The sun begins to set on the 2nd day of Fighter's Royal, covering the city in a blanket of orange light as Alex sits on a park bench, watching kids run around and play as she thinks back to the events at the hospital earlier in the day…
Flashback (Drive 24)
"What I mean is…" Ryuzu says, ready to unveil the truth, "Your father is on planet Cray. Fighting this threat directly, alongside his units."
Alex's heart sinks hearing this,
"Cray is a real planet. Every single fight you've ever had, all of the units in your decks…" …
"During my fight with your father, the Stride Gate was destroyed, and it created an unstable connection between Earth and Cray, allowing units from Cray to come to Earth by possessing people on this planet."…
"Your father and mother then created a link between their avatars on Cray and were finally able to fix the rift between the two planets. All was peaceful for the next couple of years… but now something has managed to reestablish that link, sending its warriors down to Earth in the hopes of devouring both our worlds." Ryuzu narrows his eyes as he utters the name of this higher force, "The Death Ark." …
"Only by defeating these Acolytes, can we eventually put an end to the Death Ark, and you see, that is the true purpose of this tournament. To find people who are truly worthy of fighting this threat."
End of Flashback
The information she was told that day lingers in her mind, no matter how hard she tries to ignore it.
Just then, wandering nearby, was a red-headed boy named Yuto Hajikura, who happened to notice Alex on the bench. Concerned as to what was wrong, he decided to go up to her and ask, "Hey Alex, what's up?"
Alex lifts her head to look at Yuto, before she lowers it again saying, "Oh, hey Yuto…" not wanting to answer his question.
Yuto sits down next to Alex and asks her, "Is something wrong? I don't think I've ever seen you this down."
"Yuto…" Alex mutters, "There's something I need to ask you."
The boy tilts his head and responds, "What's that?"
Opening Theme – Fighter (Gundam Build Iron-Blooded Orphans OP4)
Drive 27 – For My Family
Alex looks him, directly in the eyes and asks, "D-Did you know my father was on Cray?"
Yuto's eyes widen. "Y-Your dad's on Planet Cray?!" he exclaims, "I-I thought Planet Cray wasn't real. Who told you this?"
"Ryuzu Myoujin." Alex tells him, "He told me earlier this morning." She then explains everything that Ryuzu told her at the hospital this morning. Yuto tries to comprehend what Alex is saying, having no idea Cray actually existed. "I don't know what to think anymore… It's like everyone knew where he was except me…" tears begin to fall from Alex's eyes, and Yuto notices it. "He's my dad… why would they keep it a secret from me?! To protect me?! This is my dad we're talking about!"
"Alex…" Yuto mutters at her rant.
"I just don't know what to think anymore…" she says, "So much has happened lately. The giant unit that appeared, learning the truth about my father… my head feels like it's going to explode…"
Yuto thinks to himself about a way to cheer Alex up, and then an idea comes to him. "Hey, why don't we go get something to eat?" he requests, "Maybe you're just hungry."
"I'm not hungry Yuto…" Alex tells him, but he still grabs her arm, catching her off guard.
"Come on, let's go." He tells her as if ignoring what she just said.
"H-Hey! Wait!" she exclaims, but they do not stop.
Yuto takes Alex to a beef bowl shop, where he orders two large beef bowls for them both. "Yuto… I told you I'm not hungry…" Alex tells him again, but when the bowls arrive, Alex can't contain the drool that begins to fall from her mouth. Her stomach then growls, much to her embarrassment.
"Are you still not hungry?" Yuto asks her.
Alex blushes a tad bit and mumbles, "Well… maybe a little bit…" and then picks up her chopsticks. After they give thanks, they eat their meal, and Alex ends up scarfing the whole thing down quickly.
Yuto uses a napkin to wipe the sauce from his face as he asks, "There, you feel better now?"
"A little bit… I guess I was hungrier than I thought…" Alex tells him as she sets her bowl off to the side, "but… I still don't know what I'm going to do…"
"About…?"
"Ryuzu said that, in order for him to believe that I'm strong enough to protect myself, I needed to beat him in a cardfight."
Yuto raises an eyebrow at this. "Ryuzu said that?"
Alex nods and continues, "But… my mom says I'm just like my dad. I'm too brash, and too hasty to make decisions. I don't think I am… am I?" she looks at Yuto when she asks this.
