Back on Vanguard!Earth 2-.1 (Some data seems to have been corrupted…)
Ren frowned as he watched Tetsu place his cards on the station. They weren't glowing. With how odd everyone was acting... Well, he already figured that Tetsu had been Яeversed, but this confirmed it. He heard a roar from behind him. A dragon's roar. That's right, he had put that card in a slot, hadn't he? He hadn't planned on Fighting anyone today, especially not seriously, but needs must. He'd been hoping to ask Tetsu about it and the dream he had had last night. But it seemed that would have to wait.
As Tetsu and he revealed their Vanguards, Ren tilted his head slightly. Tetsu was still using a Dark Irregular's deck. But his cards weren't happy with him right now. If it wasn't because of the different clan... So would he be like Asaka then? With a new Unit? Whatever was making them, they were stealing the light from their decks. He felt the rush as his deck spoke to him... Gave him that Winning Image. The new Unit? They wanted to show off huh? Well, they were asking nicely. And... Oh, that's what Tetsu had planned? Some form of tree? How odd. But those black rings. Just like Luquier and the Link Joker Units.
But until then... Let's see... Claudis's skill would mean he'd need a heal trigger, and not use Blaster Dark's skill. (Or use Dorian, but still not use the skill. Bit of a waste that. He'd likely get at least one.) Megablasts always did take some effort to set off. But, if he could, he'd consider the ability more than worth it. Especially since it didn't have to be paid preemptively. Mordred into Raging form would be four. Into another would be five. Another Raging Form would be six... Into the new one for seven... And Soul Charge for eight.
The difficulty really would be managing his rearguard in that case. Let's see here. Three, three, and four... he'd need to offer ten up for skills, Claudis couldn't be included in that... So eleven on that count And that's not counting Tetsu's attacks on them. Then there was the Gaurds... Oh... This would be close!
Mana, of course, would be a complete necessity. Ooh, this would be interesting. With Tetsu's Soul Charge meaning that he wanted the game to end fast, yet he'd need at least... three Mana... one of another... Each. Six. One more tribute... Seven. 7 for Rides, Superior or otherwise. Fourteen... Plus guard and attacked. Let's say twenty-five total for a nice balanced number. Exactly half the deck. Plus the five damage... And one heal... 31 units for the request. Start with 5... Turn one: draw one. 6. Turn two: draw one, drive one. 8... Turn 3: draw one, drive 2... 11. Four: draw one, drive 4. 16. Five: Draw 1, Drive 4. Six... Hmm. That should be about when everything was set. 21?... Hmm. How to reduce the blockers? Because he was at 22 by the time he'd need everything ready. Draw triggers would help. Yes. One heal would be needed most likely. More would be nice. And Raging Form couldn't use his own counterblast. Shame that.
He smirked back at his deck. 'Are you okay with that?' he asked his own clan. In response the cards glowed, and he was rewarded with a Mana from the top of the Deck. Not to ride now, but it was an acknowledgement if ever he'd seen one. 'Well then,' Ren thought with a predatory grin. A game of Shadows and Darkness in the moonlight? Was there truly any better backdrop? He'd remind Tetsu of what he was. He was magnetic, and energetic... But a logistician? A King? A Lord? Most certainly not. Everyone was much better off when he could come and go in the surprise of the Shadows. He couldn't maintain. But the enigmatic wandering hero? Oh yes. That he could be with aplomb.
And then... There it was. Six turns, just as coordinated. Ren had Mordred to Raging Form's right and Claudis behind his Vanguard. Tetsu had two intercepts and a nullify with sacrifice in hand, but that didn't matter. It was time for the power suffocating Tetsu to leave. Mordred and the new Unit in particular seemed to have a vehement hatred for it. Ren could feel the urge to crush it utterly rolling off the cards that linked them to earth. Perhaps when he had a chance again, he could ask them about it? But then again, given what it had done to his friends... He was already of the same mind. No mercy. Tetsu might be at 4 damage, but that was fine.
