Chapter 10: The Wind's judgement
Aichi and Kourin were asleep in their own seperate beds. It wasn't long until Emi and Rekka snuck silently to the room. They wanted to prank Aichi and Kourin together so they'd jump up from the bed immediately.
"...So what's our plan, Rekka?" Emi asked quietly.
"Hihi, we are going to shout a loud good morning together so they both jump up from their beds immediately." Rekka explained quietly.
"I see. When we will say that?" Emi asked.
"I'll give the mark and then we shout together."
"Got it!"
...After a few seconds Rekka started her countdown
"3...2...1..." Rekka counted. The hype started after.
"...0!" Rekka said.
"GOOD MORNING AICHI AND KOURIN!" Rekka and Emi shouted as loud as they could. Immediately Aichi and Kourin jumped up, scared from the loud voice as if they had just heard somebody be super angry that he'd yell.
"AHHH!" Aichi and Kourin said together as they almost fell down from their bed. Not a long time after the two noticed that Emi and Rekka were in the room, smirking as their plan had succeeded. Aichi, still tired rubbed his eyes as he looked at the two and then at Kourin, who was also really tired.
"Did...you two...do that...?" Aichi asked as he yawned.
"Yes, we did!" Emi and Rekka said together as they then smirked again.
"I couldn't even believe that even Emi did that too..." Aichi thought as he sweatdropped after having an image of Emi pranking him and others around.
"No...it just wouldn't fit." Aichi thought.
Kourin managed to finally catch some hint of what happened and then gave a small glare to Rekka as if she had known what Rekka wanted to do.
"Well...I guess you two should be going to eat your breakfast, right?" Kourin asked.
"Right!" Emi and Rekka said.
As they left Aichi's room Emi turned back and apologized from that prank as she explained it was Rekka's idea to do that. Aichi forgave her and Rekka and Kourin just watched as Aichi gently smiled to her sister.
"Say, Aichi. Are you always so friendly to your friends or sister?" Kourin asked.
"Eh? I-I've always been friendly to my friends and to my sister. I-I don't see any point being so negative to other people." Aichi said as he kind of blushed from saying that directly to Kourin.
"I see. Well that is why I care about you too, Aichi." Kourin said as she smiled to Aichi.
"T-Then, I believe you want to change your clothes or...?" Aichi asked as he spinned his thumbs around.
"W-Well, I think I'll do that after we've eaten the breakfast." Kourin said.
"Alright then." Aichi said. The two then marched downstairs in their pyjamas to the kitchen where Shizuka had prepared some breakfast. Emi and Rekka were almost finished eating when Aichi and Kourin arrived. The sun was shining brightly today with a little bit of clouds which seemed like a normal day. As Aichu and Kourin took their breakfast and sat down to the table, Emi and Rekka had finished eating and took their plates to the dish machine.
"Thank you for the breakfast!" Emi and Rekka said together as Shizuka smiled and thanked the two. Aichi and Kourin were eating their breakfast as Shizuka was surprisingly humming herself. Aichi noticed this and was a little puzzled why she looked at him and Kourin.
"Umm...What's with your humming, mom?" Aichi asked.
"Oh, hehe, nothing special really!" Shizuka said, laughing gently. Aichi just let it off and didn't mind about her mother. Kourin however was thinking why was Aichi's mother like that.
"Could it be...that she thinks we're...?" Kourin whispered to Aichi.
"E-Eh?! R-Really?!" Aichi whispered as he was surprised of what Kourin suggested but he knew that it was a total fact.
"But...it's TRUE either way." Aichi whispered.
"Mmh!" Kourin nodded. So the two had figured out Shizuka's humming and they then looked at each other and blushed just a little.
After they finished eating the breakfast they decided to go to card capital today to see Misaki and the others. Aichi and Kourin took their decks and headed out to card capital.
30 minutes later:
Aichi and Kourin then reached the card capital and as usual, Aichi was being the formal self and let Kourin go first.
"You know, Aichi, you don't have to be so formal with me everytime." Kourin muttered. Aichi laughed weakly at Kourin's compliment and apologized for being the kind person he was.
