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Lucy's final picture caught something peculiar: a blurred wave of brown and green. By the time she looked up from her handset, she saw a man run for his life and disappear down the street, while another boy walked casually from the same direction. He addressed Maria by her name, as did she, so they must have known each...other...

Wait -- 'Youki-kun'?!

As Rose circled behind her and Maria to hide, Lucy's cheeks puffed up in jealousy. Who does this boy think he is, talking to her so friendly-like?? Though, she couldn't deny that he was kinda cute... She took a step closer to Maria, slipping her hand into the crook of the taller girl's folded arms, and gave Youki a "look".

"Mariiiaaaa...?" She said in a half-whine. "Who is this guy? And what's with the sword, huh?!" The latter was directed to the white-haired boy as she continued to eye him warily. "That's right, you know! We can all take care of ourselves, so butt out pretty boy!" With that, she stuck her tongue out at him, still clasping Maria's arm and hiding partly behind her shoulder. Nobody was stealing her Maria away today!


====


Reimu watched in awe at the power of her own spell card as it attempted to entrap Yumi at its center. After many grazing blows, the card ultimately failed, but that did little to dissuade her appreciation. She hadn't quite noticed Yumi produce her own spell card, even as its name was declared, and that couple seconds of delay was enough to give her a serious disadvantage.

With her spell card timing out, Reimu had little choice but to attempt grazing the incoming spear of destruction. In a last-ditch attempt, Reimu threw the four needles from her hand through the spear itself as it approached her, while at the same time sidestepping to the left to avoid the main shaft of the fiery weapon. As it passed her, the spearhead ripped and sliced bits of her clothing, and turned the surrounding cloth into cinders as well. She could feel the heat rising, and the sight of the colored meter changing from orange to red didn't ease concerns, either.

As the orbs approached, Reimu envisioned herself back in younger days, as a child playing dodge ball. In a fraction of a second, she tried to deduce the trajectory of each shot, and adjust her body accordingly. It worked...somewhat. The first orb was dodged, then the second, but the third and fourth struck home, one hitting her thigh and the other impacting her chest. Dazed by the blows, any following shots struck her as well. Reimu was knocked around, her health bar depleted, and eventually found herself face down on the gym floor.

"D... Damn it!" She pounded her fist into the floor as her clothes returned the normal, as did the field around them. Stirring and sitting up on her elbows, Reimu noticed that the five cards she had chosen prior to the battle were now floating in front of her, between herself and Yumi. What did this mean? Was she losing them..?


====


"...So it would seem, Kitty." Yuuka replied, matching Noraneko's smugness, with a smirk of her own behind the mask of her glasses. "Now that you've learned how to discern your surroundings, is there anything else I can help you with? I don't think it would be very good for our reputations - such as they are - if we were seen in each others company."

She reached into a pocket on the lower part of her vest, and fished for the key to her room. She withdrew it and slid the key into the lock, then paused. "...Okashii. Whatever you saw tonight, I suggest you don't go spreading it around school. I know that you know... I can feel them." Yuuka turned the key, eliciting a satisfying series of clicks! from the door. "I don't know what our destinies hold... but I can tell that these cards will change us forever. Nothing will be the same from this point on, so you'd best prepare yourself for the worst. You may even find yourself as my enemy..."

She suddenly found Rose behind er and Lucy clinging to her arm with a very annoyed look on her face. "Ah-- This is Youki Konpaku. He is the best member of the school's kendo team, and a dear friend of mine,"Maria explained simply, half nodding to Youki. The editor rubbed the back of her head,"Excuse them, both are very shy people; I am just showing them around precisely because of that."

She looked from behind her to Rose, to the side to Lucy, "Say, Youki-kun, if it makes you feel any better about our safety, why not come with us to have lunch - or dinner whatever time it may be- and grt acquantianced with them? They both could use meeting a good role model!" Maria did hold Youki to high steem, he was an honorable swordsman and one of those heroic type of boys. It would serve the girls good to meet someone who could help them if they ever had troubles.

