Author's Notes
None of these characters belong to me. Date A Live Light Novels are owned by Kōshi Tachibana, and the Date A Bullet Spinoff Novels belong to Higashide and Yuichiro. All rights reserved. I make no money off of this work.
As a quick note to those who haven't read Date A Bullet one or two, this story does contain spoilers related to future characters and is an alternative ending to an event that occurs in the novel. Spoilers are from here on out. You have been warned.
I would also like to state, briefly, that Hibiki's ability is to switch bodies with a single target as stated on the wiki. Its imperative to grasp just the vague idea of what she can do to ensure no confusion. I would also like to say that the relationships presented in this piece may be interpreted as you, the reader, see fit.
Thank you for taking the time to read this note and this one-shot story! Without further ado, let's begin.
It was like staring death in the face.
Hibiki, Tsuan, and Kurumi stood before the female in white before them. The Rook slumped to the ground as the White Queen wrenched the Sephira Fragment from her chest, absorbing it herself and appointing her Pawn as the new Rook. The Spirit of Time was frozen in her place, whilst Tsuan brandished her battle-axe hybrid, throwing jeers at the White Queen. Hibiki was utterly terrified, her teeth chattering quietly in her mouth as she stepped closer to Kurumi, pressing up against the Spirit.
Kurumi remained quiet, staring at her Inverse self in a mixture of horror and determination. The White Queen met her gaze, a perfect opposite, uncaring of Tsuan's attempts to rile her up.
Kurumi's silence made Hibiki nervous. The Spirit was always taunting, so teasing when it came to her opponents. She was able to exude confidence when most would be too frightened to even stare their enemy in the eyes. This dead silence from her indicated the gravity of the situation.
She's scared…
The Rook finally broke the eerie stillness, having had enough of Tsuan's teasing as she glanced up at her Queen.
"What are we doing about these rats?" She spat, jabbing a finger at the two Quasi Spirits by Kurumi's side.
The White Queen's saccharine smile rested lazily on her face, her head tilting downwards to address the Rook- however her gaze never strayed from Kurumi's. "Leave them be. They're not worth killing. You know why we're here." She unsheathed her sabre from its scabbard as she spoke, the clean ring of sharp metal echoing out. She levelled the weapon at Kurumi, a grin on her face as she gazed down the length of her sword and at her opponent. The Rook followed suit, a gleeful, manic look on her face as she mimicked her superior's movements, drawing a broadsword of her own. She looked ecstatic to be standing beside her Queen, assisting her in battle, and being given the gift of her attention for this tiny sliver of time.
Tsuan let out a distasteful grunt at the sight of this, gripping the staff of her axe in two hands, glaring at the Rook. "Tch. You're pathetic. I can't believe you consider yourself a warrior. Stop hiding behind her and face me!"
The Quasi Spirit's fuchsia eyes fixed on the Rook, who had gone from enthusiastic to silent seething in mere seconds, her teeth tightly grit. "Why, you!" She snarled, taking a step forward, before lunging toward Tsuan with a savage cry.
The White Queen's displeasure was made evident as she glanced aside at the Rook who had stepped out of line. Raising her hand, she pointed it at the two charging enemies.
"Lucifuge, Sartan."
The very air around the two combatants seemed to compress tightly, before letting loose again in an explosive shockwave that caused both females to fly through the air and sent them crashing into a nearby wall, effectively knocking them both out cold. The White Queen let out a low sigh, turning her attention back to Kurumi.
"You need to keep your companions under control," she drawled, condescending tones dripping from her words - her voice perfectly matching the Spirit's. She flicked her sword downwards, clenching her fists.
Kurumi didn't respond, though she had snapped out of her state of shock. Without taking her eyes off of the White Queen, she nudged Hibiki, pushing her sideways.
"Run, run away. This isn't your fight, and I don't want you to get hurt," she murmured, reaching down into her shadow for her musket, causing her battle-hungry Inverse form to widen her eyes in amusement. Hibiki blinked, processing what she was told, before she vehemently shook her head and stomped her foot down defiantly.
"No, I can't just leave you!" She protested, before quickly dropping her tone to a whisper. "With your injuries, you aren't fit to fight! Not to mention that you're so low on Time-"
"Hibiki!" Kurumi snapped, glaring back at the white haired female, raising her musket towards the White Queen. "Do as I say. At least this once," she whispered, her eyes softening once the Quasi Spirit shrank under her gaze.
Against every fibre in her body, Hibiki slowly nodded. I'll hinder her if she's worrying about me during the fight…
"Be careful, please…" Hibiki whispered, taking a few steps back and watching as the White Queen's grin widened, teeth flashing.
