You call out and tell everyone to open their mouths wide as Shirou’s special roast beef is next. The food is tossed in directly into everyone’s mouths, and “everyone” soon includes more people than these three.
Gunzou shows up first looking for Ashigara saying he got New Years soup from the shrine before you lob something at him. Kyuuma comes up next commenting on the crowd and thinks Ashigara is trying to get attention again when you cut him off with food. Durga notices you and greets you a happy New Years before asking what you’re doing with the big lunch box. You toss her food too.
The three jocks yell about how awesome the food is. You greet them with a Happy New Years and move on to throwing fish omelette rolls and a clam chowder that was included in the box for some reason. Agyou is stunned that you can fling out juicy stuff too with just chopsticks. Gullinbursti is similarly amazed as he comments on wanting to be as helpful as those chopsticks to you.
Anyways you call out that dessert is the last of the box, which consists of bite sized sesame seed balls. The last one lands right in Ashigara’s mouth, and everyone thanks you for the food as they applaud it all. AI-gernon complements you on your chopsticks handling and jokes about falling in love as they prompt their partner for a response. Algernon comes up with “not bad.”
AI-gernon asks if everyone who showed up is people you know. They tell you to go greet everyone since there should be enough time for that. In the mean time they’ll try to unlock the last slime, and they assure you it’ll be fine since the slime will calm down once its food is eaten. You say it feels like you guys can get the last box cleared, so you take up AI-gernon’s suggestion and go see everyone.
Durga runs up to you and greets you with a happy New Years again. Ashigara asks if you were having a party and says thanks to that he didn’t faint on his ass. Gunzou says it was surprising to have osechi suddenly flying at him, but it was good stuff.
Arachne is a little sad to start off the year looking a little dumb, and she pouts at you for always managing to see her at those times. You say happy New Years to everyone, comment on them all showing up together, or say things happened.
Arachne says the food was great and that she’s all perked up now. She starts talking about how gorgeous osechi looks and mentions feeling inspired by the black beans. Gouryou talks about how cooking things with black beans adds iron to the food while the color black makes it more beautiful. He also brings up that black beans are associated with the idea of working hard.
Kyuuma says the food in osechi seems to all be picked based on bad puns. Their coach tends to talk about them a lot at track meets, which people have laughed about. Ashigara mentions that sea breams get the joke treatment since it can get punned into ‘good luck’ and that his old sumo partner would bring some around.
Durga asks what the pun in kinton is, so Gouryou explains that it comes from the idea of bringing economic fortune. Kinton gets connected to kin for gold, partly because it being mashed sweet potatoes makes it look similar too. Agyou adds that dried chestnuts get added to the mash because the word for that sounds similar to victory for bonus pun points.
Durga is excited to hear that and says she should eat a lot of the kinton then. Gullinbursti is surprised at how focused Durga is on winning and comments on wanting to be wanted that hard. AI-gernon walks over at this point to say they’re glad you’re having fun talking with everyone. Arachne comments on him being with you and says he sticks out in a bad way on New Years.
The AI laughs the remark off a bit and says that having a mechanical body means their choices for dressing are limited. Arachne takes that as a personal challenge as she says their feelings indicate that they can choose whatever they want. It’s one thing if he chooses not to pick anything, but as a fashion lady she cannot stand him saying he doesn’t have a choice.
Arachne then excuses herself and says she’ll be away for a little bit. As she clacks off, Gullinbursti asks about the last lock. AI-gernon says it came off but shows you the contents, and the slime turns out to be empty. Agyou is surprised but asks about it being empty, so the AI says they made a mistake and says there was actually six slimes left. They just shrug and blame it on probabilities.
Durga comments on how weird the year is starting with there being a slime that can copy osechi. Agyou says it’s thanks to everyone that there’s only one box left to handle though, and the last slime babbles about cooking. You talk about just needing to clear the last box, then wonder how the rest of the gang is doing with their boxes.
Gullinbursti agrees and says you could take that box anywhere with that quality, then says he wants to be as wanted as that food. Agyou then notices Algernon is gone and asks where he went. Arachne has returned from wherever she went and answers that he’s over here. She holds a hand up and snaps her fingers as she activates her totally a Reality Marble as the surroundings suddenly go dark somehow.
