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. Also, I made a sketch of what Rei would look like so please check my profile for the link.
Chapter XI: Fleeting Wishes
"Rei!" I turned Hel Verse just in time to dodge the oncoming missile from one of the Rogue LBX's launcher. Triton was behind Hel Verse in a second, although awkward, Jin still managed to pull off a quick rescue.
The four rides listed for us was located a few meters from where we landed. Due to Jin's injury, we were assigned the closest targets in case something happened. Everyone had already proceeded to their respective targets leaving me with Jin to finish off the four towers.
"La Torre…" I huffed as we both stared at the tall structure that loomed before us. La Torre, had it been any normal day, would have had one of the longest lines for being the tallest drop tower I have seen so far. Luckily, there was a maintenance room in the center of the ride seeing as our LBXs wouldn't make it that high due to the restriction in distance of our CCM. All that worried us now was the probable chance that the rogue LBXs would attack us from inside or the ride itself.
"Let's hurry." Jin merely states and I nod as we ascend the steps while making sure that Triton and Hel Verse were nearby should anything go wrong. By the time we made it to the third platform, A few Rogue LBXs had spotted us but were easily dispatched.
"So that was your friend?" Jin brought up the topic by the time we reached the fourth platform. I frowned at his question and mumbled a weak 'yes', thoughts of Aki joining the enemy's side just to saddening to bear. He was all into LBX and how it was a bond that allowed humans to share emotions and such, to have to see him use such a power just to attain his selfish desires…
"He really isn't bad when you get to know him. To have seen him like that, I don't know what Liberator did to him but no matter what happens I'll save him from them." I say with conviction and I see Jin smile to himself as we proceeded to the tenth platform.
"I'm sure we'll be able to bring him back. He's your friend isn't he, a friend of yours is our friend too."
"Thanks, Jin. I'm sorry if I added a new mission to the list but I'm not the weak girl I was before. Now, I'm sure I can save him from his own nightmares." I thank him just as we reached the last floor and there before us stood a huge open roof top where a lone control tower stood. Several rogue LBXs finally noticed our presence as they began to hover before us, weapons drawn and ready to attack.
"Are you ready, Rei?"
"More than I'll ever be." I say just as Triton aims his hammer into the air, water gathering around it. The moment Ocean Blast was cast, Hel Verse jumped into the air to deliver a connected attack with Thunder Crash, destroying multiple LBXs and giving us enough time to destroy the tower and we watched with triumphant eyes as the gathering LBXs began to fall like flies one after another just as the control tower was destroyed.
"Good work, guys! The others have also destroyed their respective towers. We still have eight more to go. Rei, the next closest tower you and Jin can get to is the Heaven's Wheel which is just a few feet from La Torre." Reina-san instructed from our CCM just as we made our way down of the drop tower and began to make our way to the Ferris Wheel where I had met Aki.
"There it is." I managed to say as we stared at the huge ride, the control tower's light blinking on and off from the tip of the ride. Just like the La Torre, the Heaven's Wheel was huge but not as tall as the former, meaning that our CCM would still be able to work. Just like the last ride, several rogue LBXs also guarded the area but we had managed to put an end to them and quickly destroyed the tower. It wasn't all that difficult, since the LBXs were pre-programed and not manually controlled, so their patterns were easily avoided and memorized. With the control tower gone, all of them started falling too just as our CCMs rang and we both saw Reina's face on the screen.
"I see you finished it off faster than expected. The others are still making their way to their respective targets. I suggest you do the same with the next one. The next control tower closest to you both is the bungee jump ride called the L' Appeso." Reina announced before I thanked her and cut the call but just as we tried to make our way to the ride, I noticed Jin lagging behind and I turned to see him gripping his right arm tightly, the blood dripping down from the bandages.
