"Hello, there. My name is Ailanthus, or Aina for short." The girl began to speak. "As you can see... me and this dragon are on good terms. Do you wish to have it?"

"Yes..." Zak replied quietly, still in shock from Zoa. The rain soaked him, making his suit stick to his skin, and his spiky hair fall flat against his forehead.

"Your conviction isn't strong enough. Say it louder." Aina replied in a serious tone, as her cloak took the hits by the raging rain. Zak shifted his attention to her, before gritting his teeth together and opening his eyes, revealing eerie purple pupils he was known for.

"YES. I WANT THAT DRAGON!"

(Opening here)

"As they say, the window to someone's soul is their eyes... and your soul really wants this, hm?"

"Not "want". Need."

"I like your attitude, young man. So, let us reap what you have sewn for you have had the courage to continue standing here even though I unleashed Zoa. We shall Cardfight over who gets her." Aina explained.

"Oh... I'll be excited for this one!" Zak proclaimed, pointing at her. "Just know I'll beat you to the ground."

"The same can be said to you. Say, let's go somewhere with cover. We don't want our cards getting wet, right?" Aina turned Zoa into a card and put it into her cloak pocket.

"Of course. I appreciate the thought." Zak nodded and followed Aina as she began to walk up a hill.

"They can get pricey. Plus, they use cardboard to make it... and cardboard comes from trees. And trees... are precious life, that shouldn't be torn down without a second thought." She explained with a gentle voice. It was like she was Mother Nature, only realised into a human.

"You speak with... a passion. A weird passion for trees." Zak replied tactfully.

"I'm an enthusiast for nature. What more can I say?" Aina shrugged as she stopped at a large tree with long, branching out leaves.

"Nothing else. You seem, nice, even though you're more mysterious than the average person." Zak stopped, standing across her.

"Some people just don't want others to know who they are. I am one them." She replied, before throwing her FICA down. "No more of this friendly talk, please. It'll make me feel bad when I win."

"Likewise." Zak threw his FICA down as well; the two expanding and connecting into a game board.

"What I do like about some of this rubble of wildlife is their versatility. You can use the chopped up logs as a seat, so you don't have to stand." Aina sat down on a log, as Zak mimicked her.

"It's not the most comfortable... but it's beat standing up, I guess."

"Yes. Anyways, whenever your ready. I hope to have a good match."

"I'm good to begin, and likewise."

"Stand up, (the!) Vanguard!"

"Childhood Command, Rosenberg!" The vanguard circle expanded light green.

"Peach Orchard Maiden, Elmy!" The vanguard circle expanded sky blue.

"I'll start us off. Draw, and ride Fluffy Beefly. Moving Rosenberg back and passing."

Zak:
Hand: 5
Damage: 0
OXO
OXO

Aina:
Hand: 5
Damage: 0
OXO
OOO

"Draw for turn and ride Padmini. Calling Elmy to the rear-guard. Now, boosted by Elmy, Padmini attacks! (7000 > 12000)"

"No guard!"

"Drive check! (Ranunculus of Phantasmic Blue, Ahsha)"

"Damage check! (Machining Treehopper) All effects to vanguard. (9000 > 14000)"

"Turn end."

Zak:
Hand: 5
Damage: 1
OXO
OXO

Aina:
Hand: 6
Damage: 0
OXO
OXO

"Draw, and ride Dangerous Horn! His skill, revealing a Darkface card from my hand. (Evil Governor, Darkface Gredora) Then, boosted by Rosenberg, Horn will attack! (10000 > 15000)"

"No guard!"

"Drive check! (Adherence Mutant, Black Weevil)"

"Damage check! (Promotion Maiden, Lipset)"

"Turn end."

Zak:
Hand: 6
Damage: 1
OXO
OXO

Aina:
Hand: 6
Damage: 1
OXO
OXO

"My turn, stand and draw. I'll ride Sharl and call Kera, Diane and Lipset! Boosted by Diane, Kera! (9000 > 16000)"

"Guard with Makeup Widow! (10000 > 20000)"

"Boosted by Elmy, Sharl attacks! (9000 > 14000)"

"No guard!"

"Drive check! (Flower Garden Maiden, Mylis) Critical, Power to Lipset, Critical to vanguard! (9000 > 14000) (1★ > 2★)l

"Damage checks! (Flowing Mutant, Twilight Madder, Intimidating Mutant King, Darkface Alicides)"

"Lipset! (14000)"

"Bolg Wasp! (10000 > 15000)"

"Turn end."

