Chapter 3
Double tasks
A week later, Kioku was out in the streets trying to find a place to sell some of the stolen goods that he had acquired the day before. Kioku quickly found a place to sell it at, but when he was done and walking away, the man who had lost the goods to Kioku came around the corner of the street with some city guards and pointed to Kioku calling out, "That's him! He's the thief!"
Kioku knew what was going to happen and darted into the nearest alley, but when he got in there, Kioku could see that he had gotten himself trapped. Kioku's mind raced with what he should do now and could only come up with one option. He had to use his magic and hope that there were no seekers in range.
"Key which holds the power of the stars: reveal thy true form before me. By the contract, I, Kioku, command you! Release!" Kioku cried softly, as he swung the key like he would a dagger, while pulling out the Illusion card. "Illusion, hide me from all eyes that seek me."
Kioku then did what he could to hide behind a small barrel that was already poorly cover for anything. As the guards ran into the alley, they stopped.
"Where could he have gone!?" The first guard roared to no one in particular.
"There was no way he could have escaped from here unless he had magic, but I cannot sense any magic residue. Even if he used an enchanted object, that would still leave a trail for me to follow. It seems that we thought he went down the wrong alley. If that's so, then even in other alley's like this, he still could have already climbed out onto the roof tops and been able to get away. We will not be able to catch him."
Kioku caught his breath. That was a seeker that he had eluded while still using magic. How did that happen? He wondered. He walked the rest of the way back to the building that he lived at as carefully as he could, as he didn't know what happened. He even could see that the seeker looked straight at him. At least Kero wasn't there, Kioku thought wryly, he would have been making so much noise that it wouldn't matter that they couldn't see me, but that he was making so much noise.
As Kioku came in sight of the building, he knew that someone was there as the door was partially open. Kioku then silently made his way to one of the extra exits he had in case he had to flee the building and the door was blocked for some reason. Until now, Kioku had never even thought of entering by one of these ways, let alone actually coming in one of those ways. As Kioku climbed the side of the wall along the narrow alley, he listened for anything out of place. However, the second floor of the building was silent and there was nothing there that Kioku could see when he looked cautiously other than the usual rubble and ruin that was the second floor.
Kioku crept over and around the rubble and listened at the hole in the floor for any noise. What he heard was something that he did not expect at all. Kero seemed to be talking with whoever it was that was in Kioku's building. Kioku then lay on his stomach to listen easily.
"...have been guarding a book for a few centuries before it was opened and the cards all escaped again," Kero said.
"Who opened the book then?" The person asked, too far away to tell what gender the person was.
"He's the one living here. He seems to get upset when I'm with him and he says that he's safer when I'm not with him. He just doesn't know how cool my real form is," Kero replied, sounding smug.
Kioku bristled with rage while letting no sound out.
"What's his name? I've been wondering that for a little while now."
"Kioku," Kero replied promptly.
I'm going to kill that doll, Kioku thought darkly. I don't care if it is magical or not, I'm going to kill it.
"Kioku, huh? So, is Kioku a thief?"
"Yes, though he says that he's a member of the guild of thieves."
Kioku felt his face flush as his blood began to boil in anticipation for the doll's demise. He was planning on how he was going to celebrate the event.
"So, then he must be a street rat," the voice commented. "Do you know when he'll be back?"
"Usually he comes back around this time. He used to bring me something to eat, until he found out that I didn't need to eat. He said something about not wasting food on something that can survive without it," Kero commented, seemingly mostly to himself.
"He's definitely a street rat then," came the reply.
"What is a street rat? I don't believe that I've heard the term before," Kero asked.
"A person who's lived all their life on the streets doing what they can to survive. Often they live as thieves as that is an easier way to survive than becoming someone who spends their time on the side of the street asking everyone if they could at least spare one copper so they could get something to eat. Most are orphans or children who were abandoned. But, many die before they can either obtain the skills that they need or they fall sick and die of common illnesses that spread quickly. Some people have it out for them for some reason."
Kioku mentally shook his head, this person did not live here that was for certain, also this person could not be one of those who lived in the poor district of town. The person also could not be a thief as there were ways that the person would make certain that they would be able to talk with him without him having a warning first. And if they didn't care if he had a warning, then he would have been left a note with the information that he needed to know. Whoever this person was, he would wait until they left before going about destroying Kero. After all, Kioku told himself, this person could be waiting for him to return only to turn him over to the guards and seekers for having a magical item. At the thought of guards, Kioku quickly listened for signs that there were others down on the main level, however he didn't detect any.
"Anyway," Kero continued, "usually Kioku is back by now."
Kioku noted that the sun was actually beginning to set. I must have really been focusing on not being seen. Kioku thought in slight surprise.
"Well, knowing how street rats usually don't get around to cleaning themselves very often if they ever do, I'd say that he's been here for a while, but didn't want to either of us to know that he was here listening to us. If I had doubts that he was a street rat, then this would confirm it as they are very perceptive in noticing even slight changes in an environment that is familiar to them and they also are quite good at moving silently, another ability that makes them good at thieving. Because here, it's just the survival of the fittest that they are concerned about. And anything that is what they aren't used to is something that they do what they can to make it so that it won't affect them in any way that they do not expect. That could be a good reason of why he prefers to leave you here."
