AN: Another fairly dialogue heavy chapter, just to close this round of infodumps.
-!-
The sound of firing bullets filled the air as the Alca-Noise were mowed down without a fight. Holding her machine gun with two hands, Chris grit her teeth as she switched between her defenseless targets, not moving an inch.
The smell of gunpowder and carbon dust only slightly helped improve her sour mood. It would have been better had these Noise actually fought back, but there was nothing she could do about that. For the past ten minutes she simply sat in silence by the pier, trying to cool off from screaming her head off at Genjuro. It was then that Saint-Germain of all people spoke to her through the comm and told her to destroy the remnants of the Alca-Noise army, explaining that they couldn't be recalled and that she should use them as a way to "vent her frustrations."
She didn't like how condescending the alchemist sounded, but she couldn't really blame her.
No, the only one she found herself blaming is herself for losing her temper so easily.
"Damn it." She breathed out through clenched teeth. Mowing down the first platoon of Noise, more entered the harbor in a very neat line, filling in the empty and destroyed areas in an organized formation. There were so many of them left she found herself surprised, considering half of the city was simply gone, with the other half barely standing.
She heard something about the alert ending, so it would be around this time that the civilians will start pouring out back into the streets to see this new reality they found themselves in.
Her heart went out to them. So many are now without homes, and it was on their shoulders. She, along with the entirety of S.O.N.G were to blame for this, that she was sure of.
But were they suppose to do? What was she supposed to do? It's too late to regret everything now, and the smoke rising from the city in the horizon was proof of that.
Just looking at it caused her anger to rise again. Deciding she was tired of just mindlessly shooting the Noise, she changed her tactic. Flipping the machine gun over in her hand, she held it with both hands by the barrel like an oversized club.
And promptly smashed it against a contingent of Noise, smashing through them like glass and causing them to dissolve to dust.
The minimal amount of resistance she felt to them being struck frustrated her more, and she went wild, simply striking the Noise to and fro with reckless abandon, taking only a minimum amount of joy in the act.
"Damn it damn it damn it damn it!" She growled out with each strike. The harbor was already destroyed enough, so she didn't care when her strikes crashed again the ground, shattering it even more. She jumped up, striking the remaining Giant Noise in its oversized head, and felt the edge of her mouth twitch as it was squished inwards, the entire thing exploding in a cloud of carbon dust under her blow.
Her anger kept on rising without stopping, her entire face becoming flush as blood rushed to it. She struck, and struck, and struck, and once more tears threatened to fall from her eyes just from the extreme emotions she was feeling.
Until she heard something step behind her, and in a quick move turned on her heel to smack the intruder in the face.
Only for the machine gun-now-club to stop an inch just before it struck, the wind causing the newcomer's blue hair to flutter for a moment.
Tsubasa didn't react to Chris' sudden aggressive move. "You should be more aware of your surroundings, Yukine."
Chris' eyes widened, and she felt some of her anger disperse by the idol's even voice. Lowering her gun, she turned her head away. "What are you doing here?" She asked.
"I came to inform you that the commander told us all to get some rest before meeting him again at 3 PM sharp." Tsubasa answered.
Chris turned back fully to the Noise. "Well, too bad. I don't feel like resting. I just want to smash these Noise bastards until they're all gone."
"How amusing," Tsubasa responded. "I have found myself unwilling to rest as well. Perhaps I am a bit winded up myself and could use some method to...unwind, as you'd say."
"And what would that be?"
To answer her question, The blue haired idol walked forward until she stood by her side, staring at the Alca-Noise. "I see the perfect targets right in front of me. I hope you do not mind sharing, Yukine."
The Ichaival wielder simply huffed. "Suit yourself."
And she jumped into the fray, leaving Tsubasa to watch.
Her mouth upturned in a small smile, she grasped her pendant and closed her eyes.
And chanted.
'Imyuteus Ame-no-Habakiri tron'
After a brief flash of blue light, Tsubasa was clad in her Symphogear, now in its regular blue and white form. Wordlessly, and without singing, she too charged towards the defenseless army of Alca-Noise simply standing in place, cutting through them like butter.
And so, their merciless massacre continued, the many different forms of the remaining Alca-Noise disappearing into clouds of dust as the two wielders eliminated them without a fight. With no idea how many are left, the two simply attacked with no particular coordination or cooperation, each one doing their own thing in different parts of the harbor.
There was no point in using too much effort, Tsubasa reckoned. They were no real threat like this, and sometimes she too just wanted to swing wildly, foregoing technique and discipline and just let loose until she was exhausted.
So she did.
Time passed for the two of them like so. It was uncharacteristically quiet for what was essentially a Noise extermination, but that was a good point Tsubasa found herself appreciating. Clearing your mind and simply destroying enemies that were for all intents and purposes practice dummies of various shapes and sizes was liberating in a way, especially since they kept replenishing on their own as Saint-Germain's command to them was simply to enter the harbor and do nothing else.
At one point Tsubasa had enough of just cutting them down with the sharp end of her blade. Stopping her assault for a moment, she raised the sword to study it closer, holding her chin between a finger and a thumb. After thinking for a moment, she turned the blade to its flat side...
And whacked the closest Noise in the face.
It promptly turned to dust from her strike, and she watched the dispersing cloud vanish into the wind with a keen interest.
"Hmmm…"
WHACK!
She hit another.
WHACK!
And another.
"Hmm, quite fascinating…" She murmured. "Truly fascinating."
"Oi, what are you doing?"
The idol turned around, her eyes meeting Chris', who was standing behind her with one hand on her hip and an eyebrow raised.
