Hana was cycling through her cards, making sure for the fifth time her deck was the way she wanted it to be. I won't disappoint Kaito! Not after all he and Hikaru have done for me. Her father, now nearly fluent in Japanese thanks to classes payed for by Shin, is manager of another branch of Card Capital.
Sure, she doesn't see him much, but he drops by to visit every now and again. Hana was given a place to stay at the Toshiki residence with Kaito and Hikaru, and their parents' are even paying for her to attend Fukahara.
I won't let them down. All the Vanguard training he's given me is gonna pay off today! Hana stood up and started for the door when she say Kaito standing in the doorway. She didn't see him, however, until she almost ran into him. "Oh! Sorry." She apologized, smiling brightly at the brunette.
Kaito's expression didn't change. "Hana, I know you think you gotta repay us. But the way I see it, giving your dad a job and putting you in school is just my way of repaying you for saving my life."
Hana looked down at the ground and began tracing an imaginary circle with her foot. "Well, that wasn't nearly as big as what you are doing for me and my dad. I might've saved your life but you've given a new one to me and my father. The least I can do is win this match for you."
Kaito sighed, knowing he wasn't going to be able to change the girl's mind on this. "How about this? Make it to the main team, and we'll call everything even. Deal?"
Hana looked up at Kaito, and giggled. "Yeah. Deal." Kaito smiled slightly and let her pass.
As the girl began down the hallway, Kaito yelled to her. "Hana!" She turned around, wondering what he wanted to tell her. "Mai's no pushover. Be careful."
Hana smiled and waved back to him. "Don't worry, I'll win for sure!" With that, she walked out into the stadium and had her breath taken away. This was her first big Vanguard tournament, and her first time getting to the semifinals. She felt her heart racing with excitement as she skipped out to the stage.
Aichi chuckled as the young girl happily made her way to the arena. Everyone with him, however, was surprised by the voice who spoke up behind them. "Hello. May I sit down as well, please?" Misaki turned around to see a familiar bald man with ice blue eyes and a black pinstripe suit.
She smiled and offered the seat to her right. "Oh! Here, Jakob, there's a seat next to me."
Jakob Miozera smiled at his employer's hospitality. "Thank you, Mrs. Toshiki." He bowed slightly and sat down next to her.
Misaki rolled her eyes at his formality. "Please, just call me Misaki, and you don't have to bow."
Jakob chuckled as he gazed around the stadium. "My apologies. It is, as you say, a 'force of habit' to be so formal. Now, I believe this will be Hana's match for the team selection?" He looked down to see Hana gazing all over the stadium, before stopping her gaze on him. He smiled and waved, hoping she was seeing him.
Hana grinned widely and waved back to her father, extremely happy he made it to her match. Soon, Mai walked out as well, legitimately scared ever since she was told that Kaito personally trained Hana how to cardfight.
"I can do this, I can do this, I can do this..." She kept repeating herself as she walked up to the stage to meet Hana.
Hana spotted her opponent and smiled. "Good luck to both of us!" She said, which oddly caught Mai off guard.
"Sure…" She agreed. I did not expect someone trained by Kaito to be so...cheerful.
"Stand up, the Vanguard! Dragon Dancer Monica (5000)!"
"Stand up, my Vanguard! Necro-Circus, Skeleton Puppeteer (5000)!"
Asaka smiled slightly as she watched her apt pupil take the first turn. Ever since the High School Finals, Asaka began teaching Mai how to be better with Pale Moon units. In the end, she picked up a whole new subclan, albeit with much reluctance in dropping her Puppets. Mai kept the deck out of fond memories, but has retired it to her room.
Mai took a small bow before starting her turn. "Hello, hello. I would like to welcome you to the best show Cray has to offer. You will either walk out of our tent in awe, or in a coffin. Now, please welcome the first act of the Necro-Circus!" Hana's face was exactly the same as everyone else's, except for her opponent and the Assassin of team Asteroid.
