Part 40: Mission 23 - Cloister of Illusions - Part 2
We’re almost at go-time and, so far, the D1 isn’t doing anything. Megumi has been trying to establish communication with either of the two boys but reports no success to Vega. Meg’s starting to fear the worse but Eris tells her not to give in. “But, I’ve been calling out nonstop and he… he…!” she whimpers but keeps on at the mic. “Ayato, respond! Shinji, respond! Anyone, please…!”
Still nothing but Haruka tells her to keep at it – she won’t be throwing the towel while there’s still hope. Vega remembers Ginga’s admonition against giving up, lest that be the end. We will bring them back.
At NERV, Makoto reports to Ritsuko that the bombers with the N² mines have departed on schedule. Now, Ritsuko thinks, we just hope that no problems arise.
On cue, the alarms start blaring. Shigeru’s getting a message from the Far East command, relating several D1s and D2s coming from Tokyo Jupiter and headed right our way. Didn’t the Federation and TERRA have fighters patrolling the place? Yeah, they got overwhelmed.
Ruri sees that the MU have realized that we’re up to something and Bright orders everyone deployed. Akira runs out ahead of everyone, surprising Misato. Haruka apologizes but says she had a special request for him – an explanation will have to wait until later, though. The gist of it is that she might have a way to save the two kids but she’ll need Akira’s powers to do it.
Misato remembers the resonance Akira and Raideen had with the RahXephon when they first met and wonders if Haruka’s plan has something to do with that. Alright, the two of them can do their thing. Haruka apologizes to Akira for making such an unreasonable request of him but he says it’s not needed – he would’ve wanted to take point on this even if she hadn’t asked him to. He wants to bear witness to what’ll happen here and check something.
A bunch of Dolems and Dotems enter the city and Fuyutsuki figures they are set on hauling the EVA-01 and RahXephon back to Tokyo Jupiter. Or maybe, Gendou ponders, they simply want to destroy our trump cards. Regardless, this proves beyond a shadow of doubt that the MU are NERV’s enemies as well.
Misato’s going on with Ritsuko’s plan, telling Asuka and Rei that they need to make it all the way to the Dolem that captured Ayato and Shinji. The other units are to provide cover and intercept all other enemies. Ryouko and Kaine confirm, not willing to let anything keep us from rescuing our friends. They just need to wait a wee bit longer.
Mission Objective: EVA-00 and 02 get adjacent to Vivace OR all other enemies are destroyed.
Mission Failure: Either of the EVAs, Raideen or a ship getting destroyed.
Well, that took a long goddamn time, didn’t it? Despite that, this mission is surprisingly quick. We’ve six Dolems – the Graves are the biggest threat as they’re quite accurate – and a bevy of Dotems. Get rid of the Graves first and then spread out. The other mooks aren’t a threat.
Vivace won’t really do anything, so don’t worry about it. And, do note, the Dolems are all worth a ton of exp and this is your last chance to get all the UC-related folks up to level 25.
And when I say get rid of the Graves, I make special note of the one spearheading their formation. You really wanna kill this one.
FYI: while the Graves are accurate, they haven’t a lot of range.
Tetsuya goes for a Dotem and learns Valor.
Rei’s lagging behind on levels, so this’ll let her catch up a bit.
The EVAs BGM has changed, too.
: Ikari… I… We can’t lose you…
Bam. Duke comes right beside her, also nabbing a Dotem.
These positive terrains are just the thing Rain needs to survive more reliably.
Attagirl.
Vega and George pile on the damage on that special Grave, so here comes Hokuto.
Or not. At least I had Iron Wall on.
Ryouko finishes the job, learning Valor at an earlier level than Tetsuya. And you call yourself a Super Robot pilot?!
More importantly, Amuro moves waaay the fuck down to where the Grave died to start attacking another one. While there, he picks up the package the thing dropped: a Haro!
Yeah, this nobody of a mook had the thing just lying around. So don’t leave the thing on the floor and risk something stealing it.
While Kouji clears out the first of four Dotem posses (also learning valor later than Ryouko), Masato shimmies ahead.
: I…
: What is it?: I… wanna rescue those two – whatever the cost.
: Masato…: They’re my… they’re our comrades, so…
: I understand. Let’s go and do everything in our power to help this operation succeed.
I gave Masato a morale boosting part to help us get that Dimensional Coupling System money rolling faster.
Ohohoho, the hell a MAPW Meioh will cause with this.
We keep on throwing units at the Grave: Hugo, Domon and now Asuka. Akira follows.
: Seriously, that idiot’s nothing but trouble!: Fine! Then, I’m gonna yank him back into this world and give him what-for!
: Shinji, Ayato! We promise we’ll save you both!: So don’t give up! Just hang in there!
Only one Grave left.
Enemy Phase!
Couple of the Allegretto s decided to go for Amuro.
Better for me.
While the distant Dotems close in, Judau manages to kill one.
Player Phase!
Zeorymer + Rei take a big chunk of the last Grave, also teaching Attune to Miku.
Once Tetsuya kills a Dotem, Rain has enough morale to bust out her strongest attack!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V28Pi88tgrU
What, you get the song but no shiny gold mode? That ain’t cool.
The exp she gets IS cool, though. She learns Snipe (+2 range on all non-MAPW or point-blank weapons) and gets a boost in all her natural skills.
She might actually be my highest level character.
Go grab some more levels, Rei.
Cool beans. Levels in her support skills and she learns Daunt (reduces target’s morale by 10). This spirit ain’t too necessary on an easy game like this but I reckon you can still use it to shut down a boss’s special systems like Double Image.
With some help from Kouji, Duke cuts down another Allegretto.
Last one.
Only them crummy Dotems left now.
Oh, alright, you can do something.
