Author's note: This is based in Clamp's Clamp Campus Detectives.
Many thanks to my... -looks at review list again- two reviewers: Tam Chronin and Larania Drake, who I both talk to tons so I have to wonder if their praise was deserved or because they can't manage to tell me I suck. Ah, well. I also wonder if I screwed myself with my rating (as ff.net is kind enough to defaultly block out R rated fics) but with their language I really couldn't rate it anything but R.
This story contains Shounen Ai (two guys in love). If you find that icky or otherwise have problems with that, that's between you and your sexual identity issues. Don't bother me with it, you've been aptly warned.
Oh and of course I own none of these characters, save my three terrors. If I did, I wouldn't be posting here now would I?
Suoh grumbled as he started his day. The Triplets (they'd found they were called) had been running amuck across campus for three months now, with near immunity. All their best attempts had been thwarted by the trio; worse yet, they were beating them easily. Kameko san was impossibly skilled with a computer and could read binary faster then most people could read normal kana, but then again as far as they could tell they kept none of their records on a computer (instead appeared to be entirely stored in Kameko's head) and all the money they made was filtered through an advanced laundering system that they hadn't been able to trace yet. Even when they did get close, the Triplets always seemed aware and easily dodged the trap. According to rumors, the smallest of the three, Dubhain, was a psychic and if that was true, what options did they have to catch them?
Ayashiko... Suoh's blood boiled at the name. He was the worst: cunning as a fox and just as predatory. Suoh wasn't sure what hold he had on the other two but he was the brain of the set. They could get them on the money if not for his maneuvering, but as it was they were making a mockery of their running of the school. He crushed the latest dead end printout in his fist as Akira came bouncing though the door. "Takamura sempai! Kaichou found out where some of the money is going!"
Nokoru shook his head as he stepped in with a folder of papers in his arms. "We found where a small amount of it is going, but we can't prove anything unfortunately."
"Where?"
The Kaichou handed over the papers as he went to sit on the couch heavily. "He and Dubhain san both go to Murakai Academy, a far from inexpensive school. While Ayashiko's family is quite well off, Dubhain san's is not and as far as I've been able to tell he lives with Ayashshiko san, has for about four years. His tuition comes from Ayashiko's personal account, which technically is 'pocket money' from his father."
"Ayashshiko san is very kind to take care of his friend so well," Ijyuin san added cheerfully as he poured their tea.
"Or he's keeping control of him," Suoh commented darkly. "...keeping tabs on him; a dog on a leash. Any evidence what he has on Kameko san?"
"No," Nokoru replied, trying to keep the weary tone from his voice. "All we know is they've been close since they were in middle school, same can be said for Dubhain san... and I'm not all too sure on the 'keeping control of him' reasoning. The way they behave towards one another doesn't seem like he's controlling them. They seem to behave like genuine friends." He rubbed his temple a moment, an uncharacteristic sign of exhaustion and frustration. The sight of it made Suoh want to murder the three monsters just to fix this disaster for the Kaichou.
"Don't worry, Kaichou," came Akira's light voice. "We'll stop them, and everything will be fine again."
Nokoru smiled at him but Suoh was more than aware that the smile was less than brilliant.
The sunlight filtered through the autumn leaves above as a few of the orange hued leaves tumbled down to lay across the long cards. "Good afternoon, Dubhain san." He looked up to see the blonde haired Kaichou of the university division of Clamp School.
"Good Afternoon, Kaichou. May I help you with something?" he asked pleasantly as he gathered his cards up quickly.
"Oh, I heard you had a sixth sense, but I didn't know you used tarot cards."
"Yes. At times," he replied guardedly. He liked the Kaichou, he seemed very kind, but Tamae didn't like anyone taking note of these things.
Thankfully the cheerful man let the questioning go and switched to another topic. "I heard that you spent most of your time in this park, while your friends were on campus. You only come on certain times. Don't you like our parks? I assure you they're well kept."
Tamae had to keep from shuddering at the reminder. He hated going into the Clamp campus, the sheer thought of it brought back the sound of the gears turning. "I'm sure you're right, but the grounds... don't agree with me, I'm afraid... and besides, I'm quite happy with my table right here."
The Kaichou seemed about to question him but again let it slide. "I can't argue you that; this is a very lovely here. Your school is quite nice."
