Chapter 24: A Little Lie and a planned meeting.

She was in the forest. That was the only thing Chris recognized as she walked along the path, following the small figure ahead of her. The girl looked just like her younger self, except for the different dress she wore. She wondered if she was back in Val Verde and if this was a memory from the past. After a long walk, they arrived at a lake, its surface shimmering under the sunlight that filtered through a small opening in the trees.

The place was breathtaking. The small lake had a natural rock formation resembling a tiny waterfall, and the water was so clear that, under the sunlight, she could see the little fishes swimming beneath the surface, along with other small animals. The silence was peaceful, occasionally broken by the gentle rustling of branches swayed by the wind, which in turn made the birds sing in a natural chorus.

The small figure of Chris knelt down, took a deep breath, and began to sing a soft, tranquil melody, humming through the instrumental parts and following with simple yet profound lyrics.

Music: Inori † (Ayahi Takagaki)

The song was so beautiful that it made Chris smile. It reminded her of the songs she used to sing with her parents. She couldn't help but sway her head to the rhythm, losing herself in the words of her younger self. It seemed like she had been practicing that song. Though she had no memory of ever singing alone by a lake like this, this would be a moment she would never forget for its sheer beauty.

After a little while, Chris felt the presence of someone nearby. It seemed it had stopped running through the forest and decided to follow the soothing voice of the child. As the figure slowly revealed itself from behind the closest trees, moving silently, she saw a brown-haired boy watching the girl with curiosity. Chris recognized that hairstyle instantly—his brown eyes were lost in the sight of the young girl singing with her back to him.

"Issei."

After some time, the little girl turned around, most likely sensing the presence of the boy, who had stopped trying to hide behind the tree. When their eyes met, they both froze in silence. The younger Chris's cheeks flushed bright red with embarrassment. She had been hoping that no one would hear her so deep in the forest, and it was obvious from the way she completely lost her composure—smoke practically coming out of her ears, her eyes spinning in spirals, and her hands flailing as she tried to justify herself.

Chris realized this must have been a memory of the first time they met. Now, she found it ironic that she was nicknamed the Siren of Kuoh at the academy, as it seemed she had unintentionally hypnotized her childhood friend even back then. She couldn't help but laugh, even though it meant laughing at herself.

"Issei!"

A high-pitched voice called the boy's name from a distance. It sounded like another boy, but... it was probably Shidou-san. Issei seemed to realize the girl would be even more embarrassed if someone else came over.

"I'm coming! You don't need to come here!" Issei shouted back before turning around and flashing a smile. "Sorry for bothering you."

"U-Umm… I-It's not that… T-Thank you."

Issei began to walk away, but stopped and turned slightly, a bit embarrassed.

"I-I like your song. I mean… you sing really well. Do you want to play games with us sometime? I'm Issei."

"..." The girl seemed speechless—maybe because of the compliment—but she nodded nervously "C-Chris." Issei left with a wave. Her smile lingered as she turned to leave the place.

Chris didn't know how to interpret this memory. It was sweet—romantic, even—in the innocent way the children met. But this was her memory? the "Chris" from this world? It left her with a strange sense of guilt. She was here by her own wish, replacing the original "Chris" to spend time with her parents… while pretending to be the one who had friends she truly cared about—like Issei.

After that, everything faded to black, and Chris heard whispers. A voice she hadn't expected.

"Would you be so kind as to… die right now?"

It was Raynare's voice. What was she doing in her—or "Chris's"—memories? Perhaps this was from that time she faced her.

"The last few days I spent with you… were so much fun. It felt like playing the role of a child's girlfriend."

"What…?"

#Buzz#

The sound of something launching echoed suddenly, cutting off Issei's protests. Chris thought it was the moment she had thrown at her during their confrontation… but the sound that followed wasn't the spear hitting concrete or when it exploded—it was the sound of flesh being torn apart.

When Chris's vision cleared, she saw Issei, lying in a pool of blood in front of her, getting her shock as well as a deep sense of sadness. These weren't her memories.

"Why?" That voice… it was hers, but crying. But it hadn't come from her mouth. "Why would something like that happen to Ise?"

"Do you want to stop it?" said a distorted voice.

"Y-Yes."

"Then I offer you the power to do it. To kill anyone who threatens or plays your dear Ise. To keep him safe… forever."

