The mist swirled around the small town, and the young boy was cautious as he entered the temporarily abandoned haven. The bells within the city chimed again. Church would begin in just a few minutes, but he'd felt something strange this morning. He just had to get there first.

Light slanted in through stained glassed windows, illuminating an ominously still form. The small boy gasped softly, and his foot steps echoed as he raced down the aisle to the figure on the altar.

"Hey," he mumured, loathe to disturb the stillness of the air. "Hey girl, wake up already."

The person on the altar was a girl about his age. Her hair was down to her waist, an auburn colour, and as her confused eyes slowly inched open, he saw that she had dazzling green eyes. "Hn..." she groaned, turning her gaze to him. "Who're you?" she whispered.

"You should be telling me that. Do you know where you are?" he demanded, releasing the shoulder he had been shaking.

"It looks," she searched her surroundings, "Like a catherdral."

"That's what it is. What are you doing here?" She frowned, looking at him with much displeasure in her eyes at her inability to give a satisfactory answer.

"I've no idea. Who are you?"

The bell chimed again, and the boy sighed. "Later. Listen, the priests will be really angry if they find you in here now. I'll hide you, ok? We can talk after the sermon, and find out why you're in the church. Did someone leave you here?"

She took his offered hand, shaking her head worriedly, allowing the straight smooth curtain of hair stream down her back. "I don't know. I don't remember."

"What's your name?" he asked, morbidly curious as he led her around the corner of the cathedral, and down a little hill, onto the edge of the forest.

She giggled, and his cheeks burned when he saw her smile. "I asked first."

"Syaoran. Now you."

"Sakura. At least, I think so."

He nodded. "Wait here. I'll come and get you after ok?"

Sakura nodded, watching as the little boy hurried away, joining the flocks of people as they flowed into the huge stone building she had just been in. "Who am I?" she asked herself, settling into the grass, and admiring the sunlight as it glittered on the roof of the cathedral. Mist continued to whirl around her, "And what was I doing... sleeping in a place like that?"

Inside, Syaoran asked the same questions, unable to concentrate on the priest's speeches today. His mother scolded him, and did not let him collect Sakura. She waited. All day, and all night. The following morning, Syaoran came. Sakura was gone.

Chapter One: Prologue of sorts

"How familiar," Syaoran thought as he passed by the cathedral. Four years had passed since the day he found Sakura. He had not seen her again, and continued to wonder who she was, and what she had been doing in there. He was 12 now, on his was to school. He no longer visited the ancient building. It was always empty, but he still passed by every day. "It's like dé já vu..." that feeling was there again. He doubted he'd find a mysterious little girl on the steps of the cathedral this time, but the feeling he had to be inside was there once again. "I won't though," he murmured, shaking his head and going on by. He did not want any more unanswered questions in his life, for this single one still drove him mental.

The town was ahead of him now. The place was small, and at this time of day, usually shrouded in a cloak of mist. Part of its charm, he supposed, and engulfed in traditions, customs, festivals. It never seemed to move on. And there were few who had no faith in magic.

Not that anyone had ever seen any evidence, and young Syaoran was among those few who put no stock in the craze. It was intention to get out of the town, the sooner the better. It was unlikely that he ever would, but he wished it every day. And if magic were real, was there any reason for his wish to be pushed aside.

Though he did not believe in magic anymore, at the time when he had met 'Sakura' he had believed every bit of it, drilled into him from the time he was born. And at the time, he'd suspected that maybe Sakura was a magic girl, a fairy or an elf. Perhaps a spirit. It was the last one he'd thought most reasonable when she vanished. "Called back to the spirit world," he had said, "I understand." Of course, for that must have been what happened. The beautiful spirit child might have accidentally appeared in the cathedral, leaving the spirit world for a time, and then, freed from the 'holy place' by Syaoran, she had been able to return. It would explain why she'd known nothing about what happened to her.

Now though, of course, he was quite sure that someone had abandoned the poor child in the cathedral, and when he'd left her all alone, she'd run off to find her own way.

As he entered the school, he saw other students skipping around cheerfully, and knew full well that every last one of them were taught about magic, and also believed in it. He had asked them, and though the church priests might have punished them, they had sounded so terribly honest, he was quite sure they weren't saving their hides. "Good morning Li!" one girl called as she walked past him. Li, his second name. By chance, this was the same surname of the town ruler. Lord Li, Syaoran's father, had disappeared close to the time when Syaoran had found Sakura, however since he had an available heir, his mother was allowed to rule until Syaoran grew up.

