"You can go on ahead, Shino'. If Jiang's already awake, just hit us up with a text," was the advice Yuki gave to Shinonome right as they stepped inside the public hospital.
None of them knew how Jiang was going to react after waking up in a hospital bed, and that was before any of them even thought about how she'd be feeling after yesterday's events, both in a physical and mental sense. Komichi's advice was to take things slowly, so it was easy for them to suggest that Shinonome should be the first familiar face for Jiang to see. If Captain Yaiba was still stationed at the premise, neither Yuki nor Komichi spotted them yet. A quick look around the hospital's main lobby only allowed Yuki to see hospital personnel and chattering civilians minding their business around the reception desks and numerous lobby chairs. The atmosphere really didn't give the impression that this place used to be flooded with people after the Distortions' worldwide assault.
A soft pop came from an opened can of coffee in Yuki's hand. Never too late and never too early for one, she would always tell herself. So, while Yuki downed an entire can of coffee on a soft lobby chair, Komichi occupied the seat next to hers, quietly minding her business as an index finger gently flicked through the pages of a certain book. Bloom Into You. Yuki swore Komichi had reread the entire thing four times by now. And nothing short of an earthquake was going to snap the woman out of her Zen-like focus unless Yuki felt like tickling the book's well-kept cover with a kunai.
Between their legs sat a mundane suitcase. It contained not much else other than a simple change of clothes for their hospitalized Adaptor. Komichi went on and on about being morally obligated to buy Jiang a brand-new set of clothes, but it thankfully didn't take much time for Shinonome to rummage through Jiang's closet for something both comfortable and familiar. Yuki - of course - personally chose to side with the very person whom the Adaptor shared an apartment with.
A sudden ring subsequently resounded from the ponytailed-woman's brand-new wrist device, prompting Yuki to accurately toss her emptied can inside a nearby dustbin before leaving her comfortable seat. To absolutely none of Yuki's surprise, Komichi didn't even acknowledge the shifts in her surroundings for even a second while Yuki went over to one of the lobby's walls and answered the incoming audio transmission. "This is AG-4-1, reportin' in," she declared, standing before one of the hospital's many decorative paintings.
Another short glance around the lobby reassured Yuki that she was out of any civilian's earshot.
"Yuki, this is Tomosato," responded the bridge operator. It was roughly about 3 AM for Tomosato if the submarine's current location was anything to go by, and yet, the woman called in like she was still operating on a perfect 8-hour sleep schedule. "I'm contacting you to report an update regarding your inquiry from yesterday. I will also be uploading several files into the database for both you and Komichi to read through afterwards."
A report regarding Jiang's sudden attacker yesterday wasn't something Yuki expected to get so soon, but she definitely wasn't about to complain. Whoever shot the Adaptor in the middle of Yuki's attempt to calm her down was a lingering mystery neither Yuki nor Komichi were able to solve last night, even with the assistance of Task Force Harmony personnel.
"The investigators we've sent have completed their analysis of the situation, and unfortunately, none of them were able to uncover any concrete results. There is no available footage of the area at the time of the incident, and our scanner's records did not pick up any readable life-signs within the vicinity other than yours, Lanfen's, and Captain Yaiba's personnel." The bridge operator's report made Yuki scratch the back of her head. It wouldn't be unrealistic if the attacker had somehow hidden their signature. "While we are currently empty-handed, I will also report that Tsuchiya came forward two hours ago to take this case into his own hands. Whatever we may find next, you can expect an update to arrive through him instead."
Tsuchiya Kagero? Grandmaster Ogawa's top student and one of Commander Genjuuro's personal aides himself? Best thing Yuki had heard all day, really. While the few years she racked up in Clan Hida barely compared to other transfers like Tsuchiya Kagero and Ogawa Shinji, it was enough for her to personally witness what a decade of the Clan's teachings could do to a dedicated student unlike herself. If anything, this little mystery of theirs was probably going to be cleared up in less than a week now that they've got someone from the top on the case.
"Gotcha," Yuki replied with a smirk. "Thanks for the update, Tomosato. I'll be keepin' an eye out around these parts myself in the meantime, too. Cheers." And with those words said, she ended the transmission before rolling her sore shoulders. A sudden vibration within the pockets of her winter jacket then got Yuki to curiously pull out her smartphone.
"Jiang has awoken," read the text message from Shinonome. "She says it's fine if you two visited as well."
"Sleeping Beauty's already up, huh?" Yuki muttered to no one in particular. After sliding her phone back inside her cargo pants' pockets this time, the ponytailed woman waltzed back over to the lobby chairs, positioning herself right behind the backrest of Komichi's seat. "Hey, Komi'. It's time." Her modest call obviously fell on deaf ears, drowned out even further by the cheerful hum her friend was letting out with each flick of a page. "Oh, for the love of..." Yuki thrusted a hand downwards and effortlessly snatched the item right out of Komichi's fingers.
