Part 3:
Believe in your justice and follow the path it creates
Chapter 7:
The Power of Two Airgetláms
Lilith and Elfnein's POVs:
Flashback:
S.O.N.G. HQ
Once Hibiki and Kanade were recovered from their fight with Micha and Garie and Kana and the other wielders went home, Lilith and Elfnein went to the latter's lab to have a discussion. "So, What is it that you wished to discuss, Lilith-san?"
"First off, were you able to able to find out why Kana's Yato was able to handle contact with the Alca-Noise unlike Tsubasa-san and Chris-chan's Gears?" Lilith asks.
"Yes. It took a lot longer than I would like to admit, but I was able to find the source of what made this possible for her." Elfnein explains, bringing up a monitor that showed Kana's Gear pendant. "It would seem the draconic power inside her Gear managed to protect her to a better extent than the other Gears. However, despite this, her Gear was still being affected by the Alca-Noise, just to a lesser degree."
"So her Symphogear would've still been broken like the others..." Lilith sighs. "But now for my next question: Is there any way that we could avoid giving the Ignite Module to Kana while still giving her a boost in power to a similar degree?"
Elfnein ponders Lilith's question. "Well, it's not impossible to do per se, but it would require another relic that could work in tandem with her Symphogear." Elfnein states, "But I must ask, is there any specific reason why Kana-san's Yato shouldn't receive the Ignite Module?"
Lilith lowers her head before answering. "I... I just fear what could happen if Kana is exposed to the berserk power that Ignite has to offer." Lilith explains. "You see, Dragons such as myself tend to, putting it bluntly, lose our sanity completely when exposed to big amounts of negative energy, be it through dark magic or emotions such as rage. Kana's father, Lord Corrin, nearly lost himself after his emotions got the better of him many years ago. Had Lady Azura not been there to calm him with her song, he would've slaughtered everyone and everything that stood in his way."
"That's awful..." Elfnein thought aloud.
"But there was a Dragon named Anankos, who despite having those that calmed them with the same song used by Lady Azura, lost themself completely and destroyed the place they once called home without a second thought. All thanks to the negative energy that festered within them over time." Lilith continues. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, giving the Yato Symphogear the Ignite Module could lead to us having a greater threat than Carol and her Autoscorers could ever be."
Elfnein was terrified by the thought of Kana becoming an unstoppable monster all thanks to her. "Thank you for telling me this, Lilith-san." The homunculus says. "But now we have another issue: I only have the Dáinsleif fragment to work with. I haven't the first clue of a relic that could provide Kana-san with a boost in place of the Ignite Module."
"That leads me to my third question..." Lilith says, pulling out the two halves of her broken Fólkvangr relic.
Kana's POV:
S.O.N.G. HQ
"Project Radiance?" Kana asks.
"Yes." Elfnein answered. "By combining Lilith-san's Fólkvangr with your Yato Symphogear, you should have access to a form that will be as strong, if not stronger than, the Ignite Module."
Kana's expression changed from confused to shocked upon hearing this, turning to Lilith for some answers. "But what about your ability to transport yourself and others?" Kana asks with concern.
"You see Kana, that's what this was for," Lilith said, pulling out her dragonstone. "I had Elfnein infuse my dragonstone with half of the broken Fólkvangr to see if it would even work as I hoped. If anything, it has improved my capabilities doubly so."
"Although, there is one thing worth mentioning, Kana-san." Elfnein interjected. "Unlike Lilith-san, you may be unable to use Fólkvangr's full capabilities outside of the Radiance Module. We can test if this theory is true or not once the Module is completed. For now, I need to finish the Ignite Module on the other Gears. When I'm done, I will immediately start working on yours."
"Thank you, Elfnein-chan, Lilith." Kana says, heading to the door as soon as she finishes bowing respectfully. "I guess I better let you get to work then. Hehe. Good night you two!"
The Next Day
"The Shul Shagana..."
