Vanguard: Light Speed
Chapter 22
A Change for the Red
First I apologize for leaving this off where I did, but now that's all out of the way it's time for you to see just how Teresa and Will's fight will end. It's also time for you to see what will happen beyond that fight. From this point on up until I left off you'll find that I've copied over some material, so I'll apologize now for any inconvenience this might cause.
Teresa – Will
2 – Hand – 7
2 – Soul – 2
4 – Damage – 3
1 – Counterblast – 0
F(1) U(7) – G-Zone – F(1) U(7)
Thousand Ray Pegasus / Emergency Celestial, Danielle – Dark Knight Maiden, Macha / True Black Sage, Charon
First Aid Celestial, Peniel / Holy Edge Celestial, Malchidael – Blaster Dark 'Diablo' / Darkheart Trumpeter
Nursing Celestial, Narelle / Nursing Celestial, Narelle – Intense Fighting Knight, Dorint / Hard Fighting Night, Claudus
"It's my turn now." Teresa announced as she stood her units and drew a card as is the rules of the game.
"I suggest you make this turn count." Will said as he was more focused on checking the cards he had in his hand that moment instead of his opponent.
"What do you mean?" Teresa asks as she wasn't expecting Will's sudden interjection.
"I said that I would win by my fifth turn. One my first turn I rode to grade 1, on my second turn to grade 2, on my third turn to grade 3, on my forth turn as you just saw I borrowed the power of a G-Unit, and my next turn will be my fifth... so I'll say it again make your turn count." Will explained as he offers a quick summary of the match.
"Wow I guess this guy really intends to win by turn 5 huh?" I mumble aloud.
"Yeah, but I mean it's still been a pretty exciting fight so far... it's also been a pretty even fight too." Raphugio notes.
"You're wrong... this Will has been in complete control of the fight the entire time. Either Teresa plays the one card that will allow her to turn things around right now or... or Will is going win on his next turn just like he said he would." Jacob points.
"Exactly what card would that be?" I ask.
"I'm talking about a new Angel Feather unit that had its effect leaked to promote the next booster pack. There's obviously no way for me to know if she really has it, but for any Angel Feather player to have that card before the official release date... Teresa would be one of the only few with the necessary connections." Jacob explained.
"Oh... that sounds exciting... in that case I hope Teresa does have it." I mumble as thought of a card with an unknown power gets my blood pumping even further.
"I was hoping to save it for the national tournament this year... but it looks like that I'll have to use that now." Teresa thought as she's able to foresee how this match is going.
"Well... what will you do?" Will asks as he hid the fact he was starting to get annoyed with Teresa just standing around.
"Generation Zone release!" Teresa yelled as she discarded yet another copy of Ramiel from her hand.
"Oh my people... just what kind of card will Teresa play now?!" the store manager yelled as he decided to take a shot at playing the role of a hype-man.
And yet another phy... you know what... forget it I'm not even going to get into it. Rainbow colored lights fly by and bla bla bla bla bla... Teresa is going to channel a great power through the generations.
"Let the scars of your mind and body be healed through the power of the future's light, Stride Generation! Holy Cherubim, Ramiel Phoenix [Power: 26000]!" Teresa yelled.
"Ramiel Phoenix?!" Will said as despite how sure he was that he was going to win on his next turn... he still didn't expect such a card to be played.
"I can see from the look on your face that you've never heard of this card, but don't worry. You'll get a chance to bask in all of it's splendor soon enough. It is an idol's duty to leave her fans in awe after all." Teresa said as she gave of a scary kind smile.
It's power can wait a moment as the lady's appearance must come first. This future version of Ramiel has her hair flowing straight down her back as it starts off as blond coming out of her head and turns a burning orange color at the end. Her blue and white angel wings have transformed into that of a Phoenix's wings and have grown large enough to be able to cover her body. She no longer wields the Divine Scissors she did as a Celestial, but instead now wields a pair of blades made from the sharpened shafts of her own feathers.
"I activate Ramiel Phoenix's skill." Teresa announced as she flipped one card in the damage zone face down and another copy of this new Ramiel in her G-Zone face up.
"Oh... what kind of skill would that be?" Will asks due to his curiosity being piqued.
"You'll see... I move Peniel the the soul and use her skill to superior call Samyaza [Power: 5000] from my drop zone." Teresa explained as she reached for the top of her deck in order to pay for the other half of Peniel' skill.
