Chapter Text
AN: Welcome, all, to the updated edition of My Sunshine! For those of you who have read the original, and for those of you who are new, let me present you the changes this version has received!
- Grammar mistakes have been greatly reduced. The story should now look better as a whole and with less embarrassment on my part.
- The climax chapters, previously long and exhausting to read through, have been split for easier reading.
- New scenes! What are they, you may wonder? Read and find out! Do note: Not all chapters received new scenes. Most got facelifts to look better as a whole.
- New terms have been introduced, and plotholes have been (hopefully) filled! The story should now be more consistent across its entire length.
- Song suggestions! Some have been changed/added/removed. For you readers here, they've also been hyperlinked, meaning a simple click (or right click -> open in new tab) will open it up for you for your listening pleasure! While they're not 100% necessary, they're there to enhance the reading experience, so do make use of them!
- A bonus chapter has been added! What is it about, you may ask? Well, go on and read it to find out. Do note, it contains spoilers for XV. If you've not watched the season, do not read that chapter.
That's all from me. So, without further ado, the updated edition of My Sunshine! Have fun, and do tell me what you think!
-!-
"I'll be back before you know it."
A simple phrase. Those were the last words Miku heard from Hibiki before her energetic childhood friend, once again, left on a life-threatening mission. Miku could recall the exact moment Hibiki had taken her hand in her own, and the ever-comfortable warmth filling the gentle girl's heart. Miku did not want to let go of her hand, yet she did. Knowing Hibiki was one never to turn down the chance to help others, Miku released her hold on her and watched her go.
Miku thought she was used to it by now. Used to Hibiki suddenly vanish during the day, only to return late at night completely exhausted. She thought she was used to worrying about Hibiki incessantly, only for the brunette to answer back with a captivating smile and a hearty laugh. She thought she was used to this.
But it never got easier, not for her. She saw Hibiki off again, like all those times before with a smile on her face. Usually, Miku would stay up for another hour or so, and then head to bed. Normally, she'd wake up to see Hibiki snore loudly next to her, having to rouse her in the morning so they wouldn't be late for class. Those were the peaceful yet eventful daily lives they led.
This time was different, however. This time, Miku couldn't fall back asleep. Maybe it was just a weird gut feeling she had, but the pit in her stomach just refused to allow her to close her eyes again.
It's not like she completely understood the enemies Hibiki had been facing recently. While Chris and the others shared some vaguer, more lighthearted stories from their adventures, only Hibiki truly shared some of the specifics, many of which were heartbreaking to hear. Her childhood friend consistently confided in her, particularly in regards to the horrors she saw at times, as well as her own doubts and hesitations. She didn't know what sort of dangers Hibiki was facing on the battlefield, but she knew that many of them were extremely difficult to deal with. While she couldn't assist her in fighting them, she could at least see her off, and be there to welcome her when she returns.
Her worries kept her awake, however. So this time, she decided she'll personally welcome Hibiki back, no matter what hour she returned. Miku felt that if she did not, especially now, then Hibiki would not return.
Thus, she stayed up all night, waiting. The foreboding, heavy feeling would not leave her, but she shook it off as much as she could. She was sure that as soon as Hibiki walked in through that door, everything would be fine. It's okay, everything's fine, just like Hibiki always said.
Time passed and Miku continued to sit in silence. She waited, and waited, and waited... but the door to their shared room never opened. When the first rays of sunshine lit up the sky, the door still did not open. The pit in Miku's stomach only grew deeper as the sun rose, and she furrowed her brows in worry.
Maybe Hibiki was, once again, sent off to only God knows where, which was why it was taking her so long. Those rescue missions were almost always unpredictable, and it was only logical that she may have had to leave for a few days, just like the time she left to the far off country of Val Verde.
Miku sighed tiredly, knowing that overthinking this matter again would get her nowhere. Despite getting only a few hours of sleep that night, fixed herself up and left for school.
The day passed by like a blur for her. Maybe it was exhaustion and sleep deprivation that scrambled her mind, but she could barely remember any of it. She could partially recall making up some excuse for the teacher as to why Hibiki was absent, as well as giving some reassuring words to the trio that hung around them. At various times, Miku tried to call Hibiki on her cellphone, hoping for her to answer. Yet no matter how many times she rang, the call would never connect.
The day passed, and Hibiki did not come home.
In spite of that, Miku reassured herself, believing that everything would be fine, and no matter how long it took for Hibiki to come back, she would resolve herself to wait for her patiently.
The second night passed, and Hibiki did not come home.
Miku tried to stay focused, but she could not help but feel depressed. Usually, Hibiki would send her a text message or give her some sort of heads up and tell her not to worry. She would worry as always, but at least she would know Hibiki was okay.
Miku woke up the next morning and took a look at the calendar. To her shock, she noticed it was September 13th, which was Hibiki's birthday. She figured that she had been so wracked with worry, she had forgotten to plan and prepare for it. For years, it was a day they had always spent with cake and a date. She recalled that they had promised to celebrate it together, and Miku was eager to throw her dear friend a huge party for her seventeenth birthday.
And yet, Hibiki did not come home. The thought of missing such an important date brought Miku's spirits further down, but she vowed to be strong. It did not matter how long it would take for Hibiki to get home, they would celebrate her birthday even a month late.
Night fell, and Hibiki still did not return.
Miku sat in the dorm, trying to distract herself by reading a magazine. She already ate dinner and made sure to leave plenty of leftovers for Hibiki once she came back. Hibiki was a ravenous eater, and would probably finish everything in a single meal. It didn't help that the amount of exercise she was doing only enlarged her already massive appetite.
She never cared about that. Hibiki always enjoyed her meals, and she was always thankful to Miku for making them. The girl knew she would always make her friend's dinner, no matter how much time had passed.
So she would wait for her, and pray for her safety.
It was at that time, long into the night, that Miku finally got a call. She hurriedly picked up her cellphone, fumbling with it briefly, and looked at the screen.
'Kazanari Genjuro'
Her heart sank. The commander of Hibiki's unit, S.O.N.G. they were called, seldom contacted her personally. Even though she had worked with them on and off at times, she could hardly be called an actual member of their organization. Any affiliation she had with them was through Hibiki.
As such, there would be exactly one reason why such a person would contact her now.
Miku swallowed nervously and answered, "Hello?"
"Ah, Miku-kun. I apologize for calling you at this hour."
"It's fine, sir," she answered calmly. "How can I help you?"
She heard him sigh heavily on the other end, "I'm afraid... Your presence is more than required at the moment. We need you to be here as soon as possible. A driver is already on his way to pick you up."
Miku grasped the phone tighter, "Something... happened to Hibiki, right?"
"I'm afraid so. I'll fill you in while you are on your way. This... is something only you can do," he replied grimly.
"Very well. I'll be there as soon as possible."
"Thank you, Miku-kun. And once again, I'm sorry," he added, and finally hung up.
Miku sat in silence for a few minutes, only staring at her phone's home-screen absentmindedly. It was almost ironic, she had to admit. The one time she decides to remain awake to welcome Hibiki back was the one day she did not return. Deep within herself, Miku felt as if she should blame herself for this. Maybe if she had lightened up a bit more, or perhaps stopped Hibiki from going, they wouldn't be in this situation.
