Cardfight! Vanguard – Override
Sendou Aichi is a timid student whose life is changed by the card game, Vanguard. But as Aichi and his friends reach new heights, the dark and troubling side of the game, combined with a war on Cray, threatens to destroy the players and their new world.
Contains violence, language.
-Hitsue City: Card Capital-
Rain plummeted from the heavens as if it had never rained before; Misaki was seated at the counter, flicking through the treasured deck given to her almost two months ago to the day. With evident fondness for the cards, she eyed the elaborate artwork of each one, enthralled in the process of checking each and indulging in it some special attention. Nestled in its bed perched on the counter, the small furry mascot of the shop was curled in his sleep, ears twitching and purring softly. A tender smile spread onto Misaki's face in watching the creature; barely older than her deck, her parents had brought within some of the recent stock; a Trial Deck of Oracle Think Tank, constructing between them an incredible deck with the most magical units from the Clan. Misaki hummed cheerfully to drown out the pattering of rain against the glass front of the shop, alone and minding the building in wait of her uncle, Shin, who was due to work after school, probably held up because of the heavy downpour. Her parents had gone ahead, running errands that they were eager to attend to during Shin's shift and, with as sensible as she was, Misaki was trusted to take care of herself for what they'd assumed would be mere minutes. Though almost an hour had passed by herself when the door slid open and a drenched, panting Shin appeared, his face drained of colour and eyes enlarged.
"Misaki!"
The girl twisted her head slowly, holding back a smile at the alarm in the High School student's voice.
"Shin-san?"
"There's been an accident!"
It was a brief explanation that drowned out the rest of her surroundings, fixated only on her uncle as he divulged the truth about the collision having happened, her parents' involvement and that he'd come by to pick her up and take her somewhere that she wouldn't be left alone. The cards tumbled onto the counter; white noise flooding her ears, the shop peeling away from that approaching figure that only snapped reality back to her when he coiled his fingers around her small hand, hoisting her from the seat and manoeuvring so she was standing beside him. A glance at the kitten curled and awake, watching them curiously, he offered an apology to the feline for leaving it behind and bolted towards the door, dragging Misaki with him and locking up swiftly.
Together they raced to the sight for any update on the accident, ignoring all the sufficiently prepared pedestrians around them, some trailing the duo with their eyes.
The next thing Misaki knew, smoke was billowing up from within a massive gathering, police lights blaring sharply against the grim afternoon rain, orange radiating from the bottom of the rising smog. Shin moved towards the edge of the crowd, where one of the police cars was stationed in the hopes of getting word of progress before getting Misaki somewhere more appropriate. Though she kept on his heels, watching whilst filtering through the bodies the glimpses of the accident. Twisted metal, sirens screeching from the carnage ablaze.
And then it hit her that somewhere in that wreckage were her beloved parents. Whimpers of terror and tears leaking from her eyes, she could see her world collapsing all around while Shin consulted with an officer who had been stationed by the parked vehicle, observing while the fire bridge worked to extinguish the fires, paramedics doing whatever they could in order to salvage life from the scene. Shin's attention fell to the child, draping his school blazer over her head in order to shield her from the rain, though if he'd intended to sugar-coat the truth and shield her from the reality they faced, it was too late. An intelligent girl, marvelled as a prodigy, her understanding of any subject was immediately grasped, her perfect memory allowing her to retain vast amounts of information and never forget. The scene of the chaos that claimed her parents' lives would be engraved in her memory for the remainder of her life.
Ride 12: A Girl's Tears
[Musume no Namida]
-Hitsue City: Card Capital-
The screeching of that white noise was there in Misaki's ears again when her eyes snapped open, slowly hauling herself up within her bed, hunched so that her tresses curtained her face and masked her features while Shin's voice rang down the hallway, calling to her that breakfast was ready. Opening a hand in front of her, she could see the cards from that tragic day nestled in her palm; the day she'd played even to the present day. Though fights were far and few; Vanguard was like salt that rubbed a wound that had never truly healed, and was unlikely to, given her perfect memory. What others might have viewed a blessing, she deemed a curse; all of the hardships that had been part of the past would stay with her forever. While others would be able to live down embarrassment and hope it faded into the abyss of forgotten, that would never be possible for her. She was doomed to carry every instance forever; a double-edged sword that was fastened to her without the option of relinquishing, even in the toughest of times.
A sigh left the girl's lips, resting her forehead upon the palm and shrinking into a crumpled mass seated without the intent of rising, observed by Sub-Manager, who was nestled within the sheets near the bottom of her bed, shifted only when her legs drew upwards and gave it free reign of the lower half.
A decade had passed and the scars were still as clear as if it had been only a matter of days. Her hands moved to the sides of her head, pressing don in some vain attempt to eradicate that recollection that snatched away her bellowed family, but thinking about it would only intensify the images, creating even more vivid flashbacks that would place her back at that crossroads, under the rain, and worsen her quiet panic into an attack on her stability.
"Misaki!" Shin's voice chimed once more.
Moving out of bed was a slow process, exchanging her bed clothes for a sleeveless white shirt that snuggled her neck, leaving her abdomen exposed and a grey skirt fastened with golden clips against her right leg, pressed against her slim waist by a black belt. Treading through the upper half of the building with that minimal attire, she slipped into the kitchen where the smell of Shin's cooking filled the air. But that had no impact on her sober demeanour, seating down at the table without so much as raising her eyes to her chipper uncle, who stood at the counter with a bright smile on his face. Only when he turned to greet her did he pick up on her attire and mood.
"Misaki…?"
"Sorry, Shin-san… I'm staying here today".
It was a discreet, guilty murmur. But there was little change to Shin. Naturally, his smile was wiped away momentarily, but it was restored with a much softer, compassionate variation whilst placing himself into a seat beside her, laying two plates down onto the table with a warm breakfast for the two of them.
"It's alright. I'm guessing this is about last week. Don't push yourself".
Misaki nodded slowly, keeping her head hanging low in shame of her inability to make it to school. Even with her struggles, it was rare for her to skip a day; it was simply as if the realization of what had taken place that day had crashed in on her once again as if it were happening for the first time. Perhaps it had been the increased involvement of Vanguard in her life; prior to Q4, she'd always watched from afar, distant from the actual fights taking place, detached from what was happening around her. The most she would do was engage in offering advice or handling stock and transactions. She had never allowed herself to become emotionally invested after the accident, seeing her prior life within the game when she played.
Another heavy exhale and Misaki slumped at the table, cupping the side of her head with one hand, sinking lower. A comforting hand from Shin rested upon her shoulder, massaging it soothingly. He himself had lost a brother that day, a part of his family. As soon as he'd graduated High School, he'd taken up the role delegated to him by his elder brother as her godfather, working together to keep the business the deceased had worked so hard to build up running and keep their dream alive, even after they themselves were no longer around to support it.
"We'll take it easy today, alright? You don't need to help out tonight if it's too much".
"No… I need to".
Hands clenching one another shuddered working up the resolve to retain her ordinary routine; it was a struggle at some points, but she refused to let the past beat her, even if that was already largely the case. She was determined to move forward in some form, even if that was the scarred, hardened Misaki that had grown up following such a traumatic event.
