Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ Scent of a Kunoichi ❯ Chappie 2 ( Chapter 2 )

A/n: Okay people, thanxs for all the reviews. This is the second chapter and I hope you guys really enjoy it. I posted up a different chapter two earlier, but I thought that it really sucked. This is really different. Forgive me for the mistakes I made on the other chapter. I thought of wirtting an original story but later one decided on writing fanfic. Umm… what else. I changed Touya's wife's name. She was actually supposed to be Kaho but I forgot the name so I made up a new name. What else can I say….er it's a Sunday? Ok ok I'll shut up for now. PLEASE REVIEW!

Disclaimer: oh yeah, I put a review for the this story for a disclaimer for the earlier one. Pls ignore that. Oh yes.. I definitely do not own CCS.

Scent of a Kunoichi

Chapter 2: Chappie 2

"We're going to China," Sakura said emotionlessly.

"We're WHAT?" Tomoyo and Kero chorused together.

"We're going to China," Sakura repeated. "I'm to escort the Princess of Japan to China along with Rika, Naoko and Chiharu. You two are coming along. Madame Chiyome said that you can act along with us as a lady-in-waiting since I refused to be separated from you," Sakura said donning a gray yukata behind a screen.

"China is a long way from here," Tomoyo commented after squealing happily at the news.

"The Lady is forced to release us once we reach the palace. The Emperor, may Kami-sama grant him a long life, has paid us for the Princess's protection," Sakura said. "She's to marry a Prince there to form an alliance with Japan and China. Perhaps the Crown Price."

"Are we to stay there forever?" Tomoyo asked.

"You can come back if you want to. My duty is to stay with the Princess until her last breath. I am her unofficial Royal Guard," Sakura bit her lower lip.

"What about Touya?"

"Touya would have no choice but to let me go. It is the Emperor's wish and not his," she said sadly. She didn't want to be separated from him after finding out that she did have a family. Tomoyo looked down sadly. "Look at it this way Tomoyo, at least you would be able to make me new clothes. The Emperor is sending the finest silks and fabrics for all our clothes tomorrow," Sakura smiled as Tomoyo pounced on her favourite model. `Well at least somebody is happy, she thought sadly as she blew out her lamp.

~*~

"Sakura stay still!" Tomoyo said firmly at her friend. She was taking Sakura's measurements for the 10th time to be sure for that night.

"Tomoyo…" Sakura nearly whined. She was tried from the extra drills that the combat sensei had put her friends and her through. She also had to learn how to control the cards that she received.

"There, I'm done you big baby," Tomoyo said, writing down her conformations on a piece of paper. "Go do your lessons while I finish my sketches. You are going to look so kawaii when I'm done with you," Tomoyo said. Her eyes were shining brightly.

"Hoe…"Sakura sighed anime style.

"Are you done yet?" Kero's bored voiced asked from behind the closet sliding door for the 20th time.

"You can come out now," Tomoyo said rolling up her measuring tape deftly.

"Finally, my supply of oxygen was running out," Kero said flying around the room to stretch his tiny little wings.

"I'm sorry," Tomoyo giggled as she smiled goofily and sang a silly son, doing a little dance.

"Is she alright Sakura?" Kero asked his mistress worriedly. Tomoyo was giggling helplessly.

"I think it's because of the new fabric that arrived today. It's been quite a while since she got new material to sew new clothes for the both of us," Sakura said.

"Weird," Kero commented as he observed the other girl humming a love lament.

"You'll get used to it cause you're not the one that has to try on all her outfits. It beats the torture room anytime," she shuddered involuntarily. "Give her a bolt and expect 10 outfits from it."

She took out the red covered Clow book from a small bag in which Tomoyo made out from one of her old clothes. When she opened it, all 52 cards flew out creating a perfect circle around her. There were beautiful pictures of their spirits on it. Some looked playful and welcoming while the others looked dangerous.

Two cards flew in front of her. One of the beautiful women-spirits had night black hair while the other had white snow hair. "The Light and Dark card," she muttered when the unsealed themselves and concentrated on their auras. It was powerful yet it had a gentle presence that seemed to speak to her heat. "I'll try but there's no guarantees that it'll work, I'm still pretty new at this," she answered. A soft pink ball of flames appeared in the middle of her torso as she sat erect with her legs crossed. The ball floated down to her cupped hands on her lap that imitated a flower blossoming. She closed her eyes as she concentrated hard, ignoring the night sounds that played outside her room.