No, she couldn't allow herself to think that way. Hibiki would be sad if she let such a mistaken feeling get her down. Slapping her cheeks once, Miku got up and prepared herself. She had something she needed to do. Hibiki needed her help.
And for Hibiki, Miku had no problem swimming through the Atlantic if she needed her.
-!-
"Hibiki is inside that thing, isn't she?" Miku asked in alarm first thing as she walked into S.O.N.G's bridge. She looked straight ahead at the wide screen before her, furrowing her brows at the ominous sight, "Is she alright?"
"Of course," Genjuro answered her. "Which is why I sent for you."
Taking his words to mind, Miku studied the thing appearing on the screen. From her perspective, it looked like some sort of demented cocoon. Purple and black all over, the cocoon was suspended in midair by tendrils connecting it to the nearby building. Its most distinguishable features were the two glowing lines running parallel through its center as if splitting it in half horizontally. Periodically, the two lines would pulsate with a menacing red light, and Miku shivered just from looking at it.
Genjuro's words hardly helped calm her down. He said Hibiki was alright inside that thing, but nothing about it felt natural or at all right. From what Miku remembered about biology, whenever cocoons were involved, something was bound to emerge from it. Never did it reappear in its original form.
That made Miku all the more frightened.
But she swallowed her fear. These were good people. Whatever may happen, they would help Hibiki with all their power.
"Put us through to Maria-kun's team," he commanded. A moment later, a smaller screen appeared on the display, showing the FIS trio listening attentively.
"We are ready over here," Maria confirmed.
Genjuro nodded. However, Miku asked before he could speak. "How can we help Hibiki?"
In response, Elfnein, who had been sitting at a level lower than the commander's seat, turned to face them with a familiar gun-shaped syringe filled with red liquid in hand. "With this."
"LiNKER?" Shirabe asked, recognizing the shape in the smaller girl's hand. "No, Anti-LiNKER?"
Elfnein looked towards the away team on the display. "That's right. LiNKER and Anti-LiNKER are two sides of the same coin. Now that I can synthesize LiNKER, I can also make Anti-LiNKER."
"But how is a drug that lowers sync rates going to help us now?" Maria found herself asking.
Pressing a few buttons on her console, Elfnein brought up images of the divine serpent Hibiki had defeated in Val Verde, as well as some of the Divine Weapon, the two enemies related to the divine power that they had faced until now. "Both Yohualtepoztli and the Divine Weapon needed a vessel in order to stably manifest their immense power. Doesn't that remind you of the Symphogear system?"
A sudden realization dawned on the Symphogear wielders. The explanation completely passed over Miku's head, even though she knew what those two drugs were. But it seemed like Elfnein reached a breakthrough, and had sounded confident enough to inspire the others. The small alchemist, who had hardly been wrong before, was a common source of hope for the members of S.O.N.G, especially the wielders. Without her expertise, their ability to fight, and by extension helping others, would have been severely curbed.
They heavily depended on her knowledge and predictions, and as such, they decided to bet on her again.
"We can assume that the energy that engulfed Hibiki-kun is similar in nature to the energy of the relics that power the Symphogear," Genjuro added.
"Which means," Chris said excitedly, "That the Anti-LiNKER can pop that thing right off of her!"
Elfnein smiled. It was good to work with perceptive people.
"That's right," she said. Reaching for her pocket, she pulled out the five pendants the wielders would need.
"Our converter units!" Tsubasa exclaimed.
Elfnein nodded, "I've finished cleaning off the barrier's aftereffects from them. You're good to go at any time."
Everyone seemed happy at the news. However, Miku, who had been standing behind Genjuro the whole time, felt a bit out of place, "Um... Is there anything I can do?" she asked meekly.
Genjuro turned to her, "You're our ace in the hole. Our trump card."
"Eh? Me?" She asked curiously. How was she going to be of use here?
"It'll be dangerous," Elfnein said.
Miku met the girl's gaze, and gathering her courage, nodded in acknowledgment.
"I understand!"
Hibiki put her own life at risk day after day. She would not turn her back on her even for her own life.
Genjuro turned back to the screen before him.
"Yes, you and one other..."
-!-
She was floating.
She wasn't sure exactly where she was or how she got there. Her memory was blurry, and everything around her felt empty. However, she felt strangely warm, as if the bizarre space around her was embracing her from all directions. It was not unwelcome, but it indeed was very strange. She had not felt such an odd sensation in a very long time.
Hibiki floated in the nothingness, her mind muddled by a constant flow of colors. It was hard to focus on anything in particular, and right now letting her mind drift away felt like the wisest course of action.
Despite the comforting warmth, she hated how alone she felt at the moment and wanted someone to be near her right now. She wasn't sure who she wanted, but someone nonetheless.
Everything was weird and felt unnatural.
How much time had passed? She wasn't sure. Certainty was in short supply for her, especially for her muddled consciousness.
Drifting off felt like a welcome act. It was much easier than trying to focus on one particular thing. Exerting so much effort just on thinking was tiring, and she wasn't much of a thinker. Just do what felt natural. Just like always.
As she felt her mind fade away into nothingness, a voice called out from inside the darkness.
"It's not like you to do nothing."
In a mere instant the darkness, the weirdness, the colors, and the fog in her mind evaporated like droplets on a hot stove.
She let out a slightly pained 'oof' as she felt her back suddenly collide with something. As her eyes fluttered open, she caught a glimpse of an orange, evening sky. Particles of dust floated in the wind, irritating her blurry vision.
'Where... where am I?'
She could feel she was leaning against something hard, possibly stone or brick. She tilted her head slightly, her muddy vision scanning the surroundings.
And as soon as she laid her gaze upon a familiar ruined arch, her eyes shot open.
There was no way she could forget this scenery. The aftermath of the massacre, so deeply ingrained in her mind, had replayed itself in her head many times before. Even though her memory of it remained fragmented, the few bits she remembered were forever burned into her brain.
It was, after all, the day she died, and was reborn.
The stage, filled with the anguish of the dead, was unchanged from the last time she saw it. The building itself had remained as a monument, never having been torn down in a kind gesture towards the lives lost.
With a bit of a struggled effort, Hibiki pushed herself to her feet. She briefly looked back, somewhat recognizing the piece of broken stone that she had leaned against. The events of that day repeated in her head, slightly overlapping with her current vision. She turned back, looking at a place she thought she'd never see again. She could see that she was alone, with not a single soul alive in her vicinity.
That was to be expected though, after what had happened. She was, after all, the only survivor of that tragedy. The one person whose life was spared in exchange for another's.
Everything began in this place. It was bizarre, how serene it was now. No Noise and no people, together with the red tint of the horizon created an atmosphere of melancholic reminiscence.
Still confused as to how she had arrived in this place, she decided to take an experimental walk through the ruins. Each step she took released a soft crunching sound as the debris beneath her feet gave way.
It felt like her eyes were automatically superimposing what she remembered upon the scenery. So much so, that once she looked at a relatively empty spot in the center of the ruins, another memory took hold. She could hear the gallant figure singing with all her heart, along with her solemn passing in the hands of another. How she had crumbled to dust and left the world behind.