"Jin, are you alright?!" I asked worriedly, seeing the gun wound opening up. He told me the wound was merely a graze but it seemed unusual that a mere graze like that bled so much. Don't tell me-,
"This isn't an ordinary graze is it? You really did get shot back there. Why didn't you say anything, Jin? I'm sure Cobra must have noticed this when he treated you. Why didn't the two of you say anything?" I asked him, my tone turning slightly pitched at the state his arm was in. No wonder it was bleeding like that, he strained it too much and it looks like the wound opened up again.
"I'm fine. It's not like it's a deep wound anyways. Besides, I told Cobra to keep quiet about it." He assured me but I was hearing none of it. I understand all my friends have these weird complex of wanting to save the world but they're just humans and not machines. They can get tired and hurt so to see them pushing themselves just makes me worried for them.
"Here. At least let me dress it before we make it to the next ride." I sigh, seeing as my protests to rest even for a bit was futile. I pulled out my handkerchief from my pocket and tied it on his wound tightly to stop the blood from flowing any more than it should.
"Thank you."
"Not until we make it out of this battle, Jin. It's my fault you even got shot in the first place so I'll do what I can to act as your extra right arm." I say, his gratitude on-hold till we really do make it out of this battle alive. A chuckle escaped his lips causing me to gape at him in alarm, wondering what he even found so funny in this situation.
"You acting like this is very refreshing. Not the same Rei who seemed so distant from all of us." He merely explained making me turn red. Was I really that obvious? But I just couldn't help it, they were my friends now and the same people who taught me how to trust again. It's thanks to them that I have more than enough conviction to save Aki this time so of course I'd be worried over them.
"I changed thanks to everyone in NICS. I owe everyone a thanks as well for what all of you guys have done." I replied as I secure the makeshift bandage one more time and helped him up. I couldn't help but fight a blush in this situation, his warm hands holding onto mine as I hoisted him up. Sure we may have held hands a couple of times in deathly situations like this one but that was back when I doubted them… so to be feeling his hand like this and seeing everyone in a much different light than before… it really is warm and comforting.
"L' Appeso or otherwise known as 'The Hanged Man'." I announce when we finally made it to the ride. We could see the tower blinking just at the edge of the drop-off point, several LBXs as usual guarded the area like bees to a honey. Fortunately, the ride was short, enough for our LBXs to get up to the tower without trying to climb the ride and risk exposing ourselves to anymore danger than it already is.
"Rei, we have a problem." Jin's voice made me turn to see several LBXs on the ground running up to us, weapons at the ready which made me click my tongue.
"Aki must've seen our combo. He expects to divide our attention to make it more difficult to destroy the tower." I gritted my teeth a plan trying to formulate itself in my mind at how to act in this situation. Ban and the others managed to get to theirs with just themselves, surely there's a plan out of this one. With Jin's injured arm, giving him the heavy burden of destroying the tower in one go would be difficult, it'd be nice if we had a rocket launcher then maybe Hel Verse ca destroy it in one go along with the LBXs guarding it-,
Wait, that's it!
"Jin, spot any LBXs on the ground with a rocket launcher or any explosive weapon?" I asked, our eyes scanning the oncoming LBXs.
"There's one behind two Kunoichi. Do you have a plan?" Jin pointed to a lone black Deqoo that was surrounded by two red Kunoichi. I nodded at the question just as Triton jumped with Hel Verse into the fray and grabbed the rocket launcher before jumping back to our side.
"Yes, since Aki made sure we couldn't do our combo, I decided using the blast of the rocket launcher to create a chain reaction instead. Seeing as they're guarding the tower like ants, they're all clustered. A perfect bomb if you ask me." I say just as I equip the rocket launcher to Hel Verse's hand, tucking the spear in my bag as I set my LBX on the Riding Saucer.
"Can you hold the fort, Jin? I'll make sure to finish it up quickly." I ask him which made him chuckle as a frightening smile that I recalled back when I battled him appear lightly and quickly on his face.
"They don't call me the Split Second Kill Emperor and Runner-Up of Artemis for nothing, Rei. I can hold my ground against these kids of attacks."
