http://clampfix.fanworks.net/ccd-fix/how1.txt </head><body><pre>Greetings! This story another in my storytelling series. Yep Nokori is back, and she wants to hear another story. /\_/\ What will the story be about this time? You'll just have to read it to find out. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I have writing it. As always questions and comments are welcome and encouraged. I do not own CCD the lovely Clamp artists do so please don't sue me. This was written for entertainment only. How It All Started By Shara "I'm tired of reading, Uncle Nokoru," Takamura Nokori announced to the large well-appointed office around a yawn as she inserted a bookmark into the book she had been reading. She set the fabric-covered hardback aside on the low table near her chair, folding her hands demurely in her lap. Bright golden eyes that matched the stylish yellow dress she wore tacked across the beautiful golden brown wood of the floor until they lighted upon the desk in the center of the room and the handsome figure seated at the desk. The man garbed in wine colored slacks, a vest of the same color and a white silk shirt that billowed out at the sleeves lifted an elfin face filled with large watercolor eyes crowned with short cut tousled blond hair from paper he had been reading to meet Nokori's glance. "Mmm, so I see." Nokoru smiled fondly at the graceful sapphire maned girl sitting in the chair across from him. She was the daughter of Takamura Suoh one of his two closest friends. But it never had mattered to Nokori that they were not related by blood. To her, he was and always would be Uncle Nokoru. Just as Nokoru would always consider her father and his other bosom friend Ijuin Akira as his brothers. That they both felt the same way about him and allowed him to be a part of their family was a source of constant joy for the Rijichou of CLAMP campus. Some people would consider baby sitting to be a chore. To Nokoru who hadn't thought that he would ever have the chance to take part in the raising of a child, it was a delight. Nokori was a quiet sweet tempered child who was far too clever for her own good. Then again, that was to be expected considering she was Nagisa and Suoh's daughter. Nokori's mother was one of the sweetest people alive. Nagisa's kindhearted nature endeared her to everyone she met. Few were immune to her innate gentility. Nokoru was glad to have the lovely lady's good regard. For without her unfailing friendship he would never have considered being as much a part of her family's life as he had become, despite his closeness to her husband. Her happiness and that of her husband were of utmost importance to him. The generosity of her spirit in allowing him to share her family never ceased to inspire the Nokoru. It was ironic that while he had a wealth of sisters, Nagisa was one of the few women who truly treated him as a brother. His own blood relations were far to immersed in their own careers to be able to have any kind of real relationship with him. Not that he begrudged them for keeping their distance. Being an Imonoyama held certain responsibilities both to the country and the world. He was no different from his siblings in that. The people closest to him were those he worked with on a daily basis. Takamura Suoh who served as his body guard as well as the school secretary, Suoh's beautiful wife Nagisa and their darling Nokori-chan. And one couldn't forget Ijuin Akira the kind hearted campus treasurer and his charming wife Utako who rounded out his chosen family. Perhaps it wasn't much, but it was all he really needed. With their help and support he was able to take care of CLAMP Campus. It was just a lucky coincidence that they also helped the cure the loneliness that someone as wealthy and in such a high position as Rijichou suffered from. "Uncle Nokoru," Nokori said in a singsong voice as she waved her small hands in the air to get her beloved uncle's attention. "Earth to Uncle Nokoru--come in Uncle." "Hmm?" Nokoru blinked owlishly as he steered his mind to the present. "I'm sorry for wandering off on you like that, I was just thinking about something." "Oh? What were you thinking about?" she asked, her wide golden eyes brightening as she leaned forward curiously, propping her elbows on her knees, and resting her pixy like chin in her cupped hands. "I was thinking of how glad I am to be able to spend this time with you." Nokoru settled the papers on his desk into some semblance of so he would know where to begin when he continued his work later. Because his back was turned he didn't see Nokori slip silently out of her chair and pad softly over to his side in a feat of stealth worthy of her Uncle Akira who just happened to be the well-known thief the mysterious twenty masks. So Nokoru was greatly surprised when Nokori slipped under the desk, climbed up onto his lap and pulled his bottom lip down peering carefully into his mouth much like a doctor would. Despite being startled by his niece's odd behavior Nokoru reached out instinctively to wrap his arms around his precariously balanced niece and keep her from falling off his lap. Nokoru glanced curiously down at her without a single clue as to why she staring so intently into his mouth. "Do I have something stuck in my teeth?" Nokoru asked lisping a little. Letting go of his lip she looked up at him with obvious disappointment written across her small face. "Your tongue is not made out of silver." She complained with a pout, glaring at her uncle as if it were his fault that his tongue wasn't made of the precious metal. With a great effort of will Nokoru kept himself from laughing. Kids were so literal sometimes it was positively adorable. Allowing himself a small smile, Nokoru dropped a light kiss onto his niece's forehead. "And what makes you think I should have a sliver tongue?" "Mommy says that you have a silver tongue every time you say something really nice like what you just said. But she fibbed, your tongue looks just like mine." "She wasn't fibbing, Nokori." Nokoru shook his head his smile growing into a full grin. "She was using a figure of speech. When someone says that a person has a sliver tongue they mean that the person is good a flattery or saying nice things that people like to hear. Nokori's face shifted from disappointment to consideration as she tilted her head to the side in contemplation her long blue hair flowing over her shoulders like a gentle blue wave rolling across the ocean. "It's true that you are good saying things that make people feel good." "I am only telling you how I feel, Nokori-chan. Spending time with you is a treat for me. I am usually too busy to have you all to myself like this." Turning