NOTE: This Interlude will be a two part Interlude. The 2nd part will be posted on a different date. The next two chapters will be back to focus on Emi and Aichi.

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Interlude 4: Misaki's Story Time!(Part 1)

"And this Chrono is my old team. Team Quadrifoglio or Team Q4 for short," Misaki explained. After their fight she began showing Chrono old pictures of her and her friends. Misaki giggled at Chrono's enthusiasticness, he had broken out of his shell after playing Vanguard.

"So, you guys were the strongest team? Since you won the National tournament and Asia Circuit?" Chrono asked. Swirly boy had been shocked to discover that there were tournaments of such high class dedicated to Vanguard. Which made him wonder why he never knew this game existed till today.

"Well...I wouldn't describe us as the strongest team. There were plenty of other teams that gave us a challenge, and defeated us," Misaki responded. Chrono's face gained a look of shock, since Misaki was so strong in his opinion. Well...he did just start playing Vanguard and she is the only person he's ever fought so far, but still she was super strong in his eyes.

"Could you tell me about some of them!? Your fights, if you don't mind?" Chrono asked, bashfully.

Misaki smirked at the boy's question. "Sure, but it's better if I tell exactly how Q4 was formed," She said. Chrono nodded his head, ready to hear the story.

"My uncle decided to throw together a Cardshop Tournament to send a team to Nationals in hope of bringing more attention to the shop. I wasn't exactly interested, but was convinced by my uncle to join in. Each of us four won our matches, ending up in the semi-finals," Misaki said.

"Woah! Which one did you fight, Misaki?" Chrono asked.

"I fought against Toshiki Kai, who was our strongest member at the time. That match wasn't exactly easy for me," Misaki's mind flashes back to that day.

"Final Turn."

Misaki gasps at Kai's announcement. "We're not done yet!" Misaki responded, glaring at the Kagero user. That high and mighty attitude of Kai's, irritates her during the match. She looks down at her hand to reaffirm her confidence.

"This hand should be good enough to defend. I gotta stop all three of his attacks or I'm finished," She said, mentally. Her eyes then scanned over Kai's side of the board. "Two Nehalams and a Vortex Dragon. I'll guard the first Nehalem's attack with a Lozenge Magus, I'll have to use the rest of my hand to stop his Vortex Dragon, but I'll need a heal trigger to survive his final attack."

"You're counting on that heal trigger, huh?" Kai asks, cockily. Misaki gasps once more at Kai's correct assumption of her plans.

"Your determination to keep fighting is impressive, but this is the end of the line!" Kai declares. From there Kai attacked with the first Nehalem, which Misaki guarded against accordingly.

"It's not over yet! I can stop these attacks!" Misaki shouted, desperately in her mind. Her eyes scan over her hand, Kai's board, and her damage zone which consists of 5 cards. "I just need to hold on a bit longer and I'm back in the game!"

"With the support of Charren, my Vortex Dragon attacks your Vanguard!" Kai declared. Misaki uses the rest of her hand to guard the attack.

"I've used my entire hand, but that's more than enough protection. As long as he doesn't get a trigger here," Misaki thought.

"I check the Twin Drive. First check? Stand Trigger. This is exactly what I needed. I raise Vortex Dragon's power by 5,000 and restand Nehalem," Kai smirked, holding the trigger in his hand. Misaki's face turned into one of defeat as Kai had made it impossible for her to make a comeback.

Vortex Dragon attacked, bringing Misaki down to 6 damage. Ending the game with Kai's victory, sending him to the finals of the tournament.

Misaki sweatdropped at the memory. Kai always had luck with triggers, as if he knew that he'd pull them no matter what.

"What happened next!?" Chrono was shocked that Misaki had lost, but understood that you can't always win in these things.

"The fight between Kamui and Aichi was happening at the same time as ours. Theirs ended with Kamui's victory, sending him to the final match with Kai. That fight concluded in Kai's victory officially crowning him as the strongest fighter in the shop. After announcing his victory, Shin announced that the Top 4 of the tournament would head to Nationals together as a team. And that's how we became Team Q4," Misaki finished her tale.

Chrono couldn't explain the excitement he was feeling at the moment, but he really wished he could've seen all of the action of that little tournament. "Then you guys went to the Nationals and won as the perfect team, right?"

"We were not perfect, and we lost our first go at the Nationals," Misaki cut off Chrono's perfect image immediately.

"HUH!?"

"Kai and I weren't exactly the most cooperative members of the team, especially Kai at the time. Kamui and him always fought with one another, with Aichi constantly having to prevent any sort of conflict breaking out. I mostly found things a bother, and never directed any sort of energy into improving at the game until we lost to the champion team AL4," Misaki grumbled at the memory.

Misaki grumbled as Asaka Narumi guarded Tsukuyomi's attack perfectly. Everything was riding on her to win this match for the team to continue on in the tournament. She couldn't lose here, but something was amiss. Every card Asaka had used to guard was all G0 and nothing else. Then, she finally realized what was going on.

"Every unit you've guarded with...were Grade 0. So, that's why you destroyed my Silent Tom!" Misaki called out Asaka's strategy.

"That's right, my Grade 0's are so talented. I couldn't let Silent Tom ruin their fun!" Asaka gave her opponent a crafty smirk.

"She's been one step ahead of me this entire time," Misaki couldn't believe how blind she had been to Asaka's game.

"Well, are you ready to see the grand finale of our performance? The Pale Moon Circus puts on a show their victims are sure to remember!" Asaka was too pleased with Misaki's stunned look. The assassin began her turn, explaining to the ever growing shock of Misaki how screwed she really was.

"Savage creatures lurk within the darkness that is the soul and there's no way for you to escape them! Cower before the Pale Moon's Ultimate Technique! The Deadly Shadow Beasts!" Asaka declared, pushing Misaki to 5 damage.

"Assassin lurking in the shadows, embrace the spotlight, Midnight Bunny's counterblast! Bunny moves to the soul and coming out I superior call Crimson Beast Tamer," Asaka preps her final attack. Misaki couldn't help but back away a bit from the ever growing fear in the pit of her stomach.

"With support from Skull Jugular, Nightmare Doll Alice attacks!"

"I guard with Dream Eater and Silent Tom! Wiseman intercepts!"

Placing a hand on her hip, Asaka gave Misaki a disappointed shake of her head. "Reading her opponent's next move is the only way an assassin can survive. I knew just what you were going to do. You were so desperate to stay alive you used all your defensive units to block my third attack, didn't you?"

Misaki couldn't believe she had been figured out once more by this irritating circus girl.

"Then there's no way of stopping my Crimson Beast Tamer from finishing this game, right?" Asaka asked. Once again, Misaki glared desperately at Asaka.

"I'd like to dedicate this final attack to a viewer of today's performance. A man like no other! The Amazing Ren!" Asaka uttered his name once more, something else Misaki noticed she does a lot.

"Go! My Crimson Beast Tamer!" Asaka declared the attack. Following her Vanguard's command, the unit attacked Misaki head on. Sending the final damage into her damage zone, ending the game with AL4's victory and Q4's defeat.

"Wait, she called herself an assassin right?" Chrono asks, once Misaki had finished telling the story.

"Yes? What are you asking?" Misaki questioned.

"If she's an assassin, then why does she use a deck built around a circus?"

"..."

"..."

"Anyway, we eventually tried again for the National Tournament!"

"You just ignored the question…"

Interlude End