Goodbye, Rei. by Karsa For this fic to work, you have to just pretend for a second (and only a second) that the girls grew up together.. maybe they all went to Juuban Elementary school. Who knows? And this takes place the summer between 6th and 7th grade. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Rei?" the old man asked as he knocked on his granddaughter’s door. "Yes? Come in, Grandpa," she instructed him. Opening the door, Grandpa saw Rei sprawled out on the floor of her room, reading a Sailor V manga. "You really shouldn't rot your brain with that dribble," the old Shinto priest told his young apprentice very matter-of-factly. "Well," she replied, still not looking up, "Schools out, and I see no reason for me not to read books I like. Now, what can I do for you?" "Well... I know you were looking forward to going to Juuban Jr. High next year, but I think a private school would be good for you," he blurted out as quickly as he could. "WHAT?" Rei screeched, sending the temple crows into a frenzy. "There's this great private school T*A Academy.. they've produced several famous animators, seiyuu, writers.. you name it. And I think that would just be the best place for you right now," he said, looking down. "T*A Academy? Isn't that a CHRISTIAN school? Grandpa! This is still a Shinto shrine, isn't it?" Rei exclaimed in surprise. "Yes, Rei-chan. Of course it is. But the school is mostly for.. prestige, I guess.. Truthfully, your father asked me to send you," he admitted. "But Grandpa! I don't know anyone there! What am I gonna do about my friends? How can I just leave Usagi, Ami, Makoto and Minako? They're the only friends I've ever truly had!" she said, looking to be on the verge of tears. "You have me.." he said, looking sad. "Do I? If your my friend, why are you doing this to me? Why dont you go to the dumb school?," she asked, enraged and hurt. "Rei.." he almost whined, looking mournful. "Don't tell me. I'm going out," she told him. "When will you be back?" he asked. "I don't know. I might be out for a very long time. Goodbye," she yelled over her shoulder as she sprinted out the door. "Rei.." he called out, knowing the most important person in his life was in a lot of pain, but she had already left. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- "You're leaving?? No! Rei-chan! How can you leave us?" Usagi wailed. "Do you honestly think I want to, Odango Atama?" Rei snapped back, turning to look out of the window in Ami's room. She had run there from the temple and Ami had called all of their other friends to come over PDQ. Now, they were gathered in Ami's room. Usagi, Makoto, and Ami were sitting on the bed and Minako was in Ami's desk chair, and Rei stood with her back to them all, trying to control the sobs that threatened to break free at any moment. "Well.." Makoto began quietly, "School doesn't start again for three weeks! So lets make the most of this summer while we still can!" "Yeah!" Minako agreed. "And even once we're in separate schools, we can still keep in touch, can't we?" "I hope so," Rei replied, turning back to look at her friends. "Me too," Usagi smiled. "But for now, who's up for ice cream?" ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The girls had always been optimistic about the separation, but the three weeks left of the summer had come and gone, as had the first horrid couple of months at Rei's new school. Not only did she not know anyone, but most people called her "That weird shrine girl" and thought she was some sort of weird psychic friend. Poor Rei was so burdened by the school work at T*A, she never ever got to see her old Juuban friends, though she thought about them.. an every now and then she would write them a letter that she knew she could never send without sentencing half the girls at her school to a slow and painful death at Usagi's hands. It was a Saturday night, and Rei was at home, alone, as usual. Not like there were any guys at T*A girls school to ask her out (if Grandpa would even let her go,) and she didn't have any friends to go places with as it was. So, she picked up the phone, and dialed a number that probably should have been on her speed dial. "Hello?" the well known voice of Usagi asked over the noise of a party. "Usa-chan?" Rei asked. "Yes? Who's this?" "Um.. Usa-chan, its me!" "Who’s me?" Usagi asked, getting a little scared. "Its Rei.." "Rei? (Hey, Miaka-chan, toss me a soda!) Hino Rei?" Usagi asked, interrupting herself briefly. "Yes.." Rei replied, startled, and a little scared that Usagi would have forgotten her already. "Well, hi, Rei.. listen, you’ve got lousy timing, you know that? I'm kinda having a (keep it down, guys! I'm on the phone!) party right now.. can I call you later?" Usagi asked. "Yeah sure.. talk to ya.." Rei replied sadly. "Wait! Rei? What’s your number again?" "Never mind, Usa-chan," Rei whispered, hanging up the phone. