Thanks for the reviews, and we're very sorry that we seem to scare everyone with thinking that the story's on hold or ending with each chapter we write. However, please take note, the two of us are students, we have homework and not that much free time to write and have a life at the same time. So, while we both love writing a fic, please… Our Muses take their time in giving us inspiration. (Comicx: Sei-chan, stop pouting. It's not My fault that Seiun took over this chapter!) Pardon that… And we also decided to commemorate Seishirou's birthday by updating this fic.
Thanks to all our reviewers once again, and this time, we decided to grant the request of one reviewer who followed us when we were kicked off for some time, and waited patiently till we re-posted this fic back here.
(K'van: Enough gab!) –kicks Comicx away from the computer-. Let's get on with the fic.
Heirs of the Clans: Chapter 8
"Are you sure this is all right, Seiun-chan?" The jade-eyed boy glanced nervously up and down the corridor. "I don't think we're supposed to be here."
"It's fine. We can fiddle around here all we want as long as we don't get caught." The honey-eyed girl next to him answered, grinning broadly as she poked at the console before her. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Now, all we have to do is get past this door…"
"There you are!" A loud voice echoed down the hallway as the two looked up, shock and apprehension in the green eyes and shock and annoyance in the gold. "What are you two doing here?!"
The one who posed the question was a boy a little older than the two standing before him, violet-eyed with hair so dark that it had blue highlights. His uniform was neat even though he had plainly been running.
"I was only looking around." Seiun was annoyed that they had been 'caught' so soon. "No need to get your pants hung from the ceiling, Takamura."
Takamura Hiroshi glared at the younger girl before him. Sumeragi-Sakurazuka Seiun was singularly the most irritating, impudent, defiant, and annoying… Wait, he was repeating his thoughts, he realized as he growled mentally, reminding himself that the fastest way to stop the Sumeragi girl was to outlast her, with plenty of patience. "Seiun, you know better than anyone else that students are not allowed in the corridor next to the Security Department! Any messing about in there and the whole campus' security will shut down!" He stopped to suck in a lungful of air. "And you KNOW this because I just told you YESTERDAY!"
"Hiroshi-san…" Seishin did his best to try and calm the older boy, easily able to imagine smoke rising from Hiroshi's head due to his fury, despite the older boy's somewhat calm tone.
Seiun rolled her eyes. "You sound exactly like Takamura-san." She gave him a glare at the somewhat backhanded compliment. "Couldn't you try to be more like your mother? Instead of the one who sicced you onto us?"
Seishin hid a smile at the referral to their first day of school, where they had been met by Security Head, Takamura Suoh himself, with Hiroshi in tow, the latter who was then 'asked', although it was pretty much an order, to guide the Sumeragi-Sakurazuka siblings and keep them out of trouble.
Hiroshi returned Seiun glare for glare. "I am responsible for you two." He said firmly, although he was regretting the day he agreed to do watch over these two.
"Ano… could we move this to the cafeteria, perhaps?" Seishin suggested as he saw an irritated looking security guard come strolling down the corridor. "Please?"
Hiroshi nodded at the security guard, who instantly looked relieved that the latest 'school terror' was already under the Takamura's care. He nodded in agreement, in favour of anything that would get Seiun further away from this vital part of the school campus.
Seiun gave a token grumble as Hiroshi led them out of the building at Seishin's request. "You're my brother, you know. You should be on my side."
"Only when you're right, Seiun-chan." Seishin answered the familiar grousing with an equally customary answer. He knew that for Seiun, curiosity and the possibility of pulling the wool over Hiroshi's eyes were altogether too tempting for her to resist.
It was not surprising that the instant they were out of the building, Hiroshi turned on them and began his lengthy scolding, which only got him the usual salvo of epithets and curses from Seiun, who, for her age, knew a surprising amount about plenty of 'biological no-nos', most of which scandalized Subaru when he heard them for the first time and amused Seishirou to no end.
By the time Seiun had run out of things to say, Hiroshi's face rivaled that of their adopted father Subaru in redness, the Takamura's ears so crimson that they looked swollen. Not that Seishin was much better off, but he at least had the advantage of having heard most of Seiun's repertoire before.
"Seiun-chaaan!" Seishin's protestation managed to halt his sister.
"Fine." Seiun huffed, turning away. "We'd better go anyway. We're almost late for class."
"I'm sorry." Seishin murmured to Hiroshi, looking embarrassed himself at his sister's abrasive behaviour.
Hiroshi shook his head, much calmer now that he was dealing with the Sakurazuka-blood member. "I should be used to her by now." He sighed. "I should be thankful that I'm following you two around because father told me to and not because I shackled myself to you in the Takamura Way [1." He shuddered at the thought.
