A.N. Okay guys. Sorry it took so long for this update but I've been busy with both my other fanfictions and homework. I will update prince of the hills next but I should have another chapter of this ready by Christmas. Two things first however:
1. thanks to everyone who suggested a clan. I have now chosen one and you shall find out which in this chapter.
2. I realize after re-watching the anime that I got the teachers name wrong. Sorry about that but when I was writing the first chapter I couldn't find his name anywhere online. I might (one day) go back to change that but for now it will only be corrected in the chapters that follow the first. Sorry!
Onto the fanfiction.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter 2
Yusuke stared around him in unadulterated wonder. Glass display cases were set-up along the walls, inside of which cards from various different games rested on stands. Tables were set up near the back of the store, most of them were surrounded by kids of various ages, but one was empty. Aichi cleared his throat nervously before leading him over to the table. The shorter male shuffled through his bag for a few minutes before pulling out a deck of cards. He placed them on the table carefully before pausing as though a thought had just occurred to him.
"You don't have a deck so your going to have to purchase one. Er... that is okay, isn't it?" Yusuke resisted the urge to sigh. The kid looked like he expected Yusuke to hit him just because he didn't have a spare deck on him. Wordlessly he nodded before turning towards the shelves near the front desk.
By the looks of it the whole wall was dedicated to vanguard. The top shelf had been given over to booster pack's, all arranged in alphabetical order. The third, fourth and fifth shelves were filled with play-mats, deck cases, binders and special offers, but that didn't really interest him. It was the sixth shelf that drew his attention.
19 decks. Sitting side by side. Their boxes bore colourful pictures and small price tags. One box, however, had been left forgotten on the floor space beneath the shelf. It was white with a fine layer of dust and it's picture had long since faded. As he looked at it, it seemed to glow slightly, drawing his undying attention. This deck was different to the others. He didn't know how but it was. He could feel. Gently he picked it up blowing on the box in an attempt to see the price. Not that he cared. He was going to buy the deck anyway but it would be nice to know how much money he was about to spend on it.
The small gust was enough to shift most of the dust creating a miniature cloud. He sneezed at the sudden excess of dust and looked down at the cleaner box. The faint outline of some kind of dragon was all that was left of the boxes image. The games red and white logo was now non-existent, as though someone had rubbed it out, leaving only the barest traces to show that it was ever truly there. The price tag looked as though it had better protection than the box, typical, and was as clear as day. 200¥. Strangely cheep for a deck of cards. Oh well. It was no skin off his back. It just meant that he had more money to spend if he got into this game.
The purple haired girl at the desk stared at the deck when he brought it to her, as though she were trying to remember when she last saw it, before shrugging and taking his money.
Yusuke discarded the box once he got back to Aichi. The boy in question smiled, sending a curious look at his deck before turning his attention back to Yusuke. He reached down and pointed at the small golden box underneath the first cards name.
"That's your decks clan. Every card belongs to a clan. It's not that important unless your trying for a trigger, which I'll explain about later." He was doing it again. He'd gone from shy to bold the instant he started talking about vanguard. Looking down at where Aichi was pointing he read the clan name out loud.
"Shadow paladin." The boy nodded before continuing his explanation.
"Choose a grade 0 from your deck and place it face down on the front centre circle. This card will be your vanguard. The grade of your card is in the top left hand corner."
Fanning out his deck, he gave it a quick check using what he had just been told, picking a grade 0 from a group of them. Just to be safe he had chosen one that didn't have a symbol opposite the grade. He placed it on the circle he had been shown, mirroring Aichi.
"Next, shuffle your deck and place it to the side. Draw five cards for your starting hand. If you don't like the cards you drew you can redraw as many as you want, but only once. For example I am going to redraw 3. You should try not to draw a card with a trigger icon," He paused to show Yusuke what he meant by trigger icon, which Yusuke was happy to see was the symbol that had been on his other grade 0's. "You should also try to get grade's 1, 2, and 3 in there as well as this can help you when your turn comes around." Yusuke nodded to show he understood, drawing five cards as he did so.
