Chapter Text
The last rays of the sun vanished across the horizon, leaving the lonely, forgotten road in twilight. Barren rock and dirt stretched for miles upon miles, with no signs of life.
That is, until the sounds of an engine filled the air.
Five SUV’s drove down the highway in a loose formation. Within the center vehicle, two men sat in the front seat in complete silence, accompanied only by the noise of the air conditioner on full blast.
The radio crackled as the man in the passenger seat turned it on. “Radio check?” A voice asked.
“Read you loud and clear. We are currently four minutes away from the Library. No issues to report. Over,” the man in the passenger seat answered.
“10-4. Go to the side door for delivery,” the man on the radio said.
“Affirmative.”
The convey passed a fence line, a worn out sign next to it saying “Do Not Enter: Building under renovations”. Littered around the building were trailers and construction equipment, although those were just for show. The building itself was nothing to write home about, only being slightly larger than an average office building. Officially it was nothing more than some small steel company warehouse.
The convoy stopped outside an overhead door where a man was calmly waiting and walked toward
“Oh shit. The director’s here. Must be an important piece,” the driver of the armored van mused.
His partner shook his head. “You think they’d tell us this beforehand but operational security is insane here.”
For weeks there have been regular deliveries to this secret military base nicknamed “The Library”. While none of the drivers knew exactly what they were transporting they did know it was for the Chicago Project. And project director Thomas Blackwell always waited by the entrance when the material was particularly valuable.
Thomas walked to the back of the main truck and opened the trunk, grabbing a metal briefcase laying in the center. He pulled out a key and undid the locks, making sure the tamper seals were still in place.
“Excellent work, everyone. Package is secured and untampered. Head inside for debriefing,” Thomas said as he let his subordinates take over. He flashed his keycard against the scanner before entering the building.
Two armed soldiers walked right behind him, both of them on guard despite being in friendly territory. They entered an elevator and pressed the button to enter the real base.
Twenty seconds later the elevator opened into a long hallway. They passed by the solid steel door and entered the reception area.
During the Cold War, America had made countless underground military bases. Some of them were publically known while others were “secret”. But a few select bases were truly secret, only known to the men on-site.
The Library was one such base. It was originally designed to store critical military data on EMP proof computers in case of nuclear war, but it fell into disarray once the Cold War ended. That is, until recent developments.
Reaching an intersection, the group turned left toward the research portion. They stopped in front of a lab, Thomas dismissing his escort.
Entering the lab Thomas placed the briefcase on a table before opening it, finally able to undo the seals and view what was inside. Two small black shards lay inside a plush case. The last pieces of the Cryptos relic.
A month ago SONG 2, in an uncharacteristic move, gifted a relic to the UN to be turned into a Symphogear as a sign of trust and a way to remove the monopoly they had on heretical technology. And what better country to develop this new global Symphogear than the United States of America.
Thomas honestly considered it a brilliant political move on SONG 2’s end. Recently a couple countries had started grumbling about SONG 2 having too much power despite their neutrality. By giving this world a Symphogear it basically silenced that faction for the foreseeable future. A gear outside SONG 2 jurisdiction was incredibly dangerous. Who knew what the politicians would make them do.
Good thing the UN gear was only an illusion. Despite SONG 2 being known to the world governments now, they still received most of their under the table funding and support from America. A fact that was obvious to all, but had just enough plausible deniability to not be challenged.
“Alrighty everyone, we finally have the last piece of Cryptos. The key components for the camouflage feature will be shipped here later on, but you should be able to do most of the legwork now,” Thomas said to the team of scientists in the room.
He stood to the side as he watched them work. There was no way in hell he would leave Cryptos with anyone else unsupervised.
The only thing SONG 2 required was that respected CIA agent Thomas Blackwell be in charge of the project. It was a fact that most people brushed aside but to the few who knew the full truth it made things a lot clearer.
In exchange for being able to work on a relic, the United States - or Blackwell, really - would find a Symphogear wielder who would officially work for the UN, unofficially work for the US, but in reality was loyal to SONG 2.
This had Miku Tachibana’s fingerprints all over it. The second in command of SONG 2 could be downright devious when she wanted to be. Thomas could admit he was outmaneuvered by her multiple times in the past.
Two hours later, Thomas waited for the last scientist to leave the lab before casually walking over to Cryptos and grabbing the relic. He pulled out some metal scraps from his pocket and placed it in the vault before closing it, making a show of checking the locks afterwards. Pocketing the relic he walked out of the room and locked it.
With an almost bored expression on his face, Thomas walked to the living quarters of the base. The underground part of the base was split into two halves, one side being the labs and the other half living quarters. Any invaders would logically go to the research portion first, especially if they were searching for materials being used in a top secret device.
So if everyone would go to the labs first, why would anyone keep the relic there? Thomas quietly entered his personal office space and living quarters. He went under his desk and punched in the combination for his personal safe. Gently placing Cryptos in the safe, Thomas closed the door, sealed it, and placed a stack of papers over it.
Thomas had not told anyone about his little secret. Standard procedures would state that Cryptos is the safest inside the main vault. But standard procedures went out the window when it came to the supernatural. Any kind of defense was worthless against Alca-Noise who could disintegrate anything they touched, and who knew what kind of powers any intruders would have? So their best plan was to keep the relic somewhere else.
Making sure nobody was listening in, Thomas slid back the panel for the hidden escape tunnel in his office and double checked the mechanisms. This whole base used to be a part of some cave system that’d been long forgotten. It was a maze in there although he had already mapped out a path to the surface. Worst come to worst he could grab Cryptos and escape from any intruders hunting the relic.
Sitting in his chair, Thomas leaned back and let out a sigh of relief. Another day done. He was going to have gray hairs by the end of this.
He was the very first human from this world outside of SONG 2 to be entrusted with a relic. He could easily take the relic and sell it to the highest bidder, defected to another major power, or use it for more nefarious purposes. But they knew he wouldn’t.
All because Thomas decided to play the long game.
During his first encounter with SONG 2 Thomas made a choice. He could either attempt to strongarm and capture them in order to reverse engineer their technology. Or go for the carrot.
By giving them resources and support with no strings attached Thomas built a rapport with them. It wouldn’t give them any immediate advantage but it also meant they wouldn’t align themselves to any other governments. Why go under a government's thumbs when America is giving you everything you need with nearly zero oversight?
And slowly but surely, SONG 2 started to trust them. If you feed an animal enough times eventually they will come to you without fear. Or at least, that was the initial plan.
Then he found himself liking the members of SONG 2 and could admit that their connection was more than strictly professional. There was a legitimate friendship. He wasn’t sure when he started to buy into their idealism. If he was ordered to betray SONG 2, Thomas honestly didn’t know what he would do. Good thing he wouldn’t have too.
Because right now, Thomas had a lot of pull in the United States government. With how well he handled SONG 2, the president had essentially given him a blank check to do whatever he wanted. He could walk into Congress during a meeting, punch a Senator in the face, steal their tie, and all he had to do was claim it was for SONG 2 and he would get away with it. The president would probably ask if he needed any more ties.
Based on the current timeline the Cryptos Symphogear should be complete and ready for Tuning in a little over a week. Now there was one pressing question. Who would wield it? They couldn’t use someone in the military as the timeframe for Tuning ended in the late-teenage years. Something to do with an interaction between vocals and phonic gains, although most of the details went completely over Thomas’ head.
The obvious answer was to find an American. Thomas could personally evaluate before giving them the Symphogear. But that plan was already sunk due to the wonder that is global politics.
While America was the one making it, the Symphogear was still technically a “UN” gear. Someone who can answer problems independently of SONG 2. An American wielder would only expose the agenda of Thomas’s bosses and lead to cries of favoritism.
Thomas pulled up a long list of candidates nominated by every government on the planet. He sighed and leaned his head on his hand as he began scrolling through the list. While these girls were most likely worthy there was still the uncertainty of one being corrupt or being more loyal to the UN or some specific country. The last thing anyone needed was a rogue Symphogear user destroying a major city. He had seen what Hibiki’s students could do. It still terrified him just thinking about it.
The worst part was regular humans couldn’t do a thing to stop them. A Symphogear user could deflect tank shells with their bare fists, slice bullets in mid air, and had enough firepower to destroy a mountain. On a lark, Thomas had asked some cleared-military personnel on how they would respond to a Symphogear and had gotten back some files on a suspended nuclear weapon modification program . Something called a “Casaba-Howitzer”. No wonder countries in the other world waged wars just to retrieve relic fragments.
While the SONG 2 gears would never abuse their gears for personal gain, this UN gear wasn’t a guarantee. Good thing Elfnein had a remote kill switch installed.
Now there wasn’t any proof of one but Thomas didn’t become a senior CIA agent by being stupid. Parts of the Symphogear were pre-made and directly shipped to them. None of the scientists had any idea what they did and were under strict orders to keep it that way. He could connect the dots. There had to be something inside there to stop a rogue wielder.
Which is why they needed to toe the line and not try anything. Because right now the United States was sitting in a pretty good spot. Enough involvement to potentially benefit, not enough involvement to trigger reactions and set off an arms race or worse. There was no reason to rock the boat. Besides, if things changed and countries started to use relics? Well, then he would have to be sure America would be in a prime position to win.
Thomas straightened up before pulling out a worn out piece of paper containing potential American candidates. Even though they can’t use one he still had to go through it. He started skimming through it and crossing out bad matches. Whoever was in charge of compiling this list dropped the ball. The current location line was almost a decade old! Seriously, how did this get through?
Groaning at the garbage in front of him, Thomas moved over to his shredder before pausing as he caught one name in particular. A Japanese name… He had an idea.
While they couldn’t use an American candidate for political reasons, there wasn’t anything preventing Thomas from picking someone with American ancestry.
Sliding over to his computer, he swiftly logged in and typed in a single name. Public records and news articles flashed on his screen.
“Let’s see.” Thomas muttered to himself. “Three-quarters Japanese with an American grandfather. Lived in America for a few years before moving back to Japan and is semi-fluent in English. Athletic and talented in music. Family has zero ties to the Japanese government. Is very vocal in her support to the Valkyries.” He leaned back and smirked.
Picking her would kill two birds with one stone. Not only could he properly vet her but it would also get them brownie points with Japan. She would probably jump at the chance to help the Valkyries even if it meant disobeying the UN. But where did he hear that name before? Checking a recent article he found his answer. She was a famous school idol. In fact her group competed against μ's in the finals of Love Live.
Thomas shook his head and chuckled. Small world. But this was even better than he expected. Logically she would have some kind of relationship with μ's, even if it was as rivals. Which meant the two of them appearing together wouldn’t raise too many eyebrows. So if a mission required her to work with SONG 2 then they already had an alibi for their civilian identities.
Now that he found his girl he had to make her an offer. She wasn’t an American citizen so offering her that would be a potential incentive alongside a hefty paycheck. She did have family that still lived in America after all. Thomas tapped a pen to his lips as he tried to brainstorm. Perhaps a full ride to any American college of her choice? If she decided to go here for college.
But what about her friends? She was extremely close to her friends based on her social media records. Separating the three might be a dealbreaker. Then again it wouldn’t be an issue to grant her friends the same benefits if he needed to sweeten the pot. Heck they could probably assist her in her civilian life.
And then how to approach her. He had to be careful here. He couldn’t come across as trying to strongarm or bully her into accepting it. Not only for political reasons but also moral. Despite what some people thought, not everyone in the CIA was a heartless asshole. Perhaps he should contact Hibiki and see if her students have any insights.
But that was for later. Finishing off his draft, Thomas sent an email directly to his superiors. As soon as they approved his plan, he could approach his candidate and recruit her.
Now that’s over, Thomas could relax. On a second monitor he opened the video link Hibiki sent him. The secret agent placed his arms behind his head as the vod for the Love Live finals started to play. If anyone asked he was performing “research” on phonic gains or something.
Thomas sighed when his office phone started to ring. Seriously? Could he ever get a break around here? “Director Blackwell here.”
“Sir, your visitors have arrived. I already waved them through.”
Thomas did a double take. “What?! What visitors? What are their names?” He ordered, but all he got was static. “God dammit.” Punching in another number Thomas only had to wait a second for a response.
“Yes, Thomas?”
“Eric. I just received a message that a guest has arrived on site and is being escorted to the back. But I’m not expecting anyone. Who is it?”
“I don’t see anything in the records. That’s weird, Ryan is usually a stickler for protocol, this isn’t like him.” Thomas could hear Eric’s shrug. “Probably a computer glitch, if I had to guess. Damn thing’s ancient and should have been trashed years ago. I’ll radio him and get an answer and heighten security around the entrance in the meanwhile.”
“Thank you.” Thomas hung up and looked around his room. If he had to make a guess, it was probably a member of SONG 2 coming to deliver a special part that wasn’t with the main convoy. Wouldn’t be the first time. Hibiki had a very poor understanding of “advanced notice”. But even as he relaxed, Thomas could help but feel like something was off.
Two armed soldiers stepped outside the underground’s entrance, scanning the area for whoever this mysterious visitor was. The sound of footsteps drew their attention to a stunning African woman who confidently walked toward them. She wore a fashionable black jacket with a pair of jeans that only heightened her beauty. Both men went slack-jawed until one managed to shake himself out of it.
“Halt!” The man tensed up tightening his grip around his rifle but not pointing it at the stranger. “You are trespassing on private government property. If you’re lost or need assistance we can help but you must vacate immediately.”
The woman gave the men a small smile before shaking her head. “No, I'm right where I’m supposed to be.”
“Excuse me?” The other soldier asked but the woman refused to elaborate. Instead she took in a deep breath as the skin around her neck began to rip apart, revealing a hideous maw underneath. It had rows of jagged fangs, saliva dripping down its teeth. Her second mouth opened all the way and screamed.
The air rippled as a concentrated blast of sound tore the ground apart in front of them. The soldier on the left was sent flying into the air by the attack. He slammed into the wall with a sickening crunch, his corpse falling to the ground.
The other man’s eyes were wide with horror as his partner was murdered right before his eyes. He raised his gun, prepared to shoot down the invader but hesitated when he saw her face and how beautiful she was. Just long enough for the women to scream again. His mind was still enraptured by her beauty as the ceiling rushed to greet him.
Her second mouth receded, smooth skin concealing it. Rubbing her neck, the woman casually walked past the dead guards and entered the restricted area.
Back down in the bunker Thomas raised his head at the noise coming from outside. It sounded vaguely like a human scream but he was deep underground. No way in hell that was human. Quickly dialing his phone, Thomas called security. “Eric. What the hell was that?!”
“Just an issue with the speakers,” Eric answered, but Thomas felt his skin crawl as he realized his voice was TOO casual. “Nothing to be worried about. Everything’s good to go.”
“With the mistake earlier? Bullshit. As director of the Chicago Project, I am placing us under FPCON DELTA. Contact Fort Irwin and put the QRF on REDCON-1 and move out within five minutes unless given a counter order. I am not taking any chances.”
“It’s just a mistake,” Eric droned on in a monotone voice. “No need to put everyone on alert. Everything’s calm and accounted for.”
Thomas did a double take. “Did you not hear me?! This is a direct order! Alert the base NOW!” He demanded. But all he got in response was Eric hanging up on him. When he tried to dial him again there was no response. He turned on the intercoms only to be met with silence. “What the hell is going on here?!”
“Everything is ok. There’s no need to be on guard,” Eric constantly repeated on the base's intercoms. A group of soldiers stood in the reception area, glancing uncertainly between each other. They heard something outside and whatever it was should have put the base on high alert. Yet security was telling them not too. They stopped when a drop dead beautiful Hispanic woman walked toward them. She wore a thin black dress with heels that revealed all the right parts of her body.
“Freeze!” The sergeant screamed as they all pointed their rifles at her. The women mockingly raised her hands in surrender while giving them an arrogant smirk.
“Oh what should I do? You caught me,” the stranger said in an over dramatic fashion. She seemed lost in her own world as the military inched toward her, weapons aimed at her. “I know!”
A glowing blue triangle inside a circle appeared in the palms of her hands before she thrusted them forward. A torrent of water burst forth, knocking everyone to their knees before they could even react. As the soldiers struggled to get back on their feet, the woman lifted one of her arms into the air. As she did so the water on the ground rose and formed into vaguely humanoid shapes. With a snap of her fingers the water evaporated, revealing the monsters underneath.
Noise.
Gunfire filled the air as the guards tried in vain to shoot the Noise who descended upon their victims. The intruder let out a malicious laugh at the slaughter in front of her. With inhuman grace, she casually dodged a few stray bullets as thin tendrils of water gathered around her fingertips. Flicking her wrist forward, the water tore through the concrete floor and eviscerated both humans and Noise in front of her. One woman managed to survive and was running down the hallway. “Alert the others!” Another man cried out before he finished turning into carbon ash.
The lone survivor of the massacre ran down the hallway, the Noise hot on her heels. She had to make it to the security room. She had to set the alarms off before it was too late! The door was right in front of her. She was going to make it!
But as she arrived the door opened, Eric emotionless staring at her. “Sir! We’re under attack, we need to alert the-!” She fell back as her commanding officer pushed her away and toward the Noise. He closed the door and with a click it locked.
Crawling on her knees, the guard screamed and hammered on the door but it remained locked. She felt something grab her ankle. She felt her ankle burn before it seemed to cease to be, the burning sensation beginning to crawl up her leg. She clawed at the floor trying to get a grip on anything as she was simultaneously dragged into the horde and turned into carbon ash.
The door opened again as Eric watched the mysterious women walk through the Noise unharmed. Placing a hand under his chin, she smirked before snapping her fingers. Without protest, he marched toward the Noise and allowed himself to be killed.
Entering the room, she smiled as another woman was already in the room typing at a computer, four corpses laying by her feet. “Guess I took the scenic route today.”
The second woman was Japanese and had long black hair trailing down her back. She wore a red and white kimono that was somehow in immaculate condition despite the blood splattered consoles around her. “You did. But I already disabled the alarms. We won’t be disturbed.”
The inner comms crackled to life. “This is Thomas Blackwell! We have a breach! Communications and chain of command have been compromised! All intruders are to be shot on sight! This is not a drill! REPEAT. This is not a drill!”
“Great work disabling the alarms,” the Hispanic woman snarked. Her companion only rolled her eyes.
“I meant the rest of the military. But this?” The Japanese women walked over to a set of cable poking out from the floor. Water seeped from her skin and formed into a blade coating her hand. With a surgical cut, the inner comms were silenced. “Already accounted for. Thought I’d let her have some fun.”
Dozens of soldiers stood in front of the solid steel door, many crouched behind walls and cover. Whatever was attacking them was coming this way. Making this their best chance to repeal the invaders.
Everyone went dead silent as a single pair of footsteps walked up to the door. A part of it suddenly caved in as something slammed into it. A rhythmic pounding sound assaulted everyone’s ears as the door began to buckle and bend underneath the raw force smashing into it. There was a brief lull and everyone lifted their weapons, ready to shoot.
With one last punch, the door was torn off its hinges and sent hurtling forward, crushing two soldiers unlucky enough to be out of cover and in its path. Everyone started firing as a… thing marched its way into the room.
Parts of it looked like a human female, with long blonde hair and a tan body. She wore clothes that barely covered her skin, leaving her stomach exposed along with most of her legs. She would be a complete knockout by any definition. If it wasn’t for the other half.
Her right side was covered in some kind of red growth that almost looked like a shell bursting from underneath her skin, coating her shoulder and part of her head. Her arm was completely consumed by the shell, the appendage ending with what appeared to be a claw of some sort. She raised it in front of her body, using it as a shield. Bullets ricocheted off its shell as she stomped forward and swung.
Guards were knocked off their feet, their bodies breaking from the sheer power behind the attack. Looking behind, the monster dashed forward with surprising speed, raising her claw into the air before brutally crushing a man beneath it. The floor cracked, leaving the man’s bloody corpse in a miniature crater.
Inspecting her bloody claw, the creature grinned as bits of human flesh fell off it. “That’s the best you got?!” She taunted the remains around her. With a huff she went down the hallway toward the objective hoping to run into more humans along the way.
Thomas flinched as the dying screams of his men only grew louder. They weren’t going for the laboratory, they were going to the offices. Which meant they knew.
“Shit. Shit. SHIT.” Thomas cursed as he unlocked the safe and grabbed the box containing Cryptos. They were after the relic. But how did they know Thomas had it in his office? He never told anyone!
But none of that mattered right now. He had to escape. Shame and guilt consumed his mind at abandoning everyone but he had no choice. If they lost Cryptos, then their deaths would be in vain. Opening the wall to the secret tunnel. Thomas ran over to it but started to sway.
He clutched his head as he started to hear the voice. His body screamed at him to stop, to listen to its beauty, but he powered through and kept on walking. But the voice only grew louder, clearer, more incessant. Right as he stepped through the entrance, Thomas fell to his knees. Teeth clenched, helooked forward and started to crawl. But he didn’t make it another inch before his vision turned dark.
Four women walked into Thomas’s office and up to the man passed out on the floor. The Japanese women reached down, grabbed it, and didn’t even bother with the locks before tearing it open. Holding up Cryptos so the others could see, she grinned. “There it is.” She looked back at her companions who all nodded in confirmation except for one whose eyes were glued to the nearby monitor.
“Hē eurekā,” The Hispanic woman spoke.
“Seirenmakarios?” The African women turned around, her eyes wide in surprise. The Hispanic woman pointed at a screen and the others watched the video.
“En Acropolei teys Anatoleys Heliou phainetai,” The leader said.
All four of them were so focused on the video that they failed to notice Thomas twitch and pull out his pistol. Silently aiming at the Hispanic woman’s back he pulled the trigger.
Only for the Japanese woman to suddenly jerk her arm back and form a barrier of water that deflected the bullet. Turning around, the woman raised her eyebrows in mild surprise at Thomas being the shooter.
How did she react that fast?! She didn’t know he was there yet somehow moved before he even fired! Switching to her Thomas fired a second round.
Again, the woman moved her head, the bullet missing her by less than an inch. With a wave of her hand, Thomas felt the gun knocked out of his hand.
Without hesitation, he reached out for it but cried out in pain when a liquid arrow penetrated his hand. His other hand scrabbled for the gun but it was knocked well out of his reach.
The Japanese woman casually walked forward and kicked Thomas in the stomach. The secret agent felt his ribs crack as his body was punted across the room before slamming into a wall. She wiped her foot against the table as if there was mud on it. She rolled her eyes when she noticed part of the couch was torn out, stuffing thrown on the ground. She grabbed the relic before turning toward the door. “Shall we leave now, sisters?”
The other three hummed in agreement as they walked out of the room. “Is that filth still alive?” The African woman asked as she gestured behind her.
“I don’t care.” She shrugged. “I didn’t bother to check and even if he is it doesn’t matter. His fate is irrelevant.”
Thomas raised an arm toward the intruders as he struggled to remain conscious. “The relic…” he managed to whisper before his arm dropped and everything went dark.
A cool breeze blew across the city of Tokyo, a herald of the cold weather slowly sneaking up upon the country. The trees were still green but a few were starting to show signs of the autumn season, their leaves tinting yellow and orange.
The damage the Blood Moon Incident had brought to Tokyo was almost completely repaired, with only a few buildings showing signs of damage. A highschool girl peeked her head around the corner before briskly moving toward her destination.
Umi Sonoda held onto her mental sigh until she was past the gate to Otonokizaka High School. It’d been over a month since they won Love Live and they still had to worry about being swarmed by news reporters or fans.
It still felt strange to think about it. At the beginning of the school year, they formed μ's in a desperate attempt to save their school from closing. And somehow blew up into this miracle group that swiftly became the number one school idol group in the country. It was the kind of thing that only happened in anime. Now Otonokizaka was practically a household name.
“Umi-chan!” Umi looked behind her as she saw her best friend Kotori Minami run up to her. A part of Umi whispered to her to hold her hand as they walked toward the building, but she ignored it.
Ever since they confessed their feelings for each other the two of them have been… dating? Not much has changed between them besides holding hands in secret or cuddling when they slept in the same bed together. It was honestly difficult to pinpoint where they were. Heck they hadn’t even told the other members of μ's yet!
Yet both of them were fine with it. They didn’t need to rush anything and Chris had even recommended they take it slow. How much of that was due to Umi’s aversion to anything lewd was a different question.
“So how was the walk to school today?” Umi asked. They used to meet up in the morning a little bit past Kotori’s house, but that spot was quickly discovered by the public. They hadn’t gone that way for over a week and people still staked that area out in hopes of catching a glimpse of them.
“It was alright. I left early but got caught up by a fan.”
“You would think things would calm down by now. At least they finally tore down the banner.” Umi gestured to the thankfully now barren gate.
Kotori pursed her lips into a tiny pout. “I liked it. Kirika-san did design it after all.” Of course she liked it. But Umi didn’t quite appreciate the giant banner hanging outside the school gate saying “Congratulations μ's!!!!” Along with some unflattering art of her that had her showing way to much skin. So lewd! She would never wear a skirt that short!
The two girls stopped when they saw their P.E. Teacher, Hibiki Tachibana walked out of the main entrance holding a sealed crate. She hummed a cheerful tune as she casually headed toward the track.
At the moment every single student throughout Otonokizaka felt a chill down their spine at the exact same time. Hibiki holding a crate like that could only mean one thing.
They have reflex training today for P.E.
Umi practically crawled her way into μ's club room, her entire body sore. “How does she even get away with that? Shouldn’t the director put a stop to that kind of torture?”
One thing that had not changed was Hibiki’s P.E. class. It still left her exhausted every time.
Maki, Nico, Eli, Nozomi and Hanayo were already sitting by the table, Maki panting as Hanayo held an ice pack to her forehead.
Behind the group was a massive cabinet proudly displaying the Love Live trophy. The first of many according to Nico.
“Actually this was her toned down version.” Kotori tried to sound reassuring, “Ever since the marbles, my mom checks Tachibana-sensei’s lesson plans to make sure they're safe.”
Everyone gave her a look of pure horror as they tried to envision Hibiki’s original plan.
“What was her original plan? Throw actual spears at us?!” Maki Nishikino snarked, although Umi, Kotori, and Hanayo looked away. They had all seen Hibiki outside of school. She didn’t even need a weapon.
“Maybe you need to train some more? I managed to get out unscathed.” Nico Yazawa boasted even as she idly rubbed the small bruise on her right arm.
Maki raised an eyebrow “Are you sure about that? Or are you that clumsy?”
Nico scoffed but slowly looked down to her arm where she finally noticed the bruise. She nearly jumped out of her seat when she felt Maki place an ice pack on it.
“You need it more than me,” Maki said quietly, avoiding eye contact with Nico. The third year muttered out a thank you as she pressed down on it, both of them turning their heads away from each other.
Eli Ayase straightened up in her seat as she looked around the room. “Where’s Honoka and Rin?”
“The two of them are on a trip for SONG, it’s why we pushed back training until Thursday.” Umi answered.
“Aren’t they lucky?” Nico huffed. “They got to avoid reflex training.”
Hanayo Koizumi shook her head. “Not really. I already heard Tachibana-sensei mention she had a special class with them when they come back so they won’t fall behind.”
Eli, Nozomi, Maki, and Nico paled as they tried to imagine what kind of hell it would be. Umi and Kotori suppressed a knowing giggle. The reality was both better and worse than their friends' combined imaginations. On one hand the two would be using their Symphogears, on the other hand it meant Hibiki didn’t have to hold back.
“Why are they even doing this today? Couldn’t they wait until this weekend?” Nozomi Tojo tilted her head.
Kotori placed a finger to her lips as she tried to think of an appropriate answer. “It’s complicated and I can’t tell you because of NDA but it’s mainly to do with the location and timing. Something about overhead traffic.”
Umi suppressed a grimace as she heard the lie. They still hadn’t told the others the truth about SONG 2. Hibiki had not been kidding when she mentioned the political mess that would happen after SONG 2 revealed themselves to the world’s governments. Their identities were technically a secret to everyone, but most governments had done the intelligence work to figure it out by now. Although they couldn’t do anything with that information due to an amendment strictly forbidding any country from trying to influence them directly or indirectly.
That didn’t mean countries didn’t try the most roundabout ways possible to skirt the rule. She didn’t personally know what these attempts were; the older members of SONG 2 tried their hardest to keep politics away from their students. But considering how Miku now scowled whenever she saw dogs, Umi had a theory. She herself, in her more paranoid moments, could have sworn noticing “tourists” discretely following her around. She hoped it was just her nerves.
The only reason Umi hadn’t accepted Hibiki’s offer to tell her friends anyways was because there wasn’t a reason to. Training no longer interfered with their social lives in any meaningful way. Half the time they only went to Flower to hang out and for appearances. The only disruptions were the occasional mission and Hibiki made sure they had heads up so they could plan accordingly.
In a way life had truly returned to normal. Well, as normal as if it could be. Umi had long ago accepted the insanity that was SONG 2…
Honoka, Umi, Kotori, Hanayo, and Rin walked down the hidden staircase to SONG 2. Upon opening the door they saw Micha and Phara frantically running across the room, buckets of water in hand. Hanayo and Rin stiffened when they saw puffs of smoke coming from the mini kitchen.
“Should we help?” Hanayo asked. Umi looked at Tsubasa Kazanari who was sitting on the floor next to the kitchen with a dumbfounded look. Her hair was in complete disarray with soot and grease covering her face. Next to her Maria Cadenzavna Eve was shaking her head as if she was a mother whose child had snuck into her room and put on her makeup.
Maria turned around and gave the group a smile. “Don’t worry about it. We’ve fireproofed the kitchen years ago. It’ll take hours for the fire to affect any other room and that’s only if the emergency fire sprinklers in the kitchen failed miserably.” She faced Tsubasa again as she grabbed a cloth and removed some grease from her cheek. “Now what did I say about trying to cook?”
“To let you know beforehand,” the normally serious woman mumbled out in embarrassment.
“Got ya.” Honoka gave Maria a thumbs up as she and Kotori walked toward the simulation room as if nothing had happened. Rin and Hanayo on the other hand were still completely stupefied as to what was going on. Hanayo in particular was stunned seeing the Queens of Music being in such an undignified position. Umi gave both of them a knowing grin.
“What did she do?” Rin asked, unable to take her eyes off of the famous idol duo.
“Most likely? She tried to make toast,” Umi answered.
“I wish we could join you five on your internship,” Nozomi mused, giving Umi and Kotori a friendly smile. “But I’m guessing SONG doesn’t have the budget for it?” Eli, Maki, and Nico leaned in. All four of them had expressed interest in joining SONG after the Blood Moon Incident. It was getting harder and harder to keep them unaware although it wasn’t at the point where they needed to tell them the full truth.
“They don’t but I’ve heard rumors they might be able to soon.” Hanayo chimed in. That seemed to appease the other four.
“It’s not as exciting as you think it would be,” Umi said. “Honestly Honoka and Rin are probably bored out of their minds right now if everything’s going according to plan.”
Notes:
So here we are. As for the interludes I mentioned at the end of arc 1 I don't plan on writing them right now but might in the future.
I'm going to be bold here but I'm determined to get back on a schedule for posting. Chapter 2 will be posted no later than August 20
Edit 8/18: While chapter 2 will be complete on time it will be delayed by one week for quality purposes. I apologize for the delay but I want every chapter to be the best it can be.
Chapter Text
“Ya mom, the trip is going great! We managed to get a lot of data and I even helped lead the expedition alongside Dienhiem-san! But it’s been pretty boring in comparison to the last trip… What? Sorry, reception is kind of bad over here, we’re in the middle of nowhere. I better go now, they need me. I won’t forget to bring you and Yukiho a souvenir. Love you bye!” Honoka Kousaka hung up and pocketed her phone with a satisfied smile. Only to receive a deadpan look from the Autoscorer Garie.
“My mom was worried!” The second year defended. “And she threatened to ground me for a month if I ignored her phone call.”
“I’ve seen Honoka-chin mom’s when she’s angry. You don’t want to mess with her,” Rin Hoshizora backed up her friend. “And why are you annoyed?”
Officially they were on a trip to the Chubu region for SONG. The vague cover story Miku gave their parents had to do with dimensional energies and seeing how the Blood Moon has influenced the area outside Tokyo.
In reality they were halfway across the world in the Amazon Rainforest to recover a relic for SONG 2.
Things had definitely changed from China. Instead of sneaking their way into the country, they had flown over to a military base by Manaus, Brazil where a full platoon from Brazilian Special Operations Command was waiting for them. Despite SONG 2 still technically being a secret organization to the world at large. They even had uniforms now!
Honoka and Rin were currently wearing a light pink collared shirt along with a pair of shorts in a slightly darker shade. Honoka had an orange bow tie with light blue stripes that was vaguely stylized after the ones she wore at school while Rin wore a yellow one. On their right shoulder was a patch that said “SONG 2”.
It felt odd to wear an emblem for a top secret organization but she didn’t design it. Apparently it was based on the uniforms Hibiki had worn when she was on active duty.
“Because Mrs. Tachibana will blame me for this! And I’m just saying that might not be the best time to answer your phone!” Garie gripped the edge of the truck as it violently swerved. The three of them were sitting in the back of an old pickup truck with Leiur driving as fast as she could.
Behind them was a massive Alca-Noise dozens of feet tall chasing after them. Its entire body was a pale green and it vaguely resembled a hydra although it was hard to make out details. It currently had nine different heads, all of them steaming from long necks attached to its upper body. Each head had a single red hexagon where a face should have, being the only contrast to a smooth surface. One head opened its mouth and shot out a stream of fire that Leiur barely dodged.
Surrounding them were hundreds of flying Alca-Noise, circling around them as if they were an angry swarm of bees.
Overall a pretty normal mission so far.
The mission was simple. Go in, recover the relic and fight off the Alca-Noise Flamel made to protect it. Usually it was either wandering around the chamber or in the anti chamber itself.
But then Rin had a brilliant idea to try and sneak in and swipe the relic without the construct noticing, letting them avoid a fight. However they soon learned that Flamel had made countermeasures to those kinds of tactics. The moment she entered the antichamber, the entire room turned red and emitted a deep rumbling sound.
Well that drew the Alca-Noise’s attention, along with setting off enough additional Alca-Noise crystals to summon a literal army.
“I’m luring the Alca-Noise to a clearing up ahead. Be ready to fight. I won’t be slowing down.” Leiur grinned as she made a sharp left turn down a dirt trail, miraculously weaving her way between the trees.
“Ah ya!” Rin grinned and punched her palm with her other hand. “With all these flying Alca-Noise, I can try out the new trick Tsubasa-san taught me!”
“Make sure you wait until after we drive away,” Garie grabbed the box containing the relic and held it tightly against her artificial chest. “I don’t feel like being torn apart today thank you very much!”
“I told Micha to watch out!” Rin shot back.
Honoka craned her head out and saw an open field littered with tree stumps in the distance. Turning around she stood up, throwing her arms out to keep balance. “We’re almost there! Rin-chan you take out the flyers. I’ll distract the hydra until then and we can finish it off together.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Rin grinned, undoing the velcro and reaching into her pocket.
“You're clear!” Leiur yelled as she careened into the clearing. The two Symphogear wielders nodded at each other. Honoka pulled out her pendant from underneath her shirt while Rin retrieved her keychain of a cat sleeping on a crescent moon from her pocket. Even though Elfnein had adjusted the Carnwennan Symphogear, it still retained a few aspects from Morgana’s original design. One being its disguised form.
Placing her fingers on both sides of the moon, a bright yellow light appeared by the cat's eyes almost as if it had woken up. In an instant the trinket morphed into a red pendant identical to Honoka’s.
Closing her eyes they both leapt with a chant.
Tishra neall Kunwu tron
Both girls touched the ground, now clad in their Symphogears. One detail Hibiki mentioned was that Symphogears had the tendency to change in appearance over time. Sometimes it was minor, but other times it was drastic.
Honoka now had a pair of headsets with horns just like the one Hibiki had with Gungnir. The top part of her bodysuit was now orange and black with white outlines, with a new diagonal cut revealing some of her stomach. She also developed a white and yellow half skirt with a yellow belt above it. Behind her were two floating diamonds - one yellow and one white - that followed her every movement. Her boots were now yellow instead of orange and asymmetrical, with her right boot going past her knee while her other one ended right before it.
It was strange how many aspects she retained from her Legacy Drive form compared to Umi and Kotori.
But while Honoka’s Symphogear may be different it was nothing in comparison to Rin’s.
She was now clad in a dark gray bodysuit that exposed her stomach and ended in a pair of orange and yellow shorts. Two orange stripes were across her chest in an x pattern. Black gloves along with an orange and yellow gauntlet adorned her left arm. On her right arm was a slightly bigger gauntlet covered in a mixture of white and black.
Instead of the half cloak Morgana used, Rin now had a long yellow scarf with two strands trailing behind her. White headphones and a headband ending in two white tips that resembled cat ears were perched on her head. By her right hip were two long scabbards, one yellow and one orange. Right below her knees were long white boots with orange and yellow trims.
If Honoka didn’t know better, she would have never guessed that this was the Carnwennan Symphogear. Despite being the exact same relic there were only nominal similarities between it and Morgana’s version. Which was a good thing. Last thing they needed was anyone making a connection between Eclipse and “Bakeneko”.
In the distance they could see the hydra’s heads towering over the tree rampaging toward them. The flyers were just passing the tree line and about to attack. They had maybe one minute before the big Alca-Noise made it to them.
Honoka’s left gauntlet opened and she pulled out her armed gear, the sword expanding until it reached full length. Rin pulled out her own armed gear from her scabbards, two dark orange daggers with yellow and light orange outlines respectively.
“Take care of any stragglers going after the others, ok?” Rin said as she leaned forward, surveying the flock descending upon them.
Honoka hummed in confirmation as she started to sing.
(Play: Senkou Resolution- Honoka Kousaka)
Rin leapt high into the air, instantly bisecting an aerial Alca-Noise before landing on top of another one. She rode it for a few seconds before kicking off it and grappling onto a third one. Twisting about, they started to swarm towards Rin, who nevertheless stayed in midair and used the mindless creations as stepping stones.
The hydra lifted its heads high into the air, spitting glowing white blobs into the air. The projectiles landed in the clearing right in front of Honoka and dissolved, revealing more Alca-Noise.
Honoka didn’t waste a single breath as she charged forward, her armed gear gleaming as it swung. Clouds of Alkahest bursted around her as she cut through the horde.
She could still remember how shocked she was two weeks ago when she started singing a brand new song while fighting. Apparently that was a common occurrence for Symphogear wielders. Hibiki admitted most of them were surprised it took her that long.
Rin’s feet never touched the ground as she danced in between the swarm, backflipping and climbing her way onto new Alca-Noise every second. Her dagger strikes were swift and brutal, always aimed at the metaphorical heart of each construct.
It was almost like Rin had eyes in the back of her head with how effortlessly she managed the hundreds of Alca-Noise. Then she stiffened for a split second before leaping off her current ride. Just a moment before it was incinerated by a stream of white hot fire.
Landing next to Honoka, Rin backstabbed a samurai like Alca-Noise trying to sneak up on her friend.
The hydra finally passed the tree line with a roar, its heads shaking as the last remnants of the regular Alca-Noise gathered around it. Which only made them a sitting duck.
“Ready?” Rin grinned while pointing her daggers at the ground. Honoka nodded and kept on singing as her partner stabbed the ground and heaved.
Shadows leapt away from the daggers, darkening before jabbing out physically as multiple spikes that shot into the sky, impaling a few Alca-Noise. At their apex the spikes turned into multiple swirling portals, all at different heights and angles around the monsters. Rin stomped her foot and a portal appeared directly in front of Honoka. Then she moved to the side with a polite bow, akin to an attendant politely holding open a door for Honoka.
Honoka smirked as she braced herself and moved. She turned into a streak of light, entering the portal and reappearing in the middle of the Alca-Noise.
She dashed, cleaving through multiple constructs before vanishing into another portal. The sky lit up as Honoka kept moving in a straight line, beams of light illuminating the forest as she ping-ponged between portals.
A portal opened up next to Rin as Honoka exited it, her feet sliding against the earth as she slowed down.
Looking up at their handwork, the Alca-Noise exploded into Alkahest almost in sync.
Hidden Dawn
Now that the pests were dealt with, all that remained was the leader. From its main body, two brand new necks bursted outwards, the heads forming in seconds as they stretched out and tried to devour the two girls.
Honoka’s eyes widened as she threw herself to the side, barely avoiding one. She planted her sword in between the jaws of another head, struggling to keep it at bay. Digging her heels into the dirt, Honoka held her ground.
A second head wound behind the sword wielder but was decapitated by two diagonal slashes from Rin. She kept on moving as she threw a dagger at the head Honoka was wrestling. It landed dead center in the red hexagon causing the monster to flinch. Taking advantage, Honoka disconnected then thrusted, her sword piercing its skull and turning it into dust.
Both girls jumped on instinct and just in time as they were nearly crushed beneath the toppling Alca-Noise body. But while Honoka jumped away from it, her partner did the exact opposite.
The hydra started to shake its limb, trying to dislodge the pest crawling up its body. But Rin didn’t even slow down as she reached the base of one of its necks and slashed. A stream of Alkahest burst forth from the wound as Rin went into a free fall.
Her scarf took on a life of its own as it lengthened and wrapped around another of the hydra’s heads. Rin hung in the air for only a second before the scarf slingshotted her back into the air narrowly avoiding being roasted by a fireball.
At the apex of her jump, Rin held her daggers into an X pattern. The two blades fused and lengthened, turning into a massive shuriken with a black haze around it. Gripping the center, she yelled as she threw the blade directly at its center body.
Waning Moon
The shuriken effortlessly sliced through the hydra’s back, a large plume of Alkahest exploding from its back, then out the stomach and looped back around. Rin raised her hand and caught her armed gear as she landed next to Honoka. Before she could say anything, the Alca-Noise raised all of its remaining heads to the sky. Every speck of Alcahest in the field gathered toward the monster. A portion of it went to the bisected appendages and solidified, creating two brand new heads. The rest of the solvent formed into five new necks which quickly sprouted.
Rin sagged and facepalmed. “Oh right. hydra’s can regrow their heads. Do you remember how that guy beat it in myth?”
Honoka shook her head. She really should have paid attention in middle school and now they were suffering the consequences. If only Umi was here. “Well it looks like it needs Alkahest to heal.” She pointed at the trace amount of dust still being absorbed. “Guess that’s why Flamel had so many Alca-Noise in the area? So the hydra had fuel.”
“So what you're saying is if we hit it hard enough it can’t heal?” Both girls grinned at each other in the epitome of shared tactical genius. Sometimes the best solution was the simplest.
Honoka’s gauntlets expanded and covered her hands, turning them into a pair of massive fists. Rin threw her daggers up, the weapons splitting into multiple shards. They embedded themselves into the Kunwu wielder’s fists and sharpened, transforming them into razor sharp claws.
The two jumped into the air, the leap only reaching half up up the hydra’s body. But at the apex of their jump, Rin flipped around, pressed her feet against her friend’s back, and pushed , giving Honoka a boost. The construct’s necks stretched as it reached for Honoka, who was now arcing above it.
Raising her arms above her head Honoka came crashing down onto the monster and swung, her claws glowing with a white light as they shredded into its artificial body. The hydra’s body was eviscerated, the Alkahest dissolving upon contact.
Rising Tiger Blade
Landing next to Rin, both girls turned around as Flamel’s creation let out a final death roar, its body unable to regenerate without more Alkahest to absorb. Its heads flailed around right up until the wave of disintegrating Alkahest overtook it, the pink cloud then blowing away with the wind.
“Good job Rin-chan!” Honoka high fived her friend as the two Symphogear wielders watched Leiur come to pick them up. Another successful mission.
Honoka and Rin still had silly grins on their faces as they stopped in front of the SOUND jet. Miku Tachibana was waiting for them, hands on hips and giving Garie the stink eye. The older women wore a uniform similar to them, except hers were a darker shade of red along with a small purple scarf. The doll immediately pointed a trembling finger at the two young Symphogear wielders. “It was their idea to sneak in!”
The second in command only nodded as she accepted the Autoscorers answer. “I could hear the explosions from here. I’m guessing you ran into more of Flamel’s creations?
Rin hummed in confirmation as she handed Miku the box. “We did, but it wasn’t anything we couldn’t handle and got the relic, right Honoka-chin?” She wrapped an arm around her friend.
“We did.” Honoka said in a more neutral tone as she fixed Miku with a level gaze. The older woman averted her eyes as she turned around and pulled out a small device.
Undoing the seals, she opened it revealing black shards in a plain box, the words “Lethe” carved into it. She nodded and gave the two Symphogear wielders a warm smile. “Great job you two. I’ll talk with the general on site and handle any further details regarding your fight. You two go inside and relax.” Miku gestured at the jet behind her.
Both girls let out a cheer as they walked past Miku and up the stairs to their private jet. The former Symphogear wielder silently watched them enter before turning toward the small outpost by the airfield. Another successful mission and another relic added to SONG 2 collection. It was getting hard to keep track of every relic now.
It took them over five years to recover Gandiva, Tarnhelm, Apollo’s Chariot, and Bashosen. But with the support of the world governments they had recovered the same amount in little over a month: Cryptos, Sudarshana, Tizona, and now Lethe.
They retrieved Cryptos and Sudarshana simultaneously, splitting the girls into two pairs. An excellent way to practice teamwork. While Umi’s and Rin’s trip to recover Sudarshana was pretty boring besides some common variety Alca-Noise, Honoka’s and Kotori trip wasn’t. They ended up having to fight off one of Flamel’s personal Alca-Noise, an aggressive three headed monstrosity that vaguely resembled some kind of cerberus.
The part that worried Miku the worst was how inconsistent Flamel was regarding protecting each relic. Apollo’s Chariot and Tarnhelm barely had any kind of protection to them. Tarnhelm was discovered in an old mansion underneath a floorboard while Apollo’s Chariot was in a public museum!
Gandiva, Sudarshana, and Tizona were slightly better protected, with Flamel having rigged up traps to summon Alca-Noise if someone approached the relics along with placing them in remote locations. But even then it was possible to grab the relic without springing the trap if you knew where to look.
But it was the last three relics that were special. Bashosen, Cryptos, and Lethe were all in extremely remote and well hidden locations, the kind that was impossible to accidentally run into. Not only that, but all three had some of Flamel’s personal Alca-Noise already activated and acting as guards.
At first their theory was that Flamel focused his defenses on the most valuable relics or how much was stashed in each location. Bashosen fit considering that site also had multiple research notes along with a cipher to his final letter.
However Cryptos and now Lethe throw a wrench into that theorem. Despite holding no research notes or other valuable material, Flamel went through the effort to create powerful Alca-Noise to protect them. But why those two relics? There was nothing overtly unique about them in comparison to the other relics they recovered.
Cryptos in particular was so unextraordinary that they gifted it to the United States as part of their “U.N. Symphogear” idea. It was the one relic that couldn’t really be meaningfully used for anything besides turning it into a Symphogear. Which was itself odd.
Even as fragments, relics still held a sliver of power of the original complete relic. With the right technology and alchemical formulas, it was possible to draw out that power for practical effects. They were already using Tarnhelm as a part of the Symphogear’s glamor feature, but the other relics had theoretical uses.
Elfnein had theorized that Apollo’s Chariot could be used to upgrade the SOUND jet, boosting its performance to obscene levels rivaling top end fighter jets from their home world. While Sudarshana could be used for some kind of manipulation in time relativity although it was only a possibility. Each one fitting into the legends related to their relic.
But Cryptos on the other hand had no such benefits they could discern. And from Elfnein’s research Lethe was looking to be the same. Maybe it was just coincidence and Flamel only had the time to create a few Alca-Noise guardians and distribute them randomly.
They wouldn’t know for sure until they found more relics, but unfortunately their luck had run out. The only reason they had recovered so many was because they were already marked off as places of interest due to previous supernatural phenomenons in the area. Any future relics or notes might take months to track down.
A middle aged man in a sharp military uniform exited the building and stopped in front of her giving her a salute before switching to accented English. “You don’t have to worry. We already have an excuse planned to tell the public about the fight. Given the remoteness of the location, there should not be any problems. Just need you to sign off on a few last things.” He held out the documentation.
Miku simply nodded her head as she took the clipboard. “Excellent. Thank you for assisting us." She replied in English. Her accent was extremely noticeable but serviceable. Back home Japanese was considered the global language, so very few Lydian students bothered with taking English. Thankfully Miku decided otherwise. Glancing over the documents, she found that they were nothing. Just some bureaucratic boilerplate for record keeping. She had already signed such things for every other relic they had grabbed.
“Just doing my duty. Always hope for the best and prepare the worst.” He said to her with a wily smirk. Miku politely laughed as she finished signing off, before excusing herself and walking back to the SOUND jet.
In the corner of her eye Miku spotted dozens of soldiers in the distance watching her. She could tell which ones were appropriately briefed by whether their expressions were curious or awed. From the latter’s perspective she was one of the most powerful individuals on the planet, being the second in command of SONG 2 and to some the true power behind the organization. They could only imagine the kind of power she wielded and what kind of world ending threats were on her mind.
If only they knew she was more concerned about her piano tutoring session tomorrow. Silently entering the plane she sat down at a table she had turned into a makeshift desk desk. Within five minutes they took off, flying back to Tokyo.
“Glad we finally got to partner up.” Rin leaned back in her seat, her hands behind her head. “Umi-chan’s great and all but it was so annoying having to dodge friendly fire.”
As part of Hibiki’s revolution to give the girls more time to enjoy their regular lives, they only sent two girls to retrieve each relic with the pair being mixed up each time. Mainly to experiment with different pairings and how they could complement each other.
So far Honoka had been paired with Kotori and now Rin. She hadn’t gone on one with Umi but it wasn’t really needed. They had already spent months working together and they already knew their dynamic. Kotori was a bit tricker but they had settled into a comfortable role.
For Rin it just clicked. It was like they were of one mind, instantly knowing what the other was going to do.
“For Umi-chan you just have to tell her where you’ll be so she doesn’t have to worry. It’s what Kotori-chan does.”
“Ahh. That makes sense,” Rin said. “But it’s a lot different in the simulation room where we can’t fight any of Flamel’s personal ones.”
While Elfnein had no problem with making holographic replicas of Alca-Noise, creating ones that mimicked Flamel’s were a different story. It was simply impossible to recreate the intelligence and durability the true copies had. Which was another reason why all missions to recover relics had either Honoka or Umi involved. They had first hand experience of how dangerous they could be.
The bat in China was an unpleasant surprise for Honoka and Umi, pushing the two to their limit in order to emerge victorious. While the cerberus and hydra Alca-Noise were by no means weaker there was a stark contrast in how difficult the fight was. Maybe it was just because they had more time to train.
“Hey for your first time fighting against one of them you did great! Especially how fast we took out the normal ones. I didn’t even know you could make portals.” The second year pointed out as she reached down for some bread not noticing Rin visibly flinching.
“Haha, yeah.” The first year looked away as she dug her finger into her hips, trying to banish the memory of being a stranger in her own body. Watching herself summon Noise and trying to kill her own friends.
“You, ok?” Rin blinked twice upon remembering she wasn’t alone and Honoka was right there.
“Ah! Totally.” The first year said a bit too quickly. “Just a bit worried about class tomorrow that’s all.”
Honoka leaned forward in her chair. “Are you sure? I can try and help if you need help studying. I still have Kotori-chan’s notes.”
“I am. I’ll feel a lot better after a quick cat nap.” Rin leaned her chair back as she tried to get comfortable. As much to break eye contact as to sell the story.
“Goodnight.” Honoka offered as Rin closed her eyes. Not feeling tired herself Honoka walked over to a miniature couch and looked out the window. They were already over the sea, a vast expanse of water the only thing visible amidst the clouds.
She wondered if there would be any sightings of them in Brazil on the Superstar forums. The online discussion board for the Valkyries had exploded in popularity over the past few weeks. What was once a small Japanese forum swiftly became a global phenomenon and was the best place to go to learn more about the mysterious superheros.
Honoka’s face began to heat as she thought about it. It was mortifying and that was just reading the sightings and theories sections. There were hour-long videos dissecting the impromptu speech she gave after the Blood Moon Incident.
One time she accidently clicked on the creative writing sections… It took all of her will not to throw her laptop out the window in a mixture of embarrassment and disgust. She would never do that to Umi!
Hanayo had it even worse though. As a moderator of the forums she had to routinely dive into the depths of depravity in search of anyone getting a bit too close to the truth. Oftentimes it would leave her a blushing mess, panicking the moment anyone tried to look at her screen. Probably so she could prevent anyone else from being traumatized. Poor girl.
Shutting the blinds by her windows Honoka closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep.
“We’re back.” Miku called out as the expedition team entered Flower’s command room. They had flown back in only eight hours, being able to fly at near top speed for most of the trip.
Hibiki and Tsubasa were currently sitting at a table together casually talking. Upon seeing Miku, Hibiki bolted over to them. She wrapped her wife in an intimate hug and leaned in, but froze when she heard a cough. Looking to the side they remembered they were not alone and separated after a moment of hesitation
“Hehe, sorry about that.” Hibiki sheepish apologized. Looking at her students she gave them a grin before placing a hand on their shoulders. “Great job you two! Miku already told me how you beat Flamel’s Alca-Noise! Sorry I couldn’t be there but some of the other teachers were getting suspicious, so I couldn’t afford to take a day off.”
Rin waved her hand dismissively. “Don’t worry about it, Miku-san did a great job. So when’s the next mission?”
Hibiki shook her head. “It probably won’t be for a few weeks. We don’t have any more direct leads. We think there’s a relic somewhere in Russia but we don’t know its exact location. But that means you two can take a well deserved break although you won’t be able to go home right this second.” She glanced down at her watch. “Officially you two won’t be in Tokyo for three more hours so you’ll need to wait here.”
Honoka and Rin simply hummed in agreement before moving toward the unofficial hangout area which was just a table and chairs in the corner of the room. But a smooth voice brought Rin to a halt.
“Hoshizora.” Tsubasa got up and walked over to the first year. “I already reviewed the combat footage and I am impressed by how swiftly you were able to implement my techniques in fighting in the air. Would you be interested in learning about my sword techniques next? While I am aware you wield daggers I am familiar with them.”
Rin shot straight up, stiffening into a board of surprise. In an almost-panic, she shot off a sloppy salute. “Of- Of course!” She stuttered, while not bringing her gaze up. It felt so embarrassing to have Tsubasa ask her. While the famous idol did teach Honoka, Umi, and Kotori rarely, she seemed to have taken a special interest in the newest wielder for some reason.
How many individuals would kill for the opportunity to train alongside Tsubasa Kazanari even once? And yet somehow she had landed multiple one on one sessions. They were tough and pushed Rin to her limit and strangely enough it wasn’t because of Tsubasa....
“Man am I tired.” Rin sat down on the bench in Flower’s locker room and wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead. “Nyaa~” she nearly moaned when she felt a cool, wet towel by her forehead. Glancing to the side she noticed Hanayo had snuck up on her. “Thanks Kayo-chin.”
Her best friend smiled caringly, “It’s the least I could do. But did you really get to train by Kazanari-san by yourself?”
“Mhm! And she does not pull any punches! I barely managed to complete her training routine.” Rin let out another side of relief when Hanayo started to massage her shoulders. She leaned into her friend's touch, practically purring under her ministrations.
“She was the very first Symphogear wielder back in their world and the most experienced.” Hanayo said. “Not only that but she’s also one of the greatest idols of all time, both here and there.”
“I just hope I can keep up…” Rin trailed off but froze when she felt Hanayo’s massage stop and her grip tighten.
“Of course you will.” There was an unusual steel in that usually soft-spoken voice.
“Kayo-chin?” Rin turned around and felt herself shrink underneath her best friend's gaze. The normally shy first year had a grave look in her eyes.
“I do believe in you but I had also taken the liberty of altering your normal work out plan just to be safe. You can’t afford to disappoint Kazanari-sama. And I have no issue with intensifying it if needed.” Hanayo said in a sickly sweet voice while handing Rin a piece of paper.
“Rig- Right.” The orange haired girl gulped under Hanayo’s gaze. The plan only caused her to lose even more color. She never thought her friend could be this intimidating.
Or somehow create a plan that made HIBIKI’s P.E. routine tame in comparison.
Elfnein walked out of her laboratory with a pair of goggles still wrapped around her eyes. As she tried to remove them she tripped and crashed. Looking behind her she huffed when she noticed a stray cable with dozens of tiny cuts hooked around her foot. “Micha!”
The red haired Autoscorer barreled into the room, her claws scraping against the walls. “Yes Master?”
