The Book of Clow
Summary: Touya and Sakura Kinomoto find themselves in a quest to regain the Book of Clow from an unscrupulous thief. But things are not always what they seem. . .
Sofiana's Notes:
This story is based on a "To Be Continued" Challenge I issued at LJ Tsukimine Shrine a few months ago. Unfortunately, the story was still unfinished by the time the deadline arrived. I set it aside until I could finally get around to finishing it. The drabble version is at LJ, but I expanded the story here to include additional characters and to make some slight changes, particularly making Sakura older.
Acknowledgments: The first 300 words in the drabble version were contributed by Cygna-hime, Claire Chan, and Peacewish, and are the basis for this extended version.
Disclaimer: Sofiana owns no rights whatsoever to Card Captor Sakura, which rightfully belongs to CLAMP.
Chapter One
The Book
"Can we go now?" Sakura asked her brother for what seemed to be the nth time. Touya looked up from what he was doing to where his sister stood framed in the light from the doorway of the stable. Her red-gold hair swung around to frame a very pretty face, with her sparkling green eyes such a striking feature that it made a lot of young men stop in their tracks when they first saw her.
But right now, those green eyes were slightly narrowed with impatience.
Touya sighed as he turned back to checking Kero-chan's hooves. "You're completely obsessed with the Book."
"I am not!" Sakura scuffed her feet, much like a petulant child. "It's just interesting and mysterious. It's the only magical artifact of its time! Can we?"
"Sakura, we've been going there every day since it showed up last week." He suddenly spared a suspicious glance at his sister. "Or is it just because Yuki now works there?"
Sakura blushed a brilliant red. "Oniichan!"
Sakura couldn't deny that she'd had a crush on her brother's best friend since they'd been introduced six years ago. But Yukito already had a girlfriend – Ruby Moon was a performer at Gipsy Circus, and Sakura liked her a lot. She was funny, having a sarcastic wit that she kept sharp by verbal sparring with Touya.
After a look at her cross face, Touya finally gave in with an ungracious snort, running a hand across his sweaty forehead. "Fine, fine. Just let me finish grooming Kero-chan."
00000
An hour later, brother and sister snuck into the rarely-used museum where the magical artifacts were kept. The Museum of Antiquities was one of the lesser known museums in the city, primarily because the Curator concentrated on research on its existing collection, and did not even try to expand. They were more well-known for its research work. Sakura had been coming partly to see Yukito, but also because some of the studies she'd been undertaking discussed some of the obscure artifacts that could be found only here, such as the star wand, an ancient rashin board, and assorted tree charms. The Book had appeared in the Museum a week ago, and she'd been intrigued by the runes on it. But the only thing written on the card outside its case was The Book.
They were greeted by Yukito at the entrance.
"Hi, Touya. Hi, Sakura-chan," he smiled. "Back to see the Book?"
She turned red all over again before nodding. As Yukito ushered them in the direction of the collection, Sakura elbowed Touya as he was about to make some embarrassing remark, and he wisely remained silent.
The Book was tucked in one side of the hall, together with all the apparently useless artifacts, wands, scrolls and manuscripts. Sakura wouldn't even have noticed it if it weren't for the strange cover. It was red, with the moon and the sun in front. She'd wanted to ask Yukito to let her touch the book, but it was under a display case, under lock and key, and the key was with the Museum Curator.
So, she satisfied herself with looking at it everyday. Touya often came with her once he'd come back from his duties at the Hall of the Necromancers, and while she took her time with the Book, he just talked with Yuki.
Every time she came to look at it, she saw no change – it was still an old book, bound in red leather. But there was something about it that called her, and it frustrated her that she could not understand it.
This time, as she stared at the object inside the case, she could not believe her eyes.
"B-but—that's not the Book! It's a fake!"
Indeed, the ancient Clow book was replaced on the pedestal by a cardboard imitation.
At her exclamation, both Yuki and her brother looked up.
"Sakura, what's wrong?" Touya asked.
Before she could answer, their attention was distracted by a noise at the end of the hall. Sakura turned around, and saw a man with long dark hair holding something musty under his arm. There was something strange about the way he carried it…
"THIEF!" she found herself shouting.
