Song of the Heart: Redux
Author's Notes: Welcome back to "Song of the Heart: Redux". I'd like to apologize for the delay; like Aya1229 stated in the reviews, I've been on vacation, so my normal writing schedule has been disrupted to an extent. Hopefully I can get back to my normal pacing within the next chapter or so. This chapter is another biggie; we saw last time that Maria arrived to intervene with the capture of the Nephilim. Not only that, but Ver called her Finé, there may be more going on than meets the eye. Today will also be a bit lighter than most previous chapters, as the Lydian Academy Fall Music Festival arrives! What will arise from this will be sure to be interesting. We have a lot to get to today, so let's not waste too much more time. I would like to thank the author of the original "Song of the Heart", Aya1229, for allowing me to adopt her work and allowing me to make it into my own from there. It should be an eventful ride this time, so let's get started!
Disclaimer: I do not own Senki Zesshou Symphogear or Senki Zesshou Symphogear G. It is owned by those who own it. I also do not own any music used as insert songs here; they are owned by the respective songwriters and artists.
Please note; the record label used in this, Galactic Music Japan, is NOT a real music label as far as I know, but is a parody made solely for the purposes of this story. The same goes for JAM TV; as far as I know, it's not a real music channel on TV, again a parody made up for the purposes of this story.
Also, no music quoted within the story belongs to me. The rights to any and all pieces used belong to their artists and record labels. I did buy a copy of the single CDs that the songs are from though. Also, as in Chapter 2, there WILL be altered lyrics to one of the songs; it will be labeled as such.
Acknowledgements: Once more, I would like to thank the author of the original "Song of the Heart", Aya1229, for her support in adopting this idea and making it my own. I would also like to thank a couple of friends of mine outside of (they know who they are) for acting as sounding boards when I have ideas for this that may seem a bit on the wild side.
'Insert thought here'=character thoughts
Flashback Is in Italics
-Song lyrics are shown in italics between dashes-
Chapter 6: Festival of Rebirth
(Last time…)
"You won't get away!" she called, before slicing through the carrier noise and destroying it. But, before she could reach the cage as it fell, her danger sense flashed, causing her to twist to one side…just in time to dodge the potential impaling blow from the black spear thrown at where her stomach had been, causing Tsubasa to scream out as she fell into the ocean.
And as the spear hovered over the ocean, a fully Symphogear-equipped Maria landed on top of it, the creature's cage held in one arm and a downright determined look on her face. On the nearby bridge however, the doctor Ver stood at the end, Hibiki not far behind as she placed the Ichaival wielder onto her orange and black motorcycle. Ver had only one reaction to Maria's entrance, and it would send shock through the 2nd division.
"You're late… Finé."
Abandoned Hospital Bridge, Tokyo Outskirts, 1 week after S2CA Event
"You're lying. There's no way that she can be Finé…not when I saw her die right in front of me," Tachibana Hibiki spoke up, a disbelieving look on her face as she spoke. Her mind was reeling at Ver's statement; after all, the immortal's last words had driven her for the past two years plus since that day in front of Kadingir. For Maria to be the reincarnation of Finé was something that just felt impossible to her, as she turned from where she had been watching over her slowly awakening teammate towards the doctor.
"Believe it…the name that signifies the end is not only the name of our organization, but also the symbol. Maria is Finé, whether you want to agree with me or not," the doctor said, an insane smirk emerging onto his face as he looked on at the black-armored girl floating on top of her summoned spear.
"Ugh…"a pained voice said, slowly gaining consciousness and drawing Hibiki's attention away from the impending fight, also sending the redhead's heart into overdrive. Yukine Chris had been injured by the backlash of her own attack inside the hospital, knocked unconscious by the explosion caused by her own attack. "What's going on…" she said, looking up as the 2nd division's temporary headquarters rose the rest of the way out of the ocean, completing its surfacing process.
"Chris? I'm glad to see you're okay…" Hibiki said, a relieved look coming to her face, before turning to look at the snow-haired girl with concern. This caused the Ichaival wielder to blush slightly, before she pushed herself up off of the motorcycle she was resting against. 'You have no idea how worried I was about you…'
"I'll be fine…what happened? Why did my own attack hit me…and what the hell am I doing on your motorcycle?" she said, almost falling over as Hibiki raced over, picking up Chris' right arm and letting her use her as a support, the contact causing both parties to blush slightly. As they walked back towards where the doctor was standing, they heard him laugh maniacally, sending shivers down both girls' spines. "What's got that bastard laughing?" she asked softly, as the redhead holding her up spoke, a seriousness entering her voice that Chris hadn't heard before.
"He says that Maria is the reincarnation of Finé…" she said, eyes focusing on where the rosette was hovering over the water as Tsubasa started to climb aboard the nearby submarine. Chris' eyes widened at the news. 'Finé? Impossible…it's only been two years…' she thought, confusion and alarm entering her thoughts as she tried to stand on her own, the Gungnir wielder watching her closely, concern written across her face.
'Doctor Ver…There's no way that you're telling the truth. Not after what I saw that day…' Hibiki thought, eyes narrowing as she shifted, looking out towards where the final member of their trio finished her climb. 'If you are, then I'll put a stop to your plans here.'
2nd Division Temporary Headquarters, Bridge
Silence echoed around the bridge as the staff all tried to process the information stated by Doctor Ver. 'To think that Finé wasn't actually dead…is that even possible?' Kazanari Genjurou thought, a frown coming across his face. He too had seen the immortal maiden crumble into dust that day two years prior. For her to possibly be alive once more was something that he just couldn't believe.
"In other words, the name 'Finé' doesn't just come from the fact that they use heretical technology…it also comes from how Finé herself has revived and is leading them?" Tomosato Aoi spoke, alarm in her voice as she shook her head in disbelief. "That can't be right…we all saw her dissolve into dust that day!"
As much as Genjurou wanted to agree with what she as well as Hibiki were saying, he couldn't just dismiss it. 'It may not be very likely, but after what we've seen the last week plus, we can't just rule anything out,' he thought, a frown emerging onto his face as he stood, a serious tone entering his voice.
"So once again a ghost of the precursor civilization stands against those of us who live in the world of today? Do we really have to fight once again, Ryouko? Or is this really just a bluff?" he asked, his eyes focused on the monitor where their cameras showed Tsubasa walking over to the main deck of the submarine. 'Tsubasa…be careful. If they are telling the truth, then all of us could be in real danger…Hibiki, is this another reason for you to appear now?' he thought, eyes narrowed, as tension filled the air. It seemed that the showdown was about to begin.
Abandoned Hospital Bridge, Tokyo Outskirts, 1 week after S2CA Event
"It's reincarnation," Doctor Ver stated, his face a picture of confidence as he spoke, the Staff of Solomon in his hand. Chris looked up at this, eyes narrowing at his words as she stepped forwards, the red-haired Gungnir wielder right next to her.
"A system of rebirth which uses those who bear Finé's mark within their genes as a vessel for her soul, allowing her to exist in an everlasting moment in time...even so, that can't be possible, not this soon after she last died…" the snow-haired symphogear wielder summarized, anger entering her voice. "There's no way in hell that that could be possible, not when her last vessel just died two years ago. You've got to be kidding me if you expect me to buy that logic!" she said, slowly regaining her strength as she overlooked the developing scene on the water.