“What did I say about playing on the computer here?” The scientist said sternly.
Micha’s posture instantly went from one overflowing with eagerness to one akin to a kicked puppy, studiously avoiding her creator's eyes. “To clean up when I’m done.”
“Well you're not using it right now.” Elfnein prompted, pointing at the wires imperiously. Micha swiftly scooped up the cable before running out of the room.
“Sometimes they act just like children.” The tiny alchemist shook her head. Not noticing everyone else silently staring.
Elfnein took the box from Miku and opened it, pursing her lips in mid surprise. “There’s more shards here than I expected. Maybe that’s why Flamel had Alca-Noise guard it.” She turned for the lab only for Miku to seize the back of her lab coat.
“Nope. Have Garie put it in storage. You’re not doing any more lab work today. You,” Miku started physically dragging her toward the stairs. “-are going to your real apartment and taking the rest of the day off. You’ve been spending way too much time here. It’s not healthy.”
“Bu-But-We just got another relic!” Elfnein whined as she flailed vainly in resistance to her kidnappers. Leiur and Garie both leapt up only to freeze under Miku’s warning glare.
“And you can study it tomorrow.” Stopping by the staircase Miku shook her head as she grabbed her purse before following Elfnein. “Sometimes you act just like a little girl.”
Hibiki perked up at the brief knock on the door right before Tsubasa entered Hibiki’s office. Well calling it an office was very generous. In reality, it was more or less where Hibiki watched action movies while trying to be just productive enough to avoid her wife’s ire.
The room was small but Hibiki took advantage of every possible inch. Hanging on the wall was a moderate size monitor with a dvd player right underneath while right next to it was a cabinet full of old movies. Her desk was nothing more than a boring metal one with stacks of papers thrown across it. By it was an overflowing trash can full of crumpled papers. A computer poked conspicuously out of the stacks.
Tsubasa gracefully made her way through the minefield full of discarded papers. Compared to her own bedroom this was practically spotless. She sat down on the miniature couch tucked in the corner of the room and placed a bag of popcorn in the middle.
Hibiki smiled as she got up from her desk and made her way to the other side of the couch. “Perfect timing. I was just about to start a movie.” She pulled out a remote before turning on the screen.
It had become a bit of a tradition for the two to watch a movie together once every two weeks. At first it was due to Genjuro, as he came up with the idea to help the two bond. But soon enough they started to do it of their own accord. Most of the time it was through online voice chat, but on the rare occasions the two could meet up in person.
At first the two were silent as they watched the beginning of the movie. It was so odd that even though they were in different worlds that diverged thousands of years ago they still had some of the same movies. Or at least the same titles and stories, the actors were different.
“So how did the charity concert go last night?” Hibiki asked. “I wish I could have been there but I had to do some last minute work for the operation today.”
“It went well. And while I do appreciate the support, you do not need to come to every concert of mine.”
Hibiki shook her head. “I haven’t been able to go to your concerts for years ever since you went global. I have to make up for lost time!”
Tsubasa simply rolled her eyes at her friend’s enthusiasm. As part of the relief effort for Tokyo, the Queens of Music had decided to stay in the city for a few months, performing charity work along with concerts for the still recovering city. Despite most of the physical damage being repaired, it would take months for the city to truly recover.
It also meant the two could be more involved with SONG 2. Despite loving being an idol, Tsubasa still wished she could have done more in dealing with Morgana
Now she was making up for lost time by directly training Rin. At first she just offered to spar with her but soon found herself teaching her everything she knew about being a Symphogear wielder.
They were silent for the next few minutes watching the movie. At one particular scene, when the giant mechs approached the portal on the ocean floor, they shared a bittersweet glance. If only Genjuro could be here. He would have loved the chance to see variations of his favorite movies.
“That reminds me.” Hibiki glanced toward the door before leaning in, her voice dropping a notch. “Did you notice anything in the footage from Rin-chan and Honoka-chan’s fight?”
Tsubasa grimaced as she looked directly at Hibiki knowing what she was truly asking. “Her strikes are still infused with shadow magic.”
Symphogears were extremely versatile, being able to express themselves in countless ways but there was a general theme based on the relic being used. Like how Gandiva or Ichaival armed gears were always ranged weapons.
But the user could influence this template based on their mindset. Hibiki’s desire to be able to hold hands with everyone led to Gungnir becoming gauntlets even after she started using Maria’s. Shenshojing's ability to erase relics only existed because of Miku’s hatred of them.
The Carnwennan relic in myth had the power to shroud the user in shadows, but that was more in the sense of making the user invisible. Being able to control shadows and use them as a weapon? The only way that was possible was based on Rin’s mindset. And for her to have the same powers as when Morgana used it could only mean one thing.
Rin still saw the Carnwennan Symphogear as Morgana’s. Elfnein had confirmed that while all traces of Morgana were purged from the Symphogear, it was still based more on Sorcery than heretical technology.
The first year tried to hide it beneath a mask of bravado, but for the previous generation it was painfully obvious she still felt guilt over being possessed. But she would clam up the moment the topic came up, refusing to say even a single sentence about it.
They couldn’t force her to confront it, so their only option was to wait until she was ready to talk about it. Or at the very least convince her to talk to Phara.
Despite failing miserably whenever she tried to act like a human, Phara somehow perfectly understood how the human mind worked and made for a surprisingly effective therapist.
“I was hoping fighting alongside Kousaka would help her overcome it or at least feel more comfortable.” Tsubasa closed her eyes and leaned her head back.
Hibiki placed a hand to her chin for a few seconds before giving up and grabbing another handful of popcorn. “I don’t think we can do anything right now. Our best plan is to keep an eye on it and watch. If things get worse we can pull her from active duty.
“Indeed.”
The two remained silent for the rest of the movie trying to relax but also worrying about Rin. Just because Morgana was gone didn’t mean her influence was.
Notes:
I apologize for the week delay, but I needed time to clean this chapter up.
Chapter 3 is hard to say since real life is getting rough. I'm going to say 3-4 weeks. I'll obviously aim for earlier, but I hate missing my deadlines and rather give myself a longer period.
Edit 9/20: Waiting to Shine S will be going on hiatus for a few months. I’m struggling to write this story and I honestly should have held off on posting chapter 1 and 2.
One thing to note is I WILL return to the fic and complete it. A big reason why I’m putting this fic on hold is because I’m starting another fic in the meantime.
This new fic is called “Reflections In The Mirror” and it is a rewrite/reimagining of the Love Live Sunshine fantasy spinoff “Genjitsu No Yohane: Sunshine in the Mirror”
While I thought the show overall was ok it frustrated me with how little it used its premise. So much that I wanted to write a fic exploring it.
First chapter of that will be posted this Sunday.
Even if you’re not super familiar with Love Live Sunshine I still recommend you give it a try.
I will most likely start writing Waiting to Shine S again once I’m a good way into Reflections In The Mirror.
Thank you to everyone whose been enjoying this fic so far and I hope this hiatus isn’t too disappointing.
Chapter Text
“Ha!” Honoka stepped forward as she cut through the air with her foam sword. Adjusting her stance she raised her blade in a block as if she was fighting an invisible foe.
Even though they weren’t actively fighting, the members of SONG 2 still needed to practice to stay in shape. Not to mention they also had to train for μ's. Both routines ate up hours of the girls' free time each week.
As part of Hibiki’s vow to give her students more free time, she came up with a brilliant and flawless plan: Simply combine the two. So now μ's spent time every week training using fake weapons along with sparring with each other.
Hibiki framed it as a way to strengthen rarely used muscles along with broadening their skill sets. The other members of μ's simply shrugged and accepted it. It wasn’t the weirdest thing their P.E. teacher made them do. Barely even top five.
This wasn’t just them practicing with shinai’s. Hibiki went all out and brought an armory’s worth of foam and plastic weapons, ranging from the classic sword and shield to historically accurate flails. She even included some objects that couldn’t be generously called a weapon. Soccer balls and yo-yos? How in the world could you fight using those?
Either way it did let the members of SONG 2 practice with their preferred weapons without getting too many weird looks. How Hibiki managed to get this past the director was an entirely different question. Or if she even asked her in the first place. The P.E. Teacher was a firm believer of begging for forgiveness over asking permission. Thankfully Hibiki had the hindsight to bring a load of mats to cover the hard roof.
Honoka glanced over to where Eli had Kotori on the backfoot. The blonde haired girl slashed using a plastic axe, her opponent only narrowly deflecting it with her tessens. Batting the axe to the side, Kotori went in for a grapple only to be stonewalled by a shoulder check from Eli.
The third year was a natural and this, combined with her age, made for a frightening foe. Adding on her preference for two handed weapons, she was the only one who could win a spar against the members of SONG 2.
On the other side of the roof Nico wildly swung her foam mace at Hanayo, knocking her sword out of her hand. The weapon went flying and was only stopped by the fence surrounding the roof. Surprisingly, Nico was the other standout. Despite her diminutive stature she was an absolute powerhouse in pure physicality, easily overpowering anyone she faced. But she lacked any kind of finesse or grace, just flailing around and hoping she would hit something.
As for the question of how Nico was so strong despite being the tiniest member, it was, strangely enough, Hibiki who knew the answer: karma. Admittedly, it was an answer that still made everyone tilt their head in confusion.
Hanayo turned around as she ran over to pick up her sword, making sure to hide her red face from her friends. Unlike the other members of SONG 2, she occasionally trained alongside her classmates. She knew the basics but she lacked any kind of fighting instinct, usually forgetting any training the moment she had to put it into practice.
With a flourish, Honoka spun around and slashed at an invisible assailant sneaking up on her. Despite how strange this all felt, the weirdest part was its effectiveness. Somehow against all odds it was a perfect fusion of weapon training and idol physical training. How this worked out so well? The only answer anyone had was that it was just Hibiki.
Umi was the only one who couldn’t use her main weapon in spars, not without getting a lot of strange looks. Turns out bows and crossbows are cumbersome in close combat when you lack superhuman abilities and a toy gun was not something Umi was keen on using.
Instead she fought with her fists, her only gear being some padding wrapped around her knuckles, something Hibiki enthusiastically approved of. Umi threw a lazy jab at Nozomi who barely sidestepped it before leaning forward and striking with her sickles, her momentum forcing Umi to back off.
Despite her lack of training, watching Nozomi fight was almost hypnotic. Every slash, every step flowed into each other with a grace that seemed both unreal yet also natural. There was no wasted movement or hesitation, she was always in motion.
Umi stepped in before jabbing her glove at Nozomi’s unprotected stomach, sneaking past her guard. But right before she made contact she stopped and gently tapped it instead.
The only problem was how predictable it made Nozomi. If she ever found a solution she could easily become a fearsome and tricky fighter.
On the other side Maki growled in frustration as she kept on stabbing her spear at Rin, the orange haired girl faking a yawn, not even trying to hide how easy it was for her to dodge. The red haired first year had proved the weakest member without question. She had an aggressive streak, but couldn’t seem to back it up with the speed or skill needed. Instead it made her pathetically easy to counter.
As the two continued dueling, Maki thrust her spear as her hands slid back to the very edge, extending the range by a foot. Rin’s eyes widened for a split second as her reflexes took over and she ducked underneath it.
Yet despite all of her flaws, Maki had a cleverness to her. While the technique she just did was basic, Maki had figured it out on her own. She had an uncanny knack for figuring out and exploiting the tiniest of openings.
Rin grinned before backflipping away from a painfully slow jab. Landing on her feet, she kept low to the ground as she brandished her dagger. Slipping behind Maki she placed a plastic dagger to her neck for only a second before relaxing.
“Got ya! Nyaa~” Rin teased as she stepped away from Maki and sheathed her daggers.
From the sidelines, Nico smirked at Maki being shown up yet again. Resting her weapon against her shoulder the third year’s smug expression was enough to make Maki’s eye twitch.
“We’re going again!” Maki demanded as she raised up her spear and shifted into the combat stance Hibiki taught her. Rin only shrugged before pulling out her daggers with a twirl, ready for round four.
Umi and Rin had to drastically hold back just to resemble any sense of fairness. But Nozomi and Maki made up for it with sheer determination and a desire to improve themselves. Well, Nozomi did. Maki just wanted to shut up an annoying third year who wouldn’t stop bragging.
However there were nine members of μ's. Which led to Honoka’s current predicament.
“Maki-san, your stance is too wide. You need to be stable.” Hibiki instructed while pulling out a foam sword from the box which could probably be considered an armory.
Stepping forward, Honoka locked blades with Hibiki, trying to push her back even an inch. But the older woman was simply too strong. One handed. Balancing on one foot. Watching Kotori and Eli spar. While critiquing Maki’s stance.
At least Hibiki wasn’t also blindfolded this time. It seemed like the more time Hibiki spent with μ's the less she cared about hiding her superhuman strength. Did it mean she was planning on tell the other members of μ's? Or did she even realize her strength was abnormal?
She was always so casual whenever she mentioned her workout as if it was something anyone could do. On multiple occasions she implied Honoka could eventually become just as strong if she trained enough, even while she demolished the bench pressing world record on a daily basis.
At least Hibiki was the only one who could blatantly ignore physics without a Symphogear. Maybe Umi was right and there really was something in the water in Hibiki’s world.
Taking in a few breaths, Honoka let out a war cry as she performed a flurry of sword strikes, slowly overpowering her teacher's guard. Hibiki’s eyes widened for a moment before she sped up, matching her students' increased speed.
Honoka did wonder to herself who this training was really meant for. The members of SONG 2 or potential future Valkyries?
They were going to tell the others the truth pretty soon. While they still had plenty of eyes on them it felt like things were calming down. The mission to recover Lethe was super casual in comparison to the hours upon hours of meetings before flying over to grab Sudarshana. They only had a simple debrief on the flight over to Brazil and it felt more like an afterthought. The world governments had finally accepted SONG 2.
Without that roadblock, they could finally tell not only the rest of μ's but also their families. While she would undoubtedly be grounded for months for lying to them, her parents would be more relieved that she was ok. Hopefully.
Logically the others would join SONG 2 or at least be associated with them. Honoka didn’t want to imagine what Flower would be like if her mother was there chastising Hibiki for not cleaning up after herself.
If something ever did come up and they needed to recruit more Symphogear wielders, they would already have a pool of candidates ready to go. There might even be a chance they already have another Symphogear ready to go. SONG 2 had enough shards to make Sudarshana and Tizona into one. Umi even casually mentioned how Elfnein had refined the process and was making the shell for Sudarshana as a side project.
But why is Hibiki secretly training Maki, Eli, Nozomi, and Nico now? If they needed a fifth wielder the obvious choice was Hanayo who was already a full on member of SONG 2. That’s not even considering the U.N. Symphogear wielder. Maybe Hibiki just wanted to get a head start?
Did they even need another Symphogear? The only threat are Flamel’s Alca-Noise and while they certainly weren’t pushovers, they didn’t need five Symphogear to take down.
Honoka blinked when her own sister came to mind. Yukiho was going to be a member soon. It could be very possible for her to be a Symphogear wielder. If she was a candidate. Wait, was that hereditary?
Her mind came crashing back to reality when she fell on her butt. Groaning, she looked up at Hibiki who had disarmed her. Man she really needed to focus more.
Shaking her head, she accepted the hand from her mentor who helped her stand up. Wiping a bit of dust off of her pants she picked up her sword.
“Great work everyone!” Hibiki clapped her hands causing everyone to relax. “We still have a few minutes left so let’s slow things down and work on your d-“
( Play: Gekisō Gungnir- Symphogear)
Bagpipes sounded off as Hibiki moved her hand down to her pocket. She held one finger in front of her and gave the girls an apologetic look “Sorry, give me one second.” Pulling out her phone, she silenced her ringtone before placing it by her ear. “Hello! Tachibana speaking.”
Hibiki’s face lit up into a smile. “Minami-san, how are you doing? Hm, Where are the floor mats? I’m using them right now. I’ll bring them back when I’m done.” Her cheery expression slowly died, replaced by an uneasy one. “What am I using them for? Well it’s for μ's, they're working on a new song that has some tricky choreography and I wanted to be careful. Is that all? What do you mean?”
The gym teacher's hands started to tremble as she slowly looked over the railing. “You can hear and see us from the entrance? Hehe. I guess I did forget to let you know about my idea… O-Ok. I’ll be there soon- NOW?!” Sweat pouring down her face, Hibiki hung up and bolted for the door. “I have to go now! Just put everything inside and I’ll grab it later!” She shouted as she barrelled through the door and down the stairs.
“Guess the director now knows about our new ‘training method’.” Maki said as she slid her spear back into the box.
“I hope Hibiki-san doesn’t get into any trouble. She made sure none of us got hurt. Do we need to let the director know?” Honoka asked. Her best friend just shook her head.
“No, she'll be fine.” Kotori smiled wryly. “My mom is just annoyed that Hibiki-san forgot to tell her again. She’s actually really fond of Hibiki-san, the most she’ll do is give her a reminder to run her lesson plans past her first.”
Eli hummed in agreement as she worked with Umi to drag the mats over to the door. “Despite how… strange her lesson plans are, nobody can deny their effectiveness. The Kendo club is dominating this year along with all of our sports clubs.”
“But how are you four so good at fighting already?” Nico waved at Honoka, Umi, and Rin. “I mean it makes sense for you three since all three of you did Kendo at one point in your life but Kotori-chan?” She paused for a moment. “No offense,” she hastily added on.
Kotori just shrugged. “None taken.”
The five members of SONG 2 glanced at each other. Wait whose turn was it to provide an alibi? Honoka looked at Kotori, who looked at Hanayo, who looked at Umi, who looked back at Honoka. With a stern pair of eyes on her the orange-haired second year laughed awkwardly and looked over to the newest member of SONG 2.
Rin felt everyone’s expecting eyes fall upon her. Guess it was her time to make an excuse. “Well it’s simple. You see, Hibiki-san is often involved with SONG t- SONG, due to her wife and there’s sometimes periods where we have to sit around for a few minutes while we wait for results. So one day Hibiki-san managed to convince Honoka-chin and m- I mean! Just her at first, to join her in sparring to pass time and it kind of went on from there. Kayo-chin’s the lucky one since she’s busy with other stuff most of the time.”
Honoka, Umi, Kotori, and Hanayo all winced at the blatantly obvious lie. Umi even turned around to hide her facepalm and muffled groaning. They really should have gone over the cover stories with Rin beforehand. Nobody would buy that garbage.
“That sounds about right to me.” Nozomi smiled and turned to Eli, Nico, and Maki who all gave her a look of disbelief. “This is Tachibana-sensei we’re talking about, the same person who made us do all this.” She waved her sickles in the air. “I could see her doing that and it does explain why they seemed more experienced.”
They stood corrected.
Maki and Eli both looked at each other before shrugging. Made as much sense as anything else she did. Nico on the other hand seemed conflicted, as if she didn’t know what to think. “I don’t know…”
“Like you’re anyone to talk.” Nozomi leaned over to Nico and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “We all saw you send Hanayo-chan’s weapon flying out of her hand. And I remember how weak you were last year. Maybe it means you're finally growing.” The mischievous third year looked down at Nico’s chest. “Although I think you're out of luck there.”
“I’m still growing!” Nico pulled out of Nozomi’s grip, stomped her foot, and tried her absolute best to kill Nozomi with her glare. Alas her attempts were futile and the older woman seemed to be deep in thought before flashing a mischievous grin.
“Now that I look at it I may be wrong. But I should double check…” Nozomi again slipped behind Nico before giving her some quality Washi Washi.
“Ahhh!” Nico squirmed as she tried to wiggle away. But Nozomi’s hands were practically attached to her breasts as she fondled them. That is until Nico grabbed onto her assaulter's arms. In one smooth motion she physically pulled her away drawing a gasp from Nozomi.
Nico blinked for a few moments before a smug grin broke her face. “Looks like I’m finally stronger than you.” She boasted while flexing her right arm. A skinny arm that showed zero muscle.
“Or Nozomi wasn’t expecting it,” Maki pointed out. “I mean we all have the same P.E. class. We’re all kind of strong for our age.”
“Whose side are you on?!” Nico whirled on Maki and the two started arguing. Eli pinched her nose as she walked over to the two, ready to once again play mediator.
“Did I give the right excuse?” Rin whispered to Umi, who only sighed in response.
“Next time let me handle it.”
Nico folded her arms as she watched Maki and Kotori walk into μ's club room. She tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for them to sit down. “You're late.”
Rin raised an eyebrow as she checked the time on her phone. “Since when did we have a starting time?”
“We have a very important topic to go over,” Nico glared at Rin. “And it involves the next Love Live tournament.”
Everyone perked up at the mention of Love Live. They may have been the victors of the first one but that didn’t mean they were content with just one.
“While it hasn’t been officially announced yet, there’s going to be another Love Live tournament this spring. As the winners of the first Love Live we’ve been asked to create a promotional video for the second one.”
“Who told you this?” Eli asked.
“The organizers. They contacted me yesterday and as the president of the School Idol Research Club I felt it was in my right to accept,” Nico answered, puffing her chest out in pride
“Still would have been nice to let us know beforehand,” Maki commented while playing with her hair. Nico’s eye twitched as she looked ready to have another verbal spar with Maki.
Thankfully for the other seven girls in the room Hanayo coughed, drawing Nico’s attention. “I thought Love Live was supposed to be a yearly competition?”
Nico shrugged dismissively, It sounds like they always wanted it to be biannual. The first Love Live was meant to test the waters and see if there would be enough interest in school idols to justify the expense. Considering they were able to fill up the Tokyo Dome for the first one, I think things went well.”
“Ok so why are they hosting a second one this spring? Seems a bit sudden.” Honoka asked. Nico gave her a deadpan look as if she just asked what two plus two was.
“Seriously? Just think about it. A-RISE is entirely composed of third year students. Three members of μ's are third year students.” She gestured for someone else to answer but everyone just tilted their heads in confusion.
The black haired girl just groaned and facepalmed. “It’s because this is the last chance for A-RISE and μ's to compete. We are quite literally the number one and number two school idol groups in the country in both ranking and popularity! It’s a rivalry in the making!” Nico placed a hand to her chest as she looked up. “UTX and Otonokizaka. The high tech modern highschool and the old fashion one. The old guard of school idols versus the upstarts. With Otonokizaka winning, proving the older schools can still keep up? That’s narrative GOLD!”
“Glad to see winning Love Live hasn’t changed your humility,” Maki snarked.
“Hey! I’m just being optimistic,” Nico defended. “Anyway! Back on topic, it's our duty as the defending champions to make a video promoting the second Love Live. Probably include a small bit from one of our future routines. The tournament this time will be open to all school idol groups in the country, which from my research will be about three hundred schools.”
“Three- THREE HUNDRED?!?” The other members of μ's shouted simultaneously. Did they hear her right? The first tournament only had sixteen groups!
“Well, I am lowballing it by only including groups that could theoretically be an actual contender for top sixteen,” Nico admitted. She stopped when she noticed everyone was still in shock. “What? You do realize how popular the first Love Live was right? You really think there wasn’t a massive influx in school idol groups right after it? Do you know how many people tracked me down and mentioned they’re forming a school idol group because of μ's?”
“One?” Kotori guessed.
Nico sputtered as she flailed her arms before holding up two fingers. “It was two. I had two girls ask me. Two!”
“Without counting the girls I babysit?” Maki asked, flashing the third year a sly grin.
“Zero.” Nico practically sank into the ground, her boisterous mood all but gone.
“Who do you babysit?” Nozomi leaned over, her voice full of barely concealed curiosity.
“It’s a story for later.” Maki waved her hand, refusing to elaborate any further. “Do you have anything else to go over, Nico?”
The school idol club president let out a sigh of relief and shrugged. “Not really. I’m still waiting for exact details on what the producers want in the promo video. It didn’t sound like even the organizer I talked to knows what the tournament structure is. With so many schools, a 1-on-1 single elimination is not only not practical but they also have to be cautious with how they group us for preliminaries. Nico started writing on the chalkboard. “I can almost guarantee we won’t be in the same one as A-RISE. That’s something they're saving for at least until the quarter finals. My personal best guess? They either give us a bye or have enough groups advance to where both us and A-RISE make it out. But if they do it would kind of screw over any other group in the Tokyo area. Considering Little Tokyo the third best school idol group is also in our area? That is a group of death.”
Nozomi rubbed her chin for a moment deep in thought for a moment before her eyes lit up. “Are Kazanari-san and Cadenzavna-san hosting again? If they are, maybe we could ask Tachibana-sensei to check?”
“That could work…” Nico bobbed her head side to side as she considered the idea. “But who knows how long that would take. I can’t imagine how busy they are-”
“Done!” Rin announced as she proudly placed her phone on the table, a text message on screen. “I just texted Tsubasa-san. She makes sure to respond to me at least once a day so we’ll have an answer by tonight.”
Suddenly the air felt cold, as if Rin had just unleashed something. Nozomi, Eli, and Maki all stared at her jealously. But there was something more… primal right behind her. Slowly turning her head, she nearly fell out of her chair when she saw Nico tightly gripping the top of her chair. The mixture of cold anger and hunger as if she had been starving and just discovered a feast was right in front of her. Why was she acting like…
Oh right. She just admitted to everyone in μ's that she not only had the world famous idol’s phone number but also texted her on a daily basis. Officially they only interacted with Tsubasa and Maria occasionally while at their internship but haven’t talked to them since the finals.
Searching for help, she saw Honoka, Umi, and Kotori all mouth the same thing: “ Run .” Taking her senpai's advice, Rin vaulted the table before scrambling her way out of the room, Nico’s violent stomps chasing her heels.
Chris shivered, rubbing her arms while cursing herself for not checking the temperature before leaving her apartment. A cold spell had swept across the city, making her regret wearing short sleeves today.
“We can always go inside if you want,” Miku offered while gesturing at the store behind them. Chris shook her head as they kept on walking over to the park.
“We planned on going outside today and we will. I just got to suck it up.” As if on cue a strong gust of wind blew in her face causing her hair to flutter. Hugging her bag closer to her body, the two braved the winds making their way over to a set of wooden tables by the edge of the grass.
Miku unzipped her bag and grabbed the two boxes of food inside, Chris nearly drooling at being able to eat her best friend’s cooking again. While Chris was by no means a bad cook, she didn’t exactly have time to prepare anything most days. And Miku was no slouch in the kitchen, having improved leaps and bounds over the years in an attempt to feed the bottomless void that was Hibiki. Unwrapping the bento box she immediately started digging into her meal.
“So how’s Tracy doing?” Miku asked with a knowing smile.
Chris swallowed. “What else is there to say? Things have been going smoothly despite him still being in China. He’s getting better at Japanese.”
“Are you considering telling him about your second job?” Miku whispered as she craned her head looking for any evesdroppers.
Chris shrugged as she leaned back. “To be honest, not really. I mean ya I know I’ll have to tell him eventually but we’ve only been dating for a couple of months now. It took me years to even consider telling Komichi the truth. Besides, me and Tracy are a lot more casual. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if we’re even dating in the first place.”
“If you're sure…” Miku trailed off. “But it’s a lot better if you tell him directly rather than him discovering it on his own.”
The white haired woman dismissively waved her hand. “I’ll get there when I get there. If he would have a fit over that then I know he’s not worth dating.”
Miku felt a rising sense of shame fill her body. She almost ended her friendship with Hibiki because of her keeping secrets. Was she that selfish?
“But how’s the dummy?” Chris cheekily grinned at Miku. “If you're gonna pester me about my relationship then I’m going to fire right back. You two planning on finally going through with it?”
Miku looked away, her face flashing a bright shade of red. Why did she have to tell Chris about it?! “It’s… a possibility. I wasn’t sure if Hibiki was ready for it but with her teaching it showed me she’s ready. The only problem is if we can both commit to it. I know she would like to and I’ve dreamt of it ever since I fell in love with her. But our lives are not exactly normal and it would be a huge sacrifice and commitment.” Miku felt a light touch on her shoulder as Chris gently bumped her shoulder with a fist.
“You're not alone, you know. You got all of us to help. Maria would probably drop everything and fly halfway across the world whenever you asked.”
Miku sighed, “You're right, but I’m not sure if it’s even possible here. The laws won’t be… friendly for a long time.”
Chris gave Miku a deadpan look. “You realize who you are right?”
A blink in response. “What?”
“You know.” Chris looked around making sure nobody was listening in. “Tachibana Miku, second in command of SONG 2. Married to Tachibana Hibiki, the commander of SONG 2. Ya it’s technically illegal due to some assholes but the government would bend the rules for you two. No way they risk pissing you two off.”
“I don’t know…” Miku bit her lip as she tilted her head back and forth. “I feel like it’d be abusing our status and tying them together. I want to keep those sides separate.”
Chris shrugged, “Like it or not they're going to treat you that way. Might as well get some use out of it.” Then she perked up, “Hey maybe you can encourage the snobs to speed things up regarding rights. Know Umi and the Birdie would appreciate it.”
“I never thought of it like that.” Miku placed a hand to her chin in compilation. Could she change things for the better? Even if it was through relative brute force. But if it meant finally achieving her dream with Hibiki…
Chris nearly dived off the table as she grabbed her bag, preventing it from falling. “Hey, watch it!” she screamed at the man passing by who nearly knocked it over. The stranger ignored her as he kept on jogging. Opening the bag the white haired woman sighed in relief. “Thank god it’s not damaged.
“What’s in there?” Miku asked.
“It’s my violin.” Chris blushed as she reached into her backpack and pulled out the case. “Umi mentioned she always wanted to learn how to play a string instrument so I thought I would offer.” She looked away, her face flushed red. “Now that I think about it she probably wasn’t serious.”
Miku gave her friend an encouraging smile and shook her head. “I think that’s a great idea. Umi-san would appreciate the offer and besides it give her something to do at Flower outside of training.”
“Guess your right. Hopefully I still got it.”
“I’m sure you do. But if you're not sure why don’t you play right now? Get the rust off.”
“Not with so many people!” Chris yelled, drawing the attention of everyone nearby. A pair of kids walked up, their eyes pleading as they silently begged her to play. “Oh fine.” Now properly guilt tripped she huffed as she pulled out the violin case. Gently placing it on the table she opened the box. Raising the violin to her chin, Chris took in a deep breath and started playing her bow gliding across the strings. She hadn’t touched it in months yet it only took her a few moments to remember it all.
The sound of music filled the park. Songs of wonders, of love, of regret mixed together as Chris continued to play. Songs from their world. Ones that only now were being shared. She had forgotten all about being cold, all about her worries or who was even around her. Her heart spoke and all listened.
After minutes of playing she stopped her eyes closed. A moment later she opened her eyes and jerked back when she heard the applause of the sizable crowd in front of her.
"Umm… Thanks, everyone. But that’s all I got.” Face burning red, Christ hastily put away her violin and shoved it into her bag. Where did all these people come from? The crowd parted as if to make way for a queen. A drop dead gorgeous woman smiled as she walked toward them with a purpose. It seemed like everyone noticed her, since every man’s - and some women’s - jaws were slack.
The woman was moving her so mouth as if she was singing, although she didn't make a single sound.
“Can I help you?” Chris asked slowly, slightly leaning back from the possibly crazy woman.
Blinking twice, the African woman frowned before shaking her head. Chris could have sworn she saw something else in her expression but she couldn’t decipher it. “Sorry, I just heard your violin and wanted to see who was playing it.”
“Were you trying to sing or something?” Miku asked. Why was everyone else silent as if they were listening to her singing?
“No. It just reminded me of a song my partner used to play…” The strange woman seemed distant for a moment as she gazed out into the horizon but snapped back to reality a second later. “Thank you for your time.” With a bow she briskly walked away. A few individuals stumbled before chasing after her.
Chris watched her walk away, a tension leaving her body she didn’t even know was there. “What was her deal?”
“No idea. But did you notice something weird about how she spoke?” Miku asked.
“Ya. But it's probably because she’s not fluent in Japanese.” The white haired woman shrugged as she zipped up her bag. “That or she’s on drugs.”
“Chris-san, Miku-san! I’ve been looking all over for you two.” A voice cried out. Both women turned around and raised an eyebrow when they saw Danielle run toward them. “Did you forget about our lunch plans?”
They knew the SAC agent, in fact she helped them in China and was one of the few American agents who knew about SONG 2 before the Blood Moon Incident. But they were by no means close. So why would she be running up to them and acting like they were friends? Chris and Miku made eye contact as they both came to the same conclusion. Unless she was just acting and needed them for urgent business.
“Heh heh. Sorry about that.” Chris rubbed the back of her head, hoping her reply wasn’t too stilted. “So where are we going?”
“I was thinking we would go to that one local restaurant that I can’t remember the name of.” Credit where credit was due, Danielle made a good show of crinkling her eyebrows as if trying to remember, “But I do remember the waitress, her name was Garie.”
So this was related to SONG 2, and whatever it was they needed to go to Flower for it. “I parked my car right over there.” Miku pointed as the three walked over to the parking lot.
Hanayo placed her bag on the table as she booted up her computer in Flower. While she didn’t have a Symphogear, that didn’t mean she wasn’t an active member of the organization. For the first two months she mainly had to work on alibi’s. But with Morgana gone, those days were long past, which gave her more time for her new primary duty as head of information control. It was a job title that sounded very important, until she realized it translated to checking the Superstar forums daily.
The forums were a paradox, somehow being simultaneously a respectable and informative message board about the Valkyries and also a cesspool full of inane conspiracy theories that made Hanayo question her faith in humanity. If she had to read one more thread about the threat of beef stroganoff…
At least she didn’t have to handle any more threads about the Valkyries’ connection to SONG. Nobody believed SONG was involved with the Valkyrie’s, not after the “leak”.
Two weeks ago the forums were set ablaze when a regular who many suspected worked for SONG leaked dozens of confidential documents. While the mods were fast in taking down the thread they weren’t fast enough to stop people from making copies and spreading that information.
The documents were partially about SONG’s research into the Noise, detailing the types of Noise and theories on their home dimension nicknamed “The Vault.”
But that was only peanuts in comparison to the juicy steak that was their investigation on the Valkyries. So many popular theories were completely overturned. Replaced with even more insane speculation. But it finally answered a question raised since the superheros first appeared on their origins. They lived in an alternate dimension and had zero relations to SONG.
Hanayo leaned back and smiled as she read a comment “debunking” the rumor of SONG having ties to them. It was funny how many people refused to believe SONG when told they had no relations to the Valkyries. But the moment a “leak” appeared everyone accepted it as if it was gospel. Because SONG obviously wouldn’t lie in their own internal databases. And with how fast it was taken down it must mean it’s real.
And yet they never questioned the credibility of the leaker. Or if this was planned. And it worked better than anyone expected. And all it cost them was Thomas Blackwell’s account. One of them, anyway.
The senior agent was a frequent poster, his account being active since day one. Well that or one of his subordinates did most of the work. Hanayo had no idea what a senior CIA agent’s work schedule was like but she doubted he spent most of his time surfing internet forums. Either way his account had acquired a reputation of being knowledgeable about the inner workings of SONG, which led to most people coming to the conclusion he was a member of SONG.
His account was permanently banned and rumored to be facing legal trouble for his actions. It was a massive scandal that led to hundreds of pages debating the legality of it. Everyone was so wrapped up in the drama they never questioned the leak.
With that issue put to rest, Hanayo no longer had to focus on damage control and deflecting rumors about SONG. Instead she got paid to surf the forums and moderate, along with passing on the occasional rumor.
The first year girl cracked her finger and rolled her head before diving into the theories sections. Most of which was complete junk but sometimes gave her a good laugh.
She probably should check on Garie’s post history and make sure she wasn’t going too wild with her trolling. The other moderators were cracking down on rule breaking after the leak and it was getting difficult to keep her from getting permanently banned.
But one topic in particular drew her attention. A thread simply titled “String of mysterious deaths.”
Clicking on the thread she skimmed through the long wall of text. According to the poster there’d been an influx of suicide victims at the morgue his uncle worked at. The cause of death was either drowning or asphyxiation. However, the strangest part was how almost half of the bodies had self inflicted wounds to their ears. In one particularly gruesome case, the man had torn off his right ear and attempted to crush his other ear.
Hanayo's face turned green as she covered her mouth trying to repress the bile in her throat. In a frenzy, she quickly removed the offending thread and muted the poster before running over a nearby trash can and heaving.
How pathetic of her. Everyone else in SONG 2 had seen death countless times and she couldn’t even handle reading about it. Having emptied her stomach, Hanayo went back to her computer and sent an email to Miku about the rumor. The older woman would handle it from there.
Looking over to another computer she saw her reflection staring back at her. She still had fifteen minutes before Rin was done for the day. Hopefully she would have a good night tonight. If not then Hanayo would probably have another long restless night comforting her best friend.
Discovering an evil spirit was hiding inside your body. Being trapped in your own mind as you watch yourself try to kill your own friends. Hanayo couldn’t even imagine what it would feel like. But Rin lived through it.
Sure she put on a brave face but there was no way Rin could hide it from her. How many times she “couldn’t sleep and wanted to talk with her.” How she flinched whenever an unexpected shadow appeared in front of her. How she sometimes locked the pendant away in a box. How she clung to Hanayo during their sleepovers as if Rin was afraid she wouldn’t be herself when she woke-up…
Did Hibiki or Tsubasa even know about it? They hadn’t done anything so far. Maybe they didn’t think it was that bad. Or maybe they already had a plan and were just waiting for the right time.
Either way it was up to her to help Rin through it. Now she just needed to gather up the courage and do it instead of sitting on the sidelines and worrying.
Hanayo perked her head when she heard a knock on the door. “Hanayo, can you come out to the main room? We’re having a meeting now,” Maria called out.
Getting up, Hanayo grabbed her belongings before exiting the room. What was so important they were having an emergency meeting?
Rin and Hanayo entered the conference room only to nearly bump into Danielle who was obsessively scanning every nook and cranny for any bugs or cameras.
“She won’t respond, not until she’s done,” Honoka said, waving the two to join her, Umi, and Kotori.
Every single member of SONG 2 was here. Hibiki stood next to her chair with a serious expression on her face. What was going on here?
The SAC agent nodded to themselves before pocketing a small device. They walked over to the only empty chair. “The room is clear. Before I start I have to confirm. Are all electronics isolated to Flower’s network?”
“They are. I used some of SONG’s information security techniques. It is quite literally impossible for anyone to remotely access Flower’s databases or network,” Elfnein boasted. That seemed to put Danielle at ease who finally sat down.
“Where is Thomas-san?” Hibiki asked as she also sat down. Her voice friendly, but with a hint of steel in it. “Why isn’t he contacting us?”
“Because something happened.” Danielle grimaced. “I’ll cut to the chase. Four days ago the Library was invaded by some unknown force. And the Cryptos relic is missing and presumed stolen.”
“WHAT?!” Everyone in the room shouted nearly in sync. The Library was touted as one of the most secure and secretive American bases in the world. Out of SONG 2, only Hibiki, Miku, Elfnein, and Phara actually knew where the base was.
“Who did this?! Why are you only telling us this now?!” Tsubasa demanded.
“That’s the thing. We don’t know,” Danielle emphasized. “All off-site computers and recordings were hacked and any data during the attack was meticulously deleted. Out of the 524 individuals on site, there are only 29 survivors. Almost all were either not onsite during the attack or were incapacitated in the medical bay and didn’t see anything.” She pulled out a file from her backpack and slid it over to Elfnein. “As to why I’m here, Thomas was on-site and attacked. After him, I was considered to have the closest connection to SONG 2 and that’s why they sent me to contact you.”
"Is Thomas-san still alive?” Shirabe asked, leaning forward in concern. While some of them distrusted the man on principle, they could all admit how helpful he was. Being an active CIA field agent was a dangerous job and he knew the danger when overseeing Cryptos but to learn he might actually be dead…
“Thomas is still alive… but barely. He was found in his office heavily bleeding, barely hanging onto life with an empty briefcase in hand by a secret tunnel.” Danielle gave everyone a tiny smile. “The paranoid man had a bulletproof vest underneath his suit and apparently wore it 24/7. Was the only thing that kept him alive, although whatever hit him was not a bullet, as it nearly bent the vest in half. He’s currently in the ER but has been unconscious since. Doctors are still unsure if he will make it. We believe he had the relic and was attempting to flee but was intercepted and attacked. Worst part is he’s our only potential witness to the attacks. Any other witness is dead.”
“Do we need to send the hospital an ‘anonymous donation’ of medical supplies?” Miku asked. “We have some Alchemical medicine in storage we could spare. I know we normally refuse to sell it to the United States but these men and women died for us. It’s the least we could do.”
“We would appreciate it. Might be what Thomas needs to survive,” the SAC agent admitted. Miku looked to Elfnein, who simply pointed at the door. Micha and Garie left the room, presumably to retrieve the supplies.
Danielle sat straight up as she pulled out a recorder and visibly turned it off. “I record everything and review it later to make sure I didn’t forget anything, afterwards I destroy the tape,” she clarified for the younger members of SONG 2. “I know you told the world that Morgana is gone for good but I need to know the real story. This is off the record but is there any way Morgana could have survived?”
A chill went down everyone’s spine. Not only at the thought of Morgana returning but the fact that the only reason Danielle would even be asking it is if they had some kind of evidence.
Rin silently removed her keychain from her pocket as if it was toxic and handed it to Hanayo who took it before wrapping an arm around her best friend.
“No,” Honoka said with complete confidence. “I saw her shadow fade away with my own eyes. Kunwu’s true power purges any evil magic it touches. Her entire being was magic, there is no way she could have survived.”
“Shit.” Danielle cursed almost as if she was hoping it was Morgana. “The reason why is because right outside the security room we found a hallway flooded with water and pure carbon. Multiple human bodies worth of carbon.”
“Noise,” Maria whispered, verbalizing the thought running through everyone’s mine. The only reason the Noise were ever in this world was due to Morgana. Otherwise the barrier between worlds is simply too strong. If they had somehow returned…
“We’re still trying to confirm if it was actually Noise but the odds are not looking in our favor.” Danielle ran a finger through her hair. “At this point we are just waiting for the forensic guys to fill out the paperwork and confirm it was Noise. My question is this-” She slammed her hands into the table and glared at Hibiki. “How?!”
“There’s only two possibilities. Either Morgana’s spells have weakened the barrier to the Treasury to the point where it’s leaking over or someone else knows how to access it,” Elfnein explained before placing a hand to her chin. “But the first possibility is highly unlikely unless I’m missing something. I haven’t noticed any kind of leak or energy spike.”
“Even if it’s somehow the first one there’s still someone controlling them,” Maria added on. “The odds that the Noise magically spawned in a top secret military base and swiped a relic while only carbonizing some of the people on base sounds far-fetched to me.”
Leuir walked by and handed a piece of paper to Elfnein. The scientist scanned it for a few seconds before continuing. “I can confirm one thing and it’s not Morgana, or at least not the same spell. The sensors should have instantly detected the Noise even from halfway across the world if they were there. Their signature is just that discernible. Since they didn’t go off it means whoever summoned them can either mask their signature or has some other method.”
“So there’s something else out there,” Honoka vocalized the thought running through everyone’s head.
“This stays a secret for both of our sakes,” Danielle demanded. “America losing the relic you gave is a massive political scandal. And the moment word gets out that the Noise are both back and attacking an area outside of Tokyo there will be a global panic. We already have a cover to explain the casualties to their friends and family.”
Honoka looked down at her lap avoiding everyone’s gaze. Hundreds of people died and their families wouldn’t even get the right to know how they died. She knew intellectually it was the only option but it was how easily Danielle talked about it that bugged her. As if she had done it countless times before.
“Is there anything else we need to know?” Tsubasa asked while skimming through the folder.
“One thing and it involves our computer networks. We believe the enemy has full access to it.” The SAC member turned their recorder back on, the device beeping as the green light appeared. “There were precisely four agents who had clearance on the Chicago Project but were not at the Library during the attack Three agents were officially tied to the project while the fourth agent had no publically available record of being involved. The only record was in an isolated database stashed away in Georgia. All four were separately and simultaneously ambushed two days ago. Three of the agents vaguely remember being asked about Cryptos although they can’t recall anything about the intruders.”
“What about the fourth agent?” Kotori asked.
“The fourth agent was found in pieces.” The secret agent's words lingered in the air. Hanayo and Kotori covered their mouths in disgust and horror. Umi and Rin grimaced alongside the senior members of SONG 2 while Honoka balled her fists. Danielle continued, “I highly recommend you tighten digital security.”
Standing up, her pleasant front vanished, replaced by a cold and calculating woman analyzing every one of them. “Until Thomas recovers, I will be your point of contact with the United States of America. We will immediately let you know if we recover any footage or lead. In exchange America expects you to do the same. 495 good men and women were murdered by those monsters. We will pay them back in full.” Danielle’s voice was low and venomous, her eyes calm yet full of fury.
Hibiki and Miku shared a look with each other. From their previous encounters they saw Danielle as a friendly and competent agent. They knew she was a talented actress, but it never occurred to them that her friendliness might have also been an act. Or maybe it wasn’t and this was just a side of her they never saw before.
“As of now presume all digital communications with us are compromised.” Danielle only added to her current officious image by leaning forward, steepling her fingers together under her nose. “Any meeting will be done in person by either me or SAC operative Jonathan who was with us on our mission to China. If you wish to contact us send a materials request through our usual channel and ask for five sheets of industrial steel. If we need to talk to you, we will come to Flower directly and ask for Charlie.”
“Paranoid much?” Kirika snorted, trying to lighten the mood somewhat.
“You may call me paranoid, but paranoia was the only thing that saved Thomas’ life. Until we can identify this threat we have to be cautious.” Danielle got up and bowed. “I’ll take my leave now. I need to fly back to America and report this to my superiors.”
As soon as she left the room everyone let out a breath they didn’t know they were holding. It was so easy to forget how delicate their relationship with America really was.
“So it’s time.” Honoka walked toward Hibiki. Umi, Kotori, Rin, and Hanayo all standing behind her. The unofficial leader of μ's clutched her pendant tightly. “There’s something else out there. I think I speak for all of us but we are ready to fight. We’ll come in early tomorrow-“
“No.” Hibiki interrupted as she got out of her chair. Despite only being a few inches taller it felt like she was towering over them. “Right now we do not know what this threat is or how severe it is. And until we know exactly what it is? You. Are. In. Reserves . That is a direct order and I expect you to follow it. Do I make myself clear?”
Their P.E. Teacher was not an intimidating person in the slightest, never showing anger. But it was moments like this that reminded them who Hibiki was. A warrior who had fought and defeated gods with her own fists. A woman who was politically the most powerful individual on the planet right now, as commander of SONG 2.
The other senior members of SONG 2 were silent, either agreeing with Hibiki’s order or trusting her enough to not voice their disagreement and undermine her authority.
“We-We understand.” Umi managed to stutter out after a moment.
The tense atmosphere lingered in the air for a second until Hibiki relaxed, a guilty look in her eyes. “I’m sorry for ordering you like this, but your lives are important. I almost ruined your life only a few months ago and I won’t let it happen again. We will only ask you to fight if we absolutely need to, and only until the threat is neutralized.”
“But we know something is coming.!We have to prepare,” Honoka protested. Her mentor just shook her head.
“It’s not healthy to be jumping at every shadow. So until we need you, please,” Hibiki begged. “Keep on living your lives.”
All five teenage girls shared a glance first before relenting at the same time. “We promise.”
“Thank you. We will keep you updated, I promise too. “For all we know this could be something we solve in a single mission,” Hibiki said cheerfully. But even though she was trying to be optimistic everyone knew the truth.
All they could do was pray it wouldn’t be worse than Morgana.
Notes:
The hiatus is finally over. I do plan on posting more frequently now. The news of a Symphogear movie has given me motivation to write this fic again. Chapter 4 will be up when it's up but it shouldn't take too long.
Chapter Text
Unknown cipher
“Last month I managed to recover, to my surprise, a complete relic. It appears to be Greek in origin. [Unknown cipher] The relic is in a pristine condition almost as if it has been sealed away. Using it I have been able to test and confirm my hypothesis. It is possible for someone to use a relic even if they can not synchronize to it normally.”
Elfnein walked over to her chair as her computer read out Flamel’s final note on her main monitor. Strings of characters appeared on a second monitor, only to occasionally delete themselves and start all over again.
For over a day the senior members of SONG 2 had been searching far and wide for any kind of clue on the identity of the thieves. So far it had been all dead ends.
“Normally this change is too minor to be of any real use, but I have a theory it could be amplified if the right conditions are met. My hypothesis is that by isolating and exposing a relic to a specific frequency that the relic will shift its signature to align with the frequency. By sealing the now shifted relic into an isolated system - such as a Symphogear made by Finé - the change can be made permanent. I need to do further testing. I already have a perfect test subject. Her name is Honoka Kousaka and she is from the same area as Section 2 HQ. Her signature is very close to the relic Kunwu that I recently recovered. It is close enough that she could activate Kunwu without any assistance! However I believe I can strengthen it even more. I have already cracked Finé’s designs and know how to make a Symphogear. By turning the relic into a Symphogear, it will be a perfect way to prove my theory.
[Unknown cipher]”
Their only potential lead they had was Flamel’s final note. The Alchemist was infamous for his paranoia, and there was no better proof than the sheer number of ciphers he used, all stored in separate locations. So far they only managed to find one cipher. Based on the codes used she estimated there were at least four more.
Flamel wanted them to recover the notes, the fact that his clue to Honoka’s location was only something they could know was proof enough. But why go through all this effort? What was in this note that was so precious it had to be protected at any cost?
After Morgana’s defeat, deciphering the letter had been put on the backseat. Now with a new threat, they were scrambling to catch back up. For months they had presumed Flamel’s final note was about Morgana, but what if they were wrong?
While trying to decipher the entire note was a fool’s errand, trying to decode one part was theoretically doable.
At the very beginning of Flamel’s letter he mentioned recovering a complete relic of Greek origin yet the rest was coded. It seemed like he wanted to hide the relic’s function. But if that was true why did he specify it was a Greek relic? The thieves stole a relic of Greek origin. It was a flimsy connection, but it was better than nothing.
One flaw with her theory was how the relic in Flamel’s note was complete. Cryptos was by no means a complete relic. In fact it barely even passed the line of being considered a relic. But why did he mention discovering it? Shouldn’t it have been recovered? Maybe she was looking too deep into it and it was just a translation error from French to Japanese.
Elfnein perked up as a file she read years ago came to mind. What if this mysterious relic was like the Nephilim? A living relic that consumed relics to empower itself. Maybe Cryptos was just fuel and the thieves went after the first relic they could find.
“Perhaps I can use this along with my research on the energy between worlds. All relics act abnormally when exposed to these energies. I am not quite sure why but my current theory is that it is related to the Custodians’ abilities to pass on injuries to alternate counterparts. If a relic is able to absorb enough energy there is no telling what could happen, but I believe it would unlock the true powers of the relics.
This is the start of my Magnum Opus. [Unknown cipher.]”
At this point her best option was to take a page from her creator Carol and go with the tried and true method of brute force. Her current program was a self improving AI, designed to go through thousands of permutations per minute and zero in on ones with a potential lead. The odds were against her but a one percent chance was better than zero.
The short scientist rolled back the sleeve of her jacket and glanced at her watch. School should be out in around half an hour, which meant she had ten minutes left before she needed to clean up. While Flower was a technological masterpiece, and easily the most secure base in this world, there was just one issue with it. It was tiny in comparison to the SONG submarine.
Granted, the SONG HQ had to house hundreds of staff personnel and was also a fully functional submarine, but it still dwarfed Flower, having over three times the floor space. While Flower was designed with secrecy in mind, it did have to fit underneath an office building in Tokyo. That meant it was near impossible to hide anything from the members of μ's.
One of Hibiki’s standing orders was to keep any work involving the thieves away from her students. She didn’t want them to worry about it, much less try to help. They had enough to worry about already. Although the others all believed this was a new idea, to Elfnein this was the same policy SONG had. Genjuro would never lie about it if they asked but he definitely preferred to avoid mentioning some of SONG’s work, such as how extensive their information control department really was. Last thing he wanted was the girls worrying about their identities over saving lives.
Elfnein perked up as her computer beeped insistently There’d been a breakthrough! Sliding her chair over to her second monitor she could barely hide her excitement as she read what was on screen.
“Last month I managed to recover, to my surprise, a complete relic. It appears to be Greek in origin. It is Sjae Fhshierbedn dewmaxgde relic.”
Elfnein tapped a tiny fist against the table. She was so close! She really needed to change the legibility confidence level. It kept on giving her one or two legible words with zero context. As she finished adjusting the AI’s program, her watch vibrated, signaling to her that her time was up.
Grabbing her tablet, she sent out a simple command and Leiur danced her way into the room to start cleaning up. One benefit of being the creator of four Autoscorers was they listened to her orders above anyone else, which meant they would always clean up for her.
Before the door could fully close, it shot back open to reveal Maria. The older woman saw Leiur and nodded her head. “I was just going to remind you to clean up, but it looks like you're ahead of me.”
“I am. Remind me who's coming today? I might have to close my program if Umi-san is coming.” Out of the five members of μ's in-the-know, Umi was the only one who could somewhat decipher Elfnein’s research.
Maria placed a hand to her chin, as she tried to remember. “I think you're safe. I know Rin’s coming since Tsubasa mentioned it and I’m pretty sure Honoka and maybe Hanayo will tag along, although I’m not sure about the latter. Fairly sure Hanayo is spending time with her grandparents tonight.”
“I’ll be fine then.” Elfnein did a tiny fistpump to herself, glad she could at least remain semi-productive this afternoon. Ever since the Blood Moon Incident, things had been terrible for Elfnein. Miku had implemented some of the most draconian rules imaginable.
She was only allowed to work ten hours a day! The rest of the time she was forced to either hang out in Flower if she was lucky or more likely be dragged out of Flower and driven to her apartment. It’d gotten to the point where her neighbors knew what she looked like!
“By the way. Any update on the potential relic in Russia?” Elfnein asked as she turned off some of her monitors. Yesterday they managed to detect what appeared to be a trace Aufwachen Waveform in Eastern Europe. While most of these ended up being false positives, this one held promise. Primarily in that it was in the area for Flamel’s second cipher based on their predictions.
Maria waggled her hand in a so-so gesture. “We’re pretty sure there’s something in Russia but there’s no guarantee it will be a relic or a cipher. It could just as likely be more of Flamel’s old research notes.”
“Hopefully it’s like China and it’s both.”
“Wouldn’t that be nice?” Maria fished into her pocket and pulled out her phone. “I’m driving you home tonight. Miku told me you have to be out of Flower by five.”
Elfnein pouted but knew it wasn’t worth arguing. Last thing she needed was Miku to cut her lab time even more. Or even worse: make her take Sundays off! “I already have my bag packed.” She sighed in defeat as she retrieved her tiny purse and followed Maria out of her lab.
“If you're lonely, I can spend the night with you. I'm free for tonight,” Maria offered.
“I would appreciate that.” Elfnein gave Maria a tiny smile. “I have a new recipe I want to try out.” While she wasn’t a professional chief, she did know how to cook… Even if it made her kitchen resemble Tsubasa’s room afterwards. Leiur silently nodded as she finished cleaning up and left the room a few minutes later, leaving only one computer on. The AI remained active, running countless simulations in order to crack Flamels note. An hour later the screen flashed a single line of text. In between the garbled mess were three legible words.
Two. Achelous. Death.
However the program examined them, found them irrelevant, and discarded them into the clutter database with thousands of other failed attempts.
Clad in her Symphogear, Rin seized the rope, and yanked herself up. She kicked off and swung to the left, avoiding a gleaming blue knife that embedded itself into the brick. Making it all the way up, she sprang across the roof. Four sleek robots climbed after her, each of them wearing ninja masks that did nothing to hide their artificial nature. One of which also had bright red puffy hair. They circled around her, trying to flank her from every direction. Grinning, Rin flipped onto her hands and started spinning, her legs now a deadly weapon…
Only to instantly lose her balance and fall over.
“Nyaa~,” Rin moaned as she rubbed her head. The skyline around her vanished, replaced by the sleek white walls of the simulation room. Three of the robots vanished, leaving only Micha with her frozen disappointment hidden by the ninja mask. Stepping onto the sim space, Tsubasa calmly walked over to the fallen girl. She absentmindedly tossed a dagger to the side, the holographic weapon evaporating.
“I’m ok,” Rin preempted as she accepted the hand from Tsubasa. “I’m not sure if that handstand spin move will work for me. I just can’t seem to keep my balance.”
