Chapter 3 - The sleeping assassin is on the case

Kazuki stands outside Lakeside Saucer. Wearing a black vest over a long sleeve shirt, and black trousers. Their hair was a mess, with it sticking up in the back. They stand in front of the window, looking at the poster, pretending to browse the stock, while peering inside. They see Akira through the window, wearing an apron with the shop logo on it, carrying a box of supplies over to one of the racks, close to the window.

Kazuki watches Akira as he unboxes the some packs onto the rack, before returning to the register. He yawns into his hand before walking over to the door. It slides open, and he steps inside. The rest of the room is relatively empty, apart from Akira and Kenichi standing by the register, and a few players in high school uniforms playing. Kazuki pulls a cone from his breast pocket, and proceeds to fix his hair until it's all swept over one of his eyes. Pocketing his cone, he walks over to the register, hands behind his back, he passes Akira as he brings over a paid for trial deck to another player.

"Hello. Welcome to Lakeside Saucer!" Kenichi's voice booms over the room as Kazuki reaches the register. Everyone in the shop, including Akira, jumped on the stop. "I'll never get used to that." Akira says under his breath, handing over the deck. "What can I do for you?" Kenichi asks Kazuki, with a large smile on his face. Kazuki fixes his posture, standing up straight with his head held high. "Yes, hello. I want to get back into the game, but I either gave away my cards, or missed placed them somewhere." Kazuki speaks with a proper, educated tone to his voice. "Is there any way I can purchase an already made deck?"

Kenichi pulls out a small leaflet, and places it down on the desk. It shows a list of deck names, with pictures. "You're in luck. I have every trial deck in stock, as well as a few trial ones for other clans that might take your fancy." Kenichi sounds excited, as if he's happy to help someone get into the game. Kazuki browses the leaflet, and takes note of the decks and clans he has. Kazuki moves his finger down the list, his eyes become drawn to the "Dark Irregular" trial deck. He gives off an audible hum, before moving his finger away. "I like the looks of this clan here. Gold Paladins."

Kenichi turns away and pulls out a custom made deck box, with the clan inside. "Made this myself. There wasn't a real trial deck for it." Kazuki pulls out some change, and pays for the deck in full. "It'll do for me." Akira comes back to the register as Kazuki goes through the deck. "Anything else you need help with Kenichi?" Akira asks, leaning over the counter. "Actually, yes. We have someone here that wants to get back into the game, and I thought you could lend him a hand."

Akira turns to see Kasuki looking for the deck. "Sure, if he wants." Kazuki looks over at Akira, and nods. "Yes, I wouldn't mind a little help with getting used to the game again." Kazuki walks over to a table close to the counter. Akira starts to walk over, but then remembers the apron. "Is it alright if I take the apron off to play?" he asks Kenichi. "You didn't need to wear it earlier. It's not like you work here." Akira removes the apron, and hangs it on a hat rack next to the register, before sitting down opposite Kazuki.

The two players set up their board, placing down the starting vanguard, as well as drawing, and then re-drawing their hands. "Stand Up, Vanguard!" once they were ready, the two rode their starting units. "Men in the Shadow!" Akira rides his Union Verse grade 0. "Spring Breeze Messenger!" Zasuki rides the Gold Paladin starter. Their game starts off slow, both players calling single units before, Akira wanting to take it easy on the 'new player'.

It's now Kazuki's turn. His vanguard is 'Lop Ear Shooter' and his only rearguard is 'Knight of Elegant Skills, Garet'. Akira has 'Split Mouth Pomad' as his vanguard, and a rearguard, as well as a 'Masked Wolf' behind his rearguard Pomad. Both players sit at 2 damage each. "Stand and draw." Kazuki starts his turn. "I ride Battlefield Storm, Sagramore. Imaginary Gift, Accel 1. I gain an additional rearguard. I also use my vanguard's skill. Soul blast, to draw a card, then call another Sagramore to the additional zone." The sagramore on the marker gains 10000 power. "I use the skill again. I draw and call, Knight of Superior Skills, Beaumains. When he's called, I discard a card to call another one. They both gain 5k."

