Disclaimer:

I have no affiliation with Cardcaptor Sakura or any other of CLAMP's works. Also any similarities to real life events or people are unintentional unless explicitly stated.


That morning Tomoyo read a newspaper article on "The Unlucky Charm Incidents" that occurred two days previously.

The world was on high alert after similar incidents appeared in other capital cities. No one seemed to definitively know why these events occurred and everyone was looking for someone to blame.

Flower tributes bloomed in make shift shrines.

Tomoyo sighed.

At least Maki and the other shop keepers were cleared from involvement with the incident.

Furthermore, the law enforcers acted swiftly and effectively. They were credited for the fortunately low number of casualties and fatalities considering the widespread nature of the incidents.

The healers were still busy however they were now completely treating the non-life threatening injuries. Presea's arm was healed yesterday afternoon.

Hopefully after school Sakura and Tomoyo could go visit Rita at the hospital, the young girl they saved. She woke up yesterday, not recalling anything that happened shortly after entering the park.

She and Sakura would most likely have to be escorted everywhere for the foreseeable future with a full team of female bodyguards.

Tomoyo took a sip of her tea.

It was a minuscule inconvenience for the price of Sakura's safety.


Syaoran was looking forward to afternoon physical education class. It was the one subject where the students were separated by gender. He wouldn't have to deal with Meiling jumping onto him at any moment or the other female students asking him needless questions.

He didn't mind helping those who genuinely needed it, like Kinomoto in mathematics, but a lot of the other girls were clearly just trying to attract his attention.

Syaoran resolved to focus on his studies and not talk to anyone. Hopefully they would go away.

He changed into his sports uniform, and followed his classmates to the football field.

"Syaoran!" Meiling jumped on his back, arms around his neck.

"Hey! How many times do I have to tell you not to grab me like that?!" he said, shaking her off. He pointed to the gymnasium. "The girls' physical education class is over there!"

"Are you worried that I'd get hurt?" she pouted. "Aww, you're so shy!"

Syaoran dodged another flying hug.

"Actually," said Fye Flowright, watching them with a strange expression. "Meiling and Sakura take the physical education class with us because they're too intense for the girls' class."

Syaoran wasn't going to fall for one of Fye Flowright's tricks again.

He turned and saw Kinomoto wearing the same ridiculous puffy sports uniform that the female students wear. She was dwarfed by the lanky blonde student standing next to her.

"I wouldn't say intense," she said, sheepishly looking at Meiling.

A whistle blew, called the teacher. "All right class. Flowright and Lafarga you're the captains. Flip a coin to decide who goes picks first."

Fye Flowright and a tall built student came to the front. Lafarga didn't look like he was fourteen or fifteen.

Fye Flowright won the coin toss.

"Sakura!" he said. The girl hi-fived him then stood behind.

"Meiling Li," said Lafarga.

Syaoran saw Meiling pause to say something quickly to the built student. They both glanced at him, and the captain nodded.

"Ascot!" said Fye. A kid with bangs covering his eyes joined his team.

"Syaoran Li," said Lafarga.

Syaoran sighed. Of course he was on the same team as Meiling.


Meiling failed to hug Syaoran again. That boy was infuriating. If she didn't love him she would hate him.

"Actually," said Mr Flowright, judging them. "Meiling and Sakura take the physical education class with us because they're too intense for the girls' class."

"I wouldn't say intense," said Miss Kinomoto.

Meiling flushed at the memory. They were in the same class when they first started studying at the academy, and Meiling would go around challenging everyone to prove she was the best. She wasn't that fluent in Lecourt's language at that point so she focused her efforts on mathematics and physical education.

She quickly noticed that Miss Kinomoto was good at physical education and turned her into a rival and even followed her into the Bartitsu Club for more opportunities to compete with her. Despite Miss Kinomoto's reluctance to consider Meiling as her rival, their impromptu sport competitions became so intense that eventually the teachers put them both into the male physical education classes for the safety of the other students.

They were friends now, and only occasionally rivals. The same goes for Miss Daidouji.

"Meiling Li."

Meiling briskly walked to stand behind Mr Lafarga, telling him in passing to pick Syaoran for the team.