“It did take me a few years to master but we can move on to another technique for now.” It seemed like Tsubasa was dead set on passing on all of her techniques to her unofficial apprentice. While Honoka, Umi, and Kotori did pick up some from the older members, their fighting styles never matched up one for one. Rin’s on the other hand almost perfectly complemented Tsubasa’s. The only difference was Rin’s tendency to use aerial attacks and try to sneak underneath an opponent's guard.
The room around them shifted into a serene pond sitting atop a mountain. Tsubasa made her way to the other side of the pool while Rin probed the pool with her foot. Despite only being a projection it behaved just like real water. She scratched her head in confusion. What was the pool for?
Rin looked up and choked on her own spit upon seeing Tsubasa run across the pool at full sprint. The stoic woman’s feet gracefully glided over the water as if it was stone.
Maybe Umi was right and in the other world there was something in the water that made them so strong. Or able to defy the laws of physics.
Making sure she wasn’t hallucinating, Rin pulled out a dagger and tossed it into the pool, the armed gear sinking to the bottom. Yup, still water. Tsubasa Kazanari could walk on water, who knew? Maybe Nico and Hanayo were on to something with how they worshipped her and Maria. With a slight hop, Tsubasa bounded out of the pool and stopped in front of her stunned apprentice, the water behind her still rippling.
“How did you do that?!” Rin managed to get out.
“It’s something my idol manager Ogawa taught me.” Tsubasa glanced at the vanishing ripples nostalgically, “An old ninja technique passed down from his family.”
Her old idol manager was also a ninja?! How does that even happen in the first place? Rin couldn’t imagine him putting ‘Am a trained ninja capable of running on water.’ on his resume.
Tsubasa interrupted her musings. “I could try and teach you some of Ogawa’s ninja techniques if you like. I’m not sure what I will be able to teach you considering he never told me everything but there is one technique I’m positive you could learn.”
“What’s that?” Rin asked. Tsubasa gestured at Micha. She was visibly trying to move but it was like she was being tied down by something. Squinting, Rin noticed a dagger planted where her shadow was.
“This is the Shadow Binding technique, allowing one to trap someone by pinning their shadow to the ground,” Tsubasa continued.
What.
“While I use a knife it can also be performed by shooting a projectile at the shadow…” Tsubasa said, either not noticing or not surprised by how stunned her student was.
Compared to the others, Rin took everything she learned about SONG 2 in stride. Music powered power armor? Makes sense. Alternate universes? Sounds about right. Relic shards being able to create massive weapons that can kill Noise? Of course.
Rin broke out of the spell, her eyes practically sparkling. “That’s awesome ~nyaa! You have to teach me!”
And this was no exception.
“I will.” Tsubasa’s smile gained a slight warmth to it. “I know Ogawa would approve if he was here. But I must warn you that this will be difficult. It took me years of dedicated practice to perform these techniques without my Symphogear.” Almost dismissively the older woman threw another dagger at Micha’s shadow, toppling the one pinning her.
“I guess playtime is over…” Micha bemoaned as she clumsily ripped her mask apart while trying to take it off.
“Thank you for the assistance. You can keep the mask,” Tsubasa offered.
“Really?! Garie is going to love this!” Micha laughed as she ran out of the room.
“Actually I think I already know how to do it.” Rin laughed while rubbing the back of her head. “When I fought Morgana I threw Carnwennan at the ground and made the shadows around her come to life and grabbed her. Although, I don’t know if I can do it right now.”
Tsubasa blinked before letting out a small chuckle. “Those are pretty similar indeed. It’s definitely doable. While you might not be able to perform the technique at the same level outside of Legacy Drive, I’m certain you could use a scaled down version.” She clapped her hands and the room started to shift.
“Awesome! So what’s the first step for the-“ Rin hesitated for a split second. “Shadow Binding…”
The normally stoic woman flinched at her apprentice’s remark. What was she thinking?! Rin was still afraid of Morgana returning and here she was teaching her moves that would constantly remind her of Morgana! She was supposed to lead her away from associating Carwennan with shadow control.
Tsubasa pretended to look at her phone as if she was checking the time. “It might be a bit too late to get started tonight. How about I teach you something you can use outside of your Symphogear.”
“Like what?” Rin asked as she deactivated her Symphogear, reverting to her practice clothes of a simple shirt and pants.
Tsubasa rubbed her chin in thought trying to think of something not related to Carnwennan. Ogawa’s ninja techniques were also out the window for tonight. Maybe tips for being an idol? No Rin made it clear she wasn’t planning on becoming a full time idol. What else could she teach her!? Wait. Rin’s birthday was in a few weeks and she was turning 16. Which means…
“Have you ever driven a motorcycle before?” Tsubasa asked.
Rin shook her head “No, why?”
“Would you like to learn how to drive one?” While the age requirement for a driver license was eighteen in Japan, that was only for cars. For motorcycles it was only sixteen. “I am well experienced in motorcycles. I even used them during missions for Section 2.”
“Ya! That’s so cool nyaa~” Rin jumped up and down in excitement. “Do you think I could use a motorcycle during missions!?”
Tsubasa clapped her hand and the simulation room transformed into a racetrack. Not only that but there were now two motorcycles standing by. Tsubasa and Rin were now both in a motorcycle suit. “Perhaps. But first I have to teach you.”
Rin moved her arms around, the sensation of both her real and fake clothes on at the same time sent wildly conflicting signals to her brain. “This is so weird.”
“You will get accustomed to it.” Tsubasa chuckled, mounting one of the bikes, “Now, while these motorcycles are immobile replicas, I can use them to teach you the basics of driving. But first there is one skill you must learn before all else.”
“What’s that?” Rin’s eyes sparkled as she stepped toward Tsubasa.
“The most important skill of all.” Tsubasa nonchalantly said as she put her helmet on. Then she turned to look Rin dead in the eye. “How to survive a crash.”
Rin gulped.
Honoka groaned as she rolled her pen across the table in Flower’s main room. What was she supposed to do? She couldn’t go to the simulation room. Not with Rin training alongside Tsubasa. She couldn’t go home, since officially she was “working” at her internship. Umi, Kotori, and Hanayo weren’t scheduled to come today which meant Honoka was all by herself. She looked over her open notebook and her half-completed math homework. Yep. Absolutely nothing she could do right now.
Salvation finally came when Hibiki walked into the room, one-arm carrying a crate full of metal. Perking up Honoka stood and waved at Hibiki.
“Hibiki-san! Could you help me work on my form? I want to try out a new technique Rin-chan showed me.”
Hibiki casually placed the crate on the floor, a loud thud echoing across the room. She smiled and nodded her head. “Ya, no problem. We can work on it first thing Saturday.”
Honoka frowned. “Are you busy right now? I wanted to work on it today and we won’t need the simulation room for it.”
“No, I’m not busy, but your next training session isn’t until Saturday,” her mentor pointed out. “And remember what I said a few days ago. Until we know exactly what this new threat is, you are in reserves and your schedule will not change.”
“But we need to be prepared!” Honoka argued before catching herself and covering her mouth. Hibiki’s eyes softened as she walked over and sat down next to her student.
“You are prepared.” Hibiki firmly placed a hand on Honoka’s shoulder.
“Against Alca-Noise sure.” The younger girl brushed off her teacher’s complement. “But we have no idea how powerful these thieves are. I spent almost double the time training a few months ago and I barely survived my first encounter with Morgana.”
“Your hours were way worse a few months ago because we were scared you wouldn’t be ready to fight.”
“Scared?”
“You don’t understand how terrifying it was for us when you first joined SONG 2. The only person who could reliably fight the Noise was a teenage girl with zero combat experience. Even when I joined Section 2 I had Tsubasa to back me up.” Hibiki looked at the main monitor, her eyes distant.
“I can still perfectly remember the day you first encountered Morgana. I was standing right in front of the railing.” The older woman pointed. “It seemed like a normal mission until we lost contact with you. I was nervous but hoped it was just a technical error. And then I heard the three words I still have nightmares about. ‘She’s hurt. Badly.’”
“Seeing you being rushed into the medical bay covered in burn marks and cuts. Realizing that all my training, all my preparation was meaningless.” Hibiki traced her fingers over the edge of the box. “I can’t even imagine how bad it would have been if we didn't have Alchemical healing to speed things up and avoid long term injuries.”
“I can’t either,” Honoka said half heartedly as she rubbed her right shoulder, right where her scar was. The one she kept hidden from everyone. Even now the only other person who knew about it was Garie who promised to keep it a secret.
“The reason your hours haven’t changed is for two reasons. The main reason is because your normal lives are just as important and you need to keep on living.” Hibiki crossed her arms, giving off a commanding presence that felt just slightly off. As if she was just mimicking someone else. “The other reason is while yes the thieves are probably a supernatural threat but this also is very different from Morgana. We already have three experienced Symphogear wielders and Rin-chan is catching up to you girls super fast.”
“If you're so confident in us then why are you already preparing the other members of μ's?” Honoka countered, finally asking the question that has been on her mind for weeks. “It’s pretty clear μ's new training regime is meant to teach them how to fight.”
“My honest answer? That was an accident. The reason I implemented it was to give you four more free time to be regular teenage girls. Does it mean if the others can use a Symphogear they will already be able to fight alongside you right away? Maybe. Am I planning on recruiting them?” Hibiki shook her head. “Not really. Sure if there’s a need for more wielders I would ask the members of μ's first. As Miku pointed out it just makes sense logistically. But being an Adapter is a huge responsibility. It’s their choice and I do not expect them to become one.”
Honoka couldn’t help but shake her head. What was she thinking? She knew Hibiki and if there was one thing she learned over the past few months it’s that Hibiki is straightforward. It wasn’t her style to have hidden goals or to manipulate people. If she changed μ's training to give her students more free time then that was the answer.
That was more up Miku’s alleyway. In sharp contrast to her wife, Miku preferred keeping things close to her chest and was more than willing to manipulate people if needed. Honoka scowled upon remembering how Miku was first to deduce Morgana identity but kept it secret for weeks.
“Honoka-chan.” Hibiki straightened up and made eye contact with her student. “Being a part of μ's is just as important as being a part of SONG 2. Working on μ's PV video for Love Live is just as important as traveling to Brazil to recover a relic. Being Kousaka Honoka is just as important as being Sunshine. No matter what happens you can’t sacrifice your normal life for your duties as a member of SONG 2.”
“You're right.” Honoka sighed in defeat. “I almost ruined my friendship with Rin-chan because I was so focused on SONG 2 and here I am making the same mistake.”
“Don’t beat yourself up like that. I understand where you're coming from and I do appreciate you being serious. Just don’t forget about what really matters.”
Honoka didn’t say anything but nodded in agreement.
“How about we forget about your homework and watch a movie together! They just released the DVD for-” Hibiki stopped when she noticed how pale her student was. “Miku is right behind me isn’t she?”
The only answer she got was a hum of confirmation from Miku as she cracked her knuckles.
“She just doesn’t want to listen!” Rin screamed to herself while sitting on her bed. Only a few hours ago she finally ended her friendship with Honoka. She thought her former Kendo partner was a friend but it turns out she was just as flakey and unreliable as before.
Why couldn’t the others see it!? They almost lost the third round of Love Live because they weren’t prepared and that was because Honoka, Umi and Kotori kept on skipping out on practice! They claim they want to save the school so why didn’t they just. Show. Up?
No, instead it seemed like instead their priority was their precious internship that they couldn’t say anything about. What was so important about it!? NDA her ass.
Rin growled in frustration as she dug her fingers into her pillow and chucked it across the room. Otonokizaka might shut down in a few years and it seemed like Honoka had already given up on it. They were going to lose Eli after Saturday, putting them down to at least seven. While she was planning on quitting μ's it was only because Honoka would still be there. Maybe she could convince the others to kick Honoka from the group. She probably wouldn’t even care since it would mean she could spend more time at her oh so precious internship.
Downstairs she could vaguely hear her parents move some supplies into their safe room. They didn’t have a Noise shelter nearby and houses were generally safe bets as long as you avoided windows. With how bad the attacks were getting, almost every house or apartment complex had some sort of plan in case a Noise attack happened nearby.
Her phone vibrated on her desk but she ignored it. It was probably Hanayo or Eli trying to call her. Hopefully the former, since she refused to listen to Eli go on and on about forgiving Honoka. Just thinking about that girl caused her blood to boil. Things were so much simpler before SHE tricked them into joining μ's. Now there’s a chance Hanayo might give up her dream of being an idol!
Hanayo… half of the reason Rin even joined μ's was to support her best friend. She always adored idols and dreamt of becoming one ever since she was a little girl. The two always had each other's backs. Then… Why did Hanayo cry when she argued with Honoka?
She didn’t do anything wrong. In fact, she was the only one who had that internship with SONG but could put in the effort and make it to practice on time. Was it… because she knew why the others kept on being called in? Was it actually that important?
Rin’s eyes slowly widened as realization hit her. She actually said those things to Honoka. Cursing her out in public. Despite it being the truth, maybe she shouldn’t have exploded in public. But the rage in her heart only ignited upon thinking of that obnoxious smile of Honoka Kousaka.
“Your anger is delicious,” A sinister voice said from within her own head.
Suddenly every bit of emotion vanished as if she was drenched by ice cold water. “Who’s there?!” She heard someone talk but it didn’t seem like someone was in the room.
“I wish I could enjoy the show a bit longer but tomorrow is the perfect opportunity.” The voice whispered, every voice dripping with malice. “What's wrong? Don’t you remember me?”
Rin’s shadow darkened as her entire body froze up. She tried to move but her body refused to obey her. Instead of waving her hands she got up. But it wasn’t her that moved. It was like she was a puppet on strings but that wasn’t quite right. Her movements felt so natural but it was like her brain was disconnected.
Her body moved over to her mirror and gave herself a sinister smirk, her eyes a bright green. “It feels so good to finally stretch a body around. Sorry. MY body,” her body spoke.
What was going on!? Why is she talking!? She tried to scream, to move any inch of her body, but every attempt ended in failure. Suddenly Rin felt herself being dragged back. The area around her grew dark, with only two lights visible showing her mirror. Was that her vision? It felt alien.
Rin stiffened as someone grabbed her by the shoulder and forcibly turned her around. In front of her was a beautiful woman with long luscious black hair. Her eyes were bright green and she let out a sinister laugh. “What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?”
“Wh– Who are you!?” Rin stuttered out, the windows to the outside started to dim as she felt herself being dragged further and further away. Into a place that felt eerily familiar to her.
The figure gave Rin a mocking smile. “Do you remember this place now? I thought you would, considering how often you’ve been here in the past week.” She placed a hand to her chin in compilation. “Then again you were never the brightest.”
She's been here before? What did she mean? Rin’s thoughts began to race as she tried to remember what happened but all she could recall was void. Blank spots in her memories. Just like the ones she'd been having for months now. Hundreds of memories slammed into her mind, causing her to cry out in pain. Summoning the Noise. Aiming a wind spell to decapitate Sunshine. Almost murdered Umi before she was rescued by Moonlight. Shooting out fire that nearly incinerated a man. About to kill Hibiki and Eli. Sicking Noise on civilians stuck into a shelter. Almost…!
And in every memory all she did was sit and watch herself do it, as if she wasn’t even in control.
Because she wasn’t.
A wave of disgust and horror flooded her body. She wasn’t the only one in her mind. This woman had somehow snuck in and was using her body for evil.
“There’s one detail you got wrong,” the woman said almost as if she heard Rin’s thoughts. “This isn’t your body. Not any more. This is now MY body. And now that I have enough strength I can finally be rid of you.” Suddenly the woman pushed her and Rin felt herself falling through the void. “So goodbye, Rin Hoshizora. Surrender yourself to the abyss and die.”
No No No No NO! Rin feebly lashed out trying in vain to grab onto something, anything. But all she could do was silently scream as the light vanished and she was smothered in a cold and cruel darkness.
Rin took in a sharp breath, her eyes snapping open to a dark room. She frantically flailed her arms before calming down. Sitting up, she meticulously moved every part of her body starting from her feet all the way to her head. Still in control. Good.
Another reminder of the most terrifying moment of her life. Rin clutched her head. Dammit why was she still thinking about it?!
Getting out of bed she slowly walked over to her closet and took out two boxes. Opening one up she removed a key before using the key to unlock the second box. Holding the box as far away from her as possible she flipped open the lid and let out a sigh of relief upon seeing the Carnwennan Symphogear in its disguised form. Ok, it was just a nightmare. She could relax.
She locked up the box containing Carnwennan again before placing the key back in its own box. Quietly making her way back to her bed she groaned in annoyance when she noticed it was 4:37 AM. Looked like falling back asleep wouldn’t be happening.
Maybe she should text Hanayo. Her best friend had a strange tendency of always waking up when she texted her. Strange, normally she was a heavy sleeper.
Typing out a message, Rin moved her finger over the send button. She hesitated. She already texted Hanayo in the middle of the night once this week. Best to let her get some rest.
Deleting the message, Rin tossed her phone across the bed. Instead she reached for her nightstand and grabbed a small notebook hidden underneath some junk. Flipping it open, the first two pages were doodles of cats, but the rest were diary entries.
October 22nd 2013
Today I went to school. Talked to Kayo-chin the entire time while walking. Afterwards I hung out with μ's and talked about the PV we’re working on. Right afterwards I was driven to Flower which took fifteen minutes. Then I trained with Tsubasa. Taught me some moves and how to ride a motorcycle (so cool!). Went home and worked on homework then went to bed at 9:50 PM.
Rin closed her eyes and mentally replayed the day. She could remember every part. No blank spots. Good.
Everyone kept on telling her Morgana was gone, that Morgana's soul was completely purged from her body, that there was no way for her to return. But what if they were wrong?
None of them knew how Sorcery really worked. What if Morgana had some kind of spell that let her shadow reform from a speck hidden in her brain?! What if there was a second shadow hanging around and could possess her again?!
Rin’s hands trembled as she gazed upon them, the shadows covering them almost looking like blood. The blood on her hands. Every time she had a blank spot in her memory innocents died. Lives ruined. All because she accidentally touched that stupid mask.
Just touching it. That’s all it took. It wasn’t some ominous gem on a pedestal. There was no hint or clue that it held an evil spirit inside of it. It was just a mask in a flea market, one of many amongside it. She could have just as easily not touched the mask or not go to that stall. She only went to that flea market on a whim! If it wasn’t for that dumb decision tens of thousands of people would still be alive!
Which is why she owed it to the world to become a Symphogear wielder. Sure she also did it because she wanted to help her friends out, but it wasn’t the only reason. Rin had to atone for her crimes.
In the corner of the room a shadow flickered. It darkened and started to shift into a different form. A familiar one… Rin took in a sharp breath. Her heart rate skyrocketed. She let out a short scream as she scrambled for the light on her nightstand. Flicking it on, the lamp illuminated the room, banishing the darkness. Illuminating the corner… the empty corner.
Placing a hand over her chest, Rin sucked in deep breaths. A knock drew her attention to the door right before her mother burst in with a screwdriver, ready to stab any intruder.
“Rin are you alright?! I heard you scream.” She asked as she cautiously scanned the room before sighing in relief. She was still in her pajamas, her shoulder length amber hair a complete mess.
“I just woke up and there was this huge spider on my sheets,” Rin wildly gestured.
Her mother gave her daughter a flat look, “Only a year ago you convinced your father not to kill the spider in our bathroom because ‘spiders are super cool’. Try again.”
Rin cringed underneath her mom’s inquisitive stare. Considering her mom was giving her the ‘I am going to get an answer even if I have to punch God for it’ look she wasn’t going to worm her way out of it.
“I just had a dream about the Blood Moon Incident. But I’m fine now.”
So she did the next best thing. A partial truth
Her mother’s eyes softened as she walked over to her daughter and wrapped an arm around her. “You don’t have to be embarrassed. Anyone in Tokyo who says they haven’t had nightmares about that night is a liar. And you were chased by them. I can’t imagine what it was like for you. But you're ok now. The Noise are gone.”
Her parents didn’t know she was a Symphogear wielder or that she was possessed by Morgana. The official story was that she was caught outside during the attack and chased by the Noise, only to be saved by Sunshine. A story they only believed when both Hibiki and Hanayo backed her up.
It was the same kind of story every member of SONG 2 told their parents. But unlike them it was Rin’s choice.
When Hibiki had come to her house the day after the Blood Moon Incident, she asked her if she wanted to tell her parents. While they did need to keep things a secret for political reasons, Hibiki gave her special permission to tell them immediately.
But Rin refused for one reason. If they knew, her parents would never let her fight. Her mother was more stubborn than a mule and while her father was more relaxed he was a mountain of a man and an unstoppable force when angry.
They would take one look at Carnwennan, learn that Morgana made it, and refuse to let her use it ‘for her own safety.’ And no matter what she did, Hibiki would bow to their wishes and bench her.
They just didn’t understand! This was the only way she could pay everyone back! The only way she could make up for all the pain and suffering she inflicted upon Tokyo.
“I know the Noise are gone.” At least for now. Rin felt sick to her stomach. “I’ll be fine.”
“You know you can always talk to me or your father if you need someone to talk to,” her mom said before getting up. “Try and go back to bed. I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me.” She got up before leaving the room.
Rin remained silent as she listened to her mom walk toward the kitchen. She quietly pulled out her phone and turned on the flashlight, the light remaining on until her alarm went off telling her it was time to get ready for school.
Honoka bolted out of the classroom the moment the bell rang. Finally, freedom from math class! But right before she could escape, she ran face first into Hibiki and flopped to the floor in a daze. She groaned as she took in the sight of her P.E. teacher. Why was she here? Did the Director ask Hibiki to guard the door so she couldn’t leave math early?! The rumors were true!
“Sorry. Probably shouldn’t have waited right outside the door.” Hibiki sheepishly rubbed the back of her head before helping her student up. “Honoka-san, Umi-san, and Kotori-san. Can you three come with me? It's for μ's.”
All three of them let out a sigh of relief. For a moment they thought it was involving their other lives.
Making their way into their club room. The other six members were already present. Hibiki stood by the side and glanced at her phone. “He should be here any minute now.”
“Hopefully soon. I can barely stay awake.” Eli yawned as she tried to resist laying her head against the table. “I hate jet lag.”
“Oh that reminds me how was your eighteenth birthday?” Rin asked.
“It was nice to celebrate my birthday with my family in Russia. It was definitely a… memorable trip.” Eli looked away as she rubbed her eyes. “What didn’t help was Nozomi.” She gave the purple haired girl an annoyed look. “Waking me up at midnight to wish me a happy birthday.”
“You only turn eighteen once,” Nozomi cheekily answered. “But when’s the party for your father’s side?”
“Probably sometime next week,” Eli answered. Right then a knock on the door drew everyone’s attention.
A man in a business suit and tie walked into the room. He had short brown hair and wore a thick pair of glasses. Walking over to the table he heaved and placed a large briefcase on the table before pushing his glasses back over his eyes.
“First things first, thank you for taking the time out of the busy schedules to talk with me.” He gave the nine members of μ's a respectful bow. “Secondly, my two daughters are huge fans of μ's.”
“It’s always nice to see more fans of us. But why are you here?” Kotori asked. Everyone looked at Nico for an answer but she only shrugged
“Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kaneko Saburo and I represent Toho. Now I presume all know about the Valkyries correct?”
“Really? We live in Tokyo. How could we not ?” Honoka said. The Valkyries were everywhere. Sightings of the elusive superhero group was a newsworthy event. The Blood Moon Incident was an event that shook the city to its core.
Ignoring all of that, it was kind of hard to not know about the Valkyries when half of μ's were the Valkyries.
“You would be surprised by how many people in Tokyo would say no to that. I know individuals who still think the Valkyries are a myth,” Kaneko deadpanned before shaking his head. “But I’m going off topic.” He opened up his briefcase and presented to everyone a flier. On the flier was a snazzy logo and the title ‘Song of the Valkyries: Renewal’
“We are keeping this under wraps for the moment but Toho studios is working on a movie based on the Valkyries.” As he spoke, Kaneko placed his briefcase on the table and clicked open the locks, “We wanted to see if μ's was interested in appearing.”
“A movie!?” All nine girls shouted at the same time. For some it was due to excitement, to be in a big movie, for others it was the mere fact that a movie was even being made in the first place.
Kaneko hummed in confirmation. “A movie about Tokyo’s superhero team was green lit only a week after Sunshine’s second appearance. The only reason it’s taken this long is because the Noise were still an active threat. But with Eclipse defeated and the Noise sealed away, we have all the support we need.”
Umi shared a glance with Hanayo, Rin, Kotori, and Honoka. “What would be our role?”
“Well, it would be a cameo appearance.” Kaneko pulled some papers from his suitcase, sliding them across the table. Copies for each girl. “We are still finalizing the script but our plan is you nine would appear in a brief scene and perform. Probably include a song which we would have to pay for, of course. Based on our current schedule, it would be in late November or December around the end of production.”
“Ok I’m not that familiar with movie making but that sounds fast, ” Rin said.
“This is fast, you're not wrong, Hoshizora-san. Main reason is because of the rumors Hollywood is also planning on producing a movie about the Valkyries. The Valkyries are Japan’s superheros.” Kaneko put a hand against his chest. “It would be an insult if the first movie came from another country. What helps is a lot of the usual hurdles toward making a film are gone. We have a ridiculous amount of funding, an A-team production crew, and the will and manpower to speed through it. We even already finished our first round of auditions. So, are you nine interested?”
“Err,” Honoka stuttered as everyone looked at their unofficial leader for her thoughts. She stared at the paper, not really reading the words. What was she supposed to say? ‘Sorry I don’t want to be in the movie since I am Sunshine.’
A cameo role should be ok but what if someone slipped up? What if she actually revealed her secret identity when critiquing the costumes! “I don’t know…” Honoka trailed off.
“I understand your concerns, especially due to your status as minors and your duties as a school idol.” Kaneko nodded his head in understanding, gesturing towards the papers. “Those include a preliminary schedule. Any deal would have to first be approved by your legal guardian and then the school. We just wanted to see if you're interested in the role before we go through the hoops required.”
“I already had a friend of mine look it over. It’s all legitimate,” Hibiki commented. Honoka opened her mouth but was interrupted. “Before you ask, no, I won’t make that call for you. It’s your choice.”
“I think it would be a big commitment.” Umi as she finished her copy. “Considering we’re the defending champions and we have to work on the PV video we already have enough on our plates.” Her fellow members of SONG 2 all hummed in agreement.
“Well count me in.” Nico jabbed a thumb against her chest. “Finally getting to be in a movie? No way I’m passing this up.”
“I’ll do it if Elichi agrees.” Nozomi flashed Eli an impish smile who only rolled her eyes in response.
“I’ll do it. I think we can manage if only some of us are involved with the cameo.”
Everyone’s gaze turned to Maki who was playing with her hair in a seemingly bored fashion. She bit the inside of her cheek before letting out a defeated sigh. “I can’t do it. I’ll be too busy then.”
Nico flashed Maki a cheeky grin, hands going to her hips. “Looks like there'll be more screen time for me then. It’s a shame it’s only a cameo role,” she said off-handedly.
Kaneko perked up, a gleam of light in his eyes. “Are you interested in a bigger role Yazawa-san?”
Nico’s eyes widened, not expecting the producer to jump on her like that. “I mean… isn’t it too late now? You mentioned you already had the first round of auditions?”
“Yes, for singing.” Kaneko clarified. “Anyone casted as a Valkyrie has to be able to sing. If you're interested in applying I can ask the casting department to add your name to the audition list. Considering you are a part of μ's and your vocal talent is already established I would be shocked if they denied you.”
“Uh… well…” Nico wildly looked around the room for some kind of backup but everyone else remained silent. “I’m not an actress. I mean I know the basics, my father loved watching behind the scenes stuff for movies and I loved watching them with him but that’s all I have besides being a school idol.”
“It won’t be an issue.” Saburo waved a hand dismissively. “Truth be told, the producers want the core Valkyries to be unknowns. Nobody knows the Valkyries’ true identities. It would be distracting if, for example, Sunshine was played by a famous actress.”
“Sending out mixed messages isn’t he?” Maki whispered to Umi who gave a snort of amusement.
Kaneko’s phone vibrated and he looked at his watch. “I am very sorry but I have to leave now. Please forgive me.” He bowed before pulling out a piece of paper and handing it to Nico. “Here’s my business card. If any of you want to audition for the movie proper please reach out by this Friday.” Grabbing his briefcase he briskly walked out of the club room.
“So did you need us for anything else Tachibana-sensei?” Honoka asked, breaking the silence.
Hibiki shook her head. “Nope. That’s all. Pretty exciting news am I right?”
“I’m more excited that there's going to be a movie about the Valkyries,” Hanayo said. “I hope they include Bakeneko in it. She’s just as much of a hero as the others.” The normally shy girl gave Rin a knowing look who blushed in response.
“She is,” Nozomi agreed. “But wow, a movie about the Valkyries. I wonder what the actual Valkyries will think when they learn about it,” she said innocently. Too innocently.
“The Valkyries are from another dimension. I doubt they will ever find out,” Kotori countered.
Nozomi placed a finger to her lips and winked. “I think they’re more involved in this world than you think. In fact, for all we know they might already know about this movie and are flattered.”
All six members of SONG 2 glanced at each other. That was way too close for comfort. Thankfully for them, Nozomi decided to drop it as the girls chatted about other topics for a bit.
Nico shook her head before grabbing the piece of paper Kaneko gave her. “I need to go now. My fans need me.” She immediately shot up and left the room. Soon the other members of μ's were following her out.
Honoka got up and made her way to the door before feeling a hand on her shoulder. She turned around and saw Eli in front of her. “Honoka. Can I talk to you for a moment?”
“Ya what’s up?”
“I’m surprised you said no to the cameo. It’s the perfect opportunity to increase μ's popularity.” Eli’s face darkened. “It’s not because of your internship is it?”
“No!” The orange-haired girl raised her hands defensively. “My hours are flexible. The real reason is because I learned my lesson last time not to stretch myself too thin. Being in the movie would be awesome, but I don’t want to risk having to crap out on μ's.”
“That makes sense. “ Eli looked down and her eyes narrowed as if she just remembered something important. “Your pendant. I know you said you got it from a family friend as a child but do you know where they got it from?”
Honoka hummed in thought but internally she was freaking out. First the movie and now Eli asking her about her pendant!? “They never told me but I think he made it himself. Asahi-san was super talented.”
“Was?” Eli instantly noticed Honoka’s slip up.” Did something happen to him?”
Before Honoka was nervous now she was in a full blown panic. Today was just getting worse and worse. She played with her hair as she desperately tried to think of an answer. “He… passed away a few years ago. It’s kind of a sensitive topic in my family so I appreciate it if you didn’t bring it up to anyone else.”
Eli’s eyes widened for a moment before softening. “I can do that. I’m sorry for asking about it.” She awkwardly rubbed her arm. “If you ever need help with anything or need to take a break… let me know.”
“Thanks Eli-chan,” Honoka replied slowly, not sure how to react to her senpai’s cryptic statement. Was she talking about schoolwork or μ's?
Honoka shrugged before waving goodbye to Eli and made her way out of the room. She was probably just on edge after all the close calls today. Nothing to worry about.
Back in the club room Eli craned her head, waiting for the sound of Honoka’s footsteps to fade before making her way over to her bag. Pulling out a small notepad she flipped to a page with a long list. Putting a checkmark next to one item on the list she looked at the opposite page where a similar list was already written. Her eyes darted back and forth a few times before groaning.
It doesn’t make sense. It was like the answer was at the tip of her tongue but something was stopping her from reaching it. Before she never noticed anything was amiss but ever since that moment four days ago it seemed so obvious in retrospect.
Packing up her bag Eli walked out of the school. Why couldn’t she figure it out? By the gate she spied her little sister Alisa waiting for her. “Khorosho!” Eli gasped as she hastily pulled out her notepad. “Alisa. Could you do me a favor?”
Notes:
Chapter 5 will be out when it’s out but should only take around a month.
Chapter Text
“Ok why would anyone trust him?” Umi asked Kotori as she pointed at the television screen.
The two were sitting in Kotori’s house enjoying one of their elusive days where they had no obligations besides school. That meant Kotori could finally catch up on her favorite anime and have her…. Good friend watch it alongside her.
Dozens of DVDs were lying haphazardly in front of the T.V. Kotori’s parents were out of the house which meant they could have a nice long binge session.
“Well, most girls would jump at the opportunity to become one. And considering what we do, you have no room to judge,” Kotori teased.
Umi huffed. “I’m just saying if some creature walked up to me and asked me to make a contract with it I would say no. But there’s one thing that’s bugging me. Is it just me or does that one girl sound a lot like Hibiki-san?”
Kotori shrugged. “I don’t hear it.”
Despite not being a fan of anime, Umi could admit Kotori had good taste, even if said tastes sometimes hit a bit too close to home when it came to the realities of being a magical girl. Umi glanced to the side where her friend's hand was casually laying on the couch. Should she?!
Slowly, uncertainly, Umi moved her shaking hand towards Kotori’s as if she was afraid it was a snake about to bite her. When they were less than a centimeter away, Umi hesitated for one last moment, steeled herself, and placed her hand over Kotori’s. Her… very good friend started at the touch and turned, but before Umi could pull back Kotori smiled, leaning onto her shoulder with a contented sigh. Mission accomplished. Umi tried to ignore the beating of her heart as she congratulated herself.
They remained in comfortable silence as they continued to watch T.V. A tiny part of Umi wanted to go further, to be more intimate, but her modesty refused to be trampled over so easily and dug in its heels. Anything more than holding hands made her entire body freeze up and mind go blank in embarrassment. Why was she still so afraid?
Then again she shouldn’t worry about it. Kotori was always the most patient between her, Umi, and Honoka. Knowing her she was just waiting for Umi to be comfortable enough and would gladly wait as long as she needed to.
Even if Chris occasionally teased her for their relationship somehow being even slower then Hibiki and Miku.
Chris and Kirika were the only two who knew for a fact that Umi and Kotori were… close. They both liked each other in that way so why was it so hard to think of Kotori as her… girlf-
Thump
“Umi-chan! Are you ok?!” Kotori asked while frantically fanning her childhood friend's forehead.
Umi blinked, only now registering that she was laying on the floor and had a tiny bruise on her arm. “What happened?”
“I don’t know!” Kotori threw her hands up in confusion. “One moment you were fine and then the next your face turned red and you collapsed. Do you need to go to the hospital?”
“No, no. I’m fine. I was just…. distracted.” Well. She had her answer now. Baby steps.
Kotori gave her a knowing look. “It’s about the thieves isn’t it?”
“It isn’t… “Umi looked up at the ceiling while reaching into her pocket and wrapping her hands around her pendant. “But I would be lying if I said I haven’t been thinking about it.” She could feel the warmth emanating from the relic.
A new threat. She honestly believed that Morgana was it. That after her defeat they could retire from active duty and only help SONG 2 recover relics. And here they were waiting for the other shoe to drop. Another secret war.
The senior members didn’t even miss a beat as they seamlessly transitioned to preparing for the worst. Everything they did from contacting government officials to stockpiling supplies in case of a direct attack spoke to the years of experience they had. This wasn’t their first time. And through this entire process they didn’t even once ask for help.
Umi would have been insulted if she didn’t know better. Hibiki, Chris and everyone else in SONG 2 saw this as their battle and their responsibility. They refused to drag anyone else into their war. Their one gesture spoke volumes. She didn’t know if Kotori, Honoka, or Rin noticed, but she did.
“I just hope Honoka isn’t too stressed out,” Kotori worried. Umi couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Typical Kotori, not even thinking about herself.
“Speaking of her. When should we tell her about us?” Umi said.
Wasn’t that the burning question. The three of them had been friends for most of their lives. An unbreakable trio. But what happened when Honoka suddenly became the third wheel? How would she react to knowing her two best friends were not only gay but also dating each other? How awkward would things be for them?
“I don’t know.” Kotori shrugged in defeat. “Should we tell her before we tell everyone else?”
“We should. But how do we tell her? I don’t think we can just walk up to her one day and say hey guess what? We confessed to each other and are kind of dating. Hope you enjoy being the third wheel! That will go smoothly,” she snarked.
“Well not if we say it like that, ” Kotori teased, earning a chuckle from Umi.
Hopefully they wouldl find a solution soon enough. Umi looked outside where the sun was still high in the air. But that could wait for later. Right now she just wanted to live in the moment and spend some time with Kotori.
Honoka licked her lips as a hearty bowl of ramen was placed in front of her. Rin and Hanayo stood on the other side of the booth, another bowl of ramen and a bowl of rice in front of each of them. It was finally time.
All three of them immediately started digging into their meals. One hidden perk of being a member of SONG 2 was how it was near impossible to gain a serious amount of weight. Turns out leaping around the city and fighting Noise on a weekly basis burned a lot of calories. That meant they could eat as much as they wanted and not worry.
The three of them were in a small restaurant nestled in between two massive stores. With her “check” she got from her internship she could more than indulge in her favorite activity of all. Eating.
“I can’t believe I’ve never been here before. This rice is amazing!” Hanayo praised in between mouthfuls of rice.
“The ramen’s just as good. Who told you about this place?” Rin asked.
“Hibiki-san. She told me it’s one of her favorite places here. Although she says the Flower back home is way better.” Honoka slowed down as she idly moved her chopsticks across the ramen. Ever since they managed to contact SONG there’d been a sense of hope among the organization. She never noticed it before but Hibiki was a lot more open about mentioning her home world.
It wasn’t just her. Miku occasionally hummed to music that came from the other world. Kirika started actively drawing monsters and outfits that were explicitly from the 2040s.
Because now there was a chance they could see their home again. They had proof they could break the barriers between worlds and make contact with SONG.
What would happen if they succeeded and found a way home? Would they abandon this one or travel between worlds?
“I sayyyyyy. Hey! Hey! Hey START:DASH!”
Honoka's thoughts grinded to a halt as her and Rin’s phones simultaneously went off. All three girls shared looks between each other as Honoka wordlessly laid her phone on the table. It was from Flower. Not just that but it was a special ringtone that could only mean one thing.
They had a mission.
“I’ll handle the bill,” Hanayo offered. The two Adapters nodded in gratitude as they ran out of the store and into a nearby alleyway. Honoka double-checked for any cameras or wandering eyes before answering. “Commander, I’m with Rin-chan. What’s up?”
“We think we have a lead regarding the thieves. Recently there’s been a surge in mysterious suicides throughout Tokyo and we heavily suspect it might be supernatural and connected to them. We’ve been tracking a man who's been acting erratically. He’s currently in the south part of Tokyo. We have already received approval from the U.N. for SONG 2 to intervene. Track him down and try to question him. Do not hurt him even if he attacks first.”
“Understood. We’re on it,” Honoka answered before disconnecting. She nodded at Rin as both of them pulled out their Symphogear pendants. Closing their eyes they sang.
Lorveg Murar Carnwennan Tron
Light consumed them as their armor formed around them. Now clad in their Symphogears the two jump kicked onto the roof of the building.
“Honoka-chan! Rin-chan! We have visual confirmation of our suspect!” Hibiki said through the communicator. “He’s about half a mile south of you and is running toward a closed off section of the Rinkai Line.”
“Got ya! We’re on our way!” Honoka called back before running to the edge of the rooftop. Jumping off, the diamonds hovering behind her moved and attached to her back. Splitting apart, two thrusters formed and fired, sending her hurtling through the air.
Rin was right behind her, bouncing off the street lights, using her scarf to reel herself toward the docks. If it wasn’t such a serious situation, the two would probably be trying to race each other.
Scanning the area below, all they saw were just a few civilians walking fown the lonely streets. That is until someone yelled out in annoyance.
Looking down to the left, they spotted a man running down the street bumping into people, not even trying to avoid them. It didn’t seem like he was running away from something, but rather, toward it. That must be their guy.
Closing in, the two Symphogear-wielders ignored confused gawkers from the few individuals on the street, laser-focused on intercepting the man. He crawled underneath a barricaded gate and slipped down into the abandoned subway.
Rin and Honoka both landed right in front of the tunnel, hot on the man’s heels. Unsheathing her armed gear, Honoka cleaved through the metal blocking the tunnel.
At the bottom of the stairs, they were met with the remains of the once lively train station. The Blood Moon Incident had hit the port area of Tokyo particularly hard, causing parts of the subway system to flood. The government had managed to fix the tracks but it meant they had to compromise on the stations themselves, abandoning a few.
The station was dim, only illuminated by a few stray lights by the tracks and walls. Another metal barricade was erected around the track, warning signs plastered all over it. A pipe jutted out from the ceiling, presumably collapsed during the attack in August. Water pooled beneath, trailing through cracks and into the large cavity stretching across the station.
Looking to their right, the Adapters spotted the man crouched before a particularly large, mirror-smooth puddle as if it was sacred ground.
“Yes. Of course I have it, my lady.” The man fished into his coat and pulled out a flash drive. He laid it onto the water’s surface, and the device was slowly pulled below the pavement. “Just as you wished.”
“Hey. Are you ok?” Honoka called out. This whole area was giving her the creeps.
The man turned around, his eyes full of madness. “Can you not hear it?! She calls for us. For me! Her song floats in the air—always a whisper, but I must get closer. I must hear her song again!”
Rin stepped forward, her hands hovering near the scabbards containing her armed gear. “Whose song? What is she singing?”
“The song of her people, a song we are unworthy of but are given to by their grace.” He thrusted his thumb at his chest. “I was chosen and I will answer. She’s coming!”
The puddle in front of the man rippled as a feminine figure veiled by a curtain of clear water silently rose from beneath the station. The liquid remaining in the pool seemed to stretch around her like a thin film, rather than any liquid the Adapters recognized. A hiss of spray erupted, as the figure extended an arm, water solidifying into tanned flesh.
The water rolled off the figure’s form to reveal flowing locks of straight blonde hair, falling over toned shoulders and a well-endowed bosom, left all the more obvious by her red crop. The Adapters almost would have believed her to be a beach-going American tourist, what with how her jeans were cut to show just the right amount of her powerful legs. She batted long eyelashes over light blue eyes that glittered like the ocean at midday and shaped her full lips into a small smirk. The watching Adapters couldn’t deny her beauty, but something about it felt false.
Honoka couldn’t keep a chill from arcing down her spine. Her eyes wildly scanned the area for hidden foes. This felt way too similar to her first encounter with Morgana.
The woman’s lips moved in song, but no sound came out. She continued for a few moments before stopping, her smirk turning into a frown. “Of course it wouldn’t work on you two. That would be too easy.” She glanced over at the man who seemed enraptured by her appearance yet made no attempt to get closer.
She placed her right hand on top of his head and squeezed. Honoka immediately sprigged into motion, rushing toward the man to save him. Rin only being a few steps behind her. The man showed no sign of discomfort as blood started to drip from his head, the woman’s fingers digging into his flesh. Honoka was only a fourth of the way there before the woman twisted her wrist, the poor man’s neck snapping from the sudden force. She let go of her victim's corpse whose body crumpled to the floor.
The two Symphogear users stopped and could only stare in horror at the bloody body in front of them. Both of them have seen death before, but it was always Noise victims.
“Who are you?! Why did you kill that man?!” Honoka demanded as she and Rin pulled out their Armed Gears. Whoever this interloper was, she was clearly a supernatural threat.
“I got what I wanted from him, so he didn’t need to waste any more salt.” The stranger kicked the man's cooling corpse, sending it ragdolling toward the wall. She didn’t care about the sight of blood smeared against the cracked tiles, instead casting a glance at one of the analog clocks still hanging from the ceiling. She gave the Adapters a casual shrug. “As for my name I got time to burn. Make this fight fun and I’ll tell you!”
Honoka immediately accepted her challenge as she charged forward and swung at her hip, using the flat side of her sword, only to be completely halted by the woman’s right arm. She felt a jolt of pain race up her arms as if she had hit a solid steel wall with her bare hands.
Taking a step back, the stranger pulled her left arm back before driving her fist into Honoka’s stomach.
The sword-wielder felt the air leave her body as the woman’s strike sent her hurling through the air. She landed on the ground where Rin quickly ran up to her and helped her recover.
“Honoka-chin! Are you ok?”
“I’ll be ok, but she’s a lot stronger than she looks,” Honoka grunted as she stood up. The stranger showed off her right arm, flexing her fingers. Some kind of red shell was coating her forearm and knuckles and slowly creeping up her body.
“Is that the best you got!?” she taunted as the skin on her right shoulder started to bulge and crack. Bits of flesh slopped off as hardened red shells grew underneath.
Rin and Honoka nodded at each other, the former taking in a breath and started singing.
(Play: Shiranai Love Oshiete Love- Rin Hoshizora)
The two Symphogear wielders split up, rushing the mysterious woman from both directions. The woman took a step forward before throwing a haymaker with her left arm at Rin who back flipped away. In the same motion, the stranger spun on her heels, her armored right side shielding her from Honoka’s thrust.
The sword-user twisted her wrist and her armed gear split into twin blades. With a flourish she spun, attacking from opposite angles.
Solar Tornado
Her opponent instantly grabbed onto one of the blades with her right hand and dragged it to the side. Honoka stumbled, her other blade veering off course and deflecting off the woman’s armor.
“What?!” Honoka gasped. How was she so fast? But she didn’t have any time to wonder as she was slammed into the ground, cracks forming from the impact. The shells on her right arm kept on growing, pieces fusing together and layering on top of each other. Causally turning around she swung out, forcing Rin to back off.
The dagger darted in and out, striking from every direction. Yet somehow the stranger was able to keep up, every slash bouncing off her hardened shell, missing the gaps in between the shells by mere millimeters. The woman seemed content to block, only occasionally throwing out a punch Rin easily dodged. She might not be able to hurt this monster but at least she couldn’t either. Yet Rin saw the smug look on her opponent's face as she moved in for another attack. Almost as—!
Rin threw herself backwards right as the woman’s hand exploded in a torrent of blood and gore, a massive red claw replacing it. She barely managed to avoid the swipe from her opponent's now extended range, although she could feel the weight behind it.
The woman rolled her shoulder and adjusted her stance, now compensating for the heavy shell covering her entire right arm and shoulder. What was once a beautiful woman was now a hulking monstrosity, her right side being over double the size of her left. “That feels a lot better. Now, stop messing around and fight!”
The skin around the woman’s neck tore apart, revealing a hideous maw full of razor sharp teeth. Taking in a deep breath, she screamed, the concrete beneath her shattering from the sheer, concentrated decibels. Both girls jumped out of the way, the sonic blast continuing until it hit the wall, part of it crumbling from the shock.
Kicking off the ground, Honoka ran toward the monstrous woman back and swiped. Yet again her attacks were blocked by that shell. The stranger turned around, her second mouth still open.
“What are you looking at?” She asked, her voice now sounding plain wrong, every syllable and inflection completely alien. Her second mouth receded with a sickening wet sound, now concealed by her flawless human skin.
From every direction echos of Rin simultaneously descended upon the monstrous woman who just stood there. The woman's eyes seemed to unfocus for a moment before snapping back. Rin had no idea what she was doing, but it didn’t matter. She raised her daggers in sync with her echoes, ready to slice into her.
Only for the woman to turn around at the last second, raising her claw and deflecting Rin’s blade at the perfect angle.
The echos vanished, leaving only the real Rin whose eyes were wide in disbelief as she tried to recover. How did she do that?! How did she just know which one was real?!
A bellowing sound erupted from one end of the tunnel, a beam of light illuminating the tunnel. The woman’s eyes darted to the side for a second before she smirked and shoulder checked Rin, sending her flying through the air.
Directly into the path of an incoming train.
“Rin-chan!” Honoka screamed. Running right by the edge of the track she got on her knees and planted her sword into the concrete. The spikes on the edge of her boots inverted and pierced the ground.
The Carnwennan wielder's eyes widened in recognition as her scarf extended and wrapped around Honoka’s body. Both girls grunted, the scarfing straining to remain in one piece while Honoka desperately tried to stay in place.
A retching sound made Honoka’s eyes snap open and look forward. The woman wasn’t content with just watching Rin get run over. She revealed her second mouth and let out a scream right at the prone sword user.
She couldn’t let go! But the train was about to pass through! Even if she could get out of the way the blast might hit it! Desperately, Honoka held out her left hand as her gauntlet let out a hiss of steam, growing and shifting into a giant metal fist. Digging it into the earth, she grunted as she pried her armed gear from the ground, the strain on her nearly doubling.
Holding her sword with only her right hand, she sloppily slashed an X into the air before thrusting, the resulting energy wave surging forward and intercepting the sonic scream.
Sun Streak
Plumes of smoke billowed out from the resulting explosion, blanketing the station in a thick fog. Feeling herself being dragged back, Honoka yelled as she dug in even deeper.
The train's horns only grew louder, its lights now illuminating the station. The boosters on Rin’s back opened up, firing as her momentum finally hit zero.
She slingshotted back, escaping the track less than a second before the train barreled through. Rin vaulted over Honoka and landed in front of her. Immediately running on all fours, the shadows condensed around her into a feline shape. Two tails erupted from her back, the tip of each one sharpening into a dagger.
Full Moon
Rin kept on singing as she rushed the mysterious woman whose only response was taking in a deep breath. Another sonic blast tore through the floor, the air vibrating from the pressure.
The cat construct’s limbs sharpened into claws as she jumped onto a nearby electronic map display. Her nails dug into the screen as she leapt off it, using it to vault over the blast.
Glass shards rained down, catching Rin and her opponent’s image in their reflections. But Rin ignored that and kept on singing, not even thinking, acting on pure instinct. The armored woman remained unphased, keeping her smug grin as she simply stood there. Rin pounced, her tails moving back, ready to strike. At the last second the blonde woman sidestepped the lunge and raised her right arm in front of her stomach.
But the tails were aimed at her face.
The woman’s cocky expression shifted into that of shock. She tried to readjust her arm but couldn’t move fast enough. Rin’s tails scraped across the woman’s cheek as she rushed past her. Catching herself, the shadow enveloping Rin evaporated.
The stranger ran a finger over her cheek, blood running down her face. “You sneaky bitch. Clever.” She turned around and grinned the skin peeling away to reveal a red shell with a small incision in it. “But not fast enough.”
Honoka and Rin both grimaced. They finally managed to bypass her hardened right arm, only to be met by another shield. How were they supposed to beat her if she just blocked everything they threw at her?!
She raised her right arm and snapped her claw, the loud snap echoing through the station. “Were you really the ones to beat Morgana?! Man, she wasn’t kidding when she mentioned that bitch was only a shadow.”
From deep within the tunnel, the wind howled. Kotori and Umi came shooting out, the former holding onto the latter before letting go. Umi held her bow out horizontally and it shifted, metal unfolding out from an opening at the bottom. Parts expanded and fused together until it transformed into a giant ballista. Pulling back on the string Umi fired, a single light blue arrow streaking through the station.
Despite holding her claw out to block the stranger was forced back a few inches from the raw power behind the shot before swatting it aside. “And that makes four. Wondering when you two would catch up. Show me what you got!”
She stomped forward but stopped when a puddle behind her rippled. She sighed and lowered her claw. “Really? Now?” She muttered to herself before looking up at the four Symphogear wielders.
“I’d love to fight all four of you now, but my time is up. The woman turned around and walked toward the pool of water. Kotori and Umi took advantage of the opening, sending forth waves of wind blades and arrows but the woman casually dodged it without even looking at them. “By the way, my name is Leucosia.” She lazily swung her right arm behind her, batting away a few arrows aimed at her back. “Hope you put up a better fight next time.” She taunted as she stepped into the pool before sinking into it. The water rippled once and all signs of Leucosia were gone.
“Girls.” Hibiki’s voice came to life through the communicator. “Come back to Flower immediately. We have a lot to talk about.”
Tense. That was the only way to describe the mood inside Flower’s medical room. While Honoka and Rin weren’t too badly injured they still had to undergo a checkup. With how often they were having debriefings in this room it might as well be their conference room. Considering the fold-in table Phara was effortlessly dragging in they weren’t the only ones with that idea.
Honoka and Rin were sitting up on two medical beds, Garie scuttling around them inspecting their bodies for any hidden injuries. Hibiki, Umi, Kotori, Hanayo, and Tsubasa stood or sat right next to the injured duo. Chris, Maria and Miku were all standing around a monitor, watching the screen intensely.
And Elfnein sat in a chair while typing away at a tablet, her fingers practically a blur. Leiur silently stepped up behind her and slid her chair over to the main table, the tiny scientist barely even reacting to being moved.
Shirabe and Kirika made their way into the room, their travel bags still in hand. Both of them laid their luggage on the floor before sitting down at the table.
“Miss Kousaka and Miss Hoshizora are cleared,” Garie reported as she finished her inspection. “Their only injuries are minor and will be fully healed within twenty four hours.”
Hibiki hummed in confirmation before everyone made their way to the makeshift conference table.
"Everyone’s here so let’s start. First thing first.” Hibiki sat down and looked at Honoka and Rin. “How are you two feeling?”
“Could be worse. I know I’m gonna be sore tomorrow morning but otherwise I’m ok,” Honoka reported as she slowly rolled her shoulder.
Rin raised her hand. “Same here.”
“Good. Now we’ve already reviewed the combat footage and have our theories.” Hibiki gestured at the senior members before pointing to her students. “But I want you five to watch the video and tell us your thoughts. Being able to figure out a new opponent's powers in the field is important. I have zero doubt Leucosia still has tricks up her sleeve and I won’t let you get caught off guard.”
The monitor on screen came to life, replaying Honoka’s and Rin’s encounter with Leucosia. The only difference was the blur censoring the man’s gruesome death. Honoka gritted her teeth in frustration at the smug smirk on Leucosia's face as she effortlessly blocked every slash.
After the monstrous woman sank into the water the video ended. Hibiki clapped her hands and went we see over to a whiteboard with a marker in hand. “So what do you think?”
Honoka placed a finger to her chin. “Well the most obvious thing is her strength. She hit hard , way harder than a normal human, I know you hold back in our spars but I’m positive she’s stronger than you, at least without...” She trailed off, uncertain as to how much Gungnir actually added to Hibiki’s strength. Not catching the unspoken query, Hibiki just nodded as she scrawled down ‘Super Strength: At least 2 tons.’
“There’s also the shell covering her body, which unless I’m missing it you two couldn’t even cut.” Hanayo added on.
Maria nodded her head, giving Hanayo an encouraging smile. “Good. Continue.”
“It was way tougher than steel. Besides that,” Rin held her hand out and started counting with her fingers. “Leucosia had a sonic scream, can teleport through water, some kind of mind control power, and super reflexes.”
“We can safely assume she also has the ability to control water in general. With how she turned into water it makes less sense for her not to be able to,” Umi said.
“Bingo! Good thinking Umi-chan!” Hibiki smiled as she added on “Water control” to the list.
“Don’t forget that… second mouth when she screamed.” Kotori shivered in disgust when the screen paused on a still image of Lecousia's second mouth. The way her neck stretched out, the hideous teeth that only existed to eviscerate anything it touched, the torn flesh limply hanging around the edges. Just looking at it left her uneasy, and from the expressions of everyone else she wasn’t the only one.
Even Hibiki seemed unnerved as her gaze lingered on the screen before she managed to look away. “Anything else?” she asked.
Rin raised her hand. “There's also how she knew which one of me was real when I made clones. There were dozens of me and somehow she just knew. Does she also have super senses?”
Shirabe shook her head. “You're getting off track. When she blocked you and when she grabbed Honoka-san’s swords aren’t two different abilities. It’s the same one.”
Tsubasa made eye contact with her apprentice. “And this is one answer we do not have. When you charged Leucosia at the end you surprised her. She moved her arm as if she expected a stab at her stomach only to be shocked when you didn’t. Clearly you were able to overcome her defenses. So compared to every other move you did, what was different?”
Rin placed a hand to her chin and hummed in thought, racking her brain for an answer. “I wasn’t thinking.”
“And I thought the dummy was bad,” Chris snarked, earning her a slap on the arm from Miku. “Hey!”
“I mean it. I wasn’t thinking. I wasn’t considering what angle to attack her, I didn’t plan it. I just ran forward and let my instinct take over. I wasn’t thinking, I didn’t have anything on my mind. Anything on my mind…” Rin constantly repeated as she mentally replayed the memory over and over. What did she do differently? If the only thing different was her thoughts then that means-! She stiffened before immediately standing up, her chair falling over.
“Mind! That's it! She can read our minds! That’s how she was able to block so effortlessly. We were pretty much screaming our moves at her! When I tried to trick her with my copies she knew which one was real because she couldn’t read their minds! And when I managed to hit her she didn’t know what to do since I wasn’t thinking about it!”
Everyone took in the theory. Honoka, Kotori, Kirika, Chris, Hibiki, and Tsubasa all hummed in agreement but Miku, Umi, Maria, and Shirabe were more hesitant.
