13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim Part #44

Part 44: Ryoko Shinonome 2

Ryoko’s been a little neglected. Let’s fix that.

Chapter 44: Ryoko Shinonome 2

Music: Just Because (Composer: Azusa Chiba, Arranger: Rikako Watanabe)

…1985.

What’s the last thing you remember?

426… He got away from me.

Looks like we know how her confrontation ended, then.

I won’t let him escape next time.

*sigh* I see. All right.

Ryoko’s head is pounding. That’s right, it’s back baby!

At certain points in Ryoko’s story, she will suffer from headaches. These are represented by having the screen dim for a few frames at an increasing interval. How do we deal with this? We’ll see in a moment.

My head really hurts…

Maybe I should keep you here, for further observation.

Ryoko’s head is pounding.

My internal clock just needs a bit to readjust…

You’re putting too much of a burden on your nervous system. You need to stop shifting. Do you still have your pills? Make sure you’re taking them.

Ryoko’s head is pounding.

This isn’t good. You need to take your pills, right now.

Consider Pills

Welp, let’s inhale these bad boys. Yo Morimura, you got a glass of water or—

Nope, she just takes a whole handful dry! That’s terrible for your throat, girl.

And as she takes them, a bit of color is restored to the world…

You can’t time travel right now.

But I need to fix the Sentinels before the invasion begins.

I’m not trying to stop you. We just can’t use the gate right now.

Consider Invasion

(The invaders appeared in 2064. They destroyed the world… But they won’t stop. They’re coming for us here, too.)

Yeah… wonder whose fault that could be… *nervous chuckling*

Oh, hey Gouto.

Who are you?

I mean, uh, hey random stranger.

……

Are you still overworking her?

…I’ve had no choice.

Consider Gate

(The coordinates for shifting through time… They’re set in 40-year intervals. So we can’t travel freely.)

I believe that’s the first time this actually got mentioned for us outside of the Mystery Files. Weird that it took so late, even if the way time travel works has been pretty obvious… for the most part.

Renya Gouto. A second-year, like you. I’ve been assigned to offer you support.

……

It’s too dangerous for you. Please, go with him. This isn’t 2065. You *will* follow my orders. Gouto-kun, I leave her to you.

Understood.

Leslie-Nielsen-in-Airplane.jpg

Use Pills on Ms. Morimura

The medicine is a bit strong… You may experience some temporary side effects. But don’t worry. Your memories will return quickly.

Use Gate on Ms. Morimura

The gate has been sealed by someone. I’m looking into it.

There’s only one person who could’ve done it. It’s him. It has to be. 426. The one that set up the gates in the first place.

Consider 426

(The source of the disaster that will destroy the world. If we don’t capture 426, there’s no way we’ll be able to withstand the invasion.)

Use Gate on Ms. Morimura

Consider Pills

(But it’s the only way these headaches will go away…)

I was going to make a joke about the “hard to swallow pills” meme here. I decided not to because I had no plan whatsoever for what joke I would actually make, but I’m leaving this in just so you all know I’m a complete hack.

Use 426 on Ms. Morimura

I need the list of those who are compatible.

That includes the people of this era too.

I’ll see what I can do.

There’s no other option. If we don’t find him, the result will be worse than anything we imagined.

……

Or would you rather… I go ask the students? One by one.

*sigh* Fine. The file is on my desk. It isn’t everyone, but… It does list those who are compatible at this school.

Consider The Compatible

(Humans with the capacity to pilot the Sentinels. They have already been identified in the future.)

The plan to gather all the compatible ones. Four girls, including myself… Wait. Only girls?

Consider Compatible Girls

(Yakushiji in 1-C… All of the compatible girls are first-years.)

Use Compatible Girls on Ms. Morimura

That’s all we have here.

You can consult with him.

Consider Compatible Boys

(I don’t have the list. Therefore, I don’t know. Renya Gouto has the information I need.)

Use Compatible Boys on Renya Gouto

Certainly. But there’s something I’d like to ask you first. I wonder… Why do you hate 426 so much?

The fate of the world is at stake.

Even so… I sense your hatred stems from something else.

I would like to hear about it.

Use 426 on Renya Gouto

Because he destroyed my home. That… *thing* deserves no sympathy. 426 is not human.

