Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ Cipher Redemption ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

A/N: Before I start the story, I want to thank devotchka for being my beta. And even though she said it wasn't required, I also want to thank ladykaliska for helping me come up with the title! Plus, there's my friend Shinigami29 who helped me form the story. (If it weren't for her, you'd all be stuck with another lame-o pointless love story with many plot holes) Hope all of you will enjoy this! Again, I thank devotchka, it'll be thanks to her that none of you will have to read any errors or be confused.

 

Edit: One of my friends pointed out a few things, and since I'm taking this story seriously, I tried my best to fix it up. I'm not quite sure if I got all the run on sentences, but it should be easier to read. I think. Although spell check seems to enjoy reinserting commas I've just deleted. I don't trust spell check.

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer: The characters rightfully belong to CLAMP. As for the original characters, they belong to me.

 

 

 

 

Chapter 1

 

 

 

 

A sigh filled the silence, breaking what was once peaceful. There was nothing to fill the sky, no buzzes or shouts, not even a whisper. All there was was the gentle breeze swaying the branches and the blazing sun beating down on the woman whose green eyes stared beyond the forest.

 

Her short auburn hair stuck to her face, sweat dripping down her skin. There was a small book in her right hand that she had disregarded. She breathed another sigh and her left hand lazily clasped a nearby glass, bringing it to her mouth and drinking its contents. Emptying it out she sat straight up, wiping her mouth while slamming the glass on the small table. Jumping off the chair she raised her arms as she stretched, stomping her feet once satisfied.

 

“All right, now is not the time to be lazy! There are errands to be done! Let's see, there's buying groceries, supplies, oh and I'm almost out of ammunition as well…” Nodding her head, she walked around the small house, heading to the front. Looking around for a few seconds, she smiled when she spotted a mountain bike leaning against the porch railing.

 

Grabbing the handlebars, she walked over to a pole, pressing a button. Slowly the gate began to open. When she exited the yard, she reached into her pocket, taking out a remote. Pointing it at the gate, she pressed its button and the gate reclosed itself. Satisfied, she climbed onto the bike, speeding down the dirt road enjoying the wind against her face. Giggling she continued down the worn road, glancing at the tall fence separating her from the forest. Only after several minutes passed there was a clearing with a small town at the end of the road, a few crops in the distance along with livestock, mountains and streams encompassing the entire area.

 

Pausing for a moment, she turned her head to stare at the vast forest and the fence that circled the entire perimeter. Scanning the fence she turned back around, a huge grin on her face as she sped downhill.

 

She passed a few people, greeting them and giving a friendly smile. Once inside the town she brought her bike to a stop, sliding off and walking into a nearby store. At the sound of a bell, a man standing behind the counter turned around, chuckling when he saw her enter.

 

“Well, Sakura, I haven't seen you for a while. Are the animals behaving?”

 

She merely shrugged, propping her elbows on the counter closing her eyes.

 

“Mostly. There were a few times I had to interfere, a couple months ago I had to use up most of my tranquilizers to make sure the bear didn't get to me.”

 

He cocked his brow at her, pausing in his actions.

 

“Oh really? What happened?”

 

Her eyes half lidded she blankly watched him gather her needed tranquilizers, blowing a stray hair out of boredom.

 

“Not much. I was at its fishing grounds; it spotted me and felt threatened. It was a good thing I was on high grounds.”

 

He gave a grunt, placing the tranquilizers properly into the container before stuffing it into a bag.

 

“Well, what happened next?”

 

“Nothing really. I got out of there as fast as I could before the effects wore off. That's all. Oh, before I forget, I need some ammunition for that gun.”

 

With a slight smirk, he held up a small package.

 

“You mean this, Sakura?”

 

Scoffing she snatched the package, stuffing it into the bag, walking away without another word.

 

“See you in a few months!”

 

“Seeing that it's summer, I might be back sooner than you think. Well, see ya Hitoshi.” Exiting the store, she looked to the spot where she left her bike, it still in the same place. Satisfied she walked away, making a beeline to where it was more active and noisy, the people gossiping and bartering their goods. A few times kids nearly bumped into her, apologizing before running off again. Laughing quietly she would study the food, checking for any bruises. When her arms started to get too full, one of the women offered a satchel; Sakura gratefully took it promising to return it later. After visiting the other stalls and paying for everything, she started to backtrack, only to collide with someone. “Oh! I'm sorry about that, I didn't see…you there…” Immediately, she regretted apologizing the moment she saw the man's face.