"How do you know that he's here? I haven't seen him come in," Kero asked.
"Well, that would be because he probably has a spare exit that he entered by."
Kioku didn't believe that the person knew that he was listening, but momentarily later, Kero flew up and saw Kioku. "You were right," Kero called down.
Kioku didn't like what had just happened and instead of letting that person know about how he would climb up here, he decided to jump down. While he did, he pulled one of his daggers out just in case he was attacked when he got down. The person that had been talking with Kero turned out to be a girl about Kioku's age. Another thing that Kioku noticed about her was that she was wearing traveling clothes, which meant that either she was with a group of jongleurs or she was in a merchant caravan. She had light black hair, emerald green eyes, and a little shorter than him. Her hair came down to about the middle of her back.
"So I see that you still have yet to learn to know when you should be silent," Kioku grumbled to Kero, though Kero acted if he didn't hear the comment; if he really did hear it. Kioku then focused on the girl. "Who are you?" Kioku demanded.
"I should ask the same to you," the girl retorted.
"I believe that stupid doll already told you who I was as well as other information that he should keep to himself," Kioku snapped back.
The girl shrugged indifferently. "Still, you should still introduce yourself before you make demands of other people."
"I don't need to do that in my home!" Kioku retorted. "I never invited you and this stupid doll doesn't seem to care about the possibility of being destroyed, otherwise he would stay hidden when I'm out."
"He was hidden when I came in. I was just using this when I found him and then we began talking," the girl said as she held up an item that Kioku hadn't noticed as he was focusing on the stranger in his home. "If I hadn't used this, I never would have found Kero and would not have even come in this wrecked building if it didn't point it out to me."
"I don't care what you used to find him, but he still should have acted like he was a regular doll and not an engaged in conversation that could easily lead to both his and my death. Even if the building was being destroyed for whatever reason, he should have stayed hidden and acted like he was a doll," Kioku raged.
"Either way, It seems that you let the Sakura cards out," the girl commented.
Kioku glared at Kero while thinking of something to say, but Kero spoke before Kioku could think of what to say. "I never told her about the cards."
Kioku looked at Kero intently and commented, "I heard what you said about you guarding the book. No matter how you put it, you told her about the cards."
"I knew about them before I even came here," the girl said, calmly, as it there wasn't a heated argument going on between Kero and Kioku.
Kioku started and then looked at the girl. "How could you have known that?"
"I was raised around the story of the cards. My family used to be the protectors of the cards until they were stolen and placed in the vault of the castle here."
Kero gasped. "You mean that your family is descendants of Kinomoto Sakura and Clow Reed?!" Kero cried.
The girl nodded. "Who are those people?" Kioku asked.
The girl gasped in suprise. "They are my ancestors. They were the original two masters of the cards. Since Sakura's death, there have been no more masters of the cards, though on a couple of occasions the cards were supposed to have been released, but no one really knows how or when. All we know was that if any of those instances actually occurred any and all record and memory was erased."
"This is great," Kioku said, sarcastically. "I have a strange girl in my home, who entered uninvited and I have no clue who she is other than the fact that she is the descendant of someone who was the master over some cards."
"I will not be spoken about that way," the girl snapped angrily, her face going from the calm to unrestrained rage. "If you will not speak about me in a courteous manner, I will kill you. I have done it before and it will be no burden to my mind to have another added to those who I have killed. It will probably not even worth mentioning, as you are a worthless street rat."
"I'd love to see you try," Kioku retorted, making a face at her.
The girl lunged at Kioku, but Kioku dodged nimbly, however Kioku was caught completely off guard as the girl springs at Kioku so quickly that he is barely able to think to roll as he's taken off of his feet.
"Now, who is worthless?" the girl cried triumphantly.
"Then let's have a test," Kioku challenged. The girl seemed to be getting ready to leave and Kioku could not let that happen, as he needed to salve his wounded pride. "Unless, you're scared..." Kioku trailed off letting the words sink into the girl's mind.
"Then what is your 'test'?" the girl asked, patiently.
"If you can pick this up off of the floor, then I will admit defeat, but if you can't then you will admit defeat and tell me your name," Kioku replied, tossing his stone dagger on the floor.
"You think to mock me with such a simple task?" the girl asked.
"Well, if you're scared I'll let you go without taking my challenge," Kioku replied.
This got to the girl as Kioku intended. Kioku also knew that anyone except him should not be able to hold the dagger let alone pick it up as it was magically attuned to him. Kioku also knew that the girl would have no way of knowing that and so the real test was if she was foolish enough to think that a small object like a dagger would be a show of strength instead of will. As if one is willing to take insults, they could be stronger than the one making them. Kioku smiles to himself as the girl tries to lift the dagger, but begins to have difficulty. Kioku then begins to step forward, except that the girl begins to lift the dagger.
