Alternative Grade 1: Sora Kageyome

The being in white, with wings reminiscent of a angel’s, who held the fate of two worlds, literally, and figuratively on its back. That is Harmonics Messiah. And ever since the arrival of Vanguard, the game which links Earth and Cray, the two worlds which Messiah watches over, it has been waiting in earnest for the one who can wield its power. Its Vanguard. And now it has found one. Sora Kageyome.

Sora Kageyome was twelve years old, with grey eyes underneath his glasses, and white hair that went down to around his ears, with the ends spiking downwards. He attended seventh Fukuhara Middle School, one of the most prestigious schools in Tokyo, and the world in general. He also played Vanguard, a card game which had been recently released by the Sendou Foundation. And it is with Vanguard that this story begins.

“Sora, wake up! You’re going to be late for school!” Sora was abruptly woken up by those words spoken by his father. He quickly changed into his suit, pants, and tie, his school uniform, and ran down the stairs, making sure to grab his Vanguard deck before rushing out of his room. Little did he notice that while he was eating breakfast, his deck in his bag was glowing with a holy, radiant light. He quickly ran out the door, waving good-bye to his uncle, and bolted across the sidewalk.

Ten minutes later, he made it to Fukuhara. There, he noticed a familiar face in the massive crowd of students, and ran up to him. “Hey, Kazumi!” He shouted.

“Hey, Sora.”

Kazumi Onimaru was a bit shorter than Sora, even though they were the same age. He had a hair that was about the same white color as Sora’s, which was tied in a ponytail. He had yellow eyes, and he was wearing the same school uniform as Sora. He also played Vanguard, as a Nubatama user, and he and Sora were best of friends and best of rivals at the same time.

Suddenly, the bell rang, and Sora and Kazumi ran to catch their first class. Today, as it was everyday, school was boring, but it flew by surprisingly fast, and after it ended, Sora and Kazumi ran to Card Capital, their local Vanguard store. It was owned by Shinemon Tokura, a childhood friend and former pro Vanguard teammate of Sora’s uncle, and Sora and Kazumi went there often, and were friends with Shinemon’s daughter, Misaki, who worked there. As they walked in, Misaki greeted them, and they noticed that no one was there at the moment.

“Up for a Cardfight, Sora?” Kazumi asked.

“Sure.” He replied.

As they took their cards out of their deck boxes, Sora noticed something odd about his deck. He noticed unfamiliar cards. Neon Messiah, Alter Ego Messiah. None of these cards were in his deck!

“Uhh... Kazumi?”

“Yeah, Sora?”

“I think I may have taken someone else’s deck.”

Just then, Misaki, who had overheard the conversation, walked over to them. “Here, let me see. I know the deck of everyone who’s ever played here. I can probably find the owner.”

As Misaki looked through the deck, she had a confused look on her face. “I don’t recognize any of these cards. They must be from the new expansion or something. I’ll go ask my uncle.”

Misaki ran upstairs to go see Shin, and came down a minute later. “He doesn’t recognize these cards, but from what he said, they seem to be pretty powerful. You should try them out.”

With a sigh, he agreed. He and Kazumi took their Grade 0 starting vanguards from their deck, and placed them face-down on the Vanguard circle.

“Stand up, my vanguard!”

“Stealth Dragon, Madoi!” Kazumi’s was a small, white, humanoid dragon  wearing ninja armor, wielding a katana.

“Neon Messiah!” Sora’s was a strange, sleeping creature, resembling a bird, inside what seemed to be a cocoon.

“I’ll go first, I guess.” Said Sora. “I ride Asleep Messiah!” Asleep was a creature that resembled the one inside Neon Messiah’s cocoon, with its body seeming to be made of a type of crystal. It had piercing red eyes, which stared directly at Madoi. “With Neon Messiah’s skill, I draw a card! I end my turn!”

“My turn, now! I draw a card, and ride Stealth Dragon, Chigiregumo!” Madoi transformed into a purplish-red dragon, wearing a sort of scarf on its neck, with a scroll in its mouth. “With Madoi’s skill, I draw a card! Chigiregumo attacks the vanguard!”

“No guard!”

“Then it’s time for my drive trigger check.” Said Kazumi, “No trigger.”

Chigiregumo advanced on Asleep, ramming into it with its horns.

“Damage trigger check. No trigger.”

“I end my turn.”

“So the damage count’s 1-0 right now.” Sora remarked, “Perfect, I can make a heroic comeback now!”

“Stand and draw! I ride Awaking Messiah!” Asleep transformed into a strange, alien-looking being with skinny legs, and a long, flowing mane of white hair. It also had two pulsating orbs of energy resting on its shoulders. Next, I call Asleep Messiah!”

