Reviews:
Akira: Yeah, a lot of romantic things are going on in the background of the story. But we're back to the main one. Hajime and Hibiki. I've been waiting for this too. I can't believe they spent like almost 20 chapters without each other.
Cyclonerider: I get how you feel. I missed my boy too. Honestly, I get why you don't like Miku and Bragi. But Bragi can be excused since he's literally a walking oversized toddler and that's still learning about the world. But he'll get his redemption and you might change your opinion on him.
Lord Ri The Husbu King: Adam's number 1 fan being Tiki is sad. Don't think about that yet. Because I don't want to think about when he has to go and that's going to hurt me too. I love Hamaguchi. Right, there's a weird love triangle going on with those 3. Hazuki will eventually find out about this and Bragi is going to want to give him hell for what he did. Something like that. Odin's power will be revealed later on in the series but it has something to do with time, like we saw back in GX.
primenidus: This was a wholesome chapter and everyone got to enjoy each other's company. Hamaguchi finally earned Jades' blessing so he could be with Kirika without having to fear being frozen alive.
Tenzalucard123: Hamaguchi can be a pervert, but if he has someone he loves, he'll give his full attention and love to them. He better not touch Kirika in a perverted way or Jades will come knocking on his door. Shirabe talking to Wei and interacting is nice. Even more so because Wei doesn't talk to anyone else and is always alone. The greatest sickness...love! Hajime wakes up and his sister is there to see him. Hibiki, please go see him too.
Author's Note: WE MADE IT TO 100 CHAPTERS! LET'S GO! I've been thinking back on the Takeru death chapter and it's gotta be the most controversial chapter I've ever released as of yet. But it made me wonder what other moments in the story made you guys go "What the fuck?".
Chapter 100
Reunited At Last
"Alright, everyone, gather around." Genjuro clapped his hands as the group of teens and young adults entered the room. They gathered around Elfnein, who was finishing setting something on her computer.
"This is it," Elfnein announced.
"What's that?" Jades asked, leaning closer.
"This is a clump of waste matter that was transmuted by Hibiki back when she merged with the Gungnir."
"Wait, you mean that scab that fell off of me?" Hibiki's eyes widened in surprise.
"But at the time, they said it had no special properties." Yosuke pointed out."Don't tell me...You found something, Eflnein?"
"The Philosopher's Stone is formed based on the principle that the world is one great life." She explained."On the other hand, this waste matter was made by a single life. Hibiki-san."
"So...you're saying they're opposites or something?" Chris hummed in thought.
"I see." Bragi nodded once he realized where his aunt was going with the explanation."Since they have opposite origins, you are suggesting for us to use that thing to counter the Stone's effects on the Symphogear?"
"That's right. Along with the Philosopher's Stone essence inside of you, I believe we can make this work. I reached this conclusion from the basic alchemic philosophy of the contrast between the microcosm and the macrocosm."
"Raiden..." Shirabe turned to the bespectacled boy.
"Yeah?"
"Can you explain pretty please-desu?" Kirika asked.
"How the hell do you two expect me to know this?!" Raiden grumbled.
"It just works. I don't see a problem with that." Hamaguchi shrugged, completely carefree."Who cares about the details?"
"One thing is clear. This came out of the idiot we all know and love." Chris grinned."Therefore, let's call it the Fool's Stone."
"Hahaha! Good one!" Hamaguchi guffawed.
"Isn't that a little harsh?" Hibiki sweatdropped.
"I see." Genjuro nodded in reaffirmation."The Philosopher's Stone's one weakness: The Fool's Stone."
"Not you too, Shishou!"
"It's not that bad, Hibiki-dono." Bragi patted her on the back."With any luck, this could be our one salvation. Who knows. Maybe it can even help me break down the Giganto Railgun."
"If you say so, Bragi-kun..." Hibiki sighed.
Maria rolled her eyes at their actions."Alright. But where can we find it?"
"It was sent to Neptune's Palace for analysis." Aoi replied."But we know what happened to that place."
"No. What happened?" Bragi and Hamaguchi asked simultaneously, being the two of the group that weren't around for that.
"Alright, alright. I get it. Sort of." Hamaguchi scratched his head."If it's underwater, can't I just go get it? Or take us down there with my Zone Vent?"
"Don't try parting the seas, Moses." Chris smacked him on the back of the head."If they detect you there, they'll just send Shadow Abyss and we're screwed. We can't act carelessly."
"Chris-kun is right. If Shadow Abyss appears, it will ruin the whole operation. Even if Jades-kun can freeze the water, it will make it impossible for the team that will be sent to search for the stone to find it. Just in case, we'll need Hamaguchi-kun outside of the water. Worst comes to pass and they find out about the team in the water, we'll need him active. And Yosuke and Raiden will be sent down underwater to make a quick escape using Evildiver and Darkwing."
