Being the resident scientist of the Section was a job Elfnein absolutely adored doing. Ever since she joined them during the Carol Incident, the homunculus had received countless amounts of support and motivation from her friends and coworkers. Even though she loathed herself for inadvertently being Carol's mole, they still wanted her help. Locking her away or chasing her out was completely out of the question for them. And so, ever thankful for their faith in her, she vowed to assist them with all her power.
And never before had she been so challenged by an ordeal. She sat in her lab, wearing protective clothes as she made the necessary additions to each of the girl's Symphogears. Usually she would handle everything with her bare hands, but this time she decided to go the extra mile in safety, at Tomosato's insistence. The curses that made up the arm in front of her were no laughing matter; it was entirely possible they were volatile as well, so she took extra care as she slowly chipped away at it bit by bit, taking powder sized fragments from it until she was satisfied by the results.
The last time she had made such radical and major alterations to the Gears was when she added the Ignite Module to them, and even then it was not nearly as nerve wracking. It was a simple matter of grinding up the fragments of Dainsleif, do some simple alterations to the units, and then just add it in.
Now, she had to very, VERY carefully insert the powder she had obtained into the Gears, little by little. She had so many theories about what could happen if something went wrong; from the entire submarine exploding to the curses overflowing all over the place. She knew she was being paranoid, but when dealing with something so unknown and so ancient it was impossible not to worry. The work was also stifling inside of the suit, and sweat poured down her brows without end as she continued making the adjustments.
As usual, the first time was the hardest. With delicate movements she inserted the curse dust she collected into a tube, leaving the opening just large enough so miniscule amounts would be able to escape at any time. She then carefully picked up Airgetlam's pendant with tweezers rather than her own hand and placed it on the stand, briefly admiring the crimson glow it radiated due to the desklamp.
Now came the scary part.
She picked up the tube, hovering it closely to the pendant. Using a magnifying glass, she looked closely as she gave the tube one shake, causing a tiny bit of the powder to fall upon the pendant. The curse dust touched the gem, and she watched as it began to be absorbed into it, disappearing as if it wasn't there at all.
She swallowed. Ok, that was just a tiny bit. It was not enough to give the desired result; she already knew what it was she needed to happen. Only once the crystal glowed does it mean that the addition was a success. Any other result would mean it was not.
So far so good.
She gave the tube another shake, and more dust fell. She repeated the process each time, careful as to give measured additions to the crystal so she could see if there was some sort of limit. She continued, surprised by the amount it could contain. Shouldn't it have glowed by now? This was leaving her very nervous. Everyone was depending on her to succeed.
After a gut-wrenching five minutes of repeating the process, the crystal finally glowed, and she let out a sigh of relief. Now just to see how much she added. She placed the tube, along with whatever was left inside on a scale and wrote down the new weight. She had already measured the starting weight, and the difference was exactly what she added.
It was an impressive 150 grams, something she did not expect. She removed the pendant from its stand, this time with her hand, and relaxed when it gave no strange reaction to her touch. It did feel a bit heavier, but in the lab it was more noticeable than when the wielders are wearing the pendants around their necks.
She put the completed Gear to the side and moved on to the next one: Ig-Alima.
An hour later, Elfnein leaned back in her seat from exhaustion, having finally finished the additions to all the Gears, Saint-Germain's Lapis and Shenshoujing included. She looked to the collection of gems on the table next to her and smiled briefly, however her smile turned upside down when her vision focused on the Gear containing the Mirror.
Genjuro still had not approached Miku about this, and she was beginning to think he might be taking too long. Now that another factor had been added to the Gears, it was more than imperative that Miku also get some experience with it. She had only ever used it once, and the entire time her mind had not exactly been her own. No one knows how much she actually retained in terms of battle tactics or even the Gear's abilities, and not to mention that she had never used the Ignite Module before. Such a shock could overwhelm her if they did not allow her to prepare for it. She knew that Genjuro was going for maximum impact with the reveal, but this impact could not only affect Hibiki, but their own comrades and even Miku herself.
At what point will it finally become too much?
However, she trusted him. She had to believe that everything he was doing was carefully planned, despite the fact that everything seemed bleak. His tone and seriousness during the briefing was almost completely out of character for him, and when that happens she knows that he is taking something very, very seriously. There was no way he wouldn't when essentially the lives of the entire world were on the line.
But this marked the moment where he had a very personal investment in the crisis. She did not know how involved he was during the conflict with Fine, but this time his own student was the threat. He had faced her and lost, and had crafted a seemingly cold-hearted plan in order to get her back.
But using Miku was just not the right way. 'Miku-san is not a tool, Genjuro-san. Please, don't lose yourself.'
She was worried for him. Ever since this incident began he was sleeping less, he did not allow himself to rest like he should, and she could see he was starting to become fatigued. He thought nobody would notice, but she did. He was running himself ragged with worry and care, completely forgetting to be human in the process. His decisions were becoming colder and more reckless, a sure sign that he was not himself throughout this whole ordeal. The very fact that he approved something as dangerous as the Super Ignite Project was already proof enough; he was going for the methods that had the highest chance of success regardless of what the cost was, all for the sake of taking Hibiki back.
