Chapter 03:
The sound like a singing bell chimed once, twice then thrice causing a ripple to expand each time. After those ripples ceased in the blanket of dark blues, a book appeared that read The Clow. The seal broke. Slowly The Clow opened, revealing it's missing contents - the Clow Cards. Being lured within the dark black holding space for these cards, she questioned. "Who... is calling out to me?"
Streams of fluorescent lights commenced to appear from below, as the point of the scenery descended. It revealed a bright white immense moon behind Tokyo Tower that stood tall within the night.
Standing on the roof of a building near this structure, her eyelids lifted. As the breeze danced about, it trifled with her cape. Magic staff in hand, the tarot like cards fell as if snow in front of her. She whispered a voiceless command and stepped on the edge of the roof. Dazzling small rainbow blended wings appeared on each side of her shoes. Then she leaned forward, to be met with darkness once again.
When seven 'o' clock arrived, the pink alarm clock blared.
Abruptly waking up due to the alert of her alarm clock, Sakura grabbed it and blankly looked around in her room. Covering her mouth with her hand, still holding the alarm clock, she yawned. "It's just the alarm." The brunette noted, turning it off.
From below, she heard, "Sakura-san, breakfast is ready!"
"Coming!" Sakura returned the clock back on her bed stand next to a doll that peculiarly resembled herself within that dream.
She hurried to get ready and zoomed down the stairs once she was done, a school bag on one of her shoulders. She energetically greeted. "Good morning!" But then the smile on her face vanished when she saw her older brother.
Turning his head to face his little sister, Touya teasingly questioned. "Why were you thrashing about in your room?"
"I wasn't thrashing about!" She retorted, placing her school's hat and bag on the edge of the dinning table's chair.
"For that, you sure were making lots of noise."
"I was just walking like usual!" Sakura exclaimed.
Sipping the beverage within his cup, Touya compared. "When you walk, it sounds like some huge monster is strolling about."
She stomped over to her brother in three large steps. "I am not a monster!"
Touya rested the cup he was drinking out of on Sakura's head as she tried to punch him. Moving away from him, Sakura imagined herself growing taller and taller until she was a giant compare to Touya to mercilessly stomp on him.
"You two need to stop fighting so early in the morning." Wearing an apron, Fujitaka Kinomoto came into the dinning room area and placed a breakfast set in front of Sakura. "Here you go."
She clapped her hands together once and commented, after taking a seat. "Wow, it looks good!" She started to eat.
"Oh, Touya-san, Sakura-san, your uncle is returning to Tomoeda from London today." Fujitaka divulged. "He told me to give you two these." He respectively rested an envelope that was addressed to his each of his children in front of them. Then the father of two went back into the kitchen.
Sakura beamed, hearing this. She excitedly and hurriedly opened the envelope that had her name on it.
Her uncle, Masahiro Amamiya was her mother's older brother. The last time they met was when she was five because he had moved to London to expand his business. Even with him moving and being overly busy, he had always sent Touya and her monthly letters and numerous of presents to her and her brother when it was their birthday, for Christmas, when it was New Years and several times, randomly. She always enjoyed what her uncle had to say in his letters.
"Just look as her monster claws tear through that envelope."
"I don't have monster claws!"
At the same time, in the Croft's residence living room, Suzana was reading while listening to music on her MP3 player.
"Clow Reed had a student who was going to be his successor. He was a child from the Reed and Li Clan like him. He was the one who was going to inherit his greatest creation, The Clow Cards, but he perished. His name was-"
Rhode interrupted her before she could finish the last words of the statement. "An-chan, honey, that book is not going any where. After you've finished eating breakfast, you can continue."
"Coming." She took the headphones from her ears and rested the MP3 player next to the book, she left open. The light that was invading the room shined brightly on the picture of the man who was suppose to be Clow Reed's successor.
Suzana washed her hands before taking a seat at the table.
