Kai's Apartment
"Snowy white, swift wind! Becoming a shooting star in the night sky! Break Grow!"
(Cardfight! Vanguard OST: Kai's Determination)
On the imagined battlefield within Aichi and Leon's minds, a torrent of water enveloped Trans-core Dragon as Umr stared on to see the unit disappearing and the shadow of a different Tear Dragon taking its place, one that was very familiar to the Royal Paladin user who had seen it on more than one occasion. The column of water collapsed to reveal the all too familiar form of this particular unit, now powered up by the Break Grow ability of Trans-core Dragon as it stared down at the LRIG, with the cannons on its shoulders primed and ready to fire.
"Blue Wave Dragon, Tetra-drive Dragon!"
Back in the apartment, Aichi stared at Tetra-drive Dragon's card for a moment before looking back to his own field, seeing that from the few turns that had passed, he was already at an overwhelming disadvantage. He had grown Umr to the Level 4 form that was known as Umr=Fyra, Wielder of the Key of Chaos after barely surviving the previous wave of attacks from Trans-core Dragon. Like the Key of Impartiality form that was used in the Royal Paladin user's previous bout against Ulith, Umr in this form did not possess much for clothing except for various straps that covered over both her chest and lower body whilst several buckles kept them locked in place with the looser portions dangling around her arms and legs.
"So he's really going for it," Naoki murmured as he looked at Tetra-drive Dragon's card for a moment. "Now that I think about it... how was Leon able to grow into an LRIG of the same Level?"
"What are you getting at?" asked Kamui.
"It's just that on his last turn, he performed a Break Grow with Trans-core Dragon by using Blue Storm Marine General, Demetrius..." he replied "But... wasn't there a ruling or something on growing LRIGs that I can't quite remember."
"In the game of Wixoss, you are allowed to Grow your LRIG to an equal or lower level," Ren interjected as he took a seat beside the two cardfighters "However, that new LRIG cannot have the same name as the one they are growing from. That's why Leon used Demetrius first for Trans-core Dragon and if you remember back to Aichi's battle with Ulith, he was able to Grow into Umr because of her Spell, despite Alfred already being at Level 4."
"I suppose that makes sense..." said Naoki as he looked back at the battle to see how it would turn out from here.
Over from her own card on the table, Umr herself had been watching the friendly battle between Leon and Aichi very closely, noting the Royal Paladin user or her 'Selector' in some context in his calmness at the moment. Noting his determination beneath that expression, she recalled when she had first reunited with him due to Ulith's meddling with his PSY Qualia, noting how utterly devastated he was when the cruel demanored Selector had broken out what she deemed to be the absolute truth as a result of his future actions. Now, it seemed like that the event was nothing more than a bad memory and that it had not put a dampener on Aichi's confidence in his current state.
The Royal Paladin user could see that Leon had Storm Rider, Diamantes back onto his field after previously using its effect from his Ener Zone to summon it back to the field at the start of the turn. Looking ahead, he could see that he was now summoning an additional two copies to join it, now seeing the trouble that he was in at the moment.
It's still too soon... he thought as he gazed at his LRIG deck before looking back at the three cards that were in his hand.
"I pay 1 to add 2000 power to my center Diamantes. And now... the first wave," Leon spoke as he downed the card of the Diamantes in the center SIGNI column.
On the imaged field, the center Diamantes took a mightly leap at the Level 4 SIGNI, Code Anti Nessie before slashing down the front of her with the larger of the two blades that he carried. After the SIGNI was banished as a result of the battle, the Storm Rider vanished in a white glow before Tidal Assault landed down on the center space of Leon's side of the field beside his other two Diamantes. Tetra-drive Dragon roared loudly as it pointed its cannons down towards Umr, signalling the second attack of the turn.
"I discard a card through Trans-core's skill and guard with Servant T!" Aichi called as he discarded Code Anti Voyni from his hand before revealing the Guard SIGNI.
"Very well," Leon replied "As Tetra-drive battled on the second wave, I gain another SIGNI attack step!"
"No way...!" exclaimed Kamui "I thought my Nova Grapplers were the only clan to get around that restriction!"
