Shadowverse: Maura Abelard Story Arc
Summary: Events took place before the main plot of Shadowverse. Maura soak in the streets like a damp cat, Leon pick him up and gave him a home. Not knowing despair awaits when he had hopes they were family. A Dedicated Mauro/Maura Fanfic
Note: rejoice to Maura x Lucia shippers. This will be a chapter for all the sus lines Maura had used and I made sure they level up for discomfort! Not yaoi but you get the drill...We stick to the plot!
ENGLISH SUCKS BUT DONT BOTHER, JUST ENJOY THE STORY.
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Glossary:
Chapter 1 Soak Stray, his name is Maura
Chapter 2 Meeting other Orphans
Chapter 3 Grooming his IT
Chapter 4 Disliking Hiro and Kagura
Chapter 5 The Prince of Shadow
Chapter 6 Tattoo of Age Ceremony
Chapter 7 Tree of Woe's Sacrifice
Chapter 5 The Prince of Shadow
TIMELINE: 9 YEARS OLD LUCIA
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Outside POV
["My childhood died that day."]
His family went out a night date at that fated incident. It was not the first time Yonazuki's go on family late night dates. Because that is the only time their parents are not busy at work.
Every single moment is precious for the siblings.
But you know...happiness does not last forever. This reality taught Yonazuki Lucia how dark life can be once the fire in your heart had dissipate.
'I remember so clearly whenever I sleep or whenever I close my eyes even for a short moment. How me and my family are close to each other and we receive all the love from our mom and dad.'
But then...
"LUCIA! SHIORI!"
"Eh...?"
CRASH!
A bright light flashed before their eyes then everything turns dark.
THROB.
THROB..
THROB...
'That sensation of danger when I felt the embrace of my mom while I saw a glimpse of Shiori shielded by my father.'
They got hit by a truck.
It was your typical tragic car accident. Head bleeding and dizzy.
Lucia hears Shiori's cry and it push him back up to gain consciousness...
"Shi...Shiori...?"
Lucia opened his eyes while his vision half red, what greeted him that made his eyes widen is the dead bodies of their parents wrecked up in this accident.
Little Lucia gasp in horror while his head bleeding, the pain sting more than his physical injury is his heart.
"Mom! Dad!" Quickly he went to check on them, which is his biggest mistake because upon closer look.
"Aaahh!" Lucia stumbles down.
Trembling.
'Their face...is...beyond recognition.' The smile of his mom and dad are forever gone.
It was that bad.
Then...
"Uwaaa! Mom! Dad! niichan! niichaaan!" Lucia taking his attention back to the crying Shiori. His little sister's legs are bleeding.
"S-Shiori!" He came close to her and checked at her bleeding legs. Shiori looks fine except they both had small wounds all over their body but nothing fatal unlike their parents is in a horrible state.
No missing body parts.
Just...missing colors.
The memory transitions to where Lucia walking through the heavy rain.
He was filled not by despair but by hatred.
He discovered how bad the relationship of his parents between their very own blood related relatives.
(("Hm? Are you talking back to us?"))
Those ugly adults have taken the siblings hostage. (("Please bring us back to our home. I want me and Shiori to live at our parent's mansion!"))
Lucia pleaded to be released with his little sister but the adults were selfish. (("Huhhh that place is abandoned. Should have sell and just buy a new one!"))
Yonazuki Lucia eat his pride and knelt at the floor. (("Please, I beg. Let us g-go."))
Right now Lucia's vision and hearing turning dark as he hears their answer.
(("You will starve there. You need an adult supervision."))
'What adult? I don't need an adult to dictate me and Shiori's future...!'
He did not have the courage to say so.
Everything is collapsing before Yonazuki Lucia's eyes.
His parents inheritance were stolen by their so called relatives. The relatives were mean to them siblings that cause Shiori to get more sick than she is.
Yonazuki Lucia is now starting to question if there is even a God.
'Why is the world cruel...?' Were his first thoughts as the hate is consuming his heart. Its not about rainbows and pastels anymore. It was nothing but darkness pressing his whole body. The horrible truth how greedy humans is caused Lucia to swore vengeance.
'The car incident... How people could be so irresponsible that it cause another else life to lost...I won't forgive this world...!'
He made a conclusion as he gaze up the monochrome sky. Rain covering his tears.
["This world made me and Shiori suffer."]
Lucia learned the hard way how being brightful means nothing if it can be easily stolen in glimpse of happiness into despair.
Because his parents were the best, kind and talented.
'My parents are too kind so they died early.' Therefore Lucia decided he won't be fully kind. If having a bad side will prolong his life so he can take care of his little sister. 'I will have my revenge against this world. I will do so. Even if it means...'
A commercial pops up in one of the TV stores. Stopping at his tracks, Lucia listened to the audio and carefully his eyes locked at the screen.
"Shadow...verse...?"
Yes, he discovered Shadowverse by its advertisement.
It did say, if you win you get money. The higher your ranking, the higher the money prizes is.
Which is why Yonazuki Lucia's first step of revenge is to adapt to the future.
'I have to get better with this Shadowverse thing. If I win my first money, that would be a sign that it is the tool to free me and Shiori from that house!'
Yonazuki Lucia tried all of the Shadowverse craft, what resonates him the most is the Bloodcraft. So he went ahead and trained to be the best at it.
A few months of practice, Lucia rose up from rank 0 to rank B.
Lucia joined his first tournament in Shadowverse.
He started playing in individual stores with small tournaments as a stepping stone.
"I lost to a kid?!" The adult who gambled a bet points at Lucia in disbelief and anger. "Fine! You can take the top spot today and enjoy the money prize! But I swear next time I will have my revenge match!"
Lucia seriously thought so. 'Idiot, there will be no time. I'll make sure you would quit Shadowverse once you battle me again.'
Even though he recently begin playing Shadowverse, turns out the advertisement was true. You can win money as long as it is a tournament.
But eventually he got stronger and stronger that all of Shadowverse store tournament he became the spoke of the town.
"You can't win against Lucia in Shadowverse! There is no point playing Shadowverse anymore if you cannot defeat him! Let's quit!"
People begin to quit Shadowverse out of frustration of not winning against him.
But it did not matter to Lucia. As long as he keep winning all those money legally he is good.
Which is why Lucia tried again...
...
TIMELINE: 10 YEARS OLD LUCIA
"Please let us go back home to our parents house."
This time Lucia didn't bow to the floor, he is cold and detached.
"We already talk about this. You need adult supervision or you siblings cannot survive-"
"We don't need it."
"Excuse me?"
They were in disbelief how Lucia spoke back.
"It is as you mention...Shiori is a burden due to her illness. I'm a burden too, so let us go. If you do, you guys do not have to suffer anymore."
This is disrespectful to them.
"You speak as if you have money to-"
Lucia shove them his Shadowverse profile and revealed his bank account.
"I have."
There was money...!
"So let us go. I won't blame you adults anymore. I will stand on my own to protect what is left by my family and Shiori's freedom!"
Unable to talk back, Lucia and Shiori is then released from those evil relatives custody.
Back to their household, it was night when they have arrived.
"Niisan...did they kick us out? Is it because of me?" Shiori seems scared of their future.
Their house looks dead, but Lucia puts a assuring smile on his face as he pats Shiori's fragile shoulders.
"No Shiori. I ask them to let us go. So from now on it is just you and me Shiori. Big brother will make sure he will protect you. I will do anything to obtain our home sweet home back Shiori with this Shadowverse."
Shiori did heard about Shadowverse but still thinking it is her fault. "Niisan...I'm so sorry. If only I was not sick, the adults won't be mean to us."
Lucia showed a pained expression as he explains Shiori the situation. "That's not it Shiori. They wanted mother and father's inheritance. However the house inheritance is already named at my name so they couldn't get it. Therefore they deem us useless even though they took half of our parents money already. Only this house is left for us to own for. They were upset of not being able to brain wash me to give away this household lot for them to sell."
As they enter their house all of their stuffs are all covered with white sheets.
It looks haunted at first look. Shiori is getting sad once more. "Niisan, am scared. Our house looks dusty, it doesn't look like this before."
Lucia kept his smile to boost Shiori's confidence. "I will clean it later. For now let us focus on setting the bed."
As he switch on the lights, it did not lit up.
Shiori reacted negatively. "No electricity?" Lucia thinks quick and proposed the next step. "It's fine. We can use candles." As they got the living room a bit cleaned up, the two siblings had their own sofas to lay on. At the center is the table with the said candles.
Shiori for some reason starts to giggle. "Fufuu..."
