"Kai??"

"Morikawa! Give me my card back!" Aichi shouted as soon as he saw the bully

Morikawa was shocked by Aichi' presence"Aichi!!!! W-what are you doing here?"

"Where's my card Morikawa??"Aichi questioned, avoiding the bully's question.

"I-i don't know what your talking about." he denied

"...*sigh* That's what they all say." I muster up all my courage to put up a simple smile. "Hi Morikawa!"

"HIME!!! "Morikawa's face went totally pale. "I'm totally innocent!! I never-"

"Where's Aichi's card??" I asked him directly to the point. Avoiding his frantic words.

"Um, excuse me. Is this the card you're talking about???" a yellow-haired guy blurted out.

I turned around to see what he's talking about, and Aichi did the same

"Yes!!! That's it!! Tha-" but before Aichi grabbed the card, the expressionless Kai snatched it away. A look of dismay changed the relief expression on his face "Please give it back."

"No way. This card is mine."Kai said coldly, not caring about what everyone thinks.

Aichi was speechless. And so was I "Wow, Kai is really cold just like Azami told me... Hmm? Have I seen his face before?" I shook my thoughts off my head "Focus Hime! You're here to help Aichi get his card back! Thinking of other things will not get you anywhere ."

After I frantically calmed myself down I noticed that everyone is speechless. My eyes noticed Morikawa looking worried and glanced at his friend, Izaki.

The tense atmosphere was broken by Kai, he suddenly stood up

"It's important that we respect the rules and regulations of a vanguard battle, don't you think?"Kai paused, and looked at Morikawa. "This guy bet me the card and lost." Morikawa heard those words and looked frustrated

"Well.... Can I have it?"Aichi asked full of hope.

But Kai didn't care likewise. "Sorry kid, when you lose a battle you've gotta fight back."

To our surprise, the blue-haired boy suddenly turned serious "Well then, why don't you fight for it!!??"

All of us were shock after hearing those words. When you think logically and think about it. A beginner and a famous cardfighter, fighting? Naturally you'd be even surprise that a beginner has the courage to fight.

But I Kai enjoyed the moment too much. "Hmph " his face turned into an evil smirk. " Okay kid, it's a deal." Kai answered

"Hold on! You can't fight him!"Morikawa shouted, interrupting the two of them

"Why not??" I shouted back. Why can't Aichi fight? Is he forbidden to fight? As I recall correctly, there was no rule saying that beginners can't fight.

"W-Well...." Morikawa stammered.

I smirked at his reactions. "Is he afraid of a girl?"

"Aichi never played vanguard! You don't even have a deck, right Aichi?" Morikawa said as he turned around and looked at Aichi.

"It's true that I've never played." That's what he said, but he started to grab something from his bag."But I build this deck just in case I ever get a chance to."

"Say what?" Morikawa said, as his eyes widened. Then I glared him. As if my eyes were saying 'shut up and sit down'

"Take a seat and get comfy." Kai ordered

As the two fighters got ready the yellow haired guy, the same age as Kai decided to say something. "Move along loser boy!" he teased.

"Why are you so excited?"Morikawa questioned

"This game!!!" I see a glimmer in his eyes "We're gonna witness a match between the best guy in the store and a guy that has never played before! This is gonna be hilarious "Miwa explained, with his cute smile.

I agree with him 100%, this will be an easy fight. "I'm guessing Kai will win this by a landslide." I suddenly noticed that my prey has let his guard down. I decided to inch towards him until he noticed me. He must've expected what would happened when he saw my frightening face

"H-hime! I-I swear!! I-I didn't do it, I mean I will never do it again!" but instead of listening to his pleas, I twisted and grabbed his ear, near to my mouth so I could give him a piece of my mind that only HE could hear.

"Listen here bud, the thing I hate most is bullying and you know that right?" I said, making my voice sound as frightening as possible.

Morikawa just nod his head up and down frantically.

"Good" I smiled. But then I was surprised when he sighed of relief. "Heh, I'm not finish with you, bully."

I decided to twist his ear harder "O-ow!!"

"The next time I see you mess again with other kids beside blue here, you won't see sunrise again. GOT IT?!"

Morikawa went white "Y-yes!!"

I finally let go of his eat, and started concentrating on the fight. I noticed that Aichi began to shake with fear. "Hmm... Kai must've done something at him again..."

"Since this is your first time I'm gonna explain the rules as we go on." Kai muttered, trying to sound a little concern

"Uh huh." Aichi nodded

Kai suddenly thought of something "Oh yah, you're not gonna stand a chance against me unless you have this Blaster Blade in your deck."

"Yes.... That's right." Aichi admitted

"So, you can have it, till I beat you, and take it back." Kai said as he threw the Blaster Blade card to Aichi's hands.

"Blaster Blade!! " his face was covered with complete joy. "Thank you.."

"That Blaster Blade must be precious to him...." I said inside my head "Just like the card that he used to give me."