"What about me?" Bragi asked.
"We can't have you fighting yet." Yosuke chimed in.
"What? But I thought that-"
"We need you in case S. Ryuki shows up. You're the only hope we have in beating him since your Deck grows stronger at a faster rate than ours. And they think you're either dead or hiding. If you show up now, that will alert them and we will lose the element of surprise."
"That's right." Genjuro nodded."You're our ace in the hole, Bragi-kun. Your time to fight will come. For now, grow stronger. We need you in perfect shape."
"Alright..." He sighed, caving."I understand. I suppose I should get started on my training."
"The meeting is just about done. So feel free to go right now if you want."
"Got it. There's some research I want to do before I get to fight. So if you'll excuse me..." Bragi waved the others goodbye, exiting the room.
"He seems a little...different," Tsubasa noted.
"Yeah. I thought he'd make it harder to convince him." Maria nodded, turning to Hibiki."What happened?"
"He's breaking out of his shell." Hibiki smiled.
"We'll start the operation in two days. And since Bragi-kun is gone, I want to announce something that I can only tell you and not him. For reasons I will explain in a second." Genjuro took a deep breath before continuing."Hajime-kun is awake. I got a call from Setsuna-kun earlier today and went to go visit him."
"He's awake?!" Yosuke's unfolded his arms, taken aback by the sudden news.
"Hell yeah!" Hamaguchi punched the air.
"Thank goodness." Maria sighed in relief.
"Blacky-kun is alright! Yay!" Shirabe and Kirika began jumping around in glee.
Hibiki's eyes began to water, and she placed a hand on her chest."Hajime...He's really okay...He's okay...!"
"That being said, the doctor told me they want to perform some tests on him. As you know, he wasn't in the right state of mind when he left. And we don't know how what happened in Okinawa affected him. Plus, he just woke up from a coma. So we don't want to overwhelm him. Therefore, only one of you can go visit him at a time."
"Then it's obvious who should go," Chris said, placing a hand on Hibiki's shoulder.
"Chris-chan..."
"I agree. I'm sure he'd love to see you." Tsubasa nodded in agreement.
"And you want to see him too." Hamaguchi winked."You guys can have your private moment."
"And don't worry. I already filled him in with everything. And I mean everything."
"Oh..." Chris shifted her attention to the red-haired man."So he knows..."
"Yes. I didn't want any of you to deliver him the news about Takeru-kun. He took it...surprisingly well. Well, he became really quiet but...He understood. I also agree that Hibiki-kun should be the one to talk to him. He needs someone he is close to. Setsuna-kun has been with him all day and I'd like her to rest. I imagine she must be going through a lot as well."
"Okay. I'll do it." Hibiki nodded."Can I go right now?"
"I don't see why not," Genjuro said, and with that, Hibiki sprinted out of the room.
"I see why you didn't want Bragi-san to hear this." Ogawa commented."To avoid problems."
"It's no mystery that those two hate each other," Sakuya said.
"And since Hajime-kun just woke up from a coma and hasn't fully recovered from his wounds, I imagine he won't be joining the fight quite yet." Aoi elaborated."So our best hope is still Bragi-kun."
"I understand." Yosuke rubbed his chin."Dienheim has some sort of inferiority complex to Adachi. So if he were to find out that Adachi woke up, he'd think that we'd just rely on him instead. Which might affect his performance."
"I see the reasoning, but is it okay to lie to him like that?" Elfnein asked, worried about keeping such a secret from her nephew.
"I don't like it either, but we need him at his maximum." Genjuro placed a hand on her shoulder, reassuring him."I'm sure he'll understand."
"I hope so," Elfnein muttered.
"Alright. With that, the meeting is now adjourned. You're all dismissed."
As the group disperses, Elfnein rose from her seat, walking over to Raiden."Raiden-san...can we talk?"
"Oh. I-Well...I actually have to use the bathroom. Sorry." Raiden quickly walked out of the room, leaving a very perplexed Elfnein.
"Give him some time." Maria placed a hand on her shoulder."He's working things out. Like you are."
"Maria-san...did you know?"
"I can tell from the look in your eyes. You love him."
"Bragi-chan came to us today and told us about how he feels about Miku-san." Elfnein began to explain.
"Wait, what?" Maria gasped."Bragi-kun? And Miku-chan? Now that's unexpected. But continue."
"Basically, he described his feelings in detail and...well, they match how I feel about Raiden-san. Tomosato-san said he was in love. So that means..."