"Well…maybe she is, maybe she isn't," the doctor said, a gleam entering his eyes as he spoke. "I guess we're about to find out, aren't we? After all…wouldn't it be ironic if you thought that she was dead, only for her to return to finish what she started two years ago," he stated, before laughing maniacally.
At this, Hibiki's eyes narrowed as she stepped forwards, the sudden change in her demeanor being picked up on by the snow-haired girl next to her, causing her to blush slightly. 'There it is again…that intensity in her eyes that wasn't there before…it looks good on her…wait, what am I thinking?' she thought, closing her eyes and shaking her head, as the redhead began to speak.
"It's not ironic, and it's not funny. I won't let that happen, and neither will any of us," Hibiki said, a steel resolve in her voice as she spoke. "Tsubasa-san…be careful…Maria is a dangerous opponent, even if she's not Finé…"
-SotHR—
Maria Cadenzavna Eve had a frown on her face as she floated atop her Black Gungnir's spear. Sure, she had been able to recover the Nephilim, but it had come at a cost. And as she floated over the bay's surface, she had nothing but a look of disdain on her face. After all, secrecy had been one of their biggest advantages, and now their secret was out. 'I was lucky that I was able to defend the Nephilim…it came way too close to being lost. However, now that I've done so, what's the next move that I should make? Ver…your idea nearly cost us our entire scheme,' she thought, a frown coming onto her face. 'But, would that really be that bad a thing if we lost you?'
The clanging of footsteps on metal diverted Maria's attention from her thoughts, as she looked towards the deck of the nearby submarine. On it stood an angry Kazanari Tsubasa, who had finally finished climbing out of the bay beneath her. A smirk coming onto her face, Maria began to speak.
"Did you have a nice bath, Kazanari-san? I'm sorry that I had to interrupt your parade, but I can't let you destroy this. After all, it's too important a part of our plan…" she said, a dark tone in her voice as she looked towards where the blue-haired Symphogear wielder stood.
"Save it for someone who cares to hear what you have to say, Maria. I can't forgive you for what you did at our concert last week. Why would you use those people, our fans, as if they were disposable?" Tsubasa asked the rosette, her anger eminent as she pointed her katana at the spear-wielder. Maria laughed at this, before responding with a dark tone in her voice.
"It's funny…I saw your little conference the other day. It's a shame, really, that you decided to quit. I'm sure that you're very well aware of how those fans viewed you. Let me ask you, as a protector and as their inspiration, are you just running away from them?"
"SHUT UP!" Tsubasa yelled, pulling a second blade from her armor before leaping into the air at the black-symphogear wielder, her ankle jets firing as she closed ground rapidly before slashing with the katana in her right hand, causing Maria to dodge deftly to the right, her cape swirling in the night winds as she dodged, before looking up as Tsubasa spun in mid-air.
"Don't you EVER say I'm running away…I made the decision, and it's my choice to handle it the way that I am. And nothing you say will cause me to change my mind on that," she cried, before both katana she held enlarged into another form. "You want to see my resolve? Well here it is! Double Azure Flash!" she called, swinging both blades downwards and sending azure waves of energy at the pink-haired dark symphogear wielder.
"Huh…if that's your resolve, then you've got a ways to go to be the protector you say you are," Maria mocked, spinning out of the way of the attacks and causing them to hit the water, exploding and sending a wall of water up into the air which shrouded the duo from view. She didn't have much time to continue though, as the bluenette came crashing down on her, blades flashing towards Maria's chest in a move designed to knock her backwards. However, the move wouldn't connect, Maria willing her cape to spin around her in a protective cyclone, deflecting Tsubasa's swords.
"Impressive attack…but, your resolve isn't strong enough to pierce through my Black Gungnir!" Maria cried out, her cape shifting quickly and letting the bluenette through before grabbing her around the stomach, one end holding her while the other end proceeded to seemingly kick Tsubasa in the stomach, flinging her back to the submarine and bouncing her off the side of it. Tsubasa was undeterred however, flipping backwards and skidding to a stop on the deck of the ship, using one blade to help halt her momentum.
"Heh…she's tough…" Tsubasa said, panting at the force of the hit she took from Maria's cape as she stood to her feet, collapsing the extra sword and storing it for later. As she stood up, the water curtain seemed to drop, showing the deck of the submarine to the trio on the Bridge as Maria smirked, a confidence entering the air around her before she threw the cage of the Nephilim into the air, causing it to vanish. She then flipped forwards off of her spear, landing on the deck of the sub and raising her right hand in the air, summoning her spear to her.
"Chris…did you see that?" Hibiki asked, as her eyes narrowed on the spot where the cage vanished. 'That…there's gotta be something there. But how are they hiding it, whatever it is? They couldn't be using that, could they? If they are…this could get a whole lot more complicated,' the Gungnir wielder thought, fists clenching subconsciously.
"Ah…of course I did! But what could it mean?" Chris said, tearing her eyes away from the fight briefly to look at orange-clad Symphogear wielder and blushing slightly upon doing so. 'What's wrong with me? Why can't I concentrate right now?' she thought, shaking her head and returning her gaze to the fight.
"Not sure…but, I'm getting a bad feeling about this. Either way though, Tsubasa-san is going to need some help…" Hibiki said, her voice taking on a quiet undertone as she continued to look on. 'I want to help Tsubasa-san…but, I can't just leave Chris alone…Damnit…what do I do…'
As Hibiki mulled over the dilemma placed in front of her, Maria stood, her spear pointed towards the deck of the 2nd Division's submarine as she kept a wary eye on her opponent. 'She's gotten better. Almost as if her retiring has allowed her to fight freely, without the weight of the world on her shoulders. I guess I can't hold back now…sorry, Tsubasa. You're cute when angry,' she thought, before starting to speak.
"Well, Kazanari-san…looks like you've earned the right then. I'll fight you with all of my power, so get ready!" Maria called, the tension in the air intensifying. Suddenly the rosette sprang forwards, her Black Gungnir's spear slashing downwards towards the bluenette's head. Tsubasa raised her katana quickly, blocking the spear, before springing backwards.
"Don't patronize me about you not being at full power!" Tsubasa cried, before dashing in at the spear-wielder and joining in a dance of blade versus spear, the two weapons clashing repeatedly as Ame no Habakiri's wielder slashed fiercely at the rosette from left, right, above, and below, all while parrying the occasional counterattack from Maria. As the clash continued, Tsubasa took a chance, swinging her blade in an upward arc from her right to left, in an attempt to knock Maria's spear away to create an opening. And while she was successful in deflecting the spear, her eyes widened as the air was knocked out of her by the idol's cape hitting her in the stomach, causing the bluenette to fall to her knees gasping for air.
"TSUBASA-SAN!" both Hibiki and Chris called out, eyes widening in concern as the bluenette fell to the deck sputtering for air.
"That's it, I'm not waiting any longer…Hibiki, back me up, we've gotta do something…" Chris said, her focus returning, causing the redhead to nod as she looked at her snow-haired teammate, a blush rising briefly to her face as she prepared to jump into the fray. 'She's right…but, where'd this commanding side come from? It's a nice surprise,' Hibiki thought, tapping her right gauntlet and causing it to enter its active state.
Before either could make a move to join in however, the bluenette staggered back to her feet, before turning to look at the duo on the bridge.