"H-Hey!"
"Our little sword's awake," Yuki playfully pointed out with Komichi's book all closed up in one hand. "And it's about time for us to pay her a visit."
Hopping out of the chair with both her arms held out at her sides, Komichi dramatically spun on one foot before pouting right back at Yuki. Sometimes, it was like they never left their days in Lydian Academy behind them. "W-Well, that's great to hear," Komichi admitted. "But, please don't do that again." The brunette then reached forward and took her precious book back without resistance, giving its cover a few gentle strokes for good measure. "Treasures such as these aren't easy to find nowadays, so I'd prefer to keep them in perfect condition."
"Says the lass who insists on bringing them into all sorts of undercover missions," Yuki dryly pointed out, earning her another exaggerated pout from Komichi. The amount of times Yuki found a misplaced yuri novel among their van's document storage could be counted on more than one hand by now. "Anyway, we better get going. Can't just leave everything to Shino' now, can we?"
Once Komichi's little book was soundly kept away, Komichi picked up the suitcase containing Jiang's clothes, and quietly followed Yuki through the peaceful corridors of the public hospital. The directions given to them through an earlier message from Captain Yaiba made things easy as the pair quickly found a specific door surrounded by many identical room entrances. Aside from the numerical designation on its surface, the door to Jiang's room was made distinct from all the other rooms through the placement of a pair of armed personnel. S.O.N.G. wasn't about to leave one of its Symphogear-Wielders unguarded, so it wasn't surprising when Commander Genjuuro requested the stationing of Task Force Harmony's soldiers.
A quick flash of their ID codes from their wrist devices permitted the duo entry after one of the full-helmeted guards wordlessly confirmed their respective numbers.
"Appreciated," Yuki said to them with a casual, two-finger salute before stepping inside.
To the relief of both women, things were looking about as fine as they could've expected.
"Am I doing this correctly, Jiang?"
"Yeah. Thanks. It's not every day I... have someone to actually help me with this."
While Yuki carefully closed up the door behind them, Komichi happily gave herself a moment to observe the sight in front of them: Shinonome was sitting on a chair next to Jiang's hospital bed, her hands delicately navigating their way through the Adaptor's unkempt hair to try and braid it back into its usual tidy shape. Jiang herself remained completely still in her elevated bed, both hands clearly holding on to a small black-and-white plush the same way Yuki used to do with her toys. It also wasn't hard to guess that Jiang had been crying some time earlier. Not that Yuki was about to point it out, of course. It was almost a relief - if anything - after dealing with Jiang's stoic exterior for about a week now.
"We don't happen to be intruding on anything, are we?" asked Komichi, who greeted both Jiang and Shinonome with a smile and a wink.
"Cut that out," Yuki said, making herself known through a sharp but playful bonk on the back of Komichi's head. The puppy-like yelp it got out of the cheeky brunette could have at least been a bit more convincing. "Hey there," Yuki said to the Adaptor this time, stepping over to the room's bed with her pouting friend in tow. "If you're wonderin' where your communicator went, don't worry about it. Komi' kept it inside the van, so you'll be getting that back soon, at least."
Through the use of a modest but secure hair-tie, Shinonome accomplished her task of turning Jiang's messy hair back into a braid on the woman's left shoulder. A quick thanks from the Adaptor afterwards led to a satisfied Shinonome putting herself back in her chair while Jiang slowly turned her attention to the arriving pair. "Ayano, Godai," Jiang began, lifting a contemplative gaze at them. Her hands visibly tightened their grip on the handcrafted plush in her grasp. "About what happened yesterday-"
Yuki instantly held up a palm, ceasing what they knew to expect from their old Lydian junior. "There's no need for any of that stuff," she claimed, casually relaxing both of her arms behind her head this time. "A lot of people got hurt. Sure. But the council thankfully intends on taking full responsibility for everything that happened. Pretty easy for them considering how deep their pockets run and all, right?" A supportive nod came from Komichi, who then placed the suitcase she carried on top of the room's bedside drawer. "So, yeah. You got nothin' to worry about. Other than your own recovery, of course," Yuki added with a small chuckle.
Narrowing her purple eyes in thought, Jiang let go of the small toy in her hands, and quietly clicked her tongue. "... Aren't all of you still in trouble because of me?"
"What we did was my idea from the start," Komichi smoothly added, proudly placing a hand on her chest even though disobeying orders could've given them far worse consequences. Their current orders to remain on standby was - funnily enough - all thanks to the woman's negotiation expertise. "The Commander and the Spokesperson wanted us to leave everything to Task Force Harmony. But since the idea sounded completely crazy to me, I didn't think there was any better way we could've actually handled the situation."