"You're in love with Raiden." Maria surmised, receiving a shy nod as an answer."But you want to talk to him about what Prelati did to him."
"I'm not upset. I know he didn't want that to happen."
"But he's blaming himself for not resisting much and is scared of what you might think. Tell you what, I'll talk to him." Maria said."And you two can talk. I personally support you two being a couple. But you both also need to work out your feelings. Raiden is a bit of an antisocial, you see. He doesn't talk to many people aside from us. So he can be a little awkward."
"M-me too! I'm not that good at talking with people I don't know so...I want to learn together with him!"
"Then it's a done deal. I'll talk to him. So don't worry, alright? Everything will work out."
"Thank you, Maria-san."
Maria smiled at her future sister-in-law and patted her on the head.'Now I just need to get Raiden to stop being so difficult.'
"Setsuna-chan!" Hibiki ran over to where the girl was, outside of Hajime's room, leaning against the door.
"Oh! Hibiki-onee-chan!" Setsuna ran to meet her in the middle, jumping and latching onto her as she began to cry.
"It's okay. Everything will be fine." Hibiki rubbed the back of her head."He's fine now."
"I was so scared he would never wake up..." She sobbed, hugging Hibiki tightly.
"But he's awake now. He won't be leaving us behind." Hibiki coed, kissing her on her cheek."Is he awake right now?"
"Yeah...After waking up, he said he wasn't in the mood to go back to sleep so soon..."
"Heheheh. That sounds like something he'd say." Hibiki chuckled, setting the younger girl down."Mind if I talk to him?"
"Please!" Setsuna nodded, rushing to the door and opening it in one swift motion."Haji! Hibiki-onee-chan is here to see you!"
"Huh? Wait, don't-"
"Hajime!" Hibiki stormed into the room, her eyes immediately meeting gaze with Hajime's.
"Hibiki..." Hajime's eyes widened upon seeing his girlfriend. Hibiki took shaky steps, tears flowing from her eyes.
"Hajime...Hajime..." She cried, stretching her arms in anticipation."My Sunny..."
"No..." Hajime turned away hiding his face.
"Hajime..." Hibiki stopped, crestfallen."I missed you so much, Hajime...Let me see you...Please, let me see you, my love..."
"Hibiki...don't look at me. I hurt you..." Hajime said, hugging his knees."I said so many horrible things to you...I broke your heart. I made you cry. I told you so many times that I would never leave your side...and yet I ran..."
"Hajime, it's okay..." Hibiki took careful steps forward."It's okay..."
"No, Hibiki...I...You suffered so much before. Because of stuff that wasn't your fault. You suffered so much..." Hajime started to cry silently."I wanted to heal you. Kiss every wound to soothe your pain. To make those horrible memories go away. To just...make you happy. And look at what happened. I let my sadness control me...I did something I know my Grandma would have been disappointed about. I made you cry. I made you cry, Hibiki...!"
Hibiki couldn't hold herself back anymore and rushed to hug him. He felt frail in her arms. Vulnerable. She squeezed him, crying in his shoulder.
"You shouldn't cry, Hibiki..." Hajime whispered, crying as well."Someone like you...you should never shed any tears."
"I'm not crying because I'm sad...I'm crying because..." She pulled back, smiling at him with the warmest smile she could muster."I'm happy...Happy to have you in my arms again. To feel your touch...to have you with me again. I'm just so happy I can't stop crying!"
"But...I hurt you..."
"You were hurting too." Hibiki leaned forward, resting his forehead against his as they looked into each other's eyes. Their arms squeezed each other's bodies, afraid of letting go again."I should have helped you more. I should have done more for you. You were hurting and I was too confused to help you. You saw your family die, Hajime...I don't blame you for how you acted. But if you blame yourself then let me just say this. I forgive you. So please, forgive me too...For not being enough to save you from your darkness...I should have given you more love...and attention. Maybe...if I had told someone about what happened that day..."
"I said all of those things in the hopes of you forgetting about me." Hajime admitted, shocking her."I was broken. Too broken. I didn't want to drag you down with me. So I hurt you...in the hopes of you wanting nothing to do with me. But when I was in Okinawa, all I could think about was you. I wanted to hold your heart and just hear your voice. All of those nights...I dreamt of kissing you again...Of being with you. And the thought of hurting you...of making you sad again...it tore me apart...That's why...I..."
He reached for the cast around his neck."I just wanted the pain to go away. To be free from it. I wasn't thinking clearly. But Hamaguchi reminded me of who I have left to protect. I realized that I was just torturing myself. I couldn't save my Grandma, Chao-Xing, or Uncle Huan that day. Nothing I did was going to change that fact. I kept telling myself that I could. That I just wasn't strong enough. But in reality...nothing I could have done could have saved them. I'm not a God. I can't save everyone. But I want to save those around me. My friends and my Sister. And you. I'm not a hero. I don't think I have what it takes to be one. But I'll fight to protect. That's all I can do."
