Sympho-Saber: Song of Swords
RXU:EP21 – Raise Your Hands and Grasp at a New Understanding!
The day of the duel had finally arrived, the early morning sun rose on an empty quarry. SONG had been meticulous about ensuring they'd have the entire area for themselves as they had made use of it in the past. It had also been decided that it would be best to start the day with the duel so as to not draw it out any longer than needed. Though of course, it was also just late enough for everyone to get breakfast before it started though it wouldn't truly start until everyone arrived.
Slowly but surely the Riders and Wielders of SONG began to make their way to the designated viewing area. The quarry was unique in that it had various layers to it, there being one spot that was large enough for the duel to take place in. Of course one of the upper layers had several benches prepared for everyone to sit at. As more of the audience began to show up, everyone started to note that Miku and Hibiki had yet to arrive.
Waiting at the center of the main arena was Daishinji, the swordsmith's eyes closed and head lowered while his arms were crossed. Sitting near him to his side was a black briefcase that was fairly long. While one would think of him as the referee, he was simply there to start off the duel, nothing more.
"Alright since some of us are here," Kanade said as she looked around, noticing that it was just her, Tsubasa, Chris, Rintaro, and Ogawa for the time being, "Who are we rooting for?"
Chris' eye twitched, "Seriously?"
"Kanade I thought we discussed this…" Tsubasa sighed as Ogawa gave a nervous chuckle.
"We're not doing any betting pool!" Kanade groaned out, recalling Tsubasa continually lecturing her on the idea of making the duel a spectator sport, "I just wanted to see who we're expecting to win this."
"The outcome doesn't really matter in the long run," Rintaro admitted, "So long as this helps them, then it's alright. But I'd like to imagine Hibiki taking this."
"I'll agree on that front," Maria said as she walked over with Shirabe and Kirika, the trio having just arrived to hear what was going on, "While Miku is indeed strong, Hibiki still has the edge experience wise."
"Maybe, but I don't think Miku will be a pushover dess," Kirika said as she and Shirabe went to sit down next to each other.
"Exactly," Shirabe nodded, "I want to believe in Miku's new strength."
"Well don't worry, you've got Basa and Ogawa backing you up in that regard," Kanade said as she gestured towards the two, the idol sighing while her manager gave a simple smile and a wave.
"I'd imagine Daishinji is also rooting for Miku," Genjuro said as he walked over with Yuri, "Though I myself am rooting for my star pupil."
"In terms of raw power, Hibiki could easily take it," Yuri agreed, "It's the most logical choice."
"I still haven't really seen our new Espada in action," Chris admitted, "So I'm going to have to go with the dummy on this one if we're talking just pure fighting."
"It looks like most of us are here," Rintaro said as he looked around, "I believe only Touma's missing."
"Now that's the person I want to hear from the most," Kanade admitted.
"You're really going to make him pick between his friends?" Chris asked in a dry manner.
"I mean not really," Kanade said with a light chuckle, "If only because I'm kind of predicting he'll stay undecided."
"Stay undecided about what?" Touma asked from a distance as he began to arrive.
"It's nothing Kamiyama," Tsubasa said, answering for Kanade as she let out a small smile, "I'm glad you were able to-"
"Actually, who do you think is going to win this?" Kanade asked immediately as she stood up in front of Tsubasa who let out a shout of accusation.
"Oh, I suppose there would technically be a winner in all of this," Touma said as he made his way to the benches and went to sit down, "
"Oh, well I mean a winner's not important but I guess there might be," Touma said as he recalled his one duel technically ending in a draw since he had only disarmed the Swordsman of Sound. He didn't seem to give it much thought though as he went to sit down towards the front while glancing back, "But I'm betting on Miku."
Everyone went silent at the fairly confident answer that didn't even seem like it needed any mulling over. This was especially the case considering their conversation not even seconds earlier.
"You're serious?" Chris asked.
"Yep," Touma nodded as he went to stare at the battleground intently.
"Interesting," Yuri said as he crossed his arms.
"Huh," Kanade could only mutter as she sat back down, "Was not expecting that."
Of course not much conversation could continue due to the combatants of the duel finally arriving. Both Miku and Hibiki had entered from opposite directions, the two slowly but surely making their way towards the center where Daishinji was. The two soon stopped when Daishinji held up his hands as he glanced back and forth, watching as the two stopped.
He remained silent as he turned and picked up the briefcase, walking over to Miku and opening it up. It didn't take long for Miku to take the contents inside, which were her Seiken alongside the Ride Books she primarily used. He then turned and walked over to Hibiki with the open briefcase, Hibiki taking the remaining contents which were her Gungnir pendant and the Daiyokuzuna Kinzaburou Ride Book.
Daishinji then backed away and closed the briefcase as he looked between the two and nodded, "You may begin when ready."
"Thank you," Miku said with a slight bow.
"Alright," Hibiki nodded.
Both went to prepare their equipment, Miku simply prepping Espada's base form of Lamp Do Alangina while Hibiki held Gungnir's pendant outwards in a firm grip. The two stared at each other for a long while, though neither flinched away.
With a silent confirmation, Hibiki was the one to start it off as she closed her eyes and began to sing. Likewise, the second the Wielder sung, Miku drew out Ikazuchi from the Swordriver, drawing a halo of electricity in the air.
"Balwisyall nescell Gungnir tron~"
"Henshin!"
As Hibiki's chant finished, Miku slashed downwards and flung the halo upwards as a result. The two soon began to gain their armoring, the halo of electricity flipping down to land and form Espada's visor just as the Gungnir Symphogear finished configuring itself. The two slowly but surely began to get into fighting stances as the usual announcements blared out.
{SG-r03': Gungnir}
[LAMP DO ALANGINA!]
Espada positioned her right arm at an angle, while raising her left hand. The result was her laying the tip of Ikazuchi's blade on the back of her left hand. She stared down at Hibiki who had raised arms and clenched fists by this point.
Everyone could only watch in suspense as Daishinji slowly but surely made his way to join the others while keeping an eye on the fight.