"Sorry I asked." I joked, a smirk on my face at his assurance as both our LBXs jumped to their respective opponents. Without the spear, using Hel Verse to fight was going to be difficult, the rocket launcher was only meant for two shots and clearly I only had on shot at this since the first shot had already been used. So using Aegis, I rammed at the oncoming LBXs from the sky while dodging their gunshots as I maneuvered my LBX to the tower. I glanced quickly at Jin, noticing him intently holding them off and I knew that I had to do it quickly.
"Now! Defense Function!" I shouted just when Hel Verse was about to be swamped by the LBXs.
DEFENSE FUNCTION: AEGIS
The blue shield deflected the attack, the LBXs bouncing off as I used the moment to launch the rocket and aim for the tower, several LBXs blocked the way but it was useless, the crowded area would only serve to act as a domino effect and destroy the tower as well. Just as the smoke cleared, I smiled in relief at the destroyed tower and turned to see the LBXs shutting down with its destruction.
"Good shot there." Jin congratulated making me grin as Hel Verse descended from the ride.
"Thanks but we'll talk about this later." I say just as our CCM rang and Reina's face appeared on the screen.
"Looks like you made it out okay?"
"By the skin of our teeth might you add. Luckily the AI of the LBXs were very predictable, otherwise we would have still been stuck trying to find a way to get rid of the LBXs in time to destroy the tower." I say before an earth-rocketing explosion sent us nearly tumbling to the ground. Our eyes looked up into the sky and mine widened in horror as I saw the duck shuttle's wing badly damaged from some sort of attack. Behind it, the black carrier sailed like a hungry lion ready to pounce on its prey and it made me realize that we were running short on time.
"Reina, tell us where the last one is and quickly. By the looks of things I doubt you can last a few more minutes trying to distract the black carrier." I say in alarm.
"The others are already done with their towers, we'll rendezvous at the center of the park after you get to the last tower. Ban, Jessica, Hiro, and Ran are already on the way to us to provide back-up. Yuuya and Asuka are already on the way to meet up with you to help finish the tower quickly. The last tower is found in the center of a huge building called La Morte, the haunted house." Reina announced before another shockwave sent us falling to the ground and Reina's line went dead.
"Reina? Reina?" I called on the CCM for her but only static reflected the screen followed by garbled words too messed up for me to understand. I searched the sky for the ship and frowned when not even the trace of the smoke from the damaged wing of the shuttle could not be found.
"We're running out of time, we have to hurry." Jin manages to call out to me urgently and I nod as we both run to the haunted house. On any other day, I might have considered this as some joke Jessica might have pulled on me just to try and pair me up with Jin but right now, all such thoughts were pushed aside with the impending danger that was to befall our friends if we didn't finish this up in time.
"Rei! Jin!" We turn just as in time to see Asuka and Yuuya running to us, LBXs on the ready just as we all meet up to the entrance of the looming mansion. Reina didn't have time to specify where exactly within the house the tower was in which only made me worry when the idea of splitting up seemed like the better option.
"We have no choice, we have to split up." Jin suggested which made me shake my head at the thought. Had he been in better condition then maybe I would have agreed but he couldn't use his dominant hand due to the wound and running in there with that kind of handicap was just asking for trouble.
"It's too risky, Jin. You're wounded!" I opposed which made him sigh.
"I'll be fine, Rei. I think I already told you this countless of times."
"I know but-," I tried to explain before another explosion erupted and we all turned to the sky worriedly.
"I'll be fine. It's them we have to worry about." He finally said and I nodded reluctantly at the final decision we had all made. It was to be decided that we split up, Asuka taking the topmost floor, Yuuya taking the third floor, Jin taking on the first floor, and me taking the underground floor. I was really worried about this plan but like Jin said, everyone on the shuttle was running low on time and energy and we had to find the last tower before Aki got to them. I only hoped we all made it out of this alive because in all honesty-,
I couldn't stand to lose any one of them.
