「Kaijudo Generation Arc: Team Zeta. 001 - The Dimension-Hopping Girl!」
The elevator in TCG towers made its descent, CJ was alone and zoning out while tapping his foot.
"Do you feel that?" a voice asked.
"Yeah Tsume, I do." CJ answered. His deck case flashed and the small hologram of Fighter Dual Fang appeared on his shoulder.
"Those are some strange K-waves, I've never felt anything like it."
"Maybe that's why Dad took us here to meet with Dr. Collins?"
The elevator stopped before reaching ground floor. When it opened CJ internally groaned while Tsume retreated back to his case. A boy with an obnoxious haircut and smug smile joined him.
"Hey CJ."
"Hello Jeremy."
The elevator doors closed and they continued down. God, it was going to take at least a minute-and-a-half to get down there. If Jeremy were more aware he'd notice the edge in CJ's voice, however slight. Then again, if Jeremy Scrivener wasn't so much in his own world, he'd realize that having his hair gelled right up like that missed the mark he was aiming for. He didn't look cool, he looked like a parrot. And any second now he was going to start on…
"How was your weekend, CJ? My Mom took us on a ferry down Manhattan harbor, then we had dinner at a five-star waterfront restaurant. It was quite the event."
"Hmm."
"It was no Par Se or Eleven Madison Park, but it was decent. I never told you, my Dad owns that ferry. The big one."
"Wow."
These were all lies. CJ's teammate Karon came from a wealthy family and owned the social café they were presently in. Jeremy lived in a perfectly ordinary apartment just like CJ, only he didn't know CJ knew this. For some reason Jeremy didn't like him and tried to get a rise out of CJ whenever they spoke, but the guy was so transparent that CJ had never considered the stupidity worth his time. After all, even though he was a fellow Junior at Fiona Academy they never talked aside from sharing the odd elevator trips like this.
Jeremy sighed "and now my Uncle's dragged me here again this week to talk with other DCA agents cause of that stupid incident…"
That one actually wasn't a lie: Jeremy's uncle was a scientist working for the DCA's R&D department, but nobody important. Despite his determination to not say much CJ's attention was caught.
"What incident? The seven-eleven gas explosion, that killed six people yesterday – that one?"
"Yeah that one," Jeremy sighed.
"So that was creature related?"
"I suppose," Jeremy said unhappily. CJ returned to his thoughts. Jeremy soon started up again "you know, you and your family should join us for a dinner-cruise one night. But I suppose it may not be your thing…"
The doors chimed, opening to a large room of crowded patrons, K-terminals and a long counter. Instead of leaving right away CJ finally turned to his classmate.
"You know, I could try to figure out what your problem is with me but I don't care. All the times you've tried to get under my skin have been pathetic and sad. I don't feel anything for you, good or bad. You're just there, you know?"
Jeremy blinked and was speechless. CJ left him and disappeared into the crowd.
"A little harsh."
"That was a long time coming," CJ murmured back to his partner.
"True, but Jeremy is one of the students at school who had their K-waves spiked from the World Tree you let loose in Central Park. Team Zeta only needs another two members to be complete and then they'll be an ally to ours."
"Jeremy's K-waves are unimpressive."
"They seemed stronger just then, didn't they?"
"Did they?" CJ wondered distractedly. "Look, Team Zeta are crap. Dad says so, Dr. Collins says so. Even Mom says so. They're the worst kind of teenagers, that's what she said."
"Can't help who gets the K-wave boost. The DCA has to keep an eye on them."
"The DCA-" CJ stopped "There's Karon." He made his way through the crowd to where his teammate looked exceptionally busy with his General Manager duties. "Hey."
"Not now CJ," he was behind the counter with a phone wedged against his ear, papers in hand while he rifled through drawers "we're one staff down and it's packed today."
"Can't you feel those K-waves? I suck at sensing but even I can feel them."
Karon hesitated "yeah they're weird. But they don't feel hostile, and right now…" he kneed a drawer shut and indicated again to all the stuff he was holding.
"How can I help?" CJ offered.
"You can start with the customers," he pointed to a girl who was by herself, wandering around with her head up. "She's been doing that for fifteen minutes, ask her if she needs help with anything." Then Karon took himself to a back-room.
Another worker was helping a pack of younger teens at the register, they pointed at the new deck boxes on display. CJ stuck his hands in his pockets and walked to the girl who was distractedly sight-seeing. She was short and thin with chin-length black hair.