"That wasn't very kind of you to try to make me pick up an enchanted dagger without me knowing about it," the girl comments.
"How..." Kioku begins in disbelief.
"This is my own magic. I can make things float and I also have a few other abilities."
Kioku smiles to himself. "Okay, I admit defeat as my promise. However, I still demand to know your name!" Kioku cried.
"Fine," the girl said, sounding bored. "My name is Kaen Tomaru. My family just arrived in this city. We have been after the cards, but since they have escaped, then I will need to come with you as you are capturing them as well."
"If you are staying, then I will need to take a representative to my leader of my guild so you may receive some aid for this," Kioku answers out of duty.
"I will first need to talk to my parents. If you come with me, I might be able to get my parents to let me stay here. If I can do that, then I can share my knowledge with you about what I know about the cards," Tomaru tells Kioku.
Kioku nods and lets Tomaru take the lead as they go out into the street and the failing light of day. Kioku also notes to himself that Kero hid under her hair. Kioku suspected that Kero didn't want to be left behind when he had a chance to me able to move around. Tomaru led the way through the streets with a sense of direction that impressed Kioku as the streets were easy to get lost if you didn't know your way around. Soon, they entered and encampment in the corner of the city square. Kioku was noticed right away and if it weren't for Tomaru vouching for Kioku the hired guards wouldn't have let him into the encampment.
Tomaru led Kioku over to where Kioku could only guess that her parents were. They entered a small tent that seemed to be for community meetings for this traveling group of jongleurs. Tomaru instructed Kioku to sit towards the back until he was called forward and Kioku complied as he was the stranger here and no one else was familiar to Kioku except for Tomaru.
"Tomaru, you have brought in one who is not among us. Explain yourself," the one who seemed to be in command ordered. Kioku looked and saw an elderly woman who was probably Tomaru's grandmother.
"He is the one who has started to recapture the Sakura cards that have escaped that was discovered by my brother Kagayaku, grandmother. I would like to remain here to help him on his journey to capture the cards. He is a cardcaptor."
"We would, but we would also require your brother to stay with you," Tomaru's grandmother said. "Also, we would require that you live with someone who can provide for you more surely than he can. Lastly, we would require to know if the guardian of the seal is still surviving the destruction of all magic in this age."
To everyone's suprise, but Kioku's Kero flew out from under Tomaru's hair to address Tomaru's grandmother. "I am currently living with Kioku," Kero stated simply. Kioku grinned to himself chuckling silently, completely forgetting about his desire to kill Kero. "He has the power of the sealing staff and has caught a couple of the cards, though that's all that has appeared so far."
"Grandmother, I don't want to have Kagayaku with me! I'll be fine without him!" Tomaru cried.
"Silence! You know the prophecy that was made when he was born that both of your destinies are intertwined. If one of you dies, the other will shortly die as well. If something that does not have to do with your thoughts, feelings, or desires then it will happen to both of you quickly as long as it's a major occurrence. Skinning your knee or getting a small cut will not happen to the other if it happens to one of you. Now, mind your tongue or I will order you to stay," the grandmother said. "Now, Kereberus, I need to understand how things are between you and Kioku. How often do you accompany him in the city? Does he listen to your wisdom?"
Kero was about to reply when Kioku cried out, "He is too loud to take with me in the city and he talks to much so he is more of a burden than a help!"
"Silence! I did not address you. You will only speak when I speak to you. Otherwise, I will make certain that you are unable to continue on any kind of journey as you will be dead."
Kioku was stunned at the response that he received. Kero was stunned as well, but recovered quickly enough to reply to the questions that he was asked, "I haven't gone with him out in the city for quite a while now. He seems to be obsessed with me staying quiet when I'm with him. Yet, I have sensed no card nearby anyway while we have been here."
"If only I could get him to stay silent," Kioku mumbled to himself.
"Now, I will give consent for Tomaru and Kagayaku to stay if they can get a place to stay. Now, boy, you will then find a place for Tomaru and Kagayaku to stay here if you are at all able to. If not, then you will capture the cards alone and unaided. If Tomaru and Kagayaku are able to be here to aid you, then I will give you something that will help you out, but will not attract the attention of any seeker. You will report back here tomorrow to take Tomaru around to find a place where she can be provided for. I will not allow to stay with you, as you can not provide for her with enough assurance to quell a grandmother's fears. I can tell just by looking at you that you are a thief and may have difficulty providing for yourself alone without any additional burdens."
Kioku nodded, not wanting to speak and risk another tongue-lashing.
"You may go now. Tomorrow, I will expect you here before the sun is at it's peak," Tomaru's grandmother said.
