Seiran looked at her new school.

And she hated it. Big time.

Gamiyaso Girl's School, shortened to Yasojo by everyone who refused to utter that silly name, was as standard of a school as it could be, only difference being it was an all girls school. High school section? Check. Middle school section? Check. An abandoned school building in the woods around the school premise? Check.

And the uniforms weren't too shabby either. Deep down, Seiran always dreamed of wearing a cute serafuku, and now her dream had become a reality. Yasojo's was a beige one piece serafuku with a small red bow, but Seiran had already broken uniform regulations by sticking some bass-themed pins to the right side of her skirt. She would have even changed the bow to a purple one she had at hand had Mana not begged her to not into the disciplinary committee's bad side on her first day there. The pins were discreet, a purple bow in the middle of her chest wasn't.

But her problem wasn't the school, her middle school was as normal as Yasojo; and it wasn't the uniform either, she liked the her cute serafuku.

The problem was location.

Yasogami's one entrance gate was a nice five minutes walking up from the commercial district.

Mama Rui may have been the physical prowess demon she was in her youth (and even now given that tanuki is still jumping up, kicking back, whipping around and spinning even in her late thirties), but Seiran didn't inherit those genes.

No, Seiran was a vocalist, lyricist and bassist who didn't bounce around the stage during a live or use physical activities to get the creative juices flowing, she was an unparalleled prodigy when it came to getting back pain before their respectie time. Hell, the girl almost threw her back by accident the first time she and Mana made out!

Thus, Seiran turned away from the school.

"I'm leaving."

But Mana dragged her in by her arm.

"Nope, school time. I promise you'll have a blast!"

Seiran was not strong enough to break out of Mana's grip. Not that the latter was that strong either.

"Fine..."

Mana let go of Seiran so she'd be able to face the school once again and walk towards the school building alongside her, her sharp yellow eyes scanning their surroundings.

"The building looks old."

"Yeah, Yasojo's been around for a while." Mana nodded with a beaming smile. "My great grandmother studied here!"

"Y-your grandpa was born in 2010..." Seiran may be fearing her and Mana's well being now.

But her concerns were fated to be short lived, not because she saw Yasojo's safety protocols herself, but because a red blur almost spawned on their path and took her mind out of it.

She was tall, like tall tall, taller than Mana herself, with clear blue eyes that looked like orbs made from the sky itself and long, red hair that looked smooth as silk.

But she held her hand near her forehead in an overdramatic way and had the most obviously theatrical expressions known to woman so Seiran didn't like her vibe. She was like a taller Taro but with pretentiousness instead of an avian hyperfixation.

And then she spoke.

"Morning greetings, my fair Mana-san. I see the goddess Lakshimi has once again blessed you with astounding beauty. Be still my frail heart!"

"We need to kill this girl, Mana-chan." Seiran bluntly said.

"Haha... Please don't." Mana sweatdropped. "Good morning to you too, Shiori-kun. Seiran, this is the Shiori-kun I told you about. And Shiori-kun, this is-"

"Fufu, how many journeys around the sun as it been, my old friend? Truly, time goes by so fast." Shiori waved her right hand in an overdramatic way. "Fleeting, Seiran."

"We really need to kill this girl, Mana-chan."

"Let's not start your high school life with first degree murder!" She deadpanned.

"Oh? Perhaps you do not recall me, Seiran? Ah, such a cruel fate... Truly, a thesis only the most cruel of angels could scribble. But recall you, I certainly do. My old friend Seiran... The goddess Lakshimi has blessed you too."

Shiori winked.

Seiran wanted to hit her over the head sith the nearest blunt force object.

Mana was now regretting bringing up Shiori yesterday because of the personality clash she didn't take into account until it happened right before her eyes.

"Ignore him. That guy may ba a Category Jackass but he's also a Category Ace in being a pain in the ass."

Seiran and Mana looked back at the third party joining their conversation, someone Shiori was most delight to lay her eyes upon. She was the same height as Mana, maybe just a centimeter or two shorter, but had a piercing red gaze and violet hair cut in a cute bob. She was elegant, very pretty too, but Mana beat her infinity zillion to one in Seiran's opinion.

"Ugh, Kurozumi..." Mana sighed.

"Neronya-chan!" Shiori exclaimed, outright swooning over the new girl despite her flirting with Seiran and Mana one second ago.

"Not what I'm called. Ne-Ro-Na."

"Him? Guy? I thought the jo in Yasojo meant this was an all girls school." Seiran said.

"Indeed it does, but I shall become what my Neronya-chan requires me to be~~. Such is the fate of an actor enthralled by the fairest of beauties!"

"Ugh..." Nerona cringed. "Look, you know the deal with all girls schools. If you come to one, odds are you're a fruit or will leave as one, so the best way of ignoring that flirtatious manwhore is to just perceive him as a guy."

"Does it work?"

Nerona looked at Shiori, who was blatantly wiggling her eyebrows at her like a common bloke at a pub. She facepalmed with an annoyed grunt.

"It'll work eventually..."

The elegant girl who unknowingly was in Seiran's class walked past the group to head inside lest the bell ring without her being in class, dragging Shiori along like an enamored dog against her will.

"Wait for me, my cute Neronya-chan~!!"

But Shiori was gunned down in cold blood by a football gone rogue and got cozy with the floor instead of with her Neronya-chan.

"S-shiori-kun!" Mana exclaimed.

"Freakin' rad." Seiran commented.

Shiori's killer was another first year, this time one from Mana's class, another tall girl with short blond hair and piercing golden eyes, though not as tall as her victim, who entered the scene to pick up her football.

"My bad, Shi. You good?"

Shiori rose, like the saviour on the third day, though only her extra delusional mind was delusional enough to make that comparison. And she was even back to flirting again.

"Fufu, how could I be anything but good after meeting you in this radiant morning, my dear Mashiro? Perhaps you could indulge me in an afternoon coffee to soothe this mishappening? Mutsumi-san's unique blend paired with your beautiful golden orbs make for the most immaculate date!"