 

When he held his head high tilting his chin up, she couldn't help but grimace, wanting to be anywhere but there.

 

“There's no need to worry Sakura. It isn't a problem, now that I've found you.” He took her hand raising it to his lips, his onyx eyes piercing her own. Before he could kiss it she snatched her hand back, rubbing it on her jeans. His smile faltering for a second he quickly recovered, tsking at her choice in clothing. “My dear, you still dress in such rubbish? A dress would suit you much better; it would accentuate your curves instead of covering them.”

 

“Well Mr. Nakamura, it wouldn't be appropriate for someone of my profession to be strutting around the woods in heels and a dress. Especially when there are poisonous plants and not to mention carnivores that could easily outrun me. Also if I remember correctly, I haven't granted you permission to call me by my first name.” Her teeth were clenched, hands fisted around the bag and satchel.

 

“Ah, Sakura my dear. Please call me Yutaka.”

 

“No, I'll stick to calling you Mr. Nakamura. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to put away my groceries. Then go on my scheduled route throughout the preserve.” She quickly slid past him, desperate to get back to her bike. Ignoring his calls she was about to hop onto her bike, only to hear another voice that nearly made her groan.

 

“Miss Kinomoto! I'm glad to have caught you. I was hoping to have-“

 

“I'm sorry, Mr. Beaumont, but perhaps another time!” She pedaled around the blonde, determined to get as far away as possible. Steering through the crowds she made it out of the town, only stopping once she arrived at where the forest met the road. Breathing heavily she planted her head on the handlebar, resting for the moment. “God, Nakamura was bad enough, and now Beaumont! They need to go back to the city. That's where those scoundrels belong!” Closing her eyes she gave a small chuckle. “If only Touya was still here, he'd take good care of them. With or without my permission.” Sitting up correctly she resumed her pedaling, going at a slower pace. A few times she would glance at the trees, looking to see if there were any animals near the border. However, there was nothing, not even a bird. It was always like this, but it made sense. Animals never did trust humans. So why go to where humans travel.

 

Shaking away her thoughts, she stopped in front of the gate, taking out the remote. Once it opened she walked inside, pressing the button on the pole. Going over to the house, she leaned the bike against the porch railing. Opening the door, she entered the small house walking right to end up in the kitchen. Emptying the satchel she placed the fruits and vegetables in her fridge, the bread in its proper cupboard. Remembering her ammo, she walked out of the kitchen to go into the hallway. Heading to the last door on the left, there was a tranquilizer rifle hanging on the wall. She took it down and opened the shaft, carefully inserting the darts until it was full. Grabbing a small box, she placed four more inside. Nodding to herself, she reached inside her shirt, a key hanging on a thin string. Placing it inside the keyhole of the dresser, she unlocked it. Pulling the drawer out, it revealed a silver Kahr P-9. Sakura gingerly picked it up, smiling softly as she stared at it. Finished reminiscing, she unloaded the barrel. Replacing the bullets, she clicked it back closed.

 

In front of her closet, she fingered her shirt. Nakamura's words were still ringing through her mind.

 

Scowling she pulled it over her head, tossing it into a hamper located near the door. From the closet she chose a tight fitting plain shirt with a vest, quickly putting them on. Returning to the dresser she opened another drawer, grabbing thick gloves and putting her hands inside. She kicked off her shoes, sliding her feet into boots and tying up the strings. Looking at the two guns, she grabbed a pouch, and carefully bagged the small box and a first aid kit. Soon after she attached the P-9 to a holster onto her waist and slung the rifle onto her back. In the vest and jean pockets she put pepper spray, rope, a net, and a com-link, in case she had to contact the police chief. After double-checking that she was prepared and had everything she left her house, walking the familiar route she took every Friday.

 

Even though Sakura had used it as an excuse to get away, it was the truth. Every day she had to wander throughout the entire preserve, checking on the animals and plants. She had to keep an eye on the carnivores the most, to make sure they didn't clash too much. It would be a calamity if one of the packs decided to wipe one of the species out over territory. If she could, she would buy more land that would be big enough to keep the many dangerous animals apart. It certainly would make her job easier, although it would mean it would take longer to check on the conditions properly.

