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1 Disclaimer: Chibi-Usa, Hotaru, and other characters of
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2 SailorMoon legally belong to Naoko Takeuchi, Toei Animation,
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3 and Cloverway.
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4
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5 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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6 You've Got A Friend
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7
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8 by Sailor Aphrodite/Rami
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9 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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10
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11 Hotaru strolled down the concrete steps of the Mugen school.
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12 She blinked at the hot sun above. She walked onto the pavement,
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13 the soft breeze blowing through her black hair and plaid skirt.
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14 She made a turn for her house, when suddenly a group of kids
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15 ran past her in the opposite direction. "Let's go to the
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16 playground!" one of them cried. The others cheered and
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17 giggled.
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18
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19 Hotaru stared at them, interested. 'I wish I had friends like
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20 those,' she thought. Then after a moment's thought, she decided
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21 to follow them. "Wait for me!" she called out, as she tried to
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22 catch up.
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23
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24 The children stopped at the sound of the familiar classmate. They
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25 all turned and stared silently as she ran up the sidewalk.
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26
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27 "I want to play too!" Hotaru's weak heart began to beat much faster,
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28 and she began to gasp for breath. 'Oh no, not again,' Her hand
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29 reached for her chest, but she didn't stop running. Unfortunately,
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30 she didn't notice that small crack in the pavement, and she tripped
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31 and fell. Her briefcase flew out of her hand and into the bushes.
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32 "Wait, please..." she said between huffs.
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33
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34 The students just stared. "Should we help her?" murmured a red-haired
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35 girl to the others.
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36
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37 "No way!" replied another. "Did you see what she did to Tommy last
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38 week?!"
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39
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40 "She spassed-out on him! He had to go to the hospital!" said one
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41 of the boys.
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42
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43 Hotaru gazed up at them from her position on the ground. Her eyes
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44 began to sting. 'What are they talking about...? I didn't hurt
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45 anybody!'
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46
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47 ~*When you're down and troubled*~
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48
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49 "Then she went up to him and her hand started to glow! She's
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50 an alien or something!"
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51
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52 "Why should we play with her? That little freak."
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53
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54 "Yeah!" the red-haired girl stamped her foot angrily at Hotaru.
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55 "Anyway, it serves you right for falling!"
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56
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57 The children scowled in agreement, and ran off, leaving the small
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58 girl behind.
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59
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60 She watched sadly as the others ran through the grass and have
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61 fun. She looked down at her scraped hands. Tears rolled down her
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62 cheeks and dotted the concrete. 'Why is everyone so mean to me?
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63 So what if I'm different? That's no reason to be nasty.'
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64
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65 ~*And you need a helping hand*~
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66 ~*And nothing, nothing is going right*~
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67
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68 Slowly, Hotaru stood up, and brushed the dirt off of her school
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69 uniform. She picked up her briefcase and stared up at the sky.
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70 Closing her eyes, she wished more than anything that someone
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71 would someday come up to her and ask, 'Hey, Hotaru, wanna play?'
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72
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73 ~*Close your eyes and think of me*~
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74 ~*And soon I will be there*~
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75 ~*To brighten up even your darkest night*~
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76
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77 "Hey, Hotaru!"
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78
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79 The firefly turned around. There stood a familiar 7-year-old
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80 with fluffy pink hair, in a blue uniform, waving to her.
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81 "Hi! I'd knew I'd find you here! Ya wanna play?"
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82
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83 ~*You just call out my name,*~
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84 ~*And you know wherever I am*~
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85 ~*I'll come running to see you again*~
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86
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87 Hotaru stared at Chibi-Usa strangely, wondering if
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88 her wish had suddenly come true. Then she smiled.
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89 "Okay. We can go to my house."
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90
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91 Chibi-Usa clapped. "That's great! Mamoru just taught
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92 me this new card game, and I can show you if ya want!"
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93
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94 Hotaru giggled. She had always admired Chibi-Usa's
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95 everlasting cheerfulness. Ever since she met her in
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96 the park, Chibi-Usa had added some sunlight into Hotaru's
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97 gloomy life. She began to forget all about those other kids;
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98 Chibi-Usa was more important to her now.
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99
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100 The two girls continued to laugh and talk, as they walked
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101 down the street to Hotaru's house.
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102
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103 ~*Winter, spring, summer or fall,*~
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104 ~*All you have to do is call*~
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105 ~*And I'll be there, yes I will*~
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106 ~*You've got a friend*~
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107
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108 Later that week, there was a huge thunderstorm. And
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109 since Hotaru's father was too busy to come and pick her
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110 up from school, Hotaru had to walk home with nothing
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111 but an umbrella. She trudged down the wet sidewalk
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112 holding onto the rod, hoping that the wind wouldn't blow
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113 the umbrella inside out.
