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Last time in the AVCV

Azami and Ayumi just got in the infirmary. "Wh-where are they?!"

Kamui and Misaki were stunned and it was Emi who answered.

"Aichi's inside. But... Kai and Hime."

"What about them?"

"They left the team..."

Azami and Ayumi looked at each other.

we were too late

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Azami and Ayumi went home.

"One-san!?" Ayumi called as soon as she reached home.

No answer.

"Not this again!" she angrily slammed her fists in the floor.

"Ayumi!"  Azami rushed to her but she was stopped.

"Stay back!!" tears slowly drop down. "I wasn't able to save her!" she slamed her fists once more. "This time we knew it was coming!" slammed again. "But I couldn't save her, again!!" slammed again.

Azami don't know what to do but instead she hugged Ayumi. "Shh." she slowly pats the head of the crying child. "It's ok."

She continued to sob. Not stopping at all.The blood from her hand slowly flows out.

The pat continues. "Good thing I stopped her. If I haven't maybe her bones will-" Azami doesn't want to think about it.

"Azami-chan....I couldn't save her...." Ayumi's voice was filled with sobs.

"We will save her this time. And we will be on time...I promise. "

Ayumi's hug tightened as she slowly drifted away in sleep.

Oh haven't I told you? They were searching Hime in the rain. They didn't even bother to bring an umbrella.The cold went down to their bodies, they virus of cold was maybe already in their insides. But that didn't stop them. Knowing that their Bestfriend/Sister was out their, that's what they kept them going.

But they weren't the only ones looking in the rain.

The shoes of Kamui that created a sound as he stepped on the puddles echoed in the rain. He kept running and running in search of his brother. And since he has no leads he decided to stop in the card capital. He was soaking wet when he entered.

Shin looked surprised. "Kamui-kun!"

"Aichi ni-san didn't showed up today? " Kamui was out of breath

Misaki looked out from the counter. "No, we haven't seen him since regionals..."

"Then he's still upset about Kai and Hime's disappearance.

"We haven't seen the two of them either."

"Even from Azami and Ayumi?"

Misaki shook her head. "No... They searched for Hime too, but it only caused more trouble."

"What do you mean?

"Ayumi has a cold now."

"What!?"

Despair is in the air.

'''

People...Rain...cold...spash...wet...umbrellas...dark clouds...

Hime's vision was fillled with those things. She can't do anything but instead walk into nowhere. She was walking since regionals. She seperated ways with Kai after they both left the building. Since then she kept on booking hotels and she doesn't even bother coming home.

The loud rain filled her ears.

She doesn't even know why she was walking in the first place. A destination is not in her mind either. She just walks and walks nonstop.

Remember no umbrella. her head was only filled with Aichi. 

"I'm stronger now!"

"Are you scared to fight me?"

She stopped as soon as she doesn't feel any rain on her head. Then she looked up. "Why...What did I do wrong... Why is this thing happening again?"

Then that same sensation passed by."Huh..?"

When she looked at some random direction- "Psy..?How the hell...did i end up here?"

'''

Ayia was cleaning the fighting table "I hope we get costumers today! I cleaned this table nice and shiny."

"It's always shiny Ayia!" rekka rolled her eyes. then she looked at Suiko's tablet "Oh! Ayia we've got costumer!"

"Really!!"

"it's that user..."

"Aichi?"

"You know, the girl?"

"Oh you mean Hime?"

Kourin also started to watch with them. " She already entered..." then noticed something else. "hey, another one is coming."

"Woaaah! We've got a lot of costumers today!"

'''

Hime looked around "This is where Aichi had his first headache, maybe back then if  I realized I would have-"

"Hime -chan?"

Hime turned around, time seemed to have stopped. she knew that voice anywhere. From the happy to the sad times. She would recognize it right away, because it's always mixed with worry. A unique worry that puts others above before himself.

"Aichi." Hime wasn't expecting to see him this soon.

Both of them didn't speak one word.

Hime missed him these past few days, and yet. The pain he brings was least of her problems. Questions filled her head. " Why is he soaking wet...." It hurts to see him in pain, it hurts to see him sad. Hime wanted to hug him, to comfort him with all her might. His presence was enough to bring her tears.

