Sakura: Knight of The Clow
Chapter 21
"Awaken, Clow Reed," the voice ordered.
The woman shimmered as she stood in the twilight of the tunnels. Her appearance seemed to shift, her age flowing from what looked like a teen, then rapidly aging to a ancient crone. Then, suddenly, reverting back again.
"Who...?" Clow managed.
"You have forgotten, hmm?" the beauty asked coldly.
It TOOK Clow a moment, then he muttered, "Enchantress."
"Yessssss," she hissed angrily.
"How are you HERE?" Clow had to ask. "It's been centuries?!"
"YOU are here, Clow," she sniffed, "why would you think I would not?"
Clow decided there was no point arguing, "What do you want?"
Enchantress gave a very ugly grin, "REVENGE."
"Mistress," the redheaded woman emerged from the shadows.
"Yes, Ruby?" Enchantress asked.
"Those damn rats are sniffing around," Ruby reported, "I think they want to help Clow."
"Can Spinel catch them?" Enchantress asked flatly.
"I think he's insulted at being asked to be a mouser," Ruby snorted.
Enchantress sighed.
"Good help is hard to find?" Clow teased.
Ruby GLARED at him. "Can I kill him, Mistress?" she asked.
Enchantress casually clouted Ruby. "No," she said flatly, "his life is MINE."
Ruby bowed meekly, "Of course, mistress."
Enchantress advanced on Clow, lightning arcing between her fingers, "Now, let's see..."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"Miss Kinomoto, Miss Tomoyo, welcome," one of the many good looking lady servants of Sonomi smiled.
"Uh, hello," Sakura smiled shyly.
"Natsuki, hello," Tomoyo recognized one of her mother's long time staffers. "How's the wife?" she asked conversationally.
"Shizuru's fine," Natsuki flashed a smile. She continued, "Miss Sonomi and Miss Kaho are in the drawing room."
"Thank you," Tomoyo nodded.
As they went into the mansion Sakura quietly asked, "Do you know ALL her staff by name?"
"Most," Tomoyo admitted, "Mom pays them very well, and they tend to be very loyal. Most of them have been around since I was a teen."
"Wow," Sakura blinked.
The two walked through the main enterance way, then down the hall where Tomoyo knocked on the door. "Come in!: Sonomi called.
"Afternoon, Mother," Tomoyo smiled as they entered.
Sonomi got up from the couch she was sitting on with Kaho, then swiftly hugged Tomoyo.
"Moooooom," Tomoyo sighed.
Sakura bit back a chuckle as she nodded to both older women, "Thank you for having me."
"Relax, please," Kaho chuckled.
"Something to drink, ladies?" a maid asked formally.
"Tea?" Sakura squeaked.
Tomoyo chuckled, "Yes, tea, Hazuki. And some cookies, too."
"Of course," Hazuki bowed and scurried off.
"Don't snack too much," Sonomi chided, "we're having dinner too."
"YES, Mom," Tomoyo teased.
"You DO sound like a Mom there, dear," Kaho noted.
Sonomi just pouted.
"Have the missing artifacts situation resolved itself?" Kaho asked Sakura. She added, "Off the record, of course."
"Of course," Sakura sighed. She continued, "No news, and the police seem to be stumped, as far as I can tell."
"Really?" Sonomi frowned. As a large donor to the museum, that tended to concern her a bit.
"Other than interviewing staff and accessing security cameras, they don't seem to have done anything," Sakura shrugged.
"Hmm," Kaho frowned.
They chatted awhile longer, then Sonomi's head chef announced dinner was ready...
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"There's WHAT?" Sakura blinked at Mei Lin the next day.
"An female Ogre living under the Roan estate. As far as I know, peacefully," Mei Lin noted as they ate lunch.
"Seriously?" Tomoyo blinked.
The two listened as Mai Lin gave them her story, including her conversation with the monster named 'Mara.'
"Poor thing," Sakura mused.
"Huh?" Tomoyo blinked/
"She's living all alone, in dark tunnels, and eating rats to survive," Sakura noted. "That's pretty awful, really."
"... point," Tomoyo conceded.
"I have asked the owner's representative to look after her," Mei Lin admitted. She added, "I'd like you to meet the Ogre too, Sakura."
"Huh?" Sakura blinked.
"You're a good judge of character," Mei Lin shrugged slightly, "I THINK she's trustworthy, but I'd like you to see her too."
"I'm coming along too," Tomoyo insisted.
Mei Lin gave her a wry look, well aware that Tomoyo had a jealous streak, then shrugged. "Certainly," she agreed.
A bit more meekly Tomoyo murmured, "Thanks."
"Can we go after my work?" Sakura checked. "I'd rather not call in sick unless it's an actual emergency," she added.
"That's fair," both women agreed.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"Miss Sakura! Could I see you a moment?" Nauru Akiauki, the museum director, waved as Sakura checked in after lunch.
"Of course," Sakura said politely.
Nauru's office had mostly been cleared of the old director's stuff. It was more bright and airy, and had only a few diplomas and pictures as decorations.
"We've gotten several schools looking into us doing more informational tours," Nauru said cheerfully. "As I understand it, it would impact on your work?"
"Yes, I would be unable to examine artifacts and such if tour groups were going through," Sakura conceded. "However, I DO feel that encouraging students and such is also important."
"You're SUCH a sweetheart," Nauru declared.
Sakura blushed.
"Your assistant, Yue, can help with it too, of course," Nauru mused. They smirked, "And Yue is such a cutey, the lady teachers and students will just eat him up."
"Possibly literally," Sakura muttered.
"Ha!" Nauru smiled.
"Is there anything else?" Sakura asked politely.
"That's it, I wanted to ask rather than just springing something on you," Nauru admitted. "Thank you for your time."
"You're welcome," Sakura nodded.
With a quiet sigh Sakura headed back to her work area, even as she wondered how to break it to Yue that they might both be doing tour guide work...
"Something wrong, ma'am?" Yue asked curiously.
"Not wrong exactly but...," Sakura shrugged and explained.
To be continued...
Note: YES that's Natsuki and Shizuru from Mai Hime.