"...I-I—"

Before Chris could understand what was happening, everything vanished. She sat bolt upright in bed—"No!"

Her breathing was heavy, she was drenched in sweat, and… with her pajamas… in her house.

"W-What?"

Looking around, she quickly realized she was in her room—the one from this world. Everything was shut tight.

Catching her breath, she was thankful the room was soundproof enough not to draw attention from her parents… or maybe they weren't even home. Otherwise, they would've rushed in, worried about her small scream.

But she still didn't understand… Why was she here?

"I-I was…" The memories hit her like a wave. The Noises… they had attacked them in an abandoned house after taking down a stray devil. Everyone got separated, and when she finally found Kiba, who had lost a leg, her Symphogear had already started to shut down.

She reached for the gear on her neck. Her gear was there.

"I-I used the Ignite… and then…" Nothing. She couldn't remember anything after that. Did she go berserk? She was resisting like she did with her friends the first time, but something forced her to give up.

What happened to the others? What did she do if she lost herself? What happened to—

She quickly grabbed her phone and typed the first name that came up starting with an I.

After a few rings, the call went straight to voicemail. That made her heart sink with guild. Did something happen to Issei? Curses for not having Rias or the others phone number.

She rushed to the window and looked toward the Hyoudou residence, hoping for some sign of Issei. It was midday on a Saturday—he should be home… "Wait…¡¿Huh?!"

Saturday… It was Thursday yesterday. Shouldn't it be Friday? She has been sleeping for a whole day?

Before she could yell across the street, a figure on the sidewalk caught her attention. A hand raised slightly in greeting—a girl waiting against the wall, wearing a familiar and particular uniform. It was Sona. She motioned with her hand for Chris to come down and meet her.

Opening the door, she found the student council president standing there, wearing her usual calm and composed expression, holding a satchel filled with books.

"Good afternoon, Yukine-san."

"G-Good afternoon, Kaichou. Ah… school…"

"Classes have already ended for the day. I brought your missing assignments," Sona said, handing over the satchel. "I believe we should start considering some options to prevent these inconveniences if your absences become more frequent."

"Oh. Thank you, Kaichou. That'll help a lot, but…"

"If you'd like to know what happened the day before yesterday, I believe I have time. After all, that is the reason I came. May I come in?"

"Of course. My parents aren't home… it seems."

"Yes, well… Despite Himejima-san's diagnosis of your condition, I didn't want to take any chances with an unknown phenomenon like the one Rias described. I took the liberty of keeping your parents distracted and away from the house for today. I believe they're currently out at a restaurant, watched by Tsubaki. I also ordered something for us to eat."

"Ah…" Chris felt like she was speaking with someone who had everything planned out from the moment she woke up. Sona was always like that. She couldn't help but chuckle a little. "Thank you, Kaichou—no, Sona. But this time, Himejima-senpai was right. Nothing will happen. Still, thanks for looking after them."

The president nodded as she stepped inside. A while later, the two were sitting at the table, having a quiet meal. After the dishes were cleared, they sat back down, ready to talk.

"Sona, could you tell me exactly what happened? I was out for a whole day after "t-that"."

"Yes. I'm not going to stall or sugarcoat anything. I'll just say it plainly. The attack during your mission to eliminate a stray devil was premeditated."

"Premeditated? Someone knew?"

"That's correct. It seems we've been under surveillance since Hyoudou-san's test against Saji. There was an infestation of small insects that caught us off guard—except for Toujou-san, who found them annoying—but we brushed it off and sprayed insecticide without verifying. We all assumed it was that time of year when bugs get into the school and never leave. That was a mistake. They were cameras of an advanced technology." As she spoke, Sona placed one of the broken spy bots on the table.

Chris picked it up with her fingers and examined it. "I don't recognize this."

"Even so, it was used to monitor our activities. The attacker learned about your mission and prepared a trap, using various devices placed throughout the house. After the incident, we found strange artifacts scattered in the rubble. But since they were in terrible condition, we couldn't retrieve much—just useless wires and broken parts. Almost everything was destroyed, which halted our investigation of it."

