Reviews:
Guest: Mmmm. Depende. Si a alguien le gusta los chicos con caras femenidas estaria Allister, los musculosos como Jades, los serious como Yosuke y Raiden. Los jugetons como Hajime y Hamaguchi. Pero si tuviera que decir mi top 3 en terminos de apariencia: 1- Yomi, 2- Takeru, 3- Hazuki.
Guest: Agreed. In contrast to many siblings we see in the story, this one is quite different from the rest.
Cyclone Fox: Yeah, he's an asshole. Not only because of that but because he's implied to have killed several girls. Also, if you want to add the cherry on top, one of his lines heavily implies she's mute because of something he did. Don't worry. He and Hajime are going to clash in the future. One of the fights I'm excited to tap into. Also, no. Verde is not coming back. Otherwise, the series wouldn't end. Abyss was the last exception because Hamaguchi needed a way to fight. Well, in a way I guess the Deck would be used. But we'll see. Otherwise, Decks either are going to get destroyed or be absorbed.
Akira: I'm glad you like them(hate them lol). S. Ryuki is just this force of nature ready to be unleashed and Yomi is a calamity in the making. He, Wei, and Despia, since they joined up with Hazuki and the others. But if you want to talk about beasts, Genjuro is easily up there. I just can't see anyone beating that man, at the moment at least. The dude is a one-man army.
Lord Ri The Husbu King: To be honest, for me, that scene is kind of like a comedy gag than anything else. Them getting beat up by Genjuro didn't really help anyone learn anything new. They just watched the Symphogear get taken down and Hamaguchi, who has experienced a battle to the death, wanted nothing to do with Genjuro. Yosuke knows how strong his Commander is and chooses to try and salvage the situation but stands no chance. Jades is the strongest of the Riders, at least physically, and is still overwhelmed. Maybe later on I'll do a rematch. But we'll see.
primenidus: That's putting it lightly lol
Tenzalucard123: Shadow Ryuki is his own boss. Wei doesn't blame Hajime but he still thinks he failed to save his family and chose to help Hazuki to see them again. A lot of Liangs on Hazuki's side.
Chapter 102
Penguins and Rockets
In the dead of night, Cagliostro, Raphael, St. Germain, Lilith, Adam, and Tiki were in front of a shrine. Raphael tapped his foot nervously, watching as St. Germain knelt to prepare for the ritual. He knew this was going to happen, but it still made him very nervous.
"Seven planets, seven harmonies! It's like the heavens are a sheet of music!" Tiki beamed as she read into the stars.
Adam stood behind St. Germain, a hand to her back."Let us begin the ritual of creation."
The woman winced in pain, feeling a mark appear on her back as if something was cutting her skin.
The silver-haired man closed his eyes, unable to watch her in pain. Cagliostro placed a supporting hand on his shoulder.
"Everything will be alright, dear," Lilith told him with a smile from the side, watching the ritual with mild interest.
Adam leaned closer to St. Germain to whisper."It's about time you choose. Whose blood, whose life shall we use? The decision is still yours. For the moment."
St. Germain's eyes widened at that. Her suspicions about S. Ryuki were confirmed. He was there in case she was unable to decide in time.
With an amused smile, he stood back up."I'm concerned about the un-destroyed Symphogear and Kamen Riders. If we can't deal with them, forget about the Disasters of Valhalla. I was thinking of just sending S. Ryuki in, but..."
"I'll handle them." Cagliostro offered, much to the surprise of her two companions.
"Oh? Do you have something in mind?"
"I said I was done lying. But I'm not about playing dirty." She said with determination.
"I'll go too-"
"No, it's fine." She waved her hand, dismissing Raphael's words."I have S. Zolda and S. Tiger's gems with me. They should be sufficient. You have your own part to play, Raphael."
"That's true." Adam chuckled."Very well. Do try your best, yes?"
"Naturally."
"Ta-dah! We present to you...the newly improved Relics!" Tobias presented, allowing Elfnein to hold out a tray containing said Relics."We worked really hard with the small time we had. But I believe they are suitable for combat, right, Elfnein?"
"That's right. They're now equipped with the annihilation barrier. It should make you resistant to the Philosopher's Stone. Of course, this was all possible due to Bragi-chan's Philosopher's Stone essence inside of him.
"Auntie, I told you not to give me credit...You guys did all the hard work." Bragi rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"That's not true. You were right there with us." Elfnein countered.
"What happened to Bragi the Bragger?" Maria teased him."Don't tell me you went all humble on us."
"I just can't take credit for something I didn't do on my own. Doesn't feel right, is all. At any rate, I'm still stuck on how to break down Takeru-dono's weapon to make more for the rest of us. If we can weaponize Thor's Divine Power properly, it could give us an advantage. Besides...if I'm correct, we're going to need it no matter what..."
"What's wrong?" Hibiki tilted her head.
"Nothing. Just...thinking of some theories." He shook his head.
"Wait, aren't we missing people?"
Meanwhile, Yosuke, Tsubasa, and Chris entered a restaurant where they had agreed to meet with Stephan and Sonya. Yosuke had insisted on going to a fancy restaurant because he believed Sonya and Stephan deserved to experience Tokyo's best foods.