Yuki subconsciously brought one hand over to her own face, distinctively remembering how Jiang's crimson blade incinerated the tiny hairs off it through a simple glancing blow. "Oh, definitely," she dryly added. "But don't try and take too much of the credit, Komi'," Yuki said with a playful glance over at Shinonome. "What Shino' accomplished wasn't actually your idea to begin with."
The playful jab roused up another pout from her friend. Something like this never stopped being fun.
Despite their combined attempts at levity, Jiang did not shed the contemplative look in her eyes, which was probably par for the course when it came to her of all people. It did, at least, get the Adaptor to halt whatever apology Jiang must have been preparing as a giggling Shinonome spoke up beside the woman. "Have either of you received any updates from the doctor?"
It was Yuki who sated the silver-haired gal's possibly-unending curiosity. "They're willin' to discharge her once we get a few paperwork signed up," she explained, even if the exact logistical details were mostly likely better remembered by Komichi. "But before we go ringing up the staff, Komi' and I actually have somethin' to show you, Jiang." A quick flick of a hand prompted Komichi to produce a small digital tablet from the insides of her winter coat. While her friend inputted several commands into its interface, Jiang seemed to instinctively tense up at the ringing of its pressed keys.
"Are these new orders from the Commander?"
Yuki really couldn't stop herself from chiding the woman for her inability to 'switch off' the Adaptor side of her brain. "S.O.N.G. isn't the kind of organization that would give work to a hospital patient, pal." She then scratched the back of her head. "... Not as far as I know, at least." A flustered, incoherent apology of all things spilled from Jiang's mouth in response to Yuki's dry words, causing Shinonome to giggle in amusement again at her bedside. Whatever happened in this room while both Komichi and Yuki were absent, they did not know, but Jiang felt a lot 'softer' as a result of it. Vulnerable, even.
Maybe that's what being deprived of a relic pendant would do to a greenhorn Symphogear-Wielder?
With a sharp tap of a holographic prompt, the digital tablet in Komichi's hands emitted a large projection at the feet of Jiang's bed, showcasing a recorded video message from a member of Symphogear Team-03 in America: Tachibana Hibiki. Wielder of the Symphogear, Gungnir. Jiang's eyes instantly widened at the sight of the chestnut-haired woman, her hands once again holding on to the black-and-white plushie on her lap almost apparently out of reflex.
Tachibana herself sat on an orange-and-purple couch inside a tidy, modest apartment living room. She was also still in her Adaptor uniform, her orange tie and undershirt being the features which distinguished Tachibana from Jiang's own black-and-white variant of the same wear. After loudly clearing her throat, Tachibana reached for a bunch of messily-written notes on the coffee table in front of her, taking them into her hands for a quick memorization before lowering them again to focus on the camera. "Hi there, Jiang," Tachibana awkwardly began. "I hope you're doing well by the time you see this. And I'm sorry for not being able to do anything from all the way here. But if there's one thing I was told I can do... it's to send this recording."
"Hibiki!" a voice somewhere in the background called out to her. "Dinner is almost ready!"
The instant mention of food ignited a prominent flare within Tachibana's eyes, only for the Adaptor to restrain them in the face of the camera's ongoing recording. Both Kohinata and Tachibana definitely sounded like they were handling their stay in New York pretty well. "I'll be there in a few minutes!" Tachibana happily called back to her girlfriend, nearly dropping the crumpled notes in her grasp as she did so. "A-Anyway-!" She sat back down, straightened her back, and took in a deep breath.
Another quick look at her notes reminded Tachibana what she was about to say next.
The determined smile she wore didn't falter for even a split-second. "We've been hearing a lot from Godai and Ayano. How hard you've been fighting as the newest Adaptor. How you've been doing your best to protect everyone in Japan. And how stressful your... duties... have been for you lately." A pause followed up on her words and Tachibana placed her notes back down on the table, leaving them there to rely on nothing more than the feelings she wanted to relay without misunderstanding. "I know this won't instantly bridge things between us. It can't be easy being the Sword of Damocles' Wielder, and a lot of responsibilities are on your hands alone. But even so..."
Tachibana's distinct phrase. Sometimes, it felt contagious.
"... I want you to know that even with the burdens you carry, and the S.W.O.R.D. you're expected to wield-" Tachibana softened her gaze along with her smile, "-every one of us will always be happy to welcome you as one of the world's protectors, Jiang. No matter what. Heck, I'd treat you and your team to a meal with Miku and I if we could, but I guess we'll have to save it for when we can all get back together, huh?" the chestnut-haired woman happily laughed. "Keep on pushing forward with your chin up," Tachibana requested with a determined fist held up. "You have so many amazing people around you to rely on. And even if the power of the Symphogear may seem like a curse... a 'curse' is only a few switches away from being 'cures', right?"
