Rui was still in shock, seeing her old friend had saved her life, while her sister had arrived as well. But while she was still processing this, Shuri was still controlled by her anger.

"Why did you stop me?!" She demanded as she walked up to Chris. "I would've been able to end it… all of it!"

"Again, are you completely stupid?!" Chris said to her sister. "You're the more level headed one between us, and you're trying to pull this crap?!"

"But if I-!"

"This isn't what Maia would've wanted!" Chris yelled. "You know this! She did her best to bring Rui back to us, and you tried killing her?!"

"She… She took her away from us…" Shuri's voice shook. "She took her away from me…"

Chris gently pulled Shuri into a hug as she began to sob. Hibiki walked over to her sister, gently leaning down and holding her hand.

"...what are you doing?" Rui asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Hibiki smiled.

"Why are you doing this… after everything?"

"Because we're family." Hibiki said.

"But I…"

"It doesn't matter if you think you're a monster." Hibiki reassured Rui. "You're still my big sister, right?"

"That's…?"

"Come on, Oneesan. Where's that big sis I know and love? The one that's an expert cook, cat lover and a total Kamen Rider nerd?" She asked.

"I… Hibiki…"

Flick

Rui looked up, seeing that Hibiki had flicked her forehead with her other hand. She put a hand over where Hibiki had flicked her.

"That look doesn't suit your face, Oneesan." Hibiki said, keeping her hand out. "Stand up."

This time, Rui accepted her hand. As soon as she was pulled to her feet, Hibiki had embraced Rui in a hug.

"Wha-?" Rui was stunned. "Why… Why are you doing this? After everything I've done… why?"

"...I missed you, Oneesan." Hibiki said quietly, letting her tears fall. She kept up her smile, nonetheless. "I love you."

Hibiki wasn't the only one that was crying. Once she felt the warmth of her sister and heard her words… Rui almost completely broke down as the tears started to flow freely. Despite the cold metal her body was now made of… she could feel the love from her sister.

She didn't realize how much she missed the presence of Hibiki and the others until now. With shaky hands she returned the hug, sobbing into her sister's shoulder.

They didn't know how long they stayed like that, but both Rui and Shuri had managed to calm down thanks to their sisters.

"Okay… now that we're all calm, do you two want to say anything?" Hibiki asked them.

Rui and Shuri shared a glance.

"I think… we said everything we wanted to." Shuri said, having realized why exactly Rui decided to fight her the way she did.

"Yeah…"

"Why did you come out here?" Chris asked, looking at the remains of Kadingir, a few bad memories returning.

"I… needed time to think about what I was doing." Rui said, looking at the tower. "After what I did… I realized that… maybe I'm holding onto false hope. Tesla… I felt like I could trust him, but now…"

"What took you long enough to realize a guy that let a giant monster terrorize a city might not be the best dude around? The same one we thought killed you?" Chris snarked.

"Chris-chan!" Hibiki chided.

"No, I deserve that." Rui chuckled. "I've really just been a reckless moron…"

"Then fix that problem." Chris said. "Start making up for all the stupid shit you did, Chuunigure."

"...heh, I actually miss when you called me that." Rui said.

"I'm serious though." Chris said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You guys gave me the chance, and you did the same for FIS. Now… I guess it's my turn to give you the chance, Rui."

Rui smiled at her friend, as she turned away. "What do you need me to do?"

"We brought this." Chris held up a small device.

"A tracker?" Rui guessed as she took it.

Chris nodded. "We need to stop Tesla from doing his whole "remake the world" crap. So once you get there, we'll have a lockdown on the place."

"It's not gonna work when I'm in the base. Tesla set up radar jammers all around it." Rui said. "And I can't just give the coordinates either because once he sees you guys coming in, he'll probably shift around."

"Just keep it without letting him know." Chris said. "That way we can keep tabs and figure out a good time to strike."

"...alright. I'll do it."

Rui turned around, letting the Elekleid spread its wings as she prepared to fly.

"Rui-san!" Shuri said before she could fly off.

Rui looked at Shuri.

"I… for what I tried to do, I'm sor-"

"Save the apologies, I don't deserve them." Rui said. "You had every right for what you tried doing… after what I did to Maia…"

With that, she spread her wings, and flew off.

"...do you think she'll be okay?" Shuri asked.

"I know her well enough." Chris smiled. "She'll pull through."

