I initially had no intention of writing a birthday story for Kanade. That was until an interesting (and long) conversation more than one month ago with a guest regarding its idea.

Anyway, Amou Kanade, happy birthday.

July 28th

"Oof" The young woman groans, the pressure of her own weapon against her gut in an extremist effort to protect herself doing little in the task.

She firms her feet into the asphalt, leaving two trails of destruction from being pushed back by the blow of her opponent.

An opponent, who bares an unkind resemblance to her own self. And with her experience in dealing with anything 'supernatural', this one could be classed as one of its own.

Yet, such was the situation Amou Kanade was in on this supposed, fine, special day.

The Symphogear's wielder glances once more at her opponent, hair in a similar mane than herself, but a bit shorter, black, and even wilder than she would witness upon waking up in the morning as if the counterpart set super bed hair as her default hairstyle. The woman's expression was one of curiosity… maybe fascination, like she couldn't quite understand what was in front of her. But even hidden behind it, Kanade could see it, a predatory grin forming on her lips, enhanced by a scar in 'X' mark, running across her face below her right eye.

The intimidating face was completed with a peculiar attire, a tattered white racerback tank top, ripped denim short shorts and a roughly bandaged left arm stained with what she would assume was blood… that's all. It was truly all, no footwears to mention of about, because she was barefoot, and certainly not minding it.

Amou Kanade was not foreign to wearing revealing clothes, hell she would admit wearing such would be up her style. Except that when your face was plastered every few meters in any direction, you have a public image to keep, which would inevitably clash with the image she needs to uphold with her fans. So, such revealing, alluring attire was a big no for her in public, just in public.

Anyway, she and her… 'copycat' could not be more different in so many ways. And it's probably because of that neither of them attempted to converse before jumping directly into battle.

Yes, that's right, upon seeing each other their first instinct was to attack, and Kanade would admit that she was the first one to make the move. So, she might be the aggressor in this situation. Not like her counterpart was some kind of damsel in distress. After all, she could still feel the tremor in her body from blocking the earlier strike.

And from that first, physical, interaction, the idol came up with a realization… That she might have thrown herself into something she was not fully prepared to and could as well be one of the biggest mistakes of her life.

And the odds didn't seem in her favor either, she was unable to get a read on her opponent from their first exchange, aside that she might favor hand-to-hand combat. But the most frightening part was her opponent was not in top condition, the slightly hunched posture betrays the exhaustion accumulated from who knows where. And yet, she certainly still packs a punch, her personal experience hinting Kanade to a strength out of bound and in no hurry to have a blow successfully landed on her person to attest how much.

What she was facing couldn't compare with anything she has ever dealt with in terms of raw power; Noise could barely count as an opponent as the instant the gear was donned, they become nothing much than moving dust figure ready to crumble at a single gust of wind.

No, what she was facing has a soul, a goal... probably. She was thinking with a purpose… and that Amō Kanade was now locked onto her for a fight.

"You have been lost in thought for a while… And I was willing to humor you a bit on it. But, if you don't come at me, then I will."

In the next instant, Kanade's train of thought had become a luxury too expensive for her as her opponent was onto her. The black-haired woman moved unlike someone who would appear injured, closing the distance before jabbing faster than her girlfriend Tsubasa would swing her sword at her.

And yet by some unknown miracle, Amou performs a hair breath dodge, moving her head barely out of the way, at the sacrifice of the left side of her face, her cheek cut open alongside the obliteration of the left part of her gear headset, frying the earpiece and severing her connection with HQ.

On most occasions, she would feel proud of herself for such a maneuver. But she couldn't, or rather wasn't even allowed this moment as the hand that flew past her got a hold of the back of her head, then her upper body was forced down to a knee burying against her guts, knocking more than the air in her lungs.

With the hold switching for a rough grasping of her fiery orange hair, she was brought back up, only to receive a headbutt square in the face, luckily aimed at her forehead and not her nose. The fact represents little comfort in front of the pain inflicted as the relic wielder crumbled on the ground, a hand reflexively pressing on her forehead, rolling to the side in a fetal position as the other attempts to alleviate the pain from her stomach

'So much to avoid experiencing firsthand receiving the attack full force, if it was.' Her vision was blurry, she was gasping for the oxygen so dearly needed to her slightly winded body, whimpering in pain, and potentially cursing both Ryōko and Ver regarding the defense capability of her Symphogear.

