To Hungrybookworm, From Jeanette ♥
Title: A Lesson in Equal Exchange
Author: Jeannette Von_Questenberg
Recipient: hungrybookworm
Rating: G/PG
Series: TRC
Pairings, Characters: Suoh/Nokoru, Tomoyo/Sakura, Akira/Utako, Fuuma, Taichirou/Shura, Chitose Hibiya/Ichiro Mihara, Tokiko Magami
AN: Piffle fic. Contains spoilers for Tokyo and beyond.
Nokoru Imonoyama had been gazing at his computer screen for ten minutes now without touching a single key.
“Nokoru-san?” A firm hand touched his shoulder. “Are you alright? I’ve been gone for at least five minutes and you haven’t moved.”
Nokoru mentally shook himself and looked up at Suoh. “Yes, I’m fine. I was just thinking.”
“About order forms?” Suoh raised an eyebrow, gazing at the computer screen. Indeed it displayed only ordinary order forms; necessary and time-consuming, but hardly difficult to figure out.
Nokoru grinned. “No, about last night.”
Suoh flushed a deep red. It was one of the best blushes he’d been able to get out of Suoh in a while, Nokoru noted with glee.
“My my, office romances are so sweet.”
The two young men turned to see Tomoyo Daidouji, their childhood friend and Piffle Princess Corporation president, smiling at them.
When they had attended school together at the Imonoyama Zaibatsu’s CLAMP Gakuen, Nokoru and Tomoyo had alternated between president and vice-president of the student council, with Suoh as the secretary and Akira as the treasurer. Those had been some of the best years of their lives.
Suoh coughed uncomfortably. “Ah yes, Nokoru-san, I came to tell you Tomoyo-san had arrived.”
Nokoru rose from his desk. “Ah wonderful. I’m so glad you could make it, Tomoyo. I know I asked you over here on short notice.”
“Oh, it isn’t a problem. And you did make it sound very important.” Tomoyo sat down opposite Nokoru’s desk.
“It is important. So forgive me if I’m rude, but I must cut to the chase. How has your research into inter-dimensional travel been coming along?”
“Very well, actually. Just yesterday I was talking with Mihara-sensei, Hibiya-sensei, and Magami-sensei about that. They say it’s coming along well, but we’re still a few years away from building a device we can test.”
“That’s pretty impressive, considering we’ve only been researching inter-dimensional travel for a year and a half,” Suoh commented.
“Yes, exactly. The feather gave us a lot of information, as did the sensor readings we were able to get from all the inter-dimensional travelers we had.”
“It’s hard to believe it’s only been six months since those five visited us,” Nokoru mused.
“Yes. I’d love to see them all again. Sakura-chan is still the cutest girl I’ve ever met,” Tomoyo enthused while Suoh and Nokoru shared an amused glance.
A sudden beeping came from Nokoru’s computer, and Akira’s face appeared on the screen. “Nokoru-san?”
“Oh yes, Akira-kun. What is it?”
“I just received a call from Utako-chan- I mean, Ohkawa-san in the research department. She told me they just detected an energy signature very close to what we detected when Sakura-chan and the others traveled to and from our world. The signal came from Imonoyama property so they immediately closed in, and found a young man with some kind of device. They’re holding him in security.”
“Is his name Fuuma?”
Akira blinked. “Yes, actually. How did you know that, Nokoru-san?”
“I had a visit from Tomoyo-hime last night in my dreams.” Nokoru turned towards Tomoyo. “That’s why I invited you over as well. Tomoyo-hime told me he’d be coming, and he’d need our help.”
“Of course, I’ll help however I can.”
“Oh, you’re there too Tomoyo-san? It’s nice to see you; it’s been a while,” Akira chimed in.
“Likewise, Akira-kun.”
“I have another question, Akira-kun.”
“Yes, Nokoru-san?”
Nokoru leaned forward. “Why exactly did Ohkawa-san call you?” A Cheshire cat grin spread across his face.
Akira, like Suoh earlier, blushed deeply. “I… um… Well she knew you’d want to know, and you’d want to tell Tomoyo-san and um…”
“That’s very kind of her. I’ll be sure to thank her personally. And you should too, Akira-kun.”
“Yes, of course, I will.” Akira continued to blush, while Tomoyo held back a grin and Suoh rolled his eyes.
“Why don’t you meet us down in security in a few minutes? I’ll convince Uncle Taichirou to let us interview Fuuma.” Nokoru finished the conversation, and turned towards the other two. “Let’s all head down there then. It looks like Sakura-chan and her friends might need our help again.”
