VANGUARD

Aichi Sendou | 先導 アイチ Hypergiant Rank | House in Cotes Cardfight!! Vanguard Affiliated with Isola Radiale

[mechanthropy]

Its grip on the card is tight enough to likely leave impressions, his claw shaking with anger. Its "favorite" card, huh? This reeked of an old forest god it knew. Of all the obnoxious, taunting things it could have been granted, this? This was targeted. And it was sure of that.

It had barely even noticed the individual peering over his shoulder until he spoke, and he practically jumps with the realization that he's being watched - and from so close.

"$#^%!"

"Wh- no? Does this look like a tarot card?"

It's shaking the card for emphasis, monitor turned to look at the stranger encroaching on his space.

"It's a stinking beast card. And the one I'd never want to see again! Not my damned favorite!"

Yeah, he definitely understands what's going on.

[sendousha]

Hands rose in defence as if with expectation of the distress transcending to physical lashing out. He hadn't anticipated such a visceral reaction, though couldn't blame the other — if robbed of his cards, it would stir deep emotional turmoil within him, eve if to others, they might be simply playing cards from a game.

As best he could to track the image whilst it trembled in the claws gripping it fiercely, Aichi attempted to identify the image in line with the question. His knowledge of tarot was scattered, but the beast wasn't a title he knew to be one of its figures — so he'd commit it to memory and correct that.

"I wonder why the Stars would take away a tarot deck?" he mused. His decks hadn't been confiscated, but they bore no power by themselves, so they couldn't exactly be classified as weapons. Perhaps it had powers tied to its cards? "I'd like to think leaving you with the beast is a joke and not something more mean-spirited.

Maybe you could ask for your favourite back when the chance arises? It's possible to get back everything that was taken away from you so you could make that one a priority".

[exousiate]

his first reaction is the subtle glint in his eyes, a brief hint of red flashing. how curious, if he was not particularly self-aware, he could nearly imagine it was mashu rather than a stranger. but the stranger's opinion brings up an argument that he can concurr. why is life so full of sorrow? the answer will always evade him, no matter how much he seeks the wisdom to answer it.

and what is happiness when everything that you know has been proven wrong? not once, but twice? it speaks of arrogance to ask the remains of a beast if life is precious, when self-termination was the choice nearly all of them took. now there is no more chorus of voices and no corpse to remember the king they mourned, there is only the last living piece of beast I.

he wonders if that man would have grieved them if his creation had perished first. there is no way for goetia to know, there is no way for him to ever know. all he can do is remember that laughing face and agree that the king became human and that dream unintentionally became what his magical ritual went through.

“It is because it is fleeting that people need to treasure it. Despite how, sometimes, the circumstances will go against them.” perhaps that is the most painful of truths, the inevitability from how life will not care about what one wants. it takes, it takes, and it takes without abandon or reason. his mouth falls into a thin line before his eyes soften in contemplation. “Cheering them on when the finish line is near is not simple either, but there is always something in watching it all from afar. Being born means that we will struggle but nonetheless strive for more.”

[sendousha]

So brief, and yet so full of trials — all the more reason to cherish the peace, even if fabricated, even in the palm of another's hand. Living within a gilded cage shouldn't be something to feel content with, and yet Aichi found himself questioning if it was alright. Where the dangers were infrequent, scheduled, within control of a power governing the realm. A place where plenty had called home, even if loved ones from their real ones were nowhere to be found, where bonds could be woven that would be impossible outside. And the cessation of time, taking nothing from their natural lives and granting them an alternative within this dream.

Was it all so bad? It should be. It should be, and yet...

Years had gone by and no rebellion rallied, no uprooting of the order. Life simply carried on. There might be complaints but never further did they escalate.

"Do you think... they're happy here? We struggle here, but not as much as in the worlds we come from, whether they're everyday matters or as big as saving the world. But in all the people here, no-one's stood up and made their feelings clear about wanting things to change. Not on a grand scale, or to seek out those of like minds".

In that scenario, would he cheer them on? Of course. The Stars weren't bad people but if someone wanted to lead the charge and unveil all the secrets behind those stars, wasn't that a freedom they should be permitted? Even knowing there was an enemy who sought to stir discord, with intentions equally unknown, those under the Stars' charge remained in the dark.