"…That destruction…"

"Was caused by the second matter I'd like to discuss with you, Yukine-san. What Rias described to me. Is it true? You turned into some kind of beast that attacked indiscriminately. If you can remember anything of that I…"

"N-No, Sona. I mean, yes… I'm sure what Rias saw was what I can only describe as my form without control. Continuous combat can cause my Symphogear to fail, forcing it to deactivate. Since Kiba and I were being corner, I decided to boost our chances. It's called the Ignite Module. It's a transformation that raises the energy levels of my gear far beyond normal, and it also provides protection against some noises, the ones which destroy Relics."

"I remember you once told me that your enemies used a new type of Noise, and you had to find a way to fight them—a transformation. Was that form the solution? In my opinion, it seems more like a liability, given the lack of control."

"Yes and no. Yes, because it lets us counter the Noise's effects on our gears by resisting them—but what Rias and the others saw wasn't what I intended. It was, essentially, a failed transformation. When that happens, the user gets consumed by negativity and turns into a mindless beast. My goal was to hold out until the transformation could complete. It would've helped a lot, but…"

"I see. So it wasn't something caused directly by your gear. It was a transformation you needed to endure."

"I only managed to keep control thanks to my relic, Sona. Ignite pressures you mentally, not physically like normal. I might need days to recover…"

"Good. That reassures me—it means it wasn't involuntary."

Chris stood up from her chair, visibly troubled. There were questions weighing heavily on her.

"S-Sona… what did I do while I was in that berserk state? Did Rias tell you everything? Kiba lost a leg… he was the closest one to me. A berserk has no control… I…"

"No." The word came firmly from Sona, though her face showed unease as she continued. "Nothing like that happened. Yes, the Noises affected him—but his leg is perfectly fine now. That brings me to the third point. It seems the person responsible was testing us. Those Noises didn't physically injure him. It was a psychological effect that left Yuuto-san unable to move his leg as well as camouflage it so he doesn't know his leg was there."

"Test…. The noises were… how?" Chris said surprised, but something reminded her of the noises in the simulation area. The one they use for training. Just How…

"The one who figured it out… was Hyoudou-san."

The name made Chris uneasy now. He was there.

"Issei… He."

"Yes, he figured it out—by placing his hand where his leg should've been. Quiet the discovery. Though by then, they had other problems to deal with."

"Me." Chris said, bowing her head.

"Yes… though you did eliminate all the Noises, just as you'd planned. They had to act quickly while you were destroying the entire building. Luckily, everyone managed to regroup, and by that point, the barrier had already fallen."

"They…"

"They stopped you. Even Hyoudou-san had gained a new power to help to stop you."

"He did? Wait, are you saying he awakened? You already told me about the Boosted Gear—the true form of Issei's gear." Chris lit up at the thought, remembering how eager she was to see his face when he finally unlocked that hidden power. Just her luck to end up being the enemy that helped trigger it.

"Yes. Though, to everyone's surprise, it wasn't what we expected. It seems Issei reached a completely new developmental form—one never seen before in any Boosted Gear wielder, at least as far as we know."

"A different form?"

"I'd rather skip the details and let him tell you himself. He seemed excited to show you."

"I see… That idiot. I'll ask him when I see him."

"Though I should mention he's currently out with his friends. I doubt you'll see him until late Sunday. And don't worry—with that new power, I very much doubt he needs protecting."

"I think that's fine. I don't think he wanted to burden you guys more than he already has, being capable of defending himself is good. But what I really want to know, Sona, is… is everyone okay?"

"...Of course they are. A few bruises here and there—nothing serious. They were more than capable of stopping you."

Chris let out a long, relieved sigh.

"Good. It's good to hear that. Thank you."

Sona nodded as Chris went off to prepare some tea for them. Once they were apart, it was Sona who let out a quiet sigh of…. relief that Yukine-san hadn't noticed her unease. Doing this was going to cost her—a lot. Especially when it came to deceiving someone who trusted her with the truth and a little lie. She needed that tea. Just remembering how they got her roped into this stupid request made her stomach turn.

—-

Yesterday. Sona slammed her desk, the wood cracking under the force. The very idea Hyoudou-san was proposing made her blood boil.

"I refuse outright! Lying to Yukine-san about something like this will only breed distrust. It'll undermine everything we've worked so hard to build with her. Do you understand that, Hyoudou-san?!"

"I'm not saying you lie all to her, Kaichou! Just… don't tell her everything we had to go through. Most of us are healed up—we can manage without raising alarms." Issei protested.

