Aurasoul hugging Ai tightly: Hello everyone and welcome to Vrains! I give a shout out to 0713MM for helping me type this story along with letting me use his OC Glacies and I don't own Vrains just my OCs.
Miho rubbed her temple: Your depression has made you extra sadistic.
Aurasoul: Yeah I know so everyone enjoy!
Chapter 13
Rai waited until Miho stopped crying, looking at her and winced seeing the redness in her eyes.
"Miho… Listen to me carefully ok? I know you're hurt, but right now we have something to do." He said gently. "Since we know who Revolver really is, we should also know where Yukiko is." She grew wide eyed, looking at him. They both went to get on Rai's motorcycle. Before driving off, he felt her grip on him tight and he didn't mind it. Especially not after what had just happened as they drove to the home near the Stardust Road; seeing a familiar food truck. "Looks like Yusaku and Kusanagi already figured it out." He frowned, as they got off.
Miho only stayed silent as they walked in the house. Once they walked they saw Yusaku, Kusanagi, and…
"Revolver." Yusaku spoke.
"Or better known as Ryoken Kogami." Rai spoke with a frown, as he and Miho walked over to them. Ryoken glanced away from the 2 beds and to face Yusaku, Kusanagi, Rai and Miho.
"Correct, Sparks." Ryoken retorted. "Or should I say, Rai."
"Ehh?! You guys know each other?!" Ai questioned, shocked.
"Childhood best friends. Shocking isn't it." Rai replied.
"I'd say!" Ai spoke.
"Shut up, Dark Ignis." Ryoken spat. "No one gave you permission to speak on this matter."
"And I say he can if he wishes." Rai retorted.
"Humph. Whatever." Ryoken remarked. "So tell me, why are you 2 here? I understand why Kusanagi and Yusaku are here. All they wanted to know is the one responsible for the Hanoi Project." He turned his gaze to Rai and Miho. "But why are you 2 here?"
"Two things really." Rai answered. "First is confirmation of the situation."
"You mean with the Tower?" Ryoken remarked. "Humph. Yes. Yukiko is inside it's core." He paused before adding." And the 2nd thing?"
"I'll get to that, but that's not the confirmation I meant." Rai retorted. "Correct me for what I'm about to say: Yukiko willingly went with you all 5 years ago. The kidnapping was all a set up to the public. When in actuality she went with you to help with the Tower. Although not knowing the full details of the situation. She only wished to help people she valued as family. But if she had just did went with you all. Then she would be classified as a terrorist just like the rest of you. So in order to make her seem like the victim, you staged a kidnapping so no one would suspect a thing. Am I wrong? Please correct me if I made any mistakes."
"...You're not wrong." Ryoken replied. "But if you knew that already, why get involved in our business from the start? It would have saved us this entire conversation."
"No. I only learned this thanks to Aso and Touma." Rai frowned.
"Touma?" Miho choked, her voice raw from crying, making Kusanagi and Yusaku flinch slightly.
"Turned out he was Beelzebub. He knew of the situation. But when he tried to get Yukiko out of it, she refused. So he had no choice but to work for Hanoi." Rai frowned. "Despite how much he didn't want to get involved, he did promise our aunt to watch over us. Am I wrong Ryoken?"
"Why are you asking me?" Ryoken remarked. "You already know this. But yes, you're right. Again."
"So in other words, my 2nd confirmation should be right." Rai frowned, walking forward.
"Hoh? And that would be what?" Ryoken questioned. "If you're talking about my Father, then yes, he's dead." Both Miho and Rai flinched, looking at the deceased body of Kiyoshi Kogami before Rai sighed, walking past Ryoken.
"That's not what I meant, but thank you for confirming my suspicions. No. My 2nd confirmation had to do with Yukiko's location. The reason why you wouldn't let us visit you at home anymore." He said. He turned, and just as he thought there was a curtained bed with a heart monitor next to it. "In other words, Yukiko is indeed right here." He frowned, pulling the curtains back. They all looked and gasped to see a 16 year old girl with what looked to be mid back dark gray hair with black and white tips and pale skin hooked up to a heart monitor and another machine circling her head.