A light breeze wafted through the ruins, forcing Hibiki to close one eye. Thinking of it, didn't she hear a voice before the scenery transformed? How strange, she was sure that—
"It's a nostalgic view, isn't it?"
As if on cue, she heard someone speak up behind her. Hibiki froze, realizing that the voice sounded familiar. It was a memory she had nearly forgotten over time, slowly diminished by the years that passed since then.
She turned around to face the source of the voice, and her eyes widened.
The figure raised a hand in a casual greeting and smiled. "Yo."
"K-Kanade-san?!"
-!-
Two hours. That was the timeframe they were given to finish the operation.
For a reason beyond Miku's understanding, Hibiki had been classified as a type 2 Supernatural Disaster. Miku had no idea what that meant, but she could definitely understand what the Kazanari patriarch meant by unlimited use of armed force, and the probably inevitable use of weapons of mass destruction.
Miku shuddered just from thinking about it. The world would gladly sacrifice tens of thousands of civilians if it meant getting rid of the newly perceived danger. She couldn't stomach it. She couldn't believe that they would so quickly designate Hibiki as a threat and barely give S.O.N.G enough time to rescue her first. They would rather kill everyone right now than wait. She tried to talk back to him, but he ignored her as if she was a mere bug in his presence. Thankfully, Tsubasa stood up for her and let the man have a piece of her mind.
That was until Tomosato informed them that assault forces were converging on the cocoon, which meant that they had even less time than originally calculated.
Miku bit her lip. This whole situation was absurd. They were in a race against time, and yet outsiders were planning to interfere with their rescue operation. However, she did not allow that fact to bring her down. They had a plan after all. A plan involving trucks loaded full with Anti-LiNKER, but a plan nonetheless. Her role in it was simple, yet undeniably important.
Call out to Hibiki when the time comes, that's all. She was surprised by the simple request Genjuro made to her, and she wasn't sure why her voice alone would work, but she decided to nod and do it regardless. She had reliable allies to get Hibiki back, that's all that mattered. Every single one of them cared about her, in their own way. If the time they have is two hours, then they will get her back in one.
She was shaken from her thoughts when the sounds of explosions filled the air. Raising her head, Miku stared in shock at the screen in front of her. She could see a line of tanks, their barrels aimed at the cocoon Hibiki was encased in, smoke rising from their muzzles.
They were... trying to destroy the cocoon?! With Hibiki still inside?!
"No!" Miku yelled to the comm, shooting up in her seat, "Genjuro-san! You have to stop them!"
"I'm on it!" He answered, "All wielders, head out! Stop those tanks from firing more!"
Over the comms, Miku heard the various wielders acknowledge his order. However, in the meantime, the tanks fired another volley.
When the shells impacted the outer layer this time, it seemed to be doing some damage. Parts of the cocoon's blackened carapace crumbled, and glowing golden fractures began to line it all over, causing Miku's heart clenched. Should the UN forces be allowed to continue, they might hit Hibiki as collateral!
"Please! Stop them!" She screamed once again in despair.
The wielders were on their way, but they wouldn't make it in time for the third volley!
Yet just as the tanks were about to fire the finishing blow, a massive amount of light erupted from the fractures on the cocoon, startling the operators. The cracks grew, encompassing the entire structure. The tendrils that connected it to the buildings shattered and the entire thing fell to the ground with a loud thud and a cloud of dust. The golden light enveloped the entire cocoon, vanishing within the blinding glow.
All those watching were rendered sightless, Miku included. She grimaced as she attempted to check on the situation on the screen.
Something was finally happening.
And Miku could not help but feel that something was terribly wrong.
-!-
"Kanade-san?!" Hibiki exclaimed, staring at the former Gungnir Adaptor with wide eyes. "How?! What—!"
Kanade's response was to laugh boisterously. "Oh man, you should see the look on your face! It's so precious! You look like you've seen a ghost!"
The irony of that statement passed over Hibiki's head, who fell silent, utterly bewildered by the sight in front of her. It's as if not a single day had passed for the idol. Between the two of them, Hibiki was the one who had changed, having been tempered by the wish Kanade had left behind all that time ago. But still, her sudden appearance raised alarms in Hibiki's head.
"Kanade-san... how..." she murmured. "Wait, if you're here, does that mean... does that mean I'm dead?!"
That caused Kanade to laugh even louder, barely able to hold herself together. "No no, you're not dead, I can promise you that."
"Oh, that's great," Hibiki responded, letting out a relieved sigh. "Wait, but if I'm not dead, how are you here, Kanade-san? And where is well... here, exactly?"
Kanade calmed herself down, meeting her gaze and scratching her cheek in thought, "Hmmm, well I think I can answer your questions," she said, lowering her hand, "Well, the first thing I can tell you is that I'm not exactly this Kanade you speak of."
Hibiki tilted her head in confusion, "Huh? What do you mean?"
"Hmm, how can I explain it..." Kanade said, "Think of me as a... form I took in order for you to be able to communicate with me. Seeing as using any of your still-living friends as a template would confuse you too much, I decided to go for the safer route."
Hibiki scratched her head, "I'm still really confused, so I don't know how much that helped really."
Kanade put a hand on her hip, "Hehehehe, well had I taken my real form you would be way more confused than that, I can assure you."
"I don't really get it, but okay," Hibiki answered, "So wait, if you are not Kanade-san, then who are you?"
Kanade lowered her hand from her hip and looked straight down at the girl, "I am… the divine power, so to say."
Hibiki narrowed her eyes, "What? You mean the same thing that Adam guy tried to—"
"Yes, the very same one," Kanade interrupted her. "I am the representation of the divine power, and you, Tachibana Hibiki, have been chosen. This space you have been taken to is separate from the outside world. I chose to bring you to this place in order for us to talk."
Hibiki was immediately on guard. She remembered what Adam did with the divine power, and it put her on edge. While she understood now how she had arrived at this place, she wasn't about to let her guard down. She had no idea what this imposter was capable of, but with enough time, she could figure something out. Why would she bring her here, of all places? What was she trying to accomplish?
But Kanade was quick to defuse the hostility, "I do not wish to fight, Hibiki, only to talk," she said calmly, ignoring the rising fighting spirit from the girl in front of her. "You always say that you wish to talk first, do you not? Is that invitation not extended to me as well?"
Hibiki grimaced. No matter who she was, she was right. She needed to see what she had to say first before anything else. If she could talk to her, then they could understand each other. If they could understand each other, then they could possibly work together, one way or another.
She relaxed her posture and looked up at the taller girl.
"Alright," she said. "You said I was... chosen? What do you mean by that?"
Kanade smiled, and gestured forward, "Walk with me."
Hibiki narrowed her eyes but fell into step next to the imposter, and the two began stepping through the ruined stage.
As they walked, Hibiki looked around her, taking in the sights. No matter where she looked, the wreckage remained deathly still, as if frozen in time. Yet, despite that, a slight breeze wafted through the area, ruffling Kanade's lion's mane of hair. Clouds of dust rose in the air, somewhat dimming the evening sun in the horizon. It was such a mystical sight, one that reminded her of fairy tales. However, she had never heard or read a fairy tale that had such a tragic conclusion. The two of them took a leisurely stroll within the ruins, passing by every piece of broken stone that once made up the concert hall.