----

"Kitty? My name is Noraneko: One whole word. Don't go taking liberties," Nora scoffed crossing her arms," And I always knew of my surroundings you were the one not feeling well."

Once Yuuka mentioned knowing she herself had a deck of cards, Okashii sobered looking intently at the back of Yuuka's head. "I have no point in spreading what will move on its own, Kazami, it'd be a waste of my time," Nora responded, turning towards her own door. "As of how these cards will change us and our future..." The baseball player pulled out a card, peering into its constellations,"We can worry about that as time comes. For now we have to make sure no one is hurt by these things, harness these card's power, in whichever way it may be needed."

Nora turned to Yuuka once more,"As for seeing you as an enemy..." She grinned,"Don't do anything evil or mean to me, then feel free to go nuts. I hold no interest in you or your cards, I just want to know why us. I felt some of its power fighting Nahumar, and it is something I want to stay as far away from as I can." Okashii put her card away putting her hands on her hips,"So I won't pose any danger for you, because I want nothing to do with these cards."

---

"Hey, pretty boy!" Opposite of Byakuren appeared a smaller figure. Apperantely she had been there all along, and had been lost in her own thoughts. Now the streetlight bounded of her switchblade."It ain't nice to hurt girls," Hazumi said, her eyes covered by the reflection of her glasses," How about you let her go before I stab you reall good?"

Re-Enter Delinquent Koudo Hazumi. She took a threatening step closer to the two struggling students holding the blade ready. "Take a chill pill and take it easy, there is no need to roughen her up, Am I right, Byakuren?" Hazumi looked at Byakuren, searching for the tennis player's support should there be a need to help Hana.

Yumi watched as Reimu was hit by the orbs, causing her health bar to decrease to nothing. Yumi... had won the fight? Yumi was a tad shocked, but before she knew it she began to descend to the ground, her clothes returning to normal once more. As Yumi stepped down, her leg gave out and she slumped to the ground with a yelp, face down. Yumi lifted her face off the gym floor and groaned. "Ow ow ow... That hurt..." She said. Yumi then noticed that the five cards Reimu had chosen were floating in between her and Reimu. "Am... Am I supposed to take these?" Yumi asked, reaching her hand towards one of the cards. She stopped before she touched it and took her hand away from it. "No, I don't want to take these cards, they're Reimu's." She said aloud.

She then noticed another student approach them and began to ask them about the card game. The girl wanted to learn more about the game and asked if they could teach her. She told them that she had lost a duel earlier because she didn't understand what was happening and that she wanted to make Nahumar proud. That name again. "Why would you want to make him proud?" Yumi asked the girl. "But anyway, we don't know too much about this game anyway; this was our first time trying it, since we wished to see what it was about." Yumi told the student. "And I'm not sure if we can teach you anything, really... Well, maybe we can." Yumi told her. "I guess it depends on what you want to know."



Byakuren gasped as Hana left so quickly. She followed after her and saw her talking to some boy. Hana called him brother, so they must be related. They seemed to talk for a short time, before Byakuren heard the boy say the words Gate Card quite loudly. He then proceeded to grab Hana's wrist. Hana called Byakuren's name, and Byakuren was already beginning to step in. Nahumar looked directly into Byakuren's eyes, Byakuren looking back, a look of anger on her face. "Hey! Stop that!" Byakuren said, putting her arm between Nahumar and Hana. "What are you doing?! She's your sister!" Byakuren told him. "Let her go!" She said, grabbing Nahumar's wrist to try and make him let go of Hana.

Suddenly, another person appeared opposite of Byakuren. It was another girl, who had a knife. She said that it wasn't nice to hurt girls and threaten to harm him if he didn't let her go. Byakuren didn't want anything like this, she didn't want any fighting going on. Why couldn't thing be more peaceful. The girl seemed to know Byakuren, which was understandable, since she a great asset on the tennis team. The girl said that Nahumar shouldn't be rough to Hana, and the student then searched for Byakuren's support. Byakuren nodded. "She's right, stop hurting Hana!" Byakunre told Nahumar, still trying to make him let go of Hana's wrist.