"Yukiko…" Miho choked.
"Congratulations, you found Yukiko." Ryoken clapped sarcastically before folding his arms. "Now can you 2 go? I have more important things to do." He glanced at Yusaku. "Like my final duel against Yusaku-I mean, Playmaker, for instance."
"That's all that matters to you in the end, isn't it." Rai sighed sadly. "Very well. We-? Yusaku?" They looked at Yusaku who looked at Yukiko, shocked.
"Why… Why is she here?" He spoke, shocked. At that, Ryoken chuckled.
"Why? My my Yusaku, you're just like your Ignis pal." Ryoken smirked. "Too slow to figure things out. How alike you 2 are. Shame I have to kill that Ignis. Oh wait, no it's not. It shouldn't even exist!"
"Don't mess around Revolver! She shouldn't be here!" Yusaku snapped.
"Yusaku, what do you mean?" Kusanagi questioned, confused at his partner.
"I'll tell you later Kusanagi-san." Yusaku replied as he turned to face Ryoken. "Right now, I have to defeat Revolver."
"Humph. And who says I'm going back into Link VRAINS?" Ryoken frowned. "If I don't go in, then the Tower will be completed."
"Haha! Chicken!" Ai taunted. Ryoken glared at Ai at those words.
"Chicken?!" Ryoken growled. "I'm no chicken. I'm just doing my job! I don't have to enter VRAINS if I don't want to." He closed his greyish-blue eyes, then reopened them. "But fine."
"Of course he'll go. After all, the Knights are still here." Rai frowned. "He wouldn't leave behind the ones who believed in him." Rai looked at his sisters as he crossed his arms. "And I'll be going as well. I wish to see this through to the end."
"Humph. Fine by me." Ryoken scowled. "I personally don't really care what you do. So long as you don't interfere with our duel." Rai glared at Ryoken before looking at Miho.
"Miho you don't have to-"
"I'm going." Miho cut him off. "I want to see the end of this too."
"Fine." Ryoken retorted. "Like I said, I don't really care what you 2 do. Just don't intervene in me and Playmaker's duel."
"Don't worry, you won't notice a thing." Rai retorted, walking to Miho's side and touching her shoulder.
"Yeah… We just want the ending. Nothing more." Miho replied, not even looking at Ryoken.
"Fine." Ryoken spoke coldly. "Just stop talking and enter VRAINS already." Both he and Yusaku raised their left arms up Miho and Rai did the same.
"INTO THE VRAINS!"
Flare and Sparks stood on a branch of the tower, watching Playmaker and Revolver in their last duel. Both sides started out strong, yet Revolver managed to gain an upper hand with Mirror Force Launcher. But Playmaker managed to counter him. Although.,,
"Th-this is…!" Flare gasped.
"Extra Link!" Sparks gaped, stunned.
Playmaker managed to block each of Revolver's attacks with Secure Gardna, along with other monsters in his Graveyard. Only having 50 LP left before speaking with Revolver of how they were the same and that they could walk down a different path to their future.
"Never thought I'd hear Playmaker say something like that." Sparks muttered with a half smile. Flare was silent, watching the duel with an unreadable expression.
After managing to create his own Extra Link with Transcode Talker, Powercode Talker, and Firewall Dragon along with using Decode Talker, Playmaker finally beat Revolver.
"He did it!" Sparks cheered relieved.
"Playmaker…" Flare spoke with a weak smile, before glancing at Revolver who weakly stood up.
"I lose Playmaker. Since I lost, the Tower of Hanoi stops. But remember this: As long as the Ignis are a threat to humanity, I won't run from my destiny!" Revolver spoke as he vanished in green data.
"Ryoken…" Flare whispered sadly. The Tower then stopped and began to crumble. Below them lights coming out from it. "Everyone has been freed now. Including Zaizen, Blue Angel, and Onizuka." Sparks remarked.