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114
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115 ~*If the sky up above you*~
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116 ~*Should turn dark and full of clouds*~
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117 ~*And that old north wind should begin to blow*~
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118
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119 Hotaru shut the front door behind her, glad to be
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120 out of that horrible storm. She leaned on the doorknob
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121 as she began to have another asthma attack.
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122
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123 A woman with long red hair appeared in the hallway.
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124 "Hotaru, are you all right? Here, let me take your jacket--"
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125
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126 The small girl pushed her away. "I'm fine, Kaori! I can
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127 take care of myself!" Hotaru grabbed her books and headed
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128 to her bedroom.
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129
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130 Kaorinite scowled. "Well, I was just trying to help, you
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131 ungrateful brat! I just can't comprehend why your father spoils
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132 you so much! Why, if I were your mother--"
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133
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134 "YOU'RE NOT MY MOTHER!" Hotaru screamed before
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135 slamming the door and locking it. She didn't know why she
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136 was so mean to Kaori, maybe because there was just something
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137 about the woman that Hotaru didn't like. Besides, Hotaru
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138 didn't want anybody replacing her mom, who had passed away
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139 some time ago.
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140
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141 ~*Keep your head together..*~
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142
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143 Hotaru went over to the bed and lied down, hoping that her
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144 attack would stop.
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145
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146 'What is happening to my body? I can hardly breathe. I
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147 need someone to help me...someone who cares...'
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148
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149 ~*And call my name out loud*~
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150 ~*Soon you will hear me,*~
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151 ~*Soon you'll hear me knocking on your door*~
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152
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153 10 minutes later Hotaru heard a familiar voice:
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154
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155 "Is Hotaru home?"
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156
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157 Like a flash, Hotaru jumped out of bed dispite her
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158 condition. She ran out into the hall before Kaorinite
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159 could turn Chibi-Usa away.
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160
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161 "I'm here! Come on in, Chibi-Usa-chan!" Hotaru breathed.
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162
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163 Chibi-Usa grinned as she slipped off her muddy boots and
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164 ran past Kaori, her Luna-P ball floating after her.
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165
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166 Kaorinite frowned. "Hotaru, you know you're not well enough
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167 to play right now."
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168
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169 "I'm FINE, Kaori!" she shouted at Dr.Tomoe's assistant. Then she
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170 turned to the pink-haired princess. "Come on, we can talk in the den."
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171
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172 "Oh, I can't stay long, I got a dentist's appointment in a little
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173 while. I hate the dentist!" She stuck out her tongue.
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174
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175 "So do I. Last time I went to the dentist I hated it." Hotaru did
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176 the same.
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177
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178 Chibi-Usa giggled in that oh-so familiar fashion and handed her
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179 a piece of paper. "We're having a picnic next Saturday and I
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180 want you to come. Here are the directions to the park, so maybe
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181 your Dad can drive you..."
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182
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183 She then casted a nervous glance at Kaorinite. "Or maybe she can
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184 drive you..."
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185
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186 "Oh, that's okay. My Daddy is off on Saturdays, so he'll be able to
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187 drive me." Hotaru replied as she read the invitation.
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188
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189 "Hooray! I just can't wait 'til Saturday, we're gonna have so much fun!"
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190 Chibi-usa threw her arms around Hotaru's waist.
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191
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192 Hota-chan looked down the girl, alittle surprised. But after a moment's
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193 thought, she hugged her back.
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194
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195 "Well, I gotta go deal with the tooth-monster, so I'll see you later! Come on,
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196 Luna-P!" The girl grabbed her toy and ran outside onto front lawn.
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197
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198 Hotaru went to her bedroom window and watched as Usa-chan skipped
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199 home, also noticing that the rain had suddenly stopped.
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200
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201 A small smile appeared on the firefly's face. 'Chibi-Usa...why do you
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202 care about me so much? You have better future than I will ever have.
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203 I don't even know why you like me. But, whatever the reason is, I
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204 hope we stay friends forever. I can't wait to see your bright face
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205 again.'
