The Prolouge: Birth of Shinra

"O-Ok!" She hesitantly grabs Nova's deck, looking through it as thorough as she can. Little by little, she kind of saw what Nova was talking about, a small glint in her eye. as she contineus to study the deck. "H-Hah...I would have never thought of doing something like this..."

Nova smiled warmly as he saw her looking at the deck. Shin just laughed lightly as he wondered if she would ever be able to understand it. After that day, Leia seemed to stay very close to Nova. She never had many cardfights as she didn't have a deck she was confident in, but she would watch Nova and Shin practice, memorizing their cards and moves, or at least Nova believed that to be the case. One day, however, things changed.

Nova was gathering his books at his deck. He sighed at the boring lectures he had been given once again and stood up as he was the last person to leave. The reason was because he had been asked to stay after class.

"Nova!" Leia calls out to him as she enters teh classroom. "What aer you stil ldoing here? Classes are over for today...unless the teacher asked for you or somethign?"

"The teachers said I haven't been paying attention in class. I had to stay for a lecture," Nova said as he grabbed his bag. "Its pretty stupid, but what can you do. I'm surprised you're here though? Why aren't you at the Usual Spot?"

"Oh..." Leia seemed a bit discouraged as she looks up at nova. "W-Well....it's Shin. He's been acting really scary all of a suddenn..."

"Scary?" Nova said as he narrowed his eyes. "Where is he right now? I haven't seen him all day." Even at that moment, he felt as though something was wrong. He didn't know what it was, but it couldn't be good.

"He might be at a card shop by now...I don't know for sure..." Leia looks down and twiddles with her thumbs. "I didn't go tot he usual spot yet...but he might be there."

Nova started to run out, on his way to the spot to see if Shin was there. As he ran there, he heard a scream. Nova opened the door to see a boy on his knees as the field showed he had 6 damage. A scream after a Vanguard fight? How was that possible? "Shin!" Nova called out as Shin was looking down at the boy laughing.

"Oh, Nova... You have good timing. I was just showing this boy my powers as god. My abilities as a Fighter have transcended humanity. As such, I think a more godly name is in order. Oh, I've got one! I shall be henceforth known as Shinra!"

"S-Shin! Stop this!" Leia shouts as she catches up to Nova. "Please...this is just insane, Shin! Go back to your real self, not this 'God' person! Shin!!!" She clutches onto his arm as she speaks, looking up at him with pleading eyes.

Shin looked at Leia with a smile as he held up his hand in a powerful gesture. "It's only natural for mere mortals to fear god. But fear not, Leia, for I have chosen to use this divine power to better our team and crush anyone in the way of our dream!" his eyes started to glow as he spoke as he began a wicked laugh.

Nova stepped forward, slamming his deck onto the table. "Stop this now! Shin!" he called out. "Pick up your deck! I'm bringing you to your senses here and now!"

"But....that's not right! That's not the way Shin would do!" Leia shouts at him. "P-Please...just go back to the way you were Shin..." she tightened her grip on his arm. "The way you are...it's just scary..."

"Oh, and here I hoped you two would come to understand," he said as he started to walk towards the table. "I suppose it can't be helped. I have no choice but to show you the full fury of god's power. Then you'll accept me as your leader." He looked down at Leia as she was holding him with a grin as he looked at his cards. His eyes started to glow again as he move his deck to the table, placing his Starting Vanguard there as well. "In that moment, I saw my victory. The all seeing eyes of god tell me that I will win, and they never lie." Nova gave a glare at him as he said, "The Shin I know would never assume victory before the first turn. I don't know what's wrong with you, but it ends here!"

Leia stands there, staring in shock as the two best friend were about to fight it out in a card fight. Normally, this wouldn't be unusual, but the way Shin was acting made everything different. Hesitantly, she lets go of him and steps back to watch their fight. "Shin...Nova..."

As the battle raged, both Nova and Shin hit each other furiously with one attack after another. Finally, Shin gave a small grin as his glowing eyes shined brightly. "Final Turn!" he called out as Nova had 4 damage and his Stern Blaukruger as his vanguard. Shin looked down at his field and then back to Nova. His eyes gave a shine as Nova felt as though he was carried away.