"Hi, can I help you?"
She jumped a little and spun "does it look like I need help?"
CJ didn't know how else to respond "yes." He'd heard her mumbling to herself before walking over, something like alternate dimension.
Her fierce look began to soften "CJ?"
"Have we met?"
"No… it's just, I know your name's CJ…"
"Do you want me to call someone for you…?" he asked slowly.
"No. I came here with people. I'm Heidi Hirazumi."
"Oh. You don't look Japanese." CJ shut his mouth.
"They should be coming down soon… if you want to help me CJ, how about a duel?"
"You want to duel?" He looked back to the counter. Well Karon did tell me to help her. He looked back "alright."
Heidi nodded and moved swiftly to the K-terminals. Weird girl. Still CJ was excited at the prospect of trying out his new deck, especially since Jamie helped him make it. They had to wait a few minutes for a K-terminal to be free, then they took their marks after CJ got the machine ready.
"Duelist Christopher Henderson: Confirmed!"
"Woah… it's like I thought," Heidi was looking through her deck like it was her first time seeing it. "Back to the TCG I take it, it's been a while but she picked good cards…"
"What are you saying? You do know how to duel, right?" CJ had to check.
"Of course I do! You're going down!"
"Alright…" CJ shuffled and set out the cards "shields up!" Five teal rectangles sprang forth. Heidi copied him before her eyes widened.
"Amazing… so it's like real dueling only we won't actually kill each other."
"Okay, who are you?" CJ accused. "Are you interning with the DCA?"
"If you want to know, you'll have to beat me!" she taunted with a competitive grin.
[OST] Parasyte - LESSON1
"Game on…" CJ murmured under his breath "I set nature mana and end my turn."
Heidi drew "I set fire mana and end."
"Fire? I shouldn't be surprised."
"Less talking more dueling!"
"Bossy too. I set nature mana and cast Faerie Life. I add the top card of my deck to the mana zone. I end my turn."
"Fire mana! I summon Brawler Zyler!"
Brawler Zyler
Civilization: Fire
Power: 1000+
Heidi's eyes alighted at the appearance of her mummified creature, leaning on its cannon-arm to stand up.
"Doesn't she remind you of someone?"
"Jamie's not that crazy," CJ answered back and started his turn. "I summon Leaping Tornado Horn!"
Leaping Tornado Horn
Civilization: Nature
Power: 2000+
The horse-beast sprang, clopping forward with spiraling horns all over its body. Heidi drew and lit up with excitement. The girl had no poker-face. CJ quirked an eyebrow.
"I summon Mini Titan Gett and end my turn!"
Mini Titan Gett
Civilization: Fire
Power: 2000+
CJ was surprised as her human skated forth, bouncing between its legs in a teasing way.
"Fire is supposed to move fast, you know? You should've attacked." Maybe she wants to evolve her creature later but she already has two humans...? Since Heidi kept smiling CJ shrugged it off and started "I cast Dimension Gate to bring a creature to my hand. Roaring Terahorn." He showed her the card before adding it. Time for that strategy we planned. "Leaping Tornado Horn breaks your shield!" He turned the card and his creature charged, spearing a panel into pieces.
Heidi
Shields: 5-4
Heidi added the card to her hand and started "Choya, the Unheeding!" Another human in orange bounced up and down on spring-shoes. "He's gonna take you down!"
"You're a dork," CJ shook his head.
Choya, the Unheeding
Civilization: Fire
Power: 1000+
"Now I can attack! Mini Titan Gett takes out Leaping Tornado Horn! Brawler Zyler attacks a shield!"
Mini Titan Gett: 3000
Leaping Tornado Horn: 2000
CJ
Shields: 5-4
The kid skater sped in an arc, taking out the horned beast with its arm-blaster. The zombie gunned a shield to pieces with its cannon.
CJ took the card to his hand and added his sixth mana "I summon Rumbling Terahorn. I search my deck and add Niofa, Horned Protector to my hand." He showed her the card then shuffled his deck.
Rumbling Terahorn
Civilization: Nature
Power: 3000
A spiked rhino trudged forth and blew air out its nose. As soon as Heidi began her turn CJ felt a K-wave pulse that took him by surprise.
"You ready for this, CJ? I evolve Brawler Zyler, Mini Titan Gett and Choya the Unheeding into Supernova Mars Disaster!" As she held the card up it sparked red but when she slapped it down nothing happened. The two stood there for a moment.
