Chapter 021: The Truth Behind the Image

''The moon is believed by some to be a place that connects Cray to Earth. Somewhere on this ball of rock and dust, the force of destiny linking both worlds flows through, harmonizing the melodies each planet generates. If either planet's melody faltered in any way, both planets would suffer in the long run. However, if both planets cooperate, and their melodies harmonize, then both planets benefit in the long run. Each planet would have a balance of fortune and misfortune. It would be exactly the way it was meant to be.''

On Planet Cray, somewhere inside the Holy Nation, there was a small temple that had been constructed to house a creature of great power. This was the home of the Starburst Dragon, which was currently in a state of deep slumber. It was guarded by a constant watch of knights without names. One knight, however, was paying too much attention to the battle taking place above the surface of the planet. Gear Chronicle and its allies, including the Demonic Dragon, Kuromi, were waging war against those who sought to maintain peace and stability across two worlds.

"Oi!" another knight shouted at the distracted knight. "We're in the middle of a watch! We have to remain vigilant!"

"My apologies…" the distracted knight responded. "The fight is too big and bright to not watch at times."

"We cannot afford to be distracted, young knight. We swore a vow to always protect this dragon with our lives. One distracted knight is no better than a thousand. Do you understand?"

"I understand. After all, it is very possible that someone could try to attack our station."

"Now that's the right kind of thinking. Besides, our watch is almost over for the night."

The knights returned to their posts to await the sunrise. Deep inside, however, none of the knights were certain whether they would see another sunrise.

Makoto woke up inside a temple. Above him, a rabbit with speakers for ears and a cat whose tail could act as a helicopter rotor were recording the scene. The flow of the force of destiny was becoming a darker shade of every color with each passing minute.

"The melodies are changing colors," the rabbit said. "It is as if someone is poisoning the waters back home."

"The world is gonna end soon, isn't it?" the cat asked in response.

"Of course not, baka!" the rabbit answered quickly. "Never say such things!"

"Sorry, boss…" the cat apologized.

"Let's hope the vanguard of Starburst Dragon can stop this madness…"

"Where am I?" Makoto asked himself.

"This place is called Convexity," a voice said to him in response. Makoto recognized the voice as that of Rex Kido. Makoto then looked up to see Rex standing on a pedestal high off the ground.

"Convexity..?"

"Here, we are trapped in our astral bodies. This place is where the force of destiny coming from Earth and Cray are harmonized," Rex continued to explain. "Up until now, I've imagined myself in this place alone. And now, the moment someone joins me, this place becomes the venue for the true final Cardfight."

"It's so quiet here…"

"It is supposed to be quiet," Rex continued. "It allows Convexity to do its job without any distractions. It also allows me to fully enjoy this battle, without any distractions."

"Shall we begin?" Makoto asked him.

"Let's do this, Makoto."

"Stand Up! (The!) Vanguard!!!"

"Boss! The fight is starting!" the cat told his rabbit co-worker.

"Get me in closer!"

The duo were aiming to show a live feed of the battle to the entirety of Planet Cray.

"Not too close, baka!" the rabbit told the cat. "Don't let them see us!"

"Whether you want to see it or not," Rex told his opponent, "this is the final Cardfight for one of us. Ride the Vanguard! Chrono Dran!" Rex's astral body changed into the form of a small gear dragon with wheels for feet and a wheel at the end of its tail.

"Ride! Starburst Dracokid!" Makoto's astral body changed into the form of a baby cosmo dragon. "Then I ride Starburst Squire!" A young knight appeared where the baby dragon once stood. "Skill of Starburst Dracokid, draw one card. My turn is over."

"Ride! Gun-blast Dragon!" Rex said, beginning his first turn. "Skill of Chrono Dran, draw one card. Then skill of Gun-blast Dragon, I bind this Chronodragon Nextage from my hand to add Chronojet Dragon to my hand from the deck."

That's the same move he used on Reiji… Makoto thought to himself.

"Attack! Gun-blast Dragon!"

"No guard!"

"Drive Check, no trigger."

"Damage Check, no trigger."

"My turn is over," Rex then said. "It's your turn now."

The scholarly cat ran through the halls of the royal palace so she could tell King Alfred the latest news of the battle taking place above the surface of the planet.

This is bad, she thought to herself. The final battle has already begun…

Meanwhile, on the moon, a cat and his rabbit co-worker were flying above the arena called Convexity trying to show the planet Cray what was happening on the surface below.

"The Gear Chronicle is already one-tenth of the way towards completing their final plan," the rabbit said to her co-worker.

"Can we find a way to stop them before that happens?" the cat asked in response.

"Draw," Makoto began his turn. "Ride! Starburst Knight!" The knight on his field grew taller. "Call! Silent Tom! Starburst Squire! Then, Silent Tom's skill: Counter Blast, and add 6000 Power to itself. Attack! Silent Tom!"

"I won't guard that one! Damage Check, no trigger that time."

"Boosted by Starburst Squire, Starburst Knight attacks! Skill of Starburst Squire, I discard a card from my hand to give it an additional 5000 Power!"

"Gun-blast Dragon will guard that one!" Rex responded.

"Drive Check…" Makoto said calmly. "Got it! Draw Trigger! Power to the vanguard, then draw one card. Starburst Squire's skill, since the attack hit, I draw two cards. Then, Starburst Knight's Soul Blast to Counter Charge 1."

"So that makes seven cards in your hand?" Rex asked.

"That is correct," Makoto answered him. "My turn is over. Back to you. But first…"

"What is the matter?"

"Why exactly did you choose me to enter your Tournament of Champions?" Makoto then asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Rex answered with a rhetorical question. "You defeated Reiji Midorihara, something that no other Vanguard fighter had even been proven to accomplish."

"I disagree," Makoto continued. "There's something else besides that."

"You remind me too much of your father, Makoto," Rex complained, but also admitted.

"You knew my father?" Makoto then asked.

"Saying 'I knew him' is a bit of an understatement, Makoto," Rex corrected him. "He and I were teammates in high school, roommates in college, and we worked together on this very project we're witnessing right now."

"What?!" Makoto was in utter disbelief. What was he hearing?

"I speak the truth, Makoto," Rex continued to explain. "He and I knew we had to make sure humanity would continue to thrive. You see, Makoto, you knew your father as the man who always smiled. I knew him as the man with a special power."

"Special power?"

"He could hear the voices of the cards, the power known as PSY Qualia."

"PSY Qualia? Wait. If he could hear the voices of the cards, why would he join you in a project that could harm the cards in any way?" Makoto asked.

"Because he knew that allowing humanity to thrive was more important," Rex answered him. "He would be willing to destroy Planet Cray if it meant that humanity would see perfection."

"I don't believe you…" Makoto protested. "I can't believe you…"

"I'm sure you heard the story a thousand times," Rex told him. "The night he died."

"What about it?" Makoto asked.

"I was there that night," Rex continued. "I watched that man die on his way to the hospital. I saw the smile on his face as his heart stopped beating and I was heartbroken. Utterly heartbroken. Maybe even more so than you. The next day was the day we were supposed to change the world."

Makoto was speechless.

"That's right," Rex continued. "This very Cardfight that we are having now, it was supposed to take place four years ago, on the day after he died. After he died, it was impossible for me to find someone to take his place. But now, I see the answer was right in front of me the whole time! Stand and draw, then ride!!!"