[Top Card – Emergency Celestial, Danielle – No Trigger]
"Thousand Ray Pegasus gains +2000 power through his skill and Ramiel +3000 through her skill." Teresa explained.
"All that for a mere power bonus? No... there's probably more... she's just saving whatever it is for the right moment." Will thought as he contemplates his options.
"I retire Samyaza to call my third copy of Nursing Celestial, Narelle [Power: 7000]. Then I'll use her skill to switch the card in my hand with the Aniel in my drop zone." Teresa informed.
"And there goes another +5000 power bonus between those two units." I thought.
"Ramiel Phoenix will attack your vanguard with the support of Narelle [Total Power: 39000]!" Teresa declared.
"I'll nu-" Will was about to say.
"I'm afraid that's pointless... you see since I switched 2 cards out of my damage zone... Ramiel makes the use of grade 1 or higher units forbidden during her attack." Teresa interrupts before Will could get a word in edge wise.
"Hmph... well played... then I won't guard." Will retorts as he doesn't seem bothered in the slightest by Teresa's impressive move.
"With your healing flame burn away those who wish harm on the innocent until not even ashes remain... Recovery Blaze!" Teresa yelled.
"If Teresa wants to win this fight she'll have to get two critical triggers on this drive check." Jacob points.
[Drive Check – Holy Edge Celestial, Malchidael – No Trigger]
[Drive Check – Critical Hit Angel – Critical Trigger]
"I give the critical to Ramiel and the power to my front right Narelle." Teresa decides.
"She was able to get one critical trigger, but will her deck respond to what she wants that easily?" Will quietly mumbled.
"Come on I just need one more trigger." Teresa thought as she placed her hand on the top of her deck... potentially for her last drive check of the game.
[Drive Check – Prophecy Celestial, Ramiel – No Trigger]
"Hmmm... I guess that's it for you." Will says to Teresa as he reaches for the top of his deck without even looking at it.
[Damage Check – Young Skull Witch, Nemain – No Trigger]
[Damage Check – Dark Great Mage, Badhabh Caar – No Trigger]
"With the support of her twin, Narelle will attack Blaster Dark 'Diablo' [Total Power: 19000]!" Teresa declared as she simply refused to end the fight that easily.
"Wounded Angel will guard that [Total Shield: 10000]." Will calmly counters.
"Not yet... Danielle, attack Blaster Dark [Total Power: 20000]!" Teresa declared as she was clearly going to fight until the very end.
"Flatbau... guard [Total Shield: 10000]!"
"I... end my turn." Teresa says reluctantly as she was disappointed that her attack failed.
Teresa – Will
4 – Hand – 5
3 – Soul – 2
4 – Damage – 5
3 – Counterblast – 0
F(3) U(5) – G-Zone – F(1) U(7)
Thousand Ray Pegasus / Emergency Celestial, Danielle – Dark Knight Maiden, Macha / True Black Sage, Charon
Nursing Celestial, Narelle / Holy Edge Celestial, Malchidael – Blaster Dark 'Diablo' / Darkheart Trumpeter
Nursing Celestial, Narelle / Nursing Celestial, Narelle – Intense Fighting Knight, Dorint / Hard Fighting Knight, Claudus
"I don't normally say it this often, but... final turn." Will declared.
"Just how the heck is going to pull something like that off?" I mumble aloud.
"Liberating the Generation Zone!" Will yelled as he discarded a seemingly innocuous card from his hand.
Will discarded one card to pay the cost of Stride, but he didn't discard a Grade 3 unit... hell as soon as he took his hand off of his drop zone we all saw that the card he used was a Grade 0 unit.
"How could you perform stride with a grade 0?" Teresa asks as if Will was doing the impossible before her very eyes.
"I see your not familiar with the unique abilities of this Blaster Dark, but to answer your question my vanguard's generation break skill allows me to use any card in my hand to pay for the cost of stride as long as the G-Unit I want to bring out has 'Blaster' in its card name." Will explained as he started searching through the cards in his G-Zone.
"Here it comes." I thought as I mentally brace myself for whatever card Will's about to play.
"Dark dragon incarnate, emerge from the shadows that have existed since time immemorial and reach out to grab our future... Stride Generation! Dark Dragon, Phantom Blaster 'Diablo' [Power: 26000]!" Will yelled.
