Cardfight! Vanguard – Override

Sendou Aichi is a timid student whose life is changed by the card game, Vanguard. But as Aichi and his friends reach new heights, the dark and troubling side of the game, combined with a war on Cray, threatens to destroy the players and their new world.
Contains violence, language, character death.


-Hitsue City: Card Capital-

Shin's mood had been consistently elated since the success of the shop tournament; customers were pouring much more than usual, allowing the small business to make a much larger profit than before. He smiled whilst surveying the amount of players taking part in fights after the tense competition just a week before, smiling as regulars and newcomers alike participated in the vein of the fights on display. Misaki was seated behind the counter, reading through a small novel she had been working on the past few days during her shifts; she, unlike her uncle, appeared as nonplussed as always; the boom in business meant little to her, simply more distractions from the book. Curled up on the counter, Sub-Manager opened its large azure eyes, ears twitching whilst shifting its attention to the glass doorway as it slid open. Kamui and his companions filled the space, beaming proudly at the turnout – there had been many more victims to Kamui's winning streaks since the tournament, granting him more bragging rights than normal, to Misaki's annoyance. He stepped inside, followed quickly by the pair and surveyed the players, straightening his back and shrinking his smirk once it became clear to him that something about the gathering was off. While he found the usual customers wearing the Hitsue Middle School uniform, something wasn't right, prompting him to turn to the counter where Misaki slouched, book in hand.

"Hey, Misaki-san, where's Onii-san?" he asked.

Misaki's azure eyes slipped from the book and met with the puzzled face of the youngster. "I don't know," she confessed with a hint of disheartenment. "He hasn't shown up in a couple of days".

"A couple of days?" Kamui cried. "Is he sick or something? What if Emi-san has to attend to him and can't make it either?"

In his mind, he could picture the scene clearly – Aichi tucked in bed with a damp cloth pressed against his forehead, suffering from some kind of fever with Emi by his bedside, offering him soup to get over the ailment. She would stay there, doing whatever he needed, catering to his every whim. It brought tears to Kamui's eyes, quickly streaming down his face in thick columns, surprising Eiji and Reiji, who flinched at the despair of their idol.

"Kamui-san!" Reiji yelped.

"Emiii-saaaan…" The spiky-haired boy whimpered.


Ride 5: Building Courage

[Fuyasuru Yuuki]

-Hitsue City: Middle School-

The bell signalling the beginning of the lunch period rang, interrupting another of Mr Mark's excited lectures about the war his class had been studying. The blonde man smirked, pressing hands on his hips and watching as his students filed out, leaving a few stragglers behind. Among them, Aichi was still seated at his desk, sluggishly placing his books into his bag. Morikawa towered over him before long, grinning smugly.

"Hey, Aichi, y'coming?" he asked. "I'm heading off to the CF Research club, you tagging along?"

"Ah, m- maybe another time," Aichi answered, hanging his head with a sheepish look.

"Look, I know you haven't joined, but you really should. Who knows? Maybe we can make a team there and take out that brat Kamui and jerkoff Kai," Morikawa grunted, punching the palm of one hand with the other balled into a fist.

"Mo- Morikawa-kun," Aichi gasped. "P- Please don't be so crude about my teammates".

"Huh?" Morikawa sounded, tilting his head. "It's not like you to pass up a game of Vanguard, though. In fact, you haven't even come to Card Capital since last week".

Izaki peered over his shoulder at the pair, standing at his desk, having also taken his time to pack away his things in waiting for the duo. The observation also struck him as peculiar, causing him to freeze and merely listen as the conversation progressed.

"Th- That's just…" Aichi trailed off, looking down in embarrassment, unable to configure a reasonable excuse.

"I know you're not a member of the CF Research club, but Mark-sensei keeps telling me to try and get you to come along. Y'know, you shouldn't be intimidated," Morikawa continued, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm the strongest there, so you'll only really have me as competition".

Izaki rolled his eyes, while Aichi responded with a faint chuckle. "Thank you, Morikawa-kun," he responded. "But I'm afraid I'll have to decline. I just need some air right now".

The blue-haired boy picked himself up and dragged the suitcase-like bag from the desk, jogging across the classroom before his taller companion had the time to compile a response, leaving Morikawa standing by the emptied desk with a dumbfounded expression. The scene had left Mr Mark also curious and Izaki frozen with puzzlement over Aichi's unusual behaviour.

Aichi raced through the corridors in case Morikawa should be tailing him, climbing up staircases, although quickly slowing down – he wasn't built for physical endeavours like the self-inflicted race. But he progressed, his breaths growing heavier and deeper, pausing only when he reached the final ascent, by which time, his shoulders were heaving. He climbed up the steps at a more leisurely past, the calves of his weak legs throbbing from the sudden exercise and only seemed to calm their complaining only when he threw the door open, unveiling the school roof bathed in sunlight. Many students had used the site to spend their lunch hours soon after the staff gave permission, but for many, the novelty had worn off, resulting in the numbers gradually reducing and only a handful of students present when Aichi staggered into the light. He had occasionally used the area for eating alone, but this had been the first time in months. He dragged himself towards the edge and dropped down, back pressed against the thick diamonded metallic fencing.

