It was my first time writing a cardfight. It was pretty difficult since I had to make up the cards from scratch, but I hope it's interesting!
There stood Chrono and Chrona, about to have their first fight together with Tokoha and Kumi on the side spectating. They were all excited to see what would come of this fight. All except one. Chrono looked down to his deck. Normally he'd feel excitement, curiosity, happiness, something! But something isn't right.
"Alright, let's start," she announces.
"Hm."
They both reached for their starter and flipped them over.
"Stand up my vanguard!"
"Stand up vanguard."
Their bodies now transported to Cray inside of a mysterious temple. It was the same one that Chrono first fought in.
"Little Steam Maiden, Kullasina! [G:0]" Out appeared Chrona with a steampunk blue dress and futuristic rifle.
"Chrono Dran Fall [G:0]." Chrono said monotonously. The once cheerful looking little blue dragon now is now jet black which a mischievous smirk on his face.
"Gear Chronicle? Who knew he'd be using the same clan as Chrona," Kumi remarked.
"Though, I don't think I've ever heard of Chrono Dran Fall before..." Tokoha pondered.
The two swirly haired siblings ignored the other two as they were just about to begin.
"I'll go first," Chrona began. "Draw, I ride Steam Maiden, Lasina-bel [G:1/ Pwr: 8000]." She changed into a maiden with a red dress and a mechanical hat. She has a chain with a buzz saw like blade at the end for a weapon. "Kullasina skill now activates. I bind one card from my hand and bind it, then I draw one card." She places a grade 2 to the bind zone.
'Already with the binding huh,' Chrono mused.
"Turn end."
"Then it's my turn, draw. Ride, Chronoethos, Jackal Cor. [G:1/ Pwr: 8000]" Jackal has now traded his staff for a deadly lance with glowing blue blades. "I move Dran back and call Armored Rewind Dragon [G:1/ Pwr: 8000]." He calls an armored dragon from head to toe with a Broadsword. "Rewind attacks." The dragon charges towards Chrona.
"No guard! Damage check, no trigger." The dragon sends Chrona back with a single hit of his sword.
"Boosted by Dran, Chronoethos attacks." Ethos leaps up into the air and dives straight for Chrona.
"No guard."
"Drive check…" Chrono unfortunately reveals a grade 2. "No trigger."
She hissed in pain as Ethos striked through. "No trigger."
"Turn end."
Turn ends with Chrona at two damage and the game still could go both ways. Chrona wasn't too surprised that he had played cards she has never seen before, him being from another world. More so, she was hoping that he would to see what his world would bring to the table. But it's time to show what her world of cardfighting can do!
"My turn, draw." She picks up the bound card. "During the ride phase when this card is in the bind zone, I can superior ride it. I ride Steam Maiden, Ahne!" [G: 2/ Pwr: 10000] She changed forms in to a girl white blouse and mechanical gauntlets. "When I ride her this way, I bind the top card of the deck." She binds a critical trigger.
"Gah, unlucky…" Kumi mumbled.
Chrona played no mind to it. "I call Steam Maiden, Ishme [G: 1/Pwr: 8000] and Steam Maiden, Lippitt [G: 2/Pwr: 10000]. I activate her skill, I draw one card and bind one card from my hand. Ishme's skill. Once per turn when a card is bound, I counterblast one, she gains 5000 pwr and I draw one card." She determinedly looks at Chrono. "Here I go! Ahne attacks the vanguard! Skill activated, I send a bound card to the drop zone and she gains 10000 pwr!" Chrona charges forward, ready to take a swindle at Chrono.
He looks over the cards in his hands. 'Tch, not worth it.'
"No guard."
"Drive check, critical trigger! Power to Lippitt, critical to my vanguard." She runs up to Ethos and punches him in the gut, sending a shockwave behind him. He doubles over from the punch and it's not long before Chrona punches him again, this time in the face, sending him crashing into a nearby column.
"Damage check, no trigger. Second check, draw trigger. Power to my vanguard, and I draw." Ethos power is now to 18000.
"I'm not done. With a boost from Ishme, Lippitt attacks! [Pwr: 33000] The purple haired girl takes aim at Ethos with her pistols while he is still trying to get up from the previous attack.
"I guard with Steam Maiden, Uluru. [Pwr:- 38000] Lippitt shoots at him, but before it hits, Uluru appears in a flash of light and puts up a barrier to block the attack.
"...turn end."
"What a great match so far," Kumi cheered.
Tokaha nodded in excitement. "Chrono keeps putting out cards I've never seen before, what else does he have?"