"We'll believe in Oneesan." Hibiki nodded.

"...I understand." Shuri said with a nod. "Good luck, Rui-san…"

"Oh and Shuri." Chris remembered. "Before I forget."

She delivered a swift chop on top of Shuri's head.

"Ow!" Shuri winced, as she held her head, feeling a bit of a lump. "What was that for?"

"For the stupid stunt you tried pulling." Chris flexed her wrist. "Damn, never realized your head was as hard as the dummy's."

"You have to say that now, Chris-chan?" Hibiki said, feeling a bit insulted.

"You hit me… not even our Papa or Mama hit me…" Shuri whined.

Chris gently rubbed the top of her twin's head to apologize, as she looked off at the direction Rui flew.

I never did get to say thanks to her… for taking up the chance.

"Finally… it's finished…!"

Tesla slowly crawled out of the space that Gjallarhorn occupied. He stepped back and marveled at his creation. It was a giant robot suit that was beige, with orange glass parts on it. There were several green orbs on the body, including the core that had Gjallarhorn within.

"Wow… you really did it!" Lala said, amazed.

"You did help, Lala." Starlit reminded her.

"You all did." Tesla smiled.

"Really?" Forte shrugged. "I just hammered out the metal."

"That's still an invaluable assistance, Forte." Tesla smiled. "In fact, I would like you to be the one to name the machine."

"Wait, why me?"

"Well, you've had a better knack for naming things compared to me." Tesla admitted. "The Elekleids were all named after my favorite numbers, after all."

"But isn't that a good naming theme?" Lala asked.

Forte looked up at the giant machine, thinking hard at what to call it.

"Hmm… how about the Achtzehn Blitz?" Forte suggested. "It's close enough to the idea of the Elekleid, but not exactly the same.

"The Achtzehn Blitz…" Tesla repeated, sitting on the name. "It's perfect. With this, we can change this world for the better."

"Y'know, if that Gjallarhorn thing can connect to other worlds, why just stop at this one?" Forte asked.

"Because we're already skating on thin ice here, Forte." Starlit said. "Once we use this to achieve our goal, we will destroy it. It is far too dangerous."

However, Tesla pondered Forte's words. "To save other worlds… to save every world…"

Starlit started to cough, as she fell to her knees. Looking at her hand, she saw that she had coughed up some blood.

"Starlit!" Forte shouted.

"Lala will take you to the medical room!" Lala said, picking her up.

Tesla had barely even noticed Starlit's condition as he stared up at the machine.

"To save every world…"

Tsubasa had noticeable bags under her eyes. She had spent the entire time sitting in Maia's room, sitting at her sister's side. Due to her sister's condition, she had refused to leave the entire time. She needed to be here right now, more than ever. The others had occasionally checked-up on her, but she didn't seem to notice any of them.

"Tsubasa… you look terrible."

Tsubasa looked up, almost wondering if her sister had suddenly spoken, only to see Maria instead. She was carrying something under her arm, but Tsubasa was too tired to make out what it was.

"Ah… Maria…"

"You should get some rest." Maria said, gently patting her shoulder.

"I don't think I can." Tsubasa muttered. "Not while Neesama is like this…"

"...you honestly remind me of how Jeanne and I acted." Maria said.

"I do?"

"When Serena and Mel died… it took everything from Kirika, Shirabe and Mom to make us eat or sleep." Maria said. "I know how painful it is to lose a sibling, but… you have hope. Maia's not gone yet, there's always a chance she'll return to us. I'd be more surprised if she didn't wake up."

"Maria I… I'm sorry about your sister-"

"I didn't come here to make you feel sorry for a pain I have long since accepted." Maria told Tsubasa. "I came here to help you get through it."

"I… thank you…"

"But the rest isn't a suggestion; it's an order. We're going to need you in the best shape possible." Maria said, face grim.

"Why? Did something happen?" Tsubasa asked.

"Shuri, Chris and Hibiki were able to get through to Rui." Maria smiled. "We'll find out the location of the enemy any time now."

"That's good to hear." Tsubasa nodded. Rui Tachibana… she's come back to us…

"So until we find out when, you get some sleep." Maria said. "Your legs might be better now, but not completely."

The odd object under Maria's arm turned out to be a foldable sleeping mat, complete with a pillow and blanket.

"But-"

"No buts." Maria chided. "Get some sleep right now. Your sister will still be here."

