Kyra walked down the stairs leading to an underground dwelling. She held a bag in her hands as she continued forward across the dimly lit room.
Her eyes focused on the object chained in front of her...well more like a person cocooned in a crystal.
"I'm back, Annie." Kyra said stoically observing how the girl hasn't seemed to age a bit in her secure prison she willing surrounded herself in.
Kyra sat down on the ground relaxing in solemn silence that peacefully filled the dwelling.
"Lucky you, you get me for a whole 2 hours. Please curb your enthusiasm. I know your jumping for joy just as much as I am." Kyra said sarcastically.
"You know sometimes, I wonder where I would be if my father never made me promise to live and fight. Would I still be here today if he hadn't? I--probably not. I probably wouldn't have even met you. Not even Eren, Armin, or Mikasa. I probably would've took the first chance I had to end it all. It's weird that for so long I wanted to die. When you swatted me away in that forest, I wasn't angry or hurt...I was relieved, to be honest. I thought that was the end and I was eagerly waiting for death to welcome me." Kyra said dully as her eyes darkened.
"I mean, can one necessarily blame me for such thoughts? Can you blame me, Annie? I watched everything get stripped from me by malicious humans. A piece of me was brutally torn off my being everytime I watched a Drosera die. In many ways, the night I became the last one standing among the bloodshed and carnage...there wasn't a person standing... it was just an empty vessel that's been hollowed out by the cruelty of humanity. In many aspects, I think the Droseras have been extinct since that night, all those years ago. I just share similar resemblance and abilities like them. A pathetic excuse for something the world refused to let die off. Does that make the slightest bit of sense?" Kyra pondered out.
"Maybe that's why I'm unapproachable... people just don't understand me. I don't think I'm scary looking? Eh, who knows, maybe I am. That's why they stare at me from a distance. Afraid their eyes will deteriorate if they get any closer. Hm, it's possible." Kyra theorized with a shrug.
"Do you ever wonder how humanity would be if everything was just simply explained. Everything laid out all on the table in front of us. No unknowns. That everything had a logical reason and was soundly irrefutable. Eh, sounds boring, doesn't it? Knowing everything and the solutions to every problem, it wouldn't be much of a challenge would it. But would that squander conflict before it even started? Would that prevent bloodshed and war? I doubt it...humans by nature are selfish and greedy. Everyone wants something they can't have and that creates jealousy and envy. And that constant state of longing and envy creates resentment and anger which leads to hate. And that hate bears witness to war and violence. It is because of the nature of humans that we are unable to move forward past conflict as an entire species." Kyra stated resting her head on her hand.
"Sometimes, I think about who I would be as a person if my clan was still living, even if it was just my family that survived. Who would I be as a person? Would I still have the same view on the world as I do now?" Kyra continued.
"Would I be more optimistic and bubbly? I used to always find myself watching families from my spot in an alley. Just watching them interacting and how genuinely happy they seemed. They were completely ignorant about the world...ignorant about what was happening right before their eyes. To happy to look up and notice a little girl struggling to survive. I always tried to imagine what life would be like if my family was still around. And then I would compare to how different the illusion and the truth were. Hey Annie, you think that maybe when you wake up you can tell me what's it like growing up with a family? What it's like to have a father? Like did he try to embarrass you like some of the fathers I've seen do? From what I remember my father was a kind-hearted man. He was very respected by everyone. He was gentle and loved to smile and laugh. I think if he was still around I know he would make it his hobby to embarrass me. The same with my older brother, he would probably antagonize me to no end. Oh well, it's not like I'll ever know, huh? It's not like the dead can speak and if they can I would probably never get any peace and quiet." Kyra said shaking her head at the thought.
She reached into her bag, "I make my own tea now. Maybe once you decide to break out of your shell we can talk over a cup of tea. Think of it as a thanks for attempting to be a fill in for a real counselor that I'll never see." Kyra said sarcastically.
