(S1) EVENT FIELD: Hoshiko Shopping District (Midnight)

[Hope]

Everyone has gone home and the streets are empty, save for a few passerby's.

Field Status

Jellal Kisaragi with his newfound power awaits Yukino, "The Chosen Sword" and Hana, "Cray's Vanguard."
A confrontation is about to take place, determining the fate of Cray.
Jellal and Yukino's initial meeting was in this same place, but it is here that they will say their goodbyes.

[Kisaragi Zane]

In an instant, Jellal returned back to what seemed to be his reality. He took a deep breath, checking out the surroundings. It was the middle  of the night. He reached into his pocket and grabbing his cellphone: 12:00 AM. "I knew that one idiot couldn't tell time." he said to himself, relieved that it wasn't 2AM. As he closed the phone, and slid it into his back pocket, his eyes widened in shock to discover something already there. He let go of the phone and picked up the other object: 4 Vanguard cardss. Turning them over, it was the unit he came into contact with: Phantom Blaster Overlord. "Riiiight..." he grabbed his deck case, slowly removing the deck and turning it over. As he exchanged the cards in his deck, he could only think about what he had to do. Fight Royal Paladin, Kagero, and Bermuda Triangle. He wasn't sure, how he was gonna fight Kagero but he knew his best option for the other two clans were to fight Hikari and Hana, as both of them were sisters, they'd always be with each other. "Regardless, I have to win." he said, while still shifting through the cards under the midnight sky.

[Cherry]

The call of destiny... echoes again.

Time froze, Yukino's gaze met Jellal. An indescribable gravity pulled these two together, and Hikari was entirely aware of it. That this had to come next. Finally putting together an answer, the queen fixated her glare toward him. A fierce readiness on her face, she finally spoke: "Jellal..." Her tone was distant, but calling, yearning to prove his ideals wrong. After today, understanding what could give one the power to triumph through Vanguard, it was his turn to learn. Handing her bag of things to Hana, it was replaced with her Royal Paladin deck.

"Yunos..." Blaster Blade softly spoke to himself.

[Kisaragi Zane]

Hearing the serene grace of his name being said, Jellal turned to the direction it came from. He saw the white haired Hikari, her expression was confused as to what Jellal was doing, here, at a time like this. He stepped from the shadows slowly, revealing himself. His blonde frontal part of his hair was glowing from the light of moon. His eyes met with hers, as they stood in utter silence for the moment.

"Hm.." he lifted up his hand, revealing his deck. Positioning his thumb at the bottom, while his index and middle fingers were placed at the top of the stack, he aimed his deck at her.

"You and I have a score to settle."

[Hope]

Hana looked at the scene between Jellal and Yukino, it held ferocious intensity.This was on Earth. She closed her eyes and then  she was taken to Planet Cray, along side Pacifica she overlooked the battle. The two Paladins stood against one another in opposing sides. The Royal Paladin, led Blaster Blade and King of Knights Alfred against their foil. The Shadow Paladins had recently been overtaken by a strange force, the enemy, the rift. Hana saw as they stood alongside the very enemy that they had, until recently, sworn to fight off along side everyone else. The Shadow Paladin, led by Blaster Dark and a the hellish dragon which hid in the foggy darkness now stood as traitors to Cray.

"We cannot stop it for this is fate Hime-sama... we can't do anything but observe." Pacifica let out a smile towards her Vanguard, the rest of the Bermuda Triangle also comforted her, as they knew that this was causing her a great deal of distress... of worry for her own sister's behalf. The battle on Cray was about to begin, the two armies ready to charge and fight an all-out war. The princess stood and watched the battle take place on both Cray and Earth.

[Cherry]

Shoot Towards the Decisive Battle

Ahmes and Yunos - Courage and Resolution stared down one another on Cray. The green-eyed monster of envy glared at the white knight with a hatred more immense than the history of two nations. Unease filled the swordsman of light's heart, but at the same time, the desire to fulfill his duty. The long-running civil war between Royal and Shadow would finally have its decisive showdown, and only one of them will stand atop the summit of the Sanctuary. The looming storm that endangered the planet was completely cleared from their minds, only "protect the sanctuary and stop the terrorists" along with "destroy the light, and encroach the sanctuary in darkness".