"...and Igalima has been upgraded and repaired dess!" Shirabe and Kirika cheered.
A tired Elfnein nodded. "I've improved their functions and installed the Ignite Module." She said, before turning to the other wielders. "I've done the same for Kanade-san's Gear, Serena-san's Gear, and of course..."
Maria nodded, knowing what she was going to say. "The original Airgetlám has been restored as well."
"However, unlike Serena-san's, I replaced the converter with a new one." She explained, handing Maria the original Airgetlám Gear. "I added a neural pass-through, so you'll be able to equip it."
"To think I would be able to wield Serena's Gear alongside her." Maria thought aloud. "I want to use this light to make myself stronger."
"As for you Kana-san," Elfnein said, turning her attention to the dragon princess. "Since I'm implementing an entirely different Module into your Yato Symphogear, it's taking a bit more time than expected. Sorry to make you wait a little longer for your Gear."
"No worries Elfnein-chan." Kana says, reassuring the Alchemist. "I'm more than willing to wait if it means being able to be stronger for those who are counting on me. Just make sure you're not working yourself to death, yeah?" The two of them share a laugh.
"While you may still be waiting on your new power Kana-kun, there is something you all can still do together: Training!" Genjuro said, receiving mixed reactions from the wielders as he said this. "Our next battle with the Autoscorers draws near. As such, it is imperative that you all master using the enhanced Symphogears and the Ignite Module, and once it's finished, the Radiance Module as well. We need you to pick up some research results from the nearby heretical technology lab in Tsukuba that's been working with Dr. Nastassja. While you're there, you can train both your bodies and minds."
"Training is my specialty! I won't let you down, Master!" Hibiki said, excited at the thought of training. A thought that would soon be shared by the other wielders once they realize what they'll be doing.
The wielders, Miku, and Elfnein's POVs:
Tsukuba Beach
As requested by Genjuro, the girls begin their training... Which is to enjoy the beach in Tsukuba while Ogawa, Sakuya, and Nastassja pick up the research results. For the most part, everyone was enjoying their day off, excluding Tsubasa, who was treating a game of Beach Volleyball as a life or death mission. "Tsubasa-san sure is serious about this." Miku says.
"We're supposed to be taking this time to relax, and yet..." Hibiki adds, sighing at her friend's seriousness.
"I guess it can't be helped..." Serena says, sharing Hibiki's sigh.
As for the game in question, it was Tsubasa, Chris, Kanade, and Kana versus the F.I.S. Trio and Elfnein, the latter of which was up to serve. "Come on! Bring it!" Chris shouts.
"Go!" Elfnein throws the ball into the air, jumping to serve it as Chris and her team get ready to pass the ball, but Elfnein misses the ball and falls to the ground with it. "Why can't I do it?" Elfnein asks Maria as she picks the ball up. "I have the knowledge required to execute a strong serve... But when you actually try, it's different, right?"
"You don't have to push yourself to copy what you've seen others do. You can just hit it from below, like this." Maria says, serving the ball from her hand while hitting it into the air with her other hand. "It's okay if it's a weak hit. The important thing is to just be yourself when you do."
"Right! I'll do my best!" Elfnein replies, grateful for the advice.
And with that, the eight of them played a serious game of Volleyball, which tired out the wielders and lead to them taking a break in some beach recliners. "And just like that, it really was training..." Shirabe says exhaustedly.
"Whose fault was it for making that game so serious?" Chris asks, practically falling asleep from how tired she was.
"I'm glad the weather's nice today." Elfnein chimes in, less exhausted than the wielders that played Volleyball.
"It's because a typhoon came through here yesterday." Miku states.
"It's our good karma dess!" Kirika adds.
"By the way, is anyone hungry?" Hibiki asks.
"Ain't this a government-owned private beach?" Kanade asks in response.
"It should be." Maria says, "Which means there aren't any beachside shops nearby..."