"Simply testing the waters for something I've never truly tried before. I must say it seems quite effective." Was her answer.
This time both of Chris' eyebrow were raised as she looked at her incredulously, as if she witnessed something completely ridiculous.
But Tsubasa didn't stop there, and turned around to once again hit another Noise. "Why do you need to do that?" Chris asked her in bewilderment.
"I see no fault in trying something new, do you not agree?" Tsubasa said back, glancing backwards to her underclassmen.
Chris sighed, her hand lowering down to her side. "If you're gonna do that, then hit it with the handle or something too."
Tsubasa narrowed her eyes, then twisted her head to look down at her sword again. "Hmmm...that is quite a compelling argument…"
Any attempts however by Tsubasa to incorporate her new knowledge were shot down when Chris spoke up behind her again, this time her voice not nearly as amused or confused as before.
"Why did you come here?" She asked, her own eyes narrowing at her upperclassman. "You know I was gonna finish them off on my own. You didn't have to come all the way out here for me."
Tsubasa lowered her sword in response, and turned to face the white haired girl fully. "Is there anything wrong with looking out for my underclassman? It is my duty to care for your well-being as well, Yukine."
"If you're doing that just out of duty then you can-"
"It's not," Tsubasa interrupted her. "I am worried for you. I apologize I've not had as much time to spend with you lately, and so I'm attempting to remedy that in some manner now."
Chris' eyes widened, and her face flushed lightly at the comment. Casting her head downwards, she turned to the side so her upperclassman could not see her blush, eliciting a smile from Tsubasa.
They stood in silence for a moment, and Chris bit her lip, formulating her next words. "I...I didn't mean it."
"Hm?"
The Ichaival user's voice shook as she spoke, her eyes still hidden by her hair. "I...I didn't mean...what I said to him. I mean, I'm still angry and all y'know but...I didn't mean what I said about him being like Ver and F-Fine." She said, her voice cracking slightly at the mention of the priestess' name.
"Yukine…"
"But it's not fair you know? What he did," The white haired girl continued. "He didn't have to plot behind our backs like that. I mean sure, his plan to involve Miku would have made me angry anyway, but at least...at least I could have gotten used to the idea, even if I didn't like it. I understand why he did it and everything...but why did he have to hide it like that? Why didn't he just...talk to us? It's things like this that give us problems all the time, all this secret-keeping."
The sword wielder closed her eyes for a moment, once again a small smile appearing on her face. "I feel the same way as you do, Yukine. In fact, we all do. I truly believe had he spoken with us, we might have been able to come up with a good solution together. Perhaps one that wouldn't have required Kohinata to get involved in the first place, regardless of what he planned. I believe it is because we did not take advantage of the opportunities presented to us to the utmost that allowed the situation to develop like so."
She opened her eyes, and her smile dropped. "But unfortunately, this is now our reality, and we have nothing left but to do our best to support her when the time comes."
She couldn't see what sort of expression Chris was making, but she was sure it lay somewhere between heartbroken and frustrated.
And she would be right, for the Ichaival wielder spoke up again between clenched teeth. "Damn it, I hate this. I hate this so much."
"I know," Tsubasa responded, putting a hand on her underclassman's shoulder. "I hate it too. We all hate it as much as you, so you can rest assured you are not alone. Not a single one of us is alone in this endeavor, even Hibiki. We must stand together, as one, so we can finally gather the strength we need to finally bring her back."
There was a gentle sound of something dripping to the ground, but neither girl commented on it. They just stood together, in the middle of the harbor, wearing their Symphogears, surrounded on all sides by an army of Alca-Noise that was about as dangerous as a newborn puppy.
If there was ever a situation she'd find peculiar, Tsubasa would admit this one made it high on her list of peculiar situations.
Removing her hand from Chris' shoulder, the sword wielder turned back to the Noise, walking towards them slowly. As she approached, she threw her sword up in the air. It spun several times above her head, completing dozens of revolutions before finally falling back down to its wielder.
Only for her to catch it by its sharp edge, holding it upside down.
And then she swung, striking the Noise in front of her with the handle like a makeshift club, and she watched with a smile as her target vanished into dust just like the rest.
"I find your recommendation to be quite liberating, Yukine," She said out of nowhere, causing Chris to raise her head to stare at her back with her eyes wide. "It is not every day that I have the luxury of attempting something new, and it is always a pleasure to see it give fantastic results unlike what I initially believed."
"What are you-" Chris began saying, only for Tsubasa to cut in.
"I think that applies to all of us at the moment. It begins with the smallest of gestures, I believe, such as apologizing," She continued, looking back to her underclassman, who quickly turned her head away to avoid looking her in the eye. "I truly believe that if you apologize for what you said, he'll wholeheartedly accept it. You may have spoken slightly out of line, but he truly does have far more to be sorry for than you do. I am sure he does not hold it against you, as I know he understands your feelings, and by extension our own, very well."
Chris made a 'pfft' sound with her mouth, causing Tsubasa to grin. "Yeah," The Ichaival wielder said. "I know too."
She once more raised her machine-gun, this time correctly, and took aim at the Noise.
Before she could start firing however, Tsubasa spoke up again. "If I may, I do have a suggestion myself, Yukine."
The white haired girl turned her head to look at her with an eyebrow raised.
"How about we sing?" Tsubasa asked.
Chris' eyes widened in surprise. "Eh? Sing? Now? Against these smaller than small small-fry?"
"Do we need an excuse to sing?"
The red Symphogear wielder had no clever answer to give her. "I guess...not."
"Then shall we?" Tsubasa said. "It has been quite a while since it has been just the two of us."