In his own way, Seishin agreed wholeheartedly. "I think this is one of the times Seiun will agree with you." He answered somberly.
Hiroshi smiled at the other boy's words, inevitably making several of the nearby girls sigh. As the son of the Takamura, Hiroshi was naturally well-versed in martial arts and took part in plenty of competitions. So, like his father before him, he had a fan club. "It would probably gall her to do so."
"Are you coming or not?" Seiun's irritated call made Seishin smile at Hiroshi and scramble after his sister, Hiroshi following a little way behind since he was a year ahead of the siblings.
Seishin scribbled down the last problem the teacher gave and sighed as the intense lesson ended with the ringing of the school bell. Now he could finally relax… Or not, he decided, when he saw Seiun approaching him with an unmistakable look of mischief on her face.
"Should we have lunch together?" Seiun inquired, leaning on her brother's table.
In Seiun-speak, that meant 'I need to talk to you alone'. Seishin sighed, knowing this would only end up in a scolding from their adoptive fathers. "Lead the way, Seiun-chan." Well, he could try to keep Seiun out of trouble – as much as was possible, anyway.
Seiun grinned in satisfaction and trotted off, Seishin following close behind. She picked a shaded place in the school's largest park, more or less completely sheltered by surrounding bushes. With a flourish, the Sumeragi girl removed two bentos [2 and handed the pink coloured one to Seishin, taking the dark blue for herself.
"Seiun-chan!" Seishin protested, not liking the colour of the handkerchief that was wrapped around his lunch box. "Why do I get the pink one?"
Seiun grinned at him, her mouth already full with a mouthful of rice. She chewed then swallowed before answering, that habit having been almost beaten into her by Subaru and Seishirou together. "You're the Sakurazuka." She replied teasingly. "Pink is supposed to be your signature colour."
Seishin gave her a look of annoyance. The shy Sakurazuka had swiftly outgrown his timidity when it came to his sister. It was either continue being shy and being run over by her or growing a spine and making Seiun treat him as an equal. "Well, you're a Sumeragi and your bento isn't white." He referred to the colours of the Sumeragi Clan.
Seiun shrugged. "Am not all Sumeragi." She answered placidly. "'Sides, Kageyama colours are dark green and grey."
Seishin rolled his eyes at her words but they did peak his interest in his sister's mysterious clan. "Other than stealth, what does the Kageyama specialize in?" He asked curiously.
Seiun frowned, thinking of a proper answer. "I think that other than stealth…" Her eyes crossed. "I don't know."
Seishin fought the urge to collapse. "You…don't know?"
His sister grinned sheepishly. "I don't know how to say it, but other than sneaking about, there isn't much else for a Kageyama."
Seishin rolled his eyes. "Thanks, Seiun-chan. You've been a real help." He took a healthy mouthful of the curry that was part of his bento, closing his eyes in enjoyment. :: Uncle… Dad cooks great curry:: He thought with delight, then jumped as he felt a whispery touch on his mind. "Tree-san?"
Seiun turned to look at her brother when he spoke out loud then cursed as she 'heard' the Tree's answer. :: Yes. And you should know better than to talk like that, Seiun-chan, it's not something a lady should even know, let alone say out loud. ::
Seiun stuck her tongue out at the Tree, doing it physically and mentally. :: I do what I want, when I want. :: She bit savagely into a piece of curried carrot she had pieced in her bento. :: I don't want to be a 'proper lady' or 'proper Sumeragi'. :: This last was said with a mental growl.
The Tree only chuckled in reply. :: How were lessons:: It inquired, more of amusement's sake rather than a true need to know.
"Good." Seishin answered this time, smiling. "They teach so much more here!" He said enthusiastically, ignoring Seiun when she elbowed him, telling him that he was speaking out loud when the Tree was capable of just catching any of his surface thoughts. "Sorry, Seiun-chan." He apologized to his sister.
Seiun shrugged, used to the way her brother behaved. "Remember next time." She informed him before taking a large mouthful of curried rice.
Seishin grinned. "I will." He promised as they set about having the rest of their lunch in peace.
Seishin groaned he ran after Hiroshi, trying to avoid the two score girls fifty meters or so behind them, obviously chasing after them, not daring to look behind despite the attention-grabbing squeals that reached his ears. "Hiroshi! Is there anyway we can lose your fangirls?"
The older Takamura gave the younger Seishin a glare and risked a look at the mob of screaming girls behind them, causing the decibel level to jump up quite a bit. "At least half of them are yours!"
Seishin moaned. This most recent development in his life was anything but good. The constant presence of Hiroshi near him and his sister had drawn attention to him by association – a good number of the younger Takamura's fan club[3 having decided that the younger Sakurazuka-Sumeragi looked 'cute in a serious way' and thus began the 'we-love-Seishin' fan club.
