Nyctalopia 2/? (Card Captor Sakura)
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Nyctalopia
A Card Captor Sakura Fanfiction
~ Sequel to "Alter Egos" ~
mbsilvana@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: All hail CLAMP. Enough said.
Earlier Parts: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1412787/1/
Most people would have expected me to go home and scheme and sulk after that pleasant little encounter with Yukito, but to be honest, I kind of forgot about it after getting over the irritation of having my clothes ruined.
Oh, sure I was annoyed with him, and I would definitely try to get even if I ever saw him again, but I had more important fish to fry. I had college coming, and I found myself too excited about that to think of anything else. I'm kind of focused in a way.
Two weeks later, I woke up early on a Monday, filled with energy. Classes would be starting that morning and I was eager to be meeting my new friends. I was positive I would be encountering a ton of interesting people who would provide me with the amusement I had been lacking so far.
If only I had known...
Kaho had thoughtfully prepared a full breakfast for me, waffles with syrup and strawberries on the side. I sat down to it eagerly, a bit amused at how Suppi was staying out of my arm's reach. He was carefully dining on a piece of fish, keeping a watchful eye on what I was about to do.
"Ne, Suppi... aren't you going to miss me?" I asked, fluttering my eyelashes. "You're going to be alone, all day..."
Suppi sniffed in that disdainful fashion he'd mastered. "Kaho is going to be here, and I'm going to be grateful for the quiet. She isn't annoying."
I knew very well what Suppi was implying, but couldn't resist jerking on his chain. "Sheesh, I thought you liked Eriol..."
Suppi twitched in a slightly distressed fashion, his eyes widening in a touch of exasperation. "You know very well-"
Of course, that was when Eriol entered with his usual impeccable timing, dressed in the blue uniform of a middle school student. I looked at Eriol with a slightly troubled expression. "Eriol, Spinel Sun finds your presence troublesome. Maybe he would be happier spending his day with Keroberus?" I suggested.
"I didn't say that!" Suppi said in horror. If there was one creature in the universe that annoyed him more than I did, it was Keroberus, Sakura's loud-mouthed sun guardian.
Eriol's glasses glinted slightly as he turned to look at Suppi, and the smile that traced his lips was clear indication he was about to make my counterpart wish he'd never gotten up. Eriol was pure evil, sometimes.
"Spinel Sun, I certainly wouldn't want you to be unhappy," Eriol said, the concern in his deep voice sounding perfectly sincere - unless you knew him well. "I think Sakura would be quite happy to leave Keroberus with some company during the day. I could drop you off on my way to school daily..." He trailed off, scratching his chin thoughtfully.
"I don't want to spend a day with that pig!" Suppi protested, fluttering a bit in distress.
"He's just shy," I chimed in. "He just doesn't want to admit how much he misses Kero-chan!" I smiled helpfully.
"Na-ku-ru!" Suppi wailed. "Stop it!"
"Stop what?" I danced merrily around the table, snagging Suppi in a firm grip and hugging him tightly to my chest. "I just want to make sure my bestest friend is as happy as he can be!"
Eriol snickered as he watched Suppi try unsuccessful to wiggle out of my hands. I was experienced in keeping Suppi trapped when I wanted to.
"You stupid butterfly! When I get out, I'm going to-" Suppi railed, about ready to snap.
I sighed a bit sadly, recognizing that playtime was over. Releasing Suppi, I grabbed my nag and kissed Eriol quickly on the cheek before Suppi could regain enough control to transform and sit on me. That's one of his favorite ways to take revenge.
"I'm on my way! Have a great day at school, Eriol... say hi to Sakura-chan for me!" I called over my shoulder as I darted out the door.
I normally wouldn't have had to leave so early, since my first class didn't start until ten, but I wanted to have time to scout the campus out - and check out the boys. Maybe I would make some friends in the process, the ever-optimistic part of me was thinking.
Strangely, when I set foot on campus, I felt a feeling of foreboding well inside my chest, making it hard to breathe. The grounds were beautiful, but everywhere were students gathered in small groups, greeting each other with the ease of long familiarity.
I checked my outfit discretely, relieved that it seemed to be in style. My fingers tightened on my bag's strap, and I forced myself to take a deep breath. It wasn't like me to get nervous, but all these people seemed so serious... I was as smart as they were! I was more talented than any of them! I told myself, but I couldn't quite dismiss a slight sense of displacement.