For a brief moment, everyone looked to one another and, as if they were all on the same wavelength, knew exactly how to get food.
"Loser has to go to the store! Rock-paper-scissors!"
Hibiki, Kana, Kanade, Miku, Elfnein, Maria, and Chris all chose rock. Kirika, Shirabe, and Serena chose scissors. And Tsubasa... chose a finger gun, which made Hibiki burst with laughter. "Tsubasa-san used weird-looking scissors, and still lost!"
"That isn't weird! Those are cool scissors!" Tsubasa retorts, embarrassed both by losing and by her scissors being made fun of.
"Don't just buy junk food, alright?" Maria says to the Zababa duo. "Make sure you get something that restores our electrolytes and minerals." As she says this, she turns to Tsubasa with a pair of sunglasses. "You're a celebrity, so wear these."
"She's acting like a mom..." Kanade says quietly to Kana, Hibiki, and Miku, the former two holding back their laughter at how accurate that comment was.
Tsukuba Beach/City
In the city, the four losers of rock-paper-scissors went to the closest convenience store and bought snacks for the group: a watermelon, some sports drinks, energy bars, and... an entire bag full of junk food. "I can't believe all you got were your favorite snacks, Kiri-chan." Shirabe says.
"Maria said to not get just junk food, not that I couldn't get junk food. So I'm fine." Kirika explains.
"But if you bought that second bag full of junk food, Maria would've been very upset." Serena says, getting a nervous chuckle from Kirika.
Regardless of Kirika's choices in food, the group heads back to the beach with the others, before they are stopped by a crowd that was looking at destroyed torii that was surrounded by several pillars of ice, which sent a sense of dread through the wielders.
Back at the beach, Hibiki and Miku were staring out at the ocean while everyone else did their own thing. "I never thought I'd get to come to the beach with everyone." Miku says.
"Shouldn't everyone be training?" Elfnein asks Hibiki.
"You're so serious, Elfnein-chan." Hibiki says, giggling at the alchemist's concern.
"The Ignite Module is an application of the principles that cause you to go berserk, and it's a dangerous function protected by three levels of safeties." Elfnein states. "Kana may not have the same issues for her Gear once it's completed, but it's still a very real danger for the rest of you. So you need to train to keep it under contro-" Suddenly, a pillar of water burst from the ocean, and atop it was none other than, "Garie?!"
"Had enough fun making summer memories?" Garie taunted.
"Like hell!" Chris shouts, rushing over to Hibiki, Miku, and Elfnein with Kana, Maria, and Kanade following behind her as she began to transform.
"Killter Ichaival Tron"
(TRUST HEART begins to play)
Once transformed, Chris began to fire at Garie, who turns into a puddle of water as the crossbow bolts connect with her and confuses Chris. A moment later, Garie appears behind Chris and Hibiki, knocking them away with ease. "Maria-san! Kanade-san! Kana! Get them out of here!" Hibiki tells the other wielders present, who do just as she asked and run with Miku and Elfnein to safety. With them gone, Hibiki turns her attention back to Garie. "Are you acting without orders from Carol-chan?"
"Who knows?" Garie vaguely and smugly answered as she summons Alca-Noise, which Hibiki and Chris immediately do what they can to get rid of.
Meanwhile, Tsubasa, Serena, and the Zababa duo see the explosions from Chris and Hibiki's fight with Garie and start to fear the worst. Without another word, The four of them do what they can to make sure the city is evacuated so there are as few casualties as possible. As Kirika and Shirabe go to one side of the city, Tsubasa and Serena start by making sure the group around the broken torii are lead to safety. "It's dangerous here! Get these kids somewhere safe!" Tsubasa tells a man who was among the crowd dressed in red and brown.
"Hell no!" The man quickly replied. "Why do I have to do that?" The man ran away, leaving Serena and Tsubasa to get the crowd to safety.
