Symphogear Trill
Stanza 18: Crescendo of Feelings
The night in the 2nd Division's HQ was a quiet one. Ryouko was on her own within her lab deep in the base. The woman bore a satisfied file as she had various research notes open. She almost couldn't help but chuckle over it. Because she had surely gathered an incredible amount of data in her research on the effects of the usage of a complete Relic as well as the nature of one who used a Relic that had become a part of their body itself.
It drew her thoughts to the basis of the Symphogear system itself. The system itself, divided into its categories of Harmonic and Tuner based on the divide in Aufwachen wave production females and males had, already was one that increased the physical abilities of the wielder. She knew it thusly also had residual effects on the body even when inactive. The armors own barrier coating would protect them from the normal effects of contact with the Noise, in fact it could often damage a Noise itself even if the Wielder themselves would take damage.
A wave production that also forces the Noise, who's presence normally doesn't perfectly manifest in reality, onto the proper plane where they can then be destroyed. By forcing them to "vibrate" within a certain frequency, the mindless beings of another world are forced to obey the rules of reality and can as such be removed from it by force.
However that had pretty much only ever been the limit with a human Wielder. Even the Synchronization phenomenon that only Tuners could enable, in a trade out that left them unable to use the Swan Song like their Harmonic contemporaries, didn't extend beyond that. As powerful as the ability was, there was only so much a squaring in one's Aufwachen Wave output could result in. The limitations of a human user were observed and the seeming extent of Ryouko's Theory on the matter had only concluded at that.
But, was her thought, what if the Wielder either had a paradoxical form of a completed Relic, or, even better, the Wielder and Relic were one and the same?
Under normal circumstances, the Symphogear alone places a level of strain on the Wielder. Ones with proper compatibility such as the current batch had the Resonance Coefficients needed to avoid the worst of it, but, those who didn't, such as Kanade, needed a "buffer" of some kind to withstand the use of the Symphogear or else risk being torn apart. In Kanade's case she used the drug called LiNKER to forcibly raise her Resonance to a safe level, but that too carried it's own risks. Synchronization could be such a buffer too, as it meant the joined Wielders shared the burden of their increased powers for the, and could, theoretically, even allow a Harmonic to use her Swan Song without facing as much backlash as would be normally incurred.
Of course, not that it came without risks to do so. As she had observed, even a partial Synchronization done by force was enough to prevent Tsubasa from being too severely harmed, and Kyomei himself had burdened fatigue himself. But that had been because the Synchronization had been improper. Ryouko wondered just what the effect would be if a proper Synchronization were used in tandem with the Swan Song.
Would it result in an explosion of power that the Wielders could withstand, or would both face an intense backlash even greater than on their own, despite bearing the burden together?
But what if something were to remove the gap that existed between wielder and Symphogear? A way to eliminate that strain between Adaptor and Relic to express the maximum power they could theoretically output?
On one hand, there was Ritsudo and the Ame-no-Murakumo. She called the Relic an anomaly, and that was for good reason. Two years prior it was planned to have the item transported from it's storage within the Imperial Palace in greater Tokyo to the 2nd Division for research purposes, yet, the transport convoy had been attacked by Noise and the sword had been seemingly lost as a result.
And yet, mere months later it had reappeared in the hands of a boy who had been one of the only survivors of the disaster at the Zwei Wing concert. Even more oddly, it had reappeared in the form of a Symphogear. Ryouko had a basic theory about that: That Ame-no-Murakumo was only a Symphogear on a technical level. Her research on it, through the data she had accumulated through all of Ritsudo's battles, concluded it's current state was a mimicry of the Symphogear system imposed by the Relic's own internal drivers to better suit itself to be used by its chosen wielder.
How it did this, she still didn't know. But, as a scientist that was a fascination for Ryouko she relished the thought of finally piecing together. Perhaps, she thought, the conclusion could be drawn to the nature of the weapon itself, as one regarded as an Imperial Regalia. Perhaps the centuries of belief about the sword's nature had produced some wider effect on the blade that caused it to express such odd behaviors and abilities.
By nature, of course, she also knew that on a basic level such a Relic would have a naturally higher output than the incomplete ones used by Kyomei and Tsubasa. While over the years their Symphogears had been powered up to better levels by incorporating more shards they had located ever since the two were found to be viable Adaptors, it was logical to reason a Complete Relic would have a much higher power ceiling.
