"Kanade!" Tsubasa cradled Kanade's head close to her, tears already falling down her cheeks as she held her partner's limp body.

Kanade's dull eyes stare past her, causing the blue-haired singer's heart to get caught in her throat. "Where are you, Tsubasa? It's too dark….I can't see your face…"

"Kanade!" Tsubasa choked out as the wind wiped her hair across her face.

"Sorry….I guess we'll never be able to duet again…"

Tsubasa bit her lower lip. "Why? Why say that?" Her shoulders shaking, she continued, "Don't hurt me like that!"

Kanade smiled, even as blood dripped down her chin. "You're such a crybaby, Tsubasa."

Said girl shook her head hard and held Kanade even closer. "I don't care about that! I just want to sing with you forever!"

"Don't you know, Tsubasa?" Kanade's eyes started to close slowly. "Singing your hardest really leaves you empty…" One last tear fell from Kanade's eye, as her body finally went completely limp and her breathing stopped. Upon this realization, Tsubasa's eyes widened, and she held Kanade even tighter and closer, only for the body to be turned to ash a few seconds later.

"Kanade!"

Tsubasa slowly regained consciousness but kept her eyes closed. 'That dream again? It's been a while since I've dreamed about anything related to that incident three years ago.' Tsubasa frowned. Ever since she started working with her comrades and singing for purpose outside of battle, she hadn't dreamt of that day. It disturbed her slightly, especially since she knew what caused that dream. 'It's because I got separated from Kanade and we fell out of sync that she had to sing her Zesshou to save Tachibana.'

If the Noise hadn't separated the two of them at that time, maybe they could've saved Tachibana together instead of being on opposite sides of the arena. Maybe then, Kanade wouldn't have had to sing her Zesshou.

Frowning even more as her body was suddenly enveloped in a cold sensation called angst, Tsubasa stopped her train of thoughts. She swore she wouldn't dwindle on those negative thoughts anymore. They only manage to depress her, and make her snap at anyone. 'Like yesterday.' Tsubasa thought bitterly. When she had seen those flying Noise diving at Chris because the younger girl had lost her focus and rhythm slightly, Kanade's death and Hibiki's almost demise had flashed in front of her eyes. She couldn't have; wouldn't have known what to do if those Noise hurt her comrade, not when she was starting to fall for the Ichaival user. So, she risked leaving Tsukuyomi slightly defenseless while she went to save the sophomore. She hadn't meant to snap at her but the adrenaline of the fight and the sudden emotions that had assaulted her at that moment were too much for her to bear.

Taking a deep breath and brushing those thoughts aside, Tsubasa finally opened her eyes, only to stare right into a pair of purple ones. Tsubasa stopped herself before she could jump at the intruder and demand what they wanted and why they were in her room. She stopped herself from that as soon as she realized that her intruder was the girl she had just finished thinking about, Yukine Chris.

"Yukine?" Tsubasa uttered in surprise, sitting up and rubbing her left eye. Her gaze settled on Chris, who had been sitting on a chair beside her bed, apparently staring at her while she was sleeping. "What're you doing here?"

Chris leaned back in the chair, crossing her arms under her chest. "Considering I'm gonna' be living here for the time being, should you really be asking that?" Tsubasa blinked up at her, then looked at the alarm clock on her bedside table. "I just got here. The old man was supposed to be here with me but he got a call and said there was an emergency." Seeing Tsubasa's head snap towards her in alarm, Chris quickly corrected herself. "Nothing Noise related! It was about a movie or something."

Tsubasa sighed in relief and reached up to ruffle her hair. Chris watched her, slightly surprised at seeing the teen with her hair down. Those strands that were usually in a ponytail were extremely long, probably as long as her own pigtails. 'Why am I just now noticing these things? Geez, I've been working with her for almost a year now. What else have I missed about her? Gah! These things aren't important, anyway.' No, they weren't important because she definitely didn't want to run her fingers down those blue tresses. No, not at all.

Tsubasa stared over to Chris, who had turned to look around the room. Gazing over her home, the blue-haired idol's eyes widened when she realized her dorm room was a mess.

Chris turned to say something but her words got caught in her throat when she saw the blush spreading across the other girl's face. Chris turned to stare at what Tsubasa was looking at with such a shy look. Her eyes landed a purple and black underwear set. Despite the blush that spread across her own cheeks, the Ichaival user grinned. 'Bingo! Blackmail material!' Turning away from the mess and crossing her arms, Chris spoke up. "That idiot said you were a mess but I didn't think it was this literal." Of course, Hibiki hadn't said that but teasing – or at least trying to – the senior just came naturally to the white-haired girl.