Concerned for Shiori's sudden cheer up mood. "Shiori? What's so funny?" Shiori had a funny thought. "You act like a prince Niisan. Should I call you prince of the night?" Lucia blinks before he got the joke.
"Well then my princess, I shall take you to bed."
He went to approach Shiori's sofa so he can cover her some sheets to not feel cold. "Goodnight Shiori." With a kiss on her forehead, Shiori is now a bit happy.
"Niisan, I love you." Lucia pats her head. "I love you too Shiori. I swear to mom and dad I will be your prince, your knight and shining armor."
Yonazuki Lucia is willing to throw his childhood, his youth just to make sure he will be a responsible big brother. Shiori is the only thing kept him sane, she is the one only left for him to look forward another day at this cruel world. 'That is right, Even if I embrace the power of Shadow...as long as Shiori is happy, I too shall be happy.'
However the dream to live with Shiori not for long broke.
Shiori passed out one time and sent to hospital. That is the time Shiori started living within the hospitals while Lucia sleeps all alone at their parents house.
It is starting to get depressing again.
Getting the bad timing how eventually store tournaments stopped, so he run out source of income when Shiori needs money to pay hospital bills the most.
Lucia is running out of options. Luckily international tournaments starts to show up.
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TIMELINE: 11 YEARS OLD LUCIA
A year later. He won an Annex Shadowverse tournament.
Lucia's name got into the news paper and people find out he was the son of the two doctors who died in a terrible car accident 2 years ago.
This year a memorial was held in the spot where the car crash is because of Lucia's rise in Shadowverse world. Even Leon Aurenche is able to read the said news about him and does look forward to his growth in the game.
Meanwhile Lucia thought so, 'That's good. Spread my name. The more people who can pity me, give me your money. Give me your everything! And I shall offer it to Shiori so she can get better...!'
...
"Niisan, why do you have to put me at hospital again? Am fine at our parent's house." Shiori says at her hospital bed.
"The place is too untidy and it declines your health Shiori. You have to stay here."
Lucia lied to her, she frowns but...
Shiori decided to change the subject. "Niisan...the money you first won in Shadowverse tournament. Why you didn't buy anything for yourself?" Lucia kept his liar smile of assurance that he isn't working too hard to shoulder everything ever since their parents died. "Because I don't need anything. All I want is you to get better."
Shiori worried once more. "So your money prize has been spend to my medical confinement." Felt again its her fault. "Will you be ok Niisan?" Lucia is a good brother so he won't tell her how exhausted he is a lot of time. "Don't worry, I will win lots and then we will renovate our home into how it used too. Were colors are always around."
But tournaments does not happen that a lot since only few players are good enough to participate in such.
So he decided to take the bait.
...
"The Underworld...?"
Some random dude told him about its existence.
"Yeah, in there you bet your money. If you win, you get your opponents money or if they bet something else like their Shadowverse account or materials...you can take them all without getting reported."
'Ah, is that why its called the underworld?'
It clearly sounds gambling is bad but hey, he needed money. He is not taking someone else's future if he take away their rights to Shadowverse right?
He seriously thought about it. 'My parents savings is running out. When there is no Shadowverse tournament there is no money for me. Its illegal to bet money out in public by playing Shadowverse. Only daredevils would actually offer me money to battle them. However I can't afford people to find that I only play for money. I have a reputation to build so I can get scholarship. So I can't ask money on battles publicly.'
After that long thinking, he entertained the stranger.
"Hn, Shadowverse Underground Casino?"
The player recommended. "As mention, in there you can legally bet money. Wanna see the place?" Lucia questioned this shady offer. 'Is this the right thing?' Convincing self that its ok. 'No this isn't evil, this is for the sake of paying Shiori's bill.' Lucia stated to the other whose just doesn't care if Lucia is trustworthy or not he just need to call more people to ruin their lives in the underworld to seek thrill of extreme Shadowverse.
Lucia said outloud. "Shadowverse is the tool that will give me all offerings to this world and I will surely save Shiori."
His inner thoughts. 'Even if it means people quit playing Shadowverse after battling me.'
So he took the offer.
"Tell me the location, I'll check it out."
"Sweet!"
Thus Lucia begins to hang out every night at the Underworld of Shadowverse.
Winning his Shadowverse through gambling made his source of income back on track.
This will highly change once he encounters the God of Curses.
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Maura's POV
TIMELINE: 10 YRS OLD MAURA
'It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts!'
"Please stop...aaauuughh! It hurts a lot! Make it stop...!"
As if my veins are going explode.
Excruciating pain from my face then down to my spine.
This is real pain.
This is not something a kid like me should be experiencing.
And yet...!
"Le...on...sama...help...me..."
Leon Aurenche, the man who took me in just simply smiled at me with such fascinated yet cold gaze.
He said the following words.
"Mauro, it is time for you to become an adult."
When I opens my eyes...the lingering pain in my cheeks is still there.
It was a nightmare I was having lately.
It has been 3 months, my tattoo had healed and is now showing its bright red diamond shape. Even I say its healing a unbearable pain that still haunts me sometimes in my dreams. Though every time I see my face looks so rare, I do feel proud of overcoming it and now whoever looks at me either freaks out or get all uncomfortable.
I look so dangerous and I like it!
It is quite entertaining how people is terrified of me. I used to be the one terrified...out the streets...
I was disgusting.
Not anymore.
"So awful." I sat down the bed and yawns. I did not realize I fell asleep while reading a book.
The book is placed at my bed half open, I pick it up and closed it.
Then next I went to my private toilet room to wash my face. There I have a clear picture of my new self.
"Am Mauro Abelard..." the way my hair is now shorter ponytailed, the way I was wearing an off shoulder exposing too much of my skin. The way my face...my left cheek will forever have the two red diamond tattoo, one is big then one is small. Then I had these cool brown boots...
I was told whatever happens during that age of ceremony should be the last time I would cry.
And guess what...
"Hehe...hehehe..." I laugh at myself. "Tears won't come up anymore."
Maybe Leon-sama is right, I cried too much in agony that time that now I cannot even cry at all.
They run out.
"Now am an adult, what am suppose to do now?" I ask my reflection. Looking at the mirror feels like am not talking to myself, seeing my appearance did tell me indeed I was no longer the timid little boy.
I have grown much early than others. I guess by mentality trait.
"Leon-sama said he took me to stop the Tree of Woe."
Until now I cannot believe such thing exist. But judging by the experiments that Leon-sama shows me to the lab they had in this Genesis building. Possibly it was not a joke nor a folktale.
"If Tree of Woe actually exist..." I touched my face, specifically where the tattoo is. "I will be the hero to save the world...?"
Frankly, I don't care about the world destruction. I saw it before, it won't be weird if I see it again.
A place where all houses are rundown and destroyed.
No food, no life remaining...except me.
I gasps.
"I better not fail Leon-sama." After all, even though Leon-sama never got mad at me before. I know for a fact that...
That man is scary.
He is my master.
I was a cat stray he was the father Lion and pick me up from the despairing suicidal thoughts that had consumed me so deep that I do not want to do anything.
But now, there is a lot of things I want to try.
Life has never been so bright.
"Thank you God." I shortly prayed before I got myself tidy and went out of my room. I went straight ahead to Leon-sama's office. It was my normal routine to greet him and make him some tea before he goes out again in another business meeting.
"Good morning Mauro."
Every time Leon-sama calls my name, my heart always flutters.
"Good morning to you Leon-sama!"
Not knowing this happy reality will soon collapse...to break me to insanity...
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Outside POV
TIMELINE: 12 YRS OLD MAURA
At Leon's office, the Shadow Knights were gathered.
However Leon has not yet arrive, so they just stand by while they watch Maura at the sofa sipping his tea, they noticed the change not only by his appearance even his aura had transition to something else and it was hard to explain.
It has been a while last Shadow Knights saw Maura with his healed tattoo, because they were actually sent away by Leon last year to do a last train Sparta, preparing for the nearing awakening...Tree of Woe.
But looking at Maura whose not even alarmed of it.
Those bright beautiful red diamonds. Leon told them the truth that it meant Love to Sacrifice. They assume Maura does not know since he looks happy with it. The fact he had changed into a complete different person by just looking at his exotic appearance.
Is this what Leon said that the sacrifice is ready?
He does look yummy.
Surely the Tree of Woe will feast on him.
Maura getting annoyed by their eyes focus at him. "What do you rejects want?" His tongue become more sharp before even though he speaks so polite in Japanese. Ein can only say as a sarcasm. "I pity you. We Shadow Knights really do." Maura whose smiling while angry. "Ahaha, no manners, what do I expect from DRECKS~?" He threatens with an evil smile. "Do you want me to sew your mouths for recycling~?"
