Part 98: Mission 28 (Rand) - Spiritual Cosplayer - Part 2
By the power of Fudou’s metaphors, two of our powerhouses have awesome new attacks (albeit EN-heavy ones)!We’re not out of the woods yet because, as you saw, Gyukenki recovered all his health and, at that distance, our troops couldn’t reach them in time to get the skill point (I don’t even know if you’re allowed to attack Gyukenki…).
Since you can switch Getter around now, give at least Hayato some use for a turn because Ryouma will quickly run out of gas if you spam Shine Spark/Getter Beam but you can, at least, get a free Getter Change Attack from Hayato.
I’ll do that next turn – for now, let’s keep Ryouma up front and use his Change Attack.
: Come on, Gyukenki! You’ll get no mercy from me if you won’t let go of the demons' way of life!
: That’s exactly what I want! You’ll now see the true essence of a demon’s battle!
: I’ll crush that right before you and show the difference between the struggles of a demon, with nothing to protect, and a human’s!
Don’t forget to cast Analyze to make things slightly easier.
Back down, Talho quickly takes out a Cherubim while Gainer and co. wreak havoc on a Xibalba.
Also, that’s a very nice cluster of Fallen Angels.
Some cheap damage all around.
I wonder, does Sara have a cutin like Jamil did?
Nope…
Both Jiron and Eureka get beefier targets to whittle down.
Time for Gain to do his thing.
That was 6385 damage, mind. And Gain only has one upgrade in power.
Rand is dealing with this one Cherubim before going for the faux Aquarions.
Meanwhile, while they’re far away, Apollo extends the welcome mat.
: Let’s do this, Sirius, Silvia! Time to blow these copycats away!
: You needn’t tell us that!
: He’s right! There’s no point in you mimicking Ryou and trying to be a leader!
: Back with the attitude, eh? Yeah, that’s how it's gotta be with us!
: Is this really all right?
: Who knows...
And there goes 16k HP.
Marin and
Enemy Phase!
As Ryouma and Gyukenki keep at it, Rand leaves his Cherubim near death and Gain blasts a Graave.
Mirror Mars guns for Kei.
Good man.
Player Phase!
Mirror Luna didn’t care to attack anything so Apollo saunters over and politely dishes out around 20k worth of damage in an Infinity Cross/Solar Fist combo.
Kei and his girls hit Mirror Mars with 10k worth of pain.
Do your thing, Rand.
Marin and Gain put two other Cherubims near death.
Here’s the DX’s TRI attack.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A14KGOZar9Y
116 HP? Come on…
Elchi and Gainer start cutting through the opposition.
She also learns Commander L2 for her troubles.
As for Eureka, she’ll finish Rand’s previous target.
Boosh!
No mooks left, so let’s switch Hayato over and have him take a jab at Gyukenki.
: Let’s go, Champion of the Skies! Your old eyes won’t be able to keep up with Liger’s speed!: Amateur! My experience more than makes up for that!
: And today I will put an end to these long years of battle!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_pR0yRzucM
Oooh, we get to see both Hayato’s Change Attack and Mach Special triggering.
Also, that was a very nice crit – we’re pretty much set for the Skill Point with that.
Enemy Phase!
Gyukenki and Getter trade blows once again and Apollo puts a definitive end to his copy.
Player Phase!
Time to take the last one out!
Accept no substitutes.
Now it’s Benkei’s turn.
: Rookie, you’re the weak spot of the Getter Team!
: Yeah, yeah. Go ahead and joke about “Benkei's shins” if ya want! I still have courage and guts on my side!
: Let’s do this, gramps! I’ll take on your “demon’s battle” with my human spirit!
One more attack’ll do it.
By the by, Benkei’s quip about “Benkei’s shins” refers to 弁慶の泣き所 which, literally, means “the strong man (Benkei)’s weak spot”. This comes from the story of Benkei Musashibo, a warrior monk of incredible strength who, despite it all, would feel acute pain when hit in his very sensitive shins.
The Japanese equivalent to our “Achilles’ Heel”.
Enemy Phase!
Here we go.
Had you cared to actually bring Tekkouki all the way up there, he does have a line against the guy:
: Don’t get it the way of my battle, Tekkouki!
: I can’t do that, Lord Gyukenki. I’ll be the one who’ll defeat the Getter!: They can’t be destroyed before that day arrives!: Hmph… Indeed, you are one of us. However, I will cut you down if you’ll be a nuisance! Anyone who opposes a demon will find only death!
Gyukenki accepts his defeat, happy to, at least, go to where his son is.
