Disclaimer:I do not own Danball Senki, the concept and its characters, they all belong to their respective owners. All I own is my OC and nothing else. I also made up some LBXs and attack moves but I make no claim on it because the idea still belongs to their respective owners, just to let you guys know.

P.S. Yes, Reina makes an appearance here and no I have no idea how old she is in WARS so I instead deduced she may be the same age or even two years older than the cast of W. Looks like a rival has finally made her appearance XD

Chapter V: A Heart Racing Battle for Love!?

*Swallow*

I swallowed a spoonful of ice cream and squealed in delightful bliss. I am so going to visit this place when this Liberator thing blows off. Even the entire ambiance was relaxing, as if I was in some tropical island, the waiters all dressed in a Hawaiian getup as they greeted the customers that went in the shop.

"I see that ice cream seems to be one of your favorite things." I nearly dropped my spoon when Jin finally spoke. I was so caught up in the moment that I clearly forgot that Jin was here with me.

"W-well, yeah it is. Is there something weird about it?" I stuttered, rather embarrassed that I probably looked weird to him now. Did my eating look wrong? I turned even redder at the thought of looking like some pig as I slobbered the ice cream in the cup.

"There's nothing weird about it. It is quite nice to have something you like every now and then." He just said and I raised a curious eyebrow at his direction.

"The way you're saying it makes it look like you've never liked anything." I pointed my spoon at him curiously and when he nodded in admittance, my eyes went wide like saucers.

"No way, the Kaidou Jin? My friends are diehard fans of yours, being an Artemis participant and all. I was expecting someone as good-looking as you was bound to easily find someone or something that you like." I nearly shouted in surprise. A small smile graced his lips and I turned red in embarrassment. Did I even say something wrong?

"Thank you for the compliment but as you see, I'm not quite what you pictured at all…" He said, before trailing off, his eyes pointed not on the ice cream but at a far and distant time.

"If you don't want to say it, I'm not forcing you."

"I'm not forcing myself, I trust you well enough to tell it that's all." He only said and I my cheeks turned pink. To think we barely met and he thinks he can trust me, here I was doubting all of their actions, even going so far as to think they had evil intentions. I can never really understand how all of them are so easy to just throw their trust like it's nothing.

"Funny, how easily you can just hand over trust like it's nothing. It even took me quite a while to trust you guys a bit…"

"I see no reason why I shouldn't trust you, you've proved yourself well enough. Ban and the others are doing their best to prove themselves to you too, doesn't that count as something?" Jin asked as I gripped the ice cream cup tightly. Proving themselves… I do owe Ban and the others for helping me make it this far. But it's so hard to trust people… how do they even do it?

"Do you know about the accident in Tokio City Bridge?" Jin suddenly blurted out and I looked at him with a slightly shocked expression before nodding. Suddenly changing the topic, I wonder what's on his mind. How does this have anything to do with trust?

"I've heard of it but why are you telling me this?"

"The accident was due to low quality materials, that was why the foundation was too weak and gave away. We were on the way home when the accident happened, I was on the backseat and mom and dad were talking. We didn't know anything before it was too late… I lost my parents on that day, the only people I ever loved more than anything." Jin narrated, his eyes fixated on the melting ice cream. Wait… does he intend to tell me his life story? Does he really trust me with something so personal?

"It was then that Yoshimitsu Kaidou, my adopted grandfather, took me in. He raised me like his own grandson and it made me forget even for a bit, the pain of being alone. I thought I was happy then, having found someone special to me but… I guess all good things come to an end." Jin added and that was when he narrated further how his grandfather was actually one of the heads of a crime group known as the Innovators. I only stayed silent, listening to him intently, wondering why he saying something so personal… to me of all people.

"Of course, by the time I confronted him about it… he was already killed by Hiyama Ren, replacing my grandfather with an android under his control. I questioned my existence then, if maybe this had all been my fault, why people dear to me are dying. Ban and the others brought me back though… they were the reason why I could still fight and for that, I owe them." He smiled in the end before turning to me.