Zwei countered. "Eventually you will find out why you are the chosen one."
The Shadow Knights told him.
"Enjoy life as you can." Maura opens his eyes fiercely pissed, he drops the tea at the table and it spilled some tea. "Shut up orphans!" He then rubs his face. "Ughhh...! My cheeks is itchy...calm down...calm down...!" The Shadow Knights pretends they don't see him acting crazy.
"I have to let loose this anger I feel!" It was obvious that ever since Maura got his tattoo it affected his mentality to become more unstable. Maura Abelard is becoming freaky.
Maura huffs as he walks out of the office not even waiting for Leon to arrive. He declares to the Shadow Knights.
"Right...Shadowverse, I should kick some pitiful weaklings in Shadowverse!"
...
At the Nekome Shadowverse Stadium.
'...What?'
"Nobody wants to battle me anymore because of my creepy personality...?"
The service desk told him how there are various complaints about his eerie personality. He is a discomfort. Not banned but generally he is not welcomed by other players even if he can go inside the premises of any Shadowverse store playground. "What a terrible thing to say~" Maura says with a soft tone to the service desk. "What did I expect from maggots~?" Yet his words were painful and dangerous.
The office desk girl just shrinks and apologetic look against him. Maura sighs as he crosses his arms. "Just say they are bunch of losers' and cowards~" He turned his back and mutters the following. "Why do people blame me for their idiocy~?" Leon keeps telling him he was special, so it did cross Maura's mind.
'Is there anyone else special like me...?'
Sometimes he felt lonely for not having friends at his age but he also gave up a long time ago.
He was too different from others.
Sighs.
Getting out of the Shadowverse stadium, Maura is thinking his next actions. "Oh well this means no more Shadowverse for me~" Scanning the surroundings. "Is there a place where I can play Shadowverse without being coach not to torment my opponents~?" He walk through the park as Maura had his head fill up with situation. 'This is the problem with commoners. They are no fun.'
Starting to get irate, Maura stops walking. "Well they weren't even a practice exercise for me in the first place~" Like...in actual reality the normal Shadowverse is getting dull him anyway.
Then a random dude approached him.
"Hey are you from a gang?"
Maura turns around and saw someone around his age but had piercing at their nose, small eyes and hair gel up. Someone who obviously look like from a gang or just a street bully.
That's how it looks like.
Maura trained to be always well mannered enough to talk back if someone approaches them. "What can I do for you~?" With one arm at his waist. The other kid eyes widen and whistle until he grins. "Ohhhh I heard about you! You are the only one who can use God of Curses card very well!"
Maura chuckles. "Eheheh..." but it sounds fake. "Why thank you~" keeping his eyes closed with a displeased smile, Maura is not in the mood to entertain much. He decided to dismiss the stranger. "Now please leave me alone, am having a mental breakdown lately. I do not wish to harm you my dear~" There is a threat at the end of his remark.
The other boy ignored the threat and keep on coaxing him up. "How bout this, join the Shadowverse Underground Casino. You belong there I say."
Interest perks up. "An Underground battle~?" Maura assumed.
The recruiter explained shortly, in no time Maura's mood lift up and he then agreed.
"Sounds interesting~! I would like to see it!"
The dude evil grins. "Follow me~"
...
Maura Abelard is not afraid of getting kidnap. Because he knows he has no money with him to get gang up with. Even if people knew he is under Leon Aurenche's wing, if he get kidnap...Maura believes 100% that Leon will pay the ransom money.
Or if ever someone actually hated him enough when regards to Shadowverse, Maura is not afraid to fell into trap. He is feeling confident about himself being dangerous.
'The slums are simple task for me.' He was originally homeless and living in the streets remember?
"Here we are."
Maura looks up and saw the building. It is actually just a junk yard abandon building. But you can see there is a narrow staircase that leads to the basement with two bouncer awaits at it's entrance. Maura is up for exploration. "Alright, so how do we get in~?" He entertains the dude that he had not even ask the name.
The recruiter also didn't bother to introduce himself and just go ahead and explained further. "Glad you ask. Even though this is considered illegal, we still have rules to follow."
Maura feeling fruity today. "Sure~ name your rules." He says in a wink. "I'm all ears~"
The recruiter pause for a sec and decided to ignore what Maura just did.
Shaking his head. "Rule 1. What you bet is your responsibility. In short you should always have money to bet, if you wanna bet something else as long as it can pay the other we don't care."
Maura is kinda hard to read for him, because Maura is smiling but the smile doesn't actually show if he is happy or what. For now he continued.
"Rule 2. You should have your own nick name or penname. If you want to risk exposing your real name to other gamblers, the management will not help you if you got in pinch."
Now he tried to spice it up on the third rule revelation. "Rule 3. Whatever happens inside shall not be known outside. So if someone reports this place we will take you down with us whoever participated here will be remembered even just one time visit."
Maura knows the recruiter is trying to intimidate him by the last and most important rule, but he is bothered by something else.
"Hn~ No age limit?"
The recruiter decided that maybe Maura understood everything and was just simply entertained by it, so he ended the information with summarize effort.
"As long as you can play Shadowverse, willing to take the thrill of gambling then yes you can go ahead and join the underworld!"
Maura is very delighted. He clasps his hands together. "Well, well that sounds wonderful! What are we waiting for? Take me~!"
The recruiter blinks. Did Maura says take him?
Maura laughs. "Aha~ I mean take me inside!"
Ok...for some reason Maura's choice of words are starting to discomfort him but the recruiter has one job. That is to get more daredevil players to the underworld.
"There is no entrance fee, but you have to show them your money balance. To make sure you have something to offer inside." Maura initially thought right away what to bet. "Oh what a problem~ I do not carry any money with me. I can't bet myself since am already owned by someone...?" The two bouncer look at each other the fact how Maura's first thought is to sell himself to enter sounds really sick.
They stared at him up and down, they just realize how too much exposed skin Maura had then there is his bright diamond red tattoos. He actually reminds them of someone from a tribe.
Maura ignoring their stares puts a finger to his own lips thinking out loud. "What should I do~?" The recruiter repeats himself. "We just told you rule number 1. Bet anything else if not, come back next time."
Maura laughs again before he pretended to be so troubled. "Aww~! I do not want to waste your referral for me!" So he held up his smartphone, begins to find the money app. "I guess I will give it a try~" He says so lightly. The three people whose actually getting uneasy with Maura's way of polite talking yet his movements were so peculiar.
Maura Abelard looks seductive.
Sweat drops from the three.
Maura then shows his phone screen looking unsure. "Will this suffice~?" The two bouncer looks at it and saw the picture enrolled is a blonde hair man with a balance of said money they needed to see. "Kid that's not even your balance-" but upon reading the profile they are bewildered.
"L-Leon Aurenche?!"
The recruiter pushes the bouncers away from blocking his view to Maura's phone screen so he can see the picture clearly. There is a Genesis logo and profile about Leon being the CEO and his income in the virtual money bank app.
"T-The seal is it legitimate?!"
Maura takes away his own phone back to his chest purposely sounding silly. "I told you guys am already owned by someone~! It is just not a mere someone but a very important person~" he widens his smile that send chills to them.
"The creator of Shadowverse is my master~"
The recruiter was speechless but not the bouncer. One of them doesn't think its legit so he dared Maura. "T-then if you really are related to this man. Prove it." The other bouncer shakes his head, hoping the other not to provoke Maura since it looks real what they were shown.
Maura on the other hand feeling playful as he tilt his head. "Hnn~ it depends how you want me to prove it though~" a naughty idea came to his mind. "Ah I know!" He just opened his Shadowverse app, tap something.
Maura asks. "What's your Shadowverse username?" The bouncer who doesn't believe him answered. "Undertaker."
Maura nods and goes back to his phone. The trio watching him finish whatever he is searching. "I can do much as this~"
BLINK!
They heard someone's phone got a notification. The bouncer saw the other bouncers phone screen lit's its light. "Hm? Is that your phone?"
The bouncer who dared Maura saw his Shadowverse app is the one that got notification. He thought maybe the odd boy sent a challenge battle invitation. "My Shadowverse app...?" But then... "WHAT?!" He exclaimed in horror alarming the other two. "Why? What did he do?" Nervous.
The bouncer who was mean to Maura tells them the impossible situation could have happen just now. "M-my ranking...reset to Z-zero!?" He knew Maura did something. He was mad!
"Hey! What the fuck did you do?!" He is ready to get Maura and strangle him but the two stopped him to get closer to Maura who start laughing sadistically.