Gouryou, Agyou, and Gullinbursti are shocked by this turn of events. Gunzou is excited as the music starts and he recognizes this as one of Arachne’s fashion presentations. Kyuuma admits to being surprised but says the music excites him. Ashigara is ready to watch the show, and Durga prompts everyone to start clapping.
Arachne thanks everyone for clapping, then says it’s been a while for one of her guerrilla fashion shows. She starts introducing Algernon as a requester at first before correcting it to target. AI-gernon says Arachne told them she had a good idea for dealing with their last osechi box and went with her suggestion, but they’re baffled to be dragged into a fashion show.
Arachne says she’s been observing them and feels that both sides of Algernon are limited by logic and probabilities. She suggests they play along with her show if they feel so themselves so she can give them a new possibility. The AI turns to Algernon, but Algernon is just done with things and leaves it for them to decide.
Anyways, Arachne turns the light back on to spotlight Algernon as she presents them, describing them as taking on jobs they can’t tell other people about and willing to go anywhere if requested to do so. She then presents the New Years hakama she made for him and accompanying kumade. You either be surprised she made him New Years clothing, say it looks novel, or say it looks simple but great.
Arachne says that to best show off Algernon’s particular good points with his body, she thought a simple hakama with crests on it like those you’d see on New Years would be best. The gold ornaments and the wave patterns are there for cool points while the crests are meant to be a bit cute. Arachne then says that Algernon can evoke both senses and combine them casually into one big attractiveness.
AI-gernon is impressed with how insightful Arachne is and agrees that the robes are charming. Algernon says he doesn’t hate the clothes and likes how clean it feels. The AI teases him for being in an unusually good mood.
Arachne continues talking by talking about how Algernon’s style is rational, able to see at a glance how to perfectly clean something up. No matter what environmental effects happen, he doesn’t have to respond, and he’s always confident in his efficiency.
Of course, that style would never have had him pick these sorts of clothes himself, which Arachne describes as a new style. It’s also because of that that Arachne made this choice, since she doesn’t want him to forget what it means and feels to wear clothes. She says she wants him to have more inefficiency in his life, which is the thing she’d like to say if nothing else.
Algernon doesn’t respond, and Arachne ends her presentation there as everyone applauds. Afterwards, she starts worrying about having done the show in a public place and without permission. She says she couldn’t stop herself though since she saw a glimpse of his passion among the noise.
AI-gernon talks to Arachne and has a question. She asks what it is, so they ask how the both of them look to her. Does it look like they both live fast and recklessly in an efficient way? Arachne says she can only express it through fashion and not verbally, though she feels those clothes can show an unknown charm to them.
Arachne asks them to accept the clothes, and if they ever learn something... you either call out to Arachne or stay quiet and watch Algernon. The AI laughs and suggests that they thank her and think on it to Algernon. They talk about how they both like efficiency and accelerated growth way too much, but they don’t plan on hating the unknown.
Anyways AI-gernon suggests getting changed out and getting back to work. There’s still one box left to clear, and the AI seems hopeful as they start talking to Algernon. He barely says anything when Ashigara offers to take the whole box. The AI is happy to give it to him, but when they try the slime starts acting up as you point out.
The slime yells about the foods it has and about cooking, then bounces out of Algernon’s hands. It then proceeds to jiggle away to somewhere else. Gunzou says it was a surprise, but figured Algernon just dropped the thing. The AI apologizes and claims to have been tired as they squeak. Kyuuma offers to get it back and asks the slime to sit still.
As Kyuuma reaches for the slime, it makes a weird sound effect before ripping off with a sonic boom. It takes everyone a moment to process it zooming away like so, and after they react to it happening Kyuuma says the slime actually lit a fire where it was standing. Ashigara thinks this is some new trick being added to osechi. Agyou is baffled he thinks so and is shocked the slimes could do this.
Gunzou says it was cool as it blasted off like a rocket. Algernon starts robospeaking a little and says if they don’t locate it quick they’ll lose track of the slime. He also figures that the slime can’t keep that speed up for long, so he suggests going after it right now. The AI wonders if he’s looking for support and says they can’t leave the thing alone anyways. You then say you’ll go with them to catch the slime.
