Tsukimine Shrine, Opposites Day Challenge
Nov. 17th, 2004 02:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
butterflydreamingCard Captor Sakura fanfiction
Suspense/Thriller
PG
Sakura Kinomoto, Sorceress for Hire
After yet another phone call with no one speaking, only hushed breathing on the other end of the line, Naoko knew that she could not go another day with this constant terror of being watched -- at least, not without losing her sanity. She hadn’t been able to sit still since the calls and unsolicited gifts started, and as long as she couldn’t sit still, she couldn’t meet her editor’s deadline. So she went to an old friend for help.
She couldn’t remember Sakura’s number -- they had kept in touch, but only marginally -- yet she did remember the ad. In the yellow pages, under “sorcery”, Sakura Kinomoto was the only listing for the Tokyo area. Other than the Li clan, she may have been the only practicing mage in the entire eastern hemisphere; she was certainly the only one for hire.
Sakura had not changed much since the last time that Naoko had seen her. She still had her small but athletic build, and her short, auburn hair framing a cheerful face that easily expressed her concern at her old friend’s appearance. Naoko had not been able to sleep in weeks without pharmaceutical aide, and she arrived at Sakura’s office disheveled, with tired eyes behind her stylish glasses.
“So tell me what’s been happening?” Sakura prompted as she offered the other woman a chair to sit in. “On the phone you mentioned hang-ups and mysterious presents. Is there anything else going on?”
Naoko twisted her handkerchief in her hands. “I have a feeling of being watched, almost constantly. It’s horrible. And the presents… once, I was out shopping and I noticed a beautiful copy of a rare book in a favorite store. It was more than I could afford to buy, so I told myself that I would wait until my next book was completed.” Her gaze traveled sightlessly across the room and out the broad windows. “With this going on, I haven’t been able to get the next installment in the series written.” She shivered despite the comfortable warmness of the room. “A few days later, that rare book was delivered to my house, purchased anonymously, or so the book dealer told me. They’ve all been like that. Things that I’ve paused over but didn’t buy.” Naoko began to chew her nails, a nervous habit that she had been free of since early childhood. Her free hand dove into her purse and pulled out a package of cigarettes. “Do you mind,” she asked with a twitter, “if I smoke?”
“Please, don’t,” answered Sakura. She placed a gentle hand over Naoko’s shaking fingers. “I will find out who is behind this. Let me make you some tea, instead. You’re safe here, Naoko. This suite is completely warded. Neither electronics nor magic can eavesdrop, and those windows only look out.” She picked up a yellow, lined legal pad and a pencil, and handed them to her client. “First, can you make a list for me of what each of the gifts were and where you first saw them?”
“Of course,” Naoko murmured. In a quick, businesslike way she wrote a few short lines across the page. She didn’t look over her writing before handing it over to Sakura.
Sakura took the notepad and said in a calming voice, “Why don’t you relax for a few minutes while I look into something?”
Naoko nodded and sighed a breath that she hadn’t realized that she was holding. “Okay,” she said, pushing the cigarettes deeply into her purse again. “Thank you, Sakura.”
Sakura made the promised mug of genmai cha and left Naoko alone while she went to an inner room. This room was a generic office, computer and phones and a fax machine; her magic room was through another doorway. First, she made a phone call. She held the Sakura Cards, Libra at the top of the Deck, under her left hand while she spoke to each of the owners or store clerks that had been involved with the purchases or delivery of each of the gifts. After the last phone call, she picked up her magic Cards and walked thoughtfully into her magic room.
She shuffled the Deck, concentrated on her questions, and then laid out the Cards in a series of tarot-style spreads. Carefully, she turned over the first pattern. She considered the hints of the Cards before moving on to the next one. When she was done, a determined, angry seriousness made a sharp line of her jaw. She went into the phone and fax room again and made a call -- long distance.
The elegant voice of a gentleman answered in two rings. “Sakura!” said Eriol warmly. “What an unexpected pleasure to hear from you!”
“I’m sorry to say that this is business,” replied Sakura. Her polite voice had an edge.
“Business?” Eriol inquired. “As in…” he let his question trail into nothingness over the long miles.
“As in your Sun Guardian’s ability to do spells and scry. He’s been stalking an author --” Sakura began, but the other sorcerer’s terse sigh spilled over the rest of her words.
“…Not again,” exhaled Eriol.
Sakura continued in warning, “We made agreements, Eriol. Other mages see our Guardian’s as familiars. They won’t accept them performing magic.”
“The rules of others don’t apply to you and me,” countered Eriol. “But you’re right, and it wouldn’t do to make trouble among the magic community. But that aside -- to whom do I need to make amends?” There was a pause immediately after Eriol uttered the question, where Sakura could almost hear Eriol coming to his own correct conclusion.
“Naoko Yanagisawa,” Sakura confirmed.
“Spinel Sun has been entranced with her novels,” Eriol mused with great regret. “He has been waiting anxiously for the sixth book, not the least because of the surprizing event at its ending. I have had to ban him from perusing her website because he becomes quite fixated on solving the clues.”
