Tokyo tower. Standing at roughly around a total height of 300 meters, the observation tower was known to be the second-tallest structure in all of Japan. The towering construct had been featured in a variety of media, and could even be seen in the background within several episodes of Zesshou Sentai Valkyranger. Whenever the last bits of sunlight disappeared into Japan's horizons, the tower's built-in LED lighting equipment would intensify to near-maximum brightness, shrouding its entirety with white and red lights. Even when it stood amongst the snow-covered city of Tokyo, and a concrete jungle of Christmas lights, Tokyo Tower sparkled like an unwavering beacon in the land of the rising sun.
But not even the shining incandescence of Tokyo Tower could overpower the presence of a tear in reality.
Fastening her grip around the Sword of Damocles' golden hilt, Lanfen gritted her teeth as the blade of her Armed Gear cleaved off a pair of rune-marked forearms with one precise strike. Her Symphogear's speakers blared its unchallenged electro-swing jazz, drowning out the metallic clanking of two severed arms which fell onto the concrete roads. Now deprived of its main source of power, the Category-2 Distortion spun around in a desperate retreat down the evacuated streets, but Lanfen was quick to deprive it of its legs through another swing of her thick blade. The fires in her eyes could not be sated by these blows. And yet, the brutality she inflicted felt warranted all the same.
The Caster-Type Distortion hit the ground face-first with a loud clang. Lanfen withdrew the blade of her Armed Gear into its cross-guard and slammed the bladeless weapon into her hip armour. With a gauntleted hand on her hip, the crowned warrior strolled over to the knight's limbless, robe-covered body, and smashed her armoured boot right into its back. Lanfen made sure to inflict just enough force so that it was trapped underneath her foot, but not too much that the Distortion's back crumpled beneath her soles like aluminum foil beneath a hydraulic press.
Black-and-white flashed before the crowned warrior's narrowed eyes. The steel letters in her sights descended onto a cracking chessboard, declaring the name, "Pawn Punisher."
As trumpet roars filled in the silence of the evacuated streets, additional exhaust vents exposed themselves along the length of Lanfen's lower leg. A single explosive situated itself over the back of her leg while kinetic-absorbing armour encased the palm-sized grenade in a specialized shell. When the limbless Distortion tried to let out one last howl of defiance, Lanfen clicked her tongue, and mentally commanded the explosive to detonate within its shell with a muffled rumble. The concentrated force of the explosive propelled a metallic spike out from the back of her boot, sending it through the knight's torso and into the concrete beneath it in an eyeblink. With its death wail cut short, smoke spewed from the deployed vents on Lanfen's leg, blowing away the golden sand which the Distortion immediately withered into beneath her armoured boot.
The distinctive wailing of a rift closure subsequently blared across the skyline, announcing the end of the Distortion incursion within the city.
A second mental command transformed Lanfen's Symphogear into a rising batch of black-and-white particles beneath the light of a shattered moon.
Dressed once again in the winter uniform of S.O.N.G.'s Adaptor Corps, Lanfen shivered from the December winds as the sound of heavy, metallic footfalls pulled her gaze over to the roads up ahead. It was Task Force Harmony. In accordance with their newest procedures against Distortion incursions, Harmony's forces were combing the incursion zone with their latest armaments of bipedal combat walkers. Standing at about three times the height of an average person, their fully-enclosed, armoured cabins scanned the snowy streets on articulated, reverse-jointed legs. The searchlights and rotary weapons which were mounted on the chin of their cabins looked ready to find and eliminate any surviving Category-1 Distortions.
Heavy machines straight out of a sci-fi movie, Lanfen dryly mused to herself within her mind. An audio transmission then arose from her wrist device, prompting the Adaptor to bring up her forearm and answer a call from Godai. "This is SG-r04, reporting in," Lanfen declared, having forgotten to call-in after the situation diffused itself. "All three Category-2s have been eliminated. Damage to infrastructure is minimal. No injuries sustained. Zero casualties so far within the incursion zone."
"I hear ya, Jiang," Godai casually replied over the comms. "I have to settle a couple documents with Captain Yaiba first, so we'll be sticking around for a bit. Till then, you can rest up in the van with Komi. Nice job out there as always."