Back on the beach, Hibiki realizes Garie is missing from the battlefield. "Where's the Autoscorer?" She thought. But as she continues to deal with the Alca-Noise, she gets an idea as to where she went. "Is she after Maria-san?"
Maria's Group's POVs:
The Forest near Tsukuba Beach
Maria and her group continued to run as far as they could away from the battlefield, but unfortunately for them, Garie was waiting for them. "I found you, failed wielder!" Garie taunted while preparing an icicle blade. "Now stop running and face me!" Garie charged at Maria, but Maria wasn't afraid as she too charged at her opponent.
"Seilien coffin Airgetlám tron"
Maria dodges Garie's blade, surprising the Autoscorer as she is sent flying by Maria's punch before she transforms into her new Symphogear: Airgetlám.
(Ginwan Airgetlám begins to play)
"A silver... Arm?" Garie questioned, seeing Maria's transformation as she flew.
"Maria-san! Is that..."
"The new Airgetlám!" Elfnein answers Miku's question.
Kanade gets ready to be as much help as she can, but Maria stops her. "Let me handle her alone this time." Maria says, to which the wielder hesitantly agrees to Maria's request.
Garie smirked once she saw this. "Bold of you to fight me alone." Garie complimented, pulling out some Alca-Noise crystals as she did. "I hope you won't disappoint me this time!"
Maria doesn't waste any time dealing with the Alca-Noise, starting her attack by sending out a barrage of daggers to deal with the closest Alca-Noise before taking the rest on directly with another dagger already in her hand. "The LiNKER I took for training is working! This is my chance!" Maria thought.
Maria continues to single-handedly deal with all of the Alca-Noise Garie summoned. "Oh no! I might lose!" Garie teased as Maria approached her, ready to end the fight, but Garie simply dodged Maria's blade. "Just kidding." Garie readied her own blade and knocked Maria to the ground.
Everyone was shocked by this, certain that Maria was going to end things then and there, but the new Airgetlám wielder wasn't done. "You're strong." Maria admits as she puts a hand on her pendant. "But..."
"Oh? But what?" Garie wondered, smirking with anticipation.
"I'm going to end this fight with this power!"
"Ignite Module! Drawn Blade!"
Maria is put under the same strain that Chris, Tsubasa, and Hibiki were put under when they activated the Ignite Module, but much like the first time the former two did it, Maria was not getting positive results. "I need to kill my weaker self..." Maria says, before letting out a painful scream.
As she screamed, her body was covered in a familiar black and red form of a certain Gungnir wielder. "Oh, dear." Garie said, saying what everyone else was thinking as she was forced to dodge Maria's wild strikes. "She's just a rabid beast now."
As everyone is forced to sit and watch Maria's wild rampage, Hibiki and Chris finally catch up with everyone. "Has she gone berserk?" Hibiki asked.
"She's been taken over by the sword's curse!" Chris stated.
Meanwhile, the berserk Maria does everything in her power to hit Garie, but the latter can simply dodge everything the former throws at her. "No, no, these wild attacks won't do at all." Garie said, grabbing the berserk Maria by the face. "I want you to sing for me, like the famous Idol you are!" Garie throws Maria to the ground as hard as she could, causing her to revert out of her transformation and out of the berserk rage that came with it.
"Don't think becoming strong is that simple." Garie lectured, deflecting some bolts from the approaching Chris. "What a letdown, failure of a wielder." Garie brought out a teleportation capsule and let out a sigh of disappointment as she vanished.
"Hey, Wake up!" Chris said, approaching the unconscious Maria before the others, who also tried waking her up.
Maria came to not long after being knocked out. "I couldn't win... But what did I lose to?"
Garie's POV:
Château de Tiffauges
Garie returned to her pedestal in the Château de Tiffauges, where the other Autoscorers were waiting. "You were rather flashy." Leiur said.
"Just taking a slight detour while accomplishing my goal." Garie retorts.
"Seems you're upset you needed help breaking the remaining wielder's pendants." Micha taunted.