"Now, where do I even begin?" Kanade said aloud, "Ah yes, that Adam Weishaupt. For a puppet he sure is tenacious, I'll give him that. The fact he managed to bring divine power down to Earth is astounding all on its own. To bind it to a vessel even more so. But alas, it didn't quite work out for him as he had intended, did it?"
Hibiki tilted her head and looked up at Kanade, "What do you mean?"
The representation merely looked forward at the orange-tinted clouds in the sky and continued her explanation, "He thought he could control such power just by binding it to a vessel. But that's not how divine power works you know? It has to accept you and be accepted in return. Only then can it truly be used to its full potential. Unfortunately, no one on Earth is capable of harnessing it."
The imposter stopped walking and looked Hibiki straight in the eye, "No one... except you."
"Eh?" Hibiki let out. "Me? I don't understand."
Kanade chuckled, "Of course you don't, so I'll explain it. This is what I meant by you being chosen, Hibiki. You, out of all the people of Earth, have the ability to truly harness the divine power, and use it as you see fit. And I want to give it to you."
Hibiki froze in place and stared at the figure in front of her incredulously, "You want me to... have the divine power? What are you talking about?!"
It was insane. The divine power, that had been laying waste to the city just moments before, and the same one that so many people were sacrificed for. She wants her to use such a thing?!
"Yes, that very same one—"
"I refuse."
A sudden silence fell due to Hibiki's firm declaration. The imposter's eyes widened at the abrupt rejection. "There is no way I'm accepting something like that. Absolutely no way," Hibiki continued, eyes narrowed.
"Hibiki, you don't understand—" Kanade tried to add but was cut off.
"No, I understand. I may not be the smartest person, but I definitely know when something is good or not. And this divine power... thing, is not good. Too many people died for this. Too many people suffered for this. I won't accept something that was made by trampling on others," Hibiki said, "You can forget it. Take me back, I need to help everyone."
Kanade fell quiet, looking at the spirited girl before her.
"I see... In that case, may I explain something?" She asked.
"What is it?"
In response to Hibiki's question, Kanade turned around and raised her hand above her head. Hibiki watched as a ball of golden light suddenly appeared in the idol's hand.
And as the light expanded, the breeze became a gale. The dust gathered in its wake blotted out the sky and her vision, and Hibiki was forced to bring her arms up to protect her eyes from the gathering storm. The stage vanished, consumed behind the vale that imposter had conjured up. Hibiki struggled, yet Kanade remained unmoving.
Moments later, everything abruptly stabilized. The dust settled down, vanishing into nothingness. In place of the ruins, Hibiki found herself on an open grass field. A light breeze blew through the plain, causing Hibiki to shiver, rubbing her arms at the sudden drop in temperature. Kanade kept on standing before her, her arm still raised to the sky.
"What are you doing?!" Hibiki screamed.
"This is... a demonstration," was the imposter's response.
"Wha—"
Before Hibiki could finish, another typhoon suddenly blew through the area. The leaves were torn from their places on the trees in the plain, obscuring her vision and forming a twister around the duo once more. Just like before, it took a few short yet eternal seconds until the storm finally settled, and the leaves were blown away, disintegrating like so much ash.
Now, they were no longer in a vast open plain, but rather in a barren wasteland. Rain fell on the world, crashing amidst the ruins of the city Hibiki once called home. Wherever she looked, she could see familiar landmarks, all of them crumbled and destroyed from whatever great conflict had taken place. The pier in which S.O.N.G's headquarters resided, to Lydian Academy. It was a scene she'd only ever seen in her worst nightmares.
Hibiki fell to her knees, unable to stomach the sight. "What... is happening?" She asked desperately.
"This is what the divine power can do."
And then the world shifted again. Again, and again, and again. Before her eyes, Hibiki found herself transported between several locations, both real and unreal, in a matter of seconds. From the barren wasteland to a field filled with nothing but swords, basking in a distant twilight. To a futuristic landscape, a place where human civilization reached unprecedented heights. To a hospital, watching those who died and were born. She was transported from place to place, and she could only stay on her knees, fully immobilized and paralyzed by what she was seeing.
After what felt like a thousand repetitions, finally, it all ended. As the final horrific scene transformed, Hibiki found herself back in the ruined concert hall, having remained completely unchanged after their nauseating detour. Hibiki heaved, struggling to keep her composure after what she had seen.
She put her hands on the grounds and panted. Sweat dribbled down her brow and fell onto the dirt. Kanade stared down at her silently with an even expression and brought down her hand.
"Do you understand now?" The imposter asked, turning to face her. "What it is capable of?"
Swallowing, Hibiki tilted her head upwards, "Why... why did you show me this?"
"Is this not what you wished for, Hibiki?" Kanade asked her.
"W-what are you talking about?"
"The power to change the world," the imposter answered. "You have seen what it can do. Can you not grasp onto the justice you so cherish with it? Can you not create the world of understanding you so seek with it?"
Hibiki clenched her fists. Recomposing herself, she rose to her feet, staring down the imposter in front of her.
"I—"
Before she could reply, however, Kanade resumed. "Adam Weishaupt attempted to use this power to his own ends... yet he could not. There was no way he could. No one on this blue planet could ever harness the divine power to its full potential. Do you know why that is?"
Hibiki merely looked at her, not giving her a response. Clueless as to what she was getting at, she let her continue her new divulgence.
"It was because he was sinful. As they say, the heavens do not respond to those who harbor sins. That is why Fine could never remove the Curse of Balal. It is why John Wayne Vercingetorix could not become a hero. It is why Carol Malus Dienheim could never achieve her vengeance. Their delusional plans to control the world were destined to fail from the very beginning. They were sinful, and so they were rejected by the divine, by the gods. By destiny itself," she said.
The current Gungnir Adaptor looked to her incredulously.
The fake then turned to Hibiki, her form illuminated by the evening sun. "But you are not, Tachibana Hibiki. You are a human free of sin. Your body, your mind, and your soul do not bear even a tinge of sin within them. It is peculiar, it is an anomaly, but it is reality nonetheless. And that is why, out of all the beings in the universe, you alone deserve to hold this power."
Kanade held her hand out to Hibiki as if beckoning her forward. "Take it, and reshape the world as you will. Only you will be able to do so."
But it was simply too much. Far too heavy for someone like her. She was just a simple human, caught time and time again in circumstances beyond her control. Would it be right for her to accept this? Could she even handle it? What would it mean for herself, for the others, and the world?
"I can't..." she murmured, tearing her eyes away from the imposter. She turned away, looking back at the ruined arch in the distance. The sun shone smack dab through its middle, the arch forming a crown over the distant star. "Such a thing... is not something I can take. It's like I've already told St. Germain-san; people have to change as people. It wouldn't be right to use this power to force them."
"Even if that is your heartfelt wish?"
