CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

The Truth

"So, what did you find out?"

Rhuben didn't have to look away from the monitors that she was watching to know that it was Reihu that had come up behind her. She made a grunting sound and leaned forward, pressing a button in front of her. The image on the screen in front of her turned from a black and white picture of Koto and the rest of the Black Wolves, Kuroko and Kagenui, his cousins, and Rilian and Kotaro to a picture of Jo, who was still sitting in the room by herself.

Unlike before, where she constantly tried to find a way out, she was just sitting in the corner of the room, her knees up to her chest.

Rhuben knew well that after a while of being stuck somewhere, you lost all hope of ever being rescued. Today marked the first week that she was gone from the Palm Woods, she had given up on the third day.

"Nothing," Rhuben replied shortly as she turned on her heel and crossed her arms over her chest as she looked at him coolly. "That's what I told you when you guys first got me to kidnap her! She isn't an elemental and there's nothing special about here!" She scoffed. "This was a complete waste of time."

Reihu shrugged in reply. "Core's orders." He replied. "Besides," he smirked a little. "I'm thinking Core already knew that this girl wasn't an elemental."

Rhuben raised an eyebrow. "Then why go through so much trouble to kidnap her?" she questioned.

She remembered when she had kidnapped Jo. Jo and Camille were walking back to the Palm Woods after a day of shopping and she had just come up behind them and used one of her weaker attacks to knock Jo out. Then Reihu and Chaos came up and grabbed her as Rhuben went and started to attack Camille, hoping to knock her out as well, so they would be able to get out of there without being able to gave their identities known. Camille was making a lot of noise, screaming for help, but Reihu made it that with all of the energy they had, they caused time to slow down, so there was no one that could help her. (Much like what happened when Logan was fighting Reihu the first time.)

"Why do you think?" Reihu asked calmly. "You've worked for us before, think back to the times back then." He instructed.

Rhuben narrowed her eyes slightly, as if she was trying to figure out whether or not he was joking. Reihu just stared back at her, the same way he always did when she first had joined the DarkLions. With innocence.

After a few minutes of thought, she closed her eyes briefly and nodded. "He's trying to lure the guys in so he can kidnap them and use their powers that way."

"Exactly." Reihu nodded and beamed. "See, you're still a part of us."

Rhuben gave a half smile. "Nice try, but your buttering me up isn't going to make me go out with you." She commented. "It didn't work before and it's not going to work now."

"You're thinking about that one day aren't you?" Reihu questioned after a second of silence. "A few days before you left us."

Rhuben nodded.

"Hey Rhu!" Reihu said happily after finding the young girl sitting against a tree. She had her knees up to her chest and her arms wrapped around her knees, glaring out at nothing.

"What do you want, Reihu?" She asked sternly, not even looking at him. He felt his heart drop at the tone of her voice, but continued to walk towards her. He stopped a few feet away, just in case she sent him to leave.

"No, nothing, I was just, uh…" He looked around and shrugged. "Taking a walk, I guess." He added rubbing his neck. Rhuben looked at him out of the corner of her eye and then looked straight ahead again.

"Then go take a walk somewhere else, I don't wanna talk right now." She replied, and he flinched at her tone.

"Geez, I just wanted to…"

"Help?" She asked sharply and stood up. "If you really wanna help, then bring my siblings back to me and let me go 'cause I don't want to do any more dirty stuff for your damn group!"

"I understand, in the beginning I felt very uncomfortable too. But I had nowhere to go and they have become a second family to me," He placed both hands on her shoulders and grinned. "But we have a purpose! Core says that in the end, this will be the best for us all once he shapes the world the way he wants."

"And how can you trust him like this? Don't you think that's evil?"

"Maybe, but… it just doesn't seem as evil as before. And the world has to change, and that'll be through the power of the Elementals!" Reihu said happily and turned around, placing his hands on his hip. "You have to trust me. We all will be together at the end. You, your siblings, all the other Elementals and I. Then we won't have to kill or do anything like that anymore, because the world will be at peace,"

"Reihu…"

"Core said once to me," He turned to face her again, his eyes flashing sharply. "You have to listen to your heart…"

"…before listening to your mind." The girl finished. Reihu smile remembering the one saying that Core was always telling them. She used to not have to think about it, it was second nature. Now…

Reihu smiled at her. "And I'm listening to my heart right now." He explained and then fell silent. "That's what I want to do, so I can be…"

"W-What?" She asked.

