Ikebukuro Christmas Concerto Episode 3 Part 1

Things start off with narration from Tanngrisnir about his past, talking about how hard he ran back in Yggdrasil. His feet would carve furrows in the wastes as he ran forward, pulling a chariot like the winds. He’d herald Thor’s arrival as he’d tell everything to stand aside, bringing him to the battlefield against opposing armies.

Tanngrisnir describes his past as uplifting, supreme bliss...and a dream choking with youthful inexperience. All of his desires were in cutting through the herds and taking Thor to where he wanted to go. At the time he felt that if he tried to reach out, he could easily reach the stars.

During the winter, Thor would drive Tanngrisnir forward, and they would treat everyone to a feast. It was a nostalgic time where they’d warm themselves up and smile with everyone, and it became the wishes, hopes, and salvation for the people. Eventually they were equated to Santa Claus.

That was enough for him, though he think there could possibly have been more. They’d bring presents and his personal stew to the people waiting without fail. He could never forget the people’s smiles, tears, and affection.

Tanngrisnir talks again about how all of his wishes and his everything laid with taking Thor wherever he was headed to. But one day it all came to a sudden end, the same day he was permanently injured to the bone in one leg. He was torn away from many possibilities and futures. He was left behind by the crowds of people, his dream, and ultimately the twilight of the world. And now he’s here in Tokyo with only the scars from his past.

Title card pops up, and this chapter is called The Teacher Called Tanngrisnir. Location subtitle places things at the second checkpoint, Shibuya, Daikanyama Academy.

Camera then tunes back in as narration describes you and Melusine synchronizing your breaths and running through the hills in Shibuya. Melusine points them out and asks about the current pace. You can either say you guys should stay at this speed, consider changing it a bit, or ask her if she’s fine with things as they are.

Going with C, she thanks you for thinking of her, saying she doesn’t mind and to go at your pace. In any case Tanngrisnir asks if you’re tired. You can either say you’re fine, say you’re having fun, or say you’ll do it for him.

Going with B, he says you’re a daredevil and thinks your reckless excitement is great. You implicitly tell him those aren’t really compliments, and he’s surprised because to him that’s his idea of the highest kind of praise.

Anyways Tanngrisnir says he used to have days like you do and says the days where you can run with abandon may be shorter than you think. When he sees students like that he’s filled with pride and some sort of negative feeling towards himself since he calls himself damaged.

When you try to talk to him, he apologizes and says he shouldn’t be pushing his sentimentality onto people. He refocuses and tells you to keep going full speed ahead.

Scene shifts back to the arena, and Andvari starts talking about teams showing signs of fatigue, only to see none are doing so. He talks about the next checkpoint being Daikanyama where your last teammate is waiting, and is also a pit stop. It’s there because if this were a normal race, it’d just end up with whoever has the most stamina as the winner.

Andvari also says there’s a surprise waiting there. He also mentions the starting time after the intermission will be based on the results of the race up to this point. Essentially, first in first out. Then he goes to do a ranking overview.

Team Krampus is currently in second place. Ded wonders if they can keep up the pace they have because distributing the load is important for reindeer.

Camera briefly shifts to them as Garm says he’ll do his best, though he’s starting to tire out. Ikutoshi asks if he’s okay, suggests slowing down, and gives him some water. Ikutoshi is fine himself since he’s only just been added, but Garm has been running the whole time.

Krampus says it’s also partly because they went off course, which would eat into the Christmas Power boosts. He tells Garm to hang in until they can get to the break area. Krampus also asks Ikutoshi to match step with Garm. Ikutoshi isn’t happy to be given orders but goes along with it.

Andvari continues commentating. Team Claude is up in first place. The cameras actually lost track of them for a bit, but now they have them in their sights again. Ded adds that Yule’s pacing is perfect and that he still has stamina in reserve.

Camera then shifts to them, and Claude compliments them for doing well. Snow says that Garm has the best legs in the guild and has his artifact, so they can’t get careless. Snow then admits that Garm is more likely dragging his team with him. And since this is a team race, Team Krampus might wipe out if they can’t get it together.

Claude says that cooperation would be a bit much for the Berserkers to handle. Yule speaks up and says he thinks their own pace is going well and thinks they can win if they save up for a last quarter sprint. Claude says he has good judgment and says he wants him even more now.

Yule is flustered and says he isn’t good with fighting. Claude laughs it off and asks how your team is doing. Snow says you’re in third place and talks about Tanngrisnir being the driver. Yule tells them Tanngrisnir can’t pull a sleigh because of an old injury. Yule also heard that Tanngrisnir initially applied to be a student of the reindeer department instead of a teacher.

