CCS-2: Card creators Sakura & Syaoran:

Episode 2:


Disclaimer: Cardcaptor Sakura is property of CLAMP I claim no rights to any of the original characters, only the idea for this storyline and any new characters I may have introduced for the purpose of building and continuing the storyline. ARIGATO!!

There's not much action in this episode, yet. Gomen nasai. However, there are a few things that I felt needed to be touched on before I continued with the storyline.

As I explained in my Epilogue fanfic, it is my style to try to keep as close to the original storyline as I possibly can. However, I have found it necessary to tweek a few minor details to fit better with my story idea. You may or may not notice that I have combined an element from the Manga into the story. I had to tweek it a bit, but I hope no one minds. After all, this is a "Fan"fic. Obviously I can't keep everything exactly the same because I am not CLAMP. ;)

I truly appreciate everyone's reviews so far! I really try to take them all into consideration when continuing to write the next episode. If you are concerned that I am protraying a character a little out of his or her element, I am greatful for a gentle reminder, but please no flaming about it. Everyone has been great about it so far. It's a little funny, though, because some of you have told me one opinion and others have told me the complete opposite in regards to a few characters. If I did it purposely, I will try to explain why in a later episode. If it was done unintentially, I will do what I can to correct it. Arigato gozaimasu minasan! Please continue to review. :)


Sakura awoke with a start, and grabbed for her alarm clock. She would be late for her first day of 7th grade if she didn't hurry. Sakura bolted out of her bed to her closet for her school uniform.

"I tried to wake you up!" Kero was telling her as he fluttered around the room trying to avoid wherever she might suddenly move to next.

"Where's my Uniform!" Sakura exclaimed in panic, as she rushed around her room in her search.

Kero picked up a shopping bag that lay partially under her bed and flew after her with it. "You forgot to wash and to hang it up last night," he told her, waiting for her to take the bag. It was heavy for him in his little plushy form.

"HOoo…ee!!" Sakura exclaimed as she tried to shake the folds out of her new school uniform. How could she have forgotten to wash and hang up her uniform, she wondered. As she thought about it, she didn't remember coming up to bed last night either.

Pausing for a moment, all of the events of the night before swirled through her mind. She was betrothed to Syaoran, but because it was so sudden she hadn't taken it well at first and had flown off so that she could be alone. She remembered now that she had flown until she had used up more magic then she would need to fly back home and she landed. She didn't know where she had landed, but she knew she hadn't wanted to be there. There had been a man that she had run into. It was dark, and his features were hidden by shadow, but he had spoken in what she thought was Chinese. She didn't know what he had said, but his deep and husky voice haunted her and sent a shiver down her spine.

"Sakura-san, it's time for Breakfast!" She heard her father call from the foot of the stairs and snapped out of her thoughts. She hurried to get dressed and somehow managed to make the uniform look good. The skirt's color matched the color of her eyes, as did the collar of the white shirt. After she finished brushing her hair and tying the sides up into pigtails with pink ribbons and was satisfied with her appearance she grabbed her bag and rushed out of her bedroom door and down the stairs.

"OHAYO!" She exclaimed after stepping into the kitchen.

"You're late," Touya told her and stuffed a piece of toast into his mouth.

"Ohayo, Sakura-san," her father told her with a smile, bringing her breakfast around to the table. She didn't notice the look of concern on his face as she began to eat.

"You can ride to your new school with us," Fujitaka told his daughter as he sat down to finish his own breakfast. "Your Jr. High is right next to the college campus after all."

Sakura nodded and took a gulp of juice to force down a bite that had been too big. "Will Yukito be riding with us?" She asked after a moment. It only seemed logical to her that he would, since he and Touya went to the same college that her father worked at as a professor of archaeology.

As though on cue, the doorbell rang. "That's probably Yuki now," Touya explained, standing to take his plate to the sink and then leaving the kitchen to answer the door.

Sakura stuffed her last bite of toast in her mouth and finished off her glass of juice before rushing to help her father rinse the breakfast dishes and load the dishwasher. She and Fujitaka then grabbed their bags and hurried out the door to meet with Touya and Yukito.

Once they arrived at the college and from where they parked the car, Sakura would have to roller blade across the campus to get to her Jr. High. "Do you want us to go with you today?" asked Yukito as she finished snapping her roller blades.

"No, that's ok, just point me in the right direction," she answered. She really wanted a bit of time with her thoughts before she walked into her new class.

