A/N: Wow, I am on a role lately with these chapters. Though to be fair, this is a rather short one. Hope you all enjoy it.

Aurora sat at her desk at home, staring at her deck. She had all the cards laid out, trying to figure out the best changes to make with the new cards she had gotten from Yukari. Deck building was an important skill for any cardfighter, and she took it just as seriously as anything else for cardfighting. For the past two days, the preliminaries were the only thing on her mind. She and her team had been able to win at the qualifiers, but now they'd be going up against the best in the nation. Her current best wasn't going to cut it anymore.

"Let's see… with this unit's skill, I could… yeah that could work. But then what about this one?" Aurora mumbled to herself as she swapped cards in and out. "Maybe… wait, but if I do this…"

Peeking into her room, Aurora's father saw his daughter focused intently on her deck. It was like she was in another world when remodeling her deck. He supposed all cardfighters were that way, even him back when he was younger. But at the same time, there was something that worried him.

'She's become really attached to Star Chaser.' he thought silently. 'If this continues though, whatever Yukari plans for her could come to pass. Is it right for me to want her to stay away from that?'

"Alright, I think I've got it!" Aurora's voice snapped her father out of his thoughts. "I can't wait to try this out against the others tomorrow."

"Sounds like you're finished." he said.

"Huh?" Aurora turned to the door of her room, just now realizing her father was there. "Oh hey dad. Yeah, I think these new changes will work with the new cards I got."

"Well then, care to test them against your old man?" he said. "Why don't we see how good these changes you made are?"

An excited grin cam to Aurora's face. "You got it." She got out of her chair and rushed downstairs. Her father let out a chuckle at seeing his daughter so energetic.

'But that enthusiasm for the game could lead to her getting in danger.'

Aurora went to the kitchen table. She had played Vanguard against her father countless times here. She couldn't even count the number of games she played with him when she was first starting. It had always been the two of them. And lately, that was something that nagged at her. If the things Yukari had told her so far were true, then her mother was alive. That went against everything she had been told since she was little, about how her mother had died when she was still a baby. She wanted to believe her father was telling the truth. But why would Yukari make up such a lie to her?

There was so much she didn't know. That was why she had to get better, so she could win this tournament and talk to Yukari again.

Another minute or so passed by before her father finally came into the room. He took a seat across from Aurora at the table.

"Hope you're ready dad. I'm not gonna go easy on you." Aurora grinned.

"I think it's still a bit early for you to be saying that." he smirked back.

Both of them placed out their starting Vanguard. In unison, they both started the game.

"Stand up! Vanguard!"

"Star Cadet, Dipper!"

Star Cadet, Dipper

Grade: 0, Power: 5000

"Young Balufetter!"

Young Blaufechter

Grade: 0, Power: 5000

Aurora's eyes widened when she saw the unit. "That's…"

"That's right. I took the liberty of using your old deck." he said. "Your Nova Grappler deck. The one you used before switching to Star Chaser."

Aurora was honestly a bit surprised by this sudden twist. "What about your deck?"

"I thought it'd be best for me to use this one instead." he said. "Well then? Aren't you going to start?"

"R-Right. Stand and draw." Aurora said as she started her turn. 'Why is dad using my deck? He's never done something like this before.'

Thinking about it wasn't going to get her anywhere. She'd just have to play this game out. "I ride Star Beast, Ursa!"

Star Beast, Ursa

Grade: 1, Power: 7000

The unit of the card was a large bear with brown fur standing on its rear legs. It had cybernetic attachments on its claws, as well as a helmet on with a visor covering its eyes.

"Haven't seen that one before." her father noted. "I take it he's one of the new additions to your deck?"

Aurora nodded her head. "Yup. And he's not the only one." She continued with her turn. "Dipper slides back with forerunner. Turn end."

[Turn 2. Hand: Aurora(5), Ryuji(5).]

"My turn. Stand and draw." her father said. "I ride Vesta Blauklinge."

Vesta Blauklinge

Grade: 1, Power: 7000

"Blaufechter moves back with forerunner." he said, moving the unit behind his vanguard. "Next I call Venus Blaukluger. Venus attacks!"

"Guard." Aurora said, playing a grade 1 from her hand.

"Boosted by Blaufechter, Vesta attacks."

(7000+5000=12000)

"No guard." Aurora said. Her father performed his drive check, not getting a trigger. Her damage check also yielded the same result.

[Damage: Aurora(1), Ryuji(0).]