“He’s been calling her and sending anonymous gifts. I’m shocked that you didn’t catch this behavior yourself.” Sakura shocked herself with her scolding words. She had not realized the extent of her anger. Spinel’s activities were more than intense fan-ism; they were criminal.
“I apologize, Sakura, for getting you involved,” answered Eriol with sincerity. “And I will apologize to Miss Yanagisawa myself, as will my wayward Guardian. Please don’t think that I am taking this lightly.”
“All right,” said Sakura, her anger beginning to deflate against Eriol’s smooth words and deep voice. “Please make it soon. I will let her know that the problem has been dealt with.” Sakura sank into a chair with relief. Pushing a lock of hair back behind her ear, she asked, “Other than this mess, how have you been?”
Eriol’s laugh was soft, also relieved. “Fine, fine,” he replied. “And you?”
“Business has been slow,” said Sakura. “I’m not sure if that’s good or bad.”
“I’m in favor of less magic activity,” stated Eriol.
“Well,” said Sakura, preparing to end the call, “thank you for taking care of this promptly. Say hello to Ruby Moon for me.”
“I will be certain to do so,” Eriol answered. “You’ll send my regards to your family?”
“Sure.” Sakura smiled.
“Oh… by the way,” asked Eriol, as if in afterthought, “after all… did she like the gifts?”
. . .
Eriol rested the phone receiver back into its cradle. He strolled thoughtfully down the hallway of his house, pausing at the library, where Spinel Sun, in his small form, was reading intently from a thick book that was older than the Victorian couch on which he lay.
“I think I’ll be making a trip to Japan,” Eriol announced.
“That’s nice,” replied Spinel distractedly.
“I believe I will go alone, this time,” Eriol mused aloud.
“I beg you,” commented Spinel dryly, “to take Ruby Moon with you.” He turned a delicate page with one small paw.
Eriol laughed. “Did you ever read those books that I recommended?” he casually asked.
Spinel looked up, at his maker, with speculation. “You know that I only read non-fiction,” he replied.
“That’s too bad,” said Eriol. He bid his Sun Guardian good night, and continued down the hall toward the room he used for scrying.
- - -
Suspense/Thriller
PG
Sakura Kinomoto, Sorceress for Hire
After yet another phone call with no one speaking, only hushed breathing on the other end of the line, Naoko knew that she could not go another day with this constant terror of being watched -- at least, not without losing her sanity. She hadn’t been able to sit still since the calls and unsolicited gifts started, and as long as she couldn’t sit still, she couldn’t meet her editor’s deadline. So she went to an old friend for help.
She couldn’t remember Sakura’s number -- they had kept in touch, but only marginally -- yet she did remember the ad. In the yellow pages, under “sorcery”, Sakura Kinomoto was the only listing for the Tokyo area. Other than the Li clan, she may have been the only practicing mage in the entire eastern hemisphere; she was certainly the only one for hire.
Sakura had not changed much since the last time that Naoko had seen her. She still had her small but athletic build, and her short, auburn hair framing a cheerful face that easily expressed her concern at her old friend’s appearance. Naoko had not been able to sleep in weeks without pharmaceutical aide, and she arrived at Sakura’s office disheveled, with tired eyes behind her stylish glasses.
“So tell me what’s been happening?” Sakura prompted as she offered the other woman a chair to sit in. “On the phone you mentioned hang-ups and mysterious presents. Is there anything else going on?”
Naoko twisted her handkerchief in her hands. “I have a feeling of being watched, almost constantly. It’s horrible. And the presents… once, I was out shopping and I noticed a beautiful copy of a rare book in a favorite store. It was more than I could afford to buy, so I told myself that I would wait until my next book was completed.” Her gaze traveled sightlessly across the room and out the broad windows. “With this going on, I haven’t been able to get the next installment in the series written.” She shivered despite the comfortable warmness of the room. “A few days later, that rare book was delivered to my house, purchased anonymously, or so the book dealer told me. They’ve all been like that. Things that I’ve paused over but didn’t buy.” Naoko began to chew her nails, a nervous habit that she had been free of since early childhood. Her free hand dove into her purse and pulled out a package of cigarettes. “Do you mind,” she asked with a twitter, “if I smoke?”
“Please, don’t,” answered Sakura. She placed a gentle hand over Naoko’s shaking fingers. “I will find out who is behind this. Let me make you some tea, instead. You’re safe here, Naoko. This suite is completely warded. Neither electronics nor magic can eavesdrop, and those windows only look out.” She picked up a yellow, lined legal pad and a pencil, and handed them to her client. “First, can you make a list for me of what each of the gifts were and where you first saw them?”
“Of course,” Naoko murmured. In a quick, businesslike way she wrote a few short lines across the page. She didn’t look over her writing before handing it over to Sakura.
Sakura took the notepad and said in a calming voice, “Why don’t you relax for a few minutes while I look into something?”
Naoko nodded and sighed a breath that she hadn’t realized that she was holding. “Okay,” she said, pushing the cigarettes deeply into her purse again. “Thank you, Sakura.”