And now he calls himself Ei Sekigahara.

……

Consider 426

(He calls himself Ei Sekigahara now. But he’s gone into hiding. The one that ruined the Sentinels… The disaster that will destroy the world. If we don’t capture 426, there’s no way we’ll be able to withstand the invasion.)

Use Compatible Boys on Renya Gouto

426 could try and contact one of them. Or maybe he already has…

They should be in the cafeteria now. Let’s go.

Consider Compatible Girls

I need to focus on the boys first.

It’s always like this at lunch.

Use Compatible Boys on Renya Gouto

Where are the compatible ones?

I don’t see any from here…

Ugh… Hey Gouto, down in front! Shu’s trying to talk here!

Shinonome-senpai…

We were just looking for you.

Should you be telling him that?

Music: Ennui Vibes (Yoshimi Kudo)

Use 426 on Shu Amiguchi

Hm…? No, never seen him.

……

I see…

Were you able to get your bread? You need my help with anything?

*blushing* ……

I wasn’t able to do anything then. But I want to make up for it.

…… You did try. And I’m grateful to you for that.

(When I see him talking to another girl… My chest feels so tight. It feels like I’m… jealous. No. About him? That’s ridiculous. There’s no way.)

It’s more likely than you think, girl! Don’t want to encourage your Ida crush or for you to develop feelings for Shu of all people, but… that’s Ida, all right!

It hurts…

Ryoko’s head is pounding.

Consider Strange Feeling

(Shu Amiguchi. I get a strange feeling when I think about him. It’s almost like… I’m in love with him.)

Gross.

Ryoko’s head is pounding.

We’ve run out of time. Ryoko can no longer move…

…and her only Thought Cloud item is her pills.

Consider Pills

Consider Compatible Girls

(The first-year classrooms are on the third floor…)

I should look at the pictures in their files…

Music: The Plot Thickens (Rikako Watanabe)

So, to progress here we have to use the “Compatible Girls” thought next to one of said compatible girls, those girls being Megumi, Tomi, and Iori. It is unclear why Yuki and Natsuno are not on this list.

*smiling* Don’t say it like that. My job is to help you.

Doesn’t seem likely.

So I can better assist you.

Gouto, you’re acting mad sketchy today.

You probably think I look awful…

That is true.

Hey!

Those injured, frail arms… To think they could produce such raw power… It’s hard to comprehend.

She’s gonna produce some raw power right into your nads in a second, dude.

You saw that?

The last battle… I was assisting Ms. Morimura.

Consider 426

(He calls himself Ei Sekigahara now. But he’s gone into hiding. If I show his picture to the compatible ones… Maybe I can figure out who he came into contact with last.)

Consider Compatible Girls

*looks around* I don’t see them.

My head… It hurts…

Ryoko’s head is pounding.

Consider Pills

This should make me feel a little better.

Ah, there’s Tomi.

Consider Compatible Girls

Oh no…

Wh-What sort of women do you like!?

Well, I…

What do you do on your days off?

I’d rather not say…

Do you like sweets, Senpai? (loop)

Go get him, Miwako!

Right, well… Has anyone… suspicious tried talking to you recently?

…… …Besides you?

Use 426 on Tomi Kisaragi

My head… It hurts…

Ryoko’s head is pounding.

Consider Pills

This should make me feel a little better.

*whispering* Why’re you doing this?

…?

Uhhhhhh…

Consider Run Away

(Why do I need to run?)

Let’s try Megumi next.

Consider Compatible Girls

Can I talk to you?

My head… It hurts…

Ryoko’s head is pounding.

Consider Pills

This should make me feel a little better.

That’s 426, isn’t it?

Got it in one! Nice job!

You know him?

I mean, I’ve heard about him enough times by now.

So Morimura told you.

You know, the way you’re acting… It’s going to be difficult for you to pilot No. 14.

No. 14…?

Consider Sentinel No. 14

(No. 14 is my Sentinel…)

Music: Deafening Silence (Mitsuhiro Kaneda)

I’m glad we were able to recover it.

Transporting it here was quite the challenge as well.

“But explaining that would be inconvenient and the plot is already complicated enough as it is…”

But now, including No. 14 here… We’ve been able to recover three Sentinels after the incident. Unfortunately, the new models are all still missing. We also have yet to find No. 12.