August 8th, 2222. Laibah was now 6 years old. She had entered the same elementary school as Kei and Asahi. Silas hasn't come by to visit yet this year, when Silas usually visits sometime in the early summer. Laibah was feeling particularly down. Especially after coming across yet another unsuccessful year thus far in making any friends at school aside from Asahi and Kei. Laibah now had long, straight hair that she wore down. She used to tie up her hair, but slowly stopped putting in the effort for appearances. Her hair was still bright silver, but the ends of her hair faded into a deep purple color. Many kids picked on her for looking so different, and many adults were concerned asking why her parents let her dye her own hair at such a young age. None of them understood that's just simply how Laibah was born. She tried hiding her hair at first after being picked on during her first year at school. She would try to tuck in her hair she tied back, and she even cut her bangs so the purple wouldn't show in front of her face. However, this only brought attention to the fact that her eyes were a vibrant purple color, behind her large round glasses. Laibah was born near sighted and had lots of difficulties seeing. As such, she wears glasses. She chose to wear large and circular glasses with round lenses. She was very stern about that with her father, because the round ones 'fit her vision better', as she put it. But the kids picked on her for that as well, treating her as if she were diseased. On this day, August 8th, one of her classmates were picking on her in the morning. Laibah sat in the back of the class. The teacher had her moved there because kids sitting behind her had a tendency to pull on her hair as a way to pick on her. This time, in transition between classes, one of the students sitting a couple seats in front of Laibah decided to go to the restroom during break. As she walked past Laibah's desk, she flicked Laibah on the nose as she were reading. Laibah flinched and looked around as she rubbed her nose in surprise; sighing in annoyance of the girl walking away from her and laughing. Laibah tried to focus on her book, but suddenly looked back up as she heard a chair violently scoot back as someone stood up quickly. It was Asahi. Asahi tried to stomp out of the room to follow the girl who just picked on Laibah but was stopped by Kei who sat two seats behind him. "Asahi, don't." Kei says in a low voice.
"But she picked on Laibah!" Asahi protests. "Someone needs to get them to stop! Why is it okay for them to pick on our friend, but the moment I think about giving them payback, everyone looks at me like I'm weird!?"
"Because!" Kei harshly hisses, then gets Asahi to sit down and speak more quietly. "You're drawing more attention to yourself and Laibah. Don't keep asking for more trouble."
"Kei is right." Laibah agrees as she stands next to them. "I hate it, but... if the teachers won't do anything, what else can we do? The know who our parents are. One wrong move here, and... well, it will give them an excuse to blame us. Besides, it'll be okay. I still have you two to count on."
Meanwhile, in the restroom just down the hall, the girl that walked past Laibah was still using the restroom when all of the lights went off at the same time. The room felt like it shook as a low and beastly growl shook the girl to her core as she panicked and tried to rush out of the restroom. When the girl ended up being late, the teacher looked over at the opened door in disappointment at first, then in shock as he saw a little girl terrified and shocked. The teacher stepped out for a minute to discuss what happened to her, as she was sent to the principal's office and class resumed without her. "What's her problem?" Asahi lazily scoffs. "She got what was coming to her. It's what she deserves!"
"Asahi, you need a filter before you get us in trouble again." Kei replies.
After that class, lunch period began. Laibah, Kei and Asahi all ate together outside away from the other kids, so long as a teacher was able to watch them. As they ate, Laibah picked at her food without eating at first. "What's their deal!?" Laibah finally scoffs. "Not like I asked to be born different! I didn't choose to have purple eyes! If I could choose, I would've had eyes that work! I can't see without these glasses!"
"Yeah!" Asahi agrees. "Like, didn't their parents teach them to be more mindful or whatever!?"
"I agree." Kei says. "It really isn't fair that we have to be separated like this just to have some quiet time..."
"School is supposed to be a safe place!" Laibah argues. "Why are the teachers not doing their jobs to make it safe!?"
"Is it the teachers jobs?" Kei asks.
"I dunno!" Laibah pouts.
"It's someone's job, right?" Asahi adds.
"I just... I dunno." Laibah pouts. "I just feel so... different."
"Different how?" Asahi asks.
"Not like... different than myself." Laibah corrects. "Just... different. From everyone else."
"Well, you aren't human, right?" Kei asks.
"But they don't know that!" Asahi protests.
"Who cares if they know?" Laibah pouts. "I got... all these things wrong with me. What's one more wrong thing gonna do?"
"Wrong with you?" Asahi asks, shocked. "What's wrong with you?"
"Clearly, a lot." Laibah adds. "I even have imaginary friends..."
"... Imaginary friends?" Kei asks.
"I must sound really stupid." Laibah says.
