A/N: I just realized I uploaded this without an author's note. I guess just want to say hi. This is my first time writing in this fandom. The second chapter is halfway done an d I've pretty much outlined the whole story in my head. Hopefully I'll update semi frequently. Lol

Disclaimer: I don't own many things and one of those things I don't own is Cardcaptor Sakura. I do have some really kickass hair though.

To Protect

Part I

Protecting Sakura: Overture

Kinomoto Sakura frowned intently at the book in her hands. A few minutes ago she'd entered a used book store near her school, As soon as she stepped through the threshold she felt a certain anticipation, but she was beginning to doubt it was because she wanted to read a book.

"That's not the book you want," a masculine voice informed her briskly from behind her.

Surprised Sakura jumped unbalancing herself and would have fallen into the book shelf in front of her if not for a strong arm that had wrapped itself around her middle. The book she had been holding fell to the ground with an innocuous thud. Sakura open her mouth to respond to the voice that had startled her only to realize she'd forgotten what they'd said to her. She then gasped and let out a soft, fearful 'hoe' as the arm holding her up and another arm slowly turned her around gently, but firmly turning her so her mildly alarmed green eyes were hit full force by cool amber ones.

The boy before her, the boy still holding her shoulders, was looking at her very intently. She felt almost as if he somehow knew everything about her. Like how yesterday she'd 'accidentally' broken the weird vase her father had bought a few weeks ago because the face on it disturbed her. She felt he could see her soul and she very much wondered what he thought about it. The bookstore was small and the isles were narrow. With the limited space she was almost leaning into the boy in front of her, She should have felt suffocated or at the very, least uncomfortable with an unfamiliar boy piercing her with a soul searing gaze. She probably should have even been scared, but she wasn't. She wasn't any of those things. She felt like time had stopped, as cliché as that was, and there was nothing she could do but look back into the boy's eyes. It wasn't too hard even though his messy brown hair threatened to cover them and he was more than a head taller than her. Those amber eyes called to her somehow, he seemed familiar.

"Who-who are you?" she whispered with difficultly because it felt like her tongue had forgotten how to shape words, her lips how to let them out.

"Li Syaoran," he answered promptly if without much fanfare.

Li Syaoran. She didn't recognize the name, but she already knew she'd never met this boy before. He surely would be much too hard to forget. "Why are you-" she asked having no idea what is was exactly that she wanted to know. Why are you here? Why did you look at me like that? Why are you still looking at me like that?

"I've decided," he explained unhelpfully.

"Decided what?!" Sakura asked bewildered raising her voice causing the few other customers in the shop to glance her direction.

"Come," he said shortly as he grabbed her wrist and pulled her behind obviously not content to wait for her to obey his order.

It was in that way Sakura found herself being dragged out of the store and through the familiar streets of Tomoeda. She knew that even if she hadn't been frightened before she should be so then, but she wasn't at all. There was something about the boy before despite his cool demeanor that made her feel safe.

"Where are we going?" she asked hesitantly. The boy didn't seem angry, but he certainly wasn't talkative.

"My place," her responded shortly. Li Syaoran was not a conversationalist and that was putting it kindly.

"Hoe?!" Sakura near shouted shocked. A boy was taking her to his house right after they met. Her best friend Tomoyo would have a field day.

"It's there," Syaoran told her never once slowly down or releasing her wrist.

"What is?"

"The book."

That's right. Back at the book store he said she didn't want the book she had been holding implying she wanted a different one.

"Ano, I don't really have any money on me. Back there I was just browsing for fun or-or something," she explained the last part confusedly because she really wasn't sure why she went into that shop. "I don't read that much. I appreciate your-help?" she finished unsurely. She didn't really know why he thought that she would like whatever book this was.

She was considering trying to say something that made more sense when Syaoran abruptly stopped in front of her causing her to bump into him. She noticed he was shaking and then she heard him laughing.

She could only watch dumbstruck as he turned to face her absently switching her wrist to his other hand. He seemed to be having trouble breathing he was laughing so hard. His face was completely transformed from the stone face he'd shown her back in the store. He looked younger. "Ano, what is so funny?" she asked puzzled.

For a second she thought he was going to laugh even harder, but he visibly reigned himself in and collapsed his mirth into a knowing smile and twinkling eyes. "You."

"Me?"

"Kinomoto Sakura the book is yours," he said simply before once again started pulling her to where she presumed he lived.

He knew her name. Somehow how he knew her name. And what did he mean about the book being hers? How could he have one of her books.

By the time they reached a nondescript three story apartment building Sakura's exuberant imagination had come up with several scenarios that were all highly unlikely. "Ne, Li-kun? You're not some type of stalker are you?" she asked curiously. The thought should have made her nervous she felt.

Syaoran unlocked the front door of the building letting go of her wrist. Then he waved her in. It wasn't until they were walking up the stairs together that he answered.