Reihu hesitated for a moment, but nodded. "So I can be with you…"

"I'll say it again," Rhuben scratched the back of her neck. "You're too young for me, kid."

"Just a year younger," Reihu replied and then changed the subject. "I'm the only one out of all of us that didn't keep a grudge with you leaving." He smiled. "I always knew that you would come back and I was right."

"Good for you." Rhuben commented. She raised an eyebrow. "Is that all you came in here for?" Reihu looked startled and then shook his head.

"Master Core wants to see you." He replied.

Rhuben nodded and walked down the familiar pathway to Core's office. When she entered it was the same as she had always remembered it. The large window that overlooked the training rooms, the large chair that was behind the large desk, always turned so you only saw the back. And of course, the goblet sitting on the desk, filled with who knows what.

"You wanted to see me, Master?" Rhuben called gently, brushing her black hair out of her face.

"Yes," The chair turned around and Rhuben was standing face-to-face with the one man that made her feel at home and made her feel much pain when she was growing up. He looked the same, tall, brown hair, intimidating face, large scar on his forehead. "How has the research been going with that girl?"

"Slow," Rhuben replied truthfully. "She's not an elemental and I had thought there was no purpose for them, but then I realized that you wanted to lure Male Fire, Earth, Water, and Air over here." She took a breath. "But my research on them, Master, is going well."

"What have you found out?" Core reached out and grabbed the goblet that was on his desk, twirling it in his hand, sloshing around the liquid that was inside.

"That they still haven't gotten strong enough," Rhuben replied. "But it's only a matter of time."

"Good," Core strode over to the large glass window at the back of the room and watched as Koto and the Black Wolves, Riley included, were training with each other. "Keep me posted with their progress. The DragonGang are going to go out patrolling for other elementals today so your group gets a rest."

Rhuben nodded.

"You're dismissed."

"Yes, master." Rhuben nodded again and turned on her heel and left the office. She started the walk back to her room, but took a detour and walked to where Spirit-X's rooms are. Unfortunately while they were in WingzCorp, The Jacksons weren't able to see much of each other unless they were eating, but they were used to the rules and dealt with it the best they could.

Rhuben looked around before pressing her ear against the door to Sydney's room that he shared with another member of Spirit-X. She could hear the characteristic sound of Sydney's fingers flying over his laptop and nothing else, so she knocked lightly.

"Come in!" Sydney called. Rhuben opened the door and slid inside quietly. Sydney looked startled when he noticed her. "Oh! I was expecting Raylen." He stated, talking about the leader of Spirit-X. He closed his laptop. "What brings you by?" he asked as he stood up and hugged his sister. "You know that they forbid us to see each other while we're in here."

"I got the info," Rhuben replied. "Core made us take Jo," Rhuben made a face. "I think that's what her name is." She shook her head. "Anyway, he made us take her so we could lure those guys over here so he could get their elements."

"That's way too easy," Sydney muttered to himself, rubbing his chin.

"That's what I thought," Rhuben agreed. "But now that the first part of Riley's plan has gone along well and we have the info, it's your turn." She hesitated. "Do you know how to get around the security system here?"

Sydney snorted, looking offended. "You joking?" he crossed his arms over his chest. "I was the one that created most of the technology for the security system. I can put it to bed like that." He snapped for emphasis.

"Good," Rhuben nodded. "What you're part of the plan is tonight you're going to sneak out and disable the system so we're all trying to 'fix it'" she used air quotes around the word. "You'll go back to the guys and explain to them what's going on as well as trying to help them improve their powers as fast as possible."

"Got it." Sydney gave a thumbs up.

A/N: And there you have it, the Jacksons aren't evil, they went back into Core's base so they could help figure out what Core had up his sleeve for the guys. Now they're going to try and fight back. I loved writing this chapter, it made me feel so evil. Haha. I hope you guys enjoyed it and I'll update soon.

-Riley