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206
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207 ~*You just call out my name*~
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208 ~*And you know wherever I am*~
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209 ~*I'll come running to see you again*~
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210 ~*Winter, spring, summer or fall*~
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211 ~*All you have to do is call*~
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212 ~*And I'll be there*~
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213 ~*Yes I will...*~
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214
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215 ~*You've got a friend*~
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216
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217 ~*Ain't it good to know that you've got a friend?*~
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218
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219 The weather the next day was much nicer. Well, for some
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220 people. Hotaru's asthma attacks just wouldn't stop, because
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221 they were becoming more frequent by the day. Hotaru just
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222 happened to be suffering one on the way home from school
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223 when she suddenly collapsed.
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224
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225 Hotaru clutched onto her shirt in agony. 'Please stop...
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226 please let me breathe...'
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227
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228 "So this is the demon-girl I've heard so much about?"
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229
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230 Hota-chan looked up startled, only to meet the faces
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231 of two seventh graders.
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232
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233 One of the girls snickered. "Don't worry, Hotaru, we'll help
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234 you." When she spotted Hotaru's metal pencil case lying on
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235 the ground, she stepped on it, crushing the metal and breaking
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236 whatever pencils that were inside.
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237
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238 ~*And people can be so cold*~
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239
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240 Hotaru clamped her eyes shut, trying not to cry. Her body
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241 was killing her physically and emotionally at the same time.
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242 She couldn't bear it. 'Please...just let this be a nightmare...
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243 let me wake up...'
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244
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245 The girls laughed evilly at the younger girl's pain until one
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246 of them said, "Let's go check out what the boys are doing."
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247 And finally they left Hotaru, suffering on the pavement.
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248
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249 ~*They'll hurt you, and desert you*~
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250 ~*And they'll take your soul if you let them...*~
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251
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252 Tears streamed down the girl's cheeks. She wanted to
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253 die, right there and then. Everything was going wrong,
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254 and there seemed to be no hope. Dying would stop
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255 the endless pain and suffering. Hotaru couldn't think
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256 of one person who would miss her.....
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257
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258 ...until the moment she showed up.
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259
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260 "Oh my gosh, Hotaru!" Chibi-Usa ran over to her friend,
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261 concerned. "Hotaru, are you okay?"
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262
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263 "Yes...*huff* I'm okay...just tired, that's all..." She continued
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264 to breathe for all her life's worth.
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265
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266 "Hotaru, why are you crying?"
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267
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268 When Chibi-Usa recieved no answer, she helped by putting
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269 Hotaru's books and supplies back in her bag. Then she supported
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270 her legs in order to stand up. "There's a place not too faraway
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271 from here where can rest. Do you think you can make it?"
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272
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273 The raven-haired girl nodded, unable to speak.
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274
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275 Slowly and carefully, Chibi-Usa carried Hota-chan's bookbag and
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276 helped her walk, her arm holding onto hers. Finally they reached
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277 a playground, where they stayed away from the other kids.
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278
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279 Soon Hotaru was able to breathe normally again. But the emotional
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280 pain didn't stop, for she just kept crying.
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281
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282 Chibi-Usa was very worried now. She kneeled on the grass and
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283 put her hands on Hotaru's shoulders. "Please tell me what's the matter."
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284
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285 "Chibi-Usa, what's wrong with me?" she sniffled. "Why am I so different?"
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286
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287 The future princess was confused. "Whaddya mean?"
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288
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289 "People are so mean to me...they say I'm wierd and that I'm a freak...
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290 and sometimes...I think they're right..."
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291
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292 "No!" Chibi-Usa shouted so loud that Hotaru looked up. "Don't you dare
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293 say that! There's nothing wrong with you! People are just plain nasty!
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294 Don't you ever let them get to you like that! 'Cause they're wrong!"
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295
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296 ~*Oh but don't you let them.*~
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297
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298 Hotaru stared at Usa, shocked at the hint of anger in her friend's voice.
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299 She didn't mean to make her mad. "I'm...I'm sorry."
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300
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301 Chibi-Usa smiled. "Don't be. I just don't like it when my best friend is
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302 convinced that something is wrong with her when it's certainly not true."
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303 She flopped back down on the soft grass. "Let's forget about them and
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304 relax. Look, I see a dinosaur-shaped cloud."
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305
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rlm@0
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306 Hota-chan looked up at the sky. "It does look like a dinosaur. And there's
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307 a car-shaped cloud next to it." She pointed upward, her sadness drifting
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rlm@0
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308 away like a cloud.
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rlm@0
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309
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rlm@0
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310 "Do you think the car is trying to run over the dinosaur?"
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311
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rlm@0
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312 "If so, the car is going to lose."
