Path To Liberation, Mix Up (Chap 42)
Synopsis: Hou Ren & Shiloh want to go on a date. Hopefully, there's no third-wheeling coming around...
In the previous story, Seiji and Daryl face off. Seiji once again blocked his Galaxy Formation. Daryl however found another way to regain his Galaxy Formation and win the game in one turn.
Anime Opening: Black & White.
The Sun shines bright in the middle of the sky. An excited Hou Ren walks by while carrying a bouquet of Sunflowers. He is dancing around in joy going happy-go-lucky. He arrives at a hotel room and knocks the door. And Shiloh opens the door in response.
Both: Hey !!! (Hug in joy)
Hou Ren: Someone's looking impressive.
Shiloh: Says you.
Hou Ren: (Wave) Hi Mary.
Mary: (Behind Shiloh) Hey.
Hou Ren: (Realize) Oh right, these are for you. (Hands the flowers)
Shiloh reacts to the flowers in joy as she blushes brightly with her palms covering half of her face.
Hou Ren: I forgot to ask what your favorite flower is, so if I had to guess, it would be a Sunflower because you shine bright like the sun.
Shiloh: Thank you !!! Sunflowers are my favorite.
Hou Ren smiles warmly. Mary however walks up to him looking all angry and childish and overprotective. She straight points to his chest.
Mary: You weren't planning to take her to any illegal activities were you?
Hou Ren: (Scared) What? No?
Mary: You promise to bring her home by 5?
Hou Ren: Yes.
Mary: Good cause if you don't, I will not just kill you. I'm gonna make you choke a lot of ice cream so that you will get a massive brain freeze.
Hou Ren: Okay Okay. I get it. Calm down.
Mary: (Back to Normal) Okay. You both can go now. Have fun.
The two walk in the hallway.
Hou Ren: No offense but your sister is scary.
Shiloh: Yeah Mary can be like that sometimes. Big sis protection.
Later the two spend some time together. They enjoy some Ice cream, Noodles, and Starbucks drinks. Went on a shopping spree. Take a lot of pictures...Even watching a funny movie. They are having so much fun with bright smiles on their faces. They later sit on a bench.
Hou Ren: This brings back memories.
Shiloh: Yeah...Remember us having our first date?
Hou Ren: I know. We have to sneak out that day.
Shiloh: And our families didn't suspect a thing. And you know what's my favorite part?
Hou Ren: What?
Shiloh: It's seeing you wearing your shirt the other way around.
Hou Ren: (Blush in surprise) Wait what?
6 months ago, when Hou Ren came out to meet Shiloh, his long white shirt was worn the wrong way. Back to the present, Hou Ren feels ashamed of looking down and humiliated.
Hou Ren: Dang it...(Back to sense) Two can play in that game. Your makeup was missing one eyelash.
Shiloh: (Blush) Wha...
Again, same day, Shiloh's left eye was missing her makeup. Now Shiloh's the one feeling ashamed.
Shiloh: Oops...
Hou Ren: Hehehe. Got you.
Shiloh: Okay. We'll call it a tie. More importantly...
Shiloh blushes and smiles warmly as she leans herself onto his shoulder. She grabs Hou Ren's hands.
Shiloh: I love you. (Peck his cheek)
Hou Ren: (Blush) I love you too. (Peck her forehead)
The two snuggle on their heads for a bit.
Hou Ren: You're so cute.
Shiloh: (Blush) Hmph.
???: I found you.
Both: Huh?
The two turn their attention. They notice a woman with long Drill hair with a bow-like ribbon complimenting her golden brown hair. She wears very exotic eyeliner to make her eyelashes bigger. A massive purple gown with a purple underdress with an exotic white scarf-like over-shirt. Her outfit has 2 pink under-shoulder-like objects as she dons a special blue brooch. She wears golden high heels.
Hou Ren: Can I help you?
???: Who? Me? Maybe you should be the one helping me. Mr Hou Ren.
Hou Ren: Do I know you?
???: Well...
The woman moves forward and gets super close to Hou Ren's face, attempting to flirt.
???: Aren't you a cutie?
Hou Ren feels awkward and disgusted.
Hou Ren: (Push her back) Okay. Who are you?
???: Teehee. I am the Queen of Attention and the Empress of Royalty, Ageha Goharku.
???: (Appears) And I'm her buddy. Eternal Envoy, Aettir.
The two stare in confusion.
Hou Ren: Okay Well...what do you want?
Ageha: Simple...I want you to become my boyfriend.
Both: WHAT?
