The giant Autoscorer's blow caused a huge explosion on the SONG submarine. Thankfully, the main bridge ejected off before too much damage had been inflicted. It fired off a pod, where Chris jumped out, still in her Ignite form. She formed a massive longbow and aimed it at the huge Autoscorer.

ARTHEMIS SPIRAL

She fired the shot, as it expanded in size to a huge missile. Instead of exploding on contact, it tore right through the side of the massive Autoscorer's abdomen. There was a small pause, before it finally went up in a huge explosion. The resulting waves slammed into the ejected bridge. Chris landed on the hull, looking at the disturbed water.

"Our HQ… They want to destroy everything in one shot…"

Inside the HQ, the destruction was thankfully minimal. Aoi was the first to wake up, as she saw Elfnein protectively hugging her. She looked down to see her dress was bloody.

"Elfnein-chan!"

"I'm not… being controlled by anyone." She said, passing out in Aoi's grasp. The SONG employee gently held her, as Kirika, Shirabe and Jeanne ran in.

"Is she okay, dess?" Kirika asked.

"She needs first-aid, quick!" Shirabe said.

"I'm on it!" Jeanne shouted, running to the nearest medkit.

"Wait, what about your eye?" Fujitaka asked.

"My life isn't the one in danger at the moment." Jeanne said, opening the kit.

"Open your eyes, Elfnein-chan!" Aoi nearly shouted. "Elfnein-chan!"

Rui Tachibana was at the cafe again, sitting in the booth with her father. They hadn't ordered anything, and were simply sitting there. The waitress didn't come by, sensing that they didn't want the menu just yet.

The older Tachibana looked at her phone, as Hibiki sent a text message of support. She was on the floor below, just in case anything happened. She put away her phone, before looking at her father.

"What do you even want to talk about?" Rui asked.

Her father tapped the table. "Rui, how are your mother and grandmother?"

"They're both fine." Rui said. "Mom… Mom's strong. And you know Grandma."

"Fair enough." Akira chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. He remembered how his mother-in-law had often scolded him as he was often lenient when raising his daughters. "I'd love to see them again, but there's something that has to be cleared up first."

"That I'm a failure of a daughter, right?" Rui guessed.

"No, not that!" Akira said, stunned. "Why do you keep thinking that?!"

"You left when you thought I died." Rui said. "If you left the family then, it was my fault, right? It makes sense."

"That's not what-"

"There you go." Rui said. "That's cleared up-"

"No it's not!"

Rui's eyes widened, as her father slammed his palm onto the table. She tensed up briefly, as her father calmed down.

"Sorry about that." He said, sitting back down. "But Rui, it wasn't your fault. It was never yours. It was mine."

"What do you mean?"

"Rui… the day you and Hibiki were born was the happiest day of my life. I know for a fact that it was the same for your mother as well." Akira said, softly smiling. "You know how much your mother and grandmother love you. If they were to hear that you blamed yourself, it would break their hearts. Hibiki's told me how much it's been eating away at her, how she can't help you."

"I…"

Rui remembered hearing her sister cry.

"You shouldn't be asking me for forgiveness, there's nothing to apologize for!" Her father said, getting to the point. "I should be the one begging for your forgiveness, for abandoning you and the family because of my own weakness!"

"But-"

"No, none of that." Akira said. "You said you wanted to grow up to be a hero, right? I'm sure a real hero would be able to get past something they're not responsible for."

"Dad…"

"Rui, I want you to let go of blaming yourself." Akira said. "You need to understand that it was my fault, not yours."

Rui was silent, before she stared out the window in deep thought.

Could she really do it? Put it all behind her? She spent years blaming herself for her father leaving… was there really a way for her to stop now?

"...I-"

CRACK

Rui's eyes widened as the sky cracked open. Her father looked out the window as well.

"Wh-What the hell is that?"

Rui narrowed her eyes as a massive structure lowered itself from the crack. She had a bad feeling about this.

"World Destructor System set up." Dr. Ver announced, as his monstrous arm was on some sort of control panel. "I've locked the Château's functionality in automatic mode."

He chuckled like a maniac, before pulling his hand off. Carol stared at him, as he started to boast.

