S4E02: Unfamiliar Faces

As Hellgate's shadow looms over our heroes once more, several aliens are discovered hiding within Equestria, and one of them harbors a dark secret...

"Unfamiliar Faces" is the name of the second episode of the fourth season of the Xat RP. It continues the story begun in the season premiere, "Familiar Faces," and was an interrupted broadcast, with the first part airing on July 20, 2014 and the second part airing on July 26th.

Plot Synopsis
The episode begins the night after Hellgate's initial appearance. The interrogation of "Aurion" begins, with Wolfgang and the Special A Unit present for the questioning, and later Yeshaida and Daisuke of G Squadron. Over the course of the interrogation, it is revealed that Aurion had no memories of anything besides his father. He had attempted to lie and pretend that he had prefect recollection, but the numerous flaws in his statements made it clear to everyone what the truth was.

Aurion broke down in tears, finally admitting to his memory loss. Wolfgang ordered him to be taken to the medical wing for futher examination, both to try and help him if he was telling the truth and to gain samples of him to determine if he's someone other than who he says. As they pass a nearby window, they hear a song being sung on the night air. Upon investigation, they encounter a young seemingly-human girl named Saiyo Greenspan. She tells them she had come from space with her brothers, Jack and James, but due to some problems on re-entry caused by Hellgate's entry, they were split and crash-landed in separate locations.

Saiyo was taken into ERAC HQ where she was properly introduced to Wolfgang, the Special A Unit, and the two members of G Squadron. She had an odd twitch when the latter mentioned they were associated with the Rebellion. Aurion acted strangely around her, catching the attention of those around him.

Saiyo mentioned needing to sing because of seeing the moon, but when it was pointed out that they had no moon, Saiyo seemed to have a slight mental breakdown, seeming to flash back to some traumatic event. However, she did see something that resembled a moon, and on Wolfgang's orders, and investigation was launched ot find Saiyo's "moon" as well as her pod.

A false wall was discovered on top of the base, and it revealed a secret hangar. It had lights that resembled what Saiyo saw, but the hangar was only open for a minute at a time, unless a ship was slow and triggered a special sensor that forced the doors to remain open. A team was sent to search the hangar in case her pod triggered it, while a test for a potential malfunction was run.

Meanwhile, the investigators searched the whole mountain but could find no trace of the pod. Instead, they found Saiyo's muddy footprints, oddly starting far from any mud. Nearby was a slime trail of unknown origin, leading down and off the mountain.

The results of the test and the search came back, and Wolfgang reported that they did not find her pod anywhere in the hangar and that there was indeed a malfunction with the secret door. It was therefore concluded that Saiyo did not crash at ERAC HQ. Just then, Wolfgang was notified that a pod was found in the nearby town of Hooferville. The investigators were dispatched straight away.

At Hooferville, a pod was located, but blood found at the scene implied that it wasn't Saiyo's, but one of her brothers'. Data from the pod corroborated Saiyo's story regarding the atmopheric turbulence, and a display told the status of the other two pods: Unknown and Lost. Saiyo found herself unsure of what they found, herself certain that she landed somewhere nearby.

Yeshaida asked Saiyo a question regarding her name compared to her brothers, and she said she was adopted. She said her mother left her when she was seven years old, and Jack and James' father took her in. When questioned if the three of them were fleeing from their father, Saiyo looked as if she were about to cry.

Another ERAC agent notified the investigators that a strange creature had been found at the edge of the city. When the investigators got there, they found evidence of a camp site. Shortly after, Jack Greenspan stepped out of some bushes, and he and Saiyo reunited. His hand was bandaged, confirming that the pod in Hooferville was his. The first meeting between him and the investigators was rocky at first, with him accidentally revealing that he had "something interesting" inside of him. When inquired further, Jack remainined silent, saying that he didn't want to attract "Blue Blood." He would not shed any further details, nor would Saiyo.

