(NYC) Field: New York National Hall

[Cherry]

Ahmes and Yunos went with Tsubasa.

Yukino was visibly frustrated, but her best friend patted her on the back. Gazing up at him, she inquired on what they could actually do. They couldn't enter the space to face Neu, so moral support was all they could give. Ezel states that they cannot reach where the champions are headed from Cray alone. Perhaps there's something else that he and Garmore could look into. Vanishing from Earth, the lion went off to research with haste. The queen herself began thinking of how to assist the champions if unable to fight alongside them.

It'd be nice of this power of the Blacksmith was worth something right now...

... Actually, thinking about what could be conveyed, it was noted that her meaning of Vanguard was delivered to Tsubasa. Maybe that could do something.

[OverDrive]

Tsubasa had let go of all of his hesitation before the fights, all what could have possibly held him back from using the golden warriors to their full potential was tossed aside by his desire to save the sealed clans and restore what everyone had lost. Vanguard was something more than just a game, while it gave everyone enjoyment, it was a method for him to grow and become a better individual. He was sure that everyone here, including Neu, wanted to grow from the game, he wanted to assure that everyone no matter how insignificant or afraid that they were able to have that chance.

These games pushed Tsubasa to his limits, he had never faced a champion who was able to force his deck and vanguard to exceed who they were, ever since his games with Neu. Yukino was indeed a very worthy opponent no matter what the odds were she still pushed on, to develop and achieve her goals, calling Blaster Blade in his spirit form was a testemant to that.

"...I'm glad that I got the chance to fight you again Yukino, and don't worry I keep my promises, the clans will be returned no matter what, because this game is as important as you mentioned." he said. With that Yukino hands both Blasters to Tsubasa, and with his old avatar returned the young man marches towards the gates opened by Hana along with the other fighters.

Before entering the gate he stood next to Hana, "...Listen, I don't know if you were able to overcome your grief yet, but now that I remember everything, I promise to bring back your clan and all the clans, i'm sure all of the fighters are determined to do the same, maybe then...you'll be able to smile again." he said, as he turns back to everyone at the stage.

"We're here to help everyone, no matter what happens we will settle the conflict and bring back everyone's clans and what they have lost! That is what we the chosen fighters are here to accomplish!" he said as he began to turn back around and began heading towards the gate.

"As for me, I have to keep my promises, save the clans with everyone and show Neu what she's missing, we will do so together my paladins and comrades." he thoughts, as he entered his gate. "...I'll keep my promises, everyone."

Yukino Espoir +4 AP

[AlwaysAwake]

The young man had fallen asleep within the area, snacks and bottles lying around him as he awoke from his slumber only to notice the events transpire in the vicinity. Alexander was left with only the task of watching, the fights both an inspiration and yet also a heart wrenching display, one could feel the powerful emotions of Yukino almost like an Aura of sorts, in some base instinctual level he even felt sorry for her.

Though, the dramatic leave of Tsubasa and the others seemed to give a wave of assuranc, calming his anxiety from before. There was a reason the champions had been chosen from those few clans, for the people within then all were so radiant, good people that held the strength to form their ambition of saving the three sealed clans. And such a thirst for power welled up in the lad, balling up his fists as he tightened his grip around nothing, a small sigh following after as he realeases his frustrations for the moment.

For now he walked up to the stage near where the doors were spawned and simply took a seat on the floor, waiting for when the champions would come out, having glanced at the others shortly before setting an intense gaze at the magical gateways. At the very least wished to see the victors, and even commend them, even if they were total strangers. It was the least he could do as a fellow cardfighter right?

[Cipher Izanagi]

After losing to Neu, Seifer was returned here to where they entered. As the male reappeared in the light that bore him away from the space, he fell to one knee, shutting both eyes and gritting his teeth. As accepting as he was that he lost, he couldn't help the eventual tears that followed the sadness of losing the ability to try and fight for his friends and the clan he'd lost initially. It stung, like salt in a wound. Gritting his teeth more and shutting his eyes tighter, Seifer gripped the leg of his pants trying to keep himself from completely crying, though failed slightly, as tears streamed down his face and to the ground. He'd lost it all, and was now putting his faith in his friend and strangers alike.

