The New Arrivals

~Encounters~

"Hey Danielle! Hange wants us to do some research with her and Moblit will be with her." Armin smiled, a little out of breath.

"Um are you okay?" Danielle furrowed her eyebrows.

"Uh... Yeah yeah. Just done my morning run- kidding. I just ran from Hanges office here so..." Armin joked, chuckling slightly. He expected a reaction out of that. However Danielle got up and left with Armin.

They entered the room to hear Hange's hysterical laughter. Armin shrugged and opened the door for her.

"Armin! Danielle!" Hange's smile spread from ear to ear and she placed her hands together.

"I hope you're settling in well. Sorry for bringing you in so quickly." Hange apologised, but in a chuckling manner. For some reason she couldn't control her laughter.

"Hange, I think you're going a little of track." Moblit stammered, tapping her shoulder. Her head swiftly turned towards Moblit and she eagerly nodded.

"Well I need a little help. Some theories maybe. I'm examining a fragment of Annie's crystal." Hange said, trying to hide her laughter.

"C-Could I look at it?" Danielle suggested, shrugging slightly.

"Of course!" Hange giggled.

Danielle looked through and memories of her childhood flooded through her mind.

"I-I recognise this." Danielle gasped, backing away from the microscope, almost knocking it over

"Huh?" Armin grunted, raising an eyebrow.
"The only way you could have possibly recognise that is if you saw Annie's crystal..."

"Childhood." Danielle explained. "My dad, Wilhelm, was a miner and we lived in the Orvud District."

*A few years before*

"Listen, Dani. I'm off to work. Your sister will look after you. Love you." Wilhelm smiled, hugging his daughter.

Danielle smiled back but deep down she really hated when her father left her. It was only for a few hours. But a few hours could be years to a kid. Besides her sister, Wilhelm was her only friend and the only one she could trust and rely on.

She never really spoke it was usually yes or no or I don't know. However when she spoke it was probably something really desperate.

A few hours past by and Danielle and her sister did nothing except eat and chat. Well her sister did most of the talking.

They heard the door open and it was Wilhelm. He seemed to be over the moon.

"Hey Dani, Anna." He smiled. "The miners and I found some sort of gem. Not like any other. I figured you two would like to see em'."

"Take Dani with you. I'll look after the house." Anna replied, hugging Wilhelm.

"You sure? You wouldn't wanna miss it." Wilhelm muttered.

"Don't worry. I've seen better." She scoffed.

He scoffed back at her and they both chuckled.

Danielle went with her father and wasn't sure what to except.

It was about a 20 minute walk. Danielle never complained. Even if she wanted to. She couldn't. She was too scared to see people's reaction and she knew they probably done worse and didn't complain.

There was a small glimmer in a 5ft deep hole. They looked down and saw some sort of crystal, blue and shiny. It reflected in Danielle eyes. It was slightly covered in dirt, however you could easily see its beauty.

They both looked in awe.

"Wow Dad." Danielle giggled.

Wilhelm seemed to be more excited than Danielle. She was finally getting out of her shell. It would take a while. But it was a start. Her dads eyes weren't in awe of the crystal. He was in awe of her daughters happiness.

He always knew shiny, gem like items would attract her...