However, while this meant Ritsudo expressed the highest natural Resonance Coefficient on his own, this still didn't quite answer Ryouko's query. In some form there still existed that divide she wished to cross. What Ritsudo's cased proved to her was that one who acted in full synchronicity with a complete Relic meant for combat was capable of expressing incredible natural ability in tandem to their willpower.
Which was a helpful conclusion in its own way. And Ryouko wasn't the kind to look a gift horse in the mouth.
However, the case she felt truly was what she wanted, that would bridge this divide, was Hibiki. The girl had proved a wonderful exception to the rule of Ryouko's Theory. A body which had the shards of a Relic embedded within it, a combination of human and Relic.
While Ritsudo's own ability were naturally high, Hibiki expressed far more, shall it be said, explosive results. Not only was Hibiki able to drastically increase her power in such a short time, but she was seemingly able to do so mid-battle as well, and as with Ritsudo's case, all through her own will, a singular source of Phonic Gain.
The concert two years ago had been an activation experiment conducted by the 2nd Division, who had been seeking to activate the Nehushtan Armor they had recovered. The concert was used to gather as much Phonic Gain, the expressive output of Aufwachen Waves, and channel it through Kanade and Tsubasa's singing to activate the Relic as quickly as they could. It had been successful, despite the disaster that occurred and the loss of the Nehushtan Armor.
And then came the case with Durandal. Ryouko still hadn't concluded if its activation was done solely by Hibiki, or if the resonance of Ame-no-Murakumo also had something to do with it. The hectic nature of the incident had made it hard to truly pin down the truth of the matter. But, what it did express was that whether it was one or both, the Phonic Gain produced at the time was enough to activate the Durandal without the need of an outside source amplifying it further. Plus, there was how after it had been primed, it was Hibiki who's grasp was what truly activated the sealed Durandal.
It was all seemingly under her own power that she did it. For Ryouko, this proved one thing: That the combination of human and Relic was generating a greater paradigm shift.
Further, there was also the observed reaction to the Durandal that Ame-no-Murakumo had expressed. The Relic had frozen, locked up, as if Durandal's patterns were something its "will" feared in some form or another. A smile came to the Ryouko's face as she pondered all of this. Truly, it was the best time for her to be a scientist.
Her eyes graced around the lab as her thoughts paused for a moment. The case which had held the data she'd "received" from the deceased Defense Minister Hiroki was within the lab… but what would perhaps be seen as an obvious concern, were all the photos of Hibiki and Ritsudo she had taped all across a portion of the room, all taken from various cameras strewn about the city capturing the two at any moment she had found.
But her thoughts came back to her ponderings. If Hibiki was able to express such power, than perhaps it was possible to bridge the gap and find a being who could use the power of the Swan Song without tearing their bodies apart. And, if she was right and that Ame-no-Murakumo had only stalled it's Synchronization with the Gungnir itself and not because of an incompatibility, if such an output could be further amplified into something even greater. Perhaps such a power could then be used freely.
Ryouko also had her eyes on an x-ray scan. It was one taken of Hibiki recently, one that showed the progression of her assimilation with the Gungnir shards… and it did not look pretty. The image showed what looked like roots, spreading from the center point near Hibiki's heart and spreading out across her body from there. She had assured Hibiki there was nothing to worry about, yet, this would have only made the doubts the older three Wielders had felt about that feel more justified in why they even felt them.
For Ryouko however, this was only a furthered proof of the near potential success of the idea of the potential of a true fusion of human and relic.
"If such a power can be expressed… if such a fusion, combined with the Resonance of a Tuner, can allow for not just the free usage of this power, but also to increase it beyond all limitations, it will be proof we can be been set free." Ryouko's smile spread as she had the thought, her eyes looking upwards. "Proof we can be freed of the bonds set on us by the Custodians of the distant past. We can yet again speak to each other in the true words of mankind, and the Lulu Amel will be able to determine their own destiny. Surpassing the past with a light not even a God would know."
Were she outside, Ryouko would be looking up to the moon with how her gaze had shifted. She thought about that moon… she thought about how much she hated it. How much she hated what it represented. How humanity was not just being watched, potentially… but also shackled down, left unable to truly be without conflict.
And she would have liked nothing more than to remove that bond… if only for one more chance to speak with him again. And now it felt all so close to her grasp.
