Disclaimer: I do not own CCS.
Pairings: Sakura/Syaoran, Tomoyo/Eriol (The main characters will show up later, so bear with me)
The Union of Remarkables
1899
THE GREAT NATIONS OF ASIA SHARE AN UNEASY PEACE.
FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS, WARS HAVE BEEN FOUGHT WITH THE SAME WEAPONS-
SINGLE-SHOT RIFLES, CALVERY AND HORSE DRAWN CANNONS.
BUT THIS OLD CENTURY IS SOON TO END.
A NEW AGE BEGINS…
The streets were patrolled, just like they were every night. Tonight was no different. A whistle was blown in the distance, and men were heard shouting. "To the north gate!" Guards ran to the gate where dogs were barking and fleeing the scene. "This way!" One guard in particular with blonde hair tried in vain to soothe the frightened dogs.
"For Pete's sake, what's gotten into them?" Bursting through the wall was a steel tank that sent bricks hurling to the ground.
"Dai, what in Merlin's name is that?" As the tank turned their way the guards set up their force fields.
"Don't ask me. Halt!" He yelled, but the tank kept advancing. "Halt!"
"Move, Run!" They shouted, as the tank was just a few feet away and still moving.
"Halt!" Dai said standing his ground. "In the name of the law-AHH!" He screamed as the tank ran him over.
"Stop!" Another guard chanted. "How the hell do we stop this thing?"
"Stop!" The screamed as they ran along side the tank. "We said, 'Halt!'" As it neared the end of the street the guards became frantic. "STOP! STOP! NO! NO! STOP!" They realized that it was headed straight for the Bank of Beijing. It burst straight through the wall and shouts from the guards inside could be heard. It headed straight and all shots fired at the propelled off in all directions. "It's headed to the vault!" It burst through room after room and went deeper into the vault. At last it came to a stop and it fired straight at the vault door causing it to fall to the floor. The door to the tank opened and several men stepped out. The leader of the men in the tank looked at all of the guards.
"Rotundus lemma sursum." (Round them up.) He said in Latin. Men stepped out of the tank with fierce looking weapons and started towards the guards. "Licentia unus ut dico fabula." (Leave one to tell the tale.) "Iuguolo ceterus." (Kill the rest.) "Commodo." (Please) He said with a smile. He walked into the vault where the rest of his men where loading the gold into the tank.
"Talis thesaurus." (Such treasures.) One of them whispered.
"Etiam thesaurus vero." (Yes treasures indeed.) "Nonnullus dignitas praeter alius." (Some worth more than others.) He said as he walked up to a dresser and opened it to find blueprints. He smiled behind his mask and grabbed them.
Within the next week the newspapers were having a ball:
The Asian Post
Monday, April 26, 1899
China Accuses Vietnam Army of Bank Theft
The Morning Leader
Tuesday, April 27, 1899
Vietnam's New Weapon
Globe & Traveler
Wednesday, April 28, 1899
"Not us!" Says Vietnam
Hanoi, May 1899
There was a loud commotion as men raided a building with weapons. "Addo scientists nobis." (Bring the scientists with us.) "Iuguolo ullus quisnam reluctor." (Kill any who resist.) From behind his mask their leader sighed in impatience. "Facio nos postulo is?" (Did we contain him?) One of his men nodded and pointed to a scientist that was being dragged up the stairs.
"Dr. Chen procul vestri muneris." (Dr. Chen at your service sir.) Dr. Chen looked up at them confused.
"What do you want?" The leader held Dr. Chen in a serious gaze.
"Orbis terrarum. Dr. Chen." (The world Dr. Chen.) "Volo orbis terrarum." (I want the world.) A gun was A weapon was thrown to him and he loaded is.
"Are you crazy? This place is filled with hydrogen gas!"
"Vere? Ut est sic territo." (Really? that's so frightening.) He shot a missile at one of the containers and it exploded. The whole building went down in an explosion.
