Hawaii Base
Honestly!
How many times did I explain to them how dangerous the old Coupling Valiancers were?
This is the problem with pilots!
It just may be that I'm the Hina that you were talking about.
Come join us aboard the Cygnus!
Th-Thank you...
But...
There aren't any anomalies in their brainwaves.
I see. Thank goodness.
But Dio's Emphatier Waveform has diverged further.
What about his Emphatier Level?
Um...
No way! Up 15%?!
I thought it might be.
I calibrated the settings to make a Coupling impossible,
but they managed to surpass it and connect with each other.
Their bond is greater than anything I'd imagined.
Dio...
What's up?
Are you really from the past?
What?
Fly
and put a light into the sky of our future
Don't buckle under the weight of sadness
and sing forevermore
Unisonia
What does the world you see
look like?
I don't want to get used
to the pain of losing loved ones,
but the stars are so beautiful tonight
We are like two sides
of a rusted coin
lost on the streets
Persevere
Turn your love into what unites us
Let us put color into this world
To that end,
I sing my symphony
Let the future be as we desire it
We can change destiny
Cross time
Unisonia
Military Cemetary, Alaska
The Bond Between Them
Who the hell is he?
Who do you mean?
The man who was next to you when your father died.
Watase Aoba, the pilot of one of the Confederation's new Valiancers.
I'm asking you what your relationship is with him.
There's no real relationship!
Then why did you defend him?!
You met him on that island, too, didn't you?! Well?!
You!
It's not like that! I'm not a traitor!
The island was the first time I ever talked to him!
You really expect me to believe that?!
I...!
I'm not even my father's child.
What?
I was a war orphan, and the name "Hina" was the only thing I remembered.
Father said he took me in and raised me as his daughter.
He told me just before he died.
When I met him on the island, he... Watase Aoba...
...said that I came from the past.
The past?
Yes.
He said that the person who saved him in a world seventy years ago
and sent him to this world was me.
What kind of nonsense is that?
You're right. It's ridiculous, isn't it?
But...
We'd never met, and yet, he knew about me.
If my lack of childhood memories could also be explained
as shock due to traveling here from the past...
Cut the crap!
That's just some story he came up with to confuse you!
But he said that this belonged to me!
Get real!
Listen to me! No matter what you say,
it won't change the fact that you were with an enemy pilot!
If I were to report that,
I doubt even Commander Gallant would be forgiving then!
I'm the only one who can keep you safe!
Don't think about anything else! Just do what I say and lay low!
Got that?!
Fine.
Don't!
Alaska Base
The Estifit Parameter still isn't stabilizing.
Coupling fitness is D+.
Alas, it's too much for any of these pilots to handle.
Wilhelm Hahn Zogilian Science Academy Test Laboratory 2 Director
Except for her, that is.
Having results like these in her first synchronization test...
You are the angel
who holds the promise of a brilliant future for Zogilia and me,
Hina Ryazan.
You are telling me to pilot a Coupling Valiancer, sir?
Indeed.
You have the makings of a Coupler.
You want to avenge your father's death, don't you?
With my Valiancer, which will far surpass the performance
of any Coupling Valiancer that has come before it, that will be possible.
Even the Confederation folk who drove your father to his death
should be easy pickings for you.
You're you, right?
Please give me time to think about it.
Wha...
Of course. Take your time and think it over.
What is that?
Your brainwaves are in disarray after the test
and this accelerating agent will help restore them.
Come, give me your arm.
Yes, sir.
You saw Aoba's memories?
Yes.
Just before the Decoupling happened with the Skyknight,
his whole life flashed before my eyes.
I can only believe that they were Aoba's memories.
Is that even possible?
With the prototype Coupling Valiancers,
the connection between the Couplers is stronger.
Sometimes, they end up sharing
not only their thoughts, but their memories and consciousness as well.
Then, what I saw was...
My memories, probably.
Due to the strong mental connection that the prototypes forge,
the effect of the Coupling is greater than what we use now.
Isn't that a good thing?
If we could control it, yes.
Strengthening the mental bonds
blurs the boundary between the self and others.
If one were to continue conducting Couplings in such a state,
in time, it would become difficult to maintain one's sense of self,
putting a great strain on the mind.
At worst, it can lead to death.
This time, it was because your Emphatier Level was so high
that you only suffered the sharing of memories.
You should count yourselves lucky!
Yes, ma'am.
By the way, Dio,
about these memories of Aoba's that you said you saw...
What was in them?
It's hard to believe, but...
I saw scenes that matched the things Aoba said
when he first arrived aboard the Luxon.
It may be true that he came from the past.
Dio...
That's just...
Surely not...
It sounds too good to be true.
Captain! Do you actually believe him?