The daytime sky within this simulated arena was replaced not with the light of the night, but pure incorporeal darkness so strong that even animals with night vision wouldn't be able to see themselves in a mirror. Without warning all of that darkness was absorbed into a single source... a humanoid dragon 3 or 4 stories tall, large wings that could blow away buildings with a single beat of them, and in its right hand is a double sided lance about 30% bigger than its own body.
"Blaster Dark's stride skill: Superior Gamma Burst... I retire your Emergency Celestial, Danielle." Will explained as he pointed his hand at Danielle like it were a gun.
Phantom Blaster 'Diablo' drove one side of his tremendously large lance deep into the grassy green field that has long since been obliterated throughout this conflict, and then out came a mass of energy so large that it seemed as though it was like the water from a broken dam being funneled down a single city street. Danielle screamed in pain and agony when this stream destroyed her to the point where not even ashes remain.
"I activate the skill of Phantom Blaster 'Diablo'. For this turn my vanguard gets a +10000 power bonus, +1 critical, and a chance to activate another skill when the time comes." Will said as like Teresa he turned a card in his damage zone face down and a face down copy of his vanguard face up.
"What kind of skill would that be?" Teresa asks.
"Like you told me you'll find out soon enough." Will retorts chuckling slightly in the process.
"Do you know what it does Jacob?" as this fight started to make me crave answers.
"It's a skill with two possible outcomes, but regardless... both outcomes will destroy Teresa anyway." Jacob answered as that was his way of telling me to just shut up and watch.
"I'll attack with Phantom Blaster 'Diablo' to trigger his skill." Will declared as he put the units in his center column into the rest position.
"He's not even going to bother attacking with his rearguard? This guy... he really does think that he'll be able to beat me easily." Teresa thought.
Even I realized that it was futile as the popular young idol continued to try to figure out a way to stay alive in this fight. Phantom Blaster 'Diablo' smites Macha and Charon with a single swing of his mighty bladed lance, however he quickly absorbs the essence of their being before they could pass onto the realm beyond.
"Normally I'd have to sacrifice three of my rearguards to the dark dragon, but since I have a Blaster vanguard Charon's very being counts as two units. As for the actual skill... either you sacrifice two of your own units to appease Phantom Blaster 'Diablo' or you won't be able deffend against from his attack!" Will explained in a loud volume that bordered on yelling.
There was also some epic finger pointing being done on Will's part, but Phantom Blaster "Diablo" doesn't wait for him to finish his routine... no he just goes ahead and consumes the existence of the two Narelle's standing in front of one another and adds their strength to his own.
"Now go Phantom Blaster 'Diablo', unleash the dark fury of your Ultima Charging Lance [Total Power: 43000 2 Cri]!" Will yelled.
"Once again I'll nullify your attack with Aniel [Perfect Defense]." Teresa counters.
"Triple drive check." Will said in a bit of a devilish tone of voice.
[Drive Check – Revenger, Wounded Angel – Critical Trigger]
[Drive Check – Revenger, Wounded Angel – Critical Trigger]
[Drive Check – Jumping Knight, Ligand Lumina – Critical Trigger]
"+15000 power and +3 critical all go to my rearguard Dorint." Will said as he taps his rearguard unit with the small stack of triggers.
"That's a lot of power Will just gave to his rearguard." I mumble.
Aniel places layers upon layers of magical shields in the way of Phantom Blaster 'Diablo', and the shock-wave generated upon the dark dragon's strike with Teresa's defensive line was so powerful that if Will could re-direct all that force back at Teresa... not even her perfect guard would be able to stop it.
"Now put your spear together with your brother Claudus, and end this battle together. Hard Fighting Knight, Dorint... attack Malchidael [Total Power: 37000 4 Crit]!" Will yelled.
With the confidence of a guaranteed victory behind him, Dorint is able to tap into his armor's true potential and unleash greater reserves of hidden power. He taps into all of it and more, of which allows him to move at such speed that Dorint seemed like a blur. It was too late... by the time anyone could do anything Dorint's spear had already pierced the lead angel's heart.