From the roof, he could see the entirety of the school's ground – the lush field, the concrete segment with benches fixed to various spots, the sandy all-weather pitch. Students raced around on the former, chasing a ball as part of the daily routine of a game during the lunch period. Aichi watched with faint attraction to the sight; he could see so many people, gathered together, enjoying the time with their friends, making the most of their school days. The times that would soon be over. Then it reminded him of how little he had done the same – he hid away from others, he would avoid them at almost any cost, isolating himself and fretting about the bullies lurking around every corner. His memories of school would be smeared by those insecurities and loneliness. He wouldn't have such fond recollections. He smile soured and brow wiggled with disheartenment, the signals threatening to fill his eyes with tears, but he pressed the back of his hand against them before they could flood.

Among those on the ground, Morikawa stormed out, charging across the concrete in search of the blue-haired student, but the height was too great to enlighten Aichi to that fact. Meanwhile, Izaki crossed through the doorway of the staircase, quickly identifying the shrunken boy.

"Aichi," he called.

Aichi flinched with a yelp and turned immediately to whom he had believed to be Morikawa, only to discover the brunette. It brought a degree of relief, but he was left imaging that he had come with the same intentions in mind. The brunette stepped closer, approaching leisurely so as not to frighten the boy into another mad dash. Aichi responded by turning away from the fence and facing Izaki, swallowing the lump that quickly built in his throat. Izaki seated himself in front of him, having brought nothing with him, he straightened his back and locked eyes with the nervous target.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

"Y- Yes, I'm sorry for acting strange," Aichi answered, tucking his head between his shoulders. "I- I didn't mean to offend Morikawa-kun… or Mark-sensei".

Izaki smiled. "You didn't offend anyone. They're just worried about you. Even Morikawa, he just don't know how to act properly".

"I see…" Aichi exhaled.

"The truth is I came to see you because Mark-sensei also asked," Izaki continued. "Not to try and get you to come to the club, but because he just wants to make sure everything's okay. It seems like you've been off since the shop tournament. Are you still unhappy with losing before the final?"

"No, that's not it," Aichi responded meekly.

"Whatever it is, you can say. I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to," Izaki insisted.

"I- I know…" Aichi mumbled.

But still, there were so many clear signs that Izaki could spot that alluded to Aichi's reluctant state. The brunette frowned and shuffled closer, leaning forward to more closely eye the boy's face, causing Aichi to flinch once more and shrink back against the fence.

"Iz- Izaki-kun?"

"You shouldn't bottle it up," Izaki insisted. "I get that you're not good with people, but you've got to help me here. I'm trying to help you, as is Mark-sensei. If I can't get you to speak, then he might have a crack. And he won't be so gentle".

The colour drained from Aichi's face swiftly, fearful of the implications behind Izaki's words and pondered for a moment what would be best – to confide in a friend or the teacher who had been at the tournament. Either would be good opinions, but he was troubled by the idea that his concerns could easily be slapped aside as childish fears and naivety. He shuddered, laying his hand over the bag where his deck had been waiting for another game ever since the loss against Kamui.

"The truth is…" he sighed. "I don't think I'm strong enough to be part of the team".

"Huh?" Izaki sounded, blinking with puzzlement. "But you did so well in the tournament".

"I only won a single match," Aichi responded, refusing to make eye contact with the boy in front. "I overheard Misaki-san accuse Shin-san of making the tournament to get the four of us together and make the team. But I'm not strong enough. Kai-kun, Kamui-kun, Misaki-san; they're all much stronger and confident players, I don't want to drag them down because I'm still trying to find my feet in this game".

"Even if that's the case, you're a great player, especially for a beginner," Izaki answered enthusiastically. "You've beaten loads of regulars, you even won against Kai without even knowing all the rules".

"There's a part of me that suspects he just let me win that though," Aichi sighed heavily. "I'm just not strong enough. He wanted to think that when he gave me that card, he was doing the right thing. But what he said that day…"

"Listen, picture it in your mind. Picture yourself big and strong, like the warrior in that card".

"I've never been able to picture myself in the way he wanted me to. In the way that he thought Blaster Blade would make me," the boy continued sorrowfully. "I failed Kai-kun, he's just trying one last attempt at the mission he started when we were kids. I was far too timid to protect my card from Morikawa's plan, I couldn't fight properly against Kai-kun".

"That's not true," Izaki protested. "Listen, Aichi. I've been speaking with Miwa and we agree – you've got something special. You could easily become a great player that could win against anyone. You've just got to have some confidence in yourself. That's what's holding you back. Kai knows he's strong, Kamui knows he's strong. But you doubt yourself every step of the way".

"Izaki-kun…" Aichi breathed faintly, astonished by the passionate argument put before him.

"The truth is I was way too nervous during the tournament, I couldn't focus and lost horribly to Kamui," Izaki continued, hanging his head in dismay. "But you were also uncomfortable. Yet you fought with everything, you did well. Everyone acknowledges that you're strong, but you're being held back by feeling insecure like this. You've talked about wanting to fight Kai again, I'm sure if you believed in yourself, he'd easily accept a challenge".