"That's plenty. I knew it...I knew you would come back to me." Hibiki smiled, crying in his chest."I kept blaming myself for what happened. I'm your girlfriend...I'm supposed to help you. Even more so after you helped me so much. You have always protected me. I wanted to repay you. You're my Sunny. I could never and I mean EVER hate you. I understand you. And I love all of you. Your flaws, your qualities, everything. I love Hajime Adachi. And that's final."
"I love you too...I was so afraid that day when the building fell on me...After I was ready to give up. But I fought Chiaki. I saved Hamaguchi...Because I wanted to come back to you and make things right. I don't ever want to let go of you again. Hibiki...is it okay if we...try again?"
"I don't think there was ever a problem on that front." Hibiki kissed him on the lips. He responded in kind, as they engaged in a passionate kiss. It had been almost a month since they were separated, and even more since they had a proper moment together. Their tongues danced around each other, not fighting for dominance, but feeling each other. Once they ran out of air, they pulled back and connected each other's foreheads.
"I've wanted to do that for so long..." Hajime muttered."I'm sorry if this sounds a little possessive but...I need you, Hibiki. I need you so badly..."
"Me too..." Hibiki pecked him on the lips."Me too. I need you with me too."
"Remember a few months ago? When we were talking about that store we were gonna open up?"
"I do."
"I still want to try it."
"Me too. I still think Hibiki Adachi sounds nice." She giggled lovingly, making his heart skip a beat.
"After we get married." Hajime smiled."You're the person I want to spend the rest of my life with, Hibiki."
"I feel the same way. You're my one and only. So...please don't ever leave again. I couldn't stand losing you again."
"I won't go anywhere. I'll be with you. Always. And when this is all over and we graduate school. I'll marry you."
"You know I'll say yes." Hibiki giggled. They both embraced for what seemed like hours, simply enjoying each other's warmth until Hajime spoke again.
"I heard what happened to the Captain." He said, closing his eyes."I can't believe my last conversation with him was of me belittling him...And everyone else. Yanagi-san, and Elfnein-chan..."
"He never blamed you. He believed in you. He knew you were hurting and never had a single ill thought toward you."
"If I had been around, I could have..."
"You don't know that. It happened when we were all under attack. Even if you were in Val Verde, you couldn't have known what was happening. No one knew until it was too late."
"Still, I could have changed something. Or maybe not. I don't know for sure. I guess that's something I'll have to carry for the rest of my life. I bet Chris-san hates me."
"No! Of course not!"
"It's fine. I'll deal with it when I get out of here." Hajime sighed, rubbing his arm."I won't let the Captain's and Andreas' deaths be in vain. We have to stop the Disasters. We have to stop Hazuki. So...until I'm healed up, don't do anything reckless, okay?"
"I'll be fine." Hibiki reassured him."Plus, we got Hamaguchi-kun with us now. And Bragi-kun is going to help us against your doppelganger.
Hajime snorted at that."The Hellspawn?"
"Hajime, he's suffered as much as we have. He's nothing like Bragard, I can assure you. He's just a person who doesn't have a grasp on who he is yet. I know you two hate each other, but this can't go on like this."
"I know...I know. Setsuna told me he doesn't hate him. In fact, she likes him. Despite being so young...and being there when Bragard killed our family...she doesn't loathe him. I know I should follow her example. But..."
"It'll take time." Hibiki cooed, cupping his cheek."I can tell you he's different from when you last spoke with him. Just give him a chance, okay? Even Miku likes having him around now."
"I can do that..." Hajime nodded, scooting closer to Hibiki and holding her in his arms."Can we stay like this for a while? I just...I really missed you."
"We can stay here as long as you want. I'm not going anywhere either." She whispered."I love you, Sunny. I love you with all of my heart."
"And I love you too, my Sunshine. More than I could ever express it. Let's be together...forever."
The couple held each other in a loving embrace, finally reunited after enduring so many difficulties. They were back together. This time, for good.
"Not fair, Haji!" Setsuna barged into the room, jumping on top of the bed and squirming between them."I want to hug Hibiki-onee-chan too!"
"Onee-chan?" Hajime blinked.
"Long story..." Hibiki giggled, wrapping her arms around the girl.
"I'm so happy I have you both with me now..." Setsuna muttered, purring when Hajime scratched her head."Can we stay like this? Forever? No more sadness? Just us as a big, happy family?"