"There we go, Me… I was beginning to think that you had become a coward. It's irresponsible of you to send your younger charges into battle. I'm glad you've come to your senses."
Kurumi grit her teeth, placing her index finger over the trigger of her weapon and resting the stock against her shoulder, eyes narrowed. "Enough of your talking. I want this over with."
"As you wish."
Hibiki turned to run before she could take in the sight of the two combatants launching at each other, the sound of a sword slicing through the air echoing in her mind as she sprinted away. It went against all of her better judgement, and her brain screamed at her to stay and fight despite what her mentor had told her.
This isn't right… There's no way she can face her alone, even without her injuries!
As the sounds of clashing blades and gunfire carried over the wind, Hibiki's sprint had come to a slower jog. She came to a stop by an old vending machine, glancing over her shoulder and taking the time to catch her breath.
What Kurumi had told her was wrong. Running from a fight was something she herself would never do, and Hibiki didn't want to be the embodiment of cowardice. Besides, if she lost Kurumi…
No. She couldn't think about that now. She roughly shook her head, messy white hair flopping around with her movements as she muttered the words to summon her Innocent Angel. Almost instantly, three small blades materialised within both of her hands, and she clutched them between each finger, gripping them tightly. They sat comfortably between the gaps in each of her fingers, like makeshift claws.
I can't just stand by… I need to go back. She's going to kill me for it, but I can't let her face that tyrant alone-
Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden metallic clang. Hibiki's gaze snapped upwards, and from through the vending machine, she spied the blade of a broadsword jutting through the metal. She sucked in a sharp breath at the sound of a growl, followed by the sword being wrenched out. Rounding the machine, a Rook confronted Hibiki, her sword- now slightly bent- was pressed under the Quasi Spirit's chin within moments, blazing blue eyes glaring at her with that maniacal lust for war and need to please her Queen.
"You mongrel." The Rook sneered, pressing the triangular tip of the sword to Hibiki's throat, making the Quasi Spirit swallow down her saliva with a gulp. "Was her majesty's pure presence enough to make you run away like the dog you are?"
I don't have time for this!
While the Rook spent her sweet time gloating, Hibiki brought her right hand up- claws glinting- and swung out at the sword, the force of the blow enough to make the Queen's subject drop her sword in shock. The Quasi Spirit followed through by pushing her elbow into the gut of the blue-eyed female, making her cough out in pain. She was finished off with a quick, merciful swipe of claw blades to the Rook's neck. She despised the feeling of the warm liquid that sprouted from the Rook's jugular, and she turned away to run back the way she came, averting her eyes from the mess she caused and flicking her blades to clean the blood off.
Hold on, Kurumi… I'm coming!
"Is this really the best you can do?" A vicious strike from the White Queen's sabre sent Kurumi reeling backwards. The sword was by no means heavy, but the sheer strength behind her Inverse self's blow was enough to throw the weakened Kurumi off balance. The Spirit hissed as the sword etched another deep crevice into her musket's stock, and swivelled the muzzle of the gun around to fire a shot at the self proclaimed royal.
"I'm very disappointed in you, Me."
As quickly as she had fired it, her bullet disappeared into a fold of light, courtesy of the White Queen's Betulah. Her Demon King hadn't made an appearance behind her, neither had Kurumi's Zafkiel. Both fighters were not at their best today- Kurumi, because she was injured, and the White Queen because she enjoyed toying with her prey.
The bullet snapped back, having been teleported at the Inverse Spirit's will, and collided with Kurumi's right shoulder. She gasped out in pain, stumbling forwards, and just narrowly keeping her tight grip on the musket. The bullet hadn't pierced her skin, but the blunt force of the shot had likely shattered her shoulder blade.
Gritting her teeth tightly, she kicked off from the ground to put some distance between her and her opponent. She pointed the firearm towards the White Queen, more wary now as her gun ceased to be used as a projectile weapon, now a club.
The White Queen ran her gloved forefinger and thumb over her blade, cleaning the blood from it with ease as she cocked her head down at her badly damaged other self. She had a smirk on her face, one full of both amusement and excitement as she marched over over to Kurumi. "We are the strongest of all the Spirits," she began, "yet you're cowering at my feet like a peasant. What happened to all that power? That bravado? That unmatched prowess so many admire and fear?" Her grin slowly devolved, now replaced by a scowl as she grit her teeth, raising her sword once more. "That fire!"
Her sword swung down, slicing into the Spirit's shoulder despite her best attempts to dodge it. Blood spattered across the pavement, and Kurumi clumsily tried to counter by raising her musket with her good arm.
It did little good.