Hmm, I can't really say.
But either way, it doesn't change anything, does it?
Th-That's right!
No matter what happened, Aoba is still Aoba!
He is the Man From the Past, just as he's always been!
Mayuka...
Isn't that right, Elvira?
That's true, but...
It is true! It changes nothing!
Just how was it that you came to the future, Aoba?
It was all Hina's doing...
That Zogilian pilot again?
Why do you suppose the enemy would save you
and send you to the future?
That's easy for you to ask, but...
What about you, Dio?
I couldn't say why. However...
You're going to the future now.
...trust me.
There is no doubt that Yumihara Hina holds the key to it all.
As of 1300 today,
Hina Ryazan has been transferred to Bureau 5 of the Adminburo.
That's ridiculous! Hina's...
Are you sure this is not some mistake?
Doctor Hahn,
Ensign Ryazan has submitted a request for a leave of absence.
That is sure to be some mistake.
She volunteered herself to become a Coupler.
Volunteered?
Yes.
That must be how badly she wishes to avenge her father.
A touching story, don't you think?
Furthermore, from here on out,
the military, including you,
has no right to interfere in her affairs.
Please do not forget that.
What the hell are you thinking, Hina?!
I am avenging my father's death.
I told you to lay low!
If you wanted, I'd do anything...
Hina?
Slava Zogilia.
Do you know, Bizon Gerafil?
Doctor Hahn.
Ordinarily, Couplers need to spend a long time
becoming synchronized with the System and with their Buddies.
Luckily, in her case, she is almost perfectly synced with the System,
but she has no Buddy, you see.
Then it's simple.
I'll become her Buddy.
Unfortunately, your Emphatier Waveform
is not a good match for either the System or her.
What?!
Having said that, it isn't as if there's anyone else suitable.
Want to give it a go?
Synchronizing in a short amount of time will be a little rough, though.
Like I care!
If it means I can be there for Hina, I'll brave even the fires of Hell!
I like that attitude.
Just wait, Hina!
For you, I'll... I'll...!
The Cygnus will join the Confederation's Pacific Fleet
to capture a Zogilian military stronghold.
We only made port in Hawaii a short while ago
and I am fully aware that none of us have gotten enough rest.
However, this upcoming battle is a crucial one
with the potential to turn the tide of this war.
I expect you to fight with everything you've got.
Liberty Treaty Confederation Pacific Fleet
Having said that, it's still sudden.
Now that the Luxon and the Bradyon have been taken,
there is a need to rush this operation.
Well, sure.
Once they train up some Couplers,
we'll be stuck warring against Coupling Valiancers.
If we're going to strike, the sooner the better.
But still...
Yes.
Up until now, the brass was reluctant to acknowledge the capabilities of Coupling Valiancers.
But the moment the enemy has some, they're shaking in their boots.
I have mixed feelings about that.
Captain, Rear Admiral Green is on the line.
I feel bad about sending you to fight on such short notice, Kuramitsu.
Not at all.
How are things going with those new Coupling Valiancers?
Not to worry.
The transport ship has already left the mainland.
You'll be able to rendezvous with it at the scheduled location.
The problem is that rendezvous point.
It's right in the middle of a battlefield.
It's too risky...
I've heard the Cygnus's Couplers are excellent.
I expect good results.
What's up with that? Talk about irresponsible!
They're not about to leave the valuable Couplers idle, huh?
I can appreciate the sentiment, but...
I'm fine with that.
As long as there's a Valiancer for me to pilot, I'll go out there.
Actually, where are we even going?
Hmm? Alaska.
Alaska?
Yup.
Captain!
What does it matter?
We were going to tell them about this anyway.
What is that?
It's a gigantic NECTTAR Cannon 420 meters long.
We call it the Gorgon.
Zogilia was constructing it in secret,
but no one can hide something this big for long.
The Confederation knew they were constructing it.
The thing is, we thought it'd be a while longer before it was completed, but...
This morning, the cannon started powering up.
Does that mean it's complete?
Probably.
I hear all hell broke loose at the General Staff Office thanks to that.
Its estimated firepower is around fifty megatons.
More than enough to wipe out an entire city.
What...
Holy shit...
We're heading out to Zogilia's Alaska base to destroy Gorgon.
Let's see...
Fiona got in touch with me.
Oh, what'd she say?
She asked me to give you her best.
I see. Is she doing well?
Yeah, it seems she heard through our father that a large-scale operation was in the works.
The Confederation's information is as secure as ever.
Hmm. I wonder if she's getting along with your old man.
Looks like you've found your resolve.
What?
Yeah, I'll protect the Cygnus.
What will you do if Hina shows up?
I doubt I'll be able to fight her.
