Thursday, June 11, 2020

The Afterschool Brave and Fantastic Party Episode 1 Part 2

Things pick up with monsters rolling out of the thicket and Yuuji is freaking out about them showing up and calling for help. Orgus isn't too concerned, figuring these monsters must have been attacking passing travelers before taking a swing at them himself. Sol tells Yuuji to get behind him before joining in, and Yuuji coos at how cool the two are.
 
Orgus yells at Yuuji to pay attention as it turns out some other monsters have popped up behind him, though Bacchus casts a spell to seal their movements and save him. Sol almost flashsteps in between you and the monsters to keep them under control, signaling Orgus to mow them all down with his next move.
 
After the monsters all run away, Sol and Orgus run in close to you and ask if you're alright. You can say you're fine and thank them, or you can say you can't breathe. LW has apparently messed up the sequencing as A is where they threaded the extra bit with Sol and Orgus apologizing for crowding you. Either way Orgus admits that Sol isn't all talk and recognizes he's got some strength while Sol says Orgus lives up to his job title.
 
Yuuji expresses his amazement at the rest of the party's abilities, which prompts Orgus to scold him for running in circles the whole time despite being the hero. Yuuji tries to argue that he's never fought before and was afraid, and Sol attempts to stop Orgus, but Orgus says that Yuuji will always be a loser if Sol keeps pampering him like so.
 
Bacchus changes the subject to note that it's taking far longer than he imagined to pay back Linda for the property damages. Sol awkwardly tries to suggest that Bacchus could make it go faster if he stopped blowing all his money drinking the tavern's stock under as Orgus stares. Bacchus apologizes and says he couldn't help himself. Orgus sighs about how problematic the party is, and you can either try to calm things down, comment on how harsh he is, or say it's his and Sol's fault to begin with.
 
C has an extra line as Sol and Orgus go apologetic. Anyways, Sol says that once the debts have been settled you guys will have some travel funds saved up. Orgus talks about how you guys can go somewhere else when that happens and mentions you'll need to be trained up. Sol catches onto what he's talking about and is about to ask when Orgus preemptively confirms that he means the arena.
 
Scene shifts over to said arena as the party arrives, which narration describes as being located to the west near the borders between Valinor and Midgard. Many fighters from different races are competing within the coliseum while tons of spectators cheer and watch. Yuuji expresses amazement and asks if this is the place Orgus was talking about.
 
Sol answers Yuuji's question and explains that this is a place where people hoping to become the best at fighting come to train and compete. There's a ranking system in place with rewards based on your position, and the higher you go the better the opponents you can face off against. If you make it to the top, then you have the the right to challenge the arena champion, who seems to be Jormungand. His strength is said to be on the level of the strongest warriors of legend.
 
Orgus talks about how the strong are drawn to one another, which is why so many people are here. He also says that people get scouted out for merchant bodyguards and the national forces, which is something he's done himself when he came to train. Bacchus notes that there are many reasons why people would come here and that it's understandable how this place is doing so well.
 
Yuuji asks if the party is here so the guys can make some fight money, which surprises Orgus before he gets annoyed and says it's you who's going out there. You are starting from the bottom and going to work your way up. Yuuji attempts to protest and say he's never fought before, but Orgus says you can surrender if you think you're going to die. Plus Sol is here to heal you if it comes to that. Orgus then tells you to get ready as he dumps you into the episode battle, with more story afterwards.
 
After the battle, the story picks up with you swinging your sword, and Sol compliments how well you're using it. Yuuji is surprised as he says it feels like his body is moving on its own. Orgus notes that you don't move like an amateur, and Sol agrees and compares your movements to someone who's brushed with death before.
 
That said, both he and Orgus also observe that Yuuji's strength and body build don't line up with his skill level. He can tell this isn't Yuuji having a latent talent, but experience. To him it's like someone took war memories and transplanted them into a vessel that's inexperienced, and he wonders if that's how heroes are. Sol says as far as he knows that's never happened before and wonders if this has to do with his amnesia. Bacchus is quiet for some reason.
 