As they stepped in the shop the silence was quickly broken by none other than Morikawa as he saw Kourin enter the shop. Kourin immediately had some veins popping her head and punched Morikawa right to the face. From that impact Morikawa fell down collapsed as Kourin's punch hit him so hard.
"K-Kourin...W-Why that punch...?" Morikawa managed to say as his right jaw was still in pain.
"Hmph. That's why I don't like stalkers." Kourin said, turning away from him and return to Aichi. Aichi saw the scene and sweatdropped after Kourin had hit Morikawa so hard.
"As expected from an idol." Aichi thought as he looked at Kourin who was coming towards him.
"Then, shall we go practice, Aichi?" Kourin asked.
"S-Sure!" Aichi said but he had an odd feeling that ran inside him for a while. As they were walking towards the fighting table Naoki and Shingo arrived to the shop.
"Hey Aichi!" Naoki said enthusiastically as he came towards him.
"Sendou-kun!" Shingo said as he also walked towards Aichi. Aichi was glad that the gang was here, including Izaki who was helping Morikawa. But there was something missing...
"Umm...Misaki? Have you seen Kai or Miwa lately..."? Aichi asked.
"Not lately or recently...Why do you ask...?" Misaki asked from Aichi after replying to his question.
"Nothing in particular..." Aichi said as he felt little down.
Soon after the automated doors of the shop opened and Miwa appeared but his appearance looked different from his usual self. Aichi immediately recognised it.
"You're...reversed too?" Aichi asked.
"That's right, Aichi." Miwa answered as the red stripes around his eyes appeared.
The gang was thinking for a solution to resolve this reverse problem while Miwa was doing eavesdropping.
"...So we need to get to Tatsunagi Takuto." Aichi said as the rest agreed on it.
"However getting to Takuto won't be so easy. The reversed fighters are everywhere." Misaki added.
"That's right. Since Takuto is reversed it's likely that he has a lot of reversed people under his control." Kourin said.
"Then we just need to beat them in a fight!" Naoki said as he put his fist together.
"Doing that would just attract even more reversed fighters around..." Shingo added.
"Then our main goal is to find Takuto and make him return to normal so we can get some idea for this troublesome situation..." Aichi said. This is where Miwa finally interfered the conversation.
"To get to Takuto you have to fight a certain person first...right, Aichi?" Miwa sais as grinned to Aichi as he realized that Kai was after all involved on this situation. Probably because of Takuto, thought Aichi.
"N-No way! What does Kai have to do with this?!" Aichi asked as he was worried for Kai.
"He seemed to look for a power and chose to become reverse...He did it to be your equal. Precisely you and Ren's equal. Also you made him turn to accept the reverse power." Miwa said.
"I did...?" Aichi said, saddened from hearing that. He felt like he was the reason Kai had chosen the dark path.
"That's right. When your match will start someday give Kai all the might you and your deck holds and let it be a great one." Miwa said.
"..." Aichi was silent.
"Then...why are you telling this to us?" Shin, who finally appeared from the background, asked from Miwa.
"Even now if I am reversed I'm still Kai's friend. Doing things that I can is the only way I can help now." Miwa answered.
Miwa then left the card capital and the gang inside was troubled hearing Kai was reversed because he wanted the power to be equal of Aichi and Ren.
"Are you okay...?" Kourin asked as she came towards Aichi who was saddened from the news now.
"I...I...I don't know...What should I even do? Fight Kai like this...? How am I going to be a match for him now...?" Aichi asked as he was left with a dumped fighting spirit with no hope to fight Kai like this. Kourin felt bad for Aichi and gave him a hug to relief atleast a small amount of his sadness. The gang watched saddened as Aichi was completely down with no fighting spirit to go forward.
After a few moments another person arrived to the shop. This time, it was Leon.
"Sendou Aichi." Leon said.
"Leon...-kun?" Aichi wondered.
"I would like to have a battle against you." Leon said.
"Eh?" Aichi said surprised.
"I've seen the news that Takuto had shown across the world and we need to defeat him along with Kai Toshiki. So fight me." Leon said kindly as he took out his deck.