"Shut up!" Garie barks. "That's exactly why I went after that failure alone!"
"You certainly give it your all." Phara said. "I should make my move soon too."
Hearing that, Garie looks up at the banners that appeared shortly after Carol turned to dust. "I won't let you be the first."
The wielders' POVs:
Tsukuba Research Facility/Beach
Following Garie's attack, the wielders all return to the research facility to discuss what happened. "Even without their master, the dolls still attack." Tsubasa states.
"But why do they keep retreating, rather than finishing us off, when the fight goes their way?" Shirabe wonders.
"Now that you mention it, that is a good point!" Kirika says.
"They're so damn hard to get a read on." Chris exclaims.
"Amen to that." Kanade adds.
"I'm worried about Maria-san, too..." Miku said, changing the subject from the Autoscorers' odd habits in combat to the incident with Maria's attempted use of the Ignite Module.
Hibiki, knowing what Maria went through personally, shares Miku's worries. "When that power takes over you, everything inside your mind turns black and you don't know anything anymore." She says.
Hearing this, Kana's thoughts turn to her dream again. "My Gear won't have access to the Ignite Module. So why am I still thinking about that other me from my dream?"
Meanwhile, Maria was outside the facility, reflecting on what happened to her. "To be spared by a doll... Pathetic." She thought.
"Maria-neesan? Are you okay?" Serena asks, walking over to her elder sister.
"I was unable to resist the sword's curse because I'm weak..." Maria says, clenching her fist in anger at herself. "I want to be strong."
Serena tries to comfort her sister, "You're plenty strong already, Oneesan." She says. "Besides, I doubt it'd go any different for me if I tried to activate the Ignite Module in that fight." This comment confuses Maria. "I'm usually able to forgive my enemies. Finé, you, Kirika, Shirabe, even Dr. Ver to an extent. But I can never forgive Garie for what she did. And I know that anger towards her, no matter how small, would've been enough to make me go berserk. I know this because Garie did one thing no one else has."
"And what is that, Serena?" Maria asks.
"She made me truly scared that I would lose everything again." Serena answers, clenching her fists. "That's why you're stronger than me Maria. Because even though you still lost control of the Ignite Module, you still fought Garie only because she was a threat."
Now Maria was feeling sorry for her sister more than herself. She was about to comfort her sister when suddenly, a stray Volleyball catches their attention as Elfnein chases after it. "Sorry." She said. "I was trying not to bother everyone."
"You're not bothering us at all, Elfnein-chan." Serena reassured Elfnein.
"We'll help you practice." Maria chimes in, seeing this as a way to get her mind off of the last battle.
And so the Cadenzavna Eve sisters help Elfnein practice her serve, but the latter still seems unsatisfied by her results. "Strange... I still can't get it right." Elfnein sighed.
"You know a lot of things, right, Elfnein?" Maria asks, getting the alchemist's attention. "Do you mind if I ask you something? What does it mean to be strong?"
"Maria..." Serena says, worried that her sister is still being too hard on herself.
Elfnein simply looked to the elder Airgetlám wielder and smiled. "Isn't that something you taught me, Maria-san?"
Maria was shocked to hear this. But before she could process Elfnein's question to her question, Garie returned. "Hello again, failed wielder." She taunted, but Maria was not fazed by her insult as she and her sister were prepared to protect Elfnein with everything they had. "You're not fighting alone this time?"
"I haven't forgotten what you did to Kana, Lilith, and myself." Serena says. "I'm fighting alongside my sister to settle our unfinished business!"
"The failed wielder is your sister?" Garie asked before laughing at Serena. "And here I thought you were the sister of that dragon spawn."
"I'm a sister to them both!" Serena shouts. "Let's do this, Oneesan. Together!" Giving her sister a determined smile, which was returned in kind as they both pulled out their pendants.
