Yami No Matsuei Fan Fiction / Clamp School Fan Fiction ❯ Nightingale Sings ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 2 )

Title: Nightingale Sings
Author: Cheysuli Night
Rated: PG-13
Fandom: CLAMP Campus Detectives/Yami no Matsuei
Pairings: Tatsumi/Watari; no pairings for CCD since they're so young.
Chapter: Chapter 1
Summary: In 1935, a young boy was killed. In 1996, he is transferred to CLAMP school.
A/N: Sorry if characters are a little OOC. I've only read up to volume 10 of YnM and volume 1 of CCD. I'm going by the Manga versions of both. Besides, this Akira is mentally a lot older than 10.
A/N2: Mother is the name of Meifu’s computer database.
A/N3: Does anyone know where I can find a map of the school? Or at least a list of the various buildings? Thanks.
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A few months later, CLAMP School

Akira liked CLAMP School; he really did. The work was challenging, the people were friendly, and the ‘adventures’ were fun. Yes, Akira rather liked CLAMP School...

“Kaichou! What do you think you’re doing?!”

“It’s a beautiful day for a walk, Suoh. I thought we could visit the Gardens.”

... even if his friends did get a bit annoying at times. Especially when a certain blond was trying to get out of doing his paperwork. Really, it's not like it would take long to do at all. By the time the argument was over, he would have been half done with the paperwork if he hadn't argued at all. Well, he'd be half done if he didn't always let it pile up like that. As it was, he'd probably be half done sometime next week. It was rather ridiculous.

Akira sighed, feeling a headache creeping up as Suoh's voice rose in volume, and stared at his computer screen for a few minutes. He really should be doing something more productive than just sitting here, like calculating the budgets or typing up his weekly report for Tatsumi, but it was much too difficult to concentrate on much of anything when Suoh and Nokoru were acting this way. Akira sighed again, oblivious to the concerned glances this drew from his friends.

Suoh and Nokoru watched him for a few moments, their argument forgotten. They exchanged a glance and after a few whispered words from Nokoru, Suoh quickly turned and left the room, leaving the chairman alone with the unusually sullen boy. Akira noticed none of this.

“Are you all right, Akira?” Nokoru asked as he crossed the room to stand by Akira’s desk.

Akira blinked and glanced up at Nokoru, who looked a bit concerned. “Wh-what?” he stuttered, having not really registered the question and wondering how Nokoru got this close without him noticing. He should have noticed. In his line of work not noticing someone walk up to you could be dangerous. Not that he really had anything to fear in this school but it was better safe than sorry. "Uh... what was the question again?” he asked, realizing he was ignoring his friend. //What is wrong with me?//

Nokoru frowned and placed his hand on Akira forehead as he gazed into Akira's slightly glazed eyes. “You look a little pale,” he said, moving his hand to Akira’s cheek. “Are you feeling all right?”

Akira nodded and turned back to his computer, dislodging his friend‘s hand. “It's just a headache, Kaichou,” he answered quietly as he logged out of Mother. No need for Nokoru to see the database, he really didn't know how he would explain it, and he wasn’t really working with it anyways. Akira blinked as he suddenly realized he and Nokoru were alone. “Where did Takamura-senpai go?”

Nokoru stared at him for a few moments, concerned by his usually cheerful friend’s uncharacteristic behavior before cocking his head and stepping away slightly. “I promised to do some paperwork if he ran an errand for me,” he answered, smiling suddenly.

Akira winced as his headache grew, reaching up to massage his temples. “What kind of errand, Kaichou?” //I haven't had a headache come on this sudden and be this painful since...// He blinked, frowning suddenly as he realized how stupid he was being. //That explains it.//

Nokoru frowned slightly but hid it as he flipped his fan, showing the word ‘secret.’ “Why don’t you go get some rest, Akira? You don’t have any work that can’t be done tomorrow. And classes are over for the day,” he added before Akira could protest.

Akira ignored him for the most part as he stared at the fan, sensing the slight tickling of magic around it. It really was no wonder supernatural activity had been detected at this school; most of the students had at least some power... even if most, like Nokoru, never realized that what they did was supposed to be impossible. //Strange how they all gathered at this school. I wonder if Raichou knows. Maybe this is what the Imonoyama intended when they built this school. But why don't they teach their students about their power?// Akira pondered this for a few moments, forgetting that Nokoru was once again waiting for an answer.

“Akira?” Nokoru asked again, realizing Akira's attention had drifted. His concern grew. Akira wasn't normally like this.

Akira blinked and shook his head, instantly regretting it as the pain increased. “You’re right, Kaichou,” he said with a forced smile. “I think I will go home now.” He stood and picked up his abacus before turning to bow to Nokoru. “Goodnight, Kaichou! See you tomorrow!” he said as he left the office.

