Symphogear Trill

Stanza XIV: Saliré a Finé

Gunfire and panicked screams filled the air of the Lydian Academy grounds, Finé overlooking the carnage as the soldiers gunfire could only hold the rampaging Noise back as the students fled in a panicked storm for safety.

"Even when there is no hope, they still continue to struggle. Hm." Finé scoffed, looking back when the shifting of armor sounding, showing a wider smirk as Scortura appeared, readjusting his mask, "Ah, I was wondering where you'd run off to."

"Forgive me… the boy is fighting back. He managed to regain control for a short while." The armored figure stated, Finé humming.

"Did he warn the others?"

"He only spoke with the Kusanagi user. His only warning was "continue fighting"… I doubt it will amount to much." The masked fighter stated, Finé giving a hum.

"Perhaps." The woman hummed, fiddling with the lab coat on her, "I'll go and activate Kadingir… you wait out here for the Symphogears return."

"And for those fleeing?"

"They don't matter, so I don't care. Allow them to flee or kill any stragglers, it doesn't matter in the end."

"Understood, Lady Finé." Scortura nodded, Finé disappearing with a chuckle, the masked man standing and turning back to the city, the Dreadnaught Noise flying above, "Alright then, young warriors, defeat your enemies, and come meet me… let's see how you fare when Kadingir rises."

As night fell on the now ruined academy grounds, the five Gear users arrived in a rush, shock on their faces as they looked around at the rubble.

"Miku! Everyone!" Hibiki shouted, Ritsudo clenching a fist as he clicked his tongue, a dead silence permeating the air around them.

"Damn… this is a disaster in every since of the word." Ritsudo growled.

"Lydian is…" Tsubasa murmured, Kyomei kicking a stone.

"Dammit! Those Noise were just a distraction!" Kyromei grumbled, all five looking towards one of the buildings, who else waiting for them there but Scortura and Finé, still in the guise of Ryoko.

"Dr. Sakurai?!" Tsubasa gasped, Chris giving a growl while Ritsudo looked on guard.

"Finé! Did you do this?!" Chris snapped, Tsubasa, Kyomei, and Hibiki looking at the white haired girl with confusion on their faces, Finé only laughing in response.

"Course she did… who the hell else?" Ritsudo muttered, already pulling out his pendant to be at the ready.

"Is that laughter your answer, Dr. Sakurai?!" Tsubasa demanded, the laughing only continuing for a short moment.

"That's the bitch I have to settle things with! She's Finé!" Chris shouted, Finé responded by removing her glasses and letting her hair fall, a burst of blue light shining from her body, the Gear users gasping as the woman than changed into the darker skinned, blonde appearance that was Finé's, clad in a golden Nehushtan armor.

"No way…" Hibiki murmured, standing straight, Finé looking down on the teenagers with a smirk, Scortura rising and drawing his spear. "It isn't true, right? It can't be true. Because, you protected me!"

"I was merely protecting Durandal." Finé answered, "It's a rare, complete Relic."

"You're lying… if you're Finé, where's the real Ryouko-san?" Hibiki asked, Ritsudo giving a narrowed glance.

"The body of Sakurai Ryouko was devoured a long time ago. No… you could say that her mind died twelve years ago." Finé casually answered, the four Gear user's who'd known her feeling a pang of shock pass through them, "Finé, a priestess of a pre-historic super civilization, carved her consciousness into her genes. She made it so that, when any of her descendants encountered and aufwachen waveform, her memories and abilities would revive. Twelve years ago, Kazanari Tsubasa and Hyoshi Kyomei;s accidental activation of the Ame no Habakiri and Vijaya simultaneously awakened the consciousness sleeping inside Sakurai Ryouko. That awakened consciousness, is myself."

"You destroyed Ryouko-san." Hibiki murmured.

"Like a ghost returning from the past." Tsubasa murmured.