"Seilien coffin Airgetlám tron"
(Ginwan Airgetlám begins to play)
Maria and Serena both transform before Garie, readying their blades for combat. "If you aren't a family of failures, then show me you can fight!" Garie shouted as she summons a ton of Alca-Noise, which the sisters waste no time dealing with.
"Alca-Noise signal detected!" Sakuya alerted the wielders in the facility, who knew exactly what that meant.
"Maria, Serena, and Elfnein are in trouble dess!" Kirika shouts, being the first one to bolt out the doors.
As they all left, Ogawa noticed something strange walking in the opposite direction of the wielders. "Was that... The wind?"
"Is something wrong, Ogawa-san?" Miku asked.
"No, it's fine. I hope." He said.
Meanwhile, the sisters took care of all of the Alca-Noise and went after Garie, who was ready for them with a beam of freezing water. They both did what they could to block it, but they were frozen over regardless. "Maria-san! Serena-san!" Elfnein cried out.
Maria and Serena quickly broke out of the ice and fell to their knees. "Too weak. Both of you." Garie said, unimpressed by both Airgetlám wielders, one of which moved a hand close to their pendant, which didn't go unnoticed. "Far too weak for even that power, I would assume."
This time, Garie's words broke through to Maria. "I'm still weak... How can I become strong?"
"Oneesan! Remember what Elfnein-chan told you!" Serena says, trying to get her sister out of her funk.
"Isn't that something you taught me, Maria-san?"
"Something... I taught her?" She thought aloud.
"Maria-san!" Elfnein shouted, getting Maria's attention. "You just need to be yourself!" Hearing this, Maria remembers what she told Elfnein during their Volleyball match.
"It's okay if it's a weak hit. The important thing is to just be yourself when you do."
"That's right. I am weak." Maria says as she gets off of her knees and back on her feet. "I couldn't become strong, but Elfnein made me realize something: Even if I may be weak, I'll still be myself. That is true strength."
"Elfnein-chan may not be able to fight, but she put her life on the line to bring us hope." Serena adds. "And we're going to show you what that hope has given us!"
"Elfnein, I want you to stand there and listen." Maria says. "This song will be an ode to your courage!" With one final nod between them, Maria and Serena grab their pendants in unison and say:
"Ignite Module! Drawn Blade!"
The power surges through the sisters' Gears as they do their best to resist the curse of Dáinsleif. "I may only fully remember my life with Kana and Lilith, but I won't stand idly by and let my second chance to live life with Maria-neesan and the others from F.I.S. be taken from me! In the end, it doesn't matter who tries to stop me. I will stay true to who I am while I still draw breath!" Serena says.
"That's right! If being strong means being true to myself... Then I will overcome this curse, as my weak self!" Maria shouts as a light engulfs both wielders.
(Ginwan Airgetlám (IGNITED arrangement) begins to play)
As the light dissipates, Maria and Serena are now both in their Ignite forms, ready to end things with Garie once and for all. "Weakness is strength?" Garie scoffed. "At least try to make sense when you talk!" With this, Garie sends out more Alca-Noise, but they are dealt with the moment they're brought out, which actually impresses the Autoscorer.
Both parties charged at one another, the sisters landing a synchronized strike on Garie, cutting her into pieces that turn into bubbles. Seeing this, they pop as many of the bubbles as they can, hoping to destroy the true Garie, who appears behind them. "I'm going to be the first!" She said.
Maria wasn't going to sit around and let Garie hear herself talk anymore, charging ahead of Serena to strike her. Garie was quick to put up a barrier, but she wasn't prepared for Serena and Maria's combined strength to shatter it with ease. With their enemy in shock, both Maria and Serena deliver an uppercut to Garie's jaw, sending her flying into the air. "Time to end this!" They say in unison.
Quickly, the sisters nod to one another as Maria jumps above the airborne Autoscorer while Serena stays on the ground. But they both ready their blades and charge at Garie from above and below, cutting her perfectly down the middle horizontally and vertically. "I'm going to be the first!" Garie shouted, almost excited by the fact she was dying as she exploded behind both Maria and Serena.