Ageha: You heard me right. The leader of the Draknights and a superstar hottie. I guarantee this will get a lot of paparazzi for my career!!! and I'm such a HOTTIE. (Takes selfies)
Aettir: Ahhh. You're such a genius, Lady Ageha.
Both: (Even more awkward) What?
Shiloh: She just wants you for fame?
Hou Ren: Why...For the record, I can't.
Ageha: Huh? Why not?
Hou Ren: No offense but you're not my type. Now Shoo.
Ageha: (Stunned) Ahh....Oh no no no... you know what, I challenge you to a buddyfight. If you can't be mine, I'll make you to be mine.
Hou Ren: (closes his eyes) Pass.
Ageha: Huh? Why not?
Hou Ren: I'm on a date for crying out loud. Also, I don't have my deck with me.
Shiloh: Wait you don't?
Hou Ren: No of course not. Like it's a date, I don't need to buddyfight. No?
Shiloh: Well...
At a buddyfight stage, the two fighters are about to face off. Shiloh is in the spectator's area and Ion & Takokichi appear.
Ion: Yay!!! Whenever there's a buddyfight you can find us, Ion & Takokichi. It's the prelims of the Gaen Cup and two fighters are about to face off.
Tako: Featuring the leader of the Draknights, Hou Ren versus the Empress of Royalty, Ageha Goharku.
Ageha: With a baptism from the divine deities! All of your sins will be forgiven! Just kidding. Luminize! Hype-Hype Paradise!
Hou Ren: Once upon a time, the maiden blooms bright. Exploring the wonder of fantasies. Luminize, Folktale Wonderland.
Ion & Takokichi: Buddy...Fight.
Both: Raise the Flag.
Ageha: Divine Guardians!!!
Hou Ren: Dungeon World.
Ion & Takokichi: EHHHHH ??? Dungeon World !????
Ion: But why??? I thought Hou Ren's flag is Dragon World.
Takokichi: What in the world is going on?
Hou Ren: Shiloh kinda lent me her deck so that I can fight.
Ion: Well...as far as I'm concerned, it's not against the rules to switch flags...Either way (Ahem), Ageha using the Divine Guardians Flag. Which is incredibly rare.
Shiloh: What's that flag though?
Hou Ren: It's a flag that allows her to use cards with "Guardians" in its attribute...Bonus, It's the same flag Guru used long ago. (Thought) And with Shiloh's deck, Can I win?
Meanwhile, in Hou Ren's bedroom, Garga was meditating. His phone just buzzed and this piqued his interest.
Garga: What's this? (picks up his phone)
The moment Garga sees what's going on on his phone, he is flabbergasted.
Garga: WHAT? Why is Hou Ren fighting? Also...His deck is at home. I thought he and Shiloh are on a date...
Hou Ren: Draw. Charge and Draw. I equip Slayer Biblio. (Equips Item) Jordan to the center.
Jordan: (Appears) I'm under your command, Master Hou Ren.
Hou Ren's Life: 9 -> 10
Hou Ren: Jordan. Attack the fighter.
Ageha's Life: 12 -> 11
Hou Ren: My turn is over.
Ion: Hou Ren finishes his turn after dealing one damage. Now it's Ageha's turn.
Hou Ren: (Thought) I got to admit. Shiloh made changes to her deck. I can barely recognize it.
Ageha: Draw. Charge & Draw. I set Gate of Pardon, Forgiven. Ability activate. I return one of my hand cards to the deck and I buddycall Eternal Envoy, Aettir REB to the right.
Aettir: (Appears) Yay. Time for some paradise.
Ion: There's her buddy.
Ageha: Deity Dragon Envoy, Muriel to the left.
Muriel is summoned.
Ageha: And I pay 1 gauge & 1 life to equip...Nirvana Violin, Heavens Marius. Muriel, Attack Jordan.
Muriel: Leave it to me. (Destroys Jordan) When I destroy a monster, Lady Ageha gains 1 life. Moreover, I have double attack.
Hou Ren's Life: 10 -> 9
Ageha: Aettir. Follow Him.
Aettir: Certainly. (Squeeze Him)
Hou Ren's Life: 9 -> 7
Shiloh: He's getting suffocated.
Garga: I definitely don't want to be caught in a tight squeeze.
Ageha: Now..(Attacks) Here I come.
Hou Ren's Life: 7 -> 4
Hou Ren: I thought that item has a critical of 2.
Ageha: When I have 3 or fewer cards in the dropzone, it gains 1 critical. My turn is over.
Ion: Incredible. Ageha dealt 6 damage in one turn. Let's see how Hou Ren responds.