Nokoru smiled. “I hope you feel better, Akira!” He waved until Akira was out of sight then he frowned, flipping his fan and showing the word ‘worried.’

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“Were you successful?” Nokoru asked when Suoh returned to the office half an hour later, carrying a stack of files.

Suoh nodded as he placed the files on Nokoru's desk. "Of course, Kaichou. But do you really think this is a good idea?" He asked worriedly as Nokoru picked up and skimmed through the first file. "Akira might get the wrong idea."

Nokoru nodded, frowning as he closed the file and replaced it on the desk. "That's a risk we'll have to take. Akira is obviously overworked and an assistant would do him good," he said, picking up the next file. "It will give him time to rest. Or at the very least, it will allow him more time to work on that project of his."

Suoh cocked his head as he watched Nokoru go through the files. "I wasn't aware he was working on a project. And he wouldn't be overworked if you would do your work for once. I saw him working on one of your reports the other day."

Nokoru blinked at him. "Oh? Hmmm, that explains why I haven't gotten any calls about late paperwork." He frowned, flipping his fan and showing the word 'guilty' as he leaned against his desk, thinking on what he had just learned. "Well, I'll just have to make it up to him!" he exclaimed, smiling as the word on his fan changed to 'determined'. "And hiring him an assistant is a good start!"

Suoh rolled his eyes as Nokoru started flipping rapidly through the files. "I believe a good start would be you doing your paperwork, Kaichou. That way he would have more time to rest." He frowned suddenly, remembering something. "And he would probably have fewer headaches too."

Nokoru paused in his reading and sat the file on the desk. "You're right, Suoh. I promise to work on my paperwork from now on. But if Akira doesn't feel better within the next few days, I will get him an assistant!"

Suoh nodded and picked up the files, placing them in one of the desk's drawers. "Good. Now sit," he said, gently pulling Nokoru around the desk and pushing him into the chair. He pointed to a large stack of papers in front of the blond. "You can start with these."

Nokoru winced and pouted up at the other boy. "I meant tomorrow," he said, staring longingly towards the door that lead to freedom.

Suoh glared. "Now, Kaichou."

The blond sighed and picked up a pen, knowing that he couldn't go back on his promise and that if he didn't start working now, he probably never would.

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Akira winced as he walked through the campus, being bombarded on all sides by flashes of magic that no one else seemed to notice. Usually it wouldn't bother him, would be barely noticeable at all unless it was close by, but combined with his growing headache it felt like steel drums and flash bulbs going off all around him. It was rather painful.

Especially those girls over by the doors that seemed to be surrounded by an extremely high pitched tone. Akira had met them months ago. One of the girls, Akira wasn't quite sure which one, used the tone as something similar to echolocation. All completely subconsciously of course. The mortals were lucky they couldn't hear it.

On the other hand, some of the things he sensed were rather soothing. One of the boys in his class had a kind of muffling effect on physical senses, kind of like floating in water, but at the same time could amplify spiritual awareness. Akira wished more people were like that. Although the weird looks the boy often sent him were getting annoying.

Akira winced as he passed the girls, which fortunately were too involved in their conversation to give him much notice, and shoved opened the front doors... without actually touching the doors. //Oops. I hope no one noticed that,// he thought sheepishly, taking a quick look around before heading home.

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Meifu

"Tatsumi-san! Tatsumi-san!"

Tatsumi frowned as he looked up from his paperwork and glared at whoever was shouting at him. Everyone knew to not disturb him when he was calculating the budgets... they never knew when he was going to withhold money. "Yes? What is it, Gushoushin?" he asked as the elder twin came to a stop in front of his desk.

Gushoushin held a computer printout in front of Tatsumi. "There have been reports of a potentially dangerous energy at CLAMP School! You have to send someone to take care of it before it gets out of hand!"

Tatsumi sighed and removed his glasses, polishing them as he thought. "We already have an agent at the school," he said as he replaced his glasses. "There is no need to send another."

Gushoushin scowled. "You know very well that boy can't do this alone. He at least needs a partner."

Tatsumi frowned and took the printout from the floating chicken. "I have full confidence in Akira-kun's abilities. I will inform him of the situation and if he believes he needs help, he will request it. Otherwise I see no need to reassign another Shinigami to the school."

"But-" Gushoushin began, but was interrupted.

"You forget, Gushoushin," Tatsumi began, "that despite his appearance, Akira-kun is not a child. He has, in fact, been a Shinigami for sixty-one years. I would advise you to remember that," he finished, abruptly standing and exiting the room, leaving Gushoushin cursing behind him.

TBC...

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A/N: I’m not too satisfied with the part where Nokoru and Suoh are talking after Akira left but I can’t seem to change it without making it worse. That scene was why this wasn’t posted sooner.