The Wielder of Gungnir gave one last honest smile before the recording finally came to its conclusion.
Relieved to have received everyone's recordings just a few hours ago, Yuki leaned against the room's plain wall, and satisfyingly crossed her arms over chest.
An expected silence permeated the room as Komichi placed the digital tablet back inside her coat, stating, "You can look at all the messages from the other Wielders once you've been discharged." She waved a raised finger, adding, "A few of them are pretty long, too. But we wanted to make sure that you at least saw what Tachibana wanted to say. It may seem hard to believe, but all of them were really worried about you after they heard about what happened yesterday."
A sentiment Jiang herself most likely would've found hard to believe unless her own eyes saw one of the recordings, for sure.
The Symphogear-Wielders were an accepting lot. Tachibana, Akatsuki, Tsukuyomi, Chris, and the Kazanaris. Most of them have tossed threats and exchanged blows with each other at some point during their first few years as S.O.N.G.'s six main Adaptors. Heck, over half of them used to be actual enemies on the battlefield before they ended up fighting alongside Tachibana as dependable allies. The same could also be said of long-passed individuals like Carol and Saint-Germain, if the reports were anything to go by. But Jiang personally didn't see any of that. All she could see were the six heroines who saved the world time and time again, their fantastic feats all transformed into a heroic franchise practically everyone in Japan now knew about.
Heroines that just about anyone would find hard to live up to since they never witnessed just how much the six actually struggled to be the world's undefeated protectors.
Slowly, Jiang drew in a shaky breath and squeezed her eyes shut. She tried responding to Komichi's words, but nothing came out of her parted lips other than a stream of silence. Komichi and Yuki both stayed quiet. Next to the Adaptor, Shinonome carefully lifted an arm, and placed her palm on top of Jiang's trembling hand, subtly easing its persistent shaking.
"Do you need some alone time?" Yuki carefully asked, unsure if she wanted any space right now.
"... It's fine," were the words which squeezed themselves out of Jiang's throat. "You can stay." It sounded more like a plea than a direct statement.
And so, both Yuki and Komichi abided by their junior's words, letting the conversation between them remain sparse as they sat on the sidelines, and allowed Jiang to process the feelings personally conveyed by Tachibana herself. The heroine who defeated Shem-Ha almost five years ago, and the person who Chris insisted would always reach out a hand to someone as long as they were willing to reach her back. When Yuki and Komichi first found themselves assigned to Jiang, they honestly didn't know how to treat her. A combination of her little sister's passing, and the true purpose of her Armed Gear, made them go with just treating her like an old junior who had reunited with her seniors. But their hesitation - in the end - probably led them to this hospital room to begin with.
"Thank you," Jiang whispered to them, lifting the silence. "For everything."
Pushing herself back onto her two feet, Yuki went over to the foot of Jiang's bed and rested one palm on its railing. "This is just one of the first things we should honestly be doing, Jiang," she remarked, seeing the Adaptor's hands tighten themselves around the black-and-white plush in her fingers. "We're on standby until further notice, and with all this free time we've got on hand, all of us are willing to do whatever we can to help. No matter what it takes." A glance followed up on her promise, aimed at both Shinonome and Komichi. "Right, you two?"
"Certainly." Shinonome was the first to declare.
Komichi added a cheerful nod to her own words. "It's my job to watch out for an old junior of ours, after all."
Things were going as well as Yuki could've wanted. "So, if there's anything you want," Yuki continued. "Don't be afraid to ask us, alright?"
Jiang's right-hand twitched. A habitual tic both Yuki and Komichi noticed since a couple days ago.
Reopening her reddish, purple eyes, Jiang settled an unsure gaze on Yuki with pursed lips. "Then... I would like to request something, Godai. Something I'd... like to do after we leave this place." Yuki showed no disagreement in response, letting the Adaptor explain herself further while Komichi and Shinonome listened on intently. "There's a place I want you to take us." Her words carried none of the steel Jiang typically spoke with. "A location I've been thinking about for a while now, but always hesitated about actually going."
Commander Genjuuro's clacking footsteps echoed through the corridors of the S.O.N.G. submarine on the way to the Professor's laboratory, chasing away a silence that had fallen upon the vessel ever since the Wielders vanquished the last of the Category-3 Distortions. Peacetime. Such a thing had become rare these days, giving Genjuuro the impression that the Distortions were always about to knock on their door any moment now. Still, the crew of the S.O.N.G. vessel earned their respite, and the last thing he would ever do was keep his crew running till they were on the verge of collapse. A negotiation for better pay was undoubtedly needed from the world council if they were going to continue operating at this extensive rate.
