*UPDATE AS OF 4/7/14* I've managed to update the story for a but in terms of character appearance. I've been reading Vanguard fics lately and while good, I mostly see how authors describe their characters with a little more detail. So I managed to do so. The second chapter will be up soon. It's just school has gotten the hang of me. Also, I've changed the rating from K+ to just a T rating since the story will be using some slight minor language.


Cardfight! Vanguard: Victory Road

Chapter 1: The Big News

Our story begins in a suburban neighborhood in Los Angeles, California. Kio Kurakawa, an average teenage boy who just recently graduated middle school and now is on his way to become a high school freshman in the coming school year. A month has passed since graduation, and currently it's Summer break for him in the L.A. Metro area.

It's nighttime and Kio is upstairs in his room sitting down in his office style chair about to talk to his best friend Marcus over video chat. Kio, age 15, waiting in his chair and relaxing with his short brown hair and brown eyes while wearing his eyeglasses. In the daytime, he would wear a blue novelty shirt with a white lightning bolt on the front with his blue jeans. In the evening and especially in the Summer, he would would change his lightning shirt to a black tank top undershirt to keep him more cooler.

Marcus has just gotten back from his third Vanguard tournament in a card shop not too far from where both he and Kio lived. He would've gone to to the tournament with him to cheer him on, but he had to assist his mom cleaning the basement from her recent painting she had worked on for nearly two weeks. Kio's mom Akira is a very talented artist. Completing various pieces and other projects she worked hard for to sell for and receive different offers from auctions, bidding websites, and more.

Kio logged on into his laptop and double clicked onto the videochat icon in his desktop. Knowingly, Marcus would be online so he clicked on his name and clicked on the green call button. He waited for him to pick up when Marcus logged on afterwards. On the other side, Marcus logged on his computer and checked his email for a bit until he heard his ringtone. He sat down and knew it was bound to be Kio. In an instant he clicked on the green button with his webcam and microphone automatically being turned on. Kio can see his friend with his camera and Marcus with the same. Marcus was wearing a black t-shirt with a white Cardfight! Vanguard logo on the bottom corner of his shirt and a picture of Thunderstorm Dragoon on the front. His hair style had cornrow braids and his eyes were brown. While wearing his shirt, he was wearing red cargo pants with black sneakers and red laces. He mostly wears red and black, because they were his favorite colors and Narukami was his favorite clan.

"Hey Marc, how was your tourney?" said Kio.

"Amazing! I wish you were there to witness my win 1st place win!" replied Marcus.

"Dang it! Sorry that I could be there. I had to help my mom with weekly cleaning."

"Don't worry about it. Whenever you have to choice to pick between family and cheering on in tournaments, it obvious family always comes first. No matter what."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Anyways, what did you win?" Kio asked

"Just this awesome pre-built deck from from the new Vanguard clan that came out weeks ago and it looks fantastic! Their called Gold Paladins I believe."

Ehh...you probably know more about this stuff than I do. I don't even play Vanguard." Kio shrugged.

"C'mon Kio, at least act like your surprised about it. Even if you didn't know what the game was you still would've cheered me on. "

"I'm sorry dude, but how can I get excited or even pretend to get excited about a card game or even some new clan from that card game that I've never even played? Doesn't that sound weird?" Kio questioned.

"Now that I think about, it does feel kinda weird. We've been friends since 2nd grade and I've gotten into Vanguard for nearly 6 months. Playing Vanguard is so addicting and yet makes it so much fun at the same time. It really is such a great game to me that I wish you would at least give it a shot."

Kio was thinking to himself and felt kinda down after what Marcus just said.

"I have been denying to Marcus lots of times that I don't want to play Vanguard. I used to play the more popular games in card game back in the good old days. That is, until I decided to give up card games because of the rules being bent so much that I just became so irritated about it that he just simply gave up. It's been a full year since I gave up so, maybe I should let Marcus teach me how to play Vanguard and repay for always denying on him."

After talking about Marcus' first place win, he then changed to a new subject which was Summer vacation.

"So Marc, any plans for our Summer break?"

"Easy, I'm gonna get a job at Mega Cardz near Downtown. I already applied for a temporary position online at their main site and everything. All I need now is to wait for a callback for and interview and then hope for the best." Marcus sighed.

"You're gonna get the job, I know you will. Just have faith in yourself" Kio said with confidence.

"Thanks, that exactly what I needed" Marcus said happily. "What are YOU gonna do for the Summer? Space Camp again? Disneyland? A girlfriend maybe?"

"No, no, and I wish! I don't know. Maybe I should..." Before Kio could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by his Mom's shouting loudly downstairs from the living room.

"KIO! KIO! COULD YOU COME DOWNSTAIRS PLEASE!" Kio's Mom shouted.

"OK! I'LL BE DOWN IN A SEC!"

"Uh-oh. I hope you didn't do anything wrong." Marcus said with a concerned look on his face.

"I swear I didn't do anything wrong. I couldn't have. At least I hope not. Might as well check it out." sighed Kio. "Listen if anything comes up from me, I'll let you know ASAP."

"Roger that, I'll talk you later. Bye." Marcus said.

