The mysterious shop

In this world and age, card games became really popular. In this scenario, where these games became part of our live, one of them is the most popular.

And it is CARDFIGHT!! Vanguard.

In a close future, in a card shop called Card Capital, there are two 'Vanguards' fighting over a card. These are Sendou Aichi and Toshiki Kai.

And the card at stake is… Aichi Sendou most adored card, Blaster Blade.

But one may ask, why would a player bet his favorite card… the answer to that question lies a couple of minutes earlier.

You see, Aichi's bullie, Morikawa Katsumi, wanted an easy victory against Kai, who established his place as Card Capital best player, and seeing that Aichi himself have a Blaster Blade, one of the rarest cards in the game, Morikawa took Aichi's card and bet it on a card fight. And lost on top of that.

As result of this Aichi, who never once played a single match of vanguard, but already have built a deck, is now doing his very best to defeat a national level player, however…

This isn't a fairy tale. And if it is, then it have a very tragic start. After Kai rode his vanguard to the third grade, Dragonic Overlord, Kai's trump card, Aichi, who was already sitting on four damage, was now betting on a heal trigger, simply because Kai have checked a critical trigger in his drive check.

"Check the damage trigger, Sendou Aichi." Kai ordered, with seriousness in his eyes.

Aichi checked the first damage only to get a Wingal, then, when he most needed his luck, when he most needed to win, the world failed him.

After checking the second damage, Sendou Aichi revealed a Knight of Silence, Gallatin, which was, by far, not the card he needed at that moment.

Seeing that, the mood on all the players in the shop who were watching the game intently, visibly darkened.

The one who was most affected by it however, was Aichi. Tears where running down in his cheeks, and emptiness was in his eyes.

Seeing this, Kai took the Blaster Blade card and was about to give it back to the young boy. However, before he had the chance to do this, the blue haired kid picked his things and leaved the shop hurriedly, feeling more down than ever.

The truth is that Sendou Aichi and Toshiki Kai knew each other since childhood. Kai was, after all, the one who gave Aichi the unit he just loss. The one who gave light to that pitiful boy's live.

Aichi dreamed of fighting against Kai since they're first met. To thank all the help the older boy gave him just by giving him that card. But now… it was over.

Everything was just finished. Aichi's hopes and dreams crushed. His spirit and strength meant nothing to the power of Toshiki Kai.

For hours, the kid just roam aimlessly in the city streets. When the night had fallen, rain started to pour.

"Great… now that. Guess I really am unlucky, huh." The once happy kid said, with empty eyes.

He continued to walk, without even bothering the cold that touched his skin or the glances of pity that some of the people in the street sent him.

He continued walking without a goal, until he felt something.

It was like an invisible pull that grabbed a hold of his mind. Like something that couldn't just be ignored.

Not really seeing a reason to not seek the origin of that pull, Aichi followed his instinct to the place where he felt that the feeling was harder. With each step, the uneasiness grew, until it sounds almost wrong to keep following that path.

But, something in Aichi just couldn't ignore it. It was like his very core was calling him once again… it was like the feeling he got when building his first deck.

A feeling of wholesomeness. Just like when a person forgets something and makes a really hard labor to remember it, just to be able to recall it when he has given up on it. But a hundred time better.

It was like a part of him that he long forgotten just appear once again… like he was, for the first time, whole.

He keeps walking until he enters a mall. It wasn't that crowded, and he didn't paid any attention to the people. Even those who have bumped on him.

He was so fixed on the feeling that he only figured where he was when he stopped in his tracks.

In front of him was a card shop, just like card capital. But, it was way more weird than that of the former.

Instead of being placed in a visible spot, it was instead almost hidden. The illumination of the place was dim, so it also didn't help.

It was like only a selected few could actually find the place.

Aichi gulped down the fear and uneasiness that he was filling and decided to enter it. Not because he wanted to, but because something inside him told him that this was what he has to do.

