Valentine Timeslip Episode 1 Part 3

Heracles starts off a flashback saying that a particular something always happens. Whenever he goes home everything has been “cleared out.” When he asked, he heard that he had killed even little babies who haven’t developed awareness yet, having crushed them like the necks of poisonous snakes lunging at him.

 

Heracles says he was born to clear out every work assignment he was given. All the trials that came his way, the peace he wanted to protect? All “cleared out” by his own hands. He felt that he shouldn’t wish for free will as he did the work he was given that became known as his great feats. He had no time for wavering sentiments, and he spent his days finishing off the work he had to do.

 

Things tune back to the present where several hours have passed, and the party is getting ready to make chocolate. Snow is getting the cultivation of the cacao made. Barguest is out searching for fruits and other things. Heracles is guarding the base, and you are preparing the cooking tools. This leaves Gyumao to be Echo’s enthusiastic advisor in making chocolate, and he laughs as they talk about working together. You either express shock at him wearing an apron, wonder if this is truly alright, or say you’re counting on him.

 

A and B has Gyumao mention that he cooks on his off time and that he’s alright at it. C has him laugh and asks you to entrust things to him, and he offers to treat you to a handmade meal when everyone gets back.

 

Anyways, Gyumao suggests getting started and using your cacao on the trial product. He assure you guys that he’s read up on things for the presentation from how to use the machine to how the process works. His first instruction for Echo is to put the cacao in, bang it in hard and not worry about being gentle. Echo tries her best, and Gyumao cheers her on and suggests she do it like she’s straddling the thing from above.

 

Heracles finds what’s going on weird and asks if it’s really needed to get back home as it call it a strange ritual. Gyumao insists it’s not a ritual, but confection making. It’s a key item for creating an opportunity for Echo, our starring role of love for the day, he says as he turns to her. Echo starts losing heart and says she’s no leading star.

 

Gyumao says that everyone becomes the star when it comes to love, because that’s what Valentines is. He also tells her that her feelings for Narcissus are going into the things they’re making. Everyone else will be supporting her. You either comment on how passionate Gyumao is being or call him cool and refer to him as a mob boss.

 

Heracles decides to ask what love is to you guys. Gyumao says it’s great and the spice of life. When you become aware of love, the world ends up changing. He describes having feelings for someone as having a scorching heat that burns from within just like the Flaming Mountains. He also calls it an incentive and the motivation to stand against any disaster. Heracles doesn’t comment on that, and you either comment that Gyumao has been in love too, say you get what he means, or think about feeling jealous.

 

In B, Gyumao laughs about it and comments on you knowing too. He also says that if there’s anyone that makes you swoon, he’ll also be competing in that red ocean market share. In C, Gyumao asks why you look so sad and offers to advise you about love whenever you want using all his experience.

 

Heracles says that love is a thing that ties fates/bonds together like lightning, and he mentions that ties that bring things closer to results is what’s sought out. He questions if there’s any value in love that doesn’t get anywhere, and he asks about Narcissus avoiding ties. Echo admits that he did, but she still likes him and wants to be connected to him.

 

Gyumao mulls on the idea about love existing for the sake of ties. He says it’s not bad to have a tie that started from love at first sight. Struggling for that connection in itself has value, even if the end result you want is to not be connected. Echo questions that idea, so Gyumao says yes. If he were to give something to the one he loves, he won’t compromise on it. He’ll make every effort to give them the best present ever. You ask him how he’d prepare and ask for an example.

 

Gyumao asks if you’re looking for a more concrete method, then takes a moment to think. He then says he’d study as hard as he can to give the best kind of chocolate he can. He won’t make any compromises when it comes to the time, clothing, and situation when he does it.

 

Gyumao doesn’t believe ready made stuff is any inferior to something handmade, but he makes a point of saying that he Won’t Compromise on Store Bought Things too if he’s giving it to his love. What he wants is for them to smile after all. That also means that no amount of money spent means anything if the chocolate sucks. If it turns out that it has to be handmade, then he’ll take it as a personal challenge, again all for the sake of that person’s smile.

 

At the same time it’s meant to get Gyumao himself accepted too. He suggests in that case the most worthwhile thing is the time spent. They say time is worth more than money, after all. Echo and Heracles seem touched by the speech, and Gyumao adds that he was talking about his personal opinion.

 

For now they should focus on making the chocolate, and he says that fortunately the starter kit has chocolate molds and wrappings in it too. Barguest should be back soon, and Gyumao offers to help decorate too. He feels the chocolate that Narcissus would like would have to be fun, and he says they should work at it. Echo agrees and says she’ll do her best.

 

Some time later, the party (except Heracles) has come together to help Echo make her chocolate. Echo is vibrating in place a little, and Barguest says she may be putting in too much. Gyumao is unconcerned and more like a bit impressed that Echo’s boldly throwing in some fruit. Snow agrees that it is bold and asks Echo if she wants to use some milk he’s handing her. Barguest laughs that Echo will be a big catch soon, then tells you to enjoy things too.

 

Heracles is confused and asks why everyone is having fun even though it might not pan out. He also thinks it’s weird that they’re doing this even though it’s not work/a trial someone gave them.

 

Time then skips to that night, and Gyumao asks about you still being up since he thought you’d be sleeping next to Echo. You say you’re getting nervous for tomorrow and couldn’t get to sleep, and you ask if Gyumao couldn’t sleep either.

 

Gyumao laughs and says he got nervous too. He says that Echo was putting on a bluff and talks about the part where the machine looked like it broke. Gyumao then changes the subject a little and says it looks like Echo and Heracles had their confidence shaved away. He says it looks like they have no will of their own, and they do whatever is told to them. And yet despite that, Echo seemed to be having fun making the chocolate. He hopes he was just overthinking things, but it was on his mind. You either say he’s kind, team-oriented, or say you’re sure it’ll be okay.

