Aftermath...


Marie: " I see she fell asleep."

She said as she entered her daughter's room with their dinner in her hands. She didn't actually expect her to calm down that quickly. She had delt with Elie's break downs before whenever she grew tired of her medicines, of her illness and just wished everything would end soon. It would take a long time to calm her down. But for her to calm down this quickly after she saw her brother getting kidnapped, it was surprising.

Jin nodded slowly before looking up at the older woman with an apologizing look. Before he could even open his mouth, Marie beat him to that.

Marie: " he was just following what he believed was right. No one could have stopped him back then. Nor even me. He and his father are both the same, they won't stop getting themselves into troubles."

After all, Marie had lived that same experience before, when she thought her husband had died. But now at least, if it was any condolence, she knew her son was alive.

Marie: " Jin-Kun, it's not your fault. There are things we can't control in this life, things that get out of hand. No one is to be blamed for them."

She turned on her heels, walking to the door.

Marie: " I will be down in the Kitchen if you needed anything. And, you better start eating. Curry isn't good when it gets cold."

She said with the most gentle smile she had before leaving the room. Jin merely looked down. Things that we can't control, things that get out of hand... He still believed they could have avoided all of that if he just surrended.

Zenon: " you know even if you did that, there was no guarantee that they would leave the city alone. Ban and the others will have to fight against them anyway."

Jin: " but..."

Zenon: " it was bound to have losses out there. Either you or Ban, the same thing will happen. But instead of giving up, Ban chose to fight his way till the end. While Jin, you gave up."

Jin looked away.

Zenon: " if you were to give up, then why did you answer that question from the start? Why did you choose to fight?"

Jin: " I believed too..."

His fists clenched tightly.

Jin: " I believed we could make a change. I didn't know what we were really facing. The more I think about it, the more it seems like an endless fray. Everyone will have to fight again and again, bearing loss and getting hurt. There should be a way to stop it."

Zenon: " is that what you really believe in? Do you think giving up will stop all of it? Are those your real feelings?"

Jin looked back at his LBX that sat down on the edge of Elie's desk.

Zenon: " is that your answer to Ban's feelings?"

Jin: " I..."

Zenon: " you were the one who had pulled him up years ago, but now..."

Jin narrowed his eyes as the memory flew by his mind.

Jin: " if I hadn't convinced him to fight again, he could have left the fight for good. Not he, nor Elie would end up like this."

He bit on his lip in frustration.

Jin: " if I hadn't believed grandfather, Seredy wouldn't have been alive now. Hiro and a whole lot of kids would have been spared suffer because of him and his terrorists. Even Eva..."

His fists clenched even more on the fabric of his pants.

Jin: " if I had just fallen down with the car, my parents wouldn't have died. The more I think about it, the more it seems like I'm the one causing all these problems."

Zenon was surprised, for he didn't just manage to finally pry open Jin's heart and lured him to let everything out. But also for the first time, he saw his partner shaking. Jin was broken, more even than he thought.

He had been bearing all these feelings, all these doubts, but never he once voiced them out. Of course Zenon understood that he wasn't the type to bother others with his personal problems. But that only made the hole in his chest grow wider, causing him to break down.

The burden he was bearing on his shoulders was too much...

Of all of them, Jin was the one who kept fighting the most. Not only the Innovators, Detectors, Gardyne, Mizel and the World Savers. But also his past that kept haunting him. His past with the Innovators and his grandfather, Jin kept fighting them, to find out answers.

Not once was he about to give up for good since he left for A country, not even wanting to see an LBX again. But he couldn't. He had to keep fighting, to understand what all that happened meant to him.

Although Zenon did it, although he managed to let Jin spill out what was bothering him, he couldn't find the answer to comfort him. Maybe that's why he didn't want to speak from the start. Because there was no answer. That's how his long fight ended. Fruitless, to no avail, futile...With no answers. That's why, he gave up.

Jin snapped as Elie shifted on the bed, she span so she was facing the wall. Jin let a sigh as he thought back at her words at NICS. He did consider her a friend, more than just a friend, but he never wanted her to be dragged down in his problems. He couldn't allow her too close to him. Not while she was having her own fight as well.