Around me were adults. I was still a child.
I planted a smile firmly on my lips, nodding to anyone who caught my eye. I had been the transfer student before, and I knew I would succeed and become popular. People were attracted to me, dammit.
Finally I found a group which was indulging in one of those comfortable lulls in conversation that only long acquaintance could bring. Two boys lounged on benches with a girl who had taken a seat at the foot of a nearby tree. "Excuse me?" I asked as I came to stop in conversational range.
The large of the boys, one who had hair nearly as black as Eriol's and brown eyes that reminded me of Touya's, was the one who replied. "Yes?" he asked in a tenor surprising in one so large.
"I'm new here... I was hoping you might be able to direct me to the science building?" I already new the answer, having memorized a campus map, but it was a good opening line.
The three exchanged a quick look before the girl answered. "Our first class is there, we'll take you," she said. She was a traditional looking Japanese girl, but there was a wit glittering in her eyes that I immediately liked. "What's your class?" she asked.
"Astronomical legends," I replied. "I'm taking it to fill my history requirement." Never mind I could probably teach the class. If there was one thing Eriol was keen on, it was stars.
The girl laughed. "Oh, you poor thing," she said. "You must be a transfer."
"Yes?" I asked cautiously.
"It's a 300 class, but you're taking it with Hatanaka-sensei." She shook her head in mock concern. "He's legendary.... it'll take up the next four months of your life," she said.
"I like stars..." I said lamely, starting to worry. Apparently I'd just stepped into the legendary "killer course" which all universities had. An astrology course would normally be a cake class, but the way the girl was talking...
"You'll hate them by the time it's over," said the boy who had spoken first. "Hatanaka-sensei is very thorough."
"It'll be fine!" I said firmly, determined to keep an open mind. "I don't mind working!"
The boy who hadn't spoke chuckled, and my breath caught as he looked at my with blue-violet eyes that were only a shade different than Yue's. He was perhaps one of the prettiest boys I had ever seen - not handsome, but delicately pretty in a fashion that pushed the line to effeminate. I liked pretty boys, but his finely sculpted face was just too... something. I couldn't think of the right word.
The girl noticed where my attention had wandered to and a tired looked entered her expression. "He got another one," she sighed.
"Huh?" I asked, but the boy looked exasperated and the dark-haired one looked amused.
"Namiki-kun always catches all the pretty girls," he said, winking at me. "They just can't help for falling for his bishounen looks."
"Stop that!" the pretty boy, apparently named Namiki, demanded.
"Why should I? Do you know how many dates I've had since I've started hanging out with you?"
"It's not my fault!"
The girl shook her head as the two started fighting playfully. "Um, that's Namiki Kiyoyuki, and the one fighting with him is Naka Hideo," she said, waving a hand at the pair. "I'm Asakura Miyo."
I smiled at her brilliantly. "I'm Akizuki Nakuru!" I announced. "Third year transfer, majoring in philosophy, political science and zoology!"
She blinked at me slowly as my three majors processed. "All of those?"
"Well, I really couldn't decide. Everything is so interesting!" I clapped my hands as I bounced on the balls of my feet. "I'll probably be here for a few years, but it's fun!"
She shook her head slowly, an amused smile playing on her lips. "And I thought Namiki was crazy, double majoring in chemistry and ethics," she said.
Namiki and Naka had stopped fighting and were looking at me curiously. "Least we're not trying to become doctors... now that's insanity," Naka returned, earning himself a scowl from Asakura.
"Well, least I'm not majoring in physics! How nerdy can you get?"
I watched with amusement as they began to playfully bicker, with Namiki occasionally throwing in a comment to keep the fight going. After about five minutes, they paused to take a breathe, aware of their audience again.
"Um, sorry, Akizuki-san," Naka said, blushing a bit. "It's an old argument."
"I can tell," I replied a touch dryly. "What year are you?"
"I'm in my fourth, these two chumps are in their third, like you," Asakura replied. "We're all science majors, so we spent a lot of time in Camelot."
"Palace?" I echoed.
"It's named Arthur Hall, but somehow it got dubbed Camelot, and the name's stuck. If you're in zoology, you'll spend a lot of time with the rest of us knights."