Kenichi watches the game from the register, both out of boredom, but also out of a stand feeling he has about Kazuki. "Has he really been out of the game?" he asks himself before continuing to watch. "I attack your rearguard Pomad with one of my Beaumains." Akira removes one of his cards from the board, before being attacked by his opponent's vanguard. "Twin Drive. Nothing on the first second. On the second, Front trigger, my front row gains 10000." The attack hits the vanguard, and Akira adds another damage to his side. Akira guards the next attack from his opponents rearguard, but lets the sagramore on the rearguard go through, making his damage 4.

Akira starts his turn, standing what's left of his rearguards, before continuing. "Turn Salvation into Despair. Tune the world into your chaos. I ride Disaster Zero, Unluck!" Akira rides his signature unit as the vanguard. "Imaginary Gift, Force 2. My vanguard's base critical becomes 2." Akira rebuilds his rearguard with another Pomad, a 'Crack' and a second Unluck. "I attack your rearguards with Unluck and Pomad." Kazuki loses his grade 2 interceptors from Akira's first attacks. "I attack your vanguard with my own."

Kenichi thinks to himself. "He's got the front trigger from last turn. He could guard with it just in case." Kazuki looks at his hand, and declares. "No guard." "Twin drive. First check, critical trigger. The second, also critical." Unluck is now attacking with the critical 4. "Vanguard skill. I reduce his critical, your trigger effects are negated." Kazuki turns over the top four cards of his deck, showing no triggers at all. "Oh well. Good game at least."

Kenichi gets a call on the landline, so he goes to answer it. As he picks up the phone, he sees Kazuki's hand. He notices the two perfect guard cards he has. "I need to go now anyway. I'll be back some time for a rematch." Kazuki shakes Akira's hand, much to his surprise, before leaving with the deck. "Come back, anytime." Akira yells at him as he leaves. Thinking nothing strange of it, Akira goes back to 'work', taking the apron and helping around with other customers, more had arrived during his game.

Outside of the shop, on the street, Kazuki walks down an alleyway. He unbuttons the vest, and starts to mess up his hair again, lifting it up on one side of his face. His posture lowers, as his eyes look tired. Covering his mouth as he yawns, he takes a few corners, and a narrow short cut before arriving in the main lair of the underground cardfighters. Jun is sitting at his throne as he sees Kazuki coming. "Hey Blasier. I have a present for you." Kazuki throws the deck box with the cards in at one of the underground players. He walks over to the slide, and lays down on the aged metal. Laying his head down on his arms, he closes his eyes, and starts to drift off asleep.

"How did the recon job go?" Jun asks, wanting to hear about it. In a lifeless voice, Kazuki let's out a few words. "Target plays with an unknown deck, but looks pretty basic. I doubt he knows how to use it." They let out another yawn, as he turns to his side. "I already have a plan to take him down. But, I'm going to need some of the boys to help." Jun nods his head, leaning back into his chair. "You can use my men as much as you need. Just make sure to bring them back in working condition."

Coming out of a corner, Ryujiro walks over to resting Kazuki. Everyone in the court sees them approaching, but they decide not to intervene. "Did you do it?" they ask, standing over them as they lay on the slide. They don't respond, just trying to get to sleep. "Hello? Didn't you hear me?" Ryujiro kicks the slide, causing it to shake. The members of the underground closer to the floor turn pale, some of them take a step back. "I don't remember saying you could come back, Ryujiro." Jun calls out from his throne.

He turns to face him. His hands together. "I'm sorry, King. I just needed to know when I could show my face back there." Their voice is shaken, they are afraid. "Well then, it'll be in your best interests that you don't annoy members of my court." Ryujiro gestures to Kazuki. "It's okay king. I'm awake." With sleep in their eye, Kazuki sits up from his slide. "Oh good. Then, you can tell me how it went. Did you..." "I'm in the middle of working on it. I need more time to truly crush them." Ryujiro starts to look a little mad. "Well maybe if you didn't lay around all day like a hobo, you could actually make do on your promise to beat him."