"It kind of feels like you guys are just babysitting me," Chris grumbled, walking in the middle.
"No, but we're here to make sure you're comfortable." Yosuke said."I thought it'd be nice if you had someone you know when talking to them."
"Agreed."
"Fine..." She rolled her eyes, but she couldn't deny she was glad they had come along. As they entered the restaurant, they noticed the two Val Verde siblings at a nearby table.
"Glad you could make it!" Stephan waved at them."We were waiting for you to order. It didn't feel right to eat without you, seeing as how you're treating us."
"Don't hold back on me, now." Yosuke offered a friendly smile."I'll cover the expenses. Just make sure you eat as much as you can. I'd be offended if you didn't."
"That's great! We appreciate it. We were planning on leaving later today and we wanted to eat Japan's food before we left."
"How is...your new leg?" Chris asked carefully.
"It's great. And thanks to that friend of yours, it's a lot better. I'm still recovering, but I'll continue my rehab when we get back.'
'I guess Kuroiwa wasn't the only one that Dienheim helped. Maybe I misjudged the kid.' Yosuke thought.
"That's good to hear." Tsubasa nodded.
"And thanks to you guys, Val Verde is safer now. And we're alive today because of Takeru Sakamoto's sacrifice. I'm very grateful. And I know those people he saved are grateful as well. In fact, before we came here, they were making a memorial in his name."
"Really?" Chris asked, surprised.
"Of course. He saved a bunch of people who were trapped in that hospital. Because of him, they have a future to look forward to. His efforts were not in vain and we're all very grateful to him. I know he was part of the terrorists in the past and all..." Stephan glanced toward his sister."But people can change. Sometimes for the better. He's like a symbol of hope for the people who lost their families due to the wars, like my sister."
"That's true. Sonya-san has carried on your parents' work in supporting children who lost their families and homes." Yosuke smiled at the lavender-haired girl.
"Is that...so?"
"Yes. It's true." Sonya heaved a long sigh."I felt like that was the least I could do..."
Chris knew Sonya had done all she could after she noticed the bombs. She had said she blamed her, but in retrospect, she knew it wasn't her fault. She was just a kid, angry at the loss of her parents. She felt the same way with Takeru when they first met, which is why she had refused to talk to him for a long time. But he was a victim, just like her. But a victim of his environment. Sonya had continued to do what her parents did, perhaps to atone for losing Chris in the middle of the chaos. She probably blamed herself too. Much like Takeru did. And she had long since forgiven Takeru.
"Listen, I-"
Suddenly, an explosion rang through the restaurant, as Alca-Noise and Mirror Monsters began to pour in.
"Fuck! We're busy, damn it!" Chris slammed her fist on the table.
"Get out of here." Yosuke said, his voice calm as he assessed the situation."We'll protect you. No matter what."
"Thank you..." Sonya breathed, pushing Stephan's wheelchair to safety.
"Let's show these things what we can do." Yosuke eyed the girls before transforming."Let's do it! Henshin!"
An energy version of Darkwing appeared, flying around and striking the nearby Alca Noise and Mirror Monsters that threatened to kill the people who were still escaping before flying toward Yosuke and entering his body.
"Kilterr Ichaival Tron..."
"Imyuteus Ame no Habakiri Tron..."
(Play Gun Bullet XXX)
In an instant, both Symphogear and Kamen Rider were ready for action and dashed at their enemies.
Trick Vent: Shadow Illusion
Several copies of Knight appeared, taking on several Mirror Monsters at once. It had been quite some time since he fought regular Mirror Monsters instead of their doppelgangers. In contrast to them, these monsters were easy.
Tsubasa and Chris were already outside, driving the Alca Noise and any stray Mirror Monster out of the restaurant to avoid fighting in such an enclosed space.
'Good. All the people have been evacuated. Now we need to-'
Sonya screamed, alerting Knight. Part of the ceiling was about to fall on their heads and they weren't fast enough. But Knight was. He used his full speed to slash through the debris into several pieces, turning it into harmless dust before it could crush them.
"Are you alright?!"
"Y-yes...Thank you!" Sonya nodded frantically.
A clone of Knight rushed to their side."He'll guide you outside. You're safe, don't worry."
"So this is what Takeru looked like." Stephan couldn't help but marble at Knight's armor.
"Yeah. But I could never be as cool as he was." He found himself smiling under his helmet, waving them goodbye before returning to the battle.
"Everything alright?!" Chris asked, landing next to Knight, shooting her crossbows around.
"Yes. They should be good to go. Now, let's tidy things up and-" A giant fist of energy smashed against Knight, launching him across the ground.
"Yosuke-senpai-"
Chris was received with the same treatment as S. Zolda created another fist of raw energy using his Energy Vent, allowing him to create energy constructs.
"What the hell?!" Tsubasa cried out in shock, but this was short-lived as Destwilder attempted to lunge at her, but she narrowly avoided him and slashed his stomach.
"Gah! You fucking bitch!" He sneered, morphing back to S. Tiger.
"Don't get impatient, boys." Cagliostro chided them, winking at them."You'll get your turn with them."
"All alone today?" Knight asked, huffing.
"Just little old me, thank you for asking." Cagliostro purred.
