(GS3) Field: Umano Underground Slums

[Azuki Frappé]

After both "Yukinee's" and "Jello's" game has finished, Ighanna slowly began clapping and cheering out for her friends as both Yukinee and Hana chan came out victorious. The fight was extremely intense from both sides, even Ighanna herself can still feel the thrill in her heartbeats, pumping faster than particular. Soon she then approached them, sending hand signals to Miyuki chan to also come.

"Congratulations on your win! I never knew underground fights could be this intense~" declared Ighanna as she slowly elevates her hand out to shake with the person known as "Yukinee." Hana-chan seemed to be extremely close to her but I'm still puzzled by their relationships cos she never told me about it. However I did hear from my father before that the Espoir family had 2 daughters which lead me to believe that Yukinee might be Hana's sister. That was my assumption when I first met Miyuki but too bad, she was just a very close friend.
 
"Could you perhaps be Espoir's heir, Yukino? It sounds very similar to Yukinee after all?" asked Ighanna in confusion.

Suddenly a group of thugs in the crowd, unpleased by the sight of women winning their valuable underground traditions, started punching a guy in the crowd who apparently won the bet, how unfair. Despite this Ighanna redeemed the situation too dangerous and that her father, the Archduke, would surely punish her if something happens to the Espoirs and Miyuki chan. She quickly offered all the girls a ride in order to take shelter in the car for safety. She then told her chauffeur to "get ready and start the car, we're gonna leave here as quickly as possible."

[Cherry]

Could she be the Espoir Heir, Yukino?! Did this woman not hear the roaring of her subjects chanting their queen's name?! Of course that's who she was! She herself and nobody else! Yukino Espoir!

"Yes I am!" the queen happily answered, shaking the woman's hand frantically. "I am Yukino, Hana's Yukinee", introducing herself and giving a flip of her hair - ponytail whisking about majestically, shooting arrows into the hearts of her fans... she was basking in and milking her glory.

While she wanted to speak with Jellal and his woman, Hikari first rushed over to Hana, scooping her sister up in a tight hug.

"I'm proud of you."

Noticing a gang of more higher ups, not in the least bit pleased, the snowy angel pulled the princess by hand, rushing to the car after being offered a ride. Oh, but the other lowly thugs stood in awe of the royalty, cheering on their escape. Some even blockaded the official ruffians, ensuring their safety.

You know, a number of them even decided that Vanguard was more exciting when it was clean.

[Spectre Diamond]

"Enough!" The temperature suddenly went down as the thugs had invoked Hikaru's anger with their stupidity. Taking off his black shades Judge of the underworld's eyes were filled with annoyance. "Just what is going on here"

"h-h-h-h-Hikaru sama we were just going to teach that girl a lesson." Said by one of the higher thugs who was trying to hide the crowbar he had just picked up. Some were nodding in agreement, but fear was definitely in their eyes.

"Oh is that so?" The king said with a slight smirk on his face. The higher up thugs faces then lit up as the king seemed to be agreeing with them.

They thought wrong.

"Then she deserves to send you to the depths of the abyss for all I care!" He then walked over to the bloody thug and reaching into his pocket he threw a napkin at him. "Clean yourself up."

Turning to the rest of them. "Now...Suffer under the night sky as I beat it into your thick skulls once again on how things work around here!

[Helios]

"Hmph, this is how you guys fight eh. How pathetic, you all use game changing rules, while if you look at me, I haven't used them one bit," Hazama says to his challenger. The damage count is 2-3 in Hazama's favor. "FINAL TURN!" Hazama states as his opponent only has five cards in hand.

"Build up and grasp incredible power. Show the world the extreme powers of the Dark Irregulars! I ride, Blade Wing, Reiji!

"Whaaaa-What is that card," my opponent questions fearfully because he doesn't want to lose.

"You will see," Hazama replies. "I wont activate its skill. Next, I will fill up my rearguards with a Vampir and a Courting Succubus behind it."
The other column contains the exact same line up, and Doreen is behind his vanguard.

"Boosted by Courting, the left Vampir attacks your Vanguard!"

"I guard with Tahr!"

"Next, the right Vampir attacks your Vanguard!"

"I guard with two Gattling Claw Dragon!"

"Finally Blade Wing Reiji attacks your Vanguard!"

"No guard!" My opponent states confidentially.

"Twin Drive! The first, no trigger. The second, Blittzritter, all effects to Reiji. Oh and by the way, Reiji gets plus two critical if there is fifteen or more cards in the soul. Go, Fifteen Blade Strike!

Trembling with fear my opponent takes his four damage, one at a time. His gloves shock him every time the damage is placed in its respective zone. He cowers in fear at the incredible strength of this never before seen card.

Hazama views the crowd around him and starts making his finale for the slums.

