Luckily for the Usagi and Urufu, the smell of rich buttery waffles with chocolate chips was more than enough incentive for both of them to quickly recover from their injuries.

Theo girls were soon seated at the kitchen table and were now consuming astounding amounts of cooked batter, maple syrup and butter, all of which were being washed down with glasses of milk.

"Well, you two certainly bounced back quickly." Ikuko Tsukino, Usagi's mother observed.

The young housewife sweat-dropped as she watched her daughter and her daughter's close friend wolf down, from what past experience had taught her, was their normal morning caloric intake.

Not that Ikuko minded the now large reduction in their waffle mix supply; Urufu was practically her family.

The bonds between her family and ribbon haired girl often made the 'practically' part of the statement moot, afterall there was a reason the older girl called her Aunty.

Thinking of family… The young mother realized.

"Urufu sweetie, how are your father and sisters, are they doing well on their travels?"

The ribbon haired girl looked up from her plate, having just finished her seventh and apparently last waffle, judging by the fact she didn't reach for another.

"Yes, everyone's fine, I called them yesterday and their all doing ok." She replied while wiping her month.

"And what about you Urufu, how are you doing?" The purple hair woman asked with motherly concern.

Blond girl smiled. "Don't worry Aunty; I know it's been about a year since I came back home. But I'm doing fine on my own."

Ikuko gazed at the girl, still surprise how independent Urufu was becoming. The fifteen year old had basically been living by herself for 6 months now with just her maid, while her family was still on vacation, and yet she didn't seem bothered by it all.

It was a change from her former, more carefree manner, which had been somewhat similar to Usagi.

She's been like this since she back for that trip that she, her dad and her sisters went on 2 years ago. I wonder what changed. The purple haired mother wondered.

"Besides, whatever I can't handle, Karasu is there to assist me." She continued.

"Alright then, just don't overwork your maid, OK."

"Not at all, I leave only the truly difficult tasks to Karasu." Urufu stated.

"You mean like, getting you up in the morning." Said Usagi suddenly, mouth full of food. Her question sounded more like a statement

"Usagi dear… don't talk with your open full."

The fourteen year old swallowed and apologised. "Sorry Mom."

"Well someone has to help me make sure my wake up methods will be effective on you." Urufu explained with a smirk on her face.

Usagi gave the other girl a dry look. "I don't know what's worse, your techniques," then she looked over to her mother, "or the fact that my family gives you permission to do so."

"Considering that your attendance record has improved considerably since she started, I don't really see the problem." Her mother explained. "School attendance is important."

"But what about my waterlogged bed sheets." her daughter grumbled.

"That's what we have the Dryer for Usagi." Ikuko countered.

"Why is no one is ever on my side these weekday mornings!" She complained throwing her hands in the air.

Sighing at her daughter's dramatics, the housewife turned attention to the other blond. "Just remember to run your methods by me first, ok Urufu. I don't want anything too extreme."

"Sure thing Aunty Ikuko."

"And please let us know if you need anything at all, remember that your father asked us to look out for you."

"Rest assured I will Aunty, thank you." The older girl replied with a smile and a nod.

Pleased by the reassurance that the older girl would come to her for help if she needed, the young mother glanced at the wall clock. "It's almost 7:50, you girls should get going now."

"Oh you're right," Urufu also checked the clock "we better go Usagi." She stood, and Usagi follow suit, but younger stopped and looked at the remaining waffles.

"Maybe just one~ more," Usagi said, reaching for another waffle, but her hand was intercepted by a spatula.

"I think you've had enough Usagi dear, I didn't give birth to bottomless hole." Her mother stated in sarcastic tone.

"What's does that mean?" Usagi seemed genuinely confused.

"It means… Go to school already!"

"Ok, Ok. I'm going, I'm going!" She turned and fled from the kitchen.

"Usagi!" Ikuko called.

"What? I said I was leaving." Usagi yelled from the hallway.

"I know, but don't you need your lunch." Her mom said.

Usagi looked back into the kitchen; her mother was holding her lunch box, wrapped in her favourite crescent moon printed napkin.

The scene brought a flat look to her face. "Thanks Mom." She said, before grabbing the packed lunch and towards the front door.

"You're welcome dear, both of you be careful ok." Her mother said.

"We will~" Usagi replied before closing the door.