"I've been looking for you my whole life," he informed her bluntly.

"Hoe!" Sakura's eyes nearly widened out of their sockets. That was probably the most romantic thing a boy ever said to her. If Tomoyo were there she would be brimming over with excitement. If Toya were there he would be killing Syaoran. Toya was a big reason boys didn't often say romantic things to her. However, despite what his words could mean Sakura didn't think that the boy pulling her into his small sparsely furnished apartment meant them that way.

"Why?" Sakura asked his back as he disappeared into a room. His bedroom perhaps? Curious she surveyed the small living/dining/kitchen room she was in that obviously took up most of his apartment. She couldn't find a single personal item anywhere. He looked like Syaoran had just moved in or even had yet to move in. There was a table and a chair and not any other furniture.

"I had your book," Syaoran said from behind her causing her to spin around.

"Huh?"

"The reason I was looking for you was so I could give you your book. Give you this," he elaborated as he handed her a large, red book with a clasp. The book looked ancient and looked very beaten up, Dark stains appeared all over the front and the back covers. The front cover read 'The Clow'.

"This isn't mine. I've never seen this book before," Sakura said sadly to Syaoran who was still smiling still foregoing his cold mask. Which face, she wondered, did he wear more often.

Syaoran raised a questioning eyebrow at her. "So?"

"So it's not mine," Sakura repeated.

"No, it's yours," he insisted.

"Is not."

"Is."

"I think I would know," she snapped.

"Apparently not," he said mildly his smile widening.

"Why do you think it's mine," she demanded with one hand on her hip and the other holding 'her' book.

"Because it is," he answered infuriatingly.

"That's not a good reason," she nearly growled. He was teasing her about who-knew-what. Why did he really want her to have to book?

"Who needs good reasons?" he inquired cheekily. "It's yours take it."
"Well, if you insist, I'll consider it a gift," Sakura said deciding to surrender, but Syaoran would have none of that.

He shook his finger at her as if scolding her for staying out past curfew. "No, no. It can't be gift if it's already yours," he told her solemnly.

"But-"

"But I can give you something," he told her his smile shifting into an odd smirk.

"No, no, Li-kun, I don't really want-"

"I've decided," he said cutting her off.

"Yes, you said that earlier," Sakura grumbled, but didn't say anything else when his face became serious.

"I've decided you can have me."

"Hoe?!" Sakura left her mouth hanging open. There were no words. She felt a warm breeze blow around her for a second, but was too alarmed to really notice.

He gave her a thoughtful look. "That's a rather cute noise you make," he commented as almost clinically.

Sakura blushed. "Stop saying things like that!" she nearly whispered embarrassed.

"Like what?" he asked her clueless. People thought she was dense.

"Never mind. And I can't have you as you put it," she said with difficulty because she never thought she'd have to say something so obvious.

"You already do. Can't undo it now. And have seemed the best way to put it," he said with a shrug.

"What if I don't want to own you," Sakura asked dismayed.

"I would certainly hope not," he replied.

"What? But you just said," she said hotly started to become angry from talking in circles.

"You don't own me. I'm simply allowing you to posses me," he informed her calmly.

"I don't really see any difference," Sakura said tired and frustrated.

Syaoran shrugged again. "I'm sure you will," he said indifferently and then as an after thought he added, "Eventually."

Sakura collapsed into his one chair and laid 'her' book on his one table. "You're not making any sense," she moaned through her hands as she laid her head in them.

"Well, I'm not overly concerned with such matters," he quipped leaning against the wall two feet away from where Sakura was sitting.

"Where did you come from? The insane asylum?!" she near wailed throwing up her arms in vexation. Li Syaoran was not normal at all.

"I was born in Hong Kong," he said quietly.

"Hong Kong?" Sakura frowned. Why would a boy from Hong Kong be looking for her? She was just an average Japanese girl. There was no reason they ever needed to cross paths.

"I have not been there for a while," he said slowly. His eyes seemed to be looking at something very far away. Sakura almost felt like she was alone in the small apartment.

"How long?" Sakura waited anxiously for him to answer her, but he remained silent. "How long since you've been home, Li-kun?" she asked again a little more urgently. He made it sound like he'd been gone for a couple months, maybe a year or two.

"It's been about 14 years I guess," he said as if he himself wasn't quite sure.

"14 years! Where have you been then?"

"Asia. Africa. The Middle East. Australia. Lot's of places," he said off handedly.

Sakura looked around his apartment observing the complete lack of personal affects again. Was there nothing simply because he didn't have anything. Because he was some sort of vagabond. "Why, Li-kun? Why? Why aren't you home?"

"I already told you. I had to give you your book," he reminded her easily.

Sakura frowned. She doubted it was that simple. "Are you going to go back now? Now that I have the book?" Sakura asked. The idea of him leaving filling her with an odd sense of loss. They just met it shouldn't matter if they parted.

