Endless Night
At the school courtyard of Otonokizaka, Umi and Nozomi were resting under the huge tree famous on campus. The meeting was on purpose and with agenda.
"So Umi-chan, I 'ma guessing you're here to ask me about Eli-chi," Nozomi assumed.
"That is correct," she replied, "I understand her intentions, but she cannot just dismiss us without a thought."
"Eli-chi destroyed an Avatar all by herself," Nozomi pointed out, "She is on a league of her own…"
"But you said that the Avatars are beyond the ability of a single iDol to defeat," Umi said, "I, no, all of us would really want to work with the President. She just needs to open up to us."
"Ah, Eli-chi acts like an aloof big sister… oh wait, she is an aloof big sister," Nozomi quipped.
"I-I never heard of her having siblings…" Umi remarked.
"A little sister… Alisa-chan, I think…" Nozomi named, "But due to circumstances in Japan, Alisa-chan is now in Russia. But back to Eli-chi, do you know her grandmother was alumnus?"
"Really?" Umi startled.
"Yup, always close to her granny as a child. When she knew granny's favourite high school was closing down, she would do anything to keep it afloat," Nozomi explained.
"Do anything…" Those words played out in Umi's mind.
"Just like Honoka, she dragged us into this mess just to save the school where our mothers used to study," Umi mused, "So Toujou-sempai, what is your reason to be involved in this?"
"Seeing Eli-chi suffering for the entire school and with no one appropriating her effort, her sacrifice, I definitely would be by her side." Nozomi answered, "Behind every Student Council President, there must be a Vice-President."
"Toujou-sempai, you are mistaken. We do appropriate Ayase-sempai's efforts," Umi said, "That's why we can't let her suffer alone. This is our school and we will save it, together."
"Eli-chi cannot be swayed by elegant words, only actions will," Nozomi warned.
"Which of you can guide the Hermit into the light?" Nozomi thought.
Nightfall, in Eli's residence, after cooking a simple dinner of cup noodles, Eli was on the phone. She was still in her school uniform, though being at home for some time by then.
"Yes Alisa, I will be back in Russia after graduation. I just need to settle some matters in Japan. Oh, Babushka wants to speak to me? Okay."
The voice on the phone cut off for a second, replaced by a much elderly voice.
"Babushka, how is Russia?"
"Elichika, nice to hear from you." That voice spoke. "Russia never changes; the names change, but she always stays the same. What about Japan, that quaint little town I once lived in?"
"Times are bad with the Avatar attacks. They are moving out the locals and scrapping whatever they can salvage."
"I see… and Otonokizaka too…"
"Yes, they are planning to close down the school. I'm sorry."
"Don't be, Elichika. You did your best. I am only saddened that I cannot see her one last time. I am only proud that my cute and clever Elichika will graduate from Otonokizaka as well."
"Babushka, I promise you that Otonokizaka will stand. I will do whatever it takes."
Later at night, Umi sat down at the small garden behind her house and was in the middle of a phone call with Honoka.
"So the President also wants to save the school."
"Correct Honoka, but she appears not to want to drag others in her path."
"Except for Toujou-sempai… Were the rumours about them true?"
"Rather than rumours, we should prioritise on our work as iDol pilots. Although I admit it is dangerous for us, I cannot tolerate the fact that she has to bear the school's burden alone."
"Don't worry Umi-chan! We will support the President! Otonokizaka is not jus her school, or Honoka's school; it is everyone's school."
"Indeed… And by the way, do you think it's especially dark tonight?" Umi glanced upward to the dark sky.
"Huh? It's night time; it should be dark." Honoka dismissed Umi's concerns, also looking out through her window.
The same night, Maki was alone in her room partaking in among one of her many skillsets – stargazing. Since the city's relocation, the city skyline declined and the stars were more visible. There was less need to go to the family villas just to witness the sky of stars.
"What?"
However, as Maki looked through her telescope, she saw darkness. Only darkness, the night seemed darker than usual. Even the faintest light was gone. There were no stars, not even a moon.
"I don't understand… The forecast said tonight would be clear." Maki remarked, "And tonight's not even a new moon."
The next day, the 'night' still continued… in Tokyo at least. The entire perimeter of the city was cloaked in a veil of darkness, turning what that should be daytime into eternal night.