Kioku then got up and started to walk off Kero flew out with Kioku and when Kioku noticed Kero out in the open night air, hovering next to him, Kioku grabbed Kero, suffering another bite from Kero, and stuffed him in his shirt to hide Kero. Kioku then sighed. He really needed to find a way to silence Kero. If he was to be getting any help, then he might be able to get Kero to stay with Tomaru and Kagayaku. Kioku figured that he should help Tomaru and Kagayaku to stay if only to get rid of Kero. Kioku then began to think of how he should go about finding a place. The only people he knew that owned their own place were in the guild... Kioku's thought trailed off as he realized that he should ask the King of Thieves about who they should stay with. If he needed to, he could always then appeal to the mad seer. Kioku smiled to himself as he could see things going the way that he would like them to. Kioku quickly found his way back to his building; much quicker than Tomaru took to take him to where her family was staying. Kioku could tell that she would be learning quite a bit before she could help him capture the cards. Kioku then went into his building and quickly checked all his caches, and finding them as they should be, quickly went to sleep.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Dawn woke Kioku up with its first rays. Kioku knew that it would be best to enter the forest in the morning or late night as the guards were not always paying attention as well as they should be as they would rather be in bed with whatever woman that would sleep with them. Kioku knew very little about what all went on in a soldier's barracks as he never had been assigned surveillance duty. Kioku then made his way to the encampment and waited until Tomaru came out to meet him.
"So, then you'll help us find a place to stay?" Tomaru asked hopefully.
"Yes," Kioku replied. "I need to get rid of Kero. He is driving me mad. He talks too much."
"Well, then why don't you let him talk? It shouldn't hurt anyone," Tomaru asked.
"If anyone heard him, then he would be destroyed and I would be killed," Kioku said flatly.
Tomaru blinked. "Oh. I never realized that you lived in that situation," Tomaru apologized.
Of course you didn't, Kioku thought bitterly. You've lived your life on the road and never thought that magic could be deadly to its user as it is illegal to have the ability to use that magic. Kioku shook his head.
"This way. I know of someone who might be able to help," Kioku said, starting to walk away. "If this doesn't work, I don't know where I should go to try to find you a place. You certainly can't stay at an inn, I don't know anyone who would be willing to pay for the food for there and I am unable to afford your upkeep there. Plus, there are too many who would become suspicious about it."
Kioku was quite a few feet from Tomaru before he realized that she wasn't with him. Kioku turned around and asked, "What is it?"
"First I want to know where you will be taking me," Tomaru ordered.
"I can't do that," Kioku replied.
"Why not?"
"Look around. There are people who should not know the answer to that. Neither knows if everyone around us right now is trustworthy enough to know that information," Kioku answers, looking at Tomaru in the eye intently.
Tomaru shivered visibly and replied, "Okay. Then take me there."
Kioku nodded and begins to walk away again, but Tomaru begins to walk with Kioku. Kioku decided that he couldn't show her the way to the guild from the forest, so he was taking her to a sewer entrance that would be easy for Tomaru to find, but without any real chance for one of the city guards to find or see her going in. It was in a ruined building a little ways from the city gate on the north. Kioku led Tomaru down to the damp cellar of the building and into the sewer. Kioku would have left Tomaru, if she hadn't decided that going in the sewer was worth being able to stay and capture cards like her ancestors Kinomoto Sakura and Li Shoran.
As they turned around a bend in the sewer, Kioku stopped. "What's wrong?" Tomaru asked, wondering why they stopped so suddenly.
Kioku didn't answer, he only motioned for her to be silent. Kioku couldn't understand it. Even the sewage water wasn't giving off a sound. Kioku knew something was wrong. Kioku looked up and down the sewer in the very faint light. Kioku then risked using magic to see. Forming a ball of flame in his hand, he saw a woman standing in the middle of the sewer in front of them. Kioku is so surprised, the ball of flame in Kioku's hand goes out as he loses his focus on it. What is a woman doing there, Kioku wondered, knowing that if she was on sentry duty, she would not be there nor would she be at this point on the journey.
Kioku tries to speak, but realized that though his mouth worked, he could not even make a breathing sound, though Kioku knew that he was still breathing. Kioku sensed rather than heard Tomaru gasp. Kioku turned to her and lifted up one of the Sakura cards that he had with an inquisitive expression on his face and pointed towards the woman. Tomaru nods in response also noticing the silence around them. Kioku mentally calls forth the sealing staff, lifting the key out from beneath his shirt. The key then grows to the staff and Kioku then moves up to the woman. He mentally chants the spell to seal the card and swings the staff at the woman like he would a sword, but not striking the woman, but stopping it right before her. She begins to glow and then becomes a card and Kioku takes a hold of the card deciding on putting his name on it later. Kioku then notices that the sounds were returning to normal.
Kioku then motions for Tomaru to continue as he begins going down the sewer again. Minuets later they enter the first chambers of the secret hold for the Guild of Thieves.
*
Tell me what you think of it so far. Any constructive criticism would be quite helpful, though when I first started this fic, I was thinking of having Tomaru have a different appearance, but I think that this was quite good. Anyway, don't be afraid to review or anything. ^_^ Also, any thoughts on what should happen? I also realize that I haven't updated in a little bit. I work on these chapters when I can, so it could even be months before the next chapter is out _ but don't let that stop you from enjoying it right now.
