Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ Cipher Redemption ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

A/N: Ha ha. It seems there's a bit of confusion over the plot. It'll reveal itself over time. Remember, this is only the beginning. Beginnings set everything in place, and once they are, that's when the story begins to truly advance. And I noticed something…sometimes some of the keys don't work, making me press them several times. So if there are words missing that letter, blame my laptop. Also, I have slightly edited the first chapter, but not major enough to make any of you reread it. Again, I thank my beta devotchka, and thanks also go out to the three who reviewed. You know who you are. Well, enjoy!

 

Edit: Seeing that it's been about a month since I've last heard from my beta personally, I'll be posting this. But once I get a response, I'll replace this chapter with her beta-ed version. I apologize for any mistakes!

 

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Disclaimer: The characters belong to CLAMP. Original ones to me.

 

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Chapter 2

 

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The ride was silent, the passengers occasionally glancing at the single animal. There were times the van would hit a bump, eyes alert, bodies posed to subdue the wolf. As luck would have it, the wolf remained unconscious the entire drive. Soon, the van came to a stop, the driver peeking through the small window.

 

“We've arrived Miss Kinomoto.”

 

The men in the back with them opened the doors, Yukito grabbing one end of the stretcher, Sakura the other. Slowly, Yukito climbed down, making sure the stretcher didn't slope as he did so. The men helped Sakura slide down, at the same time keeping their attention on the wolf. Asking for one of the men to hold it for her, she took out the remote, the gate opening for them. Thanking the man, she and Yukito went inside the preserve with the two men, going around the small house to the back.

 

Behind the house was a fenced pen, tall enough so animals couldn't jump in or out, concrete covering the earth so it also couldn't dig its way out. Beside it was a shed, no windows showing what was inside. Asking for help again, she went to the entrance of the pen, pressing her thumb against a small pad, scanning her print, automatically unlocking the pen. Ushering them inside, they gently laid the stretcher onto the hay-covered pavement. They carefully undid the straps, slowly removing the muzzle. Quietly backing out, Sakura closed the pen, it locking itself into place, putting the muzzle on the table where the book and glass were.

 

The two men bowed to her, spinning around when she and Yukito repeated the gesture, returning to the van. When they were out of sight, Yukito slightly crouched down to Sakura's eye level.

 

“Sakura, is there anything that you want to tell me before I leave?”

 

Eyes cast down, she hesitated, unsure. He noticed this, giving a chuckle.

 

“It's all right; it's only the two of us.”

 

Still, she kept her face hidden, hands wrung together. His smile disappearing, he patted her head.

 

“Sakura, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong.” She took a deep breath, lifting her face.

 

“Yukito. I'm not sure I should be in charge anymore.”

 

His eyes widening, he gestured for her to continue.

 

“The poachers. When I found them they…they already had killed two animals. One of them was just a baby. A baby! Dad was wrong in leaving me the preserve; it should've gone to Touya!”

 

He pressed a finger against her lips, shushing her, looking back towards the pen. Relieved it was still asleep, he grasped onto Sakura's shoulders.

 

“Now Sakura, take a few deep breaths.”

 

She did so, her body no longer trembling.

 

“Good. Now, remember when your father was still in charge. When he was teaching you the ropes and animals were transported from Shikoku to the preserve. Do you recall his words?”

 

Before she could reply, there was a shout, the men waiting for Yukito. Yelling back, he patted Sakura's head.

 

“Just think about it, all right? Don't worry about the fence, Enomoto will have his men positioned there until the repairs are made. Which I'll be sure to contact Touya about. Well, good night, don't forget to close the gate behind me.”

 

She followed him, stopping at the pole as she watched him climb into the van. Closing the gate, she sighed, trudging to the house, locking the door once inside.

 

She slid a picture frame on the wall aside, revealing a slightly bigger screen similar to the one built into the pen. Scanning her hand, she heard the familiar whirs, steel plates blocking the door and windows. Going into her room, she sat against the door, reminiscing.

