CARD CAPTOR SAKURA
BOOK ONE : THE TRIALS...
Chapter 1: Happy Birthday Sakura!...

"Huh? Where am I?" thought Sakura. "Hello! Is anybody there?" No response. Everywhere she turned there was nothing. Heck, she was standing on nothing. It was pitch black and nobody was there. Sakura just stood there for awhile hugging herself, in her light blue night gown. "Please! Somebody answer me..." Sakura turned around, she saw a figure but the image was too blurry. She couldn't see who it was. "Who are you?....Please! Answer me!" she yelled frightened. Somehow she saw the figure move it's mouth. "What?...what are you trrying to tell me?.." The floor she thought. Sakura looked below and saw the floor begin to crack. "Huh?.." She looked up but the figure was gone. "No.." Sakura frantically turned every which way to find a place to go to but she couldn't. "Noooo!...."As she said that the floor broke and she fell backwards into the bottomless pit. Sakura shot up, desperately trying to breathe. She held her night gown above her chest. Sakura was sweating tremendously all over herself. It was dream she thought. "Or was it?.." said a mysterious voice. It crept out quickly from the shodows all over the walls to form a figure that was black. "NO!!!...." Sakura said. Then the figure cam at her with full force. "AAAHHh..." Sakura screamed as she swung her arm to avoid the hit from the awful figure. "Ouch!...Gee next time I won't wake you up early on your birthday next year squirt..." said Touya annoyed. "Oh...Sorry Touya...tee hee.." She was so emberassed. She was fifteen and she still had nightmares. "Did the big bad scary monster scare poor little squirt..." Touya said in a taunting and sarcastic way. "Err..." While Touya was laughing at his intended joke Sakura knocked him in the head. "Gee...Sakura you sure got aggressive lately. I liked you better when you were still a lil' monster." Hmm...she thought. She did get promoted from little monster to squirt, that was the least he could've done. Touya left her room to get dressed for school.

Sakur walked over to her drawer and opened it gently. "Can you believe it Kero? I am actually fifteen." Sakura gave him an overjoyed smile.

"Huh?" said Kero, just waking up from his sleep.

"Oh, Kero. What am I ever going to do with you?"

"Hmm..." Kero said as he got up to sit on top of his so called bed to cross his arms across his chest. "Well, for starters you can say THANK YOU KERO!..."

"For what?"

"For this..."

Then he pointed under her bed. She looked at him and smiled. Sakura walked over and bent down to look under her bed.

"Wow..." she said. "How did you ever get a big gift like this under my bed without me knowing?"

"I can't reveal my sources."

"Hmm..." She thought. "Tomoyo helped you didn't she?"

"Well I thought of it and she simply provided the gift."

"Thanks Kero.."

"No problemo. It's from me and Tomoyo to you."

"Well you know what?, I can't wait to open it." she said with a childish voice. It was wrapped in a cherry blossom wrapping paper with a pink background. She ripped the papaer off in long gentle strokes. It was a scrap book. In gold writing it said "Memories Last Forever". "Wow..." she said in a low voice. As her fingers went over the writing. She opened it up and the first picture shw saw was the whole gang. Her, Tomoyo, Kero, Meilin, and...Li. She saw it and her face just looked so happy. She closed the book abruptly. "Huh?" Said Kero. "Don't you want tp look at the rest?" "Of course I do..." she said. "It's just that I have to get ready for school." "Oh, alright Sakura..." She looked at him and saw how dissapointed he looked. "Hmm..." she tilted her head and smiled. "I promise Kero. As long as I'm a Card Captor, I will come home after school to look at the scrap book with you." He smiled as an indication that he agreed.

She got up off the floor and got ready to take a shower for school. When she left Kero began to think. It's been five years already. Look how much she's grown. <Sniff, sniff> He thought back to when she started as a Cad Captor to now. He sat there waiting and looking out of the window waiting for her. Five to ten minutes later she returned from the shower. Fully dressed and all. But she still had a towel wrapped around her from getting her uniform wet. Sakura walked over to the floor and picked up the scrap book and placed it on the desk. She continued to walk by her night stand. Ther she dried her hair. Kero was watching her doing all this. She is so beautiful he thought. She went over to the mirror. Her hair grew long. Only a little longer from her shoulders. Her bangs swept across her forehead, complemented her green eyes. She took a ribbon off a night stand and tied her hair back. Nothing fancy really, just tied to get it out of the way of things. She grew taller, just a few inches. But she was still the same old Sakura. Thoughtful, caring, and bringing out the best of everyone.