~*~

Kero and Tomoyo held their breaths as a slightly visible shield grew around Sakura and the cards, closing above the in a hemisphere. Kero gasped at his Mistress' s grasp of control of her magic as a miniature orb surrounded his being.

Sakura was still like a stone with her hands shaped like a flower on her lap. A pink ball of flames grew in the middle of her torso and slowly floated down to her open hands glowing brightly as it floated a little above her hands. Two unearthly and equally beautiful women stood before her in the place of the Light and Dark Card that flew in front of her face.

She's using her own magic without using the key, this is interesting, Kero though, she has a lot or raw and wild magic that needs to be trained compared to Tomoyo's small amount of magic.

The two cards/spirit smiled at the girl before them who opened her eyes. Instead of their usual green, one was amazing silver and one was bright gold. She smiled back at them. The pink ball of flames erupted, sending the cards into frenzy. They began to circle around her as they spin wildly on the spot while glowing a bright pink. The two spirits walked together with their hands clasped together. Before they disappeared and was sealed together, Kero saw them bend them to whisper something in her ears that made her turn crimson and smile shakily with gratitude.

When they were sealed together in one card, the cards that were spinning stopped abruptly and slowly floated down to the floor in submission. Sakura smiled tiredly and magically beckoned to the cards, which flew into a deck on her hand.

"Sakura…" Kero began.

"I'm sorry Kero but I'm really tired now. Goodnight everyone," she yawned and fell asleep before she hit the pillow.

Kero stared after her and flew beside her pillow, touching her forehead lightly. Tomoyo curiously did the same feeling her friend's warm skin.

"Her magical powers have been drained. She won't sleep forever like she usually do won't she Kero-chan?"

"No, she won't. Somehow she managed to arrange her magic. I can't explain how but from now on, she'll sleep earlier than usual," he predicted. There was a pregnant pause. "Who taught you about your magic Tomoyo?"

"We always somehow always knew that we had magic and how to control it. The rest Sakura taught herself then me. It wasn't very easy but we somehow managed. Sakura's a great teacher; She even went against the house rules and taught me how to defend myself when needed. It is forbidden to teach a female in this house, unless they are kunoichi," She smiled sadly. "I was supposed to be a kunoichi too when the Lady found us by the streets when I was 6 and she was 5. She saved me from bondage to the Lady."

"Bondage?"

"Orphan girls are picked up by the lady to become kunoichi. They are trained like their male counterpart, the ninja. Sakura is one of the best in this academy or `charity' home for abandoned girls. The Lady sends girls off in missions to retrieve information or for `errands'. The girls are bound by their gratitude for all their training and the clothes on their back. Every kunoichi has a tattoo of a rose on her back to say that she has graduated and is ready for the tasks handed to her. Its another sign that says that they belong to the Lady," Tomoyo explained in a low voice.

Kero nodded in understanding. Silence grew again between them.

"It is getting late and I have a busy day tomorrow. Good night Kero-chan," Tomoyo whispered. She kissed the Guardian on the forehead before blowing out the candle and snuggled underneath the thick comforters.

Kero crawled underneath the small gap of Sakura's own thick quilt and fell asleep with a frown on his face.

~*~

A week later….

At the palace

"Nobles and samurais of Japan, today I have an announcement to make," the Emperor said in his loud booming voice. The nobles and Samurais mentioned, along with their wives behind a screen behind them, sat erect at the Emperor's voice, leaning a little forward to hear at what he had to say. He clapped his big hands twice. The guards standing at the entrance opened the heavy doors with a little effort. At the entrance stood Sakura, Rika, Naoko, Chiharu and Tomoyo. Kero was hiding inside of Sakura's obi. The girls were all dressed identically in a light gray and elegant kimonos, with their eyes downcast, as it should be. The nobles leant forward as the Emperor welcomed them in with great happiness and open arms.