Espada made the first move, rushing towards Hibiki and making a hard step as if to lunge forward at high speeds… only to immediately check said step, quickly rolling to the side and getting in a kneeling stance.
"Eh?" Hibiki let out a surprised yelp as she immediately got in a defensive stance while taking a step back, questioning what had just happened.
'I figured something like this could happen… but even so…' Espada thought to herself as she stared at a clearly confused Hibiki, 'It makes sense though…'
'Just what's going on?' Hibiki thought as she loosened up her stance a bit, the confusion still evident on her face, 'I thought she wanted to fight? So why did she pull back?'
"What… what just happened?" Maria asked in near shock.
"I suppose it makes sense," Tsubasa sighed as she closed her eyes in resignation, having guessed a situation like this would occur.
"What do you mean?" Chris asked before noticing she got no response, "Seriously, she just stopped her attack to dodge nothing."
"She didn't dodge, she checked herself," Daishinji corrected as he went to sit down next to Genjuro, "Because she could tell just from Hibiki's stance and expression the further she closed in…"
"Hibiki's still hesitant," Genjuro continued, "And it looks like Miku's come to that realization too."
"Miku…" Touma muttered as he saw this, "Hibiki…"
"Alright," Espada spoke up as she took a deep breath, standing straight and holding her blade forward with both hands, "Come."
"Eh?" Hibiki asked in surprise as she lowered her arms, "But you had a…?"
"Come," Espada said simply as she kept her stance and didn't move an inch.
Hibiki saw her friend wasn't about to move and took a deep breath before rushing forward. She began to punch at Espada who began to backpedal, utilizing Ikazuchi to block against the punches. This went on for a short while, and it looked as though the fight was finally under way…
At least until Espada noticed Hibiki's expression partway in. The Gungnir Wielder had a soft smile on her face, specifically one of content. While one could guess that she was simply raring to go, the Rider knew otherwise. Alongside that expression of content there was a hidden one of relief mixed in, like she was relieved that this was seemingly what the duel was going to be.
A sudden swing deflected Hibiki's punch as Espada had stopped in place, electricity sparking out and forcing Hibiki to reel her hand back. Espada then slashed downwards at Hibiki who quickly caught the blade in her hands, the Wielder giving a light wince and yelp when electricity began to crackle on the blade. Hibiki quickly let go and backed away as Espada stood in a relaxed stance.
"What's going on?" Espada finally asked.
"What do you mean?" Hibiki asked a question instead, a bit confused by her best friend's words, "We're having our match right now, right?"
"Then why aren't you giving it everything you've got?" Espada questioned as she gripped Ikazuchi tightly, "I understand warming up, but I can already tell you aren't fully into this."
"Can you blame me?" Hibiki asked as she put a hand to her chest, "Do we really need to fight to figure this out?"
"Yes, because if we didn't then you wouldn't be holding yourself back for my sake," Espada said, an almost insulted tone dancing across her tongue as she made her feelings very clear, "I'm not weak, Hibiki."
"No one's saying you're weak," Hibiki called out in defense as she raised her hands, "It's just…"
"If it's not that I'm weak then what is it really about?" Espada questioned as she went to initiate one of her Two Book combos via Needle Hedgehog.
[TOGE! TOGE! LAMP DO HEDGEHOG!]
In a burst of speed Espada launched towards Hibiki, slashing to force the Wielder on the defensive. Hibiki managed to block while backing away, being forced to block and dodge a considerable amount due to how aggressive Espada was now being.
"I want to hear it from you!" Espada called out as she went for a downwards slash, clashing with Hibiki who crossed her arms to defend, electricity sparking outwards, "If I'm not weak then why do you seem so insistent on me not fighting?! Why go out of your way to burden yourself even more?!"
"That's… that's not it!" Hibiki called out in frustration as she gathered her energy, swinging her arms outwards to force Espada back. On instinct she followed up with a punch, her eyes widening at what she did but it was too late to check it.
Espada however raised her arm and held the flat of her blade forward, bracing against the punch and skidding backwards.
"Ah, Miku…" Hibiki held up a hand only to lower it slightly when she heard a chuckle, "Huh?"
"That's it, that's what I want to see Hibiki," Espada admitted with a genuine tone as she lowered her blade, "Why is it so hard for you to at least try with this? You won't callously hurt me, because I know you would never. You know your own strength better than that, and you know what we're doing here."
"But…" Hibiki trailed as she gripped her hands tightly, her fists shaking.
"I can handle myself, I trained all summer so that I could better myself," Espada replied before removing Needle Hedgehog and reverting back to her base form. She then reached behind her and soon brought out something that shocked everyone, "But if you're still wary about it, I made sure to prepare for this fight thoroughly."
"That's…!" Chris' eyes widened as she stood up in shock alongside most of the other combatants.
Hibiki could only stare speechless as she saw what her best friend had pulled out. Within Espada's hand was a red Ride Book, a familiar almost crimson dragon within the cover with an all too recognizable title.
Genjuro let out a shout at this, "Brave Dragon?!"
"But how does she have it?" Rintaro asked before looking over and noticing that Touma hadn't reacted to the sudden appearance of Brave Dragon at all, "Touma…"
"There's a reason I answered the way I did earlier," Touma replied, stunning nearly everyone there as they looked over at him, the Rider of Flames staring intently at the scene before him, "Miku was waiting for me at the bookstore last night…"
"I want you to loan me Brave Dragon for the duel."
"Wait, what?" Touma asked in surprise as his eyes widened, though admittedly that surprise turned to confusion, "But why? You have plenty of forms even if you have a gap due to not having a handle on your Wonder Combo yet."
"It's not that," Miku shook her head, "I'm not worried about a lack of power and versatility, nor am I worried about overdoing it."
"Then why?" Touma asked.
"I want her to take this seriously," Miku answered, "And if she sees me wielding your Ride Book alongside Kaenken Rekka, she'll know that I don't plan on taking this situation lightly."