He shook his head and sent her a rueful smile. "I won't be going anywhere for a while, but," his smile disappeared, "I will go back. I promised to return and my mother, she promised to be there."

Sakura shivered. He sounded almost sad when he said that.

"Ano-"

"But that is for a different time. I think you should open your book. It would be best to start as soon as possible," he instructed coldly obviously trying to distance himself from the previous conversation.

"Start what?" Sakura asked warily sending suspicious looks at the book on the table and the boy that had given it to her.

"Who knows?" Syaoran said sounding like it didn't really matter to him.

"You don't know!" Sakura was angry. "Are you playing some sort of joke on me?"

He gave her a strange look. "It would be a rather odd joke, I think."

"It's odd regardless, Li-kun," Sakura ground out.

He sent her a small smile. "Indeed."

Sakura sighed and examined the book. Before it had looked rather ragged, but it looked brand new now. "Eh, Li-kun, wasn't the book more battered before?" She could have sworn it was. She wasn't going crazy. Someone had to be sane and Li certainly was not the boy for the job.

"Yes. It was," he responded happily.

"And?" she said pointedly.

"And what?"

"And why is not now?" she nearly screamed. This was ridiculous. She had to spell everything out. She didn't understand how a person could be so dense.

"It's your book." His expression implied that that explained everything, but she had to disagree.

"So I've been told, but what does that have to do with it fixing itself?" Sakura was feeling increasingly aggravated.

"It didn't fix itself."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Then how did it happen?"

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"How did it get fixed?!" she yelled at the end of her rope.

"Oh, that."

"Yes, that!"

A long silence fell between them. Sakura looked at him expectantly and he just looked at her: just looked. After five minutes, then ten minutes had gone by Sakura's patience fled her.

"Aren't you going to answer me?"

"I didn't know you wanted an answer."

"Why would I ask if I didn't want to know?!"

"Never thought of it that way," he said thoughtfully.

Sakura jumped out of her seat. "Tell. Me. Now!" she said lowly.

"It's because it's your book. I already said."

"But how does that have to do with anything!" Sakura started pacing between the short distance between Li and the table basically spinning in circles.

"It has to do with everything. If you open the book maybe you will find someone who'll be more direct," he said mysteriously.

"Find someone? Someone? We're the only ones here!" Sakura stopped mid pace facing Li.

Li shrugged. Fed up Sakura grabbed the book and carelessly opened the clasp and threw open the cover. The next thing she knew she was knocked to the ground when what appeared to be tarot cards jettisoned themselves out the book. "Hoe!!"

"You could say that," Li commented mildly as the bright light that had accompanied the cards' departure faded.

"What just happened?"

"Oh, no. It seems you have released the Clow Cards. Now you have to capture them before a disaster falls upon this world," he said sarcastically dull.

Sakura glared up at him from her position on the floor. "You tricked me!" She jumped to her back onto her feet in fury.

"I did?" Li looked genuinely taken aback.

"You knew that was going to happen?" she accused.

"So?"

"So! You didn't warn me."

"Well your face just then was too adorable to miss out on."

"Stop it!" Sakura was blushing madly.

"Stop what?"

"You seem like you're flirting with me," she mumbled suddenly finding his floor very interesting.

"I am flirting with you," he stated seriously.

"Hoe?"

"Yes, yes." He nodded like she given him an intelligent answer.

"But why?" Sakura was puzzled. Did that mean he was flirting with her earlier too. It hit her then. She was a some guy's apartment and he was flirting with her. It was almost a date or something. He even gave her gift. Two if she counted him which she didn't. That was just too weird. Tomoyo was going to flip when she told her.

"You're cute and."

"And?"

"Are you fishing for compliments?" he teased.

"No! Of course not!" she said hurriedly causing him to chuckle.

"I did not think I would wake up to find this," said a voice which sounded mildly disgusted from behind Sakura.

Slowly she turned around to see a stuffed animal floating above her new, empty book. It was a golden yellow color and cute little wings on its back. It's tail had a white poof of the end. "Ano," she said completely and utterly unsure of what to say.

"Kerberos. I hope you slept well," Li said in a respectful tone.

"You know him!" Sakura said incredulously.

Li shrugged. "I've heard of him."

"Oh, so I see my reputation proceeds me. Allow me introduce myself. I am Kerberos Guardian Beast of the Seal. I was created by the great Clow Reed," he said in what Sakura decided was supposed to be a strong pose, but all she could see was a cute stuffed animal.

"Your name is Kerberos?" she verified her brow furrowed.

"Yup," the small creature confirmed.

"Can I call you Kero-chan?" she asked her eyes at little starry.

"What?! No!" Kerberos denied outraged. "I'm Kerberos a beast to be feared! This isn't my true form. My true form is impressive."

