Part 60: Mission 23 - The Warriors' Encounter - Part 1

Our team’s back together, Daiya still resting cozily at #1 while Kenji and Ichitaka compete with one another. The Jeeg path gave a total of about 120k more money than the other, so that’s what I kept.



Random upgrades everywhere, with Hyouma taking an extra pip in weapons since he was still at two.



The EVAs and Iczer-3 are deploying as event units, so we make a few changes. Do note that we’re not finally starting to run low on deployment slots – the next mission only allows 16 – so a few good people’ll need to start getting benched.
Ozma/Luca
Daiya/Yanma
Kouichi/Quatre
Ichitaka/Mil
Kenji/Kyo
Jeeg/Micchi
Voltes/Dick
Alto/Michel
Combatler/Deceive
Shinn/Luna
Goh/Anna
Tetsuya/Canaria
Rey/Domyoji
Kouji/Yagyuu
Dancouga/Yamashita
Ken/Lou

Off we go.









: You’re not getting away from me! TAAAH! (Mari)
: !!



: Urgh… Damn, this hurts so bad…!
: But… it’s so much fun!
: Sorry we couldn’t get you one of the newer suits in time. (Kaji)
: Yeah, I can barely breathe with how tight this is.
: To say nothing of the fact that we had to send you off into combat with the Provisional Unit, right? Apologies for that too.
: Forget about it. I’m just happy to finally be piloting.
: That’s all on you, little firebrand. But good luck out there.

*Bloop.*

: …Field, redeployed…! Oohoho, I’m getting all tingly here!



: Yeesh, this thing moves like a rock…! Then we’re just gonna have to brute-force it!

















: Time’s running out… and the unit’s not holding either. The spare arms weren’t synced right, so they’re not strong enough…!



: Hrrgh, fine! You want this arm so bad, take it!



: Now hurry up and…DIIIIIEEEEEEE!!











: Well, the #05’s self-destruct program worked like a dream…
: Still, it’s a shame we need to have these kids do our dirty work. Leaves a bad taste in my mouth…



Nearby…

: Owowowow…. Syncing with an EVA was even more brutal than advertised.
: But I’m alive, so that’s all that matters. Bon voyage, EVA-05. It was a real honor working with you…


Time for the usual catch-up after a route split, but this one doesn’t really have any amusing bits. Both sides end with Ichitaka asking where Iczer-3’s at, and Nagisa says she’s always waiting by the sleeping Nagisa’s side. Also, it feels really awkward for her to refer to someone with the same name as her.
Quatre surmises that Nagisa Kasumi was exhausted from piloting the Iczer Robo, and she confirms. Mind, Canaria said her condition was nowhere as bad as the first Nagisa’s, so she should be waking up soon.



: Haah, Haah… Where… Where am I…?!






: That’s… the Iczer Robo? And me…?
: No, it’s that girl… Nagisa Kanou? And they’re fighting together…

*Beam! Craaaaash!*

: WAAAAAAAH!



: Ah…?!
: A dream…? No… those memories were…
: Ah, Sleeping Beauty’s back with us?
: Nagisaaa!
: Michel… and Iczer-3. Oh, that’s right… I was asleep…
: Looks like your fatigue’s fully gone. Now… we’re sorry to spring this on you so soon after you’re awake, but we’ve something to talk with you about.
: Though I’m not sure how to begin…
: Do you mean how Alto and Michel have been fighting the Cthulhu? How they’re working with JUDA?
: It figures you would’ve put two and two together, I guess. We wanted to come clean some time… but we still apologize for keeping quiet, Nagisa.
: The fact is Alto, Luca and I have teamed up with the ZAFT folk. We’re mercenary pilots, a separate force from the NUNS.
: No, no, it’s fine… I understand that you didn’t want us to worry.
: Good to hear… wait a minute, no, something’s off here! Aren’t you taking this way too well for someone who’s been asleep all this time?!
: I… suppose that’s true. We were all expecting you to be dumbfounded and lash out over this bombastic revelation.
: I saw it in a dream… How all of you, and Nagisa Kanou, were fighting these robots and monsters…
: That’s far too detailed for a dream, I think.
: I don’t really get what’s going on, but maybe I’ve been seeing parts of Nagisa’s memories as dreams…?
: Come to think of it, you did mention way back that you’d been having those strangely real-looking dreams, right?
: Yeah. I wasn’t sure what to make of them, but it kind of makes sense when I look at it that way.
: And here I thought I’d seen so much occult business that nothing would surprise me again…