“Your theory makes sense and telepathy is possible, but it feels incomplete,” Maria admitted. “If she did have telepathy she would have done a few things differently.
“There could be limitations on her telepathy,” Hibiki countered. “For now we operate under the presumption she can read our minds in some form but remain open minded to other answers. But time to put it all together. We have an idea of her powers. But what do they mean about her in general?”
“Leucosia isn’t human. Or at least isn’t entirely human,” Honoka answered. “When she spoke to me through her second mouth, it felt wrong . Her not being human explains how strong she was. She always seemed to be one step ahead, we couldn’t land a single hit on her. And even if she’s reading our mind, her reaction time is inhuman. Maybe she’s using Sorcery or Alchemy to mutate her body and that’s why she’s so fast?”
“It has to be Sorcery. Her inhuman features are too… cleanly integrated is the best way to describe it.” Elfnein explained. “Alchemy can alter the human body, Noble Red being a prime example, but the alterations are noticeable. Leucosia seemed much more natural not only in appearance but in how smoothly the changes were. Almost as if the two halves were always there.”
“So she’s another woman using some kind of Sorcery? That’s all we got?” Rin asked, raising her shoulders almost as if she was disappointed.
“There’s one more hint to her identity you haven’t thought of yet.” Miku gave the five a small smile. “Think about who we fought in the past. St, Germain, Shem-ha Mephorash, Morgana, and now Leucosia. There’s something you're missing.”
The five school girls scooted over to each other and started whispering to each other. The senior members couldn’t help but smile in pride. It’s only been a few months since they joined and they had already come so far. A small part of Hibiki wondered if they were a bit too far but banished that thought as Umi seemed to piece it together.
“Her name.” Umi's eyes widened as realization hit her. “Her name isn’t a normal name. All the other names were associated with mythology. Which means Lecuosia might also be from myth.”
“Exactly!” Hibiki cheered as she gave Umi a thumbs up. “The name Leucosia is from mythology. From our research it was the name of one of the Sirens.”
Umi slapped her forehead and shook her head. “I can’t believe it took me this long. It’s so obvious. The hypnotic voice, her beauty, how it felt wrong, what else could it be?” Umi looked behind her for support, Kotori and Hanayo humming in agreement.
“Hehe yup. Leucosia is one of these Sirens who I totally know all about.” Honoka sheepishly laughed before leaning in and whispering to Kotori “Think you could give me a refresher?” Rin let out an exaggerated yawn, trying to act casual as she also leaned toward Kotori trying to listen in. Umi could only roll her eyes.
“I already have a report made.” Elfnein moved over to a monitor that came to life, multiple documents and paintings flashing on screen. “Sirens are monsters from Greek mythology. They were half-human, half-birds who had the ability to hypnotize anyone who heard them sing. They would lure sailors to their death by hypnotizing them and making them drown.
“Birds? That can’t be right. That shell and claw were exactly like a crab. And don’t those look more like mermaids?” Rin pointed at one picture in the corner which depicted three beautiful women with mermaid tails lounging on jagged rocks.
“The original legends had them as birds but later depictions tied them with mermaids and eventually made the two synonymous.” Elfnein answered. “But it’s likely both of these depictions are correct in some way. All of them do involve them being encountered at sea, after all.”
Umi held her hand out and shook her head. “Hold on, that doesn’t make sense. Wouldn’t they just be based on the original myths?”
“So this is a lecture for a different time but just to simplify it, even in our world the legends weren’t entirely accurate to the real thing,” Shirabe explained. “Oftentimes forgotten bits of the real story would find themselves back into pop culture and be adapted into the legends. While officially King Arthur was a male, there is a prevailing theory among heretical technology experts that she was actually a female. This is likely the same situation.”
“So is Leucosia a genuine Siren or is she just using the name?” Kotori asked
Elfnein shrugged “It’s hard to say. I know of the Sirens. In some of Flamel’s old research notes he offhandedly mentioned them a few times. They did exist in our world. Now if they were actual monsters or just humans who call themselves Sirens is something I don’t know. But I’m fairly confident Leucosia is from our world.”
“There’s one other thing I just remembered!” Honoka beamed and puffed up her chest. “That ripple right before she left. It was like someone was calling her back. And when she mentioned Morgana she said ‘ She wasn’t kidding.’ Leucosia isn’t alone. She’s in a group.” Honoka crossed her arms and leaned back, eyes closed, head tilted up in pride. Out of everyone in the room she was the only one to piece it together. She actually beat Umi for once!
“We already knew that Dummy Jr,” Chris snarked, “All four CIA agents were ambushed and questioned at the same time. Of course she isn’t alone. We don’t know if she can summon Noise or just didn’t bother. But I’ll give you some credit for noticing her slip.” Honoka instantly deflated.
Rin raised her hand. “One last thing. I think at the start of the fight Leucoisa was trying to hypnotize us. She was moving her mouth like she was singing. But we couldn’t hear it? Know why?”
“Right now it’s either because you're biologically female or because you were using a Symphogear. We’re not sure which but either way it makes you two immune,” Hibiki answered. The room went silent. With the analysis part complete meant there was only one thing left to do. Honoka, Umi, Kotori, and Rin all stood up and made their way toward Hibiki.
As if on cue Hibiki stood up and walked over to her students meeting them in the middle of the room. “I made a promise about keeping you in reserve but now we know. Leucosia and whoever she’s working with are an active supernatural threat.” She bit her lip as if she was dreading it but took in a calming breath before steeling herself. “I wish I didn’t have to say it but the world needs you again. This is entirely your choice and you have the right to say no, but Honoka-chan, Umi-chan, Kotori-chan, Rin-chan. Are you willing to return to active duty and help us fight?”
“Of course I will!” Honoka and Rin shouted simultaneously as they stepped forward. They both looked at each other and grinned. Not that it surprised anyone. The two were always in sync. Or shared a single brain cell depending on who you asked.
“There’s no way I could live with myself if I didn’t help Honoka-chan and Rin-chan. I’m in!” Kotori stepped forward, getting in line.
Everyone’s gaze turned to Umi who sagged her shoulders before drawing herself back up and nodding in confirmation as she also stepped forward. “It’s our duty and responsibility. I will.”
“Thank you.” Hibiki bowed her head in gratitude. “I don’t know how big Leucosia’s group is but with four Symphogears I’m certai-“
“No, we have five!” A voice boldly declared. Everyone’s attention was drawn toward Hanayo who confidently stood up and walked toward Hibiki, a fire in her eyes. “I’ve stood by the side for long enough! I’m joining everyone on the field as a Valkyrie!”
The commander of SONG 2 remained silent as she stared down Hanayo. Out of everyone in μ's, Hanayo was without question the shyest. For her to ask, no demand to become a Symphogear Adapter was at total odds with her entire personality.
“Hanayo-chan,” Hibiki said, every word deliberate. “This isn’t a game. Becoming an Adapter is a huge responsibility. You will have to make sacrifices and you will be risking your life. None of us expect you to fight.”
“I already know that and that’s exactly why I’m joining.” Hanayo practically stormed up to Hibiki - who didn’t even flinch - and glared. “What kind of friend would I be if I just stood on the sides and let Rin-chan, Honoka-chan, Umi-chan, and Kotori-chan fight Leucosia by themselves? They need my help. I know I will have to make sacrifices, I know I will be risking my life but it’s one I’ll gladly take if it means supporting my friends!”
Hibiki just remained stone-faced for a moment, taking in Hanayo’s passionate speech. Slowly her expression shifted into a tiny smile. “I knew you would say that. And you will.” The commander of SONG 2 looked over shoulder. “Elfnein-chan. How soon can we have Hanayo-chan’s Symphogear ready?”
The tension in the room evaporated and was replaced by excitement. It was finally happening. Hanayo would join them as the fifth member of the Valkyries.
Elfnein immediately started frantically typing away at her tablet. “It shouldn’t take more than a week. I already have the shell complete. All I have to do is Tune a relic to Hanayo-san and insert it into the pendant.”
“What are our options?” Maria asked as she walked over to Elfnein with a purpose.
Elfnein pursed her lips as she read of her tablet, “We currently have Sudarshana, Tizona, and Lethe as potential Symphogears. As for which ones I can Tune to her, I don’t know. I never thought to check before. I already have samples of her singing so it shouldn’t take me more than a few minutes to check.”
In the meantime all four Valkyrie were huddled around their soon to be fifth member.
“This is awesome!” Rin grabbed Hanayo’s hands with her own, the two only inches away from each other. “You're finally going to be with us on missions! I can’t wait to show you what Tsubasa-san taught me!” She yanked Hanayo into a hug to start jumping up and down in excitement. Her enthusiasm was so infectious Hanayo went from being pulled up to also jumping alongside her best friend.
Honoka leaned over the back of a chair. “Right now we got Tizona, Sudarshana, and Lethe. Which one are you going to pick?!”
“Whichever one Elfnein-san and Hibiki-san believes they can Tune to me. I don’t think it’s something I get to pick,” Hanayo deflected.
“Ok.” Honoka rolled her eyes. “But let’s say they can Tune all three relics to you and they will be at the same power. Which one would you prefer?”
“If I had to choose, I would say Tizona. I would like to use a sword like Maria.” The shy first year sneaked a glance at the world famous idol. Maria seemed to have grown fond of her. Did that mean she might be willing to teach her directly?! Maria was her favorite idol, even surpassing Tsubasa. Learning from her would be a dream come true.
“Sword buddies!” Honoka grabbed Hanayo’s hand and lifted them up as if they were holding swords. “See? I was right, Umi-chan! She does want to use a sword.” She stuck her tongue out at Umi.
“Alright you got me. I believed she would prefer a ranged weapon.” Umi raised her hands in defeat before giving Hanayo a warm smile. “I’m glad you're finally joining us in the field. With five of us we can rotate who needs to be on a mission. That means it will be a lot easier for all of us regarding our normal lives.”
“Shirabe-san and Chris-san. Could you two come over to me for a second. I need to verify something.” Elfnein asked. The two former Adapters raised an eyebrow but obeyed and walked over to the short scientist.
“Everyone is going to love you! I wonder what your Symphogear will look like. Wait, is there a way to alter your Symphogear’s appearance?” Rin said loud enough for everyone to hear. The members of μ's all turned to Kirika since she was the fashion expert.
“Kind of, kind of not.” Kirika shrugged. “It’s based on whatcha prefer! Think it’s how I got my hat but I’m not sure if you can predesign one. Be cool to find out.”
“Kotori-chan. Get your sketchbook now!” Rin demanded as she frantically searched the room for any kind of pen and paper, taking Kirika’s musings as a direct challenge.
Kirika wordlessly pulled out her own sketchbook before sliding it to Kotori. “Never know when inspiration will hit you.”
Soon all five highschool girls were dragged into the whirlwind of working on Hanayo’s Symphogear design. Colors and motifs were being tossed around as Kotori tried to make a sketch.
“Why does it have to be so lewd?!” Umi cried out as she tried to direct Kotori toward a more modest design.
On the other side of the room Elfnein remained dead silent as she tested Hanayo’s compatability against some audio clips. Hibiki and Miku walked over to the monitor and their eyes widened in shock. “Are you sure?” Miku whispered. Elfnein’s only response was a nod of her head.
“I triple checked everything. I’m positive,” Elfnein whispered back before raising her voice. “I finished testing.”
The five girls immediately stopped and turned around. Rin pushed Hanayo up front and center. All eyes were on her as the newest Adapter stepped up. “So what relic will I use?”
Elfnein didn’t immediately answer as she stared at her screen intensely as if she expected it to change. After a moment she shook her head in defeat. “In retrospect I should have expected it. We were extremely lucky with you four.”
“What do you mean?” Hanayo half whispered as she started rubbing her arms nervously. “Can I not tune to any of the relics SONG 2 has?” The dead silence from the short scientist only confirmed her fears.
Rin ran up to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Don’t worry about it. It’s only a matter of time before we can find a relic for you. Hey! Is it possible to retune a relic? Maybe Kayo-chin can use one of ours and we can just use a new one.”
“Maybe, but that won’t work in this case.” Elfnein shook her head. “The issue is you have no reaction to any relic at all. I’m sorry Hanayo-san, but I won’t be able to Tune a relic to you. You're not a Symphogear candidate.”
Notes:
Another chapter done.
Now I know what your all thinking and in my first drafts Hanayo would have gotten a Symphogear around this point. But as I wrote arc 1 I realized going in this direction was a lot more interesting story wise. Really because in canon it's implied that being a candidate is an uncommon thing. What are the odds that all nine members of μ's are Symphogear candidates? And what happens when one girl finds out she can't use one despite wanting to?
Besides that, I am using solo mixes of group songs for some of the girls fight songs. Since some girls solo songs just can't work at all. I know I do stretch the definition a lot but even I have a minimum.
Chapter 6 will be out when it's out. New job means less time for writing but I'll do my best to not take months this time.
Chapter Text
“I’m sorry. But you're not a Symphogear candidate.”
Hanayo hugged her knees as she blankly stared at the ground floor window of Flower. She wasn’t quite sure how she got here in the first place. After being told the worst news of her life all she remembered was running upstairs. Her phone was tossed to the side and placed on silent, although she knew it was being spammed by calls and texts from Rin. She would feel guilty over ignoring her best friend in a few hours but right now she needed to be alone. That’s why she locked the door.
“I’m sorry. But you’re not a Symphogear candidate.”
Intellectually, she understood being a Symphogear candidate was based on whether their singing voice fit into a specific wavelength and frequency humans couldn’t readily understand. Although how that wavelength formed was a complicated mess she couldn’t even begin to wrap her head around. It didn’t have anything to do with her skill or her singing ability, she was just like the majority of the population. According to Elfnein, even with Tuning drastically increasing the possible pool of candidates, only one in eight girls were theoretical Symphogear candidates. Honoka, Umi, Kotori, and Rin all being candidates was just a lucky coincidence.
A part of Hanayo saw becoming an Adapter as a dream come true. She was not only going to be a superhero but an idol superhero. She would sing to save the day and hopefully eventually stand on the same level as Maria and the other senior members of SONG 2. She knew the reality was a lot more gruesome but she didn’t care.
Now the rug was pulled out from under her and she was forced to face reality. She couldn’t. She lacked the potential. She never had a choice. Her only option was to stand on the sidelines helplessly and watch everyone else fight.
The one time she took the first step, to decide on her own to do something that would drastically change her life, the world instead decided to shove her back down. She was normal boring Hanayo Koizumi. Not like the energetic and charismatic leader Honoka Kousaka. Not like the cool and disciplined Umi Sonoda. Not like the creative and pretty Kotori Minami. Not like the charming and cute Rin Hoshizora.
Nothing to make her stand out. She would have never joined μ's if it wasn’t for Rin literally dragging her to the roof. She only joined SONG 2 because Honoka was forced to transform to save her before dragging her to Flower. All of her friends were special. They were superheros. A few weeks ago she remembered Elfnein offhandedly mentioning that Maki was a candidate. Eli, Nico, and Nozomi’s status were currently unknown although Hanayo couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if they were all candidates
“I’m sorry. But you're not a Symphogear candidate.”
Tears started to well up as Hanayo failed to hold back a sob. Why was she crying? She couldn't be a superhero. So what? Why did this sting so much?
Someone knocked on the door. Someone been knocking on the door every few minutes, but they never entered. The senior members of SONG 2 had keys to every door including this one, so they could enter whenever they wanted. This had to be Miku. Maybe she was waiting for her to give permission? “Come in,” Hanayo croaked. The door unlocked and quietly opened but it was Maria who entered the room before gently closing the door behind her.
Hanayo almost tripped over her feet attempting to stand-up and bow at the same time. She’d been ignoring the Maria Cadenzavna Eve for over twenty minutes! Oh, how could this day get any worse?! Before her thoughts could further spiral down to an endless abyss Maria took a seat.
After a moment she spoke. “I know what it's like.”
Every negative thought, every fear she had came to a momentary halt as Hanayo took in Maria’s confession. For a moment everything turned dead silent. It was as if the world was frozen in time and waiting for her to respond. She could feel the warmth from the sunlight beaming through the window. Finally, Hanayo managed a “…What do you mean?”
Maria crossed one leg over the other as she looked out the window, her expression a mixture of nostalgia and regret. “For a long time I had to use LiNKER to even use my Symphogear. Without it I simply didn’t have enough compatibility to safely use it. When I first joined SONG, LiNKER was a limited resource. Manufacture was… complicated, at first. Kirika, Shirabe, and I would often steal the limited supply of LiNKER SONG had and use it to help the others. But there were many times where we couldn’t afford to use it. So we had to sit on the back lines and watch. The one time I transformed without using any LiNKER? Well, I nearly died.”
The first year girl blinked at how casual Maria was about nearly dying. Then again considering her history, she probably lost count of how many near death experiences she’d had.
“So many times we would have to watch Tsubasa, Hibiki, and Chris fight by themselves. And too many times they struggled. All I wanted to do was to help them. To pay back the debt I owed them for everything they did for me, for the world. But I couldn’t and there was nothing I could do to change it.” She shook her head. “Funny enough, I'm quite sure Genjuro felt the same way. He could easily wipe the floor with any of us. He almost single handedly defeated Finé and only lost due to a trick. He had all this power but all he could do was stand back and watch us fight because of the Noise.”
That wasn’t even including their current situation. All seven of them had years of experience in fighting with a Symphogear and they had to sit back and let teenage girls with zero experience fight for them.
“There’s a difference. In those cases you could fight if it wasn’t for some outside factor. Me? There’s no way I can help. I’m just the leftovers.” Hanayo spat out the last sentence.
Maria raised an eyebrow but decided not to comment. “You can still make a difference and help the others. In fact you already are helping. If it wasn’t for you we would have to be way more careful with public knowledge. The only reason we were able to pull the ‘fake leak’ plan is because you were a moderator. I could go on and on, but you can help.”
“But I’m j-” Hanayo cut herself off, biting her lip with a grimace. Maria was already taking the time to talk to her, the least she could do was be respectful of her time. “Ok. I just hope Rin-chan isn’t too disappointed.” Her childhood friend was practically jumping off the walls when she volunteered to become a Symphogear wielder. Hanayo looked down at the floor.
“She’s more worried about you.” Maria placed a hand on Hanayo’s shoulder. She looked up, only to see the idol giving her a comforting smile. The older woman glanced at the door before leaning in and lowering her voice. “Actually there’s one thing you can do to help. I’m sure you're already aware of it, but Rin is still struggling. Keep being there for her. It’s obvious she trusts you more than anyone else.”
Hanayo's smile disappeared, understanding what Maria was trying to say. “I will.” Seems like the adults were aware of Rin’s issues. Did that mean they were also trying to help or were they just ignoring it? The shy girl brushed aside the thought. It didn’t matter. It was up to her to help her best friend through her trauma.
“Good. I’m glad she has someone like you.” Maria smiled, causing Hanayo to blush in embarrassment at the undeserved praise. She was just being a good friend. Considering everything Rin did for her it was the least she could do.
The world famous idol pulled out her phone and read it before sending out a quick text. “I think we should go back downstairs. Tsubasa just sent a text and she’s doing all she can to stop Rin from actively searching the city for you. With her Symphogear.”
Hanayo couldn’t help but cover her mouth and giggle. That sounded just like her. She followed Maria out of the room. Hopefully everyone wouldn’t be too disappointed by her being a failure.
Guitar riffs and drums blasted from the giant speakers standing next to the walls of the dark bedroom. A messy green and pink bed lay on one side of the room. Next to it were shelves full of plushies and other trinkets, a large pink and green rabbit being the centerpiece of the collection.
On the other side was a small desk and computer. Illuminated by the light of the screen Shirabe was laser focused, her fingers a blur as she pounded away on her college thesis. She always knew she wanted to get into engineering as a teen. It was the one topic that just clicked for her, especially robotics.
It was a shame. Before being sent to this world, she was only a month away from starting her undergraduate at the University of Tokyo. Being a member of SONG had its perks and getting fast tracked into admission at Japan’s most prestigious university was a prime example.
But all that changed when Gjallarhorn happened. When they decided to live in this new world the topic of college came up. Even with Elfnein providing them fake documents and I.D. it wasn’t quite enough for her to immediately get into the University of Tokyo. She lacked the records the institution required and she couldn’t provide any more without risking someone discovering she wasn’t even from this world. Elfnein’s forging abilities did have its limits.
So she had to go elsewhere. It wasn’t all bad, she did get to go to college with Kirika, which was a major benefit but it still stung. At least she was able to pass her classes in her sleep.
Multiple members of SONG had degrees in engineering or programming and were glad to teach her. Adding in Elfnein’s assistance and engineering techniques from the 2040s meant she came off as a prodigy in the 2010s.
Her professors praised her, she was the star student in her program, and she had almost every guy's eyes on her. Being a small cute girl in a male dominant major tended to do that. Even if the attention tended to edge on annoying. At least to her, she was pretty sure Kirika loved being a knight in shining armor and proudly declaring the two were lesbians.
Thank god she only had a few more months of college left. Tearing away her attention from the screen she grabbed her can of energy drink and downed it. The sooner she could get this thesis done the sooner she could focus on SONG 2.
Compared to everyone else, Shirabe barely did anything to help stop Morgana. The only thing she did was find Flamel’s letter and help Elfnein with Gandiva. It wasn’t like she didn’t want to help but her college courses were demanding and she lived a few hours away from Tokyo. It only made sense she was in the back lines. At least she could help Elfnein with her research.
Shirabe was the only one who understood Alchemy. Granted she was by no means an Alchemist and Elfnein blew her out of the water but she did understand the basic theories. Enough to where she could comprehend Flamel’s research notes or troubleshoot any minor issues with the Autoscorers.
She started tapping her right foot as the song finally entered the chorus. What else could she do to help SONG 2?
“SHIRABE. TURN IT DOWN!” Kirika screamed at the top of her lungs as she violently shook her fiancé. Shirabe jumped but complied, turning off the deafening music.
“Don’t scare me like that,” Shirabe scolded as she spun around in her chair to face Kirika.
“I was standing by the door and yelling at you for over a minute, but you couldn’t hear me. I like dess metal too but how can you focus with it on full blast?” Kirika stuck a finger in her ear.
“It removes all outside distractions,” Shirabe serenely replied. The prime one being a bored Kirika. “I’ll turn it off. I’m almost done with my thesis anyways. Hopefully I can convince my professor to let me skip some classes so I have more free time to help SONG 2.”
“And most importantly figure out a date for our wedding.” Kirika wagged her finger with a cheeky smile. “We’ve held off on it for months now due to Morgana. I know that crab woman throws a wrench into it but we can’t keep pushing it off.”
Shirabe felt another pang in her heart. Marrying Kirika had always been a key part of her dream. It only took her a few months after befriending the energetic blonde to fall in love with her. If it wasn’t for Maria putting her foot down, they would have gotten married the day she turned eighteen. “I know, Kiri-chan, but we have to look at it logistically. We want a wedding and reception which means it has to be in Sweden. Can we really afford to have all of SONG 2 leave the country for a few days? Since I know you want Kotori-san to help with making the gowns.”
“Guilty as charged,” Kirika shamelessly admitted. “But remember what we all promised when we made SONG 2? ‘Don’t give up on living’. If we don’t do it now, we won’t ever get married. Heck it might get to a point where Tsubasa and Maria get married before us.”
“The two aren’t even dating,” Shirabe pointed out. Kirika just gave her the driest look imaginable.
“Yet. Let’s be real. The only reason they haven’t is because they’re famous and the government hasn’t legalized gay marriage yet.” She shrugged. “Speaking of which, Maria called and wanted to know if you’ll be in Tokyo this weekend. It sounds like she has is free and wants to go out to dinner with us.”
“I can come.” Shirabe glanced at her calendar, confirming she didn’t have any group project meetings coming up. “Where does she want to go?”
“Think she wants to go to that fancy place with the French name. What’s it called again?”
“Kiri-chan, you're in Tokyo almost twice as much as me. Why would I know?”
“Because you're the smart one.” Kirika gave her fiancé a lazy smile as she laid her head in Shirabe’s lap.
“Says the girl who never studied yet somehow got A’s and B’s in all her classes.” Shirabe fired back.
“I’m the artsy, creative one. You’re the sciency, studious one dess~”
Shirabe felt her heart skip a beat as Kirika gave her the look . The bright comfy smile that was so radiant it could illuminate even the darkest room. The same smile that she gave when she finally proposed. She couldn’t help herself as she leaned forward to kiss her fiancé.
The blonde woman got up and slyly turned off Shirabe’s monitor, having now properly distracted her. “So I’ve been thinking. Can we finally let Maria buy us that apartment in Tokyo? I hate having to take the train twice a week for Kotori-chan’s fashion lessons. It’d be so nice to be able to crash in my own bed in Tokyo.” Kirika gave Shirabe the puppy dog eyes. One that could make almost anyone bend to its whims.
Unfortunately for her Shirabe was the exception.“No, we're not taking advantage of Maria. They paid our tuition. We owe them.”
“Aw, c’mon!” Kirika threw herself back with her arms spread wide, behavior instantly degrading back to her teenage years. “You know how rich they are right? Last I saw they have enough money to bankroll SONG 2 for years. The two are world class idols and live super cheap! They have money to spare. It’s just sitting in their account right now. Let’s make use of it!”
“It’s not right.” Shirabe folded her arms, refusing to budge even an inch on the issue.
“Not only will it let us help Hibiki and the others more but we could also use it as a backup base.” Kirika argued. Then she snapped her fingers. “Maybe we can label it as a business expense and have America pay for it!”
Leave it to Kirika to find the one solution that was somehow even worse. Barely able to hold back her annoyance, Shirabe pinched the bridge of her nose. “It’s one thing to take advantage of our friends, it’s another to abuse our relationship with a global superpower to buy us an apartment so we have a shorter commute! Our relationship with America is rough enough as is with Cryptos being stolen.”
“Which means we should ask Maria instead.” Kirika flashed the shorter girl a smirk, basking in her victory.
Shirabe sighed and shook her head. “Fine. But we are paying her back.” She gave Kirika her patented death stare but just like how she was immune to the puppy dog eyes, Kirika casually brushed off the dreaded gaze.
“Yup nooooo problem.” She started playing on her phone, scrolling through apartment listings. “You thinking a two or three bedroom apartment? Oh, what about a penthouse!”
“…Two and no penthouse, I don’t want to walk so much.”
Yesterday, Sunshine and Bakeneko were spotted in the south part of Tokyo running toward an unknown destination. According to eyewitnesses they were possibly chasing after someone although reports have been conflicting.
This is the first public appearance of the Valkyries in weeks. Nobody knows why, although the local authorities have released a statement that there is no need for alarm….
Nico sighed as she closed the webpage. The rest of the article just looked like the usual thinly veiled request for the Valkyries to openly work with the police. A glance at the clubroom’s clock told her the others should be here in ten minutes for their meeting. As the club president it was her responsibility to be the first one there.
No news about Greywind sadly. She was without question Nico’s favorite Valkyrie and it wasn’t even because Greywind saved both her and Maki during the Blood Moon Incident. It was hard to describe but with how she flew it gave her a sense of… kinship? As if she reminded Nico of someone else. That didn’t seem like a full explanation but it was the best label she had right now.
The third year couldn’t help but wonder what it was like to be one of Japan’s elusive superheroes. What went through their minds and how did they handle having millions of adoring fans? Now if only she could convince her siblings Greywind was the best…
Her younger siblings were split with Cocoa being a fan of Moonlight, Cocoro preferring Sunshine, and Cotoro suddenly shifting to Bakeneko as his favorite Valkyrie. Made things way more difficult when it came to buying merchandise.
Leaning back Nico blankly looked out the window. After a moment, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the business card. She placed the edge against the table and started playing with it. Should she audition? She had to give him an answer by tonight. Pulling up her email on the laptop, she started typing out a message before swiftly deleting it. No, too desperate.
Why was she even bothering with this? She had never been an actress before, didn’t have any kind of talent agency or experience. All she had to her name was being a famous school idol. While she knew without question she was an amazing actress, flawlessly shifting into her idol persona at the drop of a hat, she also had to compete with thousands of other girls.
Who wouldn’t want to be a Valkyrie in the first ever Valkyrie film? Just the idea of being just like Greywind or even the leader like Sunshine made her beam.
This was her chance to be famous! Saburo wouldn’t have offered her a spot to audition if he didn’t truly believe she had a chance. Gathering her resolve she slid back to her laptop and prepared to write out the email that will make her a star.
Tick
Tock
Tick
Tock
Two minutes later her fingers were still over the keyboard ready to write out the email that would make her a star.
Tick
Tock
Tick
Tock
Five minutes later Nico still had her fingers over the keyboard, having managed to rewrite how to say ‘hello’ an equal number of times per minute. “Why can’t I write this?!” She threw herself back, hitting the side of her chair.
“Well first you need to, you know. Write.” A familiar snarky voice remarked. Turning around Nico felt her good mood vanish as her bitter riv- fri- idol partner Maki sat down next to her. “What are you working on that’s so difficult?”
“Well if you have to know. I’m working on the email I’m sending to Saburo-san for my audition for the Valkyrie movie.”
Maki raised an eyebrow in surprise. “You haven’t sent it yet? I thought you would have sent it within an hour after the meeting.”
Nico huffed. “Well I was busy with something very important.”
“You mean your siblings,” Maki said. Nico pursed her lips in annoyance upon being reminded that Maki of all people knew about her siblings. “Speaking of them, how are they doing?”
Nico brightened up, an easy smile on her face. “They're doing great actually. Cocoa is already one of the star athletes in her year while Cocoro is the nerdy one.”
“What about Cotaro-san?”
“He’s doing fine. You know him, he’s pretty quiet most of the time. Except when it comes to the Valkyries. Then he’s a total chatterbox.”
“Really?” Maki said in disbelief. Nico’s little brother was practically a stone wall the last two times she babysat them.
“He loves them. Bakeneko is his favorite but it used to be Greywind. The traitor.” She pouted in annoyance.
“He’s only six, he’ll change his mind in a few weeks.” Maki turned around and blinked when she saw the look of disbelief on Nico’s face. “What?”
“How would you know? You don’t have any siblings,” Nico challenged.
Maki bristled. “I have cousins, you know. Papa is the oldest of four. I have a lot of younger cousins and I have to babysit them all the time. You really think my papa would have me babysit if I’ve never done it before?
“I never thought of that.” Nico placed a hand to her chin. “I knew you were an only child but that does explain a few things…” If Maki was the oldest or one of the oldest no wonder she acted so mature.
Out of everyone in μ's it was somehow Maki she knew the most about. Nico knew the first year was a talented pianist and both her parents were doctors. And now she was probably the only member who knew anything about Maki’s extended family. And on the flip side the red haired first year was the only one who knew about her siblings.
Nico turned her attention back to the laptop, her half written email still taunting her. “Maki… do you think I should audition?”
“You’re asking me?!” The first year girl pointed at herself in disbelief. After another few moments, she sighed before twirling a finger through her hair. “In my honest opinion? You should audition. The worst that happens is you spend a few hours and get told no. And you still get an interesting experience, I guess.”
“You're right… Thanks Maki.” Taking in a deep breath, Nico began hammering out an email. A brief pause at the end to edit and then she pressed the send button. Then she finally released the breath. No turning back now.
Maki had retrieved a small book from her bag and began reading, not noticing Nico's glance. It was only as she watched that Nico remembered how photogenic Maki was. The short red hair, a quite developed body for her age, nice long legs... if she could just learn how to look so natural on purpose, she'd be a great movie star. Come to think of it, wouldn't it being 'an interesting experience' apply to her too?
"Hey," As casually as she could, Nico leaned forward, propping her head up on her hands and elbow. “How come you didn’t want to cameo in the movie? I know the others are apart of SONG and that might make things messy but what about you?”
“Do I really have to spell it out for you?” The red haired first year gave her senpai an annoyed look. After a moment of silence she gave a sigh of defeat. “My papa isn’t a big fan of me being in μ's in the first place, because it’s eating up time I could be spending working on my career as a doctor. But a movie? I’d have to get his permission first and I already know what his answer will be so why bother?”
“Really!?” Nico’s lip curled, “Your father sounds like a total jerk.”
“Hey!” Maki gritted her teeth. “My papa does this because he loves me and wants me to succeed in life. I appreciate it if you don’t insult him!”
Nico defensively raised her hands in front of her. “Jeeze, alright. Don’t bite my head off.” Nico then stood up making sure to get as much distance as possible from the annoying first year. That's what she gets for trying to be nice.
Thankfully for both of them the other members of μ's soon made their way into the clubroom. Rin in particular got the stink eye from Nico. She still wouldn’t reveal how she got Tsubasa Kazanari’s phone number or give it to her. After everyone sat down, Nico stood up and walked over to the whiteboard. “Alright everyone. I’ll cut to the chase. We need to figure out a theme for our Love Live promo PV.”
Hanayo tilted her head. “Did the producers give any examples on what they're looking for?”
“No but don’t worry. I already have an idea. We do a Valkyrie inspired PV. Take their victory song, do some changes and use that.” Nico placed her hands on her hips, a smug smile on her face.
“Wouldn’t that be copyright infringement?” Kotori asked.
The normally boisterous third year sputtered and threw her arms out in frustration. “The Valkyries are Tokyo’s superheroes! They’re too busy to worry about copyrights. Besides, we wouldn't be the first.”
Honoka nervously pulled at the hem of her skirt. “Um, what do you mean we won’t be the first?”
“Wow. You really don’t go on the Superstar forums do you?” Nozomi leaned forward and pulled her phone out. On screen were countless videos on covers of the ‘Victory of the Valkyries’ song.
“It gets a bit too close to home sometimes.” Honoka answered; Umi, Kotori, and Rin nodded in agreement. Eli raised an eyebrow at the odd phrasing but shook her head.
Nozomi clicked on a link, the screen shifting to an image of A-RISE standing on the roof. They all wore outfits that vaguely resembled the three original Valkyries in appearance. With Tsubasa Kira front in center with her trademark smirk and a pair of horns just like Sunshine’s.
“A-RISE is on fire and has already released two PV’s!” Nico held two fingers up for emphasis. “They want their title of best school idol group back. We have to fire back!”
“We should do our own thing instead of following everyone else,” Umi pointed out. “I’m already working on the lyrics for a new song. Give me two days and I’ll have it done.”
“I guess we can wait a few days. But unless someone can come up with a better idea we should do a Valkyrie PV.” Nico crossed her arms making it clear she wasn’t going to budge.
With the ultimatum made the members of μ's in the know shared a look. Looks like tomorrow was going to be a long day.
Rin leaned back in her chair and put her hands behind her head. “So now that’s over what does everyone want to.. do…”
The first year froze, a shiver running down her spine. As if alone in a jungle, she swung around to spot Nico slowly stalking toward her, her hands poised and already in range to strike. “Ah… ” Rin thought, “Guess it’s time for some impromptu training.”
The two froze for a long moment, the uncat-like predator facing down the cat-like prey. The rest of μ's quietly watching with equally intense interest.
Nico’s eye twitched. That was all the warning Rin needed. The pounce landed on empty air.
Nico didn’t waste any time, swinging around to barrel through the door after Rin. As she dashed out, the School Idol Club President roared, “GIVE ME KAZANARI-SAMA’S NUMBER!”
A panicked and fading “NYAAAAA!” was the only response the rest of μ's heard.
Micha ran into the main room of Flower, waving a claw at Garie who was sitting quietly at a monitor. “Hey Garie! Can we play a gam-!” The Autoscorer took a step back as Kotori flawlessly swept in front of her, bringing a finger to her own mouth. She gave the doll a smile that was a bit too sweet that would have caused Micha to shiver if she was biologically capable of doing so.
“Could you please be quiet? Umi-chan is focusing and needs complete silence.” The second year requested. Micha raised an eyebrow and started to shrug her shoulders, ready to ignore her but froze when she noticed Gaire’s panicked waving. The normally mischievous doll put her hands together and silently begged her fellow Autoscorer to listen.
Micha stared for a long moment before finally nodding her head and tip toeing her way over to Garie. Content that the potential distraction was now resolved, Kotori turned her attention back to her friends. In the study corner, Umi was hunched over, furiously scribbling away.
Rin sat next to her, holding a bottle of water with a straw in it. Umi moved her head to the side, Rin dutifully moved the bottle in. Umi took a sip and then jerked her head back with another burst of writing. Sitting on Umi’s other side, Honoka was fanning her, while sliding pieces of paper to Hanayo who was diligently looking them over for any problems.
The door to Elfnein’s lab opened; Hibiki and Miku walking into the room and paused at the sight.
“What’s going on here?” Miku whispered, much to Kotori’s appreciation.
“Umi-chan is working on μ's new song for our PV,” she whispered back, “She only has two days to make one so she needs everyone’s help to focus.”
Hibiki hummed in confirmation, having already heard of Nico’s plan while Miku tilted her head, only for her hand to shoot into her pocket. The buzz of a vibrating phone on silent danced across the room. Umi froze.
“Excuse me.” The second in command politely excused herself as she stepped back into the hallway, lowering her voice as she took the call. After another second Umi resumed writing, her pencil almost a blur.
Hibiki rubbed the back of her head. “I feel bad for making Umi-chan work so hard. I could have shot down Nico-chan’s PV idea but I didn’t want to for what seemed like no reason.”
“It’s alright. Worst case we do the Valkyrie PV even though it would be awkward…” The second year girl placed her hand over her chest, her pendant hanging underneath her shirt.
“WHAT?!” Miku screeched from across the hall. Umi’s head whipped up, her moment of fury giving way to confusion and alarm as Miku’s tone registered with her.
Everyone turned their attention to the door just in time for the second in command to rush in once again, her entire body shaking. “-A-Are you sure it was her? BOTH OF THEM?!” She remained silent as Hibiki ran over to meet her, grabbing a chair to present. Miku shot a thankful look as she sank into the seat before returning her attention to the phone. “Yes I agree. Don’t worry, this phone is untraceable. It was an honor to work with them.”
Hanging up, the older woman leaned back in her chair, the color drained her entire body. For a few seconds she didn’t say anything. Then a pair of strong, familiar warm arms wrapped around her.
Miku started for the briefest of moments before reaching up to clasp a tender hand to Hibiki’s arm and her own head to meet her wife’s worried eyes. The smile she gave was… well, the rest of the room wasn’t sure what was in it, but it didn’t seem like a “everything’s okay smile”. Whatever it was, Hibiki got the message and nodded before quietly withdrawing the hug, though she kept a comforting hand clasped on her wife’s shoulder.
Straightening herself up, Miku swept the room with a severe gaze. “I want everyone to take a seat right now and I mean it.”
“What was it?” Kotori asked as those not already seated grabbed chairs, forming a loose circle. “What happened?”
“I just received a phone call from the President of the United States.” Miku paused, closing her eyes for a moment, squeezing the hand that lay in Hibiki’s next to her. “Barely a day ago, Danielle-san and Jonathan-san were both ambushed. It’s believed that it was Leucosia’s group and they were questioned like the other CIA agents.”
“WHAT!?” Everyone shouted simultaneously. The SAC agents were over cautious to the point of overkill after the last attack. They operated as if they were compromised yet were somehow tracked down and attacked in only a few days.
“There’s something else.” Miku bit her lip, looking at everyone in the room before taking in a deep breath. “Danielle-san and Jonthan-san are dead. They found Danielle-san’s body in an alleyway and while they couldn’t find Jonthan-san’s, based on the amount of blood found in his apartment, he couldn't have survived. According to the autopsy, this happened at the exact same time you two first encountered Leucosia.”
“It was a distraction,” Honoka growled as she clenched her fists, digging them into her lap. “Leucosia already knew about us and was excited to fight. She was meant to keep us distracted so there would be zero chance we could save them!”
Hanayo remained as still as a statue, if only she wasn’t so weak then maybe she could have done something, anything to save the two.
Rin looked away, staring at a wall. Just like all the people she killed. More blood on her hands. A wave of nausea struck her and her hand went for her mouth as she doubled over, almost toppling out of her seat.
“Rin-chan!” Breaking out of her stillness, Hanayo shot to her feet and rushed to her friend.
They were dead. While they didn’t know Danielle and Jonthan that well, they were still very helpful during the China mission. All five girls have seen death before, but as terrible as it was they had all been nameless strangers. The only exception was Kodou Koume, the third year student at Otonokizaka who died during the first Noise attack. But even then none of them really knew her outside of passing.
This felt different. These were two individuals who they knew . People who they have talked to. Two Americans who were willing to risk their lives to protect their country and the world. And now both of them had paid the ultimate price.
Umi draped an arm around Kotori, helping the latter as she took in deep breaths, trying to comprehend what happened. Dead. They were dead.
Kotori's fingers trembled, the last time she felt like this was during the first attack. When she saw the boy die right in front of her own eyes. When they narrowly avoided death only by pure luck. Only this time, the two SAC agents didn’t have anyone to swoop in to save them.
Hibiki and Miku shared a concerned look at the teenagers reaction to the news. It was times like this that reminded them just how inexperienced the junior members of SONG 2 really were. They knew they would take the news hard but not this hard.
Out of everyone in the room, Honoka seemed the least phased. Her face showed no emotion as she simply stared down at her lap. But internally it was an entirely different story.
Leucosia is a monster. She’s even worse than Morgana. Morgana killed out of apathy, not caring for who died. But she didn’t enjoy it. This was different. It was clear Leucosia enjoyed killing that man. And the soldiers when she attacked The Library.
Hate. Pure hatred welled up in Honoka’s heart. It threatened to consume her, but she took in a deep breath, refusing to let it overwhelm her. She keenly remembered what happened last time with Morgana. When she tunneled in on stopping the wicked sorceress by any means. Not again.
“As of now, we’re cutting off all further direct communication with America, at least until we can figure out how Leucosia’s group knew who to attack,” Miku said, drawing everyone’s attention to her. “But more importantly I want everyone to take tomorrow off. You need time to process it. If anyone needs someone to talk to, let us know. We can listen.”
“Thank you.” Umi bowed her head, saying what was on everyone’s mind.
Hibiki closed her eye and took in a deep breath before steeling herself and standing up. All eyes went to her as she stood in front of her students. “I know you girls are good, but it’s clear this new threat is very dangerous. We’re going to need every bit of help we can get. And with America unable to help we only have one choice.”
“Wait. Are you saying what I think you are?!” Honoka stood up in surprise. Was it finally going to happen?!
“Yes.” Hibiki nodded her head. “It’s time we tell your family and the other members of μ's the truth. It’s time for them to join SONG 2.”
Notes:
Another 3 months and another chapter done. Thank you for being patient with me.
Chapter 7 will be out when it's out.
Chapter Text
It was time. That was the only thought going through Honoka’s mind. After months of keeping this a secret from everyone they loved, it was finally time to reveal the truth. It was time for her friends and family to join them in the fight.
Honoka could barely believe it had been a whole six months since she started this. Since she started keeping these kinds of secrets. Pretending that she was a normal teenage girl. Well as normal a famous school idol could be but the point still stood. Now it was finally going to change. No longer would she have to lie when she had to go on a mission. Or lie to her parents when they’d ask how her internship was going. Instead they would be asking how her last mission went or worrying over every scratch she earned.
Was her mom going to ground her for life or just be thankful her daughter was still alive? Was her father going to be proud or mad over putting herself in danager as a Valkyrie? Was Yukiho going to be ecstatic that her sister was a real life superhero or angry that she kept it a secret for so long? What about the other members of μ's ? Would they be understanding or furious that they had been lied to for over six months?
She wouldn’t know until it happened so Honoka pushed those thoughts aside and focusing on her teacher. “So what’s the plan? Are we just going to invite them all to the SONG office then reveal Flower? I know Flower’s big but I’m not sure it could fit-” Honoka held her fingers out as she started counting. “Almost thirty people, more if you count the Autoscorers.”
“My plan is to reveal SONG 2 to the other members of μ's first,” Hibiki said. “While the current threat does mean we can bypass most of the usual red tape, politics is sadly still a game we have to play. Ideally we’ll only have to wait a week or two afterwards to tell your families. Everyone good with that?” Everyone silently nodded. Miku opened her mouth as if she was going to object but bit her lip.
Honoka placed her hand over her mouth and scowled. Miku of all people would be the one to object. She probably wanted to argue they needed to keep things a secret for some dumb reason but thankfully didn’t want to go against her wife. Hypocrite.
“When can we tell them?” Kotori asked. Hibiki just gestured at their phones, the answer being loud and clear. Whenever they wanted.
The unofficial leader of μ's looked around and realized everyone was looking at her. Guess she was it. Honoka pulled out her phone and went to μ's group text. Typing out a message she looked at her friends who gave her a nod of confirmation. Taking in a deep breath she pressed send.
Honoka: can everyone come to Otonokizaka right away? We need to tell you something and it’s super important.
No turning back now. Honoka placed her phone on the table, waiting for the inevitable ring. “I told them to meet us at Otonokizaka. Think Leiur can pick them up?”
Almost as if on cue Leiur waltzed into the command room. “Of course I can. Should I leave now?”
“In a few minutes. Bring the van. But one of you should go with Leiur to explain things.” Miku snarked. “Otherwise I doubt they will agree to get in a white van with a stranger.”
“I’ll do it.” Hanayo instantly volunteered, raising her hand. “Might as well be useful for once.”
Rin opened her mouth to argue but stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking behind her she saw Tsubasa. She gestured with her shoulder at the crowded room and silently mouthed. “Now’s not the time.”
The first year balled her fists but listened to her mentor. Last thing she wanted to do was embarrass Hanayo even more. Though she wasn’t going to leave this alone.
Honoka perked up when she felt her phone vibrate. She quickly checked the phone only to pause at the message.
Nico: I can’t come. Busy. What’s up?
Maki: I’m at the hospital shadowing my papa. No way I can sneak out.
Nozomi: I can come, but I’m pretty sure Eli is busy with her private ballet lessons. Doubt she will answer.
“Ummm. Eli-chan, Nico-chan, and Maki-chan are busy,” Honoka said awkwardly. In hindsight it made sense. It was a school night and expecting a bunch of teenagers to be able to drop everything at a moment's notice was kind of unrealistic. At least Nozomi could come. Honoka went back to her phone.
Honoka: You can come Noz? How soon?
Nozomi: It sounds like you need to tell us something important. Might be smarter to just wait to have us all together rather than tell us one at a time.
Umi glanced down over Honoka’s shoulder and then shrugged, “She is right. Remember what it was like when Hanayo joined? Might as well do it all at once. And I imagine it would be a nightmare politically if we staggered it.”
Hibiki nodded her head. “It would. We can figure something out if we have to, but having everyone together would make things easier.”
Honoka looked around. “Well if we can’t do it tonight, what about tomorrow evening?”
“I won’t be there.” Umi raised her hand. “My sister is dropping by for dinner.”
“Me neither, have to help my mom with a personal project.” Hanayo added in.
“Nico-chan can’t come, she said she has her audition for the Valkyrie movie.”
“Friday?” Honoka asked, praying to whatever higher power was out there.
Everyone looked around and shrugged or nodded in agreement. Looking at her phone, Honoka started to text but stopped when she saw Kotori was already ahead of her.
Kotori: Can everyone make Friday evening?
Maki: Works for me.
Nozomi: Sounds good to me. Elicchi should be good too.
Nico: I think I can squeeze it in. But what is so important that you have to wait until Friday to tell us?
Nozomi: It’s clearly important enough that she doesn’t want to talk about it over a text :)
Honoka pocketed her phone, not wanting to read the inevitable rant from Nico over Nozomi’s teasing. Three days. In three days the others were going to find out. That their friends were the Valkyries. She looked over to the unofficial study area and for a moment imagined the others. Eli and Nozomi sitting right next to each other while Maki and Nico were directly opposite, trying to put as much space in between them as possible. Would any of them directly join them in the fight? Were any of them Adapters?
In two days they would find out.
Nico stepped out of the car and took in a deep breath at the sight of the imposing building in front of her. Time for the audition. Turning around she waved at her mom who was in the driver seat. “Thanks for the ride, mom.”
“No problem. Let me know when you're done. I may or may not be able to pick you up,” Kotono Yazawa called out. With the same black hair and red eyes as her eldest daughter, the resemblance between the two was uncanny. “You remembered your resume and notes right?”
“Yes mom.” Nico dug into her purse and flashed a sheet of paper before putting it back in the bag.
“Good luck Onee-chan!” Cocoro leaned out from the back window.
Cocoa pushed her twin sister out of the way as she crawled over and stuck her head out. “She doesn’t need luck, she’s a super idol! This is going to be a cakewalk for her!”
“Cocoa, don’t argue with Cocoro,” Nico gently chastised.
“Sorry, Onee-chan,” both sisters said in perfect sync.
“But I got this. After all, no one is immune to my charm. Nico Nico Nii~” Nico posed not caring for any of the weird looks she was getting from nearby pedestrians.
“Nico Nico Nii~!” Nico’s three siblings quickly copied her, doing their best to imitate their big sister.
“Good luck.” Kotono gave her daughter an encouraging smile before she rolled up the window and drove off, her black car soon getting lost in the endless tide of cars driving through Tokyo.
Nico turned her attention to the building, standing ominously in front of her. Taking a second to calm her nerves she stepped through the front door.
Inside was a rather small and unimpressive reception area. A few chairs tucked away in a corner alongside a worn out table. A bored woman with short brown hair sitting behind a desk at the other end of the room. If it wasn’t for the bulletin board covered in open audition fliers, she would have never have guessed this was the place. ‘Efficient’ was the most generous way to describe it.
Making her way to the receptionist she pulled out her papers. “I’m here for my audition for the Valkyrie movie. My name is Yazawa Nico.”
The woman looked up and blinked, taking a second to register that someone was talking to her. She grabbed the papers and flipped through a clipboard laying on the desk. “There you are. Right on time. Please follow me.”
Nico followed her through the door and into a long hallway. Weaving their way through the maze of hallways they stopped in front of an open door to a nearby room. Inside were a few tables and chairs, along with another girl deep in concentration.
“Please wait here Yazawa-san, we will call you when we’re ready for you.” The woman bowed her head before leaving.
Making her way to an empty chair, Nico slowly sat down noticing the odd look the other girl was giving her. The girl's bright green eyes flickered with recognition, and she nervously twirled her curly red hair around a finger as she stared. Next to her was a folder full of papers, peeking out was a picture of her head.
“Can I help you?” Nico asked as she got comfortable.
She shook her head. “Sorry, I could have sworn I’ve seen you somewhere before. Were you at the audition for ‘That’s A Wrap?’”
“No but you probably heard of me because I’m a member of the school idol group μ's. You know, the winners of the first ever Love Live.” Nico gave the girl a tiny smirk.
The girl snapped her fingers. “That’s where I saw you. I remember watching the stream with my sister. You're a really talented singer, Yazawa-san.”
“Thank you… err.” Nico trailed off as she realized she didn’t know this girl's name.
Her eyes widened before she slightly blushed in embarrassment. “Oh sorry, I’m Osaki Suzu, sorry I'm kind of nervous. Final auditions and all.”
“Wait, hold up. This is the final round of auditions?!” Nico tried her best to hide her excitement at the news. This was the final round of auditions for the main characters?! Saburo must have full confidence in her skills if he was willing to let her skip the previous rounds of auditions.
Osaki nodded her head. “At least that’s what my agent thinks, and I trust him. What part are you auditioning for?” She gestured at her outfit. “I think it’s clear who I’m aiming for.”
Only now did Nico realize Osaki had worn the exact same colors as Greywind. This girl clearly had acting experience based on her preparation and mentioning her event. With it being the final rounds there’s a good chance she could be in the movie.
This girl was clearly nervous even though she was way more prepared than her. Looking at her own clothes, Nico realized she hadn’t color coordinated with any of the Valkyries, instead opting for a dark green top and black pants. Would she get marked points off for not matching Sunshine?! She tugged at her shirt as if she could somehow change the color just by touching it.
Remembering Osaki was waiting for a response she answered. “I’m not quite sure yet. Bouncing between a few,” She said vaguely. That seemed to satisfy Osaki who nodded and went back to her own script.
Nico followed the other girl's cue and went to her script, the first few pages filled with character notes. She flipped over to the first page.
Song of the Valkyrie:Renewal
Synopsis: For centuries there’s been two worlds. Our world and Vallaha, the world of the Celestials. A few select celestials train to become Valkyries, warriors who protect the human world from extra dimensional threats: the Noise. For generations the Valkyries preserved harmony until a sudden betrayal by one of their own. With the previous guardians gone, it is now up to the newest generation to step up and become the Valkyries anew.
Although she had already memorized it, Nico still went to the part she was gunning for.
Yuki/Sunshine: Appears as a young adult. She is the leader of the new Valkyries and the first one to publicly appear. Yuki strives to protect the world and is willing to do anything to protect others. She is headstrong and impulsive but also a natural leader and charismatic.
The door opened as the woman from before poked her head in. “Osaki-san? The producers are ready for you.”
Osaki got up and gave Nico a friendly wave. “Good luck with the audition, Yazawa-san.”
“You too,” Nico politely replied. The girl quickly left the room leaving Nico all alone. Now she could get back to business.
If she was going to be in the movie, it obviously had to be as the main character. While Greywind was her favorite there was no question that Sunshine was the center of the group. As a super idol she had to be like Sunshine. She had to be a star.
Nico had spent almost every waking moment the past few days practicing for this audition. She may be new but there were countless cases of unknowns being casted in major movies and wowing everyone. Nico Yazawa would just be another individual on that prestigious list!
She already had Sunshine’s lines memorized, although it sounded like the other Valkyries were also up for grabs. She glanced over the other character descriptions but her eyes lingered at one in particular.
Artemis/Eclipse: A member of the previous team of Valkyrie’s. Over time she became more prideful, wanting the Valkyries to directly rule over the human race. When they refused she ambushed and murdered the rest of her teammates before stealing the seal to the Noise dimension. She is the main villain. She is cold, calculating, and intelligent and has a commanding presence at all times.
In hindsight it made total sense that Eclipse would be in the movie. If you're creating a film about the Valkyrie's, then your main villain has to be Eclipse. A genuine, real life supervillain. Personally Nico thought they would of casted an adult but there was merit in having her portrayed by a younger actress. She was noted to be short according to the few eyewitnesses who saw her in person. The Valkyrie fanatics actually theorized she was shorter than the three original Valkyrie's, although it was still in the air if she was taller or shorter than Bakeneko.
Nico let out a tiny chuckle at the humorous idea of Eclipse having to look up to make eye contact with Sunshine.
The next ten minutes were agonizing as Nico read over her lines, planning out how she would say each and every line. Sunshine was confident and brave, she was definitely someone who took charge of a room.
Soon enough she heard a knock on the door as the woman once again appeared. “Yazawa-san, the producers are ready for you.”
“Right.” Nico took in a few deep breaths before following the woman through the hallways although internally her heart rate was skyrocketing. This was it. She was finally going to prove she truly was a star.
Stopping at a ominous looking door, the woman gestured at Nico to enter. Nico couldn’t help but gulp as she entered the room. In front of her were a giant camera and five stone faced men and women in suits all judging her.
Remembering the instructions she was given before she gave the director her resume along with a portfolio of her headshots before scrambling up on the scene and taking the indicated position.
“And action,” a man with graying hair said. Taking it as her cue, it was time for Nico to give these people the best audition ever.
She acted as if she was gathering her nerve before marching toward an unknown destination. Before she could get too far a producer reading from a script spoke, “Yuki! Where are you going?”
Nico gave the man a look as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I’m going to Earth to fight the Noise. What else would I be doing?” She shrugged her shoulders but mentally cringed as she might have come off too dismissively.
“Staying here and not throwing your life away? You're still in training and you’ve never fought the Noise in the wild.”
“Well what else am I supposed to do? Stand back and watch innocent humans be slaughtered by the Noise?!” Nico tried to hit the correct balance of determination but also nervousness. This was the bit she spent hours working on. But the producers remained stone faced and bored.
They were supposed to be starstruck by her acting! Well time to pull out the big guns. As the man finished reading the next line, Nico prepared the big speech.
“It’s because we can’t give up hope! If we don’t try. If we make zero effort to push forward then none of this matters! We have to show everyone that we will keep on fighting! Even if there’s only one person who believes in us, one person who supports us then it’s our duty as Valkyrie’s to protect them and everyone else in the world!” Nico finished.
It was cheesy and felt like something Honoka would say, but hey Sunshine’s speech after the Blood Moon Incident didn’t exactly sound like something that’d set the world on fire either. Even if it somehow did.