"And does that include you, Hyoudou-san? Look at your arm! How do you plan on hiding that for just two days?! You can't even move it!"

"..." Issei was silent, glancing down at the arm hanging in a sling, most of it covered in bandages and a hard cast. Blood still visible, he thanked Akeno for using hypnosis on his parents or Chris would have figured with his mom's worries.

"Himejima-san did her best with the healing, but even she can't work miracles in two days or more on what you can clearly know is borderline…. Permanent damage!"

"I know. That's why I'm not asking Akeno-senpai to do more about it. I've got something that might help."

"Ise," Rias called from behind, arms crossed. "I hope you're not referring to that nun you and Chris ran into. I warned you—she could be dangerous to reach. You're one of us now or at least part of our group, and if her allies sense that on you, They won't help you, probably kill you. And if something happens to you, I won't allow it. Not even for Chris-san's emotional well-being."

"No, Buchou. This has nothing to do with Asia. I have another method... I just need some time. I don't want Chris to see me like this. I swear to you, I'll find a way."

"Is it something you can share with us Hyoudou-san?"

"..." Issei paused, glancing off to a specific corner before shaking his head. "No… it's not about the other factions, so don't worry. But I should go take care of it now."

"If she finds out…" Rias was about to ask.

"Then I'll take full responsibility. Blame it all on me. I'll face her, no matter what happens, let her be angry with me. Please, Kaichou, Buchou—I don't want her to feel worse about what she did. Not after everything in that other world... and now here." Issei lowered himself into a bow, careful not to let his arm slip from its sling.

Sona didn't want to give in—no matter what. But then Rias broke the silence with a sigh.

"Sona. I'll support Issei's plan…"

"Rias, you know what it means if you—"

"I do. But I can't do what you're doing right now. So I'll put my trust in Issei for now. I will owe you a favor for this. Just… try."

Sona was cornered now. She chewed on her nail for a few seconds before growling in frustration.

"Agh, fine! Let it be clear—I don't support this at all. This is childish. From both of you. But I'll do it. And you, Issei," she said, pointing directly at him—calling him by name for the first time.

"Y-Yes, Kaichou?"

"You better find a way to fix your damn arm, or the next time you try something perverted in this academy, I'll castrate you with water magic. I swear on my family name. Got that I'm serious?"

Issei broke into a cold sweat as she invoked her family's name… but nodded with resolve.

"Yes, Kaichou. Understood."

When Issei left the room, Sona slumped back into her chair, massaging the bridge of her nose.

"What are the chances of him pulling this off?"

"Zero, above all else. Unless he was lying about the nun with twilight healing."

"I already have a family member keeping an eye on it, in case that's true. Koneko's cat."

"Alright. So be it. The last thing I need is to tell Yukine-san a lie, because of a soon dead body. It's strange you didn't offer to make him your pawn right away."

"And risk having that lie fall apart in the worst possible way? Making Chris-san feel terrible? Just showing Issei as a pawn would indirectly tell her it was her fault that Issei died this time. I'm not that cruel… Sona."

"Wow. You've matured."

"I still felt it when I attacked her. I never want to do that. Attack my friends. Just imagining her in the same position..." Rias said, looking at her trembling hand.

"...Then it's clear Issei will remain permanently paralyzed in his arm if he doesn't find a solution."

"I could do something… I just should…"

"No. Rias. That would be really stupid. Both your brother and I would stop you from doing something like that. The last thing you need is to owe a damn favor to Riser Phenex. And even if you succeed, if he knows who it's for—he'll delay the healing until the effect becomes useless to Issei, until the wound becomes part of him. He'll enjoy making the Red Dragon Emperor useless to you."

"…Fine. Let's just hope he pulls it off."

"Let's hope so…. We all lose in the end."

"Not everyone. The only funny thing about this mess is that the only one who won was Koneko."

"Toujou-san… Why?"

"Remember the request we made of her after the mess?"

"As far as we know, the robots left. Didn't she find any more spy robots?"

"No. Apparently, instead of spy robots, the mysterious person left jars of candy, everywhere with a note. 'For the cat girl. A debt.' Very strange for someone who tried to kill us yesterday to do something like that."

