-Chapter 166: You Built it Up
I stare at Raiden as he sits down on the table in front of us. He just introduced himself and sat down. He is really trying to prove that he isn't controlled by the Ark right now, but we're extremely doubtful about it.
"It is impossible that he escaped from the Ark," Jin states and I look over at him. He's not wrong about that. Something is fishy with Raiden's arrival here. "The Ark had him restored to his factory settings."
I am not trying to about that he could get away from the Ark somehow, but I just to believe the Ark would let him come here without a reason to. There is a reason the Ark allowed him to come all the way here. What the reason is doesn't matter to me right now. What matters is convincing Aruto to not trust this man.
"You mean it wiped out his original singularity, right?" I ask. I have to know for sure if he did get wiped like Horobi and the others.
"Yes, that is what happened."
I knew it! Why did the Ark do that and undo my progress with Horobi? Now it is like how it was before we made that progress. Horobi tolerated me and was nice to me, but it wasn't because he really wanted to.
"The thing about that is that I got my memories back about my brother, Subaru," Raiden tells us and I look back at him as he puts a hand up to his head and moves it weirdly. "I couldn't just stand around after remembering all of that. I got here as fast as I could."
"So, you reached singularity?" Izu asks, taking notice of how he is right now. That would explain him getting his memories back, but that could have been the Ark giving it back to him somehow.
"There is no way you escaped the Ark. Impossible." Jin is the real MVP here. "How did you even get away from the Ark?"
"Quickly, bro!" Raiden exclaims, giving a thumbs up.
"Huh?" Same, Jin, same. This is the second time we've had the same exact reaction to something, but mine is still internal.
Raiden clicks his tongue and nods his head. Yeah, not trusting him at all right now. Seriously, something is up with this sudden of appearance of his. Perhaps the Ark had him come here without him knowing he's doing it for the Ark.
"I am not buying the entire thing of him happening to come here after that. Aruto, do not trust him," I state. I do not buy it.
"Well, I guess you're not wanting to hear about the new plan the Ark has."
I look away, scoffing. "What new plan?"
"The Ark is looking for a way to take over Zea. I came here to give the Prez a head's up in order for him to make the first move. We do not want to give the Ark the first move when we can be on the offensive to deal with it." He expects me to buy this?
I look back at Raiden. "Seriously, you think we should buy that? The Ark is definitely playing us right now. Aruto, disregard him."
"Mari, you're being too harsh on him due to your past differences." Aruto puts his hand on my back and pats it. "Just relax and hear him out. He might be telling the truth to us right now." Yeah, sure Raiden is.
"Whatever." I don't buy it.
"Prez, you need to do what he doesn't expect you to do is all. If you make the first move, the Ark won't be able to figure out what to do about it. You will defeat his expectations," Raiden tells Aruto, trying to convince him to make the first move. "I took care of that satellite with Subaru while navigating the cosmic ocean. Our job is to keep her safe."
"This is him for sure."
"Come on, Aruto," Jin says, sounding unsure.
"I'm glad you're alright. Jin, please trust me on this."
I swallow hard and look down at my high heels. "Yeah, just trust him on this one. He so knows what he is doing."
Aruto removes his hand from my back. "Are you going to come with us Mari?" he asks me curiously.
"Yeah, I'm only going to come just in case something goes wrong. The moment something goes wrong, Aruto, it'll be on you." I turn, my eyes going to his. "I believe that this is a trap."
"Well, I trust him." Aruto is being so stupid right now. Jin is right about this because he knows how Metsuboujinrai works and how the Ark works.
It just seems to easy so far right now. Why would this information suddenly fall into ours hands like this? No, this is planned by the Ark. The Ark knows what we're going to do and is going to be waiting for us.
"We should at least give someone at Halo Horizons a head's up. Izu, stay behind and contact Nina or someone there. Rei is probably busy with figuring out how to upgrade weapons to deal with the Ark problem," I order.