***
About ten minutes later, Taichirou Imonoyama looked up from the computer monitor showing the room where Fuuma was being held to see his nephew and his friends enter his office.
“Hello, Uncle Taichirou,” Nokoru blithely greeted.
“Hello, Nokoru. Suoh-kun, Akira-kun, and Tomoyo-san. How may I help you?” Taichirou nodded curtly.
“A little bird informed me you’re holding a young man named Fuuma who seems to be an inter-dimensional traveler. We’d like to talk to him privately please.”
Taichirou looked distinctly unhappy. “I don’t like that idea. He’s dangerous; the only reason we can hold him is because he didn’t fight back. I’m sure of that.”
“My dear uncle, we’re a private corporation, so if we tried to actually hold him we could be charged with unlawful restraint or kidnapping; whereas the worst he can be charged with is trespassing. And if he didn’t fight back before, why should he fight now, especially since I want to help him? Besides, I’m also fairly certain he’s expecting us.”
Taichirou sighed in compliance with his nephew’s reasoning. “Fine then, you can talk to him. But I will have the cameras on, just to make sure you’re fine.”
“Thank you, Uncle.”
As the four of them started to file out of his office, Tomoyo turned once again to the older man. “Oh, Taichirou-san, you really should come over and visit us more often. I’m sure my Uncle Shura would appreciate it as well.”
Taichirou pretended to cough to cover his slight flush.
***
Fuuma turned his gaze towards the door as it opened. Four people, three young men and one young woman all about the same age, entered the small metal-plated room he’d been sitting in for at least an hour. One of the young men, a blond, came forward and sat across from him at the table.
“Hello, Fuuma-san. My name is Nokoru Imonoyama. These are my friends, Suoh Takamura, Akira Ijuuin, and Tomoyo Daidouji. I was told you would arrive here and need our help for a mission you’re on. I also believe we have mutual friends, Sakura-hime and her companions.”
Well, Yuuko had ordered him to pick something up here; it hardly surprised him that his arrival would be expected by someone. Fuuma leaned forward, giving his best smile. “Yes, I know them. Great people. And I do need your help. Yuuko-san told me to pick up a bionic arm here; you fine people have the best technology for quite a few universes, and you have a connection to the guy who will need it.”
“Who might that be?” It was the girl introduced as Tomoyo speaking this time.
“Kurogane.”
“He lost his arm?” Tomoyo covered her mouth in shock.
“Oh, that’s nothing. See, Syaoran almost killed Fai, so to keep Fai alive, Kurogane made a deal to turn Fai into a vampire by serving as Fai’s ‘bait’ for the rest of his life. After that, a little arm loss is no big deal.” Fuuma grinned again. “Those two make quite the couple.”
Complete silence filled the room.
“Start at the beginning,” Nokoru faintly said.
***
Fifteen minutes later, they lapsed into silence again as Fuuma finished telling them all he knew about the events in Tokyo.
“Poor Sakura-chan,” Tomoyo finally murmured. “She’s been through so much, and she’s still so brave and strong.” She looked Fuuma directly in the eyes. “Of course you can have the bionic arm. I only wish I could do more for them.”
“Well, for the sake of equal exchange, I should give you something in return. I believe you’re trying to investigate inter-dimensional travel, right? I can’t tell you how to do it, but I could help you a bit, save you some time.”
“Why would you do that?” Suoh asked, eyes narrowing. “You’re completing this mission as a payment for the witch, correct?”
“Yep, which is exactly why. With Yuuko-san it’s always better to be safe than sorry. And she’s big on equal exchange- she insists I pay for whatever I pick up for her. Since I’m doing theses favors for her, it could hurt her and me if I don’t keep the balance. So I’ll give you a little info, and you give me the bionic arm.”
Tomoyo nodded. “Agreed, then. We still have Kurogane’s measurements from the race. It will take us a couple days to make the arm, and then we’ll give it to you so you may leave.”
“Until then, we can house you while you give us the information,” Nokoru added. “We can count that as payment for the information about our friends.”
“Sounds like a deal.”
***
The next day, Tomoyo returned with Mihara-sensei, Hibiya-sensei, and Magami-sensei. They spent an hour and a half with Fuuma. Mihara-sensei came out dancing across the room, swearing Fuuma had saved them at least a year of research and impulsively kissing a flustered Hibiya-sensei.
Suoh, for his part, was looking forward to Fuuma leaving; he tried hard not to think about whether his relief was more due to his complete agreement with Taichirou that Fuuma was dangerous or to Fuuma’s insistence on making flirtatious advances on Nokoru.
Fuuma finally left, and the research continued forward. Hopefully one day they could find out their friends’ fates, but until that day, they could only simply live their own lives.