: … And with all that said, I’m happy to be officially working with you guys.
: Listen, things may be calm now, but we’ll likely get dragged into battle again. Aren’t you scared of that?
: I’ve made up my mind on this… I know it’s my destiny to fight with Iczer-3.
: You’re so strong… unlike me.
: Not really; you’re the only reason I managed to get strong in the first place. The pain you had to bear, how you feel for Iczer-1… all of it came to me.
: This is so weird… How could my memories and experiences appear in your dreams?
: Woo-hoo! Nagisa’s all better, and Nagisa-1’s doing good too! I’m gonna keep this streak rolling in the next battle too!
: Hey, Iczer-3. You said the two of us are partners, right?
: Yup!
: Then I want you to make me a promise. That you’ll be more careful, and stop fighting so recklessly.
: Whaa?! But how am I gonna protect you, then?! Besides, fighting’s so much fun!
: And do you know how badly I’d feel if you got hurt doing that?
: Being partners means being friends. And here on Earth, being friends means trusting and looking after each other.
: That’s right, Iczer-3. You’d feel bad if our LOTUS friends got hurt, wouldn’t you?
: Sister Gray told me to listen to the Nagisas but… Ooh, this is a toughie…
: It might be tough for a kid to wrap her head around it, but you’ll get there.


Time for Alice to check in with the JUDA techs again. Have they figured out what happened to her body during the Straybird attack? From what Rachel imagines, having to personally control the Rushbird’s energy flow overheated both the regular and combat-oriented sectors of her AI. The radical increase in irradiation and throughput lead to her organic parts being transformed temporarily.
Whatever the case, Maki chides them for doing something so crazy – the Rushbird’s dimensional interference capabilities haven’t even been thoroughly tested, haven’t they? Ichitaka apologizes, saying they weren’t really thinking of the dangers back then, and Rachel concedes that they were out of options.
HOWEVER, she now wants them to defer to Misato’s judgement on whether or not to use that trick again – if they screw it up, the out-of-control energy could level everything around them. Granted, seeing how Ichitaka absolutely can’t handle that, and Alice has her own difficulties, he figures we can’t really try it anyway.



With that in mind, Ichitaka asks Kosuke if there isn’t any way he could make things easier for his partner, and the kid figures there is. Ichitaka can just take over some of the energy management responsibilities. Not something he could learn on the fly, of course, but Yamashita figures he could familiarize himself with it over the sim.
Ichitaka apologizes for having to impose on him again, having realized during the showdown with Himika/Mimetic Beasts that he still has a long way to go. Yamashita sas it’s all good, and he just needs to use that realization as motivation.

Kosuke and the group set out to reproduce the Rushbird’s systems inside the simulator, leaving Rachel to ponder how much Ichitaka’s grown despite his young age. Yamashita himself seems to be getting over his dependency on Reiji, and she only wishes Kouichi could do the same. Maki disagrees: “he’s also growing. Little by little, sure, but it’s happening.”
Truth enough. Rachel’s seen that Kouichi’s been, for instance, slowly acting more responsible as he tries to be THE SENIOR for Shinji. Speaking of, where is the kid? He’s supposed to be running some of his usual tests soon.
From what Maki’s heard, he’s visiting his mother’s grave.



Cut to the Cthulhu Fortress, Neos Gold is getting to work with the Iczelio. By using it, she’ll be capable of creating a new, powerful warrior to replace the still-recovering Iczer-2 in battle (and the disposed of Fiber and Insect, too). With a lightshow, Neos Gold commands the warrior born from the stolen Iczelio – Atross – to awaken!