[Damage Check – Battle Cupid, Nociel – No Trigger]
[Damage Check – Celestial, Landing Pegasus – Draw Trigger]
Final Results
Teresa – Will
2 – Hand – 8
3 – Soul – 2
6 – Damage – 5
3 – Counterblast – 0
F(3) U(5) – G-Zone – F(3) U(5)
Thousand Ray Pegasus / Empty – Empty / Empty
Nursing Celestial, Narelle / Holy Edge Celestial, Malchidael – Blaster Dark 'Diablo' / Darkheart Trumpeter
Empty / Empty – Intense Fighting Knight, Dorint / Hard Fighting Knight, Claudus
"Quoting the words of a certain anime character 'and that's game' Teresa." Will said as he's already started picking up his cards and putting away his deck.
I have mentioned that several of Teresa's fans whether as fighter or as a performer just happened to be here in this store, but regardless of personal preferences both groups just saw their idol get cut down. The cooler headed fans appreciated the show regardless, but the more "emotionally invested" ones acted as if Will had just spat on the bible, qur'an, or whatever religious text you'd prefer.
"How dare you defeat Teresa?!" one angry fan yelled.
"Yeah what he said!" another person who happened to be standing next to that angry fan yelled.
"Awww... I love how you all cheered so hard for me, but this isn't the first time I've lost a fight so there's no reason to make a big fuss about it. Tell you what... if you still can't let it go... just put all that frustration into cheering me on during my next concert." Teresa said as she's able to instantly put her idol persona back on despite how ironically frustrated she felt right now.
"Yes Teresa-sama!" all of her fans yelled in unison.
Believe me the line above wasn't some joke I decided to put in at random. All of these people really did yell that in bloody unison to the point of hilarity. Anyways once that was over with; the crowd dispersed as few wanted to stay behind for this little store-ran event's award ceremony. I was one of the few that stayed, but that was only because Raphugio didn't want to leave yet and I certainly wasn't going to follow around Jacob like a lost puppy.
"Here you are." Teresa said as she passed Will the prize Raphugio and Jacob wanted to originally leave the store with.
"Oh thank you so much... and I really enjoyed our fight... especially since someone else could push me like that." Will said as like Teresa he revered back to his non-battle mode persona.
"I hope your girlfriend enjoys the gift." Teresa said with a smile.
"Ha ha that's my hopeful end result, but that person embodies the concept of 'Oblivious to the feelings of others'." Will chuckled slightly as he checks for any messages or calls he might of missed durring his fight.
"Since the crowd has dispersed for the most part... I'll ask again who are you?" Teresa asks as she drones her serious look once more.
Though not intentionally listening in, Raphugio and I could hear everything they were saying due happening to be browsing the selection in the next isle over... I assure you this was purely a case of unintentional eavesdropping.
"Alright then... allow me to formally re-introduce myself. I'm Will Kanbara and I'm the 3rd strongest fighter on Team Resurgence.
"Team Resurgence? That's the team name Nikki gave when she fought Jacob." I thought as I nearly drop what I was holding in my hand.
Raphugio however, didn't seem interested in the slightest in the juicy conversation going on right next door. I thought back then that it was as if he already knew about them... little did I know he knew about a lot of things.
"Yes it's that Team Resurgence... the same one Nikki brought up while she was fighting Jacob. He was in the crowd watching the whole thing go down, but then... you already knew that." Will points out.
"How could you possibly know that?" Teresa retorts.
"Your head moved around as you calmed down your fans during our fight, but your eyes were always stuck to Jacob. There's nothing wrong with wanting to look good in front of that special someone, but if you like him that much just ask him out... last time I checked Vanguard Monthly... it said he was still single." Will suggests.
It was an honest suggestion that Will made, but it seemed to fluster and embarrass Teresa as if she was a young maiden of a rich household who saw something she shouldn't.
"No! There's absolutely no way that would happen... such a relationship between us would be sinful. Ahem... sorry about that display... now then why don't you tell me a little more about your team seing as how the powers that be will look you guys anyway... why not just save the a few days of work?" Teresa suggests.
"There are four members of Team Resurgence, of which I'm the only male member of. In terms of rarity of cards Nikki would be number one on the team, but she's actually the weakest of the four of us." Will answered as he seems to have no problem with giving away his team's secrets.
But then again he is being somewhat broad as he answered Teresa's inquiry.
"How much stronger than you are the other two? Teresa asks.
"Objectively speaking I'd say our vice-captain is about 30% stronger than me...-" Will was saying.
"No matter... none of you will be able to beat Team Strike Shadow as long as Isaac is fighting.