“So that’s why I’ll be the first to step up. I have to show everyone that we won’t let Artemis' betrayal stop u-” Nico looked up and felt her eyes twitch as everyone else in the room wasn’t even looking at her instead zeroed in on their phones or talking to each other. Based on the quiet chuckle between some of them, it wasn’t even business related.
It finally clicked. She wasn’t an actual contender for the spot. She was just a filler, just for news media to gossip about how a member of μ's auditioned for the movie but didn’t get the cut. A fun trivia note but nothing more than that. Did Saburo know this ahead of time or did he honestly want to give her a chance and it’s these jerks in front of her who decided she wasn’t worth their time?
“Hey! I spent a lot of time working on this and the least you could do is pretend to listen for a few minutes!” Nico barked. That drew everyone’s attention. One man raised an eyebrow as if he was expecting an apology for her outburst
She knew yelling was a bad idea. She knew these people held all the cards and could do whatever they wanted but Nico didn’t care. She already knew she wouldn’t get the part, what's the worst they could do?
“Yazawa-san you must understand we are very busy, and you shouldn’t be telling us what to do,” a woman with long light pink hair said from just behind the producer, her voice dripping with contempt.
“Oh don’t you dare act like I’m the villain here.” Nico placed a hand to her chest. “You didn’t have to accept my late audition, but you did. The least you can do is own up to it and treat me like everyone else.”
Nico stared down the woman in front of her, paying no attention to anyone else in the room. She didn’t see the producer’s eye’s widen as he flipped to a different piece of paper or everyone else leaning in to listen to the man whispering.
“You aren’t like the others,” the stuck up woman retorted. “You're just someone Saburo-san decided to be nice to. He is a talented man but frankly, he has a bad tendency to give charity to random no-names.”
Was that a challenge? That she was some random teenage girl grabbed from the street? Nico narrowed her eyes. “You do remember I’m a core member of the school idol group μ's. You know, the winners of Love Live, an event that was viewed by millions of people world wide? How many people do you think keep up with us? What do you think would happen if one of those girls decided to publicly denounce you guys for being total jerks to her when she tried to audition? Knowing the internet and how devoted some of our fans can be, I don’t think it would be good for the movie.”
The woman stood up, giving Nico a gaze that could cut through stone. “Is that a threat?”
But Nico stood her ground, firing back with a look just as intense and folded her arms. “No, I'm not threatening you. I’m just telling you what will happen if you don’t apologize and let me finish.” She narrowed her eyes as she judged everyone in the room. It was as if she was the queen of the world, her presence demanding everyone’s attention. They were going to treat her like the villain? Fine, she’ll be the villain.
One man quickly got out of his chair. “Marisa-san, that is enough,” An older looking man ordered. Nico instantly recognized him. That was Sho Kagawa, the director.
The woman just raised her nose as she sat back down. Kagawa then bowed. “Yazawa-san, you are right, it is rude of us to ignore you. As the director of this movie I take full responsibility. Please accept my humble apology.”
Nico calmed down, satisfied that someone was actually respecting her for once in her life. “I forgive you. Should I start the speech again?”
“Actually,” A young man had a sparkle in his eyes as he pulled out a piece of paper. “Could you instead please read these lines but channel what you were just feeling into it? Don’t worry about memorizing it, just read it. Okubo-san will read Moonlight’s lines.” He gestured toward a young woman sitting in the corner of the room who gave Nico a meek smile.
“I can…” She might as well be professional, unlike that one jerk. Clearing her throat she skimmed through the script. Looks like it was some kind of monologue, although she wasn’t quite sure who it was for. Remembering the direction she was given she focused on the cold anger and fury she felt dealing with the disrespectful woman. Taking in a deep breath she spoke.
“Children. Mere children. We have been around for countless ages, having mastered techniques and skills they could never hope to imagine… and yet.” Nico scowled, recalling that one arrogant look that snooty woman gave her. “We have enslaved ourselves to them. The elders claim we must use our powers to protect those who can not. But all we have done is bind ourselves. We spend our lives training knowing full well we might die, all to protect a species who doesn’t even know we’re there. And for what? Duty? That because of our ancestors' decisions we are obligated to follow them?” The actress shook her head. “No, it is time for us to lose our chains and remind those below who their betters are.”
“But Senpai! We are the guardians of this realm! We have to protect humanity because we’re the only ones who can stop the Noise!” The young intern recited.
Artemis paused, not speaking right away. Instead she raised an eyebrow. “Are you questioning me?” She took a step forward, her presence suffocating everyone in the room. The producers were all at the edge of their seats as they leaned in. “You dare to question the Huntress of the Valkyries, your teacher and your elder?” She didn’t raise her voice one bit but her words spoke volumes.
It seemed as if she was about to explode but instead calmed herself. “But you are my student, so I will be merciful and forgive you for your slight.” Eclipse’s expression was devoid of emotion. “I suggest you forget what you’ve just seen and heard. Otherwise.”
Morgana suddenly turned around, her visage so terrifying that the producers suddenly recoiled. “ I will show you why I am the Huntress and my enemies call me the Shadow Of Death.”
Nico held her poise for another few moments. “So? How was that?” She frowned when she didn’t hear anything and looked up, the entire crew was watching her silently. Most of them were probably on their phones the entire time but at least they had the courtesy to pretend to be paying attention when she finished.
The producers rema ineddead silent as they all looked to the director for an answer. “That was… intense Yazawa-san. Could you go back to the waiting room? We need to have a quick discussion.”
“Sure.” Nico said slowly, deflating. This was a waste of time. But she couldn’t afford to sully μ's name by walking out. So she straightened up, gave everyone a polite nod, and walked back to the waiting room.
Plopping down into a chair, she idly played on her phone. Well this was a colossal waste of time. Probably was a good thing she didn’t get it. μ's, school, and be in a movie? She was extremely talented but she couldn’t be in multiple places at once.
Should she tell the others? Nico looked away from her phone and hummed as she debated. It would mean admitting she bombed it, but at the same time might be better than someone hearing a twisted version of how she was a jerk to those perfect producers.
Working out a text, she was about to hit send but paused when she realized she was about to vent to Maki of all people.
Swiftly deleting the message she pocketed her phone. Better to tell them all in person.
She perked up when she heard a knock on the door and the director of all people came into the room. “Yazawa-san. Could you come back to the audition room?”
Nico silently nodded her head and made her way back into the room. She kept her expression impassive, pointedly avoiding any glance at the pink-haired producer. The director pursed his lips in approval. He glanced back and everyone hummed in agreement. He grabbed a box on the table and presented it to her. “We were already pretty sure on what we were going to do but this cements it. I believe this belongs to you.” The director handed Nico a little box.
She raised an eyebrow at the box. Were they giving her a pen or something for auditioning? What’s with the box? Mentally shrugging she opened the box and froze. Inside the box was a dark red gemstone laying on the plush bottom. Carved on the top of the box were the words Artemis/Eclipse.
No way. There was no way she actually got that role. Her mind was a confusing mixture of excitement and disbelief. Despite all of her bravo, deep inside she thought she wouldn’t get casted.
But the box in front of her proved otherwise.
“Congratulations Yazawa-san. We want to offer you the role of Artemis.” The director gave her a warm smile. “While your audition was certainly… abnormal, your chilling rage is exactly what we are looking for in the part. Add in your excellent singing abilities and there’s no one better suited for the role than you.”
“I.. I got the part,” Nico nearly whispered. This had to be a mistake. She was going to be in the first Valkyrie movie. But not as a Valkyrie. She was going to be the villain.
“Indeed. It was a unanimous decision,” a producer with black hair said. “Even Marisa-san was impressed by your performance.” He gestured to Marisa who gave Nico the smallest nods of approval despite the scowl on her face.
“We’ll have a contract ready in a few hours but since you're a minor you will need a parent or guardian present. Would you be available tomorrow?”
“My mom will probably have to work late tomorrow. She won’t be able to come and she’s my only option,” Nico said automatically. This had to be a mistake. There was no way anyone could see her as a villain. She was hero material!
But the box in front of her proved otherwise.
“Just let us know when you’ll be able to sign and we can set things up. But please do so by tomorrow, the current shooting schedule is very tight.”
“Alright. If you can excuse me, I need to go home now,” Nico said, barely waiting for the producer's approval before walking out of the room. She made her way out of the building, her eyes adjusting to the difference in light.
She pinched herself before checking the box again. Inside was her Valkyrie pendant. She stood outside the building, waiting for someone to rush out and tell her it was a mistake.
But no one came. It was official. In the very first Valkyrie movie, Eclipse would be portrayed by Nico Yazawa. She was actually going to be a movie star. She might not be the protagonist, but she would still be be the super idol her siblings saw her as.
“YES!” Nico leapt up, fist pumping. “Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! ” She did it! She made it! Practically skipping her way home she didn’t notice two women watching her from across the street.
“It’s in your DNA, can’t hide the errors flashing out….” Shirabe softly sang as she jogged through the park. With November soon approaching, this was one of the last days Shirabe could enjoy jogging without multiple layers on. And it was also a good way to scout out her new neighborhood.
Kirika pulled a fast one on her and had already been searching for an apartment for weeks now. What was supposed to be an “initial visit” ended up with the duo signing a lease for a move as soon as tomorrow.
At least Kirika guessed Shirabe’s preferences correctly and signed them for a two bedroom penthouse apartment. Hopefully she could get a copy of the lease and figure out how much they owed Maria and Tsubasa. Even if they couldn’t pay them back in full because wow did Kirika find a nice place.
They were even in a nice neighborhood only ten minutes away from Flower. Although Shirabe had the sneaking suspicion Kirika really picked this apartment due to how close it was to Kotori’s house.
“Onee-chan?” A voice called out from behind. Shirabe turned around and raised her eyebrow when she saw a blonde-haired girl sitting at a nearby picnic table and looking at her.
“Can I help you?”
The girl shook her head. “Sorry. You kind of sound just like my older sister” she rubbed her arm in embarrassment. “And I thought you were her before I looked.”
“I see.” Shirabe shrugged, getting ready to return to her jog when another girl with blonde hair approached, making her do a double-take.
Was that Eli? She vaguely recognized the girl from μ's performance at Love Live. Despite being younger, the girl was easily four inches taller than her.
Eli’s little sister - Alisa if Shirabe remembered correctly from Eli’s file - pointed at Shirabe. “Onee-chan! You won’t believe it. She sounds just like you.”
Shirabe bobbed her head back and forth. She’s heard Eli enough through video recordings. They did sound somewhat familiar but it wasn’t that close. “I don’t think we sound that similar.”
Eli blinked, glancing towards Shirabe curiously. “I’ve never seen you before. What’s your name?”
“My name’s Tsukuyomi Shirabe.” She answered politely, “My fiance and I recently moved in nearby. It is nice to meet you, Ayase-san.”
Eli raised an eyebrow, suddenly cautious. “How do you know my name?”
It was good Shirabe had such a poker face, because internally she immediately freaked out. What was she supposed to do? Tell her she knows her name because her friends are in a top secret organization that she’ll be a part of in a few days?! What could she say?! Casting about quickly, she hit upon the perfect excuse.
“I recognize you from Love Live. I watched the finals.” Whew! Crisis averted.
Eli chuckled a little, relaxing. “It seems like everyone has seen the finals. Sorry, I'm still getting used to it.” She looked over to her sister who was sitting at the table with a dismantled headset in front of her.
Alisa stared at the device before throwing her hands up in defeat. “I give up! I can’t get the right radio frequency. I think the transmitter busted. She gently removed a piece before placing it on the table, giving it a death stare.
Shirabe poked her head over her shoulder, scanning the pieces for a moment. “If I had to guess either the battery is bad or you wired it wrong.”
Alisa started and turned, looking at her as if she was an angel from upon high. “You understand this? Could you fix this please?!” She begged.
“Give me a second.” The black haired girl stepped over to the table and sat down. Checking each part she nodded her head when she reached the wires. “Just like I thought. You didn’t wire it correctly.” She didn’t even notice she was already fixing it. Within a few minutes she placed the cover back on. “There.”
“You figured it out just like that!” Alisa's jaw dropped as grabbed the headset and turned it on. There was a crackle and she pumped her fist. “It works! Thank you so much!”
Shirabe just hummed in confirmation. She never knew Eli’s little sister was such a tech wiz. Elfnein would probably be begging them to induct her into SONG 2 just to have another assistant. But as she studied the sisters, something felt off…
Eli looked off in the distance, her features tense as if she was having a fierce internal debate. Shirabe took a step toward her. “Ayase-san, are you alright?”
The third year student blinked twice, snapping back to reality. “Ah, Tsukuyomi-san…” She shook her head, “It’s nothing… some personal issues.”
“Hey…” Shirabe sighed and stood up, placing a comforting hand on Eli’s shoulder. “Do you want to talk about it? I know we just met and I might not be able to help, but at the very least you could get it off your chest.”
Eli hesitated a bit more before carefully saying, “Can I ask you a question?”
Shirabe tilted her head in confusion. “Sure…”
“Well.” Eli put her hands in her pocket as she looked down at the ground. “I’m coming to a point where I have to make a decision on if I should do something or not. But I’m not sure if it's the right path. If I could sacrifice what’s needed.” She let out a sigh as she turned to Shirabe. “Sorry for being vague but do you know what I mean?”
Sacrifice what’s needed? What was Eli talking about? Was it about college? Maybe she’s considering college somewhere far away and is worrying about leaving her friends behind? What else could it be? Shirabe stopped her mind from wandering. She shouldn’t be sticking her nose like that.
But sacrifice what was needed? That brought up some unpleasant memories of her time with FIS. When she worked with Dr. Ver to try and stop the moon from falling, ignoring just how vile Ver was. And it almost led to Kirika dying.
Yet despite her dark past, all the mistakes she made, Shirabe already knew what to say. “I do, and it’s simple. Listen to your heart.”
“Listen to my heart…” Eli placed a hand to her chin as she contemplated Shirabe’s words. The trees around them swayed with the winds, the park empty except for them. Slowly turning around, Eli steeled herself, her eyes full of determination. “I know what to do. Thank you for the advice.” She went over to Alisa who had already finished packing up. “Come on. We better go home.”
“Bye! Hope to see you again sometime.” Alisa waved goodbye as she and Eli walked away.
Now alone, Shirabe stood still as she watched the two sisters leave. It felt like something was off but she brushed it aside. Clearly Eli was just stressed out. Checking her phone her eyes widened as she realized the time. She needed to be at the train station in ten minutes if she wanted to make it back to the hotel room before Kirika ordered pizza again.
Rin stood in the middle of the simulation room that she’d set to projecting an empty room. White walls. White floor. White ceiling. She held out her hand and closed her eyes, remembering how she felt when she fought Leucosia. The adrenaline, the want - no need to win at any cost. The infinite void that consumed all. Rin’s eyes snapped open and she let out a strained smile at the sight of her right arm engulfed in shadows.
Throwing her arm back, she mimed a downward strike and halfway through the shadows turned into a razor sharp claw. Taking a step back she focused and the shadow suddenly retracted, crawling up her arm. It went through her body before stopping at her left leg.
Well it was official. She could now use Morgana’s magic. Or at least what Sorcery Morgana used with Carnwennan. Whatever she tapped into yesterday was now permanent.
The exact same magic that nearly killed Honoka, Umi, and Kotori. The exact same magic that nearly destroyed Tokyo. The exact same hands drenched in the blood of innocents-
Rin slapped herself, the sharp sting on her cheek lingering. It wasn’t her fault. It wasn’t her fault. It wasn’t her fault . She quietly stood there, her eyes distant as she mentally replayed the previous day. Went to school. Went to dinner with dad. Did homework. No blank spots. Good. Still in control.
Dispelling the shadows covering her leg she slowly flexed her leg, making sure it moved the exact way she wanted it to. Could this be a sign that Morgana’s shadow was reforming?! Or what if activating this ability also strengthened the shadow?!
Could she risk not using it? Leucosia was a monster–both literally and figuratively–to fight. They needed every advantage possible. If mastering this ability gave them even the slightest advantage then she owed it to the world to use it. If Morgana’s shadow did reform in her body then… She knew what she had to do.
Calling upon the shadows, claws formed by her feet. Rin clapped her hands and the room started to shift.
“Override: Activate Protocol Shooting Stars.” Miku called out. The room instantly shifted the simulation room now projecting the image of a field at night. Shooting stars streaked across the sky, illuminating the field in light. Looking behind her Rin tilted her head in confusion as Miku and Tsubasa walked toward her.
“Sorry for interrupting your session but the simulation room needs to go through its weekly recalibration and it can’t wait. Miku gestured at a bench that formed to the side of them. “But you’re welcome to stay with us.
Rin dismissed her Symphogear, the light engulfing her for only a second until it dissipated. She awkwardly looked between the door and the table. Was she supposed to accept or leave? This seemed… personal for the two.
“Please stay,” Tsubasa preempted. “Even though it’s only a simulation, the shooting stars are still beautiful.”
Rin nodded as she sat down.
The three of them watched in silence for a few minutes. Just like her mentor had said, the shooting stars were stunning. Looking to the side she let out a tiny gasp at the broken moon. There was a massive crater in it, a ring system surrounding it. This must be from Tsubasa’s world. Was that what the moon looked like over there? It felt so alien. Or maybe Tsubasa and Miku felt this way about this world's moon.
“So how have your studies been, Hoshizora?” Tsubasa asked as she shifted her gaze to look at her student.
“It’s going alright. I mean, I’m still failing English but I actually got a 85 on my math test last week. Pretty sure the only reason I did so well was because of that lesson you gave me on fractions.” Rin rubbed the back of head and turned away, hoping Tsubasa didn’t notice her blush. Having Tsubasa Kazanari teach her math was a secret she would take to the grave. Otherwise Nico or Hanayo would put her in one.
“I’m glad I could help. I can tell you are trying your best but that is a given for any pupil of mine.” Tsubasa said, glancing at Miku with a smug look on her face.
Rin covered her face in embarrassment. She already knew Tsubasa wanted to train her personally but to be called a pupil of the Tsubasa Kazanari was another story.
The three remained in silence for a few minutes, Rin fidgeting more and more. Was this really a recalibration? Tsubasa silently got up and she moved to follow her but stopped when she felt Miku place a hand on her shoulder. She waved her hand at the door and it locked with a beeping sound. “Sorry, I would rather not have anyone else overhear.”
Rin sat back down, rubbing her arm as she kept on eyeing the door. Ah crap, it was a trap. She had a gut feeling as to what Miku wanted to talk about.
There was an awkward pause. “Look before you ask, I’m fine. I’ll let you know if something comes up so can I please leave?”
Miku didn’t answer, instead she looked up at the sky and took a deep breath. “Rin-san. How much do you know about Shem-Ha?”
The first year student awkwardly shuffled in her seat. “Um, she was the ghost of a Custodian who are basically gods in your world and you were possessed by her?”
“That’s right. I was possessed by Shem-ha over eight years ago, and she almost enslaved all of humanity using my body.” Miku placed a hand on her chest. “All because I let her in.”
Rin sharply inhaled, her jaw dropping. “You let her in?!?”
She shook her head in shame. “It was because I couldn’t tell Hibiki how I felt. About my love for her, how I hated how she constantly risked her life, or how guilty I felt for being so selfish. I wanted more than anything to be able to express my feelings and have her understand. And that was the final key Shem-Ha needed to take control.”
“I’m sorry, Miku-san, but I’m not sure where you're going with this. I got over being possessed by Morgana. It’s done and now I’m free,” Rin said a bit too quickly. Hopefully Miku will drop it.
“I’m bringing this up because I know you're lying.” She locked eyes with Rin. “I know you're not over it because I’m still not over being possessed. It’s been eight years for me.”
Great, just what she needed, another freaking lecture about how ‘It wasn’t her fault.’ Jeeze why didn’t she think of that? She knew Miku was going to try and give her a speech eventually but hoped she would forget about it. “So what, you're going to make me sit down and talk about it? What’s there to say? She possessed me and used my body for evil, Honoka-chin freed me and now I fight with Morg- my Symphogear.”
Miku gave Rin a gentle smile. “You don’t need to tell me anything unless you want to. What I’m trying to say is I know what it’s like, not just being possessed… but how it feels to have nobody blame you for it.”
Rin felt her entire body tense up. How did she even know?!
“How did I know?” Miku answered almost as if she could read Rin’s mind. “Because I went through the same thing. You know you're not at fault. You weren’t in control and you couldn’t have done anything different. Yet… you still think about every life they took while controlling your body, every sin you committed while possessed. You dread every morning wondering if this will be the day you will finally be punished.“
Rin gave a tiny nod, her mind wrapped up in the revelation.
“It’s been over eight years since that happened and yet… sometimes I wonder if she’s really gone,“ Miku admitted. “Sometimes I can’t help but feel a presence around me, as if someone is watching over my shoulder. On very rare occasions I swear I can even hear her voice.” She nearly whispered at the end almost as if Shem-ha was listening in.
Just like how Rin saw Morgana in every shadow. Her initial thought was that Miku figured it out and was making it all up but that theory died the moment she heard Miku. The pain in her voice, that tiny bit of fear and paranoia that against all odds it will happen again. She understood.
“The worst part?” Miku continued, all of her pent up emotions and fears coming out like a raging waterfall. ”I thought I had already learned that lesson. Barely over a year before Shem-ha I was kidnapped by Dr. Ver. At the time Hibiki’s Symphgoear was killing her. I was so desperate to make a world where she didn’t have to fight I agreed to wield the Shénshòujìng Symphogear. And Hibiki almost sacrificed her life for me.”
Miku turned around and moved her hair. Underneath her hair, Rin could see an ugly circular scar. A jagged line ran down by one edge of the circle causing the whole scar to resemble a piano symbol.
“I got this from the neural device Ver strapped to my head around nine years ago. Yet another way to make sure I’ll never forget.”
“I’m- I’m sorry for what happened to you but how many times do I need to tell you I don’t want to talk about it.” Rin threw her hands up, unable to hide her frustration. She didn’t need the pity.
“I don’t expect you to tell me a thing. What I’m getting at is that you are not alone,“ Miku stressed. ”As someone who has managed to mostly come to terms with it, I can tell you that the best way to handle it is to let it out. You can’t leave it bottled up. I learned that lesson the hard way and I refuse to let you make the same mistakes.”
“Well then how do you let it out?”
She gently shook her head “I can’t give you that answer. The solution is different for everyone. You have to decide that on your own. But if I had to make a suggestion I think Hanayo-san or Tsubasa would make for excellent ears. Or if you rather keep it private, Phara can help.” Miku rolled her eyes at the look of complete doubt on Rin’s face. “Yes I know Phara can’t act human to save her life but she somehow has a perfect understanding of human psychology. Don’t ask me how, even Elfnein can’t figure it out and she made her.”
Rin blinked and couldn’t help but giggle at the thought of Phara being her therapist. But Miku might be on to something. Maybe Tsubasa has some secret ninja technique that could help her clear her mind or something so she would know if Morgana reformed. She could always ask Hanayo to spend the night if needed. For some reason she always slept easy when she was with her best friend.
Miku snapped her fingers and the room turned back to normal, the night sky replaced by pristine white walls. She walked over to the entrance but stopped by the door. “If Hibiki asks, this conversation never happened,” Miku said with a wink. Rin nodded in understanding before giving the older woman a wink in return.
Now alone, Rin stood up and grabbed her pendant. Letting it dangle between her fingers she pocketed it before exiting the room.
Maybe, just maybe, she didn’t have to handle this by herself.
Notes:
Another chapter done, another three months have passed.
Thank you for being patient with me. The good news is the story is about to hit the gas and go full speed.
Chapter 8 will be up when it's up.
Chapter Text
Honoka wiped her hands in satisfaction as she walked down the hallways of Otonokizaka. History test, aced! She was lucky too. Instead of the usual dry lectures about people hundreds of years ago, her sensei decided to take a detour and spend a week on recent events. A week all about the Valkyrie's and their impact on the world.
She didn’t even have to study! It was literally impossible for anyone to know more about the Valkyries. Was this what being Umi felt like? When you just knew the answer and didn’t have to stress? Maybe she should do this more often…
Nah.
Entering the clubroom she was greeted by a grand total of nobody, except for Umi, who had her face in a book.
Even though she totally nailed it, Honoka couldn’t help but wonder about some of the question’s weird phrasing. What did it mean by ‘Name the bridge where Eclipse made her first public appearance.’? That was her second, unless… Honoka froze midstep as her eyes widened in horror.
She was supposed to write down what was public knowledge. Instead she answered with her own personal experience! Honoka groaned as she stumbled into her seat, clutching her head. She totally bombed it, didn't she?
Umi just gave Honoka a knowing look. “You wrote down your answers didn’t you?” The orange haired girl slowly nodded her head before giving Umi a pleading look.
“You got 65% at best. I told you to study.” The archer retorted, ignoring her friend's groan of defeat as she returned to her book.
Kotori silently walked in sat next to Umi, and scooted her chair a bit closer. Umi felt her face heat as Kotori’s warm hand slid onto her leg.
Two seconds later, Umi realized exactly what her unofficial girlfriend was doing in public and almost shot out of her seat in a panic, her chair falling over.
“Kotori! We’re in-” Umi stammered before cutting herself off. Honoka raised her head at the commotion. Umi stared back in terror, Kotori in picture perfect innocence.
Honoka’s head tilted slightly, “You ok?”
“I’m fine.” Umi lied hurriedly, “There was just a spider on my leg, that's all.” Shet sat back down, scooting her chair away from temptation, desperately ignoring how her heart fluttered at Kotori’s light giggle.
Honoka simply shrugged before pulling out her phone much to Umi’s - and Kotori’s, to a lesser extent - relief. Soon enough the first and third year μ's members filed their way into the room.
Nico marched right up to the front of the chalkboard, crossing her arms as she coughed to draw everyone’s attention. “First thing’s first. We need to figure out what we’re doing for μ's PV. Umi, do you have the lyrics?” She pointed at the calm girl who nodded her head.
“I do.” She reached into her bag for copies to hand out to everyone else.
For a few minutes everyone was silent as they looked over the song. Placing her paper on the table, Maki leaned back and started fiddling with her hair. “Looks good to me. I can have the music composed by Sunday.”
“When you get a chance can you send me a demo? I like to get ahead in choreographing.” Eli asked as she pushed her paper away.
“I still think we should do the Valkyrie inspired PV!” Nico slapped the table drawing everyone’s attention. “We can easily use this song if we want to be fancy instead of using the Valkyries’ song.”
”I might be with Nicochi on this one.” Nozomi leaned in with a mischievous grin. “The Valkyries have done a lot for Tokyo. I bet you would make for a great Greywind Kotori-chan.”
Kotori froze like a deer in the headlights. Did Nozomi know? No… no way. Her senior’s comment seemed innocuous, but there was just a hint of teasing to it that made Kotori uncertain. Or maybe she was just imagining it. “I’m not sure I could match her proportions.”
“Should we wait until Monday?” Rin suggested, “Give the weekend for us to think it over!”
“Nope.” Nico shook her head. “I need to submit our PV theme by tonight. Love Live organizers need time to approve it.”
Well there goes that solution. Maybe they should let Nico have her way. Sure it would be insanely awkward after they all knew the truth, but at least they could share in that together.
Kotori, Rin, Hanayo, and Umi shared a look and slowly nodded their heads in defeat. Umi turned to Honoka but her eyes widened in panic when she saw that look on Honoka’s face. The kind of look that was a 50/50 between having a genius idea, an absolutely terrible one.
Or both.
“What are you doing?!” Umi mouthed but her childhood friend ignored her and stood up.
“I have an idea! Instead of the Valkyries why don’t we focus on something just as important?” She swept a hand out toward the window. “Tokyo! Afterall, they fought to save the city and everyone in it. Love Live is in Tokyo, so what better way than to showcase the city?”
Umi and Kotori visibly sighed in relief. Thank goodness it was a good one.
“Hmmm.” Nico tapped her chin. “We still capture the same feeling but we’re not copying everyone else. I like it! It’ll be a great way to hype up Love Live. Plus it’ll look good if we do something different than A-RISE.”
“Weren't you the one pushing for us to copy A-RISE?” Nozomi teased, earning her that look from Nico. The kind of look that would probably be intimidating on anyone else but only got a sly laugh from Nozomi
Before Nico could start yet another rant, Kotori coughed, drawing their attention. “Just to make sure, can everyone still meet at the shrine tonight?”
Maki, Nozomi, and Nico hummed in agreement but Eli remained quiet. Instead she straightened up in her seat.
“Why can’t you tell us now?” Eli asked, not taking her gaze off Honoka for a second.
The five members of SONG 2 shared a look. They wanted to, and it seemed logical to tell them now but they had to be careful where they were.
There were eyes and ears everywhere. Even if governments couldn’t directly or indirectly influence them, they could still observe and listen, trying to get any vital intel on the wild card that was SONG 2.
The bigger issue was Leucoisa’s group. They effortlessly compromised America’s communication networks, which effectively meant they could be watching them at all times. The only place they were truly safe was Flower.
They would consider μ's club room safe, but they remembered Morgana. The entire time she was with μ's. If they had revealed their identities back then, Morgana would have had full access to Flower and who knows what she could have done.
Honoka squirmed in her seat. “It’s hard to explain here. It’ll be way easier later tonight trust me.”
Nico huffed and crossed her arms. “Well fine if you won’t tell us right now then I’ll also hold off on telling everyone my big news.”
“Wait, big news?!” Rin leaned forwards “You got to tell us!”
“I’ll tell you Monday. It’ll be easier then, trust me,” Nico smugly replied before she turned around and started playing with her phone.
Rin suppressed a twitch of her eyebrow as everyone else simply shrugged before returning to work. Even though they finally decided on their PV they still had a lot of work to do.
Honoka let out a silent sigh of relief. They finally had their PV figured out, at least the basic premise. Grabbing a pen she started writing down potential props they might need to make. Yet she couldn’t fight off the feeling that someone was watching her. She shrugged it off before getting back to work.
She never realized the person in question was sitting right across from her.
Maki adjusted the strap on her bag as she walked past the gate of Otonokizaka. They had to meet at the shrine in two hours. For whatever the “big news” was, although Maki had her suspicions.
Odds were it involved their internship with SONG. Hanayo, Rin, Honoka, Umi and Kotori were clearly all in the know and the connecting element was their internship. Either they could reveal what exactly they were doing there or were going to offer the rest of μ's an internship.
The second seemed more likely but it didn’t make sense for a small research company to have nine high school interns. Even if they were crucial over the past few months.
Maki internally shrugged. Whatever. SONG wasn’t exactly a normal business by any definition. Hopefully they wouldn’t take up too much time. There was a new Internet video from her favorite Ltuber she was dying to watch.
Glancing behind her, she sighed as she noticed a pair of familiar twintails vanish behind around an alleyway.
“Nico-chan. I see you.”
The annoying third year peaked her head from the alleyway, scowled, and dashd toward Maki with surprising speed. “I wasn’t following you!”
“You were walking toward your home and were on the same path.” Maki sighed. “We can walk together. I doubt it will ruin your image.”
Nico huffed before stepping in line with Maki and pointing a finger at her. “If my siblings see us and ask-”
“I’m your backup dancer,” Maki repeated dully and tiredly. “I already told you I won’t tell anyone.”
“I’m just reminding you. Although I won't have to lie to them much longer.” Nico muttered the last part to herself. Unfortunately it was just loud enough for Maki.
The red haired girl stopped, quirking an eyebrow “What do you mean by that?”
“Um- well.” Nico clearly didn’t expect to be heard, as she glanced around in a panic before falling back on a safe option. “Nico Nico Nii~! Nico-chan is just so cute that there’s no way that-”
“Save it.” Maki interrupted, placing her hands on her hips with a huff, “You better tell me. I’m already covering for you, I better not find out you told them another lie.”
With another scowl, Nico stomped her foot. “I’m not lying!”
Maki leaned in, until their faces were only a foot apart. “Then what is it?”
The two were in a standoff, neither side wanting to back down. In the end, Nico broke first, flinching away from Maki’s piercing glare.
“It’s about the Valkyrie movie,” she muttered, “I got casted.”
Maki gasped, eyes widening. “You did?! Congratulations, Nico-chan! What part was it? An extra or a cameo?” That explains why she was so confident today. Even if it was a minor part it was still an achievement.
Now Nico puffed back up, thrusting out her chest as she placed her hands on her hips. “I’m going to be Artemis! You’ll probably better know her as Eclipse.”
Maki’s smile turned into a frown as she looked for Nico’s siblings only to find nothing. “Is that what you're going to tell your siblings? What part did you really get?”
The third year student smugly reached into her bag before pulling out a box and popping it open, revealing her fake Valkyrie pendant. “This is the real deal.”
“WHAT?!” Maki screamed so loudly it caused everyone on the street to stop and turn to look at the commotion. Her face briefly matched her hair color as she dragged Nico away somewhere more quiet.
“You’re Eclipse?! How in the world did you get the part? Isn’t this some big budget movie?”
“Hmhm!” Nico’s grin only managed to become even more infuriatingly smug. “It is, but the producers realized how amazing I was and decided to cast me. Told you I’m a superstar idol.”
“You were casted in one movie. It doesn’t mean you're a famous movie star.” Maki’s remark caused Nico to slightly deflate.
“I know,” Nico nearly whispered. She looked over to a billboard advertising a different upcoming movie. “I still don’t know how I got it. Would you believe me if I told you I got the role after I yelled at the director for not paying attention to my audition?”
Maki snorted with a roll of the eyes. “That sounds exactly like you. But on a more serious note does it mean you’re going to leave-“
“I don’t know!” Nico interrupted, spinning away with a huff. “I need to get back home and check with my mom. She’s reading over my contract right now.“ She started stomping away but stopped after a few steps. “Can you hold off on telling the others? At least until I figure something out?”
The first year girl sighed in defeat as she leaned against a wall. ”I suppose so but you better tell them first thing Monday. Last thing we need is a repeat of what happened with Eli right before the finals.”
“I will,” Nico answered before running off toward her house. Maki watched her go for a few moments before adjusting the strap on her bag and turning for home.
The sun had begun its descent toward the horizon, leaving the streets of Tokyo in a calm, cool light. Hanayo meekly walked down the sidewalk toward the shrine. It was time, time to reveal SONG 2 to the rest of μ's. Reveal that their friends were actually the Valkyries.
And also reveal she was the exception. She clenched her fists. Why was she thinking about this again?! No one looked down on her for not being a candidate. She couldn’t control it, it was all luck after all.
Even if a part of her mind whispered that maybe she was defective and lacked the spark.
She was important. It was her job to be on the sidelines and support her friends. Rin in particular. Her ears perked up when she heard a beautiful voice singing. It sounded familiar but she couldn’t quite put her finger on why. It sounded professional, most likely belonging to an idol! While Maria and Tsubasa were without question her favorite idols, she still had a long list of idols she loved to meet in person. Checking her phone she ran toward the voice.
Hanayo navigated her way through the streets of Tokyo, rushing toward the source. Maybe she could get their autograph! Or maybe even two so she could give one to Rin! It’s the least she could do for her best friend.
As she ran through the abandoned alleyways the voice only grew louder, only grew clearer. It was calling out to her. Almost like a-! Hanayo felt her heart drop. The realization struck her. Turning around she ran as fast as she could. She pulled out her phone and turned around the corner, ready to call for-
Hanayo felt the world around her fade into the background. She could go to the shrine later. She wasn’t that important. Right now she needed to get closer to the alluring song filling the air. Her body felt heavy, her mind a haze.
In the back of her mind a tiny voice screamed at her that something was wrong, that she needed to call Rin but the song drowned out that pesky noise.
Around the corner a woman that could only be defined as perfection incarnate walked toward her but even that descriptor failed to capture even a fraction of her majesty. With her short orange hair and slim but well defined muscles, she was the pinnacle of beauty.
Just being in her presence made Hanayo feel blessed that this woman had deemed her worthy enough for her undivided attention.
“There you are. I’ve been searching all over for you.” She teased, giving Hanayo a seductive smile. “Could I have a moment of your time?”
“Of course! M- My lady!” Hanayo stuttered, face heating with arousal.
“Come with me. I want to talk to you privately.” Her mistress whispered, her tone promising Hanayo the world.
Hanayo stumbled after her lady, thanking the heavens she had the opportunity to serve her. Her phone vibrated but she ignored it. It could wait.
“A little to the left, Phara.” Kirika gestured at the doll to adjust the banner.
The command room of Flower was in the middle of transforming into a party with food and drinks prepared and a large banner saying “Welcome to SONG 2!” right in front of the entrance.
Maria and Tsubasa were in the middle of moving equipment around while Garie moved the table into place.
By the side Chris facepalmed, groaning at the Dummy’s ‘genius’ plan. Miku went up to her best friend and placed a hand on her shoulder with a smile Chris knew all too well. “It’s better to just accept it. You know how Hibiki is.”
Chris reluctantly nodded her head in defeat. “You think I would have expected this with how long I’ve known the dummy, but she still finds a way to surprise me. Like I got the food and banner but did she really need to include games!?” Off to the side Micha hummed a cheerful tune as she finished setting up the board games and wheel.
“She was insistent and I’ll leave it at that,” Miku said. While most people presumed she wore the pants in the relationship - and correctly so in most cases - when Hibiki set her mind on something the only thing you could do was either help or have her grab your hand and drag you into helping.
“At least we’ll all have some time to hang out together. You’d think it would be easier with all eight of us in Tokyo right now.” Chris shrugged before moving over to the snack table and grabbing a few chips from the bowl. Might as well take advantage of the free food.
“It’ll be nice.” The second in command couldn’t help but worry as she glanced over at her wife who was quietly standing in the corner. She made her way over. “Hibiki, is everything alright?”
“Huh?” Hibiki blinked a few times as she was shaken out of her thoughts. “Oh ya! Everything’s fine. Just thinking about what to do next. With the other members of μ's involved we should have more than enough help.”
“What’s bothering you?” Miku placed a finger over Hibiki’s lips before she could come up with another excuse. “I’m your wife. You can’t hide it from me.”
Hibiki sighed in defeat. “I can’t help but feel something’s off. It’s been a few days since we’ve seen any activity from Leucosia’s group. What are they up to?”
Miku hummed for a few moments, then shrugged. “I don’t know and worrying about it won’t change anything.”
“Funny. Usually that’s my line.” Hibiki smiled, earning a laugh from her wife. Yet she still couldn’t shake off the feeling. Walking over to a monitor she called her students in the know. On the main screen it split into five different sections as the phone started to ring. Honoka, Umi, Kotori, and Rin picked up. “What’s up? Honoka asked.
“Just wanting to check up on everyone? You girls almost at the shrine?”
“Umi and I are walking together. Should be around ten minutes,” Kotori said.
“I’m still at home. I’ll be over there soon,” Rin said, the sound of clothes being thrown around in the background.
“I’m there!” Honoka answered, her voice lower than the others, “Only me and Nozomi-chan right now.”
“You sure Kayo-chin isn’t there?” Rin asked. “I got a text from her saying she’s already at the shrine.”
Hibiki felt her blood freeze. ”Garie, call Hanayo-chan again! Phara, Access her phone tracker now !” Hibiki shouted so loudly it caused almost everyone to jump in shock. The Autoscorer dutifully obeyed as they ran over to their stations.
“What's going on?!” Honoka asked, unable to hide her nervousness.
Hibiki folded her arms as she watched the main monitor. “I don’t know yet. I’m hoping I’m just being paranoid.”
The other members of SONG stopped what they were doing and gathered around Hibiki.
“Ms. Koizumi isn’t responding,” Gaire reported.
“Her location should be on screen now.” Phara’s fingers were a blur as she started activating every scanner in Flower.
On screen a map of Tokyo appeared on screen with a small dot indicating Hanayo’s position. It zoomed in until it showed her phone at a nearby elementary school. Which was nowhere near the path she should have taken from her house to the shrine.
“Crap,” Kirika blurted out, echoing the thought going through every senior member of SONG 2.
“Hanayo is currently by Kuzuno Elementary school about two blocks east of Umi-chan’s and Kotori-chan’s location.” Hibiki fell right into full commander mode, her voice steady. “ I want you two to investigate and make sure Hanayo-chan’s ok.”
“I’m going!” Rin demanded.
“No, Rin-chan. Head toward the shrine for now, we don’t know how serious this is.” Hibiki left out her other reason. That if Hanayo was being targeted she might not be the only one. Gesturing at Phara, the Autoscorer went off to trigger Flower’s lockdown procedure. Micha was already hard at work tracking down the girls' families in case they were in danger.
“Don’t worry Rin, she’s only a minute or two away from us, she probably just got lost,” Umi tried to reassure her friend before hanging up.
Kotori pointed to the right of Umi and both girls ran down the street toward Hanayo’s position. They slowed down as they stopped in front of the gate to the school. It was Friday after school and everyone should be long gone by this time, even the janitors.
Then why was the front gate unlocked and wide open?
Silently nodding at each other, the two ducked low as they ran down the courtyard toward the gymnasium where Hanayo’s phone was at. Both girls took their Symphogear pendants out of their backpacks and draped it around their necks. Better safe than sorry.
Kotori’s hand rested on the door handle as she glanced at Umi. With a nod, the two burst in, their pendants already in hand.
The basketball court was draped in shadows, the sun’s light slowly fading as it descended. The bleachers were already folded up, leaving the room eerily empty. A sky light laid directly over the center of the court, vaguely illuminating Hanayo’s figure. They could hear her quietly muttering, although Umi and Kotori couldn’t make out exactly what she was saying with her back turned to them.
“Hanayo!” Umi called out as she turned on the lights, revealing the room occupants. Hanayo turned around. Her eyes were lifeless and distant, almost as if she wasn’t even conscious. But that was only a footnote to the more alarming aspect.
That would be the woman standing next to Hanayo.
She was absolutely stunning, luscious black hair ending just past her shoulders and amber eyes shining brightly, contrasted by her dark complexion. Her lips hinted at a light layer of makeup that only enhanced her beautiful face. A stylish tan jacket over a white blouse and her black pants complimented her figure perfectly. Her posture screamed confidence but with the perfect amount of seductive playfulness. It looked like she had walked straight out of a fashion magazine.
Yet despite all of that there was something off. It felt a bit too perfect, the kind of perfect that no human being could replicate. Just like Leucosia. Add in the fact that Hanayo was obviously under some kind of spell there was no doubt the woman was a Siren.
The woman jumped as she whirled toward the two. “How did they find us so quickly?! Nevermind.” She hissed before flashing the two a sickly sweet smile. “Molpe? Could you do me a favor and deal with these pests? I would rather focus on our mission.”
“Thelxinoe, I thought you would never ask.” Another woman emerged from the shadows. If Thelxinoe shined like the sun, then she glimmered like the moon. A thin black dress hugged every curve of her body, highlighting her perfect features but concealing just enough to retain some sense of modesty. Her own long brown hair curled perfectly. She strutted across the floor as she effortlessly walked in high heels. Around her neck was a silver necklace that glimmered in the light, a perfect compliment to her tanned skin.
Molpe stood in front of Umi and Kotori as Thelxinoe. slowly dragged Hanayo away. “So you're the two who Lecuosia was dying to fight. I’m curious, do you have to put your armor on or do you summon it? You seem to be rather ill-clothed for the symposia.” She looked them up and down before shaking her head.
The two Symphogear wielders shared a grimace. She already knew their secret identities. They had some way of overcoming the glamour. With their cover blown the two pulled out their pendants and chanted.
Ahten Gandiva tron
Pokist Bashosen vajure tron
In a flash the two were in their Symphogear armor.
Just like the others, Kotori and Umi’s Symphogears had evolved. Yet unlike Honoka’s or Rin’s, their changes were minor. The crescent moon on Umi’s head was now silver, nearly the same color as Kotori’s bodysuit. The outlines around the black section of her chest were now dark blue, matching her long skirt.
Kotori’s skirt was now longer in the back, trailing down to the back of her knees, creating the illusion of a feathered tail.
Umi reached onto her left shoulder pad and removed it, the armor folding out and forming her bow. Kotori held her hands out, two folding fans sliding out of her gauntlets and flipping open. Both girls shifted into combat stances ready to fight.
“A two on one? That doesn’t sound fair does it?” Molpe asked as if they were about to play a game. With a smirk on her face, she held her hand out with her palm facing the sky. Water condensed into it and with a quick flick of her wrist tossed it into the air. The liquid took on a life of its own as it spread out and rained onto the ground directly in front of her, forming a massive puddle.
The liquid was practically a mirror with how well it captured everyone’s reflection. Yet in the edges of the puddles there were colors and shapes that were both alien yet eerily familiar to the two Symphogear wielders. Molpe raised her right arm and the puddle shimmered. It started to rise, forms emerged from the water, some humanoid while others more animalistic. The water evaporated, revealing the Noise hidden beneath.
Umi and Kotori stiffened and grimaced. There was no denying it. Molpe was not only a sorceress but could access the Treasury of Babylonia. They had to stop her now. Tokyo couldn’t survive if Noise attacks came back.
“Now a two on thirty sounds a lot better to me.” Molpe cruelly grinned. “Of course I highly doubt you see it that way, but I’ve never been one to play fair.” Snapping her fingers she pointed at Umi and Kotori and the Noise obeyed, marching toward the two. Umi took a deep breath and started singing.
(Play: Yuuki No Reason- Umi Sonoda)
Both girls sprang into action. Kotori kicked off the ground as she flew forward calling forth the wind. Her fans sliced into the Noise, dissolving them into carbon while the wings on her forearms sharpened and extended, eviscerating two Noise attempting to pin her down.
On the other side of the room Umi rained down judgement as her arrows found their mark leaving nothing but ash. In the distance she could see Thelxinoe’s arms draped around Hanayo’s body and whispering in her ear. Umi snapped her bow to the side and held onto her bow string. A royal blue arrow manifested as she aimed at a bleacher. Letting go the arrow ricocheted off the bleachers and walls. Hitting the ceiling it made a sharp 90 degree turn, now aimed for Thlexinoe’s head.
Form One: Precision
However right before the arrow connected a sorcery symbol appeared in mid air, a barrier forming around it. The arrow fell apart on contact, the water proving to be stronger. Not that it mattered since Thelxinoe had moved her body at just the right angle for the arrow to miss even if it did overcome the barrier.
Kotori flew back, the wind circling around her as she floated a foot above the floor. Moving her arms back, Kotori threw out her fans toward the surviving Noise. Each fan split apart into four pieces slicing through the constructs.
Strong Breeze: Blue Bird
The Noise imploded, the clouds of carbon lingering in the air. The dust was sucked inward before being pushed away, Kotori flying through the remains directly toward Hanayo. A stream of water burst out, hitting Kotori in the side and sending her veering off course.
“Can I get a gateway back home? Think I need to go somewhere more private with her.” Thelxinoe gestured at Hanayo who stood there, mesmerized. Molpe didn’t even look as she threw an orb of water behind her that landed by the edge of the court. With a single ripple it spread out the pool a light shade of blue. “Thanks.”
Umi’s and Kotori’s eyes widened in panic. They were going to kidnap her! Finishing off the remaining Noise, the two rushed forward only to be stopped by the crack of a whip. The two girls ducked, the whip leaving a small gash in the wall behind them.
Molpe shook her head as if the two were disobedient children. “You haven’t forgotten about little old me have you?” Her fingertips were covered in water, the lines of liquid laying across the floor as if they were solid. Flicking her wrists she sent the tendrils forward.
Both girls weaved their way through the onslaught. With a spin Umi fired an arrow directly at Molpe who simply crossed her arms. Her tendrils condensed into a barrier that blocked the projectile before she thrusted her hands out. A Sorcery rune formed inside before it condensed and fired out like a cannon toward Umi.
Kotori twirled in front of Umi, the wind swirling around her into a miniature tornado that split the blast in two, the impact peeling away the paint from the wall. With a flourish, Kotori leaned back, the wind supporting her. Without missing a beat, Umi fired the second she had an opening.
Molpe yawned as she moved her head to the side, easily avoiding it. With a lazy wave of her hand she created a shield above her head, Umi and Kotori jumping as a chunk of the ceiling fell and slammed into the shield.
She must have read her mind. Umi grimaced. She tried to avoid thinking about it but she must have slipped up. But how did the Siren know the ceiling was going to fall? They didn’t even know, so Molpe couldn’t have learned it from them. Her thoughts were interrupted when she realized Hanayo was at the edge of the pool and dive in! They had to save her! But it didn’t seem like they had a chance.
“KAYO-CHIN!!!!”
Umi's eyes snapped up towards the sound of the scream. Her eyes widened and she broke into a grin. It was Rin! Glass rained down as Rin dived, shadows enveloping her into a feline blur.
Her claws dug into the floor as she pushed off, rushing on all fours at full sprint toward her best friends. Her twin tails sharpened into daggers, poised to cut through the monster in front of her.
Full Moon
Thelxinoe remained calm, smirking as she stood still and placed a hand on her hip, standing in between the Rin and her goal. Right before the two met, the Siren slid her leg back and thrusted upward with her right hand, just as the feline construct attempted to leap over her.
The shadows around Rin evaporated, the orange haired girl letting out a strangled cry at the sudden strike directly at her kidney. She bent over, her hands instinctively moving to clutch her hip but halfway through she stopped. Gritting her teeth, Rin’s scarf started to stretch, digging into the wall and dragging her over Thelxinoe. She hit the ground, scrambling to get on her feet as she ran single mindly toward her goal. Reaching Hanayo she scooped her into a bridal carry, leaping toward a nearby window.
Thelxinoe growled as the skin around her neck tore apart revealing a hideous maw like Leucosia’s. The main difference being the large black tooth on the top and bottom that resembled a beak. Taking in a deep breath she screamed, her voice drowning out Umi’s song.
Glass shattered as the sonic wave raced toward Rin. Her scarf wrapped itself around a support beam and tightened, sending Rin straight up. The blast sailed past her, pulverizing a window before dissipating into the night sky.
“Thanks for the exit!” Rin taunted as she leapt through the opening.
“Báll eis kórakas” Thexlinoe spat as she glared at the window. Taking in a deep breath she calmed herself before turning around. Throwing her arm out the side, water condensed from the air forming into a long cylindrical shape. It solidified, transforming into a long silver spear. Two trinkets dangled by the hilt depicting the image of a wave and what looked to be some kind of sea creature. Running forward she entered the fray and charged Kotori.
Leaping into the air she twirled, slashing at Kotori who narrowly ducked. Landing on her feet she easily sidestepped the return slash from Kotori, responding with a shove that sent the Adapter stumbling back.
Kotori backflipped, avoiding a leg sweep from the Siren. As her feet lined up with her opponent's face, bits of Kotori’s shoes slid back. Condensed air shot out directly at Thlexinoe’s eyes. However, the Siren had already turned her head to the side, the gust doing nothing more than blowing her hair about.
Thelxinoe stabbed her spear into the earth, the tip embedding itself. She kicked off, spinning around the spear with increasing momentum. Letting go, she propelled herself toward Kotori. Raising her hand another silver spear formed and she thrust, only to be blocked by a tessen.
On the other end, Umi jumped away from another watery slam from Molpe. The Siren moved her arm to the side, her tendrils breaking into four smaller ones that slithered toward Umi.
In one smooth motion Umi’s bow split into two, letting out a mechanical hiss as it turned into duel crossbows.
Form Five: Empress Reign
Brandishing them she fired, the energy bolts evaporating the water. One bolt managed to sneak its way past the swarm of tendrils only to be swatted aside by a fifth tendril concealed by the others.
Dammit, read her mind again. Umi internally sweated as she continued raining down arrows. She wasn’t even sure if that bolt would have made it, but somehow Molpe knew.
The two Sirens glanced at each other. Molpe raised three fingers before slightly moving it to the side. Thelxinoe gave a silent nod of approval as she spun her spear above her head. Slamming the butt into the ground, a rune formed and ejected three streams of water.
Jumping into the air the two Adapters easily dodged the attack below them. But it seemed a bit too easy compared to their previous moves. Umi’s eyes widened when she noticed Molpe’s tendrils were inside the streams. The thin tentacles twisted and weaved forming another rune inside the water.
With an alluring blue light, the streams suddenly changed directions now aimed at Umi’s and Kotori’s new height.
Umi gasped as the blast hit her and Kotori head on. They tumbled across the flow before catching themselves, their skin now an angry red.
“Was the spin really necessary?” Molpe teased. Thelxinoe only rolled her eyes.
“You of all Sirens would criticize my theatrics. Remind me again who wrote Coral Reef?”
“You promised you wouldn’t bring that up again!” Molpe stomped her foot in annoyance. She opened her mouth but stopped as if she just saw something. Smirking, she took a small step to the left. “Enter Sunshine and Bakeneko stage left. Just in time.”
Almost as if on cue, a line of orange energy sailed past her, her right ear bombarded by the sound of cracking energy only an inch away. Honoka and Rin slashed into the room, their armed gears at the ready.
The two Sirens stood back to back, surrounded by four Symphogear Adapters. Yet they seemed almost bored by how Thelxinoe idly fixed her sleeve and Molpe inspected her fingernails.
“Mind if I handle these two, sister?” Thelxinoe gestured at Rin and Honoka. “I want to see if Leucosia was fishing when she mentioned how weak they were.”
“Go right ahead,” Molpe cracked her fingers. “I think I can get a little more fun from these two.”
Thelxinoe front flipped over Honoka and Rin, her spear manifesting in midair and deflecting a dagger. Landing on the ground she was instantly on the defensive as Honoka let loose a flurry of strikes. Yet the Siren remained calm as she effortlessly dodged each strike with the tiniest of movements. Rin went in for a backstab only to be smacked in the head by the butt of Thelxinoe’s spear.
The Siren lazily dropped her spear and clapped, blocking Honoka’s sword mid slash with her bare hands. Her left foot twisted to the side, her skin stretching while her bones rotated and cracked in a way that should have left her foot a mangled mess. Yet as her foot bent and wrapped around the spear, it seemed as natural as someone reaching to grab a pen.
Lifting her foot she thrusted her spear at Rin who backflipped away. With her toes Thelxinoe spun her spear around, her other foot contorting to wrap around the shaft. Honoka’s eyes widened as she saw the metal tip aimed at her chest and stepped back, jerking her sword back in hopes of getting some distance.
Yet much to her shock, instead of letting go of the sword, Thelxinoe went with it, throwing herself into the air. With a twirl she landed on top of Honoka, her legs wrapping around her opponent's head.
The sword user clutched her opponents legs gritting her teeth as she tried to pry them off but it was like they were practically glued to her head. She took a step forward and at the same time Thelxinoe shifted her weight back. Honoka lost her balance and went crashing down, falling on her back.
The Siren however gracefully landed with only her right hand. She pivoted and with a front flip landed on her feet before charging Rin.
On the other side of the gym Molpe raised her hands like a conductor about to direct an orchestra. The whips on her left hand fused together into a drill that Kotori barely flew past. The water on her right hand merged into a tower shield that blocked both the arrows from Umi and the dagger Rin threw from across the court.
The two Sirens caught each other’s eyes and exchanged a subtle nod. Molpe raised her right hand toward her fellow Siren, thin tendrils flowing through the air. Thelxinoe leapt onto it, running across the line of water like an acrobat. Without even looking she flipped to an adjacent tentacle, dodging an orange wave of energy from Honoka.
Bending her legs she leapt high into the air almost touching the ceiling. With a sickening retching sound, her second mouth tore out of her throat as Molpe summoned a large orb of water above her head.
“Honoka, Rin! Watch out!” Umi warned, remembering the two Sirens' previous technique, but it was too late.
Thelxinoe screamed directly at the orb, her voice making the nearby air ripple. Right as the two were about to meet, Molpe threw her arms to the side.
The water flowed into a horizontal circle, the edges bubbling and churning before splitting out, the sonic wave now moving at nearly triple the speed.
Rin and Kotori managed to dodge the attack but Umi was slower, stumbling as the blast grazed her. Honoka unfortunately was altogether simply too slow. She took the full brunt of the attack, her body ragdolling through the air.
At the same time Thelxinoe dived into a puddle and vanished with a single ripple. Another pool condensed halfway across the court, Thelxinoe emerging from it like a dolphin leaping out of the sea. She intercepted Honoka in mid air, the two crashing down. Kneeling on top of the Adapter, Thelxinoe seemed almost bored as her hands wrapped around her throat.
“Honoka-chan!” Kotori screamed as she tried to run over to her friend only to freeze when Thelxinoe’s fingers tightened, the message loud and clear.
”Is this really the best humans have to offer?” Thelxinoe taunted. Beneath her, Honoka tried in vain to break away but couldn’t free her arms.