The AI is surprised you’re coming with but agrees to take you. They also suggest splitting up and ask Agyou and Gullinbursti to stay at the shrine. Agyou agrees and tells you guys not to go crazy out there, as does Gullinbursti as he’ll watch the other slimes. AI-gernon tells you to grab on and warns you to not bite your tongue when they flip on the speed boost.
You and Algernon ride his broom like witches, and then it flares up like a jet and zooms off. As you guys pass through Shinjuku Station apparently, Algernon says he sees the slime and that you guys can grab it at this rate. The AI thinks that’s good but comments that this seems like some third rate comedy situation. You wonder why the slime came all this way.
Algernon suggests that the slime is rioting like the manual said. The AI points out it’s not chucking food at everyone nearby though. Algernon seems kinda pissy as he says the AI should come up with a guess then. They don’t have an idea either but says they’ll probably find out once you catch the slime. You either insist it must have a reason or comment that it’s business as usual.
The AI thinks you’re crazy to call this normal and says they’ve had their own share of bizarre experiences. You think to yourself that the slime seems to be purposely heading somewhere rather than escaping, like it’s trying to give its food to someone.
AI-gernon goes back to suggesting you guys focus on grabbing the slime since their work is to clean things up. Algernon says to stop talking and get back to nabbing the thing. The AI comments on having a bad feeling and hopes it’s nothing.
Some time later, the AI reports that the slime is apparently opening up communications which they think is super weird. You get a phone call from Shirou, which you take. Shirou says it’s an emergency and asks if Algernon is with you. The AI patches themselves into the call and apologizes for it since they’re also dealing with urgent business.
The AI tries to get Shirou to put off the call for later, but Shirou decides to get direct and reports that all the osechi slimes at the shrine have reverted back to being cook slimes. The AI tells him you guys have reverted one too, though the last one is turning into a bit of a pickle. You ask what the problem is and say the last slime took off like a rocket.
Shirou is rather quick to accept that the slime just flew off, and the AI comments to Algernon that despite that your guys’ thinking abilities are less efficient than theirs you guys are ahead of them somehow. He doesn’t respond, so the AI goes on to talk about underestimating the thought processes of natives and Transients of other worlds. They say they should rethink their opinions.
Back to Shirou, he says the same thing has happened as all the cook slimes just flew off. You are shocked by this, and the AI reports that several unknown objects are approaching and gaining on you guys from behind. They figure that the slime was calling the others to it. Algernon says he can see them now and starts taking evasive measures.
You see all the slimes flying in at this point, which you are shocked about and notice that there’s seven of them there. You also notice their storage tanks are all empty, which the AI is surprised about. Algernon figures that means the last one is the real one with the osechi, then calls it a nonsensical turn of events. The AI agrees and says their luck starting off the new year is terrible.
You guys have landed around this point, and the slimes all converge together and start flying towards you. You point this out and get ready to fight them with Algernon. The AI figures they’ll try to do it with the kumade they have, and you either protest that’s not what they’re for or wonder about swinging them a round.
As the slimes fly in, someone else slashes at them and blows them away. Shino then shows up to comment on you getting into a little fight right at Kabukicho just as the year starts and how he can’t take his eyes off you. You turn to him and greet him a happy New Years before asking why he’s almost naked.
Moritaka runs up to greet you happy New Years while Tadatomo is too embarrassed to say anything. You either ask Moritaka about being here, greet Tadatomo, or ask what the hell is going on for them to also be nearly naked.
Gyoubu walks up next and asks if you were hoping to join their festival. Tetsugyuu says he was thinking of going to ask you to join, except you’re here now so he figures you foresaw that. Gyoubu says they’re having a free for all party for today so outsiders can come join as well.
Goemon shows up next commenting on running into you here before greeting you. As he switches back to tanuki form, he tells you that his theater will be playing something and that he’ll be in it. Kotarou and some others will be coming to see, and Goemon invites you to watch too. He’s going around inviting new Transients who don’t know there’s a kabuki theater in Kabukicho this way.
Tajikarao walks over to greet you happy New Years. He also declares that what you guys have on isn’t something you can have fun in at a festival, so he activates his power to strip you and Algernon. Algernon is baffled by this while the AI laughs and shrugs. You either express shock that you got stripped too, say this is a bit too free for all for a party, or say Algernon looks cool.
