Author's note: This is an alternate universe version of TRC that stars Sakura instead of Syaoran. Just to clarify, this is a different universe entirely, not just a different dimension. In this universe there is only one dimension, and only one of each person. No interdimensional counterparts. The story is a little similar to the original but the ending is pretty different. Well, at least I think it is…I haven't been able to finish the manga yet. All of the clothing appeared, or had something similar to it appear, in TRC or xxxholic. See if you can find them all! There will be lots of SakuXSyao and possibly some KuroXTomo. Please enjoy.

Chapitre 1: Lost

The city of Marielle was alive with sound and steam. Steam-powered cars drove over wide cobbled streets and between red and brown brick buildings with their window shutters flung wide open. The red smokestacks of a factory framed the sunrise. The sidewalks were flooded with people, men in suit jackets and long coats and women in flowing dresses and hats adorned with flowers.

Among the crowd, a single girl stuck out. She was young, somewhere in her teens, with half-open eyes the color of leaves in spring. Two long strands of brown hair rested on her collarbone, but the rest of her hair was came no lower than her chin. Some of her bangs stuck up, making her look as though she'd just awoken. She wore a long green sweater, and a pale green dress with white edging over it. A thick headband of the same color rested on her hair. The skirt of the dress brushed the street in the back, but in the front it didn't even come to her knees. Her boots were also pale green edged with white, and had cuffs made of the same dark green material that formed the sweater. She wandered the streets, a blank look in her eyes, as though she was searching for something, but didn't know what.

She stumbled slightly, and caught herself against the door of a street-side shop. She more or less fell inside. With a look of bewilderment on her face, she glanced around at the shelves of dry goods around her.

The shop, was small, but well kept, its wooden shelves stocked with paper and other supplies. Light filtered in through a large picture window next to the door. The counter on the far side of the store was home to a large brass cash register.

A tall man with ice-blue eyes and shaggy, pale blond hair leaned against the counter. He was wearing a long, cream-colored coat over a grey vest and white dress shirt, with grey pants.

"Welcome to the shop," the man said. "Can I help you?"

The girl took two tentative steps forward and collapsed. The man caught her with ease, and gave her a sideways look.

"What on earth happened to you?" he asked, not expecting an answer.

The girl woke up in a bed in a small room. She had no idea where she was, but the sun streaming through the window was pleasant, and the room was warm. Someone had laid a quilt on the bed.

"You're awake," someone said.

The girl looked up and saw a blond man. She had only a blurry memory of seeing him earlier.

"You're in the back room of the dried goods store I own," the man said. "My name is Fai D. Fluorite. Can I ask your name?"

The girl thought. "I…I don't know," she said.

A shadow passed over Fai's face. "I was afraid of that. There is a mark on your back in the shape of a set of wings. It started glowing after you passed out. I think it might be a seal."

The girl cocked her head to one side. "A seal?"

"I believe someone has sealed your memory," Fai said. "Do you remember anything?"

The girl concentrated. "N-no," she said after a few moments.

"Well, we have at least one clue," Fai said. "Your clothing. It's not from around here, so you can't be from Marielle. Also, there are those," he continued, tapping a small metal plate which the girl noticed, for the first time, was on the sleeve of her dress. There was another on the other sleeve, identical in its small size and position parallel to the edge of the sleeve.

"There's something written on them," the girl said in surprise. She read hesitantly, "Sa…ku…ra. Both of them say that."

She looked up at Fai. "Could that be my name?"

"It might be," Fai said. "Do you mind if I call you that for now."

The girl nodded and decided she liked her new name. Sakura. It seemed right, somehow.

Something tickled at the back of her mind. Something very important. She was looking for something… or someone. She couldn't remember.

"I feel like I was looking for something," Sakura said. "I can't remember, though."

"I'll help you, if I can," Fai said.

"Thank you," Sakura said, smiling.

Fai smiled back, unable to help himself. The girl's warmth was infectious. It might be a good thing, he though, if he spent more time with someone like her.

Sakura had insisted that she be allowed to help in the shop, to repay Fai for allowing her to stay. She was a little sleepy, but she wanted to do everything she could. Fai had given her a new dress, a pink one with three-quarter sleeves and an ankle-length skirt. Both the sleeves and the skirt ended in ruffles. The neckline was square and consisted of a ribbon edged with lace on both sides and tied into a bow in the center. A rosette lay on top of the bow, perfectly matching the rosette and bow on her hat, which Fai had called a "cloche".

"Have a nice day," she said, as a girl in a school uniform rushed out of the store.

"You're doing very well, Sakura-chan," Fai said as he restocked the shelf behind the counter.

"Thank you, Fai-san," Sakura said happily.

A tall man walked into the store. He had spiky black hair and eyes as red as sunset. A longsword hung at his hip, and a black trenchcoat spread out behind him like a cape.

"Sakura-san?" the man asked in surprise.

NinthFeather: And that's the first chapter. I know it's short, but that was the best place to cut off. R&R please.

Mokona: Where's Mokona?

NinthFeather: You aren't in this story.

Mokona: But Mokona is popular!

NinthFeather: *sighs*

Fai: See you next chapter! Kuro-rin will be there, too!

Kurogane: WHAT DID YOU CALL ME!

Sakura: Please regard us kindly!