Through the storm
Soon, Autumn arrives and the air turns cold with the season, the summer flowers wilt and die in the intense cold of the upcoming frost. The sky slowly turning more gray with each passing day into the coldest of all the times of the year. . .
"Wow it's cold out today." Sakura exclaimed as she stepped out onto the first step outside. She was anxious to go but somehow the cold seemed to drag her down.
"Yeah it is, isn't it Squirt?" Tori commented as he to stepped out into the cold.
"I told you to stop calling me that!" Sakura half-yelled at him while she punched him playfully in the arm.
"Yeah, when pigs fly." He said, deciding to walk to school today, it was getting a little to nippy for a bike ride everyday. He would be frozen if he did.
"Dang." Sakura scowled as she walked on.
They walk in silence through the quiet neighborhood as slowly, big white fluffy snowflakes fell down from the sky. Sakura held out her pink gloved hand to catch the snow flakes and see what shapes they were. She smiled as she saw one on her middle finger that looked almost like a cherryblossom, the flower of witch she was named for.
Tori on the other hand just walked on, not really thinking of the things that were happening around him. As he zoned out, he didn't really notice that they met Julian. He gave Julian a quick greeting and kept walking.
Finally arriving at the highschool, Tori decided to pay a little more attention.
"So, did you get number 27 of the math homework yesterday?" Julian asked, walking with Tori so their footsteps where in unison.
"Yeah, kinda. I tried to do it, but I don't think I got it right." He replied with a yawn.
"We get our tests back today, in science" Julian hinted.
Tori groaned in protest, "I think I failed."
"Oh come on now, be positive." Julian smiled.
"Okay then," Tori smiled back. "I'm postive I failed the test."
Just then he heard a familiar voice from down the hall. It was Ruby. Dashing down the hallway with her crimson braids trailing her. The last thing Tori heard was his name being yelled by one of the most annoying people he had ever known. "Tori!" She yelled as she swung her arms around his neck.
"I missed you!" She said glowing as he half piggybacked him.
Trying to keep his breath Tori tried to reply. "You only saw me last week." He choked.
"So? I missed you!" She tighted her grip.
"Get off me, I can't breathe Ruby." Tori gasped.
"Oh!" She slid off his back. "Sorry Tori." She paused "Hey, I rhymed!"
"Well," Julian spoke up "I for one am going to class, you may join me anytime." He said speaking in a comical deep voice.
"Coming." Tori sighed as he reluctantly followed.
"Me too!" Ruby skipped along.
Tori turned to glare at Ruby. "What class do you have?"
"I have Art!" she smiled.
"Can I tell you something Ruby?" Tori said.
"Sure, anything!" Ruby bubbled.
"You have one minute to get up stairs and into class." He said pointing to a clock as they walked by it.
"Oh my goodness! I do! See ya later guys!" She yelled over her shoulder as she sprinted down a separate hallway.
Tori chuckled as he enetered his Math class, sitting down behind Julian on the far side of the room next to the windows. Opening up his books, he noticed that Julian was being unusually quiet today. Julian was quiet on a normal basis, but not this quiet.
Tori tapped his friend on the shoulder, "Julian, is something wrong?"
To his surprise Julian turned around and replied, "It will happen today."
"What will happen?" Tori said, trying his hardest to keep calm.
"Do you remember what Eriol said?" Julian paused. Tori shook his head, and he continued. "When a new gaurdian walks through the door."
Tori nodded. He knew excatically what he meant now. There was to be a new gaurdian, and obviously coming into view quite soon.
"So what you're saying is that there will be a new gaurdian, and coming here." Tori leaned forward.
"Yes, and getting closer every minute too." Julian replied.
"Can you pinpoint it?" Tori asked, leaning in closer to Julian with every second word.
"No, not excatically." Julian answered regrettably.
"Oh." Tori said, finally leaning back in his chair. "Is it nearby?" Tori asked after a while of silence.
"Yes, very close." He said cusiously.
"Please take you seats everyone." Came the teacher's voice. After the class was settled down completely, the teacher (Mr. Sanoko) continued his studies. Thinking about this mysterious "new gaurdian", Tori didn't pay much attention to the teacher through the rest of the lesson.
After Math class, and sticking with Julian. . .
"Hey, Tori!" Came a voice entering Tori's thoughts.
Turning around lasly he once again saw Ruby dashing towards him almost at full speed, but with her was another girl. Her below shoulder length hair trailing out behind her. She was almost stumbling because Ruby was dragging her down the hallway. Stopping just a couple of feet before Tori, she stepped aside to introduce her new friend.
"Tori," Ruby jestered to her friend, "this is Mina, she just moved here. It's her first day." Ruby said joyfully.
As shy as the girl looked, she took up all her courage to just say a little. "Hi Tori."
"Well hi there!" Julian said coming out from behind Tori.
"Hello." Answered Mina.
"Oh, how rude of me," Ruby gasped. "Mina this is Julian, Julian this is Mina."
"Where did you move from?" Julian continued.
"I moved from the southern island. Shikoku." Mina said, obviously more comfortable talking to Julian.
"Are you going to go act in the play coming up?" Tori asked. Stunned by his own words he almost took a step back.
Turning to Tori, he saw now that she had the most interesting eyes, they were like clouds and the sea mixed into one. "Oh, I didn't realize there was a Drama Club. But no I don't think I will, I'm not the one for acting." She said.
Glancing at the clock he noticed it was almost time for class. "Well, I'm off to English class, see you guys later." He turned to go.
"Tori." Mina said, "I have English too, and I'm afraid that I don't know where—
"Sure, I'll show you." He said.
"Thanks a bunch!" she said coming up to walk beside him.
"See ya!" Julian said after them.
After English and meeting up with Julian and Ruby, it's off to lunch under one of the many school trees. . .
"So did you guys get any homework today?" Ruby stated starting a conversation.
"Yep." Julian replied immediately, "I have two pages to do in Science tonight. Do you mind if I come over to do some at your house Tori."
"No, do I ever?" Tori answered before burying his face in a homemade sandwich.
"I don't." Ruby piped. "I had P.E!"
"Nether do I." Said Mina, still clearly not comfortable with her company. "I finished it in class, it was easy."
"Really? It''ll take me forever, plus the lines that I have to memorize for the play." Tori grumbled
"I can help you with both, my parents are out of town." Mina said, almost pleading.
"You're parents are out of town! But you just got here Mina." Ruby exclaimed.
"They had to go get the rest of the stuff in my old house." Mina calmly stated.
"Sure, thanks. We meet at the gates of the school." Tori said, once again biting into his sandwich.
"Okay, I'll be there." Mina said. "I promise." She said under her breath. . .
Author's Note: I apologize for all the dialogue and school scenes, but they had to happen. I'd like to dedicate this chapter to my good friend FrozenMirror, who I have so much fun with at school. I finally got Ruby's name! YAY!. . .O great now I have to change the other one. . .shoot.