Hou Ren: Okay, Emma. It's your turn. Buddycall. (Gain 1 life)
Emma: (Appears) I'm under your command, Master Hou Ren.
Shiloh: Emma!!!
Ion: My, Hou Ren didn't buddycall Garga but Emma instead.
Hou Ren: Alice to the left. And Henry to the center.
Both monsters are summoned respectively.
Hou Ren: Henry's ability. I set Happiness Wonderland. Cast, Red Riding Blessing. I gain 2 life and 2 gauge.
Emma: And if I'm here, he also draws 2 cards.
Hou Ren: (Does So) There's more. I place a monster from my hand into Happiness Wonderland.
Wonderland's soul increases by one.
Hou Ren: And I draw 2 cards thanks to Wonderland's effect. I cast Folktale's Bewitchery, Tea & Biscuit. I discard the top two cards and place two monsters from my dropzone into Biblio's soul. (Does So)
Garga: Well I'll be, Hou Ren utilizes Shiloh's playstyle well.
Hou Ren: Emma. Attack Aettir.
Emma: Roger that. (Attacks)
Hou Ren: Emma's ability. (Activates ability)
Ageha: Not so fast. Cast. Heavens Shield. The shield of Paradise. (Blocks the attack)
Ageha's Life: 11 -> 12
Ageha: Furthermore, I activate Aettir's ability. I return 3 cards from my dropzone and I gain 2 life and draw a card.
Hou Ren: Typical Guardians. Cleaning their dropzone. Emma.
Emma: Right. (Attacks)
Ageha: No No No. Aettir's second ability. Hype-Hype Calling.
Aettir disappears the moment Emma lands her picnic basket.
Ageha: Aettir returns to my hand and I call another monster to the right.
Hou Ren: She swapped her monster with another one?
Shiloh: But that's my thing.
Ageha: Swoop Envoy, Angelus to the center.
Angelus appears.
Hou Ren: Alice. Attack Angelus.
Alice: Roger that. (Destroys Angelus)
Hou Ren: Follow her, Henry.
Henry: Right. (Attacks)
Ageha: Cast. Deity Of Law. Muriel to the center. Sorry.
Muriel: Good Luck, Lady Ageha.
Henry destroys Muriel.
Alice: My ability activates. Henry.
Henry: Right. (Moves to Biblio)
Alice: Once More. (Attacks)
Ageha's Life: 14 -> 12
Hou Ren: And Last, there's me. (Attacks)
Ageha's Life: 12 -> 10
Hou Ren: My turn is over.
Shiloh: I gotta admit. Hou Ren knows my playstyle well.
Emma: He's smart.
Garga: Hou Ren used other decks before and he watched how Shiloh fights. Combining those gave him the experience he needed.
Ageha: Maybe. Maybe Not. But I'm ending this now. You'll be mine and maybe we'll have a ship name..."Hype Hype Knight" or "Cutie Pies".
Hou Ren: Uh....No.
Shiloh: Absolutely Not.
Ageha: My turn. Draw. Charge and Draw. Forgiven's ability. I return 3 cards from my dropzone to my deck and gain 1 life.
Ion: Once again, Ageha cleans her dropzone.
Ageha: Forgiven's ability activates. I return one hand card and call a monster from my deck.
A massive divine monster is being summoned from the deck.
Ageha: It's too bad. But I thought you would be skilled. Time to deliver your judgment.
The monster calls himself. His form looks divine with many wings behind him.
Ageha: Supreme Guardian of Paradise, Avalon Utopia.
Avalon: Those who seek to invade paradise have committed a great sin and will be punished accordingly.
Ion: Wha wha wha what is that divine monster???
Garga & Hou Ren: Avalon !!!
Garga: A powerful deity that governs the land of Nirvana.
Hou Ren: I read about it in Guru's Ancient Texts. But evolved? No.
Ageha: Avalon has a critical of 2. When I have 3 or fewer cards in the dropzone, he gains 2 more. And when there's none, his attacks cannot be nullified when attacking alone.
Hou Ren: Okay. That's not so bad.
Ageha: And he also has penetrate and double attack.
Hou Ren: What?
Shiloh: Slayer Biblio will be useless. Oh No...
Ageha: Impartial Knight, Justlaw to the left. Attack the fighter.
Hou Ren's Life: 7 -> 6
Ageha: Avalon. Get Him.
Avalon: Those who invaded paradise will be punished. Seraphim Exorcism. Avalon fires many divine rays from behind.
Hou Ren's Life: 6 -> 2
Ion: Oh Dear. Hou Ren's in a pinch!!!
Ageha: This will end you. Avalon's double attack.