He smiled as he looked over to Tetsu. "You know... when I first walked to the building... Yesterday, I suppose," he added noting the pink glow beginning to shine on the horizon. Fitting. "I actually was planning on asking you your thoughts on this Unit." This though, he added to Suiko and Asaka. "Though I suppose a demonstration might be better." He pulled the new unit from his hand. "Final Turn," he said, and watched as the other three jumped in shock. It was never a declaration he made lightly, and the times it was wrong could be counted on one hand with fingers to spare. "You, who have found redemption in the Shadows... Be the source of light from which the next Shadows might be born! I CROSS-RIDE! Яogue Shining Revenger, Serene Folm Dragon!" he declared, placing the new unit on top of Raging Form.
"Яogue?" Asaka and Suiko asked staring at the massive white dragon clad in black and gold armor and a red cape. Asaka looked down at her changed Unit. The one she didn't remember receiving... Another Яogue?
"Not a Яeverse?" Tetsu murmured also studying the new unit for the first time. "Yet I can still feel a connection to the Void emanating from it..."
"Honestly, most of the Shadow Paladins aren't sure how to deal with him. I was going to ask you for your opinions... But..." he said, throwing his hands up, as if saying 'What are you gonna do?' "So I guess this might be considered a... test of loyalties if you will." He was sneering now at that dark power choking his friend, and he didn't care.
Suiko was already on her tablet looking up the new unit with picture capture comparison. It was real. Meanwhile the Unit that Tetsu had, wasn't in the database. It had been the same with that Luquier Asaka had used when she fought Ren. And yet there was some information on the Luquier currently in Asuka's hand and the small dragon in her deck box. And for this one... Suiko's eyes went wide. 'So this is why Ren's play had seemed so odd up until now, he spent the entire game preparing for this one turn.'
"First, I'll boost my Vangaurd. Call: Wily Revenger, Mana. And with her Skill, Superior Call: Transient Revenger, Masquerade. Masquerade, give yourself for the for the shadows! Plus one-thousand power to Mana! And then I Soul Charge! Next, I'll have my rearguard remove yours. Mordred Phantom! Mana! Send them to Hades." He watched dispassionately as the rest of Tetsu's front-row vanished. Tetsu couldn't do anything to stop this if he wanted to survive his vangaurd's attack. Little did he know, that was exactly what the Image of Victory his Revengers had shown Tetsu doing. And it was Serene's last condition.
"Boosted by Claudis, Serene Folm attacks your Vanguard!"
Tetsu looked over the board and at Ren's Vangaurd. If it was a Cross-Ride on Raging Form... It probably had a way to re-stand. Not even mentioning the Shadow Paladin's ability to trigger stack in general and Ren's preternatural skill at always getting it just when he needed them. No, this attack was too risky to let through. "Vlad Specula will nullify that! No matter what Mega Blast on hit Skill you have, Ren, it won't work!"
"Oh, Tetsu..." Ren replied with a shake of his head. "Whoever said it had to hit?" he asked with a maniacal smirk. "In fact, it's the opposite." He reached over to his damage zone. "Whenever Serene Folm's attack is prevented... Counterblast 5." He flipped all the cards over. He moved his hand to the Vangaurd Circle. "Soul Blast 8." He removed everything from the Soul. Serene's Power dropped by 2000, but no one paid it any mind. "And now... I lock three of my own units! Mordred Phantom! Mana! Claudis! Get Ready!" he shouted as the three units nodded and were enclosed in red spheres. But unlike the Locks of the Star-Vaders or the Reversed Units that Ren and the others had seen that day, there were no black rings circling and the Units didn't seem to be in pain. Instead... They seemed to be... waiting. Mordred even turned to Ren and gave him a nod.
"Interesting," Ren said looking over the different lock with approval. Then he turned back to Tetsu. "Oh, but don't think that they're done. You see, they are the ones who will be attacking you."
"What?" everyone else shouted in disbelief.
Ren merely smirked at them all. "Serene Stands." He turned to the Cosmo Dragon. "Show them." With a flare of his wings the three locked units were in front of the behemoth dragon. "Did you know... Blaster Dark and Blaster Blade both figured out this amazing trick to project themselves from within a Lock. And Blaster Dark taught it to the rest of the Shadow Paladins." He turned back to Tetsu, eyes closed as the smile threatened to fall off his face. "Here they come. Officially, Serene's power becomes equal to the sum of their printed power and his Critical becomes three. In actuality... They're coming in!" he declared, turning the Vanguard card ninety degrees. "Unity of Shadows!" The Revenger lived up to his title, blazing with light and overwhelming even the early morning sun. The only spots of darkness came from the three orbs before him. And from those three points of shadow, three figures... Facsimiles and spirits of the three Locked units threw themselves forward onto Amon Яeverse.