The underground was, as expected in every horror trope, very dark. Only electrically powered torches served as light in the floor, giving it off a feeling being in the medieval times. Only the lighting seemed to be the only thing powered in the place because several of the mannequins that I had assumed were meant to move remained lifeless at the last pose they had done.
Cell rooms decorated the long hallway I walked through, taking into account that the floor I was in was meant to give off a feeling of suffocation and the horror of not being able to escape the dark place. Within the cell, there were also grotesque images of dismembered bodies of mannequins on chains and several rooms where those mannequins looked like they were being experimented on. It really did creep me out in many ways, my knees buckling and nearly screaming every time I made a turn and a flash of light would make a scary face surprise me by the end of the hall. Even without the movement, the place in itself was enough to give anyone a heart attack.
Now wonder they called this the house of death.
A lone door greeted me as I reached the end of the hall, the door beautifully decorated which did not match the dark and horrific theme the place gave off. I touched the knob and ever so slowly turned it, hoping deep inside that nothing was going to surprise me behind the door. As the door swung open, I stared curiously at a staircase that greeted me and with a muster of courage, I ascended the steps, making sure to ready Hel Verse should any rogue LBX come out. The climb was very tedious, making me wonder just how many more did I have to take to reach my destination. By the way the place was made, I had assumed I was going the right track, since the door was indeed positioned in the center as portrayed in the CCM.
"A secret door perhaps?" I wondered to myself, seeing as the mansion did sport a huge column in the center of it. A column big enough to hide a secret stairway that might lead to a secret room. And where the secret room is, chances are that is where the control tower is.
Upon reaching the last flight of stair, I straightened my body as I composed myself and twisted the doorknob. The blinding rays of the sun greeted me, causing me to squint as I tried to get a proper view of where I was in. The scent of dew, soil, and flowers greeted my nose as my eyes finally adjusted and I saw myself entering a huge greenhouse that was the same size as the floors in the mansion. So the door led to the topmost floor? I scanned the area, hoping to catch a glimpse of Asuka, seeing as she was the one assigned to this floor and frowned when I neither saw nor heard her as I walked through the mass of overgrown flora.
"Odd…" I say to myself as I scan the map and noticed that, indeed there was a greenhouse but it was on the topmost floor, the mansion only had a basement (where I was in), the main floor (where Jin was assigned), the second floor for Yuuya and the greenhouse for Asuka which was on the topmost floor.
So where is she?
"The map can lie, did you know?" I yelped at the voice and turned to see Aki standing before the door where I had come out from. All the color drained from my face as panic rose at the wonder of him being here. I had seen him ride the black carrier so for him to be here must mean-,
"Why so surprise, Rei? It's like you've seen a ghost or something." He chuckled as he walked towards me, my foot moving back as I readied my hand on my CCM.
"H-how did you get here? I was so sure… Don't tell me-," I tried to say but the worried tone and the hysteria from the gnawing sensation of not knowing the plight of the shuttle was overwhelming.
"Ahahaha! Look at your face, Rei. I haven't seen a face like that in quite a while. You needn't worry, the shuttle is… safe. Or somewhat. You should have listened like an obedient dog then maybe none of them would be in danger."
"Then come with us, Aki! You don't have to do this! We can still escape this." I reasoned out, the worry still clawing its way out from within me.
"Come with you? Join your group of friends who work for a corrupt government that tramples on people's lives just to achieve their own means. How naïve."
"Liberator is no different with that you're doing, Aki. It's not about which is good or bad but it's about choosing the lesser evil. You're being corrupted with revenge!" I pointed out and yelped in alarm when bullets ricocheted, nearly hitting me on the face as a black figure zoomed and landed forebodingly on Aki's shoulders. A knight-framed pitch black LBX glowered at me from the distance, its red eyes the color of blood as its tattered violet cape billowed, a pair of black sword/gun on both its hands glinting from the sunlight.
"Say hello, Rei. This is my most prized customization, Nemesis." He bragged as the LBX lunged for me and I dodged just in time with Hel Verse's Aegis, the force sending my LBX slamming to the glass, cracking it.