Double tasks
A week later, Kioku was out in the streets trying to find a place to sell some of the stolen goods that he had acquired the day before. Kioku quickly found a place to sell it at, but when he was done and walking away, the man who had lost the goods to Kioku came around the corner of the street with some city guards and pointed to Kioku calling out, "That's him! He's the thief!"
Kioku knew what was going to happen and darted into the nearest alley, but when he got in there, Kioku could see that he had gotten himself trapped. Kioku's mind raced with what he should do now and could only come up with one option. He had to use his magic and hope that there were no seekers in range.
"Key which holds the power of the stars: reveal thy true form before me. By the contract, I, Kioku, command you! Release!" Kioku cried softly, as he swung the key like he would a dagger, while pulling out the Illusion card. "Illusion, hide me from all eyes that seek me."
Kioku then did what he could to hide behind a small barrel that was already poorly cover for anything. As the guards ran into the alley, they stopped.
"Where could he have gone!?" The first guard roared to no one in particular.
"There was no way he could have escaped from here unless he had magic, but I cannot sense any magic residue. Even if he used an enchanted object, that would still leave a trail for me to follow. It seems that we thought he went down the wrong alley. If that's so, then even in other alley's like this, he still could have already climbed out onto the roof tops and been able to get away. We will not be able to catch him."
Kioku caught his breath. That was a seeker that he had eluded while still using magic. How did that happen? He wondered. He walked the rest of the way back to the building that he lived at as carefully as he could, as he didn't know what happened. He even could see that the seeker looked straight at him. At least Kero wasn't there, Kioku thought wryly, he would have been making so much noise that it wouldn't matter that they couldn't see me, but that he was making so much noise.
As Kioku came in sight of the building, he knew that someone was there as the door was partially open. Kioku then silently made his way to one of the extra exits he had in case he had to flee the building and the door was blocked for some reason. Until now, Kioku had never even thought of entering by one of these ways, let alone actually coming in one of those ways. As Kioku climbed the side of the wall along the narrow alley, he listened for anything out of place. However, the second floor of the building was silent and there was nothing there that Kioku could see when he looked cautiously other than the usual rubble and ruin that was the second floor.
Kioku crept over and around the rubble and listened at the hole in the floor for any noise. What he heard was something that he did not expect at all. Kero seemed to be talking with whoever it was that was in Kioku's building. Kioku then lay on his stomach to listen easily.
"...have been guarding a book for a few centuries before it was opened and the cards all escaped again," Kero said.
"Who opened the book then?" The person asked, too far away to tell what gender the person was.
"He's the one living here. He seems to get upset when I'm with him and he says that he's safer when I'm not with him. He just doesn't know how cool my real form is," Kero replied, sounding smug.
Kioku bristled with rage while letting no sound out.
"What's his name? I've been wondering that for a little while now."
"Kioku," Kero replied promptly.
I'm going to kill that doll, Kioku thought darkly. I don't care if it is magical or not, I'm going to kill it.
"Kioku, huh? So, is Kioku a thief?"
"Yes, though he says that he's a member of the guild of thieves."
Kioku felt his face flush as his blood began to boil in anticipation for the doll's demise. He was planning on how he was going to celebrate the event.
"So, then he must be a street rat," the voice commented. "Do you know when he'll be back?"
"Usually he comes back around this time. He used to bring me something to eat, until he found out that I didn't need to eat. He said something about not wasting food on something that can survive without it," Kero commented, seemingly mostly to himself.
"He's definitely a street rat then," came the reply.
"What is a street rat? I don't believe that I've heard the term before," Kero asked.
"A person who's lived all their life on the streets doing what they can to survive. Often they live as thieves as that is an easier way to survive than becoming someone who spends their time on the side of the street asking everyone if they could at least spare one copper so they could get something to eat. Most are orphans or children who were abandoned. But, many die before they can either obtain the skills that they need or they fall sick and die of common illnesses that spread quickly. Some people have it out for them for some reason."
Kioku mentally shook his head, this person did not live here that was for certain, also this person could not be one of those who lived in the poor district of town. The person also could not be a thief as there were ways that the person would make certain that they would be able to talk with him without him having a warning first. And if they didn't care if he had a warning, then he would have been left a note with the information that he needed to know. Whoever this person was, he would wait until they left before going about destroying Kero. After all, Kioku told himself, this person could be waiting for him to return only to turn him over to the guards and seekers for having a magical item. At the thought of guards, Kioku quickly listened for signs that there were others down on the main level, however he didn't detect any.
"Anyway," Kero continued, "usually Kioku is back by now."
Kioku noted that the sun was actually beginning to set. I must have really been focusing on not being seen. Kioku thought in slight surprise.
"Well, knowing how street rats usually don't get around to cleaning themselves very often if they ever do, I'd say that he's been here for a while, but didn't want to either of us to know that he was here listening to us. If I had doubts that he was a street rat, then this would confirm it as they are very perceptive in noticing even slight changes in an environment that is familiar to them and they also are quite good at moving silently, another ability that makes them good at thieving. Because here, it's just the survival of the fittest that they are concerned about. And anything that is what they aren't used to is something that they do what they can to make it so that it won't affect them in any way that they do not expect. That could be a good reason of why he prefers to leave you here."