Opening the door, he soon was attacked with a feeling of weakness. He then heard voices inside.

One was a masculine, childish voice, and the other was a feminine, mature voice.

Ignoring the dizziness, Aichi proceeded to walk inside.

"Hello… is there someone inside?" The blue haired boy asked. From the corner of his view, he saw a white haired boy and a trio of girls walking close to him.

When his sight laid in the boy, however, the feeling of weakness soon became more than just a feeling.

Falling on his knees, Sendou Aichi had fallen unconscious.

"My my… it seems like we have found one, don't you girls think?" the boy asked, only for the blue haired woman answer.

"What do you need us to do with him, Master Takuto?"

"Take him inside. And when he wakes up, give him this… tell him that it will act as a way for him to recover his former power." He said, handing to the older woman a deck of cards, just like the one Aichi used, only that those where a little bit different.

The boy then proceeded in his steps. Before he could get out of the card shop, one of the other two girls, a blonde, asked him a question.

"Why would you give that to a random kid?" The girl said, feeling unease as to why the white haired gave one of his most prized possessions away.

Takuto stop in his tracks, and looking at the blonde beauty, he sent her an enigmatic glance and simply said, with an equally enigmatic smile.

"Because… if we give for the selected few the power to fight, then… my world might stand a chance against the Void…"

The white haired boy then proceeded to follow his path, going out of the shop.

---

Enshrouded by darkness, there was a blue haired boy. He seemed to be looking for something, or rather, someone.

That was when he saw it. The warrior of light. His back was turned against the boy, who was desperately trying to reach the warrior, but with each step, the swordsman seemed to get even more distant.

The boy was Aichi, and the warrior was Blaster Blade. Two souls connected by the bond of vanguard, two souls who where born to be together, to lead the planet Cray together to a better era, were now with they're link severed.

The boy, seeing that he couldn't get to the swordsman, screamed and tried anything to get his most adored unit's attention… but everything he tried was futile.

That is, until a powerful roar echoed in the darkness.

The shroud of endless murk was lit by a flame so red that it looked like it was made of blood.

Looking for the source of such a powerful roar, Aichi and Blaster Blade both found that person unit. Dragonic Overlord.

The Overlord of Dragon Empire, from the Kagero clan completely dismissed Aichi and focused entirely in his rival.

With a breath of scarlet fire sent in the swordsman way, Aichi saw the same image that he saw in his fight against Kai… Blaster Blade burning in a sea of red flames. But he didn't felt pain this time.

The first time he fought Kai, he felt everything his units could feel from the moment his rival rode Dragon Knight Nehalem. But this time, even with the images being way more real, he couldn't feel anything… Just emptiness in his heart.

After the proud warrior of light from the United Sanctuary was reduced to ashes, the Overlord paid attention to Aichi. The yellow eyes and the towering figure of the creator of the apocalyptic flames made Aichi freeze.

It was like he was a rat in front of a Lion. He was trembling with fear, he didn't wanted to die… not like that.

The dragon took his sword out of it's sheath and, with a might blow, divided Aichi in half.

The boy awoke from his slumber, screaming, alerting the owners of the shop he was in.

---

Back a few minutes in time, after the white haired kid left the Shop, Tatsunagi Suiko took the unconscious form of Sendou Aichi, with the help of Tatsunagi Kourin, while the red haired member of the group just watched.

"Do you mind helping, Rekka?" Kourin, the Blonde member of the trio, asked the younger girl.

"Actually, I do." Rekka answered, with a cute and childish tone, which in the blonde opinion, just made it all the more annoying.

"Kourin, just leave her be. Please help me getting the boy in the couch." Suiko, the blue haired and older member of the group meddled in the younger girls bickering.

You see, the group of owners of the card shop that our young protagonist finds himself in are known as Ultra Rare, an Idol group that works secretly to Tatsunagi Takuto in search of users of a certain power.

They've taken the sleeping form of Aichi to the insides the shop, and then Kourin and Suiko noticed something. The boy was soaked and trembling.