"Gee I am really glad they changed the uniform from that silly light blue jacket!" she giggled a little bit. "Before I forget Kero, I'm going to make some pancakes just for you." Sakura smiled at Kero. Kero stood up and made a fist and bent his elbows, then he threw the fist upwards, then downwards. "Alright Sakura!" She puts her shoes on and got her books and blades ready. Kero flew on top of her shoulders as she walked out of her bed room door, downstairs toward the kitchen.

"Hey squirt...what's with the doll?.." Touya asked. "What can I say old habits die hard.." "Whatever.." said Touya. Sakur went through the kitchen getting all the ingreiants ready to make pancakes.

"Hey Touya, when is dad getting back from his trip to Africa?"

"I dunno, but in the mean time I have to stay here to take care of you."

"Doesn't sound like you want to."

"I don't. But dad figured why should he pay for a real babysitter when he could get one for free."

"Good point."

Hmm...thought Touya. He turned to look at Sakura. She was flipping panckaes already. Wow...he thought. The Sakura I knew would've made a insulting reamrk to what I just said but she didn't. Then it suddenly hit him, she was becoming a mature teenager. He looked over to Sakura again. She was flipping the pancakes in that professional chef way. Then it really hit him. "OOpps. Sorry Touya..tee hee.." Maybe then again she wasn't mature he thought. "Err...just get to school, I have to leave for work now." She didn't reply just did what she was told. She got her blades. The cool looking ones. Where it's just the wheels and you slide it on or something to the shoe and a roller blade is made. She didn't put and safety equipment on. Because at this age she has mastered rollerblades. She put Kero on the table right next to the plate full of 'tower like' pancakes. "Have fun.." she whispered as she left. Alright Sakura, you are the bomb.

Sakura goes zipping by down her block. Every morning she passes by 'his' apartment. Or at least it was when he was actually here. And every morning she thinks about the same thing as she passed by his old apartment. Jerk...she thought. He never said good bye to me or anyone else. He just left. And when I actually mailed him a letter or called him he never responded...not even returned my letters. I can never understand how he was feeling. Err...good thing he's not here right now or I would give him a peice of my mind. Besides I'm fifteen now. I'm a freshmen, I am more mature now than ever. And with that she never gave Li another thought.

"Oh hey Sakura!..." said Tomoyo.

"Hey Tomoyo..."

"How'd you like the gift?"

"Thanks, it was great."

"Which picture was your favorite?"

"To tell you the truth Tomoyo, I didn't look at all the pictures just the first one."

"That's okay, I'll come over to your house after school and look at it with you and Kero."

"Okay, but remember to look surprise when you walk in"

"I don't understand..."

"Don't play dumb Tomoyo, I know you, Touya, and Yukito have been planning a surprise birthdayparty for me today."

"How'd you find out Sakura?"

"Nevermind how I found out, you should be asking yourself how to hide it better next time."

Sakura tilted her head and smiled at her best friend Tomoyo. The bell rang.

"Oh. no!" Sakura said in a distraught way.

"What's the matter Sakura?"

"I have Algebra next..."

"Sometimes things never change..." said Tomoyo as she smiled at Sakura. Sakura walked into the class with her head looking down at the floor. She walked slowy and sluggishly to her seat all the way in the back. Auugghh...thought Sakura. Another day in Algebra class. Hmm....she thought. When in the world am I ever going to need to know the slope of a line or radicals and what not? Luckily she sat right by the window, so when she gets bored in class she can look outside. Her high school was right near by a park. So when she looked out side she usually saw children with their mothers playing. I wish I was outside playing with whomever. And on occasion she can see couples sitting by the bench just looking at the view. And sometime they would kiss each other. On their hands, cheeks, foreheads, and most of the time on their lips. When she saw that she also wished she had a boyfriend. Someone she liked. Not some random guy who asked her out. Sure they can be cute but she never really liked most of the guys who ask her out. <SLAP!> She heard the ruler slap her desk. This caught her attention. The teacher peered down her and looked at her very seriously. She looked up and from the corner of her eye she can see that everyone else was looking at her too. "Tee...hee..." she said very lowly.