Darkside Trumpeter. Blaster javelin. Black Sage Charon. Darkness maiden, Macha. Skull Witch, Nemain.
"Redraw one." He sent Darkside Trumpeter back to his deck, shuffling and redrawing. Gururubau.
"Picture it." Yusuke looked up at Aichi who was smiling at him. He blinked. Suddenly they weren't standing at a table in a small card shop in the centre of Tokyo any more, but in a rocky environment. Grey stone cliffs rose ominously around them like walls. Green moss was scattered over the hard rock, the green stains providing the only break in the cold shades of Gray besides the royal blue sky and fluffy white clouds. "We are standing on the planet Cray. A planet very similar to earth. we are nothing but spirits blessed with two abilities. The first, the ability to call. The cards in our decks are called unit's. These units have contracts with us, their vanguards. On Cray we are nothing but spirits blessed with two abilities. The first, to call. The ability to call our contracted unit's to our side. The second: the ability to bring out our own spiritual body by possessing a unit. This is known as ride. The card you put down will represent you. When we reveal our first vanguard we call 'stand up, vanguard', you with me?"
Nodding Yusuke reached down at the same time as Aichi. He paused as a thought came to him. 'Stand up, the vanguard'. Aichi might have said to say 'stand up, vanguard' but this sounded... cooler? Better? He didn't know. Heck he didn't even know where the thought came from but he sure as hell was going to use it.
"STAND UP, (THE) VANGUARD" They exclaimed. Surprisingly no-one turned to see what was going on. Obviously this was a regular occurrence around here. No duh! It was a card shop.
"STARDUST TRUMPETER!" Aichi's card was revealed to be a small chibi looking angel blowing down a golden trumpet. As Aichi had said, once his card was declared the Aichi spirit on Cray transformed into Stardust Trumpeter with a few traits carried over from Aichi's own appearance including the blue hair, the wing shaped fringe and the teal eyes.
"FULLBAU!" His own spirit was replaced with a black dog with blue highlights that appeared to be made completely of armour. Unlike Aichi's, his vanguard didn't carry any of his traits. Yusuke supposed it had to be more humanoid.
"It will be easier for me to explain if I go first." Aichi stated waiting for Yusuke's go ahead nod before continuing his explanation. "When you start the turn you stand any cards that are resting by turning them to face the opponent. When you attack you unit's are rested. They can also be rested as the result of an ability. As this is the start of the game no cards are rested so I continue to the draw phase. During this phase I draw one card." He took the top card of his deck and added it to his hand. "Next is the ride phase. You can only ride once per turn, unless a cards ability states otherwise, and only to the next grade up. I RIDE 'LITTLE SAGE, MARRON'!" The bluenette placed a card from his hand on top of his Stardust Trumpeter. In Cray he glowed for a couple of minutes before he took on his new form. Now instead of wings, a trumpet and white clothes, he was dressed in silvers and blues, with a hat, pink glasses and a large red book. "Following the ride phase is the main phase, if you have any abilities or unit's to activate or call, this is the time to do it. I CALL WINGAL AND FLOGAL TO THE REAR-GUARD!" A blue dog wearing a red scarf with wing shaped ears and a fluffy pink hairstyle appeared behind his vanguard. On Marron's left appeared a completely pink dog with armour of darker shades of pink and light blue. "Normally this phase would be followed by the battle phase, however the player who went first can't attack until their second turn,"
"So what's the point in going first?" Yusuke interrupted with a frown.
"Going first let's you get a higher grade quicker. This isn't always a large lead, but it can be the difference between a win and a loss. As there is nothing else I can do I end my turn." Yusuke nodded to show he understood before starting his turn.
