Kyouko didn't recognize me at first. Well, I guess I did look a little different. A little older then I was back then.

But Kyouko, on the other hand, looked exactly the same without that beanie. But the way she acted... it was completely different!

"Kyouko Sakura..." I could hardly believe it. "What happened to you? Why did you try to pick a fight with me?"

"Sayaka..." Kyouko began to look bashful. Finally, I could see a little bit of her old self again.

"Heh, sorry." Kyouko said. "If I knew it was you, I wouldn't have greeted you that way."

We walked to a nearby bench to fix my bracelet and to talk.

"You still seem a little different." I said. "I mean... I'm super happy I'm seeing you again, but..."

"Oh. Oh yeah." Kyouko said. "Well, remember when I said I was going to come out of my shell?"

I nodded. I did remember. After all, it was Kyouko's last words to me.

"Well, I was true to my word. Now I'm so different, I guess you couldn't recognize me!"

I nodded again.

There was a pause.

"Oh, but don't worry, I'm still Kyouko. I haven't changed THAT much. And besides, I wasn't really fighting with you. I was just messing around. It's how I get my kicks. You looked pretty tough, like you could handle my pestering. That's why I chose you. Sorry!"

The new Kyouko sure was... different. She seemed a lot more confident, which was good. I couldn't help feeling that she was trying a little too hard though.

"Heh. I guess it's fine." I said.

"Good to have you back, Sayaka." Kyouko said, grinning.

"I'm glad I got to see you again too, pal." I said.

"So, you going to Cascade high school tomorrow?" Kyouko asked.

"Yeah! Is that where you're going?"

"Yup! This is great, we get to go to the same school again!"

"I hope we're in the same class." I said.

We talked some more, about memories. About pointless stuff.

Then I went home and told the good news to my family that I saw Kyouko again!

Kyouko may be a little different now, but it certainly won't be dull being with her.

I woke up early the next day wondering where I was at. Then it hit me. We moved. I'm back with Kyouko. Today was the first day of school!

Suddenly, I didn't feel tired anymore, so I got out of bed at six-o-clock. I couldn't wait to go to school now that Kyouko was going with me. There was so much that we could do to pick our friendship up back where we left off.

On the road to school, I saw Kyouko. She was eating Pringles.

"Ready to be the transfer student?" She said.

"Heh, I guess."

"You know, if I were you, I'd make the wildest first impression I possibly could. So have you decided to do something like that?"

"You'll see." I said, smiling.

Indeed, I did have something up my sleeve.

So, there I was, standing outside the classroom waiting for the teacher to come in and introduce myself. Turns out Kyouko's in my class too!

It took a rather long time, but I did hear bits and pieces about what the teacher was saying.

"Never trust a man that complains about how his eggs are cooked!" She said. "Especially if he happens to like... pineapples on pizza!"

The teacher seemed pretty weird.

"Now, I'd like to introduce you to a new student." She said.

That was my cue! I blasted a sad song on my MP3 player and burst into the room.

"I was born with glass bones and paper skin..." I came in to the room dramatically swaying.

"Every morning I break my legs, and every afternoon, I break my arms."

The class was staring. It was working!

"At night I lie awake in agony until my heart attacks put me to sleep..." I dramatically succumbed to the ground and curled up into a little ball as the sad tune ended.

The class began to clap at my performance.

"Haha, just kidding. I'm Sayaka Miki and I was born with normal bones and normal skin. Pleased to meet you!"

"Great, another weirdo." I heard the teacher mutter. "I mean... sit in any empty seat you'd like."

I chose the seat right behind Kyouko, next to a girl I didn't know. On the other side of me was the window.

"Now, I'd like to introduce another new student." The teacher said.

There was another one?

"Come on in, Miss Akemi."

As soon as she stepped in, the class began to ooh and ah.

"Her hair is so long!"

As soon as she reached the center of the room, she flipped her hair back, letting it float out behind her.

Her expression was so flat. Something about her seemed... so other-worldly. So cryptic and mysterious.

"My name is Homura Akemi. Pleased to meet you."

That was all she had to say.

The class began to clap, even louder than they had clapped for me.

"She stole my spotlight..." I sunk into my desk.