Chapter 4. Fool and Sora
Tsubasa felt how someone touched her shoulder and begun shaking her gently.
"Tsubasa, we're here." a voice, which the black-haired girl recalled as being her father's, said with an obviously excitement.
The girl opened her eyes, blinking a few times. Though she refused to sleep at first, Tsubasa decided it was a good idea when she figured out she had seasick.
They arrived here by boat, since the plane was out of question from the beginning. It seems that her father carried her from the ship to their car and they were now in front of a house, Tsubasa on the backseat of their car.
As she stepped out, Tsubasa observed the weather was great. The blue sky was almost cloudless, a bright sunshine lightening everything. As she looked in front of her, she analyzed the house. It wasn't the same as the one they had back in Japan. This one was made of wood. It wasn't an unusual form, and it seemed quite welcoming. The garden that surrounded the house was also pretty big. In front of the house, on the right side, was a swing for two. Green grass and a lot of colorful flowers completed the picture of Tsubasa, May and Leon's new house.
"This is.." Tsubasa said looking surprised.
"Our new house." Leon completed. "Do you like it?"
May looked at her daughter, waiting for her response as she was about to enter the house.
"It's great dad! I love it!" she said running right in his arms. May smiled in the background and went in the house.
As Tsubasa and Leon stepped inside with their hands full of bags, May already begun looking around. It was a small hallway that welcomed them inside. At the end of it was the big living room. On the left side of the living room was the kitchen and on the right side, the stairs. Tsubasa went upstairs enthusiastic, dropping her bags on the floor.
At the end of the stairs was also a hallway with two doors on the right wall and one door on the left one. She entered in the one the left side. Their things were already here since they sent them a while ago. This room looked a bit different from the one she had back in Japan. It was the same furniture, except from the bed. It wasn't a double one, since before that, she shared the bed with her sister.
Tsubasa ignored the sad memories and headed to the big window from the wall in front of her. As she opened it, her eyes widened in surprise.
"Kaleido.. Stage." she heard herself saying. Right in front of her eyes was Kaleido Stage. It was just like she remembered it, Tsubasa couldn't help but smile.
"You remember it?" Leon came in the room without Tsubasa noticing.
She nodded. "Of course!"
Leon smiled. "Let's go eat something."
They went downstairs where May was waiting for them with some food on the table, in the kitchen.
May smiled as she saw Tsubasa, surprising her. "What's for lunch mom?"
"Cold food. I'm sorry, I didn't have time to warm it up." she replied sitting down.
"It's ok May." Leon said smiling.
The atmosphere was different from the one they usually had on their rare times when they ate together. It was a warm atmosphere.
Suddenly, a knock on the door surprised them. "I'm wondering who might be.." Tsubasa said, they just came here.
"It's no surprise." May said as an anger vein popped on her forehead. She looked to her husband. "I thought we wouldn't tell her when we arrive."
"Well, I didn't say a word." he said rising his shoulders innocently.
Tsubasa was wondering whom they were talking about. May got up from her seat and went to open the door.
"May!" a loud, feminine voice called out. That's what Tsubasa heard along with a loud crash.
The girl, along with her father, got up from the table and went to the hallway. Leon smiled seeing the scene at the end on the hallway.
"Sora, get off me!" May called out.
A purple-haired girl was above Tsubasa's mother, both of them collapsed on the floor. The unknown woman's arms were wrapped around May's neck.
"I missed you so much, I can't believe you're back!" the woman named Sora continued ignoring May's request.
"Come on Sora, let her breath for a moment." Leon approached to her and gave Sora his hand, helping her to get up. Afterwards, he took May's body and helped her stand.
The black-haired woman sighed, but smiled back when she saw Sora smiling at her. "Come in." May said guiding her to the living room.
Before Sora arrived in the living room, she spotted Tsubasa. "You're Tsubasa-chan, right?" she asked smiling gently.
Tsubasa analyzed her. Her hair was tied in a high bun, two bangs falling over each side of her face. Her eyes were brown and full of life. That's when Tsubasa realized it was May's friend and rival from Kaleido Stage. She was surprised. It meant that she was about her mother's age, but she looked like she was 20. It seems that time was generous with her.
"Yes!" she answered fast, realizing she started too much.
Sora smiled. "I'm Sora Naegino, nice to meet you! I heard so many things of you, it feels great to finally meet you."
"It's me who is honoured!" Tsubasa took Sora's hands and looked at her with sparkle in her eyes. "I finally have the chance to meet the star of Kaleido Stage. I also heard a lot about you but at first I didn't even recognize you, I can't believe I'm so clueless Sora-san."
"You really are honest." she giggled. "Please, don't be so formal. Call me Sora, ok, Tsubasa-chan?" Sora smiled and replied.
