On this day, Toyotomi Hideyoshi is currently preparing a massive battle in attempt to defeat his greatest enemy, Oda Nobunaga, once more. Fighting along side Hideyoshi is the Takeda Army with their supreme commander, Takeda Shingen, and the Sanada Army, led by Sanada Yukimura. The opposing Oda Nobunaga has already made arrangements to face of with Hideyoshi and the others, along with their still allied Uesugi Army and the solo soldiers of the Date Army.
The lost of Yuzuki was great, but Hideyoshi wasn't giving up on her. Even in battle. He would find the woman named Finé and take her down.
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Another chance in the battle had finally come. The morning mist formed around the open fields that will soon became a battleground. Everyone had already set up their camp three days earlier, and now it's only a matter of time before the war breaks out.
"There is no path to unification unless we win this battle! The yakuma won't get in our way this time, so we will go full out! We are after Nobunaga's head! Move out!" Hideyoshi ordered.
The Toyotomi soldiers let out battle cries as the signal of the war arised. The last battle ended with no one victorious, but this battle would determine who will be closer to unifying the country.
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Fighting has broken out as the early morning mist rolls across Shinga.
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In the main tent...
Runa sat in a corner and observed the others, as they discuss strategies for the war. Instead of her usual frilly dress, Hanbee made her wear a pair of coral green/blue ocean-coloured hakama skirt, that touched the ground, with a white kosode with blue linings over it, having the interior red, and a white ocean wave crown. A black obi was tied around her waist to hold the kosode together with the bow at the front. Lastly, Runa wore ankle-length socks with a pair of white zori with red straps, and kept her blindfold and bracelet.
(Appearance.)
"The Takeda Army will intercept the Uesugi Army on the northern side of the lake. We will have the Sanada Army observe the Date Army's movements and assess the situation from there." Kanbee explained, going over the strategy they came up with back at the castle.
"Right." Hideyoshi nodded.
"Our army will be aiming for the main line of the Oda Army." Kanbee turned to Toshiie and gestured his right hand to him. "Toshiie's squadron will attack them first."
"Alright! It's been a while since we had a huge battle. I'm gonna go all out!" Toshiie smirked.
"But, Hideyoshi-sama, what do you intend to do about her?" Mitsunari asked.
Everyone looked over to Runa with concerned looks. Yuzuki got kidnapped for letting their guards down the last and this time. First lost and found by another army, but this time, she got abducted by Finé, an enemy who's two times worse than being trapped by an enemy. If she could get Yuzuki, there's a high chance that Runa will be captured during the fight. And that could be disastrous.
"Are you sure we should've brought Runa to the battlefield?" Toshiie asked. "I know she can handle herself since she's strong, but it's still dangerous. Can she handle it?" After learning about her weak constitution, dragging Runa into battle might be extreme. Even if it's for her own good.
Hideyoshi stood up. "On the contrary... We couldn't leave her in the castle because it's dangerous there." He slammed his right hand flat on the table. "Even our castle isn't safe for her right now. And there might be a chance the enemy will try to lay siege again."
"The enemy armies knows about her intense supernatural powers and power to use the Sacred Treasures." Kanbee pointed out. "There might be rumours of her looking for the Amalgam, as well."
"On top of it. They also know that Runa can take down a group of Noise and well-trained soldiers effortlessly." Mitsunari added. "Therefore, we have no choice, then."
"Kanbee, Hanbee, Stella, I'll be leaving Runa's care to you during the battle." Hideyoshi ordered.
"Okay~!" Hanbee smiled.
"Yes, sir." Kanbee nodded.
"My usual job. Playing babysitter." Stella shrugged, but complied. "She'll be fine with us."
"Yep, yep!" Hanbee enthusiastically nodded his head in agreement. "We will protect her without giving her any worries!" He turned to his sister and smiled at her. "You'll be fine with us, Runa-chan!" He assured.
"..."
"Huh?" Stella noticed how awfully silent the child was. Too silent, even for her. The child would make a comment about something, but she had been rather silent after the Ichaival Amalgam incident. "What's the matter?" Stella asked.
Runa didn't answer at first. Her expression looked normal but she looked more tired. Her pale complexion became almost white as a ghost's as a bead of sweat was trailing down her face. You could make a guess her eyes would be in a daze as her mind wouldn't be thinking straight.
"Huh?" Runa snapped out of her thoughts when she felt everyone's eyes were on her. "Ah... yes..." She whispered, nodding lightly before her eyes became too heavy.
"Are you okay?" Toshiie asked, worried. "You don't look so good."
"I am... fine..."
"Runa, I know you're strong, but please be careful, okay?" Hideyoshi warned her.
Runa nodded.
"Hey." Stella spoke.
"What is it?" Hideyoshi asked.
"What are you gonna do if Noise shows up?"
"Huh?" She surprised not only Hideyoshi, but everyone as well.
"Have you even considered Finé or one of the Black Symphogear Wielders, might show up?" Stella asked, her brow twitching in annoyance because it was clear to her that the commander, nor the vassals, didn't consider the fact their other enemies might appear. "They are out for it for Hime-sama. Especially, the remaining Wielders. I wouldn't be surprised if they used the Noise as shields to barge their way through."
"You do have a point..." Hanbee said, agreeing to the terms.
"If those creatures snow up, they could mess up the entire plan." Mitsunari said.
"But also lowering our numbers." Kanbee added.
"Then wouldn't they attack all the armies?" Toshiie pointed out. "They did declare war on the Gegga Tribes."
"What should we do, Hideyoshi-sama? " Kanbee asked, turning to the odd silent commander.
Everyone looked at him.
Hideyoshi looked down seriously. "We are only after unification right now. That's why I will be sure to take Nobunaga's head. If Finé and her workers show up, we'll just deal with them. And you, Stella, along with Fei can take care of the Noise for us." He instructed. "I'm sure the enemies' Faeries will do the same."
"Great..." Stella grumbled, laying her right elbow on the table with her hand on her cheek, pouting angrily for being left to do most of the work.
As everyone continued with the meeting, Runa stared at them with an unreadable expression. Her chest was flaring up as her scar was burning in and out, as if it was warning her.
Something wasn't right.
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The next morning...
The day of the battle finally came. It was bright and early and Runa didn't slept a wink. Being in a place that was about to become a battleground was too exhausting to shut her mind out of it. Even with Stella guarding her all night.
Of course, the voice decided to torture her when it got the chance.
Runa had already been changed into her kimono by Stella but she refused to do anything. The pain she felt as if her body was being torn apart was no longer there, but her strength was being drained away from inside.
She was dying.
Runa had just been told to sit in a corner while the soldiers eat their morning ration. They offered her some, but Runa politely declined, saying they should preserve them for later. Besides, she had no appetite.
And the words of the child not eating reached the two strategists, causing them to come over to see what the problem was. Hanbee was already bringing his sister a light snack and medicine anyway.
Runa held the plate in her hands and stared intently at the inari sushi like they were some kind of weird foreign creature.
(Runa's point of view.)
"If you don't have an appetite, then this would suffice, no?" Hanbee asked, staring intently down at his sister. He wasn't letting her go into battle with an empty stomach. "Or would you rather take your medicine first?"
"Ssstttaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeee..." Runa buzzed under her breath, glaring at the dish.
Stella sighed and rubbed her head. "Just eat it." She said, almost beggingly.
"Hanbee will not back down so easily." Kanbee added, crossing his arms.
Runa gave them an annoyed look but picked one of the inari sushi, and took a bite. The flavours were gentle and simple. No fillings were trying to fight for balance and Runa was feeling a little better.
Hanbee smiled as he watched the child taking her time eating the rest, before taking a bowl from Stella and replaced the plate with it.
Runa held it, feeling a slight warmth from the object on her palms as she stared at the concoction in the bowl.
(Runa's point of view.)
"The colour has returned to your face." Kanbee observed, seeing Runa's skin returning back to their regular pale self. However, he thought a caught a glimpse of her skin shimmering like glass, when she shifted slightly in her seat. It might be a trick of the light, but Kanbee wasn't sure.
"Your body must be feeling weak, so it would be better for you to drink this decoction." Hanbee advised.
But Runa merely glared at the concoction with disapproval. From the smell, the decoction was mostly a mixed of ginseng, di huang, and huang qi. It was meant to restore one's strength. And Hanbee was good at picking the most effective ingredients when their properties were at their best. However, the most effective medicines were often bitter.
And her medicines are always bitter.
Hanbee leaned over until he was eye level with her. "It's for your health." He preminded. "Drink it all down." He instructed.
"I know..." Runa grumbled. What Hanbee said was right and she should drink it, but the smell and the incoming taste would definitely make her want to gag.
But since her brother took the time to grow the ingredients - which were not found in Shinga - Runa put up with her distaste in medicine and held the bowl closer to her lips. It had cooled down moderately. However, now that the liquid was closer to her nose, the bitter smell heightened. Her brows furrowed naturally, but Runa couldn't say she didn't want to drink it because it was bitter.
Resolving herself, the child held her breath and gulped down the decoction in one go. 'So bitter...' She thought, frowning, unable to withstand the bitterness that lingered on her tongue.
Hanbee giggled, which caught Kanbee's attention. "Such a rare thing, Runa-chan being so submissive in taking her medicine." He teased, giving Runa a Chesire smile.
Runa averted her face, blushing lightly.
"Are you not afraid of battle?" Kanbee asked out of the blue.
"..." Runa glanced at him with a small glare.
"Now, now, Kanbee, we mustn't question that." Hanbee scolded, turning to the vampire after taking the bowl from the child.
The silent vampire merely sighed. "I thought that might be it. I understand how you feel, but it would be terrible if something were to happen to her." Kanbee reasoned before glancing over his friend's shoulders. "Do try not to push yourself." He advised before he, and Hanbee walked away.
Runa nodded before switching her gaze to the many fields, eyeing them with an emotionless expression.
When she made sure the vampires were out of earshot, Stella rushed right over to Runa's side, kneeling down and put her face close to the child's right ear. "No disturbance in the law of space. It is as you suspected." Stella reported, her voice went cold and stern.
Runa grunted. 'I knew it.'
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As the morning continued...
The fight had already begun. Over on the northern side near the lake, the figures of Uesugi and Takeda walked out of the woods to meet a destroyed camp of the Takeda Army.
They saw this coming. They weren't planning on going in since they didn't want to risk being seen. No, they don't want to witness the atrocious battle that stained the pure ground with blood, and its warfare between the two armies.
The trio scanned the area until they spotted a group of three werewolves they recognised; Kagemochi, Kageie and their supreme commander; Uesugi Kenshin.
The Uesugi figures and the Takeda figure hid behind or within the trees, and noticed the werewolves were talking to each other when they went inside. So, getting some information, the trio decided to eavesdrop.
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Inside the camp...
"Was Shingen among the enemy?" Kagemochi asked Kageie.
"No, I didn't see him." Kageie answered.
Kagemochi turned to Kenshin. "Kenshin-sama, this means..."
"Yes, I guess this means we are being lured in." Kenshin said. "But I am already prepared to dive into the Takeda Army's camp."
With that in mind, Kenshin along with his generals walked further into the field.
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The trio silently followed them in the shadows, seeing more and more dead bodies of countless soldiers, along with small flames in the field. They hated it. Nothing but a sea of dead bodies was all the three were seeing. Even so, they pressed forward.
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"I've been waiting for you, Kenshin." A voice stated.
The familiar voice stopped Kenshin's, his generals' and the trio's tracks. They all look over near the trees and out of the forest is none other than Kenshin's rival; Takeda Shingen. He held his katana over his shoulders as Masakage and Nobuharu immediately came out after their supreme commander with smirks on their faces.
Shingen was grinning with excitement, feeling his blood boiling with anticipation.
Kenshin looked calm on the outside, but inside, his blood was already burning with fire. He looked at his opponent. "Do you wish to fight with me that badly?" He questioned.
"I've gotta overcome you if I'm going to unify the world." Shingen declared.
Kenshin narrowed his eyes, and at the same time, he was also thinking the same thing. He needs to beat his rival if he was going to unify the world.
"Wow, a fight in the middle of nowhere! How exciting~!" Fei exclaimed, gushing as she hugged herself, rocking on her heels behind the brown-haired werewolf.
"Oi, keep it down." Masakage told her.
"I'll be your opponent." Shingen stated.
"Yes, understood." Kenshin responded.
"No one will interfere here." Shingen unsheathed his katana. "You lot stay out." He told his generals, along with Kenshin's.
Then both commanders dash towards each other. They circled each other a couple of times, holding their katana tightly as they glare at their rival.
"Here I go!" Shingen went for the first strike, charging at Kenshin.
Kenshin blocked it and so they began to throw blows at each other. The fight has begun. One way or three other, one had to retreat or admit defeat before long.
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At the same time...
The shorter Uesugi got bored, knowing how the fight was going to end, they got up. "Let's go." She told them. "There is no point in staying."
"We should." The older Uesugi agreed, getting up themselves.
Sighing, the Takeda figure for up also, and turned around.
