Cardfight Training Area

The door to Haruka's room slid open. Out from behind it stepped Karin, a tired but happy expression on her face. It was obvious she had been doing something difficult and strenuous, though what exactly it was wasn't clear. The Reality Bangle was wrapped around her right wrist, fitting snugly.

Upon looking at what was actually inside the room, however, Karin's expression changed, first to shock, then to confusion, and finally annoyance. She folded her arms with a huff. "I came to check on how Haruka was doing... I guess whatever 'Split' you were planning on doing worked, then? Assuming that-" She pointed at the other, darker looking Haruka. "-you're that Angel or whoever, that is."

Haruka proceeded to awkwardly sit up as Sera was still.... stradling him by the waist. This looked like a potential yaoi if it progressed any further. Smut was not on Haruka's to-do list as of this afternoon, no sirree.

He sat up, pushing Sera lightly off of him and turned to Karin, who had found herself in the medical bay towards Haruka's cell. Now that Sera was a separate entity, the door wasn't kept locked because he could theoretically leave whenever he wanted, so locking the door only locked up Haruka and that was sort of wrong on quite a few levels.

"Y-Yeah, the angel. That's him. No wings though. And he isn't really very angelic either..."

He turned to look at the semi-sulking Sera, and then back to Karin who seemed a cross between annoyed and glad, but more annoyed THAN glad. That was a bit frightening.

"Everything went according to plan though! Uh, sort of. Yukino split me in half, like she said but... she was off. Very off.

Oh and flying." Haruka nodded, pounding his fist into the palm of his hand with that revelation.

After telling Yukino he'd return to the HQ, he did just that. He wasn't about to lie to her and go somewhere else. He's a man of his word. In any case, the male returned, and immediately regretted it. He felt light headed, and his chest tightened a bit. What in the world was this feeling? Almost as soon as it came, it passed, and the male, while utterly confused and slightly perturbed by this made his way into the building. What was he going to do here? Probably just patrol.

"Off and flying... Sounds like the Yukino that came out of those gates, like those other strange people... The people with Stride." Karin put her hands to her waist, sighing. "Well, I can't say the outcome of all this is anywhere close to preferred, but I'm glad you came out of it alright, Haruka. Well, more or less alright."

Pointing a finger at Sera again, she gave him a hard glare. "Don't even think of harming him, or anyone else here, for that matter. You saw what I did to the guy who tried to kill you both, and I'd love for you to give me a reason to do that to you, too." Karin lifted her foot into the air and kicked it outward, next to Sera's head, as a demonstration. Setting it back down, she turned back to Haruka, her face returning to a happier, more peaceful smile. "Anyway, how are you feeling? Doing alright?"

"I'm fine, mostly. A little emptier, I'm sure you can guess." Haruka scratched the bridge of his nose, now sitting criss-cross on his bed, staring at the distorted version of himself suddenly grip his chest. He gritted his teeth, stood up and brushed pass Karin.

"Getting. Water."

Sera was up and out before Haruka could even ask what was wrong, the demented half escaped the room and fled to a nearby bathroom it sounded like.

Haruka furrowed his brow, shrugging and taking a stand up and walking towards Karin. He blinked for a moment before examining her closely. The bracelet. That's what was off. He noticed it earlier. Several people seemed to have access to them recently. Weird thing, they all look the same. Ask about it?

Yes.<<<

No.

"Hey, whats that on your wrist there by the way, Karin?" Haruka inquired, leaning against the wall next to the doorway where Karin still stood.

Seifer continued to wander the halls, mostly just aimlessly since he couldn't really think of anything to do past just... wander. Look, guard, watch. He felt it was now his duty to watch over everyone, to try and protect. At the cost of himself if it was necessary. At some point, the male started making his way toward the medical bay, though he was still a ways off. He'd like to visit Haruka and actually talk since, he didn't get to last time because of the... interruption.

Karin lifted her hand, looking down at the bangle. "Oh, this? It's a Reality Bangle. At least, I'm pretty sure that's what Yugure called them. They're some sort of device she invented to let us do that Stride thing those other people could do." Karin tapped the bangle with her finger, the bangle only vibrating for a split second as it fit tightly around her wrist. "Using it is pretty tough, though... It takes a lot of energy to Stride."