Yuto scratches the back of his head and replies, "Well… I know we haven't really hung out that much, but… I don't think you're brash."
"Even my friends agree that I'm too hasty sometimes…" Alex says, putting her hands in her lap, "I want to prove to him that I am capable. I want to show him that I am ready to face whatever dangers my father is facing right now, and to do that, I need to win this tournament." She then slams her hands on the table and leans over closer to Yuto, "Yuto! Will you cardfight me? I need to get stronger, and the only way to do that is to test my strength!"
Yuto smiles at Alex's conviction and says, "Alright, let's do it." The two of them clear off their table and pull out some playmats. They shuffle each other's decks and draw their starting hands. Then, they both declare in unison, "Stand up… VANGUARD!"
In a dark and cloudy, mountainous terrain, two figures appear…
"Steam Maiden, Ayancia (G0/5000)!" Alex declares.
"Plasma Spear Dracokid (G0/5000)!" Yuto declares.
"I'll go first!" Alex states, "Ride! Steam Mouse, Elal (G1/8000)! Using Ayancia's skill, I look at the top three cards of my deck and add a Gearoid to my hand. Next, I use Elal's skill! I bind one card in my hand (BZ: 0-1/G0-2)."
"My turn." Yuto declares, "Ride! Plasma Storm Wyvern (G1/8000)! Using Dracokid's skill! I add a Thunder Dragon from the top three cards to my hand. Attack the Vanguard!" The red dragon charges a ball of lightning in its mouth, and then fires it at Elal, causing a small explosion. (Alex: [])
"Ride! Steam Lynx Shar-kali (G2/10000)!" In Elal's place, appears a girl with red hair and wearing a had with cat hears and goggles, and carrying vials of chemicals, "Next I call Steam Scara Susuda (G2/10000), and with her skill, bind the top card of my deck and add 5000 power (BZ: 1-2/G2-5) (10000-15000)! Shar-kali attacks the Vanguard!"
"No guard." Yuto says.
"Drive check (Draw). Got it! Draw Trigger! Add 10000 power to Susuda and draw a card (15000-25000)." Shar-kali mixes some chemicals, but it causes an unstable reaction, causing it to erupt from the vial, making her freak out adorably as it sprays all over Yuto's wyvern, causing its wings to melt a little. (Yuto: []) "Susuda attacks the Vanguard!" Susuda tosses several vials of chemicals at the wyvern, causing explosions of noxious gas on impact (Yuto: [][]).
Yuto recovers from the attack and prepares his turn, "Ride! Black Thunder Dragon (G2/10000)! Using Plasma Storm Wyvern's skill! When he's rode upon, I can bind one of your rear-guards in your front row. I bind Susuda!"
"Thanks, that actually helps me." Alex tells him.
"Yeah, I'm aware." Yuto says, "I knew my deck would help you because that's the nature of Narukami, so I decided to change up my strategy in case we ever fought again."
Alex raises her brow and asks, "What do you mean?"
"You'll see." Yuto tells her, raising the anticipation, "I attack the Vanguard! Drive check (Critical) Critical Trigger! I give all effects to Black Thunder Dragon (10000-20000/Crit 1-2)." Lightning manifests on the dragon's claws as he swings and hits Alex's Vanguard across the face, causing her to yelp in pain (Alex: [][][]).
Alex flinches back in real life, and once she adjusts her position in the chair, she declares, "Stand and draw! Let's go my loyal and trusted friend, to a world of infinite possibilities! Ride!" in Shar-kali's place, a young woman with short white hair and wearing a mercenary attire of a black coat and a green scarf with goggles on her forehead appears, brandishing twin-gun blades, "High Steam Maiden, Kashima (G3/12000)! I activate Susuda's skill in the bind zone (Soul 3-2), I superior call her and bind the top card of my deck (G2/10000-15000) (BZ: 3-2-3/G7-5) Next I call Steam Scara Irkab (G2/10000), and Steam Shooter, Alulim (G1/8000)! I activate Irkab's skill ([X][][])(Hand 4-3)! Add 1 drive to Kashima (12000/drive 2-3)!"
Alex's Board State
(G2/10000) (G3/12000) (G2/10000)
(G1/8000) (XXXX) (XXXX)
"Boosted by Alulim, Irkab attacks (10000-18000)!"
