#epobbp

“To what do I owe this pleasure, Aoi? Come to kidnap me also?” Light’s voice was falsely friendly. He had no proof that Aoi was part of Clover’s most recent kidnapping but it would not surprise him if he was. Clover had been missing for over 6 months now and not once had she tried to contact him through the morphogenetic fields or any other way. There were multiple things this could indicate: A. She is out of range for contact. Which he felt was unlikely, especially when taken into account that the training obtained since joining SOIS had improved his range even farther than what it was during the Nonary Game. B. She is unable to contact him but she’s alive, whether it be due to being knocked out or drugged. Or worse case scenario C, she had died, either in the reactor explosions earlier this year, as one of the many victims of Radical-6 before that, or from her kidnappers, of which one was possibly here.

 Aoi just sighed. “Look Light. I know you think I took your sister.” Light was right, but he didn’t need to know that. “I might know of a way to get her back. If you want to help out.”

“A way to get her back you say? How?” Light could tell that Aoi was not telling him everything. Why would he be looking for a way to get Clover back? If Aoi is involved in this, that meant Akane would be to, Light had no doubts about that. Which brings the question of what are they looking for, and how does Clover play in.

“Akane told me about this device called a transporter. If we can get it, we can get your sister back.”

“A transporter?” Light raised an eyebrow at Aoi. Aoi let of a groan of frustration.

“I don’t know okay. I heard about it from Akane. Using it would be a way to get Clover back from what I’ve heard about it. I figured you would want the chance to find her.” The last sentence he muttered to himself, but Light heard it anyway.

Light considered this for a moment. He could potentially be walking into a trap. However, apocalypse had happened and it was incredibly different to get food and water. He had previously been working with SOIS, but after the explosion, everyone was too focused on getting food and staying alive to actually care about what had happened to Alice and Clover. Some of them had even said they are probably in a better place because they don’t need to deal with this hell. Working with Aoi might be the only chance he had for seeing his sister again. Why they needed this “transporter” was another matter entirely. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They had been searching for months now, and all leads had turned out dead. It was hard enough finding enough food and water in this hellscape, but they were managing. They had found a place to make camp in and had cooked the food they had found.

They were eating in silence when Light turned his head to the left. “I believe I hear Junpei approaching.” His voice was mildly surprised. He didn’t think it would be likely to run into people he knew as they were looking. However, if Junpei was still looking for Akane, then he guessed it would only make sense for him to find Light and Akane’s brother eventually.

Aoi stood up quickly, making sure to take the food with him as they couldn’t risk wasting anything. “Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.” Light waited one eyebrow raised. Aoi looked around for a place to hide. “Wait, which direction is he coming from?” Light pointed, still waiting for him to explain. Spotting something that would conceal him from Junpei’s view as he approached, Aoi spoke to Light as he ran over to it, “Don’t let him know I’m here. He cannot know that I’m here. But see what info he might have. Akane said he joined a detective agency so who knows what they could know.”

Light’s hearing was still incredible. Aoi was able to hide and finish his food before Junpei appeared.

“Snake??? What… You survived! Are you alone?” Junpei looked around. Aoi ducked his head, making sure Junpei couldn’t see him.

“It’s good to know you survived also Junpei. I am not alone, but…my companion had to leave momentarily. I do not know when to expect him back.”

“Your companion? Wait,’him’? You mean it’s not Clover? I would have thought you’d be together.” Junpei then noticed that Light had tensed up at the mention of his sister.

“Wait…Is she dead? Oh man I am so sorry, Light. Did she die from Radical-6? Or the explosions?” Junpei’s voice was laced with concern.

Pain radiated from Light’s face. “No. No. I do not believe she died from Radical-6 or the explosions. In fact she went missing on December 22th, 2028, before the outbreak.”

“Oh…well at least there’s hope right? She could still be out there looking for you too…” His expression showed how likely he thought this was, but he tried to keep his voice optimistic.

Light nodded. “Yes. We have actually had some leads as to where she might be. Have you heard of a device called a transporter? We believe that those who have taken Clover have obtained this device as well or that it could be used to help locate her.”

Junpei frowned, a headache suddenly starting. A transporter sounded very familiar to him, but he couldn’t remember why. There was the gap in his memory during the Mars Mission. Could he had heard of it during that time?

Junpei shook his head. “Sorry Light. I don’t know about it, but I’ll keep an ear out for it and let you know if I find anything. If I can find you anyway.”

“It is appreciated Junpei.”

Junpei stayed and visited, but fortunately for Aoi, it was only for a few hours. He eventually excused himself, saying that he was still looking for Akane and was following some leads he had gotten from some of the other survivors.

Aoi returned from his hiding spot.

“Is there some reason why Junpei cannot find you? I assume it has to do with Akane?”