Tsume materialized next to CJ's deck, staring over at their opponent "that's the source of the weird K-waves in this building. It's coming from the card she tried to play."
"It's not registering…" Heidi mumbled.
"The interface will only accept real cards." CJ stated. K-waves or not, he'd never heard of something evolving from three creatures instead of one, let alone something with a name like that.
"Well… I can still do this!" she picked another card in her hand "Choya evolves into Armored Blaster Valdios!" The evo crystal descended, enveloping Choya in scarlet light. Soon he was faced by a human strapped to a ridiculous amount of giant cannons, all pointing at him.
Darker Than Black Track 1 - Go Dark
Armored Blaster Valdios
Civilization: Fire
Power: 6000
"Valdios double-breaks! Then Brawler Zyler and Mini Titan Gett break shields!" she twisted her cards one after the other. CJ tensed, ready to call out his trigger as soon as he saw one. Artillery fire pulverized two panels, then another and another. He didn't get a trigger until his last shield.
CJ
Shields: 4-2-1-0
"Shield trigger, Torcon!" The blue beast folk trudged forth, carrying a giant string of boulders.
Torcon
Civilization: Nature
Power: 1000
The holographic Tsume turned to him "she's doing really well."
"Yeah, I know." CJ admitted anxiously. A small crowd of spectators were beginning to gather.
CJ took a breath and drew, he considered his options. Niofa will have to wait. He added his seventh mana.
"I summon another Torcon and evolve him into Barkwhip, the Smasher!"
Barkwhip, the Smasher
Civilization: Nature
Power: 5000
Another Torcon appeared and was quickly swallowed by green light, reemerging as a four-armed muscular beast with a mallet and whip.
"He gives my other beast folk 2000 power when tapped! Next I cast Pangea's Will to send Valdios to your mana zone and leave Choya! Barkwhip attacks Zyler, Terahorn attacks Gett, Torcon attacks Choya!"
Barkwhip, the Smasher: 5000
Brawler Zyler: 1000
Raging Terahorn: 3000
Mini Titan Gett: 2000
Torcon: 3000
Choya, the Unheeding: 1000
The resultant clash was like the armies of nature and fire going to war, and CJ was proud to see his civilization winning. More and more people were gathering around to watch, including CJ's Dad Nate and Dr. Jonah Collins. They'd finished with their meeting and had come down together.
"That ends me, your turn Heidi."
She added fire mana and paused "so it still works for mana, at least…" Her bizarre Supernova Mars Disaster with its strange K-waves was accepted by the computer as mana even if it couldn't be summoned. Definitely Weird. Despite losing all her creatures her competitiveness returned even fiercer "I summon Astrocomet Dragon!"
Astrocomet Dragon
Civilization: Fire
Power: 6000+
The dragon wore red armour, it swiveled back its serpentine head "The name's Bolt, Heidi Hirazumi."
The girl was speechless and so was CJ.
"She's synced with Astrocomet Dragon…" Tsume breathed.
Heidi's surprise changed to a sudden outpour of emotion "oh… ever since I was a little kid I wished I could talk to you… Astrocomet Dragon…"
"It's Bolt! Now let's play on already!" her dragon snapped and she tried to get herself together. The patrons were confused at the show but nevertheless a few started clapping.
"She turned into quite the surprising opponent."
"Uh-huh," CJ agreed with Tsume and started his turn. "I cast Mana Nexus and add a shield from my mana zone."
CJ
Shields: 0-1
CJ put another card down "with my remaining mana I summon Stinger Horn, the Delver!"
Stinger Horn, the Delver
Civilization: Nature
Power: 3000
"Terahorn, Barkwhip and Torcon attack your shields!" At his order the siege began. Glass shattered and flew, Heidi held strong and waited for a trigger but didn't find any.
Heidi
Shields: 4-3-2-1
"Are you kidding me?" the girl shouted with surprising anger.
"Just play on Heidi!" Bolt roared.
"Well what are you going to attack, my creatures or my shield?" CJ was feeling pretty confident with his victory at that point. So long as she didn't pull out a speed-attacker, he was going to win.
Heidi drew and smiled "All your creatures, and your shield! I cast Relentless Blitz! I choose a race and it can attack untapped creatures! I choose Armored Dragons! Then I cast Fists of Forever! Every time I win a battle Astrocomet Dragon untaps!" There were more claps and cheering now, even Karon and Dylan were in the crowd watching. Her dragon shimmered red "Astrocomet Dragon attacks Stinger Horn! Then Terahorn! Then Torcon! Then Barkwhip! Then breaks your last shield!"
