Nest & Wings (Annie Leonhardt x Male Reader)

Chapter 35: The Anticipated Trial

The next morning,

Despite everything, you were still nervous as they take you and Annie to the courtroom. They restrain the two of you to a pillar in the center before commencing the trial.

Primer Zacchary; the Supreme Commander in charge of all thee regiments, served as the judge. A number of factions participated, but the ones you had to look out for the most were the Military Police and the representatives from Stohess.

The Military Police make the opening statement. They elaborate on the destruction caused by Annie during her battle with Eren. The representatives from Stohess spoke in their favor and stated how Annie could not be trusted and how she posed a significant threat to humanity.

However, their use of the word 'humanity' immediately becomes dated as Commander Erwin reveals the information you and Annie had retrieved from Shiganshina. He briefs them about the outside world and presents them with the books you had retrieved from Eren's basement.

"Tell them what you witnessed at the beach." Commander Erwin asks you.

"We saw Marlean soldiers forcibly turn about a dozen of our people into titans with our own eyes. They unleash them on our land and do so every month, according to Annie." You share your testimony and Annie corroborates.

As you made your statement, the Commander claims how Marley was responsible for both the pure titans as well as titan shifters like Annie, Reiner and Bertolt since it was Marley that gave them the mission to retrieve the Founding Titan.

He explains how Annie's actions as the Female Titan till that point were representative of Marley's conviction and not of herself. He states how it was worth sparing Annie's life as she has proven her usefulness to Paradis by her extensive contribution to the recapture of Shiganshina.

After the commander presented his arguments, the Military Police were forced to accept the Female Titan's usefulness. However, they wouldn't give up their standing as they come up with a counter argument that caught you and Annie off guard.

"Fine, we accept that the Female Titan is exceedingly beneficial to us. In that case, why don't we use the titan serum Levi acquired? We'll turn someone we trust into a titan and have them inherit the Female Titan instead!" They present it as a way to use the Female Titan's power while avoiding the risks posed by Annie.

Hearing that made you worry for her as you weren't prepared for that situation. You had failed to anticipate the possibility of them having access to titan serum and it genuinely caught you off-guard. You could feel Annie's pulse rising as you held her hand that was restrained to the same pillar as yours.

Your nerves begin to ease however, as Commander Erwin disputes their suggestion. "That won't work. As you're aware, we already have the Attack Titan in Eren. His base form is considerably stronger than the Female Titan, so the new Shifter would instantly become obsolete. It's Annie herself that makes her titan useful to us because of her skill and experience which the new inheritor wouldn't possess."

You breathe a sigh of relief and think to yourself how glad you were that Commander Erwin represented you, as you wouldn't have been able to counter that argument the way he did.

After that, a civilian representing the refugees from Wall Maria questions you. "So what are we supposed to do? Are you telling us to accept that all our suffering was simply an unfortunate incident? Are we to believe that there's no one to blame for all the people we lost?"

You answer, "No Sir, I'm not saying that at all. I myself am a victim from Shiganshina, so I perfectly understand how you feel. If you want someone to blame, then think about the monsters that sent four innocent children on a murder mission. Annie and the rest of her people have suffered just like us, but from an enemy far more cruel than titans."