And during all that, Amō Kanade, the black-haired was standing tall, hand on her hip in a posture of power, breathing slowly, deeply, and evenly to recuperate while looking down at her both figuratively and physically. Her shoulders then sage in what seems astonishing disappointment. "Pathetic, so that's what I could have been with Gungnir? What a letdown, nothing compared to that girl that would take me head on and counterattacked. How about using that Ignite version of yours or whatever the name to even the playing fie… wait the shape of your pendant is quite wrong?" Amō cut herself off, sighing loudly after inspecting the pendant shape on the Gear user. "No Ignite, huh?"

Amou Kanade didn't pay any attention to the gibberish her other self was babbling, focusing on her own recovery and the time allowed to do so while being unfairly berated.

Another sigh was let out by Amō. "Seriously, the hell you have been fighting till now for it to be okay being this weak? If you amount to this much, the others will be a breeze to walk through." She expresses.

Kanade could accept being made fun of… Actually, no she was not the kind of woman to accept being treated unfairly, but still, even less tolerate those she cares about being insulted. And her answer to the remarks received was a swift swing of her Armed Gear, getting back on her feet while performing such a wide move in order to erase the arrogance of her counterpart.

She did hope that the unexpected action would catch her opponent off guard, landing her first hit on her. Except, a mere jump was enough for the black haired to be safe, supplementarily taking another step away to be out of range rather than any real threat.

"Pleaaaase, that was slower than anything I have been facing, and that's taking that girl playing grim reaper with the green scythe into consideration."

An image of Akatsuki Kirika popped in Kanade's head upon the remark, fueling her rage and anger to be put below the blond-haired airhead girl. That their face was similar to be referred to as estranged twin didn't matter, she just wanted to beat the crap out of that woman and contort that arrogant expression into one of pain and suffering, making her realize her place, below the original.

Lurching at the injured woman as well with an upper swing of her spear, Kanade unleashes a yellow-orange shockwave of energy at her opponent.

In the meanwhile, the black-haired had already cocked out of her cocky posture before merely undergoing a sidestep and rotating her body to the side from the attack.

From this failed attack, a duet unfolds between the two, a dance with the chaser and the chased, the latter having the upper hand in evading attempts after attempts from the chaser. Swings were avoided with a hair breath, an almost bored yet strained expression on the foe's face.

Next, a skill that conjures and rain countless spear on her opponent befall Amō. It was harder to skim through each falling spear, a good deal of them grazing, scraping, and cutting her skin, marring areas of her body with new wounds and blood on her skin.

Seeing this, Amou presses forward, increasing the pressure of her offense on her opponent, coercing her into making the mistake that would leave her wide open for a decisive blow.

But it wasn't coming, despite her current state, the black-haired was handling herself far better than Kanade was led to believe, the injuries sustained were mere scratches worth brushing off. Her evasion skill was on point, and the arm that looked like a dead weight was not so much one, as it barely impaired her in her erratic movements, kept close to her side.

The futility of the wielder's actions was only confirmed after a sudden opportunity, her opponent having momentarily lost her balance on uneven, wrecked ground. Allowing the Adapter to perform a punishing downward swing.

To Amou's astonishment, despite no room to move out of the way, her opponent showed proof of her superhuman ability by catching the end of the spear in her good hand, the ground subtly cracking and denting under the weight of the attack. She didn't have the time to fully grasp the situation that her Armed Gear was wrenched off her hands, stolen as easily as taking a toy from a kid, leaving her weaponless against her foe.

Adding insult to injury, she was left wide open for a roundhouse kick slamming against the side of her face, sending her flying across the evacuated area, skipping on the ground a few times before finishing her course against the wall of a building.

'This is the worst,' the idol thought, pushing herself from the wall with all her fragile might, greeting her teeth as she crumbled back to her knee, desperately attempting to maintain her connection to her Symphogear. Again, the defense bestowed by the Gear was supposed to withstand even the impact of a tank shell at worst, and yet she was sent flying with a roundhouse kick like a ball.

When she manages to stand on still shaking legs caused mainly by the rattling of her brain impairing the distribution of her strength in her various limbs, she will herself to take a look back at her opponent, only to face the reality of her vision still not up to code to attest of the clear whereabouts of her counterpart.

And because of this, she was unable to move adequately when her vision cleared, making light of the situation. Indeed, as her opponent had just hurled at her, her very own Armed Gear.

Forget about getting hurt, it was an absolute. What was not was, could she live the imminent injury? Forget blocking, she was dealing with her own 'offensive spear' rumored able to break through anything, and last she checked, she was not impervious to penetration or cut in any way regarding Symphogear's Armed Gears and such.

