Episode Title: "Sakura no Rival Toujou!" - Sakura's Rival Appears!
First Aired: June 2, 1998
Kero-chan ni Omakase!

Cards Captured: Thunder

Battle Costume

Once again, Sakura is dreaming. She's having the same dream that opened the series- well, almost. This time, instead of seeing Sakura with Clow Cards floating around her, we see the same mysterious boy who appeared after Sakura captured the Silent card. In the dream, the boy leaps from a building and appears to majestically glide through the air, sword in hand. Suddenly, Sakura shakes in her bed. A concerned Kero flies over to her head, calling for Sakura. Awaken now, Sakura is frightened by Kero's face, as it's incredibly close to her own. She swats Kero away, who tells her he was only worried about her because she seemed to be having a nightmare. Sakura explains the dream to Kero, saying it was the same dream she had before, only this time a boy in Chinese clothes appeared in it.

After being mocked by Touya, Kero tells Sakura that her dream may be a premonition, considering she has magic powers and all. After a large breakfast, it seems that Sakura is late for school! She dons her skate gear and catches up with Touya and Yukito. Yukito asks Sakura if she had pleasant dreams, and brings up the topic of foretelling dreams. Strange, Kero brought up the same thing!

Sakura enters class in a great mood, since she spent time with Yukito in the morning and he gave her a piece of candy before he left. Homeroom starts off a little different this day, as the class is introduced to a new transfer student. As soon as he steps in, he's staring right at Sakura! The teacher introduces the new student as Li Syaoran from Hong Kong, and on another ironic note, he gives Syaoran the seat behind Sakura. This scene can best be described as an uncomfortable one for Sakura, as she feels Syaoran's "heated gaze" from behind.

After a few more uncomfortable encounters with Syaoran, Sakura’s unease is greatly heightened when Syaoran meets Sakura on the stairwell and asks for a word with her. Using his magic compass, Syaoran detects the presence of Clow Cards on Sakura! He demands that she hand them over, though Sakura is very apprehensive.

Syaoran seems to be frustrated with the fact that not only is Sakura, a young girl, is attempting to capture the Clow Cards, but after two months of searching she hasn't even been able to collect all of them! The hostility of this encounter is greatly elevated when Sakura’s brother comes to her rescue. Touya and Syaoran prepare to fight until Yukito runs up and scales the fence, holding a bag of food in one hand. Yukito, who doesn't seem to consider Syaoran to be harmful, extends the offer of nikuman to him. Strangely, Syaoran runs away in response to Yukito's offer, blushing bright red.

On the way home, Tomoyo mentions to Sakura that Rika went off to buy her crush a birthday present. (Earlier, before we were introduced to Syaoran, we see Rika staring amorously at Terada-sensei, so... by putting one-and-one together it's pretty obvious who her crush is.) Tomoyo says Rika's crush is an older person, and suggests that Sakura should try and put forth the same effort. This causes Sakura to blush, as Yukito surely comes to mind...

Suddenly, storm clouds cover the former sunny sky. Tomoyo and Sakura take cover inside the King Penguin as the violent thunder storm passes. To Sakura's surprise, it isn't raining! Just as Sakura makes this discovery, a gigantic bolt of lightning zaps the nearby street lamps. The bolt continues to jump the row of lamps until shooting back into the sky, flying away and taking the storm with it.

At home, Sakura wakes Kero and begins to question him on the day's happenings. Kero begins to explain Li Syaoran. We learn the Clow Reed was born from a British father and a Chinese mother, and that much of Clow Reed's magic comes from both western and eastern roots. After touting Clow Reed's magical ancestry, Kero goes back to explaining Syaoran, saying he's be from Clow's Chinese mother's side of the family. Sakura begins to question whether it was wise to refuse to give Syaoran the Clow Cards, but Kero assures her that she did well and that it only she has the right to hold the cards, as he appointed her Cardcaptor and they have her name written on them.

Tomoyo calls Sakura, successfully putting an end to Sakura's moment of flattery, and tells her to look up at the sky. It seems as though the storm is back! The three go out into town, Sakura sporting the new rubber kitty outfit Tomoyo made for her so she won't get zapped.

Upon seeing the card, Kero explains they're taking on the Thunder card. Sakura uses the Fly card to soar into the air. Kero mentions the "Rashinban" (magical compass) Syaoran had used earlier that day, saying that Syaoran might come once he senses the Clow Card. Kero becomes determined to capture the card before Syaoran shows up, but this doesn't happen. It seems Sakura needs to force the card to go back to its original form. But how?

After using the Jump card to dodge the lightning bolt, Sakura finds herself on a roof with none other than Li Syaoran! Using his magic, Syaoran begins to combat the card, and succeeds in forcing it back to its original form- an intimidating large thunder-beast! This scene looks incredibly familiar to Sakura as she recalls the dream she had before.

Syaoran explains Sakura can't fight Thunder with Windy and suggests she use the Shadow card. Sakura and Syaoran team up to capture the Thunder card; Syaoran using his magic, and Sakura using the Shadow card to capture the thunder-beast inside a shadow ball. After capturing the card, Syaoran is surprised to meet Kerberos, the Beast of the Seal, as he expected something a little more than a plush toy. In response to this insult, Kero bites Syaoran's finger. Syaoran insults Sakura's ability to collect the cards and walks away. Tomoyo runs up to Sakura and asks if she has been hurt. Although Sakura shows no signs of physical injury, she seems to be greatly upset by Syaoran’s harshness. And with that, the episode ends!