Elsewhere, Golem passes the news along to Bigro. Neos isn’t about to underestimate LOTUS again, and is ready to send in this new warrior if Bigro isn’t confident in her ability to seize Nagisa Kasumi.
Bigro, of course, is insulted by that: she can get the job done without taking help from either Golem or this Atross. Fair enough, Golem tells her to remember that vow and leaves. Bigro’s heading out, too, sniffing at the thought of the new warrior. If the girl even so much as troubles her slightly, she’ll tear her to shreds!




: It’s been three years since we came here together.
: I remember that I ran back then… and I hadn’t come since. It still doesn’t feel real that mom’s buried here. I can’t even picture her face anymore…
: It’s by forgetting that people live on. That said, there are some memories that must never be forgotten.
: Yui taught me so much – things I could never replace if I tried. I come here precisely to remind myself of it all.
: Do you have no pictures of her?
: There are none left – even this grave’s just a piece of décor. Nothing of her remains.
: You got rid of everything, huh? My teacher said you would.
: I still have it all, safely within my heart. That will do for now.

*Helicopter!*

: …It’s time. I’ll be heading back.
: … Dad!
: …
: Um… Thank you for today. I’m glad we could talk…
: … I see.

*Helicopter away!*

: …
: See, Shinji? You were so worried about this, but you two spoke and nothing bad happened.
: Despite your reservations, it was good that you came here with him, right? I mean, this is your mother’s grave.
: I only came here because you pretty much forced me to.
: Only because I knew that, deep down, you wanted to do this. You should be a bit more honest about how you feel.
: … If I did, I’d probably just be miserable.
: Come, now. You rose above and beyond everyone’s expectations during both Operation Yashima and the battle with the Mimetic Beasts.
: So believe in yourself. I’m sure your father does.
: …

*Beep!*

: Katsuragi speaking.
: The 7th Angel has appeared at Sagami Bay! LOTUS has been asked to deploy right away!
: What?!
: The SDF troops are trying to keep it pinned down, but conventional weapons are pretty much useless against it.
: Copy that. I’m heading back to HQ with the #01’s pilot. Can the #00 deploy?
: Neither can, actually: both units are still undergoing repairs. We’ll be finished soon, but they won’t be deploying until then…
: Trying to repair both at once to save time blew up on our faces… Speed things up as much as you can. We’ll be there in a few!
: As you say. We’ll prioritize finishing up the #01 as quick as can be done.

*Boop.*

: Of all the worst possible moments… We’ve to hurry, Shinji!
: OK!


Mission 23 - The Warriors' Encounter



: We’ve reconfirmed the Angel’s route: it’s headed directly towards NERV HQ in Neo Tokyo 3!
: Its shape might be different, but this one’s still after the same as the others…
: Are they being commanded by someone, or are they simply following an instinct…? There’s so much we don’t know about them.
: Whatever the case, we can’t let it get any further.
: All we can do is keep the thing stuck here. We gotta wait ‘til Shinji and Rei make it over.
: …
: Iczer-3?



: !! Iczer-3 deployed?!
: Iczer-3! The captains haven’t given the green-light to deploy yet!
: I’m getting a very bad feeling… As in “the Nagisas are gonna be in big danger” kind of bad!
: Please, Uncle Arthur! Lemme deploy on this one!
: U-Uncle…
: I ask the same. Something’s been bothering me for a bit, too.
: (Does she have some sort of precognitive abilities like Iczer-1 and Lulu…?)
: Alright. If you say so, I’ll allow it.
: Thanks, Lulu!
: And deploy the rest of our units too!




Kill the Angel, don’t lose any ships or Iczer-3. No, really, you need to do this without any mooks to help your guys build up morale.
Good news is that most of your Supers should be more than well-equipped to pop the A.T. Field even at base morale; bad news is that the target hits HARD. Don’t go too crazy with SP, as there’s more coming, only prioritizing defensive spirits. Support Attacks from your bigger hitters will also really help.


