Author's Note:

Any reviews are welcome. ^_^

~ 4th Act: WHITEOUT ~

It's not the destination, but the trip getting there that matters. (Or so they say.) It's the same when it comes to a rider. It's not only about the bike, but the way the rider treats the bike. He/She is in control of the elements, regardless of their severity. And today, Hikari experienced that. The rumble, the roar of the straight pipes, and the low-slung feeling in the seat. The smell of a hog, was mixed with slight gasoline fumes, waves of heat coming up from the engine, and the rush of wind all about. It was a short ride, but hard to forget.

Hiroto drove hitting his curious stares behind his Black RayBan Wayfarer sunglasses. He had already met with the fair and pale-skinned girl, three times. Though, he didn't know who she was. Yet, there she was sitting in front of his motorcycle. He never let anyone sit or even touch his bike. She was the first girl, who managed to touch his black beauty. A girl, that could handle two wheels. A girl, who could defend herself. That girl got a bit of his attention.

Without any warning, Hiroto brakes abruptly. The faint electrical hum in the background sounds in the street, was covered by the wheels mark against the road. Hikari didn't fall off, only because she was holding the steering wheel forcefully. Hiroto descend his feet on the ground and balanced his bike. He straightened his figure, making room for the girl to climb off.

Hikari noted her motorbike a few steps away from them. She freed her hands and climbed off. She glanced at Hiroto, one more time. His facial expressions made him look softer. But the sunglasses hit the basic aspect. She grabbed her helmet and sat on her motorcycle. She turned the engine on and wore her helmet. She gazed at Hiroto, one last time.

"See ya around," Hikari said with a sweet tone. Honestly, she even surprised herself. She hadn't talked like that for years. Anyway, she bypassed her odd voice and decided that it was time to go.

Hiroto gave her a light nod. Indeed, he caught himself wanting to ask her a few things. But, for the time being, he needed to find Smokey and ask him about his brother.

Both of them didn't say anything else and left.

A few moments later and Masaki was standing around the corner between the main road that was connecting the Nameless city with the rest. His bike was just stolen, as he helped a girl escape. "Hiroto!" he yelled as he noticed his brother driving off. "The girl!" he added as the girl he helped passed next to him inside a car. And his stolen bike followed on top of a silver track. "Bike!?" he whooped.

Hikari was the last one who passed by. He noticed Masaki at the corner mumbling to himself. She stopped. The view was quite funny. But that wasn't the reason she stopped. A few minutes ago, his brother had just helped her. She wasn't that insensitive to ignore him.

"What happened to you?" she asked with a smile on her face. Honestly, that Amamiya brother could have silly moments. He didn't look at all like his brother.

Masaki raised his eyes. He was more than glad to see Hikari. "The girl from the club. I forgot your name!" he said as he rubbed his head.

"No, you didn't forget it. I never told you my name," she answered honestly. "So, what happened?" she asked him seriously.

Masaki got closer and lean against her ear and whispered "I lost my bike."

Hikari couldn't avoid it and laughed. It sounded really silly. "What do you mean you lost your bike," she asked confused.

"Well it got stolen!" he said as he lowered his eyes embarrassed and looked at his shoes.

Hikari thought he should be ashamed of losing his bike. But she had not the time to go through it. She surely would help him. But she needed to check on Smokey and Lala and see if they were alright. "Where did it get stolen?" she asked him.

Masaki pointed at the right side of the corner. "I parked it here. But I just saw a silver track with my bike on it." he notified her.

"Have you seen the track's plates?" she wanted to know as she was already dialing someone on her phone.

"No, I didn't see those" Masaki answered.

"Suziki-san can you search the CCTV around the... wait I will send you the street names in a bit. Looking for a silver track that passed by a few minutes ago with a bike on it. If you can spot it and let me know where it's heading." Hikari said as she was waiting for her phone.

"Watanabe-San give me a minute." the detective answered. Hikari send him the location and waited.

Masaki leaned against the wall behind him. He didn't know who the girl was. But she surely seemed she had connections with the police or was the scenario she a police officer?