"I understand, Izaki-kun," Aichi answered. "But… I don't know how I'm supposed to picture myself as strong. I've thought about myself in Blaster Blade's armour all the time, I guess it's like some guilty fantasy – to wish being a knight in another world. But whenever I remember that I'm not a part of Cray, but this is reality, I shrink away. I don't just have to courage to do it. I'm so weak here; all the bullying since beginning school, not being able to fight back, too afraid to speak up. What kind of knight would be like that? I don't have the right to wield a sword as precious as Blaster Blade".

Izaki was taken aback by the deep scars left by the tough childhood. He felt guilty, partially responsible; he and Morikawa had been friends since infancy, but attended separate elementary schools. Morikawa had always been a rough child and, on occasion, he would even lash out at Izaki. But it was far different than the day he confessed just how cruel he could be.

The pair were walking close to the park, meeting after classes on a Thursday and laughing about pranks that the dark-haired child had played on the teacher with his posse. Izaki was in the process of taking mental notes of the jokes, hoping to replicate them at his school while the concrete path became uncovered dirt.

"Morikawa-kun, you're fearless," Izaki chirped, clenching his fists eagerly. "I'm going to try that too. Maybe it'll make me the most popular guy at school".

"You can be most popular in your school, but I'll be the best ever," Morikawa bragged with a loud laugh.

"I bet everyone admires you," Izaki commented with optimism. "There'd be no-one in your way".

"Yeah, but they're all weak, so they don't matter," Morikawa scoffed. "There's this one kid in my class, Send… something".

"'Send'?" Izaki repeated.

"Sendou. That's it – Sendou Aichi. He's the weakest brat you could imagine," Morikawa commented. "He doesn't say a word, it's kind of creepy, really. But then you get him in a corner and he just stands there while people mess him about. He never fights back, he's spineless".

"Really? He doesn't even tell you to stop?" Izaki asked.

"Apparently he did to begin with, then he gave up or something," Morikawa answered. "But, in a way, it's more fun that way. If he doesn't run off and talk to someone, then we can do it all we want and there's no worry about getting into trouble".

"Wow," Izaki sounded.

"There he is," Morikawa cried, pointing ahead.

Izaki redirected his sights forward, locating the tiny blue-haired child seated on a bench up ahead. He appeared to have been deep in thought, not picking up on the duo's presence, his eyes narrow and dulled from the exhausting day at school. Morikawa charged forward, smirking cockily.

"Mo- Morikawa-kun," Izaki called, reaching out.

"It's cool, Izaki," Morikawa laughed. "Watch this".

Izaki was reluctant to follow so quickly, adopting a slow pace along Morikawa's path. The dark-haired child arrived at the bench, his shadow throwing itself over Aichi's lap, drawing the smaller boy's eyes upwards.

"Morikawa-kun?" he uttered.

"Hey, Sendou, what're you doing out here?" Morikawa asked darkly, arms folded over his chest. "Didn't we tell you that if you hung around here that a monster will get you?"

"But that's from the card game you play," Aichi responded. "I overheard you talking with your friends. It's just a monster you borrowed from that game to scare people".

"Don't talk back," Morikawa snapped. "You think you're so smart".

The sun retreated behind clouds surfing through the sky, blanketing the ground with a dimmer shade and reclaiming the shadows. Meanwhile, the older boy clenched his fists, ploughing one into the right side of the seated boy's face, knocking him from the wooden planks and onto the dirt ground with a yelp. Izaki's stroll was paused as he fixed himself to the spot, surprised by how a single punch had managed to knock over the youngster, but said nothing. Morikawa took the opportunity and stamped onto Aichi's back, rooting him firmly to the ground, drawing out another pained whimper, the tiny body shivering under the sole of his shoe.

"What are you going to say now, huh, Sendou?" Morikawa laughed. "You want to try saying this is from a card game? Huh? Answer back now".

He reached forward, grasping the strands of long hair that hung down the right side of Aichi's head, pulling it and craning the boy's neck back. Gasps and cries of anguish escaped from the victim, trying to keep his head in place; squirming would only make the sharp pain worse, meaning he would have to put up with the pinching sensation from the roots. Morikawa clenched his teeth; although ordinarily, picking on the boy was fun, there was no audience other than Izaki, who knew nothing more of the child other than the brief description, not to mention he had talked back. His brown eyes slipped to the ground, devising his plot. He pulled down on the hair, giving Aichi a second to breath before his head was dragged down after. Izaki flinched as the child's face slammed into the ground.

"What's the matter? You're not going to cry, Sendou?" Morikawa growled. "You too good to call for help?"

He pulled the boy's head up, when Izaki could see clearly that tears clung to the corner of his eyes, leaking down his cheeks. A pang of guilt resonated through the brunette; he had heard of Morikawa's treatment of his peers, but he had never imagined something so rough. His fists tightened; he daren't go against Morikawa's intentions lest he be the next target, but watching as his friend pulled Aichi's head back and forth made him cringe, watching as blood trickled out of the young boy's nose, dripping onto the ground. Izaki squeezed his eyes shut, torn between loyalty and his conscience – what was he to do? Who was he to betray? He stamped on the ground as Morikawa pulled the boy's head away once more.

