Mana: Before The Rise (Revision In-Progress)

She hated her days; you would think that a middle school girl would have to worry about schoolwork and trying to pass. But it was not like that for her. Fourteen years of age, and she had to deal with constant bullying.

Although smart, she did not have time to study or progress, leaving her grades nothing more than average. She was pretty, not gorgeous, but her features were always ruined by unpleasant teens taking their anger out on her.

This was a time before when bullying was only looked at as Kids being Kids, it wasn't a crime, just an unpleasant time in one's life.

Rachel looked up at the dim orange sky, barely able to move. Her Brunette hair was dirty and covered in her blood while her eyes and face were swollen from the hits she took. Her clothes were torn apart. The sound of laughter, violence, and slight fear where plaguing her mind.

Ring~

She woke up from her daze as she reached for her phone that was still miraculously in perfect condition, unlike its owner.

"Hello," She said.

"Where are you?!" Her mother screamed through the phone.

Cough, Cough, Rachel Puked blood "On my way home."

"Well, you better hurry" Her mother then dropped the call. Rachel sat up painfully and reached for her bag. She pulled out a fresh pair of clothes and a medical kit. She didn't cry nor made any sound as she patched herself up and put her clothes on. She cleaned up her scattered books of novels and comics before she was finally taking a couple of pain killers. She left the old rustic warehouse by the harbor limping back home. Passersby saw her with looks of pity but continued their way.

Rachel's eyes glazed over with emptiness as she opened the door to her house and was met with a fist to her face.

"B****, where the f*** where you!?" her Stepfather screamed, red-eyed with alcohol under his breath.

He put his bottle to his mouth and then glared at the onlookers. "What the f*** are you looking at?!" he yelled before dragging Rachel by the hair inside the house. With this, she could already tell her Stepfather lost another job and was taking it out on her.

Rachel didn't scream as she glanced at her mother, holding a cigarette and even making and no motion to help her. The only reason she called Rachel back so that she didn't have to take the brunt force of her husbands' fist.

Her mother casually looked back at her daughter. No emotions ran through her. At the same time, she watched her husband pull her by the hair and drag her into the bedroom. She continued to look as he throws her on their bed and then locked the door of their bedroom behind him.

She still did nothing as she heard his grunting and satisfaction. She put her cigarette out and walked into her daughter's bedroom to sleep for the night.

Next Morning...…

Rachel woke up sore the next morning. She glanced at her Stepfather before getting off the bed, taking her shower, getting dressed, and going to school.

She walked into her classroom and sat down at her desk. No one was here other than the janitor and the teachers who usually come this early. She looked at her desk-mates seat, the exchange student from Japan, here to experience American life. The girl had forgotten her game system here again. Rachel wondered if this thing would ever go missing would she even notice. The foreigner seemed to have a pleasant life, loving parents, never wanting for anything.

She was slightly jealous of the girl who was friendly enough to talk to her. Her interest in novels sparked Rachel to start reading novels and books that had nothing to do with school or any type of education.

This little game system, the girl had taught her how to play and read the text. Sometimes she wondered if the Foreign girl would leave this here for her to play sometimes, on purpose. If that is true, she feels grateful to the girl for at least the kindness and care.

After an hour of playing, she turned the game off and put it back in its place and awaited the day to be over with.

During her Class, she heard nothing but the loud snickers and gossips about her. Some talked in low whispered while others didn't even bother.

Rachel opened her locker only to be shoved into it, making her wince in pain.

"Oops, Sorry, didn't see you their loser," the girl laughed with her friend before walking away with them.

Rachel did not care as she just continued her day. She was ignoring the sounds that never change.

After School......

"Hey, Freak," a Vulgar voice called to her as she was about to leave. The vulgar voice and his group of friends laughed evilly at her. Rachel didn't show a hint of emotion as she was rough pulled into the back of a large van that had driven off into an alley.

Not long after the Van shock roughly, then it finally settled. The door opened, and Rachel was thrown out like a piece of garbage or roadkill on the side.

At least somebody did not destroy her clothes this time. Rachel quickly got back up and walked towards the busy street. So she could be on her way back home. She reached inside her bag and pulled out her headphones and played music from a CD player. She had gotten this from her childhood friend Kevin and had well taken care of it.

-Played: The Offspring - You're Gonna Go Far, Kid –

Because of this, she did not realize the person sneaking behind her, the person who shoved her straight into the heavy traffic. Rachel recognized what was going to happen next, her death. Before that, she wanted to thank the person who helped her, slowly turned around to face the young girl who pushed her. Rachel gave a smile of relief, which shocked the girl silly.

Honestly, she had always wanted to go. She just thought it was a shame she could not finish reading those stories she was into. And then the next thing that happened was darkness as whatever hit her killed her instantly.

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System Operation Active.... Loading Data

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10%

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35%

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71%

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Error…Data Corrupted

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Switching to Back-Up Mode

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Error Confirmed Soul fragmentation less than 1%

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Full Operations on Hold cannot be completed.

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Switching to Fragmentation collection as Priority.

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Main Mission Sets are activating

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World Confirmed…. Side Mission in Progress

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Welcome Back Mana