A.N.: Chapter 2 is here…
And here are a few names for those who don't use the Japanese manga version:
CHYUUSOUJI ERII: the blond girl with Chinese styled-hair, Dunklyon assistant, Kotobuki's girlfriend Erii by Takeshi/Kentarou; Erii-san by Kotobuki
SUKIYABASHI KOTOBUKI: the ex-villain with the long hair in a braid (blue hair in anime, black hair in manga), currently the Dunklyon strategist (if I'm not mistaken), Erii's boyfriend Sukiyabashi by Takeshi/Kentarou; Sukiyabashi-kun by Erii
HIGASHIKUNIMARU KENTAROU: red Dunklyon (uses firearms), brown hair, good cook, likes sports in general but his specialty is running, always hits on Takeshi (and loves to embarrass him, apparently), talks too much Kentarou by Takeshi/Erii; Higashikunimaru-kun by Kotobuki; Kentarou-kun by Dunklyon choukan (Nokoru)
SHUUKAIDOU TAKESHI: blue Dunklyon (uses sword), black hair, bad cook, likes sports in general but his specialty is kenjutsu, easily embarrassed by Kentarou, has a part-time job God knows where (I think it's in one of the Imonoyama companies) Takeshi/Darling/Takepon (oO) by Kentarou; Takeshi by Erii; Shuukaidou-kun by Kotobuki; Takeshi-kun by Dunklyon choukan (Nokoru)
Thought you might want to know, CHOUKAN means something like a leader. Actually, it's just like kaichou or any of those names people use to indicate the highest rank, except the name varies according to what the association represents.
And don't forget that, in Japan, people introduce their surname first, than their given names. Think of "Bond… James Bond," – the guy says his last name first, then gives his first name. Did that help? Oo
THE WAY YOU ARE IS FINE ENOUGH
CHAPTER 2 – THE LINK TO US ALL
It happened really fast, and it happened as if he wasn't even there, as if he was on the sidelines watching everything that happened to his body... but he was there... unfortunately.
The day he received permission to leave the Hospital, no one was there with him to celebrate, but Akira and Suoh were on their way to pick him up, having been called by the reception.
However, Nokoru never got a chance to see his friends.
When the doctor gave him the news, three days after he had collapsed and was taken to the CLAMP Campus Hospital, Nokoru had been sitting on his bed, back propped against the bundle of pillows set to support him, no one else in the room except him and the doctor.
The blonde had been quite relieved when that was said; being the active boy he was, even though he knew he couldn't overdo it as much as other kids his age could, remaining captive in one room was not an option he wanted to take.
When all the final tests were done and he received approval, not to mention a lecture, Nokoru got his washed uniform back and changed out of the white clothes he had been wearing while in the Hospital. Greeting all the nurses he found on his way out, for they spoke to him first, the Imonoyama child finally exited through the automatic glass doors to the outside world, expecting to find his limousine and his two friends waiting for him.
What he found was an empty driveway and a few chauffeurs on the other side of the street, waiting for their employers to come out... no friends... no one he knew.
That hadn't been a problem, though, for he perfectly knew they had just been warned and were probably on his way to get him. His memories went back to the time before he met Suoh, when the Imonoyama had to always be surrounded by bodyguards whenever he went out... that had changed, though. The only bodyguard he needed around was Suoh, and that also made his life easier, since it gave him a little more freedom than he had had before.
The blond boy knew, however, that neither his ex-bodyguards nor his current one would approve if he just waited outside by himself, especially since there were no security guards or policemen around. That I mind, he breathed in some of the morning's fresh air and, with a sigh, Nokoru turned around intent on going back inside, when, as quick as a flash of light, a hand came apparently out of nowhere and placed itself on his mouth, completely blocking his voice, and an arm snaked itself around his midsection, trapping his arms as well, preventing any movement from the blonde.
And in what seemed like mere seconds, he was tossed inside a car and his world turned black when the blond head hit something hard, never noticing that a long car had just appeared in the driveway; its two young passengers and the driver had seen everything.
