I lost a good friend before I wrote this story. No, that friend hasn't passed away. It's just sad that friend can no longer be on fanfiction so I can't have her help when writing this story. On the lighter news I get to go to someone's birthday party today. That person's birthday is fifty something years old. Please read and review.
XXX
Now it was just Raigo's mother and Raigo's aunt. They are all alone.
Together.
"I understand why you're really here, Horiya." Raigo's mother said, placing her right palm on her hip.
"Is that so, Floressa?" Horiya said, intertwining her fingers together.
"In my memories of you, Horiya."
"And,"
"You've always liked to make Raigo try something new."
"That's true."
"I've already talked to him when Kyon died."
"Floressa, you can't always keep sheltering him from exploring new things. He's not a young child, anymore. He's a young teenager, now."
"I know but," Floressa trails off, lingering in her deep inner-thoughts of worry.
"I understand the child version of Raigo needed to hear you speak about Kyon." Horiya starts, inhaling a deep breath before continuing.
"Why didn't you say anything to Raigo about what really happened to his older brother, Kyon?" Floressa said, upset. "One of your nephew's is already dead because of that cursed card game that you are now encouraging Raigo to try playing." She adds, hysterically. "I warn you, Horiya. Don't lose your other nephew also to that cursed card game. I can't bare to lose another son of mine."
When Floressa talking about her dead son, a part of her believed it to be a farce. Any day now, Kyon would come back home and show her that he was only buying groceries.
Heartache.
Floressa lowers her head down and covers her mouth with her palm.
She was lying to herself. The only thing she had left of Kyon was his deck. Her second son, Raigo, has that same deck in his gentle hands now. All she could do was endure the agony of loss that she has. These mixed feelings over a silly card game. Floressa really wanted Raigo to keep his brother's memory alive by playing it. But, she also wanted him to not go, as far with Buddyfight as Kyon once did. It could cost him his own life. This is what she mostly feared for her second son.
XXX
"Hm."
Raigo is still very unsure. He didn't know if it was even possible for him to accept and take part in that Buddyfight Tournament that is sponsored by Lady Suzuha.
The warning bell rings, Raigo curses underneath his breath. He trots into the school grounds and heads to the escalator that lead to the front doors.
Panting.
Raigo finally arrives at his locker; he swiftly slips off his outwear shoes. And, he quickly slips on his indoor shoes. He slips off his bag from his right shoulder. He hangs his bag on the hook inside the interior of his locker. Raigo closes his locker.
"Hello, there." An orange-haired girl greets from the hallways.
"Hello, Fujimiya-san." A boy said, bashfully. "C-Can I sign…"
"Mm." Kazane Fujimiya nods, handing him a sheet of white paper. "You can just sign up here."
The young 5th grader is sitting at a table with a good amount of sign-up sheets for the up-coming tournament.
"H… Here, Fujimiya-san."
"Thank you very much." Kazane said, gingerly.
Raigo peeks from the far corner to see the happy-go-lucky formal Castle champion. Without another word, Raigo turns to walk away. "Tsk."
XXX
The dragonfly charm chimes by the windowsill, Raigo tilts his head to stare out the window. The soft windy breeze is refreshing from the half opened window.
While inside the remaining classes, his inner-thoughts still linger - on and off - to the possibilities of signing up for the tournament. However, there is just one problem at hand.
It has a lot to do with the financial-related reasons. Raigo didn't have any money for tournaments. He knows some tournaments are very expensive to enter.
"The price for the 'entrance fee' must cost a lot of cash.
The literature class continued.
"Sage Kuguru and Blacksmith Baku have made a promise to meet underneath the moonlight…" His teacher reads out loud to his classroom full of students for another ten long minutes.
'Who'd ever read such a nonsense novel?' Raigo wondered, briefly glancing at the page. It is page 30. 'How tedious.'
The school bell rings.
"That's the end of today's literature lesson." The teacher announces. He lifts his head up from reading from his book to finish his lesson. "Continue on reading the rest of chapter 3 till Chapter 5."
"Eh!?" The whole class whines, erupting in sheer dismay.