Taking a turn around a sharp corner, the Commander spotted a figure ahead to notice Tsuchiya Kagero standing in front of the upcoming corridor's designated vending machine. The blonde man was currently Genjuuro's only available right-hand man ever since Shinji needed to be stationed in England with Tsubasa and Maria. "Tsuchiya," Genjuuro called over to him, prompting Kagero to acknowledge the Commander with evident stretches of black beneath his young eyes.
"Greetings, Commander," Kagero said, turning himself to lower his body into a momentary bow. "Is there something you require of me?"
All business and no fun. Evidently a student of Ogawa Shinji's teachings. "None at all, actually." Genjuuro looked over to the disposal bin beside the vending machine and noticed at least 2-to-4 emptied cans of black coffee. A fifth can already sat inside the pick-up box of the machine itself, causing the Commander to cross his arms with a raised brow. "I was just wondering how you've been doing over the past week. The Grandmaster tells me that you've been keeping yourself occupied lately. And while I'm sure Shinji would approve of your efforts, I'd prefer it if you didn't burn yourself out working too hard."
Folding both of his hands behind his back in a typical display of formality, Kagero politely dismissed Genjuuro's concerns with a steady smile. The attempt would have worked if the young man didn't bear the obvious eyebags on his face. "I assure you that I'm quite alright, Commander," Kagero claimed, getting down on one knee so he could fish out the cold can of coffee from the vending machine near them. "Judging by the investigations I've been conducting, there have been no detected cases of homicide in Japan ever since the murder of Morikawa Renge. Some would see this inactivity as good fortune, but I would be ashamed to let my guard down so easily."
The light popping of an opened tin can pierced the quiet air.
Kagero made sure to take a quick whiff of the coffee in his hands. "Though, I would admit that I was rather surprised to hear of Jiang's mysterious assailant yesterday," the young man added, furrowing his brows in deep calculative thought. "If fate is kind enough to us all, such an individual may hopefully allow us to uncover the ones responsible for the Sword of Damocles' initial theft."
If only things were that easy, Genjuuro mused to himself, wondering if he too should have a can of caffeine. But after deciding to spare his tongue the taste of any more coffee, the Commander focused on the young man again, saying, "I won't discourage you from your duties, Tsuchiya. It would only be right to arrest the one responsible for all these recent murders. Especially after the loss of a fine comrade." A fifth emptied can of coffee was dropped into the nearby bin with a small clunk. "I will only request that you keep yourself from digging too deep, lest you end up in a situation far larger than you expected. Understood?"
Placing his hands behind his back again, Kagero answered the Commander with a sharp bow. "I understand, Commander." The young man then lifted his head and adjusted the disheveled collar of his black suit. "My apologies, but I'll have to take my leave now, Commander. I am currently expecting another report from my compatriots in less than ten minutes."
"Go right ahead," Genjuuro told him, stepping aside so Kagero could head down the corridor from which the large man came from. A shared nod ended the conversation there as the Commander took the time to watch while his new right-hand man headed off for whatever that required him. For someone who had just recently lost one of his own, Kagero appeared far more restrained than Genjuuro initially expected of such a youthful lad. Another result of Shinji's strict teaching, perhaps.
Continuing his march over to Professor Elfnein's laboratory, it took Genjuuro two more turns around a bunch of corners for him to finally reach the lab's sliding door. He declared his ID code into a receiver next to the entrance and made his way through the automatic entrance without further hassle. Once inside, Genjuuro carefully navigated his way past the laboratory's numerous tall shelves, making sure not to bump into any of the Professor's countless gadgets before approaching the large terminal up ahead. There, sat Professor Elfnein, who was within the comforts of her personalized chair - and judging by the looks of it - already fast asleep.
The Professor's arms laid themselves on top of the terminal's desk, giving the teenager an improvised pillow for her head to rest on as her shoulders rose up and down with the rhythm of her breathing.
Commander Genjuuro himself couldn't be surprised. Professor Elfnein sounded like she was on the tip of exhaustion when she had called him to her laboratory, and if Tomosato's claims were accurate, the Professor had not achieved a sliver of sleep ever since Lanfen's relic pendant arrived in the submarine by helicopter. The same could be said of Genjuuro himself, admittedly. The activation of the S.W.O.R.D. may have defeated the Category-3 in Japan, but nobody on the bridge deemed it a worthy cost for the destruction Lanfen caused afterwards. It was practically a miracle that nobody lost their life in the ensuing rampage.
The last thing the Commander needed right now was the fallout of a Symphogear-Wielder having claimed the life of a human being.
Listening to the soft breathing of the Professor while she slept, Genjuuro examined the laboratory's surroundings, and quickly found a folded-up blanket stationed on a nearby shelf. His height made it easy to reach the item before he unraveled it and carefully draped the blanket over the teenager's sleeping form. With how things were looking right now, all Genjuuro could do was to examine the terminal's active screen in front of them, witnessing recorded footage of the operation in Yamaku City merely a day ago alongside displays of other ongoing experiments.
