Fafner Ep. 2: Life (Confession)

Kazuki lands and confronts the Festum. He wonders if that’s the enemy and it asks him if he’s there. Soushi tells him not to answer it, because if he does then it will read his mind. The Festum keeps asking and Fumihiko says if he answers, then mankind is doomed. The Festum shoots tentacles out of its fingers and entangles the Mark Elf. Kazuki tries to move but he finds he can’t move the way he wants to. The Festum lifts him up and Soushi says he has to become one with the Fafner and Kazuki manages to throw a punch, but the Festum dodges. The Festum grabs him and pulls him to the ground. Kouzou unlocks the weapons and is informed that only the rail gun can be used. Kouzou orders the rail gun to be sent to the catapult so it can be sent to Kazuki. Kouzou is told that they can’t control the trajectory for their current position, so he heads to the catapult. The Festum holds Kazuki to the ground and it’s head opens up. Kazuki doesn’t know what’s going on, but Soushi says it’s trying to assimilate him. Kazuki tries to grab the Festum, but the Fafner’s arm breaks apart. Kazuki screams and Soushi turns on the pain block and ejects the left arm. Crystals start forming on the Mark Elf as the Festum continues to assimilate him and Kazuki’s systems start failing. Kouzou surfaces the catapult and fires the rail gun to Kazuki, telling him he has to take it out in one shot. Kouzou fires a missile like capsule into the Festum, which in turn destroys the catapult, killing Kouzou. The rail gun pops out of the capsule and Kazuki grabs it. He shoves it into the Festum’s ‘mouth’ and he fires. The Festum turns black and Kazuki is ejected before the Festum is enveloped in a black orb. The Festum is confirmed destroyed and Kazuki is confirmed alive. Fumihiko orders his retrieval and asks for a damage report and comments that they were hit pretty bad. The civilians are let out of the shelters and wonder if it was really their island. Soushi relaxes in one of Alvis’s rec rooms and Yukie Kariya gives him a cup of coffee. She says that his father has been killed in action and asks how he feels about the way Fumihiko acted. Soushi says he believes it was the best choice at the time and Yukie asks him what he would do if he was the commander. Soushi says he has no interest in what if scenarios. Soushi asks what she’s going to do, but she turns to leave. When she’s gone Soushi throws the cup to the floor. Kazuki is examined in the medical room by Yumiko and her mother Chizuru. Yumiko asks what his condition is, and Chizuru answers with her silence. Chizuru says that they expected it to happen. Later, Chizuru sees Kazuki and tells him to get a good rest, Kazuki asks her how long Alvis has been there and she tells him to ask his father. Maya helps Shouko to her home where Kouyou and Youkou are waiting. Kouyou is relived that they’re ok. Shouko asks him how Kazuki is, and Kouyou says he’s ok and Shouko is relieved. Kouyou asks her if she’ll be able to go to school the next day and she says she will. Shouko goes into her house and Kouyou tells her to get a good rest. Kouyou then thanks Maya. Kenji goes home to find his mother Ayano working at a computer. Kenji wonders where she got them and she replies that they’re her’s. Mamoru Kodate wanders around the island, not sure where his house is. Kouyou looks through the window of his family’s restaurant and sees his parents drinking in celebration. Kouyou goes to the side of his house and opens a large box, happy to see that his dog Chocolat is safe. Sakura returns home to find her mother crying in the dark. She asks what’s wrong and Kiyomi tells her that her father is dead. Kazuki stumbles home and meets with Soushi. 

Soushi takes Kazuki to the shore and asks him how it felt to pilot the Fafner and he replies that it was nothing special. Soushi says he must have been surprised and Kazuki says he isn’t really. Soushi tells him Japan doesn’t exist anymore and Kazuki is shocked. Soushi says it was all destroyed 29 years ago. Soushi explains that they were spared because the island had been wiped off the map. He asks if it’s hard to believe that the island true nature was as a military fortress. Sirens sound as all the protective walls and armaments are retracted and the camouflage mirror is reapplied. Kazuki says he owes his life to Kouzou and Soushi says the Festums will be back. Soushi asks if Kazuki will fight with them. Fumihiko sees Chizuru and she says he wants to discuss Kazuki’s body with him. Yumiko arrives home only to be confronted by a furious Maya. Kazuki arrives home and Fumihiko is surprised to see him. Kazuki says he had to come back because without him, Fumihiko wouldn’t be able to make a decent meal. Fumihiko forcibly decides to cook and wanders around the kitchen. Soushi sleeps on a lounge chair and Yukie asks him why he doesn’t go home. He replies that he doesn’t have a home anymore. Yukie turns to leave and Soushi tells her that if he was in command, he would have done a better job. Kazuki looks at the food his father prepared and tries some rice. Fumihiko asks how it is, and Kazuki says he didn’t wash the rice. Later, Kazuki tells Fumihiko he’s going to bed as he works over his pottery wheel. Kazuki asks if he knew about the island and he tells Kazuki not to ask why they didn’t tell him. Kazuki tells him he’s already decided to fight. Fumihiko tells him to get some rest because he’ll start his training in the morning. Fumihiko looks through a photo album and recalls Chizuru telling him there was an abnormality in Kazuki’s consciousness while he was piloting and that there have been changes in his chromosomes. Fumihiko starts crying and apologizes to his wife, Akane. The next day, everyone attends a funeral service for those who died. Kenji, Mamoru and Kouyou wonder who piloted the Fafner, and Sakura asks if she could become a pilot. Mamoru says she could die, but Sakura says that Kazuki piloted it. Maya tells Shouko that Kazuki and Soushi have been going underground a lot and Shouko wants to go too. Maya asks her which one she wants to go with but Shouko doesn’t reply. Maya says that Kazuki putting a lot of effort into it. Inside Alvis, Kazuki is told to take off his clothes and walk through a corridor. He reluctantly does so and is decontaminated. Youko assures him that they aren’t looking and he asks if being connected to Fafner will hurt again. She tells him that it’ll be find if he wears the Synergetic Suit. He puts it on and wonder if it’s cosplay. He activates the Fafner again and flinches when he gets connected to it. He comments that it still hurts. In the command room Chizuru asks Fumihiko if he talked to Kazuki, but he doesn’t answer. The test of the Mark Elf’s systems begin.