CardCaptor Sakura Manga
Volume 1 Chapter 1

[Sakura is chasing after the Jump Card, until she corners it.]

SAKURA: Finally! Caught up!

[The Jump Card grows huge and attacks.]

KERO: Sakura!!

[Sakura pulls out her key.]

SAKURA: KEY THAT HIDES THE FORCES OF DARKNESS! SHOW ME YOUR TRUE FORM! BY THE COVENANT, I, SAKURA, COMMAND YOU. RELEASE!

[The key transforms into her Sealing Wand.]

KERO: Sakura! Use a card!!
SAKURA: I know! Sheesh.

[Sakura pulls out the Windy Card.]

SAKURA: CARD MADE BY CLOW, LEND YOUR POWER TO MY KEY. BESTOW THE MAGIC OD THE CARD UNTO ME KEY! GRANT ME YOUR POWER! WINDY! WIND, BECOMES A BINDING CHAIN!

[Windy leaves her card and swirls around the Jump spirit, trapping it.]

SAKURA: RETURN TO THE FORM YOU WERE MEANT TO BE! CLOW CARD!!

[The Jump spirit returns to its card and lands in Sakura's hand, just as the alarm clock goes off. Kero turns from watching Sakura's capture on the TV. Sakura reaches over to pick up the clock.]

SAKURA: Urrggh... Arrghh... That sound!
SAKURA: (narrating) My name's Sakura Kinomoto. I'm a fourth grader at Tomoeda Elementary School.
KERO: Late again, Sakura?
SAKURA: Morning, Kero. Are you watching that video again?

[Kero points to himself on the screen.]

KERO: How can I not? Look at that face! It's like I always say, a good-lookin' model makes for a good-lookin' picture. Handsome! Chiseled! Debonair!
SAKURA: (narrating) Anyway... I like music and P.E. and I hate math. So I guess you could say I'm just an ordinary, healthy girl. Hmm? what was on that video?
SAKURA: Oh... right.
SAKURA: (narrating) That would be...

[Sakura pops the video out of the VCR, much to Kero's dismay.]

KERO: Hey, what're ya doin'?! That was the best part!
SAKURA: I said I'd give it back to Tomoyo-chan today.
KERO: So?! It was my best shot!
SAKURA: (narrating) My best friend and classmate, Tomoyo Daidouji recorded the video for me. A movie? Nope. It's the real thing.

[Sakura puts her fingers in her ears and walks away, with Kero following her, yelling.]

SAKURA: (narrating) And who's the hyperactive stuffed animal, you ask?
KERO: Cerberus the Magnificent!
SAKURA: Kero-chan!
KERO: It's CERBERUS!!
SAKURA: What's wrong with Kero-chan?! I think it's cute! Besides, Cerberus is too long!
KERO: Whatever! My name is super-cool! Kero-chan sounds like a cartoon frog or somethin'!
SAKURA: (narrating) Yup. This little guy isn't stuffed or a cartoon. He's very much alive. But he isn't a cat or a dog, either. So... what is he? That's a looonng story.
SAKURA: Uh huh. *sigh* Aaaagghh! I'm late!

[She runs down the stairs and into the kitchen.]

SAKURA: (narrating) Oh, yeah. I haven't told you about my family yet.
SAKURA: G... G'morning!
TOYA: Sheesh. On the rampage again, Sakura?
SAKURA: WHAT? I JUST WALKED IN.
TOYA: Just walked, huh? Sounded like a monster stomping around to me.
SAKURA: I'm not a monster!

[She swings at Toya, but he places his coffee mug on her head, holding her away.]

TOYA: Well, you are pretty tiny for a monster.
SAKURA: AHHHHHHH!
SAKURA: (narrating) This meanie is my older brother, Toya. He's a second year in high school. He goes to Seijyo High School, right next to my school. I don't know if it's 'cause he's older, but I've never won a fight against him. Agghhh-- it drives me crazy! No matter how tall I get, he's always taller! Grrr... But someday I'll be as big as a telephone pole. Then I'll smash him! LIKE THIS!

[Sakura imagines squashing a tiny Toya, when their father enters with some breakfast.]

FUJITAKA: Ahh, such loving siblings.
SAKURA: (narrating) This is my dad, Fujitaka. He's an archaeology professor at the local university. He's very nice, not to mention a wiz at cooking and sewing. I love him. What's that? Oh, this is my mom. She died when I was little. It happened when I was 3, so I don't remember much about her. But I'm not lonely. I've got my dad. And my brother, even if he is annoying. And, of course, Kero-chan!
KERO: THAT'S CERBERUS!!
TOYA: Well, thanks for the grub.
SAKURA: You're leaving already?
TOYA: I've got morning soccer practice.
FUJITAKA: Take care!