She had spoken with Aoi about this during this week-long period of peace, and she told her the one thing that caused her heart to sink: that it was possible that Genjuro might be remembering his failure with Kanade, and now was hellbent on not having a repeat. It was a heartbreaking realization, and she wished she could do something to help him alleviate his sorrow.
But there was really nothing she could do except help out as best she can and do everything possible to finally get her back.
For everyone's sake.
She pressed the comm button and hailed the bridge. "Genjuro-san...it's done. We can finally get started."
He hummed approvingly. "Good, thank you Elfnein-kun. I'll tell them to come to the simulator right way."
"Okay, I'll be right there." She answered, and hung up.
Elfnein let out a sigh.
There was no stopping this now.
She quickly checked the lab over, making sure that nothing was out of place and that everything was secure. It wouldn't do for the arm to be out in the open without any sort of quarantine.
She then took off the protective suit, putting it back in its place. Eyeing the pendants on the table momentarily, she took them one by one and placed them in the protective case she always had with her. She then gave the lab one final look over and headed out, going straight to the simulator room.
-!-
"Good, I see that everyone is here," Genjuro said inside of the simulator. They did not begin just yet as he first had to brief them on what they'll do. "We still have ten minutes so I'll be going over how this is going to be happening."
The four wielders as well as Miku and Saint-Germain stood before him in a line. The alchemist had her arms crossed as she listened. "As we agreed yesterday, Maria-kun will be the first to initiate the test. What will happen is that we'll start a simulation of the city, the one you're used to. Once inside, I'll give you the signal when to activate the Module. From then on, the real test will begin. We'll be analyzing everything about what is going on in the control room, making sure to isolate anything that might help overcome the curses much easier. In case of failure, the rest of the wielders will be on standby to knock you out so we can see what the problem was. Does anyone have any questions?"
No one spoke, but he could see there was uncertainty on Kirika's face. He decided not to comment on it, but rather give them some motivation. "I know you're all scared of what could happen, but make no mistake: I have faith you all can overcome this. Remember what it is we're fighting for and don't let your past regrets consume you. As long as you stay true to your hearts, you will be victorious. Always remember that."
They gave him an acknowledging nod. "Good, then let's begin. Maria-kun, you stay here. Everyone else, with me."
He led them out of the room while Maria stayed put. The door opened behind her, and she could hear the others walk out one by one. Maria closed her eyes, trying to empty her mind. 'Focus. You can do this. Focus.'
"Maria-san," A soft, gentle voice said behind her, one that she recognized belonged to Miku.
"Good luck."
And the door closed, leaving her alone in the simulator. She stood in silence for a minute or so, breathing in and out, preparing herself for what was to come.
No, she had already prepared herself last night. The reason she had volunteered was simple: she was the only one out of the wielders to fail the first activation of the Ignite Module, causing her to go berserk. Strangely enough, she could remember exactly how her mind clouded over and her vision turned completely red, not able to see anything other than her own rage. It was a disturbing feeling, one she had loathed feeling. She was weak, drowning in self-doubt, and it took everyone's help to take her out of that slump. The mountains of guilt and regret of her actions with FIS only added onto that feeling of powerless.
But that was in the past. Now, she was their comrade, someone they relied on and a dear friend to them. And she loved them for it. Even despite all of her mistakes and sins they accepted her and allowed her to feel true happiness again.
"Maria-kun, we are turning on the simulator." She heard Genjuro say, and she responded with a nod.
At that moment, the walls around her warped, and the cold steel walls of the room suddenly turned into a vast cityscape, one she already recognized. They had used this exact simulated location many times before, and like every other time it began in this little square next to a decorated office building. She wasn't sure which city it was emulating, but that did not matter in the least.
They would start with no enemies first, just as they planned.
"Don your Gear, Maria-kun."
Now, first step.
She took a deep breath and grasped the pendant around her neck tightly, and chanted.
'Seilin coffin Airgetlam tron'
And with a flash of silver light, Maria wielded her Symphogear. She stood still for a moment, waiting for the next signal.
"Okay, everything seems to be in order," She heard Elfnein say. She was probably checking to see if the curses would affect the normal activation in any way, but it seemed like they didn't as per her hypothesis.
But now comes the hard part.
Elfnein seemed to hesitate momentarily, but then continued. "Maria-san...it's time."
And that was it.
Maria started becoming nervous, her heart beating wildly in her chest. The first time with the normal Module was nothing short of excruciating pain; it was hell to experience and go through, her mind drowning in darkness. Yet Elfnein said this time will be much worse.
She didn't want to know just how much...But she was about to find out.
Slowly, she raised her hand to grasp the pendant on her collarbone. "Start on the lowest setting. Once we pass the hard part we can think about increasing the output." Genjuro instructed.
Okay, that made her life a tiny bit easier. Just the lowest setting, nothing more than that. The very base, Phase Nigredo it was called. The setting that offers the lowest output but the highest operating time.
She shook her head. Her mind was wandering too much. 'Focus...Focus. This time, you get it on the first try. Show them you can. Prove that you have overcome your weakness.'
Maria took a deep breath. 'Serena...please, watch me. Lend me your strength.'
And began with a single click.
"IGNITE MODULE! UNSHEATHE!"
