Let's go Home...


Ken walked into the room and settled down next to his sister who was bending upon the damaged LBX. She didn't notice her brother's presence until he spoke, making her jump.

Ken: " you're still working on him?"

Ruri: " Nii-san, don't surprise me like that!"

Ken: " I didn't even surprise you!"

He sighed and his look softened, even since she was brought to the check up by Haruka, he can see she hardly can focus, she barely sleep at night, her memories were all missed up and she had a constant headache.

Ken: " although the doctor told you to rest."

Ruri: " I'm already prohibited from entering the LAB for a whole week. Doing maintenance is the only thing I can do now."

Ken turned away as he whispered.

Ken: " thankfully..."

Ruri: " did you say something?"

Ken held up his hands and gave an awkward smile and a sweat drop.

Ken: " not at all..."

He looked down at the robot his sister was working on.

Ken: " so..."

Ruri: " Eva-san had done her part and so should I...I've finished fixing him."

She said setting a newly fixed and polished O-Legion on the table.

Ruri: " do you think he can hear me, if I apologize?"

Ken: " I have no idea."

Ruri merely sighed before she looked at the blunette.

Ruri: " by the way, I heard you got lectured by Gouda-san."

Ken sweat dropped as he recalled that.

Ken: " you were lucky to not be there."

He heaved a sigh.

Ken: " about the next Driver..."

Ruri: " I know. Artemis' prize, huh. But how?"

Ranger: " that man sneaked a Driver into the Innovators' hideout, it won't be a hard thing for him."

Ruri: " Ban-san and Jin-san are to enter together."

Ken: " Yuuya-san and Hiro-san are planning the same as well."

Valkyrie: " I heard Touko and Jessica will be entering together too."

Ranger: " Asuka, Sendou and Gouda are participating as a team, Arata and Muraku too."

Ken: " we need as much people as we can to win Artemis."

Ruri: " but at the same time, we have to be on guard for coming attacks, so they can't all go."

Ken tapped his fingers on the table.

Ken: " I actually want to join."

Ruri: " same here, but we don't have an invitation."

Ken: " we can get one."

He said taking his CCM and swiping for something before he shifted his screen to his sister who's eyes slightly widened...


Elie : " you're surely working hard on your machines."

She told the men sitting on the other end of the table, both of them totally emerged in the maintenance of their LBXs.

Jin: " Mizel is not around any more, and with all the data that Leviathan took from Ruri, we have to power up our LBXs."

Ban: " we have to expect them to put some spy in the tournament."

Elie: " we will do our best to cheer you."

She exchanged nods with Beargguy.

Jin looked up at the brunette.

Jin: " by the way, Ban-kun, about Lilyan..."

Ban: " I've talked with Takuya-san, I will be going back to Country A with dad for a while, there are data we need to bring from there that might be helpful, and we will bring Lilyan with us."

Ken: " Ban-san, you're going to country A!"

Ban and the others snapped their heads at the door as Ken and Ruri rushed in, both with sparkling eyes. Ban sweat dropped, but smiled.

Ban: " a... ah, why do-"

In a split of second they were inches away from him.

Ruri: " please take us with you!"

Ken: " please, Ban-san!"

Ban merely had an awkward smile as he sweat dropped even more...

Ban: " why insisting on coming all of a sudden?"

He asked once the Duck Shuttle crossed the distance. Ruri and Ken exchanged smiles.

Ken: " we may have found a way to get to Artemis."

Odin: " eh?"

Jun'ichirou: " don't tell me, some kind of an underground tournament?"

They nodded.

Ban: " you know such tournaments are really dangerous."

Ranger: " we know, but we know our players can pull through."

Jun'ichirou: " you really want to participate in Artemis that badly?"

They nodded again.

Odin: " shall we go cheer them?"

Ban: " sure, when it starts?"

Ken: " in two days."...


Next Day...

Ding Dong...

There was the sound of the lock being turned and the door was opened by a crack. A moment later, it was thrown wide open and the woman stared long at the brunette who stood in front of her with a gentle smile. She was still wearing her pajama and her hair was a mess.

Ban: " won't you invite me inside?"

The blonde pinched her cheek until it became red and tears gathered in her eyes. She blinked twice, the tears falling down her now swelling cheek.

Lilyan: " it's not a dream... You're really here! You're really alive!"

She jumped on him and hugged him tightly. Ban chuckled as he returned the hug.