They hadn't even gotten the chance to react... the small navy blue car sped off in blinding speed, never allowing anyone to see its plate or who was inside.
But Akira and Suoh had seen enough: when the limousine pulled up in the driveway, the two young boys watched helplessly as one of their kaichou's attackers from three days ago; a tall well-built man with dark shades, disheveled mahogany-colored hair and a clean tuxedo; silently came up behind their senpai, hastily grabbed him and in seconds was gone... the man... and the President of the Elementary School Student Council.
They would have followed the car, but by the time they actually reached the spot Nokoru had been only seconds before, the other car was long out of sight... with the blonde in it.
"Kaichou..." They whispered simultaneously, watching the empty space before the automatic glass doors.
"We don't know who they are or what they want, so let's move, Ijyuuin!" Suoh commanded when he got a hold of himself, the situation fully dawning on him.
"Hai!"
He didn't want to, he seriously didn't want to, but there was nothing he could do. Suoh had to call the CLAMP Campus Guardians: CLAMP Gakuen Tokkei Dunklyon.
Except he knew he'd have to spill out Nokoru's secret identity... and the blonde wouldn't be very happy with that, but Suoh needed help... and the young ninja knew he could trust the two older boys.
So, as if the Dunklyon choukan had never disappeared, the Elementary School Student Council Secretary announced on the speakers that the four guardians were being summoned... in the same subtle way the original "commander" would have done: a small verse in a cute little rhythm, using his kaichou's voice with the help of a voice synthesizer… although that definitely got him embarrassed, it had to be done, otherwise the others would find it suspicious and might waste more time than he expected.
Kentarou was hitting on Takeshi once again while Erii and Kotobuki laughed their heads off observing it, when they all heard the announcement. Immediately stopping what they were doing, the four went to the bakery where the entrance to their meeting room was hidden in one of the ovens.
When they arrived, however, they were quite surprised to see not their choukan on the big screen with the two ladies behind him, but a couple of elementary school students... a dark-haired boy and a blue-haired one. The latter was the first to speak, losing no time.
"I know what you're wondering and the answer is yes, 'choukan' is not here, as you can see. However, you have a mission... and an important one at that: Imonoyama Nokoru-kaichou, President of the Elementary School Student Council was kidnapped this morning in front of the Campus Hospital."
"Who are you?" Takeshi asked.
"And where's choukan!" Erii demanded, seriously worried about her leader.
"I'm Takamura Suoh, kaichou's bodyguard and the Elementary School Student Council Secretary. This," he said, at that moment motioning to the boy beside him, "is Ijyuuin Akira, the Treasurer."
"If so, where were you if you're his bodyguard?" Takeshi asked.
"On my way to pick him up at the Hospital."
"Why was he there in the first place, anyway?" This time it was Kentarou's voice that asked the question, a bit worried about the said President.
"Kaichou was attacked three days ago and ended up in the Hospital, although I'm still blind to a lot of the details about it."
"How do we know this isn't a trap?" Kotobuki asked suspiciously.
"And why does this relate to choukan's disappearance?" Erii asked furious for not knowing where their cheerful commander was.
"I didn't say that, but you are right, it does have a relation," Suoh said, his face with a scowling expression; he sighed visibly before continuing. "Your choukan IS Imonoyama Nokoru."
"What!" They all shouted in surprise, chins dropping.
And then, silence... before Kotobuki recovered from the shock and spoke again.
"Can you give us any proof of what you're saying... that Imonoyama Nokoru is our choukan?"
"Not really, Sukiyabashi-san, we never really recorded anything or took any photos... but isn't the resemblance enough! Just take out the glasses from your choukan's face!" Suoh answered exasperatedly.
"That's not enough evidence!" Erii replied, still angry.
"What do you want me to say then!" The blue-haired boy shouted. Taking a deep breath and recomposing himself, Suoh continued. "Look, the fact is kaichou is gone... he was kidnapped, and I need help to get him back. He entrusted you with this School's safety and that's why I'm hoping I can also count on you with his."
That left the others speechless.
