Krista Lenz and Ymir Dual Interview
"She's like a goddess" say her classmates.
Befitting her nickname, the girl is small and charming with a gentle demeanor, and looks out of place in her military jacket.
And always beside her is a freckled girl.
Said to be capable of reaching the top 10, with her eyes always looking cynically at reality, she has great potential amongst the new soldiers.
What brings these completely opposite people together? To find out, first, an interview was conducted with both of them at the same time -
Ymir: *sigh* I was going to ignore it all, but...I ended up coming since you said Krista would be here.
Krista: ...Uh, are you going to be okay with someone like me?
Q: You both graduated with excellent grades, and have joined the Scouting Legion. I believe many would be interested.
Ymir: Please don't waste my time with all these formalities. Just say your question and get it over with quickly.
Q: All right then. Please tell us about how and why you both chose the Scouting Legion.
Krista: I...I wanted to be a helpful person.
Q: You cried the night you had to choose your team, or so I heard...
Krista: W-well! Because the titans are really scary, and it pains me to see my friends die...But, someone had to do it...
Q: Did you mean something, Ymir?
Ymir: Not really. Getting into the top 10, getting the opportunity to join the Military Police, and yet she went to the Scouting Legion, to be jumping in a swarm of titans. I just thought she shouldn't have done that, you know.
Krista: I have my reasons! Even so, Ymir, if you were serious about training, you could have gotten better grades than me and joined the Military Police....Why did you join the Scouting Legion?
Q: By the way, Ymir, I heard that you were completely unfazed that night.
Ymir: That's...Well, yes. Using your favorite word...That's because I have someone I want to protect.
Q: Is that something personal? Or is it a general term that covers, for example, the people who live within the walls?
Ymir: Obviously it’s personal. I’m not going to protect a completely strange Goddess that I’ve never seen or known.
Krista: Hey, Ymir, this person you mentioned would be...
Ymir: Don't worry about it. I made that choice for myself despite everything.
Q: Now, let's move on to your interpersonal relationships during your training days. How did you two become good friends?
Ymir: Friends, eh...Although, initially I never wanted a close relationship.
Krista: She's just not being honest, as you see. Let's see, we first spoke on the first day of training. When Sasha was put out to run, and passed out from hunger...
Q: Right. I heard about that from Sasha in her interview. She said that you saved her.
Ymir: I didn't do it out of kindness. I did her a favor so that I could use her.
Q: But, you still hooked up with Krista after that...
Ymir: That's because...We have a common interest or something...
Krista: You are so stubborn, do you have any idea about that? You don't need a reason to make friends with others, you know.
Q: So you guys, including Sasha, became friends anyway, I understand.
Ymir: Well...It's just that we often trained together in the same team too, since our grades were close.
Q: By the way, do you have any other close friends among your colleagues? Or anyone who has left a strong impression on you?
Krista: They’re all my precious friends. We spent a lot of time together. We also had a lot of fun times together.
Ymir: You are very good to everyone. Learn to doubt people a little, will you?
Krista: But...The world is bad enough, thanks to the titans...It just makes me sad to see...Human companions doubting, and fighting each other too. People...Should treat other people with kindness, and help each other.
Q: That sounds a lot like you, Krista. That's a wonderful idea.
Krista: Ah...I'm sorry. I'm not so capable, so I shouldn't keep saying empty words.
Ymir: *sighs* You are such a sinful person.
Ymir: It's nothing. Please continue.
Q: Let's continue. Speaking of interpersonal relationships, I hear that Krista is extremely popular with the graduates.
Krista: EH?! That is not true! Because I...
Ymir: Hey hey hey. Aren't you aware of the looks you get? You're too clueless, are you aware of that?
Q: Has anyone ever gone beyond that? Have they ever confessed to you before?
Krista: No, not really...
Ymir: Yes, there were some guys who wanted me to pass on their love letters, but I tore them up, and threw them away on the spot.
Krista: Ehh?! Those poor guys...
Ymir: Hmph. I'm not handing my Krista over to cowardly losers who don't even have the courage to talk to her.
Q: Ah, so Ymir is doing her duty as a bodyguard.
Ymir: Don't be ridiculous. Someone as gentle as she is can easily be fooled by bandits, can't she? I just don't want her to come crying to me when that happens.
Krista: Wow...I'm glad you're worried about me, but even I can distinguish between the bad guys and the good guys.
Ymir: Idiot. A real villain who wants to approach you will put on a very kind face. You wouldn't be able to tell them apart.
(Note: Ymir is implying that Krista is not someone who could tell them apart)
Q: By the way, Ymir, has this ever happened to you?
Ymir: No. Someone even told me once that "you don't seem like a person who would be interested in guys.”
Q: Talking about the type of people, do you have any particular preference?
Krista: Hmm... erm, a lovely person...I think?
Ymir: As I said, it's by those vague answers that you are easily misled.
Krista: Ugh...But I really don't know. I don't see a lot of guys around anyway.
Ymir: They’re all around you and you don't even notice them, huh…That's really a sad thing...
Ymir: ....Someone who can understand me...No, that would be impossible, huh…
Krista: I can understand you, you know.
End of part 1 (it will now be individual interviews)
Q: First of all we will see a glimpse of Krista for herself. Thank you for coming to a separate room.
Krista: I don't think my answers will change much without Ymir here...Is that okay?
Q: Well, I think it's worth a try. Now, looking at your physique and personality, you’re not cut out to be a soldier. Why did you enlist in spite of that?