"Hibiki…Chris…listen to me. I want this fight…Maria is my opponent. Trust me, okay? I can handle her. Hibiki, please, just trust me to handle this as I trust you to keep Chris safe…" she said, a confident smirk emerging on her face. 'Besides, I've seen the way you reacted when she was in danger, Hibiki…you may not realize it yet, but you're where you need to be.'
"Tsubasa-san… you're sure?" Hibiki asked, tapping her gauntlet again to return it to its normal state, receiving a nod in response. "Just be careful…" she whispered, stepping back to where Chris was standing, a frown on her face as she looked on.
"So you waived off your own friend, Kazanari-san? That's either brave or stupid!" Maria called out, her cloak rushing forward, causing the younger symphogear wielder to leap to the side, dodging the rushing cloth as it sliced into the deck of the submarine. The younger girl continued to race forwards before slashing with her katana, only to be met by the older idol's spear, their deadly dance resuming. After a brief exchange of blows, the duo interlocked weapons, Maria's smirk re-appearing on her face as she leapt back with her spear before surrounding herself with her mantle, a tornado-like shape forming as she charged forwards at the bluenette.
'What is she doing now,' Tsubasa thought, raising her sword to deflect the initial charge before leaping above the onrushing spear-wielder. 'If I can't get through from the front, then let's see her defend against this,' she thought, sword pointed downwards as she tried to stab downwards into the tornado. Just as she descended towards the center of the spin though, the cape opened up, revealing the rosette, her Black Gungnir spear pointed upwards at Tsubasa. And while the bluenette was able to avoid the worst of the blow, she was launched backwards, landing in a handstand on the deck of the submarine before flipping backwards into a crouch.
There wouldn't be much of a reprieve for the bluenette, however. Maria quickly slashed at her with her cape, the bluenette having to roll quickly to her left to dodge the first, then forwards to dodge the next. 'The tempo of the fight…she's moving quicker now…' Tsubasa thought, her earpiece crackling to life briefly.
"Tsubasa, you have to get her off the deck NOW. If she does too much more of that to the deck, we won't be able to submerge," Genjurou's voice echoed into her ear, leading the blue-haired symphogear wielder to nod before storing her katana away within her armor. 'I've gotta at least try to get her off ship…but, can I keep up with her speed? I'm not quite quick enough yet…' she thought, before planting into a handstand, her ankle armor releasing its hidden blades.
"Try this then! Reverse Rasetsu!" Tsubasa called out, spinning like a top towards her opponent and releasing repeated kicks, all of which Maria blocked quickly with her cloak or her staff.
"Come on, Tsubasa-san…"Hibiki whispered, tension laced within her voice as she spoke. "You have to hurry and get her off the ship. If she's here, the other two can't be far behind…" her voice trailed off, causing Chris to place her hand on the redhead's shoulder, causing her to blush.
"Hibiki…Tsubasa-san says that she has this. Trust her to do this, you idiot…" she said, a determined tone entering her voice as her hand slid down the redheads arm, grasping her hand. "If she needs help, we'll give her it. But we have to trust her to handle this, just as she asked."
"Chris…" the Gungnir wielder whispered, a feeling of warmth spreading throughout her body at the contact. 'What's going on?'
Then things seemed to turn, shaking Hibiki out of her thoughts as a pained yell was heard from the fight. The noise succeeded in drawing both girls' attentions back to it, the doctor standing near them flashing a malicious grin. What they saw was not very reassuring, as Tsubasa stopped spinning, reaching for her left knee as she screamed out in pain. That pain would only get worse, as the rosette followed up with a punishing blow to the stomach from her spear, sending the bluenette tumbling backwards. While Tsubasa then tried to scramble to her feet, another round of pain wracked her body from her knee, causing her to collapse to one knee.
'Hibiki…if you're going to do something about this fight, then you have to do it now,' Maria thought, looking at where the redhead stood and sending a silent plea towards her. 'Even though you and I don't see eye to eye…I don't want to hurt Tsubasa any more than I already have…please, stop me from doing something I don't want to do…'
A strange feeling washed over Hibiki at that point. 'Maria…why are you hesitating? It's not like you to stop like this…unless…' she thought, clenching her fists before shaking her head. 'No, she has to be baiting me…'
"Hibiki, we can't just let Tsubasa keep getting beat up like this. I can take care of myself, go help her already!" Chris said, urgency entering her voice.
"No…Chris, I won't just leave you here alone. You're still hurt, whether you want to admit it or not," the redhead shot back, causing the snow-haired symphogear wielder to blush. "Tsubasa-san…that first hit that Maria landed. She's still feeling the effects of it; that's where she hit her, right in the knee, and then Tsubasa-san took another hit there later on in the fight…" Hibiki said, eyes narrowing as she tensed up, ready to jump off the bridge.
"Hibiki, I know what Tsubasa asked us to do…but, SCREW THAT!" Chris said, her crossbows charging up with multiple shots as she tried to reinforce her stance. 'I've gotta do something…why does it still feel so difficult to move…' the snow-haired girl thought, as she raised her weapon towards the fight. But just as she started to pull the trigger, she heard Hibiki's voice.
"Chris! Move!" she yelled, grabbing the snow-haired girl by the waist and leaping backwards. Her timing was impeccable; just after she leapt away, a shower of magenta discs crashed into where the snow-haired girl had been standing, sending asphalt and dust flying into the air. Soon thereafter, the launcher of the attack landed, revealing Tsukuyomi Shirabe from the cloud of dust, her arm outstretched protectively in front of Doctor Ver as she stood clad in Shul Shagana. Not far behind her landed Akatsuki Kirika, Igalima's scythe drawn and ready to swing.
"That was close…" Hibiki said, relief washing over her face as the duo landed. Chris, however, had other thoughts on her mind as the redhead set her down. 'Why'd she let go…wait, damnit, we're in a combat zone, Chris! Get your head together!' the snow-haired girl thought, shaking her head to clear her thoughts. She didn't have much time to do so, however, as the blonde-haired scythe wielder made her move.
"Let's go, Igalima! Kill Juliet!" she called out, her scythe splitting into three blades before shooting two at the red-armored symphogear wielder. Just when she thought an easy victory would be obtained, an orange and white blur interposed itself in front of the blades, back to the scythe wielder. A split-second later, a horrific scream filled the air, as Hibiki was sent flying away from the wielder of Ichaival, rolling to a stop on the pathway as Shirabe pursued.
"No…I didn't mean to do that…" Kirika said, shock written across her face. Chris' thoughts were no longer in the moment; rather, her mind was with the redhead trying to clamber to her feet over a thousand feet further down the bridge. 'Hibiki…why? I could have blocked it, you idiot…Damnit…I'll make her pay for that one…' Chris thought, quickly calling forth more energy arrows and aiming them at the Igalima user, before shooting them quickly. The scythe wielder sidestepped the arrows, closing the distance quickly before swinging her scythe horizontally at Chris' head, causing the older girl to duck under the blade, before leaping to her left to dodge an overhead slash.
"You're being a real pain!" Chris cried out, leaping back to get additional space before shooting more arrows, trying to create as much space as possible. She would have very little luck, as the scythe-wielding blonde spun her armed gear, deflecting the arrows aimed at her before closing in rapidly. 'Why can't I get away to make space? Am I really still that hurt, or is it something else?' the Ichaival wielder thought, as she braced herself for close quarters combat.