"Then what about him?" Kyomei growled, pointing at Scortura, the masked figure giving a hum, removing his mask to expose his face, none of the "glitching" present in his appearance at the moment, Kyomei gritting his teeth at the all too familiar face. "Koto…"

"Like Lady Finé, my consciousness is also tied to that of my descendants… the same principle applies, once exposed to aufwachen waves, the one is question will awaken to my own consciousness. However, I was repressed when the boy you call Koto awoke to my presence. Blame that Relic of his. It was a troublesome item I'm glad to be rid of. Him falling into despair at the death of the girl he loved only made it easier." Scortura's tone was level, but the monotone seemed far more mocking than anything, Kyomei's eyes wide, Ritsudo scoffing.

"Easy? Then how the hell is he fighting back eh?! He talked to me earlier, and I passed on the message he gave me. You're control is slipping, isn't it?" Ritsudo challenged, Scortura glaring at the boy.

"Kusanagi… you're the annoying one. You discovering the nature of Kadingir was unexpected to the overall plan… then again, I suppose you could say it's because of that quick thinking that things began so soon." Scortura's words directly mocked Ritsudo, the boy merely scoffing.

"Pulling the "it's all your fault" card on me huh? Typical high horse villains." Ritsudo muttered, Scortura scoffing.

"Perhaps. But… I do wish that darn dream had held this boy longer… hmph, troublesome girl, interfering in her own way. I only need enough time to destroy the lot of you though. He says he wants to reach all of you again… I wonder how he'd react to seeing the very people he's trying to reach dead at his feet? How far would he fall into despair learning his fight was for nothing?" Scortura hummed, Kyomei growled, Tsubas gasping as he pulled out his pendant.

"Fugite Verum Vijaya zillz!" Kyomei practically screamed the activation phrase, immediately forming his Armed Gear as a bow, Scortura deflecting the shot with a casual twirl of his spear, smirking at Kyomei. "Try me… we beat you before, we'll do it again!"

"We'll see about that." Scortura mused, Finé chuckling again.

"I am not the only one who has awoken as Finé, nor is he the only one to awaken as Scortura." The woman continued, gesturing to her companion, "Throughout history, my blood and his have coursed through great men and heroes. Every time a major technological change occurred and a paradigm shift happened, we were there."

"The Symphogear system…" Tsubasa gasped, Kyomei lowering his bow as he hit the same realization.

"Those toys were side products, to help siphon money from politicians." Finé stated, glancing at Ritsudo, "Though some proved more… interesting. Like your friends Kusanagi. Once it was developed, it fled on it's own… frankly I'm surprised it chose someone like you, Narukami Ritsudo. Observing you has been about as interesting as Tachibana Hibiki."

"Then Kanade died for your side project?!" Tsubasa snapped.

"And that's why you took me in and worked with America?!" Chris shouted.

"Notable amount of hate on the US here, as I've noticed." Ritsudo thought, his tense expression temporarily breaking into a miffed one.

"That's right. It was all for Kadingir!" Finé declared, and as her arms spread wide, the ground began shaking as violently as if an earthquake had began, but, a grating sound came as well, the eyes of the Gear user's widening as from the very earth itself rose a tower reaching high, the tower formed from the very same structure that was previously the elevator shaft of the 2nd Division HQ. Ritsudo notably looked the most perturbed. Having guessed such an event, it made the truth an all the more bitter pill to swallow in the face of this tower reaching to the sky that now shadowed the city below. "This is it! That which rises from the earth, and fires the shot that reaches the heavens. The particle cannon, Kadingir!"

"Shot that… reaches… the heavens…" Ritsudo slowly muttered, his expression less of shock compared to the others and more… flatly unamused, remembering a certain quip of his he'd said ever so jokingly months ago, "You have got to be kidding me… how did I guess this?!"

"You're going to use this to restore the split worlds?" Chris shouted, a seeming ignorance of Ritsudo having a completely different reaction than everyone else abound.

"Yes, by shooting out the Moon." Finé stated, Ritsudo's expression becoming even flatter than before, then snapping a hand up.

"Nobody repeat what she just said! We don't need that! Let's just get to the why." Ritsudo snapped, the others shutting their mouths as they went to speak, what they were going to say being obvious, "But seriously, how in the name of hell did I guess this?! That was a throwaway line, a freaking joke!"