"Oh, yes," Tamae said brightly, forgetting his previous worries. "It's quite nice, everyone is very friendly and the campus is very beautiful," he answered quickly and then added, "Oh, but yours is nice, too, of course."
The Kaichou grinned and laughed lightly. "Thank you. You're certainly very fortunate to have someone like Ayashiko san to see to your tuition."
Tamae unconsciously pulled his cards closer, almost defensively. "Yes. I am." Tamae didn't need reminded how very lucky he was. Though hopefully the Kaichou would understand now and let up on Kumi, now that he saw more of who Kumi really was.
The blonde tipped his head to the side and smiled softly. "I understand you've been living with him for a little over four years. I have to say, I'm a little perplexed that Ayashiko san would be so altruistic."
Tamae's quiet cheerfulness vanished for a moment and he tightened his grip on his cards angrily. "You've got him all wrong! He's very kind and good at heart. He'd never hesitate to help someone in real need."
Blinking in surprise, the Kaichou replied, "I would like to believe that, but, I'm sorry, his choice of... vocations, leads me to believe otherwise."
Tamae shook his head. "You're wrong, he would never take more than someone could afford, and he would never really hurt someone."
"Why does he take care of you?"
"Because he does," Tamae said flatly, setting his cards back down to gather his other things. These questions always upset him and this time Kumi wasn't there to smooth it over with his banter. Tamae wasn't good at it like he was and he just wanted to leave.
"I'm sorry," said the Kaichou, genuinely, standing from his seat. "I didn't mean to upset you. I'll leave you to your afternoon, but I have to ask you to try and convince Ayashiko san to let this thing go. I'd hate to cause you more distress."
"I could say the same thing to you, Kaichou," he replied some of his cheery smile starting to return.
"Quite." The blonde began to stand but jumped forward quickly. "Careful!"
Tamae looked over to see Imonoyama preventing his cards from falling (him having knocked them with his elbow accidentally) catching them in his hands. "Oh no!" He snatched them back, pulling them all onto the table away from him. "Don't touch them! You can't touch them! Oh no..." he ordered, straightening them as well as he could, feeling as their distressed energies complained at being touched by foreign hands.
"I am so sorry. I didn't realize," Imonoyama apologized quickly. "I just didn't want them to fall. You follow the belief that only you can touch them? I've heard some psychics work like that."
"Yes, yes. It's all right, I'll be fine, I'm sure. Thank you for trying to help." He was still gathering them without looking up, when a call came from a distance back.
"Kaichou! We'll be late!"
"I'm just coming, Akira san," he replied as the dark haired man appeared. "Goodbye, Dubhain san."
Tamae waved as they left and then went back to picking up his things. Kumi and Jun'ko would be there soon anyway.
Rarely were questions about him and Kumi welcome. They always turned awkward with a lot of uncomfortable pauses and unwanted prying for more information. That was something he didn't feel comfortable sharing with others not in their small, patchwork family.
He was mulling over this when he nudged the stack of cards again. "Oh!" Grasping the cards quickly, he managed to prevent them from decorating the grass, but somehow two evaded him. "Damn..." he swore softly as he got up to get them.
Lying not far from his seat they sat there. The chariot was on top, looking up at him and as he plucked them up, he saw the prince of cups sitting underneath it, perfectly crossed. It was at this, the world was blotted out by a flashing disjointed series of images. With a gasp, Tamae released the cards and fell backwards.
It took a few moments to make sense of what he had seen and then he was back on his feet and running towards the street. "Stop!" Feet pounding the ground hard, Tamae's short legs were far from built for such sprinting and his muscles were already complaining as he breathed heavily. He had to reach the street; he had to! 'Please!' "Stop! Please stop!" He finally cleared the woods and could see the Kaichou near the street, both of his companions now with him. "Stop! Get away from the street!" he called out, leaning on a lamppost and holding his side.
The Kaichou looked at him oddly and began to step towards him, when the screech of tires rang out and a car jumped the curb exactly where the blonde had been standing, before the driver cut back hard, sending the small car across the street to plow through a fence.
Staring with wide, blue eyes, the Kaichou was held tightly by his bodyguard after the tall man pulled him backwards, the treasurer standing before them both as a shield.
Tamae let out a heavy sigh and once he'd caught his breath, he headed back to get his things. He wanted to know if the man driving was all right, but things were never good if he stuck around afterwards, especially when the others weren't there to help him.