"Okay, thank you Suzuki-san," she responded when Suzuki send her the info about where the track was last seen. "Give me your phone number," Hikari asked immediately Masaki.

"Sure," Masaki said with a smile on his face as he send her, his contact info. "I knew you would need my number. Are you single?" he asked her (being his usual flirty self.)

Hikari sighed as she send him the information that Suzuki had given her. "I send you the location, where the track was last seen. If you hurry, you may get your bike back. And Eww, no I didn't need your number. Just send you the info." she added.

Masaki looked at the message and then at her. "Thank you, It helped me a lot," he said.

"No worries," Hikari replied and got ready to drive off.

"Hey, wait how will I get there?" Masaki asked with a silly expression on his face.

Hikari moved her shoulders "I don't know. Take a taxi."

"Just give me a ride there," he suggested.

"Only one seat," she said and pointed to her bike.

Though Masaki didn't listen at all. He just climbed behind her and pushed her a bit further. "Just go!" he said and pointed at the road.

Hikari wasn't even sure if it was worth arguing with him. She drove off, with Masaki clinching on her tightly. Thankfully it was only few minutes away. Because she couldn't deal with Masaki being too close. Soon the reached their destination.

"We are here. Will you need help? Because I really have to go." she said casually, like she was talking with a friend.

Masaki smiled and got off the bike. "I am good, you can go," he said seriously as he had already spotted his bike.

"Jane!" said Hikari and drove off. She knew Masaki could take care of himself. And secondly, she had no intention to get involved in anything that didn't consider her. She was the person who would care more about her priorities.

Back at the Nameless city...

"I have something to ask you?" Hiroto requested from Smokey.

Smokey's large wound was stitched up by a doctor (if the doctor you would call him). Though the injury was big and the pain not easy to handle. He glanced at Hiroto. He grabbed a seat next to Smokey and pulled his phone out, wanting to show Smokey Takeru's photo.

"By chance... To you know this guy?" Hiroto asked him "He's my older brother."

Smokey opened his eyes widely as he had seen the man before. Although, he wasn't sure if his brother would be happy to find out, what Takeru was up late.

"Do you know anything?" Hiroto asked as he lean his body closer towards his lap gazing at Smokey and waiting for an answer.

Smokey tried to sit up. Takeshi helped him to sit, as he faced Hiroto "I have a favor to ask." Hiroto gazed at him seriously. "About Lala... Please save my sister," he added.

Hiroto pause a moment and looked away thinking it over. Meanwhile, Hikari arrived at Nameless city. She needed to see how Smokey was, and talk with Lala. But she had no idea what had already happened to Lala.

"She's my only sibling," Smokey said as Hiroto gave him a last glance.

He didn't need to ask anything more. It was clear that Smokey knew something about his older brother. He had to rescue Lala. But first, he needed to come in contact with Masaki.

He stood up and walked outside. Passing through the main door with a fast parade. He bumped into a familiar face. There she was again, the 'Sakura helmet girl.' He was a little surprised that they met once again.

"How is Smokey? And Lala, is she alright?" Hikari asked. She simply asked the questions, without further adieu.

"Smokey will be alright. The injury at least. A 'doctor' already stitched him up. For his other issues, he will need to take more care of himself." Hiroto explained as his gaze remained pinned on her.

"And Lala? Where is Lala?" Hikari asked as she tried to get inside.

Though Hiroto shook his head and grabbed her arm. "Lala isn't here," he said giving Hikari a side peek.

Hikari tilted her head. "Where is she then? She was so worried about Smokey." Hikari said finding it odd that she wasn't next to her brother.

Hiroto lost a few of his words, as he really had no idea how to tell her. "No, it's not that," he said with a lower tone like something was up.

Hikari pushed his grip off her. "Did something happen?" she asked and rushed inside. "What happened to Lala?" she asked loud and clearly, getting everyone's attention.

"Doubt took her," Takeshi told her with a sad tone. Hiroto stood by the door and lean against it.