Chris grinned even more when Tsubasa shot her a glare – which lost most of its iciness because of the flush on her cheeks. Chuckling, the younger girl waved her hand. "Nevermind that. You should get up. The old man said you had a meeting with the press or something." Chris walked away from the senior's bed – completely aware of the glare at the back of her head – and over to the table over in the middle of the room.

Getting up from her bed, Tsubasa decided to let the sophomore off the hook – for now, anyway – and get ready for that interview.

Senki Zesshou Symphogear

Miku frowned slightly at the girl sitting down across from her and put her chopsticks down. She slid a napkin over to Chris, who accepted it, wiped her mouth then started eating again. Kirika, who was sitting by Miku and in front of Shirabe, grimaced then sighed in annoyance. Shirabe ignored the messy eater by her and tried to enjoy her food.

Miku was the first one to speak out of the four. "Chris-chan…" Said girl stopped her actions and looked up, eyebrow raised. "I'm not complaining but, why did you invite us for lunch? It's very unusual for you to eat lunch with anyone other than Tsubasa-san and Hibiki."

Chris flinched slightly but covered it up with a shrug and reached over for another napkin. "Just felt like it. Too bad that idiot couldn't come, though. She should stop skipping so much. Or at least try not to get caught and get detention."

"This is coming from someone who skips class more than her." Kirika said mockingly, making Chris choke slightly on the rice ball she was chewing on.

Chris swallowed hard then glared at the blonde sitting by Miku. "Why you little-!"

"You're avoiding Tsubasa-san," Shirabe replied softly.

The Ichaival user faltered in her advance on Kirika. Turning sharply on the dark haired girl, Chris scowled. "Now, what makes you think that, shrimp?!" Shirabe turned her knowing pink eyes on the girl by her. The sophomore flinched and settled back down in her chair.

Shirabe's words rang true, though. Mostly, anyway. While she wasn't exactly avoiding Tsubasa, she didn't feel all that comfortable in the older girl's presence. Especially not after noticing how deep and sensual her voice sounded when she greeted the sophomore in the mornings right after she had woken up. Not after seeing the setting sun's light hitting the blue-haired girl's eyes enough to make them sparkle when they were doing homework together at the table. Not after realizing Tsubasa slept in only a button-up long sleeve and really short shorts that left nothing to the imagination. And definitely not after taking in the sight of the swordswoman lying down on the couch, reading a book and that same long sleeve revealing smooth, silky white thighs and legs.

A huge blush rapidly spread across Chris' face, and she tried to hide it with the previously discarded menu. At the sound of Kirika's laughter, though, it seemed like she failed to hide her flustered state.

Shirabe smirked slightly, and Miku giggled. If possible, Chris' blush intensified. She huffed and turned away, crossing her arms under her chest.

"So what? You finally realized you have a crush on Kazanari-chan?" Kirika snorted, reaching out for her drink. Chris glared at her but her blushed diminished the effect, which only made Kirika laugh even more.

"I-I do not have a c-c-crush on her!" Chris cursed her stuttering; it only earned her another snort and a bemused look from the girl in front of her.

"Yeah, and I'm not a Gear user." Kirika taunted, rolling her eyes.

"I don't!" Chris snapped, turning her back on all of them and huffing. 'More like I can't.' Chris added as an afterthought. Lowering her eyes to the floor, her defiance stance softened. 'Someone like me doesn't deserve someone like her. I've done nothing but cause people pain. I was the one who activated Solomon's Cane and it's my fault it had fallen in the wrong hands in the first place.' Nevermind the fact they saved the world – twice in her case – it was all still her fault. If only she hadn't activated that Cane.

Then again, would she have met that idiot and the others? Would she have met the school's pop idol? Would she have fallen in love with someone so bad, it tore her apart knowing they couldn't be together? Knowing she didn't deserve the one thing she actually wanted? If she had the chance to go back in time and fix everything, would she? She honestly didn't know the answer to that.

Shaking her head in frustration, she turned back to her meal, ready to stuff her face again when Shirabe's next words stopped her.

"Just confess to her. I'm sure she feels the same." Looking at the Ichaival user out of the corner of her eyes, Shirabe smiled slightly at her. Kirika nodded with a grin and gave her a thumbs up at her. Miku smiled at her encouragingly.

Chris blinked at them. Would she give this up just to right her wrongs?

No, of course not.

Everything feels just right at this very moment.