Aichi was thinking and feelings the same. It's been long since he saw that pink hair, since he heard that voice. That voice that once cheered him at times that he was down. And that smile, the smile that disappeared long ago. He couldn't keep it, he wants to talk to her. "Hime-chan-"

But before he could say another word Kourin and Rekka walked in. "Welcome!"

"Are you looking for some cards?"

Cards were the least of their problems."N-no.."both of them said

The other 2 could feel the air and looked at each other confused. "What's wrong with you two. Your team just won the regionals!"

"You two should smile!"then Rekka smiled at her brightest. 

Hime and Aichi couldn't do that. After what happened, that event at the regionals where Aichi displayed his power. They couldn't possibly smile.

But Aichi has a question that stayed on his mind. He needed opinions. "Uhm... Can you tell me! Was I really strong."

The moment he said strong, the voice rung in Hime's ears. 

"Was I really weak? Or are you just saying that because you're afraid of my strong ability."

Kourin and Rekka didn't seem to noticed so they answered purely. "Ofcourse."

"Your game was thrilling to watch."Rekka added.

"No..."Hime couldn't keep the thought to herself anymore. She hid her eyes and held her shaking arms. "You were not strong Aichi."

"Why Hime!?"the blood inside Aichi went hot. "Why do you keep saying that?! And not only you, but also Kai..."

Then another voice echoed in the shop, something sinister and pure evil. "You need to become stronger."

All of them looked at the source of the voice. 

It was Ren. 

The two users immediately felt it. The light power that passed them.

Kourin was shocked at his arrival "Ren Suzugamori!"

Ren's smile didn't leave"Do that and Kai will appear before you. "he looked at Hime. "And maybe she will also appreciate your ability."

Aichi had this strange thought. "Could it be....Could it be him? The reason why I went to this shop?"

Even Suiko and Ayia were surprised. "How..."

"Why is he here?"

Rekka was so happy."Wow!! The three users are gathered here!!"

Kourin kept her cool "What do you want?"

"That's a cold attitude towards your precious customers like us. " Ren started walking towards Aichi. "I came here today because I had a hunch something great would happen. Long time no see Aichi Sendou."

Hime's feeling started to get worse. "He's planning something" 

Aichi was just surprised he didn't know what to say.

"While you were fighting you felt that presence too right? That peculiar sensation like the cards were calling to you. "

"Eh! How did you know?"

"You've awakened that power because you grew stronger Aichi.  The same reason why me and that girl over there has the same power. "

Aichi couldn't believe it. Hime was feeling the same presence!? "Hime-san?"

"You're wrong."Hime looked at Ren in the eyes. "It's not just a power. It also a curse."

Ren laughed. "You're just weak."

"I meant it Ren. A curse that let's you get drunk on power. A curse that blinds you to see what's important."then he looked at Aichi. "A curse....that let's you destroy your friends."

Aichi felt fear . Nothing is more important than his friends, and to destroy means...

"Don't listen to him Aichi. "his thoughts were cut off by Ren's voice. "If it is a curse, then why do I keep on winning? The reason I have those winning streaks is because of this power. Little princess there is just weak, and hasn't experienced the power at it's best. "he looked at Aichi again, convincing this boy is worth his time. "But you. You can make it bloom at it's best. "he leaned forward. "And by then Kai would fight you, don't you think? "

All of Hime's words died in Aichi's mind. As soon as he heard Kai, that became his priority. "H-how can I become stronger."

"Aichi!"Hime shouted. She's losing him.

Ren presented a deck. "I'm giving you a present. If you use this your power will expand more. "Ren revealed a card.

All of them knew what it is. It was Kourin who said it's name. "Shadow Paladin..."

Aichi looked at the Blaster Dark in Ren's hands. Then with a blink of an eye, he was at cray again. Blaster Dark was in front of him, and with a sway of his sword!

"AAH!"Aichi stepped back, panting.

"You felt it to right?"Ren smiled. "The overwhelming strength of this deck. "

"What is that deck?"

Hime answered that question. "Shadow Paladin... A deck where it sacrifices allies to get even stronger. " Hime remembered the past. "A complete opposite of our Royal Paladin deck. "

"Heh, you know so few Hime. Considering that you used to play this deck. "

The others were shocked by the revelation.  "Hime used to-"

"That was a mistake. A mistake to use, a mistake to play."She looked at Aichi. "Aichi, don't use that deck, it doesn't make you stronger!"