"Do you think you can handle it?" Touma asked, "Wielding a Main Ride Book like that… especially with a Seiken…"
"I want to believe I can," Miku replied before giving a genuine smile, "After all you pulled it off, and I don't plan on lagging behind you forever."
"Well with that kind of confidence…" Touma trailed off with a soft chuckle as he drew out Brave Dragon, feeling a warmth from it as if it was accepting of the decision as well, "I don't think I can say no."
"Wait, is that allowed?" Kanade asked as she looked over at Swordsman of Sound, "I figured you were holding onto all of their stuff as some kind of fair play deal."
"No, I was simply delivering the repaired equipment at the same time," Daishinji replied, "If they had Ride Books they chose not to give us to maintain and keep up to date then that's their decision."
"With this in play, and considering the nature of the technique…" Tsubasa trailed off as the others glanced at her, "The duel is about to shift drastically."
Espada slotted Ikazuchi back into the Swordriver before setting Brave Dragon in place. She said nothing and only let out a quick shout as she withdrew Ikazuchi, bursts of electricity and fire erupting from her blade.
[IKAZUCHI BATTOU!]
The Brave Dragon Wonder Ride Book was projected behind Espada before opening up, the familiar of it launching out from the pages and began encircling the Rider of Thunder. Taking a deep breath she held Ikazuchi up high with both hands.
[When the two books stack, the sacred sword gains power!]
[WONDER RIDER! DRAGON! ALANGINA!]
As the Brave Dragon burst into flames and formed the armoring on Espada's right side, the Rider of Thunder split her hands. Soon enough it was revealed that she not only had Ikazuchi, now in her left hand, she now held Kaenken Rekka in her right.
[With two elements, the blade is sharpened!]
"Most splendid," Yuri called out with a smile, "It seems as though she handles the power of two Seiken well."
"I should probably consider dual wield training for her," Ogawa admitted, "Even if this might be a rare event."
"Go Miku!" Kirika called out as she raised her fist.
"Miku…" Hibiki managed to mutter in shock before glancing over at the audience, noticing Touma's satisfied and unsurprised stare, "Touma… you…"
"Let's go, Hibiki," Espada said as she rushed forward, swinging forward with Rekka before stabbing with Ikazuchi. Hibiki had smacked back the slash while dodging to the side against the stab, quickly leaping away from the Rider of Thunder, "Hibiki… I'm serious about this."
"I'm… I'm serious too!" Hibiki called out, though it was clear that she was still holding herself back. She had chosen to accept and participate in the duel, so what exactly was stopping her from fully committing to it?
"Then actually fight me!" Espada shouted as she charged forward, flames and electrical charges forming from her blades as she continued to press her assault. Despite Hibiki managing to dodge and deflect her attacks she tapped Brave Dragon's Book and quickly stabbed Rekka into the ground, orange cracks glowing as fire erupted against Hibiki.
[BRAVE DRAGON!]
Hibiki let out a yell as she skidded backwards, her armor slightly scorched as she began to sweat from the brief wave of intense heat.
"I'm not the weak girl that Dr. Ver took advantage of! Nor am I the misguided Wielder that Shénshòujìng warped me into!" Espada called out in clear frustration as she removed Rekka from the earth and pointed forward with Ikazuchi, "I'm Miku Kohinata, a Swordswoman and the Kamen Rider of Thunder, Espada!"
"You may be right…" Hibiki admitted with a wince as she began to fully stand, her hair shadowing her face as she looked downwards. She let out a frustrated growl finally, "But that doesn't mean I'm still not afraid!"
"Huh?" Espada lowered her weapon slightly at the outburst, surprised that Hibiki actually spoke up.
"I know that I should trust you, I know that you've been working hard and that you aren't weak, but that doesn't mean I won't have those fears," Hibiki admitted as she held up her hands, clasping one within the other, "It's selfish I know, but…!"
"It's okay to be a bit selfish," Espada replied calmly when she saw her friend trail off, noticing the surprise crossing Hibiki's face, the Wielder having looked up at that remark, "I mean after all, it was my little bit of selfishness that led me to this point."
"I see," Hibiki said with a nod as she thought on it, "But you understand what I'm getting at, right?"
"I do now, yes," Espada nodded, "After everything we've been through, fears like that are hard to put away. But that's why I want you to trust in me, believe in me."
"Then let me know why you want to chase after something like this," Hibiki said as she put a hand to her chest, "You've seen so much when it comes to what we do, and you still want to walk down this path?"
"It's because of everything I have seen that I chose to take up Ikazuchi when it was offered," Espada replied as she watched her best friend's eyes widen in surprise, "I'm one of the few people who know firsthand what happens to us, the good we do, the trials we face. It's because of everything that I want to help, not to take the lead nor replace anyone, but to stand alongside you all and share your burdens."
"Share… our burdens?" Hibiki asked, recalling her friend's brief words on burdens earlier.
"It's the least I could do, after what happened to you and Touma that fateful day," Espada admitted as she glanced downwards and away from Hibiki, her arms at her sides.
"What?" Hibiki asked as she stared at her friend, "You mean the Zwei Wing Concert?"
"Yes," Espada nodded as she kept staring downwards, "Everything changed that day, and I always put blame on myself because of it."
"Miku, you had no idea," Hibiki called out in concern as she walked closer, "And even then, you shouldn't have been there."
"You're right, Touma said the same thing," Espada's head shot up as she quickly went to slash at Hibiki with Ikazuchi, it being blocked by Gungnir's left gauntlet, "So I'm done blaming myself for the past. I'm done fearing the idea of power corrupting my ideals and twisting them. I want to walk forward into the future with you and everyone else on my own terms!"
Hibiki could only wince as she could feel a heavy weight within Ikazuchi that wasn't the metal it was made of. Surprising Espada, she pushed the blade back slightly before she grabbed it with her hand, closing her eyes as she gripped it tightly. Her armed Gear was one that would allow her to connect to others, and she always heard Daishinji talking about the feelings of the Seiken with their users acting through them. Now it was her turn to understand, to use her gift to help her understand her best friend's situation with a bit more clarity.