Zak:
Hand: 4
Damage: 3
OXO
OXO

Aina:
Hand: 4
Damage: 1
XXX
XXO

"Stand and draw. Bend the knee to our mighty empress that is the trailblazer to our clan; or become stuck in the web of tragedy that tears you apart! I ride my avatar, Evil Governor, Darkface Gredora!" The vanguard circle expanded light green. "Skill of Gredora, I counterblast and you can't call any cards to Lipset's column! Then I'll call Vulgar Blister in the same column as Kera and Diane! His skill, all of my opponent's rear-guards in the same column as him cannot stand next turn! Then, I'll call Lafertei behind him. This prevents Kera from intercepting! Now, boosted by Rosenberg, Gredora attacks! (11000 > 16000)"

"I expected this to happen, which is why I overcommitted to my board. Now, it seems like it might have worked against me... No guard."

"Twin Drive!! (Machining Snow Wing) Heal trigger, all effects to Blister and healing one. (7000 > 12000) (Light Horn Mutant, Dangerous Horn)"

"Damage check! (Repeated Cultivation Maiden, Leslie)"

"Boosted by Lafertei, Blister! (12000 > 19000)"

"No guard! (Cornflower Flower Maiden, Ines)"

"Turn end."

Zak:
Hand: 4
Damage: 2
OXX
OXX

Aina:
Hand: 4
Damage: 3
XXX
XXO

"Stand everything except Kera's column and draw." Aina took a deep breath. "You play well. However... simply put, you didn't play well enough. Phantasmic blue petals will blossom into a flower that represents hope, light and dreams! I ride, Ranunculus of Phantasmic Blue, Ahsha!" The vanguard circle expanded light cyan. "Generation, Stride! Winter, spring, summer and autumn is carried within her blade! Go forth, Flower Princess of Four Seasons, Velhemina! Ahsha's stride skill, counterblast and superior call from deck Lipset! Bloom, adding 4000 power to my front row! (9000 > 13000) (26000 > 30000) (9000 > 13000) Skill of Elmy, into soul and calling Ahsha from deck! Next up, Lipset will attack! (13000)"

"No guard! (Vulgar Blister)"

"Velhelmina attacks next! (30000) Her skill, counterblast and G Persona Blast, and call two Diane's to RG! Bloom, both of them get 10000 power! And their CONT skills gives them 1k! (7000 > 18000) (7000 > 18000)"

"Generation Guard! Mutant Deity Fortress, Gricefort! I counterblast and rest your back row rear-guards! He then gets 5000 Shield for every two of your rest units! (11000 > 26000 > 31000) I'll add Dangerous Horn! (31000 > 36000)"

"Two to pass?"

"Yes."

"Triple drive! (Seeding Maiden, Tierney, Maiden of Daybreak) Stand, standing Diane and power to her! (18000 > 23000) (Collective Blooming Maiden, Kera) Now, Lipset attacks! (13000)"

"No guard. (Evil Governor, Darkface Gredora)"

"Diane boosted by Diane! (18000 > 41000)"

"No guard. (Vulcan Lafertei)"

"That'll be it then. Ahsha returns to my hand, and I'll soulblast 2 to put both Diane's into my hand."

Zak:
Hand: 2
Damage: 5
OXX
OXX

Aina:
Hand: 9
Damage: 3
OXX
OOO

"Stand and draw. Skill of Gredora, soulblast and you put a card in your damage zone face down!"

"Done."

"I countercharge. Now, Liberating the Generation Zone! No matter if you are superior or inferior, as long as she bats her wings and flashes her sickles, death is engraved in your fate! Generation Stride, Poison Sickle Mutant Deity, Overwhelm!" The vanguard circle expanded green. "Stride skill, counterblast and you can't call to the empty column during your next turn! Then, I'll call Bolg Wasp! His skill, adding 7000 power! (9000 > 16000) Skill of Overwhelm, counterblast and G Blast, I'll draw one card and she gets an extra critical and drive! (1★ > 2★/3 > 4) Call Twilight Madder. Her Generation Break 3 skill! For each of your face down damage, all my units get 2000 power! You have 3, so everyone gets 6000! (16000 > 22000) (7000 > 13000) (26000 > 32000) (7000 > 13000) (7000 > 13000) Then, Rosenberg goes into soul to use his skill! I choose Lipset, and she can't intercept or be chosen for effects and costs! Now, entering battle phase! Overwhelm attacks! (32000/2★) Dangerous Compound!!"

"Tierney, Perfect Guard!"