"I'm not very fond of you. But I guess I appreciate a free win."
"Tch. You know, out of your little group, I personally found you the most tolerable. You might be worse than the Little Prince."
"Sorry to disappoint!" Knight lunged at her, but a wall of ice stopped him in his tracks."Damn!"
"You're fighting me!" S. Tiger came from above, forcing Knight to roll on the ground before he could be slashed apart by the claws.
Sword Vent: Winglancer
"Out goes your weapon!" S. Tiger activated his version of Freeze Vent.
Winglancer was turned into solid ice, forcing Knight to switch to his rapier and block S. Tiger's kick. Even while blocking, the force sent him skidding a few meters away.
'Shit. Just like Jades, this guy is insanely strong in the physical department.'
"Why are you avoiding me?!" S. Zolda continued chasing after Chris, his Gigalaunchers on his shoulders as the girl continued leaping away."Fight me! Come on!"
"God damn it! Why does it have to be you?!" The compartments on Chris's skirt armor opened up, releasing dozens of diamond-shaped remote weapons to project a barrier around her.
"Oh? We're having a competition, are we?" S. Zolda morphed into Magnugiga, unleashing his full arsenal at Chris. The barrier could not withstand the attack and broke, launching Chris against a tree.
"Yukine!" Tsubasa cried out, but Cagliostro took this opportunity to punch her across the face.
"Stop worrying about her when you're fighting me!"
"Why, you!" Tsubasa swung her katana, only to miss its target. Cagliostro had sidestepped and was now behind her. She shot several energy bullets at her, sending her flying into the sky. The bluenette landed gracefully on the ground, taking a battle stance. "Forcing her to fight him of all things?!"
"We're aware of how close Zolda and her were. Think of it as payback for what you did to Prelati."
"Then think of this as payback for attacking us first!"
A jetstream of water impacted against Cagliostro knocking her back several yards.
"Tsubasa-san! Duck!"
Tsubasa did as instructed as the water stream was moved around in a circle, killing all the Alca Noise and Mirror Monsters in the vicinity.
Abyss jogged over to her, helping her up."You alright?"
"Yes...thank you, Kuroiwa."
"Sorry, we took too long to get here." Maria apologized to her friend.
"But we're here to help." Tiger nodded, landing beside Maria.
S. Zolda marched up to Chris, who sneered in his direction, but was unable to raise her weapons."I can't..."
"Why? Do I remind you of the real Zolda? It's a shame that because he died, I'm stuck like this. Can't get any stronger...can't become a real human." S. Zolda's left arm turned into a cannon."So the least I can do is pay that bastard back by killing his woman. Now, say goodbye as you die by someone with the same face as your lover!"
However, S. Zolda was unable to pull the trigger, since Hibiki slammed her gauntlet against his face, the piston on it coming down and increasing the force of the impact. The Shadow Rider stumbled, clearly damaged by the sudden attack, and collapsed to the ground.
"Chris-chan! Are you okay?!" Hibiki ran up to her, checking her for injuries.
"Yeah...sorry. It's just...I can't look at that monster...without thinking of Takeru..." Tears glistened in her eyes."I can't..."
"It's okay..." Hibiki knelt beside her, pulling her in for a hug.
Kirika and Shirabe landed in front of them, clenching their Armed Gears protectively.
Suddenly, S. Zolda manifested his minigun, the Magnumini, and sprayed countless bullets around them, forcing all Riders and Symphogear to disperse around. Once the attack stopped, Cagliostro took out two black gems and threw them at them. Kirika, Hibiki, and Raia were transported somewhere else as well as Tsubasa, Shirabe, and Knight.
"What the fuck?!" Abyss gasped."What did you do?! Where did they go?!"
"I know now to keep Shul Shagana and Igalima separated. Raia and Knight are tricky opponents. And you and Tiger can't use your elemental abilities to their maximum extent due to your little friends being here."
"You shouldn't underestimate us." Maria narrowed her eyes."Your friend got what she deserved for not only attacking us but also abusing my little brother."
"Oh, please. The same thing will happen to that stud of a man you have if you're not careful, sister. Boys. Keep them occupied. But if he resists, then do what you want with Tiger."
"Oh, we'd be glad to." S. Zolda snickered as he and S. Tiger morphed into their Survive forms.
Dismiss
Survive: Fubuki
Survive: Nagare
In a burst of ice and water, both Riders were now in their Survive forms.
"Sounds good to me." Tiger turned his attention to Abyss."Let's show them what a team-up of water and ice can do. Let me handle my clone. Your water is a terrible match-up against my ice."
"Man, at this point, do elemental advantages really matter?" Abyss asked."Fucking S. Ryuki evaporated my water and it's supposed to be effective on fire!"
"Fair enough..."
"If you can't decide, then we will!" S. Zolda activated his Gigantojet, a jetpack that allowed him to fly into the sky as she created his GigantoAssaulter, shooting energy bullets and forcing the duo to split up.
S. Tiger rushed toward Abyss, kicking him in the ribs and knocking him to the ground.
"Bastard!" Tiger screamed.