"Stupid teacher..." Sakura said. It was lunch time and she had forgotten to eat breakfast this morning again. <Grumble> She looked down and rubbed her stomach. She walked over to the board and got the other ersaers. Then walked back towards the window. "I don't know why I have stay during lunch to do this." she mumbled. <Cough> The dust of chalk from slapping the ersaers together filled her lungs. As she was looking outside the windows, she could see some of her friends hang out with their boyfriends during lunch. "oooh.." she said. "I really want a boy friend too.."she whined. <Cough> But she got distracted from al the dust from the erasers.

"Oh hey Sakura." Sakura was walking with her head down. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing really, Tomoyo."

"I didn't see you at lunch, what happened?"

"Oh, I got caught staring out the window during Algebra and the teacher made me stay during lunch. Cleaning the erasers as punishment."

"Tough luck Sakura. You know I would help you but I'm a borderline student in Algebra."

"That's okay Tomoyo."

They were almost at her house. "Well you better get happy really quick."

"Oh, no...." she groaned. "Well here goes nothing." Sakura stopped to straighten out her uniform and fixed up her hair. "Okay I need your help Tomoyo."

"Uh huh, Sure."

"How does this look as a surprised face?" Sakura made this wierd one where her eyes were all big and her mouth opened wide. But Tomoyo started to laugh.

"Look Sakura, Just go in and whatever happens happens."

"You're right!" So they both walked up to her house . She slowly puts the key in and turns it. Then she opens the door. "Surprise!" shouted everyone. Sakura was so surpirsed to see him here. "Oh my GOD! I can't believe you came!" yelled Sakura. As she ran towards him. "I could never miss your birthday Sakura." Sakura looked up and smiled. "Thanks dad you've made my day great." and they smiled at each other.

"I'm worn out!" said Sakura as she laid down on her bed. "Oh yeah thanks for the dress Tomoyo."

"Your welcome Sakura. Besdies you know pink looks great on you anyway." said Tomoyo.

"We never got to see the scrap book together.."Said Kero. "Oh, that's right Kero." She got up and went over to her desk where Tommoyo was sitting by. Sakura pulled an extra chair to sit next to her while they look at it with each other. With each page she turned she smiled and grinned at all the pictures she saw. "Wow these are great Tomoyo. How did you get these pictures done? I've never seen you use a camera when I was capturing card." asked Sakura. "Oh, my cousin showed me a neat trick. You just play the tape on TV and take screen shots from web cameras or hook it up ot the computer. Then just fix it up with a photo editor on the computer." "That must've taken a lot or work to do." Sakura said softly. "It's okay Kero helped me sort through the tapes and pick out scenes." Tomoyo smiled at Sakura after she was done.

Sakura turned the last page and saw the last picture. It was her and Li in the picture. "Oh wow..."said Sakura. "Is Li smiling in this picture?" "Yeah..." said Kero. "I caught it in a video. "Li was never smiling so I thought it would be good if I saved the best picture for last." explained Tomoyo. "That's funny I never recalled Li ever smiling before." "Neither Have I"said Tomoyo and Kero together. "Well it has been about five years. We could've forgotten or something." "No, that's not it Sakura. If I ever saw him smile I think I would remember." said Kero. "I would too..." said Tomoyo. Hmm...Li thought Sakura. Jerk popped into her head. "You know let's change the subject okay. I don't want to talk to that jerk anyway..." said Sakura. "What's gotten into you Sakura?.."asked Tomoyo. "Uhh...nothing..." said Sakura. "Look don'tlie..." said Kero. "Oh alright..."said Sakura.

"Hmm..." said Sakura. "I don't want any interruptions...okay?" Kero and Tomoyo both nodded. "Alright...it's like this...He left. I mean he left without ever saying good bye. He left not telling anyone. I thought we were friends..Obviously not, he didn't tell anyone he was leaving. Not even Meilin. And she knew him before any of us. I knew he could be mean but not so calist. You know what I mean?" asked Sakura. She looked like she was going to cry. Tomoyo was about to say something. "No interruptions remember? I mean that's not the worse part. I actually tried to contact him. I mailed him letters asking why he left and called long distance. But he never responded." Sakura said as she startede to cry.

