"I ride Imperial Daughter! (Grade 3|12000) Call two Farfalle Magus (Grade 1|8000), Silent Tom (Grade 2|9000) and Victorious Deer! (Grade 3|12000) I'm sorry Ryuuga, but this is the end game!"

Kaminari, still reading his book away from the fight, took at a quick look at the two players before focusing on his book again.

Ryuuga gulped and looked at Fujiko, his eyes filled with worry. "B-bring it!"

(Opening)

"Imperial Daughter's second skill. By soulblasting one card, one of my units gains 6000 during this turn! I choose Silent Tom. (15000>>21000) And I'll use the ability again and again... But not really. This skill is a skill that can only be used once per turn. I think that's pretty simple to understand. If a card has a pink rectangle with 1, a slash and the word 'turn' on that specific order on the skill, then the skil can only be used once per turn. Like I said, pretty simple, right?"

"Yeah..." Ryuuga looked at the cards on his field and the cards on his hand. 'So that means that skills like End's and Seifried's aren't once per turn... Maybe that can help me out if I survive this turn.'

"Now let me show you the real power of a Protect clan. Sure, we can't hit high numbers like Force clans or make multiple attacks like Accel clans, but if there's a thing we can do is that once the right turn comes around, we can end it all there. And I'm bringing the end game this turn. Victorious Deer's skill! I discard a hand card and soulblast two Grade 3 units as the cost." Fujiko revealed Promise Daughter from her hand and moved it into the drop zone before moving two cards from her vanguard's soul into the drop zone. "After paying this cost, I look at the top seven cards of my deck, reveal two critical triggers and..." She looked at the cards and revealed two copies of Oracle Guardian, Nike. "I put these two on the top of my deck while the remaining cards are shuffled into the bottom of my deck."

'S-she just assured a successful twin critical on her twin drive... Taking in account the power of units, and the power obtained from the two triggers, I-i may have a chance of survival!'

"But that's not all. After that, all my units gain 10000 power for this turn! (21000>>31000) (27000/2>>37000/2) (12000>>22000) (8000>>18000) (8000>>18000) (8000>>18000)"

"You're really planning on ending it here..." Ryuuga muttered. 'Chances of survival went from a horrible number into an even worse one! I-i can't do this... I'i can't survive this turn...'

Kaminari took a quick look at the players once again. 'She's been an undefeated queen for a reason. But even as a queen, she's the kindest member of the Royalty. A malicious king, a silent ace, an overprideful jack and a two-faced joker. From a group of five, she is the light that shines secretly due to being clouded by the darkness hidden on the hearts of the other four.' 

"Circle Magus boosts, Imperial Daughter attacks your vanguard! (37000/2>>55000/2)"

'If I don't guard this attack, I'll take four damage all at once... T-that's the best idea! In four damage checks, chances of getting a defensive trigger are bigger!' "No guard!"

"Bold move. Twin drive! (Oracle Guardian, Nike - Critical) Critical trigger! Critical to my vanguard and power to Victorious Deer! (22000>>32000) Second check! (Oracle Guardian, Nike - Critical) Another critical trigger! Critical to my vanguard, power to Silent Tom! (31000>>41000)"

'It's four damage, so getting at least a trigger won't be hard!' "Damage check! (Juggernaunt Maximum) No trigger! (Highspeed, Brakki) Again, no trigger! (Cheerful Lynx - Draw) I got it! A draw trigger! I give the power to my vanguard and draw one card! (13000>>23000) Final check! (General Seifried) No trigger here!"

"I get your idea. Taking four damage will raise chances of a defensive trigger appearing, which also increases chances of surviving this turn."

"Y-you saw through me like glass..." Ryuuga drew a card and looked at it. 'This card...' He looked back at Fujiko, his whole expression changing into a confident one. "Come!"

"So there's the confident side from before." Fujiko smiled before returning to her previous state. "But I'm not done yet! Farfalle Magus boosts, Victorious Deer attacks! (32000>>50000)"

"Brakki will intercept! Then, I guard with Sonic Breaker, Tailback and Brakki from hand! (53000)"

"You played well, but now Silent Tom will attack! And he brings a little surprise for his attack! When he attacks, you can't guard with normal units! (41000>>59000)"

"And I won't need to! I guard with Cheer Girl, Tiara! Two of them! (63000)"

"Eh, wasn't expecting you to actually survive that. Well done!"

"Thanks... I was l-lucky enough to draw Tiara with Cheerful Lynx..." Ryuuga looked at the few cards left in his hand. "But now I'm left with only two cards in hand..."