"Okay, Morikawa, that's enough," he barked.

"Izaki," the dark-haired youngster responded, surprised by the forceful tone from his companion.

"I get it, let's just go," he insisted. "No-one's getting any enjoyment out of this. I can see it all over your face".

Morikawa scowled, releasing Aichi's hair forcefully, pushing him against the ground once more before finally removing his foot from the boy's back, leaving a dirtied footprint. He pressed his hands against his hips, smirking darkly down at the floored child, who made no movement, laying with his eyes squeezed shut and tears flooding his cheeks.

"I'm letting you off easy for now, Sendou. But that's only because I'm bored of this," Morikawa scoffed. "Come on, let's get out of here".

The two stormed away, Morikawa glaring at Izaki, who paid no attention to his companion's soured mood. Once the brown eyes were lifted, he peered over his shoulder, examining the scene left behind as Aichi remained on the floor, showing no signs of picking himself up. Perhaps more damage had been inflicted than he'd assumed.

When the two had discovered that Aichi was a part of their class, Izaki felt haunted by the face of the boy. That same disappointment in himself and the pity for the younger of the trio lingered, even as they sat on the rooftop; Morikawa must have bullied him like that for years, destroying any self-confidence and leaving the wreck before him. He could have prevented it, he could have sympathized with the boy more and talked Morikawa down. But, for fear of being turned on, he kept quiet.

"We're just taking his card, Izaki. It's nothing big," the dark-haired student snapped. "He doesn't even play Vanguard".

"Are you sure that's all?" Izaki asked. "We'll give the card back, right? I mean, you said it's a Grade 2. I thought you only cared about Grade 3s".

"Yeah, but this is a rare card. Not even that Kai will be able to stand up against me with a card like that and an army of Grade 3s," Morikawa bragged.

"Alright then," Izaki sighed.

It hadn't dawned on him that the boy would be the same he had watched Morikawa torment years before. But he put on the act for the sake of not falling victim to Morikawa's wrath and believing that the card would be returned to its rightful owner. Even as the sidekick of a bully, he had a sense of justice, even if it was vague. He should have known Morikawa better than that.

"Aichi…" he exhaled. "I'm sorry for the way we've been treating you. N- Not recently, but before all that".

"Izaki-kun?" Aichi sounded.

"When we took Blaster Blade, even before then," Izaki continued, hanging his head shamefully.

"Izaki-kun, you don't have to…"

"I do," Izaki interrupted. "Morikawa has always been out of control and I was too afraid to stand up to him, even knowing what terrible things he did to other people. Forgive me".

"I- Izaki-kun," Aichi murmured.

"I'll do whatever it takes to make it up to you. Practice against me all you want until you can see yourself as strong," Izaki insisted. "It's the least I can do to apologize".

Aichi was stunned by the request, gazing at Izaki with wide eyes whilst the brunette bowed his head apologetically. He didn't know what to say; he had never been in such a position. It almost made him just as uncomfortable as days when he would be bullied by others. In the corner of his eye, he captured the stomping Morikawa pacing through the grounds; did Izaki's sudden behaviour mean he was aware of the torment he suffered at the dark-haired student's hands? His azure eyes returned to Izaki, hardened slightly.


-Hitsue City: Card Capital-

The regular customers were gripped by the match played before them; Kamui's battle cries were followed quickly by Morikawa's anguished yells with defeat imminent. Misaki had given up all hope of peace and slumped behind the counter, propping her book up and doing her best to shut out the racket. Kamui threw down an additional card, filling up the field around his Mr Invincible heading the pack against a full front line of Morikawa's Grade 3s. The glass door slid opening, greeting Emi into the shop, tiptoeing in discreetly so as not to distract the active battle or earn Kamui's overwhelming affections. She inched closer to the counter, grasping the corner with her small hands and stretching her legs in order to capture Misaki's attention beyond the pages of text that she gazed at absent-mindedly.

"Um, Misaki-san?" she whispered.

Misaki sounded her surprise at the young redhead's return, lowering the book; it wasn't an unpleasant surprise. Emi's attendance was something she would much prefer over the rowdy males gathered around the nearby table, Kamui thrusting his hand forward whilst declaring another attack to destabilize Morikawa's flimsy force. Miwa grinned over the scene while the duo always in the youngster's attendance cheered in admiration of their leader. Emi ignored the scene, centring her focus solely on the lilac-haired employee, curious about her sluggish response.

"I'm sorry," Misaki answered eventually, setting her sights on the girl. "Is something the matter?"

"I was wondering if Aichi had stopped by," Emi inquired. "He's been home later than normal, even for nights spent here, but he doesn't seem in the same kind of mood as when he's been playing. It's been… kind of solemn".

"Solemn?" Misaki repeated.

Her head tilted downwards vaguely; it was clear on the day that she and Aichi had taken their losses to Kai and Kamui hard. Though the final battle and the revelation that all four participants would form a team representing the shop had been enough to soften the blow. For Aichi, however, that may not have been the case. He hadn't made an appearance since the tournament, despite the fact that a week had passed. Emi had entered now and again, watching the battles in vain hope that her brother would arrive, but of the brief occasions she had attended, he had failed to fulfil her wishes. Misaki's lips deepened; she couldn't lie to the girl, she would fool her into believing everything was fine, regardless of the attempts Aichi may have made.