"Fufuf..hahaha! The despair in your face you lost your rank! How pleasing~!" He then tells them what he is capable of. "Well you want me to prove it that am related to the owner of Shadowverse~ You didn't specify how." The evil smug.
"YOU BRAT! BRING IT BACK!"
Maura sighs and taps at his phone.
"There you go~"
BLINK!
The bouncer looks at his rank, it went back to whatever rank it was before. The recruiter and two bouncer now knows that this weird freak is actually a very dangerous person. They didn't want to mess with him further so... "...F-fine you can g-go in. Your proof of balance is a-accepted."
There was fear in them, but Maura simply twirls and makes a cute pose. "Now that you learn your lesson, you wont ask me to prove anything again~"
He then goes inside.
The recruiter force himself to welcome him as he leads him down the basement stairs. "I-In here y-you can duel to your hearts c-content."
Maura barely cared if the recruiter looks like he wanted to stay away from him now, he just treated him like a tourist guide. "Really now~? So I can duel here without being considered a creep." He jokes. The recruiter just nods fast, he does not want to upset the dangerous boy.
Reaching the red curtains, the recruiter lifts it up and thus Maura enters the underground Shadowverse casino club.
A scenery he had not seen in a while ever since Leon adopted him into the rich living.
But now things looks nostalgic.
The smell of danger.
"Well look at that~"
You can see some scary bouncer pushing a guy who apparently lost a lot to Shadowverse and has no money to bet anymore. "I SAID LET THE FUCK GO! I CAN STILL FIGHT! I CAN STILL WIN! I WILL GET MY MONEY BACK!" Some group of goons mocking the looser. "Get lost looser! Just come back next time when you have a dime to bet!" The way people push each other to the ground like scenery you see on movies if you lost in gambling.
"BuwaHahaha!" Mean laughter's everywhere, Maura forgot about his recruiter and left off on his own to explore the place.
As if he is in a field trip Maura hops from one to another, seeing all kinds of Shadowverse player battling. "Fuckers!" Says one ugly guy. Maura covers his mouth while smirking. "Wew, vile language~" Next Maura sees some girls playing Shadowverse while they smoke and drink. "Let's see~ if I can't give money, I can bet myself." The Justine sisters are there. Vanessa is a cool, mature woman as intimidating as she is beautiful. She and her younger sister Vivian are very close.
Right now they targeted a average guy with lots of money.
"R-really?" The person was dumb, Maura can tell the guy didn't knew he is in a dangerous bet. Maura listens to their conversation.
"Yeah. This is the underworld after all. If were going to bet money, we can bet ourselves to slavery!"
The sisters evil grins at each other. Apparently they are doing a tag play against the generic NPC guy. The blue haired sister sweet talks. "But if I win of course you'll give me your bank account~" The average guy showed his lustful side and agreed to the deal. "Hehh~ interesting, so you can place a bet without money involve."
Maura almost died laughing inside. "Such an idiot that guy is. How pitiful-"
Suddenly a strong yet cool voice echoed to the other corner.
"It's time for Vengeance! Reveal yourself, Dark Emperor!"
For some reason, that voice made Maura turn around from the interesting Justine Sisters bully play tag. Now his attention switched to the other game.
Maura's world stop.
In an all black military uniform with red linings, a gold diamond shape brouche attached to the center of his collar's neck, hinting he belongs to an prestigious school.
Fluffy looking short silvered white haired and red dead eyes similar to his irises that lacks the light in the retina. His face looks like a description you see in fairytale books.
A face of a prince, his sweat is dazzling and his voice sounds commanding as if you want to elope within those moving arms as he draws a card and make his attack postures.
Unknown to Maura whoever is this person, he swiftly win his own battle.
"AUGGGH!" The opponent screams in terror and fell to his knees.
The elegant white haired kid walks towards his opponent who gaze up with the face of hopelessness.
Yonazuki Lucia says.
"If you are this weak, just quit Shadowverse forever."
Boom.
Those cold gaze and such straight forward words capture Maura Abelard's heart.
Maura whose never been interested in another human being before aside from his Master Leon, his eyes glittered with fascination.
Maura swallows down, an adrenaline rush he never felt before...
'Who is that person...?!'
Maura smiles wider, like a discovery.
'I must get to know him!'
Quickly he run down the available staircase to reach where Lucia is.
However he stop halfway the staircase when he saw Lucia on the other available staircase going up.
'Ah no, he is going to leave already?'
Maura goes back up the staircase.
He got back up where he stood before, then same time Lucia turned his back going to the other opposite way.
"Hey wait! You there...!"
BEEP, BEEP!
Maura gasps.
His alarm sets out.
"Uhh...?" He turn on his cellphone's monitor screen and saw what time it is.
How unbelievable. A few seconds ago before he watched the prince looking boy it wasn't that late. To see the time is now 10pm, meaning he had been in a daze at that person's battle. 'Its already near my crew few, I have to head back home as well.' Maura looks up and that person is gone now. With a hopeful thought. 'Will I see him tomorrow...?'
...
Good thing Maura got home before Leon.
"Welcome back Leon-sama."
"Good evening to you Mauro."
The same old routine where Maura will grab Leon's stuffs then put them where they belong. Get a goodnight tea flush for the two of them and talk about some things about how Maura does not need anymore secret night lessons since he is already this good in Shadowverse.
Frankly, none of Leon's words reach him out tonight. For his head is full of the Prince he saw within the underworld of Shadowverse gambling spot. In no time Maura ended his idle time with Leon earlier than usual and it made Leon a bit puzzled.
"Goodnight Leon-sama!" Maura says in a glee as he went ahead back to his room quickly. Leon thought its nothing alarming, as long as Maura looks healthy, happy and still good at Shadowverse. Everything should be fine. So he allowed Maura to let him spend his time alone contemplating about the world's dooms day. Although Leon realize one thing. 'Mauro does not understand yet the weight of the countdown...' Maura seems to be busy on doing the things he like than thinking about his duty.
"There is still one more year." Leon smirks as he decided to drink a glass of wine and begins his solitary liquor session.
...
Meanwhile Maura at his room...
"Not this one...not this one..." He is actually busy peering around the Shadowverse login users database.
In Shadowverse you are required to have your real face scanned before you are allowed to change your profile picture into something else. Maura has the Shadowverse admin access they have the ability to view your registration photo that includes your name, fingerprint and eye retina capture.
What Maura is trying to do right now is to find the prince from the underworld Shadowverse casino's identity so he can know more about him.
The reason for this because he has this urge to befriend him.
'He look so special! He must be special like me!'
Were his assumptions.
Maura is awfully aware he is not good at making friends, he was originally socially awkward and hates people due to childhood trauma in the streets.
But since he is reborn by his new self after surviving the insane age of ceremony, Maura is now brave to take the first approach.
"Hmm...So many useless users in Shadowverse. They should just quit Shadowverse-" He stops as he remembers Lucia's words. "If you are this weak, just quit Shadowverse forever." Maura blushes as he smiles and giggles. "Yes! He is right! People who are so weak shouldn't be playing Leon-sama's precious Shadowverse~!"
Of course Maura can see their rankings and battle achievements as well. It shows the loose and win records too.
Getting hopeless as he couldn't find the face that matches the prince.
"I need to sleep soon or else Leon-sama will be upset..." sleep is trying to take over Maura now.
Then finally.
BLINK!
Maura stops as he reaches the exact same face. "It's him...!" Immediately he checked his profile. The first thing he notice is actually the prince's ranking. "Rank A+..." scrolling to the history of win and looses awards. "I see. He recently started Shadowverse at the age of 9."
Maura read his name out loud while his fingertips touches rhe screen to feel his name.
"Yonazuki Lucia...A Bloodcraft user." Saying his name mentally for a few times. 'Yona...zuki...Lucia...Yonazu..ki Lucia...Yonazuki Lucia!' He made sure to remember it! Then next he went to search in net if Lucia have joined any tournament. He actually did join and won. Sometimes he didn't.
'So Yonazuki Lucia is not perfect but he is there.'
Then Maura finally saw the article.
He pauses.
"A tragic...car...accident..." reading the following, Maura held up his phone case as he had been lay down to his bed still not changing to his pajamas. There was a lot to take into consideration. It is a fact it was written to the newspaper and even got into TV news flash. There is no doubt Yonazuki Lucia's background is dark.
"He was the survivor and his little sister from that car crash accident?" Looking at Lucia unsmiling face, his cold eyes that saw despair at such young age. "A prince to pauper..." Kinda similar to him. Except he was a street rat to a spoiled rich kid.