"Did you see that?" He asked. "My left arm needs no trigger element! All relics that come in contact with it bend to my will!"

"The Autoscorers have recorded all the cursed melodies I need." Carol said. "Now I can finally shatter the world into pieces."

"Huuuuh?" Ver said, raising a brow. "Shatter the world?"

Carol nodded. "It's a task my father left me."

Carol, live on and experience more of the world. She remembered his words as he was burnt alive.

"I understand, Father!" Carol said, eyes blank with insanity. "That's why I'm going to take this world apart, bit by bit! If I can analyze it all, the secrets of the universe will be an open book to me!"

"So you seek supreme knowledge." Ver said. "And what do you mean to achieve once you have it, young lady?"

"Nothing."

"...huh?"

"My father instructed me to know the world." Carol said. "No more, no less."

Ver sighed, putting a hand on his face as he turned away from her.

"You have no dreams, young lady?" He held up his arms to express himself. "A hero dreams without limit, and they inspire others to dream too! If you let yourself be satisfied by this paltry mission, you'll never reach your full potential!"

"What did you say?" Carol asked, glaring at the man.

Hibiki picked up her ringing phone, as she stared at the structure in the sky. Why did this have to happen when Rui and her father met up again?

"Yes?" Hibiki spoke, as she saw her sister run down the stairs to join her. Their father was behind, looking curiously at the large castle.

"Hibiki-chan! Rui-chan!" Aoi said. "So we made it through. Commander! The communications have been restored."

"The hell is happening, Commander?" Rui asked, her hand to her comm link.

"Let me brief you." Genjuro told the two of them as they ran outside. "Carol's meticulously constructed plan has just entered its final phase."

"Wait, what?!" Rui said.

"Elfnein was injured in an enemy attack." Genjuro said. "We've administered first aid, but she's still in danger."

"I'm… fine…" Elfnein said, as Shirabe helped her sit up. "So please, let me stay here!"

"Elfnein-chan…" Hibiki said.

"We're currently en route to Tokyo." Genjuro said. "Once all the Symphogear users and SOUL are assembled, you are to engage. Until then…"

"Understood. We'll help with the evacuation to prevent further damage." Hibiki said.

"Dad." Rui said. "Get out of here. We'll handle this-"

"No." He said, crossing his arms. "I don't know what exactly is going on, but I'm not leaving you two. Not this time."

Hibiki smiled, but Rui looked away.

"Fine. Do whatever you want." Rui said. "You can start by helping us get civilians out of the way."

"Did you just refer to the grand mission bequeathed to me by my father as "paltry"?!" Carol demanded.

"You bet I did!" Ver laughed. "Frankly, with that small-minded attitude of yours, I'm not sure you can complete it at all."

"What was that?" Carol asked in a low voice.

"Transcending the boundaries of the universe and attaining supreme knowledge is something only a hero may do!" Ver said with a grin. "And I'd wager a lady of as short a stature of yourself might find the hero's costume a few sizes too large!"

Carol scoffed as Ver continued to rant.

"Looks like I remain this world's one true hero! No one even comes close!" Ver laughed as he walked past her. "This is my calling! A hero must take the reins!"

"And do what?" Carol said, her hand slowly glowing with alchemic power.

Ver was more than happy to explain. "Needless to say, I'll act in humanity's interests, transcend the bounds of good and evil, take control of the Château de Tiffauges and-"

The words of the madman were cut-off. He stared down to see a blade piercing out of his stomach.

"Oh…"

"Cease your mad ramblings." Carol said, having impaled him with Dur da Blá. "A side character like you could never become a hero."

She pulled out the blade. Ver tried to attack, but Carol blasted him into the railing with a gust of wind. He groaned, putting a hand over his stomach, looking at his own blood.

"What are you doing…?" He asked. "That's not how you should use a musical instrument."

"The Château has been activated, and the world-dissection program is running automatically." Carol said as she walked up to him. "Your efforts were much appreciated, Dr. Ver."

She raised her weapon, a sadistic smile on her face.

"And now, I shall dissect the world on my own!"

"No! Not my beautiful face!" Ver cowered, holding up his arm to defend himself.

Carol swung, barely missing as Ver leaned back to avoid it, only to plummet off the edge.

"This can't be!" He screamed as he plunged into the depths of the Château.