"You gotta lay off the Goethe, dude..." The blond sighed. "And the flirting. You're a cig away from being your mom tit for tat."

"Alot of butches in this school." Seiran mentioned, looking at Mana.

"Hehe... Yasojo has a famous trio of them involving these two." Mana sweatdropped. "Good morning, Mash-san."

"Oh, Ma." Mash finally looked the two shorter girls and gave them a nod as a greeting. "You're... Sei, yeah? Been a while, not that we know each other."

"Are you... Declaring war on saying people's full names or something?" The bassist asked, earning a shrug as her only response.

"Pops stopped by last night. Didn't see you there. You alright?"

"Yes! I had dinner with Seiran and her family, so we ended up having a sleepover too." Mana smiled and got the conversation going to skip to the next topic. "Oh, by the way, this is Naomitsu-san's daughter, Ohdo Mashiro. Just call her Mash."

"Why Mash?"

"'Cuz I mash stuff." Mash shrugged and prepared to go back to her football game, leaving only a small message behind. "Stop by the cafe when you get the chance, Ma. Mom's got a new cake she wants you to try. You too, Sei."

"If it's one of Mutsumi-san's creations, you can count me in!"

"Sure."

"Cake... Hm..." Seiran rubbed her chin, lost in thought. "Croquette cake..."

"That doesn't sound very healthy, Seiran. You gotta eat you veggies too."

"Even the carrots?"

"Even the carrots."

"Ouch..."

"Hehe!" Mana giggled, left arm tying around Seiran's right and pulling her along towarda the building, smile as big as ever. "I promise I didn't put any in your bento. Let's go!"

Seiran prayed to the bassist gods of the last century and a half to give her the strength to face the raging animal habitat that was a high school. And she had to face it without Mana until their lunch break, so clearly those gods were out to get her.

But alas, the hours flew by, and the hallowed lunch break was announced by the toll of Yasojo's bells.

Mana was already heading in the direction of Seiran's classroom, two bentos at hand, but she didn't come from her classroom's side, instead coming from a different part of the building. She looked at the bento she carried with a musical note-themed handkerchief around it and smiled.

"Nyubara-sensei's the best! I totally owe her one for letting me go prepare Seiran's surprise! Hehe!"

But her jolly would be cut short when she got to the door of Seiran's class.

"S-SEIRAAAAAAAAAN!" She yelled in despair, nearly fainting then and there.

Seiran was, for the lack of a better word, on the floor serving as footstoll for Nerona while she filed her nails. And she didn't looked bothered by it or by the weird looks the girls having lunch in the classroom were giving her.

In fact, she only raised her head when she saw Mana.

"Oh, hello Mana-chan. Is it lunch time already?"

"G'afternoon, Tokiya." Nerona offhandedly said, more focused in the state of her manicure.

"Wha-wha-wha-wha- What are you doing?! Get off her, Kurozumi!" Mana screeched, sliding into the classroom and swatting the popular girl's legs away from her Seiran. She helped her favourite bassist get back on her feet and put some distance between the two. "Are you alright, Seiran?!"

"I'm a tad peckish."

"T-that's not what I... Hey, Kurozumi!" The drummer shifted her focus on the real problem at hand.

"That's me, yeah." The violet haired girl blew on her nails and checked them once again.

"What were you thinking, using Seiran as some foot rest?!"

"It was a business exchange."

"She made a rather convincing argument." Seiran said, showing off a ticket for the live house in Abani. "It's this saturday. Wanna come?"

"Sure, but let's focus in the issue here... Keep your mittens to yourself, Kurozumi! Or I'll tell Shiori-kun where to you!"

"He already finds me even when I'm impossible to find."

"Just stay away from Seiran! Come on, Seiran, let's go eat."

"About time."

Nerona watched the two girls exit the classroom from the corner of her eye, drawing out her phone from under her desk as soon as they were gone. Some quick tabs on her prefered search engine showed her what she wanted to see.

She searched the name Ibuki Seiran, and she was lead to videos from 2078 of a band named Sirius performing at Live House DeLTA in Tokyo. How curious, that nagging Tokiya was there too.

But back to the girlies, who took their lunch to the rooftop, finding a nice place to eat by the fence that stopped people from reaching the water tower.

Seiran opened the still warm bento that had been kept wrapped in the musical note themed handkerchief as her eyes lit up at the golden beauty before them.

Four small chicken croquettes, freshly friend; some vegetable tempure sticks, with no carrots in sight; and of course, a small hill of crispy french fries cooked to a golden perfect.

Seiran looked at her Mana-chan, tears in the corner of her eyes.

"M-marry me, Mana-chan..."

"Let's try to be girlfriends again first, yeah?" Mana giggled, brushing away Seiran's overdramatic tears. "Nyubara-sensei let me leave class earlier to go make these at home ec's kitchen. Did you notice your bento felt light?"

"Now that you mention it..."

"Yup! I only put rice and some of that fermented squid you and Rana-san like in yours."

"You... Because yesterday I said..." Seiran smiled warmly, filling Mana's heart with happiness. "Thank you, Mana-chan. Let's dig in, the two of us."

"Of course~. Someone has to eat those veggies, afterall."

"No carrots, right? I don't want to be jumpscared by one."

"Nope. Only my bento has carrots in it. Rimi-san let me put some of her pickled ones in mine."

"Good. Bunnies are cute but their prefered food is terrible. I'd rather munch on regular grass."

Seiran lifted one of the gorgeous croquettes up with her chopsticks, letting the lingering scent of the oil used to fry them on climb up her nostrils. Peanut oil, her favourite. She never fancied vegetable oil, no matter how much Mama Rui and Mana Ina vouched for it, and canola oil was overrated. Peanut oil was perfect.

She took a healthy bite and took her time with it, letting the various spices Mana used for the coating work her mouth as she chewed on the juicy mix of chicken mince and potato. Paprika, salt, white pepper, a subtle pinch of karashi; the perfection blind. The meat had been marinated in ponzu by no more than five minutes, possibly due to Mana's short time to prepared everything, but some added mirin did wonders to make the meat flavour deeper. The potato was potato-y, just the way she liked it.