Raigo releases a long sigh. 'What's the point of this nonsense, and tedious story? All it's about is a sage and a blacksmith from Dungeon World.' He wondered who'd ever enjoy reading from such a lame book anyways. On top of that, it's a complete of waste of time to finish a literature lesson based on some type of romance novel.
Raigo was going to read this. It may of not make much sense to him, but it was homework from school. After all, the literature teacher – somehow - enjoys springing 'pop quiz' questions. It's just a way for him to see who's actually reading the novels.
The purpose of school is all about the learning of material to answer questions about what they've learnt from gained knowledge. Also, the academy mainly focused on the basic strategies held in and during encounters within each Buddy fight duel.
"Kazane Fujimiya, the carefree 5th grader." Raigo mused, looking at the smiling orange-haired girl still handing out the 'sign-in' sheets for the up-coming tournament.
"Did you hear?" A young 4th grade girl exclaims with her best friend at her side walking down the hallway towards the front exit.
"Hear what?" The friend asked, tilting her head to sidelong glance at her friend.
"Miss Kazane has chosen 'Dungeon World'."
"Really? Why?"
"It's because she said 'it had some potential'."
"Potential? To what?"
"It has potential to her goal of becoming friends with a hundred people."
"Really?"
"Mm."
'How very childish to have a silly goal to have a hundred friends. Friendship is…' Raigo thought, lowering his head down. His fringes overshadow his eyes. A memory resurfaces in his lingering thoughts.
'I shall protect you, Raigo.' Kyon, the werewolf, vows. He was embracing Raigo from the final blast using his furry frame.
"Her emotions of hope," A deep voice said from behind.
"Huh?" Raigo said, looking over his right shoulder at the tall white-haired guy standing behind him. He holds a spear in his right palm.
Rouga Aragami closes his eyelids. "Her emotions of hope caused her an encounter with her buddy, Bladewing Phoenix." He adds, walking past Raigo without another word. He walks up to the table that Kazane is at. In response, Kazane widely smiles at a slightly smirking Rouga.
Raigo doesn't reply. He shakes his head from the thought of 'emotions of hope'. He turns around on his heel and begins to walk towards the exit.
"Before I head on home. I want to have another Buddy Fight." Raigo said, curling a fist in his left palm.
Then, out of nowhere. Raigo found a worthy opponent.
Her name is Akane. Akane is known for being a prodigy. A 7th grader that uses Ancient World. Everyone knows Akane is one of the few best players who uses an Ancient World deck.
XXX
"Unravelling secrets, solve all the problems of ones life! Creeping Mysteries - Luminize!" Raigo activated his core gadget, transforming it and slipping it easily on to his finger. His 6 starting cards lined next to each other in the air as he waited for his opponent to luminize her deck.
"High spirit freedom, keep on running to your hearts content! Ancient Freedom - Luminize!" The orange core gadget transformed into an orange wristband that attached itself onto Akane's left arm. Her 6 starting cards lined up in the air like Raigo's, the gauge for both was 2. The field was all set. "Time to raise the flag!" Both players said in unison. "I fight for Mystery world." The dark hair boy called out as Great werewolf detective, Kyon stabbed their flag down to the ground. "I fight for Ancient world." The energetic girl called out as Freedom Empress, Zaria waved the Ancient world flag crazily over her marron cowgirl hat.
Raigo - 10 life 2 gauge/Akane - 10 life 2 gauge
"I'll take the first turn. Charge and draw!" The dark hair girl looked at her cards closely before smirking sheepishly. "Ok, I think I'll go with... This one!" Akane touched a card and dragged it up and sent it onto the field. "I call Silver Dragon, Adelaide to the centre." A sparkling dragon appeared onto the field, shinning from the lights above it. "Attack the fighter!" The teenage girl pointed at Raigo as she exclaimed. Adelaide obliged to it's master's command and charged at the defenceless fighter. Spinning around and swiping silver tail, Adelaide dropped Raigo's life down to 7. "My turns over." Akane smiled excitedly as she held up a piece sign at Raigo who also smiled.