"Your drive! Your determination!" Another slash cut across Kurumi's torso, easily knocking the musket aside and slicing through her Spirit Armour. The firearm clattered across the concrete, and Kurumi fell to her knees from the exhaustion, her head bowed to the White Queen as she clutched at her chest. Her efforts to staunch her bleeding were futile, and the White Queen stomped forward to grasp Kurumi by her throat, lifting the Spirit off the ground with frightening ease.
"Where is it?!" The White Queen snarled, able to completely let loose now that she had no royal subjects, nobody around to keep her dangerously cool facade up for. "Where is your passion?" She tightened her fingers as she spoke, and Kurumi could only tilt her head back to try gasp for air, a strangled choking sound slipping from her lips as her hands came up to feebly scratch at the White Queen's arm.
The Inverse Spirit brought her sword up to the Spirit's slash wound, digging the tip of the sabre into the cut and glancing up, watching in sick glee as Kurumi howled in agony, her jerks and twists spilling more and more of that vermillion liquid both entities loved so much. Lowering Kurumi just slightly, the White Queen brought her in closer, gazing deep into the Spirit's eyes. Her own reflected the perfect opposite of Kurumi's. The Spirit's were blazing with unbridled anger, her ferocity not leaving her despite her agony. The White Queen's shone with amusement, a manic enjoyment as she reared her sword back.
"I have no interest in drawing out a battle with someone as pathetic as you," she whispered, tightening her grip on her sword. Kurumi's attempts at responding were reduced to strangled gasps of air, resorting to glaring at the White Queen with utter hatred, kicking out and trying to strike her.
Ignoring all the struggle, the White Queen's expression distorted, her teeth grinding together as she readied her sword.
"I've maimed your legs, so you may not run," she growled, applying more force to her grip as the Spirit struggled helplessly within her grasp.
"I've sliced your arms, so you may not fight."
She adjusted her stance, the sword pulled back for the fatal blow.
"I've seized your throat, so you may not cry."
Pausing for a moment, she revelled in her position of power, disregarding Kurumi's best efforts to free herself.
"And now, I'll carve out your heart, so you may not live."
The sword jerked forward, slicing effortlessly through Kurumi's Astral dress.
"KURUMI!"
The White Queen's attention was snatched, swinging her head in the direction of the shout. Charging at the two, was Hibiki. She was running at full sprint, her hand outstretched and her mouth in the shape of an 'o' as she cried in horror.
The sword missed its mark, instead plunging into the Spirit's gut. The cold metal penetrated cleanly through Kurumi's body, sending her entire stature into convulsions, writhing and twisting in her torture. The Spirit could barely glimpse the sight of Hibiki barrelling towards her before she was dropped to the ground, with the White Queen curling her lip into a sneer to meet her attacker.
You stupid girl… I told you to run!
Kurumi's body was on fire, every anguished nerve ending pulsing in protest as she tried to lift her head and scream at the Quasi Spirit. Scream at her to run again, to leave her and to save herself. The pain was unbearable, each tiny movement making the sword shift and twist within her…
Until it didn't.
The pain was gone within an instant. Her legs- having gone from idle and sluggish- were now running, fuelled entirely on adrenaline and determination. The sensations of weakness and the hinderance of her wounds no longer affected her body, a weightless feeling taking over her.
Kurumi crashed to the ground, her eyes wide at the sight before her.
The White Queen stood over her body. Kurumi's body. A stunned look was painted on the Inverse Spirit's face as she stared the fumbling Spirit down. Kurumi was dumbfounded, her mind sluggishly chugging to try and make sense of what she saw before her. Was this some sort of out of body experience? No, no… She could feel the grazes on her body from when she fell.
No, it couldn't be…
White hair fell over her eyes, and, looking down, she saw her hands. Claw-like blades nestled between each of her fingers.
She didn't…
The White Queen stepped back a few paces, her expression twisting into that of frustration as she reached down and pulled her sword from the body before her. Within moments, she had fled the scene in a flash of bright light.
Perhaps she knew what had happened.
For Kurumi, this was a punishment worse than death.
"Hibiki!" Kurumi screamed, her voice catching in her throat as she scrambled to her feet, clambering forward to her true body. She dropped to her knees beside it, eyes wide in horror at the sight of the crimson pool slowly spreading out across the pavement. Kurumi's body let out a cough, those mismatched eyes flitting up to the Spirit's red ones.
"No, no, no no!" The Spirit quickly cupped the back of the female's head, trying to keep her friend from choking on her own blood as she pressed a hand over the puncture mark, the sensation of tears stinging her eyes as she gazed down at her body.