Strike Vent: Frostclaws
S. Tiger conjured a double-edged long sword, blocking the claws. The blue stripes of his armor sprouted out and became sharp as blades. He began spinning around, forcing him to evade the relentless strikes. Behind him, S. Zolda conjured his Gigantoblaster, aiming to punch him while his back was turned.
To his surprise, a wave of water struck him on the side, but he ignited his jetpack to avoid falling face-first.
Advent: Abysshammer/Abysslasher
Two metallic sharks emerged from the ground, shooting themselves toward S. Zolda. He smirked, punching the sharks as the cylinders of his gauntlets rotated, releasing two shells and creating an explosion that knocked the sharks back. He fired several rockets from his jetpack, prompting Abyss to start running away and avoiding the projectiles.
"Tch!" Tiger kicked S. Tiger away and briefly switched to his visor.
Blizzard Vent
A wave of cold ice washed over the battlefield, freezing S. Zolda's Gigantoblasters and Gigantojetpack, forcing him to fall to the ground.
"Thanks for the assists, Jades-san!" Abyss took this opportunity to make a beeline toward S. Zolda before he could get up as she slid a card inside his visor.
Final Vent: Deep Abyss Dive
Abyssladon flew next to Abyss, ready to perform their Final Vent, when a blizzard washed over them, freezing the Advent Beast in place alongside Tiger's claws.
"Two can play the same game." S. Tiger said, slamming his fist against Tiger's face and knocking him to the ground.
"D-damn it!" Tiger sneered.
"Shit!" Abyss cursed, running past S. Tiger. and heading for S. Zolda.
"Dumbass!" S. Zolda spawned in the GigantoDrones, sending them around Abyss as they shot lasers from all directions and attempted to ram into him.
Sword Vent: Abyss Sword
A long sword in the shape of a chainsaw was equipped in his hands, swinging it around his body and cutting through the drones around him.
S. Zolda screamed, morphing into Magnugiganto in its full 15-meter size. He raised his leg, attempting to squash Abyss but he quickly leaped out of the way—the ground shook beneath them. Abyss leaped over to the leg, trying to cut into it but the metal was too tough. Magnugiganto shot laser beams from its eyes, bringing his arm down. The shark-themed Rider jumped on top of it and started to run up the arm.
"You want me? You got me! I'm not scared of your size! I fought Chiaki when she was in her giant form too, ya know?!"
Shoot Vent: Abyss Turret
A double-barrel machine gun with the head of Abysshammer. He pulled the trigger, releasing a barrage of bullets from the cannon as well as torpedos coming from the side compartment.
"You piece of shit!" Magnugiganto screeched, stumbling back.
'I could fight him head-on by creating a gigant of water, but the girls are nearby and it'd be dangerous to do large-scale attacks like that. Not to mention the civilians around. Then I'll go for the next best thing!'
Aqua Vent
His body was now encased with azure-colored water as his speed and strength were increased several times. He crashed against the robot, kicking his chest and knocking him off on his back. He then canceled out his ability, sliding yet another card in and throwing a small sphere of water at him. The bubble of water expanded in size, covering Magnugiganto entirely.
"Jades-san!"
Tiger parried one of S. Tiger's punches, kicking him in the stomach and sending him crashing to the ground."Got it!"
Frost Vent
A wave of ice encased the bubble of water, freezing S. Zolda.
"You fucking moron!" S. Tiger hissed."Why the hell did you turn big?!"
"Hamaguchi! We need to destroy him now!" Tiger screamed, opening up his visor and inserting a card
Shoot Vent: Frost Bazooka
A gauntlet was equipped to his left arm, opening the compartment and shooting a volley of missiles at the frozen Shadow Rider. Abyss focused his still lingering Aqua Vent and fired a shark-shaped water stream. A wall of ice emerged from the ground, blocking their attacks.
"Guess we still need to deal with you, then." Tiger clicked this tongue, tightening the grip of his double-headed axe, and rushed at S. Tiger, who produced back his Frostclaws. Tiger swung his weapon but was parried, his doppelganger responding by slashing his chest. Tiger staggered backward but Abyss switched with him, swinging his chainsaw blade. To S. Tiger's surprise, each clash with that weapon was chipping away at his claws, until he was forced to block an incoming stab. The attack cut through his weapons and into his skin, green blood splattering on the ground.
"Fuck!" S. Tiger snarled, immediately conjuring his Frost Saber, a double-edge greatsword, and slashed at Abyss's chest and arms rapidly, forcing him to fall to the ground. But Tiger immediately came from behind, kicking him in the face and launching him into the air. He spun around, morphing into Frostwilder, taking the appearance of a big sabertooth. The blue stripes around him sprouted out like blades and he rushed toward them, jumping in the air and spinning around like a tornado. Abyss and Tiger used their weapons to try and block, but the attack was too intense and both of them were knocked to the ground. However, they were not his primary targets.
S. Tiger cut through the ice, freeing the giant behemoth that was S. Zolda. The iron giant began to pick himself up as the two Riders gathered around.
"Why is he not switching back? He's slow with that size." Abyss said.
"We've surpassed him." Tiger's lips thinned in a line under his helmet."He knows his greatest firepower will come from his Magnugiganto form."
"I see..." Abyss frowned, realizing that this was a bitter pill to swallow for Jades since this meant that S. Zolda couldn't get any stronger. The sole reason...was because their friend, Takeru, was dead.