"Understood," Lanfen habitually responded before the transmission switched off from Godai's end of the line.
Now that the Symphogear team had nothing else to deal with aside from the usual logistics that came after an incursion, Lanfen fastened the black-and-white tie around her neck, and turned on her heel to head in the direction of the team's parked van. Golden sand left behind by the destroyed Category-2 and Category-1 Distortions crunched beneath her boots alongside white snow as the Adaptor turned her head in the direction of Tokyo Tower, wondering if Shinonome would like to head up there in their spare time. As far as she knew, Lanfen herself hadn't visited the tower in the past decade or so.
The further the Adaptor headed down the empty sidewalk, the sooner she noticed the metal footsteps of Harmony's combat walkers disappear out of earshot, letting Lanfen take in the silence of a city area which was going to be teeming with life again in about an hour or so. Christmas decorations shone wherever Lanfen turned her head, pushing away the shadows in every possible direction while the woman held back a tired yawn, and navigated her way back to the van through a holographic map on her wrist device. After a couple minutes of mundane walking, Lanfen spotted the vehicle sitting unharmed in a parking spot far from where the Distortions had predicted to drop down earlier.
When Lanfen pulled open one of its backdoors, Ayano - who was sitting on the designated chair for the van's computer terminal - lifted her hands from its keyboard so she could greet the spent Adaptor with a cheerful wave. "Great work taking out those Category-2s, Jiang," Ayano told her with a proud grin as she gestured over to the van's frontal seats. "Yuki left some snacks for you, so you can help yourself to some Christmas chocolate while we wait for her to come back."
"Don't mind if I do," Lanfen dryly replied, climbing into the back of the vehicle and closing the doors behind her. "It's a miracle that the only thing this Symphogear needs to function is a bit of sugar and protein." Squeezing herself past Ayano's terminal chair, Lanfen fetched a small basket of candy bars that was sitting in-between the seats upfront before dropping herself onto one of the van's empty backseats. While Ayano continued typing out a report to S.O.N.G. at speeds which Lanfen could never hope to mimic, the Adaptor peeled open her first bar of chocolate, and regained the energy her armour often expended to generate all of its paranormal abilities.
Over half a week had gone by since the team's shopping trip in Mitakihara. The word 'uneventful' wasn't a word that most would use to describe their recent activities, and yet there was no better descriptor to the members of Symphogear Team-04. Every day was essentially comprised of the same thing for Lanfen: Wake up, cook, rush out at the first sign of a Distortion incursion, return home afterwards, and then sort out the usual house chores. Category-2s would consistently arrive in pairs, trios or even quartets alongside groups of Category-1s, and they would all fall prey to either Harmony's guns or the Sword of Damocles. For every battle Lanfen fought, the fewer wounds she would sustain in the next incursion after that.
Such was the Adaptor's determination to hone her abilities from every fight against the Distortions.
Aside from her Symphogear-Wielder duties, the inevitable arrival of Christmas was undeniably prevalent in Lanfen's everyday thoughts. The winter holiday was coming in fast, and since this was going to be Shinonome's first ever time celebrating it, Godai, Ayano, and Lanfen all intended to make it a memorable one in spite of the constant incursions across Japan.
After finishing up her fourth chocolate bar, Lanfen abstained herself from any more snacks now that it was already a quarter to midnight. She properly disposed of the empty wrappers inside a small bin next to her leg, and rubbed her bare hands together before attempting to relax in her seat. Ayano's own hands were practically a blur as the brunette's fingers audibly clacked away on the terminal's keyboard, her green eyes firmly focused on multiple monitors to read a dozen incoming messages from the S.O.N.G. submarine. While the Adaptor tapped her boot on the van's floor, a few words slipped into the back of her mind. Words originating from her conversation with Godai days ago.
"You don't have to do everything by yourself."
Putting aside the basket of chocolates, Lanfen crossed her legs and loudly cleared her throat. "Ayano?" she slowly said, earning her a quizzical glance from her busy teammate. "You mind if I asked a question?"