[AlwaysAwake]

Alexander blinked as he eyed the stranger that plopped out of one of the doors. His hopes were held high for a moment but they sunk like a rock in water. Defeat, the champion failing when called upon, when victory was the most important result. That resut lay obvious at their reaction after coming out.

"You did your best, now you're left waiting then huh?" Speaking suddenly, a bit out of line and likely hurtful even if he didn't intend it so. A small pause following before speaking once more.

"I guess getting that far had merit in it though.... Though after fighting Tsubasa and seeing that Cero guy in action.. Things might be okay and all." Pausing on purpose this time as he would hop up and attempt to walk towards Seifer, his tone one of curiosity.

"Uh, who were you fighting exactly? On that note what's with the wole deal? I mean, if you feel like talking that is... Err... Want me to I don't know get you a snack or a drink to calm down?" The last question itself coming out rather awkwardly, at the very least he seemed bad at this comforting thing. Especially considering he's asking the teen after crying.

Maybe he should have asked one of the people in the arena that aren't bawling like the defeated gold paladin player and her companion. Though, they seemed to be more focused than he was on the waiting for comrades thing.

[Cipher Izanagi]

The crumpled male held up his hand to Alexander for a moment, asking him to be quiet. Sighing to himself Seifer stood, wiping his right eye on his wrist before fully looking at the person that had just addressed him, both eyes bloodshot. "It's fine.. I... we... We're supposed to fight a friend I guess you could say. As for the unsealing part I'm not entirely sure where to begin. Just... give me a few moments.." the male sighed out softly trying to gather his thoughts and composure again. He gave his all and fell short, and it's true, Cero and Tsubasa... The other champions were indeed there on the other side fighting to unseal the clans. He just had to have faith in their power.

"There were several clans sealed, all of which were held dear to certain cardfighters..." his hand tightened into a fist as his voice trailed off for a moment. Shaking his head, he looked back at Alexander. "Kagero... My clan, was one of them. I lost my friends, my comrades, that I'd made so many good memories with for the betterment of everyone apparently. A peace, I guess. That's about as much as I understood." the male glanced down again biting his lip before glancing first at Hana, who was still keeping the gates open, and then the other fighters forced to wait here. "Understandably, some people would or could be very angry with Neu... And yet, if you asked me, I'd answer I wasn't. I don't know how to explain my reasoning as to why, I'm just... not. I've no reason to be mad at her." he stayed quiet for a few moments again before looking over his shoulder at the doorways. Sure he couldn't go in anymore, but he could probably watch right?

"If you asked me... I'd say she was right in her own way. ...But everyone else, in their own way, are also right. Their feelings, thoughts, actions. All of it. Hmph... Sorry, I must sound like some delusional idiot rambling on after crying huh..." he spoke softly to the stranger who'd addressed him.

[AlwaysAwake]

Alexander stood silent as he watched Seifer regain his composure, eyeing him with sympathy evident in his appearance. He waited the whole time, listening for his response as all the words came out - a few moments passing as after everything was said he simply closed his eyes and nodded.

"Everyone is right and wrong in their own way." Speaking the words in a rather calm manner, more folowing after a slight pause.

"But even if that's the truth, and you're not mad at this friend you can still tell that what they're doing is wrong right? From the beginning anger wasn't going to be the right emotion to feel, but more so a want to undo their mistake.  Splitting people and their clans apart, messing with their memories... You can at least tell that's wrong. Less right than returning everything to normal at least." His composure as he said it indicated a certain truthfulness, he was being honest about his feelings on the manner. Though, he was likely speaking out of line as well, not having been through the same experiences as the Great Nature champion.

[Beryl]

In as two, returning as...only one. Satoshi rematerialized on Earth, curled in a closed ball. He had failed Neo Nectar. He had failed his friends.