"I want to know. If the Stars have a deeper reason behind all of this — something they want to protect, something we can agree on, I wish they'd trust us. But they keep us at arm's length, and even hold us down, like they're afraid of people fighting back for being brought here. Or if they don't like the answer. Aren't we all on the same side?"

[abyssalnova]

"well, I don't think we'll need to worry about that, Lumine would enjoy his company just as much. she'll probably be busy fussing over him for the first ten minutes." it wouldn't surprise him if she'd made friends with plenty of the wildlife back in Teyvat by the current point of her journey. she seemed to have a way with gaining them along the way, human or otherwise.

he thinks on it for a minute, but it's probably best to wait. "a list will help. if you send it over text when you're finished, it'll give us the chance to look through and pick something then check with you." it's exciting, really. a day out with his sister and a friend, one he hopes could be mutual in future.

[sendousha]

The way he spoke of his sister subtly emphasised how much he cared about her — their bond was evidently special, despite whatever hurdles they were faced with. It cast Aichi's mind to Emi — although strict at times, her fussiness was out of care for her brother. She was certainly patient with him, that was for sure. He imagined the twins had developed a similar dynamic — but with Aether taking the lead, by the sounds of it.

"Then I'll let Wingal know he'll be welcome, and she can handle herself if he gets a little overexcited — but that he should still behave.

Okay — I'll make sure to curate it so there are plenty of options but not too long so that you don't have so much work narrowing it down. It sounds like you're both open to a lot, but it might be better to start with somewhere quieter so we can spend some time together without getting drowned out".

[balemoonash]

it was mostly said to herself without much thought for anyone else listening in, but apparently at least one had taken the opportunity to do so. "perhaps. the children tend to do their own thing, and I have no intention of interrupting them unless it's urgent. they may do as they please within the rules of the house while at home." any who end up here will be unrestricted by those rules of course.

she is, however, already aware of the flow of time here. that doesn't make her think of them any less though. "don't worry. I know it isn't their time to celebrate yet." it's just a passing thought on this day in particular, much as it is when her birthday comes around as well. "but... I wouldn't wish for the others to be subjected to the whims of the stars. one is already too many."

[sendousha]

Seemed to be their relationship was carried by plenty of trust and freedom granted to the children she spoke of — her absence wasn't a source of concern, and she'd confidence they would manage even if the days outside passed in tandem with those in. A parent neither distant nor smothering — a balancing act she'd mastered seemingly without issue.

The sentiment she followed with was one he could understand — as much as he missed everyone from home, pulling them into the line of fire to ease his loneliness would be more selfish. Just as many days passed without issue, there were those tests, and being ordinary teenagers, they would be at great risk.

Of course as a parent, her priority were the safety of her charges. "—One? You mean that one of them is already here?"

[whitehotnitro-fuel]

So all she had to do was find someone who had their items returned to them by these Stars, and by doing so figure out how to get her own equipment back. That seemed like an easy enough task! She would simply go around and ask people until she found someone who could answer.

When the kid asked about places to work, Burnice let out a thoughtful hum. "Well I'm a bartender where I'm from, so the place I'm working at isn't one for kids. However, maybe there are daycare's or babysitting jobs you could do. People are always looking for others to look after t heir kids.

You could always see if some smaller stores needs a hand, or you could do little odds and ends around where you live. Especially if you live near elderly folks; they could always use a helping hand."

[sendousha]

Although he hadn't pictured a bartender, her outgoing personality didn't shock him in the slightest to be coupled with the profession. When dealing with adult customers and those who tested their limits, you'd surely need to be flexible and proactive, so she must be plenty in her element even if a night was on track for being derailed.

Babysitting jobs, huh... Of the siblings, it was usually Emi's self-appointed duty to look out for him despite being the younger. Though stepping up wouldn't be the leap it might have once felt — in fact, upon reflection, his experiences here had laid some groundwork upon which to build.

Aichi nodded whilst mulling over the suggestions, noting each on a list forming in his mind to keep at the front and deliberate deeper. "You're right — even though there isn't much I can do compared to others, those who live here naturally could still benefit some extra support. And it would help assure any who are still nervous about having outsiders appearing without any real explanation. We're lucky they've never expressed grievances or been hostile. I just hope that's the case behind closed doors and in their hearts too".

[sparklingscarlet]

"I caaan't! I have to be good with my money!" Yumoto anguishes. Without Gora to handle household finances, and without a consistent income, he can't just blow his money on cute trinkets! Even when he wanted to...