"My fellow subjects, these young women here are not as ordinary as you think they are. They are the students in Lady Chiyome's secret school of Kunoichi's. They are yes, very beautiful yet very deadly. These 5 girls will be protecting my daughter, the Princess Minami to China, to wed the Crown Prince Zhoa Jeng. So as a reward to them in return of protecting my daughter and ensuring the peace covenant with China, I would like to give them a family, noble families. They might be a proud addition to the family or a replacement of a loved one. Think wisely on your decision, they would be staying with you after this meeting until it is time for them to leave. Get acquainted; know them and their own history because they would be your dutiful daughters and yours to take care off. It is alright if you would not like to have another responsibility, your status of my favour will not waver. After all, this meeting never existed and private. Those who tell anyone not invited shall suffer my wrath," the Emperor said quietly, letting his words sink in. Silence ruled the room, as the Emperor sat down on his throne with the crown Prince Tsukishiro Yukito on his right side.

//Tomoyo, I'm scared. I don't see Touya anywhere// Sakura said telepathically to her cousin beside her. She felt her cousin chuckle.

//What can be worse than this? You have faced many worse things in your life// Tomoyo reasoned.

//I know, but I've never been so nervous about this! I feel like an animal to be sold at the market.//

//You have to get used to it, coz that's how some men treat us ladies.//

//Oh well, after all. Men are all horny bastards.//

//Sakura!//

//I can't help it can I? It's the line of work I do that makes me say that! Alright, alright. I'm sorry. Life's not fair// Sakura muttered. She saw a tall man with kind brown eyes and hair standing up on the Emperor's left side to discuss something privately. She could see the Crown Prince's body tilt ever so slightly to listen to the man's proposition. A small smile appeared on Yukito's handsome face when he felt her gaze. It was warm and friendly, yet it penetrated into her soul.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I, Kinomoto Fujitaka, Prime Minister of Japan would like to adopt not one but two of these girls with the blessing of the Emperor. One of them would be my very own daughter whom I had lost 11 years ago and my niece who was with her," the brown haired man said as he walked in front of Sakura. "You will be my daughter of the Kinomoto House and you will become the daughter of the Daidouji House," he touched Sakura and Tomoyo's shoulder lightly. "Stand up and follow me," he whispered. The girls stood up obediently with their heads still bowed and followed Fujitaka out of the room. They yelped in surprise when he swept them into a tight embrace. He laughed. "I'm sorry but when Touya told me about finding you, I couldn't believe it until I saw it for myself. Then the Emperor needed bodyguards for his daughter so I asked Touya to go talk to the Emperor about Kunoichi's, seeing that Kaho was one. Come let me take your home. Touya is waiting outside for us with the horses."

~*~

Home was like a palace to Sakura. When they entered the compound, it was already teeming with life. There were maids and servants sweeping the wooden walkways that framed the servant's quarters, children's shrieks filled the air and the sweet aroma of food claimed the air. It was huge, no, it was gigantic. She could see the many rooms and the private servant's compound that lay behind the quarters that seemed to stretch forever. Tomoyo too gazed around in wonder.

"Come, there is someone I would like you to meet Sakura. She is a very old friend of mine and would be accompanying us to China," Fujitaka said looking fatherly at his prodigal daughter. "You might remember her. She's not easily forgotten." They walked into the main house. It was built mostly with stone and marble. It had a high ceiling, since it was a large 3-story building, and had four large marble poles. The floor was pure stone with a smooth surface and had no furniture on it. The four corners of the house were left open, letting in a small breeze. "This is our inner courtyard. You can train here or meditate. The doors are always left open unless there is rain, snow or some emergency. The first floor belongs to the guests, the second floor belongs to the family and the third floor is for my studies and office," he told them as Sakura explored her surroundings. "The courtyard on the left is also for training if you prefer the outdoors, the right is where the kitchen is and it's herb garden and in front of us is another garden."

"So, they have arrived," a soft yet authoritative voice spoke from the shadows in which Sakura was looking at. She swore that she felt something radiate from there. She held her breath when an ancient looking lady dressed elegantly like a queen, walk out with a stick to support her. It was a sight to behold as the old lady seems to look young and old at the same time.

Fujitaka nodded with a small mysterious smile on his lips.

"Come here girl," the woman beckoned to Sakura who inched closer to the woman slowly.

"Grandmother, if I may ask, could you please show your true form? The light's is giving me a headache," Sakura said as she squinted her eyes.