"...fine." Tsubasa said, not arguing with how heavy her eyes felt. As she started to lie down, she noticed Maria was pulling the blanket over her legs. "...but you don't have to tuck me in."

"I'm just making sure, considering how reckless you can be." Maria said with a small teasing smirk.

Tsubasa had really underestimated how exhausted she was, as she fell asleep the moment her head rested on the pillow. Maria smiled seeing Tsubasa was resting, before she looked at Maia's comatose state.

"Maia… we'll find a way to save you." Maria said softly. "We'll make a miracle happen, sooner or later."

Rui had arrived back at the base, and noticed that things were oddly quiet. She briefly checked the tracker to make sure it was still working, before hiding it.

"Hello?" Rui asked. "Starlit? Anyone there?"

She heard footsteps and saw Forte quickly run up, grabbing her wrist. "Rui! Hurry over!"

"Whoa, what's-?" She started.

"No time for questions! It's an emergency!" Forte shouted.

She pulled Rui along over to the medbay, where Lala and Tesla were both waiting for her. Both of them had grim looks on their faces.

"Rui…" Lala said quietly.

"You've returned, as I predicted." Tesla said, though he didn't seem happy about being right.

"Tesla, what's going on?" Rui asked.

"Starlit's condition has worsened significantly." He explained, turning his head to the occupied bed.

Rui widened her eyes, seeing the condition that Starlit was in. Her skin was deathly pale and covered in sweat. The IV fluid was hooked up to her arm, as the heartbeat monitor was noticeably rapid. She wasn't unconscious, as her eyes were barely open and moving, but she looked like she could pass out any second.

"How long does she have?" Rui asked.

"If she stays in bed and avoids straining herself…" Tesla put a hand under his chin, closing her eyes. "...less than a week, at most."

"Less than a week?!" Rui said, shocked.

"Yes… she won't live much longer." Tesla said grimly. "But, there is a way to fix this. Come with me, Rui."

He looked back at Starlit once, before turning away and walking out of the room. Rui, Forte and Lala followed him.

"You got a plan to fix things?" Rui asked.

"Yes. With this, I can save Starlit's life, as well as restore your body to how it once was." Tesla said.

Rui couldn't help but stumble at those words. "Are… you're not lying to me, are you?"

"I have never lied to you." Tesla promised, as they entered a larger room. "And this is the solution to fix every problem."

The lights turned on, revealing the giant machine in the center.

"A giant robot?" Rui asked, confused.

"It's called the Achtzehn Blitz." Forte said. "I named it myself."

"This machine will draw upon the power of many worlds in order to empower itself." Tesla said. "However, because of how much power it wields, I can't pilot it alone."

"So you need us to help you drive?" Lala asked.

"...no." Tesla said quietly. "Your roles… they're…"

"They're what?" Forte asked.

Tesla let out a deep breath, turning to them. His expression was incredibly remorseful, but there was a hint of determination in his eyes.

"The way that the Achtzehn Blitz was built, is that the Elekleid bracelets will act as a power conduit for Gjallarhorn." Tesla said.

"Okay that's easy." Forte said. "We'll just slip them off and-"

"No. If they're just by themselves, they'll break under the stress." Tesla said. "They need someone to harness the power. You three will have to be the core power conduit for Achtzehn."

While both Forte and Lala looked stunned at the revelation, Rui frowned.

"...but if it's just to "fix" all the problems in our world, why would you need the power from parallel worlds?" Rui asked.

"Because it's not just Starlit's condition and your body I will restore." Tesla said. "Once I wipe this world clean, I will create a world where I can save Amelia, and fix every problem this world has had. Starvation, disease, filth, decay, racism, constant war and terrorism. There are many things in this world that humanity would be happier without."

Rui stood her ground, but Forte and Lala took a step back. Tesla… he never mentioned this. He never talked like this.

"And once you're done "fixing" this world?" Rui asked.

"Then I will do the same to the next." Tesla said. "Every world, I will absorb every soul, before restarting life anew."

"...you know what Tesla?" Rui said. "I did trust you, but I guess I'll have to live the rest of my life with this body now. Elekleid. Switch on."

Tesla didn't answer her, as Rui summoned her armor and blade.

"You've lost it. You're not some hero or savior; you're just playing God!" Rui roared, rushing forward.

