(GS3) Field: Regional Hall

[Hope]

"Jellal..." She bit her lip. Her feelings towards him from the past few days grew worse and worse as time passed, replaying the thoughts of him, she saw nothing but the Dragon of Hell. To be inspired by him and his way, Hana concluded that Neo couldn't possibly do anything to help the current situation.

"I... can walk home by myself..." Hana walked off into the darkness of he night furthermore.

[NeoBuster]

Neo watched as Hana walked off.. He was concerned so he decided to track down the one person that could help.

[Beryl]

The Regional Hall.

Two months ago, this was where it all began. The friendships, the hardships, the secrets, the crusades...all because the Triad of Hope couldn't make it to regionals, despite their efforts.

And it was here that Satoshi sat, meditating, hoping he could answer a question that came to him in a dream:

"Why do you play Vanguard? It's a game that's ruined so many lives when you could simply choose to be happy. Why let Cray be your focus? Who are you?"

He woke from that dream shortly after, and he couldn't speak. All he could do was think. Think of what everyone in his life had ever said. Haruka, Yukino, Jellal, Neu, Cero, Hana, his parents...all of them carried unbelievable weight with their words. But none of them seemed to give him an answer he was looking for. Why did he play Vanguard if it wasn't for his friends or family, or even for himself? What had changed?

Seph sat beside him, staring at the wall and thinking of something to say to encourage his champion.

"Y'know..." he began, scratching his chin, "As a child, you played Vanguard because you felt as though the ability to speak to your cards brought your imagination to life and gave you friends you didn't have. Does that not still ring true with you?" He turned to look at Satoshi's bruised face. "You wanted to fight Neu and those who wanted to keep the clans sealed because your gift gave you the chance to meet fantastic people who will change the bond between worlds. Do you not feel as though you can keep fighting?"

Satoshi sat there briefly, soaking in the worlds, then shook his head. "It's not that I can't keep fighting. The question is why do I." He stared at the double doors of the Regional Hall. "It's like I want to believe I'm doing something for people when I play Vanguard. That, as Neu wants, they're enjoying themselves and we're bonding through the game. That's how I met Yukino and Haruka, and so many others. People who play Vanguard, even for their own motives...they're inspiring."

He turned to face Seph. "But I didn't have to be so concerned for others before. They're all so depressed with this game as a catalyst, even if it's...really not a game. At least, not in particular." He scratched the back of his head. "It makes me think about what had happened if I hadn't met them, and I had just gone with playing this game as a hobby. Even though you pushed me, I could've rejected you and just tried to live a normal life alone."

Seph shook his head and grinned. "That wouldn't have worked. Not being alone bites away at you in the back of your mind, I saw it when I linked myself with you. You would've eventually tried to make some friends, no matter who they were, and then I would've come about to guide you in this exact same way."

His champion chuckled. "Well, that much is true. I can't say I fancy being alone." He turned back to the double doors, the short smile on his face from having a small laugh quickly fading. "But right now...I've been more a burden to those friends than a help. Yukino and Haruka have each other now, and it seems like they're managing fine without me." He waved his phone. "Not a single response from Yukino ever, so I'm only led to guess they're finding the answers they need for themselves and don't need me ragging on them about it. And Hana, she---"

"Hana stopped being the Vanguard of Cray."

Satoshi stopped, surprised at what the Guardian Dragon said. "She stopped? What happened?"

Seph shook his head, looking downtrodden. "I'm not at liberty to say, but as far as I understand, we are currently a Council without a true leader, even with Ezel taking the reins."

The farmboy bit his lip and looked at the floor. "I see...normally, I'd ask where she is and try to help her, but even there..." He nodded. "She has a right to do what she wants to do. She didn't necessarily ask for this at all. None of us did, even if it was the Espoir family's destiny. But we still have to---"

His eyes widened. Something had clicked. "We...I...I know what my Vanguard is."

Seph gave a slight smile. "Oh? And what is your Vanguard."

The voice rang in his head: "Why do you play Vanguard?"

Satoshi answered, firm as could be: "Companionship. So long as I have people at my side, Earth or Cray, I have to keep going for them, because they prevent me from being alone and wasting away."

The spirit grinned. "Good answer." He took his champion's hand, a light glowing. "And for that answer...champion and guardian combine."

Satoshi felt immense, calming energy, flowing into him as though he and Seph were truly fusing. When it ended, Seph was no longer there, but his champion heard his voice, plain as day.

"It's time you and I became the Vanguard we were meant to be, Satoshi Kurosaki. Let us protect these worlds together."