Raigo - 7 life 2 gauge/Akane - 10 life 3 gauge
"Alright, It's my turn. Draw! Charge and draw!" Raigo looked at Kyon who looked back at him with a smile. 'Go get her.' he could see the werewolf mouth to him. "I call wild inspector, Spectron; Airforce Captain, Lue and Ace-beat Agent, Kawnway." The 3 Mystery world monsters entered the field and readied themselves for their instructions. "Lue, link attack with Kawnway." The two monsters nodded and dashed forward towards the dragon. Lue took off to the air and aimed his weapon at the reptile while Kawnway distracted Adelaide. "Take this!" Lue pierced through the Ancient world monster's head with his shot, causing Silver dragon, Adelaide to fall to the ground and disappear. "Adelaide's lifelink takes 1 life from you. Your up next, Spectron!" Raigo called out as the kangaroo hopped side to side before upper cutting the female fighter, damaging her life by 1. "Wild inspector, Spectron's ability activates now." Raigo proudly said to the confused cherry red girl. "When he successfully attacks the opponent directly, I can search through my deck and send up to 4 mystery cards to the drop zone." The yellow eye boy further explained to the puzzled Akane. "But why would you want to send cards to the drop zone in the first place?" Akanne asked. "You'll see." Raigo simply said as the 4 cards he held up disappeared before shuffling the deck and shoving it back to the core gadget. "My turns over." Declared the teenager.
Raigo - 7 life 3 gauge/Akane - 8 life 3 gauge
"Alright! My turn! Draw! Charge and Draw!" Akane looked at her new card before deciding to cast her set spell. "Setting the Dragon Arcadia spell." She lifted up the card which shaped it's form into a sphere before flying up to her left. "I gain a life every time it's my turn." The ruby red eye girl explained before continuing her plays. "I call Emerald Dragon Emperor, Jedaflight to the centre." Sending a card to the field, a large green dragon with a crown of jades emerged from the card. Coiling up and finally facing it's opponent while it roars fiercely. "I call Ice Fairy Dragon, Garbolette and Freedom Runner, Dracian to the left and right." A sky blue spirit that looked like a dragon flowed onto the left while a chuckling human dragon tamer sits at the right. "I equip Sky Splitting Armor, Masurao." The item card she played materialized onto her right arm as a spike gauntlet. "Now then, Jedaflight attack Kawnway!" The green dragon roared fiercely before entering the battle field as it engaged the human who held claw weapons in battle.
Gaining height advantage, Jedaflight blew an emerald fire at the unexpecting monster. As the fire died down, Kawnway's body was turned to jade and soon disappeared to the drop zone leaving the centre wide open. "Dracian's ability activates. Parkour Charge!" Akane called out as the dragon tamer lifted his thumb and index to his mouth before whistling as loudly as he could. Emerald Dragon Emperor, Jedaflight roared it's final roar and immediately took flight into the air before reverting back into a card. "Once per turn when a dragon lord successfully destroys a monster, they are then sent to my gauge." The teen girl explained as they watched the card fly up to the gauge. "Now then, Triple link attack!" She declared as she jumped onto the battle field with her other monsters. Drago gasped as he took a quick glance at his cards to find that he couldn't counter her assault. Akane's attack with her monsters dropped his life down by 5. "I cast, Rise and Fall of Dragons." The dark hair girl payed 2 gauge to play her spell, sending the top 4 cards from her deck to the gauge. "It's your turn." Akane smiled challengingly at her rival as he regained his composure.
Raigo - 2 life 3 gauge/Akane - 8 life 7 gauge
"It's all or nothing!" Raigo called out as he was caught in the heat of the match. "Draw! Charge and Draw! I cast Reminiscent Glass!" The yellow eye boy payed 1 gauge and used Airforce captain, Lue as the other cost. The spell sent 7 cards from the top of his deck to the gauge. "OH... So that's why you sent cards to the drop zone. To activate card abilities from it. Nice!" Akane gave him a thumbs up as she approved of his powerful spell. "I pay 2 gauge to cast
Rejuvenated Alibi! If I have less than 5 life I can add 2 cards from the drop zone to my hand and gain 1 life, or add 1 card to my hand and gain 2 life." He explained as Akane's smile never disappeared. "I add Freedom Alias to my hand and gain 2 life." A card materialized in his hand as he shuffled it with the other cards. "I set Victimize Testimony!" Raigo said as he threw a card from his hand to the air, as it formed into a sphere.