Astrocomet Dragon: 10,000
Stinger Horn, the Delver: 3000
Raging Terahorn: 3000
Torcon: 3000
Barkwhip, the Smasher: 5000
CJ
Shields: 1-0
A series of flame pillars lit up the zone one after the other, exterminating all CJ's creatures.
"Oof," Tsume remarked.
"Shield Trigger! Natural Snare sends Astrocomet Dragon to your mana zone!" CJ declared and a tree burst upward, branches weaving through the struggling dragon before dragging it from play.
"An empty field… alright, your turn." A small hologram of Bolt flickered to life beside her deck.
"You have your own deck case, so you are with the DCA." CJ deduced.
"It's not that simple! But yes…"
CJ was only holding Niofa, Horned Protector in his hand. He drew and prayed for a horned beast "Yes! I summon Raging Dash-Horn and end. When my mana zone is all nature Dash-Horn gets 3000 power and double-breaker!"
Raging Dash-Horn
Civilization: Nature
Power: 7000
CJ couldn't believe how much he was enjoying this duel. As weird as Heidi was, there didn't seem to be any stakes here. CJ was running on a high, a thrill as he waited for what she was going to do next.
Heidi had also been holding one card, it was another Armored Blaster Valdios. She'd been waiting to draw a human and finish the game but been unlucky. She drew again… Tornado Flame. With a sigh Heidi considered her options then used the spell for mana and passed her turn.
"Really? Nothing to play? Sweet!" CJ untapped his mana and started "I evolve Dash-Horn into Niofa, Horned Protector!" A green evo crystal descended and swallowed the brown quadruped. A giant green beast stalked forth, it had a plate over its face that curved into wide horns.
Niofa, Horned Protector
Civilization: Nature
Power: 9000
"She lets me add a creature from my deck to my hand. Fighter Dual Fang!"
"Interesting…" Tsume murmured.
"Niofa breaks your last shield!" CJ turned the card.
Heidi
Shields: 1-0
"Here we go! Shield Trigger, Crisis Boulder! You choose to discard a creature or mana card."
"I mean, obviously I choose my mana." CJ picked and dropped a card.
"Right… My move! None of us have shields right now…" Heidi reached for her deck and CJ couldn't help feeling on-edge. Heidi drew "heh… not a human… I summon Totto Pipicchi…"
Totto Pipicchi
Civilization: Fire
Power: 1000
A flaming sparrow strapped goggles to its head.
Heidi raised the two cards in her hand "Totto Pipicchi makes Armored Dragons speed attackers and I still have six mana left…"
"You serious!?" CJ was gripping the edge of his table. The audience was rapt with attention.
"Nope. I used Bolzard Dragon for mana a couple of turns ago. Kinda wish I hadn't now."
CJ said nothing for a while and then he started laughing. Then Heidi was snickering as well.
CJ shook his head as he drew, still laughing "alright I'll just wrap this up… Niofa direct attack…"
The horned beast charged, trampling Heidi's field and barging into her side of the terminal. The crowd cheered at the good show. Dylan and Karon came over to congratulate him with pats to his back and shoulder. In the distraction of the exciting match, the hubbub had paused enough to give the staff some breathing room.
"GAME OVER: WINNER: Christopher Henderson!"
Before CJ could get to his opponent the way was blocked by Nate and Jonah. Though both men looked proud there was something dark in their eyes.
"Great job, son. This place ought to hire you for entertainment." Nate clenched CJ's shoulder.
"Dad, that girl, who is she?"
The men hesitated before Jonah suggested "let's step aside, shall we?"
CJ followed them to the edge of the room, Dylan and Karon trailed after. Heidi was weaving through customers, making her way over as well.
"Before we get into who she is, first we have to discuss a certain tragedy…" Jonah kept his voice low as the crowd around them chattered.
"The gas explosion at the seven-eleven," CJ remembered at once.
"It wasn't an accident. It was a creature attack. The DCA has taken Collin Hoxham into custody."
"From Team Zeta…?" CJ was horrified, he recalled the quiet boy who he'd known best of the three. "He killed six people?"
Jonah put a finger to his mouth and CJ dropped his voice. He looked at his father whose face was grim.