Nozomi was paying Eli a visit, already pressing on the doorbell for a few minutes.
At last, the door opened and Eli showed up. Her face seemed oddly spooked, and the house seemed to be flooded by lights.
"Eli-chi, you will never sleep with this much light." Nozomi teased.
"Nozomi, did you see the news? It's still dark… at 12 pm!" Eli exclaimed, "Is this a nightmare?"
"Well, school has been cancelled due to unforeseen weather." Nozomi said, "But the Captain received Intel from the government. They suspect it's the work of an Avatar."
"Huh? W-where is it?" asked Eli.
"No idea, but the darkness is definitely its handiwork," Nozomi continued, "It hasn't truly manifested itself yet."
"S-so… we h-have to s-stop it… t-the d-darkness…" Eli stuttered.
"Eli-chi, it's okay. The Captain has considering sending Umi-chan and…" Nozomi reassured.
"No, I cannot let them suffer. My pride as Student Council President is on the line," Eli cried, her internal fire blazing again.
Eli tried walking out, and then dashed back to the safety of her home.
"Wait a second! I will get my torchlight!" she hollered.
"Eli-chi, your lantern is not enough to overcome the night…" Nozomi thought.
In the base Phoebus Apollo, the members of µ were gathered in the Central Command with the captain and her technicians. Hideko and gang were busy analysing everything possible about this bizarre Avatar.
Nozomi joined in, barging in to the room.
"Toujou-san, you look flustered," the captain said.
"Eli-chi… Eli-chi, s-she's taking off on her own!" Nozomi panted.
"Ayase-san, cease this instant!" Captain Minami ordered.
"No response from the Terpsichore."
"Then can we withdraw the Terpsichore?" she asked.
"No, the elevator's jamming! We can't withdraw the Terpsichore!"
"So impulsive…" Maki remarked, looking aside afterward, "Huh?"
She noticed Hanayo, busy doodling away on her notebook.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Uh… r-recording the A-Avatar manifested…" Hanayo stuttered, "I-it's an old hobby of mine…"
Hanayo displayed her notebook, filled with various drawings and notes relating to the Avatars. Dates, place manifested, casualties; all were recorded in the notebook.
At the docking bays, preparations were made to deploy the Terpsichore. Despite efforts to keep it from deployment, malfunction kept it going. Nothing could stop Eli's battles.
Inside the iDol, Eli stood calmly in contemplation.
"I am only saddened that I cannot see her one last time." Babushka said that last night.
"Yes, if you wish to save this school, save the nation too. Defeat each and every Avatar. Send your wishes to the highest echelons of society with your sacrifice." The Chairwoman suggested so.
"I will always follow Eli-chi." Nozomi supported her.
"President, I only wanted to save the school." Honoka pleaded her.
"But it is wrong to simply dismiss us!" Umi voiced out.
"This school, everyone… I will defend them with… MY LIFE!" Eli yelled, "Terpsichore, let's dance!"
The massive iDol was soon propelled by the platform it stood upon, forcing it upward to the surface. It entered the surface world, a city covered by a false night. All of Eli's calm and troubles just vaporised.
"The darkness… I forgot!" she screamed, "Somebody, save me!"
Eli's cries were heard even inside the Central Command, thanks to the communication system in place. The girls of µ's were puzzled.
"What just happened?" Kotori asked.
"Terpsichore's crouching there like a sitting duck… What's going on?" Captain Minami demanded to know.
"She stole Kayo-chin's catchphrase nya…" Rin frowned.
"Rin, be serious." Maki commented.
"Ah… Eli-chi has always been afraid of the dark… ghosts and monsters too, but mainly 'cos of the dark," Nozomi explained, "She boldly charged in despite her fear, to fight the fights she don't want others to fight."
"Ho, didn't know the perfect Ayase Eli has such a weakness," Nico remarked.
"Oi, now's not the time for this!" Maki snapped.
"We have to help the President. She needs us now!" Honoka declared, "Please Chairwoman-san, we have to help her!"
"Kousaka-san, it's Madam or Captain." Captain Minami reminded, "But it is not wise to fight an enemy without knowing it."