But before she could even slash, Tesla raised his arm. Rui screamed in pain as she was surrounded by an electrical field.

"A shame, Rui." Tesla said, disappointment in his voice. "I truly hoped you of all people would understand wanting to wipe sins away."

"Elekleid! Switch on!"

Both Lala and Forte had donned their Elekleids as well.

"Let her down, Tesla!" Forte shouted. "This isn't like you!"

"Tesla, please!" Lala pleaded. "Lala knows that-! Agh!"

The two of them were also caught in the electrical field, unable to move.

"How…?!" Forte breathed out, gritting her teeth.

"Microbots. Invisible to the human eyes due to their size." Tesla answered. "Fine-tuned on a specific wavelength to neutralize the Elekleid."

He slowly moved his hand, the microbots following the motion as they carried the three towards the Achtzehn Blitz. The chest compartment opened to reveal Gjallarhorn, along with several holding chambers.

"Tesla!"

Tesla turned to see Starlit. She was breathing heavily, holding onto her chest, but kept standing.

"What are you doing…?" She asked. "This isn't your original vision!"

"It may not have been, but it's the natural course of change." He said.

"What you're doing isn't you!" Starlit pleaded. "Amelia wouldn't have wanted this! Snap out of this, Tesla-!"

"Elekleid. Switch on."

Starlit was knocked back by a shock of electricity, sending her into the wall. Tesla had donned a suit of Elekleid armor, the same colors as the Achtzehn.

"I'm sorry Starlit." Tesla apologized. "But in the new world, I will bring you back as well."

"Starlit…!" Forte winced.

"A fourth… Elekleid…?" Lala muttered.

"Elekleid Weltraum." Tesla said. "I developed it while we built the Achtzehn Blitz. Instead of the combat capabilities yours are capable of, this is meant to connect me to the machine."

"You… bastard…!" Rui muttered.

"Rui… I truly did mean it when I said I would return you to normal." Tesla said, frowning. "I still will, but you will have no memory prior to it happening."

"Screw you…!" Rui grit her teeth. "Once I get out of this…!"

"I'm afraid there won't be a way to escape, Rui." Tesla shook his head. "As long as you three survive, the power of the Achtzehn Blitz will only continue to grow. And eventually I will no longer need to use you."

He moved his hand forward, forcing them into the machine. Wires dropped down, connecting to the armor and locking their limbs in place.

Tesla moved his hand once more, as the head of the machine unlocked, and the wires floated out. They snapped into place on the Elekleid Weltraum, and lifted him into the cockpit.

"Amelia… I will not only create a world for you… but every world will change for you!" He declared, as the head closed.

The roof opened up, and the machine took off. Starlit could only watch helplessly as it flew. Forcing herself to stand up, she saw that her clothes were slowly staining red. Tesla's attack had opened up a few wounds.

"I'm… running out of time… I need… to do… something…"

She quickly looked around for anything she could do, eyes brightening as she saw one of the nearby terminals were still active. She dragged herself over, leaving a trail of blood, but she kept powering through the pain. While her hands were shaky, she still managed to type and activate several of the basic communication functions.

"SONG… stop him…!" She pressed a button, lowering the cloaking shield.

She coughed out some blood, but kept tapping, looking for a specific function.

"Lala… please get this message…"

SONG was still preparing for the battle ahead, before an alert appeared on the monitor.

"What…?" Aoi looked at the alert. "This is just one of the hills by the city outskirts…"

She looked closer and saw a red blip, one that was moving fast.

"We're getting a reading on Rui-san's tracker!" Aoi reported.

"Where?" Genjuro asked.

"It's… getting closer to the city?" Fujitaka said, confused, before widening his eyes. "Whoa, that just became even faster! Wait, we have a visual!"

The screen pulled up a view of the center of the city. A giant robot was floating above it, glowing with power.

"What… is that…?" Jeanne said, shocked.

"It's smaller in scale than Carol's Château… but…" Ogawa muttered.

Elfnein looked at the machine and fell backwards.

All she could feel from the machine was fear.

Achtzehn Blitz started to glow in energy, as it started gaining power. Tesla closed his eyes as he concentrated, drawing every last bit of energy he could from this world.

"Today…" He opened his eyes. "Today will be the day all sins are erased."

A/N: It's finally time for the finale of Lost Song to begin. Hope you've all prepared yourselves for a wild ride.

Feel free to leave a review. See you all next time.