"I draw." Dark Shield, Mac Lir. "I RIDE BLASTER JAVELIN!" His vanguard glowed black for a few seconds before it form moulded into the knight's shape. Black armour and a black and blue cloak was equipped on top of a purple under suit. Unlike his last vanguard this one looked more like him, with his black waist length hair, still long from his mazoku transformation, though he had had it trimmed and it was much neater, and his brown, almost red, eyes. "Fullbau's skill! I search my deck for Blaster Dark and add it to my hand! Er... I CALL BLACK SAGE CHARON!" A cute boy with sterling silver hair and clad in a black cloak materialized behind him, holding a book. Aichi pitched in then when he started to look uncertain.
"To attack, declare it and rest the card your attacking with. You can add extra power to the attack by boosting it with the unit behind the card that declared the attack. For example Blaster Javelin has 6000 attack power, this isn't enough to damage Marron, but if you boost with Charon you add his 8000 power to the attack for a total of 14000 power. Plus Blaster javelins skill, which gives an extra 2000 as long as fullbau is in the soul, that make's 16000 attack. If I don't guard I would take one damage because you over powered Marron. To guard I would send a number of cards from my hand to the guard circle. The number in the shield icon is their defence. After that, regardless of the battle's outcome, the cards I guarded with would be sent to the drop zone."
"All right. BLASTER JAVELIN ATTACKS LITTLE SAGE MARRON WITH A BOOST FROM CHARON!" His vanguard drew in the energy coming from Charon's book before leaping at Marron with his spear ready to attack.
"No guard." Aichi declared. "As it's your vanguard attacking you can check for a trigger by revealing the top card of your deck and checking for the icon. Even if it isn't a trigger it goes to your hand."
"Drive Trigger check!" Doing as instructed he turned over the top card of his deck but was disappointed to see that it was another Blaster Javelin, meaning no trigger. "No trigger." He sighed.
Aichi smiled at him.
"As your attack went through, I draw one damage and check for a trigger." He revealed the top card of his deck, knight of silence, Gallatin, before moving it to the side of the mat opposite his deck. "No trigger but it goes to my damage zone anyway. If I take 6 damage you win and vice versa. Get it?"
"Yes. Its simple enough to understand." He confirmed.
"Glad to here it. My turn then. I draw. STAND UP MY AVATAR! I RIDE BLASTER BLADE!" Once again Aichi's vanguard glowed for a few seconds before shifting into it's new form. A knight in white armour with blue underclothes and a large silver sword replaced Marron, and Aichi's blue fringe and teal eyes were the only thing's that could be made out under his helmet. "FLOGAL MOVES BACK AND I CALL STARLIGHT UNICORN!" A white unicorn with a rainbow mane and a silver horn appeared in front of Flogal who leapt back to make room for it. "Unicorn's skill. Plus 2000 attack to Flogal. WITH A BOOST FROM FLOGAL, STARDUST UNICORN ATTACKS YOUR VANGUARD." Chewing on his lip slightly as the unicorn lowered it's horn and charged forward he spared his hand a glance for a card he could guard with.
"No guard." The only cards he could guard with were Gururubau, Dark shield, Mac Lir and Blaster Javelin. It was probably better if he saved them for when Aichi's vanguard attacked just in-case he got a trigger. "Damage trigger check." Darkside Trumpeter. A trigger!
"That's a stand trigger. It lets you stand one of your units and all trigger's have the added bonus of plus 5000 attack power." Aichi explained seeing his confusion.
"Okay. Then I stand Charon and... err... give the power to Blaster Javelin!"
"NEXT, BLASTER BLADE IS ATTACKING YOUR VANGUARD WITH A BOOST FROM WINGAL. Wingal's ability, as he is boosting blaster blade, blaster blade gets plus an extra 4000 taking this attacks total to 19000."
"I guard with Dark Shield, Mac Lir. His guard skill! I discard Gururubau to nullify your attack!"
"Drive trigger check... critical trigger! All effects to blaster blade! Good call with that nullify. I end my turn." With a smirk Yusuke dropped Mac Lir go to the drop zone before starting his turn.
