Cardfight!! Vanguard: R

Episode Three: Robert Deniro / Chapter 12

12 – Yume & Taichi versus Professore

"Huh?" Taichi and Yume exclaimed as the deck of cards was foisted upon them.

Katsuki had now replaced her bottlecap glasses with the new frame; her expressions became sharper and her attitude seemed to change. She gave them a smile brimming with confidence, very unlike the woman they had been speaking to only moments ago.

"Worry ye not" she reassured them, her voice had deepened, almost boyish in tone but the way she spoke was like an actor from a period drama, "it may have appeared like a hurried job, but I am most confident in my deck constructing skills."

"Hold on a second!" Taichi attempted to slow her down for a minute or two.

"Hmm? What ever is the matter Lord Taichi?"

"You can't just slam two decks together like that, it's written in the rules of the game- eh wait 'Lord'...?"

"This isn't a battle held before a crowd and judges, it is a private affair, with a mission on the line!"

"Mission?" Yume repeated, "and what would that be?"

"The mission thou hast come to charge me with! To become thine club advisor!" she clenched her fist with passion "But as it stands, I worry if ye be right in your hearts for me to even consider taking the position!"

"Wait so there's a problem with us?"

"Verily!" she pointed at the two of them, "At your cores, thine passions and intents are the same, but your actions and character differ too much! No synergy! So, prove to me that you can fight together and I shall become your club advisor!"

Yume backed away slowly. There was an uncertainty in her heart when she first met Taichi, but from yesterday – and todays actions it seemed that Taichi was growing further away again. she bunched her shoulders up and began to retreat into herself. Perhaps, she thought, I'm not cut out for this after all...

"Oi Yume?"

Taichi's voice pulled her out of herself, "Wha...?"

"Doesn't look like we'll get another chance like this again, we should take it while we've got the chance." He stepped forward and took up the deck to search for the starting Vanguard, his face changed to all sorts of expressions as he scanned through the cards. He set it down on the table again, "Maybe... we give it a pass?"

"Just like that?!" Yume's jaw dropped "What happened to 'doesn't look like we'll get another chance like this', you were all stoic just a minute ago and now you're turning tail?"

"Look I just took a look at that... that thing, I don't think we can win either way, it's a mess of a deck!"

Yume puffed her cheeks out. She punched Taichi lightly on the chest, "C'mon Tai-chin we've got a cardfight to win."

Yume's eyes were filled with a determination he had only seen once before. Back when they first fought each other in the clubroom. She helped him snap out of it then, so he was just returning the favour.

"Doesn't take much to motivate you... huh?" he murmured.

Katsuki took out a deck of cards from the drawer of the desk and began stroking it like it were a small animal. She set out her starting Vanguard and began shuffling. Yume followed suit and began shuffling the cards, Taichi stood close to her as she drew the first five cards.

"I think it'd be wise to keep these two..."

"Y'think? But we could go for an early... no you might be right, a quick assault at Grade 2 would be best."