The sword, glowing worry of light, stuck its point into the neck of a bulked up soldier. The man, holding onto the hilt, smirked, as he presses the edge deeper into the throat of the other man. Inhaling the angered curses, as he swished his blade. Another soldier left the battlefield. Retiring to the drop zone, where cowards lay in wait, for their Vanguard to be destroyed.

"Final turn."

With that, the game was over. Kaiser, staring blankly into the face of the stranger he just lost to. Eyes of admiration, slowly salted over as he gave a puff and left the game.

"Wai-t! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to go full force! I thought you knew the rules of the game!" Shouted the winner, stunned by the act of poor sportsmanship.

Spinning around, Kaiser knelt his head down, holding back tears and screamed. "I do know the rules! I just didn't try after I saw you misplay so much!" Then with a spirit, he was gone. Leaving behind his deck, and the man who easily overtook him in a cardfight.

Yet again, Res had won..On the planet Cray, he was one of the front liners, one of the greatest Card fighters around. However, sadly, in the real world, he was nothing more than a loser.

The metal doors slid opened, allowing entrance to anyone who passed, no matter their race, ethnicity, or culture. Yet, for some reason, upon Res's entrance, they quickly slid closed. Of course, this was nothing more than the fact someone previously entered before him, but thanks to Res's supersitise nature, he took it the wrong way.

"I'm not even welcomed here anymore, am I?" He sighed deeply. His depressed face, hidden behind black bangs clouded over as he turned around and began walking away from the card shop. Once he was a good six feet away, the door slid opened for a few kids. Running past him, without so much a glance or comment. Each child was holding there own monocolored deck boxes in hand, shouting about who was going to win, and who was gonna taste bitter defeat. It's sad, they don't understand they're the same thing.

In vanguard, there is no winning, just losing. If you win a game, you are hated by your friends, if you lose, you are mocked. It's all based on luck anyway. Whats the point of playing? Why should I keep updating my deck and spending Hundreds of dollars? Why should I waste my time, just being hated by nobodies who live in there parents basement?! These were all, stereotypical thoughts Res chased after to make himself feel better. Deep down, he knew know of them were true, but, for his own self conscious, his own sanity, he tried aggressively to believe them.

Thanks to being so side tracked, thinking the worst in everyone, he didn't notice the girl, snapping her legs back and forth as she sat on top a brick wall. As he walked past her, she smirked, gripping a purple colored deck box.

"Good game" Res said, forcing a smile onto his face, trying to act friendly. Little was he aware, this had the opposite effect on every player he defeated. After winning a game, a forced smile seemed more of a taunt to the losing party. It's not a reassuring "that was fun, lets play again!" It was a sarcastic "Wow you were soooo strong."

"No it wasn't, I only lost because you cheated!" Throwing cards down on the table, spitting out curses, this is how almost all of Res's games ended..

Days passed, the card shop, more rowdy than ever, had a unoccupied area. Well, it wasn't empty. Several posters of Aichi, the famous blaster blade user, lined the walls in a colorful cyran. Along with some boxes, and displays, the area was pretty packed. You think there would be many small children, glocking over, admiring their vanguard heros and wondering what new cards were held in the treasure chest of the cardboard box. But no. There was only one soul, sitting on a green tinted row of benches. It was Res, sitting there quietly shuffling his deck, over, and over, and over again. No one in the store would play him, not even the grade school children. His arrogance told him it was because he was so much better then them, but he knew, that had nothing to do with anything. It's the fact, he was a unapproachable person. Scum, used only to vex others. He would do phenomenal as a telemarketer.

"Grade 1..."
"Grade 2..."
"Grade 3..."
"Stride.." He muttered. He wasn't so lonely that he would play by himself, no, not that lonely yet..He was just imagining it. Picturing being one of the warriors of the planet Cray/ Leading an army, of admirers, lovers, and worshipers. All the opposite of what he had here. In glistening Red plates, shadowed with white robes, he was the ultimate Vanguard. He was the very unit held in his hand...Until his card flew out of lose grip, and slid onto the square floorboard. His world, his imagination, crumbled into puzzle shaped pieces, as he panicked to reach the card on the checkerboarded floor.

