Nature

Renka's single visible eye blinked a few times as her consciousness returned and focused intensely on the figures standing between her and the group of girls who had cornered her in the bathroom. Her usually blank expression has shifted somewhat, mouth agape with astonishment at the scene unfolding before her.

Two people, one male and the other female. Both blonde. Foreign. The male's build is more reminiscent of an ogre than a mortal man. The female... she would be more at home in a fairy tale. Why either are here, now, eludes her.

The ogre-like boy maintains a death grip as one of the girls attempts to wrench herself free from his grasp. Her slightly curled lips and the eyes narrowed like a predator with which she watched her flunkies assault their victim are gone, replaced by confusion, anger, and even a little pain from her captured wrist. It all looks so out of place when accompanied by her silky black hair with perfectly cut bangs and fair, spotless skin that holds just the right amount of fat in her cheeks. It's likely that she's never been treated so roughly, and certainly not by someone like the brute keeping her in place. These things didn't happen. To others, maybe, but not to her. Never her.

Unfortunately, the pair of foreigners had little care for these unspoken rules.

Eyes full of disdain and indignation pierce through the ogre. "What do you think you're doing, gaijin!? Do you know who I—" But her outburst is cut off, not by ogre, but by the relaxed yet stern voice of the princess.

"Gomi-san, I think the better question is what were you doing? You made a commotion while helping our friend here to the bathroom." The princess turns her towards Renka, offering a clearer view of her face. Her eyes are a deep blue, like the ocean. Wide and innocent, calm yet fierce. The way her mouth stretches is strange, however. It's a completely alien expression.

Gomi's words are spat out like venom and punctuated with a huff, her face scrunching up in annoyance due to the absurdity of the question— she shouldn't have to explain herself. "Teaching that witch a lesson. Ugh, don't tell me you're actually defending it. Figures you pathetic freaks would cling to each other... Ow!"

"From where I'm standin', it's you who's lookin' pathetic." The ogre squeezes down on Gomi's wrist, though his face displays more boredom and irritation than genuine anger at the statement, like he's dealing with a child's tantrum.

The princess says something in a chiding tone, but Renka doesn't hear it. She doesn't hear anything at all, nor truly see. The world before her melts away like burning film to reveal what hides beneath, and the scene finally becomes something she can make sense of: demons devouring demons. Something entirely natural. Something not deserving of pity. Yet, as the trio is beaten, broken, and made to bow by their betters, she's not sure if it deserves her joy either. Who can smile while watching the hawk's talons tear into the snake? Something entirely natural. Something ugly born of the world's natural cruelty.

The cruelty that dragged her here.
The cruelty that stayed silent and averted its eyes.
The cruelty that had simply sought greater prey.

This was no kindness. At best, it was a convenience. One that would go as easily as it came.

"I think you dropped this." The princess's soft voice restores the film. Not fully—never since that day. The ogre is also in clear view beside her, Gomi and friends nowhere to be found. His tank and the muscular arms straining his uniform make the boy come off as thuggish. What earns Renka's focus, however, is the notebook that's being offered to her and the strange look the princess once again wears. She waits a moment, expecting them to do something, but it never comes. Then, it clicks—a smile. It's a smile on her face. Not fake. Not filled with malice. It's a smile that says 'I'm happy to see you,' and she doesn't understand why.

Her eyes travel from the notebook to meet the princess's gaze properly. She won't take it yet. She can't. "Who is it that would defend a witch?"

The princess scoffs. "Rodionova Alyona Tarasovna, but you can just call me Alyona. This is Archie." She sticks a thumb out towards the ogre, who simply grunts and twists his neck with a loud pop in response. "And we'll help whoever we like. Is that so bad?"

"It will not help you make friends, that is certain," Renka says as she picks herself up off the tiled floor. Some of the water drenching her hair has found itself staining the collar of her uniform, causing both to give off a sour odor. This was all that awaited anyone foolish enough to associate with her.

The same irritated glare Archie treated Gomi to is now directed at Renka. "Jeeze, don't sound too grateful. Guess you would've been happier if those cunts drowned you, huh?"

"Archie!" Alyona shoots him a look, causing him to grumble and cross his arms. Directing her attention back to Renka, she takes a step closer and presses the notebook into the girl's hands. Still smiling. "I don't need friends like Gomi, but I'd love to get to know you better. You could say all the rumors have made me curious."

The discomfort from her wetness had been easily ignored, but now she shivers as if she'd suddenly been forced out into a snowstorm naked. Her chest feels tight, and she hugs the notebook like her life depends on it. "Why?" is all Renka can muster.

Alyona giggles, as if the answer is obvious. "Well, Gomi was right about one thing: people like us should stick together. But do I really need a reason to be your friend?"

Of course not. Humans long for companionship. It's natural.

So why is it so hard for her to accept?

"You don't know what you're saying. I..." Her words trail off.

The answer is as obvious as it is painful, but Renka can't bring herself to say it aloud. It's much too shameful to admit. Too dreadful. Still, she must say something, and she finds herself muttering a string of gibberish as her thoughts tumble past her lips. Not only nonsensical in its contents, but in the syntax as well. It's a disjointed mess of Japanese and the fiddly form of Chinese she'd absorbed from her grandparents. It certainly didn't help her avoid attention, but it was a way she could make sense of her thoughts when she knew no one else could.

Archie loudly clears his throat. "Sorry to interrupt you're, uh, moment. Not lookin' to spend lunch in the girls' bathroom, though."

"Well, it's not like you have to agree to anything right now." Alyona sighs and extends her open hands towards Renka, not giving the girl a chance to resist as she takes her hand and begins leading her out of the bathroom. "We'll get you cleaned up, then you can think it over while we eat lunch."

She could still flat-out refuse.
She could pull her hand free and run.
She could make up an excuse to slip away.

Instead, she continues to be pulled along, and her hand squeezes Alyona's back. Her babbling calms down, and she lets two simple words quietly slip out amidst the nonsense:

"Thank you."