"Stand and draw." Dark Mage, Badhabh Caar. "I RIDE BLASTER DARK!" this ride felt different to the others. With the others he just saw the unit's riding, not really feeling anything for them. With this card though their was a rush of adrenaline that accompanied it and the feeling of absolute power as though the out come of this fight was now his to decide. He liked this feeling. He wanted more of it. "I CALL BLASTER JAVELIN! His ability. I search my deck for Phantom Blaster Dragon and add him to my hand. Plus 1000 to Blaster Dark for having Blaster Javelin in my soul. I CALL SKULL WITCH NEMAIN. Her ability. Counter blast one, I discard Darkside Trumpeter and draw two cards." Knight Of Darkness, Rugos. Gururubau. "Call! GURURUBAU!" A black dog with long yellowing fangs appeared behind a scantly dressed witch with grey hair and a skull in her hand. "BOOSTED BY GURURUBAU, NEMAIN ATTACKS YOUR VANGUARD!"
"Wingal guards!"
"ON HIS OWN BLASTER JAVELIN IS COMING FOR YOU UNICORN!"
"No guard."
"BLASTER DARK IS ATTACKING BLASTER BLADE WITH A BOOST FROM CHARON!"
"No guard."
"Drive trigger check!" Grim Reaper. "Critical trigger! All effects to Blaster Dark!" His vanguard was surrounded by a swirling black aura. The power coming from the black knight was addictive. Yusuke wondered idly whether this was what Hiei felt like when he used the darkness flame but he didn't really care. All that mattered was this euphoric feeling of power that was currently surging through his body connecting him with the shadow paladin's.
Blaster dark charged forward with his sword, it connected momentarily with his white twin's, before it pushed past, knocking the white knight back.
"Damage trigger check! First... Critical trigger, Future knight, Llew. Power to Blaster Blade. Second... Lake Maiden, Lien, no trigger."
"I end my turn."
"I stand and draw! RIDE FORWARDS ON THE SOLITARY WHITE WINGS OF FATE! I RIDE, SOLITARY KNIGHT, GANCELOT!" A pegasus in silver armour with a wild grey mane and mounted by a knight with a long billowing blue cloak and a stunning helmet, replaced Blaster Blade as Aichi rode to a grade 3.
"Counter blast two. As Blaster Blade is in my soul I gain 5000 power and 1 critical. I CALL BARCGAL! Bargal's ability, I search my deck for Future knight, Llew and call him to an open rear guard circle." A blonde with a plastered cheek and accompanied by a red robot dog took the open space to Gancelot's right. Behind him appeared a dog that was almost completely made of metal except for the silver hair which escape through kinks in his armour. "FLOGAL MOVES FORWARD AND THE ATTACKS YOUR SKULL WITCH, NEMAIN."
"No guard." Flogal launched forward, barging into Nemain, who screamed before moving to the drop zone.
"NEXT, GANCELOT IS BEING BOOSTED BY WINGAL AND ATTACKING BLASTER DARK FOR A TOTAL OF 2000!"
"Grim reaper and Darkness Maiden, Macha guard that!"
"Grade 3's have an ability called twin drive which gives them another chance to get a trigger! Twin drive check! First... Flash Shield, Iseult. No trigger. Second... I got it! Draw trigger! Giving 5000 to Gancelot and I draw one card."
Gancelot changed his pace to a fast gallop holding his sword to the side like a lance. His pegasus reared when he reached Blaster Dark and his guard's. Slashing his sword down in an ark, he finished off the unit's in the guardian circle before hitting Yusuke's vanguard.
"Damage trigger check. First... Knight of Darkness, Rugos. No trigger. Second... Abyss Freezer. Draw Trigger. I draw one card and give the 5000 to Blaster Dark." Darkside Trumpeter
"LLEW IS ATTACKING BLASTER JAVELIN WITH SUPPORT FROM BARCGAL!"
"No guard."
"I end my turn." As things currently stood, Aichi was on 3 damage whilst he was on two. If Aichi took 3 more damage he would lose.