Three inputs into the terminal's keyboard halted whatever work Ayano was occupied with. "Sure thing," Ayano replied, spinning her terminal chair around so she could face Lanfen with her body. Placing her gloved hands on top of her lap, the cheerful smile she wore wordlessly informed Lanfen that she was eager to hear whatever the Adaptor had on her mind. It honestly gave off the impression that Lanfen was instead about to ask her for some advice on their schoolwork rather than what she actually intended to inquire about.
Turning her gaze in the direction of the computer terminal's monitor screens, Lanfen could see images of recent Distortion incursions taking place in other parts of the globe: America. Australia. Europe. The other Symphogear Teams no doubt had their hands full with their own battles, even if they operated in pairs of Symphogears unlike Lanfen herself. "Do you-" A brief, proverbial fire sparked in Lanfen's eyes, causing her to quietly click her tongue. "... Do you... know anything about the cloaked being?" Lanfen carefully inquired, digging her fingernails into the palm of her hands. "The one who appeared during the global attack."
Ayano's smile did not falter, but the woman noticeably shifted in her chair at the mention of her sister's missing killer. "Oh," Ayano quietly let out. "That... Yeah. Hold on." Spinning her chair around again, Ayano faced the terminal which took up half of the van's backside, and tapped away on its keyboard, bringing up the same grainy images that Lanfen had been eyeing ever since her first day as a Symphogear-Wielder. "'Unknown Enemy-02'. S.O.N.G. and Harmony have been keeping an eye out for both it - and the one who had sent out the worldwide message - but nobody has managed to uncover anything so far," Ayano explained, looking back at Lanfen. "It's frustrating... isn't it?"
The Adaptor could only nod while the proverbial fires within her eyes danced like a dormant flame. "It is," Lanfen murmured, drawing in a practiced breath.
Unlike before, the concern on Ayano's face was clear this time. Possibly due to the fact that it was currently just the two of them inside the team's designated vehicle. "Do you intend to wait for it to show itself?" Ayano tentatively asked her, and Lanfen simply nodded again as the Symphogear-Wielder squeezed her eyes shut, momentarily extinguishing the persistent flames within them.
Almost two weeks have now passed since the Distortions launched their worldwide assault. And there was still nothing that Lanfen could do in order to gain a lead on the creature who had taken Kai away from her. Venting her frustrations on the Distortions initially gave her some level of satisfaction, but there was only so much that fighting could do to sate her desires. "Avenging my sister... isn't the only thing I want, Ayano," Lanfen stated through a whisper, reopening her purple eyes. "I also want it to arrive so I can justify holding on to this sword. This sword which hangs over the heads of others, whether I like it or not." A pestered sigh slipped out from her. "... I just sound ridiculous, don't I?"
Ayano gave no reply outside of a slow shake of her head. Typing a couple inputs into the van's terminal again, Ayano dismissed the grainy images she had brought up on the monitors before she picked herself up from the terminal's designated seat. She then went over to the van's front and keyed in a few commands, bringing out a calming jazz tune from the vehicle's audio-player. As the rhythmic keys of a piano bounced off the van's cold walls, Ayano returned to Lanfen so she could sit down next to the Adaptor with her hands on her lap again.
The brunette brought a fingertip to her lip. "Can I be the one to ask a question this time?" Ayano carefully inquired again. A wordless nod from the Adaptor gave her the permission to go ahead. "Just what exactly... is the S.W.O.R.D.?" Her tentative question made Lanfen visibly flinch at the weapon's mere name. "I- Sorry. The thing is that few people within S.O.N.G. actually have the permission to look into its documents, so..." She crossed her arms over her chest with a huff. "Neither Yuki nor myself can really learn anything about it unless we asked you directly, Jiang."
Ayano's words made sense. Unless you were Professor Elfnein, Commander Genjuuro, or the SG-r04's very own Wielder, nobody needed to know just what exactly awaited them if they ever decided to turn traitor. There was always a lingering fear in the unknown, and the world council clearly knew that when the Spokesperson first declared the presence of the S.W.O.R.D. to the organization. Furrowing her brow at the memory of that cursed briefing, Lanfen slipped a hand beneath the black-and-white tie she wore, retrieving the red pendant which rested beneath it. Dim light originating from the monitor screens in front of them reflected off the crystal as Lanfen held it above her face between two cold fingers.