"The President kinda scares me…" Hanayo voiced out, "A-and what if she still does not work with us afterwards…"
"If she wants to fight alone, let her be!" Nico said.
"Please!" Honoka pleaded again, "We are all iDol pilots and we have to fight on together!"
"We sound like a sports team, Honoka…" Umi pointed out, "But I agree. She also wants to save the school and everybody; that's why we are here."
"Kotori will also fight!" Kotori agreed.
"Eli-chi may act tough and aloof, but she is a maiden at heart." Nozomi admitted.
"Not all of us are here to save the school…" Maki remarked, "…But we all have to fight for, I'm sure. It can't be helped then."
"So we're going to fight?" Rin asked.
"Fine!" Nico pouted, "…Let's save… her, Eli…"
"N-now!" Hanayo exclaimed, "I mean, okay."
"Let's go!" Honoka cried, "µ's, FIGHT ON!"
Outside in the darkened city, the Terpsichore was reduced to a crouching position and its pilot plagued by phobia. Eli was in no position to fight this mysterious Avatar.
"This… this is so stupid!" she cried, tears welling up, "Why the darkness… Wait…"
She glanced upward, where small firefly-like lights flickered in the darkness. There were many of such lights, the only lights in the sea of darkness.
"Harasho… Cannot give up now…" she said.
Meanwhile, the Central Command had just finished their analysis of the mysterious blackness. The members of µ's had run off to for sortie, ready to move out as well.
"We cannot get a perfect estimate of its area, but it was definitely expanding since last night by feeding off radiation."
"What is more surprising is its width of 3 millimetres. It is practically just a sheet of black algae in the sky."
"And those lights… they should be its core, or pieces of it."
"The whole thing, that's the Avatar!" Captain Minami exclaimed.
"Yes. And its name is... Apep?"
"The sun-swallowing serpent of Egyptian mythology." Nozomi suddenly called over the communication network, "It may not look like a snake, but I can see why it is the causer of eclipses."
"Girls, prepare µ's for take-off. Your first mission starts now!"
"Roger!" a chorus of voices responded.
Back to the darkened city, Eli's Terpsichore followed the lead of the glowing lights in the dark sky. Without other alternatives, she blindly followed them.
Unbeknownst to her, several of these lights gathered and merged with one another. Their glow became stronger, like the eerie lights of an Avatar core.
"That light…" Eli muttered.
"Eli-chi, stop!"
She did stop… which was fortunate since a volley of missiles destroyed the congregating light and broke the fragile layer of Apep. Light slowly sieved through the false sky.
The source of the cry and attack was from Nozomi, controlling an iDol of her own. Unlike the other iDols, this one sacrificed mobility for bulk and firepower. Cannons and missiles decked its huge violet frame, making it a moving fortress of sorts. It moved about using tank treads, instead of the Interactive Movement System.
"Do you like this Polyhymnia?" Nozomi asked.
"Nozomi, is that you?" asked Eli, "I thought I told you…"
"I told you that I would always follow Eli-chi." Nozomi cut her off, "Listen, that thing up there is the Avatar and those lights are the pieces of its core."
"But how can I destroy them if they are spread out?" Eli cried.
"You don't… but we can…" Nozomi smugly replied.
"µ's, roll out!" Honoka yelled, leading the charge of several other iDols.
"You didn't… I told you…" Eli shouted.
"Sempai, let's fight together!" Honoka interrupted, "Together, even the darkness will die!"
Meanwhile, the Clio aimed its sniper gun towards the sky and fired a shot. Against the thinly layered Avatar, it broke through it like paper. The torn area exposed the rays of the Sun and lit up the darkened land.
However, that small piece was slowly consumed by the darkness again. A volley of missiles from Polyhymnia widened the gap even further, tearing a bigger hole into the black fabric.
"See, we got one another's backs covered," Nozomi said.
A yellow-coloured iDol, heavily streamlined like the Terpsichore, gripped tightly onto another green-coloured iDol that was armed with twin pistols. With a mighty thrust from the yellow iDol's lower body, the green iDol was hoisted into the sky and it fired rounds at the various lights and tore small holes into Apep.
"Euterpe is good to go!" Hanayo cried out.
"And Rin and Thalia are having fun!" Rin exclaimed excitedly.
