#drabble; the gungnir girl

[fallroute]

THE GUNGNIR GIRL - PART 1

"ALL CIVILIANS, PLEASE HEAD TO THE EVACUATION SHELTER. IT IS A CLASS 6 THREAT."

Class 6, which meant Noise. It'd been years since she'd first fought them when she was seventeen. And this was supposed to be her vacation. A groan escaped her as she watched people's cars drive by or people just... running towards where the shelters were supposed to be.

Noise, the machines of humanity.

"Are you fucking serious...?" She'd wanted to avoid this, if possible. Given that the Noise were here, this meant that her own world had the Symphogear system on it. Walking in the opposite direction, she wondered if it had been evacuated for a reason. Or was someone using the Cane of Solomon to summon Noise?

If they were, did that mean she had to deal with Maria again? Taking her pendant off, she stowed it in her pocket as she walked towards where the people were running from. Did this mean that she'd have to deal with it? Were there no Wielders here?

It was clear why the evacuation notice was made, as soon as Melanie came across a scene of a few schoolgirls running from Noise. As she tried to make it to them, one of them ended up falling onto the ground.

And that was when she saw it, flying through the air. A converter pendant. As a car spun out of control nearby, Melanie ran and jumped, reaching out to grab the pendant from the air. Whoever owned it, she'd give it back.

Feeling the familiar song swell in her chest, she let the melody flow out of her like water.

"Balwisyall nescell Gungnir tron ...!"

Within a couple seconds, the Symphogear had been easily donned. However, she realized something as she landed in front of the schoolgirls. One was that it was a different make from her own Gear. The second was that it was so godsdamned tight that it was hard to breathe in it, let alone move.

"The fuck? This thing's so tight, it's cutting off circulation. What kind of sadist designs this shit?" She asked, before shaking her head. No, for now she'd have to deal with the Noise ahead. Garie's visage was familiar enough that she remembered when Maria had taken Gungnir and had tried to defeat her, only for the Gear to reject her after a bit of use.

These Noise could dissect this Gear she wore easily. With the Symphogear providing the music, which wasn't of a genre she generally sang in, Melanie took a fighting stance and launched herself forward, to take out the Noise. And the song flowed out from between her lips as she fought.

"What is the purpose that I seek? A thousand layers deep within Am I doomed to learn it's for nothing?

Is it something that I dreamed? Or is it a damned nightmare?

In the end, I want to know what it is.

Can you hear my voice now? Are you reading me clear?

Is this interference what I want?

In the end, I've decided, that this is all I need. (Stand up!) I know now (Stand up!) That it is (Stand up!) Destiny (Stand up!) But know that I will Grasp it with my fist!

Don't stop, don't stop, no matter what it takes. Don't cry, don't cry, you'll be okay! With this chance that I have, I'll fight my desti-"

Garie's barrier stopped her song short, something she'd seen before. Though Garie then decided to break apart the barrier and say something about thanking for the meal, Melanie watched as she started to dart forward on ice.

Within the split second that she had to react, Melanie moved out of the way and kneed Garie in the gut as hard as she could, sending the Autoscorer flying backwards with a follow-up kick. Watching as she tumbled and came to a stop, it was with surprise that Garie left it at that, probably mumbling something about how she couldn't destroy Gungnir yet.

With a sigh, the sound of the Gear powering down filled her ears and the transformation popped off with a shower of magical girl-esque sparks. Catching the pendant before it fell, she turned around and walked over towards the schoolgirls before catching sight of who they were.

The one who had tripped was supposed to be in the hospital, in a coma... and yet, here she was. Was this her gear, then? Holding it out without a word, Melanie had the pendant practically snatched out of her hand.

"That's my Gungnir!" The girl said, holding it close. "This power is supposed to save people! I was the one who got it! It's my Gungnir!"

Power to... save people? Did she not think it worth it to use Gungnir to fight people? What sort of thinking got it to where she couldn't even don the Gear to fight to protect her friends? Herself?

Her name was... Hibiki. And she wasn't even thinking about protecting herself with the Gear. No, she had something wrong with her to think that it was only used to save people.

"I suggest re-evaluating why you have Gungnir in the first place, then." Melanie said. "If I hadn't of stepped in and used it in your place, you and your friends would be dead right now."

"Don't use that sort of talk with Bikky!" One of the girls said. Melanie's attention turned to them. "She's helping people with it!"

"By sacrificing herself to an Autoscorer?" Melanie put a hand on her hip. "What you're doing is stupid, plain and simple. Remember, you can't save anyone if you don't help yourself first. Re-evaluate why you have Gungnir. If you can't take the burden of the gear, I suggest you stop being a wielder and go play pretend elsewhere."