Tightening her fingertips around the relic pendant, Lanfen closed her eyes again, and tapped into the knowledge that was imprinted upon her mind the very moment she had first donned her Symphogear. An ocean of information surrounded her, and the Adaptor swam through its proverbial waves, turning aside irrelevant chunks of knowledge over and over until Lanfen finally arrived at the one piece of information she had mentally blocked out. The information which detailed the power of the S.W.O.R.D. within her.
Lanfen parted her lips, allowing words to slip between them while she delved into what she was allowed to share regarding the dreaded armament. "The S.W.O.R.D. is a weapon that pushes the SG-r04 to the height of its power." Her words were calm and straight-to-the-point. "With the strength provided by this weapon, nothing can survive a confrontation with the Sword of Damocles. Its sheer might is enough to overpower any threat, no matter how wide the skill gap may be between myself and my opponent. That is the S.W.O.R.D." Her fingertips released the red crystal between them, allowing it to fall back onto her chest with a light jingle. "... I take it that's enough to satisfy you, Ayano?" Lanfen dryly muttered, eyes still shut.
Nothing came from her teammate beside her. Not even the faint sound of a breath. The only thing Lanfen's senses could pick up was the warmth of Ayano's comforting palm as she slowly placed it on top of Lanfen's right hand. Its tight but careful grip conveyed everything Ayano desired to communicate without misunderstanding nor uttered words. There was no sense of fear within Ayano's hand. Only concern for someone whom she had known ever since their brief meetings back in Lydian Academy half a decade ago. It was that very same unconditional kindness which made Ayano popular among Lydian's junior students.
"... How are the others even able to accept a person like me, I wonder?" What was supposed to be Lanfen's thoughts instead came out of her in the form of an unintentional whisper. A whisper that she only realized when Ayano looked up the van's ceiling, clearly conjuring an answer to reply with. Lanfen had to wonder if this was a 'mistake' she intentionally made in the end.
Ayano's hand was still placed on top of Lanfen's by the time she looked back at the Adaptor with words on her tongue.
"They've been through a lot. All of them," Ayano gently began. "They've fought alongside all sorts of people, fought against all sorts of monsters, and even worked beside those who once tried to hurt them. If there's one thing I can't doubt about those six maidens, it's that they're willing to reach out a hand to anyone who's willing to grab on to it." A smile of cheerful reassurance grew on Ayano's face. One which was reinforced through years of interactions with S.O.N.G.'s original Wielders. "And you're no different, Jiang. No matter what you think of yourself. Even if you're holding on to that scary weapon, I'm sure that Tachibana and the others will always be happy to have someone like you as a Symphogear-Wielder."
Lanfen pursed her lips and avoided the woman's gaze as her eyes swung back over to her shaking legs. It honestly felt impossible to believe either one of Ayano's claims when something like the S.W.O.R.D. rested within her relic. But since her senior knew the six Wielders better than she ever could, Lanfen could not find the words to form any sort of retort. And so, the Adaptor simply remained silent, her gaze now fixated on her pendant while lights from the monitors reflected off its crimson surface. Ayano was about to speak up again when a message notification abruptly rang from the van's terminal.
Gently lifting her palm off Lanfen's inert sword-hand, Ayano returned to the terminal's designated chair before looking back at the Adaptor with an unfaltering smile. Lanfen honestly envied the confidence her teammate easily channeled, even if Ayano had no powers of her own. She would consider Ayano to be the team's unofficial leader if doing so didn't feel embarrassing. "We're always here if you need us, Jiang," Ayano stated. "That's what being your senior is about, after all. Right?"
Her sword-hand twitched at her side. "... Yeah," Lanfen muttered with a hesitant nod. "Thanks, Ayano." Once the brunette's attention returned to her work, Lanfen leaned against the cold walls of the van before releasing a silent sigh.