The three leaped away from one branch to another, disappearing within the darkness of the woods. Whatever was going to happen to the war, they don't care what happened to the Gegga Tribes.
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Over in the main forces...
Toshiie was already breaking through the Oda forces. "Come on, what's the matter?!" He shouted, swinging his glave, aiming it at the Oda soldiers. "I'm not done rampaging yet!"
Toshiie swung his glave, cutting down a few enemy soldiers. He took another swing but got intercepted by a katana, that belonged to Shibata Katsuie, a general of the Oda Army, who wielded two katanas at the same time.
"Hmph! You're so full of yourself." Katsuie remarked. "I'm not gonna let you do what you want!"
"Shaddup!" Toshiie shouted, glaring harshly at his opponent.
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At the Toyotomi main camp...
A soldier was reporting in on how the battle was going to Hideyoshi and Mitsunari, who was waiting for an update. "Reporting in!" The soldier announced. "Toshiie-sama has broken through the enemy's front lines."
Mitsunari turned to Hideyoshi with his arms crossed. "All according to plan." He stated.
Hideyoshi got up from his seat. "Right, let's go." He started walking out of the tent with a smirk on his face. "We'll attack the Oda Army's camp at once!" He declared.
Many soldiers let out battle cries, holding their weapons up. They followed Hideyoshi, who drew his katana from its sheath.
"Our goal is the Oda Army's camp! Charge!" Hideyoshi yelled.
Hideyoshi led his army into the Oda Army's camp, cutting down many soldiers with Toshiie and Mitsunari at his side. Then they finally made it to the main tent where Hideyoshi hoped to see his enemy. Memories of the last time he tried this was burned into his memory. So, to avoid another fire, Hideyoshi signalled Mitsunari and Toshiie to move around the tent.
As soon as the three met up on the otherside, it was just as Hideyoshi suspected; Stood outside of his own tent was Nobunaga, along with Mitsuhide and some soldiers. This time, with swords instead of litting torches.
"Thinking properly this time?" Nobunaga mocked.
Hideyoshi smirked. "Got to make sure you don't escape. Or else, how am I suppose to get your head?" He sassed.
Mitsuhide's eyes narrowed as a low grunt slipped.
"Do you honestly think you'd live after coming here?" Nobunaga questioned.
"I will!" Hideyoshi shouted, glaring at his former superior. "I will protect my people and unify the country!"
A smirk appeared on Nobunaga's face. He drew his sword and lunged at Hideyoshi.
The Toyotomi commander lunged at the Oda commander, along with Mitsunari and Toshiie right behind him.
As the two commanders fought against each other, Mitsuhide and the Oda soldiers dealt with the two Toyotomi generals. Fire and dead bodies gradually spread around the Oda Army's camp, destroying the place like a horde of wild animals had rampaged the place.
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Meanwhile...
Yuzuki sat in a corner, trapped in a laser cage like a trapped animal. She hugged her legs close to her chest with her head down, thoughts continuously going back to the Toyotomi Army. But she was also scared on what he enemies might do to her. Are they going to kill her? Use her as bait? Play with her? Why hold her hostage? She's nothing special? Why her?
"My, a little bird trapped in a cage." An unfamiliar voice commented with a hint of amusement.
"Huh?" Looking up, Yuzuki saw it was Finé, only this time, she didn't have her dress on. Yuzuki blushed at this and quickly averted her eyes.
Finé laughed at this. "Innocent, aren't we?"
"W-What do you want from me?" Yuzuki asked, glaring at Finé, trying to put on a brave face.
"You should watch your tone." Tsubasa warned, appearing right behind her master. "Master is a Goddess, so you should speak respectfully."
Yuzuki shook in fright, backing away slightly. Any further, her back might burn against the laser bars.
Tsubasa smirked at the girl's cowering and turned to Finé, the smirk no longer there. "I'm the one who took her, but you are the one who ordered me to bring her here. Why is that?" She asked. It had been on her mind after Chris' death. Tsubasa hated abandoning Chris to deal with Runa, but with the power of Durandal, neither of them had a chance. Even if they worked together.
Finé turned to her with a devilish smile. "Naturally, as part of my plan." She turned back and walked closer to the cage. As she did, Yuzuki looked more frightened, bring more joy to Finè. "Don't look so scared." The woman told the girl. "Why don't we talk for a bit?" She suggested, a sadistic smirk appearing underneath her 'sweet' smile. "I'm sure I can help you."
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Somewhere, deep in the forest near the battle...
Kanbee, Hanbee, Stella and Runa were jogging through a rough path, using the trees and bushes to cover their scent and presence from the enemies. The sound of battle cries and metal hitting against one another was faint, but clear to their ears.
Kanbee could hear the noise getting louder, as if the battle was being pressed together no matter where you go. "The enemy is drawing near." He informed. "We're taking you to a safe place."
"That's not going to happen." Shirabe stated, appearing before the group.
Runa silently gasped when she saw the Black Shul Shagana Wielder, along with a few Noise behind her, blocking their way.
Stella immediately pulled the child behind her, as the vampires blocked Shirabe from seeing them.
"How awful~" Hanbee complained. "We didn't want to run into you here."
"Hand over the girl." Shirabe ordered.
"Which girl?" Hanbee innocently asked.
"Don't play dumb. The Astral Mage." Shirabe growled. "My Goddess wants the girl for a long time. I will fulfil her wish."
Runa stared at the girl with a dead blank expression, unfazed that this happened. She expected it. A little after Yuzuki was kidnapped, the fabric in space was disturbed, so someone was travelling through the place with alchemy or with an Astral Art. But since this one was a dimensional teleportation, a high alchemy incantation was used, and there was only one Alchemist that could have the power to do so.
The air around Hanbee changed. These people won't stop coming after Runa, who only wished to have a peaceful life, and won't quit tormenting her. He had enough. He was tired of people trying to break his sister.
"She's coming with me, whether it's by force or not." Shirabe stated as her rabbit-like compartments unfolded into a pair of large sawblades.
"We're not going to just hand her over because you say so." Hanbee stated. He, Kanbee and Stella glanced at each other, sending each other a know look. "Kanbee! Stella-chan!" Hanbee ordered, grabbing Runa by her wrist and led her away from the enemy.
"Right!" Kanbee and Stella nodded before charging at the enemy.
The Noise turned into bullets and shot at the two, who dodged, causing the creatures to end up hitting a tree. Stella donned her silver Ichaival and began firing bullets at the monsters, while Kanbee took a strike at Shirabe, who effortlessly blocked his sword with her sawblades, by placing them in front of her as shields.
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At the same time...
Hanbee continued to drag Runa down a small pathway. And just as they made a turn, the raven-haired beauty tripped, pulling the vampire along with her. Even so, Hanbee swiftly got back up, pulling his sister with him and continued to run until they reached a clearing, only for it to be the edge of a cliff.
Below the cliff was just so happened to be the place where Hideyoshi, and the others were battling against Nobunaga, and his unit. The sound of metal swords being clashed against one another, along with the clanging of armour and roars of battle cries, proved it.
The wind that blew upwards from the cliff made Runa's body shake, shivering from the chill that slipped into her clothes. Runa rubbed her arms to warm herself before she felt a pair of arms pulling her closer to their body. She looked up to see Hanbee staring intently at something in front of them, and when she looked, a whimper slipped.
A horde of Noise were blocking both the exit and the entrance.
"This might be quite a desperate situation..." Hanbee murmured, his hold Runa closer to him.
The child shook as anxiety rapidly built inside her. She glanced over her shoulders to access the situation down below; Hideyoshi was still intently focused on killing Nobunaga, while Mitsunari and Toshiie took care of Mitsuhide and the Oda soldiers. Glancing back up, Runa saw the Noise in front of her and Hanbee, were approaching slowly, closing the distance between them.
'There's nowhere to run behind us or in front of us... W-What do we do?' Runa tried to think, but her mind just won't let her collect her thoughts. She can't calm down. She can't think. 'At this rate...!'
"Hey..." Hanbee spoke, breaking the child from having a mental breakdown. "... no matter what happens from now on, will you believe me?" He asked below a whisper.
"Huh?" Runa was confused.
Hanbee held Runa's trembling hand, that won't stop shaking from her anxiety rather than being worried about the drop in temperature, and his voice was extremely gentle, resounding in her. "Just leave everything to me. Before long, this will be over."
"Eh? What are you..." It didn't take long for Runa to figure out what he was planning - Hanbee was going to use his Symphogear. If he does, he can take care of the Noise without breaking a sweat. However, that would mean revealing he was a Wielder to everyone, making him a target - the pendant the target for the armies.
"What do you think you'll get out of this alive?" Shirabe's voice asked.
The siblings were on alert when the pink Wielder showed up, landing in front of the Noise she summoned.
"I do not." Hanbee responded nonchalantly. His eyebrows drew together in sorrow and his arms gently embraced Runa's body.
'Huh? Huh?' The raven-haired beauty was really lost now.
"I'm sorry..." Hanbee whispered. "It looks like this is it. It seems like I can't protect you just by myself."
"What are you...?" Shirabe tensed. She wondered what they were up to with their charade.
Hanbee turned to her and swiped his parasol from left to right. "Tsukuyomi Shirabe." He started, glaring at the girl. "Handing this girl over to you is the last thing on my mind. If I had to hand this girl over over someone..." His grip on Runa's shoulders tightened. "I will choose to die together with her here." Hanbee, who embraced Runa even more tightly, brought his lips to her ear. "Hold onto me tightly." He told her.
"Huh?" Runa looked at the vampire, confused and the moment she thought she heard him right, her body dove over the cliff while being held by Hanbee.
Shirabe gasped and bladed over to the ledge. She looked down and tried to look for the two's falling figures, but with the bodies at the bottom, it was next to impossible to identify from where she was standing.
"A force double suicide...!" Shirabe muttered, still in shock. Htye caught her off-guard. Death was the last thing she expected them to come across to. "How should I report this to Master...?"
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Meanwhile...
Not far from the east side of the battlefield, the Sanada Army had been keeping an eye on the Date Army's movements since the beginning of the war. And not to repeat the siege again, they had soldiers surrounding the Toyotomi Army's castle.
Yukimura walked over to a large tree, where Kamanosuke was up on one of the high branches. "Any movement from the Date Army?" He asked, cupping one of his hand to his mouth.
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Up in the tree...
There was a long pause when Kamanosuke looked through his telescope. "None." He finally answered. "They're so quiet, it's making me sleepy." He yawned, covering his mouth with one hand.
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Back down...
Yukimura sighed and he felt uneasy. Then a gust of wind blowed right behind him. Yukimura looked over to see a small tornado of wind.
When the tornado tied down, it revealed Sasuke.
Yukimura looked at Sasuke in a curious manner as the werewolf looked seriously back at him.
"Yukimura! There's trouble!" Sasuke announced. "The war was a diversion! The Date Army went to the Undersea Cave, and now they're being surrounded by Noise!" He explained.
Yukimura became alarmed at this. "We have to let the Toyotomi Army know right away." Yukimura stated. "We need to warn Twyla, as well."
Yukimura, Saizou and Sasuke rode on horseback, heading straight to the Undersea Cave, where the Goddess of Water dwelled, as Kamanosuke went to Mitsunari's unit to deliver the warning, as fast as they could.
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At the Undersea Cave...
The Date Army began making their move. Their supreme commander; Date Masamune, along with his generals; Date Shigezane and Katakura Kojuro, and the pomeranian Faery; Rodina, were at the front lines. Since they were not allied with any of the armies, they stood no chance. So, after gathering various information from the spies he had sent, Masamune decided to get some information from the Goddess of Water, hearing how she existed with Twyla returning to her.
However, that plan went up in flames.
The moment they got to the entrance, Twyla was already standing there, waiting for them as if she had anticipated their moves. But she wasn't the only one waiting. Noise appeared out of the woods out of nowhere, surprising both the cat woman and the Date Army.
"Attack them!" Masamune ordered, extending his arm as the starting signal.
Then a bunch of Date soldiers held up their weapons and charged at the monsters.
"Don't!" The Faeries shouted, almost pleadingly.
But it was too late.
The Noise turned into bullets and shot at the soldiers. Each hit the soldiers, who tried to slash them, only for the weapons to faze through the monsters, and hugged them, turning themselves and the soldiers into carbon. The wind picked up and blew them along the wind while the rest formed a large pile.
The Date warlords and the living soldiers were stunned, shocked, horrified, at the sight. Their weapons won't work against the Noise, and one contact with the monsters, means you die.
"What are those monsters?!" Shigezane wondered, shocked at what they did to their soldiers.
"The weapons ain't working!" Kojuro observed, realising their attacks weren't going through.
Masamune 'tsked', his grip on his sword tightened when he realised his mistake.
"That is why nobody should be here!" Twyla shouted, donning her Shénshòujìng before firing rapid beams from her Armed Gear, destroying a couple of Noise.
"I am sorry! I am sorry!" Rosina frantically apologised, donning her Gear also, as she began slashing a Noise that came for Shigezane.