"You're like me in many ways, Rei. It took me a while to trust people after what my grandfather had done. Ban helped me realize that doubting others or questioning things isn't how you go about it. This world is full of liars, that much I know but if you never risk that one sliver of chance to learn to trust a person then what's the whole point in living? No man is an island, we live for and with each other. If you learn to trust then you can move forward, just like now… I just gave you my trust and because of that, even if just a little, I managed to move forward in my life. Didn't you do the same too? The mere fact you came with us is proof you're willing to trust us and move forward." He pointed out and I stared at him wide-eyed in surprise. Unless you want to move forward then leave no doubt in your heart… I gulped a bit at his remark, he just handed me his trust and it felt so heavy right now I didn't know what to do to make it any lighter…

"It's heavy because you only bear it by yourself. If you gave me your full trust as well wouldn't it lighten the feeling even for a bit?" As if reading my thoughts, I turned to Jin who gave me a small smile. Lighten the feeling? How can he be sure that it'd be that easy to just give him my full trust? But the look on his face says he trusts that I can do it and if I didn't it'd mean I failed him… and I didn't want that.

"I-I don't trust people so easily you know. So when I say 'I trust you' don't make me regret it." I stuttered and reached out my hand for a friendly shake. Jin took my hand in his, and in that warm shake, I realized how light I suddenly felt right now.

"I won't let you regret it." He assured me. Those words… Never did I realized that I'd be hearing them again after such a long time.

"I won't let you regret it, Rei." Those were the exact same words he muttered but he broke it. Betrayed me at the last minute. I vowed I'd never trust anyone besides my parents but here I am, once again about to jump into the fire.

"If something is weighing on your mind, don't hesitate to say anything to us. We're all a team here, don't forget that." Jin added in as if understanding that I was going through something right now. It wasn't that I didn't trust them, after what he just said and even going so far as to tell his background story to gain my trust, I just didn't want them to know why I became like this. I hope they understood that. Maybe when this Liberator thing ends… then maybe that'll be the time I will tell them.

"Okay, Jin I-," I was about to say when a hysteric cry of glee made us turn to the source of the sound. A blur of pink and red was heading straight for us as a few onlookers turned to see what the fiasco was all about.

"Could it be!? My beloved Jin is here!? Oh he is! He is!" A girl about our age dressed in a pink tracksuit and an oddly bird-shaped helmet shouted as her hands clasped on to Jin's hands shocking us both. Next to her was a guy also dressed in a tracksuit dyed in red and a red bird-shaped helmet covered his face. He looked flustered as if he had just ran a marathon. Who on earth are these people?

"Ota Red… and Ota Pink. Long time no see." Jin greeted awkwardly and my eyes went wide in realization. Stupid! The helmet was the dead give-away. They were obviously Otacross' famed and quirky disciples- the Ota Rangers.

"Oh! You remembered me, my sweetheart! That battle we had back in Akihabara… it had seared itself in my heart as a sign of my undying love for you." Ota Pink twirled in delight and I raised a curious eyebrow at Jin.

"Sweetheart? You have a girlfriend." I inquired innocently and Ota Pink threw me a rather bewildered and surprised look as if saying 'Who-the-hell-are-you!?' Jin coughed awkwardly to gain our attention and explained to me that they were nothing more but acquaintances from a tournament back in Akihabara.

"Sorry, Jin. We only came here to pick up a few parts for Ota Cross-sama's Sakura when she saw you by the window of the café. Literally dragged me just to see you here." Ota Red apologized and sighed at Ota Pink's behavior while stating of how unbecoming it was of a ranger under Ota Cross.

"Well she is very…imposing on people." I giggled at Jin's struggle with her.

"Hmm… forgive me but you look like a new face. Are you Jin's friend?" Ota Red, after noticing my presence, asked and before I could give a reply a flushed Ota Pink rushed to our side while dragging a rather surprised Jin.