"Twin Drive: the first check..." he said turning over a card with a yellow star in the corner. He pointed to his Vanguard. "Got it, Critical Trigger. Looks like Serene will be joining in this attack after all." The flare of white screamed as it twisted into a lance of light racing with the three shadows. "And the second..." Ren turned over another card with that same symbol. "Another Critical Trigger. Serene of course, will take the full effects."
Critical 5. Tetsu only needed to turn over two for it to be apparent that he had lost.
-
Ren smiled as he was back with his team, sitting on the roof of the Team Foo Fighter building. It felt so good to get off of his feet. Why did those tables have to be standing use only? Before them were the Яogue cards that had appeared, two after the Яeversed version had been beaten. He wasn't completely sure how to qualify the small dragon.
Suiko hummed as she looked through the card database. "Well, in addition to the ones we have in front of us, there seems to be at least six others. Including one from the Narukami… But I can't find anything on the Яeversed versions. Or Link Joker... Beyond a note that the Яogues are a subclan." They all sighed. Not really a surprise, but utterly frustrating given how becoming Яeversed had wiped their memories... And that Tetsu while under the Void's power seemed to have erased the day's records. "However, I did notice that the terms 'Devil' and 'Clown' showed up in another of their Flavor Texts. 'Devil' in some sort of relationship to a deal. And 'Clown' as a target they want to take down."
Tetsu frowned, glaring at the card in front of him, as if doing so would make it confess all the answers to these secrets. "So, it's likely an unoffical title that other units call them by," he murmured.
Asaka nodded with a scowl. "Exchange the ability to make your own decisions again for being bound to the force that's attacking Cray... Quite the contract."
Ren hummed. They probably weren't that bad. He'd felt their Lock after all. It was different from what the Star-vaders were doing. His eyes began tracking a butterfly that had been blown up to the roof by the wind and started to rock as he did. Things were changing in Cray. Drastically. The game had already been rocked by Cray fending off the invasion as much as they could. But what would happen to these units who took Link Joker's power to help their friends? Would they be jailed? Killed? He didn't really like that thought. He wanted them to stick around. They seemed like fun.
CARD INFORMATION
Яogue Shining Revenger, Serene Folm Dragon
There are things for which I cannot atone, that I do not wish to atone. From my black heart bleeds darkness. "Unity of Shadows!"
[ACT] (VC): [Counter Blast 5] [Soul Blast 8]: If this unit attacks an enemy Vanguard and does not hit, you may Lock three of your Rearguard. If you do, stand this unit. Its base power becomes equal to the sum of the three targeted units before they were Locked. Its critical becomes three. This unit then gains "During your end Phase, retire all units that were Unlocked this turn."
[ACT] (VC): You may Retire one Rearguard you control. If you do, Soul Charge. Then if the Unit Soul Charged had "Revenger" or Яogue in its name, choose one of your Rearguard. That unit gets +1000 power until the end of the turn.
[CONT] (VC): If your Soul contains a Unit with "Raging Form" in its name, this unit gets +2000 power.
[CONT] (VC/RC): This Unit is also Link Joker.
Power: 11000; Critical: 1; Clan: Shadow Paladins
Grade: 3; Cosmo Dragon
Яogue [EЯЯOR DATA LOST], Amon
Gone, gone, gone! Everything I worked for, gone! You want to make a deal, Devil? Fine! Return me to my station, and I'll fight beside you!
(VC) [CONT] [Limit Break 4] Whenever you Soul Charge, target opponent must lock one Unit they control for every three Units in your Soul.
(VC) [ACT]: You may Lock two Units under your control. If you do, Soul Charge.
(VC) [CONT]: If you have a card with "Demon", "Marquis", and "" in your Soul, This unit gets +2000 power.
(VC/RC) [CONT]: This unit is also Link Joker.
Power: 11000; Critical: 1; Clan: Dark Irregulars
Grade: 3; Demon
Silver Thorn Яogue Dragon Hegemon, Ishtar Luquier
I was a fool, blind to the leash at my own neck. You, who opened my eyes, allow me the chance to pay back the Clown who put it there.