After finishing his sentence Kio clicked on the red "END CALL" button. He opened his bedroom door, rushed downstairs, and on his way he sees his mom and his dad sitting on the sofa. His dad Oliver was sitting beside his wife Akira on a beige colored sofa. Kio's mom had a brown ponytail over her shoulder and was wearing a white short sleeve shirt and her beige apron covered with dried paint spots from her recent project, while wearing her denim blue jeans and tennis shoes. His father Oliver, recently just got home wearing his white dress shirt, red tie, and black dress pants. His hair, while a little messy, was brown and his eye color was black while wearing his glasses. He wanted to tell his son the most important news that would change Kio for good.

"Mom, is there something you wanted? Kio questioned. "Dad? I thought you'd be home much later around midnight. Isn't that your overnight shift?"

"Kio, your mother and I have an important announcement to make." Dad said.

Kio looked at his parents a little nervously and was curious about what he think he did.

"What's going on? Did I do something wrong? Am I in trouble?"

"No, no sweetie, you didn't do anything wrong." Said Mom. "Kio, do you know why your father has been working late for the past 5 months?"

"Actually, no. Dad, care to tell me about it?"

"Sure, son. But first, please sit next between us"

"OK." He agreed. He walked towards his parents and sat next between them.

"So, what this important news you wanted to tell me?"

"OK, Kio do you know my boss Mr. Barkley?" Dad told him.

"Yeah, I know him. We meet with each other all the time in one of those "Bring your Kid to Work Days" that we do twice every summer. What about him?" asked Kio.

"Well, the reason I've been working overnight shifts for nearly half a year is because of a certain opportunity my boss proposed to me."

"Let me guess...you got humungous raise that you can finally afford for the three of us to go on that trip I always wanted to go since I was ten?" Kio started to ponder.

"Close, but even better. Kio..."

"WE'RE MOVING GOING TO JAPAN!" Both Mom and Dad shouted in unison.

"Wait, wait, wait! Did you guys say MOVING!?"

"Yes! Isn't this exciting sweetie!?" Mom said.

"I'm...I'm just shocked that...Dad, how did you get a promotion THAT big?" Kio told his Dad.

"Well son, he said that my performances were impressive, excellent and were off the charts compared to the other employees. Mr. Barkley told me to come into his office and to discuss a promotion he had planned since I've been in his accounting branch for more that 5 years. He said this promotion does involve me and my family moving into a new country in order to work for the new branch. There were three man branches to choose from. One in Toronto, Ontario, one in the UK and one in Japan. And guess what I chose!"

"DAD, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!" Kio cried while hugging and kissing his Dad and shedding a bit of a tear in his left eye.

"But wait, if were moving to a new country then don't you have to fill out a lot of paperwork, tons of citizenship papers, and even get some shots?" Kio questioned.

"Already, taken care of. Why did you think your mom went to take you to the doctor last weekend to get your shots?"

"And what about school? I have to go to a new high school for my freshmen year!"

"Your mother and I found a school that is nearest to our new home that we will be staying in."

"I think it's called Hitsue High School, dear" Mom said

"Ah yes, Hitsue High School. Thanks for reminding me dear."

"So when do we leave?" Kio said with an exciting emotion.

"We leave about four weeks from tonight. Starting this Sunday, were gonna have to work extremely hard trying to pack all of our stuff and shipping them to our new home."

Don't worry dad, you can count on me to help you!"

"Now, that's what I loved to hear!"

Kio was still flabbergasted and filled with a tremendous amount of joy that he could just explode happy. It was his dream to go to Japan and now he'll be living his fantasy. He had to tell Marcus this amazing news from his parents. After giving both his mom and dad another kiss and a hug, he rushed upstairs and to his bedroom. He then woke up his laptop from sleep mode and tried to call Marcus. Clicking the call button and waiting for him to pick up, Marcus immediately answered.

"Yeah, Kio. What's up?"

"Marc, OH MAN! You are not gonna believe what's happening to me soon!"

"What is it, dude! Tell me!" Marcus exclaimed.

"You, my friend, are about to be surprised, amazed, excited, shocked, an in believe that...

"GET ON WITH IT AND JUST TELL ME!" Marcus shouted.

"OK, OK! Marc...My family and I are moving to Japan!"

"Seriously? Get the hell outta here! Are you serious?"

"Yes! My dad got this huge promotion from my boss and he's moving to another big branch in Japan. This could be one of the greatest things my Mom and Dad has ever told me!" Kio replied.

"So, when are you gonna leave?"

"My dad said about four weeks or so?"

"Four weeks? We HAVE to do something together before you go. I can ask my mom if we can throw a party or go to dinner for a celebration."

"That's sounds like a great idea, I'll have to tell them about that later."

Marcus was in shocked that Kio was going to be moving to another country in four weeks. But then, an idea came to mind that he wanted to do. He might deny it, but this could be the last time they would ever do anything like it. At the same time, Kio also had the same idea.

"Marc, are you doing anything tomorrow on Saturday?"

"No. Not really in particular. Do YOU have any plans?"

"Vanguard" Kio whispered

"What was that? I couldn't hear you."

"Vanguard." Kio said clearly. "Before I go, I want you to teach me how to Cardfight."

Marcus was silent for at least a few seconds. Just hear the words coming from his mouth made him want to cry inside.

"Marc, are you there?"

"I've been waiting to hear those words for so long." replied Marcus. "OK, meet me at my house, 1PM. I'll teach you the very basics."

"Thanks, bro. I'll come over tomorrow afternoon. I'll be there." Kio said and hit the red "END CALL" button.