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At the back of the horde..
Mitsunari and Yukimura, along with their unit made it to the Undersea Cave's path, only to find the place being invaded by Noise and the cries of the soldiers being turned to carbon.
"We were too late?" Yukimura wondered, his grip tightened on his reins, gritting in frustration if Masamune and the others got killed.
"No." Mitsunari opposed. "It appears the Faery of Izira-sama and the Date Army's Faery are taking care of this." He stated. He looked up to see a rain of swords flying down not too far away from them, all aimed at the Noise as many mirrors flew around, releasing beams of pure purple energy at the monsters, killing them also. "We just have to wait for the right moment."
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At the Oda Army's camp...
Hideyoshi was still clashing against Nobunaga, slashing and blocking his attacks. It was tough. They don't call him the 'Demon King' for nothing. His strength was as of close to another race than a vampire's.
Nobunaga flattened his sword and hit the flat end on Hideyoshi's side, swatting him back a couple of feet.
Hideyoshi slided back until he stabbed his sword into the ground, to stop. Just as he was about to get up, he ducked at the last second to avoid a bullet going through his head.
Nobunaga, who still had his matchlock pistol, that still had steam emitting from the end, lowered his right arm. "You're quick, Monkey." He commented.
Hideyoshi smirked. "Gotta make sure to stay fit."
Using his sword as a cane, Hideyoshi pulled himself up. Just as he did, he sensed something from above. Wondering if it was an enemy soldier, he looked up, only for something to fall onto him. Hard.
*THUD!!*
"Ow... Ow... That was a softer landing than I thought..." Hanbee's voice muttered.
Hideyoshi had an irked mark on his forehead. "Hanbee..." He growled. "Get off!" He shouted. "It hurts!" Hideyoshi certainly thought he heard a crack when Hanbee and his sister fell on top of him. His ribs were likely broken, as well as his backbone.
"Hm?" The cross dresser looked down and was surprised it was his commander who he landed on. "Ah, Hideyoshi-sama!" Hanbee immediately got off, carrying a shuttering Runa, who was still in shock from her brother's stunt, and had a guilty look as Hideyoshi staggered to his feet. "I am very sorry!" Then his expression changed to a grateful one. "But thank you for catching us."
"I wouldn't call that a catch..." Hideyoshi grumbled.
Nobunaga merely watched the two exchange words until his eyes landed on the child. He expected her to be with her brother, but he didn't see the white and greenish blue yukata coming. But it does look good on her. Now his main job was to grab her, getting whatever information she had about the new enemy and what she was hiding. Especially, under her blindfold. When he saw 'her' eyes, they don't look human. And the symbols in the golden hue really intrigued him.
*KA-BOOM!!!*KA-BOOM!!!*KA-BOOM!!!*
Everyone looked over to the clearing space to see an army of Noise, in various shapes, sizes and forms, marching towards them. From both land and sky.
"What...?" Nobunaga's eyes furrowed in question at the sight of the monsters. He had seen them invading his territory, but none attacked. But this time, the Noise were after them like they were their next meal.
"Noise?!" Toshiie exclaimed, his eyes widened at the amount. Where are the Faeries when you need them?!
"Ah... It appears they have followed us." Hanbee laughed awkwardly with a wry smile.
"Ya think?!"
Runa jumped out of her brother's arms but stayed close.
Then, Aurora came flying in her Gear form, from the air, and fired a line of silver shortswords at the monsters surrounding the group.
One by one, the Noise at the front lines were being slashed into piles of carbon. It didn't take long for the silver shortswords to take down the next round.
"Take Hime-sama out of here!" Aurora instructed the cross dresser. "The Noise's movements around here is calculated! They are only interested in her!" She explained.
Everyone was shocked to hear that.
"Right!" Hanbee grabbed Runa's hand and began to run back into the forest, through the path Aurora had made for them.
The Noise tried to follow, but Aurora won't let them. She created as many swords as she could in seconds to take them down. However, by constantly draining the mana within her, her sword creations took more time, which meant some of the Noise slipped away and went after the siblings, who fled into the forest.
◇◇◇◇◇
At the same time...
Hanbee continued to drag Runa by the wrist and noticed the Noise behind, but chose to ignore them. It was until he skillfully lifted Runa into his arms, surprising her when he suddenly held her in a bridal hold, and bent his knees, pushing his body up like a spring.
Just as they were high in the air, Hanbee pulled out a red pistol gun that Stella gave him, his body twirling in the sunshine air with Runa tightly held in his other arm as he felt her arms tightening around his neck, as if her life depended on it. He aimed the gun at the Noise, his eyes narrowed to adjust his aim and fired at them, watching the Noise immediately turning black before crumbling away into a pile of carbon.
The rest of the Noise merely trampled over the carbon pile, that began to grow by Hanbee, who continuously fired bullet after bullet until he landed on a cliff above them.
The vampire gently set his sister down, but kept her body down to avoid being notice like him, as he continued to fire at the sea of Noise until the pistol's barrel had been maxed out. Hanbee grunted, staring at the gun before looking back down to see the Noise have stopped moving.
They were looking for them.
Putting the gun away, Hanbee grabbed Runa by the hand and sprinted back up into a run again.
The Noise quickly spotted the siblings and jumped right after them.
They ran deep into the forest, pushing pass the branches and bushes. The siblings' feet pounded against the ground, giving them a boost with each step. Hanbee wanted to go faster, but if he does, Runa will faint from heavy physical activity.
Runa was already panting hard, trying to keep up with Hanbee, who had to slow down a few times or hide behind trees and bushes to stop to let her catch her breath, and she felt like she was about to be sick.
Hanbee looked behind him to see the Noise were catching up. His grip tightened on Runa before he picked up his pace a little, only to skid into a halt, causing Runa to bump into him.
"W... *Pant* What's... *Pant* wrong...?" Runa asked, wheezing her heart out, trying to ease her burning lungs from exploding.
"Noise." Hanbee murmured, tensing at the amount in front of them.
Another set of Noise was already waiting for them on the other side. The pterodactyl-like Noise soared through the air as the ground-type Noise circled the siblings, slowly closing the distance between them.
"You have nowhere to run now." A familiar voice stated.
"My, my..." Hanbee laughed as he extended his arm protectively in front of his sister. "Using cowardly moves..."
Shirabe's eyes narrowed.
"You got that right!" Stella's voice rang out.
And before anyone knew it, the Noise surrounding them got shot and crumbled into carbon in a matter of time. The wind blew the specks as Hanbee and the girls were stunned in place before Stella's figure appeared between them.
"Stella-chan!" Hanbee exclaimed, surprised to see her.
The said Faery smirked at him before turning her attention back at Shirabe, pointing her gun at her. "Now, where were we?"
Shirabe glared at her. "It seems that amount wasn't enough for you." She murmured, frustrated. Frustrated that she didn't have the Solomon's Cane with her. She should have asked for it, yet, Finé seemed to want it close to her for the moment. "Even so, I-"
A stream of blue flame zoomed past the Black Shul Shagana Wielder, lightly burning her left cheek, her bare shoulders and cut into her arms, drawing in some blood.
Shirabe was stunned. Her wide eyes trailed over to the vampire, who was holding fans of talismans in his hands with a devilishingly charming smile.
"What were you saying?" Hanbee asked with a hint of mischief.
Stella blinked at the vampire's behaviour before letting out a sigh, giggling. "You and your tricks..." She muttered. Her eyes stayed close before opening them, her guns reverting back to her crossbows. "Take the dummy and hide." Stella told them. "Stay out of sight until then."
"Wait...!" Runa was about to protest, but Stella stopped her.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" The albino questioned, grabbing the child roughly by the shoulders. But Stella relaxed when she saw the guilty look Runa was giving her. Runa was worried. The Noise were only attacking because of her. But if she stayed hidden, then it would buy Stella some time to come up with a strategy. "Stay here, okay?" Stella softly told her, releasing Runa and fixed her yukata. "You can't leave us." She muttered. "Please." Stella pleaded as she looked at Runa in the eye before lunging at the Black Symphogear Wielder.
"Like I'm letti-" Before Shirabe could finish, her opponent had injected her with something. And it didn't take long for its affect to kick in. It was almost immediately, but her strength failed her. Her body felt heavy. Her rollerblades went back in her boots, that shocked Shirabe.
It didn't take her long to figure out what the substance was doing to her.
"I can't maintain my Gear..." Shirabe murmured, taking a step back just as her Gear shattered, disappearing, leaving her in her regular clothes.
"Without your Symphogear, you're nothing more than a helpless human." Stella mocked, pointing her gun at the weakened girl.
Shirabe grabbed her right arm, feeling a spike of pain in her nerves, making it shake a little, and found herself struggling to stay upright. Even so, she glared at the Faery. "Anti-LiNKER..." Shirabe murmured. She couldn't believe they had anti-LiNKER. But where did they get it? It shouldn't even be possible to make it in Shinga.
Stella reverted her crossbows back into gauntlets, her smirk dropping along with it. She turned around and saw Shirabe was trying to flee, but she won't allow it. Stella lunged in her direction, grabbed Shirabe by the arm, yanking her back in her direction and then forced Shirabe to her knees, before putting her in a headlock as she twisted Shirabe's left arm away from her body.
"Hey, is Finé not here?" Stella questioned, eyeing the girl she's restraining.
But Shirabe merely glanced at her over her shoulders, not saying a word.
This annoyed the albino. "Where is the person who has Durandal?!" Stella demanded, tightening her headlock on Shirabe, causing the girl to grunt at the pain and lack of oxygen.
"Stella-chan!" Hanbee exclaimed.
◇◇◇◇◇
At Finé's mansion...
"Shirabe!" Maria exclaimed, seeing the situation through Finé's screens.
The nuded woman, who watched the whole scene, anticipated this. "Then let's tilt the scales back the other way..." Finé suggested, making Maria, Hibiki and Tsubasa look at her. "In the most dramatic way possible!" She smirked sadistically as Finé typed away on her holo keyboard before pulling a lever up.
Tsubasa's eyes widened in realisation. "You aren't going to..."
◇◇◇◇◇
At the same time...
A red alchemic symbol appeared above the four, making them look up to see what it was. A figure slipped through the symbol, but with the angle lighting of the sun, it made it difficult to indicate who it was.
(Play video.)
Rei Shénshòujìng rei zizzl~
Then a blinding light shined out of nowhere, enveloping the place to the point everyone had to cover their eyes. Whatever that sang the Holy Chant, it was a Symphogear Wielder, which meant, Finé could only sent them for one purpose.
*KA-BOOM!!!*
Whatever that went through the alchemic symbol, it landed right in front of the group, creating a huge explosion as the ground sank beneath them. The smokescreen spreaded everywhere, enveloping them as it blanketed the ground far than the eye can see.
Hanbee and the girls looked at the large smokescreen to see what it was, and when it cleared, they couldn't believe their eyes.
Just as the smoke parted, it revealed a very familiar girl at the centre of the crate, they had created.
It was Yuzuki.
However, Yuzuki wasn't in her regular clothes. She wore a Shénshòujìng Symphogear, that looked a lot like Kokinata Miku's, but the only difference was how empty and lifeless her eyes were. They were like a pair of puppet eyes being controlled by a puppeteer from afar.
(Appearance.)
"Yuzuki-chan?" Hanbee questioned, stunned. The girl in front on him looked different than the Yuzuki he knows.
What did Finé do to her?
◇◇◇◇◇
"You're using the remains of Kokinata's Shénshòujìng as her Gear, aren't you?" Tsubasa guessed, eyeing the similarities of Yuzuki's Shénshòujìng with Miku's.
"The relic that has the power to deceive the heart..." Hibiki muttered, her hand clutching her heart. If one's will was not stronger of the Shénshòujìng's, then they would sink into its deception, making them think their ideals were more suitable than others. A mirror that shows one's true intentions or deceive them. That's the Shénshòujìng's power.
Maria glared at Finé, who was staring at the holoscreens with a calm expression. "You put her up to this, didn't you, Master?" She questioned.
Finé didn't even spare her a glance, just a mere hum of 'innocence'. "I simply used it at the appropriate time." She said.
Flashback:
"Don't look so scared." The woman told the girl. "Why don't we talk for a bit?" She suggested, a sadistic smirk appearing underneath her 'sweet' smile. "I'm sure I can help you."
Yuzuki slowly looked at the woman in the eye. "Help me?" She repeated in wonder. She was actually curious on what Finé had to offer.
"Yes..." A dark look appeared under Finé's mask. "With the power to get what you want." Finé opened her clenched hand to reveal a pendant, presenting it to Yuzuki.
Flashback ended:
"It seems that girl you brought is the one with the magical blood that every Gegga Tribes desired. Unlike the Purebred-relic Fusion 1, it barely hold much power." Finé explained as she remembered putting Yuzuki in a tank, with a mask over her mouth and nose as multiple tubes were plugged into her back. Even the device she planted on the back of Yuzuki's head.