For the first time in a little while, Ritsudo was sequestering himself up onto the roof again. Not out of skipping classes, it was lunch time when he decided to do this at least. He just felt the need to be somewhere he could breath a bit easier. He was tyring to put his thoughts together about just how to approach Wataru and talk about the previous day's incident, but it hadn't quite come to him yet. He knew the strawberry haired boy would likely not care so much he'd be angry. Of anything Wataru was too nice in that way. He was painfully understanding of most anything a person told him.
This was more Ritsudo's own lack of properly developed social skills coming around to hit him. He at least didn't want to say anything that would come across as uncaring or, well, missing the point really. He was also worried how Hibiki was doing since he'd heard, through a line from the friend group, that Miku was acting rather uncharacteristically cold towards his partner.
That made a bit of a weird thought when he mulled it over. "My partner." It wasn't a phrase Ritsudo thought he'd ever actually attribute to anybody until recently. But even thinking on it, on Hibiki herself, he did wonder… what was the girl hiding? He knew, ever since the failed Synchronization, that Hibiki was hiding her own dark feelings and memories.
He at least could surmise it had to do with what she had faced after the Zwei Wing concert. That was a simple truth, no doubt about it. Plus, there was that time back when they first encountered Chris, when Hibiki went, for lack of better phrasing, berserk. There had to be something behind that.
The door to this plot of Lydian's roof opening made Ritsudo crane his head back. He wasn't at all surprised that Wataru was the one who strolled out. And the other boy seemed even less surprised to see Ritsudo splayed out on the grass.
"You've been quiet today. What, needed to stare at the clouds?" Wataru's tone was casual as ever as he strolled over and sat down. Ritsudo just hummed as he sat up. "It's about yesterday isn't it?"
"That easy to read am I?" Ritsudo shook his head, earning a chuckle from Wataru. "Look I… I'm sorry about keeping a secret like that. It's just if I don't…"
"I get it, don't worry." Wataru then put a finger to his head. "It's kinda like you and Hibiki-san are heroes in a Tokusatsu show. You can't be walking around telling people who you are cause it's like, some government secret. That Ogawa guy told Miku and I all about it, at least, whatever wasn't super classified, I guess. But seriously there's nothing to worry about… at least from me."
"I wasn't expecting much else, I just didn't know how to put it." Ritsudo laid back down and locked his eyes on the clouds, a long sigh leaving his nose. "And there's some other things on my mind too. My head's just kind of a mess when I roll all of it together."
"I can get that… I guess I'm a bit of a mess to. I'm worried what's gonna happen between Miku and Hibiki now. She took it a lot harder than I did. Hibiki is… special to Miku. Special in a way I know I'm probably not. So hearing like that, that the person she holds the closest had to keep a secret like this… I can't really imagine what she's feeling right now."
"And how do you plan to find out?" Ritsudo sat up again. When Wataru looked to the side with an awkward chuckle, Ritsudo raised a brow. And then the door opened again.
This time, it was Miku who strolled out of the entrance. She looked a bit surprised as she looked to Wataru and then Ritsudo. And the moment her eyes fell on the white-haired boy, her expression soured a bit. Clearly she still didn't like him very much. And it was probably only made worse because of what she'd recently learned. Wataru then flashed Ritsudo his phone, showing the opened message conversation… Miku was here because he'd asked her to come up here.
Ritsudo was actually rather impressed at the level of foresight that showed Wataru had.
"Wataru-san, what's going on?" Miku switching back to the honorific made Wataru flinch. That just told him he was basically in trouble. "You said you wanted to talk on the roof. So, why is Kenzaki here too?"
"See… I kinda more wanted you and Ritsudo to talk with each other."
"What is there for me and him to talk about?" Miku let out a sigh. When she turned to go back through the door, Wataru shot up. He stopped Miku by grabbing her by the wrist. The black haired girl looked back, and she gasped a bit to see Wataru bearing a rather serious expression. "Wataru-san…"
"Don't run away from the problem." Wataru's voice was just as firm as his expression. "Miku, I want you to talk with Ritsudo because I know you don't feel right about things. If it's too hard for you to talk with Hibiki-san, then I suggest talking to the person who knows what she's been doing the entire time."
"Again, what is there for me and him to talk about?" Miku pulled her arm free, looking at Ritsudo. For as much as her expression was a glare, there was also some clear hurt in it. As Ritsud stood, Miku strode over to him. Admittedly the fact she was much shorter than him almost made it odd, but the girl was giving off enough of a presence it didn't matter. "Why? What made you different enough? I know about all the rumors people used to say about you. How you were a delinquent who skipped out on class, never talked to anyone, who has a record for putting three people into the hospital. Why were you different enough?"