"Jin's girlfriend!? S-since when? How could you do this to your princess my dark knight?" Ota Pink cried in distress while darting back and forth at both of us. My cheeks turned red and Jin eyed Ota Pink as if she had just grown two heads.

"Umm… I'm just a new friend who joined in on the group, the name's Fujiwa Rei. Nice to-," I tried to dispel the awkward tension by trying a friendly approach but failed when Ota Pink cut me short.

"I challenge you to a battle, Rei! A match to determine who Jin really loves." Ota Pink declared and I just felt like dumping myself in a bucket of cold water. A battle for love? Since when did things start escalating?

"I doubt an LBX battle will solve the situation, Ota Pink." Ota Red sighed again but Ota Pink ignored him. Bringing out a D-Cube, Ota Pink twirled in that typical magical girl twirl as she tossed the D-Cube on the ground.

"Wa-wait! Things are getting out of hand here… Jin do something!" I turned to Jin for help but he looked too shock at the outcome of this simple conversation to even make a reply. Well, can't say I blame him. Anyone would just freeze up with such a loud confession like that.

"If you lose then you have to break up with, Jin."

"I t-told you, it's not wh-," I tried to talk her out but it was futile as she tossed her LBX, Bibinbird X IV into the battle field.

"What? Giving up so soon, you scared?" Ota Pink taunted and I felt like a nerve just popped.

"What did you just say?" I demanded, clearly this is just getting out of hand and the tone of her voice didn't sit well with me right now.

"I said that you're a coward to even fight for someone you love." She pointed out and I sighed in exasperation. She is so getting on my nerves right now…

"You asked for it!" I shouted and sent Hel Verse into the field. I could hear several people shuffle to see what the commotion was about and before long several murmurs resounded around us.

"A LBX battle here?"

"Hey isn't that the famous Jin Kaidou?"

"You're right and even this year's Artemis winner is with him."

"A battle between Artemis contestants and Ota Cross' hand selected rangers? This I gotta see."

"What on earth? Jin and Rei, what's going on here?" I look up to the voice and see Ban, Yuuya and Jessica running towards us, probably the news of our battle had finally reached the entire mall.

"Ban-san!" Ota Red shouted in relief but Ota Pink stopped him.

"What are you doing? They're the enemy! As rangers we must do whatever it takes to beat the enemy."

"Eh!?" Yuuya shouted in surprise while I tried to fill them in on the reason for this sudden battle.

"This is a tag team battle. Me and Ota Red against you and whoever you pick except Jin."

"What!?" I shouted in exasperation and quickly grabbed Ban by the arm and yanked him in.

"Rei-san… I don't think this will solve anything!" Ban tried to negotiate but it all went unheard. This isn't about deciding who Jin ends up with, he can choose who he bloody wants for all I care. This is about pride and I'm not about to let my credibility as winner of Artemis go down the drain like that.

"Get ready, Ban!" I shouted as both the surprised Ban and Ota Red readied their LBXs to the field.

"Let's go, Odin MkII"

"Bibinbird X!"

BATTLE START!

The moment the signal was given Ban and I quickly maneuvered our LBXs away from the field just as Ota Pink and Ota Red let out a barrage of laser bullets towards us.

"Tsk." I clicked my tongue and used Aegis to dodge the bullets as I rammed at Ota Pink's LBX and sent it slamming onto a nearby brick wall.

"Look out Rei!" Ban shouted and had Odin MkII push Hel Verse in time from getting gunned by Ota Red's LBX.

"Sorry guys!" Ota Red apologized, earning him a huff from Ota Pink.

"Why are you apologizing? They're the enemy!"

"Where do you think you're looking?" I smirked and slammed them both with Hel Verse's spear.

"Seriously, all this for Jin's affection?" Ban sighed and I frowned.

"I'm as surprised as you are. I only came here for the ice cream."