"Round table reference?"
"But of course," Asakura replied. "What's your sched look like?"
I handed over the paper print out I'd received a week ago in the mail. She glanced over it carefully, her eyes widening a bit as she saw how scattered the courses I'd selected were. "Astrological legends, Organic Chemistry, Communism and Socialism, Zoology 400, Asian Philosophers and Terrorism and Freedom Fighters...." she read aloud. "18 credits..."
"20, actually," I said. "I have organic and zoology labs," I said.
Naka let loose a low whistle of appreciation. "Not just a pretty face." His eyes brightened as he considered my course list. "We'll have Organic together." He shot a nasty look at Namiki. "Along with the bishounen."
"Just can it," Namiki said with a scowl. "I'm taking terrorism as an elective," he said, "so I'll see you there, too."
Asakura shook her head. "I'm not taking any of these. I took O-chem as a sophomore, and zoology isn't required for my degree."
"We'll take you to the planetarium, though," Naka offered, rising to his feet with a reasonable amount of grace.
Namiki rose as well, but his expression was a bit warier. I guessed that he was used to girls throwing themselves at him and probably tired of it, but... well, I didn't like delicate beauty on a man. I mean, I was a prettier man than he would ever be. I liked men who looked more... masculine. Like Touya.
The three were good company as they escorted me to the planetarium, offering me cheerful and helpful advise about how to survive at Tomoeda U. Don't eat the fish sticks, don't sign up for anymore classes with Hatanaka-sensei, and dear lord, don't join one of the frats. The science majors were all relatively close-knit, and the departments had biweekly gatherings which I would be invited to. All in all, it sounded pretty fun - and a heck of a lot better than sweeping at the shrine for the rest of my life.
The door to the planetarium was located off the right wing of Camelot. I smiled as Asakura offered to meet me after class to show me to the Upper Crust, one of the small cafes on campus. She assured me it was the only place to get decent food that wasn't over or undercooked.
I waved goodbye to them, feeling rejuvenated. It wasn't that hard for me to make friends. Okay, so I cheated sometimes and let a bit of moon magic help make me more appealing, but since it was a part of me anyway...
My thoughts were interrupted as I prepared to open the door. As soon as I touched the handle, a familiar feel of magic surged through me, much the way a relatively minor jolt of electricity would. It could only be one person, I thought with extreme displeasure as I flung the door open, trying to keep a cheerful smile on my face.
Sure enough, Tsukishiro Yukito was seating in the front row, his head turned as he watched my entrance. Throughout the seats students were scattered like petals, most fiddling with laptops or talking on cell phones. A few were flipping through new textbooks. Everyone was off in their own little world.
I had a choice, and I knew exactly what to do. I could either pretend not to know him, or...
"Tsukishiro-kun!" I squealed as I raced down the aisle to take a seat right by him.
His twitch was even more satisfying than the one I'd gotten out of Suppi that morning. "Hello, Akizuki-san," he said in a rather dull voice. He was not pleased at my presence... good!
"How have you been?" I asked in a friendly voice which probably had him wanting to slap me away. I leaned forward and touched his arm familiarly, noting with pleasure that a few of our classmates had stopped their own pursuits to watch the show I was providing. "After you got upset, I've been so worried..." I gushed.
"About that-" he said, but I interrupted him first.
"Oh, I understand. The stress must be absolutely terrible..." I moved my hand to a comfortable position on his shoulder. "I don't hold it against you..." Lying through my teeth, but he was turning a brilliant shade of red which set off his hair so nicely, and it was just too much fun!
He bit his lip, obviously torn between allowing himself another outburst and his customary politeness. He knew I was toying with him, and there was nothing he could do about it without creating a scene.
My game was halted by a cough from the front of the room. A man I hadn't really noticed (sloppy of me, but I'd been busy), came around a podium and stood in front of the class. There were about sixty of us, and he stared us all down.
"Hello, class. Welcome to Astronomical Legends. If you're in the wrong place, leave. Otherwise stay right where you are while I take names. You're now in your assigned seats for the semester." He continued to speak, but I tuned him out, realizing how thoroughly I'd just been trapped.
A semester of sitting next to Yue's false form? How would I survive? Better yet, could I keep myself from committing murder?
Yukito merely tossed me an apprehensive look and then gave a long, slow sigh.
