Hi everyone!

Here is the latest Nokori story. She is a bit older in

this one She's still fairly young, five years old. Also I

should warn everyone that there is a bath scene in this story, but nothing in

bad taste happens. As always I do not own the trio and only wrote the story

because my muse wouldn't leave me alone until I did. Questions and comments

are welcome. //

Operation Sneak Peak

By Shara

The afternoon sun gently enfolded an unearthly beauty with long shimmering

violet hair and pale alabaster skin in a radiant glow as it passed through

the open door of a traditional Japanese house. The refined young woman who

was envelop by the light paused in her sweeping to listen to the quiet trills

of the songbirds that dwelled in the trees in the garden that was just

outside the open door. Her heart shaped face was filled with happiness and

contentment as she lifted her amber eyes from the floor to gaze across the

garden where an angel faced little girl with flowing navy hair sat trailing a

small hand in the garden's koi pond.

Being the wife of the head of the Takamura clan was not easy. The Takamura

clan had produced some of the finest bodyguards in the entire world. Her

husband's duty to his clan and the man he had to protect kept him in constant

danger. While Nagisa trusted him implicitly, it was impossible to stop

herself from worrying over him. Crossing the floor with the light and nimble

steps of a dancer crossing a stage, Nagisa was wise enough to know that she

could not change the man she loved. In fact she did not wish to change her

husband. She loved Suoh for the brave and courageous man that he was. To love

meant that you had to chance the possibility of getting hurt.

Nagisa understood that she could not determine the path of her husband's life

for him. Everyone must choose his or her own path . While she might have

chosen a safer way of life for her love if it had been up to her to choose,

she knew that the only way for Suoh to be happy was for him to follow his

heart. Accepting his proposal of marriage meant that she had to accept the

path he had chosen for his life long before he had even met her. The

warrior's path was a difficult way of life for such a gentle soul. But

anything worth having was rarely easy to obtain. Takamura Suoh was definitely

worth having.

As Nagisa watched the bright spirit that was their five year old daughter

tease the fish by wiggling her fingers to make them think she had dropped

food into the water she knew her marriage was worth all the stress and

sleepless nights. Because despite all the difficulties they had encountered

over the course of their relationship, their love for each other had managed

to make something truly wonderful.

It was amazing how much like her father Nokori was. She had the same even

temperament and strong athletic ability that Takamura Suoh was famous for.

Her long azure hair and vivid topaz eyes were also a match for her well-known

sire's hair and eyes. As Nokori lifted her wide golden eyes up to meet her

mother's glance Nagisa had to smile. Somehow her darling daughter had managed

her namesake's trick of charming everyone around her simply by existing.

Imonyama Nokoru was one of Suoh's closest friends and the man he had sworn to

protect. Nagisa smiled fondly as she thought of the handsome Rijichou of

Clamp campus. He was so dear to Suoh that it wasn't hard at all to think of

the elegant blue eyed blond as Suoh's brother. Nokoru-sama spent much of his

limited free time with Suoh and Nagisa was glad that her husband had such a

strong friendship. Suoh tended to be solitary by nature and if it weren't for

Nokoru-sama weaseling his charming self into her husband's very serious heart

he would probably still be alone.

The soft sound of a gate opening distracted Nagisa from her thoughts and she

looked to the end of the garden to see Nokori's young friend Kea pushing the

weathered iron gate out of her way.

"Nokori-san! Nokori-san! Come play with me!" The short brown hared girl

called as she bounced down the garden path her face alight with excitement a

large red ball tucked under one arm.

Nagisa's smile widened and she gave a nod as Nokori looked up for approval

before leaping to her feet. With a wave to her mother the blue hared girl

darted up the winding path to meet her friend in the middle of the garden.

Blissfully unaware of the trouble that Kea's arrival was about to cause and

satisfied that the children were going to play quietly outside Nagisa walked

over to the closet and stored her broom away. There was dinner to fix and

with Nokoru-san, Akira-san and Utako-chan to cook for as well as Nokori-chan,

Suoh and herself she would have to start early to get everything done in

time. The children were outside in a confined space and had a new toy to

distract them. So they were not likely to get into any trouble while she

worked on preparing dinner. Or so she thought.

Kea tossed the ball to Nokori-chan a few times as she waited for Nagisa-san

to leave. When the lady of the house had retired to the kitchen, Kea leaned

close to Nokori and whispered, "Did you hear about the Rijichou?"

"I don't know. I don't listen to rumors." Nokori said in a disapproving

tone. Kea was a nice person, but she had a tendency to poke her nose into

other people's business. Part of Nokori's education in the family arts

included lessons in discretion. However, Nokori wasn't aware of that facet of

her training, so she didn't realize why Kea's gossiping made her

uncomfortable. She only knew that she was uneasy with the whole idea of

talking about someone behind his or her back. Suoh's daughter fidgeted with

nervous energy giving the ball an extra bounce before sending it back to Kea.

She wished her friend would pick up on her cue and change the subject.

Unfortunately, Nokori was not so lucky.

"It's not a rumor!" Kea objected her eyes flashing challengingly. "I got my

information from a very reliable source. I heard that the Rijichou is really

a girl pretending to be a boy. My dad says that he is too pretty to really

be a boy."

"Nani?" Nokori shook her head as if to clear it. How did people come up with

these crazy ideas? Dropping her hands to her slender waist Nokori snorted

disdainfully," where ever did he get a silly idea like that? Of course the

Rijichou is a boy. He's my Uncle!"

"Have you ever seen it?" Kea asked crossing her arm over her chest as she

gave Nokori her best interrogator impersonation.

