Line #62 Fanfic/DistortionsSymphogear


1	-> The Curse of Balal was not the end. The past cannot be ignored.
2	-->-- {{Tagline}}
3
4	The Curse of Balal may have been broken, but five millennia of history cannot be undone so easily. And as the Symphogear Adaptor’s prepare to move on into the next stage of their lives in the new world of tomorrow they thought they have created, they suddenly become aware that history may be stalking them from the shadows.
5
6	''Distortions'' is a ''Anime/{{Symphogear}}'' fanfiction that [[{{Continuation}} takes place after]] the events of ''XV''.
7
8	The story can be found on [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/distortions-symphogear-spoilers-for-those-who-havent-seen-xv.58110 Sufficient Velocity]], [[https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/distortions-symphogear-spoilers-for-those-who-havent-seen-xv.797294/ Spacebattles]], [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13414345/1/Distortions FanFiction.net]], and [[https://archiveofourown.org/works/21112022 Archive of Our Own]] (the [=AO3=] and SV links are the most up to date versions of the story). There is an omake collection of posts from Sufficient Velocity on Archive of Our Own that can be read [[https://archiveofourown.org/works/21496828 here]]. However, due to real life developments, Nuker declared the story cancelled, posting a partial completion of Chapter 41.
9
10	There will be [[LateArrivalSpoiler spoilers]] for ''Symphogear'', so it is recommended that you have seen the entire series before reading.
11
12	----
13	!!''Distortions'' provides examples of:
14	* AkashicRecords: Sefer Hachaim, known as The Book of Life in Biblical mythology, is a recording/monitoring device left by the Custodians. Emily said that the Horsemen used it's record to show her Miku killing her father, but Samantha tells Hibiki that Emily was never approached by any member of the Horsemen and Caprice tells Maria that it was destroyed with the Curse of Babal. [[spoiler: Elfnein realizes after a encounter with the Pale Man that he at the very least has a record of it.]]
15	* BaitAndSwitch: In Chapter 17 we have a scene of Kirika begging Shirabe not to do this and Shirabe saying that she is sorry. [[spoiler: They're actually playing a game of TabletopGame/{{Uno}} and Shirabe just won herself the hand.]]
16	* BattleCouple: Since Miku is now both a Symphogear Adaptor and has hooked up with Hibiki, the two are basically now this. Similarly, Shirabe and Kirika have also gone official in the fic and likewise constitute an example.
17	* BewareTheQuietOnes: Shirabe scares the '''''hell''''' out of a classmate who gave Kirika a hard time [[spoiler: after their identities and pasts became public,]] all without ever raising her voice.
18	* BigWhat: Chris and Maria's reaction to [[spoiler: Qiao Cai introducing herself as the new Symphogear Adaptor from China.]]
19	* BigWhy: This is the reaction of [=SONGbird=], a low level worker in S.O.N.G., in the Supernatural Forums to Hibiki declaring her love for Miku during the press conference.
20	--> Alright, on to the next questiTACHIBANA WHY
21	* BloodKnight: Timoty Darmawan. He's just as HotBlooded as Hibiki and fights the main characters because he wants to challenge himself.
22	* BluffTheImpostor: [[spoiler: While Hibiki's family is being moved to by some [=SONG=] agents, Koyomi Tachibana, Hibiki's grandmother, asks some questions about how Hibiki has been doing, like has the media been keeping her from getting enough sleep due to the media circus or how has she been eating. Their answers, that the media has been keeping her up when Hibiki [[HeavySleeper could sleep through a tanker truck exploding]] and eats three meals a day when she [[BigEater eats much more than that]], tell her that they know nothing about Hibiki and aren't connected to [=SONG=] in any way.]]
23	* BoomHeadshot: Genjuro ended up being taken out this way in the second chapter.
24	* BrickJoke: During a hospital visit with a victim of a Horsemen attack, Hibiki realizes that Chris acts a lot like a {{Tsundere}} and wants to use this to tease her. Later, while Chris is congratulating Miku for achieving Amalgam, Hibiki teases her about worrying about them by actually calling her a Tsundere.
25	* CartesianKarma: Samantha Acampona blames Miku for [[YouKilledMyFather killing her brother]] even though she did so while brainwashed by Dr. Ver. She justifies this by claiming that Miku allowed herself to be brainwashed.