Author: Jeannette Von_Questenberg
Recipient: hungrybookworm
Rating: G/PG
Series: TRC
Pairings, Characters: Suoh/Nokoru, Tomoyo/Sakura, Akira/Utako, Fuuma, Taichirou/Shura, Chitose Hibiya/Ichiro Mihara, Tokiko Magami
AN: Piffle fic. Contains spoilers for Tokyo and beyond.
Nokoru Imonoyama had been gazing at his computer screen for ten minutes now without touching a single key.
“Nokoru-san?” A firm hand touched his shoulder. “Are you alright? I’ve been gone for at least five minutes and you haven’t moved.”
Nokoru mentally shook himself and looked up at Suoh. “Yes, I’m fine. I was just thinking.”
“About order forms?” Suoh raised an eyebrow, gazing at the computer screen. Indeed it displayed only ordinary order forms; necessary and time-consuming, but hardly difficult to figure out.
Nokoru grinned. “No, about last night.”
Suoh flushed a deep red. It was one of the best blushes he’d been able to get out of Suoh in a while, Nokoru noted with glee.
“My my, office romances are so sweet.”
The two young men turned to see Tomoyo Daidouji, their childhood friend and Piffle Princess Corporation president, smiling at them.
When they had attended school together at the Imonoyama Zaibatsu’s CLAMP Gakuen, Nokoru and Tomoyo had alternated between president and vice-president of the student council, with Suoh as the secretary and Akira as the treasurer. Those had been some of the best years of their lives.
Suoh coughed uncomfortably. “Ah yes, Nokoru-san, I came to tell you Tomoyo-san had arrived.”
Nokoru rose from his desk. “Ah wonderful. I’m so glad you could make it, Tomoyo. I know I asked you over here on short notice.”
“Oh, it isn’t a problem. And you did make it sound very important.” Tomoyo sat down opposite Nokoru’s desk.
“It is important. So forgive me if I’m rude, but I must cut to the chase. How has your research into inter-dimensional travel been coming along?”
“Very well, actually. Just yesterday I was talking with Mihara-sensei, Hibiya-sensei, and Magami-sensei about that. They say it’s coming along well, but we’re still a few years away from building a device we can test.”
“That’s pretty impressive, considering we’ve only been researching inter-dimensional travel for a year and a half,” Suoh commented.
“Yes, exactly. The feather gave us a lot of information, as did the sensor readings we were able to get from all the inter-dimensional travelers we had.”
“It’s hard to believe it’s only been six months since those five visited us,” Nokoru mused.
“Yes. I’d love to see them all again. Sakura-chan is still the cutest girl I’ve ever met,” Tomoyo enthused while Suoh and Nokoru shared an amused glance.
A sudden beeping came from Nokoru’s computer, and Akira’s face appeared on the screen. “Nokoru-san?”
“Oh yes, Akira-kun. What is it?”
“I just received a call from Utako-chan- I mean, Ohkawa-san in the research department. She told me they just detected an energy signature very close to what we detected when Sakura-chan and the others traveled to and from our world. The signal came from Imonoyama property so they immediately closed in, and found a young man with some kind of device. They’re holding him in security.”
“Is his name Fuuma?”
Akira blinked. “Yes, actually. How did you know that, Nokoru-san?”
“I had a visit from Tomoyo-hime last night in my dreams.” Nokoru turned towards Tomoyo. “That’s why I invited you over as well. Tomoyo-hime told me he’d be coming, and he’d need our help.”
“Of course, I’ll help however I can.”
“Oh, you’re there too Tomoyo-san? It’s nice to see you; it’s been a while,” Akira chimed in.
“Likewise, Akira-kun.”
“I have another question, Akira-kun.”
“Yes, Nokoru-san?”
Nokoru leaned forward. “Why exactly did Ohkawa-san call you?” A Cheshire cat grin spread across his face.
Akira, like Suoh earlier, blushed deeply. “I… um… Well she knew you’d want to know, and you’d want to tell Tomoyo-san and um…”
“That’s very kind of her. I’ll be sure to thank her personally. And you should too, Akira-kun.”
“Yes, of course, I will.” Akira continued to blush, while Tomoyo held back a grin and Suoh rolled his eyes.
“Why don’t you meet us down in security in a few minutes? I’ll convince Uncle Taichirou to let us interview Fuuma.” Nokoru finished the conversation, and turned towards the other two. “Let’s all head down there then. It looks like Sakura-chan and her friends might need our help again.”
***
About ten minutes later, Taichirou Imonoyama looked up from the computer monitor showing the room where Fuuma was being held to see his nephew and his friends enter his office.