She tore the pendant away and held it aloft in one hand.
And just like the first time, it let out a mechanical voice. However, this time it was unsettling. It was much lower in pitch, and sounded glitchy and broken.
"dAiNsLeiFFFFF"
The pendant hovered before her in the air, and like every time its sides extended and the crimson blade protruded from it. Maria stood before it and braced herself.
Here we go.
And in a single motion, the blade buried itself in her chest.
The effect was immediate.
"AAGGRHRHGRHHHHHHGHHH-ARRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! KU-KUWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
PAIN.
PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN pAiN pain PaIn PAINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!
Maria let out a bloodcurdling scream, feeling as if she was being stabbed with a million searing hot knives all over her body. She could physically feel the sensation of her each and every part of her body melting…
And reforming.
And melting.
And breaking and crying and her organs erupting and her brain exploding and her heart vaporizing and her lungs collapsing and her bones shattering HER MIND FRAGMENTING HER SOUL CORRODING HER CONSCIOUSNESS BURNING EVERYTHING WAS NOTHING BUT TORTURE AND HELL AND FIRE.
AND SCREAMING. A MILLION VOICES SCREAMING IN TANDEM. SUFFERING BEYOND NORMAL CONCEPTION.
She could hear something beyond everything. Was someone calling to her? Where even was she? Why was she SUFFERING TO THE BRINK OF MADNESS? Her memory was fragmented, gone. Her entire being seemed to be in such complete agony she was sure she was losing her mind.
She fell to the floor, any strength she had in her legs drained in an instant. She squirmed in agony, clawing at her chest, desperate to be rid of this unbearable sensation.
Her mind had pretty much collapsed in an instant, her very existence in her own consciousness coming into question.
'Who am I?'
'Where am I?'
'What am I?'
'When am I?'
'How am I?'
A lack of reason A lack of understanding A lack of Will A lack of Resolve EXISTENCE ITSELF BECOMES MEANINGLESS.
Nothing is left except THE SCREAMS. ALL OF THEM TOGETHER DIRECTED AT HER.
"DIE!" "DISAPPEAR!" "HATEEE HATEEE" "FUCK YOU PIECE OF SHIT YOU BITCH!"
Her blood was boiling, her heart beating faster than should ever be allowed for a human being.
And the others watched from the safety of the control room. Kirika and Shirabe huddled together in fear and worry as they watched Maria sprawl out on the ground, her limbs lashing wildly in all directions and her chilling screams that made them cover their ears.
It was such a horrible sight to watch that even Saint-Germain found herself wincing and grumbling to herself. 'This might be too much.'
She shot a glance to Genjuro, who had his arms crossed. His vision was glued to Maria, and she could see, just slightly, his teeth clenching and his grip on his own arms tightening all the more.
He hated seeing this as much as they were. But there was no stopping the process now. Either she failed and they beat her down or she succeeded. To interrupt now might truly cause her mind to collapse, running a risk of permanent psychological damage.
Well, not that this process was any better. This was by far worse than they could have possibly imagined. Two thousand years of grudges and curses from an untold amounts of people was just too much for any one person to handle. Just this tiny bit was causing such an extreme reaction.
How the hell was Hibiki handling the full brunt of it?
The alchemist stole a glance at Miku, who was standing next to her. She had covered her mouth with her hand as she watched, absolutely horrified.
"She can do it," Elfnein bit out from under her fear, biting her lip so hard she was bleeding. "She can do it. She can do it. She will do it. I believe she will. She can do it."
Her hands were clenched tightly on top of the console, and she repeated this one phrase endlessly, as if to reassure herself rather than them. But what did it matter if they helped themselves? Maria was the one who needed help. The darkness had flooded over her in an instant, a blackness much deeper than they have ever seen the Module producing. Right after that Maria began screaming and thrashing about, eventually hitting the floor with such force the fake concrete beneath her was starting to crack.
There was nothing left for them to do but to watch their own comrade be ripped to shreds from the inside out, begging, hoping, that she'll make it intact.
-!-
This is hell.
THIS IS HELL.
There was no hell greater than this.
Within the confines of her own mind, Maria was in agony beyond any she had ever felt before. Everything was simply fire, burning and scorching her skin repeatedly. She was pierced, and every single one of the blades dug deeply into her organs, inflaming the pain receptors to beyond their limits. This was beyond what a human could ever possibly experience in their life.
And she was falling. No, it was more accurate to see she was dragged, pulled down further into the hell by thousands upon thousands of shadowy hands, each one grabbing her more tightly, pulling her further and further down into the horror of fire and brimstone. They grabbed at her hair and limbs and chest and places she did not want to think about, and their touch was blazing hot, melting into her skin. She could not even scream due to the sheer agony, her brain overloaded by the sensations that she was starting to beg for death.
But death would not come, not here.
And then the fire disappeared, replaced by a cold she had never felt before in her life. She was dragged to what seemed to be underwater, freezing cold water that might be reaching absolute zero in terms of temperature. Her fingers froze over and instantly shattered. Then her arms. Then her legs. Then her stomach. Each and every part of her becoming nothing more than a block of ice, yet she was still dragged down. SHE WAS STILL ALIVE THROUGH IT ALL, EXPERIENCING THE MANY CIRCLES HELL HAD TO OFFER.