"Draw." Chrono barely played against a Gear Chronicle deck. There weren't any players that use the clan, mostly because the cards were so difficult to obtain and it would be extremely difficult to build a functional deck. He'd remember when Gear Chronicle players would come by the shop, he'd automatically challenge them into a fight. He was always so excited to play against something so new. So why doesn't he feel excited now?
A series of memories flash in his mind. They keep disappearing, one by one. He wants to stop it, but he can't. He's trapped in his own mind as someone else, something else, erases the people he cares about out of existence with the very thing he loves. Chrono shakes his head. 'No, don't think about that.'
"Ride." Ethos erupted in purple flames, slowly dissipating, revealing a mechanical money with purple flaming hair and green claws. "Chronoclaw Monkey Cor." He moves Armored Rewind Dragon back. "Calling Chronobeat Buffalo Cor. [G: 2/Pwr: 10000] and Relentless Steam Fighter, Amber [G: 2/Pwr: 10000] to rearguard. Amber's skill, counterblast, soulblast." A dark hole opened up under Ishme, swallowing her before closing. "To the bottom to the deck. And when a card is sent to the bottom of the deck in the same column as Chronobeat, he gains 5000 power." Chrona and Lippitt flinch as Chronobeat lets out a deafening roar.
"Not good…" Chrona mumbles.
"Amber attacks Lippitt." Amber charges towards and slashes through Lippitt, disappearing in particles of red light. "Chronoclaw attacks the vanguard."
"No guard."
"Drive check, heal trigger. Power to Chronobeat [Pwr: - 25000]." Chronoclaw pounces onto Chrona, driving down his claws into her.
She lets out a cry and she manages to push him off. "Damage check, critical trigger. Power to my vanguard." [Pwr 20000]
She doesn't get a chance to recover as Chronobeat suddenly towers over her. "Armor Dragon boosts, Chronobeat Buffalo Cor. attacks." [Pwr: 33000] Chronobeat lifts his fist into the air and takes aim towards Chrona before his fist was stopped by a blonde ponytail girl with gauntlets.
"Steam Maiden, Sadum, guard!" [Shld: 15000 - 35000]
"...Turn end."
"Come on Chrona, you can do this!" Kumi cheered.
"You got this," Tokoha agreed.
The two spectators one-sidedly cheered Chrona on, which Chrono admittedly was jealous of.
'Seriously, cut the guy some slack…'
The curly haired girl from across the table though, felt disappointed. Of course the fight was fun for her so far, he actually seems pretty strong, but why does he seem so uninterested. It's like he's not taking this seriously.
"Stand and draw." If that's the case, then she'll make him take it seriously! "Ride!" The temple was suddenly bathed in white light, making it almost impossible to see anything. Once the light diminished, another girl had taken Ahne's place. She had light brown hair with golden amber eyes. She wore a white mechanical dress and a silver masked that covered half of her face. Wing-like rays of purple energy sprouted from her back. "Elegant Steam Maiden, Elul [G: 3/Pwr: 13000]."
To Chrono's surprise, Chrona had pulled up a type of card he never seen before. "Imaginary Gift, Force I." She places it on her rearguard circle.
"Imaginary Gift…?" He mused. "What is that?" All the girls looked at him as if he said one of the stupidest things in the world.
"You don't know?" Tokoha flabbergasted. "It's a really common mechanic people use. Are you new? Because you don't play like you're new."
He scratches the back of his head. "Um, something like that…"
'His world must not have it.' Chrona surmised. "When a unit with Imaginary Gift is placed on the vanguard circle, the player receives a gift marker. There are three types of gift markers and the one I'm using is Force. I can place this circle on any vanguard or rearguard circle I want and the unit on the same circle gains an additional 10,000 power."
"I see, I think I get it now."
"Now, continuing with Elul's skill. I look at the top two cards of my deck, I choose one and bind it, the other is sent to the bottom of the deck. Then I superior call a bound card." She calls the card she just bound. "I call Steam Maiden, Balul [G 2/ Pwr 1000] to rear guard. She gains 5000 power, then another 5000 when called from the blind zone and 10000 from the Force marker. [- 30000] Now call."
She calls 3 unit to rear guard, leaving the circle behind Elul empty. 'Chrono has only 2 cards left in his hand and it's most likely a grade 3," she thinks to herself, 'he's at one damage, but if I play it right, I could end it this turn.' She looks into her supposed brother's eye. 'Sorry, I'm not letting you get to grade 3.'