Suoh was busy trying to regain his breath, clutching his charge tightly, as reason slowly crept back to him. In a moment he was back to himself and released the still dazed Nokoru to run across the street and check on the car.
Smoke billowed out from under the hood and Suoh drug a section of broken fencing aside to reach the driver. The man was out cold and none of Suoh's shouts raised him. Reaching into the broken window, Suoh turned off the ignition and began to yank the door open. "I'm here!" called Akira as he came up behind him and helped with the door. It was well smashed in and it took both of them all they had to get it free. They stopped as they heard the ambulance's sirens approaching.
"Kaichou?"
Nokoru looked up with wide, blue eyes, blinking a few times before he replied. "Suoh, that was close," he was fanning himself with the edges of the fan concealing all but his eyes. "Is the driver alright?"
"Yes, the ambulance has taken him away and they say he should be fine."
Kaichou nodded to that and then shook his head. "He knew though, Suoh... Dubhain san knew. He's the only reason I'm alive." There was a tremor in his voice and, in an uncharacteristic show of affection, Suoh wrapped an arm around the smaller man's shoulders, but he had to admit to himself that it was an much for his own comfort as it was for Nokoru's.
That, such a random accident, was the worst nightmare of any Takamura. There's no preparing for it, no plans of attack against it, no warning signs: random. "Come on, are you able to go to the meeting? It can always be postponed."
"No, no, don't be silly, Suoh. I'm- OW!" As he helped his charge up suddenly Kaichou cried out and fell back down.
"What's wrong? What's injured?"
"Kaichou!?" Akira exclaimed as he finally joined them. "Are you alright?"
"I'm... I'm alright... but my hand- I think the car might have struck it." He tentatively raised the hand and they saw that it was beginning to swell and the bones on the far side looked wrong. "I didn't feel it till I tried to stand up with it. I - Owww!"
"Don't move it. Akira, go and get one of the ambulance crew for him. It looks like the car barely caught him."
"I must have had it out a bit when I turned around," he explained, half to himself as Akira ran off. "It just happened so fast... I..." He thought a moment and nodded to himself. "Yes, I remember now, the corner of the front of the car nipped me and then you drug me back as the car veered over there." He took a deep breath and tightened his grip on Suoh's hand with his good one. "Oh, my. I didn't think a broken bone would hurt this much."
"It probably wouldn't, but by the looks of it you've broken three or four," he said with comforting rub with the hand that was draped across Kaichou's shoulders.
Nokoru moaned at the thought and soon the paramedic was there.
Kumi was happily rambling about the girls on the cheerleading squad of Clamp and how they made events worth it all on their own (complete with vivid accounts of the girls' forms) as they sat at a table. The event had gone fine and they'd made a healthy profit.
It had been almost a week since the incident at the park and Tamae was growing more comfortable with the Clamp campus. As such, operations had been stepped up a bit and they were easily quadrupling their old profits with their school and Jun'ko's. Tamae shivered as he dropped a few coins onto the table.
"Here," said Jun'ko's quiet voice as a huge over coat was draped over his shoulders.
"Oh I don't-"
"It's okay, I was getting a little hot," he stated in the flat, deep tone he always used.
"...thanks," he said softly smiling up at the number cruncher. Jun'ko gave him his usual shrug and faint smile and Tamae snuggled down into the thick jacket (taking a breath of the scent on the heavy fabric) as he looked over his coins, but lifted his head again (quickly snatching up them up) as the Kaichou and his assistants came up. "Good afternoon, Kaichou, sirs," he greeted warmly, dipping his head.
"Good afternoon as well. I owe you a debt, Dubhain san. How are you all today?"
"Well, we're doing wonderfully, thank you for asking. To what do we owe the honor of this afternoon visit?" Kumi asked brightly as the tallest of the other three looked to be contemplating strangling Kumi. The aggression coming off of him was palatable and Tamae unconsciously inched closer to Jun'ko's calm.
"I'm sure we all know why we we're here, the question remains, why are they here?" the Kaichou asked, gesturing towards Tamae and Jun'ko.
Tamae blinked and looked up at his quiet friend. "What?"
"Well you, Dubhain san, I have ideas of. You're dependant on Ayashiko san for your well being, but how you allowed yourself to fall into that position is a question. It's you, Kameko san, I am truly at a loss over. You have a brilliant mind, a shining future; you could do anything, go anywhere, and instead you're happy as a simple book keeper-?"