"I'm sorry. He hasn't been here since the tournament just over a week ago," the woman sighed.

Emi's head hung heavily, her eyes glimmering with concern. She was the responsible sibling; having no idea where her brother had slipped away to was like worrying about a child that had vanished while in her care. Misaki shifted her eyes away guiltily, crawling towards the Sub-Manager, who stretched his furry legs and yawned, letting out a soft mewing. Emi smiled half-heartedly at the feline, reaching up and patting his head gently, something that led the pet to purr warmly. After a moment tending to the animal, Emi reverted her sight to Misaki.

"But I don't understand; he's part of the team, wouldn't he want to practice?" she asked.

Misaki had no idea; she was as surprised as anyone else at Aichi's absence. The shop had been the place that brought he and Kai back together, taught him the rules, gave him confidence, a stage to stand on. And now he had disappeared, leaving a hole behind to join with that which Kai frequently left by his dismissals of the customers and brushing them off. It was bewildering, but who would have any idea where he would slink off to? Why would he avoid the very place that offered him friends and courage? Misaki tucked her head between her shoulders, disappointed that she could shed no light or give any comfort to the young girl pleading for information in front.

"I'm not that sure, really," she sighed. "Aichi has never really given us any idea where else he goes to spend time. I'm sorry, I'm not being of any use".

"No, it's fine," Emi answered quickly, shaking her head. "It's not your fault that Aichi is inconsiderate. He's like that all the time, so there's nothing wrong with you not knowing. He should open up some more".

"I had been thinking he was. But I suppose that wasn't the case," Misaki answered, sighing heavily. She shared Aichi's disappointment and guilt; perhaps that was why she felt so heavy-hearted after his disappearance. There was no other explanation as to why her feelings around the circumstances, some that she wouldn't have normally.

Emi exhaled anxiously, hanging her head to obscure the lilac-haired woman's view of her fretting face. "Okay then, thank you," she muttered. "If you find out where he's been hiding, could you please let me know?"

"Of course," Misaki responded. "I'm just as eager to find out. I just hope he's not beating himself up because of losing before the final. We all know he was looking forward to facing Kai – it seems to be a driving force behind his playing Vanguard. He must have just taken the loss to Kamui – the last hurdle – hard. But I'm sure he's fine".

"That makes sense," Emi answered. "If something happens, even out of his control, he doesn't deal with it well. Thank you, Misaki-san. I'll see if I can get anything out of him tonight and I'll stop by again tomorrow to give you any update".

"Okay then, keep your chin up," Misaki suggested with a faint smile. "Hang in there, I'm sure he is. Things will be back to normal before long".

Emi nodded sharply and grasped the straps of her brown backpack, spinning to the glass doors that hissed whilst pulling apart, bringing the girl face-to-face with the grey uniform of her brother's school. Unfortunately for her hopes, it wasn't Aichi, but Izaki. The youngster offered him a brief smile before rushing out, Izaki stepping aside to permit her hasty exit. He trod carefully into the building, witnessing the final blow to Morikawa and securing Kamui's victory with a proud pose to his companions, but Izaki's attention was quickly drawn elsewhere, meeting Misaki before her book could be raised.

"Aichi hasn't shown up, has he?" the brunette inquired.

Misaki shook her head. "Her departure should have been enough to answer that," she murmured coldly.

Izaki sighed; stealing another glance at the crowd around one of the nearest tables, the two fighters collecting their cards. Before anyone could detect his presence, he turned once more to the employee.

"I caught up with him at school. He's not dealing with losing at the tournament well," he confessed.

Misaki's eyes shot away from the novel in her clutches immediately, though her head and neck remained perfectly still. He had her undivided attention.

"Go on?" she pressed.

"I don't know what it is about him, but it's like he expects so much from himself. I really think he was aiming to win the tournament even though there were more experienced players taking part," Izaki elaborated. "When he couldn't do that, he called himself weak and all sorts. He's pushing himself too hard to reach standards that he's set so high… I was listening and felt like there was nothing I could do to help. I just hope… that something can come from it. I don't want him dropping out of the game or the team because of that mind-set".

"None of us do," Misaki stated. "His sister has talked about how much he's changed after starting to play Vanguard and making friends here. One loss can't possibly push him back into seclusion; it's not possible that he could want that kind of lonely life again".

"He told you about what he was like before?" Izaki questioned.

"It was simple to make out that much from his first visits," Misaki answered plainly. "He was timid, frail, beaten by years of how terrible growing up with self-absorbed people".

Izaki frowned, sheepishly tucking his head between his shoulders. The images of the young Morikawa dragging Aichi's head from the park ground and forcing it back down haunted him. He had been standing there, watching for years as the small blue-haired boy was tormented by his peers, even witnessing that particular event in person, taking part in the theft of Blaster Blade mere weeks before. He was guilty. He could have done something. He'd known between right and wrong, but did nothing to stop Morikawa's campaign of bullying, throwing himself about to assert himself as a strong and fearsome individual. It was only now that the extent of the damage was becoming clear, it made his stomach churn. How far had things needed to go before they broke him?