They decided to get him a new set of dry clothes and after that, they putted him in the couch and wrap him in a blanket, so that he doesn't get a cold.

They where then talking about the mission they're boss, Takuto, placed on they're shoulders.

"So, Suzugamori Ren, huh…" Kourin said, remembering the face of seriousness that the destiny conductor had.

"Yes, if Master Takuto's information is right, then we might have to intervene. We can't let someone with such a powerful Psyqualia like him ran amok. It could be dangerous to the balance in planet Cray and Earth." Suiko said, with her typical smile.

"Then, what do you do with the boy? I mean, if he really has Psyqualia?" Rekka asked, her face showing no hint of worry for they're guest.

"We test him. If he has, we guide him throught the path of Vanguard… if he doesn't… well, someone with eyes that destroyed can't be a real threat for us." Suiko answered, in a calm and cold tone.

When Kourin was about to give her opinion, they heard a blood curling scream coming from the couch where the boy was.

The group went to see what happened and found the boy shaking and crying with fear evident in his eyes.

"So, how are you feeling?" Suiko asked, trying to figure what could have made a boy that age feels so scared. She did, however, knew the absurdity of that question. The boy looked terrified.

"W-who are you? And where are my clothes?" The boy asked, noticing that he was wearing a night suit way to big for his frail frame.

"You know, it is kinda rude to ask for someone's name without giving yours first, boy." Rekka said, in her usual childish tone.

"My name is Sendou Aichi." The boy said, blushing a little. "N-now answer my questions please!"

"Fine, My name is Rekka. The Angry blonde is Kourin and the old hag is Suiko." The younger girl said, getting angry stares from both her colleagues.

Suiko, deciding in her mind that she would punish Rekka for that latter, decided to just answer the boy's second question.

"Your clothes where soaked, so me and Kourin changed you into something more…" Suiko stopped when she noticed that the boy's face was basically shinning in a reddish pink. He looked so embarrassed that it was hard to for the poor thing to even breath.

Sick of all that waste of time, Kourin decided to step in.

"Can we stop with the chit chat already! Aichi correct? Fight me." Kourin said, taking out a deck of vanguard.

"Eh!"

"What's the matter? You know how to play, correct?" Suiko asked, a little amused by the boy yell.

"I-i just learned how to play earlier today… but… I can't play. I don't have a completed deck." Aichi answered, and Suiko just smiled.

"No problem… we have just the right Deck to you." The older woman then gave Aichi the deck that Takuto entrusted them.

Aichi tried to deny once more, but the girls where a bit more forceful this time. They took Aichi to a more secluded area of the shop, with a holographic board. They where the latest novelty in the world of professional vanguard.

After Aichi and Korin where facing against each other, Suiko and Rekka went to the bleachers of the room.

"Well, I can't believe I will have to face a complete amateur. Be happy boy, your facing a very skilled player." Kourin said, taking out the starter vanguard from the deck and putting it on the Vanguard circle.

"Thank you very much for your time…" Aichi said, with a little of unease. He then put his starter in the vanguard circle.

"Stand up, Vanguard!" They both cried, in unison.

"Stardust Trumpter." Kourin announced, and in the vanguard circle, a hologram of a little angel with a Trumpet appeared.

"Maiden of the betrayal, Guinevere." Aichi said, and in his vanguard circle, appeared a beautiful blonde haired woman, adorned with beautiful white clothes and a shield in her hand.

'Royal Paladin…' Aichi thought when he saw his unit and then remembered his earlier fight against Kai.

"I'll start things off." Kourin said, drawing a card from her deck. "I ride, little sage Marron."

The angel then began to morph and in his place now was a cool and collected person, using glasses.

"It is your turn now."

"Y-yes." Aichi cried out, drawing a card from his deck. "I ride Little sage Marron as well. Then, Guinevere moves back. And also, I call another Marron in the rear guard. Guinevere boosts my vanguard and Marron attacks yours."