his chair so they wouldn't be right up against the desk. Nokoru gave his niece a hug as she curled up against his chest now that she had the room to do so. Her short arms reached around his torso as far as she could stretch them. "Uncle Nokoru, can I ask you a question?" "I don't know, can you?" Nokori stuck her tongue out at her uncle. "May I ask you a question then." The rijichou looked off into the distance a long elegant finger tapping at the tip of his chin as if he were trying to decide. "Since you just asked me a question, I believe I shall have to answer yes." Sighing Nokori thumped her head against Nokoru's chest, it was handy and besides she didn't feel like leaving the warm circle of her uncle's arms just to bang her head on the wall. Feeling Nokoru's chest rise and fall with laughter, the azure-haired girl leveled a glance at her uncle's puckish blue eyes. Nokoru bowed his head saying contritely, "I'm sorry Nokori, I couldn't help myself. Am I forgiven?" Though his eyes still held a merry twinkle. "Only if you tell me a story." This was the answer he had expected. Nokori loved hearing stories of any and every kind. "All right, I'll tell you a story. But first what was your question." A crafty expression crossed Nokori-chan's doll like visage and Nokoru wondered if he should be worried. "I've decided my question will be the subject of the story," Nokori replied looking very pleased with herself. "Oh? What will it be then?" he asked deciding that he definitely should be worried. In some ways Nokori was far too much like him. "I want to hear the story about how you and father met for the first time. His face always gets bright red blotches all over it when I ask him and he makes strange sounds in the back of his throat." Nokoru coughed into his hand to keep himself from laughing at the mental image Nokori's words conjured up. "I asked Uncle Akira about it, but he has no idea how it happened because he met up with you and father after you had been friends for a while. So I want to know how it happened." Finished with her speech, Nokori looked expectantly up at her uncle. Nokoru had been expecting just about anything from his imaginative niece except the story about how he had met her father. He gazed down at her attentive face wondering if it would be wise to expose one so young to harsh reality that he lived in. A child's innocence lasts for such a short time especially considering who she was. Then again, did he have a right to keep the knowledge from her? Takamuras grew up at a very young age. Indeed Suoh had started Nokori's martial training in the family tradition before she could walk unassisted It might be useful for her to know of the possible dangers. Silence descended over the room as Nokoru wrestled with his thoughts. Resting her cheek against Nokoru's dark red vest Nokori, waited patiently for her Uncle's response. Uncle Nokoru always smelled wonderful and today was no exception. It was a fresh salty sent that reminded Nokori of the sea. Idly she wondered what kind of cologne it was and if she might be able to get her father to wear some. Unable to chose Nokrou decided that since it was Nokori's innocence that was in jeopardy that she should have a say in the matter. "I'll tell you the story if you want me to. But I should warn you that it isn't a happy tale. "That's all right because I know it has a happy ending," she countered brightly, her whole face alight with excitement. Acquiescing, Nokoru shrugged. "I have to agree with you there. Getting to know your father was one of the best things that ever happened to me." On his way to bring Nokoru and Nokori some tea, Akira was about to open the door when he overheard his friend and niece talking. He froze in place pressing his ear against the door. Large silver eyes gleamed with triumph. For this was a story that he too, longed to hear. For over twenty years he had wondered how his two best friends had met and now it seemed he was finally going to find out. Such was Nokori's joy when she realized that her uncle was going to tell her the story that she nearly bounced herself right off of his lap. "Settle down now or you won't get your story." Was Nokoru's threat to his energetic charge. He bit back a smile when she immediately stopped her wriggling and calmly met his eyes with her golden gaze. On the other side of the door Akira held his breath chanting silently to himself. 'Oh please, please, be good and do as he asks!' "It all started in the summer when I was in the third grade," Nokoru began in a soft mellow tone that was very pleasant on the ears. Relief scrolled across the elegant planes of the thief's face. Akira let his breath slip carefully out upon hearing his friend's familiar voice. His luck was holding so far. 'Uncle is very good at telling stories,' Nokori thought to herself. 'But that makes sense considering all the public speaking he has to do.' Shifting to the side Nokori rested her head in the crook of her uncle's arm closing her eyes to better picture the story as it unfolded before her. "Your father was in the second grade at that time. And one day in the summer we both happened to be out in the gardens admiring the sunflowers. Some of ladies who were also out in the gardens wished to take a picture of me. That was when some of them noticed your father. Then and there they decided they would like a picture of both of us. The ladies converged upon him, pleading with him to let them take his picture." Nokoru smiled at the memory of the spirited young ladies flocking around the startled and embarrassed Takamura. "Suoh wasn't very enthusiastic about having his picture taken with me. In fact, when I first said hello his greeting was quite cold." "But that can't be!" Nokori's distressed cry filled the room. In the hallway, a dark head nodded in silent agreement. "You and he are the best of friends!" Nokoru nuzzled his niece's dark blue hair reassuringly. "It's all right, Nokori. I warned you that this story wasn't all nice before we started. Did you want me to stop now?" Suoh's daughter thought about stopping the story now. It had just started and already it was a stressful story. But she still wanted to know how father and uncle Nokoru met. If Nokoru stopped now she might never find out. "It has a happy ending right?" "It has a very happy ending." Nokoru responded to uncertain waver in Nokori's voice by wrapping her more tightly in his arms. "But if you want me to stop now, I will." To Be Continued . . .</pre><p><a href="./">Back</a></p><p><a href=http://www.dreamhost.com/donate.cgi?id=216><img border=0 alt="Donate towards our web hosting bill!" src=https://secure.newdream.net/donate1.gif></a></p></body></html>