The Hidden Fortress

I guess... It's up to Aedan to actually do the spy part? Great. Looking up at the towering Ezel, he sighed lightly then looked at the map. M'kay. Seemed easy enough. ...No it really isn't. The pair of the black haired lion, and the slowly turning blackette Irishman made their way to the point they were supposed to go... To steal a deck. Awesome. Where is it? Aedan would start to search around for the deck as instructed, hopefully finding it with relative ease. Well... Relative ease isn't really... what fate had in store. More traps! Narrowly dodging a few of them the male sighed. "Man... This place is from like a video game or something. Traps, treasures, damsel in distress. ...Okay I'd say that last bit, isn't actually true, but whatever!" Ezel and Aedan continued to search for the deck, avoiding as many traps as they could.

Riko was sitting at the center of the village waiting for them to show. it was to quite though and he frowned.

meanwhile when Aoi knocked on the door Xat attacked her from the side. Her apperance was diffrent then normal.

"I will beat you all in the name of my leader Seph. I know what I am ment to do and you two wont stop me, after all i can;t lose not when my deck is on the line." She said as she got ready to attack,

meanwhile in the cave that the vault was that held the deck was set the traps were deadly and armned. Aedin manage to miss them all, and at the end was a mosnter laying in wait.



Her main weakness was in her tail. "I welcome you human to get this far however I can not let you pass. And no matter what I am not from this world so no mortal weapon can hurt me." She said as a taunt to Aiden.

Haruto followed Aoi in sneaking towards the area Riko specified for Xat to be, he did note how Aoi was so into the sneaky bit but he had to do the same, it was rather surprising that not many assassins were able to notice but then again this was their home so getting by them made sense since their guard was a bit down.

"Man look at her she is acting like this is a god damn movie, help us, help us! Nigga!!" said bruno
"O_O" just hearing that put a dazed gaze on Haruto's face, he had no idea bruno could just...well say that.
"Oh no, no, nyoh, nyoh oh my god he's starting again." said Aglovale.
"Bruno shut up please this is serious."
"Man this is not a movie! It's the real dea-" Bruno did not have the chance to finish his words, as Xat attacked Aoi right away.

"Stop!" he shouted as he tried to stop this person from attacking Aoi.

Oh, this really is just like a video game, with a boss monster and everything. Great. Back pedaling, the lion and the irishman both looked over the monster, and split up... Aedan was using himself as bait, while Ezel would rush around behind and attack... The tail he guessed? It looked like the biggest target. Aedan himself rushed forward to get the attention on himself, while Ezel leaped in, attempting to skewer the target's tail. After this, HOPEFULLY, he'd be able to get the deck with no problem.

"Hello, is Xat home?" Aoi innocently inquired at the appearance of a changed woman. Then, the lass was surprised at the notice that this person is trying to attack them with their deck on the line?

"Wait, what's going on?!"

Xat saw Haruto and for a minute stepped back, before looking back at Aoi, before shaking her head. "You two shouldn't have come, you should of left me. Seph he has this control over me using my deck. I'm sorry but i have to do what he says if i want my units to serve. please you two forgive me." She said with tears forming as she took out a sword. the wolf beside her metiralized and growled as well, it was her spirit animal.

meanwhile the monster was having a heard time with Aeiden and went to attack the him when her tail was stabbed. SHe realled back and let out a shreak before clasping on to the ground. With the monster defeated the gates to the vault opened and inside was a glass case holding a deck inside it, and not jsut any deck but the murakumo clan.

Oh, so it worked? That's good, and hey, it looked like they found what they needed. Busting the deck out of the glass, Aedan and Ezel quickly made their way to where the others were... Though, he himself was out of breath... Panting and doubled over, holding the deck out. "Deck... Got it... Here... Take..." broken speech between breathes. Ezel himself was standing guard over Aedan. Neither were really aware of what was going on, or at least... Aedan wasn't.

Haruto could not believe his eyes, this was Xat afterall he did not guess that she would even consider attacking them but it all made sense when she made her statement about her units. The fact that she was fighting for her comrades made this situation have some sense, it still hurt...

"I don't care what Seph has done, we can save your units together, you just have to come back to us Xat please." he said, with sincerity in his eyes, he could not bear to see her tormented the way she was.

"Come with us Xateramusa, we miss you." he said, extending his hand to her. That was when Aeden rolled up all Sonic like with her deck in hand, to which Haruto took it and showed it to Xat.

"Look it's here, your units are safe, you don't have to fight us." he said.
This whole situation hurt to say the least, having to see a person important to him go through this was too much.

"Wait, wait, what's going on?! Who is that doggy?! Are you Xat?! When did you get a makeover?! You look nice. Why do you have a sword?!"

Aoi was in a mental hurricane of emotions. The girl was panicking at the sight of a weapon and a spirit animal that she was somehow able to see. At least it was obvious Xat had no control over herself, or at least, didn't want to do something like this regardless. She turned when Aedan appeared with the deck, and wondered what in god's name happened when he went to get it.