"To be fair, we have seen Leon fight Hatsu earlier today," Ren mused lightly, slightly nudging his shoulder "At least you and him fit the same category in that regards to your clan's speciality. Though I must admit I'm a little jealous."
"I suppose..." Naoki murmured to himself.
As their little banter quickly came to an end, Aichi moved his remaining two SIGNI, Code Anti Asslyen and Code Anti Nebra to his Ener Zone as a result of them being banished by Leon's remaining two Diamantes. Looking on to see to the Aqua Force user pay the cost for Tetra-drive Dragon's Limit Break, he knew that he wasn't in the clear just yet as the card was immediately upped.
"The fifth and sixth waves," he spoke as he downed Tidal Assault's card immediately.
Back on the field within their minds, Umr parried off Tidal Assault's first blade whilst wincing in pain at the same time from using her key against such great force before the Aquaroid immediately slashed down the front of the LRIG as she fell backwards before two glowing auras surrounded her, coming from the SIGNI known as Servant D and Code Anti Voyni, showing that Aichi had triggered their Life Bursts as a result of the double attack just now. Tetra-drive Dragon's cannons whirred to life as it unleashed two torrents of water that came in her direction before the figure of Servant T appeared once again to shield the LRIG from the attack.
Leon stared at Aichi as he moved the card to his Trash Pile, having partially expected that a lucky draw would save him for this round as he gazed to his opponent's Ener, now seeing that in addition to the three banished SIGNI and two crushed Life Cloths that he had three additional cards in his Ener Zone, bringing the complete total up to nine. However, he could also see that Aichi's field was completely empty and he had no cards in his hand to protect his very last Life Cloth whilst he still had only one of his own to compensate for the two consecutive Break Grow turns over the course of the game. Naturally, the odds seemed against the Royal Paladin user, but Leon knew better than to assume the outcome this soon, even if it was his first time using the deck that Hatsu had given him.
"Turn end," he spoke.
(End Music)
End of Turn 8
Aichi vs Leon
Hand - 0 : 2
Life Cloths - 1 : 1
Current LRIGs - Umr=Fyra, Wielder of the Key of Chaos : Blue Wave Dragon, Tetra-drive Dragon
SIGNI : EMPTY - EMPTY - EMPTY : Storm Rider, Diamantes - Tidal Assault - Storm Rider, Diamantes
Ener - 9 : 2
"That was a close one..." Kamui breathed "If onii-san hadn't drawn off of Voyni, he'd be in real trouble."
"But... he's got nothing in his hand and Leon still has three Diamantes at his disposal," Naoki muttered "If Aichi doesn't do something to increase the pressure next turn, it's over."
Aich breathed a sigh of relief for a moment as he immediately begun his turn by drawing his two cards before looking down towards Umr herself whose card lay on the table outside of the 'makeshift' battlefield. She gazed up at him for a moment as she began to open her lips to speak to him.
"I am not completely familiar with the strategems that are seemingly based around me..." she spoke "But from what I can gather thus far... you are handling yourself well with my supposed abilities."
"I guess..." he replied before looking back to Leon and the only two cards that he now held. Taking a hold of one of them, he revealed it to be another Code Anti Nessie as he placed it down onto the center SIGNI space.
"With the ARTS Ancient Digger," Aichi spoke "I pay 1 to summon any Ancient Weapon SIGNI I want from my Trash Pile."
(Cardfight! Vanguard Unreleased Soundtrack: Aichi no Theme 2)*
On the imaged field, Umr thrust her key into the ground as Code Anti Aztec reappeared on his side of the field in a black aura followed shortly by Code Anti Voyni who reappeared on the far left side of Aichi's field. Nessie's eyes flashed a bright orange as she suddenly vanished into a veil of black shadows much to the surprise of all of Leon's units as she then reappeared behind them before lashing out her tail at the two Diamantes, banishing them both from the field. Leon remained visibly unfazed as he moved the two banished SIGNI to his Ener Zone before looking back at Aichi who then moved Voyni's card back to his Trash Pile, much to his confusion.
"With Nebra's skill," he continued "I pay the cost to revive her and activate Nessie's skill once again."