"Of course," Hajime promised her, his arm wrapping around her and Hibiki, bringing them closer to him. He was happy. Happier than he had been in a long time. He had gone through the darkest times of his life and thought there was no life at the end of the tunnel. But now, he had the two most precious people in the world with him. Within his arms. And he would do anything to keep them safe."We'll be together forever."
"You really think lying to Bragi is going to make things go smoother?" Tsubasa asked her boyfriend as she lay on her bed, reading a book, while he typed away on his computer."It's not right."
"You're right. It's not. But it's more efficient this way. Adachi is still in no condition to fight. And Shadow Ryuki is on a whole other level than the Alchemists. He wiped the floor with all 4 of us. Even with Kuroiwa, who got stronger against Chiaki Nakahara, we couldn't do much. That's why we need Dienheim. And besides..."
Tsubasa looked from her book, giving him her whole attention.
"It's better to have two aces up our sleeve. Our mistake last time was putting all responsibility on Adachi. But this time, we have two great assets on our team instead of putting all of our eggs in one basket. We can win this."
"I hope so. Yosuke, do you mind if I asked you something?"
"You just did."
"Ha. Ha." Tsubasa rolled her eyes."Very funny."
"Just messing with you. Go on."
"Are you alright?" Tsubasa asked, her question prompting Yosuke to stop his typing."I haven't seen you go to Goro's grave in quite a while."
"I've had a lot on my mind. And a lot of graves to visit as of late." Yosuke said somberly."I haven't gotten around to going to his yet."
"You're blaming yourself. Uncle told me so. You didn't tell him but he can recognize that look on your face. And so can I."
"How can I not, dear?" Yosuke sighed, rolling the chair over to her bedside."I'm supposed to be the leader. I swore I was going to get all of you alive out of this. And despite that, we lost so many people."
"Not your fault. You've kept the rest of us alive." Tsubasa assured him, reaching for his hand."You've helped us out so much both in combat and with your words."
"I shouldn't have let Sakamoto be the leader. If I had just-"
"If you hadn't, he would have gone to the hospital anyway to take Stephan and his sister anyway." Tsubasa said in a firm tone."He would have encountered Albedo and...The point is, that all of those deaths are outside of your control. You've done what you can."
"But it's not enough. I should be the one putting my life on the line. Not Dienheim and Adachi." Yosuke rubbed the bridge of his nose."Frankly, I don't want any of you to be at risk. We've lost too much. And I'm afraid of losing more."
"Yosuke, I understand perfectly how you feel. You realize I'm the second in command, right? I bear as much responsibility as you do." She sat up on her bed, grabbing his other hand."I understood after a while...what Sakamoto did for Yukine. It's what you're doing too, right? Take all that guilt so that others don't have to feel it. You don't want me or anyone else to suffer, so you put all the responsibility on your shoulders."
Yosuke heaved a long sigh."I just...I'm the leader. It's my job to make sure that everyone is okay. Back when I fought against Raphael, he revealed the darkness in my heart with his Excalibur...All the people that died..."
"You have to keep fighting, Yosuke. No one has given up. Neither should you."
"I know that. I know that perfectly fine. And I'll do my best to keep fighting to protect you." Yosuke shot her a ghost of a smile, leaning to kiss her on the lips momentarily."Thank you...for shouldering the responsibility with me."
"We're together, in the bad and the good. Especially when it comes to the people we want to protect. I love you."
"I love you too." Yosuke kissed her cheek, standing up."We should probably get some sleep. Tomorrow is a big day, after all."
"Right. Goodnight, Yosuke."
"Rest well, Tsubasa." The purple-haired young man said, shutting the door behind him.
On the day of the mission, the groups were split up. Hibiki, Maria, Tsubasa, Yosuke, and Raiden would go underwater and Jades, Hamaguchi, Chris, Kirika, and Shirabe would remain outside. The plan was for the team outside to act as a diversion to avoid suspicion on the team that was to infiltrate the vault.
"Hey, Hamaguchi, move your ass and help us find this thing." Chris sneered at the blue-haired teen, who was dragging his feet behind them as they used metal detectors to find what they were looking for.
"It's so hot though..."
"Weren't you basically at the beach all the time in Okinawa? This is your natural habit. A land shark. Baby shark do-do-do-"
"Yeah, yeah. Funny song. It stopped being funny after the tenth time." He grumbled, fed up with the reused joke.
"Someone's moody." Chris grinned at the blonde."Hey, Kirika. What's up with him?"
"Oh. He just didn't sleep that well. He went to bed too late-desu."
"How do you know?" Shirabe asked.
"We were on a call and I went to bed first. I only found out he was still awake late at night because I had to use the bathroom and I could hear the sound of his TV on the other side."