Lilyan: " I missed you..."

Ban: " to be honest I was a little bit disappointed when you didn't show up in the hospital."

They pulled back and Lilyan gestured inside.

Lilyan: " come in."

She walked him into the living room where he sat down on the sofa and she went behind the counter, pouring some orange juice for the male as she knew it's his favorite drink.

She set the tray on the table and sat on the armchair, facing him.

Ban: " we were so worried."

She looked down at that and started fiddling with her fingers.

Lilyan: " I'm really sorry... I've got your messages and all, but I couldn't answer..."

Ban: " and why?"

She looked at him.

Lilyan: " because of Nii-san..."

Ban rose an eyebrow, he had already gotten an idea of how the older man is from Jin.

Lilyan: " he kept coming to check on me everyday, so I won't think of running away again."

She said assuming Ban knew about her brother.

Lilyan: " he told me to not ever contact anyone of you again... And that's why I couldn't..."

Odin: " and you listened to him that easily?"

Lilyan hugged herself and bit her bottom lip, her bang shadowed her eyes.

Lilyan: " you don't know him... You don't know Nii-san when he gets really angry... If I don't work and provide for both of us, he will..."

Her shoulders shook. Ban was in a loss of words, it was clear that her brother was abusing her, and for so long to mention it. Now he understood why she never talked about her other brother before.

Ban: " Lilyan, you can't keep on like that."

Odin: " that's right, you should stand for yourself and stop him. You should have put an end to all of it before-"

Lilyan: " I can't..."

She looked defeated.

Lilyan: " if I report him, who know what they would do to him. He is the only family I have got, I can't lose him too."

Ban's look softened at her. For her, even as cruel as he was, he still her only left brother, the one family she could turn to. However, he couldn't abandon her like that. He made a decision.

Ban: " get ready."

Lilyan: " eh..."

Ban: " you will go back with us no matter what your brother wants. I will be dealing with him."

Lilyan: " Ban-kun... You won't possibly."

Her eyes widened apprehensively.

Ban: " you can't keep on living like this, you can't call him a family if he doesn't care about you. Lilyan, you know I can't leave you here with him."

Unicorn jumped over to her shoulder, finding it as a good opportunity to finale convince her.

Unicorn: " do it, Lilyan."

Lilyan: " but I-"

Ban: " I can't let you live like that."

She was torn and lost. Ban's voice became gentler.

Ban: " it'll be fine. It's not like I'm really going to report him."

He gently placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a small smile.

Ban: " can you trust me."

She looked over at the two LBXs who nodded at her. Finally she gave him a small nod and smiled softly at him...

It wasn't before long that they set foot outside the building, and fate had it that Liam was just walking in.

As he saw her with the brunette, his face became red of rage. Lilyan on the other hand flinched and was about to step back if it wasn't for Ban's firm grip on her hand that prevented her.

Liam: " what do you think you're doing, Lilyan!"

Ban frowned as he stepped forward. Liam stopped in front of him and eyed him carefully.

Liam: " who are you, and what businesses do you have with my sister?"

Ban: " I'm not obliged to answer that. I'm having Lilyan going back with us."

Liam: " if you step on my head first, get back to your appartement !"

He screamed at the woman who flinched, but didn't budge from her spot.

Liam: " didn't you hear me!?"

Lilyan: " Nii-san... I'm leaving..."

She spoke with a tiny quivering voice, clearly yet afraid of his reaction.

Liam: " oh no you won't! And who will earn our living if you do!"

He attempted to approach her but Ban stepped further forward.

Ban: " don't dare to get closer!"

Liam: " get off my way!"

He grabbed the younger man by the collar, but Ban reminded calm and his piercing look didn't waver.

Ban: " you should be ashamed of yourself, telling your own little sister to work while you do nothing to support yourself. I wonder why she didn't report you for family abuse for so long."

Liam: " are you trying to say that you will do that yourself!"

Ban's eyes narrowed.

Ban: " certainly."

Liam: " Damn you!"

He tightened his grab of the man's collar, almost strangling him. Lilyan hurried to grab her brother's arm to stop him.

Lilyan: " stop, Nii-san! You already have records! If you hurt him you will..."

The blond man gritted his teeth before letting go of Ban, eventually pushing him. Lilyan hurried back to the brunette who reassured her with a smile that he wasn't hurt.