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- "No way! Rei called during the party.. and didn't even realize what it was for?" Minako asked Usagi in disbelief as they sat around a table in the arcade. "Jeez. I never realized that my birthday was so un-important to her," Makoto sighed, obviously hurt by her ex-friend's forgetfulness. "Maybe we should go to Hikawa Jinja and talk to her," Ami suggested quietly. "I don't know. She probably has tons of friends at her new school. Why would she want to see us?" Usagi asked. "Because she called, baka!" Makoto said, rolling her eyes. "Maybe Usa-chan should just call her back," Ami suggested. "Oh, jee, there's a concept!" Makoto laughed. "Then why didn't you think of it?" Ami asked, in her quiet yet hurt manner. "You know, maybe we should go to the Jinja. Rei may be lonely, or she may just want to catch up with us. Who knows?" Minako suggested brightly. "Hey, yeah! Good idea!" Usagi said, grinning. "How come its a good idea when Mina-chan says it but its not plausible when I suggest it?" Ami demanded in a very un-Ami-like fashion. Usagi smiled and patted Ami on the head. "I'm sorry, Ami-chan. But Mina-chan is alot more... optimistic when she says stuff." Ami smiled. "It's alright, Usagi-chan. But, perhaps we really should go now.." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Hello, girls!" Rei's grandpa greeted Usagi, Ami, Makoto and Minako as they arrived at Hiwaka Jinja. "It's been a while since you've come to visit Rei.. I don’t suppose you'd like a job at my temple now that you're older?" "No thank you, grandpa," Usagi said, smiling. "We're here to see Rei-chan. Is she here?" "No, Rei-chan isn't here. She went out a while ago.." he told them. "Oh... well.. do you know where she went or when she'll be back?" Makoto asked. "No, I don't, girls. Gomen nasai," he said, shrugging. "I think she's with some girls from her school. I'll tell her you visited, though." "Thank you, Grandpa-san!" Ami said, smiling, before the girls headed to Usagi's house. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rei walked alone along the cliffs, thinking. They hadn't known. They hadn't seen her. They hadn't see her in the next booth.. alone. They didn't know she heard them. She HEARD them. How dare they? Usagi hadn't wanted her to call. Mako-chan thought she had forgotten. Rei ached all over. She was glad she hadn't stayed. She hadn't heard the end of the vile conversation her 'friends' were having. Not even Ami believed. She HEARD them! How could they? The tears came now, rivers of pain. Rei was unable to stop them. They hated her now. She looked down over the cliff face at the roaring river below. So far down. So far So far... "I'd bet they wouldn't find me for days," she whispered to no one inparticular. "And getting there.. I could fly down." Grandpa.. She remembered her grandpa. Yelling at her for reading her manga. Chasing her with a broom. Oh yes, she remembered Grandpa. There was no way he cared about her. Rei wasn't loved. She stepped to the edge, spreading her arms wide. Usagi. Usagi was there.. smiling at her as they shared a milkshake. And Ami, teaching her the multiplication tables. Makoto, bringing her cookies when she was sad. Minako, taking her shopping to find Christmas presents. Her friends. They didn't forget. They loved her. She lowered her arms, and stepped back from the edge. They loved her. Rei turned, and headed to Usagi-chan's house. They loved her. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- "If you don't expect to much from me, you might not be let down.." ~Hey Jealousy. (Gin Blossums) Well, I'm back. I don't know where this came from, really, other than my friends and I are going to different High Schools. Thanks to Eggy for reading this and telling me if it sucked (or not.. but I wont say which.) This is my last story as Karsa. From here on in (or at least untill I finish "In Your Dreams" which is being written with my good friend, The Wind. Just so you know, I'm in a writing camp in and I haven't had time to write fanfics unless the assignment is one to simply write a story. Who really knows? And once school gets back in, god knows when I'll have time to write. Peace. Karz. kt2003@yahoo.com