"Stride... Slide....?" Haruka scratched his head, reaching for Karin's hand to bring her wrist closer to his field of view. He really wanted a closer look at some device that let them slide around. It could be really useful in a pinch!

"So, what good is this if it takes a lot of energy to slide? Wouldn't that just be a waste when you could-" Haruka stopped himself there as the overwhelming stupidity he was feeling set in. Stride. Not Slide. He said Stride. Heard Slide.

"Stride. Ah... What is Stride, again? Who are the other people?" Haruka's face turned somewhat white and his skin became icy.

"What... what have I missed since I've been locked in here." Haruka's giddy inquisitive spirit turned to grim, depressed even. His hands shook, reaching over to Karin's wrist. His eyes didn't avert from her own, but he was scared now.

______________________________________________________________________________________

Sera rushed down the hall, cursing under his breath still somewhat clutching his chest as he finds himself colliding with another body. His energy form is knocked to the ground, head hitting the linoleum first. Ow. It would have hurt more if Sera was actually inside of a human body and had a central nervous system. Instead, he found himself simply annoyed he was now on the ground instead of rushing to his destination-

"Seifer?"

Sera sat there, dumbfounded by the body he bumped heads with just now. Not the face he was exactly looking for, but he did find the source of his chest pain.

"You. Why are you here?"

Karin frowned at the change of atmosphere. She sat down on the bed next to Haruka, letting him get as close of a look as he liked of the Reality Bangle. "From what I remember, Stride is when you call out to an alternate future, or timeline, and borrow great power from there for a short time. In Vanguard, it's represented by some really strong grade 4 units that you use as your Vanguard for a turn, in exchange for discarding cards whos grades add up to 3 or more." Karin explained the mechanic to him, listing off all the rules about it she could remember. "There were some powerful fighters who came out of some portals a couple days ago, and they could Stride. I think they came from the same alternate timelines their Strides came from, too. One of them looked like Yugure."

Putting a hand to Haruka's forehead, Karin pulled him a little closer, giving him a gentle embrace, running her hand through his hair. "I really do hope you are feeling okay... It sounds like you've been through a lot, despite missing so much. If there's anything I can do to help you, just let me know, okay?"

Seifer felt someone run into him, since he was this time looking to the side. There was the sound of a body hitting the floor. He himself stumbled backwards a bit, almost slipping and falling. What in the world just?... He looked to see... Haruka? No that wasn't right. He looked different. Way different, like a picture in negative. This must me... Wait is this? "Sera? Wait a minute, what?" he stared down at the reason for the invasion in the first place. The first thought was... To attempt to destroy him and yet, logically speaking he could try and possibly fail as well. This was... interesting. It didn't help that it felt like something in his chest was trying to get out, trying to reach out to the figure before Seifer. "I... Kinda technically work here? I guess?" it theoretically wasn't a lie. He did work with the resistance.

As all of this stuff was going on Xat was almost compleatly done with her healing and training. All that remind was her desire to help the others more then ever. She went forth into the darkest part of her heart and faced off the budern that was left from the reversed which looked exactly like her.

"So I see you finally come to me, and become one with me?" The reversed side of her said feeling joyful.

"No, I came here to defeat you, and finally put you in my past were you belong." She said defintly and began to fight with her reversed self for control.

The battle raged on for hours it seemed, and finally Xat bent on one knee paniting, while the reverse stood over her and smiled.

"Its been fun but now its time for you to be sealed." She said with a laugh and went to delt the finishing blow, however the blow was frozen before it even hit Xat. "What is this?" the reversed said in fear.

"This is the power that she holds, and as long as were with her she will never give into the darkness." A voiced said as her spirit stride bangle glowed and Cosmitic snowfall shirayuki said.

Xat feeling the presance of the Future Shirayuki stood up and faced the revesed side of her. "You are in the past, I can't say I am happy with how I was turned, however you are no longer need to be around. I won't go down that path ever again. I will rise up and defeat the Seeds along side my allies...No along side my Friend!" she declared as 2 lights began to shine, and the reversed side couldn't stand the sight or the power of feelings and unity combinded and was burned away in that bright light. Snowfall Shirayuki smiled and looked back at xat. "You have brave many challanges as you grew and now you are need back in the world of awaking. I will always be with you in your heart." She said as she fade back to her own time.

