SELECTED SUBJECT: SAKURA KINOMOTO AND ALLIES, VERTEX TWO

OVERVIEW: Vertex Two is an outlier among the five Vertices, as nearly all the distinctive elements common to the other four simply do not exist there. As of this writing, there is only one being of note in Vertex Two, Sakura Kinomoto herself, who even fits the definition of a "magical girl". Even so, she does not transform, has never battled an openly hostile force seeking her destruction, and has never encountered a "monster" of the kind so prevalent in the other worlds, to my knowledge.

This is not to say that Kinomoto is not a threat to Dead End. Based on my observation, the exact opposite is the case: should she use her full powers against us, I am convinced that Dead End, with all our resources, would pose little threat to her. Sakura Kinomoto has the potential to be the most dangerous being in her universe, and it is only her personality and relative immaturity that restricts her astonishing magical power.

Kinomoto's power takes the form of the Clow Cards (later Sakura Cards): living, sentient entities sealed into card form and initially created by a mage named Clow Reed. Clow, said to be the greatest mage in all of history, created the Cards and their Guardian Beasts as part of a labyrinthine plot to appoint a successor who would one day surpass him. As Kinomoto has mastered the Cards and her power is still growing as of this writing, Clow's efforts seem to have been successful.

Note: Timeline variance is in effect for Vertex Two as well, though to a far lesser degree than in Vertex One. The primary divergence seems to be the exact number of Clow / Sakura Cards: possibly as few as nineteen in one timeline (exact number unconfirmed), and fifty-five (fifty-two standard Cards, plus three anomalous entities) in the other. Cards confirmed present in one timeline and not the other will be noted, but I stress that every effort should be made to acquire all of them. The Cards are able to function as individuals, but as a collective, their power grows exponentially.

INDEX:

SAKURA KINOMOTO

Clow / Sakura Cards

CLOW REED

KERBEROS AND YUE

SHAORAN LI

TOMOYO DAIDOUJI

KINOMOTO, SAKURA

ALIAS: Cardcaptor Sakura, The Second

EYES: Green

HAIR: Brown

Kinomoto was by all accounts a typical ten-year-old Japanese elementary school student with no particular talents or special abilities when, by seemingly random chance, she opened the Book of Clow. Unknowingly breaking the seal upon the Cards, and thus releasing them into her town of Tomoeda, she was conscripted by the Clow Guardian Beast Kerberos to first retrieve the Cards, then later to transform them and remake them with her own powers.

Subject's outward appearance would suggest little of interest. Kinomoto has a primarily passive manner and an even temperament, is unfailingly loyal to her family and companions, and displays very few stereotypically negative personality traits. In fact, subject has demonstrated a surprising willingness to befriend and empathize even with beings displaying blatantly antagonistic behavior... with the sole exception of Toya Kinomoto, her elder sibling, who frequently provokes her aggression. Subject's ability to read emotions and social cues in others is lacking, suggesting a mild form of autism or a similar social/neurological disorder. Interestingly, subject suffers from extreme phasmophobia to a truly irrational degree; troops resembling common human depictions of undead spiritual entities are suggested for engaging subject.

Kinomoto's lineage is partly responsible for her vast magical power. Subject is a direct descendant of Clow Reed himself, and many members of the Kinomoto bloodline possess varying levels of magical ability. Subject appeared to be entirely unaware of her potential prior to awakening the Clow Cards, and as of this writing still seems to have a tendency to vastly underestimate her own abilities. Despite this, subject displayed impressive levels of intuition, resourcefulness, determination, and a capacity for lateral thinking when faced with Clow's various challenges.

As noted, subject's phasmophobia is an easily exploitable weakness. Subject's passive manner and lack of emotional control can also be exploited, so long as measures are taken to forestall any possible retaliation. Kinomoto is never to be underestimated under any circumstances; given her vast variety of magical abilities and phenomenal power levels, any attempted engagement of subject must be undertaken with utmost caution. Recommend utilizing full-body restraints, in addition to AMF nullifying devices to prevent possible counterattack by subject's Cards. Said Cards should be uniformly classified as hostile sentient entities in and of themselves; always assume that Kinomoto carries all Cards on her person at all times and has full access to their abilities. Subject typically carries a wand, fashioned by Clow and later remade in her own image, called the Sealing Wand in its initial form and the Star Wand upon transformation. Subject can miniaturize this item into the shape of a small key, usually worn as a pendant. The wand is usually used to release Clow/Sakura Cards, but it is foolhardy to assume that depriving Kinomoto of her wand would render her helpless. As noted below, the Cards are sentient beings, all with at least a modicum of respect and loyalty to Kinomoto. Risking Kinomoto's capture without first neutralizing her Cards is an effort likely doomed to failure.