His hands trembled, his every action snipping away at his stamina, as if picking up the single unit on the floor would trigger a boobytrap of some sort. His slow movements made it very easy for the passing along person to step on the card.

Flabbergasted by the sheer disrespect, he got up, ready to pounce and roar at the passing females gossiping, not looking where they were going. Then, his shoulders became untensed and his voice shriveled up and couldn't even bark, let alone roar. He was no warrior, he was a simple coward, waiting in the drop zone for his Vanguard to be destroyed.

"Here" Called a voice behind him. " I saw you messing around with your deck. Cards are slippery in sleeves you know? Be Careful next time."
Without so much as a thank you, Res snacted the card out of her pressed fingers and examined it up and down a good four times. Then, turning around, he bowed to the voice, trying to avoid eye contact as best as he could.
It failed.

Leaning down, even lower then Res, the voice placed its eyes right under his.
"No reason to bow, just say thanks." Cheered the girl, bring herself back to proper posture and throwing pretend punches in the hair. Everytime she swung, her black hair rotate and hit her in the face. Res was kind of worried her glasses would fall off as well.

"Um..Thank you.." Res muttered. Soon he would need a stamina pot.
"So, why are you over here by yourself? The action is over there!." She grabbed Res's hand, dragging him over to one of the virtual Card Fighting Tables. Normally, Res would snap away her hand and walk away, but, her personality was the hardest to deal with. Too much energy.

She ended up bring him to a transparent table. The surface, showed a black screen, similar to a tablet. By flicking it, a rotating icon appeared, symbolizing the start up screen. Luckily, for Res, it wasn't in the middle of the other fights. However, there was still fights going on along his left side. He was worried for a second that this girl punching the air might hit somebody, but, as soon as the table started up, the other fighters left the area. Each, with a look disgust.
"Table, on!" She called, letting the crimson glow engulf the small area. Vanguard Card Fighting Tables. Not only can they display an image of one of planet Cray's countries, but it could project 3D models of the units. Honestly, it's a little below its time. We could have invented these years ago, but I guess trading card games just aren't as popular as they used to be? O well, no reason to complain, better to have it now then never. Sucks for earlier generations though, they did start the hype with there Yugioh craze. Thank god that game died out in 2018.
"I'm Sayu, Manager of the greatest circus on planet cray. You tried to sneak in without buying a ticket! For that, you must be punished." She screamed loud enough for the whole store to hear. Leaving the other customers glaring over at them. As if Res didn't have a hard enough time dealing with people.

"..."
"I would have just given you a ticket! You didn't have to do such a dastardly deed! Sadly, no matter what you say, your smooth talk can't save you!" She snapped her fingers, as if she just solved some ungodly mystery. Also..

She's still screaming…

"Stand up, Silver Thorn Assistant, Ionera!" With a small chiming sound, an image appears on the battlefield. Showing a small child, no more than a few inches tall, draped in a round dress. The color of the image was pure purple. Sadly, while we have the technology, the system turns every inch and pixel of the units into a monocolor of our choosing. You think the actual image would hurt our imagination, I mean, no need to picture something thats right in front of us, but by the way Sayu was bowing and throwing her hands in the hair, you can tell she is clearly picturing more than just a 3D model.
"Umm, I'm Res..Stand up, the Vanguard, Cartel, Saders." Res choked out. Having a truly difficult time getting any word out. With a flashing glare, a small hooded creature appeared on the screen. Dotting back and forth holding a small dagger, it smirked.

Cartel...A unit from the Merchant Implanters clan. The choked out words may not have traveled far, but with the small whisper of the units name, the whole store was left in a cold, unforgiving atmosphere. Each table, one by one, glared over at the depressed Res. With each insult hushed under someone's breath, Res's head dropped, until it was yet again, fully covered by his bangs. This time, small glitters were beginning to fall from his cheeks. Soon, very soon, the smiling face of his opponent would transform into a strong frown, wishing to not commence with the game.
"Car-tel.?"
Here it comes
"That's.."
It's happening again..
"Amazing!"
What?
"I have never seen that unit before! Where did you get it!? How did you get it?! Did you make it yourself?! Wait you couldn't have, the system recognizes it..Did you break into their computers and put it in?! Did you have to kill anyone?!"
"...Huh?!"