"Alright then." Aichi said taking his own deck out as well.
At the table they placed their vanguards and started the game. Ride after ride the game was at the beginning when it was Aichi's turn.
"I ride. Blaster Blade Liberator!" Aichi said as he rode his avatar to the table. However Leon noticed something was off from Aichi and after seeing him ride his avatar he confirmed it and pulled his own cards away. Aichi and the rest were surprised.
"Aichi, you may not know but you're not yourself now. The reason for that is you're scared to take on Kai Toshiki." Leon said as if the cold truth hadn't hurt Aichi at all.
"Me...scared of fighting Kai...?" Aichi said, while wondering. Inside his heart it felt correct.
"Since you're afraid of Kai now it means your heart is locked. When I saw you ride your avatar I didn't feel the usual hot wind rise from you and your avatar anymore." Leon said and continued.
"Am going to take on Kai Toshiki. Bringing you only would bring trouble right and as you're no use at your current state." Leon said.
"I..." Aichi said but was not able to continue his phrase. He knew the truth was cold but it was correct. He didn't want to fight Kai like this but...
As Leon then left the building Naoki and Shingo followed him.
Kourin looked at Aichi who was now conflicted between two thoughts.
"It must be hard to do decisions like that...Aichi..." Kourin thought.
"Just…Kai chose that power because of me…" Aichi murmured to himself.
"Why…Kai…" Aichi thought. His feelings were completely twisted as Kourin sadly looked at him.
"You know, Aichi. Maybe you should take some time to think about all the hazzle that's going now. It'd be best for you so you can have some time for your thoughts." Kourin said as he comforted Aichi with kind words and warm hands wrapping around Aichi's hands. Aichi looked at Kourin, bit relieved from the stress he had a while ago.
"You're…right." Aichi said as he gathered himself once more.
"Everybody…I'm sorry about the trouble I've brought to you all. I wish I could fix all these mistakes in one go but…it's not possible yet." Aichi said to his friends that were in card capital.
"No sweat, Aichi. You'll be fine." Misaki cheered.
"My great pupil will always find light in the path. For I, the great Morikawa will say so!" Morikawa cheered as well for Aichi as he was thinking he was the almighty cardfighter around here.
"Just get your firing spark back and you'll be fine!" Izaki said.
"That's right. And we won't leave your side." Kourin said at last as Aichi looked at his friends.
"Everyone…" Aichi said as tears of happiness started to fall from his eyes. He wiped them out but he was so happy from all the kind words and it felt like he wasn't alone to fight the reversed people anymore.
Meanwhile…
Leon was thinking while walking towards the home after Naoki and Shingo had confronted him and requested to train them if his words had raised any hopes for Aichi to regain his grip and not just be scared of fighting people like Kai.
"I wonder if your or my wind will be enough to blow the reversed people away… Ren's wind is amazingly strong as well but can it compare to a dark wind like Kai's now…?" Leon thought.
"If Aichi would be able to raise his wind back to the hot spirited wind it was back then…Then he would be able to defeat Kai... But can I even…?" Leon continued to think. He then arrived to his home where Jillian and Sharlene were waiting for him to return.
Back to Card Capital:
"Well, I guess we'll be going out now, Kourin." Aichi said.
"Wait a minute." Kourin said as she wanted Aichi to hold up for something.
"Huh? What is it?" Aichi asked.
"Ummm… Here…" Kourin said as she handed a card to Aichi. As he took the card from Kourin he was surprised and amazed at the same time after seeing this new card. That card would help his deck even further and could change the tides as well.
"This is…" Aichi said, amazed of what Kourin had on her sleeves.
"Right. That card." Kourin said as she gently smiled to Aichi. Others started to look what Kourin had given to Aichi as a new card and they all were very surprised as well. The card had an amazing skill and if anything It would be helpful for Aichi.
"Amazing…" Misaki said along with Morikawa and Izaki.
"That card surely looks awesome. Not to mention its skill." Shin said as he took a closer look on Aichi's card.
"I see…" Aichi said as he was starting to realize how effective that card really was if he'd use it.