"Um…" he sounded shakily. "I could try to catch up with him tomorrow. I'm just as worried as everyone else. I'm sure Morikawa is too, even if he doesn't show it".

"By the looks of things, none of them like to show it if they care," Misaki scoffed.

"I suppose. That or that that thick-headed they haven't even noticed," Izaki mumbled.

"Oi, didya see that?" Kamui bragged. "Wiped the floor with him".

"Loseumi can't beat Kamui-san," Reiji chirped.

"CB," Eiji chanted.

"How many times do I have to tell you brats it's Katsumi?!" Morikawa roared.

Izaki smiled faintly, recalling the days when the pair had been the same age as the trio in front of his companion, negated almost immediately by falling back on the realization that it had been at that age when Izaki encountered Aichi for the first time, weighing his heart down further. There was nothing he could do to escape; reminiscing only brought it around, dwelling made the image clearer. He couldn't escape the fact that he had let down the boy from the very moment he kept quiet in favour of staying on Morikawa's good side. His eyes squeezed closed, shoulders shivering from frustration directed towards himself.

From the back rooms, Shin emerged, his hands gripping his hips whilst moving into the view of the group gathered around the fighting table, the earliest customers of the shop's increasing number of visitors. The green-haired manager let loose a sigh, surveying the audience and his smile diminishing gradually upon registering the fact that two members of the shop's team were still absent.

"Are Kai and Aichi-kun really not here?" he inquired. "I hope they can find time to come by again soon, the Regionals aren't that long away; we've only got a few days to go".

Izaki's hands tightened into fists, shuddering by his sides – it had been ultimately down to him that Aichi's confidence relied on his results in the tournament. Years of bullying that he could have prevented stripped away any spirit the boy had, leaving him one hope to cling onto. That, too, now gone.

"If they don't show up, then I'll take their places," Morikawa hollered, jumping up from the table and reaching up like an excited child desperate to answer the question delivered by a teacher. "I'm strong enough to fill both their places".

"You just lost to Kamui-san!" Reiji barked. "You can't do well at the Regionals".

"CDW," Eiji snapped.

"Quiet, you brats," Morikawa boomed. "You're just jealous because I was in the tournament and you weren't".

"But you lost straight away. You'd just let the team down," Kamui protested.

"I had a bad opening hand and didn't get the chance to recover," Morikawa retorted. "If I'd had the chance, I would have proved how much stronger than anyone else".

It was almost as though electric bolts clashed between the pair, their faces inching closer whilst blood boiled and tensions flared towards their peak. Izaki's eyes squeezed themselves closed and his body trembled with pent-up emotion; overflowing and battering the barriers holding in those from years before. His back curled and neck stretched, throwing himself forward.

"That's enough, Morikawa!" he yelled.

The shop fell eerily silent, all eyes moving to the brunette whose outburst had been the most unexpected result of the clash. Misaki's eyes retained their narrow form, aware that Izaki had been struggling, his speech patterns while talking to her – including his elaboration on Aichi's potential feelings offered to her the seed of his concerns. Morikawa straightened, tightening his hands into fists and pressing them against his hips.

"Don't worry, Izaki, you don't have to get jealous," he chuckled. "You could always take the fourth space. You don't have to get so worked up".

"That's not it, Morikawa. I don't deserve to be part of the team and neither do you," Izaki protested, his eyes opening sharply, sending a bitter glare towards his dark-haired classmate. "Stop messing around, this isn't the time".

"Izaki?" Morikawa sounded with puzzlement. "What the hell's gotten into you?"

"I'm tired of hiding and keeping quiet," Izaki snapped. "Quit pushing people around, it's not fair and it doesn't make you strong".

Morikawa snarled, furious at the accusations launched and stomped forward, leaving Kamui and his companions behind while charging steadily towards Izaki. Shin raised his hands, preparing to halt the argument about to break out, but no words could release themselves from his tight throat, Izaki's eyes narrowed, bracing himself for the first punch as punishment for finally standing up for himself. Once Morikawa towered over him, raising a clenched fist, his sight vanished behind a veil of blackness.

"That's enough. You even think of doing anything more and you'll be out of here," Misaki's voice injected sharply.

There was no attack after that threat. Izaki's eyes inched open wider to find Morikawa sneering down at him, offended by the outburst and smear on his pride, more so as his revenge was halted merely by a woman's threat. He reached forward after seconds, however, and grasped Izaki's closed jacket, gripping it tightly with a closed fist, received by several cries from Shin and the younger spectators.

"So what were you on about?" he hissed.

"The day I met Sendou Aichi," Izaki growled. "It was through you and the way you do things. You haven't changed, you're the same scum you were back then. And worse, I've stooped to your level. If it's anyone's fault he isn't here, it's yours".

"Why you…" Morikawa grumbled fiercely, automatically squeezing his fist tighter.