The Adaptor turned her head over to the front of the van and looked out the windshields where she could see snow descending from the skies above. It always felt especially peaceful right after the closure of a Distortion rift, but no matter how hard Lanfen attempted to appreciate this strange tranquility, the lingering, proverbial fires within her eyes would always prevent her from truly settling down. As Lanfen's hand took out her smartphone from her uniform's pocket, Lanfen gazed at the memento of her sister which hung from the device by a silver chain, and reminded herself of her oath. The oath of revenge which Lanfen had declared the very moment she was recruited into S.O.N.G.
The calming lo-fi tune that floated throughout Lanfen's living room accompanied her like a welcomed companion while she went about her daily chores. Cooking. Laundry. Dishwashing. All of them were little more than mundane tasks which Lanfen would go through time and time again through pure muscle memory. The ringing of an incoming transmission could come at any moment now, but that didn't stop her from carrying out her usual tasks as if today were like any other day. Having just finished a thorough sweep of the place with a broom and dustpan, the Adaptor stored the items inside a small closet before glancing around the living room for any spot she had left unclean.
Rays of afternoon light shone through the windows, illuminating the jacket of Lanfen's Adaptor uniform as it hung on the room's coat rack with her relic pendant and black-and-white tie. Placing a hand on her hip, Lanfen momentarily glanced at the silent wrist device on her arm before taking a couple hush steps around the bubbly living room. The dishes from lunchtime were all cleaned. Nothing in the laundry currently required her attention. And it was too early to be cooking dinner right now. Unaware of what her next chore should be, Lanfen absent-mindedly stepped over to the door of her training room when a glint of light flashed in the corner of her vision.
The Adaptor halted in her steps and reflexively turned around to the source, bringing her attention to none other than the doorknob of Kai's bedroom door.
A thin layer of dust had already accumulated on the metal knob. The same could most likely be said regarding the room behind the door itself. Although Lanfen could hardly go through a day without ensuring the cleanliness of her surroundings, the woman still could not bring herself to step into the vacant bedroom ever since she had stored all of Kai's belongings within it. Not for now at least. Not while Kai's killer was still out there somewhere. The elimination of her little sister's murderer was the only proverbial key which could unlock the door standing before her.
"Jie?"
Lanfen drew in a sharp breath and shivered when she realized that her gloved hand was suddenly centimeters away from grasping the dusty doorknob.
In less than a second, the Adaptor withdrew her halted hand, placing it back at her side as the tips of her fingers twitched ever so slightly. Unsure of what prompted her to reach out for the unoccupied room, Lanfen marched over to the kotatsu table, and dropped down on one of its sides in a hasty attempt to pull her thoughts somewhere else. She placed her elbows on the wooden furniture, squeezed her eyes shut, and tried to focus on the rhythmic music which was pouring out of the room's holo-player like water from a gentle stream. Whether or not it was actually doing anything, Lanfen could not tell. But this was the only thing that she could distract herself with right on the spot.
A metallic click arose from Shinonome's bedroom door. It was soon followed up by the woman's soft-spoken voice. "Jiang?"
Calming herself down with a practiced breath, Lanfen slowly reopened her eyes, and peeked over a stiff shoulder to see Shinonome standing underneath the doorway of her room with both of her hands hidden behind her back. The Adaptor tucked a strand of black hair behind her ear before attempting to return the silver-haired woman's pleasant smile with a small one of her own. "Was there... something you wanted?" Lanfen said, taking her heavy elbows off the table.
Replying to her question through a quick nod, Shinonome stepped out of the open doorway, hands still placed behind her back even while she made herself comfortable on an opposing side of the kotatsu table. The pleated sweater and long skirt she wore contrasted greatly with Lanfen's black-and-white undershirt and tactical pants. "There is... something I've been meaning to give you," Shinonome explained, sliding her legs beneath the table's heated blanket. "It admittedly took me quite a bit of time to prepare, so I can only hope that it's to your liking."
The Adaptor lifted a brow and rested her chin in the palm of a gloved hand as curiosity arose within her mind. It was far too early to be exchanging Christmas gifts, but Lanfen couldn't help but wonder what Shinonome had in store for her all of a sudden. If it was an item from her, Lanfen found it hard to believe that she would be disappointed by whatever the silver-haired woman intended on giving. Once Shinonome took a quick breath to steady herself, her hands moved away from her back, and settled themselves on the table between them, finally revealing the small item she had been hiding up until now.
