Riuko: Alright! Now, this has aspects from the manga and anime. There were cards in the anime that don't exist in the manga, but other than that, this is a continuation of the manga. I am not using the second movie. I'm am treating it like the unnamed card, The Nothing, and The Hope never existed, much like the manga. No offense to The Nothing and The Hope, I really like them, but I can't think of a way to work The Hope in. All right! Please enjoy Chapter One of CCS: The Live!

A lake.

Yes, that's what I'm above. A vast lake.

I know there are forests on either side of me, but I cannot see them for the lake extends to the horizons for all my peripheral vision. My feet touch down on the water, the ripples they make becoming resonance in my ears. Before me on the lake – no… she isn't on the lake, walking on the water like myself – hovering above the lake, is a girl a few years my junior, her body just having reached the blessed curse of puberty. Her sun-kissed blonde hair waves about in a nonexistent win, whisking across her amber eyes and the golden orb embedded in her pale forehead. Her eyes glint with the same playfulness as her tormenting smile, but the frills of her gold knee-length dress give her a child-like quality, making her facial expression somewhat less threatening. Her presence is familiar, but I am unable to place it. My mouth moves and words come out, but they are inaudible. The girl smiles at me and her mouth moves as well, releasing only child-like giggles in place of words I know should be there. She then raised her arm, and from the water rose a card, one of my cards. Before I could identify the card, a harsh wind blew me back, skipping me across the lake's surface like a stone. When I stopped and looked up, she was gone.…

The blaring of an alarm clock comes into my head. Groggily, I reach up to my headboard and grab the source of the noise, shutting it off as I do so. I sit up and stare blankly at the hands on the clock for a few moments before I finally make out 7:10… A yell startles Kero from his sleep, making him bump his head on the drawer above his resting place. He emerges from his drawer as I scramble about, trying to put on my new uniform.

"Geez Sakura, a high schooler now and you still oversleep."

"I was dreaming!"

"What about? The brat?" He asked, referring to my boyfriend. I blushed at the statement.

"No! I'm pretty sure it was one of those dreams." I replied as I dashed out my bedroom door. Kero called after me, asking me to explain the dream, but I didn't have time. I was going to be late!

"Morning Sakura-chan."

"Morning Dad, Morning Toya, Morning Mom!" I state as I swiped a slice of jellied toast from the table.

"The monster's up late again I see," my brother states as he sips his tea and reads the paper.

"I'M NOT A MONSTER!" I yell as I quickly put on my safety gear and backpack before stuffing the toast in my mouth and rollerblading out the door with a muffled 'I'm off!'

One would think I would have my act together now that I'm in High School, now that there are no more magical disturbances to interrupt my life, but they'd be wrong. I wouldn't say it's just the opposite, but things are roughly the same. I still slip up every so often in cheerleading, making the baton fall on my face, and I still wake up late. Other than the lack of magical disturbances, not much has changed.

I sped into the classroom one minute before the bell and took a seat in the second to last row with a sigh. Tomoyo looked over at me from the seat beside me and smiled.

"Cutting it awfully close this morning aren't we Sakura-chan?" I gave her a sheepish smile as one more person entered the room just as the bell rang. Said person took the seat behind me and Tomoyo smiled happily at them. This made me turn around.

"We're in the same class this year!" I exclaimed. The boy, with his messy chestnut hair, smiled sheepishly at me and his cheeks lit up in a light blush.

"Oh it must be fate!" Tomoyo cried. "For the three of us, let alone Sakura and me to be in the same class every year! Oh how the gods have blessed me. I wonder what cute images of Sakura-chan I'll be able to see this year, especially with you in this class Li-kun."

"Thanks Daidouji-san… I think," Syaoran replied. "How are you Sakura? I'm sorry I had to spend spring break in Hong Kong." It went unspoken that he would've much rather been in Tomoeda with me during spring break rather than with his sisters, who pestered him constantly about when he was going to bring me to Hong Kong to meet them. His amber eyes portrayed that fact perfectly. I felt my face heat up in a brilliant blush that his face quickly took on as well. It didn't take long for Tomoyo to spoil things and bring out a camera. "Would you cut that out Daidouji? I can't even look at my girlfriend in peace. Yeesh." I giggled at their display, prompting another blush from Syaoran.

"I'm fine, but I've been a little tired lately," I stated, finally replying to his question.

"Why? What's-" He was cut off as the teacher entered the room and told the class to take their seats. I mouthed a 'We'll talk later' to him and he nodded. The teacher then proceeded to hand out a sheet of paper upon which we were supposed to write about ourselves so he could get to know us better. Just another day of ordinary life.