"What?" Espada asked in surprise, trying to force the blade away from Hibiki's grasp only for it to not budge, "What are you…?"
"Miku…" Hibiki interrupted as she could feel the feelings and emotions that the Rider was pouring into the Raimeiken Ikazuchi at that very moment, "This weight… this strength… these feelings…"
"Huh?" Espada relaxed slightly before tensing once she saw Hibiki's grip tighten.
"Miku…!" Hibiki called out before letting out a yell as she shoved Ikazuchi away, punching forward only to get it batted away by Rekka, "If that's how you really feel then…!"
Espada shouted as she went to slash at Hibiki multiple times, "Then what?!"
"Then I'll respond in kind!" Hibiki called out as she went to block the slashes, managing to bat them away before punching downwards, destabilizing the ground and forcing her best friend back. She held out her fist as she finally took a more firm and offensive stance, "I'm still worried… but if you're fighting this hard for your feelings to reach me. If you're holding that heavy sword with such passion… it'd be wrong for me to hold you back!"
"Hibiki," Espada trailed before entering her own loose stance, "Then let me show you what I've been doing all this time."
"Please do!" Hibiki called out as she launched forward, Espada doing the same.
"There we go," Daishinji grinned as he watched as the fight before them grew more intense but still controlled. Both Rider and Wielder were now putting their all into their attacks, "This is what I've been hoping for."
"Come on Hibiki, kick her butt!" Kanade cheered as she pumped her fist in the air.
"Keep going Miku!" Shirabe called out.
"Yeah, beat her dess!" Kirika shouted.
"Incredible," Rintaro couldn't help but smile at this before glancing over towards Touma who had a clearly satisfied expression.
"Hibiki, Miku," Touma said as a smile crept its way onto his face as he clasped his hands, "Keep up the good work."
Watching the fight from a distance on one of the higher parts of the quarry and out of any line of sight or detection was Desast. He wasn't interested at first due to the very relaxed nature of it, but then it started to shift and change. While he didn't think either combatant would be able to help him with his questions, he did have some respect for them now that they were truly fighting with all their heart.
"Not bad at all," he said with a satisfied chuckle, simply laying on his side and enjoying the show, "Guess I was right to show up."
Espada leapt up, launching downwards at high speeds which Hibiki just barely managed to dodge by leaping to the side. The Rider landed and spun while lashing out with Rekka, a wave of fire erupting as the Wielder was forced to brace with her gauntlets.
Hibiki winced, being pushed back as the fire wave scorched her Symphogear further. Her eyes widened however as Espada launched towards her again, but this time she had an idea. She ducked and elbowed the Rider in the gut to force Espada into a stumble. She then closed in, pushing Espada's arms away before performing a palm strike.
Espada coughed out as she was sent skidding backwards, nearly stumbling but quickly digging her blades into the ground to come to a stop as she hunched forward, "Not bad…"
"Well of course," Hibiki said as she had an almost teasing smile on her face as she wagged her finger, "I have trained and fought for longer than you have Miku."
"I can't deny that," Espada admitted with a light laugh, having felt the force behind the attack. Despite how strong her best friend was, that didn't deter her from charging forward, "But!"
Hibiki went for a defensive stance this time, planning on going for a hard counter.
[LAMP DO ALANGINA! BRAVE DRAGON!]
The Lamp Do Alangina and Brave Dragon erupted out from Espada who suddenly leapt back. The genie floated up high at a rapid pace as the fiery dragon curled up and spun upwards after it, becoming a makeshift wheel. The genie clasped its hands together before bringing them down just as thunder struck, the Brave Dragon lighting itself on fire as electricity coursed through it.
The result was a giant spinning wheel of fire with coursing electricity slamming downwards against Hibiki who yelped and just barely dodged out of the way.
"What the heck was that supposed to be?!" Maria questioned in surprise.
"It looks like they're really getting into it," Ogawa admitted with slight awe to his tone.
"I suppose Miku's creativity is in full force here," Touma said as he noticed a few others looking at him, "She's my unofficial editor for a reason. Not all of her edits are saying something doesn't work, because sometimes it's her making her own crazy suggestions that somehow work better."
"I suppose that makes sense," Tsubasa replied before crossing her arms with a smirk, "You should be careful Kamiyama, her swordsmanship surpasses your own and you're saying she's fairly creative to boot?"
"Eh?" Touma looked over at his friend, "What are you trying to say?"
"You shouldn't fall behind," Daishinji smirked, "But that's fine, you can always get more training."
"Eh?" Touma looked back at Daishinji in slight disbelief.
"Miku," Hibiki called out as she braced against a couple of slashes, forcing the Rider back before leaping back herself, "Show me how strong you are."
"Hibiki," Espada let out a light gasp as she realized what her friend was imply. She nodded, slotting Ikazuchi back into her Swordriver before removing her Ride Books and bringing out Golden Shinjukyō. She loaded it in place, soon drawing out her Seiken and forming a yellow zigzag pattern in front of her, "Let me show you… my transformation!"
[IKAZUCHI BATTOU! SHINING! SYMPHOGEAR! SEIKEN!]
A giant projection of the Ride Book slammed down behind her, opening up and shining pale lavender light onto Espada. The jagged line meanwhile turned lavender before launching towards Espada's mask just as the light bathing her reached its peak, soon dispersing like electricity.
[SENKO! MAMORITAI! AKIRAMENAI! GOLDEN SHINJUKYŌ~!]
Espada soon stood in her upgraded form of Golden Shinjukyō, tossing Ikazuchi into her right hand in a reverse grip as she formed her Armed Gear, aiming the folded fan forward like a normal blade.
Everyone watching could only stare in awe, even those who were around the first time the form was in action were still stunned by its appearance.
"Incredible," Shirabe stared in awe, "It's so similar to her Symphogear and yet…"
"It feels totally different," Kirika finished for her friend with a nod.
"Yeah," Chris agreed, "Even just from this distance I'm getting such a different vibe from it."