Nyctalopia
A Card Captor Sakura Fanfiction
~ Sequel to "Alter Egos" ~
mbsilvana@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: All hail CLAMP. Enough said.
Earlier Parts: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1412787/1/
Most people would have expected me to go home and scheme and sulk after that pleasant little encounter with Yukito, but to be honest, I kind of forgot about it after getting over the irritation of having my clothes ruined.
Oh, sure I was annoyed with him, and I would definitely try to get even if I ever saw him again, but I had more important fish to fry. I had college coming, and I found myself too excited about that to think of anything else. I'm kind of focused in a way.
Two weeks later, I woke up early on a Monday, filled with energy. Classes would be starting that morning and I was eager to be meeting my new friends. I was positive I would be encountering a ton of interesting people who would provide me with the amusement I had been lacking so far.
If only I had known...
Kaho had thoughtfully prepared a full breakfast for me, waffles with syrup and strawberries on the side. I sat down to it eagerly, a bit amused at how Suppi was staying out of my arm's reach. He was carefully dining on a piece of fish, keeping a watchful eye on what I was about to do.
"Ne, Suppi... aren't you going to miss me?" I asked, fluttering my eyelashes. "You're going to be alone, all day..."
Suppi sniffed in that disdainful fashion he'd mastered. "Kaho is going to be here, and I'm going to be grateful for the quiet. She isn't annoying."
I knew very well what Suppi was implying, but couldn't resist jerking on his chain. "Sheesh, I thought you liked Eriol..."
Suppi twitched in a slightly distressed fashion, his eyes widening in a touch of exasperation. "You know very well-"
Of course, that was when Eriol entered with his usual impeccable timing, dressed in the blue uniform of a middle school student. I looked at Eriol with a slightly troubled expression. "Eriol, Spinel Sun finds your presence troublesome. Maybe he would be happier spending his day with Keroberus?" I suggested.
"I didn't say that!" Suppi said in horror. If there was one creature in the universe that annoyed him more than I did, it was Keroberus, Sakura's loud-mouthed sun guardian.
Eriol's glasses glinted slightly as he turned to look at Suppi, and the smile that traced his lips was clear indication he was about to make my counterpart wish he'd never gotten up. Eriol was pure evil, sometimes.
"Spinel Sun, I certainly wouldn't want you to be unhappy," Eriol said, the concern in his deep voice sounding perfectly sincere - unless you knew him well. "I think Sakura would be quite happy to leave Keroberus with some company during the day. I could drop you off on my way to school daily..." He trailed off, scratching his chin thoughtfully.
"I don't want to spend a day with that pig!" Suppi protested, fluttering a bit in distress.
"He's just shy," I chimed in. "He just doesn't want to admit how much he misses Kero-chan!" I smiled helpfully.
"Na-ku-ru!" Suppi wailed. "Stop it!"
"Stop what?" I danced merrily around the table, snagging Suppi in a firm grip and hugging him tightly to my chest. "I just want to make sure my bestest friend is as happy as he can be!"
Eriol snickered as he watched Suppi try unsuccessful to wiggle out of my hands. I was experienced in keeping Suppi trapped when I wanted to.
"You stupid butterfly! When I get out, I'm going to-" Suppi railed, about ready to snap.
I sighed a bit sadly, recognizing that playtime was over. Releasing Suppi, I grabbed my nag and kissed Eriol quickly on the cheek before Suppi could regain enough control to transform and sit on me. That's one of his favorite ways to take revenge.
"I'm on my way! Have a great day at school, Eriol... say hi to Sakura-chan for me!" I called over my shoulder as I darted out the door.
I normally wouldn't have had to leave so early, since my first class didn't start until ten, but I wanted to have time to scout the campus out - and check out the boys. Maybe I would make some friends in the process, the ever-optimistic part of me was thinking.
Strangely, when I set foot on campus, I felt a feeling of foreboding well inside my chest, making it hard to breathe. The grounds were beautiful, but everywhere were students gathered in small groups, greeting each other with the ease of long familiarity.
I checked my outfit discretely, relieved that it seemed to be in style. My fingers tightened on my bag's strap, and I forced myself to take a deep breath. It wasn't like me to get nervous, but all these people seemed so serious... I was as smart as they were! I was more talented than any of them! I told myself, but I couldn't quite dismiss a slight sense of displacement.
