Now, you might want to know what sort of school I was going to attend. It was a special kind because students could pick their specialty, something you couldn't do until you reached college in a normal school. People here believed we had enough judgment to pick what we liked best and we were allowed to change specialties at the end of the year if we didn't like the one we were in.
Of course, even if you picked your specialty you also had other subjects like math but had more classes associated with your chosen field. My best friend, Tomoyo picked beauty and not being a normal subject she got it only because she picked that specialty. I on the other hand, had really no idea what to choose and spent lots of time trying to decide. In the end I simply closed my eyes and put my finger on the sheet and after getting "Name:" the first few times my finger landed on science. I didn't hate science, excepting when it was too Math related. We could call Math my bete noire; I've always hated and been terrible in the subject.
I was chatting with Tomoyo, Kero-chan lying silent on my lap when we finally reached Gosho Academy. I remember I stopped speaking as soon as I saw it. It looked so old and mysterious... It resembled a temple, later I found out it was actually a temple that had been turned into a school. I wouldn't have been surprised if I'd seen it on a postcard. It had a wood entrance that gave it an enchanting air and there was a forest near it as well. It made you remember that life was short and had a melancholy feel to it. Maybe you don't understand that feeling, maybe it's only something we feel, but it was beautiful and sad at the same time.
"Sakura-chan, Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo called me. I don't know how long I stared at the place but as soon as I woke up from my daze the bus stopped. "Hoee...?" I asked still confused, causing her to giggle. "We're here already, let's go out!" I grabbed my pink bag from the floor and nodded but as soon as I rose from my seat I dropped Kero-chan. Of course I didn't notice and he didn't call me because there still were people in the bus. I think that was a twist of fate because as I soon as I noticed I ran back to the bus, while a teacher showed everybody around.
Luckily Kero-chan was safe but mad at me for abandoning him. He started lecturing me about how I couldn't be careless if I wanted that job of mine but I didn't yet fully understand what he was talking about. He remembered he hadn't explained yet but as soon as he wanted to start someone approached us. It was a teacher around her twenties. I found her long brown hair beautiful but that wasn't the first thing that caught my attention. It was something else I didn't understand at that time.
"Are you lost?" she asked with a smile. I nodded. "I'll take you with Clow-sensei," she said. "Thank you Mizuki-sensei..." I mumbled. Again the same thing of knowing but not knowing touched me. Her smile just widened and she responded, "Follow me, Sakura."
I wasn't too stunned to hear her say my name, but once more I didn't know why. It was that little thing that let me know everything. It wasn't scary though, my mind said it was but I wasn't truly scared because I trusted her and everyone else. I'm not sure what Kero was thinking at that moment but he didn't say a word. Probably because he didn't have anything to say. We walked through a big hall and soon arrived at a huge room. I felt no danger behind it and Mizuki-sensei simply stopped and coaxed me to enter.
Conversations between ghost helpers and other people with the same powers must be really weird to normal people since we don't speak a lot. We can guess a lot of what the other one is thinking, but not everything. Also people can block some thoughts from the others. Of course newbies like me that time can't do anything like that, but more experienced people just read them like a magazine. Newbies usually can't catch all of the information unless they're very skilled. I wasn't too bad in that aspect thankfully.
As I waited in the room, I could only stand there and watch as the door closed behind me. I'm not sure if she left but she didn't come in. I gave the place a quick glance. The candles' lambent light created a mystic atmosphere that made me feel at home and yet somewhat intrigued. I had a funny feeling... a tickling at the top of my stomach that was yelling "this is it! This is it!" but I didn't really know what the "it" was or why I was looking for it. On the floor there were dark green cushions placed in a circle. Everything was dark in that room, even the walls were dark yellow and the furniture almost black. There was a big wooden chest and a little table in the middle of the room. I sat down.
The room wasn't empty, from a corner and among the shadows two male figures emerged, both wearing what appeared to be antique Chinese clothing. "A girl," the younger one commented, disappointment coating his voice. His eyes were brown and so was his hair. He looked about my age and quite handsome but of course I wasn't thinking about how cute he was at the time and was in some sort of trance where all I could focus in was my surrounding and listening without thinking of anything else, just facts.
"You should have guessed it young one," the other man said. "You really need to train that... and she seems to be quite skillful, she's already put up a barrier." The man was wearing dark brown clothes and seemed only a bit older than Mizuki-sensei. His glasses made him look wise and by his eyes you knew you couldn't expect him to be like the rest. He seemed to be holding inside lots of knowledge and also seemed to have the ability to use it all. I was impressed.
The next moment, Kero finally spoke, "Clow! You're the one who's teaching with me?!" he seemed partly mad partly surprised. The man just grinned and said, "Well, if it isn't... ah, I'd better not reveal your true name, right? That's the rule among dead and their partners." I blinked and asked, "What rules... Clow-sensei?"