"Hime is something wrong??" Morikawa asked

"No, nothing's wrong." I answered, covering the fact that I was little depressed

"So your name is Hime right?" the yellow haired guy asked me, trying to light up the mood

"Yah."

"Nice to meet you, my name is Miwa" he began to show his dazzling smile as he introduced himself

But I couldn't care less "Uh huh."

"So, you're Aichi's friend huh?"

"...I'm not sure. I don't really think of anyone as friends lately. People around me only care about appearances not even caring the quality of the person."

"Is that so? " a questioned face Miwa said "I just assumed that because, you know. You helped him get his card back from this bone head"

"Wha-?!"

But we both ignored Morikawa "...I guess you could say that..."

After that short conversation, both of us focused ourselves to the fight before us.

"Ok now first of all you need to find a card that has a zero at the upper right corner. And place it upside down at the Vanguard circle. "Kai began explaining

"Ok." Aichi did what Kai said

"Now imagine it. Our spirits have just been transported to the surface of a planet similar to earth, called Cray." Aichi nodded his head.

"Does such planet exist?" I asked myself, but at the same time, decided to do what the brown haired guy told... "Blue skies...Fresh air...colorful fragrant flowers."

"In this form, there are only two powers available to us. First of which, allows us to summon the monsters of this planet. The cards in you deck are your units. Call to them, but first we need to draw our starting hands, got all that??" Kai explained

"So confusing on so many levels. I should give my focus more to the game." I thought

Kai started drawing cards."The cards you draw can both attack and defend for you." He pointed at the 5 cards he got."These are your units."

Aichi did the same.

"Each card has its own grade and power. And the other abilities are on the card."

"Flogal...Epona... Wingal...and a Little sage Marron..."

"Then there is the second power of our spirit form. The power to ride is to possess one of our units."Kai explained

"Oh really...?"Morikawa whispered, as if it's the first time he heard this

"dude...-_-"

"The units we merge with are called Vanguards, you follow?"Kai asked Aichi

"A little bit. Man this is complicated." Even though I wasn't the one who asked, I answered Kai in my head.

"Vanguard means the one that leads the way." Kai added

"The vanguard....leads the way."Aichi said

"Now the objective of the game is to defeat your opponent by landing 6 successful attacks on their vanguards. The card in front of you is a grade 0 unit right?" Kai asked

"Yes."

"Ok, flip it over." Kai said, then he looked serious.

But what I didn't expect to see was the shy timid blue-haired boy to be full of courage and confidence.

"Ready? Stand up the vanguard!" Kai shouted as he flipped the card."Lizard runner undeux!"

"For me, stardust trumpeter, stand up!"

"Kai said something about imagining right?? Guess I have to do it." so I closed my eyes and tried to imagine a planet that is similar to earth. Kai's spirit changed into a lizard, and Aichi changed into a person with a trumpet. "...hope I'm not imagining that much."

"Our vanguards are ready for battle on planet cray. It will be easier for me to explain if I take the first turn okay?"

"Sure."

"First I draw a card. Now I can posses a unit one grade higher than the current one. To do this put your desired card at the top of your current Vanguard. I ride Emobodiment of armor, Bahr. At the same time, you can call units that has a lower or same grade. We call them rear-guards."

My eyes widened as I recall the word 'rear-guards' at the back of my head. "Rear-guards...Vanguard... I see, this is THAT game... I remember it now, this game used to give me a lot of joy....and a lot of pain"

" I have two units on my field, with this I attack!"

"...ok Kai is bluffing."  I whispered in my head.

"Although, the player that goes first can't do that on their first turn."

A sigh of relief escaped, Aichi's lips. "Phew"

"Heh, I remember the first time I played. I was so nervous that I couldn't keep the rules in my little head. And I kept on making mistakes."  After reminiscing the memories a smile formed on my face. 

"The downside of going first, it's your turn." Kai added

"Right." Aichi said.

"I draw."Aichi said " I ride little sage-."then he put the card on his vanguard circle."MARRON!!The-Then I call wingal too."

"This time, Aichi's cards on the field have multiplied. I hope it's worth it."

"Well, looks like we have 2 units in play. So are you attacking?" Kai asked

"I'll- I'll attack you!" Aichi said confidently

"Then do it. Turn your vanguard to signal the attacking."

"Then I attack your Bahr with my little sage marron.!"

"When your vanguard attacks, you can support it with your rear-guards."

"In that case I add wingal's power to marron's attack!."

"When your vanguard attacks, reveal the top card of your deck. And you check for a drive trigger."

Aichi draw a card, it was marron. So meaning no trigger for this turn.

"If it has no mark on the upper right corner put it to your hand." Kai said

Aichi revealed Marron to Kai. "My attack went through?"

"Uhuh."

Marron succesfully attacked Bahr. "I'll this damage from that hit." Kai draws a card from his deck and puts it in the damage zone.