"Hmph... against our 2nd seat on down I'd agree, but against our captain I'd say it's Isaac who will lose. Just to give you an idea of our strength... I'd say she's even stronger then the captain of Team Red Star." Will declared as he clearly thought highly of his teammates.
"I see... if you're entering the national tournament this year then we'll have to step up our training." Teresa mumbles as she quickly takes in Will's estimation.
"You actually believe me? Sorry... it's just people don't normally take me at face value when I say something like that." Will asked out of curiosity as well... he didn't expect to be taken at face value like that.
"I fought you, so I know you're not a liar." Teresa retorts.
"Ha ha... now if you'll excuse me I have to get going." Will said.
Teresa was satisfied with the few questions of hers that Will answered so she let him leave without the slightest objection. I however apparently wasn't going to let him do that... not intentionally of course.
"Oh sorry." I quickly say as I narrowly avoid bumping into Will.
That didn't happen for any complex reason... we just happen to come out of our respective isles at the same time. He turned left, I turned right, but thankfully a collision was still avoided.
"It's alright... oh and Silvie said she's looking forward to seeing you again." Will said before quickly continuing on his way.
"Damn it... Silvie? No... there's no way he's talking about her... still to think there are strong unknown fighters like Will out there... I'm definitely looking forward to facing them before I pay back Isaac." I thought as I start to shake with excitement.
I wasn't the only one to have a near fatal collision in this store that day. What your about to read next occurred shortly thereafter I went back to going down each isle in the shop.
"Ms. Weaver, thank you so much for volunteering your time on your day off. I just got off the phone with the owner, and he said that if you ever need anything from us it's on the house." the manager of the store said in a very happy tone of voice.
"Thank you very much, but even though I didn't get what I want... I still got something good today." Teresa said.
"I swear... you're exactly how celebrities now a days should act now a days. I mean even when you have to wear clothes that show off... you're still respectful about it." the manager said as he compliments Teresa... or flirts with her a little I could never really tell.
"Aww that's really sweet. I'd like to stay if I could, but if you'll excuse me I have other things I actually wanted to do today." Teresa said with a smile as she excuses herself from the store.
Now that she no longer had someone bothering her, Teresa started thinking deeply about her match with Will as well as every move she made so she could figure out where she went wrong.
"Playing Mikael itself was a sound move, but my fatal flaw was how I followed up with it. My hand didn't allow me to make a truly aggressive play, so that means I should have taken a more defensive approach to deal with the Shadow Paladin clan's overwhelming ability to thin out the deck." Teresa thought as she finds herself looking at the floor instead of what's in front o her in the process.
Though it was only a light tap... this time there actually was a collision, and it was between Teresa and... well you'll read it soon enough.
"Oh I apologize for that madam. I should have paid attention to what was going on in front of me instead of rummaging through my own pockets." Jacob said in an apologetic manner as he has yet to realize who he's just bumped into.
"No no it's my fault for getting lost in my own head." Teresa retorts.
Curious about the identity of the other, both Teresa and Jacob look up and are surprised by who they saw. Teresa however was far more surprised than Jacob especially since the man only came back to pick up his that he dropped.
"Ah Ms. Weaver... please do forgive me for my earlier blunder, but I trust that you're unharmed." Jacob said as he wipes the proverbial dust off of his fancy clothes.
"No it's quite alright Jacob... hmm it's been a while since we've last talked without our hobbies directly being the cause." Teresa said as she tries rather hard to hide how nervous she is speaking in front of him.
"I believe it was 6 moths ago when you were hired to perform a private concert at a party hosted by a friend of my lady." Jacob said obviously referring to Nolan.
"Is that so?" Teresa said as right in that moment she was so nervous that she couldn't remember that private performance at all.
For those who are reading this that don't already know how my story ends... I know how what I'm writing currently looks, but rest assured the truth is far from what you imagination may be showing you. In any case Teresa was so nervous right now that she started sweating out of her forehead... so much so for a lady that as a gentleman Jacob was forced to take action.
"Let me take care of this for you Ms. Weaver." Jacob said as he took his personal handkerchief out of his inner jacket pocked and started dabbing the sweat off of Teresa's forehead.
"Um... what are you doing?" Teresa asked as she felt a mixture of embarrassment and enjoyment in response to Jacob's actions.
"Hmm? Ah... please forgive me for touching you without permission Ms. Weaver. I don't know what came over me." Jacob said as he removes his handkerchief once he becomes consciously aware of what he's doing.