Hibiki, meanwhile, had quickly clambered back to her feet, but was immediately assaulted by more of Shirabe's discs as the younger girl closed ground quickly. Deflecting a number of them with her gauntlets and kicking others away, the redhead was like a blur in motion before seeing the shorter girl come to a stop between her and where Chris was fighting.
"You're not allowed to interfere, Tachibana…and I'll be the one to prevent you from doing so! Emergency Type Sigma Forbidden Moon Wheel!" the twin-ponytailed girl cried, flipping backwards as her armed gear summoned forth a spinning buzz saw wheel and racing towards the older redhead, causing her to dodge. 'Damnit…first those scythe blades, now this thing…today just keeps getting better and better,' Hibiki thought, sending worried looks in the direction of the snow-haired symphogear wielder. 'Chris…be careful. I don't know what I'd do if you got hurt or worse…' she thought, as she continued to dodge the wheel, its blade cutting into the bridge.
"You're just an annoyance today…stand still so that I can finish this!" Kirika cried out, her scythe's blade splitting into three once more as she unleashed another Kill Juliet. Unfortunately for Chris, this time she herself wasn't the target; rather, as she prepared to dodge, the blades hit the pavement in front of her and exploded, sending a shower of asphalt and dust into the air while obscuring the scythe wielder from view. 'A distraction?' Chris thought, eyes racing from side to side as she tried to spot the scythe wielder's form within the dust cloud. Unfortunately for her, she didn't have much time to look, as the handle of the scythe came out of the cloud from the side, slamming into the Ichaival wielder's side and knocking her skywards, gasping for breath before the scythe wielder appeared from the smoke, her blade behind her as it came swinging upwards in a reverse grip, hitting the snow-haired girl across the chest as it almost deactivated her symphogear armor by force. 'Hibiki…' the older girl thought, hitting the ground and screaming in pain.
As she dodged the younger girl's buzz saw wheel, Hibiki heard a pained yell from the other end of the bridge. And it was one that caused her heart to almost come to a complete stop. 'No…Chris…' the redhead thought, her movement coming to a near stop as her eyes widened in sadness, quickly being replaced by an unfamiliar rage, different from the rage she had felt two years prior as the younger symphogear wielder spoke.
"Do you understand what it's like to be helpless yet? To not be able to protect someone close to you? I told you before, I wasn't going to let you interfere…" the younger girl started, as she turned her moon wheel at the unresponsive redhead, closing in on her rapidly before coming to a surprising halt as the older girl caught her wheel between both hands, not once gripping the saw teeth.
"You hurt her…Shirabe…I won't let you get in my way any longer…I have to get back to her…" Hibiki whispered in a low, determined tone, before she tossed the wheel and Shirabe to the side almost effortlessly, sending the younger girl spinning uncontrollably into the wall of the bridge, doing damage to the wall as Hibiki took off like a shot, appearing in front of the barely-conscious Chris before Kirika could approach her.
"Where…where did she come from?" Kirika spoke out, surprise lacing her words as she looked towards the other end of the bridge as Shirabe climbed back onto the roadway before heading her way. 'Damnit…this could be trouble…' the younger girl thought, taking a defensive stance and backing towards Doctor Ver without taking her objective; the relic Ichaival, as Hibiki helped the snow-haired girl to her feet, wrapping Chris' left arm around her neck and supporting her.
"You made it back just in time," Ver said, as the two younger dark symphogear wielders joined him, slowly backing away from the Gungnir wielder. "And you saved me as well. I owe you my thanks for that."
"We didn't save you for your sake, doctor. We did so because of how we still have need for your services," Shirabe said, a calmness entering her voice even as she peered over to where Hibiki was standing while holding the injured Chris. 'Looks like your words about protecting everyone weren't just talk…' she thought, a small smile coming to her face. 'We'll see how well you hold up next time we fight…'
"Glad to see you could make it, supergirl…" Chris whispered to Hibiki, causing the redhead to turn red as a tomato. "That drop in compatibility…I could barely move because of it…damnit..." she continued, raising her head to look at the doctor and the younger symphogear wielders.
"Chris…I'm sorry I was so slow to get back…" the redhead whispered, frustration entering her voice. 'I couldn't protect her…Damnit…why did it hurt so much more than it hurt when Tsubasa got hurt?' she thought, not noticing the snow-haired girl's blush at their proximity.
Maria, meanwhile, winced in pain in front of the bluenette, one hand reaching for her side as she tried to maintain a confident look. 'She must have gotten me just then…and I only now noticed it…' she thought, her mind flashing back to their initial clash at the start of the battle, just before Tsubasa had used a double Azure Flash. 'She's definitely better than I gave her credit for…' the rosette concluded, as she looked on, the bluenette flexing her hand across the deck.
"Looks as though my sync level is coming back to normal," Tsubasa whispered, looking up at Maria with a confident smile returning to her face. "You can't win, Maria. Not with the effects of that gas your friend the doctor made starting to wear off."
This caused the rosette to frown. 'If her sync level is returning to normal…the longer this fight goes on, the less my chances become of defeating her easily and obtaining her relic. But, on the other hand, the longer the fight drags on, the safer she'll likely be…what do I do?' she thought, the air becoming thick with anticipation of each wielder's next move. Luckily, the decision was taken out of her hands as her earpiece buzzed, along with those of Kirika and Shirabe.
"Girls, your time is up. We've already recovered our prize. Let's get moving," the voice of Nastassja spoke, causing Maria to nod as she leapt into the air, before seemingly floating in midair.
"How is she doing that…" Tsubasa said, looking into the air where Maria stood. Suddenly the air around Maria shimmered, causing the bluenette to gasp as an airplane seemingly appeared out of thin air.
"I'm sorry to cut our fight short, Kazanari-san. Looks like our fight has run out of time. Maybe next time we'll be able to fight on a more level field," Maria said, before she walked into the plane itself before it headed towards the bridge, where Doctor Ver and the other two members of Finé awaited. 'Maybe next time we won't have to fight, Tsubasa…' she thought, the cargo ramp of the plane closing behind her.
Tsubasa, however, was shocked by those words. 'Run out of time…she can't be using LINKER, can she? She can't be just like Kanade…can she?' she thought, the images of what happened to her former partner in ZweiWing running through her mind.
-SotHR—
Chris could feel Hibiki tense up the moment that the plane appeared out of thin air, a gust of wind heralding its arrival at the bridge. Looking up at the redhead's face, she could see the look of shock emerging, as if a ghost from the past had reappeared unexpectedly. 'Is this another thing that happened while you were gone? Hibiki…what is it that's got you so spooked?'
"What is that doing here…Shirabe, why do you have that? What do you hope to accomplish with this?" the redhead spoke, her voice shaky. 'So they do have it...it's the only way that they could have gotten here without anyone from the 2nd division warning Tsubasa-san or Chris…and since they have it, this whole situation just got a lot more complicated,' she thought, a frown coming across her face as she subconsciously pulled Chris closer, causing the snow-haired girl to blush.
"Our goals are simple. We will protect those that your justice isn't able to," the Shul Shagana wielder spoke, as the plane hovered above them, before reaching up alongside Kirika and doctor Ver to grab the descending step ropes from the plane and preparing to ascend to their escape vehicle. "And if that means using methods and ways that may make us look evil for doing so, then so be it."