Jakob was confused, but able to speak. "Why is this girl acting as if this is a real circus?" Ren shook his head in disapproval, but couldn't stop a small smile on his face. "You can thank her for that." He gestured to Asaka, who tried her hardest to keep an innocent face, but her uncontrollable giggles blew her cover.
Akira hung his head in shame of his mother. "She even got Mai acting like her..." On Cray, the dragon-scale clad dancer found herself onstage in a massive white and blue circus tent. Then, on a stage opposite to her, a spotlight shown on a skeleton dressed in a suit, dangling a fish skeleton from strings in one hand and a bird skeleton in the other.
Mai had to admit that getting into the act of being the circus MC is pretty fun. Those months in drama club really weren't a waste, after all. "Now, Necro-Circus, Skeletal Sword Swallower (7000) will take center stage!"
The puppet master was soon replaced by a skeleton in just black dress pants and shoes in a flash of pale blue light. A rapier can clearly be seen in the skeleton's exposed stomach and ribcage. The rapier was coated in an emerald flame.
"Our puppeteer will move back to give our sword swallower the spotlight." She moves the grade 0 unit to the rear guard, behind Sword Swallower. "Now, I call to the stage Necro-Circus, Diabolo Demon (7000)!"
A black skinned man with dark grey horns and spikes carrying a large green diabolo (These are a little complicated to explain, so I'll just say to look one up) appeared in another spotlight next to the Vanguard.
"Diabolo Demon's ability lets me Soul Charge 2 when he comes into play from my hand. And now I'll use his other ability twice and Soul Charge 2 by discarding two cards." Mai smiled wider as she began picking up steam.
Daisuke whistled in admiration. "Man, and I thought my Amon deck soul charged fast." Akira nodded in response, watching in awe as well.
Mai wasn't done her first turn, however. "Now, I'll use Sword Swallower's ability to move Skeleton Puppeteer to the Soul and draw two cards." The puppet master melted into green fire and joined with the rapier's flame.
Mai giggled lightly. "And now for our Puppeteer's ability. When he is moved from the rear guard to the Soul, I can reveal the top card of my library." She did so, and smiled devilishly.
"And if the card is Grade 1 or lower, I can call it to my field. And guess what the odds are?"
Hana didn't reply, but knew the answer anyway. "Called to the stage now is Necro-Circus, Skeleton Rider (8000)!" Inside the circus tent, a spotlight came moving in from the right. Underneath it, a black skeleton riding a Harley jumped over Monica and skidded to a stop behind the undead sword eater.
The rider had on a white leather jacket, revealing his ribcage, and navy blue ripped jeans and black leather boots. The strangest part was that his skull was engulfed in the same jade flames as Sword Swallower's rapier.
Ryo snorted and smirked. "Ghost Rider much?" He asked, and the other cardfighters around him just gave blank stares.
Ryo took a second to think what he said over before talking again. "Ooohh, right. You guys don't read American comic books."
Akira shrugged in response. "Hey, you're the only one here who speaks and reads English, so it's not that big of a surprise."
Daisuke scratched his head in confusion. "Why do I feel like that's ironic, somehow?"
Mai looked over her field before taking another bow. "And with that the first act of our wonderful show comes to a close. Don't worry though. We will return with the much more exciting second act!"
Damage: Mai 0 Hana 0
CiH: Mai 6 Hana 7
CiS: Mai 4 Hana 0
Hana felt a bit threatened by Mai's incredible first turn, but got over it quick. "Draw, and ride Dragon Dancer Michelle (7000)!" Monica was engulfed in a bright red light and in a second the new Dragon Dancer stood in her place.
Michelle's wavy brown hair reached her shoulders, and her fiery red eyes showed confidence and joy. She is wearing a dark red top of dragon scales that cuts off at her stomach, and navy blue leggings that start at her waist and end at her shins. On her wrists and grey shin high sandals are silver bells that chime whenever she moves.
Mai took a deep breath and looked at her hand. As her eyes looked over the cards in her hand, she began formulating a plan of her own. "Calling two Dragon Dancer, Lourdes (6000)!" (As it turns out, website links don't show up Well,so I can't link the page for this card. It's a real card, though, just look it up.) The dancers appeared at both sides of Michelle.