Hibiki froze when Kanade hit her with those words. "Yes, I have read your heart, Hibiki. I am aware of what hides behind that wall you've built for yourself. I know of your troubles, of the hellish years you've endured. Used as a scapegoat, you were the target for their grief and were cursed by their words. Such a terrible experience was one that should've made you ineligible, and yet here you stand, as the epitome of true, pure strength. You who have overcome that hell are the one who deserves to be the one to extinguish it. To make certain that it does not repeat. To make sure none will suffer through it."
The air around the imposter seemed to twist and bend at her words. Only then did Hibiki realize just how different she was from the real one. "I know you've already reached that heartbreaking conclusion on your own, Hibiki. That no matter how much you wish for justice, there is none to be found. That no matter how much you reach out to others, not all will take your hand."
"You're wrong!" Hibiki yelled. "I never thought that even once!"
"Did you?" Kanade questioned. As Hibiki stood still, the imposter began to circle her, the shadows on her face changing and twisting as she moved. "What exactly went through your mind, when Carol Malus Dienheim rejected you? What did you think to yourself when you saw Dr. Ver's heinous actions?"
"That it was a shame... that they didn't. But I don't blame them! Each person is different, but I want to believe that even they can be helped!"
Kanade chuckled, "What optimism you hold... and so so arrogant."
Hibiki's blood grew cold at the statement, leaving her unable to respond. Taking the chance, Kanade continued, "How long will you continue to believe this lie you've crafted for yourself? You already know better than anyone else that people will not change on their own. No amount of divine power can accomplish that. They must be forced to change, to see their flaws laid bare before them, and only then they can change. Those who resist this are consumed and are cast aside."
"That's not true! I—" Hibiki tried to argue.
"The justice you seek does not exist in this world! Your world of understanding is nothing but an illusion!" Kanade shouted, clenching her fist. "However, that is good, for as long as the world remains as twisted as it is now, it will fall into decay. Only by forcing your justice upon others will it advance to the next age! For you, it will be absurdly easy, for you have already begun doing so ever since you have obtained Gungnir."
"I never did that! I never tried to force my justice on others!"
"Then what are your fists for?!" The imposter bellowed. "You claim they are to hold hands with others, yet your clenched fists have brought nothing but calamity upon them! Do you even know what this justice that you seek is, Hibiki?!"
There was no answer from her successor.
"When have you ever seen justice served, and when have you ever truly served it? You have held out your hand to those unworthy of it, and by that action, brought suffering upon many others! You have abandoned the path of justice in pursuit of your own selfish ideals, forcing them upon others! You chose only the few you could see, never thinking once about those you could not!"
The entire time, the imposter continued her walk around Hibiki, slowly but surely closing the circle with each pass she made. "But that is alright, because once you understand it, and take the divine power onto yourself, there is no one in this world who could mete out justice better than you! You, who has taken in people's hatreds, are the only one who can deliver it upon them! It is your duty to do so, as penance for the lives who were lost!"
Her words dug into Hibiki deeply, leaving her completely speechless under her verbal assault. Seeing the girl's distress, Kanade approached her, putting her hands on her shoulders from behind. Her tone softened as she continued.
"You must understand Hibiki, that if you do not do this, many will suffer. Through the actions of a vile few, scores of innocents will be met with a cruel fate. You must bring those few to justice, and bring an end to the cycle of torment. If you choose to do nothing, what you have experienced will repeat eternally. That cannot possibly be the world that you wish for."
"B-but I... that's not... that's not something I can do to others. I can't... I can't use my songs to hurt them!"
Kanade sighed at the response. "It seems you have completely forgotten, Hibiki. This was never about songs. They matter little in the long run. How about I remind you?"
"Eh?"
And then Kanade pushed her. It was a half-hearted push, one that Hibiki would easily balance herself from.
Except, what she saw in front of her as she fell wasn't the concert hall's dirt-covered floor, but rather an all too familiar flight of stairs. With her footing lost, Hibiki could do nothing as she tumbled down the many steps. Pain wracked her body as she fell, each twist and turn filling her with physical and mental anguish. After what felt like an eternity, she finally reached the bottom. She squirmed, feeling tears bubble up from the pain. As she tried to recompose herself, she suddenly began to hear whispering from all around her. Her head whipped from side to side, catching sight of figures she had not seen in years looking down at her.
And then her gaze wandered to the top of the stairwell she had been pushed down. At the top, she saw a girl with shoulder-length brown hair stare down at her, her lips upturned into a vicious smile. Her eyes were masked by the shadows of her hair, and from behind her, a group of her friends chuckled at Hibiki's misfortune.
It was a face she had kept close, a reminder hidden away where none could find it. A face among the many that was scratched out and scribbled over. A name that was lost to time, as the owner who it belonged to no longer existed in the world.
"Do you remember now, Hibiki?" She heard Kanade's voice say from the crowd. "How you felt? How your heart filled with pain and anger at those who tormented you? Who dared to curse you for surviving that hell? Their derisive, poisonous stares, and the masses who did nothing but relish in your agony?"
How could she possibly forget? She had hidden in her room for days on end, just attempting to purge those memories from her mind. Yet, not once was she able to. She always remembered those cruel, shameless smiles, and those who were amused by that torture.
"Do you believe they do not deserve to be brought to justice? That their actions were justified?" Kanade asked her. "What about your father? Do you believe he deserves to get away with what he did?"
"E-eh?"
Something hit her across the face. She once again fell to the ground, and hurriedly cradled her struck cheek with her hand. Her eyes widened as soon as she heard familiar screaming and hesitantly turned her head. No longer was she in the school's hallway but was now back in her home in Chiba. The man angrily flipped over the kitchen table, causing the dishes upon it to fall to the ground and shatter.
"Why did you have to survive?!" Tachibana Akira screeched, tossing the wine bottle he held at her, missing its mark and shattering against the wall behind her. Her mother and grandmother screamed, but they sounded so distant, their voices dim before the man's rage. "If it wasn't for you... if it wasn't for you! I wouldn't have to go through this! This is all your fault!"
This painful memory... why? Why was she seeing it again like this? She didn't... she never wanted to see this again! She thought that if she gave him another chance, then maybe she could forget it!
"But you can't forget it, can you?" Kanade said, leaning against the wall. "This injustice committed against you. How a single man's cowardice tore everything you loved apart. Do you believe there was justice to be found in his rage? Do you believe his anguish and his anger at you to be justified?"
Hibiki simply could not speak. Her mind in turmoil, the only answer that stirred up in her stormy heart was very simple. An answer that Kanade proceeded to read perfectly.
"No, you never believed so. After all, you hated him. You resented him for what he did to you and your family. Even now, you still harbor that mistrust towards him. After all, years of abandonment cannot be so easily forgotten and forgiven. But it only ever got worse from here."
Suddenly, something forced her down. Finding herself helpless on the ground, she was pinned down under a heavy weight she could not escape from. Her eyeballs convulsed as she gazed at the glimmering knife raised at her, and the strange man's blood-red glare met her own. Now alone in a dimly lit midnight street, she could do nothing as the man cursed her.
"Because of you, I lost everything! How do you dare live, knowing you killed my daughter! I will never forgive you for taking her away!"