Their human Vanguard - the Chosen Sword came to terms with accepting that this had to happen with a fight. There was no other way to convey their feelings to one another.

"Yes we do", the woman responded to the "score". Luckily, a table was outside for them to use nearby. Placing her deck down on one side, she took a deep breath... "I will crush the methods used to carry on your ambitions."

The opening fanfare sounded by Stardust and Darkside Trumpeter rang throughout Cray.

[Kisaragi Zane]

It was done. Jellal with the power of his new Phantom Blaster defeated the Royal Paladins. He started to collapse on the table, being overwhelmed by the emotion and power surging through that entire fight. Both had given it their all, however, the Shadow triumphed the Light. Jellal, breathing heavily, was lost in the amount of power that he had attained.

"I did it! I actually... did it!" He looked over to see the defeated Hikari. He was saddened at first, but he knew she was standing in his way and he needed to continue on to fulfill his destiny. Her efforts weren't in vain though, he understood that just maybe he was in the wrong and that there were alternatives to it, however, it was an order: it needed to be carried out. For saving Aqua Force and to atone for his weakness long ago that caused him to lose 'his past'. Still staring at the white haired Hikari, Jellal wanted to say something to comfort her, but he didn't know what to say. He stood up in silence under his heavy breathing, looking at his cards. For the first time, he felt unstoppable as a shadowy outline of Phantom Blaster Overlord surrounded him in the moonlight.

"One down. Two to go..."

[Cherry]

Proof Discovered at the end of Sadness

Just as before with Regional qualifiers... words failed her. Again... she failed, but this was worse. This wasn't something to accomplish because of her Espoir blood, not due to being the Chosen Sword. No... this failure was a failure of a personal decision. Yearning, trying so hard to discover an answer to persuade Jellal. After finally finding it among friends, her deflating ego, and realizing Vanguard was not a tool to justify one's end... it was still not enough. Tears rolled down the cheeks of a fallen hero, despair choking her heart. There was still so much she wanted to say... so much to try... but there was nothing.

Hikari was simply powerless.

The appearance of Phantom Blaster Overlord sent the Royal Paladin forces into a widespread panic. Even after gaining their composure, the dark dragon nightmare decimated their numbers. Ahmes and Yunos couldn't even find each other on the battlefield, and focused on defending and overwhelming respectively. Yunos' side was coming out on top. Hopelessness began to swallow up the holy knights, there was nothing even Alfred, the King of Knights, could do to stop the onslaught.

A feeling of a snap was engraved in Yukino's and Ahmes' heads.

Hikari... could not wield Blaster Blade. That was her revelation. Swinging it about all this time... never truly grasping it, never using it to its full potential. The woman slumped down onto the ground, leaning on the table, crying.

[Hope]

Proof of Choice

"No..." Hana muttered silently to herself.

Jellal stood over Yukino, the dominant, the superior, the victorious. Her proud sister, the queen, stood defeated, in tears. The very image caused Hana to turn away. She refused to look at the sight, she refused to acknowledge it as reality. The ground of Cray erupted under the feet of the Holy army, the pride of the United Sanctuary. They fell, one by one to the dragon from hell, Phantom Blaster Overlord. Behind the dragon was the rift, overtaking the army and turning consuming them as they laid defeated by the dragon which used its very power.

On the battlefield on Earth, Yukino's cards, the Royal Paladin have begun to disappear. One by one, it seems that they were turning into mere particles of dust, the order mimicking their respective fates on the Planet Cray. On the surface, the watching alliance was in chaos, they all saw the dragon and were all trying to do the same thing, to safe Pacifica, to save the Princess of Cray.

"Hime-sama! It's too dangerous here, we must escape!" one of the units would command.
"The dragon is far too much for us to handle! We must retreat!"

But they just stood there.
It was their duty to save everyone, that was all part of the job.

Tears began streaming down Hana's face, I must help my older sister... I can't let it end here for Blaster Blade-san... Alfred-sama.
The Bermuda Triangle appeared before her on the surface of Cray, all looking resolute, determined, they all knew their fate. In the realm of Earth, she held her deck in her hands and gripped it tightly.