"But you're so cute. Cute things need cute names, Kero-chan," she explained to him.

Kero turned to Li. "Hey, Kid tell her I'm not cute. Explain why only my full name captures my essence."

Li studied him for a long second. "She's the new Mistress of the Cards and therefore your new mistress. She can call you what she wants," he said casually, but his amused eyes gave him away.

Kero stewed. "I guess, but still-"

"Ano, Li-kun what do you mean by 'the Mistress of the Cards'?" Sakura asked hesitantly.

Li turned to Kero and motioned for him to explain.

"Well you see, um, what's your name?" Kero started.

"Kinomoto Sakura."

"Well, you see Sakura. In the book you just opened are 52 magical cards. Since you could open the book they're destined to belong to you."

"You mean the cards that flew away?" she asked.

"Yes, them." The was a sharp pause. "WHAT! What do you mean 'flew away'? There right here. In the book!" he said desperately, but a quick look proved his lie. "There gone! What did you do? Why did they leave?" he asked suspicious.

Sakura held up her hands defensively. "I just opened the book and they burst out."

"You didn't do anything else?"

"No."

Kero glared at her. "Are you sure."

"P-positive, Kero-chan," Sakura said nervously.

"She telling the truth Kerberos," Li said suddenly.

Kero swivel his attention to the boy who seemed to be around Sakura's age. "By the way Kid. Just who are you exactly? She called you Li. Are you from the Li Clan?"

The boy shrugged. "I suppose. My name is Li Xiao Lang."

"That would explain how you know about me," Kero continued.

Li shook his head. "Not really."

"Then how?" Kero demanded.

"That's a secret," Li told him sternly.

Kero examined him critically. "There is something not quite right about you, but I can sense you have strong magical powers."

"Is that so," Li asked curiously.

"Ano, Kero-chan, Li-kun, what do we do about the cards?"

"You'll have to recapture them," Li said.

"It's the only way," Kero agreed.

"But-"

"Don't worry I'll help you," Li assured her.

"But I don't know-"

"If you don't capture the cards you family and friends and even the whole town could be in danger," Kero added gravely.

"Hoe. Well I guess I don't want the to happen, but-"

"Then it's settled," Kero exclaimed. "Key of Clow, there is someone wishing for a contract with you. Her name is Sakura. Oh Key! Grant her the power! RELEASE!"

A key that looked like a winged bird head floated in floated inn front of Sakura seeming to appear from nowhere. "Hoe? What's that?" she asked as she plucked the object out of the air. "You say it's a key? What does it open?"

"Actually it transforms into the Sealing Wand and allows you to capture and use Clow Cards," Kero replied.

"Capture? Use? I don't know. Are sure you want me to do it? What about Li-kun? Can he do it?" Sakura asked nervously.

"He can't because he didn't open the book! If he tells you he deserves the book because of his family you tell him to shove off!" Kero growled angrily.

Sakura sweat dropped. "Er, Kero-chan. Li-kun gave me the book."

For a long moment Kero looked at her with disbelief before turning suspicious eyes to Li. "Is that true Kid? I can't really imagine the Li Clan giving a magic book like Clow Reed's to anyone for any reason."

It was autumn and neither Li nor Sakura had turned on any lights. In the dwindling daylight streaming through the living rooms only window Li's amber eyes seemed to gleam mischievously. "Well you could almost say the Li Clan doesn't know about my delivery."

"They don't know!" Kero screeched.

"Well by now everyone knows. The magic released when the book met its true master, or in this case mistress, was enormous, but they have no idea about my involvement. They probably think I'm dead," he said rubbing his chin thoughtfully his face looking almost amused.

"Why does your family think your dead?" Kero asked menacingly.

"They haven't heard from me in 14 years," Li said casually as if it wasn't that big of a deal.

"Hoe! You didn't tell me you never contacted your family!" Sakura said appalled. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to go fourteen years without her dad or even her older brother.

"It doesn't matter. You should go outside. I believe there is a Clow Card there."

"He's right Sakura I can sense it too. This can wait. Let's go!" Kero declared as he flew to the door impatiently. Sakura would have probably have stood there stunned for a few minutes, but Li didn't give her the option. Once again he grabbed her wrist and dragged her out the door. By the time she decided to protest they were already on the street and a giant bird was dive bombing her. She was able to dodge the first dive, but then she tripped and could only watch horrified as the giant birds talons came at her faster than she could blink.

And then she watched confused as the bird flew claws first into an invisible wall. The bird seemed puzzled too and gave the 'wall' a few inquisitive almost gentle pecks. Then the bird turned its gaze to Li who had been standing next to her. It made a motion of its head in her direction and squawked questioningly. Li seemed to understand because he just folded his arms and nodded.