Was there even a point in keep her mind together? Just having consciousness and being aware of what was happening was far too much for her. Going insane was far preferable to this.
It felt like an eternity since the process repeated. From fire to ice, back and forth, to and fro, her body freezing and burning instantly and simultaneously as she was continuously dragged down down to wherever the hands were taking her.
Her eyes rolled into her head, her ability to breath taken along with the rest of her being.
And then, all at once, everything just seized.
She was dropped down, crashing against a metallic floor. She squirmed on the ground, gasping as she tried to get a hold of her senses, of her very self. Somehow she had retained her sanity through the whole ordeal, which she had to commend herself for. Not many would be able to do so. Remembering exactly why she had gone through this hell was difficult, but that will come later. First, get a grasp of her surroundings.
Maria rose to her feet uneasily, her vision blurry and broken. She leaned against a...wall? A wall yes, from what she could feel, and took deep breaths. The air was painful and prickled at her lungs, but it was welcome. She coughed many times to try and stabilize her breathing, and as she felt her body calm, her sight began to return.
And then she promptly froze again when she noticed where she was.
'I was here not long ago.' She realized. She had come here when she along with Elfnein dove into the depths of her mind in order to find the missing link for the LiNKER.
A facility that was long gone. A place that she, along with Serena, had once called home.
She looked around her, seeing that it was devoid of any living soul. She wasn't even sure if this was reality or not, her fractured mind having trouble grasping hold of itself. She rose to her full height and limped towards the center of the room. It looked exactly like she remembered it, down to the very brightness of the light coming from the ceiling.
"How...is this…"
"Maria-nessan."
Anything the idol was about to say got caught in her throat as she heard a familiar gentle voice ring behind her.
She turned around.
A bright smile met her eyes, and her mouth hung open in shock.
"Serena…"
Her long gone sister stood before her, wearing her Symphogear. Airgetlam's original owner smiled even more brightly, and approached her older sister, standing right in front of her, looking up at her.
Maria's guard dropped completely.
"Serena-"
THUNK!
Which proved to be a mistake.
There was a sharp, piercing pain in her chest. Her eyes only looked at Serena, who continued to smile, her hand extended towards her. Blood leaked from Maria's mouth, and the elder looked down to see exactly what had occured.
And was met with the sight of Serena's hand, embedded in her chest.
"S-Serena…"
The younger girl's only response was to smile, and force her hand slightly deeper into her older sister's chest. Maria could feel as the gloved hand closed around her heart, squeezing it gently. The elder could not even bring herself to move, and she coughed up blood, splattering it over Serena's face.
But that wasn't the end yet.
And from behind, she felt two similar sharp pains, and two more hands gripped at her heart. She did her best to look behind her, twisting her head as much as she could to see who had done it.
She saw a woman, aging but not quite elderly yet with dark blue hair and an eyepatch over her right eye. Her expression was serious, almost emotionless.
The other was a man, with bright white hair and a labcoat, a maniac grin plastered on his face.
'Mom...Dr. Ver…"
Three people from her past, two she loved and one she hated, all worked in tandem to tighten their hold on the heart inside her chest. They remained unmoving as the entire facility melted away, bringing her back to the fiery hell she fell through just before. The dark shadowy hands returned and grabbed her legs, their searing touch just adding more pain to her senses. And slowly, ever so slowly, she was once again dragged down, and the three souls who had departed the world of the living lowered down with her.
There would be no return if she did not escape.
But how?
And then, Serena spoke. But her voice was no longer gentle or warm. No, now it was laced with the horrors of the damned, and her once gentle face contorted into a nightmarish caricature that sent chills down her very core.
"WORTHLESS."
"WEAK."
"GREEDY."
"SELFISH."
"HATEFUL."
Serena cursed her older sister's existence with every word she muttered.
"IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU."
"HOW DO YOU DARE LIVE."
There was nothing the elder could do. Frozen in terror at the sight before her, her mind reeled completely.
'This...is the shape of my sin. This is my punishment. This is what I deserve.'
That was all Maria could think. The very existence of Maria Cadenzavna Eve was a mistake, a bug in reality, an error that had to be corrected.
The foundation of her own self was crumbling. Her body was disintegrating, starting with the bottom of her feet and rising up. She could not longer feel her legs, the hands wrapping around them tightly with no intention of letting go.
'This...is what I can here for. To be punished. To receive judgment for my sins. There is no other reason why I would be here.'
Despite the pain, despite the horror, there was a calm acceptance in her mind. As if everything would finally end after so long of her burdens bearing down on her. She had wished she could go much more peacefully than this, but her wishes were denied, just as usual.
'That's right...That is all there is for me at the end of the road. This is retribution. This is where I-'
'STOP'
Her thoughts instantly seized. What was-
'REMEMBER WHAT YOU ARE TRULY HERE FOR.'
Something was talking to her. But what was it? What was the source of that voice?
'YOU CANNOT ALLOW YOUR PAST TO DRAG YOU DOWN.'
'You want me to forget?'
'DO NOT FORGET. BUT DO NOT DWELL. DON'T LET THE PAST DETERMINE WHO YOU ARE,'
She gasped.