Maura Abelard contemplates as he checks more onto Lucia's Shadowverse account after reading the news article of memorial to those who died at the truck wreck and featured Lucia who won his first good medal in Mid Tournament after Annex.
"He only seems to like battling strong players." There a few things Maura is able to catch on quickly. "He also only play in tournaments whenever money is involve. If not, he won't participate."
Maura suddenly had an evil smile.
"Hehh~"
He wants to known him in personal aside from these achievements, articles and records about Yonazuki Lucia. Maura Abelard seeks to lick wounds who feels the same way as him. He bet Lucia feels so much hate to this world by just looking at every shot of his face where those red eyes are full of hate and vengeance.
His coldness makes Maura shivers in excitement. Maura hums at his phone as he grabs his pillow and rolls around. "So he is a tragic prince who needs to save his little sister from suffering through Shadowverse~" Its decided.
Lucia's despair attracts Maura.
"I think can be good friends with him~"
Maura Abelard decided to annoy the heck out of the prince of shadows.
The very next day, Maura went to the Underground Shadowverse Casino after school time. He knows after school time frame is where various students who actually play Shadowverse would go to each of their designated type Shadoweverse playground.
This underworld is no exception.
Thinking about if Yonazuki Lucia really needs money, he should be choosing to come back at this rotten place where you can legally win huge amount of money.
'Bingo~'
He found Lucia again.
What Maura did is observe Lucia from afar.
...
Here at the available round table, Maura watching Lucia's match with another dare devil player.
"I heard you are strong! I refuse to accept that as reality! So battle me...!" Lucia with his cool demeanor but kinda sassy as well. "If you will bet your everything in this Shadowverse, then I will take you on." The stupid challenger lifts his smartphone to take the dare. "Deal! I'll bet all my cash with me! I'm sure you will loose anyway!" Yonazuki Lucia knowingly smirks that this is an easy game.
"Hn, good call."
Maura whistles as he drinks his liquor while watching from above.
"BATTLE! SHADOWVERSE!"
The battle goes on, Maura eats a strawberry sliced cake. Playing with his fork. "Hum~hum~ I see, I see." Based on Maura's observation, Lucia does not accept battle unless you bet your whole money. He isn't the type to accept small amount of bet.
Clearly that is a large gamble, yet Yonazuki Lucia did not even stutter as he also bet a huge amount of money.
That means he is confident enough to win.
The thrill of loosing everything, the aesthetics of gambling. 'Ahh how despairing! Kinda exciting to know if he would really win~!' Lucia is running out of people who will play Shadowverse with him since everyone he plays with ends up quitting.
Maura imagines. "He looks like a prince~" adoring Lucia's majestic appearance. "But a prince residing in the most dangerous place. The underground casino of Shadowverse~"
An idea came over to Maura. "As if he is the prince of darkness." Even better more idea. "No, I shall call him the Prince of Shadows~" And so Maura decided to help Lucia by spreading his name...
Nobody ask for it yes, but Maura is willing to do this much just to get Lucia's attention and to genuinely help him get more money. The set up is that if you see thrill and got tired of normal Shadowverse game, pay a visit to the underworld to meet and play against the Prince of Shadows. That if you win, you can get a huge amount of money. But if you loose, like the price of your soul, you have to give all your money or surrender your cellphone to him so he can sell your account to some other players who wants stronger deck.
"I'm sure he will be delighted to have more victims~" Maura begins his evil plan to gather preys for the Prince of Shadows.
As days passes by eventually Yonazuki Lucia had noticed something strange.
Lately Lucia noticed someone is stalking him.
Recently people calls him the Prince of Shadow.
Some gave him a name and now he is getting popular. More strong fighter gathers to play a gamble with him.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
'Weird.'
Yonazuki Lucia is thinking.
'All I did was play in the Underground Casino.'
Suddenly.
"Are you the Prince of Shadows that Cheshire face talking about?!"
"I don't know who you are referring to but if you think am the Prince of Shadows..." Lucia eyed the man up and down. The moment he sees the smartphone is already obvious why he is here.
"Then I'll take up on your Shadowverse, in exchange give me all your money if I win." A confident small smirk from Lucia the battle begins and ended swiftly.
No trouble. People who became his fan instead of rivals starts cheering in the crowd. "Wooh! Amazing the Prince of Shadows is truly magnificent!" Lucia raised an eyebrow. 'Why are everyone of them assumed am A Prince of Shadow?' The fact that everyone seems to have the same mindset to even agree on one idea.
That is...to Call him the Prince of Shadowverse is the full meaning of his nickname now. Lucia feeling embarrass why such nickname. He decided to pretend chill with it and he walks away from the crowd. 'Nevermind if am a Prince of Shadows to them...As long as they give me their offerings, for Shiori's treatment. Nothing matters '
"Heheh~"
Lucia stops.
"Prince of Shadows! Prince of Shadows! Prince of Shadows!"
Lucia heard a creepy giggle across the crowds, yet when he carefully listened and look at each everyone's faces. All he receive is the chanting for his battle name in Shadowverse.
'Imagination...?' As Lucia is about to ignore, his eye is able to catch one significant indifference to others.
A person who he did not see the face but he was able to see a glimpse of Red Diamond tattoos that disappear from the gathering fans of his.
'...What a bright red color.' Lucia must say he never seen a bright red color tattoo before on someone's cheeks.
But...mehh.
'Time to visit Shiori.'
Yonazuki Lucia then exits the Underworld. Meanwhile behind him tailing is Maura Abelard who crosses his arms in a sexy manner while one hand uprights to his own chin, just admiring the view of the Prince of Shadows dignified steps going up the staircase for exiting this underground building.
"It might be time to approach him~" Now that Lucia is popular, it won't be weird for Maura to approach him. He can just introduce himself as his biggest fan. Since Maura is not good making friends, he decided to do this setting to gain proper courage on being able to talk to Lucia of Obsidian Academy. "I wonder if he will like me~?"
Maura Abelard proceeds to his project befriend Lucia to satisfy his cravings for not having friends around his age. Lucia is the perfect ideal friend he can relate. All Lucia's suffering...
Maura licks his lips. "I can't wait for us to lick each other wounds~"
.
.
.
.
.
.
Day 1 Project to Get Lucia's Attention
Yonazuki Lucia just got done with his another successful Shadowverse gambling.
As always he wins and got money transfer to his bank account.
Then...
CLAP! CLAP!
A single applause from one person.
"Hm?" The moment Lucia turned his head, he instantly felt the whole place went a bit of creepy.
"You are so long~" Maura Abelard is the one clapping in a opera-ish manner, as if he was imitating Leon's applause praise. "The Prince of Shadows~" Maura says in a sly smirk. Lucia forgot to blink. "And you are...?" For whatever reason he felt himself stance in alertness as Maura cat walks to him.
"I heard you want to be entertained, want to give me a try~?" Lucia frowns and he then eyes Maura up and down whose eyes are close and his smiles were like of a cat's planning to make a prank at you or something.
Ah there it is...
Maura has loose long sleeves so he was able to see the gauntlet of Shadowverse. 'A Shadowverse player.'
If someone approaches him like this, usually it is just a prey offering themselves to be defeated by him. Lucia himself is a living bait ever since people start giving him a nickname as a Prince of Shadowverse Underworld. Maura finally reaches Lucia's front at least 1cm away from him.
Maura puts am arm at his waist and tilts his head a bit while one hand raised up to the side as if presenting some appetizing feast. "I'm quite good pleasing people, am groom to do so~" Lucia seriously thought by how Maura looked like with that exposing off shoulder and the seductive posture he just did. 'A hooker?'
Lucia does not want to associate with this person.
"I refuse." Lucia turns around quickly to shut Maura off completely. Maura sweetly chuckles and he tried one more time. "Hn~? Are you thinking of something different~?" Small giggle follows, Maura could not contain the excitement he feels for finally speaking to his idol. "Nahh~ahh~ah, My dear prince...Am referring to Shadowverse."
Lucia stops and did took the bait. The moment he turns his head back to Maura. "Will you play a game with me~?" Maura shows his smartphone, the phone screen lit's up, Lucia froze. "Come on, up for a game~?"
Red eyes widens, Yonazuki Lucia saw Maura's title.
'...Grand...master ranker?!'
Honestly, Lucia had never battled a Grand-Master Rank player before. Lucia is also a newbie to Shadowverse at some point that he played safe by fighting same rankers until he aim for rank D, C, B and A. Until finally Lucia himself have reach the AA rank title.
But before him is an actual flesh Grand Master? Come to think of it, Lucia finally notice the red diamond tattoos of Maura Abelard.
