Fafner: Exodus Ep. 8: Dreaming of Peace

Kazuki attacks Walker, but the core tells him to stop and Walker disappears. The core explains that it was just a shadow and the real enemy is elsewhere. Fumihiko suggests they counterattack once they locate it but the core tells him to focus on sending Kazuki and Soushi out. She adds they should also learn to understand their new powers. The core then leaves to see Chizuru to learn how long she has to live. The other operators insist Mai take a break while Kenji checks on Rina and Seri. Rina gets embarrassed when Kenji gets too close but Sakura arrives to take him to his own exams. Sui only now gets nervous and Reo is upset he lost in a sword fight. Rina comes to see them and Sui starts crying. Sui admits he’s afraid to die even though he knows it’s natural for people to do so in combat. Rina hits him and scolds him for thinking it’s a given they’ll die. She says they’ll all protect each other. Mai works at her family’s restaurant but Saki and Mitsugu tell her to rest. She says she can’t and starts crying because she couldn’t do anything when the pilots were in trouble. Saki comforts her and Mai says she’s worried about Hiroto. Mitsugu assures her if something had happened Kyosuke would have contacted them. Kenji joins Kazuki and Soushi after his check up. Kenji compliments Soushi for being able to handle the Siegfried system and Soushi tells him not to shoulder everything himself. Kenji says he’s prepared a month’s worth of assimilation suppressants for them. He adds that he believes in them and that they need to come back no matter what. The core learns she’ll live longer than Tsubaki. Chizuru says there is a method to prolong her life but the core says they shouldn’t because the Mir still needs to learn more. Tamotsu tells Ikumi that Solomon had displayed a pattern similar to human thought. Ikumi doesn’t think Saya’s personality has revived and wonders if it was a resonance between the core and the Mir. Yoko reports that they can only afford to send Marks Sein and Nicht by themselves using special carrier thrusters. Tamotsu says it’ll be even safer if the Fafners assimilate the thrusters. Chizuru adds that the pilots are in no serious risk of being assimilated and Fumihiko approves the plan. Seri looks at the empty core chamber and Soushi asks what she’s doing there. She says it’s a habit of hers to go after a battle and Soushi says it’s the same for him. Seri says she thought the new core would teach her a different path from destroying the enemy and Soushi says it was the same for the core. He says they talk of using lives for hope’s sake and they’re no different from Tsubaki. Seri says he’s right and thinks it makes sense the core is a bit cold to them since there was a battle right after she was born. Soushi asks Seri if she wants something for her birthday, which is tomorrow, and it causes her to laugh. He says he was just being thoughtful but she says he’ll give people the wrong idea. She says she just wants everyone to come back safely. Soushi asks if Seri has come up with a name for the core and she says only one comes to mind. Kazuki does some pottery and tells his father he doesn’t intend to die. Fumihiko says he’ll teach Kazuki a better way to handle clay when he gets back. Fumihiko takes over at the wheel and says he wants the house to be where Kazuki can return to. Seri gets ready for bed but finds the core already asleep in it. Seri joins her but is promptly kicked out.

The next day Soushi meets with the core. She tells him to accept his fate to be a bridge between humans and Festum. He says that even though he experienced the Festum world he doesn’t fully understand it and that his body is too unique to be useful for research. She hugs him and says that she probably won’t see the future he makes but thinks he can believe in it. Soushi says he’ll believe in the will of the core. She asks if it’d be weird to call him brother but he says she’s technically his niece. The core wanted to send Soushi off after receiving her name but Soushi already knows it and assures her she’ll like it. He says that during Tsubaki’s time he could only leave everything to her but this time they’ll see the future together. The core heads to the command center where Seri is waiting for her. Seri gives her the name of Orihime since she was born on Tanabata. Kazuki and Soushi board their units and the assimilation of the thrusters begin. Kazuki says he’ll sleep for the trip and Soushi reminds him they might land in the middle of the enemy. Kazuki says it’ll be no different if he’s awake so Soushi tells him to go ahead and dream. Kazuki hopes he has a dream about a peaceful time, though he’s unsure if they ever really had piece. Soushi assures him peace is no dream and that’s why they’re heading out. The thrusters are launched successfully. Maya tells Akira to get some sleep but he says he can’t given the situation. Hiroto brings food and Kyosuke says they’re stuck there for awhile. Maya thinks some one called the enemy there. Roadrunner breaks the trunk of Ashoka and Maya tells the others to get in their Fafners while Kyosuke should get ready for takeoff. Ashoka falls and Roadrunner goes for Ashoka’s base where Emery and the other Esperanto are. Emery tells Miwa to live as a Festum bursts in.