Author's Note

Honestly, I don't think this deserves to be called a fic. This is the attempt that I made to novelize the cartoon series- Card Captors. (It goes without saying that I do not own it.) My goals were to carry on the memory of the show long after it was cancelled, and get others to find what I saw in it. I was in my early teens when I wrote this and had not heard of the term "fan fiction." It was so long ago that the file was on a floppy disk. Half of the chapters I typed were lost in an old computer, and my memories of the show are so fuzzy by now that there is no way this will be completed.

I leave you with an excerpt from the author's note I wrote as an introduction when I started this doomed project, followed by the first episode/chapter.

Some might not like [Card Captors] in any form whatsoever. They live in the real world and are not interested in the supernatural. I think, though, that there are many out there that enjoy leaving reality for a time- even adults. Therefore, let me say this. You want to read on and tell me you don't like it for whatever the reason that is your business. Just don't tell me it is impossible and then go rent a Harry Potter movie.

If you wind up with any questions- do not think of directing them to me. I am doing my best to put down everything I have learned of the show. Anything that is unanswered will either have to be put to whoever wrote the series, what it was based on, or will remain a mystery.

Still reading, huh? Then it is time I described the setting of the story. It takes place in a town called Reedington (wherever that is supposed to be). I, for one, think it is beautiful. Now, then, understand that before the story even starts, Sakura Avalon's mother is dead. How it happened is never mentioned and that it happened isn't even discussed for a while. Even then it doesn't dwell there.

Hmm, I'm going to lose readers this way. Okay, I'll wrap it up. I hope you'll give this story a chance. The beginning has a touch of Sakura's narrative, from then on see for yourself.

One Fateful Day

Sakura and Li are flying above sand swirling round and round. "It's a Clow card!" the boy exclaims. Suddenly they are heading downward when…

You're probably wondering how I got in this mess. I mean why is a ten-year old girl flying above all that sand? It's a pretty amazing story… (In the past Sakura is getting out of bed, ready for school and going there on her roller blades. Though she has her knee and elbow pads on, only a cap is resting on her brown hair)… and this is how it all began. The school bell rings- made it. During class Sakura is drawing something that resembles a teddy bear with wings.

"What is that?" Madison, her best friend, whispers.

"Sakura pick up reading where he left off," the teacher instructs.

"I'll tell you later," I whispered as I stood up.

"We're on line 23!" Madison answered.

When I got home from school, neither dad nor my brother Tory was there. My home is white with a blue roof. I was about to get something from the refrigerator when I heard a strange noise coming from downstairs in dad's library. I picked up my baton and headed toward the door, hoping it was just the boiler but ready to call the police.

Sakura walked down the stairs and saw no one there. She was almost ready to go upstairs when she saw a light appearing from some book. She headed over to it and picked it up.

"The book of Clow," I read as I stood. Opening it up I found cards and had no sooner read the word on the top one (Windy) than all the others blew away!

As she sank to her knees, a small, yellow creature began to rise out of the book (it looked a good deal like the drawing she had done in class).

"Oh, hello, little girl. Thank you for letting me out. I had been in that book for centuries…"

"How does this toy work? Where are the batteries?" I asked, picking him up and examining him.

"I'm not a toy!" he yelled as he wrenched free.

"But… I don't understand!"

"There are some things that are not easily explained. My name's KeroBeros. Call me Kero. I was taking a nap. I protect the Clow Cards. I keep them from getting into trouble- see?" he asked as he gestured toward the open, empty book. When he noticed it, his mouth fell open- "Ah! My cards! My beautiful cards! Where are they?"

"Is this what you're looking for?" I asked, holding the card out to him.

"Windy!" he cried, embracing it… "So, where are the rest of them?"

When I told him, he was devastated. Later that night, when I had finished dinner, I went to take dessert up to my room.

"Where are you going with that?" Tory called out.

"To eat in my room!" I answered. When I got upstairs I handed the cup to Kero.

"Pudding!" he exclaimed. "My favorite! Oh, but I don't deserve it. I let the Clow Cards escape."

"The what?" I asked.

"A long time ago a very powerful magician named Clow Reed created the Clow Cards. They were designed to be free spirits, but they got too out of control; and he imprisoned them in a book with a magical lock and key to keep them from falling into the wrong hands. I was chosen to be the guardian beast of cards, but I took a little nap."

"How little?" I inquired.

He looked down, "Thirty years or so. I never said being a guardian was easy!"

"Okay, okay."

"So, what's your name?"

"Sakura."

"Well, Sakura, stand right over there," he pointed to a small distance away from him.

"Alright," I said as I went to do as he said.

"Key of the seal, you have chosen this girl- Sakura. I command you to empower her with the language of the staff!" As he spoke, a yellow circle with a star and a moon appeared. At the same time a key rose out of the book's lock, flew between them, and grew into a pink staff. "Take the staff, Sakura!"

I obeyed, slowly coming forward, and grabbed it.

"I, KeroBeros, guardian of the seal proclaim Sakura- card captor!"

At first I smiled, then, "Huh? Hang on- I didn't promise to do anything!"

"You let the cards free; you have to help me get them back."

"But I can't," by now he had begun to gulp down the pudding. "Listen to me! I'm not old enough to capture cards!"

"Well, you were old enough to let the cards escape," he replied.

"They'd still be in the book if you hadn't taken a 30-year nap!" Suddenly I heard a noise outside, "What's that?" I wondered as I went over to the window (Kero followed).

"The fly card. Come on!"

"Couldn't you have let me change?" I asked as I roller-bladed after the 'fly card'.

"A true card captor can battle in anything- even pajamas!" he answered, "Fly has already revealed its visible form," he said looking up at the huge bird, "it shouldn't be hard for you to capture it."

"But I don't know how…"

"The words will come to you, Sakura. Use the staff!"

I pulled out the key, "Oh key of Clow, power of magic, power of light; surrender the wand, the force ignite- release!" it turned back into the wand. "Now what? That was close!" The bird had just swooped down lower, closer to them. I tried skating in the opposite direction, even though Kero was encouraging me to go after it. "I've got an idea!" I started skating up the wall at the side of the sidewalk, and jumped on top of the bird. Hanging on, I threw my only card into the air, "Windy," I commanded, "form a ribbon to entangle and trap fly- Windy!" The card showed its spirit and obeyed- wrapping itself around the bird, which was forced to the ground. I jumped off and turned to face them, "Fly card, return to your power confined, Fly Card!" The bird changed into a card.

"Yeah! You did it Sakura; I knew I could count on you! Touch your wand to the card," Kero urged.

"Why?"

"Just do it," he insisted.

"Fly!" I placed the wand's tip to the card. Next thing I know I'm riding the wand that has sprouted white wings, the same as the bird's was.

"So, how do you like flying?"

"It's great!"

"I knew I could count on you, card captor Sakura!"

"Yeah! Wait a minute, I still didn't agree to anything-" Kero was right- he could count on me and from that day on I was a card captor—which brings us back to today.

Li falls off, down into the sand.

"Li! Are you alright?"

"Use the water card, Sakura," he instructs.

"But that'll just…"

"Just do it!"

"Water!" Another card pours water down and fills the sand.

"Freeze card!" Li touches his sword to a card of his own, turning the wet sand into ice, "Now Sakura!"

"Sand card, return to your power confined, sand!" I flew down as soon as the sand lifted to see how Li was doing. The card floats down, lands right between them, and both grab it at the same time.

Following your destiny isn't always easy; sometimes you just can't fight fate.