 

“That's right. Touya would handle the business and government affairs and train recruits, while I stay behind and watch over the preserve.” Giggling, she rested her chin on her knees. “Besides, Touya got along horribly with animals, and I hate being in the city. Yukito's right. Dad left me the preserve, because he trusted me.” Standing up, she gripped her fists. “Okay! No more moping, tomorrow, I'll give it my best! Everything will be all right!”

 

With that in mind, she got ready for bed, resting for the incoming day.

 

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Hard. Cold. The ground, it's stiff. The grass…poking, itchy.

 

This is not the forest! It's the cold trees. Is it the Furless?

 

The tingling scent. It's on this smooth branch. But there are other smells.

 

More Furless. They touched me. They must learn their place. No Furless touches the predator!

 

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There was a loud screech, shocking Sakura out of her sleep. Hand at her chest, she glared at the alarm clock, sighing when she turned it off. Stretching her arms, she slung her legs onto the floor, yawning as she stood up. Picking out her clothes, she nodded in approval, closing the bathroom door, cleaning herself up.

 

Refreshed and fully dressed with cream of wheat in her mouth, she went over the schedule of what she had to perform that day. There was the wolf that was most likely wide-awake by now. Judging by his injuries, it would probably take a month or so until they fully healed and he would be able to take care of himself. Eating another spoonful, her brows furrowed. If he were still part of a pack, she'd be in a risky situation. Praying that he was one of the lone wolves, she finished off her breakfast.

 

Going to the familiar frame, she scanned her hand, the steel plates slowly drawing up, letting in the sun's rays. She held her breath, sneaking down the hall, peeking out the window in her room. What met her eyes was the amber of an angered wolf, who had heard her with his sharp senses. He was snarling, fangs bared as he crouched in the corner, the stretcher nothing but torn fabric and splintered wood. For a moment she was frightened, forcing herself to relax when she noticed there were no other animals nearby.

 

“Good, he left his pack.” She knew how fierce they could be when one of their members were in danger, imagine their reaction if one of them were caged. Backing away from the window, she grabbed the rifle, removing the tranquilizers. Putting the tranquilizers in a safe container, she came out of her room, opening the one to her left. It was a storage room, the shelves filled with boxes, some covered in dust. Opening one of the bottom boxes, she took out two items, eying the label. It was stronger than what Hitoshi gave her, powerful enough to put a bear to sleep with one shot. It was only used for emergencies when carnivores had to be nursed. To hunt for meat. Before inserting the two drugs, she clasped her hands together and eyes closed, praying for a moment. “Dad, Mom, please forgive me for what I'm about to do.”

 

Her father had taught her she must always pray whenever this sort of situation occurred. Killing animals was a crime, so they must always ask for forgiveness whenever they had to take one life, to save another. Reopening her eyes, she inserted the deadly drugs, standing up. In another box she grabbed a large, thick bag, rolling it up and stuffing it into a backpack. Going outside, she paused by the table, staring at the furious creature, eying her. Gradually, she passed the pen, ignoring the growls and barks, knowing better than to instigate him even further.

 

For half an hour she crept through the forest, trying to find the perfect animal. Sakura absolutely refused to kill younglings or their mothers, and small animals wouldn't be enough to fill his stomach. Crouching to the ground, her legs were starting to become numb. Considering a break, she froze when a twig snapped. Cautiously peering through the foliage, there was doe sniffing the ground, its ears twitching. Its head lifted up, calling. A tad confused, Sakura tried to spot its fawn, which was supposed to be close by. The doe continued calling, occasionally sniffing the ground. Still, no sign of the fawn. Piece by piece, it came together. The missing fawn was the one the poachers killed.

 

Quietly, she lifted the rifle, aiming near the heart.

 

“I'm sorry.” Pulling the trigger, the doe collapsed, unmoving. Standing up, she slung the rifle over her shoulder, walking over to the body. Slipping off the backpack, she took out the bag, dragging the body inside, tying it up with rope. Putting the backpack back on, she grabbed the bag, using her knees to lift it up. Knowing the reserve by heart she went where she knew the path would be smoothest without worries of tripping or sudden drops.