"This is the time for a comeback, not for being a crybaby!" Fujiko said with her usual smile. She wasn't trying to push Ryuuga down but instead, she was trying to cheer him up and make him embrace his confident side. "My turn is over."

Fujiko
Hand: 7
Damage: 3
XXX
XXX

Ryuuga
Hand: 2
Damage: 5
XXO
XOX

"Stand and draw." Ryuuga looked at the three cards in his hand. "I ride General Seifried again! (Grade 3|13000) Imaginary Gift, Force! To my empty front row circle! I call Treasured, Black Panther! (Grade 2|10000) He gains 10000 thanks to the Imaginary Gift! (10000>>20000) Funky gains 5000! (7000>>12000) General Seifried's skill! By paying one counterblast and putting a rear-guard into the soul, I superior call a unit with the same name from the deck!" He slided Wonder Boy into the soul and called one from the deck. "Then, both gain 10000! (13000>>23000) (8000>>18000) Wonder Boy's skill! I send Tiara to the bottom of the deck and he gains 5000 power! (18000>>23000) And, since Seifried's skill isn't once per turn, I'll use it as many times as I can!"

"You're going for the finale, aren't you?"

"You failed yours, so I'll just have to show you mine! General Seifried's skill again! On End! (8000>>18000) (23000>>33000) Force! (18000>>28000) Again on Funky! (7000>>17000) (33000>>43000) Again on Black Panther! (10000>>20000) (43000>>53000) Funky activates! (17000>>22000) One last time on Black Panther! (10000>>20000) (53000>>63000) Funky! (22000>>27000) Force! (20000>>30000) Wonder Boy boosts, End attacks the vanguard! (28000>>38000>>61000)"

"No guard! Damage check. (Imperial Daughter) No trigger!"

Ryuuga rested General Seifried, his eyes filled with confidence. "General Seifried, RECKLESS CHARGE!!! (63000)"

Fujiko looked at her hand and gritted her teeth. 'If I don't guard this attack, he will be able to stand a rear-guard and retire one of my rear-guards, most likely Tom. However, if I guard using my Protect Gift, I won't be able to guard Black Panther's attack. I can't rely on a Heal Trigger since Ryuuga is at five. My best chance is to guard this attack and hope he doesn't get a critical trigger.' "Using my Protect Gift, I nullify your attack!"

"Twin drive! (Funky Bazooka|Silence Joker - Critical) Critical trigger! All effects to Black Panther! (30000/1>>40000/2) Funky boosts, Black Panther attacks! I use his skill! By soulblasting one, he gains either 5000 or 15000 power, and I choose to give him 15000! (40000/2>>67000/2>>82000/2)"

'Over 80000 attack and a critical of two... I can't guard with my current hand. At this point I can just hope to get a miracle sixth damage heal.' "Damage check! (Victorious Deer) No trigger! Second check... (Silent Tom) Well, guess the game is yours."

"I did it... I really did it... I won a cardfight for the first time!! I feel like I can do anything..."

Fujiko chuckled. "I hope you had fun. And that you don't forget the rules again."

"I-i won't! I promise it!" Ryuuga rushed to pack his cards and got up. "T-thanks!" He rushed out of the store. 'I can do it... I can do it! Ryuzaki, today is the day I defeat you!'

"An interesting person. And a person who defeated the Queen on his first fight. Maybe you're getting soft." Kaminari commented.

"Oh, shut up. Try to have useful things to say instead of saying useless crap." Fujiko replied, packing her cards and returning to her seat behind the counter.

The front door of the shop opened and revealed a tall muscular man with tanned skin, a completly bald head except of a small curl of hair a bit above his forehead, a curly moustache and sunglasses. He wore a blue button shirt, dark pants and even darker shoes. "Hello."

"Manager! Where have you been? What was the idea on leaving that numbskull Kaminari taking care of the place?"

The man rubbed the back of his head. "Well, you hadn't arrived yet so... I had to improvise." He walked into the store and reached for an apron equal to Fujiko's and put it on. "Also, did you saw that kid rushing through the streets?"

"Actually, he left the store before you returned. His name is Ryuuga Sawada and he's a new player. Kinda shy and nervous but he's a good person. I can sense it."

"I smell new costumer." The manager said happily before placing a plastic bag on the counter. "Your sister is going to be working the night shift so I made her dinner. Mind delivering it when we close?"

"Sure thing!"

"I can do this, I can do this, I can do this!" Ryuuga said to himself as he walked up the counter of the Mikazuchi building. "I'm here to see Ryuza- Hey, you're not Mindy!"