"This is how it's going to work. The moment that anyone declares an attack the opponent needs to choose a monster from their hand and have the player whose attacking to guess what size it is. If the attacker gets it right then they can proceed with their attack, if they get it wrong then the attacking monster is destroyed. Also if the opponent doesn't have any cards then well... The attacker has a free passage to the opponent's life." The dark hair teen explained as he received a confused look from the opponent. "I pay 1 life to equip Justice Seeker, Aegis Mirror." A large shield-like mirror appeared and flew to Raigo's hands as he casted one more spell. "I cast Innocent Alias, I pay 3 gauge and gain life equal to the number of gauge I have after paying the cost." The nervous fighter regained 6 life which led up to 9 life. "WHAT!" Akane shouted as she finally realised what his opponent was trying to do. "I Pay 2 life and 3 gauge to buddy call Great Werewolf Detective, Kyon and call Lagomorph Inspector, Perika." Raigo gained a life from the ability buddygift as a pooka wearing a trenchcoat entered the right while Kyon landed in the middle.
"Kyon's skill activates when I have no cards in hand. I force my opponent to discard their entire hand, which you don't have, and we both draw 5 cards before discarding any spells we draw. But during that time, Perika's skill activates. Denying you of your draws from a monster's ability. So I'm the only one to draw 5 cards." Raigo smiled as his strategy was proceeding as planned. He drew his 5 cards and sent 2 cards to the drop zone. "Kyon's other ability allows me to destroy 1 item on the field." Kyon further explained watching Akane's jaw that seemed to hit the floor. "No way!" She shouted as she attempted to hide her gauntlet from Raigo. "I destroy my own item, Aegis Mirror!" Raigo called out as he threw the shield up in the air. Kyon brought out his pistol and shot 2 rounds at the mirror. It shattered into fragments and showered over Kyon. "Now then, Kyon attack Dracian!" The werewolf detective followed Raigo's command and jumped into the fray.
Dracian also hopping into the battle field and began the battle by blowing fire balls from his mouth. Kyon dodged the flames easily and managed to get behind the size 0 monster before impaling him with his katana. "Down to hell!" Kyon jumped back to his original position, ready for his next attack. "With Kyon's double attack, triple link attack the fighter!" Raigo swung his left arm back as he was beginning to exhaust himself. The 3 monsters dashed and glided over to the female fighter and caused 4 damage. "My item has a skill that allows a monster of my choice to attack once more this turn if it was destroyed by an ability. So let's stand back up Kyon and attack the fighter one last time!" Kyon followed his masters orders and pulled the trigger for 2 shots that dropped Akane's life down to 2. "My turn ends here." Panting heavily, Raigo passes his turn over to the dark hair girl.
Raigo - 7 life 2 gauge/Akane - 2 life 7 gauge
"Alright! Time to kick things up a notch!" Akane was fired up and inspired to pull her best in this intensive fight. "Draw! Charge and Draw! I gain 1 life from Dragon Arcadia." She looked at her only card before smiling happily as she held it high up to the sky. "I pay 2 gauge and cast! Survival Chance! I absolutely love this card! After I pay the cost I can draw the same number of cards there are in the gauge. So now I get a fresh hand of 6." The ruby red eyes shined with passion as she was excited to see her new hand. "Now then I pay 5 gauge to Buddycall Freedom Empress, Zaria to the centre." The size 3 monster stabbed the flag she flapped around throughout the game to the ground and jumped into position, giving a life to Akane through buddygift. "Zaria's skill allows me to play any spells or items with out paying the cost." Akane said as she looked at her hand once more. Lifting up a card she activates the spell. "I cast - Dragon flame Cascade. Spectron and Perika, get outta here!" Flames errupted from the card and encircled the said monsters before searing them down to the drop zone. Raigo growled in frustration.