Seph +15 AP

Arboros Dragon, Sephirot ride chain unlocked.

[Grimm]

Noah was passing through the regional hall when he saw a person who was clearly a fighter. The fighter's face was bruised, he seemed confident, as if though he was about to accomplish something magnificent. However Noah heard the voice of the blue dragon in his head.

Blue Dragon: "He will go against the justice you seek."

Noah listened to the voice and approached the fighter.

Noah: You wouldn't happen to be a cardfighter would you?

[Beryl]

Satoshi turned. This boy was from yesterday at the park. Something about Aqua Force not being meant for the means Jellal worked with them for or something? He couldn't remember fully. Whatever the case, this person at least had their own resolve.

And that interested him.

He nodded. "I am. Can I help you in some way?"

[Grimm]

Noah smiled.

Noah: "Would you mind having a cardfight with me, then?"

[Beryl]

Satoshi gestured to a fight table outside the main arena. "If you'd really like to. I kind of have places to be, but I do have a little time to spare."

[Grimm]

Noah: "Thank you for sparing me your time"

Noah said smiling as he put his starting vanguard face down and his deck on the table.

[Beryl]

Satoshi walked over to the other side of the table, taking his deck from his box and smiling at the card that stared him back in the face.

"Time to see what this has gotten me, huh?"

In the blink of an eye, his brown eyes changed to green.

[Jello]

Its been awhile since he's been here. And to be frank, the only reason he returned was for a quick dose of nostalgia before his trip. In a couple of days Haruka would be heading overseas for the National Circuit. His reason for joining is pretty simple. In fact, its mostly similar to everybody else's.

To fight, and to win. But he also wanted to support those around him. It was an interesting idea, to him at the very least.

He traced his hands around the fight tables, taking in the tournament atmosphere. He left his house without his deck, taking the time to enjoy everything before he goes on a nearly non-stop fight trip in a few days.

Hmmm... Its only the beginning, after all.

[Grimm]

After relaxing at the park, Noah wandered around the city for a while. He went to a cafe, but when he took a sip of water pain shot through his head, similar to the way it did on the subway. He closed his eyes in pain, but when he opened them he was still in the cafe. However he heard a voice in his head. It was Maelstrom, yet no one else could hear him.

"Walk south for a few blocks and find the regional hall." Maelstrom's words echoed in Noah's mind.

"Wait, why? Shouldn't I be preparing for the New York stage in a few days?" Noah thought to himself, but Maelstrom did not reply. Noah knew he needed to prepare, but he followed the dragon's orders, besides how long could it take?

Noah walked to the Regional hall only to find it empty.

"Huh, figures." Noah thought to himself as he sighed, but then he noticed a boy who looked a bit older than himself with a scarf, somehow Noah had a hunch that this boy was working to unseal the clans, so he approached him.

"Hey!" Noah greeted the boy cheerfully.

[Jello]

"Hmm ?" The silence that enveloped the room only a moment ago had shattered by a reverberation.

"Oh, hi there." Haruka pockets his left hand, waving with his right. He gives off a grin. The afternoon light spread through the room. A boy began to make his way towards Haruka. The face was discernable but no name surfaced.

"Did you need something?" Haruka wasn't meaning to come off as intentionally rude, but he hasn't personally met this individual, leading him to believe that the person in question recognized him from somewhere before. But where?

[[R.T] SpiderHunterMD]

Kurai was watching from the crowd area. He decided he wanted to scout out what was going on. He had sneaked into the regional hall to have a gander around the place before ending up in the crowd area. He noticed something happening below. He decided to sit and enjoy the showing.

[Grimm]

"Not particularly, I'm just surprised anyone besides me is here." Noah said with a smile on his face. "So what brings you to the regional hall, as there isn't really much here at the moment?"

This guy seemed rather nice, why would he be trying to cause chaos on Cray by unsealing the clans? The clans being unsealed before the Rift's destruction would just cause another civil war. Noah winced in pain.

"You're initial assumption was correct, this boy is working to unseal the clans." Maelstrom's words echoed in Noah's mind.

[Azuki Frappé]

Ighanna arrives at a large yet empty Regional Hall in order to observe the surroundings as it is a potential place to hold her live tour. Upon arrival she saw some mysterious looking people, about three, hanging around the alienated stage which questioned her. She then tried to relay a message to Metatron, whom have just recently recovered from comatose after the construction site incident.

"There seems to be an interesting person in here. Maelstrom's wielder, another one heh" Metatron told Ighanna as she mentioned to her about how Maelstrom was also Jellal's avatar unit. Ighanna thought whether this gifted person will support them in recovering Cray.