Mushoku Tensei: Life and Strife.

From Sylphy’s perspective

…

Sylphy was born with green hair, similar to those of the Superd race. Which was not a boon, especially considering how badly they were treated. Though her parents loved her regardless, there were other kids.

They bullied her. They always bullied her. Every single time. Because of that, Sylphie had never had a friend—until today.

As per usual, Syphie went out to bring lunch for her dad. And as per usual, she got bullied. Again. As usual. If she fought back, they would bring bigger kids. So as much as she hated it, she had to endure it. It was fine. she thought. After all, she can just get used to this.

Smack. Mud hit her head. It hurt. She hated it. But what else was she supposed to do? She was powerless.

And then it happened. A sudden rain shower washed over everyone. It scared the bullies away. Wet and cold, Sylphiette burst into tears. Why? Just why did she have to go through this? What did she do wrong?

“Aya. Stop, stop. It’s my fault, alright. Meow~”

The sudden voice next to Sylphiette startled her. The very nature of the creature was mystical in itself.

Before her stood a blob of water. To be exact, it was a fat, transparent creature with four stubby legs, sharp ears, and a long tail. And it was seriously fat. It was the fattest thing she had ever seen. It was so fat that Sylphy’s fear was dispelled.

“Wh—What are you?”

Sylphy asked. On one hand, she was scared. What if it were a monster? But on the other hand, she was curious. This was a strange creature, one she had never seen before.

“What am I? Isn’t that obvious? This great one is Laur—Lulu, a cat... Meow~”

The transparent cat said, holding up its paw as it introduced itself. Whatever the case, it wasn’t bad. Sylphy thought to herself. Rather, it seemed cute. She patted herself. But then she realized that she was dry.

“Huh?”

“So, you finally see my greatness! I, the Great Water Spirit Lulu, evaporated all water molecules into the air. Meow~”

“Uh… yeah.”

"The cat named Lulu said proudly as it stood on its hind legs, its left paw on its chest and its right waving out, its fat belly sticking out like a sore thumb. It was weird. Strange. As if someone had breathed life into a blob of water on a whim.

“Is there a problem? Meow?”

As if the cat had heard her thoughts, the strange creature asked, and Sylphy stared into the translucent pair of eyes that seemed as if they were never there. Sylphiette could not understand half of what the cat said. But she understood that the rain disappeared thanks to the cat before her.

The cat was strange. Very strange. It was extraordinary, mystical, and…

"You're so beautiful."

Sylphie whispered, her voice filled with awe. The creature stared at her confusingly.

“I wish I could be like you. So free and... otherworldly.”

"Well, why not? Meow."

“But... I am not like you. And everyone always picks on me because of how I look. They say I’m...”

“Like a Superd?”

Sylphy flinched at those words. The cat looked at her with a bitter smile. Or at least she thought so. She wondered why.

“Child.”

The cat said, its voice deeper than before, as if telling an old tale.

“Superds are a race of demons who were victims of the war. Peace between humans and demons was possible solely because they were the ones to endure the pointing fingers and the thrown rocks. They are a pitiful race, persecuted because of faults that are not entirely their own.”

Lulu’s voice turned close to a whisper, one filled with sadness as it stared into the distance.

“Do not hate them.”

“…”

It felt like Sylphiette was conversing with an ancient being of a bygone era, like an old and knowledgeable grandpa. The cat turned to the side and sighed as it stared at the sky with melancholy in its gaze.

“Child. Do not hold hatred in your heart. Not towards others, and more so towards yourself. You are a star, born different from others.”

“I don’t understand.”

Slyphy said truthfully. It didn’t make any sense. No. None of this made any sense. The cat stared back at her, gazing at her silently. Then with a smile, the cat told her.

“You are special. You are destined for happiness.”

“I see.”

Sylphy found it hard to understand the cat before her. It was saying really weird things that she didn’t understand. Actually, considering that the cat in itself was a weird blob of water, maybe it would have been weirder if Sylphy had understood it instead.

But she didn’t need to. Because the creature meant well. And it made her day. Until the water blob decided otherwise.

“Good. Since you understood what I said, and you’re not crying anymore, I’ll be leaving.”

“Wait. Can’t you… Can’t you stay?”

“…”

Sylphie stopped Lulu. She liked Lulu. She wanted to talk to Lulu just a little bit more. There, between the yellow of the fields and on the beaten road, stood the chubby cat; it gazed directly at her with its penetrative eyes. Slowly, it trotted towards her, its voice a little shaky.

“As much as I’d love to, child, all meetings must end with departure. And more importantly, isn’t there something you must do?”

It put a paw on her basket. Inside, there was her dad’s lunch. The cat looked at her, noticing her reluctance. Then it upheld its paw and pointed to a mud pile. The mud pile started to glow, and suddenly a cat figurine appeared. Then Lulu dropped the figurine and pushed its paw underneath the figurine. Then it pushes it back, standing upright.

"I present to you the miniature me. Now, if you ever feel alone, remember that you, a small little no one, have met this Great Lulu. Look, I even signatured it with my paw!"

The cat showed its paws happily. Sylphy stared at the figurine. It was a thin and small cat doll.

“But you don’t look like this. And you forgot to meow at the end of your sentence.”

The cat flinched. Sylphie swore she heard someone coughing as well.

“I—uh… I have… circumstances. In short, if we are fated, then we shall meet again. Until then, little one. Uh—Meow~”

Then the Lulu jumped around her and disappeared into the hole underground, leaving her with many questions.