It wasn't his fault... I didn't do anything... please... stop treating me like this!
Raiden Mei sat quietly at her vandalized desk, head lowered to hide the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. The girl was the daughter of one of the head of ME Corporation, one of the biggest companies in the world. She was a sweet girl, always sharing and being kind to everyone and never turning down a request from her classmates.
Classmates she only now realized had been using her. Her family had been wealthy, and while she thought she had made friends the second her father had been arrested she realized how empty their smiles had been. How fake their kind words. When she was someone important they had flocked to her- the naive heiress who was too kindhearted to understand the cruelty in the world.
The bell rang, and Mei waited for the jeering whispers to leave as she felt that leaden weight settle into her stomach. I can't keep living like this... not after finding out my father had been my sword instructor. That he would take time out of his busy days to come train me every day after school. I have nobody. Nothing. There's nothing for me anymore.
As soon as the school was empty the sixteen year old stood slowly. The thought had entered her mind days ago, unbidden and darkly tantalizing as things progressively grew worse and worse for her as an outcast. Today she was done fighting the darkness in her heart. Her feet quietly led her up to the roof of the academy. There was only a waist high railing around the rooftop. A protection from the drop.
To Raiden Mei it was the obstacle preventing her freedom from this unending nightmare. She had no family looking after her. She lived alone in an empty house. Thankfully she was allowed to access the family accounts, at least those not frozen by the investigation. Her long dark hair waved in a breeze as she slowly moved towards the far end of the building. Unaware of the two sets of eyes on her. Very aware as she moved closer and closer to the railing that this would be the last thing she would ever do.
They won't miss me... they will cheer when they find me. Just like they call my father a criminal, they'll be pleased when I... die...
Somehow, before she knew it her leg was over the rail, and she was mentally preparing to jump. Her violet uniform and skirt marking her as a second year fluttered in the wind from the height as she took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
I'm sorry father. I love you... Good-bye...
"Whoa! What are you doing?!" The unfamiliar voice caught her off guard as Mei turned her head while stepping off the roof. She lost her balance and as she dropped she saw a flash of white before closing her eyes.
Only to reopen them in shock as a grunt came from above her and she felt two hands grab onto one of her arms, preventing her from falling to her death. She stared up at the blue eyes of the girl who she vaguely was aware of as supposedly a troublemaker, a transfer student. The girl gave her the biggest smile she had ever seen, sincerity and playfulness in that face as Mei could only dumbly hang on to the lifeline that came from nowhere.
"Hehehe!" Her laugh was full of a sort of innocence yet also there was something genuine in it, Mei realized. "I could never live with myself if I let such a pretty girl fall!" The girl was bracing against the railing, and she slowly managed to help bring Mei back up onto the rooftop, tumbling back onto roof next to other girl. Mei knew something had changed the moment they locked eyes on each other while panting on the hard cement of the school.
"Who are you?" Mei asked in a small voice, shocked by so much of what had just happened. Her world was burning around her, her very life was over... yet here this girl with two braids of snowy white hair and the most bright blue eyes she'd ever seen was refusing to let her give up.
Those deep cerulean eyes finally met her inquisitive gaze with a smile on the girl's face as she sat up and told Mei her name; the name of the person who had changed the course of her entire destiny without even thinking.
"Me? I'm Kiana! Kiana Kaslana! I don't recognize you from my classes, so you must be my senpai, right?" Kiana offered her hand to Mei to help her stand up, and still somewhat dazed the older girl accepted. *European, but she spoke very fluent Japanese* Mei realized as she timidly spoke up herself. "I'm Raiden Mei." *Now she'll recognize my name and like everyone curse me or mock me-*
The thought stopped as the other girl suddenly pulled her close in a hug. "Nice to meet you, Mei-senpai! You should be more careful, though! You could have really got hurt!" Kiana was an excited bundle of positive energy, Mei realized as she slowly started to come out of her shock, automatically answering questions and getting to know her savior.
"Thank you," Mei eventually managed, a small smile on her face as Kiana started to break through the weeks of isolation and layers of pain just by being a rather forward but kindhearted person. She didn't dare explain what brought her up here, so instead she continued in her head- Thank you Kiana-chan, for saving me from my isolation. I think I can manage a little longer, knowing that you are here. This single act brought her the one thing that she needed more than anything.
A friend.
"Ne ne, Mei-senpai!" The excited Kiana spoke up again, grinning wide, making Mei smile a bit more herself. Something about the girl just was so relaxing to her. The teachers hadn't stopped the hazing, the cruel whispers and vandalism of her desk and books in class. The graffiti on the blackboard calling her a criminal. This was almost a balm to her injured soul, like Kiana was the sun piercing the dark clouds that swarmed her life. "How about I walk you home? I don't really have anything going on today, and you look a bit lonely?"
Mei gave it a moment of thought before she slowly nodded. Then to her surprise Kiana took her hand and pulled her to her feet with a cheer. "Mei-senpai is so nice!" Kiana's enthusiasm overshadowed the fact that she never let go of Mei's hand as they began walking to the exit of the roof.
Neither girl noticed the emotionless eyes watching from the other side of the school. Unexpected variable has entered the situation. This requires further examination and a report to Matushka. Matushka will not be pleased, but subject Raiden Mei is still in an emotionally vulnerable state. The operation can still be performed successfully. New subject Kaslana, Kiana will be added to observation. The blank eyes narrowed slightly as their owner slowly retreated back into the shadows.