Finally, after two entire minutes of chewing her first bite into near nothingness, Seiran nodded.

"Indeed... Your croquettes are better than Mays'."

"Hehe, glad you still like them~." Mana chuckled. "Thanks for the food!"

"Ah, right. Thanks for the food."

Lunch went by just like another meal, but to Seiran, it was a moment worth remembering forever. A fried feast for a future master bassist, vocalist and lyricist like her, with the company of someone who meant the world to her.

Seiran and Mana sighed in relief after finishing their meal, both leaning back against the fence behind them.

"Hm... I should have brought my bass..." Seiran sighed.

"Then you'll have to start waking up on time and not leave the house in a rush." Mana chuckled. "Honestly... You still don't get up even after the fourth alarm clock. We even went to bed at the same time."

"The bed was cozy. I like cozy."

"Like a bunny under a kotatsu."

"Mhm... It was the best I've ever slept in a while."

"Maybe because you developed a tendency of trading sleeping for writing lyrics." Mana said, poking Seiran's forehead.

"That too. Sleep is for the week. It's why they make frappes. Varga said so."

"I don't think Harui-san's eye hamster knows what's best for the human body that much, silly." She chuckled, hugging her knees. "Speaking of, what happened to your mom's flower shop?"

"Oh, it's still open. Michinaga-san will be the one running it while Mama Rui and Mana Ina are gone. Rokka-san and Kiru-san have offered to help during their free time aswell. There's no shortage of free labour." Seiran explained.

"I wouldn't put it that way but sure..." Mana sweatdropped. "Seiran... I'm going back home today."

"Oh... Are you sure? You can stay for as long as you need. Rana-oneechan and Rimimi don't mind."

"No, I can't bring myself to become a freeloader at their expenses. Besides... I don't want to give up on my dad, no matter how it hurts. Mom wouldn't want that. I don't want that. And I also don't wanna make it a burden for grandpa."

"Mana-chan..."

Seiran placed her hand over Mana's, earning her one of the small yet genuine smiles the drummer showed to her and her alone.

"But I'll totally spend the weekends there, if you'll have me~!"

Seiran smiled a bit and nodded, intertwining her fingers with Mana's as she took her hand.

"Mhm. I'd like that..."

"How sweet. I can feel a tooth rotting already."

Seiran and Mana looked at their unwelcome guest, both displeased with someone breaking into their romantic moment, but the latter visibly more pissed.

"Ugh, Kurozumi!!!" Mana groaned. "Bugger off!"

"Neronya." Seiran said.

"Do not pick up that flamboyant prince's habits! Him calling me that is already too much!" Nerona deadpanned, arms crossed as she looked down on the two. "So... We really got ourselves a superstar among us now, do we? Eh, bassist-san?"

"I prefer the term future master bassisr, vocalist and lyricist, actually." Seiran corrected.

"You don't have much tact, do you know?"

"Just leave already and leave Seiran alone!" Mana demanded as she got up.

"My sense of tact is as good as ever, actually, if only a bit reduced in my fingertips from calluses." The grey haired informed, getting up along with Mana.

"Yeah, that's exactly why I called you tactless." Nerona rolled her eyes. "Relax, Tokiya. Background drummers don't need to talk. I just wanted an autograph from the next Riot Gem, that's all."

"Ha?" Seiran asked, now taking the lead in the confrontation. "Why would I follow the footsteps of Riot Gem?"

"Huh, because your mommy was in it? Are you stupid too or something? Actually, wasn't yours also in it, Toki-"

"How dare you?!"

"S-seiran..." Mana muttered.

"To compare Sirius to Riot Gem... To think we were the same as them because Mama Rui and Chiharu-san were in it..." Seiran grit her teeth. "You clearly didn't listen to our music, you tourist!"

"Achaaa, now you done did it, Kurozumi..."

"Huh? Come again?" Kurozumi asked.

"Riot Gem was originally a goth rock band until they added more energetic j-pop sounds following their abandon of their masks! Sirius' music was nothing like that! Our music was absolute sparkling and heart-pounding! Absolute kirakira! Absolute dokidoki! Absolute kirakira dokidoki!"

"Tokiya, your girl's crashing out."

"You screwed yourself, Kurozumi. You misused musical references in the presence of the wrong bassist." Mana scoffed.

"Taro did not bust his feathers and pulled all nights on honey nut bird feed alone composing the most happy lucky smile yay tracks only for you to assume we played goth rock!"

"T-taro...? Feathers? The seagull in the thumbnail?!"

"Yes! Gullivere! It this era of girls band, Taro donned the disguise of Gullivere, the magical seagull DJ of Gullivere Land to adhere to the five girl formation of the great girls band era!"

"But why...?"

"Because he doesn't do anything half-assed, like everyone else in Sirius! Be it Nishikiyama-san's guitar, Futaba-san's keyboard, Taro's mixer, my bass and Mana-chan's drummer! Play the ultimate music as the ultimate band! That's Sirius' motto! And even if Sirius exists in spirit and memory only, that's the motto I'll keep living by!"

Seiran grabbed her Desire Specs from a pocket in her serafuku and slickly unfolded them before putting them on.

"Get set to get decked, you grifter!"

"Ah?! G-grifter?!" Nerona exclaimed. "Wait, why did you pull those out in the first place?!"

"Your intention was to come for me to leech off Mama Rui's legacy, was it not? Sadly for you, not only do I not represent her legacy, you went and disregarded Sirius's! You can say whatever you want about me, but I'll be damned if I let you badmouth-!"

Seiran raised a finger.

"Mana-chan!"

And another.

"Our music!"

And a third one.

"And my avatar!"

"Wha-wha-wha-wha- WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH THIS GIRL?!"

"I'm quirky and passionate about my musical craft!" Seiran answered.

"Hmmmmm, seeing Seiran manhandle Kurozumi will do wonders for my spiritual well being..." Mana rubbed her chin.

"The only one's getting manhandled here will be your silly girlfriend, Tokiya! Aaaaah crap! This wasn't the plan but fine, I got here anyway!"