Tsubasa followed the three adults on the sofa from the living room. May was sitting on a chair on the right side of the sofa. The three girl were sitting on the couch, Tsubasa between them.
"Honestly Sora, how did you know we arrived?" May asked sighing as she rested her chin in her palm.
"Well, that's because I saw you." she answered smiling innocently.
May raised an eyebrow as Leon looked away. "What do you me-"
"I live there." Sora interrupted May and answered, pointing to the window from their living room. A house could be seen there, a house very familiar to May.
"What?!" May was surprised and as she looked at Leon, she figured out he planned everything from the beginning. "Traitor." she glared at her husband.
"We have so many things to talk about. Did you cut your hair?" Sora asked enthusiastic.
"Yea." May answered. Indeed, her hair was now about shoulder's length. She, compared to Sora, looked much more older. There were black circles around her eyes. "Anyway, how's Hana?"
"She is incredible! She just finished the gymnast courses and begun taking courses for the trampoline." Sora said proud.
"Uhm.. who is Hana?" Tsubasa asked looking confused at the two womans.
"My daughter." Sora's expression became even more gentle as she said those two words.
"Really? You have a daughter?!" Tsubasa asked excited, getting up from the sofa. Her eyes were sparkling.
Sora giggled. "Yes, I do. She's 14."
Before Tsubasa could say anything else, she looked above Sora's shoulder and something unexpected happened.
The black-haired raised her finger and pointed to Sora's left shoulder. "G-G-G-G-"
"Are you ok. Tsubasa?" May asked looking worried at her daughter.
"G-G-G-G-G-" she tried to stutter as her face became purple, she was scared to death. "GHOST! A GHOST!" she yelled pointing to a small, floating doll which was above Sora's shoulder.
Sora looked at the small doll above her shoulder and then at Tsubasa. This really caught her off guard.
"What are you talking about Tsubasa?" May asked wanting to approach to her daughter to check her temperature but Sora caught Tsubasa wrist before she could do so.
"Hahaha, say Tsubasa-chan, do you want to meet Hana?" Tsubasa couldn't say anything anymore, she was terrified by the floating doll in front of her which was now smirking."I know you do! Say Leon, May, I can take Tsubasa-chan to my house, right? Right? Thanks!" the two parents couldn't answer because Sora already ran away with their daughter, leaving them with question marks floating round their heads.
As soon as the two girls along with the floating doll arrived in Sora's house, between hard breaths Sora managed to ask the girl. "Y-You.. you can see him?" the purple-haired woman asked pointing to the 'ghost'.
Still terrified, Tsubasa nodded. "W-W-Why do I see.. a g-g-ghost?"
Sora looked surprised at the doll. "Let's go in the living room, Tsubasa-chan." she wanted to drag the girl along with her but when Tsubasa saw that the 'ghost' as coming with them, she didn't move. "Don't worry, he's harmless."
Her gentle smile made Tsubasa trust her so, along with the doll, the three of them went in the living room and sat on the couch.
"Ok Tsubasa-chan, what I'm gonna tell you might sound crazy, but it's the truth. This little thing here," she pointed again to the doll.
"Hey, I'm not a 'little thing'." he protested.
Tsubasa backed off. "HE CAN TALK!"
Sora sighed. "I'll explain everything to you Tsubasa-chan, so don't worry. Like I said, this.. " the little ghost glared at her. " .. 'ghost', is not actually a ghost."
"I am Fool, The Spirit of the Scene!" he interrupted Sora, presenting himself. "Only those who are chosen for the stage can see me, and you my dear, are a surprise."
Tsubasa had a poker face. "Chosen for the stage? What do you mean? Wait.. am I talking to a floating doll?" Tsubasa begun laughing awkwardly. "Oh Tsubasa, you start losing your minds. Hahahahaha.."
"You're not crazy Tsubasa-chan, he's right." Sora said smiling, which brought Tsubasa back to earth and made her face reality.
Fool approached to her and she backed off as much as she could, until she fell off the couch. "You know, you're quite cute." he said watching her on the floor.
Anime tears started falling over Tsubasa's cheeks. "The first person to call me cute is not even a person, but a ghost."
"Fool, stop scaring her!" Sora took him in her hand and wrapped him in some rope. Plus, a tissue to make him unable to speak. "Now that's perfect!" she said throwing Fool on the air. Luckily, he could fly. "Are you ok, Tsubasa-chan? Is your head ok?" she asked the girl who was back on the couch.
Tsubasa was rubbing her head which hurt a bit. "My head is ok, I don't know what to say about my mind.."
