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-
For the excitable occasion, the weather had worked perfectly in favour as the sun cast down its light and warmed the city as Shin lingered outside his shop, fiddling with the sign thrown together in the past hour. In all the excitement, he'd forgotten to find someone to manage the store on the day. His attention was quickly diverted through the glass door, observing Aichi and Kamui standing at the counter, the former removing cards from a packet he had purchased just moments ago. Kai, meanwhile, was slumped at a table with his back to the street and with no sign of movement. If Shin hadn't known any better, he'd have assumed the brunette had dozed off whilst waiting. A low meow from behind straightened him and sternly warned him to return to his duty outside the building. Shin grinned sheepishly over his shoulder at Sub-Manager, who sat behind like a boss inspecting the work of his employee in action. Shin let out an unsatisfied moan, pressing his hand to the side of his head.
"Still? I'm lining it up against the frame. It's got to be even," he lamented.
The cat let out another low, more exasperated growl; frustrated over how its judgement had been called into question. Aware of his companion's tone, Shin sighed and threw up his hands, grabbing the sign and beginning the task again. Inside the building, Aichi examined the cards he had bought. Kamui stepped forward, eyeing his teammate curiously.
"Onii-san, is everything alright?" he inquired.
"Yeah. I just thought about getting some extra cards just in case," Aichi answered chirpily.
"You shouldn't leave that until now," Kamui protested.
"I guess you're right," Aichi chuckled faintly, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm sorry, Kamui-kun, I guess I wasn't thinking".
Kamui grabbed his hips, letting out a sigh and twisted his head in order to examine the room; Kai was their only company, detached as he was. There was no sign of their final member, leaving Kamui anxious. Aichi was quick to identify his friend's concerns and eyed the doorway leading from the shop itself to Misaki and Shin's home.
"Do you think Misaki-san is alright?" he asked.
Kamui folded his arms roughly and snorted to mask his shared worries. "Hmph, she probably won't show up," he grunted. "She didn't want to play Vanguard in the first place, and she doesn't care about us. There's no way she'd risk being caught playing Vanguard in public with three guys younger than her".
"Kamui-kun," Aichi gasped. His head sank between his shoulders, seeds of doubt unwittingly planted. "Do you really think she could feel that way?"
"Who knows," Kamui mumbled. "Misaki-san doesn't seem to lighten up. It's difficult to get to know her and what she's really thinking".
"Is that so?" Aichi sighed.
The door slid open, granting Shin access to his business, void of customers other than those in his care. Although they helped with business, he easily considered them more friends than tools for selling cards. With a friendly smile, he approached the trio with squared shoulders.
"Alright, is everyone ready?" he called.
Kai rose abruptly from his seat, turning around to his company, but his eyes sealed as though embarrassed to be around them. He strode towards the doorway, hands shoved into pockets. Kamui tilted his head whilst fixing his sight on the storekeeper in front of them as he removed the apron he donned.
"But what about Misaki-san?" he questioned.
"Ah, Misaki's got something important she has to do," Shin confessed. "She'll be along a bit later. Promise".
"Is everything alright with Misaki-san?" Aichi wondered aloud.
"Yeah, don't worry about Misaki," Shin chirped. "Now, let's get going. We don't want to be late".
The two boys nodded swiftly and jogged to the door, pausing only for it to slide open and release them. Kamui's jaw dropped when he discovered Kai climbing into the cream and forest-green camper waiting on the road, having already taken the front row behind the driver's seat for himself.
"Damn it!" the boy roared furiously. "That Kai!"
"It's alright, Kamui-kun. There's plenty of room," Aichi commented, pointing to the row behind the stolen seats.
Kamui huffed and marched to the vehicle, scrambling in through the gap between Kai's row and the edge of the doorway, followed by Aichi while Shin held back. A key slid into the front door, locking down the shop and closed his fingers around the collection of keys whilst rotating to find Sub-Manager seated on the metallic fence by the van.
"I'm leaving everything in your care, Sub-Manager," he announced.
The cat pulled an unimpressed face, half-glaring at the man in front. A drop of sweat slipped down Shin's face, aware that he wasn't going to get away with leaving on that kind of note.
"…Manager," he corrected himself.
The cat responded with a jovial mew. Shin laughed lightly with faint embarrassment and moved quickly onto the road, checking on the trio inside whilst rounding the front of the van. Kai had propped his head against the palm of his hand, staring blandly out the window, while Kamui chattered fervently by Aichi's side, who pulled the door closed. A subtle smile came to Shin's face; this was his team, Misaki's comrades; friends, even. They weren't simply representatives for Card Capital, but children looking forward to a good time. With that outlook still fresh in his mind, Shin slipped into the camper, slamming the door closed, buckling himself in and starting the engine.
"Alright then, here we go!" he announced.
"Yeah!" Kamui yelled, punching the air.
The engine coughed to life and the campus rolled away from the fencing outside the shop, gradually picking up speed. Sub-Manager called after the departing group with a cheerful meow; the shop was its domain and its alone, but there was the hope that the team would do their best. Aichi and Kamui were quick to discuss their decks, laying out the Royal Paladin collection across the back seats whereas Kai kept quiet, blanking the rest in his company and watching through the window as familiar territory slowly peeled back and the scenery opened up
Ride 6: The League Above
[Kurai O Noburu]
-Hitsue City: Highway-
Shin hummed as his camper swerved into the next lane, moving into the central road. Cars shrank from behind and those around fell closer towards the van. The mistake in not leaving someone in charge had been swept to the back of the driver's mind, grinning with content as he raced down the wide lane. His eyes slipped to the mirror hanging nearby, checking on his passengers to find little had changed; Kai watched the surrounding traffic pass by. Across the back seats, Royal Paladins had been scattered, showcasing their completed arsenal with Kamui's shadow looming over them.
"Hm, it looks pretty solid," the youngster claimed, grasping his chin thoughtfully. "Though if you want to put in Gordon, it'd be best to take out another card that's a Grade 2, otherwise you'll disrupt the balance".
"Ah, okay then," Aichi answered, reaching out for a copy of Randolf nearby. "Maybe this will help".
"It at least stops the balance going out of whack," Kamui responded, beaming with excitement. "It's alright with you, right, Onii-san?"
"Yeah. I'll take any improvement that there is," Aichi complied with a nod. His eyes cast themselves over the deck, a wistful flicker skating over. "I hope that Misaki-san's really okay. As much as I want to believe in this deck, this tournament is much bigger than anything at Card Capital. I just feel like… maybe I'm not up for this. Misaki-san would be a much better teammate to take part in this than me; this deck isn't as ready as hers".
Aichi's hand slipped across the cards, brushing by numbers Triggers until coming to a halt at the base of Blaster Blade. The knight had been a symbol; a light – something to remind him about belief and courage. A feeble smile grew onto his face, reflecting on his heart-to-heart with Izaki merely days before; regardless of the brunette's encouraging words, crippled self-esteem blocked progress.
"The truth is…" he sighed. "I don't think I'm strong enough to be part of the team".
"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".
"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".
"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".
"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".
Kamui inched forward, twisting his head with puzzlement at Aichi's odd smile. "Onii-san, are you alright?"
Aichi blinked suddenly, snapped back to his senses by the boy's voice. His head snapped up to face Kamui's, eyes creeping wider after realizing he'd gone off daydreaming after leaving disheartening words.
"Y- Yeah. Sorry, Kamui-kun," he murmured, lowering his eyes and fixating them onto Blaster Blade.
Kamui paused, seeming reluctant to withdraw and believe his companion would truly be alright as he claimed. A moment passed with the two leaning towards one another, gazing at the opposite face abnormally close, Kamui the one to pull away. He fell against the back of his seat, smirking to try and restore the original atmosphere.
"You might not have faith in yourself, Onii-san, but I do," he announced. "And if you can't believe in yourself, then you should believe in the me that believes in you".
"The you that… believes in me?" Aichi repeated.
"Yeah," Kamui answered with a sharp nod. "That way, everyone believes in someone and we come out on top. Misaki-san will believe in you too, we can't let her down".
