5. Pride.

T: forgive the delay…the germs got me I'm afraid so I spent all of yesterday in bed…as an apology I give you not one but two chapters! Warnings the same and I remain an owner of these guys in my head alone!

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The plan had formulated quickly in her mind, almost upon the very moment the fax had come in reply to her request for information on the Clamp Campus.

Niichan had taught her always that patience was a virtue and that sometimes to get to the goal one had to take a longer path.

Though it hurt to admit, she knew that her boy would not simply welcome her back with open arms and that gaining again his undivided attention would take time.

Her clearest rout seemed to be to court the favour of her Kaichou, who was, according to all her sources, somewhat of a ladies man and more than likely to take the girls side of a lovers quarrel.

Furthermore it seemed that there was a familiarity, of not a friendship, between the Imonoyama heir and her boy, thus making it more likely that her plan would hold firm.

She would gain the favour and the soul attention of the Imonoyama and when assured that he trusted her above all others she would admit to him of her care for Seishiro.

The Imonoyama would then, if he was as his profile stated, aid her in gaining the soul attention of her boy and perhaps even in ousting the Sumeragi enough that should the opportunity arise she could kill him without raising the alarm.

She is escorted across the campus grounds by two individuals who are very clearly security guards and she takes this opportunity to assess the Campus's idea of defence.

They hold themselves with a tense weariness that is admirable and the subtle budges about their hips tell of small professional guns rather than the bulkier weapons that she has seen before on security personal.

Oddly the guards seems to relax as they come to what is, supposedly, their destination and she wonders at this until they cross into the room itself.

There are three individuals awaiting her arrival, two of whom are seated and the other whom is standing.

There is something in the eyes of this boy and his proximity to the individual whom she has come to meet that tells her instantly that he is a bodyguard.

Yet she can not see about his person any obvious weapons and this tells quickly that he is a Ninja…no, not simply Ninja, but Takumura, which was, of course, a very immediate concern.

For the Takumura holds an obvious affection for her attended target and she is assured that should she prove even the smallest of threats towards the Imonoyama the Ninja will dispatch of her without hesitation.

One of the security personal has introduced her and the Imonoyama stands in order to bow gallantly and introduce both himself and his two companions,

"I am Imonoyama Noruko and these are my associates, Iyjin Akira and Takumura Suoh." The boy introduced as Iyjin stands to bow to her also and there is a lightness in his movement that warns that he is more than she had presumed him.

Bowing also she introduces herself with her assumed name, assuring that a little of her gift travels with the syllables so that Noruko is entranced by her instantaneously.

By the time they are at the second destination of interest Noruko has asked his 'subordinates' to leave them alone and there is an openness to his manner that tells that she has achieved already her first goal.

Noruko is actually more of an incitement than she had initially realised and she finds herself constantly surprised not only by his intelligence but by the shear force of his personality.

She finds herself laughing without having to force herself and though she is aware always of the desire he feels for her she finds herself able to relax in his presence.

She feels the tingle of her boy's presence and the rush of adrenaline that comes from the knowledge that he is near starts her sharply from the naive tranquillity she had fallen into.

Using that awareness she finds him quickly, his head turned from them for the moment as she talks to the Takumura boy.

She yearns to see his face again, yearns for his smile even if he is giving it to Sakura rather than her true face.

Thus she takes a soft hold of Noruko's wrist and leaning a little towards him enquires,

"Could we spare a moment to see Yuko-san, Noruko-chan?"

"How do the two of you know one another anyway?" He enquires, his manner suddenly closed and suspicious.

She forces a blush onto her face and her eyes not meeting his she informs him,

"It is not like that, Noruko-chan, indeed I only met Yuko-san yesterday."

"Then why are you so keen to see him?"

"Because he was the one who recommended that I come to the Clamp Campus and because he was chivalrous enough to see if I were well when I fainted yesterday afternoon."

"I see." His smile returns then and flipping out his fan he gestures towards the two and says,

"We may, if you wish, linger a moment to talk to Yuko-san."

"Arigato." She replies, bowing deeply before she gives in, at last, to her desire to call out for him.

The Takumura is clearly weary still of her and as her boy and Noruko are talking to one another of her boy's part in her presence here his eyes never leave hers but to show his displeasure at her boy for allowing her to get this close to his beloved.

Her boy seems to little care for this hatred for he cuts the conversation short and makes and excuse for this by stating a desire to 'work on his form' while he had opportunity.

She desires to see her boy practicing with the Takumura, both simply so that she might admire his style and also sp that she can assess both her boys fighting ability and the Takumura's also.

She knows, however, that Noruko will not so easily give up the opportunity to be alone with her and wishing to allow him a little longer she allows him to take her away from the presence of her boy.

Once they are far enough from the pair that she is assured that even the Takumura can not see or hear them she places a strong sleeping spell onto Noruko and hides him up in the branches of a large oak.

Assured that he is well hidden from all but her own eyes she shrouds herself into her illusion of invisibility and follows the faint imprint of her magic until she comes again upon her boy.

He is finishing his warming pattern, his body moving from stance to stance in a fluidity that speaks of familiarity and strong tuition.

His feet strike the matting on the floor of the hall for the last time and bowing to the Takumura he enquires,

"Are you going into this spar cold?"

"Seishiro-sempi, you know that I am never 'cold', that everyday Kasan has me practice my art."

"You sound insulted, Suoh-san, that was not my intent. I meant rather to assure myself that you had not decided to take pity on me and give me a slightly advantage over you."

The Takumura bows and replies,

"I would never insult your honour in such a fashion." Before he relaxes into a fighting stance.

They move in a fluid anticipation that shows well that they have spent many years learning one another's form.

Her boy slightly favours his right side, something that the Takumura takes advantage of quickly by moving beneath her boy's strikes to catch him into a perfectly executed Bandae-dolryo-cha-gi.

Her boy springs quickly back onto his feet and bowing he enquires,

"I suppose I am relying too heavily on my 'confident' side again?"

"You are better than you were, Seishiro-sempi, enough so that this time I almost did not get the opening I needed to execute that kick." He replies before he settles back into his fighting stance.

This time her boy moves without fault, his face straitened into an intense concentration as he assures that he keeps this perfection and does not again move to favouring his right side.

Seeing him in this manner, so intent to learn from his mistakes and perfect himself, brings to her a twinge of dark pride and she knows that no matter how much he has changed she wishes to have him still.

Wishes him to carry her legacy once she is dead.

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T: A Bandae-dolryo-cha-gi is, if I have my terminology correct, a backwards spinning kick. R+R as I now eat praise!