AUTHORS:
Hello. After another long interval, I am back again for the last time to present the first chapter of Kage. And no, I'm not quitting writing. It's just that I'm having problems accessing FFnet, add that to the fact that I am quite busy with my thesis (graduating college ). That is why, this will be the last chapter I will be adding to my collection here. I will have a site to house all of my fics just like before, but since I cannot do that at the moment, I will post all my future chapters and works in my livejournal ß yes, it's single "k."
I express my heartfelt apologies to the readers of this fic and of my other fics. I'll try to also setup a Y!group if anyone wants to. I will post my site url in my profiles here sometime in the near future (I hope).
Thank you for reading my works.
KAGE
By: nikki hiiragizawa
Anime: Card Captor Sakura
Genre: drama/crime/romance
Rating: can be read by everyone
Disclaimer: Card Captor Sakura belongs to CLAMP.
Chapter 1: The Urn of Rin
"The burglar Purple butterfly had struck once more as he or she broke into the Tomoeda Historical Museum's Special Artifact's Gallery at exactly 10 in the evening. He or she allegedly stole the Urn of Rin, a recent addition to the museum's collection and is supposed to be up for exhibit today. The thief reportedly left a note about stealing the urn and managed to do so, amidst the police and security systems scattered all over the museum. How the thief managed to steal the vase with tight security did not, however, remain a mystery just like last week when Purple Butterfly stole the sword of the captain of the police. An amateur detective from Europe apparently solved the mystery, but the identity of the thief still remains in the shadows.
"The Urn of Rin is a long-lost artifact made around 100 years ago about 6 inches in height and made of porcelain painted with images of running water around its body. Legends say that the vase was nicknamed "Vase of Dreams" since it is said to remove unwanted dreams from its owner and offer undisturbed sleep. However, local folklore also reported that the same vessel was used by ninjas to kill enemies in their sleep. They would sell the vase and tell the victim of its ability to give a good sleep. At night, the ninjas would make the vase trap the victim's dreams and replace them with nightmares, killing the victim through fright or heart failure. How the ninjas managed to use a simple vase as this kind of weapon, no one has managed to answer.
"Police are now awaiting for further notices to be sent by the now famous thief and will try to solve the case as soon as possible."
Hiiragizawa Eriol sighed and rolled the newspaper before throwing it in a trashcan nearby. After all his reminders to the police not to disclose his identity to anyone, the fact that he came from Europe still leaked out. Good thing they didn't know about his age, or else media can track down anyone who came from Europe alone that's around 21 years old.
He stopped and scrutinized the façade of a building before him. The chief of police was quick enough to ask for a permit for him to study here at Tomoeda College of Arts and Letters. After entering this building, he, a graduate of Criminology in London, will become a student of Bachelor of Arts in Music.
He flashed his temporary I.D. to the guard at the door. Chief Hiyama was puzzled as to why he wanted to study while taking part in the Purple Butterfly Case. The chief did not know that being a member of a university or college will give anyone access to libraries, government agencies, and other places that might give him information. Of course, that includes having friends that might know some urban legends and hidden news regarding the thief's whereabouts. After all, the witnesses of the crime last night described a young man dressed in a black jacket and green scarf enter the museum before it was closed for the night.
"The Vessel of Dreams," he muttered as he walked down the corridor, searching for the dean's office where he was to report. He was unfamiliar with that legend. He made a silent note to try visit the writer of the article before and try to pretend he was doing a report about the stolen artifact. He was thinking of a suitable story to tell the newspaper writer when a female voice stopped his steps.
"Hiiragizawa-san?" the voice belonged to a young woman who was about to exit a room. She wore a denim dress that reached to her knees, and leather sandals dressed her feet. Her hair was tied up in a neat ponytail and she was carrying a lot of folders. Eriol assumed this person is either a secretary or a student in this school, and is collected and organized person. The way she looked at him says that she values time, and she is in quite a bit of a hurry.
Eriol promptly answered as he observed the girl. "Yes, that's me."
The girl smiled and adjusted her hold on the folders. An I.D. that peeked out from her breast pocket confirmed that she is a student. "The dean is waiting for you. Please proceed inside."
"Thank you." Eriol gave her a smile and she nodded cordially. The young man entered the room where the girl came from and found himself in the dean's office.
The dean was kind enough to accommodate him even though he did not know that the very student he is accepting is already a graduate. The fake papers he brought with him was definitely useful. He used to use those papers to get into competitions and jobs while tracking down a suspect when he was back in London.