The bangil stopped glowing and the 2 lights that had appered began to morph into 2 units, and girl and a dragon. "You have awakened us however the time has not yet come for you to use us or our abilitys, but rember we will be by your side in spirit." The woman said as she and the dragon dissapeared. She woke back up in the murakumo world with all of them around her side. "It is time for you to return back to your world." Said Kagurabloom as xat's presance faded from there world and back to her own body.

Xat slowly woked up and looked around before sitting up noticing she was on a bed. "Were am I?" She asked softly as she stood up, she then decided it was time for a new her, and with that in mind she walked to a bathroom and began to change her hair, her hair now was black with blue steaks. Saticfied with her look she left the restroom and went back to the bed she was on, and picked up her deck that was right next to it.

Haruka felt Karin's hands run through the messy bedhead Haruka had left from his rude awakening this morning. He was calming down, yet still shaking. The shaking was less from being cold or fearful, but just an icy feeling in his chest. The heat that was there when Sera was still there, had left. Haruka listened carefully to Stride and what it is. It makes sense he wasn't given one of the bracelets, because the Yukino that attacked him must have be from an alternate timeline. Yet she seemed to still have some... sickening love for him. Creepy.

Karin was a bit too comforting in some ways. It was a sisterly care that Haruka never really had because he grew up basically without most of his family, and if the dreams Sera showed him are true...

The only family he remembers, he never, even, had.

This fueled his void only more and more. He simply took deep breaths, adjusting his sight to Karin and taking in the information of portals and people. If there was an alternate Yukino, maybe there were alternate others too?

"Were there other versions of us? Seifer? Tsubasa? Cero? What about them too?" Haruka was becoming distressed. If this Stride was so powerful, what power did Haruka's alter ego possess then? Was he reversed? All of these thoughts flooded his head.

"Karin, what's going on...?" He was slowly but surely breaking down in her arms.

______________________________________________________________________________________

"Just the boy I was looking for. Sort of. Not really, but its good you showed up. Now I know where the final piece of this whole chess game went... "

Sera started pushing his hand onto Seifer's chest, a small grin forming. The black and greens of the negative were glowing and started to dance around Sera's fingertips.

"Maybe one of these days you'll learn to not join an army you aren't ready to sacrifice yourself for."

Despite Sera's words, he simply stood there, hovering his hand. Was he unable to drag out the energy from the man? Was his will too strong? No, it was in fact mostly broken it seemed... Sera was just unwilling to hurt him anymore it seemed.

Sera...?

Emotions...?

SERA WITH EMOTIONS?!

Something was amiss here in Japan today.

Xat after awaking left the medic room and began to look around feeling something was very wrong.

Karin held the boy and comforted him, giving only a gently touch despite her strong stature. "A different Yugure, a different Seifer too, maybe... But I didn't recognize any others. There were eight, maybe nine of them total, but most of them were people I'd never seen before. I'm not really sure what's going on, myself, to be honest... But Haruka-" She put a hand to the boy's shoulder, looking him square in the eyes. "-Every one of us, including you, are already working hard to figure out what's happening, and put a stop to it. We'll all have to hold on to what we have for a while... But I think we can do it, together."

Karin took Haruka's hand in her own, gripping it firmly. "Together. We'll do it together." Karin repeated aloud.

There was a pause, a moment before there was any reaction. To be honest, Seifer was scared, and with what Sera was doing... it felt like there was something that was trying to tear itself free. The feeling, the thought, was terrifying. And yet... With some shred of will, whatever it was... the brunette's left arm reached up, grabbing Sera's wrist and pushing his hand to the side. It was a little to late though. The reverse marks that had painted his face from what felt like so long ago, remerged, only to hollow out just being the outlines. As he moved Sera's hand further away, the crimson irises glowed and a black deck box with deep crimson outlines formed at his left hip, emanating powerful reverse energy before dying down. At the same time, Seifer's eyes stopped glowing, and the reverse marks vanished completely. Fully aware of what was at his hip now... "What did you just do." he knew somewhat what had just occurred.