In the end, she could only brace herself, she clenches her eyes close waiting for her fate to be sealed at the hand of the other Kanade.

Until the resounding sound of something big falling, accompanied by the earth-shaking, which caused her to fall down on her butt once more, another sound of breaching echoed then. After a moment of impending nothingness, Kanade works the courage to open her eyes, to be met with the tip of her own Armed Gear mere centimeters from her face. She cranes her neck to the side to see that her spear really breached through the defense pulled between her and her opponent, stopping her Armed Gear to the limit and saving her life.

To whom she owns her life was evident to Kanade, and her thought was confirmed the next instant. "Kanade, are you alright!?" Firm hands came helping her steady herself up.

There was never a single moment Kanade wouldn't be happy to see her girlfriend, Kazanari Tsubasa. Today was no exception. Scratches that, she would be leaping in joy if it was not for her current condition, as well as not being out of danger yet.

"My samurai in blue armor. I could do better I think." She still manages to reply with a smirk.

"Then, let's do this together Kanade, as the two wings supporting each other!" the blue-haired announces with her own confidant smile.

Kanade's own reply was on the tip of her tongue, but unable to leave, as her own voice was heard from a bit further away.

"Oh, does it mean I can expect a Unison from the two of you?

They round their eyes toward the voice's location, both idols found their opponent leaning against the giant blade embedded in the ground. The black-haired woman having used their moment of distraction, walked around the blade used as a shield to reach them.

"Whatever your purpose is stopping ri-" the blue wing of the duet Zwei Wings stops mid-sentence, her zeal suddenly on hold as she takes in their opponent's appearance for the first time, noticing the flagrant keys factors of familiarity. A quick glance at her lover and the blue-haired idol knew that she wasn't seeing things.

Still, shifting her attention back to the black-haired, she felt the need to at least ask. "Kanade?"

"Right on the money with that. Though I don't mind being called whatever in those circumstances. But back to my question, will I get a private performance?" Amō brushed off the mundane things regarding her identity for the potential event that could occur. She was already quite fascinated by an idol version of herself, but if she could hear herself sing in an actual duet with someone she has always considered an enemy, she was all the way in.

"You certainly seem confidant in taking the two of us," Kanade perks.

Amō waves her hand away in reply. "I'm just curious at what kind of attack I came up with the Sentinel."

Kanade was getting riled far too easily by her counterpart but acknowledged it all the same as she faces her opponent. "Let's do it Tsubasa, she has been getting on my nerves each time she opened her mouth!"

Insert Song - Sōyoku no Wing Beat

As the song begins to resonate throughout the area, the idols' opponent falls into a fighting stance, a first for the local Kanade who has been dealing with the enemy until now.

Tsubasa rushes first, in a telltale practiced move, a downward swing of her Armed Gear to cleave her opponent. The action was close to perfection, showing hours of practice poured into training. Tsubasa knew it, Kanade knew it, and the other one as well knew it as she had often been on the receiving end of the Sentinel's attack pattern.

And because she was so often on this side, she knew what to expect and to act accordingly. A step backward was the answer, swaying her body to perform an evasion with a hair breath margin, the air whistling after the passing of the blade.

The failed attack would affirmably end up in the Sentinel swinging her blade up, an upper swing slower than what her opponent was used to, but considering her own weakened state, it allows Amō a small margin of safety.

What was new, was being under the combined assault of a katana and something between a spear or broadsword, she was not sure what it was until now, logically a spear based on what 'Gungnir' is supposed to be.

She was able to deal with it on one on one with barely any issue, the pattern of attack new to her and only resulting in small cuts here and there. But now, she was facing both Armed Gear at the same time, and still managing to slither her way between attacks.

Because it was actually slower than the different pair she dealt with in her own world, timeline, universe... whatever. She had pieced together that she was not where she belonged. After all, hours priors she was being cornered by the 6 Symphogear after the rest had come in reinforcement to the original two she was fighting. Then something obviously happened as she ended up alone in wherever she currently was.

Her biggest clue into not belonging here, or here not being her place was seeing a pristine version of her face placated a bit everywhere, the addition of a familiar face added to this one comforting the belief. Because in what universe she and one of her enemies would pose together, smiling and almost looking like a couple? Yeah... no way.