He smiled. I'm not sure if he was speaking or not but somehow he explained everything. Since I don't remember the literal words I'll just explain it with mine.
Basically he told me there were some people who were born with some abilities normal humans didn't possess. He also told me there was a myth about everybody having these abilities which wasn't true and then he proceeded to explain which they were: mind reading, seeing what others can't see, communicating with the dead and sometimes even using magic.
Magic was something hard to handle, and he gave me a brief explanation of what it was and how I could use it. Everything has some magic, it's the elemental energy that is given to every being or thing that exists. This existence can be handled by a few lucky ones who needed to be responsible when using it, because if they used too much there would be plot holes in reality that would destroy our world if nothing was done.
And even if humanity would be stupid enough to do something like that, not everybody was picked to use this wonderful tool, only those who would have the capacity of handling it correctly. He also told me that I was one of the chosen ones and finally answered my question about the rules. Kero-chan was one of those who could use magic as they pleased. Sometimes these people couldn't go to wherever they go because they hadn't left anyone on earth to be their successors. Therefore they had to go back to earth and find someone whose powers were still developing and tutor them. The first rule was a testing rule: the person couldn't tell the student their real name so the student had to guess it. The accuracy showed the tutor how skillful their student was, and when the student guessed the teacher's true name he or she would be able to graduate. Also, he told me people were always taught in groups, each still had their own teacher but it was better if they met someone their level also.
Meanwhile the other boy just looked quietly and sour expression on his face. I couldn't read what he was thinking but I could easily guess it by his face: he wasn't too pleased that I was there and I wasn't sure of the reason. "Please, meet your classmate, Li Syaoran," the boy's teacher introduced him. I immediately got up and bowed respectfully. He did the same but more reluctantly. I was still holding Kero-chan when suddenly he started moving. I looked at him and questioned, "Hora... when did Kero-chan learn how to move?"
Clow-sensei burst into laughter. The little toy looked at me with an irritated face and I had never thought a plushy could be expressive before that. He shouted, "Quit it Clow, it's not my fault she guessed that name..."
The man who looked so serious at the beginning had to fight to stop laughing. "I'm sorry..." he apologized still cracking up, "but I never thought she'd call you the same we used to call you back then."
"Kinomoto-san, you're welcome to Clow Reed's and... Kero-chan's spirit aiding and magic class." There's where I got the "spirit aid" term from, Clow-sensei. "I'll get you some adequate clothes... oh and there's no need to go to your science class, you'll be a full time magic student. I'll take care of it. He exited the room and I smiled a little. I had a nice feeling about my future in that class, whatever it was.
Of course, even if you picked your specialty you also had other subjects like math but had more classes associated with your chosen field. My best friend, Tomoyo picked beauty and not being a normal subject she got it only because she picked that specialty. I on the other hand, had really no idea what to choose and spent lots of time trying to decide. In the end I simply closed my eyes and put my finger on the sheet and after getting "Name:" the first few times my finger landed on science. I didn't hate science, excepting when it was too Math related. We could call Math my bete noire; I've always hated and been terrible in the subject.
I was chatting with Tomoyo, Kero-chan lying silent on my lap when we finally reached Gosho Academy. I remember I stopped speaking as soon as I saw it. It looked so old and mysterious... It resembled a temple, later I found out it was actually a temple that had been turned into a school. I wouldn't have been surprised if I'd seen it on a postcard. It had a wood entrance that gave it an enchanting air and there was a forest near it as well. It made you remember that life was short and had a melancholy feel to it. Maybe you don't understand that feeling, maybe it's only something we feel, but it was beautiful and sad at the same time.
"Sakura-chan, Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo called me. I don't know how long I stared at the place but as soon as I woke up from my daze the bus stopped. "Hoee...?" I asked still confused, causing her to giggle. "We're here already, let's go out!" I grabbed my pink bag from the floor and nodded but as soon as I rose from my seat I dropped Kero-chan. Of course I didn't notice and he didn't call me because there still were people in the bus. I think that was a twist of fate because as I soon as I noticed I ran back to the bus, while a teacher showed everybody around.
Luckily Kero-chan was safe but mad at me for abandoning him. He started lecturing me about how I couldn't be careless if I wanted that job of mine but I didn't yet fully understand what he was talking about. He remembered he hadn't explained yet but as soon as he wanted to start someone approached us. It was a teacher around her twenties. I found her long brown hair beautiful but that wasn't the first thing that caught my attention. It was something else I didn't understand at that time.
"Are you lost?" she asked with a smile. I nodded. "I'll take you with Clow-sensei," she said. "Thank you Mizuki-sensei..." I mumbled. Again the same thing of knowing but not knowing touched me. Her smile just widened and she responded, "Follow me, Sakura."