"Attack Function!" Ota Pink shouted and my eyes went wide as Hawkeye Drive aimed itself at Ban's LBX.

"Defense Function!" I shouted as Hel Verse jumped in between the line of fire and the bluish shield engulfed both our LBX.

"Wrong move!" Ota Red shouted and as the shield dissipated several bullets hailed at both of us.

"Ugh!" Ban growled as he tried to shield us from the hail of bullets with his shield. Man are they quick, no wonder they made it far in both Artemis and Akihabara.

"Did you see that, Jin? The passion of my attack reflected the hot and yearning love for you." Ota Pink giddily shouted and all of us could just sweat drop at the sight.

"I guess it's time to end this." I only say and I looked at Ban and watched him nod in agreement.

"Attack Function!" We both shouted in unison and in that instant both rangers lost when they were directly hit by Glorious Ray and Ocean Blast.

"H-how could my love lose?" Ota Pink stuttered in surprise as she slumped to the floor. Several applauses resounded at the heated battle as I scooped Hel Verse from the cube and walked to Ota Pink.

"Battles aren't always about passions. You also need to think before you act and please… listen to other's explanations before you jump to conclusions." I muster a smile as I reach out my hand. Ota Pink sniffles but nevertheless takes my hand and shakes it slowly.

"No… I lack the passion, Rei. You really deserve the title as Jin's girlfriend." She sniffed and I turned red from her comment.

"Not this again!"

"We take our eyes away from the both of you for a minute and you mean to tell me you're together? How on earth did that happen?" Jessica snickered, making me turn red even more.

"Really? Why didn't you say anything, Jin?" Yuuya turned red from the idea and Jin coughed awkwardly, his cheeks turning a slight shade of pink making me blush even redder.

"Seriously, she's the one who got the wrong idea!" I pointed at Ota Pink who fluttered by Jin, expressing her love for him will stay strong even if he was taken.

"I really am sorry for all of this! Really I am." Ota Red continued to bow in apology at me. I assured him it was fine but nevertheless, he tried to make it up to me by dragging the love-struck Ota Pink with him out of the store.

"I will see you soon, my love!" Ota Pink blew a kiss before she was dragged away which made us all snicker at Jin's face.

"I never knew you attracted girls like that, Jin." Jessica elbowed him as he gained his composure and shook his head.

"I guess we're seeing a new side of you then." Ban chuckled as he patted his friend on the back, even Yuuya tried to comfort him and I couldn't help but laugh at the scene. Even after all that talk, I gotta hand it to Ota Pink to really rile up the arena.

"Such a quirky girl, I guess she isn't your type huh." I giggled and Jin sighed.

"Why the sudden question, Rei? Piqued your interest who Jin likes? Here I thought you didn't care." Jessica elbowed me this time and it turned red. Leave it to Jessica to always make something small turn terribly big.

"Stop it, Jessica. That's not what I meant."

"Aww, Rei's all shy now haha." Jessica giggled and Ban and Yuuya followed suit, much to my embarrassment. I turned to Jin and then turned away, the mere event right now was enough to make our situation even more awkward.

"You needn't worry, Rei. I think Jin would pick you over Ota Pink." Ban assured me and I groaned in defeat. Not Ban too…

"But it was quite a battle, Rei. I never knew that all it took was Jin's affection on the line to make you all fired up." Even Yuuya, the last person I expected to comment about it, butted in and I felt like going back to NICS and drown myself in ice cream for the entirety of the day. Knowing them, it won't be long now till everyone in NICS finds out about this.

"It wasn't because of that! My title was on the line and I didn't want to make them think I was weak." I defended but it all went unheard as they continued to tease me more about it, stating that I was in denial about it.

"I've had it guys!" I groaned and stomped off, burying myself into the crowd to avoid them from following me. If I could just dig a hole and bury myself in there… are they planning to kill me from embarrassment!