On the opposite end, two more iDols were working in tandem to tear apart Apep. The red-coloured iDol leapt into the sky and while in mid-air, two whip-like blades shot out from its wrists and cut through Apep. It was assisted by a pink-coloured iDol armed with twin scythes, also leaping about and tearing through Apep.
"Hey, Nico-chan! Get out of my way!" Maki yelled, "Your Melpoemene is getting in my way!"
"Stop doing that gymnast thing with Uranus!" Nico yelled back, "And it's Nico-sempai!"
"It's Urania, you idiot." Maki corrected.
"Are you sure, Nozomi?" Eli questioned, "Those two over there look like they would kill each other."
"Nah, they're just expressing their love like true tsunderes do." Nozomi said.
"And we are always here, having each other's back!" Honoka declared, "Together, we can overcome all Avatars and save the school, our friends and everyone!"
"Honoka-chan, look out!" Kotori cried.
At that moment, Erato threw its spear towards Apep and hit straight at another congregation of lights. The spear fell afterwards, to be caught by Terpsichore. It returned the spear to its rightful owner.
"Sempai… thank you!" Kotori thanked Eli.
"Now's not the time for formalities. Let's destroy this thing… together!" Eli cried.
"Okay! Let's go!" Nozomi cried, firing rampantly towards the sky and disintegrating the body of Apep.
While Polyhymnia, Clio and Euterpe fired their ranged weapons at the fabric-like body of Apep, Terpsichore and Thalia dashed across skyscrapers and ripped Apep into pieces. The other iDols also joined in to attack whatever's left of the Avatar.
With some pieces without a core, they just fell to the ground and dissipated into golden rain. Due to µ's teamwork, only one fragment of Apep was left – a small piece of blackness occupying the sky and hovering over the city. The glow of the remainder of its core paled in comparison to the shining daytime sun.
"Just that one left," Eli said, "Do we have firepower left?"
The three long-range attackers shook the heads of their iDols.
"It's okay," Eli said, turning to Calliope, "Hey, what's your name again?"
"Uh… Kousaka Honoka!" she replied.
"Okay Honoka, backtrack by 500 kilometres and run towards me." Eli instructed.
Following her senior's words, Calliope retreated away from the rest and ran towards them again. As it was close to clashing with Terpsichore, the light blue iDol grabbed hold of Calliope and spun it around.
"Don't get too dizzy!" Eli cried, "Now, look straight!"
On her call, Terpsichore let go and set Calliope flying towards the black mass. With a single slash, the last of Apep was destroyed.
"And cut!" both shouted.
After the gruelling battle, the members of µ's gathered at the bridge where their respective iDols rested. Eli and Nozomi stood on one end, with the rest on the other side.
"I still think it is too dangerous for you girls…" Eli began, "So we will sure to look out for you."
"From how that went out today, you need us more instead." Nico remarked.
"At least she's needed, unlike someone…" Maki chided.
"You insolent first-year!" Nico yelled.
"Welcome to the team, Ayase-sempai!" Umi declared.
"Just call me by name; that's Ayase Eli," she insisted, "I acknowledge you, all of you."
"Ok… Eli-sempai…" Umi called.
After a long day that was their first mission as µ's, Nozomi retreated to the private sanctuary that was her house. Wasting no time, she put herself to work.
She took The Hermit card that was reversed, and flipped it upright.
"She did overcome the night, but only with the help of others. Now she is the beacon that guides others through the night."
She then took out another Tarot card, The Magician in Reverse.
"Balance all your tricks, Magician-chan…"
"Oh well… back to work."
Putting away the card, she unrolled a map detailing the old largely abandoned city. Circling portions of the map with a pencil, she solemnly pondered over the spots highlighted.
With all of µ's assembled, the Origin Arc has become an end and this is also the first chapter of the next arc of this fanfic.
To answer Whoknows (if you are viewing this), this fanfic is superficially inspired by Sunrise's Idolmasters Xenoglossia. Besides the name and superficial concept, there is almost to no similarities between the two. I would envision the iDols to resemble something like Eva, as a side-note.
Originally, I considered giving Apep some offensive power via laser beams... but opted not to. That said; it does have special abilities.