He rubs his knuckles against his temples, as if that would generate some sort of decisiveness. However, he halts at the offer, blinking.

"Eeeh? You'd do that? But we just met." He responded in shock. Pleasant shock, but shock all the same. He quickly bows in thanks. "Thank you, thank you, that's really nice of you! I'll pay you back sometime, Promise!"

He beams up at him, the burden of choice lifted from his shoulders.

"I'm Yumoto Hakone, and thank you again! What's your name?"

[sendousha]

The reaction, as surprising as it were, was a little nostalgic to see up-close. He could understand why the blond would be so torn when the main concern holding him back from impulsively snapping both was budgeting. Warmly did he hold the smile when the other asked for clarity about the offer, a hand raised to wave away the notion anything should be owed.

"It's alright, don't worry about paying anything back — think of it as a present. You've got a lot on your mind already, so I wouldn't want to add to it by you feeling in debt, no matter how small". Besides, the two keychains would surely be happy staying together, that feeling shouldn't be soured by a heavier sentiment.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Hakone-kun. My name's Aichi Sendou. If there's anything else I can do to help, don't hesitate to ask".

[whitehotnitro-fuel]

"...so you're saying that, if we pass these evaluations of theirs, we can get our weapons and stuff back?" Now she wanted to know more.

"I think I was there, or a place similar to it. I don't have enough money yet, but I did take up a job so I can afford to buy something similar to what I had!" As long as she kept working hard, she would get what she wanted, right?

[sendousha]

"That's right. Maybe someone who's been able to regain some of their power would be able to give you a clearer picture of how it works. It doesn't seem to run on a fixed timeline though, so it won't be a matter of waiting until a certain length of time here to trigger a change".

He hummed contemplatively to hear of the other market, recalling something of the sort though without investigating it personally yet. Even if a perfect replica couldn't be acquired, having something resembling an important item from home must be comforting.

"That's a great idea — sounds like you've found your feet quickly, and before you know it, you'll be good to go. Where did you decide to work? I've been wondering about the idea too — some places are lenient to allow underage employees. Maybe to balance out school not being mandatory".

[whitehotnitro-fuel]

At his question, Burnice took another look at the weapons. The material was clearly plastic, which wasn't any sort of heat resistant metal that one could use to make a proper flamethrower. In fact, if she tried to mod these toys, they would no doubt melt or explode, leaving her with nothing.

"Good call! These things aren't suitable for flamethrowers at all," she said with a grin.

"You said these things were temporary, right? Does that mean we can get actual weapons here?"

[sendousha]

Phew! Crisis averted. Reason had won out.

With that scare over with, he could help clarify what was really on her mind, and thankfully, it wasn't more experimentation.

"That's right. I'm not sure on the details, but the Stars have a system by which they seem to evaluate us. At certain stages, they return weapons confiscated or lift restrictions put on abilities that someone has".

He'd been around long enough to be plenty familiar with the process as an onlooker, but with nothing to reclaim, he hadn't any first-hand experience to clarify. "If you're looking for some extra firepower, the Marketplace does have weaponry for sale as well".

[sparklingscarlet]

@sendousha

This is probably the hardest decision he's had to make in the past thirty minutes. He stares at the two, identically priced keychain plushes. He only had the budget for one, and yet both were cute. How to decide.... "Cat or dog?" Yumoto suddenly asks the young man in the aisle.

[sendousha]

It was one of the toughest questions out there — no wonder the blond had resorted to second opinions. From checking back to the person who had spoken out to grab his attention, azure followed scarlet's lead to the plush animals hanging from the ends of straps.

Cat or dog... an answer felt impossible to reach — how could someone choose between them? He'd never be able to say.

"What about both?" he asked, looking back to the other. There must have been a reason he felt forced to choose between them, even if he was surely drawn to them in equal. "Are you short on Dust? Why don't I pay for one? Then you don't have to choose. It's hard to say how long would pass before I could pick one over the other — if that would even ever happen".

[gemmyicons]

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[whitehotnitro-fuel]

"Well I was hoping to find some Nitro Fuel, or at least something close to it to use as a base for a new formula. I want to make sure the end result is nice and toasty warm!"