"They'll never find me here." I mutter to myself as I stretch my back and look up at the wide expanse of clouds. I was quite surprised that the security wasn't that tight, it's not every day a 15 years old kid like me could just waltz up to the roof top of a mall and not get caught for it. But I did consider it a relief for once, maybe when everyone finally decided to shut up about it then that'll be the time I'll go back.

*Ring* *Ring*

I lifted my phone up and the moment I saw Jessica's name on the screen, I groaned and flipped my CCM shut. I know it was dangerous, seeing as Liberator is after me and all but I'd rather face them than Jessica's teasing right now. I wonder why Jin didn't even stop them from embarrassing both of us any further. If it was him then no doubt they would have stopped by now.

"Even he's giving mixed signals too! No wonder they kept on teasing me." I grumbled and sighed again. Believe me when I say I don't hate Jin. Sure he was scary at first but after our partner-up on the ship and him sharing his life story, I saw a different side of the guy and it made me realize that he isn't all that bad. In fact if you get to know him better, he's actually a kind person who tries his best to open up and make friends… He may give off that scary vibe but it's what makes him unique from everyone. He rarely shouts or even smiles as if he's hiding from the world and that just makes me sad.

"He could be right, both him and I are the same." I murmur thinking about the time he told me his life story. After that day, he shut himself out from the world, he feared trusting people because it'd just hurt more to get close to them and then lose them after wards. I know the feeling after all, it hurts me when I see people like that.

I don't want people dear to me ending up like that.

"But that doesn't have to mean we're more than friends right!" I shout to myself and then scratched my head in irritation. Ugh, how confusing can this even get?

"Rei." I cringed at that all too familiar voice and I opened my eyes to see the figure of the last person I wanted to see right now. I felt my heart skip a bit when I looked up to see Jin looking down on me, his red eyes looking back at my green ones.

"How did you find me?" I demanded as I got up to face him. I made sure to switch off my CCM's tracking device so how-

"Your CCM isn't the only one with the tracker, even your LBX has one." He pointed out as he showed from his CCM Hel Verse's location. I groaned at the realization and then turned to him and then looked away, the teasing from a while back reminding me of our awkward situation.

"They went ahead." Jin only said and I looked back to him in surprise.

"What?"

"You needn't worry about the teasing. I told everyone to go on ahead and wait for us back in NICS." He elaborated and my eyes could only go wide in surprise.

"Now they'll surely spread it back at HQ! All the more they'll believe it since you went to fetch me alone." I pointed out, my cheeks flushing an even deeper shade of red. Oh, now I'm really going to die from embarrassment.

"Why are so flustered about it? If it isn't true then there's nothing to worry about. They're just pulling your leg you know." I paused for a minute and pondered over what he just said. It is true though, if it isn't true then there's nothing to be ashamed of… so why am I getting flustered over something like it.

"True, but aren't you at least a bit worried about what others would think?"

"I'm not worried. I know my fri-," Jin was about to say when an ear-splitting scream echoed from all around us. Our bodies tensed as we quickly readied our LBXs and scanned the roof top.

"Stay close to me and don't wander." Jin reminded me as he grabbed me by the hand making me turn red. Not now! Not while there could be danger lurking about. I tried to shake my head to dispel the thought of our close proximity to each other as we rounded the corner of the roof top to see another building on the other side.

"Let me go!" A voice shouted and that was when we noticed a girl our age with long brown hair trying to break free from a very burly man.

"Not a chance!" The man grinned sinisterly and lifted the girl high into the air, her hands trying to pry herself free from the choking grip.

"We have to do something, Jin." I begged as the man swung the girl to the ledge, the man's grip the only thing keeping her from falling down from a 20-story building.

"I'd rather die than make you use me to steal money from my dad!" She managed to shout as she bit on the man's hand hard, causing him to shout in pain and lose his grip on the girl. I covered my mouth in horror until I heard a loud clang that made me move forward to the ledge. Looking down, I saw the girl dangling dangerously by the flagpole extending from our building's wall. Shoot! Is there anything we can do to help her? I was about to turn to Jin and saw him vanish from my side as he ran towards the ledge of the building.

