Cardfight Vanguard: The Dark Union

Turn 23: Lost Inspiration

"So, is that it?" Tora asked, sitting right next to a tired Edge. "I guess so, there's not much that can be done at this point. It feels like my very existence has come to a dead end." Edge told his beloved, letting out a frustrated sigh and turning around. "Come on Edge, there's plenty left to be discovered. Not to mention you have to find Star." Edge grew annoyed at the option given to him and sat up, looking into her eyes.

"That's just it Tora. My life ever since I met Star has been the same. All of us have a cardfight and fun, something strange comes along, and someone gets taken under the other side's control. This just feels like a repeat of the past." Edge stood back up and brushed his hair back, his hair free from his normal duel layered style. "I'm stepping outside. My phone's on sound, I'll be with my sister, and I'll be over by the park."

Edge looked back towards the owner of the card shop only to see she had taken a couple steps towards him. "Not without me, listen Edge, I trust you but I'm not leaving you behind. I don't care if I feel like a dull, static person but I'm not leaving you behind." Tora walked straight past Edge and turned around to face him, "now come on. I don't know what happened between the teal haired heiress, the snow haired teen, and you but we'll figure it out together. Plus I know a couple people that'll help us."

Edge stood there, silent and unflinching before his lips curled into a smile and he rubbed the back of his neck. "Fine. Wait up for me."

*At your local ice cream shop*

The time Tora and Edge had entered the shop was the exact time that Skye and Ezekiel had just gotten their ice cream, how convenient. Edge was the first one to notice and his whole demeanor changed, his slumped shoulders and relaxed stance suddenly stiffened and his eyes fell to half lidded.

"Edge." Skye said, grabbing the attention of Ezekiel and Tora. Before the two could say anything Skye walked up to Edge, "Edge. I got to apologize for what I did, but I think I know who-" before she could finish, Edge raised his hand and sighed, "I know. It's Dark Union right?" Skye stood there shocked, but recuperated fast and nodded, "yup, I only realized this after..." Skye stopped herself mid-sentence, seeing the bored look on Edge's face.

"Something wrong Edge?" She asked, walking out of the store with the others to avoid unwanted attention. "Yes, something IS wrong Skye. This has become so predictable. It's basically a repeat of last year, but now I have free will. Come on Skye, don't tell me you haven't noticed." Skye backed up a bit, scared of Edge's new personality. "Come on, it's so simple and obvious. All of our group has some sort of crazy, super dark, depressing backstory and crazy colored hair. Dark Union has been after us alone one year ago, and not to mention we also pull cards out of nowhere like it's magic. It's like we're main characters of a book or something, written by a fifteen year old highschooler with emotional problems."

Everyone remained silent, nobody wanting to speak up or question what he said. In the back of their minds, they knew this fact but refused to believe it. Now though, it feels like it should've ended a long time ago.

"I'm sorry you feel that way Edge." Skye finally spoke up, looking down at the floor and her trembling hands, turning them into fists and shooting her head back up at Edge, "but that isn't the case at all!" She exclaimed, Edge giving her an irritated look.

*I'm trying something new*

Edge: "Just accept it-!"

Skye: "No! I can't and I won't! Not now not ever! I can't believe that my life with all of you is fake! I WON'T!"

Tears started rolling down Skye's face as she backed up into a bench and fell down onto it.

Ezekiel: "Sis, are you alright?" Ezekiel walked towards his sister, reaching out for her.

Skye: "I'm fine brother, but I do want to say something."

Skye looked back up at Edge and his cold, dead stare.

Skye: "I won't accept that Star wasn't real, that Ralph never existed, I won't accept the fact that our universe isn't real, because it isn't. Want to know why I know? Because we live and breath."

Skye stood back up, her posture appearing taller than Edge's as she stood up to him.

Skye: "Even if we are just a novel or fanfiction or something. We're still here, and living. Maybe not to the readers, but to the author who bothered to take the time out of their life to create the world we live in. To them, we're real and not just a story they write, but a story they believe IS real, they're not story writers, they're story TELLERS!"

Skye's breath had picked up and Edge's demeanor softened.

Tora: "Skye-"

Tora reached out, but stopped when Skye held up her hand.

Skye: "Listen, I'm fine Tora, but I do want to ask you something Edge. Do you care about Star, Edge?"

Edge stood there shocked, not prepared for the lecture Skye had just mouthed off.

Edge: "O-Of course I do." He answered shyly.

Skye: "Then you ARE real. You care for someone, and nobody can tell you you can't. Edge, you clearly care more about Star than I do. That much is obvious even though not many people know about it. He tells you things he can't tell me, you were the one who led him on the path with friends, his parents, a new baby brother... A path where he could truly live. That's enough proof to know we truly live, our bonds, and that's all you need too Edge."

Skye paused and looked up at Edge, smiling and sticking her left hand out.

Skye: "Shake my hand if you want to go find Star and drag him back."

Edge stared at her hand for a few seconds, before letting out a small sigh and smiling.

Edge: "Alright, let's go!"

Edge grabbed her hand and they shook, determined to finally win against their mutual enemy.

The moment was runied when the ice cream cone that Skye was holding melted away completely, leaving her right hand sticky and Skye without ice cream.

The air around them was silent as Skye went pale and a tumbleweed came out of nowhere, passing by nonchalantly.

Tora: "That's what I wanted to tell you Skye, your ice cream was melting, how'd you not notice?"