Business after school was as usual; students filtering in within their groups and setting themselves up ready for their daily practices. Shortly after their dismissal from school; Aichi, Kamui, Miwa, Morikawa and Izaki arrived, clustering around a set of tables situated near the front of the shop and close by the counter. Spread out on the desk in front of him, Aichi's Royal Paladin deck, clutching Soul Saver's card with a stern gaze, Miwa looming over his shoulder.
"Don't let it get you down, Aichi. Team Handsome and Ren have been participants in the National Tournament. Ren's even the Champion; it was bound to be a tough match, but you did a great job".
"Onii-san, you got him to 5 Damage, and you've only been playing a couple of months. I bet virtually no-one could manage that," Kamui added.
"It's not just that," Aichi murmured. "But it seemed as though Ren-san was able to use Royal Paladin so fluently; I could feel it from him".
"Yeah, that Ren gave off a pretty odd vibe, huh?" Miwa commented with a smile. Though outward appearances were misaligned with his true feelings regarding the redhead; he was dropping hints about something in his past, and they were oddly matching up to a story that Miwa might have been familiar with. It troubled the blond, with the aura that Ren had exerted, not to mention it made him wonder why he would travel to Hitsue if he was searching, as opposed to waiting until the National Championship where he and Q4 would have the opportunity to cross paths.
"He sounds like a real jerk though, he was so cocky about everything and then using Onii-san's Clan against him. Even the same card that you're trying to master, just to rub it in," Kamui growled, fists clenched fiercely against the table that separated him from Aichi.
"I think that Ren-san was trying to help me understand more about Soul Saver's power," Aichi murmured sheepishly in response, transferring his hues to the elegant card. "It seemed as though he was telling me that I rush in too soon; when Soul Saver's power comes to me, I get too excited and go straight for using her skill, in fear that I might not get another opportunity. It isn't that I don't trust my deck, but that I don't trust myself with handling their power properly, then I make that very mistake. That was what Ren-san was trying to show me, I need to think more clearly when it comes to fighting".
"Sounds like you picked up a lot from him, huh? Guess that fight did plenty of good," Izaki stated with an upbeat tone, enthusiastic about the state of his friends. From where he stood, they were all still beginning out on a journey to become stronger, even if two of those around the tables were already venturing off to the National Tournament in the near future. "I'll take that advice to heart too; then I'll work on getting stronger as well so you guys don't get too far ahead of us".
"Heh," Morikawa sounded, eyes closed and a wide smirk upon his face, the pads of his fingers and thumb pressed against various locations across his face in an arrogant display of confidence. "Train all you wish, but none of you will make it to the league of the unbeatable pinnacle, Morikawa Katsumi".
"You lost to me just yesterday," Kamui grumbled.
"What's more important…" the Middle School fighter continued, brushing aside Kamui's comment without acknowledging it and slammed his hand onto the table, causing Aichi's scattered deck to shudder. "Why did you guys go to PSY and not tell me?! I could have had my fated reunion with Kourin-chan! I would have won her over with my incredible skills, she'd have come away with me and we'd become the ultimate Cardfight couple!"
The others gazed at the spectacle, unimpressed by the brash fantasy that had been compiled in the deluded student's head, listening to his chortling over the extended daydream that would follow. Miwa slipped away, crossing the room to the counter where Misaki had been distracting herself with a novel, doing all she could to take her mind away from Vanguard, even if for a short while.
"I'm surprised, normally you'd have threatened to kick him out at least twice now," he commented with a chuckle. Leaning against the counter with folded arms, he eyed her with the same incessant smile, even when met with an uninterested and dismissive gaze. "Something on your mind? Why not clear it with a game; work out anything that might be troubling you?"
Misaki's flinch was almost obvious; though she'd paused, it hadn't dawned on Miwa just how shaken the harmless statement had left her, frozen and aimless in her gaze. Not that it hadn't gone unnoticed; Miwa's smile shrank, watching her rigid stance with intrigue.
"Hey… Are you feeling alright? If something's up, I can man the shop, or we'll get the Manager".
That suggestion seemed to be enough to jolt Misaki back to reality, sinking in her seat and moving a hand to her head, letting out a sigh; the objective was to get back into a normal routine, not to let the past continue to eat away at her. The problem was that she was failing because the core of the problem that reminded her were constantly around her; she couldn't prepare herself to face her demons. It was more akin to continual bombardment. And for Misaki, who had always held up a strong front since the accident marked her, both at school and work, she couldn't show anything that would suggest weakness; image wasn't important, but asserting herself as independent and capable was something she intended to continue. Even if Miwa was someone capable of seeing through acts better than most.
"I'll be fine," Misaki muttered, unable to meet his eye.
For Miwa, it might have been clear that the response was a cover for whatever was really on her mind, but he had no place to invade her personal matters, pulling away from the counter, his hands slid into his pockets and turned to watch the door, rotating further towards their younger friends gathered around the table, still examining Aichi's deck.
"You know, Kai's had a lot of trouble when it comes to Vanguard. I don't know how he muddles through, but he does it because he's not good with talking either. His cards and actions speak for him. There might be a day when he learns to open up; he wasn't always the way he is now. You guys might have things in common that neither of you would be willing to open up about".
A curious stare upwards after the claim was made; she was aware that she and Kai shared similar personality traits, but to imagine that there might have been more to it than that. Miwa's analysis of their inability to speak their minds was something that lingered on her mind, even when he eventually returned to the table with others, intending to aid Aichi with his own issues ahead of the tournament.
And then there was that: Misaki had dodged the bullet of partaking in the Regional Tournament because of her a prior commitment she'd arranged long before, but that wasn't going to be the case when it came to Nationals. She needed to be there, as a member of Q4, not to let her team down again. And if she was crippled by the past's hold on her, that was going to make stepping up to the plate all the more difficult to execute.
After some consideration, watching the same of the book in her hands without ever focusing on the words printed onto its pages or even feigning any attempt at reading by turning them over, she came to a decision. Shutting the book so the pages covers clapped the pages, she set it down, reaching for the cased deck nestled under the top surface of the counter, removing it from the shaded corner and rising from the seat. Movements that Miwa caught in the corner of his eye, offering a small smile without drawing attention to either. Treading through the doorway that led to the family quarters of the building, Misaki called to Shin, requesting he take her place manning the shop. Given her downcast mood during the morning, and having kept to herself since, Shin was delighted to hear that she was doing something to move past the tough night and appeared down the staircase with a smile upon his face. Evidently, he was more relieved than anything by her sudden turnaround.
"Of course," he spoke in response to the call, cupping his hands around hers clutching the deck case and squeezing gently. "Make sure not to push yourself too hard, alright? You can't rush just because Vanguard is growing into your everyday life now. If it gets tough, take a breather".
Azure optics lowered themselves from the face beaming down towards her and lowered to the deck that the two sets of hands were clasped around, taking a moment to steel herself.
"Alright," she responded after a pregnant pause, closing her eyes briefly before they rose towards her uncle's face. "I'll hang in there; if I don't fight, I won't move forward. It'll anchor me in place forever. That's what you were hoping would happen one day, isn't it, that I'd work up the courage to face Vanguard without letting what happened haunt me?"
"I wanted to hope that you'd just get past it one day; I know it'll be much more difficult for you than for others. But even then, not everyone gets past something so massive happening to them, and so violently. I was hopeful that you wouldn't resent Vanguard because it was something your parents held dear and they wanted to share it with you. Everything they left was for you; I wanted to help you come to terms with it all so that you could inherit everything they created for the three of you to raise as a family".