Aoi’s silence said it all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Periodically, they would find their way to one of the Crash Keys hideouts. Aoi would check to see if there were any new rumors about the location of the transporter and ask about his sister. To his joy, his sister was at this particular site.

They could not be in the same room together. Aoi had been on the outside for long enough that it was a concern that a mutation or new strain of Radical-6 could have infected him and he would not risk his sister. They both knew that Akane should be fine for the next 42 years or so, but neither wanted to risk the plan failing.

Still, he would be able to see his sister again. To know she was alright. He would forever be grateful to Junpei for saving her. But he would not go against her determination to keep to the plan, even at the cost of Junpei. Before he left to recruit Light, he saw her ring and knew the meaning behind it. He dearly loved his sister, but this was not a wish he would be able to grant for her and Junpei.

He heard the leads she had for them this time and reported the failed ones to her. She knew he (really Light) had been meeting up with Junpei from time to time, but never once did she ask about him. When he had told her that they had come across Junpei and that he was assisting them in trying to locate the transporter, her face went through a range of emotions: happiness, grief, and determination. All she had told him was to make sure that Junpei did not see him. They both knew he would survive the years until the Ambidex game, but he could not remember what happened at DCOM.

“How are things on Rhizome-9?” Aoi wanted to be kept up to date as much as possible on the plans.

Akane was quiet for a long moment. “Diana died. She was not able to adjust fully to the moon like Sigma has. He’s taking it hard. But she got her wish to go to the moon, and they had three happy years together.”

Aoi had nothing to say to that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Here.”

Junpei placed an object in Light’s hand.

“What’s this? An old walkie talkie?”

“Yeah. We found these a while ago. I was able to get them to work again. At least it worked when Carlos and I tested them…They don’t have a long range. But I can’t think of any other way to get into contact with you when we find something.”

“Carlos?”

“Huh? Oh yeah…I guess you can say he’s a friend of mine?” There was an odd tone to Junpei’s voice.

“Are you sure you can trust him?”

“Hmmm? Oh yeah. At least I think so anyway…” Junpei trailed off, trying to figure out how to explain. He sighed. “I was involved with a simulated Mars mission, it was a lead I had on Akane. The first one I found. I met Carlos during that time, but I have no idea what happened there. My memories from that time are pretty much gone, and Carlos said he was sworn not to discuss it, no matter how much I asked. It’s complicated.”

Light nodded, unwilling to pry further into the subject.

“Anyway. I’m glad I found you. We’ve been trying for a while now. I’ll let you know if I have anything else. We’re headed south. You?”

“We haven’t discussed it yet. I believe we need to make a stop somewhere for my companion, however.”

“Well. Stay safe you two. Things are starting to get better, but it’s far from over yet.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aoi and Light were supposed to meet Junpei at this spot. However, Light had gotten ill off of some of the…”food” they had to eat and this was possibly the best lead they have gotten in all these years. Junpei had contacted him over those walkie-talkies. They weren’t the best, but if they were close enough together, they could communicate and find a place to meet. Aoi wouldn’t risk not getting this information, so he wore a scarf and hat he had traded for a few months ago and went to the meeting spot.

The man who approached was not Junpei. He was muscular and had old burn scars on his arms. It was impossible to tell if it was before or after the antimatter plant explosions.

“Who are you?” Aoi spoke first, regarding the man warily.

“I could ask you the same question.” The man returned his gaze. “The man I’m here to meet is not you.”

“How would you know?”

“Well for one thing, you saw me approach.” Shit. Well, it’s not like Aoi was pretending to be Light, he just didn’t want to be discovered by Junpei.

“He’s sick, but has a message.” Over the years, they had come up with codes and other security measures to prevent the information from being heard by others.

“Very well. Here.” Carlos handed over a piece of paper written in braille. Another security measure that Junpei and Light (and Aoi) had agreed upon to prevent others from seeing the message.

Aoi nodded, unsurprised at the braille and turned around headed back towards where he left Light.

Unbeknownst to Aoi, the man followed. He was still suspicious and wanted to make sure that the letter actually arrived to its intended person.

Upon hearing the footsteps he recognized as Aoi, Light sat up.

“Ah, Aoi.” His voice was still a little weak, but stronger than it had been. “I trust there were no problems? Junpei did not recognize you?”

“Nope. It was some blond guy instead. Here’s the message. Is it actually from him?”

The message was placed in Light’s hand. He nodded. “Yes the correct code is there. This is a message from Junpei.”

Upon confirmation that the message was safely delivered, Carlos left to return to Junpei.

Aoi…the name sounded familiar to Carlos, but he couldn’t think of why.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It had been a long time since they started searching for Clover. All that time, and still no luck in finding his sister. His hope and faith were beginning to waver. Aoi was convinced that the transporter (that he had begun to doubt the existence of) was in this lead that Light had gotten from Junpei. There was a flash of recognition in Junpei’s eyes every time they brought up the transporter, but he always frowned and as far as Aoi could tell, he never could place why. (Aoi knew Akane was conflicted about this. Junpei was not allowed to remember what had happened in 2028. He could not remember for them to have a chance at changing it.)