Liam's face contorted, livid and angry, upon seeing the both of them.

Liam: " why..."

Lilyan looked back worriedly at him, fearful of what he might do.

Liam: " so that's how it's gonna be huh! Ungrateful! Fine! Do as you like! But don't come crying to me later!"

He spat out his last words and walked away. Lilyan let out a breath she didn't know she was holding for the whole time. She couldn't believe she managed to get rid of him like that.

Suddenly she felt Ban's hand tugging onto hers. She turned to the man who offered her a gentle smile which she returned warmly.

Ban: " let's go home."

Lilyan: " ah."...


Next day...

Ken squinted at the screen of his CCM before looking up, turning left and right with a defeated look .

Ban: " are you sure this is the right place, Ken?"

They were in a dark alley far away from the main route. There was nothing there that could point out at some sort of underground tournament.

Valkyrie: " maybe you misread the map."

Ken: " I didn't, I'm sure of it."

He wore a pissed off face. Lilyan's eyes slightly widened before she closed them, carefully listening on.

Noticing the sudden change, Ban addressed her.

Ban: " is something wrong, Lilyan?"

The blonde woman blinked her eyes open and pointed down.

Lilyan : " I hear voices coming from beneath us."

Everyone blinked at that, but as they kept silence for a few moments, the muffled loud cheering was audible to them as well.

Ken: " it's true!"

Ruri: " which means..."

Their eyes sparkled as they looked at each other, almost about to fly out of excitement.

Ken&Ruri: " it's really down there!"

Odin: " how do we get in?"

Ranger looked around before his eyes fell on a small trap door by the wall.

He jumped towards it and pushed it which made it fall back. Everyone kneed as they realized a human can fit through.

Unicron : " guess we'll have to slide down then."

Ruri looked back at her brother with a teasing smirk.

Ruri: " the last to get there will be the loser."

She was eventually halfway down before letting go and sliding through the small door.

Ken: " h-hold on that wasn't fair!"

He yelled as he followed after her...


Down, Ruri had already landed safely and started looking around, taking in the place. Ken quickly caught up with her, then there was Ban who stayed by the exit to help Lilyan out of it.

Ken looked down at what seemed to be the stage. There was a huge Diorama in the middle and the platform was surrounded with fences making it look like a cage.

A lot of people were gathering around the diorama, apparently having an LBX battle. Their form and appearances didn't make Ruri nor Ken the least bit comfortable.

They all watched as the battle continued on, there was five LBXs thrown on the ground of the ruins diorama, their limbs separated from their torsos. A Buld, a G-Rex and a Joker were still on the move, fighting fiercely.

It wasn't long before G-Rex was completely torn by Joker's launcher but when the later finished the former, its head was chopped of by the Buld's axe and its body fell down.

The Buld held up Joker's head like if celebrating its victory and the crowd gathering around the cage were shouting.

" Gatou ! Gatou! Gatou!"

" With that, Gatou makes it to the final round."

A robot MC appeared on a hologram screen hovering over the area and announced the result.

Ban&Odin: " Gatou the Decapitator!"

They both leaned forward to a certain point to make sure of it. Sure enough, they could see the huge and large outlines of a former opponent, he was waving around with a mischievous smirk on the face.

Ban: " man, to think he is here of all the places."

Ken: " Ban-san, you know him?"

Ban: " I fought against him once with Achilles."

He shifted his look from the man who didn't seem to change over the years to the siblings next to him, giving them a warning look.

Ban: " that man stops at nothing to win, he will use anything and do whatever it takes so he can destroy your LBXs."

Goosebumps could be seen running down both Valkyrie and Ranger though how they manifested through the metallic layers was a mystery.

MC: " there is still a lot of chances, are there anyone else wanting to take place in the final battle! Head up the arena!"

More people ran up the platform as the door of the cage surrounding it opened, when there were enough players, they started a new battle.

Ruri: " the tournament's rules are easy. They hold royal battles and the survivors have the right to enter the final battle. The one who survives till the end..."

Lilyan: " gets the right to enter Artemis."

The Reizetsu siblings nodded.

Ken: " also, the losers either get their LBXs destroyed or..."

The second battle ended and this time there were still a few intact LBXs, so the winer of that battle gathered them all.

Ranger: " their LBXs get taken."

Valkyrie made a gulping sound.

Ban: " as terrifying as always, not to mention there are no rules after all."