"I'll end my turn with that. Your move, Aurora."

[Turn 3. Hand: Aurora(4), Ryuji(5).]

"Stand and draw." Aurora said. "I ride Celestial Scale Maiden, Libra." The unit on this card was a girl with black hair tied up in a long ponytail. In each of her hands was a chain that was connected to a plate with a weight on it.

Celestial Scale Maiden, Libra

Grade: 2, Power: 9000

'Another one of her new units.'

"I call another Libra." Aurora declared as she placed a copy of the card next to her vanguard. "My rear guard Libra attacks!"

"No guard. Damage check, no trigger."

[Damage: Aurora(1), Ryuji(1).]

"Dipper provides a boost for my vanguard Libra's attack!"

(9000+5000=14000)

"No guard."

"Drive check, no trigger."

"Damage check, critical trigger."

[Damage: Aurora(2), Ryuji(1).]

"Turn end."

[Turn 4. Hand: Aurora(4), Ryuji(5).]

"Stand and draw." Ryuji said. "I ride Regia Blaulanze. Then I move Venus back and call Uranus and Mars Blaukluger to rear guard."

Regia Blaulanze

Grade: 2, Power: 9000

'He really knows what he's doing.' Aurora thought to herself. 'Just what I'd expect from the person that taught me how to play Vanguard in the first place.'

Memories flooded her mind. About when she was first learning the game. How cool she thought each and every card looked to her. She'd blurt out random vanguard terminology in her fights simply because her father had said it earlier. Those were happy times.

"Mars attacks with a boost from Venus!"

(9000+7000=16000)

"No guard. Damage check, no trigger."

[Damage: Aurora(2), Ryuji(2).]

"Blaulanze attacks with a boost from Young Blaufechter!"

(9000+5000=14000)

'If this hits, dad will be able to use Mars's skill. I can't let that happen.' Aurora quickly used two cards from her hand. One was a grade 1 and the other was a stand trigger, totalling 15000 shield together. "Guard!"

"Just as I thought, you know what your deck is capable of." her father said. "But stopping the vanguard attack doesn't mean you're safe. Drive check." Turning the card over, he grinned at what it was. "Critical trigger. All effects to Uranus Blaukluger."

Aurora cursed under her breath as she saw the card. Her hand was already running low, and she couldn't afford to block another attack this turn.

"Uranus attacks."

(9000+5000=14000)

"No guard." Aurora said. "Damage check. First check, no trigger. Second check, heal trigger." The green trigger symbol was a welcome sign to the blonde haired girl right now. "Power to the Vanguard. I recover one damage."

[Damage: Aurora(3), Ryuji(2).]

"I think that's enough for one turn." Ryuji said. "Over to you."

[Turn 5. Hand: Aurora(2), Ryuji(5).]

"Alright then. Stand and draw." Aurora said. "Your light shines and illuminates the entire galaxy! Strike your foes down with the speed of a shooting star! Ride! Star of Hope, Hikari!"

Star of Hope, Hikari

Grade: 3, Power: 11000

'Star of Hope, Hikari.' Ryuji thought. 'Her ace unit.'

"I call Star Beast, Ursa behind Libra." Aurora said. "Boosted by Ursa, Libra attacks the Vanguard! Ursa's skill, when he boosts an attack, I can bind the top card of my deck face up and add 3000 power to him until the end of the battle."

(9000+7000+3000=19000)

"No guard. Damage check, no trigger."

[Damage: Aurora(3), Ryuji(3).]

"Hikari comes in next, with a boost from Dipper!"

(11000+5000=16000)

"No guard."

"Drive check. First check, no trigger. Second check, draw trigger. I give the power to Hikari and draw."

[Damage: Aurora(3), Ryuji(4).]

"Turn end." Aurora said.

[Turn 6. Hand: Aurora(4), Ryuji(5).]

"Seems it's my turn then." Ryuji said. "Stand and draw." He looked over at his daughter. "Aurora, I was thinking… why don't you take a break from using Star Chaser?"

"Huh?" Aurora widened her eyes. "Why would you suggest something like that, dad?"

"For years, you always used this Blau deck you made from scratch." he told her. "And suddenly some new deck comes along, and you haven't used this one since."

"But-"

"Star Chaser isn't the only option out there for you." her father told her. "Perhaps you've forgotten the power of this deck. Let me remind you." He held out a card from his hand. "Ride! Neumond Blaukluger!"