"Then I want to see if I'm able to carry on what they started. If I can't fight, then I can't do that much. And I need to be able to do that much if I'm going to be a part of the team. If I don't get past it now, with this opportunity, then I might never".
"Alright then, I'll be there to support you, no matter how easy or rough it gets. Don't beat yourself up if it becomes trying, okay?"
"Thank you, Shin-san". A small smile graced Misaki's face, brightening it the most since she had started fighting.
That development made Shin's heart pound faster; the very idea that his niece might be able to face the fear that had plagued her for years, face the chance to overcome the shackles that held her back from playing the game that their family had unanimously loved and carry on the dream that her parents had initiated for her future. Clasping the deck between her hands firmly in front of her chest, Misaki turned her back to Shin, proceeding to move out and into the shop once again. A more confident stride than he had seen her take; naturally, she would present herself as such in school, given her reputation, enhanced by her choices in how she sported the academy's uniform, but that was nothing in comparison the truly self-assured march. Following her into the front of the building, Shin slid behind the counter, making sure that he had a decent view of the table where the regulars were seated, and Misaki's destination.
Clustered around the desks, the others caught onto Misaki's approach only when he shadow began to creep over the cards spread out. Aichi craned his neck back in order to meet eyes, gazing curiously at the shopkeeper's arrival, looming over the group strategizing how the Royal Paladins laid out before him were to progress.
"Misaki-san?"
Having lowered her arms, to restore that stern presentation she was known for, Misaki's fingers tightened around the cards, hand trembling out of sight. Even then, Miwa was able to detect her discomfort in pushing herself forward in order to propose a fight; the first step to recovery and she was contending with a long-standing bind that prevented her to voice the challenge. Twisting the corners of her lips, it was becoming apparent relatively swiftly that she was grappling with something to the others seated and watching interrogatively.
"I…" It was a shaky mutter that forced its way through Misaki's lips, almost breathless, before trailing away completely.
"You want a practice fight?" Miwa iterated with a smile. Winking once the boys' eyes had transferred back to Misaki after jumping to the blond voicing her wish.
Azure hues narrowed softly, unable to meet any of the gazes fixated upon her and responded with a leisurely nod as opposed to a verbal answer. The subdued reply was rather astonishing to the others peering upwards, who had never seen Misaki appear so reclusive without harbouring an intimidating air simultaneously. Izaki's hand. Miwa's hand clamped down on Aichi's shoulder, drawing the younger's optics around towards the blond's beaming face.
"Why don't you and Aichi have a go? It'll give us more insight into his deck and the chances he's made since the fight with Ren," Miwa suggested.
"M- Miwa-kun?" Aichi yelped.
"It makes sense; you're team-mates and you haven't fought one another since before the Shop Tournament. This way, you both get to see how ready you are for the National Tournament," Izaki chimed, raising clenched fists enthusiastically.
"Izaki-kun…"
A gentle mutter that sounded in contrast to the surprise aimed at Miwa, Aichi locked eyes with the brunet, clearly passionate about getting the opportunity to watch two fighters about to partake in the country's biggest tournament play one another right before his eyes. Large azure optics met narrow, the two fighters watching one another with intrigue, mutely weighing up the worth of a game. Kamui rose from his seat directly opposite, indicating that he agreed with Izaki's sentiments and smirked at the girl, whose attention he drew.
"I haven't seen Misaki-san fight before, so I want to see what you've got," he called, raising a hand that curled into a tight fist.
Within his eyes, she could identify the burning passion that came from within fighters that she'd seen playing at the shop day after day, partaking in tournaments she'd watched from afar. That courage and fighting spirit blazing within those that played. Something that, admittedly, she lacked. And having played so few games, she was aware that it was something that she needed to build upon if she was going to match up to her team-mates in passion and defining herself. With fingers tightly clenched around the cards, she lifted her forearm, wearing the same resolute look that was common among fighters; signalling her readiness to face what needed to be conquered.
"Alright, I'll do it," she declared.
Kamui stepped aside, allowing Misaki a clear turn to the opened chair, which she took before setting the deck down. Opposite her, Aichi was hastily collecting his cards and shuffling them into a stack, leaving out his starting Vanguard, set face-down on the table. Keeping watch of his eyes, Misaki could detect the same passion that she had sensed in Kamui, albeit weaker as a result of his struggling self-belief. Under the watchful eyes of the others, the pair shuffled their decks, drawing and redrawing their hands, casting thoughtful looks over their beginning arsenal. Moirkawa, Izaki and Kamui clustered around Misaki while Miwa stayed leisurely seated beside Aichi, smiling at the view he earned from his placement. Just as the others, he was eager to witness Misaki's fighting without the distractions of the other fights happening around them. And he'd quickly realized that, minus Kai, the entire team had assembled with their closest supporters, training in preparation for the upcoming tournament that would test how fit they were for an even high level of competition; their victory at Regionals hadn't been a fluke, but they had barely managed to scrape through. If they were to stand a chance, they needed to become stronger, reach the league of their waiting rivals.
"Guess you're getting off lucky, not facing the undisputed champion of Cardfighting," Morikawa bragged, huffing through his nostrils arrogantly, arms folded over his chest and smirking.
A drop of sweat stemming from embarrassment clung to Izaki's brow as he glanced over his shoulder at his dark-haired classmate. Kamui snorted irately, glaring daggers at the brash fighter who remained ignorant to how extensive his losing streak truly was, or purposely sweeping it under the carpet for the sake of saving his self-image.
"Ready?" Misaki inquired, locking eyes with Aichi.
"I am," he responded, in time with a nod.
Both hands fell upon their face-down Vanguard, snatching the bottom edge and throwing them over. "Stand up, Vanguard". Manifesting on the field simultaneously, Barcgal and Lozenge Magus took up their places, staring one another down, and through them, the fighting duo.
FIGHT START
AICHI - MISAKI
0 -DAMAGE- 0
FIRST TURN – MISAKI
"I'll make the first move," Misaki declared, removing the top card of her deck immediately. Stripping her hand of another and place the first among her initial ensemble of units, she launched the primary choice to inherit leadership of the force. "Ride. Battle Sister, Cocoa".
Taking the place of the lilac-haired elf, another wearing garments akin to that of a nun, sharply removing knives fitted into her robes and swinging them on the ends of her fingers, bearing a sly, toothy smirk aimed at the cybernetic canine ahead, the tips of her more vibrant pink tresses swaying in the breeze created by her summoning [POW 6000]. From beneath the new card, Misaki slid the previous back, filling a slot in the corner of the field.
"Lozenge Magus moves back to the Rear-Guard," she narrated, casting her eyes upwards with the usual detached expression. "Cocoa's skill allows me to check the top card of the deck". Doing so, Misaki striped the top layer, twisting her wrist in order to examine the card and then laid it back atop the pile. "I'll leave it where it is. Turn end".
SECOND TURN – AICHI
"Then it's my turn," Aichi called, lifting his first draw, and without adding it to his hand, moved immediately to placing it onto the field. "Ride. Little Sage, Marron".
