Usagi gave a concerned sigh. "Hey, Rei…About Shadow. I'm a little worried about him." She said as she entered her rather large bathtub. Rei was leaned against the tub's edge. "Yea, I am too. He seems a bit down, do you think he misses his friends?" She asked as she turned over to her friend, whom was now splashing water on to her face.

"Well I would ask (splash) but what if I hit a sensitive spot and he becomes angry?" Rei's purple hues lowered in disappointment, but soon lit up with hope. "Shadow's an understanding guy, I'm sure he'll understand. For now let's not pry." The same spark that lit up in Rei's eyes contagiously filled Usagi's. The meatball head giggled. "Right! Oh, there's something on your face!"

"Hm?" Rei blinked in confusion. "Whe-?" The poor girl couldn't finish because of her best friend splashing a large portion of water on her face, causing her hair to get wet; which she tried so hard to keep dry. "Damnit Usagi!" She shouted loudly.

Crimson eyes were shut and yet again, an ebony body was posted on the young heroine's window sill. It was assumed that it's his favorite spot and his sleeping spot for the night.

So much was on the hedgehog's mind that it was almost overbearing. What was his problem? Was it because he actually opened up to someone else? Maybe that was it, she may look like Maria, but there was no way she could EVER replace her. And he knew that…They both knew that.

A sneaky blonde had crept into her room, and there he was, in his usual spot. She tiptoed behind the crimson splashed hedgehog and snaked her arms around his chest, so she could play with his fluff. The hedgehog gave a mild flinch as he felt another's touch, his eyes popped open as he looked over his shoulder. "Hehe, I'm surprised you didn't sense me coming! My ninja skills are getting better!" Shadow gave an amused, yet small smirk as his eyes closed to in a relaxed state. "Sooo, whatcha thinkin' about?" She asked as her fingers intertwined with his fluff.

"Your attitude."

"Huh? What about it?"

"It's…more energetic, it kind of worries me. I'm not sure if it's good for you." Shadow joked in his low dark tone with a hint of sarcasm embedded into it.

The said 'more energetic' girl's cheeks puffed up as she pouted. "What? Whaddya mean not good for me? I'm perfectly fine!" She released her hold on the dark one and sat on her bed with her arms folded; her pouting tantrum still going on.

"If you must know, it's because my birthday is in a few days!" She stuck her tongue out.

Birthday…Shadow sighed as flashes of Maria's 12th? No, 14th birthday had passed. She was growing older, and didn't really need any presents. As long as her grandfather and Shadow were there, that's all she really needed after all.

Usagi's expressions had softened. "Um, Shadow?" She called to interrupt his thoughts, only for their whole moment to be interrupted by Rei entering the scene.

"Thanks for getting my hair wet. It took forever to dry!" The secret pyro heroine complained.

"Hehehe, oh c'mon, get over it!" The blonde giggled.

Time had passed that night and it was already 1 in the morning. Rei yawned and stretched her right arm in the air; Usagi was already passed out on the floor, snoring as if she were working all night.

"How could someone that protects the universe, be so child like?" Shadow wondered aloud.

Rei couldn't help but laugh; she once asked herself the same question, once upon a time. "She may be clumsy and a crybaby, but she always comes through when we need her in the moat desperate of times. That's how I know she'll be there 'till the very end."

The last part of Rei's speech echoed into the hedgehog's mind for the moment. He thought of his blue counterpart AND himself. They were completely opposite one despised the other while the other only wanted to help. In a way, they were like Usagi and Rei. The blue blur and the secret senshi were very similar, both were carefree, easy for most people to love, and there in the most desperate times.

While Rei and Shadow, they're serious, they were a lone for so long, and they both had lost loved ones.

"But you know, it's not like she, or the rest of us have a choice. It was fate's…Destiny. We all have our own problems, but this is our purpose, and in between that and destiny, we could finally abandon those problems and fears and find comfort in each other. And maybe one day, Shadow, yours will do the same."

The crimson splashed hedgehog felt as if his heart had was as light as a feather. Maybe that's what he wanted. Or maybe it was all he wanted to hear.

Regardless, it made him feel a whole lot better. His lips curved into an upward smile. "Thank you, Rei. I really needed that."

She nodded as she could hear the sincerity in his voice.

"Hehe, anytime!"