"Oh Sakura..." Kero said. "Don't cry Sakura..." said Tomoyo. It was late and began to rain outside. "Sakura...." Tomoyo said with a guilty tone of voice. "That's not neccessarily true." Sakura looked up and stopped crying. "What? What do you mean not neccessarily true?" Sakura was confused and angry that her best friend kept a secret from her. Sakura and Kero were looking at Tomoyo who suddenly looked down to avoid eye contact. "Well..." she started to say. "I knew he was leaving..." Sakura looked shock. "He told me not to tell anybody this....but he asked me if he should tell you or not." "And you said no?!..."Sakura looked furious. "No..not really...I said wether you tell her not it will still hurt both ways...And he had to decide but make sure he makes a decision that wouldn't let him regret what he did.." Tomoyo looked at her in a way asking are you mad at me. At this point Sakura was angry that her friend kept a secret from her. Kero looked shocked while she was confessing something so important after five years. He knew it took Sakura awhile to forget him. Although...he thought, she could never confess she actually had feelings for him. Sakura looked at Tomoyo. Her face all pink and wet from crying. "How could you?...keep a secret like that from me?" Sakura asked. Tomoyo looked at her. She didn't have a good reason at all. Sakura got mad and stormed out of her room. "Sakura!...."Tomoyo said as she was about to get up. "No..." said Kero. "She needs to be alone now..."said Kero. He looked at her with dissapointment. Tomoyo looks at the door. Hmm....I hope she'll be alright she thought.

Sakura couldn't believe what she heard, she just had to get out of the room. She went down the hall and walked down the stairs. Tears kept rolling down her face. Why? she thought. Why am I crying? Was it because Tomoyo never told me? No it wasn't, it was because he told her not me. She was so angry, her heart ached for someone to care for. True she liked Yukito but that's over she thought. She knew him and his brother loved each other even though they try so hard to keep it a secret. <Sigh> She sat down on the couch by the window. She just stared out the window and looked at the rain. Why couldn't he have told her? Sakura couln't fight it, the tears from coming out. She sat there with her face buried in her hands. Sakura felt someone stroke her hair. She looked up and saw her father there. She desperately tried to wipe the tears from her face. "Oh, I thought I was alone..."She said lowly. "It's okay, you don't have to tell me. I just want to be here for you."he said. Sakura looked at her father. She couldn't help but hug him so tightly.

"Everything will be fine." he said to her as he started to hug her back. Everything will be fine she repeated to herself. Will it? she questioned herslef. No it won't be. She can't change that he told Tomoyo not her. Or the fact Tomoyo didn't tell her. Why didn't she tell me up until now. She wouldn't have if it wasn't something important. She stopped trying to figure out. She was furious with her friend. And no everything won't be okay. She pulled away from her father. "No!.." she yelled. "Everything won't be okay. Nothing is ever okay!" He was shock. Where did all of this come from? So much anger and pain in her voice. What could've happen to her? "Sakura..." he said. She began to cry furiously. He had no idea what to say to her. She looked at him. "I'm sorry. I just....I need to be alone right now..." Sakura started to step back slowly. Until finally she just ran out the door during the rain. "No! Sakura wait..." But it was too late. She had run off somewhere and he couldn't see where. She's gone he thought. "Sakura! Sakura! Come back!" he yelled. But he didn't hear anything.

Tomoyo was still there by her desk. They heard something from downstairs. "Someone's arguing..." said Kero. They couldn't hear a whole lot. It was muffled by the thickness of the walls. "Oh no!" said Tomoyo. "What is it?" Kero asked. "It's Sakura!" she said. "But how...?"he was cut off by Tomoyo. "Neveremind how...I have a bad feeling...." She stood up quickly. Kero flew onto her shoulders as she walked out of Sakura's room. Tomoyo walked slowly down the stairs to the front door afraid of the truth. When she finally got to the front door she found her father drenched walk in to the house. "Mr. Avalon..." she said. "What happened? Where's Sakura?" she was worried. "I don't know..." he said. "I saw her..and I tried to....but she ran away..." He was still shocked at what she did. Tomoyo suddenly got scared. I have a bad feeling about this she thought. He went to call Touya in the other room. "Oh, it's all my fault..." she said. Kero looked at her and saw how guilty she looked. "It's not your fault Tomoyo. Nobody knew this was going to happen..." "I should've never told her I knew." she said as she was walking up the steps. "Why did you tell her?" Kero asked. "It's a long story..." Tomoyo said as she opened the door to Sakura's room. "Well we got all the time in the world." he said.