Once everyone was chosen, her team formed a huddle to discuss tactics, but how could they lose? The Unbeatable Li's were back. In Zhonguo, the two of them would always top the rankings and competition.

Football wasn't one of Meiling's favourite sports, but when the whistle blew and the other team made the first pass, she charged in.

She would make the first goal. It was easier to stay ahead than it was to chase after the victor.

The ball weaved and was passed several times. Meiling saw an opportunity to steal the ball away from Mr Flowright and slid on the ground aiming at the ball, causing them both the trip.

The teacher acting as referee blew the whistle.

"What? A yellow card?!" complained Meiling. "I didn't even touch him!"

The referee was unrelenting.

"Li," said her team's captain. "Stand down and follow orders."

Meiling looked to Syaoran for support. He was unimpressed, she could tell.

She gritted her teeth and forced herself to follow the plan. Meiling's time to shine would come.


The score was tied and time was running out.

Lafarga told Syaoran to defend the keeper and the goal. He was to intercept the ball and pass the ball to the captain or to Meiling who would then score to win the game.

Syaoran hadn't played sport with mixed teams since primary school. Kinomoto and Meiling handled themselves pretty well. He should have expected it. He still had bruises from their exhibition match.

The girls weaved the balls past their opponents skilfully, not minding if they got bumped or bruised. In order to keep the ball out of Kinomoto's reach, Syaoran actually had to sprint as fast as he could.

The others showed no signs of weakening just because there were girls playing. Most likely they were playing their best especially since girls were playing. One of the classmates got a yellow card because he got caught using earth magic steal the ball from Meiling.

Kinomoto was about ten paces ahead and to the right of Syaoran. Her breathing was laboured but he could still see a smile on her face.

She started running down towards the goal, looking at the sky.

Syaoran looked up. The ball was coming directly at him. If he stayed right there he would be able to rebound the ball on his chest before passing it to Lafarga who was open.

From the corner of his eye he saw Kinomoto jump and launch herself in the path of the ball, hitting it with her head. She landed onto the ground hands first, using the momentum to roll to her feet.

Syaoran heard the whistle blow. Kinomoto's header delivered the ball safely into the net, winning the game.

He extended his hand to steady Kinomoto. She stayed standing without his assistance.

"That was a good goal," he said.

"Thank you! You're run really fast!" she said, dusting herself off.

"Are you alright?" called Daidouji from the sidelines with the other female students. He didn't notice their shrill cheering during the game.

"I'm okay," Kinomoto replied.

The two teams lined up in the centre of the field to shake each other's hands.

"Aww man!" complained Meiling while walking back to the gymnasium where the change rooms were. "We lost!"

"But nothing less expected from Kinomoto," said Lafarga.

The girl was chatting to her cousin in the distance, but she turned as if she had heard them. She waved and called out, "Meiling, are you coming!?"

"See you later," Meiling said to Syaoran before running to join her friends.

"Hey, Li," said Lafarga. "What do you say about joining the football team?"

Syaoran looked at the larger student.

"I'm on the football team," he said. "We could use a player like you on our team."

"I'll think about it."

Syaoran enjoyed the game more than he expected, and they were required to join a club in Lecourt Private Academy. He just had to ask his mother for permission first.


Author's Notes:

- Season's greetings and a Happy New Year! Thank you to the reviewers, followers of the story and readers. =) This chapter is a little shorter, a little lighter and less intense than the upcoming couple of chapters planned. I hope you enjoy it nevertheless. Reviews, commentary and constructive criticism are warmly welcomed.

- I had mentioned in my first drafts written months ago that there was an air suspicion in the community that resulted from the lucky charm incidents, but I think that I was strongly influenced during the fleshing out and editing process by the after effects where there are losses of life, particularly the Sydney Siege since there were only two degrees of separation between me and some of the hostages. May the suffering around the world, their families and communities find peace and the strength to carry on.

- The female sports uniforms are based on 19th Century bicycle pants. Google them. They are ridiculous and puffy.

- That header goal was inspired by Robin van Persie's superb diving header in the Netherland vs Spain World Cup match in 2014