Cassidy placed a plate of pancakes in front of her before taking a seat herself.
Sirius and Rhode were already sitting at the table. Sirius was quietly doing crossword puzzles in the newspaper in his own world. Rhode was analyzing tarot cards that were in front of her. She had finished eating breakfast.
Suzana used a knife and a fork to cut the pancakes layered with syrup and blueberries.
Rhode looked up from her tarot cards. "An-chan, what do you think about to actually going to a real school? A colleague of mine recommended Tomoeda Elementary School. His daughter goes there."
Suzana set her knife and fork down. Her mother didn't let her go to school before because of her unstable magic. She always pondered how school was from all of the books she had read. She wanted to experience it herself. A smile blossomed on her face, "really?!"
'Awwww! Just look at that insanely cute smile! My daughter really is the cutest being that ever walked this world!!!' Rhode poked her daughter's soft cheek. "Yes. With your current control over your magic, you should be fine."
"I can't wait!" She exclaimed. "But..." Suzana glanced over to Cassidy, now feeling an emotion that ran through the red head.
When her creator had mentioned about Suzana going to school, sadness seeped within her even though the emotion wasn't present on her face. From since Suzana was born, Cassidy was the main one excluding Rhode who had looked after and had taken care of her. She gripped her balled hands. It was her purpose. Rhode Croft had created her for the very purpose to care for, guide, teach and look after Suzana.
Cassidy knew that Suzana needed to go to an actual school to get move involve with the outside world so she could grow. She shouldn't be cooped up under her wings forever. Suzana going to school was the first step to growing up and not needing her anymore which she desired but didn't desire. The reason why was because she wished to see what kind of brilliant person this child would become. And the another was because of her selfish emotion of wanting Suzana to always need her.
Rhode probably had an idea on what was going on inside her mind and had decided this.
"Yes, An-sama. I think school will be a wonderful experience for you." The redhead said. "You don't need to worry about me." She thought, 'what kind of caretaker am I, that the one who I should be looking after is worrying about my emotions?'
"While An-chan goes to Tomoeda Elementary, you can go to Seijyo High School, Cassi-chan. It's right next to Tomoeda in case An-chan might need your help." Rhode stood up, clearing her tarot cards. A magical circle appeared under her feet. She teleported, leaving for work.
Finished with his crossword puzzles, Sirius let out an accomplished sigh. "Look An-sama! I am a genius aren't I!"
She patted Sirius head. "Yes, you're a genius Siri-kun." She got up and walked over to Cassidy. "Cas-"
"-An-sama, please excuse me. I am going to prepare your outfit for today's meet and greet." Cassidy removed her apron, folded it and quickly walked down the hall.
Suzana didn't go after her, because she felt that Cassidy wished to be left alone right now.
Sirius' left eyebrow lifted, sensing something off. "What happen to the she-demon?"
••••
Finally, after being released by her mathematics teacher, Sakura grabbed her bento and rushed to meet Tomoyo and her friends at their agreed spot for lunch. She had been called back by the teacher to make some corrections to her fractions homework. The brunette had told Tomoyo and the others to head on before her. Sprinting down the hall, then turning a corner, she bumped into someone.
Her lunch box flew out of her hands and she was about to make an awful fall that was sure to leave a bruise. But then she felt some force keeping her from falling, assisting her to regain her balance.
"Oh my. Are you okay, dear?" A concerned voice inquired.
Sakura looked up. She saw elegant red roses materialize in the background of the woman. 'So beautiful.... like a fairy.' She thought.
"Did you get hurt? But I don't see no wounds." Rhode commented, examining the child.
"Ah!" She snapped out of it. "I am alright! Sorry for bumping into you."
"That's alright, dear. But do be careful while running next time." She placed Sakura's bento back into her hands.
"I will and thank you!"
Rhode smiled, "No problem."
"There you are Croft-san. Sorry for having you wait." The secretary for the principal said. "The principal will see you now."