Tomoyo sat down on her bed. "Well, it's like this..." she said. Kero flew off her shoulders to sit next to her on the bed. "Li likes Sakura...you know more than friends." she explained. "Oh I knew that...." said Kero. "How?..." Tomoyo asked. "Do you see how that brat looks at her sometimes. With those googley eyes and blushing. Come one it was so obvious." he said. "Huh?..." she said surprised. "How come if it was so obvious, Sakura doesn't know?" She asked. "You know Sakura...she's so naive and innocent. She wouldn't know those sort of things unless the person told her themselves." he explained. "Hmm...that's true." she said. "So now that we got cleared up about that, I'm pretty sure what happens next." he said confidently. "Really?..." she said surprised. "Li may have great knowledge about things but when it comes to love he's clueless. He'll do everything the wrong way." "Wow Kero I'm impressed." she said. "Anyway, since he's shy and everything he never told her he felt thinking he wasn't good enough for her. So when he was about to leave he asked you what to do being that you're her best friend. But being the stupid boy that he was he decides not to tell her. And you told Sakura now because you didn't want her to hatt Li." "Wow I guess it wasn't as long of a story as i thought it to be..." she said. "But it's still my fault. I should've told her sooner." "Don't say that...after living with Sakura for five years, you get to know how the person thinks.."Kero said. "Huh?" Tomoyo looked confused. "If you haven't noticed Sakura likes him also." "What?!" she said. "But I thought..." "She liked Yukito..Right? Of course I am...See after he left without anyone knowing but you she was hurt. She didn't show it but I could feel it. It took her months to finally realize she had to forget about him...So she's not mad at you she's mad at him for telling you instead of her before he left." "Oh..."she murmured. "I had no clue she liked him." "Don't worry..she doesn't know either..." Kero said. "Eh? So how do you know she likes him?" "Trust me she does. And we can't say anything to anybody they have to do this by themsleves." he said. "But we can help?, right?" Tomoyo asked devilishly. "Of course those two are knuckle heads." They smiled at each other and shook on it. "But how are we going to do this if he's in a different country?" "Hmm...That's true, but my instinct says if they were meant to be with each other then he'll come to us." "But what about Sakura?... She's out there in the rain..." Tomoyo suddenly got worried. "Hmm...I'm worried too. I never thought Sakura could do anything this irrational. But she's strong, I know she is." Kero said. "I hope you're right Kero."

"I'm so tired..." Sakura said. "Where in the world am I?" She looked around and wasn't familiar with anything. "This damn rain..." she said. She continued to walk down the block. "I'm so cold..." That's what you get when you run out in the rain she said to herself. Oh no! my dress...I bet Tomoyo worked really hard to make this dress. It was so beautiful she thought...I should get back now...they must be worried sick about me. She turned and started to walk up a block. Oh...this is Li's old apartment building. That means I'm just a couple of blocks away from home. Suddenly she got dizzy...and fell to the floor. She tried to get up but she was too cold and weak. "Who's there?..." she mumbled softly. She saw him or her but their face was covered. "I'm so cold..." Sakura trailed off and didn't wake up.

"What?!" yelled Touya. "How can Sakura be so...?" Touy a couldn't finish his sentence he was so mad at her. All he could do at the moment was punch the wall. "Calm down Touya." Yukito said calmly. "Calm down?!" Touya scowled. "She ran out of the house in the middle of the night, while it's raining!" "He's right Touya calm down..." commanded his father. "Right now the important thing is to get her back safely." Touya looked at him and agreed. "It's just that sometimes...I don't understand her." Touya said. "Look, you two can search for her while I stay here with Tomoyo." Yukito said. "Alright..." they both said.

"Hmm...I'm worried about her..." Yukito said.

"Yeah me too.." said Tomoyo.