“You can’t fault them.” Molpe pretended to chastise her partner. “Humans never had a chance against a superior species like ourselves.”
“Who- Who are you?“ Rin stuttered, afraid that the wrong phrase could provoke Thelxinoe.
Molpe placed a hand over her heart. “We are the Sirens. The true inheritors of Earth. Your gods may have coddled you and allowed you to rule but your time is over. We alone have been blessed to peer into the tapestry of fate. Our victory is inevitable.”
Umi aimed her bow at the ground, not willing to gamble that she could fire an arrow before the Siren could crush Honoka’s throat. And that’s if she could even hit her in the first place. How in the world did Thelxinoe know the sonic blast would hit Honoka? Even if she somehow read Honoka’s mind and knew she couldn’t dodge in time there was no way she could have known where Honoka’s body would be.
It was almost like she already knew what was going to… Her eyes widened as she started mentally replaying the fight in her mind.
“Enter Sunshine and Bakeneko stage left, just in time.” Molpe recited as if she was reading from a script.
How Molpe formed a water barrier to block the tile falling from the ceiling, before Umi and Kotori even realized it could fall.
Thelxinoe diving into the puddle to catch Honoka before it even hit her.
"We alone have been blessed to see the tapestry of fate. Our victory is inevitable.”
How Leucosia knew which Rin was real.
How all three Sirens just knew what their opponents would do at all times.
It seemed so obvious in hindsight.
“It’s not mind reading!” Umi blurted out. “The reason we can’t hit them is because they can see the future.
Molpe snorted as she ran a hand through her hair. “I was wondering how long it would take for one of you to figure it out.”
“Not that it matters.” Thelxinoe grinned as Honoka’s struggles started to weaken. “You can’t fight destiny.”
The Siren stiffened before rolling off Honoka, less then a second before a bullet streaked through her prior location. Everyone jerked their head to the sky
Standing by the skylight was a woman wielding some kind of gun, although it was hard to make out exact details in the dark. With a single step the woman leaped and came crashing down onto the floor, the ground cracking on impact, kicking up a concealing dust cloud.
As the dirt settled the woman stood up. She wore silver boots with black accents that went up to her thighs. A gray and silver bodysuit with two white tassels sticking out by her waist and a blue cloth in the middle.
Her “gun” was in reality some kind of fusion between a rifle and a battleaxe. The weapon was a sleek white with glowing light blue lines running across the surface. By the muzzle of the rifle were two massive blades, the edge glowing with a blue light.
“No way. There’s no way!” Chris vocalized the thought going through every member of SONG 2.
“Check for Aufwachen Waveform now!” Hibiki ordered.
A long and majestic brown cape trailed down her back, splitting into three pieces halfway down. On top of her head was a white and green cap, the image of two rifles crossed on the front. She turned around, a gray visor covering her face,hiding her identity.
“Is that what I think it is?” Rin asked.
“But how?” Kotori verbalized what they were all thinking.
Any question, any doubt over it was instantly dispelled by the gem on her left shoulder that was almost like a clasp.
A Symphogear pendant.
“Aufwachen Waveforms detected!” Garie reported.
“Bringing it up on screen now!” Micha reported before pausing, raising an eyebrow at the screen in front of her. “Wait. Our network already recognizes it?! There’s a classification number!”
The main screen turned black a single world appearing on screen.
SG-e01 KLADENETS
Notes:
Another chapter done. Thank you for being patient with me.
Next chapter will be up when it's up.
Chapter Text
October 21st, 2013.
East of Saint Petersburg, Russia.
The party was in full swing, the small house packed with friends and family. Despite the blizzard outside it’d never felt warmer inside. Three generations of the Sasaki family. All to celebrate the eighteenth birthday of Eli Ayase.
Eli walked into the living room having just gotten out of a long conversation with her Uncle Afon. He was normally dead quiet except for when physical training came up, then he talked more than Nico and Honoka combined.
The room was packed, almost every single chair or couch taken. Eli’s younger cousins were sitting around Alisa, her sister boasting about the time she saw Moonlight and Greywind in person.
Off to the side Eli saw her father walk out of the kitchen with a plate stacked high with food. Her mother was deep in conversation with her sister, that is, Eli’s aunt, Irina.
“There you are Eli.” Her cousin Radmir wrapped his arm around Eli’s shoulders. His black hair stood out amidst the sea of blondes. His body was toned by a life of physical labor. “We just opened a new bottle of vodka. Take a shot with us, you only turn eighteen once.”
Eli shook her head. “The drinking age is twenty.”
“In Japan, but you're back home in Russia!“ Her other cousin Yegor insisted. He looked more in line with the rest of his family, with short blonde hair and towering over everyone else.
Despite being the oldest daughter of her generation, Eli wasn’t the oldest child. That title belonged to Radimir, with Yegor only a few months behind.
The two boys were practically brothers in all but name and that made Eli their unofficial little sister. Even though Eli felt like older sister was a better term with how often she had to drag them out of trouble when they were kids.
“Don’t you worry, we’ll make sure none of your fans find out.” Radimir placed a hand over his mouth. “Just imagine the scandal! μ's member Eli Ayase was caught drinking alcohol.” He laughed, Yegor joining him before grabbing the bottle and wiggling it at Eli, trying to tempt her.
“Oh fine.” Eli conceded as she grabbed the bottle. Easier than having to deal with two drunk Russians while sober all night.
“Hey everyone!” Yegor called out. “Eli’s about to have her first vodka, I propose a toast!”
The other conversations died down, everyone eyes now on the birthday girl. Most of the adults raised a glass with a few of her younger cousins raising cans of sodas instead. She blushed, having fallen straight into her cousin's trap.
In the corner Eli saw her mother frown, not exactly excited over her daughter drinking but not willing to vocalize her disapproval. Her father walked behind his wife before stealthy raising his own bottle, giving his daughter an encouraging thumbs up.
“To the birthday girl!” Yegor declared, raising his glass. Everyone cheered before taking a drink. Eli stared at the liquid for a second before she gathered her nerves and downed the drink, shivering as the alcohol burned down her throat.
Placing the bottle on a table, she noticed her grandmother Eva moving over to her spot on the couch. Everyone dragged chairs over and sat down. It was time.
Eli’s other uncle came from the back room, a brown box in hand. He gave it to Eva who placed it next to her.
“Thank you Leo,” Eva said. She scooted to the side leaving the left side of the couch empty. Even though it’s been four years since he passed away, she always made sure to leave her husband's couch spot open.
“Eli, today is your eighteenth birthday, which means it is time for you to inherit our heirloom. A tradition started with your great grandmother Galina almost a century ago….”
Eli closes her eyes. She had heard this tale before yet she never grew tired of hearing it. She could already vividly see it in her mind…
December 4th, 1918
An officer hammered on the door. “Open up! We are authorized to requisition any supplies you have! If you do not comply we WILL use force.”
He was met with no answer. He cracked a grin to his subordinates. "Well, looks like it's our lucky day, boys! I call first dibs!"
The man gestured to one of his subordinates, who stepped forward with an axe. Cutting down the door, the soldiers stormed the house. A scream pierced the air, joining with others.
The village burned, what was supposed to be a simple supply run turned into a full on ransacking. Women and children were huddled up in their homes, praying nobody would find them. The few men brave enough to fight were laying on the ground outside, their bodies staining the snow with blood.
Outside of one house, a window opened, and a young woman crawled her way out. Springing to her feet, she ran toward the woods. The snow crunched beneath her feet as she did her best to wrap the thin blanket around her body.
Right as she made it to the tree line she heard men shouting. She didn’t know if they had spotted her or were yelling about something else but she couldn’t risk looking back.
Everyone in the village knew this day was coming. Nearby villages were being menaced by the warring armies and it was only a matter of time before they decided to ransack one.
Galina never thought it would be her village.
Her sprint soon turned into a walk, the adrenaline fading away as reality hit her. She was lost in the woods in the middle of winter. If she remembered correctly there was another village somewhere west of her house.
A glint of light in the corner of her eye. Turning around her initial panic turned to relief as it wasn’t a soldier’s gun. She squinted, trying to find the source. Her eyes focused on one particular spot, the bright color sharply contrasting the pile of snow around it.
Galina slowly limped her way over. She needed to keep on running but something was calling out to her. It wasn’t a voice… more like a long forgotten melody.
She bent over and brushed away the snow concealing… a pendant? It lay on a tree stump, almost like a treasure on a pedestal.
How long has this been out here? It was almost entirely buried in snow so it had to have been a few days at least, possibly weeks. Yet it was also in pristine condition. Her hands shook as she reached out for the pendant almost as if it would bite her.
The moment Galina touched it, she felt a strange sensation of relief course through her body. The song at the edge of her mind was still faint but just a little bit clearer. She couldn’t describe it but it was like she knew this pe-
Galina’s thoughts grinded to a halt as she heard a terrible noise in the distance. The sound of hooves.
Throwing herself behind the patch of trees, Galina quickly shoveled snow on top of her body in the slightest chance it could help her stay hidden.
Her heart pounded as she stayed perfectly still, the frost nipping at her exposed skin. In the distance she saw them. A column of soldiers on horseback. They didn’t look like any of the men who attacked her village but it didn’t matter. She heard the stories from the butcher. If they found her… then freezing to death would be a blessing.
Three of the men stopped, one of them pulling out a pair of binoculars. Galina held her breath, everything faded away into the background except for the soldiers in the distance. If that man with the binoculars spotted her or her footprints in the snow she was dead. There was no way she could outrun them.
Eventually the man put away his binoculars and waved at his men to keep on going. The patrol galloped away, the hooves quickly fading into the distance.
Galina didn’t dare move for minutes afterwards. Eventually she slowly pulled her arm forward, staring at the pendant still tight in her hand. If she kept on going west she would have been out in the open. They would have found her. The only reason she went off course was because she spotted something in the distance.
If it wasn’t for the pendant she would have been caught.
She did a quick Sign of the Cross, thanking God for watching over her. Climbing back to her feet, she went south.
Night time slowly crept over the forest, bringing it into darkness. Galina couldn’t stop shivering as she kept on limping. She wanted to stop, to lay down and rest but if she did she might never wake up again. She had to keep on pushing forward. Both of her hands were wrapped around the pendant in a death grip, the comforting melody giving her the strength to keep on going.
She had to survive. For papa and mama, who she knew were most likely already watching her from above. Her parents were working in the barn when the soldiers came. It was the first building to burn.
They never came out.
Galina felt tears run down her face, the warm liquid quickly cooling down. She couldn’t give up. She was the last of her family and she would not die here! The tears blurred her vision, leaving her barely able to see where she was going. Or that she was walking right off a cliff.
The snow around her caved, the young girl crying out as she lost her balance and tumbled down the cliff. She landed in a pile of snow, the thick pile cushioning her fall. The few parts of her body that she could still feel ached, yet she was still holding onto the pendant as if her life depended on it.
Galina tried to get up, buther legs would not move. She simply didn’t have enough strength left. Was this it? Was she going to die tonight and go to Heaven? The young woman’s eyes grew heavy as her mind whispered at her to rest, to close her eyes. And in opposition, a light tune echoed into her mind, encouraging her to stay awake.
Raising her head, she gasped as she noticed smoke drifted out of the chimney of a small house! Gathering the little strength she had left she screamed.
Lanterns snapped on,the front door opened as a young man leapt out, an axe in hand.
“-He— help,” Galina croaked, hoping he would see her. Luck was on her side as the man’s head whipped towards her and he immediately ran over ata dead sprint.
“Are you ok Miss?! I’m bringing you inside right now!” He gently scooped Galina up in a bridal carry before running back to his house.
Twenty minutes later Galina was still shivering, but thankfully wrapped up in blankets and next to a roaring fire. The young man kept a respectful distance as she slowly warmed up.
“Thank you,” Galina whispered as she held the pendant up. Against all odds she had survived.
Her savior seemed to be only a few years older than her, sporting short blonde hair. He towered over her, with broad shoulders and a muscular body that spoke of years of dedicated physical labor. Yet despite his imposing figure he keptlooking away whenever they made eye contact.
“I don’t know what happened, but you’re safe here I promise.” The man placed a hand against his chest before he meekly blushed and looked away. “If you're ok staying here that is. I’ve lived by myself for two years now since my father passed away and it would be nice to have someone here.” His eyes widened as he held his hands out in panic. “Not that I’m saying you have to stay here forever! I just want to make sure you recover. I can bring you back to town once you recover but I’m glad I have someone to talk to until then.” He nervously kept on rambling earning him a giggle from Galina.
Remembering he was in the presence of a pretty girl he stopped. “Sorry. My name is Damir. What’s your name?”
Despite how cold she was, Galina felt her cheeks heat up and her heart skip a beat. “My name is Galina. It’s nice to meet you Damir.”
“And that’s how your great grandmother Galina met your great grandfather Damir,” Eva ended her story with a toothy grin earning her a round of applause from all of her children and grandchildren.
“Is that why we pass it down? Because it helped great-grandma and got her together with great grandpa?” One of Eli’s younger cousins asked.
“Well it didn’t just help your great grandmother.” Eva winked before pulling out an old black and white photo of herself. The picture depicted a young Eva during her first major ballet recital. Although it wasn’t visible, Eli knew her grandmother was wearing the family heirloom underneath her outfit.
“You see, great grandma Galina gave me the heirloom on my eighteenth birthday, the same age when she first found it. It was right before a major ballet recital I had spent months preparing for.” She leaned back in her chair, a nostalgic look on her face. “On a whim I decided to wear it and I ended up acing my audition. Ever since then I made sure to wear it before each recital. And I’m sure Irina has her own stories to tell.” She gave her oldest daughter a knowing look.
“I do but I can tell them later.” Irina dismissively waved a hand.
Eva nodded her head before turning toward her granddaughter. “And now it’s your turn Eli.” She reached over and grabbed the brown box laying next to her. “For almost a century now our family has passed down the heirloom to the first daughter of each generation. Keep it until your own daughter is eighteen. If you do not have one, then I ask you to give it to Alisa’s daughter when she turns eighteen or if neither of you have daughters, then to your cousin’s.”
“I will.” Eli took the box from her grandma with great reverence. As the first daughter of her generation, she was responsible for taking care of it. Sliding her fingers over the lock, she undid them and opened the box. Revealing the family heirloom. Her breath caught.
Laying inside the box was a red crystal in a cylindrical shape with one end being slightly pointed.
It was an exact copy of Honoka’s pendant.
It wasn’t like she hadn’t seen the pendant before, her aunt did wear it on special occasions. She vaguely remembered it as being a red gem. But her memory had dulled. Yet her mind whirled, the heirloom was almost a century old. Why did it look like her friend’s?!
Honoka got her pendant from a family friend, if she recalled correctly, but nothing besides that. Maybe it was also old and they were made at the same time? Even though the odds that an old piece of Russian jewely would find its way to Japan was… unlikely.
Eli blinked when she remembered where she was, fortunately without too much trouble. Taking the pendant out of the case she draped it around her neck. For a moment she could have sworn she heard something in her head. Was that the same feeling that saved her great-grandmother? “It’s beautiful. Thank you grandma.”
“You look so pretty, sestruha !” Alisa gushed, eyes sparkling.
“You should wear it for one of μ's PV,” Eva mused. “I’m sure you could sneak it in at least underneath your outfit.”
“I’ll try.” Eli looked away. It felt so weird for her grandma to be actively watching her be a school idol. She thought Eva might be disappointed it wasn’t ballet, but much to her shock, she was more than supportive.
Every soon went back to their own conversations but Eli couldn’t help but stare at the heir- no her pendant.
And yet… it felt like she was missing something.
Eli let out a sigh of relief as she closed the door behind her. The party had dragged on long into the night but was finally over. Her aunts and uncles had all left leaving only Eli’s immediate family and grandma.
Now she could relax in her unofficial bedroom in her grandmother's home. Or more accurately the attic. It was relatively small with a bed tucked in the corner along with a nightstand. A lamp stood in the middle but wasn’t needed. Not with the window.
On one side of the attic was a massive window, the lights of Saint Petersburg glistening all around. Even if the buildings were lower than Tokyo, it was still bright enough that Eli had to have a curtain by her bed so she could actually sleep. It didn’t completely shut out the dark but that was perfect. She never liked sleeping in absolute darkness.
Sitting on her bed, she held her pendant between her fingers. A treasure passed down through four generations. Then she paused, perked up, listened… and shook her head. That faint song again! Every time she tried to focus, it faded away.
Was it because of the heirloom? Her grandmother mentioned occasionally hearing a note or two of a tune while wearing the heirloom, but this seemed on a whole different level.
She closed her eyes, focusing on the song in the back of her mind. The world around her faded away as she listened. The elusive melody gradually became clearer.
”- Besa-,” Eli whispered haltingly, the words alien but also felt right in a way she couldn’t describe. At that moment everything made sense. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. Listening to the song in her heart, she answered.
“Besat jale Kladenets tron”
A strange sensation flooded Eli’s body as her eyes shot back open. Her entire body was covered in a bright light. Panicking she stood up and screamed, her footsteps echoing throughout the attic. Yet just as soon as it started, the light vanished, leaving her clad in a brand new outfit.
Eli blinked, twisting this way and that to inspect her new clothes. She slapped her cheek, a pair of grey gloves smacking against them. Nothing changed and she was pretty sure she wasn’t drunk. Taking a tentative step, she realized she was somehow taller than before and only when she looked down did Eli realize she had heels on. Yet… it didn’t feel like it with how smoothly she moved.
“Eli?!” Her mother’s voice called from downstairs. Footsteps echoed up, growing closer. “Are you ok? I thought I heard you scream.”
Eli panicked, her head whipping around for any escape. She couldn’t let her mom see her like this! That would be an incredibly awkward conversation. So she did what any eighteen year old girl would do when their mother was about to walk into her room.
Jump out the window.
Flinging it open, she aimed for a tree only a foot away, having done so all the time growing up. Bracing herself upon the windowsill, she leapt at the tree…
And found herself instead flying - well, flailing - clear across the street instead, crashing onto the neighbor's roof, tiles crunching under foot.
She let out a yelp as she face planted into the rooftop, but strangely enough didn’t feel any pain. Sitting up she patted her face, surprised there wasn’t any blood or bruises.
Her hand shot up to the pendant, now attached to her bodysuit by her shoulder. It was almost like a clasp, keeping her cape from flying away.
Wait a moment… Eli traced her fingers over the pendant. It was angled differently and wasn’t on her chest but besides that it was the exact same as the emblem the Valkyrie's wore. Strange armor, super strength and durability…
The family heirloom passed down through generations was really Valkyrie armor?!
Eli fell to her knees as reality hit her. For almost a century her family owned Valkyrie armor. Was her aunt a superhero?! Was grandma Eva secretly a Valkyrie?!?
While Sunshine was the first publicly acknowledged superhero, but she wasn’t the first superhero in this world.
Right now that title belonged to Sunrise, the nickname given to the superhero caught on camera three years ago. Everyone thought it was a hoax, but after Moonlight's first appearance the video was rediscovered.
That’s all anyone had regarding actual evidence, but there were countless theories on past Valkyrie's. Some theorized they had been active throughout human history. Quite a number were convinced the Valkyries came from another dimension.
Turns out they could throw that one out.
Eli couldn’t hide the goofy smile on her face as she walked across the rooftop. She had literal superpowers! Maybe she would have to return the armor to the Valkyrie's but until then….
She took a moment to bounce on her feet on the edge of the roof before she crouched and leapt. Defying physics, she gracefully soared through the air to land perfectly on a nearby chimney.
She stood on top of the building, her cape wrapping around her like a shield. In the distance she could see the city of Saint Petersburg’, streetlights illuminating the path forward. Eli wondered if she could make it to Saint Isaac's Cathedral without anyone noticing.
Taking it as a challenge, she leapt high into the air. The back of her shoulder pads opened up, blue flames shooting out that sent her flying across the highway. She parkoured her way into the city, running across rooftops and bouncing off of streetlights.
She slowed down as she approached the shining beacon of the cathedral. Now how to cross the last distance without being spotted? Even though it was nighttime the cathedral was brightly lit. As she tried to figure out a plan, Eli remembered a crucial detail. Where was her weapon? The Valkyries all had some kind of weapon. Sunshine’s sword was iconic at this point. Did it come with the armor?! Did she get to decide?!
The Valkyrie’s weapons either came out of their armor or had a visible sheath like Bakeneko’s. She started searching for any kind of opening only to realize her weapon was already attached to her waist. It was some kind of folded up rifle by the looks of it. So how was she supposed to unhook it?-!
The moment she thought about it, she felt the weapon detach from her armor. Her arms moved automatically, as if she had practiced it a thousand times. Grabbing the butt of the rifle she flicked her wrist upwards, the front half snapping into place. By the muzzle of the rifle, two small slits opened up revealing two massive blades that turned her rifle into some kind of fusion between an axe and a gun.
Eli moved her hands, shifting into a grip that felt right even though she had never held a gun in her life. And she wasn’t a weapons expert, but she had a suspicion it probably shouldn’t feel so well-balanced either.
Alright so how could she use the axe without accidentally firing it? She cautiously shifted her hands, trying to find a comfortable position. Much to her surprise the trigger receded. Other parts of the rifle slimmed down and straightened out. While it still resembled a gun now it was clearly designed to be swung.
Eli slowly went back and forth, the rifle flawlessly transforming into either a rifle or an axe depending on her hand positions. She knew Valkyrie weapons could shift - there was a clip of Moonlight turning her bow into a crossbow - but she didn’t know it was automatic.
She held the weapon in front of her, the butt tapping the rooftop. It was currently in its axe form. She didn’t move her hands, instead just thinking of firing. Almost as if the weapon could read her mind, the trigger popped out and the rifle shifted the instant she thought about it.
She was tempted. So tempted to shoot but she couldn’t. Not without causing a public disturbance and possibly a panic. Guns were loud. Sighing in defeat, Eli resheathed her weapon, the blades retracting and the rifle folding up before reattaching itself to her suit.
Wait a moment. Her weapon seemed custom tailored to her. An axe like the one Hibiki made her spar with. That couldn’t have been a coincidence. Which means the Valkyrie armor creates a custom weapon to fit its user.
The theorists on the Superstar forums were right after all.
Didn’t she also have some kind of teleportation power? It was one of the most common theories to how the Valkyries could move around so fast without being spotted. She gazed upon the cathedral a block away, focusing on the rooftop. Closing her eyes she imagined herself there and willed it…
Nothing happened.
Well, another point against the theorists on the Superstar forums. Guess she had to get there the normal way.
A minute later she made her way to the rooftop, her cape latching onto the highest spire before flinging her into the air. She let out an excited yelp as she did a front flip in midair before landing on top of the spire. She crouched, her cape hugging her as she watched the city below. Eli felt like one of those comic superheroes Alisa loved to read. A silent vigil over the city of St. Petersburg.
“HEL-“ a voice cried out in the distance before being muffled. Almost on instinct, Eli leapt, sailing across the rooftop and landing on a building almost two blocks away. Down below, a young woman struggled as two men dragged her deeper into an alleyway. The woman struggled, unable to escape or call for more help. The other thug pulled a knife out of his pocket to point directly at her throat.
Eli didn’t even think twice as she brought up her rifle, aiming at the ground next to them. She had to do something. Inhale, exhale, pull the trigger. There was no deafening bang, instead it was more of a muted thud as a light blue ball of energy streaked out. Despite being nearly silent compared to a normal rifle, it certainly had the power of one. The cracked concrete was testament to that. The two thugs flinched away from the impact, looking up only for their jaws to drop as the cloaked figure came crashing down.
She landed with an unreal grace. One man pulled a pistol only for her to slice through it as she dashed by them, sending bits of metal tinkling across the ground. Reaching out, Eli grabbed onto the civilian’s wrist and yanked her back, using her own body as a shield.
Without missing a beat, Eli casually sidestepped the knife and seized the man’s wrist. His hiss of pain soon turned into a scream as he flew overhead, crashing into his partner that was trying to sneak up on Eli. Both men pathetically screamed as they fell over, their limbs tangled together as they tried to separate themselves.
She needed some way to trap them. Almost as if in response, Eli felt her cape detach, the fabric lashing out and pinning the two would be muggers to the ground. She blinked, pausing a moment. Did… she just do that?
Remembering the victim, Eli turned to face the woman only to find she had her phone out now, flashlight on and looking upon Eli as if she was a queen. Her eyes wide with surprise as she gazed upon her concealed face. The light surrounding the Valkyrie’s face was bright, bright enough to where anyone would instinctively squint if they were looking at them.
The woman in front of her wasn’t squinting.
She didn’t have a bright light around her face. This woman could see her.
With an embarrassed blush, Eli turned around, covering her face as with her arm. “Are you ok… civilian?” Eli grunted in her deepest voice, trying her best not to visibly cringe.
“I’ll be ok. But who are you? Are you one of those,” She moved her hands as she tried to recall the name. “Warrior Queens from Japan?”
Eli kept her back to the woman as she hesitated. She wasn’t a Valkyrie, but she was using their armor. If she said no, it might lead to bigger issues once this went public. There was no way this woman or the thugs would remain silent that there was a new superhero in Russia.
Off in the distance Eli heard police sirens, her eyes darted over to the woman who had her phone in her right hand. She must have called the police while Eli was handling the thugs.
She needed to get out of here. She stopped, with her back still facing the woman. “I need to go now, go with the police, they will help.” She bent her knees about to jump onto the rooftop before she stopped. “But I need to ask you a favor, if they ask about me.”
“I couldn’t see your face.” She interrupted, having already guessed her savior’s request. Eli let out a verbal sigh of relief. Her identity was safe, there was no way the men could have clearly seen her face, not with how dark it was.
The alleyway suddenly grew bright, a police car braking at its mouth. Eli vanished like a phantom, her presence fleeting as she leapt onto the rooftop. Her cape unraveled and returned, reattaching itself to her back. Glancing back down she made sure the woman was safe before running. She had enough action for today. The rumors would be everywhere within an hour at best and she couldn’t afford to be caught by the police or government.
She carefully made her way back to her grandmother's house, making sure no one was following her. In the distance she could see the house with only the attic light on. Okay, good, everyone else had already gone to bed. Her cape stretched out and slid underneath the window, opening it from the inside. She silently slid into the room and heaved out a sigh.
Her first venture as a Valkyrie was complete. She turned around and found herself staring at Alisa sitting on the bed staring at her, her jaw wide open.
Eli blinked. The awkward silence stretched on for a good few heartbeats.
Finally, Alisa decided to go with the tried and true tactic of screaming. Her mouth opened…
Eli reacted and blurred her way across the room. Her hand clamped over her sister's mouth, muffling her just in time. “Alisa, calm down.” Eli ordered, using her patent older sister voice. Her younger sister listened and stopped struggling, so Eli relaxed and released her hand away from Alisa’s mouth.
Though the vibrating Alisa did promptly hiss out: “How do you expect me to stay calm! My older sister is secretly a Valkyrie! How long have you been hiding this?!”
“About,” Eli looked at the digital clock by her bed. “Two hours.”
Alisa’s face said it all as Eli gently guided her toward the bed, helping her sit down. “I’ll explain everything, just give me a moment to…” Eli trailed off as she looked at her armor. “Figure out how to take this off.”
Alisa blinked, the… frankly mundane issue calming her slightly. “How did you put it on in the first place?”
“I remember singing something but it wasn’t in Japanese or Russian.”
“That’s easy then. Just sing it again.” Alisa said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Eli raised a finger in contention before slowly lowering it. Not like she had a better solution. She closed her eyes trying to recall the ancient words she sang only a few hours ago. She imagined herself without her Valkyrie armor on and relaxed as the words flowed into her mind.
“ Besat jale Kladenets tron.”
Eli heard her sister gasp in surprise, the bed creaking as she leaned back. Eli opened her eyes just to see the last bit of light fade away, now in her normal clothes.
A moment's silence hung over the two of them. Then Alisa crossed her arms with something halfway between a mock-scowl and a overeager grin. “Well? I’m waiting for an explanation.”
This was going to be a fun conversation.
The next morning, Eli suppressed a yawn as she went downstairs. She had spent over an hour enduring Alisa’s endless questions about her newfound status as a superhero. Or… probable superhero? Eli wasn’t sure. Thankfully, Eli managed to get her sister to keep things a secret, at least for the moment.
But her sister raised an important question. Who else was she going to - hopefully on purpose - tell? Should she tell her parents? What about the other members of μ's? Eli stopped halfway down from second floor and placed a hand to her forehead. She needed time to think about this.
“Eli, could you come here please?” Her grandmother called out from her bedroom. Eli blinked over her shoulder, then with a sag of her shoulder turned, walked down the hallway, and stopped by the doorway.
“Do you need me?”
“Close the door behind you. I need to ask you something.” Eva ominously said. She was sitting on a chair and gestured at another one. Eli felt a creeping suspicion crawl up her back. She closed the door before sitting down.
There was a moment of silence as Eva placed her hands on her lap. “Can you tell me where you were last night?”
Eli couldn’t suppress flinching, the girl sitting right at the crossroads of adolescence and adulthood looking at the ground. “I went to bed early.” She lied. Eva didn’t say anything, simply giving her granddaughter a pointed look. Yeah, she wasn’t getting out of this one. “Alright, I wasn’t in the attic but how did you know I left?”
“Every child thinks they're sneakier than they really are. Your mother was about to have a panic attack when you weren’t in your room but I told her you went out into the city with your cousins.”
“What?!” Now Eli’s head came up, “Why would you do that? Why cover for me?”
Eva gave her granddaughter a knowing smile. “Because I was just as bad when I was your age. And your mother too. Although I never thought it was because you were one of those Valkyries.”
She felt like a bucket of ice water had been dropped over her head. “I don’t know what you're talking about.”
“Eli.” Her grandmother gave her that look. The same look her mother gave her when she knew Eli was lying. “I saw you sneak back into your bedroom. You leapt from the neighbors house into the tree. I may be old but I’m not that senile.”
The teenager sighed in defeat. Less than twelve hours and somehow she had accidentally revealed her identity to three different people. How the hell did the Valkyrie’s keep things secret?!
“You're right. I was using Valkyrie armor. I went into the city and explored,” Eli admitted. Her grandma nodded, satisfied with her granddaughter's honesty.
“Which Valkyrie are you then? Are you the one with the wings? Silverwing I think her name was?”
“It’s Greywind and no grandma. I’m not a member of the Valkyries.” Eli looked over to the closed door before leaning in. She might as well reveal the full truth. “Last night was my first time I ever used the armor and it’s because of this.” She cupped her pendant before presenting it to Eva. “The family heirloom is actually Valkyrie armor.”
“What?!” Now Eva had the grace to look shocked. She didn’t shout, but it might as well have with how Eli flinched. The elderly woman stared at her granddaughter before muttering. “Are you sure?”
“I’m positive.” Eli nodded severely. “The moment I touched it, I could hear a song in the back of my mind. The same song you mentioned hearing every now and then. I focused on the song and before I knew it I’m wearing Valkyrie armor.”
The elderly woman leaned back in her chair, abruptly looking as old and worn as she actually was. Her gaze shifted to the pendant, mentally replaying every time she wore it before. “I… heard a tune on rare occasions, but it was always faint enough that sometimes I wondered if it was even real. Your aunt Irina mentioned hearing the tune a little bit more often but she never wore it as much as I did. There must be a reason you could hear it so well.” Her look grew more severe. “What do you intend on doing with it?”
Eli faltered, looking away from her grandmother's stern gaze. “I don’t know, I guess it depends on what my mom and dad want since I know you told them already.”
“I haven’t told them yet. And if you don’t want me to, I don’t plan on it.”
Eli blinked twice, then sputtered “What?!”
Eva shook her head. “Eli, I love my daughter but we both know how your mother is. She would take the armor away from you without question. We’ve passed the family heirloom down for four generations now, yet none of us could use the armor. There has to be a reason why it answered you. You're also an adult now. I know it’s not until twenty in Japan, but you’ve always been so mature. You can make your own choice. Forge your own path. If you wish to tell your parents then you may, but I want it to be your decision.”
She wasn’t wrong, Eli mused. Her mom would confiscate the pendant the moment she knew what it was. She could do that. Pretend none of this happened and live her life like she always had. Or she could jump into the void, see the other side and what laid behind the curtain. Be a Valkyrie and all that it entails.
Could she do it? It was one thing to dream of being a superhero, it was another to know of the realities of one.
Her mind was a tug of war, should she become a superhero or not?
The war finally ended when she heard her grandmother chuckle, looking up she saw the elderly woman smile. “You're just like your mother. You don’t have to make a decision right now or even anytime soon. The Noise are gone, and the Valkyries themselves barely appear. Take some time and enjoy life.”
Eli blushed in embarrassment. Her grandmother was right. She had plenty of time to make a choice. What was she going to do? Run around Tokyo and hope to run into the Valkyrie’s? Their last known appearance in Japan was almost a month ago…
“Thank you grandma.” She got up and gave her grandmother a hug.
“You’re welcome.” She slowly got up, Eli instinctively lending a helping hand. “But if you want to practice, I know an old clearing about forty minutes away. It’s secluded so no one would see or hear you.”
“I think I’ll take you up on your offer,” Eli said gracefully. She could definitely use some time learning how to shoot.
Making her way back to the kitchen, Eli started making breakfast. After the rollercoaster that was the past twelve hours, she needed to do something normal… and to come up with a tale in case her mother pressed her on the details of her ‘outing’ last night. As she grabbed some bread, a stray thought entered her head. She quickly turned around, making sure no one else was watching before grabbing her pendant and rolling it between her fingers.
Honoka’s pendant looked just like hers. Her pendant was secretly Valkyrie armor. Honoka had the exact same pendant and was at the first Noise attack.
Could it be?
No… it couldn’t be. What were the odds that Honoka, the goofy and sometimes irresponsible leader of μ's secretly was actually one of the Valkyries?! It had to be a coincidence. Yet…
Honoka being so evasive regarding why she had to suddenly leave practice. How she never seemed to be around during Noise attacks. That one time she had everyone grab her pendant and sing, when that was exactly how Eli activated her armor.
The evidence was damning. Should be damning.
She shook her head. For some reason it didn’t make sense. Too circumstantial. Could just be a freak coincidence. Had to be. Maybe she needed to write this down.
Pulling out two pieces of paper she started writing down what she knew about Honoka
Orange hair
157 cm tall
High pitched voice
Experienced with Kendo. Has been actively training past few months.
She wrote down everything she knew about her friend, from her appearance, personality, and when she went to her internship.
Then she started working on what was known about Sunshine.
Orange hair
Around 156 to 160 cm tall
High pitched voice
Uses a broadsword. Noted to struggle in a real fight at first but quickly improved.
She paused for a moment, then added an observation she had glimpsed from a known professional online: One expert observed performance consistent with a novice-hobbyist moving to experienced, trained fighter over the last few months. After ten minutes of brainstorming additional facts she set her pen down, grabbing both lists she put them side by side and compared them.
Then she scowled, crumpled up the paper, she stuffed it in her pockets. No, nothing here seemed to fit together. She couldn’t see a connection at all. Must have been her imaginationYet her mind kept on wandering back to it.
She uncrumpled the paper and smoothed it back out, biting her lip. Could it be true?
Notes:
Chapter 9 is done after three months. Although I do have some good news Chapter 10 WILL be out by June 1st. You see this chapter was originally much longer but once I hit 12k words and still had more to write I decided to split it up. Chapter 10 is about 70% complete already.
Think it was pretty obvious it was Eli, but indeed she is the fifth member of μ's to get a Symphogear. Shot out DY4Y who correctly predicted the "family heirloom" was in fact a Symphogear pendant when I offhandly mentioned in way back in arc 1.
Chapter 10 will be out by June 1st.
Chapter 10: Vasilisa
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
October 23rd, 2013
Otonokizaka High School
Honoka started playing with her hair. “He… passed away a few years ago. It’s kind of a sensitive topic in my family so I appreciate it if you didn’t bring it up to anyone else.”
Eli’s eyes widened for a moment before softening. “I can do that. I’m sorry for asking about it.” She awkwardly rubbed her arm. “If you ever need help with anything or need to take a break… let me know.”
“Thanks Eli-chan,” Honoka said slowly before making her way out of the room.
With the coast clear, Eli pulled out her Honoka list and wrote down another fact.
Received her pendant a few years ago from a family friend. Doesn’t know how he got it.
Maybe now she could finally come to a conclusion reg— Eli stared at the two lists before groaning in defeat. The lists kept on growing every day with more facts and data points but it still didn’t make sense.
Honoka becoming one of the strongest students at Otonokizaka in only a few months? Could be P.E. How she’d acted so awkward whenever the Valkyries came up? Maybe she just wasn’t a fan.
Yet… there was something nagging at her. If this was all just a coincidence, then why couldn’t she find any definitive proof she wasn’t Sunshine? She always vanished right before Noise attacks, and the only time she was present was the one time Sunshine didn’t show up.
The answer seemed to be on the tip of her tongue. If Honoka was actually Sunshine? But it seemed like no matter how much she wrote down she couldn’t settle on anything.
Leaving μ's club room, Eli shook her head. Maybe she should just give up on this. There was no way Honoka could be a superhero. She imagined Honoka flying around Tokyo with a cape and tights on. The sheer absurdity made Eli giggle.
Her amusing daydream crashed when she realized she could visualize that. She could imagine Honoka flying but the moment she tried thinking of Honoka wearing Valkyrie armor she just couldn’t.
Only now did she notice how… quick she dismissed it. Her mind always seemed to have an excuse ready. It didn’t feel natural. Which could only mean one thing.
Something was stopping her from making the connection. Maybe that’s why no one had figured out the Valkyrie’s identities. There was a spell protecting them.
It sounded ridiculous. A magic spell? That sounded like something Nozomi would come up with after a tarot reading and yet, why did it explain so much?!
So if she was going to pretend that the magic spell theory was real then how was she supposed to get past it? Eli racked her brain for any solution as she walked toward the gates of Otonokizaka. She saw Alisa standing right outside the gates. If no one could connect a Valkyrie to their identity then what if-!
“Horosho!” Eli pulled out her evidence list and scribbled over any information that made it obvious it was about Sunshine.
“Alisa, could you do me a favor?” Eli asked as she ran up to her little sister.
Her little sister tilted her head. “What’s up?”
“Could you look over these two lists and tell me how similar they are?”
“Sure….” Alisa trailed off, not sure why her sister needed help. “I’ll get to it when we get back home.”
Eli simply nodded as the two made their way home. If this ‘spell’ stopped anyone from connecting Sunshine to her true identity would it stop someone if they weren’t aware?
The trip back home was agonizing. She could finally put this theory to rest. Alisa would look at the lists and confirm the two were nothing alike. Her silly magic spell theory along Honoka being a Valkyrie could be safely dismissed and pushed to the back of her mind, never to see the light of day ever again.
Half an hour later, Eli was in her bedroom trying to distract herself with homework but she couldn’t stop thinking about it. She reached into her pocket, placing her pendant on the table. There was no way she could wear it in public, not without a ton of awkward questions from her friends as to why she had an exact replica of Honoka’s.
Knock Knock
Eli jumped in her seat. Who, what? Oh! She smiled sheepishly as Alisa walked into the room with both lists in hand. “So?” Eli asked. She already knew Alisa’s answer. The two are nothing alike.
Alisa pursed her lips before placing the lists in front of her. “They're exactly the same.”
The words barely registered before realization slammed into Eli like a tank. She stiffened before turning around. “What?!”
“I mean, it’s pretty clear you're talking about the same person for both these lists,” Alisa said. “Same hair color, height, voice, swordsmanship. Don’t know why you needed me to look at this when it’s that obvious. Is this for μ's?”
“…You could say that. Thank you for helping but could you leave? I need to focus.” Eli turned around, pretending to get back to her homework. Her sister left, confused as to what this whole thing was about.
“Suka blyad,” Eli cursed as her hands shook. This couldn’t be right but the evidence was right in front of her.
Honoka Kousaka is Sunshine.
How could she have missed it?! All the sudden disappearances, how Honoka always seemed on edge whenever they talked about Sunshine. No wonder she tried to avoid the topic, they were talking about her!
So if Honoka was using her internship as an excuse for her duties as a superhero then what did SONG really do? Was it just a research company and Honoka was lying about her internship? No, that couldn’t be it. The timing was too convenient. SONG wasn’t just a research company. It was secretly a front for the Valkyries! But Honoka wasn’t the only intern there.
Wait, if Honoka was Sunshine then did that mean…? Eli clutched her head, just like Honoka her mind simply refused to connect Umi or Kotori to the other Valkyries. It must be the same kind of spell. Good thing she had a workaround.
She spent the next two hours scouring the internet for any information on Moonlight and Greywind. They were the first three Valkyries to appear so it made the most sense. Then again Hanayo did join the Valkyries before Greywind’s first public appearance.
Eli shook her head before making another list describing Hanayo. She could be Greywind or even Bakeneko. The only thing she was confident on was that either Umi or Kotori was Moonlight based on her first public appearance being before Hanayo or Rin joined SONG.
Compiling her lists, Eli got up and marched toward her sister's room with a purpose. She knocked before entering the room, Alisa scrolling through some Russian thread.
“Onee-chan! You won’t believe this. There’s already people talking about your patrol in Russia!” She started excitedly pulling up forum posts, sliding her chair back to show her sister. “Right now it seems to be exclusive to Russian forums, nothing on Superstar yet. You even have your own superhero name!”
“I do?” Wow. News traveled fast if she already had a name.
Alisa nodded. “Yup, at first they were calling you Vivid Queen, but now they settled on Vasilisa. Pretty cool?
“Sure,” Eli dismissed. “But can you do me another favor and compare these lists too?” Eli handed her little sister three sheets describing her friends and Moonlight.
“Ok, but why do you need me to do it? Can’t you figure it out yourself?” Alisa questioned as she started working on the lists.
“I just need a different perspective, that’s all,” Eli said cryptically.
Alisa grabbed a pen, putting down check marks by each sentence. She didn’t even have to think about it. “Wait a moment….” Alisa paused as she tapped the pen against her lips. “‘Uses a bow, long skirt, first appeared in late June.’ The person on the right is Moonlight isn’t it?!”
Eli’s silence only confirmed Alisa’s suspicions. Why did she have to put the date down?! “I knew it!” Alisa stood up with a victorious grin. “The first list was Sunshine wasn’t it? Why didn’t you tell me it was the Valkyries?”
“Because you can’t figure it out now,” Eli sighed in defeat.
“What are you talking about?” Alisa asked as she started reading the list again. A few moments later her eyebrows narrowed. “This doesn’t feel right…” After a minute of intense concentration she threw her hands up. “I give up.”
“Dammit. I ran into that too. There’s some kind of spell stopping anyone from figuring it out. That’s why I didn’t tell you. Since you weren’t trying to connect Sunshine to her civilian identity, you could recognize they were the same person from the lists I gave you. Now that you know it’s talking about Moonlight you’re trying to identify her. Which means the spell kicks in and stops you.”
“Wait, hold on.” Alisa waved her hands. “If that first list was about Sunshine then you know her secret identity?! How?! Who is it?!”
“I know Sunshine’s identity because I’m her friend.” Eli trailed off, debating if she should tell Alisa in the first place. Eventually her logical side prevailed. She could trust her sister. “It’s Honoka. Kousaka Honoka is Sunshine.”
Alisa blinked before cracking a smile. “Ok you had me there for a second but you can stop pulling my leg. There’s no way Sunshine could be Yukiho-chan’s older sister. I heard enough stories from Yukiho-chan, she’s a goofball.”
“Are you sure about that?” Eli countered. “The initial list I gave you described Honoka on the left and Sunshine on the right. You said it was obvious they were talking about the same person.” Eli pulled out the sheets from her pocket and placed them on the desk.
“But. But.” Alisa muttered as she clutched her head. It didn’t make sense. But it was her handwriting. Only an hour ago she was so confident the lists were the exact same. Why did she say that?
Then again this was the Valkyries. Real life superheroes with powers that made physics cry themselves into a corner. A magic spell being able to stop people from identifying them? Makes as much sense as anything else.
“Does that mean you're going to join the Valkyries then?” Alisa asked. “If Kousaka-san is a Valkyrie then all you have to do is ask, right?”
That was the question, wasn’t it? She was so obsessed with figuring out if Honoka was Sunshine she never considered what to do if she was right.
“I… I don’t know. I need to think about it,” Eli said.
Alisa got up from her chair and spread her arms out in confusion. “Why not? You could be a superhero!”
“Just give me some time please.”
Alisa relented and with a shrug turned around back to her chair. “If you need help figuring out your debut let me know!”
Eli silently nodded before leaving her sister's room. Maybe she should join. Sure there wasn’t any reason right now but she now had an easy way to join. All she had to do was go to the SONG office and present her pendant. That or she could ask Honoka directly. Maybe she could get some tips from her kohai. She’s had her pendant for five years so she’s been a Valkyrie since she was twelve.
Eli stopped, her eyes snapping open as it finally clicked.
Honoka had been a Valkyrie since she was twelve.
She closed her eyes trying to imagine what it would be like if Alisa was a Valkyrie. Her little sister.
She didn’t see Greywind crashing into the Noise shelter after a brutal fight with Eclipse.
She saw Alisa.
She didn’t see Moonlight narrowly avoid being pulverized by a Graboid.
She saw Alisa.
Not Sunshine but her fourteen year old little sister fighting for her life, thrown through buildings, cut up and bleeding.
The mere thought of Alisa having to go through that terrified Eli. Honoka experienced that when she was only twelve.
She was actively fighting for over five years. Honoka got her pendant when she was twelve and even if Asahi didn’t tell her directly, she would have activated it within three days tops.
The Valkyries were secretly active for years, and Sunshine’s appearance three years ago only proved it. Honoka was a child soldier. Even if she didn’t actively fight back then, she was still training for it.
Eli leaned back, her thoughts racing through her mind.
Was she always like this? In hindsight Eli could see the subtle shift in Honoka after the first Noise attack. She seemed a bit more… aware of things outside her immediate view. Was it because she was finally on active duty? Or was it just another threat? She barely knew her before μ's. Honoka was well known for being energetic but was that just a front?
Sunshine seemed inexperienced at first so that was a point in favor of it being Honoka’s first real fight but that wasn’t definitive proof.
No, it didn’t matter how old she was when she started fighting Noise. Either way she has had Valkyrie armor since she was twelve. That responsibility would weigh on her.
It wasn’t right. No child should have to do that. The only question was. What would she do about it?
October 24th, 2013
The Valkyries were at war. It was the only explanation. Bakeneko and Sun- Honoka, running across a city and suddenly there’s a trashed subway station? They were fighting something.
Eli scrolled through the Superstar forums scanning for any kind of hint as to what this threat was. The most she could find was one witness claiming he heard some kind of inhuman scream when walking by the station but that didn’t prove anything.
Her friends were fighting once again. She couldn’t stand by and watch. However there was one pressing question. Should she fight alongside them?
There was no way she could fight for SONG. They were using child soldiers and Eli had a creeping suspicion her friend’s recruitment wasn’t exactly voluntary.
SONG refused to let her friends tell anyone the truth. Honoka almost ruined her friendship with Rin, and μ's almost fell apart because of it. They wanted to tell them the truth but the higher ups of SONG refused.
The only reason as to why didn’t put SONG in a good light. They didn’t want anyone else to know because if no one knew then no one would object,
Maybe Eli was wrong but she couldn’t stand by just because of indecision. She had to be decisive.
Getting up with a purpose she walked over to Alisa’s room. Entering, she gave her sister a determined look before raising her pendant.
“I have to fight.”
Alisa's only response was a grin.
October 25th, 2013
Eli hesitated a bit more before carefully saying, “Can I ask you a question?”
Shirabe tilted her head in confusion. “Sure…”
“Well.” Eli put her hands in her pocket as she looked down at the ground. “I’m coming to a point where I have to make a decision on if I should do something or not. But I’m not sure if it's the right path. If I could sacrifice what’s needed.” She let out a sigh as she turned to Shirabe. “Sorry for being vague but do you know what I mean?”
Shirabe paused for only a moment before responding. “I do, and it’s simple. Listen to your heart.”
“Listen to my heart…” Eli placed a hand to her chin as she contemplated Shirabe’s words. The trees around them swayed with the winds, the park empty except for them. Slowly turning around, Eli steeled herself, her eyes full of determination. “I know what to do. Thank you for the advice.” She went over to Alisa who had already finished packing up. “Come on. We better go home.”
“Bye! Hope to see you again sometime.” Alisa waved goodbye as she and Eli walked away. Somehow Alisa managed to wait until till made it back home to start gushing “Tsukuyomi-san is a genius! Now that’s done, all we need to do is figure out a way to keep your identity a secret!”
When it came to superhero logistics, Alisa was the expert and all Eli could do was dumbly nod her head in agreement.
Alibis, where to transform, how to travel around the city, how to fight, limiting property damage, how to interact with police and the government were just a small fraction of the things she needed to consider. If it wasn’t for Alisa’s frankly unhealthy obsession with superheroes, Eli would have never even considered half of these.
Visors, domino masks, and bandanas laid on Eli’s bed. At first keeping her identity hidden seemed simple. If she couldn’t use the light the Valkyrie’s used then a simple mask should suffice. The problem was the moment she transformed the mask would disappear. It was like the armor didn’t want her to hide her identity.
Besides the obvious issues of being outed to the world, if her friends knew they would inevitably try to recruit her into SONG. Well they would recruit her but whoever in charge may decide to… enlist her. It pained her to even consider it but Eli couldn’t tell her friends the truth right now. At least until she knew they wouldn’t accidentally reveal it to the leader.
Alisa tapped a pen against her lip and hummed. “Maybe the bright light has some kind of activation code? Like you need to say something.”
“I don’t think so.” Eli shook her head. “For everything else I just need to think about it and the armor does the rest.”
“Well you have to sing to activate the armor.”
“I didn’t make up the words, the armor gave it to me,” Eli countered. Speaking of that, she opened her laptop and once again went on a futile quest to find out what she was even singing in the first place.
While her Valkyrie's song was in Japanese and she just made it up on the spot, the activation song was complete nonsense. The only word they understood was Kladenets which was a term for magic sword in Russian fairy tales.
But what did that mean? What did a sword from a children’s book have to do with her Valkyrie armor? She didn’t even use a sword!
“It’s a shame the masks keep on disappearing whenever you transform. Would make things so much easier if you could just wear that,” Alisa said idly as she scrolled the Superstar forums for any news.
Eli blinked once, twice as an idea popped into her mind. There was no way it could be that simple. Getting up she sang, her Valkyrie armor forming around her. Marching over to a grey visor she put it over her face, her hat actually stretching to secure the strap.
Both sisters stared at each other before face palming in sync. It really was that simple.
“With that solved.” Alisa rolled her chair over to her computer and cracked her fingers. “I think we have everything we need. Usually someone posts a Valkyrie sighting within two minutes of them appearing. Most of these are fake but since you know Sunshine’s identity and know where Kousaka-san lives...”
“We have a way to confirm if a sighting is real or not,” Eli finished as she deactivated her armor. “I don’t know who exactly the other Valkyries are but I do know they have to be a part of SONG. It makes it even easier.”
Alisa pulled up a map on her computer, a circle around Eli’s friend’s houses, Otonokizaka, and other frequent locations for them. “Now all we have to do is wait.” She spun around in her chair, and looked at her older sister. “Are you sure this is the right decision? Wouldn’t it be easier to just ask Kousaka-san?”
“Maybe but…” Eli looked out the window, her hands clenched and slowly tightening. “There’s something wrong with SONG.” Why Honoka? Why make her friends fight the Noise and Eclipse? It wasn’t right. They shouldn’t have to fight.
“If you’re sure.” Alisa trailed off, giving her sister an uneasy look.
Eli didn’t respond as she gazed upon the skyline of Tokyo. Just like Tsukuyomi told her earlier today, she needed to listen to the song in her heart. And it was telling her she had to take a stand. The stage was finally set.
All she could do was wait.
October 26th, 2013
Eli silently walked up the steps to the shrine. The rest of μ's should be here soon for some kind of reveal. Was it what she thought it was?
“Hi Eli-chan!” Honoka excitedly waved. Nozomi stood off to the side, calm and collected as always.
“So can you tell us what’s this all about? Or do we have to wait until everyone’s here?” Eli asked.
“Well…” Honoka bit her lip for a moment. “It’s about SONG, they plan on offering everyone an internship. I know it sounds weird but trust me, there’s a good reason for it.“
So it did involve the Valkyries. But why now? Did they already know about her little patrol in Russia and wanted to ‘recruit’ her? Then why were they telling the other members of μ's?
“I was wondering when this would happen,” Nozomi said calmly although Eli could hear the slightest bit of smugness in Nozomi’s voice. As if she already knew. But that couldn’t be right.
“Well, a big reason why it took this long was because of Hibiki-san’s wife, Tachibana Miku. She’s the CEO of SONG and kind of…” Honoka bit her lip as if she was stopping herself from saying anything rude. “Secretive. She was the one who insisted on the NDA’s.”
So this Miku was the one behind it all. Or at least the one who had the final decision. Odds were she was also the one directing the Valkyrie’s. Only other person Eli could think of was Hibiki. She was nearly positive her P.E. Teacher was in on it too, but she wasn’t the leader.
Hibiki leading a secret organization? Ya right. For a while Eli suspected her teacher was a Valkyrie, she did occasionally wear the same pendant afterall. But she was soon dismissed for one simple reason.
If Hibiki was a Valkyrie, why in the hell didn’t she fight instead? The older woman was insanely strong, able to effortlessly beat Honoka with multiple handicaps. The only logical conclusion Eli had was that the pendant was an emblem and a symbolic one. Perhaps subtly hinting she was a member?
Was she retired? Eli’s features darkened but vanished when she remembered who Hibiki was. There was no way Hibiki would sit back and let Honoka fight for her life. Either way it didn’t matter. She reached into her pocket, fingers wrapped around the string of her pendant. She would find out soon.
A sharp gasp snapped Eli’s out of her own thoughts. Honoka stared at her phone, her face slowly changing into pure dread.
“Honoka-chan. Is everything alright?” Nozomi approached Honoka and tried to place a hand on her shoulder only for the second year to spring to life, her senpai stumbling back in surprise.
“Something came up!” Hibiki pocketed her phone before running away at full sprint. “Meetings canceled, I’ll explain later. I’m so sorry!” She shouted as she turned the corner and out of sight.
There was a pregnant pause as the two third years tried to process what just happened. Honoka could be eccentric and make some spur of the moment decisions but this was on a whole new level.
“I was afraid this would happen.“ Nozomi shook her head in disappointment. “When I did a tarot reading the first card I pulled was Death upright, followed by a reverse Magician and a reverse Towers.”
Eli grabbed her bag, slugging it over her shoulder. “What does that mean?”
“I don’t know. The cards were unusually cloudy last night,” Nozomi said cryptically. “The most I can gather is something major is going to happen soon, with disaster soon to follow unless the truth is revealed in time.”
Normally Eli would dismiss it as yet another phony reading that was so vague it would inevitably come true if you squint hard enough. But this resonated with her. A disaster that could only be stopped by uncovering the truth?
It was like fate itself was encouraging her.
“I’m good. I need to catch up on some school council work,” Eli lied. “I’ll text you later.” Nozomi simply nodded before entering the shrine.
Now alone, Eli bolted into an alleyway and pulled out her phone, dialing Alisa.
“What’s up, Onee-chan?”
Eli reached into her pocket and pulled out her pendant. “Alisa. Get to your computer, it’s time.”
“On it!” Alisa’s footsteps could be heard as she raced toward her computer.
Making sure no one was watching, Eli closed her eyes and chanted.
“Besat jale Kladenets tron”
Her Valkyrie armor formed in a flash Eli cape billowed in the wind as she leapt up onto the rooftop. Reaching into her bag she removed the cushion at the bottom, her visor hidden beneath. She stashed her school bag by a nearby air conditioner making sure it was hidden from anyone walking below.
She placed the visor on top of her face making sure it was secure and wouldn’t slip off at a bad time. Eli placed a hand to her ear. “Alisa, Honoka is leaving from Kanda Shrine, expect a sighting there. The others should appear somewhere between the shrine and their houses,” Eli said, waiting to hear an update from her sister. For some reason the armor had a wireless communicator built in. Out of everything she could do somehow that felt the most ridiculous.
“I already got a sighting!” Alisa shouted through the communicator. “Bakeneko was just spotted heading west!”
Eli took a few deep breaths, doing her best to stay calm. This was really happening. She was about to make her first public debut in Japan. There was no going back after this. Should she really do this? Nobody was expecting her to do this. She could easily decide not to answer the call and nobody would know except for Alisa and her grandmother.