"Help me!" She shouted in fear and I watched as Jin slowly but surely, reached out his hand to the girl.

"Take my hand!" He beckoned and that was when she noticed us from the other side of the building. She wasted no time as she swung herself and grabbed Jin by the hand, I rushed to their side and helped the girl up before all three of us plopped to the ground after our adrenaline rush ran out.

"Not if I have to say anything about it!" We heard a click and that was when we noticed the man ready his gun as it aimed on the girl. Jin covered for the girl as he looked at the man both dangerously and suspiciously.

"Who are you and what do you want with her?" Jin demanded and the man laughed as he rested the gun on his shoulder. I carefully reached for my CCM as I stood by Jin as I warily watched the man's move.

"Not really any of your business kids. Now hand the girl over."

"You have a gun on the ready and by the looks of it, you were trying to kidnap her. I think it's only right to say we should interfere here." I replied and the man sighed as he scratched the back of his head.

"I guess I have no other choice then. I really didn't want this to end in a bloodshed but it looks like I have no choice." The man smiled frighteningly and without hesitation aimed the gun at us and pulled the trigger.

"Defense Function!" I shouted just in time as Hel Verse jumped off my shoulder and activated Aegis. The blue shield of Aegis blocked the bullet as it ricocheted and grazed the man by the hand, causing him to howl in pain and lose his grip on his gun. Wasting no time, Jin grabs us both by the hands as we round back to the exit and make our way down to the mall.

"Damn it!" We heard him curse before the doors to the rooftop closed.

"He'll never find us in the mall. We'll blend in with the crowd and slowly make our way to the parking lot where I called Ban to pick us up." Jin planned out when we made it to the mall and then began to walk as if nothing happened. We then made our way to the elevator and pushed the button to the ground floor.

"Care to tell us why they were chasing you?" I asked, trying to ease the tension and the girl turned to me with a worried look on her face.

"My dad's the head scientist of a group working on a solution to wars known as the Second World. You can tell a lot of people would agree to this but there are some who think the idea is some excuse to squeeze out the funds of the people by corrupt politicians. Being the daughter of that scientist a lot of bad people have been after me because they want to scare my father into terminating the project." She narrated and then turned to us both while bowing her head low in gratitude.

"That is why I want to thank you guys so much for saving me. I would've been long gone by now had it not been to you guys."

"It's our job to help people in need after all! You needn't be so formal about it." I assured her, turning pink from embarrassment. Jin coughed to gain our attention as the elevator door opened and outside we could see not far off Cobra's car, waiting for us to get in.

"If you have nowhere safe to stay for the time being, then you can stay with us. NICS will keep you safe and I think your father would very much appreciate that." Jin suggested and the girl's eyes widened at his invitation and she smiled serenely, taking him by surprise.

"Thank you so much! By the way, I have yet to know the name of my saviors. Care to give me a name?"

"My name is Kaidou Jin and the girl next to me is Fujiwa Rei. We work for NICS in preventing these kind of terrorist-like events from happening." Jin introduced us and the girl nodded in understanding before giving out her hand for a shake.

"A pleasure to meet you then, Jin and Rei. Now that I know yours, let me introduce myself as well. The name's Mito Reina and I am the daughter of the renowned scientist Mito Eisuke." I felt my eyes go wide as I stared at the girl before me. Mito Eisuke! The very man who pioneered the idea of the proxy war using LBXs!? I never realized that such a high-profile man's daughter would be in our group…

Just how will her presence affect us from here on out?

Sorry for the suuuuper late update. I know I promised many updates since it was summer but it seems writer's block is getting to me. Not to worry, I don't plan on abandoning any of my stories just yet :)

-xXGemini14Xx-