Nerona put on her Specs, and so did Mana, to watch their field.

The digital world's bounded field was deployed around the three them as a holographic card descended in front of each other of the fighters.

Nerona allowed hers to floating above her fingers, winking as she shattered it with a flying kiss. The card's data converged above her deck as a crest, in the form of a blazing spiral crest.

As for Seiran, she grabbed hers with her right hand and position her arms as if playing her bass, letting go of the card only to then smash it with the same motion she used to strum her guitar's strings. Her crest took the form of a half moon surrounded by twelve alternating musical notes.

The system decided Seiran would go first.

"Stand up, Vanguard!"

"Envoy of the Moon, Repsold-pyon!"

"Lizard Soldier, Jisen- Pyon?!"

"Yes. Repsold is a bunny. A very cute one who cannot eat carrots like the others because they don't grow on the moon. Repsold is better off that way. Carrots are bad civilization."

"Is this girl for real...?!" Nerona groaned, suddenly regretting picking a fight with this quirky bassist.

"Clobber her, Seiran~." Mana cheered.

"Bet. My turn. Draw! I ride Follower of the Moon, Fresnel! Her skill activates! When she rides over Repsold, I reveal Veissrugr from my ride deck to see the Moon Gate from the deck! Turn end!"

Seiran
Hand: 5
Damage: 0
OXO
OOO

Nerona
Hand: 5
Damage: 0
OXO
OOO

"Whatever, screw it, I got the fight, who cares..." Nerona complained under her breath, quickly rebuilding the elegant cool girl persona Seiran's seiranism had smashed through. She looked at her with a teasing smug smile. "Eeeeeh, Veissrugr, huh? How sad, the washed up legend's pick couldn't get a better deck."

"Hm? Mana-chan, what's this tourist waffling about?"

"Oi, respond to the people who are talking to you!"

"No. You're spewing nonsense. I'd rather Mana-chan explained it than listen to it again."

"Hmmmm... I think she's calling Harui-san irrelevant, Veissrugr bad and calling you adopted." Mama explained.

"I figured the first two. Do I look adopted to you? Mama Rui has tons of pictures of her online from over the years, are you blind or something?" Seiran bluntly asked.

"Blind?! You're the one who's blind for not realizing it!"

"That I'm adopted? But I'm not. How behind are you rednecks?"

"R-rednecks?!"

"Sorry, I mean't to say people from the sticks."

"You're friends with Shiori-kun, right? Think Shiori-kun." Mana suggested.

"Oh, you're so only mentioning him to irk me off...!" Nerona growled.

"Fine." Seiran sighed. "If you must know so we can get back to me clobbering you, I'll tell you. I was born via genetic fusion. It's a process that turns the reproductive cell into that of the opposing sex so same sex couples are capable of having a blood-related child. Mama Rui got knocked up with me, carried me for nine months, then almost broke Mama Ina's arm during my birth."

"I'm not so sure about the knocked up part..." Mana sweatdropped. "Shiori-kun was born the same way. She has two moms, you know?"

"I know I'm seriously wishing I hadn't met either of you..." Nerona grumbled as she rubbed her temples. "Whatever, just beat Ibuki Harui's kid and get points, just get points..."

"You're taking a while. I'm calling a digi-judge." Seiran said.

"Shut up! Uuuuuuugh you're so annoying! Draw! Ride! Demonic Dragon Mage, Joukou! I went second, so draw and energy charge! I call Shenryi and battle! Boosted by Shenryi, Joukou attacks! Shenryi's skill, add 5k! (8000>>16000>>21000)"

"No guard."

"Drive check! (Dragritter, Bishaara)"

"(Detonation Monster, Bobalmine)"

"Shenryi goes to soul and I draw! Turn end!"

Seiran
Hand: 5
Damage: 1
OXO
OOO

Nerona
Hand: 7
Damage: 0
OXO
OOO

"My turn. Draw! Energy charge! I ride Vassal of the Moon, Ramsden! When he rides over Fresnel, his skill activates! I scry seven for two Mythischs and add one to hand and one to the Moon Gate. I add Roztnir and send Ravnarowg to the order zone! Activating the Moon Gate! Energy blast three and rest! From my top seven, a Mythisch is called!"

Seiran moved her hands to mimic holsing her bass, her cards floating in front of her as she strummed those imaginary strings.

"Embodiment of coiling, the great devourer who engulfs the world, be guided by my song and descend! Call! The Second Mythisch, "Midgarsormr" Garzorums! Then-!"

She kept playing, this time a different rhythm.

"Where's that bass coming from?" Nerona asked, looking at her surroundings for the source of the summoning theme.

"Embodiment of howling, the great admonition who razes the heavens, be guided by my song and descend! Call from hand! The First Mythisch, "Wolfszahn" Roztnir! Oh and call Bobalmine. Battle!"

"Underwhelming!"

"Ramsden attacks! (10000)"

"Conduct Spark! (23000)"

"Drive check! (Ormur Sem Verdario)"

"Your deck's bad as is and you're even playing that cope card?! What a joke! (Best Harvest)" Nerona laugher.

"Did you forget what I told you? You can rag on me, but if you rag on Mana-chan, our music and my avatar, I'll put a rag in you."

"Yuck, bullheaded people like you are the worst." She clicked her tongue.

"Thanks, I got it from my grandpa. Garzorums attacks! (10000)"

"No guard. (Dragritter, Qwasqozah)"

"Bobalmime boosts, Roztnir attacks! Roztnir's skill! Because the Moon Gate is set, he gets 5k! And then by counterblasting, I draw! (10000>>18000>>23000)"

"Yup, I know. No guard. (Sparkle Rejector Dragon)"

"Bobalmine goes to the soul and I countercharge. Turn end!"

Seiran
Hand: 6
Damage: 1
XXX
OOO

Nerona
Hand: 6
Damage: 2
OXO
OOO

"Stand and draw! Energy charge! Ride! Dragritter, Azhar! Joukou's skill! When Azhar rides over, I energy blast three tk draw and give Azhar 5k! (10000>>15000) Qwasqozah's skill! When discarded to ride, I soulblast to get a Persona Shield! Azhar attacks! (15000)"

"No guard."