The Asian Post
Wednesday, May 17, 1899
Vietnam Attacks
The Morning Leader
Thursday, May 18, 1899
China denies assault on Hanoi
Globe & Traveler
Friday, May 19, 1899
Asia on Brink of War
Egypt, June 1899
Carriages were heard outside of the Black café. A man in a black suit stepped out. "Don't wander off." He told the driver. He stepped into the café and looked around. He came across a waiter and stopped him. "Where's Kinomoto?" He turned and searched.
"Ah, that woman in the back." As he walked towards the back people stopped and stared at him.
"Do I have the pleasure of addressing Kinomoto Sakura?" He stopped to stand in front of a woman with black hair and ice blue eyes. She pulled the tip of her paint brush from her mouth and stared at him. She was round and aged and didn't exactly match his image of her.
"Yes, you do sir. Indeed you do."
"You are not what I expected." She smiled.
"And I assume you are another traveler…got it in your head to sample the dark continent…and while you're at it hunt down the old Kinomoto Sakura…and have her tell her adventures.
"Well-" She cut him off.
"Well have a seat, sir. You can fill my glass. Amelia, I'd like a double!" She nodded; the man sat down, and looked at the younger woman directly behind Sakura. She had her auburn hair pulled into a tight bun complete with chop sticks. "I'll entertain you with how I found King Solomon's mines, or I could relate my-." H cut her off.
"It is not your past that interests me." Amelia brought her drink over and sat it in front of her.
"Um-." He cut her off again.
"My name is Takagawa Ryo. I'm a representative of her Majesty Li Yelan's, Chinese Government. The empire needs you." The woman behind her folded her newspaper and turned around. He gasped when he saw her deep emerald eyes.
"But the question is; do I need the empire?" The black haired woman turned around.
"Perhaps I should leave now, should I Sakura?" She nodded.
"Yes, of course Arenia. You can leave now." Arenia got up.
"Leaving." The girl with the auburn hair which he just realized was Kinomoto Sakura turned around further in her chair.
"Arenia is useful for keeping the story-seekers at bay. I am Kinomoto."
"The empire is in peril." She turned back around.
"You're probably too young to know but the empire is always in some kind of peril." He got up and moved to the other side of Sakura.
"We need you to lead a group of unique people like yourself to combat this threat." Sakura rolled her eyes. She motion for him to sit down.
"Amuse me."
"There is a great unrest. Countries set at each others throats, baying for blood. It's a power keg. The trouble of which I speak could set a match of the whole thing. War."
"With whom exactly?"
"Everybody. A world war." He shivered as he said the words.
"That notion makes you sweat."
"Heavens woman. Doesn't it you?"
"This is Africa." She gestured around the room. "Sweating is what we do."
"Where is your sense of patriotism?" She stood up and grabbed her glass.
"God save the Queen Yelan." Everybody else in the café raised their cup and a chorus of 'god save the queen' was heard. Arenia removed her bonnet.
"God save the queen, gods bless her, save her soul." Sakura sat back down and leaned back in her chair.
"That's about as patriotic as it gets around here."
"But you're
Kinomoto Sakura. Stories of your exploits have thrilled you children
for decades."
"I'm not that old, but I know. Arenia has done
a grand job of reminding me. But with each past exploit, I've lost
friends. White, Black, Asian, Hispanic, and much more. I'm not the
woman I once was." Six cloaked men entered the café and
walked up to Arenia.
"Ms. Kinomoto?" She looked up.
"Uh, yes indeed, sir." He pulled out a gun and shot her.
"Arenia!" Sakura stood up and summoned a Clow card. "Arrow!" Arrows were fired at the man that shot Arenia and he fell dead a second later. "Wrong Kinomoto!"
"That's her!" The men pulled out their guns and started to shoot at her. Her arrows ricocheted off of their armor. She grabbed Takagawa and threw him behind the bar.
"Stay down!"
"Their indestructible!" He yelled at her.
"No, just armor-plated." She jumped out at them and sent more arrows their way. The stepped out from behind pillars and shot at her. She yelped and ducked behind the bar. "Automatic Rifles! Who in Clow's name has automatic rifles?"