"Alright," Aichi complied, moving to cast his sight over the scattered deck. These were his comrades; painted in cards they may be, but they were his army and his friends – those who wished to fight and reach as far as their strength could take them. "I'll believe in you, Kamui-kun. And Kai-kun, Misaki-san, Blaster Blade. Everyone".
Kamui was satisfied with the response, his grin grew wider and fell back to rest his head against the soft seat. Aichi reached forward, beginning to collect the cards spread out between the pair.
"Quadrifoglio?" came Kai's voice from in front.
"Yeah; I spend a while trying to think of a team name, then came across it. It's an Italian word for 'four-leaf clover' – it seemed to fit well," Shin explained. "Kai-kun, Kamui-kun, Aichi-kun and Misaki. You're all part of the team and all play a part. It's your combined strength that will make the team work, so each of you becomes part of the very team's name. Team Card Capital felt good, but there are so many shops that name the team like that, we want to be original".
"Quad… Qu… Qua…" Kamui shuttered, eyes crossed as he stumbled with each attempt. His frustration followed when arms shooting up wildly and a yell. "What the hell? It's too hard to say!"
"Hm… that could be a problem, we don't want announcers to be struggling. That wouldn't leave a good impression," Shin chuckled. "Then how about we shorten it? How does Team Q4 sound?"
"Q4?" Aichi repeated.
"Yeah, that sounds much better," Kamui cheered. "It's much quicker and simpler".
"I agree," Aichi added with a nod.
Shin beamed, the topic had both granted the team its name and pushed aside doubts overheard from the back, diverting the boys' attention to the road ahead rather than the obstacles in their way. His head twisted a small degree, eyes landing on the reflection of Kai, who appeared just as detached.
"What do you think, Kai-kun?"
The brunette eyed the driver in the corner of his eye briefly, returning to the window and let out a short breath. "The team name isn't really what matters," he mumbled.
"Alright then. That's that," Shin announced, grasping the gear stick and thrusting it violently into the next gear up..
The camper swerved suddenly, diving across the left-side land and careening into the curved road that led away from the highway. Aichi and Kamui were thrown across in the back seat, crashing heads, yelping at the same time as the stinging pain injected itself into each of them. Kai, meanwhile, swayed towards the window, but his stiff body and propped arm were enough to prevent any collision with the window, though a cold stare into the back of Shin's head showed he was equally irritated by the reckless driving. Aichi and Kamui withdrew, rubbing their heads.
"What the hell?!" Kamui yelled. "Are you crazy, Manager?"
The drive after departing from the highway was short before Shin's sight wandered away from the road once more, drawn to the large structure emerging from the thick treetops in the distance. His shoulders sagged, foot relaxing on the acceleration; his easing not going unnoticed by the passengers, who cast their attention in the driver's direction.
"We're almost there. It's just up ahead," Shin reported.
Kamui shot around to the window, Aichi creeping to peer over his shoulder – the building was grandiose in size, much larger than most buildings in Hitsue City; wide and lined with strips of glass covering most of its exterior. The curved roof was an unusual feature for the city, as was the large banner hanging above the multitude of doorways, marked with the Vanguard logo and symbols confirming the tournament was being held in the establishment. Shin quickly located a space, diving into it before anyone else could take it for themselves; for a Regional Tournament, there had been an astounding number of vehicles around, flooding the car park. The quarter climbed out of the camper, moving quickly into the stadium and discover the lobby. People had gathered in groups, standing upon the steel blue flooring, 'Vanguard' marked in yellow lettering parallel with the entrance. A balcony running along the edge, protruding from the wall had also been taken advantage of by other teams, watching as their competition arrived, another on the opposite side. At the opposite end of the large chamber was a glass case over a stage bearing the circular symbol replicating the Vanguard space on a mat. A pillar of faint light stretched from the platform and to the circular ceiling above. Either side of the large stage were pairs of wooden doors leading deeper into the building. In front of the attraction, a game mat was fixed to a wooden podium, drawing curious attendants.
"Onii-san, this is your first time going to a Regional Tournament, right?" Kamui inquired.
"Yeah," Aichi answered, vision wandering from one feature to another. "I never thought it would be held in such a large centre like this. There's so much work gone into it all".
The platform in front glowed; suddenly, on top of it, a holographic projection of a Megacolony unit appeared, towering over the children gathered close to the podium set in front, who gazed in awe and wonder at the creature. Aichi and Kamui crept closer, joining the small crowd that had gathered. The creature let loose a spine-chilling screech; its head encased in a golden helm and white skin tight across its body. Golden cannons matching the headgear swallowed its arms, with glass sights for locking on. A crimson scarf fluttered around the creature, swaying from the breeze created by its shuddering wings protruding from its back
"What is that?" Aichi wondered aloud.
"It's a Motion Figure System. It makes a 3D representation of a fight and the units on stages across that planet from the Vanguard lore," Kamui explained. "They introduced it only about a year ago, so there haven't been that many tournaments that have used it".
Shin and Kai approached the pair, eyeing the machine over the heads of the children encircling it. Shin leaned forward, smiling down at the pair of captivated representatives of his shop.
"It's impressive, isn't it?" he commented. "So have created this kind of technology for the game. They're going all out after it became such a success. No-one was expect Vanguard to be as big as it is".
"Yeah," Kamui answered. "Hey, Manager, wouldn't it be cool to have one of these at Card Capital? You should get one"
Shin waved a dismissive hand with a nervous laugh. "We would never be able to afford something like this. Card Capital is a small business, especially compared to some of the other shops that sell cards".
Atop the platform, a white bulge of light sucked in the Megacolony unit. Speakers fitted behind the stage began to project a soundtrack for the shifting lights, separating into three figures, arriving with an elated voice.
"Everyone, welcome!"
Three women emerged from the brightness; the tallest with short cerulean hair with a tight white shirt and shorts, lined with dark blue and a belt wrapped diagonally around her waist. A short-sleeves jacket hung from her slim figure and long boots climbed up her slender legs, leaving only a short portion of her legs exposed. Beside her, the smallest of the group had both arms raised, her hands wrapped in small gloves. The shoulders of her dress large and only a stripe of the bright shade managed to reach the bottom of the dress, grey edges hanging widely around her small legs, covered largely by short boots and white stockings. Her immense ginger hair fell in thick spiralling columns tucked behind the arms of those either side of her, two small red hairclips fixed into her crown. The final member of the group had long blonde hair flowing down her back, a standing section wrapped up by a thick black band that resulted in a vertical curve. Her gown also made of a mixture of white and grey, without sleeves and cut away over her legs, exposing the edges of her figure, the limbs largely covered by stockings and knee-high boots. Long elegant white gloves hide most of her pale arms; all three members sporting white collars tied around their necks and bright smiles while their song filled the lobby.
Aichi went pale at the sight of the trio. "Eh?!"
"It's nice to see you all. I'm Kourin," the blonde introduced with a cheerful tone.
"My name is Suiko," the blue-haired woman added.
"And Rekka!" the youngest chirped.
"And together," they announced together, striking a variety of poses. "We're Ultra-Rare!"
"Ul- Ultra-Rare?" Aichi choked.
"Onii-san? You alright?" Kamui inquired. "Have you got the hots for them?"
Colour exploded back onto Aichi's face; a clear blush after Kamui's proposal and whipped around to the grinning boy. "N- No! It's not like that!" he protested hurriedly.
"Welcome to the third Kanto Region Vanguard Championship Tournament," Kourin announced.
"If you win here, you'll go onto the National Tournament," Rekka reported.
"I'm sure there'll be tough fights ahead of you here," Suiko mused, somewhat wistfully to begin with. She then clenched a hand, her smile brightening. "But you're here because you can take on that challenge".
"Good luck, everyone," the three chimed unanimously. "Do your best".
"What are they doing?" Aichi asked.