The secretary looked at Ryuuga. She was different from the one who Ryuuga had met. This one was much younger, had shinning blonde her, sapphire blue eyes and had a smile on her face. "I'm Mindy's younger sister, Mina! She was sick today so I took her shift!"

"Wow, you sound... Positive... I never expected that from someone in the same fmaily as Mindy."

"I know, right? She's always so moody and cranky that people don't usually believe we are sisters! Ryuzaki thought I was adopted when he hired me. Anyway, he's on his office and informed me that seeing you around is a commun thing due to your dream! Good luck!"

"Thanks alot!" Ryuuga started heading to the elevator with a smile on his face. "Today, my dream comes through!"

Twenty minutes passed and as such, the fight between Ryuuga and Ryuzaki came to a finale.

"Dueling Dragon, ZANBAKU! Chains of a Forgotten Era!" Ryuuzaki chanted, switching his vanguard into a rested state.

"N-no guard..." Ryuuga flipped over the top card of his deck and placed it on his damage zone. "I lost again..."

"GG no re!" Ryuzaki replied with a large grin. "Wanna rematch?"

"Sure, but not today. I'm going to the hospital to visit my mother. I'll see you later!" Ryuuga packed his cards in a rush and left the office.

"He really has protagonist potential." The white haired said to himself before returning to his desk. He looked at the screen of his laptop and froze. "Shit shit shit shit shit..... Maybe if I get sneaky, I can avoid-" His sentence was cut off but a knock at his door.

"Mr. Mikazuchi, your wife is here to pick you up. She said it wouldn't matter if you tried to hide since she brought backup." Mina said from the other side of the door.

Ryuzaki looked down at his hands. 'The time has come... And she even got them to help her in this... I guess this is the payment for being an adult...' He slowly got up and walked towards the door. He grabbed the handle. 'It's time to embrace my fate as a real man.'

"She's going to kill me..." Fujiko said to herself as she walked through the hallways of a hospital. Her eyes shifted from right to left like if she was trying to find someone. Once she arrived at the waiting room, her eyes locked on a woman not very different from her. The woman was taller and obvious older but appearance wise, she wasn't very different from Fujiko.

The woman noticed Fujiko and waved. "Fujiko!"

In response, Fujiko smiled and approached the woman. "I'm sorry for taking so long. I couldn't find you in the cafeteria so I went looking. I brought you dinner!" She gave the woman the same plastic bag the store manager had given to her.

"Aww, thanks! You're the best younger sister ever!" The woman said, opening the bag and looking at it's content and smelling the familiar scent. "It reallys smells like Kamishiro's chicken parm..!"

"Well, that's because it is." Fujiko's smile changed into a smug. "Y'know Fumiko, you really have a great fiance. He owns a shop, he cooks you food. You should just make the big day this weekend."

Fumiko closed the bag, her face becoming redder than a pepper at her sister's words. "S-stop!! We'll get a date when we find the best one!"

"Better hurry up before you hit the age of the-" Before Fujiko could end her teasing comment, Fumiko covered her sister's mouth with her eyes burning with anger.

"I'm 20 at heart!" The older sibling replied, taking her hand away from Fujiko's mouth and pulling her into a thight hug. "Just worry about getting a boyfriend of your own and then we can talk."

'This is no fair. Why couldn't genetics make me have the same attributes as my sister!' Fujiko shouted in her mind.

"Now go home, it's getting late."

"Okay, okay." Fujiko turned around and noticed a familiar person walking towards the elevator. It was a person she had met today. It was Ryuuga. But with a tiny difference. He was wearing glasses and had red headphones on his head. "H-hey sis, do you know that boy with the headphones?"

"Actually, I do. His name is Ryuuga Sawada and his mother is on this hospital."

"Why though?"

"She worked as a scientist on a nucler power plant on the other side of the world. Some years ago, the power plant entered a meltdown state and one day, everything was falling apart. She survived but became traumatized. She's been here since then. Over the past few years, she started becoming much more stable. She'll eventually leave the hospital in no-time. Her son comes here almost everyday while her husband and younger son come here on the weekends."

"I see. Thanks for telling me that. I'll see you tomorrow, Fumiko!" Fujiko said, taking her leave from her sister's side and heading towards the same elevator as Ryuuga. "H-hey, Ryuuga."

The boy looked at Fujiko, his eyes filled with surprise. He turned down the music playing in the headphones and placed them around his neck. "Fujiko? What are you doing here?"

"I came to bring dinner to my sister. She works here."

"I see... Wait, your sister is Fumiko Abe?"