He had failed his Vanguard.

Everything that had ever been said to him came back, all at once. Every word of encouragement with shades of irritation behind them, all the words of things being okay and the future looking bright...all of it stung, more than anything. He had gone in, confident that he could do something and help protect Cray as per his destiny. But he wasn't strong enough. He was blind to those who needed no protection. He was unwilling to let suffering stand as it was.

And in return, he was an empty shell of himself. A man without a clan. A former champion thrown into the bowels of an abyss without escape. A broken heart with no chance of mending.

The voice cooed in his head. I told you, boy. Who cares for your answer, or anyone's answer, if it's meaningless before true power?

At the same time, he realized that this is what Yukino had felt. And Haruka. And Hana. And all of those who had seen their former clans and felt lost without them. This was what they felt like. He almost wanted to laugh, but he could do anything but. This sort of pain not only prevented himself from being able to express what he wanted to feel, but he also just...couldn't. He tried to push his face into a sorrowful look, but there was nothing. He wanted to burn, hang, cease to exist. But none of it could come to his face.

Satoshi Kurosaki was now broken.

[Cipher Izanagi]

The male shrugged at the response, looking at Alexander from the corner of his eyes. "Yeah, you're right in what you say. And from a stand point of someone who's lost something precious to them, I agree. ...I partially believe that's why I didn't back down when I could of just as easily ran away." looking back at the gates for a moment, staring quietly. "Though ya'know... At the end there... I don't think I fully cared that I lost. I don't think I cared a lot about the unsealing of the clans. ...People might hate me for it, but I was just having fun fighting a friend at the best that we both could push out. ...Yeah, I'm kinda sore I lost... I wanted to bring back Overlord... Kagero... with my own hands. But the others can handle it from here." he smiled a bit laughing, starting off as a soft laughter before rolling into an almost delusional one. Regaining his composure slower than before though Seifer glanced over his shoulder at Alexander grinning. "Let's leave it up to the fate of the cards. I think the other f-" he stopped himself as another one of the champions reappeared.

It was... the Neo Nectar one? Seifer thought he remembered it right... In any case the male looked worse off than he did. Kneeling down next to Satoshi, not that Seifer knew his name, he placed a hand on the other male's shoulder. "Hey... Look, don't take it to hard... I lost well before you. Neu wiped the floor with me, so cheer up, yeah? ...We've still got the others to rely on. Try to cheer up. C'mon... Want me or... Uh... Name please?" he asked looking over his shoulder at Alexander again. This entire time he had no idea who he was talking to, and had just been speaking to a complete stranger. In any case, he turned his attention back to the Neo Nectar player removing his hand from the other's shoulder and placing it on his own knee. "Would you like either of us to go get you a drink? Or something to snack on while we wait?..." he tried to sound cheerful and give a smile, but he understood where the other had been, since he was somewhat like that a little bit prior.

[AlwaysAwake]

Blinked, taken aback by Seifers words and his reaction to his loss. Alexander had a small flame of anger flare up within him.

"You didn't care, huh." Seifer AP -1

Alexander was about to give him a piece of his mind, though he was stopped by the appearance of the broken Satoshi,  a small sigh given by him as he eyed the defeated warrior. "Two down out of five, huh..." He spoke out loud, eyeing both of them as Seifer tried to comfort him in a rather insensitive way. Of course he was not one to talk considering he might have been equally disrespectful as well.

"I'm Alexander. Nice to meet you, though under these circumstances it might not be the best time." He said in a bit of a apprehensive tone, a small forced laugh as he continued to glance at Satoshi from time to time. The look he had was one of a broken man, as if having lost a literal peace of themselves. The look of what it meant to have something torn away and not having the power to get it back.

"I don't know if telling him to cheer ups going to work out well..." Speaking after analyzing the Champion for a bit.