PRIORITY ASSESSMENT: Highest. Kinomoto is the Second of the Three, and therefore absolutely vital to Dead End. Subject not only displays enormous amounts of power, but her magical abilities are astonishing in their variety. Only subject's human flaws and limitations hold her back from becoming the greatest potential threat to Dead End.

CLOW/SAKURA CARDS

Entities created by Clow Reed from an unprecedented fusion of Eastern and Western magic, representing a vast array of magical abilities. All Cards are living, sentient beings, though some display more overt intelligence than others. It can be assumed that with the passing of Kinomoto's trials, all of the Cards consider her their sole master; extreme measures may be required to coerce said Cards into Dead End's service. All entities are normally sealed in card form, a "resting state" of sorts, and manifest on the physical plane at Kinomoto's command. Subject has experienced difficulty with releasing two or more Cards simultaneously on past occasions, presumably as a result of taxing her mana reserves, but this disadvantage cannot be relied upon as a certainty.

When Kinomoto collected all of the lost Clow Cards and passed the "Final Judgment" rendered by the second Guardian Beast, Yue (see file below), there followed an additional series of trials in which Kinomoto was required to transform all the Cards into a new form, bound to her own magic rather than Clow's. These "Sakura Cards" are for most purposes identical to the Clow Cards in function, but it can be assumed that in this form, the Cards' loyalties are firmly if not irrevocably set with Kinomoto. Acquisition of the Cards within the timeframe between the initial opening of the Book and the capture of the final Clow Card, the EARTHY, is strongly advised.

All but the three anomalous Cards fall under one of six alignments: four derived from the classical Greek elements (Earth, Air, Fire, and Water) plus the additional elements of Light and Dark. In addition, each Card (again, save for the three anomalous entities) falls either under the jurisdiction of Kerberos, holding dominion over FIREY-, EARTHY-, and LIGHT-aligned Cards and representing the Sun and Western magic, or Yue, holding dominion over WATERY-, WINDY-, and DARK-aligned Cards and representing the Moon and Eastern magic. See the Guardians' relevant files below.

Note 1: Cards with confirmed counterparts in both timelines are indicated with bold text.

Note 2: Recent observation of splinter timelines confirms the existence of a new set of "Clear Cards" with similar abilities to the Clow/Sakura Cards, but which utilize a different form of magic. Upon manifestation, the Clear Cards have rendered the Sakura Cards powerless through currently unknown means. More extensive observation will be required before making a proper assessment and documentation of these Cards.

MAIN CARDS

1. The WINDY: WINDY is a versatile faerie-esque winged entity capable of advanced aerokinesis, i.e., manipulating air currents, summoning windstorms, manifesting constructs from solidified air, etc. One of the major elemental Cards. Kinomoto's first and most loyal Card, often serving as communicator and arbiter for all others. Acquisition is highest-priority, but success is unlikely.

2. The SHADOW: Manifesting as a hooded cloak, SHADOW is an umbrakinetic entity, as its name suggests. Able to manipulate physical objects while remaining intangible. Chaotic and mischievous in nature. Aligned with LIGHT. Acquisition recommended.

3. The ILLUSION: An entity of no fixed shape, often manifesting as a disorienting kaleidoscopic pattern. ILLUSION manipulates target(s) senses based on their current thoughts at time of activation, often causing target(s) to hallucinate intense desires or fears. One of the few Cards to behave in an openly antagonistic manner. Aligned with DARK. Acquisition is highest-priority.

4. The FLOWER: Appears as a feminine figure wearing a formal gown and adorned with flower petals. Able to manifest any type of flower or blossom its master desires, in theoretically infinite amounts, but possesses little to no possible offensive capabilities. Gentle in nature. Aligned with EARTHY. No applicability to Dead End, and therefore useless. Acquire only for sake of completion.

5. The MIST: A dense green fog with extremely corrosive properties. Also able to summon fog as a makeshift smokescreen or barrier. Aligned with WATERY. Acquisition recommended.

6. The STORM: A preadolescent figure of ambiguous gender. STORM displays weather manipulation abilities, summoning rain storms, tornadoes, etc. Highly aggressive. Aligned with WINDY. Acquisition recommended.

7. The FLOAT: Manifests as a pink hot-air balloon. This entity can levitate and move small objects. Aligned with WINDY. Useless. Acquire only for sake of completion.