When this had first started, Seiun would manage to scare most of the girls off when she could or hide them in the most curious places, knowing plenty of hidey-holes around the school campus. However, she had soon washed her hands of this matter when some girls had told her that they were jealous of Seiun for being able to spend so much time with her 'cute and quiet' brother.
"I wish Seiun-chan was here." Seishin muttered under his breath as he ran. Not that he wanted a repeat of his sister handing out snakes again but Seiun was better at illusion than he was, having learnt it from both her biological dad and one of their adoptive fathers – Sakurazuka Seishirou. "She'd have hidden us by now!"
"I agree with you!" Hiroshi answered, using the plant trellis on one of the nearby buildings' wall to scramble up to the first floor the instant he turned the corner, out of sight of the fangirl mob.
Seconds later, Seishin was right beside him, having the advantage of a lighter body.
They managed to make it up to the first floor balcony before the first of the girls made it around the corner and travelled on, shrieking their names. Panting quietly, they watched as the crowd surged past, leaving a rooster-tail of dust as they ran further away to their calls of "Takamura-kun! Sakurazuka-kun!"
Hiroshi heaved a sigh of relief. "How Dad put up with this when he was in school, I have no idea."
"He met your mother early on." Seishin pointed out, having found out a little of his friend's life story. "And maybe it would help if you didn't take part in that many tournaments." He leaned against a railing for support, tired after the mad dash to get away from their adoring pursuers, trying to regain his breath. "You should see the number of girls squealing about being able to see you in action."
It was Hiroshi's turn to groan. "But I'm the President of the grade school division Akido Club."
"And you also beat up guys who are at least twice your size." Seishin retorted with ruthless logic.
"So does Seiun." Hiroshi referred to the time he had seen Seiun beat up an arrogant high school student who was abusing his seniority and picking on younger students. Annoyed that the teen was essentially bullying kindergarten and grade school children, Seiun had walked up to him, smiled, and her small fist had slammed into his chin, snapping his jaw shut so hard that everyone nearby could hear the 'click!' even as he reeled back. When he had attempted to grab her, she had punched him in the gut, then with such adroitness that bespoke experience, she broke his nose with a precise punch.
"Not officially." Seishin answered with a shrug.
Hiroshi sighed. "True." While he liked pitting himself against older and more skilled opponents, gaining the approval and fanatical adoration of girls was an entirely different matter.
"Besides," Seishin added. "Seiun-chan is a girl. Girls don't get fangirls like yours."
Hiroshi growled. "Enough. I get the point."
Seishin smiled weakly and began making his way down and out of the building by the more normal route – the stairs, Hiroshi following him. "By the way," Seishin paused, thinking something over. "Are there any club activities this week?" He had, on Seishirou's and Seiun's encouragement, joined the Akido club under Hiroshi since the Sakurazuka traditional martial arts that Seishirou was teaching both of them bore some similarity and blended well with it. The result? His own fan club.
Hiroshi shook his head. "Not till next Monday." For a brief moment, he thought longingly for his more unscrupulous charge Seiun. The younger girl had a knack of putting a damper on fan club activities just by being there. He supposed it helped that she knew the Clamp Campus grounds almost as well as the security detail and was positively ingenious at finding places to hide or avoid the their unwanted devotees. The girl was merciless when it came to what she called 'blind stupidity' and tolerated such behaviour from no one.
Seishin's sigh shook Hiroshi out of his thoughts. "What's wrong?"
The younger boy turned to look at the Takamura. "I was just wishing that Seiun-chan didn't have her club activities today," he said quietly, referring to his sister's martial arts club, which, surprisingly enough, turned out to be Kendo.
Hiroshi shivered at the reminder, having seen how Seiun sparred before. The girl was a speedy, vicious fighter who aimed at disabling her adversary quickly with hit-and-run tactics, regardless of propriety or rules. He pitied anyone who fought her with a real blade, since that would mean that they would end up dead if they lacked the skill to defend themselves from her. In fact, Seiun was the mostly likely of the newcomers to Clamp Campus who would be entered in the upcoming Kendo competition despite her disregard for rules. The current president of the grade school division Kendo Club was someone who shared Seiun's passion for fighting so it was no use complaining to him when Seiun hit too hard. "I hope I never come up against her in Kendo." He muttered, thinking of how she would torment him if she had a legitimate reason to fight him.
Seishin looked surprised. "Why not? You're as good as she is."
Hiroshi drooped. "I'll keep up with her because my family training but we'd both end up with plenty of bruises."
Seishin shrugged. He knew as well as Hiroshi knew that Seiun was much better at fighting without her bamboo sword. The only difference was that when Seiun was fighting with the 'shinai', her focus was much better, having only a single point before to concentrate on. That also made her somewhat deadlier.