"No guard." Kourin said, with her usual serious self.

"I check for a drive trigger. Get, Stand Trigger! I give 5000 power to the Marron in the rear guard and then I…" It was then that Aichi realized his mistake. He attacked first with the Vanguard, and now he wasted a trigger.

"You really are a complete amateur." Kourin said, sighting.

"The Marron in the rearguard attacks your Vanguard." Aichi said, a little flustered for his mistake.

"I won't guard it. I check for a damage trigger… get Heal Trigger. I give plus 5000 to my vanguard and recover one damage."

"I end my turn."

Aichi:

(Hand 5)

R MoB, Guinevere R Damage: 0

R LS, Marron LS, Marron Counterblast 0

(GC)

Kourin:

(Hand 5)

R R R Damage: 1

R LS, Marron R Counterblast 1

"Allow me to educate you in the art of attack. I stand and draw." Kourin said, beginning her Turn. "I ride Knight of silence, Gallatin. Then I call to the rearguard another two Gallatin." She said, letting two knights with enshrouded eyes appear on the sides of her vanguard. "First you attack with a rear guard of your choice. For example, my right Gallatin attacks your vanguard."

"I use Flogal to guard that!" Aichi said, panicked.

"Now my Vanguard will attack you. That, way, if I check a trigger, it won't go to waste."

"I won't guard." Aichi said, looking at his hand.

"I check for a Drive Trigger." Kourin said, checking the first card in her deck, and for Aichi's dismay, a yellow glow accompanied that card. Aichi knew very well what that meant. It was that same glow that defeated him in his fight against Kai. "Get, Critical Trigger. The power goes to Gallatin in the left, and my vanguard is going critical."

Aichi then was suddenly transported for Cray. He was in Marron's body, then he saw Gallatin coming for him. The sword cut him in the chest. The painful feeling was just like when Nehalem hit him. A sharp pain, and it came twice as strong in the second strike of Gallatin sword.

The shock sent him back to earth. He screamed and was thrown away from the table. That did surprised the other two owners of the shop, who where intently watching the boy's fight.

Aichi collected his cards, and got up, with ragged breath. He got up, and checked the damage. For his dismay, he didn't get a trigger, which meant…

"My left Gallatin attacks your Vanguard with 15000 power."

"I won't guard that…" Aichi said, ant then the sharp pain of being cut spread once more through his body. "Check the damage trigger… Get Draw trigger. I give 5000 power to my vanguard, and I draw a card."

"It is your turn now, once again."

"I stand and Draw." Aichi said, standing his units. As soon as his hand touched his deck, he felt like he just drew his Blaster Blade, in his fight against Kai. Like all his spirit returned. When he added the card to his hand, it wasn't Blaster Blade, but instead a new unit. One that could turn the tide of this game back to him.

"I Ride! Knight of the Lake, Gancelot!" Aichi said, and soon, a knight in shinning armor and with a long sword made of light, with the face of and elf and riding in a white Pegasus with wings of pride appear, surprising Suiko and Rekka, and giving Kourin a troubled look.

"That card… If he use it correctly, then he will gain a really big edge in this fight." Suiko carefully said.

"But there is no way he knows how to use that card, right? I mean, he is a complete amateur…" Rekka added, with doubt in her voice.

"Perhaps… this may be the test we were looking for… to see if he has that power." Suiko answered, with a troubled look.

While that was happening, Aichi was in another world. His mind was off, all he saw was a lake covered in mist. There, in the hills was proud knight together with a fair maiden. They where having a picnic and both looked happy. They where Gancelot and Guinevere.

Then, everything goes black again. But that time, there wasn't Blaster Blade. There was only Gancelot. He looked at the boy, and the boy looked at him.

"My Vanguard… lead me through battle, and I will bring you uncountable victories." The knight said, with a bow.

"Yes… allow me to use you Gancelot." Aichi said, then he felt something.

It was the same pull that he felt when he was walking on the streets. But instead of weirdness, all he felt was completion.