"I merely wished to be with Him." Finé murmured, the five Gear user's all bearing confused expressions, "That was why I built the tower of the plains of Shinar, to reach Him. But He refused to allow anyone to reach the heavens in which He dwelt. In His wrath, he struck down the tower with a bolt of lightning, and destroyed our language as well! An endless punishment, the Curse of Balal."

"Why do you think the Moon has always been a symbol of disharmony for humanity?" Scortura posed the question, leaning on his spear, Finé bearing a bitter scowl, her servant more collected.

"It's because the Moon is the source of the Curse of Balal!" Finé yelled, looking towards the moon itself, glaring like she was facing an enemy, "This curse stops humans from understanding one another. By destroying it, I'll put an end to it. And once again, the world will be one!"

"End the curse?" Chris mocked, Finé looking to the girl as the tower began glowing, already beginning to charge, "Does that mean you're going to rule the world? Cheap! Unbelievably tawdry!"

"I live for eternity. No one can stop me." Finé mocked, Ritsudo scoffing in return.

"Hehe, then I guess people like us will just keep rising up to stop you then!" Ritsudo smirked, holding his pendant high, light glinting off of it, "Everyone, let's go!"

"Scindum Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi tron!"

"Balwisyall nescell Gungnir tron!"

"Imyuteus Ame no Habakiri tron!"

"Killiter Ichaival tron!"

Four more lights shone as the others donned their armors, all five warriors brandishing their weapons, Chris firing at Finé and Scortura without a moment to waste, the two enemies leaping from their perch, the girls setting on Finé while Ritsudo and Kyomei leapt for Scortura, the two being attack using their own weapons to fend off the teenagers as they struck at once, Finé's whips lashing through the air to strike while Scortura's spear darted around as he twirled the weapon to block the sword blows and projectiles launched by Kyomei.

It was hardly a fight one could say was in the Symphogear's favor. Being faced with a complete Relic and another that was far stronger, all of their blows either did next to no damage or were easily defended. But, the plan wasn't to defeat the enemies before them, as Chris had seemingly veered off from the fighting beforehand, Finé turning away from knocking Hibiki aside to see Chris preparing to launch two warheads at the tower.

"So that's what you kids are planning? Smart, but you'll never take down the tower." Scortura mocked, Ritsudo giving a bitter slick of his tongue as he stepped back from the lock, the red spear twirling as Kyomei fired at it, lowering his rifle form weapon.

"We won't let you stop Chris' attack! Either of you!" Kyomei shouted, aiming at Finé as Chris fired the first missile, Finé dodging it in midair, catching it's trajectory as she fell, growling as the shots fired by Kyomei bounced off of her armor like specks, a swipe from her whip destroying the missile… but there was one she hadn't gone and accounted for either.

The second… which Chris herself was riding, to the shock of the other's.

"Eh?! Chris what're you doing?! That wasn't the plan!" Ritsudo shouted, the other three just as shocked as Chris rode the projectile high above the tower.

"No matter how hard you fight, they're just toys!" Finé shouted, "You cannot stop Kadingir!"

And then, the song none of the Gear users wanted to hear, was exactly what they heard as Chris reached the height of her ride….

Gatrandis Babel ziggurat Edenal.

"The hell is she thinking?!" Ritsudo yelped.

"It can't be…" Tsubasa gasped, Kyomei's eyes the widest of the lot.

"Her Swan Song?!" Hibiki gasped, Scortura humming in mock amusement as the air gained a violet hue to it.

Emustolronzen Finé el Balal zizzl.
Gatrandis Babel ziggurat Edenal.
Emustolronzen Finé el Balal zizzl.

The sight was odd to call beatufial, butterfly like wings forming behind Chris' figure as she brought out to smaller guns that expanded outwards, forming a cannon of her own that charged rapidly in time to Kadingir readying to fire, the dread on the faces of the other Gear users only growing, the blinding light coming from Kadingir firing only compounding by the energy Chris herself fired from her weapon, everything coming down to the two beams colliding with one another, the struggle halting it… Ritsudo's own dread only grew more as he noted on thread of light coming from his Gear and heading towards Chris up above, one wavering thread that, as the beams continued to struggle, Chris' weapon losing out, carried one thought down to Ritsudo as Chris was overtaken.