She remembered him. She could never forget his face twisted in grief and fury. She had simply gone on a lonesome nighttime visit to the nearest convenience store, hiding as much as she could from the stares. But, this man had recognized her. He knew who she was, and he had decided to act upon his anguish.
Flies crowded the only streetlight, desperately reaching for the one source of warmth and light in the darkness. Oblivious were they to what was taking place just beneath them, focusing only on their own needs.
He screamed. "DIE!"
He brought the knife down, and she drew in a breath. She blinked and saw that the man and the street had completely vanished. Now, she lay alone in a world of complete blackness, her eyes wide open and staring. Her breaths came abnormally quick, and she felt tears dribble down her cheeks.
Appearing from out of nowhere, Kanade kneeled, have face right above Hibiki's, obscuring the darkness above. Her hair was like a waterfall, basking in a twilight glow.
"Did that jog your memory?" Kanade asked her. "Do you believe that you deserved this treatment, both from strangers and colleagues, despite being innocent?"
As if on cue, something began to rain from above. It wasn't rain, but rather, many sheets of paper fluttered down, falling and piling up on the formless ground. Kanade tilted her head up to watch the down, and swiftly snatched one of the papers from the air. She briefly glanced at it, and then looked to Hibiki again. "Tell me, Hibiki. Is this justice?"
And presented the paper to her.
'DIE YOU MURDERER'
Hibiki once again froze. These... these papers... they were... they were—! No! She never wanted to see them again!
"All of these are the same. All of them filled with the same putrid, sickening words, letting out their frustrations on the person who did not deserve them," Kanade said, tossing the one she held aside. The papers continued to rain down endlessly, somehow not falling on Hibiki and Kanade. The imposter then let out a chuckle. "And you remembered them. You kept them as a memory, remember? You tried to hide your resentment towards their words, but instead, you kept it close to heart. Who'd have thought that you'd become the very thing they believed you were?"
That jolted Hibiki awake. She instantly shot to her feet, uneasily standing before the imposter while tears continued to stream down her face. "I'm not—I'm not a murderer! I didn't—!"
"That's right, you aren't... or at least, you weren't," Kanade said, rising back to her feet. "Yet you held your hand out to killers, foolishly believing they would grasp the same justice as you do. Fine, Ver, Carol, Saint-Germain, they're all the same. Even your fellow Symphogear wielders and acquaintances in S.O.N.G are not exempt from this. They are all sinners who were never punished for their wrongdoings, and you held your hand out to them, abandoning those who truly needed help. Those lives are on your shoulders. Hibiki, the hero of justice who has abandoned it. Tell me, how long will you let that go on? Where will you draw the line?"
With a wave of her hand, Kanade once again changed the scenery. The world shifted, and they were brought back to Tokyo, except...
Everything was burning. The screaming of the innocent blared out in the distance as Noise filled the streets, carbonizing every single human they could come across.
Hibiki could only watch in horror. A little girl ran towards her, and she attempted to catch her, to protect her. But just as the girl was about to reach her arms, an Alca-Noise stinger embedded itself in her back. She fell to the floor and disintegrated, leaving Hibiki to stare in shock at the pile of dust at her feet.
It just went on and on. There was no end to the death, to the screaming, to the pain. It was truly nothing but hell. "This is the result of that justice, Hibiki," Kanade informed her. "This is where that path leads. So long as sinners do not face justice, this is the fate of the world. But you have seen this sight many times before, so if this is not enough to open your eyes..."
The scenery shifted once again. The city was restored to normal, and the evening sun shone through the cracks between the buildings of the bustling metropolis. However, this particular street was dead quiet, and the only person walking upon it was...
"Miku..."
Miku walked alone, humming to herself. She did not notice Hibiki as she walked past her, oblivious to everything around her. It was a fairly normal sight, one that wouldn't have caused Hibiki any worry.
If it wasn't for the shadows lurking within one of the dark alleyways, eyeing their prey with savage smiles on their faces. Miku did not notice their gazes upon her as she passed by.
That's when they struck. As one, a group of five men leaped out of the shadows. Miku didn't even have time to turn around as she was grabbed, one of the men covering her mouth with his hand so she wouldn't scream. The men dragged her back into the alley as she attempted to struggle, but they overpowered her with their larger statures and buffer physiques.
"MIKU!"
Hibiki moved, unable to stomach the sight. She ran after them, passing by Kanade who watched expressionlessly. Hibiki dashed into the alley, catching sight of the men forcing Miku to the ground. "LET HER GO!"
She attempted to tackle one of them, but to her shock, her hand phased through him, as if he—or she—were a ghost.
"LET ME GO!" She heard Miku scream. "NO! HIBIKI! HELP ME!"
It was far too much. Hibiki's heart shattered as she attempted again and again to save her best friend—her other half—but to no avail. She couldn't touch the men. She couldn't reach them. She couldn't reach Miku. She couldn't stop them. She couldn't...
She couldn't save Miku.
She fell to her knees as Kanade appeared beside her. All sound had been drained from the world, with only Hibiki's sorrowful cries ringing out in the darkened back alley. "Stop it..." Hibiki begged, trying in vain to stop the tears from falling.
"Do you understand now, Hibiki? This is a possible path your justice could lead to. For as long as you pursue that twisted ideal, people like this will continue to exist in the world. Would you show them compassion? Would you show them mercy? Would you extend your hand out to them, knowing what they had done?"
"Stop... it... please..."
"No," was Kanade's reply. Violently, she grabbed onto Hibiki's arm, pulling her to her feet. She tightened her grip on her wrist and looked her square in the eyes. Her vision blurry from the tears, and her heart in shambles, Hibiki could only quake in fear from the crazed stare Kanade held. "You must realize your folly, your foolishness, your ignorance! Your world of understanding is an impossibility! To wish for it is to be a tyrant, to arrogantly believe that every human will follow your example! Human hearts are not as graceful as you believe!"
"S-stop it... you're hurting me—!"
"Human nature has not changed a single bit since the Stone Age! You are a fool if you believe you alone can change it, the powerless human that you are! You could not even save yourself, so who are you to say that you can save others! Stop believing in a lie and open your eyes, Tachibana Hibiki, for as long as you remain blind, you will continue to bring disaster!"
"STOP IT!"
"Realize what it is that you must do! Abandon that twisted path of yours, and pursue the true justice! The one that will once and for all fix this wretched hell of a world! The world that gave birth to the Noise and sinners like Fine! Remember what you have experienced, the torture and suffering that you went through, and turn that into strength! Punish the sinful with your hatred! Turn your resentment into power! Only then, and only then, will you be able to bring salvation!"
"STOP!"
"DO IT HIBIKI! DO IT! ACCEPT IT! BECOME WHO YOU WERE MEANT TO BE!"
"NOOOOOO!"
Unable to hear more of her crazed ramblings, Hibiki pushed her away with her free hand. Surprisingly, Kanade's grip loosened, and she fell back.
But when Hibiki opened her eyes again, finally calming down, she looked forward. She was back in the school hallway, standing at the top of the flight of stairs.