"It's alright. Though unexpected, you're act of chivalry was appreciated. Still... if you don't mind my asking why did you do that?" Teresa asks out of curiosity.
"I suppose it's because you remind me a lot of my younger sister Ms. Weaver." Jacob answers as he doesn't appear to notice that Teresa was sweating because of him being in front of her.
"Really... I didn't know you had a sister. If you don't mind my asking... what is she like?" Teresa asks, but... she already knows the answer.
"Because of the circumstances of our separation I wouldn't be able to tell you how she is now... what I do remember though was that like you she had a talent in singing, speaking to a crowd, I taught her ho to play Vanguard with the Angel Feather clan, and actually... now that I think about it if your hair and eye color was the same as mine... you look exactly like how I imagined she would be at your age." Jacob explained.
Somehow as Jacob looked back on his life to better times and memories... the act of him talking about his sister somehow calms Teresa down a great deal... in fact it calms her back down to whatever mental state she was in before she had fought Will. A rather strange occurrence wouldn't you say?
"In fact I remember that one night when we were kids she fell rather ill and missed a field trip she wanted to go on more than anything. I felt bad for her so I walked into her room one night and said-" Jacob was saying.
"You said to 'drink mom's soup, read those cards, and I'll show you how to become so strong that no one will be able to hurt you ever again.'" Teresa whispered to herself unintentionally interrupting Jacob mid-sentence.
"I'm sorry, but what was that?" Jacob asks as he hears only a very small amount of what Teresa was whispering.
"It's nothing... I just started thinking about my own childhood. Say... for a change of subject... what's in that bag?" Teresa asks as she points to the jewelry store bag that he's been carrying since this whole affair started.
"I ran into a young lady I had met at the Vanguard Expo not too long before I came here, and saw her looking at a broach with childlike wonder." Jacob started to explain.
"So you decided to buy it just to be nice?" Teresa asks out of curiosity, but for some reason her earlier calmness as well as kindness is replaced with a subtle yet sudden and intense irritation.
"I suppose you could say that. In fact... she had told what store she'd be in right now, so if you'll please excuse me I'd like to give it to her before she leaves." Jacob said as he quickly grabbed his missing phone and left the store.
"Oh don't give me that... you've always said something like 'just cause' when it comes to a cute girl. Yeah well... I won't allow any girl that doesn't meet my standards to date you." Teresa mumbles to herself once she was sure no one would hear her.
She wasn't mumbling to herself out of a bout of jealousy... no without spoiling things I'd say a strong protective sense had temporarily overwhelmed her capacity for rational thinking. Still... there's one last surprise I want to show you before time forces me to honor other commitments. This surprise occurs in the office of a certain corporate bigwig.
"Excuse me Mr. Verde, but your 2:00PM appoint has arrived 30 minutes early and he's alone. Should I send him in or tell him to wait for a bit?" Mr. Verde's secretary asked via a 2-way speaker system.
"He's a very important guest of the Verde corporation, so please send him in as quickly as you can." Mr. Verde replied as this news was enough to break him out of his auto-pilot mode.
The door to Mr. Verde's office slowly creaks all of the way open and once it does a young adult with white hair, red eyes, and a vanguard deck wrapped around his upper right arm walks inside. Even though it was still raining outside he was wearing a plain white t-shirt under a dark green snowcoat, with a red scarf wrapped around his neck, and matching pants as well as shoes.
"Sebastian Glazkov, captain of Team Red Star, and several time winner of the Vanguard World Tournament. I have to say it's an honor to finally meet you." Mr. Verde said in a cheery tone as he got up from his chair.
Mr. Verde got up because he wanted to shake the hand of one of the greats of the Vanguard world. It's not everyday one gets to meet a champion after all, however Sebastian isn't interested in such notions right now and quickly dismisses the greeting of Sakura's father with a hand wave.
"I realize that this may be a normal custom for you Americans to greet each other buy, but since the rest of my team is suffering from severe jet lag I'd like to get things over with." Sebastian said in both a serious tone of voice and as expected a heavy Russian accent.
"Down to brass tacks then?" Mr. Verde asks.
"If you don't mind I would like to." Sebastian retorts.
"Very well, but before we begin would you like my secretary to get you something to drink?" Mr. Verde asks as he places his hand on top of his end of the two-way speaker system.
"The sentiment is appreciated, but no thank you." Sebastian politely answers.