"Yeah." Flare began, but gasped. "But Yukiko!" They quickly looked below as the tower crumbled to then see Yukiko slipping out of the tower unconscious. "Yukiko!" They gasped, about to jump. But Playmaker beat them to it getting on his D-Board and quickly riding down catching Yukiko bridal style. Making them sigh in relief. Yukiko slowly opened her eyes to see Playmaker looking surprised before she was logged out.
"We gotta get out of here." Sparks frowned.
"Yeah." Flare nodded, as they logged out.
They all opened their eyes as Kusanagi came inside.
"I already called the hospital for Yukiko." He told them.
"Thanks Kusanagi-san, we owe you for that." Rai thanked, as they walked to a still unconscious Yukiko.
"It's no problem." Kusanagi reassured them. "I figured it'll be awhile before your sister wakes up, so might be best she go to a hospital."
"Yeah. Although..." Miho frowned, looking at Yusaku. "I think it's time you answer us Yusaku."
"Answer what?" The multi-haired teen asked.
"Maybe about how you almost freaked when you saw their little sister." Ai deadpanned.
"I've never seen you like that before." Kusanagi agreed.
"The way you spoke at the time; it's almost as if you know her." Rai remarked.
"That's because I do." Yusaku remarked. "I remember being dropped off at the park by my Mother as she'd head to work for the day. Then she'd come and get me when she finished work for that day." He glanced at Yukiko. "And every time I was there, she was there."
"Ehh?!" Ai yelped, shocked. Miho and Rai blinked, shocked looking at one another.
"You… You're the kid?!" Miho questioned, shocked.
"Yukiko always mentioned she met a boy at the park every time she goes there. Playing together every day." Rai spoke surprised. "But we never guessed it could've been you."
"This is what happens when they don't give each other their names." Miho muttered.
"Yes, that boy was me." Yusaku confirmed.
"Now it all makes sense." Rai remarked.
"What do you mean?" Kusanagi asked, still surprised by the news.
"Around the time the Lost Incident ended was the same time Yukiko hadn't seen the boy come to the park. She'd always wait there till sunset, but he never showed up." Rai explained.
"And of course he did not since he was a victim." Miho sighed.
"Aww so she waited for him like a sweet girlfriend would." Ai teased.
"Be quiet, Ai." Yusaku scowled. "She's not my girlfriend."
"Hey if you want to date her, we'll approve." Rai said nonchalantly, Miho nodding in agreement.
"...I'll think about it." Yusaku spoke as he turned to leave. He then stopped, and turned his head slightly. "Oh, and I'm releasing Ai. He fulfilled what he needed to do here."
"Eh? Really?!" Ai said, surprised.
"I see. Well that is true." Rai hummed.
"Well then see ya Ai." Miho said.
"Bye-ai!" Ai spoke as he went/disappeared inside Yusaku's duel disk.
"Oh and Yusaku one last thing before you go." Miho said, as she removed the machine from Yukiko. "Yukiko still kept going to the park waiting for you after the incident, she always believed you would come back again."
"Yeah?" Yusaku questioned. "Well, it's plainly obvious I didn't." He paused before adding. "I'll tell her I'm sorry for disappointing her like that once she wakes up."
"We'll call you when she does." Rai smiled. "Knowing her, she'll be asking for you the moment she wakes up."
"Ha. Probably." Yusaku spoke as he turned around again before walking out of the Kogami house.
Miho and Rai sat in the hospital room, Yukiko laid on the bed as Rai glanced at Miho.
"Miho…are you going to be ok?" He asked gently. She was silent before sighing sadly.
"In the end it was a lie. So in time I'll heal." She only said. He winced sadly at her tone.
Dammit Ryoken… He thought.
"It was no lie, Miho." They gasped quickly standing and turning to see Ryoken at the door.
"Oh hell." Rai scowled.
"I only came to check on Yukiko." Ryoken replied. He looked at the still unconscious Yukiko, then back at the 2. "I know me saying sorry a thousand times won't change anything, so I wanted to see you 3 one last time before I leave until further notice."