Kyra pressed her lips together in a thin line as she observed the girl motionless like a statue, completely frozen in place. The silence filled the room as Kyra continued to look at Annie. "It doesn't look like you've aged at all either. It seems we have something in common there." Kyra mused out.
I wonder if this puts a halt of the years she has left. If she isn't aging would her body consider that as part of her time limit or has it stopped and it won't continue counting until she is awake?
"Well, I ran out of things to ramble about but don't worry I came prepared this time. Now, which one should I read?" Kyra questioned looking through the bag.
"Maybe we'll start with this one."
...
Armin walked down the dimly lit stairs to start his shift and relieve Kyra of her position. He reached the bottom of the stairs walking into the room only to hear Kyra's voice.
"And the cow and chicken lived happily ever after. The end." Kyra finished holding up a book.
"What kind of bullshit ending is that? Do people really read this shit to their kids? I mean I know it's supposed to teach a valuable lesson about friendship and never judging a person by their looks. But still a cow and chicken...why? Why did the chicken judge the cow, but not the cat? The cat eats chicken but yet it didn't judge the cat for eating his own kind. But he'll judge a cow...I find these books lacking any form of logic. And why some sappy cop out of an ending? Since when does the end ever actually end in a happily ever after? It should've been like and the cat ate the chicken because of his own stupidity. It was his fault since the chicken decided to trust a cat to begin with." She huffed out dully.
Armin stared blankly at Kyra. "Kyra, are you seriously reading Annie children books?" He questioned in exasperation.
Kyra turned around shrugging as he observed the hefty pile of books next to her. "I ran out of things to talk about like last time. But lucky for Annie, I came prepared this time. Annie, here, got to hear all about the alphabet, numbers, animal noises, the lost dog, the alley cat and mouse, animals that wear boots and many more things." Kyra said nonchalantly.
Armin blinked more before shaking his head and sighing in exasperation, "Kyra, you spent two hours just reading children books?"
Kyra raised an eyebrow as she turned to him, "More like an hour and half. At least when she finally wakes up we know she will still be able to know the alphabet. And not to judge a cow before getting to know it. Though, she may be disappointed to find that animals still don't wear boots." Kyra replied sarcastically.
Armin just shook his head as Kyra packed the items in the bag. "Rambling is your thing Armin, not mine. I tried, but I only lasted 30 minutes." Kyra informed stoically before she turned to glance at the crystal one last time, "See ya Annie. We still have plenty of more books that I can read you." Kyra said before heading up the stairs.
Armin sat down looking up at Annie. "Sorry about that, Kyra is well...Kyra. You know how she can be, Annie." Armin apologized to the girl encased in the crystal.
...
Kyra walked to her room dropping the bag off and plucking flushes from the tea plant before watering it. She moved out of the door to start processing the flushes and taking the already dry leaves and separating them.
Once she was done she set some in a kettle of boiling water and sitting down on the counter waiting. "Your later then normal." A voice commented.
Kyra turned to glance at Levi rolling her eyes, "Had to visit my shrink." Kyra said sarcastically as the man leaned against the counter.
He raised an eyebrow, "And what did they say? You're senile and need all the help you can get?" He inquired stoically reaching out for the kettle.
Kyra just rolled her eyes grabbing the sleeve of his shirt and pulling his arm away from the kettle, "Wouldn't know. She's a good listener, but bad at communicating. That or maybe my half ass attempts at rambling stunned her. Probably made her think twice about coming out of the crystal she trapped herself in." Kyra said shrugging indifferently.
Levi clicked his tongue, "Tch. Possibly that or she thinks you're already crazy for talking to a damn rock." He commented trying to reach for the kettle again as Kyra pushed his arm away.
"Eren talks to mirrors, Hange talks to Titans, Sasha talks to food, I talk to rocks, and you talk to yourself. Mine isn't the most crazy one. If someone heard you talking to yourself they may think you've lost your damn mind." Kyra retorted dully as she pushed away his hand that reached for the kettle again, shaking her head jumping down from the counter and leaning on it.