Avalon: Begone, child of preserving life.
Hou Ren: Shiloh. Lend me your strength. I cast. "Hou Ren & Shiloh, Yin & Yang"
All of a sudden, The pink yin & yang appear from below and alter both players' life points, and swap them. Everyone's surprised.
Ageha: What???
Ion: What just happened??? Their Life Points Switched.
Hou Ren: Yin & Yang doesn't only freeze spells. If the opponent's life is higher than mine, I can switch them.
Ion & Takokichi: Incredible!!!
Garga: Nice One.
Shiloh: (Glad) Hou Ren.
Avalon deals damage.
Ion: But Avalon still deals damage.
Ageha: (Defeats Alice) Damn it. My plan surely would have worked. Ah well. My turn is over.
Shiloh: Now it's Hou Ren's turn. Go get her.
Hou Ren: Draw. Charge and Draw. Christa to the left.
Christa: Surprise.
Hou Ren: I'm ending this now.
Ageha: Avalon, move to the center.
Hou Ren: Emma.
Emma: Right.
Ageha: Cast. Heaven's Shield. (Gains 1 life)
Emma: Double attack.
Ageha: Justlaw's ability. Avalon returns to my hand.
Hou Ren: Christa.
Ageha: Cast. The Shield of Justice will Never Shatter!
Ion: Incredible. Ageha keeps defending nonstop.
Hou Ren: Well played. Cast, Reset Button. (gain 4 gauge) I pay 2 gauge and call to the right.
Emma immediately wraps herself in pink and red clothing. Immediately, she emerged as Godcape Dragon.
Godcape: Tada.
Shiloh: Godcape !!!
Ion: UNBELIEVABLE. Emma just transformed into a Dragon.
Ageha: Wha....WHAT?
Hou Ren: Since Biblio has 4 soul cards, combined with Happiness Wonderland's 3 soul cards, Godcape has a critical of 10.
Ageha & Ion: 10 !?
Shiloh: Okay...he knows my deck too well.
Hou Ren: Godcape's attack cannot be nullified and she has penetrate.
Ageha: What???
Hou Ren: Godcape. Finish her.
Godcape: With pleasure. (Attacks) Dragon Breath...the End.
Ageha: Cast. Forgiven's Shield. I return 3 cards from my dropzone to my deck. If I have no cards in the dropzone, Emma's critical is reduced to 0.
Godcape & Hou Ren: WHAT?
Godcape's attack is a swing in a miss.
Hou Ren: Very well. You want me so bad? (Summons his wings) You got it.
Everyone's shocked.
Ion: WHA WHA WHA? SINCE WHEN HOU REN HAS WINGS???
Takokichi: My Jaw dropped.
Garga & Shiloh: Fly Hou Ren.
Hou Ren flaps his wings and flies to the sky. Wielding his sword, he swings in for one last assault.
Ageha: AHHH...TOO HYPE. TOO MUCH. TOO OUT OF THIS WORLD.
Ageha's flag is destroyed.
Ion: Game End. Winner. Hou Ren.
The Crowd cheers. Shiloh feels incredibly glad. Garga is impressed.
Ion: Spectacular. Hou Ren uses a different flag and defeats one of the rarest flags. Talk about a major mix-up. As a result, Hou Ren's points bump up big time. Ageha unfortunately is dead last..
Ageha: No...
Later outside the stage...
Ageha: Wahhhhh, I've lost. I'll get you soon enough. Just you (runs away) WAITTTTTTTTT.
As she runs away, Everyone else watches this awkwardly.
Hou Ren: What just happened?
Shiloh: Not sure...(grabs his hand) Anyways, you did it!!!
Hou Ren: Thanks, Shiloh. Actually, you're the real victor since it's your deck.
Shiloh: Yeah...okay, I'm quite tired. Let's head back.
Hou Ren: Sure.
The two went back to the hotel and felt scared and surprised to see a scary and angry-looking Mary right in front of the door. She crosses her arms and glances in anger.
Hou Ren: Uh....hey Mary, how you doing?
Mary: Do you know what time it is?
Hou Ren: Uh....5:01?
Mary: Exactly. You're late. You're supposed to be back by 5.
Hou Ren: WHA? NO FAIR. It's just one minute.
Mary: Even still...(Shows Tons of Ice Cream)
Hou Ren & Shiloh: (Afraid) Uh Oh...
Anime Ending: Gonna Be Right.
Hou Ren: The prelims are almost over and we still have a case to solve. Wait....Da Dan??? Next time, "R is for Revenge". Join us for a Buddyfight.
Story End.