8. The FIGHT: Manifests as an adolescent female. Instantly grants user enhanced martial arts skills. Highly aggressive and competitive. Aligned with FIREY. Acquisition is highest-priority.

9. The SONG: A feminine elven figure with a dress resembling a cello. Capable of copying voices and music that meets its approval. Shy and non-confrontational. Aligned with WINDY. Harmless, can be safely ignored. Acquire only for sake of completion.

10. The SHOT: A high-velocity bolt of energy in its released form. One of the most dangerous Cards, SHOT can be used even by persons with no magical ability. SHOT selects a target and fires energy bolts with increasingly deadly accuracy until either its target is struck and destroyed or SHOT is returned to card form. Aligned with FIREY. Acquisition is highest-priority.

11. The SWEET: A small, faerie-like figure. Transforms objects into various sugary confections. Vulnerable to salt. Effects are reversed when SWEET is resealed. Aligned with LIGHT. Useless. Acquire only for sake of completion.

12. The FREEZE: A pescine form with cryokinetic abilities. Capable of lowering temperatures over wide areas. Aligned with WATERY. Acquisition recommended.

13. The ARROW: An archer in its manifested form, which fires energy arrows with pinpoint accuracy or allows its user to do the same. Aggressive. Aligned with FIREY. Acquisition recommended.

14. The LIGHT: Mature feminine entity, one of the major elemental Cards. Capable of photokinesis and bringing forth sunrise. Completely intangible. The "sister" Card of DARK, which must be present to seal or use either Card. As major elemental Cards, acquisition of both her/it and DARK are essential.

15. The TWIN: Two child-like jesters, one feminine and one masculine. TWIN is capable of duplicating any person or object. The two manifestations of TWIN always move in perfect synchronization with each other, and must be attacked and captured in a similar manner. Aggressive and capable fighters. Aligned with FIREY. Potentially useful, but its limitations render it more of a curiosity.

16. The WOOD: A figure resembling a dryad, a mythical creature found in several human mythologies. WOOD is chlorokinetic, capable of instantly growing theoretically any type of flora. Normally docile, but can spread flora aggressively when manifesting alongside RAIN. Aligned with WATERY. Usefulness to Dead End would be situational at best.

17. The SHIELD: As its name implies, a medieval heater-shaped shield in its unsealed form, detailed with a stylized wing. Also can take the form of an energy dome or protective barrier. The SHIELD protect from nearly all forms of attack, and can only be overcome by a sustained, prolonged barrage, focused magical attack (i.e., the SHOT), or its counterpart Card, the SWORD. Aligned with EARTHY. Acquisition is highest-priority.

18. The POWER: Manifests as a diminutive, feminine pink figure. The POWER grants its user superhuman-class strength. Immensely proud and may be difficult to coerce, but could be invaluable for combat operations. Aligned with FIREY. Acquisition is recommended.

19. The LOOP: Manifesting in the shape of a Moebius strip, the LOOP bends space-time itself into a localized temporal loop, as per its name. Of the Cards capable of tempero-spatial manipulation (see TIME, RETURN, SILENT, LOCK, etc.), LOOP appears to have the most potential. Study of LOOP's effect could reap enormous benefits for Dead End. Aligned with EARTHY. Acquisition is highest-priority.

20. The MIRROR: Appearing as either a feminine humanoid in vaguely Chinese-style dress or an antique circular hand mirror, MIRROR is capable of shapeshifting into a near-perfect duplicate of persons or objects caught in its reflection. Possibly the Card with the closest analogue to a sentient consciousness, MIRROR also demonstrates an ability to deflect various forms of attack, such as the SHOT in projectile form. However, its true value to Dead End is seemingly innocuous: MIRROR serves as a direct line of communication between Kinomoto and the Cards, able to converse on their behalf. In theory, coercing MIRROR could secure the loyalty of all the Cards at once. Aligned with EARTHY. In light of the above-mentioned theory, acquisition of MIRROR is highest-priority.

21. The BIG: Manifests as a tall, slender, feminine figure. The BIG enlarges both objects and people, and does so indiscriminately. Possibly useful, but without its companion card, the LITTLE, effects likely cannot be reversed. Aligned with LIGHT. Acquisition recommended, with stipulations.

22. The CHANGE: A chameleonoid creature, CHANGE extends a long tongue-like protrusion to exchange places with its target or swap the positions of objects/persons. Also capable of exchanging the consciousness of two being(s). The latter effect is permanent if not reversed within roughly 24 hours. Aligned with DARK. Limitations render this Card a curiosity at best. Acquire only for sake of completion.