That time...
I'm fine with either.
Th-Thank you...
But...
Hina!
Back then...
If I'd pulled Hina to me, even by force...
Are you saying you could've saved her?
Oh, it's nothing like that.
It's just that I couldn't watch her struggle alone.
Do you realize just how dangerous your actions were?
Yeah, I know.
But even then, I...
Well, try doing things the way you want.
What?
Knowing you, you're not going to listen anyway.
Besides...
Dio is waiting.
Dio?
Here's the thing.
Just as you care about Hina, there are things I have to protect, too.
If I have to choose, I'll choose them over Hina, got it?
Yeah, I understand.
Thanks, Dio.
Looks like I've caught your stupidity.
Enemy units detected!
Twenty heavy combat ships. Forty assault ships.
They're heading straight for us!
Those incompetent Intelligence Division bastards!
I thought they were heading to take back Chitose!
Thanks to that, there's just a skeleton crew here!
Vice Admiral Kagan 3rd Alaskan Unit Commander, Siberian Front
Vice Admiral Kagan.
What brings you here, Madam Special Officer O'Keefe?
I have no time to be cleaning up the Adminburo's messes right now.
There is something I wish to show you.
Take a look at this.
A plan for an operation?
What?! What kind of idiotic plan is this?!
Then, do you mean to say you have a better strategy in mind,
Base Commander?
Vajra Heavy Attack Cruiser Aeroship
I made him agree to the operation, just as you told me to,
Commander Gallant.
I'm glad to hear it.
We're at an overwhelming disadvantage in this defensive battle
and if we emerge victorious, being credited with proposing this operation
should allow you to regain your status within the Adminburo.
I won't thank you.
That's fine with me.
I merely used you in order to give myself an advantage in my own battle,
nothing more.
Well, then.
Hina!
Bizon.
Surprised? I don't blame you.
But this is all part of being your Buddy.
I am going to avenge my father.
That's right.
Let's avenge Lieutenant Commander Ryazan's death, the two of us.
Slava Zogilia.
Hina.
Come, let's go!
We'll kill Watase Aoba together!
Yes.
That's right. That's right!
Super Long Range Heavy Tactical Fixed Artillery Gun Gala Puska
Aw, man. We only have three operational Valiancers
and yet, here we are being sent into battle.
That's why we're holding up the rear, remember?
Once Dio and Aoba's Valiancers arrive,
we'll be ordered to the front line, I'm sure.
Sure is lame as hell!
They suddenly change their tune the moment they realize Coupling Valiancers are useful.
Message from the transport ship.
They expect to arrive on schedule.
Roger.
High energy reading coming from enemy base!
Energy within Gorgon is rapidly increasing!
So they've decided to fire off at least one round before we get them?!
Keep it together!
It'll take them at least half a day to supply it with enough energy
to reach our territory.
XO!
What is it?
The Gorgon is...
...moving!
They're targeting the fleet?!
That's ridiculous!
Because, I mean, between us and that cannon...
...is a mountain!
Entry of firing data complete.
Nectoribium at critical threshold.
There's no turning back now.
Yes.
Fire the Gala Puska!
Here it comes!
Evasive action!
51% of enemy fleet has been immobilized or destroyed!
We did it... We did it!
Commander,
The Valiancer Team is mobilizing to mop up surviving enemy units.
All right. Permission granted!
Orders from flagship to continue with the operation!
Ships in the vanguard are to take up their designated operational roles.
U-Understood.
Fleed under 3rd Alaskan Unit Siberian Front
Don't worry about ships already sinking.
Same with any ships that flee.
Roger!
Here they come.
Spread out and intercept.
You two there, you're too far forward.
You'll be surrounded.
Commander, it's me.
Is that you, Bizon?
That thing you're in...
It's a bit late to report this to you,
but I've been transferred to the Adminburo as well.
We'll be acting at our own discretion here.
Which means that Valiancer is Hina?
Bizon... Hina...
How long do you plan to keep us waiting?!
We're checking on the battle situation right now.
Please wait just a little longer!
Everyone's going to get shot down while you're doing that!
Are our Valiancers all right?!
They should have been outside the line of fire,
but we haven't been able to find the ship in this chaos.
No...
I'll contact you as soon as we have confirmation.
Stand by until then.
Our hearts call to each other from afar
I've forgotten the end of pain,
but still I know you,
and I look for you
My soul kissed the remnants of a powerful light
deep within itself
If doubt paves the way for a tomorrow full of hope,
then all my hesitation is sure to lead me to a wonderful dawn
I want to protect and shelter
our dream of peace
Please hold out your hand
to grasp the love
that we are sure to find
Next time on Buddy Complex:
Next Time: Acception
"Acception"