"Even if it has no relationship... the fact that a kid's in danger is enough of a reason for us to help. Count on us!" Kentarou said with a smile and a wink, the v-sign displayed by his right hand's respective fingers.
"Ijyuuin, you stay at the office in case he shows up!" Suoh ordered.
Surprisingly though, Akira declined. "I'm sorry, Takamura-senpai, but I want to go rescue kaichou too!"
"You can't! Ijyuuin, you don't stand a chance! Stay here and you'll be safe!"
"No!"
"Ijyuuin!"
"I want to help kaichou too!"
"It's too dangerous!"
"I've been through a lot of dangerous situations... I can handle it!"
"How do you expect me to believe that!"
Akira sighed. "There's no other way, I guess."
"Yes, Ijyuuin, there's no way I'm letting you come with us and endanger your life too. Kaichou would never forgive me."
"That's not what I meant, Takamura-senpai!"
"Then what is it!"
"I can handle it... because... Kaijin Nijyuu Mensou-san... is me!" He said.
At that confession, everyone in the room was left dumbstruck…
"Great, first our choukan is a 6th grader and now the biggest thief of our campus is a 4th grader! What the hell is going on?" An exasperated Kentarou asked, his arms going about wildly.
"Ijyuuin, this is no laughing matter! I'm not letting you endanger your life just because you say you're something you aren't!" Suoh shouted at his kouhai, on the verge of a mental stress.
"What if I prove it to you, Takamura-senpai?" Akira asked, his voice as calm as his facial expression.
"How do you expect to prove that to me? We have no time, Ijyuuin! Stop playing games!"
"I'm not playing, I know this is a serious and urgent situation! I can prove to you that I'm Kaijin Nijuu Mensou-san right here and right now, Takamura-senpai!"
"Then stop talking and prove it! Prove to me you're the one thief the CLAMP Gakuen Police Department can't get a hold of!"
"Why else would I be holding these, then?" Akira asked as he extended his closed fist, which had just dug into his pockets, opening it and revealing a few small items.
Suoh and the others gasped as they saw what the 4th grader was showing them: the glass candy, the peppermint sunglasses and the mint necklace… all of which were very rare items that had been stolen from their respective exhibition places just that morning by none other than Kaijin Nijuu Mensou himself. The Dunklyon team had tried to retrieve the objects, but the clever thief had outsmarted both them and the police department yet again.
"I didn't have time to hand them in, so I had to keep them with me," Akira said, his head lowering enough to hide his eyes.
"So that's why you ran in all sweaty this morning! But Ijyuuin, WHY are you doing something like this… stealing precious artifacts?"
"Uh… let's just say I have two lovely good reasons…" Akira whispered as a reply to his senpai's question.
"Well, whatever, now that we know who you are, you are currently under arrest for the theft of listless artifacts and…" Kentarou started, but was roughly interrupted by Takeshi's hand on his mouth.
"Not now, Kentarou! He may be a criminal, but right now, we might need his help, so just let it go. We'll deal with this later!" He said to his partner as his hand dropped from the other's lips.
"You're right, Shuukaidou-kun. We have to rescue the Imonoyama kid first, find out if he's choukan or not, and then we'll take care of you, kid!" Kotobuki said, pointing at the 4th-grader as the last words were pronounced.
At this, Akira just smiled, knowing his hard life as a thief had just gotten much harder, but for his kaichou's safety, it would be well worth it…
"Alright, now that we finally landed upon an agreement, and that we've lost enough time, let's go after kaichou!" Suoh shouted, extremely exasperated, after all, he was extremely worried for his one.
END of CHAPTER 2 – THE LINK TO US ALL
A.N.: Well, that wraps up another chapter!
I think this is what they call a "filler chapter", I don't know, but it had to be done. I know it's not exactly interesting, but I tried to make it as least "non-pleasurable" as possible! The next one is way better, in my opinion, that is!
R&R, correct any mistake, tell me where I did wrong or where there is any technical incoherency, whatever… but please make it constructive criticism!
KaiLi Syaoran-Lover signing out!