Leon simply moved Tidal Assault's card to his Ener Zone, still remaining unfazed in the scenario that he found himself within.
"Yes!" Kamui called "Leon's wide open! Aichi's three SIGNI can just attack him directly!"
"I wouldn't be so sure," Ren replied as he stared on closely.
"ARTS, Don't Move!" Leon called as he revealed the card "By paying three of my five Ener, I down both of your Nessies!"
Whilst Aichi groaned for a moment as he downed both of his Level 4 SIGNI, he kept his eyes closely on Nebra's card before reaching out for it.
"Nebra attacks Tetra-drive Dragon!" he called.
Back within the imaged field, Nebra gathered several green orbs of energy around her with a black aura surrounding each of them before she pointed right at Tetra-drive Dragon, firing several green beams of energy that struck the Tear Dragon head on, causing it to cry out and lash around in pain as Umr firmly gripped ahold of the key that she wielded. She leaped up into the air before diving down towards her target with a mighty battle cry before a unit suddenly materialized in front of her, revealed to be Emerald Shield, Paschal, having come to Leon's rescue to save him from defeat this turn. Aichi remained calm as he watched the Aqua Force user move the Perfect Guard to his Trash Pile, knowing that he didn't have any other option but to end his turn there.
End of Turn 9
Aichi vs Leon
Hand - 1 : 1
Life Cloths - 1 : 0
Current LRIGs - Umr=Fyra, Wielder of the Key of Chaos : Blue Wave Dragon, Tetra-drive Dragon
SIGNI : Code Anti Nebra - Code Anti Nessie - Code Anti Nessie : EMPTY - EMPTY - EMPTY
Ener - 0 : 3
"Up and draw," Leon spoke "It seems that Umr is indeed a powerful adversary when in capable hands. But from the way you are now with nothing more than the deck you've inherited from Hatsu, there is still more you must do if we are to understand her full power."
"You're right about that, Leon-san," Aichi replied "Takuto helped her to find me for a reason and I'm sure that together, we'll find out what that reason is."
"That is true," the Aqua Force replied as he moved Diamantes' card from his Ener Zone to the field by revealing Ouika, Water Phantom from his hand before summoning her and a second copy to the field. "Now then... prepare to face the third wave of the wind!"
As Aichi's gaze reverted back a determined state, he looked down on his field to see the situation that he was in, having recalled what exactly Diamantes was capable of in starting the loop of attacks that was needed to finish him off.
"Aichi!" Umr's voice called out "Use 'that' card now!"
"I got it!" he replied as he pulled out a card from his LRIG deck "By using Doping, I increase Nebra's power by 3000 until the end of the turn!"
As a white aura surrounded Nebra to increase her power, Diamantes regardless of knowing this change in strength or not charged towards the SIGNI who was able to withstand the blows of the Aquaroid with ease, thanks to the use of the Colourless ARTS. Tetra-drive Dragon roared loudly as it aimed its cannons down at Umr before firing off two jets of water that stuck the LRIG head on, knowing backwards in a raging torrent that subsided a few moments afterwards, leaving her soaked to the brim. As Tetra-drive stepped backwards for a moment, a black aura surrounded Diamantes as an afterimage of Code Anti Nessie suddenly appeared behind him and lashed out at the Aquaroid with her tail to banish him again before vanishing from the field.
"Again..." Leon muttered under his breath "However..."
Both of his Ouikas then leaped into the air and each landed down a hard kick on the remaining Code Anti Nessies that were on Aichi's field to banish them before retreating as a large blue Vanguard circle flashed in front of Tetra-drive Dragon as it fired its cannons at Umr once again. The jets of water landed in front of her, bringing up a cloud of smoke from impacting the weakened ground that she was standing in front of. As Tetra-drive Dragon gazed upon the area where its attack had landed, a blinding light suddenly dispelled the smoke revealing that Servant D this time was the Guard SIGNI that had just saved the LRIG. Knowing the inevital outcome to follow on from there, Leon who had still imaged himself as Tetra-drive Dragon closed his eyes as Code Anti Nebra then unleashed more green beams from the orbs that were floating around her, dealing the final blow that was needed for Aichi to finish the battle right there.