'BUT LET IT BE A PART OF WHO YOU WILL BECOME.'
Her eyes shot open. A rush of memories filled her mind to the brim, and she could see as it play out from beginning to end. Everything...from the moment Serena died...To facing S.O.N.G on the stage...Everything...Everything...was flowing.
And somehow, in this hell of fire and pain, she cried real tears. The heart, grasped by three hands of people who were no longer in this world, filled with nothing but sorrow and joy alike. And along with it...purpose. The reason. Her reason for being, for being here, returned to her all at once.
She stared down at the demon wearing Serena's face. The demon that was her shackles. She had for too long let it stain her mind and soul, dwelling on something that she cannot possibly change.
So in order to cast away that burden, to finally accept the part of herself that was sinful...She must do away with this evil that encroached on her heart.
Retribution may not ever come…
But she did not need it.
And in a move mirroring Serena's own, Maria thrust her hand forward and pierced through her sister's chest in one blow.
The demon's grip on her own heart faltered, and it looked down at the hand piercing it with an expression of shock. But Maria was not done yet. With a heave and a yell that was absolutely primal, she pulled her hand back with all the force she could muster and tore the demon's heart from its chest. Serena's hand left her sister's, and fell backwards as its illusionary life fled it, disappearing into the fire.
And in Maria's hand was not her sister's heart just like she expected, but a shining bright blade, the Armed Gear of her Symphogear, Airgetlam!
The idol clenched her teeth, and even though her heart was still pierced, she swung behind her with all her might, decapitating both Mom and Ver with a single stroke. Their own grips on her heart loosened and they disappeared, leaving her alone in the flames.
But it was not over yet.
She hacked. She slashed. Swinging the blade wildly at her feet, she sliced away the arms grabbing her. They tried to gnaw at her again, but with every swipe she slashed away dozens upon dozens of the hands. Soon enough, she was able to liberate her legs, and stand right on top of the layers upon layers of hands, desperate to drag her down. The fire around her still burned her skin, and she could feel pain in every part of her body, but there was something within her that burned much more brightly.
'That's right. My hands are covered in blood, and my intentions yielded nothing. But I'm alive. I'm here. I'M HERE. I can still make a difference. For all the sins I've committed, and for the sake of everything that was lost, I will accept it. I will not forget it. I will pierce through it!'
A flash of blue in her mind filled her body with strength, and she chuckled to herself. To think now out of all times she would think about her. But she figured it was fitting. Up until now, the memory of her dear sister carried her forward, giving her untold amount of power and motivation.
But a strength relying on the past was fleeting, and would eventually run out. She only ever managed to look back, never seeing what was right in front of her. Always hoping she could see her again.
But such a wish would never come true.
So the only thing left to do...was to look forward, into the future.
"Isn't that right, Tsubasa?"
She slashed down with all her might.
And the fire, the hands, and the darkness in her heart all vanished in a flash of light.
-!-
When Maria finally came to, she gasped and coughed up blood right onto the concrete.
'Wait, concrete?'
She opened her eyes and found herself staring up at the sky, or at least a simulated one. Her everything hurt, but it was not a searing unbearable one she had experienced in her mind. It was more akin to an annoying, dull ache that numbed her limbs, forcing her to remain on her back on the ground.
'Did...did I do it?'
She asked herself that, but she wasn't sure if she was back to the real world yet. Her mind was swimming, somehow still keeping her sanity intact. She was feeling a bit annoyed that she couldn't move, but that was fine with her. She just needed to rest after what she just experienced.
She closed her eyes, feeling herself drifting off…
"MARIA!"
Someone screamed her name. She couldn't move, but she could hear many footsteps suddenly run up to her side, looking down on her from above. When her vision finally focused, she could see her friends staring at her in worry.
"K...Kirika?" She asked, her voice hoarse and her throat burning. "What...what happened?"
Her younger had tears in her eyes. "It...it was so bad! I thought you were going to die!"
"Kirika…"
"You did it, Maria-kun," Genjuro said, and she turned her head to him. "You did it. You overcame it."
She blinked several times. "I...I did it? On the first try? Are you sure?"
"Yes," He answered. "Take a look at yourself."
Maria blinked several times, and with all the strength she could muster lifted her upper body up, her legs still sprawled on the floor and studied her own form.
She blinked again. "Why...why is it all black?" She asked in confusion.
It was indeed a very major change. If the regular Ignite Module darkens the Gear somewhat, now the entirety of it was covered in blackness. No sections that were slightly a darker gray, no gems with a darker shade than the usual. No, the entire Gear, from top to bottom was completely dark. "This is kind of unnerving to look at." She commented.
"I understand what you mean, Maria-kun." Genjuro said, also noticing her concern. "How do you feel?"
She looked up at him as Kirika and Shirabe held her, the others having stayed in the control room. Maria looked herself over again, attempting to understand exactly what it was she was feeling. She raised her arms and looked over the gauntlets, turning them over to see just how much was changed. "A bit...shaken up, so to say."
Genjuro smiled. "We knew you could do it. You have really grown strong, Maria-kun."