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313
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rlm@0
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314 The two girls laughed, and continued to play "Spot-the-Cloud". An hour
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rlm@0
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315 passed, and by that time the other children had gone home, leaving
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316 the two destined Sailor Scouts by themselves.
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rlm@0
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317
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rlm@0
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318 As the sun began to set, the pink-haired girl glanced over at her best
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rlm@0
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319 buddy. "Hotaru?"
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320
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rlm@0
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321 She glanced back. "Yeah?"
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rlm@0
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322
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rlm@0
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323 "I'm very glad we're friends."
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324
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rlm@0
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325 Hotaru's eyes shimmered with compassion. "Me too."
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rlm@0
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326
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rlm@0
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327 Chibi-Usa reached out her hand to her. "Friends forever?"
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rlm@0
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328
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rlm@0
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329 She replied by taking ahold of Usa's hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.
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330
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rlm@0
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331 "Friends forever."
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rlm@0
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332
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rlm@0
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333 ~*You just call out my name*~
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rlm@0
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334 ~*And you know wherever I am*~
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rlm@0
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335 ~*I'll come running to see you again*~
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rlm@0
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336 ~*Winter, spring, summer or fall*~
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rlm@0
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337 ~*All you have to do is call*~
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rlm@0
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338 ~*And I'll be there*~
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rlm@0
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339 ~*'Cause you've got a friend*~
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340
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rlm@0
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341 The girls continued to lie there in quiet thought. After awhile Hotaru sat up.
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rlm@0
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342 "It's getting dark. We should go home, Chibi--"
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rlm@0
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343
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rlm@0
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344 But when she looked at Chibi-Usa, the small girl was fast asleep.
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rlm@0
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345
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rlm@0
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346 Afraid to wake her up, Hotaru decided to carry her home. She reached
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rlm@0
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347 down to pick her up, and when she did, Hotaru was able to lift her with ease.
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rlm@0
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348
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rlm@0
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349 'She's so light...' she thought in awe. 'It's like she doesn't even weigh
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350 anything.
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rlm@0
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351 Hopefully, I won't have any attacks carrying her.'
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352
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rlm@0
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353 And Hotaru didn't. She was able to carry the weightless princess to her house
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rlm@0
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354 without any trouble at all.
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355
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rlm@0
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356 Hotaru softly knocked on the Tsukinos' door, only to realize that someone left
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rlm@0
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357 the door unlocked. She quietly carried the girl up to her room, trying not to
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rlm@0
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358 wake
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rlm@0
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359 anybody up.
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rlm@0
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360
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rlm@0
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361 "There," Hotaru breathed as she gently layed Chibi-Usa down on her bed
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rlm@0
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362 and covering her with the blanket.
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rlm@0
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363
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rlm@0
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364 Hotaru stared at Chibi-Usa's sleeping form for a moment. She looked so innocent,
|
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rlm@0
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365 so sweet and pure. It was difficult to believe that this child would do anything
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rlm@0
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366 to
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rlm@0
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367 harm her best friend.
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rlm@0
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368
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rlm@0
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369 'Thank you, Chibi-Usa. A moment ago I thought I was all alone in the world,
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rlm@0
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370 but now I know that I was wrong. You mean the world to me. I love you,
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rlm@0
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371 Chibi-Usa.'
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rlm@0
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372
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rlm@0
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373 Surrendering to this new feeling that was overwhelming her, Hotaru leaned
|
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rlm@0
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374 over and gently kissed Chibi-Usa on the cheek. It was something Hotaru
|
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rlm@0
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375 had never done in her entire life, and probably wouldn't do again anytime soon.
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rlm@0
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376 But she didn't care.
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rlm@0
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377
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rlm@0
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378 By that time, the young firefly was close to tears. 'Friends forever. I
|
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rlm@0
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379 promise.'
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rlm@0
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380
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rlm@0
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381 Then Hotaru left the quiet residence, and walked home, knowing that there
|
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rlm@0
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382 was at least one person in the world that cared about her.
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rlm@0
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383
|
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rlm@0
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384 And that was all she needed to know.
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rlm@0
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385
|
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rlm@0
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386 ~*Ain't it good to know*~
|
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rlm@0
|
387 ~*You've got a friend*~
|
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rlm@0
|
388 ~*Yes it's good to know*~
|
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rlm@0
|
389 ~*You've got a friend*~
|
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rlm@0
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390 ~*I'm so glad I've got a friend in you*~
|
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rlm@0
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391 ~*And I know you're glad*~
|
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rlm@0
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392 ~*You've got a friend in me...*~
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rlm@0
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393
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rlm@0
|
394 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