It was a Valkyranger plushie - or to be specific - it was a hand-made plush representing Cassandra Jiang Lanfen herself in the distinct garb of a Valkyranger uniform.
Made in the same black-and-white colours of her Symphogear, Lanfen wordlessly blinked at the sight of the item while Shinonome fidgeted with the plush her hands. "I-I've been learning quite a lot of things lately. Cooking. Sewing. And even more. So, when we visited that store several days ago, Ayano and I assumed that it would be a good idea to get one of the toys to use as a basis for this." If Shinonome had instead explained to her that they were already making Valkyranger products based on Lanfen, the Adaptor would have believed her. Because the 'moe-fied' plush she held in her hands appeared no different from what they were already selling on the shelves. "Do you... like it?"
Snapping herself out of the bewildered daze she was in, Lanfen cleared her throat before carefully taking the soft plushie into her own palms. "I... I do," Lanfen quietly admitted, bringing the plush over to her side of the table as Shinonome twiddled her fingers. The Adaptor stroked her thumb against the toy's soft texture and held back a smile which was threatening to grow on her face. "Thanks, Shinonome," Lanfen muttered, gazing at the toy's monochrome helmet with an almost wistful stare. "It feels like an honour to be wearing this outfit of all things."
All the pent-up worry on Shinonome's face visibly disappeared in a heartbeat upon hearing those gentle words, now replaced by a slight, momentary shade of red that made Lanfen inadvertently tighten her throat. "I'm pleased to hear that, Jiang," Shinonome said, cupping one of her pale cheeks with a hand. "You could say that it felt... 'necessary'. All your comrades have such colourful characters to represent them as valiant protectors of the world. It would only be right to make something which could represent how you're just as brave and gallant as the rest of them."
The Adaptor pursed her lips at the woman's flowery sentiment, hands firmly gripped on to the handmade plush in her possession. 'Brave'. 'Gallant'. Lanfen silently questioned if either of those terms could realistically be applied to her of all people. Curious as to what sort of image Shinonome had of her, Lanfen placed the expertly-crafted toy in a sitting position on the table before staring at her sword-hand with narrowed eyes. Ever since Shinonome began living with her, the silver-haired woman had been occupying herself with all sorts of books, hobbies, and documentaries just to get herself acquainted with this world. Shinonome's curiosity was a water-well with no bottom and an unending eagerness to learn whatever she could.
"Shinonome," Lanfen began, getting a curious tilt of the head from her roommate. "Have... Have any of your memories managed to come back?" she hesitantly asked, knowing how rarely either of them - or their teammates - actually went out to inquire about the woman's past. While it was sensible to not prod the circumstances of a person who could not remember anything about herself, the fact that she was an Illuminati experiment just like previous threats to S.O.N.G. would undoubtedly be a proverbial elephant in the room to some of those outside the paranormal taskforce.
To the surprise of neither of them, Shinonome slowly shook her head with one hand still placed on her cheek. "I have been attempting all sorts of recommended methods to try and jog my memories. But sadly, nothing has managed to succeed in reminding me of whom I once was," Shinonome politely explained, sounding more curious than frustrated with her own lack of success thus far. "I suppose it's not unusual for someone like me to require more time in order to retain what was suddenly lost?"
"Point... taken," Lanfen murmured, glancing out of a nearby window with her chin back in the palm of her hand again. "Still..." She slowly pressed a fingertip into the soft plushie in front of her. "Is there anything that you would like to do, Shinonome?" Looking back at her roommate, Lanfen's vague question drew clear confusion over the woman's pale-white face, prompting her to explain further. "I mean- I always thought you looked uneasy whenever I would come back from a mission. You haven't been allowed to leave this place unless someone is with you as well, so I was just..." Lanfen paused. "... Worried if that's been affecting you."