The next thing Nova knew, he was in a grassy field. He looked around to see that it was an area that he had never been to. "Grasp the image..." Shin's voice echoed as he appeared behind him. "Apocalyptic flames, destroying your body. The eternal flames of god..." A large red dragon was in front of Nova. His eyes widened as it opened its mouth, prepared to attack. Nova's eyes quivered in fear as he felt he could do nothing to stop the attack.

During the entire match, all Leia could do was watch them fight. Her eyes widen as Shin declared 'Final Turn'. After declaring it, Nova seemed in a daze before she could see his eyes quivering. "S-Stop! Nova, what's wrong?!" She moves forward, grabbing Nova's shoulder and trying to shake him out of it.

"All you can do is fall into despair beneath the feet of your god," Shin said as he raised his hand, preparing to snap his fingers. His words echoed outward so that Leia could hear them as well. "Nova-kun... disappear from my world of Cray..." Before he could snap his fingers, Shin's eyes widened. His head pulsed as he moved his hands to the table to support him. Nova was panting as he sat down on the floor without realizing what had happened. He looked at Shin in shock at the moment.

"S-Shin? Nova?!" Leia looks at them with wide eyes, confused as to what's going on. The only thing she knows is Shin's in pain while Nova seems like he came close to death. "Shin...Shin, are you ok?"

"I... told you..." Shin said as he staggered to stand. "It's SHINRA!" as he yelled out his eyes started to glow again. His head pulsed once more and he collapsed on the the ground. Nova looked down, seeing what had happened. "Shin!" he called out as he got up and ran to him. "Leia, we need to go the the infirmary!"

Leia lets out a yelp at Shinra's yelling, backing away as Nova ran to him. She was ina daze for a second before shaking her head and running up to Shin. "R-Right!"

Nova rushed his fallen friend to the infirmary. What had happened before didn't matter. He was hurt and they needed to help him. Nova placed Shin in a bed, looking at Leia as he noticed something was odd about her. "Are you alright?" he said, his voice sounding more concerned for her than him.

Leia was sitting next to the bed, clitching onto her knees as she stares at the floor with fearfilled eyes. "W-What just happened, Nova...?" She said, her voice trembling with each word. She finally found the strength to look up at him with wide, tearfilled eyes. "What happened...to him...?"

"I don't know..." Nova said as he looked at her, then back to Shin. "All I know is that he wasn't lying about having some power..." He went into his pocket, pulling out a deck of cards. "I noticed you were having trouble making a deck, so I was going to give you this today... I think its better if you kept it in case he goes crazy again..." He moved the deck in front of her, waiting for her to hold out her hands and accept it.

"...I don't want it..." Leia mutters as her gaze returns to the ground. "It's because of Vanguard...that Shin's acting this way. Power? What's the point of it? I thought this was jsut a game to have fun playing...and yet..." She grips her knees as tears started to fall from her eyes. "...I never felt so terrified in my life...and it was only just because of seeing Shin acting like that."

He set the deck down on the table next to her, placing his hands in his pockets as he moved to the door. "If these things bother you, gain the power to prevent them," Nova said lightly. "Without strength, your wishes will never be fulfilled."

At that moment, Shin started to stir. His eyes opened before they gave a glow. He grinned as he rose slowly. "Words of a loser," he said in a smug tone. "The weak can never hope to surpass god. You should have come to understand that and follow me, but it seems your as foolish as you are weak. Beneath me in every way."

Leia quickly lifts her head as she sees Shin moving. Then, his words hit her. Hard. As soon as he finished his last statement, she stands up quickly and lashes out a hand, slapping his face in a fit of rage. She stares at him in shock, both at her action and his words.

"..'God'? You have to be kidding me, Shin..." She mutters before shouting. "I don't know what's wrong with you, but Nova is NOT weak! Sure, he's not almighty or anything, but there isn't anyone who's almight!" Her hands balled up into fists, trembling as she continues. "In any sense, I'M the only weak one around here! Power this, God that...I don't care about any of that stuff! All I want to do is have fun!"