“Hello, Uncle Taichirou,” Nokoru blithely greeted.
“Hello, Nokoru. Suoh-kun, Akira-kun, and Tomoyo-san. How may I help you?” Taichirou nodded curtly.
“A little bird informed me you’re holding a young man named Fuuma who seems to be an inter-dimensional traveler. We’d like to talk to him privately please.”
Taichirou looked distinctly unhappy. “I don’t like that idea. He’s dangerous; the only reason we can hold him is because he didn’t fight back. I’m sure of that.”
“My dear uncle, we’re a private corporation, so if we tried to actually hold him we could be charged with unlawful restraint or kidnapping; whereas the worst he can be charged with is trespassing. And if he didn’t fight back before, why should he fight now, especially since I want to help him? Besides, I’m also fairly certain he’s expecting us.”
Taichirou sighed in compliance with his nephew’s reasoning. “Fine then, you can talk to him. But I will have the cameras on, just to make sure you’re fine.”
“Thank you, Uncle.”
As the four of them started to file out of his office, Tomoyo turned once again to the older man. “Oh, Taichirou-san, you really should come over and visit us more often. I’m sure my Uncle Shura would appreciate it as well.”
Taichirou pretended to cough to cover his slight flush.
***
Fuuma turned his gaze towards the door as it opened. Four people, three young men and one young woman all about the same age, entered the small metal-plated room he’d been sitting in for at least an hour. One of the young men, a blond, came forward and sat across from him at the table.
“Hello, Fuuma-san. My name is Nokoru Imonoyama. These are my friends, Suoh Takamura, Akira Ijuuin, and Tomoyo Daidouji. I was told you would arrive here and need our help for a mission you’re on. I also believe we have mutual friends, Sakura-hime and her companions.”
Well, Yuuko had ordered him to pick something up here; it hardly surprised him that his arrival would be expected by someone. Fuuma leaned forward, giving his best smile. “Yes, I know them. Great people. And I do need your help. Yuuko-san told me to pick up a bionic arm here; you fine people have the best technology for quite a few universes, and you have a connection to the guy who will need it.”
“Who might that be?” It was the girl introduced as Tomoyo speaking this time.
“Kurogane.”
“He lost his arm?” Tomoyo covered her mouth in shock.
“Oh, that’s nothing. See, Syaoran almost killed Fai, so to keep Fai alive, Kurogane made a deal to turn Fai into a vampire by serving as Fai’s ‘bait’ for the rest of his life. After that, a little arm loss is no big deal.” Fuuma grinned again. “Those two make quite the couple.”
Complete silence filled the room.
“Start at the beginning,” Nokoru faintly said.
***
Fifteen minutes later, they lapsed into silence again as Fuuma finished telling them all he knew about the events in Tokyo.
“Poor Sakura-chan,” Tomoyo finally murmured. “She’s been through so much, and she’s still so brave and strong.” She looked Fuuma directly in the eyes. “Of course you can have the bionic arm. I only wish I could do more for them.”
“Well, for the sake of equal exchange, I should give you something in return. I believe you’re trying to investigate inter-dimensional travel, right? I can’t tell you how to do it, but I could help you a bit, save you some time.”
“Why would you do that?” Suoh asked, eyes narrowing. “You’re completing this mission as a payment for the witch, correct?”
“Yep, which is exactly why. With Yuuko-san it’s always better to be safe than sorry. And she’s big on equal exchange- she insists I pay for whatever I pick up for her. Since I’m doing theses favors for her, it could hurt her and me if I don’t keep the balance. So I’ll give you a little info, and you give me the bionic arm.”
Tomoyo nodded. “Agreed, then. We still have Kurogane’s measurements from the race. It will take us a couple days to make the arm, and then we’ll give it to you so you may leave.”
“Until then, we can house you while you give us the information,” Nokoru added. “We can count that as payment for the information about our friends.”
“Sounds like a deal.”
***
The next day, Tomoyo returned with Mihara-sensei, Hibiya-sensei, and Magami-sensei. They spent an hour and a half with Fuuma. Mihara-sensei came out dancing across the room, swearing Fuuma had saved them at least a year of research and impulsively kissing a flustered Hibiya-sensei.
Suoh, for his part, was looking forward to Fuuma leaving; he tried hard not to think about whether his relief was more due to his complete agreement with Taichirou that Fuuma was dangerous or to Fuuma’s insistence on making flirtatious advances on Nokoru.
Fuuma finally left, and the research continued forward. Hopefully one day they could find out their friends’ fates, but until that day, they could only simply live their own lives.