23. The FIREY: One of the major elemental Cards, an angelic, masculine figure. FIREY displays intense pyrokinetic abilities. Flames generated by FIREY cannot be extinguished by conventional means or by WATERY; WINDY only strengthens it. Its personality is volatile, aggressive, and difficult to control, even for Kinomoto. Nevertheless, its position makes it an essential capture.

24. The VOICE: Resembles a harpy from Greek mythology. VOICE is attracted to sound, particularly music, and may steal the voices/sounds of beings that catch its interests, rendering its target(s) mute. Of possible interest for counteracting certain opponents originating from Vertex Three, the Suite Precure of Facet Six in particular. Aligned with WINDY. Acquisition recommended, but not essential.

25. The LOCK: Manifests as a simple bar padlock. LOCK distorts space in a localized area, and is capable of sealing off one space from another entirely, including all possible entrances and exits. Sealed spaces cannot be unlocked by conventional means; the only method of countering LOCK appears to be Kinomoto's Sealing Wand in key form. Defends itself with psychokinetic storms. As with LOOP, potential applications of its power belie its seemingly simple function. Aligned with EARTHY. Acquisition is highest-priority.

26. The CLOUD: Diminutive elven figure, twin of the RAIN. Nepheloikinetic abilities, i.e., capable of summoning and controlling clouds of varying density. Aligned with WATERY. Acquire only for sake of completion.

27. The DARK: Mature feminine entity, one of the major elemental Cards. "Sister" Card of the LIGHT, with similar limitations and stipulations (cannot be captured or used without its twin). Umbrakinetic, capable of limited spatial manipulation, completely intangible, and can nullify non-magical beings. Acquisition is highest-priority.

28. The WATERY: One of the major elemental Cards, resembling a mermaid. Aggressive to the point of violence. Possesses incredible hydrokinetic abilities, and is capable of absorbing the effects of any of its aligned Cards. Acquisition is highest-priority.

29. The Rain: Twin of the CLOUD, see above. Resembles a jester. As with the STORM, capable of weather manipulation, but seemingly limited to precipitation. Linked with the WOOD.Acquisition recommended, but not essential.

30. The JUMP: A bizarre and inhospitable lepine creature. Bestows superhuman agility to its user, allowing them to leap great heights. Capable of possessing and manipulating inanimate objects. Aligned with WINDY. Effects can easily be duplicated or exceeded utilizing standard TSAB antigravity technology, so capture and coercion is non-essential. Acquire only for sake of completion.

31. The SILENT: Manifests as a severe feminine being. SILENT detests noise, and will mute the sound of any being or object that irritates it. Offending beings may be subject to short-range teleportation, implying limited spatial manipulation abilities. Further study required. Possibly useful for combating Suite Precure of Vertex Three, Facet Six (see the VOICE). Aligned with DARK. Acquisition recommended, but not essential.

32. The TIME: An elderly masculine being holding an antique hourglass. TIME's temporal manipulation abilities are highly varied; subject endows its user to slow, quicken, stop, reverse, or repeat the flow of local space-time. Effects of TIME require enormous amounts of energy or magical power, however. Related to the RETURN. Aligned with DARK. Acquisition is highest-priority.

33. The ERASE: A feminine figure resembling a harlequin. ERASE carries a length of fabric cloth; anything touched by this cloth is instantly removed from existence. Effects can be applied to objects, living beings, and even intangible concepts, including memories. The exact mechanics of subject's erasure are a mystery; its abilities seem to be in direct violation of the law of conservation of matter. I theorize that the cloth contains some manner of magic-based micro-singularity. Effects of erasure become permanent with time, but are reversed if the card's source of power is cut off. Twin of CREATE. Aligned with DARK. Acquisition is highest-priority; Master Joker has taken an interest in this Card in particular.

34. The SLEEP: Manifests as an androgynous sprite or pixie. Dust released by SLEEP causes all humans and sentient life forms within its area of effect to fall into deep slumber. Only those possessing exceptional magical power can resist its effect. Subject also alters targets' memories to erase its own presence. Aligned with DARK. Acquisition is recommended, but not essential.

35. The RETURN: Appearing as either a dense and tangible black mist or a elven, feminine figure holding a winged hourglass. Closely related to TIME, RETURN enables its user to travel backwards along a linear time scale, but its user rendered non-corporeal, unable to change or interact with past events. Powerful magic-users may detect the user's presence and interact with said user in non-corporeal state, however. RETURN, like TIME, requires enormous amounts of power to function. Aligned with LIGHT. While side-effects of RETURN's use may limit its usefulness to Dead End, Master Joker specifically requests the acquisition of this Card.

