Tsukino Usagi walked home slowly from school, her head pounding, another failed test in her hands. Maybe she should just give up. She couldn't do school, and she was missing something very important. There was a new genius in her class, maybe she should ask her for tutoring. Lost in thought, wondering where her friends were, Usagi managed to wander into a part of town she had never visited before, facing the Hikawa Shrine. Usagi briefly congratulated herself for being able to read the kanji on the sign before heading to the top of the hill. She must have had some reason for wandering to a shrine. The girl that greeted Usagi at the shrine was a black-haired girl about her age, gray-violet eyes kind and welcoming. Usagi couldn't help but smile, and her headache eased somewhat. "Hi," she whispered. "I'm Tsukino Usagi." "I'm Hino Rei, and I work at this shrine. Did you come here for a reason, Usagi-san?" The blonde sat down on a nearby bench and sighed, her schoolbooks in front of her. "I was just wandering around and ended up here. I guess I was just lonely." "Lonely? A girl like you must have lots of friends." Usagi shook her head, touching her temples. Her head was beginning to throb again. "I don't have the ones . . . there are others . . . someone is missing, Rei-san. My friends aren't here." Rei touched Usagi's forehead, and all of the pain vanished. Shocked, the blonde looked up at the priestess. "Better?" "How did you do that?" Rei shrugged, taking the test from Usagi's hands. "I know a few tricks. Is this why you're upset? I would be." Usagi, oddly enough, took no offense at the girl's words. "Yeah, and those people that should be here but aren't. I could get my grades up, but there's nobody to care." "Then I'll be your friend, Usagi-san. I care. Why don't you come over here tomorrow after school and we'll see what we can do for you?" Usagi nodded, a smile spreading across her face. "Okay." *~*~*~*~*~*~* "Usagi! Rei-san is here!" Usagi ran downstairs at her mother's call, smiling at the sight of her friend. "Rei! Where are we going today?" Ikuko watched the pair leave, amazed at the change Rei had created in her daughter. Usagi had never been so happy before meeting Rei, and every day she saw the young priestess was a day when her smile lit the world. What power did Rei hold over Usagi? Rei smiled and led Usagi down the street, watching her friend's excitement and utter joy. She had never known anyone so full of energy and happiness. There was no one who could rival Usagi in a good mood, and when she cried everybody did everything they could to make her happy again. Rei was no exception. "What's in the basket?" "Hm? This basket?" Rei held the basket out in front of her, stepping back when Usagi reached for it. "You mean this basket?" "Rei-chan! Let me see!" Usagi finally caught Rei's arm, opening the basket, and she gasped. A little black cat sat at the bottom, a crescent moon bald spot in the middle of her forehead. "Mroww?" "For me?" "Yes, for you." Usagi pulled the cat out and tears gathered in the corners of her huge blue eyes. "Rei, she's perfect. How did you know how much I wanted a cat?" Rei couldn't keep from smiling at the utter elation in Usagi's eyes. "She followed me home last night, after I walked you home from the shrine. She looked so lonely and I can't keep cats at the shrine because of my crows so I brought her to you. I hope you like her." Usagi hugged Rei, her tears dripping on the priestess's shirt. "I love her, Rei." "I named her Luna because of that bald spot." Usagi pulled away and looked at the little black cat through her tears. "It's perfect, Rei. I don't deserve a friend like you." "You deserve more than one, Usagi. Let's go to the park, shall we?" Usagi nodded and followed her best friend, the little cat purring in her arms. "I don't deserve you, Rei. I really don't."
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