Maybe without noticing it, he had pushed her and everyone else away, hurting her with that. He knew she was worried, he knew she was hurt seeing him like that, but she had her own problems as well, he can't bother her with his.

Another sigh escaped him, everything was all messed up now. He didn't know what to do anymore. Maybe he should have accepted help. Maybe instead of staying back he should have left to fight with them. Or maybe...

Jin: " maybe from the start, I shouldn't have been here..."...


When he regained conscious, he wasn't able to move his body, nor even had the strength to open his eyes. But he felt the upper half of his head was covered by something, maybe some sort of machine.

Muffled voices could be heard from far across the room he was in, but he couldn't understand one word of what they were saying.

The voices became clearer as the persons moved closer to him. He was able to hear their footsteps.

When they suddenly stopped, he knew they were by his side at that moment.

" So, what's the plan then?"

He didn't recognize that first voice.

" Easy, we will first erase his memories, all of them via ECT."

If he could open his eyes, they would be wide at that, not only for the voice was that of non other than Gichii, but also what he was planning made chill run down his spine.

" Ho, using electricity to erase his memories. And then?"

Gichii: " we will think about how to cross the bridge when we reach there. first we have to monitor his mind after receiving a high level ECT for a long period."

The sound of a machine being activated could be heard, and he didn't like that at all.

Soon enough, a sharp pain cut through his head. It felt like it was in his mind. Shortly, he started losing tracks of memories. Where was he? Who were those two people? What were they talking about? What was happening?

His thoughts were all messed. He couldn't collect them anymore. He couldn't think of anything. All he felt was the increasing pain in his head...


When she woke up the next morning, Jin wasn't there. Her mother told her that he left earlier, saying that he had things to do.

Elie, who had sat down to the table sighed. She couldn't get her head out of what she overheard the previous night.

As her mother passed on her breakfast, the girl noticed someone was missing. It wasn't her father, for he was used to spending the night in the LAB and sleep there. Her brother? Don't make her cry again.

Elie: " where is Lilyan-san?"

Marie sighed.

Marie: " she didn't come back last night. I'm worried about her too. Though she send a message, telling me she won't come back for a while. It seems she is really down."

Elie looked down, of course she was. Few are the people Lilyan cared about. Even back in A country, she was only friend with them and Jessica. She didn't have the chance to meet Yuuya until recently.

Elie knew Lilyan had lost her older brother and couldn't bear losing someone else she held dear. So mostly she wanted to stay on her own for a while.

Elie: " I will drag her back this evening."

Marie: " please, else we won't be able to face Ban when he is back."

She said with a sweet smile that Elie chuckled until she chocked on her juice.

Elie: " I don't think Onii-chan is the type to get angry at his family because of his girlfriend."

Marie: " who knows, you know that love makes people blind."

She shrugged.

Elie: " not Onii-chan, I guarantee this."

Marie: " hm, well, he has a cool head on his shoulders despite what he may seem."

Elie: " anyway, I'm heading to Tiny Orbit. Mostly everyone is waiting for me to make a plan to save Onii-chan."

She said as she quickly finished her breakfast and stood up.

Marie: " alright. Just take your father's lunch box with you. I bet he didn't eat anything since yesterday."

Elie: " sure."

She was about to run out but, she reeled back and threw herself on her mother, squeezing her as much as she could.

Elie : " I'll be back with Onii-chan, I promise."

Marie face lit with a soft smile as she held her closer.

Marie: " I know you well. Do your best, dear."

A few minutes later, the door was slammed closed after the brunette that ran out. Marie sighed at herself.

Marie: " am I really alright, sending my daughter back to the battlefield?"

A smile crossed her lips.

Marie: " well, they're both their dad's children. They will always find a way back there even when I stop them."...


It was empty, not that anyone bothers visiting that spot anyway, except for those who lost dear families during that incident. Like him, like Yagami, Like Yuuya and Like Eva.

He himself didn't know why visiting that place all of a sudden. It's not like he could get anything from going there. Not that he will get answers, nor will he get an advice on what to do next.

Jin: " why..."

Hi voice was so weak as he spoke to the commemorative monument.

Jin: " you could have been saved... It was only a step..."

Flashes of the rainy night appeared before him and his fists clenched.

Jin: " I was the cause you falled... So why was I the only one who survived..."

