The Transtempus Penalty (ERERI//RIREN)

Chapter 36

Hey guys!! I'm back with..... AN EVEN MORE STRESSFUL UPDATE. Aren't you, just, so excited? Nah, but I'll be back soon, alright? Maybe not the most consistent schedule for the time being while I have so much shit going down at once, but not writing/updating has had a decidedly negative impact on my overall personal welfare. So, for the sake of my fucking sanity, I'll see you all very, very soon.

By the time I got back to the house, I was nothing but a bundle of nerves, all of the atoms making up all the cells in my body threatening to suddenly disperse, puffing me into atomic dust at the slightest provocation. What really twisted the blade, though, was that everything had been entirely preventable. I scribbled together a vague plan in my head on what to do in the event of things going south, before parking the car and entering the house.

"Eren," Farlan nodded in my direction, "you up for a meeting?" His grey eyes flickered as they reflected the happenings on the television, until Isabel shut it off and sat beside him.

"Uh, well, yeah," I said, removing my shoes and trudging to the empty easy chair. I could feel every nerve in my body crackling with electricity while my partners regarded me. "What's goin' on?" I asked as casually as I could, pulling my fingers through my hair and bracing myself for the worst.

"Well, uh, today has been really eventful for us," Isabel said nervously, rubbing her left bicep with the palm of her other hand, her posture that of somebody with something unfortunate to say. "I'm not really sure where to start," she trailed off, her eyes exploring the ring-stained coffee table, having gone from not one to several dark stained rings in the months that had gone by, and most of them weren't even mine. It was clear that a toll had been taken on all of us, despite not having reached even halfway through the duration of our stay. I could only hope the whiskey stains began to taper off as time went on, if there was even any time left for me.

"Just start at the beginning," I said, shrugging my shoulders and sinking further into the chair.

"Alright," Isabel replied, tucking fiery wisps of hair behind her ears before beginning to speak. "The beginning, yeah, okay. Well, we got back, and saw those nice kids from MIT, who had us change into period appropriate clothing. Then we went to Hanji's office, and she gave us a briefing for the kinds of questions we'd be asked during the session. We went in and answered all the questions," she said, biting her lip and wincing.

"What happened?" I asked, fearing that saying any more could implicate me further than I was about to be.

"We didn't say anything about your interpersonal relationship with Levi, but, Eren, this is worse," Isabel said gravely, her blue eyes worried, frantic almost. "The prosecutor, Dot Pyxis, is getting suspicious of this whole project. He has a group of conspiracy theorists saying that The Transtempus Penalty is unconstitutional in nature, and is a gateway into the government using time travel to assist in nationwide coverups. He's trying to cut it short. He wants us out by New Year's, Eren."

"What did Justice Zackly say?" I asked, feeling faint at the realization of what was happening.

"Actually, that's what we need to talk about," Farlan chimed in, crossing his arms and tossing one of his legs over the other. "Zackly says he wants you there to testify tomorrow in defense of the Transtempus Penalty, because you're the one that is technically assigned to Levi. I mean, we all are, but you're the one that goes and spends time with him. We're just the aunt and uncle, you catch my drift?"

"Mhm," I nodded, trying not to lose consciousness, though I felt like a heart attack was impending. Not only would I have to stand trial and explain what I'd done to help Levi, but I would also have no time to call off our meeting. "Right."