The shroud of darkness become pure white, and a vision of an older version of Gancelot, along with five of his units, all advanced against his opponent. It was Kourin and Kourin alone. He soon saw it. In this turn, his Vanguard would hit Kourin three times, then, in the next turn, he will suffer one damage, and then, in the following, turn, Victory will be his.

After coming back to his senses, Aichi activated Gancelot effect.

"I activate Gancelot special Counterblast. When he is placed in the vanguard circle, by paying the cost of flipping two cards from my damage zone face down, He gains plus one critical and plus one drive until the end of the turn."

'So he has it…' Kourin thought, seeing there was no way that a complete amateur can use a card that powerful so skillfully.

"Then, I activate my Guinevere special counterblast. When I ride a Vanguard with Gancelot in it's card name, I can counterblast one and put her in my soul, then I can call one grade 1 or less card from the deck and that same card gains plus 3000 power until the end of the turn. Furthermore, when she is in the soul, any vanguard with Gancelot in it's card name gains 2000 power until the end of the turn."

"But then Gancelot have 11000 and an extra Critical alone?" Rekka almost screamed.

"And it isn't only that…" Suiko observed.

"I call from my deck, Pongal. He goes behind the Vanguard, and gains 3000 attack."

'The center column has 21000 and 2 damage. Not counting the Twin drive.' Kourin thoght, with a worried look on her face.

"I'm not done. I move Marron back, and I place a High dog breeder Akane in front of

her. Then, I place a Gallatin in the left column. So… let us start?"

"He has three cards on his hand, but…" Rekka beggun.

"With all the card advantage that his play creates, it isn't something to be worried…" Suiko finished.

"I attack your Vanguard with my Gallatin! If I where you I would guard that, Korin… I will hit a critical this turn." Aichi said, with a dark and cocky tone that just didn't seems to belong to him.

Kourin, surprised by the change in his opponent's personality, guarded with a grade one. However, Aichi's onslaught was just beginning.

"I attack your vanguard with Gancelot." Aichi said, smilling creepily.

"I won't Guard…" Kourin said, much to Aichi happiness. He then looked at her in the eyes. She saw it. Suiko and Rekka also saw it. The dark blue glow in the gentle boy's eyes. It was frightening.

"I check the twin Drive." Aichi begun. His first Check revealed a Perfect Guard, the second, however, revealed the same yellow glow that Kourin attack revealed. A critical Trigger.

"Just like he said…" Rekka said, amused.

"Now I'm sure… he have it… Psyqualia." Suiko said, with a worried tone for her colleague.

"I give the extra Critical to my Vanguard, and the power goes to Akane… Now, Kourin… I want you to imagine. You are in an Astral body, on planet Cray. Powerless and without no allies, you struggle to fight against the pain from this blow."

Kourin was then transported to the surface of Cray. The night sky was contrasting with the light that the shinning armor knight Gancelot produced.

The knight horse then began to ran in Korin direction. With the blade ready, it stroke Kourin three times. And with each strike, Kourin screamed. She was transported back to the earth, almost without forces to stand up.

"I check the damage trigger…" Kourin said, visibly shaken by the attack that Aichi's blown produced. "First check, second check… Third check… No trigger."

"Three damage, so easily?" Rekka exclaimed, clearly surprised.

"What did you expected… this is one of the best decks of Master Takuto, and it is being used by a Psyqualia user nevertheless." Suiko answered her red headed companion.

"Boosted by Marron, Akane attacks your vanguard with 21000 power."

"Bringer of good luck Epona guards, and the right side Gallatin intercepts."

"My my… it seems you managed to survive that blow. Well, it is your turn now, Kourin."