Carol looked down at the darkness. "I ended up disposing of him earlier than planned."

She winced, holding her chest and leaning against the railing. She could feel the pain of her body ceasing to work.

"I can't stop now…" Carol said. "I'll get rid of anything that stands in the way of my plan."

She pulled up a screen, smirking at what she saw.

Hibiki and Rui had been guiding citizens to safety. Their father supported them whenever he could, and eventually, every pedestrian was far away from the main site.

"I think that's the last of them." Rui said. "Now we should probably-"

"Oh? So that's your father?"

"Um… Hibiki? Rui? There's someone floating in the sky." Akira said, pointing upwards.

The twins turned to see their enemy waiting for them, holding onto their harp.

"Carol-chan…" Hibiki said.

Rui simply cracked her knuckles, before pulling her Proto-Gear off her neck and getting ready to fight.

"Though I've yet to grow accustomed to this body, I couldn't resist the urge to have your dying scream be the first note of the apocalypse." Carol told them.

"Is this your doing, Carol-chan?" Hibiki asked.

"Indeed it is." Carol confirmed. "It is my castle, the Château de Tiffauges. The mechanism I devised that will use the Alca-Noise to dissect the world."

"The world?" Rui repeated. "Like you mentioned already?"

"I recall your sister whining about how endlessly she couldn't fight. Does that still hold?" Carol asked.

Rui briefly glanced at Hibiki, who shook her head. The two of them pulled out their pendants, but Carol shot a blast of wind that knocked away Hibiki's.

"My Gear!" Hibiki shouted, as it clattered down the street.

"Don't think I'll allow you the chance to use it!" Carol said.

GUNGNIR! AUTHORIZED

"Well, you already failed that!" Rui shouted, as she took up a stance, her Proto-Gear already inserted.

RELIC BATTLE MODE; READY

"Henshin!"

KAGUTSUCHI: GUNGNIR MODE

With a burst of crystals, Rui transformed and stood protectively in front of her father and sister.

"I shall take up the mission my father entrusted me, and take on the world!" Carol declared.

"Your father…" Hibiki said, before having a sudden realization. "Wait…"

"Be glad your dad left you anything!" Rui shouted. "Be glad that you weren't a damn failure to him!"

"Rui…" Her father said quietly.

"Then you don't understand me at all." Carol said, aiming her hand. "This makes it easier!"

She fired a blast of wind, and Rui crossed her arms to block the blast. She dug her feet into the ground and was being pushed back.

"Ggh… Hibiki! Dad! Move!"

Akira quickly grabbed Hibiki, pulling her to the side. Rui screamed as the wind grew stronger, sending Rui into the ground.

"Oneesan!" Hibiki shouted, running towards the crater.

"Rui!" Her father called.

Carol moved her arm and aimed at the man.

"I'll begin my study by dissecting you." She said.

"Don't you touch him… YOU DAMN BRAT!"

Rui jumped right out of the crater, bringing down a heel to Carol. The strike was blocked by a shield, with Carol effortlessly holding up her arm. The rogue alchemist grabbed her by the throat, before throwing her straight back down into the pavement, cracking it. Rui groaned, trying to stand up as Carol lowered herself by her.

"Is this really all that you can do?" Carol asked. "I'll end this quickly then."

Rui only watched as Carol prepared to blast her again… only for a rock to clock Carol in the back.

"Gah! What in the-!"

"Ore, sanjou!"

Akira was holding out his arms, being the one that threw the stone. Even though he had a confident expression, it was clear his arms were trembling with fear.

"Rui!" Akira said, standing up straight. "I'll say it one more time, so as your father, listen to me!"

Rui's eyes were wide as her father continued to speak.

"Never once in my life did I consider you a failure!" He said. "When I left, that was my own weakness, not yours. You were strong enough to protect the family when I couldn't."

Carol really wanted to dissect the man on the spot, but something was preventing her from doing so. Was it mercy? Pity?

"But the one thing that you were unable to do, is accept it wasn't your fault!" Akira said. "Move on from that past of self-loathing, become the hero you always wanted to be!"

"Dad…" Rui said, tears threatening the corners of her eyes.

"Are you finished?" Carol asked, raising her arm to kill the man.