Neumond Blaukluger

Grade: 3, Power: 11000

"Here goes! Stride Generation!" Ryuji called out. "Blazar Blaukluger!"

Blazar Blaukluger

Grade: 4, Power: 15000+

"Uranus Blaukluger's skill. Whenever I ride a grade 3 Blau unit or stride into one, it gains 5000 power. In addition, it also gains a skill. Next, Neumond's stride skill allows me to add 5000 power to Mars Blaukluger."

'Uranus has 19000 power now. And Mars and Venus together have 21000. And if his Vanguard hits, he'll be able to stand all of them.' Aurora thought to herself as she analyzed the situation.

"Venus will boost an attack for Mars!"

(9000+5000+7000=21000)

"No guard." Aurora said. "Damage check. No trigger."

[Damage: Aurora(4), Ryuji(4).]

"Uranus attacks next!"

(9000+5000+5000=19000)

"No guard. Damage check." Aurora sighed in relief when she saw the card she checked. "Heal trigger. Power to Hikari and I recover one damage."

[Damage: Aurora(4), Ryuji(4).]

"Blazar will attack with a boost from Blaufechter!"

(26000+5000=31000)

"Perfect guard!" Aurora called out, holding up an Orion from her hand.

"Triple drive. First check, no trigger. Second check, no trigger. Third check" As Ryuji turned the card over, both his and Aurora's eyes widened. "Heal trigger."

Aurora grinned. Usually an opponent pulling a heal trigger would be a bad thing. But in this situation, it would bring her father down to three damage, preventing him from using the Limit Break skill of his Vanguard.

[Damage: Aurora(4), Ryuji(3).]

"That's a shame. Oh well." her father said. "Turn end."

[Turn 7. Hand: Aurora(2), Ryuji(7).]

"Stand and draw." Aurora said. She was glad she had been able to steer clear from the dangerous assault she would have had to endure had it not been for that heal trigger earlier. But there was something else nagging at her mind.

'Why would dad suddenly suggest I switch decks like that?' Aurora thought. 'I mean, it's not as if I don't like my Blau deck anymore. But this whole journey began with Star Chaser. It can lead me to the answers I'm looking for. But then… is that it? Am I just using Star Chaser for my own personal goals?'

"Stride Generation." Aurora said. "Nebula Beast, Cosmos Pegasus."

Nebula Beast, Cosmos Pegasus

Grade: 4, Power: 15000+

"Stride skill, I bind Sagitarius from my deck. Then I call it to rear guard. Adding 3000 power." The grade 1 unit was called to the back row of Aurora's left column, though there was nothing in front of it yet. "Celestial Scale Maiden, Libra's skill. At the beginning of my main phase, I can take a card from my deck and bind it face up. In exchange, she goes to the bind zone at the end of the turn. The card I'll bind is Sun Smasher, Apollo."

'Her deck's gotten a lot more powerful with these new additions.' Ryuji thought. 'Her options for binding her units from the deck have expanded dramatically.'

"I call Galaxy Sabre Gemini from my hand." Aurora said, playing the card in front of her Sagitarius. "Next I activate Dipper's skill. I send him to the soul and bind another Sagitarius from my deck. In addition, any units called from the bind zone for the rest of the turn will gain 3000 power."

Ryuji watched his daughter. She really had come a long way since she had first started Vanguard. There were so many memories. He'd bring her to the shop after picking her up from school, and she'd watch all the cardfights going on in the shop with complete awe. It wasn't long before she started the game herself, building her very first deck.

"Daddy, what's this clan called?"

"It's Nova Grappler sweetie. It's a clan that's known for their relentless non-stop barrage of attacks. The warriors of Nova Grappler never give up, always giving it their all."

"That's so cool! I wanna try it out!"

"Skill of Cosmos Pegasus!" Aurora's voice snapped her father out of his thoughts. She flipped a copy of the G Unit face up in her G Zone. "I call units from the bind zone up to the number of face up cards in my G Zone. There's only one right now, so I call one. Sun Smasher, Apollo! 5000 power is added to him thanks to cosmos Pegasus, and another 3000 thanks to the skill my vanguard gained from Dipper. In addition, Sagitaruis gains 3000 power since a unit was called from the bind zone, and Gemini gains a skill to return to my hand at the end of the turn." Finally done with her skills, Aurora began her attacks. "Boosted by Ursa, Libra attacks! I use Ursa's skill to bind the top card of my deck face up and add 3000 power!"