"I cast - Dragon Emperor Legend." Sending one card to his gauge, he then draws a card and gains one more life. "I pay 2 gauge to call to the right; Freedom Wanderer, Zelch. His ability activates when there is another card on the field which has the name 'Freedom' in it. I can search through my deck and take a size 3 'Freedom' monster." Flinging his cowboy hat in the air, Zelch activates his ability. Akane explains as she picked out her card from the deck. "With Zaria's second ability, I can discard a copy of her and destroy a card on the field. Goodbye to Victimize Testimony." Akane sent the card to the drop zone and watched as the set spell disappear. "I cast - Freedom revival. Since I have three monsters on my field, I gain 3 life." The dark hair girl healed herself from the spell and marked her attack. "Attacking the centre, Zelch links attack with Garbolette." The cowboy hopped onto blue dragon spirit as it flew onto the field and charged straight at Kyon. The werewolf growled as he jumped onto the battle field and shot a few rounds from his pistol. Garbolette dodged the bullets with swift grace while Zelch aimed his revolver and shot the defending monster. Reviving back at centre, Kyon survived with his soul guard.
"Your up next Zaria! Get 'im!" Akane exclaimed her command as Zaria replied. "Roger!" With that the Freedom Empress dashed away. "Don't worry, I'm get her this time." Kyon looked back before jumping out to attack the aggressive monster. Zaria pulled out a dagger from the pocket in her shorts and clashed with the katana that belonged to the lycanthrope. Zaria gave Kyon's stomach a good kick before jumping out of the way from his next swing. The Freedom monster jumped into the air and smiled widely. "Take this!" She exclaimed as she launched many daggers at the unsuspecting monster from her cape. "What!" Kyon shouted before being sent to the drop zone through 3 daggers in his throat. "With Zaria's double attack, she attacks again!" Raigo stuttered from the realization of his defenselessness. Zaria slashed his life down to 5. "Well that was underwhelming." Raigo claimed arrogantly as he wiped the sweat off his face. "Tch tch tch. Who says I'm done." Akane's smile grew wicked as she was going to end the fight. "Final Phase!" The red eye girl said as she held up a card. "I cast - Evil Crusher, Steel Dragon Barrage!" A large sphere of fire hovered over Zaria's right hand as she snickered wildly. "But that only ha-" "But instead of one, why don't we make it two?! After all with Zaria's ability I don't have to pay anything at all." Akane interrupted the trembling boy as she revealed from the impact card that there was another hiding behind it. Another sphere of fire hovered over Zaria's other hand as she launched it straight at the fighter. "AH!" Raigo screamed as his life was dropped down to 0
Raigo - 0 life 2 gauge/Akane - 5 life 3 gauge
Raigo has lost again.
Rejuvenated Alibi - Spell, if you have less than 5 life; you can choose one of these abilities: Ddd 2 cards from the drop zone to your hand and gain 1 life, or add 1 card to your hand and gain 2 life.
Victimize Testimony - Set Spell, The moment that anyone declares an attack the opponent needs to choose a monster from their hand and have the player whose attacking to guess what size it is. If the attacker guesses right then they can proceed with their attack, if they guess wrong then the attacking monster is destroyed. If the opponent doesn't have any cards, the attacker may attack directly.
Innocent Alias - pay cost = 3 gauge, you gain life equal to the number of gauge you have after paying the cost.
Lagomorph Inspector, Perika - Size 0, 4000 power, 2000 defence, The opponent cannot draw any cards from the abilities of a monster.
Freedom Runner, Dracian - Size 0, 3000 power, 3000 defence, Once per turn when a dragon lord successfully destroys a monster, they are then sent to my gauge.
Survival Chance - pay cost = 2 gauge, draw the same number of cards there are in the gauge after paying the cost.
Freedom Empress, Zaria - Size 3, 6000 power, 5000 defence, pay cost = 5 gauge, You can activate any spells or items without paying the cost, If you have a "Freedom
Empress, Zaria" card in hand while this card is on the field; you can discard it and destroy a card on the field.
Freedom Wanderer, Zelch - Size 0, 4000 power, 3000 defence, pay cost = 2 gauge, When there is another card on the field which has the name "Freedom" in it. You can search through my deck and take a size 3 'Freedom' monster.
Freedom revival - pay cost = 1 gauge, gain life equal to the number of monsters on your field.