Anyways, Orgus says that you aren't just showing off or being capricious, and if your body is lacking then you just need to train. He just hopes there's enough time before the overlord shows up. Sol agrees and says the Church told him that if the hero is here, then the overlord should be turning up soon too. To that end, they should gather as much information as possible no matter how trivial it is.
 
Orgus agrees as says he's helping out personally because Valinor is thinking the same thing. He'd also rather not have you stay a weakling and get crushed by the overlord. Sol enthusiastically agrees, and Orgus talks about his annoyed inability to understand why he's supporting you so much since he only just met you. Sol admits to feeling the same amount of confusion and compares it to having forgotten meeting you. Before he gets further on that, Orgus asks why Bacchus is smiling so much.
 
Bacchus apologizes and says he was feeling a little jealous. When Sol asks why, Bacchus explains that he has no memories at all, not even thoughts that don't seem to come from anywhere to act as a clue. Orgus apologizes for being insensitive, but Bacchus brushes it off and says he ought to be thanking them. He's personally happy that the two of them love you so much, not that he understands why he feels that way.
 
Some time later you meet back up with the party as Orgus notes, and Yuuji pants and says he thought he was going to die out there. Sol welcomes you back and asks if you're hurt, which Yuuji is happy about. Orgus yells at him to not spoil you too much, since you'll be going back out there after some rest. Yuuji isn't too happy about that, and Orgus says you need to be strong as soon as possible so you ought to be ready for that. In the meantime they'll work on some quests nearby.
 
Yuuji tries to appeal to Sol for support, though Sol reluctantly apologizes and prays for you. Bacchus laughs as they walk off, and time shifts to the next day. After fighting all day, Yuuji is in high spirits as he's ready to eat and go to bed. Bacchus tells you you did good out there, and Yuuji mentions sleeping really well lately, commenting that pushing yourself to the limit makes a difference. He then asks if Orgus and Sol are out questing again nearby.
 
Bacchus confirms this and says they've worked so hard that they're almost out of jobs to do. He also observes that Yuuji's bulked up during that time. Yuuji is happy since he's been thinking that too. Bacchus mentions that all the spectators around him are admiring how you've been fighting, at which point Yuuji notices all the attention turned his way. A sahagin asks to shake hands while a Rycants asks to have his armor autographed.

Yuuji is surprised by these requests while Bacchus laughs as he notes how popular you are. He tells you he'll be waiting a ways away, so you can do whatever. Some time passes as you presumably oblige the requests, and the mobs bow to you before walking off. Alp walks up to you next as he comments on how popular you are too. You can either not recognize him or do recognize him. In A Yuuji asks who he is, while in B Yuuji is about to say his name before the ball drops as he doesn't know him.
 
Either way Alp introduces himself and says he has an interest in popular people. He came to talk to you while waiting for his senpai. Alp thinks it's amazing how everyone is talking about you, then asks how you managed to make that happen. You can either guess it's personal virtue, strength, or say you don't know. In A and B Alp reacts with shock before being amazed and saying he wants to be that cool too. In C he's shocked and disappointed before asking you to tell him if you ever figure it out.
 
Alp thanks you for answering his sudden question either way, saying you're a good guy and noting that you sort of resemble one of his best friends. You ask or seem sad at that, and Alp adds that this friend is someone he met in another world and is important to him.
 
You ask if Alp is native to this world, and he answers that he wants to say yes, but he has some doubts but puts it down to not being as familiar with it as he thought he was. You ask about this, so Alp tells you he's from Alfheim in Yggdrasil. He thinks this is his homeworld of Yggdrasil, but he says there's a lot of countries in it that he doesn't know anything about. That's why he decided to go take a look around when he came here.
 