"Let's do it." Abyss looked up to Tiger, shaking him out of his stupor and showing him his Co-Link card."Let's finish this. No need to keep prolonging it, right?"
"Yeah..." Tiger heaved a long sigh."Yeah, you're right. I don't want Chris-chan to see this. So let's be the ones to end this once and for all."
Both Riders inserted their cards in their respective visor, their symbols appearing behind them as they leaped into the air.
Co-Link Vent(x2)
Royal Penguins Garden
Abyss and Tiger leaped into the air, a spiral of water surrounding them and forming a sphere of pressurized water, which was then frozen into ice. Both of them kicked the sphere with all their might, breaking the ice and creating a blizzard of diamond gusts, conjuring several ice penguins that were shot toward the S. Riders like rockets. The S. Riders were now partially frozen due to the cold wind, even S. Tiger, who was resistant to low temperatures. The penguins collided against the Shadow Riders, breaking them down piece by piece until finally, two giant fists, one of ice and one of water, smashed the remains of the doppelgangers, destroying them for good.
Both Riders landed back to the ground, their breaths visible due to how cold their surroundings were.
"Man, that was something. I think I'll get fucking frostbites at this rate." Abyss shivered, receiving a slap on the back.
"Don't worry. You'll be fine. At least, we put an end to them."
"Sorry about TakeTake..."
"Don't be. It was out of our control...and he died for a reason. I'm sure that right now, wherever he is, he's happy he made a difference and people lived thanks to his intervention. Speaking of which, when did you surpass me too?"
"Huh?"
"My clone was beating the hell out of me at times, but you were hanging in there pretty nicely." Tiger smirked."You've come a long way."
"Nah, you're just...saying that..." Hamaguchi rubbed his nape sheepishly."I could never be as tough as you are."
"Yeah, you're right. You can be tougher than me. I felt it when we synchronized. The power of unison. You're strong. Never think otherwise. I knew I was right when I trusted my sister to you."
"But I..." Abyss was about to protest. He certainly didn't feel like he deserved the praise. He wasn't like them. He was a stray bullet.
'No...I guess that's not right anymore. I have a reason to fight. To protect my friends...and to protect Kirika. So we can be together. I'm not just a kid that was dragged into this. I'm part of the team now. And I'll continue doing my part.'
"Right. Thanks, Jades-san..."
As the Riders tried to keep their fight away from civilians and the Symphogear, the girls continued clashing against Cagliostro, clearly still not on the same level as she was. Maria grimaced when Cagliostro buried her fist against her gut, and the properties of her gloves did not help in lessening the pain. She wasted no time in closing the distance between herself and Chris, aiming to not allow the lavender-haired girl to stay away from her range. She was sent crashing into Maria, both girls crying out in pain.
"What's wrong? I thought you'd have some sort of plan in case this happened. Surely you didn't put all your eggs in the Zababa basket." Cagliostro quipped.
"As it happens, we did not." Maria scoffed, helping Chris back to her feet."Do you think of us as those kinds of opponents? We learned during our battles with you."
"You're bluffing."
"Try us, then."
"Fine by me!" Cagliostro drew a pink heart in front of her, kissing another one with her fingers before punching it toward Chris and Maria."And that's how it's done. What?!"
Much to her dismay, once the smoke cleared out, Chris and Maria were in their Ignite Modules, unscathed.
"But there's no way...they shouldn't be able to withstand the light of the Lapis!"
"It's like we told you. We're different from before!" Chris yelled as they charged at her.
(Play Change the Future)
Cagliostro shot several energy bullets at them, but unlike before, they were now able to easily dodge them and spread around, forcing her to divide her attention. She concentrated on Maria, who threw the first attack by lashing out her bladed whip, but she blocked the attack with her fists. She winced in pain.
'They're faster and stronger...What the hell did they do?! I thought only the little girls were able to do Unison!'
"Stop gawking and pay attention!" Chris appeared from the side, shooting several arrows at her. Cagliostro was getting overwhelmed. They were already having trouble with them before, but now, it was different.
"I have to tell the others!"
"You won't get the chance!" Maria said, finally closing in on her and kicking her in the face.
Chris bombarded her with several bullets from her Gatling guns, but the bluenette quickly responded by creating a wall of water, jumping away to gain some distance.
"Then I'll show you just how much my passion can burn!" Cagliostro screamed, her voice dropping in pitch as she slammed her hands together, combining her gauntlets before jumping into the sky.
"She's betting everything in the next attack." Maria addressed Chris, who was now standing behind her."Let's respond in kind."
"Happy to oblige." Chris grinned, her dress armor changing as it attached itself to Maria's waist and a huge set of boosters formed behind her. Subsequently, Chri's Symphogear reached forward, and Maria set her blade into her gauntlet, holding it forward as it enlarged to match the size of Chris' thrusters. The rest of the armor parts clicked into place, forming a massive bladed rocket. Both Symphogear and Cagliostro took off into the sky, colliding against each other in streaks of light.
They were matching her blow for blow, neither side refusing to back down. Until they decided to put an end to it and went in for a final clash. Cagliostro screamed with all her soul, attempting to push them back, but it was too much. They were in perfect sync. They had succeeded in their Unison. The girls overpowered Cagliostro and an explosion covered the entire sky.