"Quadruple drive! (Scissor-shot Mutant, Bombscissor) Critical, all to Blister! (13000 > 18000/1★ > 2★) (Intimidating Mutant King, Darkface Alicides, Vulgar Blister, Scissor-shot Mutant, Bombscissor) Critical, power to Blister, Critical to Bolg Wasp! (18000 > 23000/2★) (22000/1★ > 2★) Boosted by Lafertei, Blister! (23000 > 36000/2★)"

"Generation Guard! Bond Protector Musketeer, Antero! Skill, soulblast and adding 5000 shield! Then, since I have one or less rear-guards, he adds another 15000 shield! (11000 > 26000 > 31000 > 46000)"

"Boosted by Madder, Bolg Wasp! Skill of Madder, adding 3000 power! (13000 > 16000) (22000 > 38000/2★)"

"No guard! (Prosperity Maiden, Diane, Plumeria Flower Maiden, Sharl)"

"Madder goes into soul and I draw a card. I end."

Zak:
Hand: 6
Damage: 5
XXX
OOX

Aina:
Hand: 6
Damage: 5
OXX
OOO

"Stand and draw! Now, this next move might cost me the game... but knowing your deck, if I don't use this chance now I might not ever get it again." Aina explained. "Skill of Ahsha, I'll choose Lipset and Kera in my drop zone, and I'll put both to the bottom of my deck! Then, I draw a card."

"You're going to use Zoa?" Zak asked.

(Play song in media here)

"Very perceptive!" Aina clapped. Putting a card into the drop zone, it emitted a bright green light. "The cost is a card with the same name as my vanguard! I'll put my future on the line to win this fight! If I fail to do so, all of the cards in my Generation Zone will never return! Devour my future and manifest! Zoo's Zeroth Dragon, Ultimate Stride! Zeroth Dragon of Death Garden, Zoa!" The vanguard circle exploded in a black-green colour.

"There it is!" Zak exclaimed, as another powerful howl shook up the jungle. Appearing behind Aina, Zoa stared down at Zak who looked up at the dragon with a weak smile. His body was shaking, as he could feel the warm breathing of the dragon even though they were fairly far apart.

"Skill! Counterblast two and drawing a card! I call Kera to rear-guard, and she gets two new effects! The first is a CONT effect where she cannot be chosen by card effects, and also her power becomes 99999 constantly! (9000 > 99999) And the second in which if she deals damage to you, I win the game!"

"What the hell?! One hit from that monster and I lose?!"

"That's correct. Kera, destroy him! Silver Reap! (99999)"

"Damn, I wanted to save this for the vanguard but I don't got any other choice, do I? Black Weevil, Perfect Guard!"

"It doesn't matter in the slightest! One hit and you'll lose! Zoa, finish him! Shiro no Zangiku Blessing! (36000)" Aina commanded as Zoa roared at Zak whilst she stood behind Aina. The mark of Gyze that floated above Zoa's head shone a bright yellow, while a rough draft was sent in Zak's direction. It wasn't powerful enough to blow away his cards, but it was strong enough to scare him.

"I ain't gonna lose just yet... Specially when I have friends that expect me to get Zoa, and friends that sacrificed themselves to buy me some damn time! Generation Guard! Feather Wall Mutant Deity, Morphosian! Her skill, since you have two or less standing rear-guards, she gets 10000 Shield! (11000 > 26000 > 36000) I'll add Bombscissor and intercept with Bolg Wasp! (36000 > 46000 > 51000) You'll need 3 to pass!"

"Triple drive! (Marigold Musketeer, Rachele) Critical, all effects to Zoa! (36000 > 41000/1★ > 2★) (Cosmos Pixy, Lizbeth) Stand, all effects to Zoa! (41000 > 46000/2★) Last check! (Collective Blooming Maiden, Kera) Nothing... I guess, this is what I get for putting everything on this one turn." Aina commented with a grieving face. "Turn end. My future, doesn't exist anymore." She swept her G Zone to the floor with her left hand and picked up Zoa, before dropping her to the floor. The behemoth dragon that once stood tall behind her, disappeared. Following that was the sudden peacefulness of the weather. It stopped pouring down on the jungle, and the murky, grey skies had cleared up, a signal to let the sun shine down on the soaked setting.

Zak:
Hand: 2
Damage: 5
OXX
OOX

Aina:
Hand: 10
Damage: 5
OXX
OOO

"Alright, it's my turn... Stand and draw! Skill of Vulgar Blister on rear-guard circle! I retire it for the cost of my Dark Device stride! No matter if you are superior or inferior, as long as she bats her wings and flashes her sickles, death is engraved in your fate! Generation Stride, Poison Sickle Mutant Deity, Overwhelm!" The vanguard circle expanded green. "Stride skill, counterblast and you can't call to the empty column during your next turn! Skill of Overwhelm, counterblast and G Blast, draw one card and she gets an extra critical and drive! (1★ > 2★/3 > 4) Call Alicides and Bombscissor! Skill of Alicides, counterblast and soulblast, Kera can't stand during your next stand phase! Then, CONT of Overwhelm! 10000 power to all my units! (11000 > 21000) (26000 > 36000) (4000 > 14000) (7000 > 17000) Boosted by Lafertei, Bombscissor attacks! (14000 > 31000)"

"Guard with Lizbeth, Rachele and Diane! (36000)"

"Overwhelm, attack! (36000/2★) Skill of Bombscissor, into soul, drawing a card and adding 5000 power! (36000 > 41000/2★) Go, Chemical Waste Sickle!"