"Drive check! (Dancing Princess of Elegant Flames, Justina)"

"(Keeper of the Moon Gate, Veissrugr)"

"Turn end."

Seiran
Hand: 6
Damage: 2
XXX
OOO

Nerona
Hand: 9
Damage: 2
OXO
OOO

"My turn. Stand and draw! Energy charge! Let's rock, Veissrugr."

"Get her, Seiran~!" Mana cheered.

"As the ship of memories traverses from moon the moon, the stars and planets resonate with the melody sung in its wake! Big are the hands that hold the bass! Ride! Keeper of the Moon Gate, Veissrugr!"

The digital world around them transformed into outer space, with the Moon Gate in sight. Out of it came the ship of memories, a flying saucer of black and red, zipping and zapping from one spot to the other, always spinning. Lights in its underside ignited, allowing for his legs to come out, soon unfolding the rest of the ship into the form of the ultimate moon keeper.

His red starlight cape ignited behind him as he crossed his beefy mecha arms. Indeed, big are the hands that hold the bass, and Veissrugr was built to hold one of the biggest.

"Ahem." Seiran coughed. "My mech is cooler than yours."

"I'm playing Dragon Empire!"

"And you're lame doing so. Ugh, you're reducing the value of Mama Rui's chosen nation by playing it."

Nerona responded with a swear censored by the system. She said fudger, but she sure as hell didn't mean it.

"Anywho, let's play. Once again, I'm activating the Moon Gate! This time, in addition to calling, up to two extra Mythischs can be sent to the Moon Gate! Sorry Taro, but I'm not cooking a ride chant for the card I can run at sixteen copies because it classifies as a bird. Call! Crowring Mythisch, Ravnarowg! Two Ravnarowgs are sent to the Moon Gate."

"Isn't that a chant in its own right..." Mana sweatdropped, scratching her cheek.

"Furthermore, Veissrugr's skill! Soulblast two to activate the Moon Gate once more! I call Ravnarowg and send Ravnarowg and Roztnir to the Moon Gate! Ravnarowg can boost if my vanguard's Veissrugr, by the way."

"Yeah, I know." Nerona deadpanned.

"Good. I play Ormur Sem Verdario. Until the end of this turn, Veissrugr gets a red text skill. Battle! Ravnarowg boosts, Garzorums attacks! (10000>>20000)"

"Salmer! (25000)"

"Veissrugr attacks! Skill! Counterblast, and from the Moon Gate, I call two Mythischs to the same column! I call Roztnir and Ravnarowg over Garzorums and Ravnarowg! The front row gets 5k! (10000>>15000) (13000>>18000) (10000>>15000) In addition, Veissrugr's red text skill from Sem Verdario reduces the new Roztnir's counterblast cost by one! Hit that bassline, Veiss! Lunarbright Reverberate!"

"That's not a word!"

"Didn't ask!"

"You're impossible!" Nerona yelled, cheeks flushed. "Parama! (30000) Two to pass!"

"Twin drive! (Endearing Vendor, Mateyna - Front) Front trigger! (15000>>25000) (18000>>28000) (15000>>25000) (Caretaking Girl Who Realized Dreams) No trigger. You dodge the hands this name, Zukumiro."

"Zuku-huh?! Kurozumi! It's Kurozumi! It's impossible to get it wrong!"

"Neronya."

Nerony- Nerona's next word had to be censored by the system again. She said piece of pie custard, except no she did not.

"Ravnarowg boosts, the old Roztnir attacks! Skill! (25000>>35000>>40000) Counterblast to draw!"

"No guard! (Constricting Bullet of Dist Storm, Ibrines)"

"Once again with the new Roztnir! (25000>>30000>>40000) I draw for free!"

"No guard! (Dragritter, Salmer - Heal) Heal! Back to three! (20000)"

"Turn end!"

Seiran
Hand: 9
Damage: 2
XXX
XOX

Nerona
Hand: 7
Damage: 3
OXO
OOO

"Dealing with you's the absolute worst...! You're so freakin' annoyin'!"

"The country accent popped up."

"Of course it did, it's because I'm hella pissed off right, dumbnut! Yappin' and yappin' about bass this and moon that, for cryin' out loud... At least be half the fighter your mom was before she fell of!"

Seiran smiled confidantly, driving Nerona down the spiral that was her rapidly dwindling patience even further.

"Are you deaf? Or do you not remember her words? Perhaps you didn't even watch Mama Rui's declaration."

"Of course I did! I'm reachin' for the top too! Anyone who's anyone knows who Ibuki Harui is and knows how long and tough the road to surpass is!"

"And you still call her washed up and say she fell off, you tourist. Let's make this clear then. Mama Rui declared she'd become the unparalleled number one across the universe! So if she isn't this generation's top fighter, then that just means this generation has nothing to give her and she set her sights on a greater pinnacle!"

"Ah...? Are you seriously implying-"

"I'm not implying it, I'm saying it. Not even this generation's invincible fighter can reach Mama Rui. And I'll remind you once again. I don't represent her legacy. I'm not reaching for the same pinnacle as her. Becoming the highest star of the Vanguard world means nothing to me. I'm a bassist. A vocalist. A lyricist. A musician! I'm carving my way to the pinnacle of music and then surpassing it! This is what I devote my life to!"

"Honestly... I'm glad to see you're still the same, Seiran." Mana muttered to herself.

"You aren't reaching for the top... And yet you're two categories above me... How can an half-assed joke like you be a Seven while I've been stuck in Five for ages... This is bull... This is such bull!"

"I told you, I don't do things half-assedly."

"Zip it! If you're not gonna take this seriously, then piss off!"

"But I am taking it seriously. You challenged me. I accepted it. That alone makes this something I ought to take as serious as possible."

Nerona made what Seiran and Mana assumed to be a mix of a displeased groan and an angry yelled and took a deep breath. She was surprisingly calm after letting that out.