[ryujiknight]

On my way to school, I saw two teens with vanguard cards in hand, I were going to ask them to cardfight but I was too nervous to ask. As i followed them they turned into this dark alley, you could here screaming coming from it. I just kept walking...I then turned around and went into the dark alley...the further I went the darker it got. I then turned another corner and there it was, carfights everywhere, tables, chairs it was like an underground train station but for cardfighters. I then saw where does screaming was coming from, one of the cardfighters were wearng this glove that was causing pain. I then turned around and walked back but before i could turn around two guys blocked the door way, one of the guys said, " Your not leaving until you cardfight"..the other one snatched my deck away from me and pulled 'Blaster Dark' and shoved it into their pocket. I told them" Hey, I need that" and the guy responded" Wellyour gonna have to cardfight for it, cause thats what we do around here" I didnt want to except the challenge but i didn't have a choice. I walked up to a cardfighting table and put the glove on. Every damage he delt me, it felt like a lightning strike hit me,  ...I lost of course but I told myself that I would be back to retrieve my Vanguard.

[Agame]

From home I decided to go and wonder the streets for a while and think but whilst walking I saw a boy rushing past me, he had lost a card fight and had a mix of regret and determination in his eyes. I smiled to myself. So this place is where cardfighting gets serious... So now one question remains do I dare to venture in or walk on and mind my own business. I think the answer is clear.

[Kuro]

It was early morning as Haruki and Manager finally reached the bottom of the stairwell. "That took forever! Why didn't you tell me there were labyrinths in there?" Haruki asked with an exhausted look. It was true, the 2 labyrinths on the way down took the majority of the trip. The good thing was Haruki had brought snacks in his bag so he wouldn't get hungry this time.

"Sorry Haruki, but I had to let you know about this as soon as I heard about your fight." Manager had a serious expression. "Next we'll be going back up." He looked at more stairs in front of them.

"Auauu~! I can't go up stairs after all that."

"Don't worry, this is an escalator." Manager pulled a switch and the stairs began to move upward. "Going up will be easier because it's straightforward. When we resurface, we'll be in Umano."

Haruki turned in shock. "But isn't Umano where all the bad cardfighters hang out? With the underground slums?"

"That's right, but at the moment we need to calm this ghost before things get out of hand."

"So he is a Ghostbuster," Haruki thought to himself, as he timidly got onto the escalator and towards the dangerous slums.

[Cherry]

Hikari was still having a difficult time adjusting to accepting major losses like yesterday's, along with Soul Saver being less consistent. She decided to add it back to the deck, giving it another chance, and practicing in the underground. But it only went off every five other games or so. The slums praised the queen, trying to cheer her up, but her spirit was still in the process of being mended.

Still, she was trying. Anything she could do to improve to move on.

[Beryl]

Satoshi sat, arms folded, watching Yukino play game after game after game. He had offered to be someone she fought and tested with, but instead he was tasked with sitting on the sidelines and figuring out how to improve his own play without practice. At least, it was going to be that way, but some of the slum guys were willing to practice.

While the games were surprisingly free wins most of the time, they were still pretty close. Something felt off about his play, even when he won, and he couldn't quite shake it. So after a few attempts, he went back to watching the Chosen Sword play her matches out.

Yukino, after their bonding session last night, had offered Satoshi a job as an indentured servant. Sure, it would involve some more humiliating things, but so far it had involved carrying a lot of bags and occasionally being a footrest while she filtered through her deck, trying to get the Paladins to cooperate with her again. Despite their strong bonds, for some reason, she was having a tough time. And it wasn't just her, either. Haruka had gone off to do his own thing for the day, trying to recuperate from his own losses, and Satoshi hadn't heard from him since then.

He thought about who was on the national stage right now. That European jerk king, Cero, was. That kind Royals player, Tsubasa, was. Yukino's sister, Hana, was---

Wait a second.

It occurred to Satoshi that he had never formally met his ally's sister. He and Haruka had protected her from Slum King Hikaru at the park, yet...did she actually know who he was? His mind off of his cards for a moment, he called out to Yukino.

"Hey, Miss Yuki, how come I've never met your sister?"

[Cherry]

You know, the air around the queen was pretty generous today. Treating the slums' dogs like actual, decent human beings, and even noting Satoshi's presence more after yesterday. It was obvious to see how she fumbled about in conversation... she wasn't used to having friends or not acting superior. The underground fighters accommodated, telling her to just keep acting like the queen she is.

Queens don't suffer humiliating losses like yesterday, but it did help her relax some more.

Hikari's ears perked up when hearing Satoshi address her about Hana. ... Thinking about it, Hana and Satoshi never really did meet, not properly anyway. They've seen each other, but never introduced themselves to one another. Haruka did though, so that was weird in her mind.

"I have... no idea, frankly. I would've thought you have seeing as she gets around."

[shirii]

You have been invited to Card Shop PSY, if you wish to accept the offer, enter through the door and into the shop.

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

(Cherry, make a post in PSY Shop if you wish to accept.)

[Kuro]

Soon enough, Haruki and Manager reached the top of the long escalator line, and were met with a locked door. On the way up, Haruki was able to talk about what has happened so far involving this ghost child. Manager began to speak. "Okay, Haruki. We're going to need that key you used to meet the ghost if we want to get to the other side."