"With a boost from Lasina-bel, Ahne attacks. Ahne's skill, send one card from the bind zone to drop zone, plus 10000 power [Pwr - 28000]. And when Lasina-bel boosts, send the top card to bind zone." Ahne leaps forward, causing a shockwave behind her.
Chrono was in trouble though, he doesn't have much to guard with. He only has this grade 2 to use. He'll have to hope for a trigger. "No guard." Ahne lands the punch, causing him to skid backwards.
He does a drive check. "No trigger."
"Latina skill, Timeleap Ahne and I superior call another Elul to rearguard. Ul-nin boosts, Balul attacks." Balul takes aim at the purple flaming money.
"No guard." Chrono lifts his arms to shield himself from the barrage of bullets from Balul. "No trigger." Chrono puts his arms down just as the attack finishes only to see Elul had vanished. He looks up to see she her elegantly flying in the air.
'Almost there…' Chrona thinks to herself. "Elegant Steam Maiden, Elul attacks the vanguard! [Pwr: 13000] Her skill, bind one rearguard and one card from the top of the deck, superior call one card from bind zone. I call Ahne." The machine gunner Balul had vanished and was replaced by the gauntlet welding girl. "Balul's skill, when she's bound, bind the top card of my deck." Her eyes glimmer as she finds the card she was looking for.
"No guard…"
Elul dives down towards Chrono, preparing her attack. "Twin drive, first check, no trigger. Second check, Critical trigger! Critical to my vanguard, power to my rearguard Elul." She brings her massive sword down on him, a cry of pain escaping Chrono's lips. Her doesn't let him rest as she swung her sword again across his chest. He stumbles backs.
Chrono knows he needs triggers right now, else it's over for him. "Damage check." He flips the card over to reveal a trigger. "Draw trigger, power to my vanguard, draw. Second check, heal trigger. I heal."
"Double trigger? Tch, I'm not done." Elul drives her sword into the ground, an intense aura forms around her. There's no doubt she's planning something big. "Activating skill, Soul Gift!"
"Soul Gift?" Chrono asks. There rest of the girls once again stares at him with disbelief, Chrona of the other hand was not surprised.
"Soul Gift is a skill that the starting vanguard has and is inherited from vanguard to vanguard. Kullasina skill let's me bind the top two cards of my deck and I can choose one card to call or superior ride."
Chrono remembers the card that she had bound before. If she does what he is thinking , this might end badly.
A beautiful mage with white hair descends onto the battlefield. "Superior ride, Steam Maiden, Ishuiil [G: 4/ Pwr: 15000]. Imaginary Gift, Force." She places it under her vanguard. "Of course, when I ride using this effect, I have to discard two cards and I can't activate this effect until the end of my next turn. But when she's placed as a vanguard by effect, counterblast 1 and I send two cards from bind zone to the drop zone, she gains +10000 power and a Critical."
A number of gears gathers behind the mage, preparing to fire off a massive spell. "Ishuiil attacks the vanguard!" [Pwr: 35000/ Crit: 2]
"Steam Maid, Uluru, guard." [Pwr: 30000- 5000] A shield appears in front of Uluru.
"Twin drive, first check, no trigger. Second Check, no trigger…" she dejectedly announces. A green flare erupts from the images gear wand, but the attack fails to go through and Uluru disappears.
"Ahne attacks, with her skill, +10000 power. [Pwr: 30000- 40000]"
"No guard." Chrono once again is slammed by the massive power of Ahne.
'Elul doesn't have enough power.' "I attack Buffalo." Chronobeat is impaled be Elul's sword and disappears. "I end my turn. Elul goes to the bottom of the deck, and Ishuiil goes to my hand." Chrona's eyebrows furrow. She was way too close to winning, why did he had to get those triggers there.
Tokoha and Kumi on the sidelines felt her frustration.
"Don't worry," Tokoha tries to cheer up her friend. "You'll get him next turn."
Chrona smiles. "Yeah, I will."
"Stand and draw." She quickly turns her attention back into the game as Chrono starts his turn.
'Next turn?' Chrono takes a card from his hand and raises it into the air. 'There won't be a next turn, I'm ending this now.'
"Ride." Chronoclaw begins to violently convulse, his armor slowly crumbling away. At the center of his chest, a hand with large claws erupts from it's chest and like a moth from its cocoon, a black sickly body climbs out of it. This body is far too large to be able to fit into Chronoclaw, but it does anyways. The creatures mouth is lined with jagged teeth carving that seems to form in a twisted smile. "Chronojet Dragon "Fall"." [G: 3/ Pwr: 13000]
The three girls couldn't help, but feel creeped out by this unit. It was only a card, but instinctively it made them feel fear.