Righteous†Wrath
With their foe defeated, Serena lands next to her sister, giving her a victory hug. "We did it!" She cheers.
"Maria-san! Serena-san!" Hibiki shouts as she and the other wielders approach the two Airgetlám wielders as they reverted out of their transformations, both completely exhausted, but still having enough energy to explain what happened to the others.
"You managed to defeat an Autoscorer?" Tsubasa asks.
"Somehow..." Maria answers.
"That is your strength, Maria-san." Elfnein said.
"Or it's my weakness." Maria replies. "Regardless, that power is what allows me to stay true to who I am. Thank you for making me realize that." Elfnein smiled as Maria said this.
Meanwhile
As the battle between Garie and the Cadenzavna Eve sisters took place, Phara watched what happened from a distance while she was unable to be seen. "Excellent work, Garie." Phara said aloud. "We were both able to complete our missions here." Phara left the scene with a microchip in hand, or rather, on her tongue.
Back at the Château de Tiffauges, with Garie's death, a blue light shot out from where she used to stand among the other Autoscorers, covering the banner above it with symbols.
Later that night
With Garie defeated, the wielders decided to celebrate with fireworks before they returned home. "I'm glad Maria cheered up." Shirabe says.
"Now we can return to Tokyo in good spirits dess." Kirika adds.
"This was a very productive training session." Tsubasa says, getting a deadpan look from Chris while Kanade and Serena simply sigh at Tsubasa's seriousness.
"I couldn't have said it better myself Tsubasa-san!" Hibiki cheers. "It was so productive, I'm starting to get hungry."
"You're always hungry, aren't you?" Elfnein joked.
"That's Hibiki for you." Kana chuckles.
"In that case, there's only one way to settle this." Maria states, which everyone knows exactly what she was getting at:
"Loser has to go to the store! Rock-paper-scissors!"
Unlike last time, everyone except Hibiki chose scissors, the latter choosing paper. "How fitting for you to choose paper." Chris teases.
"I was so certain everyone was going to choose rock..." Hibiki cries.
"Fine... I'll be nice and go with you." Miku said with a sigh, which cheered Hibiki up. "Besides, you'll have a hard time carrying everything by yourself, won't you?" With that, Miku takes Hibiki's hand and heads off to the store.
"Thank you!" Hibiki says. "But be careful. It's dangerous to run in the dark."
"Yeah, yeah." Miku playfully replied.
"Let's just hope those two don't forget to bring back food." Chris says.
"Come on now. I highly doubt another Autoscorer's gonna try anything funny after they just lost one." Kana retorts. "What's the worst that could happen?"
Hibiki and Miku's POVs:
Level Apple
Hibiki and Miku arrive at the convenience store, but Hibiki is immediately distracted by the vending machines. "Miku! They have mushroom juice! You don't see that in Tokyo" Hibiki exclaims, getting excited by everything in that vending machine after that.
Miku couldn't help but smile as Hibiki's excitement grew. But while she was distracted, a man in red was exiting the store and noticed her. "Huh? You're... Miku-chan, right?" The man asked, which confused Miku as to how he knew her. "I remember you would always hang out with my daughter-"
"What is it, Miku?" Hibiki asks, coming over to see what was going on, only for the world around her to fall silent as she made eye contact with someone she never thought she'd see again.
"Hibiki..."
"Dad?"
A/N: And with that, we end the chapter.
Honestly, there were several ways I planned to have the Garie vs Ignite fight go, most ways involving Kana having the finishing blow. But I ultimately decided that it would be best to let the Cadenzavna Eve sisters have their moment and save Kana's new form for a moment where she truly holds the spotlight. I hope you all are looking forward to it. :)
With that out of the way, Thank you for reading this chapter. I shall see you all in the next one!