"No guard." (Yuto: [][][])
"Kashima attacks the Vanguard! Using her skill, I bind Alulim (BZ 3-4/G5-6) and add 10000 power to Kashima (12000-22000), then, if the total grade of all cards in my bind zone is 5 or higher, I can draw one card (Hand 3-4)." Kashima dashes at Yuto's Vanguard before leaping into the air, doing a twirl and then diving at the dragon, but a young jeweled fox and a girl in red dancer clothes get in her way.
"I guard (SLD: 25000)!" Yuto exclaims, "That's two to pass."
Alex smirks and says, "Alright, Triple Drive (none/none/Front). Front Trigger!" Alex is a little disappointed, but takes what she's given, "Add 10000 power to my whole front row (10000-20000) (22000-32000) (15000-25000)! Now Susuda attacks the Vanguard!"
"No guard." Yuto declares, "Damage check (Draw). Draw Trigger!" Yuto draws one card (Yuto: [][][][]), and with the skill, Soul Charge 1 (Soul 2-3)."
"I end my turn." Alex states, "Don't hold back on me Yuto."
Yuto smirks and says, "I wasn't planning on it. Ride!" On Cray, purple lightning surges through the sky, and when one bolt strikes the ground, a blue-scaled dragon with crystalline wings appears, as it lets out a deafening roar as Yuto calls out its name, "Dragonic Desire (G3/12000)! Activating his Soul Drive (Soul 3-2)!" Send two cards from your bind zone to the drop zone (Alex BZ: 4-2/G6-5)!" The dragon lets out another roar as purple lightning surrounds its body, and its true angel-like wings break out of their crystal binds. "Dragonic Desire gains 3000 power, 1 grade, and 1 drive (G3-4/12000-15000/drive 2-3)! I call Halberd Dragon Knight (G2/10000) and activate this skill ([X][][][])! Bind Irkab!"
Alex complies (BZ: 2-3/G5-7).
"And since my Vanguard is Driven, draw one card. Then I call Dragon Dancer Leiya (G1/8000), Black Thunder Dragon (G2/10000), and Dragon Knight, Cleremunda (G1/8000)! Using her skill! I put a card from my hand into my soul and draw one card (Soul 2-3), then you have to discard one card and draw one card." Alex does that, discarding a grade 1 card, "Then, I get to choose one card in your drop zone and bind it (BZ: 3-4/G7-8)! Activating Dragonic Desire's skill ([X][X][][])! Bind Susuda (BZ: 4-5/G8-10), then all units in my front row gain 5000 power for each of your open front row circles (10000-20000) (15000-25000) (10000-20000)! Lastly, if your bind zone has a card in it, Leiya gains 5000 power (8000-13000)!
Yuto Board State
(G2/20000) (G4/25000) (G2/20000)
(XXXX) (G1/13000) (G1/8000)
"Let's go! Black Thunder Dragon attacks your Vanguard!"
"I guard (SLD: 10000)!"
"Halberd Dragon attacks (20000)!" Just as Alex's guardians disappear, she gets blindsided by Halberd Dragon slashing her with his giant ax (Alex: [X][][][]). "Boosted by Leiya, Dragonic Desire attacks the Vanguard (25000-38000)! Using Leiya's skill, discard one and draw one, then add 10000 power to herself, and by extension, my Vanguard (13000-23000) (38000-48000)!" Leiya hops on Desire's head as it flies high up into the sky preparing its attack, but just then…
"Complete Guard!" Alex declares.
"Triple Drive (none/none/Heal). Heal Trigger! Add 10000 power to Black Thunder and heal one damage (20000-30000) (Yuto: [X][][])!" Dragonic Desire fires its beam of lightning, only for it to be stopped by Alex's guardian, however, some stray bolts hit Yuto's other units. "Using Dragonic Desire's skill ([X][X][])! Since you have no rear-guards in your front row, I can stand two units and add 5000 power to them both! I stand Black Thunder and Halberd (30000-35000) (20000-25000)!" the stray lightning energizes Yuto's units, allowing them to stand on their feet.
"Not good…" Alex mutters to herself.
"Boosted by Cleremunda, Black Thunder attacks again (35000-43000)!"