Kazuki stands up from the slide. "Blasier. Get the table." One of the members gets up from the floor, and pulls out a mechanical cardfight table, and sets it on the ground. "What's that?" Ryujiro points to it, unsure of what's going on. Kazuki walks over to the table, and puts on one of the gloves, placing down their deck. "You interrupted my sleep. Insulted our king. And now have the nerve to question an expert on how to do their job." Blasier grabs Ryujiro by the hand, and forces him to wear a glove. "I'm going to show you what happens to those that don't know their place in the world." Ryujiro is forced into a cardfight, for which he hadn't prepared for. He was at 5 damage before he got to grade 3. Even at grade 3, he could barely lay a finger on Kazuki. "With a boost from Doreen the Thruster, I attack your vanguard now with Blade Wing Reijy!" Ryujiro's screams of horror echoed through the city night, but no one came to his aid.

It's closing time at the card shop, Akira helps to lock up around the racks. "Thanks for your help today Akira, he meant alot." Kenichi says to Akira, pulling out some cash from the till. He hands it over to Akira, but he only takes a small amount of it. "You didn't need to do that. With James working late, I figured you'd need some help." Kenichi puts the rest back in the till. "By the way, I've been meaning to ask. You remember that game you had earlier with the customer?" Akira nods in responses as he puts up chairs onto tables. "Well, did it seem strange to you?" Akira looks back at him confused. "How so?" "Well, he had a good chance to guard the attack with that trigger, but he didn't." Akira shrugs it off, grabbing his shirt. "Even if he did, I had double critical triggers, so it would've hit." Kenichi thinks about if he should tell him about the perfect guard, but decides to keep it to himself. "Yeah, maybe you're right."

"Anyway, I'll see you later mate." As Akira steps out into the street backwards, he feels something against his back. Looking back when it's too late, he accidentally pushes over some boxes being carried by a lift. "Oh no, sorry." he says out loud, seeing them fall like dominos. "No no, it's okay. I didn't see you coming either." a feminine voice comes out of the darkness. As the street lambs come on to light the path, he sees a girl his age, standing under the light. She had long blue hair, with a beret on top. A white tank top under a sleeve-less hoodie, with high tops and ripped skinny jeans.

She crouches down to pick up the papers that have fallen out of the boxes. "Here, let me give you a hand." He kneels down on one knee, and starts picking up some of the papers. "No, it's alright. I didn't watch where I was going, so I'm to blame here." "It's fine. I've been helping people all day. One more person won't hurt." He starts to pick up more and more, getting faster. Feeling embarrassed, she does the same, dropping something from her jumper. "It's really not that..bad..." they both grab the same item. He tugs on it, before releasing she's holding it too. Looking forward, he sees her face under the light. He sees her burning, hazy eyes. "I think this is yours." He lets go of the lid, and she puts it back on one of the boxes.

"You know, I once saw a movie where this happened." Akira tries to make small talk to fix the tension. "How did it end?" she asks nervously. "With credits, followed by a guy in an eye patch." She makes an awkward laugh, scratching the back of her neck. "I'm Akira. Sorry for knocking over your stuff." he says, almost flustered, holding onto his normal tone. "I'm Hiromi. And, thank you for helping." They make eye contact before looking different ways. Akira sees the boxes have a logo on them, 'Art to Art, Arts and Crafts shop'. She gets back up on her feet, putting the boxes on the lift. "Thank you for your help. I'll see you around some time." She leaves without picking up what she dropped.

Akira watches as she walks off, waving awkwardly as she disappears in the night. "Aww, young romance." Akira jumps in his place as Kenichi surprises him. "There's something cringeworthy, as well as sweet to the whole thing." Akira looks down to the floor, smiling, ambrassed. Akira sees something sparkle on the floor, and picks it up. It's a Vanguard card. "You know this one?" He hands it over to Kenichi. "It's an old card. I don't have it in stock, so it must belong to someone."

Akira looks at the card again. "Maybe someone at the shop dropped it when they were leaving." Kenichi takes it inside, Akira following behind him, switching on the light on the wall. "We usually get people losing their cards, so I'll put it in lost and found." He goes behind the register, and pulls out a small safe. Inside is a pill of lost cards, ranging from rarity and grade. "I'll put out another notice saying it was found." Akira turns the light off when he leaves, and Kenichi locks the door, before they head to their homes, going two different directions. From behind a bush across the street; they are being watched by Kazuki. With his phone, he takes photos of them. "Seems to be friendly with the manager. I can use that."

End of Chapter 3...