Zodiac Girls

The Rematch

Clara was in the woods, lost once more, after running from the village, away from the usual group of bullies. She has had enough of their constant actions, all because she was the only child beastie. And though their parents had constantly scolded them about their actions, and told them that beasties were friends not monsters, all those words went in one ear and out the other. Thankfully some kids did listen to their parents, especially upon seeing firsthand what beasties are capable of compared to humans. But that was only 'some', not all.

Clara had to deal with this bullying ever since she and her beastie family arrived at the village. As they were people with monster parts- monstrous strength- not everyone in the village accepted them all that easily. They were allowed to stay, at the very least, but they were far from welcomed. It was only after the adults helped out around the village that people started to open up to them. Sadly, not everyone was open to the idea after their assistance. 

Instead, several adults saw beasties as monsters acting as humans, or worse; free slaves to be used for their labor work. Those people inconspicuously did what they could to make life in the village hard for the beasties to live, an act that mentally affected the children, especially Clara's bullies, as they started teasing the cat beastie every chance they got. The teasing changed to pushing, to insults and mockery... Eventually, those kids resorted to violence. Of course, as time passed, as the kids slowly matured, with the good parents constantly warning their children, the number picking on Clara gradually reduced, but never hit zero. This was especially because of Clara's main bully and his two closest buddies. They who tormented her more than any other child in the village.

Today, those boys went too far in their bullying. Clara was out by her house, on the outskirts of the village, wanting to get some air, but did not feel like going to the inner parts of the place, especially if it meant meeting up with those bullies again. She was playing with a jewel she had treasured, one her mother had gifted her with, said it was a memory of her father, who Clara knew nothing about. The child considered it a good luck charm, and often took it out in secret, wondering who that man was, if she will see him, if he will be proud to meet her as a strong beastie. Such thoughts made her so giddy, it often made her forget about the tough times. 

That is... Until today... When those bullies actually had the galls to go directly to her place and resumed the usual routine there. Only... When they saw her playing with her treasure, they pushed Clara down, and took it from her. The beastie tried to get it back from them, but failed in doing so. Especially... as the leader purposely dropped her treasure and broke it.

Clara wanted so badly to hit him, to bite him, sink her claws into him, break him, tear him apart, even crush him. She was a beastie, and she had been training with someone in her family, even if it was every once in a while; she could destroy these boys. But she didn't. She was taught not to use her strength against people unless if they were criminals, and kids bullying others is not under such category. So instead, she ran. Away from the bullies, away from the pain, and more importantly... away from herself. Away from her dark thoughts and wants. Away from the monster her family told her to never become, for the moment she gives in to her natural instincts- her animal instincts- and shed blood that was not her own, it was the moment she may never return from.

And thus why she was here. She wanted some place she was okay in giving in to her instincts to, some place free of people, for her to freely vent out her frustration on. She just could not take it any more. All that bullying, all that torment... What the hell did she ever do to deserve any of that? It just made no sense at all! She only wanted to live in peace, just as any beastie does! Her family are doing their best to have everyone see they are just as people as they were, and yet, there are still some who are convinced they are monsters waiting to plunge the village the moment they all let their guard down. Clara was just sick and tired of this useless waiting game, a waiting game her family is playing just so they can live a good and stable life.

As much as Clara wanted to be the monster a portion of the villagers believed the beasties to be, she would not do that, especially if doing so would mean wasting her family's hard work. She had endured for their sake for so long, clung to the hope of seeing her father as a good beastie, clung to the hope that the bullies' parents finally get through to them, and have them realize the error of their ways. Unfortunately... they never came to be. All she did was waste her time on something that did not deserve even a millisecond of the time she had spent. And she hated every moment of it. She despised each action and reaction that took place. And most importantly...

"Clara! There you are."

She especially hated the people who forced her to be so weak.

******

When Rain stormed out of the office, rather than heading straight back to dorm, she made her way into the woods. Why she went straight there, even she did not know. No... she did know, and she is hoping for the bait to be taken. To her silent joy, the bait was getting taken, as she sensed a certain someone coming after her. Although it was not at a speed she was expecting and hoping for, it did not change the fact that she was taking her bait.

"Rain, stop!" Sherry cried out.

"Why should I?" she challenged, continuing on in the woods.

"Because it's dangerous out here. You don't know who could be hiding in these woods."

"'Who' as in someone from SAZS or 'who' as in a killer who don't give a damn about another person's life."

When Rain said that, she sensed Sherry came to a stop for a brief moment, before continuing to follow. "That's not fair, Rain."

The orangette turned to the speedy reincarnate. "And it's fair to the people you guys killed?"

"Those people started it first! They got what what was coming to them."

"They only tried to capture me! To force me into their group as a weapon! In what way was death the punishment- the judgement- that was fitting for them?!"

"Did you forget they sent an assassin to kill you?!"

That made Rain stop and turn to Sherry. "I don't care if they sent serial killers after me! Murder is not that answer! Maybe it was in ancient time, but we are not from that time! In this era, unless if it is heavily accidental and unintentional, you kill, you're nothing more than a murderer, who deserves nothing more than to be locked up, away from society! Or have you forgotten that the moment you accepted yourself as a reincarnate of a beastie? The moment you became a monster!"

That claim made Sherry stop, as she stared at the feline reincarnate in shock. "... You don't really mean that..." she muttered.

"Don't mean what? To call you a monster? After what you did? Forget killing; as I had said before, you even tortured those people! And you showed no remorse for your action! If that is not the work of a monster, then what was all that? If that is not something a monster does, I don't think I ever want to know what they do!"

"It was the only way to get them to leave us alone! It did before you got here!" the blonde exclaimed.

"And in what way was that supposed to make anything better?!" Rain demanded. "If anything, all you did was confirm it! You people say you're no monsters, but you might as well be!"

"And what about you? You're a reincarnate, just like us! You may be human, but so long as you have powers just like we do, so long as you have memories of the beastie in you, you are anything but!"

The atmosphere became quiet when she shouted those words. Rain widened her eyes upon hearing them, least expecting her of all people to say it, however true as it was. As seconds passed, Sherry's eyes also widened, realizing what she just said, as she covered her mouth in regret. "R-Rain... I..."

"Maybe I am..." she muttered out, to the blonde reincarnate's confusion. "Maybe that's why I considered walking into these woods, instead of back in the dorm to cool my head..."

"Rain?"

Without a warning of any kind, the girl suddenly got to her face and swiped her claws at Sherry. The speedy reincarnate hastily managed to jump back and avoid the attack, as well as distanced herself from the feline reincarnate.

"What was that for?!" Sherry shouted.

"Since you believe that violence solves everything all that much, then I will make you understand how I feel!"