"How do you know that he's here? I haven't seen him come in," Kero asked.
"Well, that would be because he probably has a spare exit that he entered by."
Kioku didn't believe that the person knew that he was listening, but momentarily later, Kero flew up and saw Kioku. "You were right," Kero called down.
Kioku didn't like what had just happened and instead of letting that person know about how he would climb up here, he decided to jump down. While he did, he pulled one of his daggers out just in case he was attacked when he got down. The person that had been talking with Kero turned out to be a girl about Kioku's age. Another thing that Kioku noticed about her was that she was wearing traveling clothes, which meant that either she was with a group of jongleurs or she was in a merchant caravan. She had light black hair, emerald green eyes, and a little shorter than him. Her hair came down to about the middle of her back.
"So I see that you still have yet to learn to know when you should be silent," Kioku grumbled to Kero, though Kero acted if he didn't hear the comment; if he really did hear it. Kioku then focused on the girl. "Who are you?" Kioku demanded.
"I should ask the same to you," the girl retorted.
"I believe that stupid doll already told you who I was as well as other information that he should keep to himself," Kioku snapped back.
The girl shrugged indifferently. "Still, you should still introduce yourself before you make demands of other people."
"I don't need to do that in my home!" Kioku retorted. "I never invited you and this stupid doll doesn't seem to care about the possibility of being destroyed, otherwise he would stay hidden when I'm out."
"He was hidden when I came in. I was just using this when I found him and then we began talking," the girl said as she held up an item that Kioku hadn't noticed as he was focusing on the stranger in his home. "If I hadn't used this, I never would have found Kero and would not have even come in this wrecked building if it didn't point it out to me."
"I don't care what you used to find him, but he still should have acted like he was a regular doll and not an engaged in conversation that could easily lead to both his and my death. Even if the building was being destroyed for whatever reason, he should have stayed hidden and acted like he was a doll," Kioku raged.
"Either way, It seems that you let the Sakura cards out," the girl commented.
Kioku glared at Kero while thinking of something to say, but Kero spoke before Kioku could think of what to say. "I never told her about the cards."
Kioku looked at Kero intently and commented, "I heard what you said about you guarding the book. No matter how you put it, you told her about the cards."
"I knew about them before I even came here," the girl said, calmly, as it there wasn't a heated argument going on between Kero and Kioku.
Kioku started and then looked at the girl. "How could you have known that?"
"I was raised around the story of the cards. My family used to be the protectors of the cards until they were stolen and placed in the vault of the castle here."
Kero gasped. "You mean that your family is descendants of Kinomoto Sakura and Clow Reed?!" Kero cried.
The girl nodded. "Who are those people?" Kioku asked.
The girl gasped in suprise. "They are my ancestors. They were the original two masters of the cards. Since Sakura's death, there have been no more masters of the cards, though on a couple of occasions the cards were supposed to have been released, but no one really knows how or when. All we know was that if any of those instances actually occurred any and all record and memory was erased."
"This is great," Kioku said, sarcastically. "I have a strange girl in my home, who entered uninvited and I have no clue who she is other than the fact that she is the descendant of someone who was the master over some cards."
"I will not be spoken about that way," the girl snapped angrily, her face going from the calm to unrestrained rage. "If you will not speak about me in a courteous manner, I will kill you. I have done it before and it will be no burden to my mind to have another added to those who I have killed. It will probably not even worth mentioning, as you are a worthless street rat."
"I'd love to see you try," Kioku retorted, making a face at her.
The girl lunged at Kioku, but Kioku dodged nimbly, however Kioku was caught completely off guard as the girl springs at Kioku so quickly that he is barely able to think to roll as he's taken off of his feet.
"Now, who is worthless?" the girl cried triumphantly.
"Then let's have a test," Kioku challenged. The girl seemed to be getting ready to leave and Kioku could not let that happen, as he needed to salve his wounded pride. "Unless, you're scared..." Kioku trailed off letting the words sink into the girl's mind.
"Then what is your 'test'?" the girl asked, patiently.
"If you can pick this up off of the floor, then I will admit defeat, but if you can't then you will admit defeat and tell me your name," Kioku replied, tossing his stone dagger on the floor.
"You think to mock me with such a simple task?" the girl asked.
"Well, if you're scared I'll let you go without taking my challenge," Kioku replied.
This got to the girl as Kioku intended. Kioku also knew that anyone except him should not be able to hold the dagger let alone pick it up as it was magically attuned to him. Kioku also knew that the girl would have no way of knowing that and so the real test was if she was foolish enough to think that a small object like a dagger would be a show of strength instead of will. As if one is willing to take insults, they could be stronger than the one making them. Kioku smiles to himself as the girl tries to lift the dagger, but begins to have difficulty. Kioku then begins to step forward, except that the girl begins to lift the dagger.