"And so the Goddess of Revenge makes it appearance. Ragnarok has begun, Rei!" Aki cackled as Nemesis rose to the sunlight, making me cover my eyes as I inputted codes to let Hel Verse block the sword/gun that nearly impaled it. The sound of glass shattering echoed in the greenhouse as both of us tried to outmaneuver each other and get an opening. Ever since I had met Aki, never had I ever won against him in any LBX battle. Unlike me, who valued luck or quick thinking in determining strategy, Aki valued calculation and precision when it came to his attacks. In all honesty, had things with his family never happened then he would have made a formidable ally.
"I can already foresee it, Rei. Your defeat will be in just five more minutes." He taunted as Nemesis switched its blade into guns and began shooting at Hel Verse. I jumped away as well, knowing full well that to achieve his goals, Aki would stop at nothing to destroy anything in his path. I had always known Aki to be kind, respectful and at times very imposing but when it came to LBX battles, there was just this small spark in him that sometimes made me shiver. He respected LBX battles but there were times he couldn't seem to hide his ruthlessness when it came to completely overwhelming his opponents.
"Attack Function!" He yelled making my eyes widened in alarm at how fast he managed to do an attack function. Nemesis' blades began to surround itself in a deathly reddish black aura before it vanished in a blink of an eye too fast for me to follow.
"Damn it. Defense-," I tried to input but it was too late when I saw Nemesis appear behind Hel Verse, the sword doing a slash to Hel Verse's chest in an X-form before it switch into gun mode and a bright light began to form in the barrels. I braced myself for the impact, knowing full well that Hel Verse wasn't going to survive the attack. Even after I told everyone that this time I could save him. I had thought he had not yet descended into the void but looks like he was in too deep that a mere conversation wouldn't be enough to get him to come with us. I thought I could beat him in battle but apparently, I still lacked the power and resolve to do it.
I'm still weak to pull him out of this hell fate put him in.
"Attack Function!"
ATTACK FUNCTION: DEVIL SOUL
A loud explosion deafened my ears before I felt a warm hand grasp mine. I looked up to see Jin pulling me away from the blast, Yuuya and Asuka just in time to save Hel Verse from getting destroyed.
"What? H-how?" I struggled to explain before Jin pointed to a huge gaping hole that led to the top most floor of the mansion.
"We noticed that you weren't responding to our calls and tracked you down. Apparently your CCM was located on the same floor as Asuka which made us wonder how you got up there without bumping into either me or Yuuya. That was when Asuka heard the commotion coming from the beyond the wall." Jin explained as he helped me hide behind the marble gazebo that decorated the center of the garden.
"Jin." I said and pointed to the control tower that stood in the center of the gazebo.
"Vampire Cat!"
"Liu Bei!"
Both Jin and I quickly withdrew from our attack just as Liu Bei and Vampire Cat was sent colliding onto the control tower, destroying it in the process but terribly damaging the LBXs. I looked up to see the chaotic smile on Aki's face as he walked towards us, his eyes dancing with sadistic excitement which made me frown at what he was becoming.
"Such a pity. Even after I was told to protect the last tower. But that's no longer the issue now is it? So tell me, Rei. Can you still fight?" He taunted, Nemesis hovering next to him just as Jin and I appeared from behind the gazebo. Yuuya and Asuka's defeated face didn't escape me as I glared at Aki.
"This is insane, Aki! Revenge will only destroy you and everyone around you. It won't bring the satisfaction you're looking for. Please Aki! Just come back home!" I begged one more time, hoping actually praying and even begging that it would reach him. Because I know deep down that the real Aki wouldn't want this, that deep inside he just wants someone to tell him everything's over and that it's all going to be alright. If he reached out just one more time… then for sure this time I'll reach out to him too. I wasn't there when he needed help but this time I'll make sure.
So please…
"Everyone I thought I could trust destroyed me, Rei. My home was destroyed along with my parents and all my dreams of the future. All because those corrupted politicians fear of what they cannot control. How could I possibly come home?"
