It was not often that Saionji Kanna did not get what she wanted. A rich girl, she got everything she wanted. It seemed there was literally nothing money couldn't buy.
Until she met Aizawa Minto.
As usual at the large garden parties her parents and other high-class Japanese people hosted, red-haired Kanna was always the center of attention, if not for her beauty, then for her wealth. But one afternoon at one such party, there was someone who did not give attention to the seven-year-old. And that was Aizawa Minto. The same-aged Minto-san had the nerve to not only not adore Kanna, but she blatantly ignored the Saionji heiress. It wasn't something Kanna was used to. It brought up uncomfortable feelings that she would rather have never discovered. Kanna pushed these feelings away, and turned her attention to the blue-haired ballet dancer.
Minto, on the other hand tried to turn her attention to anything but Kanna.
Kanna mastered both ballet and Western-style formal dancing perfectly; Minto danced on the other side of the room, seemingly unaware. Kanna wore a beautiful ball gown made by a team of French designers; Minto barely looked at it. It seemed that no matter what she did, Kanna couldn't get Minto to notice.
As the years went by, Kanna could never get Minto to recognize that they were now "Eternal Rivals," in a fight for "princessness," Kanna's term for the richest, most popular and attention-getting girl. It grew to the point where Kanna was now obsessed with getting the recognition she felt she deserved.
Until one spring day, at another large garden party, this time hosted by Minto at the large Aizawa estate.
Kanna had arrived fashionably late, in order to draw the most attention. With her own fanfare of trumpets and by arriving in a custom-designed helicopter, she was sure to get Minto to notice her. The day did not, unfortunately, go as planned.
Within fifteen minutes of her arrival, a floating green-haired boy arrived and basically destroyed the party. Hmph, rude boy. And, he had the nerve to insult her. People did not insult Saionji Kanna and get away with it. She'd have to find a way to deal with him sometime in the future.
But even in the confusion that the boy caused, Kanna couldn't get an edge over Minto. She refused to run until the Aizawa girl did, but Minto didn't run - instead, she fought, along with common girls that Minto had apparently deemed worthy of her attention. But they were all marvelous. Kanna wanted them all - money, of course, was no object. These Mew Mews, they were superb. With them, she could get more attention.
But they refused. Why? Minto said that money couldn't buy friendship. Friendship? Was that what she wanted?
Her parents bought her everything, even her friends. But feeling happy around them felt artificial - they would go along with everything she wanted. Of course they would, they were being paid to put up with her. But...Aizawa Minto was different from the others. Kanna had to face the truth: she had always envied Minto. Minto never pretended not to be herself; Minto never had to rely on money to make friends.
How could Kanna open her heart? By being herself?
Of course, she still had to put up a face for Minto's sake. After the fight, even with her party ruined, Minto prepared tea, specially imported, for her friends. The red-haired friend had dragged Kanna over to try it. Good yes, but Minto was watching. Kanna had declared that they would have to "try the tea at her next party. And of course she would invite Minto, because they were eternal rivals." Minto had smirked, then looked away as Kanna choked back tears.
Today was the day of her party. As usual, people were complimenting Kanna, but today she brushed the artificial people fawning over her away and waited for Minto to arrived. Surely the rich girl would arrive soon! Used to her own methods of arrival, Kanna scanned the skies looking for blue helicopters.
"Phoo."
"WAUGH!" Kanna jumped, feeling what seemed to be a ghostly wind blowing on her neck. She turned around, and immediately assumed a haughty look when see realized Minto had sneaked up on her.
"Well? How about that tea you promised me?"
Kanna fought back the urge to hug her rival. "Of course. "
Kanna could never completely change, but it can be said that she had lost that annoying laugh of hers.
A/N: Kanna is Minto's 'rival' who appeared in episode 32 of the anime. I love forgotten characters!