[Sakura gobbles up her food and runs to the door.]

SAKURA: Shanks fer da food--
FUJITAKA: Are you okay?

[Sakura nods as she puts her skates on and leaves the house. Kero watches from her bedroom window.]

FUJITAKA: Goodbye!
SAKURA: 'Bye! See you later!
KERO: Awww. She gonna be okay, hurrying like that?
SAKURA: Waahh! Waaaaiitt!

[She catches up to Toya on his bike.]

TOYA: You know, you really don't have to hurry.
SAKURA: (narrating) But I do. Because my Oniichan always goes to school with... him. Aaaaahhh!

[Yukito appears at the end of the street.]

YUKITO: Good morning.
SAKURA: Haaaahhh...
TOYA: Yo!
YUKITO: 'Morning, Toya. Good morning, Sakura-chan. You're up early.
SAKURA: Y... Yup!
TOYA: *smile* Eh, the monster just wolfed her breakfast down in five minutes.
SAKURA: *GLARE*

[She kicks him in the knee with her skate.]

[Yukito gets behind Toya on the bike and they all head to school.]

SAKURA: (narrating) Yukito Tsukishiro-san. He's in the same grade as Toya. I can't believe he's best friends with my brother the barbarian. He's a sweet, beautiful person.
YUKITO: So, I hear you've been oversleeping a lot, Sakura!
SAKURA: Eh? Huh? Why do you say that!?
YUKITO: Oh, I heard it from Toya. He says you stay up late, then can't get up in the morning! Is something worrying you?
TOYA: An empty mind has no worries.
SAKURA: *GLARE* Ah! We're here.

[She stops in front of her school. Toya and Yukito continue on, Yukito turning around and tossing Sakura a small candy.]

YUKITO: See you later!

[Sakura catches the candy, a dreamy look in her eyes.]

SAKURA: Aaahhhh! Yukito-san!
VOICE: Would you look at that!
SAKURA: Waahh! Tomoyo-chan!

[She turns around to see Tomoyo.]

TOMOYO: A parting present... How charming!
SAKURA: (narrating) This is Tomoyo Daidouji-chan. She's the girl who shot that video.
SAKURA: Morning, Tomoyo-chan!
TOMOYO: Good morning, Sakura-chan!

[Sakura hands Tomoyo the video tape.]

SAKURA: Here-- thanks!
TOMOYO: No problem. You look beautiful in it.
SAKURA: Uhh... S-stop it! You're embarrassing me!
TOMOYO: Don't be ashamed of your true calling! You are the one called upon to gather the Clow Cards and save the world from certain doom! And you're the only on in the entire world who can do it!
SAKURA: Aw, you're exaggerating!
SAKURA: (narrating) But she's right. I am collecting Clow Cards. And these are no ordinary cards.

[Flashback Mode.]

SAKURA: (narrating) It was two months ago. I has just entered the fourth grade. I cam upon an old book in my dad's library. And from the moment I opened that book, my days of Clow Card collecting began. Oh, right. That's where Kero-chan came from... the cover of the book. And yeah, his real name is Cerberus. He says he's the Creature of the Seal assigned to protect the book. But, he doesn't always look like this. He's actually pretty huge. He's just using this shape because he's running out of magic. Kero-chan's real form is super cool. Wowwww... At least, that's what he tells me. I haven't seen it yet...
KERO: Hello-lo-lo!
SAKURA: Hoe?!
KERO: Hey there, kiddo! You woke me up! Thankee-sankee!
SAKURA: That slang! You're not from Osaka, are you?
KERO: Hey, you're good!! This book was in Osaka for quite some time. Can't shake the dialect, I guess.

[Sakura grabs Kero and shakes him.]

SAKURA: So, uh... Where are your batteries?

[Kero pulls away.]

KERO: BATTERIES?! I'm the Creature of the Seal, protector of this book! Not a toy!!
SAKURA: Creature of the Seal...? What are you sealing?
KERO: (thinking) Hmm, calmer than I thought. I expected a bigger reaction... maybe come fainting.
SAKURA: (thinking) It's not your fault you set your expectations so high.
KERO: Ahem. This is not an ordinary book! It holds the Clow Cards.

[Sakura shakes the book, but it's empty.]

SAKURA: But there's nothing inside.
KERO: THAT'S THE PROBLEM! See, if the cards aren't properly stored in the book, the come to life and do evil.
SAKURA: Um, whaddya mean, evil? Like stealing a snack? Bending a flower? Not doing homework? Staying up late...?

[Kero performs the Osaka Special Chop on Sakura.]