"Extremely unsporting!" Shouted Amelia. "Probably Mongolian." Amelia pulled out a shot gun and took out one of the men.
"Good shot."
"Thanks." Another guy rounded the corner of the bar and shot her barely missing her and getting her in the leg. Sakura aimed her arrow at one of the men walking buy and it ricocheted off of his helmet and he bumped headfirst into the pillar. One man struggled to reload his gun and Sakura walked up on him. He swung at her but she ducked and knocked the gun out of his hand. She punched him in the faced, kicked him in the gut, and swung her leg under his feat causing him to fall. Sakura picked up a wine bottle and smashed it over his head. "Lookout!" Amelia called. Sakura turned and aimed her arrows at the man in front of her, but he ducked and tackled her to the floor. She picked up another wine bottle and smashed it over his head.
"A wicked waste." The fifth guy pulled out several knives and threw them at her.
"Loop!" She summoned the card and it turned the knives back around and sent them back at him. "Now wasn't there another one?"
"Ms. Kinomoto!" She turned and saw the last man escaping as she looked out the window.
"Our friend might have some information, so don't kill him. Arrow nodded. Takagawa and Sakura walked outside.
"But he's so far away…Yes I thought he was."
"Shot!" She summoned another card. "I hate getting old. Shot work with Arrow. I need accuracy." They nodded and shot an arrow. In the distance you could see the man fall down. As the villagers brought him over Sakura and Takagawa walked towards them.
"Did you mean to just wound him?"
"Obviously. I need some information from him." The villager dropped him and he pulled out a vial and drunk it. A few seconds later the man fainted. "Bloody poison." Takagawa looked at her.
"You may have no love for the empire, but I know you love Egypt. A war in Asia will spread to its colonies." The café exploded behind them and the villagers ran to put out the fire. "It appears the war has arrived."
"Very well Takagawa. I'm in."
"Excellent. Pack for a Chinese summer." He walked away and Sakura stared over at the cemetery. In the distance a grave with her name could be seen on it.
China, July 1899
It was raining when Sakura arrived in Beijing, and the carriage she rode in bumped against the brick streets. When the carriage came to a stop, Takagawa was waiting for her with an umbrella. "You made good time getting here."
"Not as good as Phileas Fogg. Around the world in 80 days? Huh." As they walked in the building the storm outside could be heard raging on. He led her down a large corridor, and down several staircases. "Where are we going, Australia?" he laughed at her own joke.
"And here we are miss." He opened the door and they arrived in a large underground library of sorts. As she walked a tapping sound was heard and she was immediately on guard. "I don't like theatrics."
"After Africa's venture, Beijing's weather isn't helping your mood I see." Sakura turned towards the new voice.
"Identify yourself." He turned a lever and a panel of lights came on.
"I'm known by many names, Ms. Kinomoto. My underlings call me "Sir." My superiors call me "M." Sakura raised her eyebrow.
"M?" He continued to turn levers as he walked closer to Sakura and the room got brighter.
"Just M. I must say the delight is mine… meeting so notable a recruit to this newest generation of the Union of Remarkables." Sakura could now see his face.
"Union of what?"
"There have been other times when a danger upon the world requires the services of singular individuals. Your parents were in it."
"How very curious." More foot steps were heard coming in her direction.
"This museum is full of the curious." M gestured towards the new comer. Sakura looked at his long silver hair, purple eyes that she swore was silver in the light and visibly blushed. He was breathtaking.
"Kinomoto Sakura, Egypt, this is Capitan Yue, China."
"I know of Ms. Kinomoto." She nodded.
"And I know of you, Capitan. Rumor has it that you are a pirate." He smiled.
"I'd prefer a less provocative title." Sakura scoffed.
"Oh I'm sure you would."
"People please." M interrupted. "Nations are striking at nations." Yue moved to sit on the other side of Sakura across from the table, never taking his eyes off hers. "Every attack marked by the use of highly advanced weaponry. They discovered these attacks are all of the work of one man who calls himself the Specter." Sakura picked up his file.