Shin returned, having grabbed a pamphlet all about the tournament with a map of the stadium printed inside. "They're an idol group who recently made their debut," he revealed. "Looks like they're promoting the tournament and their single. Seems it was recorded for these and the National Tournament. What's the matter, Aichi-kun? Do you know them?"
"Yeah. Kind of," Aichi answered. "A little".
"Really?" Kamui called. "But you didn't know they were Ultra-Rare? No wonder you're so flustered".
"I guess," Aichi murmured, casting his eyes up to the eldest pair of the trio. Kourin had been much colder at PSY and Suiko almost bearing no readable emotion; yet they were standing on the stage – holographic, maybe, but nonetheless – with bright faces and charismatic fronts. "But it's like they're completely different people".
"Kourin-chaaaaaaaaan!"
A shiver ran up Aichi and Kamui's spines, recognizing the voice instantaneously and whipping around to find Morikawa fighting Izaki's grip to reach the glass casing in front, gawking at the blonde. Several of the children around were also distracted by his antics, some giggling about how he clawed ahead in desperation.
"Cut it out, Morikawa," Izaki laughed. "Come on, you too old to get a crush on an idol like this".
"Shut it," Morikawa grumbled, twisting with a fist to the brunette, who backed off and held his hands up defensively. "It's fate that brought Kourin-chan and I together. And now it's reuniting us. Don't get in the way of destiny".
"That's… that's not even her. It's just a hologram," Izaki responded.
"Not important," Morikawa announced bluntly before spinning around to the holographic trio.
"Izaki-kun," Aichi called.
"Aichi," Izaki responded, offering a warm smile after realizing the team were present. "Are you feeling better?"
"Yeah, thanks to what you said," Aichi claimed. "You came all the way here?"
"Of course. A classmate of mine is playing," Izaki said. "And in a tournament this big. Of course I was going to come and cheer you on".
"And he's not alone," Miwa announced, strolling towards the gathering.
"We're here to cheer as well," Reiji chirped.
"TC," Eiji chanted.
"Everyone…" Aichi exhaled, touched by how far their friends had travelled just to be by the team's sides.
"The whole gang's here," Kamui hollered, stretching his arms up. He paused and withdrew them, peering over his shoulder with a drop of sweat. "Well, when Misaki-san makes it".
"Don't worry about it, she's going to give me a text when she's on her way," Miwa chuckled.
"You've got Misaki-san's number?" Kamui cried out.
"Yeah, so we could make sure she got here alright," Miwa responded plainly.
"First Onii-san, then Lose-Umi, now him?" Kamui mumbled. "Is everyone trying to get a girl here?"
"Oh yeah, Emi-chan said she'd be along later as well," Miwa added chirpily.
"E- E- Emi-san?!" Kamui yelled, his face glowing scarlet.
"Hang in there, Kamui-san…" Reiji encouraged discreetly.
"IT…" Eiji added.
The flooring for the court, presumably used for sports on other occasions, converted into two Vanguard fields was bland compared to the lavish decorations outside. A rectangle had been painted on the ground to divide the battlefield and its surroundings, the stands either side filled with all kinds of spectators. Hanging from the end of the spacious room was a large monitor, divided into a number of rectangles, two lighting up in rapid succession and at random points across the board. A large monitor placed on a stage at the head of the room was joined by a man in an auburn suit, yellow tie hanging down his chest and with a microphone in hand. His short brunette hair was trimmed neatly and squared spectacles glistened over his purple eyes.
"I'm MC Miya; the host for this tournament," the man announced, having been through many of the announcements already. "Now the computer will randomly pick two teams to face each other in the first fight of the Third Kanto Region Tournament".
Two of the rectangles blazed white, the rest disappearing into the blue background marked with the Vanguard circle. The two choices merged together, stripping away the cloak and presenting the two names: Team Q4 and Team Unearther.
"'Unearther'?" Aichi read.
"Is that even a word?" Kamui grumbled.
"Hm, so you get the be the first," a voice from the right chuckled.
The three members rotated to find the source of confidence. A man standing nearby with dark cream-coloured hair draped over his shoulders, shrouding much of his face's left side. His attire consisted of black leather, the zip of his top pulled up halfway and allowing the forest-green shirt underneath to emerge. Wrapped around his neck was a black collar, not of leather, but more resembling that of a dog's.
"And who are you supposed to be?" Kamui grunted.
"Minami Kawanami," the man answered smugly. "Of Team Unearther".
"So you're the guy we're facing first," the youngster barked excitedly, clenching his fists. "Sorry, pal, but you guys are gonna be the first going home".
"We'll see about that," Minami scoffed. "I doubt that kids can win over real fighters".
"Real fighters?" Aichi muttered.
"We'll see the difference in our leagues when the match begins," Minami laughed, turning his back on the trio and striding away.
"That guy…" Kamui growled. "Where does he think he's going, anyway? The fight's going to happen here".
"Everyone has to be moved to somewhere where they can watch the fight without getting in the way," Shin stated. "There are a lot of teams here, after all. Don't worry, the match will start soon".
"Start soon? But Misaki-san isn't here yet," Aichi cried.
"It's alright; we've got three members," Shin answered brightly.
Aichi's head sank between his shoulders, he knew full-well what Shin was alluding to. In spite of having only picked up the game recently and originally volunteering to be the reserve, he was going to fight in front of everyone. Just then, it hit him how large the audience was compared to normal and the colour vanished from his face once more.
"Eeeeeh?!" he yelled. "Th- There's no way. I- I can't fight in front of this many people. What if I let the team down? I'm not even that good, not enough to get here".
A drop of sweat clung to Shin's face; in spite of all the encouragement and pep talks, it was all for nought in an instant. A nervous smile to the boy was all he could do; easing his fears was unlikely to work with such little time before the match – the waiting teams were already relocating to the edges of the stands, well out of the way.
"It's alright, Onii-san. I'll go first, that way you can see how things work at a tournament like this," Kamui offered brightly.
"Are you sure, Kamui-kun?" the blue-haired asked.
"Yeah. Besides, I'm eager to get some payback on that guy. He thinks he's so strong, well we'll show him," Kamui insisted, switching from upbeat to vicious in strangely rapid succession.
"There's no need to be so nervous," Shin added. "Even if one member loses, the team can progress as long as they have two wins".
Kai strode away from the field, landing onto one of two scarlet benches placed at the base of the stands. Shin reached out for a box beside him and paced towards Aichi and Kamui, lingering close to the edge of the field. He pulled open the lid, presenting the contents to the duo – four Vanguard Fighting Gloves; one blue, one burgundy, one orange and one dark green.
"Here, use these," he requested. "They work with the Motion Figure System. The story goes that the crystal in the middle is from planet Cray and reacts to the system to create the 3D fight. The world you've only seen in your minds will become your fighting environment for you to see".
"That sounds great," Aichi chirped.
"Oh cool! An orange one, dibs!" Kamui called. Shin lowered the box, allowing the boy to retrieve his chosen colour. "Oh wow, these looks awesome".
"The red one is for Kai-kun and green for Misaki," he manager added. "Aichi-kun, are you alright to go with blue?"
"Yeah, of course," Aichi responded, fishing out the unclaimed glove.
The pair pulled them onto their left hands, admiring how comfortable and stylish they felt. Aichi's eyes were captivated by the crystal in the centre, supposedly from the world where Vanguard was born; it fascinated him that so much effort would be put into making the most of the game; the Motion Figure System, the lore, even Cray as a whole.
"The first fight is about to begin," MC Miya's voice reverberated across the room. "The first fighter from each team please move to the console".
Kamui marched forward, entering the three-sided rectangle. The man who approached from the opposite side sport vanilla-shaded hair hanging to his left side, though not obscuring his chilled blue eyes like his teammate's, tuffs hanging down the back of his slim neck. He wore an orange shirt beneath a baggy cerulean jacket, its hood lined with thick faux fur, coupled with tight navy-blue jeans and black boots in which they were tucked. Over his left hand, he had chosen a purple Fighting Glove, the jewel gleaming under the Stadium's lighting. Aichi and Shin seated themselves beside Kai, observing as the two fighters braced themselves. The incomplete rectangle glowed fiercely from the ground; a white tray ejecting itself, supported by a slim metallic arm whilst it rotated to face the each player. The Vanguard circle ignited blue, those around it yellow and the Guard circle, revealed when a panel at the top slid away teal. The variety of shades dimmed once the machine was active; the same occurred on the other field, to the surprise of the inexperienced participants.