(9000+7000+3000=19000)

"Guard." Ryuji said, using a critical trigger from his hand.

"Pegasus is up next. With Apollo's skill, I send him to the soul to add 5000 power and draw."

(26000+5000=31000)

"No guard."

"Triple drive. First check, draw trigger. Power to Gemini and I draw. Second check, no trigger. Third check, critical trigger. Power to Gemini and critical to Pegasus!"

"Damage check." Ryuji turned over the top two cards of his deck, failing to get a trigger both times.

[Damage: Aurora(4), Ryuji(5).]

"With a boost from Sagittarius, Gemini's coming in!"

(9000+7000+3000+3000=22000)

"Generation guard! Righteous Superhuman, Blue Prison!"

Righteous Superhuman, Blue Prison

Grade: 4, Shield: 15000

"Turn end." Aurora said. "Gemini's skill returns itself to my hand. Libra is put into the bind zone as per her skill."

[Turn 8. Hand: Aurora(7), Ryuji(5).]

"It's my turn. Stand and draw." Ryuji said. Both he and Aurora knew that him being at five damage was no issue. In fact, it was just what he needed. "Stride Generation! Sonne Blaukluger!"

Sonne Blaukluger

Grade: 4, Power: 15000

"Stride skill! 5000 power to Uranus! In addition, Uranus's skill adds another 5000 to himself! Next, the skill of the Neptune blaukluger I discarded to stride allows it to be called to rear guard from the drop zone." With that, Aurora's father had a full field. In one column he had Mars and Venus, and in the other he had Uranus and Neptune, as well as Blaufechter behind his vanguard.

'He really plans to end it here.' Aurora thought. 'I'm face to face against my own finisher. Planetary Bombardment.'

"Uranus attacks first with a boost from Neptune."

(9000+5000+5000+7000=26000)

"No guard." Aurora said. "Damage check. Stand trigger. Power to the Vanguard."

[Damage: Aurora(5), Ryuji(5).]

"Venus will boost. Mars attacks."

(9000+7000=16000)

Aurora quickly held up the Gemini from her hand. "Guard."

"With Blaufechter's boost, Sonne Blaukluger attacks." Ryuji said. "And now for Sonne's skill. I counterblast to add a grade 3 Blau unit from my deck to my hand and give my Vanguard a skill."

(26000+5000=31000)

"Perfect guard with Orion!"

"Triple drive. First check, no trigger. Second check, critical trigger. All effects to Uranus. Third check, critical trigger. All effects to Mars." Her father said. "And now for Sonne's skill. Ultimate Break! I discard 3 cards from my hand and send Sonne to the G Zone face up to ride a grade 3 card from my hand at stand." Ryuji held the card he had grabbed from Sonne's earlier skill. "Get ready! I ride Galaxy Blaukluger!"

Galaxy Blaukluger

Grade: 3, Power: 11000

"Neumond's skill. Since I rode over it, I choose four Blau units, stand them, and add 5000 power to each of them. I choose Mars, Uranus, Neptune, and Blaufechter. In addition, when one of my Blau rear guards stand due to my Vanguard's skill, I can use Venus's skill to stand it and add 3000 power to it and the unit that stood. In this case, it'll be Mars."

'If I let even one attack through, it's over for me.' Aurora thought. 'But… will I really be able to defend myself? It's true, I don't have a lot of experience with Star Chaser compared to my Nova Grappler deck. Have I really just been using this clan this whole time because it was placed in front of my lap?'

"Perhaps now you remember what this deck you made can do." Ryuji said. It hurt him to try and push his daughter away from a clan she clearly loved so much. But as things stood, the further away she stayed from Star Chaser, the better. For her sake.

To his surprise though, his daughter didn't have a worried look in her eyes. Instead, they were shining with confidence.

"This cardfight isn't over yet, dad." Aurora said. "I'm not giving up that easily."

'That's right.' Aurora thought. 'I can't give up here.'

"Venus will boost an attack from Mars."

(9000+5000+7000+3000=24000)

"Guard!" Aurora said as she held up a trigger unit with 10000 shield. 'I didn't use Star Chaser just because it was given to me. I felt something from this clan.'

"Neptune and Uranus will attack together next."

(9000+5000+5000+5000+7000+5000=36000)

"Perfect guard!" Aurora said, using another Orion from her hand. 'I have a bond with this clan. They've helped me get this far.'

"My Vanguard attacks with a boost from Blaufechter."