"Thank you, for saving me."

The thread faded away as the beams did, silent shock as all present could only watch, an entire section of the moon cracking and floating off, Finé looking downright enraged at that being the only result.

"It didn't destroy it? She knocked it off course?!" The eternal woman gasped, the four remaining Gear users in shocked silence, Ritsudo gritting his teeth and gripping the hilt of his sword tightly, and coming into view was a falling glimmer of red light, the four's eyes widening as it was clear to see that it was Chris who was falling, the girl vanishing behind the trees of the woods, only a resounding crash giving any sign of presence.

Both one of finality and dread at what was the likely result, Hibiki's pained scream sounding out shortly after, Ritsudo's body shuddering as his free hand twitched, his expression between pain and disbelief, only accented as Hibiki broke down into tears, Finé glaring up at the moon shard that was drifting down, Scortura watching with a blank expression.

"No… we were finally friends." Hibiki choked out, "This isn't fair… it isn't happening. I wanted to talk with her more. If we can't talk, we can't fight… and we can't become even better friends!"

"Ritsudo?" Kyomei murmured, noting the silence from his fellow Tuner… it was a bitter, angry silence at that.

"Darn that girl… why does she always run off without telling anyone?!" Ritsudo growled, balling his free hand tightly.

"So she killed herself, to stop the strike on the Moon." Finé scoffed, laughing, "What a waste."

"She's not dead." Ritsudo muttered, Finé raising a brow, "She's not dead, you hear me?!"

"She used the Swan Song. You truly believe that girl survived such a thing? You're hopeless if you're that naïve… you're deluding yourself." Scortrua stated, Ritsudo glaring at both offenders, a red gleam in his eyes and a blaze haze around his body.

"Maybe I am… maybe I'm just too scared to think about losing someone I care about again… but Chris is alive… and even if she is dead, then I'll pull that girl right back to the world of the living, you got it?! So don't you dare say she's dead, and don't you dare call her a waste!" Ritsudo shouted, Finé laughing.

"Pitiful child. That girl was a fool. Her dream will never come true." Finé mocked, Ritsudo's glower only growing in intensity, while Hibiki looked even worse, her eyes completely red, a dark shadow covering her body, slowly but surely creeping through, Tsubasa and Kyomei looking angry in their own rights at the mockery.

"Did you laugh?!" Tsubasa growled, "Did you just see someone sacrifice their life to protect what they loved? And did you laugh and call it useless?!"

"You're twisted… you're the worst kind of person!" Kyomei screamed, he and Tsubasa aiming their weapons at Finé, Scortura giving a dry chuckle.

"You children really are fools… grk?!" The man gasped as he lurched, his features "glitching" again, a growl coming through him, "Now?! Of all times… now?!"

"You're both so dead." Ritsudo growled, but, he halted when a far more vicious growl sounded from behind him, one angrier, more animalistic... and terrifying from who it came from.

"Are those…" Hibiki growled, her body entirely covered in shadow, a beastly snarl on her shadowed face, her eyes angry red orbs of fury, "Are those the words of the person who destroyed her life and her dream?!"

It was a roar purely animalistic in nature, like all human sense had been lost to rage, the shock of the sight making the black haze around Ritsudo fade, he, Kyomei, and Tsubasa staring at Hibiki in shock, Finé however, smirking.

"Hibiki? Hey, Hibiki!" Ritsudo shouted, Finé laughing, earning an ireful glare yet again.

"The Gungnir fragments, fused within her, have gone out of control." Finé stated, "Soon, her consciousness will be overwhelmed by a power she cannot control."

"Were you experimenting on Tachibana?!" Tsubasa gasped, Kyomei growling himself, then aiming his weapon at Scortura as the dark Tuner chuckled.

"What do you think? A Relic/Human hybrid would be a question anyone would want an answer too… your friend just provided one." Scortura stated, grabbing his spear again despite the wavering of his appearance, "Lady Finé, are we done prosing… I'm about ready to kill these brats."