'It's the same person I saw the other day from the crowd when people are chanting my nickname.' So it may only pinpoint that this Grand Master player had perk it's interest towards him. 'Final boss asking me to challenge him.' Opposite situation he should be the one asking Maura for a battle since Lucia wants to aim the highest rank to be more closer on getting rich again. 'Should I battle him...?' Well the opportunity already offered itself but it kinda feels wrong.
Lucia wants to think carefully. He narrowed his eyes as he now looks at Maura's appearance up and down.
Maura had this estranged green hair with some black highlights.
'He looks like a watermelon.' For Lucia that is quite rare hair design. Next he eyed on Maura's neck, Maura in his tie ponytail...Lucia can see how the left side of Maura's bangs had been shave off as if it was some kind of a mark. Wearing such expensive necklace with four green gems and one middle red gem.
As Maura's outfit consists of a yellow tunic, short pants and brown boots. What really bothers Lucia the most is the dark red tattoo on Maura's left cheek. 'That's not a paint then it is indeed a tattoo.' Lucia knows about tattoos when he had read a book before in Japanese culture. Having a tattoo means they are part of Yakuza. However Maura did not look like A Yakuza. More like he giving this vibes from either a tribe or from a fraternity.
Either way Maura having a tattoo embedded at his face, means he went through such initiation.
'That would have hurt as hell.'
Lucia is conflicted, he fists.
Because no matter where you look at, Maura is giving that dangerous mysterious vibes despite sounding so calm...so polite...and the face is so nice.
'This person looks dangerous. I must avoid this battle.'
Lucia made his first decision to play safe for now.
"I still refuse."
He then coldly goes away.
"If you excuse me."
Maura not expecting Lucia to be this cold, he reaches out to him.
"Wait!"
No use.
The Prince of Shadows literally disappeared from the shadows leaving Maura look stupid.
A heavy sighs. "Hmm~ what a hard wall." Maura shakes his head and another devious plan must be set in place.
"How can I climb over him~?"
...
Day 2 Project to Get Lucia's Attention
Maura Abelard is not up to stop his bothering plan to his idol, his prince. He hurried inside the Underworld and scan the whole place. Looking for the white silvered haired Yonazuki Lucia.
'Ah~'
He spots him eating at the bar desks. It seems like Lucia is drinking normal water plus a slice of strawberry shortcake. Lucia looks like he is enjoying himself despite the lack of emotion displayed in his face.
But Maura believes he can see through Lucia, he is that delusion yes. He then approaches from behind and said such things. "Looks delicious~" Lucia stops eating immediately. He readied his fork for self defense, the voice was very windy.
It made him think. 'The what...?' Turning around, oh shoot. It's the creepy boy from yesterday. Unhappy already, Lucia says in cold demeanor. "What is it...?" Maura mockingly acts to pretend he had a headache. "I think I need a medicine~ it might be you~" he winks at Lucia who simply almost gawk but kept it cool.
Maura doesn't know how to make friends so he is rather forceful to make Lucia his.
Yonazuki Lucia decided a different approach, he glared at Maura without even batting an eye. He was serious on trying to intimidate Maura.
But it had the wrong effect.
"Ah~! such cold gaze! It excites me~!"
Damn, is this fanboy a masochist or something?
Lucia wants to shake his head as it feels like he is the one needing medicine right now. Maura's seductive voice and words had upset his stomach. He no longer does wants to eat his cake.
'My apologies strawberry.'
Lucia made a decision to slam the fork at the plate. The table shook and he stood up to abandon his food. Simply Lucia walks away. Maura lost his façade of a jester for a bit as he did not expect Lucia to be that upset when he interrupted his alone time to eat peacefully.
But you know...
Maura had never felt to be so greedy before for attention.
So he made another stunt, Maura says out loud.
"Ahh~ I heard about your sister. How pitiful to be bedridden."
Lucia spins around and grabs Maura's collar, Maura smiles triumphantly that the Prince of Shadows lost his cool composure that easily when it comes to his precious little sister. 'Yay!' Maura mentally cheers while Lucia is not death glaring him.
"Why do you know Shiori? I swear if you do something to my little sister you will get what you want in a very bad way."
Maura shrugs his hands and shakes his hand. He touches Lucia's hand that had been grabbing his clothes roughly, he gently had it remove.
Lucia allowed him but he was still angry and alarm at Maura. Like why the hell this creepy boy knows it? "Oh that is not my point~ silly." Maura puts some distance to give Lucia some space to breath as he declares his wanting's. "How bout this~? You battle me. If you win, I'll give you money. If I win..."
Lucia wants him to hurry up.
"What do you want?"
Maura laughs shortly as he grimace.
"If I win your mine for 24hrs. How's that? Sounds fair~?"
Whaaaaat.
Yonazuki Lucia felt like rolling his eyes. What is even this person's problem?
He better make him stop.
"Why are you so fixated at me?"
Of course he wants to know first what does Maura thinks of him...he is just a AA rank, what does a Grand-Master will acquired on fighting someone not within his level?
Maura point a finger at his lips. "I wonder why~ let's see..." but oh, Lucia is actually not glaring only but specifically looking at his red diamond tattoo. Maura decided to pin point it to make Lucia back out a little bit. "Hm~? It seems like you are staring at my face. Are you perhaps attracted to my tattoo. Looks cool in me isn't? Although its not what I wanted, I was just branded by my master."
Of course Maura did not want Lucia to be all mean to him, he also wants to make sure he put boundaries on how Lucia can mistreat him for being friendly.
Well friendliness to Maura is harassing people. If he knew that's not how it works, he will be shock.
Lucia's eye twitches. 'Branded by my master...Is he a slave of something?' Does this means his accusations of what Maura could be is correct? 'Is he from a mafia or a gang?' Actually Maura did not even say his name yet. Who is he...? 'He looks like he work on something shady.' Lucia finally asks.
"Who are you, state your name." Maura's mischievous face switches to a happy flower background. Yes! He finally made Lucia interested to know his name! Hooray!
So he excitedly presents himself.
"My apologies~! I cannot believe I forgot my manners!" Like Leon, he bows in elegance, except when Maura does it- it looks like he was flirting. "Name's Maura. Maura Abelard at your service~ Prince of Shadows~" Lucia huffs. "I see, your name is Maura. I be sure to remember it."
Yonazuki Lucia told himself. 'This is a trap. Better ignore him.' Since Lucia cannot say for sure that Maura is just an ordinary Shadowverse player. If someone plays here at the Underworld that means they had dirt's behind them like he was. "Now, if you will allow me to go now."
Again he took his leave. Maura side comments as he goes far away. "I see, its a no for me today again. Take care at your way home Yonazuki Lucia~" Lucia click his tongue. 'Damn he even knows my name.'
Lucia swore, who ever spread his name and gave him the nickname Prince of Shadows he will make them pay.
Because it's a double edge sword. He gain wealth but he also attracted freaks.
And for him, Maura is one of the freaks.
...
Day 3 Project to Get Lucia's Attention
It has been 3 days... Maura Abelard the freak and creepy boy had not shown himself.
Lucia thinks maybe the individual finally gives up on convincing him to play Shadowverse.
Lucia had morals too.
'I do not wish to play to someone who takes lightly of Shadowverse.' Even though he never saw Maura play Shadowverse yet, he has this judging eyes too. 'He acts like a child, a brat and did not seem to likr Shadowverse but he kept pestering me to play him.' Sure Maura is Grand Master rank. But it did not seem like Maura takes pride in it.
It feels like he is being under someone's shadow. 'That Maura guy did say he had a master.' What on earth that even means? In this era no such thing should have exist unless it is indeed some sort of Yakuza.
Lucia just got off after school and he felt lazy today. Instead of walking to the path way where lots of people walk, he decided to take the shortcut to reach the Underworld.
In the dark alley, a voice calls out to him. The intro had a sinister chuckles as it speaks a warning. "Did you know its dangerous to be alone in an alley? There is a rumor who you bump to might eat you~ Ahaha~ definitely not me."
Lucia knows that voice!
Looking around. "You..." Lucia lowered his voice in a threat. But the actual threat walks forward from the shadows of this dark alley into the spot light. "Are you sure you wanna do it here~?" Maura can tell Lucia is willing to punch him now for being so annoying.
Lucia not reading the room correctly. "Do you want me to?"
Maura just wants to embrace Lucia's wrath. He opens up his arms ready for it.
"I'm ready wherever you are~"
That's it.
BAM!
Yonazuki Lucia traps Maura at the wall. Maura on the other hand fairly enjoying the view. "Look Maura, I don't want to do you." Maura grins. "You haven't even tried me and you are already saying I won't make you feel good~? You must be underestimating my skills."