Krista: You’re right...I bet a lot of people feel the same way too. But, I...I always wanted someone to accept me...
Q: Accept you? What do you mean by that?
Krista: A soldier...Be it from the Military Police, or Garrison, is someone who helps others. I guess I wanted to enlist so that I could use my life to save people.
Q: This is based on what you said earlier, "people have to help each other", right?
Krista: Yes...Exactly. By becoming a useful person...I could find, maybe a little, my purpose in life.
Q: So you’re really prepared to throw your life away, I see.
Krista: Yes! It is my wish...To die saving others.
Q: Let's move on to the next question. What do you think about Ymir? You can say what you couldn't before here.
Krista: She is my precious friend. Like all the other classmates...
Q: So, she’s on the same level as the rest? But it seems that many have already realized that "Krista is always with Ymir".
Krista: Eh...umm. I think she’s different after all....On the outside, Ymir has a foul, sarcastic, and self-centered mouth...But she’s really kind. Also, she is strong at heart and is able to live independently...So I think I admire her a little bit.
Q: I see. Speaking of interpersonal relationships, did anyone from the Scouting Legion make any impression on you?
Krista: My direct superiors are all good guys, and I trust them. But, I’m a little afraid...Of those at the top.
Krista: Because I have no idea what they are thinking. I can't help it since I’m still a new recruit, but... They have a lot of secret battle plans. However, no matter what the plan is, I will try my best at whatever I do.
Q: So, I called you here alone Ymir.
Ymir: What...Didn't you say I would be with Krista?
Q: It's only for a short while, so please bear with me. We would like to hear about your personal impression of Krista. You can say what you couldn't, in front of her.
Ymir: She’s excessively chaste. Very benevolent - you might say she's an idiot.
Q: That's true. She shows such a strong determination to the point that she doesn't mind sacrificing herself, as you said in our conversation earlier.
Ymir: That's why I said she's stupid. She really believes that it’s praised to die doing "good things"...If I don't set limits, it's dangerous that this girl will actually be killed.
Q: Now I understand how her thinking is different from yours. So you don't think it's an honor, for example, to sacrifice your life for the good of humanity?
Ymir: It never crossed my mind. I am...Simply living for my own sake.
Q: As a member of the Scouting Legion who ventures outside the walls, it seems to me that your thinking is a bit unusual.
Ymir: Yes...More or less. Scouting Legion soldiers are, perhaps, just "sacrifices for humanity," but it's not quite like that with me. I won't sacrifice my life for anyone.
Q: So, your decision is just to live for your own good?
Ymir: That's right. I’m just living for my own sake. Even if I end up dying as a result, it's something you can’t help.
Q: Because you can lose your life as long as it’s protecting what you want to protect, right?
Ymir: Exactly. Hey, can I go back to where Krista is now?
Q: Just one more minute. Please tell us if anyone in the Scouting Legion has left a deep impression on you.
Ymir: Hmm...I have heard some rumors that the commander is a sharp and capable person. To protect humanity within the walls, he isn’t afraid to sacrifice his members...And that includes Krista and me.
Q: Were you disappointed? Or were you afraid?
Ymir: Not me. In this case, I think he’s really doing the right thing. If I don't want to end up as a sacrificial lamb, I just need to protect myself.
Q: Alright, you guys are together again. Do you both have any short-term goals?
Krista: Try my best and get used to the Scouting Legion. And strive so that I can be useful in battle.
Ymir: As for me, well...Do my best, and survive.
Q: Ymir, you are very strong.
Ymir: If I'm not, I won't be able to survive in this world. If I was optimistic and acted like a good girl like Krista, I would end up in a titan's stomach in no time.
Krista: I'm not acting like a good girl! So, this is how it looks to you, Ymir...?
Ymir: Whoa, don't look so sad! That was just an example, okay!
Q: Now, looking into the future, "if mankind is free from the titan threat", what do you want to do?
Krista: A world without titans...? I never thought about it before...
Ymir: ...Huh. When that happens, human beings will end up fighting among themselves next. A war over territories, a war between nobles and common people...All these things are happening everywhere now. It's just hidden under the titanic problem known as Titans.
Krista: So it's...Like this? With the Titans leaving us, the humans will...still keep throwing stones, and hurting each other?
Q: What you speak of is indeed a societal problem, Ymir. But well, let's talk about a dream a little happier here, shall we?
Krista: ...That's right, Ymir! We could go to a faraway land together. Remember what Eren and the others said? About how big and how wide the world beyond the walls are...
Ymir: Together, in a faraway land, huh….Sounds good. And, nobody would say a thing about our past, and upbringing either…
Krista: Yeah. We could live in peace. We could come back sometimes and visit everyone. It would be nice...if we could always be together like that.
Q: That is a wonderful dream. Finally, leave a message for the people reading this interview.
Ymir: I’m bad at these things... Krista, you can do it.
Krista: EH?! Wow...Erm, we're still new soldiers, but we'll try our best, so please give us your support... Something like this is fine, right?
Ymir: That's good. It's reasonable.
At a glance, Ymir and Krista seem to be complete opposites with their views and attitudes towards the world.
Krista, who demonstrates her unwavering will to become a useful person, as she says, is still wavering here and there, and her complete opposite, Ymir, who talks about not caring about people, is still strongly determined to protect what she wants. That difference is noticeable in this interview.
However, at their core, they are quite similar, and that is what unites them.
They are a deeply interesting pair, so we will keep a close watch on their future actions.
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