"I'm sure she'll be fine..."

"I know she'll be...I just wish I knew where she was..."

"Me too..."

This place hasn't really changed he thought. He kept staring out the window of the car. The driver looked at the teenager from the rear view mirror. "What's wrong kid?" the driver asked. Li glared at the mirror to look at the man's eyes. "Nothing.." he replied. What a scary kid the driver thought. Li took something out of his back pocket. It was a photograph of Sakura that Tomoyo gave him. He looked at it and stared at it for awhile. "A girl huh?" the driver said devilishly. Li's cheeks began to turn pink. "It's more complicated then that." Li commented. "What's so complicated. You like her she likes you. It's as simple as that." he said cheerfully. "Not..really..." Li mumbled. "Huh? Unrequited love? Man that has to be a bitch..." Li looked into the rear view mirror and glared at him. "Gee okay, so you don't want to talk about it." Li stopped glaring at him and turned to outside the window again. This is a couple of blocks from my old apartment. I better get out of here before I kill him he thought. "Stop here." Li said. "What? But we're almost there." "It's okay..", said Li, "I want to walk for awhile." "Are you sure? It's raining pretty bad outside." "I can handle it.." Li said as he started to get out of the car. "I hope it's not because of me..." the driver replied. It is because of you he thought. "Don't worry about." He grabbed his bag and paid him before he started to walk. "What a weirdo..." the driver mumbled.

"Is it him?.." The driver looked behind and saw a dark figure. "Oh it's you boss. Don't do that you scare the bejesus out of me..." the driver said. "I have no time for your insecurities..." the dark figure said in a deep and disturbing voice. The driver hesitated. "Yeah, it's him boss. He came back to protect the girl." "Foolish boy. Love has blinded him." "Hey he must really like her to come all this way from China." the driver commented. "Indeed he does." the figure said slowly. "But he has no idea what I truly have in store for both of them." He grinned a little. "It's like what my pa always says..." The driver turned to talk to him but he was gone. How rude the driver thought.

Li began to walk up the block. He turned around to look at the taxi from behind. There was something evil about him. He wanted to know too much he thought. He threw his bag over his shoulders and continued to walk. Just one more block. He took his free hand and dig through his coat pocket. He pulled out the key to his apartment. Good thing I didn't throw this away he thought. He continued to walk up the block. He turned at the corner and saw a girl about his age walking. Huh? he thought. With one eyebrow raised with curiousity. What in the world is she doing out here without a coat? She's a little shorter then him with hair just past her shoulders. She was wearing a pink dress that looked like chinese clothing. Li ignored her and started to walk again. He was almost behind her when she fell. Li rushed over to see if she was okay. She mumbled something when he cam there but he couldn't hear what she was saying. He bent over to look at her. "What?! Sakura is that you?" Li asked in shock. He didn't hear anything from. She's unconsious from the cold he thought. He picked her up and walked to his apartment door.

As he walked in he droppes his bag on the floor to get a better grip on her. Li walked to his old bed room and dropped her on his dusty bed. He went back to the front to get his bag. He took off his coat and decided to change in dry clothes in the livving room. He picked up his bag again and went to his room. Li went by Sakura and felt her forehead. She was as cold as ice. Li turned her over so she would be laying on her stomach. He brushed off her wet hair to unzip her dress. "Huh?" Sakura woke up feeling drowsy. She turned her head a little to see a boy undress her. "What the hell?!.."Sakura screamed. "Who the hell are you and what are you trying to do to me?" Sakura sat up and began to sweat. "Look you're sick...I had to get you out of those wet clothes." Li said. Sakur was still drowsy. She squinted to see who it was. All she could make was a boy in a white T-shirt and blue denim jeans. She tried to get up off the bed but she was too weak. She fell down and Li went to catch her. He picked her and Sakura began to shiver all over her body. "Oh no! You need to get worm quickly." Li put her back on his bed. "So cold..." she mumbled softly. She could feel him take off her clothes but she was too weak to argue. Li took off his shirt and started to hug Sakura. "Come on DAMMIT!..." he yelled. He hugged her so tight so she could get worm from his body heat. "Please Sakura, please...."

*NOTE : This is my first time writing one of these. So, if it sucks and I have inaccurate information regarding the series, my bad.