"That wasn't very kind of you to try to make me pick up an enchanted dagger without me knowing about it," the girl comments.
"How..." Kioku begins in disbelief.
"This is my own magic. I can make things float and I also have a few other abilities."
Kioku smiles to himself. "Okay, I admit defeat as my promise. However, I still demand to know your name!" Kioku cried.
"Fine," the girl said, sounding bored. "My name is Kaen Tomaru. My family just arrived in this city. We have been after the cards, but since they have escaped, then I will need to come with you as you are capturing them as well."
"If you are staying, then I will need to take a representative to my leader of my guild so you may receive some aid for this," Kioku answers out of duty.
"I will first need to talk to my parents. If you come with me, I might be able to get my parents to let me stay here. If I can do that, then I can share my knowledge with you about what I know about the cards," Tomaru tells Kioku.
Kioku nods and lets Tomaru take the lead as they go out into the street and the failing light of day. Kioku also notes to himself that Kero hid under her hair. Kioku suspected that Kero didn't want to be left behind when he had a chance to me able to move around. Tomaru led the way through the streets with a sense of direction that impressed Kioku as the streets were easy to get lost if you didn't know your way around. Soon, they entered and encampment in the corner of the city square. Kioku was noticed right away and if it weren't for Tomaru vouching for Kioku the hired guards wouldn't have let him into the encampment.
Tomaru led Kioku over to where Kioku could only guess that her parents were. They entered a small tent that seemed to be for community meetings for this traveling group of jongleurs. Tomaru instructed Kioku to sit towards the back until he was called forward and Kioku complied as he was the stranger here and no one else was familiar to Kioku except for Tomaru.
"Tomaru, you have brought in one who is not among us. Explain yourself," the one who seemed to be in command ordered. Kioku looked and saw an elderly woman who was probably Tomaru's grandmother.
"He is the one who has started to recapture the Sakura cards that have escaped that was discovered by my brother Kagayaku, grandmother. I would like to remain here to help him on his journey to capture the cards. He is a cardcaptor."
"We would, but we would also require your brother to stay with you," Tomaru's grandmother said. "Also, we would require that you live with someone who can provide for you more surely than he can. Lastly, we would require to know if the guardian of the seal is still surviving the destruction of all magic in this age."
To everyone's suprise, but Kioku's Kero flew out from under Tomaru's hair to address Tomaru's grandmother. "I am currently living with Kioku," Kero stated simply. Kioku grinned to himself chuckling silently, completely forgetting about his desire to kill Kero. "He has the power of the sealing staff and has caught a couple of the cards, though that's all that has appeared so far."
"Grandmother, I don't want to have Kagayaku with me! I'll be fine without him!" Tomaru cried.
"Silence! You know the prophecy that was made when he was born that both of your destinies are intertwined. If one of you dies, the other will shortly die as well. If something that does not have to do with your thoughts, feelings, or desires then it will happen to both of you quickly as long as it's a major occurrence. Skinning your knee or getting a small cut will not happen to the other if it happens to one of you. Now, mind your tongue or I will order you to stay," the grandmother said. "Now, Kereberus, I need to understand how things are between you and Kioku. How often do you accompany him in the city? Does he listen to your wisdom?"
Kero was about to reply when Kioku cried out, "He is too loud to take with me in the city and he talks to much so he is more of a burden than a help!"
"Silence! I did not address you. You will only speak when I speak to you. Otherwise, I will make certain that you are unable to continue on any kind of journey as you will be dead."
Kioku was stunned at the response that he received. Kero was stunned as well, but recovered quickly enough to reply to the questions that he was asked, "I haven't gone with him out in the city for quite a while now. He seems to be obsessed with me staying quiet when I'm with him. Yet, I have sensed no card nearby anyway while we have been here."
"If only I could get him to stay silent," Kioku mumbled to himself.
"Now, I will give consent for Tomaru and Kagayaku to stay if they can get a place to stay. Now, boy, you will then find a place for Tomaru and Kagayaku to stay here if you are at all able to. If not, then you will capture the cards alone and unaided. If Tomaru and Kagayaku are able to be here to aid you, then I will give you something that will help you out, but will not attract the attention of any seeker. You will report back here tomorrow to take Tomaru around to find a place where she can be provided for. I will not allow to stay with you, as you can not provide for her with enough assurance to quell a grandmother's fears. I can tell just by looking at you that you are a thief and may have difficulty providing for yourself alone without any additional burdens."
Kioku nodded, not wanting to speak and risk another tongue-lashing.
"You may go now. Tomorrow, I will expect you here before the sun is at it's peak," Tomaru's grandmother said.