Hikari seemed confused. "Doubt... took her? Did she follow us? How did they get her?" she asked even louder. When it comes to people close to her, Hikari changed completely whenever she was worried.

"No, they just drove here and seized her outside, as she was talking with Amamiya." Takeshi clarified glancing at Hiroto.

Hikari's mind spun for a moment. "You mean, she was a few steps away from him. And they manage to get her." Hikari said pissed. She had seen how deadly the Amamiya could be. She found it a bit odd, that the doubt easily took her. "We must find her. But I need to know a few things," she added. She glared at Hiroto as she rushed towards him. She needed some answers. She grabbed him tightly and pulled him outside.

"What?" Hiroto asked as he pulled his arm free. Although he knew exactly, why the 'sakura helmet girl' was so angry.

"You just let the Doubt drive off with her like that?" she complained widely, poking her finger against his white shirt.

Hiroto sighed and gazed at the night sky. It was already dark outside, he had not noticed that. So much was going on today. He gazed at Hikari "I didn't manage to help her." he said truthfully "She was out of my reach."

But that made her even angrier. She glared at Hiroto "Out of your reach?" she yelled and slapped him "She was standing a few steps away from you!"

The slap had fired Hiroto up. He was ready to attack her. (It was easy to get him enraged.) He gathered his fist and tried his best not to answer back to the slap. "I said, I couldn't help her," he responded again with a louder tone.

"You are not, what I thought you were," Hikari said disappointed, and walked towards her bike.

Hiroto wasn't sure what hurt more, the slap she gave him earlier or her words. Since when did he even care what she thought? He gave her a fast glance noticing she was still waiting for him.

"Let's go! I cannot save her alone." Hikari added. She was angry at him. And she didn't forgive him. But at the moment her priority was to help Lala. And if she liked it or not, the Amamiya would be the best help she could get.

Hiroto climbed on his bike too. "We need first to talk with Masaki. Meet me under the Rainbow bridge." he simply told her and drove off.

Hikari nodded and followed.

Under the Rainbow bridge...

A bit later they both arrived under the Rainbow bridge. They turned their engines off and waited for Masaki. Neither of them talked. They just had sad looks on their faces. A piercing silence, only the wind (that blew against them) was noticeable and a light fogy mist appeared through their Motorcycle's lights. The hollow moment was cut off by Masaki's bike roaring sound.

"Where did you go?" he asked him pausing his bike next to him.

"Nah, Masaki!" he said with an empty look in his eyes.

His brother turned his bike off and started complaining "Do you know how much trouble I went through today?"

Though, Hiroto was in a hurry to explain to him more serious issues "Things have become messy."

Masaki went on grumble about Hiroto not paying attention to him "Could you listen to your older brother for once?"

Hikari remained on her bike listening to them. She still found Masaki's tone to be rather funny. He surely had a lighter, more sweet personality, than Hiroto. But she knew he could be dangerous as well.

"Smokey's younger sister has been kidnapped," he revealed.

"Eh?" said Masaki with a more serious tone this time.

"If we help him, we might be able to find out something about our brother," Hiroto added as he gazed at his brother.

Hikari gave a glance at Hiroto and Masaki, she had no idea they were looking for their brother (or that they even had an older brother.) Honestly, she didn't know anything about them. And they didn't know about her.

Masaki thought it over for a second and nodded "Alright!" he said and turned his bike on, as he only then noticed Hikari. "Why are you here?" he asked.

"Long story! Let's go!" she said and got ready to follow them.

"You can't come with us!" Masaki made it known clearly a bit worried. They were about to enter a war zone, and it wasn't the safest place to be.

"Let's just go!" Hikari said again. She wasn't in the mood to explain anything or to listen. No one could keep her from going.

"Masaki, Let her be!" Hiroto added lastly. He knew that Masaki had a point that it was surely dangerous. But Why should he care about the 'Sakura helmet girl'?

All three drove off towards Funk Jungle Club. The battle had already started there and things didn't look very promising for the SWORD. But the Amamiya would arrive at the right moment.

((Next Chapter: 5th Act))