"Elfnein and I put a lot of work into the form," Daishinji remarked, "Especially since we knew this would make up for her not having her Wonder Combo immediately."
"Wouldn't this be considered stronger though?" Maria asked, "I caught glimpses of it during our mission and I know the power I saw and felt."
"It is," Daishinji replied, "But it's because of Miku's past experience with Shénshòujìng that she's able to wear that armor without burden."
"Not bad," Genjuro nodded with approval before letting out a smirk as he kept his attention on the fight, "But Hibiki can easily match that."
"Shénshòujìng and Espada combined?!" Hibiki called out in shock, this also being her first time witnessing the combined form. She couldn't help but find it awe inspiring however, a power that was so dreaded and despised turned into a brilliant upgrade, "Miku, this is so cool!"
"Thank you," Espada admitted in a pleased tone, "But please don't hold back."
"Don't worry, I'll gladly match you!" Hibiki called out as she drew out Daiyokuzuna Kinzaburou and held it up to her pendant to initiate the scan, her belt strap and buckle forming as she went to initiate her transformation, "Henshin!"
{Ride Change! Kin-no-Gungnir!}
Hibiki let out a shout as she entered her Ride Gear form, soon launching towards Espada and punching forward. To her expectation Espada had used the folded fan to block against her enlarged gauntlet with ease. She let out a yelp when the Rider used enough force to smack her arm's fist back. She found her footing, charging forward again but this time slipping past the fan as she aimed for a direct hit against Espada…
…that was until Espada utilized her form's leg boosters to launch backwards, the fist whiffing as a result. She crossed her Seiken and Armed Gear together, the mirror of the folded fan shining bright and unleashing electrical bursts outwards at high speeds.
Hibiki quickly crossed her arms together, bracing against the electrical bursts by using her gauntlets' enlarged size to shield her.
[BRAVE DRAGON! ONE! READING!]
Espada used the attack as cover to scan her borrowed Ride Book on the Golden Booster. Electricity began to form on her Armed Gear, soon launching forward at high speeds as flames began to kick up in her boosters to enhance her speed further.
She reeled her Armed Gear back before thrusting forward once she was next to Hibiki, electricity sparking outwards and forming an electrical construct of Brave Dragon's head.
[SHOCK SHINE!]
The result was the electrical dragon's head opening its maw wide and slamming it shut against Hibiki's gauntlets, electricity sparking outwards before exploding.
Hibiki let out a yell as she flew back, quickly flipping and landing on her feet as she launched her gauntlets forward like rocket fists. Espada quickly stood her ground, unfolding her Armed Gear into its mirror state and bracing against the fists.
The attack and defense clashed against each other, the mirror shining brightly before an explosive burst occurred. The Rider yelled out as she flew back, quickly using her boosters to stop and catch herself. The result however had knocked her Armed Gear out of her hand. But this had also managed to damage Kin-no-Gungnir's gauntlets and sent them sprawling across the battlefield in an inactive state.
"Not bad, but I don't only just have my Armed Gear," Espada spoke up as Hibiki perked up in surprise, several shouts occurring from several of the others who were watching as well. The Rider simply stared forward as she prepared the mode change, "Just like Rintaro's… this also has a second mode!"
[KAIHO ZENKAI! GOLDEN SHINJUKYŌ ECHOING!]
Everyone watched as Espada shined brightly, her armor shifting shape before forming into the Gungnir enhanced mode that was her Echoing Form. She slotted Ikazuchi into her Swordriver before getting in a fighting stance.
"Whoa wait, what?!" Kanade questioned in shock, "She has Gungnir too?!"
"We used a decent chunk of the spare Gungnir we were given for it," Daishinji explained, "Because of the data we had on the two and their Wielders, it was the perfect Relic to balance out Shénshòujìng. The issue became trying to evenly spread that power, which we then decided to consolidate into a functioning form."
"I recall from what little I saw that it ended up working quite well," Rintaro nodded.
"Truly Kohinata, you continue to impress me," Tsubasa admitted with a satisfied smile.
"Miku…" Hibiki trailed in shock as she saw a replica of her very own Symphogear before her eyes. She closed her eyes and let out a chuckle as she recalled her conversation with Bahamut from the previous night.
It was a long and awkward silence after Bahamut had announced his desire to give Hibiki guidance. The Gungnir Wielder couldn't believe that the Ride Book had manifested a somewhat physical form. Bahamut meanwhile was simply waiting for Hibiki to say something.
"I uh…" Hibiki spoke up finally, a hint of nervousness in her voice, "Am I that obvious?"
"Considering how you reached out to me and helped put me at ease, I'm able to tell something's off thanks to this new connection," Bahamut said in a fairly relaxed tone as he went to sit down next to Hibiki. The girl didn't question the spirit somehow managing to sit next to her, nor did Bahamut himself seem to notice this oddity, "That's how I was able to tell the others about you when you were suffering."
"Oh, they didn't mention you doing this though…" Hibiki trailed as she put a finger to her chin.
Bahamut nearly fell forward at this, "I uh… I didn't appear to them like this…"
"Then how come you're appearing like this now?" Hibiki asked.
"Because you need someone to talk to, and my voice coming out of a book wouldn't work too well," Bahamut replied as he clasped his hands, "Admittedly this is a tad strenuous… but considering what's going on, it's worth it."
"Oh," Hibiki said before sighing and staring at the ground, "I don't get why Miku and I need to have this duel…"
"Well clearly she feels as though she needs to prove herself to you," Bahamut said as if it was obvious, "Otherwise she wouldn't have called you out like that the other day."
"Wait, did you hear all that?" Hibiki asked, while the idea of Bahamut having heard her argument was a surprise, she was also wondering just how much of her life the Ride Book was witness to...
"Despite never needing to use me, you still carry me like a good luck charm," Bahamut reminded, though he realized he'd have to clarify, "But I'm not always active if you're concerned about that. I was just awake enough to hear that at the time."