Kioku then got up and started to walk off Kero flew out with Kioku and when Kioku noticed Kero out in the open night air, hovering next to him, Kioku grabbed Kero, suffering another bite from Kero, and stuffed him in his shirt to hide Kero. Kioku then sighed. He really needed to find a way to silence Kero. If he was to be getting any help, then he might be able to get Kero to stay with Tomaru and Kagayaku. Kioku figured that he should help Tomaru and Kagayaku to stay if only to get rid of Kero. Kioku then began to think of how he should go about finding a place. The only people he knew that owned their own place were in the guild... Kioku's thought trailed off as he realized that he should ask the King of Thieves about who they should stay with. If he needed to, he could always then appeal to the mad seer. Kioku smiled to himself as he could see things going the way that he would like them to. Kioku quickly found his way back to his building; much quicker than Tomaru took to take him to where her family was staying. Kioku could tell that she would be learning quite a bit before she could help him capture the cards. Kioku then went into his building and quickly checked all his caches, and finding them as they should be, quickly went to sleep.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Dawn woke Kioku up with its first rays. Kioku knew that it would be best to enter the forest in the morning or late night as the guards were not always paying attention as well as they should be as they would rather be in bed with whatever woman that would sleep with them. Kioku knew very little about what all went on in a soldier's barracks as he never had been assigned surveillance duty. Kioku then made his way to the encampment and waited until Tomaru came out to meet him.
"So, then you'll help us find a place to stay?" Tomaru asked hopefully.
"Yes," Kioku replied. "I need to get rid of Kero. He is driving me mad. He talks too much."
"Well, then why don't you let him talk? It shouldn't hurt anyone," Tomaru asked.
"If anyone heard him, then he would be destroyed and I would be killed," Kioku said flatly.
Tomaru blinked. "Oh. I never realized that you lived in that situation," Tomaru apologized.
Of course you didn't, Kioku thought bitterly. You've lived your life on the road and never thought that magic could be deadly to its user as it is illegal to have the ability to use that magic. Kioku shook his head.
"This way. I know of someone who might be able to help," Kioku said, starting to walk away. "If this doesn't work, I don't know where I should go to try to find you a place. You certainly can't stay at an inn, I don't know anyone who would be willing to pay for the food for there and I am unable to afford your upkeep there. Plus, there are too many who would become suspicious about it."
Kioku was quite a few feet from Tomaru before he realized that she wasn't with him. Kioku turned around and asked, "What is it?"
"First I want to know where you will be taking me," Tomaru ordered.
"I can't do that," Kioku replied.
"Why not?"
"Look around. There are people who should not know the answer to that. Neither knows if everyone around us right now is trustworthy enough to know that information," Kioku answers, looking at Tomaru in the eye intently.
Tomaru shivered visibly and replied, "Okay. Then take me there."
Kioku nodded and begins to walk away again, but Tomaru begins to walk with Kioku. Kioku decided that he couldn't show her the way to the guild from the forest, so he was taking her to a sewer entrance that would be easy for Tomaru to find, but without any real chance for one of the city guards to find or see her going in. It was in a ruined building a little ways from the city gate on the north. Kioku led Tomaru down to the damp cellar of the building and into the sewer. Kioku would have left Tomaru, if she hadn't decided that going in the sewer was worth being able to stay and capture cards like her ancestors Kinomoto Sakura and Li Shoran.
As they turned around a bend in the sewer, Kioku stopped. "What's wrong?" Tomaru asked, wondering why they stopped so suddenly.
Kioku didn't answer, he only motioned for her to be silent. Kioku couldn't understand it. Even the sewage water wasn't giving off a sound. Kioku knew something was wrong. Kioku looked up and down the sewer in the very faint light. Kioku then risked using magic to see. Forming a ball of flame in his hand, he saw a woman standing in the middle of the sewer in front of them. Kioku is so surprised, the ball of flame in Kioku's hand goes out as he loses his focus on it. What is a woman doing there, Kioku wondered, knowing that if she was on sentry duty, she would not be there nor would she be at this point on the journey.
Kioku tries to speak, but realized that though his mouth worked, he could not even make a breathing sound, though Kioku knew that he was still breathing. Kioku sensed rather than heard Tomaru gasp. Kioku turned to her and lifted up one of the Sakura cards that he had with an inquisitive expression on his face and pointed towards the woman. Tomaru nods in response also noticing the silence around them. Kioku mentally calls forth the sealing staff, lifting the key out from beneath his shirt. The key then grows to the staff and Kioku then moves up to the woman. He mentally chants the spell to seal the card and swings the staff at the woman like he would a sword, but not striking the woman, but stopping it right before her. She begins to glow and then becomes a card and Kioku takes a hold of the card deciding on putting his name on it later. Kioku then notices that the sounds were returning to normal.
Kioku then motions for Tomaru to continue as he begins going down the sewer again. Minuets later they enter the first chambers of the secret hold for the Guild of Thieves.
*
Tell me what you think of it so far. Any constructive criticism would be quite helpful, though when I first started this fic, I was thinking of having Tomaru have a different appearance, but I think that this was quite good. Anyway, don't be afraid to review or anything. ^_^ Also, any thoughts on what should happen? I also realize that I haven't updated in a little bit. I work on these chapters when I can, so it could even be months before the next chapter is out _ but don't let that stop you from enjoying it right now.