"Morning Sasaki," he replied, waving. Rika Sasaki, shy as hell.

"Morning Li," another girl said, following the first.

"Yanagisawa," he acknowledged, nodding. Raised as a Li, and the heir to the metaphorical throne, Syaoran came off as being cold, slightly obnoxious, and quite frightened the others. Out of respect, they greeted him, and invited him places. And Syaoran expected no more. He was satisfied with life the way it was, and did not take kindly to change. It was simple misfortune that change is a constant way of life, constantly inflicting itself upon us, either as a blessing or a curse.

For Syaoran, it was a blessing in disguise. For it was clear, that to begin with, it caused him more trouble than he thought it was worth. He was wrong, but sometimes, when we're wrong, it's best. Sometimes, when we receive change where it's most unwanted, it makes everything look just the way we want it, and we wonder...

... how did we ever go without it?

Breathing it. Smelling it. Embracing change was something that no resident of Mahou wanted. It was hardly necessary, for everything ran smoothly. Certainly, the occasional piece of technological assistance would be nice, but such advances were avoided. Why? There was only one reason, and it was, in truth, quite ridiculous.

Faith.

There was nothing wrong with faith, in and of itself. Alone, faith was wonderful. But faith this strong, faith that had reached a point where it was relied upon solely, to acheive every task in daily life, was a hinderance. At least, under these circumstances. Every person in the town, Syaoran Li aside, was filled with faith in magic. Their lives were fully ruled by this faith, the desires they had. They felt that the technological marvels slowly appearing in every other part of the world, were against magic itself. A fraudulent attempt to replace magic. Syaoran, as I'm sure you will agree, believed that the town was full of fools. What good was this non-existant magic? These herbs used by so-called healers, did they actually work? He doubted it. After all, just a month ago his uncle and aunt had died, despite their healers best efforts, leaving their daughter, Syaoran's cousin, in his family's care. As if his mother could deal with another child.

Nevertheless, Syaoran also disliked change. It was built into him, as with every resident of Mahou. A part of his system. That, along with the fact that life was so calm and peaceful here, made sure that no one, even Syaoran, truly desired change.

Syaoran took his seat in class, his mind once more wandering to the empty cathedral where he had found Sakura. The child had been absolutely beautiful, and by now, she'd be stunning. He shook his head once again, returning to the murky class room, where students took their seats around him.

"Good morning class," the teacher out the front called, and the Li boy focused in on the lesson. "We have several announcements this morning. The first is that we have an upcoming test a week from now, so hit the books and get studying. It's important you know. Next, we've got an excursion on Friday to the mountains, so we can examine some of the old runes." Syaoran groaned, closing his eyes. Sometimes, he wished they'd change 'magic studies' to science. He knew other towns studied that. "And our final announcement," the teacher went on, drawing Syaoran's attention once more, "Is that we have a new student. I know it is unsual to accept students this late in the year... particularly foreign ones. However, her stats are outstanding," he turned to the door, "Please come in."

Syaoran's eyes widened. "Introduce yourself."

"Hello. My name," she smiled, closing her emerald eyes, "Is Sakura Kinomoto."

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AN: And here I thought I was beyond all this short chapter stuff... -sigh- I think it might have been a bit predictable. I wish I could stuff all these ideas I have away somewhere!!! I need to finish a story before I start anymore... but I still have, like, 10 more ideas for various fandoms. I needed to write some CCS stuff, and I didn't have the motivation for the others at the moment. I promise, I'll get there. On my life. In fact, Bloody Love is inching towards the finish line (something I never thought I would see) and Office Romances, for various reasons, is under going a pile of editing before I wrap it up for good. That'll put the lid on those. Then the mini 'three day mistake', which I need to feel more random for... -sighs again- I'm sorry, I'm just really panicky and stressed lately, and this is my way of letting off some steam. So, from that tiny... 'teaser chapter', maybe you can tell me what you think? Don't be harsh, please??

Kura.

Ps: sorry everyone, again. I really am going through a lot right now, and I needed to do SOMETHING with it all... ^_^ next chapter of this will probably be longer. It was a sort of prologue of sorts... I suppose.