Turning away, Melanie walked off without a word. Though she knew that she was going to be dragged in to S.O.N.G's business here once they knew where she was staying here for vacation since she could use Gungnir, she couldn't understand why anyone would employ someone who didn't even want to use their "power" to save themselves.

It's foolish. When I was in that same situation, the only reason I didn't use it was because I thought we could get away. This girl.... thinks Gungnir is some power to save people when it has the power to protect everyone she cares about? And who the hell made it, anyway?

And, as she made it to the hotel she was staying at, she took a look behind her to see Shinji Ogawa standing there. He had probably followed her the entire way in the car.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but I'm going to have to ask you to come with me." He said. Melanie shrugged, turning to face him and not giving any resistance as she walked to the car with him. She knew what would come next. Interrogation, potentially being held in a cell much like Miyuki had been and then having to explain that she was capable of wielding a Symphogear.

But she couldn't reveal that she had a Gungnir, too, or else they would take it from her. This was... going to really be interesting, wasn't it?

[gcngnirgirl]

She stared at the picture that was on the nightstand. A picture before she learned of what type of person Miku really was, before she even knew that Miku didn’t think of her as just a friend.

Back when she had shorter hair, before she’d let it grow out of her own volition. It was in her bedroom for some reason, and Hibiki didn’t know why.

It was a relic of ages past. A relic of her younger, more naive years. But she froze upon hearing the same voice from back then, too.

“Hibiki...” She was standing in the doorway. Hibiki continued to stare at the picture before slowly looking at the girl who had decided to give her the cold shoulder and an abusive treatment over a secret that she’d kept for her own safety. “Hibiki, I-”

“Shut up.” Hibiki stated. “Are you the one who put this here?”

“We’re friends, Hibiki, so I thought you might like-”

“We’re not friends, Miku. We stopped being friends when you decided to shut me out over something that I was keeping for your own safety.” She grabbed the picture, throwing it at Miku. There was a slight satisfaction hearing the shattering of the glass. Oh, how she wished it had hit Miku. “‘We don’t keep secrets from each other’, when you could’ve been in danger! You know how much that hurt me, Miku?! I thought you had been my friend, and would understand that it was for your own good!”

“Nothing should’ve been kept secret from me!” Miku shouted back. “You and I never kept secrets from each other, so why start then?!”

“Yeah, right! You kept it a secret you were going to Lydian up until you learned of how everyone was treating me after the incident! Oh, and let’s not forget you literally abandoning me at a concert for a duo I didn’t know of! I bet the whole Aunt-in-an-accident thing was a lie and you just wanted me to be alone!”

“You are mine, Hibiki! Your love, your body, everything! Mine!” Miku stepped over the picture frame, heading towards Hibiki. “And I’m not letting you go anymore... We’ll be together forever.”

“I’m not your friend anymore, Miku. Accept it and move on.” Hibiki said.

“No. Because you’re all I have. You cruelly cut me out and forgot I even existed. I wanted to remind you, Hibiki, that I’m your only friend and your only love.” As Miku continued to advance, Hibiki looked towards the window. They were pretty high up, but she wasn’t going to stay here with Miku.

Turning to the window, Hibiki ran at it and tucked her body as she crashed through the glass.

“Balwysiall nescell Gungnir tron.” The holy chant came easily, as Hibiki adorned the armor of the Symphogear, Gungnir. Jumping onto the roof of the nearby building after landing on the ground, she stared at the girl staring up at her from the broken window. Miku was yelling something at her, but she could care less about that. Turning away, scarf fluttering in the cold winter air, Hibiki started to jump from roof to roof to put distance between her and Miku.

“I need to find a new place to live,” Hibiki murmured to herself as she hopped onto a skyscraper. “Away from Miku, and a place she’ll never find me at.”

[loki-god-of-menace]

Leave a “Tell Me” in my ask, and I’ll write a drabble about my character confessing something to yours

Even More Drabbles

When had the sun risen?

Loki absently noted that it had and that it was now spilling morning light in a dozen warm, radiant shafts through his chambers. It was bright, and he blinked as it stung his tired, moist eyes.

He was not certain when he had returned to his chambers, when he had fallen asleep, or when  the bottle of wine resting next to the divan had been emptied. The crushing weight in his chest had not lightened, even though the subtle ache at his temples was evidence enough that he had drank sufficient amounts of his own vintage to briefly dull the screaming in his mind.

He felt weak - the kind of unsteadiness and exhaustion that came from hours of weeping and emotional outlet. He swung his legs from the sofa and stood, wincing at the pressure that rushed into his skull and the surge of heat that pricked his eyes.

How could he face the kingdom? How could he lead and rule the Aesir? How was he supposed to make his father proud, especially now when he knew he was not truly his son? If he had any hope - even a fool’s hope - of earning Odin’s favor, would he not already have done so in the centuries he had tried? If he could be good enough to win Odin’s love, would he not already have done enough to please him? Must he assume Thor’s place on the throne just to prove his worth and his sonship?