"Damnit…I can't let them get away with the staff…but, I can barely move…" Chris said, trying to step forwards, Hibiki's arm supporting her the whole way before she summoned another crossbow and transformed it into another form, it taking the appearance of a longer sniper rifle while a targeting visor descended from her headgear. "Hibiki…just let me do this…" she said, the redhead nodding before she let go. Unfortunately for Chris, as she began to get a lock, the plane seemed to disappear from view once again, and her target was lost. "Damnit…they got away…" she said, dismissing her weapon before looking out at the bay where the plane had disappeared to, frustration written all over her face. 'I can't let them get away next time…that thing shouldn't be used by anyone…'
"Chris…I'm sorry I couldn't stop them…" Hibiki whispered, before stumbling slightly, her Symphogear armor flickering before fading back into her relic's inactive state as a necklace. Her words shook Chris out of her thoughts, her attention shifting to where the redhead started to fall forwards, eyes closed.
"Hibiki? Hey…Hibiki! Don't pass out now!" Chris called out, racing over and catching the redhead's unconscious form, before seeing what caused her to fall over. The back of the redhead's racing jacket was sliced open in two places, a pair of bleeding gashes seemingly carved into the girl's back from where she had taken the hits for Chris previously, causing the Ichaival wielder's heart to stop. 'No…Hibiki…it's my fault…' she thought, eyes widening in fear before reaching up to her headset and triggering her mic. "Kazanari-taichou, I need medical up here, NOW!"
Stealth Airplane, Cockpit, flying away from battle area
Professor Nastassja looked as stoic as ever to those who didn't know her. However, her mood was anything but calm. She had been forced to reveal their next best trump card, their stealth airplane, and had also lost their headquarters. Not only that, but they had also lost every ounce of food they may have had for the Nephilim. All in all, the night's battle had been a disaster…and the night wasn't over yet.
'The stealth technology that we gained after exploring features of the Shen Shou Jing was one of our greatest advantages,' the older woman thought, her eyes flashing over to where the full view of the original relic was displayed on her monitor. 'However, that advantage is fragile. We lost the majority of the original relic that day eighteen months ago, and while I don't have any regrets about that having occurred, we only have this relic necklace left from that time…' she continued, looking over at the relic necklace mounted so that its power could be sued effectively for stealth purposes. 'Now that our advantage has been revealed, the only real advantage we have is how they don't know about Frontier…' she finally finished, before raising a hand to her mouth and coughing into it, before opening her hand to reveal the blood staining her palm.
"We have to hurry…There are other things that are just as fragile as I am, things that we have to save…"
Stealth Airplane, back area, flying away from battle area
"You IDIOT! By doing what you did, you just caused us a major issue. Anything to say for yourself," Akatsuki Kirika cried out, as she shoved Doctor Ver into the wall, sending him sliding down to the floor in pain. Walking over in pursuit, the blonde grabbed the doctor by his jacket, pulling him up and closer to her as she cocked her fist back, ready to punch him in the face. "Because you led them right to our hideout, now we have nowhere to hide ourselves until the plan starts!" As she started to release her punch towards the doctor however, a hand caught the younger girl's fist.
"Kirika…that's enough. Beating the doctor down won't change what happened," Maria Cadenzavna Eve stated, before stepping away from the blonde and crossing her arms before she looked away, the younger girl looking up in bewilderment.
"Maybe not, but it'll make ME feel better about it…" the blonde stated, before dropping the doctor and standing up, her eyes downcast in frustration. Kirika had another area of frustration about the mission however; the complete failure to obtain the relic Ichaival from its wielder. 'It was right there…and yet, while I don't want to outright kill them, to fail at collecting my end of the bargain is unacceptable,' she thought, her mind flashing back to when a certain redhead had intervened. 'Hibiki-san…your intervention…why did you do it? Is she one of the people that you had sworn to protect, just like Shirabe is for me?' she thought, head hanging low as her eyes flickered towards Shirabe, the younger Shul Shagana wielder standing across the room.
"I was very surprised," the doctor stated, his voice shaking all three girls in the room from their thoughts. "She didn't even give me a chance to apologize for creating this mess of a situation we're in." Before anyone could continue speaking however, the monitor on the fall flashed to life, Nastassja beginning to speak.
"While we are fortunate that we were able to keep our prized Nephilim, they did find our base. And since they did so, we no longer have the means to feed it. That is a serious problem," the older woman stated, her voice ringing authoritatively through the room before Shirabe began to speak.
"Even though it's definitely quiet now, we don't have any idea as to when it will get hungry again and try to go on another rampage…Doctor, this is your fault," she said, looking in his direction as he stood up, brushing his jacket off.
"While we may have lost the food that we brought with us for the Nephilim, we haven't lost everything…" the doctor said, eyes narrowing. 'After all, we still have you three. However, if you do treat me like that again, I wonder how long that will last without your LINKER…' he thought, a smirk coming onto his face as an idea formed in his mind.
2nd Division Temporary HQ, Medbay, Early next morning
Machines beeped within the room, showing the vital signs of one Tachibana Hibiki as she rested peacefully in bed. Besides her, one Yukine Chris sat lost in thought, all of her thoughts coming back directly to the redhead in front of her, as well as the incidents both of that day and previously.
'It's my fault…if I wouldn't have been so hasty, then Hibiki wouldn't have been hurt so badly…' the snow-haired girl thought, hands folded in her lap. Frowning, she thought back to the battle on the bridge. 'She took that hit for me…if she wouldn't have done that, then how bad would I have been hurt? If that attack was strong enough to put Hibiki of all people in the hospital, even temporarily, then what would have happened if it hit me?' she thought, eyes downcast as she continued to maintain a silent vigil over the Gungnir wielder.
As the Ichaival wielder sat, she didn't even notice as the door to the room opened, one Kazanari Tsubasa entering silently with a small file in her hands. 'Hibiki's X-rays that we took tonight show no signs of the fragments of the original Gungnir. So, how does she have a completed relic? It's just another thing that needs to be answered…but, we can't get any answers until she wakes up…' she thought, before looking up from the file and noticing Chris sitting by the redhead's bedside.
"Chris…have you been sitting here the whole time?" she asked, an inquisitive look on her face as the snow-haired girl snapped to attention, a blush rising to her face as she turned to look at the older girl. A few moments later, she opened her mouth to speak.
"Yeah…what did the doctor have to say?"
"Well, it seems that Hibiki will be fine…the cuts weren't all that deep, but they did cause her to bleed a bit. She should be good to go tomorrow morning," the bluenette said, closing the file and walking over, placing a hand on the younger girl's shoulder before looking up at the nearby clock. "Are you okay though? Seems like you've got something on your mind, Chris."
"I'm just glad that she's back, and that she's going to be okay," the snow-haired girl said, turning her attention back to the unconscious redhead. 'She looks so peaceful right now…' she thought, before a muted laugh came from the bluenette.
"That's…not quite what I meant. I saw how you reacted earlier when we were at the abandoned hospital. Chris…I know you're concerned about Hibiki, but is there something going on here between you two?"