After laying his card onto the field, Aichi moved Barcgal to the Rear-Guard in the same diagonal track that Lozenge Magus had taken. In the place of the squadron's head, the small magician took his place, clutching the tome of spells to convert into power. Behind the squared spectacles, his emerald hues transformed into azure, blond locks growing into blue that hung messily either side of his rounded face; adopting Aichi's appearance [POW 8000]. Watching the spectacle, Misaki found herself drawn to the fact that Aichi had implanted his image directly into the fight, just as Kai had instructed and guided him to do during their first fight. Another that Misaki had been a quiet spectator to, watching those clashing flames from afar without experiencing any of that excitement herself, like those around them. Recalling the passion that Kai and Aichi had displayed in their own subtle ways, she had seen them get fired up in the heat of battle, the thrill of Vanguard and the fun someone could having by immersing themselves in the game.
'That's right, Miwa said it himself; Kai gets into the game so much, it's like he becomes a completely different person when he does,' she thought, averting her sight from the card stationed at the head of the Royal Paladin squad to the boy commanding them. 'And Aichi changes so much as well. Even if he's still shy in front of crowds, he loses himself in the fight, he becomes much more focused. So I… need to become someone else?'
Focus fell to the setup spread in front of her; in those cards, she could still see the ghostly faces of her parents, smiling from beyond the grave in memories that continually flashed back into her conscious, haunting her with the grim reality that they were no longer there to watch over her. They'd never been given the opportunity to watch their only child engage more with the game they loved, they weren't there to cheer her on. On the battlefield, she was alone, where the others had someone there to support them, call out in times of need.
Simply reflecting hurt; it twisted the knife deeper. When the recollections of their idyllic afternoons were there as clearly as ever; her father's lax personality colliding with her mother's drive for efficiency. How they would settle disagreements with Cardfights, putting Shin on standby at the counter. Teaching her the game's basic rulings, spending countless hours playing and constructing decks of various clans, practicing and guiding Misaki along to find her ideal Clan, weekends of eventful tournaments and—
A grunt and Misaki's head sank, clutching the side with her free hand. Her eyes forced themselves closed, the pain of the heart-wrenching memories warping itself into a pang that struck against her skull. Under that strain, she winced, dropping her head, with the intent to make the reaction as subtle as possible, but those movements alone had drawn the attention of the boys around her.
"Is everything alright, Misaki-san?" Aichi asked discreetly.
"You're not looking well, maybe you shouldn't fight just yet," Kamui commented, tilting forward so that her tresses no longer blocked his view of her angled face. "Take it easy, we've got plenty of time before the tournament".
"No…" Misaki exhaled faintly, allowing her eyes to inch open. The evident of her grappling flickered within her hues, what she was fighting to mask in order to hold up that strong front; the fight was just beginning, backing out so soon wasn't a possibility. Admitting defeat so easily; it would show nothing of her progress, in wishing to overcome that anchor grounding her in the past – she had said it herself; now was the ideal opportunity to make the first step. Allowing this chance pass by would be a fateful mistake. It would be the premature end of any Cardfighting; there would be no hope of succeeding at Nationals, or even as a member of Q4, if she couldn't hold herself together in a fight. She couldn't make an escape like Regionals, and even if she could, there was the guilt of not doing her part as one of the rising quartet. "I can keep going…"
"'Keep going'? You aren't pushing yourself, are you? Are you unwell?" Izaki asked, growing faster in pace, frantic even, as his question proceeded.
The raised voice drew Shin's attention from the counter, Sub-Manager lifting its head from the coiled body, both peering at the situation close by. The Manager's lips thinned, resisting the urge to frown at Misaki's early struggle and persistence to continue in spite of the evident difficulty she was experiencing. In spite of that, her eyes rose to Aichi seated opposite, capturing his attention with that resolve flashing within her optics, urging him to proceed without even speaking.
Hesitantly, he obeyed, slowly removing two cards from his hand and dropping them onto the field. "Call; Wingal and Lake Maiden, Lien".
Behind the child whose blond locks had been dyed blue by his union with Aichi, the furry canine of blue and white with a jagged pink mane and elegant aqua maiden manifested, her slender fingers laced around the golden hilt of the sword propped in front of her, the tip, decorated with an intricate golden design planted into the soil. With the growing ensemble gathered, Aichi's fingers returned to Lien, twisting the card with a determined blaze in his azure hues.
"Lien attacks Cocoa".
No defence and Misaki picked up her first Damage Check, depositing Silent Tom into the emptied column at the other end of the field. Naturally with the first strike, there was nothing to feel disheartened over and she stood with the constant ordinary look in the face of Aichi's resolve to fight his hardest and find where exactly the weakness was in his playing style. He'd taken in the advice from Ren, not to launch in head-first, to heart and intended to build upon it so his reckless rushing towards in an attempt to finish the opponent off before a counterattack could be launched could no longer lead to any downfall.
"Wingal boosts Marron. Attack!"
Another lack of a response from Misaki confirmed that she was allowing the charge to go through without retort. Aichi's fingers brushed against the top of his deck, stripping it of the first card and snapping his wrist around to reveal the check. A golden light burst out from the artwork of a knight propped against a tree. Gasps of awe and astonishment sounded from around the table.
"Critical Trigger, heh? And on the first turn," Miwa mused with a chuckle. "Nee-chan's got a real fight on her hands".
"A- All effects to Marron," Aichi voice, clearly taken aback by the sudden appearance of the damaging Trigger so soon in the game.
The young mage leafed through his tome, aiming a hand forward to unleash the bolt magic that he'd researched [POW 19000], a flash erupted, crashing into the sister stationed opposite; that toothy grin she bore constantly falling for just a moment whilst enduring the attack. Two cards drifted into Misaki's Damage Zone – another copy of her current Vanguard and a second Silent Tom.
"Whoa, there's such a huge gap and it's only the first turn," Izaki called.
AICHI - MISAKI
0 -DAMAGE- 3
"Misaki-san, are you sure you're alright?" Kamui asked, eyeing the lilac-haired girl with concern. "He's right, and you're not looking so well".
The attention drawn to the wide margin between the two Damage Zones caught Shin's ear; though it was natural for there to be a gap given Misaki had yet an opportunity to attack, to have gained a Critical Trigger on the first turn was a rare occurrence within the shop. From his place behind the counter, the shopkeeper lifted his head, directing his sights on the nearest table, so that he could monitor the fight as best he could from such a distance whilst keeping watch for any approaching or entering customers on either side. With such a strong start for her opponent, he was curious about what Misaki's answer would be and just how brutal any comeback might have to be to assert her resolve.
"I'm fine," Misaki mumbled, refusing to take her eyes from the field stacking up against her and reaching for her deck. Taking her attention away from the fight to directly confront the doubts about her condition being voiced around would only support their concerns if they could detect the minuscule details of the strain she felt.
THIRD TURN – MISAKI
Peeling away the next card of her deck, Misaki exchanged it for another and laid it onto the Vanguard Circle. "Ride. Battle Sister, Mocha".