Spine shivers.
Maura's choice of words are definitely perverted at this point. Almost taken back from that statement. Lucia did a deep sigh as he pulls away from trapping Maura at the wall.
Maura whines.
"Hey wait! Where are you going~?"
Lucia puts a barrier for Maura to remember.
"I won't fall for your trap."
Maura somewhat got piss off a bit, he forces his way to make Lucia more angry by saying things like... "Haha? Is that it~? Is that all you got to smack me on the wall? It should be deeper than that~!" Lucia insults him back. "I don't play with people who doesn't give effort in playing Shadowverse."
That made Maura shut his mouth. 'Excuse me...?"
Is Lucia trying to get on his nerves now? But Maura likes him a lot so he would decide to forgive him unlike anyone else he just snaps and destroy them.
But he won't do that to Lucia. Maura knows Yonazuki Lucia had been through a lot of betrayal, despair and pain so he had this hard wall to break. Maura wants to be the one to break Lucia's bricks. "Aahh~ you are saying that to make me stop. Nuh-uh, too soft." He playfully says. "Is this the best you can make me in pain? Why not~ Harder!"
Lucia clutch his head, this is a headache.
"Leave me alone!"
Lucia walks faster than usual, leaving Maura at the dark alley looking satisfied that he is not ready to give up just because he gets rejected by this person.
"I'll get closer to you someday my Prince~" Maura just wants to have a heart to heart talk. "Only you can understand my pain~ I know you would." Somehow a bit discourage. "I hope it was you." Maura gazes up the darkening sky, the sunset is gone. "If not even you, then who else would?" Maura wants to deny that what Leon said he cannot have friends because he is special.
Maura believes Lucia id special too. Just a lonely boy like he does...
...
Day 4 Project to Get Lucia's Attention
The next day, curiosity kicks into Lucia's mind.
'Maura Abelard, a mysterious player of Shadowverse.' Lucia decided not to play at all today. Instead he decided to come late hoping to see Maura plays.
And he was right.
Maura is playing Shadowverse right now with someone.
Lucia observes the game. Maura just healed his Leader's defense from 10 to 14.
"With Healing Priestess I'm back to health~" Maura wears that smug but he moves in a way as if toying with his opponent. Lucia sees the opponent has 20 life points. Clearly Maura is not even alarmed that the defense of his enemy is still higher than his.
'It's not Bloodcraft... His deck are Havencraft.' Lucia now concludes Maura is a Havencraft user then. The battle goes on. The enemy is whooping Maura's ass while Maura...seems to be just relaxing. 'I knew it, he is not taking the game seriously.' Is it because he already achieve the Grand Master rank or he just simply lazy? "Ahh~ what would I do to make you scream my name?" Maura says out of nowhere when his life is now low as 7 points.
Maura from his goody face reveals a sadistic grin. Lucia felt it's evil. Maura grins wider as he declares the right judgement to the leading opponent. "I know, I'll play you hard~!" Maura summons a card, Lucia can tell it's the best card.
"Descend upon...GOD OF CURSES!"
The whole hologram powerfully glows in light and something explodes.
Lucia had to cover his eyes by his arms in an act of forgetting this is not real.
But the follower appears is very eerie.
Sweat drops.
"I see...so he is that rumored who uses the God of Curses card very well." Lucia now sees the complexity of Maura's choice of amulets and followers. 'He must have master this either by pure talent or did he work hard for it...?' Lucia is not interested to find more about who is Maura and why he pick him to be nag on playing when he is actually in a whole different level of Shadowverse.
"KYAHAHA! NOW EMBRACE THIS DESPAIR AND BE A LOSER AS YOU ARE~!"
Lucia never thought that the Maura who acted very friendly person when he approaches him, although it was uncomfortable. Now to see a side of Maura that when this person battle. Maura starts showing he is a sadistic person who doesn't show mercy and even has to use the most painful hit to destroy his opponents and rejoice to see them struggle.
Does Maura either suffers from a serious personality dilemma or he just like playing an act of a jester to entertain himself?
He did look like a spoiled rich boy.
The battle ends with Maura's creepy laugh echoes. The audience disperse in fear and everyone felt so uncomfortable that the whole place went silent.
Lucia now realize he made the right decision.
'If I had battle him unprepared, he would have toyed with me.'
Lucia is not afraid to loose or to be humiliated. It is just that, if Maura is not even serious playing Shadowverse when he is this strong, what more if Maura Abelard becomes serious on playing Shadowverse...?
Lucia will loose his money!
Getting lost in thoughts. Lucia snaps back to reality when he heard at his side.
"Give me food please~"
It's Maura who just went up the staircase to get food at the bar counter.
The attender at the desk looks at Maura's phone but did not took any money QR code at all. But for whatever reason he serve Maura some food.
'Huh...He doesnt have money..?' This time Lucia decided to stalk Maura. Maura ordered an awfully familiar strawberry sliced cake. 'He ordered the same thing I ordered...coincidence?' Maura sticks his tongue to slowly eat the strawberry with the fork and chomps it as a whole.
Gulps.
Maura just swallowed it whole, and for whatever reason that bothers Lucia.
'Why am even watching him eat?'
If this is porn, Maura is definitely doing a good job.
After eating, Maura went to roam around the casino and challenge other players. What Lucia cannot fathom, why Maura likes challenging weaklings. He doesn't even put effort to find stronger opponents. So is it either Maura actually likes playing Shadowverse or his goal is to step on the weak ones?
Lucia saw Maura just save someone for having their phone snatch. There is a male student wearing Tensei Gakuen uniform getting harass by a harmful Shadowverse player. Maura looks drunk... Lucia did not know Maura had ordered a liquor in his drinks earlier, so to him he thinks Maura is trying to play a prank as he was at the nearest pole with cross arms and says. "Ah that wont do~"
The big man screamed in fear by just seeing Maura.
This says a lot.
'He is that dangerous?!'
Lucia just silently from afar watching the entire scene.
Maura twerks to the Tensei Student. "I cant blame them~" Maura licking his lips and his eyes reveals piercing purple ones. "After all there is a delicious prey infront of my eyes~" This is the first time Lucia saw Maura's eyes. Although it's kinda far, but he can tell Maura had such beautiful eyes like the gods...but it also look dead. As if...the eyes of despair spins in it.
Maura begins to twirl while laughing. "Ahaha~! Sorry, I just had the most desirable cherry today. Reminds me of you~"
Lucia made a face. 'Does he flirt to everyone or he just speaks that way?'
Why is Maura Abelard so windy and so fruity whenever he opens his mouth you will absolutely misunderstood every single sentence!
The Tensei student boy thanked Maura but aftsr that he was lost for words and just stares at Maura and somehow kinda afraid. Maura puts a hand at his chin, his eyes are closed again and then he says more words that would make you face palm. "Aww~ You're so quiet. I havent even fully strip myself bare~ yet you are already speechless?" Maura giggles again. "Hehe, did a cat got your tongue~? Thankfully it wasn't mine."
Lucia chokes.
Before things get more weird, Maura left the poor boy alone and went to harass another weakling in Shadowverse.
This is why Maura is strange.
'He never bet a single penny but he always offers himself.'
This made 2 things clear at Lucia.
One, Maura bets himself because he does not carry ant money with him. So even if Lucia agrees to play and wins. He won't have any money from Maura so it is useless and waste of time.
Number two...
"Aaah yes thats it~! Thats is the face I want to see! When your expression twist in anguish it turns me on~!"
If betting yourself is extremely masochist, as a Shadowverse player he is extremely sadistic. Meaning the two Lucia have concluded at Maura is that... 'He is just using Shadowverse to mess with other people, to make them despair.' Despair, despair. Lucia heard Maura says that multiple times everyone he plays.
Yonazuki Lucia decides to call it a day and he must stop before he goes crazy for watching Maura all day long who does nothing but madness.
'The hell did I just watch. I have to wash my eyes at this point.'
About to leave the Shadowverse Casino, the cat voice stops him.
Oh no, he got found!
"Ya Yonazuki Lucia~!" Even without turning his back to face Maura, he already imagines the smirking confidence from the brat.
"Go away." Harshly at it comes out.
Maura actually noticed him following him the whole day but allowed him. Because why not? It was entertaining to see Yonazuki Lucia doing such confused face everytime he sees Maura do a outstanding performance.
"You seem to be looking at my direction~ If you are going to be looking inside me...it should be WIDER, your investigation skills."
Shit.
"..."
Lucia peeks a bit to see Maura offering himself once more.
"Ahh~ you wanna peek inside me?"
It's clearly a trap at this point.
"Ehehe."