"I see…" Hibiki muttered with a sigh, "It's just… I guess…"
"I saw Miku Kohinata's power first hand," Bahamut said suddenly, figuring he needed to take the lead a bit longer, "She's powerful and the fact is she was the one to deal the final blow on the Phantom Megid that was making you and your alternate counterpart suffer."
"She did?" Hibiki asked in surprise before sighing and looking down again, "I guess… I'm just afraid that something might happen to her. I know that's a risk for all of us in our line of work, but with her… someone who for the longest time has been just watching and waiting for us…"
"Are you going to deny how hard she's trained?" Bahamut asked.
"I don't want to," Hibiki insisted, hating that it felt like she was coming off like that, "It's no joke, especially since I was made aware of just how many people helped her with this… but… this fear just doesn't subside…"
"That's understandable," Bahamut said with a nod, "I'd like to say there is no right or wrong answer to this in regards to you two. But you both of you should at least come to an understanding, lest things end up worse as a result."
"So I should go through with the duel then?" Hibiki asked.
"You absolutely should," Bahamut replied as he looked upward, "It's only come to this because you two can't really say the right words to each other. So if you need to use your fist to help her understand you, and she needs to use her blade to help you understand… then I'd say there's nothing wrong in that."
"Huh… I see," Hibiki nodded before giving a thoughtful smile, "Well I guess I did end up helping you out via fighting."
"That was still a great battle," Bahamut admitted with a light laugh, "If I ever get a body again I'd love to go for a round two. But for now I suppose I'm just content with staying by your side."
"I mean we can always… fight together…" Hibiki began to trail off in realization as she looked over, "Hey, I know we haven't exactly tested our compatibility yet but…"
"It's worth a short," Bahamut looked over as if knowing exactly what Hibiki was implying. Despite his face being a mask, even Hibiki could tell that he was cracking the biggest grin ever, "If you truly wish that we should fight together then I'm sure you can make it happen."
Hibiki opened her eyes with a smile as Kin-No-Gungnir dismissed itself much to the shock of everyone there. However Espada was paying attention to Hibiki's body language, and this wasn't an act of resignation. The Rider kept her guard up, assuming that Hibiki was about to utilize Ignite to match her new form.
Until Hibiki confidently drew out Ultimate Bahamut in a swift manner, her smile growing into a smirk as she held it over her Pendant.
{Wonder Ride Sync}
The standard white buckle and belt strap had formed again, confirming that Hibiki's Gungnir was indeed compatible with Ultimate Bahamut. Needless to say…
Genjuro's eyes widened, "BAHAMUT WITH GUNGNIR?!"
"She's compatible with Bahamut?!" Touma questioned as he fully stood up in shock, a few others staring at him briefly due to noting how this was the first time during the duel that he had been surprised, "How the heck…?"
"She didn't come to me by the way," Daishinji noted just in case anyone was about to question him, though even he was shaken by this sudden development, "Nor did Elfnein mention anything either… so something tells me this is her coming to that conclusion on her own."
"Sounds just like her to pull something like this," Chris admitted with a chuckle.
"Hibiki does have that special knack for connecting with others," Ogawa remarked, "I suppose this is just a perk of that."
"Considering her interactions with Bahamut it makes sense," Yuri agreed, "Quite splendid if I do say so myself."
"She never ceases to amaze me," Rintaro said as he was now on the edge of his seat.
"Hibiki," Espada had finally spoken up in near shock before shaking her head and letting out a light laugh, "You always manage to surprise me, you know that?"
"I'm glad," Hibiki smiled before she held a determined look as she slotted Ultimate Bahamut onto the newly formed buckle, "Now let us show you what we've really got!"
"Of course," Espada said, waiting for her best friend's new transformation, "I'll gladly take you on."
Hibiki held her right hand up while stomping her foot down, black fire erupting from the sparks of her armored foot hitting the ground. The black fire began to rise and wrap around her as a projection of Bahamut formed over her. She then pressed down on the buckle to open up the Ride Book and let out a mighty shout as Bahamut's roars mixed with her own.
"HENSHIN!"
The black flames began to spiral inwards, moving towards her upper body as her the orange on her inner gear faded to a grey coloration. Her collar and scarf were soon burned away as the flames began to burst apart. Her chest and shoulders gained the dragon head armoring that was present on Saber Ultimate Bahamut.
Gold decorative patterns similar to the ones on Ultimate Bahamut marked her white armor on her stomach, gauntlets, and thighs. On the sides of her gauntlets and grieves were jagged black armored plates with blue edges similar to the flames of Brave Dragon. Her face mask at its base was similar to the other Ride Gear masks, the base was white and covering her mouth with two horizontal lines glowing gold. Attached directly onto it however was a set black metallic jagged jaws, almost similar to a dragon's maw, they were closed but a hinge could be seen towards her ears.
To finish the transformation the flames wrapped around her neck, forming a collar of black cloth similar to her alternate counterpart's scarf. However what it extended out into wasn't a two-tailed scarf but a cape that reached down to just above her ankles.
{Ride Change! Ultimate Gungnir!}
Everyone was stunned speechless at the transformation, it not being the usual uniform Ride Gear transformation with the occasional difference like the others. This was more along the lines of Eternal Habakiri and Junpaku Gungnir, as Hibiki had accessed her own specialized Ride Gear form thanks to her bond with Bahamut. She crouched forward and knelt down on one knee while spreading her arms, keeping her palms open but curling her fingers like claws. The jaw unhinged slightly, black fire being let out as the Wielder released a breath.
"Ultimate Gungnir…!" Hibiki stood up while punching upwards with her right fist, soon entering a wide legged stance as she reeled her right arm back and upwards while keeping her fist clenched. Likewise she reached out with her left hand, keeping her palm wide open, "Here we go!"
"Hibiki," Espada said as she stared down her friend while entering a fighting stance, "Are you ready?"
"Of course," Hibiki said with a light chuckle as she was proud that her idea had worked, soon relaxing her pose and entering her usual stance, "Let's go, Miku!"