Around me were adults. I was still a child.
I planted a smile firmly on my lips, nodding to anyone who caught my eye. I had been the transfer student before, and I knew I would succeed and become popular. People were attracted to me, dammit.
Finally I found a group which was indulging in one of those comfortable lulls in conversation that only long acquaintance could bring. Two boys lounged on benches with a girl who had taken a seat at the foot of a nearby tree. "Excuse me?" I asked as I came to stop in conversational range.
The large of the boys, one who had hair nearly as black as Eriol's and brown eyes that reminded me of Touya's, was the one who replied. "Yes?" he asked in a tenor surprising in one so large.
"I'm new here... I was hoping you might be able to direct me to the science building?" I already new the answer, having memorized a campus map, but it was a good opening line.
The three exchanged a quick look before the girl answered. "Our first class is there, we'll take you," she said. She was a traditional looking Japanese girl, but there was a wit glittering in her eyes that I immediately liked. "What's your class?" she asked.
"Astronomical legends," I replied. "I'm taking it to fill my history requirement." Never mind I could probably teach the class. If there was one thing Eriol was keen on, it was stars.
The girl laughed. "Oh, you poor thing," she said. "You must be a transfer."
"Yes?" I asked cautiously.
"It's a 300 class, but you're taking it with Hatanaka-sensei." She shook her head in mock concern. "He's legendary.... it'll take up the next four months of your life," she said.
"I like stars..." I said lamely, starting to worry. Apparently I'd just stepped into the legendary "killer course" which all universities had. An astrology course would normally be a cake class, but the way the girl was talking...
"You'll hate them by the time it's over," said the boy who had spoken first. "Hatanaka-sensei is very thorough."
"It'll be fine!" I said firmly, determined to keep an open mind. "I don't mind working!"
The boy who hadn't spoke chuckled, and my breath caught as he looked at my with blue-violet eyes that were only a shade different than Yue's. He was perhaps one of the prettiest boys I had ever seen - not handsome, but delicately pretty in a fashion that pushed the line to effeminate. I liked pretty boys, but his finely sculpted face was just too... something. I couldn't think of the right word.
The girl noticed where my attention had wandered to and a tired looked entered her expression. "He got another one," she sighed.
"Huh?" I asked, but the boy looked exasperated and the dark-haired one looked amused.
"Namiki-kun always catches all the pretty girls," he said, winking at me. "They just can't help for falling for his bishounen looks."
"Stop that!" the pretty boy, apparently named Namiki, demanded.
"Why should I? Do you know how many dates I've had since I've started hanging out with you?"
"It's not my fault!"
The girl shook her head as the two started fighting playfully. "Um, that's Namiki Kiyoyuki, and the one fighting with him is Naka Hideo," she said, waving a hand at the pair. "I'm Asakura Miyo."
I smiled at her brilliantly. "I'm Akizuki Nakuru!" I announced. "Third year transfer, majoring in philosophy, political science and zoology!"
She blinked at me slowly as my three majors processed. "All of those?"
"Well, I really couldn't decide. Everything is so interesting!" I clapped my hands as I bounced on the balls of my feet. "I'll probably be here for a few years, but it's fun!"
She shook her head slowly, an amused smile playing on her lips. "And I thought Namiki was crazy, double majoring in chemistry and ethics," she said.
Namiki and Naka had stopped fighting and were looking at me curiously. "Least we're not trying to become doctors... now that's insanity," Naka returned, earning himself a scowl from Asakura.
"Well, least I'm not majoring in physics! How nerdy can you get?"
I watched with amusement as they began to playfully bicker, with Namiki occasionally throwing in a comment to keep the fight going. After about five minutes, they paused to take a breathe, aware of their audience again.
"Um, sorry, Akizuki-san," Naka said, blushing a bit. "It's an old argument."
"I can tell," I replied a touch dryly. "What year are you?"
"I'm in my fourth, these two chumps are in their third, like you," Asakura replied. "We're all science majors, so we spent a lot of time in Camelot."
"Palace?" I echoed.
"It's named Arthur Hall, but somehow it got dubbed Camelot, and the name's stuck. If you're in zoology, you'll spend a lot of time with the rest of us knights."
"Round table reference?"