Ken looked at his sister.

Ken: " if we participate together in the same battle we may ruin each other's chances."

Ruri: " then, can I go first?"

Ken nodded.

Ken: " be careful."

The door of the cage opened once more and the winer walked out with a high smirk followed by the other participants who looked down grimly at their defeat.

Ruri stepped forward and entered the arena, passing her CCM over a panel nearby that was prepared to register the participants. Soon she heard the sound of a loud siren and the door closed behind her. The robot appeared again above them.

MC: " everyone, get ready."

All the players landed their LBXs. Ruri took a deep breath, she could't afford to lose the battle, now that her headache was almost gone, she had no excuses to fail.

Ruri: " Valkyrie!"

The blue robot landed on the diorama, swishing her spear to her side.

" Battle Start!"

As most LBXs dashed towards each other, Valkyrie quickly backed off, running away from the violent fight that broke.

Ruri: 'Valkyrie isn't an LBX that relays on power, and since I'm a close range fighter, I will be easily targeted if I stayed there.'

Valkyrie hid behind some broken pillars, making sure there was no one around who could harm her.

Ruri: ' my only chance is to get away and fight whoever comes at me one by one.'

Ban: " she put on a plan it seems."

Ken: " she knows her abilities and her limits so she knows when to avoid a fight and when to take place in it."

Ranger: " hopefully she can get through this with no troubles."

Soon, a Buld dashed towards her hiding spot.

" Haha! Don't you think you can hide from me, missy!"

Ruri: " tsk!"

Valkyrie quickly got away from her spot as Buld started shooting at her.

The girl quickly commanded her LBX so that she dodged the bullets and closed on to Buld.

" Not so fast!"

Buld brought up a light sword aiming to slash at the blue robot and Valkyrie quickly backed before the sword could touch her.

The other player laughed gleefully as he saw her struggling and kept shooting her. Soon, more LBXs approached to join him.

Ruri: " very well, if I get closer you will attack me with the sword, and if I put a distance you use the gun. Then..."

She quickly typed on her CCM. Valkyrie rushed forward, Buld tried to shoot her but she kept avoiding it deftly. It brought up the sword but Valkyrie ducked underneath it as it was swayed towards her and slipped past the LBX before thrusting it from behind to which it broke over.

Ruri had a wide smirk at that.

Ruri: " your Buld can't turn around quickly to stop my Valkyrie."

Ken: " good thinking as usual, sis."

" Damn, that girl is pretty fast!"

" Shall we finish her!"

A few more LBXs dashed towards her but Ruri retained her smirk.

Ruri: " the best thing when you're fighting in a royal battle..."

A Titan tried to pierce through Valkyrie but she jumped up high, using its head as a support she jumped away while pushing it towards the Hakai-O that came at her from behind which caused both of them to collide while Valkyrie hid away.

" You!"

" Watch out where you go you damn!"

Eventually they both fought and Titan was destroyed. But Hakai-O didn't celebrate its victory as Valkyrie's spear was thrown at it and pierced its Gao Cannon which resulted in destroying the LBX.

Ruri: " you can let others do the work for you."

Valkyrie retrieved her spear and glanced back at the left LBXs. There weren't much left of them, only four. Two were fighting each other and the other two were heading towards Valkyrie.

Valkyrie jumped up high before hitting the ground hard with her spear which caused a stream of dust to rise up and block her opponent's vision. Both LBXs stopped on their tracks waiting for the dust to clear first. But Ruri didn't.

Ruri: " I know exactly where you're."

Valkyrie dashed forward, slashing at both of them and they broke over. She rushed towards the last two LBXs.

Ruri: " Hissatsu Function!"

" Attack Function: Sonic Lance!"

She was overflown with a blue aura. She lushed at the two LBXs while pointing her lance forward. In an instant she was right past them and they both broke over. Valkyrie stood up and swished her spear again with her visors glimmering.

MC: " the match is over. Winner, Reizetsu Ruri!"

A loud cheering was heard from the crowd and Ruri merely let out a breath before looking up at where her brother and the others were while offering them a smile.

Ban: " she put on a good plan and was able to quickly use the conditions of the battle for her advantage."

Lilyan: " impressive."

The smirk on Ken's face grew wider after he saw her battle.

Ken: " I can't lose to my younger sister, right? Let's go, Ranger!"

Ranger: " ah!"...