Sera would normally maniacally laugh at this point at the creation he had formed, remerging Nebula... If that's what had happened.

No. It was different entirely. Seifer resisted the effect of the Reverse and accepted something else entirely. Instead of the inner general taking control of the host, the individual host is now manipulating its energy.

Sera disciple in action, so to speak. He gave a small golf clap as a sweat bead formed.

"Well... That's interesting, hehe..." He wiped his forehead, sitting against a wall for a moment, crouched.

"Do me a favor and don't hurt anybody with that. Nobody I would recognize. It kinda sucks seeing that stuff y'know...?"

Sucks... To see suffering?

Someone get the camera, Sera is growing up so fast.

_______________________________________________


Haruka's breathing finally calmed, as his eyes met Karin's. A certain familiarity struck Haruka. This felt like the comfort he had been given by so many others... Hana, Yukino, even Haruto. In different ways, they all would touch Haruka's heart and a future goals would emerge.

He nodded, agreeing to Karin's statement. He clasped his free hand over hers, trying to keep his composure together once and for all, for everybody. If he couldn't hold his own in the face of adversity, what was the whole point of taking Haruka captive and getting all of this done?

"Right. Together. Thanks Ka-rin." He separated the syllables when saying it this time. He found it like a fun cute thing to do. He does it a lot when calling out for Yukino, but sometimes when he's angry at Tsubaka or Seifer.

"I appreciate you being here. Its weird, like, having someone look out for you. Yukino and the guys are always there but, they're the guys and I'm sort of in love with Yukino. You're more of a..."

I swear to god if you break the fourth wall.

"You're like a sister to me. Even though we've known each other maybe a week. I'd like to learn more about you one day, if you ever have the time." He smiled and nodded, finally starting to relax a bit.

What? What did Sera just say? Almost automatically the male reached for the Kagero deck, only to have a shock at the tips of his fingers. Well, this is a problem since... Pulling out the other deck... Link Joker. Nebula Lord Dragon. Great. Kagero was locked, and he had Link Joker. And yet, wait, why was he still in control? Putting the deck away, the male chewed on his lip for a moment. He had to tell Yukino, but... What would she say, how would she react? This entire situation sucked. There was no win in this for the male. He had to tell Yukino. "...I'm not sure how to really react in this situation, let alone address what you did. The way it seemed, you don't know either. ...Alright then. Guess this is my only option for now." he sighed rubbing the side of his head and continued walking down the hallway. It was his duty at this point to report it to his spiritual sister. This, is going to suck.

'I know I just got done talking to you about things not to long ago but. We have an issue. And it involves something that... Shouldn't be possible. It'd be easier to speak face to face. In the meantime, I'm going to find a place and lock myself inside.' with that, the male hit send, walking into a random unlocked room, locking it from the inside before sitting down on the floor in the middle of the room. The door should be easy to open from the outside, so there were no worries about him being trapped here.

Xat after a while of walking, took out her phone and dield a number. "This is Xateramusa, Every thing is as what she told elder. I'm doing good, and about to go on a major fight with my allies. I wanted to say thank you for everything that you did for me. in case I dont make it back." Was the message she said to the voicemail, before ending the call and heading out of the training area to her house.

Darren was finally ready to leave the training area. He had torn his clothing and he had scars on his body. For cardfight training, it almost seemed impossible but it had actually happened. He closed his eyes as he said, "I think I have it a little bit..." He looked down at his deck. It hadn't actually changed yet but he he had improved with it and that was his goal.

Darren looked at his phone now that he was out and noticed he got a call. He sighed lightly and said, "Well, its time to get back into action..." He knew he had a mission to do. He wanted to be certain that he could do what he could to protect his friends. Noel, Yukino, Tsubasa, Seifer... and especially Xat. He would be the one to protect them all.

Haruka found himself once more being moved into a cell towards the medical wing of the building. Its no longer that he was particularly too injured to function, but rather that it was the safest place to keep him for now. Nurses started rushing towards the door once he entered the vicinity of the building parameters.

He was asked promptly to raise his arms up as the nurses bent down and undressed the locator from his ankle, then patting him down quickly for anything suspicious. He nodded to them, they nodded back, and he proceeded into the building finally. With a stretch and a wave, Haruka chimed in.