Again. No answer...


When she entered the meeting room, Beargguy flew to her. Elie smiled widely as she tackled him.

Everyone in there had their LBXs back, all fixed. Arata was sitting on one of the chairs there, chewing on a sandwich. Just as Muraku predicted, the first thing he said when he woke up was ' I'm hungry '.

Everyone greeted her as she walked to them. All save her father and Jin were there. Her father was already asleep when she passed by him in the LAB, where she made sure to cover him and left the lunch box for him.

Jin although was a surprise since for all she knew, he had left earlier so he should be at Tiny Orbit.

Elie: " where is Jin?"

Evangeline: " isn't he with you?!"

Elie: " no. He left earlier this morning."

Lilyan: " he didn't come here either."

Yuuya: " and he is not in the house, he didn't pass by this morning."

Since Yuuya was living in the same house with Jin and Evangeline, he was also surprised for the man would at least pass by before going anywhere.

Elie recalled what she overheard the previous night.

" Maybe from the start, I shouldn't have been here..."

Blame her wild imagination that all sorts of bad scenarios jumped into her mind. She trembled in fear as each scenario she thought of was worst than the others.

Lilyan: " he wouldn't have gone to Dream Future on his own to..."

She didn't continue, knowing that the idea got to everyone. On the spot, Mirai pulled out her CCM, trying to call him but she couldn't get through.

Mirai: " it's no use. He should have shut down his CCM."

Rina: " Zenon! Can't we track him down?"

She asked Takuya next to her.

Takuya: " we can only track down the CCM since they activated their programs."

Hakai-O: " right, so it won't be easy for Leviathan to track us as well when we're separated."

Elie : " let's split and search for him! For all we know something bad may have happened to him!"

Just one look at her worried face and at her eyes that were threatening to send rivers of tears made them stand up.

Jessica: " alright then! Let's cover as much as we can to find him!"

With a collective nod, all the players except Kirito left. Mizel watched frostily as everyone ran out the meeting room.

Mizel: " it could have been easier if they asked me to search through the security footages to find him. To think even Eva slipped on that detail..."

Kirito: " why didn't you do so?"

He said drinking his coke nonchalantly. Mizel shrugged.

Mizel: " no one asked, it seems they're really worried for it to slip their minds. Plus..."

A smirk appeared on his face.

Mizel: " it's better this way. At least for him to understand how much they care. Besides..."

He eyed the blond who was leaning back on the chair, drinking his coke carelessly and his smirk widened.

Mizel: " aren't you the same? You could have hacked through the security cameras yourself."

Kirito shrugged too.

Kirito: " he needs to understand that we don't regret not giving him up. Nothing will make him understand more than this."

Mizel: " aren't you worried about him?"

The blond rolled his eyes.

Kirito: " not at all, not like I don't know where he is. It's boring to merely watch the security records of Tiny Orbit so I sometimes get a peek of what's happening in the city."

Mizel: " so we are the same."

Kirito smirked this time. Takuya, Cobra, Haruka and Rina blinked twice and sweat dropped at the two who ignored their existence.

Rina: " um... Are you okay with us hearing that?"

Cobra: " kids these days are terrifying..."...


A while later, all the Seekers members could be seen running through the streets, either on groups or each on his own, looking for the black and white haired man, asking their friends if they had seen him passing by, but nothing, like if he had vanished.

Elie stopped and bent down, trying to catch her breath. Eva and Lilyan immediately turned back to her as the worst scenario was pulled in their minds.

Yuuya: " are you alright, Elie-kun?"

He asked as he ran back to them.

Evangeline : " maybe you should take a break. We've been running for so long."

She shook her head and was soon on her feet again. They had gotten so far from Tiny Orbit by then. Thinking back at his words, Elie pushed forward again. She wasn't going to lose someone else, especialy not Jin.

She stopped when her CCM rang and as she pulled it out, blinking at the caller's ID. The other three approached on her.

Evangeline : " it's from Jiiya-san?"

Elie's heart sank as she thought about the worst thing the caller could tell them. She hesitantly answered the call.

Elie: " Jiiya... San..."

Jiiya: " Elie-san, pardon me bothering you but... I can't think of anyone else now..."