Clockiel, The Seventh Angel
Mech Features:
A.T. Field (Strong)
30% HP and EN regen

What, they replaced the cool Israfel fight with THIS? Please…
Same deal as the other Angels: it hurts, it’s somewhat resilient but will fall quickly if you can reliably pop its barrier, and has a MAPW centered on himself.
Spend a turn to get your folks close enough, and swarm for a one-turn kill. Its strongest attack is range 1-3, so if you can outrange that, all the better.



: That clock-like bit… it’s like it’s taunting us to attack.
: Oh, boy, look at him wanting us to rush the thing down. Way he’s focusing on that red thing, he oughta be piloting an ox mech.
: It’s all good, I say. Humanity’s on the line here, so I say we psych ourselves up and sink our teeth into that Angel!
: Letting our instincts run loose has been feeling more and more natural nowadays, huh? And with that in mind…
: Let’s go wild!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPOo4BP6Ehg
Here’s its best attack.



: Didja hear? I got possessed by this evil spirit and saw Hell with my own two eyes! Now it’s your turn, and Jeeg’ll dunk you straight down there!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-oJLKXtBD4



: We managed to get rid of even the Mimetic Beasts. Should only be a matter of time before the Angels go the same way…
: And I’ll carry on fighting until that day arrives! Me and all my teammates!











: This is the fourth time we’ve fought the Angels… You gotta admire enemies that always cook up a different gimmick for every attack!
: Still, there’s absolutely not gonna be a Third Impact while I’m here to say anything about it!











: Hrk… I can’t even anticipate how it’s gonna attack by looking at it. What a pain in the ass…
: Guess that leaves only closing in and shooting ‘til it stops moving…!











: How is this dippy bird-looking thing as dangerous as it is?! But, alright, here I come to toss you into the trash!




Iczer-3: “Found a baddiiee!”



: It’s up to the seniors to make sure our undergrads have a bit of an easier time! Here we go, Linebarrel!








Get the Angel below 28k, and…



: Look at how fast it regens…!
: Why does it always feel like there’s no way for us to beat these things?!
: Now what’s going on there…? Guess the EVAs really are the only ones that can take on an Angel.















: Bah, missed the core…! (Asuka)
: A red Evangelion…?



: You’re not going to last long if you go at it like that, Asuka. Go and reconnect your cable! (Hilde)
: That’s the Death Scythe and a Taurus!
: Hey there, Quatre. We just came back from Germany – and we brought gifts, too.
: Duo! What a relief to see you well!
: So you two were assigned to back up the EVA-02’s tests, huh?
: A Preventer agent’s work is never done, ya know how it is. But never mind that now; can you folks handle the #02’s cable?
: Of course. Pilot of the #02, step by the Daiku Maryu please!
: No need. I can easily drop that Angel before the battery runs out!
: Hey, now, don’t be so full of yourself. It’s not good for you! This is a real battle, so you know anything can happen, right, miss?
: …! You’re preaching to the choir, kid!

*Asuka moves by the Daiku Maryu.*



: There. Happy now?
: Very!
: Whew… that girl didn’t even give Asuka’s crusty shtick a chance.
: She’s being a bit more watchful of her teammates, isn’t she?
: Seems Nagisa’s words got through to her.
: We’ve a way to dispatch the Angel now. Troops, support the EVA-02 and eliminate the target!
: Alright, let’s get back to it! I’ll show everyone the power of a real Evangelion!


