Rijuku Park

"Why do you have a table?" Aoi questioned the single most unimportant thing of the situation while the boys were talking and nearly fought until Jellal had no deck.

"That sounds weird but cool!"

It made about as much sense as Aoi's thought process.

"Did he just....?"Jellal found himself at a complete loss of words seeing Neo pull out a table like it was part of some magic trick that he had rehearsed. "Weird people..." he said while slowly resting his resident sleeper off his back against the side of the table. "You'll be fine here. Sleep tight~" he said to her with a sincere simple before looking at the deck of cards that he hand in his hand. Brawlers. The front cover card was a ferocious dragon emulated by lightning bolts around him. Although at this very moment, he had never seen the cards, he felt a strange familiarity about them and began to understand them more after reading the rules from the manual Neo handed him. Jellal pale blue gaze scanned the top cover card in a way that he knew he had played this game before.

"I can tell these cards aren't the ones I would use but even so... I'll use them if I have to for this fight." Motivated and ready, he sat the deck face down and prepared to engage in his first fight that would unlock many things about him.

Megumin woke up next to a table which smelt of dog food. Was she abandoned or drug, she would never know as all she saw was legs and legs: slim legs, plump legs, hairy legs, shaved legs, covered legs. Seeing two pair of legs on each side of the table, she observed their legs. Neo's was slightly hairy meanwhile Jellal's seemed to be a little bit dusty, though both wore long sleeved pants so all she could observed were their bare ankles, yes ankles. The wonderful jewel, embedded into the skin allowing full rotation of the feet.

After that Megumin tried to stand up but lost her strength half way, with the stationary point of her parabolic head just intersecting the horizontal table plain and thus the table shook a bit. Darn it, I'm gonna get caught, she thought. Megumin covered her head and pretended to be a rabbit, hopping away from Jellal whom she threatened earlier. "Happy Easter, happy easter. I love carrots." she mimicked.

Aoi approached the clearly-not-rabbit Megumin and offered her a carrot with a smile, completely buying the horrible disguise tactic.

Megumin, surprised by Aoi, began to sweat heavily. She took the carrot and stood up straight away, springing like a jack-in-the-box then stood still, looking at the table for a long before realizing Jellal was a beginner like her.

Aoi jumped back in shock, gasping. This person... they're not a rabbit! A little bit of her innocence was broken apart, leaving her in pieces after seeing she gave a carrot to... a wizard? Well, at least someone would be fed a healthy vegetable, so it wasn't all too upsetting in hindsight. The prodigy began wishing she had a pet, turning her attention to the table of Jellal and Neo playing Narukami against each other.

Jellal played Aqua Force, didn't he?

... Wait, how would Aoi know that?

And so Neo gave Jellal his Brawler deck to use while he used his Eradicators and the cardfight was under way. Since Jellal didnt remember almost anything about Vanguard, Neo showed Jellal the game step by step so he could get the hang of things. Things were going smooth sailing with both fighters at Grade 2. Then Neo had his first chance to Ride one of his Ace units.

"Stand up! Gauntlet Buster Dragon" Neo yelled out

Neo then called many units to the rearguard and started attack Jellal's forces but Jellal was guarding everything in sight. Then he Rode Brawler, Big Bang Knuckle Dragon and attack Neo. Putting him at 4 damage. Neo was ready to show Jellal just how powerful Gauntlet Buster Dragon is.

"Its time for my Limit Break!" Neo screamed out

With Neo at 4 damage he was able to retire Jellal's forces and power up his Gauntlet Buster but Jellal had a Perfect Guard and was able to Survive.

Jellal then learned about the power of Legion and Legioned Knuckle Dragon with Big Bang Slash Dragon. He then attacked my entire front row, powered up, Checked a double Critcal Trigger and Defeated Neo and Gauntlet.

"Wow. Nicely done" Neo Said

Jellal realized afterwards that Jellal didnt shuffle for his legion and Neo just told him it was a beginner mistake and too be ready for next time. Jellal then handed back Neo the Brawler deck.

In the meantime Neo tried to think of a way to get Jellal an Aqua Force deck to use since that was his clan during those times..

"How come you didn't shuffle...?" Aoi questioned Jellal after the cardfight. This man... he... he was a cheater! The fight was... quite something and interesting, Jellal seemed entirely detached from Brawlers. Naturally, because that isn't his clan. Aoi believed it was Aqua Force for reasons she couldn't exactly explain, and Neo looks like he knows too.

Despite his first time playing it, Jellal instantly began to recognize some of the key features of the game: the playstyles, the passion, the imagination. Seeing Neo's Gauntlet Buster Dragon activate his limit break sent chills down Jellal's spine. The roar of the powerful thunder dragon, one by one picking off his comrades, destroying his formation: this is what the name "Eradicator" meant. With very little resources, Jellal attempted to legion forth a buddy to assist his vanguard in battle. Victory was sealed with a double critical trigger. At the end of the match, it was confirmed both spiritually and mentally that Jellal was and is a vanguard fighter, he was connected to this game in his past life.

"They were fun games, Neo. Thank you for teaching me." Jellal applauded. While Neo brought up Aqua Force and briefly explained them, Jellal tried to imagine what they could be and what they looked like but he was drawing a blank. He shrugged and returned the deck to Neo and awaited went to see his resident sleeper awake, devouring a carrot. "You're awake I see. Had a good nap?"

He was then approached by Aoi about him not 'shuffling'. "Shuffle?" he said. "Shuffle what?".