Alp mentions he suddenly found himself here one moment when he was in Tokyo just before, but he says they need to get back since they came here without telling Leib or Cusith. He flaked out on some repair work or maintenance or something, so they're sure to be mad, and Alp doesn't want to be stuck in the dorms on his day off!
 
Alp mentioning Tokyo sets something off as you mention having come from Tokyo too, which surprises him as he says he's feeling even closer to you now. He starts saying everyone is waiting back in Tokyo when Yuuji tells him it'll be okay and that he's sure he can go back, which startles Alp a bit. You however find Yuuji's action strange.

Yuuji says he's looking into this world and offers to tell Alp anything he finds out, and he's about to say something else when he stops. Alp thanks him, then notices the one he was waiting for has come back. Fenrir turns up and announces his return as he refers to Alp as Apostle Lost in Dreams. Alp welcomes him back and asks if he found his brother anywhere.
 
Fenrir tells him he didn't, but he does have a clue on where to look as he says they'll need to aim for the top rank of the arena. Alp doesn't completely get it but goes along with it, saying he'll get popular with his break dance kick. He turns to you, thanks you for talking to him, and promises to share with you if he learns anything new. As he walks off, you start wondering what's up with Yuuji I think as you wonder what he's thinking and if he's not just someone easily carried away.
 
Alp runs back as he realizes he's forgotten something, saying something else stood out to him that led him to try to talk to you. He starts sniffing you, then says he can faintly smell the scent of a dream demon (ie succubi or incubi) coming from your body. Yuuji asks for an explanation, so Alp describes dream demons as dream eaters who intrude upon dreams and work by granting desires. If they get hungry they might eat dreams/memories.
 
Alp says you don't seem to be a dream demon yourself, but maybe someone nearby you is. Dream demons are rare in Yggdrasil, so he figured he'd get an introduction if they were in his friends. Alp then talks about how something is weird and comments that it's less that something is a dream demon and more like "something saying it was a dream demon." Fenrir interrupts from the side to call to Alp saying their battles will be starting soon. Alp excuses himself and leaves.
 
Yuuji thinks on the dream demon thing, and Bacchus comes over to ask if you're done talking. Also, the others are back now. Sol and Orgus announce their return, and Orgus asks if something is wrong. Yuuji says it's nothing and welcomes them back. Sol says he was thinking about you the entire time he was gone, then asks if you're hurt anywhere. Orgus compliments you for getting more serious since he last saw you, and that you've buffed up a bit, though not as much as an ogre.
 
Sol says your aches will get worse if he doesn't tend to you, so he offers to do so. Orgus says he'll look after you and tells Sol to back off. Bacchus laughs about how loved you are, and you can either ask everyone to stop or say you love how nice everyone is and be happy about what's happening. Yuuji comments about not needing to go back to Tokyo anymore, which seems to cause a minor disconnect with you before snapping back.
 
Yuuji notices this and says it felt like he was about to split into two. Sol notices his reaction but takes it to mean that Yuuji is hurt somewhere. Yuuji brushes it off but says he may be tired, and Orgus tells you to get rested up since you'll be going somewhere else tomorrow. Yuuji asks if that means you guys will be leaving the arena, and Bacchus asks if they've found new places to look into.
 
Orgus says they've found two new locations to check out. One is the Fire Dragon's Mountain where some Valinor troops have been stationed, and Sol says the other place is the Sage's Tower, the holy land of the Church.
 
Time skips to that night as Bacchus shows up at the arena, then seems to switch places with Nekros. Despite looking the same on the outside, he gives off an entirely different aura this quiet evening. Bacchus's smile is compared to the sun, with a kindness that can grow trees. Nekros gets compared to the moon, quiet and bewitching.
 
Nekros talks about wanting to show this moon to Bacchus, but he can't because Bacchus is looking at some other bright and happy dream. Even if they have the same past, they have different dreams. There are people who have dreams they can't forget, and there are people who have dreams they do want to forget. Some other emotion fills his face, one no one else is around to see. End of episode.

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