A/N: For the prompt, kaput.


3. The Cross Borne

Hibiki bolted over the back of her chair, orange-gold eyes going wide with fear. Her body was too in shock to tremble. The creatures dashed towards her, feet flapping as they slammed on the debris. Hibiki trembled. People were screaming and ash flew in the sky.

She needed to run. Her fingers clenched harder into the fabric of the seat. Then the ground began to tremble and the side by her feet slid down. She squeaked in alarm, clinging to the plush for dear life. When the ground steadied, she sighed in relief.

"Hey!"

Hibiki started, at the sound of the rough voice and the shock of passion red hair. That was… from Zwei Wing. She was talking to her. That was…

"Run," Kanade shouted, then spun on her heel to block a stab at her chest.

Hibiki jolted and made to do so, only for another tremor to rock the remaining auditorium and sent her spinning, falling forward and hitting the ground. She whimpered in pain, struggling up through the blood and stinging in her knees. She collapsed and pushed up by her hands. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. Don't want to. Help me...

Someone's shadow fell over her. "Hey, are you okay?"

Amou Kanade was back again, her gloved fingers shaking with exhaustion and blood-red eyes glowing ever brighter, peered over her. Then she turned and stabbed a Noise.

"Can you stand up?"

She was asking questions too fast for Hibiki to actually answer. Her head throbbed between her eyes.

"I-I" Her resulting words turned into a scream as a red spear shot towards the older girl. Kanade spun, blocking the blow and skidding back. As more attacks aimed for them, the spear began to crack and shudder. Shrapnel flew and pain struck Hibiki in the heart. She collapsed, and felt her own blood seeping into her clothes. Oh, she thought distantly. Mom liked this outfit.

The last thing she heard was Kanade's desperate words and something like a song.

"Live! Don't give up!"

Right… she had to live… for, for who?

She thought of Miku and her warm smile, and tried to struggle to her feet.


Kanade grimaced, glancing around for Tsubasa. They had gotten separated. This was never a good thing, though it didn't happen often either. Calling out to her would be dangerous. It'd turn even more of those bastards- she swore in pain and swung. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the girl trying to move through the stab wound in her chest. Tsubasa would have screamed if she had seen that. Kanade, however, only smiled. There was a way to save her. There was a way to save one person. It was just gonna hurt like hell.

She pretended she wasn't crying.

Kanade planted her spear into the ground, as if to use it as a mic. Then, in a song opposing everything she ever seemed to be, she began to sing her own solo.