"According to Yuuto-san, Toujou-san and he made a small alliance with the person controlling the noises to stop Yukine-san from destroying everything. When she was about to attack in one direction Toujou-san intervened. It turned out to be where the control console flew after the final explosion. Lucky or unlucky, it didn't kill our mysterious person. I guess at least he or she has the decency to say thanks for saving him or her."

"Alright, I'm leaving. Good luck, Sona, and thank you for this," said Rias with a bow.

"…hm…" Sona responded with just a huff before collapsing onto her desk. Starting to think in all scenarios with Chris Yukine.

—-

In the park, after noon, saturday. The boy with the broken arm and the soul of Fine were chatting on a balcony.

"What do you mean we can't do it?!"

("We just went with the basics yesterday. I think you should've realized by now that what you're asking for is impossible. Even if you were the most capable scholar in this world, Issei, you'll never learn 'Time Restoration' in just two days. The most potent form of alchemy, which only the most experienced can perform on other things, let alone on themselves.")

"But…How much time?"

("...") The glowing figure paused, as if deep in thought, sitting alongside the boy. ("I think it would take you about 20 years to achieve that.")

"..." Issei slapped his functioning palm on his face, staring down at the ground, disappointed. He glanced at his phone, seeing three missed calls from Chris. "Well, this didn't go as I expected."

("Issei... Lying won't fix anything. When she finds out—and she will—it'll hurt more. Even if you intended to protect her, her anger will cloud her judgment. She won't understand. People are complicated, Issei. It took me over a millennium to grasp it, and I went through a lot in this world for it to finally sink into my troubled mind.")

Issei sighed at the spirit's words, looking up at the sky, lost in thought.

"I... I just don't want her to be sad. She opened up to me about her own thing and well… I'd rather never disappoint her."

("I think she'd be better off hearing it from you—hearing that, despite everything, you're okay. At least make that lie come true somehow.") The spirit grabbed his chin. ("Be positive. No problem at all.")

Issei gave a small, hopeful smile.

("Besides, I think my student will be better off without all those perverted thoughts clouding your mind. Or, of course, you'll lose your balls for the demon at your school.")

That ruined his mood.

"Thanks for ruining my life, by the way. I hope those 20 years aren't a lie."

The spirit smirked at that.

("What do you want me to say? It's the logic of alchemy. You'll need to obtain a 'perfect' immortal body to gain more knowledge, though I doubt you'd want to change gender.")

"Seriously? That's a thing. Alchemy's strange."

("It is, Issei. Not as strange as the magic of this world. But we have plenty of energy in this world. You won't have to sacrifice your life or memories for it. It's the safest route.")

"I'll leave it in your questionable hands, sensei."

("What? Did you just call me that?")

"Well... If you don't want to reveal your name, it's better to call you something that won't offend you. You know what I was thinking."

("...Yes. If you had said it, I would have forced you to swallow fire.")

"Then... I'll stick with that for now. I'm in your care, sensei."

("...") The spirit seemed to think for a moment before nodding with a smile. ("Fine. Sensei works.")

His phone rang again, but this time, it wasn't Chris—it was an unknown number.

"Hello?"

"Issei Hyoudou."

Issei blinked in confusion. He thought his new sensei was speaking to him, but she looked distracted. That voice sounded very similar.

"Yes?"

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm calling with an offer you might find... interesting."

Great. A sales call. Just his luck.

"Sorry, but if you're offering some kind of product, I'm not interested—"

"Wouldn't you be interested in regaining full use of your arm? I can help you with that—in just one day."

"How do you kno—"

The wind surged suddenly, and he felt it: the shift of a magical barrier being deployed. And he wasn't protected...

("Issei…") the spirit said, voice tense, eyes locked on a figure that looked eerily like her. Except this one wore a sleek black dress, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses. She was holding a phone to her ear.

"These talismans are fascinating, you know… but that's not why I was looking for you. Issei Hyoudou," she said, her tone polite but cool. "My name is Ryoko Sakurai, and I'd like to offer you a deal—for your help."

"Sensei…" Issei whispered, eyes glancing at the space where the spirit had been watching, now with a serious expression.

Both of them tensed at the appearance of the woman—so similar to the former wielder of the Boosted Gear. The fragment of that wielder within Issei could tell: this wasn't just coincidence. This meeting had been orchestrated, either by her counterpart… the new bearer of Fine's immortal soul.

Just what exactly… Does she want with Issei?