"Ohh..." Haruki looked nervous. "The key kind of disappeared when I left the apartments. Ahaha....ha. BUT WAIT! I do have these other things from the nest." He dumped his bag to reveal the ring, shiny card, toy car and spoon that he'd retrieved from the park.

"You found this kind of key card?" Manager stared at the card in curiosity. "This can work just as well if we use it in this slot." He flipped a switch to brighten a dimly lit area of the room and reveal the key card scanner, then scanned the card in the appropriate space.

The automatic door opened slowly to reveal an alleyway of darkness, with spooky men crowding a fenced area of many cardfighters. "Here," Manager said as one of these men in the crowd walked up to them, "is the place where you will know the truth."

[Cherry]

Hikari opened her eyes, seeing that she was back at the slums. Some thugs rushed over to her, asking about her well being, and where did she disappear to. They noted the queen walked into the alley, then disappeared when they chased after. Explaining the bizarre Shop PSY, no one seemed to recognize anything of what she was talking about. No one could confirm anything of what she just went through, as people didn't even know about the cards she showed them.

How supernatural was that place? How is it linked to Cray? It has to be connected somehow.

More over...

Where is the hell is Satoshi?! He had her belongings that she bought through a little... shopping spree (it wasn't little). Hiring him as a servant, he probably took it to her house. Bidding the slums farewell, the queen began a journey home.

[MaXtreme]

Itou returns after losing in the National Tournament semi-finals against Hana, he doesn't feel so bad about since it doesn't looked like Hana got a worse impression of him after all they went through, so he decides to find a new place to play and remembers the Underground Arena where he fought with electricity, he walks to the Slums hoping to see some more action...

[Kuro]

The man trudging towards Haruki and Manager in the slums was tall and dusty. He wore a long black overcoat with a torn and shredded shirt and pants of matching colors. His hair was long and silver, and he had a dismal and sickly look on his face, as if had no hope left in him. Haruki wondered what this man had to say about the mystery on his hands if Manager was so trusting with him in this environment, even reaching out for a handshake as he came over.

"It's good to see you again, Sydney," said Manager to the unknown man. "I know this seems sudden, but it's true. It's been 15 years, but I may have found someone that can save you from the curse."

The man gave out a hoarse cough, then began to speak. "You've really been a good friend, Manager," Sydney's voice was weak, almost like a whisper, "staying there to help through thick and thin, but are you sure this boy is the one?"

"Um, sorry," Haruki said, as he shyly interrupted their conversation, "but I don't understand what's happening right now. What's this curse, and why does Manager think I can end it?"

Manager and Sydney turned to Haruki, then to each other, gave a quick nod, then turned back to Haruki. Manager started to explain, "This mystery has probably been on your mind for quite sometime now, hasn't it Haruki? I've held off the explanation for a while, but this is the moment I've been waiting for to tell you." Manager gestured towards Sydney and continued, "My friend here, Sydney, has been into dangerous business when he was young. He hung out with the wrong crowd, and went too far one day. I won't get into the details for his sake, but someone, a child, died because of what he's done."

Haruki immediately whipped his head to Sydney and looked in shock. This man... was a murderer?? Sydney raised his hand to explain, "I've long since gotten over those kind of actions, it's been 15 years since. But on the matter at hand, when this child's life ended, his spirit didn't rest. A curse was laid on the members of my group by this child for what had happened. Our bodies became weak and sickly, every night we're haunted with nightmares of that spirit, and the only thing we can eat is toast." He coughed, "It gets really boring after so many years of toasted bread."

"But I still don't understand, what can I do to help?" Haruki questioned the man.

He looked up into the dark clouds, as if recalling past memories. "On that fateful night, the child spoke to us of the curse. He said the only way the curse would be lifted was a pair, one of blood relation and one who committed the crime, could find him and release him to the afterlife."

"Eh!? Then that means.. the ghost was related to me?"

"You're right. This spirit can only be appeased when presented with someone like you, as other than the ones there that night like myself, only those related to him could be able to see him. It explains why you were able to fight the ghost in the first place." Sydney started coughing even more, so Manager put his hand on his back to help.

"What we're trying to say is," Manager explained, "you need to go back to the place where you fought that ghost child with Sydney here, fight him and release him into the afterlife."

Haruki was having trouble understanding everything being told to him, as most of it didn't make sense at all. However, he knew a lot of things hadn't made sense since meeting the ghost. And all this because of some lost items in a bird's nest. Determined, Haruki made his decision. "I'll do it. I'll help you lift the curse and save the ghost kid."

"I'll meet you at Rijuku tomorrow then, the spot you first saw the ghost," said Sydney, as he started to hobble off back to the fighting area.

Manager turned to Haruki, "You know how to get back home from here right? The train station shouldn't be too far." He glanced around. "I'll take the longer way around. Be careful tomorrow."

"I will Manager," Haruki said with determination. He walked on through the slums on the way home with a drive in his step and a song in his heart.