(11000+5000+5000=21000)

'And they'll help me get to the end of this tournament. Because I feel something from these cards unlike anything I've ever felt before. They'll help me uncover the truth that I'm searching for.'

"I guard!" Aurora said, playing the last card in her hand, a unit with 10000 shield.

Ryuji looked at the card. "With the power you got from that damage trigger earlier, you're at 26000. If I pull even one trigger from my drive check, I'll be able to break through."

"Then I'll bet everything on you not getting a drive trigger." Aurora said. "You said you'd remind me of my old deck's power. Well now it's my turn to show you the power of Star Chaser."

"Very well then." her father said. "Twin drive. First check, no trigger. Second check." Both he and Aurora were silent as he prepared to turn over the card. Finally he revealed it, showing a grade 2 unit. "No trigger. Turn end."

Aurora grinned. "My turn then."

[Turn 9. Hand: Aurora(0), Ryuji(5).]

'She withstood it.' Ryuji thought to himself. 'Is this her resolve? Her strong will?'

"Stand and draw." Aurora said as she started her turn. As she drew the card, she smirked and showed it. Cosmos Storm, Aquarius. "When paying the cost to Stride, Aquarius can be treated as a grade 3."

'You really are just like your mother, Aurora.' he thought. 'Just like her, you never let anything stop you. No matter how tough the challenge, you charge forward, straight ahead.'

"Stride Generation!" Aurora called out. "Nebula Beast, Cosmos Pegasus!"

Nebula Beast, Cosmos Pegasus

Grade: 4, Power: 15000+

"Get ready! Here comes Cosmos Pegasus's skill!" Aurora said. "This time, I can call 3 units from my bind zone! I call Scorpius, Libra, and Ursa! They each gain 5000 power! And since two or more units were called, Pegasus goes critical!"

With the three units called, Aurora now had a completely full field with Scorpius in front of the Ursa that had been on the field earlier, Libra in front of Sagittarius, and the new Ursa behind her Vanguard.

"Three units were called, so 9000 power goes to Sagittarius." Aurora explained. "Ursa boosts. Go Scorpius! Ursa's skill binds the top card of my deck to add 3000 power!"

(9000+5000+7000+3000=24000)

Aurora's father held up a trigger from his hand with 10000 shield. "Guard. I also intercept with Mars."

"Scorpius's skill, after a battle that he was boosted, I soul blast and call a unit from my bind zone. I choose Lifter of the Stars, Hercules. 3000 power is added. Next up, Pegasus will attack with a boost from Ursa."

(26000+7000+5000=38000)

Ryuji let out a sigh. "No guard."

Aurora performed her triple drive. The critical trigger she pulled, gave her unit yet another critical. But all that was needed was the one damage that brought her father to six.

[Damage: Aurora(5), Ryuji(6).]

Aurora looked down at her deck and smiled. 'Thank you for helping me. For lending me your power.'

"It seems I lose." her father said with a sigh. "You really have gotten better, Aurora."

"Dad…" Aurora said. "Why did you try to get me to stop using Star Chaser. Is something wrong?"

The man shook his head. "No, nothing at all. You proved you know what you're doing." He turned and walked out of the room. "Make sure you get to bed soon. You've got school tomorrow."

Aurora couldn't help but feel that there was more than what her father was telling her. But to ask him about it would lead to her having to ask him if her mother really was alive. To accuse the man that had raised her since she was a baby of lying to her for her entire life.

'Dad… what are you hiding?'

Aurora: 'Dad...'

Anthony: Aurora?

Aurora: Huh?! Oh, sorry, what was that?

Dan: We were talking about the upcoming preliminaries. They're going to be starting soon.

Aurora: We'll have a lot of new opponents to face. It'll be the toughest fights we've had so far.

Anthony: Yeah, even the Japanese national champions are gonna be there.

Aurora: Well we'll just have to go out there and win!

Next time: A Meeting of Rivals!


Card Gallery:

Star Beast, Ursa

Grade 1

Power: 7000

ACT RC: Bind the top card of your deck face-up. When this unit boosts an attack for a Star Chaser, you may pay the cost. If you do, this unit gains +3000 power until the end of the battle.


Celestial Scale Maiden, Libra

Grade 2

Power: 9000

ACT RC GB1: At the beginning of your main phase, you may take a Star Chaser from your deck and bind it. If you bound one or more cards with this, bind this unit at the end of the turn.