Akira's arms were still shaking, but he smirked. "Well, it was long enough for Hibiki, so yes."

Carol widened her eyes and whipped around to see Hibiki had grabbed her Gear. She quickly aimed her arm at her.

"Balwisyall nescell Gungnir tron~"

Carol fired the blast of energy, covering Hibiki in smoke from an explosion. Akira held in a breath, before letting it out in relief as he saw Hibiki had transformed, ready to fight.

(Insert Little Miracle -Grip it tight- by Aoi Yuuki for Hibiki, or FULL FORCE by Rider Chips for Rui)

"It's fine, it'll be okay." Hibiki said. "That's what you left for us."

"Hibiki?" Her father said.

"Every time I thought of giving up, I remembered those words you taught me." Hibiki said, smiling. "Your words kept me going… you were always looking out for us!"

Her father smiled at that, giving her a thumbs-up. Starting to sing, Hibiki rushed forward, as Carol jumped away and summoned Alca-Noise to fight for her. Taking the opportunity, Akira went to Rui, and helped her stand up.

"Are you okay?" He asked her.

"Yeah." Rui said. "Just a few bruises. …I'm sorry, Dad."

"Rui, I just told you-"

"No, not about that. I'm sorry I never stopped hating myself for what you did." Rui said. "I knew it all along, I just… I didn't want to…"

Her father gently patted her on the head. "It's alright. At least you've come to your senses now, right?"

"Yeah…" Rui smiled.

The moment was interrupted as they heard Hibiki shout. Another burst of wind knocked her into the side of an office building, pushing her against it. Carol turned up the wind, causing more cracks to form through the outer wall.

"Hibiki!" Her father shouted.

The wind stopped, and Hibiki started to fall.

"You can do it!" Her father encouraged.

Carol turned and threw several capsules, but at that moment, Hibiki recovered. She kicked off the side of the building, flying straight at Carol. The alchemist couldn't recover in time, as Hibiki delivered a swift and devastating uppercut to her gut. The hit launched Carol skyward in a burst of energy. Hibiki landed, kicking off the ground for another punch.

"Hermes Trismegistus!" Carol chanted. She summoned several shields to protect herself, but Hibiki didn't stop charging.

"THAT WON'T STOP MEEEE!" Hibiki shouted, slamming her fist straight into it. The shields all cracked, and Hibiki smashed her fist straight into Carol's jaw, sending the alchemist crashing into the ground.

"I wanted to do that myself." Rui smirked.

The smirk turned into a frown, before the ground around them glew red. Alca-Noise grew around them, from where Carol had thrown the capsules earlier.

"Dad! Rui!" Hibiki shouted as she landed, running towards them.

"If it's your father and sister that give you strength…" Carol muttered, pulling herself up with her harp. "Then they will be the first things I take away!"

The Noise closed in, but Rui smashed a fist into the ground, creating a shockwave that launched them back.

"Hey, Dad." Rui said. "Remember what we used to say?"

Akira smiled. "You're gonna have to narrow it down."

"You only said the first part of the catchphrase." Rui reminded him. "How about we say the rest?"

"Heh. Alright!"

While Rui took up a stance, Akira imitated running his hand across a sword.

"From start to finish, we're always at a climax!" The two of them said. "Ikuze, ikuze, ikuze!"

With every word, Rui delivered punches and kicks at the Noise, obliterating them one by one. The moment Hibiki joined her, they were unstoppable. Their father cheered them on, staying fairly safe as his daughters protected him. Carol grit her teeth as she threw more capsules and summoned more Alca-Noise. But just as the hordes were bolstered in number, they were cut down again.

And not just by Hibiki and Rui.

Several crystal projectiles pierced the Alca-Noise, as did several sniper rounds. Carol stood up and tried to run, only to see a massive sword slam into the ground in front of her. She looked up to see the Kazanari twins standing atop it.

"Sup, Nullmetal Alchemist?" Maia said with a wave.

Carol widened her eyes, turning to see that standing on a roof were the other Symphogear users. As Akira watched Hibiki and Rui fight, Ogawa drove over to him in a car. Jeanne quickly stepped out and opened the door.

"We'll take you to safety, get in, quickly!" Jeanne said.