A communique with Wolfgang allowqed them to remain unexamined for the time being, and then the investigators attempted ot enter the nearby Everfree Forest, following another slime trail. Jack tried to warn them, but when the investigators insisted on going, Saiyo urged them to let her join them. She was concerned for James, worried that the thing in the forest might either be him or something that could threaten him. Jack decided to go with as well, since he could control "it" better than she could if danger arose.

In the forest they found a mess of the trails, going every which way, and some of it was fresh, made after the fire from Hellgate's entry. One trail even led towards ERAC HQ. Eventually, with assistance from Jack, two further pods were discovered. One was like Jack's own, and the other seemed to be covered in a strange organic substance. Someone was discovered to be inside the former pod, and the door was hurriedly opened, revealing the skeleton of James Greenspan. He showed signs of being eaten, and the organic growth had spread to his pod from the other one. A tunnel was seen between them, implying that whatever was in the grotesque pod was the one responsible for devouring James.

Soundtrack

 * 1) Opening Theme - Dream A Dream (Pop It Don't Drop It edit)
 * 2) Lament of the Forgotten - terminal_entrance (Umineko no Naku no Koro ni)
 * 3) Interrogation ~ Moderate - deadangle (Umineko no Naku no Koro ni)
 * 4) Interrogation ~ Objection - lastendconductor (Umineko no Naku no Koro ni)
 * 5) Yeshaida - Regal (Tales of Symphonia)
 * 6) Interrogation ~ Allegro - Dead Angle / Discolor Mashup (Umineko no Naku no Koro ni)
 * 7) Pursuit ~ In Search of Answers - Dread of the Grave (Umineko no Naku no Koro ni)
 * 8) Darling Sunrise
 * 9) The Puppet Without Strings
 * 10) Saiyo's Story - Investigation ~ Contradiction At The Crime Scene 2009 (Miles Edgeworth: Ace Attorney Investigations)
 * 11) Investigation ~ ERAC HQ Roof - Investigation ~ Opening 2009 (Miles Edgeworth: Ace Attorney Investigations)
 * 12) Revelation ~ The Crash Site - Investigation ~ Core 2009 (Miles Edgeworth: Ace Attorney Investigations)
 * 13) Investigation ~ Hooferville Town Park - Investigation ~ Opening 2011 (Gyakuten Kenji 2 / Miles Edgeworth: Ace Attorney Investigations: Prosecutor's Path)
 * 14) Mysterious Being at the Edge of Town - Investigation ~ Core 2011 (Gyakuten Kenji 2 / Miles Edgeworth: Ace Attorney Investigations: Prosecutor's Path)
 * 15) Jack Greenspan - Strange People (Gyakuten Kenji 2 / Miles Edgeworth: Ace Attorney Investigations: Prosecutor's Path)
 * 16) Investigation ~ The Camp - Investigation ~ Middlegame 2011 (Gyakuten Kenji 2 / Miles Edgeworth: Ace Attorney Investigations: Prosecutor's Path)
 * 17) Into The Forest - Investigation ~ Middlegame 2009 (Miles Edgeworth: Ace Attorney Investigations)
 * 18) Two Pods: Suspense 2001 (Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney)
 * 19) Trapped!: Hotline Of Fate (Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Justice For All)
 * 20) James Greenspan - Thrill Theme ~ Suspense 2007 (Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney)
 * 21) Ending Theme - Main Theme (Sonic: Time Attacked)

Trivia

 * This episode had an unplanned split due to time contraints.
 * The entire sequence regarding the "moon" and the investigation of the light was in fact started due to a mistake on SDM's part; he had forgotten that the moon was destroyed.
 * Jack, James, and Saiyo Greenspan are all main characters from SDM's unfinished RP concept simply known as E.N.E.M.Y. Though with the implication of a Sayan being present, it is unknown which of the surviving two, if either, can be counted as having a proper debut.
 * This would Saiyo and Jack the second and third characters to make an early debut in the Xat RP, the first being Nihilius.
 * This is the first official episode to not feature any true combat.
 * The entire episode was done in the style of the popular video game series Ace Attorney as a means to keep an otherwise action-orientated storyline engaging.