"All Astral Mages and a selective few of humans are potential Symphogear Wielders." Maria stated. "In other words..." Her eyes narrowed. "...you used your LiNKER and forced her to become a Wielder, without understanding anything?"
But Finé merely cleared her throat in a way to tell Maria she was wrong. "That isn't quite right..." She sighed, smiling emptily. "If merely injecting LiNKER into someone made them a Symphogear Wielder, it would be the easiest thing the world. I could have dozens or hundreds of you." Finé pointed out.
"Then how did you..."
"It was love!" Finé exclaimed, smirking manically at the pink-haired woman.
Hibiki's eyes widened as her head snapped to her master. "Where did love come from?!" She asked.
The smirk never left her face as Finé's bangs shadowed her lustful eyes. "The LiNKER connected her desire to find the Gegga Tribes precious Himemiko in order to go home, to the Shénshòujìng..." The nuded woman raised her head as a psychotic expression was presented on her face. "So beautiful, isn't it?"
◇◇◇◇◇
The knee pads on Yuzuki's legs slowly bent outwards, as the black whips on her arms came to life. Then, her feet were gradually lifted off the ground and her body was being levitated by her knee pads, as Yuzuki extended her right arm and a huge white metal fan slipped out of her sleeve.
Taking hold of the fan, Yuzuki's empty eyes stared at the four in front of her. At the same time, the device implanted on the back of her head, the inner red living organ inside, squished together like a living creature. It sent electrical signals to the brown-haired girl's brain, making her glare at the people she no longer recognised as she let out a screaming growl, making her look like a tamed animal ready to kill.
"Yuzuki-chan?" Hanbee questioned, stunned. She was like a completely different person. The kind, sweet girl was turned into a vicious killing machine.
"Why is she dressed like that?" Stella questioned, wondering what they did to her also.
Runa assessed the way the Shénshòujìng Symphogear was made before the headpiece caught her interest. Her eyes narrowed under her blindfold, her sight heightened to see an added brainwashing-like machine implanted on the back of Yuzuki's head.
"That Wielder is expendable, created using LiNKER." Shirabe stated, drawing the girls' and Hanbee's attention. "Since her creation was faster than ours, she'll break even more easily..."
"What the hell?" Stella glanced back at Yuzuki with surprise and disbelief.
"We've confirmed the safety of the missing Sumisora Yuzuki, but..." Runa trailed off, her empty eyes trailed over to Yuzuki's, not sure how to continue to explain the situation over her earpiece.
◇◇◇◇◇
At the same time...
Aurora had a mini holoscreen showing what was happening with Stella's group in front of her, as she nearly finished taking care of the Noise around her. However, since it costed a lot of the mana within her, maintaining her Gear was difficult. Cracks have already formed and parts of the Gear had already broken down into pieces, and shattered into sparkles.
"Safety?" Stella questioned on the other side, making Runa's words sound like it was a joke. "You call that safe? Then what are we supposed to tell the idiot?!"
Then the image changed to the brown-haired girl, whose eyes no longer filled with life.
"Sumisora Yuzuki..." Aurora murmured, taking in Yuzuki's new appearance as she single-handedly took down a Noise that tried a sneak attack on her. "Finé..." Then, she looked over to the place where the vampires were evacuating their soldiers. But Aurora's eyes only pierced into Hideyoshi's back. "What are you doing?" She wondered. If Hideyoshi saw Yuzuki was close by, he would definitely rush right over to her like an obsessed hunter. Aurora can't let him see her. Not yet.
◇◇◇◇◇
Staring at her opponents emotionalessly, the visor on Yuzuki's head slowly closed, swallowing her eyes as it showed a more technical screen over her green ones. Then, a huge gust of wind blew under her feet. Yuzuki collected her power, having a firm grip on her Armed Gear, and wasted no time dashing towards her enemy.
But specifically, Runa.
The siblings gasped at where she was heading for. Or rather, who she was heading for.
(Play video.)
Stella clicked her tongue. "This is my job!" She discarded Shirabe like she was someone of no importance, and got up. Stella formed her gauntlets into crossbows and ran towards the brainwashing girl.
Yuzuki didn't even bother to slow down. She continued onward to her target and released a beam of purple light at Stella, for she was getting in her way.
But Stella easily dodged it by moving to the side.
Aisatsu muyou no gatoringu (A gatling gun has no need for greetings)
Stella then put pressure into her feet and leaped into the air, enhancing her homing crossbows which added an additional firing lane on either side of the main ones.
Gomibako iki e no desu paaryii (Disparity's heading for the rubbish bin)
Firing, the enhanced crossbows tripled Stella's rate of fire.
One, Two, Three! Mezawari da... (1, 2, 3! Get out of my sight...)
The millions of red energy arrows rained down over Yuzuki, forcing her to stop and dash away in another direction.
Dotama ni kaza'ana hoshii nara kichin to narabi na "Adios" (If you want me to blow a hole in you, get in line and say, "Adios")
Following his eyes on where Yuzuki was heading, Hanbee widned his eyes when he realised she was heading west. And Stella leaped after her!
One, Two, Three! Kie usero... (1, 2, 3! Get out of my face...)
"Aaaaahhh!" The vampire screamed in a panic, oblivious at how he scared the life out of his sister. "They're heading straight to the Oda Army's camp!" Hanbee exclaimed.
Runa paled.
◇◇◇◇◇
Somewhere in the forest...
Gekitetsu ni kometa omoi attakee kizuna no tame (Feelings burned into hot metal, for the warm ties that bind me)
Using the trees and its branches as springs, Stella continued to fire in the air, raining Yuzuki with obstacles to slow her down.
Gara ja nee serifu demo warukunee... (This stuff ain't my style, but I don't mind...)
But the brown-haired girl, even under Finé's control, dodged most of them by maneuvering into the forest's rough mountain path, causing Stella's arrows to follow, getting off the usual path that was clear, as the one she took was umbrellaed by the trees.
I-i ko wa nenne shite ina!! (Be a good kid, and go the hell to bed!!)
If that's the case, Stella landed on the next nearest branch, but did not jump. Instead, she jumped off just as Yuzuki zoomed past her, and kicked the girl in the stomach, sending the Shénshòujìng Wielder up in the air. No trees for cover, which means free ranges to shoot.
Hyaha! Go to hell!! Saa soupaa zange taimu! (Haha! Go to hell!! It's super confession time!)
Smirking, Stella transformed her crossbows into a pair of double tri-barrel gatling guns that fit over each of her arms, and began to fire mercilessly at Yuzuki, who quickly went back on course, using the foot path this time.
Jigoku no soko de enma-sama ni dogeza shite koi (Go kneel and beg before Satan, in the pits of Hell)
Some of the bullets hit Yuzuki, who didn't even bother trying to move out of the way, letting each hit her bare shoulders, her arms and legs, and her knee pads, slowly her down in the process. She even started to get a bit off course on where she was heading.
Furthermore, Yuzuki even tried to attack back by sending beams at Stella from her fan, but they were weak and missed the albino since she had to keep moving to avoid getting hit.
◇◇◇◇◇
At Finé's mansion...
Hyaha! Go to hell!! Mou koukai wa shinai (Haha! Go to hell! I won't regret anymore!)
"Direct feedback to the brain executes a battle program, regardless of her will." Finé explained as she and her servants watch the scene unfold. "This is the Shénshòujìng Symphogear!"
Mamoru beki basho ga dekita kara mou nigenai! (I have a place to protect now, so I won't run anymore!)
A smirk appeared as Finé eyed Yuzuki was under the complete influence of the Shénshòujìng. It was like the girl was just used as a mere vessel for the relic to control, and actually have a physical form. The human girl being the marionette as the relic being its puppeteer. A truly a divine piece of art in Finé's opinion.
"And my LiNKER, which enables her to use it, is even better." She stated with pride.
"Even so, a false will won't make her a match for those girls." Maria pointed out.
Unfazed by her words, Finé gave Maria her psychotic/sadistic smirk, her face deteriorated by them.
◇◇◇◇◇
Bohyou nya nani wo soereba ii? (What do you want on your tombstone?)
Stella continued to use her rapid-fire attack on Yuzuki, hoping it would stop her. Her skills were rather poor and lack coordination. Even if she got hit, Yuzuki continued to fire at Stella as if she did not feel the pain.
◇◇◇◇◇
At the same time...
Gankubi soroete inferuno (Get ready for the inferno)
"Ichaival is overwhelming her." Hanbee observed, watching the Faery firing at Yuzuki, who had an awkward fighting style, as he carried Runa in his arms.
One, Two, Three! Inottero... (1, 2, 3! Say your prayers...)
The wind blew passed their faces as Hanbee speeded down the rough path, but with his mono wheel, it was a breeze. Literally. Even he whizzed down the path, cutting down any Noise they came across, or tried to attack them.
Anta no kami wa bakansu chuu (Your God's on vacation)
"Maybe we can..."
"No." Runa rejected, cutting her brother off before he could finish his sentence. Just watching the girl getting beaten up was amusing and all, but if Stella continued to fire the bullets liek that, some of them was bounded to hit the visor. And if that happened...
Namu Amida Butsu mo It's sold out (Namu Amida Butsu is all sold out)
'Don't feel anything.' Runa reminded herself, her bangs shadowing her upper face. 'This person is a hypocrite. She knows nothing of true suffering, so...'
One, Two, Three! Hizamazuke (1, 2, 3! Get down on your knees...)
Hanbee closely watched Runa's hands clutching her earpiece as if she was trying to contain something within her. His eyes narrowed gently at this.
◇◇◇◇◇
With Stella...
Kashikari wa iibun ga ii jakkan morai sugi na Luck (I like to be on even terms, and I've had a bit too much luck)
Stella continued to leap after Yuzuki through the woods, as the girl mindlessly flew across the path from below. Occasionally, moved her body to the side to avoid getting hit by the girl's beams, but didn't stop her attack either.
Tsuri wo kaeshitai dakara ikasero... (I want to repay my debts, so let me go... )
When she got close, Stella kicked Yuzuki in the stomach, sending the girl crashing into a tree and fired her guns at the immobilised girl.
I-I ko wa nenne shite ina!! (Be a good kid, and go the hell to bed!!)
When the dust settled, Yuzuki got up and lunged at Stella, using her fan like a bat to swing at her.
Hyaha! Go to hell!! Saa soupaa dangan taimu! (Haha! Go to hell! It's super bullet time!)
Ceasing her fire, Stella just barely used her gatling guns to block the fan from hitting who face. Then she, who was higher than Yuzuki in the air, set all her weight over the girl and used her as a landing cushion when they descended to the ground.
Shouen ga kaoru yakkyou rein (A rain of powder and gun smoke)
Immediately, getting up, Yuzuki continued onward when she kicked Stella off of her. She was close to the exit, as Yuzuki noticed someone was already ahead of her.
Saakasu wo odore (The circus is having a dance)
'Damn it...' Stella punched the ground before stumbling to her feet, and leaped after the girl. She hoped the siblings got out of the area before Yuzuki, used the Black Shénshòujìng she now wields to get Runa.
◇◇◇◇◇
Meanwhile...
Hideyoshi, along with Toshiie and Mitsunari, were just about done evacuating everyone from their army, when they heard a voice resounding the forest.
Hyaha! Go to hell!! Kono osowatta ai... (Haha! Go to hell!! This love I've been taught...)
"What is that?" Mitsunari wondered, staring into the woods.
*KA-BOOM!!!*
Juu ni kometa nara shinkokyou... tokihanate! (I load it into my gun, take a deep breath... and unleash it!)
The ground shook as the soldiers of Toyotomi and Oda had to quickly find their footing. A huge of wind bursted through the forest and spreaded a smokescreen everywhere. And when it cleared, it showed a female girl wearing a purple armour. In one hand, she held a metal white fan, while the other had a familiar raven hair dangling over their face, unconscious, firmly wrapped around the their arm.
Lowering his arm, Hideyoshi noticed Stella leaping out of the woods and kicked the mysterious armoured girl in the chest, forcing her to let go and let the Faery take the child.
Uso kusae chiipu na kotoba (Lies stinks as they are cheap words)
Hanbee came running out of the forest, panting as he took Runa from Stella, who was waiting for him.
Sonna saigo wa ya dakara torigaa hiku kashi wa (I don't want to end like a trigger pulling the lyrics)
However, Yuzuki wasn't done. She shot a beam at the two, causing Runa to wake up and push Hanbee out of the way, just as the beam shot at the ground behind them, causing a fire to roar up.
*KA-BOOM!!!*
Sou "sayonara" da (That's right, it's "goodbye")
"Whoa!" Toshiie was blown away at the power and eyed the mysterious enemy, only to realise who it was.
Na-mi-da wo buppanase My song... (Letting go of Namida with my song...)
"Yuzuki!" Hideyoshi exclaimed, stunned, shocked, surprised to see what she had become.
Stella got up and leaped into the air. She aimed her gatling guns at Yuzuki, who went up into the air, also.
Hyaha! Go to hell!! Saa soupaa zange taimu! (Haha! Go to hell!! It's confession time!)