(End Music)
Back in the apartment, Leon opened his eyes as Aichi smiled warmly in response, acknowledging that he had enjoyed their friendly competition. The Aqua Force user returned a gentle smile of his own in return with no more words to follow, allowing the Royal Paladin wielder to know that was all there was to it.
"You did it, onii-san!" Kamui cheered in celebration as he jumped from his seat and came over to Aichi's right.
"Phew..." sighed Naoki "You almost had me going for a moment there."
Before Ren could make any comment of his own, a cough was heard from another portion of the table as everyone turned to see that Umr was wanting to voice her own opinion on Aichi's efforts in tonight's friendly battle.
"I suppose I should offer my... congratulations as well..." she spoke, having not familiarized herself with the exact definition as of yet.
"You're welcome, Umr," Aichi said kindly in response "Though I was lucky with my final Life Cloth in the end. That and your reminder of the Doping ARTS kind of saved me there. I should thank you as well."
"Well then... you are welcome," she replied in her usual tone.
"You battled using only what Hatsu had entrusted to you now," Leon spoke "But, I sense there is great potential for a perfect compatibility between you and Umr. The true test however will present itself soon, given your previous bond with the Royal Paladins that you still intend to fight alongside with as well."
As silence fell in the apartment once more with the Aqua Force user gathering his deck back together, a rington suddenly began ringing throughout the apartment's living space as Aichi reached into his pocket to bring out his phone. Looking on the screen, the Royal Paladin user saw that it was Hitoe's name that was labeled as the caller at this very moment.
"Hello?"
"Aichi-kun... are you there?" Hitoe's voice sounded through the speaker.
"Yes," he answered "Is something wrong?"
"Not at all..." she replied "I just was wondering... if you weren't completely busy with Kai and the others tomorrow... Could we meet up at the library?"
"That's alright with me," Aichi answered with a warm smile "I'll meet you there in the afternoon."
"T... Thank you," said Hitoe "Then... I'll see you tomorrow. Good night."
And with that, the brief call between the timid Selector and the Royal Paladin user came to a close as he looked over to the other cardfighters in the room.
"So what's up with her?" asked Naoki.
"I agreed to help out Hitoe with some of her anxiety," Aichi answered "I can tell she really means well, even looking out for both Ruko-san and Yuzuki-san, her closest friends."
"Now that I think about it, she did look kind of shy," Kamui remarked "Almost reminds me of how you used to be when I first met you."
The Royal Paladin user simply laughed nervously in response, having known that it was inevital that kind of comparison would end up being brought between both him and Hitoe to a degree. Deciding to ponder on the subject for another time, he turned his thoughts over to Kai and how he and Ruko were doing throughout the rest of the evening back at the Selector's apartment.
Uemura Household
Meanwhile in her own bedroom back home, Hitoe placed her cell phone away on the desk as she sat down on her bed and thought over everything that had transpired. She had just asked Aichi in the event of hoping that he was still willing to try and help her overcome more of her anxiety whilst they still had some time together before a plan of action in regards to ending the Selector Battles once and for could be drawn up. But then again, with still so little that all of them knew in regards to this subject, there was plenty of opportunities for this personal issue to be settled so that hopefully, she wouldn't act so nervous around the people she came across.
Now that she was thinking about Aichi himself for a moment however, Hitoe gazed out into the night sky from the window beside her bed thinking about all that had happened since she had first met him. His kindness was geniune as Kai had described to her on the day that she learned everything there was to know about the Royal Paladin user as well as what he had been through in the past. Seeing that her Selector was lost in thought for a moment, Yuzuki gazed up from her card which lay on the desk.
"Hitoe!" she called, snapping the girl out of her daydream like state.
"S... Sorry Yuzuki!" she replied as she got up from her bed and frantically took a seat in front of her desk to talk to her LRIG.
"Easy there..." said Yuzuki as she tried to calm down her Selector. "It's just... I've noticed you staring into space a bit more often these days."
"T... That is true..." Hitoe murmured as her cheeks flushed briefly for a moment "A... Anyway, how did I do?"