Records of the Sword of Damocles' Aufwachen waveform. An analysis of Lanfen's brain waves at the time of the S.W.O.R.D.'s activation. Records of her converter unit's internal systems. And lastly, a report on the S.W.O.R.D.'s emotional dampeners, which led to a hypothesis regarding the subsequent breaking of those very suppressants. But all of these were only half of the work that the Professor had been conducting merely overnight. While Professor Elfnein was already in the midst of formulating a new sub-system which could prevent another situation similar to yesterday's rampage, the Professor had also set her sights on a discovery that none of the world's top researchers had yet to truly uncover.
The scientific causes behind the Distortion rifts.
The absence of Lanfen's relic pendant was a sensation she could not begin to comprehend.
Even though her wrist device was now back in her possession, the ruby-like crystal itself felt like it was a part of her ever since Lanfen subconsciously uttered the hymns of her transformation chant. One could say that it was a physical reminder of the point in her life where everything took a turn in a completely different direction. Even if this return to normalcy was only temporary, Lanfen practically strode the path of a normal civilian again, carrying the distinct knowledge of the paranormal beings which threatened the world. A Symphogear team without an actual Symphogear. Nonetheless, the free time they had right now was a luxury few in S.O.N.G. had these days, so Lanfen intended to spend it wisely.
A few words from Godai behind her brought Lanfen's attention back to her surroundings. "That's the place, huh?"
The Mitakihara Disaster Memorial. Constructed in memoriam of those who were lost during the Distortions' global attack, the expansive, open-air memorial was going to be the first out of many that were proposed by the Japanese government. It was situated right next to one of Mitakihara's artificial riverbanks, and designed to be capable of accommodating the hundreds who arrived to pay their respects. The winter air surrounding the memorial itself was particularly thick. It had taken the group some time to find an open in its parking lot. Having arrived here mere minutes ago, Lanfen could see the setting sun in the horizon, its incandescent form currently casting a dying glow across Mitakihara's white skies.
Descending snow gently fell upon the memorial's concrete flooring and the bouquets of flowers each of the four women carried, drawing the pure-white image of a winter realm juxtaposed by the locale's official purpose. Situated around the wide-open area were countless tall plaques of marble which stood larger than the average person. Each plaque carried the engraved names of those who lost their lives on Japanese soil, and numerous people could be seen gathering around these objects of marble with their hands clasped together in prayer.
Godai and Ayano understandably kept themselves quiet ever since the team stepped into the memorial's perimeter. Shinonome, on the other hand, was casting a sympathetic glance at the organized plaques around them, witnessing the numerous names written into each and every one of them. But Shinonome did not let her curiosity slow down her pace while the four navigated between the tall blocks of marble, silently going through countless lists of the deceased until they found the one commemorative plaque Lanfen had come here for to begin with. A particular plaque at the edge of the memorial which held a name few actually spoke of nowadays.
"Cynthia Jiang Kai-Ming."
Shifting the bouquet in her hands so that it rested beneath a single arm, Lanfen slowly lifted a freed hand from her side before brushing its fingertips against the engraved name. The cold marble bit into her bare finger with the teeth of winter. The very same way the icy winds had done so on the night Lanfen lost her sister. If she was about to cry, then it would seem that Lanfen was out of tears for today. All she could do instead was part her chapped lips before uttering a single sentence in the language their mother - Margaret Jiang Pao-Lin - taught them years before she would leave their lives.
"Take care, Mei."
The Mandarin phrase exited her dry throat without issue before it accompanied the numerous prayers uttered by everyone else in the memorial's premises. After withdrawing her hand away from the cold marble, Lanfen set about placing her flowers at its base, a gesture soon followed up by Godai, Ayano, and lastly, Shinonome. Once all four bouquets had joined the countless other flowers left behind all the other visitors, Lanfen took a moment to witness their lush colours, remembering how these were the very same sort of flowers Kai and her would bring to their parents' gravestone.
She wondered what both of their parents would say about the path Lanfen now found herself standing in.
Ever since she attained her title as a Symphogear-Wielder, Lanfen would constantly insist to herself that both of them would have encouraged her to wield the Sword of Damocles. All to ease the souls of the departed, while also obtaining a purpose in life through the very organization they had operated in until their demise. And yet, Lanfen now could no longer hold faith in such an assumption without sensing the bitter, proverbial taste of a self-serving lie on her tongue. So much could have been prevented. She knew that well by now. Their father would always boast about the strength in relying on others, but the passing years evidently blanketed the memories of those Lanfen could never expect to return.
Kai would've gladly chastised her for forgetting if she could.