"You two sleep while you're on a phone call with each other? That's surprisingly wholesome." Chris smiled."You're good with being a couple, despite being together for a few days. I remember that it took a long time for Takeru and I. But our circumstances were vastly different."
"One step at a time. At least Jades-san doesn't want to kill me anymore."
"That doesn't mean I'm not keeping my eye out for any sign of perverted behavior." Shirabe narrowed her eyes at him."I'm watching you."
"Give it a rest, Shirabe." Kirika sighed before wagging her eyebrows."You haven't mentioned what you were doing with Wei-kun-desu."
"Huh? Wei? Chao-Xing's little brother?" Chris hummed."Oh, yeah. He came back from his trip the other day. Along with the two half-Liangs. Tch. I still can't believe that Yomi fucker has the gal to make a move on the dummy like that. But never mind that. What's this about Wei?"
"Nothing. We hung around. He's extremely flexible so he challenged me to a dance battle. Then we went to ice skating. But all of these things were done with competitiveness in mind."
"You just described a date." Chris easily said, much to the dark-haired girl's chagrin.
"N-no. It was purely coincidental that we stumbled upon each other. And when we finished hanging out, he offered to walk me home. He was being a gentleman, that's all."
"Sounds to me like you're just in denial. I mean, aren't you guys within the age range anyway? He's a good guy." Hamaguchi shrugged.'I thought she was into Bragi though...?'
"You don't get to tell me that." Shirabe scowled at him, causing him to shrink in fear.
Out of nowhere, the water began to rise high into the air, creating a giant wave that threatened to consume everything in its path.
"Oh, fuck!" Chris quickly pulled out her Relic along with the girls."Hamaguchi!"
"On it! Henshin!"
"Kilterr Ichaivail Tron..."
"Various Shul Shagan Tron..."
"Zeious Igalima Raizen Tron..."
Abyss rushed in, quickly opening his visor and leaping into the sky.
Hydro Vent
Using his hydrokinesis, Abyss was able to hold off the wave from falling, slowly returning it to the ocean.
"HAMAGUCHI!" Kirika screamed in horror as Abyssladon emerged from the ocean, morphing back into Shadow Abyss.
"What?!"
"If I touch you..." S. Abyss was mere inches away from touching Abyss after having caught him off guard."I will become as strong as you-"
Final Vent: Crystal Break
Destwilder lunged at S. Abyss, grabbing him by the back of the head as he dragged him across the area where Tiger was waiting with his Destclaws ready.
'I can't break free! You stupid animal!" S. Abyss yelled as he tried to grab Destwilder's arms but due to being face-down he was unable to."Whatever! I can turn my body into liquid, dumbass!"
And he did exactly that, using the Hydro Flow Vent to make his body into liquid as Tiger thrust his claws to stab his chest. To his shock, an unimaginable pain was felt in the chest area and purple blood began to pour out."W-w-what?!"
"I used my Frost Vent to freeze my claws. As I stabbed you, I touched the water that is now your body and froze it, effectively making you tangible again."
"Y-you...you were planning this all along...!"
"Yeah. I was counting on them sending you first since you're the weakest of your group. And the most dangerous. Your hydrokinesis is insanely dangerous, especially if you use it to threaten civilians nearby." Tiger pierced his head with his remaining claw, shattering his body into ice and effectively killing him."So we can't take any risks with you."
"Jades-onii-chan! You did it-desu!"
"It's not over yet." He narrowed his eyes at the Alca Noise surrounding them.
"Right you are!" Raphael descended from the skies, riding on top of Donatello donning the Sleipnir Relic. He swung his blade, sending a flash of energy that forced the group to split up.
"Tch! No choice then!" Tiger lunged at him as he activated his Survive form, using his double-edge battle axe to parry the swing of Excalibur.
"I haven't seen you before. You are the one that Mistress Lilith was fighting before, right?"
"Yup!" Tiger overwhelmed him with pure physical strength and wide swings, forcing him off his horse. He opened up his visor and slid a card inside.
Strike Vent: Frostclaws
"But still, you're not as strong as Yosuke is. Do you think you can defeat me like that?"
"We'll just have to see how it goes. I might have a surprise for you."
"Well...so do I."
Shirabe and Chris fought off against the Noise, giving Kirika the opportunity she needed to help guide the staff away from danger."Please! Evacuate calmly! You'll be alright!"
"And what exactly will be alright, Miss Naive?!" Cagliostro shot multiple energy bullets, forcing Kirika to duck at the last second to avoid. But she realized her mistake, as the attacks were not aimed toward the running staff team.
"Oh, no!"
A wave washed over the team, moving them away before the attacks could kill them.