"Right... ahem... first of all let me compliment you on the strength of your team. To think... not even once have you ever been forced to fight in an official Vanguard tournament match. The world still wants to know exactly what clan you use," Mr. Verde said as he starts to proverbially sing praises to Team Red Star.
"Then the world will have to wait until someone strong enough to make me use it comes along, however for god sake man, have some dignity so we can get this over with already. Still for you to go to the lengths of a fully paid vacation in your country for both the members of Team Red Star and our supporting staff... you must want something of me very badly." Sebastian points out as he's already starting to get a little impatient.
"As you know my company sponsors Team Strike Shadow, of whom has refused their invitation to enter the World Tournament every since their appearance on the world stage." Mr. Verde explained.
"I already know of this Mr. Verde. The captain Isaac Barrett said that his team would gain nothing by entering the world tournament." Sebastian interjects as he starts to wonder what the point of all of this is.
"I've heard the collective opinion of other world tournament teams. I've even heard the opinions of your very own teammates, but if you're willing to humor me I'd like to hear what yours is if you don't mind." Mr. Verde said as he;'s steadily guiding this conversation along a certain path.
"I think if that's what he thinks is best for his team than who am I to question it. We all choose our own paths in this one life we have been given Mr. Verde, but I have seen Team Strike Shadow fight. If they actually entered the world tournament I'd say they'd probably place in the top 32, but if Isaac's teammates could match his ability than Strike Shadow could place even higher." Sebastian said as he starts to sing the praises for Team Strike Shadow though he will never admit it.
"Would you like to fight him if you got the chance?" Mr. Verde asks out of personal rather than professional curiosity.
"I would yes." Sebastian honestly answers.
"Then how would you like to have a chance to face Team Strike Shadow?" Mr. Verde asks as he finally reveals his reason for bringing Team Red Star to the states.
"That... Mr. Verde is the first interesting thing you've said all day." Sebastian said as he finds himself drawn to the large worm on the proverbial fishing hook that Mr. Verde is dangling in front of him.
To Be Continued
Sakura: Phew... I never thought Team Strike Shadow's training would be this intense.
Teresa: Surviving to the end of the first day alone will be enough to make you a stronger fighter.
Virgil: It's almost that time of year Kiba.
Kiba: Next time on Vanguard: Light Speed "The Golden Sea"
Virgil: It's time to see my sister.
Angel Feather
Grade 4
Holy Cherubim, Ramiel Phoenix
Power: 15000+ Triple Drive
Stride (Released when both players' vanguards are grade 3 or greater)-Stride Step-[Choose one or more cards with the sum of their grades being 3 or greater from your hand, and discard them] Stride this card on your (VC) from face down.
[Act](VC):[Counterblast 1 & Choose a face down card named "Holy Cherubim, Ramiel Phoenix" from your G-Zone, an turn it face up] Until end of turn his unit gets "[Auto](VC): When a card is put into your damage zone, if you have an "Angel Feather" vanguard, this unit gets [Power]+3000 until end of turn". If the number of face up cards in your G-Zone is two or more, and if two or more cards have been put into your damage zone this turn, this unit gets "[Auto](VC): When this unit attacks a vanguard, your opponent cannot call grade 1 or greater units to (GC) from his or her hand."
Lore: This is the future form of the Prophecy Celestial now summoned into the past through the mysterious power of stride.
When Link Joker's ultimate weapon was destroyed at the end of the first Invasion War the phenomenon known as "Reverse" left the bodies of those who have been forced to hold that power. For the most part it was harmless, but Ramiel was one of the few who had their souls severely damaged by this occurrence.
Ramiel had fallen into a deep coma due to the damage caused by the removal of "Reverse" as well as the memories of the sins committed under its influence. Nearly all of her comrades considered her a lost cost save for Zerachiel.
She had journeyed into the empire's lands and collected the ashes of a Narukami Phoenix to create one of the Angel Feather's most powerful healing tonics. The result was Ramiel's body burning to ash seemingly due to the raw power of this tonic.
Just as Zerachiel started to cry thinking she had just killed her own friend... Ramiel had burst forth from her ashes reborn as a pure existence not with angel wings, but with the wings of a phoenix.
Now with her new title and powers as an angel phoenix hybrid, Ramiel hopes that in the past and the future that she'll be able to both heal those harmed by a corrupted power and burn those who wield corrupted power down to their very soul.