Taking up the lead position of the Oracle Think Tank field, a blonde nun in place of her smirking ally, dressed in the same uniform whilst sporting long black boots with white stockings which left only a ring of exposed skin underneath the black shorts that hugged the tops of her thighs [POW 8000]. Though around her, a duo of lights blazed in rapid succession, flooding the field with more live and activity before any intent of settling. In the places, new units arriving on the battlefield and filing into their assigned stations; firstly Gemini, the two robotic dolls that hovered with childish faces, apparently harmless until those smiling expressions would open up and unleash the metallic gunfire underneath the masks [POW 8000]. Alongside Mocha, a rubble statue manifested; a man seated upon a pedestal, bronze veins marked across his body and an aquamarine circle embedded into his brow [POW 10000].
The gathering of units brought Misaki to a momentary standstill; a collection of representatives fighting on behalf of the Clan, relying on one another. That had always been the subtle message in Vanguard – to fight as part of a team, surrounded by allies. But she had been left alone. Naturally, she had Shin and Sub-Manager, but what of her parents? What had Vanguard done for them? They had founded a business incorporating the game, and along the road to building that up, their lives had been brutally snatched. The game haunted her; she couldn't embrace it the way she had when they had been alive; she avoided it as her demons were nestled inside of the game, ready to haunt her whenever she might brave to take up a challenge, and yet she understood it perfectly as a result of observing from afar. It was inescapable; Vanguard was slowly but surely to envelope everything in Misaki's life, strip her of all hope she had of escaping, a constant reminder of her parents' demise, and how she had been denied the life of sharing something the family jointly treasured. She was a solitary sufferer in a game that was all about union, surrounded by a legion of friends from whom she still felt detached and shackled to solely because of her forced placement as part of Q4. Why did she had to partake in a game that only made her stomach churn and old wounds open afresh?
Her distracted state once more drew attention, particularly from Miwa, eyeing the girl curiously; he had initially been the one to encourage her to attempt fighting, even if it was inevitable that she would when Nationals came, but perhaps he had been too hasty in his efforts. A subtle deep breath to calm herself, Misaki's azure optics blazed with unusually sharp resolve. Not to fight and win, just to escape, and it shone somewhat viciously within her hues, which caused Aichi to shrink in place.
"Lozenge Magus boosts Wiseman," she barked, twisting the cards horizontally in rapid successor without removing the target from her sight.
Aichi's teeth clenched at the biting tone with which Misaki had sounded the order; he had a substantial lead, especially for so early in the game, and it was common practice to allow the first points of Damage be dealt when an attack was launched in the opening stages of the game. So he had no qualms with bracing himself for the strike, watching through Marron's perspective as the gem implanted into the statue's head began to emanate a piercing brightness. From that polished surface, a beam of scarlet energy erupted, striking through the young mage, whose body became rigid and dropped onto his knees, clutching his abdomen where the beam had struck. The tome he'd been clutched clattered onto the ground, papers fluttering in momentary panic at the sudden movement and release from its bearer's grasp, laid out beneath him with a spell for protection in preparation for if a guardian might have come.
"Damage Check," Aichi grunted, reaching for his deck. Twisting his wrist, he'd unveiled a copy of Flogal, emitting a blue glow to signify its Trigger status. "Stand Trigger. The power goes to Marron, Wingal stands".
In accordance with his commands, Wingal's legs stiffened, the canine standing firmly and prematurely ready for the next clash, while Marron, still hunched on the floor, was surrounded by the donated power from Flogal's ghostly presence passing by the battlefield [POW 13000]. On the opposite side of the field, a similar aura engulfed Lozenge Magus, removing the elf from the field and back between Misaki's fingers, holding up the card with her otherwise empty hand.
"Lozenge Magus' skill returns her to the deck after aiding in an attack," she announced, quick to shuffle the card into the waiting stack and resume her bombardment. "Gemini boosts Mocha [POW 16000], attack Marron!"
In a repeat of the previous attack, Marron glared up from his place on the ground, glaring through thick blue bangs hanging over his bespectacled eyes and sweat-laden brow. Once again, there was no sign of any reinforcements that had been called upon to intervene the assault, despite Wingal's fierce growling and willingness to launch himself into battle to protect his current leader.
Recognizing Aichi's reluctance to expend his shield so soon, Misaki swiftly moved onto her next step. "Drive Check". A sharp movement stripped the deck of another Lozenge Magus, humming in its ignition. "Heal Trigger. Power to Mocha, and I recover one Damage [POW 21000]".
Boosted by that additional power, the blonde soaked in the power with a smirk aimed towards her target, who had still yet to manage the strength to pick himself up from the ground. The young mage braced herself, yelping out again when the nun launched forward and slammed the soles of her boots against his crumpled floor, knocking him against the gravelly earth, the wind rushing out of his beaten lungs.
In response to the brutal attack, a second card floated into Aichi's Damage – Bringer of Good Luck, Epona – and Aichi frowned at the realization that the immense lead he'd managed to pull off had been nullified by Misaki's fierce early comeback.
AICHI - MISAKI
2 -DAMAGE- 2
On the opposite side of the table, Misaki sat discontented, barely paying mind to the fight, but showing the strain it was taking upon her. Facing Vanguard was like confronting the demons of her past, constant reminders of her parents; the ghosts who lingered incessantly and haunting her, having promised and failed to teach her the rules of the game. Leaving her behind in a world without understanding; Shin had been her guidance, but ultimately, she'd strived alone in the game, teaching herself, moving by her own strength, littered with scars of the anguish that the game had caused her; bearing the one treasure they'd left behind – a deck without rules. Without establishing a true connection with it. Until giving up and unable to bear something bearing so many painful memories that were impossible to remove or destroy. Ironic and almost envious that Aichi had gained so much by coming into contact with the game, when it had robbed her of so much – his world had opened up and the fire in his eyes had stemmed from picking up the cards, in stark contrast to Misaki, who had been robbed of so much, her world collapsing all around her without any means of repairing it.
She wanted rid of it; everything to do with the game, merely living surrounded by the ruin of that familial world turned her stomach; something to grin and bear for years. And yet refused to open herself up to run the danger of becoming vulnerable to coming to harm yet again. Uncaring for it she might have exposed a hint of weakness in the crack of her armoured self, she brushed off the momentary lapse, restoring that cold outwards demeanour and fixed her sights on the field laid out in front of her.
"Turn end…"
FOURTH TURN – AICHI
"Stand and draw," Aichi declared in response, retrieving the top card of his deck and slotting it into the arsenal in his hand, exchanging it in place of another beside it, holding it parallel with his face; eyes shimmering brightly with the determination to prove how far he'd come since their first fight by oblivious to the symptoms of struggle within Misaki's features. "Tachiagare, boku no bunshin! Raido! Burasuta Bureido!" [1]
Slamming the card down upon the table, a gale swirled about, the heralding of the legendary white knight's appearance on the field, dispelling the gusts with a swing of his mighty sword [POW 9000].
"Counterblast," Aichi continued, turning over the two cards lined in his Damage Zone. "Blaster Blade, remove Wiseman from the field".
With a thrust, the tip of the blade planted itself into the fragmented gravel of the canyon, sending a surge of electrical purge racing across the gap opened up and towards its target on the opposite, coiling around the hardened body with its corrosive power. From hits arched throat, Wiseman sounded his anguish, discharged from the front line and transferred to the Drop Zone. Aichi's slender fingers wouldn't move from the field, beginning to rearrange his formation with haste.
"Lien moves back. Call; Gallatin and Starlight Unicorn" he announced, planting the cards either side of his Vanguard, tapping the latter's card lightly. "Starlight Unicorn's ability to boost goes to Gallatin [POW 12000]".