Chris and Maria landed on the ground, wheezing for breath after such a hard battle.
"We...did it?"
"Sure did." Chris nodded slowly.
"Girls!" Tiger and Hamaguchi rushed to their side, still in their Survivo forms."So...you beat her?"
"Yeah." Chris nodded."What about you guys?"
"The Shadow Riders are over and done!" Abyss gave them a thumbs up.
"Yeah. I made sure S. Zolda was thoroughly defeated. I know how you feel, Chris-chan. So don't worry. I took care of him."
"Thanks, Jades...really, I mean it." The lavender-haired offered a small smile.
Suddenly, everyone else was teleported back to reality.
"Okay, that was trippy," Raia mumbled, still in a daze.
"Are you guys okay?" Tsubasa asked the other group.
"Yup!" Kirika nodded.
"I take it your Unison and the Link Vent went well?" Yosuke asked.
"Damn right." Chris grinned."What else did you expect? Cooler than these guys, for sure."
"No way!" Hamaguchi protested."What did you guys do?"
"A bladed-rocket. You?"
"Uh...penguins."
"Yeah, we won." She guffawed, much to his chagrin.
"Why penguins-desu?"
"I don't know. Water and ice. Penguins like ice. And water." Hamaguchi shrugged."I don't know. It just happens, alright?"
"Still, you guys did great." Yosuke complimented them."And with two more Shadow Riders defeated, this will make things much easier for us. We also have to work hard, don't we?"
"You bet!" Hibiki raised her fist, full of energy. The Riders and Symphogear returned to their normal forms, no doubt tired from their fights.
Later that night, the members of S.O.N.G stood outside of the airport, watching as Chris walked to have some final words with Stephan and Sonya.
"Thank you so much for saving us again." Stephan bowed to Chris."And your friends too. You're all great!"
"I don't know about that..." Chris trailed off, rubbing her arm.
"It's fine. I learned that we have to look forward to the future, not obsess about the past." Stephan shook his head."We can't think about things we can't change. Instead, we should focus on the things that we can change. To make a difference. That's what you have been doing, right? And you too, Sonya."
"Stephan..." Sonya muttered before addressing Chris."Chris...I want to apologize. How I reacted back in Val Verde when I found out you and that boy were engaged...Ever since we were separated, I've been blaming myself nonstop. I tried to get rid of that feeling by helping other kids in need. But it still lingered in my mind. The Breaker Alliance ruined Val Verde. And I was happy when I heard of their demise. But what I didn't expect was that you were engaged with one of them."
"Takeru is Japanese. His parents died in Val Verde and they took him in, turning him into a weapon. I used to blame him too, you know? We didn't start as friends. But he always kept visiting me while I was imprisoned. Just talking to me and telling me his unfunny dumb jokes. He wanted to reach out to me because he felt guilty that his people were doing all of those horrible things. He was the one who killed them all just so we could escape. He was the one who freed the other children locked up and gave them a chance for a new tomorrow. And he was the one who put his own life at risk when we were taken in by Fine. He didn't have to but he did it so I wouldn't be alone."
"He was taking care of you all of this time..."
"Heh. I would say it's backward. You have no idea how much of a mess he was." Chris smiled fondly."He couldn't cook even if his life depended on it and my God, it was annoying as hell when he woke up at fucking 5 in the morning. You should have seen his apartment. He had his little toy guns all over the damn place. It was a challenge taking care of him when fucking Cypher nearly killed him. But we bonded. And I realized how much he meant to me when I thought he died. After that, we became a couple and we lived in apartments next to each other. We might as well have lied together because he went to my place all the time. We just hung around, watched TV, and talked for hours. He was...my everything. I nearly fainted when he gave me this ring."
Chris showed her her hand, which had her ring and Takeru's on."He said he was going to give me the real thing one day. And we would get married, once everything was over and we wouldn't have to fight again. For the flames of war to be extinguished. And we would have a family of our own. But...he's gone now."
"No, he's not gone." Sonya walked up to Chris, grabbing her hand."He lives on inside of you. I misjudged him. I thought he was just like those barbaric men. But he was different. He was a protector. And I'm sure you were on his mind the whole time...even during his last moment. So please, Chris, don't blame yourself. And I'm sorry...I'm sorry for our reunion to have been so-"
"No, no. It's fine. I get it." Chris said, tears glistening in her eyes."Thank you...you don't know how much your words mean to me."
"Hey, I don't want to be left out either." Stephan chimed in, grabbing Chris' other hand."Will we see each other again, Chris?"
"You bet. I'll come visit and if not, you can come visit too." Chris nodded.
"We should get going. Our flight is about to take off." Sonya glanced at her wristwatch. She pulled Chris into a hug along with Stephan and muttered."Make sure the bastard who killed him gets what he deserves."
"Oh, trust me. I plan on it." She promised.
With that, Chris felt a weight that had been on her shoulders for a long time finally lifted off. She placed a hand on her chest, closing her eyes."Takeru...I did it. I made things better with them. Just like you wanted, they're safe. All of those people you saved are free to live their lives. And...I'll continue living for you. One day...will we see each other again? Will there be a time when we can be together, even after death?"