And at the bottom, the brown-haired girl she remembered squirmed on the ground in pain. Hibiki's eyes widened, and something stirred in her heart upon hearing the girl's pained cries. Many others surrounded her, looking down on her, their savage smiles directed at the girl who was pushed down the stairs... the girl that Hibiki... pushed down the stairs.
Kanade appeared behind her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "That felt good, didn't it? To finally deliver justice on someone who tormented you? This right here, Hibiki, is justice. That weight in your heart? That was your justice being delivered. This is what you should've done. This is the path you should've followed. You must not forget, and you must never forgive."
She blinked. She was back at home, where her father was. He was on the ground, cowering in fear and quivering before her. She blinked again, and she was in that dimly lit street, straddling the man with a knife in hand, and took in his terrified expression. Again and again, the scenery shifted, and with each shift, she felt more and more of those weights within her lift one by one.
No, she couldn't... she couldn't... she... she...
"You see it now, don't you?" Kanade whispered in her ear. Her arms wrapped around Hibiki, holding her in a tight, intimate, and sensual embrace. Her words, previously poisonous and corrosive, began to feel like honey in her ears. "Yes, that is the justice that you should hold tight. This is the justice that your song should carry. The justice that brings down punishment upon sinners, regardless of who they are. Equal and fair justice. That is how your world will be born. That is how paradise will be created. All you have to do... is accept it."
They were back in that blackened space. This time, something stirred within it, writhing and moving in the darkness. Hibiki, however, was unable to perceive it. Her strength had fled her, her face stained with tears. Both her mind and her heart had broken from the many horrible sights, each and every one tightening the hold on her consciousness.
She could barely bring herself to speak. Her mouth moved, and her mind swam as she mumbled. "I... I don't... I don't... know... how..."
She wasn't even sure what she meant by those words. All she could do was fall into the tight embrace she was held in, holding onto it like a lifeline. It felt comfortable, strong, right. Her entire world had shattered, and yet there was something to keep her afloat. Something to hold onto. Something... something...
Kanade smiled, "Oh, it's easy. Very very easy. All you have to do... is hold out your hand. Reach out to it."
A soft, metallic tingle filled the air as Kanade held something aloft before Hibiki's eyes. She had a hard time focusing on it, but she could see it was... it was...
"Gung...nir?"
"Yes. This is the shape of your justice, Hibiki. It is contained right in here. All you have to do is take it, this tiny gem that you had entrusted your whole being to. Reach out to it, and accept it once again. Vow to uphold the justice you desire and create a beautiful world with your own two hands. One where nobody will have to suffer as you did and those that have sinned will face the consequences. Take it, Hibiki. That is my last will and testament, dedicated to you."
It was as if her body moved by itself. Her hand slowly rose, and her palm opened wide. The crimson—crimson?—gem fell into her hold, its radiance serving as the only source of light in the darkness. As soon as the gem was in Hibiki's hand, Kanade released her hold on her. She took steps back, standing a short distance away from Hibiki, who remained alone in the center. Her gaze was locked onto the pendant in a trance as if she was holding the most beautiful and brilliant object in existence.
There was only one step left.
"Now, sing, Hibiki. Allow those holy words that embody your justice to flow from your heart. Let them take you, and bring you the strength you need to change the world. Accept them, and become who you were truly meant to be!"
Incandescent colors filled Hibiki's heart and mind, contrasting the blackened world around her. Those words Kanade told her... they felt right like that was the way things should be. To grasp justice... to change the world... to bring about a utopia of understanding... such a beautiful dream.
And if she sang... if she sang... it could end up a reality.
She held the pendant to her heart and closed her eyes. The holy chant, which she had thought she had forgotten, rose up from within her as she sang her song of justice.
'Balwisyall nescell Gungnir tron'
Kanade smiled.
The gem glowed in Hibiki's hand, and she was engulfed in an orb of bright light.
And it all came to a close.
The world collapsed, the cover of darkness that surrounded them flaking away to ash around them. The imposter threw her hands to the side as the truth of the illusionary expanse was unveiled. A blood-red tapestry of vaguely human faces writhed, grasping and reaching for their new source of strength. One by one they were unveiled, tearing away the false, mesmerizing canopy with a demented cacophony.
Shadowy, black hands grasped at the light, surrounding it in their maddened, stiff hold. As if the orb of light was a physical object, they latched onto it. One by one, they began to cover it in its entirety, replacing its brilliance with their vileness and wretchedness.
The imposter laughed as Hibiki was consumed. Took the bait hook, line, and sinker. As the illusionary hell intensified and broke down around her, she laughed maniacally, throwing her head back.
"NOW RAGE! ADVANCE! TEAR IT ALL DOWN! DEVOUR THE WORLD IN ALL YOUR FURY, AND UNLEASH IT UPON THE SINNERS! BECOME WHO YOU WERE MEANT TO BE, THE VESSEL OF TOTAL DESTRUCTION—"
Her body crumbled, disappearing into the void of hatred and curses. Before her head vanished, she screamed out loud in unshackled mirth.
The orb of light, now a sphere of crawling darkness, expanded to take the place of the illusionary world, as it was always meant to. The new owner had accepted it, along with the awesome power that it was provided. From here on out, only true justice will be pursued!
"—AND THE HARBINGER OF ALL THE EVILS OF THIS WORLD!"
-!-
When the light finally died down, the Symphogear wielders found themselves perplexed at the sight.
The massive cocoon had crumbled to dust, and all that remained in its place was a small crater at the location towards which it had plunged. Which was strange, considering that Elfnein's calculations had expected a completely different result. There was no massive beast on the scale of the Divine Weapon that had been previously destroyed. Only...
Only a human-sized form that looked very familiar.
"Tachibana..." Tsubasa let out. This was... far too odd. Something felt off. Red flags rose in Tsubasa's mind, but for the life of her she could not figure out why.
"Commander," Maria said over the comm. "We're going in to investigate."
Genjuro took a moment to reply, and the wielders waited nervously for his response. They could not simply go blindly. As much as they wished to simply dash to their friend and check on her status, something... something was holding them back. A nasty gut feeling they could not dispel. By the time that Genjuro replied, his voice was low and alert.
"Copy that, Maria-kun. Proceed with caution. We have no way of knowing what exactly is going on now that our predictions proved to be wrong."
"Roger."
Maria looked towards her allies, and they all nodded in acknowledgment at the okay.
So he was telling them to advance anyway. Well, they figured they'd have to do so. Only with their own eyes would they be able to ascertain Hibiki's wellbeing.
But God, did they feel on edge. The unknown was the greatest terror one could face.
As a unit, all five walked forward. Only Saint-Germain remained behind, rooted to the spot, her eyes narrowed at the human-shaped form at the center of the rubble. She had deliberately allied herself with the Symphogears in order to combat Adam and the divine power, and with Adam having retreated following the cocoon's formation, she now had a focus.
But her centuries-old intuition told her that something was awfully wrong and that she must watch closely to see how things will proceed. Her mind raced with endless possibilities, each one more absurd than the last.
Tsubasa led the way up the small incline, the others following behind her. She was wracked with nerves, not sure what to expect.
When the five finally reached the top, they caught sight of the human-sized form and instantly their faces lit with recognition.