Sakura instinctively tried to give chase but Touya grabbed her arm roughly from behind.
"Are you crazy, little sister?" He gave a sharp glance at the thief, who quickly turned the corner and was lost to sight. "He probably belongs to the Thieves Guild – let him be!"
She struggled in his arms. "But, Touya -- !"
Touya quickly turned to Yukito, not letting Sakura's arm go. "Yuki, we'll have to notify the authorities!"
Yukito's brow was furrowed with worry.
"No."
Sakura stopped struggling, and brother and sister looked at Yukito in astonishment.
"No? But Yuki, the constables have to know!" Touya looked at the display case which now held the cardboard imitation. "Weren't there any protective spells at all? He stole it pretty easily, and in broad daylight, too!"
"The Curator told me there wasn't any need – she said the Book would protect itself. I've handled it myself, and so has she. It has a pretty powerful seal on it." There was a strange look on Yukito's face as he hesitated, before continuing. "The theft was meant to happen, Touya."
"What?"
But Yukito now ignored Touya's outburst and glanced at Sakura's tear-stained face.
"Don't worry, Sakura-chan. It's a Museum matter. I'm sure the Curator has her reasons -- we'll get the Book back soon. Are you alright?" He spared her a small smile.
"Hai," she sniffled, then looked at his face. "You won't get in trouble, will you?"
"No. The Curator knew it would happen sometime – my duty now is to inform her. Touya, you'd better take Sakura home now. And please, no word to the constables – not until I've talked with the Curator."
Touya had no choice but to comply, but as he pulled his stunned sister outside with him, he gave a meaningful glance at his best friend.
You better have an explanation, Yuki.
00000
"Sakura!"
Tomoyo greeted them at the door of their small house, immediately rushing over to take charge of Sakura, who looked decidedly pale.
She and Sakura had been best friends for as long as she could remember. Even if she had no magical talent, Tomoyo had ways to make sure she would be around to protect her best friend, who despite her burgeoning magical ability, was still quite naïve and innocent about a lot of things. And Sakura loved Tomoyo back, as well – they were even closer than sisters.
Touya had known Tomoyo all his life, and treated her like a sister. All that changed when he had come home a few years back after a particularly difficult assignment for the Guild in the North. Tomoyo had been a quiet, pretty child back then – what he met was a pert young woman, with sparkling eyes and a confident mien, far more mature than any other woman of that age.
And so their dearest wish to be sisters came true when Touya finally married Tomoyo. Aside from being a very talented housewife, Tomoyo turned out to be a very talented seamstress, and the money she brought in supplemented what Touya brought in from his duties at the Guild.
Tomoyo's pretty violet eyes fell onto her husband's face.
"What happened, Touya?"
"There was a robbery at the Museum today, and we were there."
"Oh, my goodness! Are you both alright? Have the constables been called?"
"We're okay – Sakura's still in shock. But…Tomoyo, we haven't told the constables. Yukito told us not to."
"Not told the constables? But why?"
Touya hesitated. "I don't know. But don't worry, I'll get it out of Yuki. I don't like this. I'm not sure what that was all about, but it was just too strange, and Yuki's being mysterious about it." He glanced at Sakura.
"Oi, kaijuu, snap out of it."
"I'm not a kaijuu," she answered back half-heartedly. She gave a smile to Tomoyo. "I'm okay, Tomoyo – I think I was just surprised. I-I think I'll go to my room."
Both Touya and Tomoyo watched her as she climbed up the stairs to her room, concern written on their faces.
00000
And so it passed for a week. The constables did not come knocking at their door, as Touya expected. Yukito had indeed kept it quiet. Touya's duties at the Guild made him too busy to come over and question his friend, and he had explicitly told Sakura to stay away from the Museum until he had heard from Yuki.
And then one day he came home dazed. He had just heard the most startling rumor at the Guild.
Someone was hosting a great contest for the book!
And apparently, it was no ordinary book – they called it The Book of Clow.
The Book of Clow!
Touya grimly took off towards the Museum. He needed some answers from Yuki.