Lost in the Cruel World (Mikasa's Second Chance) (AOT)

16. Can't Look into His Eyes Yet

After some moments, the sound of a door opening was heard, followed by footsteps.

All of a sudden, Hange gripped the bars, a crazed look on her face.

Eren flinched, looking at her.

Hange's mad expression turned to a smile and Eren calmed down too.

"So, you're Eren, huh? You okay?" Hange asked.

"Yeah..." Eren said.

"Feeling filthy? Sorry for making you wait for so long. You can finally leave this place." Hange said.

Eren sighed in relief.

A tall blond-haired man joined Hange.

"That's Mike." Hange introduced and held a pair of handcuffs through the bars. "Though you'll have to wear these."

Eren just nodded.
.
.

Eren was now walking through a hallway, escorted by a group of soldiers.

"I'm Hange Zoe, a squad leader in the Survey Corps." Hange said, walking beside Eren. "He's Mike Zacharias, same goes for him."

Eren just nodded.

Then Mike began to sniff him.

Eren was now annoyed. "Are you drunk or something?" He twisted his neck to further himself from Mike.

"Ah. He just has this habit of sniffing people at their first meeting... then snorting like that." Hange said.

Eren made a confused face. "It's a very weird habit to have..."

"I wouldn't read much into it though. He's skilled enough to become a squad leader, after all." Hange said.

Eren then walked in awkward silence between the two squad leaders.

"Oh." Hange said in exaggeration. "We chatted all the time away. We're already here. Well, I guess you're better off without an explanation too."

Eren just nodded and then MPs grabbed him.

"We don't have a choice but to trust you blindly." Hange said sincerely. "Good luck."

"That means a lot." Eren said and the doors slammed shut behind him.
.

Eren was staring up with curiosity at a huge painting of depicting men slaughtering each other with swords.

On the wall behind the judge's bench, four insignias were placed at the top, representing the threes branches and the Trainees Corps.

'A courtroom?' Eren thought. 'So I was being held under the courthouse?'

When he arrived at the middle of the court, a soilder ordered.

"Kneel down there."

Eren knelt and a soilder inserted a large metal bar between his hands and back and into the ground, preventing him from being able to escape.

'If they think this can prevent me from transforming, then- wait, what can I expect from MPs...'  Eren then looked around, observing everything. 'Why are these people here? What is this trial even about?' He then noticed Armin and Mikasa in the crowd. 'Guys...'
.

Everyone were talking with eachother, looking at Eren.

Then Zachary entered and sat, folding his jacket neatly and putting it aside. "Now then, let us begin."
.

The whispers came to a stop.
.

"You are Eren Yeager?" Zachary read off the paper, adjusting his glasses. "You're a soldier who vowed to devote his life to humanity. Is that correct?"