"You're not stupid!" Asahi protests. "You're the smartest kid I know! What's an imaginary friend?"
"It's like a friend, but they're in your head." Laibah says.
"That sounds cool." Asahi answers.
"As in, they're not real, Asahi." Kei clarifies.
"Ohhhh." Asahi says. "Well, no matter what, we're your friends. Plus, we're real."
"Thanks, Asahi." Laibah says with a slight smile. "I can always count on you."
"So... why do you have not real friends?" Asahi asks.
"I dunno... loneliness?" Laibah answers.
"Are you... lonely?" Asahi asks.
"I dunno!" Laibah pouts.
After a short pause, Kei asks "So, what about these imaginary friends?"
"What do you mean?" Laibah asks, burying her head in her knees.
"Well, who are they? What are they like?" Kei asks.
"They're... like... two foxes?" Laibah answers. "I think? One is like... white smoke and the other is like... black smoke. But in the shape of foxes." There was a short pause, then "I sound really stupid now..."
"No no no no!" Asahi protests. "It's not stupid! Do they have names?"
Laibah wipes her face on her sleeve, then answers "The white one is... Kein. Then the black one is Heinnen."
"Those are funny names!" Asahi says as he laughs.
"You're a funny name!" Laibah pouts, then starts laughing too. Suddenly, they were stopped by another teacher coming outside and tapping Laibah on the shoulder. When Laibah looked up, the teacher gestured towards Laibah to have her follow her, and the two of them left Asahi and Kei behind.
Not long after, Zia and Siran showed up at the school in met in the principal's office. When they entered the room, they saw the principal, the teacher they had before lunch and a very pouty Laibah sitting on a chair in front of the desk. "What's going on?" Siran asks. "We got a call that our daughter was in trouble?"
"A little girl was scared almost to death today by your daughter." The teacher replies. "One of her classmates went to the restroom and we think your daughter used magic to scare her while she was alone."
"I didn't do anything!" Laibah argues.
"Mahina, please sit down and don't talk out of turn." The principal says sternly.
"So... why do you think it was my daughter?" Siran asks.
"She's the only kid in this whole school who can use magic." The principal adds. "That much, we're aware of, knowing your family history and all."
"But my daughter would never-" Siran begins to say.
"Mr. Mahina, we have been gracious enough to let your daughter into our prestigious school, regardless of the history you and your family have!" The principal argues. "I expect some decency and respect for the favors we have done in this matter, I expect you to get your daughter in line or risk being kicked out of school. No more slip ups. No more disrespect. You and your daughter will show respect and honor in my school, or you won't show up at my school ever again. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yeah- but!" Siran begins to say before Zia slaps Siran over the back of the head. "Y-yes sir." Siran then bows, then says "I'll make sure this never happens again. You have my sincere apologies."
"Take your daughter home for now while we sort out the issue with the victim." The teacher says. As he says this, Siran grits his teeth in anger. "We'll make sure there was no damage done, so their parents don't have to escalate this to a legal manner."
After Laibah returns home with her parents, Siran was visibly upset, and Zia was very impatient. "I can't believe they'd accuse my daughter of something like that!"
"I promise I didn't do anything..." Laibah says, shyly.
"Sweetie, I know you didn't do anything." Siran says as he pats his daughter's head gently. "Just... take some time to rest for today. You've been through enough. I'll have to report to my boss and see if I can come in, to make up work. For now, I guess wash up and get your uniform ready for being washed."
"Yes, dad..." Laibah says, defeated. After Laibah goes and washes up, she looks up in the mirror of the bathroom and sees her two imaginary friends in the mirror next to her. "I got in trouble..." she murmurs to her two friends. "Someone scared that bratty girl in my class and the adults all think it was me who did it."
"I'm sorry you had to go through that." Kein says. "If Heinnen would've listened to me the first time when I said it was a bad idea to get revenge, you wouldn't be in this mess."
"Hey! They're picking on our little sister!" Heinnen argues.
Laibah looks over, shocked. "You... did that?"
Heinnen sighs, then says "That was me..."
"Heinnen, how could you!?" Laibah yells. "You know that if anything else happens ever again, I'll be kicked out of school!?"
"Laibah!?" Zia yells from the other side of the bathroom door. "Are you alright in there!?"
"Y-yeah, mom!" Laibah yells back. "Just... talking to myself!"
"Why should we care about a human school?" Heinnen argues. "It's for humans!"
"I get that you don't care about school..." Laibah whispers. "But if you ever pull something like that again, then I'll never forgive you. Got it?"
"Oh, come on..." Heinnen argues.
"Never." Laibah reiterates.
"Tch. Fine." Heinnen agrees.