"Stride Generation." A large dragon with cannons in place for his arms takes Chronojet's place "Interdimensional Dragon, Chaos Flare Dragon. [G:4/ Pwr: 28000] Stride skill, Chrono Dran and Ahne, to the bottom of the deck. Then I choose one card from your hand and call it to rearguard your rearguard." He points to a card and Chrona hesitantly calls out the trigger she had gotten earlier.
"Calling Sadum…" a gauntlet wearing girl appears on the field.
"Chrono Dran's skill, when he's sent to the bottom of the deck, I send the bottom card of the deck to the soul and I draw. Then I call, Ethos and Chronoclaw cor."
"Bring it!" Chrona readied herself for the upcoming onslaught.
"Supported by Ethos, Amber attacks the vanguard. [Pwr-18000]"
"Guard" As Amber's attack was about to hit, a gear sniper pops up to block the attack with her rifle and pushes him back.
"Ethos skill, I send Amber to the bottom of the deck and I draw. Amber's skill, went sent to the bottom of the deck, I sent the bottom card to soul and I superior call a grade 3 to rearguard." In a thunderous roar, a mechanical tiger crashes into the battlefield field. "Superior call Chronofang Tiger cor. When he's called, I send a rearguard of mine and yours to the bottom, you can't guard with grade 0s against his attack." A black hole appears beneath Ethos and Latina, swallowing the both of them. "Ethos's skill, send the bottom card into the soul, Chronofang gets plus 5000 power."
Chrono pauses for a bit and looks over to Chrona. Her has a furrowed brow, looking over the cards in her hand to see how she could guard against the next couple of attacks. 'She's kinda cute really,' he thinks to himself with a small smile.
Chrona breaks out of her thoughts and gives him a concerning look. "Hey what's wrong?"
"Nothing, nothing's wrong." It reminds him of how he always wanted a little sister growing up. He's getting everything he ever wanted and it's absolutely pissing him off. Why?
"Chaos Flare Dragon attacks the vanguard!"
Why did he get scott free while everyone else suffered for it?
"His skill activates, Paradox!" Everyone was caught off guard by his declaration. They never heard of it before.
"Paradox? What is that?" Tokaha asks him.
'So now she is now on the other foot, huh?' "I can activate Paradox after a certain number of cards are sent to the bottom of the deck this turn. Four cards were sent this turn, so I can activate Paradox 4 now?" He explained. He Paradox skill, soulblast 4, couterblast 1, I deal one damage to you."
"N-no way!" The dragon points his large cannons at Chrona and in a flash of purple light fire off. It hits her right on and she flies back. She crashes into the ground, tumbling for another few feet. "Damage check." Just something please! "No trigger…"
"Chaos Flare continues his attack." [Pwr: 28000] Chaos once again fires up his cannons.
Chrona in a panic puts out a card. Perfect guard with Steam Maiden, Sanilar!" A green haired girl with a large gear on her head appears in front of Chrona and puts out a gear looking glyph.
'A draw trigger sentinel? This world keeps surprising me.' Chrono muses. "Triple drive check. First check draw trigger, all effects to Chronofang. Second check, third check." He reveals a grade 3. "No trigger."
Chrona sighs in relief, she just might survive thi-
"Chaos Flare's second skill. Since I revealed a grade 3, I send one card from hand to the bottom of the deck, I get another drive check."
As sense of dread formed in Chrona's gut. Everyone waited breathlessly as Chrono flipped over his last card. "Critical trigger, all effects to Chronoclaw."
Chrona's back was suddenly up against wall. It was especially surprising since she had the advantage last turn. He seems so unfazed by everything. He's so strong. So terrifying strong.
"Chronoclaw Monkey attacks. Skill, send armor dragon to the bottom of the deck, he gains 10000 power. Armor dragon's skill, superior call the bottom card of the deck to rearguard." [Pwr: 20000- 30000] He places the rearguard behind Chronofang.
Chronoclaw leaps towards her, his claw at the ready, but was stopped by a shield "Ahne, Mara, guard!" [Shield: -33000]
"Armor Dragon boosts, Chronofang Tiger cor. attacks." [Pwr: -36,000 Flames fire out of his thrusters and propels himself towards her.
She looks at her cards one last time, seeing that she can't guard against it.
"No guard…" Chronofang brings down his giant claw onto her. She falls to the ground with a thud.