Evangelion Unit #02 (Asuka Langley Shikinami)
Pilot Skills:
Sync Rate
Sword Cut
Shoot Down
Counter
Support Attack L2
Attack Combo L1
Mech Features:
Sword
Gun
A.T. Field
Umbilical Cable
Spirit Commands:
Sense
Focus
Fury
Faith
Squad Bonus: Melee weapons’ power +100, Crit ratio +10, exp gained +10%, Land terrain rating: A

Why’d they feel the need to change her surname? I liked Souryu better… Also, is her hair darker?
Regardless, Asuka’s built pretty much the opposite of Shinji: she’s melee-focused in attacks and stats, though her defenses aren’t as good, she’s way more likely to crit, but her range is mediocre. The #02 IS somewhat weaker than the #01 as far as raw weapon power is concerned, but its morale and EN requirements are significantly lower.
All in all, the EVA-02 is still a fine unit and, as with MX, you can absolutely deploy Asuka for the rest of the game.


Gundam Death Scythe Hell (Duo Maxwell)
Pilot Skills:
Sword Cut
Shoot Down
Counter
Support Attack L2
Attack Combo L2
Spirit Commands:
Invincible
Focus
Accelerate
Fighting Spirit
Mech Features:
Sword
Gun
Active Cloak – reduces beam damage by 1000
Hyper Jammer – over 130 morale, 40% chance to outright evade an incoming attack (mitigated by Skill difference)
Squad Bonus: crit rate +10, melee weapons’ power +100, Water terrain rating: A

Sure would have loved to have you WAY earlier in the game, Duo. As in, when I was drowning in water stages!
Duo, as always, is a reliable unit simply due to the Death Scythe knowing exactly what it’s supposed to do and being tailored towards it. Mind you, he’s not as powerful as he was in W due to L’s penchant for giving melee attacks piddly range: his Beam Scissors only reaches up to 1-2, which isn’t that great.
You can compare Duo against Quatre, only he’s completely offense and dodge oriented, in contrast to the latter’s support spec. Quatre has the Magnac guys to give him a lot more reach, though. On the flip side, Duo DOES have a rather accurate MAPW that hits everything in a 1-3 range… problem is, like in W, it is not post movement and will hit your guys as well. Sending him into a big group for set-up can be dangerous with L’s evasion decay, so watch it.
Still, he’s got accelerate, water terrain and a melee boost, so we can certainly field him as someone’s squaddie.


Taurus (Hilde Schbeiker)
Pilot Skills:
Shoot Down
Support Attack L2
Support Defense L2
Attack Combo L1
Spirit Commands:
Cheer
Focus
Alert
Lucky
Mech Features:
Gun
Transform
Resupply Module
Squad Bonus: Money earned +10%, armor +10%, 1000 Barrier, HP+500

If Rei’s the likely best defensive support, I’ll say Hilde is the best pure supporter we have right now (I won’t say forever, as later entries might change that). You mean Noin could be rocking THIS Taurus all along if she hadn’t painted hers the Cinq Kingdom’s colors?! Sheesh.
I’m guessing someone at Banpresto really likes Hilde, because they pretty much gave her everything needed to secure a permanent spot as any Super’s squadmade for the rest of the game. I am even seriously considering upgrading her straight to 50% to further boost that bonus. Having a Resupply Module for a constant 10% EN regen is just the cherry on top.
As a pilot, though, Hilde is pretty dang middling. Her stats are the worst of any Gundam Wing units, and if I could have Noin take her place in this Taurus, I would (why can’t I, Banpresto?!). Still, you really should try to make it work simply due to how amazing the unit itself is.

Now, back to work.



: I gotta hit a slim target like that…? But, still, we can’t let it push us back!







: Only thing that’ll work for us is bashing that guy with the biggest hit we can manage. Pick us an easy-to-tag spot, Hyouma!
: You got it! We’re going straight for its “head”!









: Is this really a living creature? Its whole body’s hollow…!
: Common sense doesn’t really apply to these… They’re like the Vajra in that way!







: I can handle Angels just fine by myself! Everyone’ll see that we don’t need LOTUS for this!







: That’s gotta be its weak spot – its core – right up there!
: I see no problems with that assessment. The first two Angels we fought always had their cores exposed, so this one’s likely the same.
: I dunno how much of this guy’s punishment the Rushbird can take, but we’ll at least try and keep it stuck here!