"So, you're the first fighter," the pale-haired man opposite mused.
"…And the match between Team Q4's Katsuragi Kamui and Team Unearther's Isyama Haruto is about to begin on the second field," MC Miya reported. "Let's Vanguard!"
"Stand Up, Vanguard!"
FIGHT START
KAMUI - HARUTO
0 -DAMAGE- 0
The flooring around Kamui, Haruto and those beginning their match on the other field was suddenly clouded when a wind began to rage, a mixture of mist and light shrouded the field, converting it into a large black cloud through which the audience could make out the figures of the fighters. Inside, however, the environment was much different – the stage had been set to a neon battleground in the centre of what resembled a hanger of some description; coloured all shades of blue with teal lighting racing through the symbols engraved on the walls.
"Wow, it's way more exciting with that machine," Morikawa hollered.
Shin cupped his shin, grinning at the thought of having such a device in the shop. "If only… Kamui-kun, if I could, I would indeed get one for Card Capital".
On the field, Kamui had taken on the form of his Vanguard – Battleraizer [POW 3000] – standing strong with its head set between two large crimson shoulder plates; its curved chest made of glass and encased in the bulky armour of red and white. Small reflective panels on its wrists and waist as well the joints connecting each section of the arms and exposed shins broke away from a form entirely made of the two shades. On the opposite end of the field, a more vertical machine had taken to the front lines; coated in steel blue and greys; blazing narrow eyes from the helm projected a far more intimidating presence than its adversary. In its right hand, the machine clutched a rectangular gun, a lens for aiming set on top and the barrel a simple circle. Attached to the other, a large rugged shield of silver at least the same size as the figure's torso [POW 5000].
"Blaujunger?" Kamui murmured. "This guy's playing with Nova Grapplers that came out recently".
"The first move is Team Unearther's," the referee standing at the edge of the field declared.
FIRST TURN - HARUTO
"Alright then. Draw," the blonde called, slipping a sixth card into his hand. "Ride, Blaupanzer [POW 6000]".
The machine on the field vanished behind a cloak of light, which grew taller, unveiling a taller version of the machine with the same colour scheme and several recurring features. The laser weapon in its right hand remained, but the shield earlier fixed to its left arm was now attached to its hip, replaced by a similar shape, but sporting two barrels aimed at the opponent. Its steel body had become further projected by the sapphire armour.
"Blaujunger's skill," Haruto stated, reaching for his deck. "As Blaupanzer rode over it, I can search my deck for a Blaukluger and add it to the hand".
Fanning out the deck, the blonde plucked a card near the top, laying it onto the edge of the console and shuffling the remainder of his deck, setting it down in place with a confident smirk.
"Alright kid, you're up".
SECOND TURN – KAMUI
"It's my turn," Kamui announced, snatching the top card of his deck. He deposited the card into his hand, exchanging it for another that he rose about his head. "I ride Queen of Heart! [POW 6000]"
A whirlwind engulfed Battleraizer, peeling back a moment later to reveal the machine had retreated to the Rear-Guard, standing in the shadow of the new leader – a towering feminine figure fitted with orange and rose-coloured armour; The collar wrapped around her shoulders was of the former shade, pink diamonds brightening the piece above a vertical orange stripe that descended to the bottom of her gown, dangling in front of her slender legs covered by black stocking. The elaborate skirt was fixed to her body by a black belt, lining the pink petals draped around her narrow body, sprouting cream extensions just inches from the ground, matching the high-heeled boots she wore. White hands emerged from the narrow sleeves beneath the large shoulder pads drooping from the top of her armour, clutching a golden sceptre, topped with a hot-pink heart made of steel. A large orange helm concealed the back of her white head, crimson wings standing almost horizontally over her shoulders.
The audience was in awe; their vision jumping from the players standing at the consoles and their fantastic equivalent on the monitors, where Kamui and Haruto were nowhere to be seen, hiding within the mechanic bodies of their fighters. Above the Q4 members seated at the edge, Morikawa was slumped against the edge of viewing box, raising an eyebrow.
"Hey, they're in their units, right?" he mumbled. "The runt's cross-dressing, what's with him?"
"That's not the important thing," Miwa laughed with embarrassment.
"Don't insult Kamui-san!" Reiji barked.
"DI!" Eiji snapped.
"Battleraizer's skill moves it to the Rear-Guard" Kamui declared, reaching for the card, switching it horizontally. "And boosts Queen of Heart. Attack!"
"I'll let it through," Haruto responded coolly.
"Drive Check," Kamui called, turning over the top card – Screamin' and Dancin' Announcer, Shout.
Queen of Heart dove forward, surrounded by the aura of power donated by Battleraizer [POW 9000] and thrust her sceptre forward, striking it against the shield of the mecha. A struggle between the two followed, ending only when the shield was pried out of the aggressor's path and she crashed her weapon against the chest of the target.
"Damage Check," Haruto declared. He removed the top card, depositing it into the Damage Zone to complete the first strike of the match, frowning whilst laying down Braukluger.
KAMUI - HARUTO
0 -DAMAGE- 1
"Battleraizer's skill returns him to the deck" Kamui claimed as he retrieved his sole Rear-Guard, laying it on top of the deck and shuffling the stack. "Turn end".
"Nice job, Kamui-san!" Reiji cheered from the stands.
"NJ," Eiji hollered.
"He's doing well. Maybe he's played with this Motion Figure System before," Miwa commented.
"Still weird that he's a girl," Morikawa grumbled.
"You should focus, he's part of our team," Izaki suggested. "It doesn't matter if he's cross-dressing. Or would that be cross-riding? Uh… It's not important! Just support our guys".
"It's a good job Kamui's off to a strong start," Shin uttered. "It gives off a good impression of Q4".
'Kamui-kun isn't fazed by the Motion Figure System at all,' Aichi thought, eyeing the back of the boy. 'He's able to handle anything that gets thrown at him; it's a necessary strength outside the actual game. For someone as young as him, he's got so much confidence'.
THIRD TURN – HARUTO
"Draw," the blonde opponent called, removing the top layer of his deck. "Ride, Blaukluger".
A surge of light raced up, clouding the lone Nova Grappler on Haruto's field and growing even taller. The armour had adopted a more intrigue design; numerous sections of armour planted across its towering body; including teal plating across the chest; three miniature wing-like spikes sprouted from the upper halves of its arms. Wings opened up from the back, also divided into a trio of metal bones, ignited orange from the power ejected to keep the machine afloat. All previous weapons had been abandoned, replaced by an immense katana made of particles clustered together into the transparent teal blade. The eyes sparked ominously, glaring down at Kamui's lone soldier [POW 9000].
"As Blaupanzer is in the Soul, Blaukluger gains an additional 1000 power," Haruto declared.
On the benches behind the blonde, Minami was slumped against the wall, arms folded loosely over his chest and one knee over the other, the bottom half of the leg dangling above the ground. In his company was the final member of the team; a redheaded man leaning forward with a Saxe blue shirt underneath an open brown jacket, lined with black. His trousers was jeans hanging more loosely than his teammate's, smirking at the battle taking place ahead of him.
"Haruto's ride chain is going well," he commented.
"The kid's nothing special," Minami scoffed, raising his arms and tucking them behind his head. "None of them seem worth our time".
"Tough judge as ever, huh?" the redhead chuckled.
"When you've been scouting out strong fighters like me, it gets boring because there's few who will fit the boss' plan," Minami sighed. "Enjoy it while you're new at it, Masato".
"So long as I can fight, I'm fine with anything," Masato laughed, pounding a clenched fist into the palm of his open hand, covered by a brown Fighting Glove. "No fight's too boring".