Claude brings up that Tanngrisnir started off this race trying to be a reindeer, then says that they won’t go easy for any reason. He then orders Yule and Snow to go full speed ahead.

Yule tells him to sit down since they’re coming up to a hard curve. After he does so, Snow hands him some tea. He also offers some to Yule, who protests that they’re running right now and that Snow should put away the tea pot and tea cup.

Scene jumps back to the arena as Andvari talked about you guys. You guys had your bumps and turns, but having Melusine seems to have settled thinhs down. Ded says you’re an inexperienced team and is interested in how you’ll do. Andvari says it’s still anyone’s race.

Camera shifts to your side as Melusine thanks Tanngrisnir for his sleigh pulling tips. He says sleigh pulling is pretty unusual outside the Santa School and that he’d love to teach them a hundred more things if he could, but then puts himself down for only being able to talk instead of pull. You can say you guys can rally yourselves, wonder if there are any strategies to use, or ask for some stew.

Going with B, Tanngrisnir starts discussing the situation. Melusine says she thinks Team Claude up in first are your current enemies, and that Team Krampus may be overextending themselves. Tanngrisnir says she has good observation skills and offers her some stew with plenty of meat in it.

Tanngrisnir says the ideal reindeer needs to lead, but for them all they have is getting ahead. Melusine asks about the difference. Tanngrisnir talks about how leadership should be, but Garm only focuses on whatever he’s looking at. It’s needed at times, but he’d be great if he studied the other thing. You can either comment on his experience or ask if that’s from past experience.

Going with B, Tanngrisnir says that his ideal was in his past. He had great friends, a great job, and a great master. But it’s all in the past, and he points to his artifact not working as proof. He doesn’t want to regret it though, so he chose a new path and is here now.

Melusine asks if he became a teacher to pass on his ideals. Tanngrisnir confirms that, saying the students have bright futures and that he hopes they don’t suffer like he did. He does wonder if he really can help people reach their ideals though, beating himself up mentally to the point of saying he wants to jump into a hot pot.

Melusine points out the usual form of the expression, then goes on to talk about how he also has been left with the memories of something he’s lost. Tanngrisnir says he thinks all Transients are like that based on a look at his students. Him, and Melusine too. Then he changes the subject by offering some stew.

Melusine is surprised but accepts. She also comments on how much Tanngrisnir likes giving stew to people. Tanngrisnir says it made him so happy in his home world to give stew to people alongside Thor when it was cold and seeing their smiles. That’s what the holiday Yule is to him: helping the sadness of winter, bringing up the thoughts of the coming spring, and making people smile.

You speak up and say that he and Melusine can smile today too since it’s Christmas. Both of them are surprised you’d say that, and Tanngrisnir is touched, saying he’s never thought about someone making him smile before.

He thanks you and says you have a talent at being a reindeer, then asks if you’d transfer to the Santa School. He’d train you personally! There isn’t time to answer as he sees Daikanyama coming up soon, and the checkpoint is supposed to be in front of the school church. Teams Claude and Krampus are already there.

Scene jumps back to the arena, and Andvari says sleighs are coming into the next checkpoint. The rest area is there, but getting your last teammate and getting past the obstacle runners come first. Ded says this is the time to brace yourselves and wishes everyone luck.

Scene shifts back to your side as Melusine says Pollux is supposed to be at the school. Since you’re in front of he church, Tanngrisnir asks if the people there are the ones to run interference here. Melusine feels like something is out of place.

Despite being Christmas, Arslan is in his Halloween get up and combines a Happy Halloween greeting with Merry Christmas. You point out that either he’s out of season, that it’s December, or ask if he’s cold.

Going with B, he says that since he’s there to cause trouble for the race, that costume would be appropriate. He likes it anyways. Tanngrisnir talks about how in Yggdrasil, the holiday Yule is also a day when the dead arise to celebrate with the living. On that note he can’t argue against Arslan and considers that Arslan may be doing it more accurately.

Zabaniya is also in his mummy getup which Melusine asks about. He’s embarrassed about it. You can either point out how out of place he looks too, say he looks so pitiful, or tell him he could have just refused to do this if he was against it.

Going with C, Zabaniya protests that he couldn’t let Arslan be ashamed by himself. Then he says he’s in charge of the place with him. Arslan tells Zabaniya he has a dustball on his shoulders. You can either ask if he’s dustier than usual, say it seems more realistic, or say it feels like he actually slept in a tomb.

Going with A if it matters, Zabaniya says he was cleaning the monastery while dressed up like that until just moments earlier. He’s in charge of the monastery if he hasn’t already told you. Normally though he’s in the back while Arslan and Gabriel handle social things.