36. The DASH: Manifests as a vaguely vulpine creature. Enables movement at superhuman speed for short distances. Subject's manifested form has the same ability. Aligned with WINDY. Acquire only for sake of completion.

37. The CREATE: Appearing as a seemingly-ordinary blank book, anything written in CREATE's pages is manifested in reality, fully able to interact with the physical plane. Its only limit appears to be its user's will and imagination. CREATE also grants its user inspiration, provided that its user keeps it open and active. Reportedly, CREATE can only be used at night, but exceptions do exist, and bypassing this limitation should be little issue. Twin of ERASE. Aligned with LIGHT. Needless to say, the potential applications of this Card alone could ensure Dead End's victory; it is worth any amount of risk to acquire CREATE and secure its loyalty.

38. The BUBBLES: Summons a large amount of ordinary soap bubbles. Useless to Dead End, and quite frankly to anyone else. Aligned with WATERY. Acquire only for sake of completion.

39. The WAVE: Grants user minor hydrokinetic powers, but unlike its parent elemental Card, cannot spontaneously generate bodies of water. Ergo, WAVE seems redundant. Aligned with WATERY. Acquire only for sake of completion.

40. The SAND: Manifests as a large serpentine creature. Grants its user psammokinetic powers, able to summon and manipulate sand at will and generate sand-based constructs. Of possible interest to the "Desert Apostles" faction of Vertex Three, Facet Five. Aligned with EARTHY. Acquisition recommended, but not essential.

41. The FLY: An avian creature in released form, or one or more pairs of birdlike wings attached to its user or an object of the user's choice, typically Kinomoto's Sealing Wand. Endows its user with the power of flight. Aggressive when provoked, but normally quiet and harmless. Aligned with WINDY. Flight abilities are simple enough to grant to our forces via technological means; acquire only for sake of completion.

42. The THUNDER: Manifests as a pantherine being composed of electricity. Electrokinetic and highly aggressive. Potentially useful as a power source. Aligned with FIREY. Acquisition strongly recommended.

43. The SWORD: Normally manifests as a European rapier. Able to cut through all solid matter, all magical barriers save for that of the SHIELD, and space-time distortions (i.e., those caused by the LOOP). Upon activation, SWORD instantly grants its wielder expertise in swordsmanship. It is unknown if this expertise applies to all sword-like weapons or only to specifics. SWORD is known to be extremely violent and aggressive, and may possess civilians to sate its thirst for battle. Aligned with FIREY. Acquisition is highest-priority; SWORD will prove invaluable if its effects can be applied to other manners of weapons.

44. The GLOW: Manifests as a feminine faerie. Summons radiant orbs resembling the bioluminescent displays of Terran insects of the Lampyridae family. Gentle, harmless, and utterly useless to Dead End. Aligned with LIGHT. Acquire only for sake of completion.

45. The MOVE: Manifests as transparent, birdlike wings. Able to levitate small objects from one place to another via some manner of weak telekinesis. Useless. Aligned with WINDY. Acquire only for sake of completion.

46. The LITTLE: Appears as either a pin-sized point of yellow light or an equally diminutive feminine jester figure. Twin to BIG, LITTLE is a manipulative troublemaker, fond of reducing its targets to miniscule size and watching with apparent delight as they attempt to survive while miniaturized. Physical contact with LITTLE will reverse effects. Potentially quite useful; miniaturization beyond the typical scientific means has many possible applications for Dead End technology, to name one example. Aligned with LIGHT. Acquisition strongly recommended.

 47. The MAZE: Card form depicts a traditional human maze structure. Once unsealed, however, MAZE traps its targets/victims in a bewildering pocket dimension. MAZE is capable of altering its labyrinth at will to dissuade any attempt to "cheat" a solution to its puzzle. Repeated attempts to complete the labyrinth by any means other than what it deems the "correct" solution will cause MAZE to rearrange its layout in increasingly hostile and nonsensical ways, up to and including incorporation of impossible geometry reminiscent of the works of human surrealist M.C. Escher. Only targets/victims possessing incredible magic power may force MAZE to be resealed without properly locating its labyrinth's exit. Implications are fascinating. Aligned with EARTHY. Acquisition is highest-priority.

48. The SNOW: Manifests in a form resembling the yuki-onna (lit. "snow woman") of Japanese folklore. SNOW possesses frigokinetic powers and is quite aggressive, but is far weaker than most elemental Cards. It is still worth study, however. Aligned with WATERY. Acquisition is strongly recommended.

