A\N: I always wondered how Taylor could stand Shayla...then hawaii50girl and I had a conversation on the topic, which led to this. Enjoy, and thank hawaii50girl! She's awesome!
"Tay?"
Taylor looked down at Alyssa. "Yup?" She asked her newfound 'little sister'.
Alyssa looked at Shayla.
The Princess was currently puttering around humming lightly to herself. Occasionally she would come upon something interesting, such as a rock or flower, and exclaim over it.
'Occasionally' being every five minutes.
"I know Shayla said you like being a Guardian..." Alyssa asked slowly, "And I don't have anything against Shayla, nothing at all..."
"But you wonder how I put up with her?" Taylor finished dryly, her eyes following Alyssa's.
"Oooh! What a pretty rock!" Shayla said, pure joy on her face.
Taylor shook her head and went back to the rulebook she was writing. "I took her to a hospital."
Alyssa stared.
"I did take basic survival course, you know." Taylor said, slightly irritably. She still wasn't used to having another person in the Animarium, and given how much of an introvert she was, it would get on her nerves for a few weeks. Hopefully Alyssa wouldn't notice too much. "I thought Shayla was insane. Turned out that's what happens when you're in a coma for too long."
Alyssa looked at Shayla, who was currently singing something nonsensical and far too chipper.
"That." Alyssa said doubtfully. "From a coma."
Taylor nodded.
Alyssa considered, then frowned. "So...you were just keeping her safe?"
"I'm not evil or anything!" Taylor protested. "Of course I did! She could have gotten hurt up here." Taylor looked at the Princess, who was-finally-sitting by her pool and watching the world. "Anyway, she kind of grows on you."
Alyssa nodded. "Yeah." She agreed. "She sort of does." She held up her frying pan. "Eggs?"
"Yum." Taylor dropped down from her tree. However annoying it was to have another person here after so much precious time alone, Alyssa was certainly a good cook.
Since she could put up with Shayla, too...
Alyssa was okay.