"Then come back home with me! With us! I won't leave you this time, Aki. So please…" I begged and as if answering my prayers, I saw his eyes widen for a second as he gazed back at me in shock.
"With you?" He asked almost in a whisper and I nodded fervently as I reached out my hand. That's right, all I have to do is take his hand. I'll make sure not to let go and pull him out of this nightmare.
"Rei no!" Yuuya called out in alarm but it was too late. Just as I reached out my hand to grasp Aki's, I felt a surge of electricity course through my body as if I was thrown into a dozen or so livewires in water. I felt my body go limp as my eyes stared dazedly to the sky before I collapsed, warm hands grabbing me as I felt my mind slip deep into oblivion.
-3rd POV-
Rei's body fell against Aki, the red-haired boy easily hoisting her up in his arms. Jin, Asuka, and Yuuya looked at him with a mix of shock and anger. No one had anticipated that he would have done that to his own childhood friend. Regardless of his tendency as Liberator to harm those around him, they were so sure that he would have spared his own friend from the fate seeing as all his plans to capture her never ended with her getting hurt.
"Even till now, Rei. So naïve." Aki merely clicked his tongue, the face of his childhood friend bringing back memories of those times he had thought of the world as such a simple place. Even if it did sometimes make his blood boil in anger, there were times Aki thought that the death of family was some sort of sign, a sign to wake him up and face the harsh reality of their decaying world. It wasn't like he was agreeing to Liberator's stupid idea of a 'reset'. Even an idiot would have known it wouldn't work. Something so complex and based in merely 'what ifs' was bound to fail.
"She trusted you! Why did you do it?" Asuka shouted angrily at Aki, wondering why a friend would even stab their own friend like that. Rei had looked up to Aki as the person who gave her what people always want, which were bonds. Rei was resolved to save him and never once doubted he was evil so why? Why does he always prove Rei wrong with her image of him?
"And that's what she got for trusting me. That's what everyone gets for trusting others. A stab in the back. Always getting hurt by the people you thought you could lean on when the hard times come. It's better if you never learn to trust anyone but yourself." Aki merely stated. His family betrayed him when they left him, the whole world betrayed him for taking everything he loved away. Rei betrayed him by choosing to side with them than with him. Everywhere, left and right, people will always leave him. That's just how life works and it makes him irritated to think some people just don't seem to get it.
"But people need connections to move with their lives. Betrayal and trust are two sides of the same coin. Being betrayed by someone doesn't necessarily mean that we should top trusting. Betrayal helps us understand the why, and in that simple understanding we learn to either understand a person or let them go. If you think Rei betrayed you, don't you think she had a valid reason to? Even till now she still believes she can save you and bring you back. Don't prover her wrong." Jin called out, regardless of his throbbing wound, he still managed to stand firm and look Aki in the eyes. Rei was so convinced she could save Aki and Jin vowed to help her do it. Not just him but everyone in the shuttle agreed. When Jin was lost Ban and his friends had saved him and in return Jin had saved Rei from her solitude. Rei was doing the same for Aki and Jin was going to make sure to honor her wish.
He was going to save them both even if it killed him.
"She won't return to me. Even if she stretches out her hand, I know it isn't the hand that I want to reach. She's saving me out of duty and atonement as a friend but something as shallow as that won't save me." Aki whispered his hazel eyes staring right into red ones. His desire for revenge was too deep anyway, there was just no room for feelings of love and trust. He knew long ago that the hand she reached out to him wasn't going to save him. The moment she met them, he knew he couldn't be saved.
Because in the end, this was all that he had left to live for and if that was the case then he would have to prove Rei wrong.
There all done. Sorry for the late update. Sure, I'm already graduating but I still have studies left to do since I'm taking a board exam in October. Sorry for the erratic and out of the blue updates but I really am trying so try to be patient guys. Thank your for the reviews, you don't know how happy it makes authors like me when I get some :)
Stay tuned for the next chapter and don't forget to fave and review!