“Sunshine was also spotted a minute ago by Meiji University!” There was a pause as Alisa wrote it down. “Based on their trajectory the action is somewhere south west of your location. I’ll let you know if I can narrow it down.”
“I’m on it.” Eli sprinted over to the edge, the thrusters on her shoulder pads igniting as he vaulted over the street.
She would fight. Not because she had to or anyone expected her to but because she wanted to. It was her choice alone.
And she chose to fight.
The sounds of the city rang in her ears. She could hear the engines of the cars driving below, conversations happening below, the few remaining leaves rustling in the trees. Despite all of that she could still separate them. Including the distorted shrek that was practically deafening. And yet, somehow, none of it overwhelmed her.
Eli made a sharp turn right as she moved toward the source. That scream did not sound like a human or any kind of animal Eli could think of. Odds were that was where Honoka and the others were at.
“Alisa, I heard a strange sound. Any updat-?” Eli stopped mid sentence when she heard the scream again. Leaping across the rooftops she noticed a nearby school with a broken skylight. This had to be it.
Landing on the rooftop she looked down and paled. She found them. Her friends were fighting and losing.
They were fighting against two women that Eli could only describe as beautiful. Yet they clearly weren’t human with how one of them had Sunshi- no Honoka pinned and her hands around her throat.
Eli didn’t think as she unsheathed her rifle. For a moment she felt a sense of Deja Vu except this time she aimed for the woman’s head. Breath in. Breath out and squeeze the trigger.
The woman rolled off just in time as Eli came crashing down.
She stood up as the dust around her cleared up. Standing in between the two groups, Eli stared down the two villains. “So you’re the ones behind the suicides, aren’t you?”
“I wouldn’t call it suicide.” Molpe moved her hand back and forth. “That implies the pathetic humans decided to end their own lives. They lived and died by our whim, all we did was finally end their worthless existence.”
If there was any doubt, any question if these two were human or not they had just answered it. No human could talk about killing that casually, that callously. They were monsters came to life.
“I’ll handle these two. You four get out of here.” Eli declared making sure she was standing in between her friends and the monsters in front of her.
“You can't! They’re Sirens and can see the future! You can’t hit them!” Honoka warned.
“Noted.” Eli calmly said before brandishing their armed gear, not deterred in the slightest. Taking in a deep breath she started singing.
(Play: Solider Game- Eli Ayase)
Eli charged forward, raising her arms before slashing down at Thelxinoe who sidestepped at the last second. The Siren made no attempt to fight back, content with making this new superhero an utter fool. Every swipe, every thrust was dodged with the tiniest of motions, simple twists of her torso or one step backwards.
“We need to help her!” Honoka yelled. The four got up but were interrupted by a torrent of water raining down in front of them. The water rippled, the reflection turning into another world as Molpe once again called upon the Treasury of Babylonia. Countless Noise crossed the barrier between worlds and formed.
“I think you have your own problems to worry about.” Molpe grinned as she threw more water, creating dozens of Noise with each flick of her wrist.
The four Adapters sprang into action, cutting through the endless tide of Noise. For every one that disintegrated into carbon ash, two more replaced them.
Eli couldn’t hide the rising anger in her voice as she kept on singing, unable to hit her opponent. Thelxinoe ducked underneath an overhead slash before stepping forward. Grabbing onto Eli’s shoulder the Siren finally fought back with a swift and brutal right hook to her face.
Eli’s head jerked to the side, her vision blurring from the punch. But in the same motion she grabbed Thlexinoe's wrist and drove her fist into the Siren’s gut.
Thelxinoe cocky smirk dissipated, replaced by one of pure disbelief as the air was driven out of her lungs. Her eyes were wide in shock, unable to comprehend what just happened. Almost as if she wasn’t expecting it.
Or more accurately, she didn’t see it coming.
Taking advantage of the Siren’s confusion, Eli continued her assault with a uppercut to the chin, before grabbing onto her and throwing her to the ground.
Thlexinoe’s body contorted her limbs bending and twisting as she touched the ground. Landing on her hands, she spun around trying to regain her balance.
Eli’s cape detached and flew forward, the fabric wrapping around the Siren and pinning her to the ground.
Swan Lake Steg
She leapt high into the air, her Armed Gear letting out a hiss of steam as it tripled in size. Eli hovered high in the air almost like an angel. With surprising ease, she raised the giant axe above her head. The thrusters on her shoulder pads ignited, blue flames shooting out as she descended to the earth below, her weapon ready to deliver divine judgement.
“Thelxinoe!” Molpe screamed as she sent out a wave of water toward her fellow Siren. The liquid flowed above her. The water enveloped the axe head and shifted to the right, veering the axe off course and splitting the ground next to Thelxinoe instead.
Eli’s axe shrank as she tore it out of the floor and heaved, her blade still aimed at Thelxinoe’s neck.
The Siren panicked, throwing herself back, the edge of the axe missing her neck by mere centimeters. With a full spin, Eli’s axe returned to its normal size as she charged the Sirens, getting right in between them.
Thlexinoe finally managed to free herself, Eli’s cape returning and reattaching to her back. With a flourish she threw it in front of Thelxinoe, blinding her as she tried to trip Molpe who avoided it with a short back hop. Spinning her axe to the side, the blades shifted as the muzzle lit up, two bullets slamming into a hastily made shield that sent Molpe stumbling back.
The two Sirens were a mess. It was strange. Sometimes their moves were smooth and calculated effortlessly blocking or dodging. Yet just as often it was clumsy. Moving a bit too far, blocks that were just a second too soon. They were still formidable fighters but it was clear they no longer simply knew what their opponent would do.
Thelxinoe deflected a swing with her staff before leaping into the air, spinning directly over Eli toward her fellow Siren. But Eli had anticipated it and a blade came out by the butt of her rifle. The axe head caught Thlexinoe by her ankle, Eli used both hands in a devastating diagonal strike that cut through Molpe’s tentacles like they were strings.
Bones snapped as Thlexinoe learned forward trying to regain her balance in midair but she was too slow, crashing into Molpe and sending the two tumbling away.
Eli got on one knee, carefully steadying her armed gear at the Sirens. The blades turned downwards and embedded themselves into the floor creating a stand. Her armed gear started to vibrate as more energy gathered around the muzzle.
She pulled the trigger.
Eli’s rifle snapped toward the sky, the kickback so severe it almost tore the gun out of her grip. A massive orb of energy came roaring out, tearing up the ground around it as it streaked forward.
Nutcracker Zenit
Molpe and Thlexinoe stood up before they both desperately thrust their hands forward. Water condensed and shimmered, forming a dark blue wall only a second before it was put to the test.
The ground shook, the members of SONG 2 throwing their arms out to keep balance. The last few remaining Noise were swiftly dispatched as the four slowly walked toward the new Symphogear user. Was it really over?
The cloud dissipated, Molpe and Thelxinoe disheveled but otherwise unharmed. How did they survive that?!
“Custodian dogs!” Thelxinoe cursed as she stood up and formed another spear, still ready to fight.
Molpe stepped forward and moved an arm in front of her sister. “This is a low tide and we’re fighting for a scavenged carcass. We have better things to do.” Thelxinoe gritted her teeth almost as if she was going to ignore Molpe's advice but she relented, her spear evaporating into mist.
“You're right. Good news is I did get some valuable information from the girl.” Thelxinoe taunted.
Molpe waved her hand in a complex pattern as a bubble formed around them like a shield. Water flowed beneath their feet and they sank into it. With a single ripple they were gone, the pool evaporating with it.
With the threat gone, all four members of SONG 2 rushed toward the newest member. “That was awesome!” Honoka cheered, flinching for a second at the sharp pain in her hip.
“I only did my duty.” The girl grunted. She spoke with a deep tone but off-sounding tone.
“I didn’t know Elfnein-chan had another Symphogear ready.” Rin smiled as she sheathed her armed gear.
“That’s the thing. We don’t.” Hibiki said through the communicator. All four girls paused mid step. “We have no idea who this girl is or why she has a Symphogear. See if you can invite her to Flower.”
“What’s your name?” Umi asked as she relaxed although making sure to keep her arms free in case something happened.
She paused for a second as if she was having an internal debate. “…They call me Vasilisa.”
“Well Vasilisa-chan, we’re a part of SONG 2 and our commander wants to talk to you.” Honoka wrapped an arm over the new Adapter’s shoulder. “It would be awesome if you could come with us-“
“There is no way in hell I’ll join SONG. Not after what they did,” Vasilisa said with such venom it made everyone flinch. She stepped forward, gently removing Honoka’s arm
“But why?” Kotori asked.
“There’s not much to talk about. I refuse to join any group that doesn’t care about who they draft. And if you don’t know what I’m talking about.” Vasilisa turned around her gaze burning despite being hidden behind a visor.
“You four need to open your eyes and look in the mirror. Focus on what truly matters. I’ll handle the Sirens.” Turning around she ignored the cries of protest as she leapt through the broken sky light onto the roof.
Rin bent her knees, her scarf starting to extend as she prepared to give chase.
“Let her go,” Hibiki ordered. “I need everyone to come back to Flower immediately. There’s a lot to talk about.” In the distance all four Adapter watched Vasilisa run away, her form soon vanishing from sight.
Notes:
So the flashback is finally over. It ended up being way longer than I expected but I feel like that's a good thing. Eli having a Symphogear but being independent from SONG 2 is something I had figured out since day 1 and it's nice to finally reveal it.
It's time to finally get back on track with writing this story regularly and it starts today.
Chapter 11 WILL be out by July 1st at the latest.
Chapter 11: Soldier Game
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Vasilisa dashed across the rooftops, the chilling winds flowing through her hair. Her cape wrapped around her body almost like a cloak, dark colors letting her blend into the night. Leaping across buildings she was a living shadow, occasionally illuminated by a street light or window before vanishing.
She stopped and looked behind her, searching for any sign of movement. After a few seconds she relaxed. She wasn’t being followed. Good.
Making a sharp turn to the left, she vaulted over two streets in a single bound, landing on a nearby rooftop with only a quiet tap from her heels. Looking over toward a dark apartment complex she pressed a hand to her ear. “Is it clear, Al-?”
“What did I say?” A voice interrupted.
Vasilisa rolled her eyes, sighing in defeat. “Is it clear, Oracle?”
One of the lights turned on, the sliding window quietly opening up. Vasilisa did a quick check, making sure there was no one down below before she jumped and landed on the patio before entering the room.
“Besat jale Kladenets tron”
With a quick chant, Eli deactivated her Valkyrie armor. She turned to where Alisa sat on the bed, typing away at her laptop. “Good news, there’s no news about you on the Superstar forums. Looks like no one saw you.”
“Good.” The longer she could remain hidden the better. At least until she finally got Honoka to see reason. “I was right, Honoka cancelling the meeting was related to her double life. Did they check?”
Alisa slid her laptop to the side. “They did. Tried calling you only a minute after you left. But I think I threw them off with my backup plan.”
“I don’t know what’s worse. You made me do that or that you actually used it.”
“You're welcome,” Alisa said cheekily.
Eli plopped down onto Alisa’s bed, ignoring the token cry of protest from her little sister. She idly rubbed her jaw, only now registering a faint stinging sensation where she was punched. Was it the adrenaline fading or did her armor numb the pain? Either way Eli knew she was going to be sore in the morning.
Reaching over Eli grabbed Alisa's laptop and typed in ‘Greek Sirens’. A bunch of pages popped up. After a few minutes of searching she found a list of names including Thelxinoe. She even had the name of a Siren. Her partner's name was…. Eli looked to her sister for help who only shrugged before stealing her laptop back. “Let’s call her Leucosia for now.”
“That sounds good to me. So what did the Sirens look like?”
Eli pulled up a painting of two Sirens lounging on the rocks. “They pretty much looked like the Sirens from myths just give them modern clothes and human legs instead of a tail.”
“That’s so cool!” Alisa paused and blinked. “Wait, the fact that their Sirens implies the Greek myth was real. Does that mean other myths are real?!”
Both girls looked at each other, only now realizing just how deep the rabbit hole was. Every single creature or person from mythology could be real.
“Let’s not think about that.” Eli hastily said before either of them could dwell on it. “It’s possible they're just…” Eli threw her hands up. “Mutants or something."
“Ya let’s go with that.” Alisa nodded her head. “I may just be making things up here but I think it could be possible for your Valkyrie armor to detect and zero in on the Siren’s scream?” Alisa asked. “You said it’s super loud and we need a way to know when they're active.”
Eli sighed and rolled her head. “Alisa. I am fully aware my armor does some crazy things but I feel like even that’s a bit of a stretch. Not only that but I would have to be wearing the armor in which case my hearing is strong enough that I could hear the scream anyway. Your idea sounds like it's from a comic book.”
“It was from a movie!” Alisa clarified not helping her case in the slightest. “But we need some way of tracking down the Sirens if you're going to fight them.”
“Even if the armor could do that there’s no way you could program that. Just because you looked up a couple of engineering seminars online doesn’t mean you're an expert. I’m sure we can figure out something.”
“It was from a college research paper! Look, I even found some good ones.” She pushed her laptop back over to her sister who skimmed over the papers. Most of them were junk, nothing they could actually use. But one article in particular made her pause.
“Wait a moment.” Eli read the title again. ‘Isolating, amplifying, and detecting outlying sound waves using low intensity high frequency waveforms.’ The title sounded like a bunch of buzzwords strapped together but it was the author that made her raise an eyebrow.
By Shirabe Tsukuyomi.
That was the woman who helped them fix the headset a few days ago! If she was writing research papers on this, she clearly understood sound. Maybe she could help them out.
Then Eli stopped, and shook her head. She didn’t even know where Shirabe lived, and besides, they only met once. Even then Eli couldn’t help but bookmark the webpage. Maybe later.
Alisa nervously sat up. “I just want to ask again. But are you sure you can’t just-“
“I told you, I’m not working with SONG directly and that’s final,” Eli said with absolute conviction, earning her a defeated sigh from her little sister. “I plan on telling the other members of μ's once I get them away from SONG. I promise.”
“If you say so,” Alisa said uneasily, eyes sinking with the solemnity of the grave. “But I have something extremely important we need to go over.” She reached into her desk and pulled out a piece of paper, holding it like it was sacred text. “We need to figure out your catchphrase.”
Eli facepalmed.
“That’s all I have regarding the fight.” Hibiki walked away from the chalkboard before sitting down in her chair.
What was supposed to be a celebration, a time they could finally come clean, instead was one of the worst days the organization had faced. One of their members was directly attacked and if it wasn’t for Hibiki deciding to check up on her students they might not have learned about Hanayo’s abduction until it was too late.
They hadn’t even bothered to take down the ‘Welcome to SONG 2!’ Banner, the cloth hanging above, serving as an ironic reminder.
Hanayo remained huddled in on herself, arms crossed as she tried to be as small as possible. Losing control of your own body was a traumatizing experience, as many of SONG 2 could personally attest to.
Rin was so close she might as well be sitting on Hanayo’s lap. She had an arm protectively wrapped around Hanayo, her eyes still tense as if the Sirens would burst into the room at any moment. If it wasn’t for Tsubasa and Miku convincing her, Rin would still have her Symphogear on, just in case.
“Hanayo-chan, how are you feeling?” Hibiki asked, taking a step forward but not too close just in case it made Rin jump.
“I’ll… I’ll be ok,“ Hanayo said.
“Do you remember what they wanted from you?” Miku gently pressed.
“It’s hard to remember. They asked me quite a few questions about SONG 2 but they all ended up leading toward one topic. The Lethe relic and where it was.”
The senior members of SONG 2 shared an uneasy look. They had suspected the Sirens might have been after Lethe.
Out of all of Flamel’s relics Lethe and Cryptos were the biggest outliers. They had zero information about these relics except for the names and they only knew that because Flamel had engraved it on the box.
“Do you remember what you told them? It’s ok if you can’t,” Maria preempted. “But we need to know.”
“I think I told them we have Lethe but they didn’t manage to ask me where Lethe is.”
“They probably can deduce it’s at Flower but they didn’t manage to ask where Flower is right?” Hibiki waited for her student to nod in confirmation. “Good. We suspected it for a while but this cements it. Lethe and Cryptos are fake names.”
Elfnein stepped forward. “Cryptos means ‘hidden’ in Hellenistic Greek and Lethe is the name of a river in Greek myth that erased memories. What we don’t know is if Flamel knew what the relics really are. Considering he put some extensive security around those two relics, it’s leaning toward him knowing.”
“And the Alca-Noise were meant to protect the relic from the Sirens,” Honoka said. “Speaking of that, do you think Vasilisa’s Symphogear was also made by Flamel?” She wrapped her fingers around her pendant.
“We can talk about Vasilisa later, Dummy Jr.” Chris chastised. “We need to focus on the pressing issue. Are we still gonna have this reveal party?” She pointed at the banner above them. “Speaking of that, where did they go?”
Honoka started rubbing her arm. “I kind of panicked and told them the meeting was canceled. If Hanayo-chan was being attacked I didn’t want to risk all four of them being in one spot.”
“It would have been safer to keep them together, Leiur could have kept an eye on them,” Hibiki said. Her student looked down at her lap embarrassed. “Don’t beat yourself up too hard, ok?” Honoka perked back up.
“There’s one thing that’s still bothering me.” Shirabe had a hand on her chin. ”Why Hanayo-san?” Shirabe asked. “If they already knew Umi-san and Kotori-san’s identity then it’s likely they know who’s a part of SONG 2. Why would they target her when any of us,” She gestured to the older members of SONG 2. “Would have more information regarding the organization and Lethe?”
Miku and Chris shared a look of realization, the latter standing up and drawing everyone’s attention. “They did try to ambush us.” A few weeks ago Miku and I were in the park and we remember a strange woman walking up to us and acting like she was singing but we didn’t hear anything. That was Thelxinoe, right?”
The second in command hummed in confirmation. “It was. And I have a feeling we weren’t the only ones. Does anyone else remember something similar to that?”
Kirika raised her hand. “I’m pretty sure they tried to hit us. I remember going on a date with Shirabe and some woman walked up to us and seemed like she was mouthing something. Didn’t hear a single sound.”
“Which Siren was it?” Leucosia or Molpe?” Hibiki asked.
“Umm, wasn’t that one Japanese?” Kirika looked at her fiance for help.
“She was. Which means there are likely four Sirens in total. It does line up. In legends there were always three to four Sirens on the Odyssey’s path. It also lines up with the fact that all four CIA agents were simultaneously ambushed. Four Sirens, four targets.”
“Molpe tried to get me almost two weeks ago when I was on a run,” Hibiki said. “Same story. She was singing but I didn’t hear anything.”
“And Leucosia went for me and Tsubasa during our charity concert last week. We saw a glimpse of her but weren’t sure if it was her or not. She probably tried to hypnotize us but also failed.”
“So all seven of you are somehow immune to their song. Leucosia tried and failed to mind control Honoka and Rin in the subway tunnel, odds are this also applies to us.” Umi pointed to her classmates. “So how come Hanayo was affected?”
“It’s simple.” Elfnein put her tablet down. “Everyone but Hanayo-san has at one point used a Symphogear.”
“Ok, our Symphogears making us immune makes sense but Tsubasa-san and the others can’t use their Symphogears anymore. How come they’re safe?” Rin asked.
Elfienin stood up, walked over to a smartboard, and began to scrawl out equations at astonishing speed. “It’s complicated but just to simplify… when you first activate your Symphogear it alters your brain in a few small but key ways. It doesn’t influence or change who you are but it makes your subconscious more aware of certain waveforms outside of human hearing. The Sirens hypnotize people by using a Sorcery infused waveform hidden inside their songs. You can’t hear the song since your brain can detect and ignore the hypnotizing waveform. The full explanation is a lot more complicated but that’s the general principle.” She crossed a plus sign and pointed. “See?”
Everyone stared at the mess of equations uncomprehendingly. The Alchemist blinked, then deflated. “Never mind…”
“What about you?” Kotori raised her hand. “Dur Da Bla was a Faust Robe not a Symphogear, right?”
“I’m safe since I have an enhanced brain. Carol made some modifications in her clones’ brains to better utilize memory combustion. One of which was a perfect memory so she could preserve her fuel. One of the benefits I discovered is it makes me immune to mind control.
Chris huffed. “How do you know that for sure?”
“Because they also tried to mind control me nine days ago,” Elfnein admitted. “I remember taking a walk around my apartment and I felt a headache come out of nowhere. I started recalling random memories which in hindsight I think was my brain realizing it was being put into a trance. My alchemical brain used my perfect recollection to keep itself busy.”
“So Koizumi-san is and will be their primary target.” Tsubasa folded her arms. “How do we protect her?”
Elfnein gestured at Micha who ran out of the room. “I do have a solution. Remember when we retrieved Lethe and I mentioned there were more fragments then I expected? It was because there was two relics. I only found this out yesterday but we also have relic fragments that originated from the Argo, a ship used by the Greek hero Jason.”
“The relic can make her immune,” Maria said in realization.
“Exactly.“ Elfnein started scribbling out yet another complicated formula. ”I can make earrings that will create a special field around Hanayo-san that will react to the specific wavelength the Sirens use. It will then use a modification of the Active Noise Cancellation system to negate it.“ Micha came back into the room, proudly holding a box that she placed on the table.
“Umm, could you repeat that in Japanese I can understand?” Honoka asked.
Elfnein sighed in defeat. “The earrings will protect her from the Siren’s song but she will need to keep them on at all times.”
“Well that’s simple then.” Rin perked up. “All you need to do is make a dozen pairs of earrings and give them to our family and friends. How long will it take?“
Elfnein shook her head. “There’s a catch. I only have enough fragments to make one pair of earrings and Hanayo-san will need to keep them on at all times. Before you ask, I can't use any other relics to make another pair. The only reason Argo will work is because its association in myth to the Sirens grants it a Philosophical Armament effect.”
“A what?” Rin asked.
Elfnein opened her mouth but Umi leaned forward. “When enough people believe something about an object for long enough, it becomes real.”
“Oooh.” Rin and Honoka chimed in understanding. Kirika also oohed in the back. Shirabe facepalmed.
“But what if the Sirens decide to attack her anyways?” Chris pointed out. “They know she could be hypnotized so what if they try to remove the earrings?”
“That’s a risk we’ll have to deal with,“ Hibiki slowly answered. “Hanayo-chan, I’ll need you to stay at Flower until we have the earrings made which shouldn’t take more than a day or two. After that we’ll set up a security rotation so you always have an Adapter with or close to you in case they do try to attack you.”
“I’ll protect her,” Rin declared, puffing her chest up in determination. “She can stay at my house or I can crash at her place. It won’t be weird for either of our families since we do it all the time.”
“If you do it for the next month it will be,” Umi pointed out.
“Well if I don’t then the Sirens might kill her!” Rin leapt from chair, hand still on Hanayo’s shoulder. “They were about to kidnap her. They murdered Danielle-san and the other agents!”
“They didn’t kill the first agents they interrogated,” Shirabe pointed out. “We still don’t know why they only killed some of the agents.”
“It was probably since they didn’t have any real information,” Miku said. “Danelle-san and Johnthan-san knew quite a lot about Lethe so the Sirens might have killed them to keep their plans a secret.”
“It could also be for fun,” Honoka glared, crossing her arms. “They’re monsters and we’ve seen firsthand how causal they are with murder.”
Hibiki shared an uneasy glance with her wife.
“Here’s what we know.” Hibiki stood up. “The Sirens have some way of figuring out who knows about Lethe but they can’t use it to find it directly. They will attempt to ambush anyone who knows to get more information but won’t start a fight if they can't hypnotize them. They could have easily overpowered and kidnapped us yet they didn’t try.”
“So we can’t tell the others,” Umi said.
“I could create Symphogears for them.” Elfnein offered. “From my understanding once someone activates one they are completely immune to the Siren’s song even outside of their Symphogear. Maki-san, Eli-san, Nico-san, and Nozomi-san are all candidates.”
“That could work,” Miku said. “We could Tune a Symphogear to the others and then tell them about SONG 2. If we do it right the Sirens will never attack them. But I think the best plan is to go one at a time. That way we can also bolster our numbers.”
“We will not force them to fight,” Hibiki preempted. “If they decide against it for whatever reason we will search for another wielder. This is to bring them into the fold.”
“So we have to wait even longer now?” Honoka groaned.
“I made a mistake last time by not telling you about Morgana. I won’t make it again.” Hibiki walked over to the main screen. Some key strokes brought up the dates and locations of every person the Sirens tried to question. “From our current intel the Sirens only ambush those who know either about SONG 2 or Lethe. In theory we could bring the others in but keep them in the dark regarding Lethe but that’s way too likely to backfire. So we have two choices. Either we go with Miku’s plan and tell them one at a time once their Symphogears are ready or we tell them now and take the risk.”
“So what are we going to do?” Kotori asked.
“That is your decision. You're just as much a member of SONG 2 as any of us.” Hibiki crossed her arms and stepped back. The five girls huddled together.
“We risk it,” Umi said. “The Sirens might attack our families anyways and it would be better for them to be aware of the threat.”
“But telling them just makes them a target!” Kotori argued.
“They could attack us at any time! I’m tired of keeping this a secret. We can figure out a way to protect them.” Honoka fired back.
Hanayo shook her head, huddling in on herself a little. “You already have to keep me protected 24/7. There’s no way you can also protect the others at the same time.”
“If they all know it will be super easy.” Honoka said
Their debate started to edge on an argument with Umi and Honoka for it and Kotori and Hanayo against it. Before it got too heated they all realized there was a simple solution.
All four girls looked toward Rin. She was the tiebreaker. Whatever she decided on would be their choice. Honoka smirked, she already knew Rin’s answer.
Rin hesitated for a moment. “We keep it a secret.”
“What?!” Honoka’s smirk was wiped off her face in an instant. She had to have heard that wrong. If it wasn’t for them keeping things a secret from Rin, the Blood Moon Incident would never have happened. Elfnein could have whipped up some sort of machine that could have detected Morgana’s presence inside of Rin and it would have been so easy to purge her. “Morgana wouldn’t have been able to take full control if you knew!”
Rin gritted her teeth, once again being reminded of that time. “If you would have told me then Morgana would have had full access to Flower instead!” She started to move forward, but paused and drew back to remain next to Hanayo. “Who knows what she could have done!”
For a moment Honoka saw Rin's eyes shift to Miku Oh. Oh. It all made sense. Miku probably convinced Rin ahead of time. “Ok,” Honoka said coolly as she turned around. Now’s not the time to make a scene.
Hibiki clapped her hands together, defusing the tension in the room. “As for who we will really recruit first, it will probably be whoever is the closest to syncing to either Sudarshana or Tizona. Once we have a list we will let you know beforehand,”
The members of μ's nodded. Seemed reasonable enough.
Hibiki pointed at the main screen. “And our final issue.” The screen flashed, the image of Vasilisa standing proud on screen. “We have a few theories about Vasilisa but we’re still trying to determine which one is correct. What we do know for certain is that she's using a Symphogear. Hopefully we’ll have an answer by tomorrow.”
“It’s a Finé made Symphogear,” Maria stated with absolute certainty. “Not only because it had a classification number, something which Kunwu didn’t initially have.” She pointed at Honoka’s pendant. “But because I saw that relic years ago.”
Maria closed her eyes, “FIS had multiple relics in storage that were not complete enough to be turned into a Symphogear, nor had any real use. Kladenets was one of those relics. There was a girl at the White Orphanage who was a possible candidate for Airgetlam although not as close as my sister. This was a long time ago, before you two,” she gestured at Shirabe and Kirika. “-Were even abducted by FIS. One day she was sent to a special experiment involving Kladenets but she never returned. Nobody knew what happened or what the experiment was even for but considering Kladenets is in this world I suspect it was related to Gjallarhorn. Finé must have been experimenting with it and activated it.”
“Finé made even more Symphogears?!” I thought she only made seven” Umi said.
“Finé lied.” Miku shrugged. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she could have made more Symphogears but decided against it to keep the government desperate enough to finance her. Kladenets must have been one of those relics and she made it a Symphogear in secret. Maybe it was a prototype or maybe she was planning on pawning it off to a third country.”
“Was it just me or did Vasilisa sound a lot like...” Kotori trailed off not wanting to say what was on everyone’s mind.
“I already checked.” Honoka pulled her phone out and put it on the table. “Eli-chan didn’t answer her phone but she sent a text saying she was busy. My sister is friends with Eli-chan’s sister Alisa. I asked Yukiho and she said Alisa-chan was with Eli-chan the entire time. There’s even a picture.” Honoka pulled out a phone showing the two together, with a clock in the background. 6:21 PM. The same time Vasilisa was already present.
There was an audible sigh of relief among the younger members of SONG 2, yet among the older members they remained silent. How everything was angled. It felt… off, but they didn’t say anything directly.
Hanayo stood up. “I just remembered something!” She blinked when she remembered who was sitting next to her. Rin was crouching on the ground, her keychain already transformed into the Carnwennan pendant, her chant dying on her lips.
“I remember them speaking Japanese but there was one word they kept saying in what I think was Ancient Greek. Seirenmakarios.”
“That is Ancient Greek.” Elfnein typed into her tablet and the word appeared on screen before turning into Japanese.
Sirenblessed
Nico walked into μ's clubroom, her chest puffed out and with a smug look on her face. She sat down as if she expected everyone to swarm her.
“Why are you in such a good mood?” Nozomi asked.
“Well I got some big news to tell you. And unlike a certain someone I won’t change my mind at the last second.”
The five members of SONG 2 looked at each other awkwardly. Eventually they all looked to their unofficial leader in Honoka.
We can’t really explain it in detail but there was an information leak at SONG. It really put the CEO on edge and she changed her mind. The plan was to offer all four of you… internships."
“Internships?” Eli leaned forward. “And you said it was the CEO… she’s Tachibana-sensei wife right?"
“Ya, she’s… ok but she has a problem with… communicating." Honoka bit her lip as if to stop herself from saying anything rude.
“I see…” Eli's face seemed to darken for a moment as she looked down at her lap. Nozomi raised an eyebrow. “So Nicochi. What’s your big reveal then?”
“I’m glad you asked.” Nico pulled out a laptop and opened a video. On screen it said ‘Song of the Valkyries: Renewal’.
Hanayo gasped. “Did you get a part?!”
Nico laughed, raising the back of her hand to her mouth. “You're looking at the future Artemis. Better known as Eclipse,”
Rin took in a sharp breath but managed to control herself. Hanayo protectively placed a hand on Rin’s arm who gave her a smile that tried and failed to be reassuring.
"Children. Mere children…” Nico said in the recording.
All eight girls watched Nico act. For three girls, they were absolutely enraptured by Nico’s incredible performance.
For the members of SONG 2 it was disturbing. If they didn’t know better, if it wasn’t for the fact they all saw Morgana die with their own eyes they would have thought the sorceress had returned and possessed Nico.
The second year's attention turned to Rin whose face was extremely pale. The first year's eyes were wide, her body shaking as buried memories forced themselves to the front of her mind.
Hanayo quietly grabbed Rin’s wrist before getting up and guiding her toward the door.
“Hey where are you going!?” Nico demanded. “I worked this hard and you won’t even watch!?”
“We’re going to the bathroom.” Hanayo replied, her voice so cold it sent chills down everyone’s spine. The normally meek first year quickly dragged her friend out of the room.
“I’ll show them when they get back.” Nico said out loud although it was clear it was more for show.
“Then I will show you why I am the Huntress and my enemies call me the Shadow of Death.” Nico recited on screen. The stunned silence on screen mirrors the stunned silence in the clubroom.
For a second they thought they would have to fight Nico.
“I’m a movie star now. Don’t worry I won’t let fame get to my head.” She closed her eyes before waving her hand dismissively at the group.
“Sureeee,” Maki snarked as she played with her hair. The door opened and Hanayo and Rin came back into the room before sitting down.
“I can’t believe you got a part! That’s so amazing!” Honoka cheered but there was a slight brittleness in her smile and she kept on glancing toward even more paper-thinly happy Rin. “But… don’t movies take a lot of time to do? What about μ's?”
“I don’t know.” Nico placed her elbows on the tables and her head on her hands. “I can’t say no to this. This is my chance to be a movie star!”
There was a pause as reality hit them. Nico might have to drop out of μ's.
Being the number one school idol group in the country was demanding. Add in school work and everything else? It seemed impossible.
“I’m sorry… but I don’t know what to do.” Tears started to roll down Nico’s eyes. “I want to be a school idol. You're my friends. But how could I ignore this chance to be a movie star! But I don’t want to leave μ's.”
“Nico-chan. You won’t leave μ's. Even if you can’t practice with us, even if you can't perform, you're still and will always be a member of μ's.” Honoka pointed at the Love Live trophy in the cabinet. “The only reason we have that is because of you. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity! I can speak for all of us when I say we’ll support you no matter what.”
The other members of μ's all hummed in agreement. No matter what happened Nico was and always will be a member of μ's.
Nico slowly lifted her head. For a moment she gave Honoka a skeptical look but it soon faded. She wiped away the tears on her face. “Thanks. I still have to figure out what I’m going to do. I want to do both but I’m going to need a miracle worker.”
“Actually I might have a solution.” Rin perked up. “I know Tsubasa-san has a super talented agent who manages her schedule. I bet ya I could ask Tsubasa-san for his number and he could get you in touch with a good agent. If anyone can figure out a way, it’s him.”
Nico gasped, frantically getting out of her chair and kneeling in front of Rin. ”You would do that?”
“Under one circumstance.” Rin wagged a finger, a cheeky grin on her face. “You have to stop bothering me about Tsubasa-san.”
Nico bit her lips, having a fierce internal debate. Could she afford to give up the chance to get Tsubasa Kazanari’s phone number? But what if this agent could help her even more?! After what felt like hours, Nico sighed before nodding her head. “I swear I will never bother you about Kazanari-sama ever again.”
“Yes!” Rin cheered before pulling out and dialing her phone. After only one ring it answered. “Hey Tsubasa-san! Can I ask you for a favor? No, I don't need another refresher with motorcycles.”
Maki looked at Hanayo. “How did she get so close to Kazanari-san?!” Maki hissed. The quiet first year simply shrugged.
“I made the wrong choice. It was a trap!” Nico despaired. Rin was getting private lessons from Tsubasa Kazanari and called her Tsubasa-san!?
“So Nico-chan got a role for a movie about the Valkyries and needs some help figuring out her schedule. Think your manager could help?” Rin placed her hand over the phone. “When are you meeting them?”
“Tomorrow. I already went over the contract with my mom and made a verbal agreement,“ Nico said. “Just need to walk in tomorrow to sign it in person.”
“Tomorrow.” Rin reached into her bag and pulled out a crumpled up sticky note and handed it to Nico. “Just have her email Toma-san with her name, resume, time, and address? No problem. I appreciate it. Thanks!” With a satisfied click she hung up. “There. All done.”
Maki, Nico, Nozomi, and Eli all looked at Rin with envy. “You. Not only do you have Tsubasa Kazanari’s phone number, not only do you have private lessons with her, but you also somehow have her manager. The manager of the Queens of Music’s, personal email?!“ Nico threw her hands out.
Rin slowly raised her hands defensively. “To be fair, Tsubasa-san only gave me Toma-san’s email in case I needed to contact her and she was busy.”
“That does not help at all,” Maki snarked.
“Just remember.” Rin smirked at Nico. “You promised me you can’t bother me about Tsubasa-san anymore. So don’t even try.”
The third year broke down, her eyes distant as if all her hopes and dreams were crushed before her very eyes. That is until Maki, Nozomi, and Eli stood in front of her.
“As a reminder.” Nozomi flashed Rin a smile that seemed just a bit too innocent. “Nicochi can’t bother you anymore. You didn’t say anything about the rest of us.” The three girls cracked their knuckles in sync as Rin jerked back in her seat, only now realizing the folly of her way.
Umi helpfully cracked a window open which Rin graciously took as she dove out the window, Maki, Eli, and Nozomi storming for the door to cut her off.
Hibiki loosened her tie as she walked into Flower. Despite being the commander of SONG 2, a group that had every country dance to its tune, she still had to work for a living. And she only had so many days she could take off before the Principle Minami really got mad at her.
If Kotori inherited her mother’s rage, Hibiki could only pray it was never directed at her.
Not that she wanted to quit her day job. She liked being a teacher and it also kept her grounded in a way. Her students weren’t the only ones who had to balance both sides of their lives.
Walking into Elfnein’s lab she ducked, a rubber ball sailing over her. Micha stood by the wall, her grin turning into a frown as she sulked away.
“Good try Micha!” Hibiki called out as the Autoscorer stomped past her in defeat. “Elfnein-chan, I brought dinner.”
The head scientist of SONG 2 gave a small nod as she remained focused on the multiple monitors in front of her. Her mind raced at unbelievable speeds as she somehow took and analyzed the different feeds and data points.
Hibiki grabbed a chair and sat down, opening up her takeout to start eating. Sometimes it was better to let Elfnein do her thing.
A few minutes later a growling sound snapped Elfnein out of her self inflicted daze. Sheepishly, she reached over for her takeout, digging into the meal.
“Thank you Hibiki-san.”
“It’s the least I could do,” Hibiki said. “But onto more serious topics! What did you find?”
“I can confirm Kladenets was made by Finé. It has too many similarities to Gungnir and Airgetlam in particular. The three might have been in development at the same time.”
Hibiki slurped down another bunch of noodles before answering, “Interesting. But what about Vasilisa? Is she who we suspect?”
Elfnein rolled her chair to the side, data and waveform analysis pulsing across the screen in front of them. “Ayase-san is Vasilisa. I detected some Aufwachen Waveforms in Russia back on October 21st and 22nd but didn’t think much of it besides it being a potential relic.“
“Eli-chan was in Russia then.”
“Exactly, and they stopped appearing on the 23rd, the day Ayase-san came back to Tokyo. I wasn’t able to detect Kladenets due to the other relics Aufwachen Waveform’s drowning it out.”
”Can you detect it now?” Hibiki asked.
“Somewhat. I won’t immediately detect it upon activation but I can search for any lingering waveforms which I did find by Ayase-san’s home.”
“Which cements it,” Miku said as she walked into the room. “If I had to make a guess, her sister is also in on it and had an alibi prepared.”
While the alibi did throw off the younger members of SONG 2, ironically it only made the senior members more suspicious of Eli. Sometimes an unusual rock solid alibi is the most damning evidence out there.
Hibiki rolled another chair over to her wife who gladly took it. “I think Eli-chan knows her friends are in SONG 2, or at least suspects it. The only reason she would have an alibi prepared was if she believed someone would check.”
Miku tilted her head in confusion. “But how did she overcome the glamour?”
Elfnein shrugged. “I have no idea.”
“So how are we going to recruit her? Should we ask her to come to Flower or tell the others to approach her directly?
Hibiki leaned back and crossed her arms. “For now we don’t do anything. And we keep it a secret from the others for now.”
“Hibiki, do you really think that is a good idea?” Miku placed a hand on her wife's shoulder. “We promised to keep the others in the loop.”
“I know what I said.” Hibiki ran a hand through her hair. “But there has to be a reason why Eli-chan is keeping this a secret from the others. She had her Symphogear for over a week now. She clearly had some kind of issue with SONG 2. If we approach her now she might take it the wrong way. I want to understand her. If there’s something I’m doing wrong. Something that’s hurting Eli-chan or my students. I have to do something.”
“You're doing your best.” Miku reassured.
Hibiki smiled gratefully, but not altogether convincingly, “It might not be enough. Once I figure out why Eli-chan dislikes SONG 2 I’m going to approach her directly. Eli-chan needs to be the one to tell her friends the truth, not us. Not unless it’s an emergency.”
“If you're sure…” Miku looked to Elfnein for backup but the tiny scientist shrugged.
“Trust me, I know my students. Eli-chan does not like others making decisions for her,” Hibiki said.
“Alright.” Her wife relented. Hibiki gave her a small smile before and then a quick peck on the lips. The two women blushed while Elfnein didn’t even bat an eye as she went back to her dinner.
The couple decided to leave Elfnein in peace as they left her lab, walking over to the main room.
“Why did you come down here? I thought you were going to lock yourself up in your office for a few hours.” Hibiki pointed upstairs.
Miku smiled. “I was but I have some good news. Thomas-san survived his surgery and is conscious. He’s still too weak to talk but he’s going to make it.”
Hibiki hugged her wife, a long held sigh of relief finally out.
Even though everything seemed to have gone wrong, sometimes all it took was the smallest of lights to keep hope alive.
As the sun began to set, Hibiki silently walked toward the closed off beach. The two disguised PSIA agents gave her a curt nod as she walked past them. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw them pull out earmuffs.She was glad the Prime Minister took her warning seriously.
Miku was the only other person who knew she wasn’t currently in Tokyo. Her students wouldn’t approve of this. But Hibiki had to try.
The beach was calm, the waves gently crashing against the shore. Standing tall Hibiki called out. “Leucosia-chan, Molpe-chan, Thlexinoe-chan. I want to talk to you. It’s about the Lethe relic.”
She couldn’t deny the Sirens were murderers, they already had a body count in the hundreds. But that didn’t mean they were unredeemable monsters.
“If Flamel stole the Lethe relic from you, all you want is to get the relic back because it’s important to you… I’m willing to give it back.”
She waited in silence but there was no answer. No bubbling, no ripples or any signs they heard or even cared. No she couldn’t give up! She couldn’t let this happen. She couldn’t stand by and have another secret war unfold right before her eyes.
“I don’t want to fight!” Hibiki pleaded. “I want to reach out and hold your hands. To understand you. I’m sure you had a reason for your actions. I forgive you. Please take my hand.” Hibiki begged as she held her hand out.
For a minute the tension grew as Hibiki waited for a response. Any kind of response. Please.
The only answer to her plea was the sound of waves crashing. A part of Hibiki’s mind tried to convince herself that maybe the Sirens couldn’t hear her. But her heart knew the truth. They heard but refused to answer.
There was no stopping this. Her students would once again be forced to fight. Hibiki stared out in the distance. For a moment she almost hoped she was wrong and one of the Sirens would appear.
Turning around, Hibiki walked away. The war had officially begun.
Notes:
At the last second but I'm glad to say I managed to hit my deadline. Currently I plan on releasing a chapter once a month. Ideally, I will speed up over time with my eventual goal being a new chapter every two weeks like I did for most of arc 1.
Chapter 12 will be out by August 1st at the latest.
Edit 7/30: Chapter 12 will be delayed until August 3rd for quality. The chapter is complete, but I rather push it back slightly so it's at the same standard as my other chapters. Thank you for being understanding.
Chapter 12: Reflections
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Hanayo slowly opened her eyes, a loud thump from downstairs stirring her awake. Blinking a few times, all she could see was the back of Rin’s head as she kept on sleeping, having grown numb to her mom leaving early for work.
Silently, Hanayo’s gaze drifted to the closet, slightly cracked open. The exact same way as last night. Which meant Rin slept through the night and didn’t have another nightmare.
They were thankfully becoming more sporadic but that didn’t lessen the impact when Rin went deathly pale, shaking, having to relive the worst moment of her life.
Hanayo checked for her new silver earings, proudly on display. They were small and innocuous, just a simple diamond shape with no distinctive marks. Perfect for wearing them long term, her parents hadn’t even noticed them in the first place.
The only exception was school. While Otonokizaka was pretty lax with their dress code and allowed multiple slight alternations to the uniforms, they did draw the line at earrings. Why they allowed jewelry like Honoka’s pendant but not earrings was anyone’s guess.
So during those hours Hanayo unfortunately had to wear special coverings that look like normal skin. If only they didn’t itch like crazy, but Elfnein said it was the best she could do. They couldn’t risk her taking the earrings off for even a second.
She was a liability. The only reason she even knew about SONG 2 in the first place was because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time and Honoka was forced to transform to save her.
If she would have listened and not followed Honoka down that alleyway, then she wouldn’t have had to reveal her identity to save her. Then SONG 2 could have informed the others about Morgana, no longer having to worry about her being a spy. The Blood Moon Incident might have been prevented altogether. Even ignoring all of that, The simple fact was if she wasn’t a part of SONG 2 then the Sirens wouldn’t have had anyone to ambush.
Now SONG 2 had to bend over backwards to keep her protected. She needed a 24/7 protection detail with a full on schedule determining who was staying at whose house, so she would always have an Adapter nearby. Even with the earrings, the Sirens could overpower her and remove the earrings unless Elfnein managed to figure out a way to prevent that. The tiny scientist was hard at work improving her earrings, hoping to include a feature that would make it so only Hanayo could remove it.
Well among her countless projects, the main one being Sudarshana. Elfnein had already confirmed that Sudarshana would be the next Symphogear, it being Tunable to both Nico and Nozomi.
Why was she so worthless- Hanayo pinched herself. She shouldn’t be thinking like that. Maria said she was important to SONG 2. Her main duty being to support her best friend.
She rolled over to glance at Rin, letting the sight of her friend calm her. Rin seemed so peaceful right now. Her alarm wouldn’t go off for another ten minutes or so. Hanayo knew she wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep but also didn’t want to get up. Not when Rin was having a good night for once.
Ten minutes later the alarm went off, Rin’s limbs flailing as she was woken up by the annoying sound. Hanayo groaned when Rin’s hand smacked her right on the nose.
“Morning, Kayo-chin.” Rin groaned as she rubbed her eyes. Letting out a yawn she got up and turned off the alarm clock. “Were you already awake?”
“Only for a few minutes.” Hanayo said as she also got out of the bed. The two girls started to get ready for school, going through a morning ritual they had practiced countless times before.
Instead of getting on the computer, Rin reached into her backpack and pulled out a book. Hanayo had to do a double take at the sheer absurdity. Rin reading a book in the morning?!
“I have to brush up on the rules of the road.” Rin explained. “My birthday is this Thursday and Tsubasa-san is already pushing to schedule my motorcycle exam for this Friday.”
“She’s been teaching you a lot.”
“Yup. It’s super cool! She said I already have the basics down and is teaching me cool stuff like how to drift!” Rin mimed drifting, earning her a laugh from Hanayo.
“That’s great! Just remember you can’t afford to disappoint her. She’s been spending a lot of time training you.” Hanayo said, Rin shivering in fear at the sudden shift in tone.
“I won’t mess up, I promise! Tsubasa-san’s confident I’ll pass.” Rin returned to her book and flipped through a page.”Especially since I overheard Tsubasa-san say something about bringing a motorcycle to Flower. That way I can use it during missions. Make it a lot easier for us to move around if we don’t have to rely on Leiur-chan.”
The two girls both put on their school uniforms as they went downstairs to get some breakfast. Rin’s parents were both gone, her father also leaving for work not too long ago. As they dug into their food - with an extra serving of rice for Hanayo as per usual - Hanayo chopsticks paused. “Do you know when they plan on celebrating your birthday at Flower?”
“I think they're planning this Friday or Saturday. Think it really depends on Tsubasa-san’s schedule.”
“Do you think she's going to get you a present?” Hanayo whispered. Rin slowly nodded her head and her best friend gasped in shock. “No way! What do you think she’ll get you?”
“I kind of suspect Tsubasa might buy me a motorcycle jacket for my birthday. She’s been asking me about my size recently and if I like jackets or not.”
“You better take good care of it.” Hanayo said seriously, then a teasing grin slid on her face. “And remember not to brag about it in front of μ's. Unless you want the entire school to hunt you down.”
“I learned my lesson.” Rin laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head. “I just hope she’s not spending too much money on me.”
“You are not buying Rin-san a motorcycle for her birthday.” Miku said as she pinched the bridge of her nose.
Miku was used to Elfnein trying to sneak into Flower early to work extra hours, that’s why she made sure to stop by every morning. What she wasn’t expecting was to find Tsubasa of all people driving into the hidden garage with a motorcycle and trying to put a giant bow on it.
“Why not?“ Tsubasa asked, head tilting in a remarkable imitation of a confused bird. “She’s going to get her driver's license in two weeks and it will be pointless if she does not have a motorcycle to drive. It would be foolish of me to expect her parents to buy her one so I thought I would provide her one.”
“Tsubasa. I want you to think about this for a moment. You are planning on giving a sixteen year old girl a million yen motorcycle.”
“2.1 million.” Tsubasa replied instantly, "I got it custom made.”
“That does not help in the slightest.” Miku deadpanned. “You are going to buy a teenage girl a brand new motorcycle. A girl who has no means of ever paying you back.”
“That is why I am buying it. She could never afford it by herself and besides I have plenty of money to spare.” Tsubasa crossed her arms and nodded in perfect sincerity. “This will not even affect my monthly motorcycle budget.”
It was sometimes easy to forget just how rich Tsubasa was. She was a part of the most famous idol duo in the world yet she only used a fraction of her fortune. A lifetime of discipline and training meant even as an adult she lived as if she had nothing.
Which was all well and good except it meant Tsubasa had a terrible sense of scale. It was time to call in backup.
“Maria!” Miku called out. Twenty seconds later Maria walked into the room. “Maria, Tsubasa wants to give Rin-san a brand new 2.1 million yen custom motorcycle for her birthday. Could you please talk some sense into her?”
“Seriously Tsubasa? A brand new motorcycle?” Maria walked toward her partner as Miku sighed in relief. Crisis averted. “You should have taken that money and bought the parts to build one yourself. Probably be a lot better quality anyways.”
It was at this point Miku remembered that Maria personally paid for Shirabe’s Master degree and once put an extra zero on a check. And thought it wasn’t worth raising a fuss over.
“I did consider it but Rin-san can only drive 400cc or less motorcycles at sixteen.” Tsubasa explained. “I was a bit concerned I would go too far and make it illegal for her so I decided to play it safe.”
“Just give her one of your motorcycles in your collection then. I’m sure she can use at least one of them. It would only be… what, four million yen to replace?”
“Maria, you are a genius.” Tsubasa looked over to Miku who was marching her way out of the garage. “Where are you going?”
“To the simulation room so I can have a padded wall to run my head into.”
Nico couldn’t help but pace back and forth in the lobby. She ran here the moment she finished her last class for the day. This was it. She was going to have an agent look through her contract and finally - finally! - determine what she would have to sacrifice. If she had to pick anything it would probably be school, but realistically μ's would be the casualty.
Nico perked up when the front door opened and a man in a sharp business suit walked toward her with a purpose. He had short black hair accented by a thin pair of glasses.
“Yazawa-san?” He offered Nico a handshake which she swiftly accepted. “My name is Yano Toma, it’s nice to meet you.”
Wait, Yano Toma?! “Aren’t you the manager for the Queens of Music?”
“I am. I already looked over your contract but I want your input. Any concerns?”
“Not really.” Nico pretended to look at a piece of paper just to hide her wide smile. This was Tsubasa’s and Maria’s manager and he was helping her! “I just need help figuring out a schedule. I don’t want to quit μ's but I don’t know if I’ll have the time.”
“That won’t be an issue. I am an expert at time management, It’s often fairly easy to work around movie schedules.” Yano paused, then sighed as he fished his vibrating phone from his pocket. “I’m so sorry but I need to answer this call. Go to the office, I’ll be right behind you.”
Nico nodded her head as she walked toward the office. Inside she saw Sho alongside some other producers… one of which was unfortunately Marisa.
“Ah Yazawa-san, it's good to see you again.” Sho gave her a warm smile.
“Um I read it over and my mom is fine with it but my agent wants to discuss it with you first.” Did that sound too pretentious!?
For a moment Sho seemed almost. Relieved? “I’m glad you found an agent. Is he here?”
“He-“
“Why hello there Sho-san.” Yano walked into the room with a smile that seemed friendly but there was something odd. It was less of a genuine smile and more like that of a cat that had just sprang a trap and had a mouse under its paw.
“Oh shit.” One producer whispered and it seemed like that was the general consensus. All of them were dead silent, their eyes wide in fear at the man before them like he was a demon.
Yano seemed to be treasuring every moment as he stepped forward. “I’ll be gone soon. I’m here to represent Yazawa-sama and her interests. I looked through her contract and schedule and I noticed some inefficiencies,” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny folded piece of paper. “But don’t worry. I already went through the troubles and have a solution.”
“ Fuck. ” Marisa cursed in English. Yano’s only response was a grin and to unfold the paper that now touched the ground.
Several hours later, Yano tapped a pen against a few empty boxes surrounded by a sea of words. “Ok so I left some free time to account for any performance you do as a member of μ's. I blocked it here, here, and here. Tell me which time fits best because I still need to block in what day you’ll have to film your half hood scene. I can guarantee you it’ll take longer than the director planned.”
The two were currently sitting in a sectioned off area of some fancy cafe. Apparently, Tomo came here so often the staff had a special booth just for him.
Nico had met some terrifying people in her life. Her mother after finding out she drank the last cup of coffee, her elementary school teacher, Nozomi in general…
All that paled in comparison to Yano Toma. The scariest part was how polite he was while somehow also being terrifying! The effortlessly manipulation. The way he twisted the producers arms to get Nico shooting scheduling moved around to better fit her personal schedule! Nico shuddered.
“So…” Nico awkwardly trailed off. “Will you be managing my schedule weekly or?”
Yano shook his head. “I won’t be your manager. To be honest the main reason I came today was because I couldn’t resist the chance to make Sho-san sweat. I’ve worked with him before and he’s a good director, don’t get me wrong. But he can be too passive.”
“Oh.” Nico deflated a little. Of course, the only reason she got such a famous idol manager was because of a personal vendetta.
“I’m having an assistant of mine take care of your weekly schedule instead.” Yano continued, “She’s very talented and I have full faith in her abilities.”
Well, Nico considered, at least she had someone backing her up, and if they had Yano’s approval they had to be good. Right?
Nico still felt a pale sweat whenever she looked at the schedule in front of her. Somehow against all odds Yano had managed to fit it so Nico could not only be in the movie and still be a part of μ's, but she also would be able to go to school most days. There was even some time slotted in to see her family!
It was an absolute masterpiece in time management. If Nico could uphold it. Every minute counted and she couldn’t waste a single second.
“So how much will you be charging?” Nico hadn’t thought of it until her mom mentioned it last night but this was going to be expensive, hopefully it won’t put her in the negative.
“You don’t have to worry about the fees. Kazanari-san is paying for it.”
Nico couldn’t help but sigh in relief. Yano probably charged a fortune even if it was completely justified. Tsubasa Kazanari covering it out of her own pocket?! She would like to believe it was because she was so talented that even the Queens of Music recognized her skill, but it was more likely because of Rin. Nico owed her a lot
Great, now she felt compelled to keep her promise in both the letter and spirit. No getting the other students to ask for Tsubasa’s phone number. Nico’s eyes returned to her contract, saw the big number by ‘Salary’, and almost choked on her own spit. With this money she could cover a large part of her siblings' college fund! Which meant her mom could afford to spend a little more including a real vacation!
“Still can’t believe Kazanari-san is covering it?” Yano asked knowingly, receiving a nod from Nico. “She’s like that. Between you and me, Kazanari-san is somehow the most frugal and most wasteful spender I have ever worked for in my life. She doesn’t buy much but when she does…”
“ No .” Miku glared at the famous idol duo as they presented her their new plan.
“Why not?” Tsubasa tilted her head in confusion alongside Maria. “She needs somewhere to park it.”
“She can park at Flower. She doesn’t need a climate controlled garage!” Miko threw her arms out, “Where would her family even fit that?!”
“…It’s just like her shows. She always goes full out. If you ever get the chance, ask Eve-san about the wrecked motorcycle fund. It will explain everything.”
Both of them perked up when they heard a pair of footsteps approach them. There was a gentle knock on the back of the booth as a young woman with light brown hair stopped in front of them. Her jacket and blouse that, while professional, didn’t quite have the same sharpness as Yano’s suit. She gave Nico a friendly smile that hinted at just the slightest amount of nervousness.
“You called Yano-san?”
“Perfect timing. Yazawa-san this is Hataya Emi.” Yano noted as Emi gave Nico a polite bow. “She will handle your week to week schedule along with handling any minor changes."
“It is nice to meet you Yazawa-san.”
“Likewise.” Nico said.
Yano looked at his watch before standing up and offering Nico another handshake. “Well I need to leave now. It was nice to meet you, Yazawa-san. If there’s any issues don’t hesitate to contact me.”
“I will. Thank you for helping me.” Nico said as Yano walked off, probably having to catch up on phone calls.
As Hataya sat down across from her, Nico was surprised at just how young she was. She was… what? Mid-twenties? Possibly even younger!