26	* ContinuityNod:
27	** Part of Kirika's issues is due to a letter that she wrote to Shirabe when she thought she was Finé's vessel. This letter is the focus of several of her [[ImageSong songs]] and a few skits in the [[OriginalVideoAnimation OVAs]].
28	** Chris is shown to be a fan of [[ShowWithinAShow The Amazing☆Singing Hood!]], the title song happening to be a song that she sung one of the AXZ [[OriginalVideoAnimation OVAs]], even being shown in one of the Omakes to been in the Supernatural Forums with her username being a reference to the show.
29	** As shown in AXZ, Kirika makes a big deal out of setting up a birthday party for one of the wielders, in this case Maria.
30	** [[spoiler: One of the targets of a [[NukeEm Horsemen's attack]] is the Undersea Dragon's Palace.]]
31	* DealWithTheDevil: What Samantha Acamporra admits she took by joining the White Noise.
32	* DeityOfHumanOrigin: [[spoiler: What the Four Horsemen believe is happening to the Adaptors after the events with Shem-Ha. That they are becoming a new species dubbed Homo Sapien Sumphonia that must be exterminated by any means for the human race's survival. And the data they've collected indicates they are at least partially correct.]]
33	* EliteMooks: The Automen, androids built partially from reverse-engineered Autoscorer parts, are these to the Staples. They are slightly tougher to take down and have weaponry (either gamma-ray lasers or rapid-fire coilguns) actually capable of hurting the Adaptors in their transformed state. Ironically, their robotic nature makes them psychologically easier for the Adaptors to fight then the Staples.
34	* EmbarrassingNickname: Chris and Tsubasa are given nicknames of Megadeth and Samurai, respectively, by the American Soldiers that they end up saving from the Four Horsemen in Panau. Neither of them are pleased by this development.
35	* EmptyShell: The Staples are clones of human soldiers who have undergone genetic modification which eliminates their ability to feel emotions, sense of self-preservation, pain reflexes, any semblance of free will, and have radically reduced abstract thinking. Their mental state is described as "only a few steps above Noise".
36	* EvenEvilHasStandards: Despite all of the experiments that the science wing of the Four Horsemen have done, which includes kidnapping receptor children to test a gene-engineered bio-weapon dedicated to wiping out Finé's descendants or cloning brain-dead versions of all of the Adaptors, they refuse to give the go-ahead to an idea to create [[DesignerBabies test tube babies]] using the Adaptors' DNA.
37	* EveryoneKnewAlready: It's noted that when Hibiki and Miku declared that they were now a couple, the responses were mostly along the lines of "wait, was there a point when you weren't a couple?"
38	* ExplainExplainOhCrap: S.O.N.G. is confused by [[spoiler: the lack of fallout in the area where the nuclear weapon hit. Elfnien realizes the nuke that The Horsemen used was a pure-fusion weapon and they are willing to use it without any second thoughts.]]
39	* FlatWhat: Ogawa's reaction to [[spoiler: hearing that China has an Adapator almost ready and wants her to join S.O.N.G. as part of an agreement for them to support S.O.N.G.]]
40	* FirstEpisodeTwist: Genjuro Kazanari, the commander of [=SONG=] and a mentor to the Adaptors, is killed in the second chapter.
41	* TheFundamentalist: Mwikiza Gowon is a Christian fundamentalist who believes that SONG's use of Heretical Technology makes them "false gods" that he must eradicate. When Miku attempts to talk him out of fighting in Chapter 6, he justifies his attempts to kill her by saying "human notions of good and evil do not apply to God," so as an instrument of His will, he's blameless.
42	* GasMaskMooks: The Staples usually wear gas masks when not operating subtly. This also hides the fact they are [[ExpendableClone clones.]]
43	* HenpeckedHusband: After Miku tells Hibiki that she is doing her summer homework as soon as they get home from Maria's birthday party, Chris just says that Miku has Hibiki "whipped".
44	* ImprobableAimingSkills: Kir Voronin's stock-and-trade. His very first action in the story involves shooting Genjuro from 3 kilometers away with his sightline obscured by a host of trees in a park. His next two shots at Hibiki and Miku don't so much miss as are unwittingly intercepted by their bodyguards.
45	* InsultOfEndearment: "The dumbass" is Chris's affectionate nickname for Hibiki. Pretty much stated by her on a message board to be the case.