"Hime-sama!" the members of the alliance would scream.

"Hana-chan, just remember that the Bermuda Triangle will always be here for you." Pacifica comforted her.
This'll probably be the last time...

"Ikke... Pacifica."

With that, Hana sent her Bermuda Triangle to fend off the dragon in order to give the Royal Paladins a chance to make their escape. As she watched them all disappear, as she sent them to their fated doom, tears flowed down her face more intensely. She wasn't ready, she changed her mind. Standing on the surface, seeing her units drift farther and farther away from her, she began to scream, began to  reach out for them.

"No ! Pacifica, Minna! Come back! Don't do it!" She kept going.
"I changed my mind! Come back!" and going.
"I don't want to lose you all! Our Dream!" she would hope that it would change this.
"Our Dream... has come to and end now hasn't it?"

A glimmer of light shone upon the Royal Paladins on the table, all of them returning, all of them saved. Hana, still crying was now totally and completely on Earth, holding onto her deck, and yet... it felt like she was grasping nothing at all. She checked if anyone would answer.

"Pacifica...chan? Rio..? Shuplu?.... anyone?" She tried, but there was no answer.

The cards flew up from their hands, and scattered across the air, surrounding her and her eyes quickly looked upon each one, checking if they were still there. All the cards were still smiling, they surrounded her, comforting her, as she was in tears. The rift opened, and slowly, the cards all dissolved, their smiles turning into dust. Hana saw her avatar, Pacifica rise up onto the air, she reached for her.

"Come back..."

Bermuda Triangle has Vanished.

[Jello]

Haruka arrived to the show a little bit later than he expected.

"W-What the hell is that.." Haruka stood in the shadows, for the most part. He watched the clash of paladins versus paladins. Mass destruction of the same breed, for different causes? Haruka cringed at the thought of that. He wanted to stop the fight. But he knew Yukino would never forgive him for doing so.

"Who is that..." The man playing Shadow Paladins was completely unknown to Haruka. He could only make out the name a couple of times from Yukino. "Jellal."

Haruka watched in anticipation.

She's going to win, right? She, she has too... It's Yukino after all.

Sweat began to bead up all over again. This heat felt different. It was of fear. He wasn't even fighting and yet, that monster, Phantom Blaster Overlord, seemed to have even Haruka's back against the wall. With a swift blow from that man's ace unit, and a critical to boot on top of is already powered-up monster, Yukino had lost. She trembled.

Haruka's eyes widened. "N-No way... Did he just.." Haruka was once again at an utter loss for words. He wanted to yell. He wanted to run up to Yukino and help her. He wanted to shout down this Jellal. He wanted to fight him, and destroy him. A bitter taste formed in his throat and a splitting headache formed.

"I can't just stay here..." Yet Haruka's feet wouldn't move. Yukino's tears began to fall and at the sound her crying, Haruka was completely paralyzed. His heat started to dwindle. The tears of a fallen comrade, a friend, of Yukino, instilled a wash over the candle that kept Haruka's wisp of fire alive.

"Haruka. Do not fall down here, before we have yet to fight. Conserve your strength. Cray needs you more than ever. Otherwise, you may risk the fate of Cray, itself."

Overlord's words jarred Haruka's soul a little. An unbearable burden just became heavier. The pressure was on. But now was not the time. He wouldn't be able to face Jellal, Yukino or Hana tonight. The coward he was today, standing in the shadows, was not what TOMO-ZO expected of him.


Moments pass as cards start to disappear left and right. The Royal Paladins start to vanish from the fight table. "Overlord, what's happening...!"

"They're losing the fight on Cray. However... reinforcements seem to be on the line." Haruka's brow furrowed, noticing Hana suddenly tearing up. Tears flowed as she requested her units return. The Royal Paladins began to reappear, slowly but surely. In the process...

"What just-"

"The Bermuda Triangle... Has vanished. They're gone." Haruka cannot believe what he's hearing. His eyes tear a little bit, gritting his teeth. "This... is my fault. If I'd been here earlier.."

