"Please give it back, Mizuhara-san."
Madoka tried to reach for her sketch book as Mizuhara Saito, the class bully, held it just out of her reach.
"Try and get it if you can!" Saito taunted her. She tried to grab her sketch book, but Saito tossed it to one of his friends. The boys continued tossing the book as Madoka tried to run and grab it from them. Eventually, it went back to Saito.
"Do you want me to improve your drawing for you, Kaname?" asked Saito.
"No! Please don't!" Madoka begged. But it was no use. Saito took a black crayon and over her drawing. He then turned the page.
"No! No please!" Madoka cried. Saito pointed the crayon to her sketch, when a raspy voice called out
"HEY, MIZUHARA!"
Saito and his friends turned around. The girl standing behind them was Miki Sayaka. She was an energetic, fun loving girl. Madoka had always wanted to be friends with her but was too shy to approach her.
"Huh? Miki? Stay out of this!" said Saito.
"You'd better leave her alone if you know what's good for you" said the blue haired girl, cracking her knuckles. Saito and his group seemed terrified of Sayaka, though they would never show it. They left the sketchbook and ran away.

"Sorry about that" said the girl. "That Mizuhara sure is a troublemaker."
Madoka just nodded shyly.
"I'm Miki Sayaka."
"My name is Kaname Madoka."
"Madoka? That's a nice name. You don't mind if I call you Madoka, do you?
"Uh, no."
"Great! Then you can call me Sayaka. Now we're friends!"
Sayaka shook Madoka's hand vigorously.
"You want to play with me? Come on!"
She took Madoka's hand and ran over to a corner, where another girl was sitting.
"Hi, Hitomi" said Sayaka.
"Sayaka-san" said Hitomi. "You really told off Saito-san, didn't you?"
"Yeah, they were bothering this girl" said Sayaka. "This is Kaname Madoka. Madoka, this is my friend, Shizuki Hitomi."
""Uh...hello, Shizuki-san" said Madoka.
"Just Hitomi is fine" said Hitomi.
"Do you want to play with us?" asked Sayaka.
"Y-yes" said Madoka.

Madoka showed her drawings to Sayaka and Hitomi.
"Wow, those are some good drawings" said Sayaka. "What was Saito thinking, ruining them like that?"
"I don't know" said Madoka. "Do you...really think they're great?"
"They're beautiful" said Hitomi.
Madoka blushed.
"Hey, next time Mizuhara bothers you, just tell me. I'll give him and his friends a good beating."
"But won't you get punished?" asked Madoka.
"Nah, I'm just kidding" said Sayaka. "Maybe I'd tell Reiko-sensei. Hey, Madoka, next time don't play on your own. Stay with me and Hitomi, okay?"
Madoka smiled. She didn't have any friends up till them because she was too shy to talk to anyone. But here, someone she's always wanted to be friends with is offering her a chance.
"Okay" said Madoka.


"So how was school, Madoka?" asked Junko as she walked home with Madoka.
"It was really good, mama" said Madoka. "I made two friends."
"Oh that's wonderful" said Junko. "What are their names?"
"Miki Sayaka-chan and Shizuki Hitomi-chan. They're so nice and kind."
"That's very good, Madoka" said Junko. "You should try making more friends. Talk to the other children too. I'm sure they'd love to be your friends."
"Okay, mama."