A new day in Tandy

"--ise and shine, everyone!  It's time for the Wacky Morning Crazy Hour, with Wojo and Stantler!  The time is 6:30 in the A.M, and we're gearin' up to bring you a whole morning full of zany laughs and--"

*KA-ZAP!*

The lump under the bed covers hardly moved, but the the smoldering alarm clock on the dresser was evidence that the magical girl was no longer sound asleep.  "Uuuuuuugh...." came the groan from the bed as the sheets shifted, revealing a leg here and an arm there.  "Mornings suck..."

About twenty minutes later, there came a knock at her door. "Anne?  You up?  You better get ready soon, or you'll be late."  The voice was her brother Evan's.  While their parents were on their frequent and long world-traveling charity work trips, he was technically in charge.

When he wasn't currently a four year old girl named Lilly.

"I'm coming..." Anne groggily replied.  It really didn't take Anne long to get ready, just forever to get out of bed.  Before long, the red-haired Wotch was dressed and dashing past her brother at the kitchen table.

"Can'ttalk,lateformeetingtheguys,haveaniceday,E!"  Evan just blinked as he sipped at his apple juice, thinking he got the gist of the message, anyway.

Anne dashed out the door and ran down the street.  Eventually, she caught up to the casually strolling Robin and Jason.  Robin turned to her with a smile.  Jason continued as if nothing had changed, but Anne knew that was his unique form of "greeting." 

"Hey Anne!" Robin said happily.  "We were wondering if you were going to make it!"

"He was wondering," Jason added.  "I know better than to expect you on time before 10am."

Anne gave the sarcastic friend a "look" and smile, and joined the pace of her classmates as they walked to Tandy Gardens.  Other students were also gathering; many walking, some getting off the buses; some being dropped off by their parents.  Anne gave a wave to another group of friends standing by the flagpole.  Katie, Ming, and Wolfie all waved back.  Behind them, though, a blonde girl with black bangs who was wearing a long coat seemed to purposefully turn away from her wave.  Cassie has been a bit of a loner as of late, Anne thought.

Still, as the bell rang to signal the start of school, Anne thought all signs pointed to this being a perfectly normal day, even for someone as abnormal as The Wotch.

Oh, how wrong she would be.

Everything seemed fine, until....