Or maybe not.
"Well, that's private~"
Well, that's unexpected.
However Maura walks around the circle, since Lucia refuses to face him. He took the effort to circle at Lucia just to get at hid front vision.
"Come on, I just want to be friends~"
This time Maura was not smiling, he was showing a pleading frown.
Lucia knows that façade of an innocent boy is fake.
"I refuse."
Maura insist.
"I'm a good friend, you can get a lot of benefits from me you know~?"
Lucia heavily sighs.
"You still persist to play Shadowverse with me?"
Have Maura learned nothing from the rejections he made?
"Yes I do! You the one I need to heal my loneliness~!" Maura happily explains himself.
Lucia stops him right there. "I don't have time to have fun." He corrects Maura. "I don't play Shadowverse for fun."
Maura sighs too. "I see you are not in the mood. Very well, I will stop bothering you for today."
As Maura walks away voluntarily.
"Oi brat!" A big man came from behind.
"Hm?" Maura who was confident nobody will raise an arm to hit him, he froze on spot the moment the big guy about to smack him with a bottled wine.
Maura had always been an easy target for physical pain.
He shrink back to his original fraidy cat self out the streets when people hit him.
This is no different, his past flashes before his eyes as the guy intense to hurt him.
"Please...don't..." Faintly he pleads but...
"Its pay back time!" About to be smack by a bottled glass wine. Lucia who studied self defense, his instincts kicks in to stop the tragedy.
"I won't let you!"
WHACK!
The guy got jujutsu and now lying on the floor.
Maura Abelard's body betrayed him, he falls down to the floor in a sitting position. His legs trembles and eyes were wide open in disbelief
"Eh...what just happend?" His thoughts were. 'That guy tried to actually kill me?'
Lucia signals the bouncers who took the problem child away.
"Take him away, the man's too drunk." He instructs them, the bouncer is not surprise. This happens everyday when people play Shadowverse while drunk they get very violent.
No other words exchange, Maura was staring at the floor still shock.
"Are you alright?" Lucia offers his hand.
Maura nervously laughs. "Ehe-he..he...?" He is not sure how to compose himself now he showed a weak side of his. If Leon founds out, he will be scolded.
Maura decided to stand up by his own, he did not bother to try and accept Lucia's hand to help him stand.
"Thank you for saving me."
Pride has it's own mercy.
"Ow!" Maura now sees what's the problem. When he spins around earlier from the impeding danger he actually...
"You sprained your ankle." Lucia says briefly.
Maura smiles and politely puts a wall. "I'm fine." Lucia did not understood why Maura would be trying to be stranger. "Don't be stubborn."
Maura blushes. 'He really is a prince...He came to save me.'
"A girly looking like you shouldn't be hanging around here anyway." That was a uncalled opinion. Lucia shuts his mouth when he realize he spoke too much. 'This is why am a silent type.' Lucia is that kind of person whose oddly quiet but when he does run his mouth harsh words and insult will come out. He is still a silver spoon who somehow belittles others if they are not worthy enough.
"Girly? I'm a boy." Maura raised an eyebrow then quickly finds it funny. "Pff- hahaha~! You thought am a girly boy all along~?"
Lucia thought Maura had a crush on him evem though they were both boys. So maybe he was just really a fanboy of his who loves stalking him?
"That's kinda cute."
"S-shut up."
Lucia will only do this once. "I'll take you home." He offers.
Maura skeptical. "Huh?" Why would the Prince of Shadows trying to be kind now? A logical thinking could it be...
"Oh you will take me home~? How suspicious!" Maura lays a joke and Lucia snaps at that
"That's not what I meant! I mean about yours." Actually Lucia wants to know Maura's real identity and this incident is the lucky day to do so. 'If I knew where he lives, If I see his household I can tell his way of living and finally I can conclude what kind of person he is who plays a half ass Shadowverse.' That is the original intent of this. "You can't walk home like that, it will make your sprain much worst."
Reasons, reasons.
Maura can tell Lucia is up to something but he played along. "Having you cared for me all of the sudden feels weird but am very happy~!" He leans forward. "I accept your proposal." Lucia looks away and gets up his smart phone for a map. "Where is your address?"
Maura taps at his phone and points.
"Right here!"
Lucia reads the context. "Genesis...company..."
...
Lucia and Maura arrives outside Genesis building.
Unbelievable.
"Thanks for the help." Maura waves his hands to take back Lucia to the reality that it's late night.
"H-huh...?" He sees Maura very differently. 'He...lives...here?!'
Maura sways his phone and taps something.
"Give me your QR code."
Lucia as if he got hypnotize he did not protest and showed Maura his QR code for bank transfer.
"As a sign of my gratitude, I will give you the greatest pleasure~" Maura winks at him.
BLINK!
There it is.
"You sent me money...?"
Maura twirls away.
"Oi!"
Maura looks at him before the Genesis glass door closes.
"Yonazuki Lucia, I will miss you~ Bye-bye."
The Prince of Shadowverse Lucia left surprised.
...
1 month later...
"How is your sprain?" Leon Aurenche at his office.
It was sunset and Maura back at his footing.
"I'm all good now Leon-sama. Thank you for worrying about me."
Leon just says the usual. "Take care of yourself Mauro. We can't afford to have you in bad shape." But he was sounding so serious and Maura felt uneasy. "The world is slowly but surely heading towards its end."
Maura furrowed his eyebrows as he listens to Leon's open ramblings.
"Why humanity doesn't rise up?"
Maura looks at Leon's lonely back
"Why don't we do anything?"
Leon faces him.
"Because we are weak and foolish."
And ask him such questions for pressure.
"Why are you here Mauro?"
Maura knows the answer, Leon told him a few months ago.
"To stop the Tree of Woe."
Leon smiles and is happy with his answer then he walks towards Maura, gives him a new card.
Maura accepted it with humbleness yet he was not looking happy unlike Leon.
"...That's the only reason I'm here."
Leon smiles with Maura's determined response. As Maura looks up to him with no expression...rather to hide the sadness Maura just felt that Leon is putting too much hope for someone like him.
"Am your property...Leon-sama. I will do anything to please you. Use me as much as you want."
"You are a good boy Mauro. I love that about you."
Why is Leon getting darker? Has he always been this...scary?
Maura is not numb, he have came to realize Leon never saw him as his son nor successor.
He is just someone he pick to save the world. Leon seems to love the world than anybody else that he puts utmost effort to save it.
Maura feels conflicted if it is ok to have friends or should he just do what he is told to as usual..?
.
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Day 5 Project to annoy Lucia but did not occure this time.
It's morning and no classes today. Lucia did not out any effort he still wears his school uniform. It feels like a hassle to be in casual clothes because he has to laundry them.
Laundering school uniform is easy, he can just ask the school facility to wash it for him unlike his personal clothing's. Lucia does not feel like playing Shadowverse so he had not really hang out much from the Underworld.
A rare sight of Lucia walking in the sun, suddenly he heard a calm voice.
"You cant be doing that little cat."
Lucia knows who it belongs but why is it...different?
He scan his surroundings and found Maura at the corner of the trees. Small parks are always visible at Nekome-cho they want to keep environment friendly despite all the high technology displays.
Maura Abelard not smiling, he look sad as he talks to a damn cat.
A Cyprus breed cat.
Maura is scolding the cat with a bell on it's neck.
"You are no longer a stray, you shouldn't be wandering around disobeying your master. Your master took you and you have the obligation to satisfy his needs..."
Lucia listens to Maura's self talk as the cats just looks at Maura with a cute face.
"To satisfy my master for adopting me...is I have to...defeat the Tree of Woe..."
Lucia still does not understand whatever Maura said but...
"So he had cute side huh..." to see the sadistic boy actually has this side of being kind to animals. "As long as he doesn't harm me in anyways..." Lucia walks away.
His thoughts. 'Better to still ignore him.' Because Lucia had this dark passion for Shadowverse. "He isn't even taking Shadowverse seriously. He is acting like a child...no...a brat who likes to annoy everyone for attention."
Also he now knows who Maura is and how dangerous to be involve with him in a sense.
"Maura Abelard, the adopted son of Shadowverse's CEO Leon Aurenche."
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To Be Continued.
End Notes: I took me a while to finish this I was busy making too much Maurucia gags. Hope this long wait satisfies your desires for angst! Keep in mind am fusing all Shadowverse universe at one story because I like Maura that muuuch he is the MC for me.
**IF I CANNOT FINISH THIS DON'T BLAME ME, IM DOING THIS TO SPREAD MORE LOVE TO MAURO UNTIL I GET TIRED OF THE ANIME**
