Chapter 25: Burning Lead

The human stopped in front of a school. A gang of nearby teenagers looked up. They had their radio on and listening to terrible music. The human frowned and walked over. The gang got up threateningly. The human kicked the radio and watched as the signal settled on a station playing Viva La Vida by Coldplay. After taking care of the gang, the human checked his newspaper again.

November 30, 2011

The Human Immune to Death by Fire..and pretty much everything else now..

Is taking care of children near Styverston School.

Turning the corner, The human found Mokou leading kids across the street,

"Okay, come on now." She said, directing the children, "Ah, you kids, stop there for a moment."

The human watched her work for a moment before he left to buy some drinks.

Mokou sighed as she finally sat down. It was a strange job, directing the kids and those strange machines at once. It seems like she's in the Human Realm. There were a lot more kids in the Human Realm too. This isn't such a bad place. Though she could use some more information...

"Thirsty?" A human asked as he offered her a Mountain Dew.

"Oh. Um...thanks." Mokou said as she sceptically took the drink.

"You seem to like kids."

"I have a friend that deals with a lot of them so I've grown fond of them." Mokou shrugged.

"Kamishirasawa Keine, huh?"

Mokou spat out her drink, "H-How'd you..."

"I've taken care of...the both of you sometimes."

"Eh?" Mokou inched away, "What are you talking about?"

"That I'm your link back to Gensokyo." The human said, getting up.

"W-What?"

"Do you have a place to stay? If you want, you can stay with me."

"..."

"Okay." Mokou said, "So you can send me back to Gensokyo."

"Yes."

"And you name is?"

"Irrelevant."

"Why do I get the feeling that I heard this before?"

The human shrugged.

"...So how long does this usually take?"

The human shrugged.

"Am I going to be stuck here forever?"

"No."

"...Fine." Mokou sighed, "I have time."

"You have eternity."

"So you know I'm immortal."

"I know a lot of things."

"Oh? Is that so?"

"Hey."

The human looked up.

"What's it like living alone like this?" Mokou asked.

…

"What?"

"Oh. Sorry. I thought you'd ask for something to do. Most of my guests do that."

"Ha. Nothing you have could possibly entertain me for eternity."

"That's the problem with eternity." The human sighed, "As for your question...what's there to say? I sit here until a youkai pop up. Then I bring them here and wait for my power to activate."

"That's rather patient of you."

"I suppose."

"Don't you have any friends?"

"No."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Wow. Don't you have a childhood?"

The human stared at her.

"Too personal?"

The human looked away.

"...You're seriously telling me you've had no contact with humans whatsoever for...years?"

"Minimal." The human corrected, "I've gone down to buy provisions and on a daily basis to buy a newspaper."

"Don't you have a hobby?"

"No."

"Geez." Mokou frowned, "I can't imagine living like that."

"So I've been told."

"And you don't listen?"

"Why should I?"

"Well for one, it'd make you more interesting."

"Nothing is still something."

"? ...Also, you might get...visitors at least."

"Sasoku visits sometimes."

"Sasoku?"

"My sister."

"You have a sister?"

"Yes."

"...Is she more interesting than you?"

"Probably."

"Then why don't you learn from her?"

"Because there's nothing to learn."

"..."

"You do this for a living?" Mokou asked.

"Yeah."

"Do other youkais end up here?"

"Of course."

"What about Kaguya?"

"I've hosted her before."

"Seriously? HA! Serves her right. She's dumb enough to get herself stuck in the human world."

"What about you?"

"...S-So! What did you do with Kaguya?"

"Games mostly."

"Games? Like what?"

"I played Pokemon with her...and poker...and Yu-Gi-Oh."

"Who won?"

"2/3, it was me."

"You lost to her once? Which one was that?"

"Pokemon."

"...So you beat her at card games."

"Yeah."

"So if I beat you, that means I'm better than her?"

The human shrugged.

"Good enough for me. Let's play a card game."

The human sighed as he put down his newspaper, "Fine. I found a new game I wanted to try out anyway."

For what's coming up, I suggest you study up on Cardfight!Vanguard. If not, then skip the rest cause that takes up most of the chapter. The Author Apologizes...Profusely.

"Stand up!

"-the-"

Vanguard!"

"Amber Dragon, Dawn!"

"Niveus Albus."

"I'll start." Mokou said, drawing a card, "I ride Amber Dragon, Daylight! Using Amber Dragon, Dawn's skill, when I ride Daylight, I can add one Amber Dragon, Dusk from my deck to my hand. Furthermore, when Dawn is in my Soul, Daylight get's +2000 to his regular 6000. That's the end of my turn."

"My turn." The human said as he drew, "I ride Rutilus Rubrum. Activating Niveus Albus's skill. When I ride a Chele Boost Clan over him, I can add a Trigger Elemental from my deck to my hand. I add Flavus Crocea from my deck to my hand.

Furthermore, I'll call another Niveus Albus as well as a Grade 1, Roseus.

Battle.

I boost my Roseus with my Nivesus Albus, adding his 5000 attack to Roseus to make 12000."

"No guard."

"Check the Drive Trigger. No Trigger."

"Damage Trigger, check. Same here."

"Then I'll attack again with my Vanguard, Rutilus Rubrum."

"I guard with The Embodiment of the Spear, Tahr."

"Check the Drive Trigger. Critical Trigger, get. Though even with 13000 attack, I can't beat 18000. Turn end."