Chris blushed, turning her head away. "Y-yeah."
"Hmm…" The idol let out. "Then how about...Bayonet Charge?"
Chris looked at her again. "Bayonet Charge?"
"Bayonet Charge."
The Ichaival wielder turned her head back to the Noise in front of her, and grinned. "Bayonet Charge it is!"
Tsubasa smirked once more.
And in that moment, a song rose above the harbor. And this time, the two of them were in perfect harmony.
-!-
"Thank you for all of your work, you two," Genjuro said to Fujitaka and Aoi who were standing by the entrance to the bridge. "I recommend you two get some rest. You really need to sleep."
"Don't worry about us, commander," Aoi said. "We've been through this a million times already with you. And besides, someone needs to keep an eye on things while you are having your meeting. It's the least we can do until you're finished."
Fujitaka looked to her with a sour face, but said nothing in response. Genjuro smiled warmly at them, truly appreciating their kindness. "Very well then, I guess I can't talk you out of it. Inform me if anything happens, alright?"
The male bridge member tapped the laptop under his arm lightly with his hand. "No worries commander, you can count on us."
"I know I can," He said. "Thanks again, you two."
Aoi flashed him her own smile. "Anytime, commander."
And the two left the bridge, leaving Genjuro alone.
His smile dropped, and he turned around to his console, looking at the small digital clock in its upper right corner. "8:58 AM, huh? I have two minutes. The old goat was always punctual, and Aniki too," He said to himself. "The two of them plus Vice Minister Shibata and Minister of Defense Maeda...this is going to be a tough one."
He tapped his seat's armrest impatiently. 'I should be used to this by now...but I guess this time the circumstances are different. Very different.'
He had already began predicting the questions they were going to ask and the answers he would give them in return. He did not truly have justifications for his error in judgment concerning this incident, but he did have several useful tricks he could use to get them off his back.
Because he already knew what their main goal would be: usurping his authority over S.O.N.G and the wielders and attempt to resolve the matter by themselves. They would definitely try and guilt trip him, laying the blame on him and his so called incompetence, declare the wielders to be woefully weak, and as a result attempt to intervene under their own accord.
Well, to say 'them' is to blame three of the four without reason, as only one of them would truly attempt the things he mentioned: Kazanari Fudou.
He thought he could hide it, but being his father's son let Genjuro in on things Fudou may or may not know: that he too can read him like an open book and understand his ambitions as clear as day, and as a result work them against him. It worked for him so far by tricking the system, but this time would be far more difficult. He might have to bullshit his way through the meeting without losing his advantage.
Politics were just another battlefield after all.
And Fudou, being the unbearably traditional man that he is, really liked his battlefields.
'But be careful, Father. After all...Oda Nobunaga was slain by his own retainer. If you put yourself at odds with the people too much...you may find yourself struck down by the hands of irony.'
And considering the Kazanari had directly opposed the Oda during that period, it would be all the more amusing.
But that was irrelevant at the moment, as time was ticking down.
Thirty seconds left.
Genjuro rose from his seat and crossed his arms. Completely alone in the bridge for the first time in months, he waited patiently, watching the clock tick down from the corner of his eye. The tension rose even in the silence, the faint humming of machinery and electronics filling his ears.
Ten seconds.
He narrowed his eyes, and put on his poker face.
'Here goes.'
Zero.
As if exactly on cue, and in the scariest show of synchronicity he'd ever seen, four screens flared to life on the large display in front of him, each one displaying a different person that was going to take part in this...discussion.
To the most right was Minister of Defense Maeda, a plump and gruff middle aged man who he had only ever interacted with as a superior, the man being the leading general of his division in the United Nations armed forces.
To his left was Vice Minister Shibata Masahito, a man Genjuro knew very well. A thin old man with a rude personality, the Vice Minister was in fact one of S.O.N.G's greatest supporters, working in earnest to make sure their operations got as smooth sailing as possible. He was also prone to eating noodles while on camera, but for a change of pace this time he did not.
And to his left was Kazanari Yatsuhiro, Genjuro's older brother. He was a man shrouded in mystery most of the time, working behind the scenes on the border of illegality, all for the sake of the country. Usually quiet and stern, underneath was hidden a surprisingly kind heart, and a man who put his family, no matter their relation, above everything else.
And to the most left, wearing his usual judgemental and ultra-serious glare, was the one and only Kazanari Fudou. The current head and patriarch of the Kazanari family, his influence is known far and wide throughout the entire country, and even in some parts of the world. A man who will stop at nothing to achieve his goals, he is one that threw away emotion and human connection, holding the well-being of the nation far above even his own relatives. So much in fact, that he would use even his own family for the sake of that goal.
And even would go as far to impregnate his own son's wife should he choose to, and no one would dare question him.
He stood as the unquestionable authority of the family, a man whose mere presence caused others to bow down to him, even someone like Genjuro.
But unfortunately for Fudou, right now his son was of a very different mindset than usual. With the entire division at his back, he was about to be thrust into this horrendous battlefield against a much superior opponent.
Now to see if he can leave it alive.
"Kazanari Genjuro," Maeda spoke up first. "I assume you know why we have called together this meeting."
The commander's muscles tensed. "I am aware."
"Good. Then tell us: how do you justify this recent string of failures that went as far as to cause the destruction of our capital?" The defense minister asked.
"The same justifications I gave in the reports I handed over throughout the duration of this incident," Genjuro answered firmly. "That this is a powerful and unpredictable enemy, one that has the capability to develop new abilities in the blink of an eye, and so is an enemy that cannot possibly be prepared for."