"Haruka, stop this nonsense! You weren't strong enough to save her anyways! Without the help of TOMO-ZO and my evolution, you stood no chance to begin with!" Haruka heard nothing but ringing in his ears. "You... You..." Haruka was near the point of screaming but instead-

"You are right. And I would have failed miserably..." Haruka understood now. He couldn't allow himself to be excused for his own actions. His resolve was hardened over a thousand times, glazed over properly by the flames of the Dragon Emperor himself.

But the tears still fell.

[Cherry]

Calamity rained down on the Sanctuary, the alliance in a massive confusion with Bermuda Triangle's sacrifice. Alfred... could only grit his teeth, ashamed that they threw themselves at the twisted overlord, and he couldn't stop them. With heavy hearts, they retreated. There was nothing else they could actually do, and they... they refused to spit on will of the clan. Giving up dreams for survival... Pacifica herself... throwing away her life. Blaster Blade let loose a frustrated scream, getting carried away by Gigantech Charger. He was the only one who didn't accept it - he didn't want their will. He was a knight... it was his job to protect them - protect the princess.

Failure after failure.

Surviving knights scurried back to the castle for safety. Others were either swallowed by the rift, or cleaved in two by the devil.

For Yukino Espoir, both worlds fell silent. The brutal image of utter defeat and loss were too much, causing her mind to shut off. Struggling back to her feet, a tearful, dethroned queen departed. The Royal Paladin deck was left there on the table.

She didn't want it.

She didn't deserve it.

Only a trail stained by sorrow was left in the aimless wake of an empty shell.

[Hope]

Hana heard the Royal Paladins from the table calling out.

She hadn't know that her sister had left them, but she stood up and took a few steps towards the table, only to trip almost immediately. She was acting simply out of instinct, out of what she was raised to do, help those who are in need. She was acting on what she was hearing. She couldn't see, her eyes were to occupied, by the tears, and her mind was shut, she didn't even think of wiping them off her of eyes. All she knew was that she heard them calling, and that she was following their voices.

The Bermuda Triangle wouldn't want to see her sad...

She stood up again, this time standing more firmly. Wiping her face and opening her eyes, she walked onward. She was breathing heavily, because with her nose clogged up she had a hard time doing so. Hana walked on and on, an eventually leaned on the table using it to support her. She heard a deep voice, which, without a shadow of doubt was definitely that of Blaster Blade's. It sounded apologetic, and it lacked the courage and pride that it usually had.

"Princess..." he said to her.
"... there's no need to say anything, brave knight..."

She picked up the deck and gave made a gesture, thumbs up, "it'll be alright."

"Yukinee..." she uttered her sister's name to herself in worry, not knowing where she had gone.  She placed the deck into her bag and gathered her belongings, still feeling weak, mostly dragged down by her own emotions in her current state, she slowly went on her way.

[Jello]

Yukino had disappeard off into the night, leaving her cards behind. Haruka couldn't chase after her. He himself was bound to the spot he stood, unable to even call out to her. His attention turned to Hana, who was blindly picking up the cards left by the Queen. The Royal Paladins had survived at the cost of the Bermuda Triangle... This was something Haruka was having trouble coming to terms with. He couldn't possibly imagine the mind-numbing pain going through Hana and Yukino alike right now. He had to act, and fast, otherwise this would all just go further downhill. Yukino was too far away for Haruka's voice to carry, his body still weak from earlier that day.

With every bit of power left in him, Haruka trudges forward, towards the Princess, Hana Espoir. He finds himself stumbling over his own feet, as he reaches her. "H-Hana..." Haruka calls out, softly. It's difficult to speak, let alone yell for somebody in his current state. He reaches out, to touch her shoulder. "Hana... are you.. okay?" Knelt to the ground, Haruka reaches as far as he can out to her. His fingertips are just barely out of reach, but his voice is nothing more than a hoarse whisper.

Hear me. Please. Hear me. Hear me. Hana!!!!

"Hana!!!!"

He yells out for the Princess, fists now pounded into the ground. They were shaking, but his arms were his only supports, as without them he would have already fallen over. This was his only option left.

"Can you hear me?" Haruka put a hand out to her.


"Can you?"

But she was too far off as well. She had left with the Royal Paladins, Yukino left with nothing, and Haruka was hunched over in the shopping district a bit past 1 in the morning. It was time to go home. Things here were done. There was another day to come. He had to be ready then.