The Rider and Wielder both stared each other down for a few more seconds before launching forward. Both combatants reeled their right arms back, their fingers curling their hands into fists as they went to punch forward while shouting with all their might.
An explosion of electricity and black fire occurred, Espada letting out a light yell as she was sent skidding backwards. She then quickly used her armor's boosters to pivot while dodging to the side, Hibiki having leapt up and pounced downwards in an instant.
'This power…!' Espada let out a light gasp as she quickly found her ground and shouted out while punching forward, her right gauntlet forming into its booster state, the knuckle duster deploying to help her hit harder, 'Even then!'
Hibiki meanwhile had leapt up, raising her left arm and letting the punch slam into her gauntlet as she managed to hold her ground, 'Even with this boost, Miku's still strong!'
The two couldn't help but give a light chuckle in their stalemate, soon relaxing and leaping away from each other. Both combatants stared intently at each other, and despite their expressions being nearly or completely masked, the two still were able to tell what the other was thinking.
Espada now activated her left gauntlet's booster state in addition to her already active right. She then clanged both of her gauntlets together as electricity began to form from the friction while she held them close. She then held her arms out at her sides as her boosters began to fire up, utilizing her replica power jacks on her leg armor to dig into the ground and keep her in place.
Hibiki meanwhile held up her right hand, the dragon heads of her upper body spewing out blue flames that began to spiral towards the palm of her hand. She gripped the flames tightly, a bright blue flame engulfing her hand as she reeled her right arm back.
The two didn't need another word, Hibiki launching forward via a burst of blue fire igniting at her feet while Espada used the power jacks retracting and her boosters to launch her forward. The two closed in on each other as they initiated their attacks, both of them punching forward with their right fists.
The attacks collided, an explosion of bright blue and yellow occurring as the two attacks clashed against each other in a vibrant display. Everyone watching couldn't help but shield their eyes at the display, and while there were those wondering who would win, everyone was satisfied at what they were seeing.
Several Day Later…
The duel between Hibiki and Miku had ended in success, the clash between two friends ending in them understanding each other just a bit better than before. With that last trouble finished with alongside the Megid attacks and Gjallarhorn anomalies dying down, SONG's various members could enjoy the end of summer with little worries.
Tsubasa was currently at a particular rooftop, there was a small stage set up to the side, various random items and props strewn about along the floor alongside a few chairs and benches. The Wielder of Ame no Habakiri had to admit it was a rather relaxing rooftop, and she wondered if Touma knew about it since this felt like his kind of aesthetic.
"Pretty nice view, huh?" a voice asked from behind as Kanade walked over with water for Tsubasa and a soda for herself.
"It is rather nice," Tsubasa admitted as she took the water before unscrewing it and taking a brief sip of it, "How did you find somewhere like this?"
"Got lucky was all," Kanade replied, deciding to be coy about the fact that she knew about it from a parallel world, "Even I'm surprised this place exists here."
"Yes, it is quite an odd setup," Tsubasa replied, "Yet it feels right, especially when it comes to Kamiyama."
"Yeah he'd dig this kind of place, huh?" Kanade said as she popped open her soda to start drinking it, "Kind of surprised you're down with it though."
"I suppose it's because the view is incredible," Tsubasa admitted as she walked over to the railing and leaned forward on it, "It reminds me of some words Tachibana and Shindo mentioned a while back."
"Oh?" Kanade raised a brow as she walked over.
"It reminds me of the world we watch over and protect," Tsubasa said before turning with a smile, "It's because we protect this world that the life in front of us can carry on without worry."
"Look at you acting all wise," Kanade remarked with a smirk before it softened into a smile, "But I suppose you're right."
"And that's fun to you?"
"It's oddly relaxing."
Chris was currently at the main table in the living area of her apartment, sitting down and working on a Model Kit she had recently purchased. While she was one to laze about and read Manga, she did want to try something a bit more constructive. Of course what helped was passing by the hobby section of the bookstore she frequented enough times.
It was an older robot kit that had been re-released time and time again, but she didn't seem to mind. The red color scheme with black and white accents of mecha had spoken to her. That wasn't mentioning the equipment, the large wings, shield and rifle were also pretty cool. As a result she was set in making the first of what was a new hobby for her. Though she'd have to look into the franchise the kit was a part of, realizing she could get some potential ideas for her fighting style too.
"Whatever you say," Desast said as he was sitting next to her.
The Megid had grown exhausted of reading in the heat and wanted to cool down. Thankfully since Kirika and Shirabe had finished their vacation studies, that meant Chris had room for him to just hang out in the apartment itself. His current choice of literature had a red cover for the volume, a swordsman in a black coat facing down numerous men in suits with what seemed to be a fish in the corner.
"Alright here we go," Touma said as he exited the back room of Fantastic Bookstore Kamiyama, a stack of books in his hands as he set them down, "These are some old orders that ended up getting cancelled last minute, but might be what you're looking for."
"Thank you," Shirabe said as she looked over the stack of books, all of them being recipe and cooking related, "I'm hoping to keep building a good base and a variety like this might help me out."
"Also sorry if there's not a lot," Touma apologized suddenly, "Miku kind of came in the other day and grabbed a couple."
"Oh, I see," Shirabe nodded, "That does make sense though. She does seem like the type who would try and learn how to cook out of those two… but this is still a fair amount to choose from."
"For sure," Touma nodded, "Also just let me know which ones and I'll give you a good deal on them."
"Are you sure?" Shirabe asked.
"I don't think they'll move too quickly," Touma admitted, "So if you're serious about it then I'll lower the prices. Consider it a perk of being friends."
"Thank you," Shirabe bowed with a slight smile.
While Touma and Shirabe were conducting business however, Kirika and Rintaro were off to the side at a table. In front of them was a white box, Rintaro having a smile as he opened it up.
"Here we go," Rintaro said with a grin as his eyes sparkled, before him and Kirika were a set of four chocolate éclairs, "I know you've had donuts but I bet you haven't tried something this tasty yet."