"Jun'ko," Kumi said firmly, his previous smile missing entirely as Tamae pulled close to Jun'ko, grasping his hand as he stared at the table. "...owes you no explanation!" The dark haired ringleader stepped between the Kaichou and them and continued. "I've got an idea how you can repay your debt to Tamae for seeing to it you only wear that cast and not a body bag," he started sharply. "You can quit badgering them. You have a problem, Kaichou you bring it to me. They aren't your targets here."
The small man looked up at Kumi with little change of expression. "You've made them targets."
"Please, this isn't necessary," Tamae broke in, quickly, jumping up from his seat. "There's no need for us to become angry."
"You're right it isn't necessary. You three could take your business elsewhere. If it's your tuition that keeps you with Ayashiko san, I can offer you schooling here-"
"Kumi is not controlling us!" the shout from the soft-spoken psychic shocked everyone for a moment and he grasped Kumi's arm. "Come on, Kumi. We don't need this, we-"
Kumi yanked his arm from Tamae and shook his head. "I'm not being railroaded by some poster boy for nepotism," he said as he leaned back against the table.
The Kaichou's companions looked near swallowing their tongues but the blonde only got more resolute. "I can see to it Kameko san is expelled."
"Expelled?" he asked incredulously. "On what grounds? We've done nothing wrong, unless your..." He suddenly snatched the notebook from Jun'ko's hands. "Infallibility extends to your wild and unsubstantiated claims," as he went he fanned himself with the notebook in a mockery to the Kaichou.
"Now see here!" the tallest broke in loudly. "I won't-" but as the Kaichou tried to stop him Kumi jumped in.
"Oh really? That would explain why your girlfriend always looks wound so tightly."
"That is quite enough!" Now the Kaichou was shouting and the bodyguard joined in just after with Kumi's showman's voice shouting over both of them. Jun'ko was quickly on his feet, trying to calm down Kumi while the quietest of the student board did his best to still his friends. In an attempt to keep the Kaichou back so that Kumi wouldn't do something irrational like slug him, Tamae grasped his arm… and the world exploded.
Suddenly he wasn't in the park but somewhere else with broken concrete and screams around him, a moment later he was at a fountain, and then a high rise, a pool of water, red everywhere and the grinding of gears so loud it shook the ground and broke it like glass... Shattered glass everywhere and blood filled screams filled his ears as gears and feathers filled his vision.
Suoh had finally got a handful of the bastard's collar when the Kaichou cried out. Instantly the ninja's attention was there but this time Nokoru wasn't the one harmed, but rather the small one, Dubhain. He was falling backwards, eyes wide but unseeing, and in a moment, Tameko san had caught him and pulled him backwards away from them. "Tamae! Tamae can you hear me?" he was holding him tightly as the young man convulsed.
"Wha-" Nokoru tried to come forward to help, but Ayashiko san was quick to fend him off.
"Don't touch him! You can't touch him! Jun'ko?" he looked back the picture of worry as Jun'ko gave up simply holding him (as that did little to ease the violent shudders) and bent over him, pulling as closely as possible.
"It's okay... It's okay... It's not here... It's not now... It's okay... Tamae please... It's okay... Please..." The numbers whiz whispered the pleas as he rocked the convulsing boy.
The world slowly returned in a blurry swim of colors and muffled sounds, but Tamae could feel Jun'ko all around him, his gentle stillness blotting out the nightmare of blood-soaked swords and corpses. "Jun'ko...?"
"Yes, yes! It's me, I'm here." Tamae could feel Jun'ko shift him in his arms and a dark blur appeared just behind Jun'ko and waved. "And so is Kumi."
"Hi, kiddo. Welcome back." Tamae could feel the worry coming off of Kumi and wanted to smile to ease him, but couldn't manage it. As comforting as Kumi was, his intense aura was too much just then and he curled against Jun'ko: quiet, gentle, still Jun'ko and his steady warmth. He weakly clutched at Jun'ko's shirt and tried to let the images slip away.
"It's okay, we'll get you home," Jun'ko said quietly as Tamae felt himself be lifted, cradled in Jun'ko's comfortable arms.
