SailorStar9: This is Chapter 18 of this fic. (Sighs) Guys and girls, is it too hard for you to leave a review, instead of just putting this fic up on your favorited list and story alerts?

Disclaimers: I own nothing, except for the plot bunny.

Chapter 18: Team Q4 Heads for the Regional Tournament

"Kourin!" Morikawa gushed, Ultra-Rare having appeared on the Motion Figure System screen.

"Cut it out!" Izaki protested. "It's embarrassing!"

"Shut up!" Morikawa snapped. "Don't get in the way of my fated reunion with her!"

"The thing is, that's only an image of her." Izaki reminded.

"I've known ever since we first met." Morikawa noted. "That girl has the power to draw people in. You see? My judgement wasn't off. I just know Ultra Rare is gonna be big. Especially Kourin!"

"Morikawa." Aichi beamed.

"You finally got here, Aichi?" Morikawa joked.

"And I see Izaki is here, too." Aichi nodded.

"A classmate of mine is playing in the tournament." Izaki replied. "I had to come and cheer you on."

"We're here, too." Miwa added.

"Don't forget about us." Reiji reminded.

"DF, yo." Eiji beamed.

"The gang's all here." Kamui declared.

"Kamui, you might want to…" Ami warned.

"Kamui!" Nagisa sang.

"Duck." Ami sighed, Nagisa tackling Kamui into a potted plant.

"Kamui, I love you!" Nagisa declared.

"Who the hell is she?" Morikawa wondered.

"I'm not 'she!" Nagisa snapped. "I'm Nagisa! I'm Kamui's girlfriend!"

"Girlfriend?" Morikawa echoed.

"Pretty mature for an elementary school student, huh?" Izaki mused. "Pull yourself together, Morikawa."

"No need to worry about me." Morikawa assured. "What, you think something like that would send me into shock? After all, I have Kourin."

"You're living in dreamland." Izaki sighed.

"It's going to be one of these days." Ami shook her head. "I need aspirin."

"Long time no see, Sendou." Gouki greeted.

"You actually showed up, instead of running away?" Hiroshi taunted.

"I respect you for that, anyway." Kaoru remarked.

"Big brother." Nagisa beamed.

"Looks like a bunch of feebs." Gouki snorted. "Definitely not in our league."

"The weaker the dog, the louder it howls." Kai retorted.

"What was that?" Gouki glared.

"You know we can't fight here, right?" Ami reminded.

"Or at least not that kind of fight." Gouki agreed. "Listen, I don't know who they're gonna put us up against, but you guys better not lose until we face each other."

"I'll say the same for you." Kai smirked.

"Gotta get the last word in, huh?" Gouki grinned. "I like you, kid. Let's go." He led his team off.

"See you later, Kamui." Nagisa followed her brother.

"Three Blacks?" Aichi blinked, when the blocks came up.

"So we're squaring off against you first?" Kurosawa noted.

"Who the heck are you guys?" Kamui asked.

"Ask and yer shall be answered." Kurosawa declared.

"I'm Kurosaki." Kurosaki added.

"I'm Kuroda." Kuroda stated.

"The three of us together…" Kurosawa remarked.

"You all have 'Kuro' in your names, so 'Three Blacks' huh?" Aichi realized.

"I get it." Kamui nodded. "And on top of that, they're wearing black cloaks. But aside from that, wat's the getup for?"

"I'm glad you asked." Kurosawa started. "This is…"

"You're black magicians?" Aichi cut in.

"Black magicians, my foot." Morikawa snorted. "They're just cosplayers."

"Like the ninja-lover can talk." Ami shot back.

"It's not like that's cosplay." Morikawa protested. "Although if I were gonna do cosplay, it'd be as a ninja…"

"This is an insult." Kurosaki growled.

"No, that's fine." Kurosawa assured. "Let him talk while he still can. Once the fight starts, he'll be trembling with terror."

"Don't tell me you guys can actually use black magic?" Morikawa gasped.