"You mean your call with Aichi?" the LRIG asked to which the Selector nodded. "Well, at least you got the point across to him as clearly as you could."
Hitoe breathed a sigh of relief, with reassurance on her side that her earlier call with Aichi did not go as badly as initially anticipated it to be. Yuzuki simply gazed up at her Selector, noticing her current expression out of curiousity. That was when the LRIG remembered that there was something on the back of her mind that she wanted to tell her at this very moment.
"You know... now that I think back to it," she murmured "... I wasn't entirely kidding back then when I said you seemed similar to Aichi."
(Selector Infected Wixoss OST: Hitoe)
Hitoe blinked for a moment, curious to why Yuzuki had brought up this particular subject again when she had initially mentioned it on the day that Kai had told the two of them almost everything that they needed to know about both himself and Aichi.
"You've come a long way from when Ruko and I first met you," the LRIG continued "Even when your wish was tainted... even though only pain awaited for you whenever you tried to restore those lost memories... you perservered and fought back against whatever it was that Mayu had cast to seal those same memories."
"That's true..." said Hitoe "But... I don't see how Aichi and I are alike because of that."
"Don't you see?" Yuzuki replied "It's because of your courage in those conditions, even when you still have your social awkwardness around you that you were able to meet with Ruko again. And then, you stood up for yourself and what you believed in to win back Kai's deck from Akira despite the danger that was present."
"My... courage?" the Selector breathed.
"That's right," she spoke "It's something that someone has to overcome something that they truely fear, something that even I didn't have when sorting out my feelings for Kazuki before I discovered the truth of the Selector Battles. Before that battle with Akira that we had, Aichi and I could see that you were scared knowing that we were going to be within her presence, but for whatever reason you had, you put all of that fear aside to give him the time he needed to find Ulith."
Hitoe remained still as she absorbed all of the information that Yuzuki had been giving to her right at this moment, now understanding what exactly her LRIG was trying to tell her as she went deep into thought.
Yuzuki does have a point... she murmured in her thoughts Kai said that Aichi in the past had some issues with interacting with the people around him just like I do, only he got bullied because of it. It wasn't until he got Blaster Blade that he was able to discover the game that they played and find himself with people that can understand him. He also found his courage then, allowing him to grow as a stronger cardfighter and to save his world twice. Ren, Leon and even Kai changed for the better back in his world through what he did and what he believed in.
"... Aichi understands my issue because he's been through it before," the Selector continued aloud "And he always looks for the best in people around him. That's... what I like about him..."
Yuzuki simply looked up at Hitoe, presuming from her words just now that she finally understood about what she was trying to get across to her. At the same time though, there was something about the way she spoke that had perked the LRIG's curiousity for a moment, but decided to ponder on that subject for another day, believing it to be just a random thought that had simply woven its way right into her mind.
Now that I do think about it though... she pondered in her thoughts I wonder how Kazuki is doing...
(End Music)
"A... Anyway Yuzuki," Hitoe spoke, interrupting the LRIG's thoughts "Do you think Ruko will be okay?"
"I can't really say..." Yuzuki replied "With the fact Ayumu's opposing us because of her mom and something that happened six years ago none of us know anything about, she's probably taking it hard."
Hitoe's expression changed to one of sadness, grimly acknowledging in agreement with her LRIG that this was indeed the case. With the events of six years beforehand between Ruko and her mother Miyako currently remaining a mystery that was to be solved, they knew the sudden family issue would be a difficult one for their friend to overcome in the many trials that would surely lie ahead for them. Ayumu had turned against his sister because of presumed knowledge of these events that he had not fully revealed to them yet, but they knew that unless they could get him to talk about what had happened then, there was no way that this pain from the past between the two of them could finally be put behind them.
Ruko's Apartment
Back in Ruko's apartment, the Selector looked down at her side of the field to a Wixoss match that she had conducted with Kai in the midst of his late night visit to her. She had been playing with Kuro's deck, now removed of the cards that represented the forms of both Ultima/Maiden and Berserk Draconis along with any further influence of Reverse that had been removed from her in the previous night's battle. The Selector looked up to Kai who had kept his eyes closed from her, after barely winning the match with Dragonic Overlord the End on the 'Final Turn' that he had previously called out then. Kuro who had been watching the match closely with Tama from their respective cards simply kept her gaze upon Ruko, having expected something like this would happen.