"Tachibana!" Tsubasa let out, running towards her wayward teammate in the center of the crater.
From her position inside one of the trucks, Miku shouted in delight, "Hibiki!"
Without missing a beat, Miku exited the truck, and ran at full speed towards her friend, passing by Saint-Germain on the way. Just as she passed her, however, the alchemist's hand suddenly locked around her shoulder, nearly throwing Miku off balance.
"Eh?" She said, looking back towards the one who had arrested her movements, finding herself looking Saint-Germain dead in the eye.
"I would stay back if I were you," The alchemist clad in her Faust Robe warned, "We do not know her true state just yet. Let your friends bring her here first."
"St. Germain-san, what are you—"
"There is something terribly wrong here," The alchemist merely said, still staring ahead at the group crowded in the crater, releasing her hold on Miku's shoulder. Miku's eyes widened, but she said nothing in response. The pit in her stomach that had grown over the last few days became unbearable, and she grasped her shirt with an iron grip as she stared ahead.
Inside of the crater, the Symphogear wielders hurried to their friend's side. They quickly found her down on one knee, facing away from them, and her head cast downwards towards the ground, unmoving.
"Tachibana, are you alright?" Tsubasa asked the kneeling Symphogear user. She did notice that she was clad in Gungnir, albeit looking a little bit... different than what she remembered. It was a bit darker in color than she recalled. And did she always have these small wings protruding from her back? And were these purple glowing lines always running across the armor's form?
In response to Tsubasa's question, Hibiki suddenly rose to her feet, standing to her full, yet familiar short height. She still faced away from them, not turning around.
The group heard her whisper, yet her words were lost to the air.
Chris trudged towards her, "Oi, dumbass! We were worried sick about you!"
"Yukine, please calm down," Tsubasa commanded. They still had to be cautious, but seeing as Hibiki seemed to be physically fine, they could relax a bit more now. The Ame-no-Habakiri user raised her hand to the device in her ear, "Commander, we have confirmed Tachibana's wellbeing. We're bringing her back now."
"Copy that, Tsubasa. Please escort her to the medical room so we can have them take a look at her," he ordered.
"Roger."
-!-
Genjuro leaned forward, clasping his hands over his console. His brows furrowed as he stared at the screen, watching the ongoings of the wielders outside. His instincts were on high alert, feeling as though they were not out of the woods just yet. While all signs pointed towards a false alarm, he simply couldn't ignore his subconscious.
"Fujitaka, run diagnostics again," he ordered. "Triple and quadruple check everything. I want to make sure we're not missing critical."
"Roger."
It was a wasted effort, but Genjuro simply could not sit still.
"Tomosato, have you had any success with forcing back the JSDF forces?"
"Negative sir, they simply won't budge," she answered. "They're not willing to leave until they get the all-clear on their side. We can't make them retreat."
Genjuro grimaced, "They're a liability. They're not required here anymore. Continue as you've been doing. You have my permission to use any means necessary."
"Yes sir, but I must ask... why are we in such a hurry?" Tomosato inquired. She could feel the tension in the bridge, which was raising hairs on the back of her neck as well. As the only one lucid enough to speak, she felt she must ascertain the reason.
Genjuro couldn't bring himself to elaborate further, except with three words.
"Something is wrong."
His answer only put them all further on edge. Clacking and clicking echoed as consoles updated on the fly, and each one displayed different numbers that shed some analytical light on the situation. Yet, despite it all, nothing seemed to be out of place.
'Am I simply being paranoid?' Genjuro thought to himself, 'No... this can't be all there is to it. This was almost—'
His eyes drifted to Elfnein, and he studied the young alchemist's expressions. She too was looking intently at her console, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she did what she could on her end.
'—too easy.'
He noticed too late that he had done the one thing he shouldn't have.
At that moment, Elfnein gasped in shock, and hurriedly slammed her hand on the button to set off the alarm.
He didn't even have time to ask what was going on before he was already on his feet, "Elfnein-kun, status report!"
"A foreign energy signature has been detected! It's rising from Hibiki-san at a rapid rate!"
The frantic typing continued, and commandeering the bridge's largest display, she presented all of her data.
Including the one of the Aufwachen signal of Gungnir.
There was a collective gasp of horror as they saw what had changed. The abnormality, the sheer wrongness that had appeared seemingly out of nowhere within the signal itself.
"That's," Genjuro mumbled in horror. "THAT'S GUNGNIR?!"
Elfnein forced the comm open and screamed.
"EVERYONE! GET OUT OF THERE RIGHT NOW!"
-!-
The sudden panic and the background noise of the alarm from the comm caused the wielders to flinch, barely hearing the scream over the comm. They all turned in the direction of headquarters and attempted to make out some sort of sign over the static.
"Elfnein?!" Tsubasa called out but was met with only more blaring uproars. She clicked her tongue, forcing her attention away from her wayward comrade.
Not a single member of the Symphogear wielders noticed Hibiki turn to them slowly, her eyes locked on their backs.
From among the group gathered by the crater, only one recognized the danger the moment it had reared itself. Not having bothered to even listen in to the transmission, Saint-Germain yelled at the top of her lungs.
"GET AWAY FROM HER RIGHT NOW!"
Tsubasa faced the alchemist, having barely caught her scream. "What are you—"
The only warning Tsubasa received was the small burst of light in the corner of her eye.
Squelch!
Her step faltered. Her eyes widened as agonizing pain rose from her midsection, locking her legs in place. Her mind seized, having barely registered the fact that she had been attacked.
The others swiftly turned around and were left gasping in horror at the sight. They were paralyzed, and their gazes were locked onto Tsubasa's injured abdomen. The blue-haired idol struggled to tilt her head down to observe the damage.
And what met her sight left her both shocked and confused.
A lance—no, a spear—protruded from her stomach. She could see the lines of blood and guts that stained its surface, having pierced through her in one breath.
Her mind raced to find out what had taken place. The many unknowns and surprises overwhelmed her, and now that she had registered the extent of the hit, her brain finally caught up. Weakness gripped at her, and she spit out blood.
"What—"
Shing!
And the spear was withdrawn from her with a nasty sound of flesh being cut. Her mind, already in overdrive, faltered. Tsubasa collapsed to the ground, leaving the others screaming her name as she landed with a thud. Her consciousness began to darken, but unwilling to die without finding out what had downed her, she forced all the strength she could muster to turn around.
Two horrible sights met her eyes.
The spear was all too familiar. Its shape was unique, for only one person had ever wielded it in her life. Yet, before her was that very same spear, the one she had not seen in years since that day her heart had died for the first time. However, everything else was starkly different. Instead of the bright yellow, its sharpened edges were dark orange, and ferocious, purple vein-like formations ran over its form in an uneven jagged pattern. The core, once a dazzling red, had been replaced with a gut-wrenching green, pulsing and glowing dimly every second.
But above all that, her eyes met the pair of the one who had stabbed her in the back.
And she froze.
"Yes... it is my time now."
The blood dripped down to the charred ground.
And the last thing Tsubasa saw before her mind fell to darkness—
"I will change the world."
—was the eerie emerald glow of Tachibana Hibiki's eyes.