I wasn't too stunned to hear her say my name, but once more I didn't know why. It was that little thing that let me know everything. It wasn't scary though, my mind said it was but I wasn't truly scared because I trusted her and everyone else. I'm not sure what Kero was thinking at that moment but he didn't say a word. Probably because he didn't have anything to say. We walked through a big hall and soon arrived at a huge room. I felt no danger behind it and Mizuki-sensei simply stopped and coaxed me to enter.
Conversations between ghost helpers and other people with the same powers must be really weird to normal people since we don't speak a lot. We can guess a lot of what the other one is thinking, but not everything. Also people can block some thoughts from the others. Of course newbies like me that time can't do anything like that, but more experienced people just read them like a magazine. Newbies usually can't catch all of the information unless they're very skilled. I wasn't too bad in that aspect thankfully.
As I waited in the room, I could only stand there and watch as the door closed behind me. I'm not sure if she left but she didn't come in. I gave the place a quick glance. The candles' lambent light created a mystic atmosphere that made me feel at home and yet somewhat intrigued. I had a funny feeling... a tickling at the top of my stomach that was yelling "this is it! This is it!" but I didn't really know what the "it" was or why I was looking for it. On the floor there were dark green cushions placed in a circle. Everything was dark in that room, even the walls were dark yellow and the furniture almost black. There was a big wooden chest and a little table in the middle of the room. I sat down.
The room wasn't empty, from a corner and among the shadows two male figures emerged, both wearing what appeared to be antique Chinese clothing. "A girl," the younger one commented, disappointment coating his voice. His eyes were brown and so was his hair. He looked about my age and quite handsome but of course I wasn't thinking about how cute he was at the time and was in some sort of trance where all I could focus in was my surrounding and listening without thinking of anything else, just facts.
"You should have guessed it young one," the other man said. "You really need to train that... and she seems to be quite skillful, she's already put up a barrier." The man was wearing dark brown clothes and seemed only a bit older than Mizuki-sensei. His glasses made him look wise and by his eyes you knew you couldn't expect him to be like the rest. He seemed to be holding inside lots of knowledge and also seemed to have the ability to use it all. I was impressed.
The next moment, Kero finally spoke, "Clow! You're the one who's teaching with me?!" he seemed partly mad partly surprised. The man just grinned and said, "Well, if it isn't... ah, I'd better not reveal your true name, right? That's the rule among dead and their partners." I blinked and asked, "What rules... Clow-sensei?"
He smiled. I'm not sure if he was speaking or not but somehow he explained everything. Since I don't remember the literal words I'll just explain it with mine.
Basically he told me there were some people who were born with some abilities normal humans didn't possess. He also told me there was a myth about everybody having these abilities which wasn't true and then he proceeded to explain which they were: mind reading, seeing what others can't see, communicating with the dead and sometimes even using magic.
Magic was something hard to handle, and he gave me a brief explanation of what it was and how I could use it. Everything has some magic, it's the elemental energy that is given to every being or thing that exists. This existence can be handled by a few lucky ones who needed to be responsible when using it, because if they used too much there would be plot holes in reality that would destroy our world if nothing was done.
And even if humanity would be stupid enough to do something like that, not everybody was picked to use this wonderful tool, only those who would have the capacity of handling it correctly. He also told me that I was one of the chosen ones and finally answered my question about the rules. Kero-chan was one of those who could use magic as they pleased. Sometimes these people couldn't go to wherever they go because they hadn't left anyone on earth to be their successors. Therefore they had to go back to earth and find someone whose powers were still developing and tutor them. The first rule was a testing rule: the person couldn't tell the student their real name so the student had to guess it. The accuracy showed the tutor how skillful their student was, and when the student guessed the teacher's true name he or she would be able to graduate. Also, he told me people were always taught in groups, each still had their own teacher but it was better if they met someone their level also.
Meanwhile the other boy just looked quietly and sour expression on his face. I couldn't read what he was thinking but I could easily guess it by his face: he wasn't too pleased that I was there and I wasn't sure of the reason. "Please, meet your classmate, Li Syaoran," the boy's teacher introduced him. I immediately got up and bowed respectfully. He did the same but more reluctantly. I was still holding Kero-chan when suddenly he started moving. I looked at him and questioned, "Hora... when did Kero-chan learn how to move?"
Clow-sensei burst into laughter. The little toy looked at me with an irritated face and I had never thought a plushy could be expressive before that. He shouted, "Quit it Clow, it's not my fault she guessed that name..."
The man who looked so serious at the beginning had to fight to stop laughing. "I'm sorry..." he apologized still cracking up, "but I never thought she'd call you the same we used to call you back then."
"Kinomoto-san, you're welcome to Clow Reed's and... Kero-chan's spirit aiding and magic class." There's where I got the "spirit aid" term from, Clow-sensei. "I'll get you some adequate clothes... oh and there's no need to go to your science class, you'll be a full time magic student. I'll take care of it. He exited the room and I smiled a little. I had a nice feeling about my future in that class, whatever it was.