Hataya moved her hands in small circular motions as if she was calming herself down. “Right. I’m sure Yaza- I mean, Yano -san already made your schedule but I’m sure he didn’t go over it that closely or why he blocked it that way?” She waited for Nico to hum in confirmation.
“So let’s break it down. Early mornings are usually the most stable which is why there’s a daily debrief…”
Nico couldn’t help but hang onto every word of Hataya’s. This was it. She was officially on the track to being a movie star.
“I am fully well aware of μ's popularity but other clubs deserve the spotlight.” Eli insisted.
It was ironic. A majority of the student council wanted to showcase μ's for their next big event and it was the members of μ's arguing against it.
“This is meant to be our big recruitment drive.” One of Eli’s classmates pointed out. “μ's is what saved the school. We can’t let up!”
“Otonokizaka is more than just μ's. We have many successful clubs. Our track team has been crushing every competition they've been a part of this year.”
“Elichi is right.” Nozomi finally decided to stop enjoying the irony of Eli having to argue against μ's getting the spotlight and do her job as Vice President. “Besides μ's is revealing their new PV for Love Live soon. We definitely don’t need any more attention.”
The other student council members looked at each other before sighing in defeat. “If you insist. Is there anything else you need from us?”
“No I don’t. Thank you.” Eli dismissed her fellow members who all left except for Nozomi. Collapsing in her chair, Eli glared at her friend. “Did you really have to wait so long to help?”
“You were doing a great job.” Nozomi teased as she wisely stepped out of Eli’s reach. “You are our student council president afterall. Although not for much longer…”
Both girls remained silent as the elephant in the room came up yet again. Who would they nominate to succeed them? They were supposed to do that months ago but the Blood Moon Incident pushed everything back. Making sure Otonokizaka would survive after that disaster was top priority. For a while, Eli was heavily considering having Honoka replace her as the student council president but now that she knew about her out of school activities…
Could she really ask Honoka to do that when she was already so busy? Or maybe it would be a good thing? If she was busy with her real life then it might be easier to convince her to leave SONG and retire from active duty.
She barely had time before but now with her duties as a superhero it was putting her time management skills to their limits. Thankfully Nozomi was more than willing to step in and help out.
“I have a few candidates but I’m leaning toward asking Yamamoto-san.” Eli said.
“Fumiko-chan?” Nozomi put a hand to her chin. “Not a bad choice, she’s very responsible and is the star of the drama club but I thought you would have gone in another direction.”
“There’s been complications.”
“Complications? Like you learned something about Honoka-chan?” Nozomi perked up, Eli raising an eyebrow at the question. Her knowing Eli was considering Honoka wasn’t a shock but how she phrased it… was she implying she also knew the truth?
That couldn’t be right, Nozomi wasn’t a part of SONG and the magic spell would have stopped Nozomi from figuring it out. “I’m just double guessing myself. Honoka’s already very busy. I don’t know if she’s ready for the responsibility.”
“Oh she is.” Nozomi said knowingly. Eli gave her another weird look as Nozomi looked away. “I mean if it wasn’t for her then μ's wouldn’t have happened and the school would be shutting down.”
Was she being her usual cryptic self or being honest? Eli had known her for over two years and still couldn’t tell half the time. “Anyway, I need to work on paperwork unless you feel like helping.”
“I’m busy tonight. I have to help with the shrine.” Nozomi said.
“How convenient,” Eli snarked as she reached under her desk and grabbed some letters. Nozomi grabbed her bag and waved goodbye. Eli waved back and silently worked on paperwork for the next few minutes. At least until she was sure Nozomi wouldn’t be coming back.
She turned on the computer before pulling up the news. It was her best chance to get any information regarding SONG or the Sirens. Either SONG had some agreement with the government or they had the best cover-up crew in the world, since there was no news regarding the fight last Friday. The most she could find was a small article over how some vandals broke into an elementary school and trashed it’s gym.
Watching a live news broadcast she was about to switch to a different tab when they suddenly stopped talking about some election.
“We have some breaking news. There is currently a hostage situation at the Risona Bank in the Shinjuku district. All citizens are strongly advised to vacate the area. Police have already surrounded the premises and are working on…” The anchorman kept on droning on but Eli swiftly tuned him out.
Eli slowly reached into her backpack, digging her fingers underneath the cushion to grab her visor. Then she paused. She was a superhero. She could make a difference. But should she? How come Honoka and the others never patrolled the streets or stop crime?
SONG.
Maybe they had a reason, maybe they didn’t, but either way she had the power to make a difference. Running to the rooftop, she checked for witnesses as she pulled out her pendant and chanted.
“Besat jale Kladenets tron”
Eli’s Valkyrie armor formed in a flash as she took off, her thrusters igniting to send her soaring through the air toward Shinjuku. Soon enough she saw two police cars driving down a street, sirens wailing. Making a sharp turn, she trailed after them until the cars pulled up to a police perimeter.
Alighting down on a nearby rooftop, she scanned the scene. It looked like your normal bank, being multiple stories high and doubling as both an office and a bank. The only difference being two shattered windows in the front. She needed some more information.
Eli jumped, gently landing only a few feet away from a police officer who scrambled for his service pistol before he realized what and who was standing in front of him. Even though this was her first time appearing in public, when a girl in a costume jumped down dozens of feet unharmed, odds were they are a Valkyrie.
“How many hostages are there?” Eli said in her deepest voice.
The man tilted his head. “Excuse me?”
“How many hostages and robbers are in that building, do you have any intel?
“Ma’am… that’s classified information.”
“Which is why I’m asking. Now answer the question.” Eli demanded.
The officer took a step back not quite sure what to do. Eventually he gave in with a sigh. “We know there’s four armed robbers and three hostages still in the building. Two adults and a child.”
“What are their demands and where are the hostages?”
“They just want to escape. From our understanding they weren’t planning on taking hostages but a patrol spotted them and they got desperate. We believe the hostages are on the west side of the building.” He pointed toward the broken windows.
Eli closed her eyes and listened. It was like… she could hear everything. She swiftly singled out the sounds of sobbing coming from the west side. Exactly where the officer said they were.
“I’ll stop them. I will let you know when your men will be able to enter.” Eli did not wait for the man’s answer as she kicked off a streetlight and vaulted over to the roof of the bank. The robbers would be expecting an assault from the front and probably through any side entrances, but they would never consider something crashing down on them.
Pulling out her weapon, Eli made a surgical cut into the rooftop. Wood shattered beneath her as she landed on a desk, dust concealing her as she rose up. Taking a moment to study her surroundings, she landed in what seemed to be a reception area. Multiple chairs were lined up against the doors, serving as a ramshackle barricade. Phones, purses and other objects were haphazardly thrown across the ground, most likely from the civilians who managed to escape.
“What the fuck?!” A man in a mask cursed as he scrambled to level his gun at Eli. Only to be met head on with a full body tackle. Driving him into the ground, Eli kneed him in the gut, the criminal rolling onto his side and clutching his stomach. One down, three to go.
To the side, Eli saw a couple sitting next to a wall, their hands and feet bound by zip ties. She raced over to them, only for her heart to stop at the click of a gun.
Her cape stiffened and expanded, creating a shield just in time as bullets bounced off it. Covering the civilians, Eli spun around and charged the second robber, her cape flowing forward to continue protecting her as she closed the distance. Summoning her weapon, Eli sliced through the rifle, the front half falling to the ground as the man stared at the remains of his gun. He didn’t have time to think as Eli punch met head, knocking him out with a single blow.
With the room secure, Eli ran over to the hostages and with a single finger cut through their bindings. “Where’s the other hostage?” Eli asked as she guided the two adults toward a back door.
“They took her to the top floor!” An elderly man said. “The woman in charge said she’s their ticket out of there.”
“Understood. Now go!” Eli ordered as she opened the door. The two men obeyed as they sprinted across the street toward the police.
Eli ran upstairs, leaping up whole floors in single bounds. There was no way the two remaining criminals did not hear her fight downstairs so stealth was off the table. Which meant she had to end this before they could react. Running into an office area, Eli froze at the site before her.
She had found the last hostage. Long black hair, an adorable beauty mark on her just below the right side of her lip, and even younger than Alisa. The problem was the masked man with an arm tightly wrapped around her body and a loaded gun pointed at her head.
”Don’t move! Don’t fucking move!” The man ordered as he pressed the pistol into the girl’s head.
Eli took a step back, brandishing her armed gear to the side. If she could just point the muzzle at him, she might be able to surprise him.
“Axe down.” The man pressed the gun even tighter against the girl’s head. “Put the axe down now or I put two bullets in her head!” He barked. Eli stiffened as she realized her plan might not work and stepped back as she slowly placed her weapon on the ground.
“Now listen up. I don’t know if you're some new superhero freak but this is what you're going to do. You're going to go downstairs and free my two partners. Then you will give us an escape route and we will disappear. This little girl will go home unharmed and you will never see or hear us again. Nobody has to get hurt here. Don’t try to call your fellow freaks. If there’s any funny business her blood's gonna be on your hand. Are we clear?”
Eli growled as she tried to think of a solution.
“Are we clear?!” He screamed as he took a step back. “Hands up and kick your weapon to the side.” He jerked his head towards the corner.
Before Eli could comply, the young girl jabbed her elbow into the man’s groin with all her might. He bent forward, grunting in pain as for a split second his gun strayed away from her head.
Eli moved , turning into a blur as she rushed the man. By the time he even registered she was moving, Eli was already there, going for the pistol. He managed to squeeze the trigger, firing a stray bullet into the ground as Eli tore the gun out of his hand. The girl screamed as she dove toward the nearest closet.
Not willing to take any more chances, Eli drove him into a wall. She grabbed him by his vest, lift him off the ground. “Where is she?!” Eli demanded.
He reached for Eli’s hands, feebly attempting to break free but her grip was iron. “Who are you talking about?”
“The woman, I was told there were four robbers including a woman who took the child upstairs. I only count three.” She pushed him even higher against the wall. “Where is she!?!”
“I have no idea what you're talking about! It’s just us three. I took this girl upstairs by myself. I’m not lying!” He pleaded. He tried to keep a brave face, but he couldn’t hide the creeping fear in his voice. The grip on him was impossible.
Eli glared at him behind the visor for a long moment. Eventually she conceded he wasn’t. “For your own sake you better be. Otherwise I’ll find you.” Eli let the threat hang in the air as she reached into the man’s jacket and pulled out some zip ties. Must have had them to bind hostages. With a smug irony she wrapped the man’s hands behind his back before shoving him into an office and slamming the door closed. Turning to the closet, Eli gently tapped the ground in front of her, the sound of clanking metal echoing throughout the room. “It’s ok now. You're safe.”
The door cracked opened, the girl peeking through the crack, eyes wide. “Are you sure? Who are you?”
“They call me Vasilisa. I’m a superhero. You were very brave back there. What’s your name?”
She blushed and squeaked out, “…Kurosawa Dia.”
“That’s a very pretty name, Dia-chan.” Eli’s smile is gentle and reassuring as it could be. “Could you please come out? I want to bring you back to your parents.”
A long pause. Dia nodded then inched out. Slowly at first, but then with increasing confidence.
Eli’s cape stretched out to the side, creating a barrier around the girl. “I got you.” She gently offered her hand to the shaking girl, who tentatively accepted. Slowly both of them walked downstairs, Eli listening for any signs of the mysterious fourth robber.
The two reached the front door, pushing outside she saw dozens of police cars and officers with countless civilians behind the line. “The robbers have been subdued. It’s clear.”
A cheer rose from the crowd, the line of police officers doing their best to hold back the tide. One woman who looked very similar to Dia ducked underneath the barricade and sprinted toward the two.
“Dia!” She cried out.
“Mama!” Dia cried as she burst out of Eli’s hand.
Eli took a step back as the woman wrapped her arms around her daughter, bringing her into a bone crushing hug. Gratefully looking up, she turned to Eli. “Valkyrie.”
“Vasilisa.” Dia interrupted.
“Vasilisa-sama.” Dia’s mother corrected. “The Kurosawa family owes you a debt we can never repay. If there is ever anything we can do, all you need to do is ask.” She bowed deeply. “Thank you for saving my daughter.”
“There’s no need to repay me.” Eli awkwardly waved her hand in front of her. “I’m just doing the right thing.”
Dia ran over to Eli and gave her a hug that the older girl returned before Dia was guided away by her mother. “Thank you Vasilisa-chan!” She called out as the two walked past the police line and toward the crowd.
For a moment Eli basked in the glory. She did it! She was a superhero and saved the day! Then her rational side kicked in. She didn’t do this for fame, even if it didn’t hurt to get some recognition. As the police line started to collapse, countless civilians started to run toward her, eager to be the first to meet the newest Valkyrie.
“I’m sorry but I need to go now.” Eli ignored the cries from police officers and civilians as she leapt onto the roof, vaulting over buildings. Now to find a place to turn back to normal. She ran for a few blocks, the crowd behind her fading away. Dashing around a corner she gasped and came to halt as she found Hibiki standing on the rooftop, blocking her way, still wearing her outfit from school as she folded her arms.
“We need to talk.”
Hibiki was no stranger to fights or having enemies. Even though she strove to hold hands with everyone, some individuals refused to listen. And yet none of them could hope to compare to her greatest enemy.
Paperwork.
She had thought math was her mortal enemy, but it was downright friendly compared to paperwork. Director Minami was open minded regarding many of Hibiki’s P.E. Plans but when it came to paperwork, the director expected it to be perfect.
Bzzt
Hibiki phone vibrated but she ignored it, she had to focus otherwise she would get distracted, then she would forget, the Director would yell at her, then Miku wou-
Bzzt
Bzzt
Bzzt
After her phone vibrated for the fifth time, she sighed in defeat as she got out of her chair and walked over to it. It had to be important. Glancing at her messages, Hibiki felt a chill down her spine.
In the middle of the screen was a picture of Vasilisa in front of a building surrounded by police cars. Hibiki’s eyes shot widen open as she read about the hostage situation at the bank,
On one hand Hibiki couldn’t be prouder of her student. She was willing to risk her life to save others, using her powers for good.
The problem was Eli also tripped over at least thirty different political landmines by doing so. There was a very good reason why SONG 2 never intervened in these kinds of things.
Her paperwork all but forgotten, Hibiki sprinted out of school. She had to do something fast. Ideally she could get there in time to help, but realistically Hibiki knew it would most likely be too late. Making sure no one was looking, Hibiki leapt onto the rooftop and ran toward the bank. Driving would be too slow.
Dashing around the corner she saw dozens of civilians gathered around the building, the police doing their best to push them back. Hibiki slowed down when she saw a man in baggy clothes on the same rooftop, filming the whole event. Hopefully he didn’t see her leap across the rooftops. He seemed utterly absorbed in his phone but she felt his cool gaze upon her. Crap, even worse. He’s a PSIA agent. The man pocketed his phone and silently walked over to Hibiki.
“Tachibana-san, would you like to explain what is happening and why your group is interfering?” He said calmly, although Hibiki could hear the fury thinly veiled behind his voice. “You haven’t sent us a single message, there is no evidence this is under your jurisdiction. You do remem-“
“I know! I know!” Hibiki held her hands up in a futile attempt to pacify the plainclothes agent. “Look, it's complicated. We will explain everything later.”
“I would like an explanation now if you don’t mind.” The man growled, “From my understanding either one of your operatives is doing an unauthorized mission, or that individual is not a part of your group which raises several pressing concerns.”
Hibiki bit her lip. She could lie and claim this was supernatural but if it ever got out she lied, there would be consequences. “I’m still trying to get the full details. Let me talk to her first please.”
The man frowned until there was a buzz on his phone. He quickled checked it, then shook his head. “The Prime Minister expects you to call him at 7 PM sharp.” He hissed, Hibiki flinching as she walked to the end of the rooftop just in time to see Eli walk out the front door with a younger girl.
Eli called out, “The robbers have been subdued. It’s clear.”
The crowd cheered and Hibiki bit the inside of her cheek. What was she going to say? Eli vaulted onto a rooftop and fled. Hibiki had to intercept her. She veered left, sprinting towards Eli's house – a gamble that Eli's indirect route might give her the edge. Hibiki ducked out of sight, folded her arms, and waited. Her instinct paid off: Eli landed on the same rooftop and froze, staring at the figure blocking her path.
“We need to talk.” Hibiki said.
Eli took a step back, her hands twitching as if to summon her Armed Gear. “There’s nothing to talk about. I refuse to join your group.”
So, Eli knew she was a part of SONG 2 then, which absolutely meant she had somehow bypassed the glamour. “I want to understand you. What are we doing wrong?”
“The fact that you have to ask shows just how oblivious you are. You're using child soldiers, that should be enough.”
Hibiki looked away. She wasn’t wrong. Every single Symphogear Adapter across both worlds received their Symphogears when they were only teenagers at the latest. Quite a few even earlier than that.
“You're not wrong but it’s more complicated than that. You need to listen to me. Please, Eli-chan.” Hibiki didn’t realize her mistake until Eli visibly flinched.
“I-I’m not her.” Eli said hurriedly, hardly convincingly. “I have to go now.” She turn, ran, and leapt off the roof thrusters igniting.
“Wait!” Hibiki dashed after her, only to stop at the edge. Sure… she could follow her student, but wouldn’t that only make things worse?. Eli had to be the one to approach her.
The only thing Hibiki could do was pray Eli would talk to her soon.
Hibiki knew. Somehow SONG already knew her identity. How did that happen?! Alisa should have thrown them off the trail.
Eli couldn’t help but fidget as she tried to calm down. Hibiki knew her secret identity. What did that mean? It means Honoka and the others may or may not know too, but right now Eli suspected it was a no.
Why did Hibiki approach her like that? She had already saved the day. Unless. Did she… Did she mess up?
The Valkyries have never been spotted stopping in any sorts of mundane crime or disaster. It was always Noise attacks or something clearly supernatural.
Eli sat down at her laptop and started surfing the Superstar forums. While most comments were praising her for saving the day there were a few comments criticizing her, primarily for allowing the two hostages to run across an open field. Although thankful she had plenty of people come to her defense, most notably someone named ‘BuuBuu’.
Running straight into a room with an alert enemy, not considering someone willing to take hostages would be willing to use them when desperate, having a gun go off right next to Dia where if she wasn’t so lucky the bullet might have hit her instead of the floor.
There were so many ways she could have made things worse. So many things she could have done better. She got lucky. No wonder Hibiki chased after her. In hindsight there was probably a very good reason why the others never intervened with these kinds of things. They weren’t trained.
Eli kept waiting to hear the doorbell ring. Kept waiting for her parents to call up with the dreaded. “We need to talk.” There was no way SONG wouldn’t use this as an opportunity to ‘recruit’ her.
Hours passed. Eli could not stop glancing out her window. Were they coming? Or were they planning on grabbing her at school? No, they fully knew she was aware her secret identity was blown, so why wait and give her a chance to run away?
Maybe it was because Hibiki hadn’t told them? Even though she was at least complacent with SONG’s recruitment methods, Hibiki was still a good person who supported her students in every way.
What if Eli was looking at this the wrong way? What if Hibiki was trying to help her. The more she thought about it the more the pieces started to fit together.
Hibiki might be the Valkyries handler. That’s why she decided to apply to Otonokizaka as a teacher, so she could be closer to her charges. Not out of a need to control them but to help them. Hibiki was a key piece for μ's, if it wasn’t for her then Eli might have never even joined them in the first place.
That and Hibiki had a very close relationship with Honoka. Even though she tried to downplay it at school, it was incredibly obvious that Honoka looked up to Hibiki and trusted her immensely. That kind of trust, unless Hibiki was the best actress in the world, was genuine.
μ's and everything about it was independent of SONG. That’s why SONG seemed so eager to have Honoka skip out on μ's with no explanation. They couldn’t directly have her quit, not with Hibiki defending her, so they wanted to try an indirect method.
Otonokizaka and μ's might be one of the first things Honoka got to choose without any pressure. No wonder she cared so deeply about both, it was her only relief from being a child soldier! SONG recruiting the others might be them trying to regain control over every aspect of their life. While the others were less indoctrinated, considering how Umi had no issue occasionally mentioning some of SONG’s failings, they were still being manipulated through Honoka, guilted into fighting alongside their friend.
It felt like a stretch… yet it also made a disturbing amount of sense at the same time. There was only one way to prove or disprove her theory and that was Tachibana Hibiki.
She could ask her right before lunch tomorrow. Hibiki didn’t have a class then and would be at her desk. The perfect time to have a one on one with her.
Eli got out of her chair and went to the bathroom, getting ready for bed. She was going to need a lot of rest for tomorrow. As she settled into bed one thought kept on creeping into the back of her mind. The mysterious fourth robber. The police chalked it up to bad intel but Eli had a creeping suspicion they were right. The woman was one of the Sirens, using the same spell as before to teleport out of the bank and probably made the three criminals forget about her.
Why, though? Why would she bother getting help to rob a bank when she could probably do so by herself? Banks didn’t prepare for the supernatural and she could have robbed them blind without setting off a single alarm. Why make it loud and public?
Maybe it was just a distraction for their real plan or just a way to gather resources. But what was the Sirens plan in the first place? Why were they in Tokyo? Who were they to begin with?
Nico yawned as she walked into the apartment complex. While Yano had made up the schedule in only an hour, she had to spend the rest of the night with her new agent Hataya Emi. Her agent, just saying that, sent a wave of butterflies up her stomach. It was not just an empty boast or stretching the truth. She had an agent.
Hataya quickly proved her worth as she broke down the time table and explained how Nico could make it work in practice. It would still be very difficult but doable.
She had to wake up at 6 AM sharp tomorrow to have her weekly schedule explained to her by Hataya, along with studying until 7 AM, so she would still have time to make breakfast for her siblings. Nico needed her beauty sleep but if sacrificing it meant she could still spend time with her siblings, it was a sacrifice she would gladly take.
Especially since they would be dying to talk about Vasilisa. There were now five Valkyries and unlike the others, Vasilisa’s debut was bold, having stopped a bank robbery and saved three people. The picture of her in front of the bank, her majestic cape wrapped around the young girl she just saved, had already gone viral.
Nico couldn’t help but daydream what it would be like to be a Valkyrie. She was already a movie star and a super idol, but to be a superhero? To be picked out of billions of individuals to fight such monsters as the Noise! To be special and known by everyone in the world. What she wouldn’t give…
Nico reached into her pocket, fishing for her keys. Unlocking the door to her home, she arched an eyebrow at the dark room. Turning on the lights, her suspicions were confirmed when she saw the hastily written note on the counter. Her siblings were with her mom to visit a friend of hers.
For a moment Nico felt a smidge of guilt. Normally she would watch over her siblings and now her mom had too. She was already busy enough working. Then she shook her head. No,her mom must be proud of her for being in the movie.
With her homework already complete, nothing was stopping her from sleeping. She needed all the rest she could get. Making her way to her bedroom, she flicked on the lights, only for her heart to stop when she noticed she wasn’t alone.
Sitting on a chair right next to her bed was a woman Nico could only describe as perfection. She wore a traditional white and red kimono that practically made her pale smooth skin glow. Her long black hair trailed down her back resting right above the bow on her back. Her eyes were a lively shade of red, vibrant but just pale enough to not come off as threatening.
“Who are you?!” Nico screeched as she froze up. Her body remained tense, ready to run at the slightest hint of danger.
The woman smirked. “There you are. We’ve been looking all over for you. Welcome home, Sirenblessed.”
Notes:
Chapter 12 is out mostly on time. I apologize for the slight delay but I wanted to make sure the chapter would be at the same quality as my previous ones. But it's finally time. A plot twist I've been sowing the seeds of and have been waiting to reveal for over four years now.
Chapter 13 will be out by September 1st at the latest.
Chapter 13: Depths
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“Who are you?! If you're here for my autograph there’s better ways to get it!” Nico screamed. Someone had broken into her house! The only reason she hadn’t already ran away was because of how calm this woman was. If she was a robber or some stalker why wait for her to walk into the bedroom and give Nico a potential escape route?
The woman remained unphased as she placed a hand on her chest. “Where are my manners? My name is Parthenope. As for who I am, you could consider me your ancestor, a part of your family.
Nico gaped. They were related? Ya right. Each of her parents were an only child and all her grandparents had passed away. There was no way they could be related.
And yet, for some reason, she knew this woman was telling the truth. The more she studied her, the more Nico noted just how similar they were. She had the same shade of black hair and her eyes were the exact same red as Nico’s. If she was shown a picture of this woman and told it was her grandmother in her late 20s, she would have instantly believed it.
“Neither of my parents had siblings,” Nico said simply.
Parthenope folded her hands in front of her. “I wouldn’t say it’s in the traditional way, but you do carry my blood.”
Something inside Nico twisted. It was a strange feeling, as if she had suddenly become aware of something uncomfortable but wasn’t quite sure if she wanted to say anything. She took a step back toward the door. “There is no way you are related to me by blood. What are you?!”
Parthenope leaned forward slightly and raised an eyebrow. “Well technically, you carry my essence but it’s similar to sharing blood. As for what I am. I am not a human. I am a Siren.”
“What?!” Nico felt her legs buckle she learned against the wall for support. Did she hear that right? This woman in front of her wasn’t human?!
“A Siren.” Parthenope politely repeated. “Humans weren’t the only species created by the gods. As for how we are different,” Parthenope moved her hand in a circular pattern as a glowing blue rune appeared above her. Water condensed into a floating sphere in the palm of her hand, following her every movement. “We are Graced to always be connected to the currents and as such can use magic. While humans struggle to wield it we Sirens find Sorcery comes to us as naturally as breathing.”
Nico’s jaw dropped. Magic. Magic was real. Alternate dimensions existed, and that’s where the Valkyries and the Noise came from. However, they used advanced technology according to almost every expert in the world. Magic ? That was strictly in the land of fantasy. But she couldn’t deny what was floating right in front of her. Her eyes remained locked on as she followed the orbs movements. Magic was real.
“Why? Why are you here then?”
“It’s quite simple. I want to teach you to wield your powers. Consider it a gift from an ancestor to her descendent. And you… are not like any of my other descendants. You are a Sirenblessed.” Parthenope gave Nico a knowing smile. “Surely you must have noticed how much stronger you have been recently, how you seem to react to the world just a little bit faster, or how you never seem to tire. Have you never wondered why that was?”
“I already know why. It’s called P.E.” Nico snarked.
Parthenope gave her an odd look. “How could you… Nevermind.” She shook her head. For just a split second Nico could have sworn she saw a scowl on Parthenope’s face before it returned to her precious calm. “No, your strength comes from my essence flowing through your veins. Despite being born a human, my essence has blessed you and granted you the powers of our species.”
“I think you have the wrong person. I’m a movie star and a school idol, not a ‘Sirenblessed’ or whatever you call it.” Nico said as she subtly fished for her phone in her pocket. Her fingers shook as she tried to dial 110.
“Are you sure about that? From what I understand it’s been thousands of years, yet your particular dialect of Ancient Greek is flawless. Do schools still teach it?”
“Huh?” Nico stopped just as her finger was about to press down on the call button.
“Listen to my words,” Parthenope said as she slowed down and enunciated every word.
“What are you talk-“ Nico slowed down as she focused on what Parthenope was saying. Her lips weren’t matching up with what Nico was hearing. She wasn’t speaking Japanese at all. “How are you-“ Nico moved her hand up to her face. She wasn’t speaking Japanese. It felt so natural it had to be Japanese, but her lips were making entirely different shapes. How is it possible?!
”It is a part of my gift to you,“ Parthenope preempted. “The language you call Ancient Greek is in truth part of our very soul and how we tap into the currents. But that is for later. Are you convinced that I am telling you the truth?”
This had to be some kind of prank. Some kind of trick. But she couldn’t keep on denying what was right in front of her. There was a woman claiming to be her ancestor who could cast actual magic. The two were speaking in an entirely different language. Maybe the woman was just using some kind of spell but Nico had the strangest gut sensation that Parthenope wasn’t lying.
Nico shook her head. Was she really buying this?! That she, Nico Yazawa, had superpowers?! But how could she explain speaking Ancient Greek?
“If you still doubt my sincerity, perhaps another example will sway you?” Parthenope got up and flicked her finger at Nico. Water condensed and shot out, sharp as an arrow. Nico screamed as her arms shot up. Only to feel the water harmlessly splash against her skin.
“What was that for?” Nico demanded. The Siren only smirked as she pointed at the wall behind Nico. Turning around, she froze when she saw a small incision in the wall, the paint around it chipped.
That arrow was strong enough to chip a wall yet it didn’t even break her skin. Almost like she was in a trance, Nico walked over to her drawer and opened it. There was only one way to be certain. She moved her hand right to the sharp edge of the railing that she had accidentally cut herself on so many times in middle school. She very slowly pressed the palm of her hand against it. Instead of the usual stinging sensation she felt resistance.
Nico put more and more pressure against the edge until she felt something snap. Removing her hand, Nico’s jaw dropped at the bent metal piece on the bottom of the shelf and her still pristine hand.
P.E. may have done a lot to improve her physicality, but there was no way she could pretend that it also made her skin tougher than metal. With the last excuse torn down Nico had to accept reality.
She had superpowers.
Wait… SHE HAD SUPERPOWERS!
Nico started dancing, pumping her arms into the air. She could be a superhero! Oh wait ‘till her family hears this. Her siblings are going to freak out! Wait… Her hands slapped over her cheeks as another thought occurred. If she was a superhero didn’t that mean she could join the Valkyries? This was the best day of her life!
“Ahem.” Parthenope coughed, reminding Nico she wasn’t alone. The newly realized superhero let out a sheepish laugh as she calmed down.
“Sorry, sorry… wait, do you work with the Valkyries? Can I join them?!” She leaned forward but managed to stop herself from running toward her ancestor.
The Siren features darkened into a scowl. “The Valkyries…” Parthenope trailed off for just a moment as she stared at Nico. “We have a… tense relationship with them. I will explain why later but please don’t bring them up with my sisters.”
Nico frowned. ‘A tense relationship’ could mean a lot of things but it didn’t sound good. She pushed that aside in favor or something more interesting. “Your sisters?” If there was one thing she couldn’t get enough of it was learning about her extended family. “You have sisters? How many? Older or younger? Are they my-however-many great aunts?”
“They are not your aunts in the way you're thinking. We refer to fellow Sirens as sisters.” Parthenope looked up and blew air from her nose. “Although with how close I am to the others I suppose you could consider them my honorary Blood Sisters. So in a way, yes, they are your aunts.”
Nico perked up. “I never knew we had magic in our family. Which side of my family are you from? Considering mom never told me, I’m guessing you're from my father's side and never got around to revealing the big secret to her?”
“It is through your mothers side although the rest of your family are just humans. A Sirenblessed is extraordinarily rare. You are the first Sirenblessed born in two thousand years.”
A shiver went up Nico’s spine as yet again she felt that strange sensation she felt earlier. A part of her wanted to nod along, she was so special she was the first one to have powers in countless generations. Yet one detail kept on bugging her for some reason. “Wait… 2000 years? Are you sure about that? That…” She frowned, “That doesn’t seem right?”
Parthenope remained silent for a moment as she tapped a finger against her chin. The movement seemed… so natural but also so fake. “Did I say 2,000 years? Maybe it was less than that. I was only around 246 years old when the last one was born so my memory is a little shaky.”
“246 years old?!” Nico looked up and down the Siren’s body. She had to be kidding. She didn’t look a day over thirty!
“Even ignoring our species’ superior genetics, with Sorcery it is no challenge to halt the ravages of time.” Parthenope boasted.
“How come I never noticed these powers before?”
”Only recently have you truly awakened your powers. The powers of a Sirenblessed need time to… adjust, is a good way to describe it. Around your 18th birthday is roughly when your Siren nature fully manifested. But even then due to your human body, you lacked the instinct to feel and call upon your powers. The only aspect that would be apparent would be your superior physicality but you brushed them aside, attributing it instead to your… P.E. Class.”
Nico placed her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow. It was totally reasonable considering the hell that was Hibiki’s class. It’s been months yet she still found a way to make every class rough. “How come my mom didn’t notice? Wouldn’t she have been keeping an eye out if it was possible for her children to have superpowers?”
Parthenope shook her head. “She never knew. Your family has been unaware of my essence inside of them for thousands of years. But as to why I will explain once we’re back home.”
“Home?” Nico gestured at the room. “We are at home.”
“I mean Atlantis. The home of the Sirens and our sanctuary. It will be quick and I’ll make sure you get back home later tonight,” Parthenope said as she started to wave her hands in a strange pattern, light blue mist coating her fingers.
“Wait, you mean right now?”
The Siren paused, her fingers slowly culling up as the magic faded. “Of course. I know my sisters are dying to meet you.”
“Well, you have to wait until my mom and siblings come back so they can come along. No offense but my mother would freak out if she saw you sitting in her bedroom.”
“Perhaps waiting in the bedroom wasn’t my smartest decision.” Parthenope laughed, although Nico felt a shiver at how… rehearsed it sounded, almost as if she was reading from a script. “But I can’t reveal myself to them and neither can you tell them about your gift.”
“What?!” Nico started, eyes bugging out. “Why not?!”
“Because they would be jealous,” Parthenope said
“My family would never be jealous! They would be proud!” Nico took a step forward. “They deserve to know the truth.”
Parthenope looked to the ground before sighing. “I didn’t want to tell you this now but there’s a very good reason why we have remained in the shadows. It involves the human race. I know you trust your family but we find it… difficult. Please, come with me.” She offered her hand. “I want to show you your heritage and get to know my descendent better.”
Nico clenched her fists. A part of her wanted to say no, she was not going to keep things a secret. If she was going to Atlantis, so was her family and that was final.
But this was her chance. Parthenope would teach her magic! She could join the Valkyries and stand alongside them as they saved the city.
Maybe she could finally live up to her sibling’s expectations.
She wasn’t abandoning her family. Parthenope was her ancestor. Yet something kept on bugging her. How she avoided talking about her relationship with the Valkyries or how she had no problem throwing sharpened water at all. Even if Parthenope knew it wouldn’t hurt her it was still risky! What if she had been wrong?!
Or was she being too paranoid? Parthenope was her ancestor from centuries ago. Maybe she just had a different perspective on things. Kind of like how her grandfather on her father's side used to get very quiet whenever the United States was mentioned. Just because Parthenope didn’t like the Valkyries didn’t mean she was their enemy. Right?
“Fine, I'll go with you.”
“Excellent.” Parthenope smiled as water condensed on the floor between them and formed a puddle. The Siren’s arms glowed a light blue as the same magic rune as before formed in the palm of her hand. “Achelous guide us home.” she chanted with reverence.
The water rippled once, now so clear it perfectly captured the two in its reflection.
“Step into the pool and it will bring you to Atlantis. I swear that you will come back here tonight without your family knowing you left.”
She had to do this. This was her destiny. Right? Slowly Nico stepped forward stopping right in front of the puddle. Glancing behind her Parthenope gave her an encouraging nod.
Nico took in a deep breath as she stepped into the pool. She felt herself sink and before she could panic found herself submerged.
She felt herself swimming, water flowing through her clothes and hair. She opened her eyes only to be met with complete darkness. Pressure was pressed down on her body but it didn’t feel uncomfortable in any way. It felt like she was swimming for both hours and only seconds at the same time. Despite holding her breath, Nico never felt her lungs burn. It was as if she didn’t need to breathe.
The water bubbled around her as she felt her head break the surface. Opening her eyes, Nico felt a wave of nausea at the sudden change in perspective, now standing straight up. Falling to her hands and knees, Nico looked up.
She was in a vast room that had to be over a hundred feet in each direction. Marble columns were spaced around the room, each holding a light blue crystal that illuminated the room. She couldn’t see the ceiling. Instead all that was above was complete darkness that seemed to stretch out into infinity.
In each cardinal direction was a long hallway, smaller rooms branching off from each wing. The only exception was the hallway ahead of her which was sealed by a large, silver, ornate door.
A thin layer of water coated the floor. As Nico moved her hand she could see ripples form and race across the serene pool. To the side was what looked to be a cross between a coral reef and a tree, with branches of coral arching out from the ‘trunk’ of the reef. Underneath were a few simple benches and chairs along with a long white table.
She- She teleported. Nico tried to stand up but another wave of nausea kept her on her hands and knees. Placing a hand to her mouth she suppressed the urge to throw up.
She heard the water ripple behind her as Parthenope emerged from the pool. “You opened your eyes, didn't you? I’m sorry, it’s been so long I forgot how disorientating Flowing can be at first, but you will get used to it quickly,” she said reassuringly as she patted Nico’s back.
Nico tensed up as the Siren touched her, the contact strange and unnerving. Standing up Nico couldn’t help but linger one thing Parthenope said. Flowing. She understood flowing was what they called teleporting based on the context but when she said it Nico felt this… connection to it? As if just saying it made it perfectly clear she meant teleportation.
Parthenope gave Nico a warm smile as she walked in front of Nico, the water in front of her parting with every step she took. “Welcome to Atlantis. Sanctuary of the Sirens and our home. But based on our expression I can see you're already starting to understand our Song. ”
“But aren’t we speaking Ancient Greek?” Nico asked. Yet again when she said ‘ Song ’ Nico just knew it meant the language of the Sirens.
The Siren shook her head as she gestured to Nico to walk with her. “The language humans call Ancient Greek is just a simplified version of our Song. Using our connection with the currents we can express ourselves and our feelings perfectly. It is how we were able to live in peace for so long while humans can not last for more than a month without falling into some kind of conflict.”.
Nico shuddered as she looked away. Parthenope wasn’t exactly wrong but it was becoming very clear that the Siren was not fond of humans in general. Hopefully the other Sirens would be a little more welcoming. “So what do you mean by currents? I didn't get the same feeling as before.”
The two stopped right underneath the coral tree. Nico couldn’t help but gasp in awe at how beautiful it was. Now she could see the finer details including countless carvings of what appeared to be Sirens. She could probably spend hours just looking at the tree, but did manage to tear her gaze away from it.
“I was using our Song but you are not quite fluent yet in understanding it. It is just like your other powers, you will need some time to comprehend the finer details.” She sat down in a curved white chair and gestured at Nico to sit next to her.
Nico slowly sat down, sliding her back around until she found a comfortable position. Looking down at her feet Nico wiggled her toes in the water. For some reason it just felt right.
“Well I believe it is time for you to meet the others.” Parthenope smiled as she waved her hand, the water next to her rippling.
Nico perked her head as she heard a door open and the sound of footsteps soon after. Two beautiful women came from the west hallway, both of them of a dark complexion.
Parthenope smiled as she gestured at them. “Sisters, this is Nico, the Sirenblessed. Nico, this is Thelxinoe and Molpe.”
“It’s nice to meet you.” Nico remained sitting in her chair not quite sure if she should get up or not. She looked over at Parthenope. “Could you please call me Nico-san? Just Nico feels a bit too… intimate right now.”
“We’re all family here aren’t we?” Parthenope innocently asked.
“I need to get to know you first.”
Parthenope opened her mouth. Her eyes darted to the side for a split second before she relaxed. “I apologize. I forgot you were raised in a different culture.”
Thlexinoe lazily went over to an empty chair and sat down. “It’s fine, we will have plenty of time. I didn’t believe it at first when I learned a Sirenblessed had finally awakened. Parthenope mentioned you were a movie star?”
“I am!” Nico almost jumped out of her seat before doing her best to play it cool and pretend she was adjusting her posture. “Well, I will be. I’m in the new Valkyrie movie playing Artemis, better known as the supervillain Eclipse.”
“Ooh! That’s so exciting. Molpe loves theater. Hopefully it’s better than her first performance in ‘Ocean in the Sky’,” Thelxinoe teased.
Nico turned her head around to Molpe who hadn’t moved from her spot. It was almost like she was a statue with how still she was. “Cir-“ she whispered before she shook her head and quietly sat down, a chair forming underneath her.
It almost felt like Molpe recognized her, but that couldn’t be right. Nico looked away from the Siren, not wanting to make eye contact.
“Sister please.” Parthenope waved her hand at Thelxinoe. “Let’s not argue in front of my descendent. Besides, it's nothing compared to Leucosia’s. ”
All three Sirens laughed at the inside joke. Molpe was the first to recover. “Speaking of which, where is she?”
“She’s not here right now. I think she wanted to explore?” Parthenope shrugged. “She did not tell me where. Shame she missed today.”
“Why today?” Nico interrupted. “From what you mentioned my powers were fully developed for over three months now. Why did it take you so long?”
“Well part of it was we had to track you down. We knew you were in Japan but it took a while to pinpoint where you lived. The other reason is that we were asleep for centuries and only woke up a little less than two months ago,” Parthenope said.
“Why were you sleeping for that long?” Nico asked. Honestly, there were only so many times she could be shocked. At this point, anything was on the table for being plausible.
Parthenope stood up, her kimono fluttering behind her as she walked toward the coral tree. “Let me tell you a story.” A magic rune manifested as the carvings on the tree came to life. “Around three thousand years ago our species flourished. The seas and skies were ours to command and we lived in peace and harmony.”
On the tree Nico could see many beautiful women she could only assume were Sirens talking and interacting with each other.
“That is, until from the earth, humans arose. By the trunk of the tree, men crawled their way from the ground. Unlike us, they attacked everything in their sight, their greed knowing no bounds. Unfortunately the gods favored humans. They had decided to give sole ownership of this planet to humans. As for us…”
There was a pause, all three Sirens dead silent as they closed their eyes. Nico nervously shuffled in her seat.
“The Siren species were exterminated,” Parthenope whispered. “Our people murdered, our cultures erased, our cities and all we have created turned to ash. Atlantis, our capital city, the jewel of our civilization was burned to the ground. We are the only survivors.”
The words hung in the air. The images on the tree had gone still. Even without the visuals Nico could feel just how horrific it was. Nico teared up at the genuine grief. This was no lie.
“After escaping, we woke up only to discover a world the gods had abandoned. Almost as if they never existed. All four of us were heavily injured so we needed to go into a deep sleep to recover. But before we did that, we gifted a part of our essence, our very being into four chosen humans. The essence passed down through the generations but remained inert. That is, until you were conceived.”
Parthenope walked forward stopping right in front of Nico. “Unlike everyone else my essence tied itself into your very soul, granting you the abilities of our species and marking you a Sirenblessed.”
“But why?” Nico whispered. “Why were you waiting for me?”
“Because you are the key to saving our species. A Sirenblessed has powers we fullblooded Sirens could only dream of. I apologize for giving you this burden but we need your help. To help us shape this into the peaceful paradise our would should have been.”
Everything started to fall into place. So that’s why they were so eager to meet her. They have been waiting thousands of years for a Sirenblessed. Because a Sirenblessed meant hope. “Why are you telling me this now?”
Parthenope kept her back to Nico as she turned her head to the side. “Because you deserve to know the truth.”
“What exactly do you need me to do then?”
“We are still trying to figure out the finer details, but you will be the key. I promise we will tell you at the right time. Until then we want to teach you our culture, our ways… If you will accept.”
Nico kept her face studiously neutral. She wanted to trust her ancestor but a part of her wouldn’t stop nagging her that something was off. But… even if Parthenope was trying to trick her, could she really say no to learning magic?
This was a once in a lifetime opportunity! Besides, once she mastered her powers, she could join the Valkyries!
“I want to learn. Please teach me how to use magic.” Nico bowed to her ancestor.
Parthenope smiled. “It will be a long journey, but I know you will be a powerful Sorceress. I believe the first step will be to teach you how to tap into the currents… Unless one of you object?” Parthenope looked over to her fellow Sirens who had remained sitting the entire time.
“Actually, I want to show her how to create a ripple in the Sight,” Thelxinoe said. “It’s very easy and would make it simple for us to communicate. All she needs to do is make a ripple and we know it’s safe to flow to her.”
“Not a bad idea.” Parthenope placed a hand on her chin. “Molpe, what are your thoughts?”
Molpe stood up and walked away. “Let Thelxinoe teach her, I need to go back to my room.”
Thelxinoe and Parthenope shared a worried look as Molpe disappeared into the hallway. “Let me talk to her later,” Parthenope said.
“Alright.” Thelxinoe clapped her hands as she walked toward Nico. “Now, Nico-san, it is time for your first lesson to learn about our most powerful ability. The pride of our species and one you have already called upon once. Our ability to see the future.”
“See the future?!” Nico shook her head in disbelief. ”You can do that?”
“We all can. In fact you have already done so.”
Nico’s eyebrows furrowed, “I never remember seeing into the future.”
Parthenope raised an eyebrow. “Surely you must have remembered it.”
“It sounds like it was instinctual,” Thelxinoe mused. “It would take a grave danger for you to tap into the Sight on instinct alone. It would have to have been around late August. So think back, can you think of anything like that? A situation that was so dangerous you would do anything to survive.”
Nico opened her mouth to say no but closed it as she started to think back. Two months ago… that was when the Blood Moon Incident happened.
“ How did you know the Noise were going to appear on the street?”
At first Nico thought Maki was making stuff up when she claimed Nico ran before the Noise appeared. Thinking back on it, how did she avoid the Noise in the alleyway? Those things were death sentences.
She closed her eyes, the event burned into her memory…
The dying whines of a fighter jet screamed in Nico’s ear as it spiraled to the ground to crash into a building. An avalanche of rubble fell upon the civilians running for their lives from the onslaught of Noise.
This couldn’t be happening! Nico jumped back when a man only a few feet away from her was pierced by a Noise, his body crumbling away into carbon ash.
She couldn’t die here! She had to survive! The thoughts repeated in Nico’s head, getting louder and louder. She clutched her head as she felt Maki drag her onto another thankfully empty street.
Her family was depending on her! If she died here then who would take care of her family?! The headache only intensified, her breathing ragged as they stopped for a moment.
She couldn’t die here! There had to be a way to live! If just-
Nico’s headache vanished just as everything went silent. For a split second it felt like time had froze. The world around her felt muted, the colors not quite as vibrant as before, objects and shapes more fuzzy and ethereal then she remembered. She dragged Maki to the south and toward an alleyway.
Nico felt like a ghost, she was moving forward but also knew she hadn’t moved at the same time. Looking behind her, saw blue mist in a vaguely human outline run with the crowd of people running up the street, dissipating just as Noise appeared to ambush the unfortunate civilians.
As they approached the alleyway, Nico felt herself jerk to the side just as five Noise emerged from the walls. Why was she doing this?
Before she could stop and think, Nico's body started to move by itself. As they ran into the alleyway she jerked Maki to the side almost as if she knew something would pop out. But why?
As they narrowly escaped the alleyway, Nico ran up the street just as two misty outlines ran in opposite directions, fading away right when it came into contact with Noise.
As Noise blocked off their own escape route, Nico for some reason wasn’t panicking. She turned to the sky just in time to see Greywind rocket straight toward them.
“Come on! We can’t stop now!” Maki screamed as she desperately tried to drag Nico north.
Nico blinked and shook her head. What just happened? It didn’t matter. She saw Greywind. If they could make it to her, they would be saved! “This way!” She ordered as she grabbed onto Maki wrist and dragging her toward safety.
“We can’t go through there! The north side is safe!” Maki protested as she tried to escape from Nico’s iron grip.
“No it’s not! Noise!” There was no way she would walk toward that death trap. As they approached the alleyway Nico jerked Maki to the side just as five Noise emerged from an alleyway including one that lunged at them and missed them by inches.
It felt rehearsed as if she had done this a hundred times before. Almost as if she was in a play, every actor’s actions were predetermined and perfectly performed. Wait, didn't she do this before?
With each side step they narrowly dodged Noise lunging at them, threading the needle perfectly as they made it out of the alleyway.
As they were surrounded by Noise, their doom almost certain Nico sighed in relief right as Greywind flew into Ssight and dived straight for them.
“I… did.” Nico said with growing wonder, “I actually saw the future. That’s how I saved myself and Maki.”
For months Nico thought she had just imagined it. That she was mistaken and it was a case of Deja vu. It was the only thing that made sense.
But now that she actually thought about it, the odds of them making it through that alleyway was near zero. It was impossible to predict where the Noise would pop out and they would have had less than seconds to react.
Nico collapsed to her knees. If it wasn’t for her powers, for Parthenope’s gift. She would be dead.
“Thank you.” Nico whispered.
“You are welcome.” Parthenope kindly offered Nico a hand, who took it.
Thelxinoe sighed and shook her head. “Well that complicates it. If Nico-san's first ripple was pure instinct then I don’t think I can teach her in one night. Not without any baseline.”
“Perhaps it is for the best. Tonight has already been an eventful night for my descendant.”
“Well now what?” Nico asked.
“Would you like to go swimming with me? I know an amazing spot,” Thelxinoe offered.
Nico looked to her ancestor who gave her an encouraging nod. “Alright.”
“Follow me then.” Thelxinoe led Nico to the south hallway which only now Nico realized was flooded, the floor having collapsed long ago leaving a massive pool.
Thelxinoe walked down the steps and with an acrobatic flip dived in the pool. After a moment, she resurfaced and glanced up. “Dive in.” A friendly, almost inviting smile slid across her face. “You’ll be able to breathe. Trust me. I’ll be right here just in case.”
Nico steeled herself at the edge. Closing her eyes, she jumped, her body sinking into the water. For a brief moment she tried to swim to the surface but stopped herself.
Opening her mouth she breathed in.
And breathed out.
Nico’s eyes shot open. She looked down at her chest rising and falling as she breathed in and out. Water flowed in and out. But she did not cough. She did not choke. It was no different from breathing oxygen.
Another gift from her ancestor.
Thlexinoe placed a hand to her mouth and laughed, bubbles rising from her mouth. “Sorry, but you were so cute right then.” Despite both being underwater her voice was as clear as if they were still on land.
“Of course I’m cute.” Nico smirked as she placed her hands on her hips, puffing out her chest… while floating in water! This was so cool! Thlexinoe motioned at her to follow as they swam down and toward an entrance, making their way outside.
“Woah.” Nico gasped. This wasn’t just a temple. It was a city. In front of her were countless ruined buildings, creating an haunting yet beautiful image.
“Welcome to our home. Or at least, what remains,” Thlexinoe said quietly as she glanced aside momentarily. “Sorry, now's not the time to dwell on such topics. I still need to show you my spot. Come on.” Thlexinoe gestured at Nico to follow her.
Nico swam after her, the water providing no resistance as she followed her unofficial aunt. Or at least that is what she felt, until Thelxinoe turned around.
“You’ll need to go faster than that.” She smirked, “You need to forget what you were taught by humans. Simply kick your feet forward and will yourself to move. Your body will know what to do.”
Real specific there. Nico closed her eyes to avoid rolling them. Hopefully her training wouldn’t all be this vague mumbo jumbo. Which was ironic considering she was going to learn literal magic . But Nico listened as she placed her hands against her sides and kicked forward. She started to move a bit faster but she could tell she could push herself further. So she did.
And further
And further.
Nico gasped as she jetted past Thlexinoe at unbelievable speeds. The Siren playfully laughed as she caught up.
“See? Easy. It's a straight path there and it won’t be long.”
Almost like she was a serpent, Nico glided across the ocean depth, only occasionally kicking to keep her with Thelxinoe. This was amazing. She figured they were at a depth where it was supposed to be pitch black yet she could see perfectly fine. There was life all around her as fish swam above her and crabs and starfish crawled below.
Soon they stopped right by a cliff. Thlexinoe floated as she motioned at Nico to step forward. “This is my favorite spot and I wanted to show you this.”
Awe-inspiring was the only word Nico could think of. In front of her was a valley, the mountains around it peaking creating a natural dip. Minerals glistened as vents billowed out water. At the very center lay the wreck of a wooden ship.
Nico stood there for minutes, taking in the majestic sight in front of her. A part of her wish she could take a picture while another part wanted to keep it to herself.
“Beautiful isn’t it?” Thlexinoe said as she floated down to sit on the cliff's edge. “I only found this recently but I constantly find myself coming back here. This is the beauty of the ocean. Of our domain. And now it’s yours, Nico-san.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t need to say anything. Feel free to come here whenever you need to. I always find it very relaxing.”
The two remained there for a little while before Nico finally tore herself away from the sight and they swam back to the temple.
Nico did her best to not look at the ruined city below as they entered the temple. Walking out of the pool, she went to wring the water out of their clothes only to stop when she realized they were bone dry. Another perk of being a Sirenblessed? Well, that saved on the laundry… wait, was that salt water? She couldn’t tell.
Making their way back into the main room Parthenope and Molpe stood waiting for them, the former tapping her foot like a stern mother. “We were supposed to start her first lesson today.”
“Oh relax.” Thelxinoe waved. “I taught her how to swim, and we can start fresh tomorrow.”
“You want me to come back tomorrow?” Nico blinked. “Err exactly how often do you want me to come here?”
“Every day, preferably. There’s a lot to learn and it will take time for you to truly master it,” Parthenope said.
“What?!” Nico shook her head rapidly. “No offense but my schedule is packed . I don’t have it with me but I quite literally have a time table and there’s no room left. And before you ask. I am not budging on how much time I spend with my family.”
“Aren’t we your family?” Parthenope tilted her head.
“My immediate family,” Nico snapped back.
Molpe walked in front of Nico. “I have a solution. I would assume you have a good amount of time dedicated to sleep, no?” She waited for Nico to nod in confirmation. “We can train you then.” She hummed out a melodic tune that echoed throughout the room.
A monster burst out of the hallway. The alarm blared in Nico’s head “Noise!” And she almost screamed as she leapt. Then it registered that it wasn’t that kind of monster.
Instead it was a massive four legged beast that seemed to be entirely made out of water. Nico could see the fluid churning inside, the beast’s exact shape constantly shifting with it’s movement. The only solid part were two massive tusks by its face, like that resembled a boar’s.
The creature stopped in front of them, lying down as it presented a flask full of green liquid to Molpe.
The Siren plucked the flask from the beast’s tusk as she turned toward Nico. “This is something I learned working alongside Hypnos, the god of Sleep. Drink this right before you go to bed and it will grant you a full night's rest in only three hours.”
Nico hesitated before taking the flask, but held it far from her face. “This isn’t like, addictive or anything right?”
“Of course not,” Molpe said. ”I have been drinking it for years yet I can easily go without it. I even diluted it just to play it safe. I can get a full night's rest in only an hour.”
“No, the real problem is even with it, she doesn’t get enough sleep,” Thelxinoe swatted her fellow Siren on the arm lightly. “Sleeping is more than you zoning out for fifteen minutes.”
“Excuse me! You tend to lose track of time when you're diving into the currents.” Molpe shot back with a grin. “Anyways, you will need to drink the entire vial for it to work. And it only works on Sirens or Sirenblessed.”
Nico's eyes widened as alarm bells rang in her head. “Is it poisonous to humans?!” The image of one of her siblings accidentally finding it and deciding to take a sip shot through her mind.
Thankfully, Molpe shook her head, “Besides tasting disgusting? There are no effects positive or negative if a human drinks this.”
“I think the best plan is to give Nico-san one vial for tonight. Whenever she comes to Atlantis at night we make sure to give her another vial when she leaves. That way there’s no chance of her mother or sibling accidentally stumbling into it and drinking it by mistake,” Thlexinoe said.
That… Actually sounded pretty reasonable, all things considered. If she only needed three hours of sleep then she would have plenty of time to learn magic along with her other powers.
“For tomorrow make sure you are in your room at midnight and we will create a gateway for you to flow. Make sure you are alone.” Then Parthenope sighed. “But more importantly I need you to keep this a secret from everyone, including your family. While the gods have seemingly abandoned this world it is possible they are watching. If they learn the sirens still live then…” All three Sirens shivered.
“…I will, for now. But I am going to tell my family soon enough.”
“I suppose that is acceptable for now,” Parthenope relented. Molpe snapped her fingers as the water in front of them rippled, now a mirror just like before.
“See you tomorrow Nico-san,” Thlexinoe said. Nico flashed her a smile before nodding to the others and sinking into the pool.
After what felt like both an eternity and only a second Nico found herself standing in her room. The pool beneath her evaporated just as Nico fell onto her bed, her nausea still present. Hopefully she will get used to this soon.
Looking at the clock, Nico paled when she saw it was already 2:30 AM. She was going to be exhausted. Unless…
She glanced at the vial that was still in her hand. Should she really drink this? What if they were trying to trick her? But why go to all this effort? If they were trying to poison her there were a lot easier ways then this.
Besides, for some reason she knew they were telling the truth.
Changing into her pajamas, Nico took in a deep breath before drinking the green liquid which was not half bad flavor wise. It tasted like some kind of melon.
Pocketing the vial, her eyes grew heavy before she fell asleep. She dreamed about the ocean.
She dreamed of a world covered with water.
Notes:
Chapter 14 will be out by October 1st at the latest.
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