Sitting down at the table, Ikuko signed.

"What I am a going to do with those two; Urufu seems to be maturing too quickly and Usagi too slowing."

Well I'm sure they'll keep each other in check somehow, they always have before. The blue eyes woman contemplated.

She turned her attention to the morning newspaper on the table. Its front page headline read: "Sailor V Saves the Day with Assistance from Her Known Rival Oppositio I!"

"What kept you?" Urufu asked as she saw her friend exit her house.

"I also forget my lunch." Uasgi answered as the two of girls started walking towards their school at a brisk pace .

"Well we can't have that now, can we?" The older girl said with a grin.

"Ha ha ha." The younger girl's dry laughed. "I don't why your making fun of me Urufu, you eat as much as I do."

"You had eight waffles." Ribbon wearing girl stated.

"And you had seven, which hardly makes a difference." Usagi countered.

"I think it does." Urufu replied with her nose in air.

As the two blondes continued their back and forth, they passed near a parking lot, when an unusual bunch of sounds caught their attention.

The cause of the ruckus was a trio of little kids, two boys and one girl, who appeared to be struggling to hold down a black cat, said cat was definitely not enjoying whatever the kids were doing to it, if its yowls of protest were anything to go by.

Their behaviour did NOT sit well with Usagi at all.

"Hey, stop that you little meanies." she yelled running at them.

When the kids saw her coming, they made a run for it. Or at least tried to, they didn't get far before Urufu placed herself in their path of escape.

"And where do you think you little terrors are running off to. I think we need to have a little talk about bullying animals." Urufu was smiling at them, but there must have been something scary about it, because the children were too frightened to move while she did so.

Apparently, Urufu was NOT happy about their behaviour either.

Usagi looked on as she watched her friend harshly scold the brats for a full two minutes. A drop of sweat rolled down her brow, "I guess I've forgotten how fierce Urufu can be at times." she looked back at the black cat, it appeared to have be exhausted by its ordeal and was lying limp in her hands. "I never took her for a cat lover though."

"And remember, I know where you all you live!" Her friend yelled as the trio of kids ran off, likely have been dismissed by her.

"You don't really know where they live… you do?" Usagi asked, as Urufu came over to them.

"No, but fear is a good motivator for them to learn their lesson. Although I could find them, if I wanted to." Urufu stated.

"What?"

"I'm just kidding. So how's the kitty cat?" She asked.

"Seriously, they put band-aids on it, poor thing." The odango hair girl observed. Indeed, two band-aids were plastered crisscrossed over the cat's forehead.

"I think it; is a she Usagi."

"Really, how can you tell?"

"Past experience."

"Huh?"

But before Urufu could explain, the cat suddenly started squirmy in Usagi's hands, pawing at the bandages on its head, meowing furiously.

"You want me to take them off? OK then, but it does look pretty cute on you." She started to pull the Band-Aids off.

"Careful Usagi, she might scratch you if you pull too hard."

Thankfully the band-aids came off without issue, but underneath was an unusual marking.

"Weird, a crescent shaped bald-spot." Usagi noted, before the feline leapt from her arms onto her head, then spring boarded off of it with a flip, to land on a nearby car.

From its position on the top of the car, the cat stared at Usagi, its red eyes focused squarely on her.

Usagi laughed nervously in response to the cat's intense gaze. It took a few steps towards her and blond haired girl took a step back in response.

"Well you see to be ok now, so we'll be leaving." She said hastily, before turned around to go, but stopped when she noticed something.

Urufu was gazing at the black cat, her eyes were fixed on its strange forehead mark, but the cat didn't seem to notice her staring, its attention was solely on Usagi.

The younger girl tugged on her friend sleeve. "Urufu are you ok? If we don't get going, we'll be late."

"Huh?" The older girl said, as she snap out of her state, and turned to her childhood friend. "Oh, sorry about that Usagi, that cat reminds of a cat my sister owns."

Urufu gave the feline another look, it was almost a glare, and then turned in the direction of Juuban Middle.

"But your right, we've got like four minutes before the final bell rings. We better run if we want to make it in time for homeroom attendance." And with that she took off at a sprint.

"Hey, wait for me!" Usagi yelled, running after her friend and catching up quickly, despite Urufu's head start.

All the while the cat continued to stare after the younger blond as she raced away, the look of humanlike curiosity still on her face.