 

Eventually she arrived back in the small clearing, the pen and house in view. The wolf was eying her wearily, its growling starting back up. Readying herself, knowing she had to be close to the pen, she headed to the shed. Sakura tried not to flinch when the wolf lunged at the fence, the smell of blood enticing him. At the door of the shed, there was another panel similar to the one on the pen and in the house. Her father was very protective, knowing the risks of living in a preserve, and poachers. The security in the house was for protection. The security of the pen was so the animal couldn't escape, and so no other animal could harm it. As for what was inside the shed…The door opened, showing its contents weren't what anyone would expect. Walking in, she turned on the lights, cringing at the sight.

 

The shed was only used in the same situation as the deadly drugs, to feed carnivores. The shed was for preparing the meat. There was an area to skin with a rack to hang the hide. A table equipped with several knives and saws to cut up the body. Close by was a sink to wash the meat with a shelf above the counter that held drugs. Next to it was another table with preservatives and materials to wrap up the meat. Beside the sink was a fridge to store the meat. In addition, a corner with several coffins to place the bones so they could properly bury it later. Tacked onto the wall was a single sheet of paper, names of animals written down. The list was short, fortunately.

 

Gulping, she covered her mouth, forcing the bile back down her throat. As a little girl, she always wondered why she was never allowed inside the shed. At age 16, her brother Touya reluctantly let her inside, since they were currently nursing a red fox. It made her sick, watching him chop off the heads of the hares, skinning it and cutting it apart. As disgusting as it had been, she knew she would someday do the same. And she did when she was 19, but it was only fish for a bear cub. Including the fox and bear, this would be her third time. Gripping her fist, she closed the door.

 

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That Furless. Its hump smelt of blood. Blood of a Hoofed Fur.

 

These cold trees are blocking me. Once more!

 

Pain! Those Fake Furs. I'll track them. When I escape, the Fake Furs will become my prey.

 

That smell…it's stronger. The Furless…its paws, covered in blood. Did it eat the Hoofed Fur?

 

No. Only its paws smell of blood. So where is its body?

 

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Sakura stood in front of the pen, a decent amount of meat held in her hands. She was unsure what to do, the wolf unmoving, staring at the meat. Slowly, she crouched down, pulling out of her pocket a thin hook, lifting up the small slot. Placing the plate of meat on the pavement, she carefully pushed it halfway. Standing back up, she went back into the shed, immediately washing her hands, wanting to rid the feel of blood on her hands.

 

Despite how hard she scrubbed, she couldn't get rid of the feeling. In her eyes, her hands were stained with blood. Pupils dilating, her body started to tremble, clasping onto her arms, willing herself to calm down. She fell to her knees, trying not hyperventilate. Counting to 10, she lifted her head. Taking her time standing up, she peeked around the shed. He was sniffing at it, not trusting if it was good to eat or not. Sakura bit her lip, needing him to eat the meat so the hidden pills would subdue him into another slumber. As he sniffed his food she went to the side of the pen, a water faucet with its spout on the other side of the fence. Turning it on the water filled the basin, quickly turning it off. Inching away from the pen, she waited a few minutes while fidgeting. After a few minutes the wolf finally scarfed the meat down, starving. Nodding in approvement, Sakura closed the door, it locking into place.

 

When he finished, his legs started to wobble. Growling he leered at Sakura before collapsing.

 

The moment he did, Sakura retrieved the first aid kit and muzzle she had left on the table earlier. Quietly apologizing, she opened the pen. Securing the muzzle over his snout, she got to work on his bandages. Slowly, she undid the knot and unwrapped the bandages. Eyes saddening at the bloodstains, she placed them aside. Quickly cleaning the open wounds, she placed new gauze over them. When she was done she grabbed all the materials, removing the muzzle. Exiting the pen cautiously she locked it back, grabbing the plate before she forgot.