He hated referring to Hibiki as the enemy, but to appease these old farts he needed to swallow his pride.
"Your excuses are pathetic," Fudou interjected. "Your severe lack in judgement brought forth this disaster. You held back the tool to resolve it quickly because of your petty attachments and emotions. Your mind was clouded from the start, and it was a mistake giving you command of this division."
Genjuro held back his cringe. 'Scathing from the start, are you?' He thought. 'Maybe in the past that would have got me nervous, but now…'
"I would not be so hasty to jump to conclusions, Mr. Kazanari," Vice Minister Shibata cut in. "After all, there are formalities to be followed in these matters. We are in a precarious situation, one that requires delicate and expert handling on part of all the participants. Let us first see what he has to say for himself before we decide to judge."
Genjuro looked to the screen showing Shibata, forcing down the smile that nearly made its way onto his face. 'Covering my back even now? I owe you one again.'
"Then let us proceed as planned," Maeda sternly said, as Fudou decided to remain silent for the moment. "Kazanari Genjuro, we would like to hear your thoughts on your reasoning as to what brought this incident to its current state. While we have been able to overlook your more than destructive methods in the past, the sheer scale of the destruction caused to the capital city is not something that can be disregarded."
Basically, 'how do you get out of this one', he was asking him. In the end, Genjuro knew the Minister of Defense was right; the wielders weren't exactly the most subtle of individuals, and the power granted to them by the Symphogears more than once ended with plenty of collateral that could have, had they developed the awareness for it, possibly been avoided.
That was something however that through sweet-talking the government and covering their own tracks could be swept under the rug.
But not this time. No, this wasn't like the other times. Now, it was an event that made international news, as it took worldwide news outlets less than an hour to start reporting to all corner of the world.
And how were they supposed to explain it? While the Symphogears themselves were nothing new to the world at large, the problem couldn't simply be explained away with flowery tactics. This was pure and unadulterated chaos that left millions homeless.
Someone had to be the scapegoat, and he was the perfect target. No one would really try and blame a bunch of singing girls for being too careless.
So the easiest way was to go after the one in charge, and in the end, the one who could truly be puppeteered.
He knew he couldn't deflect the accusations. All he had to work with was to try and get them to at least leave him in charge until it's resolved. After that? Well…
He'll cross that bridge when he gets there.
"Unfortunately, the city proved to be a necessary sacrifice," Genjuro said, causing all four of the men on the screen to narrow their eyes at him. "Had we tried to reduce collateral, it would have interfered in the wielders' battle."
Pressing a few buttons on his console, the screens on their ends lit up as new information was sent to them. As much as he didn't want them to know everything, he had to give them something concrete to look at.
"As you can see, the enemy has been growing stronger with every confrontation, using the previously obtained divine power as the source of her strength," He continued. "Not only that, she has personally shown no regard as to the destruction she causes, as you have plainly seen. It would be counterproductive of us to try and do what she isn't considering that she's aiming for our lives. I cannot have the wielders be distracted by something as replaceable as a city."
Maeda's eyes widened in astonishment. "As replaceable as-"
"You have to understand that this is not at the level of the other threats we faced and defeated. What is at stake here is not just the city, or the country. Should we fail, humanity as we know it is finished. Not even the planet will remain standing in the aftermath, and, if our calculations are correct, probably the entire solar system."
Exaggeration and predictions of a coming apocalypse are always a fun thing to deal with, he realized, especially when it comes to politics. Only by scaring the old goons to death will finally get them off their asses and start doing something other than sit at their tables and twiddling their thumbs in their expensive suite in the middle of the caribbean.
Only these four men usually had the guts to meet this truth head on and not panic immediately. That was good, but also bad for his own cause. If he can't cause them to panic, he can't stir the conversation in the direction he desires.
"As a result, we simply can't afford to hold back for something like that. As of right now, all inanimate objects in the world are disposable until this incident is resolved once and for all."
He closed his mouth and let his words sink in. The four men contemplated his words carefully, but it was Fudou that spoke up first.
"And yet this condition could have been avoided from the start if you had acted as I ordered," The Kazanari patriarch admonished. "Had you handed over the girl from the beginning, the enemy would not have been able to achieve the level of power she has now, as the anti-relic property would have eliminated the threat before it gained traction. You simply acted out of sheer weakness, and refused to involve her purely out of that sentiment."
Another deep slice was etched into the commander, and his eyes once more narrowed at his elder. He really was attempting to drive him out of S.O.N.G, it seemed.
He was going to have to counterattack.
"My decision to hold her back might have been borne out of sentiment, but also out of a tactical necessity. After all, wasn't it you who told me not to reveal all of my cards from the get go?" Genjuro said. Fudou furrowed his brows in response. "Tachibana Hibiki has knowledge of all of our capabilities, making true strategy against her very difficult. This forced us into a corner, and so I decided to attempt to resolve the incident just with what she knew. When that proved ineffective, we blindsided her with something she had no information on, thus leveling the playing field...until she became stronger again."
He breathed out through his nose inconspicuously. He was swinging carefully here, aiming for vital points. "In the end, it is simply impossible to gauge how strong she becomes in every confrontation. You may deride emotion, but it is exactly that factor that grants her power, and also makes her highly unpredictable. So unpredictable, in fact, that even the might of Susano'o was not enough to overcome it. Only when we had exhausted all of our options did I send her out."
His sword crashed against Fudou's blade, pushing him backwards. A dig at their bloodline, however subtle, was bound to make Fudou furious.
And perhaps, lower his guard.