Stella fired, watching her bullets hit the human girl. But it didn't take long for her to feel funny. 'Hurting her is tough...' Stella thought, her expression cringing in trouble. 'Even if I'm doing this to save her, it doesn't mean we have to be friends!' Her eyes narrowed. 'We can never be friends!'
Jigoku no soko de enma-sama ni dogeza shite koi (Go kneel and beg before Satan, in the pits of Hell)
Lightly dipping her body, Yuzuki dodged the rest of the sea of golden bullets and landed directly in front of her enemies, causing a wave of wind to crash into their faces.
Hyaha! Go to hell!! Egao ga wakatta... (Haha! Go to hell!!)
Stella landed a little away from the group, but it was no problem for her. The sides of her metal skirt opened up and launched a series of missiles at Yuzuki.
Mamoru beki basho ni nukumori wo... (Protecting the places that brings warmth)
The Black Shénshòujìng Wielder got up and saw the incoming missiles. Instead of running away, she lunged at them just as Stella did the same. The Faery fired her gatling guns at Yuzuki from a close angle, getting a clear shot on the girl, sending her crashing back into the soil with the missiles hot on her tail.
*KA-BOOM!!*
Nukumori wo! (The warmth!)
Stella landed in front of Runa and ceased her attacks.
Nobunaga, Mitsuhide, Hideyoshi, Toshiie and Mitsunari stayed where they were, unable to move on what they had witnessed. Yuzuki turned into a Black Symphogear Wielder and now got beaten like a fly by Stella. What did Finé do to her?
"Yuzuki!" Hideyoshi called out, wanting to run over to her and help, but Hanbee grabbed his arm and yanked him back into place. "Let go, Hanbee!" He shouted, glaring at the vampire.
"It is too dangerous to get close, Hideyoshi-sama!" Hanbee shouted back. "Do you think Yuzuki-chan would listen to you?" He asked, asking the big question.
Hideyoshi was about to answer, but his voice was gone. He stopped struggling and realised he couldn't find the proper words to answer the cross dresser's question.
"Let Stella-chan handle this." Hanbee said, reluctantly removing his hands off his commander's arm.
That being said, seeing as the girl wasn't moving, Stella rushed over to Yuzuki, looking through the smoke rising from the small crater she had created. Peering down, Yuzuki's figure remained motionless like a dead body, but she was still breathing. However, the helmet she was wearing was still intact. Meaning the brainwashing was still in affect. Yuzuki was still under Finé's control.
Sighing in relief she was okay, Stella leaned over to remove the helmet. Or rather, undoing the Symphogear Yuzuki was wearing in hopes to break the girl from being used like a toy.
"You should treat girls more gently." Finé's voice advised, talking through Yuzuki's communicators.
Stella's hand stopped and retracted back in surprise.
"If you try to violently remove her Gear, the connected terminal may damage her brain."
Stella grunted.
(Play video.)
Then Yuzuki got up so suddenly, catching the Faery off-guard. She then aimed her fan at the albino, its mirror getting Stella's stunned face before they encircled into a full fan, 14 mirror segments in all. Each of the small mirrors glowed and fired a series of rapid-fire of purple beam.
"Dodge, Stella!" Mitsunari instructed.
Stella grunted, narrowly avoiding getting hit by leaping off the ground and maneuvered her body into a crescent-shaped angle, successfully dodging all the lights.
And when they stopped, Stella slided back until she digged her heels into the soil, slowing herself down until she stopped right in front of the raven-haired beauty, who continued to watch the scene from where she was sitting.
"You're still trying this crap?!" Stella shouted, getting annoyed by this.
Yuzuki retracted her Armed Gear, a gust of wind blew beneath her as she floated above the ground. The knee plates on her armour folded down and the cables on her shoulders connected to the plates' back. They then projected semicircular segments outward, forming a large ring in front of the user.
Stella could only tell she should be careful for a nasty attack. However, when she thought of dodging the simple attack, she looked behind her to see Runa staring worriedly at the situation. Her ankle was sprained, meaning she can't move from her spot, and Stella doesn't have time to pick her up and dodge the incoming attack.
Senkou... hajimaru sekai (A flash of light... a world begins)
The semicircular segments began to glow, sizzling white sparkles emitting from the reflection.
Shikkoku... owaru sekai (Pitch black... a world ends)
Senmetsu... Kaeru basho wo hidamaru basho wo (Annihilation... The place you call home, the place where the sun shines)
The light began to get brighter and brighter to the point it blinded everyone, making them feel like a mini sun and just landed.
Ryousei... Ano hi wa touku tsuioku... subete ga touku (Shooting stars... That day is far away)
If they can't dodge, they'll fight it head-on.
"Then..." Stella glared, backing away slightly as the rear compartments on her skirt armour opened, releasing dozens of diamond-shaped remote weapons.
Kaeshite kaeshite... (Give it back, give it back)
At the same time, Yuzuki fired a large continuous beam.
Zankyou ga nukumoru uta... (The echoes warm my song...)
"I'll use my Reflectors!" Stella shouted, crossing her arms into an 'X', commanding her Reflectors to surround themselves in front of her as a barrier just as the beams hit.
Yubi wo surinukeru kimi no hidarite (Your left hand slips through my fingers)
The moment the large beam hit the Reflectors, it splitted into smaller versions that went flying everywhere, hitting the Oda Army's camp, obliterating it completely as the Gegga Tribes dodged to avoid getting killed.
Watashi datte kimi wo mamoritainda! (I want to protect you, too!)
Yuzuki continued her attack, setting a lot of pressure on Stella, who was struggling to keep herself in place while protecting Runa along the way.
"Runa-chan! Run, now!" Hanbee told her, shouting over Miku's - Yuzuki's song.
But Runa didn't. She only stared at the new Black Shénshòujìng Wielder with narrowed eyes.
Ano natsukashi no memoria futari wo tsumugu merodii wo (The memoria of those wonderful days, the melody that connects the two of us)
"Before they erase you!" Hanbee added, his voice and eyes begging the girl to listen to him.
The vampire's words surprised the others.
"What are you talking about?" Hideyoshi asked.
Kako mo kyou mo sou, soshite mirai mo! (The past, today, and yes, the future!)
'The Ichaival's Reflectors deflected the shot that let its Amalgam hit its target.' Stella thought, keeping herself together against the Shénshòujìng's light. At least her Reflectors had made some distance between the deadly attack and her body.
Watashi wa zettai yuzuranai (I'll never give you up)
Squinting her eyes, Stella eyed Yuzuki's figure through the Shénshòujìng's light like it was a magnifying glass. With the purple light, Yuzuki looked like a proper Wielder with her armour as its insignia.
Mou touku ni wa ikasenai (I won't let you leave me)
'I don't know how they got the fragments to make that Symphogear, but nothing it has could possibly...' Then Stella began to feel herself being pushed back, just as a few of her Reflectors began to disintegrated. "So why am I being pushed back?!"
Konna ni suki da yo nee... (I love you so much...)
Daisuki da yo! (Yes, I love you!)
"Innocent and fierce..." Runa started, never taken her eyes off of Yuzuki's Shénshòujìng. "... A flood of power that wards of evil. This is the Shénshòujìng Symphogear."
◇◇◇◇◇
Meanwhile...
Fei continued to watch Shingen and Kenshin from the sidelines until her brain picked up electrical signals that's being downloaded into her brain. She blinked and what she saw before her eyes, was Stella blocking a Meteorids attack made from the Shénshòujìng's mirror.
Yuzuki's mirror.
Her eyes widened at this.
◇◇◇◇◇
At the same time...
Kussetsu... kowareta ai doukoku... itanda ai (The refraction... Lamentation of love from broken letters... Wounded of love)
Izira was staring into her lake. She could hear the battle outside her cave. The soldiers' cries of being turned into carbon, fear of getting killed, metal against another metal, echoed the cave.
Shuuen... Lalala uta wo... Lalalala... uta wo... (It's the end... Lalala songs... Lalalala... songs... )
However, her main concern was the image of Yuzuki in the Black Shénshòujìng, using its power to attack Stella, who was struggling against its light while having to protect Runa also from it.
Konton... nakushita yume rengoku... Egao no yume (Chaos... the lost dream of purgatory... A dream to smile)
◇◇◇◇◇
At the Genesis Garden...
Stacia and Estelle were both staring into the aurora that held a hologram, showing Stella using her Reflectors to just barely hold the brown-haired girl's attack at bay.
Doushite...? Doushite...? Doko wo machigaeta no? (What should I do...? What should I do...? Where did I go wrong?)
"It appears Finé is rather sadistic." Estelle commented.
"It appears so." Stacia agreed, crossing her arms under her chest. She eyed Yuzuki's visor and her eyes narrowed suspiciously.
◇◇◇◇◇
At the Hanging Gardens...
Dou omowareyou to kankei nai (I don't care what you think)
"How horrible!" Nova exclaimed, covering her mouth with her left hand as she was unable to tear her eyes from the holoscreen presented before her.
Kimi hitori dake ni wa seowasetakunai (But I don't want you to carry it alone)
"Finé..." Terraria narrowed her eyes. "You have gone too far."
◇◇◇◇◇
At Oda Army's camp...
Ano boukyaku no memoria gushagusha ni waratte naita hi (Those memoria of oblivion, those days we laughed and cried)
Stella continued to hold off the Meteorids attack. Her feet slipped once or twice, but quickly found her footing. If it doesn't make her situation any harder, more Noise began to rise from the ground, surrounding the place.
Tsuyoku nigitta te wa attakaku... attakaku (The hand I gripped tight is warm... so warm)
Aurora took action and lunged at mankind's deadly creatures, summoning her daggers and striked at the first five, killing them.
Watashi wa zettai yurusanai (I'll never give you up)
"Now of all times...!" Toshiie was about to charge at them, but remembered what would happen if he did. The thought frustrated him to the point he pulled on his hair. "Damn it!"
Konna jibun wo yurusenai (I won't let you leave me)
Hanbee did a backflip to dodge another attack from a group of blob-like Noise. He was about to pull some talismans, but refrained to do so. If he does, then he owed an explanation to Hideyoshi and the others, and if Nobunaga found out about his abilities, then the Demon King would try to investigate his background. A very complicated situation Hanbee had to avoid.
Dakara tatakau no sou... tatakau no! (That's why I fight... Yes, I fight!)
Runa was having similar problems. She wanted to move, but her legs were paralysed. Her ankle hurts. And Stella was forced to face against the Shénshòujìng's light because of her.
*Ba-dump!*
Runa unconsciously lowered her head, her bangs shadowed her upper face. Her fear immediately vanished. Her worries disappeared. Runa couldn't understand why she was acting like she did a moment ago. Was she afraid? Why? Why is she afraid of someone like Yuzuki? Why is she afraid?
Utsumukanai kara... akiramenai (I will not look down... so I won't give up)
No longer able to hold the power anymore, the Reflectors disintegrated one by one, causing the shield protecting the girls to weaken.
'Damn it! My Reflectors are being disintegrated!' Stella can't hold out much longer. Her right foot slipped, causing not only for the light to push her back towards the injured girl, but weakening her stability on her Gear. The gauntlets began to swell and bubble, the light threatening to erase it with force.
Nagareboshi wo kimi to mou ichido miru no...! (For that I can see the shooting star with you...!)
Stella snapped her eyes to focus on Yuzuki's figure through the light. She could feel the girl putting in more power to her Meteorids attack. Yuzuki was going to erase them without her real self knowing. Finé was willing to cause a heavy emotional impact on the girl when she was ready to remove the brainwashing device. Unless Finé never planned on removing it...
Ano natsukashi no memoria futari wo tsumugu merodii wo (The memoria of those wonderful days, the melody that connects the two of us)
The pain stung like being near 2000°C lava, but Stella didn't back down. Her gauntlets were horribly blistered and her Reflectors no longer able to protect her. And the light didn't waste a second to consume albino.
Kako mo kyou mo sou, soshite mirai mo! (The past, today, and yes, the future!)
Stella tried to fight it back on her own, only to be saved by a gigantic sword cutting her away from the Shénshòujìng's light. She was stunned to even realise she was about to fall onto Runa, only to be grabbed by a familiar pomeranian Faery by the waist, before doing the same with Runa, placing the child on her shoulders.
"Be careful!" Rosina warned, immediately dashing away by using her ankle blades like a hoverboard, at max speed.
Watashi wa zettai yuzuranai... (I will never give you up...)
The Meteorids attack effortlessly melted the silver and red sword and shot right after the trio. They may be ahead, but it caught up rather easily... if it wasn't for the line of gigantic swords getting its way. It was like blocking a scorpion from eating its prey.
Mou touku ni wa ikasenai (I won't let you leave me)
The light was catching up. It got faster and faster each time it melted a sword, to the point Rosina had to burn away a small quantity of the mana within her just to speed away.
The Faery looked over her shoulders and assessed the situation. The light was catching up and it appeared she can't outrun it. She could already feel the humidity coming from it. And no matter how fast she goes, the light always caught up with her. They can't keep running away from it. They had to get out of this one-way battle.