"Yeah! You know her?"

"I-i do! We usually talk when I come here."

"Eh, you might just spend more time with my sister than me."

"S-s-sorry!"

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding." Fujiko said with a small laugh. The two of them kept talking. They talked while waiting for the elevator, in the elevator and even when the elevator stopped on the correct floor. "So your dad is a giant Vanguard nerd?"

"Pretty much!"

"And you started playing Vanguard because of a deal you made with your boss?"

"Again, pretty much. I know that it isn't the most honourable reason to play but I can't let this chance go past me."

"I won't judge you. We all have our reasons. Anyway, see you tomorrow at school." Fujiko said as the two walked outside the hospital.

"Huh? You go to Heiwa too?"

"I do. If you're in the first year then we might just end up on the same class. Anyway, I need to get going. See you tomorrow."

"Goodby-" Ryuuga's words turned to nothing. He just froze. His whole body stopped by one of Fujiko's actions. She had her right hand on his left shoulder, but that was not what caused Ryuuga to freeze. 

"What's the matter, Ryuuga?" Fujiko asked, exactly ten seconds after Ryuuga freezing. "Never had a girl kissing your cheek?" She giggled and slapped his back. "See ya."

"B-b-bye..." He stood frozen there for a minute until a card stopped by his left. The front right window slow started opening, revealing a familiar face.

"Need a ride, protagonist?" Ryuzaki asked.

"R-r-ryuzaki? S-sure!" Ryuuga opened the back right door and entered the card. In the driver's seat, there was a black haired woman focused on the road and by Ryuuga's side, a muscular man with black haired and one that was blonde and nowhere near as muscular.

"This is my wife, Payic. She's the one driving for... Reasons..." Ryuzaki explained.

"Name's Maverick Ichinose and I'm Ryuzaki's brother from another mother!" The muscular man said.

"I'm Inu Blaze and unliked these three, I'm actually younger."

"So let me se if I got it right..." Ryuzaki pointed Maverick. "You're Maverick. And you're..." He pointed at Inu. "Iku, right?"

Inu froze on his seat. "Oh for god's sake, not this crap again! IT'S INU, GODDAMMIT! INU! I-N.U! EMPHASYS ON THE N!"

"We've been getting his name wrong for 27 years." Payic explained. "There was that one time where we called him Ikachu for a week."

"And then Raikuchu when he made 18." Ryuzaki added.

"I see! Ryuzaki, if I may ask, why were you at the hospital?" Ryuuga asked.

"Well... You'll know when you get to my age... That's all you need to know..."

Maverick whispered to Ryuuga the reason why, causing the two of them to start laughing.

"HEY STOP IT, IT'S NOT FUN!!!" Ryuzaki shouted from his seat as the car drove towards the sunset.

(Ending)

Ryuuga: Here's the preview!

On the the next chapter:

#3: The Real Hero

"Eh, we're in the same class as the Queen. This'll be fun."

"I-i don't get it... W-what's a Royalty..?"

"You beat the Queen but I'm on another whole level. Grab hold of your pants because this storm will blow everything away!"

"What are you talking about? The manager is the same age as my sister, they're both 24."

"Strive forward, perfect hero! Perfect Raizer, ride!"

----------------------------------------

Aijou: Soooooo the mighty Queen has a crush on the newbie?

Fujiko: Shut it, two face. I'm a nice person and unlike you, I have real friends.

Aijou: So the newbie is your friend? Whatever you say... No-boobs.

Fujiko: Why you- TWO FACE!

Aijou: NO-BOOBS!

Fujiko: TWO FACE!

Aijou: NO-BOOBS!

Fumiko: Show her who's the best, sister!

Ichigo: Don't lose against that scrub queen, you scrubby joker!

Why in the actual ass are there so many people on my Author's Note this week...?

Ryuzaki: *lays on a couch crying* THIS IS PURGATORY! 

Maverick: Man up, Ryuzaki! One day, you and me are going to force Iku to go through the same pain as us!

Inu: I'll be too far away- HEY IT'S INU!

Nah fam, one day you too will feel Ryuzaki's pain.

Inu: *squint*

Ryuuga: A.... A.... A....

A girl kissed you, get over it, ya cinnamon roll of a protag. How many people invaded the AN by now?

Hikaru: Pffff I dunno. Counting is hard.

oH FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!

Emon: I count 8.

Hikaru: 9 now!

Aight I'm gonna wrap this up before the cast of Z World jumps aboard the bandwagon that this AN has become!

Don't be a ghost reader, vote and comment if you enjoyed and I'll see you later. Bye bye!