"Call," Haruto yelled, throwing down two cards – Tough Boy behind his Vanguard and Genocide Jack to the side.
Two columns of light erupted from the tiled flooring, expanding into the shapes of the new arrivals; the figure behind Blaukluger the stout steel machine with circular shields fitted onto its body [POW 8000]. It was dwarfed by the second to join the front line; the immense lizard-like monster looming over the empty opposition, cannon in its throat blazing readily and multitude of eyes glowing blood-red [POW 11000]. The tallest stretched its neck back, unleashing a chilling shriek that reverberated across the field, kicking up a wind from the sheer power it had brought to the fight.
"Jack's Counterblast," Haruto declared, turning over the card in his Damage Zone. "Without his Restraint, Jack's not free to attack. But before we do that, Tough Boy boosts Blaukluger".
The mecha prepared itself for the assault, moving its ghostly blade into position before diving forward, aided by Tough Boy's power [POW 17000]. Kamui clenched his teeth, lowering the cards in his grasp.
"No guard," he decided.
"Drive Check," Haruto declared as he reached for the deck, revealing the top as another Tough Boy.
Kamui transferred his next card, Twin Blade, to the Damage Zone. Frowning at having lost a Perfect Guard so early on in the fight. Haruto, however, wasn't yet done and by the time Kamui had moved his sight back to the field, he was in the process of pinning down his remaining card, twisting it to rest.
"Genocide Jack attacks Queen of Heart," he commanded.
The barrel within the towering beast's mouth pulsed with energy flowing inwards, ejecting a scarlet ray that pierced the Vanguard's breast, Kamui grunting in response to the strike and squeezing one eye closed as if he had been affected. He moved towards the deck again, adding Tough Boy to the Damage Zone and falling behind his opponent.
KAMUI - HARUTO
2 -DAMAGE- 1
"That's me done," Haruto claimed with a subtle smirk. "All yours, kid".
"I'll show you what a kid can do," Kamui growled, reaching for his field. "Stand and draw".
FOURTH TURN – KAMUI
The youngster added the next card from his deck into his hand, disappointed that he had picked a Shining Lady; her power would have been immensely helpful during the upcoming battle. It was just not meant to be this time. But he could make up for the lacklustre draw, grasping one of the cards.
"You want a showdown, well I'll give you one," he yelled, spinning the card on the tip of his finger. "I ride Genocide Jack! [POW 11000]"
A replica of the towering beast replaced the feminine fighter, glaring in the direction of its mirrored image. Kamui snatched further cards from his hand, tossing into their respective places on the field.
"Call!"
A trio of figures materialized around the towering Vanguard; the first, Death Army Lady, to the side – her body contained in steel with bronze features to her attire. The tentacles flowing from her skulls hung limply behind, replicating hair [POW 9000]. At the tip of her shadow, Death Army Guy was the next to emerge; raising his clenched fists, sporting his blue armour with darker shades to give the body some variety. The jetpack on his back gleamed under the futuristic stage's neon aura from the walls and ceiling [POW 7000]. The final made its appearance behind Genocide Jack; a small alien creature, Screamin' and Dancin' Announcer Shout, with tentacles in the place of arms, wiggling excitedly. A bowtie had been wrapped around its neck and rectangular glasses placed over its eyes, letting loose a squeal the instant it arrived on the field [POW 7000].
"Kamui's got a strong arsenal there," Izaki commented enthusiastically. "He can pull it back easily with that kind of force".
"Let's see what kind of lead he can get," Miwa mused, chin resting in the palm of his hand with a smirk.
"Death Army Guy boosts Death Army Lady," Kamui announced, stretching an arm forward.
The woman lunged forward, a ray of energy connecting the partner seeped into her form, granting her the power necessary to deal with the enemy's unit [POW 16000]. Haruto smirked, allowing her to spin vertically and slam down on Blaukluger's chest with the heeled boots, grunting as she collided. With a clear indication that he was content with the move, Haruto revealed the top card of his deck, slotting Stern Blaukruger into his Damage Zone.
"Jack's Counterblast releases his Restraint," Kamui added, turning over the top card in his Damage Zone. "Now he can attack Blaukluger".
The unusual arms from the stout creature in the Vanguard's shadow reached forward, power pooling from its wiggling limbs and into the immense body in front [POW 18000].
Haruto smirked, casually resting his empty hand on his hip. "Alright, go ahead".
"Drive Check," Kamui hollered, tearing the top card from his deck, finding Ultimate Lifeform, Cosmo Lord.
Despite the lack of a Trigger, the card burst to life in an aura of blue light. Haruto grimaced at the appearance of a Grade 3 seconds before Jack's laser pierced through Blaukluger, resulting in further damage. Picking up the next card, he snapped his wrist around, greeted by the golden light that almost ate away at the image completely.
KAMUI - HARUTO
2 -DAMAGE- 3
"Critical Trigger," he announced. "I'll give its power boost to Blaukluger [POW 14000]".
The aura of the new strength crept around the mecha's form, the blade in its hands blazing brighter than ever. Kamui smirked; a simple power boost wasn't enough for him to back down – as his Drive Check had been a Grade 3, both Death Army Guy and Death Army Lady had picked themselves up, standing defiantly in the face of the opposing force from their own clan. Kamui reached for the duo, shifting them to a horizontal pose swiftly.
"Death Army Lady attacks again," he hollered.
The female unit lunged forward once more, flames bursting from the jetpack fixed to her back to further power her charge at the enemy. Haruto's eyes tapered, sending an icy glare in the direction of the attacking enemy.
"Sorry, kid. I don't intend to take any more damage this turn," he shouted in response, tearing a copy of Ring Girl, Clara from his hand and presenting it as the shield. "Guard".
In front of the mecha, a steel-skinned woman materialized, wearing little in the form of an azure garment over her chest, linked to the collar around her neck by two straps. Her arms and waist had been similarly covered, the majority of her legs hidden behind the brighter coating. Blonde hair streamed from her head, a miniature ponytail on top forged by a green band at the back of her skull. In her hands was a large sign, intended for the wrestling competitions held between the Nova Grapplers and their neighbours [SLD 10000]. She held the board in front of her, taking most of the blow, but she, too, would fall victim with an anguished shriek, dismissed as quickly as she had invaded the battleground.
Kamui scowled, having hoped to open up a wider lead, but what he had accomplished wasn't bad. His shoulders sank from their raised position, the muscles across his body relaxing and heart slowed – he was no longer in control of the fight's flow; that had been passed on.
"Turn end".
FIFTH TURN – HARUTO
"Stand and draw," Haruto declared, switching his units to a vertical stance.
On the benches behind, Masato watched the battle with anticipation; its quick pace and struggle of the fight's control leaping between the players. It got him excited, ready for his own fight.
"Hey, that kid's not too shabby," he commented casually.
"Suppose. Nothing like what the boss is after, though," Minami grunted.
"Ride, Stern Blaukruger," Haruto hollered, throwing down his chosen card onto the Vanguard circle.
Blaukluger vanished, growing even larger, enough to cast a shadow over the Genocide Jack by his side. A much larger ray gun was visible in its grasp when the veil of blinding evolution dissolved; its wings much larger and glowing with purple stripes. Across its enlarged form, several narrow cannons had been added to its arsenal. The azure armour had been further decorated with white lining, markings and more teal plates, the tops of its legs white to stand out from the remainder of the body [POW 10000].
"Call" the blonde added, equally fiercely, slamming down the additional soldiers into their places.
A second mecha, Eisenkugel, emerged on the field, much smaller than the leading figure, but sporting dark blue and white armour to mark its allegiance with the towering machine. Spiked wings grew from the spine and black hands contrasted the colours adopted form its leader, while cannons implanted into its enlarged shoulders made clear where an attack would come from [POW 10000]. Behind Stern Blaukruger, a replica of the Tough Boy standing behind Genocide Jack, flexing its arms to ensure there were no problems with its form.
"Eisenkugel moves first, attack Genocide Jack," Haruto shouted, twisting the lone card. "Eisenkugel's skill gives it an additional 2000 when it attacks [POW 12000]".