 

Going A, Gyumao laughs and says it’s embarrassing that you say that of him. He says it’s because he used to be evil, so he’s not used to being described that way. Gyumao then starts talking about how love can be seen as an investment, where you give something and maybe get something in return some day. In the end though, does the love he give have the corresponding value even if it is accepted? He knows how Echo must be feeling, and she’s be especially worried since she doesn’t see her own value.

 

You think on the idea of one’s value, ask if Gyumao thinks the same way, or say you understand feeling anxious. Gyumao says he wants to equally love and be loved by the people he’s connected with. And since he feels that way, he needs to polish himself up. It’s the ideas that there’s value in loving and being loved, and the idea of wanting to believe in himself. He feels that his belief that he’s raising his own value is why he likes work.

 

Gyumao starts looking at the moonlit mountains. He starts talking again about how there are times when someone really wants to love and be loved by a specific person and monopolize then instead of loving everyone equally. He admits that sometimes his feelings burn like that too in front of that certain someone for him. His eyes settle on you as he quietly whispers to himself, and you can either ask if he means you, pretend you don’t notice and wonder who it could be, or say you’re jealous of whoever that is.

 

Going A, Gyumao avoids the question and says drowsiness made him talk too much. He suggests heading back to bed, then says you can sleep next to him if you want. The moonlight illuminates his smile clearly.

 

The next day, the party converges at Narcissus’s Spring. There are no signs of the dragons, and all is calm. Barguest asks about Echo not being there yet and says it may be dangerous to send her alone even if the dragons aren’t there now. Gyumao says she needed to get something ready, then points out her arrival. He greets her while Barguest is shocked by the clothes she’s changed into.

 

Echo shows up in a dress and apologizes for the wait. You either ask what they are, say she looks like a forest fairy, or say she looks good in them. Echo says it’s what she wore before coming to Tokyo and thought that she shouldn’t surprise Narcissus. Snow agrees that she might have done so if she tried going up to him in her Tokyo clothes and says she made a wise decision. Gyumao asks about the chocolates, so she shows them to you guys with some shame. You either don’t recognize them as such, say they look all melted, or try to reassure Echo.

 

Snow says the cacao and oil content have separated and comments to Gyumao. Gyumao finishes the sentence that this is the worst case to happen, so the machine must be broken after all. Echo starts panicking, and Gyumao says it’s all his fault as the machine’s creator. She tries to protest the point, and Barguest points out she did try hard and that she can still try giving them. You either say Narcissus will recognize her efforts, say you could make cocoa by putting them in milk, or try to say it smells good.

 

Going A, Echo agrees to try. She starts to fly off looking crestfallen, though Heracles quickly notes that she’s coming back. Echo admits she’s too scared to try and is ashamed since everyone helped so much. Despite the efforts they came out horribly, and she worries everyone will laugh at her. She wants Narcissus to smile, but not like that. You tell her it can’t be helped, suggest coming up with a new idea, or say there are still other ways.

 

Gyumao says it’s best to try again with something you can accept rather than sit there with something you can’t, then praises Echo. He suggests heading back to go think of something since there should be alternatives.

 

You go look over at Narcissus and comment on seeing him. He hasn’t moved at all, and all he does is look. Echo calls his name, and Barguest says he seems to be acting strange. As he points out, Narcissus is bending in closer to the water as if to kiss his mirror image. Echo yells that he shouldn’t do that, and her scream echoes through the forest. At the same time she drops her box of chocolates, which starts to squirm.

 

Chocolate Shoggoths pop out of the box and multiply to everyone’s shock. Heracles asks what they are and points out they’re dividing. Gyumao recognizes them and says he saw them during his research on Valentines. He says they interact with the powers of other otherworlders, then manifest using chocolate as a medium. You either yell and ask what they are, say you remember something like this happening, or say it’s time to retreat. The mobs however jump and attack, starting the episode battle. More comes after that.

 

Things pick back up with the Choco Shoggoths forming a wave that bears down on you all. Heracles compares it to the bottomless lake of the Lernaean Hydra, then calls out to everyone. He offers to take the rear while everyone escape. Snow objects since he says Heracles can’t handle it alone, even if he is a hero. Heracles says he’s a slave who works for his master and charged with taking the best and quickest actions. He feels it’s best you guys leave him.

 

You call out to Heracles and say you won’t let him do this alone and/or that you can’t abandon anyone. You run over to him, which shocks him. Echo also yells out your name, at which point a bright light covers everything in an instant.

 

You wake up by the spring and say the light appeared again, call out to Echo and Heracles, and/or call out to everyone else. Barguest calls out to you and winds up banging his head on a branch yet again. He wonders why it keeps happening and bemoans his misfortune. You’re glad he’s okay and wonder how Echo is as you call for her.

 

Echo wakes back up in her default outfit as she calls to you. Everyone is shocked by what happened, and Heracles arrived soon after having followed the voices. He asks if everyone is okay once he shows up. Gyumao notes that the mobs disappeared like the dragons did with the light before. He asks what the light is and says it’s like the one that brought you all here.

 

Snow says you guys should be relieved that you and Heracles are okay for now. Heracles is glad he didn’t have to use his trump card back there and suggests returning to the base. Before you guys do though, Snow has a thought as he asks to look inside your bag.

 

When you look inside your bag, you see the cacao you had supposedly given him earlier. Gyumao checks and finds that the chocolate machine is with them too, without any damage on it. Snow pieces together what’s happening and asks everyone to listen calmly, then says time seems to have been rewound. The episode ends with everyone reacting in shock.