Prologue

In the world of Symphogear (After the events of GX, the battle against Carol)

On a crowded train heading home, Chris Yukine, the wielder of Ichaival—Symphogear's know as the Bow of Odin and a member of SONG—was scrolling through her phone. She was checking for any messages from Hibiki and Miku about their plans to attend Tsubasa and Maria's concert together the next day.

Every now and then, she paused to glance at her wallpaper: a photo of her parents, Masanori and Sonnet. Genjuro—the "old man"—always made sure to transfer the image to every new phone she got, knowing her tendency to break them. Despite everything she had now, she still deeply missed her parents.

Lost in thought, she barely paid attention to the chatter around her. Her stop was still two hours away, so there was no rush. Just as she returned her focus to the screen, she noticed something fall from a man's pocket.

The man in question was an elderly gentleman dressed in an outrageously extravagant suit, so theatrical it was as if he were cosplaying a vampire or some eccentric character. Chris didn't think much of it—she had met far stranger people before. Hibiki, Vert, and even the old man himself came to mind when it came to oddballs. Her eyes drifted back to the fallen object: a blue ticket with golden edges that shimmered under the train's lights. It looked like an entry pass to some kind of event.

She then recalled she had also been organizing an outing with her friends and had reserved an extra ticket just in case Hibiki lost hers. A faint sense of empathy flickered within her. Maybe this old man had the same bad luck, or he was just forgetful. For all she knew, that ticket might be for someone important to him—perhaps a grandchild he was accompanying or an event he had been looking forward to in his retirement.

Shaking off the speculation, she decided to return the ticket before the train reached the next station. As the crowd shifted near the doors, she picked it up and approached the old man. Socializing with strangers wasn't her strong suit, but after taking a deep breath, she got his attention.

"Excuse me, sir…" She hesitated for a moment, almost calling him "old man" before correcting herself. "You dropped this."

The man turned, locking eyes with her—deep ruby red, gleaming with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine. He was just as peculiar as his attire suggested. The discomfort made Chris avert her gaze.

"T-this ticket." Chris added, extending it toward him.

The old man examined the ticket before taking it, then shifted his attention back to Chris, who was already turning away to return to her seat.

"Thank you, Chris Yukine" He said, his voice calm yet tinged with intrigue. "Though I suppose it was inevitable that I'd lose one or two of these. Things get lost when you're forgetful."

"W-What?"

She froze at the sound of her name coming from a complete stranger. Spinning back around, her confusion was evident in the way her eyes narrowed, trying to recall if she had ever met this man before.

"How do you…?"

The old man smiled—not sinisterly, but like a grandfather amused by the startled reaction of a child. He seemed entertained by her sharp reflexes and surprise, much like one would be when watching a cat on edge.

"Surprised? …Perhaps it's the eyes. Forgive me if they make you uncomfortable. Sometimes, they feel like a curse, especially when they unsettle those around me. Being a dead apostle tends to instill fear in those who don't understand what it means—or what I am. Just like you."

Chris had no idea what he was talking about, but her body tensed instinctively. The idea of this man attacking her in a crowded train, putting innocent people in danger, was terrifying—especially if he was merely toying with her. Was he after something? Her Gear? Some lingering secret from Fine? Or maybe something even worse than Dr. Vert or Carol?

But instead of attacking, the old man remained calm, almost too relaxed, as he continued speaking.

"I just observed your intentions when you returned my ticket. You're quite kind, despite your tendency to be aggressive, Chris. Even with your past and everything you've lost… A tragic story, really. Though at least it had a happy ending. But tell me, do you truly believe that's the best ending one could have? Personally, I'd prefer more choices—different possibilities."

"What—? Am I supposed to understand anything you're saying? If you came here to kill me, trust me, there won't be any 'happy ending' for you by the time I'm done."

Chris hissed, her voice low but firm, like a cornered cat. She was ready to activate her Gear at any moment, and the crystal on her choker began to glow faintly, its intensity rising.

"Oh, I see. You took it as a threat" The man replied, raising his hands in a conciliatory gesture. "Don't worry, that's not why I'm here. I'm simply… experimenting with something new, and I think you might be able to help me, just like you did with the ticket. If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you a question—since you're the first person I've chosen to interact with. And no offense… perhaps the last as well."

Chris narrowed her eyes, still on guard.

"Get to the point already."

"Yes, of course. If you had the chance… would you want to see your parents again in another world?"

"W-What?!"

The question left Chris speechless, cutting off the first verse of the chant she had been about to unleash. She froze, staring at the old man, her breath caught in her throat, cold sweat breaking out across her skin.

"Why… why are you asking me that?" She stammered, her voice trembling. "Wait… did you just say another world?"