"That makes it strong enough to attack Genocide Jack without a boost," Izaki stated.
"Forget that, use the Grade 3," Morikawa howled.
"You can do it, Kamui-san," Reiji yelled.
"CD," Eiji followed.
The spiked spheres shooting from the cannons behind the machine launched, racing across the field with a lock on the looming Vanguard. Jack tucked its head in between its shoulders, bracing itself for the blow. The force of the cannonballs, however, was still great enough to knock it back a step, smoke billowing from the afflicted plating that shrouded the Rear-Guards looking up to their current commander.
Kamui grunted, picking the damage from his deck to be answered with a blue light from the Battleraizer. His eyes widened, pleased for the Trigger's arrival.
"The power goes to Jack [POW 16000]" he declared, depositing the card into the column at the edge of the field. His hand shot back, landing on the card closest. "And Death Army Guy stands".
"Tsk," Haruto sounded. "Tough Boy boosts Genocide Jack, attack! [POW 19000]"
"Death Army Lady intercepts," Kamui protested, sliding the card into the slot that had opened up at the beginning of the fight.
The steel woman vanished from her place beside Genocide Jack, reappearing in front with her arms folded as a shield against the oncoming assault [SLD 5000]. The tower's mouth burned crimson from the gathering particles entering the narrow barrel inside, bursting out in the form of a wide ray that pierced through the woman, who screamed from the heavy damage sustained and immediately dismissed from the field. The result left the aggressor too weak to continue with the assault, bowing its head in frustration, but with nothing to act upon it with.
Haruto reached forward, grabbing the cards waiting in the central row for their chance and rotated them fiercely. "Tough Boy boosts, Stern Blaukruger. Attack Genocide Jack!"
Kamui frowned; while Stern Blaukruger granted Haruto the power of a Twin Drive, he would enough a lucky draw to deal much damage. A quick assessment of his hand and his mind was made up.
"No guard".
"Twin Drive," Haruto declared. He reached for the deck, stripping it of the first card – Stern Blaukruger – and the second – Genocide Jack. "No Triggers here".
The machine straightened itself, surrounded by the glow of the power offered up by its subordinate [POW 18000]. Multiple beams erupted from the cannons across its body, striking Genocide Jack several times, dropping the mechanical giant onto one knee. Droplets of sweat growing across his brow, Kamui transferred Mr Invincible from the top of his deck to the Damage Zone, opening the gap between the players once more,
"In the second match, the damage is 4-3 in favour of Team Unearther's Isyama Haruto," MC Miya reported, his voice echoing across the stadium, projected through speakers set up in the lobby for anyone lingering outside.
"Stern Blaukruger's Counterblast activates – as its attack hit, I can flip two cards and discard two Nova Grapplers," the blonde announced darkly, turning over the cards, then depositing his copies of Asura Kaiser and Genocide Jack into the Drop Zone. "In exchange, all my units can stand again".
"N- No way!" Kamui choked.
"All his units?" Morikawa blurted.
"Oh no. Kamui-san's in trouble!" Reiji cried.
"IT!" Eiji yelped, clutching onto his partner's arm.
"If all of those units can stand again, then that means he can launch three more attacks," Aichi observed quietly. "Kamui-kun…"
"Tough Boy boosts Genocide Jack again," Haruto hollered, looming over his field with a smirk. "Are you going to be able to survive all these attacks?"
Kamui grimaced; his opponent was far less arrogant than his teammate, but with the overwhelming advantage he had, his confidence was surfacing, he seemed to resemble the cocky more. The boy snatched a card from his hand, throwing it onto the Guard Circle.
"Magician Girl, Kiara," he barked.
In front of the damaged Vanguard, a blue-skinned, red-haired girl appeared, a cone hat rising from her head, pinned between two golden stars. Her attire resembled an azure swimming costume with mocha trousers clinging to her narrow legs and a short cream jacket, blue sleeves emerging from the spherical shoulders. Larger stars were fitted to her hips, matching that at the top of her staff [SLD 5000]. The laser from Jack's narrow cannon pierced through her, resulting in a similar agonized scream, her back arched as her body contorted from the horrendous pain coursing through her body and disappeared.
Haruto's attention moved quickly to the centre row, spinning the cards swiftly. "Stern Blaukruger gets boosted by Tough Boy. But because of his Counterblast, he loses his Twin Drive, but it's worth it for what I gain".
Kamui scowled; his hand had grown desperately small and while the difference between the two units' strength was minimal, he felt trepidation about surrendering yet another card in the name of defence.
"No guard," he sighed.
"Drive check," Haruto declared, turning over his own copy of Asura Kaiser.
The numerous rays exploding from the immense mecha crashed into Jack, further weakening it and causing the cracks in its armour to grow larger.
"Damage Check," Kamui growled, snapping his wrist after seizing the card, discovering a green aura. His mouth fell open, converting into an open smile. "Heal Trigger! I'll give the power to Jack and recover one damage".
He laid the card at the bottom of his column, snatching the first to be lost and transferring it to the Drop Zone. Although he had gained additional attacks, the damage Haruto had been able to inflict had been minimal; Blaukluger wouldn't be strong enough to handle Jack with all the boosts granted to the heavily injured leader [POW 21000]. Haruto's lead was narrow and he was out of chances to extend it.
KAMUI - HARUTO
4 -DAMAGE- 3
"Turn end," the blonde scowled, glaring with frustration over his field.
"Alright, it's time to show you how the Nova Grapplers really do when they hit their best," Kamui declared confidently. "Stand and draw".
SIXTH TURN – KAMUI
"I ride Asura Kaiser!" he yelled, throwing down the card over the Vanguard Circle.
A column of crackling power howled and grew into a tornado around the kneeling Jack. The body that emerged differed tremendously; no battle scars across its spherical chest of indigo; its dark body towering over all others on Kamui's side, but unable to compete with the humongous figures on the opposite side. Its multitude of hands swung around wildly, each grasping a different weapon, ready to tear apart the enemy mercilessly. The curled spikes atop its helm gleamed with a deadly lust for bloodshed, the crimson eyes underneath ablaze [POW 11000].
"Call," Kamui barked, sliding in another by his favourite's side. "Ultimate Lifeform Cosmo Lord [POW 10000]".
The new arrival among Kamui's forces replaced Jack as the immense soldier with stature more than enough to intimidate the opposition. The giant's skin colour was hidden beneath a full suit of dark brown armour, embezzled with sapphire plating beneath, exposed only through breaks in the armour. Spiralling spikes protruded its shoulders, its major aggressive features in addition to curled blades emerging from the tops of its thick gloves. Wings sprouted from the backs of its shoulder blades, looming over the ominous helm that showed only its eight gleaming yellow eyes, topped with a curve resembling a horseshoe, surrounding a blue sphere hovering in place.
"Damn," Haruto scowled. His hand wasn't in much better shape than Kamui's; his chances were looking equally bleak – the fight had been pushing them both, leaving only rundown resources.
"Death Army Guy boosts Cosmo Lord [POW 17000]" the young fighter hollered, stretching his arm forward.
The immense soldier's hovering sphere began to hum with power, unleashing a wide ray of light that crashed into the robotic warrior, knocking it back a step, clutching its chest from the force of the impact.
"Damage Check," Haruto grunted, pulling away the top card, where he discovered a golden glow. "Critical Trigger, all the power goes to Stern Blaukruger".
The mecha pushed itself back up, standing tall in the fact of the damage it had sustained and the potential for more to immediately follow [POW 15000]. Drops of sweat slipped down Haruto's face, glaring uncomfortably at the field.
'I won't be able to guard and have a field ready for next turn. But he's got one attack left,' he thought. 'So long as he doesn't pull a Critical Trigger, I can make it to next turn. Then I can get things back on track'.
"Shout boosts Asura Kaiser [POW 18000]. Let's do this!" Kamui yelled.