'If I try to dodge the the side, I'll have to slow down.' Rosina thought, trying to come up with possibilities to get out of the mess. 'And in that instant, it will catch up!'
Konna ni suki da yo nee... (I love you so much)
"It's catching up!" Hanbee exclaimed, panicking when the Shénshòujìng's attack was hot on the girls' tail. If Rosina slowed down, even for a second, the light would hit them.
"Runa!" Hideyoshi shouted.
Daisuki da yo! (Yes, I love you!)
Having them right where she wanted them, Yuzuki thrusted another round of the Shénshòujìng's beam at the Runa and the Faeries.
Seeing that they can't outrun it, then they would just have to dodge it, after the beam melted another gigantic sword, Rosina created another. However, instead of it being behind them, she made it to land in front of them, sandwiching them with it and the beam.
Stella was stunned at what the Sacred Sword did. "We're blocked in?!" She exclaimed, questioning Rosina's plan.
Rosina grunted. "Stop talking, or you'll bite your tongue!" She shouted as she ascended her sword, using it as a stepping stone to help her leap into the air with the two in her arms, just in time for the beam to melt the sword from below.
After the final shot, Yuzuki stopped her attack, leaving her semicircular segments to glow and sizzle from the heat. Her visor made her vision look as the though the world had been dyed in red, as she stared straight at the smokescreen she had created. The visor zoomed in on three shadows within the smoke, revealing they were Stella and Rosina with Runa still on the pomeranian Faery's shoulder, unharmed.
"Stop it, Yuzuki!" Hideyoshi shouted, making her turn her head towards him. "You're one of us! You're part of the Toyotomi Army!"
'Can you really say that?' Runa thought, eyeing the commander with a look of disdain. 'She betrayed you and helped the enemy. She doesn't even live here.' With Rosina's help, Runa was able to stand on her feet. 'Can you really call Sumisora Yuzuki one of you?'
Then a large, red, alchemic symbol appeared above the sky and a green beam was shot right out of it, making a bee line. The moment the light hit the ground, an army of Noise appeared and began to attack the soldiers of all armies. One by one, they were turned into carbon, no attack from them did any good.
"Finé unleashed the Noise?" Rosina frantically looked around in shock.
"Damn it all!" Stella turned around and ran towards the area that had the most Noise. She didn't care if there were many from land to the sky. She had to take care of them and quick. 'As long as the Solomon's Cane has a twin, the Treasury of Babylonia from other dimensions are still open.'
Lunging into the air, Stella equipped her gatling guns, just as her metal skirt opened up a set of missiles from front to back. She began to spin clockwise, unleashing an omnidirectional barrage of bullets and missiles, at the flying and walking Noise around her.
"There's too many of them!" Aurora shouted, fighting as many Noise as she could. However, her Gear was already beyond its limits. Sparks of electricity already began to sizzl around her, and even smoke was coming out from her body. Aurora gritted her teeth and turned to the vampires "Evacuate now!" She ordered.
"But...!" Toshiie protested.
"Do it!"
"Understood!" Mitsunari turned to the remains of the unit they had brought. "Everyone retreat!" He ordered.
With all the chaos, Runa turned to Rosina. "You should head back, too." She told her.
"Eh?" Rosina blurted out.
"Twyla still needs your help."
Rosina couldn't hide her shock. Nothing really gets pass the child, huh? She smiled and nodded. Looking back at the situation, Rosina leaped into the air, unleashing a rain of swords at the Noise before disappearing into the forest.
Watching the Faery's figure fade, Runa switched her gaze to Yuzuki. The Shénshòujìng. 'The energy from the Shénshòujìng has the ability to degrade any power derived from relics.' She thought, going over the information she already know. 'You can't block it with a Symphogear. A power to erase relics of any kind... That is those who dons a Shénshòujìng... A Relic Slayer.'
Hanbee was thinking the same thing. He was trying to figure out a way to remove the Shénshòujìng without causing Yuzuki to sustain a brain damage. The light itself was what erased relics, but the Gear itself was not immune to its own power. So...
An idea came to him. Hanbee turned his head in Runa's direction, see the child watching the fight with a disdained expression. "Runa-chan!" He called out.
Runa jumped and turned to her brother. "What... is it...?" She asked, wondering why he was staring intently at her. Does he have some kind of plan in mind?
◇◇◇◇◇
At Finé's mansion...
"There is blood in that girl's blood..." Finé commented, smiling emptily at the show that was presented to her. She laughed at the sight. "What will you do now, Gegga Tribes?" She wondered. "You will have to kill her eventually."
◇◇◇◇◇
Panting, Stella leaned a little to catch her breath. Using an omnidirectional barrage attack costed her a lot more mana than she expected this time. It could be that she had not been fed yet.
Aurora was at her limit as well. Seeing her in her animal form was all the proof any Faery needs.
Inhaling heavily one more time, Stella noticed a letter in a carbon-shaped hand that was once human. It was a letter written by a kid by the handwriting, and the last words brought troubled thoughts for Stella.
"I know..." She whispered, averting her eyes so somewhere else. Her role as a Faery was to serve and protect her master no matter what. No emotions must be felt for the they see as enemies. However, Runa was not her master, so she had small sympathy for the humans because of her real master. "That's what I have been created to do!" Stella glanced at all the victims before returning her gaze to the situation at hand.
Yuzuki's safety was the Toyotomi Army's current top priority. And the said girl was just mindlessly floating around the battlefield, but stopped when she saw her target standing opposite of her at a far distance.
Runa hated the plan her brother told her, but it was the only option they had left. She may hate the girl, however, she can't let her die. Not yet.
Sighing, Runa narrowed her eyes slightly under her blindfold. "You want to go home, right?" She asked, loud enough for the brown-haired girl to hear.
Yuzuki stared at her. "I can't." Her visor opened its mouth, parting ways to reveal her empty eyes filling with ambition. "I have something I have to do." She explained.
"Something you... have to do?"
A hollow smile appeared on Yuzuki's face. "She said the light from this Gear will shine upon a new world." She told her. "It's a world without war, in which everyone can live in peace."
'A world without war...' Those words hit Runa hard. Her voice got caught in throat, as she gritted her teeth to stop herself from doing anything reckless. She may be mentally unstable, but she has some form of restraint. Even with the Shénshòujìng's Amalgam tried to taint her thoughts. It was trying to make her agree what Yuzuki was doing was right. However, using force against force was not even Runa's definition of trying to change the world. It was more like trying to scare everyone into an agreement of what you are doing is right. There's no way a world like that has no wars. Pain, fear and suffering would only bring from that twisted world that's being controlled by the rulers.
And that's exactly what's been happening.
"I don't want to stay here." Yuzuki continued. "So, when I find Himemiko-sama, I want to go home and she can continue her role as Shinga's symbol of peace."
Runa glared dangerously at the girl, clenching her fists on her sides. Chilling air gently swirled around her as the ground beneath her feet began to froze in her ice, spreading like a pool of blood was oozing out of her body. The way Yuzuki put her words seriously snapped Runa, but she didn't show it as much as she could. The girl was speaking in a way her ideals were the same as the Gegga Tribes.
Runa won't accept any of it.
"But will a world you make in this way really be warm?" The raven-haired beauty questioned, having enough of it. She snapped her head to the vampires. "Will it really be warm?!"
The child's outburst caught everyone off-guard.
"The crap I am always hearing makes me sick!" Runa snapped her gaze back to Yuzuki. "Seeing you getting involve over the stupid situations that clearly you have no business is tiring. I always have to clean up your mess, put up with your nonsense, being forced to participate in a war I want no part of." Runa glared at the Gegga Tribes, making it clear who she was referring to.
Nobunaga and Hideyoshi glared back at her.
"Go ahead and say I'm naïve, but I don't care. I can't choose to counter force with force." Runa stated, eyeing both the Black Shénshòujìng Wielder and the Gegga Tribes. "Every single time, I will nip the buds of war as often as necessary. I will do it so many times that I will no longer feel it is an ambition. This is the mission I have been given. By doing so, Shinga is a place of peace, not a big playground for adults to exchange countless lives for ideals that will not be the same as they dreamed. Fear will never ceased if this continues."
"You mean you will stop this war on your own?" Nobunaga challenged, his voice cold as ever as he questioned the child's motives.
Runa's dark expression drastically dropped into a solemn one. She lowered her head, having her bangs shadowing her upper face.
Flashback:
"Just be yourself, my princess." Her father gently told her.
Flashback ended:
Her father's words bellowed in her ears. His words gave Runa courage to say it. "I understand that it is difficult." She said, raising her head to face them. "But, even if it is, no matter how rocky and far the distance, if the first step isn't taken it will remain forever unreachable."
◇◇◇◇◇
In the forest...
Seven cloaked figures smiled at the raven-haired beauty's courage and her words. Her words really touched them.
◇◇◇◇◇
"There are those who lived their lives out without depending on the military. Nobles and you warlords tend to rely on force, but that's no different than a bratty child who brags about this strength." Runa flat-out spat.
"Wha?!" Hideyoshi and Toshiie splattered, shocked and offended by the girl's words.
Nobunaga narrowed his eyes at her.
"How disrespectful." Both Mitsuhide and Mitsunari stated with anger.
"Oh dear..." Hanbee smiled wryly.
"A world where everyone wants to live the most is in the gentle sunlight, when they are together with their loved ones." Runa expressed as the ice around her evaporated, having her emotions calmed by her own ideals.
"But it will be a world where Himemiko can make those dreams come true." Yuzuki protested.
"If that is how gullible you are..." Runa reached for the knot that holds her blindfold in place, and pulled on the string, untying it to reveal 'her' zodiac-symboled eyes glaring at Yuzuki with disdain and vexation. "... then you don't deserve to wear a Symphogear!"
"Then what will you do?" Yuzuki shot back, narrowing her empty eyes slightly.
"I... might as well kill you." Runa darkly replied and closed 'her' eyes.
(Play video.)
Balwisyall nescell Gungnir tron~
(Play video.)
The scar on Runa's chest glowed a gold colour as her clothes had been converted into nothing before an angel-like white bodysuit appeared with golden yellow accents. Then a white and gold arsenals with matching spiky boots and fang-like headpiece, that was attached to her communicators materialised. A pair of yellow wings sprouted from her back and a gold scarf wrapped around her neck. To finish off her look, she wore white and yellow skirt with rockets on her lower back and a red shard, pendant was sat at the centre of her collarbone, having four red wings sprouting from it.
(Ye-e-Ye-e Ha-a Kort Gungnir messa baggy)
The Gungnir form Runa took didn't surprise anyone. Well, Mitsunari was stunned since he was the only one who had yet to witness Runa in a Symphogear.
(Ye-e-Ye-e Ha-a Kort Gungnir messa brossy... Gungnir)
Ikuoku no rekishi wo koete (Overcome a billion histories)
Putting little power into her left foot, Runa leaped into the air, having Yuzuki copy her the moment the visor swallowed her eyes.
Kono mune no (Go) toikake ni (Go) kotae yo Shine... (Answer the question (Go) in my heart (Go), and shine...)
Just as the two were about to clash, a holoscreen with Runa in her Gungnir outline, along with many codes and warnings, appeared, in front of the cross dresser.
"Okay, Runa-chan has moved into negotiation phase B." Hanbee murmured, assessing Runa's vital signs. 'Initiating countdown.' A countdown appeared at the top left hand corner, starting from zero before it went up and stopped at 02:40, and began to countdown, showing how long Runa has.
Honou yori atsui omoi yo (Feelings hotter than burning flames)
02:39
As the countdown began, Hanbee felt the pressure and anxiety building up as he glanced back up at the fight between the two Wielders. Nobody could get close to Yuzuki without getting erased.
Except Runa.
In other words, Runa was the only one who can get close and stop her.
Koutetsu no (Go) ikadzuchi de (Go) buttobase My Gungnir! (With steel (Go) lightning (Go), blow them away, my Gungnir!)
Runa and Yuzuki exchanged blows at each other, spinning and flipping in a circular motion in the air. Runa aimed for Yuzuki's vital spots; punching the girl in the chest, her arms and thighs before kicking her in the ribs. But Yuzuki, who had an Armed Gear, opened her fan to block most of the child's kicks and punches before using it like a bat to try and swing the girl.
Seeing that none of their attacks are getting through, the two sank back to the ground.
Saisoku de saitan de icchokusen ni (The shortest and fastest route...)
The two gently landed at the same spot they were in and stared at each other.
At the same time, Runa began to feel hot. Her body glowed as her body temperature drastically rose, causing her to sweat. 'It's so hot.' The child thought, wiping off some sweat off her cheeks as her left hand clenched into a fist. 'It's like all my blood is about to boil over.' Even if she's against it, Runa still remembered what her brother wanted her to do.
Flashback:
Hikatta (Fly) asahi wo (Fly)... (Shining (Fly) the rising sun (Fly)...)