"The deck! You're supposed to shuffle the deck when you Legion! Or just when your search in it in general!" Aoi shouted. Assaulting vanguard with such obliviousness... it was unforgivable. It was as if Jellal was as smart as her! She was the Chinese Champion at least, so she'd... probably not mess up like that. ... Probably... yeah...

Genovious started sweating.

"Mmmn..." Where was he? What happened and how did he get here? Aedan sat up holding the side of his head and looking around, asking himself these questions. The last thing he remembered was a head splitting head ache and then... Darkness. That was it. That's all he could remember. Glancing down, he noticed he was on a bench now... "Did, that guy from before put me here..." Yes. Yes Aedan, Neo did. He's a good guy... I think?

Neo laughed at what Aoi said and replied "Its nothing but a beginners mistake haha"

Neo then saw Aedan wake up and walked up to him

"Hey there, I see your up and about. How are you feeling?" Neo asked him

"Shuffle the...de-" Jellal remembered that one of the conditions for seeking a buddy was to shuffle the deck after putting the four cards back from the drop.

"It must've went past me. I was having too much fun. My apologies Neo. Had I shuffled, it would've had a different outcome no?" Jellal was a little embarrassed but didn't mean any harm by it. He was having fun, a lot of fun. "We can rematch once I find a clan that suits me, how's that?"

That sounds good Jellal!" Neo replied

"So are you guys gonna take him to the Resistance now? It's at Umano Slums!" Aoi questioned and informed them of their destination.

"Oh, ya I had a good nap I guess." Megumin replied shyly to Jellal, pretending to yawn. After that she heard Aoi invite them to the Resistance's hideout so she decided to tag along.

"By the way, uhhhh.. you still haven't told me your name." Jellal said to the young brown haired girl as he joined them to the "base".

The Resistance.." Neo thought to himself.

It had been awhile since he had heard about that. So he decided to tag along with everyone else and bring Aedan along for the ride.

"Alright Everyone Lets Go!" Neo said

"My name is Megumi Nase, Megumin but don't get me wrong here, I still don't trust you. It seems my memories get distorted, you're definitely hiding something; or you've actually lost your memory which is pretty stupid haha." Megumin introduced herself before mocking and suspecting Jellal, though she felt she knew him.

"Megumi huh..?" Jellal said. He turned his gaze from her and looked forward into the sky, almost staring into his thoughts. "Such a pretty name." He thought. "Although, I feel as though I might've encountered her before. Then again..." Jellal looked back seeing the young Megumi keeping her distance from him as a follow up to her not trusting him. "Maybe not." he said with a nervous expression on his face. He stood beside Neo while also keeping Megumi beside him in case she passed out again.

"Although Megumi, I should clarify." he said while slightly turning his head towards her. "I remember basic stuff, my name, growing up, my parents. It's just..." he paused with a sense of unease. "Everything from the past 5 years just seem like a blur. I can't recall much. My memories are scatted like shards of broken glass; nothing to connect them. That's why I'm here. I can't say for certain why I've forgotten those memories but..." Jellal bowed his head down lost in his inability to understand just what exactly is going on. "Honestly, she is right. It is kind of stupid for me to have forgotten a large chunk of my life. But thankfully, I managed to find people who want to help me." He smirked a bit wondering if this is what having friends are like.

"This resistance base: what will be waiting for me? More answers hopefully, about myself, this game, my role in everything." He thought seriously while his pale eyes lit from the sun's rays. "I just REALLY hope this isn't some RPG."

Haruka sat on his bench in the park, letting food coma from the beachside restaurant set in. The sound of water from the fountain was ringing in the air. Then a... paper... hit him in the face. The breeze from the park was generally strong whenever Haruka was there. Coincidence probably. Picking the flyer off his face, he read off the contents described on it to himself...


"Chronicle's Eve...?"

Lambros and Thavas looked at it intently as well, not sure what it was at first glance. Haruka scratched his chin, taking the time to figure out what it was all about. The art of a dragon was on the flyer itself. It was reminiscent of something Chronos had said before the group a few times at Reaper attacks.

"I'm assuming we're entering?"

Haruka nodded, folding the flyer and placing it in his back pocket.

"Of course we are." Haruka grinned, standing up and stretching his back out. He was like a tired cat right about now.

Thavas and Lambros wore simpers, giving a slight brofist to be back in action.

The park was a bit empty, only a few smaller kids running around chasing each other. The weather was clear, nice, bright vibrant sun with a nice breeze passing through. Jellal walked across the street and hopped over the fence, planting his feet while the dust kicked up from the ground. He continued to walk forward as he brushed down his pant legs to his shoes. He slightly turned to the tree that he remembered waking up from. It looked old and broken yet it felt mysterious. The leaves were a very dark shade of green, rustling within the wind as Jellal continued to walk forward. He proceeded down the other side of the park to a long picnic bench, sliding his right leg over the bench followed by his left hovering over it, finally resting on the red wooden seat. He stuck his right arm out and placed his elbow on the table and used it as a headrest as he looked into the sky. Outside of the birds chirping, the wind passing through, the leaves and branches moving, along with the kids laughing: Jellal felt utter silence. It was peaceful but it still reminded him of where he awoke from: the empty black abyss filled with nothing. He took a minute to appreciate all that he could hear, see, and feel and began to soak in the rays of the sun, stretching his arms out and firmly placing them back in their original position. Jellal's pale blue eyes started to lose focus while appreciating his environment.

"I could get used to this." The boy said as he closed his eyes enjoying his peace.