"I haven't dess," Kirika admitted with wide-eyes, she had always heard Rintaro talking about éclairs but she had yet to really pay attention as to what they were until now.
The two quickly took one out, both knocking the éclairs against each other briefly and softly as if toasting them before taking a bite. Rintaro savored the flavor while Kirika's eyes lit up in surprise at the flavor, clearly pleased.
Maria was currently sitting underneath a particular tree at a certain park, having wanted some time to herself. She recalled from Touma's mentions that he had met not only Hibiki and Miku but Kento and Luna underneath the very tree she sat at.
"Kento…" she muttered as she glanced upwards only to look down and drew out the picture she had received from the parallel world version of her sister, "Serena… I promise I'll bring him back. I couldn't save you, but him…"
Unbeknownst to her, she was being watched from a distance. Calibur was standing on a building that was facing the back of the tree Maria was at. He had Kurayami holstered at his side, simply resting his left hand on it. Watching Calibur was Luna who gave a slightly concerned look, clearly troubled by the Swordsman of Darkness.
Elfnein was hard at work on her own personal project, the usual attempt and failure at accessing the data Dr. Ver left had passed and so she decided to distract herself. She gave a light smile, staring at the headset before her as she tinkered with it. While her project was going slow, Miku making use of it had managed to give her a decent amount of data. And that data resulted in motivation to keep pushing further.
Within the same workshop was Daishinji, giving a soft smile at seeing Elfnein enraptured in her work. He then looked over Onjuuken Suzune, making sure it was properly maintained as he shifted it effortlessly between sword and gun formations.
"So you've finally decided," Genjuro said as he and Yuri were currently outside of SONG's submersible headquarters.
"Indeed," Yuri nodded, "Due to my earlier remarks, I hope my absence isn't too sudden, nor do I imagine it will be long either."
"Here's hoping, but I think Touma can handle it," Genjuro replied though he grew curious, "You said you wouldn't leave until you decided on the form the new you would take. What did you end up going with?"
"The meaning of protecting the world has changed, taking many shades and views that manage to still point towards that one conclusion," Yuri explained, recalling his experiences with SONG this past summer before drawing out a copy of Sword X Man, "And this shall be my basis."
Genjuro couldn't help but give a smile at that, "I'm sure it'll suit you greatly."
"Thank you," Yuri said before turning away and vanishing.
Sophia was currently manning the bridge alone, Sakuya and Aoi typing away as usual as she simply sat at her station, awaiting the moment anything occurred. It was a nerve-wracking experience at first, but over time she grew to enjoy the quiet moments, especially with everything finally slowing down.
"Commander," Ogawa said after entering and walking over to Sophia's station.
"Do you have something to report, Kenzan?" Sophia asked as she glanced over.
"I have news on the information Maria obtained during the Great Gazer incident," Ogawa replied, "It appears as though the information is finally being processed, and it won't be long until they'll decide if SONG needs to take direct action."
"I see, thank you for the update," Sophia nodded before mulling on the situation. The summer break had been hectic thanks to varying factors, yet weren't as intense as prior confrontations. She couldn't help but wonder if this stretch of battles were simply the calm before the storm, though she hated to imagine what that storm would take shape as.
Hibiki and Miku had decided to go to a fireworks show together, this being one of the last few that would close out summer. The two had managed to find a good spot on the hill, having setup a blanket for them to sit down and watch alongside anyone else who was in the area.
As they were waiting however, Hibiki couldn't help but strike up a conversation.
"You know, you're really strong Miku," Hibiki admitted as she looked over, the two having a few bandages on them due to getting a bit carried away with their duel.
"You say that like you aren't," Miku said as she looked over, "Seriously, how did you think of pulling out a form like that?"
"I didn't really," Hibiki admitted with a light smile before growing more thoughtful, "I just wanted to fight alongside Bahamut and hoped it would work out."
"That sounds just like you," Miku replied with a light giggle before gaining her own thoughtful expression, "I suppose it's the same for me."
"Eh?" Hibiki tilted her head.
"At the start of this all I wanted to fight alongside you and the others," Miku explained, "And I hoped it would work out, and well despite everything… it did."
"Yeah," Hibiki nodded before looking up at the night sky, "I guess I'm still worried…"
"Well we can share in that worry," Miku said as she put her hand on Hibiki's, "You know I worry about you all the time, right?"
"I guess now I know how it feels," Hibiki replied as she began to relax, "But even with my worries, you've helped ease them thanks to that duel."
"I'm glad," Miku replied, "And remember I don't just have you supporting me. I have everyone at SONG as well."
"Yeah, but it's not just you either," Hibiki added with a smile, "We're all supporting each other."
"Exactly," Miku smiled.
It didn't take long for the fireworks to kick off, though despite the audible popping and bright colors filling the night sky, the two couldn't stop smiling at each other. Despite the battles they had faced all summer, there was still some satisfaction at the end of it all. Their bond had strengthened and entered a new stage, one that would likely help them against the upcoming trials.
Author's Note: So let's dig into this chapter starting with one of the major stars, Bahamut! I know some people were curious about his status. But between these past few chapters I'd like to confirm he'll be sticking around as part of the supporting cast. I have some fun ideas with him, and part of that includes Hibiki's second Ride Gear form, Ultimate Gungnir. It's a simple form change aesthetically, but a powerful one and I wanted to have Hibiki rock the cape.
Of course there's the duel as well, which was fun in trying to figure out how to pace dialogue and go through the different phases of it. Which yes, I did purposely end it as vaguely as possible because really, the purpose of the duel was never to see who won. It was to strengthen Hibiki and Miku's relationship in the end.
But with that we've concluded Song of Swords RXU, well aside from the OVA Chapter. But the main story is finally done. This was a big undertaking and the longest season I've written thus far with mostly original material as well. There are some things I feel like I could have done better, done differently, but I this was a great learning experience for me. I should mention I'll be taking a short break from posting chapters as I still need to fully finish up AXZ, but we should be back sometime around March next year. With that said, look forward to next time as we've got OVA Chapter shenanigans!