"Just let me slug you and we can call it even." Rai deadpanned. Miho grimaced at Rai's words before looking at Ryoken, clutching her wrist.
"It was no lie you say?" She questioned.
"Yes." Ryoken answered. "My love for you was no lie." He paused for a long moment before turning around and began to walk away. "But all I did was…...throw it all away…." He continued walking down the hall and took the corner at the end of the hallway; thus he was no longer in sight. Miho shook, clutching her hands tightly. Rai glanced at her and sighed.
"Go after him. You still need an answer right?" He remarked. She looked at her twin, surprised before she quickly ran out of the room. She eventually caught up to Ryoken, who was about to board a boat.
"Ryoken wait!" She called. Ryoken stopped at her voice and turned around to face her.
"Yes?" He questioned.
"I… I have to know. It's something I don't understand. You were the one who asked me out 2 years ago, but that was still around the time Yukiko was with you. Why did you start our relationship in the first place when there was a chance of you getting caught?" She asked him.
"Because I wanted to take that risk." Ryoken replied. "But right now, I dunno if that risk was a good one or not." She looked at him surprised before slowly walking towards him.
"Do you regret it?" She asked.
"Regret it?" Ryoken repeated. He then shook his head. "No. Why would I regret it?" She couldn't help but tear up as she laid her head on his chest.
"What am I to do with you?" She wondered with a watery chuckle.
"Get me thrown in prison?" Ryoken half-joked. Then his facial expression changed. "But to answer you seriously, I dunno." She looked at him, reaching to cup his cheek.
"Heh. Guess the only thing I can do is just to keep loving you despite how much grief you give me." She replied with a small smile, but got serious. "But we need some ground rules."
"I'm listening." Ryoken spoke.
"One: No more secrets; especially about stuff like this. I don't think my heart can take it." She sighed.
"Expected that to be a ground rule." Ryoken remarked.
"Two: Don't keep things bottled up. If there's something that's going on that's really getting to you, or even troubling you, talk to me about it. You can lean on me you know." She told him. "And before you say that I don't have to listen, I'm going to stop you right there. I want to listen; communicating is part of relationships after all. Alright?"
"These rules apply to you too, Miho." Ryoken told her.
"Hey I do tell you things believe me. Me and Rai didn't have to tell you we were Flare and Sparks." She chuckled.
"Humph. Yes I know." Ryoken remarked. "I'm talking about those other ground rules you brought up."
"Which brings to the last one."
"Hoh? What would that be?" Ryoken questioned. This time, she looked a little nervous.
"If it's not too much trouble, I would like to hear from you while you're gone. I worry you know." She smiled weakly.
"I'll try." Ryoken spoke. "That's all I can do really."
"That's all I can ask." She smiled, kissing him gently. "I love you Ryoken."
"I love you too, Miho." Ryoken told her. She thought for a moment before removing her necklace and placing it around his neck.
"Here." She smiled softly.
"Eh?" Ryoken spoke as he picked the necklace up and looked at it. "Why are you giving me this?"
"So you'll always know I'll be by your side." She smiled. "Despite everything." He looked at her stunned before hugging her.
"Thank you…" He whispered. She smiled hugging back.
"I'll see you soon right?" She asked.
"Very." He nodded. With that he got on his boat and she watched it leave the shores as she gave a weak smile.
"No matter what, I'll always love that man." She chuckled. "I don't know if that's pathetic or crazy."
"Neither. You're just made for each other." Miho turned to see Rai who smirked playfully at her. "You guys been in love with each other since we were 5 I highly doubt you could ever really hate him." He chuckled.
"I'm surprised you're still keeping us strong." She remarked amused.
"Oh don't get me wrong, once he comes back, I'm slugging him." He deadpanned. She shook her head laughing slightly as she turned.
"Come on. We should still wait and see if Yukiko will wake up." She said.
"Right behind you." He smiled.
Aurasoul: And that's that.
Rai: I'll get my chance to slug him right?
Aurasoul: Don't worry you will so read and review please!