"Damage check…" She places the last card into her damage zone. "You win, Chrono."
He didn't really feel nothing from this win and he knows why. He doesn't enjoy Vanguard anymore. Its was erased when Gyze took over and now he feels nothing over the game.
"Yeah, it was fun," he said with a fake smile.
Tokoha and Kumi were so stunned by they had saw. They looked over to each other and nodded. They walked up to him and both cupped one of his hands, and his face turns red. His did not expect what would come next.
"Please join our club!" They pleaded in unison.
"…Huh?" Club?
"We're making club in our high and we figured you could join our club since you so strong!" Kumi beamed.
"Hold on," Chrono protested, "I'm not even going to any schools right now."
"Yeah, then you can go to our school, then you can join our club," Tokoha reasoned. "Its pretty close to you place anyways."
"...Well you're not wrong?"
The two girls look at him with puppy eyes. "So, will you go?"
He glances away to avoid their eyes. "I'll think of it…"
The two were disappointed to not get a straight response. "Well, anyways you playing against me next!" Tokoha declares pushing Chrona away from the table.
"Hey!" Chrona yelped.
"No fair!" Kumi protested. "I wanted to play him next!"
"Too late, I already called dibs." The three girls continued to quarrel.
Chrono let out a small chuckle seeing them, thinking back to the girls he used to know. "Fine, fine, I'll take you both on."
'Hm, they're getting along now,' Chrona hums to herself. She felt her phone go off just as the two were about to begin their match. "Chrono!" His hand paused before he could draw a card. "Mom's telling us we should go back home now. Like right now."
"Really?" Chrono was curious what was so important that their mom would want to see them immediately. It probably wouldn't be good.
"Oh come on, can't you wait like 20 minutes?!" Tokoha pleaded.
"Sorry Tokoha, it seems urgent."
Tokoha sighed disappointedly. She was looking forward to their match. "Fine," she turns to Chrono. "Next time, we'll have our match!"
"Me too!" Kumi cheered.
"Fine, fine." Suddenly it felt difficult for him to even look at them. Whenever he did, a heavy sense of guilt overwhelmed to the point to where it was too much. They're just way too similar to them.
He forced himself to look at them, just this once and he could leave. "It… it was nice seeing you again. Y-you know, not being all bloody I mean."
Tokoha laughed. "Likewise."
The group said goodbye to one another outside the mall. They walked their own separate ways, with Kumi and Tokoha waving goodbye until they're out of sight. Chrono softly sighed in relief being out of there.
"You're alright?" Chrona questioned him.
"Hm? What do you mean?"
"You seem… tense."
"Oh that," he replied, attempting to think of a reason. "I'm just thinking why mom wants us there is all."
"Really? I was thinking you're just shy with pretty girls," she smirked.
"H-hey!" His cheeks turned red.
She smiles. "Just kidding!" She stick her tongue out. "Just pay back from earlier."
He looked confusingly before he realized what she meant. "Touchè," he laughed.
Chrono suddenly bumped into someone. Turned to the person, seeing that it was a young blonde haired woman. She seemed like she was in her twenties with green eyes, who he admitted looked really pretty.
"Ah, sorry! I didn't see where I was going," he apologized to her."
"N-no it's fine, I wasn't either." They awkwardly walked away from each other. Unknowingly to him, the young woman gave him one last serious look at him before disappearing out of sight.
Tokoha was seriously annoyed. She sat in her homeroom classroom, fuming while everyone else conversed with one another before classes started.
It's been a little more than a week since she last seen that relative of Chrona (who oddly had similar names). Seriously, he promised he'd have a cardfight with her, so why hasn't she heard of him. She's been so hyped all week and she couldn't take it.
She buried her head in her arms, completely focused on her thoughts. Kumi just entered the classroom and tried to get her attention with no avail. She hadn't even noticed class started.
"Good morning class," the teacher began," before we began, I have an announcement. We'll be joined by a new student."
'Ugh, why hasn't he?' She was still stuck in her thoughts. 'Maybe he's busy or something. So why haven't I heard about him from Chrona either? She's been way too vague.'
"Please come in," the teacher signaled to student.
Kumi looked shocked. She tried to shake Tokoha out of her thoughts. "Tokoha, come on, look up."
"Ugh what?" She grumbled. She finally looked up to see what Kumi was making such a fuss about. She couldn't really blame her. Standing in front of the class was the swirly-curly haired boy she had met. He seem to have less bandages on his body and there were dark circles under his eyes, but it was him for sure.
"I'm Chrono Shindou, it's a pleasure to meet you."