"Tierney, Perfect Guard! Skill of Tierney in the drop zone, I bind her face up and add Diane back into my hand!"

"Quadruple Drive! (Machining Snow Wing) Heal trigger, healing a damage and all effects to Alicides! (21000 > 26000) (Machining Treehopper) Critical trigger, all effects to Alicides! (26000 > 31000/1★ > 2★) (Flowing Mutant, Twilight Madder, Makeup Widow) Stand trigger, standing Lafertei and power to Alicides! (31000 > 36000/2★)"

"Three triggers our of four drives..." Aina muttered.

"The OG homie is now gonna be the one to finish you off! Darkface Alicides, attack! (36000/2★) Skill, adding 10000 power and you can't intercept! (36000 > 46000/2★) This is the Stun King's Poison Pincer! And my sign of strength!"

"Even with all this hand... I c-can't guard... It adds up to exactly 46000!" Aina exclaimed.

"Aw... if only you could intercept." Zak said with his right eye open. The dark purple oozed out of his eye which lacked pupils. Aina shuffled back slightly, feeling unease around him. "Take the damage."

"Right. That is my punishment for not being able to guard! (Repeated Cultivation Maiden, Leslie, Ranunculus of Phantasmic Blue, Ahsha) Well done." Standing up, Aina knelt down and began to pick up her cards on the floor.

"Good game." Zak bowed, before collecting his cards.

"You proved that you're strong enough for Zoa." Aina spoke, before taking Zoa and presenting it to Zak. "You've earned her, fair and square."

"Thank you." Taking the card, Zak looked at it with a cocky smile. "Maybe I'll meet you another day, Aina. But now that I have Zoa, I have no reason to stay here anymore. See ya." Saying his final goodbyes and putting his FICA into his pocket, Zak walked away with a wave. Aina watched sombrely as he disappeared into the trees.

(Ending here)

"You've improved much more than before, since the last time we fought." Aina thought out loud, before turning around and tracing a oval with her index finger. Once she had finished, the imaginary oval opened, and dancing around the edge were flames that flickered gently. Aina stepped inside, causing the oval to seal back up and close, with the flames dissipating into the sky.

"Welcome back, Aina. Was it a success?"

"Yes."

"Good work."

"Who's going to be played next?"

On a table, a hand shifted the tarot card for the Wheel of Fortune up and put down the tarot cards for The Chariot and Strength. The hand moved The Chariot forward and kept Strength behind it.

"You know what this means?"

"I'm well aware. Such an interesting choice..."

"England is our next location. I hope our next agents can carry out the mission successfully."

"If I can ask... why did you want me to give Zoa to him?"

"To give them false hope..."

Next time on Z World:

Question and Answers 2

Submit your questions now!

================================

A/N

PLEASE SEND IN YOUR QUESTIONS!

So, that wraps up the Malaysia-Zoa arc.

Where are we off to next?

Ryuzaki: Portugal!

YEAH— wait wtf how did you get here

Ryuzaki: TIME FOR MY SCREEN TIME BABY!

RYUUUUUUUUUUUU!

Ryu: :chronokekdran:

Ryuzaki: We gonna get me some Zeroth Dragon!

You know, I don't want to bother right now...

Ryuzaki: Anyways! Being your most beautiful host of the Q n A, please send in questions regarding volume 3~

(I also want Masanoku ship material!)

Masaru & Izanoku: WE HEARD THAT!

(QUICK, SOMEONE SEND IN A QUESTION WHERE THEY HAVE TO GET MARRIED!)

Masaru: *curls up in the corner*

Izanoku: Callum, attack him!!

Callum: Ok *pulls out knife and points it at Fokkun*

._.

OKAY THATS ALL WE HAVE FOR THE Q N A

BEFORE I GET BUTCHERED BY CALLUM I WANNA SAY

THANKS FOR STICKING BY MY ASS FOR 14 WEEKS

THATS ALL

FOX OUT!

Callum: *stabbing the 4th wall*

Oh hey it doesn't hurt.