It was a peaceful day in Peach Creek High school, with two teenagers waiting outside on the concrete steps leading to one of the many exits the school has. One of the teenagers sitting on the highest step reading a large book titled "Quantum Mechanics for Dummies" his green eyes easily reading through all of the complicated words. His hair hidden inside a black beanie with four white stripes. Two on the left and right side of the hat, small bits of hair peeking out from the back of it. His backpack lying on the stair step below him. The second teen reading a comic book, with strange and scary monsters attacking people, was sitting on the last step. Moving his messy reddish brown hair away from his eyes so he can see what's happening, occasionally pulling a snack out of the pocket of his green jacket with three white stripes going down each arm. His backpack lying in the grass.
Soon the hatted teenager's watch began to beep, alerting him of the time. He then closed his book, placing it inside of his backpack. Standing up to stretch his legs from sitting for so long.
"Okay Ed, finish the last two pages. Eddy will be out momentarily, so we should be ready to go once he exits, after all we do have a long Summer ahead of us"
The taller, messy-haired teen nodded and put the comic away in his backpack after finishing the last pages. Standing up, leaning against the rail of the steps waiting for their friend any second now.
"Double D, do you think it would be cool to see the new horror movie coming out next week?" He asked his friend who was descending each step.
"I think that would be a marvelous idea Ed. I'm sure Eddy would enjoy a break from his usual schedule to spend time with his friends," Double D warmly smiled at Ed.
Not long after they had finished their conversation, a few students began to walk out of the school. All the students exiting being caught in last detention for the school year. The two boys noticing their friend who was slightly shorter than they were, mumbling angrily to himself.
"Stupid teachers, why would you give out detentions on the very last day of school!?" The teen mumbled to himself without realization of his friends being behind him.
"No need to pout any longer Eddy. After all it is the last day of school and the beginning of Summer. Perhaps we could visit the the new store that had recently arrived near the candy store," Double D said to take Eddy's mind off the detention.
Eddy looked back toward his two friends, thinking about whether or not to actually look into this new store that had arrived in Peach Creek. Not entirely sure of what this store could be selling. Eventually coming to the decision to look into the new shop and see if it offered anything interesting.
"Alright boys, I say we check out the new store that blew into town and see if it can bring us some ideas to make wads of cash this Summer," Eddy smirked imagining what ideas the store could bring him, causing Double D to sigh.
The three high schoolers began walking to the store, taking a shortcut through the alleyway they would so often take to get to the candy store. Once they arrived each Ed took a moment to analyze it. A large sign across the top of the store that read "Realms Games" all in red. Double D looked through the glass windows that ran along the store, noticing someone who also went to their school. Before pointing him out to the other two Eds, Eddy grins and blurts, "What are we waitin' for boys, let's make ourselves welcome," he said pushing the other two inside the store.
As they entered they saw several packs, and decks of cards all of which sharing the same name with a strange symbol. Double D picked up one of the boxes marked trial deck and analyzed it, reading the text.
"Cardfight Vanguard," The beanie wearing Ed said, noticing the words titled along the top of the box.
"Interested in learning how to play?" A man behind the counter asked Double D, noticing that he was examining the box. Before Double D could utter a word, Eddy but in wanting to know more.
"Only if this game can help us score some cash," Eddy said looking at the box then at the person behind the counter.
"Well every now and then there are tournaments where several people come in and cardfight to win prizes. If the turnout is big enough then yeah, you can win a cash prize." The clerk had explained to all three Eds.
Convinced of being able to win money was enough for Eddy, causing him to buy one of the several trial decks that were in stock. Double D deciding that it would be interesting and fun to pick up a new hobby sparking him to grab a trial deck as well. Ed noticed the cool artwork for many of the cards and bought himself a trial deck too.
"Excuse me uhh… I never caught your name sir?" Double D asked the man behind the counter.
"I'm Dan, I'm the manager here," He smiled warmly. "If you guys want to learn how to cardfight there's a person over there who can teach you the basics, and maybe some of the skills of your cards," Dan said pointing to a person who was sitting at one of the many tables laying cards down looking at each one. Double D realizing that it was a student in their class and the person who he saw when they were outside the store. His hazel eyes observing each card before he set it down.