Maria told Rose that the boy was named Youki Konpaku, and that he too was on the kendo team. Not only that, but that he was also a dear friend of hers. Lucy told Youki to butt out and that they could take care of themselves. Rose also noticed that Lucy wrapped her arm around Maria's, which made her a tad curious. Maria then invited Youki to come with them, which surprised Rose. Maria said that Lucy and Rose could use meeting good role model. What was that supposed to mean?

Youki told them what he was doing and said that he'd be honored to accompany them. Rose was nervous. He seemed like a strange person to her, so far. He even did something that was right out of a comic book or movie. Rose didn't know how to feel about the situation now, she still felt like a third wheel of sorts. She hoped that the evening would go well with nothing unexpected happening.

Nahumar glared at the others, releasing Hana's arm. She rubbed it and looked at Nahumar.
"What is wrong with you?!" Nahumar sighed.
"I only wanted your Gate Card, but i guess I am unable to take it without dueling you." he extended a card out right in the area for a duel.
"Nahumar. This is not like you." Hana said once more. Nahumar did not even bother to reply to it.
"Fine...If you will not duel me, then how about your friend?" Nahumar looked to Byakuren with a sly grin.
"Hey! Are you even listening to me?! Stop this Nahumar!" Hana tried to pull his arm down but Nahumar batted her back on her rear. She was light enough for it anyways.
"Now then...Shall we duel?" he grinned with delight. Of course with more experience on his side it seemed unfair, but the rules of the game would always even it out.
Still, this was off for Nahumar...
-----
Sorina listened to the two. The comment about Nahumar brought out her reason.
"It's because Nahumar has done so much for me before. Other guys hit on me because of my looks, but last year Nahumar saved me from three guys who really wanted me. Though it was a misunderstanding...I felt safe with Nahumar. So I started to make him some meals once in a while and...Oh i am so embarrassed." she was hiding her blush not too well. It was now clear that she was love sick for the Delinquent.
"A-anyways, that is why I want to make him proud. I want to show him that I can protect myself without him around all the time." Sorina seemed determined. Listening to Reimu's side, it made her feel as if she had no partner.
"Then...can we practice sometime? I wish to truly get better at the game."
Did Nahumar feel the same way with Sorina?

Youki looked at the cards and started to say "No, Ive never seen card like these befo...What the..." Suddenly something started to glow in his pocket, seemingly reacting to the girls cards, he reached into his pocket and pulled out cards of his own. "Wait...where did these come from... i dont remember having these..." he said, looking very confused.