He heard Kumi mumble and affirmative and another voice came in. "Is there anything I can do to help?" The light voice was laden with worry and Tamae vaguely connected it to the Kaichou. In his current state, his normal five senses were unreliable and sporadic, so he was left with only his sixth. The Kaichou's aura was as gentle as Jun'ko's, but it was bright golden to Jun'ko's dark blue. It was as bright as Kumi's, but it spread out wide in soft, caring waves, wholly unlike Kumi's jarring spikes. Behind the golden man, Tamae could feel a deep green one and a shining silver. While the green was tight and steady, the silver was open and un-patterned in it's playful shifting. If not for his weakness, he might have laughed at the childish silver. As he looked back to the gold, he noted a strand of green touching into him and Tamae followed it back to see a similar strand of gold within the green man. He was interested in what that meant but suddenly Kumi's red flared defensively.
"No! Stay away from him. Touching you did this to him!" Kumi hissed, blocking the Kaichou.
"Kumi stop it..." Tamae moaned, turning from Jun'ko's protective warmth. "You're making it sound like it's his fault... He couldn't control it... Stop being an idiot," he finished and managed a smile for the first time.
He could feel Kumi's aura shrink as he was scolded. "Okay, okay... Come on, Jun'ko." Jun'ko mumbled and affirmative and Tamae felt them head off, curling back into the cool shelter of Jun'ko's stillness, leaving the green, silver, and gold behind.
Suoh heard the driver's door close and the car came to life as they headed towards home. "That was frightening. I feel horrible about it; that poor boy..." His charge had been upset since they'd left, though he'd been hiding it till Akira was gone; the cheerful cook had been very distraught over it all and Nokoru had tried to smooth it over.
"You shouldn't feel guilty, he even said it wasn't your fault."
He sighed as he slumped back into the seat. "I know but..."
"But nothing," Suoh stated as he reached to pour the Kaichou a glass of water. "You can't be held responsible for everything. That was just out of your control."
"Everything seems to be out of my control these days..." he said softly, the exhaustion in him fully shown.
Suoh's face softened and he leaned back into the seat as he handed him the glass. "Don't. Beating yourself up isn't going to get them stopped any faster; you make it sound like someone else could do better job."
"Maybe they could. I've certainly done a less than admirable job... Getting into a screaming match...?" He lowered drink to his knee and put his head against his cast-covered hand. "That's not like me... He just..."
"He's worn you to the bone. This has been going on for over six months. You need to take a break, take a step back from all of this and come at it fresh."
"Oh that would work," he took a sip of the water before continuing. "And while I'm 'resting' they'll tear through the school unchecked."
Reaching up to lay a hand on his shoulder, Suoh said gently "I don't think it would make much of a difference. I don't think we're really keeping them in check as it is."
A small whimper escaped the Kaichou's lips as he curled in on himself. "They're gambling, buying excuse forms, test answers... Its just all coming apart." Suoh gripped his shoulder tighter in some vain attempt at comfort, but he did little more than lean into it. "And they seem so nice..."
As Suoh stiffened and was about to reply, but Nokoru adjusted his statement. "The other two seem nice, especially Dubhain san. I mean I would have been killed..." He looked down at the cast. "It's not that I haven't had close calls before, but those are always things you see coming and for some purpose. That was just so sudden and random..." His face darkened as Suoh's did as well but suddenly he heard him laugh. "That would be too ironic, wouldn't it? Here I am, the target of so many attempts at kidnapping and assassination, only to die because someone's tire blew out."
Suoh shook his head in response. "I'm just thankful he was there that day, but now it would be good if they left."
Nokoru nodded and became sullen again. "But they're not going to, because I can't figure out how to get rid of them. The school is coming apart and I can't stop it," he said as his voice cracked, his knees drawn up to his chest. "I just..."
Suoh took the glass from him and wrapped an arm around his small frame again. "It'll be okay... I promise."
Nokoru crumpled and pulled against Suoh, breaking down completely. Suoh held him tightly as he sobbed into his chest, rubbing his back lightly as Nokoru tried to speak through his tears, though Suoh could make out little of what he said. Suoh had been doing whatever he could to lighten Nokoru's load, taking on most of his paper work himself and keeping anything that might be stressful from him while he dealt with Ayashiko san, but even with all of that, he had reached the breaking point. As he continued to cry, Suoh was left to consider what was to be done about this.
Given how upset Nokoru was, surely it would be within his duties to simply kill Ayashiko san. Disposing of the body couldn't be that hard.