"Aichi's smiling... Haha, yah, back then just a single attack made my day even though my win isn't secured yet."

"Now if you can deal me 5 more damage, my forces will vanish at the surface of the planet. That means I lose. Does it all make sense?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Well it's good to see you catching up with me. It's my turn, ride the Dragon Knight Nahalem! And I call Bahr."

"No more Mr.Nice kai." Miwa said

"Aichi doesn't stand a chance!" Morikawa teased and Izaki just laughed

"I attack Marron with Bahr.!!!!"

"Marron and Bahr have excact same power so-" Aichi said

"If the power is equal the attack goes through." Kai cutted in

"But if this attack goes through now, you may able to hit me again with Dragon Knight Nahalem afterwards." Aichi said "And i'll take 2 damage right?"

"Yes, but you can weaken your opponents power by defending the cards in your hand." Kai added

Aichi realized he can guard. "Then, I guard with the bringer of the good luck epona!"

"The number at the side of the card becomes your damage shield. Bahr's power isn't enough to break through."

"Ofcourse! ten thousand is higher than eight thousand." I said

"My attack has no effect but now your card that you use to guard must be put to the drop zone."

"Next I attack Marron with the Dragon knight Nahalem combined with the rear-guards power!"

"Woah that's pretty high."

"I dont guard." Aichi said

"Not like I need it but I'll check the drive trigger." Kai said as he draw a card and showed it to Aichi, but it has no trigger on it.

"So now that means Aichi has to put the top card into the damage zone."

"Okay now it's your move." Kai said

*We both have one damage each, alright.* Aichi said to himself "I ride the Knight of silence, Galatin. And also I call Marron and Flogal. I use Gallatin with the support from Wingal to attack Nahalem!"

Kai and Aichi both check the top of their decks and Kai put his at the damage zone.

"Next I attack with Marron with the support from flogal!"

"I cant let you do that." Kai said then he used one of his cards to guard Marrons attack. "Your attempt fails."

"Then I guess, that's the end of my turn." Aichi said looking dissapointed but it dissappeared quickly. *But I did cause one damage if I keep doing this maybe I'll win.*

"Hmph, why do you so relieve? Do you seriuosly think I'm gonna end it this way?" Kai interupted as he drew a card from his deck "Time for your final lesson." then after that called some units. "Picture it. The final assualt I'm about to begin."

"Oh no." I whispered

"First I attack Gallatin with Bahr."

"I GUARD WITH FLOGAL!"

"Pfft, then I attack your vanguard with the combined power of-"Kai continued

"Aichi is in big trouble......" I thought

"I can't guard that."

"That's right, and these two get bonus for supporting each other. An extra 4000 power!"

Aichi drew a card and put it in his damage zone. "Now we both have 2 damage, guess we're tied."

"Oh? Who said I'm finished attacking? I attack gallatin with Nahalem supported by aermo."

"Over 16 thousand!"

"Are you sure that's all?" Kai said then he drive check, a smile appeared on his face.

"This is not good."I thoguht

"Embodiment of spear, Tahr. But just look what's in the corner."

"Oh no! It has a trigger effect!" I whispered

"When this mark appears on the card you draw it gives a +5ooo thousand attack power. And it increases the damage by 1 point." Kai explained

"Then that means-"

"This one is gonna hit you for 2 damage! And once I get the lead I don't give up."

*Nahalem prepared his sword as Gallatin shivered in fear.Nahalem attacked Gallatin, and Gallatin was burned badly.* I imagined

"AAAAAAAAAAAH!!!" Aichi said as he fell of his chair. I guess he imagined also

"You okay man?" Morikawa asked as he tried to catch Aichi. While I looked at the 2 cards that landed in the damage zone.

"2 damage putting me in the total of 4." I heard Aichi whispered "this is bad."

"You were able to picture it I see. Witness true vanguard!!" Kai shouted

"Guess its all over." Miwa said

"...hmm..." I kept my mouth shut.

"Hmph, if it was me over there I could have made a cobmbat."

"For sure." Izaki said

" Oh really?" I said as I rolled my eyes. Miwa just luaghed

"It's your turn." Kai said

Aichi started his turn by drawing a card. *By the looks of it, he's in a pretty big trouble. 2 more damage and the game is over... Wait, he's thinking about something."

"What's the matter lost the will to fight?' Kai asked

Aichi shook his head, then he laughed.

"Aichi?" Morikawa said

"You're really amazing, just as I thought. But this is really fun."

" 'Just as I thought'? Meaning Aichi knows Kai's strength before this?"

"Do you know him or something?" Miwa asked

"I always hoped that one day I get the chance to fight you."Aichi replied

"So then you're Aichi... Sendou, right?"

"That's right Kai, and you gave me the power to stand me here today."Aichi said as he revealed Blaster Blade to Kai.

"I see."

"Lets go! ARISE MY AVATAR! RIDE! BLASTER BLADE!."

*wow he looked cool saying THAT.*