Going C, Algernon goes quiet, so the AI prompts him to say something. Algernon tells him to shut up, but the AI tries to spin things as him now being in a much more efficient getup that won’t dirty his clothes. Anyways Moritaka asks if Algernon is a new friend while Tadatomo recognizes him as a cleaner and is suspicious. Moritaka doesn’t think anything of the title and asks what he’s here to clean up before the slimes start swarming.
Shino comments on how aggressive the slimes are, then tells Moritaka and Tadatomo it’s time to fight and show their loyalty now. Both get ready to go and start beating on the slimes. You either bemoan how crazy things are now, say the other side is looking confused too, or resort to laughing about it all.
The AI comments that giving up and laughing seems to be the only thing left to do and comments on the chaos. They also talk about how they should admit their framing of things through efficiency is too narrow. The slimes start yelling about osechi and cooking as the episode battle starts. More happens after that.
After the battle, the story picks up by describing how swords, shuriken, firecrackers, and smoke balls are being thrown around everywhere while rubberneckers start coming by to look. The AI seems to be having fun with how much is happening and asks if this is what every day is like for you as they swing at all the attacks flying around. You either yell that it’s usually like this, casually wonder about it, or call to him and say it’s time to clean up.
Going A, the AI nods and says they get it before suggesting to Algernon that they should join in too. They then fire off their NP, and the story skips a bit to the part where Algernon returns to the Ueno labs where an alchemist asks about the slimes. The AI says all of them have been brought back safely, which means the job should be done.
The alchemist is glad to see them all and asks if any are damaged. The AI mentions some after service stuff and says that the slimes worked hard to make something, which he then give to the alchemist. Said mob notes that it’s wrapped up and rather heavy. AI-gernon laughs and says it’s the crystallization of the craziness and inefficiency they shared with everyone.
The alchemist calls to everyone else that the slimes are back. A second alchemist notes that there’s osechi and asks if the slimes made it. A third wonders if the slimes were listening to them earlier when they left. Flashback cuts to the point where Leib gave them vague instructions, and the third alchemist picks back up and asks if the slimes left to make the food and weren’t actually upset.
The first alchemist points out that the osechi has five layers to it, and that the last two layers have Western and Chinese food too. The fire alchemist cries at how good the food is and says the slimes did good. The water alchemist tells Leib to hurry or else the food will be gone. The fire alchemist thanks the slimes, who seem happy about their reactions.
Some time later, Algernon comments on how hard they worked and that puts in a request for 72 hours worth of full body maintenance. The AI comments on thinking the same thing and agreeing that they should kick back for three days. They suggest watching recorded TV specials and wearing some pajamas for once, maybe getting some osechi to eat too.
The AI also brings up a new idea they thought of, suggesting they try out and seeing if their acceleration has any leeway and inefficiency to it regarding their plans. Algernon shrugs and says the AI can do whatever, though he does add that he liked the rolled fish omelette.
AI-gernon slides into the narration zone to address the audience and says they’ll be leaving for the day. They wish everyone a happy new year, and Algernon throws in one last humph.
Scene shifts back to you guys at the shrine as Ryouta suggests everyone goes back to the safe house for a second osechi party. Shirou says they should buy some more drinks then as he invites Arachne and Gullinbursti to join. You either invite them as well or ask if they have plans.
Arachne says she can join a little bit and mentions there are still some osechi dishes she hasn’t tried out yet. She calls it superfood by the way. Gullinbursti agrees to go along for a while longer since you’re inviting him. Touji tells Agyou he can go ahead with you guys and that he’ll be there soon. Agyou however says he’ll stay and help clean up so they can go back together.
You think about Algernon and wonder if you’ll see them again. Solomon pops up to wish you a happy new year, as much of a mess it started off with. He mentions being in a good mood, and he says it’s because *something* is happening soon but he stops himself before he says what. He does mention that he was ordered to keep it a secret though. Anyways he exchanges greetings with you again and hopes you can get along with *’them’* this year too as he refers to himself in the plural form. And so the New Years event comes to a close.
That was a very short and kinda slapstick event. I wonder if they are getting without ideas for the New Year...
ReplyDeleteAnyway, thanks again =D