Annie's Pets

In an alternate universe, where war and titans are mere fantasy tales, Annie Leonhart is an ordinary high school student. Her life is monotonous: boring classes, endless homework, and a routine that barely keeps her interest. However, this world has something peculiar: alongside normal-sized humans, there are entire cities of tiny people, barely a millimeter tall. These small communities coexist peacefully with the "giants", but for Annie, the tiny ones are more than neighbors-they are her source of entertainment.

Annie has a secret hobby. After a long day at school she returns to her room, where she keeps a box containing several of these tiny beings she has "adopted"-or rather, kidnapped- from nearby micro-cities. To her, they are like pets, but also a way to relieve her boredom. Among her favorite activities is watching how they react to her feet, especially after a hot and exhausting day. The intense scent and heat of her sweaty feet are a spectacle for the tiny beings, and Annie enjoys their adoration, whether it's voluntary or forced.

That day, Annie arrived home exhausted. The summer heat had made her school shoes feel like ovens, she slumped into a chair at her desk, opened the box where she kept her tiny "friends", and carefully placed them on the table. There were seven in total, a reduced group after some hadn't survived her previous games. Annie felt no remorse for those who resisted and ended up crushed under her heel or discarded without a second thought to her, it was just part of the game.

With a sigh, she leaned forward and began removing her shoes. The warm, humid air escaped immediately, filling the room with a strong odor that made the tiny beings on the table tremble. Annie smiled as she watched their reactions. Then, she propped her feet on the table, right in front of the tiny ones. One by one, she peeled off her sweaty socks, heat radiated from her soles, and the overwhelming scent enveloped them. Some, already accustomed to her routine, began to approach with gestures of reverence, murmuring words Annie could barely make out. To them, she was an unpredictable goddess, capable of granting life or destroying them in an instant.

However, not all were willing to submit one of the tiny beings, a small man with unusual determination, stepped forward, positioning himself right between Annie's enormous feet. With a voice that was barely a whisper to her, he began to shout, raising his arms as if trying to capture her attention.

"Please, listen to me!" He said bravely. "You don't have to do this to us! We're people, just like you. We can talk, reason... We're not toys!"

Annie raised an eyebrow, intrigued, it was rare for any of them to dare speak to her directly. She tilted her head, her blonde hair falling over one side of her face, and observed him with a mix of curiosity and disdain.

"Reason?" She replied in a cold, almost amused tone. "And what could you offer me that's more interesting than this?"

The tiny man swallowed hard but didn't back down.

"We can help you! We're resourceful, we can build things, work for you... We don't need to be your slaves!"

The other six tiny beings froze, their eyes darting between the brave speaker and Annie's enormous toes, which tapped impatiently on the table. She tilted her head, considering his words for a moment. Then, a cruel smile spread across her face.

"You know," she said slowly, lifting one foot and bringing it dangerously close to the little man, "I like it when they try to negotiate. But...” She paused, letting the heat of her foot envelop him, “I'm not in the mood to listen today."

The tiny man shouted something else, but his words were lost as Annie gently lowered her foot, trapping him under the shadow of her sole. She didn’t crush him, not yet. She enjoyed the tension too much, the desperation on the faces of the other six, who now backed away, fearful of sharing the same fate.

"Anyone else want to reason?" She asked, her voice laced with sarcasm as she wiggled her toes, letting the warm air surround them.

The survivors, resigned, returned to their adoration, some with tears in their eyes, others with a submission bordering on devotion. Annie leaned back in her chair, satisfied. For her, this was the only moment of the day when she felt something beyond boredom. And as she watched her tiny pets pay her homage, she wondered how long it would be before shed need to go out and find more.