[Spectre Diamond]

Hikaru arrived in the middle of the conversation between Seifer and Alexander but chose not to speak at the moment as they discussed the unsealing of the clans and the champions. The mysterious voice had guided him to where the champions would confront Neu. Truly the title of champion was just that, a title. He didn't care if the fate of the world was in the hand of 5 cardfighters who presumably have the strength to defeat Neu. Will it be enough?

He knew he can't just sit around and do nothing but wait. He then saw Satoshi appear out of a portal as Seifer and Alexander quickly come to his aid.

[Beryl]

Satoshi didn't want anything to do with these two, but a memory arose that put him lost in thought. Amongst all the memories that made him suffer and feel all the more wanting to give up completely...the memory of him and Haruka, confronting a less pained, but still immensely so, Yukino flashed through his mind. The kindness the three had shown each other, budding a strong new friendship and helping to ease the pain together...while this loss was much more severe, it wasn't okay for him to flat out reject these two. They at least deserved to know.

He gripped the consoling one's leg with his hand, mostly in an effort to connect via touch, as he had done with the rest of the Triad before. While he didn't know him, or the other, who was calling the situation completely correctly, he decided to speak, after some thought, a waiver in his voice the whole time.

"I know you didn't ask for it, but...my name is Satoshi Kurosaki."

He then spilled everything, which also wasn't asked for.

He told them about growing up, finding out he could talk to cards. He talked about meeting the friends that he did in the city, Yukino and Haruka, and the hardships and triumphs the three of them went through together as the Triad of Hope. He talked about Yukino's success as Yugure, the Chosen Swordswoman, and how she managed to end the Dragon of Hell with the help of its champion, Jellal Kisaragi. He told them about the sealing of those clans, and how it was kept so long from the people of Earth; about meeting Neu, and many others, and learning of his way of Vanguard. Of fusing with Sephirot and breaking through his normal limits.

He shook his head, still sheltered in his legs as he maintained a grip on the guy adjacent to him. "This is going to sound super-selfish, but I now understand what those two felt." He jerked a thumb at Yukino and Haruka before replacing his hand on the leg. "They both lost half their heart, their soul, their very being."

He gripped the leg tighter. "The only difference this time is that unlike those two, I've got nothing to hold onto. When they lost Royal Paladins and Kagero, they at least had their avatars in Gold Paladin to help them through the struggle and even bond. I never lost what they lost, so I wasn't able to truly connect with this feeling of loss until now. But instead of having some spirit waiting to console me...it's dead quiet in my brain."

He said that last statement with a bit of disgust, because in his pain, he had chosen to commit the one sin he despised above anything else. He lied. It wasn't quiet in his brain at all; the voice that mocked his attempts to fight for his friends was still ever-present, telling him his destiny was a ruse as he continued.

"I don't really need anything to tide me over, but if there's one thing you two can do for me...get them to come over." He jerked his head this time at Yukino and Haruka. "I've needed to talk to them for a long time, and there's no reason anymore for any of us to keep putting it off."

[Cipher Izanagi]

"I mean yeah, I didn't care. I think you're taking it the wrong way though. ...Not that long ago I was super angry about losing Kagero and the clans being sealed. When I finally found out about it, I won't lie... I wanted to take vengeance on the one that did it. But when I met her, she let me use my old clan against her. I realized something from it though. ...If there's a chance to have them unsealed by anyone, even if I can't do it... Should I really let myself stay down? Should I just ignore having fun with the hand I'm dealt? ...Am I always supposed to have a grim, angry outlook on everything?" he asked seriously. He wasn't angry with Alexander. He even said himself he probably would get some form of hate. "Let me ask you something Alexander... Right? Did you lose something? Do understand how it is to have something that dear to you taken away, and then lose the ability to fight for it?" he asked again, directed at Alexander once more as he looked back at Satoshi. "Getting upset is fine. Breaking down and crying is fine to. But in the end is it really worth it? Is it worth getting really angry over?" Seifer shut his eyes standing and putting his hands into his pockets. "Don't get me wrong. I'm upset about it all. But I'm here now. I knew when I lost this was going to happen. I'm here, powerless with no ability to go back and help. I CARE about the clans. I CARE that they were sealed and I CARE that other people were hurt. But I don't care that I lost. There's no reason to. I let down and lost Great Nature through my inability to push past Neu to unlock my clan, and others that were sealed away. My friend's clans were sealed. And I couldn't help them out." he sighed looking back at the door again. "I don't care I lost, because I trust the others that come after me." he finished, his eyelids shutting halfway.