Thor’s place… though their father had promised them both they could have been king. He recalled the silent competition Thor and him had engaged in to clamor for a chance to be considered as heir; though Loki had long suspected he had never truly had a chance at inheriting the throne. It had never been about the kingship as much as it was knowing his father and the people thought him equally as worthy. Thor had assumed from birth their father would chose him - the first born, the strongest… the paragon of virtue -, and he had.

Make his father proud, Frigga had said as she surrendered the kingdom and the Gungnir, the staff of king’s, to the hands of a liar and a monster. His life was a lie, which made him one superb, walking deception.

How could he make Odin proud, when he could not scour the record of his heritage from his history or change the truth of his blood?

Loki poured water into a wash basin and splashed the cool liquid on his face. He pulled his fingers through his disheveled length of raven hair, and realized he would need to bathe and dress soon if he was to make a good impression with the court. Already the crown prince was banished, the king was fallen, and the rule was left to the second son. Thor’s friends were going to be displeased, perhaps even rebellious, and with a looming war he would have to try and hold together the fragile tethers of peace.

The sound of the door opening jarred him and he turned, facing Sigyn, who held a book and basket in her arms.

Norns, he was a fool. It had entirely slipped his mind that they habitually met early on Fridays.

“Sigyn.” Loki whispered, internally cringing at the coarse sound of his voice and the trembling undertone that belied any confidence he had tried to adopt. He watched her expression morph from happiness to confusion and then to concern, though they were all subtle and soft shifts. They had been open with one another for years now about their lives, and the hurts and hopes they suffered, but he was certain he had never looked or sounded so overwrought around her.

It briefly occurred to him that he should send her away. A Jotun had almost taken her life when she was a young girl - no doubt she had seen the creature afterward in her dreams - and now he was one of them. If he did not reject her, she would reject him that moment she discovered he was a monster hiding in Ás skin.

Loki’s hands shook and he glanced down at his left palm, and the lightly sore skin of his palm that he had been unconsciously picking at since the giant had touched him. He could imagine the blue creeping up his fingers and turning his nails a dark, almost black purple and his arm a deep azure.

Norns. This was why Odin would not love him. This was why he could never be worthy of Mjolnir. This was why he had always felt there must be something inherently wrong with his very being. It was because there was.

His family had lied to him.

A trail of tears fell from Loki’s green eyes and he crumpled into a chair. He felt Sigyn approach him, and heard her speaking to him - asking if he was all right, or if he needed healing, or what was wrong -

“Loki, my dear, what has happened?”

Push her away, or she will. If you do not tell her to leave, she is going to discover the truth and….

“I am a Jotun.” He whispered.

[fallroute]

THE GUNGNIR GIRL - PART 2

Though they had interrogated her and Melanie had hidden the existence of her own Gear from them, there wasn't much they had on her beyond her records that Genjuro got from his connections. By all means, she was probably just lucky to use Gungnir in their eyes, and she was asked to be a part of S.O.N.G.

Having asked for a few days to think about it, she'd been present the next day as a sort of "shadow" to the Wielders while they were talking about Project Ignite. Elfnein stated that the Gears in S.O.N.G's possession beyond the active six would also go through Project Ignite, and Melanie was skeptical about this.

And then, the alarm for the Alca-Noise sounded, which had Melanie stepping out to open a portal. She needed to get to where they were, almost immediately.

And when she had opened the portal, she had thought of the girl. Hibiki.

Hibiki wouldn't be able to fight the Noise. She'd be a sitting duck, and that was how she found the two of them. In an abandoned building, with Hibiki grabbing at her throat trying to force herself to sing. Leaning against a pillar, she wondered if Hibiki would actually be able to sing.

If not, then this would be where she died.

And it was that bitch who said that Hibiki's songs didn't exist to hurt people that Hibiki was able to sing again, to rescue her. But it didn't last long at all, as Micha destroyed her Gungnir. She heard the girl scream like she'd gotten hit, even though it was only the pendant... and watched her fall to the ground without the Gear.

Pushing off the pillar as Hibiki's name was screamed out by that damned Miku, Melanie didn't know what came over her as she kicked Hibiki over, where the girl was facing the sky.

"Wake up. You weren't hurt, only your Gear was destroyed." With no response, Melanie pulled out the pendant in her pocket and looked over at the Autoscorers. A sigh escaped her as she turned to face them, with Miku coming running to Hibiki's side. Melanie was half-tempted to kick her, too, so she'd stop her whining.

"She's fine, she's being dramatic. Both of you are." Melanie said plainly, holding up her pendant. "But I think you Autoscorers missed a Gear. Want to take me on?"

"Another song to destroy?" Garie's voice drifted down towards her as the girl jumped down from where she stood, going to stand near Micha. "Then I'll be the one to destroy it."