It was said with such warmth that she found herself blushing at the comment. Geez, what is he thinking? Hurriedly turning her head away, her gaze fell upon Kirika and Shirabe. "Can you two...please help me up?"
The duo nodded, and each took one side of their elder and carefully lifted her up to her feet. She stumbled a bit on the first step, but soon enough stabilized her footing, standing on both legs. The duo released her and stepped back, letting her walk on her own.
Maria looked herself over again, trying to get a feel for this...weird strength she was feeling. It was definitely much more intense than before, and she could actually feel stronger...but it was such a strange feeling that she could not describe it. "This is surreal," She commented. "I'm not sure what it is what I'm feeling. There's this power welling inside, but it feels like it's not settled completely, if you understand what I mean."
"That is probably a symptom of the first release," Elfnein answered over the comm. She could hear the relief in her voice. "You probably remember it was the same with the normal Module, correct? Once we get several uses of it off, then I believe it will settle down and fully integrate itself into the Gear."
Maria nodded in acknowledgment. "I see…"
There was a pregnant silence in the air as they tried to formulate some questions for her. Genjuro was the first to speak. "What did you see?"
Ah, of course that will be the first thing. Maria raised her arm, looking at her hand closely. She clenched it into a fist as she recounted the experience. "It...it was pain unlike anything I've ever felt before. It was so consuming I thought I was going mad from just that. I could feel every part of my body burning from the searing heat, feeling my entire being just melt away into total darkness and regret that were so deep I thought I could never climb out of it." She said absentmindedly as she recalled her experience.
But it was then she realized her juniors were listening, and that behind the wall stood Miku, Chris, and Saint-Germain. Maybe she should tone down the scary stuff. "But...even in this darkness that I was sure I was going to drown in, I held on. I understood...what were my regrets. What shackled me...what held me back, and that was what was trying to drown me. I let it control me for far too long, even when I thought it did not. So, in the depths of my heart...I cut it away with my bare hands. I struggled against it, lashing wildly so it would release me, and my strength came from thinking about something else entirely: the future...and what awaited in it. I understood...that I'm sinful, that I'm not perfect...and that I can never be perfect. But, as long as I'm alive...I can strive for a better tomorrow."
Shirabe and Kirika looked up at her in wonder, and she crouched slightly to reach their height, hugging them both. "And don't forget...to fill your heart with love. Surely, with that...you'll overcome any obstacle."
The two weren't sure where that came from, but regardless they smiled and hugged her back, the three of them sharing a touching moment.
From within the control room Chris sighed and leaned back in the chair she was sitting on. "That was one hell of a ride I gotta say."
Miku looked to her, still worried. "But...she's just the first one. You'll also need to do it, Chris."
The Ichaival user slumped back in the chair and stared at the ceiling. "Yeah...I know."
Maria released her two juniors from the hug and stood back to her full height. She looked to Genjuro for instructions. "What now?" She asked.
"First we take a break and analyze what we found out. Now that at least one person has done it successfully, we can make it much easier for the others. I'm sorry you had to take this burden all by yourself, Maria-kun." Genjuro added sincerely.
She turned to him, a smile on her face. "It's alright. I'm glad...that I was able to help everyone, even through my own suffering. It is a small price to pay...for everything you have all done for me."
Genjuro answered with a smile of his own. "You're very welcome," He then turned to Kirika and Shirabe, along the way addressing Chris and Saint-Germain. "We'll be taking a short break now as we go over what we have learned. Once we have isolated all the variables, we'll continue with the next test. Kirika-kun...you'll be the next one up."
Shirabe looked to her significant other, who was sweating bullets. The energetic blonde nodded once, a worried expression on her face. After witnessing Maria go through it and come back in one piece and with her sanity intact, she was sure she could do it too. "No problem," She said, still slightly uncertain. "It'll be a piece of cake!"
Maria looked to her seriously. "It won't be Kirika, sorry to burst your bubble. But even if it isn't you can do it." She told her wisely.
Kirika met her gaze, and once more nodded, acknowledging Maria's words.
"Maria-kun, can you dispel the Gear?" Genjuro asked, still curious. It would be bad if she couldn't remove it.
"Let me try." She answered. She closed her eyes and willed the Gear to disappear, and to their relief it vanished into golden sparkles like usual, leaving her in her regular clothes. She let out a sigh, happy to be out of that pitch black armor. She's going to have to get used to it until Elfnein can remove the curses from it once and for all, but that will only be after they get Hibiki back, and who knows how long that would take.
Genjuro clapped his hands, bringing all attention back to him. "Alright, as I said it's break time. We'll meet back here in an hour. Elfnein-kun and I are going to go over everything and we'll tell you what we found," He turned to Maria. "Make sure you rest and clear your head, alright? You're going to have to be strong for the two of them."
Maria eyed her juniors. "Yes, I know. Thank you."
Yes, things were only just beginning. From here on out, it will only get harder.
And she hoped everyone would make it out of it, just like she did.
-!-
S.O.N.G's bridge was busy as usual ten hours later. Genjuro sat at the helm, looking towards the screen as he went over the information they gathered from the Symphogears' test in the simulator.
He let out a sigh. What a mess that was. Seeing the girls squirming on the floor like crazy was bad enough the first time, but to see it an additional three times plus Saint-Germain managed to take a toll on his mind.