"Hmm… " The man smiled, nodding, amused by her reaction. "Let's just say I'm rewarding the person who went out of their way to return something valuable to me. My ticket—for a bit of occasional entertainment." Chris didn't look convinced. "Do you think I'm mocking you?"

"Of course I do! Unless you're some demon or god offering me my soul for it or demanding that I destroy the world to make it happen, I'm not buying a single word of this. I've been through this before. And honestly… it pisses me off. So whoever you are, I won't hesitate to tear you apart right here and now."

"Hmm… defiant, even before demons and gods. I like that. —The old man gave a slight nod—. Here, this is yours."

He held out a ticket—red instead of blue.

"Huh?"

Chris was too confused to stop her reflex, and without thinking, she reached out to take it.

"Go on, accept it. There's no price. Consider it… a new experience for both you and me. Perhaps I overstepped with my personal question, but I have no doubt that you'll turn this into something entertaining, Chris Yukine. That's what I'm looking forward to."

She shot the old man a wary glance before lowering her gaze to the strange ticket in her hand. Her guard remained high, ready for any sudden movement.

"A ticket to another world? What's this supposed to mean? Hey, old man-"

She looked up—but the old man was gone. Even more unsettling, the train was completely empty. Not a single sound, not a single soul around her. Nervous and disoriented, Chris frantically looked in every direction.

"W-Where… where is everyone?"

The carriage was pure white, so bright it was almost blinding. Outside, the sun was still shining, but the landscape had vanished—beyond the windows, there was only a radiant, infinite void. The train's speed had slowed, and the soft hum of the bullet train had morphed into the rhythmic clatter of a steam locomotive.

Anxiety tightened around her as she searched for something—anything—that could explain this absurd situation. And then, not far away, her eyes landed on a peculiar figure.

It was a small marshmallow-like creature, dressed in a conductor's hat and a porter's uniform. It held out a tiny hand expectantly, as if waiting for something. Chris stared at the thing in confusion, then glanced back at the ticket in her hand. She felt no attachment to it, no sense of responsibility—after all, she had no idea where she was, and for all she knew, the ticket might be the reason she was trapped here. Maybe keeping it meant staying here forever. That old man wasn't exactly clear.

"Here."

She handed it over.

The marshmallow creature jumped with joy, clutching the ticket as it scurried toward the engine room. The train still felt eerily empty, but shadows began to take shape around her. The entire place had an unsettling, unreal feeling—like a train outside of reality itself.

"Next stop: DXD!" A voice announced over a megaphone.

The train suddenly began to slow down. Outside, a vast, abstract void stretched endlessly in every direction, shapeless and boundless. And then, as if emerging from nothingness, a colossal red silhouette appeared on the horizon.

It was a dragon.

Chris stared, her mouth slightly open, as the massive creature flew alongside the train without paying her any mind. This can't be happening, she thought, watching in disbelief.

Beside the dragon, a figure appeared—someone Chris could clearly make out.

She was a young woman dressed in a classic purple gown, the kind one would expect in an old fairy tale—except there was no corset, and black ribbons adorned her chest. She turned her gaze toward the train, and after a few moments, her eyes met Chris's frozen figure. The girl seemed intrigued, watching her closely as the train continued its course.

"Bow."

The surreal scene vanished as the dragon and the young woman disappeared into the distance, and the train suddenly came to a halt. Chris grabbed onto the safety straps above her head, bracing for impact. After a brief struggle, she assumed she had reached her destination.

"Now what?"

The marshmallow conductor returned, holding up a shining red sign with her name written on it. The surrounding shadows didn't obscure her view of the tiny creature, which was jumping determinedly to get her attention. Its effort was so sincere that Chris hesitated for a moment, feeling a flicker of sympathy despite her confusion. Do I even have another choice?

Following the marshmallow's directions, she reached the exit. Above the door, a glowing sign displayed the same text as before: "DXD." Chris couldn't tell if this was an elaborate illusion or the strangest dream she had ever had. Maybe she had fallen asleep on the train, but no amount of pinching had woken her up. After examining the entrance, it suddenly opened—revealing nothing but emptiness.

"Nothing bad will happen if I step out, right? Hmm."

Her skeptical question was met with an emphatic shake of the marshmallow's head as it urged her forward. With a resigned sigh, Chris accepted the unknown.

"Alright, but if anything happens to me, I swear I'll find you."

She stepped onto the first stair… and suddenly, the ground vanished beneath her feet. Chris felt herself plummeting into an endless void.

"You lying marshmallow!" She cursed as the darkness swallowed her whole.

And then…

She woke up in a bed.

Extra: New dialogue rewrite. Changed dashes to quotation marks. If the change are pleasant, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. I'll try to change everything at once.

I used dashes because I've always been used to writing dialogue that way. But if it makes reading harder for you, that's another story. I don't mind changing it. Hope it doesn't confuse the others.