A hand fell onto Morikawa's shoulder, capturing the fuming teenager's piercing eyes. Miwa smirked confidently in spite of Morikawa's mood, his grip on the joint tightening as though his hold could grow strong enough to force the release of Izaki. He had no such power, nor was he sure he could do any good in the unusual scenario; it wasn't like Morikawa to turn on his friends, but by Izaki's words, the implication was that their friendship had a darker side to it.

"Come on, you're making everyone angry. Just leave it and find someone else to play," the blonde suggested.

Morikawa's eyes tapered further, sending a venomous look towards the older student. Nevertheless, Miwa continued to smile as though nothing was wrong, apparent dissonant serenity in the midst of the storm. There was no calm to the tension, Morikawa released the brunette roughly, pushing him back. Izaki stumbled towards the glass doors, regaining his footing shortly before the wall and snatched back his balance, glaring forward to the spiky-haired student in front. Miwa appeared between the two, patting each on the shoulder with a friendly grin.

"Now come on you two. Shake hands and make up like men," he chuckled.

Morikawa averted his sight immediately. "I didn't do anything wrong," he complained.

"You've done everything wrong," Izaki growled.

"What was that?" Morikawa snapped.

The door hissed behind Izaki, silencing any further argument and drawing all eyes to the new arrival onto the chaotic battlefield. More so when the identity of the short silhouette was revealed as none other than a bemused Aichi.


-Hitsue City: Underground Sector-

Far off from the childish arguments in the shop, Kai had kept a low profile whilst skulking around the quiet streets, strutting in his uniform so as not to draw attention to himself, although the area he had wandered into had grown much darker than much of the city. His bottle-green eyes were sharp, tracing the features of the dark blue-haired woman who had appeared, dressed in a midnight blue dress and matching thigh boots decorated with a pink bow on each side of the grey belt. Her eyes were pale in comparison to the elements of her colour scheme, though there was something oddly familiar about her. Small aspects that reminded him of someone for reasons he couldn't be sure why. The woman surveyed the alleyway she had wandered into – no place for a lone woman – before trekking deeper. There was nothing wrong with her pushing forward; she was confident, calm, there was no fear about her. She was one capable of taking care of herself.

He had no answer as to why he followed the curious female; perhaps it was because she radiated a powerful aura, perhaps it was because she moved so surely without any hesitation. There was something about her that intrigued and lured him after her as she skipped between one dim backstreet to another, adventuring deeper into the shady area and further from the major streets. He kept without the shadows from a safe distance, watching her cautiously; there was no underlying fear for the woman's safety, there was only curiosity as to why she would be using the narrow and darkened alleys to find her destination. Those questions would be answered when he found himself peering at an old basketball court surrounded by a battered wire fence, ripped apart nearby to open a means of getting inside to the court painted with faded white lines. In the pattern, a wooden table had been erected, a man standing with a white coat over a black attire, his dark blue hair challenging hers. The pair were a strange duo, but when the woman removed a deck of Vanguard cards from her dress, it became clear what was happening – they were to conduct a battle far from the public's eye. The underground side of Vanguard; where rules need not apply.

That was what he had heard, but as Kai watched the match, he noted that the man – declared a King of the underground gang named Jun – obeyed the laws of ordinary battle and faced the woman respectfully. Nevertheless, he was defeated with ease by her cards resembling a circus and its various colourful acts – a clan he had yet to face. The woman smirked, posing smugly afterwards, hair draped over one shoulder that caressed her cheek and chin. Jun smirked whilst hunched and lifted his sight to the woman with a satisfied smirk.

"Wow, I never expected that kind of fight," he chuckled. "That was pretty good".

"You couldn't have possibly thought I would come all the way out here and disappoint, could you?" the woman asked with amusement. "I'm known as strong for a reason".

"Oh? But I've never seen a face as pretty as yours on the battlefield," Jun responded. "Whom would I be searching for in order to watch you in your field?"

"Narumi Asaka," the woman responded with a faint giggle and wink.

She turned her back on the astounded thugs and their dethroned king, gaping in awe or horror at the overwhelming victory of the woman. Jun appeared the least affected of all, despite losing his crown and suffering the brutal onslaught. He reminded Kai of Miwa; light-hearted, in the game for fun, jovial regardless of the circumstances. Asaka strode away; she was another that he would keep his eye on – the two were potentially formidable adversaries, but he had no time to practice, there were other matters he had to deal with. Not least the Regionals only days away. The brunette turned his back on the scene, allowing Asaka to slip away and Jun's followers to come to terms with his defeat. There would be nothing more to interest him, but he would be left with the lasting impression of both Jun and Asaka – although the fight had been largely in her favour, Jun was a powerful fighter. He would have to be to have earned the title of King. They were individuals he would aim to face on another occasion; to tackle them in his bid to grow stronger himself. Perhaps he could get lucky and figure out why Asaka brought with her a familiar feeling with her mere presence. Before he knew it, Kai was on the streets, scanning the approaching shoppers and workers from the left, then the right. He could progress without being halted and interrogated as to why he had been in the grim area of the city. Time was something he had little of; no-one was going to wait for his goal of becoming strongest.