"Miku!" Wataru's objection to Miku dragging that up was quieted by Ritsudo putting a hand up.
"It never had to do with me being different at all." Ritsudo pocketed his hands, not looking away from Miku. She was obviously frustrated more than anything else. "Honestly when I first met Hibiki-san I didn't care one bit. I was in a bad place, a really bad one. It's taken a lot for me to get out of it, but I didn't just drag myself out of where I was on my own… but, this isn't about me right now."
"Why?" Was all Miku said.
"Because she doesn't have a choice but to fight with us." Ritsudo was direct about it. Even if it was likely supposed to stay a secret, he felt this needed to be said. "Hibiki-san didn't have the option of backing out of this. She can't back out of it. You know that scar of hers? The one on her chest, shaped like a forte? That is why she doesn't have a choice."
"She got that from her injuries two years ago. Why do you even know about it?" Miku was clearly getting indignant about it. Just knowing Ritsudo knew about that scar had riled her up even more.
"How do you think she got it?" Ritsudo gestured to his own chest, and Miku's eyes went wide. "She got it because two years ago, pieces of the armor worn by someone who gave her life to save everyone she could at that concert hit her. Hibiki-san doesn't have a choice because she's not the same as me or the other two with us. See this?"
Ritsudo pulled his sleeve up, showing Murakumo's pendant still wrapped around his forearm. It's charm dangled off his wrist, giving a small ring as it waved around.
"Me and the other two Symphogears use pendants like these to fight. It's how we use those armors you saw Hibiki-san and I use. What sets her apart is that those fragments that are inside of her mean's she doesn't need one of these. Hibiki-san didn't have a choice because it's literally a part of her. Besides… even if she did, I think you know she'd have chosen to do it anyway. I've only known her for a few months, but I at least know that much about Hibiki-san."
"Then why would you choose to? If you could have avoided it why did you choose to fight like that too?" Miku's demand seemed almost off topic. It was a question she wanted to ask since she was mad. In a way she didn't want to be having this talk… she didn't want to know something like this. She just wanted things to be normal, to be the way they were between her and Hibiki again… not like they were when Hibiki was hiding things like back then. "Just… why?"
"I didn't have a reason at first." Ritsudo pulled his sleeve back down, his cloudy hair waving in the wind as he looked up. "But I do now. Because I have things I want to protect too."
Miku visibly flinched as Ritsudo said that. She knew that phrase. She knew exactly who she'd heard it from… or perhaps rather, the kind of person who would say that.
"I'm not a person who has much. I've lost my parents, friends who were close to me… any other family I have, I've been cut off from for years. I had nothing, I felt like nothing… and I hated the world that put me in that position. But I fight because I want to change myself, and because I have things I don't want to lose. People I don't want to lose."
"Maybe she could learn something from you." Miku spoke under her breath, but, Wataru and Ritsudo still heard her say it. "You two are pretty similar, now that I think about it. Victims of a tragedy that caused the world to hate you for no reason. It's odd… you both came out of it so differently, yet here it is with me seeing this. You're not hiding anything at all. But, Hibiki still has things she keeps shoved down. I know she does. There's some things from back then she hasn't let go of."
"Look, it's not like I have some place to be some authority about things. All I can ask, as Hibiki-san's partner, that you at least try and be understanding. You're her best friend, right? Why should something like this be all it takes to make you doubt your friendship?"
Ritsudo's earnest question felt more like it was piercing right through Miku. Wataru gave the girl a quiet gaze as her hands bunched at her skirt. Some of Miku's thoughts were obvious, right there on the surface of her expression. It wasn't that it was enough. It was as she thought before, she just hated the idea of Hibiki hiding things again. After that time, after seeing all of the pain Hibiki was in, dealing with the ridicule and harassment people threw at her just because she survived a tragedy, Miku had made sure she would try and make sure she never saw a false smile from Hibiki again.
And then, a part of Miku didn't like what she heard. She saw that honest, caring smile on Ritsudo's face and a part of her just didn't like it. She didn't want to feel like she didn't like him, after everything he seemed like a perfectly nice person… she wanted to honestly trust the fact Wataru put so much faith into him. Though maybe she didn't like it because she knew that kind of smile. One that bore all kinds of pain behind its kindness.