"Very well, as you wish Clow Mistress," the woman said. Her back became straight and her height grew immensely. Her clothes gave off more glamour and her hair turned jet-black, held together by many ornamental hairpins. She held a fan that was snapped open automatically. Sakura stared at the tall lady and whimpered, running behind her father. She peeked out nervously from behind his tall frame, earning a chuckle from him.

"Sakura. I'm sure you know who she is," Fujitaka said gently pulling her out from behind him.

"Otou-san, please she's going to haunt me," Sakura whimpered running behind Touya now who was the furthest away from the woman.

Fujitaka sighed. "I'm sorry about this Yelan. You know how scared of ghosts she is."

The woman nodded. "Hai, I understand. It seems that you are still afraid of ghosts. Please forgive my son for my son for what he did, he was severely punished for those illusion spells," Yelan said in her calm soothing voice. "I guess also, seeing me being killed in front of your eyes did not help either?"

"Kaijuu, she's not a ghost," Touya said gently, attempting to pull her out from behind. She clutched at his clothes tightly and shook her head with her eyes shut close.

"I'm not a kaijuu. When a person is killed, they stay dead. She's coming to haunt me like the others," Sakura said stubbornly.

"Where is Kaho when I need her?" Touya mumbled. His clothes were getting wet from her tears.

"Touya, otou-san, Yelan-san," a beautiful slender woman with red hair walked in greeting each one of them. "The girls are here!" she said excitedly. Touya sent a pleading look at his wife, sending a message telepathically. "Sakura, why are you hiding behind Touya? There's nothing to be afraid of."

"Th…ther…there's a ghost in this room. And it's coming to haunt me!" she cried shutting her eyes tightly.

Kaho smiled a little at that and walked to Yelan. "Excuse me but I really need to prove to her that you're not a ghost. Look here Sakura. If I can touch her, and my hand not go through her, she is not a ghost," Kaho said putting a hand gently on her friend's shoulder. "Now you believe me?"

Sakura peered from behind Touya like a little kid. Her eyes were a little puffy from the crying and her grip from Touya's clothes was still hard. "She's not a ghost?"

"No, she's not kaijuu," Touya said in a bored tone.

Her eyes flashed with anger as she stomped her stocking foot on Touya's very hard. "I am not a kaijuu!"

"Itai…"

~*~

The rest of the girls too found families. The House of Sasaki adopted Rika, Naoko the House of Yanagisawa and Chiharu the House of Mihara. They were all ancient and noble house that were nearly as old as the Emperors and seemed happy with their arrangements. It was only on a late October afternoon did all the girls meet together to meet the Princess they were to protect.

"Princess, you're ladies-in-waiting are here," an old servant bowed respectfully.

"Arigato, Please send them in," the Princess said, stepping off the platform she was sitting on.

"Ohayo, your highness," they greeted her with their heads bowed. She nodded to the old servant before dropping her whole princessy act.

"Please, call me Minami. I hate formalities. It's just not me. Please, treat me as a sister. You have to introduce yourselves. I know your names but I don't know who they belong too," Minami said. {An: Did that make any sense? It didn't to me}

"If you say so Your…oops! Minami-chan," Rika giggled at her blunder. "I'm Rika, that's Naoko, Chiharu, Tomoyo and the baby of us, Sakura." The girls giggled when Sakura pouted.

"This is so not fair," she mumbled.

"How old are you all?" Minami asked.

"Rika is the oldest. She's 18, Chiharu, Tomoyo and I are 17 and Sakura is 16," Naoko said.

"Really? I thought that I would be the youngest! I'm 17 too. Looks like Sakura is still the baby!" she squealed. The girls all warmed up to each other quickly and soon were chatting away like old friends till the evening.

"Girls. Shhh…" Sakura hushed them. There was something wrong outside. It was too quiet. Usually it would be full of night sounds but now it was very quiet.

"What's happening?" Minami asked Tomoyo.

"Sakura sensed something. She maybe the youngest, but she has been trained in the advanced classes with the older girls or not she would not be here," Tomoyo whispered. A small violet ball appeared in her hands, jut in case she needed to shield the princess and her.

"SHIELD!" Sakura yelled.

A/N: I hope you liked this chapter. Sorry for the really really long delay. I didn't do it to get more reviews or anything. I was just stumped. I'll try to get the next chapter up quickly. PLEASE REVIEW. You don't have to read it just review!