What If...Marco Had Lived

The Trial

Marco's throat was dry. His shoulders ached. The tension in the room was crushing him.

Immediately after the 3 of the confessed to Hange and Levi, there had been a dead silence. At first Hange thought it was a joke, but Levi stared at them hard, then Hange just looked shock and a bit disappointed.

Now the 4 of them knelt in front of a judicial committee, handcuffed. Armed members of the Military Police ready to fire. For the first time ever Reiner look frightened. He actually looked like a 17 year old kid. Bertholdt seemed more worried about Annie than himself. Annie maintained a stoic face, shooting occasional daggers at Marco.

"So what your telling us Mr. Bodt that you agreed to harbor the enemy, in order to spare you own life?"

"Yes sir and I wanted to help some how"

"Why? these two are responsible for the fall of Wall Maria, for the food shortage, the loss of land and life" Darius Zackly looked down at him.

"Because, they were just kids. Just like we are when we join...just like we are now"

"So you betrayed humanity to save you own life?" Nile Dok, head of the MPs, said.

"I don't see it that way, things would have probably played out the same way whether they had killed me or not" Marco said, trying to choose his words carefully.

There was a murmur among the crowd.

"Silence please" Zachly banged his gavel.

"Where you aware of Ms. Leonhart's planned attack on the Survey Corps?" Commander Smith said with a blank look on his face.

"Yes sir, but I didn't think she was going to kill as many people as she did, nor kill the Special Operations squad. I just thought she wanted to get Eren alone, and they can talk"

"Do you have anything to say in your defense Ms. Leonhart?" Zackly asked.

"I just want to see my father again, and am willing to do whatever it takes to do that", Annie said flatly.

"In her defense, they Scouts attack first, trying to kill her. She was defending herself" Bertholdt interjected.

"So biting my vice-captain in half was self-defense?" Levi asked in a monotones voice.

"Levi!" Erwin glared at him.

"I was hoping the other 2 would get the message, and back off. Also the idea of vomiting up dead bodies is disturbing to me"

"So you Titan shifters, you are just like Eren Jeager? Why do you need him so badly?" Erwin asked.

They four were silent for a moment. Then Reiner spoke up.

"We need him to complete our mission, Eren has the Attack Titan and we believe the Founding Titan. Marley wants them both"

Dot Pixis shuffled through his notes. "It says here that there are 9 of these Titan shifters. Marley has 6 of them. Eren has 2, and one is missing".

The 4 were silent. Annie didn't know about Ymir and the boys had agreed to not drag her into this. Marco stole a glance, Ymir's expression hasn't changed. He looked to Jean who to his surprise, seemed worried.

"What is Marley's plan? Why do they need these titans?" Zackly asked.

"To become a global superpower. They see themselves as the superior group among humanity, which is ironic because only Eldians can wield the power of titans" Bertholdt said. "As we said in our interrogations, we are seen as second class citizens, forced to live separately, seen as devils, that we must pay for our sins"