Maybe what Miku didn't like was that she was being reminded of Hibiki when she saw an expression like that on someone else. Miku had been unfair dragging up Ritsudo's past and she knew it, but when she also thought of how Hibiki talked to him, even just hearing him call her "my partner" made something in her roll over. And she did not like that feeling at all.
"I just don't know what I'm supposed to do." Miku let out a breath, glancing over to Wataru. He'd had good intentions behind this, and she knew it. Wataru just didn't want to see her and Hibiki fall into a rough place over something like this. And she did think about it… whenever something was wrong he was pretty much always there now. When Miku hadn't had someone to talk to, he'd opened himself up. And now this… he was doing what he could to try and keep her and Hibiki from drifting apart. How could she not appreciate that? He was like a ray of sunshine. "Oh… that's it…"
"Huh?" Wataru tilted his head, and Miku shook hers.
"It's nothing for now. But… thank you, Wataru. Kenzaki-san, I'm sorry about what I said. That was unfair. I just… I need to figure some things out for myself. I need to really think on all of this." Miku felt relieved that Ritsudo just gave her a simple nod, clearly not holding anything against her about what she'd dragged up.
"It's fine if you need to do that. Miku, I know that you and Hibiki are special to each other. So… just don't leave your special person alone when she might need you most." Wataru said, Miku giving a nod, though her look still remained somewhat sad.
"I just need to figure this one out. Then when it is, when it's all smoothed over we can go and make up over okonomiyaki at Flower like usual." Miku's expression looked more resolved as she said so. It was only natural to need to collect oneself after those kinds of revelations came out.
"Miku!" And as if the world needed perfect timing, Hibiki came running out to the roof herself. "Finally! I've been looking for you since you left the lunchroom! Look, about what happened, I…"
"You don't need to apologize." Miku said, Hibiki tilting her head. "I know you had your reasons… I just, need a bit of time to think about all of it. I need a little bit of time so I can be a getter friend for you. Once I've figured this out, let's go to Flower like we planned, alright? I just don't want to do anything wrong when things are a mess."
"But at least let me." Hibiki said. "I know I said I wouldn't keep secrets from you, but I did… and I'm sorry I had to keep it from you. I just didn't want you to get hurt… I didn't want to lose those things that mattered to me."
"I get it. You don't need to be sorry." Miku then walked over to Hibiki and gave the other girl a quiet hug. It only lasted a few moments but there was all kinds of feelings in it. When Miku let Hibiki go, she strode off back into the school. Hibiki stood there quiet… she'd seen tears in Miku's eyes as she walked away.
Hibiki stayed quiet. She looked between Wataru and Ritsudo, only giving a bow before she ran off. Both boys gave a sigh.
"Girls are so troublesome…" Both saying so at the same time elicited chuckles from them. Of course it was just a phrase said in sardonic gaffing.
"So… I know you were planning something… never mind, stupid question." Ritsudo put a hand to his head as he clicked his tongue. Wataru shook his head.
"Nah it's fine. If I wanna get my feelings across I'll do it later, when the two are back where they were. I'd feel like I'm just taking advantage of this if I told Miku now. When I tell her how I feel, I at least want my chances to be where they should like normal. I know I've probably got a lot chance at success… so I at least want it to be out there so we can move on if I get rejected."
"You're a bit too nice."
"Actually… I think I'm pretty selfish, honestly." Wataru sighed again as he then flopped down onto the grass. "I think I get why you like to stare at the sky… makes it really easy to think about things."
"That it does." Ritsudo looked to his wrist as Murakumo chimed. He let out a sigh then nodded. Wataru looked at Ritsudo as he looked up again. "I'm gonna have to run out and do something. There's a person I want to help right now… if I don't go now, I may not catch up to her."
"I mean it's not like I'm stopping you or anything." Wataru sat up, giving Ritsudo a thumbs up. "So go on and do it. I don't know what the whole deal is, but if you're helping someone, then no reason to hold back right? Give it a good fight!"
"Heh… thanks, Wataru." Ritsudo left with a thumbs up of his own. That kind of send off was definitely reassuring, and exactly the kind of thing he needed. Even if he wasn't sure if he could be the kind of hero he wanted, at least he could do his best to try and achieve it.