Haruto's eyes twitched, frustrated that he had been backed into a corner as he had, and by a child no less. Over his shoulder, he could feel Minami's icy glare fixed upon him, Masato no doubt smirking inanely and cracking jokes at his comrade's expense. He swallowed the lump in his throat, closing his eyes briefly whilst forcing himself to accept the reality of his situation.
"No guard," he choked.
"Twin Drive," Kamui declared, turning over the first card, where a blue aura burst to life around Battleraizer. "Alright, a Stand Trigger".
"What?" Haruto blurted.
"All the effects will go to Cosmo Lord," Kamui reported, switching the named card to a vertical stance. On the field, the warrior climbed back onto both feet, its unusually high number of eyes locked onto its target. Kamui, however, was focused more on his deck. "Second check". His wrist rotated rapidly to unveil Cannon Ball – another Stand Trigger that blazed. "Another Stand Trigger. This time, Death Army Guy stands and the power goes to Cosmo Lord".
The warrior flexed its body, taking advantage of the power that coursed through its parts; strength injected that doubled its standard offensive level [POW 20000]. The aura around it grew wild, lashing fervently while seeping in through the openings in its armour. Kamui grinned, switching the additional Rear-Guard. Meanwhile, Asura Kaiser flew forward, swinging its various weapons violently, striking Haruto's Vanguard a great number of times, the machine letting out a mechanical groan.
"N- No way!" Haruto cried.
"Nice job, Kamui-kun," Aichi called from the benches behind the boy.
"Kamui-san, you're the greatest!" Reiji cheered from above.
"TG!" Eiji sang.
A fifth card fell into Haruto's Damage Zone, placing him on the brink of defeat; a second copy of Asura Kaiser. Haruto grunted, frustrated that there hadn't been another Trigger to bolster his cornered forces.
"Incredible!" MC Miya howled from his place in the stands. "Katsuragi has pulled two Stand Triggers and pushed his opponent to 5 damage. This could be what ends the match".
Kamui's arm snapped forward again, stretching out to where his standing units would have been if not for the blank environment around the duo. In the Cray variation of the fight, Cosmo Lord squared its shoulders, arching its back in order to loom even more threateningly above all others present on the battleground.
"With a boost from Death Army Guy, Cosmo Lord attacks Stern Blaukruger!" Kamui yelled, leaning forward as though the stance would place him deeper into the battle.
Death Army Guy moaned, releasing all his energy and donating it to the immense being in front of him, engulfed by a wide cloud of blue, racing into the pulsing orb floating above its skull [POW 27000].
'It's too much. I can't guard against something like that!' Haruto thought, his eyes wide whilst gazing in astonishment. His expression was enough to confirm he wasn't going to defend himself 'Even if both my units intercept, it's too late'.
"Consider this a message to your friend back there," Kamui declared, pointing in the direction of Minami, who continued to observe without much interest. "Don't underestimate me because I'm a kid".
Cosmo Lord's orb exploded, sending a roaring wave of power surging across the field and crashing into Stern Blaukruger, Haruto yelled out, folding his arms in front as violent winds lashed his body, knocking the top card of his deck and dropping it into the Damage Zone – a Twin Blader, delivering a clear result.
KAMUI - HARUTO
4 -DAMAGE- 6
FIGHT END
"What a turnaround; Katsuragi comes from behind to double his opponent's damage and take the first match for Team Q4," Miya hollered into his microphone. "What a thrilling opening fight!"
Reiji and Eiji shed streams of tears over how proud they felt following their idol's performance, sniffling joyfully and mumbled inaudibly. Morikawa watched the pair with a bemused raised eyebrow, unsure how he was supposed to interpret the duo's reactions. Miwa leaned forward with a smirk.
"I think they'll be fine," he laughed. "At least they handle Kamui's success better than you with that Ultra-Rare girl".
Morikawa huffed, folding his arms over his chest. "You're just jealous because Kourin-chan have shared a fated moment of meeting and will again before long. That brat's nowhere near her league".
Kamui rushed towards his teammates, Aichi jumping up from the bench in response, elated that the youngster had given the team such a strong beginning. Kamui leapt up, wrapping himself around Aichi's torso with proud laughter.
"You see, Onii-san? These tournaments are great; did you see how great my deck worked with me?" the boy asked ecstatically. "We showed those guys".
"Yeah. That was a great fight, Kamui-kun," Aichi laughed happily. "You really did well to pull it back like that".
Shin smiled, leaning forward at the pair. "Aichi-kun, how about you give it a try?" he suggested.
Aichi flinched at the suggestion, eyeing the manager with shock at the idea coming so suddenly. His sight transferred to Kamui and then to Kai, who showed no change from his standard stoic demeanour in spite of Q4's first victory. The blue Fighting Glove on his hand tightened under the pressure applied by his fingertips, squeezed into a fist and twisted once more to face the manager. Kamui dropped away, landing on his trainers and eyed his friend curiously, aware of an unusual flare of resolve in his eyes.
"Alright, I'll do it," he answered firmly.
"Okay then, we'll leave it to you," Shin responded casually, straightening his back.
"Show them what you've got, Onii-san!" Kamui called.
"Hm," Aichi sounded, nodding quickly. He removed the deck holder from his trouser pocket, eyeing the tips of the cards, recanting the occasions he had spent playing with them over recent weeks; the times he secretly purchased cards in order to build a deck to centre around Blaster Blade. "Everyone, let's fight together".
He turned away from the others, proceeding towards the field. At the opposite end, Haruto dropped onto the bench, slumped forward with his fringe hanging over the upper half of his face.
"I'm sorry, Minami," he mumbled. "He got the better of me".
"It's not going to happen again," the pale-haired man responded dully, pushing himself to his feet and tugging on the dark green glove wrapped around his left hand. "I'll knock it into them that one quick win doesn't mean they're capable of beating us. Not by a long shot".
The two fighters positioned themselves in front of the consoles, placing their decks in place and laying their starting Vanguards in the appropriate circle and picked up their hands. Aichi's brow furrowed, setting down two of the cards and returning the remainder to the deck, shuffling in the hopes of receiving a better hand.
"The second match takes place between the leader of Team Unearther, Minami Kawanami and Team Q4's Sendou Aichi," Miya commentated.
Aichi replenished his hand, but his anxieties were far from eased; his hand still had a major flaw. The five clutched between his shivering fingertips were Blaster Blade, Little Sage Marron, Wingal, Knight of Truth Gordon and Knight of Silence Gallatin. There were no Grade 3s. He had been handicapped from the beginning; it his luck were to work against him, he could be trapped at Grade 2 while his adversary, just confirmed to be the team's leader, could continue to evolve and deliver a brutal onslaught in response to his teammate's defeat. Anxiously, Aichi rose his vision to the leather-clad man, reaching for his face-down.
"Stand Up," they announced together. "Vanguard!"
FIGHT START
AICHI - MINAMI
0 -DAMAGE- 0
The wooden flooring began to howl once again, engulfing the two players in miniature twisters that transformed their surroundings drastically from the building to a canyon of the United Sanctuary on Cray. Aichi grunted, shielding from the whipping gusts, opening only to realize his perception of the world had also altered; he had entered the Barcgal he had chosen for his starter [POW 4000]. Ahead of him, a grotesque monster was standing; its flesh peeling away across its neck, hips and thighs. Grey pincers snapped at the ends of its arms; curled fangs of the same protruded the edges of its head, smaller variations closer together beneath its piercing orange eyes [POW 5000]. The sight of the creature made Aichi's stomach churn, more so before from Barcgal's view, he was much closer to the creature.
"Go on," the creature grunted. "You take the first move".
"Ah, right," Aichi answered shakily. "Draw"
FIRST TURN – AICHI
The new card was quickly added to his hand, but as soon as it entered, his fingers moved to another, slipping it from his grip and dropping it onto the central circle.
"I ride Little Sage Marron [POW 8000]" he declared.
A projection of the magician apprentice materialized in front of Barcgal, clutching the book of spells under one arm and adopting his player's hairstyle instead of the usual blonde. The boy peered over his shoulder to the canine.