"I stand and draw." Dark Metal, Dragon. "I RIDE PHANTOM BLASTER DRAGON!" A 50 foot dark dragon replaced his knight. Wings of pure black metal spread out behind him eclipsing those below him in shadow. He held a double pointed ebony lance in one clawed, metal hand, from which crackled small sparks of blue lightning "I CALL DARK METAL DRAGON, DARKSIDE TRUMPETER AND KNIGHT OF DARKNESS, RUGOS." A dragon made of purple shards, a purple and black version of Aichi's Stardust Trumpeter and a black knight sporting duel swords appeared on the now heavily cratered grey surface of Cray. "Phantom Blaster Dragon's ability. Counter blast two. Then I have to retire three units. Give your power to the darkness dragon, Dark metal dragon, Rugos and Darkside trumpeter! Phantom Blaster Dragon's power goes up by 10000 and 1 critical plus 1000 for having Blaster Dark in the soul. He's now sitting on 21000 attack power and that's without a boost or trigger's. I CALL DARK MAGE BAD HABH CAAR." an elf like male wearing a black hoodie with green ribbons dancing around him appeared in the now vacant space to Phantom Blaster Dragons right. "His ability, I check the top card of my deck and if it's a shadow paladin I can call it to an empty rear guard circle!" Aichi was regarding him with a worried look now, sending the occasional glance at his hand, obviously checking how much he had to guard with.
He flipped over the top card of his deck and it was no surprise to see that it was a shadow paladin. "I CALL GURURUBAU! ON HIS OWN GURURUBAU IS ATTACKING YOUR VANGUARD. Because he is the one attacking your vanguard and I have a shadow paladin as my own vanguard he gets plus 2000."
"No guard. Damage trigger check. No trigger." Another starlight unicorn joined the other cards in the damage zone.
"NEXT UP! DARK MAGE, BADHABH CAAR IS ATTACKING GANCELOT WITH A BOOST FROM MY OTHER GURURUBAU."
"No guard. Damage trigger check... heal trigger. As I have more damage than you I get to recover one and I give 5000 power to Gancelot."
"FINAL ATTACK! BOOSTED BY CHARON, PHANTOM BLASTER DRAGON ATTACKS GANCELOT WITH A TOTAL OF 29000 POWER."
"I can't Guard." Aichi lowered his hand slight so that Yusuke could see the card he had been holding onto. Solitary knight Gancelot.
"Twin drive check. First... Grim reaper. Critical Trigger. All effects to my vanguard. Second... well would you look at that! Another grim reaper. All effects to my vanguard. That leaves Phantom Blaster Dragon with a grand total of 39000 power and 4 critical. You'd need 4 heal triggers in a row to survive this attack but we both know that's not possible. I win."
The unit's on Cray vanished leaving Yusuke and Aichi standing there as nothing but spirit's until the grey stone walls that had surrounded the fight faded away and they were once again standing in the corner of a small card shop somewhere in the crowded streets of Tokyo.
Meanwhile, back at Yusuke's old school, Kuwabara and keiko were frantically combing the corridor's in search of Yusuke. They'd already tried the roof, the nearest arcade, the cinema, 10 different back alley's, genkai's temple and his 'home'. They tried his phone, leaving a message just in case he looked at it later. They asked around. They even looked in the local pubs for any trace of Atsuko. They didn't find her either but knowing the drunk she was probably on some cruise with her irresponsible friends.
Now it was Monday so they were stuck searching the school in the hopes that for once he had actually shown up. No such luck. They resolved to ask kurama, hiei, botan, koenma and, if worst came to worst, Genkai for help later but for now they had to do their best to concentrate on classes and not think of their missing friend.
a.n. okay. chapter 2 finished and i've just realized a problem. including yusuke there would be five people that i want to put on team Q4. so here are your options of what can happen from this point:
yusuke starts fighting at a different shop and gets put on their team.
kamui fights on team handsome
misaki doesn't take part in the shop tournament and thus isn't part of the team and is only there as a sub-manager
other (please state in comments)
those are your options and you can either say what you think in the comment box or answer on a poll that i will put up on my profile. the team's and the fanfictions futures are in your hands. catch you later with the next chapter of a new kind of fight.