"Not good enough, Genjuro," He replied immediately. "Your mistake goes back to your failure to defeat the Pavarian Illuminati sooner. You held all the cards required to wipe them out easily, yet once more you refused to act due to meaningless concerns. This entire incident could have been avoided entirely had you acted on better judgment, but you did not. It matters little from what direction you approach this, for it is in entirely on your shoulders and your responsibility, one which you have failed to uphold."
And Fudou pushed him back, his follow up swing being faster than the commander's eyes could track.
But Maeda once again interrupted before they could continue their duel, visible to all the others who watched silently. "Remind me again who is this 'girl' that we now seem to require to put our resources into. I will not go into this uninformed."
In response, Genjuro once again pressed a few buttons on his console again, sending over the necessary information. "Kohinata Miku," He explained. "16 years old, bordering on 17, and a childhood friend of Tachibana Hibiki. From the data I sent you in the past, you could plainly see how intertwined their histories are, especially everything following the Zwei Wing concert."
There was no way to describe how much he didn't want to send them that information, but he had no choice in the matter. After the Frontier incident, he was forced to hand over all information pertaining to FIS and the sequence of events that led to the unearthing of Frontier. And unfortunately enough, Miku was involved in it. It was that piece after all that piqued Fudou's interest, and since then he's been a bigger thorn in the side than ever before.
"And the reason she is so important is…?"
"Her Symphogear is the only one capable of eliminating whatever force attached itself to Tachibana Hibiki, correct?" Shibata said, studying the sent data thoroughly. Genjuro had Fujitaka and Aoi to thank for putting everything together so quickly for him to present.
"Yes," Genjuro confirmed. "It has been proven through the latest battle that despite the overwhelming power and incredible endurance that the enemy has obtained, it is still successfully erased by a greater concept, one that is present within her relic. It is for that reason she is now the key, the front and center of our strategy. She will personally face her opponent head on and defeat her once and for all."
A successful block.
Now, how will it continue?
Silence fell upon them for a moment. Finally, after skimming through the information on his end, Yatsuhiro decided to speak up for the first time. "And this force is?"
'Here we go.'
"That information won't be present in the files, because I just discovered this myself, only barely half an hour ago." Genjuro said, watching as all four men immediately stopped searching through the data he sent. "Its name is All the Evils of this World."
Now was the time to spill the beans on the truth of the incident. This had to prove to be enough to satisfy them.
"And what is its significance?" Maeda asked.
Genjuro took in a large breath through his nose, not moving an inch or letting them see his current inner turmoil. "It is an all-consuming amalgamation of mankind's grudges and curses, and is the concept responsible for corrupting the divine power and turning Tachibana Hibiki antagonistic." He explained, meeting their studious gazes. "It has also warped Gungnir's Aufwachen signal in a manner we have never thought possible, bordering on the incredibly disturbing. As much as I would like to believe that this incident could have been avoided entirely...I am not that optimistic."
Yatsuhiro slightly raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?" He asked. Genjuro met his gaze, and he could see what his brother was trying to tell him. 'Come up with a good explanation. You have to get him off your back.'
"This concept up until now has been manifested as the god-slaying power, which allowed Tachibana Hibiki to, as its name states, slay any and all instances of divine power or presence that we have faced thus far, including even the Divine Weapon that Adam Weishaupt created," The commander continued. "But as potent as it is, it is also volatile. There was simply no way for us to know that she would have been engulfed by it, or if that condition was what set it off at all. We had specific calculations, ones we sent over to you previously, and none of them came close to being accurate. There was something else in there with her that caused this reaction, but unless she tells us herself we'll never know exactly what it was."
It was all truth, after all. The god-slaying power was supposed to act as a barrier between her and the divine power, but something happened inside there that somehow allowed it in.
And that brought them to where they are now.
"There are things in this world we simply cannot predict, especially if they are of divine origin or anything else that we have absolutely zero records on. To that end, there is also no way for us to know if the Shenshoujing would have been able to erase the cocoon at all. It could have destroyed it, and it could have made everything worse. We simply can't count on an unknown to work as we expect it too, especially when it's based on something even more unfamiliar to us. This forced our plans to be reactive, rather than proactive."
That too, was the truth. When faced with something so ridiculously strong and completely unknown to them, it's impossible to make up plans in advance. They can only begin to try and make predictions only after first contact already occurred.
"It's by sheer luck that she didn't destroy the world the moment she appeared," Genjuro informed them. "Since then, we've been trying to understand the true nature of her power, with very little success. It is just not something that can be grasped by normal humans."
He breathed out.
"And yet you have still created countermeasures," Fudou said in response. "Even though they too, ended up in failure."
Genjuro had to nod. "Yes, they did. We crafted the Super Ignite Module out of fragments of the curses in an attempt to counter the divine power. But it still wasn't effective enough, as every piece of divine power that is corrupted can no longer be destroyed like we want it to. It lost its effectiveness the moment she became stronger again."
He clenched his fists hard, staring at his father. "But it's not just strength she's obtaining, it's the will to use it. The deeper the curses reached, the more unhinged she becomes, creating a cycle that will ultimately end up in our defeat," He said grimly. "And all of this is just due to what happened. There is nothing that can prove that this is not something that would have happened eventually; the curses' nature is just that unpredictable. It's entirely possible that even without the divine power she would have been influenced at some point in time, whether it was now or later."
It was something he could only admit with a heavy heart. Gungnir housed within it something dangerous that is now wielded against them, and they didn't know about it until it already became a problem.
And the only logical conclusion one could reach from this was...that it's entirely possible the rest of the Gears have something similar. It is an unfounded conjecture, one that has no evidence to support it, but if it happened in one...no, two, it could happen in the rest as well.