49. The THROUGH: Appears as a dancing girl of vaguely Arabic appearance. The THROUGH enables its user to become intangible, but its effects drain user's magic power quickly, leading to risk of rematerialization inside solid objects and subsequent suffocation. Simple enough to replicate with technology, and likely with fewer potential risks. Aligned with FIREY. Acquire only for sake of completion.

50. The LIBRA: Manifests as an antique pan-scale. LIBRA's only power seems to be granting its user a magical form of lie detection. Interesting, of potential use for interrogation purposes, but again, technology can replicate its effects. Aligned with EARTHY. Acquire only for sake of completion. 

51. The DREAM: Manifests as either a glowing, ethereal butterfly of unclear genus/species or as a helmeted female figure. DREAM induces REM sleep and a subsequent state not unlike the phenomenon of "lucid dreaming". More importantly, DREAM may grant its user limited precognition during their dream state. Exact mechanics of this Card's abilities are unknown and require more study. Aligned with DARK. Acquisition recommended, but not essential.

52. The EARTHY: Either a stately, mature feminine humanoid or a draconic serpent formed from soil. One of the six major elemental Cards, and thus extremely powerful. EARTHY possesses extraordinary terrakinetic abilities, exhibiting control of theoretically any form of inert mineral matter. Control extends to geomanipulation as well, enabling user to summon tremors, fissures, and earthquakes of varying intensity. Acquisition is highest-priority.

ANOMALOUS CARDS

53. The Nameless Card: An unaligned, original Sakura Card that never existed in Clow Card form, the Nameless Card was apparently created subconsciously by Kinomoto. It only manifested after Kinomoto completed conversion of all fifty-two Clow Cards into her own Sakura Cards. The trigger for its creation was apparently an escalation of the relationship between Kinomoto and her rival-turned-ally, Shaoran Li, immediately prior to Li's first departure from Tomoeda. What abilities the Card may have possessed and what exactly it represents are unknown, and likely to remain a mystery. The Nameless Card was merged with NOTHING (see below) one year after its creation, and barring significant disruption to its timeline(s), it can be considered irrevocably lost. Acquire only for sake of completion.

54. The NOTHING: Apparently Clow Reed's final Clow Card, created as a necessary negative counterbalance to the enormous positive power of the other Cards. Manifesting as a winged humanoid female permanently enclosed within a sphere of dark energy, NOTHING's ability to counteract all of the other Cards is reason enough for its acquisition, but it also possesses the ability to completely annihilate any matter—organic or inert—touched by any part of its body or by its energy sphere(s), which can be summoned at will at variable size and in indefinite numbers. This effect appears somewhat similar to that of ERASE, but at far greater magnitude; the annihilation of matter is near-instantaneous and apparently irreversible except by extraordinary means. Even more astonishing, NOTHING's applications of this effect are not limited to the physical realm; it has a confirmed ability to erase and/or unmake emotions and other metaphysical concepts. NOTHING's additional powers include temporary animation of inanimate objects and a personal form of teleportation, but these have yet to be sufficiently studied. Based upon its catalogued abilities, NOTHING by itself can be considered a magical weapon of mass destruction, and it must be acquired at all costs. However, even approaching this Card may prove difficult; its temperament seems to be that of a small child, prone to fits of intense emotional instability. Coupled with its vast power, its erratic behavior presents a danger to all. It would be expedient to gain NOTHING's loyalty via manipulation rather than via force.

55. The HOPE: An original Sakura Card apparently created from a fusion of the NOTHING and the Nameless Card, HOPE was Kinomoto's final acquisition to date. Its creation reversed the effects of NOTHING's rampage, restoring all that was erased by the distraught Card. What additional abilities HOPE may possess are entirely unknown; its emergence coincided with a long period of dormancy for Kinomoto and her Cards. I theorize that any Card using NOTHING as a component must logically possess phenomenal power, but in the absence of any conclusive evidence for or against this theory, I must consider the HOPE to be an X factor. When compared with NOTHING's confirmed abilities, however, and taking into account the apparent impossibility of acquiring both NOTHING and HOPE, I suggest that resources be diverted to securing the former at the expense of the latter.

REED, CLOW

ALIAS: N/A

EYES: Black

HAIR: Black

Formerly Vertex Two's most powerful magic-user, Clow Reed was the human who succeeded in fusing Eastern and Western magic, and used this unprecedented power to create the Clow Cards and their Guardians. For such a momentous figure, much of Clow's life remains a mystery. It is confirmed that he was of mixed Chinese and English descent, that his magic extended his lifespan to far beyond that of normal humans, and that he foresaw Kinomoto surpassing him, but beyond that, concrete facts about Clow are maddeningly scarce. Even more aggravating is the impenetrable morass of fractured, broken, and nullified timelines inexorably tied to Clow's very existence. I presume that these anomalies are a partial explanation as to why Clow seems to be permanently shielded from direct observation and intervention by anyone save Kinomoto herself, and even she has encountered great difficulty doing so.