"Now one of my Lourdes attacks your Vanguard. When Lourdes attacks, if you have two or less units in your rear guard, she gets an extra 3000 power." One of the Lourdes (9000) danced around the stage before a fireball appeared in the center of her tambourine. She twirled around and fired the projectile towards the half dressed skeleton.
"I won't guard." The fireball hit Sword Swallower in the chest, and caused his top half to break apart and fall to the ground, his body from the waist down still standing with the sword impaled in his hip bones.
"Damage check, a draw trigger. Power to my Skeletal Sword Swallower and I draw another card." After a few seconds, the skeleton reformed itself, its bones levitating with a green aura until they rejoined the rest of the skeleton.
Hana grimaced at the reveal of the trigger. Well that messes up my plan... "I still attack with Michelle." The dragon dancer performed a small routine, and as she did wind picked up all around her.
Mai laughed, feeling confident in winning this match. "No need to guard."
Hana closed her eyes and reached for her deck. "Drive check..." She pulled the card and opened her eyes.
She grinned widely. "Critical trigger! Everything to Michelle!"
Mai gasped, then mentally kicked herself for getting too cocky. Michelle did a small twirl and a pose to end the dance, and a strong gust of wind struck Mai's Vanguard, slicing his bones with high speed winds.
"Damage check. Nothing on the first, heal on the second." Mai bit her lip as she started coming back to earth. She's good. I underestimated her just because she's so much different than Kaito...
Hana let out the breath she was holding. Her plan was still a bit of success. "I'll end for now."
Damage: Mai 2 Hana 0
CiH: Mai 6 Hana 6
CiS: Mai 4 Hana 1
Mai took another bow as she drew her card. "I hope you all enjoyed the small break, but now here is the grand second act of the Necro-Circus! Taking center stage is Necro-Circus, Cyr Blade Wheeler (10000)!" The sword eating skeleton gave a bow before becoming engulfed in blue light.
When the light died down, a muscular man standing next to a giant ring was in his place. The man has a gas mask on, and the lenses are dark green. Along the outside of the ring razor sharp blades, like a saw, are clearly visible.
"I now move Diabolo Demon to the back row to call to the stage Necro-Circus, Razor Plate Spinner (9000)!" To Wheeler's left, a new spotlight appeared, and underneath was a deformed zombie with an orange suit. On his palms he was balancing two red sticks, and balancing on top of the sticks were two buzz saw blades.
"Now calling Necro-Circus, Undead Unicyclist (9000) and Skeletal Sword Swallower to help with his performance!" The zombie's skin was peeling slightly, and he was missing an eye. Around his neck was a sickly green scarf and he wore dark green baggy pants, with no shoes. His unicycle was adorned with miniature skulls and bones. He was juggling around four black bowling pins which were covered in green fire.
"Now Razor Plate Spinner will kick off today's performance by attacking Dragon Dancer Michelle, but not without some help from Diabolo Demon." The suit wearing zombie (16000) spun around, and upon facing forwards, flung the buzz saws towards the dancer.
Hana did not guard the attack. The saws crossed paths and cut Michelle across her chest. The saw boomeranged around and the zombie caught them on his sticks and continued his balancing act. "Damage check, a stand trigger. Power to Michelle and standing Lourdes."
"Now Undead Unicyclist will continue the show, with aide from Skeletal Sword Swallower!" The undead rider (16000) threw forward two pins, which rocketed forward like missiles and left a green trail of smoke.
"I don't guard." The pins made contact with the ground around Michelle and exploded in a bright green flash.
Hana winced as she watcher her lead disappear. "Damage check, nothing."
Mai, chuckled lightly and continued her assault. "Now Cyr Blade Wheeler, with support from Skeleton Biker, will give you all the main event of our second act!" Wheeler (18000) rolled the ring of death on the ground, then jumped in the center of it. He began riding it, not being fazed or even vomiting from flipping upside down so much.