"Well, I'm off! Matane!" She told them, and sped off across the campus. Glad for the moment of peace, her thoughts returned to the night before. Syaoran had come to find her. He had carried her to a car and held her while she cried. Why had she cried? A sudden wave of guilt surged through her body. She had cried because she was ashamed of her actions. Surely Yelan-san wasn't pleased. She had been so selfish…

Sakura was lost so deeply in her thoughts that she turned right where she had been told to turn left. She ran head on into someone who, as she nearly fell back, caught her hand to keep her from falling. Syaoran? She wondered as she began to apologize profusely.

Sakura looked, expecting to see Syaoran staring back at her. What she saw caused her to freeze, momentarily awe-struck. His eyes were the same, his hair was the same, but there were a few minor differences in the facial structure and height. Especially his height. Towering over her she couldn't help but to stare at what could mistakenly be an older version of Syaoran.

"Are you ok?" He asked, moving quickly to offer support so that she could regain her balance.

"H….hai…." Sakura stammered, still staring. He looked to be a college student, she noted. Did Syaoran have any male relatives who had come to study in Japan? She wondered.

"I'm glad," He told her, letting go of her when he was sure that she had regained her balance.

Suddenly the bell for the start of class began to ring. "HOoo…Eee!!" Sakura squealed. "I'm going to be late!!" She spun around on her roller blades to head in the right direction. "I'm so sorry!" She called back to the Man who looked like Syaoran. "Please excuse me!"

As she sped off, a man dressed in a southern style Jing mo, a Chinese shirt-jacket with a mandarin collar and frog ties, stepped out from under a nearby tree. His build was average height and slender yet heavily muscled. His eyes were narrow and black, his head bald of all hair except for his long, flowing white goatee that moved with the wind. He watched as the girl skated away towards the Jr. High. "Found you," he spoke in fluent Mandarin Chinese.

The two men, the older and the younger, caught one another's gaze in recognition. Both then quickly disappeared.

Sakura found her way to the school and rushed into the office. She would need a late pass. She quickly explained that she had made a wrong turn and gotten lost. She was then escorted to her class, 15 minutes late. "Your tardiness will be excused for today, since it is your first day, but from this day forth you are expected to be on time," she was told by her new teacher, Kobayashi-san. "Your seat has been saved for you," he instructed that she take her seat quickly. She turned to find seating arrangements identical to those of her last class. Syoaran and Tomoyo had saved a seat for her, one in front of Syoaran and to the left of Tomoyo. Behind Tomoyo sat another familiar face that she hadn't expected to see. It was Eriol. Unfortunately, now was not the time for questions as Kobayashi-san continued with class.

When it was time for lunch, Syaoran pulled her aside before Tomoyo could distract her. Sakura allowed him to lead her by the hand to a private area in the hall. "How are you feeling?" he asked in concern once he had found a spot where they wouldn't be interrupted.

Sakura folded her hands in front of her once he had released her hand. She stare down at her hands, unable to look directly at him. She felt so ashamed over her actions from the night before and the concern she heard in his voice was like a stab of guilt for having run away from the situation. "Gomen ne," she spoke weakly.

Syaoran placed a gentle hand under her chin to lift her gaze to his. "How are you feeling?" he repeated the question softly.

"O…okay," she answered, grateful for the concern and understanding she found in his eyes.

"We are all to meet at my apartment after school," he told her with a hug. "Are you ok with that?" He asked.

Sakura nodded against his shoulder, relief washing over her. Their moment was cut short, however, as she found herself being pulled out of the embrace and spun around to face her best friend. "Hoe?" She exclaimed with sudden surprise.

"Why didn't you call me or come to my place," Tomoyo asked, her voice full with a mixture of concern and hurt that Sakura hadn't confided in her.

Eriol stepped up behind the group and looked at Syaoran apologetically. "I couldn't distract her any longer then that." Eriol explained to Syaoran quietly so that neither girl could hear. Syaoran nodded his thanks, and left with Eriol to give the girls room to converse.

The rest of the school day went by as expected, for being the first day. After the final bell had rung, the group left for Syaoran's new apartment. The apartment was within walking distance of the school, in the direction opposite of the college campus. Just before leaving the school grounds the group met up with Touya and Yukito. "Dad will be along shortly, he said he would meet us there." Touya explained. Though Touya glanced at his little sister's joined hand with the twerp, as he still referred to Syaoran as being, with contempt he kept from commenting, recognizing that he was going to have to get use to the situation whether he liked it or not.

Sakura was surprised to discover, upon their arrival, that Syaoran and Eriol were sharing a three-bedroom apartment. Wei greeted them at the door and took coats and hats. Yelan greeted them in the living room. "How are you feeling, Sakura-Chan?" She asked as she approached Sakura with a hug.

"I…I'm okay…" Sakura answered quietly. "I'm really sorry about the way I acted last night." She then added quickly.

Yelan framed Sakura's face with her hands, smiled understandingly and kissed her cheek. "I apologize that the news was so sudden and that I had to keep my son from contacting you ahead of time." She answered.