"No guard." Alex declares, allowing herself to be struck by the deadly dragon's attack, making her scream in pain (Alex: [X][][][][]).
"Halberd attacks!"
"I guard (15000)!"
"I end my turn." Yuto says.
Alex pants heavily, having narrowly escaped defeat. She smiles and says, "Wow Yuto… you're really strong. I wish I could be more like you."
Yuto chuckles and says, "What are you talking about Alex? You've beaten me numerous times. In fact, I wish I could be more like you."
"Thanks Yuto," Alex tells him, "but… I'm not all that strong, at least not yet." Yuto tilts his head in confusion. The sun begins to set over the city, as the street lamps flicker on, signaling the coming of night. "Tomorrow is the last day of the first phase, and only the strong opponents are left, yet my team is falling really behind. So, I'm going to need to be really strong to beat anyone who challenges us! I've got more reasons for winning this tournament, other than just to be like my father. I want to find my father, and the only way to do that, is to prove to Ryuzu that I am capable!"
Yuto smiles at Alex's conviction and says, "Then allow me to be your test subject. Come on, show me what you got!"
"I'll do my best! Stand and draw! Activating Kashima's Soul Drive! I send cards from my bind zone to the drop zone with their total grades being 4 or more (BZ: 5-3)/G10-6), and then Kashima gains 3000 power, 1 grade, and 1 drive!" Kashima throws off her goggles and scarf, as metallic wings, propelled by blue flames, sprout from her back as she lifts off into the air (G3-4/12000-15000/drive 2-3). "Next, I liberate the Generation Zone!" Alex discards a grade 3 from her hand. She then imagines herself in a starry vortex, all of her body, aside from her head, covered in bright white light. She spreads her arms out as if she's flying and chants, "Open up my future! To a world of endless possibilities! Generation… STRIDE!" Then, from a clock portal, a large metallic dragon spreads its wings, forming a massive energy clock as Alex calls its name, "Interdimensional Dragon, Chronograph Dragon (GX/25000)!"
"Hmm…" Yuto mutters to himself.
Kashima flies up and lands on the dragon's shoulder. "Activating Chronograph's skill ([X][X][][][]) (Soul 2-1)! I bind a card in my soul (BZ: 3-4/G6-8), then I can send two of your units to the bottom of your deck! I choose Black Thunder and Leiya!" Chronograph casts a magic spell, causing a vortex to appear behind the chosen units, making them get sucked inside, never to be seen again. "Then I can search my deck for two units with the same grades as those units and call them! I call my most trusted friends! Steam Lynx Shar-kali (G2/10000) and Steam Mouse Elal (G1/8000)! Using Elal's skill! I bind a card in my drop zone (BZ: 4-5/G8-11), then if I bound a grade 3 unit, add 5000 power to Shar-kali (10000-15000)! I activate Shar-kali's skill next ([X][X][X][][])! I bind another card in my drop zone (BZ: 5-6/G11-13), then I get to superior call Steam Scara Nanum (G3/12000)! Using her skill, bind the top card of my deck (BZ 6-7), and send one of your rear-guards to the bottom of your deck!"
"I send Cleremunda." Yuto says.
"Next I call Steam Maid, Lugalngu (G1/8000) and Steam Maiden, Nanniya (G1/8000)! With Lugalngu's skill, add 10000 power (8000-18000)! Finally, Chronograph Dragon adds 1000 power to my front row for each grade in my bind zone. The total grade is 13, so add 13000 power!"
Alex's Board State
(G2/28000) (GX/38000) (G3/25000)
(G1/8000) (G1/18000) (G1/8000)
"Boosted by Elal, Shar-kali attacks the Vanguard (28000-36000)!"
"No guard." Yuto declares. Shar-kali tosses a potion into the air as Elal gets to her knee and aims her crossbow at the potion. Once it's right over Yuto's Vanguard, she fires a dart that manages to hit the bottle and make it explode (Yuto: [X][X][][]).
"Boosted by Lugalngu, Chronograph Dragon attacks the Vanguard (38000-56000)!" Chronograph casts a spell, making a large clock appear, whose hands are spinning wildly. However, Yuto declares…
"Generation Guard! Sky Guardian Supreme Dragon, Counteract Dragon (SLD: 15000)! Activating his skill! Choose up to two of your front row rear-guards and bind them, and for each one you DON'T bind, add 10000 to his shield."