Given his vast and varied power set, including advanced precognition, functional immortality, the ability to prevent and/or reverse death, and manipulation of reality itself, it can be surmised that seizing control of Clow would win the war for Dead End. Unfortunately, as noted above, all of our efforts to observe Clow, let alone interact with him, have been met with dismal failure. The Time Reaper has been dispatched to travel to various points in Clow's personal timeline on no less than thirty-seven separate occasions, and each time, without fail, it has been ejected from the time stream and returned to La Fin de Toute within seconds of its departure. That an entity with supposed mastery over the entire temporal-spatial spectrum can be so thoroughly blocked from the time stream of a single human, magical or not, frustrates me to no end, but after repeated fruitless attempts, I must conclude that making any contact with Clow is functionally impossible.

PRIORITY ASSESSMENT: Highest , but currently beyond even Dead End's ability to acquire.

KERBEROS AND YUE

Sentient magical entities created by Clow to administer tests to his chosen successor, Kerberos and Yue are the Guardian Beasts of the Cards.

KERBEROS (also answering to the diminuatives "Kero" or "Kero-chan"), the Guardian Beast of the Seal, represens the Sun and Western magic, and holds dominion over FIREY-, EARTHY-, and LIGHT-aligned Cards. Kerberos manifests in its true form as a winged leonine creature, but typically maintains a smaller "sealed form", apparently to remain inconspicuous among humans. Said sealed form bears resemblance to typical plush animals intended for human infants and juveniles. Kerberos was sealed within the Book of Clow for centuries until Kinomoto inadvertently opened the Book and awakened both him and the Cards.

Kerberos's behavioral patterns are an enigma. For a creature tasked with training its creator's successor and with partial guardianship of arguably the most powerful magical entities ever created in its world, Kerberos exhibits a frankly shocking indifference to its duties in all but the most dire situations. Subject typically prefers to overindulge itself in human diversions, including televised media and electronic games, and is known to be gluttonous for all manner of human food, particularly sweet confections. When Kinomoto is not actively engaged in her training, Kerberos rarely if ever utilizes its considerable magical power, wasting its energy and intellect on idle pursuits. I can only offer conjecture that some unknown factor in Clow's creation of this creature caused a disastrous malfunction in its makeup; but if this is so, why would someone of Clow's abilities not discard such an obviously flawed attempt and begin again? It seems to defy all logic.

This is not to say that Kerberos should be underestimated; as dominion-holder over half of the Cards, subject is capable of tremendous magical output, should it desire. Subject also exhibits a considerable protective instinct in regards to the wellbeing of its master(s) when its ire is raised.

PRIORITY ASSESSMENT: Medium . Kerberos displays considerable power, but subject's noted eccentricities, stubbornness, and fierce loyalty to Kinomoto and Clow render its capture and subversion an unlikely prospect at best. Monitor and dispatch if necessary.

YUE is the Guardian Beast of Judgment and Selection. Manifesting as a winged humanoid, similar in appearance to the divine creatures depicted in common Western religions, Yue represents the Moon and Eastern magic, and holds dominion over WATERY-, WINDY-, and DARK-aligned Cards.

Yue's task was to deliver the evaluation of Clow's chosen successor once all the Cards were gathered. Li and later Kinomoto herself failed in their initial applications of this so-called "Final Judgment", but through unclear means, Kinomoto was allowed a second attempt immediately following her first. Satisfied with her completion of this second attempt, Yue pledged its loyalty to Kinomoto as its new master.

In direct contrast to its fellow Guardian, Yue approaches its task with utmost seriousness. Subject is stoic and taciturn at all times, thinking of little save for its duties. Records indicate its devotion to Clow was absolute; apparently, subject was at first vehemently opposed to the idea of Clow choosing a successor at all, and was reluctant to acknowledge Kinomoto. The cause of its reversal on the matter is unknown.