"But I can-"
"Yeah, I know you can only take orders from Aruto. Just do this one order for me since you're the only one capable of doing it while we're going." I am not going to waste more time here. "Let's get going now before it is too late."
We're definitely walking into a trap right now.
~.~
I stop as the other three stops near the blocked off section of the town. We're here making the first move, which I'm sure the Ark knows about. Just what kind of trap did he set up for us?
Something moves and I look up as an interesting suit moves over me. I look at Jin as it tackles him, knocking him to the ground and capturing him. Wait...is that Naki? Did Naki just come out of nowhere and capture Jin? This is a trap!
Naki picks up Jin and holds him, keeping him hostage. "Naki?" Jin asks, looking quite surprised to see them.
"Jin!" Aruto exclaims and I look over as Arkrobi approaches. Yeah, I know the Ark is up in that fine body of Horobi's right now and I wish it would let him go.
"Zero-One, I've been expecting you to come here," Arkrobi says, turning his head and staring at us. "Oh, I didn't expect you though. I thought you wouldn't come since you would know that it is a trap."
"Well, I came because I knew it was. I had to come here and to see it with my own two eyes, Ark." I am not going to hide that I knew that we were walking into a trap. I am going to be open about it.
Jin moves against Naki, struggling hardcore. "I knew it! Ikazuchi, you tricked us and lead us into a trap!"
"What? I didn't trick anyone," Raiden says, denying that he purposely lead us here. Oh, I can believe him on that one right now. He didn't intentionally bring us here.
"Then why did this happen?" Aruto asks curiously. I can explain that one, idiot.
"I knew exactly how to manipulate you in order to make this happen," the Arkrobi tells us, admitting that he used Raiden to his advantage. "With Ikazuchi's memory, it was mere child's play to get you all here." He lowers his head and lifts it back up, eyes glowing red.
A red and black energy ball leaves Horobi and heads towards Raiden, surrounding him completely. Yeah, this isn't good. The Ark is about to take him over and beat the crap out of all of us. And by all of us, I mean Aruto.
Raiden screams, obviously in pain from it, and I gasp.
He stops screaming and turns, growling a little bit as he stares at his hand. "Ikazuchi is a spy that was created to operate in close proximity to the Satellite Zea. Once I have taken control of her, he will have served his purpose."
"You're wrong!" Aruto shouts. "His job is to protect Zea!" Yeah, not any longer. He's being controlled by the Ark right now.
Aruto pulls out his driver and puts it on his waist. The Ark follows suit and I gasp again. This...this is what the Ark wanted, right?
"Horobi, grab Mari and hold onto her. We're taking her with us today," the Rairk orders, bossing my love around.
I look at Horobi as he moves towards me quickly. He's way too fast for me to get away from. I'm just going to have to kick and scream to try and get my way. Horobi isn't going to be able to fight off the Ark's influence over him right now.
Horobi grabs me and I move against him, trying to pull back away from his body. He's too strong. I'm not going to be able to get free from him anytime soon. I am not going to be able to rush in and try to help Aruto keep the Ark away from his driver.
I turn my head as the Ark knocks Aruto to the ground, obviously having an easy time fighting him. He lifts up his weapon and sends a wave of energy at him with his weapon. Aruto screams in pain and falls over.
"Aruto!" I shout, pushing against Horobi as my eyes sting. How can the Ark hold me hostage like this by using Horobi?
Horobi places a hand on the back of my head and forces my head to look away from the fight. Is he sparing me right now from the sight of that? Is he doing this out of his own free will or this because of the Ark wanting it?
"Mari, we're going to go in," Horobi says, telling me what we are going to do.
"No, I want to check on Aruto! Aruto!" I blink as tears go down my face. I'm pretty sure the Ark is about take his driver from him and got access to the satellite Zea. "Please!"
"This is for the best," he responds. "Come on."
Why is he deciding to go in? Is this the Ark's will or is it his will stirring inside him?