The bird then turned its full attention on her. Slowly it walked curiously graceful on its feet that weren't meant to walk the land. The invisible wall had disappeared as mysteriously as it had come and it was only a matter of seconds until the bird had its face inched from hers.

Sakura could only manage an awed 'hoe' as she looked into the bird's oddly intelligent eyes. The bird then seemed to laugh at this before backing up a step before it bowed before her. At least she thought it was.

"Er, guys, what's it doing?" she asked a little alarmed.

"It seems the card is going to let you capture it," Kero said sounding unnerved. "Fly shouldn't be that easy to capture, but I guess we shouldn't complain. Do you know why it's doing this, Kid?" Kero asked with narrowed golden eyes directed at Li.

"Yes," Li said simply. It was obvious he didn't plan on saying anything else though.

"Okay, how do I capture it?" Sakura asked Kero eyeing the giant bird before her. She didn't have anywhere in her house big enough to keep it.

"First you must turn your key into the sealing wand. Repeat after me. Key that hides the power of the dark."

"Key that hides the power of the dark."

"Reveal your true form before me."

"Reveal your true form before me."

"I Sakura command you under our contract. Release!"

"I Sakura command you under our contract. RELEASE!"

The key started extending and was soon a staff with what looked like a bird head on top.

"Good job Sakura," Kero complimented. "Now all you have to do is hold your staff in front of Fly and say 'Return to the guise you were meant to be in. CLOW CARD!'"

Sakura nodded and followed his instructions. Slowly at first and then with increasing speed Fly dissolved into ribbons of light which condensed into a shimmering rainbow rectangle which after moment returned to tarot card with a bird on it. The card looked torn and had a large dark stain on it, but as soon as she took hold of it the card seemed renew itself and the damages disappeared.

"Li-kun! That's what happened before!" she said confused.

Li just nodded while Kero asked her what she meant.

She explained the original poor condition of the book and then it mysterious revival.

Furious Kero turned to the Kid. "What's going on because it's obvious you know something."

"You are correct Kerberos," Li acceded with a small smile on his face.

"So?" Sakura said eventually.

"So what?" Li asked innocently.

"Aren't you going to tell us?" Kero demanded.

"No."

"Why not?!"

"That's a secret." Li stood there in in growing darkness the sun had almost completely set and he seemed very distant covered in shadows.

"Hey kid you can't just-" But Sakura cut him off.

"Is this something we'll find out eventually too," Sakura asked him kindly. Li was now her friend. It was not right to distrust friends.

"Correct. I'll go retrieve your book for you. You should probably should be heading home soon. Wouldn't want your dad or brother to worry now, would we? Especially the brother, ne?"

He was already in his building before Sakura thought to ask him how he knew about her family.

"That Kid is up to something. You should be wary of him," Kero told her seriously.

"Li-kun is my friend, I think. I trust him. He means us no harm I'm sure," Sakura said confidently. Somehow she knew she had nothing to fear from Li.

"Sakura you seem very trusting, but some people aren't who they appear to be."

Sakura smiled at him. "Like you Kero-chan?" she asked impishly.

"Yes. I mean, no! It's not the same," he said frantically causing Sakura to burst out into giggles.

She was still laughing when Li returned a minute later with her book.

"Good night," he said before turning around and heading back towards the building.

"Wait! Li-kun!"

Li stopped, but didn't turn around.

"Thank you because somehow I know you helped me," Sakura said her voice losing volume as she continued almost whispering towards the end.

It seemed Li wasn't going to respond for he continued to walk towards the front door, but right before he entered the building he said, "It was nothing," before clicking the door closed.

Sakura looked at the closed door for a while before looking intently at the card in her hand.

"Ne, Kero-chan?"

"It's Kerberos and what?" Kero demanded grumpily.

"Can I use this card to fly?" It almost seemed impossible to her, but.

"Yes you can!"

Later when Sakura was soaring through the skies above Tomoeda looking down from a new angle where she had resided her whole life, when Kero seemed to have left his bad mood behind, when Sakura was sure someone was watching her, but nobody was listening she said, "Somehow I don't think it's going to amount to nothing, Li-kun."

"What?" Kero asked her distractedly.

"It was nothing Kero. Nothing."

And Sakura almost thought the Fly card heard her and was amused and could hear its laughter on the wind.


Hiiragizawa Eriol examined the door of the classroom intently. Sakura was late. This occurrence in itself was not unusual. What was out of the ordinary was his own uncharacteristic impatience.

"Eriol-kun, is most anxious this morning," Daidoji Tomoyo commented dryly from her seat in front of him. She was very perceptive, Tomoyo.

He simply nodded. He had feeling Tomoyo suspected the reason he was in Japan was not for the educational opportunities provided, but it instead concerned her 'dear Sakura-chan.' She would be correct in assuming this. When he arrived five years ago he hadn't planned on staying long. Sakura was supposed to have already caught all the Clow Cards and he was simply supposed to make sure she transformed them all in time before Reed's magic was not enough to sustain them, but that wasn't how it happened. When he arrived Sakura hadn't even opened the Clow Book and the Clow Book wasn't even in Japan much less the small town of Tomoeda.