 

Then there was making sure the animals were healthy. If even one were sick, it would doom the rest of the habitat. The preserve was small compared to the others, and the disease would spread much more quickly. Sakura could never allow that happen. The preserves and farms were the only areas anyone could find animals. Long gone were the deserts and rainforests, replaced with cities that filled the sky with smoke. Most of the world's population grew weak, no longer allowed to eat any meat. Without meat they didn't get enough protein, their health declining. Who knew how much longer they would last? Even the feared sharks of the oceans seemed to disappear.

 

She shook her head, concentrating on her task. She couldn't lose herself in her thoughts unless she wanted to be caught off guard. Two years ago in the states a trainee who was going out on his own for the third time. He was too immersed in his music and slipped while climbing the mountain path. His back was pierced by a jagged stone, one of his legs twisted up. He had landed on the com-link so he couldn't call for assistance. When they went searching for him that night, he had bled to death.

 

Eyes darting back and forth she caught sight of a fawn, a soft smile on her face when she noted the mother gently pushing it. She couldn't wait until midsummer so she could do the seasonal counting.

 

Over the next few hours she traveled throughout the preserve. Doing the usual, wading through rivers, climbing up boulders and ledges, hiding whenever necessary. At the moment she was resting, her eyes trained on the village from her perch on the rocky terrain. The sun was in the distance, signaling it was time to return to the house. Slowly climbing down, she paused when she spotted a peculiar object near the fence a kilometer away.

 

Tsking, she looked below, her eyes scanning what was below her. Going down a couple more feet she leaped off, landing on another ledge. Dashing down the pathway, she was careful not to slip or wander too close to the edge. About to turn a corner she stumbled backwards, pressing her body against the terrain. Peeking back out she silently cursed, leering at the pack of wild boar.

 

Quietly she scooted away, pausing every few seconds to make not so much noise. When she believed it was a safe distance, she reached into one of her pockets. After a few seconds she pulled out the com-link, attaching it to her ear.

 

“Hello? Mr. Enomoto? Can you hear me?” Waiting a few seconds her eyes brightened when she heard a reply.

 

“Read you loud and clear Kinomoto. What's the problem?”

 

“While on my rounds, I noticed something strange around the outer perimeter. Could you have your men check it out? It's close to the pit. Where one of the kids got stuck in for an entire day.”

 

“Got you. We'll head out right now. I'll contact you if we find anything.”

 

“Thanks.” Sakura sighed, running her hand through her hair. Glancing in the pack's direction, she crept in the other direction. Smoothly swinging her legs over until she felt support under her foot. Cautiously lowering herself, she made her way down, hands gripped tightly on the rocks. Nearing the ground she jumped off, continuing to where she saw the object.

 

She soon leaned against a tree, panting as sweat dribbled down her skin. Shielding her eyes she stared up at the sun, drawing closer to the earth. Taking a deep breath she got off the tree and sprinted off.

 

“Ha ha…if only…ha…Touya was here…” Leaping over gaps and weaving through the trees she skidded to a stop, ducking inside a bush.

 

There was a group of men, covered in animal pelts, satchels and illegal weapons slung on their backs. She bit her tongue, willing herself not to cry when she recognized the baby deer and raccoon dog. Now dead. There were five of them, carrying illegal weapons that could kill her in just one blow or shot. While she was by herself equipped with a small gun that was designed to injure, not kill. Not to mention it was considered an ancient weapon. Even if Enomoto managed to open the gate, it was miles away from her current location. The situation was stacked against her. A cold chill went up her spine when one of the men took out a rod covered in spikes and activated it. Disregarding her safety, she snatched her gun out of its holster, standing up and pointing it at the men.

 

“What do you think you're doing trespassing on my property?”

 

They paused from striking, looking at her wearily. Her eyes widened, recognizing them as poachers on the black list. Now she really did wish her older brother were there. Or that she had listened when he demanded that she hire some help.

 

“Tch, it's just the girl.”

 

Gulping, she didn't blink; prepared to run the moment they moved. The men glancing at each other they chuckled, one of them licking his lips. Inwardly shivering Sakura kept a firm grip on her gun, finger on the trigger.

 

“The rascal won't be goin' anywhere. Let's say we have lil' fun `fore we get back?”

 

 

 

 

Strange, the Fake Furs stopped challenging me with their claws and found a new prey. This prey, I know this tingling scent. It's the Furless. The Fake Furs can take this Furless; I am too weak to fight. Their claws, not sharp but rough. Can't get up.

 

`Look. The Four Legged one is stuck.'

 

`Do we eat it?'

 

`No. Wait for the Fake Furs to feast. Then we'll have the scraps.'