"Eddy, Ed, that's one of our classmates from our 3rd and 5th hour classes," Double D pointed out causing Eddy to tilt his head in slight confusion, and Ed to scratch the back of his neck.
"I don't recognize him," Eddy said, never really attentive to other classmates unless they were Double D, and Ed.
"I know, isn't he the person from Derentran II who betrayed the hero and tried to take over the world?" Ed said remembering a movie he watched with the Eds last Summer. Causing Eddy, and Double D to give them a slightly concerned look, but shaking it off focusing back on the person at the table. They all 3 sat across from the teen that Dan pointed to, seeing several cards laid out in front of him.
"Excuse me, we were told that we could learn how to play Cardfight Vanguard from Dan." Double D said opening his trial deck looking at his cards.
"Sure, but I'm not the best teacher, so you may want to skim over the rulebook" The teenager said gathering all the cards back into a deck. "When you feel like you have a decent idea of the basics, just meet me at that table over there" He then walked to a taller table that didn't have chairs.
"Rules, schmooles. I'll figure this game out easily" He said picking up his deck and setting it down on the other side of the standing table.
"Well if that's the case don't get mad if you lose. Now to begin we both set down a grade zero as a starter." The teen explained to Eddy. "Now we both draw five cards in for our starting hand. Now we have the option of a re-draw, you usually want to have at least a grade one, two, and three in your hand so it'll be easier to move up to the final grade."
Eddy nodded seeing that on the first draw he had two grade ones, a grade 3 and a grade zero, and a grade 2. Seeing what was told to be necessary to get to the final grade he didn't think he needed to re-draw. Of course his opponent shuffled back two cards, drawing two new ones.
"Now that we're both ready we can begin" Eddy's opponent said placing his hand on his own starter, Eddy seeing this and doing the same. "We both simultaneously turn over our starters, and say 'Stand Up Vanguard'" Eddy nodded listening, ready to start their cardfight, Double D and Ed now watching, Double D occasionally glancing at the rulebook.
"Stand Up, My Vanguard" The teen said.
"Stand Up, Vanguard" Eddy said.
"Starting Legend Ambrosius" Eddy's opponent revealed a card with a young knight wielding two daggers, in light blue knight armor.
"Harbinger Dracokid " Eddy revealed his starter showing a dragon man in armor with a large sword.
"To demonstrate what to do, I'll make the first move." The teen said drawing his first card. "I ride Knight of Shield Bash" He said placing a grade one on top of his first card. The grade one wearing white armor with blue trim, a large shield in one hand with a sword in the other, then moving Ambrosius from under his grade one to behind his grade one. "My Ambrosius' skill allows him to move to a rearguard circle whenever a unit with the same clan as him is placed on the Vanguard circle. Since there isn't much else to do, I'll end my turn for now"
Eddy drew his card to begin his turn, doing the same and placing a grade one onto Harbinger. "I ride Red River Dragoon" Eddy said, his vanguard now a human with blonde hair, red armor, and a large lance in hand. Seeing his Dracokid, had the same skill as his opponent's grade zero, he moved it behind his vanguard too. "Now what you can do is either call rearguards, or attack. With rearguards you can attack me more and more so I take damage. Damage is when-"
"Enough jabbering, I'll just do this" Eddy said putting another Red River Dragoon in the circle to the left of his vanguard. "Now my rearguard Red River… thing will attack" Eddy said turning it sideways to attack.
"No guard" The teen said revealing the top card of his deck and putting it into the damage zone.
"Now my vanguard Red River will attack" Eddy said turning his vanguard sideways along with his backrow card.
"Now when the vanguard attacks you check the top card of your deck and reveal it, to see if it has a trigger." Eddy checked the top card of the deck, and in the upper right it had a yellow symbol on it "Okay, I got a trigger. What does it do?"
"Well all triggers give 5,000 power to any unit you want to gain the power, the second effect is the what the symbol actually is, and what you checked was a critical trigger, so instead of dealing me one damage, you'll deal me two instead" Eddy grinned seeing that his opponent would be put at three damage on his first turn.
The teen checked the next two cards on the top of his deck, this first being nothing the second being a trigger with a red symbol on it. "This is a draw trigger, like usual I can give 5000 power to any unit on my field, but since it's a red symbol, I get to draw a card."He explained, and drew his next card. Eddy's turn ending.