"Yahello, everyone. Hope you didn't miss me!" He smiled, but only in return got solemn silence, a few frowns, and someone shaking their head with disappointment.

Tough crowd...

Once more, stretching and yawning, he strolled towards the hallway leading into the second floor medical bay, sort of forgetting something....

Yugure forced the doors of the Cardfight Training Area open. This caught employees off guard, as they believed their commander was getting rest for once. No, of course not.

"I've read the messages on my cell phone."

Here we go.

"I want Sera brought to me with Haruka this instant. I also want someone to lead me to the room Seifer locked himself in. I want Cero to give me a full report of his battle with that disgusting woman Yukino. I also want every able body to lock onto the Clown's location, and keep track of his signal. I'm going to maim that Cyber Dragon."

Everyone kind of missed their real queen taking charge. Arms folded, head held up high, barking orders to strike back. A couple of researchers headed over to Haruka to inform them of his girlfriend's demand. Others tried to contact the Kaiser, while a few guards led the Chosen Sword to Seifer's selected room.

She knocked.

"Seifer, I'm opening the door."

Not even twenty seconds after Haruka took off his boots and laid to rest, a sturdy set of knocks come clanging at the stainless steel door to his bedroom. He blinks into the darkness of his room, tilts his head and yells, "Come in!"

Nobody came in. Instead a yell came back.

"Yugure requests you and your companion's presence as soon as possible."

Sera materialized from the corner of the room, with a raised eyebrow. He was obviously in for something big. Well, he could just jump out the window.

Yeah, let's not risk breaking both legs against the pavement. No way getting out of that. Even though he is just nothing more than diffused energy, he can still be injured due to the human mentality to grew from being inside of Haruka. This means that any form of pain that he normally wouldn't feel, his mental processes will make him feel regardless. Pain is real. That's terrifying.

"You heard 'em boss. Shall we?" Sera gave a cackling hand out, pointing to the door gracefully. Haruka rolled out of his bed, literally, hitting the floor. He was tired. Standing up and reaching the door knob, Sera formed a unified line behind him and they walked out, promptly getting cuffed and ushered to the first floor.

"You know, if she wanted to us or something, she could've just asked nicely."

"Shut up."

"What. You're thinking the same thing."

"I mean-"

Sera kek'd.

It had been quite a while since Seifer had heard someone else's voice. So it felt anyway. The male himself was laying down on one of the beds in the room when Yukino spoke, the door sliding open. Well this was going to be fun. From his appearance, he seemed troubled at the very least, but also composed in a way... Maybe resigned? In any case, there was a new fancy deck case next to his Kagero one... Black with red lining. "Hey nee-san..." he sounded tired as he stepped forward from the bed, both eyes half shut. "Things have been kinda nuts. ...I'm sorry, I couldn't keep things together..."

"We're bringing Haruka and Sera to you now, commander", one of the guards reported for those on the way.

"Seifer, I need you to explain to me what happened when you texted me. Why did you lock yourself in this room?" Yugure didn't waste anytime, even though the boy was just waking up. The new deck case, naturally, caught attention from others. She, however, wanted the full story from her spiritual younger brother. There was another sinking feeling that the woman was used to by now... something went very wrong. A lot must've gone wrong here at HQ.

It took only a few minutes to be completely escorted downstairs and into the main hall he was in only a few minutes ago. They equipped him with his own military jacket, from one of the employees himself, and a pair of combat boots. Probably the ones he was wearing early outside.

Sitting him down in a chair, the guards checked around to make sure there weren't any outside disturbances, and then went off down a different corridor to report to Yukino that Haruka and Sera were both brought down. Haruka was left on a blue steel foldable chair, for Sera it doesn't matter since he could materialize away, so they let him stand next to Haruka

They chatted for a moment.

"Think we're gonna die?"

"You really want to?"

"Not really. But she seems violent. Yugure, I mean. Don't think she's up to being freaky tonight considering the circumstances."

"Circumstances...?"

"Just say hi to Seifer for me when you have the chance."

Haruka went silent, blinking at the floor. He was puzzled, at that remark, but it made sweat beads form on his forehead. Worry instilled in Haruka. Sera started to nonchalantly check his fingernails.

How arrogant.