 

No, a Winged Meat Eater will not eat me. Only the weak become their prey. I am the predator!

 

`Furless! Furless! There is a new Furless, but where!'

 

A Furless is calling out. It is close, near the other Furless. Its call is small, is it the Furless offspring?

 

 

 

 

“Kinomoto, you there? We're on our way right now”

 

“Dammit! Get goin' you dumbasses!”

 

“But what about-“

 

“Ferget the girl. And the mutt's too burnt up anyway to be worth anythin'. `Sides, we got some merchandise, now move!” The bearded man kicked one of them to the ground, looking back at Sakura, spitting at the dirt. “Consider yerself lucky girl. Next time, ya won't be.” The men picked up the bodies, running out of view.

 

Sakura collapsed to her knees, entire body shivering.

 

“Kinomoto? Kinomoto, answer!”

 

Flinching, she shook her head. After taking several breaths, she held the point.

 

“I-I'm here.”

 

“Took a while for you to answer.”

 

“Sorry, just a little stunned. I ran into…some poachers.” Her head clear, she brought her head up. She finally noticed the animal across from her, glowering at her, growls rumbling within its chest. “Mr. Enomoto, could you have someone bring over a stretcher? I've got an injured animal here. Chinese Gray Wolf.”

 

“Damn poachers, always going after the endangered ones. Alright, how big? Child sized or adult?”

 

“Adult, unless you want me or the other person to get bit.”

 

“Alright. Leave your com-link on so we can track you down.”

 

“Okay.” The conversation over she could now keep her full attention on the animal, frowning at the wounds and burn marks. Chewing on her lower lip, she made a decision. Slowly she reached for the rifle behind her back, freezing when it snarled. Now realizing what she was doing. Before it could pounce on her she immediately grabbed it and swung it into position, firing at once. “Sorry, but I can't have you squirming while I bandage your wounds.” Setting the rifle aside she rummaged through her bag, taking out the first aid kit. Making sure the wolf was asleep; she began sanitizing the injuries, pausing whenever it winced. Once she cleaned everything, she got the gauze. Tightly wrapping it around its body and one of its legs, she put away the kit. Satisfied, she scooted away until she was at a safe distance. Not sure when it, more specifically he since she checked, would wake up.

 

A bit worried she watched as the sun's final rays disappeared, rifle back in her hands. Usually she would be back in the house at this time. The steel armor would be shielding the doors and windows to keep those inside safe from the wild animals that ventured at night. Here, out in the open with no light, she could be attacked at any moment.

 

“Sakura!”

 

Nearly squealing, a smile broke out when she recognized the voice.

 

“I'm over here, Yukito!”

 

A man stumbled into view, flashlight in hand, his brown eyes filled with relief. Soon after another man came in, glaring at the ground with his jaw clenched.

 

“Mr. Enomoto, how did you two get here so quickly? I only called you several minutes ago.” Moving aside two men passed him with a stretcher, gently lifting the wolf on and strapping him down, putting a muzzle on. He motioned for everyone to follow, Sakura staying close to the man with the glasses.

 

“This will answer your question.”

 

At first she didn't understand, but when they arrived at the fence it made sense. There was a hole big enough for them to walk through without being scratched, cut apart with the other piece missing.

 

“How…how could they do that? What if an animal got loose? What if a child had wandered close by?” She stopped when she felt a hand on her head, letting the chief respond.

 

“I have men bringing over some material to block it, but it's temporary. You're going to have to contact the governor so he can provide for repairs, or a better fence.”

 

Pouting, Sakura nodded.

 

“Now, get into the vehicle. The wolf is your responsibility and I don't want it injuring any of my men. It'll take you straight to the gate, your friend offered to help you carry it to the pen.”

 

“All right, thank you Mr. Enomoto.”

 

“Come on Sakura, the effects will be wearing off soon. And we both know you dislike shooting animals.” Helping her inside the van Yukito had her sit next to him. Watching both her and the wolf.

 

Her eyes strayed to the ceiling, and her hands still shook from her earlier experience. Sakura flinched when Yukito placed his jacket over her shoulders, then she whispered her thanks. However, she still felt disappointed in herself.

 

“Sorry, Dad…I wasn't able to protect them.”

 

 

 

 

A/N: Did you enjoy reading this? If yes, I'm happy. If no, I'm satisfied that you gave it a try. I'll be working on the next chapter immediately. As for those who read my other stories, I'll update them eventually. Buh-bye for now!