Damage: Eddy-0, Eddy's opponent-3
Eddy's opponent now drawing his card to start his turn. Looking at the cards in his hand thinking."I ride Transmigration knight Brede" His vanguard now a knight with an axe halberd combination, the armor more complex than his previous vanguard.
"I now call Knight of Silence Gallatin to the rearguard" He placed down a card with a blindfolded swordsman to the right of his vanguard. "Now Gallatin will attack your vanguard" Eddy looked at his hand, and decided to keep his cards not wanting guard yet. Taking his first damage, with no trigger. "Now Brede attacks" He turned his vanguard sideways to attack Eddy's Dragoon.
"I don't guard that either," Eddy said. Hoping his opponent doesn't pull a critical trigger. Eddy's opponent then proceeds to do his drive check, revealing another draw trigger.
"That's 5,000 power to Brede and one more card for me" he said drawing another card now having the same amount of cards in hand as Eddy. Eddy then checked the top card of his deck for any triggers, but none were there. Eddy's rival now ending his turn.
Damage: Eddy-2, Eddy's opponent-3
Eddy drew his next card. "I ride Heat Blade Dragoon" Eddy placed a blue haired swordsman clad in red armor on his vanguard circle. "Now I call back my rearguard red river, and call another Heat Blade Dragoon in front of him."
"You're learning pretty quickly, that's good. Just means I don't have to hold back." The opposing teenager grinned.
"Now Heat Blade attacks your vanguard." Eddy smirked thinking he would pull another critical trigger.
"I guard with a Good luck bringer Epona" The opponent said placing a card to the guardian circle between their vanguards.
"Drive check" Eddy said checking the top card, and seeing no trigger once again. "My rearguard Heat Blade, boosted by Red River attacks"
"No Guard" The opposing teen checked the top card revealing a green trigger. "This is a heal trigger, whenever my opponent has less damage than me or if we're tied in damage, I can send one card from my damage zone, to the drop zone." The teen had recovered a damage while explaining.
"No way…" Eddy saw in disbelief. He thought for moment, and ended his turn. Prompting the opponent to draw a card then smile.
Damage: Eddy-2, Eddy's opponent-3
"I ride Sanctuary Guard Dragon" He rode the luminescent card featuring a white dragon dawned in white armor. "I now call Sanctuary Archer" He placed a card with a blonde haired archer, with a energy lined bow.
"With his effect I counterblast two cards, and superior call a grade one card from my deck" He turned two cards from the damage zone face down, placing a card from his deck to the field. "I superior call lake maiden lien" He called the card behind Gallatin. The unit on the card in a blue dress holding a sheathed sword, her long blue hair that was a few shades darker than her dress flowed. "I call margal" He placed a unit with a dog clad in red armor to the field. "Using his skill I send him to the soul and increase Gallatin's power, placing him at 13,000" I then call The Little Sage Marron" Marron behind his archer.
Eddy looked to his hand knowing he wouldn't be able to guard all the attacks, but looked at his rearguard Heat blade, knowing it will help him guard.
"Now I use Sanctuary Archer to attack your rearguard." The teen turned his left two cards sideways to initiate the attack.
Eddy looked at his hand. Only four cards, he'd have to let it go. He placed the card into the dropzone, waiting for the next attack.
"Sanctuary Guard boosted by Ambrosius attacks your vanguard" He turned both cards. Eddy bit his lip thinking for a minute.
"No guard"
After hearing this the opposing teen checked the top two cards, the first check nothing, the second a critical trigger. "Letting Sanctuary Guard keep the extra crit, and giving the power to Gallatin" Eddy then took two damage, with no triggers showing up. "Now Gallatin attacks with 25,000 power" Eddy looked at his hand before taking yet another damage. The opponent then ending his turn.
Damage: Eddy-5, Eddy's opponent-3
Eddy drew his next card. "I ride Dragonic Vanquisher" Eddy rode a maroon dragon with blue horns along with armor,lightning roaming all around it. He looked at his hand, then toward the cards that were set off to the side. The opponent grinning.
"So you've found out what you can do with those cards now?" Eddy then took a grade 3 in his hand and discarded it, grabbing a card from his G-Zone and placing it on the vanguard circle.