"Seen what?" Nokori asked blinking wide golden eyes in confusion.

"It!" Kea exclaimed," Have you seen it! You know!" Blushing, Kea made a

downward gesture between her legs with her hands.

Nokori's mouth dropped open and her face flushed a brilliant crimson when she

realized what it was her friend was referring to. "Of course not!" She cried

in a harsh tone. "But that doesn't mean he's a girl."

"Fine then, prove it." Kea challenged.

"And how am I supposed to do that?" Nokori asked as she leveled an

exasperated look at her friend.

"I know the Rijichou spends a lot of time at your house. Why don't we just go

and sneak up on him?"

"I couldn't, its just not done!" Nokori cried taking a step away from her

friend, aghast that Kea would even suggest such a thing.

"Why are you afraid that I'm right?" Kea taunted peering at her friend

through her long bangs as she toyed with her ball.

Golden eyes narrowed with annoyance, Nokori turned away from her friend. "No,

You're wrong. I know you are."

"Why are you so defensive then?" Kea asked with a sugary sweet smile. "It

makes me wonder if you're afraid that I'm right."

With a low growl from deep in her throat Nokori turned back to face Kea. She

knew it was wrong to even think of invading her uncle's privacy, but she

couldn't listen to Kea's accusations any longer. If Kea wanted to find out

the truth, Nokori would show it to her. "All right, I'll prove it to you."

Nokori lifted a hand to forestall Kea from saying anything. "However, there

are a few rules you will have to abide by. You will do exactly as I do. And

no talking what so ever. Do you understand and agree?"

"Hai!" Kea assumed the pose of a soldier saluting his superior.

"We're in luck, my father and uncles just started a bath a little while ago.

They are probably still soaking in the pool. Follow me and be very quiet."

Her decision made, Nokori wasted no time as she walked up the path to the

pool house. Pressing a finger along her lips for silence Nokori led her

friend down the hall.

The low sound of male voices drifted out of the humid room that housed the

pool. Nokori and her friend crouched down near the door as the young ninja in

training listened carefully for any hint that her mother might have seen

them. When she was certain they had managed to get to the pool house

unnoticed Nokori crept inside silently motioning Kea to follow.

A wall of soap scented humidity rolled over the girls as they carefully hid

themselves behind an open backed shelf staked with towels.

Holding her breath Kea timidly parted a stack of towels. Now that she was

here, she was having second thoughts. It was a well-known fact on campus how

protective Nokori's father was of his charge. A towel rack really didn't

offer much protection considering the man's vast skills as a bodyguard.

"We aren't going to make it out of here without getting caught, are we?" Fear

slid an icy hand down Kea's back as she retreated from the towel rack without

actually taking a look at what she came to see. Her progress was impeded when

she stepped into her friend.

Nokori pressed her lips to Kea's ear hissing in irritation," It's a little

late for regrets now, Kea. I'll do my best to get us out of here without

getting noticed, but you must behave. What did I tell you about being quiet?

You do realize that sound carries well in a poolroom, don't you? If my father

and uncles hadn't been talking they would have heard you.

Kea sighed her shoulders sagging forward. Nokori was right, it was too late

to stop now. Stealing up her courage inched forward and leaned over to glance

between the towels. Relaxing in the warm pool were the three most powerful

men on Clamp Campus.

Filled with fear Kea clasped her hands together so they wouldn't shake as she

turned wide eyes upon figures seated in the pool. She quickly drew back from

the opening as the blond smiled cheerfully glancing in her direction. At the

soft sound of laughter Kea peeked around the towels letting out the breath

she had been holding. The Rijichou was only responding to something Nokori's

father had said. So they were still safe for the moment.

Nokoru stood leaning over the edge of the pool to pick something up from a

wicker basket set near the edge. Kea and Nokori behind her both stared open

mouthed at the elegant rijichou. Though they were too young to be moved by

his finer charms, neither of the girls had ever seen a boy in the natural

state before. Beaming bright red they turned to each other making faces,

"EWWWWW!"

Regaining her composure first, Nokori swore an oath under her breath and

grabbed Kea's wrist. The sound they had made was just loud enough that the

three in the pool might have heard it. Without looking back Nokori artfully

maneuvered her friend out of the poolroom without making any more sounds.

In the safety of the hall Nokori turned triumphantly to Kea," See I told you

Uncle Nokoru was a boy!"

Golden eyes crowned by a head of damp blue silk narrowed as Suoh heard what

his daughter had said. A hand stopped him as he moved to intercept the girls.

Nokoru's blue eyes glowed with laughter as he shook his head. "It's all

right Suoh. There isn't any harm done." The rijichou of clamp campus said in

his most soothing voice," They were just curious, it's compleatly normal.

They aren't the first to wonder about me. Besides, If they hadn't been so

shocked, they actually would have managed sneaking up on you without you

realizing it. And is that something you really want to punish Nokori for?

Aren't these the skills you're trying to teach Nokori?"

"Hai, your right." Suoh agreed reluctantly his stern countenance

melting with chuckle of his own. "Though I never intended her to use those

skills for something like this. I see that am going to have to have a chat

with her about the appropriate uses of her abilities sooner than I had

anticipated."

"MMM," Nokoru agreed walking away from the cold hall and back to the pool. He

dropped the towel he had hastily thrown about himself and sank into the warm

water once more. "It's only logical that she would be advanced, she's your

daughter after all."

Akira joined in Nokoru's giggles as Suoh sat down with them in the pool

settling his head into his hands with a weary expression and a long-suffering

sigh. "Please don't remind me."

The End

Glossery:

Nani = What

Hai = Yes

rijichou = Chairman