"I've decided. I need to treat you the same as I treat that annoying Uekoshi."

"By using male pronouns to ignore the fact I may a potential romantic partner?" Seiran tilted her head with a hand on her chin. "I only have eyes for Mana-chan though."

"Huh, no. What I mean is that I need to spend my every moment wishing a fridge falls on you! Stand and draw! Energy charge! Swirl and surge, the flames of reckoning lost in the vortex of oblivion! Burst out, Hellfire Dragon, Wirbel Dragon!"

"I'm totally living in her head rent free." Seiran commented, focus on Mana.

"Shut it. Azhar's skill reduces Wirbel's counterblast cost by for this turn. Then, at the start of my main phase, Wirbel's skill lets me energy charge again! I call Justina and discard one for her skill! I mill Best Harvest and get to play it from drop, which I'll do! Wirbel gets a red text skill and Best Harvest goes back to the bottom of the deck! Time to burn! Wirbel's skill! Energy blast three to retire the right Roztnir! And again to retire the Ravnarowg behind it! Once more, to retire the other Roztnir!"

"How rude."

"Didn't ask, don't care. With Wirbel's new skill, I draw a total of three cards! I call Constricting Bullet of Dust Storm, Ibrines! Since my vanguard's Wirbel, his skill lets me energy charge again, but my Energy Generator's draw skill gets turned off this turn! So once again, Wirbel's skill! The last Ravnarowg retires and I draw one!"

"That is fine. I run another twelve of them."

"I call Dragritter, Bishaara! Skill! Counterblast to retire, but since I can't, I draw instead! I call Shenryi and Qwasqozah! Qwaswozah's skill, soulblast to get another Persona Shield! Bishaara's skill! For every three energy used for Wirbel's skill this turn, he gets 5k! Twelve were used, so that's 20k! (10000>>30000) Battle! Boosted by Ibrines, Wirbel attacks! Ibrines' skill, add 5k when boosting! (13000>>21000>>26000) Inferno Succession!"

"That's rather small. I guard with Mateyna and Ravnarowg. Veissrugr's skill! By botdecking Roztnir from drop, the guarding Ravnarowg gets 5k shield! (38000) Mateyna will go to soul after guarding."

"Twin drive! (Dragritter, Bishaara) (Conduct Spark Dragon - Critical) Critical trigger! All on Bishaara! (30000>>40000/2) Wirbel's skill! After battle, since his skill used up st least six energy this turn, he restands with drive minus two! No counterblast courtesy of Azhar! Ibrinnes' skill too! Soulblast to restand him! Once again, boostes by Ibrinnes, Wirbel attacks! (13000>>21000>>26000) Calamity Bane!"

"No guard. (Caretaking Girl Who Realized Dreams)"

"Boosted by Shenryi, Qwasqozah attacks! Shenryi and Qwasqozah's skills! Each gets 5k! (10000>>18000>>23000>>28000)"

"No guard. (Cardinal Dragon, Barbizonde - Critical) On Veissrugr. (23000)"

"Shenryi goes to soul and I draw! Boosted by Justina, Bishaara attacks! (40000>>48000/2)"

"Perfect guard. Caretaking Girl Who Realizes Dreams."

"Turn end!"

Seiran
Hand: 5
Damage: 4
OXO
OOO

Nerona
Hand: 10
Damage: 3
XXX
OXX

"My turn. Stand and draw! Energy charge! As the ship of memories traverses from moon the moon, the stars and planets resonate with the melody sung in its wake! Big are the hands that hold the bass! Persona Ride! Keeper of the Moon Gate, Veissrugr!"

"I draw one, front gets buffed. (13000>>23000) Ugh, my hard made field... That field wipe wasn't nice."

"Eat crap, arshole. Fall off your spaceship!"

"How rude." Seiran said, resounsing disapproval in her voice. "I'm activating the Moon Gate! I call Ravnarowg and send another one to the Moon Gate! (10000>>20000) Then with Veissrugr's skill, once again! I call Ravnarowg and send Roztnir and Garzorums to the Moon Gate! I call Bobalmine and battle! Bobalmine boosts, Ravnarowg attacks! (20000>>28000)"

"That's nothing! I guard with Burning Flail, then play Defensive Roar! Burning Flail gets 10k shield and bounces to hand after guarding. (38000)"

"Ugh, I hate that card." Mama Rui had used it one too many times against her. "Bobalmine goes to soul and I countercharge. Viessrugr attacks! (23000) Skill! Counterblast, and from the Moon Gate, I call Roztnir and Ravnarowg! The front row gets 5k! (20000>>25000) (23000>>28000) (10000>>25000) Roztnir's skill! For this turn, when he attacks, he attacks your vanguard and one of the rears in your front row at the same time! Hit that bassline, Veiss! Lunarbright Reverberate!"

"That one's even more pathetic. Perfect guard!"

"Twin drive! (Cardinal Dragon, Barbizonde - Critical) Critical! All the effects on Roztnir! (25000>>35000/2) (Keeper of the Moon Gate, Veissrugr) Damn. Ravnarowg attacks! (25000)"

"Huh, no. Burning Flail. (28000)"

"Ravnarowg boosts, Roztnir attacks the vanguard and Bishaara! Skill! (35000>>45000>>50000/2) Counterblast to draw!"

"No guard! (Radiance Caliburn) (Hellfire Dragon, Wirbel Dragon)"

"Nice. Turn end!"

Seiran
Hand: 8
Damage: 4
XXX
OOX

Nerona
Hand: 6
Damage: 5
XXO
OXX

"Nice, huh... Let's end this." Nerona declared, voice dropping to an almost quiet seriousness. Her red eyes, focused like a beast preparing for a hunt, were glued to her opponent. "You don't do things half-assed. Good for you. But this isn't the pinnacle you're reaching. It's mine. I want to reach the top. I want to become a Category Ace. This is what I devote my life to!"

Seiran smirked, finally looking at the wannabe mean girl she had been fighting like the opponent she was.