Making them, just like Miku thought, ticking time bombs.
"Then what is your plan of action?" Maeda asked. Genjuro had to give it to the Minister of Defense; as the least informed person of the four, he knew what to ask and when.
"Simply what we've been doing so far, only with Kohinata Miku as part of the equation. She'll face Tachibana Hibiki and destroy the curses while the other wielders will work to eliminate any other possible threat that arises, while our alchemist ally will direct her own personal army of Noise to take care of the ones that appear from the Treasury."
"That is all?" Fudou asked condescendingly. "That is all the thought you put into your strategy? You are depending on an exchange of power that has already failed to produce any results. Without changing any of the variables, you are already setting yourself up for defeat. As I thought, you have lost your edge, Genjuro. I cannot allow the fate of the country to be held in your hands."
"This isn't just about the country! This is-"
"It matters little," Fudou interrupted him once again. "At this point it is obvious you simply do not have what it takes to protect the country and humanity. There is very little reason not to dispose you and take control of matters myself."
Genjuro clenched his teeth hard as Fudou struck again, leaving barely any room to breath. 'Shit, he's not being convinced.'
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Mr. Kazanari," Shibata said. "While there is no doubt Genjuro has made a very critical mistake in his approach to the incident, to remove him from his position now would be counterintuitive."
"How so, Shibata?" Fudou said deridingly.
If the Vice Minister was insulted, he did not show it as he continued. "For the very simple reason that you will not be able to ensure obedience from the Symphogear wielders. Try as you might, I have no doubt they will refuse to cooperate with you if you attempt to usurp Genjuro's authority. He has already led them this far; therefore, I believe it would be for the better if he remains."
"Irrelevant," Fudou countered. "Their own feelings on the matter are of little importance. They, like everyone else in the Division are aware of what their duty is, and they like everyone else will fall in line in order to uphold it. Seeing as they aim to defeat the curses regardless, the one in command in the end matters little. Genjuro has proven himself incapable of following through with a successful strategy; as a result, there is little incentive for me to simply stand aside."
'This bastard,' Genjuro thought to himself. 'Of course he doesn't give a damn what anyone thinks. He has enough pull on everything to try and take over at his leisure.'
Shibata wasn't incorrect in his assumption. Genjuro already knew that if Fudou installed himself as the new commander, the girls will simply refuse to listen to him and act on their own accord in their attempts to rescue Hibiki. Perhaps Tsubasa might try and reel them in, but he knew his niece was at her wit's end too. Fudou's presence will only serve to create greater tension, eventually splitting S.O.N.G apart at the seams.
And the elder will quickly brand them as criminals if they refuse to obey, and perhaps even threaten some of their families. While none of the girls had any living relatives to truly speak of that could be used as leverage, Miku, and as well as the vast majority of the staff did. Her parents and relatives are very alive and breathing, and he might try and coerce her to comply by using them against her.
It was a fact everyone here knew and no one dared to voice. Kazanari Fudou was a dangerous individual, known for his medieval methods that no one in the government dared to question because of the sheer magnitude of his influence.
He was, essentially, a Shogun in an era where Shoguns have ceased to exist. The central government would go as far as to lick his boots just to win his approval.
And Genjuro knew that Fudou wasn't wrong either. The girls will do their own thing regardless of who is in command, so it doesn't actually matter who gives them orders. On the contrary, Fudou, being someone who has no emotional attachments to them will be able to come with up a better plan that does not take their feelings into consideration.
Essentially, he would be Genjuro, but better.
And that, unfortunately, was checkmate. With the blade at his throat, Genjuro couldn't do or say anything more that would make the elder budge or retreat. Fudou would only bring up more points to counter with so matter what he tried to say in response. Even if he decided to spill everything, and by everything he meant everything he knew, he as no doubt it would only spur the patriarch more to take over.
He stood in silence, gritting his teeth almost visibly as he tried to come up with an argument.
It was then however that a beeping rose up from his console, distracting him and the other four men from the discussion. "Excuse me." He said, pressing the button. He knew it was Aoi hailing him, but she wouldn't dare interrupt unless it was important.
"What is it, Tomosato?"
"Commander!" She said in a panic, causing the man to narrow his eyes. "I'm sorry to interrupt your meeting, but we detected an Aufwachen signal!"
"What?!"
Aufwachen signal?! Now?!
'Shit. This is bad.'
Trying to keep his voice even in front of his superiors, Genjuro hurriedly continued. "Where is it?! Where did she appear?!"
"It's not Gungnir!" Aoi announced.
"What?" He asked her back. The four men, listening on their conversation, also narrowed their eyes. "Then what is it?!"
He already knew Tsubasa and Chris were outside destroying the Noise, but they should have already come back by now. It couldn't be one of the wielders here, since they were all asleep. It couldn't be a new relic, could it?!
"It's…" She said hesitatingly. "It's Shenshoujing!"
"WHAT?!"
Shenshoujing?! But that meant-!
He could no longer hide his shock at her news. "Miku-chan woke up suddenly and quickly left medbay! She's on her way to you right now!"
"On her way here-" He began to say, only to fall silent when he heard a noise behind him.
The door to the bridge slid open.
And there she stood, clad in her Symphogear, right there in the doorway. 'How the hell did she get here so fast?!'
It took him exactly one second to realize something was terribly, terribly wrong here.
Genjuro could admit that he knew Miku by now. He knew who she was, how she thought, and what her motivations were. He knew what sort of influence she had on her surroundings and on the people around her, and he thought he knew the weight of her presence.
But something was wrong...no, something was different. Just by looking at her, he could tell there was something off.