Nahumar gave a cackle of a laugh before silence and adding a glare.
"Why yes, it is. This game we play all involve four cards. Four cards that are named after the seasons. These cards hold the power to open a gate to a mystical realm full of magic and fantasy. We are not playing for the fun of it...We are playing for this land." His eyes drifted to Byakuren and back to Hana.
"From what I see, you are afraid of fighting me. A pacifist like yourself will never have the strength nor desire one needs to control this land we so fight to own." he made it sound like the realm was something important.
"Hold on Nahumar! Byakuren is not afraid of you! If anything, you are the one who is insane!" she glared at her brother...but he simply laughed.
"Hana....You are such an idiot. If you would of handed that gate card earlier, then I would not be here still. However I think with the amount of rejections...you are all stage one bosses, while I am sitting at a Stage Six. I do not even need to remind you that as long as you possess that card my dear sister, I will continue to get that card till it is mine!" Nahumar walked past Byakuren, but along the way he whispered something in her ear.
"Io sono la paura, io sono la paura. Sono Nahumar, Youkai della paura."
And then he was no longer in the area.
"Byakuren! Are you okay?" She looked at Byakuren then over to Hazumi.
"Thanks for your help, but if my brother is true about what he said...then I have to get rid of this card." Hana tried to rip it in half, only to have it mend together before her eyes.
"Just as I thought...we can't destroy them. Would one of you like to take it? With how Nahumar and I sleep in the same apartment, it would be hard to hide it." Hana was concerned more over her brother. She didn't know what has gotten into him but it was no good at all.
-----
Sorina took Yumi's words harshly at first but quietly thanked her for giving her a chance.
"I know it sounds stupid...but I really do want to make him proud. He is always so protective of me, taking all the blame or even covering for me when I never ask. I just want to pay him back anywa-" She then noticed a familiar jacket pass by the entrance to the gym. Nahumar managed to make it back to the dorms.
"E-excuse me." she said as she quietly approached Nahumar before talking to him.
"Nahumar. Why are you not in your room?" she asked him. Unlike the encounter before, Nahumar was normal.
"Oh, Sorina. I was just out and about to clear my head about the games. Sorry about yelling at you..I was just scared to think you could get hurt." Sorina smiled warmly, as if hearing the words that Yumi said before were meaningless.
"It's okay Nahumar. I plan to learn more about the card game so you do not have to worry so much about me." This made him happy.
"Really?! That's great! I would like to help as well any way I can. Oh and here, I do not think this card is very important to me now." he took the gate card from his pocket and gave it to Sorina.
"I figured out what it is. It's some sort of piece of four cards. The name sounds like a season so I am assuming the others have that pattern. As well, it looks as if the card makes a door. Since it has no ability to return to the owner, It is safe to hide it somewhere in your home for now. I should get to bed." He said, waving Sorina goodbye with a happy smile.
Sorina inspected the card and wondered what exactly would happen if the rest were found.

Could it be that the Gate Cards have a hidden power? Could it be the cause of Nahumar's weird moment? Also, why does it have no true owner?
And if indeed this gate is assembled...what would come from it? A land of Magic? Myster-
"GENSOKYO IS NOT REAL!"
"GENSOKYO IS NOT REAL!!"
"GENSOKYO IS NOT REAL!!!"
"GENSOKYO IS NOT REAL!!!!"
"GENSOKYO IS NOT REAL!!!!!!"

"Lucy----" And then Rose fell to. Maria was a bit emberrased, going so far as to cover her red face with her hand. What a bad thing, to have met Youki and dealt with these girls who couldn't seem to watch their own backs! "..She.... is just kidding, Youki-kun." Maria sighed at last,"Even if magically appearing cards aren't far from the whole evil villain, we know that is something out of cartoons or video games."

----

"Sounds like lots of trouble," Hazumi closed her pocket knife and huffed out some air, hiding it away as per usual."Watch your back, you, that bro seems like a neurotic psycho!"

---
".........' Nora sighed and turned towards her room, pulling out her key from inside her jacket and entering her room. Like Yuuka, she closed the door feeling the relief of being in a place where she could be herself. She swapped out of her clothes into some lose pajama pants and a t-shirt that seemed to have some sort of atom on it; by the count of electrons someone could know it was of argon.

Her room was plain, and aside from the keyboard and guitar stand with an old beat up guitar, the periodic table hanged above the sturdy desk in the corner, there was two things that stood out. A window seat next to an opened window, and next to the door, parallel to the bed was a dresser. On this dresser there was a nice little tv and an arrangement of pictures, and Noraneko stopped to look at one as she slipped on her shirt.

On a nice frame was a picture of a younger Nora and a woman who shared too much resemblace to not be her mother. Both wore spring dresses, and the young girl had a straw hat on holding it with one hand in her mother's loving embrace. For a second Nora took it in her hand, before a small tak made her turn to the window.

There was a black lump of a cat. Nora went, opened the window and let the cat inside. "Hey Yuumei," Nora petted the cat as it stretched on the window seat, before parting to go get a small can of tuna and open it for her visitor. She sat with the black cat while it ate the meal, staying there feeling the night air till her skin felt numb....