"If you listen, I can explain everything to you." Sora smiled gently. Tsubasa nodded. "Like he said to you, only those chosen for stage can see him."
"What do you mean by 'those chosen for stage'?" the little girl was confused.
"If you can see him, it means that the stage chosen you. It's like.. fate? The fact that you, Leon and May moved back here might not be only a coincidence, maybe fate brought you here so you will be able to get to know what the stage means."
"I'm still confused Sora.." Tsubasa continued embarrassed.
"It's ok, I'll try to explain it to you better. When I first came to Kaleido Stage, I was also able to see him but I was the only one. I learned what it means to be on the stage, what is truly important on the stage and why you have to be there, what is your duty. I loved the scene from the beginning, and even though I also thought it was the weirdest thing to see a spirit, I was quite happy that I was chosen for the stage. "
"But.. I never thought about joining Kaleido Stage. After all, I don't have any talent."
Sora was surprised to hear this. "Are you sure?"
Than, she remembered. The ice; ice-skating. She bit her lip. Ever since her sister's accident. she didn't skate anymore. She was afraid to. "Ice.. " she unconsciously said. "Ice-skating."
Sora smiled. "May used to tell me in every letter how talented you and your sister are." Tsubasa's expression changed, she was smiling sadly. "Oh, I'm sorry! I guess I shouldn't have-"
"No, it's ok." she stopped her. "I.. I like to talk about my sister, but I can't. Mom is very sensitive now, dad is always by her side and I sometimes think that she may hate me. Now, she seems better but a few months ago she wouldn't even speak with me once a week. Oh, sorry, I guess you don't care about something like this.."
"No, please continue. I'm really happy to see that you can talk about Mirai. Vut please, don't say that May hates you, because I'm sure she loves you more then anything.. "
As her sister's name slipped out of Sora's lips, Tsubasa smiled. Mirai.. she haven't heard this name in a while.
"I was really proud of her. She won the Olympics and fulfilled her dream, she was my idol. We both loved the ice, but in different ways. I couldn't compete for the ice, I never wanted to fight on ice. I.. I hate fighting, I hate all the sadness and sorrow around me, but on the ice I could forget everything. I was the happiest on the ice, that's why I decided to not compete and only skate as a hobby."
Sora smiled, Tsubasa reminded of herself. "Now I understand why you were chosen."
Tsubasa was surprised. "Why? Please tell me Sora. I don't know what I'm supposed to do!"
"You don't have to know now. Your heart will tell you everything you want to know at the right time, you just have to listen to it."
"Mhmgdsgm!" Fool tried to say with the tissue still shoved in his mouth.
"I guess Fool wants to tell you something." Soa giggled and took the tissue out of his mouth.
"Sora, I can't believe that even after all these years you didn't learn how to treat the great Spirit of Stage."
"Hai,hai." Sora said without giving importance.
Fool looked at Tsubasa, she was still scared. "Don't fear me, my dear. I have to tell you something very important. You have the potential to perform a legendary manoeuvre."
Sora raised her eyebrows. "You mean the one I and Layla-san performed?"
Fool shook his head. "No, there are hundred other manoeuvres Sora."
"What is a legendary manoeuvre?" Tsubasa asked confused.
Sora got up from the couch and searched something in the drawer behind the TV. "Here it is!" Sora said victorious as she held a CD. She put it in the DVD and turned on the TV.
"Watch this Tsubasa-chan, and you'll understand."
Tsubasa looked curious at the TV. She saw a girl with purple-hair, which she figured out it was Sora. She didn't change almost at all since than, she had the same eyes full of life. Tsubasa also saw another girl with blonde, long hair. She was gorgeous.
"That is Layla-san." Sora said without Tsubasa asking.
Her blue eyes widened. "You mean the one who plays on Broadway?!"
Sora nodded and smiled. "We were partners."
"I didn't know she performed at Kaleido Stage." Tsubasa said. She realized she actually didn't know a lot of things about Kaleido Stage. She only knew that there was no ice-rink or anything like that and that her mother gave up skating for Kaleido Stage. She didn't want to give up ice-skating, so she didn't bother to find more about Kaleido Stage.
The two girls started swing, holding the trapeze tight. Tsubasa remembered she also saw a trapeze act when she was 9 and came to Kaleido Stage.
Tsubasa watched the performance holding her breath. "You're.. flying."
Sora smiled, remembering that time. How long has it been..
When the act ended and Sora turned the TV off, Tsubasa couldn't look away. Her mouth was open and she didn't even blink. "Tsubasa-chan?"
"I.." she tried to say. She got on her feet and looked confident in Sora's eyes. "I want to perform this kind of act Sora! I really, really want to."
Sora and Fool looked at each other smiling, a new star was about to be born.