"Water?" Cagliostro gasped as Abyss, in his Survive form, came down from the skies wielding his Abyss Shredders. She jumped out of the way, avoiding being slashed apart by the serrated blades.
"So what if someone is naive? I happen to think that a naive girl is cute." He grinned, glancing over Kirika and giving her a thumbs up."Just how I love her."
"Hamaguchi!"
"Ara, Ara. So you have a knight in not-so-shining armor, huh? And it's the perverted kid who was admiring my beauty? That's adorable!" She yelled, waving her hand and sending a slash of blue energy at him. He aimed his visor at them, launching a stream of pressurized water that was strong enough to cut the slash apart."What?!"
"Not a bad showing, huh-"
Before he could finish his sentence, a giant kendama smacked him into Chris, launching them into a building.
"Chris-san! Hamaguchi-kun!"
"The Symphogear are trash without the Dainsleif, but the Riders and their Survive forms are basically the bigger problems," Prelati noted.
"Don't look away now!" Shirabe was rammed into by Evildiver, sending her skidding across the ground. The monster morphed into S. Raia, wielding a replica of Hamaguchi's serrated blades, revving them like chainsaws.
"Looking at you...it gives my brother a bad image." Shirabe scoffed at the monster.
"Yeah? That's too bad then-GRAAA!" S. Raia was suddenly being mauled by Frostwielder.
"Shirabe! Get up!" Tiger yelled, but Sleipnir returned the favor by kicking him across the chest, launching him into the water.
Chris began bombarding Raphael with several rockets, forcing him to cut the missiles before they could reach them.
"I said I was not going to engage in battle with a woman." He said, not bothering to retaliate in the assault.
"Then that makes it easier for me to kick your ass!" Chris switched to her Gatling guns, not allowing Raphael a moment to breathe.
"Without the Ignite, your attacks aren't just strong enough to hurt me." He said."You'll have to try harder than that."
"Then let's not keep her waiting!"
From beneath him, a puddle of water had been created, and Abyss emerged from it, delivering a powerful uppercut against the golden knight and launching him into the sky. He formed a water tendril that gripped his ankle, hurling him into the ground at high speeds.
S. Raia clicked his tongue, attempting to go save one of his masters, but Kirika intercepted him and ignited her boosters, twirling at insane speeds and slamming into S. Raia.
Calamity Ring: Tinkerbell
The S. Raia was sent flying toward Shirabe, who combined her Armed Gear to form a giant buzzsaw, hurling it at him.
Beta Style: Giant Saw Judgement
S. Raia quickly made use of his Copy Vent, creating a replica of Kirika's scythe to parry the attack. However, the attack proved strong enough to launch him into the ocean.
Cagliostro continued trying to punch Tiger, who blocked every one of her attacks. He kicked her in the stomach, sending her staggering backward. Wasting no time, he lunged at her, forcing her to create a wall of water. But like before, he froze the water and pierced through it, narrowly avoiding stabbing into her torso. She jumped back, startled by the ferocity of his attacks.
"They're strong..." Raphael admitted, his two companions next to him."The Survive Riders are stronger than I thought. Even S. Raia is having difficulties."
"We won't give up." Prelati glanced up at him."Cagliostro and I were basically just pathetic frauds long before you and St. Germain met us. She gave us the perfect bodies, knowledge, and goals to strive for. We can't lose here! We have to win! For her sake!"
"Lady Prelati..." Raphael muttered, astonished.'I knew she was loyal, but her passion is something else.'
Shoot Vent: Frost Bazooka
A gauntlet was equipped to Tiger's left arm, opening its compartment and shooting several missiles at them. Raphael pushed his friends out of the way, taking the full brunt of the attack head-on. Tiger emerged from the smoke, wasting no time in swinging his claws. Raphael grimaced, finding himself on the back foot. Chris shot several arrows at his back, causing him to fall victim to a slash across his chest.
'W-what is this?! I thought he was supposed to be weaker than Knight?! Was there a miscalculation?!' He received a knee to the gut, sending him stumbling against Chris, who kicked him forward. Sleipnir rushed in to save Raphael, but Chris showered him with countless bullets, keeping him busy.
'I have to use Excalibur's power...I can sense the darkness in his heart. If I use it, I-'
"Raphael! Do not!" Prelati screamed upon seeing her friend in such distress. She readied her Kendama, but an arm of water grabbed it and pinned it to the ground."What the hell?!"
"Kirika! Shirabe! Now!"
Kirika and Shirabe began singing together leaping into the sky to perform the combined attack.
"No, you don't!" Cagliostro was about to rush to help her, but a stream of pressurized water struck her in the stomach, bruising her skin.