"Stand and draw." Mokou said, "I ride Amber Dragon, Dusk!

I'm calling one Amber Dragon, Daylight. Skill activate. By dropping one Kagero card, I can add one Amber Dragon, Eclipse from my deck to my hand.

I'm also calling one Dragon Knight Nehalem and one Embodiment of Armor, Bahr.

Battle!

Dragon Knight Nehalem gets a boost from Bahr and attacks your Vanguard!"

"No Guard."

"Drive Trigger Check. No trigger."

"Damage Trigger Check. Also No Trigger."

"Then with Amber Dragon, Dusk, I attack your Vanguard! With Daylight in my Soul, Dusk gains 1000, putting him at 10000."

"I guard with Seta Convorro."

"Drive Trigger Check. Critical Trigger! I add 5000 to Dusk to make 15000 and give him the extra critical!"

"First Check. Draw Trigger. I add 5000 to Rutilus Rubrum and draw a card. Second Check. No Trigger."

"Why are all your cards so hard to pronounce?" Mokou frowned, "Turn end."

"Stand and draw.

I ride Flavus Crocea from my hand."

"Here we go again." Mokou rolled her eyes.

"Flavus Crocea's skill activates. If I drop a Chele Boost Unit that has a trigger, I can add one Trigger Elemental from my deck. I'll add Arquatus Iris.

I call Aerius Caesius. Counterblast one card. By adding him to the Soul, I can drop one Chele Boost Unit that has a trigger and activate that trigger. I drop Ater Cibarius, activating his Critical Trigger. I add 5000 to Flavus Crocea to make 15000 as well as give him the critical.

I'll also call another Seta Convorro and a Topiaria.

Battle.

Roseus gets a boost from Niveus Albus and attacks."

"12000 against 10000? No guard."

"I activate Niveus Albus' skill. As long as he's not boosting a Vanguard, I can return him to the deck and drop a Chele Boost card that has a trigger, activating it.

I drop Viridus Frons and activate his Heal Trigger. Recover one damage and add 5000 to Topiaria."

"AH! Cheater!"

"I didn't cheat."

"Hmph. Damage Trigger Check. No Triggers."

"Seta Convorro boost 6000 to Topiaria. With the Heal Trigger boost, Topiaria attacks with 19000."

"Guard with Lizard Runner Undeux."

"Check the Drive Trigger...No triggers."

"So no damage." Mokou smirked.

"...Flavus Crocea attacks."

"15000...Guard with Dragon Monk, Genjo."

"Check the Drive Trigger. No triggers."

"Stand and draw!

I ride Amber Dragon, Eclipse! Counterblast two cards! Now if Eclipse hits your Vanguard, I can retire 2 rear guards.

I call Relentless Sutherland.

Battle!

Bahr boosts Nehalem and attacks your Vanguard."

"...No guard."

"Drive Trigger Check. No Trigger."

"Damage Trigger Check. No Trigger."

"Next up is my Vanguard, Eclipse! Attack! Twin Drive!"

"...No Guard."

"First Check. Second Check. No triggers..."

"Damage Check. First Trigger. Second Trigger. Stand Trigger activate. I stand my Flavus Crocea and give him +5000."

"But my attack hit!" Mokou cried, "That means Eclipse's skill activates and I can retire 2 of your Rear Guards. I retire...t-this one and this one."

"Roseus and Topiaria." The human said.

"Whatever. The point is that my Relentless Sutherland's skill activates. For each Rear Guard sent to the Drop Zone, he gains 3000. That was 2 so he gains 6000 making him 14000. And with that 14000, I attack your Vanguard!"

"...No Guard."

"Drive Trigger Check...Critical Trigger! I add 5000 to Sutherland and the critical!"

"...Damage Check. First check...Second Check...No triggers."

"That's 5." Mokou smiled, "One more and I win."

"Final Turn." The human announced, "Stand and draw.

I ride Arquatus Iris. Counterblast 5 cards and Soulblast. By Soulblasting Niveus Albus, Rutilus Rubrum, Flavus Crocea and Aerius Caesius, I can drop 2 Chele Boost Units from my hand or deck..."

"How can you say all that without tripping up?" Mokou frowned.

"I drop a Flavus Crocea and Rutilus Rubrim, activating their triggers of Critical and Draw. I give all effect to Arquatus Iris and draw a card.

I call an Ater Cibarius and Niveus Albus.

Battle.

I attack with Ater Cibarius."

"...No guard."

"Twin Drive Check. First Check. Second Check. Heal Trigger. But due to Ater Cibarius' effect, if it isn't in the Vanguard Circle, I cannot activate any Triggers through his Twin Drive."

"Pity." Mokou smirked, "Damage Trigger. No Trigger."

"Arquatus Isis gets boosted by Niveus Albus. 27000."

"...Ah! Intercept with Relentless Sutherland! Guard with Lizard Runner Undeux and Dragon Knight Nehalem!"

"Check the Drive Trigger. First Check. Ater Cibarius. I activate his Critical Trigger. +5000 to Arquatus Iris and another critical."

"3-32000?" Mokou cried.

"Second Check. No Trigger. The attack was a success however. That's 3 damage. If you don't get a Heal Trigger, you won't win."

"...Damage Check. First Check...Second Check...Third...Check...No Triggers."

"..."

"...THIS GAME IS INCREDIBLY LUCK BASED ANYWAY!" Mokou cried, flipping over the table.