"And a seventh man is in a coma. A creature caused that attack, the explosion burst a water main and flooded the parking lot." Nate said.
"Was it a freak accident?"
"I wish. One of the victims wasn't attacked by a creature. A young lady… was strangled to death."
"Collin wouldn't do that," CJ spoke up at once. "No way."
"He was found at the scene of the crime. The till was emptied."
"He did it to rob them? That's so stupid! That's… not Collin. He wouldn't do that…" CJ felt a comforting pat on the back.
"Hey, it's often the quiet ones." Dylan said. "It's not your fault."
"It isn't your fault," Nate firmly agreed. "We had no way of knowing whose K-waves would awaken after the Survivor incident."
"Was that guy your friend?" Heidi appeared beside CJ's father "I'm sorry, CJ."
"Well… this brings me to my next point, who is she?" CJ raised a finger to Heidi. The two men turned and waited for the small girl to explain herself.
"Ah… you see… I come from another dimension," Heidi scratched the back of her neck. "Kind of like the creature dimension, only it's actually more like here."
"No way," CJ said. From behind him Dylan and Karon stared.
"She's here to help us, apparently." Nate spoke with some incredulity in his voice. "And she's staying at our house. Your mother and I have made the arrangements."
"No way!" CJ yelled.
"Weird day," Karon commented quietly.
"Yo didn't I tell you those Team Zeta freaks would end up doing something like this?" Dylan remarked. Karon gave him a shove before walking back to the counter.
。
Amongst the crowd one individual wasn't entertained by CJ's victory. Jeremy Scrivener stood back and out of sight, texting his teammate Tafiya who was freaking out about what Collin had done. Granted it was surprising, but Jeremy figured you never truly knew anyone to start with. Tafiya Damji was a dramatic girl at the best of times, so now she was downright hysterical. When it got annoying he started to ignore her messages, instead checking his hair in a reflective surface to make sure it all stood up the way he wanted. That damn CJ… When his uncle swept past with barely a glance he knew it was time to go, he turned and followed him out to the street.
Dr. Scrivener was a stout and bald man, similar to Jeremy's father. It didn't give the boy a hopeful outlook for his future, nor for his meticulously gelled hair. The scientist tried hailing a taxi and cursed when it stopped for someone else. He reached into his jacket for a handkerchief he always kept handy to deal with his perspiration problem. Around colleagues Dr. Scrivener was a simpering push-over and a suck-up. When he was with family he was impatient, spiteful and prone to explosions of rage. He dabbed his bald head with the handkerchief, finally successful at flagging down a yellow cab. They got in and Dr. Scrivener gave the driver the address for the DCA's headquarters.
"How are you feeling?" the man asked his nephew in a gruff voice.
"Normal." Jeremy answered. "I was feeling great a couple hours ago. Now I feel… normal."
His uncle grunted in reply and they fell into silence. When they were halfway to the headquarters Jeremy felt a sudden wave of weakness, his head dropped against the window before he straightened.
"Oh fuck… I feel sick."
"What?"
"I feel like I'm going to throw up!"
The driver turned his head "open the window, please Sir."
Jeremy worked to crank the window down and found he barely had the strength.
"Don't you dare throw up in this cab!" Dr. Scrivener threatened. Jeremy groaned.
Once they reached the headquarters the driver was glad to see them pay their fee and go. Jeremy took one step and crumpled, leaning forward and emptying his stomach onto the pavement. His brown sick rolled down the cracks and crevices.
"Hey, look at me!" his Uncle took him by the arms and shook. "You are not going to ruin everything here. Get up. I will not fail this time! They will not laugh at me again! You will get up and accompany me in this instant!" At that Jeremy was barely able to push himself back to his feet, then with an arm around his uncle they both staggered clumsily to the glass doors of the building's entry.
⟨author's note⟩
Shuriken16 made Team Kaijudo Generation. So what the heck is this? Well... it's the beginning of my cross-over series. This "story" will actually be a compendium of arcs I've created to involve the other authors' works in the fanfiction fandom. I came up with a great idea to use with Shuriken's stuff and so... here we are. I think that in the grand scope of AUgmented Realities!, Shuriken's characters will get the least amount of attention. For now though, here is my first fun cross-over idea. Shuriken is my harshest critic in DM, so I hope you like this here. Really hope you don't hate it. Anyway I'll probs definitely make mistakes down the line, but will do what I can to correct things to cannon, but my "alternate timeline" excuse is sure to save me as well.
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