"Xat! Here! Take your units from Haruto, and take back your free will!"

What a majestic reunion.

Xat turned and saw her deck. Her wolf went over and fetched it for her bringing it back to her as Riko appered next to them.

"You don;t have to fight for him anymore we are runited my avatar." Shirayuki's voice said to her as xat placed the deck closed to her heart. The wolf that was next to her sat down and xat placed a hand on her wolf's head.

"Thank you...." She told them with a smile before looking to Riko.  "Your safe that is good." She said as Riko nooded. "Indeed I am, now how about we get rid of seph and get out of here?" he asked them as xat noodded while her wolf stood up. "I also see that you completed the final task of your inharatance." HE asked her as he looked to the others.

"When one of her kind reaches the strongest point and can grow no feather the spirit animals they are bound to can apper phsyically in the real world as anemles." He exsplaned as Xat spoke. "This new look is the result of the end of my training." SHe said as she figured her mask.

Suddenly they were all surrounded and Seph stood at the helm. "I commend you on getting here and freeing the princess sadly you all must meet your doom." He said with a laugh only to be attacked by Riko.

"Uhh..." Aoi was confused by Xat actually getting control of herself back with her deck. Card games sure are magical, and even if it was weird, this is one of the reasons why she loved Vanguard. It brings people together and brings out their true nature - the brightness of the heart. She scratched her cheek, laughing nervously, yet also smiling, happy to see her friend with a smile on face again. Then, Seph appeared after Riko spoke of some inheritance and spirit animals comes into the real world.

... Real... world.

Real... ity.

Reality.

"Hey!" Aoi shouted with a light bulb flickering on above her head. "Our Reality Bangles! We can surround and stop Seph from hurting Xat, Riko, and any of us with them!"

The trumpet was sounded, horns blaring for Aqua Force's Ripple faction to charge.

Having Xat back was reassuring as well as pleasing for Haruto, it was rather thnakful that Aeden managed to get her deck in time otherwise this would have been quite problematic.

"..It's great to have you back." he said.

However the situation took a turn for the worse when Seph ambushed them.

"This ends here Seph!" he shouted, igniting the tips of his fist with bluish flame. That was when Aoi made her suggestion about the bangles.

"Finally! Somebody noticed!"

"Let's do this." he said, calling out to his golden warriors as his deck began to glow a bright blue.

Seph relized he was out numbered and that none of the villagers were going to help but that didnt stop him. Useing he skills he tried to escape but was cut off by Xat's wolf. "Give up you lost." Riko said as seph just laughed. "Cleaver using your units however they are unsless here." He said with a laugh befoe chooking on his own blood. The sword laudge through him was not that of riko's but of Xat's and laughed. "I lost but yet you did as well. Congratulations Xateramusa your back as an assassin now, and the darkness in you finally being unlocked." He said laughing as he dies

Xat looked at the blood that splatered on her hands and felt no remorse. She pulled the sword out and looked at riko and the others. "It is over." She told them as she looked onto the villagers that had arrived. "As by our traditions I am now ruler sence I killed the prevouse one however I will pass this title onto my dear friend Riko who deserves it more then me." She said as she passed on the title to Riko who smiled.

Xat watched as he started his speech walking over to the others. "Thank you guys for comming after me." She said with a soft smile as Riko's speech came to an end and he joined them.

"Oh", Aoi was a bit surprised and disappointed, as was her clan in general. They were ready for action beyond fighting a bear in the woods - a duel with an assassin. Then it happened rather anticlimactically. ... Mind you, they're assassins, so why would they settle this bout with card games? The prodigy folded her arms under her... still heavier-than-desired flesh mounds, pushing them up and pouting a little bit as victory was swiftly obtained. Yet... she showed concern for Xat, the woman who just killed the village leader without hesitation and shows no remorse.

Are killers all like this?

Aoi didn't like it if they were. Still, she pushed the thought aside to grin toward Xat. "Awww... It was nothing. You didn't want to come here, so naturally, we'd come running for you! And now that we have you back, it's time for..."

All members of the Ripple faction popped open bottles of various wines and beverages.

"CAAAAAMPIIIIIING!!"

Smores flew toward everyone's faces at the speed of light.

It all happened too fast that was for sure, but thankfully it was over with, Xat had achieved what she wanted and the village was free of Seph and his mess and Xat's decision to give the title to someone else pretty much meant that she was coming home with them right?

"..Finally it's over.." he thought, as he calmed himself down. Aoi was already announcing the start of the real camping trip so it was time to follow by.

Haruto motioned to Xat to follow them, he had much to talk about and they had much to do as a team.

Xat stood back and shook hands with Riko. "It was ncie seeing you again. Though I do not knwo if life will be simple for me anymore?" She said to him while he smiled "It will if you ever need any help dont be afraid to call. after all we are best fiends." He told her as Xat smiled and went to join her freinds with Riko waving to them.

Xat looked at them and saw the new person and her wolf growled not knowing who this person is and if he was a danger to her. "I dont beleve we met I'm xateramusa." She introduced herself.