Crying out glory to the Hundred Demon Empire, his mech explodes and Hayato somberly says that the guy upheld the demon’s way of life until the very end. In the end, like Ryouma said, it was that very lifestyle that led to his death and so long as they insist on following that path, seeking only to spill the blood of others, the Getter Team will continue to fight them.
Captain confirms all enemies shot down but Ryouma isn’t all that happy with this victory.
He asks Tekkouki if there really was no other way but to kill Gyukenki and, indeed, there wasn’t. He fought as a warrior of the Empire and, as Ryouma said, both he and his son died because of life they chose.
In the end, Mel sees that Gyukenki and son as just more victims of the Empire itself but Rand figures it’s not something we can judge that easily – we’re humans, they’re demons. Gain adds that the guy wasn’t just unwilling to change his ways, he went as far as sacrificing his life for his cause.
Jiron saw no other option, all things considered, and adds that when two sides refuse to accept each other, fighting is inevitable. ust like humans and Fallen Angels, Apollo figures, but Jamil adds that the same applies between fellow humans, not just different species.
Marin ponders this inevitable battle between people who can’t live with each other and wonders if the earthlings and S-1-ians are fated to go down this path.
That said, Ryouma wants to believe that there are demons with a heart, just like Gyukenki had a heart that loved his family. If there are demons like that, perhaps there’s a way for them all to understand each other.
Holland agrees with his wish and Rand finds it odd, having expected him to say that Ryouma’s ideals were stupid or something (Holland just tells him to zip it).
In any case, Ryouma's rededicating himself to protecting the world, wanting to meet more of its residents as part of ZEUTH. Benkei’s quite impressed with their leader and Hayato’s surprised that Ryouma saw what the two of them wanted to do before they even said it.
That wasn’t too difficult for him: after all, Ryouma’s not all that different from them - he loves busty girls too - and Hayato admits that he’s damn right about that.
I believe this is a call-back to the very first episode of the original Getter Robo – this was Hayato’s reason for sticking around.
Back in Atlandia, Otoha sees that the power of the Wings of the Sun grows by the day but Touma isn’t impressed: that level of Mythbeast wouldn't even have required half of the Wings' original power.
Regardless, Otoha thinks they'd better hurry as, sooner or later, that Gate will open and flood this world with more life than it can support. When that happens, the resulting storm might not just break the chains of fate but also destroy this entire eternal prison and they along with it.
Touma agrees and calls Otoha to pay a visit to their reincarnated brethren.
Reminder: as they said in mission 26, when Touma says “Gate” he means the Kute-Class Coralian – keep this in mind as it’s important.
Add Eureka 7 to the pile of series that the Angels enjoy being cryptic about…
Back at the demons’ HQ, Brai receives the news of Gyukenki’s demise and Hidler’s quick to express his disappointment at how far the “champion of the skies” had fallen.
That said, Gyukenki was useful in that it allowed them to gather data on the Fallen Angels during that battle. Brai is pleased but tells Hidler to keep observing our people; he confirms and promises, when the chance presents itself, to crush the ZEUTH and snag all those super-energy sources they protect.
Brai says Hidler might have his chance, considering his spies across the world say that it looks like something BIG is going to happen between the humans soon – when it all goes down, they’ll strike amidst the chaos.
Gura calls Brai over, saying he’s made an interesting discovery concerning the Fallen Angels: he’s found traces of the Fallen Angels activities in one of the worlds that was joined into this multi-dimensional one and, from that, he discovered that, in the distant past, the humans of that world battled against the angels.
: We already knew that, so why is this interesting?
: Please look at this. It’s a scripture found within some ancient ruins of that world, illustrating the battles of that time.
: Are those--?!
: What is this…?! Aren’t those ZEUTH’s units?!: I’m not privy to the details but this happened 12000 years ago. This scripture documents that dark era…the Black History.: The Black History...: Apparently, at the end of that era, the Fallen Angels were imprisoned beyond the dimensional walls.: I believe an event involving dimensional power happened at that moment.: Their units existed 12000 years ago…: They’ve transcended time to once again do battle in this era… That is interesting. : Gura, study this Black History around the clock. It may provide us with the key for that dimensional power.: Hail Brai...!: That said, the army depicted in this other image... Giants, like enormous judges, burning everything to nothingness…: The man that uses one of these giants...didn’t Dokuganki contact him before?Bless your heart, Gura. In one conversation, you’ve given us more information than all the times the Fallen Angels and/or Schwarzwald have opened their mouths.
