RahXephon Movement 8: The Holy Freezing Night/The Dreaming Stone

Johji is impressed by the RahXephon and says it looks like an idol in a shrine. He says even a god gets hurt sometimes and Itsuki says the pillar of water will heal its wounds. Itsuki inspects the remains of Forzando and finds a crystal. The TERRA crew relax on the beach and Megumi asks Ayato what he’s always drawing. She says she’ll model for him but he declines. Megumi notices the symbol on his stomach and Ayato says he’s had it since he was little. Kim asks Haruka why she’s working and she says she’s goofing off with the rest of them, but Ayato says otherwise. Sayoko drops Itsuki off and he invites everyone to a Christmas party at his house. After some persuading, Haruka agrees to go and Itsuki leaves. Ayato says he must think’s he’s Santa and Kim comments that Santa’s reindeer, Sayoko, is about to go postal. She takes Itsuki home and he gives her an early Christmas present, the stone he removed from Forzando. He puts it around her neck and it suddenly starts snowing. The beach goers are surprised and Megumi says it’s her first time seeing snow. Later, in TERRA, Kim says it’s the first time it’s ever snowed but Megumi doesn’t think it’ll last. Johji meets Makoto at a bar and Makoto talks about how Christmas started. Johji tells of how his grandpa gave him his favorite knife before going off to sea and never returning. Johji wonders if his grandpa knew he was going to die and asks for Makoto’s take. Haruka returns from a jog and Ayato asks why she goes at it so hard. Haruka sees Ayato wearing a weird robe that Quon gave him, and he says he doesn’t have any winter clothes. Haruka runs off and comes back with a pair of gloves for him. Shirow wonders if the shifts will be alright for Christmas, and comments on Itsuki’s party. Jin says it has nothing to do with him. Kim and Megumi walk down the street and comments on how it will be a real white Christmas. Megumi slips and falls and Kim says her heels are a bit too high. Megumi says it’s not fair because Haruka was taller than her when she was her age. Kim remember Haruka asking her to take Megumi under her wing and she asks if she’s gotten anything for Haruka yet. She says she won’t get one for her and Kim says she didn’t know it was like that. They get a bite to eat and Megumi says she doesn’t hate her sister, but everyone thinks she’s perfect when she’s not. She says he’s immature and still has feelings for the boy she liked many years ago and keeps a present she couldn’t give him. Kim tires to say something about Ayato, but Megumi sees Souichi and runs after him. She gives him a neck tie as a present and he says he’s wanted one just like it. Megumi asks about Itsuki’s party and Souichi says he’ll see her there. He leaves and Megumi says he likes Haruka better than her, but Kim says that’s not true and that Megumi is like Haruka even if she can’t see it. Jin says that the piece from Forzando hasn’t dissolved, so it must be alive somewhere. Itsuki thinks it’s interesting but Haruka says their priority is to destroy it. Sayoko tells Haruka she handles everything easily. She replies that when you’re interested in some one at work, you go the extra mile. Sayoko asks if it was recent and Haruka says it was from a long time ago. Sayoko asks if she knows him, and Haruka notices her necklace. She asks who it’s from but Sayoko pulls away. Ayato is scanned, and Shirow wonders if he’s cold. Ayato asks where Quon is, and Itsuki says she dislikes the cold. Haruka leaves when she’s paged and Sayoko’s crystal starts growing.

Itsuki finds Sayoko and she says it’s his fault. Itsuki realizes it’s the crystal and the window shatters. Sayoko says her father and brother won’t forgive her and she jumps out. She stands on the water, which freezes over. TERRA command switches to emergency power and Sayoko floats across the ice. She’s engulfed by it and becomes the dolem Sforzando. Haruka says it has the same pattern as the last one and is probably responsible for the cold weather. Jin tells Ayato to launch and he does so. Ayato sees Sayoko in Sforzando’s head and puts up his shield before being hit by an ice beam. Megumi tells him to fight back, but he says he won’t because he risks hurting Sayoko. Jin tells him to destroy the dolem and that one human life isn’t an issue. He says saving single lives is not TERRA’s business, but he suggests if Ayato wants to save her, he has to pull a miracle. The RahXephon takes a direct hit and goes silent. Itsuki and Shirow watch on and Shiro wonders if Ayato will be alright. Itsuki says he should be fine because he was the one chosen. Ayato is freezing in his cockpit, but Reika appears and gives him Haruka’s gloves. He’s says the cold is gone and the RahXephon reactivates, giving off high energy. Ayato says he’ll show Jin a miracle and cuts into Sforzando with an energy blade. Sayoko sees a vision of her father and brother and is eject from the dolem. Quon walks out of her room and comments on how the light is from the Ollin’s soul. Sforzando is destroyed and the blizzard dispels. Shirow says it’s gotten hot and that the RahXephon is like the sun itself. Ayato looks at Sayoko, who continually apologizes. At Itsuki’s party, Sayoko says she has no memory and apologizes for loosing the crystal Itsuki gave her. He says it’s fine and goes to get drinks. Ayato asks Quon why she didn’t go to her check up and she says she doesn’t like the cold, but that Ollin is warm. Haruka watches them and Itsuki asks if she’s jealous, because he might be. Ayato walks over to Haruka and she thanks him for the good job. Megumi walks over to Souichi and Kim and wishes them a merry Christmas. Megumi sees Ayato returning Haruka’s gloves and says they’re the same gloves Haruka kept hanging onto.