "if you're covering for them , it means our accusations are right !" another bystander yelled out , "no !" eren screamed , trying to break loose from his chains . the onlooker's mouths fell agape at his outburst , trembling in fear of what he might do .

        "you're all wrong . . you're simply coming up with theories that fit whatever it suits you to think . besides , none of you have ever seen a titan ! so , what are you so afraid of ?" eren breathed heavily , "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 !"

        "what ? . ." a soldier muttered , "just shut up , and bet everything you have on me !" eren shrieked .

        maeve watched her brother in awe for a moment , slowly rising from the ground . a sharp sting shot through her legs , letting out a small whimper from the sensation .

        she readjusted her position so that it would be less painful for her , another shot of complete agony striking her left knee .

        the brunette let out an agitated grunt at the feeling , her breathing now sounding — almost — laboured .

        that was when she felt a soft breeze blow through her hair , the sound of a trigger clicking right behind her .

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"maeve !" eren struggled around in his cuffs , thrashing the chains against the metal pole . he paused , hearing more rifles raising — pointing in his direction this time .

she glanced around in shock , feeling the cannon of the gun press against the back of her head . something in her mind clicked as she watched nile glare at her , not even fazed in the slightest .

she knew something was wrong . from the moment of her arrest to the start of the trial , she sensed a subtle shift in everyone's demeanour . but it was clear — their minds were consumed by the thought of her being a titan .

maeve was never on trial for insubordination , she was on trial for being something that she's not ; a titan .

she desperately wanted to speak out , to stand against them all , but she made a promise — to sacrifice her own opinions and beliefs in order to better control her emotions and outbursts .

biting her tongue was an unfamiliar feeling for maeve , and she resented it .

it was almost as if everything was changing nowadays , moving at speeds that she couldn't keep up with , sort of like how it always was whenever she would race her brother , mikasa , and armin to the tree .

eren would always run ahead , mikasa following close after , but maeve often kept back with armin , even though she could easily outrun her brother . she missed those days .

eren gritted his teeth in steadfastness , his glare turning to the officer that was holding the rifle against maeve's head again . he began to thrash around once more , his shoes skidding across the marble flooring .

"get away from her ! you don't even get to look at her !" he shouted , about screaming his throat dry . "eren !" maeve cried , trying to get him to settle down .

a force slammed against the boy's face , rendering him slightly puzzled and quiet . he looked up at the person who had just kicked him , being met with another harsh knee to the face .

maeve's mouth flew agape , watching as captain levi began to beat her chained brother at the podium . an awkward silence fell among the room as everyone stared at the two , their jaws hung open .

after another minute , levi stepped away from the boy , giving him a split second to regain his breath before smashing his face into the flooring , his foot mounted on top of his head .

"this might just be my personal opinion , but pain is the best tool for discipline . what you need isn't to be educated with words , but to be trained like a dog ." he stated .

eren's gaze kept on maeve , his vision growing blurry from the brute force that was used against him as his head ached , a pitiful and fleeting exhale being heard from the boy as blood trickled down from his nose .

"you've fallen low enough that you're easy to kick around , anyway ." the captain grumbled before ramming his foot into the brunette's side .

"wait —" was all maeve could get out before the man returned to his animalistic approach to disciplining her brother , kicking and beating him all over again until his body was limp .

        "hold on , levi . ."

        the captain stumbled backwards slightly , his gaze turning to the stands . "what ? . ."

        "that's dangerous ." nile said , his eyes flickering between maeve and eren . "what if the boy starts raging , and turns into a titan ? or his sister . ." he stopped himself , watching the girl's glare harden on him at his words .

        "what is it that you believe his sister will do ? how can we even be sure that she is one ?" levi remarked . "from the looks of it , she was dragged into this mess based off of mere speculation ."

        eren raised his head , the captain's shoe slamming into his face again before he grabbed him by his brown tussles , lifting him up to take a good look at his bruised and bloody face .

        "besides , i thought you guys were going to dissect him ."

        nile's words began to fumble , levi's voice cutting through his as he began to speak up again .

        "as i heard it , when he turned into a titan , he killed twenty other titans before his strength ran out . if he were an enemy , he might cause more trouble than that intel's worth ." he conveyed .

        the captain stood before eren , his expression almost unreadable . "he still can't stand against me , though ."

        his gaze slightly lifted to the crowd , scanning everyone in his midst . "what about you on the other hand ? all of you who plan to have him persecuted , think it over ."

        "can you really kill him ?"

        "supreme commander , i have a proposal ." erwin chimed in , raising his hand . the premier glanced at him , his brow raising in anticipation and curiosity . "oh ? what is it ?" he inquired .

        "eren's titan powers has a multitude of uncertainties and unknown elements . it is exceedingly dangerous ." the commander stated , "so , why don't we put eren under captain levi's commands , and send them on a mission outside of the walls ?"

        the premier skimmed over the idea , his eyebrows furrowing . "eren as well ?"