Alex thinks for a moment and decides, "I bind Shar-kali (BZ: 7-8/G13-15). Add another 2000 power to Chronograph and Nanum (56000-58000) (25000-27000)!"
"Fine, then add 10000 power to Counteract (SLD: 15000-25000). I also guard (total SLD: 70000). That's two to pass."
Alex tenses her shoulders and declares, "Triple Drive! First check (none). Second check (Heal). Heal Trigger! Add 10000 power to Chronograph and heal one damage (58000-68000) (Alex: [X][X][][]). Third check…" Alex braces and flips over the card… however (none). She sighs and says, "No trigger." Chronograph fires its time beam, however, it is stopped by Yuto's units. "Boosted by Nanniya, Nanum attacks the Vanguard (27000-35000)!" (Yuto: [X][X][][][]) "With Nanniya's skill, I put her into my soul and Counter Charge 1 (Soul 1-2) ([X][][][]). I end my turn."
"Stand and draw." Yuto declares, "Time I show you what my deck can really do! Liberating the Generation Zone!" Yuto imagines himself in a starry vortex, all of his body, aside from his head, covered in bright white light. He raises his fist to the sky and chants, "Thunderous Lightning! Divine Wrath of the Heavens! Purge this battlefield of all evil! Generation… STRIDE!" in Dragonic Desire's place, a dragon, cloaked in golden robes and palms of lightning, descends to the field as Yuto calls its name, "Heavenly Conquerer Dragon, Zeus Strike Dragon (GX/25000)! Activating his skill! I counter blast 3 cards ([X][X][X][X][X])! Now, look at the top three cards from the top of your deck and call as many of them as possible to your rear-guard. Abilities aren't activated."
Alex does so and says, "I call High Steam Maiden Feena (G2/10000) and Steam Maiden, Men-nuna (G0/5000)."
"Now, choose four of your rear-guards and bind them!"
"FOUR?!" Alex exclaims. She then scoffs and says, "I bind Feena, Elal, Lugalngu, and Nanum (BZ: 8-12/G15-23). With Elal's skill, when in the bind zone, she gets grade +1."
"That's not going to matter much," Yuto tells her, "now, since four cards were bound, add 1 critical and 1 drive to Zeus Strike Dragon (25000/Crit 1-2/drive 3-4)! I call Dragon Dancer, Olfiy (G1/8000)! With her skill (Soul 3-2), bind Men-nuna! Finally, Zeus Strike adds 3000 power to my front row for each unit bound this turn! A total of five units were bound, so add 15000 power!"
Yuto's Board State
(G2/25000) (GX/40000) (G1/23000)
(XXXX) (XXXX) (XXXX)
Alex stares at her blank board in despair, but clinches her fist and refuses to give up as Yuto begins his battle phase. "Olfiy attacks (23000)!"
"No guard…" Alex declares and gets hit by the attack. "Damage Check (Draw). Draw Trigger! Add 10000 power to my Vanguard and draw (15000-25000) (Hand 4-5)!
"Zeus Strike Dragon attacks the Vanguard!"
"I guard (SLD: 60000)!"
Yuto smiles and says, "Two to pass huh?" and Alex nods, "Alright then, Quadruple Drive! First check (none)! Second check (Front). Front Trigger! Add 10000 power to my front row (40000-50000) (25000-35000)! Third check (none)!" Both of the young fighters tense up as Yuto checks for his last card. "Fourth check (none)!" Yuto sighs and Alex wipes her forehead in relief. "Halberd attacks the Vanguard!" Alex doesn't guard, bringing her back to five damage. (Alex: [X][][][][]) "I end my turn."
"This is awesome! This is one of the best fights I've ever had!" Alex exclaims, "I wish our friends were here to see this…"
"Yeah…" Yuto says, "Nezumi would be losing her mind right now."
Alex chuckles and says, "Rina would be like, 'Alex! You better not lose or I'll never ever forgive you!'" attempting to mimic Rina's voice, making both of them laugh.
"Alright, it's your turn Alex."