Tsubasa's words shook the younger girl to the core. 'Is there something going on between Hibiki and I? No…at least, I don't think so…though I wouldn't mind if there were…' she thought, a fierce blush rising to her face as she thought about the possibility of her and the Gungnir wielder. As she did, images raced through her mind of how Hibiki had protected her on the train, of how Hibiki's jacket looked good on her, of how even just Hibiki's smile had caused her to feel butterflies. 'I don't even know when it started…or even what it is that I'm feeling…but I like it…I don't want these feelings to disappear…'
"Tsubasa-san…I…I don't know how to really answer that. I don't even know why I get so concerned whenever she looks in trouble…or even why Hibiki wants to protect me so badly…that idiot got herself hurt doing so," the snow-haired girl said, confusion entering her voice. "All I know is that there's something there…I just feel drawn to her for some reason, and when I'm with her, anything feels possible…"
Tsubasa nodded at these words, an amused smile coming to her face. 'The way that Chris is acting about things…she's falling for Hibiki; she just doesn't know it yet. And tomorrow might be a good opportunity to provide a little push,' she thought, shaking her head in amusement. As the bluenette thought about that however, Hibiki's words about protecting everyone sprang back into her head. 'We can't let her keep carrying the load of everything on her shoulders from here…'
"Chris…we can't let Hibiki keep trying to carry it all on her shoulders. I don't know why, but she thinks that she has to handle everything on her own…I won't let her keep doing so. Not just as her assistant manager, but as her teammate here and as her friend. I won't let her carry whatever burden she's carrying alone," Ame no Habakiri's wielder said, resolve entering her voice as the snow-haired girl nodded in agreement.
"Yeah…Hibiki…we're both here…" Chris whispered before reaching out and taking the unconscious redhead's left hand in her right, blushing slightly at the contact before relaxing slightly. "You don't have to do it all alone anymore." She would remain like that for a little longer before being dragged out of the room by a tired Tsubasa. The next day was the school festival after all, and they both needed their rest.
Lydian Music Academy, Main Gate, Fall Music Festival
'Where are they? I know Tsubasa-san said that they'd meet me here before the contest in her text message,' Tachibana Hibiki thought as she stood outside the gates of her now-former alma mater, having been released from the Medbay and told to take it easy in exchange for promising she'd meet with Kazanari Genjurou later on. As a result, she found herself standing outside of the school she had once attended, waiting on the tour guides that had been hinted at by her now-assistant manager. 'At least I've had enough time to get home and get changed first…'
"Hey, there she is! Come on Chris-san, hurry up," a familiar voice called out, stirring the redhead from her thoughts as she looked up, baseball hat covering her head and sunglasses hiding her eyes from view. Who she saw brought a smile to her face, as Kohinata Miku came rushing to the gate, fully dressed in school uniform, Yukine Chris close behind. "Sorry we're late, Sora-san. Chris had a late night," the green-haired girl panted, as the snow-haired girl came to a stop, surprise briefly crossing her face at the sight of the Gungnir wielder.
'Hibiki's up and around already? Why didn't they let me know? Tsubasa-san…you set this up, didn't you…' Chris thought, blushing briefly as her eyes took in the sight of the redhead. Dressed in a blue jean jacket along with a red and black t-shirt over a pair of lighter blue jeans, Hibiki stretched briefly, before smiling and nodding.
"It's fine. I was a bit late getting going today myself, and I wasn't aware that it would be you who would be showing me around," the redhead stated, before moving off of the wall and joining the duo, flashing a brief smile Chris' way. "Shall we get going then? I've heard that there's supposed to be a number of interesting events this year, in addition to what I'll be helping out with. I just hope I'll be able to do a great job in Tsubasa-san's place as the guest of honor for the contest."
"I'm sure you'll do just fine, Sora-san," Miku said as she nodded, Chris following suite before turning towards the academy's main quad and starting to lead, the newly-christened idol following closely behind. All throughout the area, visitors bustled about, going from one booth to the next. There were booths devoted to taking pictures with cardboard cutouts of famous alumni, while others were devoted to your more standard festival fare. All in all, the Lydian campus was definitely a lively place that morning.
"It's interesting," Hibiki said later on, drawing her guides' attention as the trio stepped away from the goldfish catching booth near the school's campus center. The trio had been walking around for almost an hour, just taking in the sights and trying some of the festivities as Miku and Chris had tried to explain to the redhead about how the school had been reopened after Kadingir, along with talking about some of the things that went on at the festival itself. Before she could continue, Chris began to respond.
"What's so interesting, Sora-san?" she said, looking at the girl with curiosity. While she was glad to see the Gungnir wielder up and about, that didn't make it any easier for her to sort out her thoughts. In fact, her presence was part of what was driving the Ichaival wielder to be nervous; she was happy to see her here, but she also was worried about what would happen if her roommate found out about Hibiki still being alive and in front of her.
"Well…it just seems that the two of you get along really well. From what you told me about yourselves, I wouldn't have thought that the two of you would have become such good friends," Hibiki said, a smile on her face. This got both roommates to blush slightly, before Miku responded softly.
"I guess so…it still doesn't feel like everything is alright though," she said, a sad undertone entering her voice and causing both other girls to nod. 'I'm sorry, Miku…I don't like having to hide from you. But, I just won't let you, Chris, Tsubasa-san, or anyone else get hurt by what Kanade-san showed me,' the redhead thought, a sad smile rising to her face.
"Maybe not, Miku-san, but I don't know that Hibiki would want us to keep dwelling on what's happened," Chris began, trying to cheer the forest-haired girl even slightly. "I think that she'd want us to keep living life to the fullest, and to keep helping others," she continued, turning to the redhead beside her and nodding, only to blush at the reaffirming smile she got in return. 'Hibiki…why is it that you do this to me so easily?' she thought, heart racing slightly at even just the small action.
"I agree with what Chris-san said, Miku-san. Besides…I think that the person you're looking for might be closer than you think. Never give up hope that they're out there," Hibiki said, drawing a hopeful smile to Miku's face as she did so. 'Both you and Chris, Miku…you're both too important to me to risk either of you getting hurt. You've always been like the sun to me; warm, inviting, providing me a place to return to, the light in the darkness. Chris, you're similar. You're like the moon to me; calming, cool, yet still inviting, another source of light in the dark…you're both so important to me, and I can't help but be drawn to both of you…' the now-redhead thought, a blush rising to her face. Before she could be noticed, however, a familiar voice echoed out.
"There you three are! Sora-san, you're going to be late for the contest," Tsubasa said, running up to the trio and getting Hibiki's attention. The redhead flinched, before looking at the nearby clock, fighting to avoid a look of panic emerging on her face. "You know that you're supposed to be there early; you do have that performance you're doing after all. And you, Chris-san, have to be there too, remember?"
"Oh jeez…gomen ne, Tsubasa-san. I guess I just lost track of time," Hibiki said, before turning to the two roommates she had spent her late morning with. "I hope that I'll see the two of you at the contest later? I haven't seen the list of contestants yet, but even if you're not on it, I'm sure that you'll enjoy the show. Thanks for showing me around," the redhead said, bowing to Chris and Miku before turning to head to the auditorium, the bluenette following closely behind. Her stage was waiting.
"She's an impressive one, isn't she…" Chris said, before Tsubasa's question finally registered. "Oh crap…I'm late for stage call! Sorry Miku-san, but I've gotta run!" she said, before turning and taking off to where the contestants in that afternoon's karaoke contest were supposed to meet for final preparations. As she ran off, the green-haired girl brought her right hand to her chest, her heart beating rapidly as a blush rose to her face.
'Those words…Sora-san, those words just reminded me so much of her…why do I feel that I've known you so much longer than it seems? And why do I feel so drawn to you, just like I did to Hibiki?' Miku thought, before slowly making her way towards the auditorium. She wouldn't want to miss the special performance being given, after all.