Miku walked forward to him, her armored feet clicking against the metal floor. Her expression was unreadable as she approached, ignoring everything in the room sans himself.
And she spoke suddenly. "Where is she?"
Caught off guard, Genjuro could not find an answer. She continued, her tone far more fearsome than he ever thought possible. "Where is Hibiki?"
"Miku-kun, this is not-"
"I'm not going to ask you again," She interrupted him. "Where is Hibiki?"
There was an impact to her voice that completely blew him off his feet. 'What the hell is going on?'
He breathed in, recomposing himself in front of her. This was no time to be surprised. "She's in the Treasury of Babylon," He answered her. "Most likely. It's the last place she came out from, so I assume she is there now."
"How do I get there?" She asked immediately. "Tell me how to get there."
"Miku-kun, that's impossi-"
"I don't care," She said. "I'll tear my way there with my bare hands if I have to. Now, tell me how to get there."
His eyes widened, her shocking change in attitude throwing him off balance.
"It's entirely possible Kohinata Miku will not be exactly the same when she awakens."
He remembered it, what Saint-Germain said. Was this...was this what she was referring to? 'This is exactly like…'
"It's impossible, Miku-kun," He answered firmly. "We simply don't have any way to get there. With the Staff destroyed, the gate can only be forced open with an insane amount of force, and that is something only Hibiki-kun has right now. We won't be able to send you there no matter what we do."
His answer infuriated her, and she showed it. But rather than explode violently like he thought she would, instead she remained still. Very, VERY still, and as he looked in her eyes, he could see they were glowing, containing a depth to them he hadn't thought possible.
And that's when he realized it.
'This is exactly like Hibiki-kun.'
Saint-Germain was right. Housing these concepts was not something any one person was meant to do. While her Symphogear looked the same as always, the person wielding it was not.
Her mind is being influenced, just like Hibiki's. All the Hopes of this World have burst out of their shell due to the appearance of their enemy, and are now affecting her in a manner that is exactly the same as All the Evils of this World.
"Are you getting in my way, Genjuro-san?" She plainly asked.
It sent shivers down his spine at the implication. 'What the fuck.'
"I already told you I wouldn't," He answered her. "But we can't act recklessly, you know that. I told you we would assist you, so I ask that you let us."
She fell silent once again, simply meeting his gaze.
Exactly the same. The only difference between the two of them was that she didn't have any divine power to back her up.
But even without it, the change was absolutely mind-boggling. Fortunately enough, he believed he could hold her down if she decided to be aggressive out of nowhere, but it would still be a tough fight. Just the confrontation with Hibiki told him enough about the strength of these concepts.
If only he could just get her to leave for now-
"So this is the girl?" Maeda suddenly asked behind his back, forcing Genjuro to turn around to look at him with wide eyes.
It was only at this moment that she finally decided to take note of the fact that the two of them were not alone in the bridge. Her eyes drifted to the man who spoke, and she dismissed his presence as unimportant. She looked over the Vice Minister next, and then to Kazanari Yatsuhiro, laying her eyes on them for no more than a second.
And then she saw the final person among them, and her voice came out laced with so much venom it nearly melted the steel around them. "You."
Fudou looked down on her, his eyes narrowed. "I don't like your tone, girl," He said evenly. "Know your place, as you'll be obeying my orders from now on."
'Don't make it worse you stupid old man!' Genjuro screamed in his own mind.
"Obey your orders?" She said in a half-amused tone. "Just who do you think you are?"
Genjuro couldn't hide his surprise. Last time she spoke to the elder, she exploded with rage, screaming at him in a moment of anger brought about by frustration and sorrow. He could explain it away with her just grieving...but this time was unlike before.
She was actively and intentionally goading him!
"Your new superior, brat," He answered. "And if you want me to ensure the safety of everyone you know, then you will fall in line."
'What the hell kind of exchange is this?' Genjuro wondered, a thought shared by the other three men displayed on the screen.
"Are you threatening me?" She asked him menacingly. "Then let me put this in a way you can understand: you are nothing more than a speck of dust. I don't give a damn who you are, and I don't care what it is you're trying to do."
Her body was radiating a vicious aura the commander couldn't believe what he was seeing.
But she didn't stop there.
"If you get in my way, I won't hesitate to walk all over you. You try and stop me, and I'll send you to meet those ancestors you worship so much. I'll make sure you rot in your grave, you outdated relic."
Genjuro's mouth gaped immediately.
She just threatened Fudou. Kohinata Miku, who was by far one of the nicest souls he has ever met, just actively threatened Kazanari Fudou without batting an eye, right in front of the most influential members of the cabinet!
His eyes drifted to his father on screen, and he could plainly see how the elder was actively holding back his anger at her words. He was never one to tolerate insolence, especially from those in a much lower class than he was.
But his opponent was no longer Genjuro. No, it was a girl barely a third his own age, and she was holding him in check!
"Is that so?" Fudou said back. "You will come to regret those words, girl-"
BOOM!
It happened so fast he barely even noticed. One moment Fudou was still speaking, and the next the screen displaying his face was simply gone, a huge hole blown in the spot where he should have been, audio cutting out immediately in that moment as well.
And as Genjuro looked to her, he could see her arm raised, her Armed Gear in hand, and smoke rising from the mirror at its tip.
They all stared at her with wide eyes as she lowered her weapon and turned back to Genjuro. "If you have any suggestions I'll hear them now, and they better be worth my time."
The gears ran in his head, thinking of what he should say to her. He had to give her something so she won't simply leave and go off by herself. If he left her alone, he had no doubt she would scour the entire world in search of Hibiki, or more specifically, the way into where she is right now.