She glanced down at her rings."No...I guess if you were here, you'd be telling me to be strong. That I could be strong if I wanted. To move on without you and continue with my life, but...you are my life..."
"Cagliostro is dead, guys! She became one with the stars!" Tiki announced as she twirled around.
"No...No! What?!" Raphael gasped, his knees failing him as he felt on his knees."You're kidding me..."
"Cagliostro..." St. Germain muttered, too shocked to do anything else.
"As expected, it seems S.O.N.G hasn't been sitting idly after we defeated them." Lilith hummed, unperturbed by the news.
"Whatever the case, that saves you the trouble of choosing, doesn't it?" Adam regarded St. Germain with a smile."Let's use Prelati. She can't fight anyway, so this is perfect, right?"
"How could you say that?! Do you have no-" St. Germain saw red, and swung her fist to attack the Lodgemaster, but he effortlessly grabbed her arm.
"No humanity, no. We've been over this, no?" He smirked, throwing her to the ground harshly.
"You piece of shit! How dare you do that to her?!" Raphael unsheathed his Excalibur, lunging at Adam, but someone appeared out of thin and kicked him across the face, sending him rocketing to a tree and knocking him out.
"Raphael!" St. Germain cried out in concern.
"Oops. I thought he'd be stronger. I didn't mean to knock him out, just scared him." S. Ryuki chuckled, crossing his arms.
"Hey, I told you to go easy on him. I like him." Lilith mused, crossing her arms."He makes an excellent tea. Adam doesn't see the value in people but I do."
"Oh, yes. You value people who can brew you tea. Very deep, my dear."
"At least I show consideration toward our underlings. It does wonders to morale, believe it or not. So, Shadow Ryuki. Know your place."
"Aye, aye." He scoffed, taking a step back.
"Why didn't you send him with her?!" St. Germain bared her teeth."He would have demolished them!"
"Believe it or not, I don't really have control over him. He can do whatever he wants." Adam shrugged.
"What, too scared to fight him?"
"Oh, goodness, of course not. I could take him out." He chuckled.'Perhaps resorting to that form, but she doesn't need to know that.'
"Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that we're trying to grasp power comparable to the oppressor known as God. Our main enemies are wielders of God's power who have aligned themselves with the Trickster God, Loki. Kindness and compassion won't open the doors to what we seek. Being inhumane is just part of what must be done, no? You saw Hazuki Kaburagi, so you must know."
St. Germain focused her attention on Raphael, placing his head on her lap as she brushed his head, ignoring Adam's yapping.
"Enough rambling." Lilith sighed in exasperation."Give them a few minutes. Raphael will be just fine."
"I'm sorry..." The white-haired woman whispered, caressing his cheek."I'm so sorry it came to this..."
"In the end, I suppose that the Messiah never showed up. Too bad that fantasy you two believed didn't turn out to be true." Adam shook his head."But then again, we still have another Messiah to deal with, don't we?"
"Hey, Sunny." Hibiki greeted her boyfriend, who was currently lying down on his bed scrolling through his phone.
"Hey." He smiled, putting his phone away and sitting up.
"I bought you some dorayaki!" She beamed, holding the bag out.
"Heh..." He chuckled."What's up with everyone who visits bringing me sweets? Not like I don't appreciate it but I find it weird."
"Did someone bring you something?" She tilted her head.
"Yeah, Wei came by and got me so many chocolates. Want some?" He smiled, pointing at the box of chocolates near the TV.
"Yes!" She cried out in glee, rushing to grab the chocolates. She took one of them, holding it in front of Hajime's face. He rolled his eyes and accepted the chocolate, earning a giggle from her."So, Wei-kun came by? How is he doing? Shirabe-chan told me he seemed a little lonely when they hung out together?"
"Yeah...I mean, I don't know him like that. Back then we weren't so close and even when Chao-Xing was still alive, he just kept to himself. But...he said some odd things."
"Like what?"
"He asked me if what we're doing is the best for a long-term solution, pretty much. Like, he asked me if I think that fighting Alca Noise and any major threat that appears actually matters. He seemed so...distant...disconnected."
"I'm worried...I asked Shirabe-chan to please keep talking to him. We know what feeling isolated and alone can feel like, right...?" She squeezed his hand lovingly.
"Yeah...We'll do what we can. That said, I can't wait to get out of this bed already. I've been here for far too long."
"Don't rush things, Hajime. You still need to heal. We're doing alright. In fact, Maria-san and Chris-chan defeated one of the Alchemists. And Hamaguchi-kun and Jades-san defeated more of the Shadow Riders. But since Elfnein-chan and Tobias-kun worked on our Relics so quickly due to the rush, their Relics are currently under maintenance. But the rest of us are still working on the Unison. And Bragi-kun is training so he can fight your Shadow."
"I still can't believe you guys are leaving one of the most important tasks to the hellspawn." Hajime sighed, his tone bitter.
"Don't be like that, Hajime." She said sternly."He's trying."
"Sorry...It's just..."