Yue's "sealed form" is a bizarre and baffling entity. Appearing as an ordinary human male of Japanese descent named Yukito Tsukishiro, subject was inserted into the life of Kinomoto, her family, and her companions with no knowledge of his true form or purpose. Tsukishiro's presence was masked via a complex cognitive distortion; all of his immediate relations were given false memories, to the effect that Tsukishiro had always been present in their lives. Even after Yue revealed itself, Tsukishiro was initially unaware of the actions or presence of his alter-ego. However, as Yue's existence was bound to the Clow, once Kinomoto began the conversion of the Clow Cards to her own Sakura Cards, the existences of both Yue and Tsukishiro were placed in jeopardy. In danger of dematerializing altogether, the two were renewed by Kinomoto's older sibling Toya, who sacrificed the entirety of his own latent magical abilities to preserve them both indefinitely.

Tsukishiro is, for all intents and purposes, an ordinary human being, a separate consciousness from Yue. As such, he has little to none of the former's magical ability. However, subject was and is a considerable emotional influence upon both Sakura and Toya Kinomoto, for reasons that require further observation.

PRIORITY ASSESSMENT: Medium. As is the case with Kerberos, Yue's loyalties lie firmly with Clow, and later with Kinomoto. Its power is considerable, and subjugation is unlikely. Tsukishiro is useless to Dead End save as a tool for the emotional manipulation of Kinomoto. Monitor and dispatch if necessary.

LI, SHAORAN

ALIAS: N/A

EYES: Brown

HAIR: Brown

Son of the prominent Li family of Hong-Kongese mages, Shaoran Li (given name alternately translated as "Syaoran" or "Xiǎoláng"), Li is a direct bloodline descendant of Clow Reed, and thus distantly related to Kinomoto. Initially, Li traveled to Tomoeda to present himself as a rival to Kinomoto, claiming that he was the true heir to the Clow Cards, but despite acquiring and sealing several Cards, he was not chosen as their true master, and thus could not unlock their full potential. Upon Kinomoto's passing of the Final Judgment, Li somewhat illogically remained in Japan for several months, assisting Kinomoto with the conversion of the Clow Cards into Sakura Cards. Afterwards, Li returned to his family in Hong Kong, only to inexplicably return to Tomoeda on a presumably permanent basis.

As noted above, subject possesses significant magical abilities, specializing in ancient Chinese spellcasting. Subject is adept at sensing the presence of magic, and was initially more skilled in locating Clow Cards than Kinomoto, but it is logical to assume that Kinomoto's abilities dwarfed his as they developed. Subject possesses a magical device called the Rashinban, capable of advanced "I Ching" divination, apparently created by Clow and passed down through generations of the Li family. Subject also possesses elemental magic through the use of jufu , enchanted paper talismans similar to the Japanese ofuda used by Rei Hino/Sailor Mars of Vertex One. Subject also exhibits proficiency in swordsmanship, favoring a traditional Chinese jian , which can also be used in spellcasting. However, as noted, Kinomoto's abilities have far surpassed Li's with time, rendering subject functionally useless to our cause.

PRIORITY ASSESSMENT: Low . See above. Li presents a possible obstacle in acquiring Kinomoto and/or her Cards, but by himself, the subject has little worth. Recommend disposal.

DAIDOUJI, TOMOYO

ALIAS: N/A

EYES: Black

HAIR: Black

Only child of Sonomi Daidouji, CEO of Japan's prestigious Daidouji Corporation. Tomoyo Daidouji has been Kinomoto's constant companion for many years. Daidouji is aware of Kinomoto's activities as the Cardcaptor, and often uses her family's considerable resources to provide financial and logistical assistance in her tasks.

For unclear reasons, Daidouji exhibits an obsession with Kinomoto that borders on psychotic, one that began prior to her awakening of the Clow Cards and has only escalated with time. Subject is known to follow Kinomoto whenever possible, documenting her every move via a variety of sophisticated recording equipment. Subject also spends an inordinate amount of personal time fashioning various elaborate garments for Kinomoto, reviewing said documented footage of Kinomoto, or otherwise engaged in Kinomoto-related activities. In short, the entirety of Daidouji's life appears to revolve around Kinomoto, even at her own detriment or expense. The logic of this behavior escapes me.

Of note, Daidouji exhibits no magical abilities whatsoever. Given this truth, she would seem to be only a hindrance to Kinomoto's efforts, despite the aforementioned financial and logistical assistance she offers. Why Kinomoto tolerates Daidouji's constant presence, and the extreme violations of privacy that accompany said presence, is a puzzle for the ages.

PRIORITY ASSESSMENT: Low . Daidouji's only worth to Dead End is as a companion to Kinomoto, and thus as an important emotional influence upon her. Subject's considerable wealth and resources are easily reproduced via other means, and thus largely irrelevant to our operation. Capture subject if the opportunity presents itself; otherwise, Daidouji can be safely ignored.

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