46	* TheInternetIsForPorn: Qiao Cai mentions that there has been a lot of artwork of the Adaptors on the internet after their identities became known. When Shirabe shows interest, Tsubasa and Maria quickly warn the others that they will wind up stumbling across a lot of porn if they try to search.
47	* LaserGuidedAmnesia: What has seemed to happen [[spoiler: to Emily after she has woken up after trying to attack Miku. She is unable to remember anything that has happened recently.]]
48	* LateArrivalSpoiler: As a continuation of Symphogear, many of the major twists and events of previous seasons, like Chris' involvement with Finé and her HeelFaceTurn, Maria, Shirabe, and Kirika's involvement with F.I.S. before joining S.O.N.G., Miku being [[DemonicPossession possessed by Shem-Ha]], are mentioned without much thought.
49	* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: Yumi, like in canon, has conversations with others that feel like this including this conversation in Chapter 16:
50	--> '''Yumi:''' Besides, it’s not like anime has steered me wrong in the past!\
51	'''Hibiki:''' Who knows? We might be living in an anime.\
52	'''Yumi:''' Eh, maybe all the prior stuff. What’s happening right now feels more like the fanfic to an anime.
53	* MadBomber: Caprice Calcattera, a member of the White Unit of the Horsemen, deals with explosives and seems to only care about creating as much chaos as possible with her bombs.
54	* MageKiller : The Horsemen fancy themselves as something of a cross between this and CapeBusters. Their avowed objective is to eradicate ''all'' of the supernatural and they use nothing but high technological weaponry in their efforts to do so. Yet the suspiciously advanced technology does lead to questions from [=SONG=] of where and how they got it from.
55	* MeaningfulName:
56	** White Noise refers to a steady background sound that can help mask otherwise distracting noises. The [[QuirkyMinibossSquad White Noise Squad]] use a implant known as the Apegear to poach the phonic gain generated by the Adaptors songs and ensure they can take on the Adaptors on an almost even footing.
57	** Sabin is a measurement of sound absorption and the codename for The Horsemen's Project 51E141: an effort to develop a weapon specifically to kill Symphogears.
58	* MysteriousWatcher: [[spoiler: The Pale Man, an individual who has been watching the events. Strangely only the Adaptors and Elfnein have been able to recognize him. Anyone else, even those who he has talked to directly, only seem to recall how pale his skin happens to be.]]
59	* MythologyGag: A few to XDU:
60	** Brisingamen, Hermes Sword, and Gjallarhorn appear on a list of relics that the Four Horsemen made that S.O.N.G. takes from a base.
61	** Kirika is scared when going through the Haunted House with Shirabe and Elfnien, several Memorias show that she is easily scared by ghosts and horror despite modeling herself as a grim reaper.
62	** Maria, [[spoiler: while looking at a clone of Chris,]] says that her hair looks "floofy" when it is down, a description given by some fans to the alternate universe version of Chris shown in the "BAYONET CHARGE" Event.
63	** [[spoiler:The revived Doctor Ver]] speculates about being a music producer, which happened in the "Kimono Rumble" event.
64	** Not related to [=XDU=] but Kirika tries to use "[[Anime/GirlsUndPanzer Saori Takebe]]" as an alias, confusing the others.[[note]]Same Voice Actress for both roles[[/note]]
65	* OCStandIn: In canon, Komichi Ayano was just one of Chris' classmates, and she hardly appeared outside of her debut episode in G. Here, she is Shrinking Violet and a possible Love Interest for Chris.
66	* {{Paparazzi}}: After [[spoiler: the girls' identities are leaked to the press,]] the media invades their privacy to try and get an interview out of them.
67	* PerspectiveFlip:
68	** The flashback at the beginning of Chapter 17 is one of the events of episode 4 of G from Komichi's perspective, showing Komichi's reasons for trying to befriend Chris and why she asked Chris to sing during the school festival. [[spoiler: It also showed her reaction to the reveal of Chris' identity as an Adaptor on the news.]]
69	** There are also the Omakes, which focus on the reactions of certain characters to the events depicted in previous chapters.
70	* QuirkyMinibossSquad: The White Noise Squad, the Four Horsemen's anti-Symphogear fighting force. Each of them is an EmpoweredBadassNormal with their own eccentricities and personal reasons to fight against the Adaptors.