Anyway, Amō Kanade was used to fighting with a numerical disadvantage, and under even fiercer firepower. The Zababa blades in which she was mistaken away from losing a limb. The Queens of Music where their quick assault would leave her with barely any time to breathe. And the last one, which she named 'Sunset' from their Gear color, where punches, kicks, bullets, and explosions would be on the menu for a hellish last meal, where bruises, broken ribs, or bones by the end of the fight were guaranteed. Amō would admit while being fond of fighting Hibiki in the 'Sunset' Team, adding her partner Chris easily made any fun hand-to-hand fight into a nightmare, to the point of resenting guns, rifles, missiles in any form, and even bows and crossbows. She doesn't hate the girl mind you, just her affinity and control over her bestowed infinite arsenal.

With her good arm, Amō deflects the Sentinel's swing, the back of her hand canceling any momentum as the flat of the sword bounced the opposite direction while throwing the blue-haired off balance.

This opening creates a gap in the idols' combo, allowing Amō to duck under the heavy swing of her counterpart while generating enough momentum of her own by digging her foot firmly in the asphalt and using it as an anchor to land a roundhouse kick on the fire-orange haired wielder's side, sending her flying again.

"Kanade!" Tsubasa expectedly shouts upon witnessing the scene unfold in front of her eyes at high speed. That it occurred during the lapse of time she was recovering her bearing and unable to interfere was disheartening to her. And yet she has to push those negative feelings down to use the opportunity laid in front of her by her partner 'sacrifice'.

The roundhouse kick inflicted on her partner left their opponent wide open for the Sentinel, and she wouldn't miss her opportunity to strike down her opponent with a swift move. Or though she thought, as her blade was caught in a firm grasp without being looked at.

"The fighting style is still the same on the surface, albeit yours is a bit worse regarding anti-personal skills. I take it you don't fight other people that often." Amō says to the Sentinel.

Tsubasa furrows her eyes at the remark, while it was true that they ever so rarely deal with people as enemies, their organization's objective was to fight against the supernatural, mainly Noise. It could sometime be extended to local disasters as S.O.N.G HQ was set in Japan. But since they were never safe from any trouble, each Candidate had gone through anti-personal training, learning moves to neutralize humans efficiently, the enhanced strength provided by the Symphogear making it seems like a menial task, which fighting and testing among each other was hence encouraged.

Though her opponent was not a regular human, at least doubting that she was wouldn't be wrong just in terms of strength and speed... maybe not so much if she considers the Commander, but members of her family displaying monster-like capability was not uncommon, even if she was not among them for the better or worse.

Anyway, holding back lost its meaning against this opponent, and she might really have to go for the kill in order to fulfill her duty as Sentinel.

With her beliefs and sense of duty reignited, Tsubasa channels Phonic Gain in her Armed Gear, forcing it to change form, bigger and larger, forcing her opponent to release her grip on the blade with the change of its dimension.

Amō took a step back, giving room for Tsubasa to perform her next move, one she figured would be a blast of energy. But to her surprise, it was a horizontal swing aimed at her neck, forcing her further away. And while the blast of energy she had foreseen did come, it was from the wrong direction, from someone else.

Amō leaps further backward, creating more distance between herself and them, allowing the duet to regroup together. Now they were back to square one, except with more knowledge of each other, more advantageous to the pair than the lone woman.

"Not as easy as you thought right?" Amou Kanade taunts.

As answers, the counterparts drop her guard. "Not really, I got worse, far worse. So, I will give you one shot before getting serious on you." She announces.

"Not really convincing with how seriously you were trying to avoid our attacks until now." Amou taunts back.

Amō face bears a deadpan expression before letting a soft sigh. "Fair enough, I will get serious first, then." The black-haired replies, her hands reaching for the bandage of her other arms before tearing the fabric apart, exposing the still healing arm.

Tsubasa and Kanade then watch in both shock and fascination as the counterpart transforms before their eyes. Black scales beginning to form on both arms and legs, creeping up to mid-arms and mid-thigh, fingernails and toenails elongating into claws/talons, teeth becoming shaper, pointy with two protruding more obviously, eyes slitting and taking on an even darker crimson red.

The now certainly not human opponent looks at herself, craning her neck to check her back and further down. "Seems like I'm in no shape for wings or tail" She mutters before locking eyes back with the duo. "You know, I just now recall that today is supposed to be my birthday, 28th of July, right? I would say beating my own ass an interesting present. So, let's roll".

The idols were on the qui vive right away, the now extremely foreign circumstances forcing them into taking drastic preventing measures, alongside Tsubasa requesting further back up from HQ.

"Tsubasa, let's do it!"

The Sentinel eyes her partner, having an idea of what could be passing through her girlfriend's mind. It was truly their best bet at those time, Kanade called their opponent's bluff on getting serious, and they have been rewarded for it. They could only hope that the appearance was just more of a show than anything else.