"Well! Don't leave me in suspense!"
Res is shocked, Unable to speak. Leaving him barely explain himself.
"Wel.."
"It's his father." Called a voice from a far away table over. It was a child, around the same age as Res and Sayu. Sporting an orange jacket, with an odd shade of green for hair. Two earrings hung from his lobes, as if he was a rebel. Clearly, his parents supported his looks.
A slow shiver ran down Res's spine. His facial expression twisted between a smirk and a downpoured frown. He's about to hit six damage in the real world.
"This loser had his father, a worker for Bushiroad pay off the CEO for a personal clan of his own. Thanks to that, this failure wins every game! It's unfair to the rest of us. It's best if you just leave the game now. The clan is overpowered."
Reaching into her bag, Sayu took out a scarf, white as snow and filled her face with it. Hiding her facial expression, her hair slowly covered her face. Still, between the black locks, her two luscious eyes squinted in anger, piercing the random delinquent. Res almost thought she was on his side. Until the daggers pierced him.
She's never going to play with me again, is she? Why, why do I keep using this clan?! Thought Res.
"I will ask again, how did you obtain that clan." Her voice, hoarse and burning. It wasn't the flourished chime of a bell anymore. It was demanding and threatening.
"..I.." Res, still unable to fully structure a sentence was unable to meet her gaze.

"SPIT IT OUT ALREADY!"
"I found it on my father's grave!" It wasn't a scream, but it was loud enough that the whole cardshop somehow became quieter than it already was. "My father...He never worked for Bushiroad, in fact he never worked. When..Things happened and he died..I went to his grave..Not to grief..Just, for something else. When I got there, the grave was dug up. Nothing was inside the hole besides a small box containing this deck.."
Sayu still scowled at him, but, her forced stone brow was softening, it was telling him to keep going.
" This clan, they steal other units, they trap slaves, use people as pawns. Just..Just like him. Still, I have to keep using them. There's something I must obtain, and, no matter the method, I must…" Res began to trail off. "But..Once I used it..People started rumors..they.."
The store was shocked, the delinquent child who called him out as well, but the paralyzation didn't have a long lasting effect
"Wh-o cares!? You think some sob story is.."
"SHUT UP" Sayu screamed.

"Yo..u..Have something to say girly?" The Delinquent was trying his hardest to keep up his tough guy front.
" I do. This clan, no matter how obtained, is clearly registered in the system. There's many clans that are over powered. Ever hear of Lambros? I for one have defeated him several times." Her eyes shift again, directed at Res again. For a few seconds, Res can't help but be trapped in the mud of her eyes. Sinking deeper into them as he tried to look away.
"If the problem is you're scared of it, then I will just show you how to defeat it. Res, I'm going to win."
Seriously? She hears all this and she wants to keep fighting? Her cheery attitude has been estiquishted, now, she is serious.
Res, shocked by her response, unable to normally say anything in a situation like this, brings himself to form one sentence.
"Bring it on."
Behind her scarf, Sayu smiles, and the game commences.

The sword, glowing worry of light, stuck its point into Sayu's neck. Res, holding onto the hilt, smirked, as he presses the edge deeper into Sayu's throat. Inhaling the angered curses, as he swished his blade. Another Vanguard defeated. Taking the damage for every unit currently placed on the battlefield.

"Game over."

With that, the game had been won. Sayu's mud brown eyes let go of their grip on Res as they both just stared blankly at the battle field. Res achieved victory, taking only four damage to sayu's six.

"I told you, that clan is overpowered! That's why you don't play with special people like him!" Blasted the delinquent, still observing the game, along with the rest of the store.
"No." Spoke Sayu, walking around the table. Her movements slow, and full of charm as she grabbed Res by the hands holding them to her chest. With an uplifted Screech the Delinquent lost all his bravado and blushed, almost fainting.
Res on the other hand, just kept staring at her, with a look saying, go on. He was far to focus to notice where his hands were placed.
"He won based on skill, that's why.." She blushed, moving her head to the side.

"That's why I want to tackle the world with him.."
"Wa.." Res snapped back to reality.
"Res, please, BE MY PARTNER!"

"AAAAAAAA?!"
It took a whole five minutes for Res to understand she meant a Vanguard team.