Lingering over his shoulder, Kamui gazed in awe at the turnabout, impressed by the formula of Aichi's current standings, whilst simultaneously chipping away at Misaki's field. Even in comparison to the fights at Regionals and Ren, he seemed a far cry – the latter having been a lesson, he'd have never imagined that Aichi would pick himself back up so soon and wholly.
Keeping his slim fingers pinned to the field, Aichi pressed down on both ends of Gallatin's card, shifting it to the secondary stance and initiating the first strike.
"Attack the Vanguard".
Misaki's eyes removed themselves from the field, gazing listlessly at the cards in her hand and then to the deck; in stark contrast to Aichi's wholehearted efforts to fight to the fullest of his abilities, she bore no interest. And it showed; Miwa's greyed hues examined her features as best they could – she appeared disconnected altogether, sneering upon his resolve to demonstrate to her the great distance covered since their first fight, to prove himself. The shriek of her Vanguard suffering a blow resonated across the joint-homeland setting, prompting her to draw from the deck, turning over a Draw Trigger, which chimed with its appearance at the crucial moment.
"A Trigger right before Aichi's Vanguard is to attack," Izaki cried with disbelief.
"And worse, they're not even at Grade 3 yet. It's hopeless," Morikawa spluttered.
Without a word, Misaki set down the Trigger into her Damage Zone, redirecting the power boost to her stricken Vanguard [POW 13000], and removed a second card, granted by the ability Miwa's pursed lips hummed at the silence of the girl beside him, checking over the state of the field; even with the apparent advantage on his side, there was by no means anything to suggest Aichi bore a lead, even with Misaki's growing Damage Zone; it was controlled damage sustained, all part of a strategy. Nevertheless, he could identify the spirit within the boy's eyes, never meeting that of his adversary, but glowing with the resolve to win, or at the very least, prove he was on the rebound after his recent streak of losses.
"Wingal boosts Blaster Blade [POW 19000]".
A surge of power streamed between the two, the strength of a connection between the soldier and his canine companion, which aided Blaster Blade with his lunge forward. Misaki laid down a card in defence; Lozenge Magus as a guardian to spare another point of damage, resulting in the lilac-haired mage manifesting on the field in a moment of crisis underneath the blue-haired knight's looming shadow. Aichi reached for his deck, revealing a copy of Gancelot; the lack of a Trigger leaving the attack insufficient to mount the wall erected between the two. With a yell, Blaster Blade descended, his sword collided with the sceptre clutched within the woman's hands, a defensive move successful enough to stave off an attack and vanished after draining more than half of his offensive power, leaving him lacking for a second assault.
"Starlight Unicorn, boosted by Lien".
Signalled by its leader, the steed's head twisted, emitting a wild neighing before it galloped forward, poising its horn to strike and deliver unto the Oracle Think Tank leader the second attack that would connect during the turn, knocking her onto the ground with a pained grunt. Once again without sound, Misaki lifted a card from the deck, setting Gemini into the assigned placement, doubling what her column had consisted of at the beginning of the turn, to the awe of the boys crowded around her opponent.
AICHI - MISAKI
2 -DAMAGE- 4
Laboured breaths from the boy drew the attention of those swarming around, Kamui leaning in and resting a hand on his shoulder, an apprehensive look upon her face.
"Are you sure you're alright, Onii-san? Don't push yourself, I know you want to show you've taken what that guy said into account but you don't have to rush".
"I'm alright, Kamui-kun," Aichi answered with a soft smile. "Don't worry about me, I'm not rushing. I've put lots of thought into this; Ren-san said that I was always rushing to finish the fight, but that isn't the case now. I'll go into a game thinking, rather than hurrying to the finish line, because if I keep running, I'll keep tripping up. After what he said, I want to look ahead and see the field ahead before moving, be more cautious in how I move; that's how I'll grow as a fighter".
Both Kamui and Miwa took in the monologue thoughtfully; Misaki grimaced in the moment she could get away with it – of course, Aichi had guidance from all directions; friends and rivals alike. All the people he'd gained from learning Vanguard; the team forged around him. It was jealousy, spurning inside of her – not that she could ever bring herself to admit it outside that one moment, but she envied why he would rise while she would fall. Vanguard had been little more than a curse to her; it was a reminder of the misery she suffered, fixated on that one tragedy over the numerous good times shared with her family, its impact greater, leaving her marked, without means of changing anything – no more than the same powerless child as that day a decade before.
"Misaki-san… before I was hurrying forward to meet with you and everyone, but I want to… I want to show you how far I can come when you're all there, guiding me properly".
A flinch raced across Misaki's body; he acknowledged how many people were pushing him forward, he had recognized that the growth of a fighter depended on how many people were around him. But she had come this far alone; if not for her memory, would she have gotten anywhere? Was she relying on an ability to enhance her chances of success at a game she'd long fallen out of love with, struggling to retain focus, lost in disillusion? Her lips pressed themselves together, forging a frown beneath the shade that blanketed the upper half of her face, an ominous combination. And without understanding of the plight that clouded her mind, Aichi had no means of interpreting the truth from the movement, bowing his head to turn over control of the fight to her.
FIFTH TURN – MISAKI
A shaky hand landed atop the deck, slowly removing the card on top and checking it briefly, clutching it firmly between her narrow fingers, an iron grip to prevent dropping it in the moment of turmoil spilling over her defences.
"Hikari o kagayaku utsukushi megami yo! Raido! Shi Ii Oo Amaterasu!" [2]
With the ferocity of her spiralling emotions taking hold, she threw the card down, crashing against the growing stack upon the Vanguard circle. The sun goddess graced the field with her presence, hovering at the head of the formation, opposite Blaster Blade with a stern look upon her face cast down at the knight standing directly against the force she had been summoned to lead. Around her, more units took up position – Silent Tom and Luck Bird emerging to the side, filling the previously empty leftmost column.
"I remove Cocoa and Mocha from the Soul," Misaki stated, sliding the two named cards from beneath Amaterasu's card. In their place, a card from the top of the deck – a second Amaterasu. "Soul Charging allows me to check the top card of the deck". Doing so, she'd followed the actions voiced, laying it returning it as if untouched. "I'll leave it where it is".
Her attention swiftly shifted to the field laid out, reaching initially for her newest allies, a cold glare redirected from the cards and up to those in opposition. "Luck Bird boosts Silent Tom [POW 13000]".
No guardian called as a shield, Blaster Blade braced himself, casting a stern gaze across the distance between the two parties; sword poised in preparation for the shot from the mummified man's barrelled fingers. Enhanced in strength by the bird behind, the man aimed his digits in the direction of the knight, unleashing a single shot that whistled through the air, evading the sword propped as a shield. Instead, it struck his breastplate, knocking back the soldier by a step and steadying himself by planting his sword into the ground, a post by which to regain his footing.
"Damage check".
Reaching for his deck, a frown spread across Aichi's lips; it was only at that point that something began to feel awry. But even with that suspicion in mind, Misaki escaped detection; was it because he was hesitating too much? Was he still moving too fast? No… he was holding his own well against her, she'd been fighting to her fullest as far as he was aware. There was nothing abnormal detected, but there was additionally the feeling – the unsupported suspicion – that something simply wasn't right.