The building was an old warehouse. A suspicious location to be sure but every lead they received had to be checked, and Junpei had participated in multiple raids on Free the Soul locations before the antimatter plants went off, so he might be able to tell how likely a location it was for them.

Aoi had an idea of what the transporter looked like and how it worked from Akane. The only reason she was alive now was because of this transporter, and it was Light’s only chance on being reunited with his sister unless he wanted to wait until after the Ambidex Game, if he lived that long.

They snuck in, it was suspiciously easy. They had gotten a lot of practice over the years, but if the transporter truly was here, there was not enough security for such an important item. Aoi was leaning towards calling it another false lead when a voice spoke out from behind them.

“I see you’ve arrived.” Aoi pulled out the gun Junpei had helped him fix (well, helped Light fix for his “companion”) and turned to face the voice that had spoken. He was very old, with purple eyes and a pair of orange glasses in his hands.

“There is no need for that. You have come for the transporter. It is here. You can use it for your intended purpose, but you cannot have it yet. You will not obtain it for many years yet.”

“What the hell do you mean? We’re here now and we’ll take it.” Aoi was about to pull the trigger on the old man. In this hell on earth, it was survival. However he was not able to, instead his hand let go on its own.

“What the f-”

“No you will not.”

The man turned and lead them down to a secret room hidden in the warehouse.

“By the time your reinforcements get here, this will be gone. Tell Akane Kurashiki: The date and time are April 18th, at 2:20 am.” The man turned and began to leave the room.

“Why are you helping us?” Light spoke up for the first time. The man paused and spoke four words before he left.

“My motives are…complex.”

“What the fuck does that mean?” were going to be the next words out of Aoi’s mouth but then the machine started up. He had been so focused on the man, that he hadn’t looked around. The machine was huge: two green pods with a screen between them on one side, two caccoon looking silver pods with yellow…doors he guessed… in the center on the other, with silver and gold silos behind them. The pods were glowing, with small beams of white lights surrounding them as if it was in a tornado. The light became blinding.

When Aoi could see again, he watched the pod doors (he was right) open to a bright light. From inside the light, two figured walked out and headed down the stairs in front of the pods. Aoi recognized both of them. He had played a part in their original kidnapping after all. They looked exactly as they had the day he kidnapped them.

Light heard the footsteps. He recognized the gait and the way she gasped, no matter how much time had passed.

“Clover!” All that time, combating despair, almost falling multiple times and she was here. Alive.

“Light!? Is it really you?” She ran towards her brother and hugged him. “I thought I’d never see you again. I thought this would never work but it did! You’re here! I’m here!”

Alice, who had emerged from the other pod stared for a few minutes at Light. She noticed what Clover had not yet realized in her happiness at seeing her brother. She looked to Aoi who turned his gaze away from the siblings and looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

“What year is this?”

He answered her and she nodded, having expected as much.

That was all they got to say when a white gas filled the room, knocking them all out.

When they came to, they were in the same location, but the transporter was gone.

Internally cursing himself and his stupidity, Aoi faced his companions. “Well come on then. We have to get you all to Akane. There is a lot of explaining to do.”

“WHAT? You mean we have to go back to her? Why! She told us that we would be able to return. She promised!”

“Hey, I have no idea why she told you that. What I was told is that if I found you, you need to go see her. Something about rules for not disturbing this timeline. You know that you’re in cold sleep on the moon right now. Also, Junpei can’t meet either of you, ever. As far as he’s aware, you both went missing years ago and it needs to stay that way.”

Shit. He hadn’t told Light that he knew where they were the entire time had he? He glanced quickly at Light, who showed no surprise at all that Aoi had known (figures), before motioning for them all to follow and left the warehouse.

He would still need to continue on to find the transporter alone, but at least Light had his sister back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bonus: After Carlos met back up with Junpei:

“So, you met Light. Interesting guy right?” Junpei was sitting in the middle of the deserted building trying to figure out what was wrong with the walkie-talkies.

“No, he was sick. So his friend was there instead. Some guy named Aoi I believe.”

Junpei stopped what he was doing the second he heard Aoi.

“His companion’s name was Aoi? You’re sure?”

Carlos was confused as to why Junpei looked so shocked at Aoi’s name. “Yeah, and don’t worry, I confirmed multiple ways that it was actually Light to whom he was returning to.”

“No, but…Aoi….white hair? Kind of a jerk?”

“Sure, that sounds about right I’d say.”

“GOD FUCKING DAMN IT LIGHT. The next time I see him I am killing him. Did you hear which way they were heading next? We need to follow them.”