"We're saying we're gonna pin you down with our skill at Vanguard." Kurosawa explained. "See you at the fight, Team Q4."

"You guys are gonna lose!" Morikawa shouted.

"You, shut up!" Ami's patience was wearing thin.

"Brother, no need to be that nervous." Kamui assured.

"That's right." Morikawa agreed. "Even if you lose, as long as the other two win, your team will advance."

"You're not encouraging him." Miwa reminded.

"Don't even talk about losing before we even start, Loser-Umi!" Kamui roared.

"The name is Katsumi, you little…!" Morikawa twitched.

"Morikawa, last warning!" Ami growled, reaching for her senbon porch.

"Scary…" the males shivered.

"Brother, good luck!" Kamui encouraged as Aichi stepped forward.

"A Kagero deck." Aichi mused. Riding 'Wingal', he moved 'Barcgal' and called 'Flogal' with 'Barcgal's skill.

Kurosawa rode the 'Embodiment of Armour, Bahir', then called 'Demonic Dragon Madonna, Joka'.

"This is no time to get cold feet." Izaki shouted.

"But you gotta admit, it is a little scary." Morikawa confessed.

"What, you're afraid of snakes?" Miwa teased.

Having 'Embodiment of Armour, Bahir' attack 'Wingal', Kurosawa then checked for a drive trigger.

Aichi countered by checking for a damage trigger, before using 'Epona' to guard against 'Demonic Dragon Madonna, Joka's next attack.

With Kurosawa's turn done, Aichi rode 'Blaster Blade'. Calling forth another 'Wingal', he had the new unit boost 'Blaster Blade', before checking for a drive trigger.

Kurosawa countered by checking for a damage trigger.

Aichi renewed his attack by having 'Barcgal', boosted by 'Flogal', to attack 'Embodiment of Armour, Bahir'.

Kurosawa then checked for a damage trigger, gaining two damage as a result and riding 'Dragon Knight, Nehalem' on his next turn, calling forth 'Tejas' and 'Jarran' in succession. Moving back 'Joka', he called forth 'Berserk Dragon' and activated 'Berserk Dragon's Counterblast.

"I see." Miwa realized. "This guy isn't just all talk."

Having the rear-guard 'Wingal' retire, Kurosawa then activated 'Joka's skill, increasing 'Joka's power by 3000.

"The Counterblast from calling the Berserk Dragon, it's even powered up 'Joka'." Ami explained.

"That's a remarkable combo!" Izaki declared.

"Whose side are you on?" Ami wondered.

Kurosawa then Superior Rode 'Demonic Dragon Berserker, Yaksha'. Using 'Joka's boost, he then attacked 'Barcgal' with 'Berserker Dragon'. Having 'Jarran' boost 'Tejas', he continued his attack on 'Flogal'.

"'Flogal' is in the rear guard." Morikawa pointed out. "Why is he allowed to attack?"

"That's 'Tejas' skill." Ami replied.

"That's one troublesome unit." Miwa concurred.

Adding 4000 power to 'Tejas' using 'Jarran's skill, Kurosawa took out 'Flogal' while checking for a twin drive.

Aichi countered by checking for a damage trigger, before riding 'Alfred'.

"All right, it's 'Alfred'." Izaki beamed.

"This is no time to celebrate." Miwa pointed out. "'Alfred' has finally appeared, but he doesn't have a single ally around him."

Aichi countered by calling 'Solitary Knight, Gancelot', 'The Little Sage, Marron', 'The Yggdrasil Maiden, Elaine' and 'Knight of Truth, Gordon'.

"Thattaboy, Aichi!" Morikawa beamed.

"The situation is not as optimistic as it seems." Miwa corrected. "Look at Aichi's hand."

"He was driven to the point where he had to use up all his cards." Shin mused. "And even with that, 'Alfred's power is only 18000. Definitely not full power. He's a tough fighter."

"On top of that, he just put 'Gordon' into the deck this morning." Kamui added. "The deck that Brother's using now has never even been test-played before. It's a deck he just put together. Nobody knows whether that deck works well or not."

SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review.