KERO: No, no! I'm not talking about petty evil like that! It's right here on the box! "Herein lie the Clow Cards-- If their seal is broken, disaster will befall this world..." I'm not kiddin' here-- This is the truth! These cards have magic. They were created by Clow Reed, a magician with supreme powers. Each card is alive. And has been given a different name, form, and magical power. For example, the Windy card contains the power of wind. They do as they please and just about nothing can defeat them. That's why Clow created this book: to seal the cards inside. And I, the Creature of the Seal, was placed on the cover as their protector.
SAKURA: So, why aren't the cards here now?
KERO: Er... Something must have happened while I was sleeping on the book cover. It's comfier than it looks.
SAKURA: Some protector you are!
KERO: Life deals no wild cards! We gotta seize the day! Yeah!! The point is... this book can't be opened by anyone who doesn't have magic. But you opened the book and woke me up. Soooo... you must have the potential to use magic! What's you name anyway?
SAKURA: S... Sakura.
KERO: Well then, Sakura. Don't move! KEY OF THE SEAL. SOMEONE WISHES TO MAKE A CONTRACT WITH YOU. A GIRL. HER NAME IS SAKURA.

[The Key appears and grows.]

KERO: KEY! BESTOW YOUR POWER ON HER!

[The Key grows into the Sealing Wand.]

KERO: Awright, kiddo! Grab the staff!

[Sakura reaches and grabs the wand.]

KERO: And Hocus-Pocus... A Cardcaptor is born!!
SAKURA: WHAAAAATT?!

[End of Flashback.]

SAKURA: You know, now that I think of it, Kero-chan tricked me.
TOMOYO: He is very talented.
SAKURA: So, now I'm a Cardcaptor, saving the town from Clow Card disasters.
TOMOYO: That's so cool!
SAKURA: T--Tomoyo-chan...
SAKURA: (narrating) Me and Tomoyo-chan have been in the same class since the third grade. She's smart and pretty, and her mother is the head of some big corporation. So she's super rich, but still really nice. Tomoyo-chan is the only one who knows I'm collecting the Clow Cards. She helps me all the time
TOMOYO: So... How many cards have you collected?
SAKURA: Only three.
TOMOYO: Well, good luck with the rest, Sakura-chan! After all, your secret work preserves the peace in this town.
SAKURA: Tomoyo-chan...
TOMOYO: And I'll catch it all on tape next time! You can wear a flashy costume and everything. I've already designed it!!
SAKURA: (narrating) Yup. She really has. Tomoyo-chan makes all the costumes I wear when I'm collecting cards. IT'S SOOOO EMBARRASSING!
TOMOYO: Come one! When you do special things, you simply must wear special clothes! And videotape it, too!
SAKURA: (narrating) She's a good friend, even if she is kind of weird.
TOMOYO: Hmmm Hmmm Huh.

[Later that day in gym class, Sakura jumps over the exercise equipment.]

TEACHER: All right! Great job, Kinomoto!
TOMOYO: You're always so good at sports.
SAKURA: Heh Heh. Oh, I just like P.E.

[At the high school field, Toya steals the soccer ball from the opposing team.]

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS: Toya-kuuuun! Kyaaahhh!
TOMOYO: Wow! Your brother's pretty good at sports too!
SAKURA: Of course he's good. Oniichan's on the soccer team. Why does his field have to be next to ours? Oh! Yukito-can!!

[Toya steps up next to Yukito.]

SAKURA: AAAHHH! I CAN'T SEE YUKITO-SAN! ONIICHAN, YOU'RE IN THE WAAAYYY!!!
TOMOYO: Um... Sakura-chan...?
YUKITO: *looks over and smiles*
SAKURA: (thinking) Kya! Yukito-san!!

[Yukito starts to ruin towards her.]

YUKITO: Hey, Sak...

[He trips on a rock and falls.]

SAKURA: WHA--?? AAHHH!!

[Toya bends down next to Yukito.]

SAKURA: Oh, no - Yukito-san!!

[Toya looks up and seeing Yukito, pulls on Yukito's mouth for fun.]

SAKURA: Oniichaan!! Grrr...
CLASSMATE: HEY!!

[A big gust of wind whirls through both courts.]

SAKURA: Whooaa!! (thinking) What the-- What is that?

[A shape takes form in the whirlwind.]

SAKURA: (thinking) A bird?!

[The bird disappears along with the whirlwind.]

TOMOYO: Sakura-chan! Are you okay?! You're not hurt, are you?
SAKURA: (thinking) Yup, it was definitely a bird. But... a bird that big... could it be... a Clow Card?!

*CONTINUED*