So he'd stayed because Sakura was the destined inheritor of the cards. So it stood to reason she'd come in contact with them sooner rather than later. Although he found it had turned more toward the later side of things, but last night he felt her open the Clow Book. So last night the things that should have been started years ago just started.

And he had to wonder how many, if any, of Reed's predictions would hold true.

"Eriol-kun, these are the times I really wish I knew why you were here," Tomoyo said thoughtfully with a gentle smile on her face. "I can only hope you don't remain this tense. It can't be good for you."

Eriol turned his gaze towards the fair purple haired girl sitting in front of him. "Tomoyo-san, you are too kind to be worrying about me," he said sincerely. He was rather amazed she trusted him so even though his intentions were unclear.

"Last night I saw Sakura-chan flying through the sky. I think you won't have to wait much longer, ne, Eriol-kun?" she asked him knowingly.

Eriol didn't comment, but he was afraid some of his shocked showed because Tomoyo started to giggle at him. Daidoji Tomoyo was frighteningly perceptive. She had not an ounce of magic, but her eyes were sharper than a well loved sword.

A breathless 'Good Morning' sounded through the room and Eriol turned to see Sakura had finally arrived. Sakura was panting lightly and her hair was in a slight disarray. Hanging from her neck was the Clow Key.

"Good morning Sakura-chan," Tomoyo greeted pleasantly.

"Good morning, Sakura-san," Eriol parroted. Her aura was different than he was expecting. It felt like she captured more than half the cards and that surely wasn't the case. That wasn't possible.

Eriol watched with intense concentration as Sakura took her seat by the window. She seemed well rested and it appeared any encounter she'd had with the Clow Cards had left her no worse for wear, but he detected a strange aura the seemed to hover around her besides her own like she'd recently met a powerful sorcerer. His own aura was visible around her too, but this other one flared much brighter like a spell or curse would.

"Eriol-kun, are you alright?" a concerned Sakura asked him as she noticed his look.

"Of course. I didn't mean to worry you, Sakura-san," he said with his usual smile. He would certainly discover the reason for this other aura before the next day.

It was then that Mizuki Kaho entered the classroom. For a brief second her gaze lingered on him silently offering him comfort, but then she was in front of the class. She the teacher while he was the student. The classroom door opened once again and a boy with messy brown hair and amber eyes walked to the front of the class.

"Li-kun," Sakura said sounding surprised, but a glance in her direction revealed that she thought of this as a good surprise. The smile on her face was warm. Although he wondered how she knew the boy.

He shifted his gaze to the boy in the front and was immediately hit with the fact that his aura matched the one surrounding Sakura-chan. So Sakura had already met this boy somewhere. Probably after school the previous day since he hadn't noticed anything before.

"Today class we have a new transfer student," Kaho said in usual melodic tones, but she sent him a quick warning look. A look telling him to brace himself. "His name is Li Syaoran and he is from Hong Kong."

Li Xiao Lang.

Eriol studied the boy intensely the brown hair and the amber eyes. The scowl that seemed a permanent feature on his distant face. This boy was almost certainly the boy Reed had seen in his visions. Sure he was late like everything else, but that only seemed natural. The thing that made the whole situation fishy was that Li Xiao Lang was reported missing 14 years ago the same day his mother and four older sisters died. Or as he assumed the day they were killed.

"Let's all treat him kindly." Kaho's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Then Kaho directed him to sit in the seat behind Sakura, next to the window and next to him.

Without wasting any time Li made his way to his new seat only to pause when he got to where Sakura was sitting.

"It seems I have to pleasure of sitting behind you, ne?" he asked Sakura a smile blooming on his face.

Sakura's whole face turned red as she let out an embarrassed 'hoe.'

Li chuckled. "Oh, yes. That noise," he said enigmatically before continuing to his seat where he proceeded to examine Sakura with a thoughtful smile on his face. Sakura on her part turned even redder at his words.

The spell that was wrapped around the unsuspecting Sakura flared dramatically with the caster, as Eriol was certain Li was, sitting behind her.

Surprisingly Sakura seemed to notice as well and even correctly guessed the source turning to Li as much as she could without it being obvious. "Li-kun, what-"

"I already told you. I've decided," he said shortly.

This caused her to turn around with decidedly grumpy look on her face.

Li just smiled.

Tomoyo was looking between her best friend the newcomer with sparkling eyes.

Eriol himself was getting a headache. He didn't know why his descendant seemed to have put some sort of spell on Sakura or why they'd already met. He didn't know where he had been for the last fourteen years or why the boy's mother and sisters died the same day he disappeared. And he most certainly didn't know why his descendant's power was so much more than it should be, but he knew one thing.