Carol quickly held up an arm to try and blast the car, but Jeanne turned to look at her. Oddly enough, no wind came out of Carol's hand.

What?! Carol tried firing again, but nothing happened. She swung her arm around in different directions, before the wind was finally unleashed… when it was going in a direction that wouldn't harm anyone.

She couldn't hit us? Jeanne said, as Akira got in the back. She pushed her bangs out of her face. What was the reason?

Her fingers briefly touched the new eye she had. She'd definitely need to get the thing analyzed, but now wasn't the time. She got in the shotgun seat, as Ogawa drove them away from the scene.

"Hibiki…" Akira said, looking behind them.

Carol floated up into the air, glaring down at her enemies.

"Please stop, Carol-chan!" Hibiki called up to her, as her friends all got together.

"I'm about to complete my magnum opus." Carol said. "You think I'll stop now?!"

"No, not really." Maia said. "It's just common courtesy, and so you can't bitch about it after we kick your ass."

"I'll burn every last memory if I need to!" Carol shouted.

(Insert Senkin Dur da Blá by Inori Minase)

She strummed her fingers across the harp. Wires wrapped around her, before transforming into her adult form and getting into her fighting form again.

"The Faust Robe of Dur da Blá?" Maria said. "It shines just like our Symphogear!"

"Hmph. And I'll show you that the similarities don't end there!" Carol declared.

Carol charged up a massive wave of energy in her hands, creating a blinding light. Even though they couldn't see, they could hear her voice.

"She's… she's singing?" Hibiki said.

"There's a massive spike in energy emissions from the combat zone!" Sakuya reported.

"Analysis complete!" Aoi said. "But this waveform…"

"Phonic gain?!" Genjuro realized.

"It's Carol's…" Elfnein said.

Carol's armor spread harp-like wings, which shot out multiple tornados of lightning. The girls all barely dodged it as it tore up the ground, its strength far beyond what Carol had before.

"This power… It's so familiar." Tsubasa said from behind some debris.

"Of course it is!" Chris said. "It's her Superb Song!"

"She's singing her Superb Song without any strain on her body?" Shirabe said.

"Is there anything alchemy can't do, dess?!" Kirika said, annoyed.

"Well, it clearly didn't make her less of a brat." Rui said, dodging another tornado.

"Then we need to use our S2CA!" Hibiki said.

"Nope."

Hibiki looked back to see Maia had grabbed her shoulder.

"You're not a relic fusion anymore." Maia reminded her. "Try it this time, and you're good as toast."

"But…!"

Carol sang louder, and the shockwaves kicked up wind. They all held up their arms to shield their faces.

"Wait…" Maria narrowed her eyes. "Look up there!"

The girls looked up at the Château de Tiffauges, which was pulsing with energy.

"It's flashing?" Tsubasa said. "It's pulsing… no, reverberating?!"

"The entire castle is resonating with Carol's song, as if it were one giant tuning fork." Fujitaka said, looking at the analysis. "It's amplifying the energy!"

SONG looked at the screen, which shot a beam of green energy straight down, scattering into different directions.

"There are waves of energy crisscrossing the entire planet!" Aoi reported, pulling up an orbital view of Earth.

"Those trajectories…" Genjuro said. "Don't tell me…"

"It's the photosphere…" Elfnein realized.

"Arrêter! This room is off-limits to civilians!"

Jeanne held onto Akira Tachibana's wrist, as Ogawa ran in behind them.

"Please, I don't want to avert my eyes from my daughters' efforts ever again!" Akira said. "Let me witness it, Hibiki and Rui's fight!"

He pulled out of her grip, running up to observe the scene.

"He's quite devoted to watching his daughters."

"I agree…" Jeanne froze. "Wait, who said that?"

She looked around, but no one had said anything to her. The voice she heard stopped talking.

"The energy is converging at the dissection point!" Fujitaka shouted.

"It's leaving the surface!" Aoi added.

The screens showed the tractor beam intensifying in size as it started to destroy the planet.

"Now, witness the dissection of the world!" Carol declared.

"Not if I can help it!" Hibiki shouted, flying in for a punch.

Carol effortlessly caught Hibiki in several wires. The wielder grit her teeth as Carol openly mocked her.