[AUTO](VC) [Limit Break 4] (counter blast 1, Lock one Reargaurd you control): When this unit the attacks the opponent's Vangaurd, you may pay the cost. If you do, send two Grade 2 or less units from RC to the Soul, and then Superior Call two Grade 2 or less units with different names to RC.
(VC) [ACT]: Lock a unit, if the unit Locked this way has "Silver Thorn" in its name, look at the top two cards of your deck, search up to one card with "Silver Thorn" in its card name from among them, put it into your soul, and put the rest on the bottom of your deck in any order.
(VC) [AUTO]: Whenever you call from the soul, lock one of your opponent's units
(VC) [CONT]: If you have a card with the name "Luquier" in the soul, this unit gains +2000 power.
(VC/RC) [CONT]: This unit is also Link Joker.
Power: 11000; Critical 1; Clan: Pale Moon
Grade 3; Elf
Яogue, ▮▮▮▮▮ ▮▮▮▮▮
[EЯЯOЯ. EЯЯOЯ: ЯEDACTED]
(RC): When placed, if there is a Locked unit on the field, you may discard a card, if you do draw a card and this unit gains +3000 until the end of the turn.
Power: 9000; Critical: 1; Cyber Fairy
Grade: 2; Shield: 5000; Clan: Link Joker
Яogue, ▮▮▮▮ ▮▮▮▮▮▮ Dracokid
[EЯЯOЯ. EЯЯOЯ: ЯEDACTED]
[AUTO] (RC) [EЯЯOR DATA LOST], your opponent chooses one unit in they control and Locks it.
Power: 7000; Critical: 1; Cyber Dragon
Grade: 1; Shield: 5000; Clan: Link Joker
[EЯЯOR DATA LOST], Яogue ▮▮▮▮▮▮▮▮▮▮▮
[EЯЯOЯ. EЯЯOЯ: ЯEDACTED]
[AUTO] (VC) [Limit Break 4] (Lock two Units you control, Counterblast 2): When this unit attacks the Vanguard, [EЯЯOR DATA LOST]
[CONT] (VC): If your soul contains a unit with "▮▮▮▮▮▮▮▮▮" in its name, this unit gets +2000 power.
[ACT] (RC): [Lock one unit you control] If your Vanguard has "▮▮▮▮▮▮▮▮▮" in its name, you may pay the cost. If you do, [EЯЯOR DATA LOST]
[CONT] (VC/RC): This Unit is also Link Joker.
Power: 11000; Critical: 1: Clan: ▮▮▮▮ ▮▮▮▮▮
Grade: 3; ▮▮▮▮ ▮▮▮▮▮▮
Яogue [EЯЯOR DATA LOST] ▮▮▮▮▮▮▮▮
[EЯЯOЯ. EЯЯOЯ: ЯEDACTED]
[ACT] (VC) [Limit Break 4] (Counterblast 1): Lock a Rearguard you control, [EЯЯOR DATA LOST].
[ACT] (VC): Lock a Rearguard, give a unit +4000 power until end of turn.
[CONT] (VC): If there is a unit with "▮▮▮▮▮▮▮▮" in its name in the soul, this unit gains +2000 power.
[CONT] (VC/RC): This unit is also Link Joker
Power: 11000; Critical: 1; Clan: ▮▮▮▮▮▮▮▮▮ ▮▮▮▮▮▮
Grade: 3; ▮▮▮▮▮▮▮▮▮▮
Яogue [EЯЯOR DATA LOST], ▮▮▮-▮▮▮▮
[EЯЯOЯ. EЯЯOЯ: ЯEDACTED]
[ACT](VC): (Limit break 4, Counter Blast 2: You may Lock two units of your rearguard. [EЯЯOR DATA LOST]
[CONT](VC): If there is a Unit with "▮▮▮-▮▮▮▮" in its name in the soul, this Unit gains +2000.
[CONT](VC/RC): This unit is also Link Joker
Power: 11000; Critical: 1; Clan: ▮▮▮▮▮ ▮▮▮▮▮▮
Grade: 3; ▮▮▮▮ ▮▮▮▮▮