And we’re done! On top of the Haro, other goodies were a Cartridge and Chobham Armor.
*Asuka and Rei move after Vivace.*
: We’re in position, Misato!
: All troops, retreat immediately! We’ll be initiating the EVA-01 and RahXephon’s rescue operation!*Everyone retreat into the ships.*
: It’s time…! 
: W-Wait! The Raideen hasn’t returned yet!: What?!*The Raideen moves towards Vivace.*
: A-Akira!: I-It’s…! The Raideen is—!
: It power is rising…!
: Akira, come back! Hurry!
: She’s right! If you don’t run off right now, you’ll get caught in the blast!: Is this it…? Is this what you were talking about, mom?: Akira!
: (What should I do…?! Where do I go?!): (You called me, right? Tell me, please…!)
: Huh?! This place is…!
: Laa lalalalaa la, laa lala lalalala la…
: I knew it...! I It’s you...!
: We meet at last.
: I… I wanna go back! To the real world…!: The “real” world? But is it actually?
: I don’t care if it’s real or not! I don’t!: This place… it’s sick! It’s not right!: …: I feel like there’s something wrapped around me and it’s driving me insane!: Maybe I wanted this world… but I can’t stand this kind of place!: I don’t exist here! I don’t feel like I’m alive! I...!: Quiet. : But!: What’s waiting for you in the real world is a reality you might not want to face. But if you’re fine with that, if you’re prepared to accept it… : But how am I supposed to get out of here…?: You’ll be fine, if you’ve people waiting for your return, people who you want to see again…: “People I want to see”?: Yes, like he does…: “He”?!
: …: Shinji!: I want to… I want to see them again.: …!: If that is what you desire, then there will be those who’ll reach out to you – even if it's the one who mirrors the form of God, the one who brings the wheels of time to a halt. : So leave this place yourself.: Huh?: Of your own will.: … Thank you, Reika…
: The bombers are about to enter Neo Tokyo 3’s airspace!
: Sixty seconds before bombing commences!
: Akira, come back right now!: What is it, Raideen…? What are you reacting to?!
: That’s!
: …
: It’s that girl from before…!: Sing, Raideen. Sing your song – the forbidden song.: Sing, Raideen. So that, one day, everlasting light is bestowed unto the land…: !
: Hrm! HAAAAAAAAH!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJUAx0JIJA4
: Th-The Raideen used God Voice!
: It caused physical damage on the Dolem?!
: What’s going on?!
: Status report!: U-Unknown! 
: All meters are going crazy!: We’re detecting a strong energy reaction coming from within the target! I-It’s!
: Ah!: The EVA-01 and RahXephon!: Ayato!: The Raideen destroyed the enclosed space…?!
: !https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tL_nlJaP68
: T-Target eliminated…!: That’s impossible…! The Unit #01’s energy reserves should’ve been all but empty…!
: UOOOOOOOOOOOOOO…!!!
: Th-this is what I’m piloting…?!
: …: What… what did we make a copy of?
: …: It’s…!
: The EVA…?! That thing?!: (The EVAs aren’t mere copies of the First Angel – I know that. But, then, what is NERV going to do with them once all the Angels are beaten…?)
Misato’s reporting to SEELE’s top member, having apparently opposed having them directly question Shinji regarding today’s incident. She argues that Shinji's emotional state is highly unstable right now - having him appear here hardly seems wise.
“I ask you, then, Major Katsuragi… In today’s event, the MU tried to contact the EVA-01’s pilot directly, did they not?” SEELE #1 questions. Misato they’re not getting that from Shinji’s report – it’s looking more like it was an irregular incident. That’s assuming Shinji’s recollection of what happened there is correct, of course, and SEELE #1 seems doubtful.
Misato relates that Shinji’s showing no signs of having had his memories tampered with but, with the EVA’s AC Recorder having been shut down, they’ve no way of verifying anything. Still, SEELE #1 ponders that the MU may have used that Dolem to look into Shinji’s memories.
Misato asks what reason they’d have to do such a thing – why would the MU want to contact an EVA? SEELE #1 shuts her down, saying she’s not allowed to ask questions. With that, he ends the comm.
One thing strikes her as curious: SEELE didn’t care to ask anything about Ayato or the RahXephon. Still, it’s obvious there’s some connection between the MU and the EVAs – She hasn’t seen Kaji, so this is her chance to do some investigating.
: (I don’t feel too good snooping around after that huge mess… still, can’t let this chance slip by.)*
*: !: Don’t move.
: Good to see you, too, Captain Katsuragi… Oh, sorry; it’s Major now, right?: My reward for “helping solve the previous crisis”… though it looks more like it’s to keep me quiet.
: Uh-huh.: What was your actual reason for coming back? What are you here for?: I might ask you the same thing.: …: Well, honestly, I wanted to see your face… though there are some other things I need to look into. : And this is your actual job, or are you moonlighting?: What do you mean? : That there are two Kaji Ryojis: one who works for NERV’s Special Inspection Bureau, and another who works for the Federation’s Intelligence Division.: … Oof. I’m busted, huh?: Don’t underestimate NERV.: Did Cmdr. Ikari order this?: No, it’s my own initiative. If you carry on with this other job, you’ll die.: The commander is using me. I’ll be around for a while longer. Still, I do apologize for keeping things from you.: …: That said, the commander and Ritsuko are also doing the same. And this… is what they’re hiding.*Kaji swipes an ID card, opening the door ahead.*
: Th-That’s… an EVA? No… it can’t be!: Yes, it can. The linchpin, and beginning, of everything that’s happened since the Second Impact… Adam. : Adam…! The First Angel is here…?!: Indeed… NERV isn’t to be underestimated; far more so than I thought.