Hana thought for a moment, closing her eyes and weighing her options. "I guard with Dragon Dancer Lily (10000)." The critical trigger unit appeared in the way of Wheeler's route to Michelle. Her blonde hair was in a ponytail with a wrap adorned with red scales. She was wearing a strapless rose colorEd scale dress that falls to her ankles and a dragon scale necklace. In her left hand was a black flute.
"Now let's check the drive trigger, Ahaha! A draw trigger! Power to Wheeler and drawing once card." Cyr Wheeler bulldozed through Lily and jumped out of the ring, causing it to fly into her horizontally. As it rebounded he caught the ring and jumped back to his own stage. Michelle flew back from recoil, and stood with slight trouble.
Hana winced as she didn't get a trigger this time either. Mai wasn't finished, however. "Now Wheeler's ability activates. When he hits a Vanguard, I can Soul Charge 2."
A more sly grin spread across her face. "Now, Undead Unicyclist will show us what he can do! By discarding two cards, I can move a unit to the Soul and superior call one Grade 2 or less unit from the Soul." She moved the Unicyclist himself to the Soul. On Cray, the riding zombie disappeared into green smoke, and his spotlight turned itself off.
"Now calling to the stage, a second Plate Spinner!" Another buzz saw balancing zombie, wearing a light blue suit, was at the center of Unicyclist's spotlight. "Resting him, I activate his ability. I can retire one Grade 2 or less unit you control, and I draw a card." One of the saws flew off the balancing stick and took out the rightmost Lourdes.
"And now for his other skill. Whenever a Plate Spinner retires a unit, be it from their ability or combat, I can Soul Charge 1." Mai confidently smirked as she moved another Grade 3 to the Soul.
The Pale Moon cardfighter gave an extravagant bow with a smile. "I hope this show is to your liking. We will have to end for now, but do not worry. The main act will begin shortly. And let me be the first to say, it's to die for!"
Hana didn't like her chances, but shook her head, as if to forcefully get the doubt out of her mind. "I can win. I have to win! Okay then, I stand and draw."
Damage: Mai 2 Hana 3
CiH: Mai 4 Hana 5
CiS: Mai 8 Hana 1
Jakob watched his daughter with laser focused attention. He smiled and chuckled to himself. She has grown more than I ever hoped. He continued to watch with pride as Hana began her next turn. On the opposite side of the stadium, Kaito was only slightly concerned for her. Only slightly. He didn't anticipate Mai getting a new deck, and being so adept at using it.
"Kaito? Earth to Kaito, can you read me?" He snapped out of his trance and glanced down, spying Akira with a confused look on his face. "Sorry. I'm fine." Akira turned back around, but kept having a conversation with him. "If you're worried about Hana losing don't be. She'll win."
Kaito raised an eyebrow. "And how are you this sure?"
Akira pointed across the room towards their parents, and Kaito nearly strained his eyes trying to see. Eventually he spied Jakob, and silently had an "Oh, right" moment to himself. He didn't even try to hide his following smirk.
Hana won't lose, not in front of her dad. He felt a twinge of pain in his chest, and a split second image of Kai appeared in his mind. "Right..." To not lose...to have my own father be proud of me as a cardfighter. That's why I accepted PSYqualia...
Kaito looked down again, and his eyes stopped on the one who helped him find his way. To have him see the light again. Kaito closed his eyes and chuckled, mentally thanking Akira for saving him. If I told him that in person, I'd never live it down.
Hana draw her card and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry Mai, but I'm putting your circus acts on hold. Hate to break it to you, but I'll win this. I won't lose, not here!"
Mai tilted her head and smirked. "Oh really? Let's see if your dancers can upstage my performers, then."
Hana closed her eyes and smirked. "They can outdo them, and they will. Time to get serious, I guess." When Hana opened her eyes, Mai got chills down her spine. She had the same cold stare as Kaito, and nearly the same aura of confidence and cockiness. Mai braced herself for the real fight to start.
Okay, I'll admit, this could've been out yesterday. But, I forgot about it because I nearly died of MHGen hype.
That being said, MHGEN HYPE!