        "yes . whether eren can control his titan power , and whether he may be of benefit to mankind , should be decided based on the results of that mission ." erwin replied .

        the bearded-man leaned back in his chair , "watch over eren jaeger , huh ? . ." he muttered , glancing at the captain . "can you do that , levi ?"

        he almost scoffed at the premier's words , "i can definitely kill him , the problem is that it'll be all for nothing — if i do ." levi responded .

        "i am also fully prepared to offer miss jaeger a position with the survey corps alongside her brother , having reviewed her files and the glowing recommendation from her instructor , i believe she would make a fine soldier ." the commander added .

        the premier let out a hum in conclusion of his decision , looking to his papers , then at the audience . "in that case then , i've made up my mind ."

        "miss jaeger will remain free as it stands , serving as a soldier of humanity if she accepts this position ." he continued , his gaze sweeping over the room . "her status will be conditional upon her choice , but if she joins , she will do so as a member of the survey corps alongside her brother ."

        the room remained silent as the weight of his words settled in . the commander nodded solemnly , making a few sharp glances at the girl , while some in the audience exchanged stares , unsure of how well this plan would work out .

        "as for the rest , her actions will be monitored closely , but i trust that the survey corps will be more than capable of guiding her path . this decision is final ." he declared .

        with a swift movement , he shoved the papers back in the case before him , signalling the end of the discussion . the tension between everyone remained thick , yet there was a strong sense of resolution .

        nile let out a fleeting exhale , rubbing the bridge of his nose in exhaustion and frustration . levi turned his head , staring at the officer holding the gun to maeve's head .

        he lowered the rifle at the captain's menacing gaze , stepping further away from the girl as he approached them .

        levi stopped right at her feet , scanning over her clueless expression as she glanced at him .

        "can you stand ?" he asked . maeve shuffled around on her knees , noticing that the pain she was experiencing earlier had subsided . "i think so ." she muttered in response , her voice like silk .

        the captain grabbed her arm firmly , yanking her to her feet . "at least you don't have as much bite as your brother ."

        maeve couldn't decide what to make of him , other than the fact that his hold on her was almost painfully tight — and that he had clearly underestimated just how fierce and relentless she could be in her own way .

˙ . ꒷ 🕊️ . 𖦹˙—

        "it was quite mean of him , wasn't it ? you're stronger than me , eren , that must have hurt a lot ." the section commander commented , wiping off the dried blood from the boy's face .

        "well . . a little ." eren replied . she beamed enthusiastically , seeming overly interested in his response . "is that so ? where's the pain ?" the leader gazed over his bruises , a small twinkle gleaming in her brown eyes .

        the boy raised his eyebrow , looking to his sister in desperation of someone to jump in . maeve quickly looked to the roof , pretending not to notice her brother .

        "sorry about doing that . but as a result , we got you for ourselves ." erwin remarked , approaching the two . "we were able to play our trump cards at the most effective moments . your pain was worth our gain ."

        the commander kneeled in front of the boy , his hand out for him to shake . "thank you . i look forward to working with you , eren ." he smiled slightly , seeming genuine .

maeve's upper lip slightly twisted , her nose scrunching in annoyance as she watched the two converse with growing irritation .

        levi leaned against a wall across from them , his arms crossed in an incredibly mundane way as he observed astutely .

        eren took his hand , bouncing it up and down quite eagerly . "likewise , sir ." he returned a grin back .

the girl's eyes narrowed , and she could feel that familiar burn of jealousy twist inside her .

        the captain sat right next to eren , crossing his legs and resting his arms on the couch's head rest . the boy flinched from his appearance , a slight look of nervousness and fear striking his face .

        "say , eren . ." levi began , "do you hate me ?" he inquired . "no , sir . . i understand it was necessary ." the boy replied .

        levi let out a dull hum , "glad to hear ." he said . "you could've at least held back a little . you even broke his tooth ." the section commander chimed in , pulling out a cloth from out of her jacket pocket and unraveling it , revealing one of eren's molars under it .

        the captain grimaced at the sight of it , his eyes rolling . "don't pick that up , hange . that's disgusting ." he scolded . "it's an important sample for me ." she told .

        the section commander glanced at maeve , showing her the tooth . "here , did you want to have a look ?" she questioned , another grin tugging at her lips .

        "oh — uh . . i'm alright , thanks ." the girl chuckled awkwardly . hange's brows furrowed in adoration of her shyness , her smile extending even further .

        "i bet you guys are glad you won't be dissected by freaks like her , huh ?" the captain chided , "don't put me in the same league as them , i wouldn't ever dream of killing these two ." hange huffed .

        she turned to eren once again , "hey , may i see the inside of your mouth ?" the section commander inquired . the boy was not reluctant in doing so , opening his mouth wide open for her to examine .

        the woman let out a confused hum , attracting the attention of everyone in the room . "the tooth . . it already grew back ." she stated .

ֶָ֢⭑ᥫ᭡ Melanie Speaks !! 𖠵 ⋄ 𓍯

okay so i rewrote this chapter 😨 but i like it better now so it's fine

erm anyways HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!! i love you all a lot :3 you've been so patient waiting for this chapter!!

special dt to strvkovz Siihayaa !!