"You want me to use the Shénshòujìng's energy waves to disable that woman's Gear?" Runa questioned. She could see where Hanbee was going, but it would require precise timing. Not to mention getting close enough to restrain the girl and throw her into the light.
Kimi to tomo ni mitai (mitai) ima (ima) miageyou (I want to see it with you (see it) now (now) let's look up)
However, since she was in a bad mood, Runa didn't feel like helping. "I refuse." She bluntly rejected.
"Why?" Mitsunari asked.
"I know it will put a lot of strain on your body, but..." Hanbee trailed off. The girl was not in the mood in saving Yuzuki, but Hanbee knows she can't let the girl die. "Aurora-chan and Stella-chan can't fight anymore, and you are the only one who can get close to Yuzuki-chan, so you are the only one who can do it." Hanbee explained.
Hibike (hibike)! Tsutae (tsutae)! Utae (utae)! (Resound (resound)! Share (share)! Sing (sing)!)
"I am killing the girl, that is it." Runa stated. She doesn't care what the others think, she's tired of cleaning up Yuzuki's mess.
"I won't allow you to kill her!" Hideyoshi shouted.
"Then do you have a better idea?!" Runa snapped. "I am doing it, even if it meant I have to eliminate you all!"
Zenryoku de "hitori ja nai" to todoketai ("I'm not alone" is what my conveys into my strength)
Aurora and Stella glanced at each other before pulling up their holograms, analysing Runa's current condition with the past data they have collected.
"Calculating from past data and present fusion state, Hime-sama's time limit is 2 minutes and 40 seconds." Aurora stated.
The vampires and Runa turned to them.
"Even if it isn't much, if we can support Hime-sama, I'm sure..." Stella trailed off.
Hibike (hibike)! Tsutae (tsutae)! Utae (utae)! (Resound (resound)! Share (share)! Sing (sing)!)
Hanbee turned back to Runa. "You have very little time before you'll overheat. Do you think you can do it?" He asked.
"You can't use numbers to describe something you just came up with!" Runa shouted back at him. Even if the time was plenty, Runa still refuses to accept it.
Soshite waraou! Kono sekai ni wa uta ga aru (And thus, laugh! After all, there are many songs in this world)
Stella walked up to her and lowered her head until her lips were at Runa's left ear. "Don't you think this is your chance to beat up that human?" She whispered, smirking.
Runa froze. She didn't think of it like that. A devious thought came to mind, and Runa quickly agreed to the plan. Since Yuzuki's conscious was being controlled, Runa might as well have a bit of fun with the puppet with them.
Flashback ended:
Nando demo tachiagareru sa (I'll stand up as many times as it takes)
Keeping the plan in her head, Runa lunged at Yuzuki. Using the heat as her advantage, she tried to kick and burn the brown-haired girl in the stomach, but Yuzuki kept using her fan as a shield.
And when the raven-haired beauty landed, Yuzuki then used the tip of her fan to strike at Runa's chest, sending the girl crashing into some trees, breaking them in the process.
Chotto dake (Go) kita michi wo (Go) mite goran (Take a little (Go) look at (Go) the path I've walked this far)
Runa got up just in time to use her wings to cover herself to avoid getting whipped by Yuzuki, who was furiously using the cables on her shoulders to try and whip her in the face. Luckily, since her wings are unique, Runa peaked through a small gap to see the cables had began to rip and the metal ends had formed cracks in them.
"The time bomb in your chest is the real thing." Hanbee preminded, speaking through Runa's communicators. "Don't forget that exceeding the mission time limit means death!"
Konna ni mo kagayaite iru tsumiageta (Go) monogatari (Go) uso wa nani mo nai (The story (Go) I've built up (Go) so far is shining brightly)
'Death...' The word bellowed in Runa's mind. It was like a hypnotic word had been implanted into her brain. It was enchanting. Runa couldn't get it out of her head. 'I'm going to die?'
Then, an internal image of the raven-haired beauty in her berserk form appeared before 'her' eyes. Her chest - her scar - was glowing in a very malicious black colour with red outline, as as it expanded like a gigantic spike, piercing her body like a poisonous virus.
The image made Runa's desire to do grow. However, a more gentle image of a young woman with a gentle smile, made her remember the reason why she came to Shinga in the first place.
Itsuka mirai ni hito wa tsunagareru (Someday, in the future, people will be linked)
Runa blinked, snapping herself out of it and glared at Yuzuki. "I CAN'T DIE!!!" Runa grabbed both of the cables, crushing them in her hands and yanked on them, yanking Yuzuki towards her. Then, Runa kneed Yuzuki in the guts.
Hard.
Hard enough for the girl to cough up saliva as she got sent back into the air.
Daiji na (Fly) tomo kara (Fly) moratta kotoba... (The words (Fly) I receive (Fly) from my dear friend... )
Quickly recovered, Yuzuki swiftly connected her damaged cables to her knee plates, summoning forth her large semicircular segments and shot a beam at Runa from where she was flying.
However, Runa was quick to leap and fly into the air, easily doing the attack and let the beam hit a couple of trees behind her.
Zettai (zettai) yume (yume) tsumugu kara! (I promise (promise) I'll use them (use them) to create a dream!)
Keeping her segments intact, Yuzuki did rapid backflips as she summoned her mini mirrors, firing small beams at Runa in random directions.
Hibike (hibike)! Tsutae (tsutae)! Utae (utae)! (Resound (resound)! Share (share)! Sing (sing)!)
But Runa easily evaded them all. She easily flew to the left and then to the right whenever a light came close, or simply curved her wings into shields to bounce the attack back. Even if the light hits, her Gear never disintegrated. No cracks formed, nor the parts that have been hit by the Shénshòujìng's light broke.
Zenkai de ai no banka yo todoroite... (My elegy of love, roaring with its full might...)
At the same time, Hanbee, Stella and Aurora were typing away on their holograms, initiating a few commands.
Hibike (hibike)! Tsutae (tsutae)! Utae (utae)! (Resound (resound)! (share)! Sing (sing)!)
Cracks broke within the sky before mirrors fall through, each one elegantly twirling as they descended the sky in a slow motion. It didn't take long for the holes and cracks to seal just as they appeared.
As Yuzuki continued her random light attacks, the mirrors that have been summoned reflected the Shénshòujìng's light, each aiming at a different direction, connecting and lining the lights to one another.
Soshite yuuki mo nani mo kamo wo zenbu tabaneyou! (And thus, uniting courage and everything else!)
Runa saw her Shénshòujìng mirrors while she continued to deflect Yuzuki's lights. The plan was coming together. Runa flew back to avoid a big beam coming at her. And since she did it so fast, every nerve cell in her body felt like they've been electrocuted as the heat radiating her body made it worse.
*BA-BA-DU-UMP!!!!!*
An unimaginable pain shot right in Runa's heart, making the girl froze. Her chest burns. It felt heavy. It felt as though her heart was about to be crushed by her relics. Her insides were about to burn and shatter. It was like being in an erupted volcano.
And it didn't take long for the distressed call to appear on Hanbee's holoscreen, having many alerts covering the entire screen, dyeing the whole thing in red.
(Balwisyall nescell Gungnir tron~)
00:26
00:25
00:24
"What's happening?!" Toshiie asked. The look on the screen was enough to freak him out.
"She's entering the danger zone." Hanbee replied, having a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek as the peer pressure continued to build up inside him. Time was running out. If Runa doesn't hurry, she'll...
(Balwisyall nescell Gungnir tron~)
Floating in the sky, Yuzuki continued to mindlessly fire her lights from her mirror at Runa.
"Fighting is wrong." Yuzuki emptily whispered, not knowing the mushy red blob inside her visor was clutching and tightening like a heartbeat, at the back of her head, sending electric signals to her brain to make the girl think what she's thinking was her own. "Not fighting is the only thing that truly promises a warm world. I need to find Himemiko-sama to release everyone from fighting."
The beams began to fire more quickly. Runa could hardly dodge them all, so she let herself get hit but continued to move the best she could. However, by doing so, she's only making the fusion process to rapidly exceed.
*BA-BA-DU-UMP!!!!*
The scar glowed and scabs of gold began to mold around the burning mark, growing on Runa's burning skin like a sprouting plant.
Runa lined her lips to suppress her scream, her face scrunching in pain as she began to overheat. The gold burned against her Ena, threatening to take it off if it got any hotter, as an immense surge of pain started to spread all over her body. It felt like curse marks have burnt their away onto her skin, forcing themselves to show and recoil around her torso, her arms and legs, even on the left side of her face, blinding her left eye as it took her ability to hear from her left ear. It didn't take long for 'her' zodiac-symboled eyes to be replaced by unstable rainbows, that were fighting for balance.
For some reason, seeing Runa in pain seemed to have snapped some of Yuzuki's consciousness back. 'No! This isn't what I want to do!' Yuzuki was trying to think. Her brain hurts. Her eyes hurts. Her veins hurts. It was like something was adding stress to her nerves as she strained her eyes, trying to fight against the brainwashing device. 'It isn't, but...!'
The malfunction of the girl not commencing with the commands, the visor covering Yuzuki's eyes broke open with force. Behind it showed the girl's veins popping out around her wide, strained eyes, that were in tears, like she was internally fighting against the machine as she began to fall back, losing control of her knee pads.
Kimi to watashi, minna (minna)... (You, and I, and everyone (everyone)...)
Runa continued to get close to the out of control brown-haired girl, despite the condition she was in. Her body was hot, boiling as her Ena cracked and chipped off, leaving a faint trail of glitter behind her.
Ayumi kitta, ashiato ni donna hana ga saku no kanaa? (What flowers will bloom on the path we've walked?)
'Finé's only messing with her body...' Runa observed, her chaotic-coloured eyes doing a scan on Yuzuki's body, her vitals, her blood pressure, heartbeat, and her brainwaves, as she slipped through a spiderweb the lights made.
Naite, warai, umare ochita, namida (namida)... (Crying, laughing, being born, and tears (tears)...)
Just as she was right in front of the girl, Runa enveloped Yuzuki in a hug, shattering her semicircular segments, along with her mirrors.
Kitto kirei na niji no hana ni natte saki utau! (A rainbow flower bloom and sing will be beautiful!)
The impact caused both Wielders to lose balance in the air, dipping back to the forest beneath them. With Runa on top of Yuzuki, she controlled how they fall, where they fall and when to stop their fall.
Hibike (hibike)! Tsutae (tsutae)! Utae (utae)! (Resound (resound)! Share (share)! Sing (sing)!)
"Let me go!" Yuzuki ordered, her tears escaping from her eyes from the impact. The wind brushing past her face was cold. Some felt like whips were slashing her face as if its telling her crying was forbidden.
Zenryoku de "hitori ja nai" to todoketai ("I'm not alone" is what my conveys into my strength)
'Be quiet!' Runa internally shouted, gritting her teeth. She's annoyed at the action she just pulled. 'It is not like I enjoy this either!' Why didn't she just sliced her arm through Yuzuki's heart? It would solve a lot of problems for her. Yet... Why?
Hibike (hibike)! Tsutae (tsutae)! Utae (utae)! (Resound (resound)! Share (share)! Sing (sing)!)
"RUUUUNNNAAAA-SAAAAANN!!!" Yuzuki screamed, reaching her hand out to the sky.
Soshite mata au sono hi made egao no "sayonara" da! (And thus, until we meet again, "goodbye" with a smile!)
"Shut up!" Runa shouted as her hold on the older girl tightened.
Zettai ni... zettai ni...! (Never...! Never...!)
The lights created by the Black Shénshòujìng continued to rapidly connect to the mirrors of Runa's Shénshòujìng, bending and changing their coordinations.
Runa noticed the mirrors were almost finished, and glanced back down to see they were close to upon impact. But Runa spreaded her wings out, using them to block the wind from getting through her sides, acting them as parachutes to stop herself and Yuzuki from falling. And when they did, the tip of Runa's boots, lightly grazed the grass before she did an 180° to face the mirrors once more, and flew straight towards them.
At the same time, Hanbee and the Faeries typed down the last coordinations on Runa's mirrors they have summoned. They have to make sure not one was a second behind. No light should even escape, or else everything they did would be for nothing.
"It's now or nothing!" Hanbee muttered.
"It's up to that dummy!" Stella added, pressing the final button.
Aurora nodded in agreement.
Runa was doing her part. Her body continued to overheat, her Ena continued to crack to the point her lungs were on fire and were about to explode, the curse marks continued to spread as the gold scabs on her chest were getting heavy by the second, making it hard for her to breathe. Even so, Runa continued onward towards the light.
'If the Shénshòujìng can erase relics...' Runa looked up where she was supposed to go.
Up ahead was a whirlpool made by the Black Shénshòujìng's light, that were all bound and connected by Runa's Shénshòujìng mirrors, floating in mid-air like a chandelier.
"THEN TAKE IT OFF, YOU IDIOT!!!" Runa yelled before the final light hit the last mirror, blasting it right at the duo.
The light enveloped the girls. The impact was like hitting a big wave that Runa had to let go of Yuzuki. But she could see th girl's Symphogear breaking away, along with the brainwashing device.