Luckily, he had time to calm himself once he had sent the nearly broken girls to bed to get some rest. They were all equally tired and fatigued, having just won a battle in the very center of their own minds. Just seeing the usually calm Shirabe break down in hysterics and cry out to Kirika briefly made him reconsider the wisdom of using this new ability they got their hands on. It was such...a goddamn mess, all of it. This whole incident, from Hibiki-kun to this was just handled so poorly and with too many variables that he wasn't sure how they managed to hold up till now. He was so used to being in control of the situation, and he usually was. Even Adam was not able to outsmart him completely.
But a single girl did.
"You keep telling us to calm down and you are not calm yourself," A voice said behind him. He could hear the door to the bridge open, and instantly recognized the deep yet feminine tone. "It won't do for my new ally to expire so early."
Ah, she was sending his words right back at him. He swiveled his chair and met the alchemist's gaze as she walked in. "Hmph, as if there is time for that."
"We don't know how much time we have," She told him plainly. "Which is why we must take each of these pauses seriously. However, to deny ourselves rest when we need it is counterproductive."
"I've been through worse," He said, turning back to his console. "And you're one to talk, you're not resting yourself. Did you even go to sleep since the test?"
She walked to stand up next to him, staring down at his console. "No, I did not. I couldn't fall asleep like I wanted to."
He took a moment to answer. "It was that bad, huh?"
"Yes," She said calmly, even though he could hear there was pain in her voice. "To experience both levels of the Ignite Module in the span of a single week is exhausting to say the least. I am still surprised it still works as well as it does, despite the contradiction that still exists within it."
Genjuro nodded to himself. "I see...Then, Saint-Germain, will you tell me what it is you saw?"
The alchemist moved her head to stare at the large display at the very front of the bridge. She closed her eyes, recounting her own personal hell. "I saw...my mother." She answered.
Genjuro looked up at her with eyes wide, taken aback by the fact that she was talking about her family. "I saw...my mother's death once again," She saw with a tinge of melancholy. "She died a long time ago, from malnutrition. I had tried in vain to feed her with the little scraps I managed to find, but it was all for naught. I had even begged my father for help, but he merely threw me aside and was appalled by how a slave girl like me dared to ask him for assistance. After all, for him my mother was nothing more than property to be used at his leisure. He refused to help us, and my mother passed away right before my eyes. Ten years after that day, I met that man again...and slew him in his sleep."
The commander took a deep breath as he listened, having no words to give. "From then on, I desired a world free of oppression. So no one like myself and my mother would have to go through such suffering at the hands of another. I saw him, in that hell, lying amongst the countless other lives I have taken through the centuries. All of them looked up at me and cursed my existence, asking how someone like me dared to live in this world. How I dared to continue following such a optimistic ideal regardless of the cost. A great burden then fell on my shoulders, and I felt my knees and legs shatter from the weight. I thought that it was finally the place where I'll be judged for my sins."
She opened her eyes, looking ahead. He could see from the angle where he looked the depth in her blue eyes. The sheer agony of living for so long, and the wariness she has built up over the years. "Yet I knew that it was not my time yet, for my dream had been lost. But another took its place, one just as beautiful, just as strong. It gave me strength to keep moving on, to see it all through to the end. So I trudged forward through the plain filled with nothing but corpses, a single, selfish desire spurning me forward. I do not have any of this love that Maria Cadenzavna Eve had claimed that I should have, for I have none left to give. But even if someone like me can overcome this hell...then perhaps the world is not as bleak a place as I thought it to be."
Saint-Germain's gaze then softened slightly. "Because I know that as long as I'm alive...I can still bring about the change I desire."
Genjuro smirked and chuckled lightly. "That's right...As long as one is alive, you can still make a difference."
His mind went back to when he visited Maria's room earlier in the day. It was right after they had all tucked in and rested after the difficult tests, and he made sure to check on each of them. To his surprise, when he finally entered he saw her not alone, but rather with the two younger duo that have been with her for years. On the small, uncomfortable bed that HQ provided, three figures huddled together, basking in each other's warmth. They were all comfortably asleep, not one of them moving an inch as they rested.
Those were the faces he vowed to protect.
"That's why I must bring back Hibiki-kun. I will not allow even one of these girls to die, no matter what; I don't mind hardening my heart for that purpose." He turned to the alchemist. "And that goes for you as well. We must all make it through this alive, are we clear? You are not allowed to sacrifice yourself for any reason."
She met his gaze and huffed. "Hmph, as if you are one to give me orders...But I'll keep it in mind."
Saint-Germain found herself internally conflicted. Someone was...actually worried about her. It has been a while since anyone has ever done that. It was...welcome.
'I wonder what you'd say if you could see me now, Cagliostro, Prelati…'
But of course, Adam Weishaupt had to interject, speaking up from Elfnein's console. "I don't mean to interrupt your sweet moments, but there's something that I believe should have been done already that you have not taken into consideration."
Genjuro stared at him. "And what is that?"
"You should have taken the time to make a list of targets Tachibana Hibiki would possibly aim for," He responded bluntly. "We already know that she is targeting specific people by now. She has been going for your Symphogears almost constantly; but nothing says she has to. There must be others that she might decide to take revenge on. Someone she holds a particular grudge against."
