A/N: Hello, I do hope you like this chapter and will continue reading. I know this is probably confusing and I am so sorry if it is. Oh by the way if I ever get to chapter 40 or 41 in Time Clan that gives more insight on the Shadow Paladins since that's basically the Sequel to this.
Disclaimer: I do not own Vanguard or its characters
Chapter Fifty-Three: Painful Nationals
Aichi's POV
"The Vanguard Nationals are here again… and maybe this time I'll remember it" I said but I said the last part under my breath. Kamui said that hard work pays off and I do agree with but I didn't really do much when it came to getting us here.
Kai nudged me forward when the others were walking, I felt bad for Shin because he was talking when they started walking. I chuckled slightly when Misaki said it was Shin who needed to relax instead of us since that's what he sounded like to her.
I continued walking hoping nothing bad will happen today but I feel like I'm being a bit too hopeful. I heard Shin say that we're standing with the Country's top Teams before Kamui started listing some that he currently sees.
Wonder Boys from TV, Wild Angel, and Southern Winds were some of the few he named but I don't recognize any since I can't exactly watch TV. "Lying to your Uncle isn't a good thing Misaki" I said when I heard her say she was shaking from excitement.
Shin had asked her if she was okay when she told him that and I could tell she was nervous about one person in particular. Kamui said he was 'over flowering' with excitement making us sweat drop since I think he meant 'overflowing' while Kai only sighed slightly at the grammar.
I turned towards Team Caesar when I heard Kenji's voice "hey guys, sorry about last time" I said when I saw them before Kamui said their Team's name getting everyone to look their way. This made Kenji hide behind me making me smile sadly because he's still the same as always.
He said he hates it when Cardfighters look at him making me chuckle slightly since his Team are Cardfighters and they look at him all the time. I'm also guessing many of his friends and acquaintances are Cardfighters to and that would mean they look at him as well.
We had to move to the Hallway before I heard Yuri say that she hopes he'll get used to the Spotlight sometime in the future. "I was the same way a while ago and it's not that bad" I said before Kenji said that I seem different from before.
I bowed at that speaking as I did so "I want to apologize for what happened last time, I haven't been able to properly" I said before I stood up when Kenji said I don't have to. Kai told them that they did good work when he saw their Matches during the fights last week.
Guy said that our Team impressed them most but I smiled at Kai for wanting to be a part of the conversation. I gripped my head when Darkquartz screeched loudly, I let him do this often but before I was used to him screeching.
I heard Kamui say that we're going to win because there's no one who doesn't like a win from the underdogs making me smile before Darkquartz stopped screeching. Yuri told him good luck with that because they're not pushovers making me smile again before I thanked Kenji when he said that they're rooting for us.
Scene Change: Outside a Tunnel in the Stands
I nodded at them before I looked back at the Arena where the Cardfights will be held when they told us they'll see us on the field. I didn't want to listen to what MC Mia or Ultra Rare were saying so for the most part I didn't.
We were walking up to Shin who was clapping when MC Mia asked if everyone was up for some Cardfights. Everyone was clapping when that was said though which I smiled at.
Dren was called to the Stage but I didn't listen to him when I gripped my head hearing nothing but screeching and buzzing from Darkquartz. I saw Dren walking towards us when the speech was done, in the middle of it was when Darkquartz stopped screeching.
"Hey Dren" I said before he walked closer to me than Tetsu and Asaka did, I tensed when Dren motioned me closer but walked without meaning to. "Where's Daichi at?" he asked me with the colors of anger on his face.
"Not here Dren and I don't want him to be, I promised Blaster Dark and Darkquartz I would return Darkpride and Darkquartz to their home" I said before his right hand touched a pressure point on my neck. My head jerked slightly before I couldn't move it anymore 'this isn't good' I thought before Dren spoke.
"If I can't get him back by the normal means I'll get him back the other way" he told me before his mouth came closer till they touched mine. Every millisecond that passed I felt weaker despite trying to get away from him.
I hit his chest three times before he let me go, I almost fell before he caught me calling Daichi's name as a question but I shook my head. "Tch, one step down but I wonder what Kai thinks of it" he whispered in my ear making my body tense before I mustered as much strength as I could to get away from him.
When I could do that I moved away from him getting Misaki and Kamui to grab an arm when I stumbled backwards since I still couldn't feel my legs. Whenever Dren does that in front of a large crowd it makes my Soul darker and gives easier access for Darkquartz to appear again.
I shook off their arms when they asked if I was okay and asked what happened but I just looked at the ground my bangs shadowing my eyes. "It's nothing" I said before Dren spoke.
"Seems your fangs grew in" he told me despite the odd looks I felt from everyone in the Stadium. I pulled the Shadow Paladin Deck out of my pocket showing it to Dren making him angry before I flinched.
