(GS3) Field: Rijuku Park

[Jello]

Haruka takes the long route to the park, feeling a bit uneasy from the training session with TOMO-ZO the night before. His insides felt all turned and twisted. "Is that what being set ablaze is like?" Haruka had his scarf wrapped around neatly this time, keeping in the warmth. His body was pretty warm as usual, the inner heat still tingling in his chest and heart.

"Do you remember what we said?"

"We'll always stand back up." Haruka responded to Overlord, just like he requested. He wasn't going to silent treatment him anymore. No.

"You're my friend, and it's about time I treated you like one. Not just some voice in the head, huh...?" Haruka clenched his fists again. "My Vanguard... Okay. My Friend. Let's go."

Haruka set off around the area looking for anybody. He yelled and hollered for anybody he could find.

"Satoshi!!!!! Yukino!!!!!! Hana!!!!!! Helloooooo??!!!!"

He even started searching around the area. Haruka wouldn't it passed Satoshi to be sleeping on a bench or for Hana to be hiding somewhere after all this.

"Where are they..." Haruka was growing restless.

[Beryl]

The park was the first stop, and Satoshi was pleasantly surprised to find Haruka there, searching.

"Haruka! Great, I found you!" He ran up, hunching over to pant a bit. He had ran all the way over from the mansion, which was quite a distance away; he needed a moment to breathe. When he finished panting, he stood up to start talking, but noticed his expression, which immediately closed his mouth.

"...You know too, don't you," he said, after a moment of consideration.

[Jello]

Haruka turns around, seeing Satoshi. He immediately almost breaks into tears, running up to him. He instantly sprints up to him and hugs him. "What the fuck is going on dude... Yukino just up and disappeared last night and I couldn't even help Hana I just...." Haruka squeezes, shoving his head into Satoshi's shoulder. "I need your help." Haruka rarely asks for favors, let alone for real assistance on anything. But he had to trust Satoshi this time, at the very least.

"Where have you been anyways?" Haruka asks, resting his head on Satoshi's shoulder. Nothing really stands out of the ordinary to Haruka about the situation, however he feels as though this sudden embrace might be making Satoshi feel awkward. "Er, I'm uh- sorry..."

"You. You dork. Get off of him, would you?"

"Are you okay? Where were you last night?" Haruka asks, worriedly.

[Beryl]

Satoshi did feel a little awkward to see Haruka rubbing up on him a bit, but nevertheless, he pat him on the back gently.

"The Rift made a decisive move last night. Miss Yuki's been..driven off her path. And Hana's clan, Bermuda Triangle..." He stared off at the ground. "They're no more."

He turned slightly and put a hand on Haruka's shoulder. "I talked to Mr. Espoir. There's honestly not much we can do to help her, but Hana...I have a feeling getting Yuki back will be important to help Hana out, and maybe we'll get some answers we need. We need to find her. Where were you last?"

[Jello]

Haruka felt comforted by Satoshi. Despite the whole situation, he felt happy for a little. "They... I saw them last night. I was there. The fight between Yukino and, er, Jellal, I think his name was?" Haruka's memory of the night was vivid for once, but the name took a little while to recall. "Some Shadow Paladin player. He had a certain card... Phantom Blaster Overlord." The name stung on Haruka's tongue when he said it. But it also reminded him of something important.

"Satoshi, I need to show you something important." Haruka's disposition turns serious. He looks up to him, eyes flaring. "So I need you to fight me." Haruka was adamant about this. "We'll find her soon enough, I promise. But just, let me show you."

[Beryl]

"We don't have---" Satoshi was going to try to avoid it, but then he noticed something. Haruka felt...different. Perhaps there was more than just the fall of Alfred and Pacifica that happened last night...

"Alright, fine. One game. We'll see." He directed Haruka to a park table, where he laid out his mat.

<If you have something that can help, Haruka...this might change Mr. Espoir's predictions.>

[Cherry]

Like a geyser, an aura enveloped the queen and choked people that followed. An unfathomable bloodlust for power, marching for victims. A terrifying image of Blaster Dark himself searching endlessly, aimlessly. More than Blaster Blade, Yunos had completely synchronized with the soul of the Chosen Sword. Unable to find any more challenge in the underground, they simply wandered about the city. Yukino snarled, sword-eyes glancing about for a challenge. The scent of heat was in the air, a special kind of hot that only the famous Wind of the Apocalypse could bare. Hunting for the strong, the girl's nose led her to the park.

Before getting to him, however, Blaster Dark noticed a boy sleeping on the bench. Yami recognized him as the rude, Granblue playing pervert. After their first fight, she shrugged him off as weak. But in regionals, their overall score tied at 2-2. The time of vengeance was upon them, and the queen kicked the bench.

A growl was her vocal challenge.

[Nobody]

In the middle of the park, Shiki has been sleeping on a bench for a whole day, maybe even more, it was as if some magical power put him to sleep.. or he just sleeps alot, which is the true answer to this mystery. He wasn't really afraid of spending entire days out there vulnerable to thiefs, it's not like he had anything on his person anyways. Well, not counting his Vanguard deck but who would want that anyways.