It was over.
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At the same time...
Finé shot up from her seat, smashing her fist onto the holoboards, grinding her teeth in frustration. "That bitch...!" She growled.
◇◇◇◇◇
The moment the light hit the girls, the rest shot into the forest, causing a large explosion that burnt away most of the trees and grass, staring a massive fire. However, that was not the Gegga Tribes and the Faeries' main concern.
Looking on where they got shot, they could see the two were knocked out and were falling quickly to the ground.
At the same time, the whirlpool of lights broke, shattering into many shards that vanished into the sky.
Hideyoshi was quick to rush over to them and caught Yuzuki in a bridal hold, with Hanbee doing the same with Runa. "Yuzuki!/Runa-chan!" They called out, looking down at the girls in worry.
But the girls remained motionless. Yuzuki was back in her regular clothes. The device that was implanted at the back of her head was destroyed and she recieved no injuries when she got hit by her own beam. Just like Runa; The child recieved no injuries. In fact, they all seemed to have healed. Runa's body temperature was back to normal, the gold scabs were gone, her scar stopped glowing, and the curse marks had vanished. Even her Gear was reverted back to her kimono.
The others rushed over to the worried vampires and looked at the still unconscious girls.
"Hey, hang in there!" Toshiie said.
"I'm just glad they're safe for now..." Mitsunari said, but he was still worried. The light should have given them scratches or burns, but no wounds were visible. It was as if something had protected them or the Shénshòujìng's light does nothing to the physical body itself.
"We should get them both medical attention, right away." Stella suggested. "Hey-" When she turned around to see if the Oda vampires and Aurora were still with them, all she saw was the Oda Army's camp have been abandoned. "Guess they left..." Stella murmured, as Hideyoshi and Hanbee stood up with the girls in their arms.
*Rustle!*Rustle!*
The vampires and Stella became alarmed, and immediately glared at the burning forest behind them.
"An enemy attack?" Stella wondered, getting into a fighting stance. She may not be able to don her Ichaival, but that doesn't mean she actually needs it to protect her from the Noise's effects.
The sound was random and slimy to Hanbee. The movements are thoughtless and had no careful plan on where the enemy steps. He knows these movements anywhere. It was like second nature for him. "No..." Hanbee whispered, getting more alarmed as he pulled out some talismans in one hand, while keeping hold on Runa in the other. "It's-"
Before the vampire could finish, a horde of Noise jumped out from the bushes, behind the trees and above, and began to randomly attack the shocked vampires.
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At the lake...
Shingen was still fighting Kenshin. The fight had been going on for hours, both were almost out of breath, but neither one didn't backed down.
Kenshin raised his sword, striking at Shingen over and over again.
But Shingen continued to block the incoming attacks. He narrowed his eyes. "Kenshin! Why are you still forces with Nobunaga?!" He demanded, swinging his sword.
"I could ask you the same thing." Kenshin responded, blocking the attack before striking. "Why is a man like you still with Hideyoshi?!"
They both dashed towards each other, still striking and blocking each other's moves.
"Hmph. It doesn't matter. It has nothing to do with my fight with you!" Shingen stated.
"True." Kenshin smirked. "How we got here is merely a trivial matter!"
"I can't just drop dead in a place like this." Shingen declared.
"Do you somehow think you are going to fight me and return home alive?" Kenshin questioned, still having the smirk on his face.
"I will!" Shingen snapped. "Without a doubt!"
They continued to fight, but then a line of blinding light appeared throughout the forest. Both Shingen and Kenshin stopped their attacks when they saw the light.
"Noise?" Kenshin wondered.
"What are they doing here?" Shingen also wondered.
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At the Undersea Cave...
The armies continued to fight. Endless rain of arrows continued to shower, slashes of endless bodies and bloodshed while others were turned into carbon.
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At the same time...
Deep in the shadows, a group of Noise began emerging from the forest. Their glowing bloodlust faces shined brightly out of the dark as they made their way to the battlefield. When they got near, they began attacking the soldiers.
The soldiers became frightened and began running for their lives, as there are too many Noise to even begin to counterattack.
The Noise began to kill the soldiers from left to right, slamming them into the stone walls until their skulls cracked, or bleed to death, turning into bullets and shot at them, turning them and themselves into carbon to mark their presence.
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At the entrance...
Masamune watched the situation, realising that there was no way to defeat the Noise as they are. "We've lost our place to fight." He stated, knowing well they stood no chance in the first place.
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The battlefield fell into chaos with the sudden appearance of the Noise. Each army was forced to withdraw, and the curtain fell on the battle with the Toyotomi Army victorious of retrieving Yuzuki from the atrocious Finé.
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At the Oda Army's main camp...
The mystified purple-winged baby bird stared at the vermilion sky from the steps. By the time the day turned evening, the chaos has settled down with the Noise with great numbers of the loss of soldiers. The bird watched the fight, and was stunned at the move Runa did in order to free Yuzuki from Finé's control.
Now at the main camp of the Oda Army, the little one eavesdropped at their war council meeting from outside.
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Inside the tent...
"Noise, eh?" Nobunaga wondered, sitting on his throne. It was a strange name for the new monstrous enemy of Shinga.
"The advantage of defeating Toyotomi Hideyoshi was in our favour when they interrupted us." Mitsuhide explained before he quickly did a small bow. "I am very sorry."
"It doesn't matter." Nobunaga dismissed the matter.
"I wonder why the Noise suddenly showed up, though?" Katsuie questioned.
"The frequency of their appearance has increased significantly recently." Mitsuhide mentioned.
Nobunaga's eyes went slightly wide at hearing the news. He began to wonder, what would make the Noise come out in more numbers than before? In the matter of fact, how did they get here? What are they? Where are they from?
◇◇◇◇◇
Outside the tent...
The baby bird's left eye twitched in annoyance. 'Come on, Nobunaga!' It internally yelled. 'You're smart! It is so obvious! Why does no Gegga Tribe member realise the connection beside those who have already encountered the source?' It whined.
◇◇◇◇◇
Inside the tent...
"Aurora, what did you do?" Nobunaga suddenly questioned.
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The baby bird stopped its mini rant when it heard Nobunaga mentioning the Faery.
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"Whatever do you mean?" Aurora merely gave the commander a bored expression.
"Tell us, Aurora-san." Ranmaru ordered.
The Faery sighed. "The moment Hime-sama donned her Gungnir, I was given privileges to monitor her condition." Aurora explained. "It is a part of my job as a Faery. We monitor our master's health to ensure nothing was wrong. And if there was, we would simply come up with a solution."
"Really?" Ranmaru asked, surprised.
"And what was her condition?" Nobunaga demanded. "Surely, you would have seen the state she was in whenever that armour appear."
"Unfortunately, information such as that is confidential." Aurora nonchalantly replied, her tail wagging behind her figure, displaying her amusement.
"Huh?" Nagahide raised a brow in question.
The generals were not expecting that kind of answer. But they were wondering, why do the Faeries need to monitor their master's health? And what will they do if there was a problem with them?
Nobunaga narrowed his eyes at this. He could definitely tell the Faery was hiding something.
◇◇◇◇◇
The bird had a glint of amusement in its blue eyes. 'My, my... You should not have done that, little Faery.'
◇◇◇◇◇
At Toyotomi Castle...
Nightfall came around in the Toyotomi territory. Hideyoshi, along with Kanbee, Toshiie and Mitsunari, were all a bit frustrated at what happened with the sudden appearance of the Noise. They barely made it out alive if it wasn't for Stella and Hanbee's skillful attacks, and coordinations. Luckily, they all met up back at camp and immediately evacuated the area before the damage escalated.
A heavy silence came over them until the door to the main hall suddenly opened.
"Hey." A voice called out.
Everyone turned their heads to the door to see Stella leaning against the doorframe.
"How are they?" Hideyoshi immediately asked, worried for the girls. Especially, Yuzuki.
"Hanbee has finished their treatment and had the maids change them into their nightgowns." Stella replied. "He said all Yuzuki needs was a full night's rest. Hime-sama woke up a little while, but..."
"What is it?" Mitsunari asked, getting a bad vibe from the Faery.
Stella crossed her arms. "I don't know." Her eyes narrowed as they were lowered to the ground. "Something just doesn't feel right."
◇◇◇◇◇
Meanwhile...
While the cross dresser was busy doing a final check up on Yuzuki with a medical specialist he called in, Runa was finishing packing up her stuff. She wasn't thinking about anything but to get out of the castle. She needs to get out. 'Her' zodiac-symboled eyes were converted into 'her' bloody red eyes with the double-sided blue crescent moons and purple stars. And unlike the gold pair, these ones had always remained lifeless. Not one spec of life ever appeared. Not once.
"Why did I save her?" Runa whispered, staring at her hand. Her aura. The sparkling stars flying in her black/purple aura was beautiful, but the stars have begun to lose their light. Some have already been engulfed by the maddening void Runa had always loved. "What am I doing?" She wondered, trying to figure out why she was sticking around. A whole year had past and little to nothing had changed.
*Ba-dump!*
'You can't change anything.' The voice said. 'Nothing you do won't save Shinga.'
Hearing its words out of the blue shocked Runa a bit as it shows how her efforts have been fruitless. Her hand gripped the zipper on her bag before she quickly closed it and pulled the cover over.
*Ba-dump!*Ba-dump!*Ba-dump!*
As the resounding heartbeat invaded her ears, Runa couldn't stand hearing it anymore. Before she know it, she grabbed her bag, strapping it over her back, got up and ran out of her brother's room.
It was a little before midnight, and sneaking out around that hour would be suspicious, but Runa doesn't care anymore. She just want out of the castle and be rid of everyone in it. She can't stand another second in there. Even with the soldiers being on alert, they wouldn't be cautious of her. They were all comfortable with Runa despite her empty personality. They shouldn't expect her to leave.
Runa continued to run down the halls and made her way over to the courtyard, where there will be less soldiers patrolling the area. With the increase of Noise, Hideyoshi had doubled security, which meant the soldiers would be more tired than normal.
As Runa ran past a couple of soldiers, who were surprised by her, she made a corner, only to bumped into the one person she did not want to see.
"Runa-chan?" Hanbee questioned, wondering why the girl was in a hurry. She was supposed to be asleep.
Runa took a step back, not sure what to say. But she quickly shook her fear off. She shook her head and ran past her brother without sparing him a glance.
"Runa-chan!" Hanbee chased after her. Something was wrong, he can feel it. Was it from the fight? Was it because of her outburst? Was it because of him? 'It's my fault!' Hanbee couldn't help it that the reason Runa was running was because of him. Did he do something wrong?
Following the scent he knows so well, Hanbee made another turn to find himself in the castle courtyard. The moon was out, shining beautifully over the garden. The breeze picked up, blowing off some of the cherry blossom petals off their trees, gliding within the breeze, making the place look so sacred.
Hanbee trailed his eyes over the place until it landed on a figure with long, beautiful, silky, raven hair that was just radiating in the night. "Runa-chan!" He called out. "I'm sorry."
"Why are you apologising?" Runa asked in her usual monotone voice, as her bangs shadowed 'her' eyes. Her back was to him. Runa doesn't want to see him. She couldn't. She can't.
Hanbee had a guilty expression. "We said we'd hide nothing from each other..." He averted his gaze to the side, the pain in his chest grew. "... and yet I kept secrets from you..." Hanbee then looked back at her. "I..."
"Don't say it!" Runa shouted, her hands clenching on her sides, but were hidden by her kimono sleeves. "I am the one with secrets! A long list!" Finally, Runa turned around to look at Hanbee with a neutral, yet, sad/guilty expression on her face.
Hanbee was shocked.
Slowly, Runa walked up to him while keeping her head down, avoiding to meet him in the eye. "I don't think I can..."
Hanbee stared at her with worried eyes.
Runa accidentally looked and that only made the situation worse. She looked down, tears had fallen despite her efforts to hide them. Runa convinced herself she needs to be strong. No more crying. No more running away. And yet...
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"... be your sister anymore." Runa told him with a cracked voice. "I'm sorry!" Without even wanting to see his reaction, or hear his reply, Runa quickly turned around and ran towards the castle walls, leaping over them effortlessly, leaving Hanbee all alone.
Everything happened in slow motion. The moment Runa said those words, Hanbee lost the ability to breathe. He couldn't move. All he could do was watch his little sister run away with tears in 'her' eyes, and disappeared over the castle walls. Her words hit him hard. Many emotions welled up inside him. He doesn't understand.
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Runa doesn't want to be his sister anymore?
"Why...?" Hanbee clenched his fists on his sides. His chest hurts. His head hurts. He looked down as tears began to well up. Hanbee could feel his cheeks burning up in despair. Is this what you call being heartbroken? "I don't..." He choked, trying to hold back his tears. However, with all the emotional impact that's been going on lately, and now with the words being said by Runa, he couldn't hold them in. "I don't want this..." Hanbee collapsed to his knees and planted his hands to the ground to keep himself up, as he cried.
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Why did it turned out like this?