"But of course," Asakura replied. "What's your sched look like?"
I handed over the paper print out I'd received a week ago in the mail. She glanced over it carefully, her eyes widening a bit as she saw how scattered the courses I'd selected were. "Astrological legends, Organic Chemistry, Communism and Socialism, Zoology 400, Asian Philosophers and Terrorism and Freedom Fighters...." she read aloud. "18 credits..."
"20, actually," I said. "I have organic and zoology labs," I said.
Naka let loose a low whistle of appreciation. "Not just a pretty face." His eyes brightened as he considered my course list. "We'll have Organic together." He shot a nasty look at Namiki. "Along with the bishounen."
"Just can it," Namiki said with a scowl. "I'm taking terrorism as an elective," he said, "so I'll see you there, too."
Asakura shook her head. "I'm not taking any of these. I took O-chem as a sophomore, and zoology isn't required for my degree."
"We'll take you to the planetarium, though," Naka offered, rising to his feet with a reasonable amount of grace.
Namiki rose as well, but his expression was a bit warier. I guessed that he was used to girls throwing themselves at him and probably tired of it, but... well, I didn't like delicate beauty on a man. I mean, I was a prettier man than he would ever be. I liked men who looked more... masculine. Like Touya.
The three were good company as they escorted me to the planetarium, offering me cheerful and helpful advise about how to survive at Tomoeda U. Don't eat the fish sticks, don't sign up for anymore classes with Hatanaka-sensei, and dear lord, don't join one of the frats. The science majors were all relatively close-knit, and the departments had biweekly gatherings which I would be invited to. All in all, it sounded pretty fun - and a heck of a lot better than sweeping at the shrine for the rest of my life.
The door to the planetarium was located off the right wing of Camelot. I smiled as Asakura offered to meet me after class to show me to the Upper Crust, one of the small cafes on campus. She assured me it was the only place to get decent food that wasn't over or undercooked.
I waved goodbye to them, feeling rejuvenated. It wasn't that hard for me to make friends. Okay, so I cheated sometimes and let a bit of moon magic help make me more appealing, but since it was a part of me anyway...
My thoughts were interrupted as I prepared to open the door. As soon as I touched the handle, a familiar feel of magic surged through me, much the way a relatively minor jolt of electricity would. It could only be one person, I thought with extreme displeasure as I flung the door open, trying to keep a cheerful smile on my face.
Sure enough, Tsukishiro Yukito was seating in the front row, his head turned as he watched my entrance. Throughout the seats students were scattered like petals, most fiddling with laptops or talking on cell phones. A few were flipping through new textbooks. Everyone was off in their own little world.
I had a choice, and I knew exactly what to do. I could either pretend not to know him, or...
"Tsukishiro-kun!" I squealed as I raced down the aisle to take a seat right by him.
His twitch was even more satisfying than the one I'd gotten out of Suppi that morning. "Hello, Akizuki-san," he said in a rather dull voice. He was not pleased at my presence... good!
"How have you been?" I asked in a friendly voice which probably had him wanting to slap me away. I leaned forward and touched his arm familiarly, noting with pleasure that a few of our classmates had stopped their own pursuits to watch the show I was providing. "After you got upset, I've been so worried..." I gushed.
"About that-" he said, but I interrupted him first.
"Oh, I understand. The stress must be absolutely terrible..." I moved my hand to a comfortable position on his shoulder. "I don't hold it against you..." Lying through my teeth, but he was turning a brilliant shade of red which set off his hair so nicely, and it was just too much fun!
He bit his lip, obviously torn between allowing himself another outburst and his customary politeness. He knew I was toying with him, and there was nothing he could do about it without creating a scene.
My game was halted by a cough from the front of the room. A man I hadn't really noticed (sloppy of me, but I'd been busy), came around a podium and stood in front of the class. There were about sixty of us, and he stared us all down.
"Hello, class. Welcome to Astronomical Legends. If you're in the wrong place, leave. Otherwise stay right where you are while I take names. You're now in your assigned seats for the semester." He continued to speak, but I tuned him out, realizing how thoroughly I'd just been trapped.
A semester of sitting next to Yue's false form? How would I survive? Better yet, could I keep myself from committing murder?
Yukito merely tossed me an apprehensive look and then gave a long, slow sigh.