Then, suddenly, a kick shook the bench and woke up him, he panicked a bit, preparing to fall onto the ground, but he didn't. Instead, he turned in the direction of the impact, and with his freshly-opened eyes he saw the white-haired stalker, he took his hand from underneath his head an lazily pointed at her, whispering "Y-You.." in a tired voice. Clearly, he didn't even fully woke up yet.

[Jello]

Haruka stood, covered in sweat from the inner heat in body suddenly rising to what felt like unbelievable heights. He was defeated, by Satoshi. The almighty powerful, Dragonic Overlord The End was nowhere in sight for his persona blast, despite getting the Crossride off. "Where are you... Overlord, don't let me down-" And yet he did. None of them showed. Haruka felt too weak. He wasn't able to control the power of the new Overlord. He dropped to his knees after the fight, seeing Satoshi stand over him felt overwhelming.

"Haruka. You're strong... Maybe not strong enough. Not yet." Satoshi helped Haruka off the ground. "However." He winks and puts out a thumb, "That was a great fight, nonetheless!" Haruka clenched his fists to let out his anger. He wanted to yell at his defeat. He felt as though he was just as weak as before. But instead, he smiled. His big toothy grin, where he shut his eyes and let his happiness flowed out was what appeared. "Yeah man, it was great." Haruka felt the fun of Cardfight!! Vanguard just now. He was no longer worried about his own strength. For a moment, he came to a realization.

Strength is not what saves people. It's the will to save, and acting upon it.

Haruka wiped the sweat from his forehead, as he chatted up with Satoshi. "Alright, let's find Yukino." His grin all but fading, he winked back. "Can't let your woman go without a fight, eh?"

"Haruka... I am sorry I could not hear your call. My reincarnation was not able to stand back up the way you desperately needed me too-"

"It's fine, Overlord. We tried. We aren't strong enough.. not yet. Give it time. We'll be in sync for sure." Haruka reassures his avatar.

[Cherry]

Another kick to the bench, he didn't seem to understand her animal-like provocation.

"Fight me", were the only words that came out of her mouth. There was no care for the boy's well-being, ignoring the fact that he wasn't even fully awake. She didn't care, she only looked for blood. The queen was prepared to bring him to the ground if he dared to escape. Simply keeping a leg at the ready to kick, and an intimidating glare to freeze him solid.

[Beryl]

Still giving him the thumbs-up and wink, Satoshi felt like his old self, at least for a fleeting moment. Having lost a considerable amount of fights to Yukino and others recently, this was an interesting turn, where he had sort of found himself and his deck again, despite the plants of Neo Nectar praising him every chance they could. It felt good.

"Right, then---" Satoshi made a short turn and saw her. The white-haired queen. Yukino Espoir. Right there. Kicking floor monkey---

Wait, why was floor monkey here? Sleeping on a bench? Was that his bench? It better have not been his bench.

Still...something felt wrong. A sinister aura was resonating from Yukino, and for the first time ever, Satoshi didn't just feel it; he saw it. A purple haze emanated over her body, as though she was possessed by something truly dark. That could only mean one thing.

Yukino had made a pact with a new clan. But not just any new clan. The Shadow Paladins.

He motioned to Haruka to walk over with him. This wasn't actually a time to interrupt, much as he would like to. It was a time...to observe.

[Jello]

Haruka leaned over Satoshi's shoulder, seeing Yukino. He wanted to call out to her, like he always had done. Softly, but if she had heard him, which she usually did, then he would approach her. It was kind of his thing. But this time, he couldn't. If he really wanted to call out to her, he'd say all too much and probably provoke her too.

Despite what he told Satoshi, the feelings lingered. Maybe he would simply ignore them. This was no time to be lovey-dovey when the person in this case, is currently under what feels like some dark presence.

"Right." Haruka whispered. They moved over to the side out-of-view, where the could watch the fight without being seen. "Well... Let's see what happens then."

[Cherry]

"I need more power", was the ending words given by the queen as the vile dictator broke through Shiki's last defense. A grand game that left the opponent on the verge of decking out, but she didn't care. Acknowledging his strength, the yearning for more skill - more might. Taking the Shadow Paladin deck off of the table, Yukino left Shiki to his devices. While apologize for labeling him a weakling, she sure didn't say sorry for the physical abuse. Never mind rudely waking him up. Walking away, the sinister aura only grew.

This lust for power finally led her back to her friends.

Yami - Blaster Dark gazed over at Haruka and Satoshi. "Kagero..." the synchronized two hissed.

[Beryl]

It was in her eyes. Purple swords. A lust for power. Things much unlike the Chosen Sword Satoshi once knew. Yukino was staring at the two of them, and her hiss called for Kagero. Haruka's Kagero. The champion with The End in his grasp. He knew that this was important, and it was the reason Yukino showed up in the first place. She felt the power and was drawn to it like a bug to a lantern. She craved it. She wanted it more than anything.

...But he knew he couldn't let her have it.

He stepped forward, assuming a more defensive stance of his friend. "Yukino Espoir...what the hell has happened to you?"

[Nobody]

This was probably the longest fight Shiki ever had, both players were at the verge of decking out with around 8 cards in their decks, it was also probably one of the more back and forth games too, that is untill a critical trigger and a lack of heals decided the outcome.

But well, he paid no mind and was still rather tired from the sudden wake up call, going back to his bench he attempted to fall asleep once again, ignoring the entire situation around him.