Aichi:

(Hand 5)

R Pongal LS, Marron Damage: 3

Gallatin KoL, Gancelot HDB, Akane Counterblast 0

(GC)

Kourin:

(Hand 3)

R R R Damage: 4

Gallatin Gallatin R Counterblast: 4

"I stand and draw… I ride, King of Knights, Alfred. Then I use his Counter blast and call one grade two or less royal paladin unit from my deck to the field. Come forth, Gallatin. My alfred gains 2000 power for each royal paladin I have on the field. I attack your vanguard with Gallatin from the right."

"Akane intercepts that." Aichi said, making Akane's hologram disappear.

"My vanguard attacks yours." Kourin said, and Aichi smiled.

"Come! I won't guard that!"

"I check the twin drive. First check, second check… no trigger."

"I check the damage trigger. No trigger."

"My Gallatin attacks your vanguard."

"Gallatin intercepts that."

"I end my turn…"

"Hope your ready, Korin… for this is my Final Turn!" Aichi exclaimed, with a sick smile on his face, making everyone there more attentive. "I stand and draw." Seeing the card he just drew, Aichi smile grown even more. It was, after all, the unit he saw in his vision. "I ride… Proud Knight, Gancelot!"

"No, not this card!" Kourin exclaimed, scared for what that unit was capable of.

"Yes, yes this card… I use Proud Knight, Gancelot special counterblast and Soulblast. By flipping one card from my damage zone face down, and placing two cards from my soul in the drop zone, I can call two units from my deck to the field. And that isn't all. They also gain 3000 attack points."

"And that isn't all that this card is able to…" Suiko mused to her self.

"I superior call Two Swordsman of the Explosive flames, Palamedes! They each gain 3000 power and also, I activate my vanguard special hability. When he is in the vanguard circle, and when I superior call a card from the deck, I can discard three cards and them, all my front row gain 5000 attack."

"That leaves him with two cards in his hand… but…" Rekka began and Suiko soon concluded.

"But that gave him enough power to produce an overwhelming attack."

Kourin looked at her hand. Her eyes shown worry. She had, after all, only two shields of five thousand and a shield of ten. Together with the two 5000 intercepts, she had 30000 shield in total. A good quantity, however…

Aichi's entire front row need 10000 shield to block each attack without the boosters and without counting Palamedes ability. In other words, she could only block one attack.

"My Palamedes from the right attacks your vanguard. Palamedes ability gives him extra three thousand attack power if I have two or more grade three royal paladin units. This, together with his plus 8000 attack points and his already natural 10000 make him have 21000 of power."

"I guard with Elaine, and Gallatin intercepts."

"My vanguard Attacks."

"I won't guard." Kourin said, begging for a heal Trigger.

"First check… second check. Get Critical Trigger. I give the critical to my vanguard and the power to my left Palamedes."

"I check the damage trigger… first check. No trigger. Second Check… No trigger. It seems like I lost." Kourin said, placing her sixth damage in the damage zone, frustration evident in her tone.

"Yes, and I have won." Aichi said, returning to his usual shy attitude. Then, he felt a really bad migraine all of the sudden. "Why do I feel so weak?" Aichi asked no one particular. Suiko however, heard it and decided to follow the mission Takuto entrusted them with.

"I can answer that. If you may, Sendou Aichi, could you give us some of your time?"

//New cards that appeared in this chapter

Maiden of Betrayal, Guinevere.

4000

(Counter blast one, put this unit in your soul) When you ride a vanguard with Gancelot in it's card name, you may pay the price. Then, you can superior call a grade one or less unit to a rear guard circle, and have that unit gain +3000 power.

(Soul) During your turn, each vanguard with Gancelot in it's cardname gains + 2000 power

Knight of the Lake, Gancelot

9000

(Counterblast 2) When this card is placed on VC, you may pay the price. If you do, this card gains an extra critical and an additional drive.

Proud Knight, Gancelot

10000

(Counterblast 1, soulblast 2) when you ride this card, you may pay the cost. If you do, search for two royal paladin units and place them in two rear guard circle, and then give them +3000

(Discart three cards) When your rear guard is superior called from the deck, you may pay the price. If you do, give +5000 for all your front row.\\