Lydian Music Academy, Tachibana Memorial Auditorium
The room was full of festival attendees, as an eager anticipation filled the air. Today was going to be a special day; not only as it was the annual Lydian Academy Karaoke Contest, but also because of how it was the first, albeit small, public performance by Sora, who had been hand-picked by Kazanari Tsubasa herself to become the next big idol on the music scene.
"Are you ready for this, Hibiki?" the bluenette stated, standing backstage with the redhead, who was now wearing her Sora mask. "I know that it was short notice and that you were really not expecting to have to perform so soon…"
"It's fine, Tsubasa-san…I wish you would have told me that you had set it for Miku and Chris to be my tour guides though," Hibiki said, nerves bouncing around in her stomach even if she wouldn't admit it. At this, the bluenette sighed, shaking her head before walking over and giving the younger girl a brief hug.
"Just do the best you can. Look at it as if you're singing in the recording studio, and you'll be fine. And I'm sorry about that, but I thought it would be best to have you guided by people you know. I know that Ogawa-san would have done the same," Tsubasa said, her voice speaking in a calming tone as Hibiki closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.
"True…still, though…"
"Just sing your best. It's your first concert, I know, and even though it's small, I'll be right here watching," Tsubasa said, turning the Gungnir wielder around and smiling reassuringly. "I know you can do this, Hibiki."
Hibiki then smiled back, but before she could say anything further, the host for the event walked onto the stage. Taking one more look at the bluenette and nodding, she gave the older girl a brief hug before turning her attention to the stage.
"Welcome, everyone, to the second annual Lydian Music Academy Fall Festival Karaoke Contest," the teacher hosting the event stated, causing the crowd to erupt in applause. "I know that you're all excited to see what our students have come up with for today, just like I am. We here at Lydian are fired up today to be joined by our special guest judge, who I'm very happy to have join us. But before we begin the contest, she's got a special song for all of you. Now, please welcome to the stage Sora!" the teacher proclaimed, her hand extended as she placed the microphone onto the mic stand before Hibiki started to walk onto the stage. 'Well, no looking back now. It's fine…it's all fine…' she thought, as she took her place behind the microphone.
"Is everyone ready to get this party started off right? I'm really honored to be here today, performing for you here at Lydian. And to prove it, I have a special song I'd like to share with you all today," she said, grabbing the microphone off of its stand and nodding towards the junior girl in charge of playing the background music. It was time for her song to begin.
(Insert song: "SHUFFLE" by Okui Masami)
-"Can't overcome", "getting irritated"
Even if you break the hurdles, you won't give an answer to anything…
If you don't protect the balance of strength, love, and so on
You'll lose sight of yourself…-
Miku sat in her seat, nodding along with the beat of the music as the new idol began to perform her selected song. 'Her voice…it sounds so familiar,' she thought, a smile coming to her face as she reflected back on the events of that morning and the tour she had given with her roommate. 'Hibiki…I won't give up anymore…'
-Are you being controlled? On the field,
Everyone will fearlessly go away. But…
You might not be able to choose
The path to the invisible future.
Close your eyes and shuffle with your heart,
Just like cards,
Certainly you'll draw out a miracle.-
Chris stood backstage, nervously waiting on her turn to take the stage. She hadn't been aware, however, that Hibiki would be performing just before the contest. 'Her voice…Hibiki…' the snow-haired girl thought, her foot tapping along with the beat of the chosen song. 'This song…are you trying to tell me something?'
-If you were seriously living, then the number of precious things would grow.
And you would have forgotten about the bad things.
Indeed, it's the invisible bond, on the field,
For anyone it's the needed power, so…
You know the loneliness and bitterness of being by yourself
And understand the pain now.
No matter what attacks you,
You'll carry it without running away.-
"Great job…keep going, Hibiki," Tsubasa whispered from her position just off stage. She had been nervous about this idea; after all, the Gungnir wielder had only been recording songs for the better part of six months, and had yet to perform in front of a crowd until that day. However, it seemed that she was handling it extremely well, letting her emotions flow into the song. 'You've got a fan in me for sure…and at least one other one in Chris,' she thought, looking over her shoulder to where the snow-haired girl was bobbing her head to the beat with a smile on her face.
-People who bear calm faces and betray you
Are a great many in this era
Close your eyes and see with your heart,
Just like cards, that's what has been promised, yes!
You are the winner!
Indeed, because it's the invisible future
You've noticed that, ah, you can be excited about it.
Never lose! Shuffle with your heart,
Just like cards, because certainly
A miracle will happen.-
(End Insert Song: "SHUFFLE" by Okui Masami)
As the music faded from the auditorium, Hibiki opened her eyes. And as she did, she heard a roar of approval from the audience, as cheers rang throughout the auditorium at where the newly-named idol stood, a relieved smile appearing on her face.
"Thank you, everyone! I'm grateful for the support you showed me here today! I know I'm still new as an idol, but I promise to do my best! Now, let's turn it over to the students waiting backstage! Please show them the same support you showed me!" she said, returning the microphone to its stand and walking off stage towards her seat at the judge's table. 'That song…it just felt like the right song to perform today, and I'm glad that the audience seemed to like it…Chris, Miku, Tsubasa-san, everyone, I won't lose. I'll protect all of you…I swear it!'
Lydian Music Academy, Outside of Tachibana Memorial Auditorium
"Shirabe-chan, we're going to be late for the show!" Kirika called out, running towards the auditorium with the younger girl right behind her. While it had taken them a while to do so, they had found a new hideout for their group. As a reward of sorts for finding a new hideout, Nastassja had told the duo that they could go to the festival if they chose; Maria had declined to go, saying that she wanted to be around to help "If Mama's health acted up".
"You're the one who wanted to try the takoyaki and didn't think that there would be a line for it, Kiri-chan. Besides…while we're here to enjoy the festival, we do know that the Ichaival and Ame no Habakiri wielders attend this school. So, it may be an opportunity for us to obtain their relics. We did lose all of the food we had for the Nephilim, after all…" the younger girl trailed off, causing the blonde beside her to laugh sheepishly.
"Yeah…we did, didn't we? However, if we can get those two relics, that should be good, right? And if we go to this contest they're supposedly having, then maybe we'll be able to find them!" the blonde said, finally arriving at the auditorium's entrance and letting the younger girl catch up, before they entered the building quietly, taking a pair of seats at the back of the hall as a performer's song was cut short by a buzzer.
Lydian Music Academy, Tachibana Memorial Auditorium, Backstage
To say that Yukine Chris was anxious about her turn was an understatement. However, as she saw the second to last group ahead of her have their song be stopped mid-way by the judges, she almost panicked. 'Why'd I let my classmates talk me into this? It's like the judges are being really trigger-happy this year with their rejections,' she thought, as she stood in silence off-stage, the final performer of the contest, her turn coming up after the person walking out on stage now.
"Chris-san? Earth to Chris-san…" a voice in front of the snow-haired girl spoke, snapping the Ichaival wielder out of her nervous state. Looking up, Chris saw Kazanari Tsubasa standing in front of her, a clipboard under her arm and a look of concern written on her face. "You okay? You look nervous."
"No, Tsubasa-san…I'm really not sure that I'm good enough for this…what if the judges buzz me out too early? I don't even know who the guest judge is!"