At the reaction of Satoshi however, Seifer glanced back down and listened quietly, taking it all in. He didn't mind that he was speaking, spilling what was on his mind. "It's alright. I know it probably sounds hollow, but trust the other three at the very least. ...I just lost Leopald and Great Nature as well so I know what you're feeling... And yeah... Hold on, I'll go get them for you." he promised Satoshi, lightly pulling his leg free from his grasp and walking over to Yukino and Haruka, both his eyes shut halfway. "I know we've never met before but, as a favor, if you didn't hear him speak... I'd like to ask the both of you to go talk to Satoshi. He apparently knows the both of you... So I think he needs you two really bad right now." he gave a faint sorrowful smile before turning on his heel and walking toward the doors again, if for no reason other than to just wait quietly for the return of the other champions, in whom he held the utmost faith in.

[Jello]

One of the champions, the Great Nature one presumably approached him. Yukino had recently joined Haruka in watching the fights happen as champions rose and fell to Neu's power. Haruka was complacent, knowing that Tsubasa, Cero and Jellal, champions of clans with evolutions will have a standing chance against her.

As the guy approached him, he saw the boy as he spoke up. Haruka listened intently, and stood over the railing, looking back to him.

"You must be the Great Nature champion." Haruka tilted his head. He never saw the guy before today, as far as he could remember. But he seemed strong at the least.

Oh, right, Satoshi.

Haruka turned to Yukino and nodded and proceeding to descend the side stairs to the stage front and to the now somewhat broken Satoshi. He had apparently lost something... His friend was currently lost now as well.

He stood up, above Satoshi. He breathed in, and then out. Haruka knelt down to meet eye level with Satoshi. He wanted to open his mouth to offer consoling words but he wasn't very good at that. Not really, anyways. Instead he simply stuck out his hand. Not sure for what. A shake maybe? Just a sign of understanding, most likely.

[AlwaysAwake]

He nodded, finally understanding where Seifer was coming from, glad that he had cleared that misunderstanding. For a second he almost thought of Seifer as a rather villanous character! Though all he gave was a "Mhm alright." As a response mostly due to not having much else to say on the matter. +1 AP Seifer

Then, Satoshi began to speak as he kept his ears to the other young mans words. Listening intently though he would blink out of disbelief from time to time, such a grand adventure that he and others that had gone through catching him off guard. Alexander having to extend his limit of disbelief between real and unreal, mumbling sometimes inbetween Satoshis' words as if repeating them to himself to cement their reality. At the end of it all he stood there, silently. Eyeing Satoshi with a mix of empathy and amazement, belief battling disbelief. Though in the end belief had won, and why shouldn't it have? The sealed clans and the memories of so many, the portals which had sprung up out of thin air. Quite the number of odd happenings had been perpetrating the whole time and even if it was hard to swallow it looked like Satoshi was at the very least telling nothing but the truth.

"That's... Wow." Were the words he spoke, though trying to quickly adjust to all the new information. Cray was real, the units were real, and the situation they found themselves in being the most real thing at this very moment.

"Alright Satoshi, I believe you." Speaking these words as Seifer took the initiative and walked by to go get the two people Satoshi asked for, Alexander remaining nearby and taking a seat near the crouched Champion. Haruka appearing soon after as he slid back a bit to give the friends more space, a wish to not get in their way. Blinking at Harukas action, a bit uncertain of what was going on. "Huh." Was the sound he gave as he watched the two, giving a tiny irresolute wave to Haruka if he paid Alexander any mind to tilt his head and look at him.

Satoshi AP +2