"Of course… time is on our side however… but, I want to see it. To see this girl be taken over by Gungnir and cease to be human." Finé mused, Ritsudo snarling again, "Oh? Did I touch a soft spot on you?"

"Yeah, ya' did… multiple times." Ritsudo stated, glancing at Hibiki as she continued snarling, "I won't let that happen Hibiki… I swear…"

"Is that what you were aiming for with Hibiki, for Kanade?!" Kyomei shouted, jumping back when Scortura struck at him, Tsubasa blocking a blow as well. Hibiki, in the rage, lashed out, leaping at Finé like a rabid animal on the attack, the force of the blows sending out shockwaves, Finé seeming to be amused by the berserk Symphogear lashing at her, the other three preoccupied with Scortura holding them up.

"Ggh… damn what is with this guy?! You two kicked his tail before, why is he so much tougher now?!" Ritsudo snapped, skidding back from a parried blow, Tsubasa and Kyomei standing in front of him, "Huh?"

"Ritsudo, go help Hibiki, get her out of that state… Tsubasa and I will deal with this one." Kyomei stated, Ritsudo looking between his two elders.

"We have someone we have to save as well! We leave Tachibana to you, Narukami! Let us save our friend as well." Tsubasa stated, Ritsudo taking a moment and nodding, turning and running off to the other fight, Scortura scoffing as Tsubasa and Kyomei readied their weapons, the threads of light denoting the start of Synchronization forming.

"I'm not holding back anymore. DO you two honestly expect to have the same result you did the last time we fought?" Scortura hummed, Kyomei readying a shot on his bow.

"Yeah… except this time, we're expecting a little help. Koto, if you're in there and fighting right now, please… hurry and beat this guy. We'll hold him off until you do." Kyomei stated, Tsubasa nodding.

"So perservere a but longer! We got your message, we'll continue to fight as well!" Tsubasa stated, Scortura chuckling as he bounced his spear on his shoulder.

"Adorable… I can't wait to see you two despair at losing!"

Ritsudo glanced back as the fight between the veterans and their possessed friend began anew, the clashing of weapons and all sounding as the blurs of a fight started, the white haired boy turning back to Hibiki's enraged combat with Finé.

"Hibiki!" Ritsudo called out, Finé chuckling as she knocked Hibiki aside.

"She's no longer human. She is pure destruction in human form!" Finé shouted, Hibiki lunging at her again, striking mercilessely at the barrier that was formed, Finé smirking at the attack again, Ritsudo lifting an arm as another shockwave shot out while a cloud of dust spurt upwards, the dust clearing to reveal Finé seemingly injured, but despite the grievous wound, practically being cut in two, not only was there no blood to be seen, the woman looked thrilled as her body began stitching itself back together.

"What the hell?" Ritsudo muttered, looking back to Kyomei and Tsubasa's fight and Finé, Hibiki bursting out of the rubble with a roar, "Hibiki, stop it! If you keep this up, it'll only get worse! Come on, can't you hear me?!"

Hibiki stopped for a moment, lurching around and looking at Ritsudo, the boy gasping a bit as he took a step back.

"Apparently, you can hear me then." Ritsudo muttered, swinging his sword to block as Hibiki then lunged at him in her blind rage, Ritsudo knocking her back, gritting his teeth as the enraged girl skid to a stop and charged again, the sword being barred once more, "I didn't want to aim this sword at you Hibiki…"

"Well? How does it feel boy, to be crossing blades with your closest friend?" Finé hummed, standing upright as her body finished repairing, looking between both bouts going on in front of her, Scortura not losing ground against his opponents while Hibiki relentlessly lunged at Ritsudo, who kept blocked and deflecting her strikes as he dodged around, "Well, things are becoming interesting… I wonder, how will these fights between friends play out, hmm?"

To be continued…

A/N

Three TBCs in a row. YEESH. Well, that's a finale for you I suppose. Man, and this chapter was a one sitter, barely any breaks between parts. But, that's the fun of it. Well, next time, the clashes between friends escalate and more, as this part of the story reaches it's climax! Hehe, keep up and you'll see how things go. And again, got any questions, feel free to PM me, and be sure to leave a review sayin' what ya' liked or any critiques! See ya next chapter!