"Let's get somewhere safe before they come back." Hiroshi said abruptly, starting for the grade school building with a jog.
"I'm coming!" The young Sakurazuka-Sumeragi answered, chasing after his friend.
Two hours later, there was an irritated Seiun following the two boys as they ran through Clamp Campus central park to evade another pack of fangirls, this set far more enthusiasticthan the last, which was the reason why Seiun was running as well. "Don't they ever give up?" Seiun snarled as she chased her brother and Hiroshi.
"Not that I know of!" Hiroshi answered, turning back to yell briefly at Seiun.
"Why don't you use some of your knives on them?" Seiun wanted to know, having already experienced having said knives thrown at her before.
"I'm supposed to use them for the one I choose to protect!" Hiroshi snapped indignantly, although there was an instant of temptation to do so.
"You don't have to hurt them! Just scare them off" Seiun yelled.
"It's not right!" Hiroshi growled.
"It's better than running laps around the campus everyday!" Seiun's answer only served to infuriate Hiroshi further.
"It's a good way to exercise!" The retort was anything but helpful, Hiroshi having run out proper replies in his annoyance.
"After three hours of Kendo?!" Seiun shouted.
"Enough!" Having had of the bickering between Hiroshi and Seiun, Seishin grabbed hold of an arm from each of the squabbling pair and yanked them towards a thick grove out of the sight of the crowd for a few vital seconds.
When the squealing crowd of girls reached the patch of trees, all three of the group they were pursuing had vanished.
Once the last of the mob was out of sight and hearing for more than two to three minutes, a particularly thick tree wavered, then faded out, revealing the very three people the mob was pursuing.
Hiroshi was wide-eyed, having never seen onmyoujitsu in action before, even though his father had warned him about it. "Is… this onmyoujitsu?" He sounded cautious.
He was not the only shocked one. Seiun was gaping at her brother as well. "Seishin, why did you use maboroshi? You know that Dad is monitoring us!"
Green eyes glared at the two people beside him. "I've had enough of your fighting! Can't you work together?"
Two sets of eyes looked at Seishin in shock, one pair of honey and another deep purple.
"We've known each other for more than a month now." Seishin's tones calmed down as his expression became more earnest. "Would it kill you to work together?"
Seiun suddenly bounced forward and hugged Seishin. "You definitely got that from me!" She cried out in delight, causing her two companions to collapse.
Seiun sighed. "I guess Seishin is right." She admitted grudgingly after the moment of irrationality. She held out her hard to Hiroshi. "I'll work on being friends with you." She offered.
Hiroshi looked at the hand then at Seiun, trying to gauge the girl's sincerity, then nodded and shook the hand. "I think we are already that." He admitted. "Friends that quarrel, that is."
Seiun grinned as her eyes sparkled mischievously. "I can work on that."
Seeing his sister and friend grin at each other got a smile from Seishin in return. That is, until he heard a very familiar voice. :: Friends are very good and all, but I think that someone needs to worry about something else. A person whose name begins with a 'Se'. ::
"Oh, damn!"
[1 In book 3 of Clamp Campus Detectives, Suoh chose to be Nokoru's bodyguard for life, which was a tradition for the Takamura family. So we're using the same thing here, only, Hiroshi is NOT attached to Seiun and Seishin for life. Rather, it's more like a practice for his real choice. And it's also a way for Suoh (Hiroshi's dad) to make sure that Seiun and/or Seishin do not cause a security breach.
[2 For those of you who do not know what this word means, it is the Japanese Lunch Box.
[3 In book 1 of Clamp Campus Detectives, all three of the main characters, Imonoyama Nokoru, Takamura Suoh and Ijyuin Akira, all have a large number of fangirls, ranging from kindergarten age to university. Hence, Suoh's son is carrying on this tradition (Comicx gives everyone a wicked grin.)
Just so you know, Seiun and Seishin call Seishirou 'Dad' and Subaru 'Papa'. In actual Japanese, Subaru's title is the more formal one since he is the more formal of the two. I promise, there will be more Seishirou and Subaru in the next chapter. It's already half worked out. Hopefully, we'll be able to get it out before the end of the year.
One more thing! Both of us have started a new term of studying. So we have busier schedules even if we get to see each other every day. So please, be patient with us. (Is it called celebration if you give me a headache? – Comicx elbows Seishirou Muse. : It's not my fault that you gave me so little inspiration for your part in this chapter!) Ahem…
We do have a later chapter where Seiun and Seishin are taken on their first 'visit' to the Sumeragi household (Comicx cackles: I'm EVIL! EVIL! K'van sighs and hits Comics hard with a broom, knocking her out and continuing what Comicx has started typing.) And we guarantee it's worth waiting for! So review! Review!