Yesterday's Enemy [AoT]

EIGHTY-FOUR

'The world is a place in which all types of people prosper. We are thrown together, all with conflicting ideas and major differences, and are expected to get along. But in that chaos, there is beauty and camaraderie. Variation breeds strength.'

-An extract from the book 'Evolutions' written by philosopher Adette Briggs.

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EIGHTY-FOUR

Wall Maria, South Region, Port Noaks, Noaks Survey Corps Base of Operations

Lorelai left Levi in the trees, following the faint sounds of crying from deeper in the forest.

She came across a sunken hollow, a darker portion of the woodland where the sun couldn't quite reach. Even in the height of summer, the place was cool and quiet.

An old oak tree had collapsed into the hollow, on its rotting trunk sat Thersa, small as a mouse and weeping into her palms.

Lorelai's face turned to concern; she kept her footsteps quiet as she approached. Poor girl, things hadn't been easy for her lately.

"Thersa, are you alright, sweetheart?" she asked gently.

She got a fright, quickly spinning around to disguise her tears. "I'm fine! Really."

Lorelai sat down next to her on the old trunk, silently handing Thersa her handkerchief as she gazed around the hollow.

After a few moments, "Sweetheart? You wanna talk about it?"

Thersa came out of her shell immediately, turning around. She forgot about hiding her tears. "Oh, Lorelai, I feel like such a fool."

She frowned, briskly brushing Thersa's hair from her eyes. "Now you are no such thing. You're one of the cleverest girls I've met. Now, tell your Lieutenant what's got you so distraught."

"Oh... a boy I guess-"

"Tsk, a boy? Which boy? It wasn't my fool of a brother, was it?"

There was no point in hiding it now, Thersa threw herself into Lorelai's arms and began weeping against her shoulder. "It was Gabriel, I saw him kiss... well, kiss someone else," she managed out.

Lorelai stroked Thersa's hair comfortingly.

"I was just on my way to apologise; I hoped he'd take me back. I'm heartbroken," she sniffled.

She pulled away to look Thersa in the eyes. "Oh, darling, your heart is no fragile thing."

"What?" she looked up from her tears.

"Let me impart a little pessimistic but realistic wisdom on you," Lorelai returned to stroking her hair. "You're going to meet many men in your lifetime, Thersa. They're unavoidable; they're like the plague."

Thersa laughed, leaning against Lorelai's shoulder.

"And each time you do, you're going to believe they are sent from above. But you must remember this, sweet girl, bird shit falls from the heavens as well. And that is an encouraging thought, yes?"

"...Yes?" said Thersa hesitantly.

"Good. Now next time you see that idiot boy, you take these pretty fists of yours," she lifted Thersa's petite hand, "and you punch him right in the face. Is that clear?"

She giggled. "I don't want to hurt him."

"Well, what goes around, comes around, as the saying goes."

"Thank you, Lorelai."