"Wait, you're that girl from yesterday!" Miku said. "Please, you have to help! Hibiki is-"

"She's fine. All that happened was that her Gear was destroyed. She took a fall harder than that earlier." Melanie said. "Douse her in water if you have to, just wake her up and get the hell out of here."

"But Hibiki is-"

Melanie tuned her out, returning her attention to the Autoscorers and closing her eyes briefly. Putting the hand holding the pendant near her chest, she let the song flow out from between her lips.

"Balwisyall nescell Gungnir tron ...!"

---

"We're detecting another Aufwachen Waveform!" Sakuya said as the familiar analyzation appeared on screen. The form started to change as both he and Aoi worked to analyze the waveform that had appeared.

"What?! But there's no more Gears that can be used!" Genjuro shouted.

And then, it appeared on screen once the analyzation was complete. A familiar waveform, that all of them had seen before. And, on a higher screen, the word 'Gungnir' appeared on it. Another Gungnir, a third one.

But from where?

"What?! Gungnir?!" All of those in the command bridge said in unison. Genjuro frowned. This shouldn't be possible. The fact there had been two was hard enough to believe, but three?

"Get me a visual on the location!" He commanded. Aoi and Sakuya both got to work on that, getting a visual of the same place where Miku and Hibiki were, with the 'I need a few days to think' girl with them. But, that was when they all noticed that the girl was wearing a Gear.

"Isn't that... Sinclair?" Tsubasa asked, frowning. "How does she have a Gear?"

--

Miku stared at the girl who had been rude towards her and Hibiki. Saying they were being dramatic, and then not answering her requests for help. It was like she'd already formed an opinion of them in her mind, and Hibiki didn't deserve it. Hibiki was kind, nice and all the things Miku loved about her.

Staring at Hibiki, she didn't know what to do. Who to call, who to get help from. Hibiki was hurt, so badly hurt. She wasn't even waking up, and that girl had the nerve to call her dramatic? Her beloved was hurt!

--

"This feels a lot better." Melanie rolled her left arm a little before rolling her shoulders back a bit. "Not as tight, and not as circulation-cutting as that other Gungnir. So, Garie, ready for round two?"

Garie grinned. "Your song will be destroyed here!"

Melanie launched herself forward, using the momentum to throw a spin kick at Garie, who blocked with a sword made of ice. Garie attempted to go for the pendant, which just made Melanie block using one of the gauntlets on her arms. Tossing the sword aside with an easy backhand, Melanie went for a snap kick, hitting Garie in the chin when she least expected it.

Garie retaliated by going to slash at Melanie, who dodged out of the way. Garie grit her teeth in anger, pulling out a couple crystals and tossing them forward, bringing out a couple of Alca-Noise that were easily dispatched by a couple of kicks from Melanie. She then tried to attack with another slash, which ended with her getting kicked in the face instead.

"Mm, I'm getting kind of bored." It wasn't underestimating her opponents, really. Years ago, Melanie would've lost immediately if she had tried going one-on-one against Garie. With the experience and training these past years, she had no problem seeing Garie's attack patterns.

This gave her the advantage, as Garie soon found out. Instead of her pendant being destroyed, she merely soundly beat Garie with little effort on her behalf. She knew, however, not to let it get to her head. That would be the end of her if she did.

"Go back and tell Carol she's going to have a lot more than just Ignite-boosted wielders on her hands," Melanie said after a moment of a standoff between herself and Garie. Garie let out a "hmph!" and both she and Micha left. Letting Gungnir shut off, Melanie turned and walked over to Hibiki.

"Oi, are you really just going to lay there and pretend to be severely hurt? Or are you going to get back up?" She asked, crouching down next to the 'unconscious' girl.

"Hibiki is really hurt! She need medical-" And Miku would find that Melanie put her hand over her mouth.

"Shhhhut up. Shut. it." Melanie said. "Hibiki's not hurt. Does she have any wounds? No. She had a worse tumble earlier when she fell through a damn metal railguard and still got back up. So, wake up already. All that happened was your Gear was destroyed."

It took a few minutes, but Hibiki blinked and her lightless eyes turned over to Melanie.

"....I'm hurt." Is what she said.

"No, you're not hurt as bad as you think. Get up and start acting like a saviour of the people. Or maybe that was all a lie? You don't really want to help people, do you?"

".....Who cares... Gungnir is.... destroyed, there's no point in helping people anymore." Hibiki said, voice lifeless.

"Uh-huh. Yup, okay. That's it." Melanie pulled her hand away from Miku and picked Hibiki up by throwing her over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Snapping her fingers, not wanting to bother with an incantation, she easily put a modest-looking outfit on Hibiki before walking off, not giving time for Miku to follow.

She'd put this girl through a boot camp, whether she liked it or not.