He’s heard that things this time are meant for inter school friendly relations, so Arslan told him to do his best to welcome them. Tanngrisnir asks if they’re the road blockers, which Zabaniya confirms and asks if anything is unclear. Melusine says Pollux doesn’t look like he’s there though, and Tanngrisnir points out the leading teams’ sleighs aren’t in view either. You say they don’t look that roughed up and ask if the sleighs have been moved, or ask if the checkpoint is elsewhere.

Going with C, Arslan confirms that and says they’re both the road obstacles and guides. Zabaniya says it ended up being that way and offers to show you guys the way if you’ll agree to it. Then he and Arslan go further into the school.

Melusine asks what you think and brings up it may be a trap. Tanngrisnir quotes a modified expression and says you’ll have to follow along. They don’t seem to be up to anything anyway. You can either go along optimistically one of two ways, or say you have a bad feeling about it.

Back at the arena, Andvari asks about the sleighs being led away. Ded doesn’t seem to know either and says they all seem to be in the same place. Camera then goes back to you guys, and Tanngrisnir points out the angels. Melusine mentions some noise coming from elsewhere. You can either ask her not to scare you or say it’s because of the church.

Melusine suddenly shoots at something, and Yule reveals himself in surprise. Melusine apologizes and asks if he’s okay. He is, his antlers got grazed though. Claude is surprised and impressed you guys caught up. Snow says it’ll still be some time before they’ll be taken to the checkpoint, and that their fourth member is Nomad. You can either talk to Claude, Yule, or comment about Nomad.

It doesn’t actually matter far as I know. Garm immediately jumps up to talk to you. Krampus is surprised you guys are here and says everyone’s been bunched up together. Garm says he can’t find Bathym anywhere, and Ikutoshi points out the angels are gathering.

Tanngrisnir points out you guys are being directed off campus and asks Melusine what’s ahead on the map. Melusine looks it up and says it’s a concert hall. You can say you guys are going soon, say you hear something, or think you know what’s coming.

Cheers start interrupting you, and Gabriel welcomes you all to her Christmas concert. Yule wonders what’s happening, and Krampus recognizes her voice from one of his sentai series. Yule calls him reliable, which embarrasses Krampus.

Gabriel reveals herself and her new outfit now. You can either say you saw her coming, say her clothes are cute, or scream over like a nerd. Going with B, she says likes it too and and that someone in the Akihabara guild designed them. Tsathoggua apparently introduced her to a famous designer.

Gabriel thanks everyone for being in the race, but then tells them unfortunately she’s in a bad mood. She asks if they know why and says her fans would definitely know. Claude demands she gets on with it, but Gabriel pretends she can’t hear him and says to speak louder. Claude is taken aback and thinks her not hearing him is a quality of a strong person. You comment on Gabriel playing him.

Melusine says you’ll have to play along to move things forward. Garm says he doesn’t know and asks Gabriel to tell him, mangling her name into Gadrill. Ikutoshi tells him to give it up because he thinks she won’t answer directly. Before he even finishes that sentence, Gabriel says she will since Garm is so earnest. Also she thinks his messing up her name is kinda cute. Claude complains about this, and Yule tries to calm him down.

Gabriel brings in Nyarlathotep as her MC. He turns on the spotlight on her, and she starts talking about some letter she got. It was an invite for the race, but she already had a concert scheduled. The Missionaries were all working on things except for her, but Gabriel still had to do something for her fans.

Managarm cries over her. Gabriel then says an idea came to her from above during a rehearsal. She and Nyarlathotep act it out a bit, and as she points out that the race checkpoint is close by, she decides to just move it there instead. You can either yell about this surprise, say she’s such an idol being all absurd, or just sigh over her being the culprit.

Back at the arena Andvari complains about what Gabriel did. Ded says he was planning to broadcast the live during the break though.

Back at the concert hall, Tanngrisnir tells everyone to calm down and cites a Santa rule about it. Things happen while delivering presents, and he tries to say what Gabriel did would also be something that falls under that before confusing himself. You then either suggest not thinking about it, doing something, or tell Tanngrisnir you guys should go.

Going with A in case it matters, he says you’re surprisingly tough and wishes Thor was more like that. Melusine says you guys need to get Pollux. Snow asks Claude what to do, and Claude decides to test Gabriel’s strength. Ikutoshi is surprised things are leading to a fight, though he’s not opposed to it.

Krampus is excited to fight her for real and asks Yule to take a video. Gabriel says she’s also an obstacle and asks if everyone’s ready. Arslan and Zabaniya are also ready to fight. Zabaniya also mentions getting a call from Andvari and there being a change, which worries Yule.

Arslan is ready to start things, Zabaniya says he’s happy to fight you even if it is under orders, and Gabriel says to have fun. Then they launch the episode battle with a Merry Christmas.