71	* ReligiousAndMythologicalThemeNaming: The villainous group call themselves The Four Horsemen and they name different parts of their organisation around elements of The Literature/BookOfRevelation, it is unclear in-universe if using the name is meant to be symbolic of their goals or just a coincidence.
72	* RevengeBeforeReason: Lieutenant Samantha Acamporra knows what she's doing is wrong, but she's so full of hatred [[YouKilledMyFather towards SONG for her brother's death]] that she doesn't care.
73	* ReverseCerebusSyndrome: The story starts off noticeably quite dark and depressing with several events such as [[spoiler: Genjuro's death]]. After a while though, it shifts back into the usual tone of Symphogear.
74	* ShadowArchetype: [[QuirkyMinibossSquad The White Noise Unit]] are this to the Adaptors:
75	** Samantha Acamporra is Hibiki's, being what Hibiki would become if the events Hibiki has gone through would cause her to [[TookALevelInCynic abandon the idealism she has about the world]].
76	** Jwa Ji-Eun is Tsubasa's, being how Tsubasa would have turned out if she was made into an avenger rather than protector, raised with nobody in her life but [[{{Jerkass}} Fudou]], and then left to boil in that kind of environment for years.
77	** Mwikiza Gowon is Chris', being what Chris would have ended up becoming had she not ended up being saved from the path she was heading towards by working with Finé by Hibiki and Genjuro.
78	** Timoty Darmawan is Maria's, whereas Maria wishes to take her weakness and improve herself to become stronger, Darmawan is obsessed with building upon his existing strength.
79	** Caprice Calcaterra is Shirabe's, while Shirabe is passionate but relatively reserved, whereas Caprice is outgoing but relatively impassionate.
80	** Kir Cheslav Voronin is Kirika's, both of them have issues with their own self-worth, but while Kirika's issue is just a flat out lack of value in her own self-worth, Voronin's problem is that his entire sense of self-worth is tied up in his skills and abilities as a sniper.
81	* ShipperOnDeck:
82	** [=DoubleTheFun=], a member of the Supernatural Forums wants to ship all of the Adaptors with one another. In fact, their reaction to [[spoiler: Hibiki's confession of her love for Miku is to celebrate wildly.]]
83	** The maids of Tsubasa are trying their hardest to get her and Maria together.
84	* ShoutOut:
85	** There is a [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion NERV]] [[Literature/SwordArtOnline VR Headset]] for sale that was bought by Yumi.
86	** The appearance of [[{{Mooks}} the Staples]] are identical to those of [[Videogame/{{Prototype}} the Blackwatch troops]].
87	** [[Film/{{Commando}} Val Verde]] appears again.
88	** A Four Horsemen base is located in [[VideoGame/JustCause2 Panau]].
89	** [[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerGenerals General Fai]] is the commander of the Chinese forces in chapter 11.
90	** While infiltrating a Horsemen base using Shenshoujing, Miku briefly wonders if she should adopt a [[VideoGame/MetalGear eyepatch and bandana.]]
91	** Darmawan's response to Hibiki's surprise at his gauntlets managing to reform after she completely shatters them?
92	---> '''Darmawan''': [[VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance Nanomachines, girl!]]
93	** There are a series of Omakes done in the style of [[Literature/{{Worm}} forum posts talking about the recent events in the story.]] They are even subtitled as [[LampshadeHanging "Totally Not a PHO Interlude"]].
94	*** One of the forum members is named [[Series/KamenRider555 Kamen rider 555]].
95	*** Another is named [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doublemint DoubleTheFun]].
96	** Kirkia, Shirabe, and Elfnein see [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCureSplashStar Cutie Healer: The Simulated Motion Picture Experience]] while at [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuji-Q_Highland Fuji-Q Highland]].
97	*** Shirabe and Kirika talk to themselves over the film giving [[Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000 funny comments and observations about it]]. Elfnein even mentions that their behavior was like that of the show.
98	** Qiao Cai shows the Adaptors artwork of them done by [[https://www.pixiv.net/en/users/43655732 visqi Visquick]].
99	** The Flying Fortress that Miku and Hibiki attack and destroy in Chapter 22 is based on the Aigiaon from VideoGame/AceCombat6FiresOfLiberation.
100	* SniperDuel: Chris gets into one with Voronin in chapter 6. [[spoiler: She loses.]]