"Stride, Lightning Dragon Knight, Zorras" He placed a grade four card on his vanguard circle, "The stride skill of Dragonic Vanquisher to counterblast in order to retire and bind your Gallatin" Eddy turning a card from his damage face down, and his opponent sending Gallatin to the bind zone. "Now I call Desert Gunner Shoran" He said placing a grade two wearing a red robe, wielding a large handgun. "Now Zorras attacks"
"No Guard"
Eddy then checked the triple drive, only getting a draw trigger on the second check giving the power to his Shoran. Eddy's opponent then checked his damage showing a critical trigger, giving 5,000 power to his vanguard. "Zorras skill, retire your archer, and bind two cards from the drop zone" Eddy instructed, his rival sending archer to the drop zone, and Eddy sending two cards from the opponent's drop zone to the bind zone. "Now Shoran boosted by Red River attacks"
"No Guard" The teen revealed the top card, showing no trigger.
Damage: Eddy-5, Eddy's opponent-5
"My turn ends there" The opposing teen nodding, drawing his next card.
"I Stride, Sanctuary Guard Regalia" The opponent placing a grade 4 on his vanguard circle "I then call Knight of Twin Sword, along with Transmigration Knight Brede" The opponent placed the cards in his front row. Eddy gritted his teeth seeing the opponent's field full once again
"Now Brede attacks, his skill putting him at 12,000, and Regalia's skill giving him another 3,000 for each grade one or less on my field, for another 9,000 power" He turned Brede sideways not boosting. Eddy slightly puzzled as to why he wouldn't boost.
"I guard with plasma dance dragon and honorable monk dragon" he threw the cards to the guardian circle.
"My Twin sword attacks, using his skill to counterblast one and call a Transmigration Knight Brede over my now resting Brede" The opponent turned his cards to attack.
"Guard!" Eddy yelled throwing another plasma dance dragon, and a grade one having to intercept with Shoran.
"Now Regalia attacks for 42,000 power" His grade 4 now attacking Eddy's vanguard
"Perfect guard" Eddy yelled putting a grade one with a golden shield to the left of the card, discarding another card from hand for the cost. 'Now if he doesn't pull a trigger, I can survive for the next turn' Eddy thought to himself.
"Triple drive" He checked the top three cards, the last one being a critical trigger. Eddy's eyes slightly widened with horror knowing he won't' be able to guard "Applying all the effects to my Shield Bash, and he'll attack your Dragonic Vanquisher"
"N-no guard" Eddy fumbled out the words, checking the top card hoping for a heal trigger, only to be disappointed by it not being there.
Damage: Eddy-6, Eddy's opponent-5
Winner: Eddy's opponent
Both players then picked up their cards after the fight. The victor of the cardfight breaking the silence.
"Not a bad fight. If you keep practicing and get better, you'd be a pro in no time flat" He said smiling at Eddy as he sat next to his friends
"He's right Eddy, I'm sure he's been playing for a while, and that Cardfight was close" Double said to cheer up Eddy.
"Yeah it was so awesome just to imagine everything happening while the fight went on" Ed chimed in.
Eddy lightly smiled and nodded his head. Looking at the cards in his deck, then at his opponent. "You're right, thanks for the fight uhh…. What's your name?"
"Arthur. Arthur Grimm" He answered, the three Eds now fully aware of his name.
"Thanks again Arthur, maybe we can cardfight again, but next time, I guarantee you I take the win with ease" Eddy said being cocky.
"Well until then, I'll see you guys later" Arthur then grabbed his backpack and deck, leaving the store for the day. Later on after practicing for so long the three Eds did the same, all walking home together.
"That was so much fun, could you guys picture it too?" Ed asked his two friends.
"What do you mean? Picture what?" Eddy asked confused about what Ed was talking about.
"In the rules it said you're supposed to imagine yourself as a spirit on Cray and you can command the cards you fight with. You are the vanguard" Ed explained to Eddy as if it were obvious. "Just picture it" Ed smiled.
"Let's humor him Eddy, at least humor him" Double D convinced Eddy.
"Hmm…. Just picture it?" Eddy wondered as he began to picture his cardfight with him and Arthur from earlier in the day.