"No need for any apologies." Rhode turned her head to nine year old girl before walking into the office and said. "I guess I will be seeing you later .... Sakura-chan."
"Yes." She responded. 'Wait. Why did I just answer like that? How did she know my name?' Sakura gazed at the closed door. 'Why does she feel familiar? And what kept me from falling?' The child looked behind herself seeing nothing.
••••
Having dealt with getting Suzana and Cassidy admitted into school, Rhode stood on the roof of her college. The bright long blonde strands of her head blew in the wind along with cherry blossoms. "With this, now there will be more space between An-chan and Cassi-chan."
Rhode looked down at the young students walked about, thinking about Cassidy. "When did I ever say your purpose was to care, raise, guide and look after An-chan? Only you can decide your purpose for living, my wonderful creation." She turned around, heading for her office. "With the new experiences you will be going through, I hope you find it."
She took a glance at her wrist watch. "Speaking of which, An-chan's meet and greet should be starting soon."
••••
"An-sama, your meet and greet will be starting in the next five minutes. But first, the manager of the store would like to speak with you." Cassidy informed.
Suzana lightly tugged on the sleeve of Cassidy's shirt. "Cas." She called.
"What's the matter, An-sama?" She crouched down.
"No matter how much I grow. No matter I how much I become stronger. No matter how much you think I will not need you, I will need you. Because humans, or anything living cannot survive without one another." Suzana poked Cassidy's cheek then went to meet the manager.
Cassidy held her cheek that was poked. She smiled, "Thank you An-sama."
••••
"Thank you for coming with me, Sakura-chan." Tomoyo said.
"You always come with me to the places I want to go, so it's alright. Plus I'm interested in her music." Sakura stated.
Ever since she dreamt about the musical prodigy, Suzana 'An' Croft two weeks ago, she began to listen to her work. Sakura thought her music was so alluring that it was magical. 'I guess that's why she's nicknamed 'Fae of Music'.' She looked down at the cd in her hands.
"I have tickets for her next piano recital. Do you want to go together?" Tomoyo asked.
Sakura nodded. "Yes!"
"Oh, we're next in line."
"Hello. Thank you so much for purchasing my cd and coming to meet me. I hope I will have your continued support."
Sakura's line of perception met Suzana's. She had no doubt that Suzana was the one who she had seen in her a dream. Then it hit her. Why that woman who she had bumped into had felt so familiar. These two carried almost the same presence. Plus, Suzana and her shared similar features. The only differences were their hair and eye colours, including age. Suzana possessed honey blonde hair with tawny brown eyes while that woman possessed golden blonde hair and garnet red eyes. Gazing at her, she wondered if the two were related.
"Sakura-chan." She finally heard her name being called. Tomoyo asked, "are you okay?"
Sakura realized that she had zoned out into her own thoughts, holding up the long line behind her. "I'm sorry." She smiled sheepishly.
"As long as you are well." Suzana said then inquired. "So will this cd be going out to you, Sakura-chan?"
"Ah, yes." She answered. Sakura watched as Suzana elegantly wrote cursively in English on the case of the cd.
After she handed the cd back to Sakura, Tomoyo asked with sparkles in her eyes. "Can we take a picture with you?" She pulled out her camera. She always wanted to take a picture with her musical idol, but she wanted it even more since Sakura would be in it.
••••
Suzana looked at the picture with three girls. It was her with Sakura and Tomoyo.
When Tomoyo had asked her if all three of them could take a picture together, she had agreed and Cassidy had been the one to take the picture.
"She... gives off a close aura to that of the Clow Cards?"
"An-sama, we're leaving."
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Trivia:
• Suzana is a natural empath. The closer the bond she has with someone, the more she could feel and understand their emotions.
• When Suzana is deeply engaged in doing something (eg. reading, studying magic, writing music), she has a terrible habit of forgetting to eat.