"As I thought, you still have much to accomplish with my power now that Mayu or Reverse doesn't hold any influence on us," she murmured "But, I can sense that your will has wavered with what has happened today."
"S... Sorry Kuro," Ruko replied "I... just felt a little uneasy with using your deck again, after you know..."
"It appears you still need time to regain your resolve."
The Selector blinked as she looked back at Kai who had interrupted her answer to the girl of black. As she could see, the Kagero user had finally opened his eyes back up, revealing that his gaze was not as intense as it was during the recent battle that had just played out between them. He then looked down to Kuro, feeling that there was something that he had to ask her.
"Kuro, I am curious," he spoke "Mayu said that the events of the battle you had between yourself and Tama that you told us did not end as you described. What was it that you concealed from us then?"
(Cardfight! Vanguard Neon Messiah OST: Wishes entrusted through encounter)
The girl of black simply closed her eyes as Tama looked over towards her, curious as to what new information that she intended to reveal to the three of them at this very moment.
"And... could you tell Tama how Tama lost those memories?!" she asked.
"Mayu already told you about something that happened in that fight, different to what I told you then," Kuro spoke "That hideous transformation... it wasn't the first time that it happened to me."
"It wasn't?" asked Ruko.
"It happened... when I confronted Tama after she briefly brawled with Chaos Breaker and Photon," she explained "I had stolen a spike that belonged to an Abyss Dragon that was broken off in a previous scuffle with the Star-vaders from Photon's Lab, intending to test out the power that it contained for myself. Instead, I became the creature that Mayu would later dub, Berserk Draconis. I can't recall anything that had happened after that mutation. When I regained consciousness, I learned that 'Shiro' had disappeared, leading me to assume that she had died in the ensuing rampage and that the two Star-vaders had somehow returned me back to normal. Of course, my assumption was proven wrong on the night that I had first battled Ruko... after I had given Hitoe her third loss and Akira, her second."
Upon closing her eyes, recalling what she had done in her quest to become the strongest LRIG for the strongest Selector, Ruko and Kai grimaced having known about this previous turn of events on their own occasions. In the case of the Selector herself, she had learned about this from Ulith when she was still Kuro's LRIG whilst the Kagero user on the other hand was told about this by Hitoe herself on the night that the two of them had first met each other.
"So then... Ulith was bluffing back then?" asked Ruko "And... Akira was hallucinating when she tried to attack me and Yuzuki then?"
"That's correct," Kuro answered "We battled before, but the field was abruptly closed just as Ulith was about to deal the finishing blow, leading her to believe she had initially lost then. That is the sole reason why Kai was able to enter his first Selector Battle with her, if I am not mistaken."
Kai simply nodded in response, now understanding how it was that Akira had her wish tainted the first time around, all because of his first ever Selector Battle with his victory only coming through at the time because of a misplay on her end. At the same time though, now that the girl of black had brought up the foul-tempered and crazed Selector, there was something at the back of his mind that he felt he needed to ask her.
"Kuro," he spoke "Do you know anything about Akira, from your time as Iona?"
"I understood very little of what she was truely after," she replied "But she seemingly despised Iona and myself, if only for how I acted as her and... how Iona's prior popularity had threatened her career as a fashion model."
"Come to think of it..." Ruko murmured "Akira was acting kind of strange when you and I met for the first time. But still... why would she go as far as hurting others and helping Ulith... all just for a career she has?"
"That answer may come in time," said Kai "We know that she is helping Ulith, if only because they share a common enemy in all of us. But right now, as we have witnessed today and the days before, we have more pressing issues to concern ourselves about."
(End Music)
The Selector simply nodded as she looked over to Hatsu who was standing by the window, seemingly entranced by something that was going on outside. Joining her whilst picking up the two cards containing Tama and Kuro, Ruko and Kai could see tiny white specks passing by the window to which Kuro could only breath out loud for a moment, as if it was almost somewhat significant to her.