"Four Eyes talks to anything that will listen whether it be a wall or a door." Levi stated stoically reaching back towards the kettle. Kyra sighed quietly as she spotted his hand.
A hand was slapped as an echo sounded out in the room. The hand was immediately retracted from a kettle. Red eyes pierced into the impatient man's eyes.
"Your impatient exceeds that of a damn child. Not yet." Kyra chastised with a scoff.
"You're one to talk. You look like a damn child." The man retorted with a huff.
Kyra pressed her lips together firmly before shrugging, "If that's the case then there are a lot of creepy men attempting to rob the craddle."
The man clicked his tongue rolling his eyes as his hand reached for the kettle yet again only to be slapped again.
"Seriously? Do you have no restraint? Not yet." Kyra scolded hitting his head with a letter she pulled out of her jacket.
The man glared at her as she remained unfazed hitting him again with the letter. He grabbed her wrist pulling her arm down.
"Hit me again and I will make you a foot shorter." The man threatened causing Kyra to roll her eyes.
Before looking at the letter in her hand. He raised an eyebrow looking back up at her. "Another one?" He asked stoically.
Kyra shrugged, "No clue. Probably."
He raised his eyebrow at her, "And what did you want me to do? I'm not a damn secretary." The man said indifferently.
Kyra clicked her tongue rolling her eyes, "Tch. Yeah, and I'm not a damn maid, but apparently we both didn't read the fine print." Kyra said sarcastically.
The man rolled his eyes before opening the letter. His eyes scanned through the letter as his eyebrows knitted together. His eyes scrolled through the letter rereading it over.
"Well seeing as your not dead after opening it, I can safely assume there's no poison." Kyra said indifferently causing the man to narrow his eyes at her and clicking his tongue.
"Tch, that's why you made me open the letter first, you damn little imp." He said dully still glaring at the woman who ignored his glare.
"You're calling the kettle black again, Captain Obvious." Kyra said nonchalantly as she peeked over his shoulder to read the letter.
Her eyebrows knitted together reading the letter and then rereading it. Kyra pressed her lips together. "Burn it." She stated dully.
"No, Premier Zachary and Hange are both going to want to see this." Levi said pulling the paper away from her before she could grab it.
Kyra scowled, "I thought you weren't a secretary?" She mocked sarcastically.
"I wouldn't have to be if you just stopped impulsively burning the damn letters that could be evidence, dumbass." He retorted.
Kyra shrugged, "Not my fault they write on such flammable items."
"I'll be sure to let them know to carve it into a messenger instead." Levi said dully.
Kyra stared blankly at the man, "Still flammable. And that wouldn't stop me from burning it." She informed stoically.
The man rolled his eyes as his hand reached for the kettle only for his hand to be smacked away causing him to scowl and glare at her.
"When the hell is it going to be ready?" He questioned impatiently.
"Now, I just find it amusing that your impatiently pouting over tea like a child." Kyra mused shrugging only to recive a light shove.
"What was that about calling the kettle black, brat?" He questioned mockingly as he poured two cups.
She rolled her eyes going to grab a cup only for her hand to be slapped away. "Not yet." The man said teasingly as he mimicked her earlier actions.
Kyra glared at him, reaching for the cup only for her hand to be slapped again. "I didn't realize I would be babysitting a grown ass child, today." She huffed stoically before grunting as she was kicked in the shin.
"I remember saying the same thing after the Battle of Trost." Levi retorted.
Kyra rolled her eyes, pushing him a bit with her side as she grabbed a cup spinning around the man and sitting in a chair.
"This is the best one so far, Kyra." Levi commented with a subtle compliment. Kyra took a sip agreeing with his opinion and nodding.
"You can have the rest. I can always make more." She offered taking another sip.
...
In the corner of the room sat a one-eyed woman who observed the two interact with a bright smile, occasionally turning back to her research.