Chapter 1: The New Beginning

Release date: Fall 1999

Word count: 5654

Summary

Thoughts: I always loved Wish-chan's decision to give Sakura long hair because it helps differentiate NT Sakura from CCS Sakura. The running trend of new students taking special notice to Sakura is always amusing. Even though Sakura has been the Card Mistress for years now, this chapter shows how incredibly green she is compared to the magician that she will become in the later arcs. It always broke my heart that Syaoran put up a cold front despite the two of them admitting that they were each other's special person. It makes for great storytelling, but the shipper wants them together forever!

Fanart spotlight: Ribbons, by Asumei. Maria generously provided the fandom with an enormous amount of fanart spreading across the first three arcs. I'll definitely be coming back to her art as my re-read continues.