 

She placed the muzzle on the table, eyes straying to the glass and book. Sighing she grabbed the glass, deciding to clean up the house.

 

During her cleaning spree she was interrupted by a faint melody. Pausing from folding the laundry she jumped from her seat, pressing a button on the machine located at the nearby coffee table. However, her foot caught onto the basket. The moment the melody stopped playing she fell over, the clothes spilling onto the floor. Taking the melody's place was a gentle laugh, Sakura nervously laughing in return.

 

“My, my Sakura. Seems you still retained your clumsiness.”

 

Clearing her throat Sakura picked herself up, pouting at the mess she made. Groaning, she refocused her attention on the see through woman. Her violet eyes were filled with amusement, some of her long hair twirled around her finger.

 

“Perhaps I should call later?”

 

Sakura instantly perked up, arms flailing as she threw the clothes back into the basket.

 

“H-Hold on Tomoyo! I can finish this later!” Panting heavily, she collapsed onto the couch. Catching her breath, she sat straight up, making eye contact with the woman. “So Tomoyo, anything I need to know? Last time you called you told me looking for inspiration in Venezuela.”

 

For a moment Tomoyo seemed to hesitate, her smile disappearing.

 

“Is it true? That poachers were discovered on the preserve?”

 

The friendly atmosphere became tense, memories of the night flashing. Sakura's nails dug into her arm, trying to stop the shaking.

 

“Y-Yeah. There were five of them. I-I recognized the leader from the black list.”

 

“So Yukito was telling the truth…hold on Sakura! I'll try to finish my work as soon as possible and take the next flight out to Japan!”

 

“H-Hoe?” Sakura just sat there, a baffled expression on her face. “Tomoyo…what do you mean by that?”

 

Smiling brightly, Tomoyo waved good-bye. Purposely ignoring the question.

 

“I'll be seeing you a day or so Sakura!”

 

“W-What! Tomoyo wait-“ A shrill screech stopped Sakura, the hologram gone. A little deterred she just sat there, her mind processing Tomoyo's words. After a few seconds her eyes widened, eyes straying to her laundry basket and choice of clothing. “Tomoyo's coming here!?” She lunged at the machine, about to call back when the melody played again. Finger about to press something else, she slowly moved it to answer instead.

 

“Sakura! What's this I hear about poachers!?”

 

She cowered at the furious man, his brown eyes glaring at her. At that moment, she wished for old-fashioned phones.

 

“I told you to hire someone! Who knows what could've happened to you if Enomoto didn't arrive on time!”

 

“T-Touya…”

 

“Don't `Touya' me! From now on, Yukito will be visiting you every Monday!”

 

“What!? Touya this isn't any-“

 

“Don't try to argue with me monster!”

 

His image dissipated, the screech filling the silence. A few seconds passed, Sakura's hair going on end.

 

“I am not a monster! Touya that jerk! If only I could squish him!” Frowning, she plopped herself back on the couch, taking her anger out on the clothes. As she muttered and crumpled her clothes, her actions started to become sluggish. Eventually, she stilled her arms. “He is right though. Who knows what might've happened? They could've killed me. Maybe…maybe I should I look for some help. But.” Her eyes narrowed, hands tightly gripping the gown. “No one here is qualified, and I hate those snobs in the city. Where…who can live up to Touya's standards?”

 

As she attempted to sleep, Sakura couldn't get her brother's words out of her head.

 

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So dizzy. Blurry. Can't see. That Furless. It pulled a trick.

 

That meat. Tainted. The smell was itchy.

 

Smell. The tingling scent. It's…strong. And close.

 

Wait…the Furless…it touched me!

 

I'll kill it! When I get out, that Furless will be my first meal.

 

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A/N: This chapter felt a little iffy. Probably because I had to mention…killing animals. And I love animals. I'd never want to hurt them…except spiders and bugs. I wouldn't hesitate to squish them. Excluding the pretty bugs. As soon as this is posted up, I'll be working on the third chapter. Until then, I'll be working on my other stories. Buh-bye for now!