"You're going to keep it because no matter what I'm getting Daichi back, after all that was the first step" he told me before he left (1). Kamui said something about me throwing the Deck away but I shook my head still not looking up from the ground.
"Not mine to begin with, besides…" I said not wanting to finish the sentence thinking that Dren might be right. All the ways to get Daichi back have to do with Kai leaving, the kiss basically plants a seed of doubt in me when it comes to what Kai thinks about it.
I heard MC Mia say something about picking who's going to be facing who before a Team was picked. "Who's going first?" I asked before Kai said it was us making me smiled softly since Kai was the one who answered but I tensed at his voice as well.
The next Team was picked before I heard Shin say that Team Asteroid's starting position works well for us confusing me. "Manager said that because we'll be facing them in the Finals" Kamui told me and I nodded before he said that we'll overwhelm them with our ability.
I didn't say anything when I heard Kamui call dibs on first and Misaki say she was going second before Shin said that the only ones left are Kai and I. Kai said that I'll be going third making me look up, I only looked near his chin though.
He said that we started it so we have to finish it making me smile slightly because I know that basically means he believes in us. "Thanks Kai" I said before I looked down again not wanting to see what emotion he'd feel when I said that.
Shin said what I had thought when I heard Kamui ask why I said thank you. I don't know if anyone said anything else because I wasn't paying attention.
Time Skip: Matches
I was in the Wait Box with the others hearing Misaki tell me that Kamui won since I was in the back leaning against a corner. After a while I heard the Judge say that Misaki won her Match but I was in the same spot as I was during Kamui's Match.
I was watching Kenji's Match with the others when our Matches were done to see that Kenji won his. It wasn't a surprise but I was still happy for him regardless of that.
Our Match against Wild Angel was 'too close to call' apparently since the next turn would decide the outcome. I wasn't watching the Match but I was slowly getting closer to Kai than I was in the first Round.
Kamui was announced the winner before I saw that Misaki was up, after a while of reading instead of watching I heard Misaki call Final Turn and heard her ride Amaterasu. Misaki was announced the winner after one attack was guarded but the other two weren't.
I was outside of the Waiting Box hearing Kamui say that he knew Team Asteroid would make it but he didn't want Team Brilliant Stars to as well, that was what his tone said anyway. Misaki said something about Team Caesar being with us as well but I know they're going to lose to us.
Team Brilliant Stars I know are going to lose to Team Asteroid but I don't know who exactly was going to lose to who because I didn't want to know. "We're facing Team Caesar then" I said when I heard Kamui say that it was good news for us that Team Brilliant Stars were facing Team Asteroid.
I heard Kamui say something about Steel Vampir before I got a text from Tetsu, I took out my phone reading what he sent. 'I'm sorry about Dren, I should've stopped him when he walked up to you' was what I read before I texted back that it's fine.
"Demon of Aspiration and Demon World, Marquis Amon right?" I asked Kai when he said the Demons are the ones that Kiriya should be watching out for. 'At least I can talk to him, I knew that already but seeing his emotions are harder' I thought sadly before I bit my tongue.
I heard Kamui say something but I wasn't listening before I heard Kai say that Kiriya was desperate before I spoke. "He is, he's despairing right now because he thinks he should've finished Tetsu off last turn which meant he was trying to end it there" I said before Kamui asked how I knew that.
"Reading emotions for as many years as I have you can tell why someone feels that way" I said simply shading my eyes with my hair again, I know that worried them so I felt bad for it. Tetsu won the Match before I got a call from him which I answered, he asked if I was really okay before I spoke.
"I'm fine honestly" I said before he asked if I was lying because Kai and the others can hear me when he looked at me from below. "I said I'm fine, it didn't mean anything" I said before I heard him growl telling me that he knows that isn't true.
"I got to go Tetsu" I said before I hung up after I heard him sigh telling me he'll call me later which I chuckled lightly at. After a while of reading Ren's texts while Asaka was playing I heard her tell Barking Manticore to finish the Match.
Manticore did so obediently before I heard the Judge say that Asaka was the winner. 'I'm sorry about what Dren did, it was uncalled for' I read making me sigh, the texts were fine until Asaka won her Match.
I heard Misaki say that Team Asteroid has gotten stronger before I heard Shin say that the ones we should focus on are below us making me look down to see Team Caesar.
Time Skip: Before the Last Match of the Finals
I heard MC Mia say something but I wasn't listening and instead gripped my Deck tighter when I heard a voice in the back of my head. 'I bet Kai hates you now don't you?' the voice asked, I've been hearing it since Dren kissed me in front of Kai.
A/N: Hello, I finished writing this at 6:03 P.M. on November 15, 2016.
1) The scene was supposed to be different than that but oh well it's close.
I do hope you like this chapter and will continue reading, see you next Tuesday.