Realizing his hesitation, he flinched, quickly to remove the card meekly, apprehensive about meeting any of the waiting gazes upon him. "Damage check".
A blue light radiated from the card, illuminating his widened eyes – a Stand Trigger, which had come at the same vital point as Misaki's; earning a chorus of awestruck gasps and noises from the gallery gathered around. With a faint smile, he set the card down into the growing column, his hand quick to swing back around towards the field, palm opened in the direction of his leading unit.
"The power boost from the Trigger goes to Blaster Blade" he commanded. On the field, the head unit steadied himself, returning to full height having regained his balance and composure, the ghostly presence of Flogal offering its energies for him to inherit after her transfer from deck to Damage Zone [POW 14000]. Alongside him, Gallatin also positioned himself readily as if combat were nigh once again; the choice for Aichi's standing unit.
A tut behind those twisting lips of a soured frown, Misaki was quick to proceed onto her central column, twisting Gemini, then her Vanguard into position, commanding their assault to follow. "Amaterasu, attack".
"Guard!" Aichi bellowed in retaliation, casting Llew into the Guard circle. Though the singular guard wouldn't be all; after the course of the match thus far, he couldn't help but feel uncomfortable and unprepared for the attack, even with the gap in power currently held by the two figurehead units, peeling Gallatin from his space and reassigning him into the barrier alongside the young knight. "Intercept" [SLD 29000].
The two soldiers huddled in place, placing themselves as the wall through which the lifting goddess would have to break through, even with her tremendous power. She bore no frustration at the road becoming blocked, as if anticipating it, whilst adopting Misaki's lilac shade into her tresses, clutching the mirror within her hands in preparation for the attack. On the outskirts of the field, Misaki drew from her deck, and though his defences had been raised much higher than the standard choice, Aichi sat in dreaded anticipation – it had been Misaki's choice of leaving a card atop the deck in preparation for a Drive check which had sealed his defeat in their first game. His concerns had been rightfully supported by the appearance of Dream Eater, offering the power bonus to the attacking Vanguard, bolstering her hand with an additional card, the second meanwhile showing nothing of extra support. Aichi's overprotective defence had been unnecessary, and yet he felt prepared only once the rays of sunshine which smashed into the canyon flooring evaded his Vanguard, leaving the white knight unscathed.
"Turn end…" was all Misaki could respond, her tone of rather bitter disappointment.
SIXTH TURN – AICHI
"Look at that," Izaki gaped, surveying the players' Damage columns, with astonishment that Misaki had only succeeded in planting a single card into Aichi's, leaving her trailing still.
AICHI - MISAKI
3 -DAMAGE- 4
Not to get ahead of himself, Aichi's focus remained solely on the battle; confidence in the face of someone who had quashed him once in the past, to risk the carpet being swept out from under his feet wasn't something he was prepared to allow in a moment of believing he might be running away with the game. Exchanging his newest card for one long-waiting for its chance, his fingers stretched vertically, clutching the card in the time taken to utter the chant with which he'd taken to greeting the silver knight to the battlefield.
"Boku no chikara wo! Kedakaki hokori no shiroki tsubasa! Kokou no kishi, Gansuroddo!" [3]
About the legendary soldier, a gust of wind accompanied that of brightness, replacing his form with that of the pure white Pegasus and it's rider; the stern hero brandishing but a sword in the hand not already occupied clutching the reigns of his steed [POW 9000].
"Call, Gigantic Charger [POW 9000]" Aichi announced, tossing the additional card onto the field, with no intention of slowing the gathering of allies, his fingers redirected towards the deck nearby. "Gigantic Charger's skill allows me to check the top card of my deck and call the unit straight to the field".
Peeling the card from the stack, a faint smile crossed the boy's lips to see his, sliding Wingal into place behind its beckoner. With a sharp twist, the two reinforcements were immediately launched into battle, Aichi towering over his assembled squad with a resolute gaze in her adversary's direction; meeting her disinterested apathy with all the spirit he could muster.
"Wingal boosts Gigantic Charger, attack Amaterasu," he barked.
"Lozenge Magus," was Misaki's only reply, sharply placing the Heal Trigger in the green oval separating the two parties.
"Gancelot attacks with a boost from Wingal," Aichi retorted, growing increasingly impatient. With a field occupied completely as his own, he was certain that it would be enough power to tip the scales further in his favour, and yet, nothing.
The case once more when Misaki deposited a card into her Drop Zone, raising a perfect guard to intercept the charging warrior's assault. "Chocolat".
With a displeased grunt, Aichi sank back, begrudgingly executing his Twin Drive, in order to set up his final effort to break through the Oracle Think Tank defences erected, which seemingly blocked all he would throw at them. The first, Gallatin, while the second glimmered with golden radiance – Llew, offering a Critical Trigger in a last-ditch effort to break through all walls.
"The effects of the Critical Trigger go to Starlight Unicorn".
Bolstered by both the Trigger and Lien stationed behind it, the steed's level of offensive power swelled like never before [POW 17000]. Lips pressed into a line, azure hues examined the state of Misaki's field – how likely his final attack might be was uncertain; she still possessed three cards in her hand, and Silent Tom standing by as a potential interception. Even with the possibility that he might suffer a trio of failed attacks, it wasn't within him to give up – not right now, during a friendly game; he'd languished in misery enough after his defeat in the Regional finals. There was no looking back, but only ahead to the Nationals waiting ahead.
"Starlight Unicorn attacks Amaterasu".
Emitting a fierce neighing, the stallion galloped forward, dwarfed by that beside it, yet showing no intention of surrendering any length of spirit. Charging ahead, all the mattered was to eliminate the enemy's lead; if the attack could successfully connect, and a Heal Trigger evaded, it would be the seizure of victory which the party, and their player, would have so desperately sought after a frustrating match. Not to be, when Misaki slammed down two Draw Triggers – one Dream Eater, one Miracle Kid – enough to enhance Amaterasu's defensive power above that of the unicorn's aggressive [SLD 20000].
Yet again, he'd fallen short, and worse, without realizing, he'd fallen back into the habit of rushing to see the fight concluded before his inexperience might cost him. Jaws clenched and a fist formed, the dismay made no effort of masking itself, Aichi's disappointment clear as day for those gathered about the table.
"No way, he couldn't land a single point of damage," Kamui marvelled in astonishment. For the youth, it served only to impress him further; Misaki's ability to evade unnecessary hits after a rocky beginning, perhaps she was recovering. The notion swept away when burgundy hues latched onto the form across the table, slumped and still showing signs of strife; she was clearly in no state to proceed, but who were they to forcibly end the fight? As much as it troubled Kamui, as much as it worried Aichi, neither could speak up, lest they invoke some misguided wrath.
"Misaki-san…" the blue-haired fighter managed to voice, shakily and soft. His intention clear, but shrugged off, as no returned gaze, or even acknowledgement he's spoken might have been signalled by the girl.
Instead she proceeded, pulling away the next card of her deck.
SEVENTH TURN – MISAKI
A lone card waited the appearance of the new, both falling onto the field and depleting Misaki's reserves. "Call' Gemini, Amaterasu. Soul Charge".