"Relax, Chris-san…when you'll see the judge out there, you'll be fine. I think…I think that the key to this type of thing is to just let your emotions and feelings fuel your song. I'm sure you'll do fine; I've heard you practice for this. You'll be fine," the older symphogear wielder said with a smile on her face, as the judges buzzed out the last contestant standing between Chris and the stage. "Looks like it's your turn. Remember, just let your emotions flow, and you'll be just fine. Sing well, Chris-san," the bluenette continued, placing her clipboard down and giving the younger girl a brief hug before exiting the backstage area, leaving Chris to her thoughts.
"And now, please welcome our final contestant to the stage! Yukine Chris-san, with a special song for all of you! Come on out, Chris-san!" the student emcee said, as the snow-haired girl walked out to the stage, a handheld microphone grasped in both hands.
'Well…let's see who the judges are…and who the special judge is…' Chris said, as she scanned the crowd for familiar faces. Once she saw Tsubasa sit down towards the front row, just behind the guest judge, her nerves amped up even higher than they had previously. 'Wait…Hibiki is the guest judge? Oh god…oh god…' the snow-haired girl thought, heart racing as a small blush came to her face. 'Now I really don't want to mess this up…Tsubasa-san, I'm going to give it my best. Hibiki, please don't buzz me out of this too quickly…' the girl thought, before raising her microphone to her mouth, giving the signal to the junior class girl in charge of the music to start playing the chosen song, before starting to sing.
(Insert Song: "Kyoushitsu Monochrome" by Takagaki Ayahi as Yukine Chris **ALTERED LYRICS**)
-When someone reaches out to you,
You learn about a pain that isn't really pain.
My future still looks monochrome,
And I'm still looking for my crayons.
But now, for a reason I can't explain
It's slowly gaining color.
Like the flowers that bloom
As the halos of the rainbow.-
As Hibiki sat at the judge's table, she stared at the stage without blinking, her heart pounding and a smile slowly coming onto her face as she watched Chris sing. 'Why…why is it that my heart is racing right now? Chris…what are you trying to tell me? And why is it that I'm being more and more drawn to you?' she thought, a blush rising to her face that was hidden fairly well by the mask she wore, as the snow-haired girl continued to sing.
-As the bell rings at the end of class,
I can feel the breeze in my hair
And it feels so good, like never before.
But I'm still unsure,
Since I can't keep my smile hidden under a sky so high.
Can I just love freely?
Would you get angry at me?
I do what I can,
The best of my best.
From the bottom, the bottom of my heart,
Can I really sing the way I'd like to for you?-
As she continued to sing, Chris' inner thoughts were a whirlwind. 'Hibiki…I think I'm finally starting to understand…' she thought, images flashing to her mind of what she liked about the Gungnir wielder. 'I'm finally starting to understand just what it is that I'm feeling towards you. Do you feel the same way? I don't have any regrets about it…I feel all the happier for it,' the snow-haired Ichaival wielder thought, as she continued to move in a dance to the instrumental part of the song.
Down with the aforementioned redhead, she continued to watch Chris' performance with a smile on her face, as she continued to try to figure out what she was feeling. 'Chris…what is going on with me? Why do I feel so…happy when you're around? Why does it hurt so much more when I saw you get hurt than when I saw Tsubasa-san get hurt?' she thought, the sight of the girl on stage almost causing her heart to burst out of her chest. Almost unknowingly to anyone, she whispered quietly.
"Beautiful…"
-The sun shines in the classroom
With a light oh so bright,
As if to melt the ice over my heart.
My tears won't stop;
I never knew anything could be this warm,
The place that I call home,
The place that I call home.-
(End Insert Song: "Kyoushitsu Monochrome" by Takagaki Ayahi as Yukine Chris **ALTERED LYRICS**)
Her song at an end, Chris lowered the mic from her mouth, her eyes staring almost directly into those of Hibiki, causing a smile to break out onto her face. 'Hibiki…I think I might be falling for you. I don't know if you feel the same way…but, I at least have an idea of what it is that I'm feeling,' she thought, eyes not breaking contact with the Gungnir wielder's own as the crowd broke out into applause at her performance.
"She was really good, Shirabe-chan," Kirika whispered to the younger girl as she applauded, getting a nod and a smile from the younger girl in response.
"It almost felt like she was singing not only to the audience, but also to someone in particular…" Shirabe trailed off, her mind racing to figure out who it could be. 'It couldn't be Tachibana-san, could it? If it was, it would explain some of the reaction she had on the bridge. However, it just doesn't seem quite likely enough. Even though Tachibana-san may be trying to live up to her own words now, that doesn't seem right…' the double ponytailed girl thought, a frown rising to her face as she puzzled over the implications.
Tsubasa had an amused smile on her face. She had probably been the only one in the whole room to be able to hear Hibiki's earlier comment. 'It's just like I thought…those two are falling for each other, but they just aren't willing to admit it to one another. It's like they're afraid to do so…Kanade, what would you do in this situation?' she thought, a smile etched onto her face.
A few minutes later, after the crowd had calmed down, all the participants that day were gathered on the stage as the judges, Hibiki included, finished their discussion over who they thought had won the contest. Moments later, the redhead, still wearing her mask, stepped forwards, grabbing the microphone and beginning to speak.
"I know that I wasn't the only one who enjoyed today's contest. We have come to a decision, but I want to tell all of you who participated here today that I'm happy to see that so many of you came out here and gave it your best. Keep practicing and working to get better, and I'm sure that you'll be great at whatever it is that you pursue in the future. Unfortunately, we can only have one winner. And so, I'm happy to announce the winner of the second annual Lydian Fall Festival Karaoke Contest is…Yukine Chris," Hibiki said, speaking into the mic with a warm smile on her face.
Chris was shocked at the news. 'I…won? Hibiki…did you do this?' she thought, as she stepped forward nervously, the Gungnir wielder stepping onto the stage holding the trophy and meeting her halfway.
"Congratulations, Chris…" she said, handing the trophy to the snow-haired girl, who nodded, a blush coming over her face. 'I don't know how it happened or what caused me to start…but, I might be falling for you, Chris. Just like I did with Miku…' the redhead thought, a smile written on her face as she turned to the audience to speak.
"We do have a special announcement for all of you here the rest of today. If any of you want to come up on stage and try your hand at Karaoke, you can do so the rest of today. And if you're impressive enough, maybe you can challenge our newly-crowned winner," Hibiki announced, looking at the audience. Before long, a pair of voices spoke up at the same time, seemingly perfectly in sync.
"Alright, we'll accept your challenge!" Kirika said, walking down the aisle towards the stage with Shirabe in tow. The younger girl shot the blonde a look of resentment before nodding, and beginning to speak.
"And not only will we challenge the champion, but we'll defeat her right here!"
End Chapter 6
Author's Postscript: Well, things are starting to get interesting. For those of you waiting for more Chris x Hibiki parts, I think you got your fair share today, but please keep in mind that they are only part of the trio of Chris x Hibiki x Miku. Also, we saw some hesitation in Maria; what could that mean? The Karaoke contest is at an end as well, but a pair of familiar challengers have come forwards to try to take the crown from Chris. Will she be able to protect her newly-earned title? Lots of questions still to be answered, and still more remain to be asked. We'll see what happens next time for sure. Please leave a review, and I'll see you next time!-ZBD15