The dean reviewed the papers before him. "So, you previously studied in a music school in London," he confirmed. "I guess you brought all the necessary requirements." The dean smiled and held out his hand to Eriol. "Welcome to Tomoeda College of Music."
"Thank you, sir." Eriol firmly gripped the hand offered to him.
The dean nodded and spoke. "Oh, yes. Since you are unfamiliar with this place, you can ask any of the student council members for assistance if you need any help locating or doing something. They can be found everywhere."
"Very well, sir." Eriol was about to take his leave when the door opened again and the girl from before reappeared.
"Fukai-sensei(1)?" the girl addressed the dean. She smiled to Eriol as she approached the table. She handed a folder to the dean. "This is the condensed form of the most recent project of the sci-fi club, as you requested earlier."
"Thank you, Daidouji-san." He leafed through the papers before looking up. "Oh, yes, Hiiragizawa-san. This is Daidouji-san, the current secretary of the student council here. Please allow her to assist you if you have any difficulties adjusting here."
"Pleased to meet you, Hiiragizawa-san. I'm Daidouji Tomoyo. Please don't hesitate to ask anything from me." She bowed deeply instead of offering her hand. As she straightened from her bow, she picked up the folder near the dean's table and handed it to the young man. "Your schedules are included there, as well as the curriculum and the course outlines."
Eriol bowed too. "Thank you. Please call me Eriol."
Tomoyo blinked but did not answer. "Very well. See you later, Hiiragizawa-san." She bowed to the dean and promptly left the room.
"Daidouji-san is a second-year music major here," the dean explained. "You can catch her in the choir room or in the student council office if you need her assistance."
"Thank you, sir."
Eriol shrugged as we walked out of the room, thinking how formal the previous encounter was. Reminding himself again to visit the newspaper company after dismissal, he read his schedule and started to walk towards his class.
Eriol, having been used to transferring school every now and then when he was in junior high and high school, was not uncomfortable with the surroundings. In fact, he had already made a few friends and admirers. One of them was his table-mate today at lunch: Yamazaki Takashi.
"And then, supposedly, pandas lived near the North Pole…" Yamazaki said a while ago that he wanted to become a novelist, but since his girlfriend Chiharu was to study in this music college, he decided to follow. Still, Eriol thought, Yamazaki could use his storytelling talent in a literary arts school.
"Aren't pandas supposed to eat bamboo?" A girl smiled at Eriol and frowned at Yamazaki before sitting across them. This was Mihara Chiharu, Yamazaki's girlfriend. "How can bamboos grow near North Pole?" She chewed on her sandwich as she waited for her boyfriend to weave yet another tall tale.
Eriol laughed and looked around the canteen. Most people were noisily chatting and throwing debate stuff here and there. He caught a talk about the burglary last night, but the talk was mostly about how the thief entered the museum.
"And then, when pandas were overcame by the polar bears, they had to move to China…" Yamazaki was defending himself when half of the canteen quieted down. Three people were walking towards the counters.
"Sakura-chan!" Chiharu suddenly yelled. One of the newcomers looked towards their table and smiled widely.
"Chiharu-chan!" the girl shouted back and waved. When she noticed that other people were looking, she smiled sheepishly and continued towards another table.
Eriol saw Sakura talking to the girl she met earlier: Daidouji Tomoyo. "You know them?" Eriol asked Chiharu, who was about to strangle her boyfriend.
Chiharu paused from attacking. "Oh? You mean Sakura-chan?"
"Well, and those with her."
Yamazaki sipped his soda before joining their discussion. "That girl Chiharu addressed is Kinomoto Sakura. She's the student council vice president. The guy with her is the student council president, err, you need not know his name because he's not always present anway…"
"Takashi, that's so rude!" Chiharu exclaimed. She then turned to Eriol. "Well, as he said, Sakura-chan is the council vice president. She was my friend way back in high school, and we still spend time together sometimes. The other girl is her best friend and the student council secretary, Daidouji Tomoyo."
"I met her in the dean's office a while ago," Eriol told them. "But she seems so…"
"Uptight?" Yamazaki provided the word for him. "That's just the way she is. She was raised in a traditional Japanese family, so her values and beliefs are really intact."
"Oh…" Eriol followed the girl with his eyes. Everyone seemed to like her a lot, especially the young men, but even though she returned their smiles, no contact with her can be made.
Chiharu shook her head. "Tomoyo-chan is pushing herself too hard. She was never like that when we were in high school." She stacked their used trays together as the two men helped her collect their paper wrappings and plastic cups at the top. "She was a much cheerful person back then, now she seemed distant and the only person she talks gaily to is Sakura-chan."