"Come at me, Kurozumi Nerona."

"Stand and draw! Energy charge! Swirl and surge, the flames of reckoning lost in the vortex of oblivion! Persona Ride! Burst out, Hellfire Dragon, Wirbel Dragon!"

"Draw! (10000>>20000) (13000>>23000) Wirbel's skill, energy charge again! I call Ibrines, who energy charges once more! Wirbel's skill times three! Energy blast nine and retire all of your rear-guards!"

"I'd like to have a field."

"I'll tell you where my gran's is and lend you a shovel, then. I call another Ibrines and energy charge again! Once again, Wirbel's skill! But since you got nothing for me, Wirbel gets 10k! (23000>>33000) I call two Bishaaras, and with their skills, I draw two! (10000>>20000) (10000>>20000) Now I'll show you... The unstoppable might of a vortex!"

Green circuits lit up the right side of Nerona's waist, crawling uo and around her torso and chest until reaching the left side of her neck, forming a roman numeral - VII.

"Chariot Ability."

"Helical Gaia! Until the end of my next turn, my energy cap gets removed! Then, for every time I used energy this turn, I charge three! I did it four times, so I energy charge twelve!"

"Her skill changes the rules of the game?!" Mana asked.

"Rule, singular, and only for a limited time." Nerona corrected. "I'm not like those creeps with Judgement who can just alter the rules of the game as they please. But even if a temporary change to one thing, I'll make it count! Wirbel's skill four times! Add 40k! Absolute Powerforce! (33000>>73000) Bishaara's skill! For every time Wirbel's energy blast was used this turn, add 5k! Count them! It was eight times! They get 40k too! (20000>>60000) (20000>>60000)"

"Hm..." Seiran scratched her nape. "Crap."

"Get bent! Battle! Boosted by Ibrines, Vortex attacks! Ibrines' skill! (73000>>81000>>86000) Inferno Succession!"

"I don't like this. I don't like it one bit. Perfect guard!"

"Twin drive! (Dancing Princess of Elegant Flames, Justina) (Dragon Dancer, Parama - Front) Front trigger! (60000>>70000) (73000>>83000) (60000>>70000) Wirbel's skill! Counterblast to restand, drive minus two! Then soulblast a copy of himself to get a drive back! Ibrines' skill! Soulblast and restand! Once again, Wirbel attacks! (83000>>91000>>96000) Calamity Bane!"

"Fudge. No guard!"

"Drive check! (Dragritter, Salmer - Heal) Heal! Power to Bishaara and go to four! (70000>>80000)"

"(Endearing Vendor, Mateyna - Front) Veissrugr! (23000)"

"That won't matter a bit! Boosted by Ibrines, Bishaara attacks! Ibrines' skill! (70000>>78000>>83000)

"Ugh. Eldobreath and Barbizonde! (83000)"

"Once again! (80000>>88000>>93000)"

"Perfect guard!"

"That'll do it! Turn end!" Nerona panted.

Seiran
Hand: 2
Damage: 5
OXO
OOO

Nerona
Hand: 8
Damage: 4
XXX
XXX

"I see. Your skill is terrifying because of the deck you play. Nuke the field, power up Wirbel, power up Bishaara, and if your opponent manages to live, they won't have anything to do."

"That's right! It's a flaming vortex that draws you in until you turn to fine ash!"

"Obviously, I'm the exception."

"Ah?!"

"My deck doesn't need a hand to make a field. And beyond that, if I'm at least a smidge of the fighter you wanted me to be because of Mama Rui-"

Seiran held her right thumb in the left side of her neck, then rapidly moved it to right as if drawing a line.

"Forget medium rare, I'll cook you well done!"

(OST - That Is How I Roll! by Afterglow)

"Stand and draw! Energy charge! As the ship of memories traverses from moon the moon, the stars and planets resonate with the melody sung in its wake! Big are the hands that hold the bass! Persona Ride! Keeper of the Moon Gate, Veissrugr!"

"I draw one card, front row gets buffed! (13000>>23000) Activating the Moon Gate! I call Garzorums and send nothing to the Moon Gate! (10000>>20000) Veissrugr's skill! Activating the Moon Gate once again! I call Ravnarowg and send Roztnir to the Moon Gate! (10000>>20000) Then, I call two Ravnarowgs!"

"You rebuilt your board, but that's as far as you'll get, bassist girl!" Nerona countered. "You can't win without your wasteful counterblast three combo, and you only have two!"

"Have I declared my battle phase yet?"

"Ah?!"

Seiran held her arms and hands in the same way she did when their cards descended, once again mimicking holding her bass and strumming the strings.

And once again, the sounds of her bass came through the digital field, igniting the golden circuits that appeared on her left palm, guiding them around her arm, behind her shoulders and shoulder blades, and down her right arm until they converged to form her arcana's number designation.

Seiran finished her bass solo and brought her right hand up to her face, covering her left eye with its back as her palm revealed two roman numerals - XIX/VI.

"Moon-Lovers Ability."

"Resound, my moon - Sunbound Bassline!"

"T-two arcanas?!"

"That's right. It's an uncommon circuit mutation that refines the arcana. That to say, it makes my skill bound to one deck unlike yours. You can just think of it as personal cosmetics. I am the moon, forever bound to my sun."

"And I am the sun, eternally kissed by my moon." Mana quietly said to herself, a small smile on her lips. "Go get her, Seiran."

"That's a given." Seiran said, shooting a small smirk at her favourite drummer. "Sunbound Bassline follows the principle of the phases of the moon in the form of odd damage. If I have one damage, the crescent moon adds a Lunarite from any zone to my hand. I add Eilift Gullmani from my deck!"

One of the remaining cards in her small deck, gleaming in the same golden colour as her cicuits, shot itself out of the card pile to join Seiran's hand.

"You don't shuffle?"

"No. This is a virtual realm that can add the card directly to my hand. Otherwise I would have done it before activating the Moon Gate, obviously." The bassist sighed at what she disliked most about her arcana. "At three damage, the half moon gives Veissrugr one critical! (23000>>23000/2)"

"And at five?"