She did it… She switched our bodies…
Hibiki gave Kurumi a soft, gentle smile that looked so out of place on the Spirit of Time's face. It was signature of the Hibiki she knew, expressing that undying kindness.
"No, please, switch us back!" The Spirit pulled the Quasi Spirit against her, gritting her teeth tightly as she stared down at the silent, smiling form of Hibiki. The Quasi Spirit tilted her head slightly, wincing in pain at first, before managing to shake her head. With that soft, light tone of hers- somehow untouched by the agony that plagued her- she spoke.
"No."
Kurumi's lower lip trembled as Hibiki reached up, numbing fingers slowly brushing over Kurumi's cheek to gently cup it. The Spirit tried to speak up, but the rising lump in her throat strangled her.
"No, Kurumi…" Hibiki whispered, widening her smile just a bit more. "They need you… So much more than they need me…"
Kurumi quickly shook her head, that stubbornness that Hibiki herself exhibited earlier in the battle rising from within her as she leaned down to press a kiss to the Quasi Spirit's forehead, pushing past the urge to cry. "N-no, Hibiki, no… Please, switch us back… You still have so much more to do, your life is only just beginning," the Spirit whimpered, slowly cradling the young woman in her arms as tears slipped from her eyes.
Hibiki was silent, her eyes glazing for a moment. The Spirit's heart skipped a beat, until the sensation of the Quasi Spirit's thumb brushing against her cheek allowed her to breathe again. Hibiki wiped the tears from her mentors face silently for some time, before wetting her lips to speak.
"I don't want that, Kurumi…"
"Nonsense!" The Spirit snapped, pulling Hibiki's head against her chest, mindful of the female's abdomen wound as she kept her nestled within her arms, sniffling loudly. "Nonsense! You've got so much to live for, Hibiki… You aren't an Empty, you've got a goal, to avenge your friends! To avenge those disadvantaged by this world!"
Hibiki fell into silence again, until Kurumi felt the Quasi Spirit's shoulders shaking. Hibiki pulled her head from the Spirit's chest, her smile not fading as she gave a low, strained chuckle. "That…" She stopped, interrupted by more short coughs that wracked her damaged body. "That… Isn't my goal anymore…"
The Spirit frowned now, carefully wiping way the trickle of blood that had begun to seep from the corner of Hibiki's mouth. "But, if it wasn't, you would be an Empty… None of this would have happened…"
Now it was the white haired female's turn to snort. "Y-you're stupid," she scolded the older female, a slight look of pride crossing her face as Kurumi's expression morphed into surprise.
She'd always wanted to say that to her mentor.
"I-f you couldn't see… That my goal had changed… You must be blind…"
Now, her smile finally began to fade.
"I lived for you."
Those words invoked a gasp from Kurumi, who swallowed thickly again as she met Empty's eyes. Her mouth hung open, searching for some way to respond. However, Hibiki cut her off again.
"I love you, Kurumi… So even if you die for me, I'll vanish like all the others…" The Quasi Spirit's eyes finally glistened with tears, having held on for so long as she choked back a sob. "I want you to live, Kurumi… I want you to live and do good. Change the world for the better, like I know you've always wanted to…"
Hibiki's body slowly relaxed within Kurumi's hold, unable to support the weight of her head anymore as her head lolled back, barely managing to gaze into Kurumi's now red eyes. Despite them being her own and not the Spirit's, they still held that essence to them.
That essence she had come to know and love.
"I… I love you too, Hibiki," the Spirit whispered, lowering her head as Hibiki grew weaker in her grasp. A tiny, almost invisible smile tilted the Quasi Spirit's lips at that, and she let her eyes slowly shut, the hand on Kurumi's cheek dropping back down to her side.
"I've always wanted… To hear that from you…" She whispered, her voice weak, barely above a hushed whisper now as her smile faded once more, tilting her head into the warmth of the one she loved.
"Please, Kurumi… Just hold me…"
The Spirit, unable to get out another word, silently nodded. She shifted in her place, gently pulling Hibiki's head against her, repetitively stroking the female's striking white locks as she felt the younger girl slowly go limp in her arms. Warmth began to drain from her body.
The rise and fall of her chest slowly ceased, and Kurumi felt her own breathing halt for a moment.
"I'm sorry, Hibiki…" She murmured, resting her forehead against the Quasi Spirit's and shutting her eyes, droplets of tears staining her cheeks. "I'm sorry I never told you that before…"
The two of them stayed like that. The murderer embraced the hero within her grasp. A rare, truly innocent, pure and compassionate heart cradled against Kurumi's chest as if to protect her very memory, those last words replaying over and over in her head.
I promise, I won't let you down, Hibiki. You can count on me.