"Don't listen to her Aichi. Hime failed to see the true power of the shadow paladin."

Aichi is now confused. He wanted to believe Hime, but at the same time....

Ren knew just what to say."You want to fight Kai right?"

That got Aichi's attention.

"IMAGE IT!!!"

The three of them were on planet cray once more. "You were weak, and now you're strong."

Hime knew it's near. "Aichi!!"

But both of them didn't hear a thing. 

"If you want to fight Kai, if you want to get even stronger. Take this deck and it will grant you power."

Aichi's head is now filled with nothing but hunger for power, hunger to fight Kai. Hime's voice drowned and his desire took over. His hand slowly moved closer to the dark deck. 

A nightmare was already unraveling in front of Hime's eyes, as Aichi dropped his royal paladin cards one by one. 

And then, he finally touched it.

Hime saw Blaster Blade, lying on the floor. She was afraid to look what's in front of her, afraid to accept, to see. 

Dark light appear all over the shopped, being emmited by the shadow paladin deck. 

Too late...

Hime was already too late. The Aichi she knew, the gentle Aichi she knew....

"T-that's the card!! "

"Then fight me for it!"

"Stand up my avatar! I ride! Blaster Blade!!"

"Thanks Hime-san!!!"

she wanted to curse that power. That power that made her blind back then, that power that made her drunk on getting stronger. That cursed power that made her lose so many special friends. Tears finally appeared... "Not Aichi... AICHI!!"

"Ren was right Hime-san..."an evil face met Hime's gaze. "You fail to see the overwhelming strength of this power!!!!!"he looked at his deck once more. "With this I will not lose to anyone..."then he smirked at Hime. "Not even you nor Kai. "

The evil he emitted was so powerful Hime started to shake

And then her feet led her outside Psy.

She kept on running, running away from that horrible scene, from that horrible shop.Then her memories kept on flowing...

"Did you see where Morikawa went?"

Aichi turned red"I-is something funny?!"

"Idiot..." she ran and ran, not even looking at the people in front of her.

"God of Knights, appear before us and master your mystical power! I ride!! Soul Saver Dragon!!!"

"I promise Hime-san! I'm gonna get stronger!!" 

"Idiot...!"

"A-azami said that I should wake you up so-" 

"FINAL TURN!!"

"IDIOT!!!"Hiime turned to a dark corner and let the wall support her weight. She couldn't stop the tears and the frustration inside her."Why... Why didn't you listen to me. "she slide down, and hugged her knees. "Aichi... Why did you let yourself get drunk on that power ."then she hid her face. "No more.. No more Vanguard Hime. " she let herself get sucked in the darkness

Then a warm feeling enveloped her. "My Vanguard..." 

Hime looked up and saw- "Arrow..."

"My vanguard... What are you doing here? "

"Aichi...he.."she couldn't say another word. It was too much for her to bear.

"You can save him once more my Vanguard." the unit suggested.

"NO! I REFUSE TO PLAY VANGUARD EVER AGAIN!"

Arrow know that her master is unstable and that there is no use of talking to her... But- "Why don't you look at here my vanguard."

Hime wondered what her avatar is talking about. Then images appeared, her eyes widened.

It was back then when Ayumi, Azami, and Hinagiku were trying to help here get out of the cursed power. Ayumi was running in the rain with Azama and HInagiku was talking with Ayia. 

Then another screen showed Hinagiku fighting countless of cardfighters. 

Then that moment, when HInagiku landed the victory attack on Hime.

"Your friends didn't give up on you my vanguard."the images vanished.

Hime smiled at those memories."They didn't, did they?"

"Hinagiku-san did her part."Arrow smiled. "Now it's your turn to help Aichi..."

Then cray disappeared.

Hime clutched the necklace in her hands. "I will..." she remembered the bright smile he always gave to her. 

She decided to return to cardshop psy. Somewhere in the shop, a card was glowing helplessly. Calling for his lost Vanguard. Blaster Blade was desperate to find his avatar."Aichi..."

Hime looked at the scattered cards. And picked up Blaster Blade first. "Blaster Blade." then she looked at the direction on where Aichi's in..."Aichi...."

"I'll find some way to save you. I swear!"  

~To be continued~