"Barcgal moves to the Rear-Guard," he commanded.
The animal obeyed, moving to a space diagonally behind Marron. Seconds later, a flash produced another canine follower; the much smaller creature sporting blue and white fur, long pink hair and a crimson scarf wrapped around its neck.
"Call, Wingal [POW 6000]" Aichi added. "Turn end".
SECOND TURN – MINAMI
"Draw," the taller player stated blandly, adding a Karma Queen into his hand. "I ride Pupa Mutant Giraffa".
The initial creature vanished, only to be replaced by another hideous being. This time, its copper skin appeared melted, sticking to the bones with creases. White spikes burst from the back, lining the spine, claws of the same from its hands. Yellow and scarlet pincers snapped either side of the creature's mouth, a ring of pink flesh could also be identified around its neck [POW 6000].
"Larva Mutant Giraffa's skill allows me to search for Elite Mutant Giraffa as Pupa Mutant was the card I used to ride over it," Minami claimed, picking his deck up and opening it up, removing the card from the centre of his deck. The stack was shuffled and placed back, the new card slipped into those he held. "Furthermore, as Larva Mutant is in the Soul, Giraffa gains an additional 2000 power. Call".
Two further cards fell onto the field; Phantom Black was the first; a humanoid figure with the head of an any; large orange eyes that bore into Marron, and through him, Aichi. A cigarette held by his grim fangs let out a continuous stream of smoke. White markings across the shoulders, wrists and hips were all that broke the darkness of the creature, along with gloves and boots of the same contrasting shade. His rear bulged out like that of an insect to fit with the clan's theme, antennas sprouting from his head twitching [POW 8000]. Behind the Vanguard, a second Giraffa materialized, its skin marginally altered in order to identify the pair from one another, taking on an orange shade.
"Giraffa's skill; when it appears in the Rear-Guard, I can discard a Grade 3 Megacolony to the Drop Zone," the pale-haired man stated, completing the action. "As a result, I'm permitted to check my deck and transfer an Evil Shell Shogun Giraffa to my hand".
"Another search?" Aichi exhaled.
Minami picked the deck up once more, fanning it open and running through it with his icy eyes. He snatched the card a third of the way down his deck, laying it face-up over his hidden hand and once again, reorganized the deck, setting it in its designated slot.
'He's already prepared to go all the way to Grade 3,' Aichi thought, drops of sweat clinging to his cheeks. 'It's no good. He's too strong for someone like me. This was a mistake!'
"This hunt has nothing to gain from it. We'll go straight in for the attack," Minami murmured. "Phantom Black targets Marron".
The black-skinned creature charged towards his target at an unusually high speed. Marron's eyes widened, letting out a gasp when the creature was inches from him in half the time it normally took for a unit to cross the battlefield, its immense orange eyes piercing through him. The aggressor spun, balancing his weight on one leg and striking Marron in the chest with the other. The young mage let out a cry, falling back towards Barcgal and Wingal, both eyeing the unstable boy with concern.
"Damage Check," Aichi sighed, revealing Starlight Unicorn and laying it at the top of the Damage Zone.
"Giraffa gains a boost from his other self," Minami claimed. "Attack Marron again".
The stomach-churning creature darted forward. Terror at the mere sight of the creature had Marron's eyes widen and his face pale, acknowledging that he would be experiencing a close-up he would rather do without. The monster hissed, lunging at the boy.
"Drive Check," Minami sounded, turning over another copy of Elite Mutant Giraffa.
The claws of the flying creature sank into Marron's shoulders, the afflicted crying out and falling onto the rocky flooring of the canyon, shivering from the injuries inflicted. Aichi bit his bottom lip, feeling helpless to save his units from suffering; witnessing their anguish from their perspective. He picked up the next card of his deck, adding Knight of the Harp Tristan to the column of dismissed.
AICHI - MINAMI
2 -DAMAGE- 0
"Turn end," Minami uttered coldly.
"Onii-san…" Kamui mumbled. "What's wrong with him? Is he still afraid?"
"Hey, Aichi, pull yourself together," Morikawa snapped. "Just because you guys have a win under your belts, doesn't mean it's alright to slack off".
"Take it easy, Morikawa," Izaki suggested. "He's probably still getting used to fighting in this kind of environment. Don't heckle him".
Marron picked himself up, glaring ahead to the monster that had taken advantage of Aichi's doubts to mark a strong beginning and open a significant gap between the two sides. Aichi exhaled heavily, trying to ease his thumping heart and reached for his deck.
THIRD TURN – AICHI
"Draw," he called.
He peeled away the card, twisting his wrist to find Starlight Unicorn – still no Grade 3. His eyebrows dropped to the tops of his sockets, choking trepidation took hold once more. His irises shivered with fear that he could fail to reach the top level and lose the advantages that came with it, doomed to fall victim to the expertise of a more adjusted player. But his sight was locked onto the first card in his possession; the very card that gave him courage. Blaster Blade was standing by his side; he reflected on the words of encouragement given to him, tied largely to that very card.
"Listen; picture it in your mind. Picture yourself big and strong, like the warrior in that card".
"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".
"You might not have faith in yourself, Onii-san, but I do," he announced. "And if you can't believe in yourself, then you should believe in the me that believes in you".
"The you that… believes in me?" Aichi repeated.
"Yeah," Kamui answered with a sharp nod. "That way, everyone believes in someone and we come out on top. Misaki-san will be believing in you too, we can't let her down".
'That's right. I originally fought without any Grade 3s; against Dragonic Overlord, against Asura Kaiser and CEO Amaterasu,' he recalled. 'I just have to have faith that this deck will come through. As long as Blaster Blade is here, I can envision myself stronger and face the battle no matter what the circumstances are. I have a way to picture myself in battle and push forward'.
He reached for the card, eyes sliding shut briefly whilst his fingers closed in against it and removed it from the collection in front. His eyes snapped open, raising the card blazing blue and white above his head.
"Tachiagare, boku no bunshin! Raido! Burasuta Bureido!" [1]
A wild gust consumed Marron, replacing him with the white-armoured knight whose body was concealed by a dark blue suit underneath, lit by neon teal patterns. The large blade from which his name originated planted its tip into the soil, his hands resting atop it. From the spiked helmet, Aichi's blue hair emerged, covering the right side of the warrior's face, glaring ahead with the one exposed eye, rendered blue by the adoption of his player's features [POW 9000]. Aichi replicated the stern stare across the field, set on his adversary, unfazed by the appearance of the rare card.
'I've just got to believe,' Aichi reiterated to himself. 'In Kamui-kun, in Kai-kun, in Blaster Blade. I'm sure they'll be enough to get me through this battle until a Grade 3 emerges. This deck has given me strength in the past, if we work together, we can give each other strength again'.
The warrior removed his sword from the canyon floor, striking a pose in which his back twisted towards the left, clutching his treasured weapon by his left hip, aimed at the invading forces, ready to launch into battle.
PREVIEW
Aichi: There's got to be one. I can't lose this match so soon.
Kamui: Onii-san… Why is he so rattled?
Miwa: His nerves are getting the better of him. If he doesn't calm down, he's only going to make mistakes and do himself in.
Kamui: No way… Hang in there, Onii-san!
Minami: There's nothing here. Nothing worth hunting. So at least struggle while I play with you.
Aichi: I've got to break through. Misaki-san can't come back to a desperate situation. Next time: "Cardfight! Vanguard Override, Chapter 7 – The Lost Leader". Everyone, please work with me.
[1] "Stand up, my avatar! Ride! Blaster Blade!"
It took longer than I'd hoped to get around to this; end of term got insanely busy with assignments. But having caught up with the anime and manga, the recent episodes and finally getting the Cardight! Vanguard got me fired to work on this again. For those who aren't aware, Minami Kawanami isn't an Original Character, but features in the manga as part of AL4, his purpose here will made clear at a later stage. And as the end of the year descends upon us and midnight approaches, I thank you for reading and wish everyone the best for the holidays and New Year.
- CuteYami, 24th December 2012