Back to our group, Fudou is taking off as he came over just to check on the kids; Apollo wonders if it wasn’t just to deliver one of his speeches but, regardless, Fudou is leaving Rena with us (as per her wishes).
Silvia asks if it’s because of her foresight showing something and, while Rena isn’t sure, she says she’s being drawn here by visions of the butterfly’s wings and a darkened history. That “butterfly” bit catches Tifa’s attention and Garrod asks if she’s getting something but she’s not sure either.
Rena comes over right then and introduces herself to both Tifa and Eureka, leaving Renton to wonder if Rena knows her. “The wings of the butterfly, the dark history…and the bequeathed hope…” Rena ponders.
Before Fudou can leave, however, Elchi steps up to him and says that we’re a bit short of funds so, maybe, DEAVA could throw something our way? Jiron says we’re mighty embarrassed to ask but we’re wrapped up in a lot of trouble, so it’s not possible to sit down and get some jobs and DEAVA’s Elements are also with us…
Fudou quickly says he’s broke, surprising Gainer at how matter-of-factly he reveals that, but, in exchange, Fudou will leave us with food for thought: “What exists in-between two clasped hands?”
He wants Apollo and the others to ponder the meaning of those words.
Fudou also tells Ryouma that what he felt today will guide him and, to Marin, he says to break down his own barriers. As Apollo, Ryouma and Marin stand flabbergasted, Fudou proclaims that we’ll meet again and vanishes.
I’ve come to the conclusion that, no matter what happens in Setsuko’s route, I’m still going to think Rand’s route is the best simply because Fudou is here.
Fudou’s question has even Jamil scratching his head and Mimsy has a feeling that the guy was just trying to confuse us. Regardless, our financial situation is worsening and it’ll mean trouble for our resources if this keeps up.
Goove asks if they can’t do something with the proceeds from the Gekkostates magazine sales but, Jamil says, since it IS an underground publication, they can’t expect to make huge bucks from that. Mimsy’s a bit surprised at the Gekkostate lack of economic sense to keep publishing something like that but, apparently, Holland has some purpose for it.
Seeing how we don’t have many other options, Shaia suggests we head to Emaan to resupply – her family should lend them a hand and Mimsy notes that they’re not far from the country’s territory.
Jamil accepts her offer and asks them to transmit the route to everyone else.
As Papty closes the transmission, Shaia hopes their acting didn’t seem unnatural to avoid raising suspicion but, regardless, Mimsy’s glad that they’ll be able to head back home.
Despite the Chiram’s offensive, they’re at last managing to bring the Singularity back to Emaan. That said, Shaia wonders if everything will be alright if they get there without explaining the situation to Kei.
Goove figures there’s nothing they can do as, if they told him everything, he might want to run off to the Chiram. Shaia figures they must hurry as we’ll almost certainly run into the Chiram as we head to Emaan.
Mimsy doesn’t like keeping Kei in the dark but, inwardly, she tells him there’s no other way: he’s the Singularity and, as such, the key to repairing space-time…
Did you buy the Nattō on mission 23? Then, the next step of that secret is in the Bazaar.
Chil’s getting increasingly annoyed at Apollo keeping that smelly Nattō around and Jiron has to wonder how it hasn’t rotten yet.
Apollo says this batch was a present from Fudou and Elchi isn’t amused that the a guy, who just told us is broke, could still bring stuff like that along for the trip. That said, Benkei is feeling a bit homesick and asks Apollo for a bit of the beans – problem is, they’ve no rice to cook it with and that’s no good.
Michiru suggests him cooking some nattō spaghetti but Hayato quips she’s the only one who’d find that tasty. In that case, Jiron suggests going to the market and trading it for something else.
This is Apollo’s nattō, though, and he’s only going to trade it for something HE likes.
Secret Alert! - Rand’s Secret #2 – 4th Step: Purchase the BIG Lizard Jerky (大トカゲのくんせい)
Of course…
Silvia’s scream precedes the Aquarion girls asking what the hell is up with that huge, smoked lizard. Jiron stands with Apollo in that it was a good buy – there’s enough meat here for 30 people!
He’s already getting ready to take a bite and Apollo complains that it’s his food but Jiron reminds him that, when they first met, he ate a good 5 portions of meat. Ergo, Chil says that he’s gotta share this one with us and, watching everyone around him, Apollo can’t help but be reminded of his old friends.
He agrees to share but the Aquarion girls
Elchi is also eager to dig in and Tsugumi can’t help but be amazed at how tough she is.