"Fine! Let's see if that appearance of you can withstand our Unison!"

The two idols sing anew, channeling Phonic Gain for their next attack. Kanade rotates her Armed Gear furiously, gathering wind around them and shaping it into the beginning of a tornado. Tsubasa stood by her side amidst the wind, branding her own Armed Gear in its larger form, waiting for her cue to join her partner in the attack.

A brief glance at each other was all that was needed to unleash their Unison, [Twin Star Hammer -DIASTER BLAST].

Amō stood still from their preparation till the end, willing to give them a chance, and desiring to see the Unison attack unknown to her, she had dealt with those often, the highest number coming from the Zababa blades girls. She even had dealt with a trio Unison, quite harder to take head-on, but she did survive to tell the tales … At least to those willing to listen when she would be a rambling drunk.

So, she welcomes it, the vortex coming at her, crashing onto her body and sweeping her away in violent, wrecking whirlwinds, putting her body to the test with layers of damage upon those already present and barely healed.

She was not sure when it all ended, but she was aware of all her limbs were still connected to her. Attesting that she was in one piece, she would say she was even quite safe and sound, able to stand back on her feet with minimal difficulty albeit with a quite long ringing in her ears.

Her feet could still support her body with ease, so she was fairly confident to have won this bet with a breeze. The same could not be said of her clothes though, in utter disarray, her top was more a tube top, hanging on with one string, her large breasts actually keeping it in place as long as the material don't slide further. Her shorts were even shorter, if possible, which, if observed at the right angle would reveal that she was going commando under them… well, not like she wears underwear that often, her shoes... well she didn't have any to begin with, and the reason was clear when observing the scaled feet that no footwear could accommodate.

"Quite impressive" She acknowledges, rolling her head and limbs, working the sudden kinks and tension exerted on them, the adrenaline contributing to chase away the worse of the pain from the aggravation of her wounds and new ones. "Not as good as what I'm used to, but good enough that taking it unguarded could have seriously harmed me. "She confesses dusting her tattered clothes.

Tsubasa and Kanade were truly stunned, their combined attack was the most powerful move in their shared arsenal, and it has been brushed as if it was bad weather.

"My turn," Amō echoes.

They stare attentively at their opponent's movement, the two idols on edge as their opponent extends one arm toward them, hands outstretched while the other was in a throwing position, claws toward the sky as for pitching. It then come to them that the previously injured arm was no longer, but before they could dwell more on it, the back arm was brought forth onto them. The quite simple movement's destructiveness comes to existence by the creation of five claw marks, rushing at them, tearing the ground apart in their wake.

The destructive power forces the two idols to jump off the side for safety, the attack not stopping after passing, going forth and beyond with a cacophony of rumbles being torn down, washed away, the attack colliding through building wall and beyond, leaving behind on the five enormous indentations in its wake.

As they pulled themselves up and took a look at the destruction from this effortless move from their opponent, they gulp in unison from witnessing the sheer absurdity of the now reptile-like woman's power.

"Ne, Tsubasa, about reinforcement… I think we could seriously use all the help we could." Kanade voices.

"There were already on their way, and I already urged them to be here as fast as possible" The Sentinel replies.

"Greaaaaat… So, we just need to hold up long enough, right?"

"That would be the case"

"But only if I allow you to survive this long."

The voice interrupted their conversation once more, the idols briefly pondering if enhanced hearing was part of the list of her capabilities. Their opponent is close, too close to any of their liking as the distance between them seems to have melted away as if it was a lie.

The next moment Amō had swung her arm down toward the blue-haired idol, who had instinctively put her sword at an angle to block the strike.

But it meant nothing, the hand merely cut, broke through the blade, the tip of the fingers, mainly nails which become sharp claws piercing and tearing the fabric of the special leotard granted by wielding the Symphogear, even worse the barrier bestowed didn't protect the flesh underneath the fabric, allowing the sharps appendage to sink and claws down across the idol's figure, from elbow to opposite waist, blood gushing from the fresh open wound as its owner crumbled to the ground on her knees.

"Tsubasa!" Kanade screams in distress, her reason leaving her as she rushes to her lover's side, blinded by the fact that the main factor responsible was still standing in front of her and her girlfriend.

"Your demises will make a fine present for my birthday," Amō says with an edge in her voice.

Amou Kanade clench her eyes for the second time, accepting her unbending doom at the hands of her self from another world.

Dying on her birthday certainly was not anywhere near her future plans that day.

'So much for a calm birthday day.'