Without hesitation, the depositing of another card into the Soul played out as always, Aichi couldn't help but shrink faintly, troubled by the deteriorating state of his opponent. And yet his nerves, the fear he might further upset her, paralyzed him, muted his concerns and forced him into the position of bystander, to see her fall, as her commands whittled down to the very basics, no longer speaking more than necessary. Checking the top card of her deck, the expression upon her face was unreadable; the only indication about what might be in store was the decision to leave the card where it had been, sending Aichi's heart racing.
He was eager to finish the fight, with her resources so low, how likely could it possibly be that she would withstand the next turn? He couldn't afford to find out; in order to make it, and another chance of grasping a win, he had to survive the turn – that fretful rhythm pumping adrenaline around his frame faster, for the first time since Regionals had he been so on-edge.
"Luck Bird boosts Silent Tom [POW 13000]".
A brief check of his hand was all Aichi needed to decide upon the course of action; with the margin between their damage collected as it stood, it couldn't hurt to sustain another hit surely. Bracing himself and lowering the cards he clutched, through the horseback knight did he witness the bombardment, bullets which rained down upon his leading unit from the mummified figure. Bracing himself for the next, far more dangerous attack, Aichi's shoulders tensed whilst transferring the Gancelot lying atop his deck to the Damage Zone, putting the two on level pegging.
In sensing the tension building across the table, Kamui's eyes flitted between the two, apprehensive about intervening the ambience that his team-mates had unwitting created, left to sink back and observe obediently.
"Gemini supports Amaterasu".
"Guard!" Aichi bellowed in response, setting down Llew, Gallatin and Tristan. The trio manifested before Gancelot as a barrier through which Amaterasu's attacks would fail to penetrate, even with two Triggers – it was panic which skewered Aichi's thinking. So long as he could evade this attack, he was certain there would be the opportunity of next turn, even if it meant suffering one further blow from the rear-guard goddess. Certain that a Trigger of some description was awaiting reveal at the top of the deck, he couldn't bear to take any further risk, that there might be a second that would push the attack above the shield erected to protect himself.
"Twin Drive," Misaki voiced, revealing the card she'd left in place – Lozenge Magus.
With a gasp, Aichi flinched from the revelation; still Misaki's hand was minimal, but the appearance of a Heal Trigger would put her back at 3, and ahead of him. The goal of pushing her to 6 damage had suddenly become that much more difficult. Not impossible, but a greater trial than just mere seconds before.
A secondary twist would follow, a second card checked, and a second aura. Aichi recoiled in disbelief at the manifestation of not only a second Trigger, but a Critical. Gasps of shock and awe resonated from the trio lingering about the table. "Oracle Guardian Nike; the effects go to the rear-guard Amaterasu".
The very defence set up in order to protect Gancelot from such an outcome had only served to leave him vulnerable to it in a second assault. Blinding rays fired from the Oracle Vanguard, penetrating the three soldiers who had come to the aid of their leader, falling on the battlefield in a futile sacrifice. With nothing left to hold onto, Aichi could only gaze with widened eyes at the secondary goddess prepared herself to follow her doppelganger's example, charged with the power of the Gemini behind and two Triggers' offering [POW 28000].
"T- There's almost 20000 difference between Amaterasu and Gancelot," Kamui quivered.
"And Aichi's got nothing to stop it," Izaki added. "Unless there's a Heal Trigger in checking, then he's not going to pull through".
"Don't you get it? It's the awesome power of a Grade 3; there's no escaping it's might!" Morikawa yapped.
"Right, right…" the other two sighed simultaneously, showing no intent of humouring their deluded companion's worship of the highest level.
Dismayed at the turnaround, Gancelot conceded the lack of options, clutching tighter onto the reigns of his Pegasus in observing the copy Amaterasu rising from the gravel, arms extending with the disc behind aglow with the incredible power swelling inside of her. Without a signal from her card holder, the goddess unleashed her might, ploughing into the ground with rays possessing the strength of steel despite their light form, smashing into the Royal Paladin stationed opposite, who let out only a howl of anguish that his efforts might fall short.
Shaken by the unfolding reality, Aichi's hand twitched apprehensively, lifting the top card of his deck with a shaky declaration of checking the two cards of damage. "F- First check…" The tone baseless and without the passion which had driven him throughout the fight, a premature acceptance of defeat, the loss of hope, deepened with the coming of Tristan, laid to rest on the opposite side of the field. Beads of sweat clung to the boy's paling face, struggling to comprehend how such a perfect opportunity had been squandered. And yet, Suzugamori Ren's face flashed in the back of his mind – a hint as to why; because of his desperation to win before he might make a mistake. The very same hindrance which prevented him from growing, and suffering the same defeats over and over. "Second… check…"
No luck as another copy of Gancelot appeared, the final straw which signalled defeat. Aichi's head sank, bitterly disappointed with the result after setting up such a prime opportunity to make up for his previous defeat at the shop worker's hands, but not to be. Dejected as he was to have lost, it was the sheer reversal of luck which had knocked the wind out of him, eyeing the pair's respective Damage Zones with a heavy frown.
AICHI - MISAKI
6 -DAMAGE- 3
FIGHT END
"Misaki-san?"
Kamui's concerned voice lured Aichi away from the result, met with the sight of his victorious opponent hastily collecting her cards and setting them into a stack where her leading Amaterasu had been just shortly before. A completed deck which her fingers removed themselves from, no movement made to reclaim the cards and keep them on her person, even when retreating back from the table. Troubled by his niece's behaviour, Shin was quick to rise from his place behind the counter, spectacles masking the concern within his eyes, though his features continued to display all.
"I can't do it…" was the faint admission made by Misaki, her tresses hanging over her eyes and obscuring the pain which haunted usually bright hues. "I can't be part of the team".
Without further explanation, she turned away, taking swift strides in order to depart the shop before she might be halted. Shin's hands reached to seize her as she passed, though paused before taking hold, deciding against any effort to hold her back from leaving, when it dawned on him the best thing was likely to give her time and space. While at the table, Aichi and Kamui shrank at the reality that the fight they'd intended to be a training exercise had backfired so drastically. Behind them, Miwa paced around, setting his hand onto the deck and removing the cards left abandoned on the table, eyeing the stack with the figurehead of Amaterasu at the bottom. Though she'd always been distant, he'd been as fooled by the façade that she was coming to terms with playing alongside her comrades, but something resonated in her behaviour, something which reminded him of Kai. Greyed hues fixated themselves onto the doorway through which Misaki had escaped, clutching the deck firmly with the wonder of how they could reach out to someone who had all but run away, severing their best means through which to understand what demons plagued her.
PREVIEW
Kamui: Did we do something bad?
Aichi: I don't know… Perhaps we said something to Misaki-san that she couldn't approve of. I hope we can make it up to her.
Miwa: And just when I thought one of you was tough enough to keep an eye on, you're a lot like him.
Misaki: What're you talking about…? Stop trying to reel me back in, I need to cut my ties with this nonsense.
Aichi: Next time: "Cardfight! Vanguard Override, Chapter 13 – Crossroads of Past and Future". A fight must be the way to understand Misaki-san's feelings, right? But how can we when she-?
Miwa: Leave it to me!
[1] "Stand up, my avatar. Superior Ride. Blaster Blade!"
[2] "Shine radiantly, beautiful goddess! Ride! CEO Amaterasu!"
[3] "Give me power! The proud, prideful white wings! Solitary Knight, Gancelot!"