If he followed the same logic, then Miku would probably be nearly impossible to reason with as she is right now. Only something that would benefit her directly would ever be able to take her notice.
But what could he say? What could he possibly offer her now-
'Ah,' He realized. 'Of course.'
There was something he could offer her. After all, he just talked about it with Saint-Germain; they unanimously agreed that Miku had to get experience with using her Gear as well as the concept she is now carrying.
It was so simple.
"I'll teach you how to fight." He said.
Her eyes narrowed, and the other men looked to him in question. Ignoring their stares, he continued. "I know you won't agree, but as you are now you just simply won't be able to defeat her."
"It's not Hibiki I'm trying to defeat, it's-"
"I know, it's Gungnir." He said in her place, watching as her eyes narrowed at just the mention of her enemy. "Gungnir is the target, but unfortunately she's going to get in the way of your goal. Only by defeating her will you be able to remove it. I know you don't want to hurt her, but it's the only way we'll be able to win right now. Hibiki-kun has over a year of experience over you in how to use her Symphogear as well as battle tactics. You won't be able to win just as you are right now."
He glanced to his superiors for just a singular moment. "That's why I'll help you close the gap. I'll teach you how to fight...the same way I taught her."
That definitely caught her attention, as her eyes widened at his words. Her glowing orbs still unnerved him, but he swallowed it down. "I don't know how much time we truly have to do so, but we'll do what we can. It will no doubt be very intense, for the both of us. My question is: will you be able to handle it?"
Her answer was immediate and resolute. "Of course."
As expected.
He smiled. "Good, then we'll start right away. Give me a bit of time to finish the meeting, and we'll head over to the simulator to start. Is that alright with you?"
She contemplated the offer for a moment, then relaxed her posture. "Fine. Don't make me wait."
She sent one final look to the three onlookers, then turned back around to the door of the bridge, her steps heavy and foreboding.
And he could only watch her go, his senses still dazed from the total 180 her personality took in a span of a few hours.
If he could compare her to anything, it would be a neutron star. Left over from her supernova like explosion during the last battle, what was left was a densely packed rage, radiating off of her in such amounts it very nearly physically affected the space around her. Held intact by a single, overwhelming desire that now governed her very being, she became an extreme on the other side of the scale, similar but fundamentally different from the black hole that Hibiki had become.
Just how similar are these two going to be?
And what would happen if they clashed now?
There was no answer to be gained as she left the bridge, the door sliding closed behind her.
He finally allowed himself to release the breath he held, and he looked back to the other three onlookers, who now also sported similarly relieved expressions.
Shibata leaned back in his chair. "Now that is something you don't see everyday." He said, opening one of the drawers on his table to withdraw...a boxed lunch filled with noodles.
"Genjuro, I know I don't need to say this, but tread carefully," Maeda said. "Your father may still have some tricks up his sleeves, so I implore you to solve this matter as quickly as possible. I trust your judgment in this, even if things didn't go as well as you planned."
"I will. I'm rather in the thick of things, so I need to keep my wits about regardless, as difficult as it is."
"Gen," Yatsuhiro said, catching his brother's attention. "Be careful. If you require assistance in anything, let me know immediately. I will provide you with whatever resources I can spare, as right now I must find out what can be done with the now homeless civilians."
The commander nodded in agreement. "Thank you, Aniki."
"We do not blame you for what has occurred, Gen," His brother continued, causing Genjuro's eyes to widen. "While it is unfortunate, I know it is not something you could have planned for, and that you have acted out of your best intentions to resolve this incident. Unfortunately, good intentions tend to lead to these outcomes."
Genjuro's shoulders sagged. "Yes, I agree."
"I'll do what I can to keep the press and other nations off your back while you prepare in the meantime," Yatsuhiro said. "Take care, brother, and tell Tsubasa that too. I figure she has her own burdens to deal with at the moment."
Genjuro couldn't help but smile. How did the two of them end up so different from Fudou he will never know, but it was reassuring to know his older brother was kind hearted at his core. "I will. Thank you Aniki."
Yatsuhiro nodded. "Very well then, it seems our meeting as come to its conclusion in a manner we did not expect. Let us all do our part to restore peace to the land."
"Yes, let us do so." Maeda agreed.
"Thank you gentlemen, for your assistance, and I'll see you at the victory party." Genjuro said with a smirk, causing the three to slightly smile.
"Then, until next time, Genjuro." Shibata said.
And all three, together, ended the call, bringing back darkness to the bridge, leaving Genjuro alone.
Letting out a deep breath, he sagged into his chair heavily, allowing the pressure to leave his body. "From one hot pan to the next, huh?"
He really couldn't catch a break, could he?
Well, he never did before, and now is not the time to get one either. Finally done with all the dragged on discussions, it was time to finally spring back into action.
And hone the blade that lusted after the blood of its enemy.
Even through the door he could feel Miku's presence, waiting impatiently for him to walk out to fulfill his promise.
Now they would tread into his own territory, where he shined the most. In a way, he was excited to see what the outcome will be, and how he'll mold their training regiment to get the best result possible as quickly as they can. He had no doubt in her current form, she'll more than be up to the task. And with the other wielders' assistance, they will no doubt get plenty of progress in the short, unknown time they have.
Rising from his chair, he walked to the door, and it slid open before him. And just like he thought, she was there, leaning against the wall with her eyes closed in contemplation, still clad in her Gear. At his arrival they opened, and she pushed off the wall to stare at him.
He had only one thing to say.
"Let's go."
And he led the way, the girl falling into step behind him.