"I know. Stand and draw." Alex looks at the card she drew and smiles. She then tosses it into the drop zone and shouts, "Liberating the Generation Zone!" Once again, she imagines herself in a starry vortex, all of her body, aside from her head, covered in bright white light. She spreads her arms out as if she's flying and chants, "From the depths of darkness, a light emerges! A light that will change the future! Generation… STRIDE!" in Kashima's place, a woman, adorned in a blue dress and brandishing twin blades that look like clock handles, appears. She dances around the field before striking a pose as Alex calls her name, "Highbrow Time Maiden, Gemekala (GX/25000)! I call Steam Gunner, Ludger (G3/12000) and activate Gemekala's skill ([X][X][][][]) (Soul 2-1)! I can bind one of my rear-guards, then I can call a unit from my deck that is one grade higher, or one grade lower than the unit I bound."
"Reverse Time Leap?" Yuto exclaims.
A clock appears behind Gemekala as she holds her blades to mimic the time 9 o'clock, then begins moving her hands counterclockwise as Alex says, "I bind Ludger (BZ: 13-14/G23-26), and superior call Steam Lynx Shar-kali (G2/10000)! Using Shar-kali's skill ([X][X][X][][])! I bind one unit from my drop zone and superior call Elal from my deck (G1/8000)! I activate Elal's skill! I bind the Kashima in my drop zone and add 5000 power to Gemekala (25000-3000) (BZ: 14-15/G26-29)! Next, I use Gemekala's skill again ([X][X][X][X][]) (Soul 1-0)!"
"It can use it multiple times in a turn?"
Gemekala does the same thing she did with Ludger, but this time moves her arms clockwise. "I bind Elal (BZ: 15-16/G29-31) and superior call Susuda (G2/10000), and with her skill, bind the top card of my deck to add 5000 power (10000-15000) (BZ: 16-17/G31-34)."
Alex's Board State
(G2/15000) (GX/25000) (G2/10000)
(XXXX) (XXXX) (XXXX)
"Gemekala attacks your Vanguard," the young maiden flourishes her blades, pointing both her blades to mimic the time 3:15, "and when she attacks, she gains 1000 power for each grade in my bind zone! Thanks to you, I have a total grade of 34 in my bind zone, so Gemekala's power rises to a whopping fifty-nine thousand (25000-59000)!"
Yuto is stunned by the massive number. He looks at his hand and thinks to himself, "Even if I could block this… I wouldn't survive an attack from Susuda." He then smiles and declares, "No guard." Gemekala then dashes at Dragonic Desire. Then, in a flash of light, she is behind the dragon. She holds her blades at the 3 and 9 positions on the clock and moves them along it to 2 and 10, 1 and 11 until they finally both meet at 12, and when they do, a massive explosion erupts on Dragonic Desire, causing Yuto to howl in pain… the fight was over (Yuto: [X][X][X][X][X][]).
Later, after the fight, Alex and Yuto head to a nearby park and sit on a bench, enjoying some popsicles they bought. Alex pulls her treat out of her mouth, then looks at Yuto and says, "Thanks again for the fight Yuto, I really appreciate it… but you didn't have to give me all those points."
"You deserve them." Yuto tells her, "I believe you can show Ryuzu you have what it takes to find your dad, so I want to help you however I can."
"But what about your team?" Alex asks, "Won't you be behind now?"
"Eh, we can catch up. Don't under estimate us." He then pats her on the back and says, "I promise. We'll face each other again in the finals."
Alex looks into his eyes and sees his conviction. She nods her head and says, "Okay!" she puts her hand on his back and says, "It's promise." They look into each other's eyes, vowing to meet in the finals. Alex then puts her popsicle in her mouth and says, "But before then, I need to get my team into shape for tomorrow."
"What do you plan on doing?" Yuto asks her.
Alex pulls out the treat again and looks at Yuto saying, "It's girl stuff." While winking and sticking her tongue out.
Yuto slightly blushes, imagining what Alex has in mind, but tries not to think about it. "I-I see…" Alex then said her goodbyes and headed off to meet with her team…
To be continued…
Ending Theme – Yume no Hikari-Kun no Mirai (Buddyfight DDD Ending 1)
[Next Time]
Alex brings her team to a bathhouse to get them into fighting shape for the final day. However, some of her training methods are a bit unorthodox, and Rina doesn't seem to appreciate them too well…
Next time on Vanguard X: "Naked Fight! Part 2" Don't miss it!