"I know he reminds you of Bragard. But trust me, when you talk to me, you'll see the big difference!" Her smile returned."He's...changed. I mean, even more so than when you left. He's trying hard to integrate with us. So, could you try to at least not try to kill each other...? Besides, he has white and black hair, while Bragard had white hair. So technically they don't look alike that much."
"Fine...But I'm telling you, there's absolutely no way we will ever be friends."
"It's okay...I think it's better than to force it or just fake it." She agreed."So for now, let's just focus on you getting better, okay? How was your session with the psychiatrist?"
"I guess it went okay? I don't know. I never had a shrink before, so I can't say for certain. But now...at least my mind is a little clearer. I think...I think I'm going to be okay."
"You ARE okay."
"I'm not. I'm broken still..." Hajime closed his eyes."After everything, I...I'm not okay. But I'm going to push forward. Because it's not over yet, right?"
"No...It's not. But we'll fight together." She leaned forward, kissing his cheek."I'll always be here, okay? Never think you'll be left alone."
"I would say the same thing but I left...So I'll let my actions speak for themselves. That's what Chao-Xing would say after all, right? What a true Liang is supposed to do."
"Look, I'm sorry, but this isn't working out." Raia sighed, falling on his rear, exhausted.
"Why are you guys stopping?" Tsubasa asked the siblings, who were pouting on the floor.
"This training is hard," Shirabe grumbled.
"Yosuke-san, we have nothing to work with." Raia exclaimed."Zero. Our attacks just can't coordinate."
"You guys are just limiting yourselves." Knight said, removing his helmet."How about we take a little break for now? We've been at this for a while."
"Sounds good." Tsubasa nodded in agreement. The elder teens left the siblings alone as they discussed amongst themselves.
"Why are YOU being so difficult?" Raiden asked."Is it because she's not Kirika?"
"I'm just not very good at opening up to people like that. You know that...Why can't I do the Unison with you?"
"With me?"
"You're my brother. If anything, we should be able to do it together. Tsubasa-san and Yosuke-san are a couple, so they would have an easier time as well, right?"
"You're not wrong. You and me are two peas in a pod, I suppose. But the problem is you can't do Unison with a Kamen Rider. And a Kamen Rider can only do one move with the Co-Link Vent with a Symphogear. Neither of us will get the power boost. And against the enemies we're facing, it will be detrimental."
"You're right..." She trailed off.
"But we can't just give up. We can't fall behind the others, can we?"
"No. We can't." She shook her head."We have to try."
"To be honest, the way I see it, you have a better chance at doing this than I do."
"Really?" She asked, a little surprised.
"You're just closed off to everyone that's not us. But me...I'm just not good with people. Maybe it's my mistrust of them after my time in captivity by the Yakuza. Or maybe I'm just socially inept. I work better alone or when I'm directing other people. Back then, it was me giving the orders to Andreas and Jades-nii. I don't see myself doing that with anyone else here. Much less Yosuke-senpai."
"Yeah...you can be pretty antisocial, I suppose."
"I expected you to disagree and say "No, you're okay." He deadpanned, causing her to giggle."But we're just not that type of people, honestly."
"Is there something wrong with us?" Shirabe asked, her gaze lowering to her hands."I don't see Kiri-chan or the others struggle this much."
"Of course not. There's nothing wrong with us." He placed his hand on top of hers."The way I see it, we're just comfortable being who we are. Not all of us can be balls of energy like Kirika and Andreas, or reliable and confident people like Maria-nee and Jades-nii. And that's okay. Nothing wrong with us. We just go at our own pace and do what we can for those around us. And the best way we can do that is to keep moving forward with them."
"You're right...You're right." She nodded."Let's do our best for them. You know, you're surprisingly better at emotional talk than I thought you were."
"Just how low is your opinion of me anyway?" He glared at her before huffing."But I'm happy to help. You're my sister, I'm supposed to do this. You know I love you."
"I love you too, Raiden-onii-chan."
He froze, blushing intensely."W-w-w-w-what the hell! Don't just call me that! I'm not ready to be called that!"
"You're so dramatic. You're always gloating about how you're the third oldest out of the 5 of us and now you're acting all shy about being called Onii-chan."
"Yeah, but I'm the third eldest behind Maria and Jades! They deserve the honorifics, not me..."
"I'll keep that in mind. I didn't know you were this nervous about something like this." She giggled at his expense.
"Yeah, yeah. I'll get you for this..." He lightly punched her arm in a playful manner."But seriously...I couldn't protect Andreas. But I promise I'll protect you and Kirika. No matter what."
"Only if we get to protect you too."
"Deal."
"Hey, guys." Yosuke and Tsubasa approached the siblings."Ready to keep going?"
Before they could answer, Ogawa appeared in front of them, seemingly out of thin air.
"What the hell...? Where did you come from, Ogawa-san?" Raiden was genuinely taken aback by the man's sudden appearance.
"I'm here to help you in the best way I can." The ninja smiled at them."So, how about we get started?"
I'm saving the best fights for the finale. So the remaining Shadow Riders aren't going to be as flashy, except for S. Ryuki. But don't worry, everyone is going to get a chance to shine. Also, I won't be able to post for a week or so since I'm starting my finals this week. So I apologize in advance. Take care and feel free to review! Now that notifications are working again, I can read all of them!