Evangeline: " is it about Jin?"

Jiiya: " Ah. Actually..."

Elie: " where are you?"

And their eyes slightly widened as Jiiya told her their spot...


Jessica: " eh! You know where he is?!"

Evangeline answered her with a yes from the other end of the line.

Evangeline: " Jiiya-san had just told us"

Hiro: " what are we waiting for?! Let's go!"

Yuuya: " hold on, Hiro-kun."

Everyone else blinked at the male's strange words.

Evangeline: " the only person who can help Jin now is on her way there. We only have to wait."

Gouda: " but!"

Yuuya: " I know, Gouda-kun. But we can't go, all of us, right now. It will only overwhelm him and won't do him any good. One person is enough."

Sendou: " hermit, upright. This will make it easier for him to speak."

Yuuya: " ah, let's just leave it in the hands of Elie-kun."

Evangeline : " she is the only one who can pull Jin up."...


When they ended the call, Lilyan blinked at the duo.

Lilyan: " um, what did you mean by that?"

Yuuya: " by what?"

Lilyan: " that Elie-san is the only one who can help Jin-san right now?"

Eva mulled over her words.

Evangeline : " just as when you have to break something apart to fix it sometimes. Jin now needs someone who can break the walls he had build around himself."

Yuuya: " the only one who can do that now is Elie."

Lilyan: " how could you tell?"

She inclined her head at them to which they exchanged looks and smiles.

Yuuya: " it doesn't need logic."

Evangeline : " it's just a feeling."

Lilyan cocked her eyebrow up in confusion.

Lilyan: " a feeling?"...


When she reached the station that afternoon, she waited for Jiiya to come and pick her up. Her mind then drifted to earlier.

Evangeline : " Elie, you head to Jin. Yuuya, Lilyan and I will inform the others and gather them again."

She stated as it was obvious for her what Jin was planning to do. She knew Elie figured out as well seeing the dread look she had.

Elie: " eh!"

She blinked twice at that.

Elie: " hold on! You should go! You're more like a sister to him! He would listen to you!"

Evangeline : " he does need you!"

Elie bet her lip at that.

Elie: " he won't listen to me... I was angry at him and I... I just... turned my back on him!"

She was on the verge of tears as she grabbed her CCM tightly. Although she really wanted to confront him, but what are the chances he would listen the her if she bursts at him again.

The blonde girl whirled her around so she was facing her with both hands on her shoulders.

Evangeline : " for God's sake Elie, we don't have time for this! You want to go! You have to go! Go there and get angry at him once more! For all of us! Get it across his mind that we care!"

Elie's eyes narrowed understandingly and she finally nodded...

Suddenly the horn of Jiiya's car pulled her out of her mind and she found it parked right at the side of the rout, waiting for her. She got on and fastened her seatbelt as he drove forward.

Zenon perched on her free shoulder since she got on.

Elie: " what is he doing there?"

The man shook his head.

Jiiya: " I don't know either. He asked me to pick him up this morning from nearby Tokio Bridge and drive him to the mansion, but he said nothing else during the whole ride. And when we got there, he simply told me to go back and didn't even take Zenon with him."

Elie looked down as she realized very well what he wanted to do.

Jiiya: " I got really worried and didn't know what to do other than calling you. Sorry again for bothering you."

Elie shook her head.

Elie: " not at all, I'm really thankful for your call. We were worried sick about him and started searching all around for him."

Jiiya finally parked in front of the mansion. It was abandoned since the Innovators' incident. Though it should be under government's control, but there was no one there. Like if they didn't care about it at all. Everything was left just like they were since that incident. Maybe add a pile of dust.

Elie got out and looked at the huge building, wondering how she can find him in there.

Jiiya: " mostly you'll find him in the third floor. His room and the old Master's room are there."

Elie nodded thankfully before reaching to the two LBXs sitting on her shoulders and handing them over to the old man.

Zenon: " oi!"

Beargguy: " you're not taking us with you?"

Elie shook her head with a smile.

Elie: " it's better if you stay here."

She said and walked on to the entrance...


Author Note: so guys, form here onward I'm going back to publishing one chapter per week. Since, I'm not being very much productive the last few weeks... Months... (• ;)

Either way, enjoy OwO