: This sensation is… Iczer-3, something’s coming!
: Let them! We’ll see what’s been bugging us!



: I am Bigro, one of Neos Gold’s four generals, and I am here to claim Nagisa Kasumi!
: Damn it, not now!
: Iczer-3… We’ll see how much of your power remains once you’re taken far from this battlefield. There’ll be no one left to protect the girl after I’m done.



: Wah?!
: Monica!
: We’re detecting an energy distortion around Iczer-3 and the Cthulhu!
: I see… By doing that, they’ll be able to fight to the death and no one’ll be able to do anything about it. It’s something of a death match arena.
: No way out of this for me, huh, granny?
: That’s right. Come!





: Iczer-3 and the Cthulhu have both vanished from our sensors!
: Iczer-3…! Luca, do we know where she went?!
: I’ve got nothing…! It looked like she was warped somewhere else…!
: Maybe it’s like when Nagisa and I were kidnapped…?
: But Iczer-1 came and saved us back then…
: Oh, no…! Is there nothing I can do for her, then…?!



: What’s wrong, Iczer-3? Is that all you have?
: U-Urgh… Why… Why am I feeling so weak…?
: Accept your defeat. The source of your strength, your partner, is still in regular space, forever out of reach. And now you’ll die without so much as a parting word from her!



: Nagisa… help…! NAGISAAA!

*Back in the real world.*

: (Nagisa… help…! NAGISAAA!)
: Iczer-3?!
: What is it?
: She... Iczer-3’s calling me! She’s begging me for help… and I can’t do anything…
: … Yes, you can. Focus, and call out to her.
: Huh?
: Distance means nothing to the bonds between partners. If you really want to help Iczer-3, then I know that wish will reach her.
: …Alright. I’ll try.
: (Stay strong, Iczer-3! I’m there with you…!)



: Die!
: (Stay strong, Iczer-3! I’m there with you…!)
: …Nagisa?!



: Okay, Nagisa! I’ll be strong!



: Curse you…! You still stand?!
: I’ve Nagisa with me, and no one’ll beat me while she’s there! Ever! Iczeeer… BOOOMB!!





: Captain! There’s Iczer-3!
: Ooorgh…! It can’t be…!
: How’d you like THAT!
: Oh, thank god you’re safe, Iczer-3!
: …Kill me, then! Death is all that awaits me now that I’ve failed…!
: If you say so… Consider it your punishment for trying to hurt my friends.

*Energy charge!*

: Iczer-3, stop!
: Why, Nagisa? She’d make you and Nagisa-1 suffer so much if I hadn’t beaten her!
: I know that. But she can’t fight anymore, right?
: …
: Please, Iczer-3.
: Fiiine… I guess I can forgive you, granny.
: And listen… maybe you don’t need to go back to Neos Gold? I’m sure you could find a nice, quiet place to live somewhere.
: You… You mean to dishonor me further?!
: N-No, I… I can still fight! Come and face me, Iczer-3! You and your humans!



: Hahahaha! Oh, I can’t watch anymore! How can you call yourself one of Lady Neos’ warriors after that?
: ?!
: If you want to die fighting this much, I can make that happen. Lady Neos told me that the weak had to be made an example of!



: GAAAAAAAH?!





: She’s with the Cthulhu?! They killed their own friends again?!
: …
: Who are you?! You look like me…
: I am Atross, and I am here to kill you in Lady Neos’ name!
: Atross…? And why’d you have to go and kill Bigro?!
: Didn’t she say she wanted to die? You were taking too long, so I decided to do it myself… Actually, shouldn’t you be thanking me for that?
: All units form up around the EVA-02 and prioritize destroying the Angel!
: We don’t know how strong the new Cthulhu android is, though, so you’ll have to also back Iczer-3 up!
: Aah, come on! We’re busy enough already!
: Just leave the Cthulhu to us, Asuka. You worry about the Angel!
: You say, like ignoring them would be that easy…!
: Good luck, Iczer-3…!