The Quest for the Illusive Cards (Fiction)

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Lola is a big enthusiast of collectible card games (CCGs). Her collection includes card games such as Yu-Gi-Oh!TM, Magic: The GatheringTM, and PokémonTM. Lola would add new collector card games (CCG) or new versions of cards to her already enormous collection whenever they were released. She would never pass up a new or rare edition, no matter how pricey.

Furthermore, as her collection increased, so did her fame as a collector. Lola was so well-known in the CCG community that other collectors would frequently approach her to inspect her collection, seek advice, or even trade with her. Lola, being a die-hard devotee, would almost never trade her cards. Furthermore, given how much she has amassed over the years, her collection is likely to be valued in the hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars. Fortunately, Lola was born into a wealthy family and has a comfortable, well-paying profession, so she can afford to spend thousands of dollars on her passion.

One day, when Lola was examining and cleaning her collection, she was notified by a maid that her friend and fellow CCG fanatic, Ryan, had visited her and was waiting in the guest room.

"I see," Lola stated. "Tell him I'll be there in 10 minutes; I'm finishing here."

"Yes," the maid said as she exited the room.

Lola came in front of Ryan once she had completed her task.

"You sure made me wait," Ryan remarked humorously.

"I'm sorry, I was cleaning my collection and couldn't just stop halfway," Lola explained.

Ryan could only sigh exasperatedly when she replied, "Don't you have a maid?" he said. "Why not have her do the cleaning?"

"How can I call myself a passionate collector if I let other people take care of my collections?" scoffed Lola.

"Seriously... well, whatever, it's not my problem," Ryan muttered, as if giving up. "Anyway, I came to see you today because I had some interesting news."

“Oh? What news is so significant that you'll be here personally?" Lola inquired, piqued.

Ryan then began describing the news he had heard through the grapevine. First, a new, limited edition set of cards for a certain CCG will be released soon. Ryan stated that the new cards would be announced next month, so she should be ready to purchase them when they become available. Second, Ryan heard reports about mystery cards circulating in Tokyo's Akihabara district. He stated that he intended to fly to Tokyo to confirm the report and possibly obtain some of the cards for himself.

"Would you like me to accompany you on your hunt?" Lola inquired.

"Only if you're interested," Ryan responded, nodding.

Lola didn't even have to ask Ryan where he heard the news before consenting. It wasn't the first time she'd accompanied Ryan on his quest for rare and mysterious cards. Ryan was actually more passionate about CCGs and had a larger collection than she did. Furthermore, because they've known each other for so long, Lola has a lot of faith in him, and his sources of news have always been reliable.

"Of course, count me in!" Lola said, smiling.

Soon after, the two diehard CCG fans travelled to Japan, and their plane landed at Narita Airport. After checking into a hotel, the two rested before heading to Akihabara the next day.

On the first day of the quest, the two went to several Japanese CCG enthusiasts Ryan knew and inquired about the mysterious cards. Unfortunately, their inquiry yielded no results because those they questioned had just heard rumors and didn't know much more than the rumors implied.

On the second day, the two went to shops that sell CCGs in the hopes of finding what they were looking for, but were again left disappointed because the shops didn't know anything about the mystery cards. Thus the cards remained illusive.

But on the third day, their fortunes seemed to turn for the better when Ryan received a phone call from an acquaintance who worked at Akihabara.

"Is this the location?" Lola inquired, her gaze drawn to the old-looking but aesthetically designed structure.

"Should be... the building exactly matched the description," Ryan verified.

Finding the building was difficult because Ryan's acquaintance did not provide a specific address but instead directed them to a person who then directed them to another person before ultimately arriving at the building in front of them.

Ryan entered the building and knocked on the door in a specific pattern. When the door opened, a young Japanese woman greeted them and asked them a question.

When Ryan heard the predicted question, he told the young woman what his acquaintance had taught him to say. The young lady's query was a form of security question that only members of that club could answer. If a stranger or foreigner knew the answer, it meant that person had been recommended by one of their members.

Lola, who was watching everything unfold, was astounded by how meticulous these folks are, and her excitement at finding the mysterious cards intensified.

The two were soon invited inside the building. Inside, they spotted several young individuals of various countries speaking in Japanese with one another. The surprising appearance reminded the two that they weren't the only foreigners interested in the mysterious cards.

Not long later, the two met the club's president and were eventually informed of the origins of the rumors. The strange cards were apparently discreetly issued by the same company that was responsible for the printing and distribution of a particular well-known CCG.

The number of cards released was highly limited, and they were only available in a few select shops in Akihabara. As a result, only individuals who were informed of the news beforehand were able to obtain the cards. Also, the rumor itself was spread on the internet by an employee of the aforementioned company so as to draw in passionate CCG collectors like Lola and Ryan to Akihabara.

One of the rumor's goals was to generate interest in the cards, so as to increase their value. And, judging on how many CCG fans are lured to the rumor and flew to Japan, the plot was successful.

Lola and Ryan were unconcerned with the plan and were only concerned with getting their hands on the cards. Unfortunately, they could only acquire one card each because no one was interested in selling or trading their cards. The two would probably not have received a single card if the club president had not been moved by their determination and dedication.

"Sigh, we only got one card each for our trouble," Lola grumbled as she exited the facility.

"It can't be helped, those cards are just too rare," Ryan shrugged after hearing Lola's complaint. In a few years, the value of those cards will almost certainly explode."

"Besides, the process of looking for the cards is enjoyable in and of itself." "It's like we went on an adventure!" he added enthusiastically.

"Well, that's also true," Lola agreed, suddenly smiling. "Anyway, now that we've accomplished our goal, let's take advantage of our remaining time to do some sightseeing."

Laughing, Ryan decided to accompany Lola to center of Akihabara for sightseeing and (most likely) shopping. Soon the two quickly vanished into the massive crowd.