Sakura made the promised mug of genmai cha and left Naoko alone while she went to an inner room. This room was a generic office, computer and phones and a fax machine; her magic room was through another doorway. First, she made a phone call. She held the Sakura Cards, Libra at the top of the Deck, under her left hand while she spoke to each of the owners or store clerks that had been involved with the purchases or delivery of each of the gifts. After the last phone call, she picked up her magic Cards and walked thoughtfully into her magic room.
She shuffled the Deck, concentrated on her questions, and then laid out the Cards in a series of tarot-style spreads. Carefully, she turned over the first pattern. She considered the hints of the Cards before moving on to the next one. When she was done, a determined, angry seriousness made a sharp line of her jaw. She went into the phone and fax room again and made a call -- long distance.
The elegant voice of a gentleman answered in two rings. “Sakura!” said Eriol warmly. “What an unexpected pleasure to hear from you!”
“I’m sorry to say that this is business,” replied Sakura. Her polite voice had an edge.
“Business?” Eriol inquired. “As in…” he let his question trail into nothingness over the long miles.
“As in your Sun Guardian’s ability to do spells and scry. He’s been stalking an author --” Sakura began, but the other sorcerer’s terse sigh spilled over the rest of her words.
“…Not again,” exhaled Eriol.
Sakura continued in warning, “We made agreements, Eriol. Other mages see our Guardian’s as familiars. They won’t accept them performing magic.”
“The rules of others don’t apply to you and me,” countered Eriol. “But you’re right, and it wouldn’t do to make trouble among the magic community. But that aside -- to whom do I need to make amends?” There was a pause immediately after Eriol uttered the question, where Sakura could almost hear Eriol coming to his own correct conclusion.
“Naoko Yanagisawa,” Sakura confirmed.
“Spinel Sun has been entranced with her novels,” Eriol mused with great regret. “He has been waiting anxiously for the sixth book, not the least because of the surprizing event at its ending. I have had to ban him from perusing her website because he becomes quite fixated on solving the clues.”
“He’s been calling her and sending anonymous gifts. I’m shocked that you didn’t catch this behavior yourself.” Sakura shocked herself with her scolding words. She had not realized the extent of her anger. Spinel’s activities were more than intense fan-ism; they were criminal.
“I apologize, Sakura, for getting you involved,” answered Eriol with sincerity. “And I will apologize to Miss Yanagisawa myself, as will my wayward Guardian. Please don’t think that I am taking this lightly.”
“All right,” said Sakura, her anger beginning to deflate against Eriol’s smooth words and deep voice. “Please make it soon. I will let her know that the problem has been dealt with.” Sakura sank into a chair with relief. Pushing a lock of hair back behind her ear, she asked, “Other than this mess, how have you been?”
Eriol’s laugh was soft, also relieved. “Fine, fine,” he replied. “And you?”
“Business has been slow,” said Sakura. “I’m not sure if that’s good or bad.”
“I’m in favor of less magic activity,” stated Eriol.
“Well,” said Sakura, preparing to end the call, “thank you for taking care of this promptly. Say hello to Ruby Moon for me.”
“I will be certain to do so,” Eriol answered. “You’ll send my regards to your family?”
“Sure.” Sakura smiled.
“Oh… by the way,” asked Eriol, as if in afterthought, “after all… did she like the gifts?”
. . .
Eriol rested the phone receiver back into its cradle. He strolled thoughtfully down the hallway of his house, pausing at the library, where Spinel Sun, in his small form, was reading intently from a thick book that was older than the Victorian couch on which he lay.
“I think I’ll be making a trip to Japan,” Eriol announced.
“That’s nice,” replied Spinel distractedly.
“I believe I will go alone, this time,” Eriol mused aloud.
“I beg you,” commented Spinel dryly, “to take Ruby Moon with you.” He turned a delicate page with one small paw.
Eriol laughed. “Did you ever read those books that I recommended?” he casually asked.
Spinel looked up, at his maker, with speculation. “You know that I only read non-fiction,” he replied.
“That’s too bad,” said Eriol. He bid his Sun Guardian good night, and continued down the hall toward the room he used for scrying.
- - -
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2004-11-17 03:48 pm (UTC)Oh my goodness. That was brilliant, just brilliant! This 'Opposites Week' has been wonderful in producing Eriol/Naoko squee-filled goodness. Thank you!
no subject
Date: 2004-11-18 06:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-18 09:08 am (UTC)Because:
- you did suspense
- you made Eriol stalk Naoko
- you made Naoko the next Jo Kathleen Rowling (that phrase killed me, I could see Eriol on his computer go "look, I finally found the fourth Easter egg!")
I'll cross my fingers so the trip to Japan works fine and Naoko won't get scared by her "secret admirer" XD
no subject
Date: 2004-11-18 05:22 pm (UTC)Btw: I'm so glad you liked my Clow piece. You being the avid Clow writer that you are, I was thinking of you when I wrote it and very much hoped that it would please you.
{still in *squee* mode}
Date: 2004-11-18 09:19 pm (UTC)