“Hm... these Messiah cards are interesting.” Kazumi remarked.

“Now, Asleep attacks the vanguard!”

“No guard!”

“Damage trigger check! Draw trigger! I give the power to Chigiregumo, and draw a card!”

“When Awaking attacks, Sora will have to get a trigger if he wants to get through.”

“Now, Awaking Messiah attacks the vanguard!”

“No guard!”

“Drive trigger check! Critical trigger! All effects go to Awaking!”

Awaking and Asleep both fire blasts of white light at Chigiregumo.

“Damage trigger check! No triggers!”

“I end my turn!”

“My turn! Stand and draw! I ride Stealth Dragon, Shibari Kusari!” Shinari Kusari is a large purple dragon that holds a large flail in its hand.

“Calling Genkai and Gouka! I activate Shibari Kusari’s skill! I Counter Blast two cards to bind one card from your hand! Then, Genkai’s skill gives himself 3000 power!”

“Shibari Kusari attacks the vanguard!”

“No guard!”

“Drive trigger check! No trigger!”

“Damage trigger check! No trigger!”

“Now, boosted by Gouka, Genkai attacks the vanguard.”

21000 power, Sora thought, that’s near impossible to guard at this point. “No guard! Damage trigger check! No trigger!”

Shibari Kusari and Genkai use their weapons to quickly rush Awaking, before he can react.

“I end my turn! The card bound by Shibari Kusari goes back into your hand! Then, with Gouka’s skill, I return it to my hand!”

“My turn! Stand and draw!” As Sora drew the Grade 3, he recognized something... special about it. “Descend on your wings of light, and bring salvation upon this battlefield! I ride! Alter Ego Messiah!” Alter Ego looks similar to Awaking, but is taller, and has what appears to be two planets instead of balls of energy.

“Now, I activate Imaginary Gift! Force! I give it to Alter Ego!” A rainbow vanguard circle enters Alter Ego, boosting its power to 23000.

“I use Alter Ego’s skill to call Destiny Dealer from my hand as a locked card! Now, I move Asleep to my back row, and call Awaking! Boosted by Asleep, Awaking attacks the vanguard!”

“No guard! Damage trigger check! No trigger!”

“Now! Alter Ego attacks!”

“Perfect Guard! Stealth Beast, Mjingakure!”

“Twin drive! First check, no trigger! Second check, Critical trigger! All effects to Awaking!”

“Why give a trigger effect to a unit that’s already attacked?”

“I activate Alter Ego’s skill! I Counter Blast and Soul Blast to unlock Destiny Dealer, and lock Asleep Messiah! Now, with Dealer’s skill, I move it into soul, and unlock Asleep! With Asleep’s skill, I Counter Blast to restand Awaking!”

“Now, Awaking Messiah attacks the vanguard!”

“No guard! Damage trigger check! First check, no trigger!”

One more damage and he’s finished.

“Second check, Heal trigger!”

“Fine! I end my turn!”

“Now, I stand and draw! Ride, the dragon whom even the finest of shinobi bow to! Stealth Dragon, Shiranui! Imaginary Gift! Protect!” Shibari Kusari becomes a blue dragon wearing what seems to be a skull with blue flames on it, and wielding a massive sword.

“I use Shiranui’s skill to Counter Blast, and bind two cards from your hand!”

Darn it. Sora thought, as he didn’t have many cards in hand, and one of his Perfect Guards, Flowers in Vacuum, Cosmo Wreath, had been bound.

“Next, with Genkai’s skill, he gains 6000 power! I call Gokua, and another Shiranui!”

“My rear-guard Shiranui attacks the vanguard!” Shiranui charges at Alter Ego, bearing its sword.

“No guard! Damage trigger check, no trigger!”

“Now, Genkai attacks the vanguard!”

“I guard for a total of 15000, which means that Alter Ego has 27000!” Genkai attempts to attack Alter Ego, but is stymied by the guardians.

“Get ready to finish him, Shiranui! Attack the vanguard, and with your skill, gain 10000 power!”

“I guard and intercept with Awaking for a total of 20000!”

“Which means that if I get a trigger, you’re done for! Drive trigger check! First check, no trigger! Second check! Critical trigger! All effects to Shiranui!” Shiranui swings its blade, obliterating all the guardians, and hitting Alter Ego twice.

“Damage trigger check! First check, no trigger! Second check, no trigger...”

“It’s okay, Sora! We all lose sometimes! Besides, that was just your first game with this deck! Now, let’s get back to finding its owner!”

“Actually... it resonated with me. I think i’ll keep it for now.”

Sora and Kazumi walk out of Card Capital, not knowing that their destinies will soon arrive...