-Hitsue City: Card Capital-

Dusk was drawing near while the white-suited woman waited with her legs stroking the sides of her crimson motorcycle, blonde hair streaming down her back and emerald eyes fixed sharply on the shop front. She was on the scene solely under orders from the cerulean-haired woman in charge of her force – Kourin of the PSY card shop obeying Suiko's command to keep an eye on the visitors whom had attended their shop some weeks before. Kourin's eyes narrowed, exhaling irately through her nostrils; she could see no reason why she had been issued with the job. Why couldn't Suiko investigate if she was so concerned?

The glass doors slid open and the group emerged; Aichi, Izaki, Kamui, Reiji, Eiji and Morikawa leaving as a group. The Middle School students apparently having reconciled after she caught the glimpse of an argument whilst Sendou Aichi arrived and entered, shutting her out and leaving her for hours without anything better to do than watch the motionless street. Their exit from the shop did nothing to improve her negative mood. She still could not find anything of interest about the youngsters; they were ordinary students playing at a shop; Suiko, apparently, had seen something more. What that was, however, she had yet to disclose. Suiko was far too secretive, even around her own sisters. Subordinates. Kourin herself wasn't impressed with the group; all naïve boys with egos and misconceived assumptions that they could stand a chance in the world of Vanguard cardfights. They were the same as far as she was concerned; arrogant, self-centred, greedy.

There was nothing special, she scoffed, assuming Suiko had been mistaken; it wasn't often that someone came along with real potential, but then even she would have detected even a hint. That said, there had been nothing, though Suiko had imposed. There was something about them according to the elder sister. Suiko slipped her helmet on, determined not to be dragged down by being recognized and hid her golden locks underneath the scarlet helm that matched her machine. Through the visor, she glared at the small cluster, about to rev the motorcycle when Aichi's sudden detour to the right of the shop led her to Kai's approaching form, striding along without slowing once the blue-haired boy had identified him and smiled meekly.

"Kai Toshiki, hm?" she muttered. "He's already one that Suiko wanted to watch. Huh, guess she wasn't too far off when she reckoned there was something about those kids".

Her sight shifted to the monitor fitted between the handlebars, tapping on the blank screen, which ignited with an image of the blue-haired woman.

"Ah, Kourin," she sounded with content.

"Suiko, it's about that boy and his friends," Kourin reported.

"The boy with the Royal Paladins?" Suiko inquired.

"Yes. It seems he knows Kai Toshiki," Kourin responded bluntly. "He's already under observation, but that's not why you wanted me to keep an eye on him – because he's in contact with that subject".

"Hm. You're smart," Suiko chimed. "It's true that Kai Toshiki is believed to be of use, but I think there's more to Sendou Aichi than just a boy who knows someone we're watching".

"And what would that be?" Kourin asked coldly. "You just liked the looks of his Royal Paladins? His Blaster Blade?"

"No, not quite. Although I do like the idea of those cards being tied to the scheme," Suiko answered with a faint giggle. "No. I believe Sendou Aichi may be also chosen. Just as Blaster Blade is a knight of the Royal Paladins, I will not rule Sendou Aichi as a knight of Psyqualia as out of the question".

"Y- You honestly think someone like him could have Psyqualia?" Kourin spluttered. "But he's weak; he lost so easily".

"But he's just a beginner. Besides, it's not just me who has faith in Sendou Aichi," Suiko stated.

"You mean he believes that kids could be important?" Kourin asked, unconvinced. "Whatever, I've seen enough. Nothing more is going to happen tonight".

"Alright then, I look forward to seeing you," Suiko claimed. "I'll put some coffee on for when you get back".

"You're far too giddy about this. Kourin out," the blonde scoffed, tapping down on one of the various keys lining the monitor.

Suiko's face vanished and restored the bland state of the screen. Kourin stole another piercing glance towards Kai, Aichi and their companions before kicking the motorcycle underneath her to life, roaring with impatience before throwing itself forward. Kourin launched herself down the road, determined not to eye the children until after passing them and examining her rear-view mirror, confirming none of them had even paid her any notice.


PREVIEW

Kamui: Alright, off to the Regionals!

Aichi: Kamui-kun, you're certainly excited, huh?

Kamui: Of course, Onii-san. Now I can show Emi how strong I am, then I'll be able to or- pro-

Aichi: Kamui-kun, are you choking?!

Misaki: Leave him, he'll deal with it. We've got more to focus on.

Aichi: Y- Yes. That's right, if we can do well here, then it'll be another step closer to fighting Kai-Kun. Next time: "Cardfight! Vanguard Override, Chapter 6 – The League Above".

Miwa: Yo, good luck, guys.


I apologize for taking so long with this, and how it's most likely underwhelming, especially as I remembered the ending sections late into the chapter, but felt it had dragged on long enough, sorry about that. Second year of university got off the ground with a busier start than I had anticipated, but I remembered to get around to this again, eventually. I'm still working to balance studies, social and stuff like this so large gaps of nothing doesn't happen. As you might have picked up, there are tweaks to the characterization, more obviously in those like Morikawa and Ultra-Rare; they'll becoming more obvious overtime to help build on developmen already in the anime. Thanks for reading, please leave a review~

- CuteYami, 30th October 2012