Evening was beginning to crawl in, the sky painted a shade of violet as the sun set. The shadows though, were cast over that hidden away mansion. All was quiet within the building. Quiet, except for Finé on the phone with her "allies". Scordatura merely stood by the table, arms folded as he listened in.
"I know this all started from us, but I'm saying your work has been sloppy. Unless you're intended for our enemies to trace us, we'll end up backed into a corner." Finé's voice was aggravated as she spoke, and the man on the line wasn't simply helping at all.
"The only one who can control everything is God." The man said, Finé clicking her tongue. "You should know that well enough."
Though then the doors blew open. Chris, panting a bit, lowered her arms. Finé went to ignoring the phone as Chris looked right to her.
"What do you mean you're done with me?! You don't need me anymore?! You're treating me like a thing too?!" Chris let out a groan as Finé just gave her a dull stare. The girl put her hands to her head, her frustrations obvious. "My head's all messed up! I don't know what's right or wrong!"
"Why does no one do what I want?" Finé hung up the phone as she sighed. She stood up and raised the Staff of Solomon, summoning Noise right before Chris.
"Finé, isn't this going to far?!" Scordatura turned to the woman as Chris backed away from the Noise. He got a questioning look from her. "Why do you need to…"
"You be quiet. You have your duty so do it without asking questions." Finé stepped to the main floor as she sighed again. "I guess it's time to properly say goodbye. Yes… the way you do things, war will never end. All you could do is prevent one war, but then start two or three more."
"This was your idea!" Chris said, her voice strained, equal measures of disbelief and hurt. "The pain and the Gear were both things that you gave me!"
"You're wearing the Symphogear that I gave you, and you're still useless." Finé's golden eyes didn't hold any care. Just disappointment and contempt as she looked at Chris. "I think we're done."
Finé's hand glowed. Around her, lights gathered and took formation. When it became solid, the woman now stood garbed in the Nehushtan Armor herself. Unlike Chris's however, hers was a gleaming gold and more ornate. In a way, it was more complete than Chris's had been.
"This armor and I are indestructible. The future shall go on forever… as my Kadingir is almost complete. As such, I have no reason to use your power anymore."
"Kadingir… that's…" Chris backed away again, Finé giving a chuckle.
"You've learned far too much. So don't think I'll just let you go."
Finé raised the Staff, a sadistic smile coming to her as she tilted it. Chris gasped as the Noise response and charged. But then, another sound hit the air… a song. One being screamed as loud as it could to be heard even from within the walls.
The sound of thunder crashed through as something burst through the wall and cut apart the Noise as Chris moved to run. Finé looked miffed for a moment as dust flew through the air. But, as it began to clear, the woman's wild look returned to her.
"What the… why… why the hell are you here?!" Chris's shock was met by the swing of a white blade clearing the dust away.
"I don't really need a reason." Ritsudo glanced back at Chris as he lowered his sword, the scarf of his armor drifting in the air. "I just wanna save you. That's all. Because as long as I'm able to reach a hand out to somebody, I will."
"You're an idiot!" Chris yelled. Part of her didn't want this. She didn't want him reaching out to her like this. Why didn't he get her thoughts were a mess because he'd helped her before? Why did he have to try when others didn't?
"My oh my, playing the "hero" now are we?" Finé chuckled as she flicked out one of her armor's whips. Ritsudo responded by taking up a stance. "But I'm actually happy about this. Ame-no-Murakumo against Nehushtan Armor… this might be fun for me."
Finé lashed the whip out, Ritsudo countering with his blade sparking white. The clash of the weapons rang through the evening sky. Explosions followed the collision. From the front of the mansion, Ritsudo and Chris ran out, the latter having donned her Symphogear more out of reaction than choice.
Multiple Noise gave chase to them, Chris shooting them from the air as they went off. But, the run stopped when a dark ball of energy fell before them.
"Oh don't go running now! I'm glad you're giving me a chance to test out just how powerful Nehushtan is when under my control, Tuner." Finé strode out and kept above the two Symphogears. Ritsudo clicked his tongue as he and Chris turned. His arms were already aching just having blocked that one attack from Finé. It was already clear she was far stronger than Chris had been when using the same Relic.
"Who said I was running away?" Ritsudo countered, grabbing his sword even despite the ache. It did not help his thoughts that Finé began generating a disc of energy as she spun the whip in her hand above her hand. "Like I guessed though… today has definitely been long. It's just gonna get longer…"