Pulling a hand away from her cheek, Shinonome hid an amused giggle behind her palm before glancing around the living room with a face half-hidden by silver hair. "You overstate my circumstances, Jiang," Shinonome playfully teased her, rousing a slight stutter out of the Adaptor. "While my options may admittedly be limited, I certainly don't mind the company that you, Godai, and Ayano are able to provide me. Regardless of my situation, I'm quite grateful to be in the care of Team-04." Her golden eyes then went over to the suitcase which was resting next to the shelves. The metal suitcase that contained all of Shinonome's daily medicine. "But if there's one thing I would like to do... it's that I simply wish that I could be more useful."
"Useful?" Lanfen crossed her arms over her chest in confusion. "We share all our housework, don't we?"
"I'm aware we do. But when I mean 'useful', I mean that-" Shinonome pressed the tips of her index fingers against one another, suddenly unsure of the words she was initially attempting to utilize. "I'm referring to doing more than just sitting here, Jiang," she slowly explained, tearing a thoughtful gaze away from the suitcase. "Every time you and the others are called to head out and protect the innocent, I... can't do anything else but wait for you all to come back. I'm aware that there's little I can realistically do to help - and that it's nothing more than a silly wish - but even I have my own moments where I desire to help others, just like yourself."
'Protect the innocent'.
Lanfen wondered if Shinonome was ever the sort of person who could run out into danger, all for the sake of others. She possessed a heart that was far kinder than almost anyone Lanfen had ever met, and it was the one reason why the Adaptor found it difficult to imagine Shinonome willingly stepping onto a battlefield. Even if their enemies were nothing more than battle automata. Bringing this up with Godai and Ayano could maybe give her some helpful insight, but until then, it was just the two of them in this small apartment. Looking down at the black-and-white plushie on the table before her, Lanfen brushed a fingertip against the soft toy, and questioned if the gentle hands which created it could ever cause harm to another.
Lanfen's purple eyes met with Shinonome's pensive gaze. "Maybe I could-?"
An all-too-familiar thunderclap roared throughout the skies of Yamaku City, causing the pair's attention to swing over to the shaking windows as Lanfen's sword-hand twitched at her side.
The device on her wrist immediately rang with an incoming audio transmission from the S.O.N.G. submarine. Lanfen answered the call with a tap of a holographic prompt and rose up from the table. "This is SG-r04, reporting in," Lanfen declared, her heart racing within her chest. "What's the situation?"
The urgency in the bridge operator's voice was unlike anything Lanfen had heard over the past few incursions. "Lanfen, our scanners are detecting a powerful rift that's estimated to open in less than ten minutes!" Tomosato warned over the speakers, allowing both Shinonome and Lanfen to hear her within the walls of the small living room. "We've pinpointed its location and have just confirmed its presence within the outskirts of Yamaku City!"
"Here?!" Lanfen exclaimed as Shinonome worriedly clasped her hands together. Clicking her tongue at the twitching which was growing within her sword-hand, Lanfen drew in a practiced breath to calm the proverbial fires that were suddenly brewing within her eyes. If the Distortions had returned to Yamaku, then she was going to fight them off just like she did everywhere else across Japan. "Understood," Lanfen firmly stated. "SG-r04, heading out." Closing the communications line with another click of a holo-button, Lanfen retrieved her jacket, tie, and relic pendant from the room's coat rack before donning them in one quick sequence. "Shinonome-"
"I know," the woman calmly told her, blocking Lanfen's panicked words with a shushing finger which was held to the Adaptor's lips. "'Remain calm and follow any evacuation order you see'," Shinonome said, repeating the guidelines that Lanfen had taught her over the past few days verbatim. "Don't worry too much about me, Jiang," she insisted, appearing none too worried by the presence of a Distortion incursion. "Just come back safely, like you always do."
As Shinonome's index finger retracted itself from Lanfen's hushed mouth, the Adaptor held back the words she initially intended to speak, and replaced them with a sharp nod. "Of course," Lanfen said, fastening a black-and-white tie around her neck. If there was a time to bring up her roommate's wishes to Godai and Ayano, now wasn't the case. The encouraging smile Shinonome gave her wordlessly told Lanfen just as much. Now was the time to live up to the woman's image of her, and if it meant grinding the Distortion into grains of sand beneath her feet, then Lanfen was happy to oblige.