As Tomoyo and Sakura walked their way, Sakura genially introduced herself to Eriol and greeted the other two. Tomoyo, on the other hand, nodded to them. "I hope you have adjusted well, Hiiragizawa-san," she formally greeted.
"I have been welcomed greatly by these classmates of mine," Eriol replied. "And please call me Eriol." Tomoyo smiled as if in defeat.
"Sakura-chan, do call me if you and Tomoyo are free this weekend," Chiharu was almost pleading. "Rika-chan told me she wanted to see you guys. She's been lonely since she started living far away from us."
The Council president smiled. "Okay. I'll call you tomorrow." She tugged at Tomoyo's hand. "Let's go? Algebra is next, right?"
"Yes." Tomoyo smiled at Chiharu and Yamazaki. "Good to see you still doing so well." She then turned to Eriol. "Till we meet again, Hiiragizawa-kun."
Eriol sat, slightly annoyed, as the two left. "Why does she insist on calling me by my last name?"
Chiharu and Yamazaki were giggling too hard to speak.
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A young man sat inside the fighting dojo, sweat trickling on his arms and back. He wiped his forehead with his right arm and stood up to replace his sword in its pedestal. Just then, a knock from the dojo door resounded.
"O-bochama (2)," the voice said. "The alchemist is here."
"Tell him I will meet him in the receiving room," he announced as he started dressing in a thin yukata (3).
"As you wish."
He quickly exited the dojo (4) to slip into his own room, there, he took a shower and clad himself in merely shirt and pants. His ancestors, if they ever look down upon him, might curse him upon seeing his clothes. But, the Okashira said they should never be always formal, since it creates gaps within the ranks. He combed his hair and went down to the receiving area.
Two years ago, he would have become the Okashira. But the elders decided on something outrageous it had almost upset the whole clan. They accepted someone whom everyone thought cannot rule in justice, and had prevented him from becoming the clan leader.
At such a young age, he felt mad that time, having been defeated by that person. But as time goes by, and as he watched the Okashira handled their people, he began realizing the decision of the elders was right. Someone from the main family should rule the clan, and not him, the eldest son from a branch family. Now, his dedication for the leader had increased, and he never wanted anything but to follow the Okashira's orders and implement them, as the right-hand leader.
He slid the door to the receiving room open and found a man sitting across his seat, his head bowed almost to his knees. The alchemist, surprisingly, was not wearing his disguise, but is instead wearing casual clothes. Little did some people know that beneath those clothes lies the deadliest person in their clan.
He sat across the alchemist, his worn legs feeling heavy as it sank onto the tatami mat. He closed his eyes, as if probing deep into the visitor's mind, before speaking.
"Welcome home, Yukito-san," the right-hand leader greeted. "Since you duty last night you were not able to give any news. Have you researched on the new detective's background?"
"Not yet, young master." Tsukishiro Yukito is the clan's sole alchemist. Aside from looking for ways to convert certain chemicals to gold, he had involved himself with potion and poison making. He had tested the poisons and antidotes on himself, and his body is filled with numerous toxins and various antibodies that if ever he was eaten by a wild animal, that animal will die instantly. His background of being a good scholar had, though, given him another effortless role as an information gatherer. Soon, all those things unknown to them will be cracked by this walking weapon.
"The police had hidden prints of his background?" the assistant leader asked. Yukito nodded briefly. "They must have assigned him to live and work somewhere else, then," he continued. "He must be living under a front that would enable him to establish sleuthing skills without anyone noticing."
The young master rose from his sitting position and paced around the room. What would the Okashira think during times like this? Trying to gamble an order, he finally said, "I must request you take on a different investigation route, Yukito-san. Instead of painstakingly trying to get a hold of that detective's background, which was not even mentioned in the news, could you see to it that you get to work with him while he is on a mission?"
Yukito looked up, surprised, but nevertheless he smiled. The young master had given a good order. "I shall try to do that, since I am close to the sergeant."
"Thank you."
"Please tell the Okashira I will be staying for a while in a friend's house in order to file a better report."
"Yes. Be careful on your way, Yukito-san."
Yukito stood up and bowed. He slid the door open and stepped out. "I live to take care you the Okashira, and you…"
The young master smiled as Yukito turned away.
"Syaoran-sama."
Li Syaoran, a past candidate for being the Okashira 2 years ago, but was denied because of his Chinese father, was now sitting in the receiving room waiting to tell the news to the clan's leader.