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Episode 2 - Adult Festival
Using a gigantic (and terribly outdated) telescope and an old camera, two men take pictures of the moon, and a third calls the emperor’s adviser (Ralf grey). On the other end, Grey picks up, and tells his colonel that some 'uninvited guests are finally here', and that the parade should hurry up.
On the fields, Soshie lands an airplane, and her friend comes running over to compliment the fact that she can fly alone. Loran then lands right afterwards, and the two girls comment on how Loran has a very good sense when it comes to machines.
As they change out of their piloting uniforms, Soshie asks her friend if the parade has to be held one day before the summer solstice - and therefore on the day of the Adult festival. We can therefore gather that between the first episode and now, there has been a lapse of one year and a few days. As Loran and Shoshie walk by the plane mechanics, the mechanic seems happy to announce that his planes will be used to attack the invaders (whom they believe are coming by sea) from the sky and be 'shocked and pale faced'.
That night, Loran sits on the top of a hill with his bicycle and watches the sun rising, standing up and rejoicing, saying that tonight is his adult festival. Riding home as fast as he can, Loran falls twice, and soon enough sheshika is attacking his wounds with what one can only assume is alcohol, as Loran complains that it hurts.
As Loran drives himself and Soshie into town, they pass the militia's machinery preparing for the parade. Loran peeks a glance over at the Mass of troops and trucks, nearly causing a head on collision with another truck on the road.
Finally in the City, Soshie's parents (the Heim family) make a big deal of Soshie's dress for the evening, and Loran, bringing their bags into the room, stops and thinks about how Kihel is becoming 'more and more like her majesty Dianna'. The two sisters begin talking of life, and what they wish to do, and Kihel reveals that she does not want to continue schooling at a university, but rather work within society, at the castle's administration, but the conversation is cut short as Soshie scolds them for arguing when the Parade is about to start.
As the parade begins, Two zeppelin's flying side by side carry a banner reading 'Hurrahs for our militia', and a mass of trucks, troops, artillery, and searchlights parade through the streets of the town, between the masses of people lined up to watch to procession. As the troops pass, a militia man salutes, and states that all should salute to the English leader, Sir Ralf. We then see the three friends, Loran, Keith, and Fran on top of a building watching the processions. As planes soar above them, Keith asks why they look upwards, but never downwards, and Loran says that it is because the do not want to leave the ground. Fran asks what each person wants to do when they return, and Loran says that he does not want to live as a returned one. Keith says that he wants to be learned in making bread; Fran says she wants to be the leader of a newspaper, and Loran then happily says that after today, he will be a member of Issan town.
As the three talk of the future and how Diana has never slept on the earth, they are interrupted by the firing of fireworks, and we see a party happening in a secluded park in Town. As Loran enters the scene, looking for Mr Heim, Ralf Grey finds him first, asking him if he would like to work in Castle Bostonia. When Loran says that Norse City is too developed for him, Ralf says that in that case, he wants him to work for a man named Shido, a miner, because now the also need the help of a technician. Kihel interrupts and asks if she may help out working, instead of having to go to college, for, as she puts it, she would not like to go and learn some useless theories, when she can work in society and learn practical teachings. Ralf seems to agree, but has no time to answer her, as Mr. Heim shows up and takes his daughters off to prepare for the festival that evening.
Ralf Grey then shakes Loran's hand, and tells him to please consider working for Shido. As Loran leaves, Kihel asks him why he always calls Loran 'Lora', to which he responds 'which level? He is better called Lora.'
Back in the room, Heim explains to Loran (now dressed up and looking quite like an Indian), that the most important thing is the Holy Carving Ceremony, where there are six spots made on the back, and points them out. When Loran asks why, Heim states that because on the body of the whitedoll, there are those marks.
Once again, we are at the scene of the Adult festival procession, and now Soshie is on the large wooden statue, and on her orders, the boys pick up the wooden statue and begin to scale the mountain. At the Ballroom in the castle, Kihel dances with Ralf Grey. While dancing, the two talk, and Ralf says that Kihel was interested in a new era: He will let her see these things of a new era, later.
At the top of the mountain, the Holy carving ceremony begins, and Soshie stands up, asking who would like to go with her. Almost instantly, every boy begins to do awkward dances, attempting to show off in hopes that they get picked, as the girls around them stare on, laughing and giggling. Loran, Confused and bewildered, Looks up at the moon and chants that the earth is a good place, and that everybody should hurry up. As if this was enough, Soshie picks him to accompany her.
Back in the castle, Sir Grey, now out of his suit from the ball and in a more casual set of clothes, leads Kihel into a room full of large computers. Ralf Grey confirms that they are, indeed, communicating wirelessly, and that they were sent by 'moonrace', because they want to immigrate from the moon, and so he organized the Militia. He then reveals that they want him to hand over North America, known as the Sunbelt Zone. Distraught and angry looking, he says that that was the demand of those who live on the moon. As we get a closer glimpse at the computers, we see that they use large tubes, and they glow red hot, occasionally exploding. Within an instant, the alarm is sounded, and the militia begins to ready themselves.
Back at the ceremony, Loran climbs the ladder up to the platform level with Whitedoll's head. Nearby, two men watch pass by carrying digging tools, the taller of the two asks the opinion of a man he calls Shido, and asks why when there are planes flying in the sky; they are still holding such a ceremony. Sido responds by saying that not all human behaviours are logical, and that because of this ceremony, no one will be on the mountain, so it is the best time to investigate. Soshie, standing up top with Loran, takes off her robes and turns her back to Loran, and instructs Loran to do the same. He does so, revealing that he is wearing his toy floating fish around his neck. Soshie scolds him, and then tells him to giver her six holy marks, using what she gave him. As he opens the tin, it's revealed that he is to use leeches to make them on her back. As Loran begins to place them on Soshie's back, he spots light emanating from the city, and then hears explosions, and as they look, it seems as if the whole Norse city is in flames.
Planes rip across the sky over Norse city, shooting at large machines consisting of two long legs and a bubble at the top. As they continue to fire at them, a female pilot in one of these machines becomes enraged with their fighting and fires a beam, destroying a few planes, and continuing on to destroy houses, buildings, trees, and any other objects in it's way.
From the Hilltop, Loran recognizes it as a Long distance laser cannon, and just as he recognizes it, the statue of Whitedoll begins to fall apart and all but Loran and Soshie run in fear. As it breaks apart, it is revealed that the statue of whitedoll is actually a mobile suit, and stuck atop it, Loran and Soshie rest on its arm, looking on in awe. As they look at the destruction, Loran realizes that the Mobile suit has a cockpit, and climbs in, telling soshie to follow. As Loran wonders about the controls, Soshie climbs in, still unsure as to how safe this venture may be. Seemingly of its own accord, the Mobile suit picks up a gun and begins to move down the hill, and without any command from Loran, seems to take fire upon the Mobile Suits of the invading troops. As houses are bombed and destroyed, the invading mobile suits retreat, and the whitedoll stops moving. Bewildered, Loran and Soshie look out in horror at the chaos that has been caused.
Final thoughts: Although there is a gap of about one year between the first episode and the second, it flows so nicely it's almost impossible to tell that there was one to begin with. This, coupled with many surprising events, makes this an episode to remember: We find out that Ralf Grey actually knew that they were going to be invaded from the moon, and that was why he was building a militia. We then see that the Whitedoll comes to life as a mobile suit, and moves of its own accord. This coupled with the fact that it seemed to scare off the invading troops, makes one wonder just how powerful it's shot was, and what will happen to Loran and this new suit now.