101	* StunnedSilence: The reaction of everyone when during a press conference [[spoiler: done for the Adaptors after their identities become known, Hibiki admits, without even giving a second thought, that she and Miku are in a relationship to the entire world.]]
102	* TheUnmasquedWorld: One of the first things that the Four Horsemen does [[spoiler: is reveal/leak the identities of the Adaptors, all of the classified information on relics to the world, and information on the different government involvement and connections in recent events that have occurred over the past couple of years, causing massive PR issues overall.]]
103	* VillainHasAPoint: Shem-Ha's AssimilationPlot was terrifying for those who were trapped in it (i.e. everyone except for Hibiki and Miku). Chris points out to Hibiki that this shared trauma could cause people to turn against the Adaptors if [[spoiler: [[DeityOfHumanOrigin Sumphonia]] is revealed to the public. In light of this and the fact that the Four Horsemen know about Sumphonia, the Four Horsemen's actions are understandable.]]
104	--> '''Chris:''' Dummy. You didn’t experience Shem-Ha’s attempt to connect us. It was the most terrifying thing we’ve ever experienced. At that moment, everyone but you and your girlfriend lost everything that made them human - your free will, your emotions, your individuality - and became a part of Shem-Ha’s network. Those kinds of moments leave scars. [[spoiler: If people had really thought that we were becoming something like Shem-Ha, then they just might turn against us.]]
105	* WhamLine:
106	** Chapter 12: [[spoiler: Tsubasa is in a base of the Horsemen and finds a laboratory with a very familiar individual in it:]]
107	---> '''Tsubasa:''' '''''[[spoiler: Kanade?!]]'''''
108	** Chapter 16: After Hibiki and Miku have have a conversation with Yumi about what has been going on recently with the Horsemen and Yumi leaves Miku asks Hibiki a question that was bothering her during the conversation:
109	---> '''Miku:''' Hibiki, has the information we’ve learned about the Horsemen’s organizational structure been made public?\
110	'''Hibiki:''' I don’t think so. I recall Director Ogawa saying that it’s kept classified right now. Something about not wanting the Horsemen to know what we know about them, I think.\
111	'''Miku:''' Then how did Yumi know that the Horsemen’s combat arm is named the White Unit?
112	** Chapter 18: Chris talks with Professor Makoto about staying grounded in spite of all of the big changes in her life. She’s careful not to mention what the Horsemen think is happening to her. After Chris leaves, we get this line from the Professor showing that he knows more about what's going on then it appears:
113	---> '''Professor Makoto:''' Thank you. [[spoiler: Whether sapien or [[DeityOfHumanOrigin sumphonia]], I’m sure you’ll remain human to the end.]]
114	** Chapter 21: Hibiki and Miku have just finished a battle with a Horsemen Airship when they suddenly hear a large explosion behind them:
115	---> '''Narration:''' A sullen stillness fell over the two adaptors as the roar faded. Neither really could think of anything to do other than watch as [[NukeEm the mushroom cloud grew and solidified in the distance]].
116	* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: The Adaptors, used to fighting [[{{Mooks}} Noise and Alca-Noise]], have some discomfort dealing with the Staples, due to them being human clones that don't just vanish (into carbonized ash for the Noise and into red-like mist for the Alca-Noise) when they are defeated by their Gears.
117	* WhyAreYouLookingAtMeLikeThat: The Adaptors are trying to figure out how to get Miku to activate her [[SuperMode Amalgam]] when Maria says out loud that maybe her need to protect someone might get it to work. Tsubasa agrees but is wonders who would work, after a moment of thinking everyone turns to Hibiki.
118	--> '''Hibiki:''' What? Is there something on my face?
119	* YouHaveGotToBeKiddingMe: One poster on Supernatural Forums has this reaction to learning that TheIlluminati are, or rather ''were'', real, and were lead by a demon (while Adam Weishaupt wasn't a demon, he loooked the part well enough).
120	* YouKilledMyFather:
121	** The identities of the Adaptors being revealed cause major issues for Chris, Maria, Kirika, and Shirabe due to the actions that they took prior to their HeelFaceTurn.
122	** This is Samantha Acamporra's reason for joining the Four Horsemen for she holds SONG responsible for the death of her brother.
123	** [[spoiler: Miku is even attacked by Emily for the belief that Miku killed her father while wearing Shen Shou Jing during the Frontier Incident.]]

Context Fanfic / DistortionsSymphogear