"HOoo..ee?"

"How long have you been here?" Tomoyo asked suddenly, taking note that the apartment was completely set up with no moving boxes in sight. Surely Wei couldn't have unpacked everything in one day. She looked directly at Eriol, thinking back to the call she made to him yesterday morning. Were they already in town then? She wondered.

Eriol smiled at her innocently.

The moment was broken when the doorbell rang. "Konbanwa Kinomoto-san," they heard Wei greet as he opened the door for Fujitaka.

With everyone now gathered in the living room, each person found a place to sit. Yelan insisted that Sakura sit beside her on the two-seater couch, with Syaoran standing behind them. Fujitaka sat on the only single chair in the room, which looked as though it was most likely Eriol's. Touya, Yukito and Tomoyo sat on the couch. Eriol remained standing behind where Tomoyo sat.

Yelan turned her body so that she faced Sakura and took both of Sakura's hands into her own. "Again, I am sorry that you were left in the dark for the past four months." She began. "It came to my attention once my son had returned and Clow-sama's reincarnation explained that the cards had chosen my son's destiny to be with you. I too saw that your destiny was meant to be." She paused with a smile.

"However," Yelan continued to explain. "When I counseled with the elders, there were a few who disagreed. Those who wish to keep the bloodline "pure." Hiiragizawa-sama presented himself at the second counsel. After proving that he is indeed the reincarnation of Clow-sama he convinced most of the elders that you and my Son were destined to be together." Again, she paused to smile as Sakura's cheeks burned brightly. Sakura waited for her to continue.

"One man, however, Kuen-Jie, protested and continued to insist that the bloodline must be kept pure. He turned a deaf ear to the truth." Yelan briefly concluded, looking to Eriol to continue.

"HOo..ee?" Sakura looked confused as Eriol moved to speak.

"I am not Clow's sole reincarnation," Eriol began. "Clow soul was split into two reincarnations." He stated, much to Sakura's look of surprise.

"N….nani?" Sakura exclaimed. "How can that be?" She looked completely confused.

"You wondered how it was that I know of the Clow cards, Sakura-san." Her father suddenly spoke up, much to Sakura and Touya's surprise. "I hadn't expected that it would be you to break the seal and spread the cards, though. I had thought that Touya would become their new master." Fujitaka explained.

"You knew all along, Otousan?" Sakura said suddenly.

"Well, not exactly. I don't have all of Clow's memories like Hiiragizawa-san, and in effect have none of Clow's power. However, Clow chose to have his soul split in order that no one person would become as powerful as he had been with the Clow cards.

"So you see, Sakura-chan," Yelan brought Sakura's attention back to her. "Clow-sama split his powers during a time when the elders of the Li Dynasty were power hungry. With the cards in Japan, the elders lost the power that, at that time, would most likely have been used for the wrong purpose. It appears that he had another plan in mind for the Li Dynasty."

"W…what was that?" Sakura asked innocently.

Yelan smiled at her innocence. Such a virtue was rare. "To bring the cards and the power of the Li Dynasty back together when the time was right, and their power would be used properly."

"HOo…ee?" Sakura exclaimed suddenly with a blush as the realization of what she was being told sank in.

"However," Yelan continued. "We still have Kuen-Jie to worry about. Kuen-Jie is one who seeks power, and who would use the power that he receives for the wrong purposes. I instructed my Son not to contact you while he was finishing his school year in China in order to protect you." Yelan framed Sakura's face with her hands. "Kuen-Jie was exiled from the elders and the Li Dynasty because of his refusal to see the truth. I fear he has come in search for you, in order to take the cards from your possession." She explained. "Now that my Son is back in Japan, though, along with Hiiragizawa-san, I know that you and the cards are protected. "

Sakura's eyes went wide with worry. "C…come to think of it… I…I did run into someone this morning." She stuttered, completely having forgotten about the man from the night before.

"Nani?" both Syaoran and Touya exclaimed in unison, both waiting expectantly for more information.

"H….he surprised me. I made a wrong turn and ran into him when I wasn't paying attention," Sakura began to explain. "He looked….like an older Syaoran." She concluded, much to everyone's surprise.

Yelan studied Sakura's face, seeming momentarily lost in thought. "That was not Kuen-Jie." She spoke softly, as though she were remembering something from a distant past.

"HOo…ee?" The sound brought Yelan back to the present and she smiled warmly, "Does Syaoran have another relatives staying here in Japan too, then?" Sakura found herself asking.

"No, there isn't anyone alive who my Son resembles in appearance so closely," Yelan explained. "But I'm sure that if you see that man again, he will be as kind hearted as the one that you love."