The commander's eyes narrowed, disturbed by the implications. "What do you mean-"
And in that exact moment, the alarm blared loudly throughout HQ, shocking everyone on the bridge. Genjuro was quick to start looking for answers.
"Find the cause! Hurry!" He yelled. "Tomosato, report!"
The sound of Aoi's frantic typing filled the air, and she gasped as she noticed the signatures that the computer was identifying. "We are detecting black beasts, commander! But not only that! There's also…" She double checked, making sure what she was seeing was not a mistake.
Every result gave the same answer.
"There's also Noise! In very large number! And right here, in the city!"
"What?!"
Noise?! That's...not impossible! After all, Hibiki had invaded the Treasury just a week ago.
"No way...she really did bring back the Noise…" Fujitaka said in a horrified tone. "But why here?!"
Genjuro clenched his teeth. "Noise now of all times, this late at night; Tomosato, where are the wielders? Have they all woken up?!"
"Yes sir! They're on their way here right now!"
"Good," He answered.
But then realized something was terribly wrong. True, the appearance of black beasts and the Noise together was unsettling, especially now. The Noise were more surprising than anything at the moment, considering they really did seal the entrance and were sure that the entire Treasury had been completely destroyed. While they were an easy opponent for the Gears to defeat, they always appeared in countless amounts. It won't be long before they start massacring the citizens. Luckily enough, they had evacuation plans in place for that, plans that had been in effect even after the Noise disappeared.
But that paled next to the confusion that filled his mind when he noticed a very critical factor was missing!
"Wait...where's Hibiki-kun?!"
Collective gasps were heard from the bridge. Realizing no one had answers to give him at the moment, he bellowed. "Find her, now! Sweep over the entire city if you have to!"
Adam simply smirked. "See, what did I tell you?"
Nobody responded to his sarcastic remark. At that moment, all four wielders along with Miku ran into the bridge in hurry and alarm. "Old man! What's going on?!" Chris asked.
"Looks like these new Gears of yours will be put to the test sooner than expected," He answered grimly. "We've got both black beasts and Noise on the loose in the city."
Her eyes widened. "Black beasts and Noise…" She repeated to herself, taking the information in. "Seriously? But where's the idiot?"
"That's what we are trying to find out now." He answered.
The crew on the bridge worked tirelessly to locate the rogue wielder's position. With this many people working on it, they were bound to find her in less than a second. In fact it should have happened by now.
Something that seriously alarmed Genjuro. "What is going on?! Why is no one reporting?!"
"Sir! We can't find her anywhere! There are no Aufwachen signals coming from within Tokyo prefecture!"
"What?!"
She's not in Tokyo?! But where could she be?! "Increase the range of the satellite by 100 kilometers! We can't let her go unfound!"
Responding to his orders, the sensor range of the S.O.N.G satellite in orbit increased, the lens expanding as it took in more of the layout of the land beneath it. Unfortunately, a cloud cover over the southeastern area of the country blocked its visual.
But they didn't need visual, only the signals exclusive to Symphogears.
They worked tirelessly, sweeping the area increased by the satellite's range.
Until one member finally had an answer. "Sir, Aufwachen has been detected!"
The twisted signal of Gungnir appeared on screen, and it proved to them Adam's words: it had indeed changed further, and the encroaching black lines covered even more of it than before. The black hole had similarly increased in size, almost completely covering the original beneath, which they could barely see anymore.
"Where is she?!" Genjuro asked loudly.
The crew member typed away, ascertaining her location on the map according to the signal. "She's in...Chiba, sir!"
"Chiba?!"
She's in...her hometown?! Why?!
The answer came to him in the form of Miku's horrified gasp. He looked behind him in a hurry to see her cover her mouth and her eyes widen. "Miku-kun, what's wrong?!"
The girl's voice shook as she spoke. "Her...her family lives in Chiba! They're still there!"
"Her family?!"
Genjuro's brain went into overdrive. In Chiba...her parents were there. He knew that in that city she had gone through those two years of hell. Was she going after all of the people that vandalized her house and hurt her in school? No, that's too unlikely. There are just too many of those she could not possibly target all of them right away.
Wait...target? Adam had said she might look for someone she holds a particular grudge against…
If her aim was not the students, then the only other possible option, from what he knew was…
"Oh no," He said frantically. "PREPARE A HELICOPTER RIGHT NOW! Maria-kun, you'll go to intercept her as fast as you can!"
"Roger!" She answered, and swiftly left the bridge to head to the helicopter pad outside.
"Whoa, Old man! What is going on?! What does her family have to do with it?!" Chris asked him again, even more on edge than before.
"Adam was right," He muttered. "We have completely forgotten what she's been doing until now. She holds grudges against people; we already know we are also part of that. But nothing says she has to go after us all the time!"
Chris gasped. "Wait, you don't mean-"
"She used the Noise and the black beasts as a diversion while she goes and takes care of it far enough from us! And the only possible target in Chiba that she can go after, the one person she holds a very deep grudge against that could possibly live there…"
The realization hit Miku like a truck. She fell to her knees as her strength left her.
"HER FATHER!"