[sendousha]

It didn't seem feasible, yet as she spoke, the young woman confirmed exactly that. Something experimental to the point of surely impracticability. There was no way—

"W— Won't the heat be too much for them to handle?" he countered, pointing at the firearms. "The substitute weapons that the Stars provide don't look as resilient as standard ones — I mean, it makes sense because they're meant to be temporary. But you're... you're planning to make a flamethrower out of them?!"

[whitehotnitro-fuel]

At the voice, Burnice looked over to spot a stranger approaching. It seemed the teen had caught her muttering to herself and was offering to help her out.

With a grin, she replied, "As a matter of fact, I do. You see, I'm in need of some ingredients to put in these things, but I'm new here and don't know where to go. Do you have a market or store nearby?"

[sendousha]

Ingredients? But weren't those...?

"Uh... yeah. There's a supermarket on the other side of that bridge. It's a little further down the road once you cross over. Are you looking for specific ingredients? Nothing comes to mind that you'd load into what you're holding".

[shadeandsuffering]

"...Preferably a basement. Maybe even a ditch. If we give them a ball they'll be so loud I'd probably hear it across the city. Give them an inch and they'll take far more then a mile. Each and every one of them."

[sendousha]

He hadn't expected her to be that opposed, but parties weren't for everyone — he was definitely still a wallflower, and wouldn't have anyone to go with.

Considering how fiercely she contested the possibility, he was wary to counter the distance of any such event's noise would travel. "Well, uh... there will probably be somewhere that you could enjoy a peaceful night. There are plenty of locations that would work wonders for alone time and enjoying the night where people wouldn't gather".

[mangekyouillusionist]

The voice caught him a bit by surprise but his reaction was still plenty calm. Looking to the new face, he would shake his head.

"Unfortunately, the loved ones I once knew are long gone. I'm mostly just looking around and trying to decide on what I may be having to burn off through training later." A truth as far as he knew up until he finished that sentence. Everyone he knew was gone except one.

"Actually, maybe there is one person I can surprise. I owe her for that extravagant birthday party she snuck up on me some years back. Wonder if I can actually pull off a small surprise," a thought now as he figured it'd probably backfire in the sense he'd be beaten to the punch by the end of it all. He wasn't real good on holidays at times, and he wasn't even good at remembering his own birthday. So maybe this time around, he could pull something nice for Hansol.

"Thanks for helping me with that reminder.. even if it wasn't exactly something planned, I'm sure."

[sendousha]

In spite of the weight of those words, his composure stayed fixed — it was impressive. When thinking of the same, Aichi had to steel himself, the ache almost certainly cracking through in a weak smile or a twinge that flickered through his expression.

It couldn't be helped that their friends weren't about — they were where they belonged, and no longer in the crossfires of the Stars' research. But turning off the longing to see them wasn't so simple as their disappearance could be made so. At least the other had a good distraction — something to keep both body and mind busy, and strengthen himself for whatever else may come.

"That sounds wonderful. She'll be touched that you kept it in mind after all this time". It was warming to hear, and to learn that the young man wasn't alone even in the absence of the companions he had in mind. "I'm happy to help in any way. There's not a lot else I can do but listen and support others, and you looked like a lot was on your mind".

[kleinstar]

" Mhhmm.. "

" Might be for the best huh. Can't underestimate my luck sometimes... You too - watch out. Never know what kind of weird stuff is out there ok? "

[sendousha]

"You wouldn't want plans to get affected by something happening last minute because of your luck. I'll be hoping for the best if that helps at all and you can focus on having a nice time.

Mhm. There's lots of excitement, but not everyone is on board. Though there doesn't seem to be anyone who's upset enough that they intend on sabotaging others". Hopefully, it would stay that way.

[kleinstar]

" I'm not all that superstitious but I do have a tendency to draw in trouble so stuff like Friday 13th still gets me nervous... "

[sendousha]

"Why not keep a low profile while double-checking or putting any final touches together for tomorrow? That should keep you off any trouble radars".

[shadeandsuffering]

"By the time next week comes every damn extro in this city is going to be kissing each other and all that annoying stuff. Honestly can we just put them all in one room to save everyone else the trouble?"

[sendousha]

"Like a ball? Notices tend to go out earlier than the time left between now and the day. In any case, it might not be everyone, so you'll be in company of those who aren't partaking, or even interested".

↖ teenager whose boyfriend is home and not available for kissing. tragic.