"At five damage, the full moon shines the brightest and blesses my song! By removing a Lunarite from any zone on my side, its cost, effects and name are added to a Lunarite in my hand!"

"What?!"

"I counterblast one to play! Eilift Gullmani! Ormor Sem Verdario! Until the end of this turn, Veissrugr gets red two skills! I also snipe the left Bishaara! One of red text skills is active right now! All my Mythischs get 5k! If they were called by an effect, that-a another 5k! (20000>>30000) (10000>>15000) (20000>>30000) (10000>>15000) Garzorums' skill! Because a normal order was played this turn, he gets 15k! (30000>>45000) Call! Alter Rate Sphere Dragon! Battle! Ravnarowg boosts, Ravnarowg attacks! (30000>>45000)"

"Tch! Guard! Parama, Salmer! (48000)"

"Alter Rate boosts, Veissrugr attacks! (23000>>26000/2) Skill! Counterblast, and from the Moon Gate, call! Embodiments of coiling and howling, the great devourer who engulfs the world and the great admonitiom who razes the heavens, be guided by my song and descend! The First Mythisch, "Wolfszahn" Roztnir! (10000>>30000) The Second Mythisch, "Midgarsormr" Garzorums! (10000>>35000) The front rows gets 5k! (30000>>35000) (26000>>31000/2) (45000>>50000) Then, Garzorums' skill! When he's called during the battle phase, until the end of your turn, you can't choose him and he can attack from the back row! Needless to say, the counterblast cost attached to this skill was made moot by Ormor Sem Verdario. Now hit that bassline, Veiss! Lunarbright Reverberate!"

"To hell with that! Perfect guard! Sparkle Rejector Dragon!"

"Twin drive. (Cardinal Draco, Barbizonde - Critical) Critical trigger! All to the front row Garzorums! (50000>>60000/2) (Endearing Vendor, Mateyna - Front) Front trigger! (35000>>45000) (31000>>41000) (60000>>70000) Roztnir attacks! Skill! Add 5k and attack both Wirbel and Bishaara! (45000>>50000)"

"No guard on either! (Stealth Fiend, Shenryi)"

"The climax of the song is here! Sing for me, Garzorums! Ravnarowg boosts, Garzorums attacks! (70000>>85000/2)"

"N-no guard! Damage check! (Hellfire Dragon, Wirbel Dragon) No trigger..."

"Great victory." Seiran said as she removed her Desire Specs, Mana already by my side. "How was that?"

"As sharp as the last time I saw you fight." Mana chuckled, Specs already folded and put away in their case. "Nice fight, Seiran."

"Mhm. Thank you, Mana-chan." She nodded.

But Nerona had no reasons to join in their celebration. She was gritting her teeth, Specs still on, as she saw her point gauge being reduced and turn red, a sight that made her remove the glasses and scowl.

"Dammit, I'm almost back at Category Four...! After I busted my ass to get to Five...!"

"Kurozumi Nerona." Seiran spoked, he arms crossed as she scanned her previous opponent. "Will raising your Category make you smile?"

"What kind of question is that... Of course it will!" Nerona declared, lifting her head to glare at Seiran. "Becoming one of the best as been my dream since I was a little girl! Since I saw your mom fight on TV! Did it ever cross you how she inspired girls from our generation to aim for the stars?! Ibuki Harui inspired me! I want to be as strong as her! I want to be like her!"

"Mama Rona? No, that sounds like nightmare fuel."

"Are you messing with me?!"

"Kurozumi Nerona." Seiran said, stern tone in her words. "I'm Mama Rui's daughter. I can say this with over 10000% certainty. If you told Mama Rui you wanted to be like her, she'd sock you upside the head for wanting to be like her and not true to yourself. Aim for the stars, raise your Category, but do it in your own way. Only by doing so can you become an opponent worthy of being rumbled and crumbled by Mama Rui." Her serious facade finally faced, unveiling a small smile. "And do it with a smile. Be it big, be it small, as long as it's genuine, it's worth it."

"Hehe, what a smooth talker." Mana mused.

"You are... Such a weirdo..." Nerona chuckled, bangs covering her eyes as her head hung low. She raised it and ran a hand through her hair, sighing. "Getting told to smile by my idol's dumb kid, this is the worst... What even is your angle?"

"Oh, that? It's rather simple. Abani is a town that belongs to neither of the tri-deities. Uncharted territory prime for the taking. I will conquer it and make it my ideal world - The Land of Smiles!"

"What a ridiculous joke."

The three girls looked at the fourth participant in the conversation, entering from behind Seiran and Mana.

Mana and Nerona recognized her by the yellow armband on her left arm.

But Seiran recognized her by her long, snow white hair contrasting her dark brown skin.

Her grey eyes looked down upon the bassist.

"Welcome to my school, Ibuki girl."

Disciplinary Committee leader, Category Ace Kiba Touko.

-----------

Nyello again.

Man, that DE generic sucked ass, I like the idea of fusing old RRs and R/Cs together but did we really have to keep Gojo's on hit condition?

Doesn't help Ket's gonna be Painkiller so I'm stuck on the Thegrea mines because of the other dumbass author of this extended universe.

Speaking off, do go read Re:Wings, it just entered its new saga and new arc, featuring Taro from chapter 1. Oh yeah, it's all coming together.

And while on the topic of arcs, Touko's debut brings us into Backlight's first arc: the Disciplinary Committee Arc!

Lowkey incredible how in the four years of writing student council crap in Spiral Soul and Heiwa, a disciplinary committee never came up but hey, better than anything.

Set 9's basically done, we're entering promo pack time (gdi Aelq stealing potential dino slots), so the Buddyfight collab will be upon us soon. Exciting stuff for me in specific, it'll scratch my yearly BF itch. And then, set 10 with that god forsaken ass dragon everyone keeps glazing... Ugh, 2022 Shida, why the hell did you give Taro Draj, that deck sucks so much.

Anyway, that's all for now, see you on the next one.

By the way, street pigeon birdwatching? Or seagull birdwatching?