"Then…I have to adjust my deck with this card then." Aichi said happily. As Aichi re-arranged his deck formation and adjusted it better. Aichi and Kourin then left card capital together.
While the two were walking along the streets Kourin looked at Aichi who was still stressed but regained a little confidence in himself again.
"So…What are you planning to do with the card I gave you?" Kourin asked out of curiosity.
"I think I'll first practice with it. Would you like to be my opponent for that? You'd also get your small practice on it." Aichi asked if Kourin was going to accept it.
"Sure." Kourin replied.
So the two then went to somewhere where they could have their match in peace and without reversed people showing up there. As they started the game they looked at their deck and Aichi taught Kourin which attacks she should guard if she was in a pinch and to understand the units better.
Turn after turn Aichi did win against Kourin with his new ace card that Kourin had given to him. It surely was amazing.
"You should've first guarded my rear guard's attack with your +5000 shield and afterwards get an intercept and two +10000 shield units to block my vanguard attack. Unfortunately you had only one of that and you didn't get a trigger in your damage check in the end phase." Aichi said as he explained to Kourin the aftermath. He felt sorry for going so hard on that match but Kourin understood it and knew that Aichi had to practice his own mechanics and adjust to his new ace card.
"it's okay, Aichi. I'm just glad that you learned to use that card pretty fast and efficiently." Kourin said as she happily smiled to Aichi. She then came towards Aichi and looked at his deck and then at him.
"So…Do you think I've improved a bit?" Kourin asked as she started to blush a little.
"U-Umm…I think you're improving really fast as well, Kourin!" Aichi said enthuastically to Kourin.
"Eh…Thanks!" Kourin said.
"Do you think you're somewhat ready to fight Kai?" Kourin asked.
"I…I don't know, Kourin…" Aichi said as he started to feel down from the thought of fighting against Kai.
Kourin looked at Aichi for a second and then realized something.
"Don't you have to fight against Kamui at some point? He's reversed currently, isn't he?" Kourin asked.
"O…I see. You're right. I should save him with this card you gave me." Aichi said.
Aichi looked at his deck and then pulled his avatar from the deck and looked at it for a second.
"Are you ready to save another person from the Void?" Aichi said to his card as in response, the card glowed blue. Kourin was amazed how he could 'talk' to his avatar without being in the Cray itself.
With that Aichi's next goal is to find Kamui together with Kourin and save him from the Void. Naoki and Shingo had practiced for a long time now and as Naoki finally managed to get an ideal deck he had imagined he went together to Miyaji School. trying to save it. But student council is also there to stop them in their tracks along with reversed school students. As Aichi and Kourin were walking down the streets and Aichi's mind heavily thinking about Naoki and Shingo but most of all, Kai himself. Kai certainly may have reached enormous skills that would possibly overlap his own skills since Kai's reversed.
Will that be a challenge for Aichi after he'd defeat Kamui? Or does Kamui have a different image? Aichi has thought over and over his thoughts and he trusts his friends and his gold paladin comrades.
"Hang tight, guys…!" Aichi thought as he walked forward and forward with Kourin.
"Your spirit has surprisingly arisen to the top and you seem to be confident to Save Kamui…" Kourin thought as she looked at Aichi who was now full of confidence.
"Say, Kourin." Aichi interrupted and stopped walking.
"Hmh?" Kourin wondered.
"Do you…plan to support me until the end?" Aichi said. The words he just said made Kourin worry as if he meant that his battles would be coming to an end at some point.
"W-What are you talking about?!" Kourin immediately reacted and continued.
"Don't make me get worried like that!" Kourin said in a serious tone that even Aichi couldn't have imagined.
"I don't wish to worry you but…I just have the feeling that it could happen. Although it's not a possibility after all but it's still a really small chance…" Aichi said.
"But still…!" Kourin retorted.
"Don't worry. As long as you're with me, I'll be fine." Aichi said as he then gave a reassuring smile to Kourin. Kourin then calmed down. And so they then moved forward in search for Kamui.
What will be waiting for Aichi when he sees Kamui and how strong Kamui has become now since he's reversed?
The end of the chapter