He did not like being in the dark.


Syaoran smiled inwardly to himself as he walked up to where Sakura, her friend and the Clow Reed reincarnation were sitting under a tree. It was an unusually warm autumn day and many other students were eating outside. However only blue haired boy was giving him a death glare. Syaoran wondered what he thought he was going to do.

"Li-kun!" Sakura shouted happily as she noticed him approached. Her friend gave him a friendly if more reserved wave. Blue Boy continued to glare at him.

Syaoran smiled at Sakura and her friend before smirking at the 'menacing' blue haired by beside them.

"Li-kun, are you going to eat with us?" Sakura asked him cheerfully. Her purple haired friend leaned forward obviously also curious. Blue Boy seemed to grimace probably hoping Syaoran would eat elsewhere.

"Only if you make that noise," he quipped smartly causing her to blush.

"Hoe!" she predictably exclaimed.

"Well I guess I have to now, ne," he commented dryly as he sat across from Sakura and next to her two companions. Her friend was giving him and odd look, but not like she thought he was strange. No it was her look that was odd. Her eyes were starry and scheming and friendly all at the same time.

"Eriol-kun, why are you glaring at Li-kun?" Sakura asked her companion innocently causing said companion to almost visibly shake himself.

"I don't know what you mean, Sakura-san," Eriol lied smoothly causing Sakura to blink confused. And causing her friend to smile secretly.

"Oi! Blue Boy we could all see it. Why bother lying?" he said casually.

Blue Boy visibly ground his teeth. "Who are you? Why are you here?" he growled obviously shocking his female companions with his hostility.

"You don't know? I thought you would considering who you are," Syaoran said bluntly.

"Listen here, Xiao Lang, I will figure it out one way or another," he threatened.

Syaoran raised his eyebrows at the use of the Chinese version of his name, but replied with placating, "No need for that, Blue Boy. I'll just tell you."

The reincarnated sorcerer just growled. Sakura was looking at said sorcerer like he'd grown another head and her friend just seemed amused. Interesting.

"As you know I'm Li Xiao Lang. I delivered the book to Kinomoto-chan. I've decided to help her collect the cards," he informed the steaming boy before him.

"You delivered the book." The boy went from mad to just stunned.

"Are these cards and that book why I saw my dear Sakura-chan flying through the sky last night?" her friend asked her eyes sparkling. Syaoran sent her a sideways look. She was pretty sharp especially since she didn't even have any magic.

"Yes, you're a smart one. What's your name?" Syaoran answered.

"Daidoji Tomoyo. You can call me Tomoyo if you want, but somehow you seem like a more formal type of person," she said with a warm smile.

"Right, you are, Daidoji-chan," he said warmly.

"Ano, Li-kun, do you know Eriol-kun?" Sakura asked hesitantly.

"Nope."

"Then why-"

"He thinks I've put a spell or curse on you," he informed her bluntly. The other boy's quick intake of breath confirmed his suspicions. "It's funny because it would be much more accurate to say you put a spell on me."

Sakura looked at him speechless while her friend whipped out a video camera and started filming for some reason. Blue Boy was examining him probably confused with what he discovered.

"But why would he think you cursed me?" Sakura asked clearly dismayed.

"Because of your aura I'm sure."

"Li-kun you're really good at giving answers that don't actually answer anything."

"Is that so?"

"It is."

"What type of questions would you like me to answer?" he asked almost coyly.

"The one's I ask," she replied smartly.

"I like a girl who knows what she wants," he said his eyes twinkling.

"Well I like a guy who can give me a straight answer," she said pointedly.

"Is that so. Then ask me a question. I'll give you answer we'll both like," he said his eyes looking at her intently, his smile morphed into a serious line.

"Hoe! Li-kun you-you- Tomoyo-chan why are you filming me?!" said a very flustered Sakura.

Daidoji just smiled sweetly at her best friend. "I wanted footage of Sakura-chan flirting with a boy," she said unconcerned, it seemed, if said boy heard.

"Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura wailed her face turning red.

Syaoran stood up. "Well, I think I'll go. I'm sure I'll be seeing you all later."

Sakura gave him and embarrassed 'good bye' and Daidoji wished him farewell with a fond smile. Blue Boy gave a quick parting glare.

"It seems things will be rather interesting for us all," he said aloud to himself. But the wind seemed to murmur in agreement. "Yes a new time has dawned for the cards Reed left behind… and for the one he didn't."


Kinomoto Toya was busy man. He was 24 years old and the owner of a small, but successful Temp Company. It was only fitting with the extensive variety of part-time jobs he'd had over the years. Although he rarely did just sit behind his desk at the office. He still regularly waited tables, sold confections and any number of jobs that he'd done in his youth. He let his partner and lover, Tsushiro Yukito, handle all the paper work.