"Very optimistic. And what's in it for him?"
"Profit. Those machines are his creations. The work of a scientist he holds imprisoned. His attacks has every nation clamoring for the very weapons that assailed them."
"Then it is a race for arms."
"And millions will perish." Yue said as he still stared at Sakura.
"There is still one last chance to avert war. The leaders of Asia are to meet secretly in Tokyo."
"And you believe that this," She gestured to the picture, "specter will attack that conference?" M nodded.
"If he can find it. We need a team to get to Tokyo and stop him. This team will consist of six members. You have four days."
"Four days to get to Tokyo?"
"That's impossible."
"Let me worry about that." Sakura turned to look at Yue.
"Well now, remarkables indeed." M looked up.
"One of them is late. The chemist, Mr. Daidouji."
"Oh, a chemist, eh?" There was a voice heard, but nobody could see where it was coming from. "Do we get to blow something up then?" Sakura adjusted the magic around her.
"My eyesight must be worse than I thought."
"No, your eyesight is just fine." The voice said. She yelped and stood up when something touched her bottom.
"No games, M!" M smile and got out of his chair.
"Some time ago, a talented albeit misguided man of science discovered the means to become invisible."
"Yes I recall that tale. But didn't he die?"
"Well he did." The voice said. "But the process didn't. You see, I stole it, and here I stand for all to see."
"Is this some parlor game?"
"Believe it." The voice said and pushed her shoulder. Sakura swung at the assailant and pushed him against the bookshelf. "Easy now, Sakura. I'm feeling a bit of a draft in my nether regions. And I must say it's quite refreshing." Sakura grimaced. She could see a man slowly becoming visible. Allow me to introduce myself. Hiiragizawa Eriol, gentleman thief, England. Now, I thought invisibility would be an advantage to my work. It was my undoing. Once you turn invisible, it takes a bloody amount of energy to turn back."
"We finally caught him." Said M. The rest of Eriol started to show and she saw that he was fairly handsome
"And they'll provide an antidote, well that's if I'm a good boy."
"And are you a good boy you little pervert?"
"I guess you'll find out, won't you?" The door opened and a woman with long violet hair and amethyst eyes walked in. She took off the black veil that was covering her face. They turned around and looked at her.
"Am I late?" She asked.
"A woman's prerogative, Ms. Daidouji." Sakura looked at M.
"Please tell me that this is Mr. Daidouji's wife with a sick note." She smiled and walked over to Sakura.
"Sick would be a mild understatement. My husband's been dead for years."
"Gentlemen." Sakura looked at M. "And woman. This is Daidouji Tomoyo, Japan. Her prior acquaintance with a reluctant league member may prove useful." Sakura looked back at Tomoyo.
"I'm waiting to be impressed. The fate of the world is at stake." Tomoyo looked at them. M cleared his throat.
"There are still two members to recruit. The clock and turns gentleman." Sakura and Tomoyo looked at him. "And ladies."
"Kicking us out already. A moment ago it was sherry and giggles." They turned and left the building. Outside Sakura saw this white contraption.
"What in Clow's name is that?" Yue smirked.
"I call it an automobile." Eriol sighed.
"Yeah, but what is it?"
"The future, my good people." They looked back at the car. "The future. This is my first mate." They came across a woman with cherry hair and eyes.
"Call me Ruby Moon. Please." She gestured to the car and led them all inside. Inside the car the silence was thick. Eriol cleared his throat.
"So how did M get you?" Sakura looked at him.
"None of your business."
"You're a little testy Ms. K."
"Mrs. or Ms. Daidouji, what ever you prefer. I doubt if you measure danger the way I do."
"And I imagine you with quite the library, Ms. Kinomoto. All those books you must've read merely by looking at their covers."
"I've had other women along on past exploits and found them to be at best, a distraction."
"Do I distract you?"
"My dear girl, I've buried many men, women, and lovers, I'm in no mood for more of either."
"You can send them my way if you like."
"Hiiragizawa shut up."
There you have it. The fist chapter of my little experiment. Please review and tell me what you think about it.