"It certainly is gentle, isn't it?" Hatsu murmured as she looked to her granddaughter.
"Y... Yeah," Ruko replied "The small specks of snow really are beautiful at this time of night."
"Snow..." Kuro murmured to herself, leading to Tama turning her attention over to the girl of black.
"Snow...?" she asked, having seemingly not seen it for herself before.
"I remember now..." Kuro replied "Even though she was locked away from the outside world... Mayu could still see the changes in weather from her bedroom window. Snow was usually the one thing that had calmed her down in the midst of her anger or frustration."
As Hatsu walked away from the window, leaving both Kai and Ruko to themselves at this point in time, the Selector held up the two LRIG cards in front of her as she looked over to the girl of black herself.
"Hey, Kuro," she spoke, bringing the LRIG's attention to her "I was thinking... since Tama ended up getting another name that she was happy with... Is it alright if I give you one of your own?"
"What did you have in mind?" asked Kuro.
"Well... I was thinking of calling you Yuki," said Ruko "Even after what happened back then, you always seemed so calm in the face of everything. That and you and Tama did come from Mayu's imagination and... you did say that Mayu calmed down whenever there was snow involved."
(Selector Spread Wixoss OST: Yuki (First Third))
Kuro simply looked down in partial surprise from the whole turn of events, having not expected for Ruko to give her a secondary name after Tama had recieved hers in the place of Shiro, if only because of the anmesia she had suffered from due to their clash, the outcome of which neither of them could clear remember under different circumstances befalling each of them.
"Tama likes her new name!" Tama called "Kuro might like Kuro's new name!"
Turning over to the girl of white, for the first time in a very a long time, Kuro couldn't help but almost smile at her childlike innocence which was a noteworthy trait that she had carried over from the time that she was still called Shiro, even when the two were initially on opposite sides of what they truely believed in regards to their contributions to the Selector Battles over the years. Going deep into thought for a short while, the girl of black finally reached her decision.
"... I like it," she spoke "To tell you the truth, I never liked the name Kuro."
"... Seriously...?" breathed Ruko.
"If the name Tama was brought about from Shiro's desire to be who she is now," the LRIG continued "Then I would like this new name to show that I have at least changed my ways for the greater good. Yuki it is then."
The Selector smiled gently as Tama cheered loudly in celebration, if only for her own personal preference on the word Yuki and how it would represent the change of viewpoint that the girl of black had gone through over the last two days. Kai simply kept his expression as it was as he and Ruko made their way back to the table from which they were previously playing from.
"Kai..." the Selector spoke "Can I go for another game before you leave?"
"That's fine..." he replied "I assume you have regained your resolve?"
"I have," she said before looking to her LRIG cards that she placed to the side of the mat "I won't hold anything back for you, right Yuki?"
After Tama loudly cried "Battle!" in cheer and encouragement to her Selector, Yuki smiled for a moment before finally opening up her eyes and looking at her with the confidence she had in the previous battles she partook in.
"Then, as they say... give it to him."
Ruko nodded in response as she and Kai reset their decks to the way that they were when they first began their previous battle as they set up their Life Cloths and drew out their opening hands.
"Let's go, Kai!" she called.
"Come!" he replied as both of them reached out for their starting LRIGs to begin their second match of the evening.
"Open!"
"Open, the LRIG!"
(End Music)
And there we go! As Aichi just manages to snatch a victory from Leon, Hitoe and Yuzuki discuss over the Selector's recent courage in the light of the events that have transpired from the Royal Paladin user's arrival. Meanwhile as Ruko regains her resolve to battle in the many ordeals to come before her, Kai and the others, she and Kuro eventually come to an agreement on renaming the girl of black herself as Yuki, in representation of her change of viewpoint and how the meaning has previously calmed down Mayu in contrast to Yuki's calm demanor. What will happen in the days to come? Find out next time on Stand Up, the LRIG! Feel free to share your thoughts and criticisms and I'll see you next chapter! Until then!
*This first plays in Episode 88 when Aichi rides White Hare in the Moon's Shadow, Pellinore.