Prohibited Fitting Beta Style: ZABABA Sun and Moon
S. Raia screamed at the top of his lungs, having already entered Survive form and preparing a giant arrow that forced Abyss to divert his attention to him, freeing Prelati's kendama. She tried retaliating against the combined efforts of Kirika and Shirabe, however, the attack and prior damage proved too much for her, and she was sent flying into the ocean before a huge explosion shocked the waters.
"THAT'S FOR RAIDEN!" Both girls yelled, finally avenging their brother.
As soon as S. Raia was about to fire his arrow, he turned back to stone, following Prelati into the ocean.
"NO!" Raphael screamed, headbutting Tiger and launching several light swords at him. The Tiger-themed Rider ran out to dodge the attacks, but this was all a distraction. By the time he scanned his surroundings, Raphael, Cagliostro, and Sleipnir were gone.
"Yeah, that's right! Run!" Abyss rose his blades into the sky.
"We actually drove them back..." Chris sighed in relief.
"They're strong, but we're stronger than before. We know what tricks they have up their sleeve." Tiger nodded, shifting his attention to the water."And above all, we bought enough time for the others to do their thing. More than likely, they took Prelati away due to the injuries she sustained.
"Hey, wasn't I awesome?!" Hamaguchi jogged over to Kirika as they all returned to their normal forms.
Kirika wasted no time in throwing herself into his arms, burying her face against his chest.
"Kirika-chan? So direct..." He blushed at her boldness.
"Thank you...I almost got people killed because of my mistake-desu..." She muttered, wrapping her arms around his frame."Thank you for being there..."
His expression softened and he rubbed the back of her head."You don't gotta thank me for that, babe. I got your back. Always. I'll always protect you, no matter what it takes."
Chris observed them from afar with a small smile, reminiscing of the times Takeru would say that to her. It brought her happiness to see her kohai happy with someone. Tears glistened in her eyes, memories of her late almost husband or soon-to-be husband flashing in her mind.
"Are you alright, Chris-san?" Shirabe approached her, causing her to quickly wipe her tears away.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Come on. Let's report in with the Old Man."
"Seems like they drove back Cagliostro, Prelato, and Raphael." Lilith approached Adam and St. Germain, who were currently discussing the altar ritual."Just 3 Symphogear and 2 Riders. Seems like one of them even defeated S. Abyss."
"I see. They must have worked together. The Riders are another matter. I believe that they could be capable of overpowering Raphael if he's too busy worrying about the other two." Adam said, leaning back on his chair.
"Are they-"
"Prelati is wounded." Lilith quickly interjected, her smile never leaving her."If that's what you're worried about."
"Hmmm. You know, this could be a good thing." Adam smiled maliciously.
"What do you mean, Lodgemaster...?" St. Germain felt a cold sweat dripping down her forehead.
"As it happens, we don't have enough life energy to power the great central plinth, right? I know for a fact you would never even consider sacrificing your beloved Raphael. But those two aren't as important, right? And Prelati is injured, so she's not going to be of much use for now. Do you see what I'm trying to say?"
"Lodgemaster..." St. Germain took a shaky step back at the implications."Do you...how inhumane are you...?"
"Equivalent exchange. The good old rule of Alchemy." Lilith folded her arms across her chess."I'd normally disagree with Adam, but he does bring up a good point. You should know better than anyone that half-assed attempts won't get you anywhere near your goal. Just look at the Disasters. You lost to them because they have the drive to fulfill their objectives, no matter how inhuman they are. So how about it?"
"I...I..."
"Run along now, dear." Lilith sighed, shaking her head."Go check on your subordinates. We'll work things out later, yes?"
Wordlessly, St. Germain marched out of the room, leaving the two ex-partners alone.
"You know...I've been thinking recently." Adam started, sitting up.
"You? Think? Is the world ending?" She asked derisively.
"You're amusing. But seriously. You know what I'm thinking, don't you?"
"Right." Lilith nodded."Loki-sama is back. At least, now he's got a host to latch onto so he's able to enter this realm. Do you think he'll help us like he did before?"
"He has his own agenda much like we do." Adam sighed."I suspect our paths will cross again. And this time, we will not be as helpful as we were back then. We have a goal to fulfill, and even if he stands in our way along with his Messiah, then we'll crush them."
"Even if he helped us when we were discarded by the Custodians?" She asked, raising a brow.
"He had his reasons. You know that. Now, he has his goal to end the world and start a new reality. Effectively robbing us of what we deserve." Adam clenched his fists, and both of them stared at each other's eyes with newfound determination."We'll take our positions back. One way or first, we have to get rid of the Messiah, Hajime Adachi."
"A world where we stand as the perfect beings ruling over the imperfect. Now that sounds like a great work of art."