The day went by smoothly; me staring out the window and spacing out like any other high school girl, doodling in my note book, another normal day. Things were fine until I caught a glimpse of her in the courtyard. I checked myself and indeed, there she was; an apricot female showered in sunlight with an orb in the chest of her dress and one in her forehead. Seeing her startled me into standing, altering the attention of the class from the teacher to me.

"Kinomoto-san, right?" The teacher asked. "Is there something surprising about my lecture?" I laughed nervously and shook my head as I sat down. He cocked an eyebrow at me, but didn't pursue my strange behavior. He chose instead to devote this time to teaching instead of reprimanding me. For this I was grateful. When I looked back out the window, she was gone.

When the lunch bell rang and the other students left the classroom, Tomoyo and Syaoran gathered around me, awaiting an explanation.

"What was that Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo asked. "That was different from your usual class disruptions."

"I-I thought I saw something – someone in the courtyard," I replied. "A young girl."

"Well this is a school. Maybe one of the elementary schoolers got lost," Syaoran replied. I shook my head vehemently.

"I saw the same girl in a dream last night. In the dream she took one of my cards," my hands reflexively flew to protect the satchel at my waist that held the Sakura Cards, "and did… something with it."

"You saw her in a dream?" Tomoyo asked. "Like one of your prophetic dreams you get sometimes?" I nodded.

"If that's true and she's after the cards, then she's dangerous. We need to take care of her now," Syaoran stated. I shook my head again.

"No!" I cried. "I don't think she's dangerous. That wasn't the feeling I got from her. She just wants to play."

"Those cards aren't toys!" Syaoran snapped. "Plus you said you were tired lately. That can't be a coincidence. She's probably draining magic energy from you."

"Kero-chan told me a few days ago, when I didn't get out of bed for half a day, that my magic power was incredibly low," I replied. "But I'm fine now! Whatever it was that caused my lethargy has passed." Syaoran firmly griped my shoulders.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I looked away.

"I didn't want to worry you. If I'd told you, you would've cut short your visit with your family and come back. Besides, I've recovered. I'm fine now."

"You can be so stubborn sometimes Sakura." I smiled at him.

"I know. Sorry I worried you." Syaoran removed his hands from my shoulders and sighed.

"You need to tell us these things Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo cried. "Are we not your comrades in arms in your beautiful battles against the forces of evil?"

"I-I don't think it's quite as bad as you make it sound Tomoyo-chan but-"

"Mou~! For this you have to come over and try on all of the new outfits I've made for you!"

"Hoeeeeeeeee!" Syaoran blushed, but then coughed to try and get our attention.

"But first the task at hand," Syaoran stated. I nodded, trying to get back on track. "Clow Reed didn't believe in coincidences. This girl is no doubt connected to your recent drain in magical energy Sakura. We don't know if she is capable of doing this again and until proven otherwise, she is a threat. Playful demeanor or not. Remember, Clow Cards like FLOWERY were playful, but still ended up wreaking havoc."

"Clow Cards?" That's what the presence in my dream had been like. It's been like a Clow Card, only not quite. "She's like a Clow Card."

"What?" Tomoyo asked.

"In my dream, she had a presence like a Clow Card, but not quite."

"So she's a Clow Card?" Syaoran asked. I shook my head.

"No, she's like a Clow Card," I replied. "She was made using magic."

"But by whom?" Syaoran asked.

"That's what we need to figure out," I replied as I snuck a glance out the window.

I didn't expect to see what I saw. In the courtyard, in full view of the other students wandering the grounds was the sun-kissed girl. I took out the key around my neck and began my chant.

"Key that hides the power of the Stars, show your true form before me. I, Sakura, command you under our contract. Release!"

"Sakura!" I took out my cards, despite Tomoyo's outburst.

"Obey me and place everyone in a slumber! SLEEP!" Immediately the small fairy emerged and scattered dust over the courtyard, making everyone fall asleep. "JUMP!" I opened the window to the courtyard and leapt down the two story drop without injury, speeding over to the girl, who still remained awake. "Who are you?" The girl smiled at me and giggled. Her smile was Cheshire-like. Frankly, it creeped me out. The girl flicked her hand up and the satchel at my side began to glow. I reflexively reached down to it, trying to protect my cards, but a string of light still shot from the bag to her hands. She faced the cards towards me. I read the name aloud. "WINDY." The card began to glow and I shielded my eyes from the light and the wind that picked up. The wind would've blown me back had Syaoran not positioned himself behind me and dug his heels firmly into the earth. Then, just as quickly as it had stated, it ended. I couldn't really tell you what it was. All I know is that when I looked up, the girl was gone and in the place of WINDY was a tall woman with parted blonde hair, a wing-like mantle, and a green, butterfly-like crest on her chest. I didn't need to ask. I knew. But I asked anyways. "WINDY?"

Riuko: Wow! That's the most I've ever written for a chapter of anything. I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of CCS: The Live. Please review and tell me what you think!