"Too bad. If you'd only had an Armed Gear, you might have actually reached me." Carol said.

BANG

She quickly moved her head to the side, avoiding a sniper round. She glared down at Shuri, who's weapon barrel was still smoking. Carol flicked her wrist, and several wires shot at the girl… shredding apart her arm to pieces.

"NO!" Chris screamed.

Carol moved her arm again, this time wrapping the wires around Shuri's legs and ripping them apart.

"Shuri-san!" Hibiki screamed in horror.

"Hmph, pathetic." Carol said as Shuri's body fell down onto the pavement. "Following orders to her death, like a dog."

The others all stared in horror, except Tsubasa, Maia and Maria, who all expressed mild discomfort.

"Don't count her out yet." Maia said.

Carol, like all the others, widened their eyes as the flesh, blood and bone all converged back onto the stumps, reforming into limbs. Only her arm remained a mass of blood and darkness.

"I'm a dog…?" Shuri stood up, eyes glowing red, teeth sharpened as her voice echoed. "Then you're dog food."

Shuri threw her arm of darkness forward, which grew in size and morphed into a demonic hellhound. Carol managed to stop it with her wires, only barely.

"What the hell happened to her?!" Chris yelled, stepping up to Maia and grabbing her collar. "What happened to my sister?!"

"We'll explain later." Maia said. "We need a plan."

Maria jumped up towards the Château de Tiffauges, surprising everyone as they looked up at her.

"Maria?!" Tsubasa said.

"I'll stop that huge machine!" Maria said.

Flying up, she landed on an outer layer and started running into the castle, only to feel someone grab her hand and pull her along. Shirabe was the culprit, having formed a huge buzzsaw, with Kirika holding onto her other hand.

"Our LiNKER will only carry us so far…" Shirabe said.

"...but our friendship will never burn out partway, dess!" Kirika finished.

Maria smiled. Thank you. Both of you.

With Shirabe's speed, they were scaling the castle in record time.

Back down on the battlefield below, Carol launched Hibiki back with her wires. The other wires shredded through the hound head Shuri launched, causing her arm to retract.

"Friendship won't help you get past the Château's defenses." Carol said. "No one can stop me now!"

She moved out of the way as Tsubasa and Maia flew at her swinging their blades. Chris fired an array of bullets from the ground, and Shuri was using one of her handguns. Carol dodged the shots, launching two tornados that knocked away the Yukine twins.

"Oreyaaaah!"

The Kazanari twins went for more slashes, as Hibiki went for another punch and Rui went for a diving kick. Carol used her wires to knock all four of them away with minimal effort.

"My song is the song that will shatter the world!" Carol declared.

The FIS trio had reached the top, cutting through waves of Alca-Noise before jumping into the Château.

"They've made it inside the Château de Tiffauges!" Fujitaka reported, looking at their signals.

"With the exception of Shuri-chan, the vital signs of the other five are critical!" Aoi added.

Shuri, transforming her arm into a claw, stood protectively between Carol and the users. Hibiki was breathing heavily, and Rui was helping her stand.

"I'll never look away again." Akira declared.

Maia looked at Shuri. "Shuri, do you feel fine?"

Shuri put a hand on her head, trying to stay calm. The moment she let her guard down and nearly died, the destructive impulses returned.

Destroy. Slaughter. Kill.

She tuned them out, taking long breaths.

"I… I can manage for now." Shuri said. "It should go away soon… I think."

"Let's hope you're right." Maia muttered, as she pulled Tsubasa to her feet, and Chris stood up. "Cause we're in for one hell of a fight."

The twin trio weren't the only ones fighting for their life. The FIS trio had all been knocked to the floor, by someone that they never thought they'd see again.

"Mom…" Maria said.

Nastassja Sergeyevna Tolstaya had appeared before them, blocking their path.

A/N: And here we go, into the final stretch for Symphogear X2's GX arc. Get ready for this, y'all.

I'm hoping the alternate way I went for the parent situation for Rui and Hibiki went well. As I said, I did want to try something different, so I hope you all think I handled it properly.

Aside from that, not much to say for what else I had changed, aside from, well, the thing with Shuri. Let's hope she can hold on, yeah?

Feel free to leave a review and update the TVTropes page. See you all next time.