"I'd like you to also have some friends of your own. Find someone you like. I'm doing just fine myself, so you don't have to keep doing everything for me at the expense of yourself."
Kai's words lingered within the halls of Lanfen's hazy mind. A memory from their last ever meal together. Right before the Distortions first struck their world.
Staring into the palm of an opened sword-hand, Lanfen felt nothing from her stiff fingers. Not even a hint of the twitching which had plagued her ever since that dreaded night. Lanfen didn't know whether to feel relieved or confused, but she accepted it anyway before allowing the hand to rest back at her side. This time, Lanfen brought her attention over to the faces of her three teammates behind her, and watched as they all wordlessly waited for her. Godai Yuki. Ayano Komichi. Shinonome Aiko. Lanfen trained relentlessly so she could protect each and every one of them. But it was her who needed to be saved in the end. The one who actually possessed the paranormal power of a Symphogear.
Until today, at least.
Nothing could convey the aching feeling in her chest. Not even a single word. And yet, the patient expressions on each of their faces told Lanfen well enough that maybe she didn't need to do such a thing.
Resting one hand on her hip, Lanfen gave herself one last glance at the plaque in front of them before a familiar voice politely addressed her.
"Cassandra Jiang Lanfen?"
That voice. It was one Lanfen remembered often hearing beneath the cover of a full-face helmet. Turning around in unison with the rest of Team-04, Lanfen subsequently came face-to-face with the well-dressed person who had clearly called out her name. Her purple eyes first focused on the distinct Task Force Harmony armband the person before them donned. Their short, black hair was kept well within the limits of military standards. A bouquet of flowers rested underneath one of their arms while their other arm laid injured within a sling and a cast. Sunset light reflected off the badge on their chest, indicating their rank.
"Captain Yaiba," Lanfen slowly addressed them in return, prompting Godai and Ayano to do the same at her sides.
When the three attempted to follow up their procedural greeting with a regular salute, the Captain quickly dismissed their gestures through the wave of an uninjured palm. "Neither of us are currently on duty, so there's hardly a need for any formalities," they lightly pointed out with an amused smile. "Greetings, Team-04. I'm pleased to see that you're already out of the hospital as well, Miss Cassandra. I'd recommend not pushing yourself too hard in the meantime, though. Modern medicine has its limits."
"... Understood, Captain." Hesitantly lowering a lifted hand alongside Godai and Ayano, Lanfen's eyes slowly panned over to the Captain's arm as it hung on a medical sling. Even though nobody had been willing to show her any recordings of her rampage across Yamaku City, Lanfen felt that it was a safe guess to assume that she was responsible for the broken limb. She couldn't look at the injured arm for any longer than five seconds without grimacing ever so slightly. "I take it that you have business with me?" Lanfen inquired of them.
The Captain answered with a sharp nod, "My apologies if this may seem sudden, but I would like to have a discussion with just yourself, Miss Cassandra." They then motioned to Shinonome, Ayano and Godai with an unharmed palm. "As long as it's not inconvenient for your team, that is."
Ayano was the first to answer them. "It should be fine with us. We'll just wait for Jiang at the entrance." Placing her hands on the shoulders of both Shinonome and Godai, the brunette subsequently assured Lanfen with a small nod. "Just don't take too long, alright? We have a nice buffet to head to, after all." A casual shrug from Godai indicated no complaints with Ayano's suggestion. Shinonome, on the other hand, clearly hesitated at the thought of leaving Lanfen's side even for a moment. It took the smallest of smiles from Lanfen and a small pat in the back from Godai for Shinonome's pensiveness to visibly settle down.
"I apologize again for the suddenness of my request," Captain Yaiba said before looking over at Shinonome. "But before we part, I would like to also extend my thanks to you, Miss Shinonome." The silver-haired woman in question understandably tilted her head in confusion. "I owe you much for the bravery you displayed," they quickly elaborated. "If it wasn't for what you did, I'm sure Task Force Harmony would've been unable to actually settle the situation."
"I s-see," Shinonome stammered, giving a polite nod for good measure. "I assure you that the action I undertook was simply the right thing to do, Captain."
Sagely nodding at the woman's polite insistence, Captain Yaiba gave the trio a farewell bow while Ayano proceeded to bring Godai and Shinonome with her past the groups of civilians around them. Once the three were out of sight, a quick gesture from the Captain indicated Lanfen to accompany them across a stretch of the memorial's open-air perimeter. The crunching of their footfalls filled in the silence between them. Neither Captain Yaiba nor Lanfen notably held the power they normally wielded in the face of a Distortion incursion. As they currently were now, both individuals appeared no different from all the other mourning civilians in sight, even with the distinct armband on the Captain's arm.