Besides if he was out he could always be working with uncanny accuracy at the places his sister went. Yuki always teased him about his sister complex, and he supposed it was true, but he was slowly working his way towards a plan in which he would allow his sister some space and didn't involve locking her up.

Toya gaze drifted to his newest employ Li Syaoran. Li could do any job it seemed, except for the ones involving extensive costumer interaction. The boy wasn't exactly a people person and that was putting it mildly. Most of the time his face was cold and emotionless except for the scowl that his mouth would support. He'd heard other employees whispering about how scary the new demon their boss had hired. Demon. Toya thought that was fitting not only because of his fierce nature, but he did work like a fiend. He generally got his work done twice or even three times as fast regardless of whether he was being paid by the hour or not. Toya had actually started calling him Demon to see what he'd do, but surprisingly when he did the boy just smiled at him. No one had been around and when he'd told Yuki even he found himself doubting his own memory. That was four months ago and he saw Li in good humor more and more, but only when they were alone. He guessed the boy liked him.

He liked him too, but he couldn't help but be a little wary. Li had come to him with no references. No previous addresses. All he had was a name. Despite that he'd proven to be a reliable worker despite his young age. He was actually the same age as Toya's younger sister and that's how he'd come up with his plan.

"Oi, Demon , how old are you?" Toya asked him as innocently as he could while he mopped his side of the restaurant they were closing.

There was a long pause and Toya thought he wasn't going to receive an answer until the boy said, "17, I guess."

Toya raised his eyebrows at that. For most people their age was at the tip of their tongue, but it didn't seem to concern Li one way or another. "That's my sister's age."

"Hn." Not a talker was Li.

"Shouldn't you be in school?" Toya inquired. Li was no dummy. At breaks he often found him reading. He always calculated change in his head and never bothered with a calculator.

"I'm going to transfer to Seiju High in a couple weeks."

"Transfer from where?" Toya asked curious to find out anything about the boy's mysterious past.

"Hong Kong, I suppose," Li replied like it just occurred to him as he finished mopping.

Toya considered the boys exotic features and his odd accent. So Li was Chinese. The name fit even. But if Li was from Hong Kong why hadn't he put his address on his application? Why did never mention 'home?'

"Demon, Li, I was wondering if you could do me a favor," he asked as he also finished mopping.

The boy just looked at him, his amber eyes patient, waiting.

"I was wondering if perhaps you could scare away the guys hitting on my sister," he said like that was perfectly reasonable thing to ask.

Li stared at him for a long moment. "What makes you think I could scare them?" He was smirking and his eyes seemed to glow from across the emptied diner.

Toya blinked. The kid it seemed had a sense of humor. "I don't know. A gut feeling, you could say," Toya said sardonically. The kid was scary and even he was aware of that.

To say he was surprised when Li Syaoran started laughing would have been an understatement.

"I'm sorry Kinomoto-san, but I found it amusing somehow the fact that you want me to scare boys away from your sister," Li said eventually when he saw Toya staring at him with what probably looked close to horror.

Toya just nodded. It was funny in its own way he supposed.

"I'll do it," the boy said calmly before turning and leaving the room without so much as a goodbye.

"Bad people skills," Toya muttered, but couldn't help but smile at his own deviousness. Yuki would tease him to no end if he found out about his interference, but he didn't care. Those teenage punks had been getting more bold since he moved out and he had to do something.

Toya smiled in remembrance. "So? What happened today Demon?"

They were both was washing windows. It seems the people the bank normally contracts couldn't do it. These were the jobs Li was best at. The ones that didn't involve people. Also it would give them more privacy.

"Not much I guess. I met your sister, her friend, Daidoji-chan and Blue Boy," he said smiling obviously having enjoyed his first day at school. Not that it was his first day ever, but sometimes with the way he acted Toya had to wonder.

Toya scowled at the mention of Hiiragizawa, but was amused at the boy obvious disdain for the boy. The blue haired brat gave him the chills for some reason. He was more than he seemed. So was Li, but he didn't seem so damn sneaky about it. "I don't like Hiiragizawa. Anything else? Did any boys try anything?"

Li smirked at him. "Well, there was one boy who started to talk to your sister, but then he just stopped and all but ran away."

Toya just waited knowing there was more.

"I have no idea why. I was just looking at him was all," Li said innocently.

Toya laughed. The boy normal stare was death glare. He was thrilled. "Good job, Demon. I knew your lack of people skills could come in handy."

"It's not that I lack them Kinomoto-san. It's just I'm not going to waste them on people I don't care to know," Li informed him coolly.

Toya sent him a quick glance. People he didn't care to know, huh? Did that mean he wanted to know Toya for some reason? He certainly was a strange kid. "How very stingy," he remarked dryly.

"I only have so much to give," he replied mysteriously.

Seriously strange kid Demon was.