Eventually, the pair halted beneath the shadow of another marble plaque and Lanfen kept quiet as the Captain settled their bouquet at its already-crowded base. Captain Yaiba then closed their eyes in a wordless prayer, undisturbed by the frozen bits of white that fell from the skies above them. One minute passed. Two minutes passed. Three minutes. And then, four. The Captain's reopened eyes marked the end of whatever they intended on conveying to the departed, giving Lanfen a cue to speak up again.
"What were their names?" Lanfen carefully asked, reading the engraved writings on the black marble.
The Captain didn't even hesitate with their answer. "Yaiba Yua," they said, letting loose a small, wistful sigh soon after. "She was my mother. We were all in Tokyo at the time of the attack. She maybe could've made it if we didn't get separated during the confusion." Their uninjured arm combed its fingers through the side of their black hair, brushing off some of the snow which dotted it with white. "Sometimes I miss her. Sometimes I don't. Can't really explain it, but it is what it is."
Spotting the declared name on the plaque's engraved list, Lanfen stowed her hands inside the pockets of her black jacket, the black-and-white scarf around her neck perfectly keeping her warm in the face of the winter breeze. "... You have my condolences, Captain."
"The feeling is mutual," they quickly responded with a chuckle. "After everything calmed down yesterday, I got to hear from your friends about what happened to your sister. Said it was what led to the whole thing aside from a stupid decision by the council." The reminder of Lanfen's actions felt like salt on open wounds, but she at least found a sort of amusement in hearing them openly express derision for the higher-ups. "S.O.N.G. and Task Force Harmony. I guess it's not hard to find those who carry out their duties for their own personal reasons, huh?"
It was to be expected, Lanfen felt. Their line of work would undoubtedly bring many who had been personally affected by creatures like the Noise and the Distortions alike. "You've got a point there," Lanfen dryly responded before focusing again on the Captain's slung arm. "... How long is that... expected to heal, if I may ask?" A part of her still wanted to apologize for it, but Lanfen knew that it would only be rebuked like every other apology she's attempted thus far.
"Going by the doctor's orders? No more than two days," they simply replied. "But, I guess I should get to the point of why I asked to speak with you, shouldn't I?" The shifting of the topic made Lanfen inadvertently tense up as the Captain focused their eyes on the tall plaque. "Tell me, Miss Cassandra, will you be able to control the S.W.O.R.D. the next time you're forced to unsheathe it?" Their tone was hush. Just enough for Lanfen to hear while still avoiding the earshot of the numerous civilians around them.
Drawing in practiced breath, Lanfen pulled her sword-hand out of her pocket, and grasped the black-and-white scarf around her neck for comfort. The simple presence of Shinonome's lingering scent eased the growing tension within her shoulders. "It's the only thing I can realistically do, isn't it?" she dryly told them. "Even though my sister's killer is still out there somewhere... I... I can't use that as an excuse to repeat what happened." The fact that nobody perished from her tranquil rampage felt like an act of divine intervention.
A warning of what could have happened had Lanfen fully given herself into the fires within her eyes.
Stroking their smooth chin at the sound of her firm words, Captain Yaiba continued, "I understand what you're going through. I really do. And I'm sure you're aware by now that what you're carrying is easier to bear when you let yourself rely on your compatriots. Plenty of people in Task Force Harmony learn to do exactly that to help steel themselves in the face of what we fight daily." Lanfen quietly pursed her lips at the Captain's statement. "I will promise you this: We will find the ones responsible for the events of that night. Even if they're content with hiding for now, our guard is never down. Until then, I want to simply ask that you take the time to reign in your emotions. I've personally known many who ended up in an early grave because of their inability to do so."
Swallowing Captain Yaiba's words felt like a bitter pill. But it was something Lanfen knew she needed to hear outright from someone who bore an injury she herself caused with her own two hands. "... I understand, Captain. Thank you, really." Reaching into the upper pockets of her black jacket this time, Lanfen carefully drew out her smartphone, causing a few light jingles to resound from a toy which hung from the device by a silver chain. The gift Lanfen gave to Kai before everything happened. "I... look forward to working alongside you again next time," Lanfen honestly said to them. "I've no complaints so far collaborating with you."
"Again, the feeling is mutual," they responded before letting out a small laugh. "So, what do you plan on doing for now, Miss Cassandra?"
Tearing her narrowed eyes away from the memento of her sister, Lanfen slowly peered behind them, and gazed past the hundreds of people standing around the memorial. There - at the entrance of the area - stood the three other members of Symphogear Team-04. All of them were quietly conversing with each other on a topic she could not hear from where she stood. While Lanfen could still feel the proverbial fires lingering in the depths of her eyes, the pleasant smile Shinonome wore kept their persistent flames at bay. The proverbial scar left behind by Kai's death would not - and could not - heal so soon.
But even so, Lanfen found herself believing for once that she could grab on to the hands everyone else extended towards her.